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What Is the Meaning of Life? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502013275 | What Is the Meaning of Life?
The Bible’s answer
The question of the meaning of life may be asked in many ways, such as Why are we here? or Does my life have a purpose? The Bible shows that our purpose in life is to build a friendship with God. Consider some of these fundamental truths that the Bible reveals.
God is our Creator. The Bible says: “It is [God] that has made us, and not we ourselves.”—Psalm 100:3; Revelation 4:11.
God has a purpose for everything he creates, including us.—Isaiah 45:18.
God created us with a “spiritual need,” which includes the desire to find meaning in life. (Matthew 5:3) He wants us to satisfy that desire.—Psalm 145:16.
We fill our spiritual need by building a friendship with God. Although the idea of being God’s friend might seem far-fetched to some, the Bible gives us this encouragement: “Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.”—James 4:8; 2:23.
To become God’s friend, we must live in harmony with his purpose for us. The Bible states this purpose at Ecclesiastes 12:13: “Have reverence for God, and obey his commands, because this is all that we were created for.”—Good News Translation.
In the future, we can experience in full God’s original purpose for us when he eliminates suffering and grants everlasting life to his friends, those who worship him.—Psalm 37:10, 11. |
Satisfying Life (la)
2001 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/la | input Page/Publishers’ Page
A Satisfying Life—How to Attain It
This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations.
To make a donation, please visit www.jw.org.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References.
April 2017 Printing
English (la-E)
© 2001 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
Photo Credits
Page 12: NASA photo; page 13: Top: Courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority; page 15: Top: Culver Pictures; middle: © Nobelstiftelsen; bottom: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScl/AURA); page 17: Supercomputer: Photo courtesy of Sandia National Laboratories; page 18: Hebrew text: This image has been produced with the permission of the Ancient Biblical Manuscript Center for Preservation and Research, Claremont, California. All rights reserved; page 25: UN PHOTO/Jean Pierre Laffont; page 30: Atomic cloud: USAF photo; soldiers: U.S. Marine Corps photo; starving children: WHO/OXFAM |
Young People Ask (yp)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp | Chapter 2
Why Don’t My Parents Understand Me?
IT’S only human to want to be understood. And if your parents are critical of—or uninterested in—things you love or think are important, you can feel very frustrated.
Sixteen-year-old Robert feels that his father does not understand his choice of music. “All he does is scream and say, ‘Turn it off!’” said Robert. “So I turn it and him off.” Many youths similarly withdraw emotionally into their own private world when parental understanding seems to be lacking. In one extensive study of youths, 26 percent of the youths surveyed admitted, “I try to stay away from home most of the time.”
A huge rift, or gap, between youths and parents thus exists in many homes. What causes it?
“Power” Versus “Gray-Headedness”
Proverbs 20:29 states: “The beauty of young men [or women] is their power.” This strength, or “power,” though, can lay the groundwork for all sorts of conflicts between you and your parents. The proverb continues: “And the splendor of old men is their gray-headedness.” Your parents may not literally be ‘gray-headed,’ but they are older and tend to view life differently. They realize that not every situation in life has a happy ending. Bitter personal experience may have tempered the idealism they once had as youths. Because of this wisdom born of experience—“gray-headedness,” as it were—they just may not share your enthusiasm over certain matters.
Says young Jim: “My parents (depression-era children) feel that money should be saved to buy or spend on things of importance. But I am living right now too. . . . I want to travel a lot.” Yes, between one’s youthful “power” and one’s parents’ “gray-headedness” may lie a huge gap. Many families are thus bitterly divided over issues such as dress and grooming, behavior with the opposite sex, use of drugs and alcohol, curfews, associates, and chores. The generation gap can be bridged. But before you can expect your parents to understand you, you must try to understand them.
Parents Are Human Too
“When I was younger, I naturally felt that Mom was ‘perfect’ and didn’t have any of the weaknesses and feelings I had,” says John. Then his parents divorced, leaving his mother to care for seven children alone. John’s sister April recalls: “I remember seeing her cry because of the frustration of trying to keep up with everything. Then I realized we had a wrong viewpoint. She can’t do everything always at the right time and in the right way. We saw that she had feelings and was human too.”
Recognizing that your parents are simply humans with feelings like yours is a big step toward your understanding them. They might, for example, feel very insecure about their ability to rear you properly. Or, feeling overwhelmed by all the moral dangers and temptations you face, they may tend to overreact to things at times. They also may be contending with physical, financial, or emotional hardships. A father, for instance, may hate his job but may never complain. So when his child says, “I can’t stand school,” it is no wonder that rather than respond sympathetically, he retorts, “What’s the matter with you? You kids have it easy!”
Take a “Personal Interest”
How, then, can you find out how your parents feel? By “keeping an eye, not in personal interest upon just your own matters, but also in personal interest upon those of the others.” (Philippians 2:4) Try asking your mother what she was like as a teenager. What were her feelings, her goals? “Chances are,” said ’Teen magazine, “that if she feels that you’re interested in, and aware of the reasons for some of her feelings, she’ll try to be more aware of yours.” The same would no doubt be true of your father.
If a conflict arises, do not be quick to accuse your folks of being insensitive. Ask yourself: ‘Was my parent not feeling well or worried about something? Was he or she perhaps hurt over some thoughtless deed or word on my part? Do they simply misunderstand what I mean?’ (Proverbs 12:18) Showing such empathy is a good start at closing that generation gap. Now you can work on getting your parents to understand you! Many youths, though, make that extremely difficult. How?
Living a Double Life
Seventeen-year-old Vickie was doing just that by secretly dating a boy against her parents’ wishes. She was sure her parents just wouldn’t understand her feelings for her boyfriend. Naturally, the gap between her and them widened. “We were making each other miserable,” says Vickie. “I hated coming home.” She decided she would get married—anything to get away from home!
Many youths similarly live double lives—doing things unknown to and forbidden by their parents—and then bemoan the fact that their parents ‘do not understand them’! Fortunately, Vickie was helped by an older Christian woman who told her: “Vickie, just think about your parents . . . They raised you. If you can’t handle this relationship, how can you handle one with someone of your own age that hasn’t put 17 years of love into you?”
Vickie took an honest look at herself. She soon realized that her parents were right and that her own heart was wrong. She terminated her association with her boyfriend and began closing the breach between her and her parents. If you have similarly kept an important part of your life secret from your parents, isn’t it time to be honest with them?—See insert “How Can I Tell My Parents?”
Take the Time to Talk
‘It was the best time I ever had with my dad!’ said John of a trip he and his father made together. “I’d never spent six hours alone with him in my whole life. Six hours up, six hours back. No car radio. We really talked. It’s as if we discovered each other. There’s more to him than I thought. It made us friends.” Why not similarly try to have a good talk with your mom or dad—regularly?
It also helps to make friends with other adults. Recalls Vickie: “I had absolutely no rapport with older ones. But I made a point of tagging along with my parents when they associated with other adults. In time I developed friendships with these who were my parents’ age, and this gave me a more rounded outlook. It was easier to carry on conversations with my parents. The atmosphere at home improved dramatically.”
Associating with those who have gained wisdom over the years will also prevent you from adopting a narrow, limited outlook on life, which can happen if you keep company only with your youthful peers.—Proverbs 13:20.
Communicate Your Feelings
“I talk straight from my heart and speak sincerely the knowledge coming from my lips,” said young Elihu. (Job 33:3, The Holy Bible in the Language of Today, by William Beck) Is that how you talk with your parents when you clash over such matters as clothes, curfews, or music?
Young Gregory felt that his mom was totally unreasonable. He coped with the heated conflict between them by staying away from home as much as he could. But then he acted on the advice of some Christian elders. He says, “I began to tell Mom how I felt. I told her why I wanted to do things and did not just assume she knew. Often I poured out my heart and explained that I wasn’t trying to do anything wrong and how bad I felt because she treated me like a little child. Then she began to understand and slowly things got a whole lot better.”
You may likewise find that speaking ‘straight from the heart’ can help settle many misunderstandings.
Handling Disagreements
This does not mean, however, that your parents will immediately come to view things your way. You must therefore keep a grip on your emotions. “All his spirit [impulses] is what a stupid one lets out, but he that is wise keeps it calm to the last.” (Proverbs 29:11) Calmly discuss the merits of your viewpoint. Stick to the issues instead of arguing that “everybody else does it!”
At times your parents are going to say no. This does not mean they do not understand you. They may simply want to forestall disaster. “My mother is strict on me,” admits one 16-year-old girl. “It bothers me that she tells me I can’t do something, or [that I must] come into the house at a certain time. But deep down inside, she really cares. . . . she looks out for me.”
The security and warmth that mutual understanding brings to a family is beyond words. It makes the home a haven in times of anguish. But real effort is needed on the part of everyone involved.
Questions for Discussion
◻ Why do youths and parents often conflict?
◻ How might a better understanding of your parents affect your view of them?
◻ How can you come to understand your parents better?
◻ Why does leading a double life deepen the rift between you and your parents?
◻ Why is it best to let parents know when you are having serious problems? How can you go about telling them?
◻ How can you help your parents understand you better?
[Blurb on page 22]
“If [your mother] feels that you’re interested in, and aware of the reasons for some of her feelings, she’ll try to be more aware of yours.”—’Teen magazine
[Box/Picture on page 20, 21]
How Can I Tell My Parents?
The task of confessing a wrong to your folks is not pleasant. Young Vince says: “I always sensed that my parents had a lot of trust in me and that made it difficult for me to approach them because I didn’t want to hurt them.”
Youths who resort to cover-ups often suffer the pangs of a wounded conscience. (Romans 2:15) Their errors can become “a heavy load,” too weighty to bear. (Psalm 38:4) Almost inevitably, they are forced to deceive their parents by lying, thereby committing further wrongs. Their relationship with God is thus damaged.
The Bible says: “He that is covering over his transgressions will not succeed, but he that is confessing and leaving them will be shown mercy.” (Proverbs 28:13) As 19-year-old Betty puts it: “Jehovah sees everything anyway.”
If the matter involves serious wrongdoing, seek Jehovah’s forgiveness, confessing your wrong in prayer. (Psalm 62:8) Next, tell your parents. (Proverbs 23:26) They have experience in life and can often help you leave your mistakes behind and avoid repeating them. “It really can help you to talk about it,” reports 18-year-old Chris. “It’s finally a relief to get it off your mind.” The problem is, how do you tell your parents?
The Bible speaks of “a word spoken at the right time for it.” (Proverbs 25:11; compare Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7.) When might that be? Chris continues: “I wait until suppertime and then tell Dad that I need to talk to him.” The son of a single parent tried yet another time: “I would usually talk to Mom right before bedtime; she’d be more relaxed then. When she came home from work, she was all wound up.”
Perhaps you might say something like, “Mom and Dad, something is troubling me.” And what if your parents seem too busy to care? You might say, “I know you’re busy, but something is really troubling me. Can we talk?” You might then ask: “Did you ever do something that you were too ashamed to talk about?”
Now comes the hard part: telling your parents about the wrong itself. Be humble and “speak truth,” not watering down the seriousness of your error or trying to withhold some of the more unpleasant details. (Ephesians 4:25; compare Luke 15:21.) Use words your folks will understand, not expressions that carry a special meaning only to young people.
Naturally, your parents may feel hurt and disappointed at first. So don’t be surprised or indignant if you are hit with an emotion-packed volley of words! If you had heeded their earlier warnings, you probably wouldn’t be in this situation. So stay calm. (Proverbs 17:27) Listen to your folks and answer their questions, regardless of how they ask them.
No doubt your earnestness about setting matters straight will make a deep impression on them. (Compare 2 Corinthians 7:11.) Nevertheless, be prepared to accept some well-deserved discipline. “True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.” (Hebrews 12:11) Remember, too, that this will not be the last time you will need your parents’ help and mature advice. Get into the habit of confiding in them about small problems so that when the big problems come along, you won’t fear telling them what’s on your mind.
[Picture]
Choose a time when your parents might be in a more receptive frame of mind |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 7—Judges
Writer: Samuel
Place Written: Israel
Writing Completed: c. 1100 B.C.E.
Time Covered: c. 1450–c. 1120 B.C.E.
1. In what ways was the period of the judges noteworthy?
HERE is a page of Israel’s history that is packed full of action, alternating between disastrous entanglements with demon religion and Jehovah’s merciful deliverances of his repentant people by divinely appointed judges. Faith-inspiring are the mighty deeds of Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, and the other judges who followed. As the writer of Hebrews said: “The time will fail me if I go on to relate about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, . . . who through faith defeated kingdoms in conflict, effected righteousness, . . . from a weak state were made powerful, became valiant in war, routed the armies of foreigners.” (Heb. 11:32-34) To round out the number of 12 faithful judges of this period, there are also Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon. (Samuel is not usually counted among the judges.) Jehovah fought the judges’ battles for them, and spirit enveloped them as they performed their deeds of prowess. They gave all the credit and glory to their God.
2. In what way is the Hebrew name of the book of Judges appropriate?
2 In the Septuagint the book is called Kri·taiʹ, and in the Hebrew Bible, it is Sho·phetimʹ, which is translated “Judges.” Sho·phetimʹ is derived from the verb sha·phatʹ, meaning to “judge, vindicate, punish, govern,” which well expresses the office of these theocratic appointees of “God the Judge of all.” (Heb. 12:23) They were men raised up by Jehovah on specific occasions to deliver his people from foreign bondage.
3. When was Judges written?
3 When was Judges written? Two expressions in the book help us to find the answer. The first is this: “But the Jebusites keep on dwelling . . . in Jerusalem down to this day.” (Judg. 1:21) Since King David captured “the stronghold of Zion” from the Jebusites in the eighth year of his reign, or in 1070 B.C.E., Judges must have been written before that date. (2 Sam. 5:4-7) The second expression occurs four times: “In those days there was no king in Israel.” (Judg. 17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25) Hence, the record was written down at a time when there was a “king in Israel,” that is, after Saul became the first king in 1117 B.C.E. It must therefore be dated between 1117 and 1070 B.C.E.
4. Who was the writer of Judges?
4 Who was the writer? Unquestionably, he was a devoted servant of Jehovah. It is Samuel who stands out alone as the principal advocate of Jehovah’s worship at this time of transition from the judges to the kings, and he is also the first of the line of faithful prophets. As such, Samuel would be the logical one to record the history of the judges.
5. How may the time period of Judges be calculated?
5 How long a period does Judges cover? This can be calculated from 1 Kings 6:1, which shows that Solomon began to build the house of Jehovah in the fourth year of his reign, which was also “the four hundred and eightieth year after the sons of Israel came out from the land of Egypt.” (“Four hundred and eightieth” being an ordinal number, it represents 479 full years.) The known time periods included in the 479 years are 40 years under Moses in the wilderness (Deut. 8:2), 40 years of Saul’s reign (Acts 13:21), 40 years of David’s reign (2 Sam. 5:4, 5), and the first 3 full years of Solomon’s reign. Subtracting this total of 123 years from the 479 years of 1 Kings 6:1, there remain 356 years for the period between the entry of Israel into Canaan and the start of Saul’s reign.a The events recorded in the book of Judges, extending largely from the death of Joshua down to the time of Samuel, cover about 330 years of this 356-year period.
6. What proves the authenticity of Judges?
6 The authenticity of Judges is beyond doubt. The Jews have always recognized it as part of the Bible canon. Writers of both the Hebrew and the Christian Greek Scriptures have drawn on its record, as at Psalm 83:9-18; Isaiah 9:4; 10:26; and Hebrews 11:32-34. In candor, it hides nothing of Israel’s shortcomings and backsliding, while at the same time it exalts the infinite loving-kindness of Jehovah. It is Jehovah, and no mere human judge, who receives the glory as Deliverer in Israel.
7. (a) How does archaeology support the record in Judges? (b) Why did Jehovah rightly decree extermination for Baal worshipers?
7 Further, archaeological finds support the genuineness of Judges. Most striking are those on the nature of the Baal religion of the Canaanites. Apart from the Bible references, little was known of Baalism until the ancient Canaanite city of Ugarit (the modern Ras Shamra on the Syrian coast opposite the northeast tip of the island of Cyprus) was excavated, beginning in 1929. Here, Baal religion was revealed as featuring materialism, extreme nationalism, and sex worship. Each Canaanite city evidently had its Baal sanctuary as well as shrines known as high places. Inside the shrines, there may have been images of Baal, and near the altars outside were to be found stone pillars—perhaps phallic symbols of Baal. Detestable human sacrifices bloodied these shrines. When the Israelites became contaminated by Baalism, they likewise offered up their sons and daughters. (Jer. 32:35) There was a sacred pole representing Baal’s mother, Asherah. The fertility goddess, Ashtoreth, Baal’s wife, was worshiped by lewd sex rites, both men and women being kept as “consecrated” temple prostitutes. It is no wonder that Jehovah had commanded extermination for Baalism and its bestial adherents. “Your eye must not feel sorry for them; and you must not serve their gods.”—Deut. 7:16.b
outputS OF JUDGES
8. Into what sections does Judges logically divide?
8 The book divides logically into three sections. The first two chapters describe the conditions in Israel at the time. Chapters 3 through 16 describe the deliverances of the 12 judges. Chapters 17 through 21 then describe some events involving internal strife in Israel.
9. What background is provided by the two opening chapters of Judges?
9 Conditions in Israel at the time of the judges (1:1–2:23). The tribes of Israel are described as they spread out to settle in their assigned territories. However, instead of completely driving out the Canaanites, they put many of them to forced labor, permitting them to dwell among the Israelites. Therefore Jehovah’s angel declares, “They must become snares to you, and their gods will serve as a lure to you.” (2:3) Thus, when a new generation arises that does not know Jehovah or his works, the people soon abandon him to serve the Baals and other gods. Because Jehovah’s hand is against them for calamity, they get “in very sore straits.” Because of their stubbornness and refusal to listen even to the judges, Jehovah does not drive out a single one of the nations he has left to test Israel. This background is an aid in understanding subsequent events.—2:15.
10. By what power does Othniel judge, and with what result?
10 Judge Othniel (3:1-11). In distress because of their captivity to the Canaanites, the sons of Israel begin to call on Jehovah for aid. He first raises up Othniel as judge. Does Othniel judge by human power and wisdom? No, for we read: “The spirit of Jehovah now came upon him” to subdue Israel’s enemies. “After that the land had no disturbance for forty years.”—3:10, 11.
11. How does Jehovah use Ehud in bringing deliverance to Israel?
11 Judge Ehud (3:12-30). When the sons of Israel have been subject to Moab’s king Eglon for 18 years, Jehovah again hears their calls for aid, and he raises up Judge Ehud. Gaining secret audience with the king, left-handed Ehud snatches his homemade sword from beneath his cloak and kills Eglon by plunging the sword deep into fat Eglon’s belly. Israel rallies quickly to Ehud’s side in the fight against Moab, and the land again enjoys God-given rest, for 80 years.
12. What shows that Shamgar’s victory is by God’s power?
12 Judge Shamgar (3:31). Shamgar saves Israel by striking down 600 Philistines. That the victory is by Jehovah’s power is indicated by the weapon he uses—a mere cattle goad.
13. What dramatic events are climaxed by the victory song of Barak and Deborah?
13 Judge Barak (4:1–5:31). Israel next becomes subject to the Canaanite king Jabin and his army chief, Sisera, who boasts of having 900 chariots with iron scythes. As Israel again begins to cry out to Jehovah, He raises up Judge Barak, ably supported by the prophetess Deborah. So that Barak and his army may have no cause to boast, Deborah makes known that the battle will be by Jehovah’s direction, and she prophesies: “It will be into the hand of a woman that Jehovah will sell Sisera.” (4:9) Barak calls together men of Naphtali and Zebulun to Mount Tabor. His army of 10,000 then descends to do battle. Strong faith wins the day. ‘Jehovah begins to throw Sisera and all his war chariots and all the camp into confusion,’ overwhelming them by a flash flood in the valley of Kishon. “Not as much as one remained.” (4:15, 16) Jael, wife of Heber the Kenite, to whose tent Sisera flees, climaxes the slaughter by nailing Sisera’s head to the ground with a tent pin. “Thus God subdued Jabin.” (4:23) Deborah and Barak exult in song, extolling the invincible might of Jehovah, who caused even the stars to fight from their orbits against Sisera. Truly, it is a time to “bless Jehovah”! (5:2) Forty years of peace follow.
14, 15. What sign of Jehovah’s backing does Gideon receive, and how is this backing further emphasized in the final defeat of the Midianites?
14 Judge Gideon (6:1–9:57). The sons of Israel again do what is bad, and the land is devastated by the raiding Midianites. Jehovah, through his angel, commissions Gideon as judge, and Jehovah himself adds assurance with the words, “I shall prove to be with you.” (6:16) Gideon’s first courageous act is to break down Baal’s altar in his home city. The combined armies of the enemy now cross over into Jezreel, and ‘Jehovah’s spirit envelops Gideon’ as he summons Israel to battle. (6:34) By the test of exposing a fleece to the dew on the threshing floor, Gideon receives a twofold sign that God is with him.
15 Jehovah tells Gideon that his army of 32,000 is too large and that the size may give cause for human bragging about victory. The fearful are first sent home, leaving but 10,000. (Judg. 7:3; Deut. 20:8) Then, by the water-drinking test, all but an alert and watchful 300 are eliminated. Gideon spies out the Midianite camp at night and is reassured when he hears a man interpret a dream to mean that “this is nothing else but the sword of Gideon . . . The true God has given Midian and all the camp into his hand.” (Judg. 7:14) Gideon worships God and then sets his men in three bands around the Midianite camp. The calm of night is suddenly shattered by the trumpeting of horns, by the dashing to pieces of large water jars, by the flashing of torches, and by Gideon’s 300 shouting, “Jehovah’s sword and Gideon’s!” (7:20) The enemy camp breaks into pandemonium. The men fight one against another and take to flight. Israel gives chase, slaughtering them and killing their princes. The people of Israel now ask Gideon to rule over them, but he refuses, saying, “Jehovah is the one who will rule over you.” (8:23) However, he makes an ephod out of the war booty, which later comes to be overly venerated and hence becomes a snare to Gideon and his household. The land has rest for 40 years during Gideon’s judgeship.
16. What doom befalls the usurper Abimelech?
16 Abimelech, one of Gideon’s sons by a concubine, usurps power after Gideon’s death, and he murders his 70 half brothers. Jotham, Gideon’s youngest son, is the only one to escape, and he proclaims Abimelech’s doom from atop Mount Gerizim. In this parable about the trees, he likens Abimelech’s “kingship” to that of a lowly bramble. Abimelech soon gets caught up in internal strife in Shechem and is humiliated in death, being killed by a woman when she makes a direct hit with a millstone thrown from the tower of Thebez, smashing his skull.—Judg. 9:53; 2 Sam. 11:21.
17. What does the record tell of Judges Tola and Jair?
17 Judges Tola and Jair (10:1-5). These are next to effect deliverances in Jehovah’s power, judging for 23 and 22 years respectively.
18. (a) What deliverance does Jephthah bring? (b) What vow to Jehovah does Jephthah faithfully perform? How?
18 Judge Jephthah (10:6–12:7). As Israel persists in turning to idolatry, Jehovah’s anger again blazes against the nation. The people now suffer oppression by the Ammonites and the Philistines. Jephthah is recalled from exile to lead Israel in the fight. But who is the real judge in this controversy? Jephthah’s own words supply the answer: “Let Jehovah the Judge judge today between the sons of Israel and the sons of Ammon.” (11:27) As Jehovah’s spirit now comes upon him, he vows that on returning from Ammon in peace, he will devote to Jehovah the one who shall first come out of his house to meet him. Jephthah subdues Ammon with a great slaughter. As he returns to his home in Mizpah, it is his own daughter who first comes running to meet him with joy at Jehovah’s victory. Jephthah fulfills his vow—no, not by pagan human sacrifice according to Baal rites, but by devoting this only daughter to exclusive service in Jehovah’s house to His praise.
19. What events lead to the “Shibboleth” test?
19 The men of Ephraim now protest that they were not called on to fight against Ammon, and they threaten Jephthah, who is compelled to drive them back. In all, 42,000 Ephraimites are slaughtered, many of them at the fords of the Jordan, where they are identified by their failure to pronounce the password “Shibboleth” correctly. Jephthah continues to judge Israel for six years.—12:6.
20. Which three judges next receive mention?
20 Judges Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon (12:8-15). Though little is mentioned concerning these, the periods of their judging are stated as seven, ten, and eight years respectively.
21, 22. (a) What mighty acts does Samson perform, and by what power? (b) How is Samson overcome by the Philistines? (c) What events culminate in Samson’s greatest feat, and who remembers him in this hour?
21 Judge Samson (13:1–16:31). Once again Israel falls captive to the Philistines. This time it is Samson whom Jehovah raises up as judge. His parents devote him as a Nazirite from birth, and this requires that no razor shall ever come upon his hair. As he grows up, Jehovah blesses him, and ‘in time Jehovah’s spirit starts to impel him.’ (13:25) The secret of his strength lies, not in human muscle, but in power supplied by Jehovah. It is when ‘Jehovah’s spirit becomes operative upon him’ that he is empowered to slay a lion with his bare hands and later to repay Philistine treachery by striking down 30 of their number. (14:6, 19) As the Philistines continue to act treacherously in connection with Samson’s betrothal to a Philistine girl, Samson takes 300 foxes and, turning them tail to tail, puts torches between their tails and sends them out to burn the grainfields, vineyards, and olive groves of the Philistines. Then he accomplishes a great slaughter of the Philistines, “piling legs upon thighs.” (15:8) The Philistines persuade his fellow Israelites, men of Judah, to bind Samson and deliver him to them, but again ‘Jehovah’s spirit becomes operative upon him,’ and his fetters melt, as it were, from off his hands. Samson strikes down a thousand Philistines—“one heap, two heaps!” (15:14-16) His weapon of destruction? The moist jawbone of an ass. Jehovah refreshes his exhausted servant by causing a miraculous spring of water to break forth at the scene of battle.
22 Samson next lodges a night at a prostitute’s house in Gaza, where the Philistines quietly surround him. However, Jehovah’s spirit again proves to be with him as he arises at midnight, pulls out the doors of the city gate and the side posts, and carries them clear to the top of a mountain facing Hebron. After this he falls in love with the treacherous Delilah. A willing tool of the Philistines, she nags him until he discloses that his Nazirite devotion to Jehovah, as symbolized in his long hair, is the real source of his great strength. While he sleeps, she has his hair snipped off. This time it is in vain that he awakes to do battle, for “it was Jehovah that had departed from him.” (16:20) The Philistines grab him, bore out his eyes, and set him to grinding as a slave in their prison house. As it comes time for a great festival in honor of their god Dagon, the Philistines bring Samson out to provide amusement for them. Failing to attach value to the fact that his hair is again growing luxuriantly, they allow him to be stationed between the two mighty pillars of the house used for the worship of Dagon. Samson calls on Jehovah: “Lord Jehovah, remember me, please, and strengthen me, please, just this once.” Jehovah does remember him. Samson grasps the pillars and ‘bends himself with power’—Jehovah’s power—‘and the house goes falling, so that the dead that he puts to death in his own death come to be more than those he put to death during his lifetime.’—16:28-30.
23. What events are recounted in chapters 17 through 21, and when did they take place?
23 We now come to chapters 17 through 21, which describe some of the internal strife that unhappily plagues Israel during this time. These events take place quite early in the period of the judges, as is indicated by mention of Jonathan and Phinehas, grandsons of Moses and Aaron, as being still alive.
24. How do some Danites set up an independent religion?
24 Micah and the Danites (17:1–18:31). Micah, a man of Ephraim, sets up his own independent religious establishment, an idolatrous “house of gods,” complete with a carved image and a Levite priest. (17:5) Tribesmen of Dan come by on their way to seek an inheritance in the north. They plunder Micah of his religious paraphernalia and priest, and they march far north to destroy the unsuspecting city of Laish. In its place they build their own city of Dan and set up Micah’s carved image. Thus, they follow the religion of their own independent choice all the days that Jehovah’s house of true worship continues in Shiloh.
25. How is internal strife in Israel climaxed at Gibeah?
25 Benjamin’s sin at Gibeah (19:1–21:25). The next recorded event gives rise to Hosea’s later words: “From the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel.” (Hos. 10:9) Returning home with his concubine, a Levite from Ephraim lodges overnight with an old man in Gibeah of Benjamin. Good-for-nothing men of the city surround the house, demanding to have intercourse with the Levite. However, they accept his concubine instead and abuse her all night. She is found dead on the threshold in the morning. The Levite takes her body home, carves it into 12 pieces, and sends these into all Israel. The 12 tribes are thus put to the test. Will they punish Gibeah and so remove the immoral condition from Israel? Benjamin condones this vile crime. The other tribes congregate to Jehovah at Mizpah, where they resolve to go up by lot against Benjamin at Gibeah. After two sanguinary setbacks, the other tribes succeed by an ambush and practically annihilate the tribe of Benjamin, only 600 men escaping to the crag of Rimmon. Later, Israel regrets that one tribe has been chopped off. Occasion is found to provide wives for the surviving Benjamites from among the daughters of Jabesh-gilead and of Shiloh. This closes out a record of strife and intrigue in Israel. As the concluding words of Judges repeat, “In those days there was no king in Israel. What was right in his own eyes was what each one was accustomed to do.”—Judg. 21:25.
WHY BENEFICIAL
26. What powerful warnings in Judges apply also in this day?
26 Far from being merely a record of strife and bloodshed, the book of Judges exalts Jehovah as the great Deliverer of his people. It shows how his incomparable mercy and long-suffering are expressed toward his name people when they come to him with repentant hearts. Judges is most beneficial in its forthright advocacy of Jehovah’s worship and its powerful warnings concerning the folly of demon religion, interfaith, and immoral associations. Jehovah’s severe condemnation of Baal worship should impel us to stand clear of the modern-day equivalents of materialism, nationalism, and sexual immorality.—2:11-18.
27. How may we today profit by the good example of the judges?
27 An examination of the fearless and courageous faith of the judges should stir in our hearts a like faith. No wonder they are mentioned with such glowing approval at Hebrews 11:32-34! They were fighters in sanctification of Jehovah’s name, but not in their own strength. They knew the source of their power, Jehovah’s spirit, and they humbly acknowledged it. Likewise, we today can take up “the sword of the spirit,” God’s Word, confident that God will empower us as he did Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, Samson, and the others. Yes, in overcoming mighty obstacles, with the help of Jehovah’s spirit, we can be as strong spiritually as Samson was physically if we but pray to Jehovah and lean upon him.—Eph. 6:17, 18; Judg. 16:28.
28. How does the book of Judges point forward to the sanctification of Jehovah’s name through the Kingdom Seed?
28 The prophet Isaiah refers to Judges in two places to show how Jehovah will, without fail, shatter the yoke that His enemies place upon his people, just as he did in the days of Midian. (Isa. 9:4; 10:26) This reminds us also of the song of Deborah and Barak, which concludes with the fervent prayer: “Thus let all your enemies perish, O Jehovah, and let your lovers be as when the sun goes forth in its mightiness.” (Judg. 5:31) And who are these lovers? Showing them to be the Kingdom heirs, Jesus Christ himself used a similar expression at Matthew 13:43: “At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” Thus, the book of Judges points forward to the time when the righteous Judge and Kingdom Seed, Jesus, will exercise power. By means of him, Jehovah will bring glory and sanctification to His name, in harmony with the psalmist’s prayer concerning the enemies of God: “Do to them as to Midian, as to Sisera, as to Jabin at the torrent valley of Kishon . . . that people may know that you, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth.”—Ps. 83:9, 18; Judg. 5:20, 21.
[Footnotes]
a Most modern translations testify that the “about four hundred and fifty years” of Acts 13:20 do not correspond to the period of the judges but precede it; they would seem to cover the period from Isaac’s birth in 1918 B.C.E. to the division of the Land of Promise in 1467 B.C.E. (Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, page 462) The order in which the judges are mentioned in Hebrews 11:32 is different from that in the book of Judges, but this fact does not necessarily indicate that the events in Judges do not follow in chronological sequence, for certainly Samuel did not follow David.
b Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pages 228-9, 948. |
JAY CAMPBELL | LIFE STORY
From the Lowest Level to Great Heights | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502400112 | JAY CAMPBELL | LIFE STORY
From the Lowest Level to Great Heights
Growing up, I was a very shy girl. I preferred staying indoors and hiding from people, and I often felt worthless. I seldom interacted with others in public and feared that people would not treat me with dignity and respect. Let me share my story with you.
In August 1967, after a normal day as a healthy 18-month-old infant, I developed a high fever. I woke up the next morning with weak legs. Hospital tests in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where I lived, showed that I had contracted polio, an infectious viral disease that causes paralysis, mostly in children under five years of age. Physiotherapy did not help to strengthen my legs. Gradually, they withered and could no longer carry my weight. My father would repeatedly say I was “half a child” because of my disability. With my movement limited to a crawl and my self-worth damaged, I felt that I was confined to the lowest level.
Growing Up, Crawling on the Ground
I grew up in a compound with my mother and several other poverty-stricken families. Though people liked me, I yearned for the love of a father, which was not forthcoming. Some believed my condition was not a normal sickness but was the result of witchcraft. Others suggested that Mother leave me at the doorstep of a home that cared for children with disabilities. That, they reasoned, would free her from the burden of looking after me. Mother rejected that suggestion, and she worked hard to care for me.
Because I could not stand or walk, I had to crawl. But dragging myself across the ground and other surfaces caused injuries. To reduce my lacerations, I wore thick clothes. To protect my hands, I used slippers, which served as gloves. Later, I got U-shaped wooden blocks that better protected my hands. To move about, I reached out, placing the blocks on the ground, and shifted my weight forward. Then I swung my legs in the same direction, arching my back. Once I had moved a “step,” I reached out again to take the next laborious step. This put tremendous strain on my arms and shoulders. Moving around in this way involved so much effort that I rarely left our compound. I was not able to attend school or play with other children. I worried about how I would survive if my mother was not around.
I prayed to God, asking him to help me—and not to let me become a beggar. I felt that if I drew close to him, serving him correctly, he would care for my needs. Therefore, one day in 1981, I painstakingly ventured out of the compound to attend a church on the street where we lived. I felt uneasy because of the way people looked at me. The pastor did not welcome me, and he reproved my mother because I sat at a pew paid for by others. I decided I wouldn’t go there again.
How I Met My Heavenly Father
One morning in 1984, when I was 18 years old, I went upstairs to take my usual position for the day at a window. That’s where I watched the goings-on in the outside world. But then I decided to go downstairs into the outdoor area of the compound, which was usually empty. When I got there, I met two men who were preaching from house to house. They told me about a beautiful future where my condition would change. They read Isaiah 33:24 and Revelation 21:3, 4. Then they gave me the colorful brochure Enjoy Life on Earth Forever! promising to come back and teach me more.
On their second visit, they told me that they would bring a newly arrived missionary, Pauline, to continue our discussion. They did so, and the relationship between Pauline and me became like that of a mother and daughter. My natural mother encouraged my Bible study with my “new mother,” who displayed self-sacrificing love, patience, kindness, and interest, always checking on my welfare. She taught me to read. Using the publication My Book of Bible Stories, she gently introduced me to the loving Father I yearned for.
Pauline, a missionary, studied the Bible with me
What I learned from the Bible filled me with joy. One day, I asked Pauline if I could attend the meeting held by Jehovah’s Witnesses known as the Congregation Book Study,a which was held at the home of one of Jehovah’s Witnesses a block away from where I lived. Pauline said yes. The following Tuesday, she came and waited for me to take my bath and get dressed so that we could attend the meeting together. Someone said that I should tell Pauline to pay for a taxi for me, but I said, “I’ll walk there on my wooden walking blocks.”
When it was time to leave, my mother and our neighbors watched me apprehensively. As I made my way across the courtyard, some neighbors yelled at Pauline, “You are forcing her!”
“Jay, do you want to come?” Pauline gently asked me. This was the time to show that I trusted in Jehovah. (Proverbs 3:5, 6) “Yes!” I said. “This is my decision.” The neighbors watched quietly and changed their attitude as I approached the gate. As I exited the compound, they erupted in cheers.
How I enjoyed that meeting! It was so refreshing! Everyone welcomed me. No one looked down on me. I felt very comfortable. So I attended regularly. Shortly thereafter, I asked if I could also attend the larger meetings held at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I was poor, and I had only two dresses to choose from and one pair of slippers. Still, I felt confident I wouldn’t be rejected by God’s people. And, of course, I wasn’t.
Getting to the Kingdom Hall involved “walking” to the end of the street and then taking a taxi to the bottom of the hill where the Kingdom Hall was located. The brothers would then carry me up to the hall in their arms.
Feeling that I had tasted Jehovah’s goodness, I wanted to take refuge in him. I made up my mind to attend regularly. (Psalm 34:8) During the rainy season, I would often arrive wet and muddy, and I would have to change my clothes at the hall; but it was worth it!
The 1985 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses told about my situation. After reading my story in the Yearbook, Josette, a Witness in Switzerland, was moved to send me a hand-pedaled tricycle wheelchair with nice mudguards and colorful rear reflectors. After that, I could move around with more dignity. Young children would marvel and say how much they liked to see me riding in my fancy chair. I had been raised up from ground level, and now I felt like a queen, respected and not disdained.
Taken to Great Heights
It was easy for me to progress spiritually because I was already living a simple and morally clean life. My chair enabled me to engage in the ministry, and on August 9, 1986, I got baptized. Baptism changed my life for the good, taking me to heights I had never imagined. I experienced inner joy and satisfaction, the feeling of self-worth, and confidence in myself because I now had a Father who loved me and I was surrounded by people who genuinely cared for me.
Looking for a way to repay Jehovah, I thought about regular pioneering but was not sure I would be able to do it. (Psalm 116:12) I prayed about it and decided to try it. I began to pioneer on January 1, 1988, and I have pioneered ever since. What a blessing this has been to me! I have loving brothers and sisters who help me to reach my monthly goal. And I have seen how Jehovah has supported me through his holy spirit.—Psalm 89:21.
As a pioneer, I was now moving around more actively, and my legs, though weak, were responding to stimulation. After some time, I went to a newly opened clinic, hoping to receive physiotherapy and an exercise program. However, a nurse there told me I shouldn’t bother coming because, she said, I would soon die. When her colleague expressed the same opinion, I felt discouraged. So I came home and prayed to Jehovah to help me cope with my feelings of discouragement and to provide some form of therapy.
The ministry proved to be one of the best forms of therapy for me. It provided me with plenty of exercise. Some years later, one of the nurses who told me that I would soon die was passing the Kingdom Hall and saw me. She was surprised to see me still alive!
Despite my condition, I have tried to stay very active in Jehovah’s service. The brothers commend me for my zeal and for coming early to the meetings. I always do that because it allows me time to greet my brothers and sisters and show my interest in them.
I have tasted Jehovah’s goodness, and I have seen many blessings in my life. I have had the joy of helping three people to baptism. One of them, Amelia, went on to attend the 137th class of Gilead. I have attended the Pioneer Service School, a wonderful provision from Jehovah, more than once! Jehovah has lifted my spirits, my self-worth, and my confidence. Now people respect me. I am no longer ashamed of myself. I have good friends in the truth, not only in Freetown, where I reside, but all over the country and throughout the world.
Nearly 40 years have passed since I learned of God’s promise of a new world where physical disabilities will no longer exist. The certainty of that promise continues to encourage me, and I eagerly await its realization. I have a waiting attitude because I know my God, Jehovah, will not delay. (Micah 7:7) My waiting has turned out to be a blessing. Jehovah has helped me deal with many problems and challenging situations. He has always provided help at the right time. I am truly happy and keep a bright smile because I was taken from the ground, where I used to crawl, to great heights I had never imagined possible.
a It is now called the Congregation Bible Study. |
“Eternal Purpose” (po)
1974 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/po | Chapter 5
God’s “Eternal Purpose” in His Anointed One Is Formed
1. What kind of life on earth is it God’s purpose for mankind to have?
HUMAN life on earth can be beautiful. The life of man’s Creator is beautiful. It is His will that the life of His human creation should also be beautiful. It is mankind that has made a wreck of its existence. Not all members of mankind have done so, however. In spite of mankind’s failure till now, the Creator’s benevolent purpose now is that men and women will yet have the opportunity to make life on earth beautiful for themselves.
2. (a) With what kind of living did mankind start off? (b) What shows whether God planned for man to take the course leading to death?
2 At the start mankind’s life was beautiful. It started off nearly six thousand years ago in an earthly Paradise. It was a pleasure to live there, which is why it was called the Garden of Eden, or Paradise of Pleasure. (Genesis 2:8, Douay Version Bible) Our first human parents, the first man and the first woman, were perfect, abounding in health and with the prospect of never dying. Being human, they were mortal, but before them lay the opportunity offered by their Creator of living in the Paradise of Pleasure for all time to come, eternally. Thus their heavenly Life-Giver could become their Eternal Father. He did not plan for them to die by taking the course that would lead to death. His desire was for them to live eternally as his everlasting children. More than three thousand years later He expressed his sincere feelings on the matter, when he said to his chosen people:
“‘Do I take any delight at all in the death of someone wicked,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘and not in that he should turn back from his ways and actually keep living?’”—Ezekiel 18:23.
3. Since God’s desire was for mankind to keep on living in Paradise, what question is forced on us today?
3 So the Creator had no desire that the innocent human couple in the Paradise of Pleasure should turn “wicked” and deserve to die. His desire was for them to keep living, yes, living on to see the whole earth properly filled with offspring just as perfect and happy as themselves, in peaceful, loving relationship with their Creator, their heavenly Father. Yet, today, all mankind are dying off, and our polluted earth is far from being a paradise. Why is this? Man’s Creator has had the explanation recorded in the Bible.
4. Why was it strange for a serpent to make itself observable to a human in Paradise?
4 The location is the Paradise of Pleasure, as chapter three of the Bible book of Genesis opens up. All lower forms of earthly creatures are in subjection to our first human parents, Adam and Eve. They do not fear any of these lower earthly creatures, not even snakes. Yes, there were snakes or serpents in the Paradise of Pleasure, and they were interesting to watch. Their limbless way of locomotion was marvelous, a manifestation of God’s diversified wisdom in designing. They are shy creatures, however. Genesis 3:1 makes a comment on this kind of reptile, saying: “Now the serpent [na·hhashʹ] proved to be the most cautious of all the wild beasts of the field that Jehovah God had made.” So rather than lying in wait to do harm to a human, it was inclined to withdraw itself from contact with humans. But now, strangely, it was plainly observable, whether on the ground or on a tree. Why?
5. Why was it strange that the serpent asked Eve a question, and why was it not God’s voice indirectly?
5 “So,” Genesis 3:1 goes on to say, “it began to say to the woman: ‘Is it really so that God said you must not eat from every tree of the garden?’” Well, now, how had the serpent heard such a thing? Or how did it understand such a thing? Also, how is it that it had never before spoken to the woman’s husband Adam? How is it that it could speak with human language at all? Never before had a serpent spoken to a human, and never has it done so since. Eve was not imagining that someone was speaking to her. She was not speaking to herself in her own mind, just thinking. The humanlike voice seemed to come from the mouth of the serpent. How could that be? The only other voice besides that of her husband Adam that Eve had heard in the garden was that of God, but directly, not through some subhuman animal creature. According to what the serpent, to all appearances, said, the voice was not that of God. The voice asked Eve about what God had said.
6. In what way was the inquirer that used the serpent to put the question acting, and why did Eve reply?
6 When Eve answered the question, she was speaking, not to that serpent, but to the invisible intelligence that was using the serpent like a ventriloquist. Was this invisible intelligent speaker friendly to God or otherwise? Certainly the method that the unseen speaker used in speaking to Eve was deceptive, leading her to think that it was the serpent that was doing the speaking. That inquiring speaker was hiding his identity behind a visible serpent and was thus acting deceitfully. However, Eve did not discern and appreciate that this serpent-using speaker was maliciously trying to deceive her. Unsuspectingly Eve made her reply.
“At this the woman said to the serpent: ‘Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat. But as for eating of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God has said, “You must not eat from it, no, you must not touch it that you do not die.”’”—Genesis 3:2, 3.
7. Where did Eve get her information on the tree in the middle of the garden?
7 By designating it as “the tree that is in the middle of the garden,” Eve meant the tree of the knowledge of good and bad. But how did Eve know about that tree? It must have been that Adam, as God’s prophet, told her. He is the one to whom God said when Adam was by himself, before Eve’s creation: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.” (Genesis 2:16, 17) According to Eve, God also said not to touch the forbidden tree. So Eve was not ignorant of the penalty for violating God’s law. It was death.
8. What shows whether the unseen inquirer was merely asking for information?
8 If the unseen speaker behind the serpent had been asking for mere information, he would have dropped the conversation on being given the information. Whether, at this time, the serpent was at the middle of the garden where the forbidden tree was located, and whether the serpent was on the ground or up the tree, is not stated. At least, the talk was about that “tree that is in the middle of the garden.”
9, 10. How did the unseen speaker behind the serpent make a liar, a Devil, a Satan, of himself?
9 How could a mere serpent know or have authority to say what Eve now heard said? “At this the serpent said to the woman: ‘You positively will not die. For God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad.’”—Genesis 3:4, 5.
10 Here the unseen speaker behind the visible serpent was making himself a liar, for he was contradicting Jehovah God. For blatantly declaring that God had wrong motives in forbidding Adam and Eve’s eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, the unseen speaker was making himself a slanderer, a Devil, toward Jehovah God. He was not lovingly interested in eternal life for Eve, but was scheming to bring about her death. In fact, he was trying to remove the fear of death from her, not death at his hands, but death at the hands of Jehovah God for breaking his known command. The unseen speaker was setting himself in resistance to God and was in this manner making himself Satan, which means Resister. He was interested in getting someone else to resist God and put someone else on the side of Satan. We know who the real speaker of such a lie and slander was. It was no serpent!
11. How did Eve now not show loyalty to God and respect for her husband, and let herself be tempted?
11 Unhappily, Eve did not dispute this lying, slanderous statement. She did not lovingly and loyally come to the defense of her heavenly Father. She did not now recognize her husband Adam’s headship over her and go to him to ask him whether he approved of her acting selfishly on the matter or not. He could have exposed the deception. But Eve let herself be thoroughly deceived. She entertained the wrong idea presented to her by a liar, slanderer and resister of God her heavenly Father. She let the fear of the terrible penalty for disobedience vanish. She let selfish desire begin forming in her heart. She let herself be drawn out by this desire and enticed. God had said that it would be bad for her and Adam to eat the forbidden fruit, but she decided to establish for herself what was bad and what was good. She accordingly decided to prove her heavenly Father and God a liar. So now when Eve contemplated the tree, it became attractive-looking.
12. By eating the forbidden fruit, what did Eve become, inexcusably?
12 “Consequently the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something to be longed for to the eyes, yes, the tree was desirable to look upon. So she began taking of its fruit and eating it.” (Genesis 3:6) In this way she became a transgressor against God, a sinner. The fact that she was thoroughly deceived did not excuse her. She lost her moral perfection.
13. By eating, what did Adam fail to do, with what effect on him?
13 Her husband was not there to prevent her independent action. When she next joined him, she had to use persuasion to get him to eat, because he was in no way deceived. He did not choose to prove the one speaking by means of the serpent a liar and to vindicate Jehovah God as One using His universal sovereignty in a righteous manner, a beneficial manner. What, then, happened when Adam joined Eve in transgression? Genesis 3:6, 7 tells us:
“Afterward she gave some also to her husband when with her and he began eating it. Then the eyes of both of them became opened and they began to realize that they were naked. Hence they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings for themselves.”
14. What led Adam and Eve to condemn themselves before God did, and how did they act at his approach?
14 They had now become “like God, knowing good and bad,” in that they no longer accepted the standards of good and bad as set by Jehovah God but they had become judges for themselves as to what was good and what was bad. In spite of this, their consciences began to bother them. They felt exposed, needing a covering. Their bodily nakedness was no longer a clean, innocent state in their eyes, in which to appear before Jehovah God. So they began tailoring and covered over their private parts that God had given them for the honorable purpose of reproduction of their kind. Thus under the condemning testimony of their own consciences, they condemned themselves, even before the Sovereign Lord Jehovah did. Hence, we read:
“Later they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden about the breezy part of the day, and the man and his wife went into hiding from the face of Jehovah God in between the trees of the garden. And Jehovah God kept calling to the man and saying to him: ‘Where are you?’ Finally he said: ‘Your voice I heard in the garden, but I was afraid because I was naked and so I hid myself.’ At that he said: ‘Who told you that you were naked? From the tree from which I commanded you not to eat have you eaten?’”—Genesis 3:8-11.
15. (a) What shows that there was no repentance on the part of Adam and Eve? (b) What did God then say to the serpent?
15 Let us notice, now, that there is no expression of repentance on the part of Adam and Eve, but, rather, an effort to excuse themselves: Someone else was to blame. “And the man went on to say: ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree and so I ate.’ With that Jehovah God said to the woman: ‘What is this you have done?’ To this the woman replied: ‘The serpent—it deceived me and so I ate.’” (Genesis 3:12, 13) However, excuses did not absolve these willful transgressors. But what about the serpent?
“And Jehovah God proceeded to say to the serpent: ‘Because you have done this thing, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild beasts of the field. Upon your belly you will go and dust is what you will eat all the days of your life. And I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel.’”—Genesis 3:14, 15, NW; Leeser; Zunz.
16, 17. (a) To whom did God’s words to the serpent really apply? (b) To what did a first-century writer liken this abasement?
16 This was not a curse upon the whole serpent family. Seemingly God’s words were addressed to that one literal serpent, but He knew that it had only been victimized to serve as an instrument of a superhuman, invisible spirit person, one who had hitherto been an obedient heavenly son of God. This one had also let himself be drawn out and enticed by a desire of a selfish kind. It was a desire for sovereignty over mankind, independent of Jehovah’s universal sovereignty. This desire he had let take root in his heart and had cultivated it, till it became fertile and produced transgression, rebellion against the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. This spirit transgressor then made himself a liar, slanderer or Devil and a resister or Satan, right there at the Paradise of Pleasure.
17 As suggested by the abasement that was pronounced upon that victimized serpent, God abased this newly risen Liar, Devil, Satan. One first-century Bible commentator likens this abasement to a ‘throwing of Satan into Tartarus,’ a disapproved state of spiritual darkness with no enlightenment from God.—2 Peter 2:4.
GOD’S ANOINTED ONE FORETOLD
18. What new thing was here announced, with what features about it?
18 Here Jehovah God formed a new purpose, and he announced it. The lying Satan the Devil had risen up, and it now became God’s purpose to raise up an Anointed One, a Ma·shiʹahh (Messiah) according to Adam’s language. (Daniel 9:25) God spoke of this Anointed One, this Messiah, as the “seed” of “the woman.” God would put enmity between this Anointed One and Satan the Devil, now symbolized by the serpent. This enmity would also extend itself to being between the Anointed One and the “seed” of the Great Serpent.
19. (a) In what conflict was this “enmity” to result? (b) Why would the Anointed One of Jehovah’s purpose have to be heavenly?
19 The enmity foretold was to result in a battle that would have painful effects, but it would end with victory for the “seed” of “the woman.” Like a snake that strikes at the heel of the leg (Genesis 49:17), the Great Serpent, Satan the Devil, would cause a heel wound to the woman’s “seed.” This heel wound would not prove fatal. It would be healed, to enable the woman’s “seed” to bruise the Great Serpent in the head fatally. Thus the Great Serpent would perish, and his “seed” with him. A vital thing to be noted about this conflict is this: For the woman’s “seed” to bruise and crush the head of the Great Serpent, Satan the Devil, the woman’s “seed” would have to be a heavenly spirit person, not a mere human son of a woman on earth. Why so? Because the Great Serpent is a superhuman spirit person, a rebellious heavenly son of God. A mere human “seed” of an earthly woman would not be powerful enough to destroy the invisible Satan the Devil in the spirit realm. So the Anointed One of Jehovah’s purpose must be a heavenly Messiah.
20. Who, then, is the “woman” of Genesis 3:15?
20 Well, then, how about the “woman” whose “seed” the Anointed One or Messiah is? She, too, must be heavenly. Just as the serpent that was sentenced to being crushed in the head was not that literal serpent that had been used to deceive Eve, so the “woman” of Jehovah’s prophecy in Genesis 3:15 was not a literal woman on earth. Eve was a personal transgressor against God’s law and was an enticer of her husband Adam into transgression. So she herself was not worthy of being the personal mother of the promised “seed.” The “woman” of God’s prophecy must be a symbolic woman. It is just as when Jehovah God speaks of his chosen people as being his wife, his woman, saying to them: “Return, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am become your husband.” (Jeremiah 3:14; 31:31, Leeser [Jer 31:32, NW]) In a like manner God’s heavenly organization of holy angels is as a wife to Jehovah God, and she is the heavenly mother of the “seed.” She is “the woman.” It is between this “woman” and the Serpent that God puts enmity.
ORIGINAL PURPOSE NOT TO BE A FAILURE
21. Was God’s original purpose concerning the earth now to fail because of the arising of transgression?
21 What, though, about God’s purpose concerning the earth as stated to Adam and Eve at the close of the sixth creative “day”? Was it now to fail because of the transgression by Eve and Adam, meriting their being put to death? This original purpose was to have all the surface of the earth a Paradise, peopled by the descendants of the first, the original, man and woman on earth, Adam and Eve. Failure is a thing that could not happen with God’s stated purpose. No Satan the Devil is able to cause God’s purpose to fail and disgrace him. That God’s original purpose was still to go forward to triumphant fulfillment is indicated in what was now said to the woman Eve by Jehovah God the Supreme Judge.
22. (a) Peopling of the earth by whom was to go ahead? (b) Was it reasonable to believe that bruising of the Serpent’s head would result in benefit to mankind?
22 “To the woman he said: ‘I shall greatly increase the pain of your pregnancy; in birth pangs you will bring forth children, and your craving will be for your husband, and he will dominate you.’” (Genesis 3:16) This signified that the producing of further inhabitants of the earth from this original human pair was to be permitted. It has continued till now, and today there is worrisome talk about a “population explosion.” Since the Great Serpent, Satan the Devil, had induced the bringing of death upon all the descendants of the first human couple, evidently the bruising of the “head” of this Great Serpent was to result in benefit to those descendants who had been hurt by his transgression. Exactly how? That was something for Jehovah God to make plain in due course. This would work toward the success of His original purpose.
23-25. (a) When was the sentence of death pronounced upon Adam for his transgression? (b) In what way, then, was it that Adam died in the day that he ate the forbidden fruit, and what about his offspring?
23 Now, finally, came the turn of the man, the third one in the order of transgression. God had told him that in the day in which he ate of the forbidden fruit he would positively die. (Genesis 2:17) For his wife Eve to bring forth children in birth pangs, it would require Adam to live on as her husband and father her children. So how was what God had warned him of carried out?
24 Genesis 3:17-19 makes clear how: “And to Adam he said: ‘Because you listened to your wife’s voice and took to eating from the tree concerning which I gave you this command, “You must not eat from it,” cursed is the ground on your account. In pain you will eat its produce all the days of your life. And thorns and thistles it will grow for you, and you must eat the vegetation of the field. In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.’” With those judicial words, Jehovah God pronounced the sentence of death upon the transgressor, and this within the same day in which Adam had transgressed.
25 Judicially, from God’s standpoint, Adam died that very day, and his transgressing wife Eve did also. Cut off from them both was the opportunity and prospect of living forever in happiness in the Paradise of Pleasure. He was now dead in his own transgression. He could henceforth pass on to his offspring by Eve only a dying existence and condemnation, due to inherited human imperfection. All his offspring would have to say, as the psalmist David said thousands of years later: “Look! With error I was brought forth with birth pains, and in sin my mother conceived me.” (Psalm 51:5) To all sinful mankind God can say, as he did to his chosen people: “Your own father, the first one, has sinned.” (Isaiah 43:27) All mankind died in Adam on the day that the Supreme Judge pronounced sentence upon him for his sin. After Adam got his sentence, physical death was inescapable for him.
26. Even when a “day” is viewed as a thousand years, how did Adam die on the day of his transgression, and what did he cease to be?
26 Quite appropriately, the “book of Adam’s history” tells us: “He became father to sons and daughters. So all the days of Adam that he lived amounted to nine hundred and thirty years and he died.” (Genesis 5:1-5) He lived seventy years less than a thousand years. None of his offspring have lived a full thousand years, the oldest one, Methuselah, living only nine hundred and sixty-nine years. (Genesis 5:27) Even from God’s viewing a thousand years as one day, Adam died within the first thousand-year “day” of mankind’s existence. Where did he go at his physical death? Not even his “soul” (nephʹesh) had been taken from heaven, and he did not “return” there. He did return to the dust of the ground, because, as God said, from there Adam had been taken. He then ceased to be a “living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) He ceased to exist. When his wife Eve died a physical death, she, too, ceased to be a “living soul.” There was no soul to live on forever and ever according to the Babylonian religious mythology.
LOSS OF PARADISE
27. To what part of the earth did the cursing of the ground apply, and what did Adam’s working cursed ground mean for him and Eve?
27 The wording of God’s sentence upon Adam, especially the words about the “cursed . . . ground,” meant that Adam was to lose Paradise. He did. Paradise was not cursed because of the transgression of Eve and Adam; it continued to be a place of life, still having within it the “tree of life.” Genesis 3:20-24 informs us:
“After this Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she had to become the mother of everyone living. And Jehovah God proceeded to make long garments of skin for Adam and for his wife and to clothe them. And Jehovah God went on to say: ‘Here the man has become like one of us in knowing good and bad, and now in order that he may not put his hand out and actually take fruit also from the tree of life and eat and live to time indefinite,—’ With that Jehovah God put him out of the garden of Eden to cultivate the ground from which he had been taken. And so he drove the man out and posted at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubs and the flaming blade of a sword that was turning itself continually to guard the way to the tree of life.”
28. Why was life to time indefinite no longer possible for Adam?
28 Having the power of death, Jehovah God put the man out of reach of the tree of life, in order to enforce the death penalty upon Adam. Adam’s wife went along with her husband in order to become mother to his children. Whether God drove out the snake that had been used to tempt Eve, the record does not indicate. Life to time indefinite was no longer possible for Adam and Eve.
29. (a) How did God now put “enmity” between the “woman” and the “serpent”? (b) What effect did God’s announced purpose have upon his original purpose for the earth, and why may we now rejoice?
29 There is no record that, outside the garden of Eden, Eve brought up her sons to hate snakes. But God’s heavenly organization of holy angels, the true “woman” meant in God’s prophecy of Genesis 3:15, immediately began to hate the Great Serpent, Satan the Devil. Love for Jehovah God as her heavenly husband prompted the womanlike organization to do so. God indeed placed enmity between His “woman” and the Great Serpent. When she was to bring forth the “seed” that would bruise the head of the Great Serpent lay within the purpose of Jehovah God. He had now formed his purpose in his Anointed One, his Messiah, and had made that fact known to heaven and earth, now almost six thousand years ago. That was ages of time ago. This added purpose reinforced God’s original purpose regarding a Paradise earth and made certain its fulfillment. The unchangeable God still sticks to that announced purpose in his Anointed One, His Messiah. We can greatly rejoice that it is now triumphing for man’s good. |
Live Forever (pe)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/pe | Chapter 16
God’s Government Begins Its Rule
1. (a) To what have persons of faith long looked forward? (b) Why is God’s kingdom called a “city”?
FOR THOUSANDS of years persons with faith in God’s government have looked forward to the time when it would begin its rule. For example, the Bible says that faithful Abraham “was awaiting the city having real foundations, the builder and maker of which city is God.” (Hebrews 11:10) That “city” is God’s kingdom. But why is it here called a “city”? This is because in ancient times it was common for a king to rule over a city. So people often thought of a city as a kingdom.
2. (a) What shows that the Kingdom was real to Christ’s early disciples? (b) What did they want to know about it?
2 The kingdom of God was real to Christ’s early followers. This is shown by their keen interest in its rule. (Matthew 20:20-23) A question in their minds was: When would Christ and his disciples begin ruling? Once when Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, they asked: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” (Acts 1:6) So, are you eager to learn when Christ begins to rule as King of God’s government, even as Christ’s disciples were?
THE GOVERNMENT FOR WHICH CHRISTIANS PRAY
3, 4. (a) What shows that God has always ruled as King? (b) So why did Christ teach his followers to pray for God’s kingdom to come?
3 Christ taught his followers to pray to God: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matthew 6:9, 10) But someone may ask: ‘Has not Jehovah God always ruled as king? And if he has, why pray for his kingdom to come?’
4 True, the Bible calls Jehovah the “King of eternity.” (1 Timothy 1:17) And it says: “Jehovah himself has firmly established his throne in the very heavens; and over everything his own kingship has held domination.” (Psalm 103:19) So Jehovah has always been the Supreme Ruler over all his creations. (Jeremiah 10:10) However, because of the rebellion against his rulership in the garden of Eden, God arranged for a special government. This is the government for which Jesus Christ later taught his followers to pray. Its purpose is to end the problems caused when Satan the Devil and others turned away from God’s rulership.
5. If it is God’s kingdom, why is it also called Christ’s kingdom and the kingdom of the 144,000?
5 This new Kingdom government receives its power and right to rule from the Great King, Jehovah God. It is his kingdom. Over and over again, the Bible calls it the “kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:2, 11, 60, 62; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 15:50) However, since Jehovah has appointed his Son to be its Chief Ruler, it is also referred to as Christ’s kingdom. (2 Peter 1:11) As we learned in an earlier chapter, 144,000 persons from among humankind will rule with Christ in this kingdom. (Revelation 14:1-4; 20:6) So the Bible also refers to it as “their kingdom.”—Daniel 7:27.
6. According to some persons, when did God’s kingdom begin to rule?
6 Some persons say that the Kingdom began its rule in the year that Jesus returned to heaven. They say that Christ began ruling when he poured out the holy spirit on his followers on the day of the Jewish festival of Pentecost in the year 33 C.E. (Acts 2:1-4) But the Kingdom government that Jehovah arranged to end all the problems created by Satan’s rebellion did not begin its rule then. There is nothing to show that the ‘male child,’ which is God’s government with Christ as ruler, was then born and began its rule. (Revelation 12:1-10) Well, did Jesus in any way have a kingdom in the year 33 C.E.?
7. Over whom has Christ been ruling since 33C.E.?
7 Yes, Jesus then began to rule over his congregation of followers who, in time, were to join him in the heavens. Thus the Bible speaks of them, while they are on earth, as being taken into “the kingdom of the Son of [God’s] love.” (Colossians 1:13) But this rule, or “kingdom,” over Christians with the hope of heavenly life is not the Kingdom government for which Jesus taught his followers to pray. It is a kingdom over only the 144,000 persons who will rule with him in heaven. Down through the centuries they have been its only subjects. Thus this rule, or ‘kingdom of the Son of God’s love,’ will end when the last one of these subjects with a heavenly hope dies and joins Christ in heaven. No longer will they be Christ’s subjects, but they will then be kings with him in God’s long-promised Kingdom government.
BEGINNING OF RULE IN THE MIDST OF ENEMIES
8. (a) What shows that after Christ’s resurrection there would be a time of waiting before he began to rule? (b) What did God say to Christ when it was time for him to rule?
8 When Christ returned to heaven after his resurrection, he did not start ruling then as King of God’s government. Rather, there was to be a time of waiting, as the apostle Paul explains: “This man [Jesus Christ] offered one sacrifice for sins perpetually and sat down at the right hand of God, from then on awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.” (Hebrews 10:12, 13) When the time came for Christ to begin to rule, Jehovah told him: “Go subduing [or, conquering] in the midst of your enemies.”—Psalm 110:1, 2, 5, 6.
9. (a) Why does not everyone want God’s kingdom? (b) When God’s government begins its rule, what do the nations do?
9 Does it sound strange that anyone would be an enemy of God’s government? Yet not everyone wants to live under a government that requires its subjects to do what is right. So after telling how Jehovah and his Son would take over world rulership, the Bible says, “the nations became wrathful.” (Revelation 11:15, 17, 18) The nations do not welcome God’s kingdom because Satan misleads them into opposing it.
10, 11. (a) When God’s government begins its rule, what happens in heaven? (b) What happens on earth? (c) So what important point do we want to remember?
10 When God’s government begins its rule, Satan and his angels are still living in heaven. Since they oppose Kingdom rule, right away war breaks out. As a result, Satan and his angels are thrown out of heaven. At this, a loud voice says: “Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ.” Yes, the rule of God’s government begins! And with Satan and his angels removed from heaven, there is rejoicing there. “On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them!” the Bible says.—Revelation 12:7-12.
11 Is this also a happy time for the earth? No! Instead, there is the greatest time of trouble the earth has ever had. The Bible tells us: “Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (Revelation 12:12) So this is an important point to remember: The start of the rule of God’s kingdom does not mean immediate peace and security on earth. True peace will come later when God’s kingdom takes full control of the earth. This happens at the end of the “short period of time,” when Satan and his angels will be put out of the way so that they can no longer cause trouble for anyone.
12. Why can we expect that the Bible would tell us when God’s kingdom begins its rule?
12 But when is Satan thrown out of heaven, thus causing trouble on earth for “a short period of time”? When does God’s government begin its rule? Does the Bible give an answer? We should expect that it would. Why? Well, because long in advance the Bible foretold when God’s Son would appear first as a human on earth to become the Messiah. In fact, it pointed to the very year that he became the Messiah. What, then, about the even more important coming of the Messiah, or Christ, to begin his Kingdom rule? Surely we would expect that the Bible would also tell us when this would happen!
13. How does the Bible foretell the very year that the Messiah appeared on earth?
13 But a person may ask: ‘Where does the Bible foretell the very year the Messiah appeared on earth?’ The Bible book of Daniel says: “From the going forth of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Leader, there will be seven weeks, also sixty-two weeks,” or all together 69 weeks. (Daniel 9:25) These, however, are not 69 literal weeks, which amount to only 483 days, or a little more than one year. They are 69 weeks of years, or 483 years. (Compare Numbers 14:34.) The command to restore and rebuild the walls of Jerusalem was given in 455 B.C.E.a (Nehemiah 2:1-8) So these 69 weeks of years ended 483 years later, in 29 C.E. And that is the very year that Jesus came to John to be baptized! On that occasion he was anointed with holy spirit and became the Messiah, or Christ.—Luke 3:1, 2, 21-23.
WHEN GOD’S GOVERNMENT BEGINS ITS RULE
14. What does the “tree” in Daniel chapter four represent?
14 Well, then, where does the Bible foretell the year that Christ begins to rule as king of God’s government? It is in this same Bible book of Daniel. (Daniel 4:10-37) There a giant, heaven-high tree is used to represent King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He was the highest human ruler at that time. However, King Nebuchadnezzar was forced to know that someone higher was ruling. This one is “the Most High,” or “the King of the heavens,” Jehovah God. (Daniel 4:34, 37) So, in a more important way, this heaven-high tree, comes to represent the supreme rulership of God, particularly in its relationship to our earth. Jehovah’s rulership was expressed for a time through the kingdom that he set up over the nation of Israel. Thus the kings of the tribe of Judah who reigned over the Israelites were said to “sit upon Jehovah’s throne.”—1 Chronicles 29:23.
15. When the “tree” was cut down, why were bands put on it?
15 According to the Bible account in Daniel chapter four, the heaven-high tree was cut down. However, the stump was left, and bands of iron and of copper were put on it. This would keep the stump from growing until it was God’s time to remove the bands and let it start growing again. But how and when was God’s rulership cut down?
16. (a) How and when was God’s rulership cut down? (b) What was the last king of Judah to sit on “Jehovah’s throne” told?
16 In due course, the kingdom of Judah that Jehovah had set up became so corrupt that he allowed King Nebuchadnezzar to destroy it, to cut it down. This happened in the year 607 B.C.E. At that time Zedekiah, the last king of Judah to sit on Jehovah’s throne, was told: “Lift off the crown. . . . it will certainly become no one’s until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to him.”—Ezekiel 21:25-27.
17. What period of time began in 607 B.C.E.?
17 So God’s rulership, as represented by the “tree,” was cut down in 607 B.C.E. No longer was there a government to represent God’s rulership in the earth. Thus, in 607 B.C.E. a period of time began that Jesus Christ later referred to as “the appointed times of the nations,” or, “the times of the Gentiles.” (Luke 21:24; King James Version) During these “appointed times” God did not have a government to represent his rulership in the earth.
18. What was to happen at the end of “the appointed times of the nations”?
18 What was to happen at the end of these “appointed times of the nations”? Jehovah was to give the power to rule to the One “who has the legal right.” This One is Jesus Christ. So if we can find out when “the appointed times of the nations” end, we will know when Christ begins to rule as king.
19. For how many “times” would God’s rulership over the earth be interrupted?
19 According to Daniel chapter four, these “appointed times” would be “seven times.” Daniel shows that there would be “seven times” during which God’s rulership, as represented by the “tree,” would not be in operation over the earth. (Daniel 4:16, 23) How long are these “seven times”?
20. (a) How long is one “time”? (b) How long are the “seven times”? (c) Why do we count a day for a year?
20 In Revelation chapter 12, verses 6 and 14, we learn that 1,260 days are equal to “a time [that is, 1 time] and times [that is, 2 times] and half a time.” That is a total of 3 1/2 times. So “a time” would be equal to 360 days. Therefore, “seven times” would be 7 times 360, or 2,520 days. Now if we count a day for a year, according to a Bible rule, the “seven times” equal 2,520 years.—Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6.
21. (a) When do “the appointed times of the nations” begin and end? (b) When does God’s government begin its rule? (c)Why is it still proper to pray for God’s kingdom to come?
21 We have already learned that “the appointed times of the nations” began in the year 607 B.C.E. So by counting 2,520 years from that date, we come down to 1914 C.E. That is the year these “appointed times” ended. Millions of people still living remember the things that happened in 1914. In that year, World War I began a period of terrible trouble that has continued to our day. This means that Jesus Christ began to rule as king of God’s heavenly government in 1914. And because the Kingdom has already started its rule, how timely it is that we pray for it to “come” and wipe Satan’s wicked system of things from the earth!—Matthew 6:10; Daniel 2:44.
22. What question may some ask?
22 Yet a person may ask: ‘If Christ has already returned to rule in his Father’s kingdom, why do we not see him?’
[Footnotes]
a For the historical evidence that this command was given in 455 B.C.E., see the subject “Artaxerxes” in the book Aid to Bible Understanding, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
[Chart on page 140, 141]
In 607 B.C.E. God’s kingdom of Judah fell.
In 1914 C.E. Jesus Christ began to rule as king of God’s heavenly government
607 B.C.E.—1914 C.E.
October, 607 B.C.E.—October, 1 B.C.E. = 606 years
October, 1 B.C.E.—October, 1914 C.E. = 1,914 years
SEVEN GENTILE TIMES = 2,520 YEARS
[Picture on page 134]
“Are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”
[Picture on page 139]
The tall tree in Daniel chapter 4 represents divine rulership. For a time this was expressed through the kingdom of Judah
[Picture on page 140, 141]
The tree was cut down when the kingdom of Judah was destroyed |
Young People Ask, Volume 2 (yp2)
2008 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp2 | CHAPTER 33
Why Avoid Pornography?
How frequently do you come across pornography by accident?
□ Never
□ Rarely
□ Regularly
Where does this most often occur?
□ Internet
□ School
□ TV
□ Other
How do you respond?
□ I turn away immediately.
□ Curiosity causes me to look at it briefly.
□ I stare at it and even search out more.
WHEN your parents were your age, people who wanted to view pornography had to search for it. Today, it seems, pornography searches for you. Says one 19-year-old girl, “Sometimes I’m browsing or shopping on the Internet or even just checking bank statements online when wham—pornography pops up!” This is hardly unusual. In one survey, 90 percent of youths between the ages of 8 and 16 said that they had unintentionally encountered pornography online—in most cases, while doing homework!
In view of its prevalence, you might wonder, ‘Is pornography really all that bad?’ The answer is yes! Pornography demeans both those who take part in it and those who look at it, and it’s often a stepping-stone to committing sexual sins. But there’s more.
Viewing pornography can become a habit with long-lasting, devastating effects. For example, consider a man named Jeff who even after 14 years of being free of pornography admitted: “It’s a daily battle. The desire, although much more subdued, is still there. The curiosity is still there. The images are still there. I wish I’d never started down this hideous path. It seemed so harmless at first. But now I know better. Pornography is damaging, it is perverse, and it is demeaning to all parties concerned. Despite what its proponents may claim, there is nothing—absolutely nothing—positive about pornography.”
Evaluating the Situation
How can you avoid even unintentionally stumbling across pornography? First, analyze the situation. Is there a pattern to your encounters? Consider the following examples:
Are some of your schoolmates likely to send pornography via e-mail or cell phone? If so, it would be wise to delete their messages without opening them.
When you’re online, do pop-ups occur when you enter certain words in a search engine? Knowing that this is possible could help you to be more specific and careful in your use of keywords.
Below, list any circumstances that have led to your encountering pornography.
․․․․․
Is there anything you can do to reduce or eliminate those accidental encounters? If so, write below what you plan to do.
․․․․․
If You’re Already Hooked
It’s one thing to stumble across pornography by accident but quite another to look at it intentionally. What if it’s even becoming a habit? Make no mistake—breaking such a habit isn’t easy. To illustrate: Suppose your hands were tied together with a single cotton thread. You could probably break the thread by simply pulling your hands apart. But what if it were wrapped around your hands many times? Breaking free would be much more difficult. The same is true of people who habitually view pornography. The more they look at it, the more ensnared they become. If this has happened to you, how can you break free?
Understand pornography for what it is. Pornography is nothing less than a satanic attempt to degrade something that Jehovah created to be honorable. Understanding pornography in this light will help you to “hate what is bad.”—Psalm 97:10.
Consider the consequences. Pornography destroys marriages. It devalues those depicted in it. It debases the person who views it. For good reason, the Bible says: “Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself.” (Proverbs 22:3) Write below one example of a calamity that could befall you if you were to view pornography habitually.
․․․․․
Make a commitment. “I have made a solemn promise never to look with lust at a girl,” said the faithful man Job. (Job 31:1, Today’s English Version) The following are some ‘solemn promises’ you could make:
I will not use the Internet when I am alone in the room.
I will immediately exit any pop-up or site that is explicit.
I will talk to a mature friend if I have a relapse.
Can you think of one or two other resolves that could help you in the battle against pornography? If so, list them here.
․․․․․
Pray about the matter. The psalmist implored Jehovah: “Make my eyes pass on from seeing what is worthless.” (Psalm 119:37) Jehovah God wants you to succeed, and he can give you the strength to do what is right!—Philippians 4:13.
Talk to someone. Choosing a confidant is often an important step in breaking the habit. (Proverbs 17:17) Write below the name of a mature person whom you would feel comfortable approaching about the matter.
․․․․․
Be assured that you can succeed in your fight to steer clear of pornography. In fact, each time you avoid it, you have won a significant victory. Tell Jehovah about that victory, and thank him for the strength he has given you. Always remember that by avoiding the plague of pornography, you make Jehovah’s heart rejoice!—Proverbs 27:11.
KEY SCRIPTURE
“Deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”—Colossians 3:5.
TIP
Make sure that your computer is set to block access to pornographic sites. Also, avoid clicking on instructions in unsolicited e-mails.
DID YOU KNOW . . . ?
An obsession with pornography mimics the inordinate sexual fixation of the wicked spirits in Noah’s day.—Genesis 6:2.
ACTION PLAN!
To shield myself from exposure to pornography, I will ․․․․․
What I would like to ask my parent(s) about this subject is ․․․․․
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
● How does pornography degrade something that is honorable?
● How would you help a sibling who has a problem with pornography?
[Blurb on page 278]
“Before studying the Bible, I had experimented heavily with nearly every major drug. But of all my addictions, pornography was by far the most difficult to break. It’s only with Jehovah’s help that I’ve been able to deal with this problem.”—Jeff
[Picture on page 276]
Pornography has a cumulative effect—the more times you view it, the harder it is to break free |
Remain in God’s Love (lvs)
2017 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/lvs | input Page/Publishers’ Page
How to Remain in God’s Love
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Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.
January 2018 Printing
English (lvs-E)
© 2017
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania |
God’s Word (gm)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gm | Chapter 8
Science: Has It Proved the Bible Wrong?
In 1613 the Italian scientist Galileo published a work known as “Letters on Sunspots.” In it, he presented evidence that the earth rotates around the sun, rather than the sun around the earth. By so doing, he set in motion a series of events that finally brought him before the Roman Catholic Inquisition under “vehement suspicion of heresy.” Eventually, he was forced to “recant.” Why was the idea that the earth moves around the sun viewed as heresy? Because Galileo’s accusers claimed that it was contrary to what the Bible says.
1. (Include introduction.) (a) What happened when Galileo suggested that the earth moved around the sun? (b) Although the Bible is not a science textbook, what do we find when we compare it with modern science?
IT IS widely held today that the Bible is unscientific, and some point to Galileo’s experiences to prove it. But is this the case? When answering that question, we have to remember that the Bible is a book of prophecy, history, prayer, law, counsel, and knowledge about God. It does not claim to be a scientific textbook. Nevertheless, when the Bible does touch on scientific matters, what it says is completely accurate.
Our Planet Earth
2. How does the Bible describe the earth’s position in space?
2 Consider, for example, what the Bible says about our planet, the earth. In the book of Job, we read: “[God] is stretching out the north over the empty place, hanging the earth upon nothing.” (Job 26:7) Compare this with Isaiah’s statement, when he says: “There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth.” (Isaiah 40:22) The picture conveyed of a round earth ‘hanging upon nothing’ in “the empty place” reminds us strongly of the photographs taken by astronauts of the sphere of the earth floating in empty space.
3, 4. What is the earth’s water cycle, and what does the Bible say about this?
3 Consider, too, the earth’s amazing water cycle. Here is how Compton’s Encyclopedia describes what happens: “Water . . . evaporates from the surface of the oceans into the atmosphere . . . Steadily moving air currents in the earth’s atmosphere carry the moist air inland. When the air cools, the vapor condenses to form water droplets. These are seen most commonly as clouds. Often the droplets come together to form raindrops. If the atmosphere is cold enough, snowflakes form instead of raindrops. In either case, water that has traveled from an ocean hundreds or even thousands of miles away falls to the earth’s surface. There it gathers into streams or soaks into the ground and begins its journey back to the sea.”1
4 This remarkable process, which makes life on dry land possible, was well described about 3,000 years ago in simple, straightforward terms in the Bible: “All streams run into the sea, yet the sea never overflows; back to the place from which the streams ran they return to run again.”—Ecclesiastes 1:7, The New English Bible.
5. How is the psalmist’s comment about the history of earth’s mountains remarkably up-to-date?
5 Perhaps even more remarkable is the Bible’s insight into the history of mountains. Here is what a textbook on geology says: “From Pre-Cambrian times down to the present, the perpetual process of building and destroying mountains has continued. . . . Not only have mountains originated from the bottom of vanished seas, but they have often been submerged long after their formation, and then re-elevated.”2 Compare this with the poetic language of the psalmist: “With a watery deep just like a garment you covered [the earth]. The waters were standing above the very mountains. Mountains proceeded to ascend, valley plains proceeded to descend—to the place that you have founded for them.”—Psalm 104:6, 8.
“In the Beginning”
6. What Bible statement is in harmony with current scientific theories about the origin of the universe?
6 The very first verse of the Bible states: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Observations have led scientists to theorize that the material universe did indeed have a beginning. It has not existed for all time. Astronomer Robert Jastrow, an agnostic in religious matters, wrote: “The details differ, but the essential elements in the astronomical and biblical accounts of Genesis are the same: the chain of events leading to man commenced suddenly and sharply at a definite moment in time, in a flash of light and energy.”3
7, 8. Although not admitting the role of God in the matter, what are many scientists forced to admit with regard to the origin of the universe?
7 True, many scientists, while believing that the universe had a beginning, do not accept the statement that “God created.” Nevertheless, some now admit that it is difficult to ignore the evidence of some kind of intelligence behind everything. Physics professor Freeman Dyson comments: “The more I examine the universe and study the details of its architecture, the more evidence I find that the universe in some sense must have known that we were coming.”
8 Dyson goes on to admit: “Being a scientist, trained in the habits of thought and language of the twentieth century rather than the eighteenth, I do not claim that the architecture of the universe proves the existence of God. I claim only that the architecture of the universe is consistent with the hypothesis that mind plays an essential role in its functioning.”4 His comment certainly betrays the skeptical attitude of our time. But putting that skepticism aside, one notes there is a remarkable harmony between modern science and the Bible’s statement that “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”—Genesis 1:1.
Health and Sanitation
9. How does the Bible’s law on infectious skin diseases reflect practical wisdom? (Job 12:9, 16a)
9 Consider the Bible’s coverage of another field: health and sanitation. If an Israelite had a skin blemish suspected of being leprosy, he was put in isolation. “All the days that the plague is in him he will be unclean. He is unclean. He should dwell isolated. Outside the camp is his dwelling place.” (Leviticus 13:46) Even infected garments were burned. (Leviticus 13:52) In those days, this was an effective way of preventing the spread of the infection.
10. In what way would many in some lands benefit from following the Bible’s counsel on hygiene?
10 Another important law had to do with the disposal of human excrement, which had to be buried outside the camp. (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13) This law no doubt saved Israel from many sicknesses. Even today, severe health problems are caused in some lands by the improper disposal of human wastes. If people in those lands would only follow the law written down thousands of years ago in the Bible, they would be much healthier.
11. What Bible counsel on mental health has been found to be practical?
11 The Bible’s high standard of hygiene even involved mental health. A Bible proverb said: “A calm heart is the life of the fleshly organism, but jealousy is rottenness to the bones.” (Proverbs 14:30) In recent years, medical research has demonstrated that our physical health is indeed affected by our mental attitude. For example, Doctor C. B. Thomas of Johns Hopkins University studied more than a thousand graduates over a period of 16 years, matching their psychological characteristics with their vulnerability to diseases. One thing she noted: The graduates most vulnerable to disease were those who were angrier and more anxious under stress.5
What Does the Bible Say?
12. Why did the Catholic Church insist that Galileo’s theory about the earth was heresy?
12 If the Bible is so accurate in scientific fields, why did the Catholic Church say that Galileo’s teaching that the earth moved around the sun was unscriptural? Because of the way the authorities interpreted certain Bible verses.6 Were they correct? Let us read two of the passages they quoted and see.
13, 14. What Bible verses did the Catholic Church misapply? Explain.
13 One passage says: “The sun rises, the sun sets; then to its place it speeds and there it rises.” (Ecclesiastes 1:5, The Jerusalem Bible) According to the Church’s argument, expressions such as “the sun rises” and “the sun sets” mean that the sun, not the earth, is moving. But even today we say that the sun rises and sets, and most of us know that it is the earth that moves, not the sun. When we use expressions like these, we are merely describing the apparent motion of the sun as it appears to a human observer. The Bible writer was doing exactly the same.
14 The other passage says: “You fixed the earth on its foundations, unshakeable for ever and ever.” (Psalm 104:5, The Jerusalem Bible) This was interpreted to mean that after its creation the earth could never move. In fact, though, the verse stresses the permanence of the earth, not its immobility. The earth will never be ‘shaken’ out of existence, or destroyed, as other Bible verses confirm. (Psalm 37:29; Ecclesiastes 1:4) This scripture, too, has nothing to do with the relative motion of the earth and the sun. In Galileo’s time, it was the Church, not the Bible, that hindered free scientific discussion.
Evolution and Creation
15. What is the theory of evolution, and how does it contradict the Bible?
15 There is, however, an area where many would say that modern science and the Bible are hopelessly at odds. Most scientists believe the theory of evolution, which teaches that all living things evolved from a simple form of life that came into existence millions of years ago. The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that each major group of living things was specially created and reproduces only “according to its kind.” Man, it says, was created “out of dust from the ground.” (Genesis 1:21; 2:7) Is this a glaring scientific error in the Bible? Before deciding, let us look more closely at what science knows, as opposed to what it theorizes.
16-18. (a) What was one observation that Charles Darwin made that led him to believe in evolution? (b) How can we argue that what Darwin observed in the Galápagos Islands does not contradict what the Bible says?
16 The theory of evolution was popularized during the last century by Charles Darwin. When he was on the Galápagos Islands in the Pacific, Darwin was strongly impressed by the different species of finches on the different islands, which, he deduced, must all have descended from just one ancestral species. Partly because of this observation, he promoted the theory that all living things come from one original, simple form. The driving force behind the evolution of higher creatures from lower, he asserted, was natural selection, the survival of the fittest. Thanks to evolution, he claimed, land animals developed from fish, birds from reptiles, and so forth.
17 As a matter of fact, what Darwin observed in those isolated islands was not out of harmony with the Bible, which allows for variation within a major living kind. All the races of mankind, for example, came from just one original human pair. (Genesis 2:7, 22-24) So it is nothing strange that those different species of finches would spring from a common ancestral species. But they did remain finches. They did not evolve into hawks or eagles.
18 Neither the various species of finches nor anything else Darwin saw proved that all living things, whether they be sharks or sea gulls, elephants or earthworms, have a common ancestor. Nevertheless, many scientists assert that evolution is no longer just a theory but that it is a fact. Others, while recognizing the theory’s problems, say that they believe it anyway. It is popular to do so. We, however, need to know whether evolution has been proved to such an extent that the Bible must be wrong.
Is It Proved?
