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Have You Ever Wondered? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101994004 | Have You Ever Wondered?
Do you believe that man possesses an immortal soul that survives the death of the body? Millions, maybe billions, believe that man is endowed with a soul that moves on to another world or plane of existence at death or is reincarnated as another creature. What does the Bible say about the soul? You will find the following questions intriguing and illuminating. For the answers, we suggest that you check the scriptures that are cited or see page 21.
1. Was Adam created in heaven, or on earth?—Genesis 1:26-28.
2. Was Adam created mortal, or immortal?—Genesis 2:15-17.
3. If Adam had not been disobedient and sinned, would he have died?—Romans 6:23.
4. Did Adam’s course of action prove he was mortal, or immortal?—Genesis 3:19; 5:5.
5. By his sin, did Adam lose an earthly home, or a heavenly one?—Genesis 1:26-28.
6. If Jesus came to restore that which was lost by Adam’s fall, what will be restored?—Psalm 37:29; Romans 5:18, 19; Revelation 21:1-4.
7. Was Adam composed of two distinct parts, the soul and the body?—Genesis 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:45.
8. If you believe that Adam was a soul and a body, which part sinned, the soul or the body?—Psalm 51:1-4.
9. If you answer, “The soul,” why must the body suffer?
10. If you answer, “The body,” why must the soul be saved?
11. If man gets to heaven by dying, does that not prove that sin and death are a blessing rather than, as the Bible says, a curse?—Romans 5:12; 6:21-23.
12. What penalty was imposed on Adam for his sin—death, or continued existence elsewhere?—Genesis 2:16, 17; 3:19.
13. Was there one penalty for the body and another for the soul?—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Ezekiel 18:4.
14. Did God even conceive of everlasting torment in hellfire?—Jeremiah 7:31.
15. According to Paul, what are the wages of sin?—Romans 6:23.
16. Does Paul mention everlasting torment in hellfire?—Romans 6:7.
17. If hellfire really does exist, why would a person suffer for all eternity to pay for only a short lifetime of sin? Is God’s justice less than man’s?—Romans 9:14.
18. Did the faithful men of old believe that they had a soul that went either to heaven or to a fiery hell?—Genesis 37:35; Psalm 89:48; Acts 2:34.
19. What is the true hope for the dead?—John 5:28, 29; 11:23-26; Acts 24:15.
20. If there is no immortal soul, how do some (144,000) come to reign with Christ in the heavens?—1 Corinthians 15:42-49, 53, 54; Revelation 14:1, 4; 20:4.a
Have You Ever Wondered? The Bible’s Answers
The following are some of the texts cited with the questions on page 13:
1. “God proceeded to create the man in his image, . . . male and female he created them. . . . God said to them: ‘Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it.’”—Genesis 1:27, 28.
2. “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.
3. “The wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Romans 6:23.
4. “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 3:19.
5. See No. 1.
6. “Look! The tent of God is with mankind . . . And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:3, 4.
7. “Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man came to be a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7) The word “soul” translates the Hebrew neʹphesh, “that which breathes.” “The first man, Adam, as scripture says, became a living soul.” Note, “became,” not “was given.”—1 Corinthians 15:45, The Jerusalem Bible.
8. “My sin is in front of me constantly. Against you, you alone, I have sinned, and what is bad in your eyes I have done.”—Psalm 51:3, 4.
9, 10. No texts needed.
11. “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.
12. See No. 4.
13. “The living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all . . . There is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10) “As the soul of the father so likewise the soul of the son—to me they belong. The soul that is sinning—it itself will die.”—Ezekiel 18:4.
14. “They have built the high places of Topheth . . . in order to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, a thing that I had not commanded and that had not come up into my heart.”—Jeremiah 7:31.
15. See No. 3.
16. “He who has died has been acquitted from his sin.”—Romans 6:7.
17. “What shall we say, then? Is there injustice with God? Never may that become so!”—Romans 9:14.
18. “Actually David did not ascend to the heavens.”—Acts 2:34.
19. “I have hope toward God, which hope these men themselves also entertain, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”—Acts 24:15.
20. “This which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality.” If immortality is “put on,” then it is not inherent. (1 Corinthians 15:53) “I saw, and, look! the Lamb standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand . . . These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.”—Revelation 14:1, 4.
[Footnotes]
a The expression “immortal soul” appears nowhere in the Bible. The word “immortality” (Greek, a·tha·na·siʹa) appears only three times in the Bible and never in relation to the soul. (1 Corinthians 15:53, 54; 1 Timothy 6:16) For a more detailed consideration of what happens at death and the true hope for the dead, see the publication Reasoning From the Scriptures, pages 168-75 (Hell), 333-40 (Resurrection), 375-84 (Soul, Spirit), published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. |
Isaiah’s Prophecy II (ip-2)
2001 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-2 | input Page/Publishers’ Page
Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All Mankind II
Photo Credits:
▪ Cover and page 11: Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah: Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum, Jerusalem
▪ Page 52: Statue of Baal: Musée du Louvre, Paris; figurines of Ashtoreth: Photograph © Israel Museum, courtesy of Israel Antiquities Authority; statues of Athena and Aphrodite: Archäologisches Museum der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster; Egyptian triad: Musée du Louvre, Paris
▪ Page 116: Musée du Louvre, Paris
▪ Page 124: Figurine of Ishtar and symbol of Marduk: Musée du Louvre, Paris
▪ Page 170: Clemson University Department of Entomology, Cooperative Extension Service
▪ Page 206: Alinari/Art Resource, NY
▪ Page 267: Garo Nalbandian
▪ Page 395: Courtesy of Anglo-Australian Observatory, photograph by David Malin
▪ Page 413: Chad Ehlers/Stone
© 2001
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
PUBLISHERS
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
2011 Printing
This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References. |
Page Two | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101991000 | Page Two
‘And Down Came the Wall’ 3-15
The movement toward democracy in Eastern Europe has changed the lives of millions. How did it come about? And how will religion in those countries be affected?
A Kingdom Built on Sand, Oil, and Religion 16
Saudi Arabia—is it just an oil-blessed kingdom, or is there more to it? What role does religion play?
Mexico City—A Growing Monster? 25
Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world. Pollution is a major problem. What solutions have the Mexican authorities applied?
[Picture Credit Line on page 2]
Cover photo: Reuters/Bettmann Newsphotos |
Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Have Rules About Dating? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502015211 | Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Have Rules About Dating?
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the principles and commands found in the Bible can help us to make decisions that both please God and benefit us. (Isaiah 48:17, 18) We did not create these principles and commands, but we do live by them. Consider how some of these relate to the subject of dating.a
Marriage is a permanent union. (Matthew 19:6) Because Jehovah’s Witnesses consider dating to be a step toward marriage, we view it seriously.
Dating is only for those old enough for marriage. Such ones are “past the bloom of youth,” or have passed the peak surge of sexual desire.—1 Corinthians 7:36.
Those who date should be free to marry. Some people who are legally divorced are not viewed by God as being free to remarry, since his standard is that the only valid basis for divorce is sexual immorality.—Matthew 19:9.
Christians who want to marry are commanded to choose only a fellow believer. (1 Corinthians 7:39) Jehovah’s Witnesses view this command as referring not merely to a person who respects our beliefs but to one who shares and practices those beliefs as a baptized Witness. (2 Corinthians 6:14) God has always directed his worshippers to marry only those of the same faith. (Genesis 24:3; Malachi 2:11) This command is also practical, as modern researchers have found.b
Children should obey their parents. (Proverbs 1:8; Colossians 3:20) For children living at home, this command includes obeying their parents’ decisions about dating. These might include the age at which a son or a daughter could begin dating and what activities would be allowed.
Within the Scriptural guidelines, Witnesses personally choose whether to date and whom to date. This is in harmony with the principle: “Each one will carry his own load of responsibility.” (Galatians 6:5, footnote) Still, when it comes to dating, many wisely seek the advice of mature Witnesses who have their best interests at heart.—Proverbs 1:5.
Many practices commonly associated with dating are actually serious sins. For example, the Bible commands us to avoid sexual immorality. This includes not only intercourse but also other unclean acts between unmarried people, such as fondling the genitals of another person or engaging in oral or anal sex. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) Even premarital passion-arousing behavior that stops short of sexual immorality is “uncleanness” that displeases God. (Galatians 5:19-21) Immoral conversations consisting of “obscene talk” are also condemned in the Bible.—Colossians 3:8.
The heart, or inner person, is treacherous. (Jeremiah 17:9) It can lead a person to do things that he knows are wrong. To prevent their hearts from misleading them, couples who are dating can avoid being alone in tempting situations. They may choose to take such reasonable precautions as staying in the company of a wholesome group or a suitable chaperone. (Proverbs 28:26) Single Christians who are looking for a marriage mate recognize the risks of online dating sites, especially the risk of developing a relationship with a person whom one knows very little about.—Psalm 26:4.
a Dating is part of some cultures but not of others. The Bible does not say that we need to date or that it is the only way to marriage.
b For example, an article in the journal Marriage & Family Review stated that “three qualitative studies of long-term marriages have indicated that similarity in religious orientation, religious faith, and religious beliefs are key factors in long-term marriages (25-50+ years).”—Volume 38, issue 1, page 88 (2005).
What is dating?
Dating includes any social activity in which two people focus romantic interest on each other. It can take place in a group or in private, in the open or in secret, and in person, over the phone, or by text message. Jehovah’s Witnesses view dating, not as recreation, but as a form of courtship, a serious step toward marriage. |
Young People Ask (yp)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp | Chapter 36
How Can I Control My TV Viewing Habits?
FOR many, young and old, TV watching amounts to a serious addiction. Surveys indicate that by age 18 the average American youth will have watched some 15,000 hours of TV! And that a bona fide addiction is involved becomes obvious when hard-core viewers try to kick the habit.
“I find television almost irresistible. When the set is on, I cannot ignore it. I can’t turn it off. . . . As I reach out to turn off the set, the strength goes out of my arms. So I sit there for hours and hours.” An immature youth? No, this was a college English instructor! But youths too can be TV junkies. Note the reactions of some who agreed to a “No TV Week”:
“I’ve been having a state of depression . . . I’m going out of my mind.”—Twelve-year-old Susan.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to kick the habit. I love TV too much.”—Thirteen-year-old Linda.
“The pressure was on terribly. I kept on having the urge. The hardest time was nighttime between eight and ten o’clock.”—Eleven-year-old Louis.
It is no surprise, then, that most of the youths involved celebrated the end of “No TV Week” with a mad dash for the TV set. But far from being something to laugh at, TV addiction brings with it a host of potential problems. Consider just a few of them:
Slipping grades: The National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.) reported that excessive TV viewing can lead to “lower school achievement, especially in reading.” The book The Literacy Hoax further charges: “Television’s effect on children is to create an expectation that learning should be easy, passive, and entertaining.” The TV addict may thus find studying an ordeal.
Poor reading habits: When was the last time you picked up a book and read it from cover to cover? A spokesman for the West German Association of Book Dealers lamented: “We have become a nation of people who go home after work and fall asleep in front of the television. We are reading less and less.” A report from Australia similarly said: “For every hour spent reading, the average Australian child will have seen seven hours of television.”
Diminished family life: Wrote one Christian woman: “Because of excessive TV viewing . . . I was very lonely and felt isolated. It was as if [my] family were all strangers.” Do you likewise find yourself spending less time with your family because of TV?
Laziness: Some feel that the very passiveness of TV “may lead to [a youth’s] expectation that [his] needs will be met without effort and to a passive approach to life.”
Exposure to unwholesome influences: Some cable television networks bring pornography into the home. And regular programming often provides a steady diet of car crashes, explosions, stabbings, shootings, and karate kicks. According to one estimate, a young person in the United States will witness the killing of 18,000 people on TV by the time he is 14 years old, not to mention fistfights and vandalism.
British researcher William Belson found that boys who thrived on violent TV shows were more likely to “engage in violence of a serious kind.” He also claimed that TV violence could incite “swearing and the use of bad language, aggressiveness in sport or play, threatening to use violence on another boy, writing slogans on walls, [and] breaking windows.” While you may think yourself immune to such influences, Belson’s study found that exposure to TV violence did not “change [the] boys’ conscious attitudes toward” violence. The steady diet of violence apparently chipped away at their subconscious inhibitions against violence.
Of even more concern, though, is the effect addiction to TV violence can have upon one’s relationship with the God who ‘hates anyone loving violence.’—Psalm 11:5.
How Can I Control My Viewing?
This does not necessarily mean that TV must be viewed as inherently evil. Writer Vance Packard points out: “Much that is on U.S. television can be rewarding . . . Often there are early evening programs that are magnificent achievements in photography showing nature at work—from the activities of bats, beavers, bison to those of blowfish. Public television has stunning ballet, opera, and chamber music. TV is very good at covering important events . . . Occasionally TV comes up with illuminating dramatic productions.”
Nevertheless, even too much of a good thing can be harmful. (Compare Proverbs 25:27.) And if you find you lack the self-control to turn off harmful shows, it is good to remember the words of the apostle Paul: “I am not going to let anything make me its slave.” (1 Corinthians 6:12, Today’s English Version) How, then, can you break free from slavery to TV and control your viewing?
Writer Linda Nielsen observes: “Self-control begins by learning to set goals.” First, analyze your present habits. For a week, keep track of what shows you watch and how much time you spend each day in front of the tube. Do you turn it on the very minute you get home? When do you turn it off? How many shows are “must-sees” every week? You might be shocked by the results.
Then take a hard look at what shows you’ve been watching. “Does not the ear itself test out words as the palate tastes food?” asks the Bible. (Job 12:11) So use discernment (along with the advice of your parents) and test out what shows are really worth seeing. Some determine in advance what shows they will watch and turn on the TV only for those shows! Others take sterner measures, establishing no-television-during-the-school-week rules or one-hour-a-day limits.
But what if a silent TV set proves just too much of a temptation? One family solved the problem this way: “We keep our set in the basement to have it out of the way . . . In the basement there’s less of a temptation to just flick it on when you enter the house. You have to make a special trip down there to watch something.” Keeping your set in the closet, or merely leaving it unplugged, may work just as effectively.
Interestingly, amid all their ‘withdrawal pangs’ the youths participating in “No TV Week” found some positive substitutes for TV. One girl recalled: “I talked to my mom. She became a much more interesting person in my view, because my attentions were not divided between her and the television set.” Another girl passed the time trying her hand at cooking. A young boy named Jason even discovered it could be fun to go “to the park instead of TV,” or to fish, read, or go to the beach.
The experience of Wyant (see insert eninputd “I Was a TV Addict”) illustrates that another key to controlling TV viewing is having “plenty to do in the work of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) You too will find that drawing close to God, studying the Bible with the help of the many fine publications now available, and busying yourself in God’s work will help you overcome an addiction to TV. (James 4:8) True, limiting your TV viewing will mean missing some of your favorite programs. But why must you use TV to the full, slavishly following every single program? (See 1 Corinthians 7:29, 31.) Better it is to ‘get tough’ with yourself like the apostle Paul, who once said: “I pummel my body and lead it as a slave.” (1 Corinthians 9:27) Isn’t this better than being a slave of a TV set?
Questions for Discussion
◻ Why can TV viewing be called an addiction for some youths?
◻ What are some potentially damaging effects of excessive TV viewing?
◻ What are some ways of controlling TV viewing?
◻ What can you do in place of watching TV?
[Blurb on page 295]
“I’ve been having a state of depression . . . I’m going out of my mind.”—Twelve-year-old Susan, a participant in “No TV Week”
[Box on page 292, 293]
‘I Was a TV Addict’—An Interview
Interviewer: How old were you when you got hooked on TV?
Wyant: About ten years old. As soon as I came home from school, I’d turn on the TV. First, I’d watch the cartoons and kiddie programs. Then the news would come on, . . . and I’d go into the kitchen and look for something to eat. After that, I’d go back to the TV and watch till I wanted to go to sleep.
Interviewer: But when did you have time for your friends?
Wyant: The TV was my friend.
Interviewer: Then you never had time for play or sports?
Wyant: [laughing] I have no athletic abilities. Because I watched TV all the time, I never developed them. I’m a terrible basketball player. And in gym class I was always the last one to get chosen. I wish, though, I had developed my athletic abilities a bit more—not so that I could have gone around boasting, but just so I could have at least enjoyed myself.
Interviewer: What about your grades?
Wyant: I managed in grammar school. I’d stay up late and do my homework at the last minute. But it was harder in high school because I had developed such poor study habits.
Interviewer: Has watching all that TV affected you?
Wyant: Yes. Sometimes when I’m around people, I find myself just watching them—as if I were watching a TV talk show—instead of participating in the conversation. I wish I could relate better to people.
Interviewer: Well, you’ve done just fine in this conversation. Obviously you’ve overcome your addiction.
Wyant: I started breaking away from TV after I entered high school. . . . I sought out the association of Witness youths and started to make spiritual progress.
Interviewer: But what did this have to do with your TV viewing?
Wyant: As my appreciation for spiritual things grew, I realized that many of the shows I used to watch really weren’t for Christians. Too, I felt the need to do more study of the Bible and to prepare for Christian meetings. That meant cutting out most of the TV viewing. It wasn’t easy, though. I used to love those Saturday-morning cartoons. But then a Christian brother in the congregation invited me to go with him in the door-to-door preaching work on Saturday morning. That broke my Saturday morning TV habit. So eventually I learned really to tone down my TV watching.
Interviewer: What about today?
Wyant: Well, I still have the problem that if the TV is on, I cannot get anything done. So I leave it off most of the time. In fact, my TV broke down a few months ago and I haven’t bothered to get it fixed.
[Picture on page 291]
TV viewing is a serious addiction for some
[Picture on page 294]
When a television is placed in an inconvenient location, there is less temptation to turn it on |
Married or Living Together—Which? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101992009 | The Bible’s Viewpoint
Married or Living Together—Which?
“WHEN shall we get married?” As little as 35 years ago, this question might have been pondered by couples in love who were getting engaged. Today, however, there is a good chance that such a question would be raised by two persons who have already been living together. Times have changed and so have attitudes toward marriage. Which course is better: Get married, or move in with the person of your choice?
Studies indicate that in Brazil, France, Sweden, the United States, and many other countries, living together without marriage is in vogue. It may be in line with modern mores, but it is not new. What is new are the attitudes toward the practice. What was once considered to be living in sin is now condoned or approved by many as perfectly proper.
Living Together—Are There Advantages?
Some people argue that the live-in arrangement is reasonable, since it enables the couple to get to know each other well before entering into the more permanent bond of marriage. Other advantages some point to are: It enables the couple to cut down expenses by sharing the rent; it gives them independence from parents; it provides needed companionship, including a sexual relationship. Older unmarried couples say that by living together they do not forfeit government social-security payments.
Nevertheless, one strong argument against living together without marriage is this: Either party can terminate the arrangement at any time by simply walking out. In fact, the French daily Le Monde reported that in Sweden and Norway, half of the live-in relationships do not last two years, and from 60 to 80 percent break up in less than five years.
Marriage—The Better Way
Those who advocate the live-in arrangement might refer to the marriage certificate as just a “piece of paper,” something that is of no practical value. This attitude is also implied in TV soap operas and movies, as well as in the private lives of celebrities. Therefore, let us now consider the true value of that “piece of paper.”
When you enter into a business partnership or buy a piece of property or lend money to someone, why do you have the terms written down and even notarized? One reason is that a commitment has been made by both parties, and it is to the advantage of both to have the terms in writing. For instance, if one party dies, disappears, or simply loses his memory, the terms are still legally binding. The same is true in a marriage. In the event of the death of one mate or of both, the law in most countries makes provision for the surviving members of the family. This is usually lacking in the live-in arrangement. It is this commitment that makes the difference between living together and marriage. And the marriage certificate is a reminder to the couple of that commitment to love, honor, and cherish each other and of the legal implications of the marriage vows.
One married woman put it this way: “Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but the commitment to marriage makes me feel more secure.” She echoes what God said when he brought together in marriage the first human pair: “That is why a man will leave his father and his mother and he must stick to his wife and they must become one flesh.”a (Genesis 2:24) A unique oneness! Thus, “one flesh” is possible only in a complete, exclusive, legal, lifelong relationship—nowhere else.
Some people argue, though, that they know of couples who live together without marriage and yet have a strong relationship.
“Let Them Marry”
The Bible gives the best reason for couples not to live together without marriage. “Let marriage be honorable among all, and the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge fornicators and adulterers,” states Hebrews 13:4. The Bible plainly and simply says that living together outside of marriage is fornication. Just what is meant by “fornication”? One dictionary describes it as “human sexual intercourse other than between a man and his wife.” For us to have a good conscience, this Bible counsel must be followed: ‘God wills that you abstain from fornication.’—1 Thessalonians 4:3.
But suppose some have a problem with restraining their sexual impulses? The apostle Paul wrote: “If they do not have self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be inflamed with passion.” And again: “But if anyone thinks he is behaving improperly toward his virginity, . . . let them marry.” (1 Corinthians 7:9, 36) Note that Paul did not say to ‘do what they want and move in together’ but, “Let them marry.”
Not that marriage should be viewed only as a means to satisfy sexual desires. Couples should get to know each other before they marry. But how can you do so unless you live together? An honorable courtship provides ample opportunity for that. You should determine what you expect of marriage and of your mate. What are your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs? Will the person you have in mind as a possible mate help you fill them?—Matthew 5:3.
After considering the above, you will no doubt agree that of the two courses—living together or marrying—the latter is better. Couples living together in marriage do so without guilt or fear, and they enjoy the respect of friends and relatives. Their children will bear no emotional scars for having been born out of wedlock. And most important, such couples please God by showing respect for his arrangement of marriage.
[Footnotes]
a The Hebrew word da·vaqʹ (“stick”) “carries the sense of clinging to someone in affection and loyalty.” (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament) In Greek, it is a cognate of the word meaning “to glue,” “to cement,” “to join together tightly.”
[Picture on page 26]
16th-century wedding
[Credit Line]
Peasant Wedding, by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 16th century
With kind permission of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna |
How a Fishing Village Became a Metropolis | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102008004 | How a Fishing Village Became a Metropolis
BY AWAKE! WRITER IN JAPAN
ON A beautiful summer day in August 1590, Ieyasu Tokugawa (right), who later became the first Tokugawa shogun,a set foot in the fishing village of Edo in eastern Japan. At that time “Edo had only a few hundred wretched houses, consisting of peasant and fishermen’s cottages,” notes the book The Shogun’s City—A History of Tokyo. In the vicinity stood a neglected fortress built more than a century earlier.
This village, which was buried in obscurity for centuries, would not only become Tokyo, the capital of Japan, but also grow into a bustling megalopolis—over 12 million people live in the Tokyo metropolitan prefecture. Tokyo would go on to become a global force in technology, communications, transportation, and commerce, as well as the home of leading financial institutions. How did such an amazing transformation take place?
From Fishing Village to Shogun’s City
For a century after 1467, warring feudal lords divided Japan into a number of fiefdoms. Finally, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, a feudal lord of humble origin, partially reunited the nation, becoming imperial regent in 1585. Initially, Ieyasu fought against the powerful Hideyoshi, but he later joined forces with him. Together, they laid siege to and captured the castle at Odawara, the stronghold of the powerful Hōjō clan, and thus conquered the Kanto region in eastern Japan.
Hideyoshi granted Ieyasu the vast territory of eight provinces of Kanto, mostly former Hōjō domain, moving Ieyasu eastward from his original dominion. This was apparently a calculated move to keep Ieyasu far from Kyoto, where the emperor—the figurehead of Japan—lived. In spite of that, Ieyasu agreed, and he arrived in Edo as described at the outset. He set out to transform this humble fishing village into the center of his domain.
After the death of Hideyoshi, Ieyasu led a coalition of forces, mostly from eastern Japan, against forces from the west, and in 1600, within a day, he claimed victory. In 1603, Ieyasu was appointed shogun, becoming the de facto ruler of the nation. Edo now became the new administrative center of Japan.
Ieyasu ordered feudal lords to supply men and materials to complete a mammoth castle. At one time some 3,000 vessels were employed to carry the huge pieces of granite that had been quarried from the cliffs of the Izu Peninsula, about 60 miles [100 km] to the south. When the granite was unloaded at the port, a team of a hundred men or more hauled the pieces to the construction site.
The castle, by far the largest in Japan, was completed 50 years later, during the reign of the third shogun, and it was an impressive symbol of the overpowering Tokugawa rule. Samurai, or warriors, who served the shogun settled around the castle. The shogun required that the feudal lords maintain mansions in Edo in addition to castles in their own domain.
To fill the needs of the core population of samurai, burgeoning groups of merchants and artisans gathered from around the country. By 1695—about a century after Ieyasu entered the area—Edo’s population had grown to one million! It became the world’s largest city of the time.
From the Sword to the Abacus
So effective was the shogunate government in keeping peace that the warrior class had less to do. Of course, the samurai still boasted of their profession, but the power of the sword slowly gave way to that of the abacus, the manual calculator popular in the Orient. For more than 250 years, a period of peace continued. Civilians in general, especially the merchants, prospered materially and enjoyed greater independence. A unique culture developed.
The population indulged in the famous Kabuki plays (historical dramas), Bunraku (puppet theater), and rakugo (comical storytelling). During the hot summer evenings, people gathered on the banks of the cool Sumida River, on which Edo was situated. They also viewed fireworks, a popular tradition that continues to this very day.
Edo, however, remained unknown to the rest of the world. For over 200 years, the nation was banned from having contact with foreigners with the exception of—on a very limited basis—the Dutch, the Chinese, and the Koreans. Then, one day, an unexpected event changed the nature of the city and the nation.
From Edo to Tokyo
Off the coast of Edo, strange-looking vessels billowing black smoke suddenly appeared. Stunned fishermen thought that they were floating volcanoes! Wild rumors spread in Edo, resulting in a mass exodus.
Those vessels, a fleet of four ships led by Commodore Matthew C. Perry of the U.S. Navy, cast anchor in Edo Bay on July 8, 1853 (left). Perry requested that the shogunate government open Japan for trade with his country. Through Perry’s visit, the Japanese came to see how far Japan had lagged behind the rest of the world in military and technological development.
This triggered a chain of events that led to the downfall of the Tokugawa regime and the restoration of imperial rule. In 1868, Edo was renamed Tokyo, meaning “Eastern Capital,” denoting its location as seen from Kyoto. The emperor moved his residence from the palace in Kyoto to the Edo castle, which was later converted into the new Imperial Palace.
Under the influence of Western culture, the new government embarked on the project of modernizing Japan. There was much catching up to do. Some refer to this period as miraculous. In 1869 a telegraph service between Tokyo and Yokohama was inaugurated. Soon, this was followed by the laying of the first railway line instructioning the two cities. Brick buildings suddenly sprang up amid the wooden houses. Banks, hotels, department stores, and restaurants were built. The first universities were established. Paved streets replaced dirt roads. Paddle steamers sailed up and down the Sumida River.
Even the people looked different. The majority wore traditional kimonos, but more and more Japanese tried Western clothing. Men with mustaches took to top hats and walking sticks, while some of the women, in elegant dresses, learned to dance the waltz.
Beer joined sake as a favorite drink, and baseball came to compete with sumo wrestling as the nation’s favorite sport. Tokyo, like a giant sponge, absorbed the cultural and political ideas of the day and made them its own. The city kept growing and growing—until one day disaster struck.
Rising From the Ashes
On September 1, 1923, while many were preparing their lunch, a violent earthquake rocked the Kanto area, followed by hundreds of minor quakes, including a severe tremor 24 hours later. Although the damage from the earthquake itself was devastating, even more destructive were the resulting fires that burned much of Tokyo to the ground. In all, over 100,000 people died, 60,000 of them in Tokyo.
The people of Tokyo took up the enormous task of rebuilding their city. After recovering to a certain extent, the city suffered additional major blows—air raids during World War II. Particularly devastating were the estimated 700,000 bombs that fell on the night of March 9/10, 1945, from midnight till about three in the morning. The buildings were mostly wooden, and the bombs—napalm and new incendiary devices containing magnesium and jellied gasoline—set fire to the overcrowded downtown area, killing more than 77,000 people. It was the single most destructive bombing mission involving nonnuclear weapons in history.
Despite the disaster postwar Tokyo, in an unprecedented way, rose from the ashes to become a city rebuilt. By 1964, less than 20 years later, the city had recovered to the point of hosting the Summer Olympic Games. The past four decades have been marked by perpetual construction as the concrete jungle extends its tentacles outward and upward.
The Tokyo Spirit to the Rescue
At 400 years of age, the city now known as Tokyo is by no means old when compared with other major cities of the world. Although there are some sections of the city that retain an air of bygone days, for the most part, very little remains of buildings and structures reflecting the past. A close look at the city, however, reveals a pattern that was conceived in the days of old Edo.
In the center of the metropolis is a huge plot of greenery. The Imperial Palace and its surrounding grounds now stand in the very same spot as the original Edo castle did. From here, radiating out like the strands of a spider’s web, are the main roads leading from the city, reflecting the basic pattern of Edo. Even the haphazard layout of the streets forming a labyrinth throughout the city evokes images of the old Edo. In fact, the majority of the streets are not even named! In place of the gridlike pattern of blocks found in other major cities of the world, Tokyo has numbered lots of different shapes and sizes.
But more than anything else that remains is the Tokyo spirit—the ability to absorb what is new, especially foreign, and the resilience and determination to move forward in spite of earthquakes, a prolonged economic recession, and the challenges of overpopulation. Come and see for yourself the vibrant spirit of Tokyo—the small fishing village that has risen from obscurity to international prominence.
[Footnote]
a The shogun was the hereditary commander of the Japanese army and exercised absolute rule under the leadership of the emperor.
[Map on page 11]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
JAPAN
TOKYO (Edo)
Yokohama
Kyoto
Osaka
[Picture on page 12, 13]
Tokyo today
[Credit Line]
Ken Usami/photodisc/age fotostock
[Picture Credit Line on page 11]
© The Bridgeman Art Library
[Picture Credit Line on page 13]
The Mainichi Newspapers |
What Is New Jerusalem? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502018134 | What Is New Jerusalem?
The Bible’s answer
“New Jerusalem,” an expression that appears twice in the Bible, is a symbolic city that represents the group of Jesus’ followers who go to heaven to rule with him in God’s Kingdom. (Revelation 3:12; 21:2) The Bible shows that this group can also be called the bride of Christ.
Keys to identifying New Jerusalem
New Jerusalem is in heaven. Each time the Bible mentions New Jerusalem, it is said to come down from heaven, where angels guard the city’s gates. (Revelation 3:12; 21:2, 10, 12) Also, the city’s great size proves that it could not be on earth. It is a cube measuring “12,000 stadia,” or “furlongs,” around.a (Revelation 21:16; King James Version) Its sides would thus be almost 560 kilometers (350 mi) high, extending into space.
New Jerusalem is made up of a group of Jesus’ followers, the bride of Christ. New Jerusalem is called “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” (Revelation 21:9, 10) In this symbolic description, the Lamb refers to Jesus Christ. (John 1:29; Revelation 5:12) “The Lamb’s wife,” Christ’s bride, represents Christians who will be united with Jesus in heaven. The Bible likens the relationship between Jesus and these Christians to that of a husband and wife. (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:23-25) In addition, the foundation stones of New Jerusalem are inscribed with “the 12 names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:14) This detail helps to confirm the identity of New Jerusalem, since Christians who are called to life in heaven are “built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.”—Ephesians 2:20.
New Jerusalem is part of a government. Ancient Jerusalem was the capital of Israel, the place where King David, his son Solomon, and their descendants ruled “on Jehovah’s throne.” (1 Chronicles 29:23) Jerusalem, called “the holy city,” thus represented God’s rulership in the family line of David. (Nehemiah 11:1) New Jerusalem, also called “the holy city,” is made up of those who join Jesus in heaven “to rule as kings over the earth.”—Revelation 5:9, 10; 21:2.
New Jerusalem brings blessings to people on earth. New Jerusalem is depicted as “coming down out of heaven from God,” showing that God uses it to affect matters outside of heaven. (Revelation 21:2) This expression instructions New Jerusalem with God’s Kingdom, which God uses to accomplish his will “as in heaven, also on earth.” (Matthew 6:10) God’s purpose for people on earth includes these blessings:
Removal of sin. “A river of water of life” flows from New Jerusalem and supports “trees of life” that are “for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1, 2) This physical and spiritual healing will remove sin and enable people to gain perfect life, as God originally intended.—Romans 8:21.
Good relations between God and humankind. Sin has alienated humans from God. (Isaiah 59:2) The removal of sin will allow for the complete fulfillment of this prophecy: “The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them.”—Revelation 21:3.
The end of suffering and death. By means of his Kingdom, 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.
a A stadium was a measure of length used by the Romans that equaled 185 meters (607 ft). |
Happy Life (hl)
2013 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/hl | input Page/Publishers’ Page
How Can You Have a Happy Life?
© 2013
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
Publishers
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
June 2013 Printing
This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References. Scripture citations in brackets indicate verse numbering according to Tanakh, A New Translation of the Holy Scriptures According to the Traditional Hebrew Text. For example: Psalm 46:9 [46:10, TNK].
Photo Credits:
Page 3, jets: Courtesy of the Ministry of Defense, London; flood victims: © G.M.B. Akash/Panos Pictures; page 5: grapes: © ollirg/age fotostock; page 6: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration; page 7: © Focus Database/age fotostock; page 8: Shrine of the Book, Photo © The Israel Museum, Jerusalem; Qumran Cave 4: Todd Bolen/BiblePlaces.com; page 9: © Kurt and Rosalia Scholz/SuperStock |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 14
“Be Glad, You Nations”!
(Romans 15:10)
1. Be glad, you nations, with his people!
God’s Kingdom is at hand.
Christ Jesus reigns upon Mount Zion;
Rejoice in ev’ry land!
The seven Gentile Times have ended;
Their kings have had their day.
Be glad, you nations, with his people!
Jehovah’s King holds sway.
2. Be glad, you nations, with his people!
This system nears the brink
Of Armageddon’s coming battle;
It’s nearer than they think.
While men praise their disgusting image
And spurn the Prince of Peace,
We hail that One with jubilation;
His rule will e’er increase.
3. Be glad, you nations, with his people!
Go tell from door to door
The good news of Jehovah’s Kingdom;
Proclaim from shore to shore
That Christ as King will rule in wisdom,
In love and righteousness.
Be glad, you nations, with his people!
Serve God in faithfulness. |
Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1)
2011 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1 | CHAPTER 29
How Do I Know if It’s Real Love?
Answer the following questions:
1. How would you define “love”? ․․․․․
2. How would you define “infatuation”? ․․․․․
3. What, in your opinion, is the difference between the two? ․․․․․
YOU likely had little or no trouble answering the questions above. After all, it’s easy to see the difference between love and infatuation when you’re just thinking hypothetically.
All of that can change, though, the moment you set your eyes on the boy or girl of your dreams. Suddenly you’re smitten, and nothing else matters. You’re hopelessly in love. Or are you? Is it love—or is it infatuation? How can you tell? To answer, first let’s consider how your view of the opposite sex has probably changed in recent years. For example, consider the following questions:
● What did you think of the opposite sex when you were five years old?
● What do you think of the opposite sex now?
Your answers likely reveal that when you hit puberty, you gained a new appreciation for the opposite sex. “I’ve noticed that girls are a little prettier than they used to be,” says 12-year-old Brian. Elaine, 16, recalls a change that took place a few years ago. “All my girlfriends started talking about boys,” she says, “and for me, every boy was a potential crush.”
Now that you’re noticing the opposite sex, how can you cope with these powerful feelings? Instead of pretending that they don’t exist—a surefire way to intensify them—you can use this as a wonderful opportunity to learn something about attraction, infatuation, and love. Understanding these three facets of romance can spare you needless heartache and help you, in time, to find real love.
ATTRACTION → What you see
“My friends and I are always talking about girls. We try to discuss other things, but as soon as a pretty girl walks by, well, we forget what we were talking about!”—Alex.
“A young man who makes eye contact and has a nice smile and a confident walk would get my attention.”—Laurie.
It’s normal to be attracted to someone who is outwardly beautiful or handsome. The problem is, what you see isn’t always what you get. Why? Because looks can be deceiving. The Bible states: “As a gold nose ring in the snout of a pig, so is a woman that is pretty but that is turning away from sensibleness.” (Proverbs 11:22) Of course, the same principle applies to boys.
INFATUATION → What you feel
“I had a major crush on a boy when I was 12, and when I got over it, I realized why I liked him. It was only because all my friends were interested in boys—and he was a boy. So there you go!”—Elaine.
“I’ve had many crushes, but most of the time, I was only considering the outer person. Once I found out what the person was like on the inside, I realized that we weren’t as compatible as I had thought.”—Mark.
Infatuation feels like love. In fact, love includes romantic feelings. But the basis for each is entirely different. Infatuation stems from a superficial reaction to surface qualities. Also, it is blind to the other person’s weaknesses and exaggerates his or her strengths. As a result, infatuation is about as stable as a castle made of sand. “It doesn’t last long,” says a girl named Fiona. “You can be attracted to someone one day, and then a month later you feel the same way—but toward someone else!”
LOVE → What you know
“I think that with love, you have a reason to be attracted to someone, and it’s a good reason—not a selfish one.”—David.
“To me, it seems that real love should grow over time. At first, you’re good friends. Then, little by little, you like what you have come to know about the person, and you start to develop feelings that you’ve never had before.”—Judith.
Love is based on a well-rounded knowledge of a person’s strengths and weaknesses. It’s hardly surprising, then, that the Bible describes love as much more than a feeling. It states that love is, among other things, “long-suffering and kind. . . . It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:4, 7, 8) And love makes a person act in these ways based on knowledge—not on credulity or ignorance.
An Example of Real Love
The Bible account of Jacob and Rachel vividly illustrates real love. The couple met at a well, where Rachel had gone to water her father’s sheep. Jacob was immediately attracted to her. Why? For one thing, she was “shapely and beautiful.”—Genesis 29:17, Today’s English Version.
Remember, though, that real love is based on more than physical appearance. Jacob found that there was more to Rachel than her beauty. In fact, the Bible says that before long, Jacob was beyond the stage of attraction. He was “in love with Rachel.”—Genesis 29:18.
Romantic ending? No—because the story was far from over. Rachel’s father made Jacob wait seven years before he could marry Rachel. Fair or unfair, Jacob’s love was now put to the test. If it were a case of mere infatuation, Jacob would not have waited for her. Only real love can endure the test of time. So what happened? The Bible states: “Jacob proceeded to serve seven years for Rachel, but in his eyes they proved to be like some few days because of his love for her.”—Genesis 29:20.
What can you learn from the example of Jacob and Rachel? That real love can pass the test of time. Also, it’s not based solely on physical appearance. In fact, a potential marriage mate may not be someone you find overwhelmingly attractive at first sight. Barbara, for example, met a young man to whom she admits she was not overly attracted—at first. “But as I got to know him better,” she recalls, “things changed. I saw Stephen’s concern for other people and how he always put the interests of others before himself. These were the qualities I knew would make a good husband. I was drawn to him and began to love him.” A solid marriage resulted.
When you’re mature enough to date with a view to marriage, how will you know when you’ve found real love? Your heart may speak, but trust your Bible-trained mind. Get to know more than the person’s external image. Give the relationship time to blossom. Remember, infatuation often fades within a short time. Genuine love grows stronger with time and becomes “a perfect bond of union.”—Colossians 3:14.
Be assured that you can find that kind of love—if you learn to look beyond attraction (what you see) and infatuation (what you feel). The following three pages will help you to do just that.
READ MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC IN VOLUME 2, CHAPTERS 1 AND 3
IN OUR NEXT CHAPTERSuppose you’ve found true love. How do you know if you’re ready for marriage?
KEY SCRIPTURE
“Many waters themselves are not able to extinguish love, nor can rivers themselves wash it away.”—Song of Solomon 8:7.
TIP
To find out how well you really know someone you feel attracted to, answer the questions on the worksheet in Volume 2, on page 39 (for girls) and page 40 (for boys).
DID YOU KNOW . . . ?
Young people who frivolously enter and exit romantic relationships are, in a sense, “practicing” for divorce after marriage.
ACTION PLAN!
To help me determine whether my feelings for someone are an indication of infatuation or of love, I will ․․․․․
What I would like to ask my parent(s) about this subject is ․․․․․
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
● Why did God create humans with such powerful feelings of attraction to the opposite sex?
● Why do many teenage “love” relationships fail?
[Blurb on page 207]
“Love can overcome obstacles, whereas infatuation tends to end as soon as circumstances change or problems arise. It takes a lot of time to cultivate real love.”—Daniella
[Box on page 209]
Worksheet
What Would You Do?
Michael and Judy have been seeing each other for three months, and Judy says she’s “hopelessly in love.” Michael dotes on her constantly—even telling her how to dress and with whom she can and cannot associate. He treated her like a princess—until last week. Michael slapped Judy after she was “caught” talking to another boy.
He says: “Judy should know that I’m terrified of losing her. In fact, the thought of another guy stealing my girlfriend just drives me crazy! I feel bad about slapping Judy. But that’s how much I can’t bear to see her even look at someone else. Besides, I apologized!”
She says: “My parents say Mike is controlling, but he just has high standards. I mean, he’s never tried to force me to do anything sexually. And when he slapped me—which I didn’t tell my parents about—well, I was talking to another boy. And Mike gets jealous, which I sometimes find flattering. Anyway, he said he’s sorry, and he promised he’d never do it again.”
Your turn: Do you see warning signs in this relationship? If so, what are they? ․․․․․
What should Judy do? ․․․․․
What would you do? ․․․․․
[Box on page 210]
Worksheet
What Would You Do?
Ethan has been dating Alyssa for two months, and he’s already noticed how outputious Alyssa can be, especially with her parents. In fact, Alyssa argues with her parents constantly, and she usually wins. She’s mastered the “art” of holding her position until her parents back down in exhaustion. Alyssa has bragged to Ethan that she has her parents “wrapped around her finger.”
He says: “Alyssa speaks her mind. She doesn’t take anything from anyone—including her parents. Her dad can be annoying, and it’s no wonder that she loses her temper with him. But it’s not all yelling. Alyssa can cry, pout, or act all sweet—whatever it takes to get what she wants from Dad and Mom.”
She says: “I don’t care who you are or what input or position you hold, I’ll talk straight to you, and I may not sugarcoat my words. My boyfriend, Ethan, knows that about me. He’s seen me around my parents.”
Your turn: Do you see warning signs in this relationship? If so, what are they? ․․․․․
What should Ethan do? ․․․․․
What would you do? ․․․․․
[Box on page 211]
Worksheet
Is It Love or Is It Infatuation?
Try to guess the missing word in the statements quoted below. Fill in the blanks with either the word love or the word infatuation.
1. “․․․․․ is blind and it likes to stay that way. It doesn’t like to look at reality.”—Calvin.
2. “If I have to change my personality when I’m around a girl I’m attracted to, that’s ․․․․․.”—Thomas.
3. “Something may annoy you about the person. But if it’s ․․․․․, you still want to be with the person and work through the problem.”—Ryan.
4. “With ․․․․․, the only things you let yourself consider are the things you have in common.”—Claudia.
5. “When it’s ․․․․․, you don’t try to hide who you are.”—Eve.
6. “․․․․․ is a selfish form of getting what you want—perhaps just to say you have a boyfriend.”—Allison.
7. “․․․․․ recognizes the faults and quirks and yet can still live with those things.”—April.
8. “When it’s ․․․․․, you can’t define why you feel attracted—you just are.”—David.
9. “With ․․․․․, the other person can do no wrong.”—Chelsea.
10. “When it’s ․․․․․, you don’t notice other members of the opposite sex the way you used to, because you feel a sense of loyalty.”—Daniel.
Answers: Infatuation: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9. Love: 3, 5, 7, 10.
[Picture on pages 206, 207]
Infatuation is about as stable as a castle made of sand—in a short time, it washes away |
The Spirit Bears Witness With Our Spirit | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2016045 | The Spirit Bears Witness With Our Spirit
“The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children.”—ROM. 8:16.
SONGS: 109, 108
WHAT DO THESE SCRIPTURES TEACH US ABOUT HOW SOMEONE BECOMES ANOINTED?
2 Cor. 1:21, 22; 2 Pet. 1:10, 11
Rom. 8:15, 16; 1 John 2:20, 27
1-3. What events made Pentecost a special day, and how did those events fulfill what the Scriptures had foretold? (See opening picture.)
IT WAS early Sunday morning, about nine o’clock. This particular Sunday was special for those in Jerusalem. It was a festival day; it was also a sabbath. The regular morning sacrifices had no doubt already been offered at the temple. Now excitement filled the air as the high priest prepared to present the wave offering of two leavened loaves of new grain. (Lev. 23:15-20) This offering marked the start of the wheat harvest. The year was 33 C.E., and it was the day of Pentecost.
2 While all these things were taking place in the temple area, something of far greater importance was about to occur, not at the temple, but in an upper room in the city. A group of about 120 Christians were gathered together, “persisting in prayer.” (Acts 1:13-15) What was about to happen to them was closely related to the actions of the high priest every Pentecost, and it also fulfilled a prophecy uttered by the prophet Joel about 800 years prior to that day. (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:16-21) What could possibly happen that would be of such great importance?
3 Read Acts 2:2-4. God’s holy spirit was poured out on that group of Christians who were gathered in the upper room. (Acts 1:8) They started to prophesy, or bear witness, concerning the wonderful things they had seen and heard. To a multitude that soon gathered, the apostle Peter explained the significance of what had happened. Then he told his audience: “Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit.” Altogether about 3,000 accepted the invitation that day, were baptized, and received the promised holy spirit.—Acts 2:37, 38, 41.
4. (a) Why should we be interested in what happened at Pentecost? (b) What other important event may have happened on the same day many years earlier? (See endnote.)
4 Why is Pentecost 33 C.E. so important to us? Certainly not because of what happened at the temple in Jerusalem. Rather, because Jesus Christ, as the great High Priest, fulfilled that prophetic pattern.[1] The high priest offered two symbolic loaves to Jehovah on that day. The leavened loaves offered at the temple represented the anointed disciples who were taken from sinful mankind to become God’s adopted sons. Thus the way was opened up for some “firstfruits” from mankind eventually to go to heaven and be included in the Kingdom that will bring countless blessings to the rest of obedient mankind. (Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 2:9) So whether it is our hope to make our home in heaven with Jesus or to live forever on a paradise earth, our lives are deeply affected by the events of that day!
HOW THE ANOINTING PROCESS WORKS
5. How do we know that not all those who are anointed receive their anointing in exactly the same way?
5 If you were one of the disciples who had what appeared to be a tongue of fire rest on his head, you would never forget that day. There would be no question in your mind that you were anointed by holy spirit, especially if you also received the miraculous gift of speaking in a foreign language. (Acts 2:6-12) But do all those who are anointed by holy spirit receive their anointing in the same spectacular manner as that first group of about 120 disciples did? No. The rest of those who were present in Jerusalem that day received their anointing at their baptism. (Acts 2:38) There was no tongue as if of fire above their heads. Furthermore, not all anointed Christians receive their anointing at their baptism. The Samaritans received their anointing by holy spirit sometime after their baptism. (Acts 8:14-17) On the other hand, in an exceptional instance, Cornelius and his household were anointed by holy spirit even before they were baptized.—Acts 10:44-48.
6. What do all anointed ones receive, and how does this affect them?
6 So not all are anointed in exactly the same manner. Some may have had a rather sudden realization of their calling, while others experienced a more gradual realization. However, no matter how this anointing takes place, each one has what the apostle Paul described: “After you believed, you were sealed by means of him with the promised holy spirit, which is a token in advance of our inheritance.” (Eph. 1:13, 14) This special operation of holy spirit becomes like a down payment, a guarantee (or, a pledge) of what is to come. An anointed Christian gains an inner conviction because of this token that he or she has received.—Read 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22; 5:5.
7. What must each anointed Christian do to receive his reward in heaven?
7 Does the Christian who receives this token have a guaranteed future in heaven? No. That person is sure of his invitation. But whether he finally receives his reward in heaven or not depends on his proving faithful to his calling. Peter explained it this way: “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and choosing sure for yourselves, for if you keep on doing these things, you will by no means ever fail. In fact, in this way you will be richly granted entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet. 1:10, 11) Each anointed Christian must, therefore, struggle to remain faithful. If he does not, his heavenly calling, or invitation, will be of no value to him.—Heb. 3:1; Rev. 2:10.
HOW DOES SOMEONE KNOW?
8, 9. (a) Why is it difficult for most people to understand what happens when someone is anointed? (b) How does a person know that he has been invited to go to heaven?
8 The vast majority of God’s servants today may find this anointing process difficult to comprehend, and rightly so. It is not something that they experience. God’s original purpose was for mankind to live forever here on earth. (Gen. 1:28; Ps. 37:29) The selection of some to go to heaven to rule as kings and priests is not the norm. It is an exceptional arrangement. This calling causes a profound change in the thinking, outlook, and hope of a person when he is anointed.—Read Ephesians 1:18.
9 But how does a person know that he has the heavenly calling, that he has, in fact, received this special token? The answer is clearly seen in Paul’s words to the anointed brothers in Rome, who were “called to be holy ones.” He told them: “You did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: ‘Abba, Father!’ The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Rom. 1:7; 8:15, 16) Simply put, by means of his holy spirit, God makes it clear to that person that he is invited to become a future heir in the Kingdom arrangement.—1 Thess. 2:12.
10. What does 1 John 2:27 mean when it says that an anointed Christian does not need someone else to teach him?
10 Those who have received this special invitation from God do not need another witness from any other source. They do not need someone else to verify what has happened to them. Jehovah leaves no doubt whatsoever in their minds and hearts. The apostle John tells such anointed Christians: “You have an anointing from the holy one, and all of you have knowledge.” He further states: “As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to be teaching you; but the anointing from him is teaching you about all things and is true and is no lie. Just as it has taught you, remain in union with him.” (1 John 2:20, 27) These ones need spiritual instruction just like everyone else. But they do not need anyone to validate their anointing. The most powerful force in the universe has given them this conviction!
EXPERIENCING THE “NEW BIRTH”
11, 12. What might an anointed Christian wonder, but what does he never doubt?
11 When the holy spirit imparts this conviction, the Christian who is anointed undergoes tremendous changes. Jesus referred to this inner process as being “born again,” or being “born from above.”[2] (John 3:3, 5; ftn.) He explained further: “Do not be amazed because I told you: You people must be born again. The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who has been born from the spirit.” (John 3:7, 8) Clearly, it is impossible to explain fully this personal calling to those who have not experienced it.
12 Those who have been invited in such a manner may wonder: ‘Why have I been selected? Why me and not someone else?’ They may even question their own worthiness. But they do not question the fact that they have been invited. Their hearts are bursting with joy and appreciation. They feel much as did Peter when he said under inspiration: “Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for according to his great mercy he gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance. It is reserved in the heavens for you.” (1 Pet. 1:3, 4) When anointed ones read those words, they know without any doubt whatsoever that their heavenly Father is speaking to them personally.
13. How does the way a person thinks change when he is anointed by holy spirit, and what causes this change?
13 Before receiving this personal witness from God’s spirit, these Christians cherished an earthly hope. They longed for the time when Jehovah would cleanse this earth, and they wanted to be part of that blessed future. Perhaps they even pictured themselves welcoming back their loved ones from the grave. They looked forward to living in the homes that they built and eating the fruitage of trees that they planted. (Isa. 65:21-23) Why did their thinking change? They did not become dissatisfied with that hope. They did not change their mind because of emotional stress or turmoil. They did not give up on this earth, as if they suddenly felt that they would find living forever on earth to be tiresome or boring; nor did they merely want to explore some new frontier in heaven. Rather, they changed because of the operation of God’s spirit that not only called, or invited, them but also changed their thinking and hope.
14. How do anointed ones feel about their life here on earth?
14 Should we conclude, then, that these anointed ones want to die? Paul was inspired to answer this way: “In fact, we who are in this tent groan, being weighed down, because we do not want to put this one off, but we want to put the other on, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” (2 Cor. 5:4) They have not lost interest in this life, wanting it to end quickly. On the contrary, they are eager to use each day in Jehovah’s service together with friends and relatives. Yet, no matter what they are doing, they cannot help but remember the glorious hope that they have for the future.—1 Cor. 15:53; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 John 3:2, 3; Rev. 20:6.
HAVE YOU BEEN CALLED?
15. What does not prove that a person has been anointed by holy spirit?
15 Perhaps you are wondering if you have received this wonderful invitation. If you think that you might have, ponder some important questions. Do you feel that you have more than average zeal in the ministry? Are you a keen student of God’s Word who loves to delve into “the deep things of God”? (1 Cor. 2:10) Have you seen Jehovah’s special blessing on your ministry? Do you have a burning desire to do Jehovah’s will? Do you have a deep inner feeling of responsibility to help others spiritually? Have you seen proof that Jehovah has personally intervened in your life? If you answer these questions with a resounding yes, does this mean that you now have the heavenly calling? No, it does not. Why not? Because these are not unique feelings experienced only by those who have the heavenly calling. Jehovah’s spirit works with equal force in those who have the hope of living forever on earth. In fact, if you are wondering whether you have received the heavenly calling, that would in itself indicate that you have not received it. Those called by Jehovah do not wonder whether they have been invited or not! They know!
16. How do we know that not all those who have received God’s spirit have been invited to go to heaven?
16 Throughout the Scriptures, we see many examples of men of faith who were deeply moved by holy spirit; yet they did not have the hope of living in heaven. John the Baptist was one such person. Jesus highly praised him but stated that John would not be included in the heavenly Kingdom. (Matt. 11:10, 11) David was likewise moved by holy spirit. (1 Sam. 16:13) He was a man of great spiritual depth and was even inspired to write sections of the Bible. (Mark 12:36) Still, at Pentecost, Peter said of David that he “did not ascend to the heavens.” (Acts 2:34) Holy spirit worked mightily in such ones, but it did not give them the special witness that they had been selected for heavenly life. That did not mean that they were in some way unworthy or deficient. It simply meant that Jehovah would resurrect them to life on a paradise earth.—John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15.
17, 18. (a) What reward do most of God’s servants look forward to today? (b) What questions will we consider in the next article?
17 The vast majority of God’s servants today do not have this heavenly calling. They entertain the same hope as did David, John the Baptist, and other faithful men and women of old. Like Abraham, they look forward to living as subjects under the Kingdom arrangement. (Heb. 11:10) Only a remnant of those selected for heavenly life remains here on earth in this time of the end. (Rev. 12:17) This means that the majority of the 144,000 chosen ones have already died faithfully.
18 So, then, how should those with an earthly hope view anyone who claims to have the heavenly hope? If someone in your congregation starts to partake of the emblems at the Lord’s Evening Meal, how should you react? Should you be concerned with any increase in the number of those who claim to have the heavenly calling? These questions will be answered in the next article.
^ [1] (paragraph 4) Pentecost possibly corresponded to the time when the Law was given at Sinai. (Ex. 19:1) If that is the case, then just as Moses was used to bring Israel into the Law covenant on that day, so Jesus Christ now brought a new nation, spiritual Israel, into the new covenant on the same day.
^ [2] (paragraph 11) For further explanation of what it means to be born again, see The Watchtower, April 1, 2009, pp. 3-11. |
Blood brochure (hb)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/blood-brochure-hb | Quality Alternatives to Transfusion
You might feel, ‘Transfusions are hazardous, but are there any high-quality alternatives?’ A good question, and note the word “quality.”
Everyone, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, wants effective medical care of high quality. Dr. Grant E. Steffen noted two key elements: “Quality medical care is the capacity of the elements of that care to achieve legitimate medical and nonmedical goals.” (The Journal of the American Medical Association, July 1, 1988) “Nonmedical goals” would include not violating the ethics or Bible-based conscience of the patient.—Acts 15:28, 29.
Are there legitimate and effective ways to manage serious medical problems without using blood? Happily, the answer is yes.
Though most surgeons have claimed that they gave blood only when absolutely necessary, after the AIDS epidemic arose their use of blood dropped rapidly. An editorial in Mayo Clinic Proceedings (September 1988) said that “one of the few benefits of the epidemic” was that it “resulted in various strategies on the part of patients and physicians to avoid blood transfusion.” A blood-bank official explains: “What has changed is the intensity of the message, the receptivity of clinicians to the message (because of an increased perception of risks), and the demand for consideration of alternatives.”—Transfusion Medicine Reviews, October 1989.
Note, there are alternatives! This becomes understandable when we review why blood is transfused.
The hemoglobin in the red cells carries oxygen needed for good health and life. So if a person has lost a lot of blood, it might seem logical just to replace it. Normally you have about 14 or 15 grams of hemoglobin in every 100 cubic centimeters of blood. (Another measure of the concentration is hematocrit, which is commonly about 45 percent.) The accepted “rule” was to transfuse a patient before surgery if his hemoglobin was below 10 (or 30 percent hematocrit). The Swiss journal Vox Sanguinis (March 1987) reported that “65% of [anesthesiologists] required patients to have a preoperative hemoglobin of 10 gm/dl for elective surgery.”
But at a 1988 conference on blood transfusion, Professor Howard L. Zauder asked, “How Did We Get a ‘Magic Number’?” He stated clearly: “The etiology of the requirement that a patient have 10 grams of hemoglobin (Hgb) prior to receiving an anesthetic is cloaked in tradition, shrouded in obscurity, and unsubstantiated by clinical or experimental evidence.” Imagine the many thousands of patients whose transfusions were triggered by an ‘obscure, unsubstantiated’ requirement!
Some might wonder, ‘Why is a hemoglobin level of 14 normal if you can get by on much less?’ Well, you thus have considerable reserve oxygen-carrying capacity so that you are ready for exercise or heavy work. Studies of anemic patients even reveal that “it is difficult to detect a deficit in work capacity with hemoglobin concentrations as low as 7 g/dl. Others have found evidence of only moderately impaired function.”—Contemporary Transfusion Practice, 1987.
While adults accommodate a low hemoglobin level, what of children? Dr. James A. Stockman III says: “With few exceptions, infants born prematurely will experience a decline in hemoglobin in the first one to three months . . . The indications for transfusion in the nursery setting are not well defined. Indeed, many infants seem to tolerate remarkably low levels of hemoglobin concentration with no apparent clinical difficulties.”—Pediatric Clinics of North America, February 1986.
Such information does not mean that nothing need be done when a person loses a lot of blood in an accident or during surgery. If the loss is rapid and great, a person’s blood pressure drops, and he may go into shock. What is primarily needed is that the bleeding be stopped and the volume in his system be restored. That will serve to prevent shock and keep the remaining red cells and other components in circulation.
Volume replacement can be accomplished without using whole blood or blood plasma.a Various nonblood fluids are effective volume expanders. The simplest is saline (salt) solution, which is both inexpensive and compatible with our blood. There are also fluids with special properties, such as dextran, Haemaccel, and lactated Ringer’s solution. Hetastarch (HES) is a newer volume expander, and “it can be safely recommended for those [burn] patients who object to blood products.” (Journal of Burn Care & Rehabilitation, January/February 1989) Such fluids have definite advantages. “Crystalloid solutions [such as normal saline and lactated Ringer’s solution], Dextran and HES are relatively nontoxic and inexpensive, readily available, can be stored at room temperature, require no compatibility testing and are free of the risk of transfusion-transmitted disease.”—Blood Transfusion Therapy—A Physician’s Handbook, 1989.
You may ask, though, ‘Why do nonblood replacement fluids work well, since I need red cells to get oxygen throughout my body?’ As mentioned, you have oxygen-carrying reserves. If you lose blood, marvelous compensatory mechanisms start up. Your heart pumps more blood with each beat. Since the lost blood was replaced with a suitable fluid, the now diluted blood flows more easily, even in the small vessels. As a result of chemical changes, more oxygen is released to the tissues. These adaptations are so effective that if only half of your red cells remain, oxygen delivery may be about 75 percent of normal. A patient at rest uses only 25 percent of the oxygen available in his blood. And most general anesthetics reduce the body’s need for oxygen.
HOW CAN DOCTORS HELP?
Skilled physicians can help one who has lost blood and so has fewer red cells. Once volume is restored, doctors can administer oxygen at high concentration. This makes more of it available for the body and has often had remarkable results. British doctors used this with a woman who had lost so much blood that “her haemoglobin fell to 1.8 g/dlitre. She was successfully treated . . . [with] high inspired oxygen concentrations and transfusions of large volumes of gelatin solution [Haemaccel].” (Anaesthesia, January 1987) The report also says that others with acute blood loss have been successfully treated in hyperbaric oxygen chambers.
Physicians can also help their patients to form more red cells. How? By giving them iron-containing preparations (into muscles or veins), which can aid the body in making red cells three to four times faster than normal. Recently another help has become available. Your kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin (EPO), which stimulates bone marrow to form red cells. Now synthetic (recombinant) EPO is available. Doctors may give this to some anemic patients, thus helping them to form replacement red cells very quickly.
Even during surgery, skilled and conscientious surgeons and anesthesiologists can help by employing advanced blood-conservation methods. Meticulous operative technique, such as electrocautery to minimize bleeding, cannot be overstressed. Sometimes blood flowing into a wound can be aspirated, filtered, and directed back into circulation.b
Patients on a heart-lung machine primed with a nonblood fluid may benefit from the resulting hemodilution, fewer red cells being lost.
And there are other ways to help. Cooling a patient to lessen his oxygen needs during surgery. Hypotensive anesthesia. Therapy to improve coagulation. Desmopressin (DDAVP) to shorten bleeding time. Laser “scalpels.” You will see the list grow as physicians and concerned patients seek to avoid blood transfusions. We hope that you never lose a great amount of blood. But if you did, it is very likely that skilled doctors could manage your care without using blood transfusions, which have so many risks.
SURGERY, YES—BUT WITHOUT TRANSFUSIONS
Many people today will not accept blood. For health reasons, they are requesting what Witnesses seek primarily on religious grounds: quality medical care employing alternative nonblood management. As we have noted, major surgery is still possible. If you have any lingering doubts, some other evidence from medical literature may dispel them.
The article “Quadruple Major Joint Replacement in Member of Jehovah’s Witnesses” (Orthopaedic Review, August 1986) told of an anemic patient with “advanced destruction in both knees and hips.” Iron dextran was employed before and after the staged surgery, which was successful. The British Journal of Anaesthesia (1982) reported on a 52-year-old Witness with a hemoglobin level under 10. With the use of hypotensive anesthesia to minimize blood loss, she had a total hip and shoulder replacement. A surgical team at the University of Arkansas (U.S.A.) also used this method in a hundred hip replacements on Witnesses, and all the patients recovered. The professor heading the department comments: “What we have learned from those (Witness) patients, we now apply to all our patients that we do total hips on.”
The conscience of some Witnesses permits them to accept organ transplants if done without blood. A report of 13 kidney transplants concluded: “The overall results suggest that renal transplantation can be safely and efficaciously applied to most Jehovah’s Witnesses.” (Transplantation, June 1988) Likewise, refusal of blood has not stood in the way even of successful heart transplants.
‘What about bloodless surgery of other types?’ you may wonder. Medical Hotline (April/May 1983) told of surgery on “Jehovah’s Witnesses who underwent major gynecological and obstetric operations [at Wayne State University, U.S.A.] without blood transfusions.” The newsletter reported: “There were no more deaths and complications than in women who had undergone similar operations with blood transfusions.” The newsletter then commented: “The results of this study may warrant a fresh look at the use of blood for all women undergoing obstetric and gynecological operations.”
At the hospital of Göttingen University (Germany), 30 patients who declined blood underwent general surgery. “No complications arose that could not also have arisen with patients who accept blood transfusions. . . . That recourse to a transfusion is not possible should not be overrated, and thus should not lead to refraining from an operation that is necessary and surgically justifiable.”—Risiko in der Chirurgie, 1987.
Even brain surgery without using blood has been done on numerous adults and children, for instance, at New York University Medical Center. In 1989 Dr. Joseph Ransohoff, head of neurosurgery, wrote: “It is very clear that in most instances avoidance of blood products can be achieved with minimal risk in patients who have religious tenets against the use of these products, particularly if surgery can be carried out expeditiously and with a relatively short operative period. Of considerable interest is the fact that I often forget that the patient is a Witness until at the time of discharge when they thank me for having respected their religious beliefs.”
Finally, can intricate heart and vascular surgery without blood be performed on adults and children? Dr. Denton A. Cooley was a pioneer in doing just that. As you can see in the medical article reprinted in the Appendix, on pages 27-9, based on an earlier analysis, Dr. Cooley’s conclusion was “that the risk of surgery in patients of the Jehovah’s Witness group has not been substantially higher than for others.” Now, after performing 1,106 of these operations, he writes: “In every instance my agreement or contract with the patient is maintained,” that is, to use no blood.
Surgeons have observed that good attitude is another factor with Jehovah’s Witnesses. “The attitude of these patients has been exemplary,” wrote Dr. Cooley in October 1989. “They do not have the fear of complications or even death that most patients have. They have a deep and abiding faith in their belief and in their God.”
This does not mean that they assert a right to die. They actively pursue quality care because they want to get well. They are convinced that obeying God’s law on blood is wise, which view has a positive influence in nonblood surgery.
Professor Dr. V. Schlosser, of the surgical hospital at the University of Freiburg (Germany), noted: “Among this group of patients, the incidence of bleeding during the perioperative period was not higher; the complications were, if anything, fewer. The special view of illness, typical of Jehovah’s Witnesses, had a positive influence in the perioperative process.”—Herz Kreislauf, August 1987.
[Footnotes]
a Witnesses do not accept transfusions of whole blood, red cells, white cells, platelets, or blood plasma. As to minor fractions, such as immune globulin, see The Watchtower of June 1, 1990, pages 30-1.
b The Watchtower of March 1, 1989, pages 30-1, considers Bible principles that bear on methods of blood salvage and on blood-circulating (extracorporeal) equipment.
[Box on page 13]
“We must conclude that currently there are many patients receiving blood components who have no chance for a benefit from transfusion (the blood is not needed) and yet still have a significant risk of undesired effect. No physician would knowingly expose a patient to a therapy that cannot help but might hurt, but that is exactly what occurs when blood is transfused unnecessarily.”—“Transfusion-Transmitted Viral Diseases,” 1987.
[Box on page 14]
“Some authors have stated that hemoglobin values as low as 2 to 2.5 gm./100ml. may be acceptable. . . . A healthy person may tolerate a 50 percent loss of red blood cell mass and be almost entirely asymptomatic if blood loss occurs over a period of time.”—“Techniques of Blood Transfusion,” 1982.
[Box on page 15]
“Older concepts about oxygen transport to tissues, wound healing, and ‘nutritional value’ of blood are being abandoned. Experience with patients who are Jehovah’s Witnesses demonstrates that severe anemia is well tolerated.”—“The Annals of Thoracic Surgery,” March 1989.
[Box on page 16]
Little children too? “Forty-eight pediatric open heart surgical procedures were performed with bloodless techniques regardless of surgical complexity.” The children were as small as 10.3 pounds (4.7 kg). “Because of consistent success in Jehovah’s Witnesses and the fact that blood transfusion carries a risk of serious complications, we are currently performing most of our pediatric cardiac operations without transfusion.”—“Circulation,” September 1984.
[Picture on page 15]
The heart-lung machine has been a great help in heart surgery on patients who do not want blood |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 197
Make Melody to Jehovah!
(Psalm 47:6)
1. This melody we make to God,
Acting with due discretion.
His worthy Son by His decree
Of earth now takes possession.
We shout in triumph, clap our hands.
So much has God done for us!
Our voices swell in joyful praise
In a united chorus.
Since Christ, as Lord, God has enthroned,
Nations his pow’r must feel.
His righteous rule has now begun.
We make this known with zeal.
2. We live in times of great distress,
Sorrow, and tribulation;
Compared these are to wintertime,
Marked by much desolation.
But Christ’s Millennial Reign draws near;
Soon will be gone all badness.
A paradise will clothe the earth.
Then all will sing with gladness.
Thus, we await the blessed day
When God makes all things new.
To realize this glorious hope,
Righteousness we pursue.
3. Jehovah mighty acts performs.
Nations with fear are viewing
How well our God takes care of those
Who witness work are doing.
For God is King of all the earth,
Blessings to us he’s bringing.
So melody to him we make.
Yes, from our hearts we’re singing.
Dear brothers, let us, one and all,
Keep praising God with songs.
He sits upon his great white throne;
Honor to him belongs. |
‘Know Jehovah’ (kj)
1971 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/kj | Chapter 2
His Own People Had to Know Who He Is
1. At the disaster for the Egyptians and the triumph for their former slaves, what did each nation respectively come to know?
TRULY Egypt must have taken a slump as the leading military power of that ancient day. When the news of this disaster reached the Egyptians who had been left back home, they should have known at last that the God of their former slaves was Jehovah, the one living and true God. As for the liberated Israelites, at this triumphant hour they were able to appreciate what their God had said to Moses concerning them: “I shall certainly take you to me as a people, and I shall indeed prove to be God to you; and you will certainly know that I am Jehovah your God who is bringing you out from under the burdens of Egypt.” (Exodus 6:7) Now they could appreciate God’s name as even their forefathers had never been able to appreciate it, just as he had also said to Moses: “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty. But I did not let myself be known to them by my name JEHOVAH.”—Exodus 6:2, 3, New English Bible of 1970.
2. To whom were the liberated Israelites now under obligation to become witnesses, and concerning what?
2 Now the responsibility was upon those liberated Israelites to serve as witnesses to their descendants. They had come under obligation to serve as Jehovah’s witnesses to their offspring, just as he had said to Moses before striking Egypt with the eighth plague, the plague of locusts: “Go in to Pharaoh, because I—I have let his heart and the hearts of his servants become unresponsive, in order that I may set these signs of mine right before him, and in order that you may declare in the ears of your son and your son’s son how severely I have dealt with Egypt and my signs that I have established among them; and you will certainly know that I am Jehovah.” (Exodus 10:1, 2) Good reason there now was for him to say to that nation, through his prophet Isaiah about eight hundred years later:
3. Good reason there now was for Jehovah to say what to the liberated nation, in Isaiah 43:1-12?
3 “And now this is what Jehovah has said, your Creator, O Jacob, and your Former, O Israel: ‘Do not be afraid, for I have repurchased you. I have called you by your name. You are mine. In case you should pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not flood over you. In case you should walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, neither will the flame itself singe you. For I am Jehovah your God, the Holy One of Israel your Savior. . . . You are my witnesses,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘even my servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and have faith in me, and that you may understand that I am the same One. Before me there was no God formed [by the idolatrous nations], and after me there continued to be none. I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior. I myself have told forth and have saved and have caused it to be heard, when there was among you no strange god. So you are my witnesses,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and I am God.’”—Isaiah 43:1-12.
4. During their long journey through the fiery wilderness, whom did the Israelites learn their Provider to be, and in what way?
4 As matters turned out, the liberated nation of Israel had yet to go through the fiery desert on their way to the Promised Land. As this wilderness was no “land of milk and honey,” as the Promised Land was reported to be, the nation of his witnesses needed to learn to know Jehovah as the One who could provide for their needs all along the way. Think of providing food and water supplies for several millions of people and their livestock out in the wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula! About a month after they had left Egypt and the people were disposed to murmur about the matter of food, Jehovah declared that he would not let his name be reproached in this regard by saying to Moses: “I have heard the murmurings of the sons of Israel. Speak to them, saying, ‘Between the two evenings you will eat meat and in the morning you will be satisfied with bread; and you will certainly know that I am Jehovah your God.’” Thus they learned to know him as their Provider and Sustainer when he sent an abundant supply of quail in the evening and the miraculous manna in the morning. (Exodus 16:1-18) Throughout the four decades of their journey to the Promised Land of milk and honey, Jehovah regularly provided for them the life-sustaining manna. It was no ordinary bread.
5, 6. God’s provision for Israel in the wilderness should have caused them to know what, and yet at the end of their journey what could be said about their heart, eyes and ears?
5 What if we of today were to have forty years of private experience with God our Creator just as the Israelites had it back there in that Middle Eastern wilderness? Would our hearts then become warmed with affection for the knowledge that God imparted? Would our eyes get to the point of seeing with understanding and appreciation what God was doing and would our ears hear what God says with an inclination to obey? Would we feel that now we knew God our Creator? We ought to do so. And yet, toward the end of the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the prophet Moses summed up the effect of God’s dealings upon the Israelites, when Moses said to them:
6 “And yet Jehovah has not given you a heart to know and eyes to see and ears to hear down to this day. ‘While I kept guiding you forty years in the wilderness, your garments did not wear out upon you, and your sandal did not wear out upon your foot. Bread you did not eat, and wine and intoxicating liquor you did not drink, in order that you might know that I am Jehovah your God.’”—Deuteronomy 29:1-6.
7, 8. At Rephidim in the wilderness, how did the Israelites learn who their Protector was, and how did the name of the newly built altar confirm this?
7 Early in this forty years of intimate experience with God they should have learned to know him as their Protector against violent enemies. In the second month of their journeying by stages in the wilderness they came to Rephidim. There they could have made the observation that, although they themselves might fight in self-defense, it is their God that gives them the victory over their foes. How so? What happened there? Let us read:
8 “The Amalekites came and attacked Israel at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, ‘Pick your men, and march out tomorrow to fight for us against Amalek; and I will take my stand on the hill-top with the staff of God in my hand.’ Joshua carried out his orders and fought against Amalek while Moses, Aaron and Hur climbed to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses raised his hands Israel had the advantage, and when he lowered his hands Amalek had the advantage. But when his arms grew heavy they took a stone and put it under him and, as he sat, Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady till sunset. Thus Joshua defeated Amalek and put its people to the sword. The LORD said to Moses, ‘Record this in writing, and tell it to Joshua in these words: “I am resolved to blot out all memory of Amalek from under heaven.”’ Moses built an altar, and named it Jehovah-nissi and said, ‘My oath upon it: the LORD is at war with Amalek generation after generation.’”—Exodus 17:8-16, New English Bible. (The name “Jehovah-nissi” means “Jehovah Is My Signal Pole.”)
9. According to later history of the Amalekites, to whom is it better to gather as to a signal pole?
9 It took generations, in fact, centuries, as history shows, to wipe out the last of the Amalekites, the traditional enemies of God’s people. Jehovah’s resolve against them was not frustrated. So history proves that it is better to gather to Jehovah as our Signal Pole rather than to rally to the aid of those who are the foes of Him and his people. We will do this if we know him.
THE SORT OF GOD THAT HE IS
10. At Mount Sinai, what showed the criticalness of the situation because of the breaking of the First and Second Commandments?
10 All these historical experiences help us to appreciate what kind of God this Jehovah is. On one critical occasion he gave to Moses a description of what sort of God he is. This happened in about the fourth month after the Israelites had left their slavery in Egypt. While still at Mount Sinai thousands of the Israelites broke the first two of the Ten Commandments by committing idolatry with a golden calf. Moses as the mediator for the nation had to intercede for them to make sure that God’s presence would continue with them in their journey through the wilderness. Then, while up in the mountain with God’s angel, Moses made a request, and God favored Moses with a special revelation concerning the divine Name. As regards this, we read:
11. At Moses’ request up in the mountain, what proclamation concerning God’s name was made?
11 “And Moses prayed, ‘Show me thy glory.’ The LORD answered, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will pronounce in your hearing the Name JEHOVAH. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’ . . . And the LORD came down in the cloud and took his place beside him and pronounced the Name JEHOVAH. Then the LORD passed in front of him and called aloud, ‘JEHOVAH, the LORD, a god compassionate and gracious, long-suffering, ever constant and true, maintaining constancy to thousands, forgiving iniquity, rebellion, and sin, and not sweeping the guilty clean away; but one who punishes sons and grandsons to the third and fourth generation for the iniquity of their fathers!’”—Exodus 33:18 to 34:7, New English Bible. (In this Bible where the expression “The LORD” occurs it also stands for the Hebrew name of God, “Jehovah.”) Also, see Acts 7:37, 38, 53; Galatians 3:19.
12. What does such a God have the just right to command all his creatures to render to him, and what arrangements for this were made among the Israelites in the wilderness?
12 The above-given qualities distinguish Jehovah from all the so-called gods whom men and nations have worshiped. Moses was deeply moved to worship such a God as Jehovah. What reasonable person, with a proper appreciation, would not want to worship a God such as Jehovah is? He deserves to be worshiped. He has the exclusive and just right to command to be worshiped by all his creatures in heaven and on earth. He required of the Israelites whom he had liberated from oppressive Egypt to worship him. He had a sacred tent of meeting constructed at which his chosen people could worship him out in the wilderness. He provided a priesthood for them in the family of Aaron, the brother of Moses. He prescribed a list of sacrifices that they could offer to him on certain occasions and for certain reasons, these sacrifices having a special meaning and pointing forward to the Great Sacrifice that Jehovah would provide in due time to take away the sin of the whole world of mankind. Concerning this sacred tent of meeting and its priesthood, God said to Moses:
13. By God’s sanctifying the tent of meeting, its altar and its priesthood, what would the Israelites come to know?
13 “And I will present myself there to the sons of Israel, and it will certainly be sanctified by my glory. And I will sanctify the tent of meeting and the altar; and I shall sanctify Aaron and his sons for them to act as priests to me. And I will tabernacle in the midst of the sons of Israel, and I will prove to be their God. And they will certainly know that I am Jehovah their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I may tabernacle in the midst of them. I am Jehovah their God.”—Exodus 29:43-46.
14. Centuries later, with what was that tent of meeting replaced, and for what did the builder thereof pray?
14 This transportable tent of meeting was replaced centuries later by a stationary temple built on Mount Moriah in the city of Jerusalem. King Solomon, the son of David of Bethlehem, was the builder of it, during the years 1034-1027 before our Common Era. Jehovah sanctified this temple as a place of worship just as he had done with the tent of meeting constructed by Moses. (1 Kings 6:1-38) King Solomon prayed that this might be so, and concerning the divine response to his prayer, we read, in 1 Kings 9:2, 3:
15. With what words did Jehovah respond to Solomon’s prayer respecting the temple?
15 “Then Jehovah appeared to Solomon the second time, the same as he had appeared to him in Gibeon. And Jehovah went on to say to him: ‘I have heard your prayer and your request for favor with which you requested favor before me. I have sanctified this house that you have built by putting my name there to time indefinite; and my eyes and my heart will certainly prove to be there always.’”
