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Family Happiness (fy)
1996 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/fy | The Secret of Family Happiness |
Creation (ce)
1985 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ce | Chapter 5
Letting the Fossil Record Speak
1. What are fossils?
FOSSILS are the remains of ancient forms of life preserved in the earth’s crust. These may be skeletons or parts of them such as bones, teeth or shells. A fossil also may be some trace of the activity of what was once alive, such as an imprint or trail. Many fossils no longer contain their original material but are made up of mineral deposits that have infiltrated them and have taken on their shape.
2, 3. Why are fossils important to evolution?
2 Why are fossils important to evolution? Geneticist G. L. Stebbins noted a major reason: “No biologist has actually seen the origin by evolution of a major group of organisms.”1 So, living things on earth today are not seen to be evolving into something else. Instead, they are all complete in form and distinct from other types. As geneticist Theodosius Dobzhansky observed: “The living world is not a single array . . . connected by unbroken series of intergrades.”2 And Charles Darwin conceded that “the distinctness of specific [living] forms and their not being blended together by innumerable transitional instructions, is a very obvious difficulty.”3
3 Thus, the distinct varieties of things now alive offer no support to the theory of evolution. That is why the fossil record became so important. It was felt that at least fossils would provide the confirmation that the theory of evolution needed.
What to Look For
4-6. If evolution were factual, what would the fossil evidence show?
4 If evolution were a fact, the fossil evidence would surely reveal a gradual changing from one kind of life into another. And that would have to be the case regardless of which variation of evolutionary theory is accepted. Even scientists who believe in the more rapid changes associated with the “punctuated equilibrium” theory acknowledge that there would still have been many thousands of years during which these changes supposedly took place. So it is not reasonable to believe that there would be no need at all for instructioning fossils.
5 Also, if evolution were founded in fact, the fossil record would be expected to reveal beginnings of new structures in living things. There should be at least some fossils with developing arms, legs, wings, eyes, and other bones and organs. For instance, there should be fish fins changing into amphibian legs with feet and toes, and gills changing into lungs. There should be reptiles with front limbs changing into bird wings, back limbs changing into legs with claws, scales changing into feathers, and mouths changing into horny beaks.
6 In this regard the British journal New Scientist says of the theory: “It predicts that a complete fossil record would consist of lineages of organisms showing gradual change continuously over long periods of time.”4 As Darwin himself asserted: “The number of intermediate varieties, which have formerly existed, [must] be truly enormous.”5
7. What should the fossil record show if the Genesis creation account is factual?
7 On the other hand, if the Genesis creation account is factual, then the fossil record would not show one type of life turning into another. It would reflect the Genesis statement that each different type of living thing would reproduce only “according to its kind.” (Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25) Also, if living things came into being by an act of creation, there would be no partial, unfinished bones or organs in the fossil record. All fossils would be complete and highly complex, as living things are today.
8. If living things were created, what else should the fossil record show?
8 In addition, if living things were created, they would be expected to appear suddenly in the fossil record, unconnected to anything before them. And if this was found to be true, what then? Darwin frankly admitted: “If numerous species . . . have really started into life at once, the fact would be fatal to the theory of evolution.”6
How Complete Is the Record?
9. What did Darwin say about the evidence in his day?
9 However, is the fossil record complete enough for a fair test of whether it is creation or evolution that finds support? Over a century ago, Darwin did not think so. What was “wrong” with the fossil record in his time? It did not contain the transitional instructions required to support his theory. This situation caused him to say: “Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate instructions? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely-graduated organic chain; and this, perhaps, is the most obvious and serious objection which can be urged against the theory.”7
10. What other disappointment did Darwin mention?
10 The fossil record in Darwin’s day proved disappointing to him in another way. He explained: “The abrupt manner in which whole groups of species suddenly appear in certain formations has been urged by several paleontologists . . . as a fatal objection to the belief in the transmutation of species.” He added: “There is another and allied difficulty, which is much more serious. I allude to the manner in which species belonging to several of the main divisions of the animal kingdom suddenly appear in the lowest known fossiliferous rocks. . . . The case at present must remain inexplicable; and may be truly urged as a valid argument against the [evolutionary] views here entertained.”8
11. How did Darwin attempt to explain the difficulties?
11 Darwin attempted to explain these huge problems by attacking the fossil record. He said: “I look at the geological record as a history of the world imperfectly kept, . . . imperfect to an extreme degree.”9 It was assumed by him and others that as time passed the missing fossil instructions surely would be found.