19. Does the fossil record support evolution or creation?
19 How can the theory of evolution be tested? The most obvious way is to examine the fossil record to see if a gradual change from one kind to another really happened. Did it? No, as a number of scientists honestly admit. One, Francis Hitching, writes: “When you look for instructions between major groups of animals, they simply aren’t there.”7 So obvious is this lack of evidence in the fossil record that evolutionists have come up with alternatives to Darwin’s theory of gradual change. The truth is, though, that the sudden appearance of animal kinds in the fossil record supports special creation much more than it does evolution.
20. Why does the way living cells reproduce not allow for evolution to take place?
20 Moreover, Hitching shows that living creatures are programmed to reproduce themselves exactly rather than evolve into something else. He says: “Living cells duplicate themselves with near-total fidelity. The degree of error is so tiny that no man-made machine can approach it. There are also built-in constraints. Plants reach a certain size and refuse to grow any larger. Fruit flies refuse to become anything but fruit flies under any circumstances yet devised.”8 Mutations induced by scientists in fruit flies over many decades failed to force these to evolve into something else.
The Origin of Life
21. What conclusion proved by Louis Pasteur poses a grave problem for evolutionists?
21 Another thorny question that evolutionists have failed to answer is: What was the origin of life? How did the first simple form of life—from which we are all supposed to have descended—come into existence? Centuries ago, this would not have appeared to be a problem. Most people then thought that flies could develop from decaying meat and that a pile of old rags could spontaneously produce mice. But, more than a hundred years ago, the French chemist Louis Pasteur clearly demonstrated that life can come only from preexisting life.
22, 23. According to evolutionists, how did life get started, but what do the facts show?
22 So how do evolutionists explain the source of life? According to the most popular theory, a chance combination of chemicals and energy sparked a spontaneous generation of life millions of years ago. What about the principle that Pasteur proved? The World Book Encyclopedia explains: “Pasteur showed that life cannot arise spontaneously under the chemical and physical conditions present on the earth today. Billions of years ago, however, the chemical and physical conditions on the earth were far different”!9
23 Even under far different conditions, though, there is a huge gap between nonliving matter and the simplest living thing. Michael Denton, in his book Evolution: A Theory in Crisis, says: “Between a living cell and the most highly ordered non-biological system, such as a crystal or a snowflake, there is a chasm as vast and absolute as it is possible to conceive.”10 The idea that nonliving material could come to life by some haphazard chance is so remote as to be impossible. The Bible’s explanation, that ‘life came from life’ in that life was created by God, is convincingly in harmony with the facts.
Why Not Creation
24. In spite of the theory’s problems, why do most scientists still cling to the theory of evolution?
24 Despite the problems inherent in the theory of evolution, belief in creation is viewed today as unscientific, even eccentric. Why is this? Why does even an authority such as Francis Hitching, who honestly points up the weaknesses of evolution, reject the idea of creation?11 Michael Denton explains that evolution, with all its failings, will continue to be taught because theories related to creation “invoke frankly supernatural causes.”12 In other words, the fact that creation involves a Creator makes it unacceptable. Surely, this is the same kind of circular reasoning that we met up with in the case of miracles: Miracles are impossible because they are miraculous!
25. What weakness of evolution, scientifically speaking, shows that it is not a valid alternative to creation in explaining the origin of life?
25 Besides, the theory of evolution itself is deeply suspect from a scientific viewpoint. Michael Denton goes on to say: “Being basically a theory of historical reconstruction, [Darwin’s theory of evolution] is impossible to verify by experiment or direct observation as is normal in science. . . . Moreover, the theory of evolution deals with a series of unique events, the origin of life, the origin of intelligence and so on. Unique events are unrepeatable and cannot be subjected to any sort of experimental investigation.”13 The truth is that the theory of evolution, despite its popularity, is full of gaps and problems. It gives no good reason to reject the Bible’s account of the origin of life. The first chapter of Genesis provides a completely reasonable account of how these “unrepeatable” “unique events” came about during creative ‘days’ that stretched through millenniums of time.a
What About the Flood?
26, 27. (a) What does the Bible say about the Flood? (b) From where, in part, must the floodwaters have come?
26 Many point to another supposed contradiction between the Bible and modern science. In the book of Genesis, we read that thousands of years ago the wickedness of men was so great that God determined to destroy them. However, he instructed the righteous man Noah to build a large wooden vessel, an ark. Then God brought a flood upon mankind. Only Noah and his family survived, together with representatives of all the animal species. The Flood was so great that “all the tall mountains that were under the whole heavens came to be covered.”—Genesis 7:19.
27 Where did all the water come from to cover the whole earth? The Bible itself answers. Early in the creation process, when the expanse of the atmosphere began to take shape, there came to be “waters . . . beneath the expanse” and “waters . . . above the expanse.” (Genesis 1:7; 2 Peter 3:5) When the Flood came, the Bible says: “The floodgates of the heavens were opened.” (Genesis 7:11) Evidently, the “waters . . . above the expanse” fell and provided much of the water for the inundation.
28. How did ancient servants of God, including Jesus, view the Flood?
28 Modern textbooks are inclined to discount a universal flood. So we have to ask: Is the Flood just a myth, or did it really happen? Before answering that, we should note that later worshipers of Jehovah accepted the Flood as genuine history; they did not regard it as a myth. Isaiah, Jesus, Paul, and Peter were among those who referred to it as something that really happened. (Isaiah 54:9; Matthew 24:37-39; Hebrews 11:7; 1 Peter 3:20, 21; 2 Peter 2:5; 3:5-7) But there are questions that have to be answered about this universal Deluge.
The Floodwaters
29, 30. What facts about the earth’s water supply show that the Flood is feasible?
29 First, is not the idea of the whole earth’s being flooded too farfetched? Not really. Indeed, to some extent the earth is still flooded. Seventy percent of it is covered by water and only 30 percent is dry land. Moreover, 75 percent of the earth’s fresh water is locked up in glaciers and polar ice caps. If all this ice were to melt, the sea level would rise much higher. Cities like New York and Tokyo would disappear.
30 Further, The New Encyclopædia Britannica says: “The average depth of all the seas has been estimated at 3,790 metres (12,430 feet), a figure considerably larger than that of the average elevation of the land above the sea level, which is 840 metres (2,760 feet). If the average depth is multiplied by its respective surface area, the volume of the World Ocean is 11 times the volume of the land above sea level.”14 So, if everything were leveled out—if the mountains were flattened and the deep sea basins filled in—the sea would cover the whole earth to a depth of thousands of meters.
31. (a) For the Flood to have happened, what must have been the situation with the pre-Flood earth? (b) What shows it is feasible that the mountains were lower and that the sea basins were shallower before the Flood?
31 For the Flood to have happened, the pre-Flood sea basins would have to have been shallower, and the mountains lower than they are now. Is this possible? Well, one textbook says: “Where the mountains of the world now tower to dizzy heights, oceans and plains once, millions of years ago, stretched out in flat monotony. . . . The movements of the continental plates cause the land both to rear up to heights where only the hardiest of animals and plants can survive and, at the other extreme, to plunge and lie in hidden splendor deep beneath the surface of the sea.”15 Since the mountains and sea basins rise and fall, it is apparent that at one time the mountains were not as high as they are now and the great sea basins were not as deep.
32. What must have happened to the waters of the Flood? Explain.
32 What happened to the floodwaters after the Flood? They must have drained into the sea basins. How? Scientists believe that the continents rest on huge plates. Movement of these plates can cause changes in the level of the earth’s surface. In some places today, there are great underwater abysses more than six miles [more than 10 km] deep at the plate boundaries.16 It is quite likely that—perhaps triggered by the Flood itself—the plates moved, the sea bottom sank, and the great trenches opened, allowing the water to drain off the land.b
Traces of the Flood?
33, 34. (a) What evidence do scientists already possess that may be evidence for the Flood? (b) Is it reasonable to say that scientists may be misreading the evidence?
33 If we grant that a great flood could have happened, why have scientists found no trace of it? Perhaps they have, but they interpret the evidence some other way. For example, orthodox science teaches that the surface of the earth has been shaped in many places by powerful glaciers during a series of ice ages. But apparent evidence of glacial activity can sometimes be the result of water action. Very likely, then, some of the evidence for the Flood is being misread as evidence of an ice age.
34 Similar mistakes have been made. Concerning the time when scientists were developing their theory of ice ages, we read: “They were finding ice ages at every stage of the geologic history, in keeping with the philosophy of uniformity. Careful reexamination of the evidence in recent years, however, has rejected many of these ice ages; formations once identified as glacial moraines have been reinterpreted as beds laid down by mudflows, submarine landslides and turbidity currents: avalanches of turbid water that carry silt, sand and gravel out over the deep-ocean floor.”18
35, 36. What evidence in the fossil record and in geology may be related to the Flood? Explain.
35 Another evidence for the Flood appears to exist in the fossil record. At one time, according to this record, great saber-toothed tigers stalked their prey in Europe, horses larger than any now living roamed North America, and mammoths foraged in Siberia. Then, all around the world, species of mammals became extinct. At the same time, there was a sudden change of climate. Tens of thousands of mammoths were killed and quick-frozen in Siberia.c Alfred Wallace, the well-known contemporary of Charles Darwin, considered that such a widespread destruction must have been caused by some exceptional worldwide event.19 Many have argued that this event was the Flood.
36 An editorial in the magazine Biblical Archaeologist observed: “It is important to remember that the story of a great flood is one of the most widespread traditions in human culture . . . Nevertheless behind the oldest traditions found in Near Eastern sources, there may well be an actual flood of gigantic proportions dating from one of the pluvial periods . . . many thousands of years ago.”20 The pluvial periods were times when the surface of the earth was much wetter than now. Freshwater lakes around the world were much larger. It is theorized that the wetness was caused by heavy rains associated with the end of the ice ages. But some have suggested that on one occasion the extreme wetness of the earth’s surface was a result of the Flood.
Mankind Did Not Forget
37, 38. How does one scientist show that, according to the evidence, the Flood might have happened, and how do we know that it did?
37 Geology professor John McCampbell once wrote: “The essential differences between Biblical catastrophism [the Flood] and evolutionary uniformitarianism are not over the factual data of geology but over the interpretations of those data. The interpretation preferred will depend largely upon the background and presuppositions of the individual student.”21
38 That the Flood did happen is seen in the fact that mankind never forgot it. All around the world, in locations as far apart as Alaska and the South Sea Islands, there are ancient stories about it. Native, pre-Columbian civilizations of America, as well as Aborigines of Australia, all have stories about the Flood. While some of the accounts differ in detail, the basic fact that the earth was flooded and only a few humans were saved in a man-made vessel comes through in nearly all versions. The only explanation for such a widespread acceptance is that the Flood was a historical event.d
39. What additional proof have we seen of the fact that the Bible is God’s word, not man’s?
39 Thus, in essential features the Bible is in harmony with modern science. Where there is a conflict between the two, the scientists’ evidence is questionable. Where they agree, the Bible is often so accurate that we have to believe it got its information from a superhuman intelligence. Indeed, the Bible’s agreement with proved science provides further evidence that it is God’s word, not man’s.
[Footnotes]
a A much more detailed discussion of the subject of evolution and creation is found in the book Life—How Did It Get Here? By Evolution or by Creation? published in 1985 by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
b The book Planet Earth—Glacier draws attention to the way water in the form of ice sheets depresses the surface of the earth. For example, it says: “If the Greenland ice were to disappear, the island would eventually rebound some 2,000 feet.” In view of this, the effect of a sudden global flood on parts of the earth’s crust could well have been catastrophic.17
c One estimate says five million.
d For more information on the Flood, see Insight on the Scriptures, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., Volume 1, pages 327, 328, 609-612.
[Box on page 105]
“Out of Dust”
“The World Book Encyclopedia” reports: “All the chemical elements that make up living things are also present in nonliving matter.” In other words, the basic chemicals that go to make up living organisms, including man, are also found in the earth itself. This harmonizes with the Bible’s statement: “And Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground.”—Genesis 2:7.
[Box on page 107]
‘In God’s Image’
Some point to physical similarities between man and some of the animals to prove their relationship. They have to agree, though, that man’s mental capacities are far superior to those of any animal. Why does man have the ability to make plans and organize the world around him, the capacity for love, a high intelligence, a conscience, and a concept of past, present, and future? Evolution cannot answer this. But the Bible does, when it says: “God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him.” (Genesis 1:27) As far as man’s mental and moral abilities and potential are concerned, he is a reflection of his heavenly Father.
[Picture on page 99]
The Bible’s description of the earth hanging in space agrees very well with what astronauts have reported seeing
[Picture on page 102]
The Bible does not get involved in saying whether the earth revolves around the sun or the sun revolves around the earth
[Picture on page 112, 113]
If the earth were leveled, with no mountains or abysses, it would be completely covered with a deep layer of water
[Picture on page 114]
Mammoths were found that were quick-frozen after their death
[Picture on page 115]
Louis Pasteur proved that life can come only from already-existing life
[Diagram/Picture on page 109]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
The Bible presents an accurate description of the earth’s water cycle |
Great Teacher (te)
1971 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/te | Chapter 19
Love for Our Brothers and Sisters
HOW many brothers and sisters do you have?— Not everyone has a brother or a sister in his family at home. If you have even one, you can be thankful.
God made us so that we feel especially close to certain people. We may have many friends, but brothers and sisters usually care about one another even more than friends do. When one is in trouble, the other helps out. That’s the kind of brother you would want to have, isn’t it?—
But not everyone is good to his brother or his sister. The Bible tells us about a person who hit his brother. Do you know his name?— He was Cain, a son of the first man.
One day Cain took some food that he had grown as a farmer. He made a gift or an offering of this food to Jehovah. His brother Abel also made an offering to Jehovah. Abel offered to God the very best sheep that he had. God was pleased with Abel and with his offering. But he was not pleased with Cain and his offering.
Why was that?— It was not because Abel offered the most. And it was not just his offering a sheep that made the difference. The Bible tells us that God can see what is in people’s hearts. He knows how we feel deep inside ourselves.
What did God see in Cain’s heart?— He saw that Cain did not really love his brother. Cain could see that Jehovah was pleased with Abel and his offering. But did Cain try to change so that he would be like his brother?— No. He became angry.
Jehovah told Cain that he should change his ways. But Cain did not listen. If he had really loved God, he would have paid attention to him. But he did not love God. And he did not love his brother.
So, one day he said to Abel: “Let us go over into the field.” Cain had bad in his heart, but Abel did not know it. Abel went along with Cain. While they were there in the field alone, Cain hit his brother. He hit him so hard that he killed him. Wasn’t that terrible?— —Genesis 4:2-8.
The Bible tells us that there is a special lesson that we should learn from that. Do you know what it is?— ‘This is the message which you have heard from the beginning: we should have love for one another; not like Cain, who came from the wicked one.’ So brothers and sisters should have love for one another. They should not be like Cain.—1 John 3:11, 12.
Why would it be so bad to be like Cain?— Because the Bible says that he ‘came from the wicked one.’ Since Cain acted like the Devil, it was just as if the Devil were his father. Think of that!
Do you see why it is so important to love your brothers and sisters?— If you do not love them, whose child would you be?— You would be a child of the Devil. You wouldn’t want to be that, would you?— So how can you prove that you want to be a child of God?— It is by really loving your brothers and sisters.
But what is love?— Love is a deep feeling inside us that makes us want to do good things for other people. We show that we love others when we have a good feeling toward them. We show it when we do good things for them. And if we really love someone, will we hold off from doing good to him until he first does something for us?—
God doesn’t do that. Even before we loved God, God loved us. We can learn from this. Even before others show love for us, we can show that we love them.
The Bible says that Christians have many more brothers and sisters than just those who live in the same house with them. Do you know who they are?— Jesus said: ‘Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister.’ That means that all who do God’s will are brothers and sisters. They are a special family of brothers and sisters. Did you know that?— —Matthew 12:50.
Do you love all the brothers and sisters in this big Christian family?— Jesus said that we should. He said: ‘Everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.’ We cannot love just a few of them. We must love all of our brothers and sisters.—John 13:35.
How can we show that we really love them?— Well, if we love them, we won’t stay away from them because we don’t want to talk to them. We will be friendly to all of them. We will always do good to them. And if ever they are in trouble, we will come to their help, because we are truly a big family.
When we really do love all our brothers and sisters, what does it prove?— It proves that we are disciples of Jesus, the Great Teacher. And isn’t that what we want to be?—
(Showing love for our brothers and sisters is also discussed at 1 John 4:8, 20, 21 and Galatians 6:10. Why not open your own Bible and read those texts?) |
God’s Kingdom Has Approached (ka)
1973 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ka | Chapter 15
Why Goatlike Ones Fail to Inherit the Kingdom
1. In the parable of the sheep and the goats, how does the King address himself to those separated to his left?
WHAT disposition, however, is to be made of those people of “all the nations” who are likened to “goats” and who are separated to the King’s left hand? Jesus continues on in his parable of the sheep and the goats to say: “Then he will say, in turn, to those on his left, ‘Be on your way from me, you who have been cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels. For I became hungry, but you gave me nothing to eat, and I got thirsty, but you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger, but you did not receive me hospitably; naked, but you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, but you did not look after me.’”—Matthew 25:41-43.
2. What does being under the “curse” mean for the goatlike ones?
2 The King Jesus Christ points out that the people like “goats” failed to do the things that the “sheep” class did. For such failure he tells them to get away from him. He does not want them as earthly subjects during his reign of a thousand years. They are “cursed” persons. They are under the divine curse rather than under the blessing that the sheeplike persons gained from the King’s heavenly Father. This means that the divine judgment, as foretold in the Bible prophecies, pronounces bad things to come upon them. They are under the divine curse, and there is no provision to lift that curse from them as was the case with the natural circumcised Jews who were under the curse of Jehovah’s Law covenant with them. (Galatians 3:13) They are cursed, just as Satan the Devil and his demon angels are. Hence, they deserve an everlasting future like that of the Devil and his angels—“the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.”
3. (a) What do the churches of Christendom claim that the “fire prepared for the Devil and his angels” means for the “goats”? (b) What does the Revelation itself explain the ‘lake burning with fire and sulphur’ to mean?
3 Does this mean everlasting conscious torment in a firelike element in the invisible realm (the spirit realm) where Satan and his demon angels are? This is what religious churches of Christendom have taught for centuries. They will refer to Revelation 20:10 as a support of their teaching, for in that Bible verse it is written: “And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulphur, where both the wild beast and the false prophet [already were]; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” However, sulphur or brimstone does not exist in the spirit realm where Satan and his demon angels are. The language is evidently figurative, just as the “wild beast” and the “false prophet” are. So the “lake of fire and sulphur” is figurative of what? The fourteenth verse of the same chapter Re 20:14 explains, saying: “And death and Haʹdes were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire.” Revelation 21:8 repeats this explanation of the “lake that burns with fire and sulphur,” saying: “This means the second death.”
4. How does this agree with Hebrews 2:14 as to what is to be done to the Devil?
4 This agrees with the plain literal language of Hebrews 2:14, which speaks in no figurative way, saying: “Therefore, since the ‘young children’ are sharers of blood and flesh, he [Jesus] also similarly partook of the same things, that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil.” In God’s due time the once dead but now resurrected and glorified Jesus brings Satan the Devil “to nothing”; that is, he annihilates that wicked, murderous one. He brings about the destruction of the Devil. The once bruised Jesus, who is primarily the “seed” of God’s “woman,” is God’s appointed one to bruise the Serpent in the head.—Genesis 3:15; Romans 16:20.
5. (a) So what is the “everlasting fire” reserved for the Devil and his angels, and into which the goatlike class are sent? (b) Why does the goats’ not doing direct injury to Christ’s brothers not put them in a neutral position?
5 Consequently, the “second death” is what is reserved for the Devil and his angels, and it is this same everlasting destruction, symbolized by “everlasting fire,” into which the delinquent “goat” class of people go away from the King Jesus Christ. In his condemnation of these, the King does not say that they directly persecuted and did direct hurt to his spiritual “brothers.” But even though they took a negative attitude toward Christ’s “brothers,” they were taking the side of the Devil and his angels. Jesus, when on earth as a perfect man preaching the good news of God’s Messianic kingdom, said: “He that is not on my side is against me, and he that does not gather with me scatters.” (Matthew 12:30) The Devil is not on Jesus’ side, and so the goatlike people who do nothing helpful to the reigning King Jesus Christ are against him and are on the Devil’s side. There is no neutral side in the time of Christ’s presence or parousia.
6. What is the attempted defense of themselves that is implied in what the “goats” answer back to Jesus the King?
6 The goatlike people might try to defend themselves and say that if they had seen Jesus Christ himself in person in such needy straits as he describes, they would have come to his help. Such an attempted defense is implied in their response to the King. “Then they also will answer with the words, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?’”—Matthew 25:44.
7. Why would the goatlike ones’ seeing and identifying Jesus be no assurance that they would have ministered to him in a helpful way?
7 However, their seeing him personally in the flesh and recognizing who he was would be no assurance that they would minister to him in a helpful way. Nineteen hundred years ago Jesus Christ was actually visible in flesh on earth and was engaged in God’s foreordained work for the Messiah, and yet the majority of Jesus’ own people, the natural Jews, did not minister to him nor to his twelve apostles. Rather, before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, they howled for Jesus to be put to death on a torture stake, or they sided with those who took the direct responsibility to have him put to such an agonizing death. Accordingly, the goatlike people of the present time cannot excuse themselves on the ground that they did not know, forasmuch as they did not see him directly when they refused help with respect to him.
8. What is it that counts for or against one when another individual is personally absent but has a representative visibly present with one?
8 A person does not have to see another individual directly in person in order to decide whether to help him or refuse him help. A person does not need to behold another individual directly in front of him in order to determine whether he is in favor of that one or against him. A person can decide and show how he stands with reference to that one by the manner in which he treats someone who acts as a visible representative for that one. The representative identifies himself as acting for the one who is not visibly present to the view of the person with whom he is talking or dealing. This enables the person to make his decision as to whether he wants to help or not, to show favor or not, to take his stand with or against the individual whose personal representative is visibly before him. In this way the person betrays his personal attitude, and this is what counts with the absent, unseen individual just as much as if he were actually there in person.
9, 10. How did Jesus make that very point in the parable by the way that the King answers the goatlike ones on his left?
9 This is the point that Jesus makes when in his parable he tells how the king answers the self-excusing “goats” at his left hand:
10 “Then he will answer them with the words, ‘Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did not do it to one of these least ones, you did not do it to me.’”—Matthew 25:45.
11. Why is not even the least important one of Christ’s spiritual brothers to be disrespected by those in touch with them?
11 Hence, it does not matter how unimportant one of Christ’s spiritual “brothers” may be. Although being the least important, he is, nevertheless, a “brother” of the King Jesus Christ and is a spirit-begotten son of God, an heir indeed of God and a joint heir with Christ. (Romans 8:17) This is the serious thing about the situation. Not one of Christ’s spiritual “brothers” is one of the great, important, prominent ones of this world, either in the political field or in the religious clerical field of Christendom, for Christ’s true “brothers” are no part of this world, even as he himself was no part of it. (1 Corinthians 1:26-31; John 15:19; 17:14, 16) But this is no reason for those of the goatlike people to look down upon them. They should be respected in view of whom they represent and what Biblical message they are proclaiming. If they are not respected for this vital reason, then the disrespectful ones disclose that they do not respect the heavenly Brother of these either.
12. (a) In addressing the King as “Lord,” why are the “goats” hypocritical? (b) Since the end of World War I, why has there been no excuse for mistaking whom the King’s “brothers” are?
12 Oh, yes, the goatlike self-excusers may call the King Jesus Christ “Lord,” but that is just a hypocritical form of address on their part. If they had really appreciated him as their “Lord,” they would not have refused to lend any assistance to his spiritual “brothers,” not even to the lowliest one of these “brothers.” These “brothers” did not go around incognito like spies or like those who are trying to pull a fast trick at the expense of the people. Particularly since the end of World War I in 1918 and their resuming of public activities in the year 1919, the remnant of Christ’s spiritual brothers have been obeying his prophetic command: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) They have publicized Christ’s invisible presence or parousia in his established heavenly kingdom. Especially since the year 1926 they have been making known the name of the heavenly Father of the King Jesus Christ, even going to the extent of embracing the name “Jehovah’s witnesses” in the year 1931. So there has been no excuse for mistaking who they are.
13. (a) Is it because of what Christ’s “brothers” are in themselves personally as humans that the “goats” refuse them help? (b) Why is it that the “goats” get God’s curse instead of his blessing?
13 Consequently, the symbolic “goats” refuse to give aid to these when they are literally hungry, thirsty, naked, without lodging, sick or in prison not because of whom these spiritual “brothers” of Christ are in themselves personally. No, but they withhold help from them, if they do not positively persecute them, because of what these represent. There is an issue involved, and the “goats” make an intelligent decision over this issue! This issue with which the “goats” are confronted by the preaching and disciple-making activity of this remnant of Christ’s “brothers” is the means by which the invisibly present King Jesus Christ separates the “goats” from the “sheep” today, particularly from the year 1935 onward. There is no in-between or neutral class respecting this universal issue. Either they are for Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom in the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ or they are against it. The “goats” take their stand against it. For this they cannot have the blessing of the heavenly Father of Christ. The only thing for them to receive is His curse, the opposite of His blessing.
WHEN THE “GOATS” GO OFF TO THEIR PUNISHMENT
14, 15. (a) When is it that the “goats” will enter into the “everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels”? (b) How does Paul picture the destruction by means of the same element in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10?
14 Jesus declares that what awaits these symbolic “goats” at his left hand of cursedness is the “fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.” They have given no moral support to God’s Messianic kingdom and have thereby proved themselves to be a part of this world of which Satan the Devil is the invisible “ruler.” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) This wicked world under Satan the Devil is doomed to destruction in the “great tribulation” that is just ahead. The “goats” will enter into that “fire” of destruction when they get into that “great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matthew 24:21; Mark 13:19) They refuse to acknowledge and recognize God as Jehovah, whose name presents itself thousands of times in the inspired Hebrew Scriptures of the Holy Bible, and they refuse to obey or conform to the good news about the Lord Jesus Christ. At the revelation of the power and authority of the invisibly present Christ in the “great tribulation,” the “goats” will experience what the apostle Paul foretold, in 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10:
15 “The revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength, at the time he comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones,”—his spiritual “brothers.”
16. In closing the parable, Jesus says the “goats” go away into what, and the “sheep” into what?
16 Thus there is fulfilled upon the symbolic “goats” what Jesus foretold in the closing words of his parable of the “sheep” and the “goats,” with which also Jesus’ prophecy on the “sign” of his presence or parousia concludes, according to Matthew’s account: “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”—Matthew 25:46, Authorized Version.
17. Why does the everlasting punishment of the “goats” not mean everlasting conscious torment in an invisible spirit realm?
17 Let us not jump to a mistaken conclusion respecting what befalls the symbolic “goats” of the parable. Jesus does not say that “these shall go away” into everlasting conscious torment in an invisible spirit realm. For these to suffer eternal torment consciously in any form would require that they gain everlasting life, for without life there is no consciousness of either torment or pleasure. Jesus plainly says that it is only the symbolic sheep, “the righteous,” who go “into life eternal.” So the “everlasting punishment” into which the unrighteous “goats” go away is the direct opposite of the “life eternal” of the righteous “sheep,” namely, death eternal. Because this death lasts eternally it is an “everlasting punishment.” Similarly when an earthly judicial court of today punishes a proved criminal with the sentence of death, the death executed on the convicted criminal is an “everlasting punishment.” It does not mean everlasting torment for the executed criminal. Only God Almighty can terminate that everlasting punishment by the resurrection of the unjust. An earthly court of justice cannot do so.—Acts 24:15.
18. How do the Diaglott and the New World Translation translate the Greek word for “punishment,” and why is this translation appropriate?
18 In agreement with that logical and Scriptural understanding of the matter, The Emphatic Diaglott, by Benjamin Wilson (1864 edition), renders Matthew 25:46 as follows: “And these shall go forth to the aionian cutting-off; but the righteous to aionian Life.” The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (1971 edition) reads similarly: “And these will depart into everlasting cutting-off, but the righteous ones into everlasting life.” On the word “cutting-off” this translation gives the following footnote: “Literally, ‘pruning’; hence a curtailing, a holding in check. See 1 John 4:18.” How appropriate this translation, for the unrighteous “goats,” by suffering everlasting death, are cut off from life in any realm everlastingly. Eternal conscious torment is therefore impossible in their case. They are annihilated, just as the Devil and his demon angels eventually will be. After the “great tribulation” the Devil and his angels will be hurled into the “abyss.” But after the end of Christ’s thousand-year reign, they will be let loose for a little while to test out restored mankind, after which they will be forever destroyed.
19. How will the righteous “sheep” class be rewarded, as indicated in Revelation 7:14?
19 As for the “righteous” sheeplike persons who do good to Christ’s spiritual “brothers” down till the outbreak of the “great tribulation,” the reigning King Jesus Christ will express his approval of them then. (Matthew 25:34) Like a loving Shepherd toward his “sheep,” he will protect them during the “great tribulation” in order that they may enter into the thousand-year period of his blessed reign. As it was said of the “great crowd,” in Revelation 7:14, it will be said of these sheeplike survivors of the “great tribulation”: “These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation.”
20. Immediately after what event does Christ’s millennial reign begin, and, in the case of the surviving “sheep,” this marks the start of what?
20 Immediately after the “great tribulation” the “Devil and his angels” are bound as in chains and are hurled into the “abyss” of imprisonment. Then the glorious millennial reign of the Shepherd King, Jesus Christ, begins. The “righteous” sheeplike survivors will become the obedient earthly subjects of Christ’s millennial kingdom. They will now begin to experience physically and mentally the restorative powers of Christ’s kingdom, and this will mark the start for them on the way to perfect human life forever.
21. For whose special encouragement now was this parable included in his prophecy on the “sign,” and what prospect does it set before them?
21 For the particular encouragement of the “righteous” sheep class the Lord Jesus Christ included this parable in his prophecy on the “sign” of his presence and of the conclusion of the system of things. What a joy-inspiring prospect this parable sets before these present-day doers of good to Christ’s spiritual “brothers”! Their steadfast continuance in such well-doing will pave the way for them to hear those welcoming words of the King: “Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world.”—Matthew 25:34. |
Purple Triangles Guide (brfi)
2023 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/purple-triangles-guide-brfi | PREFACE
By the end of 2002, about 600,000 visitors—many young people among them—had seen the traveling exhibition about the persecution of the prisoners with the purple triangle and others of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Third Reich. The exhibition was staged at memorial museums of former concentration camps, such as Mauthausen, Moringen, Neuengamme, Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen, and Bergen-Belsen, as well as in adult-education centers and other educational institutions. This effort was important and instrumental in saving these “forgotten victims,” as German historians call them, from oblivion. What further benefit comes from the presentation of such an exhibition to the public?
On January 27, 1998, the annual commemoration day for the victims of National Socialism, the Memorial Museum at Sachsenhausen camp dedicated the day to victims who were Jehovah’s Witnesses. Speaking at this occasion, Steffen Reiche, Minister of Culture and Science in Brandenburg, stated: “The behavior of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the camps and prisons embodies virtues which, today and in the past, are essential to the continued existence of a democratic constitutional state founded on the rule of law: namely their firm stand against the SS and the consideration toward their fellow inmates. Given the increasing brutality toward aliens and towards persons having a different political or philosophical outlook, these virtues are a must for every citizen in our country.”
This comment emphasizes the fact that exhibitions of this kind do far more than just inform about the facts of the bitter persecution of a religious minority under the Nazi regime. It also shows the value and necessity of documenting the past.
When the exhibition was staged in Hamburg in October 1997, a renowned weekly commented: “It achieves what such exhibitions should always aim for: Out of the plain statistics of harassed people, of persons fired from their jobs, of inmates, of people tortured and murdered, it draws attention to the ordeals of individuals.”—Die Zeit, October 10, 1997, p. 24.
At the opening of the exhibition sponsored by the State Center for Political Education of Lower Saxony at the Memorial site of the Bergen-Belsen camp, one speaker said: “All persons depicted can only be mentioned on behalf of the many who were persecuted, imprisoned, and tormented because they firmly held to their religious convictions and did not adapt to the National Socialist surroundings. They are no remote and untouchable heroes but ordinary people, mortal like everybody else, who followed their conscience, stood up boldly for their convictions, and hence became good examples for our everyday life.”—Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung, April 20, 1998, p. 4.
Three sets of this exhibition exist with about 50 panels each, and they can be shown publicly under the following inputs: “Jehovah’s Witnesses Stand Firm Against Nazi Assault” (as an accompanying exhibition for the public presentation of the video documentary with the same input, produced by the Watch Tower Society, or with other films about this topic produced by non-Witnesses); “Forgotten Victims” (so far historians have been referring to Jehovah’s Witnesses as “forgotten victims of the Nazi regime”); and “Spiritual Resistance Out of Christian Conviction” (as was done as an accompanying exhibition of scientific forums with the same inputs in Wewelsburg, Hamburg, and Frankfurt am Main in October 1997).
The basic idea for the exhibition’s panels stems from the French exhibition of the Cercle européen des Témoins de Jéhovah anciens déportés et internés (European Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses Former Concentration Camp Inmates), founded in Paris in 1990. However, the outputs of the German panels have been revised and expanded. On November 6, 1996, the exhibition was displayed at the world premiere of the German video documentary Jehovah’s Witnesses Stand Firm Against Nazi Assault at the Ravensbrück Camp Memorial Museum. The former Minister-President of the State of Brandenburg/Potsdam wrote for that occasion: “Your film screening is an important step toward informing the public about the role your religious association played under the Nazi regime.”
Some 400 of the 567 presentations included a traveling exhibition about the forgotten victims. On January 23, 1998, at the opening of the exhibition in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Siegfried Schiele, director of the State Center for Political Education of Baden-Württemberg, stated: “All who resisted the Nazi regime—for whatever motive—deserve deep appreciation. And an important group among them are Jehovah’s Witnesses to whom we owe respect, respect which was somehow underexposed for a long time. Therefore, I am happy about this exhibition that can help compensate deficiencies. I was already able to get a first positive impression when touring the exhibition. I can also highly recommend the video documentary that I have already seen. History cannot be a quarry from which we pick whatever suits us. Jehovah’s Witnesses have a definite and exemplary place in the chapter that otherwise is the saddest chapter of our history.”
As the need arose, the Watchtower Society in Germany produced additional panels, with references to the locality of the exhibition, for example, for the city of Stuttgart and for the Bautzen Memorial Museum. (Some memorial museums received extra panels on permanent loan.) The panels were also copied in full size for the premiere of the Russian Stand Firm version, held on May 15, 1997, at the World Trade Center in Moscow, as well as for the premiere in Austria and the special exhibition “The Forgotten Victims,” on June 18, 1997, at the Mauthausen Camp Memorial Museum. The branch offices of the Watch Tower Society in Sweden, Denmark, and Norway made electronic copies of some exhibition panels and presented them at the Nordisk Museum in the center of Stockholm on January 14, 1998, and in Copenhagen on March 30, 1998. In these countries, the panels were used and shown as a traveling exhibition in various cities.
This brochure only presents a selection of pictures and documents from the 50 three-dimensional panels. However, a new collection of panels has been selected to be computerized and offered free of charge as a valuable set of computer print-outs for public presentations and classroom use.
We desire this exhibition to continue contributing to the formation of unbiased opinions on the part of all citizens.
The Publishers |
What Does Bible Chronology Indicate About the Year 1914? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502014148 | What Does Bible Chronology Indicate About the Year 1914?
The Bible’s answer
Bible chronology indicates that God’s Kingdom was established in heaven in 1914. This is shown by a prophecy recorded in chapter 4 of the Bible book of Daniel.
Overview of the prophecy. God caused King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to have a prophetic dream about an immense tree that was chopped down. Its stump was prevented from regrowing for a period of “seven times,” after which the tree would grow again.—Daniel 4:1, 10-16.
The prophecy’s initial fulfillment. The great tree represented King Nebuchadnezzar himself. (Daniel 4:20-22) He was figuratively ‘chopped down’ when he temporarily lost his sanity and kingship for a period of seven years. (Daniel 4:25) When God restored his sanity, Nebuchadnezzar regained his throne and acknowledged God’s rulership.—Daniel 4:34-36.
Evidence that the prophecy has a greater fulfillment. The whole purpose of the prophecy was that “people living may know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that he gives it to whomever he wants, and he sets up over it even the lowliest of men.” (Daniel 4:17) Was proud Nebuchadnezzar the one to whom God ultimately wanted to give such rulership? No, for God had earlier given him another prophetic dream showing that neither he nor any other political ruler would fill this role. Instead, God would himself “set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed.”—Daniel 2:31-44.
Previously, God had set up a kingdom to represent his rulership on earth: the ancient nation of Israel. God allowed that kingdom to be made “a ruin” because its rulers had become unfaithful, but he foretold that he would give kingship to “the one who has the legal right.” (Ezekiel 21:25-27) The Bible identifies Jesus Christ as the one legally authorized to receive this everlasting kingdom. (Luke 1:30-33) Unlike Nebuchadnezzar, Jesus is “lowly in heart,” just as it was prophesied.—Matthew 11:29.
What does the tree of Daniel chapter 4 represent? In the Bible, trees sometimes represent rulership. (Ezekiel 17:22-24; 31:2-5) In the greater fulfillment of Daniel chapter 4, the immense tree symbolizes God’s rulership.
What does the tree’s being chopped down mean? Just as the chopping down of the tree represented an interruption in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingship, it also represented an interruption in God’s rulership on earth. This happened when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem, where the kings of Israel sat on “Jehovah’s throne” as representatives of God himself.—1 Chronicles 29:23.
What do the “seven times” represent? The “seven times” represent the period during which God allowed the nations to rule over the earth without interference from any kingdom that he had set up. The “seven times” began in October 607 B.C.E., when, according to Bible chronology, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians.a—2 Kings 25:1, 8-10.
How long are the “seven times”? They could not be merely seven years as in Nebuchadnezzar’s case. Jesus indicated the answer when he said that “Jerusalem [a symbol of God’s rulership] will be trampled on by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) “The appointed times of the nations,” the period during which God allowed his rulership to be “trampled on by the nations,” are the same as the “seven times” of Daniel chapter 4. This means that the “seven times” were still under way even when Jesus was on earth.
The Bible provides the way to determine the length of those prophetic “seven times.” It says that three and a half “times” equal 1,260 days, so “seven times” equal twice that number, or 2,520 days. (Revelation 12:6, 14) Applying the prophetic rule “a day for a year,” the 2,520 days represent 2,520 years. Therefore, the “seven times,” or 2,520 years, would end in October 1914.—Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6.
a For a detailed discussion of why the date 607 B.C.E is used, see the articles “When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?—Part One,” on pages 26-31 of the October 1, 2011, issue of The Watchtower, and “When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?—Part Two,” on pages 22-28 of the November 1, 2011, issue of The Watchtower. |
BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Isaiah 40:31—“Those Hoping in Jehovah Will Regain Power” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502300123 | BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Isaiah 40:31—“Those Hoping in Jehovah Will Regain Power”
“But those hoping in Jehovah will regain power. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not tire out.”—Isaiah 40:31, New World Translation.
“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength: They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”—Isaiah 40:31, New King James Version.
Meaning of Isaiah 40:31
Jehovaha God assures his worshippers that he will give them the strength needed to overcome or endure any problem they may face.
“Those hoping in Jehovah will regain power.” Those who have hope, or trust, in God’s ability and willingness to help his people can count on his support. (Proverbs 3:5, 6) One way that God can empower those who worship him is by means of his holy spirit, or active force.—Luke 11:13.
“They will soar on wings like eagles.” This word picture illustrates the effect God’s power can have on a person. An eagle relies on rising currents of warm air, called thermals, to soar and glide. Once an eagle locates a thermal, it spreads its wings and circles around within the thermal, rising higher and higher. Moving from one thermal to another, eagles can stay in the air for hours, expending a minimal amount of energy while flying to a chosen destination.
“They will run and not grow weary.” Problems in life can weaken us physically and emotionally, but we can keep going with the power God gives. It can energize us to do the right thing despite severe difficulties. The apostle Paul, who endured serious trials, wrote: “For all things I have the strength through the one who gives me power.”—Philippians 4:13.
Context of Isaiah 40:31
God inspired the prophet Isaiah to write these words in the eighth century B.C.E. While this scripture applies to all of God’s faithful servants, Jehovah may have provided these words to encourage the Jews who would be taken to Babylon for 70 years. When the Jews returned to their homeland from that exile, they saw God’s words fulfilled. (Isaiah 40:1-3) God gave them the power to complete that long and difficult trekb from Babylon to Jerusalem in 537 B.C.E.—Isaiah 40:29.
a Jehovah is God’s personal name.—Psalm 83:18.
b The route used by the exiles was likely some 1,600 kilometers (1,000 mi) long.
Read Isaiah chapter 40 along with explanatory footnotes and cross-references. |
Man’s Salvation (sl)
1975 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/sl | Chapter 1
The Outlook After Sixty Years of World Distress
1, 2. (a) What questions do we ask about the world distress since 1914 C.E.? (b) What age group has done quite well as to living, according to Psalm 90:10?
HOW much more will the present generation of mankind have to take of this world distress that has plagued us since 1914 C.E.? How much more can we take of it without reaching the worst—the end of mankind? Quite a number of us have managed to reach seventy years of age or more. Fewer of us have attained to eighty years of age or more. In times such as these, such an age attainment is very good, according to the age-old saying that set a reasonable time-length for a generation:
2 “The days of our years in this life are seventy years; and if by uncommon vigour they be eighty, yet is their greatness trouble and mishap; for it soon hasteneth off, and we fly away.”a
3, 4. (a) What announcement is good news to such older ones? (b) What things can they tell as part of their life?
3 During those seven or eight decades of our lives, oh, what we have experienced! For good reason, then, the announcement “Man’s salvation out of world distress at hand!” is good news indeed.
4 The big turning point in our conditions of life was the year 1914 C.E. The things since then about which we have to tell younger persons are not things of the dead past about which we read in history books. No, but they have been a part of our own life. We have seen, felt, endured and survived them, and, thankfully, we are alive to tell about them as real facts of this twentieth century.
5. What prediction made by certain Bible students since 1876 disturbed the world’s “peaceful outlook” that obtained until the summer of 1914?
5 Today we do not have the peaceful outlook for the future that we had back there up till the summer of 1914. A “peaceful outlook” back there—yes, except for those International Bible Students who had been saying since the year 1876 that the Biblical “times of the Gentiles” would run out in the autumn of 1914 and that this would mean unparalleled trouble for the whole world. Why, about two thousand of them were peacefully met together in general convention in the Memorial Hall, Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A., on that Sunday of June 28, 1914, when the shot rang out that was heard around the earth, the assassin’s shot that triggered World War I.b Till then politicians and especially religious clergymen who claimed to know their Bible better than those Bible students were inclined to smile at the prediction and brush it off—life in general had been so genial and promising till then. Besides, did we not have back there the Permanent Court of Arbitration, at The Hague, Netherlands, for the arbitrating of international difficulty peacefully?
6. By what new means of warfare were World Wars I and II marked, and what more recent weapons have been added?
6 World War I was bad enough for us. We saw some new things added to modern warfare—the use of airplanes and the introduction of the armored “tank” moving on a caterpillar tread, as introduced by the British, and poison gas that called for gas masks as part of the regular equipment of a soldier. However, World War II, twenty-one years after the first world war ended, was four times as destructive. It came to a frightening climax with the explosion of two atomic bombs over two populous cities in the Far East. Shortly thereafter came the invention of the hydrogen bomb, with far greater capacity for mass slaughter, and then intercontinental ballistic missiles with warheads to carry such bombs and capable of spanning oceans and arriving at target without advance notice. We well remember the air-raid shelters of World War II. Six nations from East to West are now armed with nuclear bombs, and well into the summer of 1974 test explosions of nuclear bombs were being made in the air over the Pacific Ocean.
7. What now poses a threat to mankind’s very existence, and peace of what duration are international statesmen working to establish?
7 The stockpiling of nuclear weapons for missile warfare disquiets the whole world. It threatens the existence of all mankind. Compared with the situation in the first half of 1914, the foundations for preventing international warfare short of a third world war, introduced by nuclear bombs, are very shaky indeed. This holds true in 1975 in spite of the existence of the world organization for peace and security, the United Nations with 138 member nations, and the coordinated International Court of Justice, at The Hague. Well knowing the instability of human relations, international statesmen are grimly working at establishing a “peace for our generation,” or, better, “a peace for generations to come.” The announcement “Man’s salvation out of world distress at hand!” comes not from those statesmen. Peace with endless stability will without fail shortly come to distressed humanity, but not in their way. In a better way!
SURVIVAL OF SCOURGES, FOOD DEARTHS
8. How has the disease factor contributed to world distress since 1914?
8 However, there were other factors that contributed to the world distress. The sickle of Death reaped a tremendous harvest of human lives by means of pestilence, the scourge! Well can we remember the scourge that excelled the Black Plague of the Middle Ages. Toward the end of World War I in 1918 it came like a wave that swept over the whole globe. Because of its place of origin it was called “the Spanish flu.” Many of us can remember being laid low with this dread fever and being kept away from our working jobs, but, happily for us, we did not prove to be among the 20,000,000 victims that were prostrated in death. Other pestilences have taken a heavy toll of our generation. For example, now, owing to a society (including religious clergymen) that defies the natural laws for sexual health, loathsome sex diseases have become epidemic, baffling the modern medical profession. Unknown to many, the widespread resort to blood transfusions has resulted in the spread of crippling diseases, fatal in many cases, not to speak of deaths directly caused by this medical practice, still pursued by many.
9. What has led up to the prediction of world famine shortly?
9 Not alone is world health under attack by pestilences from time to time, in addition to the chronic diseases like malaria, but world health is also being affected by undernourishment on account of food shortages. We vividly remember the devastating famines that resulted from the ravages of international wars, from droughts, from floods, from pests. Even in the days of good crops by the farming nations, thousands have been poorly fed, or left starving. But today, as never before, the world’s breadbasket is threatened. Yearly there are more mouths to feed, by the tens of millions, without more farming land being available or being put under cultivation. The farming population decreases, but the world population increases. In our experience since 1914 C.E., in spite of World War I, pestilence and famine, the world population swelled to 2,000,000,000 in 1930. In just thirty years more, it swarmed up to 3,000,000,000. And now, in just fifteen years, the population growth is reaching four thousand million. So, even world famine shortly is predicted!
10. How has the threat to human existence on account of pollution become dangerous?
10 All of us like to be secure in our persons and property, do we not? When we oldsters were young people back in the first two decades of this twentieth century, life felt more secure; it was more secure. We did not hear much about pollution. We did not know of this thing called “ecology,” which has to do with our natural living environment. But now, since some fifteen years ago, we have been hearing more and more insistently about the growing pollution of our natural surroundings upon which the security of our persons, healthwise, depends. Now, to an alarming extent, pollution of the air we breathe, the water depended upon for bodily needs, the soil from which come foodstuffs, also the rivers, lakes and seas that are a source of fish and marine foods, yes, pollution of about every aspect of our natural, life-sustaining environment nears the point of crisis. The damage already done has gone too far to be counteracted within our generation. The way in which our modern industrialized, commercialized, mobilized, concentrated society has been living for decades is to blame for this recent threat to human existence.
11. How has security for our physical persons and material properties been reduced?
11 Little do most people think of security for their vital natural environment. They are far more aware of their need for physical security and security of properties. We remember the statement of one authoritative voice not so many years ago, that, at the current rate of crime increase, the world would become too dangerous a place in which to live. More and more people are coming to think that we have reached that state of affairs now. One big reason for this is not hard to find. Historians agree that with the engaging in world war with total mobilization in 1914 an age of violence was introduced on the earth. The rise of unprincipled dictators and the six years of World War II with aggravated violence and terror have spread and intensified the spirit of violence. What people learned during wartime they carry over into peacetime. The violent, lawless elements resort to the latest types of weapons, such as machine guns, bombs, as well as unbridled rioting accompanied by looting and wanton destruction of valuable properties.
12. How is pagandom impressed with the “Christianity” of Christendom, and why?
12 In the lands that, according to what they religiously claim to be, should be models of right conduct and conscientious respect for law and order, namely, in the lands of Christendom, we have observed the worst offenders against moral law and security of others. Why, today Christendom estimates it has more than a quarter of the world’s population as members of its churches, and these people are supposed to be examples of Christian living to the so-called “pagan” world. But, in fact, pagandom has learned many bad things from Christendom. Pagandom does not forget that two world wars started in Christendom, that in her the nuclear bomb was developed, and that in her is the birthplace of international Communism. “Pagans” have not been impressed very much by the “Christianity” of Christendom. According to the Holy Bible of Christendom, her church members are more pagan than the unbelieving pagans themselves!
13. How has the cooling off of love become apparent?
13 Love of fellowman is becoming a scarce article nowadays. Even some of the popular songs have taken up the theme of love—about What the world needs is more love, and about liking to teach the world to love. As the world distress grows more poignant and the need for self-preservation becomes more acute, inborn human selfishness is bound to rise above any remaining traces of love of fellow humans and to seek primarily physical, material comfort of oneself. For the most part, the adhesive, unifying force of sincere love is gone. What wonder that there is so much rivalry, outputiousness, prejudice, resentment, covetousness, greed, cheating, stealing, taking advantage of others today! And if there is lack of love for fellowman, whom human creatures can see and have contact with directly, how can there be love for the One whom Christendom claims to worship, God, the Creator of man in His image? So, with the loss of the love of fellowman, the love of God has cooled off. Religious hypocrisy takes the ascendancy!
WHAT IT ALL ADDS UP TO AT THIS LATE DATE
14. To what do all the things thus far considered add up, and so what question arises?
14 What does all of this, which we oldsters have observed personally since 1914, total up to as three quarters of this twentieth century closes? Does it add evidence that, after sixty years of acquaintance with world distress, man has learned by experience and now knows how to adjust himself to the distress of nations? Does it add convincing evidence that man is able to solve his problems by himself? Not that we intelligent observers in our seventies and eighties can see. And man himself has come to realize that hard fact. So, when problems are not worked out, then what? Failure! Man cannot encourage himself with the old slogan, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!” The problem at which to try again does not remain the same. It becomes worse! Harder! The question is forced on us, How long will man continue to fail, to the endangerment of his own existence?
15. What likelihood is there that materialistic men will turn back to religion for aid in solving problems, as illustrated in the case of Communist Russia?
15 Where is man to turn for salvation from the disastrous problems of his own making? Materialistic men, believers in the theory of man’s self-evolution, see only man to whom to turn. Will such men turn to the once-popular traditional religions that have long been practiced in the temples, mosques, cathedrals and church buildings? For example, Will Russian Communism turn back to the Russian Orthodox religion that it overthrew in 1917 and give up its dictum that “religion is the opium of the people”? Since disestablishing the Russian Orthodox Church, the Russian Soviet Union has used what remains of that church system as a mere handmaid of the State, and this weak religious tool has provided no solution for the problems of Communist Russia.
16. What questions come up with regard to a future appeal to religion, in lands where religion still has some respect?
16 In other parts of Christendom outside Communist lands, will the politicians and scientists turn to the religious clergymen, Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, for salvation? These clergymen the State has used as chaplains in its fighting forces and as “men of God” to invoke the divine blessing upon their lawmaking bodies. These religious clergymen, although they have turned from a purely religious Gospel to a social, materialistic Gospel, have come up with no solutions to world problems. Will Communist Red China, now engaged in war on Confucianism, feel obliged at length to go back to dead Confucius for aid? Also, in other lands that still have a large non-Christian religious organization, will the politicians and rulers of state keep turning to their priests whose religions have till now offered no explanation of the present world distress and so cannot show the way out of it?
17. What question here arises regarding any future application of an ancient proverb?
17 Many are the political leaders and the economic guides who have found their long-held religions disappointing. They have even lost faith in such. Will they now call for a religious revival as the last resort and act as the ancient proverb has said: “The dog has returned to its own vomit”?c
18. What argues against such application of the proverb?
18 Such a thing is hardly to be expected! Common sense and reason do not argue for such a thing. The faith of those worldly men in what is superhuman, in what is spiritual, has been weakened, or worse, destroyed. Under such circumstances they feel left to only human resources. When, at last, all human resources fail them, they will be at their wits’ end!
19. In order to avoid being induced to go along with such men, what is the thing about which to inform ourselves teachably?
19 Surely it is now the time to ask ourselves, Do we want to be among such perplexed men when they are reduced to desperation? They will not turn from the course of fighting against their own interests, unfortunately to the endangerment of the eternal interests of everybody else! Will we let ourselves be induced to go along with them? We do not have to do so. On the very best of authority it can confidently be announced, ‘Man’s salvation out of world distress is at hand!’ We have somewhere to turn, without becoming liable to disappointment, frustration, destruction. The increasing stress of the times makes it urgent upon us to be teachable and to inform ourselves where to turn in the hope of complete satisfaction.
[Footnotes]
a Written by Moses son of Amram, in Psalm 90:10, Leeser.
b See The Watch Tower under date of June 1, 1914 (page 174), and July 15, 1914 (pages 217, 218).
c 2 Peter 2:22; Proverbs 26:11. |
What Message Are They Hearing? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101991004 | What Message Are They Hearing?
IN WHAT kind of world would you like to live? What kind of future do you want for your children? If you could have perfect health and not die, would you choose it?
How would you answer those questions? Most people, regardless of religious or political background, would want to live in a world of peace and plenty. They would welcome a world of perfect justice and harmony, where there would be no corruption; nor would there be one law for the privileged and another for the poor.
And for your children, no doubt you would like to have abundant food, a pleasant home, and a good education. In other words, you would want to guarantee a stable future for yourself and your offspring. And if given the opportunity, you would choose to have perfect health and to live long enough to fulfill all your wholesome desires and ambitions, even to enjoying everlasting life on a peaceful, paradisaic earth.
All of this is not an impossible dream. It is the message of the Bible that Jehovah’s Witnesses are preaching earth wide, including in the countries of Eastern Europe.
The Bible’s Practical Hope for the Future
The Bible’s reliable prophecies recorded many centuries ago foretold the events of our 20th century, our ‘wars and rumors of wars’; our ‘earthquakes and food shortages in one place after another’; our ‘anguish of nations, not knowing the way out, while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the events befalling the earth’; our ‘ruining and polluting of the earth.’—Luke 21:10-33; Revelation 11:18.
Yet, all these events and many more are a sure sign that God’s promised new world is also near at hand. This involves “new heavens and a new earth,” that is, a new world rulership, a heavenly government, and a transformed earthly society ‘in which righteousness is to dwell.’ It means a new world in which ‘pain, death, and mourning will be no more.’—Isaiah 65:17-25; 2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-4.
Obviously, no political system, no matter how sincere and conscientious, is capable of fulfilling such a program. Only the Sovereign Lord of the universe, Jehovah God, has both the will and the power to accomplish this. For that reason his Son, Christ Jesus, taught his followers to pray: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.”—Matthew 6:9, 10.
God’s will is that the earth should be a shining jewel in the universe, inhabited by a peace-loving human family. Soon God will take action to bring that about. It will be a cleansing action to rid the earth of all contamination and contaminators. All pollution, whether physical or moral, will be eliminated from the earth. Who will remain? Jesus said: “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.”—Matthew 5:5; Revelation 16:14-16.
Do you want to be among those mild-tempered ones who will have God’s blessing? Then contact Jehovah’s Witnesses in your neighborhood and request a free home Bible study, without any obligation. Prove for yourself what is the “good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” And then do it.—Romans 12:2. |
YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Lose Weight? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019483 | YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Lose Weight?
Do I really need to lose weight?
What’s the best way to lose weight?
Action plan
What your peers say
Do I really need to lose weight?
Some teenagers say that they want to lose weight. However . . .
Many are more concerned about their appearance than their health. To shed pounds, some resort to quick fixes, like skipping meals or taking weight-loss pills. Such methods usually prove futile and are sometimes even dangerous.
“Some girls starve themselves to get faster results. This usually backfires, and then it takes a long time for their body to recover from the damage.”—Hailey.
Many who are concerned about their weight should not be. Their weight is fine—but perhaps they feel fat when they compare themselves with their peers or with the skinny “ideal” that the media promotes.
“When I was 13, I compared myself to my friends. I thought they would like me more if I looked like them—which meant that I had to be stick-thin.”—Paola.
On the other hand, some young people really do need to lose weight. According to a World Health Organization report . . .
Globally, some 340 million youths between the ages of 5 and 19 are overweight.
In 1975 just 4 percent of those in the 5-19 age bracket were overweight. By 2016 the figure had risen to 18 percent.
For most lands around the world, it is more common for people to be obese than to be underweight.
Obesity is also common in low-income countries, even in households where some members are undernourished.
What’s the best way to lose weight?
Which method would you choose?
Skip meals.
Combine exercise with a balanced diet.
Take weight-loss pills.
Correct answer: Method 2: Combine exercise with a balanced diet.
Skipping meals or cutting out a food group might get quick results. But those methods may not be healthy, and you’ll likely regain the weight once you return to your usual eating habits.
On the other hand, if you make it your goal to be healthy, you will look and feel your best. “The safest, healthiest, and most long-lasting results come from . . . altering your lifestyle in ways that you can maintain for the rest of your days,” writes Dr. Michael Bradley.a The point? If you need to lose weight, don’t think in terms of following a diet but of adopting a lifestyle change.
Action plan
The Bible tells us to be “moderate in habits”—and that includes eating habits. (1 Timothy 3:11) It even specifically says to avoid overeating. (Proverbs 23:20; Luke 21:34) With those principles in mind, try the following in order to adopt a healthier lifestyle:
Learn what healthy eating involves.
You don’t have to become a fanatic, but a little knowledge about nutrition can go a long way in helping you to have a balanced diet. And a balanced diet is one of the best ways to keep your weight on track.
Exercise regularly.
Think of everyday things you can do to keep active. For example, instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs. Trade a half hour of video gaming for a brisk walk outdoors.
Replace junk food with healthy choices.
“I try to keep healthy snacks like fruits and vegetables around,” says a teenager named Sophia. “That way I’m not tempted to eat a lot of nonnutritious food.”
Eat slowly.
Some people eat so fast that they don’t “hear” the body’s signal to stop! So slow down. Take a break before going for more food. You might find that you’re not as hungry as you think you are.
Monitor your intake of calories.
Read nutrition labels to see how many calories are in your food. Clue: Sweetened soft drinks, fast food, and desserts can be a major source of calories—and weight gain.
Be balanced.
Sara, 16, says: “At one point I was so obsessed with counting calories that when I looked at a plate of food, all I could see were numbers!” Don’t become a “calorie accountant.” You can allow yourself an occasional treat.
Tip: Talk to your doctor about your weight concerns. He or she can take your medical profile into consideration and help you adopt a lifestyle program that may work for you.
What your peers say
“It’s so easy to get caught up in the media’s idea of what a perfect body looks like and then become disappointed when we look in the mirror. The fact is, we’re not all the same shape or size. As long as we’re doing our best to stay healthy, we should be happy with what we look like.”—Nikki.
“If I don’t plan my meals ahead of time, I just end up eating fast food, which is rarely healthy—and often expensive. Also, I really like cardio exercise. I always feel energized afterward. But if I don’t plan ahead for it, something else will fill my time.”—Lorenzo.
Review: How can I lose weight?
Don’t think in terms of following a diet, but of adopting a healthy lifestyle. To do that, try the following:
Learn what healthy eating involves. A little knowledge about nutrition can go a long way in helping you to have a balanced diet.
Exercise regularly. Think of everyday things you can do to keep active.
Replace junk food with healthy choices. Keep healthy snacks available so that you won’t be tempted by nonnutritious foods.
Eat slowly. Do not rush through meals, and take a break before going for seconds. You may find that you are full.
Monitor your intake of calories. Read nutrition labels and be aware of calories.
Be balanced. While you want to be aware of calories, don’t obsess over them.
a From the book When Things Get Crazy With Your Teen. |
Knowledge (kl)
1995 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/kl | Chapter 19
When the Knowledge of God Fills the Earth
1, 2. How did Jehovah’s creation come to be damaged?
SUPPOSE a great artist has just completed a splendid painting. He rightfully considers it to be very good—a masterpiece! But overnight a jealous rival defaces it. Understandably, this causes the artist great pain. How eager he is to see the vandal locked up! And you can imagine how the artist yearns to have his creation restored to its former beauty.
2 Like that artist, Jehovah created a masterpiece in preparing the earth and putting mankind upon it. After creating man and woman, he pronounced all his earthly work “very good.” (Genesis 1:31) Adam and Eve were God’s own children, and he loved them. He envisioned a happy, glorious future for them. True, Satan led them into rebellion, but God’s wonderful creation was not damaged beyond repair.—Genesis 3:23, 24; 6:11, 12.
3. What is “the real life”?
3 God has determined to set things straight. He dearly wants to see us live the way he originally purposed. Our short and troubled existence is not “the real life,” for it is far inferior to what Jehovah has in mind. “The real life” that God wants for us is “everlasting life” under perfect conditions.—1 Timothy 6:12, 19.
4, 5. (a) How will the Paradise hope be realized? (b) Why should we think about our hope for the future?
4 The knowledge of God brings responsibility before Jehovah. (James 4:17) But think of the blessings you will enjoy if you apply that knowledge and reach out for everlasting life. In his Word, the Bible, Jehovah God has painted a beautiful picture of what that life will be like in the Paradise earth so near at hand. Of course, as Jehovah’s people we do not serve God solely out of a desire for a reward. We serve God because we love him. (Mark 12:29, 30) Moreover, we do not earn life by serving Jehovah. Everlasting life is a gift of God. (Romans 6:23) It will do us good to meditate on such a life because the Paradise hope reminds us of the kind of God Jehovah is—the loving “rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” (Hebrews 11:6) A hope that burns brightly in our minds and hearts will enable us to endure hardships in Satan’s world.—Jeremiah 23:20.
5 Let us now focus our attention on the Bible-based hope of everlasting life in the future earthly Paradise. What will life be like when the knowledge of God fills the earth?
AFTER ARMAGEDDON—A PARADISE EARTH
6. What is Armageddon, and what will it mean for mankind?
6 As shown earlier, Jehovah God will soon destroy the present wicked system of things. The world is rapidly approaching what the Bible calls Har–Magedon, or Armageddon. That word may make some people think of a nuclear holocaust brought about by warring nations, but Armageddon is nothing of the kind. As Revelation 16:14-16 shows, Armageddon is “the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” It is a war involving “the kings of the entire inhabited earth,” or the nations. Jehovah God’s Son, the appointed King, will soon ride forth into battle. The outcome is absolutely sure. All who oppose God’s Kingdom and who are a part of Satan’s wicked system will be eliminated. Only those loyal to Jehovah will survive.—Revelation 7:9, 14; 19:11-21.
7. Where will Satan and his demons be during the Thousand Year Reign of Christ, and how will this benefit mankind?
7 Imagine that you have survived that cataclysm. What would life be like on earth in God’s promised new world? (2 Peter 3:13) We need not speculate, for the Bible tells us, and what it says is thrilling. We learn that Satan and his demons will be put out of commission, locked away in an abyss of inactivity during the Thousand Year Reign of Jesus Christ. No longer will those wicked, malicious creatures be lurking behind the scenes, fomenting trouble and trying to goad us into acts of unfaithfulness against God. What a relief!—Revelation 20:1-3.
8, 9. In the new world, what will happen to afflictions, illness, and aging?
8 In time, all forms of sickness will vanish. (Isaiah 33:24) The lame will then stand, walk, run, and dance on sound, strong legs. After years of life in their world of silence, the deaf will hear the joyous sounds around them. The blind will gasp in awe as a rich world of color and form takes shape before their eyes. (Isaiah 35:5, 6) At last, they will see the faces of their loved ones! Perhaps then their vision will blur just momentarily with tears of joy.
9 Just think! No more eyeglasses, no more crutches and canes, no more medicines, no more dental clinics or hospitals! Never again will emotional illness and depression rob people of happiness. No childhood will be blighted by disease. The ravages of aging will be reversed. (Job 33:25) We will become healthier, stronger. Each morning we will wake from a refreshing night’s sleep with renewed energy, filled with vigor and eager for a new day of vibrant life and satisfying work.
10. What work assignment will Armageddon survivors undertake?
10 There will be plenty of enjoyable work to be done by Armageddon survivors. They will transform the earth into a paradise. Any vestiges of the polluted old system will be cleared away. Parks and gardens will emerge in place of slums and ruined land. All will enjoy comfortable, pleasant housing. (Isaiah 65:21) As time passes, those paradisaic parts of the earth will grow and merge until the entire globe meets the standard of beauty set by the Creator back in the garden of Eden. How satisfying it will be to share in that work of restoration!
11. What will be mankind’s future relationship with the earth’s environment and animal life?
11 All of this will be done under divine guidance so that the environment will not be harmed. Humans will be at peace with the animals. Instead of wantonly slaughtering them, man will resume responsible stewardship over the earth, taking good care of them. Visualize wolves and lambs, lions and calves, feeding together—and the domestic animals are totally safe. Even a little child will have nothing to fear from wild beasts, nor will the tranquillity of the new world be disrupted by cruel, ferocious people. (Isaiah 11:6-8) What a peaceful new world that will be!
MANKIND TRANSFORMED
12. How is Isaiah 11:9 undergoing fulfillment today, and how will it be fulfilled in Paradise?
12 Isaiah 11:9 tells us why no harm will be done in all the earth. It says: “The earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.” This pertains to people because animals cannot take in “the knowledge of Jehovah” and make changes, since they are governed by instinct. But the knowledge of our Creator does change people. No doubt you have already made some changes yourself as a result of applying the knowledge of God in your life. Millions have done so. Therefore, this prophecy has already begun to be fulfilled in those serving Jehovah. Yet, it also points to a time when people the world over will shed any animalistic or violent traits and become peaceable forever.
13. What educational program will take place on the earth?
13 How grand it will be when the knowledge of God fills the earth! There will be an extensive educational program under the direction of the King Jesus Christ and his 144,000 corulers. New “scrolls” will then come into use. Evidently these are God’s written instructions that will serve as a basis for educating earth’s inhabitants. (Revelation 20:12) Mankind will learn, not war, but peace. All destructive weapons will be gone forever. (Psalm 46:9) Inhabitants of the new world will be taught to treat their fellow humans with love, respect, and dignity.
14. How will the world be different when mankind is one united family?
14 Mankind will become one united family. There will be no barriers to unity and brotherhood. (Psalm 133:1-3) No one’s home will have to be locked to keep thieves out. Peace will reign in every heart, in every house, in every part of the earth.—Micah 4:4.
THE JOYOUS RESURRECTION
15. What two groups will be resurrected on earth?
15 During that Millennium, the resurrection will take place. Those who willfully sinned against God’s holy spirit, or active force, by unrepentantly acting contrary to its manifestation or leadings will not be resurrected. (Matthew 23:15, 33; Hebrews 6:4-6) Of course, God will decide who sinned in that way. But two distinct groups will be resurrected—“the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) Since there will be proper order, it is reasonable to conclude that the first to be welcomed back to life on earth will be the righteous, those who served Jehovah loyally.—Hebrews 11:35-39.
16. (a) Who will be among “the righteous” resurrected on earth? (b) Which faithful ones of ancient times do you particularly want to meet, and why?
16 Instead of hearing news about wars, disasters, and death, Jehovah’s servants will receive wonderful reports of the resurrection. It will be exciting to learn about the return of such faithful men and women as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Job, Moses, Rahab, Ruth, David, Elijah, Esther. What stirring historical facts they will present as they give background details of many Bible accounts! No doubt they and righteous ones who have died in more recent times will be just as eager to learn about the end of Satan’s system and how Jehovah sanctified his holy name and vindicated his sovereignty.
17. What assistance will faithful ones give to others who are resurrected?
17 How helpful these faithful ones will be during the next phase of the resurrection, when billions of “the unrighteous” are released from the bonds of death! Most of mankind never had a chance to know Jehovah. Satan was ‘blinding their minds.’ (2 Corinthians 4:4) But the Devil’s work will be undone. The unrighteous will come back to a beautiful and peaceful earth. They will be welcomed by a people well organized to teach them about Jehovah and his reigning Son, Jesus Christ. As billions of resurrected ones come to know and love their Creator, the knowledge of Jehovah will fill the earth in an unprecedented way.
18. How do you think that you will feel when welcoming resurrected loved ones?
18 What joy the resurrection will bring to our hearts! Who has not suffered because of our enemy death? Indeed, who has not felt utterly shattered when some bond of love or friendship was torn apart as sickness, old age, accident, or violence claimed the life of a loved one? Imagine, then, the joy of reunions in Paradise. Mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, friends and relatives, will run into one another’s arms, laughing and crying for joy.
PERFECTION AT LAST!
19. What miracle will take place during the Millennium?
19 Throughout the Millennium, a wonderful miracle will be taking place. For mankind, it will be perhaps the most thrilling aspect of Christ’s Thousand Year Reign. Jehovah will direct his Son to apply the benefits of the ransom sacrifice to each and every faithful and obedient man and woman. By that means, all sin will be removed and mankind will be raised to perfection.—1 John 2:2; Revelation 21:1-4.
20. (a) What will it mean to be perfect? (b) When will Armageddon survivors and resurrected ones start to live in the fullest sense?
20 Perfection! What will it mean? It will mean a return to life the way Adam and Eve enjoyed it before they sinned against Jehovah God. Physically, mentally, emotionally, morally, spiritually—in every way imaginable—perfect humans will fully meet God’s standards. But will all people then be identical? Far from it! Jehovah’s creations—trees, flowers, animals—all teach us that he loves variety. Perfect humans will have different personalities and talents. Each one will enjoy life as God meant it to be. Revelation 20:5 says: “The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.” Like the great crowd of Armageddon survivors, the resurrected ones will become fully alive when they reach sinless perfection.
21. (a) What will occur at the end of Christ’s Thousand Year Reign? (b) What will finally happen to Satan and all who side with him?
21 Perfect humans will face one final test. At the end of the Millennium, Satan and his demons will be released from the abyss for a short time and will be permitted to make a final effort to turn people away from Jehovah. Some will put wrong desires above love of God, but this rebellion will be cut short. Jehovah will execute these selfish ones along with Satan and all his demons. All wrongdoers will then be gone forever.—Revelation 20:7-10.
WHAT WILL YOU DO?
22. What do you look forward to doing in Paradise?
22 Eternity will stretch out before those who love Jehovah God and dwell in the Paradise earth. We can hardly imagine their joy, and you too can share in this. Music, art, crafts—why, perfect mankind’s achievements will surpass the finest works of the greatest masters in the old world! After all, humans will be perfect and will have limitless time before them. Imagine what you will be able to do as a perfect human. Think, too, of what you and fellow humans will learn about Jehovah’s creation—from the billions of galaxies across the universe to the tiniest subatomic particles. Everything that mankind achieves will further delight the heart of our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah.—Psalm 150:1-6.
23. Why will life in Paradise never become boring?
23 Life then will not be boring. It will get more and more interesting as time goes on. You see, there is no end to the knowledge of God. (Romans 11:33) Throughout eternity, there will always be more to learn and new horizons to explore. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) And as you continue to learn about Jehovah God, you will keep on living—not just a few years but forever!—Psalm 22:26.
24, 25. Why should you now live in harmony with the knowledge of God?
24 Is not a delightful future on a paradise earth worth any effort or sacrifice you make? Of course it is! Well, Jehovah has extended to you the key to that splendid future. That key is the knowledge of God. Will you use it?
25 If you love Jehovah, you will find delight in doing his will. (1 John 5:3) As you pursue that course, what blessings you will experience! If you apply the knowledge of God, it can bring you a happier life even in this troubled world. And the future rewards are immense, for this is the knowledge that leads to everlasting life! Now is the favorable time for you to act. Be determined to live in harmony with the knowledge of God. Demonstrate your love for Jehovah. Honor his holy name and prove Satan a liar. In turn, Jehovah God, the Source of true wisdom and knowledge, will rejoice over you in his great and loving heart. (Jeremiah 31:3; Zephaniah 3:17) And he will love you forever!
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
What is “the real life”?
After Armageddon, what will take place on earth?
Who will be resurrected on earth?
How will mankind become perfect and finally be tested?
What is your hope regarding Paradise?
[Picture on page 188, 189]
Do you hope to live in Paradise, when the knowledge of God fills the earth? |
Ministry School (be)
2002 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/be | Be Progressive—Make Advancement
WHEN you first learned to apply Bible principles, deeply ingrained patterns of thinking, speech, and behavior began gradually to change. Much of this took place even before you enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School. Now you have likely progressed to the point where you have dedicated your life to Jehovah. Does that mean that you can stop making progress? Not at all. Your baptism is merely a beginning.
The disciple Timothy was already serving as a Christian elder when Paul told him to “ponder over” both the counsel given to him and the privileges of service entrusted to him—to “be absorbed in” these things—that his “advancement may be manifest to all persons.” (1 Tim. 4:12-15) Whether you are just beginning to follow the way of the truth or have much experience in Christian living, you should be interested in making advancement.
Knowledge and Transformation
At Ephesians 3:14-19, we read that the apostle Paul prayed that his fellow believers would be “thoroughly able to grasp mentally . . . the breadth and length and height and depth” of the truth. To that end, Jesus bestowed gifts in men to teach, readjust, and build up the congregation. Regular meditation on the inspired Word of God, along with guidance from experienced teachers, can help us to “grow up” spiritually.—Eph. 4:11-15.
That growth includes being “made new in the force actuating your mind.” This involves establishing a strong mental inclination in harmony with that of God and Christ. It requires constant exposure to their thinking, in order to “put on the new personality.” (Eph. 4:23, 24) When you study the Gospels, do you view these accounts of the life of Christ as a pattern for you to follow? Do you seek to identify specific traits shown by Jesus and then make a real effort to imitate these in your own life?—1 Pet. 2:21.
The topics you include in conversation can be an indication of the extent to which you have made such advancement. Those who have put on the new personality do not indulge in speech that is dishonest, abusive, obscene, or negative. Instead, their speech is “good for building up . . . that it may impart what is favorable to the hearers.” (Eph. 4:25, 26, 29, 31; 5:3, 4; Jude 16) Their comments and expressions both in private and at congregation meetings reveal that the truth is transforming their lives.
If you are no longer “tossed about as by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching,” this too is evidence of advancement. (Eph. 4:14) How do you react, for example, when the world barrages you with new ideas, causes, or forms of entertainment? Are you tempted to divert time from spiritual obligations in order to pursue such things? Doing so can stifle spiritual advancement. How much wiser to buy out time for spiritual pursuits!—Eph. 5:15, 16.
How you deal with other people can also be an indicator of spiritual advancement. Have you learned to be “tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving” your brothers and sisters?—Eph. 4:32.
Your progress in doing things Jehovah’s way should be manifest both in the congregation and at home. It should also be evident at school, in public places, and at your place of secular work. (Eph. 5:21–6:9) If in all such circumstances you are displaying godly qualities in fuller measure, then your advancement is making itself manifest.
Use Your Gift
Jehovah has entrusted each of us with abilities and talents. He expects us to use these in behalf of others in such a way that through us, he can express his undeserved kindness. Regarding this the apostle Peter wrote: “In proportion as each one has received a gift, use it in ministering to one another as fine stewards of God’s undeserved kindness.” (1 Pet. 4:10) How are you handling your stewardship?
Peter continues: “If anyone speaks, let him speak as it were the sacred pronouncements of God.” (1 Pet. 4:11) This verse lays emphasis on the responsibility to speak in complete harmony with God’s Word, so that God is glorified. The manner in which such speaking is done should also glorify Jehovah. The training provided through the Theocratic Ministry School can help you to use your gift in such a way—glorifying God by the way that you help others. With that as your aim, how should you measure your progress in the school?
Rather than thinking in terms of how many points you have covered on your speech counsel form or the type of assignments that you have been given, reflect on the extent to which the training has improved the quality of your sacrifice of praise. The school prepares us to be more effective in the field ministry. So ask yourself: ‘Do I really prepare what I am going to say in the field service? Have I learned to show personal interest in those to whom I witness? Do I lay the groundwork for return visits by leaving people with a question for discussion the next time? If I am studying the Bible with someone, am I working to improve as a teacher who reaches the heart?’
Do not view progress simply in terms of privileges of service that are granted to you. Your advancement is seen, not in the assignment, but in what you do with it. If given an assignment that involves teaching, ask yourself: ‘Did I really employ the art of teaching? Did I handle the material in such a way that it made a difference in the lives of those who heard it?’
The exhortation to use your gift implies using initiative. Do you take the initiative to work with others in the field ministry? Do you look for opportunities to help members of your congregation who are new, young, or infirm? Do you volunteer to clean the Kingdom Hall or to assist in various ways at conventions and assemblies? Can you enroll periodically as an auxiliary pioneer? Are you able to serve as a regular pioneer or help in a congregation where the need is greater? If you are a brother, are you reaching out to meet the Scriptural qualifications for ministerial servants and elders? Your willingness to offer assistance and accept responsibility is a sign of advancement.—Ps. 110:3.
The Role Experience Plays
If you feel limited because of a lack of experience in Christian living, take heart. God’s Word can make “the inexperienced one wise.” (Ps. 19:7; 119:130; Prov. 1:1-4) Applying Bible counsel allows us to benefit from Jehovah’s perfect wisdom, which is of greater value than any learning gained through experience alone. Yet, as we make advancement in our service to Jehovah, we do gain valuable experience. How can we use it to good advantage?
Having been exposed to a variety of circumstances in life, a person could be tempted to reason: ‘I have faced this situation before. I know what to do.’ Would this be the course of wisdom? Proverbs 3:7 cautions: “Do not become wise in your own eyes.” Experience should certainly broaden our view of factors to consider when dealing with situations in life. But if we are making spiritual progress, our experience should also impress on our minds and hearts that we need Jehovah’s blessing in order to succeed. Our advancement is manifest, then, not by our facing situations with confident self-assurance, but by our readily turning to Jehovah for direction in our lives. It is shown by our being confident that nothing can happen without his permission and by our maintaining a trusting and affectionate relationship with our heavenly Father.
Keep Stretching Forward
The apostle Paul, despite being a spiritually mature, anointed Christian, recognized that he needed to keep “stretching forward” to attain the goal of life. (Phil. 3:13-16) Do you share that outlook?
To what extent have you made progress? Measure your growth in terms of how completely you have clothed yourself with the new personality, how fully you have submitted to Jehovah’s sovereignty, and how diligently you are using your gifts to honor Jehovah. As you benefit from Theocratic Ministry School education, the qualities highlighted in God’s Word should be progressively evident in your manner of speaking and teaching. Keep these aspects of your growth in focus. Yes, rejoice in them, and your advancement will readily be manifest.
WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL SPIRITUAL GOALS?
What realistic goals do you have that you should be able to attain within the next year?
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What long-term goals are so precious to you that you are determined to work toward them until you achieve them?
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Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 64
A Lesson in Forgiveness
JESUS is apparently still in the house in Capernaum with his disciples. He has been discussing with them how to handle difficulties between brothers, so Peter asks: “Lord, how many times is my brother to sin against me and am I to forgive him?” Since Jewish religious teachers propose granting forgiveness up to three times, Peter probably considers it very generous to suggest “up to seven times?”
But the whole idea of keeping such a record is wrong. Jesus corrects Peter: “I say to you, not, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy-seven times.” He is showing that no limit should be put on the number of times Peter forgives his brother.
To impress on the disciples their obligation to be forgiving, Jesus tells them an illustration. It is about a king who wants to settle accounts with his slaves. One slave is brought to him who owes the enormous debt of 60,000,000 denarii. There is no way that he can possibly pay it. So, as Jesus explains, the king orders that he and his wife and his children be sold and payment be made.
At that the slave falls down at his master’s feet and begs: “Be patient with me and I will pay back everything to you.”
Moved with pity for him, the master mercifully cancels the slave’s enormous debt. But no sooner has he done so, Jesus continues, than this slave goes and finds a fellow slave who owes him only 100 denarii. The man grabs his fellow slave by the throat and begins choking him, saying: “Pay back whatever you owe.”
But the fellow slave does not have the money. So he falls at the feet of the slave to whom he is in debt, begging: “Be patient with me and I will pay you back.” Unlike his master, the slave is not merciful, and he has his fellow slave thrown into prison.
Well, Jesus continues, the other slaves who saw what had happened go and tell the master. He angrily summons the slave. “Wicked slave,” he says, “I canceled all that debt for you, when you entreated me. Ought you not, in turn, to have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I also had mercy on you?” Provoked to wrath, the master delivers the unmerciful slave over to the jailers until he should pay back all that he owes.
Then Jesus concludes: “In like manner my heavenly Father will also deal with you if you do not forgive each one his brother from your hearts.”
What a fine lesson in forgiveness! Compared with the large debt of sin that God has forgiven us, whatever transgression may be committed against us by a Christian brother is small indeed. Furthermore, Jehovah God has forgiven us thousands of times. Often, we are not even aware of our sins against him. Therefore, can we not forgive our brother a few times, even if we have a legitimate cause for complaint? Remember, as Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount, God will “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Matthew 18:21-35; 6:12; Colossians 3:13.
▪ What prompts Peter’s question about forgiving his brother, and why may he consider his suggestion of forgiving someone seven times to be generous?
▪ How does the response of the king to his slave’s plea for mercy differ from the response of the slave to a fellow slave’s plea?
▪ What do we learn from Jesus’ illustration? |
Paradise Restored (pm)
1972 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/pm | Chapter 10
Satan’s Failure in Resisting the High Priest
1. Religiously, the whole world of mankind needs what today, and why just that?
THROUGHOUT the earth today there are to be found high priests of various religious cults. The mightiest of such priestly chiefs is the Pontifex Maximus, the Supreme Pontiff, located at Vatican City. But what the whole world of mankind needs is just one high priest. Why so? Because there is just the one living and true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Sovereign of all the universe. He needs just one high priest to represent him to the people and to deal with Him for the people. This comports with the fact that there is just the one true religion, just the one pure worship of Him “with spirit and truth.”—John 4:24.
2. What one high priesthood did Jehovah recognize down to Nisan 16 of 33 C.E., when what one spiritual high priest appeared?
2 For more than fifteen centuries, from 1512 B.C.E. to 33 C.E., there was just one high priesthood that this living and true God recognized. That high priesthood was established in the line of Aaron the brother of Moses the prophet, of the tribe of Levi. Aaron was installed in office on the first day of the lunar month of Nisan in the year 1512 B.C.E. During the centuries that followed there was a succession of high priests from among the descendants of Aaron, down till Sunday, Nisan 16, in the year 33 C.E. That was the resurrection day of the Lord Jesus Christ from a sacrificial death. On the fortieth day from then he ascended as a spiritual High Priest to enter into the heavenly Most Holy and there presented the precious value of his perfect human sacrifice to the one living and true God, Jehovah.
3. Since then, why has Jehovah been able to deal with just one high priest?
3 From that time on till now Jehovah God has been dealing with just one High Priest—not a high priest of the family of Aaron the Levite, but the one never-dying High Priest, Jesus Christ. To him it was said prophetically: “You are a priest forever according to the manner of Melchizedek.”—Hebrews 5:5, 6, 10; 6:19, 20; 7:15-17.
4. (a) Also, by what other high priest, on the annual Day of Atonement, was Jesus Christ typed? (b) Hence, by whom was he typified in the fourth vision of Zechariah?
4 However, Jesus Christ, as a sacrificing spiritual high priest, was also prefigured or typified by the Aaronic high priest of the ancient nation of Israel. Just as the high priest of Israel on the annual Day of Atonement entered with sacrificial blood into the Most Holy of the temple at Jerusalem, Jesus similarly entered with the value of his own sacrificial blood into the true Most Holy, heaven itself, of the spiritual temple of Jehovah God. Consequently, Jesus Christ was prefigured by the Israelite high priest Joshua the son of Jehozadak, who returned from exile in Babylon in the year 537 B.C.E. to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the temple of Jehovah there. (Haggai 1:1) From this standpoint it is intriguing for us to consider the fourth vision of the prophet Zechariah, in which this high priest Joshua is the principal figure. As if looking into a courtroom Zechariah writes:
5. What did Jehovah’s angel say to the one at Joshua’s side?
5 “And he proceeded to show me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand in order to resist him. Then the angel of Jehovah said to Satan: ‘Jehovah rebuke you, O Satan, yes, Jehovah rebuke you, he who is choosing Jerusalem! Is this one not a log snatched out of the fire?’”—Zechariah 3:1, 2.
6. (a) Who was that Satan? (b) Why was he resisting Joshua?
6 The Satan who is pictured here was no mere ecclesiastical “devil’s advocate” who was acting as a prosecuting attorney for Jehovah. He was the same Satan that appeared at the meeting of the angelic sons of God in heaven in the seventeenth century before our Common Era and wrongly accused the patriarch Job before the face of Jehovah God. (Job 1:6 to 2:7) But why, in that vision to Zechariah in the year 519 B.C.E. was Satan the Devil trying to resist the high priest Joshua before the angel of Jehovah? Because on the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month of Chislev of the preceding year High Priest Joshua had taken a decisive step for the worship of God. He and Governor Zerubbabel and the faithful remnant of Israel began working at the foundation of the second temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem. (Haggai 2:18, 19) High Priest Joshua was thus working for his reinstallation in the full service of Jehovah at a completed second temple. Such taking up of his duties at a completed temple would put Joshua in a new light.
7. (a) What was Satan trying to prevent in Joshua’s case? (b) Satan was trying to counteract whose prophesying, and how?