16. Properly, who was interested in what went on there at the temple, and why?
16 For that reason the name of Jehovah became associated with that temple at Jerusalem, and even far distant nations came to know this. Properly Jehovah was highly interested in what went on there at that temple, forasmuch as this would reflect upon his holy name. It was no light offense for anyone to defile his temple.
ISRAEL AND SYRIA WERE MADE TO KNOW WHO HE IS
17. Because of Solomon’s unfaithfulness, what new kingdom was established, and how did Jehovah still give it reason to know who he is?
17 Because the temple builder, King Solomon, turned unfaithful to Jehovah in his old age, God ripped ten of the twelve tribes of Israel away from Solomon’s son and successor, Rehoboam. Thus he permitted a ten-tribe Kingdom of Israel to be set up with a different royal capital city. This new kingdom quickly turned away from the worship of Jehovah at his temple in Jerusalem and established the worship of golden calves at the cities of Dan and Bethel, in the year 997 B.C.E. Fifty-seven years later Ahab the son of wicked King Omri became king of those ten tribes of Israel. He went still farther in idolatry by marrying the daughter of a foreign priest of the false god Baal and setting up Baal worship in his capital city, Samaria. (1 Kings 16:29-32) Not desiring this ten-tribe kingdom to forget him completely, Jehovah sent his prophets to them and still gave the idolatrous kingdom reason to know that he is Jehovah the God of their forefathers.
18, 19. When Ben-hadad of Syria and his allies came to attack Samaria, what message did Jehovah’s prophet give to King Ahab?
18 In the days of King Ahab there came occasions for this. Ben-hadad the king of Syria, together with thirty-two kings in league with him, came with a tremendous military force and laid siege to the capital city of Samaria. After some unsatisfactory negotiations with King Ahab, the Syrians and allies set themselves to attack Samaria with full force. Then what happened?
19 “And, look! a certain prophet approached Ahab the king of Israel and then said: ‘This is what Jehovah has said, “Have you seen all this great crowd? Here I am giving it into your hand today, and you will certainly know that I am Jehovah.”’”—1 Kings 20:1-13.
20. Whom did the Israelites then learn the God of victory to be, but what forewarning was now given to King Ahab?
20 Under the direct command of King Ahab, who was designated by Jehovah, the besieged Israelites moved out to the attack and were enabled to cause a great slaughter of the Syrians. King Ben-hadad of Syria managed to escape on horseback together with his horsemen. What a reason for the ten-tribe Kingdom of Israel to know that the God of victory is Jehovah! However, Jehovah knew that the Syrians had not learned their lesson but would misinterpret their humiliating defeat and that therefore King Ben-hadad would muster up new military forces and resume the attack on Samaria in the following year. By means of a prophet Jehovah mercifully forewarned King Ahab of this and told him to strengthen himself for this in advance.—1 Kings 20:22-25.
21. At King Ben-hadad’s return in force, why did God say that he would intervene this time for the Israelites?
21 Jehovah’s prophecy did not fail, for in the following year King Ben-hadad did come back with apparently overwhelming military forces, to fight against the God of Israel, this time on the level land. “And,” says the historic record, “the sons of Israel went into camp in front of them like two tiny flocks of goats, while the Syrians, for their part, filled the earth. Then the man of the true God approached and said to the king of Israel, yes, he went on to say: ‘This is what Jehovah has said, “For the reason that the Syrians have said: ‘Jehovah is a God of mountains, and he is not a God of low plains,’ I shall have to give all this great crowd into your hand, and you men will certainly know that I am Jehovah.”’”—1 Kings 20:26-28.
22. How did the later battle engagement turn out, and why did King Ahab return to Samaria dejected?
22 A week later the battle engagement took place, and the Syrians were proved wrong in their estimate of Jehovah. In one day the Israelites whom He was backing slaughtered a hundred thousand Syrian footmen and, by no mere accident, a wall of the city of Aphek to which the surviving Syrians had fled fell down upon twenty-seven thousand of them and killed them. The defeated King Ben-hadad felt obliged to hand himself over to the victors and trust to their tender mercies. Because King Ahab did not put the finishing touch to this God-given victory by acting as Jehovah’s executioner and killing the God-defying King Ben-hadad, Jehovah expressed his disapproval of King Ahab. Because King Ahab now had reason to believe that what Jehovah’s prophet said would come in punishment for this failure, King Ahab returned to Samaria, not flushed with victory, but dejected.—1 Kings 20:29-43.
23, 24. What national calamity did the ten-tribe Kingdom of Israel finally suffer, and what does 2 Kings 18:11, 12 state to be the reason why?
23 The national outcome to the ten-tribe Kingdom of Israel stands as a solemn warning to the nations of Christendom today. Because the Israelites failed to profit religiously from having learned that the God of salvation is Jehovah, they suffered national disaster in the year 740 B.C.E. In that year, because of their continuing to worship false gods and to violate the commandments of Jehovah, their ruin as an independent nation was consummated with the destruction of their capital city, not by the Syrians, but by the then Second World Power, Assyria. The surviving Israelites were carried off into exile in the distant provinces of Assyria, where the prophets of Jehovah did not visit them. Thus the Jehovah-forsaking Kingdom of Israel lasted for only 257 years. The nations of Christendom today have no reason for mistaking why this national calamity befell the ten-tribe Kingdom of Israel, for the inspired prophet and Bible writer (Jeremiah) states why, saying:
24 “Over the fact that they had not listened to the voice of Jehovah their God, but kept overstepping his covenant, even all that Moses the servant of Jehovah had commanded. They neither listened nor performed.”—2 Kings 18:11, 12.
BABYLON AND OTHER NATIONS HAD TO KNOW HIM
25. What did the prophet Isaiah foretell about the exile of the people of the Kingdom of Judah and of their restoration to their homeland?
25 The sister kingdom composed of the two remaining tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with capital at Jerusalem, continued on for 133 years more. In this kingdom of Judah Jehovah raised up his prophet Isaiah more than thirty-five years before the destruction of Samaria by Assyria, the Second World Power. Under inspiration of the spirit of Jehovah the prophet Isaiah foretold that in course of time Jerusalem also would be destroyed by the next world power, Babylon, and that the land of Judah would be left lying desolate because the surviving inhabitants would be carried off into exile in Babylonia. But in Jehovah’s due time Babylon itself would be overthrown as the Third World Power, and the conquering king, Cyrus, whom Isaiah foretold by name, would let the Jewish exiles return to their homeland and cultivate it again to become like a paradise. The returned exiles were also to rebuild the holy city of Jerusalem and its temple for the worship of Jehovah. (Isaiah 44:24 to 45:7; 35:1-10) Using this bringing back of the Jewish exiles as a prophetic picture of something still greater to occur in our own twentieth century, Isaiah went on to say:
26. At whose signal were the exiles to be brought home, and how, and with what knowledge resulting?
26 “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: ‘Look! I shall raise up my hand even to the nations, and to the peoples I shall lift up my signal. And they will bring your sons in the bosom, and upon the shoulder they will carry your own daughters. And kings must become caretakers for you, and their princesses nursing women for you. With faces to the earth they will bow down to you, and the dust of your feet they will lick up; and you will have to know that I am Jehovah, of whom those hoping in me will not be ashamed.’”—Isaiah 49:22, 23.
27, 28. Knowledge of the restoration of the Jewish exiles was to become how widespread, and thereby who were to know that he is Jehovah?
27 By the restoring of the exiles that came in the year 537 B.C.E. more than merely the earthly organization of His witnesses were to know that he is Jehovah. The pagan nations were also to know this. This spread of such important knowledge internationally was foretold by the prophet Ezekiel after the desolation of Jerusalem and of Judah occurred in 607 B.C.E. and while the displaced Jews were still exiles in Babylon. To the desolated “mountains of Israel” the prophet Ezekiel was inspired to say as the spokesman for Jehovah (according to the American Standard Version Bible):
28 “For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown; and I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel, even all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited, and the waste places shall be builded; and I will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited after your former estate, and will do better unto you than at your beginnings: and ye shall know that I am Jehovah.” “Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: I do not this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for my holy name, which ye have profaned among the nations, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which hath been profaned among the nations, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the nations shall know that I am Jehovah, saith the Lord Jehovah, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.”—Ezekiel 36:8-11, 22, 23.
29. How is the importance of the knowing of who God is emphasized in the prophetic book of Ezekiel alone?
29 Is it important that this knowledge that he is Jehovah should be made so widespread? At least he thinks so! In the entire prophecy of Ezekiel alone the Sovereign Lord God indicates the importance of it by repeatedly declaring that nations and peoples and individuals must “know that I am Jehovah,” making such a declaration sixty-two times. The last occurrence of this outstanding expression in the prophecy of Ezekiel is in Ezekiel 39:6, 7, where the Sovereign Lord God in all earnestness says:
30. Who does the last expression in Ezekiel’s prophecy say “shall know that I am Jehovah”?
30 “And I will send a fire on Magog, and on them that dwell securely in the isles; and they shall know that I am Jehovah. And my holy name will I make known in the midst of my people Israel; neither will I suffer my holy name to be profaned any more: and the nations shall know that I am Jehovah, the Holy One in Israel.”—American Standard Version of the Bible. Note also Ezekiel 29:17, 21.
31. How does Joel’s prophecy match the militarization of the nations today, and what will those on the winning side certainly know?
31 In these critical days of our twentieth century, when the nations have militarized themselves with the deadliest of war weapons, the words of the prophet Joel seem to fit as never before, even though his words were spoken and written down in the ninth century before our Common Era and hence before Ezekiel’s prophecy: “Proclaim this, you people, among the nations, ‘Sanctify war! Arouse the powerful men! Let them draw near! Let them come up, all the men of war! Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning shears into lances.’” A conflict over world domination is impending. From its outcome, what will the people on the winning side learn? This: “You people will have to know that I am Jehovah your God, residing in Zion my holy mountain. And Jerusalem must become a holy place; and as regards strangers [worldly nations], they will no more pass through her.”—Joel 3:9, 10, 17.
32. To what extent does Ezekiel call attention to the divine name?
32 As regards the later prophet, Ezekiel, from start to finish he calls attention to the divine name. In the opening verses of his prophetic book Eze 1:1-3 he ascribes his prophecy to the inspiration of Jehovah. At the very end of his prophetic book, in the last two Hebrew words thereof, he gives the name of the Sovereign Lord God. According to the way that the New English Bible (1970) translates the very last verse, which foretells a remarkable city on earth, he says: “The perimeter of the city shall be eighteen thousand cubits, and the city’s name for ever after shall be Jehovah-shammah.” This name means “Jehovah Himself Is There.”—Ezekiel 48:35; NEB; NW.
33. Since the Jewish restoration in 537 B.C.E., what about any further need for God to make himself known by name to all nations and peoples?
33 The prophet Ezekiel completed the book of his prophecy in 591 B.C.E., fifty-four years before the exiled Jews were restored to their homeland, which occurred in 537 B.C.E. (Ezekiel 29:17) This remarkable event made some impression on the pagan nations back there. After that, was it no longer important or necessary for the Sovereign Lord God to oblige the nations and peoples to know that he is Jehovah? In our day, the day of all days, does there not exist a need as never before for Him to cause all nations of the earth to know that He is Jehovah? Certainly ours is the day for the one living and true God to step forward and make himself known by his name to all nations and peoples. He needs to do this in vindication of his very existence, his Godship, his Creatorship, his truthfulness and his universal sovereignty. Yes! The very expression “Sovereign Lord Jehovah” occurs 215 times in Ezekiel’s prophecy.
34. According to Ezekiel 38:8, 16, at what point of time ought we to be soon, and all nations are about to come to what knowledge as never before?
34 In this the last third of the twentieth century one thing must not be overlooked with respect to that last declaration of God’s purpose, in Ezekiel 39:7, that “the nations shall know that I am Jehovah.” What is that? This: the prophecy must come true “in the latter years,” “in the final part of the days.” (Ezekiel 38:8, 16, AS, NW) When we take into consideration all things since World War I, which broke out in 1914 C.E., more than fifty-six years ago, the foretold latter years and days, the final part of the years and days, ought to be upon us soon! All nations of today are on the brink of coming to a knowledge of this one living and true God, Jehovah, in a way that they never knew him before. Not one of us can escape it. We are all part of those nations. Do we stand to gain or to lose when there is imparted to us that highly important knowledge of Jehovah?
35. In view of God’s oft-declared purpose, into what prophetic book does it behoove us to peer now, and in what way is it best to come to know Jehovah?
35 Since He made so many declarations about what nations and peoples must come to know, then, whether we now like Jehovah and his name or not, it behooves us to peer into the prophetic book of Ezekiel. Thus we can observe how outstanding parts of it have had modern-day fulfillment. Many honest-hearted persons today are still confused about the Supreme Being, the Almighty God. They cannot do otherwise than benefit themselves by discovering his wise and timely counsel for today. Why be forced to know that he is Jehovah in the way that Pharaoh, ancient ruler of Egypt, was? Far better is it for us as lovers of life and happiness to accept his gracious invitation to come to know Him now in a peaceful, friendly way. |
How Are Congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses Organized? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502012477 | How Are Congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses Organized?
A body of elders supervises each congregation. About 20 congregations form a circuit. Congregations receive periodic visits from traveling elders known as circuit overseers.
Bible-based guidance and instructions are provided by a Governing Body made up of longtime Witnesses who currently work at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Warwick, New York, U.S.A.—Acts 15:23-29; 1 Timothy 3:1-7. |
Holy Spirit (hs)
1976 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/hs | input Page/Publishers’ Page
Holy Spirit—The Force Behind the Coming New Order!
“Your spirit is good; may it lead me in the land of uprightness.”—Psalm 143:10.
DEDICATED to the Almighty Being whose active force makes certain the bringing in shortly of a righteous New Order for the everlasting good and happiness of all lovers of a clean, safe and peaceful earth. |
Is Hell Real? What Is Hell According to the Bible? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502013345 | Is Hell Real? What Is Hell According to the Bible?
The Bible’s answer
Various older English Bible translations, such as the King James Version, use the word “hell” in some verses. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27a) As the religious artwork in this article shows, many people believe that hell is a place of eternal fire where the wicked are punished. But is that what the Bible teaches?
In this article
Is hell a place of eternal suffering?
What about Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus?
Does hell represent separation from God?
Has anyone been released from hell?
Bible verses about hell, or the Grave
Original-language Bible words
The history of hellfire
Is hell a place of eternal suffering?
No. The original words translated as “hell” in some older Bible translations (Hebrew, “Sheol”; Greek, “Hades”) basically refer to “the Grave,” that is, the common grave of mankind. The Bible shows that people in “the Grave” are in a state of nonexistence.
The dead are unconscious and so cannot feel pain. “Neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge, shall be in hell.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10, Douay-Rheims Version) Hell is not filled with sounds of pain. Instead, the Bible says: “Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave [hell, Douay-Rheims].”—Psalm 31:17; King James Version (30:18, Douay-Rheims); Psalm 115:17.
God has set death, not torment in a fiery hell, as the penalty for sin. God told the first man, Adam, that the penalty for breaking God’s law would be death. (Genesis 2:17) He said nothing about eternal torment in hell. Later, after Adam sinned, God told him what his punishment would be: “Dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19) He would pass out of existence. If God were actually sending Adam to a fiery hell, He surely would have mentioned it. God has not changed the punishment for defying his laws. Long after Adam sinned, God inspired a Bible writer to say: “The wages sin pays is death.” (Romans 6:23) No further penalty is justified, because “the one who has died has been acquitted from his sin.”—Romans 6:7.
The idea of eternal torment is repugnant to God. (Jeremiah 32:35) Such an idea is contrary to the Bible’s teaching that “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) He wants us to worship him out of love, not fear of eternal torment.—Matthew 22:36-38.
Good people went to hell. The Bibles that use the word “hell” indicate that faithful men, such as Jacob and Job, expected to go to hell. (Genesis 37:35; Job 14:13) Even Jesus Christ is spoken of as being in hell between the time of his death and his resurrection. (Acts 2:31, 32) Obviously, then, when “hell” is used in these Bibles, it simply refers to the Grave.b
What about Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus?
This parable was used by Jesus and recorded at Luke 16:19-31. Parables are illustrations that teach moral or spiritual truths. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus was not a real-life account. (Matthew 13:34) To learn more about this parable, see the article “Who Were the Rich Man and Lazarus?”
Does hell represent separation from God?
No. The doctrine that the dead can be aware of being separated from God contradicts the Bible, which clearly teaches that the dead are not conscious of anything.—Psalm 146:3, 4; Ecclesiastes 9:5.
Has anyone been released from hell?
Yes. The Bible provides detailed accounts of nine people who went to the Grave (translated as “hell” in some Bibles) and were brought back to life by resurrection.c If they had been aware of their surroundings in hell, they would have been able to speak about that from personal experience. Significantly, though, none mentioned being in torment or experiencing anything at all. The reason? As the Bible consistently teaches, they had been unconscious, as if in a deep “sleep.”—John 11:11-14; 1 Corinthians 15:3-6.
a Most modern English translations do not use the word “hell” in Acts 2:27. Rather, some use expressions such as “the grave,” (New Century Version); “the realm of the dead,” (New International Version); “the dead” (The Passion Translation). Others simply transliterate the Greek word as “Hades.”—Holman Christian Standard Bible, NET Bible, New American Standard Bible, English Standard Version.
b See the box “Original-Language Bible Words.”
c See 1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:32-37; 13:20, 21; Matthew 28:5, 6; Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-56; John 11:38-44; Acts 9:36-42; Acts 20:7-12.
Bible verses about hell, or the Grave
Job 14:13: “O that in the Grave [“hell,” Douay-Rheims Version] you would conceal me, . . . that you would set a time limit for me and remember me!”
Meaning: The faithful man Job knew that hell (the Grave) would bring him relief from his pain and that God could restore him to life from there.
Psalm 145:20: “Jehovah guards all those who love him, but all the wicked he will annihilate.”
Meaning: God will annihilate, or permanently destroy, the wicked. He will not keep them alive in hell in order to torment them.
Ecclesiastes 9:10: “There is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave [“hell,” Douay-Rheims Version], where you are going.”
Meaning: Those in the Grave, or hell, are unconscious and cannot suffer. Moreover, those to whom the Bible writer addressed his words of wisdom obviously included good people.
Acts 2:31: “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell.”—King James Version.
Meaning: Jesus Christ went to hell (the Grave) when he died.
Romans 6:23: “The wages sin pays is death.”
Meaning: Death, not torment in hell, is the full penalty for sin.
Revelation 20:13: “Death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them.”—King James Version.
Meaning: Those in hell are dead. They will come back to life by means of the resurrection.
Revelation 20:14: “Death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.”—King James Version.
Meaning: After being emptied by means of the resurrection, hell (the Grave) will be destroyed forever, as if by fire. Thereafter, death resulting from Adam’s sin will be no more.—Romans 5:12.
Original-language Bible words
As the following list shows, Bible translators have created confusion by using the word “hell” for original-language words with different meanings. In some cases, it seems that they wanted to promote the idea that the wicked will be eternally tormented, not destroyed.
Sheol (Hebrew שְׁאוֹל), Hades (Greek ᾅδης)
Meaning: Common grave of mankind.—Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31
Renderings: Grave, hell, pit (King James Version); realm of the dead (New International Version)
Gehenna (Greek γέεννα)
Meaning: Eternal destruction.—Matthew 5:30
Renderings: Gehenna; hell (King James Version, New International Version)
Tartarus (Greek ταρταρόω)
Meaning: Abased condition of the demons, who are wicked spirit creatures.—2 Peter 2:4
Renderings: Tartarus; hell (King James Version, New International Version); lower hell (Douay-Rheims Version)
Apoleia (Greek ἀπώλεια)
Meaning: Destruction.—Matthew 7:13
Renderings: Destruction; hell (Good News Bible)
Pyr (Greek πῦρ)
Meaning: Fire, literally or figuratively.—Luke 17:29; Jude 23
Renderings: Fire; fire of hell (God’s Word Translation)
The history of hellfire
Pagan origin: The ancient Egyptians believed in a fiery hell. The funerary text Book Ȧm-Ṭuat (Amduat), which historians date back to the 16th century B.C.E., describes those who “shall be cast down headlong into the pits of fire; and . . . shall not be able to flee from the flames.”—The Egyptian Heaven and Hell.
Not taught by the earliest Christians: “It is noteworthy that in the N[ew] T[estament] we do not find hell fire to be a part of the [early Christian] preaching.”—A Dictionary of Christian Theology.
Greek philosophy crept in: “From the middle of the 2nd century [C.E.] Christians who had some training in Greek philosophy began to feel the need to express their faith in its terms . . . The philosophy that suited them best was Platonism [the teachings of Plato].” (Encyclopædia Britannica) That philosophy included belief in fiery torment after death. “Of all classical Greek philosophers, the one who has had the greatest influence on traditional views of Hell is Plato.”—Histoire des enfers (The History of Hell).
Hellfire was used to justify torture: During the time period commonly referred to as the Spanish Inquisition, those convicted of heresy and burned at the stake were said to be given “a taste of what perpetual hellfire would be like,” supposedly in hopes that they would repent before dying. (The Spanish Inquisition, by Jean Plaidy) Similarly, Queen Mary I of England burned some 300 Protestants at the stake, reportedly believing that “as the souls of heretics are afterwards to be eternally burning in hell, there could be nothing more proper than to imitate the divine vengeance, by burning them on earth.”—Universal History, by Alexander Tytler.
Modern changes: Some denominations have softened their teaching about hell, apparently based more on a desire to please their members than to reject a false teaching. (2 Timothy 4:3) “People want a God who’s warm and fuzzy . . . It’s counter to the culture of today to talk about sin and guilt.”—Professor Jackson W. Carroll. |
What Does the Bible Say About Giving? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019175 | What Does the Bible Say About Giving?
The Bible’s answer
The Bible encourages giving that is done voluntarily and with the right motive. It shows that such giving benefits not only the recipient but also the giver. (Proverbs 11:25; Luke 6:38) Jesus said: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”—Acts 20:35.
When is giving beneficial?
When is giving improper?
Bible verses about giving
When is giving beneficial?
Giving is beneficial when it is done voluntarily. “Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart,” says the Bible, “not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”—2 Corinthians 9:7, footnote.
Heartfelt giving is part of “the form of religion” that God approves. (James 1:27, footnote) A person who generously helps those in need works hand in hand with God, who views such generosity as a loan made to him. (Proverbs 19:17) The Bible teaches that God himself will repay the giver.—Luke 14:12-14.
When is giving improper?
If it is done with ulterior motives. Examples include:
To impress people.—Matthew 6:2.
To receive something in return.—Luke 14:12-14.
To try to buy salvation.—Psalm 49:6, 7.
If it supports activities or attitudes that God condemns. For example, it would be wrong to give someone money to gamble or to misuse drugs or alcohol. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 2 Corinthians 7:1) Likewise, it is not proper to give to someone who is able to support himself financially but refuses to do so.—2 Thessalonians 3:10.
If it interferes with a person’s God-given responsibilities. The Bible teaches that family heads must provide for the needs of their household. (1 Timothy 5:8) It would not be right for a family head to give so much to others that he jeopardizes his own household. Similarly, Jesus condemned those who refused to provide for their elderly parents by claiming that all their assets were “a gift dedicated to God.”—Mark 7:9-13.
Bible verses about giving
Proverbs 11:25: “The generous person will prosper, and whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”
Meaning: Giving benefits not only the recipient but also the giver.
Proverbs 19:17: “The one showing favor to the lowly is lending to Jehovah, and He will repay him for what he does.”
Meaning: God considers himself to be indebted to those who help the needy, and he promises to repay such generosity.
Matthew 6:2: “When you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do . . . so that they may be glorified by men.”
Meaning: We should not give just to attract attention to ourselves.
Acts 20:35: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”
Meaning: Heartfelt generosity brings happiness.
2 Corinthians 9:7: “Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Meaning: Giving that is done voluntarily pleases God. |
Scriptures for Christian Living (scl)
2023 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/scl | In-Laws
Why should parents and in-laws be careful not to interfere in the marriage of their grown children?
Ge 2:24; Mt 19:4, 5
See also Ps 34:14; Mt 5:9; Ro 12:18; 14:10-13
Relevant Bible account(s):
Ex 18:1-27—The prophet Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro, treat each other with dignity and respect |
Should You Fear the Evil Eye? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101989008 | The Bible’s Viewpoint
Should You Fear the Evil Eye?
A WOMAN in an Amazonian village gently lays her baby in a hammock. Then, after carefully tying a red string around its tiny wrist, she binds another string around its middle. Ritual completed, she steps back and lets out a sigh of relief: “Now, baby is protected against the evil eye.”
Fear of the evil eye is not limited to tribespeople in South America. Lawyers in Italy and farmers in India, as well as businessmen in North America, also quiver at the evil eye.
What is the evil eye? It is the belief that some people possess the power to injure and even kill you by merely looking at you. They may use this evil glance when your prosperity has aroused their jealousy. Moreover, it is believed that many a well-intentioned person has the evil eye and that his gaze may harm others involuntarily.
Do you share this dread? And if so, does this fear help you or harm you?
Fact or Fiction?
Most reference works on the subject describe fear of the evil eye as a superstition. Since a superstition is defined as a belief “based on neither reason nor fact,” some people believe that fear of the evil eye is nothing more than a product of feeble minds.
Admittedly, numerous stories about the evil eye are fiction. To fear, for example, that people with cross-eye, cataracts, or cowlicks are prone to possess the evil eye is a figment of the imagination. Or to believe that the fatal glance is at work whenever your baby falls ill, your cow dies, or your hens refuse to lay is attributing more to it than is warranted.
Nevertheless, just as a solid nut is hidden under the thick husk of a coconut, there are also some solid facts hidden under the thick layer of tales about the evil eye. So let us cut through the fiction and uncover some facts.
The Origin of the Evil Eye
The Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics answers that the ancient Babylonians feared the influence of the evil eye. Who promoted that fear? Babylonian sorcerers or witches. They were noted for causing terrible sufferings by casting spells with a glance of their eyes. However, these sorcerers did not do this of their own accord. Who empowered them? Spirit creatures called demons. Explains the book The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria: “Witches could invoke the demons at their will and bring such persons as they chose within the demons’ power.”
The Bible likewise points to self-demonized angels as the source of “uncanny power.” (1 Samuel 15:23; 1 Timothy 4:1; Jude 6) In addition, God’s Word confirms that demons share their malicious power with spiritists and demon-controlled persons. (Acts 16:16-18; Revelation 22:15) As a result, such people are able to ‘bind others with a spell,’ sometimes by means of their eyes. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) Thus, the evil eye is indeed based on some facts.
So if you live in a community where witch doctors’ spells are a part of daily life, it is no wonder that your fear of the evil eye has been kept alive. However, no matter how threatening those spells may be, you should not share your neighbors’ fear. Why not? First of all, fearing the evil eye can easily lead you into servitude to demons—something the Bible forbids. (See 1 Corinthians 10:20, 21.) Second, you can avail yourself of a form of protection that thwarts the effects of the evil eye and removes all reasons for fear. What protection? Wearing amulets?
Protection That Works
To answer, consider this example: What will you do if you fear that a huge tree will fall over and crush your house? Will you fortify the roof, hoping that it will withstand the impact of the falling tree? Or will you call for the help of a lumberjack or tree surgeon who has a record of felling trees safely? Felling the tree removes the source of danger and thus eliminates your fear.
Similarly, what will dispel your fear if a spiritist threatens to use his evil eye against you? Will you try to fortify yourself by tying amulets around your neck? Or will you call for the help of a person who has a record of rendering demons powerless? Obviously, the latter is the wise course, for that person removes the source of danger and thus eliminates your fear.
But like the psalmist, you may ask: “From where will my help come?” Inspired by God, he answers: “My help is from Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Does the Creator’s help include protection against the evil eye? Yes, for the psalmist further assures us: “Jehovah himself will guard you against all calamity.” (Psalm 121) To bolster your confidence in Jehovah’s ability to protect, consider his trust-inspiring record of dealings with the demons.
‘The Demons Shudder’—Why?
In Noah’s day, Jehovah dismissed disobedient angels from their positions of favor by restraining them ‘in a prison’ of spiritual darkness. (1 Peter 3:19; Genesis 6:1-4) Then, in the first century, Jesus, acting as God’s representative, expelled powerful demons at will. (Matthew 8:31, 32; Mark 1:39) And again, during this 20th century, Jesus used his God-given power to oust Satan and his demons from heaven. (Revelation 12:7-9) Hence, the demons learned the hard way that their power is nothing compared with God’s power. Yet, Jehovah is about to add another page to this record. Soon, Satan and these cast-out rebels will be thrown into an abyss for a thousand years.—Revelation 20:1-3.
How does this knowledge affect them? The Bible reveals: “The demons believe and shudder.” (James 2:19) Then, how does this knowledge affect you? Will you still fear those ‘shuddering’ demons and their human henchmen? Or will you “only fear Jehovah” by trusting fully in his invisible protection against the evil eye?—1 Samuel 12:24.
Truly, if faith moves you to untie your amulets and to strengthen your bond with Jehovah’s Witnesses in your community, you will soon join them in echoing the words of the ancient sons of Korah. They proclaimed: “God is for us a refuge and strength, a help that is readily to be found during distresses. That is why we shall not fear.”—Psalm 46:1, 2; compare Romans 8:31. |
Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 25
Compassion for a Leper
AS JESUS and his four disciples visit the cities of Galilee, news about the wonderful things he is doing spreads throughout the district. Word of his deeds reaches one city where there is a man sick with leprosy. The physician Luke describes him as being “full of leprosy.” In its advanced stages, this dreadful disease slowly disfigures various parts of the body. So this leper is in a pitiful condition.
When Jesus arrives in the city, the leper approaches him. According to God’s Law, a leper is to call out in warning, “Unclean, unclean!” to protect others from coming too close and risking infection. The leper now falls upon his face and begs Jesus: “Lord, if you just want to, you can make me clean.”
What faith the man has in Jesus! Yet, how pitiful his disease must make him appear! What will Jesus do? What would you do? Moved with compassion, Jesus stretches out his hand and touches the man, saying: “I want to. Be made clean.” And immediately the leprosy vanishes from him.
Would you like someone as compassionate as this for your king? The way Jesus treats this leper gives us confidence that during His Kingdom rule, the Bible prophecy will be fulfilled: “He will feel sorry for the lowly one and the poor one, and the souls of the poor ones he will save.” Yes, Jesus will then fulfill his heart’s desire to help all afflicted ones.
Even prior to the healing of the leper, Jesus’ ministry has been creating great excitement among the people. In fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, Jesus now orders the healed man: “See that you tell nobody a thing.” He then instructs him: “Go show yourself to the priest and offer in behalf of your cleansing the things Moses directed, for a witness to them.”
But the man is so happy that he cannot keep the miracle to himself. He goes off and begins spreading the news everywhere, apparently causing such interest and curiosity among the people that Jesus cannot openly go into a city. Thus, Jesus stays in lonely places where nobody lives, and people from all over come to listen to him and to be cured of their sicknesses. Luke 5:12-16; Mark 1:40-45; Matthew 8:2-4; Leviticus 13:45; 14:10-13; Psalm 72:13; Isaiah 42:1, 2.
▪ What effect can leprosy have, and what warning was a leper to give?
▪ How does a leper appeal to Jesus, and what can we learn from Jesus’ response?
▪ How does the healed man fail to obey Jesus, and what are the consequences? |
Life (lp)
1977 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/lp | input Page/Publishers’ Page
Life Does Have a Purpose
‘God is not far off from each one of us,’ said one of his ancient servants. The aim of this book is to show that God can be readily approached, and that he desires all men to come to a knowledge of his simple requirements for a life of purpose now and to endless time. From the Scriptures and his dealings with humankind his marvelous personality and good purpose toward us are revealed.
—The Publishers |
Revelation Climax (re)
1988 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/re | Chapter 12
“Keep On Holding Fast What You Have”
PHILADELPHIA
1. Jesus’ sixth message was directed to the congregation in what city, and what does that city’s name mean?
BROTHERLY AFFECTION—what a desirable quality! No doubt Jesus has this in mind when he presents his sixth message, which is directed to the congregation in Philadelphia, for that name means “Brotherly Affection.” The aged John still recalls the occasion, more than 60 years earlier, when Peter insisted three times to Jesus that he, Peter, had warm affection for his Lord. (John 21:15-17) Are the Christians in Philadelphia, on their part, showing brotherly affection? Apparently they are!
2. What kind of city was Philadelphia, what kind of congregation was located there, and what does Jesus say to the angel of this congregation?
2 Located about 30 miles southeast of Sardis (at the site of the modern Turkish city of Alasehir), the Philadelphia of John’s day is a fairly prosperous city. More noteworthy, however, is the prosperity of the Christian congregation there. With what joy they must have received the minister that came traveling to them, likely by way of Sardis! The message he carries has stirring counsel for them. But first it refers to the authority of its illustrious Sender. He says: “And to the angel of the congregation in Philadelphia write: These are the things he says who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens so that no one will shut, and shuts so that no one opens.”—Revelation 3:7.
3. Why is it fitting that Jesus should be called “holy,” and how can it be said that he “is true”?
3 John had heard Peter say to the man Jesus Christ: “You have sayings of everlasting life; and we have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:68, 69) Since Jehovah God is the very essence of holiness, his only-begotten Son must also be “holy.” (Revelation 4:8) Jesus is also “true.” The Greek word used here (a·le·thi·nosʹ) implies genuineness. In this sense, Jesus is the true light and the true bread that came down out of heaven. (John 1:9; 6:32) He is the true vine. (John 15:1) Jesus is true also in the sense that he is trustworthy. He always speaks the truth. (See John 8:14, 17, 26.) This Son of God is indeed worthy to serve as King and Judge.—Revelation 19:11, 16.
“The Key of David”
4, 5. With what covenant was “the key of David” associated?
4 Jesus has “the key of David.” Using it, he “opens so that no one will shut, and shuts so that no one opens.” What is this “key of David”?
5 It was with King David of Israel that Jehovah made a covenant for an everlasting kingdom. (Psalm 89:1-4, 34-37) David’s house ruled from Jehovah’s throne in Jerusalem from 1070 to 607 B.C.E., but then God’s judgment was executed upon that kingdom because it turned to wickedness. Thus Jehovah began to fulfill his prophecy at Ezekiel 21:27: “A ruin, a ruin, a ruin I shall make it [earthly Jerusalem]. As for this also, it [the scepter of kingship in David’s line] will certainly become no one’s until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to him.”
6, 7. When and how was the one with “the legal right” to appear?
6 When and how would this one with “the legal right” appear? How would the scepter of David’s kingdom be given to him?
7 About 600 years later, a descendant of King David, the Jewish maiden Mary, became pregnant by holy spirit. God sent the angel Gabriel to inform Mary that she would have a son, to be named Jesus. Gabriel added: “This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High; and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom.”—Luke 1:31-33.
8. How did Jesus prove himself qualified to inherit the Davidic kingship?
8 When, in 29 C.E., Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River and anointed with holy spirit, he became King-Designate in the line of David. He showed exemplary zeal in preaching the good news of the Kingdom and commissioned his disciples likewise to preach. (Matthew 4:23; 10:7, 11) Jesus humbled himself, even to death on a torture stake, thus proving himself fully qualified to inherit the Davidic kingship. Jehovah resurrected Jesus as an immortal spirit and exalted him to His own right hand in the heavens. There he inherited all the rights of the Davidic kingdom. In due time Jesus would exercise his right to “go subduing in the midst of [his] enemies.”—Psalm 110:1, 2; Philippians 2:8, 9; Hebrews 10:13, 14.
9. How is it that Jesus uses the key of David to open and to shut?
9 In the meantime Jesus would have use of the key of David, opening up opportunities and privileges related to the Kingdom of God. Through Jesus, Jehovah would now deliver anointed Christians on earth “from the authority of the darkness,” transferring them “into the kingdom of the Son of his love.” (Colossians 1:13, 14) The key would also be used to bar such privileges to any who proved unfaithful. (2 Timothy 2:12, 13) Since this permanent heir of David’s kingdom has Jehovah’s backing, no creature can prevent him from fulfilling such duties.—Compare Matthew 28:18-20.
10. What encouragement does Jesus give the congregation in Philadelphia?
10 Coming from such an authoritative source, Jesus’ words to the Christians in Philadelphia must be especially comforting! He commends them, saying: “I know your deeds—look! I have set before you an opened door, which no one can shut—that you have a little power, and you kept my word and did not prove false to my name.” (Revelation 3:8) The congregation has been active, and a door has opened before it—doubtless a door of opportunity for ministerial service. (Compare 1 Corinthians 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:12.) Therefore, Jesus encourages the congregation to take full advantage of the opportunity to preach. They have endured and shown that they have enough power, with help from God’s spirit, to continue doing further “deeds” in Jehovah’s service. (2 Corinthians 12:10; Zechariah 4:6) They have obeyed Jesus’ commands and have not denied Christ, either by word or by action.
“They Will Bow Down to You”
11. What blessing does Jesus promise the Christians, and how was this realized?
11 Hence, Jesus promises them fruitage: “Look! I will give those from the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews, and yet they are not but are lying—look! I will make them come and do obeisance before your feet and make them know I have loved you.” (Revelation 3:9) Perhaps, as in Smyrna, the congregation has had problems with the local Jews. Jesus designates these as “the synagogue of Satan.” Nevertheless, at least some of those Jews are about to realize that what the Christians have been preaching about Jesus is the truth. Their ‘doing obeisance’ will likely be in the manner described by Paul at 1 Corinthians 14:24, 25, so that they actually repent and become Christians, fully appreciating Jesus’ great love in surrendering even his soul in behalf of his disciples.—John 15:12, 13.
12. Why would members of the Jewish synagogue in Philadelphia likely be startled to learn that some of them would “bow down” to the local Christian community?
12 Members of the Jewish synagogue in Philadelphia would likely be startled to learn that some of them were to “do obeisance” to the local Christian community. In view of the fact that there are doubtless many non-Jews in that congregation, they would expect the very opposite to take place. Why? Because Isaiah foretold: “[Non-Jewish] kings must become caretakers for you [the people of Israel], and their princesses nursing women for you. With faces to the earth they will bow down to you.” (Isaiah 49:23; 45:14; 60:14) In a similar vein, Zechariah was inspired to write: “It will be in those days that ten men [non-Jews] out of all the languages of the nations will take hold, yes, they will actually take hold of the skirt of a man who is a Jew, saying: ‘We will go with you people, for we have heard that God is with you people.’” (Zechariah 8:23) Yes, non-Jews were to bow down to Jews, not the other way around!
13. Who were the Jews that would experience a fulfillment of prophecies addressed to ancient Israel?
13 Those prophecies were addressed to God’s chosen nation. When they were uttered, fleshly Israel occupied that honored position. But when the Jewish nation rejected the Messiah, Jehovah cast them off. (Matthew 15:3-9; 21:42, 43; Luke 12:32; John 1:10, 11) At Pentecost 33 C.E., he chose in their stead the true Israel of God, the Christian congregation. Its members are the spiritual Jews with the real circumcision of the heart. (Acts 2:1-4, 41, 42; Romans 2:28, 29; Galatians 6:16) Thereafter, the only way that individual fleshly Jews could come back to a favored relationship with Jehovah would be by putting their faith in Jesus as the Messiah. (Matthew 23:37-39) Evidently, this was about to happen with some individuals in Philadelphia.a
14. How have Isaiah 49:23 and Zechariah 8:23 had a significant fulfillment in modern times?
14 In modern times, prophecies such as Isaiah 49:23 and Zechariah 8:23 have had a very significant fulfillment. As a result of the preaching of the John class, huge numbers of people have entered through the opened door into Kingdom service.b Most of these have come out of Christendom, whose religions falsely claim to be spiritual Israel. (Compare Romans 9:6.) These, as a great crowd, wash their robes and make them white by exercising faith in Jesus’ sacrificial blood. (Revelation 7:9, 10, 14) Obeying Christ’s Kingdom rule, they hope to inherit its blessings here on earth. They come to Jesus’ anointed brothers and “bow down” to them, spiritually speaking, because ‘they have heard that God is with them.’ They minister to these anointed ones, with whom they themselves become united in a worldwide association of brothers.—Matthew 25:34-40; 1 Peter 5:9.
“The Hour of Test”
15. (a) What did Jesus promise the Christians in Philadelphia, and what were they encouraged to do? (b) What “crown” were the Christians looking forward to receiving?
15 Jesus goes on to say: “Because you kept the word about my endurance, I will also keep you from the hour of test, which is to come upon the whole inhabited earth, to put a test upon those dwelling on the earth. I am coming quickly. Keep on holding fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” (Revelation 3:10, 11) Although the Christians of John’s day would not survive to the Lord’s day (beginning in 1914), their confidence that Jesus was coming would give them power to keep on preaching. (Revelation 1:10; 2 Timothy 4:2) The “crown,” or prize of everlasting life, awaited them in heaven. (James 1:12; Revelation 11:18) If they were faithful to death, no one could deprive them of that reward.—Revelation 2:10.
16, 17. (a) What is “the hour of test, which is to come upon the whole inhabited earth”? (b) What was the condition of the anointed ones at the beginning of “the hour of test”?
16 What, though, is “the hour of test”? No doubt, those Christians in Asia had to cope with a further wave of terrible persecution from imperial Rome.c Nevertheless, the major fulfillment is the hour of sifting and judging that finally arrived during the Lord’s day, climaxing from 1918 onward. The test has been to determine whether one is for God’s established Kingdom or for Satan’s world. It is for a comparatively short period, an “hour,” but it is not over yet. Until it is, we must never forget that we are living in “the hour of test.”—Luke 21:34-36.
17 In 1918 the John class of anointed Christians—like that staunch congregation in Philadelphia—had to face opposition from the modern-day “synagogue of Satan.” Religious leaders of Christendom, who claimed to be spiritual Jews, slyly maneuvered the rulers to suppress true Christians. Nevertheless, these tried hard to ‘keep the word of Jesus’ endurance’; hence, with spiritual help, a significant “little power,” they survived and were aroused to enter the door that now opened before them. In what way?
“An Opened Door”
18. What appointment did Jesus make in 1919, and how did the appointee thus become like Hezekiah’s faithful steward?
18 In 1919 Jesus fulfilled his promise and recognized the small band of genuine anointed Christians as his “faithful and discreet slave.” (Matthew 24:45-47) These entered into a privilege similar to that enjoyed by the faithful steward Eliakim in the time of King Hezekiah.d Jehovah said of Eliakim: “I will put the key of the house of David upon his shoulder, and he must open without anyone’s shutting, and he must shut without anyone’s opening.” Eliakim shouldered heavy responsibilities for Hezekiah, the royal son of David. Similarly today, the anointed John class has had “the key of the house of David” put upon its shoulder in that it has been entrusted with the earthly interests of the Messianic Kingdom. Jehovah has strengthened his servants for this privilege, boosting their little power into dynamic energy sufficient for a gigantic global witness.—Isaiah 22:20, 22; 40:29.
19. How did the John class handle the responsibilities that Jesus gave it in 1919, and with what result?
19 From 1919 onward the anointed remnant, following Jesus’ example, launched into a vigorous campaign of declaring abroad the good news of the Kingdom. (Matthew 4:17; Romans 10:18) As a result, some of the modern synagogue of Satan, Christendom, came to this anointed remnant, repented and ‘bowed down,’ acknowledging the slave’s authority. They too came to serve Jehovah in union with the older ones of the John class. This continued until the full number of Jesus’ anointed brothers was gathered. Following this, “a great crowd . . . out of all nations” has come to “bow down” to the anointed slave. (Revelation 7:3, 4, 9) Together, the slave and this great crowd serve as the one flock of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
20. Why must Jehovah’s Witnesses today be especially strong in faith and active in God’s service?
20 United like the Christians in Philadelphia in a bond of genuine brotherly affection, Jehovah’s Witnesses today appreciate that their work of preaching must be done urgently. Soon, the great tribulation will ring down the curtain on Satan’s wicked world. At that time, may each of us be found strong in faith and active in God’s service, so that our names will not be blotted out of Jehovah’s book of life. (Revelation 7:14) Let us take very seriously Jesus’ admonition to the congregation in Philadelphia so that we may hold fast to our service privileges and attain to the reward of everlasting life.
The Conquerors’ Blessings
21. How have anointed Christians today ‘kept the word about Jesus’ endurance,’ and what prospect awaits them?
21 The John class today have ‘kept the word about Jesus’ endurance,’ that is, they have followed his example and endured. (Hebrews 12:2, 3; 1 Peter 2:21) They have thus been greatly encouraged by Jesus’ further words to the congregation in Philadelphia: “The one that conquers—I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will by no means go out from it anymore.”—Revelation 3:12a.
22. (a) What is the temple of Jesus’ God? (b) How will the anointed Christians that conquer become pillars in this temple?
22 What a privilege it is for one to be a pillar in the temple of Jehovah! In ancient Jerusalem, the literal temple was the center of Jehovah’s worship. Within the temple, the high priest offered the blood of sacrificial animals, one day each year, before the miraculous light that represented Jehovah’s presence in “the Most Holy.” (Hebrews 9:1-7) At Jesus’ baptism, there came into existence another temple, a great spiritual, templelike arrangement for worshipping Jehovah. The holy of holies of this temple is in heaven, where Jesus duly appeared “before the person of God.” (Hebrews 9:24) Jesus is the High Priest, and there is only one sacrifice offered for the complete covering of sins: the shed blood of the perfect man Jesus. (Hebrews 7:26, 27; 9:25-28; 10:1-5, 12-14) As long as they remain faithful, anointed Christians on earth serve as underpriests in the earthly courtyards of this temple. (1 Peter 2:9) But once they have conquered, they too enter that heavenly holy of holies and become immovable supports, like pillars, of the templelike arrangement for worship. (Hebrews 10:19; Revelation 20:6) There is no danger that they will “go out from it anymore.”
23. (a) What promise does Jesus next make to the anointed Christians that conquer? (b) What results from the writing of Jehovah’s name and the name of the new Jerusalem on Christian conquerors?
23 Jesus continues, saying: “And I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which descends out of heaven from my God, and that new name of mine.” (Revelation 3:12b) Yes, these conquerors have written on them the name of Jehovah—their God and Jesus’ God. This shows clearly that Jehovah and Jesus are two separate persons and not two parts of a triune God, or Trinity. (John 14:28; 20:17) All creation must come to see that these anointed ones belong to Jehovah. They are his witnesses. They also have written on them the name of the new Jerusalem, the heavenly city that descends out of heaven in the sense that it extends its benevolent rule over all faithful mankind. (Revelation 21:9-14) All the earthly Christian sheep will thus also know that these anointed conquerors are citizens of the Kingdom, the heavenly Jerusalem.—Psalm 87:5, 6; Matthew 25:33, 34; Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 12:22.
24. What is represented by Jesus’ new name, and how is it written on faithful anointed Christians?
24 Finally, anointed overcomers have written on them Jesus’ new name. This refers to Jesus’ new office and the unique privileges granted to him by Jehovah. (Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 19:12) No one else gets to know that name, in the sense that no one else has those experiences or is entrusted with those privileges. However, when Jesus writes his name on his faithful brothers, they come into an intimate relationship with him in that heavenly realm and even share in his privileges. (Luke 22:29, 30) It is no wonder that Jesus concludes his message to such anointed ones by repeating the exhortation: “Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.”—Revelation 3:13.
25. How can each individual Christian today apply the principle behind the counsel Jesus gave to the congregation in Philadelphia?
25 What grand encouragement that message must have been to the faithful Christians in Philadelphia! And it certainly has a powerful lesson for the John class now, during the Lord’s day. But its principles are important for each individual Christian, whether of the anointed or of the other sheep. (John 10:16) Each of us would do well to keep producing Kingdom fruitage as did those Christians in Philadelphia. All of us have at least a little power. All of us can do something in Jehovah’s service. Let us use this power! With regard to increased Kingdom privileges, let us be alert to enter any door that opens for us. We can even pray for Jehovah to open such a door. (Colossians 4:2, 3) As we follow Jesus’ pattern of endurance and prove true to his name, we will show that we, too, have an ear to hear what God’s holy spirit says to the congregations.
[Footnotes]
a In Paul’s time, Sosthenes, the presiding officer of the Jewish synagogue in Corinth, became a Christian brother.—Acts 18:17; 1 Corinthians 1:1.
b The Watchtower magazine, published by the John class, has continued to highlight the urgency of seizing this opportunity and sharing as fully as possible in the preaching work; for example, see the articles “Let All Declare the Glory of Jehovah” and “Into All the Earth Their Sound Went Out” in the January 1, 2004, issue of The Watchtower. In the June 1, 2004, issue, in the article “Blessed Are Those Who Give Glory to God,” emphasis was placed on entering an “opened door” into full-time service. There was a peak of 1,093,552 pioneers reporting such service during one month in 2005.
c McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia (Volume X, page 519) reports: “Christianity was forced upon the notice of the emperors by the tumults excited among the populace by heathen priests, who observed the remarkable progress of that faith with alarm, and Trajan [98-117 C.E.] was accordingly led to issue edicts for the gradual suppression of the new teaching which transformed men into haters of the gods. The administration of the younger Pliny as governor of Bithynia [bordering the Roman province of Asia on the north] was complicated with matters growing out of the rapid extension of Christianity and the consequent rage of the heathen population within his province.”
d The name Hezekiah means “Jehovah Strengthens.” See 2 Kings 16:20, footnote, New World Translation Reference Bible.
[Box on page 63]
Helping Many to Bow Down
Of the 144,000 anointed ones that are to inherit the heavenly Kingdom, it appears that a remnant, the John class, of less than 9,000 have yet to complete their course on earth. At the same time, the great crowd has expanded into a multitude of 6,600,000 and more. (Revelation 7:4, 9) What has helped to bring about this vast increase? The various schools operated by Jehovah’s Witnesses have made a big contribution. Far different from the seminaries of Christendom that teach worldly philosophies and downgrade the Bible, these Witness schools inculcate deep faith in God’s Word. They show its practical application as to clean, moral living and dedicated service to God. Worldwide since 1943, each congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses conducts in its Kingdom Hall a local Theocratic Ministry School. Millions attend this school each week, following a unified program of Bible education.
Since 1959 Jehovah’s Witnesses have also conducted Kingdom Ministry Schools for the training of congregation elders and ministerial servants. And since 1977, the Pioneer Service Schools have trained hundreds of thousands of brothers and sisters, who, with a true Philadelphian spirit, serve Jehovah full-time in the preaching work. In 1987 the Ministerial Training School was started for training male Witnesses for special assignments in the world field.
Outstanding among the schools operated by Jehovah’s Witnesses has been the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead. Since 1943 this missionary school, located in New York State, has graduated two groups of students almost every year. Altogether, it has trained more than 7,000 ministers of Jehovah for foreign missionary service. The graduates of this school have served in more than a hundred lands, in many of which they were instrumental in opening up the Kingdom work. After about 60 years, some of the early missionaries are still on the job, sharing with newer missionaries in advancing the global expansion of Jehovah’s organization. What a marvelous expansion this has been!
[Chart on page 64]
In 1919 the reigning King Jesus opened a door of opportunity for Christian service. An increasing number of devoted Christians have taken advantage of that opportunity.
Lands Christians Full-Time Reached by Who Shared PreacherseYear Preaching in Preachingf
1918 14 3,868 591
1928 32 23,988 1,883
1938 52 47,143 4,112
1948 96 230,532 8,994
1958 175 717,088 23,772
1968 200 1,155,826 63,871
1978 205 2,086,698 115,389
1988 212 3,430,926 455,561
1998 233 5,544,059 698,781
2005 235 6,390,022 843,234
[Footnotes]
e The above figures are monthly averages.
f The above figures are monthly averages.
[Chart on page 65]
The activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses is wholehearted. Consider, for example, the hours they have spent in preaching and teaching and the huge number of free Bible studies they have conducted in people’s homes.
Hours Spent Bible Studies Preaching ConductedYear (Annual Total) (Monthly Average)
1918 19,116 Not Recorded
1928 2,866,164 Not Recorded
1938 10,572,086 Not Recorded
1948 49,832,205 130,281
1958 110,390,944 508,320
1968 208,666,762 977,503
1978 307,272,262 1,257,084
1988 785,521,697 3,237,160
1998 1,186,666,708 4,302,852
2005 1,278,235,504 6,061,534
[Picture on page 59]
A Roman key of the first century |
COVER SUBJECT | HOW DID LIFE BEGIN?
Two Questions Worth Asking | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102015003 | COVER SUBJECT | HOW DID LIFE BEGIN?
Two Questions Worth Asking
1 How Did Life Get Its Start?
WHAT SOME SAY. Life arose spontaneously from nonliving matter.
WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT ANSWER. Scientists know more about the chemistry and molecular structure of life than ever before, yet they still cannot define with certainty just what life is. A wide gulf separates nonliving matter from even the simplest living cell.
Scientists can only speculate about what conditions on earth were like billions of years ago. They have differing views about where life began—for instance, whether within a volcano or under the ocean floor. Another belief is that life’s building blocks first formed elsewhere in the universe and arrived here embedded in meteors. But that does not answer the question of how life began; it just pushes the issue farther into space.
Scientists speculate about the existence of molecules that preceded genetic material as we know it today. These molecules are supposedly more likely to arise spontaneously from inert material and are self-replicating. Yet, science has found no evidence that such molecules ever existed, nor have scientists been able to create any such molecule in a laboratory.
Living things are unique in the way they store and process information. Cells convey, interpret, and carry out instructions contained within their genetic code. Some scientists liken the genetic code to computer software and the chemical structure of the cell to computer hardware. But evolution cannot explain the source of the information.
Protein molecules are necessary for the function of a cell. A typical protein molecule consists of hundreds of amino acids strung together in a specific sequence. Additionally, the protein molecule must fold into a specific three-dimensional shape for it to be useful. Some scientists conclude that the odds of even one protein molecule forming spontaneously are extremely improbable. “Since a functioning cell requires thousands of different proteins,” writes physicist Paul Davies, “it is not credible to suppose they formed by chance alone.”
CONCLUSION. After decades of research in virtually all branches of science, the fact remains that life comes only from preexisting life.
2 How Did Living Things Develop?
WHAT SOME SAY. The first living organism gradually developed into a variety of living things, including humans, through a process of random mutation and natural selection.
WHY SOME PEOPLE ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THAT ANSWER. Some cells are more complex than others. According to one reference, how simpler cells could develop into more complex cells is “often rated the second major evolutionary mystery, after the origin of life.”
Scientists have discovered within each cell intricate molecular machines composed of protein molecules that cooperate to perform complex tasks. These tasks include transporting and converting nutrients into energy, repairing parts of the cell, and conveying messages throughout the cell. Could random mutations and natural selection account for the assembling and functioning of such sophisticated components? Many find that concept difficult to accept.
Animals and humans develop from a single fertilized egg. Inside the embryo, cells multiply and eventually specialize, taking on different shapes and functions to form distinct parts of the body. Evolution cannot explain how each cell “knows” what to become and where it should move within the organism.
Scientists now realize that for one kind of animal to develop into another kind of animal would require that changes take place within the cell, at the molecular level. Since scientists cannot demonstrate how evolution can produce even the “simplest” cell, is it plausible that random mutations and natural selection could be responsible for the different kinds of animals on the planet? Regarding the structure of animals, Michael Behe, professor of biological sciences, says that while research “has revealed unexpected, stunning complexity, no progress at all has been made in understanding how that complexity could evolve by unintelligent processes.”
Human beings are conscious and self-aware, have the ability to think and reason, and possess moral qualities such as generosity, self-sacrifice, and a sense of right and wrong. Random mutations and natural selection cannot explain the existence of these unique qualities of the human mind.
CONCLUSION. While many insist that an evolutionary origin of life is an indisputable fact, others are not satisfied with the answers that evolution provides regarding how life began and how life developed. |
The Bible—God’s Word or Man’s? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102003014 | The Bible—God’s Word or Man’s?
THE MODERN WORLD has too many problems. Marriages are breaking up. Family violence is widespread. Hundreds of millions go hungry. Crime runs rampant. Peace and security are elusive. Why are things like this? Are there any solutions?
The Bible not only offers answers to these questions but provides guidance in everyday living as well. Should we not, then, be interested in what the Bible says?
Some people maintain that the Bible is little more than a collection of myths, legends, and folk wisdom. Others, though, hold that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. Which viewpoint is correct? The book The Bible—God’s Word or Man’s? will help you to answer that question. We invite you to consider the facts for yourself. Doing so may well change your life forever.
You can fill in this coupon and mail it to the address provided or to an appropriate address listed on page 5 of this magazine.
□ Supply me with a copy of the book The Bible—God’s Word or Man’s?
□ Please contact me concerning a free home Bible study.
[Picture Credit Line on page 32]
Alexander the Great: Roma, Musei Capitolini |
Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1)
2011 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1 | CHAPTER 24
Will Sex Improve Our Relationship?
Heather has been seeing Mike for only two months, but she feels as if she’s known him forever. They text each other constantly, they talk for hours at a time on the phone, and they can even finish each other’s sentences! But now, as they sit in a parked car under the moonlight, Mike wants more than conversation.
During the past two months, Mike and Heather have done nothing more than hold hands and briefly kiss. Heather doesn’t want to go further. But she doesn’t want to lose Mike either. No one makes her feel so beautiful, so special. ‘Besides,’ she tells herself, ‘Mike and I are in love . . .’
YOU can probably guess where this scenario is heading. But what you may not realize is how dramatically sex would change things for Mike and Heather—and not for the better. Consider the following:
If you defy a physical law, such as the law of gravity, you suffer the consequences. The same is true if you defy a moral law, such as the one that states: “Abstain from fornication.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3) What are the consequences of disobeying that command? The Bible says: “He that practices fornication is sinning against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18) How is that true? See if you can list below three harmful effects that can come to those who engage in premarital sex.
1 ․․․․․
2 ․․․․․
3 ․․․․․
Now look at what you wrote. Did you include such things as sexually transmitted disease, unwanted pregnancy, or the loss of God’s favor? Those certainly are devastating consequences that can come to anyone who violates God’s moral law regarding fornication.
Still, you might be tempted. ‘Nothing will happen to me,’ you could reason. After all, isn’t everyone having sex? Your peers at school brag about their escapades, and they don’t seem to be hurting. Perhaps, like Heather in the opening scenario, you even feel that sex will make you and your partner closer. Besides, who wants to be ridiculed for being a virgin? Isn’t it better to give in?
Not so fast! First of all, not everyone is doing it. True, you may read statistics indicating that a large number of youths are having sex. For example, a U.S. study revealed that by the time they finish high school, 2 out of 3 youths in that country are sexually active. But that also means that 1 out of 3—a sizable number—are not. Now, what about those who are? Researchers have found that many such youths experience one or more of the following rude awakenings.
RUDE AWAKENING 1 DISTRESS. Most youths who have engaged in premarital sex say that they regretted it afterward.
RUDE AWAKENING 2 DISTRUST. After having sex, each partner begins to wonder, ‘Who else has he/she had sex with?’
RUDE AWAKENING 3 DISILLUSIONMENT. Deep down, many girls would prefer someone who will protect them, not use them. And many boys find that they are less attracted to a girl who has given in to their advances.
In addition to the above, a number of boys have said that they would never marry a girl they have had sex with. Why? Because they prefer someone who is more chaste!
If you’re a girl, does that surprise you—perhaps even anger you? Then remember this: The reality of premarital sex is far different from what is shown in movies and on TV. The entertainment industry glamorizes teen sex and makes it look like harmless fun or even true love. But don’t be naive! Those who would try to coax you into premarital sex are only looking out for their own interests. (1 Corinthians 13:4, 5) After all, would anyone who truly loves you endanger your physical and emotional well-being? (Proverbs 5:3, 4) And would anyone who truly cares for you tempt you to jeopardize your relationship with God?—Hebrews 13:4.
If you’re a young man and you’re dating, what has been stated in this chapter should give you reason to reflect on the relationship you’re involved in. Ask yourself, ‘Do I really care for my girlfriend?’ If your answer is yes, how can you best show it? By having the strength to uphold God’s laws, the wisdom to avoid tempting circumstances, and the love to look out for her interests. If you have such qualities, then likely your girlfriend’s feelings will be similar to those of the morally upright Shulammite, who said: “My dear one is mine and I am his.” (Song of Solomon 2:16) In short, you’ll be her hero!
Whether you’re a boy or a girl, if you were to give in to premarital sex, you would be degrading yourself by giving away something precious. (Romans 1:24) No wonder so many feel empty and worthless afterward, as if they’ve carelessly allowed a precious part of themselves to be stolen! Don’t let that happen to you. If someone tries to coax you into sex by saying, “If you love me, you’ll do this,” firmly reply, “If you love me, you won’t ask!”
Your body is far too valuable to give away. Show that you have the strength of character to obey God’s command to abstain from fornication. Then, if you do marry one day, you can have sex. And you’ll be able to enjoy it fully, without the worries, regrets, and insecurities that are so often the aftermath of premarital sex.—Proverbs 7:22, 23; 1 Corinthians 7:3.
READ MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC IN VOLUME 2, CHAPTERS 4 AND 5
IN OUR NEXT CHAPTERHow serious is the practice of masturbation?
KEY SCRIPTURE
“Flee from fornication. . . . He that practices fornication is sinning against his own body.”—1 Corinthians 6:18.
TIP
When it comes to conduct with the opposite sex, a good rule to follow is this: If it’s something you wouldn’t want your parents to observe you doing, then you shouldn’t be doing it.
DID YOU KNOW . . . ?
After having sex, a boy is more likely to abandon his girlfriend and move on to someone else.
ACTION PLAN!
When I’m with a member of the opposite sex, the circumstances I need to avoid are ․․․․․
If a member of the opposite sex wants to meet me in a secluded place, I will say ․․․․․
What I would like to ask my parent(s) about this subject is ․․․․․
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
● Although premarital sex may appeal to the imperfect flesh, why is it wrong for you?
● What will you do if someone asks you to have sex?
[Blurb on page 176]
“As a Christian, you have qualities that will make you attractive to others. So you have to be alert and back off when invited to do something immoral. Respect those qualities. Don’t sell out!”—Joshua
[Picture on pages 176, 177]
Engaging in premarital sex is like taking a beautiful painting and using it as a doormat |
Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 10
Trips to Jerusalem
SPRING has arrived. And it is time for Joseph’s family, along with friends and relatives, to make their yearly springtime trip to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. As they leave on what is about a 65-mile [100 km] journey, there is the usual excitement. Jesus is now 12 years old, and he looks forward with special interest to the festival.
To Jesus and his family, the Passover is not just a one-day affair. They also stay for the following seven-day Festival of Unfermented Cakes, which they consider part of the Passover season. As a result, the entire trip from their home in Nazareth, including the stay in Jerusalem, takes about two weeks. But this year, because of something that involves Jesus, it takes longer.
The problem comes to light on the return trip from Jerusalem. Joseph and Mary assume that Jesus is in the group of relatives and friends traveling together. Yet he does not show up when they stop for the night, and they go hunting for him among their traveling companions. He is nowhere to be found. So Joseph and Mary go all the way back to Jerusalem to look for him.
For a whole day they hunt, but without success. The second day they cannot find him either. Finally, on the third day, they go to the temple. There, in one of its halls, they see Jesus sitting in the midst of the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions.
“Child, why did you treat us this way?” Mary asks. “Here your father and I in mental distress have been looking for you.”
Jesus is surprised that they did not know where to find him. “Why did you have to go looking for me?” he asks. “Did you not know that I must be in the house of my Father?”
Jesus cannot understand why his parents would not know this. At that, Jesus returns home with his parents and continues subject to them. He goes on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men. Yes, from his childhood on, Jesus sets a fine example not only in seeking spiritual interests but also in showing respect to his parents. Luke 2:40-52; 22:7.
▪ What springtime trip does Jesus regularly make with his family, and how long is it?
▪ What happens during the trip they make when Jesus is 12 years old?
▪ What example does Jesus set for youths today? |
Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1)
2011 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1 | CHAPTER 31
How Can I Get Over a Breakup?
“We’d been dating for six months and had been friends for five years. When he wanted to end the relationship, he couldn’t even face me. He just stopped talking to me. I felt helpless. The disappointment was overwhelming. I kept asking myself, ‘What did I do wrong?’”—Rachel.
A BREAKUP can crush your joyful disposition and replace it with tearful despair. Consider Jeff and Susan, who dated for two years. Over that period their emotional bond grew. Throughout the day, Jeff sent Susan text messages with expressions of endearment. From time to time, he gave her gifts to show that he was thinking of her. “Jeff put forth an effort to listen to me and understand me,” Susan says. “He made me feel special.”
Before long, Jeff and Susan were talking about marriage and where they would live as husband and wife. Jeff even inquired about Susan’s ring size. Then, quite suddenly, he called off the relationship! Susan was devastated. She went through the motions of daily life, but she felt numb with shock. “I became mentally and physically exhausted,” she says.a
Why It Hurts
If you’ve been in a situation similar to that of Susan, you might well wonder, ‘Will I ever be able to move on?’ Your distress is understandable. “Love is as powerful as death,” wrote King Solomon. (Song of Solomon 8:6, Today’s English Version) So, breaking up may be one of the most traumatic experiences you’ve ever had to endure. In fact, some have said that a breakup is like a minideath. You may even find yourself going through these and perhaps other typical stages of grief:
Denial. ‘It can’t be over. He’ll change his mind in a day or two.’
Anger. ‘How could he do this to me? I can’t stand him!’
Depression. ‘I’m unlovable. No one will ever love me.’
Acceptance. ‘I’m going to be all right. The breakup hurt, but I’m getting better.’
The good news is that you can reach the acceptance stage. How much time it will take to get there depends on a number of factors, including how long your relationship lasted and how far it progressed. In the meantime, how can you cope with your heartbreak?
Moving Forward
You may have heard the saying, Time heals all wounds. When you first break up, those words might ring hollow. That’s because time is only part of the solution. To illustrate: A cut on your skin will heal in time, but it hurts now. You need to stop the bleeding and soothe the pain. You also need to keep it from becoming infected. The same is true with an emotional wound. Right now, it hurts. But there are steps you can take to lessen the pain and keep from becoming infected with bitterness. Time will do its part, but how can you do yours? Try the following.
● Allow yourself to grieve. There’s nothing wrong with having a good cry. After all, the Bible says that there is “a time to weep” and even “a time to wail.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4) Shedding tears doesn’t mean you’re weak. In the midst of emotional anguish, even David—a courageous warrior—once admitted: “Every night my bed is damp from my weeping; my pillow is soaked with tears.”—Psalm 6:6, Today’s English Version.
● Take care of your physical health. Physical exercise and proper nutrition will help replenish the energy lost as a result of the emotional toll of a breakup. “Bodily training is beneficial,” the Bible says.—1 Timothy 4:8.
What areas pertaining to your health might you need to give attention to?
․․․․․
● Keep busy. Don’t stop doing the things that interest you. And now, more than ever, don’t isolate yourself. (Proverbs 18:1) Associating with those who care about you will give you something positive on which to focus.
What goals can you set?
․․․․․
● Pray to God about your feelings. This might be a challenge. After a breakup, some even feel betrayed by God. They reason, ‘I prayed and prayed that I would find someone, and now look at what happened!’ (Psalm 10:1) Would it be right, though, to view God as merely a celestial matchmaker? Surely not; nor is he responsible when one party does not wish the relationship to continue. We do know this about Jehovah: “He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) So pour out your feelings to him in prayer. The Bible states: “Let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that excels all thought will guard your hearts and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus.”—Philippians 4:6, 7.
What specific things could you pray to Jehovah about while you are striving to cope with the anguish of a breakup?
․․․․․
Looking Ahead
After you’ve had time to heal, you might do well to take a close look at just what happened in your past relationship. When you’re ready to do that, you may find it helpful to write out your responses to the questions in the box “What Can I Learn From the Breakup?” on page 224.
Granted, the relationship you were involved in didn’t become what you had hoped. But remember this: In the middle of a storm, it’s easy to focus on the dark sky and the pouring rain. Eventually, though, the rain stops and the sky clears. The youths quoted earlier in this chapter found that they were, in time, able to move on. Be assured that the same can be true of you!
IN OUR NEXT CHAPTERWhat steps can you take to protect yourself from sexual predators?
[Footnote]
a Although the individuals quoted in this chapter are female, the principles discussed apply to males as well.
KEY SCRIPTURE
“[Jehovah] is healing the brokenhearted ones, and is binding up their painful spots.”—Psalm 147:3.
TIP
Susan, mentioned at the outset of this chapter, made a list of scriptures and kept it handy so that she could read those texts when she felt overwhelmed by her emotions. Perhaps you can do the same with some of the scriptures cited in this chapter.
DID YOU KNOW . . . ?
The vast majority of teen-dating relationships do not lead to marriage, and those that do have a high rate of divorce.
ACTION PLAN!
To help me to move on after a breakup, I will ․․․․․
What I could work on to be a better partner in my next dating relationship is ․․․․․
What I would like to ask my parent(s) about this subject is ․․․․․
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
● What have you learned about yourself from your past relationship?
● What have you learned about the opposite sex?
[Blurb on page 227]
“Time gives you a much clearer perspective. Later, your emotions won’t be running so high, so you can think about the situation objectively and get some closure. Also, you can find out more about who you are and what you would look for in a mate, as well as what to guard against to avoid a similar situation in the future.”—Corrina
[Box on page 224]
Worksheet
What Can I Learn From the Breakup?
Were you given a reason for the breakup? If so, write the reason below, regardless of whether you feel it was valid. ․․․․․
What other reasons, do you think, might have been involved? ․․․․․
In hindsight, is there anything you could have done that would have changed the outcome? If so, what? ․․․․․
Has this experience revealed any areas in which you would like to grow spiritually or emotionally? ․․․․․
What, if anything, would you do differently in your next relationship? ․․․․․
[Picture on page 223]
A breakup is like a painful cut—it hurts, but in time it will heal |
Revelation Climax (re)
1988 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/re | Chapter 26
God’s Sacred Secret—Its Glorious Climax!
1. (a) How does John inform us that the sacred secret is brought to a finish? (b) Why do the angelic hosts speak loudly?
DO YOU recall the sworn declaration by the strong angel recorded at Revelation 10:1, 6, 7? He stated: “There will be no delay any longer; but in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel, when he is about to blow his trumpet, the sacred secret of God according to the good news which he declared to his own slaves the prophets is indeed brought to a finish.” Jehovah’s due time has arrived for the sounding of that final trumpet! How is it, then, that the sacred secret is brought to a finish? John is truly overjoyed to inform us! He writes: “And the seventh angel blew his trumpet. And loud voices occurred in heaven, saying: ‘The kingdom of the world did become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.’” (Revelation 11:15) Those angelic hosts have reason to speak loudly, even in thunderous tones! For this historic announcement is of universal importance. It is of vital concern to all living creation.
2. When and with what event is the sacred secret brought to a triumphant finish?
2 The sacred secret comes to its happy climax! Gloriously, magnificently, it is brought to a triumphant finish in 1914 when the Lord Jehovah enthrones his Christ as associate King. Acting for his Father, Jesus Christ takes over active rulership in the midst of an enemy world of mankind. As the promised Seed, he receives Kingdom power in order to bring to nothing the Serpent and his brood and restore paradisaic peace to this earth. (Genesis 3:15; Psalm 72:1, 7) As Messianic King, Jesus will thus fulfill Jehovah’s Word and vindicate his Father, “the King of eternity,” who must rule as Sovereign Lord “forever and ever.”—1 Timothy 1:17.
3. Why has Jehovah God, though always King, allowed other sovereignties to exist on earth?
3 But how did “the kingdom of the world . . . become the kingdom of our Lord,” Jehovah? Has not Jehovah God always been King? That is true, for the Levite Asaph sang: “God is my King from long ago.” And another psalmist proclaimed: “Jehovah himself has become king! . . . Your throne is firmly established from long ago; you are from time indefinite.” (Psalm 74:12; 93:1, 2) In his wisdom, though, Jehovah has allowed other sovereignties to exist on earth. Thus the issue raised in Eden as to whether man can govern himself without God has been fully tested. Man-rule has failed miserably. True, indeed, are the words of God’s prophet: “I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” (Jeremiah 10:23) Ever since the defection of our first parents, the entire inhabited earth has been under the domination of “the original serpent,” Satan. (Revelation 12:9; Luke 4:6) It is time, now, for a dramatic change! To vindicate his rightful position, Jehovah begins to exercise his sovereignty over the earth in a new way, through his designated Messianic Kingdom.
4. When the sounding of the trumpets got under way in 1922, what was brought to the fore? Explain.
4 When the sounding of the seven trumpets got under way in 1922, the Bible Students’ convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, featured a talk by J. F. Rutherford based on the scripture “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17, King James Version) He concluded with these words: “Then back to the field, O ye sons of the most high God! Gird on your armor! Be sober, be vigilant, be active, be brave. Be faithful and true witnesses for the Lord. Go forward in the fight until every vestige of Babylon lies desolate. Herald the message far and wide. The world must know that Jehovah is God and that Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. This is the day of all days. Behold, the King reigns! You are his publicity agents. Therefore advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom.” God’s Kingdom by Christ Jesus was brought to the fore, and that set off the great surge of Kingdom preaching that has included the judgments heralded by the sounding of all seven of the angelic trumpets.
5. In 1928, what happened at the Bible Students’ convention that highlighted the seventh trumpet blast?
5 The trumpet blast of the seventh angel was reflected in highlights of the Bible Students’ convention in Detroit, Michigan, July 30-August 6, 1928. At that time 107 broadcasting stations were tied in to what The New York Times described as ‘the most extensive and expensive radio hook-up in history.’ The convention enthusiastically adopted a powerful “Declaration Against Satan and for Jehovah,” pointing to the overthrow, at Armageddon, of Satan and his evil organization and the emancipation of all who love righteousness. Loyal subjects of God’s Kingdom were delighted to receive a convention release, the 368-page book Government. This supplied the clearest of proofs “that God set his Anointed King upon his throne in 1914.”
Jehovah Takes Power
6. How does John report the announcement of Christ’s having been enthroned in God’s Kingdom?
6 Christ enthroned in God’s Kingdom—what joy this announcement calls forth! John reports: “And the twenty-four elders who were seated before God upon their thrones fell upon their faces and worshiped God, saying: ‘We thank you, Jehovah God, the Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun ruling as king.’”—Revelation 11:16, 17.
7. How were thanks given to Jehovah God (a) by the remnant of the symbolic 24 elders on earth? (b) by those of the symbolic 24 elders who had been resurrected to their positions in heaven?
7 The ones that offer these thanks to Jehovah God are the 24 elders, symbolizing the anointed brothers of Christ in their heavenly positions. From 1922 onward a remnant on earth of these 144,000 anointed ones got busy in the work that was set in motion by the trumpet blasts. They came to realize the full import of the sign at Matthew 24:3–25:46. Even earlier in the Lord’s day, however, their fellow witnesses who had already ‘proved faithful even to death’ had been resurrected to take their positions in heaven, so that they could now represent the entire group of 144,000 in falling upon their faces to render homage to Jehovah. (Revelation 1:10; 2:10) How thankful all of these are that their Sovereign Lord has not delayed in bringing his sacred secret to a climactic finish!
8. (a) What effect does the blowing of the seventh trumpet have on the nations? (b) Against whom have the nations expressed their wrath?
8 On the other hand, the blowing of the seventh trumpet brings no joy to the nations. The time has come for them to experience Jehovah’s wrath. As John relates: “But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time for the dead to be judged, and to give their reward to your slaves the prophets and to the holy ones and to those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) From 1914 onward the nations of the world have fiercely expressed their wrath against one another, against God’s Kingdom, and especially against Jehovah’s two witnesses.—Revelation 11:3.
9. How have the nations been ruining the earth, and what has God determined to do about it?
9 Throughout history the nations have been ruining the earth by their incessant warfare and bad management. Since 1914, however, this ruination has escalated to an alarming degree. Greed and corruption have resulted in expanding deserts and tremendous loss of productive land. Acid rain and radioactive clouds have damaged large areas. Food sources have been polluted. The air we breathe and the water we drink are contaminated. Industrial wastes threaten life on land and in the sea. At one time, the superpowers threatened complete ruination by way of nuclear annihilation of all humankind. Happily, Jehovah will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth”; he will execute judgment on those proud, godless humans who are responsible for earth’s sorry state. (Deuteronomy 32:5, 6; Psalm 14:1-3) Therefore, Jehovah arranges for the third woe, to bring these wrongdoers to account.—Revelation 11:14.
Woe to the Ruinous Ones!
10. (a) What is the third woe? (b) In what way does the third woe bring more than torment?
10 Here, then, is the third woe. It comes quickly! It is Jehovah’s means of bringing ruination to those who desecrate his “footstool,” this lovely earth on which we live. (Isaiah 66:1) It is set in motion by the Messianic Kingdom—the sacred secret of God. God’s enemies, and Christendom’s leaders in particular, have been tormented by the first two woes—resulting principally from the locust plague and the armies of cavalry; but the third woe, which Jehovah’s Kingdom itself administers, brings more than torment. (Revelation 9:3-19) It provides the death stroke in ousting a ruinous human society and its rulers. This will come as the climax of Jehovah’s judging at Armageddon. It is just as Daniel prophesied: “And in the days of those kings [rulers who are ruining the earth] the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.” Like an imposing mountain, God’s Kingdom will rule over an earth made glorious, vindicating Jehovah’s sovereignty and bringing eternal joy to mankind.—Daniel 2:35, 44; Isaiah 11:9; 60:13.
11. (a) What ongoing series of happy events does the prophecy describe? (b) What undeserved kindness is realized, how, and by whom?