12. How extensive is the fossil record now?
12 Now, after well over a century of extensive digging, vast numbers of fossils have been unearthed. Is the record still so “imperfect”? The book Processes of Organic Evolution comments: “The record of past forms of life is now extensive and is constantly increasing in richness as paleontologists find, describe, and compare new fossils.”10 And Smithsonian Institution scientist Porter Kier adds: “There are a hundred million fossils, all catalogued and identified, in museums around the world.”11 Hence, A Guide to Earth History declares: “By the aid of fossils palaeontologists can now give us an excellent picture of the life of past ages.”12
13, 14. Why have evolutionists been disappointed by the enlarged fossil evidence?
13 After all this time, and the assembling of millions of fossils, what does the record now say? Evolutionist Steven Stanley states that these fossils “reveal new and surprising things about our biological origins.”13 The book A View of Life, written by three evolutionists, adds: “The fossil record is full of trends that paleontologists have been unable to explain.”14 What is it that these evolutionary scientists have found to be so “surprising” and are “unable to explain”?
14 What has confounded such scientists is the fact that the massive fossil evidence now available reveals the very same thing that it did in Darwin’s day: Basic kinds of living things appeared suddenly and did not change appreciably for long periods of time. No transitional instructions between one major kind of living thing and another have ever been found. So what the fossil record says is just the opposite of what was expected.
15. What conclusion did a botanist draw from his study of the fossil record?
15 Swedish botanist Heribert Nilsson described the situation this way, after 40 years of his own research: “It is not even possible to make a caricature of an evolution out of palaeobiological facts. The fossil material is now so complete that . . . the lack of transitional series cannot be explained as due to the scarcity of material. The deficiencies are real, they will never be filled.”15
Life Appears Suddenly
16. (a) What does a scientist lead one to expect about the early fossil record? (b) Does the fossil record fulfill that expectation?
16 Let us take a closer look at the evidence. In his book Red Giants and White Dwarfs Robert Jastrow states: “Sometime in the first billion years, life appeared on the earth’s surface. Slowly, the fossil record indicates, living organisms climbed the ladder from simple to more advanced forms.” From this description, one would expect that the fossil record has verified a slow evolution from the first “simple” life forms to complex ones. Yet, the same book says: “The critical first billion years, during which life began, are blank pages in the earth’s history.”16
17. Could the first forms of life be called “simple”?
17 Also, can those first types of life truly be described as “simple”? “Going back in time to the age of the oldest rocks,” says Evolution From Space, “fossil residues of ancient life-forms discovered in the rocks do not reveal a simple beginning. Although we may care to think of fossil bacteria and fossil algae and microfungi as being simple compared to a dog or horse, the information standard remains enormously high. Most of the biochemical complexity of life was present already at the time the oldest surface rocks of the Earth were formed.”17
18. Is there any fossil evidence that one-celled creatures evolved into many-celled ones?
18 From this beginning, can any evidence at all be found to verify that one-celled organisms evolved into many-celled ones? “The fossil record contains no trace of these preliminary stages in the development of many-celled organisms,” says Jastrow.18 Instead, he states: “The record of the rocks contains very little, other than bacteria and one-celled plants until, about a billion years ago, after some three billion years of invisible progress, a major breakthrough occurred. The first many-celled creatures appeared on earth.”19