7 Satan the Devil, who fights the true religion, was out to resist High Priest Joshua on this score, so as to downgrade him and keep him out of his full service to Jehovah in behalf of the nation of Israel. That would keep Joshua in poor appearance because of a major deficiency in his service to God. To that end Satan would try to counteract the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah and rouse up overwhelming opposition on the part of the enemies of Israel against the rebuilding of the temple. In that way he could charge High Priest Joshua with failure to discharge his full high-priestly duties, and this would result in reproach upon Jehovah.
8. (a) Why did the angelic judge say that it should be Jehovah who should rebuke Satan? (b) How had Jehovah already chosen Jerusalem?
8 Satan, however, was too late in his malicious attempt. Before he could give force to his resistance and launch his wicked charges against High Priest Joshua, the angel who was acting as a judge for Jehovah said to Satan: “Jehovah rebuke you, he who is choosing Jerusalem!” The Most High God was the One high enough to rebuke Satan, and not some subordinate angel who was merely representing Jehovah. Thus the angel was giving due regard to Jehovah’s position. (Jude 8-10) Furthermore, Jehovah had already begun action to the magnifying of his own holy name. He was already choosing Jerusalem as the city for his temple. Satan could not alter this divine choice nor make it an unrealizable choice. He was the one to be frustrated, rebuked by beholding the temple completely rebuilt in the year 515 B.C.E. This rebuke would be from Jehovah, for he had successfully accomplished this!
9. (a) What did the “log snatched out of the fire” symbolize? (b) What now showed that it had been snatched out of the fire, and how?
9 Why, though, did the angelic judge of Jehovah add the question: “Is this one not a log snatched out of the fire?” Because, after a rescue from the fire not too much was to be expected instantly of a symbolic “log.” “This one” who was pictured by the log snatched out of the fire was the high priest Joshua. But, due to his office, Joshua represented the whole nation of Israel for whom he served as high priest before God. Joshua was not the only one who had come back from exile in Babylon, where Satan the Devil had tried to burn to ashes their identity as Jehovah’s chosen nation. More than 42,000 other Israelites had also come back, along with thousands of servants and singers. So the whole number of the remnant were, all together, like a “log snatched out of the fire.” It was Jehovah’s mercy and faithfulness to his promises that snatched them out of the symbolic Babylonish “fire” and restored their nationhood on the “holy ground.” Since this was so, He was patient toward their long delay in rebuilding His temple, but He stuck to his purpose to have a temple there at Jerusalem for which purpose he chose her. Hence Satan should not be too hasty with his charges.
10. What was now done to Joshua to remove any possible grounds for Satan to lay charges against him?
10 Satan’s resistance to High Priest Joshua was blocked. So what is done with Joshua to clear him of anything about him that Satan might have used as a ground for bringing charges against him? Zechariah describes it for us, saying: “Now as for Joshua, he happened to be clothed in befouled garments and standing before the angel. Then he answered and said to those standing before him: ‘Remove the befouled garments from upon him.’ And he went on to say to him: ‘See, I have caused your error to pass away from upon you, and there is a clothing of you with robes of state.’”—Zechariah 3:3, 4.
HOW A CHANGE OF GARMENTS WAS NECESSARY
11. How could it be that Joshua in befouled garments pictured the heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ?
11 Here a question arises: Since Joshua the high priest was pictured as clothed with befouled garments, how could he typify or prefigure Jesus Christ as the heavenly High Priest? Does not Hebrews 7:26, 27 say to true Christians today: “Such a high priest as this was suitable for us, loyal, guileless, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens. He does not need daily, as those high priests do, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for those of the people: (for this he did once for all time when he offered himself up)”? Yes, this is true. Yet it is with the High Priest Jesus Christ as with the ancient High Priest Joshua. The high priest represents the people for whom he serves in this high office, and their condition reflects upon him. He bears the iniquities of his people.
12. What had long ago been said to Aaron’s two surviving sons and to Aaron himself to indicate that the priests bore the people’s error?
12 That the priesthood bore the error of the people, the prophet Moses indicated, when he said to the two surviving sons of Aaron for a failure on their part: “Why did you not eat the sin offering in the place that is holy, since it is something most holy and he has given it to you that you may answer for the error of the assembly so as to make atonement for them before Jehovah?” (Leviticus 10:16, 17) The sanctuary or temple was holy, and if the people touched it this would be committing an error on their part; and so the sanctified priests had to serve at the sanctuary for the people in order to prevent the committing of such an error. To this effect we read, in Numbers 18:1: “And Jehovah proceeded to say to Aaron: ‘You and your sons and the house of your father with you will answer for error against the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you will answer for error against your priesthood.’” So the priests acted as shields against error by the people.
13. How had Haggai pointed out the uncleanness of the nation of Israel, in his dialogue with the priests, and why was it unclean?
13 Now as regards the sanctuary or temple in Jerusalem at the time that Haggai and Zechariah had begun to prophesy, its foundation had lain neglected without a superstructure’s being built upon it for sixteen years. This was due to forcible opposition by surrounding enemies. During that period the repatriated Israelites had lapsed into indifference and had turned to materialism. Hence, in a dialogue with the priests, when Haggai asked what would happen when someone ceremonially unclean touched a part of a sacrifice, they answered: “It will become unclean.” At once Haggai came back with this statement: “‘That is how this people is, and that is how this nation is before me,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and that is how all the work of their hands is, and whatever they present there. It is unclean.’”—Haggai 2:13, 14.
14. So why did Joshua appear as if clothed with befouled garments?
14 Since High Priest Joshua represented the nation of Israel before Jehovah, this unclean condition of the people was also attributed to him. As a consequence, it was as if he were clothed with befouled garments. He was trying to officiate without a temple, and for that reason it did not look right. He could not serve with the full dignity and grandeur as in a temple. In leveling charges against High Priest Joshua, Satan the Devil would be leveling charges against the entire negligent, unclean nation.
15, 16. (a) Did the spiritual condition of the surviving remnant of spiritual Israelites in 1919 C.E. reflect favorably or unfavorably on the appearance of High Priest Jesus Christ in heaven, and why? (b) What did the remnant’s outcry like that of Isaiah at the temple indicate?
15 Similarly with the antitypical High Priest, who was prefigured by High Priest Joshua in that year 519 B.C.E. The High Priest Jesus Christ was reflected upon by the spiritual condition of the remnant of the spiritual Israelites on earth as these entered into the postwar year of 1919 C.E. Because of impediments due to war restrictions, opposition and persecution, the remnant had come short in many respects with regard to the open, courageous worship of Jehovah at his spiritual temple. They had yielded to bondage to Babylon the Great and her political and military paramours. They were in a spiritual state like that of the ancient remnant of Israel that had been repatriated. Like Isaiah, when he had his vision of Jehovah at his holy temple, they could say:
16 “Woe to me! For I am as good as brought to silence, because a man unclean in lips I am, and in among a people unclean in lips I am dwelling; for my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of armies, himself!”—Isaiah 6:5.
17. Judged by the remnant’s appearance, how did their High Priest appear, and so was this the proper condition for the remnant to be in then?
17 If one judged the appearance of their High Priest by the spiritual appearance of the surviving remnant, their High Priest Jesus Christ would appear to be “clothed in befouled garments.” This was an improper appearance to be attributed to him. The spiritually befouled condition was an improper situation in which the remnant was representing their High Priest, and it reflected badly upon the heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ.
18. In the vision, what was done to remedy the situation?
18 Such a state of affairs deserved to be remedied—promptly. Jehovah’s judicial angel saw to that: “Remove the befouled garments from upon him.” Then he said to Joshua: “See, I have caused your error to pass away from upon you, and there is a clothing of you with robes of state.”—Zechariah 3:4.
19. What did Joshua the high priest have to do himself in order to experience a change of garments before God?
19 How did this occur with High Priest Joshua? By getting the restored nation of Israel whom he represented in holy office out of their unclean state before Jehovah. This would be by getting the restored remnant to work again upon the temple of Jehovah and completing it, letting everything else be put in a secondary place, in the background. The cleansing of the people in this vital regard would result in a cleansed appearance of their high priest. It would be as if he had had a change of garments. He was meant to be clothed with “robes of state.” He was meant to have a temple in which to serve clothed in those “robes of state.” The completing of the temple and the inaugurating of it would call for him to don those “robes of state” and present a glorious appearance to the praise of Jehovah. High Priest Joshua as the national religious representative took the lead with Governor Zerubbabel in getting the temple rebuilding started again, and for this reason he deserved a change of garments for the better. In that way his religious appearance would not reflect reproachfully on God.
20. How was the heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ given a bad appearance because of the remnant’s appearance after World War I?
20 The same was true of the one whom High Priest Joshua prefigured, namely, the heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ. The remnant of his spirit-begotten, anointed disciples came out of World War I in an “unclean” spiritual condition. They were spiritual Israelites, yes, spiritual underpriests of Jehovah under his High Priest Jesus Christ. Their spiritual garments were befouled by their deportment and deficiencies during World War I. This reflected badly upon their High Priest in the heavens and hence misrepresented him. Since he bears or answers for the iniquity or error of the nation of spiritual Israelites, it was as if he himself were clothed with befouled religious garments.
21. Therefore, what did the surviving remnant need to do as the postwar period opened up?
21 What was needed, then, was for the remnant of spiritual underpriests to repent and return to Jehovah and be forgiven by Him through Christ. This is what actually happened at the beginning of the postwar period. They showed their return or conversion to Jehovah by searching the Holy Scriptures diligently to determine God’s will and work for the postwar period and then applying themselves whole-souled to these things of first importance.
22. To what then did the forgiven remnant apply themselves, and who was taking the lead in promoting these efforts?
22 Thus the repentant, converted remnant of spiritual underpriests applied themselves whole-souled to Jehovah’s worship at his temple and endeavored to purify that worship from any and all Babylonish pollution. Their efforts at rebuilding the pure, undefiled worship “from the standpoint of our God and Father” corresponded with the renewed work of the repatriated Israelites in rebuilding Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem. (James 1:27) It was the invisible, heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, who was taking the lead in this reviving of the remnant of his underpriests in Jehovah’s worship and service. So, when Jehovah mercifully forgave them and cleansed them, this gave them a clean appearance before Him.
23. How was the heavenly High Priest thus relieved of his figurative “befouled garments”?
23 Even the false accusers under Satan the Devil began to see the difference in the doctrines, the message and the public activity of the remnant of Christ’s underpriests. This served to cast due credit upon their heavenly Chief Priest, Jesus Christ. He no longer had to bear or answer for such error on the part of his underpriests. The “befouled garments” that were indirectly attributed to him were taken from upon him, and he was given a change of garments. Bring forth “robes of state” for him!
24. What did Zechariah ask to be put on Joshua’s head, and what did Jehovah then say with regard to Joshua’s privileges?
24 Who would not want to see the high priest of the one living and true God adorned with an official headgear? The prophet Zechariah wanted such a thing. Either in his mind he thought of such a thing or he even spoke out impulsively for such a thing! He tells us: “At that I said: ‘Let them put a clean turban upon his head.’ And they proceeded to put the clean turban upon his head and to clothe him with garments; and the angel of Jehovah was standing by. And the angel of Jehovah began to bear witness to Joshua, saying: ‘This is what Jehovah of armies has said, “If it is in my ways that you will walk, and if it is my obligation that you will keep, then also it will be you that will judge my house and also keep my courtyards; and I shall certainly give you free access among these who are standing by.”’”—Zechariah 3:5-7.
25. Why would Joshua the high priest be glad when Zechariah revealed this part of the vision to him?
25 How glad the high priest Joshua the son of Jehozadak must have been when the prophet Zechariah disclosed to him this part of the prophetic vision! Joshua could then realize that he had now an acceptable appearance before God and was no cause for reproach upon Him. Satan’s malicious effort to find continued cause for shaming the high priest of Jehovah had failed!
26, 27. What obligations to Jehovah would Joshua conscientiously keep, in order to enjoy what privileges?
26 Joshua surely must have desired to judge Jehovah’s “house” of Israel according to divine law and to keep the courtyards of God’s temple.
27 Hence Joshua would take to heart the admonitory witness from the angel and walk obediently in Jehovah’s way and conscientiously keep his obligation to Jehovah, so as to prove worthy of the privileges mentioned.
28. Who were those standing by in the vision among whom Joshua was to have free access, and how was this to be?
28 Besides that, Joshua would be given “free access among these who are standing by.” It was the heavenly angels who were standing by in the vision; and just as they had access to God in heaven, so Joshua as high priest could approach God directly as an intermediary for the house of Israel. He would also be honored with the privilege of entering into the Most Holy of the completed temple of Jerusalem on the annual Day of Atonement.
29. In the postwar period, what does the heavenly High Priest do about walking in Jehovah’s way, keeping His obligation, judging His house and keeping His courtyards?
29 Jesus Christ is, of course, the ideal High Priest for all the world of mankind. The royal priestly turban is placed upon his head as a “high priest according to the manner of Melchizedek forever.” (Hebrews 6:20; Psalm 110:1-4; 21:1-5) He has always walked in God’s way and kept his obligation to God. But after the experiences of his dedicated, baptized disciples on earth during World War I, he sees to it that the remnant of his underpriests learn more clearly God’s way in order to walk in it, and he helps them to discern more fully their holy obligation to Jehovah God, so as to keep it completely. His glorious priestly garments are pictured in the Revelation that he gave to the apostle John, in which the glorified Lord Jesus is seen walking among the seven golden lampstands. (Revelation 1:12 to 2:1) He faithfully judges the house of spiritual Israel according to the law of the new covenant. He guides them in the earthly courtyards of Jehovah’s spiritual temple, assigning to them their spiritual duties there.
30. How does the heavenly High Priest have “free access among these who are standing by,” and from when on and to what extent?
30 The earthly high priest, Joshua the son of Jehozadak, began entering the Most Holy of the temple of Jerusalem in the year 515 B.C.E. (Ezra 6:15); but the spiritual High Priest, the Greater Joshua, entered into the antitypical, real Most Holy, heaven itself, in the year 33 C.E. He ascended to heaven and presented the merit of his human sacrifice in the very presence of Jehovah of armies. He now being made “better than the angels” and having “inherited a name more excellent than theirs,” he also can have “free access among these who are standing by,” that is, among the angels of heaven. He, above all others, can approach God directly and intercede in behalf of Jehovah’s worshipers on earth. As Jehovah prophetically said of him: “I will cause him to come near, and he must approach to me.”—Jeremiah 30:21.
THE “SPROUT” AND “THE STONE”
31. To Joshua now in his robes of state, what does the judicial angel say about “Sprout” and “the stone”?
31 In the vision to Zechariah, the judicial angel of Jehovah continued to speak to the high priest in his robes of state: “‘Hear, please, O Joshua the high priest, you and your companions who are sitting before you, for they are men serving as portents; for here I am bringing in my servant Sprout [New Growth, By]. For, look! the stone that I have put before Joshua! Upon the one stone there are seven eyes. Here I am engraving its engraving,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, ‘and I will take away the error of that land in one day.’”—Zechariah 3:8, 9.
32. How did Joshua and his “companions” serve as portents?
32 The message of this part of the vision, the prophet Zechariah had to make known, not only to the high priest Joshua, but also to his “companions” who were sitting before him, that is to say, the underpriests. Why? Because these were “men serving as portents.” In this case they would not portend anything bad, but, in view of the divine announcement that they are about to hear, they would portend something good, especially good. They would have to bear witness to what they were told through the judicial angel of Jehovah, and on that account they would portend the coming of a greater priesthood in the not too distant future, a priesthood of higher rank than theirs at the temple in Jerusalem. It would be a Messianic priesthood, and their high priest would be the Messiah himself. In harmony with that portentous significance that they as underpriests of the second temple of Jerusalem had taken on, their present high priest, Joshua the son of Jehozadak, was a portent of the Messianic High Priest. He was a type of that one!
33, 34. (a) So, as portended, there was a need of what then? (b) Was this needed High Priest provided according to a legal commandment or according to something extraordinary on God’s part?
33 There was need for a better priesthood, particularly a better high priest, one like ancient Melchizedek. (Genesis 14:18-20) In explanation of that fact it was later written, in Hebrews 7:15-22, to Hebrews who had accepted the promised Messiah:
34 “And it is still more abundantly clear that with a similarity to Melchizedek there arises another priest, who has become such, not according to the law of a commandment depending upon the flesh, but according to the power of an indestructible life, for in witness it is said: ‘You are a priest forever according to the manner of Melchizedek.’ Certainly, then, there occurs a setting aside of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and ineffectiveness. For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in besides of a better hope did, through which we are drawing near to God. Also, to the extent that it was not without a sworn oath, (for there are indeed men that have become priests without a sworn oath, but there is one with an oath sworn by the One who said respecting him: ‘Jehovah has sworn (and he will feel no regret), “You are a priest forever,”’) to that extent also Jesus has become the one given in pledge of a better covenant.”
35. How was the greater High Priest a “sprout” rather than a “branch,” and from what was he foretold by Jeremiah to sprout?
35 The underpriests who were companions of High Priest Joshua and who sat before him to receive instructions from him had to be “men serving as portents” of something better, forasmuch as Jehovah by his judicial angel went on to say: “For here I am bringing in my servant Sprout!” (Zechariah 3:8) “My servant,” Jehovah’s servant, was not to be a branch of the priesthood of Aaron’s family. As far as priesthood was concerned, he was shooting up out of entirely different soil, from a different root. Jeremiah 23:5, 6 indicates of whom the Messianic High Priest would be the sprout, saying: “‘Look! There are days coming,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and I will raise up to David a righteous sprout [a new growth of David coming right, By]. And a king will certainly reign and act with discretion and execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel itself will reside in security. And this is his name with which he will be called, Jehovah Is Our Righteousness.’” God brought in this Sprout in the year 33 C.E.
36, 37. (a) Jehovah’s putting the “stone” before Joshua the high priest was a guarantee of what? (b) Whom did that “stone” picture, and how did Jesus apply Psalm 118:22, 23 in that connection?
36 What, now, about that “stone” that God would put before High Priest Joshua? In a literal way, it would be the stone with which the temple then under construction would be given its finishing touch and be made complete. The foundation of that second temple had already been laid, and so this “stone” would serve as a headstone. So Jehovah’s putting this stone before Joshua was a sign guaranteeing that the temple would be completed, despite any resistance on Satan’s part. That stone, too, was symbolic of the Messiah, the Anointed One. Picturing the Messiah as a stone, Psalm 118:22, 23 (By) said: “A stone that the builders had rejected has become the head of a corner. This was from Jehovah, it is a wonder to our eyes.” In the year 33 C.E., Jesus, when speaking to the Jews who rejected him as the promised Messiah, applied this scripture to himself and said to them:
37 “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. From Jehovah this has come to be, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 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 21:42, 43. See also 1 Peter 2:4-9.
38. What is signified by the fact that on that one “stone” there are seven eyes?
38 This symbolic “stone” was to be given full divine attention. As confirmation of this the high priest Joshua and his companion priests were to be told, “Upon the one stone there are seven eyes.” (Zechariah 3:9) Not that seven eyes were to be carved upon that stone, to give the idea that those beholding the stone were being looked at in a sevenfold way. With the eyes we fix our attention upon something. Also, as the number seven Scripturally symbolized perfection, the seven eyes upon that one stone mean to say that Jehovah fixes his perfect attention upon that symbolic Stone, his promised Messiah. Others might overlook that symbolic Stone. Or, they might ignore it, reject it, but not so Jehovah. Because of such full attention from Him, it must be something most precious to Him.
39. In what way is it that Jehovah engraves the engraving of that symbolic Stone?
39 Consequently, in showing the complete attention that He gives to this symbolic Stone and its outstanding position and appearance, Jehovah goes on to say: “Here I am engraving its engraving.” In glorious fulfillment of this promise, Jehovah the heavenly Engraver gave the symbolic Stone, his beloved Son Jesus Christ, distinguishing marks of beauty such as he conferred upon no one else. Consequently, Hebrews 1:1-3 speaks of the outstanding Son of God as being the one who is the “exact representation [Greek, kharaktér, meaning ‘impress’] of his very being,” that is, of God’s being. As the symbolic engraved headstone, the Messianic High Priest, Jesus Christ, is given the highest and most responsible position of service in Jehovah’s spiritual temple of worship. This betokened something most beneficial for all mankind.
40. What was the “error of that land,” and how was it to be taken away by Jehovah?
40 With the topstone in place and the temple all completed for the full-scale worship of the one living and true God, what could we expect logically to follow? Blessings, blessings, blessings! Nothing would now be in the way of such blessings, for, as Jehovah went on to say, “I will take away the error of that land in one day.” (Zechariah 3:9) Because of the long interruption that the repatriated Israelites had allowed to take place in the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, the whole land of Judah was lying in “error.” Its inhabitants were looked upon as unclean and the work of their hands in materialistic things was unclean. (Haggai 2:13, 14) But now, come 515 B.C.E., with the triumphant completion of the second temple at Jerusalem the erroneous course of the land of Judah was entirely corrected. So Jehovah was pleased, and he took away the error of inhabitants of the land in the special “one day,” the day when the temple stood complete, with its engraved headstone, and pure worship was inaugurated therein.
41. What stimulus should this give to us today with reference to God’s worship?
41 What a stimulus this should give to us today to put the worship of the true God at his spiritual temple in the first place in our lives! We should not let ourselves be delayed in doing this. We should not let interruptions take place in this effort.
42. Since 1919 C.E., in what way have the remnant of spiritual underpriests been “men serving as portents”?
42 The faithful remnant of spiritual underpriests of the Messiah know what blessings have come to them for doing this more and more determinedly during the now more than fifty years since that restoration year of 1919 C.E. They have come to appreciate more and more deeply that, like the underpriest companions of High Priest Joshua, they are “men serving as portents” for this “time of the end” of this worldly system of things. They portend the best of good things for all those who devote themselves to the pure, undefiled worship of the one living and true God.
43. What are the reactions of the remnant toward the one whom Jehovah calls “my servant Sprout” and the “one stone”?
43 They are not deceived by any false Messiahs or false Messianic organizations of today. They have identified the one whom Jehovah calls “my servant Sprout.” He is the one whom Jehovah of armies installed in the Messianic throne in the heavens at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E. and who has now begun his Messianic reign, namely, Jesus Christ. They have identified also the one symbolized by the stone that was laid before High Priest Joshua and upon which stone there were “seven eyes.” They admire how Jehovah has engraved this symbolic Stone with a beauty that befits the high position given to that Stone, and they rejoice that this one has been made the symbolic headstone or topstone, the highest and most responsible one in Jehovah’s system of worship. They are happy to be underpriests under that symbolic engraved Stone, Jesus Christ. They see from the Holy Scriptures that as “men serving as portents” they are under divine command to serve as witnesses to this exalted Stone, Jehovah’s one High Priest, Jesus.
SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY LEADING TO ENDLESS LIFE
44. After Jehovah’s taking away the “error of that land,” what was to be expected, according to Zechariah 3:10?
44 What was to be expected after Jehovah fulfilled his promise given through Zechariah: “I will take away the error of that land in one day”? Nothing else but divine favor, expressed in material and spiritual blessings for the Israelites worshiping at their completed second temple in Jerusalem. Most appropriately, then, that promise was followed up by this divine prophecy: “‘In that day,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, ‘you will call, each one to the other, while under the vine and while under the fig tree.’”—Zechariah 3:10.
45. What does that prophecy of Zechariah 3:10 mean for worshipers at the temple where Jesus Christ serves as High Priest?
45 In this day when all false religions are crumbling and are about to be destroyed in the world’s worst trouble, that prophecy meant spiritual prosperity to sincere God-fearing persons who give themselves wholeheartedly to divine worship at the one true spiritual temple where Jehovah’s one approved High Priest serves. It means the fulfillment of the companion prophecy of Micah 4:1-4 (By):
And in the future days the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be set at the head of the mountains, lifted above hills, and peoples shall stream to it. And many nations shall go and say “Come and let us go up to Jehovah’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, to have him instruct us in ways of his that we may go in his paths,” because from Sion instruction shall go out and Jehovah’s word from Jerusalem. And he shall give judgment between many peoples and pronounce verdicts for numerous nations to a great distance, and they shall pound their swords into hoes and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not take up sword against nation, and they shall never again learn war. And they shall sit each man under his grape-vine or his fig-tree with no one to alarm them, for the mouth of Jehovah of Armies has promised it.
46. So, what state of affairs do Jehovah’s witnesses maintain on their God-given spiritual estate?
46 Even so today, when nuclear warfare threatens the world, Jehovah’s Christian witnesses reside on their God-given spiritual estate in spiritual prosperity. They maintain loving peace among themselves, absolutely taking no part in the wars of this world. Satan has failed in resisting their High Priest Jesus Christ! |
They Enriched Their Life—Can You Do the Same? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2008045 | They Enriched Their Life—Can You Do the Same?
MARC, a brother in Canada, was employed by a firm that builds sophisticated robotic systems used by space agencies. He worked part-time and served as a regular pioneer. Then, a supervisor offered Marc a promotion—a full-time position with a big salary. What did Marc do?
Amy, a sister in the Philippines, served as a regular pioneer while completing her schooling. After graduation, she was offered a full-time position that demanded much of her time but paid handsomely. What choice did Amy make?
Marc and Amy made different decisions, and the results of their choices illustrate the wisdom of the counsel given to Christians in ancient Corinth. The apostle Paul wrote: “Let . . . those making use of the world [be] as those not using it to the full.”—1 Cor. 7:29-31.
Use the World but Not to the Full
Before we learn what happened to Marc and Amy, let us briefly consider the meaning of the expression “the world” (or, koʹsmos in Greek) that Paul used in his letter to the Corinthians. In that Bible passage, koʹsmos refers to the world system in which we live—human society as a whole—and it includes the mundane things that are part of daily life, such as housing, food, and clothing.a To obtain such daily necessities, most of us must hold a job. Indeed, we have no choice but to use the world to carry out our Scriptural obligation to provide for ourselves and our families. (1 Tim. 5:8) However, at the same time, we realize that “the world is passing away.” (1 John 2:17) Therefore, we use the world to the extent necessary but not “to the full.”—1 Cor. 7:31.
Motivated by that Bible counsel to limit to the extent possible their use of the world, numerous brothers and sisters have reassessed their circumstances, cut back on employment, and simplified their lifestyle. After doing that, they soon discovered that they actually enriched their life because they had more time to spend with their families and in Jehovah’s service. Moreover, their simple life made them depend less on the world and more on Jehovah. Can you do the same—simplify your life in order to advance the interests of God’s Kingdom?—Matt. 6:19-24, 33.
“We Feel Closer to Jehovah Than Ever Before”
Marc, mentioned in the introduction, heeded the Bible’s advice not to use the world to the full. He turned down the lucrative promotion offered to him. A few days later, Marc’s supervisor offered him an even larger salary to persuade him to accept the new job. “It was a test,” says Marc, “but again I declined.” He explains why: “My wife, Paula, and I wanted to build our lives around serving Jehovah as fully as possible. Therefore, we resolved to simplify our lifestyle. We prayed to Jehovah for wisdom in reaching our goal and set a specific date for making ourselves available to serve Jehovah to a fuller extent.”
Paula observes: “I worked three days a week as a secretary at a hospital and received a good salary. I also served as a regular pioneer. However, like Marc, I wanted to make myself available to serve Jehovah wherever there was a greater need for Kingdom proclaimers. Yet, when I handed in my resignation, my supervisor said that I qualified for the position of executive secretary that had just opened up. It was the highest paying secretarial job in the hospital, but I stuck to my decision to resign. When I gave my supervisor my reason for not applying for the position, she commended me for my faith.”
Soon thereafter, Marc and Paula received an assignment to serve as special pioneers in a small congregation in an isolated part of Canada. How did their move work out? Marc says: “After leaving a financially stable job that I had done for almost half of my life, I was apprehensive, but Jehovah blessed our ministry. We feel the tremendous joy that comes from sharing spiritual gifts with others. Full-time service also enriched our marriage. Our conversations center on things that are truly important—spiritual topics. We feel closer to Jehovah than ever before.” (Acts 20:35) Paula adds: “When you leave your job and the comforts of a familiar home, you have to place all your trust in Jehovah. We did, and Jehovah blessed us. The dear brothers and sisters in our new congregation make us feel loved and needed. I now use the energy that I formerly spent on my job to help people spiritually. I am overjoyed to serve in this assignment.”
‘Well-Off but Not Happy’
Amy, mentioned earlier, chose a different course. She accepted the lucrative full-time position offered to her. Amy says: “For the first year, I remained active in the ministry but found that the focus of my life gradually shifted from Kingdom interests to career promotion. I received tempting offers for advancement and began to expend my energy on climbing the corporate ladder. As the responsibilities of my job increased, I spent less and less time in the ministry. Eventually, I stopped preaching altogether.”
Looking back on that time, Amy notes: “Financially, I was well-off. I traveled a lot and enjoyed the prestige that came with my professional position. Yet, I was not happy. Despite having money, I had numerous problems. I wondered what was wrong. Then I finally realized that by pursuing a career in this world, I had nearly been ‘led astray from the faith.’ As a consequence, exactly as God’s Word states, I was suffering ‘many pains.’”—1 Tim. 6:10.
What did Amy do? She says: “I asked the elders to help me regain my spiritual health and began attending meetings. During a song, I began to cry. I remembered how happy I was during the five years that I shared in the harvest as a pioneer, although I was materially poor then. I knew that I had to stop wasting my time chasing money and that I had to put Kingdom interests first. I took a demotion at work, which meant the loss of 50 percent of my salary, and began to share in the preaching work again.” Amy happily notes: “I had the joy of serving as a pioneer for a few years. I now have a feeling of fulfillment that I never experienced when I spent most of my time working for the world.”
Can you adjust your circumstances and simplify your lifestyle? If you use the time that will become available in order to advance Kingdom interests, you too will enrich your life.—Prov. 10:22.
[Footnote]
a See Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2, pages 1207-8.
[Blurb on page 19]
Can you adjust your circumstances and simplify your lifestyle?
[Box/Picture on page 19]
“I Love It Already!”
David, a Christian elder in the United States, desired to join his wife and children in the full-time service. He was able to arrange for part-time employment at the company where he worked, and he began to serve as a regular pioneer. Did the change enrich his life? Some months later, David wrote to a friend: “There is nothing more satisfying than being fully involved in serving Jehovah with one’s family. I really thought that it would take some time for me to get used to pioneering, but I love it already! It is so refreshing.”
[Picture on page 18]
Marc and Paula in the ministry |
How Can I Straighten Out My Life? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101995006 | Young People Ask . . .
How Can I Straighten Out My Life?
“I JUST couldn’t go inside,” said John. He found himself standing outside a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As a teenager he had left Christianity and pursued a life of crime, drugs, and sexual immorality. After years of living that way, he still could not put the Bible out of his mind, so he went to a Kingdom Hall—but was too frightened to enter. “You don’t understand,” he said to someone who encouraged him to go inside. “I’ve just done too much. I don’t feel that there is any way that Jehovah is ever going to forgive me for what I’ve done.”
Countless youths rebel against their parents’ rules, religion, and morals. It is particularly shocking and tragic when youths raised by God-fearing parents do this. Although more than a few have gone that route, in time, some begin to feel a nagging sense of emptiness that even a riotous life-style cannot mask. (Proverbs 14:13) Some youths, having been burned by this wicked world, want to straighten out their lives and return to the Bible truths they learned as children. But is it really possible for them to do so?
A Rebellious Son Leaves Home
Jesus’ parable of the prodigal, or wasteful, son found at Luke 15:11-32 yields much insight into this matter. The account reads: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the part of the property that falls to my share.’ Then he divided his means of living to them. Later, after not many days, the younger son gathered all things together and traveled abroad into a distant country.”
Surely this youth did not rebel because his father was harsh, abusive, or overly strict! According to the Mosaic Law, a son was eninputd to a substantial share of his father’s property, though normally not until his father’s death. (Deuteronomy 21:15-17) How callous it was for him to demand his share in advance! Yet, the father lovingly acquiesced. (Compare Genesis 25:5, 6.) Clearly, then, the young man’s attitude—not his father’s—was faulty. As scholar Alfred Edersheim put it, possibly he disliked “the order and discipline of his home” and had a selfish “desire for liberty and enjoyment.”
As a previous article in this series acknowledged, not all parents are kind and thoughtful.a When a parent is harsh or unreasonable, however, rebellion is hardly the answer; ultimately it is self-destructive. Consider, again, Jesus’ parable. After traveling far away from home, the young man “squandered his property by living a debauched life. When he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred throughout that country, and he started to be in need.” Even this did not bring him to his senses. Still self-confident, he “went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to herd swine. And he used to desire to be filled with the carob pods which the swine were eating, and no one would give him anything.”
Says Bible scholar Herbert Lockyer: “The Jews listening to Jesus must have shuddered at these words, ‘to feed swine,’ for to a Jew, there could not be a greater depth of debasement.” Likewise today, those abandoning Bible truths often find themselves in difficult, or even humiliating, circumstances. One Christian girl who ran away from home confesses: “All my money went for drugs, and I had no money for anything else. So I began shoplifting any and everything to support my habits.”
“He Came to His Senses”
How, though, did the prodigal son react to his own dire circumstances? Jesus said that he finally “came to his senses.” The original Greek words mean “having come into himself.” In other words, he had been “beside himself” in an insane fantasy world, blinded as to how desperate his situation really was.—Compare 2 Timothy 2:24-26.
Some rebellious youths today have likewise been shocked into reality. Reaping the grim aftermath of fast living—jail, serious injury, sexually transmitted disease—can be a sobering experience indeed. The words of Proverbs 1:32 finally hit home: “The renegading of the inexperienced ones is what will kill them.”
Consider young Elizabeth, who left her parents and got involved with drugs. “I forgot about Jehovah,” she says. However, while visiting New York, she passed the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The effect? “Pain ran through my mind and heart,” she recalls. “What had I done? How did I let my life snowball into such a disaster?”
When the prodigal son finally faced the truth, he made a courageous decision—to go home and straighten out his life! But how would his father react after having been hurt and betrayed by his son? The account answers: “While he was yet a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was moved with pity, and he ran and fell upon his neck and tenderly kissed him.” Yes, before the youth could make his carefully rehearsed confession, his father took the initiative to express love and forgiveness!
Setting Matters Straight With God
Even so, the prodigal son said to his father: “I have sinned against heaven and against you.” The lesson? Youths who have strayed from God’s ways cannot straighten out their lives until they “set matters straight” with God himself! (Isaiah 1:18) We can be thankful that Jehovah makes such reconciliation possible. Indeed, the father in Jesus’ parable is a symbol of Jehovah God. And God demonstrates the same forgiving attitude by saying to repentant sinners: “Return to me, and I will return to you.” (Malachi 3:7; compare Psalm 103:13, 14.) But like the erring Jews in Bible times, such ones must resolve: “Do let us search out our ways and explore them, and do let us return clear to Jehovah.”—Lamentations 3:40.
This means taking a hard look at one’s sinful course of conduct. When an erring youth does this, he should be moved to confess his sins before Jehovah God. Said the psalmist: “When I kept silent my bones wore out through my groaning all day long. . . . My sin I finally confessed to you, and my error I did not cover. . . . And you yourself pardoned the error of my sins.”—Psalm 32:3-5.
What if a youth has got involved in very serious wrongs—perhaps abortion, promiscuity, drug abuse, or criminal activity? Understandably, such a one may feel unworthy of forgiveness. John, mentioned at the outset, felt that way. That is why he stood immobilized outside the Kingdom Hall until a kindly congregation elder reminded him that King Manasseh of ancient Israel had also been guilty of serious sins—including murder! Yet, Jehovah forgave him. (2 Chronicles 33:1-13) “That elder saved my life,” says John. Knowing that forgiveness was possible, John found the courage to enter the Kingdom Hall and ask for help.b
Most youths in such a predicament likewise need help in setting things right with God, and the local congregation elders can do much good in this regard. They can listen with empathy and understanding as a youth ‘openly confesses his sins.’ They can also render discipline and practical help. For example, they may arrange for the youth to have someone ‘teach him from the beginning the elementary things’ of God’s Word by means of a home Bible study. And if the erring one has difficulty praying, an elder can do so in his or her behalf. “The prayer of faith will make the indisposed one well,” the Bible assures us.—James 5:14-16; Hebrews 5:12.
Make Straight Paths for Your Feet
Of course, setting things straight with God is only a beginning. Just as the prodigal son apologized to his father, erring youths should try to make amends with their parents. A sincere apology can go a long way in easing some of the pain they have suffered and in securing their support. One young runaway who returned home with an illegitimate baby recalls: “Mom and Dad showed a tremendous amount of love to me.”
A youth who wants to please God needs to ‘keep making straight paths for his feet.’ (Hebrews 12:13) This may mean his changing his life-style, habits, and associates. (Psalm 25:9; Proverbs 9:6) Establishing a routine of personal study is also important. One formerly rebellious girl says: “I read the Bible every day and read all the Bible-based material published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. I thank God for giving me a second chance.”
John sums matters up well, saying: “I look back at the time I wasted. I think about the way things could have been, but there’s no way I can undo what’s happened.” Happily, we worship a merciful God who warmly invites those who have left him to return. Why not accept his invitation?
[Footnotes]
a See “Young People Ask . . . Why Should I Obey My Parents?” in our December 22, 1994, issue.
b If you were not raised as a Christian but still see the need to change your way of life, a visit to a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses is a good start. Ask for a free home Bible study. In this way you can have personal assistance in straightening out your life.
[Picture on page 20]
Mature Christians can help you straighten out your life |
Choosing (bw)
1979 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/bw | outputs
Page Chapter
5 1 Making the Right Choice
15 2 Encouraging Aid to Stick to Our Decision
29 3 A Hope with a Sure Guarantee
41 4 Food That Is Essential for Everlasting Life
50 5 The Perfect Example—Christ
61 6 Submission to Authority That Is Rewarding
97 7 Aliens and Temporary Residents of Exemplary Conduct
112 8 Help for Bearing Up Under Suffering
140 9 Men Who Can Aid You to Succeed
148 10 Safeguard Your Christian Hope
177 11 Live in Expectation of the Fulfillment of the Promise
NOTE: Unless otherwise indicated, Bible quotations in this book are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, revised edition of 1971. |
Was Life Created? (lc)
2010 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/was-life-created-lc | Was Life Created? |
Revelation Climax (re)
1988 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/re | Chapter 35
Executing Babylon the Great
1. How does the angel describe the scarlet-colored wild beast, and what kind of wisdom is needed to understand the symbols of Revelation?
IN FURTHER describing the scarlet-colored wild beast of Revelation 17:3, the angel tells John: “Here is where the intelligence that has wisdom comes in: The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. And there are seven kings: five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet arrived, but when he does arrive he must remain a short while.” (Revelation 17:9, 10) The angel is here conveying wisdom from above, the only wisdom that can give understanding of the symbols in Revelation. (James 3:17) This wisdom enlightens the John class and its companions as to the seriousness of the times in which we live. It builds in devoted hearts appreciation of Jehovah’s judgments, now about to be carried out, and inculcates a healthy fear of Jehovah. As Proverbs 9:10 states: “The fear of Jehovah is the start of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Most Holy One is what understanding is.” What does divine wisdom reveal to us about the wild beast?
2. What is the meaning of the seven heads of the scarlet-colored wild beast, and how is it that “five have fallen, one is”?
2 The seven heads of that ferocious beast stand for seven “mountains,” or seven “kings.” Both terms are used Scripturally to refer to governmental powers. (Jeremiah 51:24, 25; Daniel 2:34, 35, 44, 45) In the Bible, six world powers are mentioned as having an impact on the affairs of God’s people: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Of these, five had already come and gone by the time John received Revelation, whereas Rome was still very much a world power. This corresponds well with the words, “five have fallen, one is.” But what of “the other” that was due to come?
3. (a) How did the Roman Empire come to be divided? (b) What developments took place in the West? (c) How is the Holy Roman Empire to be viewed?
3 The Roman Empire endured and even expanded for hundreds of years after John’s day. In 330 C.E., Emperor Constantine moved his capital from Rome to Byzantium, which he renamed Constantinople. In 395 C.E., the Roman Empire was split into Eastern and Western parts. In 410 C.E., Rome itself fell to Alaric, king of the Visigoths (a Germanic tribe that had converted to the Arian brand of “Christianity”). Germanic tribes (also “Christian”) conquered Spain and much of the territory of Rome in North Africa. There were centuries of upheaval, unrest, and readjustment in Europe. Notable emperors arose in the West, such as Charlemagne, who formed an alliance with Pope Leo III in the 9th century, and Frederick II, who reigned in the 13th century. But their domain, though named the Holy Roman Empire, was much smaller than that of the earlier Roman Empire at its zenith. It was more of a restoration or a continuation of this ancient power than a new empire.
4. What successes did the Eastern Empire have, but what happened to much of the former territory of ancient Rome in North Africa, Spain, and Syria?
4 Rome’s Eastern Empire, centered at Constantinople, endured in a somewhat uneasy relationship with the Western Empire. In the sixth century, Eastern emperor Justinian I was able to reconquer much of North Africa, and he also intervened in Spain and Italy. In the seventh century, Justinian II recovered for the Empire areas of Macedonia that had been conquered by Slavic tribesmen. By the eighth century, however, much of the former territory of ancient Rome in North Africa, Spain, and Syria had come under the new empire of Islam and thus passed from the control of both Constantinople and Rome.
5. Though the city of Rome fell in 410 C.E., how is it that it took many more centuries for all traces of the political Roman Empire to pass from the world scene?
5 The city of Constantinople itself endured somewhat longer. It survived frequent attacks from Persians, Arabs, Bulgars, and Russians until in 1203 it finally fell—not to Muslims but to Crusaders from the West. In 1453, though, it came under the power of the Muslim Ottoman ruler Mehmed II and soon became capital of the Ottoman, or Turkish, Empire. Thus, although the city of Rome fell in 410 C.E., it took many more centuries for all traces of the political Roman Empire to pass from the world scene. And even then, its influence was still discernible in religious empires based on the papacy of Rome and the Eastern Orthodox churches.
6. What brand-new empires developed, and which one became the most successful?
6 By the 15th century, however, some countries were building brand-new empires. While some of these new imperial powers were found in the territory of former colonies of Rome, their empires were not mere continuations of the Roman Empire. Portugal, Spain, France, and Holland all became seats of far-flung domains. But the most successful was Britain, which came to preside over a huge empire on which ‘the sun never set.’ This empire spread at different times over much of North America, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia, as well as the expanse of the South Pacific.
7. How did a kind of dual world power come to exist, and how long did John say that the seventh ‘head,’ or world power, would continue?
7 By the 19th century, some of the colonies in North America had already broken away from Britain to form the independent United States of America. Politically, some conflict between the new nation and the former motherland continued. Nevertheless, the first world war forced both countries to recognize their common interests and cemented a special relationship between them. Thus, a kind of dual world power came to exist, made up of the United States of America, now the world’s wealthiest nation, and Great Britain, seat of the world’s largest empire. Here, then, is the seventh ‘head,’ or world power, that continues into the time of the end and in the territories of which the modern-day Witnesses of Jehovah first got established. Compared with the long reign of the sixth head, the seventh remains only “a short while,” until God’s Kingdom destroys all national entities.
Why Called an Eighth King?
8, 9. What does the angel call the symbolic scarlet-colored wild beast, and in what way does it spring from the seven?
8 The angel further explains to John: “And the wild beast that was but is not, it is also itself an eighth king, but springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction.” (Revelation 17:11) The symbolic scarlet-colored wild beast “springs from” the seven heads; that is, it is born from, or owes its existence to, those heads of the original “wild beast . . . out of the sea,” of which the scarlet-colored wild beast is an image. In what way? Well, in 1919 the Anglo-American power was the ascendant head. The previous six heads had fallen, and the position of dominant world power had passed to this dual head and was now centered in it. This seventh head, as the current representative of the line of world powers, was the moving force in establishing the League of Nations and is still the major promoter and financial support of the United Nations. Thus, in symbol, the scarlet-colored wild beast—the eighth king—“springs from” the original seven heads. Viewed in this way, the statement that it sprang from the seven harmonizes well with the earlier revelation that the wild beast with two horns like a lamb (the Anglo-American World Power, the seventh head of that original wild beast) urged the making of the image and gave it life.—Revelation 13:1, 11, 14, 15.
9 Additionally, original members of the League of Nations included, along with Great Britain, governments that ruled in the seats of some of the previous heads, namely Greece, Iran (Persia), and Italy (Rome). Eventually, governments ruling the territory controlled by the previous six world powers came to be supportive members of the image of the wild beast. In this sense, too, it could be said that this scarlet-colored wild beast sprang from the seven world powers.
10. (a) How can it be said that the scarlet-colored wild beast “is also itself an eighth king”? (b) How did a leader of the former Soviet Union express support for the United Nations?
10 Notice that the scarlet-colored wild beast “is also itself an eighth king.” Thus, the United Nations today is designed to look like a world government. At times it has even acted like one, sending armies into the field to resolve international disputes, as in Korea, the Sinai Peninsula, some African countries, and Lebanon. But it is only the image of a king. Like a religious image, it has no real influence or power apart from what is invested in it by those who brought it into existence and worship it. On occasion, this symbolic wild beast looks weak; but it has never experienced the kind of wholesale abandonment by dictator-oriented members that sent the League of Nations reeling into the abyss. (Revelation 17:8) Though holding radically different opinions in other areas, a prominent leader of the former Soviet Union in 1987 joined the popes of Rome in expressing support for the UN. He even called for “a comprehensive system of international security” based on the UN. As John soon learns, the time will come when the UN will act with considerable authority. Then it, in its turn, “goes off into destruction.”
Ten Kings for One Hour
11. What does Jehovah’s angel tell about the ten horns on the symbolic scarlet-colored wild beast?
11 In the previous chapter of Revelation, the sixth and seventh angels poured out bowls of the anger of God. Thus we were advised that earth’s kings are being gathered to God’s war at Armageddon and that ‘Babylon the Great is to be remembered in the sight of God.’ (Revelation 16:1, 14, 19) Now we will learn in greater detail how God’s judgments on these are to be executed. Listen again to Jehovah’s angel as he speaks to John. “And the ten horns that you saw mean ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings one hour with the wild beast. These have one thought, and so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. These will battle with the Lamb, but, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those called and chosen and faithful with him will do so.”—Revelation 17:12-14.
12. (a) What do the ten horns depict? (b) How is it that the symbolic ten horns ‘had not yet received a kingdom’? (c) How do the symbolic ten horns have “a kingdom” now, and for how long?
12 The ten horns depict all the political powers that presently hold sway on the world scene and that support the image of the wild beast. Very few of the countries that now exist were known in John’s day. And those that were, such as Egypt and Persia (Iran), today have an entirely different political setup. Hence, in the first century, the ‘ten horns had not yet received a kingdom.’ But now in the Lord’s day, they have “a kingdom,” or political authority. With the collapse of the great colonial empires, particularly since the second world war, many new nations have been born. These, as well as the longer-established powers, must rule with the wild beast for a short period—just “one hour”—before Jehovah brings an end to all worldly political authority at Armageddon.
13. In what way do the ten horns have “one thought,” and what attitude toward the Lamb does this ensure?
13 Today, nationalism is one of the strongest forces motivating these ten horns. They have “one thought” in that they want to preserve their national sovereignty rather than accept God’s Kingdom. This was their purpose in subscribing to the League of Nations and the United Nations organization in the first place—to preserve world peace and thus safeguard their own existence. Such an attitude ensures that the horns will oppose the Lamb, the “Lord of lords and King of kings,” because Jehovah has purposed that his Kingdom under Jesus Christ will shortly replace all these kingdoms.—Daniel 7:13, 14; Matthew 24:30; 25:31-33, 46.
14. How is it possible for the rulers of the world to battle with the Lamb, and what will be the outcome?
14 Of course, there is nothing that the rulers of this world can do against Jesus himself. He is in heaven, far out of their reach. But Jesus’ brothers, the remaining ones of the woman’s seed, are still on earth and apparently vulnerable. (Revelation 12:17) Many of the horns have already demonstrated bitter hostility toward them, and in this way they have battled with the Lamb. (Matthew 25:40, 45) Soon, though, the time will come for God’s Kingdom to “crush and put an end to all these kingdoms.” (Daniel 2:44) Then, the kings of the earth will be in a fight to the finish with the Lamb, as we shall soon see. (Revelation 19:11-21) But here we learn enough to realize that the nations will not succeed. Though they and the UN scarlet-colored wild beast have their “one thought,” they cannot defeat the great “Lord of lords and King of kings,” nor can they defeat “those called and chosen and faithful with him,” which includes his anointed followers still on earth. These too will have conquered by keeping integrity in answer to Satan’s vile accusations.—Romans 8:37-39; Revelation 12:10, 11.
Devastating the Harlot
15. What does the angel say about the harlot and the attitude and action of the ten horns and the wild beast toward her?
15 God’s people are not the only objects of the enmity of the ten horns. The angel now draws John’s attention back to the harlot: “And he says to me: ‘The waters that you saw, where the harlot is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.’”—Revelation 17:15, 16.
16. Why will Babylon the Great not be able to rely on her waters for protective support when political governments turn against her?
16 Just as ancient Babylon relied on her watery defenses, Babylon the Great today relies on her huge membership of “peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.” The angel appropriately draws our attention to these before telling of a shocking development: Political governments of this earth will turn violently upon Babylon the Great. What will all those “peoples and crowds and nations and tongues” do then? God’s people are already warning Babylon the Great that the water of the river Euphrates will dry up. (Revelation 16:12) Those waters will finally drain away completely. They will not be able to give the disgusting old harlot any effectual support in her hour of greatest need.—Isaiah 44:27; Jeremiah 50:38; 51:36, 37.
17. (a) Why will the wealth of Babylon the Great not save her? (b) How will the end of Babylon the Great be far from dignified? (c) Besides the ten horns, or individual nations, what else joins in the rampage against Babylon the Great?
17 Certainly, the immense material wealth of Babylon the Great will not save her. It may even hasten her destruction, for the vision shows that when the wild beast and the ten horns vent their hatred on her they will strip off her royal robes and all her jewelry. They will plunder her wealth. They “make her . . . naked,” shamefully exposing her real character. What devastation! Her end is also far from dignified. They destroy her, “eat up her fleshy parts,” reducing her to a lifeless skeleton. Finally, they “completely burn her with fire.” She is burned up like a carrier of the plague, without even a decent burial! It is not the nations alone, as represented by the ten horns, that destroy the great harlot, but “the wild beast,” meaning the UN itself, joins them in this rampage. It will give its sanction to the destruction of false religion. Many of the 190-and-more nations within the UN have already displayed, by their voting pattern, a hostility toward religion, especially that of Christendom.
18. (a) What potential for the nations to turn against Babylonish religion has already been seen? (b) What will be the basic reason for the all-out attack on the great harlot?
18 Why would the nations treat their former paramour so outrageously? We have seen in recent history the potential for such a turning against Babylonish religion. Official government opposition has tremendously reduced the influence of religion in lands such as the former Soviet Union and China. In Protestant sectors of Europe, widespread apathy and doubt have emptied the churches, so that religion is practically dead. The vast Catholic empire is torn by rebellion and disagreement, which her leaders have been unable to calm. We should not, though, lose sight of the fact that this final, all-out attack on Babylon the Great comes as an expression of God’s unalterable judgment on the great harlot.
Carrying Out God’s Thought
19. (a) How can the execution of Jehovah’s judgment against the great harlot be illustrated by his judgment on apostate Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E.? (b) What did the desolated, uninhabited condition of Jerusalem after 607 B.C.E. prefigure for our day?
19 How does Jehovah execute this judgment? This may be illustrated by Jehovah’s action against his apostate people in ancient times, concerning whom he said: “In the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen horrible things, committing adultery and walking in falsehood; and they have strengthened the hands of evildoers in order that they should not return, each one from his own badness. To me all of them have become like Sodom, and the inhabitants of her like Gomorrah.” (Jeremiah 23:14) In 607 B.C.E., Jehovah used Nebuchadnezzar to ‘strip off the garments, take away the beautiful articles, and leave naked and nude’ that spiritually adulterous city. (Ezekiel 23:4, 26, 29) Jerusalem of that time was a pattern of Christendom today, and as John saw in earlier visions, Jehovah will administer to Christendom and the rest of false religion a similar punishment. The desolated, uninhabited condition of Jerusalem after 607 B.C.E. shows what religious Christendom will look like after being stripped of her wealth and shamefully exposed. And the rest of Babylon the Great will fare no better.
20. (a) How does John show that Jehovah once again will use human rulers in executing judgment? (b) What is God’s “thought”? (c) In what way will the nations carry out their “one thought,” but whose thought will really be carried out?
20 Again Jehovah uses human rulers in executing judgment. “For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, even to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished.” (Revelation 17:17) What is God’s “thought”? To arrange for the executioners of Babylon the Great to band together, in order to destroy her completely. Of course, the rulers’ motive in attacking her will be to carry out their own “one thought.” They will feel that it is in their nationalistic interests to turn upon the great harlot. They may come to view the continued existence of organized religion within their boundaries as a threat to their sovereignty. But Jehovah will actually be maneuvering matters; they will carry out his thought by destroying his age-old, adulterous enemy at one stroke!—Compare Jeremiah 7:8-11, 34.
21. Since the scarlet-colored wild beast will be used in destroying Babylon the Great, what will the nations evidently do with regard to the United Nations?
21 Yes, the nations will use the scarlet-colored wild beast, the United Nations, in destroying Babylon the Great. They do not act on their own initiative, for Jehovah puts it into their hearts “even to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast.” When the time comes, the nations will evidently see the need to strengthen the United Nations. They will give it teeth, as it were, lending it whatever authority and power they possess so that it can turn upon false religion and fight successfully against her “until the words of God will have been accomplished.” Thus, the ancient harlot will come to her complete end. And good riddance to her!
22. (a) At Revelation 17:18, what is signified by the way the angel concludes his testimony? (b) How do Jehovah’s Witnesses respond to the unraveling of the mystery?
22 As if to emphasize the certainty of Jehovah’s execution of judgment on the world empire of false religion, the angel concludes his testimony by saying: “And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:18) Like Babylon of Belshazzar’s time, Babylon the Great has “been weighed in the balance and found wanting.” (Daniel 5:27, The New English Bible) Her execution will be swift and final. And how do Jehovah’s Witnesses respond to the unraveling of the mystery of the great harlot and of the scarlet-colored wild beast? They show zeal in proclaiming Jehovah’s day of judgment, while answering “with graciousness” sincere searchers for truth. (Colossians 4:5, 6; Revelation 17:3, 7) As our next chapter will show, all who are desirous of surviving when the great harlot is executed must act, and act quickly!
[Pictures on page 252]
The Succession of Seven World Powers
EGYPT
ASSYRIA
BABYLON
MEDO-PERSIA
GREECE
ROME
ANGLO-AMERICA
[Pictures on page 254]
“It is also itself an eighth king”
[Picture on page 255]
Turning their backs on the Lamb, “they give their power and authority to the wild beast”
[Picture on page 257]
Christendom as the principal part of Babylon the Great will resemble ancient Jerusalem in utter ruin |
THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES
Give Me Just One Year of Peace and Happiness | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2016005 | THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES
Give Me Just One Year of Peace and Happiness
As told by Alain Broggio
YEAR BORN: 1971
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: FRANCE
HISTORY: INVOLVED WITH VIOLENT CRIME, IMMORALITY, AND DRUGS
MY PAST:
My family lived in Tellancourt, a village in northeastern France. My father was French, and my mother is Italian. When I was eight years old, we moved to a poor working-class suburb of Rome, Italy. There, home life became difficult. My parents argued violently because of their financial problems.
When I was 15 years old, my mother encouraged me to get out of the house and make some friends. So I began to leave home for longer and longer periods of time. Soon I fell into bad company. One day a man, who seemed friendly, approached me. He offered me drugs, which I took because I wanted to appear grown-up. I was quickly drawn into an underworld of drugs and immorality. On many occasions, I was violated sexually. Life became unimportant to me; I did not care if I lived or died. I was desperately lonely. At age 16, I attempted suicide by drinking a bottle of whiskey and jumping into a lake. I wound up in a coma for three days.
I began to appreciate life, but I also became violent and devious. I would offer people sex, drug them in their home, and then steal anything they had that was valuable. Large crime syndicates used me to traffic drugs around Italy. I was frequently in trouble with the police. My life seemed pointless and out of control. However, I did believe that there had to be a reason for my existence. I prayed to God, asking him to give me just one year of peace and happiness.
HOW THE BIBLE CHANGED MY LIFE:
When I was 24 years old, I decided to move to England. Because of my activities with drug dealers, my life was in danger. Before I left, I visited my mother and was surprised to see a man named Annunziato Lugarà talking to her about the Bible.a Knowing his criminal history, I became afraid and asked him why he was there. He told me about the major changes he had made in his life in order to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and he made me promise to speak to the Witnesses when I arrived in England. I agreed to do so. However, once I arrived there, I quickly reverted to my previous lifestyle.
One day, I met a Witness who was offering the Watchtower and Awake! magazines on a busy London street. Remembering my promise to Annunziato, I asked the Witness if I could have a Bible study.
What I learned from the Bible truly amazed me. For example, I was moved by the passage recorded at 1 John 1:9, which says concerning God: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us.” That verse had a dramatic effect on me because I felt very dirty on account of my lifestyle. I immediately started to attend meetings at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Witnesses welcomed me warmly. When I saw the closeness of their friendships—something I had always longed for—I wanted to be a part of their familylike congregation.
Although I did not have a lot of difficulty quitting drugs and leaving my immoral lifestyle, I found it much harder to refine my personality. I saw that I needed to treat people with respect and consideration. In fact, I am still fighting some bad traits. But with Jehovah’s help, I have made progress. Within six months of beginning to study the Bible, I was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. That was in 1997.
HOW I HAVE BENEFITED:
After baptism, I married a young woman named Barbara who had also recently become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. When one of my old friends saw how much I had changed, he started to study the Bible. In time, he became a Witness, and so did his sister. Then my grandmother’s sister, who was over 80 years of age, began to study and was baptized before she died.
I now serve as an elder in a local congregation, and my wife and I are full-time ministers, helping to teach the Bible to Italian-speaking people in London. At times, I get depressed about my former lifestyle, but Barbara is an enormous support to me. At last, I have the stable family life that I always craved, and I have the loving Father that I always wanted. I asked God for one year of peace and happiness, but he has given me so much more!
At last, I have the stable family life that I always craved, and I have the loving Father that I always wanted
a See the article “The Bible Changes Lives—I Never Went Anywhere Without My Gun,” as told by Annunziato Lugarà, in the July 1, 2014, issue of The Watchtower, pages 8-9. |
Proclaimers (jv)
1993 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/jv | Chapter 22
Part 2—Witnesses to the Most Distant Part of the Earth
The work of Kingdom proclamation from 1914 through 1935 is covered on pages 423 to 443. Jehovah’s Witnesses point to 1914 as the time when Jesus Christ was enthroned as heavenly King with authority over the nations. When on earth, Jesus foretold that a global preaching of the Kingdom message in the face of intense persecution would be part of the sign of his presence in Kingdom power. What actually occurred during the years following 1914?
THE first world war quickly engulfed Europe in 1914. Then it reached out to involve countries comprising an estimated 90 percent of the world’s population. How did events associated with that war affect the preaching activity of Jehovah’s servants?
The Dark Years of World War I
During the early years of the war, there was little hindrance except in Germany and France. Tracts were freely distributed in many places, and there was continued use of the “Photo-Drama,” though on a much more limited scale after 1914. As the war fever intensified, the clergy in the British West Indies had it rumored that E. J. Coward, who represented the Watch Tower Society, was a German spy, so he was ordered to leave. When distribution of the book The Finished Mystery got under way in 1917, opposition became widespread.
The public was eager to obtain that book. The Society’s initial order with the printers had to be increased over tenfold in just a few months. But the clergy of Christendom were furious over the exposure of their false doctrines. They seized on wartime hysteria to denounce the Bible Students to government officials. Across the United States, men and women identified with distribution of literature of the Bible Students were mobbed, also tarred and feathered. In Canada, homes were searched, and persons found with certain publications of the International Bible Students Association were subject to a heavy fine or imprisonment. However, Thomas J. Sullivan, who was then in Port Arthur, Ontario, reported that on one occasion, when he was put into jail for a night, the police in that city took home copies of the banned literature for themselves and their friends, thus distributing the entire available stock—some 500 or 600 copies.
The headquarters of the Watch Tower Society itself came under attack, and members of the administrative staff were sentenced to long prison terms. It appeared to their enemies that the Bible Students had been dealt a deathblow. Their witnessing in a manner that attracted widespread public attention virtually came to a stop.
Nevertheless, even Bible Students who were confined in prison found opportunities to talk to fellow prisoners about God’s purpose. When the officers of the Society and their close associates arrived at the prison in Atlanta, Georgia, they were at first forbidden to preach. But they discussed the Bible among themselves, and others were attracted to them by their deportment, their manner of life. After a few months, the deputy warden assigned them to give religious instruction to other prisoners. The number increased until about 90 attended the classes.
Other loyal Christians also found ways to witness during those war years. This at times resulted in spreading the Kingdom message into lands where the good news had not yet been preached. Thus, in 1915 a Bible Student in New York, a Colombian, mailed the Spanish edition of The Divine Plan of the Ages to a man in Bogotá, Colombia. After about six months, a reply arrived from Ramón Salgar. He had studied the book carefully, was delighted with it, and wanted 200 copies to distribute to others. Brother J. L. Mayer, from Brooklyn, New York, also mailed out many copies of the Spanish-language Bible Students Monthly. A considerable number of these went to Spain. And when Alfred Joseph, who was then in Barbados, took a work contract in Sierra Leone, West Africa, he seized opportunities to witness there about the Bible truths he had recently learned.
For the colporteurs, whose ministry involved calling at homes and places of business, it was often more difficult. But several who went into El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala were busy there in 1916 sharing life-giving truths with the people. During this period Fanny Mackenzie, a colporteur of British nationality, made two trips to the Orient by boat, stopping in China, Japan, and Korea to distribute Bible literature, and then she followed up interest by writing letters.
Nevertheless, according to available records, the number of Bible Students reported as having some share in preaching the good news to others during 1918 decreased by 20 percent worldwide when compared with the report for 1914. After the harsh treatment meted out to them during the war years, would they persist in their ministry?
Infused With Renewed Life
On March 26, 1919, the president of the Watch Tower Society and his associates were released from their unjust imprisonment. Plans quickly took shape to push ahead with worldwide proclamation of the good news of God’s Kingdom.
At a general convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, in September of that year, J. F. Rutherford, then president of the Society, gave a discourse that highlighted the announcing of the glorious incoming of God’s Messianic Kingdom as the truly important work for Jehovah’s servants.
The actual number who were then sharing in that work, however, was small. Some who had fearfully held back during 1918 became active again, and a few more joined their ranks. But the records that are available show that in 1919 there were only some 5,700 who were actively witnessing, in 43 lands. Yet Jesus had foretold: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.” (Matt. 24:14) How could that be accomplished? They did not know, nor did they know how long the witnessing would continue. Nevertheless, those who were loyal servants of God were willing and eager to get on with the work. They had confidence that Jehovah would direct matters in harmony with his will.
Infused with zeal for what they saw laid out in God’s Word, they went to work. Within three years the number having a part in publicly proclaiming God’s Kingdom nearly tripled, according to available reports, and during 1922 they were busy preaching in 15 lands more than in 1919.
An Intriguing Subject
What an exciting message they proclaimed—“Millions now living will never die!” Brother Rutherford had given a discourse on this subject in 1918. It was also the input of a 128-page booklet published in 1920. From 1920 through 1925, that same subject was featured again and again around the world in public meetings in all areas where speakers were available and in upwards of 30 languages. Instead of saying, as Christendom does, that all good people would go to heaven, this discourse focused attention on the Bible-based hope of eternal life on a paradise earth for obedient mankind. (Isa. 45:18; Rev. 21:1-5) And it expressed the conviction that the time for the realization of that hope was very near.
Newspaper notices and billboards were used to advertise the lectures. The subject was intriguing. On February 26, 1922, upwards of 70,000 attended at 121 locations in Germany alone. It was not unusual for a single audience to number into the thousands. In Cape Town, South Africa, for example, 2,000 were present when the lecture was given at the Opera House. At the university auditorium in the capital city of Norway, not only was every seat filled but so many were turned away that the program had to be repeated an hour and a half later—again to a packed house.
In Klagenfurt, Austria, Richard Heide told his father: “I am going to hear that talk whatever anyone might say. I want to know whether this is just bluff or if there is any truth in it!” He was deeply moved by what he heard, and soon he and his sister, as well as their parents, were telling others about it.
But the Bible’s message was not just for people who would attend a public lecture. Others too needed to be made aware of it. Not only the public at large but also political and religious leaders needed to hear it. How would that be accomplished?
Distribution of Powerful Declarations
The printed page was used to reach millions of people who previously had only hearsay acquaintance with the Bible Students and the message that they proclaimed. From 1922 through 1928, an effective witness was given by means of seven powerful declarations, resolutions adopted at the annual conventions of the Bible Students. The number of printed copies of most of the individual resolutions distributed following those conventions totaled 45 to 50 million—a truly amazing accomplishment for the small band of Kingdom proclaimers then serving!
The 1922 resolution was eninputd “A Challenge to World Leaders”—yes, a challenge to justify their claim that they could establish peace, prosperity, and happiness for humankind or, failing that, to acknowledge that only God’s Kingdom by his Messiah can accomplish these things. In Germany, that resolution was sent by registered mail to the exiled German kaiser, to the president, and to all the members of the Imperial Diet; and some four and a half million copies went to the public. In South Africa, Edwin Scott, carrying the literature in a bag on his back and with a stick in one hand to ward off fierce dogs, covered 64 towns, personally distributing 50,000 copies. Thereafter, when the Dutch clergy in South Africa called at the homes of parishioners to take up collections, many of the parishioners shook the resolution in their clergyman’s face and said: “You ought to read this and you would not come around again to get money from us.”
In 1924 the resolution eninputd “Ecclesiastics Indicted” laid bare the unscriptural teachings and practices of the clergy, exposed their role during the world war, and urged people to study the Bible to learn for themselves about the marvelous provisions made by God for the blessing of humankind. In Italy at that time, printers were required to put their name on anything they printed, and they were held responsible for the outputs. The Bible Student supervising the work in Italy submitted a copy of the resolution to the government authorities, who inspected it and readily gave permission to have it printed and distributed. The printers too agreed to publish it. The brothers in Italy distributed 100,000 copies. They particularly saw to it that the pope and other high officials of the Vatican each received a copy.
In France, distribution of this resolution brought a vehement and often violent reaction from the clergy. In desperation a clergyman in Pomerania, Germany, filed legal charges against the Society and its manager, but the clergyman lost the case when the court heard the outputs of the entire resolution. In order to avoid interference with their work on the part of those who did not want people to know the truth, the Bible Students in the province of Quebec, in Canada, left resolutions at homes during the early morning hours, starting at 3:00 a.m. Those were exciting times!
Showing Gratitude for Satisfying Answers
During World War I, many Armenians were ruthlessly driven from their homes and the land of their birth. Only two decades earlier, hundreds of thousands of Armenians had been slaughtered, and others had fled for their lives. A few of these people had read the Watch Tower Society’s publications in their homeland. But far more of them were given a witness in the lands to which they traveled as refugees.
After the harsh experiences that they had endured, many had serious questions as to why God permitted evil. How long would it continue? When would it end? Some of them were grateful to learn the satisfying answers found in the Bible. Groups of Armenian Bible Students quickly developed in various cities in the Middle East. Their zeal for Bible truth touched the lives of others. In Ethiopia, Argentina, and the United States, fellow Armenians embraced the good news and gladly accepted the responsibility of sharing it with others. One of such was Krikor Hatzakortzian, who as a lone pioneer spread the Kingdom message in Ethiopia in the mid-1930’s. On one occasion, when falsely charged by opposers, he even had opportunity to witness to the emperor, Haile Selassie.
Taking Precious Truths Back to Their Native Lands
A burning desire to share vital Bible truths impelled many people to return to the land of their birth to engage in evangelizing. Their response was similar to that of the people from many lands who were in Jerusalem in 33 C.E. and who became believers when holy spirit moved the apostles and their associates to speak in many tongues “about the magnificent things of God.” (Acts 2:1-11) Just as those first-century believers carried the truth back to their homelands, so did these modern-day disciples.
Both men and women who had learned the truth abroad returned to Italy. They came from America, Belgium, and France and zealously proclaimed the Kingdom message where they settled. Colporteurs from the Italian-speaking Swiss canton of Ticino also moved into Italy to carry on their work. Although their numbers were few, as a result of their united activity they soon reached nearly all the principal cities and many of the villages of Italy. They were not counting the hours that they spent in this work. Convinced that they were preaching truths that God wanted people to know, they often worked from morning till night to reach as many people as possible.
Greeks who had become Bible Students in nearby Albania and as far away as America also gave attention to their homeland. They were thrilled when they learned that worship of icons is unscriptural (Ex. 20:4, 5; 1 John 5:21), that sinners are not roasted in hellfire (Eccl. 9:5, 10; Ezek. 18:4; Rev. 21:8), and that God’s Kingdom is mankind’s real and only hope (Dan. 2:44; Matt. 6:9, 10). They were eager to share these truths with their fellow countrymen—personally or by mail. As a result, groups of Jehovah’s Witnesses began to develop in Greece and on the Greek isles.
Following World War I, thousands of people from Poland moved into France to work in the coal mines. The French congregations did not pass them by because they spoke a different tongue. They found ways to share Bible truths with these miners and their families, and the number who responded favorably soon outnumbered the French Witnesses. When, as a result of a government deportation order, 280 had to return to Poland in 1935, this only served to reinforce the spread of the Kingdom message there. Thus, in 1935, there were 1,090 Kingdom proclaimers who shared in giving a witness in Poland.
Others responded to invitations to leave their homeland to take up service in foreign fields.
Zealous European Evangelizers Help in Foreign Fields
With international cooperation, the Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) heard the heartwarming truths about God’s Kingdom. During the 1920’s and 1930’s, zealous brothers and sisters from Denmark, England, Finland, and Germany did extensive witnessing in this area. Much literature was placed, and thousands heard the Bible discourses that were given. From Estonia regular radio broadcasts of Bible programs in several languages reached even into what was then the Soviet Union.
From Germany willing workers during the 1920’s and 1930’s took up assignments in such places as Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain, and Yugoslavia. Willy Unglaube was among them. After serving for a time at the Magdeburg Bethel, in Germany, he went on to care for assignments as a full-time evangelizer in France, Algeria, Spain, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand.
When a call went out from France for help during the 1930’s, colporteurs from Britain gave evidence that they were aware that the Christian commission to preach required evangelizing not only in their own land but also in other parts of the earth. (Mark 13:10) John Cooke was one of the zealous workers who answered the Macedonian call. (Compare Acts 16:9, 10.) During the next six decades, he cared for service assignments in France, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, Angola, Mozambique, and South Africa. His brother Eric left his job at Barclay’s Bank and joined John in the full-time ministry in France; thereafter, he too served in Spain and Ireland and shared in missionary work in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and South Africa.
In May 1926, George Wright and Edwin Skinner, in England, accepted an invitation to help to broaden out the Kingdom work in India. Their assignment was huge! It included all of Afghanistan, Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, and Persia (now Iran). On arrival in Bombay, they were greeted by the monsoon rains. However, not being overly concerned about personal comfort or convenience, they were soon traveling to the far corners of the country to locate known Bible Students to encourage them. They also placed large quantities of literature to stimulate interest among others. The work was done with intensity. Thus, during 1928 the 54 Kingdom proclaimers in Travancore (Kerala), in southern India, arranged for 550 public meetings attended by about 40,000 persons. In 1929 four more pioneers from the British field moved to India to help with the work. And in 1931 another three from England arrived in Bombay. Again and again they reached out to various parts of this vast country, distributing literature not only in English but also in the Indian tongues.
Meanwhile, what was happening in Eastern Europe?
A Spiritual Harvest
Before the first world war, seeds of Bible truth had been scattered in Eastern Europe, and some had taken root. In 1908, Andrásné Benedek, a humble Hungarian woman, had returned to Austria-Hungary to share with others the good things that she had learned. Two years later, Károly Szabó and József Kiss had also come back to that land and were spreading Bible truth especially in areas that later came to be known as Romania and Czechoslovakia. Despite violent opposition by irate clergy, study groups were formed, and extensive witnessing was done. Others joined them in making public declaration of their faith, and by 1935 the ranks of Kingdom proclaimers in Hungary had grown to 348.
Romania nearly doubled its size when the map of Europe was reshaped by the victors following World War I. It was reported that within this enlarged country, in 1920, there were about 150 groups of Bible Students, with which 1,700 persons were associated. The following year, at the celebration of the Lord’s Evening Meal, nearly 2,000 partook of the Memorial emblems, indicating that they professed to be spirit-anointed brothers of Christ. That number increased dramatically during the next four years. In 1925, there were 4,185 in attendance at the Memorial, and as was customary then, most of them undoubtedly partook of the emblems. However, the faith of all of these would be put to the test. Would they prove to be genuine “wheat” or only an imitation? (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43) Would they really do the work of witnessing that Jesus had assigned to his followers? Would they persevere in it in the face of intense opposition? Would they be faithful even when others displayed a spirit like that of Judas Iscariot?
The report for 1935 indicates that not all had the sort of faith that enabled them to endure. In that year, there were just 1,188 who had some share in giving a witness in Romania, though more than twice that number were at that time partaking of the Memorial emblems. Nevertheless, the faithful ones kept busy in the Master’s service. They shared with other humble people the Bible truths that brought such joy to their own hearts. One outstanding way that they did this was by literature distribution. Between 1924 and 1935, they had already placed with interested ones upwards of 800,000 books and booklets, in addition to tracts.
What about Czechoslovakia, which had become a nation in 1918 after the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire? Here an even more intense witness was contributing to the spiritual harvest. Earlier preaching had been done in Hungarian, Russian, Romanian, and German. Then, in 1922, several Bible Students returned from America to direct attention to the Slovak-speaking population, and the following year a couple from Germany began to concentrate on the Czech territory. Regular assemblies, though small, helped to encourage and unify the brothers. After the congregations became better organized for house-to-house evangelizing in 1927, growth became more evident. In 1932 a powerful stimulus to the work was given by an international convention in Prague, attended by about 1,500 from Czechoslovakia and neighboring countries. In addition to this, large crowds viewed a four-hour version of the “Photo-Drama of Creation” that was shown from one end of the country to the other. In a period of just a decade, upwards of 2,700,000 pieces of Bible literature were distributed to the various language groups in this land. All this spiritual planting, cultivating, and watering contributed to a harvest in which 1,198 Kingdom proclaimers shared in the year 1935.
Yugoslavia (known first as the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes) had come into existence as a result of the reshaping of the map of Europe following the first world war. As early as 1923, it was reported that a group of Bible Students were witnessing in Belgrade. Later the “Photo-Drama of Creation” was shown to large crowds throughout the country. When Jehovah’s Witnesses came under severe persecution in Germany, the ranks in Yugoslavia were fortified with German pioneers. Without concern for personal comfort, they reached out into the most remote parts of this mountainous country to preach. Others of those pioneers went into Bulgaria. Efforts were also being made to preach the good news in Albania. In all these places, seeds of Kingdom truth were sown. Some of the seeds bore fruit. But it would not be until later years that there would be a larger harvest in these places.
Farther south, on the continent of Africa, the good news was also being spread by those who deeply appreciated the privilege of being witnesses for the Most High.
Spiritual Light Shines in West Africa
About seven years after a Bible Student from Barbados first went to West Africa under a work contract, he wrote to the Watch Tower Society’s office in New York to inform them that quite a few people were showing interest in the Bible. A few months later, on April 14, 1923, at Brother Rutherford’s invitation, W. R. Brown, who had been serving in Trinidad, arrived in Freetown, Sierra Leone, with his family.
Promptly, arrangements were made for Brother Brown to give a discourse in the Wilberforce Memorial Hall. On April 19, there was an audience of some 500 in attendance, including most of the clergy of Freetown. The following Sunday he spoke again. His subject was one that C. T. Russell had often used—“To Hell and Back. Who Are There?” Brother Brown’s discourses were regularly punctuated with Scripture quotations made visible to the audience by means of lantern slides. As he spoke, he would repeatedly say: “Not Brown says, but the Bible says.” Because of this, he came to be known as “Bible Brown.” And as a result of his logical, Scriptural presentation, some prominent church members resigned and took up Jehovah’s service.
He traveled extensively to get the Kingdom work started in additional areas. To that end he delivered numerous Bible lectures and distributed large amounts of literature, and he encouraged others to do the same. His evangelizing took him into Gold Coast (now Ghana), Liberia, The Gambia, and Nigeria. From Nigeria others carried the Kingdom message into Benin (then known as Dahomey) and Cameroon. Brother Brown knew that the public had little regard for what they called “the white man’s religion,” so at the Glover Memorial Hall in Lagos, he spoke on the failure of Christendom’s religion. After the meeting the enthusiastic audience obtained 3,900 books to read and to share with others.
When Brother Brown first went to West Africa, only a handful of persons there had heard the Kingdom message. When he left 27 years later, well over 11,000 were active Witnesses of Jehovah in that area. Religious falsehoods were being laid bare; true worship had taken root and was spreading rapidly.
Up the East Coast of Africa
Quite early in the 20th century, some of the publications of C. T. Russell had been circulated in the southeast part of Africa by individuals who had adopted a few of the ideas set out in those books but had then mixed them with their own philosophy. The result was a number of so-called Watchtower movements that had no connection whatever with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some of them were politically oriented, stirring up unrest among the native Africans. For many years the bad reputation made by those groups presented obstacles to the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Nevertheless, a number of Africans discerned the difference between the true and the false. Itinerant workers carried the good news of God’s Kingdom to nearby lands and shared it with people who spoke the African languages. The English-speaking population in southeast Africa received the message, for the most part, by means of contacts with South Africa. In some countries, however, strong official opposition, fueled by Christendom’s clergy, hindered preaching on the part of European Witnesses among the African-language groups. Nevertheless, the truth spread, though many people who showed interest in the Bible’s message needed more help to make sound practical application of what they were learning.
Some fair-minded government officials did not accept without question the vicious charges made against the Witnesses by Christendom’s clergy. That was true of a police commissioner in Nyasaland (now Malawi) who disguised himself and went to the meetings of the native Witnesses to find out for himself what sort of people they were. He was favorably impressed. When approval was given by the government to have a resident European representative, Bert McLuckie and later his brother Bill were sent there in the mid-1930’s. They kept in touch with the police and the district commissioners so that these officials would have a clear understanding of their activity and would not confuse Jehovah’s Witnesses with any movements falsely called Watchtower. At the same time, they worked patiently, along with Gresham Kwazizirah, a mature local Witness, to help the hundreds who wanted to associate with the congregations to appreciate that sexual immorality, abuse of alcoholic drinks, and superstition could have no place in the lives of Jehovah’s Witnesses.—1 Cor. 5:9-13; 2 Cor. 7:1; Rev. 22:15.
In 1930, there were only about a hundred of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the whole of southern Africa. Yet, they had an assignment that included, roughly, all of Africa south of the equator and some territories that extended north of that. Covering such a vast expanse of territory with the Kingdom message called for real pioneers. Frank and Gray Smith were of that sort.
They sailed 3,000 miles [4,800 km] east and north from Cape Town and then continued for four days over rough roads by automobile to reach Nairobi, Kenya (in British East Africa). In less than a month, they placed 40 cartons of Bible literature. But, sadly, on the return trip, Frank died of malaria. Despite this, a short while later, Robert Nisbet and David Norman started out—this time with 200 cartons of literature—to preach in Kenya and Uganda, also Tanganyika and Zanzibar (both now Tanzania), reaching as many people as possible. Other similar expeditions spread the Kingdom message to the islands of Mauritius and Madagascar in the Indian Ocean and to St. Helena in the Atlantic Ocean. Seeds of truth were sown, but they did not immediately sprout and grow everywhere.
From South Africa the preaching of the good news also spread into Basutoland (now Lesotho), Bechuanaland (now Botswana), and Swaziland, as early as 1925. About eight years later, when pioneers were again preaching in Swaziland, King Sobhuza II gave them a royal welcome. He assembled his personal bodyguard of a hundred warriors, listened to a thorough witness, and then obtained all the publications of the Society that the brothers had with them.
Gradually the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses grew in this part of the world field. Others joined with the few who had pioneered the work in Africa early in this 20th century, and by 1935 there were 1,407 on the continent of Africa who reported having a share in the work of witnessing about God’s Kingdom. Substantial numbers of these were in South Africa and Nigeria. Other large groups that identified themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses were located in Nyasaland (now Malawi), Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), and Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
During this same period, attention was being directed also to Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking lands.
Cultivating Spanish and Portuguese Fields
While World War I was still in progress, The Watch Tower was first published in Spanish. It bore the address of an office in Los Angeles, California, which had been set up to give special attention to the Spanish-speaking field. Brothers from that office gave much personal help to interested ones both in the United States and in lands to the south.
Juan Muñiz, who had become one of Jehovah’s servants in 1917, was encouraged by Brother Rutherford in 1920 to leave the United States and return to Spain, his native land, to get the Kingdom-preaching work organized there. The results were limited, however, not because of any lack of zeal on his part, but because he was constantly followed by the police; so after a few years, he was transferred to Argentina.
In Brazil a few worshipers of Jehovah were already preaching. Eight humble sailors had learned the truth while on leave from their ship in New York. Back in Brazil early in 1920, they were busy sharing the Bible’s message with others.
George Young, a Canadian, was sent to Brazil in 1923. He certainly helped to stimulate the work. Delivering numerous public lectures through interpreters, he showed what the Bible says about the condition of the dead, exposed spiritism as demonism, and explained God’s purpose for the blessing of all the families of the earth. His lectures were all the more persuasive because at times he showed on a screen the Bible texts being discussed so that the audience could see these in their own language. While he was in Brazil, Bellona Ferguson, of São Paulo, was finally able to get baptized, along with four of her children. She had waited 25 years for this opportunity. Among those who embraced the truth were some who then made themselves available to help with translation of literature into Portuguese. Soon there was a good supply of publications in that language.
From Brazil, Brother Young went on to Argentina in 1924 and arranged for free distribution of 300,000 pieces of literature in Spanish in 25 of the principal towns and cities. That same year he also personally traveled to Chile, Peru, and Bolivia to distribute tracts.
George Young was soon on his way to care for a new assignment. This time it was Spain and Portugal. After being introduced by the British ambassador to local government officials, he was able to arrange for Brother Rutherford to speak to audiences in Barcelona and Madrid, as well as in the capital of Portugal. Following these discourses, a total of more than 2,350 persons turned in their names and addresses with requests for further information. Thereafter, the speech was published in one of Spain’s large newspapers, and in tract form it was sent by mail to people throughout the country. It also appeared in the Portuguese press.
By these means the message reached far beyond the borders of Spain and Portugal. By the end of 1925, the good news had penetrated into the Cape Verde Islands (now Republic of Cape Verde), Madeira, Portuguese East Africa (now Mozambique), Portuguese West Africa (now Angola), and islands in the Indian Ocean.
The following year arrangements were made to print the powerful resolution “A Testimony to the Rulers of the World” in the Spanish paper La Libertad. Radio broadcasts and the distribution of books, booklets, and tracts, as well as showings of the “Photo-Drama of Creation,” helped to intensify the witness. In 1932 several English pioneers responded to the invitation to help out in this field, and they systematically covered large sections of the country with Bible literature until the Spanish Civil War made it necessary for them to leave.
Meanwhile, upon arriving in Argentina, Brother Muñiz had quickly started preaching, while supporting himself by repairing clocks. In addition to his work in Argentina, he gave attention to Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay. At his request some brothers came from Europe to witness to the German-speaking population. Many years later Carlos Ott related that they began their day’s service at 4:00 a.m. by leaving tracts under every door in a territory. Later in the day, they would call to give a further witness and to offer more Bible literature to interested householders. From Buenos Aires those who shared in the full-time ministry spread throughout the country, first following the railroad lines that radiated for hundreds of miles from the capital like spread fingers on your hand, then using every other means of transport they could find. They had very little materially and endured much hardship, but they were rich spiritually.
One of those zealous workers in Argentina was Nicolás Argyrós, a Greek. Early in 1930, when he obtained some literature published by the Watch Tower Society, he was especially impressed by a booklet eninputd Hell, with subinputs that asked “What Is It? Who Are There? Can They Get Out?” He was amazed to find that this booklet did not depict sinners as roasting on a grill. What a surprise when he realized that hellfire was a religious lie invented to frighten people, just as it had frightened him! He promptly set out to share the truth—first with Greeks; then, as his Spanish improved, with others. Each month he devoted between 200 and 300 hours to sharing the good news with others. Using his feet and any other available means of transport, he spread Bible truths into 14 of the 22 provinces of Argentina. As he moved from place to place, he slept in beds when these were offered by hospitable folks, often out in the open, and even in a barn with a burro for an alarm clock!
Another who had the spirit of a real pioneer was Richard Traub, who had learned the truth in Buenos Aires. He was eager to share the good news with people across the Andes, in Chile. In 1930, five years after he was baptized, he arrived in Chile—the only Witness in a country of 4,000,000 people. At first, he had only the Bible with which to work, but he began to call from house to house. There were no congregation meetings that he could attend, so on Sundays, at the usual meeting time, he would walk to Mount San Cristóbal, sit in the shade of a tree, and immerse himself in personal study and prayer. After he rented an apartment, he began to invite people to meetings there. The only other person to turn up for the first meeting was Juan Flores, who asked: “And the others, when will they come?” Brother Traub simply replied: “They will come.” And they did. In less than a year, 13 became baptized servants of Jehovah.