11 The third woe is accompanied by an ongoing series of happy events that will proceed progressively through the Lord’s day. It is the time ‘for the dead to be judged, and for God to give their reward to his slaves the prophets and to the holy ones and to those fearing his name.’ That means a resurrection from the dead! For the anointed holy ones who had already fallen asleep in death, this takes place early in the Lord’s day. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17) In due course the remaining holy ones join these by an instantaneous resurrection. Others too are to be rewarded, including God’s slaves the prophets of ancient times and all others of mankind who come to fear Jehovah’s name, whether they are of the great crowd who survive the great tribulation or of “the dead, the great and the small,” who are raised to life during Christ’s Millennial Reign. Since God’s Messianic King has the keys of death and of Hades, his Kingdom rule opens the way for him to dispense everlasting life to all who reach out for that precious provision. (Revelation 1:18; 7:9, 14; 20:12, 13; Romans 6:22; John 5:28, 29) Whether it is immortal life in the heavens or eternal life on earth, this gift of life is an undeserved kindness from Jehovah, for which each recipient may be forever thankful!—Hebrews 2:9.
Behold the Ark of His Covenant!
12. (a) According to Revelation 11:19, what does John see in heaven? (b) Of what had the ark of the covenant been a symbol, and what happened to it after Israel went into captivity to Babylon?
12 Jehovah rules! Through his Messianic Kingdom, he is exercising his sovereignty toward mankind in a marvelous way. This is confirmed by what John sees next: “And the temple sanctuary of God that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple sanctuary. And there occurred lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and a great hail.” (Revelation 11:19) This is the only mention in Revelation of the ark of God’s covenant. The Ark had been the visible symbol of Jehovah’s presence with his people Israel. In the tabernacle, and later in the temple built by Solomon, it was kept in the Most Holy. But when Israel went into captivity in Babylon in 607 B.C.E., Jerusalem was desolated and the ark of the covenant disappeared. That was when representatives of the house of David ceased “to sit upon Jehovah’s throne as king.”—1 Chronicles 29:23.a
13. What is denoted by the fact that the ark of God’s covenant is seen in the heavenly sanctuary of God?
13 Now, after more than 2,600 years, the Ark is seen once more. But in John’s vision this Ark is not in an earthly temple. It appears in the heavenly sanctuary of God. Once again, Jehovah rules by means of a king in the royal line of David. This time, however, the King, Christ Jesus, is enthroned in heavenly Jerusalem—the exalted vantage point from which he executes Jehovah’s judgments. (Hebrews 12:22) The following chapters of Revelation will unveil these to us.
14, 15. (a) In ancient Jerusalem, who only got to see the ark of the covenant, and why? (b) In the heavenly temple sanctuary of God, who get to see the ark of his covenant?
14 In ancient earthly Jerusalem, the Ark was not seen by the Israelites in general, nor even by the priests serving in the temple, for it was within the Most Holy that was screened off from the Holy Place by a curtain. (Numbers 4:20; Hebrews 9:2, 3) Only the high priest got to see it when he entered the Most Holy on the annual Day of Atonement. Nevertheless, when the temple sanctuary in the heavens is opened, the symbolic ark is visible not only to Jehovah’s High Priest, Jesus Christ, but also to his underpriests, the 144,000, including John.
15 Those first ones who have been resurrected to heaven see this symbolic ark at close range, for they have taken their place as part of the 24 elders around Jehovah’s throne. And the John class on earth have been enlightened by Jehovah’s spirit to discern His presence in His spiritual temple. There have also been signs to alert mankind in general to this wonderful development. John’s vision speaks of lightnings, voices, thunders, an earthquake, and hail. (Compare Revelation 8:5.) What do these symbolize?
16. How have there been lightnings, voices, thunders, an earthquake, and a great hail?
16 Since 1914 there has been a tremendous upheaval in the realm of religion. Happily, though, this “earthquake” has been accompanied by dedicated voices giving a clear message about God’s established Kingdom. Thunderous ‘storm warnings’ from the Bible have been sounded. Like lightning, flashes of insight as to God’s prophetic Word have been seen and publicized. A hard pounding “hail” of divine judgments has been unleashed against Christendom and false religion in general. All of this should have caught people’s attention. Sadly, though, the majority—like the people of Jerusalem in Jesus’ time—have failed to discern the fulfillment of these Revelation signs.—Luke 19:41-44.
17, 18. (a) The sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels has brought what responsibility to dedicated Christians? (b) How are Christians fulfilling their commission?
17 The seven angels continue to sound their trumpets, signaling historic events here on earth. Dedicated Christians have a great responsibility to continue proclaiming these announcements to the world. How joyfully they are fulfilling that commission! This is indicated in that during the 20 years from 1986 to 2005, they almost doubled the hours spent yearly in the ministry—from 680,837,042 to 1,278,235,504. Truly, “the sacred secret of God according to the good news” is being made known “to the extremities of the inhabited earth.”—Revelation 10:7; Romans 10:18.
18 Other visions now await us as God’s Kingdom purposes continue to be unveiled.
[Footnote]
a Roman historian Tacitus reports that when Jerusalem was captured in 63 B.C.E. and Cneius Pompeius entered the temple sanctuary, he found it was empty. There was no ark of the covenant within.—Tacitus History, 5.9.
[Box on page 173]
Highlights of Jehovah’s Trumpetlike Judgment Proclamations
1. 1922 Cedar Point, Ohio: A challenge to Christendom’s leaders in religion, politics, and big business to justify their failure to bring peace, prosperity, and happiness. Messiah’s Kingdom is the panacea.
2. 1923 Los Angeles, California: The public talk, “All Nations Now Marching to Armageddon, but Millions Now Living Will Never Die,” called on peace-loving “sheep” to abandon the death-dealing sea of humanity.
3. 1924 Columbus, Ohio: Ecclesiastics indicted for self-exaltation and refusal to preach Messiah’s Kingdom. True Christians must preach God’s vengeance and comfort mourning humanity.
4. 1925 Indianapolis, Indiana: A message of hope contrasting the spiritual darkness in Christendom with the bright Kingdom promise of peace, prosperity, health, life, liberty, and eternal happiness.
5. 1926 London, England: A locustlike plaguing of Christendom and its clergy, exposing their rejection of God’s Kingdom, and hailing the birth of that heavenly government.
6. 1927 Toronto, Canada: An invitation, carried as by armies of cavalry, calling on people to forsake ‘organized Christianity’ and give heart allegiance to Jehovah God and to his King and Kingdom.
7. 1928 Detroit, Michigan: A declaration against Satan and for Jehovah, making plain that God’s anointed King, enthroned in 1914, will destroy Satan’s evil organization and emancipate mankind.
[Box on page 175]
Ruining the Earth
“Every three seconds a portion of original rainforest the size of a football field disappears. . . . The loss of primary forest is destroying thousands of plant and animal species.”—Illustrated Atlas of the World (Rand McNally).
“In two centuries of settlement, [the Great Lakes] have also become the world’s biggest sewer.”—The Globe and Mail (Canada).
In April 1986 an explosion and fire at a nuclear power plant in Chernobyl, U.S.S.R., “was the most significant nuclear event . . . since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,” emitting “as much long-term radiation into the world’s air, topsoil and water as all the nuclear tests and bombs ever exploded.”—JAMA; The New York Times.
In Minamata, Japan, a chemical plant discharged methylmercury into the bay. Eating fish and shellfish contaminated with the discharge caused Minamata disease (MD) a “chronic neurological disease. . . . To date [1985], 2578 people throughout Japan have officially been verified to have MD.”—International Journal of Epidemiology.
[Box on page 176]
The weighty pronouncements at Revelation 11:15-19 are a prelude to the visions that follow. Revelation chapter 12 is a flashback that amplifies in detail the grand announcements at Revelation 11:15, 17. Chapter 13 gives background to 11:18, as it describes the origin and development of Satan’s political organization that has brought ruination to the earth. Chapters 14 and 15 detail further Kingdom judgments tied in with the sounding of the seventh trumpet and the third woe.
[Pictures on page 174]
Jehovah will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth” |
GEORGIY PORCHULYAN | LIFE STORY
“My Love for Jehovah Has Sustained Me” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502400100 | GEORGIY PORCHULYAN | LIFE STORY
“My Love for Jehovah Has Sustained Me”
When I was sent to a labor camp in the harsh region of Magadan, in Siberia, I was just 23 years old. At that time, I had been baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses for only one year. I was so impetuous and inexperienced that my first attempt to share my new faith with an inmate almost ended up in a fight.
But what led me, a former Communist, to adopt the faith of a religious group deemed to be an enemy of the State? And how did Jehovah’s love and training help me to improve my personality during years of forced labor and exile?
Searching for Justice and Peace of Mind
I was born in 1930, in Tabani, a poor village in northern Moldova. My parents worked very hard on a collective farm in order to feed their six children. We did not have much to live on. My mother belonged to the Russian Orthodox Church, and my father was a Catholic. They often had heated arguments about the shocking behavior of the priests.
When I graduated from school at age 18, I joined the Komsomol, a youth organization that spread Communist teachings. Its aim was to prepare future members of the Communist Party. I was soon elected as secretary of the local group. Values such as fraternity, equality, and justice appealed to me, but when I saw the injustice and corruption that permeated society, I felt empty.
As an active member of the Komsomol, I had no choice but to support the decrees issued by the government of the Soviet Uniona when they were closing churches and dissolving religious groups. There were some of Jehovah’s Witnesses in our village. Even though I had noticed their honest and peaceful behavior, I considered them to be fanatics. Little did I know that I would soon find answers to many of my questions through one of them.
My uncle Dimitriy, who lived in my village, was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. One day in the spring of 1952, he asked me, “Georgiy, what are you going to do with your life?” He was the only one who cared enough about me to ask me such a question. The truth is, I had a lot of unanswered questions on my mind. For example, I kept asking myself, ‘If God exists, why does he allow so much suffering?’ For the following eight days, Dimitriy answered my questions using the Bible. Sometimes we talked about God until three o’clock in the morning!
Some nights Georgiy and Dimitriy stayed up discussing the Bible
After these discussions, I decided to study the Bible seriously. I began to realize that I had a heavenly Father who truly loved me. (Psalm 27:10) Although I had very little Bible knowledge, my love for Jehovah was strong enough to help me take decisive action. I left the Communist Party despite threats from the local chairman. Only four months after I began studying the Bible, in September 1952, I dedicated myself to Jehovah and got baptized.
My Love for Jehovah Is Tested
Back then, the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses were under ban. However, I wanted to express my love for Jehovah through action, so I volunteered to deliver Bible literature to fellow Witnesses living in villages. This was risky because suspicious villagers could easily report a stranger to the authorities. In fact, even some Witnesses were wary of me, fearing that I could be one of the many undercover secret police agents who infiltrated the congregation. But soon it became clear that I was not a spy. Only two months after my baptism, I was arrested and convicted for delivering forbidden literature.
While held in pretrial detention, which lasted for nearly a year, I was subjected to interrogations during which the officers tried to break my integrity. But I had already developed a deep love for Jehovah God. Eventually, a public court hearing was arranged in the city of Odessa, Ukraine. My parents and siblings, who were not Jehovah’s Witnesses at the time, were summoned to court.
I was put on trial as someone who had been deceived into joining a dangerous sect. The authorities wanted my parents and siblings to believe that I had lost my mind. My parents were intimidated. They cried and asked me to repent. But I stayed calm. I told my mother: “Do not worry. I am not lost. I have found what I have been looking for all my life, and I will never part with it.” (Proverbs 23:23) I did not have much knowledge of the Bible, still I knew enough about Jehovah to cling to him. About six years later, my parents came to appreciate my beliefs better, and they too became Jehovah’s Witnesses.
With Georgiy’s parents present, the court accused him of joining a dangerous cult
I was sentenced to 15 years of forced labor and sent by train to the Kolyma region, which was at the heart of a large network of forced-labor camps in Siberia. To have complete control of the prisoners, guards and officers beat us and starved us. At first, I wondered how I would survive.
Experiencing God’s Loving Care and Training
Soon after my arrival, some of the 34 Witnesses already imprisoned in the camp cautiously asked me: “Are there any Jonadabs in your group?” Immediately I knew that they were my spiritual brothers. They were the only ones who would use such a Biblical term! These experienced brothers not only taught me how to apply Bible principles in trying situations but also helped me to develop spiritual qualities such as discernment.
I worked as a machinist in the camp. One day, a workmate named Matphey boasted that he knew the names of 50 saints by heart. When I made an offensive remark about the so-called saints, Matphey tried to punch me, but I ran away. Later, I felt upset when I saw the brothers laughing. I exclaimed: “Why are you laughing? I wanted to preach!” They kindly reminded me that our goal is to share good news, not to offend people. (1 Peter 3:15) Matphey was a political dissident, yet he was impressed by the respect the Witnesses showed toward the guards and the authorities. He eventually showed interest in the Bible’s message. I will always remember the night when he was secretly baptized in a barrel of cold water.
Soon after our arrival in the camp, two young brothers and I were invited to attend political theory classes. At first, we refused to attend such meetings. We thought that taking part in them would be a violation of our Christian neutrality. (John 17:16) As a result, we were put in a dark punishment cell for two weeks. When we were released, caring brothers explained to us that we would not necessarily have broken our neutrality by simply being present at such meetings. On the contrary, we could view them as an opportunity to give a fine witness. These loving brothers kindly helped us to grow wiser and more flexible.
Their patient training was clear evidence of Jehovah’s loving care for me. For example, a prisoner who was a priest had been appointed as chief accountant. Every time our paths crossed at mealtimes, he would greet me, saying, “Hello, son of the Devil!” Another inmate told me that I should sarcastically respond, “Hello Dad!” Sadly, I took his advice, and as a result, I was badly beaten. When the brothers learned what had happened to me, they helped me understand that my behavior had not been appropriate. (Proverbs 29:11) I eventually apologized to the priest.
Before being sent to the labor camp, I used to attend Christian meetings secretly at night or early in the morning. But in the camp, there was nowhere to hide. Therefore, every day we brothers would stand together in a circle, in full view of the guards, to discuss some scriptures we had written beforehand on small pieces of paper. Our objective was to memorize as many scriptures as possible and to recall them regularly. When an officer interrupted our meetings, we would quickly swallow our notes.
With nowhere to hide in the labor camp, the Witnesses read the Bible in full view of the guards
Exiled But Not Beyond the Reach of God’s Love
In the early 1960’s, after Georgiy’s release from the labor camp
After being released from the camp in 1959, I was deported to the region of Karaganda in Kazakhstan. Though I was still on probation, I asked for a 20-day leave of absence from the authorities to get married. I traveled to the Tomsk region in Russia, where I knew a faithful and lovely sister named Maria. As I usually did, I came straight to the point. I told her: “Maria, I do not have time for dating. Marry me!” She agreed, and we had a small wedding. Maria valued the fact that I had endured so many trials, and she wanted to help me continue serving Jehovah.—Proverbs 19:14.
Back in the 1960’s, we could not openly go from house to house, but we seized any opportunity to share our beliefs informally. When we were invited somewhere as guests or while we were on vacation, we often shared our hope of living forever on earth. We also created opportunities to talk to others. For example, we visited houses that were for sale and tried to engage the owners in conversations about spiritual topics. Using this approach, Maria and I started Bible studies with six individuals who became Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Sometimes we could give a witness during election time. One day, secret police officers came to the factory where a few brothers and I were working. In front of about 1,000 of our fellow workers, they asked us why Jehovah’s Witnesses do not participate in politics. The chief engineer and several other workers stood up for us. They told the officers that we were responsible and diligent workers. Their reaction gave us the strength to explain our stand, quoting scriptures from memory. As a result of our bold witness, four workers showed interest in Bible truth and got baptized in less than a year.
In the early 1970’s, many honesthearted people became Jehovah’s Witnesses in Kazakhstan, so we felt the need to organize our first assembly. But how could we do that without arousing the suspicion of the authorities? We decided to hold a one-day assembly in conjunction with a wedding in a village near the city of Almaty. Our gathering was both an actual wedding and a Christian assembly, with over 300 guests joining the bride and groom! My wife and a few sisters worked very hard to decorate the venue and prepare delicious food. The guests especially appreciated the fine Bible teaching given by about a dozen speakers. That day, for the first time in my life, I gave a Bible talk in front of a large audience.
God’s Love Has Sustained Us Through Our Trials
Georgiy and his wife, Maria, with their daughter, Lyudmila
My beloved wife, Maria, remained a faithful helper throughout her life. She was mild-tempered and submissive, always putting Kingdom interests first. Although she had been a physically strong woman, she suddenly developed a severe form of osteoporosis that caused her to be bedridden for almost 16 years. With the assistance of our compassionate daughter, Lyudmila, we took good care of her until her death in 2014.
When my dear Maria was suffering, I felt powerless. However, until her last day, we read the Bible and encouraging articles together. We often talked about the new world. At times, I cried silently at her side. But each time we read about Jehovah’s wonderful promises, we calmed down and gained strength to carry on.—Psalm 37:18; 41:3.
Georgiy and Lyudmila at a Christian gathering
Since the day I first sensed Jehovah’s love, I have always felt his support and care. (Psalm 34:19) As an inexperienced young man, I felt his love through those who patiently helped me improve my personality. When I experienced hardships in the labor camp and in exile, I felt that Jehovah supported me through his Word. And he gave me the strength I needed to take care of my dear wife, Maria, until her death. Today, I can truly say that my love for Jehovah has sustained me throughout my life.
a Kazakhstan, Moldova, and Ukraine were part of the former Soviet Union until 1991. |
JW Brochure (br78)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/jw-brochure-br78 | The Good News They Want You to Hear
When Jesus was on earth, his disciples came to him and asked: “What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” He replied that there would be wars involving many nations, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, an increasing of lawlessness, false religious teachers misleading many, a hatred and persecution of his true followers, and a cooling off of the love of righteousness in many persons. When these things would start to happen, it would indicate Christ’s invisible presence and that the heavenly Kingdom would be at hand. This would be news—good news! So Jesus added these words as a part of the sign: “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 24:3-14.
In themselves recent world happenings are bad, but what they signify, namely, Christ’s presence, is good. Therefore, Jesus said: “As these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.” (Luke 21:28) These things started to occur in that widely heralded year 1914! It marked the end of the Gentile Times and the beginning of the transition period from human rule to the Thousand Year (Millennial) Reign of Christ.
That there was to be a transition period is indicated by the 110th Psalm, verses 1 and 2, Ps 110:1, 2and Revelation 12:7-12. There it is shown that Christ would sit at God’s right hand in heaven until the time for his second coming. Then war in heaven would result in Satan’s being cast to earth, bringing woe to the earth, and Christ would rule in the midst of his enemies for a period not exceeding one generation. The complete end of wickedness would come by means of a “great tribulation,” culminating in the war at Har–Magedon and followed by Christ’s Thousand Year Reign of peace.—Matthew 24:21, 33, 34; Revelation 16:14-16.
“But know this,” the Bible says, “that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Now, some may argue that these things have happened before in human history.
However, as the historians and commentators say, there has never been a time on earth like the one experienced from 1914 onward. The woes have been far more extensive than ever before. Moreover, as to other features of Christ’s sign of the last days, these facts should be considered: The earth-wide proclamation of Christ’s presence and Kingdom has been of a magnitude unprecedented in history. Persecution for preaching has never equaled that visited upon Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many hundreds of them were executed in Hitler’s concentration camps. To this day Jehovah’s Witnesses are under ban in many countries, and in others they are arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and killed. This is all part of the sign Jesus gave.
As foretold at Revelation 11:18, ‘the nations have become wrathful’ against Jehovah’s faithful Witnesses, and this indicates that Jehovah’s “own wrath” will be expressed against those nations. This same scripture says that God will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” Never before has there been a time in human history when the earth’s capacity for sustaining life has been threatened. However, now it is different! Many scientists have warned that if man continues to pollute the earth, it will become uninhabitable. But Jehovah “formed it even to be inhabited,” and he will get rid of the polluters before they complete their ruin of the earth.—Isaiah 45:18.
EARTHLY BLESSINGS UNDER THE KINGDOM
The thought of persons living on earth as subjects of God’s Kingdom may seem strange to many Bible believers who think of all those saved as being in heaven. The Bible shows that only a limited number go to heaven and that those who will live forever on earth will be a great crowd of unlimited number. (Revelation 14:1-5; 7:9; Psalm 37:11, 29) That God’s Kingdom under Christ will fill the earth and reign over it is shown by a prophecy in the Bible book of Daniel.
Christ’s Kingdom is there represented as a stone cut from Jehovah’s mountainlike sovereignty. It strikes and destroys an image that represents powerful nations of earth, and “the stone that struck the image . . . became a large mountain and filled the whole earth.” The prophecy continues: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”—Daniel 2:34, 35, 44.
It is this Kingdom and the Scripturally supported hope of everlasting life on a cleansed and beautified earth that Jehovah’s Witnesses wish to tell you about. Millions now living and many, many millions now in their graves will have opportunity to dwell therein forever. Then, under the Thousand Year Reign of Christ Jesus, Jehovah’s original purpose for creating the earth and putting the first human pair on it will be realized. This earthly Paradise will never become boring. Just as Adam was assigned work in the garden of Eden, so humankind will have challenging projects in caring for the earth and the plant and animal life on it. They “shall long enjoy the work of their hands.”—Isaiah 65:22, Revised Standard Version; Genesis 2:15.
Many scriptures could be presented to show the conditions that will exist when the prayer that Jesus taught us is answered: “Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matthew 6:10) However, let this one suffice for now: “I heard a loud voice from the throne say: ‘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. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.’ And the One seated on the throne said: ‘Look! I am making all things new.’ Also, he says: ‘Write, because these words are faithful and true.’”—Revelation 21:3-5.
[Blurb on page 15]
“Critical times hard to deal with,” BUT “your deliverance is getting near” |
Bearing Witness (bt)
2022 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/bt | outputs
CHAPTER PAGE
INTRODUCTION
1. “Go . . . and Make Disciples” 6
SECTION 1—“You Have Filled Jerusalem With Your Teaching”
2. “You Will Be Witnesses of Me” 14
3. “Filled With Holy Spirit” 21
4. “Uneducated and Ordinary Men” 28
5. “We Must Obey God as Ruler” 37
SECTION 2—“Great Persecution Arose Against the Congregation”
6. Stephen—“Full of Divine Favor and Power” 45
7. Declaring “the Good News About Jesus” 52
8. The Congregation “Entered Into a Period of Peace” 60
SECTION 3—“People of the Nations . . . Accepted the Word of God”
9. “God Is Not Partial” 69
10. “The Word of Jehovah Went On Growing” 77
SECTION 4—“Sent Out by the Holy Spirit”
11. “Filled With Joy and Holy Spirit” 85
12. “Speaking With Boldness by the Authority of Jehovah” 93
SECTION 5—“The Apostles and the Elders Gathered Together”
13. “After Quite a Bit of Dissension” 101
14. “We Have Come to a Unanimous Decision” 108
SECTION 6—“Let Us Now Return and Visit the Brothers”
15. “Strengthening the Congregations” 117
16. “Step Over Into Macedonia” 125
17. “He Reasoned With Them From the Scriptures” 133
18. “Seek God, . . . and Really Find Him” 140
19. “Keep On Speaking and Do Not Keep Silent” 148
SECTION 7—“Teaching . . . Publicly and From House to House”
20. “Growing and Prevailing” Despite Opposition 157
21. “I Am Clean From the Blood of All Men” 165
22. “Let the Will of Jehovah Take Place” 173
SECTION 8—“Preaching the Kingdom of God . . . Without Hindrance”
23. “Hear My Defense” 181
24. “Take Courage!” 189
25. “I Appeal to Caesar!” 196
26. “Not One of You Will Be Lost” 203
27. “Bearing Thorough Witness” 211
CONCLUSION
28. “To the Most Distant Part of the Earth” 218
Image Index 224 |
Worship God (wt)
2002 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/wt | Chapter Seven
What We Learn From God’s Permission of Wickedness
1, 2. (a) If Jehovah had promptly executed the rebels in Eden, how would that have affected us? (b) What loving provisions has Jehovah made available to us?
“FEW and distressing the days of the years of my life have proved,” said the patriarch Jacob. (Genesis 47:9) Similarly, Job stated that man “is short-lived and glutted with agitation.” (Job 14:1) Like them, most of us have experienced difficulties, injustices, even tragedies. Yet, our being born was no injustice on God’s part. True, we do not have the perfection of mind and body and the Paradise home that Adam and Eve originally had. But what if Jehovah had immediately executed them when they rebelled? While there would not have been any sickness, sorrow, or death, there would not have been a human race either. We would not have been born. Mercifully, God allowed Adam and Eve time to bring forth children, even though these inherited imperfection. And through Christ, Jehovah made provision for us to get back what Adam had lost—everlasting life on a paradise earth.—John 10:10; Romans 5:12.
2 How encouraging it is for us to be able to look forward to living forever in the new world amid Paradise surroundings, where we will be free from sickness, sorrow, pain, and death, as well as from wicked people! (Proverbs 2:21, 22; Revelation 21:4, 5) But from the Bible record, we learn that while our personal salvation is very important to us and to Jehovah, something even more significant is involved.
For the Sake of His Great Name
3. What is involved in connection with the fulfillment of Jehovah’s purpose for the earth and mankind?
3 God’s name is involved in the fulfillment of his purpose regarding the earth and mankind. That name, Jehovah, means “He Causes to Become.” So his name embodies his reputation as the Universal Sovereign, the Purposer, and the God of truth. Because of Jehovah’s position, the peace and well-being of the entire universe require that his name and what it encompasses be given the full respect it deserves and that all be obedient to him.
4. What did Jehovah’s purpose for the earth include?
4 After creating Adam and Eve, Jehovah gave them an assignment to fulfill. He made it clear that his purpose was not only to subdue all the earth—thus extending the boundaries of Paradise—but to populate it with their descendants. (Genesis 1:28) Was this purpose going to fail because of their sin? What a reproach it would be to the name of the almighty Jehovah if he could not fulfill his purpose toward this earth and humanity!
5. (a) If the first humans ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, when would they die? (b) How did Jehovah fulfill his word at Genesis 2:17 while respecting his purpose regarding the earth?
5 Jehovah had warned Adam and Eve that if they were disobedient and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, they would die “in the day” of their eating. (Genesis 2:17) True to his word, Jehovah called them to account on the very day of their sinning and pronounced the sentence of death. From God’s standpoint, Adam and Eve died that day. To carry out his purpose regarding the earth, however, Jehovah allowed them to produce a family before they died physically. Nevertheless, since God can view 1,000 years as one day, when Adam’s life ended at 930 years, it was within one “day.” (2 Peter 3:8; Genesis 5:3-5) Thus Jehovah’s truthfulness was upheld as to when punishment would be executed, and his purpose for the earth was not thwarted by their deaths. But for a time, imperfect people, including wicked ones, have been allowed to live.
6, 7. (a) According to Exodus 9:15, 16, why does Jehovah allow the wicked to continue for a time? (b) In Pharaoh’s case, how was Jehovah’s power shown, and how was His name made known? (c) What will result when the present wicked system ends?
6 What Jehovah said to the ruler of Egypt in the days of Moses further indicates why God has allowed the wicked to continue. When Pharaoh forbade the departure of the sons of Israel from Egypt, Jehovah did not immediately strike him down. Ten Plagues were brought on the land, demonstrating Jehovah’s power in amazing ways. When warning of the seventh plague, Jehovah told Pharaoh that He could easily have wiped Pharaoh and his people off the face of the earth. “But, in fact,” Jehovah said, “for this cause I have kept you in existence, for the sake of showing you my power and in order to have my name declared in all the earth.”—Exodus 9:15, 16.
7 When Jehovah delivered the Israelites, his name did indeed come to be widely known. (Joshua 2:1, 9-11) Today, nearly 3,500 years later, what he did back then has not been forgotten. Not only was the personal name Jehovah declared but so was the truth about the One bearing that name. This established Jehovah’s reputation as the God who keeps his promises and takes action in behalf of his servants. (Joshua 23:14) It demonstrated that because of his almighty power, nothing can block his purpose. (Isaiah 14:24, 27) We can therefore be confident that he will soon take action in behalf of his faithful servants by destroying Satan’s entire wicked system. That display of almighty power and the glory it brings to Jehovah’s name will never be forgotten. The benefits will be unending.—Ezekiel 38:23; Revelation 19:1, 2.
‘O the Depth of God’s Wisdom!’
8. What factors does Paul urge us to consider?
8 In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul raises the question: “Is there injustice with God?” He emphatically answers: “Never may that become so!” Then he emphasizes God’s mercy and refers to what Jehovah said about allowing Pharaoh to live a while longer. Paul also shows that we humans are like clay in the hands of a potter. He then states: “If, now, God, although having the will to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, tolerated with much long-suffering vessels of wrath made fit for destruction, in order that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, namely, us, whom he called not only from among Jews but also from among nations, what of it?”—Romans 9:14-24.
9. (a) Who are the “vessels of wrath made fit for destruction”? (b) Why has Jehovah shown great long-suffering in the face of his opposers, and how will the final outcome be for the good of those who love him?
9 Ever since the rebellion in Eden, any who have opposed Jehovah and his laws have been “vessels of wrath made fit for destruction.” During all the time since then, Jehovah has exercised long-suffering. The wicked have ridiculed his ways, persecuted his servants, even killed his Son. Showing great restraint, Jehovah has allowed enough time for all creation to see fully the disastrous results of rebellion against God and of human rule independent of him. At the same time, Jesus’ death provided the means for delivering obedient mankind and for ‘breaking up the works of the Devil.’—1 John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14, 15.
10. Why has Jehovah tolerated the wicked for the past 1,900 years?
10 During the more than 1,900 years since Jesus’ resurrection, Jehovah has tolerated further the “vessels of wrath,” holding off their destruction. Why? For one thing, because he has been preparing those who are to be associated with Jesus Christ in his heavenly Kingdom. These are 144,000 in number, and they are the “vessels of mercy” spoken of by the apostle Paul. First, individuals from among the Jews were invited to make up this heavenly class. Later, God invited people of the Gentile nations. Jehovah has not forced any of these to serve him. But from among those who responded appreciatively to his loving provisions, he gave some the privilege of being corulers with his Son in the heavenly Kingdom. The preparation of that heavenly class is now nearly complete.—Luke 22:29; Revelation 14:1-4.
11. (a) What group is now benefiting from Jehovah’s long-suffering? (b) How will the dead benefit?
11 But what about inhabitants for the earth? Jehovah’s long-suffering has also made possible the gathering together of “a great crowd” out of all nations. They now number into the millions. Jehovah has promised that this earthly class will survive the end of this system and have the prospect of everlasting life on a paradise earth. (Revelation 7:9, 10; Psalm 37:29; John 10:16) In God’s due time, multitudes of the dead will be resurrected and given the opportunity to be earthly subjects of the heavenly Kingdom. God’s Word foretells at Acts 24:15: “There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.”—John 5:28, 29.
12. (a) What have we learned about Jehovah from his toleration of wickedness? (b) How do you feel about how Jehovah has handled these matters?
12 Has there been any injustice in all of this? No, because by holding off his destruction of the wicked, or “vessels of wrath,” God is showing compassion to others, in harmony with his purpose. This shows how merciful and loving he is. Too, having had time to observe the unfolding of his purpose, we learn much about Jehovah himself. We marvel at the various aspects of his personality that come to light—his justice, his mercy, his long-suffering, his diversified wisdom. Jehovah’s wise handling of the issue of universal sovereignty—his right to rule—will forever stand as a testimony to the fact that his way of ruling is the very best. With the apostle Paul, we say: “O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are!”—Romans 11:33.
Opportunity to Show Our Devotion
13. When we experience personal suffering, what opportunity is presented to us, and what will help us to respond wisely?
13 Many of God’s servants are in situations that involve personal suffering. Their suffering continues because God has not yet destroyed the wicked and brought about the foretold restoration of mankind. Should this embitter us? Or can we see such situations as opportunities to have a share in proving the Devil a liar? We can be strengthened to do so if we keep in mind the appeal: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.” (Proverbs 27:11) Satan, the one who taunts Jehovah, charged that if people suffer material loss or physical affliction, they will blame God, even curse him. (Job 1:9-11; 2:4, 5) We bring joy to Jehovah’s heart when, by our loyalty to him in the face of hardships, we show that such is not true in our case.
14. If we rely on Jehovah when we undergo trials, what benefits can come to us?
14 If we rely on Jehovah when we undergo trials, we can develop precious qualities. For example, as a result of the things that Jesus suffered, he “learned obedience” in a way that he had never known it before. We too can learn from our trials in that we can cultivate long-suffering, endurance, and a deepened appreciation of Jehovah’s righteous ways.—Hebrews 5:8, 9; 12:11; James 1:2-4.
15. As we patiently endure hardship, how may others benefit?
15 Others will observe what we do. Because of what we undergo on account of our love for righteousness, some of them may in time come to appreciate who the true Christians are today. And by uniting with us in worship, they can come in line for the blessings of everlasting life. (Matthew 25:34-36, 40, 46) Jehovah and his Son want people to have that opportunity.
16. How is our view of personal hardship related to the matter of unity?
16 How fine it is when we view even difficult situations as opportunities to show our devotion to Jehovah as well as to share in accomplishing his will! Our doing so can give evidence that we are indeed moving toward unity with God and Christ. Jesus prayed to Jehovah in behalf of all true Christians, saying: “I make request, not concerning these [his immediate disciples] only, but also concerning those putting faith in me through their word; in order that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you, that they also may be in union with us.”—John 17:20, 21.
17. What confidence can we have if we are loyal to Jehovah?
17 If we are loyal to Jehovah, he will reward us generously. His Word says: “Become steadfast, unmovable, always having plenty to do in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in connection with the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) It also states: “God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name.” (Hebrews 6:10) James 5:11 notes: “Look! We pronounce happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.” What was the outcome for Job? “As for Jehovah, he blessed the end of Job afterward more than his beginning.” (Job 42:10-16) Yes, Jehovah is “the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.” (Hebrews 11:6) And what a reward we have to look forward to—everlasting life on a paradise earth!
18. What will eventually happen to any painful memories we may have?
18 God’s Kingdom rule will undo all the damage done to the human family for the past thousands of years. The joys at that time will far outweigh any suffering that we experience now. We will not be disturbed by any bad memories of previous suffering. The upbuilding thoughts and activities that will fill the everyday life of people in the new world will gradually erase the painful memories. Jehovah declares: “I am creating new heavens [a new heavenly Kingdom government over mankind] and a new earth [a righteous human society]; and the former things will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart. But exult, you people, and be joyful forever in what I am creating.” Yes, in Jehovah’s new world, righteous ones will be able to say: “The whole earth has come to rest, has become free of disturbance. People have become cheerful with joyful cries.”—Isaiah 14:7; 65:17, 18.
Review Discussion
• While permitting evil, how has Jehovah properly shown great respect for his own name?
• How has God’s tolerating “vessels of wrath” enabled his mercy to reach all the way to us?
• What should we endeavor to see in situations that involve personal suffering?
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Jehovah “blessed the end of Job afterward more than his beginning” |
Creator (ct)
1998 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ct | Chapter Eleven
Add Meaning to Your Life Permanently
WHEREVER we live, we hear of scientific discoveries. Biologists, oceanographers, and others keep adding to man’s knowledge about our globe and life on it. Searching in another direction, astronomers and physicists are learning ever more about our solar system, the stars, even distant galaxies. To what does this point?
Many clear thinkers agree with ancient King David: “The heavens are declaring the glory of God; and of the work of his hands the expanse is telling.” (Psalm 19:1) Granted, some may disagree or say that they cannot be sure. But after you have considered the evidence presented in this book, can you not see ample reason to believe that a Creator exists and is behind our universe and our life?
The apostle Paul noted: “Men cannot say they do not know about God. From the beginning of the world, men could see what God is like through the things He has made. This shows His power that lasts forever. It shows that He is God.” (Romans 1:20, Holy Bible—New Life Version) The material we covered in earlier chapters about creation made it easier to “see what God is like,” to appreciate “his invisible qualities.” (New World Translation) Still, seeing that the physical creation reflects the Creator should not be an end in itself. Why not?
Many scientists are devoted to studying the universe, but they still feel empty, finding no lasting meaning. For instance, physicist Steven Weinberg wrote: “The more the universe seems comprehensible, the more it also seems pointless.” Regarding astronomer Alan Dressler’s view, Science magazine said: “When researchers say cosmology reveals the ‘mind’ or ‘handwriting’ of God, they are ascribing to the divine what ultimately may be the lesser aspect of the universe—its physical structure.” Dressler indicated that what is of greater import is the meaning of human existence. He noted: “People have given up the old belief that humanity is at the physical center of the [physical] universe, but must come back to believing that we are at the center of meaning.”
Clearly, each of us should be intensely interested in what our existence means. Just admitting that the Creator, or Master Designer, exists and that we are dependent on him may not give our lives meaning. That is particularly so because life seems short. Many have come to feel as did King Macbeth in one of William Shakespeare’s plays:
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”—Macbeth, Act V, Scene V.
People around the globe can relate to those words; but when they personally face a severe crisis, they still might cry out to God for help. Elihu, a wise man of long ago, observed: “Because of the multitude of oppressions they keep calling for aid; they keep crying for help . . . And yet no one has said, ‘Where is God my Grand Maker?’ . . . He is the One teaching us more than the beasts of the earth, and he makes us wiser than even the flying creatures of the heavens.”—Job 35:9-11.
Elihu’s words underscore that we humans are not the true center of meaning. Our Grand Creator is that center, and any real meaning to our existence logically involves him and depends upon him. To find such meaning and the deep satisfaction it brings, we need to come to know the Creator and bring our lives into harmony with his will.
Turning to the Creator
Moses did that. He realistically admitted: “In themselves the days of our years are seventy years; and if because of special mightiness they are eighty years, yet their insistence is on trouble and hurtful things.” This realization did not make Moses gloomy or pessimistic; it helped him to appreciate the value of turning to our Creator. Moses prayed: “Show us just how to count our days in such a way that we may bring a heart of wisdom in. Satisfy us in the morning with your loving-kindness, that we may cry out joyfully and may rejoice during all our days. And let the pleasantness of Jehovah our God prove to be upon us.”—Psalm 90:10, 12, 14, 17.
‘Satisfied in the morning.’ ‘Rejoicing during all our days.’ ‘God’s pleasantness on us.’ Do not such phrases suggest that one has found meaning in life—meaning that escapes people in general?
We can take a major step in that direction by sensing our place before the Creator. In a way, the growing body of knowledge about the universe may help us. David asked: “When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have prepared, what is mortal man that you keep him in mind, and the son of earthling man that you take care of him?”—Psalm 8:3, 4.
And we need to move beyond acknowledging that Jehovah created the sun, moon, and stars and then caused life to abound on earth with all its infrastructure. (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 24:2; Isaiah 40:26; Jeremiah 10:10, 12) As we saw earlier, Jehovah’s unique name indicates that he is a God of purpose and is the only one who is able to carry out his will completely.
Isaiah wrote: “He the true God, the Former of the earth and the Maker of it, He the One who firmly established it, who did not create it simply for nothing, who formed it even to be inhabited.” Isaiah then quoted Jehovah’s words: “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else.” (Isaiah 45:18) And Paul later said of fellow Christians: “We are a product of his work and were created in union with Christ Jesus for good works.” Central to those “good works” is making known “the greatly diversified wisdom of God, according to [his] eternal purpose.” (Ephesians 2:10; 3:8-11) We can and logically ought to be involved with the Creator, seeking to learn his purpose and to cooperate with it.—Psalm 95:3-6.
Our recognizing that there is a loving, caring Creator should move us to action. For example, notice the instruction between such recognition and the way we should treat others. “He that is defrauding the lowly one has reproached his Maker, but the one showing favor to the poor one is glorifying Him.” “Is it not one God that has created us? Why is it that we deal treacherously with one another?” (Proverbs 14:31; Malachi 2:10) Hence, recognizing that there is a Creator who cares should move us to show greater care for others of his creation.
We are not left on our own to accomplish this. The Creator can help us. Even though Jehovah is not now producing new earthly creations, it can be said that he is still creating in another way. He actively and productively helps humans who seek his guidance. After sinning, David asked: “Create in me even a pure heart, O God, and put within me a new spirit, a steadfast one.” (Psalm 51:10; 124:8) And the Bible urges Christians to “put away the old personality” shaped by the world around them and to “put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will.” (Ephesians 4:22-24) Yes, Jehovah can create a new figurative heart in people, helping them to develop a personality that reflects what he is like.
These are, though, just primary steps. We need to go deeper. Paul told some educated Athenians: ‘The God that made the world and all the things in it decreed the appointed times, for men to seek him, if they might grope for him and really find him, although he is not far off from each one of us.’—Acts 17:24-27.
Meaning Springs From Knowledge
From what we have considered, it should be plain that the Creator has provided abundant information through his physical creation and through his inspired Word, the Bible. He encourages us to grow in knowledge and insight, even foretelling the time when “the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.”—Isaiah 11:9; 40:13, 14.
It is not the Creator’s will that our ability to learn and improve be limited to a life span of 70 or 80 years. You can see this from one of Jesus’ most famous statements: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.”—John 3:16.
“Everlasting life.” That is not a fantasy. Rather, the concept of permanence without end is consistent with what the Creator offered our original parents, Adam and Eve. It is consistent with scientific facts about the makeup and capacity of our brain. And it is consistent with what Jesus Christ taught. Mankind’s having everlasting life was at the core of Jesus’ message. On his final evening on earth with the apostles, he said: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”—John 17:3.
As discussed in the preceding chapter, Jesus’ promise of everlasting life will become a reality right here on earth for millions of people. Clearly, having this prospect can add immensely to the meaning of one’s life. It involves developing a relationship with the Creator. Such a relationship right now lays the basis for gaining permanent life. Imagine the vistas that such life would open to you: learning, exploring, and experiencing—all without the limit now imposed by sickness and death. (Compare Isaiah 40:28.) What could you or would you do with such life? You yourself best know your interests, the talents you long to develop, and the answers you would seek to find. Your being able to pursue them will give even greater meaning to your life!
Paul had valid reason to anticipate the time when “creation itself also will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21) Those achieving that freedom will have come to enjoy real meaning in life now and will have meaning in life permanently, to God’s glory.—Revelation 4:11.
Jehovah’s Witnesses around the globe have studied this subject. They are convinced that there is a Creator and that he cares about them and about you. They are happy to assist others to find this solidly based meaning in life. Please feel free to look into this matter with them. Doing so will add meaning to your life permanently!
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God in What Sense?
“Scientists and others sometimes use the word ‘God’ to mean something so abstract and unengaged that He is hardly to be distinguished from the laws of nature,” commented Steven Weinberg, Nobel laureate for his work on fundamental forces. He added:
“It seems to me that if the word ‘God’ is to be of any use, it should be taken to mean an interested God, a creator and lawgiver who has established not only the laws of nature and the universe but also standards of good and evil, some personality that is concerned with our actions, something in short that is appropriate for us to worship. . . . This is the God that has mattered to men and women throughout history.”—Dreams of a Final Theory.
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Moses realized that however long we live, real meaning to our life involves the Creator
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Finding lasting meaning in life opens up abounding possibilities |
Water—An Extraordinary Substance | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101981009 | Water—An Extraordinary Substance
“AN EXTRAORDINARY substance. Anomalous [not what would naturally be expected] in nearly all of its physical-chemical properties,” say scientists. Are they talking about some newly discovered exotic chemical?
No. They are talking about ordinary water!
What makes water so special? The shape of the water molecule, for one thing. The two hydrogen atoms stick to the oxygen atom like the ears on a teddy bear, so the molecule is lopsided. This makes each water molecule act like a tiny magnet, with its negative pole down by the oxygen atom and its positive pole up around the hydrogen atoms.
If you magnetize things they can stick together, and so do water molecules. This gives water a high degree of “surface tension.” That is why water beads up on a smooth surface, forming little water mountains that seem to defy gravity. Try to get another liquid with less surface tension, such as rubbing alcohol, to do that!
Heat makes all molecules vibrate and separate from each other, but the “sticky” water molecules can absorb a great deal of heat without becoming “unglued,” that is, evaporating. Suppose you could take all the heat out of a block of ice and a block of gold—freezing them down to what is called absolute zero, 460 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (-273 degrees C). Now start heating up both the gold and the ice at the same rate. The same amount of heat raises the temperature of the gold much faster than that of the ice. When the gold melts, the ice is still “ice-cold” at 300 degrees below zero Fahrenheit (-184 degrees C)!
Because water can absorb so much heat we can be glad that it covers most of our planet. During the day a great deal of heat bombards the earth’s surface. At nightfall the heat supply is suddenly cut off. Such drastic changes every 24 hours could make life here miserable if the water in the oceans did not absorb most of the heat and gradually release it, moderating the sun’s effects.
The shape of the water molecule also affects the way it freezes, so that frozen water requires more space than liquid water—meaning that ice floats.
Imagine what would happen if water were not unusual in this respect. Every winter more and more ice would sink to the bottom of the oceans where the sun’s rays could not melt it the following summer. Soon the oceans might be frozen solid, except for a thin layer of water during the summers. With less water available for evaporation, the land areas would suffer drought. Little life would remain.
In many ways our lives depend on the unusual shape of the water molecule. Did it just happen that way? Or does it reflect the superior wisdom of a loving Creator?
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WATER MOLECULE |
This Life (ts)
1974 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ts | Chapter 15
A Government That Will Conquer Man’s Enemy Death
GOD’S original purpose for man was that he might live and enjoy life on a paradise earth. We can have confidence that this purpose will be realized. It is backed by God’s dependable promise that man’s enemy death will be conquered, destroyed.—1 Corinthians 15:26.
A life-span of but seventy or eighty years is not all there is. If that were the full extent of what even lovers of God could hope for, their situation would differ little from that of those who have no regard for God or his Word. But this is not the case. The Bible says: “God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name.”—Hebrews 6:10; 11:6.
What is the reward for those who are serving Jehovah God because of their deep love for him and his righteous ways? There is both a present and a future reward. The apostle Paul wrote: “Godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and that which is to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8) Even now obedience to God’s law leads to enjoying a outputed, happy life. As to the life “which is to come,” Romans 6:23 says: “The gift God gives is everlasting life.”
Under present conditions, of course, everlasting life may appear undesirable. But it is eternal life under a righteous administration that God has promised. For that promise to become reality, humans must first be freed from the cause of death. What is that cause? The inspired apostle Paul answers: “The sting producing death is sin.”—1 Corinthians 15:56.
Already at the time of pronouncing judgment on the rebellious human pair, Adam and Eve, and upon the instigator of rebellion, Jehovah God pointed to the means by which humans would be freed from sin and death. Not to the unreasoning snake used in the deception, but to Satan himself as the “original serpent” God’s words were directed: “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.” This judgment, recorded at Genesis 3:15, provided the basis for hope for the future offspring of Adam and Eve. It indicated that man’s enemy would be conquered.—Revelation 12:9.
Of course, the mere killing of the “original serpent,” Satan the Devil, would not be enough to undo all the injury that he caused by influencing the first humans to rebel against God. But just how the undoing would come about remained a secret until such time as God chose to reveal it.—1 John 3:8.
With the aid of the complete Bible, we today can unravel this sacred secret. The “woman” referred to at Genesis 3:15 could not have been Eve. Eve, by her course of rebellion, aligned herself with the “original serpent,” thus making herself a part of his “seed.” Then, too, no female descendant of Adam and Eve could be that woman. Why not? Because the ‘seed of the woman’ had to possess power far greater than that of a mere man in order to crush the “original serpent,” the invisible spirit person Satan the Devil. To produce such a mighty “seed,” the “woman” would have to be, not human, but spiritual.
At Galatians 4:26 this “woman” is identified as “Jerusalem above.” This is very significant. How so?
The ancient city of Jerusalem was the capital of the kingdom of Judah. Because the first Judean king, David, established his seat of government there, Jerusalem from his time onward produced the kings for the nation. Therefore it would only be natural to expect that the “Jerusalem above” would produce a king. This factor pointed to a heavenly government, with a heavenly king, as the agency for putting an end to sin and death.
The “Jerusalem above” is no literal woman or city. It is a symbolic, spiritual city. Being heavenly, it is composed of mighty spirit persons, angels. So, then, for one from among these spirit persons to be designated as king would mean that the “Jerusalem above” had produced an heir to a kingdom. Did such a thing happen?
THE KING IS BROUGHT FORTH
That is exactly what happened in the year 29 C.E. At that time the man Jesus was anointed by God’s holy spirit to become King-Designate. This occurred at the time he presented himself to John the Baptist for immersion in water. As to what took place, the Bible reports: “After being baptized Jesus immediately came up from the water; and, look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw descending like a dove God’s spirit coming upon him. Look! Also, there was a voice from the heavens that said: ‘This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.’”—Matthew 3:16, 17.
Some months later Jesus began proclaiming: “Repent, you people, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” (Matthew 4:17) Yes, the kingdom had drawn near in the person of the King-Designate.
Though born as a man on earth, Jesus had had a prehuman existence. He himself said: “No man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.” (John 3:13) In calling attention to Jesus’ outstanding example of humility, the inspired apostle Paul wrote: “He emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men.” (Philippians 2:5-7) As to how this transferal from heavenly to earthly life came about, we have the recorded conversation of the angel Gabriel with the virgin Mary:
“The angel said to her: ‘Have no fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God; and, look! you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you are to call his name Jesus. This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High; and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as king over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end of his kingdom.’
“But Mary said to the angel: ‘How is this to be, since I am having no intercourse with a man?’ In answer the angel said to her: ‘Holy spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you. For that reason also what is born will be called holy, God’s Son.’”—Luke 1:30-35.
Thus, as one of the sons of God making up the “Jerusalem above,” Jesus had his life transferred from heaven to the womb of the virgin Mary and was born a perfect human baby. Such a miracle may sound unbelievable to some, yet that casts no valid doubt on the actuality of the event. Surely the One who made it possible for a complete person to develop from an egg cell that is smaller than the period at the end of this sentence could, by means of his spirit or active force, transfer life from the heavens to the earth. And since Jesus’ life had been transferred in this way in order for him to become the permanent heir of King David, he actually came forth from the “Jerusalem above.”
As foretold in God’s prophecy of Genesis 3:15, Jesus experienced a ‘heel wound’ from the “original serpent” when he was nailed to an executional stake on Nisan 14 of the year 33 C.E. Unlike a crushing in the head from which there is no recovery, that ‘heel wound’ was but temporary. On the third day God raised Jesus up from the dead, granting him the “power of an indestructible life.” (Acts 10:40; Hebrews 7:16) As an immortal spirit person, the King Jesus Christ is in position to crush the “original serpent” in the head and undo all the damage that that one has caused.
ASSOCIATE RULERS
Jesus Christ is the main one of that composite “seed.” By means of him Almighty God will crush Satan the Devil under the feet of Jesus’ associates in the heavenly kingdom. (Revelation 20:1-3) Writing to those in line for rulership, the Christian apostle Paul stated: “The God who gives peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.” (Romans 16:20) Who are these associate rulers?
In the last book of the Bible, Revelation, the number is given as 144,000. Describing what he saw in vision, the writer of Revelation, the apostle John, says: “Look! the Lamb [Jesus Christ, who died a death like a sacrificial lamb] standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. . . . These are the ones that keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind [not just one nation of people like the Israelites] as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.”—Revelation 14:1-4.
It is indeed appropriate that the 144,000 are depicted as being with the Lamb on Mount Zion. Mount Zion of the ancient city of Jerusalem was the place from which the kings of Judah ruled, the site of the royal palace. It was also at Mount Zion that David pitched a tent for the sacred ark (chest) of the covenant in which were placed the two tablets of stone inscribed with the Ten Commandments. Later that ark was transferred to the innermost compartment of the temple built by David’s son Solomon a short distance away on Mount Moriah. The term Zion, in time, came to include Moriah. Thus Zion had prominent association with kingship as well as priesthood.—2 Samuel 6:12, 17; 1 Kings 8:1; Isaiah 8:18.
This agrees with the fact that Jesus is both King and Priest, combining both offices as did Melchizedek of ancient Salem. Therefore Hebrews 6:20 speaks of Jesus as having “become a high priest according to the manner of Melchizedek forever.” In the capacity of King-Priest, Jesus rules from heavenly Mount Zion.
His fellow rulers are also priests. As a body they are called a “royal priesthood.” (1 Peter 2:9) Of their function, Revelation 5:10 tells us: “You [Christ] made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.”
PURPOSE OF THE ADMINISTRATION
A principal concern of the King-Priest Jesus Christ and his associate priestly rulers is to bring all humankind into unity with Jehovah God. This means the removal of all traces of sin and imperfection, for only those who reflect God’s image perfectly can stand on their own merit before him. That the administrative Kingdom is part of God’s administration of affairs for bringing this about is indicated at Ephesians 1:9-12:
“[God] made known to us the sacred secret of his will. It is according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times, namely, to gather all things together again in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth. Yes, in him, in union with whom we were also assigned as heirs, in that we were foreordained according to the purpose of him who operates all things according to the way his will counsels, that we should serve for the praise of his glory.”
Since Jesus Christ is sinless and in perfect harmony with Jehovah God, the bringing of all things into unity with him results in mankind’s being brought into unity with Jehovah God. This is clear from the fact that after this aspect of the Kingdom’s work is completed, the Bible says that Jesus Christ “hands over the kingdom to his God and Father.”—1 Corinthians 15:24.
To accomplish the tremendous task of perfecting humankind, the heavenly rulers will also be using earthly representatives, men of outstanding devotion to righteousness. (Psalm 45:16; Isaiah 32:1, 2) These men will have to meet the qualifications the King Jesus Christ looks for in those whom he entrusts with responsibility. Two basic qualifications are humility and self-sacrificing love. Said Jesus: “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them and the great men wield authority over them. This is not the way among you; but whoever wants to become great among you must be your minister, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.” (Matthew 20:25-27) He also said: “This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you. No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends.”—John 15:12, 13.
Would you not feel secure under Kingdom representatives who reflect such love and humility, who would genuinely care for you?
There will be no problems in communication between the heavenly government and the earthly representatives of the King Jesus Christ. In times past Jehovah God transmitted messages to his servants on earth by means of angels and his invisible active force. (Daniel 10:12-14; 2 Peter 1:21) Why, even men have been able to transmit and receive messages to and from capsules and space stations circling far above the earth. If imperfect men can do such things, why should anyone think that this would be too difficult for perfect heavenly rulers?
However, before the Kingdom administration of Jesus Christ and his fellow rulers can proceed with the work of bringing mankind into unity with God, all opposing forces must be removed. There is not the slightest indication that those governing mankind today are willing to hand over their sovereignty to Jesus Christ and his associate rulers. They scoff at the idea that a heavenly government will take full control over earth’s affairs. That is why they will have to be forced to recognize the authority of God’s kingdom by his Christ. This will be at the cost of their ruling positions as well as their lives. As the Bible tells us: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”—Daniel 2:44.
After clearing out all opposition, the Kingdom administration will set itself to the task of liberating humans from sickness and death. How will this be accomplished? |
Man’s Salvation (sl)
1975 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/sl | Chapter 5
The Tested Integrity of the “Servant” Rewarded
1. (a) What is a scapegoat? (b) Is the suffering involved made easier by one’s having to die for all mankind?
IT IS not an easy thing to suffer as a scapegoat and at the same time maintain one’s integrity toward the God of Justice. An individual who serves as a scapegoat is an innocent person and yet he is made to bear the blame for others or to suffer in the place of them. The test of one’s integrity in such a position is not made any lighter when one has to bear the blame and suffer even to the death for the whole world of mankind. As one inspired writer presented the case: “For hardly will anyone die for a righteous man; indeed, for the good man, perhaps, someone even dares to die.”—Romans 5:7.
2. In its instructions concerning the ancient Jewish Day of Atonement, what does the Bible say about a scapegoat?
2 And yet, as early as the sixteenth century before our Common Era, it was revealed for the first time that someone would serve as a scapegoat for the entire race of mankind. In the code of laws that was given to the nation of Israel through Moses at Mount Sinai in 1513 B.C.E., Jehovah God made provision for the Israelites to hold a solemn Day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh lunar month (Tishri) each year. In connection with the atonement for sins that was made through the blood of a bull and a goat, which was taken into the Most Holy of the tabernacle and sprinkled before the golden ark of God’s covenant, there was a goat that was made a scapegoat. How this goat was determined upon and what was done with it is described for us in chapter sixteen of the third book of Moses, in the following way:
And [Aaron] shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.
And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.—Leviticus 16:5-10, 20-22, Authorized Version.
3, 4. How do we know that the Atonement Day scapegoat had a typical significance?
3 Modern translations render “the scapegoat” as ‘the goat for Azazel.’ The ancient Septuagint Version as made by Jews of Alexandria, Egypt, and as translated by Charles Thomson, speaks of the lot for this goat as “one lot, ‘For escape.’” Also: “to make atonement on it, so as to let it escape.” (Leviticus 16:8-10) The ancient Latin Vulgate renders it as “the emissary goat” (caper emissarius), which corresponds with “scapegoat.” Now this goat, which was a feature of the annual Atonement Day of ancient Israel, had a typical significance. It typified something good to come for mankind. In Hebrews 10:1 it is written: “The Law has a shadow of the good things to come.” And, speaking about the sacrificial victims of the Atonement Day, Hebrews 13:11-14 says:
4 “The bodies of those animals whose blood is taken into the holy place by the high priest for sin are burned up outside the camp. Hence Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Let us, then, go forth to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach he bore, for we do not have here a city that continues.”
5. How does the language of Isaiah 53:4, 5 indicate that Jehovah’s “Servant” was to serve as the antitypical “scapegoat”?
5 According to Isaiah’s prophecy, chapter fifty-three, Jehovah’s “Servant” is the sin-bearer who was typified by the scapegoat of the Atonement Day that continued being observed at Jehovah’s temple until the destruction of the city of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 C.E. That the Messianic “Servant” was to serve as the antitypical “scapegoat,” the prophet Isaiah proceeds to show, saying: “Truly our sicknesses were what he himself carried; and as for our pains, he bore them. But we ourselves accounted him as plagued, stricken by God and afflicted. But he was being pierced for our transgression; he was being crushed for our errors. The chastisement meant for our peace was upon him, and because of his wounds there has been a healing for us.”—Isaiah 53:4, 5.
6. With what activity on Jesus’ part did the apostle Matthew connect the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:4?
6 There is another inspired Bible writer who applies Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Jehovah’s “Servant” to Jesus Christ, and that is Matthew Levi, the aforetime tax collector. Telling of Jesus’ miracles of curing human sickness, Matthew 8:14-17 says: “Jesus, on coming into Peter’s house, saw his mother-in-law lying down and sick with fever. So he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began ministering to him. But after it became evening, people brought him many demon-possessed persons; and he expelled the spirits with a word, and he cured all who were faring badly; that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He himself took our sicknesses and carried our diseases.’”—Isaiah 53:4.
7. How do the Scriptures indicate that there was an outflow of vitality from Jesus’ body when he performed cures?
7 Just how much this performance of miraculous cures drew upon Jesus’ vitality, we cannot say. But it is written, at Luke 6:18, 19: “Even those troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd were seeking to touch him, because power was going out of him and healing them all.” That Jesus was sensitive to this outflow of vitality from his body, in the case of even one cure, is evident from this instance recorded in Luke 8:42-48: “As he was going the crowds thronged him. And a woman, subject to a flow of blood for twelve years, who had not been able to get a cure from anyone, approached from behind and touched the fringe of his outer garment, and instantly her flow of blood stopped. So Jesus said: ‘Who was it that touched me?’ When they were all denying it, Peter said: ‘Instructor, the crowds are hemming you in and closely pressing you.’ Yet Jesus said: ‘Someone touched me, for I perceived that power went out of me.’ Seeing that she had not escaped notice, the woman came trembling and fell down before him and disclosed before all the people the cause for which she touched him and how she was healed instantly. But he said to her: ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go your way in peace.’”—Compare Mark 5:25-34.
8. What incident indicates that the cures that Jesus performed had something to do with his role as Sin-bearer?
8 In the case of Jehovah’s “Servant,” the cures that Jesus thus miraculously performed were an evidence that he was the Sin-bearer. For example, when religious critics accused Jesus of blaspheming for saying to a paralyzed man: “Take courage, child; your sins are forgiven,” this is what followed: “And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said: ‘Why are you thinking wicked things in your hearts? For instance, which is easier, to say, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Get up and walk? However, in order for you to know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins—’ then he said to the paralytic: ‘Get up, pick up your bed, and go to your home.’ And he got up and went off to his home. At the sight of this the crowds were struck with fear, and they glorified God, who gave such authority to men.”—Matthew 9:2-8.
9. (a) Why is cleansing from sin more vitally needed by mankind than physical healing? (b) As a basis for such cleansing, what provision was required?
9 Although the many marvelous miracles testified to the fact that Jesus was the Messiah, the Anointed One (Acts 10:38), he was more concerned about healing all mankind of that which was the root cause for all this sickness. The chief cure needed was the curing of sin, the wages of which is death with all its associated bodily infirmities and ailments. (Romans 6:23) The spiritual healing was more vital than the physical healing, for one’s having a bodily cure performed upon one by Jesus or by his authorized disciples did not mean the eternal salvation of the cured one. The cleansing from sin required the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ in sacrificial death on the antitypical Day of Atonement.—Hebrews 9:22.
10. (a) What made it appear as if Jesus were “plagued” by God? (b) How was the chastisement upon him “meant for our peace”?
10 Because of the religious persecution heaped upon him by those who were legitimately serving at the temple in Jerusalem and by other highly esteemed religious leaders, it appeared as if Jesus were “plagued” by God himself. He appeared to have wounding stripes laid upon him by God through those who were apparently engaged in God’s true service. But the uncomplaining endurance of this was excellent discipline for Jesus from his heavenly Father. In view of its severity, it was like chastisement for him. (Hebrews 12:2-8) But this chastisement was “meant for our peace,” that is to say, the endurance of this chastisement by Jesus was meant to work for our coming into peaceful relationship with God.
11. How did Jesus react to the suffering heaped upon him, and with what benefit to us?
11 If Jesus had rebelled against this disciplinary experience on earth, all would have been lost for us. But one of his most intimate apostles, Simon Peter, writes to us, saying: “Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely. He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth. When he was being reviled, he did not go reviling in return. When he was suffering, he did not go threatening, but kept on committing himself to the one who judges righteously. He himself bore our sins in his own body upon the stake, in order that we might be done with sins and live to righteousness. And ‘by his stripes you were healed.’” (1 Peter 2:21-24) Here the apostle Peter quotes from Isaiah 53:5, and thus becomes another Jew who, under divine inspiration, identifies Jesus Christ as the “Servant” foretold in Isaiah’s prophecy.
LIKE AN UNRESISTING SHEEP
12. How was the submissiveness of Jesus Christ to what Jehovah permitted foretold in Isaiah 53:6, 7?
12 Jesus Christ would have to be very submissive to Jehovah’s universal sovereignty, if he was to fulfill what Isaiah says further about the “Servant” when making comparisons with sheep. Showing the difference between us and the “Servant,” Isaiah 53:6, 7 says: “Like sheep we have all of us wandered about; it was each one to his own way that we have turned; and Jehovah himself has caused the error of us all to meet up with that one. He was hard pressed, and he was letting himself be afflicted; yet he would not open his mouth. He was being brought just like a sheep to the slaughtering; and like a ewe that before her shearers has become mute, he also would not open his mouth.”
13. (a) To whom did Philip the evangelizer apply this scripture? (b) Spiritually speaking, how were we like sheep wandering about, and what was needed in order to bring us relief?
13 When an Ethiopian eunuch asked about whom the prophet Isaiah was here speaking, whether about himself or some other man, Philip the evangelizer applied the scripture to Jesus Christ. (Acts 8:26-35) Also, Peter doubtless had this scripture in mind when he wrote to fellow Christians: “And ‘by his stripes you were healed.’ For you were like sheep, going astray; but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:24, 25) Yes, because we were spiritually like sheep wandering about, going astray in ignorance, error and sin, we needed to be recovered. This called for an unblemished substitute “sheep” to be slaughtered for us, because of our erroneous course. In fine harmony with Isaiah’s prophecy, John the Baptist pointed to the baptized, anointed Jesus and said: “See, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!”—John 1:29, 36.
14. How does Revelation 5:8-10 indicate who that ‘sheep brought to the slaughtering’ proved to be?
14 Repeatedly, in the book that is listed last in the Holy Scriptures, Revelation, Jesus Christ is referred to as “the Lamb,” and to him it is said: “You were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.”—Revelation 5:8-10; 22:1; compare 1 Peter 1:18, 19.
15. (a) When brought to trial, how was it true that Jesus was “mute,” like a ewe before her shearers? (b) Why did he choose this course?
15 When, finally, on trial for his earthly life, this “Lamb” refused to answer the false accusations of those witnessing against him. He remained “mute,” for he did not desire to say anything that would interfere with the carrying out of his heavenly Father’s will, as expressed, for instance, in Isaiah 53:5. He chose to let the public record that he had made for himself before the nation of Israel speak for itself. If his earthly judges did not choose to abide by this true and valid testimony, then the responsibility was theirs before the Supreme Judge, Jehovah God. They showed, however, that they would not be guided by the true facts, even if Jesus had broken his purposeful silence. He did not fight against dying like a slaughtered lamb for the redemption of all mankind from sin, sickness and death. He trusted in the power of Almighty God to resurrect him from the dead to life immortal.—Matthew 26:65; Luke 23:8-11; John 19:8-11.
DEATH AND BURIAL OF THE “SERVANT”
16. Why did God not impose a restraint upon the enemies who seized his “Servant”?
16 There was no restraint imposed by the Almighty God upon the enemies when the due time came for Jehovah’s “Servant” to be given over to them. He let them go to the limit and thereby show the degree of their viciousness and maliciousness. As Jesus said to those who had come to the Garden of Gethsemane on Passover night to arrest him: “Did you come out with swords and clubs as against a robber? While I was with you in the temple day after day you did not stretch out your hands against me. But this is your hour and the authority of darkness.”—Luke 22:52, 53.
17, 18. By whom was “restraint” applied, as foretold in Isaiah 53:8, and in what way?
17 By whom, then, is there a restraint applied and upon whom or upon what is it applied, according to what the prophet Isaiah now proceeds to say about Jehovah’s “Servant”? “Because of restraint and of judgment he was taken away; and who will concern himself even with the details of his generation? For he was severed from the land of the living ones. Because of the transgression of my people he had the stroke. And he will make his burial place even with the wicked ones, and with the rich class in his death, despite the fact that he had done no violence and there was no deception in his mouth.”—Isaiah 53:8, 9, NW; Young.
18 It is evident from this that the restraint was applied by the foes of the “Servant” of Jehovah. Also, it was a restraint upon justice, fairness, so that this should not be respected and carried out. (Compare Psalm 40:11; Isaiah 63:15) This is in agreement with the way in which this verse (Isaiah 53:8) is quoted in Acts 8:33, where the reading of the Greek Septuagint Version (LXX) is quoted. This reads: “During his humiliation the judgment was taken away from him. Who will tell the details of his generation? Because his life is taken away from the earth.” Thus “humiliation” is the word used instead of “restraint.” But we note that the verse does not say, ‘During his humility,’ to refer to the “Servant’s” humility and submissiveness; but it says, “During his humiliation.” So the enemies of Jesus humiliated him by restraining justice. While they were thus withholding justice and equity, the “judgment” of a fair trial and of a correct, unbiased ruling was “taken away from him.”
19. How do other Bible translations convey the idea there expressed?
19 Thus, as Isaiah 53:8 foretold, “because of restraint and of judgment he was taken away.” The substance of what actually took place is simply given in the Bible translation by S. T. Byington, which reads: “He was taken out of law and order.” Of course, everything seemed to be legal, not brushing aside the legal courts; but the way in which the case of Jehovah’s “Servant” was handled was an outrage to justice. As The Jerusalem Bible reads: “By force and by law he was taken.” Correspondingly, The New English Bible reads: “Without protection, without justice [or, in the marginal reading: After arrest and sentence], he was taken away.”
20. In connection with this, what question does the prophet Isaiah go on to ask?
20 Then, Isaiah 53:8 goes on to ask the question: “And who will concern himself even with [the details of] his generation?” The Greek LXX rendering of this reads: “Who will tell the details of [or, relate in full] his generation?”—Acts 8:33.
21, 22. (a) To whom does the word “generation” here not apply? (b) How do various Bible translations show this?
21 The word “generation” here does not apply to the “crooked generation” of people, according to Acts 2:40, in the midst of which Jesus Christ lived. The prophet Isaiah is not turning our attention away from the suffering “Servant” to the contemporaries of the “Servant” who caused his sufferings; as is suggested in the reading by the Jewish Publication Society translation, “And with his generation who did reason?” to which reading the footnote comment is added: “No one. The martyrdom was inflicted upon him without interference or protest from anybody.”—See the book Isaiah, by The Soncino Press, page 263, published 1949.
22 Rather than such a thing, the prophet Isaiah keeps our attention focused upon the “Servant” even when using the Hebrew word for “generation.” This is stressed in a number of modern translations: “And who gave a thought to his fate?” (NE) “Would anyone plead his cause?” (Je) “And who would have thought any more of his destiny?” (The New American Bible) “And who gave thought to his fate?” (An American Translation) “And who heeded how he fell?” (Moffatt) And the translation from the ancient Peshitta Aramaic Version reads: “And who can describe his anguish?” (Lamsa) In this way our attention is not shifted from the “Servant.”
23. In what sense, then, are we to understand the question raised at Isaiah 53:8?
23 Jehovah’s “Servant” was to have no earthly children naturally. So the word “generation” does not ask about any offspring of the “Servant,” the Messiah. The word “generation” may have the thought of “birthright,” or “descent,” one’s natural background. In this sense, then, is to be understood the question raised by Isaiah: “And who will concern himself even with [the details of] his generation?” “Who will tell the details of his generation?” (Isaiah 53:8; Acts 8:33) Accordingly, at the time of the court trials of Jesus the Messiah, could not this question have been raised? Who of the Jewish Supreme Court, the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem, took into account who this man on trial before them was? Did they honestly concern themselves with getting at the true facts of this man’s background—that he fulfilled all the requirements that proved that he was in all verity the promised Messiah? When the high priest, as president of the Sanhedrin, put Jesus under oath to make a true admission of his identity, the whole court joined in accusing him of blasphemy and therefore of being deserving of death by the Mosaic Law.—Matthew 26:59-68.
24. (a) When Jesus was before Pontius Pilate, how did Pilate too fail to give due weight to “the details of his generation”? (b) So, as foretold at Isaiah 53:8, what was the outcome?
24 The Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, on learning that Jesus was held by many to be the Messiah, the Christ, became concerned and took steps to ascertain something of his original background. But in spite of his misgivings, he yielded to the pressure of the fanatical mob that was clamoring for the impalement of Jesus the Messiah, and sentenced him to death on an execution stake. (Matthew 27:24-26; Luke 23:6-25; John 18:33 through 19:16) In this way “the details of his generation” were not fairly examined and given due weight, and due concern was not felt by those handling the Messiah’s case. Since the answer to Isaiah’s question was, No one in temporal authority, it is no wonder that the rest of Isaiah 53:8 goes on to make this observation: “For he was severed from the land of the living ones. Because of the transgression of my people he had the stroke.”
25. When was Jesus Christ “severed from the land of the living ones,” thus getting the “stroke” that others deserved?
25 This signified that the earthly life of the Messiah was to be cut short. And it was even so, for Jesus Christ was put to death at the age of thirty-three and a half years. He got the stroke that others deserved because of their transgression. However, this was not before God’s fixed time for his Messianic “Servant” to be cut off from the midst of those living on the earth. In the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27, Jehovah said concerning the seventieth and last week out of the seventy weeks of years that were involved with the Messiah: “And after the sixty-two weeks [that followed the previous seven weeks] Messiah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. . . . And he must keep the covenant in force for the many for one week [from autumn of 29 C.E. to autumn of 36 C.E.]; and at the half of the week [in spring of 33 C.E.] he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease [by virtue of his own perfect human sacrifice].”
26. To whose “transgression” does Isaiah refer in Isa chapter 53, verse 8?
26 Again the prophet Isaiah, at Isa chapter 53, verse 8, implicates his own people, by saying “my people,” which people were also then God’s chosen people. So, too, Isaiah admits to the “transgression” of his own nation and points to the innocence of the Messianic “Servant,” Jesus Christ. However, this Messiah was willing to suffer innocently for the sake of the Jewish nation, “my people,” as Isaiah calls them. This nation in particular was guilty of transgression against Jehovah their God. Through the mediator Moses they had been brought into a covenant of Law at Mount Sinai in Arabia in 1513 B.C.E. For not keeping that Law covenant perfectly, they became a cursed nation, subject to all the curses of which Moses had forewarned them in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. This was a curse that did not rest upon the remainder of the human family inasmuch as none of these Gentiles were taken into the Mosaic Law covenant.
MESSIAH IS MADE A CURSE FOR A NATION
27, 28. (a) How could the curse for violation of the Law covenant be lifted from the Jewish nation? (b) What did the Law say about how God viewed one who was hung upon a stake?
27 How would this curse be lifted from the Jewish nation? By the death of someone of their own nation upon an execution stake or tree. In Deuteronomy 21:22, 23 it is written:
28 “And in case there comes to be in a man a sin deserving the sentence of death, and he has been put to death, and you have hung him upon a stake, his dead body should not stay all night on the stake; but you should by all means bury him on that day, because something accursed of God is the one hung up; and you must not defile your soil, which Jehovah your God is giving you as an inheritance.”
29. Thus, as the apostle Paul explains, how did Jesus provide a means of release for the Jewish nation from the curse for violation of the Law?
29 It was necessary for Jesus, not just to die as a ransom sacrifice, but also to die on an execution stake. “For,” says the apostle Paul, “all those who depend upon works of law are under a curse; for it is written: ‘Cursed is every one that does not continue in all the things written in the scroll of the Law in order to do them.’ Moreover, that by law no one is declared righteous with God is evident, because ‘the righteous one will live by reason of faith.’ Now the Law does not adhere to faith, but ‘he that does them shall live by means of them.’ Christ by purchase released us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of us, because it is written: ‘Accursed is every man hanged upon a stake.’ The purpose was that the blessing of Abraham might come to be by means of Jesus Christ for the nations, that we might receive the promised spirit through our faith.”—Galatians 3:10-14; Deuteronomy 27:26; Leviticus 18:5.
30. As to Messiah’s place of burial, what did Isaiah 53:9 foretell?
30 Jesus the Messiah became a curse in place of the Jewish nation when he died on the execution stake at Calvary, outside of Jerusalem, on Passover Day of 33 C.E. The dead Jesus had no control over where he was to be buried. His body might have been taken, like that of an accursed criminal undeserving of a resurrection and pitched into Gehenna, the Valley of Hinnom to the south and southwest of Jerusalem where the incinerator fires for the refuse of the holy city were kept burning, even being mingled with sulphur. But the prophecy of Isaiah 53:9 had to be fulfilled in him: “And he will make his burial place even with the wicked ones, and with the rich class in his death, despite the fact that he had done no violence and there was no deception in his mouth.”
31. How was it true that Jesus’ burial was “with the wicked ones” and “with the rich class”?
31 The fact that Jesus died between two known criminals on stakes would class Jesus’ burial as being “with the wicked ones,” even though he was not buried right alongside them. According to God’s law through Moses, Jesus had to be taken down from the stake and buried that same day before sundown. Time was running out, and the Jews requested Pilate to have his soldiers take down the bodies of all three men before the Passover Day ended. (John 19:31-37) Anticipating such a thing, a secret disciple of Jesus Christ, a rich man called Joseph of Arimathea, went and got permission from Governor Pilate to take down Jesus’ body and bury it. So Jesus was buried in a newly cut tomb in which no corpse had yet lain. When having this done, this rich man Joseph did not realize that he was having a part in the fulfillment of Isaiah 53:9 that Jehovah’s “Servant” would make his burial place “with the rich class in his death.”—John 19:38-42; Matthew 27:57-60; Mark 15:42-46; Luke 23:50-53.
32. Even after Jesus’ death, how did the enemy Jews show that they rated Jesus as a wicked impostor?
32 This burial of Jesus the Messiah “with the rich class” did not take away the stigma of his dying with wicked ones and being buried as a wicked one. The enemy Jews found out where Jesus’ body was buried, and they had Governor Pilate seal the tombstone and allow a soldier guard to be posted at the tomb, because they rated Jesus as a wicked impostor. They feared that Jesus’ disciples would otherwise steal his body and then say that he had been resurrected, and thus “this last imposture will be worse than the first.” Although on the third day the soldier guard reported that it was a glorious angel from heaven that broke the governor’s seal and rolled away the tombstone, the chief priests and the elders bribed the soldier guards to tell people that Jesus’ disciples had performed this “last imposture” and were worse impostors than Jesus himself was.—Matthew 27:62-66; 28:11-15.
33, 34. (a) Why did Jehovah permit all this humiliation of his “Servant”? (b) How did the prophecy at Isaiah 53:10 indicate that the Messiah’s maintaining of integrity would not be in vain?
33 All this humiliation of Jesus the Messiah took place at the hands of his enemies although, as Isaiah 53:9 foretold, “he had done no violence and there was no deception in his mouth.” Why did the Almighty God permit this? It was because the challenge that Satan the Devil had raised involving even Jehovah’s “Servant” had to be stifled forever. His “Servant” had to be tested right here on earth and shown to be unswervingly loyal to Jehovah’s universal sovereignty regardless of all the suffering and humiliation that Satan the Devil would be allowed to bring upon the “Servant.” The maintaining of godly integrity under this unparalleled testing of Jehovah’s “Servant” would not be in vain or without a satisfying reward. Hence, Isaiah 53:10 says:
34 “But Jehovah himself took delight in crushing him; he made him sick. If you will set his soul as a guilt offering, he will see his offspring, he will prolong his days, and in his hand what is the delight of Jehovah will succeed.”
THE REWARD FOR TESTED INTEGRITY
35. (a) In what sense did Jehovah ‘crush’ his “Servant” and ‘make him sick’? (b) Actually, in what was it that “Jehovah himself took delight”?