19. What happened at the start of what is called the Cambrian period?
19 Thus, at the start of what is called the Cambrian period, the fossil record takes an unexplained dramatic turn. A great variety of fully developed, complex sea creatures, many with hard outer shells, appear so suddenly that this time is often called an “explosion” of living things. A View of Life describes it: “Beginning at the base of the Cambrian period and extending for about 10 million years, all the major groups of skeletonized invertebrates made their first appearance in the most spectacular rise in diversity ever recorded on our planet.” Snails, sponges, starfish, lobsterlike animals called trilobites, and many other complex sea creatures appeared. Interestingly, the same book observes: “Some extinct trilobites, in fact, developed more complex and efficient eyes than any living arthropod possesses.”20
20. Are there any fossil instructions between the Cambrian outburst of life and what went before it?
20 Are there fossil instructions between this outburst of life and what went before it? In Darwin’s time such instructions did not exist. He admitted: “To the question why we do not find rich fossiliferous deposits belonging to these assumed earliest periods prior to the Cambrian system, I can give no satisfactory answer.”21 Today, has the situation changed? Paleontologist Alfred S. Romer noted Darwin’s statement about “the abrupt manner in which whole groups of species suddenly appear” and wrote: “Below this [Cambrian period], there are vast thicknesses of sediments in which the progenitors of the Cambrian forms would be expected. But we do not find them; these older beds are almost barren of evidence of life, and the general picture could reasonably be said to be consistent with the idea of a special creation at the beginning of Cambrian times. ‘To the question why we do not find rich fossiliferous deposits belonging to these assumed earliest periods prior to the Cambrian system,’ said Darwin, ‘I can give no satisfactory answer.’ Nor can we today,” said Romer.22
21. What arguments have not held up, and why not?
21 Some argue that Precambrian rocks were too altered by heat and pressure to retain fossil instructions, or that no rocks were deposited in shallow seas for fossils to be retained. “Neither of these arguments has held up,” say evolutionists Salvador E. Luria, Stephen Jay Gould and Sam Singer. They add: “Geologists have discovered many unaltered Precambrian sediments, and they contain no fossils of complex organisms.”23
22. In view of these facts, what comments did a biochemist make?
22 These facts prompted biochemist D. B. Gower to comment, as related in England’s Kentish Times: “The creation account in Genesis and the theory of evolution could not be reconciled. One must be right and the other wrong. The story of the fossils agreed with the account of Genesis. In the oldest rocks we did not find a series of fossils covering the gradual changes from the most primitive creatures to developed forms, but rather in the oldest rocks, developed species suddenly appeared. Between every species there was a complete absence of intermediate fossils.”24
23. What did a zoologist conclude?
23 Zoologist Harold Coffin concluded: “If progressive evolution from simple to complex is correct, the ancestors of these full-blown living creatures in the Cambrian should be found; but they have not been found and scientists admit there is little prospect of their ever being found. On the basis of the facts alone, on the basis of what is actually found in the earth, the theory of a sudden creative act in which the major forms of life were established fits best.”25
Continued Sudden Appearances, Little Change
24. Is the testimony of the fossil record the same in layers above the Cambrian period?
24 In the layers above that Cambrian outburst of life, the testimony of the fossil record is repeatedly the same: New kinds of animals and new kinds of plants appear suddenly, with no connection to anything that went before them. And once on the scene, they continue with little change. The New Evolutionary Timetable states: “The record now reveals that species typically survive for a hundred thousand generations, or even a million or more, without evolving very much. . . . After their origins, most species undergo little evolution before becoming extinct.”26
25. Insects have shown what remarkable stability?
25 For example, insects appeared in the fossil record suddenly and plentifully, without any evolutionary ancestors. Nor have they changed much even down to this day. Regarding the finding of a fossil fly that was labeled “40 million years old,” Dr. George Poinar, Jr., said: “The internal anatomy of these creatures is remarkably similar to what you find in flies today. The wings and legs and head, and even the cells inside, are very modern-looking.”27 And a report in The Globe and Mail of Toronto commented: “In 40 million years of struggling up the evolutionary ladder, they have made almost no discernible progress.”28
26. How do plants and animals show the same stability?
26 A similar picture exists for plants. Found in the rocks are fossil leaves of many trees and shrubs that show very little difference from the leaves of such plants today: oak, walnut, hickory, grape, magnolia, palm and many others. Animal kinds follow the same pattern. The ancestors of those alive today appear in the fossil record suddenly and were much like their living counterparts. There are many variations, but all are easily identified as the same “kind.” Discover magazine notes one such example: “The horseshoe crab . . . has existed on earth virtually unchanged for 200 million years.”29 Those that became extinct also followed the same pattern. Dinosaurs, for example, appear suddenly in the fossil record, with no instructions to any ancestors before them. They multiplied greatly, then became extinct.