Four years later, two Witnesses who had never met before teamed up to preach the good news in Colombia. After a productive year there, Hilma Sjoberg had to return to the United States. But Kathe Palm boarded a ship to Chile, using the 17 days at sea to witness to both crew and passengers. During the next decade, she worked from Chile’s northernmost seaport, Arica, to its southernmost possession, Tierra del Fuego. She called at business houses and witnessed to government officials. Using a saddlebag across her shoulders to carry literature, and toting such necessities as a blanket in which to sleep, she reached the most distant mining camps and sheep ranches. It was the life of a true pioneer. And there were others who shared that same spirit—some single, some married, young and old.
During the year 1932, a special effort was made to spread the Kingdom message in Latin American lands where little preaching had yet been done. In that year the booklet The Kingdom, the Hope of the World was given a remarkable distribution. This booklet contained a discourse that had already been heard on an international radio broadcast. Now some 40,000 copies of the speech in printed form were distributed in Chile, 25,000 copies in Bolivia, 25,000 in Peru, 15,000 in Ecuador, 20,000 in Colombia, 10,000 in Santo Domingo (now the Dominican Republic), and another 10,000 in Puerto Rico. Indeed, the Kingdom message was being proclaimed, and with great intensity.
By 1935, there were in South America itself just 247 who had joined their voices to proclaim that only God’s Kingdom will bring true happiness to humankind. But what a witness they were giving!
Reaching People Even in More Remote Areas
Jehovah’s Witnesses were by no means taking the view that their responsibility before God was fulfilled if they simply talked to a few who happened to be their neighbors. They endeavored to reach everyone with the good news.
People who lived in places to which the Witnesses could not then travel personally could be reached in other ways. Thus, in the late 1920’s, the Witnesses in Cape Town, South Africa, mailed out 50,000 booklets to all farmers, lighthouse keepers, forest rangers, and others living off the beaten track. An up-to-date postal directory was also obtained for all of South-West Africa (now known as Namibia), and a copy of the booklet The Peoples Friend was mailed to everyone whose name appeared in that directory.
In 1929, F. J. Franske was put in charge of the Watch Tower Society’s schooner Morton and was assigned, along with Jimmy James, to reach people in Labrador and all the outports of Newfoundland. In the winter Brother Franske traveled the coast with a dog team. To cover the cost of the Bible literature he left with them, the Eskimos and Newfoundlanders gave him such items as leather goods and fish. A few years later, he sought out the miners, loggers, trappers, ranchers, and Indians in the rough Cariboo country of British Columbia. As he traveled, he hunted in order to have meat, picked wild berries, and baked his bread in a frying pan over an open campfire. Then, at another time, he and a partner used a salmon-trolling boat for transport as they carried the Kingdom message to every island, inlet, logging camp, lighthouse, and settlement along the west coast of Canada. He was only one of many who were putting forth special efforts to reach people living in remote areas of the earth.
Starting in the late 1920’s, Frank Day worked his way north through the villages of Alaska, preaching, placing literature, and selling eyeglasses in order to care for his physical needs. Though hobbling on an artificial leg, he covered an area that stretched from Ketchikan to Nome, a distance of about 1,200 miles [1,900 km]. As early as 1897, a gold miner had obtained copies of Millennial Dawn and the Watch Tower while in California and was making plans to take these back to Alaska with him. And in 1910, Captain Beams, the skipper of a whaling ship, had placed literature at his Alaskan ports of call. But the preaching activity began to widen out as Brother Day made his summertime trips into Alaska again and again for more than 12 years.
Two other Witnesses, using a 40-foot [12 m] motorboat named Esther, worked their way up the Norwegian coast far into the Arctic. They witnessed on the islands, at lighthouses, in the coastal villages, and in isolated places far back in the mountains. Many people welcomed them, and in a year’s time, they were able to place 10,000 to 15,000 books and booklets explaining God’s purpose for humankind.
The Islands Hear Jehovah’s Praises
It was not only those islands that were close to mainland shores that were given a witness. Out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, in the early 1930’s, Sydney Shepherd spent two years traveling by boat to preach in the Cook Islands and Tahiti. Farther west, George Winton was visiting the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) with the good news.
At about the same time, Joseph Dos Santos, a Portuguese-American, also set out to reach untouched territory. First he witnessed on the outer islands of Hawaii; then he undertook an around-the-globe preaching tour. When he reached the Philippines, however, he received a letter from Brother Rutherford asking him to stay there to build up and organize the Kingdom-preaching activity. He did, for 15 years.
At this time the Society’s branch in Australia was directing attention to the work in and around the South Pacific. Two pioneers sent out from there gave an extensive witness in Fiji in 1930-31. Samoa received a witness in 1931. New Caledonia was reached in 1932. A pioneer couple from Australia even took up service in China in 1933 and witnessed in 13 of its principal cities during the next few years.
The brothers in Australia realized that more could be accomplished if they had a boat at their disposal. In time they outfitted a 52-foot [16 m] ketch that they called Lightbearer and, starting early in 1935, used it as a base of operations for several years for a group of zealous brothers as they witnessed in the Netherlands East Indies (now Indonesia), Singapore, and Malaya. Arrival of the boat always attracted much attention, and this often opened the way for the brothers to preach and place much literature.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the earth, two pioneer sisters from Denmark decided to make a vacation trip to the Faeroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1935. But they had in mind more than a scenic trip. They went equipped with thousands of pieces of literature, and they used them well. Defying wind and rain and the hostility of the clergy, they covered as much of the inhabited islands as they could during their stay.
Farther to the west, Georg Lindal, an Icelandic-Canadian, undertook an assignment that lasted much longer. At the suggestion of Brother Rutherford, he moved to Iceland to pioneer in 1929. What endurance he showed! For most of the next 18 years, he served there alone. He visited the towns and villages again and again. Tens of thousands of pieces of literature were placed, but at that time no Icelanders joined him in Jehovah’s service. With the exception of just one year, there were no Witnesses with whom he could associate in Iceland until 1947, when two Gilead-trained missionaries arrived.
When Men Forbid What God Commands
While sharing in their public ministry, it was not at all unusual, especially from the 1920’s through the 1940’s, for the Witnesses to encounter opposition, usually stirred up by local clergymen and sometimes by government officials.
In a rural area north of Vienna, Austria, the Witnesses found themselves confronted by a hostile crowd of villagers agitated by the local priest, who was backed by the constabulary. The priests were determined that there would be no preaching by Jehovah’s Witnesses in their villages. But the Witnesses, determined to carry out their God-given assignment, changed their approach and returned another day, entering the villages in roundabout ways.
Regardless of threats and demands on the part of men, Jehovah’s Witnesses realized that they had an obligation to God to proclaim his Kingdom. They chose to obey God as ruler rather than men. (Acts 5:29) Where local officials tried to deny religious freedom to Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Witnesses simply brought in reinforcements.
After repeated arrests in one section of Bavaria, in Germany, in 1929, they hired two special trains—one to start in Berlin and the other in Dresden. These were joined together at Reichenbach, and at 2:00 a.m. the one train entered the Regensburg area with 1,200 passengers that were eager to have a part in giving a witness. Travel was expensive, and everyone had paid his own fare. At each railroad station, some were dropped off. A number of them had brought bicycles so that they could reach out into the countryside. The entire district was covered in a single day. As they saw the results of their united efforts, they could not help but call to mind God’s promise to his servants: “Any weapon whatever that will be formed against you will have no success.”—Isa. 54:17.
So zealous were the Witnesses in Germany that between 1919 and 1933, they distributed, it is estimated, at least 125,000,000 books, booklets, and magazines, as well as millions of tracts. Yet, there were only about 15,000,000 families in Germany at that time. During that period Germany received a witness as thorough as that given in any country on earth. In that part of the earth was found one of the largest concentrations of persons who professed to be spirit-anointed followers of Christ. But during the following years, they also experienced some of the most grueling tests of integrity.—Rev. 14:12.
In the year 1933, official opposition to the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Germany greatly intensified. The homes of Witnesses and the Society’s branch office were searched repeatedly by the Gestapo. Bans were imposed on the activity of the Witnesses in most of the German states, and some were arrested. Many tons of their Bibles and Bible literature were publicly burned. On April 1, 1935, a national law was passed banning the Ernste Bibelforscher (the Earnest Bible Students, or Jehovah’s Witnesses), and systematic efforts were made to deprive them of their livelihood. In turn, the Witnesses shifted all their meetings to small groups, arranged to reproduce their material for Bible study in forms that the Gestapo would not readily recognize, and adopted preaching methods that were not so conspicuous.
Even before this, since 1925, the brothers in Italy had been living under a Fascist dictatorship, and in 1929 a concordat had been signed between the Catholic Church and the Fascist State. True Christians were hunted down without mercy. Some met in barns and haylofts in order to avoid being arrested. Jehovah’s Witnesses in Italy at that time were very few in number; however, their efforts to spread the Kingdom message were reinforced in 1932 when 20 Witnesses from Switzerland crossed into Italy and carried out a lightning distribution of 300,000 copies of the booklet The Kingdom, the Hope of the World.
In the Far East too, pressure was building up. There were arrests of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Japan. Large quantities of their Bible literature were destroyed by officials in Seoul (in what is now the Republic of Korea) and Pyongyang (in what is now the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea).
In the midst of this mounting pressure, in 1935, Jehovah’s Witnesses gained a clear understanding from the Bible of the identity of the “great multitude,” or “great crowd,” of Revelation 7:9-17. (KJ, NW) This understanding opened up to them an awareness of an unanticipated and urgent work. (Isa. 55:5) No longer did they hold the view that all who were not of the “little flock” of heirs of the heavenly Kingdom would at some future time have opportunity to bring their lives into line with Jehovah’s requirements. (Luke 12:32) They realized that the time had come to make disciples of such people now with a view to their survival into God’s new world. How long the gathering of this great crowd out of all nations would continue they did not know, though they felt that the end of the wicked system must be very near. Exactly how the work would be accomplished in the face of persecution that was spreading and becoming more vicious, they were not sure. However, of this they were confident—since ‘the hand of Jehovah is not too short,’ he would open the way for them to carry out his will.—Isa. 59:1.
In the year 1935, Jehovah’s Witnesses were relatively few in number—just 56,153 worldwide.
They were preaching in 115 lands during that year; but in nearly one half of those lands, there were fewer than ten Witnesses. Only two countries had 10,000 or more active Witnesses of Jehovah (the United States, with 23,808; Germany, with an estimated 10,000 out of the 19,268 who had been able to report two years earlier). Seven other lands (Australia, Britain, Canada, Czechoslovakia, France, Poland, and Romania) each reported more than 1,000 but fewer than 6,000 Witnesses. The record of activity in 21 other countries shows between 100 and 1,000 Witnesses each. Yet, during that one year, this zealous band of Witnesses worldwide devoted 8,161,424 hours to proclaiming God’s Kingdom as mankind’s only hope.
In addition to the lands in which they were busy during 1935, they had already spread the good news to other places, so that 149 lands and island groups had thus far been reached with the Kingdom message.
[Blurb on page 424]
Though confined in prison, they found opportunities to preach
[Blurb on page 425]
Willing and eager to get on with the work!
[Blurb on page 441]
They defied wind, rain, and the hostility of the clergy
[Blurb on page 442]
A witness of extraordinary proportions was given in Germany before the “Ernste Bibelforscher” were banned there
[Map/Pictures on page 423]
While the world was embroiled in war, R. R. Hollister and Fanny Mackenzie were busy taking a message of peace to the people of China, Japan, and Korea
[Map]
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KOREA
JAPAN
CHINA
PACIFIC OCEAN
[Map on page 428]
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When emigrants from the countries named on this map learned about God’s marvelous purpose to bless humankind, they felt impelled to take that news back to their homelands
THE AMERICAS
↓ ↓
AUSTRIA
BULGARIA
CYPRUS
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
DENMARK
FINLAND
GERMANY
GREECE
HUNGARY
ITALY
NETHERLANDS
NORWAY
POLAND
PORTUGAL
ROMANIA
SPAIN
SWEDEN
SWITZERLAND
TURKEY
YUGOSLAVIA
[Map on page 432]
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During the 1920’s and 1930’s, evangelizers moved out from Germany to many lands to give a witness
GERMANY
↓ ↓
SOUTH AMERICA
NORTH AFRICA
ASIA
[Map/Pictures on page 435]
Zealous pioneers such as Frank Smith and his brother Gray (shown in the upper picture) spread the good news up the east coast of Africa
[Map]
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UGANDA
KENYA
TANZANIA
SOUTH AFRICA
[Map/Picture on page 439]
Throughout South-West Africa (now Namibia) people received this booklet by mail in 1928
[Map]
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NAMIBIA
[Map/Pictures on page 440]
Aboard the “Lightbearer,” zealous pioneers spread the Kingdom message in Southeast Asia
[Map]
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MALAYA
BORNEO
CELEBES
SUMATRA
JAVA
TIMOR
NEW GUINEA
AUSTRALIA
PACIFIC OCEAN
[Pictures on page 426]
In many lands the lecture “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” attracted large audiences
[Pictures on page 427]
Edwin Scott, in South Africa, personally distributed 50,000 copies of “A Challenge to World Leaders”
[Picture on page 429]
Responding to the call for evangelizers, Willy Unglaube served in Europe, Africa, and the Orient
[Pictures on page 430]
By 1992, Eric Cooke and his brother John (seated) had each been in full-time service for over 60 years, enjoying thrilling experiences in Europe and Africa
[Picture on page 431]
When he went to India in 1926, Edwin Skinner had an assignment that included five countries; faithfully he kept on preaching there for 64 years
[Picture on page 433]
Alfred and Frieda Tuček, equipped with necessities of life and literature for witnessing, served as pioneers in Old Yugoslavia
[Pictures on page 434]
Throughout West Africa, “Bible Brown” vigorously shared in exposing false worship
[Picture on page 436]
George Young shared in widespread proclamation of God’s Kingdom in South America, Spain, and Portugal
[Picture on page 437]
Juan Muñiz (left), who had been preaching in South America since 1924, was on hand to welcome N. H. Knorr when he first visited Argentina over 20 years later
[Picture on page 438]
Nicolás Argyrós spread the Bible’s liberating truth into 14 of Argentina’s provinces
[Pictures on page 439]
F. J. Franske, traveling on land and by boat, sought to reach remote settlements with Bible truth |
Young People Ask (yp)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp | Chapter 3
How Can I Get My Folks to Give Me More Freedom?
YOU say you’re old enough to stay out late on weekends. They say you have to be home early. You say you want to see that new movie everybody is talking about. They say you can’t see it. You say you’ve met some nice kids you’d like to go out with. They say they’d like to meet your friends first.
When you’re a teenager, it can sometimes feel as if your parents have a choke hold on your life. It seems that every “I want to” you say is followed by an inevitable “No, you can’t.” Nor is any part of your life safe from the “prying eyes” of your parents. Says 15-year-old Debbie: “My dad always wants to know where I am, what time I’m going to be home. Most parents do that. Do they have to know everything? They should give me more freedom.”
Youths further complain that their parents do not respect them. Instead of being trusted, they are judged guilty without a trial when something goes wrong. Instead of being allowed to choose for themselves, they are hemmed in by rules.
“Mental Distress”
Do your folks sometimes treat you like a small child? If so, remember that not too long ago you really were a child. Your parents’ image of you as a helpless infant is quite fresh in their minds and not so easily set aside. They still remember the childish mistakes you used to make and thus want to protect you—whether you want such protection or not.
That urge to protect you is a powerfully strong one. When Mom and Dad aren’t busy putting a roof over your head, clothing you, or feeding you, they are often grappling with the problems of how to teach, train, and, yes, protect you. Their interest in you is far from casual. They are responsible before God for the way in which they bring you up. (Ephesians 6:4) And when something seems to threaten your well-being, they worry.
Consider Jesus Christ’s parents. After a visit to Jerusalem, they unknowingly left for home without him. When they became aware of his absence, they made a diligent—even frantic—search for him! And when they finally “found him in the temple,” Jesus’ mother exclaimed, “Child, why did you treat us this way? Here your father and I in mental distress have been looking for you.” (Luke 2:41-48) Now if Jesus—a perfect child—caused his parents anxiety, think of how much worry you must cause your parents!
Take, for example, that never-ending conflict over what time you should come home. Perhaps you see no reason to be restricted in this way. But have you ever looked at matters from your parents’ point of view? The school-age authors of the book The Kids’ Book About Parents tried to do so. They compiled a list of what they called “the fantasies that must go on in parents’ heads about what their kids are doing if they are not home at the proper time.” Included in this list were such things as ‘doing drugs, getting in a car accident, hanging out in parks, getting arrested, going to porno movies, selling dope, getting raped or mugged, winding up in jail, and disgracing the family name.’
Not all parents would jump to such seemingly farfetched conclusions. But is it not true that many young people are involved in such things? So should you resent the suggestion that keeping both late hours and the wrong kind of company could be harmful? Why even Jesus’ parents wanted to know his whereabouts!
Why They Smother
Some youths say that their parents’ fear of harm coming to them borders on paranoia! But remember, much time and emotion have been invested in you. The thought of your growing up and eventually leaving may disturb your parents. Wrote one parent: “My only child, a son, is nineteen now, and I can hardly bear the idea of his moving out.”
Some parents thus tend to smother or to overprotect their children. It would be a real mistake, though, for you to overreact in turn. One young woman recalls: “Until I reached the age of about 18, my mother and I were very close. . . . [But] as I got older we started to have problems. I wanted to exert some independence, which she must have seen as a threat to our relationship. She, in turn, started to try to hold on to me tighter, and I reacted by pulling away more.”
A measure of independence is fine, but don’t obtain it at the cost of your family ties. How can you set your relationship with your parents on a more adult footing, based on mutual understanding, tolerance, and respect? For one thing, respect begets respect. The apostle Paul once recalled: “We used to have fathers who were of our flesh to discipline us, and we used to give them respect.” (Hebrews 12:9) The parents of these early Christians were not infallible. Paul continued (Heb 12 verse 10): “Our human fathers . . . could only do what they thought best.”—The Jerusalem Bible.
At times these men erred in their judgment. Yet they merited their children’s respect. So do your parents. The fact that they may be the smothering type is no reason to be rebellious. Give them the same respect you want for yourself.
Misunderstandings
Have you ever been late getting home because of circumstances beyond your control? Did your parents overreact? Such misunderstandings provide another opportunity for you to win respect. Recall how young Jesus handled himself when his upset parents finally found him in the temple, innocently discussing God’s Word with some teachers. Did Jesus launch into an emotional tirade, cry, or whine about how unfair it was of them to impugn his motives? Note his calm reply: “Why did you have to go looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in the house of my Father?” (Luke 2:49) No doubt Jesus’ parents were impressed by the maturity he here displayed. “An answer, when mild,” thus not only “turns away rage” but can also help win your parents’ respect.—Proverbs 15:1.
Rules and Regulations
How you respond to your parents’ demands also has a lot to do with how you will be treated. Some youths sulk, lie, or openly disobey. Try a more adult approach. If you want permission to stay out late, don’t make childish demands or whine that “all the other kids can stay out late.” Writer Andrea Eagan advises: “[Tell] them as much as you can about what it is you want to do, so that they really understand the situation. . . . If you tell them all about where you’ll be and with whom and why it’s important to you to stay out later . . . , they just might say yes.”
Or if your parents want to screen your friends—as well they should—don’t whimper like a child. Recommended Seventeen magazine: “Bring friends home with you from time to time, so that when you say you’re going to the movies with Bill, your father has no reason to roar from the other room, ‘Bill? Bill who?’”
“More Will Be Given”
Jim smiles when he talks about his younger brother Ron. “There’s only 11 months difference between us,” he says, “but our parents treated us so differently. They gave me a lot of freedom. I had the use of the family car. One year they even allowed me to take one younger brother on a trip to New York City.
“It was different with Ron, though,” Jim continues. “He wasn’t given much freedom at all. Dad didn’t even bother teaching him how to drive when he came of age. And when he felt he was old enough to start dating, my folks wouldn’t let him.”
Favoritism? No. Explains Jim: “Ron tended to be irresponsible. He lacked initiative. He often failed to do what was assigned him. And although I never talked back to my parents, Ron would let them know he disagreed. This invariably backfired on him.” Jesus said at Matthew 25:29: “For to everyone that has, more will be given and he will have abundance; but as for him that does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Do you want more freedom and responsibility? Then prove yourself responsible. Take seriously whatever tasks your folks assign you. Don’t be like the youth in one of Jesus’ parables. After being told by his father, “Child, go work today in the vineyard,” he said, “I will, sir,” but he “did not go out.” (Matthew 21:28, 29) Convince your parents that if they ask you to do something, no matter how small, it is as good as done.
“I showed my folks I could handle responsibility,” Jim recalls. “They would send me to the bank, let me pay our utilities bills, go to the supermarket and shop. And when Mom had to go out and get a job, I even cooked the family meals.”
Taking the Initiative
What if your parents simply haven’t assigned you such tasks to do? Pursue various initiatives. Seventeen magazine suggested: “Offer to cook your family a meal, and tell your folks you want to do everything: plan the meal, make the grocery list, budget, shop, cook, clean up.” And if cooking is not your forte, look around and see what else can be cared for. You don’t need a specific decree from your parents to act when there are dishes to be washed, floors to be swept, or rooms to be straightened up.
Many youths take on part-time work during the summer or on weekends. If this is true in your case, have you proved that you are capable of saving and managing your money? Have you volunteered to make a contribution for your room and board? (You might find it eye-opening to check the going rate for renting a room in your community.) Doing so might mean less pocket money, but as your folks observe your grown-up way of handling money, they will no doubt be inclined to give you more freedom.
Loosening the Apron Strings
Parents should be our confidential friends, rich sources of advice and counsel. (Compare Jeremiah 3:4.) However, this does not mean that you must rely on them to make every petty decision. It is only through using your “perceptive powers” that you gain confidence in your ability to make decisions.—Hebrews 5:14.
So instead of running to your parents at the first sign of minor distress, try first to work out the problem in your own mind. Rather than be “overhasty,” or impulsive, about matters, follow the Bible’s advice to “consider knowledge” first. (Isaiah 32:4) Do some research, especially if Bible principles are involved. After calmly weighing matters, then approach your parents. Instead of always saying, ‘Dad, what should I do?’ or, ‘Mom, what would you do?’ explain the situation. Let them hear the way you have reasoned the situation out. Then ask for their observations.
Your parents now see you talking not as a child but as an adult. You have taken a big step toward proving that you are becoming an adult deserving of a measure of freedom. Your folks may very well begin to treat you like an adult.
Questions for Discussion
◻ Why are parents often so concerned about protecting their children and knowing their whereabouts?
◻ Why is it important that you treat your parents with respect?
◻ How can misunderstandings with your parents be best handled?
◻ How can you cooperate with your parents’ rules and regulations and still have some freedom?
◻ What are some ways you can prove to your parents that you are responsible?
[Blurb on page 29]
“My dad always wants to know where I am, what time I’m going to be home. . . . Do they have to know everything?”
[Picture on page 27]
Do you feel that your parents fence you in?
[Picture on page 30]
Remaining calm when misunderstandings have occurred is one way to gain respect |
Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Tolerant of Other Religions? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502012471 | Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Tolerant of Other Religions?
We follow the Bible’s advice to “respect everyone”—regardless of their religious beliefs. (1 Peter 2:17, Today’s English Version) For example, in some countries there are hundreds of thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Even so, we don’t try to pressure politicians or lawmakers into restricting or banning the work of other religious groups. Nor do we campaign to have laws passed that would impose our moral and religious convictions on the general community. Instead, we extend to others the same tolerance that we appreciate receiving from them.—Matthew 7:12. |
Family Life (fl)
1978 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/fl | Chapter 4
A Husband Who Gains Deep Respect
1, 2. How is respect gained, and how is this well illustrated in the case of Jesus Christ?
RESPECT is not gained by merely ordering someone to respect you. You must earn respect by how you speak and act and by what you are.
2 This is illustrated in the case of Christ Jesus. He gained respect as a teacher by his manner of teaching. After his Sermon on the Mount “the effect was that the crowds were astounded at his way of teaching.” What earned him this respect? His relying on God’s word the Bible instead of the opinions of other men. His sole authority was Jehovah God and His word of truth. Jesus gained respect from both friend and foe, by earning it.—Matthew 7:28, 29; 15:1-9; John 7:32, 45, 46.
3. What obligation does Ephesians 5:33 put upon a wife, and what does this require of a husband?
3 “The wife should have deep respect for her husband,” is the instruction given at Ephesians 5:33. But the husband should be diligent to merit this respect; otherwise, it will be very difficult for his wife to comply with this instruction. How can a husband fulfill his role as outlined in the Bible so as to gain such respect?
BY EXERCISING PROPER HEADSHIP
4. What place does the Bible assign to a husband?
4 The Bible assigns the husband to a position of headship in the marriage arrangement, saying: “Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord, because a husband is head of his wife as the Christ also is head of the congregation, he being a savior of this body. In fact, as the congregation is in subjection to the Christ, so let wives also be to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:22-24) Will this arrangement really contribute to happiness in the household? Some women speak out against what they describe as male chauvinism, that is, a vainglorious or exaggerated view that some men have toward their position in relation to women. But let us say at the outset that the teachings of the Bible do not endorse such male chauvinism.
5. What should a husband recognize about headship, and whose examples should he follow?
5 The Bible emphasizes the fact that, not only the woman, but also the man is under headship. Turning to the Bible book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 11, verse 3, we find that the apostle Paul wrote these words to the congregation at Corinth: “I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of the Christ is God.” Man has Christ as his head, and it is from God and Christ as examples and teachers that you, the husband, are to learn how headship is to be exercised.
6. What can husbands learn about headship from Jehovah God and Jesus Christ?
6 Jehovah’s headship over Christ was exercised in loving-kindness, and Christ’s response was, “To do your will, O my God, I have delighted.” (Psalm 40:8; Hebrews 10:7) Jesus Christ’s headship, too, is loving. To those who would become his disciples he said: “I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and you will find refreshment for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) Those who are members of his congregation, which the Scriptures liken to a bride, have indeed found such refreshment under his headship. He has not exploited them, but has been self-sacrificing in his love. This also is the kind of headship the husband is to exercise over his wife: “Husbands, continue loving your wives, just as the Christ also loved the congregation and delivered up himself for it . . . In this way husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself, for no man ever hated his own flesh; but he feeds and cherishes it, as the Christ also does the congregation . . . let each one of you individually so love his wife as he does himself; on the other hand, the wife should have deep respect for her husband.” (Ephesians 5:25-29, 33) If you set the example of submission to the headship of Christ, it will not be a difficult thing—in fact, it can be a pleasure—for your wife to have deep respect for your headship as her husband.
7, 8. Mention some of the ways in which some husbands fail to exercise proper headship.
7 The great problem is that due to imperfection and inborn selfishness there are times when a husband, while wanting to be respected as the head of the family, fails to show the needed love and consideration for his wife. Often a wife will say that she doesn’t feel loved by her husband, that his only concern is his own pleasure and satisfaction. Also, some wives complain that their husbands are domineering. Perhaps this has resulted from the wife’s attempts to usurp his headship, with his resisting such usurpation. Or, the man may have grown up in an environment where many husbands are arrogant and domineering. Regardless of the cause, such abuse of headship gains the respect of no one.
8 On the other hand, instead of abusing headship, some husbands abdicate it. They pass all the decision-making over to their wives. Or, while telling the wife ‘not to rush them,’ they procrastinate so much that family interests suffer. They may not be lazy or idle physically, but if they shy away from mental effort the results can be the same as those described in Proverbs 24:33, 34: “‘A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest,’ and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.“—Revised Standard Version.
9, 10. When making decisions that affect the family, whose views should a husband consider?
9 You will gain respect from your wife if you show yourself steady and strong and able to make decisions. But that does not mean that no one else in the household is to be consulted or that your wife’s opinion is not to be given serious consideration just because it does not happen to agree with yours. Early in the Bible record we read about a serious problem in the household of Abraham and Sarah, involving their son Isaac and the son of their servant girl Hagar. Sarah recommended a solution that did not coincide with Abraham’s feelings on the matter. But God told Abraham: “Listen to her voice.”—Genesis 21:9-12.
10 We are not to conclude from this that a husband should always accede to his wife’s wishes. But it can be beneficial to discuss with her those decisions that affect the family, encouraging her to express her thoughts and feelings freely. Keep open the lines of communication, always be approachable, and weigh carefully her preferences in the decisions you make. Never be bossy or tyrannical in exercising headship, but manifest humility. You are not perfect, you will make mistakes, and when you do, you will want your wife’s understanding. When those situations arise, the wife whose husband is humble will find it easier to respect his headship than will one whose mate is proud.
BY BEING A GOOD PROVIDER
11, 12. (a) What is the husband’s responsibility as to providing material necessities of life? (b) How is it really by joint effort that such provisions are made?
11 It is the husband’s responsibility to provide the material necessities of life for his family. First Timothy 5:8 shows this: “Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.” To live today, in many lands, it takes a great deal of money, and you as the husband must make the decisions that govern how this need will be met. You will probably find that, in addition to bringing home the money you earn, you will need to work out with your wife a budget that you both understand. This simply means having an arrangement for controlled spending. It will help you to live within your means, and it can do much to avoid the kind of arguments that sometimes arise when the money runs out before payday.
12 Although in most cases it is the husband who brings in the money for the family’s support, it should not be forgotten that it is earned by a joint effort. If you, the husband, think you are doing this by yourself, then just stop and figure out what it would cost you to hire a purchasing agent, a cook, a dishwasher, a housekeeper, a decorator, a nursemaid, and so forth. Normally, your wife saves this expense by doing the work, which is, of course, her share as the marital partner. And if she keeps a lot of the records of home expenses you can add “accountant“ to the preceding list. Very true is Proverbs 18:22: “Has one found a good wife? One has found a good thing.”
13. When it comes to material things, what outlook should married couples avoid, and how can this benefit them?
13 In providing materially, there is the ever-present danger—for you and for your wife—of slipping into a materialistic outlook and approach to life. Few things can ‘eat away’ at the foundation of family happiness as much as this does. “We have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out,” says the Bible writer Paul. “So, having sustenance and covering, we shall be output with these things. However, those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.” No matter what possessions a materialistic way of life may bring, it can never compensate for the pain of seeing family relations weaken and break down. The material gain is far outweighed by the spiritual and emotional loss.—1 Timothy 6:7-10.
14. What determines whether material things are too important in a person’s life?
14 Materialism is love of material things, not merely having material possessions. A person can be poor and materialistic, or rich and spiritually minded. It depends on where his heart is. Jesus said: “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal. Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”—Matthew 6:19-21.
15, 16. Besides caring well for material needs, what else should a husband do in order to maintain a happy family?
15 A husband who is a good provider of material needs will reflect on such Scriptural admonition, and besides providing the things needful in a material way will devote time to making spiritual provisions for his family. What’s the good of spending so much time at secular work to obtain the material things of life that you do not have sufficient time and energy left to build up your household in a spiritual way? In order to have the wisdom to cope successfully with the problems of life, time must be spent to build into the family a strong devotion to right principles. Making place in your life for reading and talking together about God’s Word can do that, as will united prayer. As family head, it is up to you, the husband, to take the lead in this. The cost in time and effort will be far outweighed by the benefits. God’s promise will not fail: “In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.“—Proverbs 3:6.
16 A husband who looks to the Creator to direct his steps appreciates the balance in the counsel found at Ecclesiastes 7:12: “Wisdom is for a protection the same as money is for a protection; but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom itself preserves alive its owners.” So, as a good provider, he works hard to supply the physical needs of his household. Nevertheless, he rests his hope, “not on uncertain riches, but on God.” He sets an example in putting the primary emphasis on spiritual interests, in order that both he and his wife may “get a firm hold on the real life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19) The efforts of a husband to make such provisions, both physically and spiritually, will win the respect of a God-fearing wife.
BY SHOWING HER HONOR
17-19. How might the Bible’s counsel to assign “honor” to a wife be applied in connection with sexual relations?
17 The apostle Peter talks to husbands about their wives and tells them to be “assigning them honor as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one.” (1 Peter 3:7) In this same verse Peter points out that you, the husband who dwells with your wife, should be assigning her this honor “according to knowledge.”
18 This certainly applies in sexual relations. Much frigidity in wives is due to husbands who are ignorant of a woman’s physical and emotional makeup. “Let the husband render to his wife her due,” but let it be done ‘according to knowledge, assigning her honor as to a weaker vessel,’ counsels God’s Word. (1 Corinthians 7:3) If you truly ‘assign her honor,’ you will not be harsh and demanding, insisting on satisfying your own passions even when she may be very tired or during difficult times of the month. (Compare Leviticus 20:18.) And when you do have relations, you will not be so intent on your own pleasure that you ignore her needs. In this area of life a woman usually responds slower than a man. She has a special need for tenderness and affection. In telling the husband to “render to his wife her due,” the Bible puts the emphasis on giving, not getting.
19 That kind of giving, of course, is to be reserved for one’s own marriage mate. True, many men today have “affairs” with other women. But in the end what do they gain? They simply undermine the happiness of their own home. They fail to ‘assign honor’ to their wives, and so they provide no basis for their wives to respect them. More than that, they dishonor marriage itself, an arrangement that originated with God. In view of all the heartache this brings, it is understandable why Hebrews 13:4 urges: “Let marriage be honorable among all, and the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers.”
20. As indicated at Ephesians 5:28, in what other ways should a wife be shown honor?
20 Showing honor to one’s wife does not end with sexual relations. In other matters, too, the husband who is truly respected shows that he has high regard for his wife. It is not that he puts her on a pedestal and becomes her slave. Rather, it is as we read earlier from Ephesians 5:28: “Husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.” A man who does this surely is not going to treat his wife as if she were an inferior person. At mealtimes he certainly wouldn’t feel that his body merited all the choice portions, with hers getting only the leftovers—not if he loves her ‘as his own body.’ Rather than being self-centered about his own appearance, he will be as much or more concerned about his wife’s, doing what he can to help her feel output about her clothes. A man does not hit himself when he fails to do as well as he might like. Nor will a Christian husband do that to his wife just because she sometimes falls short of his expectations. Very much to the contrary, if anyone should treat her harshly he would loyally come to her aid. He loves her as he does his own body.
21, 22. How can a husband help his wife to find enjoyment in fulfilling her role?
21 While appreciating the areas in which your needs are alike, you also need to understand the psychological differences between the two of you if you are going to ‘assign honor’ to your wife. Basically, women like to work under a ceiling of authority, provided that it is exercised properly. This is the way Jehovah God created them. Woman was made to be ‘a helper for the man, as a complement of him.’ (Genesis 2:18) But if the supervision is too close, if there is no room to take initiative and use her own abilities, a woman can begin to feel that the enjoyment is being squeezed out of her life, and resentment may develop.
22 Another vital factor that needs attention is the woman’s natural desire to feel needed. A helpful husband is appreciated by most wives, but one who simply pushes his wife aside and takes over may find that he has done more harm than good. You do much to win your wife’s loyalty if you are kind and appreciative and let her know that she is needed, that you hold her in honor, that you are working as a team, that it is “we” and “our,” not “I” and “you” or “mine” and “yours.” Do you really let your wife know how much you appreciate and need her? You don’t do it by paying her a salary; you must show it in other ways.
APPRECIATE HER FEMININE QUALITIES
23. Generally speaking, how do men and women differ as to emotions?
23 A woman psychologist wrote: “Basically, women feel while men think.” By itself, one trait is not better than the other; they simply are different. We do not care for people who are unfeeling; neither do we like thoughtless persons. Obviously, women have the capacity both to feel and to think, and the same is true of men. But, generally speaking, a woman’s emotions more readily come to the fore, while a man is usually more inclined to try to subdue emotion in favor of what he considers a logical approach to matters. Though exceptions, of course, are found, this is another difference that makes husband and wife complements of each other. Along with her basically more emotional makeup, her strong interest in people often causes her to talk more than the man. And she needs someone to return the talk. This is where many husbands fall short.
24. Why is it important for a husband to listen to his wife and to talk with her?
24 Do you talk to your wife? Not just about your work, but hers as well? Are you interested in it, and do you show her that you are? How was her day? What happened with the children? Don’t come home and ask, ‘What’s for dinner?’ and, after eating it, hide your head behind a newspaper and grunt in response to her endeavors to talk. Be interested in your wife, her thoughts, her activities, her feelings about things. Encourage her in her projects, commend her in her accomplishments. If she is complimented on what she does, she may start doing other tasks she may have neglected. Criticism can be a subtle poison and a depressant, but genuine praise given where deserved is a curative and a stimulant that makes the spirit soar!—Proverbs 12:18; 16:24.
25, 26. (a) What message does a gift convey to a wife? (b) What kind of giving is most important to her?
25 Do you bring her an occasional gift? Not necessarily an expensive one—perhaps just a small item that says, ‘I was thinking of you.’ And do you do this, not necessarily for a specific occasion, but just spontaneously, for no other reason than that you wanted to? Pleasant surprises are always a delight. Are you not pleased when she surprises you by preparing some special dish that you like? Return surprise for surprise, and please her. Small remembrances, prompted by love, mean more than expensive gifts routinely—perhaps even begrudgingly—offered out of a sense of duty. “God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7) So do wives. Even if meals aren’t special, remember, “Better is a dish of vegetables where there is love than a manger-fed bull and hatred along with it.”—Proverbs 15:17.
26 The most important giving is the giving of yourself—your time, your energies, your attention and your thoughts, especially those closest to your heart. Many men find this difficult. To make expressions of endearment may seem to them like foolish sentimentality and somehow unmanly. But if you love your wife, you will keep in mind how much a look, a touch, a word can hold for a woman. But the absence of these can do much to make her feel cross, weary, unhappy. So, follow the example recorded in the Bible’s Song of Solomon. Expressing regard and affection for others is good for the one making the expressions. People are irresistibly drawn to warm people. And what is a warm person? A person who reveals his feelings and enthusiasm to those he cares about. Such warmth is contagious; it will be returned to the giver.—Song of Solomon 1:2, 15; Luke 6:38.
27, 28. (a) What might a husband ask himself, to determine whether he is exercising headship in a proper way? (b) Why is it good to be concerned about this matter?
27 Husband, ask yourself: Is my headship easy for my wife to respect? Do I love her as I do myself? Or am I interested primarily in just my own satisfaction and wants? How much do I consider her needs? Before I make family decisions, do I listen to her views and consider her desires? Are my decisions made with her welfare in view? Do I assign her honor as a more fragile vessel, the feminine one? Do I communicate with her, and open up my heart to her?
28 You will not be able to measure up perfectly. But if you put forth a consistent and humble effort, you can be confident that this will go a long way toward making you become a husband who gains your wife’s deep respect and God’s approval.
[Picture on page 49]
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Revelation Climax (re)
1988 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/re | Chapter 33
Judging the Infamous Harlot
Vision 11—Revelation 17:1-18
Subject: Babylon the Great rides a scarlet-colored wild beast that finally turns on her and devastates her
Time of fulfillment: From 1919 to the great tribulation
1. What does one of the seven angels reveal to John?
JEHOVAH’S righteous anger must be poured out to completion, seven bowls of it! When the sixth angel emptied his bowl at the location of ancient Babylon, it fittingly symbolized the plaguing of Babylon the Great as events move swiftly toward the final war of Armageddon. (Revelation 16:1, 12, 16) Likely, it is this same angel that now reveals why and how Jehovah executes his righteous judgments. John is struck with wonderment at what he next hears and sees: “And one of the seven angels that had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying: ‘Come, I will show you the judgment upon the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, whereas those who inhabit the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’”—Revelation 17:1, 2.
2. What evidence is there that “the great harlot” (a) is not ancient Rome? (b) is not big business? (c) is a religious entity?
2 “The great harlot”! Why so shocking a designation? Who is she? Some have identified this symbolic harlot with ancient Rome. But Rome was a political power. This harlot commits fornication with the kings of the earth, and this evidently includes the kings of Rome. Besides, after her destruction, “the kings of the earth” are said to mourn her passing. Therefore, she cannot be a political power. (Revelation 18:9, 10) Additionally, since she is mourned also by the world’s merchants, she could not picture big business. (Revelation 18:15, 16) We read, however, that ‘by her spiritistic practice all the nations were misled.’ (Revelation 18:23) This makes it clear that the great harlot must be a worldwide religious entity.
3. (a) Why must the great harlot symbolize more than the Roman Catholic Church or even all of Christendom? (b) What Babylonish doctrines are to be found in most Oriental religions as well as in the sects of Christendom? (c) What did Roman Catholic cardinal John Henry Newman admit regarding the origin of many of Christendom’s doctrines, ceremonies, and practices? (See footnote.)
3 Which religious entity? Is she the Roman Catholic Church, as some have maintained? Or is she all of Christendom? No, she must be even larger than these if she is to mislead all the nations. She is, in fact, the entire world empire of false religion. Her origin in the mysteries of Babylon is shown in that many Babylonish doctrines and practices are common to religions around the earth. For example, belief in the inherent immortality of the human soul, in a hell of torment, and in a trinity of gods is to be found in most Oriental religions as well as in the sects of Christendom. False religion, spawned more than 4,000 years ago in the ancient city of Babylon, has developed into the modern monstrosity that is called, appropriately, Babylon the Great.a Why, though, is she described by the repugnant term “the great harlot”?
4. (a) In what ways did ancient Israel commit fornication? (b) In what outstanding way has Babylon the Great committed fornication?
4 Babylon (or Babel, meaning “Confusion”) came to its peak of greatness in Nebuchadnezzar’s time. It was a religio-political state with more than a thousand temples and chapels. Its priesthood exercised great power. Though Babylon has long since ceased to exist as a world power, religious Babylon the Great lives on, and after the ancient pattern, she still seeks to influence and mold political affairs. But does God approve of religion in politics? In the Hebrew Scriptures, Israel was said to prostitute herself when she got involved with false worship and when, instead of trusting in Jehovah, she made alliances with the nations. (Jeremiah 3:6, 8, 9; Ezekiel 16:28-30) Babylon the Great also commits fornication. Outstandingly, she has done whatever she deems expedient in order to gain influence and power over the ruling kings of the earth.—1 Timothy 4:1.
5. (a) What limelight do religious clergymen enjoy? (b) Why is a desire for worldly prominence a direct contradiction of the words of Jesus Christ?
5 Today, religious leaders frequently campaign for high government office, and in some lands, they share in government, even holding cabinet posts. In 1988 two well-known Protestant clergymen ran for the office of president of the United States. Leaders in Babylon the Great love the limelight; their photos are often to be seen in the public press as they consort with prominent politicians. In contrast, Jesus shunned political involvement and said of his disciples: “They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.”—John 6:15; 17:16; Matthew 4:8-10; see also James 4:4.
Modern-Day ‘Harlotry’
6, 7. (a) How did Hitler’s Nazi Party come to power in Germany? (b) How did the concordat that the Vatican made with Nazi Germany help Hitler in his push for world domination?
6 Through her meddling in politics, the great harlot has brought untold sorrow to mankind. Consider, for example, the facts behind Hitler’s rise to power in Germany—ugly facts that some would like to expunge from the history books. In May 1924 the Nazi Party held 32 seats in the German Reichstag. By May 1928 these had dwindled to 12 seats. However, the Great Depression engulfed the world in 1930; riding in its wake, the Nazis made a remarkable recovery, gaining 230 out of 608 seats in the German elections of July 1932. Soon after, former chancellor Franz von Papen, a Papal Knight, came to the Nazis’ aid. According to historians, von Papen envisioned a new Holy Roman Empire. His own short tenure as chancellor had been a failure, so now he hoped to gain power through the Nazis. By January 1933, he had mustered support for Hitler from the industrial barons, and through wily intrigues he ensured that Hitler became Germany’s chancellor on January 30, 1933. He himself was made vice-chancellor and was used by Hitler to win the support of Catholic sections of Germany. Within two months of gaining power, Hitler dissolved parliament, dispatched thousands of opposition leaders to concentration camps, and began an open campaign of oppressing the Jews.
7 On July 20, 1933, the Vatican’s interest in the rising power of Nazism was displayed when Cardinal Pacelli (who later became Pope Pius XII) signed a concordat in Rome between the Vatican and Nazi Germany. Von Papen signed the document as Hitler’s representative, and Pacelli there conferred on von Papen the high papal decoration of the Grand Cross of the Order of Pius.b In his book Satan in Top Hat, Tibor Koeves writes of this, stating: “The Concordat was a great victory for Hitler. It gave him the first moral support he had received from the outer world, and this from the most exalted source.” The concordat required the Vatican to withdraw its support from Germany’s Catholic Center Party, thus sanctioning Hitler’s one-party “total state.”c Further, its article 14 stated: “The appointments for archbishops, bishops, and the like will be issued only after the governor, installed by the Reich, has duly ascertained that no doubts exist with respect to general political considerations.” By the end of 1933 (proclaimed a “Holy Year” by Pope Pius XI), Vatican support had become a major factor in Hitler’s push for world domination.
8, 9. (a) How did the Vatican as well as the Catholic Church and its clergy react to the Nazi tyranny? (b) What statement did the German Catholic bishops issue at the start of World War II? (c) In what have religio-political relationships resulted?
8 Though a handful of priests and nuns protested Hitler’s atrocities—and suffered for it—the Vatican as well as the Catholic Church and its army of clergy gave either active or tacit support to the Nazi tyranny, which they regarded as a bulwark against the advance of world Communism. Sitting pretty in the Vatican, Pope Pius XII let the Holocaust on the Jews and the cruel persecutions of Jehovah’s Witnesses and others proceed uncriticized. It is ironical that Pope John Paul II, on visiting Germany in May 1987, should glorify the anti-Nazi stand of one sincere priest. What were the other thousands of the German clergy doing during Hitler’s reign of terror? A pastoral letter issued by the German Catholic bishops in September 1939 at the outbreak of World War II provides enlightenment on this point. It reads in part: “In this decisive hour we admonish our Catholic soldiers to do their duty in obedience to the Fuehrer and to be ready to sacrifice their whole individuality. We appeal to the Faithful to join in ardent prayers that Divine Providence may lead this war to blessed success.”
9 Such Catholic diplomacy illustrates the kind of harlotry that religion has engaged in over the past 4,000 years in wooing the political State in order to gain power and advantage. Such religio-political relationships have fostered warfare, persecutions, and human misery on a vast scale. How happy mankind can be that Jehovah’s judgment upon the great harlot is at hand. May it soon be executed!
Sitting on Many Waters
10. What are the “many waters” that Babylon the Great looks to for protection, and what is happening to them?
10 Ancient Babylon sat on many waters—the Euphrates River and numerous canals. These were a protection to her as well as a source of commerce producing wealth, until they dried up in one night. (Jeremiah 50:38; 51:9, 12, 13) Babylon the Great also looks to “many waters” to protect and enrich her. These symbolic waters are “peoples and crowds and nations and tongues,” that is, all the thousands of millions of humans over whom she has dominated and from whom she has drawn material support. But these waters are also drying up, or withdrawing support.—Revelation 17:15; compare Psalm 18:4; Isaiah 8:7.
11. (a) How did ancient Babylon ‘make all the earth drunk’? (b) How has Babylon the Great ‘made all the earth drunk’?
11 Further, Babylon of old was described as “a golden cup in the hand of Jehovah, she making all the earth drunk.” (Jeremiah 51:7) Ancient Babylon forced neighboring nations to swallow expressions of Jehovah’s anger when she conquered them militarily, making them as weak as drunken men. In that respect, she was Jehovah’s instrument. Babylon the Great, too, has made conquests to the point of becoming a worldwide empire. But she is certainly not God’s instrument. Rather, she has served “the kings of the earth” with whom she commits religious fornication. She has gratified these kings by using her lying doctrines and enslaving practices to keep the masses of the people, “those who inhabit the earth,” weak as drunken men, passively subservient to their rulers.
12. (a) How was a segment of Babylon the Great in Japan responsible for much bloodshed during World War II? (b) How were “waters” in support of Babylon the Great withdrawn in Japan, and with what result?
12 Shinto Japan provides a notable example of this. The indoctrinated Japanese soldier regarded it as the highest honor to give his life for the emperor—the supreme Shinto god. During World War II, some 1,500,000 Japanese soldiers died in battle; almost to a man, they looked at surrender as dishonorable. But as a consequence of Japan’s defeat, Emperor Hirohito was compelled to renounce his claim to divinity. This resulted in a notable withdrawing of the “waters” supporting the Shinto segment of Babylon the Great—alas, after Shintoism had sanctioned the shedding of buckets of blood in the Pacific war theater! This weakening of Shinto influence also opened the way in recent years for more than 200,000 Japanese, the great majority of whom were formerly Shintoists and Buddhists, to become dedicated, baptized ministers of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.
The Harlot Rides a Beast
13. What amazing sight does John see when the angel carries him in the power of the spirit into a wilderness?
13 What more does the prophecy disclose as to the great harlot and her fate? As John now relates, a further vivid scene comes to view: “And he [the angel] carried me away in the power of the spirit into a wilderness. And I caught sight of a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns.”—Revelation 17:3.
14. Why is it fitting that John was carried into a wilderness?
14 Why is John carried into a wilderness? An earlier pronouncement of doom against ancient Babylon was described as being “against the wilderness of the sea.” (Isaiah 21:1, 9) This gave due warning that, despite all its watery defenses, ancient Babylon would become a lifeless desolation. It is fitting, then, that John should be carried in his vision to a wilderness to see the fate of Babylon the Great. She too must become desolate and waste. (Revelation 18:19, 22, 23) John is amazed, though, by what he sees out there. The great harlot is not alone! She is sitting on a monstrous wild beast!
15. What differences are there between the wild beast of Revelation 13:1 and that of Revelation 17:3?
15 This wild beast has seven heads and ten horns. Is it, then, the same as the wild beast that John saw earlier, which also has seven heads and ten horns? (Revelation 13:1) No, there are differences. This wild beast is scarlet-colored and, unlike the previous wild beast, is not said to have diadems. Rather than having blasphemous names on its seven heads only, it is “full of blasphemous names.” Nevertheless, there must be a relationship between this new wild beast and the previous one; the similarities between them are too pronounced to be coincidental.
16. What is the identity of the scarlet-colored wild beast, and what has been stated as to its purpose?
16 What, then, is this new scarlet-colored wild beast? It must be the image to the wild beast that was brought forth under the urging of the Anglo-American wild beast that has two horns like a lamb. After the image was made, that two-horned wild beast was allowed to give breath to the image of the wild beast. (Revelation 13:14, 15) John now sees the living, breathing image. It pictures the League of Nations organization that the two-horned wild beast brought to life in 1920. U.S. President Wilson had envisioned that the League “would be a forum for the dispensation of justice for all men and wipe out the threat of war forever.” When it was resurrected after the second world war as the United Nations, its chartered purpose was “to maintain international peace and security.”
17. (a) In what way is the symbolic scarlet-colored wild beast full of blasphemous names? (b) Who is riding the scarlet-colored wild beast? (c) How did Babylonish religion instruction itself with the League of Nations and its successor right from the beginning?
17 In what way is this symbolic wild beast full of blasphemous names? In that men have set up this multinational idol as a substitute for God’s Kingdom—to accomplish what God says his Kingdom alone can accomplish. (Daniel 2:44; Matthew 12:18, 21) What is remarkable about John’s vision, though, is that Babylon the Great is riding the scarlet-colored wild beast. True to the prophecy, Babylonish religion, particularly in Christendom, has instructioned itself with the League of Nations and its successor. As early as December 18, 1918, the body now known as the National Council of the Churches of Christ in America adopted a declaration that declared in part: “Such a League is not a mere political expedient; it is rather the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth. . . . The Church can give a spirit of good-will, without which no League of Nations can endure. . . . The League of Nations is rooted in the Gospel. Like the Gospel, its objective is ‘peace on earth, good-will toward men.’”
18. How did Christendom’s clergy show their support for the League of Nations?
18 On January 2, 1919, the San Francisco Chronicle carried the front-page headline: “Pope Pleads for Adoption of Wilson’s League of Nations.” On October 16, 1919, a petition signed by 14,450 clergymen of leading denominations was presented to the U.S. Senate, urging that body “to ratify the Paris peace treaty embodying the league of nations covenant.” Though the U.S. Senate failed to ratify the treaty, Christendom’s clergy continued to campaign for the League. And how was the League inaugurated? A news dispatch from Switzerland, dated November 15, 1920, read: “Opening of the first assembly of the League of Nations was announced at eleven o’clock this morning by the ringing of all the church bells in Geneva.”
19. When the scarlet-colored wild beast made its appearance, what course of action did the John class take?
19 Did the John class, the one group on earth that eagerly accepted the incoming Messianic Kingdom, share with Christendom in paying homage to the scarlet-colored wild beast? Far from it! On Sunday, September 7, 1919, the convention of Jehovah’s people in Cedar Point, Ohio, featured the public talk “The Hope for Distressed Humanity.” On the following day, the Sandusky Star-Journal reported that J. F. Rutherford, in addressing nearly 7,000 persons, had “asserted that the Lord’s displeasure is certain to be visited upon the League . . . because the clergy—Catholic and Protestant—claiming to be God’s representatives, have abandoned his plan and endorsed the League of Nations, hailing it as a political expression of Christ’s kingdom on earth.”
20. Why was it blasphemous for the clergy to hail the League of Nations as “the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth”?
20 The dismal failure of the League of Nations should have signaled to the clergy that such man-made organs are no part of a Kingdom of God on earth. What blasphemy to make such a claim! It makes it seem as though God was a party to the colossal botch that the League turned out to be. As for God, “perfect is his activity.” Jehovah’s heavenly Kingdom under Christ—and not a combine of squabbling politicians, many of them atheists—is the means by which he will bring in peace and have his will done on earth as in heaven.—Deuteronomy 32:4; Matthew 6:10.
21. What shows that the great harlot supports and admires the League’s successor, the United Nations?
21 What of the League’s successor, the United Nations? From its inception, this body has also had the great harlot riding on its back, visibly associated with it and trying to guide its destiny. For example, on its 20th anniversary, in June 1965, representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, together with Protestants, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims—said to represent two thousand million of earth’s population—assembled in San Francisco to celebrate their support and admiration of the UN. On visiting the UN in October 1965, Pope Paul VI described it as “that greatest of all international organizations” and added: “The peoples of the earth turn to the United Nations as the last hope of concord and peace.” Another papal visitor, Pope John Paul II, addressing the UN in October 1979, said: “I hope the United Nations will ever remain the supreme forum of peace and justice.” Significantly, the pope gave very little attention to Jesus Christ or to God’s Kingdom in his speech. During his visit to the United States in September 1987, as reported by The New York Times, “John Paul spoke at length about the positive role of the United Nations in promoting . . . ‘new worldwide solidarity.’”
A Name, a Mystery
22. (a) What kind of beast has the great harlot chosen to ride? (b) How does John describe the symbolic harlot Babylon the Great?
22 The apostle John is soon to learn that the great harlot has chosen a dangerous beast to ride. First, though, his attention turns to Babylon the Great herself. She is richly adorned, but, oh, how repulsive she is! “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and was adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls and had in her hand a golden cup that was full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her fornication. And upon her forehead was written a name, a mystery: ‘Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.’ And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.”—Revelation 17:4-6a.
23. What is the full name of Babylon the Great, and what is its significance?
23 As was the custom in ancient Rome, this prostitute is identified by the name on her forehead.d It is a long name: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.” That name is “a mystery,” something with hidden meaning. But in God’s due time, the mystery is to be explained. In fact, the angel gives John enough information to allow Jehovah’s servants today to discern the full significance of this descriptive name. We recognize Babylon the Great as being all of false religion. She is “the mother of the harlots” because all the individual false religions in the world, including the many sects in Christendom, are like her daughters, imitating her in committing spiritual harlotry. She is also the mother of “disgusting things” in that she has given birth to such revolting offspring as idolatry, spiritism, fortune-telling, astrology, palmistry, human sacrifice, temple prostitution, drunkenness in honor of false gods, and other obscene practices.
24. Why is it appropriate that Babylon the Great is seen to be dressed in “purple and scarlet” and is “adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls”?
24 Babylon the Great is dressed in “purple and scarlet,” the colors of royalty, and is “adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls.” How appropriate! Just reflect on all the magnificent buildings, rare statues and paintings, priceless icons, and other religious paraphernalia, as well as astronomical amounts of property and cash, that this world’s religions have accumulated. Whether at the Vatican, in the TV empire of evangelism centered in the United States, or in the exotic wats and temples of the Orient, Babylon the Great has amassed—and at times lost—fabulous wealth.
25. (a) What is symbolized by the outputs of the “golden cup that was full of disgusting things?” (b) In what sense is the symbolic harlot drunk?
25 Look now at what the harlot has in her hand. John must have gasped at the sight of it—a golden cup “full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her fornication”! This is the cup containing “the wine of the anger of her fornication” with which she has made all the nations drunk. (Revelation 14:8; 17:4) It looks rich on the outside, but its outputs are disgusting, unclean. (Compare Matthew 23:25, 26.) It contains all the filthy practices and lies that the great harlot has used to seduce the nations and bring them under her influence. Even more revolting, John sees that the harlot herself is inebriated, drunk with the blood of God’s servants! In fact, we later read that “in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.” (Revelation 18:24) What massive bloodguilt!
26. What evidence is there of bloodguilt on the part of Babylon the Great?
26 Over the centuries, the world empire of false religion has shed oceans of blood. For example, in medieval Japan, temples in Kyoto were transformed into fortresses, and warrior-monks, invoking “the holy name of Buddha,” battled one another until the streets ran red with blood. In the 20th century, the clergy of Christendom marched with the armies of their respective countries, and these slaughtered one another, with the loss of at least a hundred million lives. In October 1987 former U.S. president Nixon said: “The 20th century has been the bloodiest in history. More people have been killed in the wars of this century than in all the wars fought before the century began.” The religions of the world are judged adversely by God for their share in all of this; Jehovah detests “hands that are shedding innocent blood.” (Proverbs 6:16, 17) Earlier, John heard a cry from the altar: “Until when, Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10) Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth, will be deeply involved when the time comes to answer that question.
[Footnotes]
a Indicating the non-Christian origin of many of apostate Christendom’s doctrines, ceremonies, and practices, 19th-century Roman Catholic cardinal John Henry Newman wrote in his Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine: “The use of temples, and these dedicated to particular saints, and ornamented on occasions with branches of trees; incense, lamps, and candles; votive offerings on recovery from illness; holy water; asylums; holydays and seasons, use of calendars, processions, blessings on the fields; sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure, the ring in marriage, turning to the East, images at a later date, perhaps the ecclesiastical chant, and the Kyrie Eleison [the song “Lord, Have Mercy”], are all of pagan origin, and sanctified by their adoption into the Church.”
Rather than sanctify such idolatry, “Jehovah the Almighty” admonishes Christians: “Get out from among them, and separate yourselves, . . . and quit touching the unclean thing.”—2 Corinthians 6:14-18.
b William L. Shirer’s historical work The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich states that von Papen was “more responsible than any other individual in Germany for Hitler’s coming to power.” In January 1933 former German chancellor von Schleicher had said of von Papen: “He proved to be the kind of traitor beside whom Judas Iscariot is a saint.”
c In addressing the College of Mondragone on May 14, 1929, Pope Pius XI said that he would negotiate with the Devil himself if the good of souls required it.
d Compare the words of Roman author Seneca to an errant priestess (as quoted by Swete): “You stood, girl, in the house of ill repute . . . your name hung from your forehead; you accepted money for your dishonor.”—Controv. i, 2.
[Box on page 237]
Churchill Exposes ‘Harlotry’
In his book The Gathering Storm (1948), Winston Churchill reports that Hitler appointed Franz von Papen as German minister to Vienna for “the undermining or winning over of leading personalities in Austrian politics.” Churchill quotes the U.S. minister in Vienna as saying of von Papen: “In the boldest and most cynical manner . . . Papen proceeded to tell me that . . . he intended to use his reputation as a good Catholic to gain influence with Austrians like Cardinal Innitzer.”
After Austria had capitulated and Hitler’s storm troopers had goose-stepped into Vienna, Catholic cardinal Innitzer ordered that all Austrian churches fly the swastika flag, ring their bells, and pray for Adolf Hitler in honor of his birthday.
[Box/Picture on page 238]
This item appeared in the first edition only of The New York Times, December 7, 1941, the same day Nazi Germany’s ally Japan attacked Pearl Harbor
‘WAR PRAYER’ FOR REICH
Catholic Bishops at Fulda Ask Blessing and Victory
By Telephone to THE NEW YORK TIMES
FULDA, Germany, Dec. 6
The Conference of German Catholic Bishops assembled in Fulda has recommended the introduction of a special “war prayer” which is to be read at the beginning and end of all divine services.
The prayer implores Providence to bless German arms with victory and grant protection to the lives and health of all soldiers. The Bishops further instructed Catholic clergy to keep and remember in a special Sunday sermon at least once a month German soldiers ‘on land, on sea and in the air.”
[Box on page 244]
“Blasphemous Names”
When the wild beast with two horns promoted the League of Nations after World War I, its many religious paramours immediately sought to give a religious sanction to this move. As a result, the new peace organization became “full of blasphemous names.”
“Christianity can furnish the good-will, the dynamic behind the league [of nations], and so change the treaty from a scrap of paper into an instrument of the kingdom of God.”—The Christian Century, U.S.A., June 19, 1919, page 15.
“The League of Nations idea is the extension to international relationships of the idea of the Kingdom of God as a world order of good will. . . . It is the thing all Christians pray for when they say, ‘Thy Kingdom come.’”—The Christian Century, U.S.A., September 25, 1919, page 7.
“The Cement of the League of Nations is the Blood of Christ.”—Dr. Frank Crane, Protestant minister, U.S.A.
“The [National] Council [of Congregational Churches] supports the Covenant [of the League of Nations] as the only political instrument now available by which the Spirit of Jesus Christ may find wider scope in practical application to the affairs of nations.”—The Congregationalist and Advance, U.S.A., November 6, 1919, page 642.
“The conference calls upon all Methodists to uphold and promote highly the ideals [of the League of Nations] as expressed by the idea of God the Father and God’s earthly children.”—The Wesleyan Methodist Church, Britain.
“When we consider the aspirations, the possibilities and the resolutions of this agreement, we see that it contains the heart of the teachings of Jesus Christ: The Kingdom of God and his righteousness . . . It is nothing less than that.”—Sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury at the opening of the League of Nations Assembly in Geneva, December 3, 1922.
“The League of Nations Association in this country has the same holy right as any humanitarian missionary society, because she is at present the most effective agency of the rule of Christ as the Prince of peace among the nations.”—Dr. Garvie, Congregationalist minister, Britain.
[Map on page 236]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
False doctrines believed all around the world have their origin in Babylon
Babylon
Trinities or triads of gods
The human soul survives death
Spiritism—talking with the “dead”
Use of images in worship
Use of spells to placate demons
Rule by a powerful priesthood
[Picture on page 239]
Ancient Babylon sat on many waters
[Picture on page 239]
The great harlot today also sits on “many waters”
[Picture on page 241]
Babylon the Great sitting upon a dangerous wild beast
[Pictures on page 242]
The religious harlot has committed fornication with the kings of the earth
[Pictures on page 245]
The woman is “drunk with the blood of the holy ones” |
To Our Readers | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102006001 | To Our Readers
BEGINNING with this issue, the format of Awake! will reflect some changes. Although certain things will be different, much will remain the same.
Awake! is still committed to the objective that it has held for many decades. As explained on page 4, “this journal is published for the enlightenment of the entire family.” Examining world events, telling about people in various cultures, describing the wonders of creation, discussing health, or explaining science for the nonscientist, Awake! will continue to inform our readers, keeping them alert to the world around us.
In its issue of August 22, 1946, Awake! pledged: “Integrity to the truth will be the highest aim of this magazine.” True to that promise, Awake! has always endeavored to publish factual information. To that end, articles are thoroughly researched and carefully checked to ensure accuracy. But this journal has demonstrated “integrity to the truth” in an even more important way.
Awake! has always pointed readers to the Bible. However, beginning with this issue, Awake! will feature even more Bible-based articles than in the past. (John 17:17) Awake! will also continue to feature articles that show how the Bible’s practical counsel can help us to live meaningful and successful lives today. For example, much Bible-based guidance is provided in the series “Young People Ask . . .” and “The Bible’s Viewpoint,” which will remain regular features of this journal. In addition, Awake! will continue to direct readers to the Bible’s promise of the peaceful new world that will soon replace the present lawless system of things.—Revelation 21:3, 4.
What else will be different? Beginning with this issue, Awake! will be published monthly in most of the 82 languages in which it appears (formerly it was published semimonthly in many languages).a “Watching the World,” which has been a regular feature since 1946, will still appear in each issue but will be reduced from two pages to one. On page 31, we are also introducing an exciting new regular feature called “How Would You Answer?” What will it contain, and how can you use it?
Take a moment to look at page 31 of this issue. Some sections of the page will appeal to young readers; others will challenge the memory of more advanced Bible students. The section “When in History?” will help you build a time line showing when Bible characters lived and when major events happened. While the answers to the section “From This Issue” will be found throughout the magazine, the answers to most of the other questions will appear on a designated page in the same issue, where they will be printed upside down. Why not do some research before you read those answers and then share with others what you learn? You might even use this new feature, “How Would You Answer?” as a basis for family or group Bible discussions.
Some 60 years ago, Awake! made this promise: “As for coverage this magazine will endeavor to treat information from a world-wide rather than local viewpoint. It will appeal to all honest people of all lands. . . . The material and outputs of the magazine . . . will be informative, educational and interesting to the greatest number of persons, young and old alike.” Readers from all over the world agree that Awake! has kept that promise. We assure you that it will continue to do so.
The Publishers
[Footnote]
a Awake! is published quarterly in some languages, and the features discussed in this article may not appear in all such editions.
[Pictures on page 3]
Called “The Golden Age” in 1919, the name was changed to “Consolation” in 1937, and to “Awake!” in 1946
[Pictures on page 4]
“Awake!” has long pointed its readers to the Bible
[Credit Lines]
Guns: U.S. National Archives photo; starving child: WHO photo by W. Cutting |
How Do God and Christ View Women? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102008002 | How Do God and Christ View Women?
HOW can we have a complete picture of how Jehovah God views women? One way is to examine the attitude and conduct of Jesus Christ, who is “the image of the invisible God” and who reflects perfectly God’s view of matters. (Colossians 1:15) The dealings Jesus had with the women of his day show that Jehovah and Jesus respect women and that they certainly do not approve of the oppressive treatment that is so common in many lands today.
Consider, for example, the occasion when Jesus spoke to a woman at a well. “A woman of Samaria came to draw water,” says John’s Gospel account, and “Jesus said to her: ‘Give me a drink.’” Jesus was willing to talk with a Samaritan woman in public, even though most Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. According to The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, for Jews “conversation with a woman in a public place was particularly scandalous.” Jesus, however, treated women with respect and consideration and was neither racially prejudiced nor gender prejudiced. On the contrary, it was to the Samaritan woman that Jesus for the first time plainly identified himself as the Messiah.—John 4:7-9, 25, 26.
On another occasion Jesus was approached by a woman who for 12 years had been suffering from an embarrassing and debilitating flow of blood. When she touched him, she was instantly healed. “Jesus turned around and, noticing her, said: ‘Take courage, daughter; your faith has made you well.’” (Matthew 9:22) According to the Mosaic Law, a woman in her condition was not supposed to be in a crowd of people, let alone touch others. Yet, Jesus did not berate her. Rather, he compassionately comforted her and addressed her as “daughter.” How that word must have put her heart at ease! And how happy Jesus must have been to cure her!
After Jesus was resurrected, his first appearance was to Mary Magdalene and another of his disciples, whom the Bible refers to as “the other Mary.” Jesus could have appeared first to Peter, John, or one of the other male disciples. Instead, he dignified women by allowing them to be the first eyewitnesses of his resurrection. An angel instructed them to inform Jesus’ male disciples about this astonishing event. Jesus said to the women: “Go, report to my brothers.” (Matthew 28:1, 5-10) Jesus was certainly not affected by the prejudices common to Jews of his day, according to which women could not serve as legal witnesses.
So, far from being biased against women or condoning chauvinistic attitudes toward them in any way, Jesus showed that he respected and appreciated women. Violence against them was completely contrary to what Jesus taught, and his attitude, we can be sure, was a perfect reflection of the way his Father, Jehovah, sees things.
Women Under Divine Care
“Nowhere in the ancient Mediterranean or Near East were women accorded the freedom that they enjoy in modern Western society. The general pattern was one of subordination of women to men, just as slaves were subordinate to the free, and young to old. . . . Male children were more highly esteemed than female, and baby girls were sometimes left to die by exposure.” That is how one Bible dictionary describes the prevailing attitude toward females in ancient times. In many cases, they were almost put on the same level as slaves.
The Bible was written at a time when customs reflected this attitude. Even so, divine law as expressed in the Bible showed a high regard for women, which was in marked contrast with the attitudes of many ancient cultures.
Jehovah’s concern for the welfare of women is evident from the several instances in which he acted in behalf of his female worshippers. Twice he intervened to protect Abraham’s beautiful wife, Sarah, from being violated. (Genesis 12:14-20; 20:1-7) God showed favor to Jacob’s less-loved wife, Leah, by ‘opening her womb,’ so that she bore a son. (Genesis 29:31, 32) When two God-fearing Israelite midwives risked their lives to preserve Hebrew male children from infanticide in Egypt, Jehovah appreciatively “presented them with families.” (Exodus 1:17, 20, 21) He also answered Hannah’s fervent prayer. (1 Samuel 1:10, 20) And when the widow of a prophet faced a creditor who was about to take her children as slaves to pay off her debt, Jehovah did not leave her in the lurch. Lovingly, God enabled the prophet Elisha to multiply her supply of oil so that she could pay the debt and still have sufficient oil for her family. She thus preserved her family and her dignity.—Exodus 22:22, 23; 2 Kings 4:1-7.
The prophets repeatedly condemned the exploitation of women or the use of violence against them. The prophet Jeremiah told the Israelites in Jehovah’s name: “Render justice and righteousness, and deliver the one that is being robbed out of the hand of the defrauder; and do not maltreat any alien resident, fatherless boy or widow. Do them no violence. And do not shed any innocent blood in this place.” (Jeremiah 22:2, 3) Earlier, the rich and powerful in Israel were condemned because they had evicted women from their homes and mistreated their children. (Micah 2:9) The God of justice sees and condemns as evil such suffering caused to women and their children.
The “Capable Wife”
An appropriate view of a capable wife is presented by the ancient writer of the Proverbs. Since this beautiful description of the role and the status of a wife was included in Jehovah’s Word, we can be sure that he approves of it. Far from being oppressed or being viewed as inferior, such a woman is appreciated, respected, and trusted.
The “capable wife” of Proverbs chapter 31 is a vigorous and industrious worker. She works hard at what is “the delight of her hands” and engages in trade and even real estate transactions. She sees a field and proceeds to buy it. She makes undergarments and sells them. She gives belts to the tradesmen. She is vigorous in her strength and activity. Moreover, her words of wisdom and her loving-kindness are greatly appreciated. As a result, she is highly esteemed by her husband, by her sons and, most important, by Jehovah.
Women are not to be the oppressed victims of men who take advantage of them, mistreat them, or subject them to abuse of any kind. Instead, the married woman is to be the happy and accomplished “complement” of her husband.—Genesis 2:18.
Assign Them Honor
When writing to Christian husbands about how they should treat their wives, the inspired writer Peter urged husbands to imitate the attitudes of Jehovah and Jesus Christ. “You husbands, continue . . . assigning them honor,” he wrote. (1 Peter 3:7) Assigning honor to a person implies that one values and respects such a one highly. Thus, the man who honors his wife does not humiliate her, downgrade her, or treat her violently. Rather, he demonstrates by his words and his deeds—in public and in private—that he cherishes and loves her.
Honoring one’s wife certainly contributes to happiness in a marriage. Consider the example of Carlos and Cecilia. At a certain point in their married life, they often found themselves arguing without ever coming to a conclusion. At times, they just stopped talking to each other. They did not know how to resolve their problems. He was aggressive; she was demanding and proud. When they began studying the Bible and applying what they learned, however, things began to improve. Cecilia observes: “I realize that Jesus’ teachings and the example he left have transformed my personality and also my husband’s. Thanks to Jesus’ example, I have become more humble and understanding. I have learned to seek Jehovah’s help in prayer, as Jesus did. Carlos has learned to become more tolerant and show more self-control—to honor his wife as Jehovah desires.”
Their marriage is not perfect, but it has stood the test of time. In recent years they have had to face serious difficulties—Carlos lost his job and had to undergo surgery for cancer. Yet, these upheavals have not shaken their marriage bond, which has grown even stronger.
Since mankind’s fall into imperfection, women in many cultures have been treated dishonorably. They have been physically, mentally, and sexually abused. But that is not the treatment Jehovah intended for them. The Bible record clearly shows that no matter what cultural views may prevail, all women should be treated with honor and respect. It is their God-given due.
[Picture on page 4, 5]
A Samaritan woman
[Picture on page 4, 5]
An ailing woman
[Picture on page 4, 5]
Mary Magdalene
[Picture on page 6]
Jehovah protected Sarah twice
[Picture on page 7]
Carlos and Cecilia’s marriage was in jeopardy
[Picture on page 7]
Carlos and Cecilia today |
How Would You Answer? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102008012 | How Would You Answer?
What Is Missing From This Picture?
Read 1 Samuel 17:38-51. Now look at the picture. What elements are missing? Write your answers on the lines below, and complete the picture by drawing the missing items.
1. ․․․․․
2. ․․․․․
3. ․․․․․
FOR DISCUSSION:
Why was David able to beat Goliath? How can this account give you confidence when you face problems?
From This Issue
Answer these questions, and provide the missing Bible verse(s).
PAGE 7 What should husbands continue assigning their wives? 1 Peter 3:․․․
PAGE 20 When choosing a computer game, what should we make sure of? Ephesians 5:․․․
PAGE 29 Why should wives be in subjection to their husbands? 1 Corinthians 11:․․․
PAGE 29 What should husbands continue doing? Ephesians 5:․․․
Children’s Picture Search
Can you find these pictures in this issue? In your own words, describe what is happening in each picture.
Who Is Part of Jesus’ Family Tree?
Consider the clues. Look up the scriptures. Then write the correct names in the spaces provided.
4. ․․․․․
CLUE: I was said to be a son in the likeness of Adam, “in his image.”
Read Genesis 5:3.
5. ․․․․․
CLUE: In my day, “a start was made of calling on the name of Jehovah.”
Read Genesis 4:26.
6. ․․․․․
CLUE: My grandson was the only human on record to live longer than me.
Read Genesis 5:18-21, 27.
◼ Answers on page 14
ANSWERS TO PAGE 31
1. Goliath’s sword.
2. Goliath’s spear.
3. David’s sling.
4. Seth.—Luke 3:38.
5. Enosh.—Luke 3:38.
6. Jared.—Luke 3:37. |
YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Stop Living a Double Life? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500600122 | YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Stop Living a Double Life?
At times, some worshippers of God wonder whether living by Bible standards is worth the time and effort it takes. (Psalm 73:2, 3) They might even begin experimenting with things that conflict with Jehovah’s laws and then try to deceive other worshippers by hiding their bad conduct.
This article is designed to help those who may have gone down that road but want to stop their deceptive course.
On this page
What is a double life?
Does leading a double life make me a bad person?
How can I stop living a double life?
What your peers say
What is a double life?
Leading a double life means that when you are with your peers who don’t obey Jehovah, you do things that you know are wrong; but when you are with fellow worshippers, you act as though you want to serve Jehovah. It is as if you had two lives, and each involved wearing a mask.
“When you lead a double life, you’re hiding something from both sides, so no one knows the real you. Ultimately, a double life is a double betrayal.”—Erin.
Did you know? A double life can include engaging in private conduct that you know Jehovah disapproves of.
“When I was 14, I started looking at immoral images on the Internet. When in front of others, I acted as if I hated pornography, but in my heart I knew that I didn’t.”—Nolan.
Bible principle: “No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other.”—Matthew 6:24.
Does leading a double life make me a bad person?
Not necessarily. Of course, some people have decided that they don’t want to live by Bible standards. But is that really true of you? Or is there an underlying factor, such as:
You feel awkward when you stand out as different from your peers.
You feel that you have more in common with your schoolmates than with those in your congregation.
You feel that you just don’t have the strength and ability to follow all of God’s commandments.
“I think that some young ones who lead a double life feel more comfortable with people who don’t share their Christian values because they have a need to fit in, anywhere.”—David.
Of course, none of these factors justifies leading a double life. Still, it helps explain how even good people can get ensnared. If that has happened to you, what can you do?
How can I stop living a double life?
1. Examine your life as it stands right now. Ask yourself: ‘Is this really the person I want to be? If not, where could my choices lead me?’
Bible principle: “The shrewd person sees the danger . . . , but the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences.”—Proverbs 27:12.
2. Come clean. Discuss your situation with your parents or a mature friend who respects Jehovah’s laws. Likely they will be glad you came to them for help. And they will be proud to see that you want to do the right thing!
If you have fallen into the deep pit of a double life, call for help
“Admitting my course to others was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, but once I did it, I felt tremendous relief.”—Nolan.
Bible principle: “The one covering over his transgressions will not succeed, but whoever confesses and abandons them will be shown mercy.”—Proverbs 28:13.
3. Accept the consequences. Remember, if you have been hiding something from your parents and from the congregation, you have undermined their trust. As a result, your parents or the congregation elders may impose some restrictions on you. Accept those consequences, and resolve to conduct yourself “honestly in all things” from this point on.—Hebrews 13:18.
Bible principle: “Listen to counsel and accept discipline, in order to become wise in your future.”—Proverbs 19:20.
4. Develop a strong belief in God’s love for you. Because Jehovah loves us, he is fully aware of every one of our actions. So, if you live a double life, he knows it and it saddens him. Yet, “because he cares for you,” he is eager to help you correct your path.—1 Peter 5:7.
Bible principle: “The eyes of Jehovah are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.”—2 Chronicles 16:9.
What your peers say
“I was tempted to fit in with my peers at school, but strengthening my friendships with fellow Christians really helped change my attitude. The more I fit in with those who love Jehovah, the less tempted I felt to fit in with schoolmates.”—Macy.
“Was I tempted to lead a double life? Yes. In middle school, the kids seemed so cool, and they appeared to be having so much fun. But many of them later turned to drugs and alcohol. Then the kids who had seemed so cool seemed so foolish.”—Alban.
For more information, read the experiences of Elie and Lisa—two youths who led a double life but returned to Jehovah. |
Bearing Witness (bt)
2022 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/bt | input Page/Publishers’ Page
“Bearing Thorough Witness” About God’s Kingdom
Photo Credits: Page 4, Section 4: Courtesy Canada Wide; page 44 bottom and index: Neue Berliner Illustrierte; page 84 bottom and index: Courtesy Canada Wide
This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations.
To make a donation, please visit donate.jw.org.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language
New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.
December 2022 Printing
English (bt-E)
© 2009, 2022
WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
Enraged Priests Meet a Mild Response | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019282 | Enraged Priests Meet a Mild Response
Artur, a circuit overseer in Armenia, was visiting a congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He discovered that they had not yet shared in public witnessing, which involves using carts that feature Bible literature. To encourage this form of witnessing, Artur and his wife, Anna, along with another Witness named Jirayr, set up a literature cart in a small town. They chose a location with a lot of pedestrian traffic.
Passersby immediately began to show interest and take literature. Soon, however, this new witnessing method attracted the attention of opposers. Two priests approached the cart, and one of them, without warning, kicked it over. He then slapped Artur in the face, knocking his glasses to the ground. Artur, Anna, and Jirayr tried to calm the priests, but without success. The priests stomped on the cart and scattered the literature. After swearing at the Witnesses and threatening them, they left.
Artur, Anna, and Jirayr went to the local police office to file a complaint. They gave a statement and briefly spoke about the Bible to a number of police officers and other staff. The three Witnesses were then taken to the office of the senior policeman. At first he just wanted to know the details of the complaint. But when he learned that Artur, who is a burly man, did not fight back when slapped, the officer stopped asking questions about the case and started inquiring about the Witnesses’ beliefs. This led to a four-hour discussion! The officer was so impressed by what he heard that he exclaimed: “What a great religion! I want to join too!”
Artur and Anna
The next day, when Artur resumed public witnessing, he was approached by a man who had observed the events of the previous day. The man commended Artur for keeping his composure and not retaliating. He added that what he had seen caused him to lose all respect for the priests.
That evening the senior officer called Artur back to the police station. But instead of discussing the case, he asked more questions about the Bible. Two other policemen joined the discussion.
The following day, Artur again visited the senior officer, this time to show him some of our Bible-based videos. The officer called in other policemen to watch the videos as well.
As a result of the priests’ bad behavior, many policemen received a fine witness for the first time. This gave them a favorable impression of Jehovah’s Witnesses. |
THE BIBLE’S VIEWPOINT
Heaven | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102016006 | THE BIBLE’S VIEWPOINT
Heaven
Heaven is a subject of both wild speculation and heated controversy. Yet, what the Bible teaches about it is far different from what many have been taught.
What is heaven?
WHAT SOME PEOPLE SAY
There are diverse beliefs about heaven and its purpose. For example:
Many professed Christians would agree with the New Catholic Encyclopedia, which calls heaven “the ultimate home of the blessed who die in the Lord.”
Judaism focuses more on the present life than on the afterlife, says Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz. But he suggests that “in heaven the soul experiences the greatest possible pleasure—a greater perception and feeling of closeness to God than it had previously.” Kravitz acknowledges, however, that “although Judaism believes in heaven, the Torah speaks very little about it.”
Hindus and Buddhists believe that heaven exists on many spiritual levels. It is a temporary stop, after which a person is either reborn on earth or transcends to Nirvana or Buddhahood—a state that is higher than heaven.
Some reject any religious notion of heaven and say that the whole idea is childish nonsense.
Heaven is a topic of much speculation
WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES
In the Bible, the word “heaven” has more than one meaning. For example:
Genesis 1:20 describes the creation of birds that “fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” In this case, the word “heavens” refers to our atmosphere, the observable sky.
Isaiah 13:10 mentions “the stars of the heavens and their constellations”—what we would call outer space.
The Bible speaks of God’s “dwelling place in the heavens” and says that there are “angels in heaven.” (1 Kings 8:30; Matthew 18:10) Note that the words “heavens” and “heaven” are not simply metaphors, but describe an actual place of residence.a
“Look down from heaven and see from your lofty abode of holiness and glory.”—Isaiah 63:15.
Do all good people go to heaven when they die?
The Bible does not teach that the earth is merely a temporary home where we await death and a subsequent afterlife in heaven. The Bible makes clear that death was never a part of God’s original purpose for humans. Consider:
God told the first human couple: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) Earth was to be man’s permanent home, where he could live forever. Death would come to the first man and woman only if they disobeyed God. Sadly, they chose to disobey.—Genesis 2:17; 3:6.
The disobedience of that first man resulted in death, not only for himself and his wife but also for their offspring. (Romans 5:12) Did that leave the human race without hope?
The Bible says that “there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise.”b (2 Peter 3:13) By means of his Kingdom, God will restore our earth to the condition he intended for it, “and death will be no more.” (Revelation 21:3, 4) Is that speaking of life in heaven or on earth? For something to “be no more,” it had to be there in the first place. But death has never existed in heaven. Logically, then, that verse refers to what will happen on earth, where we were meant to live and where we yearn to be with our loved ones. The Bible also reveals that the dead will be brought back to life and reunited with their loved ones.—John 5:28, 29.
Many people have been thrilled to learn what the Bible really teaches about heaven. For example, a former Catholic named George says: “I found the Bible teaching about living forever on earth to be comforting. It made more sense than going to heaven.”c
“As for the heavens, they belong to Jehovah, but the earth he has given to the sons of men.”—Psalm 115:16.
a Of course, God’s nature is spiritual, not physical. (John 4:24) Hence, his dwelling place must be a spiritual realm separate from our physical or tangible universe.
b The term “new earth” is not a literal new planet; rather, it is a symbolic term referring to a society of people living on the earth who receive God’s approval.—Psalm 66:4.
c The Bible teaches that under God’s Kingdom, only a limited number of humans—144,000—are selected to rule in heaven with Jesus.—1 Peter 1:3, 4; Revelation 14:1. |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 99
God’s Unfolding “Eternal Purpose”
(Ephesians 3:11)
1. Keep ever marching forward,
Each one in his own place.
For all his servants on the earth,
Jehovah sets the pace.
He has restored true worship
And made his words come true.
Great is the crowd that has appeared
And seeks his will to do.
2. Our Sov’reign Lord, Jehovah,
Gives us a living hope.
In mental darkness, filled with fear,
No longer do we grope.
It’s his eternal purpose
That men should live in peace.
Soon by the rule of Christ, his Son,
He will make wars to cease.
3. As God unfolds his purpose,
We must ourselves exert
And march along the road to life
And keep our minds alert.
Our God Jehovah’s purpose
Will meet with sure success.
Wisely we act and move ahead
And seek his name to bless. |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 134
“Carry On as Men”
(1 Corinthians 16:13)
1. “Look! The man!” said Pilate of Christ Jesus.