35 Jehovah God did not personally and directly ‘crush’ his Messianic “Servant.” He did not directly make him “sick,” to all appearances, figuratively speaking. More than four millenniums earlier, at the Garden of Eden, Jehovah had said to the serpent in the hearing of the invisible one who had manipulated that serpent: “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 3:15) In fulfillment of that prophecy, Jehovah had to permit the Great Serpent, Satan the Devil, to bruise the Messianic “Servant” in the heel, even to the death. He was perfectly pleased in having the Great Serpent do this. In the sense that He allowed it according to his purpose, Jehovah “made him sick,” even to the death. The thing that was proved under the crushing and the mortal sickness was what delighted Jehovah God, namely, Jesus’ integrity.
36. Why must it be Jehovah who, as the scripture says, “will set . . . as a guilt offering” the soul of his “Servant”?
36 In the light of what Isaiah chapter fifty-three says about Jehovah’s “Servant,” this one provides a “guilt offering” for others. Says the American Revised Standard Version: “When he makes himself [marginal reading: “Hebrew, thou makest his soul”] an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” (Isaiah 53:10b) In saying, “If you will set his soul as a guilt offering,” as the Hebrew reads, the person thus spoken to would have to be Jehovah God, inasmuch as to Him the typical guilt offerings were offered by ancient Israel and to him also the antitypical guilt offering is offered by Jesus Christ for all mankind. (Hebrews 9:24 through 10:14) Jehovah is the One who determines the value of a sacrifice, as to whether it meets the requirements for freeing sinners from their guilt and its consequences.
37. In fulfillment of what was foreshadowed on the Jewish Day of Atonement, how did Jesus present an acceptable guilt offering to God?
37 That the acceptable guilt offering might be presented to Him in the heavens, Jehovah raised his “Servant” from the dead on the third day. Since he laid down his human soul as a guilt offering, the Messianic “Servant” was prevented from being raised to life again as a human soul with a body of flesh and blood and bones. So the Almighty God resurrected him as a spirit person, but still in possession of the merit or value of his perfect human sacrifice. So, when Jesus the Messiah ascended finally to heaven and entered into the presence of his heavenly Father, he did not enter empty-handed. He had in hand that which corresponded with the blood of animal victims on the Jewish Day of Atonement, namely, the merit of his sacrificed human life as a guilt offering. This is what he presented on the great antitypical Day of Atonement, and Jehovah accepted it in behalf of all mankind.
OFFSPRING
38. By what means does Jesus the Messiah come to have “offspring,” as referred to at Isaiah 53:10?
38 As far as Isaiah chapter fifty-three shows, the Messianic “Servant” would die without offspring. That is the way that Jesus Christ died, childless, unmarried. In contrast with the first Adam, who sinned and forfeited life for his offspring, it is written concerning Jesus the Messiah: “The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45) By means of his guilt offering he could purchase back from sin and death all the offspring of Adam and Eve and could restore life to them, perfect life free from divine condemnation. Will the “life-giving spirit,” Jesus the Messiah, do this wonderful thing? Yes, and that is the significance of the words of Isaiah 53:10: “If you will set his soul as a guilt offering, he will see his offspring, he will prolong his days, and in his hand what is the delight of Jehovah will succeed.” This promises “offspring” to the “Servant.”
39. What other scriptures indicate that the Messianic King would have offspring?
39 Parallel to that promise of offspring is the one made to the Messianic King in these words in the prophetic psalm: “In place of your forefathers there will come to be your sons, whom you will appoint as princes in all the earth.” (Psalm 45:16) And as for the associated promise in Isaiah 53:10, “he will prolong his days,” this would mean that Jehovah’s resurrected “Servant” would be a father of offspring for a long time. For how long? Everlastingly, according to the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6 with respect to the Messianic descendant of King David. There we read: “There has been a child born to us, there has been a son given to us; and the princely rule will come to be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” So this Messianic King would have children, but not to become his successors in office, for he would be an Eternal Father, one giving eternal life to children.
40. Why is it that “the delight of Jehovah will succeed” in the hand of the Messianic “Servant”?
40 This resurrected “Servant” of Jehovah would not only be successful in restoring the purchased, adopted offspring of the first Adam to life for eternity but also be successful in all other things that Jehovah would entrust to his hand of control. The Messianic “Servant” will be careful to carry out conscientiously “what is the delight of Jehovah.” So under God’s assured blessing, what the “Servant” puts his hand to will succeed, for the glory of Jehovah and for the benefit of all others concerned.
“SATISFIED” AFTER THE TROUBLE OF HIS SOUL
41. After all the trouble that he experienced as a human soul, how would Jehovah’s “Servant” feel, as foretold at Isaiah 53:11?
41 A joyous prospect was set before the Messianic “Servant.” After all the trouble that he would go through as a human soul, he was to be satisfied with what he would see realized. He would have no grounds for being resentful over all that he had been permitted to suffer on earth. The prospect set out in Isaiah 53:11 was: “Because of the trouble of his soul he will see, he will be satisfied. By means of his knowledge the righteous one, my servant, will bring a righteous standing to many people; and their errors he himself will bear.”
42. What would be particularly satisfying to this “Servant”?
42 The most satisfying thing that this “Servant” of integrity would see was the vindication of the universal sovereignty of Jehovah God, his heavenly Father. The maintaining of his integrity to the Universal Sovereign under the most severe testing down here on earth provided his heavenly Father with a valid reply to Satan the Devil, who was taunting Jehovah God. Never again could this Adversary open his vile mouth in an attack upon the highest servant in the universal organization of Jehovah.—Proverbs 27:11.
43. By means of what “knowledge” would the Messiah bring a righteous standing to many who had inherited sin from Adam, and how so?
43 Associated with the vindication of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah would be the giving of a righteous standing to many here on earth who had inherited unrighteousness and condemnation from sinner Adam. (Romans 5:12) The “knowledge” by means of which he brings this about is evidently an acquired knowledge. This was the knowledge that he acquired by becoming a man on earth and suffering unjustly in contact with sick and sinful mankind. He became a “man meant for pains and for having acquaintance with sickness.” (Isaiah 53:3) His “knowledge” here denotes or implies suffering under a test of integrity down to the bitter death. What he had not known in his prehuman life up in heaven, namely, painful suffering for his faithfulness to the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, he got to experience and really know down here on earth during the time that Satan the Devil is “the god of this system of things,” “the ruler of this world.” (2 Corinthians 4:4; John 12:31) By getting to know suffering to the death in this personal experience he was able to provide the atoning sacrifice for making many righteous.
44. To whom does this “righteous standing” come, and when?
44 This righteousness or righteous standing before God comes first to the 144,000 joint heirs of Jesus Christ, in an imputed way. To such ones as these the apostle Paul wrote, in 2 Corinthians 5:21, saying: “The one who did not know sin he made to be sin for us, that we might become God’s righteousness by means of him.” Also, in Romans 5:19: “For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were constituted sinners, likewise also through the obedience of the one person many will be constituted righteous.” In due time the righteous standing will come to the children of the Eternal Father, Jesus Christ. During his reign over the earth for a thousand years he will uplift his earthly “offspring” to a righteous standing in perfection, that they may prove themselves loyal and faithful to Jehovah’s universal sovereignty in a perfect sense, to their gaining the gift of eternal life.—Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15.
45. Why do we have reason to be very grateful to Jehovah for providing such an integrity-keeping “Servant”?
45 In behalf of the many who will thus be brought to a righteous standing, the prophecy of Isaiah 53:11 is fulfilled: “And their errors he himself will bear.” That is, he himself as the Messianic “Servant” of Jehovah would bear the penalty for their errors, and thereby relieve them of condemnation to death. How this was done, the apostle Peter describes, saying with reference to the “Servant” of Jehovah: “He himself bore our sins in his own body upon the stake, in order that we might be done with sins and live to righteousness. And ‘by his stripes you were healed.’ For you were like sheep, going astray; but now you have returned to the shepherd and overseer of your souls.” (1 Peter 2:24, 25) How grateful we should be for what this Messianic “Servant” has done for us! How thankful we should be to Jehovah for providing such a “Servant” of integrity!—Romans 3:24-26.
“A PORTION AMONG THE MANY” FOR THE “SERVANT”
46, 47. Explain the prophetic promise, “I shall deal him a portion among the many.”
46 Prior to the coming of Jehovah’s Messianic “Servant” there were “many” faithful servants of Jehovah who had remained faithful to the Sovereign Lord Jehovah and to whom Jehovah dealt an appropriate portion even during this life. Take, for instance, the cases of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel), Joseph, and Job. A portion is reserved for those many persons of godly integrity in Jehovah’s coming new system of things under the kingdom of the Messianic “Servant” over all the earth. Those faithful worshipers of Jehovah were among the “many people” for whom His “Servant” carried the load of sin. Just as Jehovah showed appreciation in this way for the integrity maintained by those “many” loyal ones of earlier times, so he would consistently deal out a portion to his Messianic “Servant” among those “many” faithful ones of old. Hence, Isaiah 53:12 says:
47 “For that reason I shall deal him a portion among the many, and it will be with the mighty ones that he will apportion the spoil, due to the fact that he poured out his soul to the very death, and it was with the transgressors that he was counted in; and he himself carried the very sin of many people, and for the transgressors he proceeded to interpose.”—NW; Young; Leeser.
48. Who are the “mighty ones” with whom Jehovah’s “Servant” apportions spoils, and as a result of warfare fought where?
48 Not only does the “Servant” receive from Jehovah a “portion among the many,” but he also gains the spoils of war by a victory over his enemies and the enemies of the God to whom he is the principal servant. His apportioning of spoils with the “mighty ones” indicates that he himself is also “mighty.” Who, now, are these “mighty ones”? The mighty ones with whom he apportions the spoils are those who participate in the warfare with him. (Isaiah 60:22) The “mighty ones” do not appear to be the heavenly angels with whom the Messianic “Servant” will fight the coming war at Har–Magedon against the enemies of Jehovah God. (Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11-14) Rather, the “mighty ones” are those who share in the same kind of warfare that the “Servant” fought here at the earth. Isaiah 53:12 ties in his apportioning the spoil with others because of what he did at the earth down to the time that he was cut off from the earth, “from the land of the living ones.”—Isaiah 53:8.
49. What do the Scriptures say as to victories enjoyed by Jesus and his followers here on earth?
49 On Passover night of the year 33 C.E., shortly before Jesus was arrested and brought to trial and sentenced to death, he said to his faithful apostles: “In the world you are having tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33) Also, with evident reference to a victory procession, the apostle Paul writes, in 2 Corinthians 2:14: “Thanks be to God who always leads us in a triumphal procession in company with the Christ and makes the odor of the knowledge of him perceptible through us in every place!” Further, in speaking of what God did through Jesus Christ, the apostle Paul writes: “He has taken it [the handwritten document against us] out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake. Stripping the governments and the authorities bare, he exhibited them in open public as conquered, leading them in a triumphal procession by means of it.”—Colossians 2:14, 15.
50, 51. Since the warfare is spiritual, what is the “spoil” that Jesus apportions with his congregation?
50 Since, therefore, the reference of Isaiah 53:12 is obviously to a spiritual warfare that the Messianic “Servant” had to fight, what is the “spoil” that he apportions with the 144,000 “mighty ones” of his congregation? Scripturally, it would be the “gifts in men,” “gifts in the form of men,” that he bestowed upon his congregation from Pentecost of 33 C.E. forward. With reference to the warlike sixty-eighth Psalm 68:18, and quoting verse eighteen, the apostle Paul writes with regard to Jesus Christ:
51 “Wherefore he says: ‘When he ascended on high he carried away captives; he gave gifts in men.’ Now the expression ‘he ascended,’ what does it mean but that he also descended into the lower regions, that is, the earth? The very one that descended is also the one that ascended far above all the heavens, that he might give fullness to all things. And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers, with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ.”—Ephesians 4:8-12.
52, 53. (a) How do Christ’s joint heirs prove to be “mighty ones”? (b) As referred to at Isaiah 53:12, what is a “spoil” that they seize from the enemy, and why so?
52 These “gifts in men” were among the captives that he led away as a result of his giving his human soul as a ransom for the condemned world of mankind. (Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:5, 6) Such “gifts in men,” the resurrected, ascended Jesus Christ bestows upon his congregation of 144,000 anointed joint heirs, to strengthen them all to fight a triumphant warfare against this world and its god and thereby to share with Jesus in vindicating the universal sovereignty of Jehovah God. To them he says, in Revelation 3:21: “To the one that conquers I will grant to sit down with me on my throne, even as I conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.” By reason of their conquest over the wicked world and its god they prove themselves to be “mighty ones,” and the Messianic “Servant” of Jehovah apportions also to them a share in the Kingdom privileges. What they have wrested from the conquered enemy is the enemy’s basis for taunting Jehovah with regard to the unselfishness of the devotion of Jehovah’s worshipers to his universal sovereignty.—Proverbs 27:11.
53 This sharing in the vindication of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah with Jesus Christ the “Servant” is a precious “spoil” in which the 144,000 conquerors are given a portion. This, of course, does not mean that they will not share the glorious spoils of victory that Jehovah’s “Servant” gains in the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon. (Revelation 19:11-21; 2:26, 27) However, this is not what is particularly dealt with in Isaiah 53:12, which refers plainly to a propitiatory or intercessory work on the part of Jehovah’s Messianic “Servant.”
54. According to the explanation recorded by Isaiah, why is the “Servant” rewarded in this way?
54 Why is it that the “Servant” is rewarded in this exalted way? The verse answers: “Due to the fact that he poured out his soul to the very death, and it was with the transgressors that he was counted in; and he himself carried the very sin of many people, and for the transgressors he proceeded to interpose.”
55. With what objective in view did Jesus ‘pour out his soul to the very death’?
55 In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus said to his faithful apostles before his arrest there: “My soul is deeply grieved, even to death.” (Matthew 26:38) Nevertheless, he bared his human soul to death, and held fast to the purpose of his becoming a human soul: “The Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many.” He gave his human soul in an exchange by dying as a man. (Matthew 20:28) He emptied himself, pouring out his soul to death itself. This enabled Jehovah God to “set his soul as a guilt offering,” that a righteous standing might be given to those accepting the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ.—Isaiah 53:10, 11.
56, 57. (a) Was Jesus aware that he was fulfilling what was foretold in Isaiah chapter 53 concerning Jehovah’s “Servant”? (b) By whom was he counted in “with the transgressors,” and why did he endure such humiliation?
56 Jesus Christ recognized himself as being the “Servant” foretold in Isaiah, chapter fifty-three. He admitted that he was the “Servant,” when he said to his faithful apostles on the Passover night of his betrayal and arrest: “But now let the one that has a purse take it up, likewise also a food pouch; and let the one having no sword sell his outer garment and buy one. For I tell you that this which is written must be accomplished in me, namely, ‘And he was reckoned with lawless ones.’ For that which concerns me is having an accomplishment.” (Luke 22:36, 37) So it was that, later that night, when the mob came to the garden to arrest him, they came armed with clubs and swords as if to apprehend a lawless man, a transgressor, a robber. (Mark 14:48, 49) That was a secret action by the mob, under cover of night. But later, during the daylight hours, Jesus was publicly exposed as being counted in among the transgressors by being impaled as a lawbreaker, and, to intensify this reckoning of him among the transgressors, “they impaled two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.” (Mark 15:27) But Jesus endured this humiliation of himself, that Jehovah’s Word might be vindicated as true and infallible and that for the transgression of his own people he might have the stroke of the penalty.—Isaiah 53:8.
57 The fact that Jehovah God rewarded and highly exalted his Messianic “Servant” proves that He himself did not count this “Servant” in with the transgressors. He merely foretold that the world would classify the Messianic “Servant” in that way. Yet Jesus Christ endured such a humiliation, which would be hard for a faithful servant of God to bear, seemingly to the reproach of his God and to the credit of the one taunting God. But Jesus drank such a cup of public humiliation, that he might prove himself to be merciful toward condemned and dying mankind. This is the very thing that Isaiah 53:12 calls to our attention in saying: “And he himself carried the very sin of many people, and for the transgressors he proceeded to interpose.”—Compare Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:15.
58. (a) Whose mercy outstandingly was thus being displayed toward human transgressors, and to what extent? (b) Why was it his only-begotten Son that he chose to fulfill the role of his “Servant”?
58 He himself interposed and carried the very sin of the many transgressors, in order that the mercy of Jehovah God himself might be extended to all mankind. In sending his Messianic “Servant” and letting him endure all this suffering and humiliation to the very death, Jehovah was displaying his own boundless mercy toward us transgressors. The whole idea of mercy toward condemned mankind originated with Jehovah God. His mercy was so great that he did not spare even his most loved heavenly Son in this behalf. (Romans 8:31, 32) He did not desire his purpose for extending mercy to fail because of his depending upon an agent of whom he could not be absolutely sure. He did have the highest confidence in his only-begotten Son, that this Son would not fail Him under any and all circumstances, and so he chose this Son to fulfill the role of “My Servant.” (Isaiah 52:13; 53:11) In putting this Son through the severe discipline that was prescribed for this “Servant,” God showed that he loved him most dearly.—Hebrews 12:3-6.
59. To whom do the Scriptures ascribe this marvelous expression of “love for man”?
59 All thanks to Jehovah God for raising up such a dependable “Servant,” by means of whom His own love and mercy are magnified. This action was indeed a display of His own philanthropy; just as it is written: “When the kindness and the love for man on the part of our Savior, God, was manifested, owing to no works in righteousness that we had performed, but according to his mercy he saved us through the bath that brought us to life and through the making of us new by holy spirit. This spirit he poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.”—Titus 3:4-6.
60. (a) Though Job was richly rewarded for maintaining his integrity, why was Jesus Christ given a far greater reward? (b) Of what does Jesus’ faithfulness under test when on earth give assurance for the future?
60 We rejoice that the tested integrity of the faithful “Servant,” Jesus Christ, has been so worthily rewarded, with higher rank and greater responsibility in Jehovah’s universal organization. As an illustration of this in advance, for unbreakably maintaining his integrity the patient Job of ancient times was rewarded with double the amount he had had before his severe test. (Job 42:10) Vastly more was involved in the testing of Jesus Christ on earth and in the keeping of his integrity, and properly his reward was far greater. Just as certainly as he was faithful under so severe a test of his integrity when on earth, he will be fully faithful in the discharge of his grander responsibilities now at this critical time and in all the future.—Luke 16:10. |
Scriptures for Christian Living (scl)
2023 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/scl | Dedication
What is the proper motive for dedicating ourselves to Jehovah God?
De 6:5; Lu 10:25-28; Re 4:11
See also Ex 20:5
If we want to serve God, we must have what view of the Bible?
Ps 119:105; 1Th 2:13; 2Ti 3:16
See also Joh 17:17; Heb 4:12
What must we acknowledge about God’s way of helping us to overcome sin?
Joh 14:6; Ac 4:12; Ro 3:23; Ga 1:4; Eph 1:7
What is involved in repenting of our former course of life?
Ac 3:19; 26:20
Relevant Bible account(s):
Lu 19:1-10—Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, repents of his life of extortion and makes restitution for what he extorted
1Ti 1:12-16—The apostle Paul explains how he left behind a sinful life and found forgiveness through the mercy of God and Christ
In addition to stopping wrong conduct, what else must we do?
Ro 12:1, 2; Eph 4:17, 18, 22-24; 1Th 1:9
What moral standards must we comply with in order to serve God acceptably?
1Co 6:9-11; Col 3:5-9; 1Pe 1:14, 15; 4:3, 4
Relevant Bible account(s):
1Co 5:1-13—The apostle Paul directs the Corinthian congregation to remove from their midst a man guilty of gross immorality
2Ti 2:16-19—The apostle Paul warns Timothy to reject the words of apostates, which spread like gangrene
What stand do servants of God need to take regarding the affairs of this world?
Isa 2:3, 4; Joh 15:19
Relevant Bible account(s):
Joh 6:10-15—After Jesus miraculously feeds a large crowd, people seek to make him king, but Jesus withdraws from them
Joh 18:33-36—Jesus explains that his Kingdom has nothing to do with the politics of this world
How does holy spirit help us to serve God?
Joh 16:13; Ga 5:22, 23
See also Ac 20:28; Eph 5:18
Relevant Bible account(s):
Ac 15:28, 29—The governing body in Jerusalem is guided by holy spirit in making the landmark decision regarding circumcision
In what ways should our dedicated service to God be like that of Jesus Christ?
Mt 22:37; Joh 4:34; 6:38; Heb 10:8, 9
Why do dedicated Christians need to get baptized?
Mt 28:19, 20; Ac 2:40, 41; 8:12; 1Pe 3:21
Relevant Bible account(s):
Mt 3:13-17—Jesus presents himself to do his Father’s will, symbolizing this by getting baptized
Ac 8:26-39—An Ethiopian official, already a Jewish proselyte, is ready for baptism after learning the truth about Jesus Christ |
ILLUSTRATED BIBLE STORIES
Abraham Becomes God’s Friend | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502017115 | ILLUSTRATED BIBLE STORIES
Abraham Becomes God’s Friend
Learn why the Bible calls Abraham “Jehovah’s friend.” (James 2:23)
Read the illustrated story online or from a printed PDF.
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123 |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 34—Nahum
Writer: Nahum
Place Written: Judah
Writing Completed: Before 632 B.C.E.
1. What is known of ancient Nineveh?
“THE pronouncement against Nineveh.” (Nah. 1:1) Nahum’s prophecy opens with these ominous words. But why did he make this declaration of doom? What is known of ancient Nineveh? Her history is summarized by Nahum in three words: “city of bloodshed.” (3:1) Two mounds located on the east bank of the Tigris River opposite the modern city of Mosul, in northern Iraq, mark the site of ancient Nineveh. It was heavily fortified by walls and moats and was the capital of the Assyrian Empire in the latter part of its history. However, the origin of the city goes back to the days of Nimrod, the “‘mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.’ . . . He went forth into Assyria and set himself to building Nineveh.” (Gen. 10:9-11) Nineveh thus had a bad beginning. She became specially renowned during the reigns of Sargon, Sennacherib, Esar-haddon, and Ashurbanipal, in the closing period of the Assyrian Empire. By wars and conquests, she enriched herself with loot and became famed on account of the cruel, inhuman treatment that her rulers meted out to the multitude of captives.a Says C. W. Ceram, on page 266 of his book Gods, Graves and Scholars (1954): “Nineveh was impressed on the consciousness of mankind by little else than murder, plunder, suppression, and the violation of the weak; by war and all manner of physical violence; by the deeds of a sanguinary dynasty of rulers who held down the people by terror and who often were liquidated by rivals more ferocious than themselves.”
2. Of what kind was Nineveh’s religion?
2 What of Nineveh’s religion? She worshiped a great pantheon of gods, many of whom were imported from Babylon. Her rulers invoked these gods as they went out to destroy and exterminate, and her greedy priests egged her campaigns of conquest on, looking forward to rich repayment from the booty. In his book Ancient Cities (1886, page 25), W. B. Wright says: “They worshiped strength, and would say their prayers only to colossal idols of stone, lions and bulls whose ponderous limbs, eagle wings, and human heads were symbols of strength, courage, and victory. Fighting was the business of the nation, and the priests were incessant fomenters of war. They were supported largely from the spoils of conquest, of which a fixed percentage was invariably assigned them before others shared, for this race of plunderers was excessively religious.”
3. (a) In what way is the meaning of Nahum’s name appropriate? (b) To what period does Nahum’s prophecy belong?
3 Nahum’s prophecy, though short, is packed with interest. All that we know of the prophet himself is contained in the opening verse 1:1: “The book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite.” His name (Hebrew, Na·chumʹ) means “Comforter.” His message was certainly no comfort to Nineveh, but to God’s true people, it spelled sure and lasting relief from an implacable and mighty foe. It is of comfort, too, that Nahum makes no mention of the sins of his own people. Although the site of Elkosh is not definitely known, it seems probable that the prophecy was written in Judah. (Nah. 1:15) The fall of Nineveh, which occurred in 632 B.C.E., was still future when Nahum recorded his prophecy, and he compares this event to the fall of No-amon (Thebes, in Egypt) that took place shortly before this. (3:8) Hence, Nahum must have written his prophecy sometime during this period.
4. What qualities of writing are apparent in the book of Nahum?
4 The style of the book is distinctive. It contains no superfluous words. Its vigor and realism are in keeping with its being part of the inspired writings. Nahum excels in descriptive, emotional, and dramatic language, as well as in dignified expression, clearness of imagery, and graphically striking phraseology. (1:2-8, 12-14; 2:4, 12; 3:1-5, 13-15, 18, 19) Most of the first chapter appears to be in the style of an acrostic poem. (1:8, footnote) Nahum’s style is enriched by the singleness of his theme. He has utter abhorrence for Israel’s treacherous foe. He sees nothing but the doom of Nineveh.
5. What proves the authenticity of Nahum’s prophecy?
5 The authenticity of Nahum’s prophecy is proved by the accuracy of its fulfillment. In Nahum’s day, who else but a prophet of Jehovah would have dared to forecast that the proud capital of the Assyrian world power could be breached at the “gates of the rivers,” her palace be dissolved, and she herself become “emptiness and voidness, and a city laid waste”? (2:6-10) The events that followed showed that the prophecy was indeed inspired of God. The annals of the Babylonian king Nabopolassar describe the capture of Nineveh by the Medes and the Babylonians: “The city [they turned] into ruin-hills and hea[ps (of debris) . . . ].”b So complete was the ruin of Nineveh that even its site was forgotten for many centuries. Some critics came to ridicule the Bible on this point, saying that Nineveh could never have existed.
6. What has been uncovered at the site of ancient Nineveh that vindicates the accuracy of Nahum?
6 However, adding further to the evidence of Nahum’s authenticity, the site of Nineveh was discovered, and excavations were begun there in the 19th century. It was estimated that millions of tons of earth would have to be moved to excavate it completely. What has been unearthed in Nineveh? Much that supports the accuracy of Nahum’s prophecy! For example, her monuments and inscriptions testify to her cruelties, and there are the remains of colossal statues of winged bulls and lions. No wonder Nahum spoke of her as “the lair of lions”!—2:11.c
7. What supports the canonicity of the book of Nahum?
7 The canonicity of Nahum is shown by the book’s being accepted by the Jews as part of the inspired Scriptures. It is completely in harmony with the rest of the Bible. The prophecy is uttered in the name of Jehovah, to whose attributes and supremacy it bears eloquent testimony.
outputS OF NAHUM
8. What doom is pronounced for Nineveh, but what good news for Judah?
8 Pronouncement of Jehovah against Nineveh (1:1-15). “Jehovah is a God exacting exclusive devotion and taking vengeance.” With these words the prophet sets the scene for “the pronouncement against Nineveh.” (1:1, 2) Though Jehovah is slow to anger, see him now as he expresses vengeance by wind and storm. Mountains rock, hills melt, and the earth heaves. Who can stand before the heat of his anger? Nonetheless, Jehovah is a stronghold for those who seek refuge in him. But Nineveh is doomed. She will be exterminated by a flood, and “distress will not rise up a second time.” (1:9) Jehovah will blot out her name and her gods. He will bury her. In refreshing contrast, there is good news for Judah! What is it? A publisher of peace calls on them to celebrate their festivals and pay their vows, for the enemy, the “good-for-nothing person,” is doomed. “In his entirety he will certainly be cut off.”—1:15.
9. What prophetic view do we get of the defeat of Nineveh?
9 Foreview of Nineveh’s destruction (2:1–3:19). Nahum issues a taunting challenge to Nineveh to reinforce herself against an oncoming scatterer. Jehovah will regather his own, ‘the pride of Jacob and of Israel.’ See the shield and the crimson garb of his men of vital energy and the fiery iron fittings of his “war chariot in the day of his getting ready”! War chariots “keep driving madly” in the streets, running like lightnings. (2:2-4) Now we get a prophetic view of the battle. The Ninevites stumble and hasten to defend the wall but to no avail. The river gates open, the palace dissolves, and the slave girls moan and beat upon their hearts. The fleeing men are commanded to stand still, but no one turns back. The city is plundered and laid waste. Hearts melt. Where now is this lair of lions? The lion has filled his cave with prey for his whelps, but Jehovah declares: “Look! I am against you.” (2:13) Yes, Jehovah will burn up Nineveh’s war machine, send a sword to devour her young lions, and cut off her prey from the earth.
10. As what is Nineveh exposed, and how is her end further described?
10 “Woe to the city of bloodshed . . . full of deception and of robbery.” Hear the lash of the whip and the rattling of the wheel. See the dashing horse, the leaping chariot, the mounted horseman, the flame of the sword, and the lightning of the spear—and then, the heavy mass of carcasses. “There is no end to the dead bodies.” (3:1, 3) And why? It is because she has ensnared nations with her prostitutions and families with her sorceries. A second time Jehovah declares: “Look! I am against you.” (3:5) Nineveh will be exposed as an adulteress and will be despoiled, her fate being no better than that of No-amon (Thebes), whom Assyria took into captivity. Her fortresses are like ripe figs, “which, if they get wiggled, will certainly fall into the mouth of an eater.” (3:12) Her warriors are like women. Nothing can save Nineveh from fire and sword. Her guardsmen will flee like a locust swarm on a sunny day, and her people will be scattered. The king of Assyria will know that there is no relief, nor is there healing for this catastrophe. All those hearing the report will clap their hands, for all have suffered from the badness of Assyria.
WHY BENEFICIAL
11. What fundamental Bible principles are illustrated in Nahum?
11 The prophecy of Nahum illustrates some fundamental Bible principles. The opening words of the vision repeat God’s reason for giving the second of the Ten Commandments: “Jehovah is a God exacting exclusive devotion.” Immediately thereafter he makes known the certainty of his “taking vengeance against his adversaries.” Assyria’s cruel pride and pagan gods could not save her from the execution of Jehovah’s judgment. We can be confident that in due course Jehovah will likewise mete out justice to all the wicked. “Jehovah is slow to anger and great in power, and by no means will Jehovah hold back from punishing.” Thus Jehovah’s justice and supremacy are exalted against the background of his extermination of mighty Assyria. Nineveh did become “emptiness and voidness, and a city laid waste!”—1:2, 3; 2:10.
12. What restoration does Nahum announce, and how may his prophecy be instructioned with the Kingdom hope?
12 In contrast to Nineveh’s being ‘entirely cut off,’ Nahum announces restoration for ‘the pride of Jacob and of Israel.’ Jehovah also sends happy tidings to his people: “Look! Upon the mountains the feet of one bringing good news, one publishing peace.” These tidings of peace have a connection with God’s Kingdom. How do we know this? It is apparent because of Isaiah’s use of the same expression, but to which he adds the words: “The one bringing good news of something better, the one publishing salvation, the one saying to Zion: ‘Your God has become king!’” (Nah. 1:15; 2:2; Isa. 52:7) In turn, the apostle Paul at Romans 10:15 applies the expression to those whom Jehovah sends forth as Christian preachers of good news. These proclaim the “good news of the kingdom.” (Matt. 24:14) True to the meaning of his name, Nahum provides much comfort for all who seek the peace and salvation that come with God’s Kingdom. All of these will surely realize that ‘Jehovah is good, a stronghold in the day of distress for those seeking refuge in him.’—Nah. 1:7.
[Footnotes]
a Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, page 201.
b Ancient Near Eastern Texts, edited by J. B. Pritchard, 1974, page 305; brackets and parentheses theirs; Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, page 958.
c Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, page 955. |
MEMORIAL CAMPAIGN
Jesus Will End Crime | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501100102 | alfa27/stock.adobe.com
MEMORIAL CAMPAIGN
Jesus Will End Crime
Jesus knows what it means to suffer because of crime and injustice. He was falsely accused, unlawfully beaten, unjustly tried, wrongfully convicted, and painfully executed. Though innocent, he willingly and unselfishly sacrificed “his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matthew 20:28; John 15:13) Now, as King of God’s Kingdom, he will soon bring justice throughout the earth, ending crime once and for all.—Isaiah 42:3.
The Bible describes what the world will be like after Jesus takes action:
“The wicked will be no more; you will look at where they were, and they will not be there. But the meek will possess the earth, and they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”—Psalm 37:10, 11.
How can we show appreciation for all that Jesus has done and will yet do for us? As recorded at Luke 22:19, Jesus told his followers to remember his death. That is why each year, on the anniversary of his death, Jehovah’s Witnesses gather together. We invite you to join us in observing the Memorial of Jesus’ death on Sunday, March 24, 2024.
Find a Memorial |
United in Worship (uw)
1983 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/uw | Chapter 3
Keep a Firm Grip on the Word of God
1. (a) How did ancient Israel experience the truthfulness of God’s Word? (b) Why is that of interest to us?
“YOU well know with all your hearts and with all your souls that not one word out of all the good words that Jehovah your God has spoken to you has failed. They have all come true for you.” This was the reminder that Joshua gave the older men of Israel after they were settled in the Promised Land. But in the years that followed they did not consistently take God’s Word to heart and apply it. What was the result? The Bible makes it plain that just as Jehovah’s promises of blessing had proved trustworthy, so, too, he carried out what he said as to the consequences of disobedience. (Josh. 23:14-16) That record, as well as all the rest of the Bible, was preserved for our instruction—so that “we might have hope” and so that we would not do something that would result in our forfeiting that hope.—Rom. 15:4.
2. (a) In what sense is the Bible “inspired of God”? (b) Knowing this, what responsibility do we have?
2 Although some 40 human “secretaries” were used to record the Bible, Jehovah himself is its Author. Does that mean he actively directed the writing of everything in it? Yes. As the apostle Paul truthfully said, “All Scripture is inspired of God.” Being convinced of that, we urge people everywhere to pay heed to it and to build their lives around what it contains, just as we endeavor to do.—2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13.
What Will Help Others to Appreciate It?
3. What is the best way to help many of those who are not convinced that the Bible is the Word of God?
3 Of course, many to whom we speak do not share our conviction that the Bible really is the Word of God. How can we help them? Often, the very best way is to open the Bible and show them what it contains. “The word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword . . . and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12) “The word of God” is his word of promise, recorded in the Bible. It is not dead history but is alive and irresistibly moves toward fulfillment. As it does so, the true heart motivations of persons who are brought in touch with it become manifest as to meeting the conditions. Its influence is far more powerful than anything that we personally might say.
4. What simple explanations of Bible truths have changed the attitude of some persons toward the Bible? Why?
4 Simply seeing God’s name in the Bible has been the turning point for many persons. Others have decided to study the Bible when shown what it says about the purpose of life, why God permits wickedness, the significance of current events or the realistic hope centered on God’s Kingdom. In lands where religious practices have laid people open to much harassment by evil spirits, the Bible’s explanation of the cause of this and how to gain relief has aroused interest. Why are these points so impressive to them? Because the Bible is the only source of reliable information on these vital matters.—Ps. 119:130.
5. When a person says he does not believe the Bible, what may be the reason? How might we help him?
5 However, what if a person directly tells us that he does not believe the Bible? Should that end the conversation? Not if he is willing to reason. We ought to feel a responsibility to speak up with conviction in behalf of God’s Word. It may be that he views the Bible as Christendom’s book. Her record of hypocrisy and political meddling, as well as her constant solicitations for money, may account for his negative reaction to the Bible. Why not ask if that is so? The Bible’s condemnation of Christendom’s worldly ways, along with points of contrast between Christendom and true Christianity, may arouse his interest.—Compare Matthew 15:7-9; James 4:4; Micah 3:11, 12.
6. (a) What convinces you personally that the Bible is God’s Word? (b) What other lines of reasoning could be used to help people to appreciate that the Bible really is from God?
6 For others, a straightforward discussion of evidences of inspiration is helpful. What clearly proves to you that the Bible is from God? Is it what the Bible itself says as to its origin? (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Rev. 1:1) Or is it the fact that the Bible contains numerous prophecies reflecting detailed knowledge of the future, which prophecies must therefore have come from a superhuman source? (2 Pet. 1:20, 21; Isa. 42:9) Is it perhaps the Bible’s internal harmony, although written down by many men over a period of 1,610 years? Or its scientific accuracy in contrast with other writings from those times? Or the candor of its writers? Or its preservation in the face of vicious efforts to destroy it? Whatever you have found to be impressive can also be used to help other people.
Our Personal Bible Reading
7, 8. (a) What should we individually be doing with the Bible? (b) What do we need in addition to personal Bible reading, and how does the Bible itself show this? (c) How have you personally gained an understanding of Jehovah’s purposes?
7 In addition to helping others to believe the Bible, we ourselves need to take time to read it regularly. Are you doing that? Of all the books ever produced, this one is the most important. Of course, that does not mean that if we read it we need nothing else. The Scriptures warn against isolating ourselves, thinking that we can figure out everything with independent research. Both personal study and regular meeting attendance are needed if we are to be balanced Christians.—Prov. 18:1; Heb. 10:24, 25.
8 For our benefit the Bible tells about an Ethiopian official to whom an angel directed the Christian evangelizer Philip when the official was reading from the prophecy of Isaiah. Philip asked the man: “Do you actually know what you are reading?” Humbly the Ethiopian replied: “Really, how could I ever do so, unless someone guided me?” He urged Philip to explain the passage of Scripture. Now, Philip was not merely an independent Bible reader who there gave his opinion on the Scriptures. No; the record shows that he had maintained close contact with the apostles in the congregation at Jerusalem and was a member of Jehovah’s visible organization. So he could help the Ethiopian to benefit from the instruction that Jehovah was making available through that organization. (Acts 6:5, 6; 8:5, 14, 15, 26-35) Similarly today, who of us arrived at a clear and correct understanding of Jehovah’s purposes on his own? On the contrary, we needed, and we continue to need, the aid that Jehovah lovingly provides through his visible organization.
9. What programs of Bible reading can benefit all of us?
9 To help us to use and understand the Bible, Jehovah’s organization supplies excellent Scriptural material in The Watchtower and related publications. In addition, a regular schedule of Bible reading is set out for us in connection with the Theocratic Ministry School in the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some of Jehovah’s Witnesses do consecutive Bible reading in addition to this. Great benefit can come from time spent in examining the Holy Scriptures. (Ps. 1:1-3; 19:7, 8) Have you personally read the entire Bible? If not, make a special effort to do so. Even though you do not fully understand everything, your having an overall view of it will be of great value. If you were to read only four or five pages a day, you would complete the Bible in about a year.
10. (a) When do you do your Bible reading? (b) Why is regularity important?
10 When can you personally arrange to do this Bible reading? If you are able to set aside even 10 or 15 minutes a day, how beneficial that will be! If not, at least schedule regular times for it each week, and then hold to that schedule. Bible reading should be a lifelong habit, like eating food. As you know, if a person’s eating habits become poor, his health will suffer. So, too, with our spirituality. Our life depends on our being regularly nourished by “every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth.”—Matt. 4:4.
11. What should be our objective in reading the Bible?
11 What should be our objective in reading the Bible? It would be a mistake if our goal were simply to cover a quota of pages or even solely to gain eternal life. To benefit lastingly, we must have higher motives—love for God, a desire to know him better, to understand his will and to worship him acceptably. (John 5:39-42) Our attitude should be like that of the Bible writer who said: “Make me know your own ways, O Jehovah; teach me your own paths.”—Ps. 25:4.
12. (a) Why is gaining “accurate knowledge” necessary, and what effort when reading may be needed in order to get it? (b) As shown on page 27, from what viewpoints might we beneficially analyze what we read in the Bible? (c) Illustrate these five points, one at a time, by answering the questions provided at the end of this paragraph. Be sure to use your Bible.
12 As we receive that teaching, it should be our desire to gain “accurate knowledge.” Without it, how could we apply God’s Word properly in our own lives or explain it correctly to others? (Col. 3:10; 2 Tim. 2:15) Gaining accurate knowledge requires that we read carefully, and if a portion is deep we may need to read it more than once in order to grasp the sense of it. We will also be benefited if we take time to meditate on the material, thinking about it from various standpoints. Five valuable avenues of thought to explore are highlighted on page 27 of this book. Many portions of Scripture can beneficially be analyzed by using one or more of these. As you answer the questions on the following pages you will see how that is so.
(1) Frequently the portion of Scripture that you are reading gives some indication as to the kind of person Jehovah is.
When we meditate appreciatively on what the Bible tells us about Jehovah’s works of creation, how does that affect our attitude toward him? (Ps. 139:13, 14; from Job chapters 38-42 note especially Job 38:1, 2 and Job 40:2, 8, then Job 42:1-6.)
In view of what Jesus said at John 14:9, 10, what can we conclude about Jehovah from incidents such as the one recorded at Luke 5:12, 13?
(2) Consider how the account contributes to development of the Bible’s theme, namely, the vindication of Jehovah’s name by the Kingdom under Jesus Christ the Promised Seed.
How are the plagues on Egypt related to this theme? (See Exodus 5:2; 9:16; 12:12.)
What about the heartwarming account concerning Ruth the Moabitess? (Ruth 4:13-17; Matt. 1:1, 5)
How does Gabriel’s announcement to Mary of the coming birth of Jesus fit in? (Luke 1:26-33)
Why is the anointing of Jesus’ disciples with holy spirit at Pentecost significant? (Acts 2:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:4, 5, 9; 2 Pet. 1:10, 11)
(3) Context has a bearing on the meaning of specific verses.
To whom are the statements at Romans 5:1 and Ro 8:16 addressed? (See Romans 1:7.)
Does the context indicate that 1 Corinthians 2:9 is commenting about life on earth in God’s New Order? As shown in 1 Co 2 verses 6-8, whose eyes and ears were not comprehending the things about which Paul was writing?
(4) Ask yourself how you can make personal application of what you are reading.
Is the record about Cain’s killing Abel merely of historical interest or is there counsel in it for us? (Gen. 4:3-12; 1 John 3:10-15; Heb. 11:4)
When we read (in Exodus through Deuteronomy) about Israel’s experiences in the wilderness, what personal application should we make? (1 Cor. 10:6-11)
Does counsel on conduct written to anointed Christians apply to persons who have hope of eternal life on earth? (Compare Numbers 15:16; John 10:16.)
Even though we are in good standing with the Christian congregation, is there need to consider ways that we could more fully apply Bible counsel that we already know? (2 Cor. 13:5; 1 Thess. 4:1)
(5) Give thought to how you might use what you are reading to aid others.
Who might be helped with the account of the resurrection of the daughter of Jairus? (Luke 8:41, 42, 49-56)
13. What results can we expect from a continuing program of Bible reading and study with Jehovah’s organization?
13 How richly rewarding Bible reading becomes when done in this manner! To be sure, reading the Bible is a challenge—a project that we can beneficially work at for a lifetime. But as we do it we will grow spiritually stronger. It will draw us closer to our loving Father, Jehovah, and to our Christian brothers. It will help us to heed the counsel to keep “a tight grip on the word of life.”—Phil. 2:16.
Review Discussion
● Why was the Bible written and preserved until our day?
● How can we help others to appreciate it?
● Why is regular personal Bible reading profitable? From what five viewpoints might we beneficially analyze what we read?
[Box/Picture on page 27]
When You Read the Bible Consider—
What each portion tells you about Jehovah as a person
How it relates to the overall theme of the Bible
How context affects the meaning
How it should affect your own life
How you can use it to help others |
Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Ban Certain Movies, Books, or Songs? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502013282 | Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Ban Certain Movies, Books, or Songs?
No. Our organization doesn’t review specific movies, books, or songs so as to rule on what individuals should avoid. Why not?
The Bible encourages each individual to train his “perceptive powers” to discern right and wrong.—Hebrews 5:14.
The Scriptures set forth basic principles that a Christian can weigh when selecting entertainment.a As with all areas of life, our goal is to “keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord.”—Ephesians 5:10.
The Bible teaches that family heads have a measure of authority, so they may choose not to allow certain entertainment among members of their household. (1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 6:1-4) Outside the family, however, no one is authorized to ban specific films, songs, or artists as being unacceptable for Witnesses in general.—Galatians 6:5.
a For example, the Bible condemns anything that promotes spiritism, sexual immorality, or violence.—Deuteronomy 18:10-13; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:8. |
Ministry School (be)
2002 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/be | Keep On Making Progress
HAVE you personally worked on each of the points of counsel in this school program? Have you also completed the recommended exercises? Are you applying each point when giving talks, whether in the school or at other meetings, and when sharing in the field ministry?
Continue to benefit from Theocratic Ministry School education. No matter how long you have been giving talks, there are areas in which you can make further progress. |
Is a Change of Religion Too Difficult? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101971015 | “Your Word Is Truth”
Is a Change of Religion Too Difficult?
ARE you one of multitudes who have become disillusioned with their religion? Have you perhaps found that it is not so solidly founded on Bible truth as you had been led to believe? Despite your new viewpoint, do you find it difficult to make a change in your religion? If this is the case, do not lose courage. Love for God can give the spiritual strength needed to make such a change. God wants those worshiping him to worship with spirit and with truth. (John 4:23) So it is important to associate with those whose religion is founded on Bible truth.
Perhaps you have spent time studying the Bible with one of Jehovah’s witnesses. In a brief space of time you have learned basic Bible truths that you did not learn in all your years with your present religion. You have discovered that the Bible is filled with information that can lead persons to everlasting life in happiness. So why now hesitate to cut all ties with a religion that you know fails to preach the whole truth about God’s purposes?
Could it be that your relatives have persuaded you not to make a complete break from false religion? Do they argue that if the old religion was good enough for grandfather and his parents it ought to be good enough for you? But now, if your grandparents were alive today, what course would they follow? Were they alert, thinking persons? Then do you believe that they would observe all the changes that have taken place in the world and the churches without making any move?
Suppose your grandfather could witness the trend toward downgrading the Bible by clergy and laity of today. If he could observe the rapid deterioration of morals among “church” people and the rebellion of priests and people against church policy, would he be output to sit pat? And if he could gain the accurate knowledge of Bible teaching you have gained, what do you think he would do? Would he permit relatives and family members to prevent him from taking a course he knew was right?
It may be that your parents are output to see all these drastic changes without making any move, and expect you to adopt the same attitude. You have learned that children should be ‘obedient to their parents.’ (Col. 3:20) But what does that include? What if your parents required you to do something that is contrary to what God requires? What would you do? If you truly love God, you will put his will first. This is the right thing to do. (Matt. 10:37) And it is God’s will that honest-hearted persons get out of the Babylonish world empire of false religion—make a clean break from it.—Rev. 18:4.
Perhaps it is not relatives who are holding you back. It may be fear that you will lose your friends. You may feel that you are not strong enough to go against the popular tide of opinion. You may fear what they might say about your change of religion. But surely, as against fear of displeasing the true God, fear of mere humans should be of little account. That is why the Bible tells us: “Trembling at men is what lays a snare, but he that is trusting in Jehovah will be protected.” (Prov. 29:25) If you depend on Jehovah for his promised protection, the views and opinions of your former associates need not cause you to worry.
Besides, in the association of true worshipers of Jehovah at the Kingdom Hall you will find satisfying, genuine friends who will be by your side in good times and bad. Only in such association will you find the truth of the inspired scripture: “A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress.”—Prov. 17:17.
Then, it may be that long-standing traditions in your community make it difficult to break away. These traditions may hold you in membership of some false religion out of fear that you will not get a proper burial. Such a fear is groundless, for those who have attended funerals conducted by Jehovah’s witnesses can testify that it is always an upbuilding experience. The hope of the resurrection, so convincingly presented, offers real comfort to the survivors, and what is more, the funerals are conducted without charge.
Perhaps you say to yourself, “I’m too old to change my religion.” But are you too old to go to a doctor when you are ill? If you value life, then it is not too late to make the change. Think of Suba Sesay, of Port Loko, Sierra Leone. He changed his religion when he was 107 years of age! And do you know what he said? “If it pleases Jehovah God to overlook my past life and accept me, why should I feel too old to change?”
A change to true religion does require some adjustments in one’s way of life, that is true. People who have bad habits and practices may hesitate to give them up in order to make the change. Customs, such as polygamy, that are contrary to God’s will are permitted in most religions. But they are not allowed among Jehovah’s worshipers. If you see that these customs and practices are wrong, then God holds you responsible. Remember the warning words of Jesus Christ: “This is the basis for judgment, that the light has come into the world but men have loved the darkness rather than the light, [why?] for their works were wicked. For he that practices vile things hates the light and does not come to the light, in order that his works may not be reproved.”—John 3:19, 20.
Consider this illustration: A bridled horse or a loaded donkey must perform the will of its master. It is useless for the animal to balk or kick against the spurs or goad, for it is inevitable that the will of the master shall be done. Thus, when Saul the Pharisee kept persecuting Christians, the Lord Jesus told him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? To keep kicking against the goads makes it hard for you.” (Acts 26:14) Anyone who balks at taking the course clearly marked out for true worshipers of God only makes more difficulty for himself, and risks loss of life.
Much less difficult it is to make the change to right religion, even as did Abraham, who grew up among worshipers of the moon god, Rahab the harlot, Ruth the Moabitess, Mary the Jewish mother of Jesus and a host of others. Would you not rather follow the lead of such God-fearing men and women and be classified with them than with the cowardly ones who will never share the blessings of God’s kingdom? (Rev. 21:8) By seeking God’s help through prayer and then resolutely moving forward to carry out his will for you, you can prove for yourself and others that a change to the right religion is not too difficult. |
Revelation Climax (re)
1988 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/re | Chapter 8
Striving to Be Conquerors
SMYRNA
1. (a) What congregation next receives a message from the glorified Jesus? (b) By calling himself “the First and the Last,” of what did Jesus remind the Christians in that congregation?
TODAY, ancient Ephesus lies in ruins. But the destination of Jesus’ second message is still the site of a bustling city. About 35 miles north of the ruins of Ephesus is the Turkish city of Izmir, where four zealous congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses are to be found even today. Here, in the first century, was Smyrna. Note, now, Jesus’ next words: “And to the angel of the congregation in Smyrna write: These are the things that he says, ‘the First and the Last,’ who became dead and came to life again.” (Revelation 2:8) By stating this to those Christians in Smyrna, Jesus reminds them that he was the first integrity keeper that Jehovah directly resurrected to immortal spirit life and the last to be so raised. Jesus himself would resurrect all other anointed Christians. He is thus well qualified to give counsel to his brothers, who hope to share immortal heavenly life with him.
2. Why are all Christians comforted by the words of the One who “became dead and came to life again”?
2 Jesus led the way in enduring persecution for righteousness’ sake, and he received the due reward. His faithfulness to the death and subsequent resurrection are the basis of hope for all Christians. (Acts 17:31) The fact that Jesus “became dead and came to life again” proves that whatever has to be endured in the cause of truth is not in vain. Jesus’ resurrection is a source of profound encouragement for all Christians, especially when they are called on to suffer for their faith. Is this your situation? Then you can take courage also from Jesus’ next words to the congregation in Smyrna:
3. (a) What encouragement did Jesus give the Christians in Smyrna? (b) Though the Christians in Smyrna were poor, why did Jesus say they were “rich”?
3 “I know your tribulation and poverty—but you are rich—and the blasphemy by those who say they themselves are Jews, and yet they are not but are a synagogue of Satan.” (Revelation 2:9) Jesus has no criticism for his brothers in Smyrna, only warm commendation. They have suffered much tribulation because of their faith. Materially they are poor, likely because of their faithfulness. (Hebrews 10:34) Their main concern, however, is with spiritual things, and they have stored up treasures in heaven, as Jesus advised. (Matthew 6:19, 20) Hence, the Chief Shepherd views them as being “rich.”—Compare James 2:5.
4. From whom did the Christians in Smyrna suffer much opposition, and how did Jesus view those opposers?
4 Jesus notes particularly that the Christians in Smyrna have put up with much opposition at the hands of fleshly Jews. In earlier days, many of this religion determinedly opposed the spread of Christianity. (Acts 13:44, 45; 14:19) Now, just a few decades after the fall of Jerusalem, those Jews in Smyrna are showing the same satanic spirit. No wonder Jesus views them as “a synagogue of Satan”!a
5. What trials lay ahead for the Christians in Smyrna?
5 Faced with such hatred, the Christians in Smyrna are comforted by Jesus: “Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of YOU into prison that YOU may be fully put to the test, and that YOU may have tribulation ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10) Here Jesus three times uses the Greek plural form of “you,” showing that his words embrace the congregation as a whole. Jesus cannot promise that the trials of the Christians in Smyrna will soon end. Some of them will continue to be persecuted and cast into prison. They will have tribulation for “ten days.” Ten is a number that symbolizes earthly completeness or entirety. Even those spiritually rich integrity keepers will receive a thorough testing while in the flesh.
6. (a) Why should the Christians in Smyrna not be afraid? (b) How did Jesus conclude his message to the congregation in Smyrna?
6 Nevertheless, the Christians in Smyrna should not be afraid or compromise. If they remain faithful to the end, there is laid up for them as a reward “the crown of life,” in their case immortal life in the heavens. (1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:6-8) The apostle Paul viewed this precious prize as worth the sacrifice of everything else, even his earthly life. (Philippians 3:8) Evidently, those faithful ones in Smyrna feel the same way. Jesus concludes his message by saying: “Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: He that conquers will by no means be harmed by the second death.” (Revelation 2:11) The conquerors are assured of immortal heavenly life that cannot be touched by death.—1 Corinthians 15:53, 54.
“Tribulation Ten Days”
7, 8. Like the congregation in Smyrna, how was the Christian congregation “fully put to the test” in 1918?
7 Much like the Christians in Smyrna, the John class and their companions today have been and continue to be “fully put to the test.” Their faithfulness under trial marks them as God’s own people. (Mark 13:9, 10) Shortly after the Lord’s day got under way, Jesus’ words to the Christians in Smyrna brought real comfort to the small international group of Jehovah’s people. (Revelation 1:10) Ever since 1879, these had been digging out from God’s Word spiritual riches that they freely shared with others. But during World War I, they met up with intense hatred and opposition, partly because they did not get caught up in the war fever and partly because they were fearlessly exposing the errors of Christendom. The persecution that they received at the instigation of some of Christendom’s leaders came to a head in 1918 and was comparable to what the Christians in Smyrna received from the Jewish community there.
8 A wave of persecution in the United States of America was climaxed when the new president of the Watch Tower Society, Joseph F. Rutherford, and seven associates were sent to prison on June 22, 1918, most of them with 20-year sentences. They were released on bail nine months later. On May 14, 1919, the appeal court reversed their erroneous convictions; there were shown to be 130 errors in the trial. Roman Catholic Judge Manton, a knight of the order of St. Gregory the Great, who in 1918 had refused bail to these Christians, was sentenced later, in 1939, to two years’ imprisonment and a fine of $10,000 on six charges of soliciting and accepting bribes.
9. How were Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nazi Germany treated by Hitler, and with what reaction by the clergy?
9 During Nazi rule in Germany, Hitler completely banned the preaching work of Jehovah’s Witnesses. For years, thousands of Witnesses were cruelly confined in concentration camps and prisons, where many died, while some 200 young men who refused to fight in Hitler’s army were executed. The clergy’s support of all of this is evidenced by the words of a Catholic priest, published in the newspaper The German Way of May 29, 1938. In part, he said: “There is now one country on earth where the so-called . . . Bible Students [Jehovah’s Witnesses] are forbidden. That is Germany! . . . When Adolph Hitler came to power, and the German Catholic Episcopate repeated their request, Hitler said: ‘These so-called Earnest Bible Students [Jehovah’s Witnesses] are troublemakers; . . . I consider them quacks; I do not tolerate that the German Catholics shall be besmirched in such a manner by this American Judge Rutherford; I dissolve [Jehovah’s Witnesses] in Germany.’” To this, the priest added: “Bravo!”
10. (a) As the Lord’s day has proceeded, what persecution have Jehovah’s Witnesses faced? (b) What often resulted when Christians fought for religious freedom in the courts?
10 As the Lord’s day has proceeded, the Serpent and his seed have never ceased to fight against the anointed Christians and their companions. Many of these have been imprisoned and viciously persecuted. (Revelation 12:17) Those enemies have continued to ‘frame mischief by law,’ but Jehovah’s people steadfastly insist: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Psalm 94:20, King James Version; Acts 5:29) In 1954 the Watchtower magazine reported: “More than seventy countries at one time or another during the past forty years have made restrictive decrees and have persecuted Jehovah’s witnesses.” Where it has been possible to fight for religious freedom in the courts, these Christians have done so and have come through with resounding victories in a number of countries. In the United States Supreme Court alone, Jehovah’s Witnesses have won 50 victories.
11. What prophecy of Jesus concerning the sign of his presence has been fulfilled upon Jehovah’s Witnesses during the Lord’s day?
11 No other group has been so conscientious in obeying Jesus’ command to pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar. (Luke 20:25; Romans 13:1, 7) Yet, no other group has had members imprisoned in so many lands under so many different forms of government, and this continues to the present time in the Americas, in Europe, in Africa, and in Asia. Jesus’ great prophecy concerning the sign of his presence included these words: “Then people will deliver you up to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be objects of hatred by all the nations on account of my name.” (Matthew 24:3, 9) This has certainly been fulfilled upon the Christian Witnesses of Jehovah during the Lord’s day.
12. How has the John class fortified God’s people against persecution?
12 To fortify God’s people against tribulation, the John class has continually reminded them of the substance of Jesus’ words to the Christians in Smyrna. For example, as Nazi persecution started, The Watchtower in 1933 and 1934 carried articles such as “Fear Them Not,” which discussed Matthew 10:26-33; “The Crucible,” based on Daniel 3:17, 18; and “Lions’ Mouths,” with Daniel 6:22 as the key text. In the 1980’s, during which decade this book was first published and Jehovah’s Witnesses suffered vicious persecution in more than 40 lands, The Watchtower fortified God’s people with articles such as “Happy Though Persecuted!” and “Christians Meet Persecution With Endurance.”b
13. Like the Christians in Smyrna, why have the Christian Witnesses of Jehovah not been afraid of persecution?
13 Truly, the Christian Witnesses of Jehovah are suffering physical persecution and other testings for a symbolic ten days. Like the Christians back in Smyrna, they have not been afraid; nor do any of us need to be afraid as troubles worsen here on earth. We are prepared to endure under sufferings and take even ‘the plundering of our belongings’ joyfully. (Hebrews 10:32-34) By studying God’s Word and making it our very own, we will be equipped to stand solid in the faith. Be assured that Jehovah can and will guard you in your integrity. “Throw all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:6-11.
[Footnotes]
a About 60 years after John died, 86-year-old Polycarp was burned to death in Smyrna because he would not recant his belief in Jesus. The Martyrdom of Polycarp, a work believed to be contemporaneous with this event, states that when wood was being gathered for burning, “the Jews were extremely zealous, as is their custom, in assisting at this”—even though the execution took place on “a great Sabbath day.”
b See The Watchtower of November 1, 1933; October 1 and 15, December 1 and 15, 1934; May 1, 1983.
[Box/Picture on page 39]
For many years, historians have been providing testimony regarding the integrity of the German Witnesses of Jehovah during the Nazi regime. The book Mothers in the Fatherland, by historian Claudia Koonz, published in 1986, has this to say: “The overwhelming majority of all Germans from non-Nazi backgrounds found ways of existing under a regime they despised. . . . At the other end of the statistical and ideological spectrum were the 20,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses who, practically to a person, unequivocally refused to render any form of obedience to the Nazi state. . . . The most cohesive group of resisters were sustained by religion. From the first, Jehovah’s Witnesses did not cooperate with any facet of the Nazi state. Even after the Gestapo destroyed their national headquarters in 1933 and banned the sect in 1935, they refused to do so much as say ‘Heil Hitler.’ About half (mostly men) of all Jehovah’s Witnesses were sent to concentration camps, a thousand of them were executed, and another thousand died between 1933 and 1945. . . . Catholics and Protestants heard their clergy urge them to cooperate with Hitler. If they resisted, they did so against orders from both church and state.” |
Live Forever (pe)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/pe | Chapter 25
For Satan’s World, or God’s New System?
1. What really proves that you are for God’s new system?
ARE YOU FOR God’s righteous new system, and do you want it to come? Are you against Satan, and do you want his world to end? You may say, Yes, to both questions. But is that enough? There is an old saying that actions speak louder than words. If you believe in God’s new system, it is the way you live your life that will really prove it.—Matthew 7:21-23; 15:7, 8.
2. (a) Who are the two masters that we can serve? (b) What shows whose slave, or servant, we are?
2 The fact is, your way of life can be pleasing to only one of two masters. Either you are serving Jehovah God or Satan the Devil. A principle found in the Bible helps us to appreciate this. It says: “Do you not know that if you keep presenting yourselves to anyone as slaves to obey him, you are slaves of him because you obey him?” (Romans 6:16) Whom do you obey? Whose will do you do? Regardless of your answer, if you follow the unrighteous ways of the world you cannot be serving the true God, Jehovah.
SATAN’S WORLD—WHAT IS IT?
3. (a) Who does the Bible show is ruler of the world? (b) In prayer, how did Jesus show a difference between the world and his disciples?
3 Jesus called Satan “the ruler of this world.” And the apostle John said that “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (John 12:31; 1 John 5:19) Note that in prayer to God Jesus did not include his disciples as part of Satan’s world. He said: “I make request concerning them [his disciples]; I make request, not concerning the world . . . They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.” (John 17:9, 16; 15:18, 19) From this it is clear that true Christians are to keep separate from the world.
4. (a) At John 3:16, to whom does the expression “the world” refer? (b) What is “the world” from which Christ’s followers have to separate?
4 But to what was Jesus referring when he said “the world”? In the Bible the expression “the world” sometimes simply means humankind in general. God sent his Son to give his life as a ransom for this world of humankind. (John 3:16) Yet Satan has organized most of humankind in opposition to God. So Satan’s world is this organized human society that exists apart from or outside of God’s visible organization. It is this world from which true Christians must be separate.—James 1:27.
5. What is an important part of the world, and how is it represented in the Bible?
5 Satan’s world—his organized human society—is made up of various closely connected parts. An important part is false religion. In the Bible false religion is represented as a “great harlot,” or prostitute, with the name “Babylon the Great.” She is a world empire, as shown by the fact that she “has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:1, 5, 18) But what proves that Babylon the Great is a religious world empire?
6, 7. (a) What proves that Babylon the Great is a religious empire? (b) What relationship has false religion had with political governments?
6 Since “the kings of the earth” are said to ‘commit fornication’ with her, Babylon the Great could not be a political world empire. And since the “traveling merchants” of the earth stand at a distance and mourn at her destruction, she is not a commercial world empire. (Revelation 17:2; 18:15) However, that she is really a religious empire is shown by the Bible’s statement that by means of her “spiritistic practice all the nations were misled.”—Revelation 18:23.
7 Also proving that Babylon the Great is a religious empire is her relationship to a “wild beast.” In the Bible such beasts represent political governments. (Daniel 8:20, 21) Babylon the Great is described as “sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast . . . that had seven heads and ten horns.” She has thus been trying to exercise influence over this “wild beast,” or world government. (Revelation 17:3) And it is a fact that throughout history religion has been mixed up with politics, often telling governments what to do. She has indeed exercised “a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”—Revelation 17:18.
8. What is another important part of Satan’s world, and how are they represented in the Bible?
8 These political governments make up another important part of Satan’s world. As we have already noted, they are represented in the Bible as beasts. (Daniel 7:1-8, 17, 23) That these beastlike governments receive their power from Satan is shown by a vision written down by the apostle John: “I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads . . . And the dragon gave to the beast its power.” (Revelation 13:1, 2; 12:9) Further proof that these kingdoms, or governments, are part of Satan’s world is the fact that Satan tempted Jesus by offering these kingdoms to him. Satan could not have done this if he had not been the ruler of them.—Matthew 4:8, 9.
9. (a) How is another part of Satan’s world described at Revelation 18:11? (b) What does it do and promote, proving that Satan is behind it?
9 Yet another prominent part of Satan’s world is the greedy and oppressive commercial system, which is referred to at Revelation 18:11 as “traveling merchants.” This commercial system promotes a selfish desire in people to obtain the things it produces, even though they may not need them and may be even better off without them. At the same time the greedy commercial system hoards food in storehouses but allows millions of people to starve to death because they cannot pay for the food. On the other hand, military weapons capable of destroying the whole human family are produced and sold for profit. Thus Satan’s commercial system, along with false religion and the political governments, promotes selfishness, crime and terrible wars.
10, 11. (a) What is another feature of Satan’s world? (b) What Bible warnings are there against getting involved in this feature?
10 The organized human society under Satan the Devil is indeed wicked and corrupt. It is opposed to God’s righteous laws, and it is filled with all kinds of immoral practices. So another feature of Satan’s world can be said to be its loose living, its immoral ways. For this reason both the apostles Paul and Peter warned Christians to avoid the bad practices of people of the nations.—Ephesians 2:1-3; 4:17-19; 1 Peter 4:3, 4.
11 The apostle John, too, stressed the need for Christians to be on guard against the wrong desires and immoral ways of the world. He wrote: “Do not be loving either the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him; because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world.” (1 John 2:15, 16) The disciple James said that ‘if anyone wants to be a friend of the world, he is making himself an enemy of God.’—James 4:4.
HOW TO AVOID BEING PART OF THE WORLD
12, 13. (a) How did Jesus show that Christians must be in the world? (b) How is it possible to be in the world but be no part of it?
12 As long as Satan’s world exists, Christians must live in it. Jesus showed this when he prayed to his Father: “I request you, not to take them out of the world.” But then Jesus added regarding his followers: “They are no part of the world.” (John 17:15, 16) How is it possible to be in Satan’s world but still be no part of it?
13 Well, you live in among the people who make up today’s organized human society. These people include fornicators, greedy persons and others who do wicked things. You may work with them, go to school with them, eat with them, and share in other such activities with them. (1 Corinthians 5:9, 10) You are even to love them, as God does. (John 3:16) But a true Christian does not love the wicked things the people do. He does not adopt their attitudes, actions or goals in life. He takes no part in their corrupt religion and politics. And while he must often work in the commercial world to make a living, he does not engage in dishonest business practices; nor is the gaining of material things his main goal in life. Since he is for God’s new system, he avoids the bad association of those living for Satan’s world. (1 Corinthians 15:33; Psalm 1:1; 26:3-6, 9, 10) As a result, he is in Satan’s world but still is no part of it.
14. If you are for God’s new system, what Bible command will you obey?
14 What about you? Do you want to be part of Satan’s world? Or are you for God’s new system? If you are for God’s new system, you will be separate from the world, including its false religion. You will heed the command: “Get out of her [Babylon the Great], my people.” (Revelation 18:4) However, getting out of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, includes more than simply cutting off connections with false religious organizations. It also means having nothing to do with the religious celebrations of the world.—2 Corinthians 6:14-18.
15. (a) Rather than Jesus’ birth, what were Christians commanded to observe? (b) What shows that Jesus could not have been born in the cold of winter? (c) Why was the date December 25 chosen as the day to celebrate Jesus’ birth?
15 Christmas is a prominent religious holiday today. But history shows that it was not a celebration observed by the very early Christians. Jesus told his followers to observe a memorial of his death, not of his birth. (1 Corinthians 11:24-26) The fact is, December 25 is not the date of Jesus’ birth. It could not have been, since the Bible shows that at the time of his birth shepherds were still in the fields at night. They would not have been there in the cold, rainy season of winter. (Luke 2:8-12) Actually December 25 was chosen as the date to celebrate Jesus’ birth because, as The World Book Encyclopedia explains: “The people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun.”
16. (a) What other prominent religious holiday had non-Christian beginnings? (b) For what good reasons do true Christians not celebrate Christmas and Easter?
16 Easter is another prominent religious holiday. The Holy Week in some Latin-American countries is similar. But Easter was not celebrated by early Christians either. It, too, had its beginnings in non-Christian celebrations. The Encyclopædia Britannica says: “There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament.” Yet does it really matter that Christmas and Easter are not Christian celebrations but actually had their beginnings with worshipers of false gods? The apostle Paul warned against mixing the true and the false, saying that even “a little leaven ferments the whole lump.” (Galatians 5:9) He told some early Christians that it was wrong for them to observe days that had been kept under the law of Moses but that had been canceled by God for Christians. (Galatians 4:10, 11) How much more important it is for true Christians today to keep away from holidays that God never said should be observed and that came from false religion!
17. (a) What is wrong with holidays that honor famous men or nations? (b) How does the Bible show what course Christians should take?
17 Other holidays of the world honor famous men. Still others honor and exalt nations or worldly organizations. But the Bible warns against giving worshipful honors to humans, or trusting in human organizations to accomplish what only God can do. (Acts 10:25, 26; 12:21-23; Revelation 19:10; Jeremiah 17:5-7) So holidays that tend to exalt a man or a human organization are not in harmony with God’s will, and true Christians will not share in them.—Romans 12:2.
18. (a) What objects have men made to honor or worship? (b) What does God’s law say about giving worshipful honor to an object?
18 Many objects have been made by men that people are told to honor or worship. Some of these are made of metal or wood. Others are made of cloth and may have sewed or painted on them a picture of something in heaven or on earth. A nation may pass a law that says everyone should give worshipful honor to such an object. But God’s law says that his servants should not. (Exodus 20:4, 5; Matthew 4:10) What have God’s people done in such a situation?
19. (a) What did the king of Babylon command everyone to do? (b) Whose example do Christians do well to follow?
19 In ancient Babylon King Nebuchadnezzar built a huge image of gold and commanded that everyone bow down to it. ‘Whoever does not,’ he said, ‘will be thrown into the burning fiery furnace.’ The Bible tells us that three young Hebrews, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, refused to do what the king commanded. Why? Because it involved worship, and their worship belonged only to Jehovah. God approved of what they did, and he saved them from the anger of the king. In fact, Nebuchadnezzar came to see that these servants of Jehovah were no danger to the State, so he passed a law to protect their freedom. (Daniel 3:1-30) Do you not admire the faithfulness of these young men? Will you show that you really are for God’s new system by obeying all of God’s laws?—Acts 5:29.
20. What are various means that Satan uses to try to get us to break God’s laws on sexual morality?
20 Satan, of course, does not want us to serve Jehovah. He wants us to serve him. So he tries to get us to do what he wants, since he knows that we become the slaves, or servants, of whomever we obey. (Romans 6:16) Through various means, including television, movies, certain forms of dancing and immoral literature, Satan encourages sexual relations between unmarried persons, as well as adultery. Such conduct is made to seem acceptable, even proper. However, this is against God’s laws. (Hebrews 13:4; Ephesians 5:3-5) And a person who engages in such conduct is actually showing that he is for Satan’s world.
21. What are other practices that, if a person engages in them, will show that he is for Satan’s world?
21 There are other practices that Satan’s world has made popular but that are against God’s laws. Getting drunk on alcoholic beverages is one of them. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10) Another is the use of such drugs as marijuana and heroin for pleasure, as well as the use of tobacco. These things are harmful to the body and are unclean. Their use is clearly in violation of God’s instruction to “cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) The smoking of tobacco also harms the health of those nearby who must breathe the smoke, so the smoker is violating God’s law that states that a Christian should love his neighbor.—Matthew 22:39.
22. (a) What does the Bible say about blood? (b) Why is taking a blood transfusion not actually different from “eating” blood? (c) What shows that ‘abstaining from blood’ means not to take it into your body at all?
22 Another common practice in various parts of the world is the eating of blood. Thus animals not properly bled are eaten or the blood may be drained out and used as food in a meal. Yet God’s Word forbids the eating of blood. (Genesis 9:3, 4; Leviticus 17:10) What, then, about taking a blood transfusion? Some persons may reason that getting a blood transfusion is not actually “eating.” But is it not true that when a patient is unable to take food through his mouth, the doctor often recommends feeding him by the same method in which a blood transfusion is given? The Bible tells us to “abstain from . . . blood.” (Acts 15:20, 29) What does this mean? If a doctor were to tell you to abstain from alcohol, would that simply mean that you should not take it through your mouth but that you could transfuse it directly into your veins? Of course not! So, too, ‘abstaining from blood’ means not taking it into your body at all.
23. (a) What decision do you need to make? (b) What will show the decision that you have made?
23 You need to show Jehovah God that you are for his new system and are no part of this world. This requires a decision. The decision that you need to make is to serve Jehovah, to do his will. You cannot be undecided, as some Israelites in ancient times were. (1 Kings 18:21) For remember, if you are not serving Jehovah, then you are serving Satan. You may say you are for God’s new system, but what is your conduct saying? Being for God’s new system involves avoiding all practices that God condemns and that will not be in his righteous new system.
[Picture on page 209]
What is the world that Jesus would not pray for and that his disciples are no part of?
[Pictures on page 211]
In the Bible, false religion is represented as a drunken prostitute, and the world government she rides as a wild beast
Loose living is a feature of Satan’s world. The greedy commercial system is also a prominent part
[Picture on page 213]
Since at Jesus’ birth shepherds were still in the fields with their flocks at night, he could not have been born on December 25
[Picture on page 214]
God’s servants refused to worship an image set up by a king. What would you do in a similar situation? |
Reasoning (rs)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/reasoning-rs | Jehovah’s Witnesses
Definition: The worldwide Christian society of people who actively bear witness regarding Jehovah God and his purposes affecting mankind. They base their beliefs solely on the Bible.
What beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses set them apart as different from other religions?
(1) Bible: Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the entire Bible is the inspired Word of God, and instead of adhering to a creed based on human tradition, they hold to the Bible as the standard for all their beliefs.
(2) God: They worship Jehovah as the only true God and freely speak to others about him and his loving purposes toward mankind. Anyone who publicly witnesses about Jehovah is usually identified as belonging to the one group—“Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
(3) Jesus Christ: They believe, not that Jesus Christ is part of a Trinity, but that, as the Bible says, he is the Son of God, the first of God’s creations; that he had a prehuman existence and that his life was transferred from heaven to the womb of a virgin, Mary; that his perfect human life laid down in sacrifice makes possible salvation to eternal life for those who exercise faith; that Christ is actively ruling as King, with God-given authority over all the earth since 1914.
(4) God’s Kingdom: They believe that God’s Kingdom is the only hope for mankind; that it is a real government; that it will soon destroy the present wicked system of things, including all human governments, and that it will produce a new system in which righteousness will prevail.
(5) Heavenly life: They believe that 144,000 spirit-anointed Christians will share with Christ in his heavenly Kingdom, ruling as kings with him. They do not believe that heaven is the reward for everyone who is “good.”
(6) The earth: They believe that God’s original purpose for the earth will be fulfilled; that the earth will be completely populated by worshipers of Jehovah and that these will be able to enjoy eternal life in human perfection; that even the dead will be raised to an opportunity to share in these blessings.
(7) Death: They believe that the dead are conscious of absolutely nothing; that they are experiencing neither pain nor pleasure in some spirit realm; that they do not exist except in God’s memory, so hope for their future life lies in a resurrection from the dead.
(8) Last days: They believe that we are living now, since 1914, in the last days of this wicked system of things; that some who saw the events of 1914 will also see the complete destruction of the present wicked world; that lovers of righteousness will survive into a cleansed earth.
(9) Separate from the world: They earnestly endeavor to be no part of the world, as Jesus said would be true of his followers. They show genuine Christian love for their neighbors, but they do not share in the politics or the wars of any nation. They provide for the material needs of their families but shun the world’s avid pursuit of material things and personal fame and its excessive indulgence in pleasure.
(10) Apply Bible counsel: They believe that it is important to apply the counsel of God’s Word in everyday life now—at home, in school, in business, in their congregation. Regardless of a person’s past way of life, he may become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses if he abandons practices condemned by God’s Word and applies its godly counsel. But if anyone thereafter makes a practice of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, drug abuse, drunkenness, lying, or stealing, he will be disfellowshipped from the organization.
(The above list briefly states some outstanding beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses but by no means all the points on which their beliefs are different from those of other groups. Scriptural basis for the above beliefs can be found through the Index of this book.)
Are Jehovah’s Witnesses an American religion?
They are advocates of God’s Kingdom, not of the political, economic, or social system of any nation of this old world.
It is true that Jehovah’s Witnesses had their modern-day start in the United States. The location of their world headquarters there has helped to make it possible to print and ship Bible literature to most parts of the world. But the Witnesses do not favor one nation over another; they are found in almost every nation, and they have offices in many parts of the earth to supervise their activity in those areas.
Consider: Jesus as a Jew was born in Palestine, but Christianity is not a Palestinian religion, is it? The place of Jesus’ human birth is not the most important factor to consider. What Jesus taught originated with his Father, Jehovah God, who deals impartially with people of all nations.—John 14:10; Acts 10:34, 35.
How is the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses financed?
By voluntary contributions, as was true with the early Christians. (2 Cor. 8:12; 9:7) No collections are ever taken at their meetings; they do not beg for money from the public. Any donations from interested persons are used to further the worldwide work of Bible education conducted by the Witnesses.
Witnesses are not paid to go from house to house or to offer Bible literature on the streets. Love for God and for neighbor motivates them to talk about God’s loving provisions for mankind.
The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, a legal religious corporation that is used by Jehovah’s Witnesses, was incorporated in 1884 in accordance with the Nonprofit Corporation Law of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. Thus, by law it cannot be, and it is not, a profit-making enterprise, nor do individuals make a profit through this Society. The Society’s charter states: “It [the Society] does not contemplate pecuniary gain or profit, incidentally or otherwise, to its members, directors or officers.”
Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a sect or a cult?
Some define sect to mean a group that has broken away from an established religion. Others apply the term to a group that follows a particular human leader or teacher. The term is usually used in a derogatory way. Jehovah’s Witnesses are not an offshoot of some church but include persons from all walks of life and from many religious backgrounds. They do not look to any human, but rather to Jesus Christ, as their leader.
A cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual. Many cults follow a living human leader, and often their adherents live in groups apart from the rest of society. The standard for what is orthodox, however, should be God’s Word, and Jehovah’s Witnesses strictly adhere to the Bible. Their worship is a way of life, not a ritual devotion. They neither follow a human nor isolate themselves from the rest of society. They live and work in the midst of other people.
How old is the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
According to the Bible, the line of witnesses of Jehovah reaches back to faithful Abel. Hebrews 11:4–12:1 says: “By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than Cain . . . By faith Noah, after being given divine warning of things not yet beheld, showed godly fear . . . By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed in going out into a place he was destined to receive as an inheritance . . . By faith Moses, when grown up, refused to be called the son of the daughter of Pharaoh, choosing to be ill-treated with the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin . . . So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”
With reference to Jesus Christ, the Bible states: “These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God.” Of whom was he a witness? He himself said that he made his Father’s name manifest. He was the foremost witness of Jehovah.—Rev. 3:14; John 17:6.