27. What does one scientific publication say about evolutionary “improvement”?
27 On this point the Bulletin of Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History states: “Species appear in the sequence very suddenly, show little or no change during their existence in the record, then abruptly go out of the record. And it is not always clear, in fact it’s rarely clear, that the descendants were actually better adapted than their predecessors. In other words, biological improvement is hard to find.”30
No Transitional Features
28. Have transitional forms of bones and organs ever been found?
28 Another difficulty for evolution is the fact that nowhere in the fossil record are found partially formed bones or organs that could be taken for the beginning of a new feature. For instance, there are fossils of various types of flying creatures—birds, bats, extinct pterodactyls. According to evolutionary theory, they must have evolved from transitional ancestors. But none of those transitional forms have been found. There is not a hint of them. Are there any fossils of giraffes with necks two thirds or three quarters as long as at present? Are there any fossils of birds evolving a beak from a reptile jaw? Is there any fossil evidence of fish developing an amphibian pelvis, or of fish fins turning into amphibian legs, feet and toes? The fact is, looking for such developing features in the fossil record has proved to be a fruitless quest.
29. What do evolutionists now acknowledge about supposed transitional forms?
29 New Scientist noted that evolution “predicts that a complete fossil record would consist of lineages of organisms showing gradual change continuously over long periods of time.” But it admitted: “Unfortunately, the fossil record does not meet this expectation, for individual species of fossils are rarely connected to one another by known intermediate forms. . . . known fossil species do indeed appear not to evolve even over millions of years.”31 And geneticist Stebbins writes: “No transitional forms are known between any of the major phyla of animals or plants.” He speaks of “the large gaps which exist between many major categories of organisms.”32 “In fact,” The New Evolutionary Timetable acknowledges, “the fossil record does not convincingly document a single transition from one species to another. Furthermore, species lasted for astoundingly long periods of time.”33—Italics added.
30. What does an extensive study confirm?
30 This agrees with the extensive study made by the Geological Society of London and the Palaeontological Association of England. Professor of natural science John N. Moore reported on the results: “Some 120 scientists, all specialists, prepared 30 chapters in a monumental work of over 800 pages to present the fossil record for plants and animals divided into about 2,500 groups. . . . Each major form or kind of plant and animal is shown to have a separate and distinct history from all the other forms or kinds! Groups of both plants and animals appear suddenly in the fossil record. . . . Whales, bats, horses, primates, elephants, hares, squirrels, etc., all are as distinct at their first appearance as they are now. There is not a trace of a common ancestor, much less a instruction with any reptile, the supposed progenitor.” Moore added: “No transitional forms have been found in the fossil record very probably because no transitional forms exist in fossil stage at all. Very likely, transitions between animal kinds and/or transitions between plant kinds have never occurred.”34
31. Does the fossil record say something different now from what it said in Darwin’s day?
31 Thus, what was true in Darwin’s day is just as true today. The evidence of the fossil record is still as zoologist D’Arcy Thompson said some years ago in his book On Growth and Form: “Darwinian evolution has not taught us how birds descend from reptiles, mammals from earlier quadrupeds, quadrupeds from fishes, nor vertebrates from the invertebrate stock. . . . to seek for stepping-stones across the gaps between is to seek in vain, for ever.”35
What About the Horse?
32. What is often presented as a classic example of evolution?
32 However, it has often been said that at least the horse is a classic example of evolution found in the fossil record. As The World Book Encyclopedia states: “Horses are among the best-documented examples of evolutionary development.”36 Illustrations of this begin with a very small animal and end with the large horse of today. But does the fossil evidence really support this?