Very truly Christ is one to imitate!
With unflinching manliness he conquered
Satan’s wicked world of bitterness and hate.
2. Jesus set for us a fine example.
Surely, we have need to be as he was then.
As we face God’s war of Armageddon,
May we be courageous, carry on as men.
3. Manly courage is a sure requirement
Of Jehovah’s loyal people, young and old.
As the foretold end draws ever closer,
In the Kingdom service we must e’er be bold.
4. Men and women, all Jehovah’s servants,
Ever look to Jesus Christ, the reigning King.
Unafraid, be always strong and mighty.
Soon the song of vict’ry manly ones will sing. |
Archaeological Discovery Points to King David as a Historical Person | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019226 | Archaeological Discovery Points to King David as a Historical Person
According to the Bible, King David of Israel lived in the 11th century B.C.E. and his descendants ruled for hundreds of years. But some critics have argued that David is a myth, a tribal legend created much later. Was King David a real person?
In 1993, archaeologist Avraham Biran and his team discovered a stone fragment at Tel Dan, northern Israel, bearing an inscription that refers to the “House of David.” The inscription, in an ancient Semitic script, dates to the ninth century B.C.E. It was evidently part of a monument erected by the Aramaeans, boasting of victories over the Israelites.
An article in Bible History Daily states: “The ‘House of David’ inscription had its skeptics . . . However, most Biblical scholars and archaeologists readily accepted that the Tel Dan stela had supplied the first concrete proof of a historical King David from the Bible, making it one of the top Biblical archaeology discoveries reported in BAR [Biblical Archaeology Review].” |
HOW THE CHALLENGE WILL BE FULLY OVERCOME
Under God’s Kingdom “Peace Will Abound” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102019009 | HOW THE CHALLENGE WILL BE FULLY OVERCOME
Under God’s Kingdom “Peace Will Abound”
Soon the long-awaited Kingdom of God—a world government set up by God—will bring global peace and harmony to the earth. “Peace will abound,” as promised at Psalm 72:7. But when will the Kingdom take charge? How will it do so? And how can you benefit from Kingdom rule?
WHEN WILL GOD’S KINGDOM COME?
The Bible foretold a number of striking events that would signal that God’s Kingdom is coming soon. Those events make up a composite “sign” that includes international warfare, famine, disease, many earthquakes, and an increase in lawlessness.—Matthew 24:3, 7, 12; Luke 21:11; Revelation 6:2-8.
Another prophecy states: “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, . . . disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, . . . puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:1-4) Traits such as these have always been manifest to some extent. But now they are commonplace.
Those prophecies began to be fulfilled in the year 1914. Indeed, historians, statesmen, and writers have commented on how the world changed after that year. For example, Danish historian Peter Munch wrote: “The outbreak of the war in 1914 is the great turning point in the history of humanity. From a bright epoch of progress, . . . we entered an age of disaster, horror, and hatred, with insecurity everywhere.”
On the positive side, those conditions are like a storm before the calm. They show that Kingdom rule over all the earth is near. In fact, Jesus included this positive element in his sign of the end: “This good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”—Matthew 24:14.
That good news is a central theme of the message of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Indeed, their leading journal is eninputd The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. It regularly discusses the wonderful things that God’s Kingdom will do for mankind and the earth.
HOW WILL GOD’S KINGDOM TAKE CONTROL?
The answer involves these four important facts:
The Kingdom will not operate through or be represented by the political leaders of the present world.
The world’s political leaders, in an attempt to cling to power, will foolishly defy rule by God’s Kingdom.—Psalm 2:2-9.
God’s Kingdom will need to destroy the political kingdoms that want to continue dominating mankind. (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 19:17-21) This final global conflict is called Armageddon.—Revelation 16:14, 16.
All who willingly submit to God’s Kingdom will be preserved through Armageddon into a peaceful new world. They will make up what the Bible calls “a great crowd,” likely numbering into the millions.—Revelation 7:9, 10, 13, 14.
HOW WILL THE KINGDOM RULE?
When Jesus was on earth, he gave us a preview of what he will do as King of God’s Kingdom. He healed the sick and the disabled. (Matthew 4:23) He fed many thousands. (Mark 6:35-44) He even controlled the natural elements.—Mark 4:37-41.
Above all, Jesus taught people how to live together in peace and harmony. All who humbly apply his teachings develop personality traits that will enable them to live happily under his Kingdom forever. No other educator can accomplish that. Fine examples of Jesus’ teachings can be found in what is known as the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew chapters 5-7. Why not read it? The words themselves are simple. But the message is profound and truly touches the heart.
HOW CAN YOU BENEFIT FROM KINGDOM RULE?
A first step to becoming a subject of God’s Kingdom is education. Indeed, Jesus said in prayer to God: “This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”—John 17:3.
When people come to know Jehovah God as a Person, they benefit in many ways. Consider just two: First, they develop strong faith in him. That faith, which is based on evidence, convinces them that God’s Kingdom is a reality and that its rule is near. (Hebrews 11:1) Second, they grow in love for God and for neighbor. Love for God impels them to obey him with a willing heart. Love for neighbor moves them to apply Jesus’ words that are often called the Golden Rule. It states: “Just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them.”—Luke 6:31.
Like a loving father, our Creator wants the very best for us. He wants us to experience what the Bible calls “the real life.” (1 Timothy 6:19) Life today is not “the real life.” For millions, it is little more than existence—and is perilous at that. To give you a preview of that “real life,” consider some of the wonderful things that God’s Kingdom will do for its subjects.
A PREVIEW OF THE REAL LIFE
“In his days [Christ’s rule as King] the righteous will flourish, and peace will abound . . . He will have subjects . . . to the ends of the earth.”—Psalm 72:7, 8, 13, 14.
“[God] is bringing an end to wars throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear.”—Psalm 46:9.
“There will be an abundance of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains it will overflow.”—Psalm 72:16.
“They will build houses and live in them, and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build for someone else to inhabit, nor will they plant for others to eat. . . . The work of their hands my chosen ones will enjoy to the full.”—Isaiah 65:21, 22.
“The tent of God is with mankind . . . He will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”—Revelation 21:3, 4.
Under Kingdom rule, people will be safe and secure and they will have an abundance of food
KEY POINT
JESUS’ TEACHINGS GIVE MORAL AND SPIRITUAL STRENGTH. ALL WHO RESPOND MAY BECOME TRUE GLOBAL CITIZENS, PEACE-LOVING SUBJECTS OF HIS WORLD GOVERNMENT |
Worship God (wt)
2002 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/wt | Chapter Thirteen
A Great Crowd Before Jehovah’s Throne
1. (a) Before either pre-Christian servants of God or the 144,000 receive their reward, what must they experience? (b) What will be possible for “a great crowd” who are living at this time?
FAITHFUL servants of God from Abel to John the Baptizer put the doing of God’s will first in their lives. Yet, they all died, waiting for their resurrection to life on earth in God’s new world. The 144,000, who will rule with Christ in God’s heavenly Kingdom, must also die before they can receive their reward. However, Revelation 7:9 shows that in these last days, there would be “a great crowd” out of all nations who would not experience death but would have the prospect of living forever on earth. Are you among them?
Identifying the Great Crowd
2. What led up to a clear understanding of the identity of the great crowd of Revelation 7:9?
2 In 1923, Jehovah’s servants discerned that “the sheep” of Jesus’ parable found at Matthew 25:31-46 and the “other sheep” to which he referred as recorded at John 10:16 are people who would have the opportunity to live forever on earth. In 1931 those described at Ezekiel 9:1-11 as being marked in their foreheads were also seen to be those with the earthly hope. Then in 1935 it was learned that the great crowd form part of the other sheep class Jesus spoke about. Today, this favored great crowd numbers in the millions.
3. Why does the expression “standing before the throne” not refer to a heavenly class?
3 At Revelation 7:9, the great crowd is not seen as being in heaven. Their “standing before the throne” of God does not require them to be in heaven. They are simply in the sight of God. (Psalm 11:4) The fact that the great crowd, “which no man was able to number,” is not a heavenly class is shown by comparing its unspecified number with what is written at Revelation 7:4-8 and Revelation 14:1-4. There the number taken from the earth to heaven is revealed to be 144,000.
4. (a) What is “the great tribulation” that the great crowd survive? (b) As stated at Revelation 7:11, 12, who observe the great crowd and share with them in worship?
4 Revelation 7:14 says of the great crowd: “These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation.” They survive the worst trouble ever experienced in human history. (Matthew 24:21) When they thankfully attribute their salvation to God and to Christ, then all faithful creatures in heaven will unite with them in saying: “Amen! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”—Revelation 7:11, 12.
Proving Worthy
5. How can we determine what is required to be part of the great crowd?
5 The preservation of the great crowd through the great tribulation takes place in harmony with Jehovah’s righteous standards. The identifying traits of those who will be delivered are clearly discussed in the Bible. Thus, it is possible for lovers of righteousness to act now with a view to proving worthy of survival. What must these ones do?
6. Why can the great crowd properly be likened to sheep?
6 Sheep are mild-tempered and submissive. So when Jesus said that he had other sheep who were not of the heavenly class, he meant people who not only would want to live forever on earth but also would be submissive to his teachings. “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me,” he said. (John 10:16, 27) These are people who really listen to and obediently do what Jesus says, becoming his disciples.
7. What qualities do the followers of Jesus need to develop?
7 What other qualities would each of these followers of Jesus need to develop? God’s Word answers: “You should put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct and . . . should put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.” (Ephesians 4:22-24) They develop qualities that enhance the unity of God’s servants—“love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.”—Galatians 5:22, 23.
8. What will the great crowd face as they support the remnant?
8 The great crowd support the small number of those with heavenly hopes, who take the lead in the preaching work. (Matthew 24:14; 25:40) The other sheep give this support, although they know that they will face opposition because at the beginning of these last days, Christ Jesus and his angels cast Satan and his demons out of heaven. This meant “woe for the earth . . . because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.” (Revelation 12:7-12) Thus, Satan intensifies opposition to God’s servants as this system’s end draws near.
9. How successful are God’s servants in preaching the good news, and why?
9 In spite of vicious persecution, the preaching work continues to advance. From only a few thousand Kingdom preachers at the end of World War I, there are now millions, for Jehovah promised: “Any weapon whatever that will be formed against you will have no success.” (Isaiah 54:17) Even a member of the Jewish high court recognized that a work of God could not be defeated. He told the Pharisees in the first century regarding the disciples: “Let them alone; (because, if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown; but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them;) otherwise, you may perhaps be found fighters actually against God.”—Acts 5:38, 39.
10. (a) What does “the mark” on those of the great crowd mean? (b) How do God’s servants obey the “voice out of heaven”?
10 Those of the great crowd are pictured as being marked for survival. (Ezekiel 9:4-6) “The mark” is the evidence that they are dedicated to Jehovah, baptized as disciples of Jesus, and involved in cultivating a Christlike personality. They obey the “voice out of heaven” that says regarding Satan’s worldwide empire of false religion: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.”—Revelation 18:1-5.
11. In what important way do those of the great crowd demonstrate that they are Jehovah’s servants?
11 Also, Jesus told his followers: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) In contrast, members of this world’s religions kill other members in war, often just because they are of different nationalities! God’s Word states: “The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Everyone who does not carry on righteousness does not originate with God, neither does he who does not love his brother. . . . We should have love for one another; not like Cain, who originated with the wicked one and slaughtered his brother.”—1 John 3:10-12.
12. At the great tribulation, how will Jehovah deal with religious ‘trees’ that produce worthless fruitage?
12 Jesus declared: “Every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit; a good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, neither can a rotten tree produce fine fruit. Every tree not producing fine fruit gets cut down and thrown into the fire. Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men.” (Matthew 7:17-20) The fruitage produced by this world’s religions identifies them as rotten ‘trees,’ soon to be destroyed by Jehovah at the great tribulation.—Revelation 17:16.
13. How do the great crowd demonstrate that they are unitedly “standing before the throne” of Jehovah?
13 Revelation 7:9-15 draws attention to factors that lead to the preservation of the great crowd. They are shown unitedly “standing before the throne” of Jehovah, upholding his universal sovereignty. They have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” showing that they recognize the sin-atoning sacrifice of Jesus. (John 1:29) They have dedicated themselves to God and have symbolized this by water immersion. So they enjoy a clean standing before God, pictured by the white robes, and render him “sacred service day and night.” Are there ways you can bring your life more fully into line with what is here described?
Benefits Now
14. What are some of the unique benefits that come to Jehovah’s servants even now?
14 Likely you have observed the unique benefits that even now come to those serving Jehovah. As an example, when you learned about Jehovah’s righteous purposes, you understood that there was a bright hope for the future. So now you have a real purpose in life—to serve the true God with the joyful prospect of eternal life on a paradise earth. Yes, the King Jesus Christ “will guide [the great crowd] to fountains of waters of life.”—Revelation 7:17.
15. How are Jehovah’s Witnesses benefited by holding to Bible principles regarding political and moral matters?
15 A marvelous benefit enjoyed by the great crowd is the love, unity, and harmony found among Jehovah’s servants earth wide. Since we all feed on the same spiritual food, we all obey the same laws and principles found in God’s Word. That is why we are not divided by political or national ideologies. Too, we maintain the high moral standards that God requires of his people. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Thus, rather than experiencing the strife, disunity, and immorality prevalent in the world, Jehovah’s people enjoy what can be called a spiritual paradise. Note how this is described at Isaiah 65:13, 14.
16. Despite problems common to life, those of the great crowd have what hope?
16 No, Jehovah’s human servants are not perfect. And they are affected by problems common to life in this world, such as falling on hard times or becoming innocent victims in the wars of the nations. They also face sickness, suffering, and death. But they have faith that in the new world, God “will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”—Revelation 21:4.
17. Regardless of what may happen to us now, what marvelous future is in store for those who worship the true God?
17 Even if you lose your life now because of old age, sickness, an accident, or persecution, Jehovah will resurrect you to life in Paradise. (Acts 24:15) Then you will continue to enjoy a spiritual feast during the Millennial Reign of Christ. Your love of God will deepen as you see his purposes come to glorious realization. And the physical blessings that Jehovah will then provide will further deepen your love for him. (Isaiah 25:6-9) What a marvelous future is in store for God’s people!
Review Discussion
• With what extraordinary event does the Bible associate the great crowd?
• If we really want to be included in that divinely favored great crowd, what must we do now?
• How important to you are the blessings that the great crowd now enjoys and will yet enjoy in God’s new world?
[Picture on page 123]
Millions of the great crowd unitedly worship the true God |
Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 109
Jesus Denounces His Opposers
JESUS has so thoroughly confounded his religious opposers that they fear to ask him anything further. So he takes the initiative to expose their ignorance. “What do you think about the Christ?” he inquires. “Whose son is he?”
“David’s,” the Pharisees answer.
Although Jesus does not deny that David is the physical ancestor of the Christ, or Messiah, he asks: “How, then, is it that David by inspiration [at Psalm 110] calls him ‘Lord,’ saying, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies beneath your feet”’? If, therefore, David calls him ‘Lord,’ how is he his son?”
The Pharisees are silent, for they do not know the true identity of the Christ, or anointed one. The Messiah is not simply a human descendant of David, as the Pharisees apparently believe, but he existed in heaven and was David’s superior, or Lord.
Turning now to the crowds and to his disciples, Jesus warns about the scribes and the Pharisees. Since these teach God’s Law, having “seated themselves in the seat of Moses,” Jesus urges: “All the things they tell you, do and observe.” But he adds: “Do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform.”
They are hypocrites, and Jesus denounces them in much the same language that he did while dining in the house of a Pharisee months earlier. “All the works they do,” he says, “they do to be viewed by men.” And he provides examples, noting:
“They broaden the scripture-containing cases that they wear as safeguards.” These relatively small cases, worn on the forehead or on the arm, contain four portions of the Law: Exodus 13:1-10, 11-16; and Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21. But the Pharisees increase the size of these cases to give the impression that they are zealous about the Law.
Jesus continues that they “enlarge the fringes of their garments.” At Numbers 15:38-40 the Israelites are commanded to make fringes on their garments, but the Pharisees make theirs larger than anyone else does. Everything is done for show! “They like the most prominent place,” Jesus declares.
Sadly, his own disciples have been affected by this desire for prominence. So he counsels: “But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your teacher, whereas all you are brothers. Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father, the heavenly One. Neither be called ‘leaders,’ for your Leader is one, the Christ.” The disciples must rid themselves of the desire to be number one! “The greatest one among you must be your minister,” Jesus admonishes.
He next pronounces a series of woes on the scribes and the Pharisees, repeatedly calling them hypocrites. They “shut up the kingdom of the heavens before men,” he says, and “they are the ones devouring the houses of the widows and for a pretext making long prayers.”
“Woe to you, blind guides,” Jesus says. He condemns the Pharisees’ lack of spiritual values, evidenced by the arbitrary distinctions they make. For example, they say, ‘It is nothing if anyone swears by the temple, but one is under obligation if he swears by the gold of the temple.’ By their putting more emphasis on the gold of the temple than on the spiritual value of that place of worship, they reveal their moral blindness.
Then, as he did earlier, Jesus condemns the Pharisees for neglecting “the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness” while giving great attention to paying a tithe, or tenth part, of insignificant herbs.
Jesus calls the Pharisees “blind guides, who strain out the gnat but gulp down the camel!” They strain a gnat from their wine not simply because it is an insect but because it is ceremonially unclean. Yet, their disregarding the weightier matters of the Law is comparable to swallowing a camel, also a ceremonially unclean animal. Matthew 22:41–23:24; Mark 12:35-40; Luke 20:41-47; Leviticus 11:4, 21-24.
▪ Why are the Pharisees silent when Jesus questions them about what David said in Psalm 110?
▪ Why do the Pharisees enlarge their Scripture-containing cases and the fringes on their garments?
▪ What counsel does Jesus give his disciples?
▪ What arbitrary distinctions do the Pharisees make, and how does Jesus condemn them for neglecting weightier matters? |
Honesty Brings True Success | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102012004 | Honesty Brings True Success
“Even when a person has an abundance his life does not result from the things he possesses.”—Luke 12:15.
EARNING income is a necessary part of life. We have a responsibility before God to provide for ourselves and our families.—1 Timothy 5:8.
But what if obtaining money and the things it can buy becomes more than just a means of sustaining life? What if it becomes your purpose in life? Those whose primary objective is to gain wealth find it easier to resort to dishonesty to get it. They may not realize until it is too late that dishonesty robs them of true success. Furthermore, as the Bible says, the love of money causes many pains.—1 Timothy 6:9, 10.
Consider the following four examples of individuals who define success as more than accumulating wealth.
Self-Respect
“Several years ago I interviewed a prospective client who wanted to purchase a million-dollar life insurance policy. My commission would have been thousands of dollars. He told me that to gain his business, I would have to give him half of my commission. What he was asking was not only unethical but also illegal, and I told him so.
“I tried to reason with him by asking if he would really want to give his confidential personal and financial information to someone who was dishonest. I restated my position and told him to contact me if he wanted me as his agent. I never heard from him again.
“If I had agreed to his offer, my personal integrity would have been undermined and my self-respect as a Christian shattered. I would have become the slave of the man who manipulated me to participate in a dishonest scheme.”—Don, U.S.A.
Peace of Mind
As related in the opening article in this series, Danny was offered a large bribe if he would lie about the capability of a potential supplier’s factory. How did he respond?
“I thanked the manager for his hospitality in providing dinner and then returned the envelope containing the money. He pressed further and said that if his factory passed our evaluation, he would add even more. I refused.
“If I had accepted the money, I would have constantly been in fear of discovery. Later, my boss somehow found out about the incident. I was so happy and relieved that I had done nothing dishonest. Proverbs 15:27 came to my mind: ‘The one making unjust profit is bringing ostracism upon his own house, but the hater of gifts [or bribes] is the one that will keep living.’”—Danny, Hong Kong.
Family Happiness
“I am self-employed in the construction industry. There are many opportunities to cheat customers or evade paying taxes. But my family and I have benefited from my determination to remain honest.
“Being honest involves one’s entire life, not just time at work or in business. Knowing that your husband or wife will not compromise God’s standards of honesty brings an added level of trust into the family. Your mate feels secure knowing that integrity is not something you put on and take off when convenient.
“You could own the largest company in the world and not be able to buy relief from family problems. As one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I find that following Bible principles keeps life balanced. I have time to enjoy my family without being marched along to the beat of this world controlled by dollars and greed.”—Durwin, U.S.A.
A Good Relationship With God
“My work includes purchasing supplies for my company. Sales agents sometimes propose that instead of giving my company the full discount allowable, they will give me a percentage of whatever amount my company purchases. But this would be a form of stealing from my company.
“I earn only a modest income, and I could use the additional money. But nothing can compare to having a clean conscience and an approved standing before Jehovah God. So in every transaction, I follow the Bible principle found at Hebrews 13:18: ‘We wish to conduct ourselves honestly in all things.’”—Raquel, Philippines.
[Box/Pictures on page 9]
Principles of Honest Business
Accepted standards of business ethics vary from place to place. However, Bible principles can be used as a foundation for ethical decision-making. Honest business practices have the following six characteristics:
Truthful
Principle: “Do not be lying to one another.”—Colossians 3:9.
Dependable
Principle: “Just let your word Yes mean Yes, your No, No.”—Matthew 5:37.
Trustworthy
Principle: “Do not reveal the confidential talk of another.”—Proverbs 25:9.
Honest
Principle: “You are not to accept a bribe, for the bribe blinds clear-sighted men.”—Exodus 23:8.
Fair
Principle: “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them.”—Matthew 7:12.
Legal
Principle: “Render to all their dues, to him who calls for the tax, the tax.”—Romans 13:7.
[Box/Pictures on page 9]
How to Maintain Your Integrity in Business
● Determine Your Priorities. For example, how important to you is gaining wealth compared with maintaining a good standing with God?
● Decide in Advance. Anticipate situations that will challenge your honesty, and plan how you will respond.
● Make Your Position Known. At the beginning of a new business relationship, tactfully let others know your standards.
● Seek Support From Others. When facing a temptation or an ethical dilemma, ask for advice from someone who shares your values.
[Picture on page 8]
If you are honest, you will have peace of mind |
The Stork—A “Loyal” Bird | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101990005 | The Stork—A “Loyal” Bird
By Awake! correspondent in Spain
THE stork—traditional harbinger of spring, babies, and good fortune—has long held a special place in man’s myths and affections. Its graceful flight, its affinity for human settlements, and its useful role in controlling agricultural pests have all contributed to its popular image.
But perhaps its most endearing feature is its faithfulness—faithfulness to its nest, to which it returns every year, and loyalty to its mate, with which it forms a lifelong bond. In fact, its name in Hebrew means “loyal one” or “one of loving-kindness” because, as the Talmud explains, it is a creature distinguished for treating its mate with affection.
Thanks to this popular image, nearly two hundred years ago the stork was a protected species in Holland and, reportedly, tame storks could be seen strutting around the fish market of The Hague. It was later made the national bird of Germany. And nowadays, in many European towns, platforms are erected on roofs to encourage this friendly bird to nest on them. Storks are welcome neighbors!
Comings and Goings
Some European storks winter in West Africa south of the Sahara, while others travel as far as South Africa. They start the long journey south in August. As they are not strong fliers, the journey is done in stages. They prefer to migrate in groups of varying size, and often all the storks in a certain area will join up before departing on their migration. Being among the earliest migratory birds to return north, they arrive back at their nests in February or March.
Because of their size—they have a wingspan of about six feet [1.8 m]—and their dependability, migrating storks have always attracted attention. Large flocks punctually pass through Palestine in autumn and spring. More than 2,500 years ago, the prophet Jeremiah called attention to this fact, accurately describing the stork as a bird who “knows the time to migrate.”—Jeremiah 8:7, The New English Bible.
The distance they travel every year—a round-trip of over ten thousand miles [16,000 km] in some cases—is remarkable, all the more so considering that they glide most of the way. Like the large birds of prey, they rely on thermals, rising bodies of hot air, to gain altitude, after which they take advantage of their broad wings to glide effortlessly for long distances, only rarely beating their wings.
A unique feature of the storks’ migration is their passage across the Mediterranean. They prefer not to travel over water, where thermals are absent. Thus, every August thousands of storks congregate to make the crossing at the two points where the distance over the water is the shortest (the Strait of Gibraltar and the Bosporus). Surprisingly, the long journey across the Sahara Desert does not daunt them as much as the nine-mile [14 km] stretch of water separating Spain and Africa, which can take them as much as five hours.
The Extraordinary Nest
Storks favor a nesting place in a prominent place, such as the top of a tall tree, although they will sometimes make do with a modern-day counterpart, an electrical pole. In Biblical times, they often built their “house” in juniper trees.—Psalm 104:17.
But for centuries, rooftops, churches, and chimneys throughout Europe have been favorite nesting sites. Both the male and the female bird patiently build the nest, an extraordinary structure that may well look as if it will topple off its perch at any moment. But appearances can be deceptive, and the large nests are rarely dislodged even during the most violent storms. So durable are the nests that the storks on returning each year usually just spend a week or so making minimal repairs to their home.
This repair work, which involves adding twigs and other material, is usually done by both storks as soon as they arrive from their winter quarters. And eventually, it is this repair work that brings about the nest’s demise—it just collapses under its own weight. By that time the nest may well be as much as seven feet [2 m] high and three or more feet [a meter or more] in diameter.
Just as the parents return to their nest every spring, so the offspring try to find a site as near as possible to their place of hatching. Thus, some old buildings become host to a dozen or more enormous nests, all occupied by descendants of one original pair.
The Current Plight of the Stork
Despite attempts to make the stork feel welcome in many European towns, its future looks bleak. Last century there were some 500 nests in Switzerland, but now only a handful remain. A similar gloomy picture emerges from Sweden, Holland, Denmark, and Germany, where their numbers are decreasing alarmingly. In Spain, where they are still a common sight, occupied nests have been reduced by half in just ten years. The whole European population is now estimated to be only from 10,000 to 20,000 pairs. What is happening to one of man’s favorite birds?
Apparently, many factors are involved, but most of them are related to man’s destruction of the environment. In their wintering grounds in Africa, storks are often hunted and killed for food: an ecological tragedy, as the storks spend the winter months gorging on the locust swarms that do so much damage to vital African crops. Meanwhile, in Europe infertile eggs, caused by widespread use of pesticides, and the loss of feeding grounds have resulted in fewer offspring being reared each year. Furthermore, power lines are a lethal hazard for many large birds, and trigger-happy hunters are responsible for the death of many others.
Conservationists are making efforts to protect the stork, but a successful program will depend on the cooperation of many nations, something that is not easy to achieve. Lovers of God’s creation trust that the time will never come when the majestic wings of the stork disappear from our skies, when spring is no longer heralded by this neighborly and loyal bird.
[Box on page 16]
Storks and Babies
For centuries, children have been told that babies are brought by storks, and storks still feature prominently on cards congratulating parents on the birth of a baby. Where did the story originate?
Apparently, the idea is based on two legends. Years ago, people noticed that storks appeared seemingly miraculously each year at the same time. Some thought that they went to Egypt during the winter months and became men, only to revert to being birds in the spring (this explained their attachment to human dwellings).
It was also noticed that storks spent most of the day feeding in marshy areas, which were said to be the dwelling place of the souls of newborn babies. As storks were birds that were most solicitous parents, it did not require too much imagination for people to instruction fact and fiction and come up with the notion that babies were brought by storks.
[Picture on page 14]
[Picture on pages 16, 17]
[Picture Credit Line on page 15]
Godo-Foto
[Picture Credit Line on page 16]
Godo-Foto |
When a Loved One Dies | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501100015 | When a Loved One Dies
There are practical things that can help you ease the pain of grieving.
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Truth (tr)
1981 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/tr | input Page/Publishers’ Page
The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life
Dedicated to the God Who Is Gracious to All Those Who Seek His Life-giving Truth
Revised in 1981 |
Will God Answer My Prayers? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502013103 | Will God Answer My Prayers?
The Bible’s answer
Yes, he will. Both the Bible and real-life experience show that God answers prayers. The Bible says: “The desire of those fearing [God] he will perform, and their cry for help he will hear, and he will save them.” (Psalm 145:19) But whether God will answer you when you pray is largely up to you.
What matters to God
Praying to God, not to Jesus, Mary, saints, angels, or images. Only Jehovah God is the “Hearer of prayer.”—Psalm 65:2.
Praying in harmony with God’s will, or requirements, which are found in the Bible.—1 John 5:14.
Praying in Jesus’ name, recognizing his authority. “No one comes to the Father except through me,” said Jesus.—John 14:6.
Praying in faith, asking for more faith if needed.—Matthew 21:22; Luke 17:5.
Being humble and sincere. The Bible says: “Jehovah is high, and yet the humble one he sees.”—Psalm 138:6.
Being persistent. Jesus said: “Keep on asking, and it will be given you.”—Luke 11:9.
What doesn’t matter to God
Your race or nationality. “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”—Acts 10:34, 35.
Your bodily position or posture. You can pray to God while sitting, bowing, kneeling, or standing.—1 Chronicles 17:16; Nehemiah 8:6; Daniel 6:10; Mark 11:25.
Whether you pray aloud or silently. God answers even silent prayers that others aren’t aware of.—Nehemiah 2:1-6.
Whether your concerns are weighty or trivial. God encourages you to “throw all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:7. |
What Is the Kingdom of God? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502012120 | What Is the Kingdom of God?
The Bible’s answer
God’s Kingdom is a real government established by Jehovah God. “The kingdom of God” is also called “the kingdom of heaven” in the Bible, since it rules from heaven. (Mark 1:14, 15; Matthew 4:17, King James Version) It shares many attributes of human governments, yet it is superior to them in every way.
Rulers. God has appointed Jesus Christ as King of the Kingdom and has given him more authority than any human ruler could ever have. (Matthew 28:18) Jesus uses this power only for good, since he has already proved to be a reliable and compassionate Leader. (Matthew 4:23; Mark 1:40, 41; 6:31-34; Luke 7:11-17) Under God’s direction, Jesus has selected persons from all nations who will “rule as kings over the earth” with him in heaven.—Revelation 5:9, 10.
Duration. Unlike human governments, which come and go, God’s Kingdom “will never be brought to ruin.”—Daniel 2:44.
Subjects. Anyone who does what God requires can be a subject of God’s Kingdom, without regard for ancestry or birthplace.—Acts 10:34, 35.
Laws. The laws (or commandments) of God’s Kingdom do more than just prohibit wrong behavior. They raise the moral character of its subjects. For example, the Bible says: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39) Love of God and neighbor moves subjects of the Kingdom to act in the best interests of others.
Education. While God’s Kingdom sets high standards for its subjects, it also teaches people how to meet those standards.—Isaiah 48:17, 18.
Mission. The Kingdom of God doesn’t enrich its rulers at the expense of its subjects. Instead, it will accomplish God’s will, including the promise that those who love him will live forever on a paradise earth.—Isaiah 35:1, 5, 6; Matthew 6:10; Revelation 21:1-4. |
STUDY ARTICLE 1
“Those Seeking Jehovah Will Lack Nothing Good” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2022240 | STUDY ARTICLE 1
“Those Seeking Jehovah Will Lack Nothing Good”
OUR YEARTEXT FOR 2022: “Those seeking Jehovah will lack nothing good.”—PS. 34:10.
SONG 4 “Jehovah Is My Shepherd”
PREVIEWa
David felt that he ‘lacked nothing good’ even during difficult times (See paragraphs 1-3)d
1. What difficult situation did David find himself in?
DAVID was running for his life. Saul, the powerful king of Israel, was determined to put him to death. When David needed provisions, he stopped at the city of Nob, where he made a modest request for five loaves of bread. (1 Sam. 21:1, 3) Later, he and his men found refuge in a cave. (1 Sam. 22:1) How did David come to be in this situation?
2. How did Saul put himself in a dangerous position? (1 Samuel 23:16, 17)
2 Saul was insanely jealous of David’s popularity and military victories. Saul also knew that his own disobedience had led to Jehovah’s rejecting him as king of Israel and that Jehovah had selected David for the throne. (Read 1 Samuel 23:16, 17.) Still, as king of Israel, Saul had a large army and many supporters, so David had to flee for his life. Did Saul really think that he could fight against God’s expressed purpose for David? (Isa. 55:11) The Bible does not say, but we can be sure of one thing: Saul was putting himself in a dangerous position. Those who fight against God always lose!
3. How did David feel despite his circumstances?
3 David was not an ambitious man. He did not choose to become the king of Israel. Jehovah assigned that role to him. (1 Sam. 16:1, 12, 13) Saul came to view David as a mortal enemy. But David did not blame Jehovah for the danger he was in; nor did he complain about having a limited food supply and a cave for shelter. On the contrary, it might have been while he was hiding in that very cave that he composed the beautiful song of praise that includes the words of our theme text: “Those seeking Jehovah will lack nothing good.”—Ps. 34:10.
4. What questions will we consider, and why are they important?
4 Today many of Jehovah’s servants have experienced a shortage of food and other necessities of life.b This has been especially true during the recent pandemic. And with the “great tribulation” looming, we can expect to face even more difficult times. (Matt. 24:21) With those facts in mind, let us answer four questions: In what way did David “lack nothing good”? Why must we learn to be output? Why can we be confident that Jehovah will care for us? And how can we prepare now for the future?
“I WILL LACK NOTHING”
5-6. How does Psalm 23:1-6 help us understand what David meant when he said that God’s servants would “lack nothing good”?
5 What did David mean when he said that Jehovah’s servants would “lack nothing good”? We can get an idea by considering the similar wording found in the 23rd Psalm. (Read Psalm 23:1-6.) David introduces that psalm with the words: “Jehovah is my Shepherd. I will lack nothing.” In the rest of the psalm, David mentions things that are truly of lasting value—the abundant spiritual blessings he enjoys by accepting Jehovah as his Shepherd. Jehovah leads him “in the paths of righteousness,” and He loyally supports David in good times and in bad times. David acknowledges that his life in Jehovah’s “grassy pastures” will not be trouble free. At times, he may get discouraged, as if walking “in the valley of deep shadow,” and he will have enemies. But with Jehovah as his Shepherd, David will “fear no harm.”
6 So here we have the answer to our question: In what way did David “lack nothing good”? Spiritually speaking, he had everything he needed. His happiness was not dependent on material things. David was satisfied with what Jehovah provided. What mattered most to him was the blessing and the protection of his God.
7. According to Luke 21:20-24, what challenging situation did the first-century Judean Christians face?
7 From David’s words we can see how important it is for us to have a proper view of material things. We can certainly enjoy whatever material possessions we have, but we should not make them the focus of our life. That was a vital truth that first-century Christians living in Judea came to understand. (Read Luke 21:20-24.) Jesus had warned them that the time would come when the city of Jerusalem would be “surrounded by encamped armies.” When that occurred, they needed to “begin fleeing to the mountains.” Their flight would lead to their salvation, but it would come at a high cost. Some years ago, The Watchtower put it this way: “They left fields and homes, not even gathering their possessions from their houses. Confident of the protection and support of Jehovah, they put his worship ahead of everything else that might seem important.”
8. What sobering lesson can we learn from what happened to the first-century Christians living in Judea?
8 What sobering lesson can we learn from what happened to the first-century Christians living in Judea? The Watchtower just mentioned said: “There may be tests ahead as to how we view material things; are they the most important thing, or is the salvation that will come for all on God’s side more important? Yes, our fleeing may involve some hardships and deprivations. We will have to be ready to do whatever it takes, as did our first-century counterparts who fled from Judea.”c
9. What encouragement do you derive from the apostle Paul’s counsel to the Hebrews?
9 Can you imagine how difficult it was for those Christians to leave almost everything they had and start over? It took faith on their part to rely on Jehovah for their basic needs. But they were not without help. Five years before the Romans surrounded Jerusalem, the apostle Paul gave the Hebrews some valuable advice: “Let your way of life be free of the love of money, while you are output with the present things. For he has said: ‘I will never leave you, and I will never abandon you.’ So that we may be of good courage and say: ‘Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Heb. 13:5, 6) No doubt those who took to heart Paul’s advice before the Roman invasion found it easier to adapt to what might have been a modest lifestyle in their new home. They were certain that Jehovah would care for their basic needs. Paul’s words assure us that we can have the same confidence.
“WE WILL BE output WITH THESE THINGS”
10. What “secret” does Paul share with us?
10 Paul gave similar counsel to Timothy and, by extension, to us. He wrote: “So, having food and clothing, we will be output with these things.” (1 Tim. 6:8) Does this mean that we cannot enjoy a fine meal, have a decent place to live, or purchase new clothing from time to time? That is not the point Paul is making. Paul is saying that we should be output with whatever we have materially. (Phil. 4:12) That was Paul’s “secret.” Our most precious possession is our relationship with our God, not any material thing that we own.—Hab. 3:17, 18.
The Israelites “lacked nothing” during their 40 years in the wilderness. Can we be output with what we have now? (See paragraph 11)e
11. What lesson about outputment do we learn from Moses’ words to the Israelites?
11 There may be a difference between our view and Jehovah’s view of what we need. Consider what Moses told the Israelites after they had spent 40 years in the wilderness: “Jehovah your God has blessed you in all that you have done. He is fully aware of your walking through this great wilderness. These 40 years Jehovah your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing.” (Deut. 2:7) During those 40 years, Jehovah provided the Israelites with manna to eat. Their clothes—the very clothes with which they had left Egypt—never wore out. (Deut. 8:3, 4) Although some might have viewed these as modest provisions, Moses reminded the Israelites that they had everything they needed. Jehovah will be pleased if we can learn to be output—to appreciate even the simple provisions he makes available, viewing them as a blessing and giving thanks for them.
BE CONFIDENT THAT JEHOVAH WILL CARE FOR YOU
12. What shows that David’s confidence was in Jehovah, not in himself?
12 David knew that Jehovah is loyal and cares deeply for those who love Him. Even though his life was in danger when he composed the 34th Psalm, with eyes of faith, David saw “the angel of Jehovah” camping “all around” him. (Ps. 34:7) Perhaps David was comparing Jehovah’s angel to a soldier camping in the field, always on the alert for the enemy. Although he himself was a mighty man of war and Jehovah had promised him the kingship, David did not rely on his ability to sling a stone or to wield a sword to defeat the enemy. (1 Sam. 16:13; 24:12) David put his trust in God, confident that Jehovah’s angel ‘rescues those fearing Him.’ Of course, we do not expect to receive miraculous protection today. But we know that no one who puts his trust in Jehovah will suffer everlasting harm.
During the great tribulation, Gog of Magog’s forces may try to assault us in our homes. But we can take comfort in knowing that Jesus and his angels are aware of what is happening and will defend us (See paragraph 13)
13. When Gog of Magog attacks, why will we appear to be vulnerable, but what reason for confidence will we have? (See cover picture.)
13 In the near future, our trust in Jehovah’s ability to protect us will be put to the test. When Gog of Magog, a coalition of nations, attacks God’s people, our lives will appear to be in danger. We will need to be convinced that Jehovah can and will deliver us. To the nations, we will seem like defenseless sheep with no one to protect us. (Ezek. 38:10-12) We will be unarmed, untrained in warfare. The nations will see us as easy targets. They will not see what we see with our eyes of faith—a host of angels camped all around God’s people, ready to defend us. How could the nations see them? They have no spiritual vision. What a surprise is in store for them when the heavenly armies come to our aid!—Rev. 19:11, 14, 15.
PREPARE NOW FOR THE FUTURE
14. What steps can we take now to prepare for the future?
14 What can we do now to prepare for the future? First of all, we need to have a proper view of material things, realizing that one day we will have to part with what we have. We also need to be output and to find our greatest joy in our relationship with Jehovah. The better we get to know our God, the more convinced we will be of his ability to protect us when Gog of Magog attacks.
15. What early experiences taught David that Jehovah would never disappoint him?
15 Consider what else helped David and can help us to prepare for trials. David said: “Taste and see that Jehovah is good; happy is the man who takes refuge in him.” (Ps. 34:8) Those words explain why David knew that he could count on Jehovah’s support. David often relied on Jehovah, and his God never disappointed him. When young, David faced the Philistine giant Goliath and told that formidable warrior: “This very day Jehovah will surrender you into my hand.” (1 Sam. 17:46) Later, David was in the service of a king, Saul, who tried a number of times to murder him. But “Jehovah was with” David. (1 Sam. 18:12) Because David had experienced Jehovah’s help in the past, David knew he could count on Him during his present trials.
16. In what practical ways can we “taste” Jehovah’s goodness?
16 The more we look to Jehovah for guidance now, the more confident we will be in his ability to deliver us in the future. It takes faith and a willingness to rely on Jehovah to ask our employer for time off so that we can attend an assembly or a convention or to ask for an adjusted work schedule so that we can attend all our meetings and spend more time in the ministry. Suppose our employer refuses our request and we lose our job. Do we have faith that Jehovah will never leave us or abandon us and that he will always supply our basic needs? (Heb. 13:5) Many who are in full-time service can relate experiences that show how Jehovah came to their aid when they needed him most. Jehovah is faithful.
17. What is the yeartext for 2022, and why is it appropriate?
17 With Jehovah on our side, we have no reason to fear the days ahead. Our God will never forsake us as long as we put his interests first in our lives. To remind us of the need to prepare now for the difficult days ahead and to trust that Jehovah will never forsake us, the Governing Body has chosen Psalm 34:10 as our yeartext for 2022: “Those seeking Jehovah will lack nothing good.”
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
In what sense can it be said that we “lack nothing good”?
What “secret” does Paul share with us?
What steps can we take now to prepare for the future?
SONG 38 He Will Make You Strong
a Our yeartext for 2022 is taken from Psalm 34:10: “Those seeking Jehovah will lack nothing good.” Many of Jehovah’s faithful servants have very little materially. How can it be said that they “lack nothing good”? And how can understanding the meaning of this verse help us to prepare for the difficult times to come?
b See “Questions From Readers” in the September 15, 2014, issue of The Watchtower.
c See the May 1, 1999, issue of The Watchtower, p. 19.
d PICTURE DESCRIPTION: Even while hiding in a cave to escape from King Saul, David was appreciative of Jehovah’s provisions.
e PICTURE DESCRIPTION: After the Israelites left Egypt, Jehovah provided them with manna to eat and kept their clothes from wearing out. |
Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 5
Jesus’ Birth—Where and When?
THE emperor of the Roman Empire, Caesar Augustus, has decreed that everyone must return to the city of his birth to be registered. So Joseph travels to his birthplace, the city of Bethlehem.
A lot of people are in Bethlehem to register, and the only place that Joseph and Mary can find to stay is in a stable. Here, where donkeys and other animals are kept, Jesus is born. Mary wraps him in strips of cloth and lays him in a manger, the place that holds the food for the animals.
Surely it was at God’s direction that Caesar Augustus made his registration law. This made it possible for Jesus to be born in Bethlehem, the city the Scriptures had long before foretold would be the birthplace of the promised ruler.
What an important night this is! Out in the fields a bright light gleams around a group of shepherds. It is Jehovah’s glory! And Jehovah’s angel tells them: “Have no fear, for, look! I am declaring to you good news of a great joy that all the people will have, because there was born to you today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, in David’s city. And this is a sign for you: you will find an infant bound in cloth bands and lying in a manger.” Suddenly many more angels appear and sing: “Glory in the heights above to God, and upon earth peace among men of goodwill.”
When the angels leave, the shepherds say to one another: “Let us by all means go clear to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which Jehovah has made known to us.” They go in a hurry and find Jesus just where the angel said they would. When the shepherds relate what the angel told them, all who hear about it marvel. Mary safeguards all these sayings and cherishes them in her heart.
Many people today believe that Jesus was born on December 25. But December is a rainy, cold season in Bethlehem. Shepherds would not be out in the fields overnight with their flocks at that time of the year. Also, the Roman Caesar would not likely have required a people who were already inclined to revolt against him to make that trip in the dead of winter to register. Evidently Jesus was born sometime in the early autumn of the year. Luke 2:1-20; Micah 5:2.
▪ Why do Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem?
▪ What marvelous thing happens the night Jesus is born?
▪ How do we know that Jesus was not born on December 25? |
Young People Ask, Volume 2 (yp2)
2008 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp2 | Role Model—Lydia
Although she is a new believer, Lydia takes the initiative to show hospitality to Paul and his companions. (Acts 16:14, 15) As a result, she has the privilege of enjoying the company of these disciples. After Paul and Silas are released from prison, where do they go? Right back to the home of Lydia!—Acts 16:40.
Like Lydia, can you take the initiative to get to know others? How can you do so? Start small. Work on talking to one person at a time. You could make it a goal to start a conversation with one person each time you attend a Christian meeting. Try to smile. If you don’t know what to say, ask questions or share something about yourself. Be a good listener. In time, you may be inclined to say more. People often respond to sincere words that are kind and pleasant. (Proverbs 16:24) Because of her friendly and hospitable nature, Lydia was blessed with good friends. If you imitate her example, you will be too! |
From Our Readers | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102000012 | From Our Readers
Vasco da Gama I enjoyed tremendously the article “The Remarkable Voyage of Vasco da Gama.” (March 22, 1999) It was well illustrated and informative. You state that he had three little ships on his voyage, but there were actually four. Also, you say that Da Gama returned to Lisbon on September 8, 1499. However, he arrived toward the end of August.
P. N., Kenya
It is true that Da Gama’s journey began with four ships. However, the part of the voyage described in the introduction took place after the fourth ship was destroyed. As to the date of his arrival in Lisbon, most sources place it in early September. Interestingly, “Portugal and the Discoveries” states: “Vasco da Gama arrived on or near August 29th, being received by the King with all due ceremony on September 8th.” This may reconcile the seeming discrepancy.—ED.
Crossword Puzzles I want to write you about the crossword puzzles in Awake! I enjoy them because they keep my brain occupied, and at age 78, one needs to keep the mind active. When we read the Bible, our minds do not usually store such detailed information as is presented in the puzzles. So I take the time to look up all the cited scriptures. Thank you for this feature.
J. W., United States
Comenius I am teaching a group of adults to read. Your excellent article “Comenius—The Grandfather of Modern Education” (May 8, 1999) helped me to understand why some have difficulty learning. The information in the accompanying box, “Some Teaching Principles of John Comenius,” will be very useful.
N. A. F., Brazil
Thank you for the informative article. I learned more about Comenius from four pages of Awake! than I had from ten lectures during my course of study at the university.
H. P., Germany
Native American Bible When I read the article “Native Americans and the Bible” (May 8, 1999), my interest was especially stirred by your references to John Eliot’s Bible for the Massachusett Indians. My husband and I saw a copy of that Bible on a visit to the Huntington Library, in San Marino, California. It was opened to the book of Psalms, and the name Jehovah could be seen repeatedly. What a thrill it was for us to see God’s name in this 17th-century Bible!
B. J., United States
Child Labor Thank you for the series “Child Labor—Its End in Sight!” (May 22, 1999) When I first saw the cover, my honest opinion was that the articles had nothing to do with my country. But once I started reading, I couldn’t stop. To put it more plainly, I was horrified. I recently bought a hand-sewn teddy bear for a fraction of what it would have cost if it had been made in Japan. It is heartrending to think that behind its cheap price may be the heartless treatment of small children.
S. O., Japan
Weight I am ten years old. Thank you for the article “Young People Ask . . . How Can I Conquer My Obsession With Weight?” (May 22, 1999) I have always thought that I was too heavy. By reading this article, I came to understand that a person’s figure is not the main thing. More important are a person’s qualities.
M. S., Russia |
She Was Amazed at the Results | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500200124 | She Was Amazed at the Results
A single mother named Desicar wanted to expand her ministry by becoming a regular pioneer. She lives in a country that faces many economic troubles—Venezuela. Yet, she was determined to start pioneering, and she did. She was happy about that, but then the COVID-19 pandemic began.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Desicar had trouble adapting her ministry to the new circumstances. Writing letters was challenging for her. Also, she could not use videoconferencing in her ministry because Internet service is very expensive in her area. “I was disheartened,” she says. “My ministry became limited overnight. I thought I wasn’t being effective as a regular pioneer.”
Then, in January 2021, the branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Venezuela approved a special preaching campaign. Arrangements were made for some 60 radio stations and 7 television channels to broadcast selected public Bible talks during all five weekends of that month. Witnesses were encouraged to invite interested people to tune in. The branch also provided questions and scriptures related to each talk, which our brothers and sisters could use in their letters and phone conversations. In addition, the branch highlighted the use of text messaging in the ministry—a new method of preaching for many Witnesses in Venezuela.
Desicar was excited to share in the campaign. Although she had never used text messaging to give a witness, she decided to give it a try. Yet, she needed help. “I’m not good with technology,” admits Desicar. So she asked her daughter to teach her, and with just a few lessons, Desicar was ready to share in the campaign.
Desicar
By using the texting feature on her phone, Desicar invited many of her acquaintances to listen to the prerecorded talks. She was amazed at the results. A good number of her contacts listened to the talks and asked questions. Others could not tune in but asked Desicar what had been discussed in the talks. “I prepared a summary of my notes and shared it with them,” says Desicar. “I’ve never made more than 5 return visits in a month, but at the end of the campaign, I had made 112!”a
Desicar also invited her unbelieving sister—who lives next door to her—to listen to the talks on the radio. “To my surprise, my sister agreed,” says Desicar. “Each Sunday at 8:00 a.m., I went to her apartment, and we listened together. She had many questions, both during and after the program.” Desicar’s sister also attended the Memorial of Jesus’ death via videoconferencing, and she allowed Desicar to use her Internet connection in the ministry.
“I am so grateful to Jehovah,” says Desicar. “I also thank my congregation elders for being so encouraging to me. They helped me regain my joy in the ministry.” (Jeremiah 15:16) Desicar continues pioneering and following up on the interest she found through text messaging.
a Jehovah’s Witnesses carry out their ministry in compliance with applicable data protection laws. |
From Our Readers | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101996008 | From Our Readers
Alpine Iceman I just finished reading “The Mystery of the Alpine Iceman.” (May 8, 1995) I must admit that when I first received it, I really did not think I’d like the subject. But I found the article to be unbelievably fascinating! I appreciate the way it showed that the traditional view of “primitive” man is not correct.
J. S., United States
The eye-catching input helped me place the magazine with a man I met on the train. The next week I met him again, and he said he had found the article to be of “high quality” and well developed. He accepted the latest issue of The Watchtower.
G. C., Japan
Menopause In your series “A Better Understanding of Menopause” (February 22, 1995), you mentioned using “vegetable or fruit oils, vitamin-E oil, and lubricant gels” as remedies for feminine dryness. As a senior nursing student, I feel impelled to mention that oil-based and fruit-based lubrication provide a medium for bacterial growth. Water-soluble lubricants are thus preferable.
H. W., United States
We appreciate receiving this updated information.—ED.
At the age of 45, I began suffering from hot flashes. I endured them for years without medication. I therefore cried as I felt the loving care evidenced in your article. It helped me to understand menopause better, and it answered many of my questions.
S. T. B. A., Brazil
Computer Games I was thrilled to see the article “Is This the Game for You?” (May 8, 1995) As a parent, I am appalled at the relaxed attitude of some who think these games are harmless fun. There are many educational and nonviolent games available.
K. G., United States
I am a computer software evaluator, and I was recently given a copy of the game Doom II for evaluation. I found that the game utilizes demonic symbols, such as inverted crosses and pentagrams. I hope people realize how bad these games are.
R. B., United States
Young Marriage Thank you for the article “Young People Ask . . . Married Too Soon—Can We Succeed?” (April 22, 1995) As congregation overseers, we had arranged to make a counseling visit on a young couple who were having a marital crisis. What a surprise for me when this issue arrived! It was just what we needed to help that young couple. We considered the entire article as well as all the Bible texts cited.
M. C., Brazil
Undersea Exploration We greatly appreciated the article “Safely Exploring the World Beneath the Waves.” (May 8, 1995) We have just returned home from a trip to the Red Sea and found that your advice was very useful. Not only did we explore a magnificent seabed but we also saved a lot of money!
V. C. and K. B., Italy
My husband and I occasionally have problems concerning the leisure activities of our two sons. My husband is interested in diving, and a new diving school recently opened in our area. After reading your article, I am pleased that I can have a good conscience when they participate.
C. P., Germany
Surviving Communism Thank you so much for the article “Over 40 Years Under Communist Ban.” (April 22, 1995) My heart was touched deeply as I read it. It showed me how Jehovah gives the needed support at the appropriate time so that a person can maintain integrity.
S. A. A., Ghana |
Why Big Cities Are Breaking Down | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101976001 | Why Big Cities Are Breaking Down
BACK in 1913, the English sociologist Patrick Geddes theorized that big cities go through five stages:
1. Polis—early city
2. Metropolis—large but healthy city
3. Megalopolis—unhealthy, oversized city with grand illusions
4. Parasitopolis—parasitic city that drains its nation
5. Pathopolis—diseased, shrinking, dying city
Many see cities like New York as having symptoms of the fourth stage, as having already begun to leech strength from the nation. Others fear that aspects of the final stage are also evident. A cancerlike municipal disease—creeping urban decay—is even now shrinking the hearts out of many American cities, as middle- and upper-income families flee to the suburbs.
The populations within the taxable bounds of some American big cities are actually shrinking to “their lowest size in this century,” according to recent census information. “The populations of Boston, Pittsburgh and Jersey City haven’t been so low since 1900. . . . New York’s population is down almost to the level of 1940.”—U.S. News & World Report, September 1, 1975, p. 64.
Driven by a growing distaste for big-city existence, taxpaying citizens, business and industry are fleeing out of the big “central city” areas to noncontributing suburbs and beyond. A sore point in San Francisco’s police strike, for example, was that more than half of those demanding higher pay lived outside the bounds of its taxpaying community. And even though New York’s taxable population has fallen to well under eight million, some estimate that as many as another ten million people living outside the city in some way derive economic benefit from it.
A Vicious Cycle
Hence, a self-perpetuating “vicious cycle” of lost taxpayers, higher taxes, more lost taxpayers, and so on, has developed. When the more prosperous families and industries move out, taking taxes and jobs with them, the poor, unemployed, aged and minorities least able to pay taxes remain. Said Milwaukee’s Mayor Maier: “We, along with other cities, are part of a deepening trend . . . toward an ever-growing concentration of the poor and the relatively poor in the central cities of America.”
Meanwhile, regular city services, as well as programs for the mounting numbers of poor and unemployed, continue to skyrocket in cost. As New York city’s spending for all purposes tripled during the past ten years, welfare costs grew at almost twice that pace!
To compensate, cities raise taxes on remaining property owners, business and industry—an encouragement for them, too, to leave. San Francisco has been forced to more than quadruple average property taxes since 1950—a pace double that of the rise in the cost of living.
But such high taxation makes owning housing a losing proposition for some, and this, in turn, hastens urban decay. New York apartment owners will reportedly abandon an estimated 50,000 dwelling units in 1976, after having abandoned about 35,000 units annually in recent years! Not only are taxes on these properties lost to the city, but gone also are the former residents of block after block of rubble-covered land and condemned buildings—thus feeding the “vicious cycle.”
When highly taxed business and industry choose to leave as well, tax revenue is not the only thing taken. Since 1969, for example, it is reported that New York city steadily lost half a million manufacturing jobs—and taxpaying workers—due to business moves. But the alternative to higher taxes, say city officials, is cutbacks in city services. Such cutbacks make the big cities even less desirable—driving more “middle class” and industrial taxpayers away.
Thus urban problems tend to concentrate in big cities and get driven out of proportion to what higher populations alone account for. But there are other pressures that also enter this “vicious cycle’’ of big-city economic problems. Among them are . . .
. . . Minorities
Big cities tend to stack up minorities and economically deprived persons all together in older, decaying housing and “low-rent projects,” or, in some countries, shantytowns of their own making. The effects of concentrating minorities in this fashion are well known. A report from Sweden, for example, notes that the area surrounding her big-city “urban renewal” projects are “traditionally a decaying slum-zone, where the socially and economically handicapped and newly arrived immigrants are allotted to live. These areas become haunts of alcoholic and narcotics addicts”—as well as a drain on city resources.
The growth of black and other ethnic communities in American cities has created intractable housing problems. Deep-rooted prejudices and fears sped the exodus of whites to the suburbs, creating another big-city problem: de facto segregation. Well-intentioned efforts to give blacks equal educational opportunities by “busing” pupils between the two communities have met with only limited success, while driving many whites even farther into the suburbs and beyond.
. . . Crime
Bad housing and cramped populations tend to breed far more crime, on the average, in big cities than normally affects outlying areas. West Germany, for example, reports an average of nearly twice as many persons affected by crime in densely populated areas as in the country as a whole. Yet almost three times as many police, on the average, are assigned to protect those same city people! Can you see why many prefer to “escape” from the big cities?
Overburdened big-city courts have actually spurred the “vicious cycle” of metropolitan crime problems. The concentration of crime produces so many cases that the process of “plea bargaining” has come to be viewed as an absolute necessity in many U.S. cities. Criminals are allowed to plead guilty to lesser offenses than first charged so that massive numbers of time-consuming trials can be avoided. As a result, criminals—even murderers—are often back on city streets in short order.
. . . Militant Public Employees
As crime mounts and cities decay, more police and firemen are needed, as are more employees to take care of swelling welfare and other programs. Before recent cuts, for example, the number of New York city employees had grown from about 200,000 to over 300,000 in fifteen years—yet the city’s population had hardly changed!
Public-safety employees such as police and firemen, and even garbage men, in order to compensate for the increased dangers they face, as well as to offset the rise in the cost of living, have used the absolute necessity of their services as a powerful bargaining tool to gain higher wages and benefits. The mere threat of chaos without their services has usually driven their wages up far faster than those of most other workers. For example, while living costs rose to about two and a quarter times their 1950 level in twenty-five years, wages and benefits of San Francisco police and firemen multiplied to about seven times their 1950 level! Many other cities have been just as liberal—but someone has to pay the bill.
. . . Pollution
Those who flee to the suburbs to escape pollution and other city problems have actually added to the problem. Traffic moving into the big cities for work is becoming “heavier and heavier, moving slower and slower,” notes a recent report from Sweden that is typical of many cities. Mass-transportation schemes have accomplished little to check pollution. “The persistent traffic tie-ups shatter a dream of urban planners—that rapid transit would ‘get people out of their cars and off the freeway.’”—New York Times Magazine, October 19, 1975, p. 84.
A National Academy of Sciences report notes that even though U.S. federal standards have brought some improvement, country air still remains ‘far superior to most city air.’ The concentration of industry adds much to big-city pollution. But cities need industries for jobs and revenue. To survive, many recession-plagued businesses are seeking a slowdown of costly-to-meet air-quality standards, thus keeping pollution in the “vicious cycle’’ of city decay.
. . . Dehumanizing People
Squeezing humanity together in great masses seems to accentuate the worst in many people. Rather than close quarters bringing them together in warm personal relationships, just the opposite is too often the case. A report from London tells of “sick and elderly people dying alone in their apartments and not being found for weeks afterward, because no one ever visited them.” The report adds: “This would have been absolutely impossible twenty years ago.” Other big-city dwellers know that London is not unique in this matter.
Cooped up in cramped apartments and narrow city streets, children, too, suffer. They lose much of the joy of openness, discovery and interacting with nature found in more rural environments. Destroying, crushing and breaking things are often the way they satisfy the need for excitement and experience. The consequent vandalism and graffiti bring further deterioration to the cities, and more seeds of crime are planted.
Thus many of the world’s big cities are caught up in a vicious cycle of degenerating forces that seem to feed upon themselves, ever worsening. But are not the big-city governments working to improve matters?
City Government
“No American big city is well-governed today,” asserts Milton Rakove, professor of political science at the University of Illinois, “and it is unlikely that any big city could be, given the kinds of problems confronting our cities, the demands being made on their political and governmental systems, and the inability of those systems to cope with those demands.”—New York Times, October 23, 1975, p. 39.
Lack of permanent, stable leadership hampers many big-city governments. Says Business Week of one floundering city: “It is directed by elected officials who, because of the nature of politics, often have a ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ philosophy of management.”
Such transient leadership may even have a corrosive effect on the habits of municipal employees, whose productivity is said to be below that of other workers. Extra workers have to be paid to get the same job done, further draining city finances. Why? An official of one of the largest municipal-employee unions in the U.S. put it this way: “When the municipal worker discovers the city isn’t interested in how he does his job, he loses interest too. . . . We want to feel we’re disciplined. Discipline means somebody cares. What we need is leadership.”
Rather than truly caring, the tendency of many politically motivated officials is to “throw money” at city problems in the hope that they will go away. Failing to get to the heart of the problems, their superficial, money-oriented programs often swell to huge proportions and suck the lifeblood from cities. The disastrous consequences of such policies are now being felt in a number of the world’s big cities.
Even so, most national governments stand ready to “bail out” cities in trouble, thus transferring the strain to the entire nation. So it would be an exaggeration to say that all big cities are facing imminent economic collapse. Some may even appear to be coping with matters. But time is not on their side.
The plight of many big cities today might well be described by this report on the condition of those in Britain:
“Their fabric is tattered and torn. Their services generally are diminishing in scope and effectiveness at a time when more is being demanded of them. It is unlikely that the national government will refuse to ‘bail out’ cities which become as bankrupt as New York. So it seems likely that the cities will struggle on, with ever less effective services at an ever greater cost. Standards of living will continue to fall as will life values in the cities. Life in the cities, like the traffic, will likely grind on slower and slower.”
Does that mean that the pathopolis of Patrick Geddes’ theory—the diseased, shrinking, dying city—is the only course that lies down the road for today’s metropolises? Is there no solution for the big cities?
[Picture on page 6]
Owners abandon thousands of dwelling units yearly due to high taxes |
Ministry School (be)
2002 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/be | Preparing Student Assignments for the School
WITH each assignment in the school comes an opportunity to grow. Apply yourself conscientiously, and your advancement will gradually become manifest both to you and to others. (1 Tim. 4:15) The school will help you to develop your abilities more fully.
Are you nervous at the prospect of speaking before the congregation? This is normal, even if you have been enrolled in the school for some time. Certain things, however, can help to lessen your level of anxiety. At home, make it a habit to read aloud often. At congregation meetings, comment frequently, and if you are a publisher, participate regularly in the field service. This will give you experience in speaking before others. Additionally, prepare your student assignments well in advance, and practice delivering them aloud. Remember that you will be speaking before a friendly audience. Prior to giving any talk, pray to Jehovah. He gladly gives holy spirit to those of his servants who ask him.—Luke 11:13; Phil. 4:6, 7.
Be modest in your expectations. It takes time to gain experience as a speaker and to become an effective teacher. (Mic. 6:8) If you are newly enrolled in the school, do not expect to give a polished presentation right away. Rather, work on one point of speech counsel at a time. Study the section in this book that discusses it. If possible, do the exercise that is suggested there. This will give you experience in matters related to the point of counsel before you handle your assignment in the congregation. Progress will come.
How to Prepare a Reading Assignment
Preparation for public reading involves much more than simply being able to say the words in the assigned material. Endeavor to get a clear understanding of what the material means. As soon as you receive your assignment, read it over with that objective in mind. Try to understand the point of each sentence and the idea that is developed in each paragraph so that you will be able to convey the thoughts accurately and with proper feeling. Where possible, check a dictionary for correct pronunciation of unfamiliar words. Get to know the material well. Parents may need to help their young children do this.
Have you been assigned to read a portion of the Bible or possibly the paragraphs of an article in The Watchtower? If audiocassettes of that material are available in your language, it can be very helpful to listen to the reading and take note of such factors as pronunciation, phrasing, emphasis, and modulation. Then try to incorporate these qualities into your own reading.
When you begin to work on your assignment, be sure to study carefully the lesson that discusses the speech quality that you have been assigned. If possible, review it after you have practiced reading the assigned material aloud several times. Endeavor to apply that written counsel as fully as possible.
This training will serve you well in your ministry. As you engage in the field service, you have many opportunities to read to others. Since God’s Word has the power to change people’s lives, it is important that you read it well. (Heb. 4:12) Do not expect to master all aspects of effective reading with one or two assignments. To a Christian elder who had years of experience, the apostle Paul wrote: “Continue applying yourself to public reading.”—1 Tim. 4:13.
Working With a Subject and a Setting
When you receive an assignment on the school that involves working with a setting, how should you proceed?
Three main things need consideration: (1) your assigned subject, (2) your setting and the person with whom you will be speaking, and (3) the counsel point on which you have been assigned to work.
You need to gather material on your assigned subject. But before you go very far with that, think seriously about your setting as well as the person with whom you will speak, as these factors will have a bearing on the type of material that you will cover and the way that you will present it. What setting will you be using? Will you be demonstrating how to present the good news to someone you know? Or will you show what might happen when meeting an individual for the first time? Is the person older than you are or younger? What attitude might he have regarding the subject that you plan to discuss? How much does he likely know about it already? What objective do you hope to achieve as a result of your discussion? The answers to those questions will provide important guidelines with which to work.
Where will you find material on the subject that has been assigned? On pages 33 to 38 of this book, there is a discussion of “How to Do Research.” Read it, and then use the research tools that are available to you. In most cases you will quickly find more material than you can use. Read enough to become aware of the potential that is available. As you do that, however, keep in mind the setting that you are going to use for your presentation as well as the person with whom you will be speaking. Mark points that are suitable to use.
Before you organize your presentation and make the final selection of details, take time to read the discussion of the counsel point that you have been assigned. Application of that counsel is one of the main reasons for your assignment.
By covering your material in the time allotted, you will have the satisfaction of giving your conclusion, since a signal will be given when the assigned time is up. In our field ministry, however, timing is not always a factor. So as you prepare, take into account the amount of time available, but keep the emphasis on effective teaching.
A Word About Settings. Examine the suggestions on page 82, and select one that will be practical in your ministry and that will allow you to make realistic use of the assigned material. If you have been in the school for some time, view this as an opportunity to reach out and develop additional skills for your ministry.
If the Theocratic Ministry School overseer assigns the setting, accept the challenge. Most settings involve witnessing. If you have never witnessed under the circumstances described, get ideas by talking to publishers who have. If possible, try to discuss your assigned subject in a setting comparable to the one that you will use in the school. This will help you to achieve an important objective of your training.
When Delivery Is to Be in the Form of a Talk
If you are a male, you may be assigned to present a brief talk to the congregation. In preparing these talks, the basic points that need to be considered are similar to those already listed for student assignments in the form of demonstrations. The main differences are the audience and the format.
It is generally desirable to prepare your material so that everyone in the audience will benefit from it. Most of those present already know basic Bible truths. They may be well acquainted with the subject on which you have been assigned to speak. Take into account what they already know about your subject. Endeavor to benefit them in some way by your presentation. Ask yourself: ‘How can I use my subject to deepen my appreciation and that of my audience for Jehovah as a person? What is there in the material that will help us to discern God’s will? How can this material help us make sound decisions in the midst of a world that is dominated by fleshly desires?’ (Eph. 2:3) Satisfying answers to those questions require research. When using the Bible, endeavor to do more than simply read texts. Reason on the scriptures that you use, and show how these provide the basis for drawing conclusions. (Acts 17:2, 3) Do not try to cover too much. Present your material in such a way that it will be easy to remember.
Preparation should also include giving attention to your delivery. Do not minimize this. Practice giving your talk out loud. The effort you put into studying and applying counsel on the various speech qualities will contribute much to your progress. Whether you are a new speaker or one who is experienced, prepare well so that you can speak with conviction and feeling that are appropriate to your material. As you carry out each assignment in the school, keep in mind the objective of using your God-given gift of speech to honor Jehovah.—Ps. 150:6. |
Jehovah’s Day (jd)
2006 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/jd | input Page/Publishers’ Page
Live With Jehovah’s Day in Mind
© 2006
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
PUBLISHERS
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
September 2014 Printing
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References.
Photo Credits:
◼ Page 48: Randy Olson/National Geographic Image Collection
◼ Page 119: Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum |
How to Find Scriptures in Your Bible | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502018461 | How to Find Scriptures in Your Bible
List of Bible Booksa
Name of Book
Writer(s)
Completed
Genesis
Moses
1513 B.C.E.
Exodus
Moses
1512 B.C.E.
Leviticus
Moses
1512 B.C.E.
Numbers
Moses
1473 B.C.E.
Deuteronomy
Moses
1473 B.C.E.
Joshua
Joshua
c. 1450 B.C.E.
Judges
Samuel
c. 1100 B.C.E.
Ruth
Samuel
c. 1090 B.C.E.
1 Samuel
Samuel; Gad; Nathan
c. 1078 B.C.E.
2 Samuel
Gad; Nathan
c. 1040 B.C.E.
1 Kings
Jeremiah
580 B.C.E.
2 Kings
Jeremiah
580 B.C.E.
1 Chronicles
Ezra
c. 460 B.C.E.
2 Chronicles
Ezra
c. 460 B.C.E.
Ezra
Ezra
c. 460 B.C.E.
Nehemiah
Nehemiah
a. 443 B.C.E.
Esther
Mordecai
c. 475 B.C.E.
Job
Moses
c. 1473 B.C.E.
Psalms
David and others
c. 460 B.C.E.
Proverbs
Solomon; Agur; Lemuel
c. 717 B.C.E.
Ecclesiastes
Solomon
b. 1000 B.C.E.
Song of Solomon
Solomon
c. 1020 B.C.E.
Isaiah
Isaiah
a. 732 B.C.E.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah
580 B.C.E.
Lamentations
Jeremiah
607 B.C.E.
Ezekiel
Ezekiel
c. 591 B.C.E.
Daniel
Daniel
c. 536 B.C.E.
Hosea
Hosea
a. 745 B.C.E.
Joel
Joel
c. 820 B.C.E. (?)
Amos
Amos
c. 804 B.C.E.
Obadiah
Obadiah
c. 607 B.C.E.
Jonah
Jonah
c. 844 B.C.E.
Micah
Micah
b. 717 B.C.E.
Nahum
Nahum
b. 632 B.C.E.
Habakkuk
Habakkuk
c. 628 B.C.E. (?)
Zephaniah
Zephaniah
b. 648 B.C.E.
Haggai
Haggai
520 B.C.E.
Zechariah
Zechariah
518 B.C.E.
Malachi
Malachi
a. 443 B.C.E.
Matthew
Matthew
c. 41 C.E.
Mark
Mark
c. 60-65 C.E.
Luke
Luke
c. 56-58 C.E.
John
Apostle John
c. 98 C.E.
Acts
Luke
c. 61 C.E.
Romans
Paul
c. 56 C.E.
1 Corinthians
Paul
c. 55 C.E.
2 Corinthians
Paul
c. 55 C.E.
Galatians
Paul
c. 50-52 C.E.
Ephesians
Paul
c. 60-61 C.E.
Philippians
Paul
c. 60-61 C.E.
Colossians
Paul
c. 60-61 C.E.
1 Thessalonians
Paul
c. 50 C.E.
2 Thessalonians
Paul
c. 51 C.E.
1 Timothy
Paul
c. 61-64 C.E.
2 Timothy
Paul
c. 65 C.E.
Titus
Paul
c. 61-64 C.E.
Philemon
Paul
c. 60-61 C.E.
Hebrews
Paul
c. 61 C.E.
James
James (Jesus’ brother)
b. 62 C.E.
1 Peter
Peter
c. 62-64 C.E.
2 Peter
Peter
c. 64 C.E.
1 John
Apostle John
c. 98 C.E.
2 John
Apostle John
c. 98 C.E.
3 John
Apostle John
c. 98 C.E.
Jude
Jude (Jesus’ brother)
c. 65 C.E.
Revelation
Apostle John
c. 96 C.E.
Note: For some books, the writer(s) and the date completed are uncertain. Many dates are approximate, the symbol a. meaning “after,” b. meaning “before,” and c. meaning “circa,” or “about.”
a This list shows the 66 books of the Bible in the order in which they appear in most Bible translations. This order was established in the fourth century C.E. |
Not Everything Called “Christian” Is Approved by God | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101973008 | “Your Word Is Truth”
Not Everything Called “Christian” Is Approved by God
MANY persons claim to be Christians. But even though accompanied by apparent prophesying and performing of powerful works, that claim of itself does not give one an approved standing before God. Jesus Christ acknowledges as his disciples only persons who are doing the will of his Father. He said: “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you!”—Matt. 7:21-23.
Jesus’ words emphasize the need for one seeking divine approval to conform to God’s way in matters of worship. Not man, but God, determines what is acceptable sacred service. “God is a Spirit,” said Jesus, “and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.” (John 4:24) A true worshiper of God does not depend upon the presence or use of visible things and geographical locations. He worships, not by means of things he can see or touch, but “with spirit.” His worship is in agreement with God’s truth.
However, there are many persons calling themselves Christian who use images as visible aids in worship. They claim that what they worship is not the image, but the one represented by the image. They maintain that such worship is indirect, “relative,” and so is not idolatry. But is this worship acceptable to God?
God’s ancient covenant people, the Israelites, were commanded: “You must take good care of your souls, because you did not see any form on the day of Jehovah’s speaking to you in Horeb out of the middle of the fire, that you may not act ruinously and may not really make for yourselves a carved image, the form of any symbol, the representation of male or female.” (Deut. 4:15, 16) Thus the Israelites were expressly forbidden to make an image of God. Actually, any image made would inevitably misrepresent the Creator, for no man had ever seen him.
The establishment of the Christian church or congregation did not change this. In no period of human history have people had any better idea about what God looks like than did the Israelites. Despite this fact, images depicting God as a man have frequently been made for religious buildings in Christendom. But how could God approve of such image making when he forbade the Israelites to do this?
Of course, it may be argued one could make images of Jesus and Mary because they lived as ‘humans on earth. But people today do not know what Jesus or Mary looked like. Therefore no images made of them could ever be proper representations. Images of Mary or of Jesus, for example, show tremendous variation in facial features. At times these features resemble those of the people of the particular land where the images are made. The worshiper of the image believes that it represents Mary or Jesus simply because he has been told this.
Thus it can be seen that a certain sanctity is attached to an image merely by virtue of its supposedly representing a certain person. But the matter does not end with that. There are often many images of the same person, yet not all are viewed in the same way. Pilgrimages are made to certain images, and it is even claimed that miracles have occurred in connection with these particular images. It is believed, for instance, that one praying before a certain image of Mary will get a better response than if he were praying before another image of Mary. Why should this be the case if Mary and not the image is being venerated? Does this not show that more than relative worship is involved, that actual power is attributed to the images themselves?
How could Jehovah God approve of such image worship? Even if it were just a matter of relative worship, would that make it right? The Bible shows that we should worship God alone. No Scriptural basis exists for the belief that there are various degrees of adoration. Jesus Christ, in resisting the Devil’s temptation, stated: “It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.” (Matt. 4:10) When the apostle John fell down to worship before the angel who had been instrumental in giving the revelation to him, the angel told him: “Be careful! Do not do that! . . . Worship God.”—Rev. 19:10.
If a lower form of adoration could have been given to angels, there would have been no reason for the angel to caution John about his act. Since it was improper for John to fall down before an angel to worship, obviously it would also be wrong for a person to bow to an image of an angel or of anyone else. All image worship runs counter to what the Bible says about true worship. The apostle Paul wrote: “We are walking by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7) Persons who use images are definitely walking “by sight.” They are using a crutch. By insisting on the use of images in their worship, they manifest a lack of faith. Why, then, should God look with approval upon them when they kiss, bow to and burn incense before images? The Bible declares: “Without faith it is impossible to please [God] well.”—Heb. 11:6.
Not only is Christendom’s manufacture and use of images disapproved by God, but even her most sacred days are instructioned with customs that are rooted in false religion. Easter, for example, though supposedly commemorating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, betrays its non-Christian origin in its very name. Says The Catholic Encyclopedia for School and Home: “The word ‘Easter’ comes from Eostre or Ostara, the name ancient Germanic tribes gave to the time of year when the rising spring sun broke the death of winter, when nature was reborn. The word came to mean the springtime ‘feast of life’ for the pagan Germans.” Both the egg and the rabbit so prominently associated with the Easter celebration are known to have been ancient fertility symbols. Many in Christendom decorate ‘Easter eggs,’ just as sun-worshipers did centuries ago.
Regarding the choice of December 25 as the date for celebrating Christmas, the above-quoted encyclopedia says: “This was the day which had been dedicated in pagan Rome to the feast of the sun god and had been called Birthday of the Unconquered Sun.” In connection with Christmas customs, we read: “Gift-giving, the Yule log, and mistletoe, are Christianized versions of ancient Roman, Germanic, and Celtic lore.” They are rooted in paganism.
How could God approve of practices that are adaptations of things associated with false worship? His Word the Bible shows that he does not do so. Christians are asked: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness?”—2 Cor. 6:14.2 |
Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1)
2011 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1 | SECTION 2
Your Identity
57 Friends
64 Temptation
71 Health
77 Clothes
85 Self-Confidence
91 Sadness
98 Suicide
105 Privacy
111 Grief |
“Look!” booklet (mn)
1970 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/look-booklet-mn | “Look! I Am Making All Things New”
1-4. (a) What glorious prospect now confronts all mankind? (b) Why should the facts in proof receive serious consideration?
SEE the happy people on the cover of this booklet. Would you not like to be one of them? Why, yes, you say. For here is the peace and harmony desired by all mankind. People of all races—the black, the white, the yellow—are mingling as one family. What joy! What unity! Obviously these people are not worrying about nuclear fallouts, or the threat of hydrogen bombs. Jet warplanes do not shatter the peaceful skies above this lovely park. There are no soldiers, no tanks, no guns. Not even a police baton is needed to keep order. War and crime simply do not exist. And no housing shortages, for everyone has a beautiful home to call his own.
2 Just look at those children! Their play is a joy to behold. What animals to play with! No iron bars are needed in this park, for all animals are at peace with mankind and with one another. Even the lion and the lamb have become friends. See those gaily colored birds as they flit hither and thither, and hear their beautiful songs join children’s laughter in filling the air. No cages? No, for all is freedom and unrestricted joy in this domain. Just smell the fragrance of those flowers, hear the rippling of the stream, feel the tingling warmth of the sun. Oh, for a taste of the fruit in that basket, for it is the best that earth can produce, the very best, like everything that is to be seen and enjoyed in this glorious parklike garden.
3 But stop, someone says, where are the old people? Should they not share, too, in enjoying this happy society? Actually the old people are right there, but they are growing young again. In this park no one dies from old age. The young now grow up to mature manhood, and grow no older. Whether twenty years old or two hundred years old, each of the millions of persons living in this park rejoices in the zest of youthful living, in perfect health. Millions, you say? Yes, millions, for this park is being extended to the ends of the earth. In it will be all the glories of nature, from Fujiyama to the Himalayas, from Hong Kong to the Mediterranean, and thousands more. For all earth is being transformed into a paradise park. It will be paradise restored earth-wide.
4 Unbelievable, did you say? First, though, consider the facts in proof. It is possible for you and your family to survive the passing of the present troubled system of things, and to enter the new order represented on our cover.a
THE BOOK THAT EXPLAINS PARADISE
5. (a) What hook explains these things? (b) In what ways is this an outstanding book?
5 All these glorious things, and the certainty of them, are explained in a book, the most wonderful book ever written. It is called the Bible. It is a very ancient book, parts of it having been written over 3,400 years ago. At the same time, it is the most up-to-date book in presenting sound, practical counsel for modern-day living. Its prophecies arouse bright hope for the future. It is the best seller of all history, over 2,000,000,000 copies having been distributed world-wide in more than 1,300 different languages.
6. What distinguishes the Bible from other holy writings?
6 No other holy book has had so universal a distribution, and most others are not nearly as old. The Koran of Mohammedanism is less than 1,400 years old. Buddha and Confucius lived about 2,500 years ago, and their writings date from that time. The Scriptures of Shinto were composed in their present form no more than 1,200 years ago. The Book of Mormon is only 140 years old. None of these holy books can accurately trace human history back through 6,000 years, as does the Bible. To understand original religion, we must therefore go to the Bible. It is the only book with a universal message for all mankind.
7. What do thinking men say of the Bible?
7 The wisdom and beauty of the Bible message have been acclaimed by thinking men from all nations and from all walks of life. The famous scientist and discoverer of the law of gravity, Sir Isaac Newton, said: “No sciences are better attested to than the Bible.” Patrick Henry, the American revolutionary leader famous for the words “Give me liberty, or give me death,” also declared: “The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.” Even the great Hindu sage Mahatma Gandhi once told the British viceroy of India: “When your country and mine shall get together on the teachings laid down by Christ in this Sermon of the Mount, we shall have solved the problems, not only of our countries but those of the whole world.” Gandhi was speaking of Matthew, chapters 5 to 7, in the Bible. Read these chapters yourself, and see if you do not thrill to their powerful message.
BIBLE AN ORIENTAL BOOK
8. (a) What were the origins of the Bible? (b) What kind of book is the Bible? (c) What did its writers say concerning its authorship?
8 Contrary to popular belief, the Bible is not a product of, nor does it glorify, the civilization of the West. Almost the entire Bible was written in Oriental countries. The men who wrote it down were all Orientals. One thousand years before Buddha, Moses, a man of God who lived in the Middle East, was inspired by God to write the first book of the Bible, called Genesis. From this beginning, the Bible follows one harmonious theme right through to its final book of Revelation. The last book was written about six hundred years after Buddha. Did you know that the Bible is made up of sixty-six different books? Yes, the Bible is a library in itself! Over a period of 1,600 years, from Moses’ time on, some thirty-five different men shared in writing the completely harmonious record of the Bible. They testify that their writings were inspired by a Power far higher than mortal man. The Christian apostle Paul wrote: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness.”b (2 Timothy 3:16) And the apostle Peter explained: “No prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.”—2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Samuel 23:2; Luke 1:70.
9. (a) How did the Bible come down to our day? (b) What can be said as to the accuracy of modern-day Bibles?
9 Most remarkable, too, is the way the Bible has come down to this day. For thousands of years, and until the invention of printing about five hundred years ago, copies of the Bible had to be made by hand. It was copied over and over again, but always with great care. Today, there are still in existence about 16,000 handwritten copies of the Bible, or parts of the Bible, some even surviving from the second century before Christ. No other literary work of ancient times was so diligently copied and recopied. By comparing many handwritten copies, it has been proved that the errors made in recopying were very few, and, further, it has been possible to establish the original text of the Bible. A leading authority on Bible manuscripts, Sir Frederic Kenyon, says: “The last foundation for any doubt that the Scriptures have come down to us substantially as they were written has now been removed.” Moreover, accurate translations have been made into nearly all of earth’s languages, from the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek languages in which the Bible was originally written.
10. How have modern discoveries been in agreement with the Bible record?
10 Some have tried to discredit the Bible by saying it is inaccurate. However, in recent years, archaeologists have dug into the ruins of ancient cities in Bible lands and have found inscriptions and other evidence proving conclusively that the persons and places mentioned even in the oldest Bible records actually existed. They have unearthed much evidence pointing to a global deluge, which the Bible says took place more than 4,000 years ago, in Noah’s day. On this point, Prince Mikasa, who is well-known as a student of and authority on archaeology, states: “Was there really a Flood? As the result of excavations by archaeologists in recent years, the fact that the flood actually took place has been convincingly proved.”c
THE GOD OF THE BIBLE
11. (a) Is there an Almighty God? (b) Does he have a name?
11 Just as some people have scoffed about the Bible, others scoff about there being an Almighty God. (2 Peter 3:3-5) They say, “How can I believe in God, since I cannot see him? How is it possible to understand an invisible Creator higher than man? Does not God dwell in everything?” Others say, “There is no God or Buddha.” However, the Bible shows that just as all of us receive life through an earthly father, so our original ancestors received life from a heavenly Father or Creator, whose personal name is Jehovah.—Psalm 100:3.
12, 13. What are some outstanding facts about Jehovah God?
12 Jehovah is the Author of the Bible. He is the Great Spirit, existing through all eternity. (John 4:24; Psalm 90:1, 2) His name Jehovah calls attention to his purpose toward his creatures. It is his purpose to vindicate that great name by destroying the wicked and releasing those who love him for joyous living in his new order. (Exodus 6:2-8; Isaiah 35:1, 2) Being the Almighty God, he has the power to do this. As the Creator of all the universe, he is far above ordinary national gods and idols.—Isaiah 42:5, 8; Psalm 115:1, 4-8.
13 Jehovah has made himself known to mankind through two great books. The greater of these books is the Bible, making known his purposes. (John 17:17; 1 Peter 1:24, 25) The other book is the record of creation, to be seen and read in all nature.
14. How has the record of creation testified concerning God?
14 During recent centuries, men of science have given much time to studying the works of creation. What have they concluded? One of the discoverers of electricity, the famous British scientist Lord Kelvin, declared: “I believe the more thoroughly science is studied the further does it take us from anything compared to atheism.” The equally famous European-born scientist Albert Einstein asserted: “It is enough for me to . . . reflect upon the marvelous structure of the universe, which we can dimly perceive, and to try humbly to comprehend even an infinitesimal part of the intelligence manifest in nature.” The American scientist and Nobel Prize winner Arthur Holly Compton has said: “An orderly unfolding universe testifies to the truth of the most majestic statement ever uttered—‘In the beginning God’.” He was quoting the opening words of the Bible.
15, 16. (a) How does the universe magnify God’s wisdom? (b) Illustrate the foolishness of saying that God does not exist.