Interestingly, some of the Jews asked whether the activity of Jesus Christ represented “a new teaching.” (Mark 1:27) Later, some Greeks thought the apostle Paul was introducing a “new teaching.” (Acts 17:19, 20) It was new to the ears of those who were hearing it, but the important thing was that it was the truth, in full harmony with God’s Word.
The modern-day history of Jehovah’s Witnesses began with the forming of a group for Bible study in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., in the early 1870’s. At first they were known only as Bible Students, but in 1931 they adopted the Scriptural name Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Isa. 43:10-12) Their beliefs and practices are not new but are a restoration of first-century Christianity.
Do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that their religion is the only right one?
The Bible does not agree with the modern view that there are many acceptable ways to worship God. Ephesians 4:5 says there is “one Lord, one faith.” Jesus stated: “Narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it. . . . 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.”—Matt. 7:13, 14, 21; see also 1 Corinthians 1:10.
Repeatedly the Scriptures refer to the body of true Christian teachings as “the truth,” and Christianity is spoken of as “the way of the truth.” (1 Tim. 3:15; 2 John 1; 2 Pet. 2:2) Because Jehovah’s Witnesses base all of their beliefs, their standards for conduct, and organizational procedures on the Bible, their faith in the Bible itself as God’s Word gives them the conviction that what they have is indeed the truth. So their position is not egotistical but demonstrates their confidence that the Bible is the right standard against which to measure one’s religion. They are not self-centered but are eager to share their beliefs with others.
Do not other religions also follow the Bible?
Many use it to some extent. But do they really teach and practice what it contains? Consider: (1) From most of their Bible translations they have removed the name of the true God thousands of times. (2) The Trinity doctrine, their concept of God himself, is borrowed from pagan sources and was developed in its present form centuries after Bible writing was completed. (3) Their belief in immortality of the human soul as the basis for continued life is not taken from the Bible; it has roots in ancient Babylon. (4) The theme of Jesus’ preaching was the Kingdom of God, and he sent his disciples out to talk personally to others about it; but the churches today seldom mention that Kingdom and their members are not doing the work of preaching “this good news of the kingdom.” (Matt. 24:14) (5) Jesus said that his true followers could be readily identified by their self-sacrificing love for one another. Is that true of the religions of Christendom when the nations go to war? (6) The Bible says that Christ’s disciples would be no part of the world, and it warns that whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God; but the churches of Christendom and their members are deeply involved in the political affairs of the nations. (Jas. 4:4) In view of such a record, can it honestly be said that they really adhere to the Bible?
How do Jehovah’s Witnesses arrive at their explanation of the Bible?
A key factor is that the Witnesses really believe that the Bible is God’s Word and that what it contains is there for our instruction. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11) So they do not resort to philosophical arguments to evade its clear statements of truth or to justify the way of life of people who have abandoned its moral standards.
In pointing out the meaning of symbolic language in the Bible, they let the Bible provide its own explanation, instead of giving their theories as to its significance. (1 Cor. 2:13) Indications as to the meaning of symbolic terms are usually found in other parts of the Bible. (As an example, see Revelation 21:1; then, regarding the meaning of “sea,” read Isaiah 57:20. To identify “the Lamb” referred to in Revelation 14:1, see John 1:29 and 1 Peter 1:19.)
As for fulfillment of prophecy, they apply what Jesus said about being alert to events that correspond to what was foretold. (Luke 21:29-31; compare 2 Peter 1:16-19.) Conscientiously they point out those events and draw attention to what the Bible indicates they mean.
Jesus said that he would have on earth a “faithful and discreet slave” (his anointed followers viewed as a group), through which agency he would provide spiritual food to those making up the household of faith. (Matt. 24:45-47) Jehovah’s Witnesses recognize that arrangement. As was true of first-century Christians, they look to the governing body of that “slave” class to resolve difficult questions—not on the basis of human wisdom, but by drawing on their knowledge of God’s Word and his dealings with his servants, and with the help of God’s spirit, for which they earnestly pray.—Acts 15:1-29; 16:4, 5.
Why have there been changes over the years in the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
The Bible shows that Jehovah enables his servants to understand his purpose in a progressive manner. (Prov. 4:18; John 16:12) Thus, the prophets who were divinely inspired to write portions of the Bible did not understand the meaning of everything that they wrote. (Dan. 12:8, 9; 1 Pet. 1:10-12) The apostles of Jesus Christ realized that there was much they did not understand in their time. (Acts 1:6, 7; 1 Cor. 13:9-12) The Bible shows that there would be a great increase in knowledge of the truth during “the time of the end.” (Dan. 12:4) Increased knowledge often requires adjustments in one’s thinking. Jehovah’s Witnesses are willing humbly to make such adjustments.
Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach from house to house?
Jesus foretold for our day this work: “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.” He also instructed his followers: “Go . . . and make disciples of people of all the nations.”—Matt. 24:14; 28:19.
When Jesus sent out his early disciples, he directed them to go to the homes of the people. (Matt. 10:7, 11-13) The apostle Paul said regarding his ministry: “I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house.”—Acts 20:20, 21; see also Acts 5:42.
The message that the Witnesses proclaim involves the lives of people; they want to be careful to miss no one. (Zeph. 2:2, 3) Their calls are motivated by love—first for God, also for their neighbor.
A conference of religious leaders in Spain noted this: “Perhaps [the churches] are excessively neglectful about that which precisely constitutes the greatest preoccupation of the Witnesses—the home visit, which comes within the apostolic methodology of the primitive church. While the churches, on not a few occasions, limit themselves to constructing their temples, ringing their bells to attract the people and to preaching inside their places of worship, [the Witnesses] follow the apostolic tactic of going from house to house and of taking advantage of every occasion to witness.”—El Catolicismo, Bogotá, Colombia, September 14, 1975, p. 14.
But why do the Witnesses call repeatedly even at homes of people who do not share their faith?
They do not force their message on others. But they know that people move to new residences and that the circumstances of people change. Today a person may be too busy to listen; another time he may gladly take the time. One member of a household may not be interested, but others may be. People themselves change; serious problems in life may stimulate an awareness of spiritual need.—See also Isaiah 6:8, 11, 12.
Why are Jehovah’s Witnesses persecuted and spoken against?
Jesus said: “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.” (John 15:18, 19; see also 1 Peter 4:3, 4.) The Bible shows that the whole world lies under Satan’s control; he is the principal instigator of the persecution.—1 John 5:19; Rev. 12:17.
Jesus also told his disciples: “You will be objects of hatred by all people on account of my name.” (Mark 13:13) The word “name” here means what Jesus officially is, the Messianic King. Persecution comes because Jehovah’s Witnesses put his commands ahead of those of any earthly ruler.
If Someone Says—
‘Why don’t you people get involved in doing things to help make the world (the community) a better place to live?’
You might reply: ‘Conditions in the community are obviously important to you, and they are to me too. May I ask, What problem do you feel should be among the first that gets attention?’ Then perhaps add: ‘Why do you feel that this has become such a major need? . . . Obviously, immediate action on the matter can be beneficial, but I’m sure you’ll agree that we would like to see improvement on a long-term basis. That is the approach that we as Jehovah’s Witnesses take to the matter. (Explain what we do to help people to apply Bible principles in their lives in order to get to the root of the matter on a personal basis; also, what God’s Kingdom will do, and why this will permanently solve the problem for humankind.)’
Or you could say: ‘(After covering some of the points in the preceding reply . . . ) Some people contribute toward community improvement by providing money; others do it by volunteering their services. Jehovah’s Witnesses do both. Let me explain.’ Then perhaps add: (1) ‘To be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a person must conscientiously pay his taxes; that provides money for the government to supply needed services.’ (2) ‘We go beyond that, calling at the homes of people, offering to study the Bible with them free of charge. When they become acquainted with what the Bible says, they learn to apply Bible principles and so cope with their problems.’
Another possibility: ‘I’m glad you brought the matter up. Many people have never inquired to find out what the Witnesses are actually doing about community affairs. Obviously there is more than one way to offer help.’ Then perhaps add: (1) ‘Some do it by establishing institutions—hospitals, homes for the elderly, rehabilitation centers for drug addicts, and so forth. Others may volunteer to go right to the homes of people and offer appropriate help as they are able. That is what Jehovah’s Witnesses do.’ (2) ‘We have observed that there is something that can transform a person’s entire outlook on life, and that is knowledge of what the Bible shows to be the real purpose of life and what the future holds.’
An additional suggestion: ‘I appreciate your raising that question. We would like to see conditions improve, would we not? May I ask, How do you feel about what Jesus Christ himself did? Would you say that the way he went about helping people was practical? . . . We try to follow his example.’
‘Christians are supposed to be witnesses for Jesus, not for Jehovah’
You might reply: ‘That’s an interesting point you have brought up. And you are right that we do have a responsibility to be witnesses for Jesus. That’s why Jesus’ role in God’s purpose is emphasized in our publications. (You may want to use a current book or a magazine to demonstrate this.) But here is something that may be a new thought to you. (Rev. 1:5) . . . Of whom was Jesus “the Faithful Witness”? (John 5:43; 17:6) . . . Jesus set the example that we should imitate, did he not? . . . Why is it so important to get to know both Jesus and his Father? (John 17:3)’ |
Table of outputs | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2011001 | Table of outputs
January 1, 2011
The Garden of Eden—Myth or Fact?
FROM OUR COVER
3 Eden—Was It Mankind’s Original Home?
4 Was There Really a Garden of Eden?
9 Why Eden Matters to You
REGULAR FEATURES
12 Our Readers Ask . . .
16 Learn From God’s Word—Why Learn From God?
18 Draw Close to God—“He Softened the Face of Jehovah”
19 Did You Know?
24 Imitate Their Faith—He Endured Despite Disappointments
30 For Young People—Appreciate Sacred Things!
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
13 Did God Know That Adam and Eve Would Sin?
20 Does God Really Care About You?
29 An East Asian in Ancient Italy |
After Jesus’ Resurrection, Was His Body Flesh or Spirit? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502015203 | After Jesus’ Resurrection, Was His Body Flesh or Spirit?
The Bible’s answer
The Bible says that Jesus “was put to death in the flesh but made alive [resurrected] in the spirit.”—1 Peter 3:18; Acts 13:34; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 2 Corinthians 5:16.
Jesus’ own words showed that he would not be resurrected with his flesh-and-blood body. He said that he would give his “flesh in behalf of the life of the world,” as a ransom for mankind. (John 6:51; Matthew 20:28) If he had taken back his flesh when he was resurrected, he would have canceled that ransom sacrifice. This could not have happened, though, for the Bible says that he sacrificed his flesh and blood “once for all time.”—Hebrews 9:11, 12.
If Jesus was raised up with a spirit body, how could his disciples see him?
Spirit creatures can take on human form. For example, angels who did this in the past even ate and drank with humans. (Genesis 18:1-8; 19:1-3) However, they still were spirit creatures and could leave the physical realm.—Judges 13:15-21.
After his resurrection, Jesus also assumed human form temporarily, just as angels had previously done. As a spirit creature, though, he was able to appear and disappear suddenly. (Luke 24:31; John 20:19, 26) The fleshly bodies that he materialized were not identical from one appearance to the next. Thus, even Jesus’ close friends recognized him only by what he said or did.—Luke 24:30, 31, 35; John 20:14-16; 21:6, 7.
When Jesus appeared to the apostle Thomas, he took on a body with wound marks. He did this to bolster Thomas’ faith, since Thomas doubted that Jesus had been raised up.—John 20:24-29. |
Table of outputs | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2012000 | Table of outputs
January 1, 2012
© 2012 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. All rights reserved.
What Can We Learn From Abraham?
FROM OUR COVER
3 Who Was Abraham?
5 Abraham—A Man of Faith
6 Abraham—A Man of Courage
9 Abraham—A Man of Humility
10 Abraham—A Man of Love
REGULAR FEATURES
16 Learn From God’s Word—Does the Bible Foretell the Future?
18 Draw Close to God—“I, Jehovah Your God, Am Grasping Your Right Hand”
19 The Bible Changes Lives
22 Did You Know?
23 Our Readers Ask . . . Why Did God Ask Abraham to Sacrifice His Son?
24 Imitate Their Faith—She Acted Wisely, Bravely, and Selflessly
30 For Young People—Guard Against Wicked Spirits!
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
12 Where Frontiers Mean Nothing |
Truth (tr)
1981 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/tr | “Press On to Maturity”!
Now that you have considered some basic Bible truths, you need to continue in spiritual growth. So you will want to do as the apostle Paul advised: “Now that we have left the primary doctrine about the Christ, let us press on to maturity.”—Hebrews 6:1.
To help you do just that, we strongly recommend that you read these two informative books:
True Peace and Security—From What Source?
This pocket-size book discusses why peace and security are not attainable by human means. It shows how God will intervene to bring about earth-wide peace and security in the near future. Bible standards that can lead you to a successful, secure life are made clear.
“Let Your Kingdom Come”
Here is a book that highlights the Bible’s kingdom theme. It shows how Jehovah’s kingdom soon will “come” to remove wickedness and cause God’s will to “take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.” (Matthew 6:9, 10) World events in fulfillment of Bible prophecy prove that God’s kingdom is now at hand. Each book is hard bound, 192 pages. Both will be sent to you, postpaid, only $1.50 (U.S.), or singly for 75c (U.S). |
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 | Meetings for Inciting to Love and Fine Works
The early Christians met together, usually in private homes, to receive instruction and enjoy upbuilding fellowship. Today, congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses meet three times a week. You are invited to attend any of these meetings. Their meetings are not ritualistic, but they focus on divine education. Congregation meetings are opened and closed with song and prayer. Attendance is free, and no collections are taken.—Acts 4:23-31; 14:22; 15:32, 35; Romans 16:5; Colossians 4:15.
Perhaps the first meeting that you attend will be the 45-minute public talk, dealing with Bible teachings, prophecy, or counsel on Christian living. Following this talk, there is a study of the Bible, using an article in The Watchtower that is especially designed for congregation study. The study follows this format: A paragraph from The Watchtower is read, and the conductor propounds questions on the material that those in the audience may volunteer to answer by raising their hand. Usually several comments are given on each paragraph. The meeting lasts one hour.
Later on in the week, two other 45-minute meetings are held. One is the Theocratic Ministry School. It provides training on how to gather material on Bible subjects and to teach it effectively. Following 21 minutes of special instruction, students who are assigned in advance give short presentations. After each presentation, the school instructor gives counsel showing how the student may improve. Several textbooks have been prepared for use in this school. Those who regularly attend meetings may enroll, provided they are living in a way that accords with Christian principles.
The meeting that follows is called the Service Meeting. It consists of three or four parts that deal with presenting the good news from house to house as well as other features of the ministry. These parts are presented as talks, discussions, or demonstrations, with some audience participation. Much of the program is based on material found in Our Kingdom Ministry, a four-page instruction sheet published monthly by the Watch Tower Society.
Another meeting is a weekly study held in smaller groups, usually in private homes throughout the congregation’s territory. The study is based on the Bible and a recent book published by the Society. Since the group is smaller, there is a better opportunity for all to share in the discussion, and there is a fine opportunity for those in attendance to get better acquainted with one another.
Most congregations hold their meetings in a Kingdom Hall built by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The costs are covered by voluntary contributions from the Witnesses themselves, and in most cases the work is done without charge by volunteer workers. Contribution boxes are available at all meetings for the use of those who wish to contribute.
Congregation meetings help Jehovah’s Witnesses to follow the counsel at Hebrews 10:24, 25: “Let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as [we] behold the day drawing near.”
• What features of early Christian meetings can be seen in meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
• Outline what is presented at the five meetings held regularly by the Witnesses.
• How have meeting halls been obtained?
[Pictures on page 14]
Elder conducting Watchtower Study, United States
Scene from Theocratic Ministry School, Faeroe Islands
Group study in private home, Yap
Kingdom Hall, New Braunfels, Texas, U.S.A., built in two days by Jehovah’s Witnesses
[Pictures on page 15]
Kingdom Halls in various countries
Japan
Australia
Austria
Spain |
THE WAY OF HAPPINESS
Finding the Way | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102018015 | THE WAY OF HAPPINESS
Finding the Way
DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF TO BE A HAPPY PERSON? If so, what makes you happy? Your family, your work, your religious faith? Perhaps you are looking forward to something that may make you happy, such as finishing your schooling, getting a good job, or buying a new car.
Many people experience a measure of happiness when they reach a certain goal or obtain a desired item. But how long does that surge of happiness last? Often, it is only temporary, which can be disappointing.
Happiness has been described as a state of well-being that is characterized by relative permanence, by emotions ranging from mere outputment to deep and intense joy in living, and by a natural desire for it to continue.
Further, as an ongoing state of well-being, happiness has been described, not as a destination or goal, but as a journey. To say, “I’ll be happy when . . .” is, in effect, postponing happiness.
To illustrate, compare happiness with good health. How do we enjoy that state of physical well-being? We follow a wise path in regard to diet, exercise, and overall lifestyle. Likewise, happiness results from following a good path in life, living in harmony with sound principles.
What principles or qualities of life characterize the way of happiness? While some are more important than others, the following play a key role:
outputMENT AND GENEROSITY
PHYSICAL HEALTH AND RESILIENCE
LOVE
FORGIVENESS
PURPOSE IN LIFE
HOPE
A highly respected book of wisdom states: “Happy are those who are blameless in their way.” (Psalm 119:1) Let us now consider that way. |
Life (lp)
1977 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/lp | Chapter 11
You Can Know God’s Purpose
1-4. How can we know what is the truth?
WE OFTEN hear the question, ‘What is truth?’ or, ‘How can a person know that he has the truth?’ Is it possible to know with certainty the purpose of God toward humankind?—John 18:38.
2 Jesus answered these questions when he said: “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”—John 8:31, 32.
3 Jesus knew without any doubt that he had the truth, because he had been with Jehovah God before coming to the earth. (John 3:13; 17:5) The apostles, in turn, knew that they had the truth, because they learned it from Jesus, and from the Hebrew Scriptures, which Jesus acknowledged as the truth from God. Furthermore, what Jesus said and did fulfilled many of the Hebrew Scripture prophecies. These Scriptures, commonly called the “Old Testament,” had been given to the nation of Israel by God through inspiration of his servants.
4 We now have the entire Bible. It contains both the Hebrew Scriptures (often called the “Old Testament”) and the Greek Scriptures (the so-called “New Testament”)—the writings of the apostles and their close associates.
WRITTEN RECORD MORE HELPFUL
5-7. How did God communicate with man at first, but why is it good that God’s communications have been written down?
5 But, why a book? Why not a direct communication by God’s voice, or through angels sent by him?
6 It is true that God at first did communicate by word of mouth to Adam, instructing him. But he has since used other means just as effective, and, for imperfect persons, even more appropriate. Really, because of the defective memories of all humans, it is good that God has had his communications written down since the time of Adam.
7 Consider the wisdom of God in causing his communication to mankind to be available in written form. Certainly this is a more reliable record than a mere spoken word would be. Passing on information by word of mouth from person to person would be a very inaccurate method. God would need to repeat all his instructions to every generation. And if God had a message for all mankind, he would have to speak to certain men as his representatives or prophets, who would then transmit it to others. Otherwise he would have to speak to all people in fearful, thundering tones from heaven. Though very impressive, this could have undesirable effects, as Exodus 20:18, 19 shows.
8. Does the Bible contain all of God’s counsel for us today? How?
8 However, in the Bible we have “all the counsel of God” for everyone to read. (Acts 20:27) Nothing needs to be added or subtracted. (Proverbs 30:5, 6) The principles governing mankind are the same at all times and places. And, having all of God’s communication to us provided in a book, any part of it can conveniently be referred to at will for consultation on any human problem.
9. What benefit do we get from the historical record in the Bible?
9 Also, we must keep in mind that the Bible contains, not only God’s counsel, but also history and accounts of individual lives of those serving God and those not serving him. We see the outcome of their lives. The Bible gives us an account of God’s dealings with humankind, so that we know how he feels about certain matters. (Romans 15:4) Out of the thousands of events of history, God chose certain events to be recorded, to illustrate principles. Some events were prophetic. (Galatians 4:24) Some were examples taken from real life that serve for our guidance today.—1 Corinthians 10:11.
10. How does the fact that men were used to write the Bible help us to understand and to be moved to act in faith?
10 Since we have and need these accounts for proper guidance, is it not good that they were written by real people, about real people, often themselves? And they were very honest and candid, not hiding their mistakes and sins. Does it not reach the heart to read about the experiences, hardships, joys, courage and faith of real people? Such things appeal to the heart and to the conscience far better than would a book of rules. You can picture in your mind the events recorded in the Bible as occurring; in fact, you can even identify yourself personally with them. When we read the real-life experiences of Moses, David, Jeremiah and Paul, do we not have a warm feeling? And these accounts have the ring of truth. Are you not moved because of the reality and forcefulness of these written accounts?—Compare Jeremiah 20:8-11; Acts 23:12-24.
AUTHENTIC, THOUGH WRITTEN BY MEN
11, 12. Though the Bible was written by imperfect men, how can we be assured that it is authentic and correct?
11 True, God transmitted his message to us by the hand of imperfect men. But there is no reason to think that the Bible is any less authentic than would be a message from God by word of mouth, through angels, or through a book written in heaven and dropped to earth. And it has far more human appeal. The proof of the Bible’s appeal is that it is by far the most widely distributed book, translated into many more languages than any other book. It is the most enduring, and has given guidance to men and women of all ages and in all places.
12 God is not a liar. (Numbers 23:19) In getting a message to the human race he would certainly see that it contained no lie. The vision of the “transfiguration” is an instance where a vision from God, along with God’s words, corroborated the authenticity of “Old Testament” events and characters.—Matthew 17:1-9.
13. How did God oversee the writing of the Bible?
13 The methods used in transmitting the written information that we have in the Bible were varied. But God was always directly involved. He himself wrote the basic laws of the covenant with Israel, the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 10:1-4) God spoke “mouth to mouth” with Moses, who wrote down word for word much of what he heard. (Numbers 12:8) The tabernacle pattern was shown to Moses in a vision. (Exodus 25:9; Numbers 8:4) Then, angels at times brought direct messages from God. (Genesis 19:1; Judges 6:12, 21; Luke 1:26-28) Prophets had visions and God-directed dreams. (Genesis 46:2; Daniel 1:17) Other writers were guided in their expression by God’s invisible active force, his spirit.—2 Samuel 23:2; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21.
14. What further strong evidence do we have that we really can know Jehovah’s ways?
14 Furthermore, we have the recorded words and acts of Jesus Christ, who came forth as a direct representative of Jehovah God. He revealed Jehovah perfectly. (John 16:27, 28) So well did he portray the thinking and ways of his Father in every respect that he could say: “He that has seen me has seen the Father also.” (John 14:9) The account of Jesus’ life is in the Bible so that we can see how he spoke and acted. Could we have any better communication than this?—Hebrews 1:1, 2.
COMPILATION OF THE BIBLE GUARDED
15, 16. What evidence do we have that the present-day Bible contains the whole counsel of God for his people?
15 It is easy for God to accomplish his full objective in the way that he sees fit. (Isaiah 46:10) Since he inspired the writing of the Scriptures it is logical that he would cause faithful men to gather together the Hebrew Scriptures as being authentically from God. These are the books that the Jewish nation recognized for centuries as God’s communication to them. And our confidence that their selection was divinely guided, and not the result of human preference, is fortified when we realize that these very books frequently condemned the nation for its disobedient ways.
16 Then the early Christians, guided by the same spirit of God, selected and catalogued the inspired writings of the apostles and their associates. These writings have been significant for the instruction of Christians throughout the past nineteen centuries.
17. What credentials does the Bible have as God’s book?
17 So we do not need to wait for a voice out of the heavens, or for even another book in order to know God’s purpose. The Bible gives the only reliable history of mankind from the beginning. Search the religious books of the world and you will not find all these things that are found in the Bible, namely: A realistic and reasonable account of creation, why mankind dies, a genealogical and chronological account of mankind from Adam onward, the way of deliverance from sin and death, the purpose of God toward man and the earth, and the principles to live by to attain eternal life. Added to this are the prophecies, those that have been fulfilled and those yet to be fulfilled with the happy conclusion of an everlasting reign of peace on earth.
18-22. Since many copies of the original writings have been made, are there not many errors, making the present-day Bible unreliable? Explain.
18 Thousands of years have passed since Bible writing began. What, then, about the Bible as we have it today? Of course, the original autographed manuscripts by the Bible writers are not available. But there are many copies in the original languages. The original Bible languages are, Hebrew and Greek, with some Aramaic sections and words. We can have faith that the God who inspired the Bible would guard its being copied, so that a person reading the Bible would not be misled because of serious errors in it. What do scholars say, those who have studied the hundreds of original-language manuscripts available?
19 Sir Frederic Kenyon, Bible scholar and former director of the British Museum, stated, in the introduction to his seven volumes on the “Chester Beatty Biblical Papyri” (which were very ancient Greek manuscripts of portions of the “New Testament”):
20 “The first and most important conclusion derived from the examination of [the Papyri] is the satisfactory one that they confirm the essential soundness of the existing texts. No striking or fundamental variation is shown either in the Old or the New Testament. There are no important omissions or additions of passages, and no variations which affect vital facts or doctrines. The variations of text affect minor matters, such as the order of words or the precise words used . . . But their essential importance is their confirmation, by evidence of an earlier date than was hitherto available, of the integrity of our existing texts. In this respect they are an acquisition of epoch-making value.”
21 This scholar also said concerning the “New Testament”:
22 “The last foundation for any doubt that the Scriptures have come down to us substantially as they were written has now been removed. Both the authenticity and the general integrity of the books of the New Testament may be regarded as finally established.”
23. Of what advantage are the various Bible translations that are available today?
23 Today, in translations of the Bible into modern-day languages, we have the products of much careful study of the Scripture writings by scholars who have devoted their lives to this study. Most translations are the result of comparisons of Hebrew and Greek manuscripts and are carefully edited. They can provide a good understanding of God’s purposes. If the meaning of a certain text is not quite clear to you, you can compare several translations in your own language, which usually vary slightly in a few places, mainly in word choice. In this way you can get the flavor of the original Hebrew and Greek expressions, and may come to an even more precise understanding.
THE BIBLE, A COMPLETE GUIDE
24, 25. (a) Why does the Bible not give every detail of the things that took place? (b) So how is the Bible “perfect”?
24 There are some people who read Bible accounts and complain, ‘If this is God’s Word and a guide for us, why are there so few details in some of the accounts?’ They point to the brevity of the creation account, among others. The Bible itself answers that God has put into the Bible what is sufficient, all we really need. It says: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) So the Bible is ample to “make you wise for salvation.” (2 Timothy 3:15) It is “perfect” in this sense.
25 Another point worthy of note: As God’s word or message to mankind, the Bible is written in such a way that those who are not truly seeking God—who have no genuine faith in God—are induced to ‘show their true colors.’ For example, it does not give every detail of every account it records. At times it describes God’s action or judgment on a matter without explaining why he so judged. It lets two writers give their own observation of an event from different viewpoints.a It leaves those not wanting to serve God a ‘way out,’ an excuse to find fault, if this is their desire. In this way, too, the Bible is complete or perfect, for it fulfills a purpose of God in causing persons—both haughty ones and humble ones—to reveal what is in their hearts.—Hebrews 4:12; Matthew 13:34, 35; Luke 8:10.
COMMUNICATING WITH GOD
26. Can we, in turn, communicate with God?
26 While bringing us God’s message, the Bible points out for us, in turn, a way to communicate our inmost thoughts and heartfelt desires to God. This is by prayer. You need not fear that God will not listen to you. His only requirement is a sincere heart and acknowledgment that one is a sinner, needing help. (Psalms 119:145; 34:18) One who cries out to him will be shown what to do. Such a person will come to know that prayers addressed to God must be offered through Jesus Christ as God’s appointed High Priest.—John 16:23, 24; Hebrews 4:15.
27. What are proper subjects for prayer? (Matthew 6:9-13)
27 What are proper subjects for prayer? Anything that will affect one’s relationship to God; anything that will affect one spiritually. The apostle John wrote: “No matter what it is that we ask according to his will, he hears us.”—1 John 5:14.
28. (a) What is praying ‘according to God’s will’? (b) What are some personal things for which it is proper to pray?
28 “According to his will” would mean that we rightly would not pray for things that promote strictly selfish interests, such as riches, position above our fellowman, revenge, selfish pleasures and like things. But we may, for example, petition God with regard to marriage—for his help in providing a suitable mate. Married couples may pray regarding the bearing of children, or for wisdom in rearing their children. (1 Samuel 1:10, 11, 17, 20; Judges 13:8-14) These things definitely affect our lives and require adjustments in which we need God’s wisdom. God is interested in our personal problems. Even a move to another location or another job may be a subject for prayer, because one’s family may be affected economically and spiritually. Whatever it is, the desire to find and to do God’s will is the primary factor. Each person, of course, has his own circumstances, different from others, and this will affect the subjects of his prayers.
29. How can a person receive the answer to his prayer about a certain matter?
29 The answer from God can be expected in the form of wise guidance in the person’s own individual case. (Psalm 32:8) Of course, he should be consistent and act in harmony with his prayer. He should seek for counsel on the problem from the Bible. He may consult others who can help him to see what the Bible says on the matter. He should persist in praying on the matter until he gets a clear understanding of what is the wise course to take. (Luke 18:2-5) Having done so, no one else can rightly criticize him for decisions conscientiously made, because “to his own master [God] he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Jehovah can make him stand.”—Romans 14:4, 10, 12.
30. (a) To what fine position will prayer bring us? (b) Why should we not be afraid to take any matter or problem to God in prayer?
30 The person who prays and acts with faith in God can be assured that he will be guided so as to take the most beneficial course. (Proverbs 3:5, 6) He will come really to know God, who promises: “The intimacy with Jehovah belongs to those fearful of him.” (Psalm 25:14) This is not a morbid fear, but a wholesome respect for God, because if you love God you will want to take your problems to him, and will have no fear of being rebuffed or rejected. Of such inhibiting fear, the apostle John says: “Perfect love throws fear outside, because fear exercises a restraint.” (1 John 4:18) You should never be fearful or hesitant to take the most intimate matters, whatever they are, to Jehovah—including your sins. He will not view your problem as foolish or laugh at you. “He gives generously to all and without reproaching.”—James 1:5; 1 John 1:9.
31. How can an understanding of the Bible and obedience to its principles help us to live a good and happier life now?
31 Some may complain because they sometimes face very bad or discouraging circumstances. They may say, ‘Why does God let such terrible conditions exist in the earth?’ But should we overlook what God has done in giving the Bible to his earthly creatures? If followed, that inspired Word would enable all humankind to live a very good life even under conditions of imperfection. Think of how different things would be if people would, for example, follow the rule: ‘All things that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them.’ (Matthew 7:12) What a change this could bring on earth! And in God’s new system of things all persons will be guided by such principles. That is one reason why this earth will then be such a desirable place in which to live.
32. To those who may have doubts about the Bible, what recommends it as a book to be studied?
32 Jesus said: “Even though you do not believe me, believe the works [that I do], in order that you may come to know and may continue knowing that the Father is in union with me and I am in union with the Father.” (John 10:38) If you have doubts as to the Bible’s worth, you can see its value by observing the results in the lives of thousands of people who are making the Bible their guide. Therefore, we can have confidence that the Bible’s promises of life for those who follow its guidance are sure of fulfillment.
[Footnotes]
a See Is the Bible Really the Word of God? (Chapter 7), published by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 117 Adams St., Brooklyn, New York 11201. |
Examining the Scriptures—2021
2020 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/examining-the-scriptures/examining-the-scriptures-2021 | March
Monday, March 1
“Separate yourselves,” says Jehovah, “and quit touching the unclean thing.”—2 Cor. 6:17.
Love for God and his Word strengthens us to obey Jehovah even when well-meaning relatives or friends try to pressure us to share in unscriptural practices regarding the dead. They may try to shame us, perhaps by saying that we did not love or respect the deceased. Or they might say that our behavior will cause the dead person to harm the living in some way. In a Caribbean nation, many believe that after a person dies, his “ghost” may stay around and punish those who mistreated him. The “ghost” may even “wreak havoc on a community,” says one reference. It is a custom in Africa to cover mirrors in the home of the deceased and turn pictures to face the wall. The reason? Some claim that the dead must not see themselves! As Jehovah’s servants, we certainly do not believe any myths or take part in any practices that promote Satan’s lies!—1 Cor. 10:21, 22. w19.04 16 ¶11-12
Tuesday, March 2
All things . . . that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.—Matt. 7:12.
Jesus taught principles that would help his followers to treat others fairly. Think, for example, about the Golden Rule. We all want to be treated fairly. Therefore, we should behave fairly toward others. If we do, they may be moved to treat us with fairness. But what if we have been treated unjustly? Jesus also taught his followers to trust that Jehovah will “cause justice to be done for [those] who cry out to him day and night.” (Luke 18:6, 7) That statement is, in effect, a promise: Our just God is aware of the trials we are facing in these last days, and he will cause justice to be done for us in his due time. (2 Thess. 1:6) When we follow the principles that Jesus taught, we will treat others in a just way. And if we have been a victim of injustice in Satan’s world, we can take comfort in knowing that Jehovah will cause justice to be done for us. w19.05 5 ¶18-19
Wednesday, March 3
[Be] always ready to make a defense before everyone who demands of you a reason for the hope you have, but doing so with a mild temper and deep respect.—1 Pet. 3:15.
Are you a young person in school? Your classmates may all believe in the theory of evolution. You would like to defend the Bible’s teaching, but perhaps you do not feel qualified to do so. That calls for a study project! Your aim could be twofold: (1) to strengthen your own conviction that God created all things and (2) to improve in your ability to defend the truth. (Rom. 1:20) You might first ask yourself, ‘What arguments have my classmates used in support of evolution?’ Then using our publications, do careful research. Defending your beliefs may not be as hard as you think. Most people believe in evolution simply because someone they respect told them that it is true. If you find just a point or two that you can share, you may provide a satisfactory answer to a sincere inquirer.—Col. 4:6. w19.05 29 ¶13
Thursday, March 4
As a mother comforts her son, so I will keep comforting you.—Isa. 66:13.
When the prophet Elijah was on the run for his life, he was so discouraged that he wished for death. Jehovah sent a mighty angel to visit that discouraged man. The angel provided very practical help. He gave Elijah a hot meal and encouraged him to eat. (1 Ki. 19:5-8) That account illustrates a useful truth: Sometimes a simple act of practical kindness can do a great deal of good. Perhaps a meal, a modest gift, or a thoughtful card would assure a downhearted brother or sister of our love and concern. If we feel uncomfortable discussing very personal or painful subjects, perhaps we can still give such practical help. Jehovah miraculously gave Elijah the help he needed to go all the way to Mount Horeb, far out of the reach of those who sought to do him harm. What lesson may we draw? If we want to offer comfort to victims of abuse, we may need first to help them feel safe, whether at their home or at the Kingdom Hall. w19.05 16 ¶11; 17 ¶13-14
Friday, March 5
The land will wail, . . . the family of Nathan’s house by itself.—Zech. 12:12.
Suppose that you are reading the 12th chapter of Zechariah’s prophecy, which foretells the death of the Messiah. (Zech. 12:10) When you come to verse 12, you read that “the family of Nathan’s house” would grieve bitterly at the Messiah’s death. Instead of quickly passing over that detail, you pause and ask yourself: ‘What is the connection between the house of Nathan and the Messiah?’ You do a little “detective” work. A marginal reference leads you to 2 Samuel 5:13, 14, where you learn that Nathan was one of King David’s sons. A second marginal reference, Luke 3:23, 31, reveals that Jesus was a direct descendant of Nathan through Mary. Suddenly, you are intrigued! You knew that Jesus was foretold to be a descendant of David. (Matt. 22:42) But David had more than 20 sons. Is it not amazing that Zechariah pinpoints the household of Nathan in particular as having a reason to mourn the death of Jesus? w19.05 30 ¶17
Saturday, March 6
Be transformed by making your mind over, so that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.—Rom. 12:2.
What do we need to do? By regular study, we can prove to ourselves the truths we have learned from the Bible. We can be fully convinced that Jehovah’s standards are right. Then, like a tree with solid roots, we will be firmly rooted, “stabilized in the faith.” (Col. 2:6, 7) Remember, no one else can stabilize your faith for you, so continue to be made new in your dominant mental attitude. Pray constantly; plead for the help of Jehovah’s spirit. Meditate deeply; continue to examine your thinking and motives. Seek good associates; surround yourself with individuals who will help you to transform your thinking. By doing so, you will counteract the poisonous effects of Satan’s world and successfully overturn “reasonings and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God.”—2 Cor. 10:5. w19.06 13 ¶17-18
Sunday, March 7
The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation.—Jas. 1:27.
Just as Ruth stuck with the widowed Naomi, we need to provide ongoing support for those who lose a loved one in death. (Ruth 1:16, 17) Paula says: “Right after my husband died, I got a lot of support. As time passed, people’s lives seemed to go back to normal. However, my life had changed completely. It is a huge help when others realize that a grieving person needs support in the months—even years—following the death.” Of course, each person is different. Some seem to adjust to their new circumstances relatively quickly. For others, however, every activity they once shared with their loved one is a painful reminder of their loss. The ways people grieve vary from person to person. Let us remember that Jehovah gives us the honor and responsibility to care for those who have lost their mate in death. w19.06 24 ¶16
Monday, March 8
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle as long as anyone wicked is in my presence.—Ps. 39:1.
During a ban, we must recognize when it is “time to be silent.” (Eccl. 3:7) We must safeguard sensitive information, such as the names of our brothers and sisters, the locations where we meet, how we carry out our ministry, and how we receive spiritual food. We would not reveal these facts to the secular authorities; nor would we share them with well-meaning friends or relatives in our country or in other countries. If we did fall into this trap, we would put the safety of our brothers at risk. Do not allow minor issues to divide us. Satan knows that a divided house cannot stand. (Mark 3:24, 25) He will constantly try to cause divisions among us. In that way, he hopes that we will start fighting one another instead of fighting him. Even mature Christians need to be on guard not to fall into this trap. If we work hard to overcome differences with our brothers, we will avoid the trap of disunity.—Col. 3:13, 14. w19.07 11-12 ¶14-16
Tuesday, March 9
A slave of the Lord . . . needs to be gentle toward all, qualified to teach.—2 Tim. 2:24.
Often, people respond well to our message, not because of what we say, but because of the way we say it. They appreciate it when we are kind, tactful, and genuinely interested in them. We do not force them to hear our point of view. Instead, we try to discern the reasons for their view of religion and to be sensitive to their feelings. For instance, when speaking with Jews, Paul reasoned from the Scriptures. However, when he spoke with Greek philosophers at the Areopagus, he made no direct reference to the Bible. (Acts 17:2, 3, 22-31) How can we follow Paul’s example? If you meet a person who does not accept the Bible, it may be best not to make direct references to it when reasoning with him. If you sense that a person might be uncomfortable being seen reading the Bible with you, try showing him scriptures in a less obvious way, such as on an electronic device. w19.07 21 ¶5-6
Wednesday, March 10
Be careful not to let your heart be enticed to go astray and worship other gods.—Deut. 11:16.
Satan cleverly tempted the Israelites to commit idolatry by taking advantage of their need to provide food for themselves. When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they had to change their methods of growing food. While in Egypt, the Israelites irrigated the farmland by using water drawn from the Nile. However, the agricultural system in the Promised Land was based, not on water drawn from a huge river system, but on water gained from seasonal rains, as well as from the dew that watered the vegetation. (Deut. 11:10-15; Isa. 18:4, 5) Therefore, the Israelites had to learn new farming methods. But why did Jehovah warn against worshipping false gods while he was speaking about farming? Jehovah knew that his people would be tempted to learn useful skills from the pagan people around them and that the thinking of those Canaanite farmers was affected by their belief in Baal.—Num. 25:3, 5; Judg. 2:13; 1 Ki. 18:18. w19.06 3 ¶4-6
Thursday, March 11
This is what I continue praying, that your love may abound still more and more.—Phil. 1:9.
When the apostle Paul, Silas, Luke, and Timothy arrived in the Roman colony of Philippi, they found many people who were interested in the Kingdom message. These four zealous brothers helped form a congregation, and all the disciples began meeting together, likely at the home of a hospitable believer named Lydia. (Acts 16:40) The young congregation soon faced a challenge. Satan stirred up enemies of the truth who fiercely opposed the preaching activity of these loyal Christians. Paul and Silas were arrested, beaten with rods, and imprisoned. After they were released from prison, they visited the new disciples and encouraged them. Then Paul, Silas, and Timothy left the city while Luke apparently remained there. How did the newly formed congregation fare? With the help of Jehovah’s spirit, the new believers forged ahead in Jehovah’s service. (Phil. 2:12) Paul had every reason to be proud of them! w19.08 8 ¶1-2
Friday, March 12
The borrower is a slave to the lender.—Prov. 22:7.
Have you moved recently? A move can be surprisingly costly, and it is easy to get into debt. To minimize the debt, beware of buying on credit things you do not really need. (Prov. 22:3) When we are under emotional pressure, as when caring for sick loved ones, we may find it difficult to decide how much debt to take on. In such situations, remember that “prayer and supplication” can help you to make wise decisions. In response to your prayers, Jehovah can grant you the peace that will “guard your hearts and your mental powers,” helping you to think things through calmly. (Phil. 4:6, 7; 1 Pet. 5:7) Maintain good relationships. Share your feelings and experiences with good friends, especially those who may have experienced similar joys and challenges. Doing so can promote emotional healing. (Eccl. 4:9, 10) The friends you made before you moved will remain your friends. w19.08 22 ¶9-10
Saturday, March 13
They gathered them together to . . . Armageddon.—Rev. 16:16.
Why did Jehovah connect the final great war with Megiddo? Megiddo and the nearby Jezreel Valley were the sites of many battles. On occasion, Jehovah directly intervened in those battles. For example, “by the waters of Megiddo,” God helped Israelite Judge Barak defeat a Canaanite army led by a chief named Sisera. Barak and the prophetess Deborah thanked Jehovah for their miraculous victory. They sang: “From heaven the stars fought . . . against Sisera. . . . So let all your enemies perish, O Jehovah, but let those who love you be like the sun rising in its glory.” (Judg. 5:19-21, 31) At Armageddon, God’s enemies will likewise perish, while those who love God will be saved. But there is one important difference between the two conflicts. At Armageddon, God’s people will not fight. They will not even be armed! Their “strength will be in keeping calm and showing trust” in Jehovah and his heavenly armies.—Isa. 30:15; Rev. 19:11-15. w19.09 9 ¶4-5
Sunday, March 14
Come to me.—Matt. 11:28.
One way to “come to” Jesus is by learning as much as we can about the things he said and did. (Luke 1:1-4) Nobody else can do this for us—we must study these accounts for ourselves. We also “come to” Jesus by making the decision to get baptized and become a disciple of Christ. Another way to “come to” Jesus is by going to the congregation elders if we need help. Jesus uses these “gifts in men” to care for his sheep. (Eph. 4:7, 8, 11; John 21:16; 1 Pet. 5:1-3) We must take the initiative to ask for their help. We cannot expect the elders to read our minds and know what we need. Consider what a brother named Julian says: “I asked for help, and that shepherding visit turned out to be one of the best gifts I have ever received.” Loyal elders, such as the two who visited Julian, can help us to know “the mind of Christ,” that is, to understand and imitate his thinking and attitude. (1 Cor. 2:16; 1 Pet. 2:21) This really is one of the best gifts they can give us. w19.09 21 ¶4-5
Monday, March 15
I have other sheep, which are not of this fold.—John 10:16.
Throughout the Scriptures, we read of men and women of faith who were deeply influenced by holy spirit; yet they are not part of the 144,000. John the Baptist is one example. (Matt. 11:11) David is another. (Acts 2:34) They and countless others will be resurrected to life on a paradise earth. All of them—along with the great crowd—will have the opportunity to demonstrate their loyalty to Jehovah and his sovereignty. Never before in human history has God united millions of people from all nations. Whether our hope is to live in heaven or on earth, we need to help as many as possible to become part of the great crowd of “other sheep.” Soon, Jehovah will bring the foretold great tribulation that will destroy the governments and religions that have afflicted mankind. What an outstanding privilege lies before all members of the great crowd—to serve Jehovah on earth forever!—Rev. 7:14. w19.09 31 ¶18-19
Tuesday, March 16
In the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule.—2 Pet. 3:3.
As Satan’s system nears its end, we can expect to face ever more difficult tests of loyalty to God and his Kingdom. We will likely continue to be the target of ridicule. This may especially happen as our neutrality is tested more and more. We must strengthen our loyalty now so that we will remain loyal during the great tribulation. During the great tribulation, a change will take place regarding the brothers who take the lead on earth. At some point, all anointed ones who are still on earth will be gathered to heaven to share in the war of Armageddon. (Matt. 24:31; Rev. 2:26, 27) This means that the Governing Body will no longer be with us on earth. However, the great crowd will remain organized. Capable brothers from among the other sheep will take the lead. We will need to show our loyalty by supporting these brothers and by following their God-given direction. Our survival will depend on it! w19.10 17 ¶13-14
Wednesday, March 17
Where you go I will go . . . Where you die I will die.—Ruth 1:16, 17.
Naomi was a loyal woman who loved Jehovah. But after the death of her husband and two sons, she wanted to change her name from Naomi to “Mara,” meaning “Bitter.” (Ruth 1:3, 5, 20, ftn., 21) Naomi’s daughter-in-law Ruth stuck with her through her trials. Ruth not only provided practical help but also spoke consolingly to Naomi. Ruth expressed her love and support for Naomi in simple, sincere words. When a member of our spiritual family loses a marriage mate in death, he or she needs our support. A married couple can be likened to two trees that have grown up next to each other. Over the years, the roots of the trees intertwine. When one tree is uprooted and dies, the other tree can seriously be affected. Similarly, when someone loses a spouse to the enemy death, he or she may feel strong emotions for a long time. w19.06 23 ¶12-13
Thursday, March 18
Each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire.—Jas. 1:14.
We must carefully control not only the type of entertainment we enjoy but also the amount of time we spend enjoying it. If we do not, we may spend more time on entertaining ourselves than we do on serving Jehovah. First, find out how much time you are actually spending on it. Why not keep a record for one week? Write on a calendar how many hours you spend watching television, surfing the Internet, and playing games on your mobile device. If you feel that you are spending an excessive amount of time, try making a schedule. Assign time to the more important things first, and then allot time for entertainment. Next, ask Jehovah to help you stick to your schedule. That way you will have the time and energy you need for personal Bible study, family worship, congregation meetings, and serving Jehovah in the preaching and teaching work. You may also be less likely to feel guilty about the time you spend on entertainment. w19.10 30 ¶14, 16; 31 ¶17
Friday, March 19
I have the desire to do what is fine but not the ability to carry it out.—Rom. 7:18.
About 55 C.E., the Corinthians made an important decision. Learning of the needs of their brothers in Jerusalem and Judea, they resolved to donate to a combined effort to help them. (1 Cor. 16:1; 2 Cor. 8:6) A few months later, though, the apostle Paul learned that the Corinthians had not followed through. As a result, their gift would not likely be ready in time for it to be taken to Jerusalem along with the contributions from the other congregations. (2 Cor. 9:4, 5) The Corinthians had made a good decision, and Paul commended them for their outstanding faith and their earnest desire to be generous. But he also had to encourage them to complete what they had started. (2 Cor. 8:7, 10, 11) Their experience teaches us that even faithful Christians may struggle to implement a good decision. Why? Because of imperfection, we may simply procrastinate. Or unforeseen events might make it impossible for us to follow through.—Eccl. 9:11. w19.11 26-27 ¶3-5
Saturday, March 20
Take up the large shield of faith.—Eph. 6:16.
Like a large shield that protects most of the body, your faith protects you from the immoral, violent, and godless influences of this corrupt system of things. As Christians, we wage a spiritual battle and our enemies include wicked spirits. (Eph. 6:10-12) How can you be sure that you are ready to face tests? First, you must pray for God’s help. Then, you need to use God’s Word to help you see yourself as God sees you. (Heb. 4:12) The Bible states: “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5, 6) With that in mind, why not review some of the decisions you have made recently? For example, have you faced a serious financial problem? Did Jehovah’s promise recorded at Hebrews 13:5 come to mind: “I will never leave you, and I will never abandon you”? Did that promise give you confidence that Jehovah would help you? If so, that indicates that you are keeping your shield of faith in good condition. w19.11 14 ¶1, 4
Sunday, March 21
Children are an inheritance from Jehovah.—Ps. 127:3, ftn.
A child requires and deserves considerable time and energy from each parent. So if a couple have a number of children who are close in age, the parents may find it challenging to give each child the needed attention. Some couples who had a number of young children confessed that they felt overwhelmed. A mother may struggle with feeling drained physically and emotionally. Could that have an impact on her being able to study, pray, and share in the ministry regularly? A related challenge is being able to pay attention during Christian meetings and to benefit from them. Of course, a loving husband will do what he can to support his wife when their children need attention, both at meetings and at home. For example, he could help his wife with household chores. He will work hard to ensure that all benefit from a regular Family Worship program. And Christian fathers will regularly accompany the family in field service. w19.12 24 ¶8
Monday, March 22
A Jubilee is what that 50th year will become for you.—Lev. 25:11.
How did the Israelites benefit from the Jubilee? Well, suppose an Israelite had fallen into debt and, as a result, had been forced to sell his land to pay off the debt. During the Jubilee year, that land was to be returned to him. Therefore, the man could “return to his property,” and the future inheritance of his children would not be lost. In another case, a man who fell on hard times might have had to sell one of his children—or even himself—into slavery in order to pay a debt. During the Jubilee year, the slave was to “return to his family.” (Lev. 25:10) So no one would become a slave permanently with no hope! In addition Jehovah said: “No one among you should become poor, for Jehovah will surely bless you in the land that Jehovah your God is giving you to possess as an inheritance.” (Deut. 15:4) What a contrast to what is happening in the world today, where the rich often get richer and the poor, poorer! w19.12 8-9 ¶3-4
Tuesday, March 23
Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice.—Prov. 27:11.
When faced with tests, Jesus prayed “with strong outcries and tears.” (Heb. 5:7) His fervent prayers flowed from a loyal heart and strengthened his desire to remain obedient. To Jehovah, Jesus’ prayers were like the aroma of sweet-smelling incense. Jesus’ entire life course deeply pleased his Father and vindicated His sovereignty. We can imitate Jesus by doing our best to live a life of integrity and of loyalty to Jehovah’s ways and laws. When faced with tests, we pray fervently for Jehovah’s help because we want to please him. We realize that Jehovah will not accept our prayers if we are involved in conduct that he condemns. However, if we live according to Jehovah’s standards, we can be confident that our heartfelt prayers will be like sweet-smelling incense to Jehovah. And we can be sure that our integrity and loyal obedience please our heavenly Father. w19.11 21-22 ¶7-8
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 9) Luke 19:29-44
Wednesday, March 24
Who really is the faithful and discreet slave?—Matt. 24:45.
In 1919, Jesus appointed a small group of anointed brothers as “the faithful and discreet slave.” That slave takes the lead in the preaching work and gives Christ’s followers “food at the proper time.” Satan and his world have done much to make the work of that faithful slave challenging, even impossible, to carry out from a human standpoint. Despite two world wars, relentless persecution, global economic crises, and unjust treatment, the faithful and discreet slave has continued to provide spiritual food for Christ’s followers on earth. Think of the abundance of spiritual food available today, free of charge, in more than 900 languages! It is undeniable evidence of divine backing. Consider further proof of Jehovah’s blessing: the preaching work. The good news truly is being preached “in all the inhabited earth.”—Matt. 24:14. w19.11 24 ¶15-16
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 10) Luke 19:45-48; Matthew 21:18, 19; 21:12, 13
Thursday, March 25
[Christ] was favorably heard for his godly fear.—Heb. 5:7.
On the yearly Day of Atonement, the high priest had to burn the incense before he could offer up the sacrifices. In that way, he made sure that he would have God’s approval when offering up the sacrifices. While on earth, Jesus had to do something important—something more important than providing salvation for mankind—before he could offer up his life in sacrifice. What was that? By living a life of integrity and loyalty, Jesus had to prepare the way for Jehovah to accept his sacrifice. In that way, Jesus would prove that doing things Jehovah’s way is the right way to live. Jesus would vindicate his Father’s sovereignty, or way of ruling. Throughout his earthly life, Jesus maintained perfect obedience to Jehovah’s righteous standards. No temptation or trial could weaken his desire to defend his Father’s way of ruling.—Phil. 2:8. w19.11 21 ¶6-7
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 11) Luke 20:1-47
Friday, March 26
You are the ones who have stuck with me in my trials.—Luke 22:28.
Throughout Jesus’ challenging ministry, the faithful apostles proved to be real friends to Jesus. (Prov. 18:24) Jesus valued such friends. During his ministry, none of his fleshly brothers put faith in him. (John 7:3-5) At one point, his relatives even thought that he had gone mad. (Mark 3:21) By contrast, Jesus could say the words of today’s text to the faithful apostles on the night before his death. The apostles occasionally disappointed Jesus, but he looked past their faults and saw that they had faith in him. (Matt. 26:40; Mark 10:13, 14; John 6:66-69) On the last night with them before he was executed, Jesus said to these loyal men: “I have called you friends, because I have made known to you all the things I have heard from my Father.” (John 15:15) Without a doubt, Jesus’ friends were a great source of encouragement to him. w19.04 11 ¶11-12
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 12) Luke 22:1-6; Mark 14:1, 2, 10, 11
Memorial DateAfter SundownSaturday, March 27
The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children.—Rom. 8:16.
How does a person know that he or she has the heavenly calling? The answer is clearly seen in the apostle Paul’s words to those in Rome who were “called to be holy ones.” In addition to the words of today’s text, he told them: “You did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: ‘Abba, Father!’” (Rom. 1:7; 8:15) So by means of his holy spirit, God makes it clear to anointed ones that they have this heavenly calling. (1 Thess. 2:12) Jehovah leaves no doubt whatsoever in the minds and hearts of those who receive his invitation to go to heaven. (1 John 2:20, 27) Anointed Christians do not need anyone to confirm that they are anointed. w20.01 22 ¶7-8
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 13) Luke 22:7-13; Mark 14:12-16 (Events after sunset: Nisan 14) Luke 22:14-65
Sunday, March 28
No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his life in behalf of his friends.—John 15:13.
“The law of the Christ” is built on the best possible foundation—love. (Gal. 6:2) Jesus was motivated by love in everything he did. Pity, or tender compassion, is an expression of love. Moved by such pity, Jesus taught the crowds, healed the sick, fed the hungry, and raised the dead. (Matt. 14:14; 15:32-38; Mark 6:34; Luke 7:11-15) Jesus willingly put the needs of others ahead of his own. Above all, he showed great love by surrendering his life in behalf of others. We can imitate Jesus by putting the needs of others ahead of our own. We can also imitate him by cultivating tender compassion for people in our territory. When such compassion moves us to preach and teach the good news, we are obeying the law of the Christ. w19.05 4 ¶8-10
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 14) Luke 22:66-71
Monday, March 29
[Jehovah] sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives . . . , to send the crushed ones away free.—Luke 4:18.
Jesus opened the way to liberty from the oppressive doctrines taught by the religious leaders. Many Jews back then were enslaved to traditions and mistaken beliefs. (Matt. 5:31-37; 15:1-11) Those who presumed to be spiritual guides were in a sense blind. In rejecting the Messiah and the spiritual enlightenment he offered, they remained in darkness and in sin. (John 9:1, 14-16, 35-41) By his correct teachings and good example, Jesus made known to meek ones a spiritual liberation. (Mark 1:22; 2:23–3:5) Also, Jesus provided liberation by freeing mankind from enslavement to inherited sin. On the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice, God could forgive the sins of those who show faith and who accept the ransom He provided.—Heb. 10:12-18. w19.12 10 ¶8; 11 ¶10-11
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 15) Matthew 27:62-66
Tuesday, March 30
You were sealed by means of him with the promised holy spirit, which is a token in advance of our inheritance.—Eph. 1:13, 14; ftn.
Jehovah uses his holy spirit to make it absolutely clear to all who are anointed Christians that he has chosen them. In this way, the holy spirit is “a token [a pledge or promise]” given to assure them that in the future they will live forever in heaven and not on earth. (2 Cor. 1:21, 22) If a Christian is anointed, will he automatically receive his heavenly reward? No. He is sure that he has been chosen to go to heaven. However, he must remember this admonition: “Brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and choosing sure for yourselves, for if you keep on doing these things, you will by no means ever fail.” (2 Pet. 1:10) So even though an anointed Christian has been called to go to heaven, he will get his reward only if he remains faithful.—Phil. 3:12-14; Heb. 3:1; Rev. 2:10. w20.01 21-22 ¶5-6
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 16) Luke 24:1-12
Wednesday, March 31
Thoughtless speech is like the stabs of a sword, but the tongue of the wise is a healing.—Prov. 12:18.
One reason why Job’s three false comforters lacked compassion for him is that they saw only the outward appearance of his situation. As a result, they jumped to wrong conclusions and judged Job harshly. How can we avoid making a similar mistake? Realize that only Jehovah knows all the facts about a person’s situation. Listen carefully to what the suffering person says. Do more than hear his words; try also to feel his pain. Only then will you be able to show genuine fellow feeling for your brother or sister. Compassion will hold us back from spreading harmful gossip about the problems others are facing. A gossiper does not build up the congregation; he tears it down. (Prov. 20:19; Rom. 14:19) He can injure a person who is already suffering. (Eph. 4:31, 32) How much better it is when we look for a person’s good qualities and think about how we can help him or her deal with trials! w19.06 21-22 ¶8-9 |
Proclaimers (jv)
1993 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/jv | Chapter 27
Printing and Distributing God’s Own Sacred Word
ON THE outside of the principal factory complex at their world headquarters, Jehovah’s Witnesses have for decades displayed a sign that urges everyone: “Read God’s Word the Holy Bible Daily.”
They themselves are diligent students of God’s Word. Over the years they have made use of scores of different Bible translations in an endeavor to ascertain the exact sense of the original inspired Scriptures. Every Witness is encouraged to have a personal program of daily Bible reading. In addition to their topical study of God’s Word, they progressively read and discuss the Bible itself in their congregation meetings. Their objective is not to search out texts to support their ideas. They recognize the Bible as God’s own inspired Word. They realize that it gives reproof and discipline, and they earnestly endeavor to conform their thinking and conduct to what it says.—2 Tim. 3:16, 17; compare 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
Because of their conviction that the Bible is God’s own sacred Word and because they know the glorious good news that it contains, Jehovah’s Witnesses are also zealous publishers and distributors of the Bible.
A Bible-Publishing Society
It was in 1896 that direct reference to the Bible was officially included in the name of the legal corporation then being used by the Bible Students in their publishing work. At that time Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society became legally known as Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.a The Society did not immediately become a printer and binder of Bibles, but it was an active publisher of them, working out specifications, providing valuable supplementary features, and then arranging with commercial firms to do the printing and binding.
Even prior to 1896, the Society was doing much as a Bible distributor. Not for commercial gain but as a service to its readers, it drew attention to various Bible translations that were available, bought them in large quantities so as to obtain good rates, and then made them available for a price that was sometimes only 35 percent of the list price. Included among these were numerous editions of the King James Version that were easy to carry and use, also larger ‘Teachers’ Bibles’ (King James Version with such helps as a concordance, maps, and marginal references), The Emphatic Diaglott with its Greek-to-English interlinear rendering, Leeser’s translation that placed the English text alongside the Hebrew, Murdock’s translation from ancient Syriac, The Newberry Bible with its marginal references that drew attention to occurrences of the divine name in the original language as well as other valuable details reflected in the Hebrew and Greek text, Tischendorf’s New Testament with its footnote references to variant readings in three of the most complete ancient Greek Bible manuscripts (Sinaitic, Vatican, and Alexandrine), the Variorum Bible with its footnotes that set out not only variant readings of ancient manuscripts but also various translations of portions of the text by eminent scholars, and Young’s literal translation. The Society also made available such helps as Cruden’s Concordance and Young’s Analytical Concordance with its comments on the original Hebrew and Greek words. In the years that followed, around the globe Jehovah’s Witnesses frequently obtained from other Bible societies many thousands of Bibles in whatever languages were available and distributed these.
As early as 1890, according to available evidence, the Society arranged for a special printing, bearing its own name, of the Second Edition of The New Testament Newly Translated and Critically Emphasised, as prepared by the British Bible translator Joseph B. Rotherham. Why this translation? Because of its literalness and its endeavor to benefit fully from research that had been done to establish a more accurate Greek text and because the reader was helped by devices employed by the translator to identify which words or expressions were given special emphasis in the Greek text.
In 1902 a special printing of the Holman Linear Parallel Edition of the Bible was made by arrangement of the Watch Tower Society. It contained wide margins in which were printed references to places in Watch Tower publications where various verses were explained, also an index listing scores of subjects along with Scripture citations and helpful references to the Society’s publications. This Bible contained the wording of two translations—the King James rendering above that of the Revised Version where there was any difference. It also included an extensive concordance that alerted the user to various meanings of original-language words.
That same year, the Watch Tower Society came into possession of the printing plates for The Emphatic Diaglott, which includes J. J. Griesbach’s Greek text of the Christian Greek Scriptures (the 1796-1806 edition) along with an English interlinear translation. Alongside this was the rendering of the text by British-born Benjamin Wilson, who had taken up residence in Geneva, Illinois, U.S.A. Those plates and the sole right of publication had been purchased and then given as a gift to the Society. After copies already in stock had been sent out, arrangements were made by the Society for more to be produced, and those became available in 1903.
Four years later, in 1907, the Bible Students Edition of the King James Version was published. The “Berean Bible Teachers’ Manual” was bound with it, as an appendix. This included concise comments on verses from all parts of the Bible, along with references to Watch Tower publications for fuller explanation. An edition with an enlarged appendix was published about a year later.
These Bibles were ordered from the printers and binders in lots of between 5,000 and 10,000 at a time, in order to keep the cost down. The Society was desirous of making a variety of Bible translations and related research tools readily available to as many people as possible.
Then, in 1926 the Watch Tower Society took a major step forward in its involvement in Bible publishing.
Printing the Bible on Our Own Presses
It was 36 years after it first undertook publishing Bibles that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society printed and bound a Bible in its own factory. The first one thus produced was The Emphatic Diaglott, the plates for which had been owned by the Society for 24 years. In December 1926 this Bible was printed on a flatbed press in the Society’s Concord Street factory in Brooklyn. To date, 427,924 of these have been produced.
Sixteen years later, in the midst of World War II, the Society undertook the printing of the entire Bible. To this end, plates for the King James Version with marginal references were purchased in 1942 from the A. J. Holman Company, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This translation of the complete Bible into English was produced, not from the Latin Vulgate, but by scholars who were able to compare earlier translations with the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. A concordance, prepared by more than 150 collaborating servants of Jehovah, was added. This was specially designed to help Jehovah’s Witnesses find appropriate texts quickly when in the field ministry and thus use the Bible effectively as “the sword of the spirit,” to cut away and expose religious falsehood. (Eph. 6:17) In order to make the Bible available to people everywhere at a low cost, it was printed on a web rotary press—something that had never been attempted by other Bible printers. As of 1992, a total of 1,858,368 of these Bibles had been produced.
The desire of Jehovah’s Witnesses went beyond getting copies of the Bible, the book itself, into the hands of people. The Witnesses wanted to help people to get to know the personal name, as well as the purpose, of its divine author, Jehovah God. There was a translation in English—the American Standard Version of 1901—that used the divine name in the more than 6,870 places where it appeared in the sources from which the translators worked. In 1944, after a number of months of negotiations, the Watch Tower Society purchased the right to make a set of key plates for this Bible from plates and type supplied by Thomas Nelson and Sons, of New York. During the next 48 years, 1,039,482 copies were produced.
Steven Byington, of Ballard Vale, Massachusetts, U.S.A., had also made a modern-English translation of the Bible that gave the divine name its rightful place. The Watch Tower Society came into possession of his unpublished manuscript in 1951 and acquired the sole right of publication in 1961. That complete translation was printed in 1972. Down till 1992, there had been 262,573 produced.
In the meantime, however, another development was taking place.
Producing the New World Translation
It was early in October 1946 that Nathan H. Knorr, who was then the president of the Watch Tower Society, first proposed that the Society produce a fresh translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Actual work on the translation got under way on December 2, 1947. The complete text was carefully reviewed by the entire translation committee, all of them spirit-anointed Christians. Then, on September 3, 1949, Brother Knorr convened a joint meeting of the boards of directors of the Society’s New York and Pennsylvania corporations. He announced to them that the New World Bible Translation Committee had completed work on a modern-language translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures and had turned it over to the Society for publication.b This was a fresh translation from the original Greek.
Was there really need for another translation? Already at that time, the complete Bible had been published in 190 languages, and at least part of it had been translated into 928 additional languages and dialects. Jehovah’s Witnesses have at various times used most of these translations. But the fact is that most of these were made by clergymen and missionaries of Christendom’s religious sects, and to varying degrees their translations were influenced by the pagan philosophies and unscriptural traditions that their religious systems had inherited from the past as well as by the bias of higher criticism. Furthermore, older and more reliable Bible manuscripts were becoming available. The Greek language of the first century was becoming more clearly understood as a result of archaeological discoveries. Also, the languages into which translations are made undergo changes over the years.
Jehovah’s Witnesses wanted a translation that embodied the benefits of the latest scholarship, one that was not colored by the creeds and traditions of Christendom, a literal translation that faithfully presented what is in the original writings and so could provide the basis for continued growth in knowledge of divine truth, a translation that would be clear and understandable to modern-day readers. The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, released in 1950, filled that need—at least for that part of the Bible. As Jehovah’s Witnesses began to use it, many were thrilled not simply because they found its modern-day language easier to read but because they realized that they were getting a clearer understanding of the sense of God’s inspired Word.
One of the outstanding features of this translation is its restoration of the divine name, the personal name of God, Jehovah, 237 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. This was not the first translation to restore the name.c But it may have been the first to do it consistently in the main text from Matthew through Revelation. An extensive discussion of this matter in the foreword showed the sound basis for what was done.
Thereafter, the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into English and were released progressively, in five separate volumes, beginning in 1953. As had been done with the Christian Greek Scriptures, care was exercised to convey as literally as possible what was in the original-language text. Special attention was given to making the renderings uniform, conveying accurately the action or state expressed in the verbs, and using simple language that would be readily understood by modern-day readers. Wherever the Tetragrammaton appeared in the Hebrew text, it was appropriately rendered as the personal name of God, instead of being replaced by some other term as had become common in many other translations. Appendix articles and footnotes in these volumes enabled careful students to examine the basis for the renderings used.
On March 13, 1960, the New World Bible Translation Committee completed its final reading of the text of the portion of the Bible that was designated for the fifth volume. That was 12 years, 3 months, and 11 days after actual translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures had begun. A few months later, that final volume of the Hebrew Scriptures, in printed form, was released for distribution.
Rather than disband after that project was completed, the translation committee continued to work. A comprehensive review of the entire translation was made. Then, the complete New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, a revised edition in one volume, was published by the Watch Tower Society in 1961. It was made available for distribution for just one dollar (U.S.) so that everyone, regardless of his economic situation, would be able to obtain a copy of God’s Word.
Two years later a special students’ edition was published. This combined under one cover all the original individual volumes, unrevised, with their thousands of valuable textual footnotes, as well as foreword and appendix discussions. It also retained the valuable cross-references that directed readers to parallel words, parallel thoughts or events, biographic information, geographic details, fulfillments of prophecies, and direct quotations in or from other parts of the Bible.
Since the one-volume edition of 1961 was published, four additional up-to-date revisions have been issued. The most recent of these was in 1984, when a large-print edition with an extensive appendix, 125,000 marginal references, 11,400 enlightening footnotes, and a concordance was published. The features of this edition help students to understand why various texts need to be rendered in a certain way in order to be accurate, as well as when texts can be correctly rendered in more than one manner. The cross-references also help them to appreciate the interlocking harmony between the various Bible books.
As part of the earnest effort of the New World Bible Translation Committee to help lovers of God’s Word to get acquainted with the outputs of the original Koine (common Greek) text of the Christian Greek Scriptures, the committee produced The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures. This was first published by the Watch Tower Society in 1969 and then updated in 1985. It contains The New Testament in the Original Greek, as compiled by B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort. At the right-hand side of the page appears the New World Translation text (the 1984 revision in the updated edition). But then, between the lines of Greek text, there is another translation, a very literal, word-for-word rendering of what the Greek actually says according to the basic meaning and grammatical form of each word. This enables even students who cannot read Greek to find out what is actually in the original Greek text.
Was this work on the New World Translation going to benefit only those who could read English? In many places Watch Tower missionaries were finding it difficult to obtain enough local-language Bibles to distribute to people who longed for a personal copy of God’s Word. It was not uncommon, in some parts of the world, for these missionaries to be the principal distributors of Bibles printed by other Bible societies. But that was not always viewed favorably by religious personnel who represented those Bible societies. Further, some of these Bibles were not the best of translations.
Translation Into Other Languages
The year that the complete New World Translation first appeared in a single volume, that is, 1961, a group of skilled translators was assembled to render the English text into six other widely used languages—Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Retranslation from English, supplemented by comparison with the Hebrew and the Greek, was possible because of the literal nature of the English translation itself. The translators worked as an international committee in association with the New World Bible Translation Committee, at the Society’s headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. In 1963 the Christian Greek Scriptures was printed and released in all six languages.
By 1992 the complete New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures was available in 12 languages—Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Slovak, Spanish, and Swedish. The Christian Greek Scriptures was available in two more languages. That meant that this translation was available in the native tongues of some 1,400,000,000 persons, or upwards of one fourth of the world’s population, and many more were benefiting from it through the translation of excerpts from it into 97 other languages in The Watchtower. Those reading these 97 languages, however, were anxious to have the full New World Translation in their own tongue. As of 1992, arrangements were already under way to produce this translation in 16 of those languages and to complete the Hebrew Scriptures in the 2 languages that had only the Christian Greek Scriptures.
Since the publishing of these Bibles was done in the Society’s own factories by volunteer workers, it was possible to make them available at minimal cost. In 1972 when an Austrian Witness showed a bookbinder the New World Translation in German and asked him how much he thought it would cost, the man was amazed to learn that the suggested contribution was only one tenth of the price he named.
Some examples illustrate the impact of this translation. In France the Catholic Church had for centuries prohibited possession of the Bible by the laity. Catholic translations that had become available were relatively expensive, and few homes had these. The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures was released in French in 1963, followed by the complete Bible in 1974. By 1992 a combined total of 2,437,711 copies of the New World Translation had been shipped out for distribution in France; and the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses in France increased 488 percent during that same period, reaching a total of 119,674.
The situation was similar in Italy. The people had long been forbidden to have a copy of the Bible. After the release of the Italian edition of the New World Translation and down till 1992, there were 3,597,220 copies distributed; the vast majority of these were the complete Bible. People wanted to examine for themselves what God’s Word contains. Interestingly, during that same period, the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Italy rose sharply—from 7,801 to 194,013.
When the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures was made available in Portuguese, there were just 30,118 Witnesses in Brazil and 1,798 in Portugal. During the following years, down till 1992, a total of 213,438 copies of the Christian Greek Scriptures and 4,153,738 copies of the complete Bible in Portuguese were sent out to individuals and congregations in these lands. What were the results? In Brazil, over 11 times as many active praisers of Jehovah; and in Portugal, 22 times as many. Tens of thousands of people who had never had a Bible were grateful to get one, and others appreciated having a Bible that used words they could understand. When the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References was made available in Brazil, the news media pointed out that it was the most complete version (that is, with more cross-references and footnotes) available in the country. It also noted that the initial printing was ten times as great as that for most national editions.
The Spanish edition of the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures was also released in 1963, followed in 1967 by the complete Bible. There were 527,451 copies of the Christian Greek Scriptures published, and thereafter, down to 1992, a total of 17,445,782 copies of the complete Bible in Spanish. This contributed to an outstanding increase in the number of praisers of Jehovah in Spanish-speaking lands. Thus, from 1963 to 1992, in predominantly Spanish-speaking lands where Jehovah’s Witnesses carry on their ministry, their numbers grew from 82,106 to 942,551. And in the United States, in 1992, there were another 130,224 Spanish-speaking Witnesses of Jehovah.
It was not only in the realm of Christendom that the New World Translation was enthusiastically received. In the first year of publication of the Japanese edition, the branch office in Japan received orders for half a million copies.
As of 1992 the printing of the complete New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, in the 12 languages then available, numbered 70,105,258 copies. In addition to that, 8,819,080 copies of portions of the translation had been printed.
Making the Bible Available in Many Forms
Computerization of the Watch Tower Society’s operations, starting in 1977, has assisted in Bible production, as it has in other aspects of publishing activity. It has helped translators to achieve greater consistency in their work; it has also made it easier to print the Bible in a variety of forms.
After the full text of the Bible was entered into the computer, it was not difficult to use an electronic phototypesetter to print out the text in a variety of sizes and forms. First, in 1981, came a regular-sized edition in English with a concordance and other helpful appendix features. This was the first edition to be printed by the Watch Tower Society on a web offset press. After the benefits of revision had been incorporated into the text stored in the computer, a large-print edition in English was issued in 1984; this included many valuable features for research. A regular-size English edition of that same revision was also made available that year; cross-references and a concordance were included, but not footnotes; and its appendix was designed for field ministry instead of for deeper study. Then, for the benefit of those who wanted a very small pocket edition, this was published in English in 1987. All these editions were quickly published in other languages too.
In addition, attention was given to assisting those with special needs. To help those who could see but who needed very large print, the complete English-language New World Translation in four large volumes was published in 1985. Soon that same edition was printed in German, French, Spanish, and Japanese. Before that, in 1983, the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, in four volumes, had been made available in grade-two English Braille. Within another five years, the complete New World Translation had been produced in English Braille in 18 volumes.
Would some people be helped if they could listen to a recording of the Bible? Definitely. So the Watch Tower Society undertook the production of this too. The first audiocassette recording was The Good News According to John, in English, released in 1978. In time the entire New World Translation in English was made available on 75 audiocassettes. What began as a small operation soon mushroomed into a major project. Quickly, it became available in other languages. By 1992 the New World Translation, the whole or part, was available on audiocassettes in 14 languages. At first, some of the branches had the work done by commercial companies. Down till 1992, on their own equipment, the Watch Tower Society had turned out over 31,000,000 of such audiocassettes.
The benefits from the Bible audiocassettes and the uses to which they were put far exceeded original expectations. In all parts of the earth, people were using cassette players. Many who could not read were helped in this way to benefit personally from God’s sacred Word. Women were able to listen to the audiocassettes while doing their housework. Men listened to them on tape decks while commuting to work by automobile. The teaching ability of individual Witnesses was enhanced as they listened regularly to God’s Word and took note of the pronunciation of Bible names and the manner in which passages of Scripture were read.
As of 1992, various editions of the New World Translation were being printed on the Society’s presses in North and South America, Europe, and the Orient. A total of 78,924,338 volumes had been produced and made available for distribution. In Brooklyn alone, there were three huge high-speed web offset presses largely devoted to Bible production. Combined, these presses can produce the equivalent of 7,900 Bibles per hour, and at times it has been necessary for them to run an extra shift.
However, Jehovah’s Witnesses offer people more than a Bible that might simply be put on the shelf. They also offer to anyone who is interested in the Bible—whether he obtains a copy from Jehovah’s Witnesses or not—a free home Bible study. These studies do not continue indefinitely. Some students take to heart what they learn, become baptized Witnesses, and then share in teaching others. After some months, if reasonable progress is not made in applying what is learned, studies are often discontinued in favor of other people who are genuinely interested. As of 1992, Jehovah’s Witnesses were providing 4,278,127 individuals or households with this free Bible study service, usually on a weekly basis.
Thus, in a manner unmatched by any other organization, Jehovah’s Witnesses are publishers and distributors of the Bible and are teachers of God’s sacred Word.
[Footnotes]
a As shown by the Watch Tower of July 15, 1892 (p. 210), the name Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society had been used for a number of years before that name was legally registered. A tract published in 1890 in the Old Theology series identified the publishers as Tower Bible and Tract Society.
b This translation was assigned to the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania for publication, with the request that the names of the translators never be published. They wanted all honor to go to Jehovah God, the Divine Author of his inspired Word.
c Some earlier translations into Hebrew, German, and English restored the divine name in the Christian Greek Scriptures, as did many missionary versions.
[Box on page 609]
A Fresh Translation
When the first volume of the “New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures” was published, Alexander Thomson, a British Bible critic, wrote: “Original renderings of the Hebrew Scriptures into the English language are extremely few. It therefore gives us much pleasure to welcome the publication of the first part of the New World Translation [of the Hebrew Scriptures], Genesis to Ruth. . . . This version has evidently made a special effort to be thoroughly readable. No one could say it is deficient in freshness and originality. Its terminology is by no means based upon that of previous versions.”—“The Differentiator,” June 1954, p. 131.
[Box/Picture on page 610]
“A Text With Instant Vocabulary”
In “The Classical Journal,” Thomas N. Winter of the University of Nebraska wrote a review of “The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures” in which he said: “This is no ordinary interlinear: the integrity of the text is preserved, and the English which appears below it is simply the basic meaning of the Greek word. Thus the interlinear feature of this book is no translation at all. A text with instant vocabulary more correctly describes it. A translation in smooth English appears in a slim column at the right-hand margin of the pages. . . .
“The text is based on that of Brooke F. Westcott and Fenton J. A. Hort (1881, repr.), but the translation by the anonymous committee is thoroughly up-to-date and consistently accurate.”—April-May issue of 1974, pp. 375-6.