33. Does the fossil evidence really support evolution of the horse?
33 The Encyclopædia Britannica comments: “The evolution of the horse was never in a straight line.”37 In other words, nowhere does the fossil evidence show a gradual development from the small animal to the large horse. Evolutionist Hitching says of this foremost evolutionary model: “Once portrayed as simple and direct, it is now so complicated that accepting one version rather than another is more a matter of faith than rational choice. Eohippus, supposedly the earliest horse, and said by experts to be long extinct and known to us only through fossils, may in fact be alive and well and not a horse at all—a shy, fox-sized animal called a daman that darts about in the African bush.”38
34, 35. (a) Why do some now question the place of Eohippus? (b) Have any evolutionary ancestors been found for the varieties of fossil horses?
34 Placing little Eohippus as the ancestor of the horse strains the imagination, especially in view of what The New Evolutionary Timetable says: “It was widely assumed that [Eohippus] had slowly but persistently turned into a more fully equine animal.” But do the facts support this assumption? “The fossil species of [Eohippus] show little evidence of evolutionary modification,” answers the book. It thus concedes, regarding the fossil record: “It fails to document the full history of the horse family.”39
35 So, some scientists now say that little Eohippus never was a type of horse or an ancestor of one. And each type of fossil put into the horse line showed remarkable stability, with no transitional forms between it and others that were thought to be evolutionary ancestors. Nor should it be surprising that there are fossils of horses of different sizes and shapes. Even today, horses vary from very small ponies to large plow horses. All are varieties within the horse family.
What the Fossil Record Really Says
36. What does the fossil record really show?
36 When we let the fossil record speak, its testimony is not evolution-oriented. Instead, the testimony of the fossil record is creation-oriented. It shows that many different kinds of living things suddenly appeared. While there was great variety within each kind, these had no instructions to evolutionary ancestors before them. Nor did they have any evolutionary instructions to different kinds of living things that came after them. Various kinds of living things persisted with little change for long periods of time before some of them became extinct, while others survive down to this day.
37. How does an evolutionist acknowledge this?
37 “The concept of evolution cannot be considered a strong scientific explanation for the presence of the diverse forms of life,” concludes evolutionist Edmund Samuel in his book Order: In Life. Why not? He adds: “No fine analysis of biogeographic distribution or of the fossil record can directly support evolution.”40
38. What would the impartial inquirer conclude?
38 Clearly, the impartial inquirer would be led to conclude that fossils do not support the theory of evolution. On the other hand, fossil evidence does lend strong weight to the arguments for creation. As zoologist Coffin stated: “To secular scientists, the fossils, evidences of the life of the past, constitute the ultimate and final court of appeal, because the fossil record is the only authentic history of life available to science. If this fossil history does not agree with evolutionary theory—and we have seen that it does not—what does it teach? It tells us that plants and animals were created in their basic forms. The basic facts of the fossil record support creation, not evolution.”41 Astronomer Carl Sagan candidly acknowledged in his book Cosmos: “The fossil evidence could be consistent with the idea of a Great Designer.”42
[Blurb on page 54]
“No biologist has actually seen the origin by evolution of a major group of organisms”
[Blurb on page 57]
Darwin: “If numerous species . . . have really started into life at once, the fact would be fatal to the theory of evolution”
[Blurb on page 59]
The fossil record says the opposite of what evolutionary theory had predicted
[Blurb on page 60]
“Fossil residues of ancient life-forms discovered in the rocks do not reveal a simple beginning”
[Blurb on page 61]
Darwin: “Whole groups of species suddenly appear”
[Blurb on page 62]
“The general picture could reasonably be said to be consistent with the idea of a special creation”
[Blurb on page 62]
“There was a complete absence of intermediate fossils”
[Blurb on page 66]
“The evolution of the horse was never in a straight line”
[Blurb on page 67]
“The Equus group, which includes all living horses . . . appears suddenly in the fossil record . . . their origin is not documented by known fossil evidence”b
[Blurb on page 70]
“The concept of evolution cannot be considered a strong scientific explanation for the presence of the diverse forms of life”