15 Rulers of mighty nations may boast of their intelligence and scientific accomplishment in throwing Sputnik and its successors into outer space. But how insignificant are their space ships when compared with the moon that orbits the earth, and the planets that orbit the sun! How puny the achievements of these mortal men in comparison with Jehovah’s creation of billions of heavenly galaxies, each containing billions of suns like our own, and his grouping and setting them in space for measureless time! (Psalm 19:1, 2; Job 26:7, 14) It is no wonder that Jehovah regards men as mere grasshoppers, and mighty nations “as nothing.”—Isaiah 40:13-18, 22.
16 Do you live in a house? Probably you did not build the house yourself, nor do you know who did. However, the fact that you do not know the builder does not prevent you from accepting the truth that some intelligent person built it. To reason that the house built itself would appear very foolish! Since the great universe, and everything in it, required infinitely greater intelligence for its construction, does it not seem foolish to say there is no intelligent Creator? Truly, only the fool would say in his heart, “There is no Jehovah.”—Psalm 14:1.
17. Show that God is a person, and worthy to be praised.
17 The glorious wonders of nature, the flowers, the birds, the animals, the marvelous creation called man, the miracles of life and of birth—these all testify to the invisible Master Intellect that produced them. (Romans 1:20) Where there is intellect, there is mind. Where there is mind, there is a person. The supreme intellect is that of the Supreme Person, the Creator of all things living, the very Fountain of life. (Psalm 36:9) The Creator is indeed worthy of all praise and adoration.—Psalm 104:24; Revelation 4:11.
18. Why does God have no part in the wars of the nations?
18 There are some whose belief in God was shaken by the hard experiences of World War II. At that time each country called upon its “God,” whether of the Catholic or Protestant religions, or of the Oriental religions. Could it be said that “God” gave victory to some of these nations and allowed others to be defeated? The Bible shows that none of these nations were calling on the true God. Jehovah God, the Creator of heaven and earth, is not responsible for the confusion and wars among the nations. (1 Corinthians 14:33) His thoughts are far above those of the political and militaristic nations of this earth. (Isaiah 55:8, 9) Likewise the true religion and worship of Jehovah has no part with the wars of the nations. Jehovah is far above militaristic gods, and is unique in being the God of peace-loving men and women in all nations. As the Bible says: “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) Righteously inclined persons in all nations are now learning the Bible, and embracing the worship of the one true God, the Creator of all mankind.—Acts 17:24-27.
19. What proves that Christendom is un-Christian and anti-God?
19 Some people point to the divisions in Christendom, which claims to follow the Bible. They also say, “How can I believe the God of the Bible, when the nations that have the Bible are busy testing atom and hydrogen bombs?” The fact is that, while the Bible remains always true, the nations of Christendom have become as far removed from Bible Christianity as the North Pole is removed from the South. They are hypocritical in professing Christianity. They have the Bible, but they do not obey its teachings. The American president who ordered the first atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima once exclaimed, “Oh for an Isaiah or a St. Paul!”—to guide men in this world crisis. Had he believed Isaiah of the Bible, he would never have dropped an atom bomb, for Isaiah advocated ‘beating swords into plowshares and spears into pruning shears.’ Moreover, it was Paul of the Bible who declared: “We do not wage warfare according to what we are in the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly.” (Isaiah 2:4; 2 Corinthians 10:3, 4) However, instead of following the wise counsel of the Bible, the nations of Christendom have become involved in a great armaments race. Their claims to being Bible-obeying Christians are false. They face God’s judgment for failing to do his will.—Matthew 7:18-23.
JEHOVAH’S MIRACLES AND CREATIONS
20. Why is it reasonable to believe God’s miracles?
20 Jehovah creates, and he performs miracles. Have you ever wondered about the turning of water into blood, the parting of the Red Sea, the virgin birth of Jesus, and other miracles in the Bible? Since man is of limited intellectual power, probably he will never understand how some of these miracles happened, the same as he cannot fully understand the miracle of the sun in rising and setting each day. The creation of man was a miracle. Modern man did not see that miracle, but he knows it happened, for he is alive today to prove it. Indeed, all life and all the universe is one perpetual miracle. So are we to doubt when God’s Word, the Bible, says that he performed specific miracles for specific times, even though there is no need for the same miracles today?
21. Describe God’s most marvelous creation.
21 All of Jehovah’s creation is miraculous and wonderful! However, of Jehovah’s marvelous creations, his very first creation was the most marvelous of all. This was the creation of a spirit Son. Concerning this Son, the Bible says: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and upon the earth, the things visible and the things invisible . . . All other things have been created through him and for him.” (Colossians 1:15, 16; John 1:3) This heavenly Son was named “the Word.” Countless ages after his creation, he came to this earth, and was called the “man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) Then it was said of him: “So the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son from a father; and he was full of undeserved kindness and truth.”—John 1:14.
22. (a) How may the relationship between God and his Son be explained? (b) What proves that God created other spirit sons?
22 The relationship of the Father and Son may be compared to a business where there is a president and under him an executive who carries out the wishes of the president. The Son is represented in Proverbs 8:22, 30 as saying: “Jehovah himself produced me as the beginning of his way, the earliest of his achievements of long ago. Then I came to be beside him as a master worker.” Through this executive Son, Jehovah created many other spirit creatures, sons of God. Later, these rejoiced to see Jehovah’s master worker bring forth the material heavens and the earth on which we live. Do you doubt that these things were created? Jehovah asked of ancient Job: “Where did you happen to be when I founded the earth? Tell me, if you do know understanding. When the morning stars joyfully cried out together, and all the sons of God began shouting in applause?”—Job 38:4, 7.
23. What earthly creation of Jehovah is outstanding, and in what respects?
23 In course of time, Jehovah created living, material things on this earth, the plants, the trees, the flowers, the fish, the birds and the animals. (Genesis 1:11-13, 20-25) Then God said to his master worker: “Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness . . . And God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:26, 27) Being created in the image and likeness of God, with God’s great attributes of love, wisdom, justice and power, the original man was much superior to the animals. Man is in a class apart from the animals in that he is able to reason, to plan for the future, and he has the capacity to worship God. Animals do not have intellect to reason with, but they live by instinct. How foolish to say that there is no Creator but that the richly endowed, intelligent creature man evolved upward from unintelligent lower animals!—Psalms 92:6, 7; 139:14.
24, 25. (a)What grand prospect was placed before man? (b) Why would there be no problem of overpopulating the earth?
24 As God and his Son are both workers, so too God gave man work to do here on earth. (John 5:17) To Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, he said: “Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) Did this mean that man was to multiply, fill the earth, and then keep on multiplying until the earth was full to overflowing? No. When someone tells you to fill a cup with tea, you do not keep pouring until the tea overflows all over the table. You fill the cup and then stop. In the same way, Jehovah’s command to man, “Fill the earth,” indicated his purpose to have man comfortably fill the earth, and then reproduction of humankind would stop. This would present no problem in a perfect human society. It is only in today’s world of imperfect mankind that overpopulation presents a problem.
25 God placed man in “a garden in Eden, toward the east.” It was a garden of pleasure, like the garden on our cover, though there were only the two humans, Adam and his wife. Though this original paradise no longer exists, having been destroyed in the flood of Noah’s day, its approximate location in the Middle East is known, for some of the rivers named in the Bible as flowing through it exist to this day. (Genesis 2:7-14) Man had the grand opportunity to use this garden as a center from which to spread out and cultivate the entire earth, making it a global paradise.—Isaiah 45:12, 18.
REBELLION AND DEATH
26. What questions now arise?
26 If God’s purpose is to build a paradise earth, how is it that the earth today is so filled with wickedness, suffering and sorrow? Does this prove God is not so almighty after all? Is God the source of such misery? Is there hope of an end to such conditions? What does the Bible show?
27. How did rebellion enter the garden of God?
27 The Bible suggests that when Jehovah created man on earth he placed one of his spirit sons in Eden to carry out certain privileges of service. However, as was true long afterward of a king of the city of Tyre, ‘his heart became lifted up because of his beauty,’ and he came to worship himself, instead of Jehovah. (Ezekiel 28:12, 14, 15, 17) He formed the determination to turn the worship of the first man and woman away from their Creator, Jehovah, and to himself. Through a serpent, this angel lied to Eve, and induced first Eve and then her husband Adam to disobey Almighty God.—Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-6.
28. Because of disobedience, what resulted to man?
28 God had stated the penalty for disobedience—death. In now passing sentence upon the first woman, Jehovah said: “I shall greatly increase the pain of your pregnancy; in birth pangs you will bring forth children, and your craving will be for your husband, and he will dominate you.” To the man Adam he said: “In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:16-19) The disobedient couple were expelled from the paradise of happiness into the uncultivated earth. In course of time they died.—Genesis 5:5.
29. Who remains as the invisible ruler of mankind, and how does this world reflect his personality?
29 The angel that deceived man came to be known as the Serpent. (2 Corinthians 11:3) He is also called Satan, meaning “opposer,” and Devil, meaning “slanderer.” He, too, has been placed under sentence of death. (Genesis 3:15; Hebrews 2:14) However, Jehovah has permitted him, for a season, to continue his domination over the nations and religions of fallen mankind. Do you not agree that Satan’s attributes of selfishness, lovelessness and injustice are to be seen everywhere in the world today? Truly, the present world reflects the badness of its invisible ruler. That is why the Bible says: “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.”—1 John 5:19.
30. What is “sin,” and what is its result to mankind?
30 It was only after they had fallen from the mark of perfection that Adam and Eve began to produce children. All men today are their descendants in imperfection, and hence all die. One Bible writer explains it in these words: “Through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) What is this “sin”? It is a falling short of the mark of perfection or completeness. Jehovah God does not approve of, or keep alive, anything that is imperfect. Since all men have inherited sin and imperfection from the first man, Adam, all are subject to death. Fallen man dies, just like the animals.—Ecclesiastes 3:19-21.
31. What is the “death” that mankind inherited from Adam?
31 What is this “death”? Death is the opposite of life. God had held before man the prospect of endless life on earth if he obeyed. However, he disobeyed, and the penalty was death, unconsciousness, nonexistence. (Psalm 146:4) God had said nothing about transferring man’s life to a spirit realm or to a fiery “hell” if he disobeyed or died. He had warned man: “You will positively die.” It was the man-slaying Devil who had lied in saying: “You positively will not die.” (Genesis 2:17; 3:4; John 8:44) What all men have inherited from Adam is dustlike death.—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Psalm 115:17.
32. What glorious future awaits mankind and this earth?
32 Is there, then, no future for man who dies? There is a wonderful future! The Bible shows that God’s purpose of a paradise earth for all mankind, including those now dead, will never fail. Says Jehovah: “The heavens are my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” “I shall glorify the very place of my feet.” (Isaiah 66:1; 60:13) Out of the abundance of his love, Jehovah sent his Son, the Word, to this earth, that the world of mankind might gain life through him. (John 3:16; 1 John 4:9) There are three important things that we must now discuss, and which Jehovah accomplishes through His Son, namely, (1) Providing a release from the power of death; (2) Restoring the dead to life; (3) Establishing a perfect government over all mankind.
RELEASE FROM DEATH
33, 34. (a) How only could man be redeemed from death? (b) Illustrate.
33 From ancient times, God’s prophets have expressed their confidence, not in man’s immortality, but in the hope that God would “recover them” from death. (Hosea 13:14) But how could man be released from the bonds of death? Jehovah’s perfect justice required ‘soul for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth.’ (Deuteronomy 19:21) Hence, since Adam brought inherited death to all mankind by willfully throwing away his own perfect life, another perfect human must substitute for Adam in paying over his perfect life, to buy back what Adam had lost.
34 Let us illustrate this by a pawnshop. Since most people like to keep away from pawnshops, it may be fitting to describe man’s present condition in this way. If someone leaves a watch at the pawnshop, the only way to get that watch out of the pawnshop again is by paying over the money value of the watch. Thus it is possible to free the watch. Today, mankind, like that watch, is tied up to pawnshop-like slavery to imperfection, leading to death, just as a watch might in time deteriorate and become useless in the pawnshop. Like the watch, mankind cannot buy itself out of this miserable state. However, someone from the outside can pay over the price of release of mankind, just as with the watch. It was the forfeit of Adam’s perfect human life that brought man into slavery to death. Hence another perfect human life must be paid over to release man from the power of death.
35. How did Jehovah answer the need for a perfect human life as ransom?
35 However, where could such a perfect human life be found? All men, as descendants of the imperfect Adam, have been born imperfect. “Not one of them can by any means redeem even a brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” (Psalm 49:7) In answering the need, Jehovah performed one of his greatest miracles. He transferred the perfect life of his spirit Son, the Word, to the womb of a Jewish virgin, Mary. The young woman conceived, and in due course brought to birth a son, who was named “Jesus,” meaning “Jehovah is salvation.” (Matthew 1:18-25) Do you doubt this virgin birth, simply because such an event has taken place only once in history? In God’s grand purpose, it was sufficient to perform such a miracle only once.
36. How did Jesus show his friendship for all men who desire life?
36 Jesus grew to manhood, presented himself to Jehovah and was baptized. Jehovah then commissioned him to do His divine will. (Matthew 3:13, 16, 17) Jesus’ earthly life having come from heaven, and being perfect, he could sacrifice that perfect human life, using it to release all mankind from death. (Romans 6:23; 5:18, 19) As he himself said: “I have come that they might have life and might have it in abundance.” “No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends.” (John 10:10; 15:13) In submitting to death on a torture stake, Jesus showed his great friendship for all mankind who desire to gain life in abundance through his ransom provision.—Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:5, 6.
RESTORATION TO LIFE
37. How was the Son of God restored to life, and what proves this?
37 Even though his enemies killed him, the Son of God never lost his right to perfect human life, for he had kept integrity to God. However, being dead in the grave, how could Jesus use this valuable thing, the right to human life, on behalf of humankind? It was here that Jehovah performed another miracle, the first of its kind. On the third day of Jesus’ being in the grave, Jehovah raised him up out of death, this time as a spirit creature, immortal. (Romans 6:9; 1 Peter 3:18) In order to establish belief in the resurrection, Jesus materialized human bodies and appeared on different occasions to five hundred and more of his disciples. None of these, nor the apostle Paul who was later blinded by an appearance of the glorified Jesus, had any reason to doubt the miracle of his resurrection.—1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Acts 9:1-9.
38. (a) How does Jesus use the value of his sacrifice, and first on behalf of whom? (b) What other great miracle did Jesus speak of?
38 After forty days the resurrected Jesus ascended into God’s own presence in the heavens, there to present the value of his perfect human sacrifice as a release for all mankind. “But this man offered one sacrifice for sins perpetually and sat down at the right hand of God, from then on awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.” (Hebrews 10:12, 13) The first ones to be released through this ransom are a “little flock” of faithful Christians “who belong to the Christ.” (Luke 12:32; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 23) These are “bought from among mankind,” and hence in the resurrection they become spirit associates of Christ in the heavens. (Revelation 14:1-5) However, what of the great masses of mankind who now lie dead in their graves? When he was on this earth, Jesus spoke of another great miracle to be performed at the time he restores the paradise earth. He said: “Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.”—John 5:28, 29.
39, 40. Explain exactly what is meant by “resurrection.”
39 Note Jesus’ words, “Do not marvel at this.” Even so, how can one long dead be released from death, and brought back to life? Has not his body returned to the dust? Some of the particles that made up that body may even have been assimilated into other living things, such as plants and animals. However, resurrection does not mean bringing the same chemical elements together again. It means that God re-creates the same person, with the same personality. He brings a new body forth from the earthly elements, and in that body he places the same characteristics, the same distinctive qualities, the same memory, the same life-pattern that the person had built up until the time of his death.
40 It may have been your experience in wartime that your house that you loved very much was burned down. However, you could easily have the same house rebuilt, for the pattern of all its beloved details is very clear in your memory. Surely, then, God who is the originator of memory can re-create men whom he has kept in his memory because he loved them. (Isaiah 64:8) This is why the Bible uses the expression “memorial tombs.” When it comes God’s due time to bring the dead to life again, he will perform that miracle, just as he performed a miracle in creating the first man, only this time he will perform it many times over.—Genesis 2:7; Acts 24:15.
41. Why is everlasting life on earth reasonable and certain?
41 God will bring mankind back to life, with the prospect of never again dying off the earth. But how is everlasting life on earth possible? It is possible and certain because it is the divine will and purpose. (John 6:37-40; Matthew 6:10) The only reason that man dies off the earth today is that he inherited death from Adam. However, when we consider the infinite variety of wonderful things on earth that man was intended to enjoy, a brief life span of less than a hundred years is all too short! In giving this earth to the children of men, God purposed that man should keep on living to enjoy the splendors of His creation, not just for a hundred years, or even a thousand years, but forever!—Psalms 115:16; 133:3.
THE PERFECT GOVERNMENT OF PEACE
42. Why is there need for a perfect government, and what does Jehovah purpose in this regard?
42 Because our first parents rejected God’s law, human government came under the control of Satan. Appropriately the Bible calls Satan “the god of this system of things.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) The wars, the cruelties, the corruption and the instability of man’s governments prove that he is. The League of Nations and the United Nations have failed to bring peace out of the confusion. Mankind cries out for a government of peace. Is it not reasonable that the Creator, who purposes to restore paradise to this earth, would also provide a perfect government for that paradise? That is exactly what Jehovah has purposed to do. The king representing him in this government is his “Prince of Peace,” Christ Jesus, and “to the abundance of the princely rule and to peace there will be no end.”—Isaiah 9:6, 7.
43. (a) What capital will this government have? (b) What will be the structure of the government in heaven and on earth?
43 What will be the structure of that government? Will it be a democracy or a dictatorship? Will its ruling authority be situated in Washington or Moscow or Tokyo or any of the other great capitals of the present day? The Bible shows that the perfect government will be far superior to any present form of human government. It has a capital in the heavens, called Zion, and from this vantage point, the King Jesus Christ will effectively administer all the earth in righteousness. (Psalm 48:1, 2; Zechariah 9:9, 10) Moreover, he will have associate rulers in that invisible, heavenly government. These are chosen from among faithful humans, followers of Jesus who stuck with him through trials, and to whom he says: “I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom.” (Luke 22:28, 29) It is only a few from humankind who are taken to heaven to rule with Christ Jesus. It is similar to the nations today, where only a few are chosen to rule in the diet or parliament. The Bible shows that Christ Jesus will have just 144,000 associate rulers in his capital, Zion. (Revelation 14:1, 3) But will there be no visible administrators on this earth? To be sure, there will be. Psalm 45:16 speaks of some of these, ancient men of faith who will be resurrected, and whom the King will “appoint as princes in all the earth.” And there will be other earthly administrators, none of them power-grabbing politicians, but all of them appointed by the King because of their devotion to principles of righteousness.—Isaiah 32:1.
44, 45. (a) What was the main theme of Jesus’ preaching on earth? (b)Why must the establishment of the perfect government wait? (c) What makes A.D. 1914 an outstanding year in prophecy and in world events?
44 When and how is the perfect government established? When Jesus was on earth this kingdom was the main theme of his preaching. (Matthew 4:17; Luke 8:1) However, he did not establish the kingdom at that time, nor at his resurrection, (Acts 1:6-8) Even when he ascended again into the heavens, he must still wait for Jehovah’s appointed time. (Psalm 110:1, 2) Bible prophecy shows that appointed time came in 1914 (A.D.). However, someone will ask, Rather than perfect government, did not 1914 mark the start of increased world woes? That is exactly the point! There is a close connection between the coming of God’s kingdom and the catastrophic events of recent years, as we shall now see.
45 For nearly forty years prior to 1914, The Watchtower (now the most widely distributed religious magazine on earth) had been calling attention to 1914 as a year marked in Bible prophecy. These prophecies began to have a remarkable fulfillment in 1914. One of these was Jesus’ own prophecy, uttered 1,900 years ago, concerning the “sign” that would appear at the end of the system of things, and which would prove his invisible presence with kingly power. In answer to his disciples’ question about this “sign,” he said: “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.” (Matthew 24:3, 7, 8) In striking fulfillment, the first of the “world” wars started in 1914, bringing destruction seven times greater than all the 900 wars of the preceding 2,500 years! Pangs of distress have continued ever since. Have you experienced the war destruction, food shortages or any of the great earthquakes that have plagued the earth since 1914? If so, you have been an eyewitness of the “sign” of the “time of the end” of this system of things.
46. How have events fulfilling the “sign” intensified in recent years?
46 The “pangs of distress” have heightened through World War II, which was four times as destructive as even World War I, and on into the nuclear age, fulfilling Jesus’ further prophecy: “On the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out . . . , while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.” (Luke 21:25, 26) The increase in crime and wickedness, the disobedience and delinquency of children, and the growth of godlessness and immorality—these alarming developments were also foretold as marking the “last days” of this evil system.—Matthew 24:12; 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
47. Who is responsible for the woes on earth, and why have they increased since 1914?
47 However, if the heavenly government was established in 1914, why is there all this distress on earth? It is Satan the Devil who is responsible. When Christ received Kingdom power, his first act was to wage war on Satan in the invisible heavens. As a result, Satan, “who is misleading the entire inhabited earth,” was hurled with his angels down to the vicinity of the earth. Knowing that his destruction draws near, he stirs up great trouble on earth. It is “woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”—Revelation 12:7-9, 12.
48. (a) Will God permit selfish men to ruin this earth? (b) How, then, will Jehovah bring an end to the woes and those responsible for them?
48 Will there be an end to these woes? Yes!—when heaven’s government itself, the Kingdom of Almighty God, goes into action to “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18; Daniel 2:44) Never will God permit Communists, false Christians or anyone else to ruin his handiwork the earth with their nuclear devices. Rather, he declares: “My judicial decision is to gather nations, for me to collect together kingdoms, in order to pour out upon them my denunciation, all my burning anger.” (Zephaniah 3:8) Jehovah, through his Christ, will use great forces that he controls in nature in bringing overwhelming destruction to all who follow Satan on earth. It will be on a global scale, similar in magnitude to the flood of Noah’s day.—Jeremiah 25:31-34; 2 Peter 3:5-7, 10.
49. (a) What is “Armageddon”? (b) Who only may survive Armageddon?
49 In the Bible this destruction of wicked nations is called God’s battle of Armageddon. (Revelation 16:14-16) Only meek persons, who seek Jehovah and righteousness, may survive Armageddon into God’s peaceful new order. (Zephaniah 2:3; Isaiah 26:20, 21) Concerning these the Bible says: “But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:11) The grand work of restoring paradise to the earth will then commence!
EDUCATION FOR ENTERING PARADISE
50. Why is this a most critical time, and hence what grand work is now being accomplished?
50 Mankind is now passing through the most critical time in all history. Speaking of today’s troubled system of things and the “sign” of its approaching destruction, Jesus said: “Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.” (Matthew 24:34) It is the generation of people now living who have the opportunity of learning the Bible and surviving the end of the present wicked system. Jesus further prophesied concerning this day: “And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) The Society known as Jehovah’s witnesses is vigorously doing this preaching work, with an ever-increasing band of 1,300,000 proclaimers active in 200 lands.—Isaiah 43:10-12.
51. What steps should righteously disposed persons now take with regard to religion, and why?
51 Do you hear this witness? Do you realize its urgency? Do you want to survive out of this old system of confusion and sorrow into God’s new order of peace and joy? Then you must act, and act immediately! You must study to find the true religion. It is no longer safe to regard religion as a kind of furniture, something that has always been in the house but is necessary in your life only as it performs some social function. Nor can you afford to think that all religions are good and that all have the same goal. Many religions are selfish, and modern religion has failed to teach the hope of God’s new order, with its paradise earth. You must learn the Bible religion! Just as a proper secular education is necessary to fit a person for a place in everyday society, so a proper Bible education is necessary to equip one for entering the society that will survive to live in the paradise earth. (John 17:3; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17) Your safety and the whole future of yourself and your family depend on now studying the Bible, associating with the theocratic society of Jehovah’s witnesses, dedicating yourself to your Creator, Jehovah God, and witnessing for him. Do not let the pursuit of material things or the cares of life rob you of this wonderful opportunity of life. Said Jesus: “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things [the material necessities] will be added to you.”—Matthew 6:33.
52, 53. In what respect is the theocratic society different from other societies, and how has this been proved?
52 As you associate with the theocratic society of Jehovah’s witnesses, you will find it far different from any other society on earth. All in this society take to heart the first great command of the Bible: “You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.” (Matthew 22:37) What overflowing love they have for their Creator, who gave them life, and who has also opened up the way to life in His new order, which includes the paradise earth! Moreover, they have great love for one another. (Matthew 22:39) This love and the practicability of uniting all mankind in love have been clearly demonstrated in their international assemblies. For example, over the eight days, July 27 to August 3, 1958, Jehovah’s witnesses met in the Divine Will International Assembly in New York city. It was then that two great stadiums, Yankee Stadium and the Polo Grounds, presented the spectacle of crowds totaling between 180,291 on the opening day and 253,922 on the final day, meeting in grand harmony to receive further education in the Bible. From 123 different lands they assembled, all brothers, united in bonds of true Christian love! So impressive was this display of harmony, that a New York Times report on the assembly was even incorporated in the U.S. Congressional Record, 1958, appendix, page A6907, from which portions are here quoted:
53 WITNESSES STYLED CITY’S BEST GUESTS—180,000 AT WORLD ASSEMBLY WIN PRAISE FOR COURTESY, QUIETUDE, AND NEATNESS . . . New Yorkers are unanimous in agreeing that the Witnesses’ conduct has been exemplary. . . . Their cleanliness is now almost legendary. . . . Courtesy has been their watch-word. . . . Executive vice president of the New York Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, called the Witnesses ‘an asset to the community.’ He described their behavior as ‘out of this world.’”
54. (a) Why do Jehovah’s witnesses separate from this world? (b) What happy prospect is in store for them?
54 Yes, “out of this world,” for these witnesses of Jehovah, gathered from ‘all nations, tribes, peoples and tongues,’ have separated from the world that is passing away. (Revelation 7:9; 1 John 2:15-17) Their hopes and affections are set on the glorious new order that Jehovah purposes to create. (Isaiah 65:17, 18) They are convinced of God’s promises, and those who expect to live on this earth hope also to survive the end of this wicked system, and to live on into the new order without ever dying. (Hebrews 11:1, 6; Zephaniah 2:3) Through the application of Christ’s sacrifice, they, together with the resurrected dead, will be renewed to human perfection. Oh, happy, happy prospect!
55. (a) What intimate relationship will there be between Jehovah and his worshipers on earth? (b) What are some of the blessings in store?
55 Continue, then, to study, and to grow in love and appreciation of Jehovah God, and his Son, and the heavenly government of righteousness. In describing the government of God and the blessings it will shower on mankind, the Bible prophecy says: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them.” “God himself,” who is so far from the selfish, nuclear-crazed nations of this day, will be very close as a kind Father to all those who love and worship him in that new order. Indeed, there will be only the one religion, the true worship of Jehovah God, in the intimate relationship of children to Father. What a loving Father will he show himself to be! “And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:3, 4.
56. How can we be absolutely certain that Jehovah will “make all things new”?
56 Thus the great miracle of establishing a paradise earth under a perfect heavenly government will be accomplished. It is as certain as that the sun will rise and set tomorrow. For the promises of Jehovah God, Creator of heaven and earth, are ever “faithful and true.” He it is who declares from his throne in heaven: “Look! I am making all things new.”—Revelation 21:5.
[Footnotes]
a Bible references in support of the above: (1) Acts 17:26; Psalm 46:9; Micah 4:3, 4; Isaiah 65:21-23: (2) Isaiah 65:25; 11:6-9; 55:12, 13; Psalm 67:6, 7; (3) Job 33:25; Isaiah 35:5, 6; 33:24; Psalm 104:24; (4) Isaiah 55:11.
b Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations in this publication are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1961 edition.
c Monarchs and Tombs and Peoples—the Dawn of the Orient, page 25.
Study Questions |
THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES
Johny and Gideon: Once Enemies, Now Brothers | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501000002 | THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES
Johny and Gideon: Once Enemies, Now Brothers
Apartheid placed Johny and Gideon on opposite sides of the issue of segregation. Learn how they overcame this after apartheid ended in South Africa.
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They Offered Themselves Willingly—In Guyana | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019284 | They Offered Themselves Willingly—In Guyana
“Words just can’t describe the joy that can be had from serving where the need is greater!” That is the view of Joshua, who lives in the United States but served for a time in Guyana. His joy is shared by many Witnesses who have served in this fruitful South American country.a What practical lessons can these need-greaters teach us? How can these lessons prepare you to serve in a foreign land if that is your desire?
What Motivated Them?
Linel
Before moving to Guyana, a brother named Linel preached in seldom-worked territory in his home country, the United States. “A group of 20 of us were assigned to a rural part of West Virginia,” he says. “The preaching and association I enjoyed during our two weeks there changed my life! I became even more determined to serve Jehovah as fully as possible.”
Erica and Garth
A married couple named Garth and Erica began to think seriously about serving in a foreign land, and they chose Guyana. The reason? “My husband and I knew a married couple who had moved there,” explains Erica. “Their enthusiasm and love for what they were doing motivated us to move there too.” Erica and Garth spent three happy years in what they describe as a “cherished assignment.” Garth says: “We tasted foreign service and saw that it was good.” He and his wife later went to Gilead School and now serve in Bolivia.
Those who serve in foreign lands often enjoy productive conversations about the Bible
How Did They Prepare?
Bible principles encourage us to keep our life simple. (Hebrews 13:5) We are also encouraged to count the cost when we make big decisions in life. (Luke 14:26-33) That certainly includes decisions about moving to a foreign country! Garth writes: “Before leaving for Guyana, Erica and I had to simplify our life. This meant selling our business, our house, and all the unnecessary things stored in our house. That took a few years. Meanwhile, we maintained our desire to serve in Guyana by keeping our goal in mind and making yearly trips to that country.”
Sinead and Paul
Another factor to consider is income. Need-greaters in some lands are able to work in the foreign land if the law there permits them to do so. Some do the same work they did at home by working remotely using a computer. Others choose to return to their home country for short periods of time in order to work there. A couple named Paul and Sinead went back to Ireland once a year to work. Their routine helped them to serve in Guyana for 18 rewarding years, including seven years after their daughter was born.
Christopher and Lorissa
Psalm 37:5 says: “Commit your way to Jehovah; rely on him, and he will act in your behalf.” Christopher and Lorissa from the United States regularly prayed about their goal to serve in a foreign land. Also, during their family worship, they considered what they would have to do to make a successful move, listing both the pros and the cons. Because language was a big factor for them, they chose Guyana, where English is the official language.
Next, they acted on the principle stated at Proverbs 15:22: “Plans fail when there is no consultation, but there is accomplishment through many advisers.” They wrote to the branch office overseeing the work in Guyana,b outlining their availability and background. At the same time, they inquired about local medical services, the climate, and local customs. The branch answered their questions and put them in contact with a body of elders in the area where they would later move.
Linel, mentioned earlier, is now a traveling overseer in Guyana. Before moving there, he too applied the principle at Proverbs 15:22. “Besides saving for the trip,” he says, “I talked with others who had served in a foreign land. I discussed the matter with my family, the elders in my congregation, and our circuit overseer. And I read everything I could find in our publications about serving where the need is greater.”
Joseph and Christina
Many who want to serve in a foreign country wisely decide to visit there first. “The first time we went to Guyana,” say Joseph and Christina, a married couple, “we stayed for three months. That was long enough for us to see what it was like. Then we went home, wrapped up our affairs, and made the move.”
How Did They Adjust?
Joshua
To serve God successfully in a foreign land, need-greaters must have a spirit of self-sacrifice and a willingness to adjust to local conditions and customs. For example, those who move from cooler regions to the tropics often discover that their new home teems with all kinds of insects. “I wasn’t used to so many bugs,” says Joshua, quoted earlier. “And they all seemed to be larger in Guyana! But in time I got used to them. I also found that you can keep bugs to a minimum by keeping your home clean. That includes washing dirty dishes, taking out the garbage, and regularly cleaning the house.”
Adjusting to life in another country may also mean adjusting to unfamiliar foods and learning how to prepare them. “My roommate and I asked the brothers and sisters to help us learn how to cook with local ingredients,” recalls Joshua. “After we learned how to prepare a new dish, we would invite some from the congregation to share it with us. This was also an enjoyable way to get to know the brothers and to build friendships.”
Paul and Kathleen
Concerning local customs, Paul and Kathleen recall: “The need to adjust to new standards of etiquette and acceptable dress in the tropics was something we had not faced before. So we had to be humble and make changes, while not compromising Bible principles. Adapting to the local culture drew us closer to the congregation and had a positive effect on our ministry.”
How Did They Benefit?
Joseph and Christina speak for many when they say: “The blessings far outweigh the challenges and difficulties. Stepping outside our comfort zone helped us to adjust our priorities. The value of things we once considered important lessened in our minds. Each experience we had motivated us to continue doing all we could for Jehovah. We became truly output and satisfied.”
Erica, quoted earlier, says: “Serving as need-greaters allowed my husband and me to learn more fully just what it means to put your trust in Jehovah. We have seen his helping hand in ways we had not experienced before. And as we shared new experiences together, we drew closer as a couple.”
Would You Like to Serve in a Foreign Land?
Is your congregation territory worked frequently? Would you like to serve in a foreign land that has a greater need for Kingdom proclaimers? If so, discuss the matter with the elders in your congregation. They will be happy to provide you with further direction.
a A history of the work in Guyana can be found in the 2005 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
b The Trinidad and Tobago branch oversees the work there. |
Reasoning (rs)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/reasoning-rs | Memorial (Lord’s Evening Meal)
Definition: A meal commemorating the death of Jesus Christ; hence, a memorial of his death, the death that has had effects that are more far reaching than that of any other person. This is the only event that the Lord Jesus Christ commanded his disciples to memorialize. It is also known as the Lord’s Supper, or the Lord’s Evening Meal.—1 Cor. 11:20.
What is the significance of the Memorial?
To his faithful apostles Jesus said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) When writing to members of the spirit-begotten Christian congregation, the apostle Paul added: “As often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” (1 Cor. 11:26) So, the Memorial calls special attention to the significance of the death of Jesus Christ in the outworking of Jehovah’s purpose. It highlights the meaning of Jesus’ sacrificial death particularly in relation to the new covenant and to the way that his death affects those who will be heirs with him of the heavenly Kingdom.—John 14:2, 3; Heb. 9:15.
The Memorial is also a reminder that Jesus’ death and the way it was accomplished, in harmony with God’s purpose as expressed at Genesis 3:15 and thereafter, served to vindicate Jehovah’s name. By maintaining integrity to Jehovah down till his death, Jesus proved that Adam’s sin was not due to any flaw in the Creator’s designing of man but that it is possible for a human to maintain perfect godly devotion even under severe pressure, and thus Jesus vindicated Jehovah God as Creator and Universal Sovereign. Besides that, Jehovah had purposed that Jesus’ death would provide the perfect human sacrifice needed to ransom Adam’s offspring, and thus make it possible for billions who would exercise faith to live forever in a paradise earth, in fulfillment of Jehovah’s original purpose and in expression of his great love for mankind.—John 3:16; Gen. 1:28.
What a tremendous burden rested upon Jesus on his last night on earth as a man! He knew what his heavenly Father had purposed for him, but he also knew that he had to prove faithful under test. Had he failed, what a reproach it would have meant for his Father and what a loss to humankind! Because of all that would be accomplished by means of his death, it was most fitting that Jesus instructed that it be memorialized.
What is the meaning of the bread and the wine served at the Memorial?
Regarding the unleavened bread that Jesus gave to his apostles when instituting the Memorial, he said: “This means my body.” (Mark 14:22) That bread symbolized his own sinless body of flesh. This he would give in behalf of the future life prospects of mankind, and on this occasion special attention is drawn to the life prospects that it makes possible for those who would be chosen to share with Jesus in the heavenly Kingdom.
When passing the wine to his faithful apostles, Jesus said: “This means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many.” (Mark 14:24) That wine symbolized his own lifeblood. By means of his shed blood, forgiveness of sins would be possible for those who put faith in it. On this occasion Jesus was highlighting the cleansing from sin that it would make possible for his prospective joint heirs. His words also indicate that by means of that blood the new covenant between Jehovah God and the spirit-anointed Christian congregation would be made operative.
See also pages 261-263, under the heading “Mass.”
Who is to partake of the bread and the wine?
Who partook when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Evening Meal shortly before he died? Eleven faithful followers to whom Jesus said: “I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom.” (Luke 22:29) They were all persons who were being invited to share with Christ in his heavenly Kingdom. (John 14:2, 3) All who partake of the bread and wine today should also be persons whom Christ brings into that ‘covenant for a kingdom.’
How many are there that partake? Jesus said that only a “little flock” would receive the heavenly Kingdom as their reward. (Luke 12:32) The full number would be 144,000. (Rev. 14:1-3) That group began to be selected in 33 C.E. Reasonably, there would be only a small number partaking now.
Does John 6:53, 54 indicate that only those who do partake will gain everlasting life?
John 6:53, 54: “Jesus said to them: ‘Most truly I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. He that feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I shall resurrect him at the last day.’”
This eating and drinking would obviously have to be done figuratively; otherwise the one doing it would be violating God’s law. (Gen. 9:4; Acts 15:28, 29) However, it should be noted that Jesus’ statement at John 6:53, 54 was not made in connection with the inauguration of the Lord’s Evening Meal. None who heard him had any idea of a celebration with bread and wine used to represent Christ’s flesh and blood. That arrangement was not introduced until about a year later, and the apostle John’s report about the Lord’s Evening Meal does not begin until more than seven chapters later on (in John 14) in the Gospel bearing his name.
How, then, can a person “eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood” in a figurative way if not by partaking of the bread and the wine at the Memorial? Notice that Jesus said that those thus eating and drinking would have “everlasting life.” Earlier, in verse 40, when explaining what people must do to have everlasting life, what did he say was the will of his Father? That “everyone that beholds the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life.” Reasonably, then, ‘eating his flesh and drinking his blood’ in a figurative sense is done by exercising faith in the redeeming power of Jesus’ flesh and blood laid down in sacrifice. This exercising of faith is required of all who will gain the fullness of life, whether in the heavens with Christ or in the earthly Paradise.
How often is the Memorial to be commemorated, and when?
Jesus did not specifically state how often it was to be done. He simply said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) Paul said: “For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” (1 Cor. 11:26) “As often” need not mean many times a year; it can mean annually over a period of many years. If you commemorate an important event, such as a wedding anniversary, or if a nation commemorates an important event in its history, how often is it done? Once a year on the anniversary date. This would also be consistent with the fact that the Lord’s Evening Meal was instituted on the date of the Jewish Passover, a yearly celebration that no longer had to be kept by Jews who had become Christians.
Jehovah’s Witnesses observe the Memorial after sundown on Nisan 14, according to the reckoning of the Jewish calendar that was common in the first century. The Jewish day begins at sundown and extends until the following sundown. So Jesus died on the same Jewish calendar day that he instituted the Memorial. The beginning of the month of Nisan was the sunset after the new moon nearest the spring equinox became visible in Jerusalem. The Memorial date is 14 days thereafter. (Thus the date for the Memorial may not coincide with that of the Passover kept by modern-day Jews. Why not? The start of their calendar months is set to coincide with the astronomical new moon, not the visible new moon over Jerusalem, which may come 18 to 30 hours later. Also, most Jews today keep the Passover on Nisan 15, not on the 14th as did Jesus in harmony with what was stated in the Mosaic Law.) |
YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
What if I’m Being Cyberbullied? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502017213 | YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
What if I’m Being Cyberbullied?
What you should know
What you can do
What your peers say
What you should know
The Internet makes bullying easy. It “allows even good kids to be mean because of the faceless power that the screen builds in,” says the book CyberSafe.
Some people are more likely to be targeted. That includes those who appear introverted, are perceived as different, or suffer from low self-esteem.
Being cyberbullied has serious effects. It can foster loneliness and depression, and it has even led some victims to commit suicide.
What you can do
First, ask yourself, ‘Is it really bullying?’ Sometimes people say hurtful things that they don’t actually mean. When that happens, we can follow the Bible’s wise advice:
“Do not be quick to take offense, for the taking of offense is the mark of a fool.”—Ecclesiastes 7:9, footnote.
On the other hand, when someone intentionally harasses, humiliates, or threatens another person online, that is bullying.
If you are being cyberbullied, remember this: How you respond can make things get better or worse. Try one or more of the following suggestions.
Ignore the bully. The Bible says: “A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a discerning man will remain calm.”—Proverbs 17:27.
One reason that advice works: “The primary goal of bullies is to get targets to lose their cool,” writes Nancy Willard in her book Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats. “When targets lose their cool, they essentially hand over power to the bully.”
The bottom line: Sometimes the best response is no response.
Resist the urge to retaliate. The Bible says: “Do not pay back injury for injury or insult for insult.”—1 Peter 3:9.
One reason that advice works: “Anger shows weakness, which will encourage more bullying,” says the book Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens. Retaliation could also make it appear that you are as much a part of the problem as the bully.
The bottom line: Don’t add fuel to the fire.
Be proactive. The Bible says: “Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil.” (Romans 12:21) There are things you can do to stop the bullying—without making the situation worse.
For example:
Block the person who is sending the messages. “What you don’t read can’t hurt you,” says the book Mean Behind the Screen.
Save all evidence, even if you do not read it. That includes aggressive text messages, instant messages, e-mails, posts on blogs or social media, voice messages, or any other communication.
Tell the cyberbully to stop. Send a firm but nonemotional message, such as:
“Do not send any more messages.”
“Remove what you have posted.”
“If this does not stop, I will take further steps to ensure that it does.”
Build your self-confidence. Focus on your strengths rather than your weaknesses. (2 Corinthians 11:6) Like physical bullies, cyberbullies prey on people who seem vulnerable.
Tell an adult. Start with your parents. You can also report the situation to the website or service that the bully is using. In severe situations, you and your parents should report the situation to your school, report it to the police, or even seek legal advice.
The bottom line: There are steps you can take to stop the harassment or at least reduce the effect that the cyberbullying is having on you.
What your peers say
“If you’re being cyberbullied, do you really need to be using that site? Is it doing more harm than good? Can you block the person? There’s usually something you can do to remove yourself from the situation.”—Natalie.
“If you’re being cyberbullied, tell an adult. Don’t be afraid of being called ‘weak’ or ‘a baby.’ Those words don’t describe you. It takes strength to speak up.”—Darius. |
Man’s Salvation (sl)
1975 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/sl | Scripture Index
GENESIS
Chap. 1 289
1:1-31 294
1:6-8, 20 290
1:26-28 357
2:8–3:24 169
2:17-25 294
3:8-24 133
3:15 63, 78
3:17, 18 122
5:18-24 285
6:9 350
7:1-4, 11-16 291
9:4-6 217
9:11-16 296
11:1 297
17:6, 15, 16 360
25:29-34 219
25:29–27:45 224
25:30 137
26:34, 35 225
27:30-45 219
27:46 225
28:6-9 225
38:24 240
49:10 106, 172
EXODUS
14:15-18 367
14:19–15:21 368
15:1-18 369
20:1-18 354
20:11 294
21:23-25 217
21:32 54
31:1-3 176
35:31 176
LEVITICUS
11:44, 45 155
16:5-10, 20-22 65
16:8-10 65
18:5 76
26:41-45 125
NUMBERS
16:1-35 353
26:10, 11 353
27:2, 3 353
DEUTERONOMY
4:24 310
10:16 34
21:22, 23 75
27:26 76
28:15-18 122
28:15-68 75
30:6 34
JOSHUA
10:1-14 337
1 SAMUEL
16:13 176
2 SAMUEL
5:17-25 337
7:8 105
7:8-16 172
7:11-16 41, 103
7:23 136
13:6-8 211
1 KINGS
17:11-13 211
2 KINGS
21:13 126
1 CHRONICLES
9:2 162
14:8-16 337
17:10-14 41
29:23 158
2 CHRONICLES
20:15 263
26:10 141
36:20, 21 125
36:20-23 119, 163
EZRA
1:1-4 154, 163
1:1-5 119
2:43-54, 58, 70 162
2:64, 65 165
2:68–3:2 121
3:1-6 166
3:8-13 167
6:13-22 321
7:1–8:15 165
7:24 162
8:17-20 162
NEHEMIAH
3:26, 31 162
6:15 321
7:46-56, 60, 73 162
7:66, 67 165
8:15, 16 123
ESTHER
1:1-4 164
JOB
1:1-22 60
1:1–2:5 181
1:6 91
2:1 91
2:1-10 60
27:5 61
33:25 61
38:7 91
42:10 89
42:10-17 61
PSALMS
Psalm 2 243
2:1-6 316
2:5, 6 232
2:6 190, 194
2:7, 10-12 44, 347
2:8, 9 42, 164
8:5 50
27:1-6 346
31:5 117
33:9 289
37:37-40 204
40:11 71
45:14, 15 360
45:16 80, 360
46, superscription 353
46:1-7 353
46:8-10 281
46:8-11 353
66:10-12 369
67:5-7 204
72:6, 7 359
89:27-37 41
89:28, 29 103
90, superscription 294
90:1-4 293
90:10 7
Psalm 91 204, 334
91:1 334
91:1-10 215
104:15 97, 99
104:16, 17 123
110:1, 2 41, 48, 106
110:1-4 26
110:2 316
110:5, 6 276
115:3 289
126:1, 2 119
126:2-4 115
137:7, 8 221
PROVERBS
21:27 112
26:11 15
27:11 81, 86
SONG OF SOLOMON
2:1 142
7:5 141
ISAIAH
1:1 138
2:10-22 246
9:6 80, 361
10:33, 34 172
Chap. 11 172
11:1 171, 194
11:1, 2 173, 185
11:1-10 170
11:2 176
11:3 179
11:3-5 179
11:6-8 184, 187
11:9 191, 194
11:10 171, 197, 198, 199, 200, 202
14:16, 17 96
14:19 178
24:1-6 126
24:6 122
28:14-16 336
28:17-19, 2, 3 337
28:20-22 337
29:18, 19 150
32:1, 2 362
33:22-24 215
Chap. 34 215
34:1-4 216
34:1-6 349
34:2-5 297
34:5-8 219
34:5, 11 231
34:5-17 137
34:8 220, 221, 227, 228
34:9-15 229
34:11-13 240
34:16, 17 230
Chap. 35 135, 137, 216
35:1 142
35:1, 2 138, 141, 153
35:1-10 232
35:2 142
35:3 145
35:3, 4 144
35:4 146, 148
35:5-7 149
35:6 151
35:7 151
35:8 156, 159
35:8, 9 154
35:9 156
35:9, 10 163
35:10 138, 163, 166, 168, 227
37:33-38 172
43:1-3, 10 370
43:1-4 163
43:9 104
43:10 104
43:10-12 203, 329
44:8 203, 329
44:26–45:7 163
44:28–45:3 119
44:28–45:6 96
47:1, 12-15 234
49:8, 9 149
50:1 91, 157
52:3 157
52:11 155, 160
52:11, 12 120
52:12 155
52:13 31, 35, 37, 39, 47, 89, 91
52:13-15 31, 38, 46
52:13–53:12 31, 63
52:14 37, 43
52:15 43
Chap. 53 35
53:1 47
53:2 49
53:3 52, 53, 54, 55, 82
53:4 66
53:4, 5 66
53:5 69, 70
53:6, 7 69
53:7, 8 37
53:8 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 84, 88
53:8, 9 71
53:9 76, 77, 78
53:10 78, 79, 80
53:10, 11 87
53:11 35, 37, 47, 81, 83, 89, 91
53:12 84, 85, 86, 88, 90
54:1 92, 93, 94
54:5 91
54:9 296
54:13 94
54:17 94
55:1, 2 99
55:1-4 95
55:3 103, 110
55:3, 4 102
55:4 104
55:5 107, 108
55:6 129
55:6, 7 111, 118
55:7 112, 113, 114, 115
55:8, 9 129
55:8-11 116
55:10, 11 118, 121
55:12 120, 123
55:12, 13 118, 121, 128
55:13 122, 125, 126
60:13 141
60:21, 22 178
60:22 84
61:1, 2 148
63:14 136
63:15 71
65:16-25 189
65:17, 18 320, 356
65:19-25 322
66:8 322
66:22 320, 322
66:23, 24 279
JEREMIAH
4:22 156, 195
7:18 211
9:11 152
9:24 195
10:22 152
25:13-29 335
25:17-21 221
31:31-34 91, 97, 193
32:20 136
33:19-21 103
46:18 141
51:11, 36, 37 158
LAMENTATIONS
2:3, 4 295
EZEKIEL
21:25-27 42, 174
28:11-13 141
34:26 140
35:1-9 225
36:22-36 135
36:33-36 124
38:1–39:16 257
38:6, 15 257
38:8, 9 258
38:8, 16 257
38:10, 11 258
38:10-12 345
38:10-17 368
38:12, 13 259
38:18-20 262
38:18-22 265
38:23 281
39:1-6 280
39:2 257
39:6, 7 281
39:11, 15 277
39:11-20 277
39:17-20 266, 276
DANIEL
2:1-30 310
2:31-33 310
2:34, 35 312, 314
2:35 320
2:36-38 311
2:39-43 311
2:44 42, 243
2:44, 45 312
2:45, 35 318
3:25 91
4:16, 23, 25, 32 103, 136
7:13, 14 313
9:1-4 113
9:24, 25 321
9:24-27 74
10:13, 20 317
12:1 204, 252, 273, 318, 355
12:4 41, 201, 289, 316
HOSEA
4:1-3, 6 196
6:5, 6 196
JOEL
2:31, 32 111
3:9-16 265
AMOS
3:7 241
OBADIAH
vs 3, 4 219
vs 8, 9, 19, 21 219
vs 11-16 221
vs 17-21 232
vs 18 230
MICAH
1:3, 4 298
2:12 330
5:2 171
NAHUM
1:6-9 348
1:9 326
HABAKKUK
2:3 366
ZEPHANIAH
1:14-18 307
3:8, 9 295
3:16, 17 370
HAGGAI
1:1 121
2:6, 7 354
2:7 203
2:23 321
ZECHARIAH
1:8-11 123
11:12, 13 54
MALACHI
1:2-4 225
Chap. 4 285
4:1-3 279
MATTHEW
1:1-6 171
1:1-17 360
1:1–2:6 315
1:6-13 174
2:1-22 222
2:4-6 171
3:13-17 34, 92, 174, 315
4:5 20
6:33 259, 328
8:14-17 66
9:2-8 68
10:7-22 226
10:28 262
11:19 51
12:22-30 52
13:1-8, 18-23 208
13:24-30, 36-43 207
13:31, 32 206
13:33 209, 211
13:39, 49 311
13:53-55 177
13:57 52
14:1-11 222
16:6-12 210
16:13-16 175
17:1-9 286
18:1-4 187
20:28 41, 86, 87
21:43 140
22:15-22 180, 223
23:37-39 18
24:1-3, 15-22 241
24:3 19, 29, 129, 133, 201, 255, 288, 289, 293, 311
24:3, 14 127
24:3, 21, 22 355
24:3, 34 357
24:3–25:33 316
24:4-22 21
24:9 25, 45, 108, 226
24:14 105, 109, 136, 151, 170, 191, 200, 254, 271, 313, 328, 343, 371
24:15 20
24:21 23
24:21, 22 110, 204, 252, 273, 316, 326
24:31 201
24:34 283
24:36-39 292
24:36-44 286
24:43, 44 304
24:45-47 260
25:13 286
25:31, 32 198, 313
25:31-34 359
25:31-46 161, 167, 274
25:40 255
25:41 272
26:14-16 54
26:20-30 330
26:26-30 98
26:38 87
26:59-68 74
26:63-68 56
26:65 71
27:1, 2 57
27:3-10 54
27:11-26, 62-64 51
27:15-26 55
27:24-26 74
27:27-31 56
27:57-60 77
27:62-66 77
28:11-15 77
28:18, 19 200
28:18-20 328
28:19, 20 202
28:20 203, 311
MARK
3:5 54
4:15 208
4:30-32 206
5:25-34 67
6:1-3 177
6:4 52
8:15 210
8:27-30 175
9:43-48 275
10:21 54
12:13 52
12:37 52
13:10 200, 328, 343
13:10-13 226
13:19, 20 355
13:30 283
14:48, 49 87
15:25-27 90
15:27 88
15:42-46 77
LUKE
1:31-33 41, 359
1:32, 33 315
2:10, 13, 14 92
2:14 333
3:21-23 315
3:23-38 360
3:27-32 174
3:38 357
4:1-15 177
4:5-7 319
4:16-22 177
4:24 52
5:27-32 53
6:18, 19 67
7:34 51
8:4-8, 11-15 208
8:42-48 67
9:18-21 175
11:53, 54 52
12:1 210
12:4 262
12:30-32 207
12:39, 40 304
12:42-44 260
13:18-21 209
13:31, 32 222
16:10 89
17:35 211
19:1-7 51
19:1-10 53
20:20-26 52
21:20-24 241
21:24 22, 41, 42, 48, 103, 136, 175, 191, 243, 316
21:25, 26 283
21:28 25
21:29-33 24
21:32 283
22:14-20 330
22:19, 20 98
22:25-27 362
22:29, 30 41
22:36, 37 87
22:52, 53 71
23:1-25 30
23:6-12 222
23:6-25 74
23:8-11 71
23:18-25 56
23:39-43 90, 135
23:43 215, 364
23:50-53 77
24:44-48 27
JOHN
1:1-3 62
1:10, 11 52
1:29, 36 70
1:29-49 175
1:46 50
3:16 357
4:43, 44 52
5:22-24 180
5:28, 29 325, 363
6:45 94
7:1, 12, 13 51
7:9-13 50
7:41, 52 50
7:48, 49 52
8:32 100
10:11, 16 330
10:16 167
11:25 198
11:25, 26 325, 363
12:31 82, 256
14:2, 3 359
14:30 256, 273, 319
15:19 188, 226, 253, 327
16:2 226
16:11 256, 280, 319
16:21 92
16:33 84
17:3 196
17:14-16 188
17:14, 16 226, 253, 327
17:24 359
18:33–19:16 74
18:37 105
19:8-11 71
19:31-37 77
19:38-42 77
ACTS
2:34-36 38
2:40 72
3:12-18, 26 56
4:24-30 243
4:25-28 228
5:1-11 180
5:38, 39 129
8:26-35 69
8:26-40 37
8:33 71, 72, 73
8:35 37
9:1-15 200
9:35 141
10:38 68, 177, 315
12:1-6 222, 228
13:32-37 104
20:17-28 361
20:27-30 212
21:8 37
22:6-21 200
23:6 28
24:15 28, 325, 363
26:12-18 200
26:24, 28 28
26:27, 28 222
ROMANS
1:3, 4 315
2:4 301
2:28, 29 34, 225
3:24-26 83
5:7 64
5:12 82
5:19 82
6:23 68
8:16, 17 323, 331
8:29 94
8:31, 32 88
10:13 111
10:16, 17 48
11:1-29 225
11:13 200
13:1 297, 326
13:1-4 217
13:11-14 186
15:4 368
15:6-12 171
15:12 197
16:20 355
1 CORINTHIANS
1:21 195
1:29, 30 177
3:13-15 306
5:6-8 210
6:9-11 186
10:6, 11 223
11:20-26 98, 330
15:3-6 27
15:18, 19 29
15:45 80, 365
15:50 133
2 CORINTHIANS
2:14 85
4:4 82, 256, 280, 319
5:20 127, 252, 328
5:21 82
6:14-18 160
6:14–7:1 213
6:17 161
12:1 133
12:1-4 134
12:1-5 131
12:4 135
GALATIANS
1:1, 13-17 241
3:10-14 76
3:16-29 224
4:4 300
4:9 351
4:22–5:1 94
5:9, 19-21 214
5:22, 23 204
5:22-26 188
6:16 193
EPHESIANS
1:9, 10 333, 365
1:9-14 330
2:1-3 186
2:2 319
2:6 132
2:20 35
4:8-12 85
4:20-24 187
5:23-27 330
5:25-27 359
6:12-18 355
6:20 252
PHILIPPIANS
1:1 361
2:8-11 39
2:10, 11 203
3:3-6 241
COLOSSIANS
1:15 62
1:18 37, 92
2:3, 8 177
2:14, 15 85
2:16, 17 223
3:5-8 186
3:10, 11 187
1 THESSALONIANS
2:18 355
5:1-3 303
5:2 326
2 THESSALONIANS
1:6 148
2:1-3 134
2:3-12 213
1 TIMOTHY
2:5, 6 41, 86, 363
3:1-7 361
6:13-16 254
TITUS
1:5-9 361
3:1 326
3:4-6 89
HEBREWS
2:5-9 50
2:14-18 88
4:15 88
6:8 122
8:7-12 193
9:22 68
9:24-28 41
9:24–10:14 79
10:1 65
10:12, 13 42, 48
10:32-34 144
10:39 369
11:5 285
11:6 366
11:7 292, 350
12:1-6 144
12:2-8 68
12:3-6 89
12:7-11 145
12:12 145
12:12, 13 144
12:15-17 225
12:16, 17 219, 224
12:22 194, 322
12:22-29 190
12:26-29 354
12:29 310
13:11-14 65
JAMES
1:27 253, 327
4:4 159, 226, 236, 240, 339
1 PETER
1:18, 19 70
2:9 347
2:11 308
2:21-24 69
2:24, 25 70, 83
3:18 315
3:22 39
5:1-4 361
2 PETER
1:1 308
1:4 323
1:10, 11 308
1:15-19 286
1:19-21 284
1:19–2:3 212
1:21 310
2:1 329
2:1, 2 285, 309, 330
2:3 303
2:5 291, 350
2:9 351
2:22 15
3:1-4 285
3:2 285, 293, 310
3:4 288
3:5, 6 290, 294
3:6 292
3:7 294, 306, 309, 328
3:7, 8 293
3:7, 10, 12 319
3:7-12 311
3:8-10 299
3:9 329
3:10 303, 305, 306, 338
3:10-12 319, 326
3:11, 12 357
3:11-13 308
3:12 303, 310
3:12, 10 351
3:13 320, 356
3:14 330, 338
3:14-16 327
3:15 328
3:18 285
1 JOHN
2:3, 4 195
2:15-17 226, 351
3:12-15 226
4:8, 16 195
5:3 195
JUDE
vs 4 117
vs 11 353
vs 14, 15 285
REVELATION
1:1-3 241
1:5 105
1:5, 17, 18 92
1:9 233
2:7 90, 132, 214
2:10 269
2:26, 27 86
2:27 42
3:14 62, 105
3:21 86
Chap. 4 133
5:5 106
5:8-10 70
5:9, 10 170
6:12-14 218
6:15-17 246
7:1-3 33, 301
7:1-8 107, 201
7:4-8 33, 207, 232, 234, 302
7:9 202
7:9, 10 110, 170
7:9, 10, 14 361
7:9-14 269, 324
7:9-17 107, 137, 167, 201, 268, 302, 328, 332
7:14 110, 168, 316
7:15 203, 306
7:16, 17 168
7:17 330
11:7-10 227
11:7-13 134
11:15 316
11:15-17 191
11:18 347
12:1-5 42, 190
12:1-6, 14 107
12:1-10 103, 134
12:5 42
12:5-10 48, 316
12:7-13 181, 319
12:17 256, 268
13:1, 2 255, 273, 319, 323
13:1-8 250, 270
13:1-8, 11-13 266
13:1-15 327
13:3, 4 256
13:11-13 251
13:11-15 237
13:14, 15 251
14:1 322
14:1-3 232
14:1-5 34, 190, 234
14:1-8 163
14:9-11 270
14:13 269
14:18-20 265, 348
15:2-4 282, 327
15:3 268
16:2 270
16:12-16 256
16:13 266
16:14, 16 84, 263, 273, 316
Chap. 17 233, 236, 251
17:1, 2 235, 340
17:1-5 233
17:1, 5 236
17:1-18 316
17:3-6 214
17:3-6, 18 341
17:5 235, 340
17:6 255
17:7-11 237
17:8, 14 282
17:9, 10 235
17:12, 13 244
17:12-14 253, 318
17:12-18 239
17:13, 14 267, 346
17:14 368
17:15, 16 341
17:16 245, 339
17:16–19:9 263
17:17 242, 244
17:18 234
18:2-4 335
18:2, 8 240
18:4-7 249
18:7 234, 238
18:8 231, 247, 249
18:18 230
18:20 341
18:20–19:3 316
18:21-24 248, 342
19:1-5 280
19:1-6 248
19:1-8 233
19:2 343
19:3 230
19:10 27
19:11-14 84
19:11-16 264, 348
19:11-21 86, 318
19:11–20:3 204, 319
19:17, 18 266, 274, 275
19:17-21 281
19:19-21 269, 270, 323
19:20 269, 272, 274, 275, 282
19:21 274
20:1-3 181, 257, 280, 323, 355
20:1-6 178, 355
20:4-6, 11-15 83
20:4, 6 359
20:4, 6, 11-13 269
20:10 272
20:10, 14, 15 269
20:11-14 325
20:12 364
21:1 356
21:1-4, 9, 10 324
21:2, 9, 10 359
21:2, 9-14 34
21:3, 4 358
21:8 269
21:9 233, 340
21:14 286
22:1 70
22:16 199 |
Young People Ask (yp)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp | Chapter 13
Why Do I Get So Depressed?
Melanie had always lived up to her mother’s ideal of the perfect child—until she turned 17. Then she withdrew from school activities, stopped accepting invitations to parties, and didn’t even seem to care when her grades dropped from A’s to C’s. When her parents gently inquired what was wrong, she stormed away saying, “Leave me alone! There’s nothing wrong.”
Mark, at 14, was impulsive and hostile, with an explosive temper. At school he was fidgety and disruptive. When frustrated or angry, he would race across the desert on a motorcycle or shoot down steep hills on his skateboard.
MELANIE and Mark both suffered forms of the same malady—depression. Dr. Donald McKnew of the National Institute of Mental Health says that 10 to 15 percent of schoolchildren may suffer mood disorders. A smaller number suffer from severe depression.
At times there is a biologic basis for the problem. Some infections or endocrine-system diseases, the hormonal shifts of the menstrual cycle, hypoglycemia, certain medications, exposure to toxic metals or chemicals, allergic reactions, an unbalanced diet, anemia—all of these can trigger depression.
Pressures at the Root of Depression
However, the teen years themselves are often the source of emotional stress. Not having an adult’s experience in handling life’s ups and downs, a youth can feel that no one cares and could become painfully depressed over relatively commonplace matters.
Failing to measure up to the expectations of parents, teachers, or friends is another cause of melancholy. Donald, for example, felt that he had to excel in school to please his well-educated parents. Failing to do that, he became depressed and suicidal. “I have never done anything right. I have always let everybody down,” lamented Donald.
That a sense of failure can kindle depression is evident from the case of a man named Epaphroditus. During the first century, this faithful Christian was sent on a special mission to assist the imprisoned apostle Paul. But when he reached Paul he soon fell sick—and Paul, instead, had to care for him! You can imagine, then, why Epaphroditus might have felt like such a failure and became “depressed.” Apparently he overlooked all the good he had performed before he got sick.—Philippians 2:25-30.
A Sense of Loss
Francine Klagsbrun wrote in her book Too Young to Die—Youth and Suicide: “At the root of many emotionally caused depressions lies a profound sense of loss, of someone or something that has been deeply loved.” Thus the loss of a parent through death or divorce, the loss of a job or career, or even the loss of one’s physical health could also be at the root of depression.
A most devastating loss to a young person, though, is the loss of love, the feeling of being unwanted and uncared for. “When my mother left us I felt betrayed and alone,” revealed a young woman named Marie. “My world suddenly seemed upside down.”
Imagine, then, the bewilderment and pain some youths feel when faced with family problems such as divorce, alcoholism, incest, wife beating, child abuse, or simple rejection by a parent who is swallowed up in his or her own problems. How true the Bible proverb: “Have you shown yourself discouraged in the day of distress? Your power [including the ability to resist depression] will be scanty”! (Proverbs 24:10) A youth may even mistakenly blame himself for his family’s problems.
Recognizing the Symptoms
There are different degrees of depression. A young person might temporarily be demoralized by some upsetting event. But usually such blues fade in a relatively short time.
However, if the depressed mood lingers and the youth has a general negative feeling along with feelings of worthlessness, anxiety, and anger, this can develop into what doctors call low-grade chronic depression. As the experiences of Mark and Melanie (mentioned at the outset) show, the symptoms can vary considerably. One young person may have anxiety attacks. Another may be tired all the time, have no appetite, experience trouble in sleeping, lose weight, or suffer a series of accidents.
Some young persons try to hide depression by embarking upon a pleasure binge: an endless round of parties, sexual promiscuity, vandalism, heavy drinking, and the like. “I don’t really know why I have to be going out all the time,” confessed one 14-year-old boy. “I just know if I’m by myself, alone, I realize how bad I feel.” It is just as the Bible described: “Even in laughter the heart may be in pain.”—Proverbs 14:13.
When It’s More Than Just the Blues
If low-grade chronic depression is not dealt with, it can progress to a more serious disorder—major depression. (See page 107.) “I constantly felt as if I were ‘dead’ inside,” explained Marie, a victim of major depression. “I was just existing without any emotions. I had a feeling of constant dread.” In major depression the gloomy mood is unrelenting and may continue for months. Consequently, this type of depression is the most common ingredient in teen suicides—now considered a “hidden epidemic” in many countries.
The most persistent emotion connected with major depression—and the deadliest—is a deep sense of hopelessness. Professor John E. Mack writes of a 14-year-old named Vivienne, who was a victim of major depression. To all outward appearances she was a perfect young lady with caring parents. Yet, in the depths of despair, she hanged herself! Wrote Professor Mack: “Vivienne’s inability to foresee that her depression would ever lift, that she had any hope of ultimately obtaining relief from her pain, is an important element in her decision to kill herself.”
Those affected with major depression thus feel as if they will never get better, that there is no tomorrow. Such hopelessness, according to experts, often leads to suicidal behavior.
Suicide, however, is not the answer. Marie, whose life had become a living nightmare, confessed: “The thoughts of suicide definitely came into my mind. But I realized that as long as I didn’t kill myself there was always hope.” Ending it all indeed solves nothing. Unfortunately, when confronted with despair, many young persons cannot even visualize alternatives or the possibility of a favorable outcome. Marie thus tried to hide her problem by injecting herself with heroin. She said: “I had plenty of self-confidence—until the drug wore off.”
Dealing With Minor Distress
There are sensible ways of dealing with feelings of depression. “Some people get depressed because they’re hungry,” observed Dr. Nathan S. Kline, a New York specialist on depression. “A person may not eat breakfast and for some reason miss lunch. Then by three o’clock he begins wondering why he doesn’t feel right.”
What you eat can also make a difference. Debbie, a young woman plagued with feelings of despair, admitted: “I didn’t realize that junk food was so detrimental to my mood. I ate a lot of it. Now I notice that when I eat fewer sweets, I feel better.” Other helpful steps: Some form of exercise may lift your spirits. In some cases, a medical checkup would be in order, since depression can be a symptom of physical illness.
Winning the Battle of the Mind
Often depression is brought on or made worse by having negative thoughts about yourself. “When you’ve been through a lot of people cutting at you,” lamented 18-year-old Evelyn, “it makes you think you’re not worth anything.”
Consider: Is it up to others to measure your worth as a person? Similar ridicule was heaped upon the Christian apostle Paul. Some said that he was a weakling and a poor speaker. Did this make Paul feel worthless? Not at all! Paul knew that meeting God’s standard was the important thing. He could boast over what he had accomplished with God’s help—regardless of what others were saying. If you, too, remind yourself of the fact that you have a standing with God, the gloomy mood will often leave.—2 Corinthians 10:7, 10, 17, 18.
What if you are depressed because of some weakness or sin you have committed? “Though the sins of you people should prove to be as scarlet,” God told Israel, “they will be made white just like snow.” (Isaiah 1:18) Never overlook the compassion and patience of our heavenly Father. (Psalm 103:8-14) But are you also striving hard to overcome your problem? You must do your part if you are to ease your mind of feelings of guilt. As the proverb says: “He that is confessing and leaving [his transgressions] will be shown mercy.”—Proverbs 28:13.
Another way to fight the blues is to set realistic goals for yourself. You don’t have to be top in your school class to be successful. (Ecclesiastes 7:16-18) Accept the fact that disappointments are a part of life. When these occur, rather than feel, ‘No one cares what happens to me and no one ever will,’ tell yourself, ‘I’ll get over it.’ And there’s nothing wrong with having a good cry.
The Value of Accomplishment
“Despair doesn’t go away on its own,” advises Daphne, who successfully lived through bouts of discouragement. “You have to think on a different line or physically get involved. You have to start doing something.” Consider Linda, who said when working hard to fight a sullen mood: “I’m on a sewing spree. I can work on my wardrobe and, in time, I forget about what’s troubling me. It really helps.” Doing things that you are good at can build your self-esteem—which is usually at rock bottom during depression.
Also beneficial is engaging in activities that bring you pleasure. Try shopping for some personal treat, playing games, cooking your favorite recipe, browsing through a bookstore, dining out, reading, even working at a puzzle, such as those that appear in Awake! magazine.
Debbie found that by planning short trips or setting little goals for herself, she could cope with her depressed mood. However, doing things to aid others proved to be one of her biggest helps. “I met this young woman who was very depressed, and I began to help her to study the Bible,” revealed Debbie. “These weekly discussions gave me opportunity to tell her how she could overcome her depression. The Bible gave her real hope. This helped me at the same time.” Just as Jesus said: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”—Acts 20:35.
Talk to Someone About It
“Anxious care in the heart of a man is what will cause it to bow down, but the good word is what makes it rejoice.” (Proverbs 12:25) A “good word” from an understanding person can make all the difference in the world. No human can read your heart, so pour it out to someone you trust who has the ability to help. “A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble,” according to Proverbs 17:17. (The Bible in Basic English) “When you keep it to yourself it is like carrying a heavy load all alone,” said 22-year-old Evan. “But when you share it with someone who is qualified to help, it becomes much lighter.”
‘But I’ve already tried that,’ you may say, ‘and all I get is a lecture to look on the bright side of life.’ Where, then, can you find someone who will be not only an understanding listener but also an objective counselor?—Proverbs 27:5, 6.
Finding Help
Begin by ‘giving your heart to’ your parents. (Proverbs 23:26) They know you better than anyone else does, and they can often help if you let them. If they discern the problem is severe, they might even arrange for you to receive professional help.a
Members of the Christian congregation are another source of help. “Over the years I had put up such a pretext that no one really knew how depressed I was,” revealed Marie. “But then I confided in one of the older women in the congregation. She was so understanding! She had gone through some of the same experiences I had. So I was encouraged to realize that other people have gone through things like this and have come out just fine.”
No, Marie’s depression did not clear up immediately. But gradually she began to cope with her emotions as she deepened her relationship with God. Among Jehovah’s true worshipers you too can find friends and “family” who are genuinely interested in your welfare.—Mark 10:29, 30; John 13:34, 35.
Power Beyond What Is Normal
The most powerful aid in dispelling gloom, however, is what the apostle Paul called “the power beyond what is normal,” which comes from God. (2 Corinthians 4:7) He can help you fight off depression if you lean on him. (Psalm 55:22) With his holy spirit he gives power beyond your normal resources.
This friendship with God is truly reassuring. “When I have sad times,” said a young woman named Georgia, “I pray a lot. I know that Jehovah is going to provide a way out no matter how deep a problem I have.” Daphne agrees, adding: “You can tell Jehovah everything. You just pour out your heart and you know, even if no human can, he really understands you and cares about you.”
So if you are depressed, pray to God, and seek out someone wise and understanding to whom you can bare your feelings. In the Christian congregation you will find “older men” who are skillful counselors. (James 5:14, 15) They stand ready to help you maintain your friendship with God. For God understands and invites you to throw your anxieties upon him “because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6, 7) Indeed, the Bible promises: “The peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:7.
[Footnotes]
a Most medical experts advise that victims of major depression should receive professional help because of the danger of suicide. For example, there may be a need for medication that can only be dispensed by a medical professional.
Questions for Discussion
◻ What are some things that can cause a youth to become depressed? Have you ever felt that way?
◻ Can you identify the symptoms of low-grade chronic depression?
◻ Do you know how to recognize major depression? Why is this such a serious malady?
◻ Name some ways of battling the blues. Have any of these suggestions worked for you?
◻ Why is it so important to talk matters out when you are seriously depressed?
[Blurb on page 106]
Severe depression is the most common factor in teen suicides
[Blurb on page 112]
A personal friendship with God can help you to deal with major depression
[Box on page 107]
Could It Be Major Depression?
Anyone may suffer temporarily from one or more of the following symptoms without having a serious problem. However, if several symptoms persist, or if any is severe enough that it interferes with your normal activities, you may have (1) a physical illness and need a thorough examination by a doctor or (2) a serious mental disorder—major depression.
Nothing Gives You Pleasure. You can’t find pleasure in activities you once enjoyed. You feel unreal, as if in a fog and just going through the motions of living.
Total Worthlessness. You feel that your life has nothing important to contribute and is totally useless. You may feel full of guilt.
Drastic Change of Mood. If you were once outgoing, you may become withdrawn or vice versa. You may often cry.
Total Hopelessness. You feel that things are bad, there’s nothing you can do about them, and conditions will never get better.
Wish You Were Dead. The anguish is so great that you frequently feel that you would be better off dead.
Cannot Concentrate. You go over and over certain thoughts or you read without comprehension.
Change in Eating or Bowel Habits. Loss of appetite or overeating. Intermittent constipation or diarrhea.
Sleeping Habits Change. Poor or excessive sleep. You may frequently have nightmares.
Aches and Pains. Headaches, cramps, and pains in the abdomen and chest. You may constantly feel tired for no good reason.
[Picture on page 108]
Failure to live up to one’s parents’ expectations can cause a youth to feel depressed
[Picture on page 109]
Talking to others and pouring out your heart is one of the best ways to cope
[Picture on page 110]
Doing things for others is yet another way to beat the blues |
Doing God’s Will (je)
1986 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/doing-gods-will-je | |
Creation (ce)
1985 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ce | Chapter 3
What Does Genesis Say?
1. (a) What is the purpose of this discussion on Genesis, and what should be remembered? (b) How are events covered in the first chapter of Genesis?
AS WITH other things that are misrepresented or misunderstood, the first chapter of the Bible deserves at least a fair hearing. The need is to investigate and determine whether it harmonizes with known facts, not to mold it to fit some theoretical framework. Also to be remembered, the Genesis account was not written to show the “how” of creation. Rather, it covers major events in a progressive way, describing what things were formed, the order in which they were formed and the time interval, or “day,” in which each first appeared.
2. (a) From whose standpoint are the Genesis events described? (b) How does the description of the luminaries indicate this?
2 When examining the Genesis account, it is helpful to keep in mind that it approaches matters from the standpoint of people on earth. So it describes events as they would have been seen by human observers had they been present. This can be noted from its treatment of events on the fourth Genesis “day.” There the sun and moon are described as great luminaries in comparison to the stars. Yet many stars are far greater than our sun, and the moon is insignificant in comparison to them. But not to an earthly observer. So, as seen from the earth, the sun appears to be a ‘greater light that rules the day’ and the moon a ‘lesser light that dominates the night.’—Genesis 1:14-18.
3. How is the earth described before the first “day”?
3 The first part of Genesis indicates that the earth could have existed for billions of years before the first Genesis “day,” though it does not say for how long. However, it does describe what earth’s condition was just before that first “day” began: “Now the earth proved to be formless and waste and there was darkness upon the surface of the watery deep; and God’s active force was moving to and fro over the surface of the waters.”—Genesis 1:2.
How Long Is a Genesis “Day”?
4. What indication is there in the creation account itself that the word “day” does not mean just a 24-hour period?
4 Many consider the word “day” used in Genesis chapter 1 to mean 24 hours. However, in Genesis 1:5 God himself is said to divide day into a smaller period of time, calling just the light portion “day.” In Genesis 2:4 all the creative periods are called one “day”: “This is a history of the heavens and the earth in the time of their being created, in the day [all six creative periods] that Jehovah God made earth and heaven.”
5. What is one meaning of the Hebrew word for “day” that indicates longer periods can be understood?
5 The Hebrew word yohm, translated “day,” can mean different lengths of time. Among the meanings possible, William Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies includes the following: “A day; it is frequently put for time in general, or for a long time; a whole period under consideration . . . Day is also put for a particular season or time when any extraordinary event happens.”1 This last sentence appears to fit the creative “days,” for certainly they were periods when extraordinary events were described as happening. It also allows for periods much longer than 24 hours.
6. Why does the use of “evening” and “morning” not necessarily limit a “day” to 24 hours?
6 Genesis chapter 1 uses the expressions “evening” and “morning” relative to the creative periods. Does this not indicate that they were 24 hours long? Not necessarily. In some places people often refer to a man’s lifetime as his “day.” They speak of “my father’s day” or “in Shakespeare’s day.” They may divide up that lifetime “day,” saying “in the morning [or dawn] of his life” or “in the evening [or twilight] of his life.” So ‘evening and morning’ in Genesis chapter 1 does not limit the meaning to a literal 24 hours.
7. What other uses show “day” could be more than 24 hours?
7 “Day” as used in the Bible can include summer and winter, the passing of seasons. (Zechariah 14:8) “The day of harvest” involves many days. (Compare Proverbs 25:13 and Genesis 30:14.) A thousand years are likened to a day. (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8, 10) “Judgment Day” covers many years. (Matthew 10:15; 11:22-24) It would seem reasonable that the “days” of Genesis could likewise have embraced long periods of time—millenniums. What, then, took place during those creative eras? Is the Bible’s account of them scientific? Following is a review of these “days” as expressed in Genesis.
First “Day”
8, 9. What came to be on the first “day,” and is Genesis saying that the sun and moon were created at that time?
8 “‘Let light come to be.’ Then there came to be light. And God began calling the light Day, but the darkness he called Night. And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, a first day.”—Genesis 1:3, 5.
9 Of course the sun and moon were in outer space long before this first “day,” but their light did not reach the surface of the earth for an earthly observer to see. Now, light evidently came to be visible on earth on this first “day,” and the rotating earth began to have alternating days and nights.
10. In what way could this light have come, and what kind of light is indicated?
10 Apparently, the light came in a gradual process, extending over a long period of time, not instantaneously as when you turn on an electric light bulb. The Genesis rendering by translator J. W. Watts reflects this when it says: “And gradually light came into existence.” (A Distinctive Translation of Genesis) This light was from the sun, but the sun itself could not be seen through the overcast. Hence, the light that reached earth was “light diffused,” as indicated by a comment about Ge 1 verse 3 in Rotherham’s Emphasised Bible.—See footnote b for Ge 1 verse 14.
Second “Day”
11, 12. (a) What is described for the second “day”? (b) How has the Hebrew word for this development sometimes been mistranslated, and what does it really mean?
11 “‘Let an expanse come to be in between the waters and let a dividing occur between the waters and the waters.’ Then God proceeded to make the expanse and to make a division between the waters that should be beneath the expanse and the waters that should be above the expanse. And it came to be so. And God began to call the expanse Heaven.”—Genesis 1:6-8.
12 Some translations use the word “firmament” instead of “expanse.” From this the argument is made that the Genesis account borrowed from creation myths that represent this “firmament” as a metal dome. But even the King James Version Bible, which uses “firmament,” says in the margin, “expansion.” This is because the Hebrew word ra·qiʹa‛, translated “expanse,” means to stretch out or spread out or expand.
13. The expanse may have looked as though what had happened?
13 The Genesis account says that God did it, but it does not say how. In whatever way the described separation occurred, it would look as though the ‘waters above’ had been pushed up from the earth. And birds could later be said to fly in “the expanse of the heavens,” as stated at Genesis 1:20.
Third “Day”
14. How is the third “day” described?
14 “‘Let the waters under the heavens be brought together into one place and let the dry land appear.’ And it came to be so. And God began calling the dry land Earth, but the bringing together of the waters he called Seas.” (Genesis 1:9, 10) As usual, the account does not describe how this was done. No doubt, tremendous earth movements would have been involved in the formation of land areas. Geologists would explain such major upheavals as catastrophism. But Genesis indicates direction and control by a Creator.
15, 16. (a) What points were raised to Job about the earth? (b) How deep do the roots of continents and mountains go, and what is likened to a “cornerstone” for earth?
15 In the Biblical account where God is described as questioning Job about his knowledge of the earth, a variety of developments concerning earth’s history are described: its measurements, its cloud masses, its seas and how their waves were limited by dry land—many things in general about the creation, spanning long periods of time. Among these things, comparing earth to a building, the Bible says that God asked Job: “Into what have its socket pedestals been sunk down, or who laid its cornerstone?”—Job 38:6.
16 Interestingly, like “socket pedestals,” earth’s crust is much thicker under continents and even more so under mountain ranges, pushing deep into the underlying mantle, like tree roots into soil. “The idea that mountains and continents had roots has been tested over and over again, and shown to be valid,” says Putnam’s Geology.2 Oceanic crust is only about 5 miles thick, but continental roots go down about 20 miles and mountain roots penetrate about twice that far. And all earth’s layers press inward upon earth’s core from all directions, making it like a great “cornerstone” of support.
17. What is important relative to the appearance of dry land?
17 Whatever means were used to accomplish the raising up of dry land, the important point is: Both the Bible and science recognize it as one of the stages in the forming of the earth.
Land Plants on Third “Day”
18, 19. (a) In addition to dry land, what else appeared on the third “day”? (b) What does the Genesis account not do?
18 The Bible account adds: “‘Let the earth cause grass to shoot forth, vegetation bearing seed, fruit trees yielding fruit according to their kinds, the seed of which is in it, upon the earth.’ And it came to be so.”—Genesis 1:11.
19 Thus by the close of this third creative period, three broad categories of land plants had been created. The diffused light would have become quite strong by then, ample for the process of photosynthesis so vital to green plants. Incidentally, the account here does not mention every “kind” of plant that came on the scene. Microscopic organisms, water plants and others are not specifically named, but likely were created on this “day.”
Fourth “Day”
20. What divisions in time became possible by the appearance of the luminaries in the expanse?
20 “‘Let luminaries come to be in the expanse of the heavens to make a division between the day and the night; and they must serve as signs and for seasons and for days and years. And they must serve as luminaries in the expanse of the heavens to shine upon the earth.’ And it came to be so. And God proceeded to make the two great luminaries, the greater luminary for dominating the day and the lesser luminary for dominating the night, and also the stars.”—Genesis 1:14-16; Psalm 136:7-9.
21. How did the light of the fourth “day” differ from that of the first?
21 Previously, on the first “day,” the expression “Let light come to be” was used. The Hebrew word there used for “light” is ’ohr, meaning light in a general sense. But on the fourth “day,” the Hebrew word changes to ma·’ohrʹ, which means the source of the light. Rotherham, in a footnote on “Luminaries” in the Emphasised Bible, says: “In ver. Ge 1:3, ’ôr [’ohr], light diffused.” Then he goes on to show that the Hebrew word ma·’ohrʹ in Ge 1 verse 14 means something “affording light.” On the first “day” diffused light evidently penetrated the swaddling bands, but the sources of that light could not have been seen by an earthly observer because of the cloud layers still enveloping the earth. Now, on this fourth “day,” things apparently changed.
22. What development on the fourth “day” could have contributed to the coming of animal life?
22 An atmosphere initially rich in carbon dioxide may have caused an earth-wide hot climate. But the lush growth of vegetation during the third and fourth creative periods would absorb some of this heat-retaining blanket of carbon dioxide. The vegetation, in turn, would release oxygen—a requirement for animal life.
23. What major changes are described for this time?
23 Now, had there been an earthly observer, he would be able to discern the sun, moon and stars, which would “serve as signs and for seasons and for days and years.” (Genesis 1:14) The moon would indicate the passing of lunar months, and the sun the passing of solar years. The seasons that now “came to be” on this fourth “day” would no doubt have been much milder than they became later on.—Genesis 1:15; 8:20-22.
Fifth “Day”
24. What kinds of creatures were said to appear on the fifth “day,” and within what limits would they reproduce?
24 “‘Let the waters swarm forth a swarm of living souls and let flying creatures fly over the earth upon the face of the expanse of the heavens.’ And God proceeded to create the great sea monsters and every living soul that moves about, which the waters swarmed forth according to their kinds, and every winged flying creature according to its kind.”—Genesis 1:20, 21.
25. What were the creatures that appeared on the fifth “day” called?
25 It is of interest to note that the nonhuman creatures with which the waters were to swarm are called “living souls.” This term would also apply to the “flying creatures [that] fly over the earth upon the face of the expanse.” And it would also embrace the forms of sea and air life, such as the sea monsters, whose fossil remains scientists have found in recent times.
Sixth “Day”
26-28. What took place on the sixth “day,” and what was remarkable about the last act of creation?
26 “‘Let the earth put forth living souls according to their kinds, domestic animal and moving animal and wild beast of the earth according to its kind.’ And it came to be so.”—Genesis 1:24.
27 Thus on the sixth “day,” land animals characterized as wild and domestic appeared. But this final “day” was not over. One last remarkable “kind” was to come:
28 “And God went on to say: ‘Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness, and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every moving animal that is moving upon the earth.’ And God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.”—Genesis 1:26, 27.
29, 30. How can the variance between Genesis chapter 2 and chapter 1 be understood?
29 Chapter 2 of Genesis apparently adds some details. However, it is not, as some have concluded, another account of creation in conflict with that of Ge chapter 1. It just takes up at a point in the third “day,” after dry land appeared but before land plants were created, adding details that were pertinent to the arrival of humans—Adam the living soul, his garden home, Eden, and the woman Eve, his wife.—Genesis 2:5-9, 15-18, 21, 22.