[Picture]
1969 and 1985 editions
[Box/Picture on page 611]
The Opinion of a Hebrew Scholar
Regarding the “New World Translation,” Professor Dr. Benjamin Kedar, a Hebrew scholar in Israel, said in 1989: “In my linguistic research in connection with the Hebrew Bible and translations, I often refer to the English edition of what is known as the ‘New World Translation.’ In so doing, I find my feeling repeatedly confirmed that this work reflects an honest endeavor to achieve an understanding of the text that is as accurate as possible. Giving evidence of a broad command of the original language, it renders the original words into a second language understandably without deviating unnecessarily from the specific structure of the Hebrew. . . . Every statement of language allows for a certain latitude in interpreting or translating. So the linguistic solution in any given case may be open to debate. But I have never discovered in the ‘New World Translation’ any biased intent to read something into the text that it does not contain.”
[Graphs on page 613]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Growth of Witnesses Since Publication of “New World Translation”
France
150,000
100,000
50,000
1963 1970 1980 1992
Italy
150,000
100,000
50,000
1963 1970 1980 1992
Portugal and Brazil
300,000
200,000
100,000
1963 1970 1980 1992
Spanish-Speaking Lands
900,000
600,000
300,000
1963 1970 1980 1992
[Pictures on page 604]
A Few of the Translations Used by Early Bible Students
Young’s literal translation
Leeser’s translation (English alongside Hebrew)
Tischendorf’s “New Testament” (with variant readings from Greek MSS)
Murdock’s translation (from Syriac)
“The Emphatic Diaglott” (Greek to English)
Variorum Bible (with various English renderings)
“The Newberry Bible” (with valuable marginal notes)
[Picture on page 605]
Introduction to the edition of Rotherham’s “New Testament” printed for Watch Tower Society c. 1890
[Picture on page 606]
Holman Linear Parallel Edition of the Bible, as published by arrangement of Watch Tower Society in 1902
[Picture on page 606]
Watchtower edition of “King James Version,” with specially designed concordance (1942)
[Picture on page 607]
“American Standard Version,” a translation that uses the divine name, Jehovah, over 6,870 times; Watchtower edition (1944)
[Picture on page 607]
Byington’s translation (1972)
[Pictures on page 608]
“New World Translation,” first released in English in six volumes, from 1950 to 1960; later combined in a special students’ edition
Published as a compact single volume in 1961
Large-print edition, with references for study, published in 1984
[Picture on page 612]
Progressively the “New World Translation” has been made available in more languages
[Picture on page 614]
“New World Translation” in very large print
. . . in Braille
. . . on audiocassettes
. . . on computer diskettes |
Examining the Scriptures—2024
2023 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/examining-the-scriptures/examining-the-scriptures-2024 | April
Monday, April 1
[The] tested quality of your faith produces endurance.—Jas. 1:3.
Ask yourself: ‘How do I respond to counsel? Do I quickly acknowledge my mistakes, or do I try to justify myself? Am I quick to blame others?’ As you read about faithful men and women in the Bible, consider how they dealt with such matters. In each case, ask yourself: ‘How can I be more like this loyal servant of Jehovah?’ We can also benefit by observing fellow believers, both young and old. For instance, can you think of someone in your congregation who is faithfully enduring a trial—perhaps peer pressure, family opposition, or poor health? Do you see in this person commendable traits that you would like to cultivate to a greater degree? By considering his or her good example, you may learn practical ways to endure your own trials. How grateful we are to have such living examples of faith to imitate—truly a cause for rejoicing!—Heb. 13:7. w22.04 13 ¶13-14
Tuesday, April 2
There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.—Acts 20:35.
When we are facing a difficult situation in our personal life, we appreciate it when a caring elder takes the time to listen to us and provide us comfort. When we need help with a Bible study, we are pleased when an experienced pioneer agrees to sit in on the study and offers suggestions. All these brothers and sisters are happy to help us. We can share that joy if we make ourselves available to serve our brothers. If you want to expand your service in these or similar ways, what will help you to reach your goals? Beware of setting a goal that is too general. For example, you may think, ‘I would like to do more in the congregation.’ But it may be difficult to know how to achieve such a goal, and you may find it impossible to know when you have achieved it. So choose a clear, specific goal. You might even write down the goal and how you plan to reach it. w22.04 25 ¶12-13
Wednesday, April 3
You must love your neighbor as yourself.—Jas. 2:8.
Jehovah is now drawing together “a great crowd” of people and training them as subjects of his Kingdom. (Rev. 7:9, 10) Despite living today in a world divided by fear and war, those making up this group strive to overcome all national, tribal, and personal hatreds. They are already symbolically beating their swords into plowshares. (Mic. 4:3) Instead of participating in wars that cause so much death, they are helping people to find “the real life” by teaching them about the true God and his purposes. (1 Tim. 6:19) Family members may turn against them or they may suffer financially because they support God’s Kingdom, but Jehovah makes sure that they have the things they need. (Matt. 6:25, 30-33; Luke 18:29, 30) Those facts assure us that God’s Kingdom is a reality and that it will continue to fulfill Jehovah’s purpose. w22.12 5 ¶13
Thursday, April 4
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.—Rev. 22:20.
By the end of the 1,000 years, all those living on earth will have been restored to perfect life. No longer will anyone living be affected by the sin that was originally inherited from Adam. (Rom. 5:12) The curse of Adamic sin will have been completely removed. In that way, those on earth will “come to life” as perfect humans at the end of the 1,000 years. (Rev. 20:5) We know that Jesus resisted Satan’s efforts to make him compromise his integrity. He remained faithful under test. But will all perfect humans be willing to do so when Satan is given an opportunity to test them? Each one will be able to answer this question for himself when Satan is released from the abyss at the end of the 1,000 years. (Rev. 20:7) Those who prove faithful during this final test will receive everlasting life and finally enjoy true freedom. (Rom. 8:21) Those who rebel will be destroyed forever.—Rev. 20:8-10. w22.05 19 ¶18-19
Friday, April 5
You will strike him in the heel.—Gen. 3:15.
That prophecy was fulfilled when Satan incited the Jews and the Romans to put the Son of God to death. (Luke 23:13, 20-24) Just as a literal heel wound can temporarily cripple someone, Jesus’ death temporarily put him out of action and he lay lifeless in the grave for parts of three days. (Matt. 16:21) If the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 was to be fulfilled, Jesus could not remain in the grave. Why not? Because according to the prophecy, the offspring would crush the serpent’s head. This meant that Jesus would need to recover from his heel wound. And indeed he did! On the third day after his death, Jesus was resurrected as an immortal spirit creature. In God’s due time, Jesus will crush Satan out of existence. (Heb. 2:14) Those who will rule with Christ will share in ridding the earth of all of God’s enemies—the offspring of the serpent.—Rev. 17:14; 20:4, 10. w22.07 16 ¶11-12
Saturday, April 6
The one walking with the wise will become wise.—Prov. 13:20.
Parents, help your children develop wholesome friendships. God’s Word makes it clear that our friendships have an influence on us—either for good or for bad. Do you know your children’s friends? What can you do to help your children make friends with those who love Jehovah? (1 Cor. 15:33) You can help them make wise choices by inviting some who are doing well spiritually to join you in your family activities. (Ps. 119:63) A father named Tony explains: “Over the years, my wife and I have invited to our home brothers and sisters of different ages and backgrounds. They share a meal with us and join in our family worship. This is a great way to get to know those who love and serve Jehovah with joy. . . . Their experiences, zeal, and self-sacrificing spirit have had a tremendous impact on our children and have helped them draw close to Jehovah.” w22.05 29-30 ¶14-15
Sunday, April 7
Whatever things you may bind on earth will be things already bound in heaven.—Matt. 18:18.
When the elders meet with a wrongdoer, their goal is to reach the same decision on earth that has already been reached in heaven. How does this arrangement benefit the congregation? It ensures that unrepentant wrongdoers who might harm Jehovah’s precious sheep are removed. (1 Cor. 5:6, 7, 11-13; Titus 3:10, 11) It may also help a sinner to repent and benefit from Jehovah’s forgiveness. (Luke 5:32) The elders pray in behalf of a repentant one and ask Jehovah to help him recover spiritually. (Jas. 5:15) Suppose that a person is not repentant when the elders meet with him. In that case, he will be disfellowshipped from the congregation. Yet, if the person later comes to his senses and sincerely repents and turns around, Jehovah is willing to pardon him. (Luke 15:17-24) That is true even if his sins were very serious.—2 Chron. 33:9, 12, 13; 1 Tim. 1:15. w22.06 9 ¶5-6
Monday, April 8
Keep your senses, be watchful! Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.—1 Pet. 5:8.
With Jehovah’s help, Christians earth wide have overcome challenging situations and have been successful in opposing the Devil. (1 Pet. 5:9) You can too. Very soon, Jehovah will direct Jesus and his corulers “to break up the works of the Devil.” (1 John 3:8) After that, God’s people serving him on earth will “fear nothing and have no cause for terror.” (Isa. 54:14; Mic. 4:4) Until then, though, we need to work hard to overcome our fears. We must continue to strengthen our confidence that Jehovah loves and protects his servants. We will be helped to do this by meditating on and talking about how Jehovah has protected his servants in the past. And we can bear in mind how he has helped us personally to face distressing situations. With Jehovah’s help, we can overcome our fears!—Ps. 34:4. w22.06 19 ¶19-20
Tuesday, April 9
It struck the image on its feet of iron and of clay.—Dan. 2:34.
The world power represented by the “feet of iron and of clay” has already appeared. It came into existence during World War I when Britain and the United States forged a special partnership, the Anglo-American alliance. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream image also foretold things about this world power that would distinguish it from the previous kingdoms. Unlike the previous world powers mentioned in the vision, the Anglo-American alliance is symbolized, not by a solid metal like gold or silver, but by a mixture of iron and clay. The clay represents “the offspring of mankind,” or the common people. (Dan. 2:43, ftn.) As is plainly evident today, their influence in elections, civil rights campaigns, mass protests, and labor unions weakens the ability of this world power to implement its policies. w22.07 4-5 ¶9-10
Wednesday, April 10
My food is to do the will of him who sent me.—John 4:34.
Are you hesitant about getting baptized? It might help if you ask yourself, ‘Why wait?’ (Acts 8:36) Note that Jesus compared doing his Father’s will to food. Why? Food is good for us. Jesus knew that everything that Jehovah asks us to do is good for us. Jehovah does not want us to do anything that would result in our harm. Does Jehovah’s will for you include getting baptized? Yes. (Acts 2:38) Then you can be confident that obeying the command to get baptized will benefit you. If you would not hesitate to enjoy the best meal ever, why hesitate to get baptized? Why wait? Many might answer this way, “I am not ready yet.” The fact is that the decision to dedicate yourself to Jehovah and to get baptized is the most important decision you will ever make. So it does take time, careful thought, and diligent effort to get ready. w23.03 7 ¶18-20
Thursday, April 11
It says, “and to your offspring,” in the sense of one, who is Christ.—Gal. 3:16.
At his anointing, Jesus became the primary part of the offspring of the woman. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, God “crowned him with glory and honor” and gave him “all authority . . . in heaven and on the earth,” including the authority “to break up the works of the Devil.” (Heb. 2:7; Matt. 28:18; 1 John 3:8) But there would be a secondary part of the offspring. The apostle Paul identified this part of the offspring when he told both Jewish and Gentile anointed Christians: “If you belong to Christ, you are really Abraham’s offspring, heirs with reference to a promise.” (Gal. 3:28, 29) When Jehovah anoints a Christian with holy spirit, that person becomes part of the offspring of the woman. So the offspring is made up of Jesus Christ and his 144,000 corulers. (Rev. 14:1) All of these reflect the spirit of their Father, Jehovah God. w22.07 16 ¶8-9
Friday, April 12
I loathe my life; I do not want to go on living.—Job 7:16.
We expect to face trials during these last days. (2 Tim. 3:1) At such times, we may feel distressed and overwhelmed, especially if it seems that we are facing one trial after another or even several trials all at once. Remember, though, that Jehovah is watching over us, and with his help we can face any trial with confidence. Consider how Jehovah helped the faithful man Job. He experienced several distressing trials in a short period of time. In one day, Job learned about violent and shocking events that cost him his livestock, killed his servants and, even worse, took the lives of his beloved children. (Job 1:13-19) Soon after, while still dealing with his immense grief, Job was afflicted with a painful and disfiguring disease. (Job 2:7) Jehovah was watching over Job. Because Jehovah loved Job, He gave him what he needed to endure his trials successfully. w22.08 11 ¶8-10
Saturday, April 13
Those whom Jehovah loves he disciplines.—Heb. 12:6.
Discipline can be emotionally painful. We may feel that it is not justified or that it is too harsh. As a result, we may miss out on something special—seeing the discipline as an expression of Jehovah’s love for us. (Heb. 12:5, 11) So accept discipline, and make the needed adjustments. More than once, Jesus corrected Peter in front of the other apostles. (Mark 8:33; Luke 22:31-34) What a humbling experience! However, Peter remained loyal to Jesus. He accepted the discipline and learned from his mistakes. Consequently, Jehovah rewarded Peter’s loyalty and assigned him weighty responsibilities in the congregation. (John 21:15-17; Acts 10:24-33; 1 Pet. 1:1) We benefit ourselves and others when we see beyond the embarrassment of the discipline, accept the correction, and make the needed adjustments. When we do so, we become even more useful to Jehovah and to our brothers. w22.11 21-22 ¶6-7
Sunday, April 14
Offer [Isaac] up there as a burnt offering.—Gen. 22:2.
Abraham knew that Jehovah would never do anything unrighteous or unloving. According to the apostle Paul, Abraham reasoned that Jehovah would be able to resurrect his dear son Isaac. (Heb. 11:17-19) After all, Jehovah had promised that Isaac would father a nation, and at that point, Isaac had no children. Abraham loved Jehovah, so he trusted that his Father would act with righteousness. In faith he obeyed, difficult though it was. (Gen. 22:1-12) How can we imitate Abraham? Like him, we need to keep learning about Jehovah. As we do, we will draw closer to him and love him even more. (Ps. 73:28) Our conscience will be trained to reflect God’s thinking. (Heb. 5:14) As a result, when someone tries to tempt us to do something wrong, we will refuse. We will hate the very idea of doing anything that would bring pain to our Father and would damage our relationship with him. w22.08 28-29 ¶11-12
Monday, April 15
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up.—Prov. 12:25.
On their return visit to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, the apostle Paul and Barnabas “appointed elders for them in each congregation.” (Acts 14:21-23) No doubt those appointed men proved to be a source of comfort to the congregations, as the elders are today. Elders, be alert to help those who may need “a good word” of encouragement. Paul reminded fellow worshippers that in Jehovah’s strength, “a great cloud of witnesses” had endured hardships. (Heb. 12:1) Paul understood how the life stories of those in the past who successfully endured all kinds of hardships could infuse his brothers and sisters with courage and help them keep focused on the “city of the living God.” (Heb. 12:22) The same is true today. Who has not been strengthened when reading about how Jehovah helped Gideon, Barak, David, Samuel, and many others?—Heb. 11:32-35. w22.08 21-22 ¶5-6
Tuesday, April 16
They were judged individually according to their deeds.—Rev. 20:13.
Based on what “deeds” will resurrected ones be judged? Will it be the deeds they practiced before they died? No! Remember, they were acquitted of their previous sins when they died. Here, then, “their deeds” cannot be deeds from their former life. Rather, these must refer to their deeds in response to their training in the new world. Even such faithful men as Noah, Samuel, David, and Daniel will have to learn about Jesus Christ and exercise faith in his sacrifice. How much more so will the unrighteous! What will be the final outcome for those who reject this marvelous opportunity? Revelation 20:15 tells us: “Whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.” Yes, they will be completely destroyed forever. How important it is, then, to make sure that our name is written in the book of life and that it remains there! w22.09 19 ¶17-19
Wednesday, April 17
Maintain a clear conscience before God and men.—Acts 24:16.
Many of the choices we make regarding our health and medical treatment are rightly determined by our Bible-trained conscience. (1 Tim. 3:9) When making decisions and discussing them with others, we do well to apply the principle recorded at Philippians 4:5: “Let your reasonableness become known to all men.” When we are reasonable, we do not become overly concerned with our physical health. We love and respect our brothers and sisters, even if the decisions they make are different from ours. (Rom. 14:10-12) We show our gratitude to Jehovah, the Source of life, by safeguarding our life and by giving him our best. (Rev. 4:11) For now, we must deal with sicknesses and calamities. But this is not the life our Creator intended for us. Soon he will give us everlasting life without pain and death. (Rev. 21:4) In the meantime, how good it is to be alive and to serve our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah! w23.02 25 ¶17-18
Thursday, April 18
Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.—Dan. 5:28.
Jehovah has clearly demonstrated his supremacy over “the superior authorities.” (Rom. 13:1) Consider three examples. Pharaoh of Egypt enslaved Jehovah’s people and repeatedly refused to release them. But God set them free and drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea. (Ex. 14:26-28; Ps. 136:15) King Belshazzar of Babylon held a feast and “exalted [himself] against the Lord of the heavens” and “praised gods of silver and gold” instead of Jehovah. (Dan. 5:22, 23) But God humbled that arrogant man. On “that very night,” Belshazzar was killed and his kingdom was given into the hands of the Medes and the Persians. (Dan. 5:30, 31) King Herod Agrippa I of Palestine had the apostle James killed and then imprisoned the apostle Peter, with the intention of doing away with him. But Jehovah prevented Herod from carrying out his plan. “The angel of Jehovah struck him,” and he died.—Acts 12:1-5, 21-23. w22.10 15 ¶12
Friday, April 19
I will listen to you.—Jer. 29:12.
As we read about how Jehovah cared for those who were loyal to him in the past, our hope will grow ever stronger. Everything in God’s Word was “written for our instruction, so that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4) Meditate on how Jehovah has kept his promises. Consider what God did for Abraham and Sarah. They reached the age when they could not have children. Yet, God promised them that they would have a child. (Gen. 18:10) How did Abraham react? The Bible says: “He had faith that he would become the father of many nations.” (Rom. 4:18) Even though from a human perspective the situation appeared hopeless, Abraham was confident that Jehovah would fulfill His promise. That faithful man was not disappointed. (Rom. 4:19-21) Such accounts teach us that we can always rely on Jehovah to fulfill his promises. w22.10 27 ¶13-14
Saturday, April 20
You will see your Grand Instructor with your own eyes.—Isa. 30:20.
Those words were fulfilled when the Jews were released from captivity. Jehovah proved to be a Grand Instructor for them, and under his guidance, his people succeeded in restoring pure worship. We are blessed to have Jehovah as our Grand Instructor today. Isaiah describes us as students who are being taught by Jehovah, saying: “You will see your Grand Instructor with your own eyes.” In this illustration, the Instructor is depicted as standing in front of his students. We are privileged to benefit from his instruction today. How does Jehovah instruct us? By means of his organization. How thankful we are for the clear guidance we receive from that source! The instruction given at our meetings as well as through the publications, broadcasts, and many other means helps us during challenging times to endure with joy. w22.11 10 ¶8-9
Sunday, April 21
What will be the sign . . . of the conclusion of the system of things?—Matt. 24:3.
With regard to the timing of the end of the Jewish system of things and “the conclusion of the system of things” in which we now live, Jesus said: “Concerning that day or the hour nobody knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father.” Then he warned all his disciples to “keep awake” and to “keep on the watch.” (Mark 13:32-37) Jewish Christians in the first century had to remain watchful; their life depended on it. Jesus told his followers: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near.” At that moment, they were to heed Jesus’ warning and “begin fleeing to the mountains.” (Luke 21:20, 21) Those who paid attention to this warning survived when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem. Today we are living in the time of the end of this wicked system of things. So we too must keep our senses and keep on the watch. w23.02 14 ¶1-2; 16 ¶3
Monday, April 22
Jehovah, the God of truth.—Ps. 31:5.
Jehovah teaches his servants to be honest and righteous. They thus find a measure of dignity and inner peace. (Prov. 13:5, 6) Has he done that for you as you have studied the Bible? You have learned that Jehovah’s ways are best for all humankind and for you personally. (Ps. 77:13) So you want to take your stand for God’s righteousness. (Matt. 6:33) You want to defend truth and help to disprove the slander about our God, Jehovah. How can you do that? You can choose a life course that says, in effect: “I reject Satan’s lies, and I uphold the truth. I want Jehovah as my Sovereign, and I want to do what he says is right.” How do you take such a stand? Approach Jehovah in prayer and dedicate yourself to him and then make that dedication public by getting baptized. Love for what is true and right is a powerful motive for choosing to get baptized. w23.03 3 ¶4-5
Tuesday, April 23
Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let them shrink out of fear.—John 14:27.
There is a kind of peace that this world knows nothing about. It is “the peace of God,” the calmness that comes from having a precious relationship with our heavenly Father. When we have the peace of God, we feel secure. (Phil. 4:6, 7) We enjoy close friendships with others who love him. And we enjoy a warm, personal relationship with “the God of peace.” (1 Thess. 5:23) When we know, trust, and obey our Father, the peace of God can calm our anxious heart when we are facing a troubling situation. Is it really possible to find the peace of God when we are faced with a crisis, such as a disease outbreak, a disaster, civil unrest, or persecution? Any one of these crises can fill us with fear. Happily, brothers and sisters have followed Jesus’ advice as mentioned in today’s text. With Jehovah’s help, they have been able to find peace while coping with severe trials. w22.12 16 ¶1-2
Wednesday, April 24
Be aglow with the spirit. Slave for Jehovah.—Rom. 12:11.
We cannot control everything that happens in our life. Therefore, it is important that we do not measure our value by the privileges of service that we enjoy or compare our privileges with those that others enjoy. (Gal. 6:4) It is important that we look for ways in which we can be useful. Make yourself available for privileges of service by keeping your life simple and avoiding unnecessary debt. Set intermediate goals that will help you reach your long-term goals. For example, if your long-term goal is to become a regular pioneer, could you serve as a continuous auxiliary pioneer at present? If your goal is to serve as a ministerial servant, could you spend more time in field service? The experience you gain now may open the door to further privileges of service in the future. Be determined to do your best in any assignment you are given. w22.04 26 ¶16-17
Thursday, April 25
I love Jehovah because he hears my voice, my pleas for help.—Ps. 116:1.
Jehovah can help us to cope with the challenges in our life and to find joy in our sacred service. When we approach our God about a matter that concerns us, Jehovah’s immediate response may be to give us the strength to cope with the situation. And if our trial does not end as soon as we had hoped, we may need to ask Jehovah repeatedly for the strength to endure it. He invites us to do so. That is implied by these words of Isaiah: “Do not give [Jehovah] any rest.” (Isa. 62:7) What does that mean? Our prayers to Jehovah should be so persistent that it is as if we were not allowing Jehovah to rest. Isaiah’s words remind us of Jesus’ illustrations about prayer found at Luke 11:8-10, 13. There Jesus encourages us to “keep on asking” for holy spirit. We can also beg Jehovah to provide the guidance we need in order to make proper decisions. w22.11 8 ¶1; 9 ¶6-7
Friday, April 26
We must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.—Acts 14:22.
You and your family can prepare now for persecution. Do not try to imagine all the bad things that could happen. Instead, strengthen your friendship with Jehovah and help your children to do the same. If at times you feel anxious, pour out your heart to God. (Ps. 62:7, 8) As a family, discuss all the reasons why you can trust in him. As in the case of a disaster, your personal preparation and your trust in Jehovah will instill in your children courage and peace. The peace of God makes us feel secure. (Phil. 4:6, 7) By means of it, Jehovah calms our heart despite the diseases, disasters, and persecution that can affect us today. He uses hardworking elders to shepherd us. And he gives all of us the privilege of helping one another. The peace that we enjoy now will equip us to face greater trials to come, even the “great tribulation.”—Matt. 24:21. w22.12 27 ¶17-18
Saturday, April 27
I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.—Matt. 9:13.
We should strive to let go of guilt that we may feel because of serious sins committed in the past. Of course, we would never consider the ransom sacrifice to be an excuse to “practice sin willfully.” (Heb. 10:26-31) But we can rest assured that if we truly have repented of a serious sin, have sought the help Jehovah provides, and have changed our conduct, he has forgiven us in a large way. (Isa. 55:7; Acts 3:19) The ransom sacrifice is powerful enough to cover all our sins and will make life in Paradise possible. Life there will never be boring. We will always have interesting people to meet and meaningful work to do. Best of all, each day we will be able to come to know our heavenly Father better and enjoy what he has provided. We will never run out of things to learn about him, and there will be so much to learn about his creation. w22.12 13 ¶17, 19
Sunday, April 28
I will put enmity between you and the woman.—Gen. 3:15.
“The woman” could not have been Eve. The prophecy states that the offspring of the woman would “crush” the serpent’s head. The serpent is the spirit creature Satan, and no imperfect human offspring of Eve’s would have the ability to crush him. Something more was needed. The identity of the woman mentioned at Genesis 3:15 is revealed in the last book of the Bible. (Rev. 12:1, 2, 5, 10) This is no ordinary woman! She has the moon at her feet and a crown of 12 stars on her head. She gives birth to a most unusual child—the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom is heavenly, so the woman must also be heavenly. She represents the heavenly part of Jehovah’s organization made up of his faithful spirit creatures. (Gal. 4:26) God’s Word also helps us to identify the primary offspring of the woman. This offspring was to be a natural descendant of Abraham.—Gen. 22:15-18. w22.07 15-16 ¶6-8
Monday, April 29
You accepted it not as the word of men but, just as it truthfully is, as the word of God.—1 Thess. 2:13.
Jehovah’s gift, the Bible, is filled with his wisdom. The Bible’s counsel has a positive effect on people. The Bible changes lives. When the first books of the Bible were composed, Moses told God’s people, the Israelites: “This is no empty word for you, but it means your life.” (Deut. 32:47) Those who obeyed the Scriptures could enjoy a successful and happy life. (Ps. 1:2, 3) Time has not drained God’s Word of its power to improve people’s lives. The wise principles found in the Bible are everlasting; they have proved to be beneficial to people living in every time period. As we read that sacred book and meditate on what we learn, the Author uses his powerful holy spirit to help us see how we can apply the Bible’s counsel in our life. (Ps. 119:27; Mal. 3:16; Heb. 4:12) Yes, the Bible’s living Author is eager to help you. What an incentive to read the Bible regularly! w23.02 3 ¶5-6
Tuesday, April 30
He will bring ruin in an extraordinary way.—Dan. 8:24.
Revelation chapter 13 tells us that the seventh head, the Anglo-American World Power, acts as a wild beast with “two horns like a lamb, but it began speaking like a dragon.” This beast “performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind.” (Rev. 13:11-15) Revelation chapters 16 and 19 describe this wild beast as “the false prophet.” (Rev. 16:13; 19:20) Daniel mentions something similar, namely, that the Anglo-American World Power would “bring terrible destruction.” (Dan. 8:19, 23, 24, ftn.) That is exactly what happened during World War II. The two atomic bombs that played a decisive role in ending that war in the Pacific were the results of a joint effort by British and American scientists. The Anglo-American World Power, in effect, made “fire come down out of heaven to the earth.” w22.05 10 ¶9 |
BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Psalm 46:10—“Be Still, and Know That I Am God” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502300128 | BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Psalm 46:10—“Be Still, and Know That I Am God”
“Give in and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.”—Psalm 46:10, New World Translation.
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”—Psalm 46:10, King James Version.
Meaning of Psalm 46:10
God urges everyone to worship him and to recognize his right to rule over the earth. His power and authority are undeniable, a fact that everyone who wants to live forever will have to acknowledge.—Revelation 4:11.
“Give in and know that I am God.” Some Bible translations render the first part of this statement as “be still.” This has led to the misunderstanding that it is a command to be reverent or silent in church. However, the Hebrew phrase translated “give in and know that I am God” is an exhortation from Jehovaha God himself to people of all nations, urging them to stop opposing him and to recognize that only he is worthy of worship.
A similar exhortation is found at Psalm 2. There, God promises to take action against those who oppose him. On the other hand, those who recognize God’s authority rely on him for guidance, strength, and wisdom. “Taking refuge in Him,” they feel happy and secure, especially during difficult times.—Psalm 2:9-12.
“I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth.” In the past, Jehovah God was exalted when he used his great strength to protect his people. (Exodus 15:1-3) In the future, he will be exalted on a far grander scale when everyone on earth submits to his authority and worships him.—Psalm 86:9, 10; Isaiah 2:11.
Context of Psalm 46:10
One reference work calls Psalm 46 “a hymn celebrating the power of God, the mighty defender of his people.” When singing Psalm 46, God’s people expressed their trust in Jehovah’s ability to protect and help them. (Psalm 46:1, 2) The words reminded them that Jehovah was always with them.—Psalm 46:7, 11.
To strengthen their trust in Jehovah God’s protective power, the psalm invited them to reflect on his powerful works. (Psalm 46:8) In particular, it directed attention to his ability to put an end to war. (Psalm 46:9) In a sense, Jehovah brought an end to war in Bible times by protecting his people from enemy nations. However, the Bible promises that God will soon do so on an even greater scale when he brings an earth-wide end to war.—Isaiah 2:4.
Does Jehovah still help his worshippers today? Yes. In fact, the apostle Paul strongly encouraged Christians to rely on Him for help. (Hebrews 13:6) The thoughts contained in Psalm 46 strengthen our trust in God’s protective power. They help us to view God as “our refuge and strength.”—Psalm 46:1.
Read Psalm 46 along with explanatory footnotes and cross-references.
Watch this short video to see an overview of the book of Psalms.
a Jehovah is the personal name of God. (Psalm 83:18) See the article “Who Is Jehovah?“ |
YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Control My Anger? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502015153 | YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Control My Anger?
Quiz
Why it matters
What you can do
What your peers say
Quiz
How often do you get angry?
almost never
occasionally
every day
How bad does your anger get?
lukewarm
hot
boiling
With whom are you most likely to get angry?
a parent
a sibling
a friend
If you see the need to control your anger, this article will help you! First, consider some reasons why it’s important to stay calm when you’re provoked.
Why it matters
Your well-being. Proverbs 14:30 says: “A calm heart gives life to the body.” In contrast, the Journal of Medicine and Life says that “anger can have a direct impact upon cardiovascular diseases.”
Your friends. The Bible says: “Do not keep company with a hot-tempered man or get involved with one disposed to rage.” (Proverbs 22:24) So if you have anger issues, don’t be surprised if people avoid you. “If you don’t learn to control your temper,” says a young woman named Jasmine, “you will lose out on rewarding friendships.”
Your reputation. “If you lose your temper,” says 17-year-old Ethan, “it will become known to others and it will shape their opinion of you.” Ask yourself, ‘How do I want to be known—as a coolheaded peacemaker or as a ticking time bomb?’ The Bible says: “The one who is slow to anger has great discernment, but the impatient one displays his foolishness.”—Proverbs 14:29.
No one wants to be around someone with an explosive temper
What you can do
Consider the following scriptures and comments, and ask yourself the accompanying questions.
Proverbs 29:22: “A man prone to anger stirs up strife; anyone disposed to rage commits many transgressions.”
“In my early teen years, I had the hardest time controlling my temper. My relatives on my dad’s side have the same problem. We call it the family gene. Our tempers are very hard to control!”—Kerri.
Am I prone to anger? If I accept credit for my good qualities, is it reasonable to blame genetics for this bad quality?
Proverbs 15:1: “A mild answer turns away rage, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
“The key is to learn to control your emotions. If you cultivate a mild personality and focus on the positive, losing your temper won’t be an option—or an issue.”—Daryl.
When provoked, why is my first response crucial?
Proverbs 26:20: “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out.”
“When I respond kindly, it usually calms the other person down and we’re both able to communicate without our emotions spiraling out of control.”—Jasmine.
How might my speech or actions only add fuel to the fire?
Proverbs 22:3: “The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself, but the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences.”
“Sometimes I just need to walk away and give myself time to think about what happened, and then I can deal with it later when I’m calm.”—Gary.
When might it be best to walk away from a tense situation without giving the impression that you are turning your back on the other person?
James 3:2: “We all stumble many times.”
“We should regret our mistakes, but we should also learn from them. We need to get right back up when we fall and resolve to do better next time.”—Kerri.
Tip: Set a goal. Resolve that you will remain coolheaded for a certain period of time—perhaps a month. Keep a diary and track your progress.
WHAT YOUR PEERS SAY
“I used to think that those who gave in without getting angry were weak; now I see that they may have been showing humility—one of the most important qualities we can possess. Learning to control my temper isn’t easy, but it’s worth it!”—Alyssa.
“Taking a few deep breaths allows me time to think before I react in a way I’ll later regret. Getting angry never really solves anything. In fact, it can make things worse.”—Erik. |
Survival (su)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/su | Chapter 20
‘The Small One Becomes a Mighty Nation’
1. (a) As to the magnitude of increase of true worshipers, what did Jehovah foretell? (b) Who actually brings this about, and how?
THOSE who are worshipers of Jehovah have long been relatively few in number when compared with the population of all mankind. But in our day their number is increasing at a rate that is thrilling to lovers of righteousness. As to the magnitude of the increase, Jehovah himself foretold: “The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, shall speed it up in its own time.” (Isaiah 60:22) As that scripture states, Jehovah himself brings this to pass. How? By his causing to exist among his servants a condition that sets them in sharp contrast to the national groups around them and that strongly attracts honest-hearted ones.
2. (a) To whom is Isaiah 60:1, 2 addressed? (b) In what way was the “glory of Jehovah” made to shine on her? (c) How have the remnant “shed forth light”?
2 This was foretold at Isaiah 60:1, 2, where Jehovah addresses his “woman,” his organization made up of loyal spirit creatures as well as spirit-begotten sons on earth, saying: “Arise, O woman, shed forth light, for your light has come and upon you the very glory of Jehovah has shone forth. For, look! darkness itself will cover the earth, and thick gloom the national groups; but upon you Jehovah will shine forth, and upon you his own glory will be seen.” The basis for this contrast is the birth of the Messianic Kingdom in the hands of Jesus Christ in 1914. Then it was that the “glory of Jehovah” shone forth on his heavenly organization, which brought the Kingdom to birth. There was cause for great rejoicing among them. (Revelation 12:1, 2, 5, 10-12) And on earth the anointed remnant of Kingdom heirs shared in that joy. Beginning in 1919, they “shed forth light” as they undertook the worldwide proclamation of God’s Kingdom as the real and only hope of mankind.—1 Peter 2:9; Matthew 5:14-16.
3. (a) Why, especially since 1914, has ‘darkness covered the earth’? (b) What is the only real solution?
3 In contrast, in 1914 the world’s national groups, fighting to maintain their own sovereignty, entered into an era of violence and insecurity from which they have never recovered. The lack of stability since then has caused many to realize that, despite “scientific progress,” they have no secure future on which to count. Truly, ‘darkness covers the earth.’ Why can they find no way out? Because the nations have rejected Jehovah as Sovereign. At most, a few rulers pay lip service to a “God” whose name they never use. They are determined to run things themselves, but the problems they face are beyond man’s ability to solve. (Jeremiah 8:9; Psalm 146:3-6) The present world, with its greed and corruption, has entered its “last days.” There is no way that it can avoid the destruction that awaits it. Only people who put their full faith in God’s Kingdom can look to the future with confidence. In growing numbers, honest-hearted ones are realizing this and they are becoming actively associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses, who not only talk about the Kingdom but earnestly endeavor to live in harmony with what they preach.
‘THE LITTLE ONE BECOMES A THOUSAND’
4. In fulfillment of Isaiah 60:4, what gathering work was given first attention?
4 When World War I ended, the gathering of the Kingdom heirs had not yet been completed. There were still more “sons” and “daughters” of heavenly Jerusalem needed to fill out the foretold 144,000 that would rule with Christ in heaven. However, Jehovah foretold the windup of this work, saying: “Raise your eyes all around and see! They have all of them been collected together; they have come to you. From far away your own sons keep coming, and your daughters who will be taken care of on the flank.” (Isaiah 60:4) As a result of the Kingdom proclamation made from and after 1919, thousands more dedicated themselves to Jehovah, got baptized and were anointed with holy spirit. All together, however, the entire group of Kingdom heirs was spoken of by Jesus as being only a “little flock.” (Luke 12:32) To fulfill what was foretold at Isaiah 60:22, surely there would be more who would be gathered to true worship. Indeed that has been so!
5. How has the source of further increase been as described at Isaiah 55:5?
5 They are spoken of at Isaiah 55:5 in this way: “Look! A nation that you do not know you will call, and those of a nation who have not known you will run even to you, for the sake of Jehovah your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because he will have beautified you.” These are people from outside spiritual Israel. They come from many nations but they become a united people, all giving loyal support to God’s Kingdom. They are “a nation” that the remnant of spiritual Israel did not then “know” according to their understanding of the Scriptures, nor had this people formerly given due recognition to God’s servants. But as a result of the preaching of the good news, they are attracted because they realize that these spiritual Israelites worship the true God and because they discern in them a spiritual beauty that can result only from God’s blessing.
6. How far is the Kingdom message being carried, and with what thrilling results?
6 Despite all that Satan has done to prevent the preaching of the Kingdom message and to divert the attention of people to other pursuits, the light of truth continues to reach out even to remote parts of the earth. The result has been as God long ago prophetically said to his “woman”: “At that time you will see and certainly become radiant, and your heart will actually quiver and expand, because to you the wealthiness of the sea will direct itself; the very resources of the nations will come to you. . . . And the praises of Jehovah they will announce.” (Isaiah 60:5, 6) Yes, a “great crowd” of persons who were once a part of the “sea” of mankind alienated from God, people whose lives were darkened by the “thick gloom” that covers the nations, have joined themselves to spiritual Israel. In the eyes of God, these are truly the precious ones out of all the nations.
7. By the way in which the increase is foretold, how does Jehovah show what is truly precious in his eyes?
7 At the time of the rebuilding of Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem, he moved his prophet Haggai to announce: “‘I will rock all the nations, and the desirable things of all the nations must come in; and I will fill this house with glory,’ Jehovah of armies has said.” (Haggai 2:7) That rocking and shaking of the nations eventually leads on to their destruction, but before that takes place “the desirable things of all the nations” must be gathered out from among them and be brought into Jehovah’s great spiritual temple, his universal house of worship. Here they will find safety when the world crashes in ruins. It is such living worshipers that are precious to Jehovah. Their material wealth is not what he wants. (Micah 6:6-8) The thing of greatest value that they can give to Jehovah is their whole-souled worship. They come with offerings of heart devotion and zealous service, all of them ‘announcing the praises of Jehovah.’ What joy their appearance has brought to Jehovah’s loyal servants both in heaven and on earth!
8. What indications does the Bible give as to the extent of the ingathering of prospective earthly heirs of the Kingdom?
8 How many of these worshipers of Jehovah who cherish hope of life on a Paradise earth will there be? The Bible fixes no number. It is left open to as many persons out of all nations as will take hold of Jehovah’s loving provisions. An indication of what to expect, however, is found in Isaiah 60:8, which describes them as doves “flying just like a cloud”—a cloud that fairly darkens the earth beneath. This points to the movement of a large number of persons in a short time. With this great influx of worshipers of Jehovah, it was foretold, “the little one” of spiritual Israel would “become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation,” and Jehovah said that he would “speed it up in its own time.” (Isaiah 60:22) Does that fit what has actually taken place?
9. To what extent has such increase taken place since 1935?
9 After the first world war there were only a few thousand actively sharing in giving a public witness about the Kingdom. By 1935 they totaled fewer than 60,000 worldwide. In 1941 the number of Kingdom proclaimers passed the 100,000 mark. By 1953, there were over 500,000. Ten years later they numbered a million. By the beginning of 1984, there were 2,652,323. On an average, they devote far more than a million hours a day to showing others why only God’s Kingdom offers real hope for the future. In comparison with the number who, as Jehovah’s Witnesses, give evidence that they are subjects of Jehovah’s Messianic Kingdom, it is noteworthy that some 60 nations of the world today have individual populations that are smaller in number than this growing “nation.” This unique “nation,” however, has no part in worldly politics but is devoted exclusively to the service of the true God.
10. (a) What circumstances make this growth marvelous in our eyes? (b) What indicates that more is yet to come?
10 Is this the full extent to which this prophecy will be fulfilled? What has already taken place is ample to fit the Bible’s description. And it is marvelous, too, when we consider the circumstances under which this work has been done—the obstacles overcome, the evidence of divine direction to bring it to success, the devotion shown by those who share in it. Wonderful, too, are the changes that it has produced in the lives of people. But the increase of persons openly taking their stand for Jehovah is not stopping, nor is it slowing down. During recent years there have been, on an average, well over 10,000 each month presenting themselves for water immersion, and the total has been going up each year. All of these, by living up to what their baptism symbolizes, may have the reassuring prospect of survival into the “new earth.”
11. (a) How does the Bible indicate that these millions become part of an organization? (b) What is the principal purpose of that organization?
11 These millions of persons are not merely independent Bible students, each serving God in his own way. They are persons who submissively become part of Jehovah’s visible organization. As we have seen, first the Kingdom heirs were “collected together.” Now others out of the nations, with the hope of earthly life, are ‘coming to them.’ (Isaiah 60:4, 5) They have become united in “one flock” under “one shepherd,” Jesus Christ. (John 10:16) The apostle Peter described true Christians as a worldwide ‘association of brothers,’ and Paul urged them not to isolate themselves but to ‘gather together,’ and all the more so as the day for the execution of divine judgment draws near. (1 Peter 5:9; Hebrews 10:23-25) In that way they are strengthened and equipped to share in the grand purpose for which this organization exists. And what is that? To magnify Jehovah’s name.—1 Peter 2:9; Isaiah 12:4, 5.
A WORK TO BE DONE
12. (a) How did Jesus indicate the work in which all of us should be sharing? (b) How important is it, and why?
12 All who come into association with Jehovah’s organization soon realize that those who are in it are workers. In imitation of Jesus Christ they are all active preachers of the Kingdom of God, which is the means by which Jehovah’s name will be vindicated. Jesus himself said: “I must declare the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this I was sent forth.” (Luke 4:43) He spoke earnestly about the need for others to build their lives around the doing of God’s will. He taught his followers to do the same work he was doing. For the time in which we are living, he foretold that “this good news of the kingdom” would be “preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.” (Matthew 24:14) This is the most important work that any of us can do today. Why so? Because by means of it we uphold the rightful sovereignty of Jehovah God, upon which the well-being of all creation depends. By sharing wholeheartedly in this activity, we demonstrate our appreciation for Jehovah’s abundant undeserved kindness. We also help fellow humans to avail themselves of the only means by which it is possible for them to survive the impending great tribulation.—Compare 1 Timothy 4:15, 16.
13. (a) At Isaiah 60:17, what condition was foretold for Jehovah’s organization? (b) What must we do in order to experience it fully? (c) What prospect lies before those who do?
13 The circumstances that they find within Jehovah’s organization warm their hearts. As Jehovah foretold through Isaiah: “I will appoint peace as your overseers and righteousness as your task assigners.” (Isaiah 60:17) The peace that prevails is not mere theory but reality, a fruit of God’s holy spirit. This does not mean that an individual experiences that peace to the full simply because he associates with the organization. He personally must learn to “pursue the things making for peace and the things that are upbuilding to one another.” (Romans 14:19) He needs to learn to manifest godly wisdom in coping with the imperfections of others, to give evidence of long-suffering and self-control, to be forgiving toward others even as he wants God to forgive him. Yes, he also must ‘make peace.’ (James 3:17, 18; Galatians 5:22, 23; Colossians 3:12-14) Those who do so find great joy in being part of the “mighty nation” that is now taking shape and that is devoted to the service of Jehovah, “the happy God.” (1 Timothy 1:11) It is the members of this “nation” who will be preserved when Jehovah executes judgment against the entire world that submits to Satan as its ruler. |
Young People Ask, Volume 2 (yp2)
2008 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp2 | Role Model—David
David loves music. He’s a gifted musician and a talented songwriter. He even makes his own instruments. (2 Chronicles 7:6) David is so skilled that the king of Israel summons him to perform in the royal court. (1 Samuel 16:15-23) David accepts. But he doesn’t become conceited, nor does he allow music to dominate his life. Rather, he uses his talents to praise Jehovah.
Do you love music? You may not be a talented musician, but you can still imitate David’s example. How? By not letting music dominate your life or induce you to think and act in ways that dishonor God. Instead, use music to enhance your enjoyment of life. The ability to create and enjoy music is a gift from God. (James 1:17) David used this gift in ways that pleased Jehovah. Will you do the same? |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 8—Ruth
Writer: Samuel
Place Written: Israel
Writing Completed: c. 1090 B.C.E.
Time Covered: 11 years of judges’ rule
1. (a) Why is the book of Ruth more than just a love story? (b) What special mention is given Ruth in the Bible?
THE book of Ruth is a delightful drama that blossoms into the beautiful love story of Boaz and Ruth. However, it is no mere love idyll. Its purpose is not to entertain. The book highlights Jehovah’s purpose to produce a Kingdom heir, and it exalts His loving-kindness. (Ruth 1:8; 2:20; 3:10) The expansive quality of Jehovah’s love is seen in his selecting a Moabitess, a former worshiper of the pagan god Chemosh, who converted to the true religion, to become an ancestress of Jesus Christ. Ruth is one of four women mentioned by name in the genealogy from Abraham to Jesus. (Matt. 1:3, 5, 16) Ruth, along with Esther, is one of the two women after whom Bible books are named.
2. When did the events of Ruth take place, when was the book written, and by whom?
2 “Now it came about in the days when the judges administered justice . . . ” With these opening words, the book of Ruth launches into its thrilling narrative. From these words it is understood that the book itself was written later, in the time of the kings of Israel. However, the events related in the book covered a period of about 11 years in the time of the judges. Though the name of the writer is not stated, very likely it was Samuel, who also appears to have written Judges and who was the outstanding faithful figure at the start of the period of the kings. Since the closing verses indicate that David was already becoming prominent, this would place the writing at about 1090 B.C.E. Samuel, who was well acquainted with Jehovah’s promise of “a lion” from the tribe of Judah, and who had been used by Jehovah in anointing David of that tribe to be king in Israel, would be deeply interested in making a record of the genealogy down to David.—Gen. 49:9, 10; 1 Sam. 16:1, 13; Ruth 1:1; 2:4; 4:13, 18-22.
3. What facts confirm the canonicity of Ruth?
3 The canonical authority of Ruth has never been challenged. Sufficient confirmation of it was given when Jehovah inspired the listing of Ruth in the genealogy of Jesus at Matthew 1:5. Ruth has always been recognized by the Jews as part of the Hebrew canon. It is not surprising, then, that fragments of the book have been found among the other canonical books in the Dead Sea Scrolls that were discovered starting in 1947. Moreover, Ruth harmonizes completely with Jehovah’s Kingdom purposes as well as with the requirements of the Law of Moses. Though marriage with idol-worshiping Canaanites and Moabites was forbidden to the Israelites, this did not exclude foreigners such as Ruth who embraced Jehovah’s worship. In the book of Ruth, the law on repurchase and brother-in-law marriage is observed in all its detail.—Deut. 7:1-4; 23:3, 4; 25:5-10.
outputS OF RUTH
4. What decision faces Ruth, and what does her choice indicate as to her form of worship?
4 Ruth’s decision to stick with Naomi (1:1-22). The story opens during a season of famine in Israel. A man of Bethlehem, Elimelech, crosses the Jordan with his wife, Naomi, and two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, to settle for a time in the land of Moab. There the sons marry Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Tragedy breaks the family circle, first in the death of the father, and later in the death of his two sons. Three childless, widowed women are left, with no seed to Elimelech. Hearing that Jehovah has again turned his attention to Israel by giving his people bread, Naomi decides to journey back to her native Judah. The daughters-in-law set out with her. Naomi pleads with them to return to Moab, petitioning Jehovah’s loving-kindness in providing them with husbands from their own people. Finally Orpah “returned to her people and her gods,” but Ruth, sincere and strong in her conversion to the worship of Jehovah, sticks with Naomi. Her decision is beautifully expressed in the words: “Where you go I shall go, and where you spend the night I shall spend the night. Your people will be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I shall die, and there is where I shall be buried. May Jehovah do so to me and add to it if anything but death should make a separation between me and you.” (1:15-17) However, the widowed and childless Naomi, whose name means “My Pleasantness,” suggests for herself the name Mara, meaning “Bitter.”
5. What fine qualities does Ruth display, and how does Boaz encourage her?
5 Ruth gleans in the field of Boaz (2:1-23). On arrival in Bethlehem, Ruth obtains Naomi’s permission to glean in the barley harvest. Boaz, the owner of the field, an elderly Jew and near kinsman of her father-in-law, Elimelech, notices her. Though God’s law grants her gleaner’s rights, Ruth shows meekness by asking permission to work in the field. (Lev. 19:9, 10) This is readily granted, and Boaz tells her to glean only in his field with his young women. Saying that he has heard of her loyal conduct toward Naomi, he encourages her with the words: “May Jehovah reward the way you act, and may there come to be a perfect wage for you from Jehovah the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.” (Ruth 2:12) That evening Ruth generously shares the fruits of her labor with Naomi and explains that her success in gleaning is due to the goodwill of Boaz. Naomi sees in this the hand of Jehovah, saying: “Blessed be he of Jehovah, who has not left his loving-kindness toward the living and the dead. . . . The man is related to us. He is one of our repurchasers.” (2:20) Yes, Boaz is a near relative, who can legally raise up offspring for Naomi in the name of the dead Elimelech. Ruth continues to glean in the fields of Boaz until the barley harvest and the wheat harvest come to an end.
6. How does Ruth request marriage by repurchase, and what response does Boaz make?
6 Boaz, as repurchaser, marries Ruth (3:1–4:22). Having grown too old herself for bearing offspring, Naomi now instructs Ruth to substitute for her in marriage by repurchase. At such an important season, it was customary for the landowner personally to supervise the winnowing out of the grain, which was done in the evening in order to catch the breezes that blew after a hot day. Boaz would be sleeping at the threshing floor, and that is where Ruth finds him. She comes quietly to him, uncovers him at his feet, and lies down. On his awaking at midnight, she identifies herself and, in compliance with the customary procedure followed by women when claiming the right to brother-in-law marriage, requests that he spread his skirt over her.a Boaz declares, “Blessed may you be of Jehovah, my daughter,” and commends her for not going after the young men out of passion or greed. Far from being one who would make a proposal of impure relationship, Ruth makes a reputation as “an excellent woman.” (3:10, 11) However, as he now tells her, there is another repurchaser more closely related than himself; he will consult with this one in the morning. Ruth keeps lying at his feet until early morning. Then he presents her with a gift of grain, and she returns to Naomi, who anxiously inquires about the outcome.
7. How does Boaz negotiate the marriage, and what blessing results?
7 Boaz goes up early to the city gate to seek the repurchaser. Taking ten of the older men of the city as witnesses, he gives this next of kin first opportunity to purchase all that had belonged to Elimelech. Will he do this? His immediate answer is yes when it appears that he can increase his wealth. However, when he learns of the requirement that he perform brother-in-law marriage with Ruth, he becomes fearful for his own inheritance and then legally signifies his refusal by drawing off his sandal. In the Bible record he remains nameless, receiving only dishonorable mention as “So-and-so.” Before the same witnesses, Boaz then purchases Ruth as his wife. Is this for any selfish reason? No, but that “the name of the dead man may not be cut off.” (4:1, 10) All the onlookers ask Jehovah’s blessing on this loving arrangement, and wonderful indeed does that blessing prove to be! Ruth bears a son to Boaz in his old age, and Naomi becomes nurse to the child. He is called “a son . . . to Naomi” and is named Obed.—4:17.
8. What further indicates that the production of the Seed of promise is by Jehovah’s arrangement?
8 The closing verses of Ruth give the genealogy from Perez, through Boaz, to David. Some critics have argued that not all the generations are listed, as the time span is too great for so few persons. Is this true? Or was each one blessed with great longevity and with a son in his old age? The latter conclusion could be the correct one, emphasizing that the production of the promised Seed is by Jehovah’s arrangement and undeserved kindness, and not by the natural power of man. On other occasions Jehovah exercised his power in a similar way, as with the births of Isaac, Samuel, and John the Baptizer.—Gen. 21:1-5; 1 Sam. 1:1-20; Luke 1:5-24, 57-66.
WHY BENEFICIAL
9. In what respects are the principal persons in the drama of Ruth fine examples for us today?
9 This delightful record is certainly beneficial, helping lovers of righteousness to build strong faith. All the principals in this exciting drama showed outstanding faith in Jehovah, and they “had witness borne to them through their faith.” (Heb. 11:39) They became fine examples for us today. Naomi exhibited deep confidence in the loving-kindness of Jehovah. (Ruth 1:8; 2:20) Ruth willingly left her homeland to pursue the worship of Jehovah; she proved herself to be loyal and submissive, as well as a willing worker. It was Boaz’ keen appreciation of Jehovah’s law and his humble acquiescence in doing Jehovah’s will, as well as his love for the faithful Naomi and the industrious Ruth, that led him to perform his privilege of marriage by repurchase.
10. Why should the record in Ruth strengthen our confidence in the Kingdom promises?
10 Jehovah’s provision of marriage, and in this instance marriage by repurchase, was used to his honor. Jehovah was the Arranger of the marriage of Boaz and Ruth, and he blessed it according to his loving-kindness; he used it as a means of preserving unbroken the royal line of Judah leading to David and finally to the Greater David, Jesus Christ. Jehovah’s watchful care in producing the Kingdom Heir according to his legal provision should strengthen our assurance and make us look forward with confidence to the fulfillment of all the Kingdom promises. It should stimulate us to be busy in the modern-day harvest work, confident of a perfect wage from Jehovah, the God of spiritual Israel, under whose ‘wings we have come to seek refuge’ and whose Kingdom purposes are advancing so gloriously to their complete fulfillment. (2:12) The book of Ruth is another essential instruction in the record leading up to that Kingdom!
[Footnotes]
a Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2, page 829. |
Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 130
At the Sea of Galilee
THE apostles now return to Galilee, as Jesus had earlier instructed them to do. But they are uncertain about what they should do there. After a while, Peter tells Thomas, Nathanael, James and his brother John, and two other apostles: “I am going fishing.”
“We also are coming with you,” the six reply.
During the whole night, they fail to catch anything. However, just as it is getting light, Jesus appears on the beach, but the apostles do not discern that it is Jesus. He shouts: “Young children, you do not have anything to eat, do you?”
“No!” they shout back across the water.
“Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some,” he says. And when they do, they are unable to draw in their net because of all the fish.
“It is the Lord!” John cries.
On hearing this, Peter girds on his top garment, for he has taken his clothes off, and plunges into the sea. He then swims about a hundred yards [90 m] to shore. The other apostles follow in the little boat, dragging the net full of fish.
When they arrive onshore, there is a charcoal fire, with fish lying on it, and there is bread. “Bring some of the fish you just now caught,” Jesus says. Peter goes aboard and pulls the net ashore. It contains 153 large fish!
“Come, take your breakfast,” Jesus invites.
None of them have the courage to ask, “Who are you?” because all of them know that it is Jesus. This is his seventh postresurrection appearance, and his third to the apostles as a group. He now serves breakfast, giving each of them some bread and fish.
When they finish eating, Jesus, likely looking toward the large catch of fish, asks Peter: “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” No doubt he means, Are you more attached to the fishing business than to the work that I have prepared you to do?
“You know I have affection for you,” Peter responds.
“Feed my lambs,” Jesus replies.
Again, a second time, he asks: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Lord, you know I have affection for you,” Peter answers earnestly.
“Shepherd my little sheep,” Jesus commands again.
Then, yet a third time, he asks: “Simon son of John, do you have affection for me?”
By now Peter is grieved. He may be wondering if Jesus doubts his loyalty. After all, when Jesus was recently on trial for his life, Peter three times denied knowing him. So Peter says: “Lord, you know all things; you are aware that I have affection for you.”
“Feed my little sheep,” Jesus commands a third time.
Jesus thus uses Peter as a sounding board to impress upon the others the work that he wants them to do. He will soon leave the earth, and he wants them to take the lead in ministering to those who will be drawn into God’s sheepfold.
Just as Jesus was bound and executed because he did the work that God commissioned him to do, so, he now reveals, Peter will suffer a similar experience. “When you were younger,” Jesus tells him, “you used to gird yourself and walk about where you wanted. But when you grow old you will stretch out your hands and another man will gird you and bear you where you do not wish.” Despite the martyr’s death awaiting Peter, Jesus urges him: “Continue following me.”
Upon turning about, Peter sees John and asks: “Lord, what will this man do?”
“If it is my will for him to remain until I come,” Jesus answers, “of what concern is that to you? You continue following me.” These words of Jesus came to be understood by many of the disciples to mean that the apostle John would never die. However, as the apostle John later explained, Jesus did not say that he would not die, but Jesus simply said: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you?”
John later also made this significant observation: “There are, in fact, many other things also which Jesus did, which, if ever they were written in full detail, I suppose, the world itself could not contain the scrolls written.” John 21:1-25; Matthew 26:32; 28:7, 10.
▪ What shows that the apostles are uncertain about what they should do in Galilee?
▪ How do the apostles recognize Jesus at the Sea of Galilee?
▪ How many times has Jesus now appeared since his resurrection?
▪ How does Jesus emphasize what he wants the apostles to do?
▪ How does Jesus indicate the manner in which Peter will die?
▪ What comments of Jesus about John were misunderstood by many of the disciples? |
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 | Spirits of the Dead—Can They Help You or Harm You? Do They Really Exist? |
KEEP ON THE WATCH!
Politicians Warn of Armageddon—What Does the Bible Say? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501100055 | FPG/The Image Bank via Getty Images
KEEP ON THE WATCH!
Politicians Warn of Armageddon—What Does the Bible Say?
On the morning of Monday, October 10, 2022, Russian missiles hit cities across Ukraine in response to a massive explosion two days earlier that damaged a key bridge instructioning Crimea and Russia. These events come on the heels of warnings by politicians that we may be facing Armageddon.
“We have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since [U.S. President John F.] Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis. . . . I don’t think there’s any such thing as an ability to easily [use] a tactical nuclear weapon and not end up with Armageddon.”—U.S. President Joe Biden, October 6, 2022.
“I agree that this is Armageddon, it’s a risk for the whole planet.”—Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky, when asked about the consequences of using nuclear weapons, BBC News, October 8, 2022.
Will the possible use of nuclear weapons lead to Armageddon? What does the Bible say?
Will nuclear weapons trigger Armageddon?
No. The word “Armageddon” is found only once in the Bible at Revelation 16:16. It does not refer to a war between nations but to a war between God and “the kings of the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 16:14) God will use the battle of Armageddon to end human rulership.—Daniel 2:44.
To learn more about what Armageddon will mean for the earth, read the article What Is the Battle of Armageddon?
Will the earth and its inhabitants be destroyed by nuclear war?
No. Although human rulers may use nuclear weapons in the future, God will not allow the earth to be destroyed. The Bible states:
“The earth remains forever.”—Ecclesiastes 1:4.
“The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.”—Psalm 37:29.
However, Bible prophecy and current events do indicate that we are approaching a turning point in human history. (Matthew 24:3-7; 2 Timothy 3:1-5) Find out what the Bible says about the future by means of our free interactive Bible course. |
The Mystery of Nan Madol | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102001006 | The Mystery of Nan Madol
Who built this ‘Venice of the South Seas’? How did they do it? Why did they abandon it?
DO YOU like a good mystery—one that is spiced with adventure? Then come and investigate the ruins of Nan Madol, a centuries-old enigma that has puzzled many visitors.
Nan Madol is an intriguing maze of man-made islets and canals built a thousand years ago on a shallow reef on the edge of the Micronesian island of Pohnpei.a As we approach by water, mangrove trees and dense tropical vegetation hide the ruins from view. Suddenly, as our boat eases around a bend, we are confronted by these triumphs of engineering.
Massive walls, some as long as a city block, appear first. These great walls, which sweep up to a gentle peak at their corners, were constructed of huge basalt columns stacked in crisscross fashion.
The name Nan Madol means “Places in Between,” and this well describes the network of man-made canals that surrounds the islands. European sailors of the 1800’s were likely the first outsiders to come upon Nan Madol. They were so awestruck by the sight that they dubbed this former political and religious center the Venice of the South Seas. But those sailors never witnessed the full splendor of Nan Madol, for it had been mysteriously abandoned about a century before they arrived.
Our two guides told us that Nan Madol covers about 200 acres. Each of its 92 islets, they explained, had a specific purpose. Some were used as residential centers. Others were set aside for such things as food preparation, canoe making, and ceremonial dancing. While the islands were built in various shapes and sizes, a typical one is rectangular and is about as big as a football field. Most of the islets are overgrown with vegetation, but what can be explored is fascinating.
Fortress of Kings
The imposing fortress called Nan Douwas is the best spot to contemplate the mystery of Nan Madol. Although it is possible to wade through seawater to explore these ruins, it is better to reach them by boat. Nan Madol was designed for water traffic, and its canals are as wide as four-lane highways. They are also quite shallow. At high tide the water is no more than waist deep, which, in centuries gone by, undoubtedly protected Nan Madol from invading ships. Our guides carefully steered through the waterways to avoid damaging boat propellers on the coral bottom.
Once docked at Nan Douwas, we stepped onto stairs leading directly into the ancient sanctuary. This noble entryway took us past walls 10 to 15 feet [3 to 4 m] thick and 25 to 30 feet [8 to 9 m] high. These sturdy towers have withstood tropical storms and even typhoons.
Inside the mammoth walls, a large courtyard guarding a stone vault awaited us. This solemn setting is the royal mortuary, where kings were once mourned. Exploring further, we found what appeared to be an underground passage. Our guides encouraged us to squeeze through the narrow opening in the stones, and soon we were crouched in a small, dark underground chamber. “You are in jail,” one guide explained. “This is where prisoners on Nan Madol were kept.” Imagining how a prisoner must have felt when the jail “door” was sealed with a two-ton stone, we were glad to get back outside.
Unusual Building Blocks
Wandering through the ruins of Nan Madol helped us to appreciate the effort that must have gone into its construction. Coral rubble serves as foundations for the islets. These were designed to bear hefty stacks of long basalt columns. The columns are so striking in appearance that early visitors thought they had been shaped by hand. Later, it was found that they are naturally prismlike, each having between five and eight sides.
Thousands of megalithic columns—some measuring up to 18 feet [5 m] and weighing more than five tons—had to be brought in. One of the foundation cornerstones is estimated to weigh 50 tons! Since in shallow water a raft would sink under such weight, we are forced to wonder, ‘How were these enormous rocks transported to Nan Madol and then lifted into place?’ Why, the nearest source of basalt is miles away—nearly halfway around the island of Pohnpei!
Over the years, the mystery of Nan Madol has spawned some imaginative legends. One has it that many centuries ago two brothers were empowered by the gods with magical ability to “fly” heavy stones to the building site. According to another legend, Pohnpei was once inhabited by an advanced society that knew the secret of controlling sound waves, enabling them to levitate the huge stones into place.
Our guides told us a more plausible explanation—that Nan Madol was built by a large human labor force and took centuries to complete. Most likely the basalt logs were hoisted into position with brute force, using inclined trunks of palm trees as supports. But still we ask, “How were the heavy stones transported to Nan Madol?”
Will the Mystery Be Solved?
No one can say exactly how Nan Madol was built or, perhaps even more intriguing, why it was abandoned. Many claim that Nan Madol was attacked and conquered. Others say that foreigners brought disease to Pohnpei, decimating the population. Another theory is that a strong typhoon destroyed the island’s food supply, forcing evacuation. Whatever the reason, Nan Madol has been deserted for at least 200 years.
Thus, this ancient wonder leaves us with many questions and few answers. As our boat pulled away, we could not help but ponder the question, Will anyone ever solve the mystery of Nan Madol?
[Footnote]
a Pohnpei is located near the equator, about 3,000 miles [5,000 km] southwest of Hawaii.
[Map on page 16]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Pohnpei
[Picture on page 16]
The dock and main entry of the fortress
[Picture on page 17]
The massive outer wall
[Picture on page 18]
The central stone burial vault
[Picture on page 18]
Some of the 200 acres of man-made canals
[Credit Line]
© 2000 Nik Wheeler |
Organized (od)
2019 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/od | A Letter From the Governing Body
Dear Fellow Publishers of the Good News:
What an amazing privilege we have to be united in the worship of the only true God, Jehovah! We are his “fellow workers,” entrusted with the sacred and lifesaving work of preaching and teaching the good news of his established Kingdom. (1 Cor. 3:9; Matt. 28:19, 20) To accomplish this worldwide work in peace and unity, we must be well-organized.—1 Cor. 14:40.
This book will help you to understand how the Christian congregation functions today. It discusses the privileges and responsibilities that you have as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. If you value your privileges and fulfill your responsibilities, you will be “made firm in the faith.”—Acts 16:4, 5; Gal. 6:5.
Therefore, we encourage you to study this book carefully. Look for ways that you can apply the information in your own life. For example, if you have recently become an unbaptized publisher, what steps must you take to get baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? On the other hand, if you are baptized, what can you do to grow spiritually and expand your service to Jehovah? (1 Tim. 4:15) How can you contribute to the peace of the congregation? (2 Cor. 13:11) Look for the answers to these questions in this book.
If you are a baptized male, what can you do to qualify to serve as a ministerial servant and later as an elder? As thousands of new ones continue to flock to God’s organization, there is an urgent need for qualified brothers to take the lead. This book will help you to see what is involved in “reaching out” for these spiritual goals.—1 Tim. 3:1.
We earnestly pray that this book will help you to see your place in Jehovah’s arrangement and to treasure it. We love all of you very much and continue to pray that you will be among those who eternally rejoice in worshipping our heavenly Father, Jehovah.—Ps. 37:10, 11; Isa. 65:21-25.
Your brothers,
Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses |
World Government (go)
1977 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/go | Chapter 12
How We Can Enjoy the World Government Forever
1. Under the “new heavens” what will spring up on earth?
WORLD GOVERNMENT by the Creator of heaven and earth will be a thing to enjoy forever. It will stand for all time and will ever handle mankind’s affairs with perfect success. After the storm clouds of mankind’s greatest “time of distress” have passed over, this world government of Jehovah God by Jesus Christ will be the “new heavens” that will arch out brilliantly over all the earth. On earth a new and righteous human society will spring up that will respond harmoniously to the governmental “new heavens.” The way to Paradise will be opened!
2. What question may we ask ourselves about being eyewitnesses?
2 Just think of it: There are to be direct eyewitnesses of the setting up of the “new heavens” in which righteousness is to dwell. Will these eyewitnesses include us? We can rightly ask ourselves that question, for the Bible assures us that there will be survivors without specified number who will be here on earth to hail with joy the inauguration of the “new heavens.” By no means will those “new heavens” be established over a depopulated earth. Right from the start of their righteous rule they will have willing subjects here on the cleansed earth. By the unmerited kindness of the Creator of the “new heavens and a new earth,” the remnant of Christ’s spiritual “brothers” and the unnumbered “great crowd” of those who aided and supported Christ’s “brothers” will have an experience like that of the apostle John. Their eyes will be entranced, as were John’s, at the vision about which he said: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more.”—Revelation 21:1; Isaiah 65:17.
3. In what way will it be that “the sea is no more”?
3 What? Will the seven seas of our globe be evaporated during the fiery “day of Jehovah” and be no more? Happily not! John speaks of a symbolic “sea.” Consequently, when, in due time, the remnant and the “great crowd” of their fellow survivors look out over the new scene, they will not see on the cleansed earth anywhere any restless, dissatisfied, turbulent society expressing opposition to God’s established world government. The “world of ungodly people” will have been dried up, wiped out, removed during the “great tribulation” that will have just ended. Such a “sea” of polluted, filth-laden water will not survive the judgment day on which Jehovah’s anger is poured out like fire.—Revelation 8:8, 9; 10:2; 13:1; 16:3; 17:15; 2 Peter 2:5; Isaiah 17:12; 57:20.
4. What other element is to be removed besides the “sea”?
4 That boisterous element on earth that has roared against God’s world government by Christ will not be the only opposition group that will be put out of action. Another opposition group, an even more powerful one, will be removed from the neighborhood of our earth. Who are these latter ones? The symbolic Dragon, Satan the Devil, and all his demon angels. After the war in heaven that followed upon the birth of God’s Messianic kingdom at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914, that “ruler of the demons,” together with his legions of demon angels, was ousted from heaven. Down to the vicinity of our earth they were hurled, to be restrained there for “a short period of time.” In great anger over his ouster and eternal debarment from heaven, this superhuman Dragon, like a huge Leviathan, has churned up the “sea” of restless humanity against the newborn kingdom of God by Christ and its reign of a thousand years.—Revelation 12:3-13; Job 41:1-32.
5, 6. (a) When and how will Satan and the demon angels be put to silence? (b) In support of what will the “great crowd” cry out?
5 After the Dragon, Satan the Devil, sees his earthly servants defeated in the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon, he and his invisible legions reach the end of their “short period of time.” What then? In a prophetic preview of the postwar period, the apostle John saw all that demon band removed from the neighborhood of our earth and imprisoned, chained, in an abyss, under a seal that was not to be broken for a thousand years. In this thoroughgoing way both heaven and earth are cleared of all wicked opposers of Jehovah’s world government by his Christ. (Revelation 16:14, 16; Re 19:19 through 20:3) What an ideal condition now prevails universally! How enjoyable life will become for us if we prove worthy to be part of the “great crowd” of “tribulation” survivors! Satan the Devil and all who imitate him in challenging God’s rightful sovereignty of heaven and earth will have been silenced and removed. In hearty support of Jehovah’s sovereignty the “great crowd” will take their stand before his throne and cry out:
6 “Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.”—Revelation 7:9, 10, 14, 15.
A LIFE-GIVING WORLD GOVERNMENT
7. Revelation 21:2-5 shows that God’s government gives mankind what?
7 Salvation out of the “great tribulation” is one thing, of surpassing grandeur indeed, but eternal life in good health and happiness is another thing, of all-transcending grandeur. This latter benefit is what the divine world government will offer to earth’s inhabitants. In words of sheer beauty, the apostle John tells us of this. After remarking that then “the sea is no more,” he says, “I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne [hence God’s voice] say: ‘Look! The tent of God [not, the throne of God] is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things [including the former heaven and earth] have passed away.’ And the One seated on the throne [God] said: ‘Look! I am making all things new.’”—Revelation 21:2-5.
8. The New Jerusalem represents what and brings what to men?
8 The expression, “the holy city, New Jerusalem,” denotes a government, just as ancient Jerusalem in the days of King David and his son, King Solomon, denoted a government, these kings being said to sit on “Jehovah’s throne” as His representatives. (1 Chronicles 29:23) Has any government till now been able to give to the people on earth what the New Jerusalem will bring, wiping away of tears because of calamities and heartaches, removal of death, mourning, outcry and pain of heart? All mankind’s mournful condition till now answers No! But the New Jerusalem can and will bring those blessings because it is a government from God. God’s beloved Son, Jesus Christ, tasted a sacrificial human death for all mankind to lift inherited death from us forever. For the realization of that he must reign for a thousand years.—1 Timothy 2:5, 6; Hebrews 2:9; 1 Corinthians 15:24-27.
9. The New Jerusalem will consist of what?
9 A government is not an automaton, a thing set in motion and running automatically. To function, it requires governors or officials. Who, then, will compose the God-given New Jerusalem? God’s angel explained to the apostle John that the New Jerusalem is “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” That signifies that it is the congregation of the 144,000 disciples and joint heirs with Jesus Christ the Lamb, all spiritual Israelites. (Revelation 21:9-14; 7:4-8; 14:1-4; 19:7, 8; 2 Corinthians 11:2) However, because the New Jerusalem class is spoken of as a bride, a wife, this class is not here spoken of as reigning, but it is her Bridegroom that reigns.
10. In what way do God and Jesus occupy the throne in “the city”?
10 Just as “Jehovah’s throne” was located in ancient earthly Jerusalem and King David and his succession of kings sat upon that throne as Jehovah’s visible representatives, so the case is similar here with the New Jerusalem. We read: “The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city.” It is from this throne that the “river of water of life” flows for the eternal life of the subjects of God’s kingdom by Christ. (Revelation 22:1, 3) Accordingly, in the New Jerusalem the Lamb Jesus Christ sits upon “Jehovah’s throne” as the Messianic King anointed by Him. This royal descendant of Kings David and Solomon is greater than these forefathers of his, for his kingdom is heavenly and will be a world government: “He will have subjects from sea to sea and from the River [Euphrates] to the ends of the earth.” (Psalm 72:8) His rulership will be global.—Zechariah 9:9, 10; Psalm 110:1, 2.
11. (a) When and how is the Bride class completed? (b) What does the World Ruler, Jesus, become to his subjects, and on what basis?
11 At a time not indicated, the remnant of Christ’s joint heirs will pass off the earthly scene and, by means of the “first resurrection,” they will be united with their heavenly Bridegroom and thus the entire Bride class of 144,000 joint heirs will be completed. (Revelation 20:4, 6) But the “great crowd” of their virginlike companions will continue here on earth as subjects of the World Governor, Jesus Christ. (Psalm 45:14) Though being a world ruler, he will be a father to them. To his faithful subjects he will become their Eternal Father, for he died for them all that he might be their Life-Giver. As “the last Adam,” he was made “a life-giving spirit” in their behalf.—1 Corinthians 15:45; Isaiah 9:6.
12. To what will the “great crowd” apply themselves? Where?
12 It is said of the “great crowd” that “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” This sacrificial “Lamb of God” therefore acts as God’s High Priest at His spiritual temple. Logically, then, what is the first thing that the “great crowd” of ‘white-robed’ ones do after they “come out of the great tribulation”? Like Noah and his family right after the Deluge, the “great crowd” address themselves to Jehovah’s worship. “That is why they are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple.” (Revelation 7:9, 10, 14, 15; John 1:29, 36) They know that, under God’s world government by Christ, no form of worship will ever be permitted but the one true religion, the pure worship of the one living and true God, Jehovah. This will be the one and only religion of the “new earth.” It will be a unifying source for all.
13. Who on earth will share in making all earth a Paradise?
13 Will the surviving “great crowd” be the only ones used to transform our earthly globe into a surpassingly beautiful Paradise? No, but the redeemed human dead, after their resurrection, will share in this delightful work. This will include the sympathetic man who died at Jesus’ side.—Luke 23:43.
14. Who will use the “keys of death and of Haʹdes”? For whom?
14 The “keys of death and of Haʹdes [the common grave of mankind]” are to be used. Jesus Christ has them since his own resurrection. O joy, he will use them for the resurrecting of all those to whom his ransom sacrifice applies! The works that these resurrected ones do during his thousand-year reign will be the basis for their being judged. Those proving willfully disobedient and irreformable will forfeit all claim on life. They will get the penalty of a death from which there will be no resurrection.—Revelation 1:18; 20:11-15; Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29.
15. How will the cleansing of the universe be capped?
15 The cleansing of the universe will be capped finally by the destruction of Satan the Devil and his demons, the promoters of wickedness. (Revelation 20:7-10; Genesis 3:15) What a blessing to our earth! Beautifying it then will be one world under one government in loving loyalty to God’s rightful sovereignty.
16, 17. Appreciation of God’s undeserved kindness moves us to do what?
16 O what a blessed prospect is before us in the light of God’s Word! Irresistibly it tugs at our heartstrings. O, then, with open arms we bid you welcome, you long-awaited world government. The “sign” of your imminence has appeared before our eyes and ever becomes more meaningful. Clearly within our reach is the loving provision for us to enjoy eternal life on a Paradise earth under your rightful rulership. Our hearts, burning with appreciation, move us to embrace such a precious opportunity.
17 Thanks to your Creator, Jehovah, the Maker of heaven and earth, we know now what to do in this “year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah.” (Isaiah 61:2; 49:8; 2 Corinthians 6:1, 2) The privilege is ours to become the dedicated, baptized disciples of Jehovah’s Chief Agent for blessing mankind. (Matthew 28:19, 20) In his footsteps we will press forward, joyfully proclaiming everywhere “this good news of the kingdom,” until all enemies bow to your glorious triumph, O you our incoming world government, God’s kingdom. |
Listen and Live (ll)
2011 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/listen-and-live-ll | PART 4
They Listened to Satan—With What Results?
Adam and Eve did not obey God, so they died. Genesis 3:6, 23
Eve listened to the serpent and ate of the fruit. Afterward, she gave some to Adam, and he ate it.
What they did was wrong—it was a sin. God made them leave their Paradise home.
Life was hard for them and their children. They grew old and died. They did not go to the spirit world; they ceased to exist.
The dead are as lifeless as the dust. Genesis 3:19
We die because we all come from Adam and Eve. The dead are not able to see or hear or do anything.—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10.
Jehovah did not mean for people to die. Soon he will bring back to life those asleep in death. If they listen to him, they will live forever.
Why do we die?—Romans 5:12.
Death will be no more.—1 Corinthians 15:26. |
How My Happy New Life Began | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501000015 | How My Happy New Life Began
Sergey had felt insecure since he was a child. He asked God to help him find a purpose in life, and his prayer was answered just two hours later.
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“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 49—Ephesians
Writer: Paul
Place Written: Rome
Writing Completed: c. 60–61 C.E.
1. When and under what circumstances did Paul write the letter to the Ephesians?
IMAGINE that you are in prison. You are there because of being persecuted for your zealous activity as a Christian missionary. Now that you can no longer travel and visit the congregations to strengthen them, what are you going to do? Can you not write letters to those who have become Christians through your preaching work? Are they not probably wondering how you are, and are they not perhaps in need of encouragement? Of course they are! So you begin to write. You are now doing exactly what the apostle Paul did when he was imprisoned in Rome the first time, about 59-61 C.E. He had appealed to Caesar, and although awaiting trial and under guard, he had freedom for some activity. Paul wrote his letter “To the Ephesians” from Rome, probably 60 or 61 C.E., and sent it by Tychicus, who was accompanied by Onesimus.—Eph. 6:21; Col. 4:7-9.
2, 3. What conclusively proves Paul’s writership and, at the same time, the canonicity of Ephesians?