[Box on page 55]
Orthodox evolutionary The creation patterntheory anticipated a fossil anticipated a fossil recordrecord that contains: that contains:
1. Very simple life forms 1. Complex life forms gradually appearing suddenly appearing
2. Simple forms gradually 2. Complex life forms changing into complex multiplying ‘after their ones kinds’ (biological families), though allowing for variety
3. Many transitional “instructions” 3. No transitional “instructions” between different kinds between different biological families
4. Beginnings of new body 4. No partial body features; features, such as limbs, all parts complete bones, organs
[Box/Picture on page 56]
A book on evolution contains a drawing like this with the caption: “FROM FISH TO MAN.” It says that the illustration “shows how the bones in the fin of the fish evolved into the bones of the human arm and hand.” It also states: “The fossil record documents many intermediate stages in this transition.” But does it in fact do so?a
[Diagram]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Wrist
Forearm
Elbow
Upper arm
Shoulder
[Box/Pictures on page 68, 69]
What the Fossil Evidence Says . . . about the Origin of Living Things
On the Origin of Life:
“For at least three-quarters of the book of ages engraved in the earth’s crust the pages are blank.”—The World We Live Inc
“The initial steps . . . are not known; . . . no trace of them remains.”—Red Giants and White Dwarfsd
On Many-Celled Life:
“How many-celled animals originated and whether this step occurred one or more times and in one or more ways remain difficult and ever-debated questions that are . . . ‘in the last analysis, quite unanswerable.’”—Sciencee
“The fossil record contains no trace of these preliminary stages in the development of many-celled organisms.”—Red Giants and White Dwarfsf
On Plant Life:
“Most botanists look to the fossil record as the source of enlightenment. But . . . no such help has been discovered. . . . There is no evidence of the ancestry.”—The Natural History of Palmsg
On Insects:
“The fossil record does not give any information on the origin of insects.”—Encyclopædia Britannicah
“There are no fossils known that show what the primitive ancestral insects looked like.”—The Insectsi
On Animals With Backbones:
“Fossil remains, however, give no information on the origin of the vertebrates.”—Encyclopædia Britannicaj
On Fish:
“To our knowledge, no ‘instruction’ connected this new beast to any previous form of life. The fish just appeared.”—Marvels & Mysteries of Our Animal Worldk
On Fish Becoming Amphibians:
“Just how or why they did this we will probably never know.”—The Fishesl
On Amphibians Becoming Reptiles:
“One of the frustrating features of the fossil record of vertebrate history is that it shows so little about the evolution of reptiles during their earliest days, when the shelled egg was developing.”—The Reptilesm
On Reptiles Becoming Mammals:
“There is no missing instruction [that connects] mammals and reptiles.”—The Reptilesn
“Fossils, unfortunately, reveal very little about the creatures which we consider the first true mammals.”—The Mammalso
On Reptiles Becoming Birds:
“The transition from reptiles to birds is more poorly documented.”—Processes of Organic Evolutionp
“No fossil of any such birdlike reptile has yet been found.”—The World Book Encyclopediaq
On Apes:
“Unfortunately, the fossil record which would enable us to trace the emergence of the apes is still hopelessly incomplete.”—The Primatesr
“Modern apes, for instance, seem to have sprung out of nowhere. They have no yesterday, no fossil record.”—Science Digests
From Ape to Man:
“No fossil or other physical evidence directly connects man to ape.”—Science Digestt
“The human family does not consist of a solitary line of descent leading from an apelike form to our species.”—The New Evolutionary Timetableu
[Picture on page 58]
Millions of fossils have been found and are in museums and laboratories around the world
[Pictures on page 61]
Early in what is called the Cambrian period, fossils of the major groups of invertebrates appear in a spectacular “explosion” of living things, unconnected to any evolutionary ancestors
Sponge
Trilobite
Jellyfish
[Pictures on page 63]
Different and very complex life forms appear suddenly and fully developed
Horse
Chipmunk
Butterfly
Fern
Rose
Fish
[Pictures on page 64]
Evolutionary theory maintains that flying creatures evolved from transitional ancestors; but none have been found
Tern
Hummingbird
Eagle
[Picture on page 65]
No fossils of giraffes have been found with necks two thirds or three quarters as long as at present
[Pictures on page 67]
This rodentlike animal is said to be similar to Eohippus, the presumed ancestor of the horse. But there is no evidence that Eohippus evolved into something more horselike |
Book for All (ba)
1997 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/book-for-all-ba | outputs