30 The foregoing is presented to help us understand what Genesis says. And this quite realistic account indicates that the creative process continued throughout a period of, not just 144 hours (6 × 24), but over many millenniums of time.
How Did Genesis Know?
31. (a) How do some misrepresent the Genesis account? (b) What shows their outputions to be inaccurate?
31 Many find it hard to accept this creation account. They contend that it is drawn from the creation myths of ancient peoples, primarily those from ancient Babylon. However, as one recent Bible dictionary noted: “No myth has yet been found which explicitly refers to the creation of the universe” and the myths “are marked by polytheism and the struggles of deities for supremacy in marked contrast to the Heb[rew] monotheism of [Genesis] 1-2.”3 Regarding Babylonian creation legends, the trustees of the British Museum stated: “The fundamental conceptions of the Babylonian and Hebrew accounts are essentially different.”4
32. How has the creation account in Genesis been shown to be scientifically sound?
32 From what we have considered, the Genesis creation account emerges as a scientifically sound document. It reveals the larger categories of plants and animals, with their many varieties, reproducing only “according to their kinds.” The fossil record provides confirmation of this. In fact, it indicates that each “kind” appeared suddenly, with no true transitional forms instructioning it with any previous “kind,” as required by the evolution theory.
33. Where only could the information in the Genesis creation account have come from?
33 All the knowledge of the wise men of Egypt could not have furnished Moses, the writer of Genesis, any clue to the process of creation. The creation myths of ancient peoples bore no resemblance to what Moses wrote in Genesis. Where, then, did Moses learn all these things? Apparently from someone who was there.
34. What other line of evidence underlines the soundness of the Genesis outline of events?
34 The science of mathematical probability offers striking proof that the Genesis creation account must have come from a source with knowledge of the events. The account lists 10 major stages in this order: (1) a beginning; (2) a primitive earth in darkness and enshrouded in heavy gases and water; (3) light; (4) an expanse or atmosphere; (5) large areas of dry land; (6) land plants; (7) sun, moon and stars discernible in the expanse, and seasons beginning; (8) sea monsters and flying creatures; (9) wild and tame beasts, mammals; (10) man. Science agrees that these stages occurred in this general order. What are the chances that the writer of Genesis just guessed this order? The same as if you picked at random the numbers 1 to 10 from a box, and drew them in consecutive order. The chances of doing this on your first try are 1 in 3,628,800! So, to say the writer just happened to list the foregoing events in the right order without getting the facts from somewhere is not realistic.
35. What questions are raised, and where are the answers to be discussed?
35 However, evolutionary theory does not allow for a Creator who was there, knew the facts and could reveal them to humans. Instead, it attributes the appearance of life on earth to the spontaneous generation of living organisms from inanimate chemicals. But could undirected chemical reactions relying on mere chance create life? Are scientists themselves convinced that this could happen? Please see the next chapter.
[Blurb on page 25]
The Genesis account is given from the standpoint of an observer on earth
[Blurb on page 36]
The fossil record confirms reproduction only “according to their kinds”
[Box on page 35]
The Babylonian creation myth that is claimed by some to be a basis for the Genesis creation account:
The god Apsu and the goddess Tiamat made other gods.
Later Apsu became distressed with these gods and tried to kill them, but instead he was killed by the god Ea.
Tiamat sought revenge and tried to kill Ea, but instead she was killed by Ea’s son Marduk.
Marduk split her body in half, and from one half he made the sky and from the other half he made the earth.
Then Marduk, with Ea’s aid, made mankind from the blood of another god, Kingu.a
Does it seem to you that this type of tale bears any similarity to the Genesis creation narrative?
[Box on page 36]
A well-known geologist said this about the Genesis creation account:
“If I as a geologist were called upon to explain briefly our modern ideas of the origin of the earth and the development of life on it to a simple, pastoral people, such as the tribes to whom the Book of Genesis was addressed, I could hardly do better than follow rather closely much of the language of the first chapter of Genesis.”b This geologist, Wallace Pratt, also noted that the order of events—from the origin of the oceans, to the emergence of land, to the appearance of marine life, and then to birds and mammals—is essentially the sequence of the principal divisions of geologic time.
[Picture on page 27]
Day 1: “Let light come to be”
[Picture on page 28]
Day 2: “Let an expanse come to be”
[Picture on page 29]
Day 3: “Let the dry land appear”
[Picture on page 30]
Day 3: “Let the earth cause grass to shoot forth”
[Pictures on page 31]
Day 4: ‘Let luminaries come to be in the expanse, the greater for dominating the day and the lesser for dominating the night’
[Picture on page 32]
Day 5: ‘Let the waters swarm forth living souls and let flying creatures fly over the earth’
[Picture on page 33]
Day 6: ‘Domestic animal and wild beast according to its kind’
[Picture on page 34]
Day 6: “Male and female he created them”
[Picture on page 37]
The chances of doing this on the first try are 1 in 3,628,800 |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 61—2 Peter
Writer: Peter
Place Written: Babylon (?)
Writing Completed: c. 64 C.E.
1. What facts prove Peter’s writership of Second Peter?
WHEN Peter composed his second letter, he realized he was to face death soon. He anxiously desired to remind his fellow Christians of the importance of accurate knowledge to help them to maintain steadfastness in their ministry. Would there be any reason to doubt that the apostle Peter was the writer of the second letter bearing his name? The letter itself erases any doubts that may have arisen as to writership. The writer says he is “Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 1:1) He refers to this as “the second letter I am writing you.” (3:1) He speaks of himself as an eyewitness to the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, a privilege that Peter shared with James and John, and he writes of this with all the feeling of an eyewitness. (1:16-21) He mentions that Jesus had foretold his death.—2 Pet. 1:14; John 21:18, 19.
2. What argues for the canonicity of Second Peter?
2 However, some critics have pointed to the difference in style of the two letters as a reason for discounting the second letter as the work of Peter. But this should pose no real problem, for the subject and the purpose in writing were different. In addition, Peter wrote his first letter “through Silvanus, a faithful brother,” and if Silvanus were given some latitude in formulating the sentences, this could account for the difference of style in the two letters, since Silvanus apparently did not have a part in writing the second letter. (1 Pet. 5:12) Its canonicity has also been disputed on the grounds that it “is poorly attested in the Fathers.” However, as may be observed from the chart “Outstanding Early Catalogs of the Christian Greek Scriptures,” Second Peter was regarded as part of the Bible catalog by a number of authorities prior to the Third Council of Carthage.a
3. When and where was Second Peter apparently written, and to whom was it addressed?
3 When was Peter’s second letter written? It is most probable that it was written about 64 C.E. from Babylon or its vicinity, shortly after the first letter, but there is no direct evidence, particularly as to the place. At the time of writing, most of Paul’s letters were circulating among the congregations and were known to Peter, who regarded them as inspired of God and classed them with “the rest of the Scriptures.” Peter’s second letter is addressed “to those who have obtained a faith, held in equal privilege with ours,” and it includes those to whom the first letter was addressed and others to whom Peter had preached. Just as the first letter had circulated in many areas, so the second letter also took on a general character.—2 Pet. 3:15, 16; 1:1; 3:1; 1 Pet. 1:1.
outputS OF SECOND PETER
4. (a) How should the brothers strive to become fruitful with regard to accurate knowledge, and what are they promised? (b) How is the prophetic word made more sure, and why should it be heeded?
4 Making sure of the calling to the heavenly Kingdom (1:1-21). Peter is quick to show loving concern for “those who have obtained a faith.” He desires that undeserved kindness and peace be increased to them “by an accurate knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” God has freely given them “the precious and very grand promises,” through which they may become sharers in divine nature. Therefore, by earnest effort let them supply to their faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godly devotion, brotherly affection, and love. If these qualities overflow in them, they will never become inactive or unfruitful with regard to accurate knowledge. The brothers should do their utmost to make sure of their calling and choosing, as well as their entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of their Lord. Knowing that ‘the putting off of his tabernacle is soon to be,’ Peter is disposed to remind them of these things so that they may make mention of them after his departure. Peter was an eyewitness of Christ’s magnificence in the holy mountain when these words “were borne to him by the magnificent glory: ‘This is my son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.’” Thus, the prophetic word is made more sure, and it should be heeded, for it is not by man’s will, “but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.”—1:1, 2, 4, 14, 17, 21.
5. What warning does Peter give against false teachers, and what powerful illustrations does he use as to the certainty of God’s judgments against such men?
5 Strong warning against false teachers (2:1-22). False prophets and teachers will bring in destructive sects, promote loose conduct, and bring reproach upon the truth. But their destruction is not slumbering. God did not hold back from punishing the angels that sinned, from bringing a deluge in Noah’s day, or from reducing Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes. But he delivered the preacher Noah and righteous Lot, so “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial, but to reserve unrighteous people for the day of judgment to be cut off.” For these are daring, self-willed, like unreasoning animals, ignorant, abusive talkers, delighting in deceptive teachings, adulterous, covetous, and like Balaam in loving the reward of wrongdoing. They promise freedom but are themselves the slaves of corruption. It would have been better for them not to have known the path of righteousness, for the saying has happened to them: “The dog has returned to its own vomit, and the sow that was bathed to rolling in the mire.”—2:9, 22.
6. (a) Why does Peter write, and what does he say concerning God’s promise? (b) In contrast to ridiculers, how must Christians show themselves watchful?
6 Keeping close in mind the day of Jehovah (3:1-18). Peter is writing to arouse Christians’ clear thinking faculties, that they may remember the sayings previously spoken. Ridiculers will come in the last days, saying: “Where is this promised presence” of Christ? It escapes the notice of these men that God destroyed the world of ancient times by water and that “by the same word the heavens and the earth that are now are stored up for fire” and are “reserved to the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly men.” A thousand years are with Jehovah as one day, so “Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise,” but he is patient, not desiring any to be destroyed. Hence, Christians should watch their conduct and should practice deeds of godly devotion as they await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be dissolved by fire and the elements will melt with intense heat. But there are to be “new heavens and a new earth” according to God’s promise.—3:4, 7, 9, 13.
7. Having this advance knowledge, how should Christians exert themselves?
7 Hence, they should do their utmost “to be found finally by him spotless and unblemished and in peace.” They should consider the patience of their Lord as salvation, just as the beloved Paul wrote them. With this advance knowledge, let them be on guard not to fall from their own steadfastness. “No,” concludes Peter, “but go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity.”—3:14, 18.
WHY BENEFICIAL
8. (a) How does Peter testify to the inspiration of both the Hebrew and the Greek Scriptures? (b) How will we be benefited by holding fast to accurate knowledge?
8 How essential accurate knowledge is! Peter himself weaves into his arguments accurate knowledge that he has acquired from the Hebrew Scriptures. He testifies that they were inspired by holy spirit: “For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.” He points out, also, that Paul’s wisdom was “given him.” (1:21; 3:15) We benefit greatly by considering all these inspired Scriptures and by holding fast to accurate knowledge. Then we will never become complacent, like those whom Peter describes as saying: “All things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.” (3:4) Nor will we fall into the traps of the false teachers like those Peter describes in chapter 2 of his letter. Rather, we should constantly consider the reminders provided by Peter and the other Bible writers. These help us to remain “firmly set in the truth” and patiently and steadfastly “go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”—1:12; 3:18.
9. What earnest effort are we encouraged to make, and why?
9 As an aid in increasing in “accurate knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,” Peter recommends earnest effort to build up those Christian qualities listed in chapter 1, verses 5 to 7. Then, in 1 verse 8, he adds: “For if these things exist in you and overflow, they will prevent you from being either inactive or unfruitful regarding the accurate knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Truly this is splendid encouragement to activity as God’s ministers in these critical days!—1:2.
10. (a) What promises does Peter emphasize, and what does he exhort in connection with them? (b) What assurance does Peter give concerning the Kingdom prophecies?
10 How important it is to exert oneself to the utmost in order to be assured of sharing in “the precious and very grand promises” of Jehovah God! So it is that Peter exhorts the anointed Christians to keep eyes fixed on the Kingdom goal, saying: “Do your utmost to make the calling and choosing of you sure for yourselves; for if you keep on doing these things you will by no means ever fail. In fact, thus there will be richly supplied to you the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Then Peter calls attention to the magnificence of Jesus’ Kingdom glory, of which he had been an eyewitness through the transfiguration vision, and adds: “Consequently we have the prophetic word made more sure.” True, every prophecy concerning the magnificent Kingdom of Jehovah will come to certain fulfillment. Thus, it is with confidence that we echo Peter’s words quoted from Isaiah’s prophecy: “There are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.”—2 Pet. 1:4, 10, 11, 19; 3:13; Isa. 65:17, 18.
[Footnotes]
a See chart on page 303. |
True Peace (tp)
1986 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/tp | Chapter 4
World Destruction First—Then World Peace
1-3. (a) What is the world destruction that human leaders are warning about? (b) Why is that not what the Bible refers to as the world destruction that will pave the way for lasting peace and security?
ACCORDING to Bible prophecy, before mankind can ever enjoy enduring peace, a world destruction must first take place. (2 Peter 3:5-7) But why is that necessary? From where does the destruction come? And what does it mean for humans on this planet?
2 First we need to understand that the world destruction the Bible foretells is not the same as the global catastrophe that many world leaders, scientists, and others are warning about. The calamity they talk about would come in the form of some man-made disaster brought on by such things as pollution or the nuclear arms race, or both. But, of course, such a catastrophe would leave no hope for lasting peace and security on this planet.
3 Earth would be ruined for living creatures. For example, nuclear radiation or the speculated “nuclear winter” would leave survivors no better off—if not worse off—than those who had died. Survival would be largely a matter of chance, though the poor would likely be among the first to suffer. What hope would you have of being among the survivors of such a catastrophe? And even if you did survive, what hope would there be that life would not drift back into the same strife-ridden uncertainty that now prevails?
What the Bible Foretells Gives Hope
4. Who are to be destroyed in the world destruction of which the Bible speaks?
4 What makes the world destruction that the Bible foretells different is that it will be selective, purposeful. It will not be some calamity that comes just as the culmination of man-made blunders. Rather than bring death indiscriminately, it will efface from the earth only those who really deserve to be destroyed. This kind of world destruction is in agreement with the divine principle at Proverbs 2:21, 22: “For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.”
5, 6. (a) What will happen to the earth itself during that world destruction? (b) In this respect, how will it be “just as the days of Noah were”?
5 What, then, will be destroyed? Many think the Bible predicts the total burning up of the planet Earth and everything on it. But this is not the case. Jesus Christ himself said: “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5) Surely that ‘inheritance’ is not to be a burned-up, lifeless cinder! The Bible also gives God’s definite assurance that the earth will remain forever as a place for people to live.—Psalm 104:5; Isaiah 45:18; Matthew 6:9, 10.
6 In harmony with this, the Bible speaks of survivors who will remain on earth after that “great tribulation” has passed. Jesus Christ said that “just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” When global destruction took place in Noah’s time there were also survivors.—Matthew 24:21, 37; 2 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 7:9, 10, 13, 14.
7. What is it that will come to its end at that time?
7 What is to be destroyed? It is the worldwide system of things that men have built up on earth—along with all those who uphold it rather than look to God and his promised rule for the earth. (Psalm 73:27, 28) That is why the phrase “the end of the world,” found in some Bible translations, is more accurately rendered in other Bibles as “the end of the age” (NE), “the conclusion of the age” (Ro), “the conclusion of the system of things” (NW).—Matthew 24:3.
8. (a) From what source will the destruction come? (b) This must occur before the present world system reaches what state?
8 The source of the coming world destruction will be—not men—but Jehovah God. The modern blights of pollution, famine, nuclear terror, and similar things that have resulted from human ignorance, error, and corruption are not what will cause the destruction. Instead, these are proof of the selfishness and utter failure of the present world system. They provide just cause for Jehovah God to do away with that system completely. He promises to take such action before ever the present world reaches a state of collapse or carries out its own self-destruction. (Revelation 11:17, 18) But is such drastic action really the only way?
Why This System Must End for True Peace to Come
9, 10. How does human history show that something more drastic is needed than just a reform of the present world?
9 Some might feel that God should simply make some changes in the present system, rather than destroy it. But the Bible shows that God realistically recognizes that it is beyond reform.
10 Consider for yourself the many changes that have been made by humans down through the centuries. Think of all the different kinds of government that men have developed. There have been city-states, monarchies, democracies, communistic and socialistic governments, and dictatorships. Remember how often the existing ruler or government has been replaced with a new one—by election, coup d’etat, or revolution. Yet there has been no lasting solution to the problems of mankind. Even well-meaning men who try to improve man’s lot find their efforts frustrated by the system of things into which they themselves are locked. As a wise ruler of ancient times discovered, by human efforts alone “that which is made crooked cannot be made straight.”—Ecclesiastes 1:14, 15.
11-13. (a) What prevents men from making changes in the present system for the good of all mankind? (b) So, how might the extent of the change needed be illustrated?
11 The world’s cities, for example, are plagued with problems. But men cannot dismantle them and start afresh. The same is true of the whole economic and industrial system of the world. Self-interest and nationalism undermine and block any real change for the good of mankind as a whole.
12 The entire system of things is thus like a house built on a bad foundation, according to poor plans, and constructed with defective materials. What good will it do to rearrange the furniture or to remodel the house? As long as it stands, the problems will continue, and the house will keep deteriorating. The only sensible thing to do is to tear down the house and build another, on a good foundation.
13 Jesus Christ used a somewhat similar illustration in saying that people do not “put new wine into old wineskins.” The old wineskin would burst from the new wine. (Matthew 9:17) He therefore did not try to reform the Jewish system of things under which he lived. Instead, he preached God’s Kingdom as the only hope for peace and security. (Luke 8:1; 11:2; 12:31) So, too, in our day Jehovah God will not simply adjust the present system of things, because that could bring no lasting benefit.
14. Would the passing of new laws make people love righteousness?
14 God’s Word emphasizes the truth that it is impossible to legislate righteousness into people’s hearts. If they have no love for what is right, no amount of legislation will ever put it there. At Isaiah 26:10 we read: “Though the wicked one should be shown favor, he simply will not learn righteousness. In the land of straightforwardness he will act unjustly and will not see the eminence of Jehovah.”—Compare Proverbs 29:1.
15, 16. How is the lack of true love for righteousness on the part of many people shown in their response to God’s will?
15 The hard fact is that many people prefer to stay with this present system despite its failures and evils. They do not want to turn to righteousness and submit to rule from God. They may see the corruption of this world’s political systems, the futility of its wars, the hypocrisy of its religions, and the clear evidence that its technology has created even greater problems than it has solved. But despite all of this, many prefer to be lulled into a false sense of security by religious and political leaders whose interests lie in maintaining the status quo. They are like the Israelites of whom God said: “The prophets themselves actually prophesy in falsehood; and as for the priests, they go subduing according to their powers. And my own people have loved it that way; and what will you men do in the finale of it?”—Jeremiah 5:31; Isaiah 30:12, 13.
16 Likely you know of people who have habits that endanger their own health and security and that of their families. Yet they resist all efforts to help them change. But when people resist God’s counsel and guidance, the matter is far more serious. Those who do this show that they really do not love truth and righteousness. Of such ones Jesus said: “For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive, and with their ears they have heard without response, and they have shut their eyes; that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and get the sense of it with their hearts and turn back, and [God] heal them.”—Matthew 13:15.
17. If it is true that God does not take pleasure in bringing destruction on mankind, why is he going to do it?
17 Rightly, God’s patience and mercy have their limits. If not, where would his love for the righteous ones be? He cannot turn a deaf ear to their pleas for relief from the suffering that wickedness brings upon this earth. (Luke 18:7, 8; Proverbs 29:2, 16) So, the circumstances require world destruction. They oblige God to act if he is to remain true to what is right and if he is to show compassion for those who also love what is right. It is not a case of God’s taking pleasure in bringing destruction upon mankind. “‘Do I take any delight at all in the death of someone wicked,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘and not in that he should turn back from his ways and actually keep living? . . . So cause a turning back and keep living, O you people.’”—Ezekiel 18:23, 32.
18. What is the price that must be paid to redeem from insecurity the people who love what is right?
18 The destruction of those who prefer this present system of things, then, is the price that must be paid to redeem from insecurity and suffering those who love what is right. This is in agreement with the Bible principle: “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous one.”—Proverbs 21:18; compare Isaiah 43:1, 3, 4.
Beneficial Results
19. What barriers to world peace will be removed by the destruction of this system of things?
19 The destruction of the present system and its supporters will allow for a righteous new system earth wide in which the survivors will be able to work together unitedly, not in selfish competition. Down will come divisive national frontiers and political boundaries. Gone will be the crushing burden of military spending. And gone too will be the social barriers that keep mankind from being a united family. A vital factor in all of this will be that everyone then living will speak the ‘one pure language’ of truth to one another, worshiping their Creator “with spirit and truth.” This will keep them free from divisive religious superstitions, traditions, and man-made creeds.—Zephaniah 3:8, 9; John 4:23, 24.
20. As indicated by Psalm 72, what condition will come to exist earth wide?
20 With God’s government by his Son Christ Jesus exercising sole dominion over all the earth, the ancient psalm of the Bible will see fulfillment: “In his days the righteous one will sprout, and the abundance of peace until the moon is no more. And he will have subjects from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”—Psalm 72:7, 8.
21. How will the earth itself benefit from the coming world destruction?
21 The earth will benefit from the coming world destruction. It will no longer be marred by greedy polluters and ruthless destroyers. The lakes, rivers, oceans, and atmosphere will gain relief from the wastes poured into them and will soon cleanse themselves. God will thus demonstrate that he has not abandoned his purpose to have a clean, gardenlike planet filled with people who reflect their Creator’s splendid qualities.—Genesis 1:26-28; Isaiah 45:18; 55:10, 11.
22. How is the bringing of such destruction consistent with God’s being a ‘God of peace’?
22 So, God’s bringing world destruction is not contrary to his being the ‘God of peace.’ Nor is it contrary to Jesus’ being the “Prince of Peace.” It is because of their love of peace and justice that they take this action to restore earth to a clean, righteous state.—1 Corinthians 14:33; Isaiah 9:6, 7.
23, 24. If we are to enjoy a future of peace and security, what is it vital for us individually to do now?
23 As individuals, then, what should we do? Jesus showed that those ignoring God’s instructions were building their hopes for the future on “sand,” and that such building would never endure the coming destructive storms. He showed the vital need to build our hopes on obedience to God’s Word if we are to have a peaceful and secure future.—Matthew 7:24-27.
24 But why has God waited so long to bring wickedness and suffering to an end? The Bible answers this question also, and it shows what God has been doing during all the centuries past in working out his purpose.
[Picture on page 37]
Just as people survived the Flood, there will be survivors of the “great tribulation” |
Using Heat from the Earth | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101978003 | Using Heat from the Earth
By “Awake!” correspondent in El Salvador
August 7, 1975, was a memorable day for a small Central American country with a population of a little more than four million and an area of just 21,000 square kilometers (8,100 square miles). A thermoelectric plant, using neither coal nor oil, started operating that day, freeing the country from the need to import fuel for generating electric power. What, then, operates the electric generators? Steam lying very deep under the surface of the ground.
EL Salvador is a country of many volcanoes. Along nearly a longitudinal axis of the land, which also follows a line of geological faults in the earth’s crust, there are 18 volcanoes. At least four of them have been active in the more recent past. Volcanic action also has manifested itself in the form of visible steam leaks, geysers or cavities in the earth (called ausoles in the native Indian language).
How is the steam produced? Scientists tell us that rainwater filters into the ground through craters and other highly permeable areas and finally reaches rock. Sometimes, especially in volcanic regions, rock heated by lava lies near enough to the surface of the earth so that the water is heated to temperatures high enough to convert it into steam. In Ahuachapán, in the western section of El Salvador, earth cavities in the form of mud ponds eight to 10 meters (26 to 33 feet) in diameter have existed for some time. These are full of boiling mud varying in color from reddish brown to yellow, and they give off vapors having a strong sulfurous odor. For many years these cavities were merely a tourist attraction, no thought being given to the use of them for any practical purpose.
The Start of Geothermal Studies
In the 1950’s, however, the CEL (Comisión Ejecutiva Hidroeléctrica del Río Lempa), an autonomous governmental body in charge of the development of hydroelectric power, heard about the first developments of endogenous (internally developed) power from the earth. This was in the Larderello region of Italy. Also, New Zealand was trying to generate electricity by using such resources at Wairakei.
This news created much interest. El Salvador was just starting the development of its hydroelectric energy from rivers. But to make the best use of such energy, it would eventually be necessary to generate thermal power. To do so with fossil fuel would require importing oil or coal. On the other hand, natural steam could be harnessed to accomplish the same thing.
The year 1953 saw the start of the first geothermal investigations in the Ahuachapán area. In 1958, 11 shallow exploratory wells were dug in the fields of Playón de Ahuachapán and El Salitre. More serious geological, geophysical and geochemical research began in 1966, covering an area of 200 square kilometers (77 square miles).
The investigations gave promise of excellent potential for energy sources. Therefore, in 1968, experimental wells were dug to depths of 865, 981 and 1,192 meters (2,838, 3,218 and 3,911 feet) respectively. One of these wells was dry, but the other two began producing steam at temperatures of 231 degrees and 208 degrees Celsius (448 degrees and 406 degrees Fahrenheit) respectively, and at pressures of 10 kilograms per square centimeter (142 pounds per square inch). These wells were kept at full steam production for more than one year to test their capacity for maintaining stable pressures and temperatures. In January 1970, six more wells, varying between 700 and 1,400 meters (2,300 and 4,600 feet), were dug in the fields of Playón in Ahuachapán to obtain data for technical and economic feasibility studies, with a view to creating the first 30-megawatt geothermal plant. This plant was intended as the first-stage development for utilizing to the full the estimated capacity (100 megawatts) of the geothermal Ahuachapán field.
A Program for Nonfuel Power Plants
Construction of the first power-generating plant, with a capacity of 30 megawatts, started in 1974. This plant was inaugurated and put into service in August of 1975. A second 30-megawatt generating unit began to be built in 1975. This required boring five additional wells to depths between 600 and 850 meters (1,970 and 2,790 feet). The second unit was put into service in 1976. A third generating unit, with 35-megawatt capacity, is now under construction and will utilize the steam from the first two units. Thus, the geothermal field in Ahuachapán will be generating 95 megawatts of continuous power starting this year. Because of not having to use fossil fuels, this represents savings of 28.5 million colones ($11.4 million) annually for the country.
The good results obtained until now have prompted a vigorous program of exploration and research in the eastern part of the country. New wells are being opened in that area to implement the expansion program for geothermal power.
Environmental Pollution
Electric-power generating plants using fossil fuels, like coal or oil, or employing atomic fuels, give rise to pollution problems. Ashes, smoke and gases may contaminate the atmosphere. Lakes and streams may be polluted from the discharge of water used for cooling. Also, the final disposition of residual products from these plants presents a serious problem to the community.
On the other hand, geothermal plants, burning no fuel at all, could be expected to offer fewer environmental pollution problems. Nevertheless, the steam, gases and water produced by geothermal wells can bring about ecological difficulties.
In the case of geothermal fields producing dry or superheated steam, there are natural discharges containing high concentrations of sulfates, some acidity and traces of chloride. Some of these waters may be slightly alkaline, with a predominance of sulfates and bicarbonates. There may also be a high concentration of carbon dioxide, boron and ammonia. Another element, hydrogen sulfide, is highly toxic and could cause ecological problems.
Fields producing water steam yield large volumes of residual water. This water usually has a high salt output that is harmful to plant and creature life. The boron output always exceeds what has been established as tolerable by resistant crops. Arsenic is generally associated with these waters, too, making them unfit for human consumption.
So, the final disposal of these residual waters presents serious problems. Principally, the following disposal methods have been employed: (1) Dilution into the sea, (2) dilution into rivers, (3) reinjection into the subsoil and (4) evaporation in ponds.
Dilution into the sea could be expensive and difficult if the geothermal field is far away from the seashore. Dilution into rivers depends on the amount of water flowing, so that tolerable concentrations of toxic elements are not exceeded. During the dry season, rivers often have so little water that this would be impossible. Reinjection into the subsoil strata could be obstructed by the salts carried in the residual water, as these salts form deposits on the walls of wells. Evaporation in ponds is possible only if large areas of flat land are available to construct the ponds and if the rainfall is minimal in the region.
At the Ahuachapán geothermal plant, residual water passes through an open canal, to be diluted in the sea. Also, there have been successful experiments with reinjection into the soil.
Economic Aspects
It is interesting to compare the costs of a geothermal power plant with those of conventional plants, either hydroelectric or thermal plants powered by fossil fuel. Investment costs for the Ahuachapán 95-megawatt geothermal power plant have been estimated at $700 for installed kilowatt. The generating cost for this plant is $0.005 for each kilowatt hour generated, whereas the cost for the biggest hydroelectric plant in El Salvador, Cerron Grande, is $0.004 per kilowatt hour. However, the cost of generating power in oil-fired plants presently runs $0.024 per kilowatt hour. This is almost five times as much as the cost for geothermal plants. No wonder El Salvador is eager to develop its endogenous power!
Now that the energy crisis is increasing in the world, many countries are looking for new sources of power to substitute for the scarcer and more expensive imported oil. Endogenous power—heat from the deep layers of earth’s crust—certainly is a useful source of energy. It may, therefore, be expected that other countries having cavities in the earth that emit smoke, or where there are some other signs of volcanic activity, will start to tap these hidden treasures under their feet. |
A WORLD IN TURMOIL
2 | Protect Your Livelihood | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102022007 | A WORLD IN TURMOIL
2 | Protect Your Livelihood
WHY IT MATTERS
Many people struggle each day just trying to make ends meet. Sadly, world turmoil can make that challenge even more difficult. Why?
Communities in turmoil experience a rise in the cost of living—including food and housing.
Crises can increase unemployment or decrease wages.
Disasters can damage or destroy people’s business establishments, homes, or other assets, forcing many into poverty.
What You Should Know
The better you manage your money, the better you may be able to cope during a crisis.
Financial security is not necessarily permanent; income, savings, and assets can lose value.
There are things that money cannot buy, such as happiness and family unity.
What You Can Do Now
The Bible says: “Having food and clothing, we will be output with these things.”—1 Timothy 6:8.
Being output involves limiting our wants and being satisfied when our daily needs are met. This is especially important when our livelihood has been affected.
To be output, you may have to adjust your lifestyle. If you live beyond your means, your financial situation will only get worse.
HOW TO COPE—Helpful Tips
During times of turmoil, protect your livelihood by following these practical steps
REDUCE EXPENSES
Reduce expenses
Delay upgrading or replacing appliances or clothing. Ask yourself: ‘Can I do without a vehicle? Can I plant a vegetable garden?’
Before buying something, ask yourself: ‘Do I really need it? Can I afford it?’
Apply for government or humanitarian assistance if it is available.
“We sat down as a family and looked at our lifestyle. We canceled or reduced any forms of recreation that cost money. We also started preparing meals that cost less.”—Gift.
MAKE A BUDGET
Make a budget
The Bible says: “The plans of the diligent surely lead to success, but all who are hasty surely head for poverty.” (Proverbs 21:5) A budget will help you make sure that your expenses do not exceed your income.
First, list your expected monthly income.
Next, itemize your current monthly expenses and carefully examine your spending habits.
Then compare your income with your expenses, and if necessary, identify what you can reduce or eliminate to stay within your income.
“Each month, we make a list of our income and expenses. We try to maintain an emergency fund and plan for future expenses. Thanks to this, we are less anxious because we know in advance how we will use our income.”—Carlos.
AVOID DEBT / SAVE MONEY
Avoid debt / save money
Have a good plan to reduce debt. If possible, avoid debt altogether. Instead, try to save up to buy what you need.
Set aside a little money each month to have a fund for expected or unexpected future expenses.
WORK HARD / KEEP A JOB
The Bible says: “There is benefit in every kind of hard work.”—Proverbs 14:23.
Work hard / keep a job
Maintain a good attitude about your work. Even if your job is not your dream job, it still gives you an income.
Strive to be industrious and dependable. This can help you keep your employment or, at the very least, make it easier for you to obtain future employment.
“I take the jobs that are available, even if I don’t like the work or the salary isn’t as much as I would expect. I am always conscientious and do good, quality work, as though I were working for myself.”—Dmitriy.
If you are looking for work . . .
Take the initiative. Call on businesses that could have jobs you can do, even if they have not advertised a position. Tell friends and family that you are looking for work.
Be adaptable. You are unlikely to find a job that has everything you want.
LEARN MORE. Read “How to Live on Less.” |
Daniel’s Prophecy (dp)
1999 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/dp | Chapter Fourteen
The Two Kings Change Identities
1, 2. (a) What led Antiochus IV to bow to Rome’s demands? (b) When did Syria become a Roman province?
SYRIAN monarch Antiochus IV invades Egypt and crowns himself its king. At the request of Egyptian King Ptolemy VI, Rome sends Ambassador Caius Popilius Laenas to Egypt. He has with him an impressive fleet and orders from the Roman Senate that Antiochus IV renounce his kingship of Egypt and withdraw from the country. At Eleusis, a suburb of Alexandria, the Syrian king and the Roman ambassador come face-to-face. Antiochus IV requests time for consultation with his advisers, but Laenas draws a circle around the king and tells him to answer before stepping across the line. Humiliated, Antiochus IV complies with Roman demands and returns to Syria in 168 B.C.E. Thus ends the confrontation between the Syrian king of the north and the Egyptian king of the south.
2 Playing a dominant role in the affairs of the Middle East, Rome goes on dictating to Syria. Hence, even though other kings of the Seleucid dynasty rule Syria after Antiochus IV dies in 163 B.C.E., they do not occupy the position of “the king of the north.” (Daniel 11:15) Syria finally becomes a Roman province in 64 B.C.E.
3. When and how did Rome gain supremacy over Egypt?
3 Egypt’s Ptolemaic dynasty continues to hold the position of “king of the south” for a little over 130 years after the death of Antiochus IV. (Daniel 11:14) During the battle of Actium, in 31 B.C.E., Roman ruler Octavian defeats the combined forces of the last Ptolemaic queen—Cleopatra VII—and her Roman lover, Mark Antony. After Cleopatra’s suicide the following year, Egypt too becomes a Roman province and no longer plays the role of the king of the south. By the year 30 B.C.E., Rome has supremacy over both Syria and Egypt. Should we now expect other rulerships to assume the roles of the king of the north and the king of the south?
A NEW KING SENDS OUT “AN EXACTOR”
4. Why should we expect another ruling entity to assume the identity of the king of the north?
4 In the spring of 33 C.E., Jesus Christ told his disciples: “When you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, . . . then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains.” (Matthew 24:15, 16) Quoting from Daniel 11:31, Jesus warned his followers about a future ‘disgusting thing causing desolation.’ This prophecy involving the king of the north was given some 195 years after the death of Antiochus IV, the last Syrian king in that role. Surely, another ruling entity would have to assume the identity of the king of the north. Who would that be?
5. Who stood up as the king of the north, taking the position once occupied by Antiochus IV?
5 Jehovah God’s angel foretold: “There must stand up in his position [that of Antiochus IV] one who is causing an exactor to pass through the splendid kingdom, and in a few days he will be broken, but not in anger nor in warfare.” (Daniel 11:20) The one ‘standing up’ in this way proved to be the first Roman emperor, Octavian, who was known as Caesar Augustus.—See “One Honored, the Other Despised,” on page 248.
6. (a) When was “an exactor” caused to pass through “the splendid kingdom,” and what was the importance of this? (b) Why can it be said that Augustus died “not in anger nor in warfare”? (c) What change took place in the identity of the king of the north?
6 “The splendid kingdom” of Augustus included “the land of the Decoration”—the Roman province of Judea. (Daniel 11:16) In 2 B.C.E., Augustus sent out “an exactor” by ordering a registration, or census, probably so that he could learn the number of the population for purposes of taxation and military conscription. Because of this decree, Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem for registration, resulting in Jesus’ birth at that foretold location. (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1-12) In August 14 C.E.—“in a few days,” or not long after decreeing the registration—Augustus died at the age of 76, neither “in anger” at an assassin’s hands nor “in warfare,” but as a result of illness. The king of the north had indeed changed identity! This king had by now become the Roman Empire in the person of its emperors.
‘THE DESPISED ONE STANDS UP’
7, 8. (a) Who stood up in Augustus’ position as the king of the north? (b) Why was “the dignity of the kingdom” unwillingly bestowed upon the successor of Augustus Caesar?
7 Continuing with the prophecy, the angel said: “There must stand up in his [Augustus’] position one who is to be despised, and they will certainly not set upon him the dignity of the kingdom; and he will actually come in during a freedom from care and take hold of the kingdom by means of smoothness. And as regards the arms of the flood, they will be flooded over on account of him, and they will be broken; as will also the Leader of the covenant.”—Daniel 11:21, 22.
8 The “one who is to be despised” was Tiberius Caesar, the son of Livia, Augustus’ third wife. (See “One Honored, the Other Despised,” on page 248.) Augustus hated this stepson because of his bad traits and did not want him to become the next Caesar. “The dignity of the kingdom” was unwillingly bestowed upon him only after all other likely successors were dead. Augustus adopted Tiberius in 4 C.E. and made him heir to the throne. After the death of Augustus, 54-year-old Tiberius—the despised one—‘stood up,’ assuming power as the Roman emperor and the king of the north.
9. How did Tiberius “take hold of the kingdom by means of smoothness”?
9 “Tiberius,” says The New Encyclopædia Britannica, “played politics with the Senate and did not allow it to name him emperor for almost a month [after Augustus died].” He told the Senate that no one but Augustus was capable of carrying the burden of ruling the Roman Empire and asked the senators to restore the republic by entrusting such authority to a group of men rather than to one man. “Not daring to take him at his word,” wrote historian Will Durant, “the Senate exchanged bows with him until at last he accepted power.” Durant added: “The play was well acted on both sides. Tiberius wanted the principate, or he would have found some way to evade it; the Senate feared and hated him, but shrank from re-establishing a republic based, like the old, upon theoretically sovereign assemblies.” Thus Tiberius ‘took hold of the kingdom by means of smoothness.’
10. How were ‘the arms of the flood broken’?
10 “As regards the arms of the flood”—the military forces of the surrounding kingdoms—the angel said: ‘They will be flooded over and will be broken.’ When Tiberius became the king of the north, his nephew Germanicus Caesar was commander of the Roman troops on the Rhine River. In 15 C.E., Germanicus led his forces against the German hero Arminius, with some success. However, the limited victories were won at great cost, and Tiberius thereafter aborted operations in Germany. Instead, by promoting civil war, he tried to prevent German tribes from uniting. Tiberius generally favored a defensive foreign policy and focused on strengthening the frontiers. This stance was fairly successful. In this way “the arms of the flood” were controlled and were “broken.”
11. How was ‘the Leader of the covenant broken’?
11 “Broken” too was “the Leader of the covenant” that Jehovah God had made with Abraham for blessing all the families of the earth. Jesus Christ was the Seed of Abraham promised in that covenant. (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:16) On Nisan 14, 33 C.E., Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate in the Roman governor’s palace in Jerusalem. The Jewish priests had charged Jesus with treason against the emperor. But Jesus told Pilate: “My kingdom is no part of this world. . . . My kingdom is not from this source.” So that the Roman governor might not free the faultless Jesus, the Jews shouted: “If you release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar. Every man making himself a king speaks against Caesar.” After calling for Jesus’ execution, they said: “We have no king but Caesar.” According to the law of “injured majesty,” which Tiberius had broadened to include virtually any insult to Caesar, Pilate handed Jesus over to be “broken,” or impaled on a torture stake.—John 18:36; 19:12-16; Mark 15:14-20.
A TYRANT ‘SCHEMES OUT HIS SCHEMES’
12. (a) Who allied themselves with Tiberius? (b) How did Tiberius “become mighty by means of a little nation”?
12 Still prophesying about Tiberius, the angel said: “Because of their allying themselves with him he will carry on deception and actually come up and become mighty by means of a little nation.” (Daniel 11:23) Members of the Roman Senate had constitutionally ‘allied themselves’ with Tiberius, and he formally depended upon them. But he was deceptive, actually becoming “mighty by means of a little nation.” That little nation was the Roman Praetorian Guard, encamped close to Rome’s walls. Its proximity intimidated the Senate and helped Tiberius keep in check any uprisings against his authority among the populace. By means of some 10,000 guards, therefore, Tiberius remained mighty.
13. In what way did Tiberius exceed his forefathers?
13 The angel added prophetically: “During freedom from care, even into the fatness of the jurisdictional district he will enter in and actually do what his fathers and the fathers of his fathers have not done. Plunder and spoil and goods he will scatter among them; and against fortified places he will scheme out his schemes, but only until a time.” (Daniel 11:24) Tiberius was extremely suspicious, and his reign abounded with ordered killings. Largely because of the influence of Sejanus, commander of the Praetorian Guard, the latter part of his reign was marked by terror. Finally, Sejanus himself fell under suspicion and was executed. In tyrannizing over people, Tiberius exceeded his forefathers.
14. (a) How did Tiberius scatter “plunder and spoil and goods” throughout the Roman provinces? (b) In what way was Tiberius regarded by the time he died?
14 Tiberius, however, scattered “plunder and spoil and goods” throughout the Roman provinces. By the time of his death, all the subject peoples were enjoying prosperity. Taxes were light, and he could be generous to those in areas undergoing hard times. If soldiers or officials oppressed anyone or promoted irregularity in handling matters, they could expect imperial vengeance. A firm grip on power maintained public security, and an improved communications system helped commerce. Tiberius made sure that affairs were administered fairly and steadily inside and outside Rome. The laws were improved, and social and moral codes were enhanced by the furthering of reforms instituted by Augustus Caesar. Yet, Tiberius ‘schemed out his schemes,’ so that Roman historian Tacitus described him as a hypocritical man, skilled at putting on false appearances. By the time he died in March 37 C.E., Tiberius was considered to be a tyrant.
15. How did Rome fare in the late first and early second centuries C.E.?
15 The successors to Tiberius who filled the role of the king of the north included Gaius Caesar (Caligula), Claudius I, Nero, Vespasian, Titus, Domitian, Nerva, Trajan, and Hadrian. “For the most part,” says The New Encyclopædia Britannica, “the successors to Augustus continued his administrative policies and building program, though with less innovation and more ostentation.” The same reference work further points out: “In the late 1st and early 2nd centuries Rome was at the peak of its grandeur and population.” Although Rome had some trouble on the imperial frontiers during this time, its first foretold confrontation with the king of the south did not occur until the third century C.E.
AROUSED AGAINST THE KING OF THE SOUTH
16, 17. (a) Who took on the role of the king of the north referred to at Daniel 11:25? (b) Who came to occupy the position of the king of the south, and how did this occur?
16 God’s angel continued with the prophecy, saying: “He [the king of the north] will arouse his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great military force; and the king of the south, for his part, will excite himself for the war with an exceedingly great and mighty military force. And he [the king of the north] will not stand, because they will scheme out against him schemes. And the very ones eating his delicacies will bring his breakdown. And as for his military force, it will be flooded away, and many will certainly fall down slain.”—Daniel 11:25, 26.
17 About 300 years after Octavian had made Egypt a Roman province, Roman Emperor Aurelian assumed the role of the king of the north. Meanwhile, Queen Septimia Zenobia of the Roman colony of Palmyra occupied the position of the king of the south.a (See “Zenobia—The Warrior Queen of Palmyra,” on page 252.) The Palmyrene army occupied Egypt in 269 C.E. under the pretext of making it secure for Rome. Zenobia wanted to make Palmyra the dominant city in the east and wanted to rule over Rome’s eastern provinces. Alarmed by her ambition, Aurelian aroused “his power and his heart” to proceed against Zenobia.
18. What was the outcome of the conflict between Emperor Aurelian, the king of the north, and Queen Zenobia, the king of the south?
18 As the ruling entity headed by Zenobia, the king of the south ‘excited himself’ for warfare against the king of the north “with an exceedingly great and mighty military force” under two generals, Zabdas and Zabbai. But Aurelian took Egypt and then launched an expedition into Asia Minor and Syria. Zenobia was defeated at Emesa (now Homs), whereupon she retreated to Palmyra. When Aurelian besieged that city, Zenobia valiantly defended it but without success. She and her son fled toward Persia, only to be captured by the Romans at the Euphrates River. The Palmyrenes surrendered their city in 272 C.E. Aurelian spared Zenobia, making her the prize feature in his triumphal procession through Rome in 274 C.E. She spent the rest of her life as a Roman matron.
19. How did Aurelian fall ‘because of schemes against him’?
19 Aurelian himself ‘did not stand because of schemes against him.’ In 275 C.E., he set out on an expedition against the Persians. While he was waiting in Thrace for the opportunity to cross the straits into Asia Minor, those who ‘ate his food’ carried out schemes against him and brought about his “breakdown.” He was going to call his secretary Eros to account for irregularities. Eros, however, forged a list of names of certain officers marked for death. The sight of this list moved the officers to plot Aurelian’s assassination and to murder him.
20. How was the “military force” of the king of the north “flooded away”?
20 The career of the king of the north did not end with the death of Emperor Aurelian. Other Roman rulers followed. For a time, there was an emperor of the west and one of the east. Under these men the “military force” of the king of the north was “flooded away,” or “scattered,”b and many ‘fell down slain’ because of the invasions of the Germanic tribes from the north. Goths broke through the Roman frontiers in the fourth century C.E. Invasions continued, one after the other. In 476 C.E., German leader Odoacer removed the last emperor ruling from Rome. By the beginning of the sixth century, the Roman Empire in the west had been shattered, and German kings ruled in Britannia, Gaul, Italy, North Africa, and Spain. The eastern part of the empire lasted into the 15th century.
A GREAT EMPIRE IS DIVIDED
21, 22. What changes did Constantine bring about in the fourth century C.E.?
21 Without giving unnecessary details about the breakdown of the Roman Empire, which stretched over centuries, Jehovah’s angel went on to foretell further exploits of the king of the north and the king of the south. However, a brief review of certain developments in the Roman Empire will help us to identify the two rival kings in later times.
22 In the fourth century, Roman Emperor Constantine gave State recognition to apostate Christianity. He even called and personally presided over a church council at Nicaea, Asia Minor, in 325 C.E. Later, Constantine moved the imperial residence from Rome to Byzantium, or Constantinople, making that city his new capital. The Roman Empire continued under the rulership of a single emperor until the death of Emperor Theodosius I, on January 17, 395 C.E.
23. (a) What division of the Roman Empire took place after the death of Theodosius? (b) When did the Eastern Empire come to an end? (c) Who ruled Egypt by 1517?
23 Following the death of Theodosius, the Roman Empire was divided between his sons. Honorius received the western part, and Arcadius the eastern, with Constantinople as his capital. Britannia, Gaul, Italy, Spain, and North Africa were among the provinces of the western division. Macedonia, Thrace, Asia Minor, Syria, and Egypt were provinces of the eastern division. In 642 C.E., the Egyptian capital, Alexandria, fell to the Saracens (Arabs), and Egypt became a province of the caliphs. In January 1449, Constantine XI became the last emperor of the east. Ottoman Turks under Sultan Mehmed II took Constantinople on May 29, 1453, ending the Eastern Roman Empire. The year 1517 saw Egypt become a Turkish province. In time, though, this land of the ancient king of the south would come under the control of another empire from the western sector.
24, 25. (a) According to some historians, what marked the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire? (b) What finally happened to the input of “emperor” of the Holy Roman Empire?
24 In the western wing of the Roman Empire arose the Catholic bishop of Rome, notably Pope Leo I, who was renowned for asserting papal authority in the fifth century C.E. In time, the pope took it upon himself to crown the emperor of the western section. This occurred in Rome on Christmas day of 800 C.E., when Pope Leo III crowned Frankish King Charles (Charlemagne) emperor of the new Western Roman Empire. This coronation revived the emperorship in Rome and, according to some historians, marked the beginning of the Holy Roman Empire. From then on there existed the Eastern Empire and the Holy Roman Empire to the west, both claiming to be Christian.
25 As time passed, the successors of Charlemagne proved to be ineffectual rulers. The office of the emperor even lay vacant for a time. Meanwhile, German King Otto I had gained control of much of northern and central Italy. He proclaimed himself king of Italy. On February 2, 962 C.E., Pope John XII crowned Otto I emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. Its capital was in Germany, and the emperors were Germans, as were most of their subjects. Five centuries later the Austrian house of Hapsburg obtained the input of “emperor” and held it for most of the remaining years of the Holy Roman Empire.
THE TWO KINGS AGAIN IN CLEAR FOCUS
26. (a) What can be said about the end of the Holy Roman Empire? (b) Who emerged as the king of the north?
26 Napoléon I delivered a deathblow to the Holy Roman Empire when he refused to recognize its existence following his victories in Germany during the year 1805. Unable to defend the crown, Emperor Francis II resigned from Roman imperial status on August 6, 1806, and withdrew to his national government as emperor of Austria. After 1,006 years, the Holy Roman Empire—founded by Leo III, a Roman Catholic pope, and Charlemagne, a Frankish king—came to an end. In 1870, Rome became the capital of the kingdom of Italy, independent of the Vatican. The following year, a Germanic empire began with Wilhelm I being named caesar, or kaiser. Thus the modern-day king of the north—Germany—was on the world scene.
27. (a) How did Egypt become a British protectorate? (b) Who came into the position of the king of the south?
27 But what was the identity of the modern-day king of the south? History shows that Britain took on imperial power in the 17th century. Wanting to disrupt British trade routes, Napoléon I conquered Egypt in 1798. War ensued, and a British-Ottoman alliance forced the French to withdraw from Egypt, identified as the king of the south at the onset of the conflict. During the following century, British influence in Egypt increased. After 1882, Egypt was actually a British dependency. When World War I broke out in 1914, Egypt belonged to Turkey and was ruled by a khedive, or viceroy. After Turkey sided with Germany in that war, however, Britain deposed the khedive and declared Egypt a British protectorate. Gradually forming close ties, Britain and the United States of America became the Anglo-American World Power. Together, they came into the position of the king of the south.
[Footnotes]
a Since the designations “the king of the north” and “the king of the south” are inputs, they can refer to any ruling entity, including a king, a queen, or a bloc of nations.
b See the footnote on Daniel 11:26 in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
WHAT DID YOU DISCERN?
• Which Roman emperor first stood up as the king of the north, and when did he send out “an exactor”?
• Who took the position of the king of the north after Augustus, and how was ‘the Leader of the covenant broken’?
• What was the outcome of the conflict between Aurelian as the king of the north and Zenobia as the king of the south?
• What became of the Roman Empire, and which powers occupied the positions of the two kings by the end of the 19th century?
[Box/Picture on page 248-251]
ONE HONORED, THE OTHER DESPISED
ONE transformed a strife-ridden republic into a world empire. The other increased its wealth twentyfold in 23 years. One was honored when he died, but the other was despised. The reigns of these two emperors of Rome spanned Jesus’ life and ministry. Who were they? And why was one honored, whereas the other was not?
HE “FOUND ROME BRICK AND LEFT IT MARBLE”
In 44 B.C.E. when Julius Caesar was assassinated, his sister’s grandson Gaius Octavian was only 18 years of age. Being an adopted son of Julius Caesar and his chief personal heir, young Octavian immediately set out for Rome to claim his inheritance. There he encountered a formidable opponent—Caesar’s chief lieutenant, Mark Antony, who expected to be the principal heir. The political intrigue and power struggle that followed lasted 13 years.
Only after defeating the combined forces of Egyptian Queen Cleopatra and her lover Mark Antony (in 31 B.C.E.) did Octavian emerge as the undisputed ruler of the Roman Empire. The following year Antony and Cleopatra committed suicide, and Octavian annexed Egypt. The last vestige of the Grecian Empire was thus removed, and Rome became the world power.
Remembering that Julius Caesar’s exercise of despotic power had led to his assassination, Octavian was careful not to repeat the mistake. So as not to offend Roman sentiments favoring a republic, he disguised his monarchy under a republican garment. He declined the inputs “king” and “dictator.” Going a step further, he announced his intention to turn over the control of all provinces to the Roman Senate and offered to resign from the offices he held. This tactic worked. The appreciative Senate urged Octavian to retain his positions and keep control of some of the provinces.
Additionally, on January 16, 27 B.C.E., the Senate bestowed upon Octavian the input “Augustus,” meaning “Exalted, Sacred.” Octavian not only accepted the input but also renamed a month for himself and borrowed a day from February so that August would have as many days as July, the month named after Julius Caesar. Octavian thus became the first emperor of Rome and was thereafter known as Caesar Augustus or “August One.” Later he also assumed the input “pontifex maximus” (high priest), and in 2 B.C.E.—the year of Jesus’ birth—the Senate gave him the input Pater Patriae, “Father of His Country.”
In that same year, “a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus for all the inhabited earth to be registered; . . . and all people went traveling to be registered, each one to his own city.” (Luke 2:1-3) As a result of this decree, Jesus was born in Bethlehem in fulfillment of Bible prophecy.—Daniel 11:20; Micah 5:2.
The government under Augustus was marked by a measure of honesty and a sound currency. Augustus also established an effective postal system and constructed roads and bridges. He reorganized the army, created a permanent navy, and established an elite band of imperial bodyguards known as the Praetorian Guard. (Philippians 1:13) Under his patronage, such writers as Virgil and Horace flourished and sculptors created beautiful works in what is now called the classical style. Augustus completed buildings left unfinished by Julius Caesar and restored many temples. The Pax Romana (“Roman Peace”) that he introduced lasted more than 200 years. On August 19, 14 C.E., at the age of 76, Augustus died and was deified thereafter.
Augustus boasted that he had “found Rome brick and left it marble.” Not wanting Rome to revert to the strife-filled days of the former republic, he intended to groom the next emperor. But he had little choice regarding a successor. His nephew, two grandsons, a son-in-law, and a stepson had all died, leaving only his stepson Tiberius to take over.
THE “ONE WHO IS TO BE DESPISED”
Less than a month after Augustus’ death, the Roman Senate named 54-year-old Tiberius emperor. Tiberius lived and ruled until March 37 C.E. Hence, he was the emperor of Rome for the duration of Jesus’ public ministry.
As an emperor, Tiberius had both virtues and vices. Among his virtues was a reluctance to spend money on luxuries. As a result, the empire prospered and he had funds to assist in recovery from disasters and bad times. To his credit, Tiberius viewed himself as but a man, declined many honorary inputs, and generally directed emperor worship to Augustus rather than to himself. He did not name a calendar month after himself as Augustus and Julius Caesar had done for themselves, nor did he allow others to honor him in that way.
Tiberius’ vices, however, exceeded his virtues. He was extremely suspicious and hypocritical in his dealings with others, and his reign abounded with ordered killings—many of his former friends being counted among the victims. He extended the law of lèse-majesté (injured majesty) to include, in addition to seditious acts, merely libelous words against his own person. Presumably on the strength of this law, the Jews pressured Roman Governor Pontius Pilate to have Jesus killed.—John 19:12-16.
Tiberius concentrated the Praetorian Guard in the proximity of Rome by constructing fortified barracks north of the walls of the city. The Guard’s presence intimidated the Roman Senate, which was a threat to his power, and kept any unruliness of the people in check. Tiberius also encouraged the informer system, and terror marked the latter part of his rule.
At the time of his death, Tiberius was considered to be a tyrant. When he died, the Romans rejoiced and the Senate refused to deify him. For these reasons and others, we see in Tiberius a fulfillment of the prophecy saying that “one who is to be despised” would arise as “the king of the north.”—Daniel 11:15, 21.
WHAT DID YOU DISCERN?
• How did Octavian come to be the first emperor of Rome?
• What can be said about the accomplishments of the government of Augustus?
• What were the virtues and vices of Tiberius?
• How was the prophecy concerning the “one who is to be despised” fulfilled in Tiberius?
[Picture]
Tiberius
[Box/Pictures on page 252-255]
ZENOBIA—THE WARRIOR QUEEN OF PALMYRA
“SHE was of a dark complexion . . . Her teeth were of a pearly whiteness, and her large black eyes sparkled with uncommon fire, tempered by the most attractive sweetness. Her voice was strong and harmonious. Her manly understanding was strengthened and adorned by study. She was not ignorant of the Latin tongue, but possessed in equal perfection the Greek, the Syriac, and the Egyptian languages.” Such were the praises that historian Edward Gibbon bestowed upon Zenobia—the warrior queen of the Syrian city of Palmyra.
Zenobia’s husband was the Palmyrene noble Odaenathus, who was awarded the rank of consul of Rome in 258 C.E. because he had successfully campaigned against Persia on behalf of the Roman Empire. Two years later, Odaenathus received from Roman Emperor Gallienus the input corrector totius Orientis (governor of all the East). This was in recognition of his victory over King Shāpūr I of Persia. Odaenathus eventually gave himself the input “king of kings.” These successes of Odaenathus may to a large extent be attributed to Zenobia’s courage and prudence.
ZENOBIA ASPIRES TO CREATE AN EMPIRE
In 267 C.E., at the height of his career, Odaenathus and his heir were assassinated. Zenobia took over her husband’s position, since her son was too young to do so. Beautiful, ambitious, capable as an administrator, accustomed to campaigning with her husband, and fluent in several languages, she managed to command the respect and support of her subjects. Zenobia had a love for learning and surrounded herself with intellectuals. One of her advisers was philosopher and rhetorician Cassius Longinus—said to have been “a living library and a walking museum.” In the book Palmyra and Its Empire—Zenobia’s Revolt Against Rome, author Richard Stoneman notes: “During the five years after the death of Odenathus . . . , Zenobia had established herself in the minds of her people as mistress of the East.”
On one side of Zenobia’s domain was Persia, which she and her husband had crippled, and on the other was foundering Rome. Regarding conditions in the Roman Empire at that time, historian J. M. Roberts says: “The third century was . . . a terrible time for Rome on the frontiers east and west alike, while at home a new period of civil war and disputed successions had begun. Twenty-two emperors (excluding pretenders) came and went.” The Syrian mistress, on the other hand, was a well-established absolute monarch in her realm. “Controlling the balance of two empires [Persian and Roman],” observes Stoneman, “she could aspire to create a third that would dominate them both.”
An opportunity for Zenobia to expand her regal powers came in 269 C.E. when a pretender disputing Roman rulership appeared in Egypt. Zenobia’s army swiftly marched into Egypt, crushed the rebel, and took possession of the country. Proclaiming herself queen of Egypt, she minted coins in her own name. Her kingdom now stretched from the river Nile to the river Euphrates. It was at this point in her life that Zenobia came to occupy the position of “the king of the south.”—Daniel 11:25, 26.
ZENOBIA’S CAPITAL CITY
Zenobia strengthened and embellished her capital, Palmyra, to such an extent that it ranked with the larger cities of the Roman world. Its estimated population reached over 150,000. Splendid public buildings, temples, gardens, pillars, and monuments filled Palmyra, a city encircled by walls said to be 13 miles [21 km] in circumference. A colonnade of Corinthian pillars over 50 feet [15 m] high—some 1,500 of them—lined the principal avenue. Statues and busts of heroes and wealthy benefactors abounded in the city. In 271 C.E., Zenobia erected statues of herself and her late husband.
The Temple of the Sun was one of the finest structures in Palmyra and no doubt dominated the religious scene in the city. Zenobia herself may have worshiped a deity associated with the sun-god. Syria of the third century, however, was a land of many religions. In Zenobia’s domain there were professing Christians, Jews, and worshipers of the sun and moon. What was her attitude toward these various forms of worship? Author Stoneman observes: “A wise ruler will not neglect any customs that seem appropriate to her people. . . . The gods, it was . . . hoped, had been marshaled on Palmyra’s side.” Apparently, Zenobia was religiously tolerant.
With her colorful personality, Zenobia won the admiration of many. Of greatest significance was her role in representing a political entity foretold in Daniel’s prophecy. Her reign, however, lasted no more than five years. Roman Emperor Aurelian defeated Zenobia in 272 C.E. and subsequently sacked Palmyra beyond repair. Zenobia was granted clemency. She is said to have married a Roman senator and presumably spent the rest of her life in retirement.
WHAT DID YOU DISCERN?
• How has Zenobia’s personality been described?
• What were some of the exploits of Zenobia?
• What was Zenobia’s attitude toward religion?
[Picture]
Queen Zenobia addressing her soldiers
[Chart/Pictures on page 246]
KINGS IN DANIEL 11:20-26
The King The King of the North of the South
Daniel 11:20 Augustus
Daniel 11:21-24 Tiberius
Daniel 11:25, 26 Aurelian Queen Zenobia
The foretold The Germanic Britain, breakdown Empire followed by the of the Roman Anglo-American Empire leads to World Power the formation of
[Picture]
Tiberius
[Picture]
Aurelian
[Picture]
Statuette of Charlemagne
[Picture]
Augustus
[Picture]
17th-century British warship
[Full-page picture on page 230]
[Picture on page 233]
Augustus
[Picture on page 234]
Tiberius
[Picture on page 235]
Because of Augustus’ decree, Joseph and Mary traveled to Bethlehem
[Picture on page 237]
As foretold, Jesus was “broken” in death
[Pictures on page 245]
1. Charlemagne 2. Napoléon I 3. Wilhelm I 4. German soldiers, World War I |
Survival (su)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/su | Chapter 18
Are You Loyal to Earth’s New King?
1. When Jesus was presented as King in 33 C.E., how did the crowd respond?
ON Nisan 9 of 33 C.E., Jesus Christ presented himself to the Jews as their King, the foretold Messiah. As he came down the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem, the multitude of disciples rejoiced and praised God because of the powerful works Jesus had performed. (Luke 19:37, 38; Zechariah 9:9) But would they prove loyal to that One whom they hailed as King? Their loyalty was soon put to the test.
2. (a) How are many people today responding to the announcement that Christ is earth’s new King? (b) But what questions deserve serious consideration?
2 Since 1914 the glorified Jesus Christ actively ruling from heaven has been presented to all mankind as earth’s new King. The prospect of life under a government in the hands of Christ, with genuine solutions to the problems of mankind, has caused people out of all nations to rejoice. But will they prove loyal? What about each of us individually?
THE KING’S OWN RECORD OF LOYALTY
3. (a) Why is Jesus himself referred to as Jehovah’s “loyal one”? (b) What is loyalty?
3 Jesus Christ has given abundant evidence that his own loyalty to Jehovah, the Universal Sovereign, is unwavering. He is appropriately referred to in the Scriptures as Jehovah’s “loyal one.” (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:24-27) The Hebrew word for “loyalty” here used contains the thought of being lovingly kind. It is not something cold, based merely on law or justice, but is motivated also by love and appreciation.—Compare Psalm 40:8; John 14:31.
4, 5. (a) How was Jesus’ loyalty shown in heaven, following Satan’s rebellion? (b) How was that loyalty also shown on earth?
4 In heaven, when Satan began to seek for himself honor that belonged only to God and when others of the angels forsook their proper places in Jehovah’s heavenly organization, God’s firstborn Son did not imitate their spirit. To do so was unthinkable on his part! Such was his self-sacrificing devotion that, in carrying out his Father’s will, this loyal Son left behind his heavenly glory, became a human and even submitted to death on a torture stake. Lovingly, he made sure that, as far as it depended on him, no detail of what the Scriptures outlined for him would go unfulfilled.—Philippians 2:5-8; Luke 24:44-48.
5 While Jesus was on earth, Satan brought great pressure on him to turn him aside from the work that God had given him to do—if possible, to entice him to do something that would cause God himself to reject his Son. He urged Jesus to do things that could result in prominence and power—but as part of the world of which Satan was ruler. Jesus refused, quoting the Sacred Scriptures as his guide. (Matthew 4:1-10) Jesus had outstanding abilities and he used them well, but always in harmony with his Father’s will. He occupied himself fully in doing the work that God had sent him to do. (John 7:16-18; 8:28, 29; 14:10) What a fine example of loyalty!
6. In what way does the reward given to Jesus require loyalty of us?
6 Because of Jesus’ proved loyalty, Jehovah raised him from the dead, “exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend . . . and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) This “name that is above every other name” represents the power and authority conferred on Jesus so that he can fulfill Jehovah’s will. ‘Bending the knee’ to him means recognizing his position and submitting to his authority. It includes being loyally subject to him as King.
LOYAL LOVE FOR JEHOVAH’S ANOINTED ONES
7. Regarding what matters are Jesus’ followers tested as to their loyalty?
7 The fact that, after his ascension to heaven, Jesus could no longer be seen with human eyes would result in heart-searching tests of loyalty for his followers. Would they live by the principles that he had taught them? Would they keep separate from the world? Would they respect those upon whom holy spirit conferred responsibilities of oversight? Would they be whole-souled in doing the work he had assigned them?
8. What was foreshadowed by the loyal love between Jonathan and David?
8 In due time the “other sheep” were to be gathered into association with the “little flock” of heirs of the heavenly Kingdom. Would they truly appreciate their assigned positions in relationship to Christ as King and to one another? The facts show that genuine mutual love has developed among all who are part of the “one flock” under Jesus Christ. This was foreshadowed by the unbreakable, undying love of Jonathan, the son of King Saul, for David. Upon witnessing David’s complete devotion to Jehovah and his reliance on God in slaying the giant Goliath, Jonathan was deeply moved and his “very soul became bound up with the soul of David, and Jonathan began to love him as his own soul.” His love did not lessen when it became apparent that Jehovah would bestow the kingship on David and not on Jonathan. Jonathan even repeatedly risked his life for David.—1 Samuel 17:45-47; 18:1; 23:16, 17.
9. How was similar loyalty shown by non-Israelites who served in David’s army?
9 Besides Jonathan, there were non-Israelites who attached themselves to David. They were not mercenaries but valiant men who acted out of devotion to David as Jehovah’s anointed. Cherethites, Pelethites and former natives of the Philistine city of Gath were among these. They loyally stuck with David when his son Absalom deceitfully sought to steal the hearts of the men of Israel. Despite Absalom’s prominence and cunning, they were not led into a traitorous course by his smooth talk.—2 Samuel 15:6, 10, 18-22.
10. (a) How is the close relationship among Christ, the anointed remnant and the “other sheep” depicted in Psalm 45? (b) In what sense do ‘the virgin companions enter the palace of the king’?
10 Another heartwarming description of the relationship among Christ, the anointed remnant and the “other sheep” is found in Psalm 45. This is not merely beautiful poetry but is prophetic of the Messianic Kingdom—God himself being the “throne,” that is, the foundation and support of Jesus’ kingship. (Psalm 45:1-7; Hebrews 1:8, 9) The psalmist describes the bride of Christ, “the king’s daughter,” being brought to the King on his wedding day. With her are “the virgins . . . her companions.” Who are these? They are the ones who look forward to being earthly subjects of God’s Kingdom. “With rejoicing and joyfulness” they accompany the “bride” class until the very last of these is united with Christ in heaven. With them, they “enter into the palace of the king,” not by ascending to heaven, but by offering themselves for the King’s service. Have you become part of that happy procession?—Psalm 45:13-15.
WHAT DOES LOYALTY REQUIRE OF US?
11. What situations put us to the test as to being “no part of the world”?
11 Countless situations in life show what kind of persons we are. Do we really believe in Jehovah’s Messianic Kingdom? Is it real to us? Jesus said that his true followers would be “no part of the world.” Is that true of you?—John 17:15, 16.
12. Even though we are imperfect, in what further ways can we give evidence of loyalty?
12 In the case of us imperfect humans, loyalty does not demand perfection. But it does require that we avoid deliberately violating Bible commands, whether other humans see us or not. It will move us to endeavor to apply Bible principles fully, rather than to see how close we can come to the world’s ways. It will cause us to cultivate genuine hatred for what is bad.—Psalm 97:10.
13. How will loyalty safeguard us against the smooth talk of apostates?
13 If we truly hate what is bad, we are not going to allow curiosity to entice us to get close to it. Being curious about the life of sexually immoral persons can lead one to ruin. (Proverbs 7:6-23) So, too, spiritual ruin may overtake those who out of curiosity buy and read literature produced by apostates, persons who have abandoned Jehovah and his organization and who then verbally “beat” their former associates. (Matthew 24:48-51) Proverbs 11:9 warns: “By his mouth the one who is an apostate brings his fellowman to ruin.” But loyalty will safeguard us against being misled by their smooth talk.—2 John 8-11.
14. (a) What is one of the most important ways in which we can demonstrate our loyalty to Christ as King? (b) Why is this work so important?
14 One of the most important ways we can show loyalty is by being whole-souled in the work that Jesus taught his disciples to do. He personally set the example by going from city to city and village to village, preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God. (Luke 8:1) Jesus foretold what true Christians would be doing today when he said: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14) It is by means of this preaching of the good news that the Kingdom issue is being presented to people everywhere so that they can make a personal decision. For a great crowd, that decision will lead to preservation through the great tribulation. (Revelation 7:9, 10) Are you loyally sharing in this urgent work?
15. (a) What does Psalm 145:10-13 say that Jehovah’s loyal ones would be talking about? (b) How does that apply to us?
15 Long ago the psalmist David wrote: “All your works will laud you, O Jehovah, and your loyal ones will bless you. About the glory of your kingship they will talk, and about your mightiness they will speak, to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glory of the splendor of his kingship. Your kingship is a kingship for all times indefinite, and your dominion is throughout all successive generations.” (Psalm 145:10-13) That kingship is now being exercised through the Messianic Kingdom in the loyal hands of Jesus Christ, and we demonstrate our loyalty to both God and Christ by speaking freely and enthusiastically about it.
16. How should loyalty influence the extent to which we share in Kingdom preaching and the motive with which we do it?
16 What prominence in your own life have you given to this work of Kingdom witnessing? Do you really put it ahead of other pursuits? What you personally do may be more or may be less than what others do. The circumstances of individuals differ. But we can all benefit by asking ourselves questions such as these: ‘Does my share reflect merely a sense of duty, a token offering? Do I view it simply as a requirement for survival? Or does love for Jehovah, devotion to his Messianic King and genuine concern for my fellowman move me to give it first place so that other interests in my life are built around it?’ Loyalty will move us to seek ways to demonstrate that this work is as important to us as it is to our King.
17. To whom will Jesus “speak peace” when he destroys the wicked?
17 Soon the One who was jubilantly hailed as King by his disciples as he entered Jerusalem in 33 C.E. will destroy all who reject Jehovah’s sovereignty as expressed through His Messianic King. But he will “speak peace” to that “great crowd” of persons out of all nations who have imitated his own example of loyalty. Will you be among them?—Zechariah 9:10; Ephesians 4:20-24. |
Jehovah’s Day (jd)
2006 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/jd | Live With Jehovah’s Day in Mind |
“That Doggie in the Window”—Is It for You? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101985009 | “That Doggie in the Window”—Is It for You?
“HOW much is that doggie in the window?” asks a popular song of the 1950’s, “the one with the waggly tail.” Cute little balls of fur scampering playfully in pet shops turn hearts soft. Those lovable little faces and pleading eyes are unmistakably saying, “Please take me home with you.” Window-shoppers find them so irresistible that on impulse they buy “the one with the waggly tail.”
In addition to ‘that one in the window,’ there are also those strange varieties brought home by children—breeds not even an expert can identify. The wide-eyed, excited child displays the helpless creature to parents and announces: “Look what followed me home! Can we keep it?” Without the heart to say no, the parents allow the dog to become a member of the family.
Often, however, there is a sad postscript to this. In a year or two the animal is driven to another part of town and dumped—the owner likes to think some family in the area will adopt it. Or it may be pushed from the car along a country roadside, to join the ever-increasing ranks of starving strays.
Such calloused cruelties frequently occur around vacation time, when the family will be away from home. Reports from France claim that 300,000 dogs are abandoned in that country every August. It is estimated that in Italy a million dogs are abandoned every vacation season. The president of the Italian Society for the Protection of Animals said: “Italians tend to take their pets for granted. Often they are acquired only for the children, like a new toy, to keep them happy. The parents have no feeling for the pets. Thus, when vacation season comes, it is a good time to get rid of unwelcome guests because the children’s minds are on the holiday.”
Some owners reason that their unwanted pets will receive a good home if they deposit them at the nearest animal shelter. This is wishful thinking, as the following report shows: “The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) learned in a recent survey that 15 to 17 million cats and dogs were turned in to the nation’s animal shelters in 1973. Of that number, a shocking 13.5 million were put to death!”
In England the figures available show that 55 percent of the dogs brought in to humane shelters there were destroyed, 73 percent in Toronto, and 83 percent in New York. One expert comments: “Private and public animal shelters, along with veterinarians, spend more time killing animals than they do protecting them. They have become dealers in death.”
Dogs and cats reproduce at explosive rates—two to three thousand are born every hour in the United States, according to some estimates. The figure could easily climb to ten thousand if strays are included, some claim. One member of the Atlanta Humane Society said: “It’s literally raining cats and dogs!” A solution would be to have your pet neutered. But some reject this, saying they want their children to see the miracle of birth.
The animals pay dearly for the child’s lesson. “Perhaps,” the Atlanta Humane Society says, “children should witness the other end as well—the finality of death in a pound or shelter because there just are not enough homes to go around. Only one out of six puppies actually gets a home and for cats the rate is one out of twelve.”
The pet population is exploding. It needs to be defused. It can be and it should be, for the good of the innocent and helpless victims. |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 39—Malachi
Writer: Malachi
Place Written: Jerusalem
Writing Completed: After 443 B.C.E.
1. What indicates Malachi’s zeal for Jehovah?
WHO was Malachi? There is not a single fact recorded regarding his ancestry or personal history. However, from the tenor of his prophecy, it is quite evident that he was most zealous in his devotion to Jehovah God, upholding His name and pure worship, and that he felt strong indignation toward those who profess to serve God but who serve only themselves. The name of Jehovah is mentioned 48 times in the four chapters of his prophecy.
2. What does Malachi’s name possibly mean, and when, apparently, did he live?
2 His name in Hebrew is Mal·ʼa·khiʹ, which possibly means “My Messenger.” The Hebrew Scriptures, the Septuagint, and the chronological order of the books all place Malachi last among the 12 so-called minor prophets. According to the tradition of the Great Synagogue, he lived after the prophets Haggai and Zechariah and was a contemporary of Nehemiah.
3. What indicates that the prophecy of Malachi was written after 443 B.C.E.?
3 When was the prophecy written? It was during the administration of a governor, which places it in the time of the restoration of Jerusalem following the 70 years’ desolation of Judah. (Mal. 1:8) But which governor? Since the temple service is mentioned but without reference to building the temple, it must have been after the time of Governor Zerubbabel, during whose tenure of office the temple was completed. There is only one other governor of this period mentioned in the Scriptures, and he is Nehemiah. Does the prophecy fit Nehemiah’s time? Nothing is stated in Malachi concerning the rebuilding of Jerusalem and its wall, which eliminates the early part of Nehemiah’s governorship. However, much is said concerning the abuses by the priesthood, tying Malachi in with the situation that existed when Nehemiah came a second time to Jerusalem, following his recall to Babylon by Artaxerxes in 443 B.C.E., the 32nd year of the king’s reign. (Mal. 2:1; Neh. 13:6) Similar passages in Malachi and Nehemiah indicate that the prophecy applies to this particular time.—Mal. 2:4-8, 11, 12—Neh. 13:11, 15, 23-26; Mal. 3:8-10—Neh. 13:10-12.
4. What proves the book of Malachi to be authentic and inspired?
4 The book of Malachi has always been accepted by the Jews as authentic. Quotations from it in the Christian Greek Scriptures, a number of which show fulfillments of its prophecy, prove that Malachi was inspired and part of the canon of Hebrew Scriptures that was recognized by the Christian congregation.—Mal. 1:2, 3—Rom. 9:13; Mal. 3:1—Matt. 11:10 and Luke 1:76 and Lu 7:27; Mal. 4:5, 6—Matt. 11:14 and Mt 17:10-13, Mark 9:11-13 and Luke 1:17.
5. What low spiritual condition prompted Malachi’s prophecy?
5 Malachi’s prophecy indicates that the religious zeal and enthusiasm aroused by the prophets Haggai and Zechariah at the time of rebuilding the temple had passed away. Priests had become careless, proud, and self-righteous. Temple services had become a mockery. Tithes and offerings had lapsed because of a feeling that God was not interested in Israel. The hopes centered in Zerubbabel had not been realized, and contrary to some expectations, Messiah had not come. The Jews’ spiritual state was at a very low ebb. What ground was there for encouragement and hope? How could the people be made aware of their true state and be awakened to return to righteousness? The prophecy of Malachi supplied the answer.
6. What is Malachi’s style of writing?
6 Malachi’s style of writing is direct and forceful. He first states the proposition and then answers the objections of those whom he addresses. Finally, he reasserts his original proposition. This adds strength and vividness to his argument. Instead of soaring to heights of eloquence, he uses an abrupt, strongly argumentative style.
outputS OF MALACHI
7. What love and hatred does Jehovah express?
7 Jehovah’s commandment to the priests (1:1–2:17). Jehovah first expresses his love for his people. He has loved Jacob and hated Esau. Let Edom try to build its devastated places; Jehovah will tear them down and they will be called “the territory of wickedness,” the people denounced by Jehovah, for Jehovah will “be magnified over the territory of Israel.”—1:4, 5.
8. How have the priests polluted Jehovah’s table, and why will a curse come on them?
8 Now Jehovah addresses directly the ‘priests who are despising his name.’ As they try to justify themselves, Jehovah points to their blind, lame, and sick sacrifices, and he asks, Will even the governor approve such offerings? Jehovah himself has no delight in them. His name must be exalted among the nations, but these men are profaning him by saying: “The table of Jehovah is something polluted.” A curse will come on them because they have cunningly sidestepped their vows by offering worthless sacrifices. “‘For I am a great King,’ Jehovah of armies has said, ‘and my name will be fear-inspiring among the nations.’”—1:6, 12, 14.
9. In what have the priests failed, and how have they profaned Jehovah’s holiness?
9 Jehovah now gives a commandment to the priests, saying that if they do not take this counsel to heart, he will send a curse upon them and upon their blessings. He will scatter the dung of their festivals upon their faces because of their failure to keep the covenant of Levi. “For the lips of a priest are the ones that should keep knowledge, and the law is what people should seek from his mouth; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of armies.” (2:7) Malachi confesses the great sin of Israel and Judah. They have dealt treacherously with one another and have profaned the holiness of Jehovah, their Father and Creator, by taking the daughter of a foreign god as bride. They have gone to the extreme in wearying Jehovah. They have even asked, “Where is the God of justice?”—2:17.
10. For what work of judgment does the Lord come to his temple?
10 The true Lord and the messenger (3:1-18). The prophecy now reaches a climax in the words of “Jehovah of armies”: “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he must clear up a way before me. And suddenly there will come to His temple the true Lord, whom you people are seeking, and the messenger of the covenant in whom you are delighting. Look! He will certainly come.” (3:1) As a refiner, He will cleanse the sons of Levi and will become a speedy witness against the wicked who have not feared Him. Jehovah does not change, and because they are sons of Jacob, he will mercifully return to them if they return to him.
11. How should they now test God, and what blessings will follow?
11 They have been robbing God, but now let them test him by bringing their tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in his house, confident that he will pour forth from the floodgates of the heavens the very fullness of his blessing. They will become a land of delight pronounced happy by all nations. Those in fear of Jehovah have been speaking to one another, and Jehovah has been paying attention and listening. “And a book of remembrance began to be written up before him for those in fear of Jehovah and for those thinking upon his name.” (3:16) They will certainly become Jehovah’s in the day of his producing a special property.
12. What is promised concerning Jehovah’s fear-inspiring day?
12 The great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah (4:1-6). This is the coming day that will devour the wicked, leaving neither root nor bough. But the sun of righteousness will shine forth to those who fear Jehovah’s name, and they will be healed. Jehovah admonishes them to remember the Law of Moses. Before his great and fear-inspiring day, Jehovah promises to send Elijah the prophet. “And he must turn the heart of fathers back toward sons, and the heart of sons back toward fathers; in order that I may not come and actually strike the earth with a devoting of it to destruction.”—4:6.
WHY BENEFICIAL
13. What does Malachi have to say as to (a) Jehovah’s mercy and love? (b) the responsibility of teachers of God’s Word? (c) those who violate God’s laws and principles?
13 The book of Malachi helps in understanding the unchanging principles and merciful love of Jehovah God. At the outset, it emphasizes Jehovah’s great love for his people “Jacob.” He declared to the sons of Jacob: “I am Jehovah; I have not changed.” Despite their great wickedness, he was ready to return to his people if they would return to him. A merciful God indeed! (Mal. 1:2; 3:6, 7; Rom. 11:28; Ex. 34:6, 7) Through Malachi, Jehovah stressed that a priest’s lips “should keep knowledge.” All who are entrusted with the teaching of God’s Word should pay heed to this point, making sure that it is accurate knowledge that they impart. (Mal. 2:7; Phil. 1:9-11; compare James 3:1.) Jehovah does not tolerate hypocrites, those who try to make out that “doing bad is good in the eyes of Jehovah.” No one should think that he can deceive Jehovah by making the mere pretense of an offering to this great King. (Mal. 2:17; 1:14; Col. 3:23, 24) Jehovah will be a speedy witness against all who violate his righteous laws and principles; no one may expect to act wickedly and get away with it. Jehovah will judge them. (Mal. 3:5; Heb. 10:30, 31) The righteous may have full assurance that Jehovah will remember their deeds and reward them. They should pay attention to the Law of Moses, even as Jesus did, for it contains many things that are fulfilled in him.—Mal. 3:16; 4:4; Luke 24:44, 45.
14. (a) To what, particularly, does Malachi point forward? (b) How was Malachi 3:1 fulfilled in the first century C.E.?
14 As the last book of the inspired Hebrew Scriptures, Malachi points forward to events surrounding the coming of the Messiah, whose appearance more than four centuries later provided the reason for the writing of the Christian Greek Scriptures. As recorded at Malachi 3:1, Jehovah of armies said: “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he must clear up a way before me.” Speaking under inspiration, the aged Zechariah showed that this had a fulfillment in his son, John the Baptizer. (Luke 1:76) Jesus Christ confirmed this, stating at the same time: “There has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.” John had been sent, as Malachi foretold, to ‘prepare the way,’ so that he was not among those with whom Jesus later made a covenant for a Kingdom.—Matt. 11:7-12; Luke 7:27, 28; 22:28-30.
15. Who is the “Elijah” of Malachi’s prophecy?
15 Then, at Malachi 4:5, 6, Jehovah promised: “Look! I am sending to you people Elijah the prophet.” Who is this “Elijah”? Both Jesus and the angel who appeared to Zechariah apply these words to John the Baptizer, showing that he was the one to “restore all things” and “to get ready for Jehovah a prepared people” to receive the Messiah. However, Malachi says also that “Elijah” is the forerunner of “the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah,” thus indicating a still future fulfillment in a day of judgment.—Matt. 17:11; Luke 1:17; Matt. 11:14; Mark 9:12.
16. To what blessed day does Malachi point forward, and what warm encouragement does he give?
16 Looking forward to that day, Jehovah of armies says: “From the sun’s rising even to its setting my name will be great among the nations. . . . For I am a great King, . . . and my name will be fear-inspiring among the nations.” Fear-inspiring indeed! For ‘the day will burn like the furnace, and all the presumptuous ones and all those doing wickedness must become as stubble.’ Yet, happy are those who fear Jehovah’s name, for to them “the sun of righteousness will certainly shine forth, with healing in its wings.” This focuses on the happy time when obedient ones of the human family will be completely healed—spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically. (Rev. 21:3, 4) In pointing forward to that glorious and blessed day, Malachi encourages us to be wholehearted in bringing our offering into Jehovah’s house: “‘Test me out, please, in this respect,’ Jehovah of armies has said, ‘whether I shall not open to you people the floodgates of the heavens and actually empty out upon you a blessing until there is no more want.’”—Mal. 1:11, 14; 4:1, 2; 3:10.
17. Malachi’s warnings are tempered with what call for optimism?
17 While continuing to warn of ‘a devoting of the earth to destruction,’ this last book of the Prophets calls for optimism and rejoicing in line with Jehovah’s words to his people: “All the nations will have to pronounce you happy, for you yourselves will become a land of delight.”—4:6; 3:12. |
Page Two | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101998000 | Page Two
Information Anxiety—How Does It Affect You? 3-12
Information floods in on us every day—through TV, the Internet, newspapers, radio, magazines, junk mail. There is too much to handle. Quantity confuses. What can you do about it?
How the Incas Lost Their Golden Empire 13
An amazing civilization existed in South America when the Spanish conquistadores arrived about 1532. How did it collapse?
A European Court Rights a Wrong 19
Young Greek Jehovah’s Witnesses have suffered grave injustices. The European Court of Human Rights has rendered just decisions. |
THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES
Juan Pablo Zermeño: Jehovah Gave Me a Meaningful Life | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501000004 | THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES
Juan Pablo Zermeño: Jehovah Gave Me a Meaningful Life
Despite a traumatic childhood, many have found peace and purpose by dedicating their lives to Jehovah. Juan Pablo decided to leave behind a boxing career and found true meaning in life.
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Worship God (wt)
2002 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/wt | Chapter Seventeen
Practice Godly Devotion at Home
1. How has applying the guidance from God’s Word affected marriages?
JEHOVAH is the Originator of marriage, and his Word provides the very best guidance for families. As a result of applying that guidance, many people have built successful marriages. Commendably, some who had merely lived together have been moved to register their marriage legally. Others have ceased having relationships outside of marriage. Violent men who were abusive to their wives and children have learned to show kindness and tenderness.