2 Paul identifies himself as the writer in the very first word and four times refers or alludes to himself as “the prisoner in the Lord.” (Eph. 1:1; 3:1, 13; 4:1; 6:20) Arguments against Paul’s writership have come to nothing. The Chester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P46), believed to be from about 200 C.E., has 86 leaves out of a codex containing Paul’s epistles. Among them is the epistle to the Ephesians, thus showing that it was grouped among his letters at that time.
3 Early ecclesiastical writers confirm that Paul wrote the letter and that it was “To the Ephesians.” For example, Irenaeus, of the second century C.E., quoted Ephesians 5:30 as follows: “As the blessed Paul says in the epistle to the Ephesians, that we are members of his body.” Clement of Alexandria, of the same period, quoted Ephesians 5:21 in reporting: “Wherefore, also, in the epistle to the Ephesians he writes, Be subject one to another in the fear of God.” Origen, writing in the first half of the third century C.E., quoted Ephesians 1:4 in saying: “But also the apostle in the epistle to the Ephesians, uses the same language when he says, Who chose us before the foundation of the world.”a Eusebius, another authority on early Christian history (c. 260-342 C.E.), includes Ephesians in the Bible canon, and most other early ecclesiastical writers make references to Ephesians as part of the inspired Scriptures.b
4. What has led some to surmise that Ephesians was addressed elsewhere, but what evidence supports Ephesus as its destination?
4 The Chester Beatty Papyrus, the Vatican Manuscript No. 1209, and the Sinaitic Manuscript omit the words “in Ephesus” in chapter 1, verse 1, and thus do not indicate the destination of the letter. This fact, together with the absence of greetings to individuals in Ephesus (though Paul had labored there for three years), has led some to surmise that the letter may have been addressed elsewhere or at least that it may have been a circular letter to the congregations in Asia Minor, including Ephesus. However, most other manuscripts include the words “in Ephesus,” and as we have noted above, the early ecclesiastical writers accepted it as a letter to the Ephesians.
5. What was noteworthy about the Ephesus of Paul’s day?
5 Some background information will help us to understand the purpose of this letter. In the first century of the Common Era, Ephesus was noted for its sorcery, magic, astrology, and worship of the fertility goddess Artemis.c Around the statue of the goddess, there had been erected a magnificent temple that was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. According to excavations of the site in the 19th century, the temple was built on a platform that measured about 240 feet [73 m] wide and 418 feet [127 m] long. The temple itself was about 164 feet [50 m] wide and 343 feet [105 m] long. It contained 100 marble columns, each about 55 feet [17 m] in height. The roof was covered with large white marble tiles. Gold is said to have been used instead of mortar between the joints of the marble blocks. The temple attracted tourists from all over the earth, and visitors numbering hundreds of thousands would throng into the city during festivals. The silversmiths of Ephesus carried on a lucrative business selling small silver shrines of Artemis to pilgrims as souvenirs.
6. What was the extent of Paul’s activity in Ephesus?
6 Paul had stopped in Ephesus on his second missionary journey for a short visit of preaching and then left Aquila and Priscilla there to continue the work. (Acts 18:18-21) He returned on his third missionary journey and stayed for about three years, preaching and teaching “The Way” to many. (Acts 19:8-10; 20:31) Paul worked hard while in Ephesus. In his book Daily Life in Bible Times, A. E. Bailey writes: “Paul’s general practice was to work at his trade from sunrise till 11 a.m. (Acts 20:34, 35) at which hour Tyrannus had finished his teaching; then from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to preach in the hall, hold conferences with helpers, . . . then lastly to make a house-to-house evangelistic canvass that lasted from 4 p.m. till far into the night. (Acts 20:20, 21, 31) One wonders when he found time to eat and sleep.”—1943, page 308.
7. What resulted from Paul’s zealous preaching?
7 In the course of this zealous preaching, Paul exposed the use of images in worship. This stirred up the wrath of those making and selling them, such as the silversmith Demetrius, and in the uproar Paul finally had to leave the city.—Acts 19:23–20:1.
8. In what points was Paul’s letter to the Ephesians most timely?
8 Now, while in prison, Paul is thinking of the problems faced by the Ephesian congregation, surrounded by pagan worshipers and in the shadow of the awe-inspiring temple of Artemis. These anointed Christians no doubt needed the fitting illustration Paul now gives them, showing that they constitute “a holy temple,” in which Jehovah dwells by his spirit. (Eph. 2:21) “The sacred secret” being revealed to the Ephesians, concerning God’s administration (his way of managing his household affairs) by which he would restore unity and peace through Jesus Christ, was unquestionably a great inspiration and comfort to them. (1:9, 10) Paul emphasizes the union of Jew and Gentile in Christ. He exhorts to oneness, to unity. Thus, we can now appreciate the purpose, value, and obvious inspiration of this book.
outputS OF EPHESIANS
9. How has God made his love abound, and what is Paul’s prayer?
9 God’s purpose to bring about unity by means of Christ (1:1–2:22). Paul the apostle sends greetings. God is to be blessed for his glorious undeserved kindness. This has to do with His choosing of them to be in union with Jesus Christ, by means of whom they have the release by ransom through his blood. Furthermore, God has made his love abound toward them by making known the sacred secret of his will. For he has purposed an administration, “to gather all things together again in the Christ,” in union with whom they were also assigned as heirs. (1:10) As a token of this in advance, they have been sealed by holy spirit. Paul’s prayer is that they will be firmly convinced of the hope to which they have been called and realize that God will use the same power toward them that He did in resurrecting Christ and in placing him far above every government and authority and making him Head over all things to the congregation.
10. How have the Ephesians become “fellow citizens of the holy ones”?
10 God, out of the richness of his mercy and his great love, has made them alive, though they were dead in their trespasses and sins, and has seated them together “in the heavenly places in union with Christ Jesus.” (2:6) This is all due to undeserved kindness and faith and is not a result of any works of their own. Christ is their peace who has broken down the wall, the Law of commandments, that had fenced off Gentiles from Jews. Now both peoples have the approach to the Father through Christ. Therefore the Ephesians are no longer aliens, but they are “fellow citizens of the holy ones” and are growing into a holy temple for Jehovah to inhabit by spirit.—2:19.
11. What is “the sacred secret,” and for what does Paul pray in behalf of the Ephesians?
11 “The sacred secret of the Christ” (3:1-21). God has now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets “the sacred secret of the Christ . . . that people of the nations should be joint heirs and fellow members of the body and partakers with us of the promise in union with Christ Jesus through the good news.” (3:4, 6) By God’s undeserved kindness, Paul has become a minister of this, to declare the unfathomable riches of the Christ and make men see how the sacred secret is administered. It is through the congregation that the greatly diversified wisdom of God is made known. Because of this, Paul prays that they will be made mighty with power through God’s spirit in order that they may fully know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, and realize that God can “do more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask or conceive.”—3:20.
12. (a) How should Christians walk, and why? (b) What gifts has Christ given, and for what purpose? (c) What is involved in putting on “the new personality”?
12 Putting on “the new personality” (4:1–5:20). Christians should walk worthily of their calling, in lowliness of mind, in long-suffering and love, and in the uniting bond of peace. For there is but one spirit, one hope, one faith, and “one God and Father of all persons, who is over all and through all and in all.” (4:6) Therefore Christ, the “one Lord,” has given prophets, evangelizers, shepherds, and teachers, “with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ.” So, writes Paul, “speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ,” as a body harmoniously joined together with every member cooperating. (4:5, 12, 15) The immoral, unprofitable, and ignorant ways of the old personality are to be put away; each person should be made new in the force actuating his mind and “put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.” Because all belong to one another, they are to speak the truth and put away wrath, stealing, rotten sayings, malicious bitterness—not grieving God’s holy spirit. Instead, let them ‘become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another, just as God also by Christ freely forgave them.’—4:24, 32.
13. To become an imitator of God, what must one do?
13 All should become imitators of God. Fornication, uncleanness, and greediness should not even be mentioned among them, for those who practice such things have no inheritance in the Kingdom. Paul admonishes the Ephesians: “Go on walking as children of light.” “Keep strict watch” on how you walk, buying out the opportune time, “because the days are wicked.” Yes, they must “go on perceiving what the will of Jehovah is” and speak about the praises of God in a thankful way.—5:8, 15-17.
14. What are the mutual responsibilities of husbands and wives?
14 Proper subjection; Christian warfare (5:21–6:24). Wives should be in subjection to husbands, even as the congregation is in subjection to the Christ, and husbands should continue loving their wives, “just as the Christ also loved the congregation.” Likewise, “the wife should have deep respect for her husband.”—5:25, 33.
15. What does Paul counsel with regard to children and parents, slaves and masters, and the Christian’s armor?
15 Children should live at unity with parents, in obedience and responding to godly discipline. Slaves and masters also should conduct themselves so as to be pleasing to God, for the Master of all “is in the heavens, and there is no partiality with him.” Finally, let all “go on acquiring power in the Lord and in the mightiness of his strength,” putting on the complete suit of armor from God so as to be able to stand firm against the Devil. “Above all things, take up the large shield of faith,” also “the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word.” Carry on prayer, and keep awake. Paul asks that they pray also for him, that he may with all freeness of speech “make known the sacred secret of the good news.”—6:9, 10, 16, 17, 19.
WHY BENEFICIAL
16. What questions find a practical answer in Ephesians, and what is said about the personality that is pleasing to God?
16 The epistle to the Ephesians touches almost every aspect of the Christian’s life. In view of the present-day upsurge of distressing problems and delinquency in the world, Paul’s sound, practical advice is of real benefit to those who desire to live godly lives. How should children conduct themselves toward parents, and parents toward children? What are the responsibilities of a husband toward his wife, and of a wife toward her husband? What must the individuals in the congregation do in order to maintain unity in love and Christian purity in the midst of a wicked world? Paul’s counsel covers all these questions, and he goes on to show what is involved in putting on the new Christian personality. Through the study of Ephesians, all will be able to gain real appreciation for the kind of personality that is pleasing to God and that is “created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.”—4:24-32; 6:1-4; 5:3-5, 15-20, 22-33.
17. What does Ephesians show as to cooperation with arrangements in the congregation?
17 The letter also shows the purpose of appointments and assignments in the congregation. This is “with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, for the building up of the body of the Christ,” with maturity in view. By cooperating fully in these congregational arrangements, the Christian can “by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ.”—4:12, 15.
18. What is made plain with regard to “the sacred secret” and a spiritual temple?
18 The letter to the Ephesians greatly benefited the early congregation in sharpening their understanding of “the sacred secret of the Christ.” Here it was made plain that along with believing Jews, “people of the nations” were being called to be “joint heirs and fellow members of the body and partakers . . . of the promise in union with Christ Jesus through the good news.” The wall of partition, “the Law of commandments,” that had fenced off Gentile from Jew had been abolished, and now by the blood of the Christ, all had become fellow citizens of the holy ones and members of the household of God. In striking contrast to the pagan temple of Artemis, these were being built up together in union with Christ Jesus into a place for God to inhabit by spirit—“a holy temple for Jehovah.”—3:4, 6; 2:15, 21.
19. What hope and encouragement does Ephesians continue to hold forth to this day?
19 With regard to “the sacred secret,” Paul also spoke of “an administration . . . to gather all things together again in the Christ, the things in the heavens [those chosen to be in the heavenly Kingdom] and the things on the earth [those who would live on earth in the realm of the Kingdom].” Thus God’s grand purpose to restore peace and unity is brought to the fore. In this connection Paul prayed in behalf of the Ephesians, the eyes of whose hearts had been enlightened, that they might fully grasp the hope to which God had called them and see “what the glorious riches are which he holds as an inheritance for the holy ones.” These words must have greatly encouraged them in their hope. And the inspired letter to the Ephesians continues to be upbuilding to the congregation in this day, that ‘in everything we may be filled with all the fullness that God gives.’—1:9-11, 18; 3:19.
[Footnotes]
a Origin and History of the Books of the Bible, 1868, C. E. Stowe, page 357.
b New Bible Dictionary, second edition, 1986, edited by J. D. Douglas, page 175.
c Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, page 182. |
What Does the Bible Say About Friendship? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500100116 | What Does the Bible Say About Friendship?
The Bible’s answer
Friendships can contribute to a happy and successful life. Good friends bring out the best in one another and enhance one another’s strengths.—Proverbs 27:17.
However, the Bible stresses the importance of choosing one’s friends carefully. It warns of the consequences of having the wrong kind of friends. (Proverbs 13:20; 1 Corinthians 15:33) Such friends can cause a person to make foolish decisions or in other ways erode his good qualities.
In this article
What makes a good friend?
What are some examples of good friendships in the Bible?
Can a person be God’s friend?
Bible verses about friendship
What makes a good friend?
The Bible teaches that good friendships should be based on something deeper than similar interests or hobbies. For example, Psalm 119:63 states: “I am a friend of all who fear youa and of those who keep your orders.” Note that the Bible writer states that he chose friends who have a healthy fear of displeasing God and a desire to live by God’s standards.
The Bible also highlights the qualities a good friend should have. For example:
“A true friend shows love at all times and is a brother who is born for times of distress.”—Proverbs 17:17.
“There are companions ready to crush one another, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”—Proverbs 18:24.
These verses teach that a good friend is loyal, loving, kind, and generous. A true friend can be counted on to provide support during life’s ups and downs. A real friend will also be courageous enough to speak up if we are going down a bad path or about to make a poor decision.—Proverbs 27:6, 9.
What are some examples of good friendships in the Bible?
The Bible contains examples of good friendships between people of different ages, backgrounds, cultures, and positions of authority. Consider three such friendships.
Ruth and Naomi. Ruth was Naomi’s daughter-in-law, and there may have been a significant difference in age between them. Furthermore, Ruth’s cultural background was different from Naomi’s. Despite these differences, they formed a very close, loving friendship.—Ruth 1:16.
David and Jonathan. Although Jonathan was evidently 30 years older than David, the Bible says that David and Jonathan were “bound together in close friendship.”—1 Samuel 18:1.
Jesus and his apostles. Jesus had a position of authority over his apostles, being their teacher and master. (John 13:13) But he did not view them as unworthy of his friendship. Rather, Jesus had a close bond with those who followed his teachings. He said: “I have called you friends, because I have made known to you all the things I have heard from my Father.”—John 15:14, 15.
Can a person be God’s friend?
Yes, it is possible for humans to be friends with God. The Bible says: “His close friendship is with the upright.” (Proverbs 3:32) In other words, God befriends those who try to be decent, honest, and respectable, and who endeavor to live up to his standards of right and wrong. For example, the faithful man Abraham is specifically called God’s friend in the Scriptures.—2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23.
a The context of this psalm shows that the “you” in this verse is referring to God.
Bible verses about friendship
Psalm 119:63: “I am a friend of all who fear you and of those who keep your orders.”
Meaning: Friendships should be built on a common belief in God and a desire to live by God’s standards.
Proverbs 3:32: “Jehovahb detests a devious person, but His close friendship is with the upright.”
Meaning: Those who desire to have a friendship with God must avoid devious behavior and live a morally upright life.
Proverbs 13:20: “The one walking with the wise will become wise, but the one who has dealings with the stupid will fare badly.”
Meaning: People are influenced positively or negatively by their associates.
Proverbs 17:17: “A true friend shows love at all times and is a brother who is born for times of distress.”
Meaning: Real friends provide support through the good times and the bad.
Proverbs 18:24: “There are companions ready to crush one another, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”
Meaning: A real friend will never exploit a person’s trust. Rather, a true friend is loyal, trustworthy, and loving.
Proverbs 27:6: “The wounds inflicted by a friend are faithful.”
Meaning: A good friend will not hold back from offering correction when it is needed.
Proverbs 27:17: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens his friend.”
Meaning: Good friends bring out the best in each other.
b Jehovah is God’s name as revealed in the Bible. |
Table of outputs | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102005000 | Table of outputs
January 8, 2005
Can Planet Earth Be Saved?
Earth’s resources are dwindling at an alarming rate. Who can bring the situation under control?
3 Our Battered Earth
4 Earth’s Dwindling Resources
10 Planet Earth Can Be Saved!
12 The Library of Alexandria Lives Again
15 An Unforgettable Visit to Ngorongoro Crater
20 The Land of Big Money
28 Watching the World
30 From Our Readers
31 “If People Only Knew!”
Is It Weak to Be Gentle? 18
Many today would answer yes, but the Bible indicates otherwise.
Snow Babies of the Magdalen Islands 23
Read of a delightful encounter with a baby harp seal!
[Picture Credit Line on page 2]
COVER: NASA JSC |
The Bible School That Really Helps You | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101970005 | The Bible School That Really Helps You
WOULD you like to increase your knowledge and understanding of the Word of God, the Bible? Do you have questions on the Bible that you would like to have answered? Would you like to improve your ability to communicate with others? If so, then you are to be commended.
To satisfy your desire for understanding of the Scriptures, you may have attended a church Bible school. But perhaps it was short-lived, lasting only a few weeks, as has been the case with many such classes. Or it may be that you are currently studying the Bible with one of Jehovah’s witnesses in your own home but have never attended their Kingdom Hall meetings. In either case you would greatly benefit from attending the Theocratic Ministry School. What is it?
In English-speaking lands this school has been in operation for more than twenty-five years, and at present it provides regular sessions in more than 25,000 congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the world. It is a school in which anyone who attends, male or female, can enroll free of charge. Uniquely its students never graduate, nor do they want to graduate. They thoroughly enjoy the school program and, being progressive in outlook, they appreciate the need to keep on learning and improving their skills.
The Teaching Program
Each year a new teaching schedule is prepared. The schedule for 1970 presents the most interesting and helpful program ever arranged.
All who attend the school will be reading the Christian Greek Scriptures (“New Testament”) using a modern-language translation that helps them to get acquainted with the sense of the Greek Bible text. In the left-hand column of the Bible being used, there is the best Greek text available, that of Westcott and Hort, in the koineʹ Greek in which these Scriptures were originally written. Under each Greek word there appears the basic meaning of the word in English. Then in the right-hand column there is a modern-English translation. Thus each reader, even without any prior knowledge of Greek, can get to know for himself the flavor and force of that original Bible tongue. Each week three to seven chapters of this Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures will be considered.
There will also be short talks given each week to acquaint those present with enlightening and fascinating background information about persons, places, plants, animals and many significant events mentioned in the Bible. These presentations will help to make the Bible accounts come to life for those who hear them. The purpose of the talks, however, is not only to increase one’s Bible knowledge and understanding, but also to enlarge one’s heart appreciation for the Bible’s Author, Jehovah God.
Very helpful also will be the talks based on the theme ‘The Bible really is the Word of God.’ How many persons would like to have proof for that! Each week there will be a talk on this general theme. Among the subjects to be discussed will be “Genesis Account of Creation—Fact or Fiction?”, “Was There an Earth-wide Flood?” and “Is the Bible Practical for Our Day?” How strengthening to your faith in the Bible as the Word of God the answers to such questions will prove to be!
The program of the school includes a five-minute review on the previous week’s main talk, followed by a fifteen-minute main talk on some basic Bible subject, delivered by a well-qualified Christian minister. This is then followed by four student talks based on material of the type described above.
By attending and paying close attention you will gain much accurate knowledge based on the Bible and find answers to ever so many questions about the Bible that you may have wondered about. Of course, you will get much more out of the school if you prepare in advance by going over the assignments at home, in particular being certain to read the assigned Bible chapters each week.
So that you will better remember what you have learned, every four or five weeks there will be an evening set aside for written review. This will enable you to keep check on what you have learned. You need not hesitate to take this review because of fear of a poor mark, for you will be correcting your own paper and will not be asked to turn it in. So others will not know just how well you did unless you choose to tell them.
Benefits Derived from the School
Many are the benefits that you and your family will derive from attending this school. For example, the New York Times, September 28, 1969, called attention to the seriousness of the reading situation in the United States. It reported that, according to James E. Allen, Jr., the new United States Commissioner of Education, one-third of the schoolchildren in the United States read below their grade level. But does this situation exist among the Witnesses? No, it does not. Why not? Primarily because of the Bible-reading program of their Theocratic Ministry School. Thus a mother in Ottumwa, Iowa, told that her fourth-grade child had a second-grade reading ability until he took part in the Theocratic Ministry School’s Bible-reading program as carried out at home. Then within three months he advanced to fourth-grade reading ability, to the amazement of his schoolteacher.
In the Theocratic Ministry School, in addition to learning to read well, students also learn to communicate clearly with others. Time and again its youthful students have been highly commended by their secular schoolteachers because of their ability to present interesting material in an effective manner. Thus a schoolteacher in the Caribbean island of Grenada asked a young Witness if he had ever heard his voice on a tape recorder. When the youth replied that he had not, the teacher asked him to do some talking. The youth gave a sermon on the subject “Life in God’s New Order.” The teacher was visibly impressed. “You surprise me, young man! You speak so meaningfully and coherently for your age. You will make a good speaker in the future.” The youth credited his ability to the training he received in the Theocratic Ministry School.
Likewise testifying to the value of this school is the incident that took place in a Luzon town in the Philippines. There the school officials asked local religious leaders to supply a speaker for an anniversary program. They declined because of not having received notice far enough ahead of time to prepare properly. Finally, on the very day of the celebration the school officials decided to ask the Witnesses to supply a speaker, and a young Witness minister responded. As the program had already begun, he at once changed from his work clothes and accompanied them. He spoke for forty minutes on the subject “Meeting the Problems of Today’s Youth.” Later, when the main guest speaker, the chief school official of the entire province, got up to speak, he complimented the young Witness and said: “If I gave the speech I had prepared I would only be repeating what this young man said, and I would probably not do as well.”
The wondering school faculty later asked how this Witness, an ordinary workingman, could speak so well before a distinguished audience. Yes, it was because of his attending the Theocratic Ministry School at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. As the apostles had learned from Jesus, he had learned at this school.—Acts 4:13.
Enrolling as a Student
Of course, if you enroll as a student and give talks regularly you will benefit most. This you are invited to do if you are a regular attender at these meetings. By preparing and giving talks not only will you gain much Bible information but you will also receive training in composition and in speaking before others.
Thus, after you have prepared and delivered your talk, the one in charge of the school or his assistant will kindly counsel you on your talk. He will discuss such aspects as the manner in which you covered the subject and whether it was logically and coherently developed. Also, did you have an appropriate introduction, and a fitting conclusion? Did you make good use of your time, neither running short nor running overtime?
You will also receive fine counsel on your manner of speaking. This will cover such factors as enthusiasm, modulation in pitch, pace and volume, sense stress and pronunciation. In a kind and upbuilding way you will be shown how you can improve.
Should you want help in preparing your talks, feel free to ask for it. This you can receive right at the Kingdom Hall at the close of the meetings or at your own home, if you prefer, at a convenient time. This aid is free, in keeping with Jesus’ command: “You received free, give free.”—Matt. 10:8.
So, if you would like to increase your understanding of God’s Word, if you would like to improve your ability to communicate to others what you have learned, if you are conscious of your spiritual need, then attend the Theocratic Ministry School at the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses. You will be welcome there, as are all sincere searchers for truth and righteousness. |
How Would You Answer? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102007010 | How Would You Answer?
EXPLAIN THE PARABLE
1. In Jesus’ parable recorded at Matthew 18:23-35, what does the slave want the king to do for him?
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2. How does the first slave treat his fellow slave?
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3. Why does the king become angry with the first slave?
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◼ For Discussion: When did you last forgive someone? How had he upset you? Why did you forgive him?
WHEN IN HISTORY?
Name the writer(s) of each of the Bible books below, and draw a line connecting the book to the date it was completed.
1657 B.C.E.1513 B.C.E. About 1100 B.C.E. About 56 C.E. About 61 C.E.
4. Genesis
5. Judges
6. Acts
WHO AM I?
7. The twins I bore became two nations.
WHO AM I?
8. The lots did not indicate that I should be an apostle.
FROM THIS ISSUE
Answer these questions, and provide the missing Bible verse(s).
Page 3 What health problems will soon be removed? (Isaiah 35:․․․)
Page 11 Why can you believe that permanent good health is possible? (Luke 18:․․․)
Page 20 What were the dimensions of Noah’s ark? (Genesis 6:․․․)
Page 30 What actions should you avoid and what attitudes should you cultivate before considering marriage? (Ephesians 4:․․․)
Children’s Picture Search
Can you find these pictures in this issue? In your own words, describe what is happening in each picture.
(Answers on page 26)
ANSWERS TO PAGE 31
1. Show mercy regarding his debt.
2. Throws him in jail.
3. Because the slave did not show mercy.
4. Moses, 1513 B.C.E.
5. Samuel, about 1100 B.C.E.
6. Luke, about 61 C.E.
7. Rebekah.—Genesis 25:21-23.
8. Barsabbas.—Acts 1:23-26.
[Picture Credit Line on page 31]
Middle circle: Scott Bauer/Agricultural Research Service, USDA |
FIND RELIEF FROM STRESS
How to Deal With Stress | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102020007 | FIND RELIEF FROM STRESS
How to Deal With Stress
To deal effectively with stress, you need to think about your physical health, the way you interact with others, and your goals and priorities in life—that is, what you consider to be truly important. This article will review some practical principles that can help you to deal better with stress and perhaps even reduce it.
Try to Live One Day at a Time
“Never be anxious about the next day, for the next day will have its own anxieties.”—MATTHEW 6:34.
Meaning: Daily anxieties are a part of life. But do not increase today’s anxieties by adding tomorrow’s to them. Try to live one day at a time.
Stress can cause anxiety. So try this: First, recognize that some stress is inevitable. Fretting over things you cannot prevent increases your stress. Second, understand that quite often things do not turn out the way we may fear they will.
Set Reasonable Standards
“The wisdom from above is . . . reasonable.”—JAMES 3:17.
Meaning: Do not be a perfectionist. Avoid setting unrealistically high standards for yourself or others.
Be modest, set reasonable standards, and know both your limitations and those of others. When you do this, you will reduce stress all around and even encourage greater success. Also, keep a sense of humor. When you laugh—even when something goes wrong—you relieve tension and brighten your mood.
Know What Stresses You
“A discerning man will remain calm.”—PROVERBS 17:27.
Meaning: Negative emotions can cloud clear thinking, so try to stay calm.
Identify what stresses you, and note your response. For example, when you feel stressed, note your thoughts, feelings, and behavior, perhaps even making a record of them. By becoming more aware of your response to stress, you may be able to deal with it more effectively. Also, think of ways to eliminate stressful things from your life. If that is unrealistic, look for ways to reduce their impact, perhaps by managing your tasks or time more efficiently.
Try to see things in a different light. What stresses you may not stress someone else. The difference may be in viewpoint. Consider these three suggestions:
Do not be quick to assume bad motives. A person may cut ahead of you in a line. If you attribute his act to rudeness, you may become upset. Instead, why not assume that his motive was good? You may be right!
See the positive side of a situation. A long wait at a doctor’s office or an airport is easier to bear if you use the time to do some reading or to catch up on work or email.
Keep the big picture in mind. Ask yourself, ‘Will this problem be a big issue tomorrow or next week?’ Distinguish between minor or short-term issues and more serious ones.
Try to Be Orderly
“Let all things take place decently and by arrangement.”—1 CORINTHIANS 14:40.
Meaning: Try to maintain order in your life.
We like a reasonable amount of order in life. One thing that can contribute to disorder—and stress—is procrastination, and this may lead to a growing list of unfinished tasks. Why not try these two suggestions?
Make a practical schedule, and stick to it.
Identify and correct any attitudes that cause you to procrastinate.
Pursue a Balanced Lifestyle
“Better is a handful of rest than two handfuls of hard work and chasing after the wind.”—ECCLESIASTES 4:6.
Meaning: Workaholics can deprive themselves of the benefits of their “two handfuls of hard work.” They may have no time or energy left to enjoy what they worked for.
Have a realistic view of work and money. More money does not mean more happiness or less stress. In fact, the opposite can be true. “The plenty belonging to the rich one does not permit him to sleep,” says Ecclesiastes 5:12. So try to live within your means.
Make time to relax. You relieve stress when you do things you enjoy. However, passive recreation, such as watching TV, may not help.
Keep technology in its place. Avoid constantly checking email, texts, or social media sites. Unless circumstances require it, do not check work-related email outside of working hours.
Take Care of Your Health
“Physical training is beneficial.”—1 TIMOTHY 4:8.
Meaning: Regular exercise promotes better health.
Develop healthful habits. Physical activity can lift your mood and improve your body’s response to stress. Eat nutritious food, and try to avoid skipping meals. Be sure to get enough rest.
Avoid harmful “solutions” to stress, such as smoking or drug and alcohol abuse. In the long run, these heighten stress, perhaps by robbing you of your health and hard-earned money.
See your doctor if your stress becomes overwhelming. Getting professional help is not an admission of failure.
“KILL YOUR STRESS WITH KINDNESS”
“A kind man benefits himself, but the cruel person brings trouble on himself.”—PROVERBS 11:17.
The book Overcoming Stress has a chapter eninputd “Kill Your Stress with Kindness.” Treating others kindly, according to the author, Dr. Tim Cantopher, can promote health and happiness. On the other hand, an unkind or cruel person makes himself unhappy because he alienates himself from others.
We may also get stress relief by treating ourselves kindly. For example, we should not make harsh or unrealistic demands on ourselves. Nor should we belittle or malign ourselves. “You must love your neighbor as yourself,” Jesus Christ said.—Mark 12:31.
Set Priorities
“Make sure of the more important things.”—PHILIPPIANS 1:10.
Meaning: Carefully consider your priorities.
List your tasks in order of importance. This will help you focus on the more important jobs, and it will reveal which ones you can put off, delegate, or even eliminate.
For a week, keep track of how you use your time. Then look for ways to make better use of it. The more you are in control, the less pressured you will feel.
Schedule some downtime. Even short breaks can reinvigorate you and reduce your stress.
Get Support
“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up.”—PROVERBS 12:25.
Meaning: Kind, compassionate words from others can lift your spirits.
Talk things over with an understanding person. A confidant may help you to see things differently or even to see a solution you overlooked. And just unburdening yourself can make you feel better.
Ask for help. Can you delegate a task or share the workload?
If a work associate stresses you, look for ways to improve the situation. For example, could you kindly and tactfully tell the person how he or she makes you feel? (Proverbs 17:27) If such measures fail, can you reduce the time you spend with the person?
Care for Your Spiritual Need
“Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.”—MATTHEW 5:3.
Meaning: As humans, we need more than food, clothing, and shelter. We have a spiritual need. To be happy, we must be conscious of that need and attend to it.
Prayer can be a big help. God invites you to “throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) Prayer and wholesome meditation can result in deep inner peace.—Philippians 4:6, 7.
Read spiritually uplifting things. The principles discussed in this magazine come from the Bible, which was written to satisfy our spiritual need. These also foster “practical wisdom and thinking ability.” (Proverbs 3:21) Why not set a goal to read the Bible? The book of Proverbs might be a good place to start.
THE POWER OF FORGIVENESS
“The insight of a man certainly slows down his anger, and it is beauty on his part to overlook an offense.”—PROVERBS 19:11.
In the Journal of Health Psychology, Loren Toussaint states that “stress degrades [health] and forgiveness protects health.” He adds: “Forgiveness is the release of negative—and the potential enhancement of positive—feelings, emotions, and behaviors toward an offender.” He thus concludes that a forgiving spirit “may help minimize stress-related disorders.” |
“Good Land” (gl)
2003 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/good-land-gl | ‘When Jehovah Raised Up Judges’
YOU can readily find Mount Tabor (F4) on the map—southwest of the Sea of Galilee, in the Valley of Jezreel. Try to visualize an army of 10,000 assembled on top of the mountain. Jehovah used Judge Barak and the prophetess Deborah to rally Israel against Canaanite King Jabin, who had oppressed the people for 20 years. Under army chief Sisera, Jabin’s 900 chariots equipped with menacing iron scythes came from Harosheth to the dry bed of the Kishon, between Megiddo and Mount Tabor.
Judge Barak led the men of Israel down into the valley to engage Sisera’s forces. Jehovah ensured victory by sending a flash flood that bogged down Sisera’s chariots, which panicked the Canaanites. (Jg 4:1–5:31) That was just one of the many victories that God granted Israel during the period of the Judges.
After the conquest of Canaan, the land was apportioned to the tribes of Israel. Note where various non-Levite tribes settled. The small tribe of Simeon received cities in Judah’s territory. Following Joshua’s death, the nation fell into spiritual and moral decline. Israel “got to be in very sore straits,” oppressed by enemies. Responding compassionately, ‘Jehovah raised up judges’—12 men of faith and courage—who delivered Israel in the course of three centuries.—Jg 2:15, 16, 19.
Judge Gideon used only 300 lightly armed but mobile soldiers to rout 135,000 Midianite warriors. The battlefield was between Mount Gilboa and Moreh. After an initial victory, Gideon chased the enemy to the east, into the desert.—Jg 6:1–8:32.
Jephthah, a Gileadite of the tribe of Manasseh, freed Israelite towns east of the Jordan from the Ammonite oppressors. To achieve his victory, Jephthah likely traveled on the King’s Road, which instructioned Ramoth-gilead and the area of Aroer.—Jg 11:1–12:7.
Samson’s exploits against the Philistines centered on the coastal area around Gaza and Ashkelon. Gaza lies in a well-watered region famous for agriculture. Samson used 300 foxes to set fire to the Philistines’ grainfields, vineyards, and olive groves.—Jg 15:4, 5.
As evident from the Biblical account or as suggested by their tribe, the judges were active across the Promised Land. Wherever the scene of action, Jehovah took good care of his repentant people in times of crisis.
[Map on page 15]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Tribes and Judges
Judges
1. Othniel (Tribe of Manasseh)
2. Ehud (Tribe of Judah)
3. Shamgar (Tribe of Judah)
4. Barak (Tribe of Naphtali)
5. Gideon (Tribe of Issachar)
6. Tola (Tribe of Manasseh)
7. Jair (Tribe of Manasseh)
8. Jephthah (Tribe of Gad)
9. Ibzan (Tribe of Zebulun)
10. Elon (Tribe of Zebulun)
11. Abdon (Tribe of Ephraim)
12. Samson (Tribe of Judah)
Tribal Allotments (See publication)
Enclave Cities of Manasseh
E4 Dor
E5 Megiddo
E5 Taanach
F4 En-dor
F5 Beth-shean (Beth-shan)
F5 Ibleam (Gath-rimmon)
Enclave Cities of Simeon
C9 Sharuhen (Shaaraim) (Shilhim)
C10 Beth-lebaoth (Beth-biri)
D8 Ether (Tochen)
D9 Ziklag
D9 Ain
D9 Hazar-susah?
D9 Ashan
D9 Beer-sheba
D10 Hazar-shual
E9 Etam
E9 Beth-marcaboth
E9 Bethuel? (Chesil?)
E9 Sheba? (Jeshua)
E10 Baalath-beer (Baal)
E10 Ezem
Levite Cities of Refuge
E8 Hebron
F3 Kedesh
F6 Shechem
H4 Golan
H5 Ramoth-gilead
H8 Bezer
Main Roads
B10 Via Maris
G10 King’s Road
Tribes of Israel
DAN (D7)
D7 Joppa
E8 Zorah
JUDAH (D9)
C8 Ashkelon
C9 Gaza
C9 Sharuhen (Shaaraim) (Shilhim)
C10 Beth-lebaoth (Beth-biri)
C12 Azmon
C12 Kadesh
D7 Jabneel
D8 Ether (Tochen)
D9 Ziklag
D9 Ain
D9 Hazar-susah?
D9 Ashan
D9 Beer-sheba
D10 Hazar-shual
E8 Lehi
E8 Bethlehem
E8 Hebron
E9 Etam
E9 Beth-marcaboth
E9 Bethuel? (Chesil?)
E9 Sheba? (Jeshua)
E10 Baalath-beer (Baal)
E10 Ezem
ASHER (E3)
E2 Tyre
E4 Harosheth
E4 Dor
F1 Sidon
MANASSEH (E5)
E6 Shamir (Samaria)
E6 Pirathon
F6 Shechem
G5 Abel-meholah
EPHRAIM (E7)
E7 Timnath-serah
F6 Tappuah
F6 Shiloh
F7 Bethel (Luz)
NAPHTALI (F3)
F2 Beth-anath
F3 Kedesh
G3 Hazor
ZEBULUN (F4)
E4 Bethlehem
ISSACHAR (F5)
E5 Megiddo
E5 Kedesh (Kishion)
E5 Taanach
F4 En-dor
F5 Beth-shittah
F5 Beth-shean (Beth-shan)
F5 Ibleam (Gath-rimmon)
BENJAMIN (F7)
F7 Gilgal
F8 Jerusalem
DAN (G2)
G2 Dan (Laish)
MANASSEH (H3)
H4 Golan
GAD (H6)
G6 Succoth
G6 Penuel
G6 Mizpah (Mizpeh)
G7 Jogbehah
H5 Ramoth-gilead
H7 Rabbah
H7 Abel-keramim
REUBEN (H8)
G7 Heshbon
G9 Aroer
H7 Minnith
H8 Bezer
[Other locations]
I1 Damascus
[Mountains]
F4 Mt. Tabor
F4 Moreh
F5 Mt. Gilboa
F6 Mt. Ebal
F6 Mt. Gerizim
[Bodies of water]
C5 Mediterranean Sea (Great Sea)
F9 Salt Sea
G4 Sea of Galilee
[Rivers and streams]
B11 T.V. of Egypt
F6 Jordan River
G6 T.V. of Jabbok
G9 T.V. of Arnon
G11 T.V. of Zered
[Picture on page 14]
Mount Tabor, in Issachar’s territory, rises over the Valley of Jezreel
[Picture on page 14]
The flooding Kishon bogged down Sisera’s chariots |
Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 46
She Touched His Garment
NEWS of Jesus’ return from the Decapolis reaches Capernaum, and a great crowd assembles by the sea to welcome him back. No doubt they have heard that he stilled the storm and cured the demon-possessed men. Now, as he steps ashore, they gather around him, eager and expectant.
One of those anxious to see Jesus is Jairus, a presiding officer of the synagogue. He falls at Jesus’ feet and begs over and over: “My little daughter is in an extreme condition. Would you please come and put your hands upon her that she may get well and live.” Since she is his only child and just 12 years old, she is especially precious to Jairus.
Jesus responds and, accompanied by the crowd, heads for the home of Jairus. We can imagine the excitement of the people as they anticipate another miracle. But the attention of one woman in the crowd is focused on her own severe problem.
For 12 long years, this woman has suffered from a flow of blood. She has been to one doctor after another, spending all her money on treatments. But she has not been helped; rather, her problem has become worse.
As you can probably appreciate, besides weakening her very much, her ailment is also embarrassing and humiliating. One generally does not speak publicly about such an affliction. Moreover, under the Mosaic Law a running discharge of blood makes a woman unclean, and anyone touching her or her blood-stained garments is required to wash and be unclean until the evening.
The woman has heard of Jesus’ miracles and has now sought him out. In view of her uncleanness, she makes her way through the crowd as inconspicuously as possible, saying to herself: “If I touch just his outer garments I shall get well.” When she does so, immediately she senses that her flow of blood has dried up!
“Who was it that touched me?” How those words of Jesus must shock her! How could he know? ‘Instructor,’ Peter protests, ‘the crowds are hemming you in and closely pressing you, and do you say, “Who touched me?”’
Looking around for the woman, Jesus explains: “Someone touched me, for I perceived that power went out of me.” Indeed, it is no ordinary touch, for the healing that results draws on Jesus’ vitality.
Seeing that she has not escaped notice, the woman comes and falls down before Jesus, frightened and trembling. In front of all the people, she tells the whole truth about her illness and how she has just now been cured.
Moved by her full confession, Jesus compassionately comforts her: “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be in good health from your grievous sickness.” How fine it is to know that the One whom God has chosen to rule the earth is such a warm, compassionate person, who both cares for people and has the power to help them! Matthew 9:18-22; Mark 5:21-34; Luke 8:40-48; Leviticus 15:25-27.
▪ Who is Jairus, and why does he come to Jesus?
▪ What problem does one woman have, and why is coming to Jesus for help so difficult for her?
▪ How is the woman healed, and how does Jesus comfort her? |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 9—1 Samuel
Writers: Samuel, Gad, Nathan
Place Written: Israel
Writing Completed: c. 1078 B.C.E.
Time Covered: c. 1180–1078 B.C.E.
1. What great change in the organization of the nation of Israel came in 1117 B.C.E., and what conditions were to follow thereafter?
IN THE year 1117 B.C.E., there came a momentous change in Israel’s national organization. A human king was appointed! This happened while Samuel was serving as Jehovah’s prophet in Israel. Though Jehovah had foreknown and foretold it, still the change to a monarchy, as demanded by the people of Israel, came as a stunning blow to Samuel. Devoted as he had been to Jehovah’s service from birth, and filled as he was with reverential recognition of Jehovah’s kingship, Samuel foresaw disastrous results for his fellow members of God’s holy nation. Only at Jehovah’s direction did Samuel give in to their demands. “Upon that Samuel spoke to the people about the rightful due of the kingship and wrote it in a book and deposited it before Jehovah.” (1 Sam. 10:25) Thus there came to an end the era of the judges, and there began the era of human kings that would see Israel rise to unprecedented power and prestige, only to fall finally into disgrace and divorcement from Jehovah’s favor.
2. Who wrote First Samuel, and what were their qualifications?
2 Who would qualify to make the divine record of this momentous period? Fittingly, Jehovah chose the faithful Samuel to start the writing. Samuel means “Name of God,” and he was indeed outstanding as an upholder of Jehovah’s name in those days. It appears that Samuel wrote the first 24 chapters of the book. Then, at his death, Gad and Nathan took up the writing, completing the last few years of the record down to Saul’s death. This is indicated by 1 Chronicles 29:29, which reads: “As for the affairs of David the king, the first ones and the last, there they are written among the words of Samuel the seer and among the words of Nathan the prophet and among the words of Gad the visionary.” Unlike Kings and Chronicles, the books of Samuel make practically no reference to earlier records, and thus David’s contemporaries Samuel, Gad, and Nathan are confirmed as the writers. All three of these men held positions of trust as prophets of Jehovah and were opposed to the idolatry that had sapped the strength of the nation.
3. (a) How did First Samuel come to be a separate Bible book? (b) When was it completed, and what period does it cover?
3 The two books of Samuel were originally one roll, or volume. Samuel was divided into two books when this part of the Greek Septuagint was published. In the Septuagint, First Samuel was called First Kingdoms. This division and the name First Kings were adopted by the Latin Vulgate and continue in Catholic Bibles to this day. That First and Second Samuel originally formed one book is shown by the Masoretic note to 1 Samuel 28:24, which states that this verse is in the middle of the book of Samuel. The book appears to have been completed about 1078 B.C.E. Hence First Samuel likely covers a period of a little more than a hundred years, from about 1180 to 1078 B.C.E.
4. How has the accuracy of the record in First Samuel been supported?
4 Evidence abounds as to the accuracy of the record. Geographic locations fit the events described. Interestingly, Jonathan’s successful attack on a Philistine garrison at Michmash, which led to the complete rout of the Philistines, was repeated in World War I by a British Army officer, who reportedly routed the Turks by following the landmarks described in Samuel’s inspired record.—14:4-14.a
5. How do Bible writers testify to the genuineness of First Samuel?
5 However, there are even stronger proofs of the inspiration and authenticity of the book. It contains the striking fulfillment of Jehovah’s prophecy that Israel would ask for a king. (Deut. 17:14; 1 Sam. 8:5) Years later, Hosea confirmed its record, quoting Jehovah as saying, “I proceeded to give you a king in my anger, and I shall take him away in my fury.” (Hos. 13:11) Peter implied that Samuel was inspired when he identified Samuel as a prophet who had ‘plainly declared the days’ of Jesus. (Acts 3:24) Paul quoted 1 Samuel 13:14 in briefly highlighting the history of Israel. (Acts 13:20-22) Jesus himself stamped the account as authentic by asking the Pharisees in his day: “Have you not read what David did when he and the men with him got hungry?” He then related the account of David’s asking for the showbread. (Matt. 12:1-4; 1 Sam. 21:1-6) Ezra also accepted the account as genuine, as already mentioned.—1 Chron. 29:29.
6. What other internal Bible evidence shows First Samuel to be authentic?
6 This being the original account of David’s activities, every mention of David throughout the Scriptures confirms the book of Samuel as being part of God’s inspired Word. Some of its events are even referred to in superscriptions of the psalms of David, as at Psalm 59 (1 Sam. 19:11), Psalm 34 (1 Sam. 21:13, 14), and Psalm 142 (1 Sam. 22:1 or 1 Sam. 24:1, 3). Thus, the internal evidence of God’s own Word testifies conclusively to the authenticity of First Samuel.
outputS OF FIRST SAMUEL
7. The history contained in the book concerns the lives of which leaders in Israel?
7 The book covers in part or entirely the life spans of four of Israel’s leaders: Eli the high priest, Samuel the prophet, Saul the first king, and David who was anointed to be the next king.
8. What are the circumstances of Samuel’s birth and of his becoming “a minister of Jehovah”?
8 Eli’s judgeship and the youthful Samuel (1:1–4:22). As the account opens, we are introduced to Hannah, the favorite wife of Elkanah, a Levite. She is childless and is scorned on this account by Elkanah’s other wife, Peninnah. While the family is making one of its yearly visits to Shiloh, where the ark of Jehovah’s covenant is located, Hannah prays fervently to Jehovah for a son. She promises that if her prayer is answered, she will devote the child to the service of Jehovah. God answers her prayer, and she bears a son, Samuel. As soon as he is weaned, she brings him to the house of Jehovah and places him in the care of the high priest, Eli, as one ‘lent to Jehovah.’ (1:28) Hannah then expresses herself in a jubilant song of thanksgiving and happiness. The boy becomes “a minister of Jehovah before Eli the priest.”—2:11.
9. How does Samuel come to be prophet in Israel?
9 All is not well with Eli. He is old, and his two sons have become good-for-nothing scoundrels who do “not acknowledge Jehovah.” (2:12) They use their priestly office to satisfy their greed and immoral lusts. Eli fails to correct them. Jehovah therefore proceeds to send divine messages against the house of Eli, warning that “there will not come to be an old man in your house” and that both of Eli’s sons will die on the one day. (1 Sam. 2:30-34; 1 Ki. 2:27) Finally, He sends the boy Samuel to Eli with an ear-tingling judgment message. Thus young Samuel is accredited as prophet in Israel.—1 Sam. 3:1, 11.
10. How does Jehovah execute judgment on Eli’s house?
10 In due course Jehovah executes this judgment by bringing up the Philistines. As the tide of battle turns against Israel, the Israelites, shouting loudly, bring the ark of the covenant from Shiloh to their army encampment. Hearing the shouting and learning that the Ark had been brought inside the Israelite camp, the Philistines strengthen themselves and win a startling victory, completely routing the Israelites. The Ark is captured, and Eli’s two sons die. His heart atremble, Eli hears the report. At mention of the Ark, he falls backward off his seat and dies of a broken neck. Thus ends his 40-year judgeship. Truly, “Glory has gone away from Israel,” for the Ark represents Jehovah’s presence with his people.—4:22.
11. How does the Ark prove to be no magic charm?
11 Samuel judges Israel (5:1–7:17). Now the Philistines too have to learn to their great sorrow that the ark of Jehovah must not be used as a magic charm. When they take the Ark into Dagon’s temple at Ashdod, their god falls flat on his face. On the next day Dagon again falls down flat at the threshold, this time with his head and both palms cut off. This starts the superstitious Philistine practice of ‘not treading upon the threshold of Dagon.’ (5:5) The Philistines hurry the Ark off to Gath and then to Ekron but all to no avail! Torments come in the form of panic, piles, and a plague of rodents. The Philistine axis lords, in final desperation as the death toll mounts, return the Ark to Israel on a new wagon drawn by two cows that were giving suck. At Beth-shemesh disaster befalls some of the Israelites because they look upon the Ark. (1 Sam. 6:19; Num. 4:6, 20) Finally, the Ark comes to rest in the house of Abinadab in the Levite city of Kiriath-jearim.
12. What blessings result from Samuel’s advocacy of right worship?
12 For 20 years the Ark remains in the house of Abinadab. Samuel, grown to manhood, urges Israel to put away the Baals and the Ashtoreth images and to serve Jehovah with all their heart. This they do. As they gather to Mizpah to worship, the axis lords of the Philistines seize the opportunity for battle and catch Israel off guard. Israel calls on Jehovah through Samuel. A loud noise of thunder from Jehovah throws the Philistines into confusion, and the Israelites, strengthened by sacrifice and by prayer, gain a smashing victory. From that time on, ‘the hand of Jehovah continues to be against the Philistines all the days of Samuel.’ (7:13) However, there is no retirement for Samuel. All his life he keeps judging Israel, making a yearly circuit from Ramah, just north of Jerusalem, to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. In Ramah he builds an altar to Jehovah.
13. How does Israel come to reject Jehovah as King, and of what consequences does Samuel warn?
13 Israel’s first king, Saul (8:1–12:25). Samuel has grown old in Jehovah’s service, but his sons do not walk in their father’s ways, for they accept bribes and pervert judgment. At this time the older men of Israel approach Samuel with the demand: “Now do appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” (8:5) Greatly disturbed, Samuel seeks Jehovah in prayer. Jehovah answers: “It is not you whom they have rejected, but it is I whom they have rejected from being king over them. . . . And now listen to their voice.” (8:7-9) First, however, Samuel must warn them of the dire consequences of their rebellious request: regimentation, taxation, loss of freedom, and eventually bitter sorrow and crying to Jehovah. Undeterred in their wishes, the people demand a king.
14. How does Saul come to be established in the kingship?
14 Now we meet Saul, a son of Kish of the tribe of Benjamin and by far the handsomest and tallest man in Israel. He is directed to Samuel, who honors him at a feast, anoints him, and then introduces him to all Israel at an assembly at Mizpah. Though Saul at first hides among the luggage, he is finally presented as Jehovah’s choice. Samuel once again reminds Israel of the rightful due of kingship, writing it in a book. However, it is not until his victory over the Ammonites, which relieves the siege at Jabesh in Gilead, that Saul’s position as king is strengthened, so the people confirm his kingship at Gilgal. Samuel again exhorts them to fear, serve, and obey Jehovah, and he calls on Jehovah to send a sign in the form of unseasonal thunders and rain in harvesttime. In a frightening demonstration, Jehovah shows his anger at their rejection of him as King.
15. What presumptuous sin leads to Saul’s failure?
15 Saul’s disobedience (13:1–15:35). As the Philistines continue to harass Israel, Saul’s courageous son Jonathan strikes down a Philistine garrison. To avenge this, the enemy sends a huge army, ‘like the sand of the seashore’ for number, and they encamp at Michmash. Unrest sweeps the Israelite ranks. ‘If only Samuel would come to give us Jehovah’s direction!’ Impatient at waiting for Samuel, Saul sins by presumptuously offering up the burnt sacrifice himself. Suddenly Samuel appears. Brushing aside Saul’s lame excuses, he pronounces Jehovah’s judgment: “And now your kingdom will not last. Jehovah will certainly find for himself a man agreeable to his heart; and Jehovah will commission him as a leader over his people, because you did not keep what Jehovah commanded you.”—13:14.
16. Saul’s rashness results in what difficulties?
16 Jonathan, zealous for Jehovah’s name, again attacks a Philistine outpost, this time with only his armor-bearer, and they quickly strike down about 20 men. An earthquake adds to the enemy’s confusion. They are routed, with Israel in full pursuit. However, the full force of the victory is weakened by Saul’s rash oath forbidding the warriors to eat before the battle is over. The men tire quickly and then sin against Jehovah by eating freshly killed meat without taking time to drain the blood. Jonathan, on his part, has refreshed himself from a honeycomb before hearing of the oath, which he boldly denounces as a hindrance. He is redeemed from death by the people because of the great salvation he has performed in Israel.
17. What further rejection of Saul follows his second serious sin?
17 Now it comes time to carry out Jehovah’s judgment on the despicable Amalekites. (Deut. 25:17-19) They are to be completely wiped out. Nothing is to be spared, man or beast. No spoil is to be taken. Everything must be devoted to destruction. However, Saul disobediently preserves Agag, the Amalekite king, and the best of the flocks and herds, ostensibly to sacrifice to Jehovah. This so displeases the God of Israel that he inspires Samuel to express a second rejection of Saul. Disregarding Saul’s face-saving excuses, Samuel declares: “Does Jehovah have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Look! To obey is better than a sacrifice . . . Since you have rejected the word of Jehovah, he accordingly rejects you from being king.” (1 Sam. 15:22, 23) Saul then grabs Samuel’s coat to beseech him, but it is ripped from his grasp. Samuel assures him that Jehovah will just as surely rip the kingdom from Saul and give it to a better man. Samuel himself picks up the sword, executes Agag, and turns his back on Saul, never to see him again.
18. On what basis does Jehovah choose David?
18 David’s anointing, his valor (16:1–17:58). Jehovah next directs Samuel to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem of Judah to select and anoint the future king. One by one the sons of Jesse pass in review but are rejected. Jehovah reminds Samuel: “Not the way man sees is the way God sees, because mere man sees what appears to the eyes; but as for Jehovah, he sees what the heart is.” (16:7) Finally, Jehovah indicates his approval of David, the youngest, described as “ruddy, a young man with beautiful eyes and handsome in appearance,” and Samuel anoints him with oil. (16:12) Jehovah’s spirit now comes upon David, but Saul develops a bad spirit.
19. What early victory does David gain in Jehovah’s name?
19 The Philistines again make inroads into Israel, putting forward their champion, Goliath, a giant towering to the height of six cubits and a span (about 9.5 ft) [2.9 m]. He is so monstrous that his coat of mail weighs about 125 pounds [57 kg] and the blade of his spear about 15 pounds [6.8 kg]. (17:4, 5, 7) Day after day this Goliath blasphemously and contemptuously challenges Israel to choose a man and let him come out and fight, but none reply. Saul quakes in his tent. However, David comes to hear the Philistine’s taunts. With righteous indignation and inspired courage, David exclaims: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he has to taunt the battle lines of the living God?” (17:26) Rejecting Saul’s armor because he had never tried it before, David goes out to do battle, equipped only with a shepherd’s staff, a sling, and five smooth stones. Regarding a match with this young shepherd boy as beneath his dignity, Goliath calls down evil on David. The confident reply rings out: “You are coming to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I am coming to you with the name of Jehovah of armies.” (17:45) One well-aimed stone is flung from David’s sling, and the champion of the Philistines crumples to the ground! Running to him, in full view of both armies, David draws the giant’s sword and uses it to cut off its owner’s head. What a great deliverance from Jehovah! What rejoicing in the camp of Israel! Now that their champion is dead, the Philistines take to flight, with the jubilant Israelites in hot pursuit.
20. How does Jonathan’s attitude toward David contrast with that of Saul?
20 Saul’s pursuit of David (18:1–27:12). David’s fearless action in behalf of Jehovah’s name opens up a wonderful friendship for him. This is with Jonathan, who is the son of Saul and is the one naturally in line for the kingdom. Jonathan comes “to love him as his own soul,” so that the two conclude a covenant of friendship. (18:1-3) As David’s fame comes to be celebrated in Israel, Saul angrily seeks to kill him, even while giving him his daughter Michal in marriage. Saul’s enmity grows more and more insane, so that at last David has to make his escape with Jonathan’s loving assistance. The two weep at parting, and Jonathan reaffirms his loyalty to David, saying: “May Jehovah himself prove to be between me and you and between my offspring and your offspring to time indefinite.”—20:42.
21. What events mark David’s flight from Saul?
21 In his flight from the embittered Saul, David and his small band of famished supporters come to Nob. Here the priest Ahimelech, on receiving assurance that David and his men are clean from women, permits them to eat the holy showbread. Now armed with the sword of Goliath, David flees to Gath in Philistine territory, where he feigns insanity. Then he goes on to the cave of Adullam, then to Moab, and later, at the advice of Gad the prophet, back to the land of Judah. Fearful of an uprising in favor of David, the insanely jealous Saul has Doeg the Edomite slaughter the priestly population of Nob, only Abiathar escaping to join David. He becomes priest for the group.
22. How does David demonstrate loyalty to Jehovah and respect for His organization?
22 As a loyal servant of Jehovah, David now wages effective guerrilla warfare against the Philistines. However, Saul continues his all-out campaign to get David, gathering his men of war and hunting him “in the wilderness of En-gedi.” (24:1) David, the beloved of Jehovah, always manages to keep one step ahead of the pursuers. On one occasion he has opportunity to strike down Saul, but he refrains, simply cutting off the skirt of Saul’s coat in evidence that he has spared his life. Even this harmless act strikes David at heart, for he feels he has acted against the anointed of Jehovah. What fine respect he has for Jehovah’s organization!
23. How does Abigail make peace with David and finally become his wife?
23 Though Samuel’s death is now recorded (25:1), his successor scribe keeps the account moving. David requests that Nabal, of Maon in Judah, provide food for him and his men in return for their befriending Nabal’s shepherds. Nabal only ‘screams rebukes’ at David’s men, and David sets out to punish him. (25:14) Realizing the danger, Nabal’s wife, Abigail, secretly takes provisions to David and appeases him. David blesses her for this discreet act and sends her back in peace. When Abigail informs Nabal of what has taken place, his heart is stricken, and ten days later he dies. David himself now marries the gracious and beautiful Abigail.
24. How does David again spare Saul’s life?
24 For a third time, Saul takes up the fanatic pursuit of David, and once again he experiences David’s mercy. “A deep sleep from Jehovah” falls upon Saul and his men. This enables David to enter the camp and take Saul’s spear, but he refrains from thrusting out his hand “against the anointed of Jehovah.” (26:11, 12) David is forced a second time to flee to the Philistines for refuge, and they give him Ziklag as a place of dwelling. From here he keeps up his sorties against others of Israel’s enemies.
25. What third grave sin does Saul commit?
25 Saul’s suicidal end (28:1–31:13). The axis lords of the Philistines move a combined army to Shunem. Saul, in a countermove, takes up his position at Mount Gilboa. He frantically seeks guidance but can get no answer from Jehovah. If only Samuel could be contacted! Disguising himself, Saul commits another grave sin when he goes to seek out a spirit medium at En-dor, behind the Philistine lines. Finding her, he begs her to contact Samuel for him. Anxious to jump to conclusions, Saul assumes that the apparition is the dead Samuel. However, “Samuel” has no comforting message for the king. Tomorrow he will die, and true to Jehovah’s words, the kingdom will be taken from him. In the other camp, the axis lords of the Philistines are going up to the battle. Seeing David and his men among them, they become suspicious and send them home. David’s men arrive back in Ziklag just in time! A raiding band of Amalekites has made off with the family and possessions of David and his men, but David and his men give chase, and all are recovered without harm.
26. How does the calamitous reign of Israel’s first king end?
26 Battle is now joined at Mount Gilboa. Israel suffers a disastrous defeat, and the Philistines get control of strategic areas of the land. Jonathan and other sons of Saul are slain, and the mortally wounded Saul kills himself with his own sword—a suicide. The victorious Philistines hang the bodies of Saul and his three sons on the walls of the city of Beth-shan, but they are removed from this disgraceful position by the men of Jabesh-gilead. The calamitous reign of Israel’s first king has reached its disastrous end.
WHY BENEFICIAL
27. (a) Wherein did Eli and Saul fail? (b) In what respects are Samuel and David fine examples for overseers and for youthful ministers?
27 What a history is contained in First Samuel! Starkly honest in every detail, it exposes at once both the weakness and the strength of Israel. Here were four leaders in Israel, two who heeded the law of God and two who did not. Note how Eli and Saul were failures: The former neglected to act, and the latter acted presumptuously. On the other hand, Samuel and David showed a love for Jehovah’s way from their youth on, and they prospered accordingly. What valuable lessons we find here for all overseers! How necessary for these to be firm, watchful of cleanness and order in Jehovah’s organization, respectful of his arrangements, fearless, even-tempered, courageous, and lovingly considerate of others! (2:23-25; 24:5, 7; 18:5, 14-16) Note also that the two who were successful had the advantage of a good theocratic training from their youth upward and that they were courageous from an early age in speaking Jehovah’s message and guarding the interests entrusted to them. (3:19; 17:33-37) May all youthful worshipers of Jehovah today become young “Samuels” and “Davids”!
28. How is obedience stressed, and what counsel of First Samuel is repeated later by other Bible writers?
28 Clearly to be remembered among all the beneficial words of this book are those that Jehovah inspired Samuel to utter in judgment of Saul for his failure to “wipe out the mention of Amalek from under the heavens.” (Deut. 25:19) The lesson that ‘obedience is better than sacrifice’ is repeated in various settings at Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:6-8, and Mark 12:33. (1 Sam. 15:22) It is essential that we today benefit from this inspired record by fully and completely obeying the voice of Jehovah our God! Obedience in recognizing the sanctity of blood is also drawn to our attention at 1 Samuel 14:32, 33. Eating flesh without properly draining the blood was regarded as “sinning against Jehovah.” This also applies to the Christian congregation, as is made plain at Acts 15:28, 29.
29. First Samuel illustrates the consequences of what national error on the part of Israel, with what warning to self-willed persons?
29 The book of First Samuel illustrates the pitiful error of a nation that came to view God’s rule from heaven as impractical. (1 Sam. 8:5, 19, 20; 10:18, 19) The pitfalls and futility of human rulership are graphically as well as prophetically portrayed. (8:11-18; 12:1-17) Saul is shown at the outset to be a modest man who had God’s spirit (9:21; 11:6), but his judgment darkened and his heart became bitter as love of righteousness and faith in God diminished. (14:24, 29, 44) His early record of zeal was annulled by his later acts of presumptuousness, disobedience, and infidelity to God. (1 Sam. 13:9; 15:9; 28:7; Ezek. 18:24) His lack of faith bred insecurity, festering into envy, hate, and murder. (1 Sam. 18:9, 11; 20:33; 22:18, 19) He died as he had lived, a failure to his God and to his people, and as a warning to any who might become “self-willed” as he did.—2 Pet. 2:10-12.
30. What qualities of Samuel may be cultivated with profit by modern-day ministers?
30 However, there is the contrast of the good. For example, note the course of the faithful Samuel, who served Israel all his life without fraud, partiality, or favor. (1 Sam. 12:3-5) He was eager to obey from his boyhood on (3:5), polite and respectful (3:6-8), dependable in performing his duties (3:15), unswerving in his dedication and devotion (7:3-6; 12:2), willing to listen (8:21), ready to uphold Jehovah’s decisions (10:24), firm in his judgment regardless of personalities (13:13), strong for obedience (15:22), and persistent in fulfilling a commission (16:6, 11). He was also one having a favorable report from others. (2:26; 9:6) Not only should his youthful ministry encourage young ones to take up the ministry today (2:11, 18) but his continuance without retirement to the end of his days should uphold those weary with age.—7:15.
31. In what was Jonathan a fine example?
31 Then there is the splendid example of Jonathan. He showed no hard feelings over the fact that David was anointed to the kingship that he might have inherited. Rather, he recognized David’s fine qualities and made a covenant of friendship with him. Similar unselfish companionships can be most upbuilding and encouraging among those today who faithfully serve Jehovah.—23:16-18.
32. What fine traits are to be observed in the women Hannah and Abigail?
32 For women, there is the example of Hannah, who accompanied her husband regularly to the place of Jehovah’s worship. She was a prayerful, humble woman, who gave up companionship with her son to keep her word and show appreciation for Jehovah’s kindness. Wonderful indeed was her reward in seeing him embark on a lifetime of fruitful service to Jehovah. (1:11, 21-23, 27, 28) Further, there is the example of Abigail, who displayed a womanly submission and sensibleness that won David’s praise, so that later she became his wife.—25:32-35.
33. David’s fearless love and loyalty should impel us to what course?
33 David’s love for Jehovah is movingly expressed in the psalms that David composed while being hounded in the wilderness by Saul, the backsliding “anointed of Jehovah.” (1 Sam. 24:6; Ps. 34:7, 8; 52:8; 57:1, 7, 9) And with what heartfelt appreciation did David sanctify Jehovah’s name as he hurled defiance at the taunter Goliath! “I am coming to you with the name of Jehovah of armies . . . This day Jehovah will surrender you into my hand, . . . and people of all the earth will know that there exists a God belonging to Israel. And all this congregation will know that neither with sword nor with spear does Jehovah save, because to Jehovah belongs the battle, and he must give you men into our hand.” (1 Sam. 17:45-47) David, the courageous and loyal “anointed one” of Jehovah, magnified Jehovah as God of all the earth and the only true Source of salvation. (2 Sam. 22:51) May we ever follow this fearless example!
34. How do Jehovah’s Kingdom purposes further unfold in connection with David?
34 What has First Samuel to say about the development of God’s Kingdom purposes? Ah, this brings us to the real highlight of this Bible book! For it is here that we meet David, whose name probably means “Beloved.” David was loved of Jehovah and chosen as the “man agreeable to his heart,” the one fit to be king in Israel. (1 Sam. 13:14) Thus the kingdom passed to the tribe of Judah, in harmony with Jacob’s blessing at Genesis 49:9, 10, and the kingship was due to remain in the tribe of Judah until the Ruler to whom the obedience of all people belongs should come.
35. How did David’s name come to be associated with that of the Kingdom Seed, and what qualities of David will that Seed yet show?
35 Moreover, David’s name is associated with that of the Kingdom Seed, who was also born in Bethlehem and was of David’s line. (Matt. 1:1, 6; 2:1; 21:9, 15) That one is the glorified Jesus Christ, “the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David,” and “the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star.” (Rev. 5:5; 22:16) Reigning in Kingdom power, this “son of David” will show all the steadfastness and courage of his illustrious forebear in fighting God’s enemies to their downfall and sanctifying Jehovah’s name in all the earth. How strong our confidence in this Kingdom Seed!
[Footnotes]
a The Romance of the Last Crusade, 1923, Major Vivian Gilbert, pages 183-6. |
‘Know Jehovah’ (kj)
1971 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/kj | input Page/Publishers’ Page
“The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah”—How?
“And the nations shall know that I am Jehovah.”—Ezekiel 36:23; 39:7, AS.
Dedicated to the Sanctifying of the Divine Name Among God’s “Men of Goodwill” of All the Nations
Symbols of Scripture translations quoted from or cited herein:
AS – American Standard Version Bible, by the American Committee of Revision, of 1901 C.E.
AV – Authorized or King James Version Bible, of 1611 C.E.
Dy – Roman Catholic English translation of the Latin Vulgate, made at Douay and Rheims, as of 1610 C.E.
LXX – The Greek Septuagint Version of the inspired Hebrew Scriptures, of the first three centuries B.C.E., as translated into English
NEB – The New English Bible, by the Delegates of the Oxford University Press and the Syndics of the Cambridge University Press, 1961, 1970 (England)
Yg – Young’s Literal Translation of the Holy Bible, by Robert Young, as of 1862 C.E.
Any Bible quotation or citation not followed by any special abbreviations is made from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (NW) in its revised edition of 1971 C.E.
DATING: In dating events the abbreviation B.C.E. means “Before Our Common Era,” and the abbreviation C.E. means “Of Our Common Era,” thus designating the number of the year before or after the year 1 C.E. |
Scriptures for Christian Living (scl)
2023 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/scl | Grandparents
Relevant Bible account(s):
1Ki 15:9-13—King Asa bravely makes a hard decision regarding his grandmother, refusing to allow a family relationship to deter him from putting Jehovah first
Pr 13:22—Grandparents can leave behind a good spiritual inheritance
2Ti 1:5; 3:14, 15—Timothy’s grandmother Lois is commended for her unhypocritical faith and her role in Timothy’s early training |
The Amazing Process of Childbirth | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102011010 | The Amazing Process of Childbirth
THE nine-month wait is finally over, and the baby so longed for is about to be born.a The expectant mother’s cervix has remained firmly shut, keeping the fetus safely in the womb. But now her cervix thins, softens, and relaxes. The miracle of birth begins.
What is behind the marvelous process of childbirth? Of the several factors involved, two are especially amazing. First, oxytocin, a hormone produced in the brain, is released. Both men and women produce this substance, but a great quantity of it is released in the pregnant mother when labor begins, causing the cervix to dilate and the uterus to contract.
Just how the pituitary gland of the expectant mother knows when to begin releasing this hormone is a mystery. The book Incredible Voyage—Exploring the Human Body states: “Somehow her brain senses that gestation is complete and that it is time for the powerful uterine muscles . . . to take on their brief but heroic job.”
A second factor involved in this process is the role of the placenta, which stops producing progesterone. During pregnancy, progesterone has prevented strong contractions. But now, without the restriction of progesterone, the uterus begins to contract. Generally after between 8 and 13 hours of labor, the baby is pushed out through the relaxed, dilated cervix. Afterward, the placenta is also expelled.
Now the newborn must quickly adapt to new conditions of life, very different from those of its maternal environment. For example, while in the uterus, the lungs of the fetus were full of amniotic fluid, which was squeezed out when the infant passed through the birth canal. Now the lungs must be filled with air to initiate breathing, the onset of which is usually indicated by the first cry. Drastic changes also occur in the heart and the rest of the circulatory system. A hole connecting the two atria of the heart and a blood vessel bypassing the pulmonary circulation close, in order to reroute the blood through the lungs, thus enabling the blood to absorb oxygen. It is astonishing that this adaptation to the outside world happens so rapidly.
The entire process of labor and birth reminds us of the words of the Bible: “For everything there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens.” That includes “a time for birth.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2) You will surely agree that this series of biochemical and physical events, which all occur within just a few hours, eloquently points to design on the part of our Creator, whom the Bible calls “the source of life.”—Psalm 36:9; Ecclesiastes 11:5.
[Footnote]
a Gestation usually lasts between 37 and 42 weeks.
[Diagram/Pictures on pages 16, 17]
Childbirth Process
1 Fetal position before labor
2 Movement of fetus toward the birth canal
3 Dilation of the cervix
4 Expulsion of fetus
[Diagram]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
1
placenta
vagina
cervix
2
3
4 |
Is This Life All There Is? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101975010 | Is This Life All There Is?
Or is it possible to live again?
Your life-span is like a road that stretches out before you. When you are young you give little thought to how precious life is. But as you grow older and the end of your life comes within sight, your attitude changes. Many want to extend that road, to be young again. Is this possible?
Read the heartwarming answer in the new 192-page book Is This Life All There Is? Only 25c, postpaid.
Please send the hardbound book Is This Life All There Is?; I enclose 25c. |
Reasoning (rs)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/reasoning-rs | Reincarnation
Definition: The belief that one is reborn in one or more successive existences, which may be human or animal. Usually it is an intangible “soul” that is believed to be reborn in another body. Not a Bible teaching.
Does a strange feeling of being familiar with entirely new acquaintances and places prove reincarnation to be a fact?
Have you ever mistaken one man or woman who is alive for another who is also now living? Many have had that experience. Why? Because some people have similar mannerisms or may even look almost identical. So the feeling that you know a person even though you never met him before really does not prove that you were acquainted with him in a former life, does it?
Why might a house or a town seem familiar to you if you have never been there before? Is it because you lived there during a former life? Many houses are built according to similar designs. Furniture used in cities far apart may be produced from similar patterns. And is it not true that the scenery in some widely separated places looks very much alike? So, without resorting to reincarnation, your feeling of familiarity is quite understandable.
Do recollections of life at another time in another place, as drawn out under hypnosis, prove reincarnation?
Under hypnosis much information stored in the brain can be drawn out. Hypnotists tap the subconscious memory. But how did those memories get there? Perhaps you read a book, saw a motion picture, or learned about certain people on television. If you put yourself in the place of the people about whom you were learning, it might have made a vivid impression, almost as if the experience were your own. What you actually did may have been so long ago that you have forgotten it, but under hypnosis the experience may be recalled as if you were remembering “another life.” Yet, if that were true, would not everyone have such memories? But not everyone does. It is noteworthy that an increasing number of state supreme courts in the United States do not accept hypnotically induced testimony. In 1980 the Minnesota Supreme Court declared that “the best expert testimony indicates that no expert can determine whether memory retrieved by hypnosis, or any part of that memory, is truth, falsehood, or confabulation—a filling of gaps with fantasy. Such results are not scientifically reliable as accurate.” (State v. Mack, 292 N.W.2d 764) The influence of suggestions made by the hypnotist to the one hypnotized is a factor in this unreliability.
Does the Bible contain evidence of belief in reincarnation?
Does Matthew 17:12, 13 reflect a belief in reincarnation?
Matt. 17:12, 13: “[Jesus said:] ‘Elijah has already come and they did not recognize him but did with him the things they wanted. In this way also the Son of man is destined to suffer at their hands.’ Then the disciples perceived that he spoke to them about John the Baptist.”
Did this mean that John the Baptist was a reincarnated Elijah? When Jewish priests asked John, “Are you Elijah?” he said, “I am not.” (John 1:21) What, then, did Jesus mean? As Jehovah’s angel foretold, John went before Jehovah’s Messiah “with Elijah’s spirit and power, to turn back the hearts of fathers to children and the disobedient ones to the practical wisdom of righteous ones, to get ready for Jehovah a prepared people.” (Luke 1:17) So John the Baptist was fulfilling prophecy by doing a work like that of the prophet Elijah.—Mal. 4:5, 6.
Is reincarnation indicated by the account at John 9:1, 2?
John 9:1, 2: “Now as he [Jesus] was passing along he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him: ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, so that he was born blind?’”
Is it possible that these disciples had been influenced by the belief of the Jewish Pharisees, who said that “the souls of good men only are removed into other bodies”? (Wars of the Jews, Josephus, Book II, chap. VIII, par. 14) It is not likely, since their question does not imply that they thought he was a ‘good man.’ It is more likely that as Jesus’ disciples they believed the Scriptures and knew that the soul dies. Yet, since even a baby in the womb has life and was conceived in sin, they may have wondered whether such an unborn child could have sinned, resulting in his blindness. In any event, Jesus’ answer did not support either reincarnation or the idea that a child yet in its mother’s womb sins before birth. Jesus himself answered: “Neither this man sinned nor his parents.” (John 9:3) Jesus knew that, because we are offspring of Adam, there is an inheritance of human defects and imperfections. Using the situation to magnify God, Jesus healed the blind man.
Does the Bible’s teaching about the soul and death allow for reincarnation?
Genesis 2:7 states: “Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man came to be a living soul.” Notice that the man himself was the soul; the soul was not immaterial, separate and distinct from the body. “The soul that is sinning—it itself will die.” (Ezek. 18:4, 20) And a deceased person is referred to as a “dead soul.” (Num. 6:6) At death, “his spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts do perish.” (Ps. 146:4) So when someone dies, the complete person is dead; there is nothing that remains alive and that could pass into another body. (For further details, see the main headings “Soul” and “Death.”)
Eccl. 3:19: “There is an eventuality as respects the sons of mankind and an eventuality as respects the beast, and they have the same eventuality. As the one dies, so the other dies.” (As in the case of humans, nothing survives at the death of an animal. There is nothing that can experience rebirth in another body.)
Eccl. 9:10: “All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going.” (It is not into another body but into Sheol, the common grave of mankind, that the dead go.)
How much of a difference is there between reincarnation and the hope held out in the Bible?
Reincarnation: According to this belief, when a person dies, the soul, the “real self,” passes on to a better existence if the individual has lived a good and proper life, but possibly to existence as an animal if his record has been more bad than good. Each rebirth, it is believed, brings the individual back into this same system of things, where he will face further suffering and eventual death. The cycles of rebirth are viewed as virtually endless. Is such a future really what awaits you? Some believe that the only way of escape is by extinguishing all desire for things pleasing to the senses. To what do they escape? To what some describe as unconscious life.
Bible: According to the Bible, the soul is the complete person. Even though a person may have done bad things in the past, if he repents and changes his ways, Jehovah God will forgive him. (Ps. 103:12, 13) When a person dies, nothing survives. Death is like a deep, dreamless sleep. There will be a resurrection of the dead. This is not a reincarnation but a bringing back to life of the same personality. (Acts 24:15) For most people, the resurrection will be to life on earth. It will take place after God brings the present wicked system to its end. Sickness, suffering, even the necessity to die, will become things of the past. (Dan. 2:44; Rev. 21:3, 4) Does such a hope sound like something about which you would like to learn more, to examine the reasons for confidence in it?
If Someone Says—
‘I believe in reincarnation’
You might reply: ‘You hope that it will eventually result in a better life, is that right? . . . Tell me, would you like to live in a world like the one described here at Revelation 21:1-5?’
Or you could say: ‘I appreciate your telling me that. May I ask, Is this something that you have always believed? . . . What was it that made you leave behind your former beliefs?’ (Then perhaps use the ideas under the heading on page 320.)
Another possibility: ‘I have enjoyed conversations with others who share that belief. May I ask, Why do you feel that reincarnation is needed?’ Then perhaps add: (1) ‘Do you remember all the details of the earlier lives you believe you had? . . . But that would be necessary if a person were to correct his former errors and improve, would it not?’ (2) If the person says that it is a kindness that we forget, you might ask: ‘But do you view a bad memory as an advantage to a person in everyday life? Then, by forgetting every 70 years or so everything we have learned, would we be helped to improve our lot?’ (3) If the person says that only the better people are born again as humans, you might ask: ‘Why is it, then, that world conditions have continued to get worse? . . . The Bible shows how real improvement will be made in our day. (Dan. 2:44)’ |
THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES
Art and Zanna Capers: We Rebuilt Our Marriage With God’s Help | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501000010 | THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES
Art and Zanna Capers: We Rebuilt Our Marriage With God’s Help
By seeking guidance from the Bible, a divorced couple learned how to overcome the problems that ruined their first marriage and are happily married to each other again.
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They Stopped to Help | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019278 | They Stopped to Help
Bob was driving at about 100 kilometers per hour (60 mph) on a cold, blustery day in Alberta, Canada, when the left rear tire on his van suddenly burst. Initially Bob didn’t know what had happened, and he decided to continue driving the five kilometers (3 mi) to his home.