2. What is involved in Christian family life?
2 Christian family life involves many things, such as how we view the permanence of marriage, what we do to fulfill our responsibilities in the family, and how we deal with family members. (Ephesians 5:33–6:4) While we may know what the Bible says about family life, it is quite another thing to apply the Bible’s counsel. None of us want to be like those whom Jesus condemned for sidestepping God’s commandments. They falsely reasoned that mere religious devotion was enough. (Matthew 15:4-9) We do not want to have a form of godly devotion but fail to practice it in our own household. Rather, we want to display true godly devotion, which is “a means of great gain.”—1 Timothy 5:4; 6:6; 2 Timothy 3:5.
How Long Will the Marriage Last?
3. (a) What is happening to many marriages, but what should our determination be? (b) Using your Bible, answer the questions listed below this paragraph.
3 Increasingly, marriage bonds are proving to be fragile. Some couples who have been together for years decide to divorce and marry someone else. Also it is no longer unusual to hear that young couples have separated after being married for only a short time. Regardless of what others do, we should want to please Jehovah. So let us consider the following questions and scriptures to see what God’s Word says about the permanence of marriage.
When a man and a woman marry, how long should they expect to stay together? (Mark 10:6-9; Romans 7:2, 3)
What is the only basis for divorce with the possibility of remarriage that is valid before God? (Matthew 5:31, 32; 19:3-9)
How does Jehovah feel about divorces that are not authorized by his Word? (Malachi 2:13-16)
Does the Bible advocate separation as a means to solve marital problems? (1 Corinthians 7:10-13)
Under what circumstances might a separation be warranted? (Psalm 11:5; Luke 4:8; 1 Timothy 5:8)
4. Why do some marriages endure?
4 Some marriages are successful, lasting. Why? Waiting to marry until both parties are mature is a factor, but finding a mate who shares one’s interests and can discuss matters openly is also important. Of greater importance, though, is finding a mate who loves Jehovah and respects his Word as the basis for handling problems. (Psalm 119:97, 104; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17) Such a person will not have the attitude that if things do not work out, he can always get a separation or a divorce. He will not use his mate’s shortcomings as an excuse to sidestep his own responsibilities. Instead, he will face up to problems and find workable solutions.
5. (a) How is loyalty to Jehovah involved in marriage? (b) Even when opposition is encountered, what benefits can come from holding to Jehovah’s standards?
5 Satan contends that when we suffer, we will abandon Jehovah’s ways. (Job 2:4, 5; Proverbs 27:11) But the vast majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses who have suffered because of having an opposing mate have not renounced their marriage vows. They continue to be loyal to Jehovah and his commandments. (Matthew 5:37) Some who have persevered have had the joy of being joined by their mate in serving Jehovah—even after years of opposition! (1 Peter 3:1, 2) As for Christians whose mates show no signs of change or whose mates abandoned them because they serve Jehovah, these too know that they will be blessed for their giving evidence of godly devotion at home.—Psalm 55:22; 145:16.
Each One Doing His Part
6. To have a successful marriage, what arrangement must be respected?
6 Of course, having a successful marriage requires more than just staying together. A basic need on the part of each mate is respect for Jehovah’s arrangement of headship. This contributes to good order and a feeling of security in the home. At 1 Corinthians 11:3, we read: “The head of every man is the Christ; in turn the head of a woman is the man; in turn the head of the Christ is God.”
7. How should headship in the family be exercised?
7 Did you note what that verse mentioned first? Yes, every man has a Head, Christ, to whom he should submit. This means that the husband should exercise headship in a way that reflects the qualities of Jesus. Christ submits to Jehovah, deeply loves the congregation, and provides for it. (1 Timothy 3:15) He even “delivered up himself for it.” Jesus is, not proud and inconsiderate, but “mild-tempered and lowly in heart.” Those who come under his headship “find refreshment for [their] souls.” When a husband deals with his family in this way, he shows that he is subjecting himself to Christ. A Christian wife should then find it beneficial and refreshing to cooperate with her husband and submit to his headship.—Ephesians 5:25-33; Matthew 11:28, 29; Proverbs 31:10, 28.
8. (a) Why may it seem that Christian methods do not get the desired results in some homes? (b) What should we do if faced with such a situation?
8 However, problems will arise. A measure of resentment at being directed by others may already have become deeply ingrained before anyone in the family began to apply Bible principles. Kind requests and a loving manner may not seem to get results. We know that the Bible says to put away “anger and wrath and screaming and abusive speech.” (Ephesians 4:31) But if some do not seem to understand anything else, what should be done? Well, Jesus did not imitate those who threatened and reviled, but he relied on his Father. (1 Peter 2:22, 23) So when trying situations arise in the home, give evidence of godly devotion by praying to Jehovah for his help instead of adopting the ways of the world.—Proverbs 3:5-7.
9. Rather than finding fault, what have many Christian husbands learned to do?
9 Changes do not always come quickly, but Bible counsel really does work when applied patiently and diligently. Many husbands have found that the marriage began to improve when they came to appreciate Christ’s dealings with the congregation. That congregation is not made up of perfect humans. Yet, Jesus loves it, sets the right example for it, and uses the Scriptures to help it improve. He gave up his life in behalf of the congregation. (1 Peter 2:21) His example has encouraged many Christian husbands to provide good headship and offer loving help toward improvement. This yields much better results than does faultfinding or refusing to talk.
10. (a) In what ways might a husband or a wife—even one who professes to be a Christian—make life hard for others in the home? (b) What might be done to improve the situation?
10 What if a husband is not sensitive to the emotional needs of his family or does not take the initiative to arrange for family discussion of the Bible and for other activities? Or what if a wife does not cooperate and show godly submissiveness? Some get good results by having respectful family discussions regarding problems. (Genesis 21:10-12; Proverbs 15:22) But even if the results are not all that were hoped for, each of us can contribute to an improved home atmosphere by making room for the fruitage of God’s spirit in our life, showing loving consideration for other family members. (Galatians 5:22, 23) Progress will come, not by waiting for the other person to do something, but by doing our own part, thus showing that we practice godly devotion.—Colossians 3:18-21.
Where to Get Answers
11, 12. What has Jehovah provided to help us make a success of family life?
11 There are many sources to which people turn for counsel on their family affairs. But we know that God’s Word contains the very best advice, and we are grateful that through his visible organization, God helps us to apply it. Are you fully benefiting from that help?—Psalm 119:129, 130; Micah 4:2.
12 In addition to attending congregation meetings, have you set aside regular times for family Bible study? Families that do so can work toward being united in their worship. Their family life is enriched as they apply God’s Word to their own circumstances.—Deuteronomy 11:18-21.
13. (a) If we have questions on family matters, where can we often find the needed help? (b) What should be reflected in all decisions we make?
13 You may have questions on family matters. For example, what about birth control? Is abortion ever justified? If a child shows little interest in spiritual matters, to what extent should he be required to share in family worship? Many such questions have been discussed in the literature published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Learn to use Bible study aids, including indexes, to find the answers. If you do not have the publications referred to in an index, check the library at the Kingdom Hall. Or you may have access to these publications on your computer. You can also discuss your questions with mature Christian men and women. But do not always expect a yes or no answer to every question. Often you must decide, individually or as a married couple. Then make decisions that show that you practice godly devotion not only in public but also at home.—Romans 14:19; Ephesians 5:10.
Review Discussion
• How is loyalty to Jehovah involved in faithfulness to one’s marriage mate?
• When under pressure because of family problems, what will help us do what is pleasing to God?
• Even if others in the family fall short, what can we do to improve the situation?
[Picture on page 155]
A husband’s headship should reflect the qualities of Jesus
[Picture on page 157]
Having a regular Bible study with the family helps to unite it |
YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
What if I Don’t Fit In? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019481 | YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
What if I Don’t Fit In?
“You have to fit in, or else you will have no friends, no life, and no future. You will end up forgotten and alone.”—Carl.
Exaggerated? Perhaps. Still, some people would do anything to avoid the outcome described by Carl. Would you? This article will help you find a better approach.
Why do people try to fit in?
What you should know
What your peers say
Why do people try to fit in?
Because they don’t want to be excluded. “On social media I saw photos of a group that had gone out and done things without me. It made me wonder what was wrong with me, and I drove myself crazy with thoughts that I wasn’t good enough for them.”—Natalie.
TO THINK ABOUT: Have you ever felt excluded from a group? What, if anything, did you do to try to be part of that group?
Because they don’t want to be different. “My parents won’t let me have a cell phone. When kids ask for my number and I tell them I don’t have a phone, they say: ‘What? How old are you?’ When I tell them I’m 13, they look at me with pity.”—Mary.
TO THINK ABOUT: What parental restriction might make you feel different from others? How do you deal with that restriction?
Because they don’t want to be bullied. “Kids at school don’t like those who act differently, talk differently, or even worship differently. If you don’t fit in, you’re walking around with a target on your back.”—Olivia.
TO THINK ABOUT: Have you ever been mistreated because you didn’t fit in? How did you deal with the situation?
Because they don’t want to lose their friends. “I tried to adapt to whatever group I was in. I’d talk in a way that wasn’t me. I’d laugh when something wasn’t funny. I’d even join in when kids poked fun at someone, knowing full well that it was hurtful.”—Rachel.
TO THINK ABOUT: How important is it to you to be liked by your peers? Have you ever changed your personality to fit in with them?
What you should know
Copying others just to fit in can backfire. Why? Because people can often see through the disguise. “I fit in less with my classmates when I was pretending to be someone I wasn’t,” recalls 20-year-old Brian. “I learned that it’s best just to be yourself, because people can tell when you’re faking.”
BETTER APPROACH: Rethink your priorities. The Bible says: “Make sure of the more important things.” (Philippians 1:10) So ask yourself, ‘What’s more important—to fit in with people whose values are different from mine, or to stay true to who I am?’
“Trying to be like others is pointless. It won’t make people like you more, and it won’t make you a better person.”—James.
Trying to fit in can stifle your personality. It could make you a “people-pleaser” who conforms to what others want you to be. “I used to do whatever I had to do just to fit in with a particular group, at the expense of my reputation,” recalls a young man named Jeremy. “That put me at the mercy of others. I became their puppet.”
BETTER APPROACH: Know your values and live by them, instead of being like a chameleon that changes colors according to its environment. It is for good reason that the Bible says: “Don’t do something just because everyone else is doing it.”—Exodus 23:2, Holy Bible—Easy-to-Read Version.
“I tried to like everything they liked—music, games, clothing, shows, types of makeup . . . I tried to be them. I think they saw through my act. I think everyone did, including me. I ended up feeling empty and lonely, and I didn’t even know who I was anymore. I was left with no personality. I learned that not everyone you meet will fit in with you or even like you. That doesn’t mean you have to give up on making friends; just give yourself room and time to grow.”—Melinda.
Trying to fit in can affect your conduct. A young man named Chris found that this was true of his cousin. “He started doing things that he wouldn’t normally do—like taking drugs—just to fit in,” Chris says. “He became completely addicted, and it nearly ruined his life.”
BETTER APPROACH: Steer clear of people whose speech and conduct reflect poor values. The Bible says: “The one walking with the wise will become wise, but the one who has dealings with the stupid will fare badly.”—Proverbs 13:20.
“Sometimes it’s good to reach out and make an effort to fit in. But you should never do it at the expense of going against what you know is right. The right people will accept you for who you really are.”—Melanie.
Tip: When trying to meet new people and make friends, don’t consider just those whose interests match yours. Look for people who share your values—your spiritual, moral, and ethical convictions.
Certain types of clothing will not look good on you. Similarly, certain people will not enhance your values
What your peers say
“If you don’t fit in with a certain group, it may be good to step back and examine why. Is the problem that the group doesn’t live by your standards of conduct? If that’s the case, you can be glad you don’t fit in with them.”—Emma.
“Instead of worrying too much about fitting in, it’s better to spend your time and energy developing qualities that will make you a better person. If you are kind to others, the people you would really want as friends will be drawn to you.”—Noah.
“My way of fitting in is to take personal interest in people and to find out what they like and how they feel about things. Instead of changing who I am, I allow for their point of view. That has helped me to make friends with people of all ages.”—Dominique.
Review: What if I just don’t fit in?
Rethink your priorities.
What’s more important—fitting in with people whose values are questionable or staying true to who you are?
Develop a good reputation, and take proper pride in it.
Don’t be like a chameleon that changes colors according to its environment.
Steer clear of people whose speech and conduct reflect poor values.
Trying to fit in is not always wrong, but you should never do it if it means going against what you know is right. |
Spirits of the Dead (sp)
2005 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/spirits-of-the-dead-sp | The Demons Are Killers!
Satan and the demons have always been cruel and dangerous. In early times Satan killed the livestock and servants of faithful Job. Then he killed Job’s ten children by causing “a great wind” to destroy the house they were in. After that Satan struck Job with “a malignant boil from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.”—Job 1:7-19; 2:7.
In Jesus’ day, the demons made some people speechless and blind. (Matthew 9:32, 33; 12:22) They tormented one man and made him slash himself with stones. (Mark 5:5) They also caused a boy to cry out, dashed him to the ground, and “violently convulsed him.”—Luke 9:42.
In the past, the demons made some people sick and threw others into convulsions
Today, Satan and the demons are as murderous as ever. In fact, their evil activity has increased since they were thrown out of heaven. Reports from around the world testify to their cruelty. They plague some people with illness. Others they harass at night, depriving them of sleep or giving them terrible dreams. Others they abuse sexually. Still others they drive to insanity, murder, or suicide.
The demons today cause some people to be violent; they harass others at night, giving them terrible dreams
Lintina, who lives in Suriname, relates that a demon, or bad spirit, killed 16 members of her family and tormented her physically and mentally for 18 years. From firsthand experience she states that the demons “enjoy torturing their unwilling victims until death.”
But Jehovah is able to protect his servants from Satan’s attacks.—Proverbs 18:10. |
Global Fear—An Evidence of What? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101983002 | Global Fear—An Evidence of What?
FEAR is included as part of “the sign” of what the Bible calls the “time of the end,” the “conclusion of the system of things” or the “last days.” (Daniel 12:4; Matthew 24:3; 2 Timothy 3:1) Jesus said that men would “become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.” Giving us reason for hope, however, he said that this global fear would be an evidence that “deliverance” was “getting near.”—Luke 21:7, 25-28.
Is the fear that would signify imminent deliverance really in evidence today? Many people think so. Do you?
Consider the Facts
“As never before, the world is full of fear,” says the German newspaper Die Welt. It calls our century “the century of fear.” In view of this century’s outstanding advances in science, technology, medicine and psychotherapy, however, this increase is paradoxical. It should have been possible to curtail fear; instead the opposite has happened.
Fear has been likened to “a ghost on the roam,” to a disease “spreading like an epidemic.” Thus the German magazine Hörzu states: “Never before has mankind been as fearful as at present.” Pointing to some of the causes, it adds: “Brutality and terror, egotism and indifference, social injustice, war, foreign influences, drug abuse, envy, atomic energy, juvenile delinquency, professional failures—today’s fear has a thousand names.”
More and more people are agreeing that this is no exaggeration. What about you? Are these some of the things of which you, too, are fearful?
International in Scope
Fear is not limited to the inhabitants of any one country. Notice how Time magazine describes the situation in the United States:
“The air is full of a fear too large to grasp.” Why? It is due to the fear of atomic war.
Youth are not exempt from this fear of a thermonuclear disaster either. According to a recent study by the American Psychiatric Association, nuclear war is having a psychological impact on children. And The New York Times quotes Dr. R. J. Lifton, professor of psychiatry at Yale University Medical School, as making this observation about children growing up under the threat of nuclear war:
“They have another mind-set that includes the possibility of everything, themselves and their parents and everyone they have known or touched, being suddenly annihilated.”
Or, as one 12-year-old girl said: “I got very frightened that the world could blow up.”
Fear of nuclear war has even reached into countries that are not prime targets for nuclear missiles. Why? Because of worldwide fallout. Deadly radioactive particles entering the stratosphere after a nuclear war could fall anywhere on earth, contaminating everything they touch.
Other fears have compounded the problem. Fear of terrorist attack. Fear of environmental calamity. Fear of crime.
Wherever you live, we ask: Have you read similar statements in the newspapers and magazines of your country? Do you notice words like “fear,” “anxiety,” “dread” or “uncertainty” cropping up with alarming regularity in conversations and discussions, both private and public? If so, have you ever wondered what this means?
Is Fear Something New?
Quite correctly many persons point out that fear is as old as man himself. An editorial in the Süddeutsche Zeitung admits this, saying: “Fear of death, of pain and sickness, of material and immaterial losses have always been part of man’s makeup.” Showing, however, that fear has taken on a new dimension in our generation, it adds: “New, on the other hand, is the kind of potential danger man has now created, as well as its scope; also new, without doubt, would be the seriousness of the consequences should conceivable catastrophes actually occur.”
To serve as part of a credible sign marking the “conclusion of the system of things,” as prophesied by Jesus, there would have to be (1) a noticeable increase in the number of things causing fear and (2) an increase in the intensity of fear due to possible consequences. (Matthew 24:3; Luke 21:10, 11, 26) This is exactly the point being made by the quotations already referred to. In addition, nuclear fear is unique. Never before has man been capable of releasing the powerful forces within the atom—not until this 20th century. For the first time, people fear the complete extinction of the human race, in fact, the eradication of all life on earth.
But remember, when you see today’s evidences of increased fear you are really seeing much more. You are seeing that “deliverance is getting near,” in accordance with the promise Jesus made.—Luke 21:28.
Will any such “deliverance” come by means of the nuclear freeze movement? Many people think so. But what is a nuclear freeze rally like? And does it offer hope for “deliverance”?
A Freeze Rally—What It’s Like
One, Two, Three, Four
We don’t want a nuclear war
Five, Six, Seven, Eight
We don’t want to radiate
Sounds of chanting, rock music, slogan shouting and hymn singing compete for your ears’ attention against a background din of thousands of voices. Your eyes meet a kaleidoscope of images: banners with brightly colored slogans—many clichés, a few original in their humor or horror; demonstrators in bizarre garb with frightening masks; papier-mâché effigies; men dressed in business suits; ministers with clerical collars, Christendom’s monks robed in brown, Buddhist monks saffron-robed, the youth, the elderly, mothers cradling infants, and a dog with a one-word sign hanging from its neck—Peace.
Seven hundred thousand on the streets of New York City, all with one purpose—to prevent a nuclear war from ever happening.
That was the largest disarmament rally the United States has ever seen. The rally’s organizers picked June 12 to coincide with the United Nations Second Special Session on Disarmament, thereby providing a dramatic opportunity to force the nuclear freeze issue on the UN.
A carnival-like atmosphere dominated the day. Yet the pall of nuclear devastation kept reappearing in the sights and sounds of the crowd. It was a peaceful demonstration. And although the vast majority were Americans, a number of other countries were represented. One sight that added an international flavor to the rally was a Japanese delegation of young and old putting multicolored paper peace-dove leis around the necks of all they met, while handing out colored cards with personal messages of peace written in Japanese characters.
“Why are you ladies here?” One woman in her 60’s replies: “We want to make the world safe for our grandchildren.” Another answers: “We want to leave a world for our grandchildren.”
A nuclear scientist from the Argonne National Laboratory operated for the U.S. Department of Energy near Chicago tells why he came to the rally. “For the same reason as everybody else, because of the arms race. I feel that there is a very real threat of an accidental nuclear war and I would be killed. I don’t like to see human beings being killed whether they are Russians or Americans.”
Here is the head of nuclear medicine for a major New York City hospital. Why is he demonstrating? He answers in one word: “Scared!” He wants nuclear energy to be used peacefully in medicine, not war.
The pastor for a Kentucky college is marching because he thinks nuclear freeze demonstrations “will force the government leaders to bring about peace.”
The common citizen is—surprisingly—marching alongside organized groups of professional people and trade union members. Conspicuous everywhere are the clergy. Religious groups pepper the long throng of demonstrators. At first glance, a united body. But a closer inspection reveals fragmented support underneath. Comparing banner slogans and listening to their ideologies, one notes a difference of opinion as to what final shape the nuclear freeze should take. Also, a sizable number of demonstrators promote their personal peeves or pet political causes via the nuclear freeze issue.
Huge and white, the motorized cleaning machines wait for the demonstrators to end their march. As the ralliers leave, close on their heels come batteries of these mechanical mammoths devouring the littering literature and sweeping the streets clean. Whether the nuclear freeze movement will fizzle out and be swept away from politicians’ minds and whether such demonstrations will have any effect, such as increasing pressure on governments to make proclamations of peace, remains to be seen.
However, if we cannot look with confidence to human movements like the nuclear freeze, where can we turn for hope of lasting peace and security?
[Blurb on page 9]
“The air is full of a fear too large to grasp”
[Picture on page 8]
Fear covers the world |
BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Jeremiah 33:3—“Call to Me, and I Will Answer You” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502300157 | BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Jeremiah 33:3—“Call to Me, and I Will Answer You”
“Call to me, and I will answer you and readily tell you great and incomprehensible things that you have not known.”—Jeremiah 33:3, New World Translation.
“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”—Jeremiah 33:3, New International Version.
Meaning of Jeremiah 33:3
With these words, God extended an invitation for people to call to him in prayer. If those hearing the invitation accepted it and prayed to God, he would reveal to them what would happen in the future.
“Call to me, and I will answer you.” The expression “call to me” does not simply mean calling out or shouting God’s name. Rather, in this sense, calling to God involves seeking his help and guidance in prayer.—Psalm 4:1; Jeremiah 29:12.
This invitation was likely directed to the ancient nation of Israel. That nation had turned away from God, and they were threatened by the Babylonian army. (Jeremiah 32:1, 2) Jehovaha invited the Israelites to return to him by calling out to him in prayer.
“I will . . . tell you great and incomprehensible things that you have not known.” The things God promises to reveal are “incomprehensible” (or, inaccessible) in the sense that humans could never come to know them on their own. The expression “incomprehensible things” can also be rendered “hidden things.”
What “hidden things” would God reveal? Future events—namely, the destruction and desolation of the ancient city of Jerusalem, as well as its later restoration. (Jeremiah 30:1-3; 33:4, 7, 8) However, God also declared that his worshippers would not perish as a nation.—Jeremiah 32:36-38.
Context of Jeremiah 33:3
The prophet Jeremiah received this message from Jehovah in 608 B.C.E., during the tenth year of the reign of King Zedekiah. Jeremiah had foretold that Jerusalem would fall and that Zedekiah would be taken captive. Since the king did not like the message, he had Jeremiah taken into custody.—Jeremiah 32:1-5; 33:1; 37:21.
It was in these circumstances that God extended the invitation found at Jeremiah 33:3. Unfortunately, King Zedekiah and most of the nation persisted in their rebellion. (Jeremiah 7:26; 25:4) They did not call on God, seeking his direction. A year later, Zedekiah was overthrown, Jerusalem was destroyed, and most of the survivors were captured and taken to Babylon.—Jeremiah 39:1-7.
The words recorded at Jeremiah 33:3 remind readers today that God can provide “accurate knowledge of his will” and reveal “deep things” to those who prayerfully study his Word, the Bible. (Colossians 1:9; 1 Corinthians 2:10) These deep things include what God promises to do in the near future.—Revelation 21:3, 4.
Read Jeremiah chapter 33 in the study edition of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. This easy-to-read Bible contains audio recordings, explanatory notes, cross-references, pictures, videos, and maps.
Watch this short video to see an overview of the book of Jeremiah.
a Jehovah is the personal name of God. (Psalm 83:18) See the article “Who Is Jehovah?” |
Why We Observe the Lord’s Evening Meal | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015047 | Why We Observe the Lord’s Evening Meal
“Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—1 COR. 11:24.
HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER?
Why should we observe the Lord’s Evening Meal?
What are the Memorial emblems, and what do they mean?
How do Christians respond to their God-given hope?
1, 2. What did Jesus do on the evening of Nisan 14, 33 C.E.? (See opening image.)
NIGHT has fallen, but a full moon bathes Jerusalem in soft light. It is the evening of Nisan 14, 33 C.E. Jesus and his apostles have celebrated the Passover, commemorating Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage 15 centuries earlier. With 11 loyal apostles, Jesus now institutes a special meal—one that will memorialize the death he will experience before this day ends.a—Matt. 26:1, 2.
2 Jesus says a blessing and passes unleavened bread to the apostles, saying: “Take, eat.” He takes a cup of wine, again offers thanks, and says: “Drink out of it, all of you.” (Matt. 26:26, 27) Jesus will not pass other food items to them, but he will have much more to tell his faithful followers on this momentous night.
3. This article will deal with what questions?
3 So it was that Jesus instituted the Memorial of his death, also called “the Lord’s Evening Meal.” (1 Cor. 11:20) Regarding it, some might ask: Why commemorate Jesus’ death? What is the meaning of the bread and the wine? How can we prepare for the Memorial? Who should partake? And how do Christians respond to what the Scriptures say about their hope?
WHY WE COMMEMORATE JESUS’ DEATH
4. Jesus’ death made what possible for us?
4 As Adam’s descendants, we inherited sin and death. (Rom. 5:12) No imperfect human can give God a ransom for his life or that of others. (Ps. 49:6-9) By his death, however, Jesus paid the only acceptable ransom price—his perfect body and shed blood. By presenting to God the value of the ransom, Jesus made it possible for us to be delivered from sin and death and to receive the gift of eternal life.—Rom. 6:23; 1 Cor. 15:21, 22.
5. (a) How do we know that God and Christ love mankind? (b) Why should we be present at the commemoration of Jesus’ death?
5 The ransom provision proves that God loves the world of mankind. (John 3:16) Jesus’ sacrifice is evidence that he too loves us. Why, during his prehuman existence as God’s “master worker,” Jesus “was especially fond of the sons of men”! (Prov. 8:30, 31) Gratitude to God and his Son should move us to be present at the commemoration of Jesus’ death, thus obeying the command: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—1 Cor. 11:23-25.
WHAT THE EMBLEMS MEAN
6. How should we view the Memorial bread and wine?
6 When instituting the Memorial, Jesus did not miraculously change the bread and the wine into his literal flesh and blood. Instead, he said of the bread: “This means my body.” Regarding the wine, he stated: “This means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many.” (Mark 14:22-24) Clearly, then, the bread and the wine were to be viewed as symbols, or emblems.
7. What is represented by the bread used at the Memorial?
7 On that highly important occasion in 33 C.E., Jesus used unleavened bread left over from the Passover meal. (Ex. 12:8) In the Scriptures, leaven at times denotes corruption or sin. (Matt. 16:6, 11, 12; Luke 12:1) Thus, Jesus’ use of unleavened bread was significant because it fittingly represented his sinless body. (Heb. 7:26) So bread of that kind is used at the Memorial.
8. What is represented by the Memorial cup of wine?
8 The wine that Jesus used on Nisan 14, 33 C.E., represented Jesus’ blood, as does the Memorial cup of wine today. At Golgotha, a place outside Jerusalem, his blood was poured out “for forgiveness of sins.” (Matt. 26:28; 27:33) Because the Memorial bread and wine symbolize Jesus’ priceless sacrifice offered in behalf of obedient mankind and we appreciate that loving provision, it is appropriate that we personally prepare for the annual observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal.
SOME WAYS TO PREPARE
9. (a) Why is it important to keep up with the Memorial Bible reading? (b) How do you feel about the ransom?
9 By keeping up with the Memorial Bible reading schedule found in Examining the Scriptures Daily, we can meditate on what Jesus did just before his death. In turn, this can help us to prepare our heart for the Lord’s Evening Meal.b “We look forward to the Memorial,” wrote one sister. “It becomes more special each year. I remember standing in the funeral home . . . looking at my dear dad and coming to a true heartfelt appreciation for the ransom. . . . Oh, I knew all the scriptures and how to explain them! But only when I felt the cold reality of death did my heart fairly leap with joy over what will be accomplished for us by means of that precious ransom.” Indeed, when preparing for the Memorial, we do well to reflect on how Jesus’ sacrifice liberates us from the scourge of sin and death.
Use the tools provided to prepare your heart for the Memorial (See paragraph 9)
10. How might preparation for the Memorial affect our ministry?
10 Preparing for the Memorial might include plans to increase our ministry in some way, perhaps as auxiliary pioneers during the Memorial season. As we invite Bible students and others to the Lord’s Evening Meal, we will find joy in speaking about God, his Son, and the blessings that are in store for those who please Jehovah and praise him.—Ps. 148:12, 13.
11. How did some Corinthians partake of the Memorial emblems unworthily?
11 As you prepare for the Lord’s Evening Meal, consider what the apostle Paul wrote to the Christian congregation in Corinth. (Read 1 Corinthians 11:27-34.) Paul pointed out that anyone who partakes of the loaf and drinks from the cup unworthily is “guilty respecting the body and the blood of the Lord,” Jesus Christ. So an anointed one should “approve himself after scrutiny” and only then partake of the emblems. Otherwise, he “eats and drinks judgment against himself.” Because of improper conduct, many of the Corinthians were “weak and sick, and quite a few [were] sleeping in [spiritual] death.” Possibly, some ate and drank so much before or during the Memorial that they were neither mentally nor spiritually alert. Partaking of the emblems in such an unworthy manner brought God’s disapproval on them.
12. (a) To what did Paul compare the Memorial, and what warning did he give partakers? (b) What should a partaker who has committed a serious sin do?
12 Paul compared the Memorial to a meal shared with others, and he warned partakers: “You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of ‘the table of Jehovah’ and the table of demons.” (1 Cor. 10:16-21) If a person who partakes of the emblems at the Lord’s Evening Meal has committed a serious sin, he should seek spiritual assistance. (Read James 5:14-16.) If such an anointed one has produced “fruits that befit repentance,” then he is not showing contempt for Jesus’ sacrifice by partaking of the Memorial emblems.—Luke 3:8.
13. Why would it be beneficial to pray about our God-given hope?
13 As we personally prepare for the Memorial, we would find it beneficial to give prayerful thought to our God-given hope. No dedicated servant of Jehovah and faithful follower of his Son would want to show disrespect for Jesus’ sacrifice by partaking of the Memorial emblems if he or she actually lacks clear evidence of being an anointed Christian. Therefore, how can one determine whether to partake of the emblems or not?
WHO SHOULD PARTAKE?
14. What bearing does the new covenant have on the partaking of the Memorial emblems?
14 Those who rightly partake of the Memorial emblems are absolutely sure that they are parties to the new covenant. Regarding the wine, Jesus said: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood.” (1 Cor. 11:25) Through the prophet Jeremiah, God foretold that He would make a new covenant that differed from the Law covenant made with the Israelites. (Read Jeremiah 31:31-34.) God has made the new covenant with the spiritual Israelites. (Gal. 6:15, 16) This covenant has been validated by Christ’s sacrifice and has been made operative by his shed blood. (Luke 22:20) Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant, and loyal anointed ones taken into it receive a heavenly inheritance.—Heb. 8:6; 9:15.
15. Who have been taken into the Kingdom covenant, and what privilege awaits them if they are faithful?
15 Individuals eninputd to partake of the Memorial emblems know that they have been taken into the Kingdom covenant. (Read Luke 12:32.) Those who became Jesus’ anointed followers and loyally stuck with Jesus, sharing in his sufferings, were to share his heavenly rule. (Phil. 3:10) Because they are in the Kingdom covenant, faithful anointed ones will reign with Christ as heavenly kings forever. (Rev. 22:5) Such individuals rightly partake of the emblems during the Lord’s Evening Meal.
16. Briefly explain the meaning of Romans 8:15-17.
16 Only those who have the witness of the spirit that they are God’s children should partake of the Memorial emblems. (Read Romans 8:15-17.) Note that Paul used the Aramaic word “Abba,” which means “O Father!” A child might use this word when addressing his father, for it is a term of endearment that combines the intimacy of “papa” with the respectful word “father.” Those who have received “a spirit of adoption as sons” are God’s spirit-begotten children. His spirit bears witness with their spirit, giving them the realization that they are Jehovah’s anointed sons. It is not simply a matter of their losing interest in living on earth. They are certain that they will be Jesus’ joint heirs in the heavenly Kingdom if they are faithful to death. Today, there is only a remnant of the 144,000 footstep followers of Christ, who “have an anointing from the holy one,” Jehovah. (1 John 2:20; Rev. 14:1) It is by means of his spirit that they cry out, “Abba, Father!” What a blessed relationship they have with God!
RESPONDING TO YOUR SCRIPTURAL HOPE
17. What is the hope of anointed ones, and how do they view it?
17 If you are an anointed Christian, the heavenly hope is an important subject of your personal prayers. When the Bible speaks of being ‘promised in marriage’ to the heavenly Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, you apply that to yourself, and you look forward to being part of Christ’s “bride.” (2 Cor. 11:2; John 3:27-29; Rev. 21:2, 9-14) When God in his Word expresses his love for his spiritual children, you respond, “That means me.” And when Jehovah’s Word gives instructions to his anointed sons, holy spirit moves you to obey and to say in your heart, “That applies to me.” God’s spirit and your spirit thus join in bearing witness that you have the heavenly hope.
18. The “other sheep” have what hope, and how do you feel about it?
18 On the other hand, if you are part of the “great crowd” of “other sheep,” God has given you the earthly hope. (Rev. 7:9; John 10:16) You want to live forever in Paradise, and you find joy in meditating on what the Bible says about future life on earth. You look forward to enjoying abundant peace while surrounded by your family and other righteous ones. You eagerly await the time when food shortages, poverty, suffering, sickness, and death no longer plague mankind. (Ps. 37:10, 11, 29; 67:6; 72:7, 16; Isa. 33:24) You yearn to welcome those who are resurrected from the dead with the prospect of living forever on earth. (John 5:28, 29) How thankful you are that Jehovah has blessed you with the earthly hope! Though you do not partake of the emblems, you attend the Memorial as an expression of your appreciation for the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
WILL YOU BE PRESENT?
19, 20. (a) How can your God-given hope become a reality? (b) Why will you attend the Lord’s Evening Meal?
19 Whether your hope is earthly or heavenly, it can become a reality only if you exercise faith in Jehovah God, Jesus Christ, and the ransom. By attending the Memorial, you will have an opportunity to reflect on your hope and on the great importance of Jesus’ death. So make it your aim to be one of the millions who will attend the Lord’s Evening Meal after sunset on Friday, April 3, 2015, at Kingdom Halls and other locations around the world.
20 Attending the Memorial may deepen your gratitude for Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. Listening attentively to the discourse may move you to show love for your neighbors by sharing with them what you have learned about Jehovah’s love and his grand purpose for mankind. (Matt. 22:34-40) By all means, be present at the Lord’s Evening Meal.
a To the Hebrews, the day began at sunset and ended at the next sunset.
b See Appendix B12 in the New World Translation. |
THE WAY OF HAPPINESS
Physical Health and Resilience | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102018017 | THE WAY OF HAPPINESS
Physical Health and Resilience
CHRONIC ILL HEALTH OR DISABILITY CAN HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON A PERSON’S LIFE. After becoming physically paralyzed, a once active and healthy man named Ulf said: “I became deeply depressed. My strength, courage, and power drained away . . . I felt ‘destroyed.’”
Ulf’s experience reminds us that none of us have complete control over our health. Still, we can take reasonable measures to reduce the risk of ill health. But what if our health deteriorates? Does that doom us to unhappiness? Not at all, as we shall see. First, though, let us consider some principles that promote good health.
BE “MODERATE IN HABITS.” (1 Timothy 3:2, 11) Habitually eating or drinking to excess is obviously bad for our health—not to mention our finances! “Do not be among those who drink too much wine, among those who gorge themselves on meat, for a drunkard and a glutton will come to poverty.”—Proverbs 23:20, 21.
DO NOT POLLUTE YOUR BODY. “Let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) People defile their bodies when they chew or smoke tobacco or abuse alcohol or drugs. Smoking, for example, “leads to disease and disability and harms nearly every organ of the body,” says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
VIEW YOUR BODY AND YOUR LIFE AS PRECIOUS GIFTS. “By [God] we have life and move and exist.” (Acts 17:28) Appreciating that fact moves us to avoid taking needless risks, whether we are at work, driving, or choosing our recreation. A momentary thrill is not worth a life of disability!
CONTROL NEGATIVE EMOTIONS. Your mind and body are closely instructioned. So try to avoid undue anxiety, unbridled anger, envy, and other harmful emotions. “Let go of anger and abandon rage,” says Psalm 37:8. We also read: “Never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties.”—Matthew 6:34.
TRY TO FOCUS ON POSITIVE THOUGHTS. “A calm heart gives life to the body,” says Proverbs 14:30. The Bible also states: “A joyful heart is good medicine.” (Proverbs 17:22) That is a scientifically sound statement. “If you are happy,” said a doctor in Scotland, “you are likely in the future to have less in the way of physical illness than those who are unhappy.”
BUILD RESILIENCE. Like Ulf, mentioned earlier, we may have no choice but to endure a persistent trial. Still, we can choose how we endure. Some become overwhelmed with discouragement, which may only make matters worse. “If you become discouraged in the day of distress, your strength will be meager,” says Proverbs 24:10.
Others, perhaps after initial feelings of despair, bounce back. They adapt. They find ways to cope. That was the case with Ulf. He said that after much prayer and meditation on the Bible’s positive message, he “started to see opportunities instead of obstacles.” Moreover, like many who undergo major trials, he learned valuable lessons in compassion and empathy, which moved him to share the Bible’s comforting message with others.
Another person who suffered greatly was a man named Steve. At age 15, he had an accident that paralyzed him from the neck down. By the time he was 18, he had regained the use of his arms. He then went to a university, where his life spiraled into drugs, alcohol, and sexual immorality. He had no hope—until he began to study the Bible, which gave him a new outlook on life and helped him to conquer his bad habits. “The emptiness that I had felt for so long was no longer there,” he said. “My life is now filled with peace, happiness, and outputment.”
Steve and Ulf’s comments call to mind the words at Psalm 19:7, 8: “The law of Jehovah is perfect, restoring strength. . . . The orders from Jehovah are righteous, causing the heart to rejoice; the commandment of Jehovah is clean, making the eyes shine.”
KEY POINTS
When applied, God’s laws and principles ‘restore strength, cause the heart to rejoice, and make the eyes shine.’—Psalm 19:7, 8.
The Bible encourages us to . . .
Be moderate in habits
Take good care of our body
View life as sacred
Control negative emotions
Focus on positive thoughts
Build resilience |
BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Mark 1:15—“The Kingdom of God Is at Hand” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502300100 | BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Mark 1:15—“The Kingdom of God Is at Hand”
“The appointed time has been fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent, and have faith in the good news.”—Mark 1:15, New World Translation.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”—Mark 1:15, English Standard Version.
Meaning of Mark 1:15
Jesus Christ said that the Kingdom of Goda was “at hand,” or had “drawn near,” because he, as the future King of that Kingdom, was present on the scene.
Jesus did not mean that the Kingdom had already begun ruling. In fact, he later indicated to his disciples that the Kingdom was still in the future. (Acts 1:6, 7) However, he had arrived right on schedule, in the very year that the Bible had foretold he would appear as the future King.b For this reason, Jesus could say: “The appointed time has been fulfilled”—the time for him to begin his public ministry of preaching the gospel, or good news, regarding the Kingdom.—Luke 4:16-21, 43.
For people to benefit from the good news about the Kingdom, they needed to repent, that is, to feel regret over past sins and to live by God’s standards. Those who repented showed that they had faith in the good news about that future Kingdom.
Context of Mark 1:15
Jesus said these words at the start of his ministry in Galilee. “From that time on,” states the parallel account at Matthew 4:17, Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom was the theme of Jesus’ ministry. In fact, the Kingdom is mentioned over 100 times in the four Gospelsc, most often in statements that Jesus made. In the Bible record, Jesus spoke more about the Kingdom of God than he did about any other subject.
Read Mark chapter 1 along with explanatory footnotes, cross-references, pictures, and a map.
a The Kingdom of God is the government in heaven established by God to accomplish his will for the earth. (Daniel 2:44; Matthew 6:10) For further details, see the article “What Is the Kingdom of God?”
b Jesus was to become a king in order to fulfill one of his roles as the foretold Messiah, God’s special representative. For more information on Bible prophecies pointing to Jesus as the Messiah, see “Do Messianic Prophecies Prove That Jesus Was the Messiah?”
c The Gospels are the first four books of the Christian Greek Scriptures, commonly called the New Testament, which provide an account of Jesus’ life and ministry. |
Daniel’s Prophecy (dp)
1999 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/dp | Chapter Sixteen
The Contending Kings Near Their End
1, 2. How did the identity of the king of the north change after the second world war?
REFLECTING on the political climate of the United States and Russia, the French philosopher and historian Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in 1835: “One has freedom as the principal means of action; the other has servitude. Their . . . paths [are] diverse; nevertheless, each seems called by some secret design of Providence one day to hold in its hands the destinies of half the world.” How did this prediction fare in the wake of World War II? Historian J. M. Roberts writes: “At the end of a second World War the destinies of the world did, indeed, at last appear to be likely to be dominated by two great and very differing systems of power, one based in what had been Russia, one in the United States of America.”
2 During the two world wars, Germany had been the chief enemy of the king of the south—the Anglo-American World Power—and had occupied the position of the king of the north. After World War II, however, that nation stood divided. West Germany became an ally of the king of the south, and East Germany aligned itself with another powerful entity—the Communist bloc of nations headed by the Soviet Union. This bloc, or political entity, stood up as the king of the north, in strong opposition to the Anglo-American alliance. And the rivalry between the two kings became a Cold War that lasted from 1948 to 1989. Previously, the German king of the north had acted “against the holy covenant.” (Daniel 11:28, 30) How would the Communist bloc act with regard to the covenant?
TRUE CHRISTIANS STUMBLE BUT PREVAIL
3, 4. Who are those “acting wickedly against the covenant,” and what relationship have they had with the king of the north?
3 “Those who are acting wickedly against the covenant,” said God’s angel, “he [the king of the north] will lead into apostasy by means of smooth words.” The angel added: “But as regards the people who are knowing their God, they will prevail and act effectively. And as regards those having insight among the people, they will impart understanding to the many. And they will certainly be made to stumble by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plundering, for some days.”—Daniel 11:32, 33.
4 The ones “acting wickedly against the covenant” can only be the leaders of Christendom, who claim to be Christian but by their actions profane the very name of Christianity. In his book Religion in the Soviet Union, Walter Kolarz says: “[During the second world war] the Soviet Government made an effort to enlist the material and moral assistance of the Churches for the defence of the motherland.” After the war church leaders tried to maintain that friendship, despite the atheistic policy of the power that was now the king of the north. Thus, Christendom became more than ever a part of this world—a disgusting apostasy in Jehovah’s eyes.—John 17:16; James 4:4.
5, 6. Who were ‘the people knowing their God,’ and how did they fare under the king of the north?
5 What of genuine Christians—“the people who are knowing their God” and “those having insight”? Although they were properly “in subjection to the superior authorities,” Christians living under the rulership of the king of the north were not a part of this world. (Romans 13:1; John 18:36) Careful to pay back “Caesar’s things to Caesar,” they also gave “God’s things to God.” (Matthew 22:21) Because of this, their integrity was challenged.—2 Timothy 3:12.
6 As a result, true Christians both ‘stumbled’ and ‘prevailed.’ They stumbled in that they suffered intense persecution, some even being killed. But they prevailed in that the vast majority remained faithful. They conquered the world, just as Jesus did. (John 16:33) Moreover, they never stopped preaching, even if they found themselves in prison or in concentration camps. In so doing, they ‘imparted understanding to the many.’ Despite persecution in most lands ruled over by the king of the north, the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses increased. Thanks to the faithfulness of “those having insight,” an ever-expanding part of the “great crowd” has appeared in those lands.—Revelation 7:9-14.
JEHOVAH’S PEOPLE ARE REFINED
7. What “little help” did the anointed Christians living under the king of the north receive?
7 “When they [God’s people] are made to stumble they will be helped with a little help,” said the angel. (Daniel 11:34a) The triumph of the king of the south in the second world war had resulted in some relief for Christians living under the rival king. (Compare Revelation 12:15, 16.) Similarly, those who were persecuted by the successor king experienced relief from time to time. As the Cold War wound down, many leaders came to realize that faithful Christians are no threat and thus granted them legal recognition. Help came, too, from the swelling numbers of the great crowd, who responded to the faithful preaching of the anointed ones and helped them.—Matthew 25:34-40.
8. How did some join themselves to God’s people “by means of smoothness”?
8 Not all who professed to have an interest in serving God during the Cold War years had good motives. The angel had warned: “Many will certainly join themselves to them by means of smoothness.” (Daniel 11:34b) A considerable number showed an interest in the truth but were not willing to make a dedication to God. Yet others who seemed to accept the good news were really spies for the authorities. A report from one land reads: “Some of these unscrupulous characters were avowed Communists who had crept into the Lord’s organization, made a great display of zeal, and had even been appointed to high positions of service.”
9. Why did Jehovah allow some faithful Christians “to stumble” because of infiltrators?
9 The angel continued: “And some of those having insight will be made to stumble, in order to do a refining work because of them and to do a cleansing and to do a whitening, until the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed.” (Daniel 11:35) The infiltrators caused some faithful ones to fall into the hands of the authorities. Jehovah allowed such things to happen for a refining and a cleansing of his people. Just as Jesus “learned obedience from the things he suffered,” so these faithful ones learned endurance from the testing of their faith. (Hebrews 5:8; James 1:2, 3; compare Malachi 3:3.) They are thus ‘refined, cleansed, and whitened.’
10. What is meant by the expression “until the time of the end”?
10 Jehovah’s people were to experience stumbling and refining “until the time of the end.” Of course, they expect to be persecuted until the end of this wicked system of things. However, the cleansing and whitening of God’s people as a result of the intrusion from the king of the north was “for the time appointed.” Hence, at Daniel 11:35, “the time of the end” must relate to the end of the period of time needed for God’s people to be refined while enduring the assault of the king of the north. The stumbling evidently ended at the time appointed by Jehovah.
THE KING MAGNIFIES HIMSELF
11. What did the angel say about the attitude of the king of the north toward Jehovah’s sovereignty?
11 Regarding the king of the north, the angel added: “The king will actually do according to his own will, and he will exalt himself and magnify himself above every god; and [refusing to acknowledge Jehovah’s sovereignty] against the God of gods he will speak marvelous things. And he will certainly prove successful until the denunciation will have come to a finish; because the thing decided upon must be done. And to the God of his fathers he will give no consideration; and to the desire of women and to every other god he will give no consideration, but over everyone he will magnify himself.”—Daniel 11:36, 37.
12, 13. (a) In what way did the king of the north reject “the God of his fathers”? (b) Who were the “women” whose “desire” the king of the north did not consider? (c) To which “god” did the king of the north give glory?
12 Fulfilling these prophetic words, the king of the north rejected “the God of his fathers,” such as the Trinitarian divinity of Christendom. The Communist bloc promoted outright atheism. Thus the king of the north made a god of himself, ‘magnifying himself over everyone.’ Giving no consideration “to the desire of women”—subservient lands, such as North Vietnam, that served as handmaids of his regime—the king acted “according to his own will.”
13 Continuing with the prophecy, the angel said: “To the god of fortresses, in his position he will give glory; and to a god that his fathers did not know he will give glory by means of gold and by means of silver and by means of precious stone and by means of desirable things.” (Daniel 11:38) In fact, the king of the north placed his trust in modern scientific militarism, “the god of fortresses.” He sought salvation through this “god,” sacrificing enormous wealth on its altar.
14. How did the king of the north “act effectively”?
14 “He will act effectively against the most fortified strongholds, along with a foreign god. Whoever has given him recognition he will make abound with glory, and he will actually make them rule among many; and the ground he will apportion out for a price.” (Daniel 11:39) Trusting in his militaristic “foreign god,” the king of the north acted most “effectively,” proving to be a formidable military power in “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) Those who supported his ideology were rewarded with political, financial, and sometimes military support.
“A PUSHING” IN THE TIME OF THE END
15. How did the king of the south engage with the king of the north in “a pushing”?
15 “In the time of the end the king of the south will engage with him in a pushing,” the angel told Daniel. (Daniel 11:40a) Has the king of the south ‘pushed’ the king of the north during “the time of the end”? (Daniel 12:4, 9) Yes, indeed. After the first world war, the punitive peace treaty imposed upon the then king of the north—Germany—was surely “a pushing,” an incitement to retaliation. After his victory in the second world war, the king of the south targeted fearsome nuclear weapons on his rival and organized against him a powerful military alliance, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Concerning NATO’s function, a British historian says: “It was the prime instrument for the ‘containment’ of the USSR, which was now perceived as the principal threat to European peace. Its mission lasted for 40 years, and was carried out with indisputable success.” As the years of the Cold War went by, the “pushing” by the king of the south included high-tech espionage as well as diplomatic and military offensives.
16. How did the king of the north react to the pushing by the king of the south?
16 How did the king of the north react? “Against him the king of the north will storm with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships; and he will certainly enter into the lands and flood over and pass through.” (Daniel 11:40b) The history of the last days has featured the expansionism of the king of the north. During the second world war, the Nazi “king” flooded over his borders into the surrounding lands. At the end of that war, the successor “king” built a powerful empire. During the Cold War, the king of the north fought his rival in proxy wars and insurgencies in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He persecuted genuine Christians, hindering—but by no means stopping—their activity. And his military and political offensives brought a number of lands under his control. This is exactly what the angel had prophesied: “He will also actually enter into the land of the Decoration [the spiritual estate of Jehovah’s people], and there will be many lands that will be made to stumble.”—Daniel 11:41a.
17. What limits were there to the expansionism of the king of the north?
17 Nevertheless, the king of the north did not achieve world conquest. The angel foretold: “These are the ones that will escape out of his hand, Edom and Moab and the main part of the sons of Ammon.” (Daniel 11:41b) In ancient times, Edom, Moab, and Ammon were situated between the domains of the Egyptian king of the south and the Syrian king of the north. In modern times they represent nations and organizations that the king of the north targeted but was unable to bring under his influence.
EGYPT DOES NOT ESCAPE
18, 19. In what ways did the king of the south feel the influence of his rival?
18 Jehovah’s angel continued: “He [the king of the north] will keep thrusting out his hand against the lands; and as regards the land of Egypt, she will not prove to be an escapee. And he will actually rule over the hidden treasures of the gold and the silver and over all the desirable things of Egypt. And the Libyans and the Ethiopians will be at his steps.” (Daniel 11:42, 43) Even the king of the south, “Egypt,” did not escape the effects of the expansionist policies of the king of the north. For example, the king of the south suffered a notable defeat in Vietnam. And what of “the Libyans and the Ethiopians”? These neighbors of ancient Egypt might well foreshadow nations that are, geographically speaking, neighbors of modern “Egypt” (the king of the south). At times, they have been followers of—‘at the steps of’—the king of the north.
19 Has the king of the north ruled over ‘the hidden treasures of Egypt’? He has indeed had a powerful influence on the way that the king of the south has used his financial resources. Because of fear of his rival, the king of the south has devoted huge sums to maintaining a formidable army, navy, and air force. To this extent, the king of the north ‘ruled over,’ or controlled, the disposition of the wealth of the king of the south.
THE FINAL CAMPAIGN
20. How does the angel describe the final campaign of the king of the north?
20 The rivalry between the king of the north and the king of the south—whether by military, economic, or other means—is nearing its end. Revealing the details of a conflict yet to come, Jehovah’s angel said: “There will be reports that will disturb him [the king of the north], out of the sunrising and out of the north, and he will certainly go forth in a great rage in order to annihilate and to devote many to destruction. And he will plant his palatial tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration; and he will have to come all the way to his end, and there will be no helper for him.”—Daniel 11:44, 45.
21. What is there yet to learn about the king of the north?
21 With the disbanding of the Soviet Union in December 1991, the king of the north suffered a serious setback. Who will be this king when Daniel 11:44, 45 is fulfilled? Will he be identified with one of the countries that were part of the former Soviet Union? Or will he change identity completely, as he has done a number of times before? Will the development of nuclear weapons by additional nations result in a new arms race and have a bearing on the identity of that king? Only time will provide answers to these questions. We are wise not to speculate. When the king of the north embarks on his final campaign, the fulfillment of prophecy will be clearly discerned by all who have Bible-based insight.—See “Kings in Daniel Chapter 11,” on page 284.
22. What questions arise about the final attack by the king of the north?
22 However, we do know what action the king of the north will soon take. Moved by the reports “out of the sunrising and out of the north,” he will conduct a campaign ‘in order to annihilate many.’ Against whom is this campaign directed? And what “reports” trigger such an attack?
ALARMED BY DISTURBING REPORTS
23. (a) What outstanding event must take place before Armageddon? (b) Who are “the kings from the rising of the sun”?
23 Consider what the book of Revelation has to say about the end of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. Before “the war of the great day of God the Almighty,” Armageddon, this great enemy of true worship “will be completely burned with fire.” (Revelation 16:14, 16; 18:2-8) Her destruction is foreshadowed by the pouring out of the sixth bowl of God’s wrath on the symbolic river Euphrates. The river is dried up so that “the way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of the sun.” (Revelation 16:12) Who are these kings? None other than Jehovah God and Jesus Christ!—Compare Isaiah 41:2; 46:10, 11.
24. What act of Jehovah may disturb the king of the north?
24 The destruction of Babylon the Great is graphically described in the book of Revelation, which states: “The ten horns that you saw [the kings ruling in the time of the end], and the wild beast [the United Nations], these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.” (Revelation 17:16) Why will the rulers destroy Babylon the Great? Because ‘God puts it into their hearts to carry out his thought.’ (Revelation 17:17) Included among these rulers is the king of the north. What he hears “out of the sunrising” may well refer to this act of Jehovah, when he puts it into the hearts of human leaders to annihilate the great religious harlot.
25. (a) What special target does the king of the north have? (b) Where does the king of the north “plant his palatial tents”?
25 But there is a special target for the wrath of the king of the north. He will “plant his palatial tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration,” says the angel. In Daniel’s time the grand sea was the Mediterranean and the holy mountain was Zion, once the site of God’s temple. Hence, in the prophecy’s fulfillment, the enraged king of the north conducts a campaign against God’s people. In a spiritual sense, the location “between the grand sea and the holy mountain” represents the spiritual estate of Jehovah’s anointed servants. They have come out of “the sea” of mankind alienated from God and have the hope of ruling on heavenly Mount Zion with Jesus Christ.—Isaiah 57:20; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1.
26. As indicated by Ezekiel’s prophecy, what may be the origin of the news “out of the north”?
26 Ezekiel, a contemporary of Daniel, also prophesied an attack on God’s people “in the final part of the days.” He said that the hostilities would be initiated by Gog of Magog, that is, by Satan the Devil. (Ezekiel 38:14, 16) Symbolically, from which direction does Gog come? “From the remotest parts of the north,” says Jehovah, through Ezekiel. (Ezekiel 38:15) However vicious this assault, it will not destroy Jehovah’s people. This dramatic encounter will result from a strategic move on Jehovah’s part to annihilate Gog’s forces. Thus, Jehovah says to Satan: “I shall certainly . . . put hooks in your jaws and bring you forth.” “I will . . . cause you to come up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you in upon the mountains of Israel.” (Ezekiel 38:4; 39:2) The news “out of the north” that enrages the king of the north, therefore, must originate with Jehovah. But just what the reports “out of the sunrising and out of the north” will finally contain, only God will determine and time will tell.
27. (a) Why will Gog incite the nations, including the king of the north, to attack Jehovah’s people? (b) How will Gog’s attack turn out?
27 As for Gog, he organizes his all-out assault because of the prosperity of “the Israel of God,” who, along with the “great crowd” of “other sheep,” are no longer part of his world. (Galatians 6:16; Revelation 7:9; John 10:16; 17:15, 16; 1 John 5:19) Gog looks askance upon “a people gathered together out of the nations, one that is accumulating [spiritual] wealth and property.” (Ezekiel 38:12) Viewing the Christian spiritual estate as “open rural country” ripe for the taking, Gog makes a supreme effort to wipe out this obstacle to his total control of mankind. But he fails. (Ezekiel 38:11, 18; 39:4) When the kings of the earth, including the king of the north, attack Jehovah’s people, they will ‘come all the way to their end.’
‘THE KING WILL COME TO HIS END’
28. What do we know about the future of the king of the north and the king of the south?
28 The final campaign of the king of the north is not directed against the king of the south. Therefore, the king of the north does not come to his end at the hands of his great rival. Similarly, the king of the south is not destroyed by the king of the north. The king of the south is destroyed, “without [human] hand,” by God’s Kingdom.a (Daniel 8:25) In fact, at the battle of Armageddon, all earthly kings are to be removed by God’s Kingdom, and this evidently is what happens to the king of the north. (Daniel 2:44) Daniel 11:44, 45 describes events leading up to that final battle. No wonder “there will be no helper” when the king of the north meets his end!
[Footnote]
a See Chapter 10 of this book.
WHAT DID YOU DISCERN?
• How did the identity of the king of the north change after the second world war?
• What will finally happen to the king of the north and the king of the south?
• How have you benefited from paying attention to Daniel’s prophecy about the rivalry between the two kings?
[Chart/Picture on page 284]
KINGS IN DANIEL CHAPTER 11
The King of The King of the North the South
Daniel 11:5 Seleucus I Nicator Ptolemy I
Daniel 11:6 Antiochus II Ptolemy II (wife Laodice) (daughter Berenice)
Daniel 11:7-9 Seleucus II Ptolemy III
Daniel 11:10-12 Antiochus III Ptolemy IV
Daniel 11:13-19 Antiochus III Ptolemy V (daughter Cleopatra I) Successor: Ptolemy VI Successors: Seleucus IV and Antiochus IV
Daniel 11:20 Augustus
Daniel 11:21-24 Tiberius
Daniel 11:25, 26 Aurelian Queen Zenobia The Roman Empire breaks down
Daniel 11:27-30a German Empire Britain, followed by (World War I) the Anglo-American World Power
Daniel 11:30b, 31 Hitler’s Third Reich Anglo-American (World War II) World Power
Daniel 11:32-43 Communist bloc Anglo-American (Cold War) World Power
Daniel 11:44, 45 Yet to riseb Anglo-American World Power
[Footnote]
b The prophecy in Daniel chapter 11 does not foretell the names of the political entities that occupy the positions of the king of the north and the king of the south at various times. Their identities become known only after the events start to occur. Moreover, since the conflict occurs in episodes, there are intervals of no conflict—one king holds sway while the other remains inactive.
[Full-page picture on page 271]
[Pictures on page 279]
“Pushing” by the king of the south has included high-tech espionage and the threat of military action |
Bible Questions Answered | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015008 | BIBLE QUESTIONS ANSWERED
What moves many people to consider the existence of a Creator?
Is life not miraculous?
Some 3,000 years ago, a poet wrote: “In an awe-inspiring way I am wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) When you consider how a baby develops from a single cell, does it not fill you with awe? Many people credit the design of living things to a Creator.—Read Psalm 139:13-17; Hebrews 3:4.
The One who created the universe and made the earth inhabitable also created life. (Psalm 36:9) He has communicated with mankind and told us about himself.—Read Isaiah 45:18.
Did we originate from animals?
In many details, our bodies are similar to those of animals. But this is because humans and animals were both designed by the Creator to live on earth. He made the first human, not from an animal, but from the ground.—Read Genesis 1:24; 2:7.
Humans differ from animals in two important ways. First, humans are capable of knowing, loving, and respecting the Creator. Second, whereas animals were not designed to live forever, humans were. But now, all people inherit death because the first man rejected the Creator’s guidance.—Read Genesis 1:27; 2:15-17.
For more information, see chapter 1 of this book, What Does the Bible Really Teach?, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses
Also available at www.jw.org |
Who Were the Nephilim? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502017210 | Who Were the Nephilim?
The Bible’s answer
The Nephilim were giants, the violent superhuman offspring produced when wicked angels mated with human women in the days of Noah.a
The Bible account says that “the sons of the true God began to notice that the daughters of men were beautiful.” (Genesis 6:2) Those ‘sons of God’ were actually spirit creatures who rebelled against God when they “forsook their own proper dwelling place” in heaven, materialized human bodies, and “began taking as wives all whom they chose.”—Jude 6; Genesis 6:2.
The hybrids born from this unnatural union were no ordinary children. (Genesis 6:4) The Nephilim were giant bullies, tyrants who filled the earth with violence. (Genesis 6:13) The Bible describes them as “the mighty ones of old times, the men of fame.” (Genesis 6:4) They left behind a legacy of violence and fear.—Genesis 6:5; Numbers 13:33.b
Misconceptions about the Nephilim
Misconception: The Nephilim are still alive on earth today.
Fact: Jehovah caused a global flood to destroy that violent ancient world. The Nephilim were wiped out along with all wicked people. In contrast, Noah and his family found favor with Jehovah and were the only ones preserved alive at that time.—Genesis 6:9; 7:12, 13, 23; 2 Peter 2:5.
Misconception: The Nephilim were fathered by humans.
Fact: Their fathers are called “sons of the true God.” (Genesis 6:2) The Bible uses this same expression to describe angels. (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7) Angels had the power to materialize in human form. (Genesis 19:1-5; Joshua 5:13-15) The apostle Peter spoke of “the spirits in prison, who had formerly been disobedient when God was patiently waiting in Noah’s day.” (1 Peter 3:19, 20) Referring to the same circumstances, the Bible writer Jude explains that some angels “did not keep their original position but forsook their own proper dwelling place.”—Jude 6.
Misconception: The Nephilim were fallen angels.
Fact: The context of Genesis 6:4 indicates that the Nephilim were, not angels, but hybrid offspring born from sexual relations between materialized angels and women. After the angels “began taking as wives all whom they chose,” Jehovah said that in 120 years he would take action against the ungodly world of that time. (Genesis 6:1-3) The account adds that “in those days,” the materialized angels “continued to have relations with the daughters of men” and that they produced “the mighty ones of old times,” the Nephilim.—Genesis 6:4.
a The Hebrew word transliterated “Nephilim” possibly means “The Fellers.” Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies says the word refers to those “falling on men with violence and rapine [plunder], and causing them to fall.”
b Evidently the Israelite spies quoted at Numbers 13:33 saw people whose size reminded them of accounts of the Nephilim, who had died centuries earlier.—Genesis 7:21-23. |
“Let Us Build Ourselves a City” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101994001 | “Let Us Build Ourselves a City”
By Awake! correspondent in Germany
THE odds are about even that you live in a city. According to some estimates, nearly half the world’s inhabitants do. One source says that “at the current rate, by the year 2000, cities will have to accommodate over 75 per cent of the population of South America.” It also tells us that during the same period of time, the number of people living in African cities will more than double.
Even if you do not live in a city, chances are you either work in one, travel to do your shopping there, or at least periodically take advantage of the conveniences and amenities that a city offers. Everyone is affected by cities. How different our life would be without them!
A City Called Enoch
The building of cities goes back a long, long way. Of Cain, the first child ever born, we read that “he engaged in building a city and called the city’s name by the name of his son Enoch.” (Genesis 4:17) By building a city, doubtless relatively small by modern standards, Cain set a precedent for future generations.
Gregarious human nature has made people want to be together. This has been not only for the sake of companionship but for a sense of security and protection, especially in past centuries when communities often came under attack. These, however, are not the only factors that have induced men to start building cities.
The World Book Encyclopedia states that there are four main features that have been conducive to the formation of cities. They are “(1) advances in technology [steam-driven machines, electric power, communications], (2) a favorable physical environment [some factors are location, climate, rivers and thus water supply], (3) social organization [authority, government], and (4) population growth.”
Cities have facilitated trade and the concentration of a labor force in one area. Therefore, in many cities we see large low-cost housing developments for the workers and their families. Today, with public and private transport readily available, distance does not impede successful commercial and political oversight. For this reason, cities can spread their tentacles into suburban districts.
Some ancient cities were also closely tied to religious functions. Genesis 11:4 says: “They [people living shortly after the Flood of Noah’s day] now said: ‘Come on! Let us build ourselves a city and also a tower with its top in the heavens [to serve for religious worship], and let us make a celebrated name for ourselves, for fear we may be scattered over all the surface of the earth.’”
Social, religious, commercial, and geographical as well as political aspects have been involved in the building of cities. At the same time, cities have been a major force over the centuries in shaping modern society as we know it and have affected all of us.
Different yet Alike
The New Encyclopædia Britannica notes that “the earliest of man’s fixed settlements are found in the rich subtropical valleys of the Nile, the Tigris, the Euphrates, the Indus, and the Yellow rivers.” Of course, the forerunners of 20th-century cities were quite different from their modern riverside counterparts.
In past centuries the vast majority of people lived in rural areas. The only major city in England in the year 1300, for example, was London, and its population of less than 40 thousand was well below 1 percent of the country’s total population. By 1650 approximately 7 percent of all the English lived in London. By the beginning of the 19th century, the city was nearing the million mark. Today, less than 9 percent of Britain’s residents live in rural areas. All the rest are crowded into urban centers, some seven million in the metropolis of Greater London alone.
As an indication of the extent that cities have grown and proliferated, in 1900, London was the only city in all the world with a population of one million. Now there are over 200 cities with more than a million inhabitants. Geographers speak of a megalopolis, a chain of connected cities such as that found in the Ruhr region in Germany, where the area along the Ruhr River, from Duisburg to Dortmund, forms one virtually continuous community.
Despite differences, ancient and modern cities have something in common—problems. And never have the problems been so many or so great as they are today. Cities are in serious trouble. If ‘building ourselves a city’ has taught mankind anything at all, it should have at least taught us that, under imperfect conditions and as performed by fallible humans, building cities is not necessarily the ideal way of satisfying our needs. |
Isaiah’s Prophecy I (ip-1)
2000 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-1 | Chapter Six
Jehovah God Has Mercy on a Remnant
Isaiah 4:2-6
1, 2. The prophet Isaiah foretells what concerning Judah and Jerusalem?
A VIOLENT storm descends upon a densely populated region. Strong winds, torrential rains, and heavy flooding cut a wide swath through the land, destroying homes, damaging crops, and claiming lives. But soon the storm passes, and in its aftermath a period of calm sets in. For those who have survived, it is a time for restoration and rebuilding.
2 The prophet Isaiah foretells something similar concerning Judah and Jerusalem. The storm clouds of divine judgment are moving ominously closer—and with good reason! The guilt of the nation is heavy. Both the rulers and the people have filled the land with injustice and bloodshed. Through Isaiah, Jehovah lays bare Judah’s guilt and warns that He will execute judgment on that delinquent nation. (Isaiah 3:25) The land of Judah will be left completely desolate in the wake of this storm. That prospect must sadden Isaiah.
3. What good news does the inspired message at Isaiah 4:2-6 contain?
3 But there is good news! The storm of Jehovah’s righteous judgment will pass, and a remnant will survive. Yes, Jehovah’s judgment of Judah will be tempered with mercy! Isaiah’s inspired message recorded at Isaiah 4:2-6 looks ahead to this blessed time. It is as if the sun breaks out from behind the clouds; the scene shifts from the sights and sounds of judgment—described at Isaiah 2:6–4:1—to a beautifully renewed land and people.
4. Why should we discuss Isaiah’s prophecy of the restoration of a remnant?
4 Isaiah’s prophecy regarding the restoration of a remnant and their subsequent security also finds a fulfillment in our time—“the final part of the days.” (Isaiah 2:2-4) Let us discuss this timely message, for not only does it have prophetic significance but it also teaches us about Jehovah’s mercy and how we as individuals might receive it.
‘The Sprouting of Jehovah’
5, 6. (a) How does Isaiah describe the peaceful time that follows the coming tempest? (b) What is the meaning of the term “sprout,” and what does this indicate about the land of Judah?
5 Isaiah’s tone becomes warm as he looks beyond the coming tempest to a more peaceful time. He writes: “In that day what Jehovah makes sprout [“the sprouting (sprout) of Jehovah,” footnote] will come to be for decoration and for glory, and the fruitage of the land will be something to be proud of and something beautiful for those of Israel who have escaped.”—Isaiah 4:2.
6 Isaiah here speaks of restoration. The Hebrew noun rendered “sprout” refers to ‘that which springs up, a shoot, a branch.’ It is associated with prosperity, increase, and blessings from Jehovah. Isaiah thus paints a picture of hope—the approaching desolation will not last forever. With Jehovah’s blessing, the once-prosperous land of Judah will again bring forth abundant fruitage.a—Leviticus 26:3-5.
7. In what way will the sprouting of Jehovah “be for decoration and for glory”?
7 Isaiah uses vivid terms to describe the grandeur of the transformation that lies ahead. The sprouting of Jehovah will “be for decoration and for glory.” The word “decoration” calls to mind the beauty of the Promised Land when Jehovah gave it to Israel centuries earlier. It was so beautiful that it was considered “the decoration [“jewel,” New American Bible] of all the lands.” (Ezekiel 20:6) Isaiah’s words thus assure the people that the land of Judah will be restored to its former glory and beauty. Indeed, it will be like a crowning jewel on the earth.
8. Who will be on hand to enjoy the restored beauty of the land, and how does Isaiah describe their feelings?
8 Who, though, will be on hand to enjoy the restored beauty of the land? “Those of Israel who have escaped,” writes Isaiah. Yes, some will survive the humiliating destruction previously foretold. (Isaiah 3:25, 26) A remnant of the survivors will return to Judah and share in its restoration. For these returnees—“the escaped ones”—the abundant produce of their restored land will become “something to be proud of and something beautiful.” (Isaiah 4:2; footnote) The humiliation of desolation will give way to a renewed sense of pride.
9. (a) In fulfillment of Isaiah’s words, what happened in 537 B.C.E.? (b) Why may it be said that “the escaped ones” include some who have been born in exile? (See footnote.)
9 True to Isaiah’s words, the storm of judgment arrived in 607 B.C.E. when the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and many Israelites perished. Some survived and were taken into exile in Babylon, but if it had not been for God’s mercy, there would have been no survivors at all. (Nehemiah 9:31) Eventually, Judah was left completely desolate. (2 Chronicles 36:17-21) Then, in 537 B.C.E., the God of mercy allowed “escaped ones” to return to Judah in order to restore true worship.b (Ezra 1:1-4; 2:1) The heartfelt repentance of these returning exiles is beautifully expressed in Psalm 137, which was likely written during the captivity or shortly thereafter. Back in Judah they tilled the soil and sowed seed in the land. Think of how they must have felt when they saw that God was blessing their efforts, causing the land to sprout like the fruitful “garden of Eden”!—Ezekiel 36:34-36.
10, 11. (a) In what way were the Bible Students in captivity to “Babylon the Great” early in the 20th century? (b) How did Jehovah bless the remnant of spiritual Israelites?
10 A similar restoration has taken place in our day. Early in the 20th century, the Bible Students, as Jehovah’s Witnesses were then known, came into spiritual captivity to “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion. (Revelation 17:5) Although having rejected many false religious teachings, the Bible Students were still tainted by certain Babylonish ideas and practices. As a result of clergy-inspired opposition, some of them were literally imprisoned. Their spiritual land—their religious, or spiritual, estate—was left desolate.
11 But in the spring of 1919, Jehovah had mercy on this remnant of spiritual Israelites. (Galatians 6:16) He saw their repentance and their desire to worship him in truth, so he brought about their release from literal imprisonment and, more important, from spiritual captivity. These “escaped ones” were restored to their God-given spiritual estate, which he caused to sprout abundantly. This spiritual estate has presented an inviting, attractive appearance, which has drawn millions of other God-fearing people to join the remnant in true worship.
12. How do Isaiah’s words magnify the mercy that Jehovah has toward his people?
12 Isaiah’s words here magnify the mercy that God has toward his people. Although the Israelites as a nation turned against Jehovah, he had mercy on a repentant remnant. We can draw comfort from knowing that even those who err seriously can return to Jehovah with hope. Repentant ones need not feel that they are beyond Jehovah’s mercy, for he does not reject a contrite heart. (Psalm 51:17) The Bible assures us: “Jehovah is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness. As a father shows mercy to his sons, Jehovah has shown mercy to those fearing him.” (Psalm 103:8, 13) Surely, such a merciful God deserves all our praise!
A Remnant Becomes Holy to Jehovah
13. As recorded at Isaiah 4:3, how does Isaiah describe the remnant that would be shown mercy by Jehovah?
13 We have already been introduced to the remnant that would be shown mercy by Jehovah, but now Isaiah describes them in more detail. He writes: “It must occur that the ones remaining in Zion and the ones left over in Jerusalem will be said to be holy to him, everyone written down for life in Jerusalem.”—Isaiah 4:3.
14. Who are “the ones remaining” and “the ones left over,” and why will Jehovah have mercy on them?
14 Who are “the ones remaining” and “the ones left over”? They are the escaped ones mentioned in the preceding verse—the Jewish exiles who will be permitted to return to Judah. Now Isaiah shows why Jehovah will have mercy on them—they will “be holy to him.” Holiness means “religious cleanness or purity; sacredness.” To be holy involves being clean, or pure, in word and action, to measure up to Jehovah’s standard of what is right and proper. Yes, Jehovah will have mercy on those who are “holy to him,” and he will allow them to return to “the holy city,” Jerusalem.—Nehemiah 11:1.
15. (a) The expression “written down for life in Jerusalem” reminds us of what Jewish custom? (b) What sobering warning do Isaiah’s words imply?
15 Will this faithful remnant remain there? They will be “written down for life in Jerusalem,” promises Isaiah. This reminds us of the Jewish custom of keeping careful registers of Israel’s families and tribes. (Nehemiah 7:5) To be written in a register meant to be alive, for when a person died, his name was removed. In other parts of the Bible, we read of a figurative register, or book, containing the names of those whom Jehovah rewards with life. But this book receives names conditionally, for Jehovah can ‘wipe out’ names. (Exodus 32:32, 33; Psalm 69:28) Isaiah’s words, then, imply a sobering warning—the returnees may continue living in their restored land only if they remain holy in God’s sight.
16. (a) What did Jehovah require of those whom he permitted to head back to Judah in 537 B.C.E.? (b) Why can it be said that Jehovah’s mercy on the anointed remnant and the “other sheep” has not been in vain?
16 In 537 B.C.E., the remnant that returned to Jerusalem did so with a pure motive—to restore true worship. No one contaminated by pagan religious practices or by the unclean conduct that Isaiah had so forcefully warned against had a right to return. (Isaiah 1:15-17) Only those whom Jehovah viewed as holy could head back to Judah. (Isaiah 35:8) Similarly, since their release from spiritual captivity in 1919, the anointed remnant, now joined by millions of “other sheep”—those with the hope of everlasting life on earth—have made every effort to be holy in God’s sight. (John 10:16) They have rid themselves of Babylonish teachings and practices. Individually, they strive to hold to God’s high standards of morality. (1 Peter 1:14-16) Jehovah’s mercy on them has not been in vain.
17. Whose names does Jehovah write in his “book of life,” and what should we be determined to do?
17 Recall that Jehovah noted those in Israel who were holy and that he ‘wrote down their names for life.’ Today, too, Jehovah notices our endeavors to be clean in mind and body as we ‘present our bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God.’ (Romans 12:1) And all who follow such a life course are recorded by God in his “book of life”—the figurative record containing the names of those who are in line to receive everlasting life, either in heaven or on earth. (Philippians 4:3; Malachi 3:16) Let us, then, do our utmost to remain holy in God’s eyes, for then we may keep our names in that precious “book.”—Revelation 3:5.
A Promise of Loving Care
18, 19. According to Isaiah 4:4, 5, what cleansing is to be effected by Jehovah, and how will it be accomplished?
18 Next Isaiah shows how the inhabitants of the restored land will come to be holy and what blessings await them. He says: “When Jehovah will have washed away the excrement of the daughters of Zion and he will rinse away even the bloodshed of Jerusalem from within her by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning down, Jehovah will also certainly create over every established place of Mount Zion and over her convention place a cloud by day and a smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; because over all the glory there will be a shelter.”—Isaiah 4:4, 5.
19 Earlier Isaiah rebuked “the daughters of Zion,” whose moral corruption was hidden beneath their showy ornaments. He also exposed the bloodguilt of the people generally, urging them to wash themselves. (Isaiah 1:15, 16; 3:16-23) Here, though, he looks ahead to the time when God himself will have “washed away the excrement,” or moral filth, and ‘cleansed the bloodstains.’ (Isaiah 4:4, New International Version) How will this cleansing be effected? By “the spirit of judgment” and by “the spirit of burning down.” The coming destruction of Jerusalem and the exile in Babylon will be blasts of God’s judgment and burning anger on an unclean nation. The remnant that survives these calamities and returns home will have been humbled, refined. That is why they will be holy to Jehovah and receive mercy.—Compare Malachi 3:2, 3.
20. (a) Of what are the expressions “a cloud,” “a smoke,” and “a flaming fire” reminiscent? (b) Why will the purged exiles not need to fear?
20 Jehovah, through Isaiah, promises that he will take this cleansed remnant into his loving care. The expressions “a cloud,” “a smoke,” and “a flaming fire” are reminiscent of how Jehovah cared for the Israelites after they left Egypt. A “pillar of fire and cloud” protected them from the pursuing Egyptians; it also led them in the wilderness. (Exodus 13:21, 22; 14:19, 20, 24) When Jehovah manifested himself at Mount Sinai, the mountain “smoked all over.” (Exodus 19:18) The cleansed exiles, then, will not need to fear. Jehovah will be their Protector. He will be with them whether they gather in their own homes or meet together in holy conventions.
21, 22. (a) A booth, or hut, was often built for what purpose? (b) What prospect is set before the cleansed remnant?
21 Isaiah concludes his description of divine protection by focusing on everyday life. He writes: “There will come to be a booth for a shade by day from the dry heat, and for a refuge and for a hiding place from the rainstorm and from the precipitation.” (Isaiah 4:6) A booth, or hut, was often built in a vineyard or in a field to provide much-needed shelter from the burning sun of the dry season and from the cold and storms of the rainy season.—Compare Jonah 4:5.
22 When faced with the scorching heat of persecution and the storms of opposition, the cleansed remnant will find Jehovah to be their Source of protection, security, and refuge. (Psalm 91:1, 2; 121:5) A beautiful prospect is thus set before them: If they leave behind the unclean beliefs and practices of Babylon, submit to the cleansing of Jehovah’s judgment, and endeavor to remain holy, they will remain safe, as if in “a booth” of divine protection.
23. Why has Jehovah blessed the anointed remnant and their companions?
23 Notice that first comes the cleansing, then the blessings. This has proved true in our day. Back in 1919 the anointed remnant humbly submitted to being refined, and Jehovah “washed away” their uncleanness. Since then, “a great crowd” of other sheep have also allowed themselves to be cleansed by Jehovah. (Revelation 7:9) Thus cleansed, the remnant and their companions have been blessed—Jehovah has taken them into his protective care. He does not miraculously prevent the heat of persecution or the storms of opposition from bearing down on them. But he does protect them, as if erecting over them ‘a booth for shade and for a hiding place from the rainstorm.’ How?
24. How is it evident that Jehovah has blessed his people as an organization?
24 Consider this: Some of the most powerful governments in history have banned the preaching work of Jehovah’s Witnesses or have tried to eliminate them completely. Yet, the Witnesses have remained firm and have continued to preach without letup! Why have mighty nations been unable to put a stop to the activity of this relatively small and seemingly defenseless group of people? Because Jehovah has placed his clean servants in “a booth” of protection that no human can tear down!
25. What does having Jehovah as our Protector mean for us as individuals?
25 What about us as individuals? Having Jehovah as our Protector does not mean that we have a problem-free life in this system of things. Many faithful Christians face severe adversities, such as poverty, natural disasters, war, sickness, and death. When facing such distresses, let us never forget that our God is with us. He protects us spiritually, providing what we need—even “power beyond what is normal”—to endure trials faithfully. (2 Corinthians 4:7) Safe in his presence, we need not fear. After all, as long as we do our best to keep ourselves holy in his sight, nothing “will be able to separate us from God’s love.”—Romans 8:38, 39.
[Footnotes]
a Some scholars suggest that the phrase ‘sprout of Jehovah’ is an allusion to the Messiah, who would not appear until after the restoration of Jerusalem. In the Aramaic Targums, the paraphrase of this expression reads: “The Messiah [Christ] of Jehovah.” Interestingly, the same Hebrew noun (tseʹmach) is later used by Jeremiah when he speaks of the Messiah as “a righteous sprout” raised up to David.—Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15.
b “The escaped ones” included some who had been born in exile. These could be considered to have “escaped,” since they would never have been born if their ancestors had not survived the destruction.—Ezra 9:13-15; compare Hebrews 7:9, 10.
[Picture on page 63]
A storm of divine judgment is coming upon Judah |
Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 48
Leaving Jairus’ Home and Revisiting Nazareth
THE day has been busy for Jesus—a sea voyage from the Decapolis, healing the woman with the flow of blood, and resurrecting Jairus’ daughter. But the day is not over. Evidently as Jesus leaves the home of Jairus, two blind men follow behind, shouting: “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”
By addressing Jesus as “Son of David,” these men are hereby expressing belief that Jesus is heir to the throne of David, hence that he is the promised Messiah. Jesus, however, seemingly ignores their cries for help, perhaps to test their persistence. But the men do not give up. They follow Jesus to where he is staying, and when he enters the house, they follow him inside.
There Jesus asks: “Do you have faith that I can do this?”
“Yes, Lord,” they answer confidently.
So, touching their eyes, Jesus says: “According to your faith let it happen to you.” Suddenly they can see! Jesus then sternly charges them: “See that nobody gets to know it.” But filled with gladness, they ignore Jesus’ command and talk about him throughout the countryside.
Just as these men leave, people bring in a demon-possessed man whom the demon has robbed of his speech. Jesus expels the demon, and instantly the man begins to talk. The crowds marvel at these miracles, saying: “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.”
Pharisees also are present. They cannot deny the miracles, but in their wicked unbelief they repeat their charge as to the source of Jesus’ powerful works, saying: “It is by the ruler of the demons that he expels the demons.”
Shortly after these events, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, this time accompanied by his disciples. About a year earlier, he had visited the synagogue and taught there. Although the people at first marveled at his pleasing words, they later took offense at his teaching and tried to kill him. Now, mercifully, Jesus makes another attempt to help his former neighbors.
While in other places people flock to Jesus, here they apparently do not. So, on the Sabbath, he goes to the synagogue to teach. Most of those hearing him are astounded. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these powerful works?” they ask. “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Where, then, did this man get all these things?”
‘Jesus is just a local man like us,’ they reason. ‘We saw him grow up, and we know his family. How can he be the Messiah?’ So despite all the evidence—his great wisdom and miracles—they reject him. Because of their intimate familiarity, even his own relatives stumble at him, causing Jesus to conclude: “A prophet is not unhonored except in his home territory and among his relatives and in his own house.”
Indeed, Jesus wonders at their lack of faith. So he does not perform any miracles there apart from laying his hands on a few sick people and healing them. Matthew 9:27-34; 13:54-58; Mark 6:1-6; Isaiah 9:7.
▪ By addressing Jesus as “Son of David,” what do the blind men show they believe?
▪ What explanation for Jesus’ miracles have the Pharisees settled upon?
▪ Why is it merciful for Jesus to return to help those in Nazareth?
▪ What reception does Jesus receive in Nazareth, and why? |
Eggplant—The Philippine Way | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101984008 | Eggplant—The Philippine Way
IN SOME lands eggplants (or aubergines) are uncommon. In other countries they are so common that many find them uninteresting. That was how I felt until I tasted the Filipino favorite, rellenong talong (stuffed eggplant). Why don’t you try it too. It may change your opinion of this vegetable.
To prepare it you will need six medium-sized eggplants. Here in the Philippines eggplants are not as big as they are in some places. We use ones that are about 15 to 20 centimeters (6 to 8 in.) long and 4 to 5 centimeters (1 1⁄2 to 2 in.) thick. Larger varieties can also be used if you cut them into thin slices. In addition to the eggplants, you will need 1⁄4 kilo (a half pound) of lean ground beef, six eggs, three cloves of garlic, one medium-sized onion and 45 milliliters (3 tbs) each of tomato sauce and cooking oil.
When you have collected all of that, wash the eggplants with the stems still on (this makes for easier handling later), then boil them together until they are tender. When they are cooked, remove the outer skins and set the eggplants aside while the other ingredients are prepared. (An alternative is to remove the skins at the start and just steam the eggplants until they are tender.)
To prepare the ground beef, first pound the garlic in a mortar and mince the onion. Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan, and when it is hot, sauté the garlic and the onion with the ground beef. As it cooks add the tomato sauce. Also add salt and pepper to taste. All of this should be cooked until tender and dry and then set aside to cool.
Are you wondering what the eggs are for? They will serve as a batter so that the ground beef will stick to the eggplant. So now, beat the eggs together and mix half of them with the ground beef. Next, hold each boiled or steamed eggplant by the stem and flatten it with a fork to make a base for the ground beef. After you have done this to all of them, you are ready for the final step in your preparation.
Now you can proceed in different ways, depending on your equipment. If you have an oven, dip each of the flattened eggplants in the remainder of the beaten eggs and place them on a flat cooking sheet. Then, spread a thin layer of ground beef on top of each one, and bake it in the oven until it is firm and cooked. If you are using a griddle, the eggplant can be cooked right on top of it, much like a pancake. Or it can be cooked in an ordinary frying pan with a little oil. Serve the eggplant while it is hot, and be prepared for a pleasant surprise. Incidentally, some enjoy eating it with tomato catsup.
In these days of high prices for meat, you may find that this recipe will help stretch your food money while your family is nourished with wholesome food. |
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