In a letter addressed to the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Bob explained what happened next. “Five young folks in a car pulled up alongside me and rolled down their window,” he wrote. “They let me know that the tire had burst. We pulled over, and they offered to change it. I didn’t even know if I had a spare or a jack. As I sat on the side of the highway in my wheelchair, they crawled under the van and found the spare tire and the jack, and they changed the tire. The weather was freezing, and snow was blowing. They had on their dress clothes, but they did the job and got me on my way. I couldn’t have done this by myself.
“Thank you to the five Witness kids who helped me. They were on the road stopping by folks’ homes to preach their message. These kids definitely practice what they preach, literally. They saved me from a very long ordeal for sure, and I truly appreciate it. Who knew that there were such young angels on the highway that day?” |
When Someone Dies (we)
2005 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/when-someone-dies-we | input Page/Publishers’ Page
When Someone You Love Dies
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.
September 2014 Printing
English (we-E)
© 1994, 2000, 2005
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania |
Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Easter? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502013150 | Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Celebrate Easter?
Common misconceptions
Myth: The reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate Easter is that they are not Christians.
Fact: We believe Jesus Christ is our Savior, and we do our best to “follow his steps closely.”—1 Peter 2:21; Luke 2:11.
Myth: You do not believe that Jesus was raised from the dead.
Fact: We believe in Jesus’ resurrection; we recognize it as core to the Christian faith and highlight it in our preaching.—1 Corinthians 15:3, 4, 12-15.
Myth: You do not care that your children miss out on the joy of the Easter holiday.
Fact: We love our children—we expend ourselves in training them and helping them to be happy.—Titus 2:4.
Why don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate Easter?
The Easter holiday celebration is not based on the Bible.
Jesus commanded that we commemorate his death, not his resurrection. We observe this Memorial each year on the anniversary of his death according to the Bible’s lunar calendar.—Luke 22:19, 20.
We believe that the origins of Easter customs, which come from ancient fertility rites, make Easter unacceptable to God. God requires that we give him “exclusive devotion,” and he is offended by worship that includes practices that he does not approve of.—Exodus 20:5; 1 Kings 18:21.
We believe that our decision to abstain from celebrating Easter is based firmly on the Bible, which encourages the use of “practical wisdom and thinking ability” rather than simply following human traditions. (Proverbs 3:21; Matthew 15:3) While we share our beliefs about Easter with others when asked, we also respect each person’s right to decide what he will do.—1 Peter 3:15. |
What Can I Pray For? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502012525 | What Can I Pray For?
The Bible’s answer
You can pray for anything that is in harmony with God’s requirements as stated in the Bible. “No matter what it is that we ask according to [God’s] will, he hears us.” (1 John 5:14) Can you mention your personal concerns? Yes. The Bible says: “Before [God] pour out your heart.”—Psalm 62:8.
Examples of what to pray for
Faith in God.—Luke 17:5.
Holy spirit, or God’s active force, to help you do what is right.—Luke 11:13.
Strength to deal with troubles and to resist temptation.—Philippians 4:13.
Inner peace or calmness.—Philippians 4:6, 7.
Wisdom to make good decisions.—James 1:5.
Help with daily needs.—Matthew 6:11.
Forgiveness of sins.—Matthew 6:12. |
THE BIBLE’S VIEWPOINT
Abortion | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102017007 | A wise woman respects her conscience
THE BIBLE’S VIEWPOINT
Abortion
Tens of millions of unborn babies are deliberately aborted each year—a number that exceeds the population of many countries.
A personal choice or a question of morality?
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Women who have an abortion do so for various reasons, including economic hardship, relationship problems, the desire for freedom to pursue further education or a career, or not wanting to be a single mother. Others, however, view abortion as morally wrong—a violation of the trust that has been placed upon a pregnant woman.
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
In God’s eyes, life—especially human life—is sacred. (Genesis 9:6; Psalm 36:9) This principle applies to a baby growing in the womb, a place designed by God to be a safe haven for a developing child. “You kept me screened off in my mother’s womb,” said a Bible writer. He added: “Your eyes even saw me as an embryo; all its parts were written in your book regarding the days when they were formed.”—Psalm 139:13, 16.
God’s view of the life of an unborn child is also reflected in his Law to the nation of Israel and in our God-given conscience. God’s Law stated that a person who assaulted a pregnant woman and killed her unborn child was subject to the death penalty—the killer paying with his own life for the life he took. (Exodus 21:22, 23) Of course, the judges had to take into account motives and circumstances.—Numbers 35:22-24, 31.
Humans are also endowed with a conscience. When a woman heeds her conscience, or inner voice, by respecting the life of her unborn child, her conscience rewards her.a If she violates her conscience, it may trouble her or even condemn her. (Romans 2:14, 15) Indeed, studies indicate that women who have an abortion also have an increased risk of anxiety and depression.
What, though, if the prospect of rearing a child seems daunting, especially when the pregnancy is not planned? Note God’s reassuring promise to those who loyally live by his standards: “With someone loyal you act in loyalty; with the blameless man [or woman] you deal blamelessly.” (Psalm 18:25) We also read: “Jehovah loves justice, and he will not abandon his loyal ones.”—Psalm 37:28.
“Their conscience is bearing witness with them, and by their own thoughts they are being accused or even excused.”—Romans 2:15.
What if you have had an abortion?
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Ruth, a single mother, said: “I already had three young children and felt unable to care for four. Yet, after having an abortion, I felt I had done something horrible.”b But had she done something that God could not forgive?
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
Jesus Christ reflected God’s mind on matters when he said: “I have come to call, not righteous people, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:32) Yes, when we feel genuine remorse for a wrong we have committed and we repent and ask God to forgive us, he willingly does so—even for serious sins. (Isaiah 1:18) “A heart broken and crushed, O God, you will not reject,” says Psalm 51:17.
Along with a cleansed conscience, God gives the contrite one peace of mind when he or she humbly turns to him in prayer. “By prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God; and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your mental powers,” says Philippians 4:6, 7.c After studying the Bible and pouring out her heart to God, Ruth gained that inner peace. She learned that with God “there is true forgiveness.”—Psalm 130:4.
“[God] has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor has he repaid us what our errors deserve.”—Psalm 103:10.
a A potential health risk to mother or child would not justify inducing an abortion. If at childbirth a couple must choose between the life of the mother and that of the child, the couple must decide. That said, in many developed lands, medical advances have made such a situation very rare.
b Name has been changed.
c The resurrection hope can also contribute to a person’s inner peace. See “Questions From Readers” in the April 15, 2009, issue of The Watchtower, which discusses Bible principles relating to the possibility of a resurrection for an unborn baby that dies. |
Young People Ask (yp)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp | Chapter 35
Does It Matter What I Read?
KING Solomon warned: “To the making of many books there is no end, and much devotion to them is wearisome to the flesh.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12) Solomon was not trying to discourage reading; he was just advising you to be selective.
Seventeenth-century French philosopher René Descartes said: “When one reads good books it is like having a conversation with men of breeding who lived in the past. We might even call it a selective conversation in which the author expresses only his most noble thoughts.” Not all writers, though, are worth ‘conversing’ with, nor are all their thoughts really “noble.”
So the oft-quoted Bible principle again comes into play: “Bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) Yes, the people with whom you associate can mold your personality. Have you ever spent so much time with a friend that you found yourself beginning to act, talk, and even think like your friend? Well, reading a book is like spending hours conversing with the one who wrote it.
The principle Jesus stated at Matthew 24:15 is thus pertinent: “Let the reader use discernment.” Learn to analyze and weigh what you read. All humans are afflicted with a certain amount of bias and are not always totally honest in their portrayal of facts. Do not, therefore, accept unquestioningly everything you read or hear: “Anyone inexperienced puts faith in every word, but the shrewd one considers his steps.”—Proverbs 14:15.
You should be particularly cautious about reading anything that expounds a philosophy of life. Teen magazines, for example, are full of advice on everything from dating to premarital sex—not always advice a Christian should use, however. And what about books that plunge into weighty philosophical questionings?
The Bible warns: “Look out: perhaps there may be someone who will carry you off as his prey through the philosophy and empty deception according to the tradition of men . . . and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8) The Bible, and Bible-based publications such as this, offer far better advice.—2 Timothy 3:16.
Romance Novels—Harmless Reading?
Reading romance novels has become an addictive habit for some 20 million people in the United States alone. Of course God himself placed in man and woman the desire to fall in love and marry. (Genesis 1:27, 28; 2:23, 24) It is no surprise, then, that romance is featured prominently in most fiction, and this is not necessarily objectionable. Some romance novels have even attained the status of fine literature. But since these older novels are considered tame by modern standards, writers have found it profitable of late to churn out a new breed of romance novels. Some still utilize historical or medieval settings to add drama and mood to the story. Others are contemporary in style and setting. Nevertheless, with a few minor variations, these modern romance novels follow a fairly predictable formula: heroes and heroines hurdling formidable obstacles that threaten their budding romance.
Typically, the hero is a strong, even arrogant, man who oozes self-confidence. The heroine, however, is likely to be delicate and vulnerable, often the hero’s junior by 10 or 15 years. And though he often treats her contemptuously, she is still irresistibly attracted to him.
Often there is a rival suitor. Although he is kind and considerate, he fails to excite or interest the heroine. So she uses her beguiling charms to mold her stoic hero into a tender soul who now openly declares his abiding love. All previous misgivings cleared and forgiven, they blissfully marry and live happily ever after . . .
Is Love Like the Love Stories?
Could reading such fanciful stories cloud your vision of reality? Bonnie, who started reading romance novels at age 16, recalls: “I looked for the young man that was tall, dark and handsome; one that was exciting, with a domineering personality.” She confessed: “If I dated a young man and he didn’t want to kiss and touch, he was dull, even though he was considerate and kind. I wanted the excitement I’d read about in the novels.”
Bonnie continued to read romances after her marriage and says: “I had a nice home and family, but somehow it wasn’t enough . . . I wanted the adventure, excitement and thrills so enticingly described in the novels. I felt something was wrong with my marriage.” The Bible, though, helped Bonnie to appreciate that a husband must offer his wife more than charm or “excitement.” It says: “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.”—Ephesians 5:28, 29.
And what about the themes so common to romance novels, the Utopian endings and the easy resolution of differences? Well, they are far from realistic. Bonnie recalls: “When I had a disagreement with my husband, instead of talking it out with him, I’d copy the gimmicks used by the heroine. When my husband didn’t respond the way the hero did, I sulked.” Is not the Bible’s counsel for wives far more realistic and practical when it says, “You wives, be in subjection to your husbands”?—Colossians 3:18.
Sexual output
Interestingly, sexually explicit romances—available in public libraries in some cities—are the ones most requested by teens. Can they harm you? Explains 18-year-old Karen: “The books really stirred strong sexual feelings and curiosity in me. The ecstasy and euphoric feelings felt by the heroine in passionate encounters with the hero caused me to desire those feelings too. So when I was dating,” she continues, “I tried to recreate those sensations. It led me to commit fornication.” But was her experience like those of the heroines she had read and fantasized about? Karen discovered: “These feelings are conjured up in the minds of the writers. They aren’t real.”
Creating sexual fantasies is indeed the intent of some authors. Consider the instructions one publisher gives to romance-novel authors: “Sexual encounters should concentrate on passion and the erotic sensations aroused by the hero’s kisses and caresses.” The writers are further advised that love stories “should evoke excitement, tension and a deep emotional and sensual response in the reader.” Obviously, reading such material would not help one to follow the Bible’s admonition to “deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire.”—Colossians 3:5.
Being Selective
It is best, then, to avoid novels that arouse immoral feelings or that engender unrealistic expectations. Why not branch out and try reading other types of books, such as history or science books? Not that fiction is off limits, for there are some fictional works that are not only entertaining but also educational. But if a novel features sex, senseless violence, occult practices, or “heroes” who are promiscuous, ruthless, or greedy, should you waste your time reading it?
So exercise care. Before reading a book, examine its cover and book jacket; see if there is anything objectionable about the book. And if in spite of precautions a book turns out to be unwholesome, have the strength of character to put the book down.
By way of contrast, reading the Bible and Bible-related publications will help, not harm, you. One Japanese girl, for example, says that reading the Bible helped her keep her mind off sex—often a problem for youths. “I always put the Bible near my bed and make a point of reading it before going to sleep,” she says. “It is when I am alone and have nothing to do (such as at bedtime) that my mind sometimes turns toward sex. So reading the Bible really helps me!” Yes, “conversing” with the people of faith written about in the Bible can give you real moral fiber and greatly add to your happiness.—Romans 15:4.
Questions for Discussion
◻ Why must you be selective in what you read?
◻ Why are romance novels so appealing to many youths? But what are their dangers?
◻ How can you choose appropriate reading material?
◻ What are some of the benefits of reading the Bible and Bible-based publications?
[Blurb on page 287]
“I had a nice home and family, but somehow it wasn’t enough . . . I wanted the adventure, excitement and thrills so enticingly described in the novels. I felt something was wrong with my marriage”
[Picture on page 283]
With so many thousands of books available, you must be selective
[Pictures on page 285]
Romance novels may make absorbing reading, but do they teach a wholesome view of love and marriage? |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 21—Ecclesiastes
Writer: Solomon
Place Written: Jerusalem
Writing Completed: Before 1000 B.C.E.
1. For what lofty purpose was Ecclesiastes written?
THE book of Ecclesiastes was written for a lofty purpose. Solomon, as leader of a people dedicated to Jehovah, had the responsibility to hold them together in faithfulness to their dedication. He sought to fulfill this responsibility by means of the wise counsel of Ecclesiastes.
2. How is this purpose expressed in Ecclesiastes’ Hebrew name, thus making this more appropriate than the Greek and English names?
2 In Ecclesiastes 1:1 he refers to himself as “the congregator.” The word in the Hebrew language is Qo·heʹleth, and in the Hebrew Bible, the book is given that name. The Greek Septuagint gives the input as Ek·kle·si·a·stesʹ, meaning “a member of an ecclesia (congregation; assembly),” from which is derived the English name Ecclesiastes. However, Qo·heʹleth is more aptly translated “The Congregator,” and this is also a more fitting designation for Solomon. It conveys Solomon’s purpose in writing the book.
3. In what sense was Solomon a congregator?
3 In what sense was King Solomon a congregator, and to what did he do congregating? He was a congregator of his people, the Israelites, and of their companions, the temporary residents. He congregated all of these to the worship of his God, Jehovah. Previously he had built Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem, and at its dedication he had called together, or congregated, all of them to the worship of God. (1 Ki. 8:1) Now, by means of Ecclesiastes, he sought to congregate his people to worthwhile works and away from the vain, fruitless works of this world.—Eccl. 12:8-10.
4. How is Solomon established as the writer?
4 Though Solomon is not specifically named, several passages are quite conclusive in establishing him as the writer. The congregator introduces himself as “the son of David” who “happened to be king over Israel in Jerusalem.” This could apply only to King Solomon, for his successors in Jerusalem were kings over Judah only. Moreover, as the congregator writes: “I myself have greatly increased in wisdom more than anyone that happened to be before me in Jerusalem, and my own heart saw a great deal of wisdom and knowledge.” (1:1, 12, 16) This fits Solomon. Ecclesiastes 12:9 tells us that “he pondered and made a thorough search, that he might arrange many proverbs in order.” King Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs. (1 Ki. 4:32) Ecclesiastes 2:4-9 tells of the writer’s building program; vineyards, gardens and parks; irrigation system; arrangement of menservants and maidservants; accumulation of silver and gold; and other accomplishments. All of this was true of Solomon. When the queen of Sheba saw Solomon’s wisdom and prosperity, she said: “I had not been told the half.”—1 Ki. 10:7.
5. Where and when must Ecclesiastes have been written?
5 The book identifies Jerusalem as the place of writing in saying that the congregator was king “in Jerusalem.” The time must have been before the year 1000 B.C.E., well along in Solomon’s 40-year reign, after he had engaged in the numerous pursuits referred to in the book but before his fall into idolatry. By then he would have gained extensive knowledge of this world’s occupations and its striving after material gains. At the time he would still have been in God’s favor and under His inspiration.
6. What objections have been raised as to Ecclesiastes’ inspiration, but how may these be refuted?
6 How can we be sure that Ecclesiastes is “inspired of God”? Some may query its inspiration in that it does not once mention the divine name, Jehovah. However, it certainly advocates the true worship of God, and it repeatedly uses the expression ha·ʼElo·himʹ, “the true God.” Another objection may be raised because there are no direct quotations from Ecclesiastes in the other Bible books. However, the teachings presented and the principles laid down in the book are entirely in harmony with the remainder of the Scriptures. Clarke’s Commentary, Volume III, page 799, states: “The book, eninputd Koheleth, or Ecclesiastes, has ever been received, both by the Jewish and Christian Church, as written under the inspiration of the Almighty; and was held to be properly a part of the sacred canon.”
7. What in Solomon’s background made him eminently qualified to write the book of Ecclesiastes?
7 Worldly-wise “higher critics” have claimed that Ecclesiastes is not Solomon’s writing or a genuine part of “all Scripture,” saying that its language and its philosophy are of a later date. They ignore the fund of information that Solomon would have accumulated through his progressive development of international trade and industry, as well as from traveling dignitaries and other contacts with the outside world. (1 Ki. 4:30, 34; 9:26-28; 10:1, 23, 24) As F. C. Cook in his Bible Commentary, Volume IV, page 622, writes: “The daily occupations and chosen pursuits of the great Hebrew king must have carried him far out of the sphere of ordinary Hebrew life, thought and language.”
8. What is the strongest argument for the canonicity of Ecclesiastes?
8 However, are outside sources really needed to argue the canonicity of Ecclesiastes? An examination of the book itself will reveal not only its inward harmony but also its harmony with the rest of the Scriptures, of which it is indeed a part.
outputS OF ECCLESIASTES
9. What does the congregator find as to the occupations of the sons of men?
9 The vanity of man’s way of life (1:1–3:22). The opening words sound the theme of the book: “‘The greatest vanity!’ the congregator has said, ‘the greatest vanity! Everything is vanity!’” What profit is there in mankind’s toil and labor? Generations come and go, the natural cycles repeat on earth, and “there is nothing new under the sun.” (1:2, 3, 9) The congregator has set his heart to seek and explore wisdom with regard to the calamitous occupations of the sons of men, but he finds that in wisdom and in folly, in exploits and in hard work, in eating and in drinking, everything is “vanity and a striving after wind.” He comes to ‘hate life,’ a life of calamity and materialistic pursuits.—1:14; 2:11, 17.
10. What is God’s gift, but what eventuality befalls sinful man?
10 For everything there is an appointed time—yes, God has ‘made everything pretty in its time.’ He wants his creatures to enjoy life on earth. “I have come to know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good during one’s life; and also that every man should eat and indeed drink and see good for all his hard work. It is the gift of God.” But, alas! For sinful mankind there is the same eventuality as for the beasts: “As the one dies, so the other dies; and they all have but one spirit, so that there is no superiority of the man over the beast, for everything is vanity.”—3:1, 11-13, 19.
11. What wise counsel does the congregator give the God-fearing man?
11 Wise counsel for those who fear God (4:1–7:29). Solomon congratulates the dead, for they are free of “all the acts of oppression that are being done under the sun.” Then he continues to describe vain and calamitous works. He also wisely counsels that “two are better than one” and that “a threefold cord cannot quickly be torn in two.” (4:1, 2, 9, 12) He gives fine advice on the congregating of God’s people: “Guard your feet whenever you go to the house of the true God; and let there be a drawing near to hear.” Do not be hasty in speaking before God; let ‘your words prove to be few,’ and pay what you vow to God. “Fear the true God himself.” When the poor are oppressed, remember that “one that is higher than the high one is watching, and there are those who are high above them.” The mere servant, he observes, will have sweet sleep, but the rich man is too worried to sleep. Yet, he has come naked into the world, and for all his hard work, he can carry nothing out of the world.—5:1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 12, 15.
12. What advice is given on the serious issues of life, and on the advantage of wisdom over money?
12 A man may receive riches and glory, but what is the use of living “a thousand years twice over” if he has not seen what is good? It is better to take to heart the serious issues of life and death than to associate with the stupid “in the house of rejoicing”; yes, better to receive the rebuke of the wise one, for as the crackling “sound of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the stupid one.” Wisdom is advantageous. “For 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.” Why, then, has the way of mankind become calamitous? “The true God made mankind upright, but they themselves have sought out many plans.”—6:6; 7:4, 6, 12, 29.
13. What does the congregator advise and commend, and what does he say concerning the place where man is going?
13 The one eventuality to all (8:1–9:12). “Keep the very order of the king,” advises the congregator; but he observes that it is because sentence against bad work has not been executed speedily that “the heart of the sons of men has become fully set in them to do bad.” (8:2, 11) He himself commends rejoicing, but there is another calamitous thing! All kinds of men go the same way—to death! The consciousness of the living is that they will die, “but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all . . . All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going.”—9:5, 10.
14. (a) What practical wisdom does the congregator stress? (b) What is the conclusion of the matter?
14 Practical wisdom and man’s obligation (9:13–12:14). The congregator speaks of other calamities, such as “foolishness . . . in many high positions.” He also sets forth many proverbs of practical wisdom, and he declares that even “youth and the prime of life are vanity”—unless true wisdom is heeded. He states: “Remember, now, your grand Creator in the days of your young manhood.” Otherwise, old age will merely return one to the dust of the earth, to the accompaniment of the congregator’s words: “The greatest vanity! . . . Everything is vanity.” He himself has taught the people knowledge continually, for “the words of the wise ones are like oxgoads,” spurring on to right works, but regarding worldly wisdom he warns: “To the making of many books there is no end, and much devotion to them is wearisome to the flesh.” Then the congregator brings the book to its grand climax, summing up all that he has discussed on vanity and wisdom: “The conclusion of the matter, everything having been heard, is: Fear the true God and keep his commandments. For this is the whole obligation of man. For the true God himself will bring every sort of work into the judgment in relation to every hidden thing, as to whether it is good or bad.”—10:6; 11:1, 10; 12:1, 8-14.
WHY BENEFICIAL
15. How does Solomon distinguish between calamitous occupations and worthwhile works?
15 Far from being a book of pessimism, Ecclesiastes is studded with bright gems of divine wisdom. When enumerating the many accomplishments that he labels vanity, Solomon does not include the building of Jehovah’s temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, nor the pure worship of Jehovah. He does not describe God’s gift of life as vanity, but he shows that it was for the purpose of man’s rejoicing and doing good. (3:12, 13; 5:18-20; 8:15) The calamitous occupations are those that ignore God. A father may lay up wealth for his son, but a disaster destroys all and nothing remains for him. Far better it would be to provide an enduring inheritance of spiritual riches. It is calamitous to possess an abundance and not be able to enjoy it. Calamity overtakes all the worldly rich when they “go away” in death, with nothing in their hand.—5:13-15; 6:1, 2.
16. How does Qo·heʹleth, or Ecclesiastes, harmonize with the teachings of Jesus?
16 At Matthew 12:42, Christ Jesus referred to himself as “something more than Solomon.” Since Solomon pictured Jesus, do we find the words of Solomon in the book Qo·heʹleth to be in harmony with the teachings of Jesus? We find many parallels! For example, Jesus underlined the extensive scope of the work of God in saying, “My Father has kept working until now, and I keep working.” (John 5:17) Solomon also refers to God’s works: “And I saw all the work of the true God, how mankind are not able to find out the work that has been done under the sun; however much mankind keep working hard to seek, yet they do not find out. And even if they should say they are wise enough to know, they would be unable to find out.”—Eccl. 8:17.
17. What other parallels are to be found in Jesus’ and Solomon’s words?
17 Both Jesus and Solomon encouraged true worshipers to congregate. (Matt. 18:20; Eccl. 4:9-12; 5:1) Jesus’ comments on “the conclusion of the system of things” and “the appointed times of the nations” are in harmony with the statement by Solomon that “for everything there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens.”—Matt. 24:3; Luke 21:24; Eccl. 3:1.
18. In giving what warnings do Jesus and his disciples join with Solomon?
18 Above all, Jesus and his disciples join with Solomon in warning of the pitfalls of materialism. Wisdom is the true protection, for it “preserves alive its owners,” says Solomon. “Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you,” says Jesus. (Eccl. 7:12; Matt. 6:33) At Ecclesiastes 5:10 it is written: “A mere lover of silver will not be satisfied with silver, neither any lover of wealth with income. This too is vanity.” Very similar is the counsel that Paul gives at 1 Timothy 6:6-19 that “the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things.” There are similar parallel passages on other points of Bible instruction.—Eccl. 3:17—Acts 17:31; Eccl. 4:1—Jas. 5:4; Eccl. 5:1, 2—Jas. 1:19; Eccl. 6:12—Jas. 4:14; Eccl. 7:20—Rom. 3:23; Eccl. 8:17—Rom. 11:33.
19. With what happy prospect may we congregate in Jehovah’s worship today?
19 The Kingdom rule of God’s beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who in the flesh was a descendant of wise King Solomon, will establish a new earthly society. (Rev. 21:1-5) What Solomon wrote for the guidance of his subjects in his typical kingdom is of vital interest to all who now put their hope in God’s Kingdom under Christ Jesus. Under its rule mankind will live by the same wise principles that the congregator set forth and will rejoice eternally in God’s gift of happy life. Now is the time to be congregated in Jehovah’s worship, in order to realize to the full the joys of life under his Kingdom.—Eccl. 3:12, 13; 12:13, 14. |
Happiness (hp)
1980 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/hp | outputs
PAGE CHAPTER
5 1 Is a Happy Life Really Possible?
10 2 Does It Make Sense to Believe in God?
21 3 Where Can You Find Guidance?
30 4 Learning About What You Cannot See
41 5 You Can Cope with Life’s Problems
51 6 Money Problems—What Help?
64 7 Sex—Which Advice Really Works?
75 8 Family Life—How You Can Have Success
86 9 Youths—How Can YOU Be Happy?
96 10 Better Health and Longer Life—How?
103 11 Sickness and Death—Why?
112 12 Death Is Not an Unbeatable Enemy
121 13 Communicating with the Spirit Realm
131 14 Wickedness—Why Does God Permit It?
140 15 Is “the End of the World” Near?
151 16 A Government to Bring Earth-wide Peace
161 17 Whose Laws Will You Put First?
168 18 Is There Good in All Religions?
176 19 Will You Worship God in HIS Way?
184 20 What Kind of Life Do You Want?
NOTE: Bible quotations in this book are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, revised edition of 1971.
In connection with dates, the abbreviation B.C.E. means “Before the Common Era,” and C.E. means “Of the Common Era.” |
Watching the World | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101996007 | Watching the World
More of Saturn’s Moons Discovered
Photos taken by the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed at least two previously unknown moons orbiting Saturn. The pictures were taken during an “Earth-ring crossing,” a rare occasion when Earth has an edge-on view of Saturn’s rings. Under these conditions the rings’ bright reflected light is reduced and the moons are more easily discernible. Astronomers estimate the moons to be between 7 [10 km] and 40 miles [60 km] in diameter. The newly discovered moons orbit Saturn at a distance of 85,000 [140,000 km] to 91,000 miles [150,000 km] from the center of the planet. This is much closer than the 250,000 miles [400,000 km] between Earth and its moon. Saturn is about one billion miles [1.5 billion km] from Earth.
Apology—After 50 Years
“We hereby confess, above all in the presence of God, the sin of the Meiji Gakuin [University] in having a part in the past war and at the same time apologize to the people of foreign countries, especially those of Korea and China,” said the university’s superintendent, Hiromasa Nakayama, in his lecture at the university’s chapel in Tokyo last June. Meiji Gakuin University is a “Christian” mission school. According to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, it was the first time the school’s representative openly admitted that the school shared in the war effort. During the war the chairman of the university’s board of directors organized the United Church of Christ in Japan to unify the churches for the war effort. The United Church raised funds to produce fighter planes and encouraged Christians to submit themselves unconditionally to their country, Nakayama said.
Mormon Church Did Not Resist Nazis
Faced with reports of violence toward Jews in Nazi Germany, “the Mormon Church did almost nothing,” says The Salt Lake Tribune. Some Mormons, along with members of other churches, “were entranced by Hitler and his message of racial purity, and there were those who thought they were obeying their church’s teaching to honor state leaders.” During the Holocaust the German sector of the Mormons “did what most of the churches did; the leaders went along,” said Professor Franklin Littell of Temple University, Philadelphia. Douglas Tobler, professor of history at Brigham Young University, wants to examine “the church’s failure to take an institutional stand against Nazism,” the paper said. Interestingly, the Tribune observed that historian John S. Conway, of the University of British Columbia, Canada, said that the only religious organization that absolutely refused to follow the Nazis was Jehovah’s Witnesses. He added that for this more than half were sent to concentration camps.
Unattended Children
An Australian national survey revealed that children as young as six years old are being left home alone while both parents are at work or out socializing, reports The Canberra Times. According to Wendy Reid, spokeswoman for Boys Town National Community Projects, “over half the children said they were lonely and missed their parents’ company, while a large percentage of those under 12 were frightened—of the dark, of storms, of intruders, or kidnapping.” Additionally, Reid said that “71 per cent of [the] children had no strategy to follow if trouble arose and that half of the kids under 12 didn’t even know how to make contact with their parents,” the Times reported.
“Power Napping”
“Napping can improve mood, alertness and job performance,” reports The Wall Street Journal. The rejuvenating effects of a good snooze have prompted some industries to seek ways to incorporate naps into the regular workday. This is especially true where safety concerns are tied to the alertness of employees—such as truckers, airline pilots, and nuclear power plant operators. “We’ve found that you get tremendous recovery of alertness—several hours worth—out of a 15-minute nap,” says sleep researcher Claudio Stampi. Napping on the job has a long way to go, though, before it will be embraced by most employers. The Journal says that in order “to make sleeping on the job more palatable, proponents now refer to it as ‘power napping.’”
Garden Chemicals—A Threat?
Lawn and garden chemicals may be endangering your children’s health, reports the French nature magazine Terre Sauvage. It warns that “children under fourteen years of age living in a home where the garden is treated with herbicides or pesticides have a risk four times greater of contracting sarcoma, a form of cancer,” than children not exposed to such chemicals. The report adds that the use of insecticides in a child’s environment increases the risk of developing leukemia by one and a half to three times. Since over half of all French households use garden chemicals, many may inadvertently be creating an environment for their children that is much more toxic than that of a large, polluted city.
Hot Ants
Two researchers in Switzerland have discovered why certain ants in the Sahara Desert can withstand scorching temperatures of 140 degrees Fahrenheit [60° C]. Rüdiger Wehner of the Zoological Institute of the University of Zurich and geneticist Walter Gehring of the University of Basel have found that ants produce “substances known as heat shock proteins (HSPs), which help protect body proteins from heat damage,” reports Science magazine. When subjected to extreme temperatures, “all animals make some HSPs after the damage [from heat shock] begins,” the magazine says, but “ants make a pre-emptive strike.” In what way? The researchers found that the ants mimic heat shock and produce HSPs even before they leave their nest. Adds Gehring: “We were not clever enough to think of this, but the ants were.” Or was it their Creator?
Stop the Noise
“Please Stop That Noise,” pleads a headline in The Toronto Star newspaper. Relentless city noise from gas lawn mowers, leaf blowers, jackhammers, car horns and alarms, boom boxes, barking dogs, crying babies, and late-night parties has antinoise lobbyists campaigning for peace and quiet. Prolonged exposure to such noise “can increase fatigue and anxiety,” says the Star. It adds: “Medical research shows blood pressure can rise, the heart rate can change and the body produces adrenaline and other hormones that affect blood vessels.” According to health authorities, exposure to any sound over 85 decibels, such as a noisy lawn mower or a motorbike, for more than eight hours is dangerous to your hearing.
Fighting Osteoporosis
Physical activity can help to restore bone mass lost to osteoporosis, says the newspaper Jornal do Brasil. Specialists at the Cotrauma Clinic in Rio de Janeiro offer exercise treatments but also teach patients how “to walk properly and adopt correct posture.” After two years of working with a group of women from 45 to 77 years of age, 80 percent of the group had experienced a considerable increase in bone mass. During that time, the women had less rheumatic back pain, and none suffered bone fractures. Dr. Theo Cohen, director of the clinic, also recommends a diet that is rich in calcium and low in fat. Moreover, he encourages finding a purpose in life. “We do not want to see elderly ones sitting and knitting,” observes Dr. Cohen. “Going out to walk around is just as important as doing crossword puzzles to exercise the brain cells.”
Concern Over Blood-Borne Diseases
Better safety strategies are needed to protect the blood supply, according to a report by the Institute of Medicine of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. As evidence, the report points to the spread of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) through blood transfusions in the early years of the AIDS epidemic. Reviewing the report, The New York Times stated: “More than half of the 16,000 hemophiliacs in the United States and more than 12,000 patients who received transfusions of blood and blood products became infected with H.I.V.” The institute’s report expresses concern that unknown, dangerous infectious agents like HIV could again catch the national health system unprepared. It recommended establishing a system to “detect, monitor, and warn of adverse effects in the recipients of blood and blood products.” |
What Is God Like? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2019006 | What Is God Like?
The more we discern someone’s qualities, the better we know that person, and thus our friendship can deepen. Similarly, the more we come to know Jehovah’s qualities, the better we will know what he is like, and thus our friendship can deepen. Of all God’s wonderful attributes, four are outstanding: his power, wisdom, justice, and love.
GOD IS POWERFUL
“O Sovereign Lord Jehovah! Look! You made the heavens and the earth by your great power.”—JEREMIAH 32:17.
Evidence of God’s power is seen in creation. For example, when you stand outside on a bright summer day, what do you feel on your skin? The warmth of the sun. Actually, you are feeling the results of Jehovah’s creative power. How powerful is the sun? At its core, its temperature is said to be about 27,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit (15,000,000°C). Every second, the sun emits energy equivalent to the explosion of many hundreds of millions of nuclear bombs.
Yet our sun is small compared to many of the untold trillions of stars in the universe. Scientists estimate that one of the largest stars, named UY Scuti, has a diameter about 1,700 times that of the sun. If UY Scuti replaced the sun, it would engulf the earth and extend beyond the orbit of the planet Jupiter. Perhaps that helps us to grasp more fully Jeremiah’s statement that Jehovah God made the heavens and the earth, that is, the universe, by his great power.
How do we benefit from God’s power? Our life depends on God’s physical creations, such as the sun and all the wonderful resources on earth. In addition, God uses his power to benefit humans in a personal way. How? In the first century, God granted power to Jesus to perform deeds that were truly miraculous. We read: “The blind are now seeing and the lame are walking, the lepers are being cleansed and the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised up.” (Matthew 11:5) What about today? “He gives power to the tired one,” says the Bible, adding: “Those hoping in Jehovah will regain power.” (Isaiah 40:29, 31) God can supply “power beyond what is normal” to enable us to deal with or endure the hardships and trials of life. (2 Corinthians 4:7) Do you not feel drawn to a God who so lovingly uses his limitless power in our behalf?
GOD IS WISE
“How many your works are, O Jehovah! You have made all of them in wisdom.”—PSALM 104:24.
The more we learn about the things God has made, the more we find ourselves awed by his wisdom. In fact, there is a field of study called biomimetics, or biomimicry, in which scientists examine Jehovah’s creation and borrow elements of design found in nature to enhance their own designs. These range from a simple fastener to the design of airplanes.
The human eye is a marvel of creation
God’s wisdom is seen nowhere more marvelously than in the human body. Consider, for example, the way a human baby develops. The process begins with one fertilized cell, which contains all the genetic instructions needed. That cell divides into many cells that look alike. But at just the right time, the cells begin to form differently, resulting in hundreds of distinct types, such as blood cells, nerve cells, and bone cells. Soon organ systems appear and start to function. In just nine months, that original cell develops into a complete infant made up of billions of cells. The wisdom seen in such design moves many to agree with the Bible writer who said: “I praise you because in an awe-inspiring way I am wonderfully made.”—Psalm 139:14.
How do we benefit from God’s wisdom? The Creator knows what we need to be happy. Drawing from his vast knowledge and understanding, he provides wise counsel in his Word, the Bible. For example, it urges: “Continue . . . forgiving one another freely.” (Colossians 3:13) Is that wise counsel? Yes. Research has found that being forgiving can improve one’s sleep and lower one’s blood pressure. It may also reduce the risk of depression and other health issues. God is like a wise, caring friend who never ceases to give us helpful and beneficial advice. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) Would you not want to have such a friend?
GOD IS JUST
“Jehovah loves justice.”—PSALM 37:28.
God always does what is right. In fact, “it is unthinkable for the true God to act wickedly, for the Almighty to do wrong!” (Job 34:10) His judgments are upright, as the psalmist said when addressing Jehovah: “You will judge the peoples fairly.” (Psalm 67:4) Because “Jehovah sees into the heart,” he cannot be fooled by hypocrisy but is always able to perceive the truth and make accurate judgments. (1 Samuel 16:7) Furthermore, God is aware of every act of injustice and corruption on earth, and he has promised that soon “the wicked . . . will be cut off from the earth.”—Proverbs 2:22.
However, God is not a harsh judge who is eager to punish. He shows mercy when appropriate. The Bible says: “Jehovah is merciful and compassionate,” even toward wicked ones if they sincerely repent. Is that not true justice?—Psalm 103:8; 2 Peter 3:9.
How do we benefit from God’s justice? The apostle Peter stated: “God is not partial, but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” (Acts 10:34, 35) We benefit from God’s justice because he never shows partiality or favoritism. We can be accepted by him and be his worshippers regardless of our race, nationality, education, or social standing.
God is impartial, and we can benefit from his impartiality regardless of our race or social standing
Because God wants us to understand and benefit from his justice, he has provided us with a conscience. The Scriptures describe the conscience as a law ‘written in our hearts,’ which ‘bears witness’ as to whether our behavior is right or wrong. (Romans 2:15) How do we benefit? Properly trained, our conscience can motivate us to turn away from harmful or unjust actions. And if we do make a mistake, it can move us to repent and correct our course. Indeed, an understanding of God’s sense of justice helps us and draws us to him!
GOD IS LOVE
“God is love.”—1 JOHN 4:8.
God displays power, wisdom, and justice, but the Bible does not say that God is power, wisdom, or justice. It says that he is love. Why? Because it can truthfully be said that God’s power enables him to act and his justice and wisdom guide the way he acts. But Jehovah’s love motivates him to act. Love influences everything that he does.
Although Jehovah did not lack anything, his love moved him to create intelligent beings, both heavenly and earthly, who can benefit from and enjoy his love and care. He unselfishly prepared the earth to be the ideal home for his human creation. And he continues to show love to all humans in that “he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous.”—Matthew 5:45.
In addition, “Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.” (James 5:11) He expresses affection toward those who sincerely take steps to know and draw close to him. God sees such people as individuals. In fact, “he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:7.
How do we benefit from God’s love? We enjoy the beauty of a sunset. We delight to hear a baby’s laughter. We cherish the love of a close family member. These may not be essential things, but they enrich our life immeasurably.
We also benefit from another expression of God’s love: prayer. The Bible urges us: “Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God.” Like a loving father, he wants us to turn to him for help with our most intimate concerns. Then Jehovah, in his unselfish love, promises to provide “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.”—Philippians 4:6, 7.
Has this brief discussion of God’s principal attributes—such as his power, wisdom, justice, and love—helped you to get a better picture of what God is like? To further your appreciation of God, we invite you to learn what he has done and will yet do for your benefit.
WHAT IS GOD LIKE? Jehovah is more powerful, wise, and just than anyone else. But his most appealing quality is his love |
Examining the Scriptures—2020
2019 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/examining-the-scriptures/examining-the-scriptures-2020 | February
Saturday, February 1
Fully accomplish your ministry.—2 Tim. 4:5.
Jesus had tender feelings for others. People sensed his love for them and responded favorably to the Kingdom message. The more we develop similar tender feelings for people, the more effective we will be in accomplishing our ministry. What can help us show fellow feeling to those to whom we preach? We want to put ourselves in the place of those we meet in the ministry and treat them as we would like to be treated. (Matt. 7:12) Consider the needs of each individual. Do not try to use the same approach with everyone we meet in our ministry. Rather, take into consideration the specific circumstances and viewpoints of each individual. Draw the person out with tactful questions. (Prov. 20:5) When we draw others out, we in effect allow them to tell us why they need the good news. Once we know that, we can show fellow feeling for their specific needs and respond accordingly, just as Jesus did.—Compare 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. w19.03 20 ¶2; 22 ¶8-9
Sunday, February 2
Commit to Jehovah whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.—Prov. 16:3.
Adam and Eve displayed a callous lack of appreciation for all the good that Jehovah had done for them. We all have the opportunity to show just how much we disagree with the decision that they made. By getting baptized, we show Jehovah that we believe that he has the authority to set the standard of what is right and what is wrong for us. We prove that we love our Father and trust in him. The challenge we face after baptism is to live each day by Jehovah’s standards, not our own. Millions of people are living that way each year. You can be like them if you continue to deepen your understanding of God’s Word, the Bible; associate regularly with your brothers and sisters; and zealously share what you have learned about your loving Father. (Heb. 10:24, 25) When you make decisions, listen to the advice Jehovah gives you through his Word and his organization. (Isa. 30:21) Then all you do will be successful.—Prov. 16:20. w19.03 7 ¶17-18
Monday, February 3
Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, coming down from the Father of the celestial lights.—Jas. 1:17.
Jehovah has given us an abundance of spiritual food. For example, we receive helpful instruction through our meetings, our magazines, and our websites. Have you ever heard a talk, read an article, or watched a broadcast and thought, ‘That is just what I needed’? How can we show our appreciation to Jehovah? (Col. 3:15) One way is by regularly thanking him in our prayers for these good gifts. We also express appreciation to Jehovah when we keep our place of worship clean and tidy. We share regularly in cleaning and maintaining our Kingdom Halls, and those who handle electronic equipment used by the congregation do so carefully. When we maintain our Kingdom Halls properly, they will last longer and will need fewer major repairs. That way, we make more money available to build and renovate other Kingdom Halls around the world. w19.02 18 ¶17-18
Tuesday, February 4
These are just the fringes of his ways; only a faint whisper has been heard of him!—Job 26:14.
Job spent time contemplating the marvels of Jehovah’s creation. (Job 26:7, 8) He was awestruck when he thought about the earth, the sky, the clouds, and the thunder, yet he recognized that he knew very little about the vastness of creation. He also felt awe for Jehovah’s expressions. “I have treasured up his sayings,” Job said of God’s words. (Job 23:12) Job’s awe and respect for Jehovah moved him. He loved his Father and wanted to please him. Job’s determination to keep his integrity thus grew stronger. We need to do as Job did. We know far more about the marvels of creation than did people of Job’s time. And we have the entire inspired Bible to help us to know Jehovah as he really is. All that we learn can help to fill our heart with awe. Our awe and respect for Jehovah will, in turn, move us to love and obey him and to build up our deep desire to keep our integrity.—Job 28:28. w19.02 5 ¶12
Wednesday, February 5
I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?—Ps. 118:6.
Throughout history, human rulers have persecuted Jehovah’s people. They may charge us with various “crimes,” but the real issue is that we choose to “obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) We might be ridiculed, imprisoned, or even physically mistreated. With Jehovah’s help, however, we will not retaliate but will remain mild throughout the test. Consider the example that three Hebrew exiles—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah—set for us. Mildly, they explained to the king why they would not worship the image he had made. They were willing to accept whatever outcome Jehovah would permit. (Dan. 3:1, 8-28) When our loyalty to God is tested, how can we imitate the three Hebrews? We humbly trust that Jehovah will care for us. (Ps. 118:7) We answer those who accuse us of wrongdoing in a mild, respectful manner. (1 Pet. 3:15) And we absolutely refuse to compromise our friendship with our loving Father. w19.02 10-11 ¶11-13
Thursday, February 6
Take courage!—John 16:33.
We can strengthen our courage by thinking about the hope that the ransom sacrifice of Christ makes possible for us. (John 3:16; Eph. 1:7) In the weeks leading up to the Memorial, we have a special opportunity to build our appreciation for the ransom. During that time, keep up with the Memorial Bible reading and prayerfully meditate on the events surrounding Jesus’ death. Then when we gather for the Lord’s Evening Meal, we will understand more fully the significance of the Memorial emblems and the matchless sacrifice that they represent. When we appreciate what Jesus and Jehovah have done for us and understand how it benefits us and our loved ones, our hope grows stronger, and we are motivated to endure courageously to the end. (Heb. 12:3) How grateful we can be that Jesus continues to display humility and courage as our heavenly High Priest, who pleads in our behalf! (Heb. 7:24, 25) To show our appreciation, we must loyally commemorate Jesus’ death, just as he commanded.—Luke 22:19, 20. w19.01 22 ¶8; 23-24 ¶10-11
Friday, February 7
Please take pleasure in my voluntary offerings of praise, O Jehovah.—Ps. 119:108.
Jehovah has given all of us the privilege to praise him. Our comments at meetings are part of our “sacrifice of praise,” and no one can offer that sacrifice for us. (Heb. 13:15) Does Jehovah demand the same type of sacrifice, or comment, from each of us? No, he does not! View the congregation meetings like a meal shared with good friends. Imagine that some friends in the congregation planned a barbecue and asked you to prepare some small item of food. How would you respond? You might feel a little anxious, but you would likely do your best to bring something that everyone could enjoy. Jehovah, our Host, has provided a table full of good things for us at our meetings. (Ps. 23:5; Matt. 24:45) And he is pleased when we bring a simple gift, the best that we can give. So prepare well and participate as freely as you can. Then you will not only feed at Jehovah’s table but also bring a gift to share with the congregation. w19.01 8 ¶3; 13 ¶20
Saturday, February 8
Those who pursue other gods multiply their sorrows.—Ps. 16:4.
In Bible times, false worship often included gross sexual immorality. (Hos. 4:13, 14) To be sure, that form of worship appealed to the sinful flesh. But it did not bring lasting happiness. To the contrary! ‘Those who pursued other gods multiplied their sorrows,’ said David. They also brought untold suffering to countless children. (Isa. 57:5) Jehovah detested such cruelty! (Jer. 7:31) Today, too, false worship often condones sexual immorality, even homosexuality. But the end results of reveling in so-called moral freedom have not really changed since Bible times. (1 Cor. 6:18, 19) People “multiply their sorrows,” as you may have observed. So young ones, listen to your heavenly Father. Be fully convinced that obedience to him is in your best interests. Impress on your heart that the harm caused by wrongdoing far outweighs any temporary pleasure.—Gal. 6:8. w18.12 27-28 ¶16-18
Sunday, February 9
I will behave the same way toward you.—Hos. 3:3.
If a Christian’s mate committed immorality, the innocent Christian would face a decision. Jesus said that the innocent one would have a basis for getting a divorce and then be free to remarry. (Matt. 19:9) On the other hand, the innocent mate could extend forgiveness. That would not be wrong. Hosea took back Gomer. Once Gomer was back with Hosea, she was not to have relations with any other man. Hosea did “not have relations” with Gomer for a while. (Hos. 3:1-3, ftn.) In time, though, Hosea must have resumed marital relations with her, thereby reflecting God’s willingness to accept his people back and resume his dealings with them. (Hos. 1:11; 3:4, 5) What bearing does that have on a marriage today? If an innocent mate decided to maintain the marriage, resuming marital relations would show forgiveness. (1 Cor. 7:3, 5) That course would cancel what had been grounds for divorce. Thereafter as a couple, they should work to reflect God’s view of marriage. w18.12 13 ¶13
Monday, February 10
The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself.—Prov. 22:3.
When studying, we do well to consider what bearing Jehovah’s thoughts may have on situations we might face in the future. That way, should we be in a situation requiring an immediate decision, we will not be caught completely off guard. By immediately rejecting the attempted seductions of Potiphar’s wife, Joseph showed that he had given thought to Jehovah’s view of marital faithfulness. (Gen. 39:8, 9) Furthermore, his reply to Potiphar’s wife: “How could I commit this great badness and actually sin against God?” indicates that he had made God’s view his own. What about us? Suppose a coworker began manifesting flirtatious behavior. Or what if a sexually explicit message or image was sent to your mobile phone? It is far easier to take a stand if we have already sought out and adopted Jehovah’s view on such matters and have determined in advance what we will do. w18.11 25 ¶13-14
Tuesday, February 11
I will exult in Jehovah.—Hab. 3:18.
Some scholars think that this verse literally means “I will jump for joy in the Lord; I will spin round for delight in God.” What a powerful assurance for all of us! Not only has Jehovah given us wonderful promises but he has assured us that he is swiftly working out his great purpose. No doubt, the vital message of Habakkuk is to trust in Jehovah. (Hab. 2:4) We can acquire and maintain such trust if we strengthen our relationship with Jehovah by (1) persevering in prayer, telling Jehovah all about our anxieties and concerns; (2) paying careful attention to Jehovah’s Word and any direction we receive through his organization; and (3) faithfully and patiently waiting on Jehovah. That is what Habakkuk did. Though he began his book with grief, he ended with a confident and joyful exclamation. May we follow this inspiring example so that we too can feel Jehovah’s fatherly embrace! What greater comfort could we find in this darkening world? w18.11 17 ¶18-19
Wednesday, February 12
[Christ] died for all so that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised up.—2 Cor. 5:15.
True Christians also have this reason to be drawn to God’s love: He “loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) What love Jesus also showed in giving his life for us! And what a powerful motivation that love is for us! God’s Word promises that not even “tribulation or distress” can “separate us from the love of the Christ.” (Rom. 8:35, 38, 39) When we grapple with trials that are physically, emotionally, or spiritually draining, the compelling force of Christ’s love can give us the strength to endure. (2 Cor. 5:14) Jesus’ love has the power to sustain us and to motivate us not to give up, even in the face of such trials as disasters, persecution, personal disappointments, or gnawing anxiety. w18.09 14 ¶8-9
Thursday, February 13
I will walk in your truth.—Ps. 86:11.
To walk in the truth, we must accept and obey all of Jehovah’s sayings. We must give the truth priority in our lives and live according to Bible principles. Like David, we must be firmly resolved to keep walking in God’s truth. If we are not, we could have second thoughts about what we paid for the truth and perhaps be tempted to begin taking back part of the payment. Rather, we carefully hold on to the complete truth. We recognize that we cannot pick which truths to accept and which to ignore. After all, we must walk in “all the truth.” (John 16:13) To avoid drifting away from the truth, we must make wise use of our time. If we are not careful, we might start to spend excessive amounts of time on recreation, hobbies, browsing the Internet, or watching television. Although these things are not wrong in themselves, the time we spend on them can begin to encroach on time previously spent in personal study and other spiritual activities. w18.11 10 ¶7-8
Friday, February 14
I have calmed and quieted my soul.—Ps. 131:2.
When our life takes an unexpected turn, the changes that we have to face may cause us apprehension and emotional stress. (Prov. 12:25) We may even find it hard to accept those changes. In such circumstances, how can we ‘calm and quiet’ our soul? (Ps. 131:1-3) Despite adverse circumstances, we today can experience firsthand the soothing effect of “the peace of God” that guards our mental powers. (Phil. 4:6, 7) Thus, if we turn to Jehovah when we feel overwhelmed by anxiety, God’s peace can strengthen our determination to reach spiritual goals and guard us against any tendency to give up. In addition to calming us down, God’s spirit can draw our attention to key scriptures that will help us to keep our spiritual priorities.—John 14:26, 27. w18.10 27 ¶2; 28 ¶5, 8
Saturday, February 15
Speak the truth with one another.—Zech. 8:16.
What device has had the worst possible effect on humankind? The lie! That is, saying something that one knows is not true in order to deceive someone else. And who devised the first lie? Jesus Christ identified “the Devil” as “the father of the lie.” (John 8:44) When did he utter the first lie? It happened thousands of years ago in the garden of Eden. The first human couple, Adam and Eve, were enjoying life in the Paradise that their Creator had provided for them. Then, the Devil entered the scene. He knew that God had commanded the couple not to eat from “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad,” lest they die for their disobedience. Even so, through a serpent, Satan told Eve: “You certainly will not die [the first lie ever told]. For God knows that in the very day you eat from it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and bad.”—Gen. 2:15-17; 3:1-5. w18.10 6 ¶1-2
Sunday, February 16
Happy are the pure in heart, since they will see God.—Matt. 5:8.
To keep our hearts pure, we must be clean on the inside and nurture chaste affections and desires. We need to keep our thoughts clean so as to be spiritually untainted in our devotion to Jehovah. (2 Cor. 4:2; 1 Tim. 1:5) How, though, do the pure in heart “see God” when, in fact, “no man can see [God] and live”? (Ex. 33:20) The Greek word rendered “see” can carry the sense of “to see with the mind, to perceive, know.” Those who see God with ‘the eyes of the heart’ are those who have really come to know him, appreciating his qualities. (Eph. 1:18) In addition to getting to know God’s qualities, true worshippers can “see God” by observing the way he acts in their behalf. (Job 42:5) They also focus ‘their eyes of the heart’ on the wonderful blessings that God holds out for those who strive to remain pure and to serve him loyally. w18.09 20 ¶13, 15-16
Monday, February 17
Wisdom is the most important thing, so acquire wisdom.—Prov. 4:7.
Doing what we know to be right brings rich blessings. Although wisdom is based on knowledge, it particularly has to do with the decisions we make rather than just the facts we understand. Even ants reveal wisdom. Ants demonstrate instinctive wisdom by preparing their food in the summer. (Prov. 30:24, 25) Christ, “the wisdom of God,” always does the things pleasing to the Father. (1 Cor. 1:24; John 8:29) God knows the difference between making the right choice and acting on that choice. And he rewards those who demonstrate humility with endurance and who practice what they know to be true. (Matt. 7:21-23) Therefore, work to preserve the spiritual environment in which genuine humility can flourish. Applying what we know to be true takes time and requires patience, but it is a mark of humility that leads to happiness now and forever. w18.09 7 ¶18
Tuesday, February 18
Let each one examine his own actions, . . . and not in comparison with the other person.—Gal. 6:4.
The Creator envisioned that perfect humans would cooperate with him to accomplish his purposes. Despite mankind’s current imperfect state, faithful people can still work with Jehovah each day. For example, we become “God’s fellow workers” by preaching the good news of his Kingdom and making disciples. (1 Cor. 3:5-9) Just think what a privilege we have to be counted worthy of cooperating with the almighty Creator of the universe in a work that he considers important! Yet, preaching and making disciples are not the only ways that we work with Jehovah. Other ways we can do so are by assisting our family and fellow worshippers, by being hospitable, by volunteering for theocratic projects, and by expanding our sacred service. (Col. 3:23) However, do not compare what you can do for Jehovah with what others can do. Remember that age, health, circumstances, and abilities vary from one person to another. w18.08 23 ¶1-2
Wednesday, February 19
Keep in expectation of it! For it will without fail come true.—Hab. 2:3.
Jehovah assured Habakkuk that he would receive answers to his sincere questions. Relief for all his worries would come before too long. God, in effect, told the prophet: “Be patient, trust in me. My answer will come despite the apparent delay!” Jehovah reminded him that He had an appointed time for fulfilling His promises. He counseled Habakkuk to wait for the accomplishment of His purposes. Ultimately, the prophet would not be disappointed. Patiently waiting on Jehovah and paying close attention to what he tells us will give us confidence and will help us to acquire a calm heart despite adversities and hardships. Jesus confirmed that we can trust in Jehovah as the Great Timekeeper, not focusing on “times or seasons” that God has not yet revealed. (Acts 1:7) Therefore, may we not give up but wait in humility, faith, and patience, making good use of the time we have to serve Jehovah to the best of our abilities.—Mark 13:35-37; Gal. 6:9. w18.11 16 ¶13-14
Thursday, February 20
God has shown me that I should call no man defiled or unclean.—Acts 10:28.
Like other Jews of his time, Peter grew up believing that Gentiles were unclean. Yet, Peter had experienced events that caused him to reevaluate that position. For example, Peter had a miraculous vision. (Acts 10:9-16) Like Peter, we must examine ourselves carefully and be willing to receive help so that we can identify any remaining traces of prejudice in our hearts. What else can we do? If we open our heart wide, we will allow love to replace prejudice. (2 Cor. 6:11-13) Are you in the habit of having close association only with those of your own race, ethnicity, nationality, tribe, or language group? If so, widen out. Why not invite those of a different background to work with you in the field ministry or invite them to your home for a meal or a gathering? (Acts 16:14, 15) If you do so, you will fill your heart with so much love that there will be no room for prejudice. w18.08 9 ¶3, 6; 10 ¶7
Friday, February 21
Keep from becoming causes for stumbling.—1 Cor. 10:32.
Some Witnesses have not firmly rejected worldly conduct. Their dancing and actions at parties go beyond what is acceptable for Christians. They post on social media photos of themselves and comments that are unbecoming to spiritual people. Therefore, they can be a negative influence on their peers who are striving to maintain fine conduct among Jehovah’s people. (1 Pet. 2:11, 12) The world aggressively promotes “the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life.” (1 John 2:16) Yet, because we belong to Jehovah, we are admonished to “reject ungodliness and worldly desires and to live with soundness of mind and righteousness and godly devotion amid this present system of things.” (Titus 2:12) Our speech, our eating and drinking habits, our dress and grooming, our work ethic—everything we do—should tell onlookers that we are exclusively devoted to Jehovah. w18.07 25 ¶13-14
Saturday, February 22
Our eyes look to Jehovah our God until he shows us favor.—Ps. 123:2.
If we keep our figurative eyes focused on Jehovah, we will not allow the actions of others to embitter us or damage our relationship with him. This is especially important if, like Moses, we have a measure of responsibility in God’s organization. While it is true that each of us needs to ‘keep working out his own salvation with fear and trembling,’ we must remember that Jehovah does not have one rigid, inflexible standard by which he judges us. (Phil. 2:12) Rather, the more responsibility we have, the greater our accountability. (Luke 12:48) But if we truly love Jehovah, nothing will stumble us or separate us from his love. (Ps. 119:165; Rom. 8:37-39) In these challenging times, may our eyes be raised continually to the One who is “enthroned in the heavens,” so that we can perceive his will. (Ps. 123:1) May we never allow our relationship with Jehovah to be negatively affected by the actions of others. w18.07 16 ¶19-20
Sunday, February 23
Let your light shine before men, so that they may . . . give glory to your Father.—Matt. 5:16.
How thrilling it is to hear of increases that Jehovah’s people are experiencing! In 2017 we regularly conducted over 10,000,000 Bible studies. This certainly indicates that God’s servants are letting their light shine! And think of the millions of interested ones whom we welcomed at the Memorial. They could thus learn of the love that God expressed when he provided the ransom. (1 John 4:9) Worldwide, Jehovah’s people speak many different languages. However, this does not prevent us from offering united praise to our Father, Jehovah. (Rev. 7:9) No matter what our mother tongue is or where we live, we can shine “as illuminators in the world.” (Phil. 2:15) The increase we observe, the unity we enjoy, and the watchful attitude that we strive to maintain all contribute to our bringing glory to Jehovah. w18.06 21 ¶1-3
Monday, February 24
Rabbi, eat.—John 4:31.
Jesus’ reply indicated that he was so absorbed in the spiritual discussion that his hunger could be ignored. Preaching—even to a Samaritan woman—was the will of his Father, and it was like food for him. (John 4:32-34) James and John did not grasp this lesson. When journeying with Jesus through Samaria, the disciples sought overnight lodging in a Samaritan village. The Samaritans refused to receive them, so James and John angrily suggested calling down fire from heaven to destroy the entire village. Jesus firmly rebuked them. (Luke 9:51-56) We may wonder if James and John would have reacted the same way if the inhospitable village had been in their home region of Galilee. It seems likely that prejudice had kindled their animosity. It could be that the apostle John felt embarrassed about his rash outburst when he later enjoyed a successful preaching campaign among the Samaritans.—Acts 8:14, 25. w18.06 10-11 ¶12-13
Tuesday, February 25
Stand firm . . . with the belt of truth fastened around your waist.—Eph. 6:14.
When Bible truth is wrapped around us tightly, as it were, we will be moved to live in harmony with it and to speak the truth at all times. Why will we avoid telling lies? Because lies have been one of Satan’s most effective weapons. Lies damage both the one telling them and the one believing them. (John 8:44) So to the best of our imperfect ability, we avoid telling lies. (Eph. 4:25) But it can be a challenge. Eighteen-year-old Abigail says: “Speaking the truth may not always seem worth it, especially when telling a lie can get you out of a difficult situation.” Why, then, tell the truth? Victoria, 23, says: “When you tell the truth and stand up for your beliefs, you might get bullied. But you always get outstanding benefits: You gain confidence, you feel closer to Jehovah, and you earn the respect of those who love you.” Certainly, it is worth keeping “the belt of truth fastened around your waist” at all times. w18.05 28 ¶3, 5
Wednesday, February 26
Keep on the watch.—Matt. 24:42.
As these critical times worsen, all of us need to keep on the watch. When Jehovah acts, it will be at the right time. (Matt. 24:42-44) Meanwhile, exercise patience, being ever watchful. Read God’s Word each day, and be vigilant with a view to prayers. (1 Pet. 4:7) Take note of sterling examples of brothers and sisters whose lives reflect their joy in keeping on the watch as well as letting their light shine. Fill your life with upbuilding activity and association. That will bring you great joy, and it will seem to you that time is passing quickly. (Eph. 5:16) It is faith-strengthening to know that our imperfection does not stop us from serving Jehovah acceptably. Consequently, appreciate Jehovah’s provision of “gifts in men,” congregation elders. (Eph. 4:8, 11, 12) The next time an elder visits you, take advantage of the opportunity to draw on his wisdom and benefit from his advice. w18.06 24-25 ¶15-18
Thursday, February 27
If you observe my commandments, you will remain in my love.—John 15:10.
Jesus told his disciples not only to be in his love but to “remain in [his] love.” Why? Because living as a true disciple of Christ year after year calls for endurance. Jesus stressed the need for endurance by using forms of the word “remain” over and over in the brief passage recorded at John 15:4-10. How do we show that we want to remain in Christ’s love and keep his approval? By observing Jesus’ commandments. Simply put, Jesus tells us, ‘Be obedient to me.’ Yet, Jesus only asked us to do what he himself did, for he added: “Just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love.” Jesus sets the example. (John 13:15) By carrying out Jesus’ command to go and preach, we too show our love for God because Jesus’ commandments reflect his Father’s thinking. (Matt. 17:5; John 8:28) In response to our expression of love, Jehovah and Jesus keep us in their love. w18.05 18 ¶5-7
Friday, February 28
The plans of the diligent surely lead to success.—Prov. 21:5.
Adolescents have to make decisions about education, employment, and other matters. If you know what your goals are, making good decisions becomes easier. The earlier you make plans by setting good goals, the sooner you will have success. Thousands of young ones in congregations all over the world deserve warm praise. They commit themselves to Jehovah and focus their lives on theocratic goals. Such young people enjoy life to the full while at the same time learning to follow Jehovah’s guidance in all endeavors. This also includes family life. “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart,” wrote Solomon. “In all your ways take notice of him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Prov. 3:5, 6) Youths in the Christian congregation are precious in the eyes of Jehovah, who loves them dearly and gives them his protection, guidance, and blessing. w18.04 26 ¶7; 27 ¶9
Saturday, February 29
Love one another; just as I have loved you, you also love one another.—John 13:34.
The apostle John was a pillar in the early Christian congregation. His riveting Gospel account of Jesus’ ministry has been a source of encouragement to Christians throughout the centuries—and still is. His Gospel alone preserves Jesus’ statement that love is the identifying mark of his true disciples. (John 13:35) John’s three letters contain further gems of truth. When we are weighed down with the burden of sin, are we not relieved to read that “the blood of Jesus . . . cleanses us from all sin”? (1 John 1:7) And if our heart continues to condemn us, do we not get a lump in our throat and tears of gratitude in our eyes when we read that “God is greater than our hearts”? (1 John 3:20) John alone wrote that “God is love.” (1 John 4:8, 16) His second and third letters commend Christians who continue “walking in the truth.”—2 John 4; 3 John 3, 4. w18.04 18 ¶14-15 |
Working Together With God—A Cause for Rejoicing | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2016047 | Working Together With God—A Cause for Rejoicing
“Working together with him, we also urge you not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose.”—2 COR. 6:1.
SONGS: 75, 74
WHY CAN IT BE SAID THAT THE PREACHING WORK . . .
brings us happiness?
draws us closer to God and to others?
is a protection for us?
1. Even though Jehovah is the Supreme One, what has he invited others to do?
JEHOVAH is the Supreme One, the Creator of all things, the One possessing infinite wisdom and power. Job came to understand that. After Jehovah questioned Job about His works of creation, Job replied: “I know that you are able to do all things and that nothing you have in mind to do is impossible for you.” (Job 42:2) Though Jehovah can accomplish whatever he sets out to do—without assistance—he has from the very beginning lovingly invited others to work along with him to achieve his purpose.
2. What important work did Jehovah invite Jesus to do?
2 God’s first creation was his only-begotten spirit Son. Jehovah allowed his Son to share in all further works of creation, both spirit and material. (John 1:1-3, 18) Concerning Jesus, the apostle Paul wrote: “By means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible, whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through him and for him.” (Col. 1:15-17) Thus, Jehovah honored his Son both by including him in the works of creation and by telling others about his Son’s important role.
3. What did Jehovah invite Adam to do, and why?
3 Jehovah also invited humans to work along with him. For example, he allowed Adam to name the animals. (Gen. 2:19, 20) What pleasure it must have brought Adam to observe these creatures, to study their characteristics, and to decide what name might be appropriate for each one of them! Jehovah could have named the animals himself—he created them. Yet, he lovingly allowed Adam to name them. God also gave Adam the opportunity to expand Paradise beyond the borders of Eden. (Gen. 1:27, 28) Sadly, Adam eventually chose not to work along with God, bringing catastrophe on himself and all his offspring.—Gen. 3:17-19, 23.
4. How did others work with God to accomplish his will?
4 Later, God invited other humans to share in the outworking of his purpose. Noah built an ark that preserved him and his family alive through the global Deluge. Moses delivered the nation of Israel from Egypt. Joshua brought that nation into the Promised Land. Solomon built the temple in Jerusalem. Mary became mother to Jesus. All these faithful ones and many others worked along with Jehovah to accomplish his will.
5. In what work can we share, and did Jehovah need to involve us in this work? (See opening picture.)
5 Today, Jehovah invites us to give our full support to the Messianic Kingdom. There are many avenues of sacred service. Some may not be available to all Christians, but all of us can participate in the work of preaching the good news of the Kingdom. Of course, Jehovah did not have to involve us in this work. He could have chosen to speak directly from heaven to people on earth. Jesus said that Jehovah could even have had the stones cry out about the Messianic King. (Luke 19:37-40) Yet, Jehovah allows us to be his “fellow workers.” (1 Cor. 3:9) The apostle Paul wrote: “Working together with him, we also urge you not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose.” (2 Cor. 6:1) Working along with God is an undeserved honor, causing us great rejoicing. Let us consider some reasons why.
WORKING WITH GOD MAKES US HAPPY
6. How did God’s firstborn Son describe how he felt about working beside his Father?
6 From earliest times, Jehovah’s servants have found joy in working with God. God’s firstborn spirit Son, represented as the personification of wisdom, is depicted as saying: “Jehovah produced me as the beginning of his way . . . I was beside him as a master worker. I was the one he was especially fond of day by day; I rejoiced before him all the time.” (Prov. 8:22, 30) Jesus joyfully worked alongside his Father, rejoicing both in what he accomplished and in the knowledge that Jehovah was fond of him. What, though, about us?
What could be more satisfying than teaching someone the truth? (See paragraph 7)
7. Why does the preaching work bring us joy?
7 Jesus said that there is happiness both in giving and in receiving. (Acts 20:35) It brought us joy to receive the truth, and it brings us joy to share the truth with others. As we share Bible truths with others, we see spiritually hungry ones filled with delight as they begin to understand and appreciate our God and the precious truths contained in his Word. It touches our heart to see them make changes not just in their thinking but also in their way of life. We realize that the work of sharing the good news is vitally important. It opens the way to everlasting life for those who become reconciled to God. (2 Cor. 5:20) What more joyful, satisfying work could we engage in than that of helping people chart a course that will result in their living forever?
8. What have some said about the joy of working with Jehovah?
8 Though we find happiness when people respond to the message we preach, we also delight in knowing that we are pleasing to Jehovah and that he appreciates our efforts to serve him. (Read 1 Corinthians 15:58.) Marco, who lives in Italy, observes: “I have the priceless joy of knowing that I am giving my best to Jehovah and not to someone who will soon forget what I’ve done.” Similarly, Franco, who also serves in Italy, says: “By means of his Word and his spiritual provisions, Jehovah reminds us every day that he loves us and that everything we do for him is important, even though our efforts may seem like nothing to us. This is why working along with God makes me happy and gives my life meaning.”
WORKING WITH GOD DRAWS US CLOSER TO HIM AND TO OTHERS
9. What relationship existed between Jehovah and Jesus, and why?
9 When we work along with those we love, we draw close to them and come to know their personality and their qualities. We learn not only what they want to accomplish but also how they go about doing it. Jesus worked along with Jehovah for perhaps billions of years, and they forged a strong, unbreakable bond of love and affection for each other. Pointing to the closeness of their relationship, Jesus said: “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30) They enjoyed a wonderful unity, always working together in full harmony.
10. Why does preaching draw us closer to God and to others?
10 In prayer, Jesus asked Jehovah to watch over his disciples. The reason? He prayed: “So that they may be one just as we are one.” (John 17:11) As we conform to God’s standards and share in the work of preaching, we come to understand his appealing qualities. We learn why it is wise to trust in him and to follow his direction. As we draw close to God, he draws close to us. (Read James 4:8.) We also draw close to our spiritual brothers and sisters because we face similar challenges and joys and because we share the same goals. Yes, we work together, rejoice together, and endure together. Octavia, who lives in Britain, says: “Working with Jehovah draws me closer to others because my friendships and relationships are no longer based on a superficial affinity but on a common goal and direction.” Do you not feel the same way? Are you not drawn closer to others when you see the efforts they make to please Jehovah?
11. Why will we draw even closer to Jehovah and to our brothers in the new world?
11 The bonds of love that we enjoy with God and with fellow humans may be strong now, but they will be even stronger in the righteous new world. Think of the work that lies ahead! There will be resurrected ones to be welcomed back and to be educated in the ways of Jehovah. The earth will need to be transformed into a paradise. These are no small tasks, but how joyful it will be to work shoulder to shoulder and to grow to perfection under the Messianic Kingdom! Those in the human family will draw ever closer to one another and to their God, who will without fail “satisfy the desire of every living thing.”—Ps. 145:16.
WORKING WITH GOD IS A PROTECTION
12. How is the preaching work a protection?
12 We need to safeguard our spirituality. Because we live in a world that is dominated by Satan the Devil and because we are imperfect, it is easy for us to adopt the wrong thinking and conduct of the world. The world’s spirit might be compared to a river current that is pulling us in a direction we do not want to go. To avoid being swept downstream, we must vigorously swim in the other direction. Similarly, effort is required to keep from being swept away by the spirit of Satan’s world. When we are preaching to others, we focus on important and beneficial spiritual matters, not on thoughts that will erode our faith. (Phil. 4:8) Preaching strengthens our convictions, reminding us of God’s promises and loving standards. It also helps keep our spiritual armor intact.—Read Ephesians 6:14-17.
13. How does one Witness in Australia feel about preaching?
13 If we keep busy in the preaching work and in other spiritual activities, we simply do not have time to become overly concerned with our own problems, and that helps to protect us. Joel, who lives in Australia, says: “The preaching work helps me not to lose touch with reality. It reminds me of the challenges people are facing and of the benefits I have experienced by applying Bible principles in my life. The preaching work helps me to try to stay humble; it gives me an opportunity to rely on Jehovah and on my brothers and sisters.”
14. Why does our perseverance in preaching show that God’s spirit is with us?
14 Preaching also strengthens our conviction that God’s spirit is with us. Consider: Suppose you were offered a job to distribute nutritious bread to people in your community. You would neither be paid for your work nor be reimbursed for your expenses. What is more, you would soon discover that most people did not want the bread and that some would even hate you for distributing it. How long would you continue to work at such a job? Feeling disheartened by the people’s negative response, you would probably not have the inner strength to continue for very long. Yet, many of us have persevered in the ministry year after year at our own expense and despite the scorn and ridicule of thankless ones. Does that not give evidence that God’s spirit is at work in us?
WORKING WITH GOD SHOWS OUR LOVE FOR HIM AND FOR OTHERS
15. How is the preaching of the good news connected with God’s purpose for humankind?
15 Just think about how the preaching of the good news fits in with Jehovah’s loving purpose for humankind. He purposed that humans would inhabit the earth without ever dying; though Adam sinned, Jehovah did not change His mind. (Isa. 55:11) Instead, he arranged for humans to be delivered from condemnation to sin and death. Working along with that purpose, Jesus came to earth and sacrificed his life for obedient humans. In order to become obedient, however, they had to understand what God required of them. So Jesus also taught people what God’s requirements are, and he commanded his disciples to do the same. By helping others to become reconciled to God, we share directly in his loving arrangement to rescue mankind from sin and death.
16. How is our preaching instructioned to God’s greatest commandments?
16 Helping others on the road to everlasting life demonstrates our love both for our fellow man and for Jehovah, “whose will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.” (1 Tim. 2:4) When asked what was the greatest of all the laws given to the nation of Israel, Jesus replied: “‘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.’” (Matt. 22:37-39) By sharing in the preaching work, we demonstrate our obedience to these commandments.—Read Acts 10:42.
17. How do you feel about the honor to preach the good news?
17 How blessed we are! Jehovah has given us a work that brings us joy, that draws us closer to him and to others, and that serves to protect us spiritually. It also gives us the opportunity to show our love for God and for our fellow man. The circumstances of God’s people vary greatly throughout the earth, but whether young or old, rich or poor, strong or weak, millions are seeking and finding ways to share their faith with others. Likely, you will agree with Chantel, who lives in France. She says: “The most powerful Person in the universe, the Creator of all things, the happy God, says to me: ‘Go! Speak! Speak for me, speak from your heart. I give you my strength, my Word the Bible, heavenly support, earthly companions, progressive training, and precise instructions at the appropriate time.’ What an immense privilege it is to do what Jehovah asks of us and to work together with our God!” |
HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE USED
Successful Construction Before the Pandemic | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502500203 | HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE USED
Successful Construction Before the Pandemic
NOVEMBER 1, 2020
With hundreds of thousands getting baptized each year, we need an increasing number of theocratic facilities. To support this growth, Local Design/Construction Departments around the world planned to build or renovate more than 2,700 places of worship during the 2020 service year.a
Unfortunately, these plans were hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. To protect our brothers and sisters and to comply with government regulations, the Publishing Committee of the Governing Body paused the majority of construction projects worldwide. Nevertheless, during the 2020 service year, more than 1,700 places of worship were built and renovated prior to the pandemic. Additionally, over 100 major branch projects were completed. Consider how two completed construction projects have benefited our brothers.
Cameroon branch. The former branch, located in Douala, was too small and needed extensive upgrades. The Publishing Committee considered renovating the branch, but the cost of doing so would have exceeded the value of the facilities. They also investigated the possibility of building on a new property or buying and renovating an existing structure, but both options fell through.
Meanwhile, the brothers learned that to the north of Douala, the local government planned to build a road alongside one of our Assembly Halls. The road would provide better access and bring utilities to the property. These improvements perfectly suited the needs of the branch. So the Governing Body approved the construction of a new branch on a subdivided piece of the Assembly Hall property.
Brothers and sisters help build the new Cameroon branch
Witnesses and hired contractors worked together on the project—a strategy that saved time and money. In fact, the project was completed for more than two million dollars (U.S.) less than expected! The Bethel family was able to move into the new facilities shortly before the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Cameroon branch project was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic
Bethelites in Cameroon have benefited from better living and working conditions, and they see the new branch as a gift from Jehovah. One couple says, “We just want to work harder and not take this gift for granted.”
Brothers and sisters work in their new office before the pandemic
Tojolabal Remote Translation Office (RTO), Mexico. For many years, the Tojolabal translation team worked at the Central America branch, located near Mexico City. However, the Tojolabal language is spoken mainly in Altamirano and Las Margaritas—nearly 1,000 kilometers (620 mi) away! As a result, the translators found it difficult to keep their Tojolabal-language skills current. And the branch struggled to find qualified brothers and sisters nearby to help with Tojolabal translation and audio recordings.
Brothers and sisters help with the RTO project
For these reasons, the Writing Committee of the Governing Body wanted to relocate the translation team to a Tojolabal-speaking area. To achieve this, the branch decided to buy and renovate a building. Doing so was more cost-effective than constructing or renting offices.
One translator explains how he has benefited: “In the ten years that I worked as a translator at the branch, I did not meet a single family nearby that spoke my language. Now our office is located in the heart of the area where Tojolabal is spoken. I interact with Tojolabal speakers every day. This has enriched my vocabulary and improved the quality of my work.”
The Tojolabal translation office both before and after the renovation project
Projects for the 2021 Service Year
For the 2021 service year, there are plans to work on 75 RTOs and Bible school facilities, if circumstances permit. Work will continue on eight major branch projects, including the new world headquarters project at Ramapo, New York, as well as the relocation of the Argentina and Italy branches. Additionally, more than 1,000 new Kingdom Halls are needed, more than 6,000 current meeting places are unsuitable and need to be replaced, and yet another 4,000 Kingdom Halls need to be renovated.
How is all this construction and renovation work funded? Brother Lázaro González, a member of the Central America Branch Committee, answered this question while discussing the Tojolabal Remote Translation Office project. “In our branch territory, we have limited resources. So without the support of the whole association of brothers, it would be impossible to build translation offices for our indigenous fellow believers. The funds provided by brothers all around the world have made it possible to bring translators closer to the communities where their languages are spoken. We give our sincere thanks to our worldwide brotherhood for their generous support.” Yes, these construction projects are possible thanks to your donations to the worldwide work, many of which are made via donate.jw.org.
a Local Design/Construction Departments plan and implement the construction of Kingdom Halls in their branch territory. The Worldwide Design/Construction Department, located at world headquarters, prioritizes and coordinates construction projects worldwide. |
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