3 A Book to Be Read
4 A Book That Is Misrepresented
6 The World’s Most Widely Distributed Book
7 How Did the Book Survive?
10 A Book That “Speaks” Living Languages
13 What the Book Contains
14 Can This Book Be Trusted?
18 Does This Book Agree With Science?
22 A Practical Book for Modern Living
27 A Book of Prophecy
30 A Book for You? |
School Guidebook (sg)
1992 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/sg | Study 29
Fluent, Conversational Delivery with Proper Pronunciation
1-4. List the causes and symptoms of lack of fluency.
1 When you get up in front of an audience to give a talk, do you find that you are often groping for the right words? Or, when reading aloud, do you stumble over certain expressions? If so, you have a problem with fluency. A fluent person is one who is ready in the use of words. It does not mean a “glib” person, that is, one who is thoughtlessly or insincerely free with words. It is smooth or pleasingly graceful speech, flowing with ease or freedom. Fluency is listed on the Speech Counsel slip for special attention.
2 In speaking, the more common causes for lack of fluency are lack of clear thinking and preparation of the material. It can also result from a weak vocabulary or a poor choice of words. In reading, the lack of fluency is usually because of a lack of practice in reading aloud, although here too a lack of knowledge of words will cause stumbling or hesitancy. In the field ministry, a lack of fluency can be a combination of these factors coupled with timidity or uncertainty. There the problem is particularly serious because in some instances your audience will literally walk out on you. In the Kingdom Hall your audience will not literally walk out but their minds will wander and much of what you say will be lost. So it is a serious matter; fluency is certainly a quality to acquire.
3 Many speakers have the disconcerting mannerism of inserting such expressions as “and-uh” or similar “word whiskers.” If you are unaware of the frequency with which you add such expressions to your speech, you might try a practice session in which you have someone listen and repeat these expressions after you each time you say them. You might be surprised.
4 Other persons always speak with regressions, that is, beginning a sentence, then interrupting themselves and starting all over again. If you are afflicted with this bad habit, try overcoming it in your daily conversation. Make a conscious effort to think first and get the thought clearly in mind. Then say the complete thought without stopping or changing ideas in “midstream.”
5-10. What suggestions are given to improve a speaker’s fluency?
5 Another thing. We are accustomed to using words as we express ourselves. So words should come naturally if we know exactly what we want to say. You need not think of the words. In fact, it is better for the sake of practice just to make certain that the idea is clear in your mind and think of the words as you go. If you do, and if you keep your mind on the idea rather than on the words that you are speaking, the words should come automatically and your thoughts should be expressed as you really feel them. But as soon as you begin to think of words rather than ideas your speech will become halting.
6 If your problem in fluency is a matter of word choice, then some regular study in building a vocabulary is called for. In The Watchtower and other publications of the Society take special note of words that are unfamiliar to you and add some of them to your daily vocabulary.
7 Since lack of fluency in reading is generally due to an unfamiliarity with words, you would do well to practice reading aloud regularly and systematically if this is your problem.
8 One way this can be done is to select a paragraph or two of material and silently read it over carefully until you are familiar with the entire thought of the portion. Isolate thought groups, marking them if necessary. Then begin to practice reading this portion aloud. In practice, read it over repeatedly until you can read entire thought groups without one hesitation or halting in wrong places.
9 Unfamiliar or difficult words should be pronounced over and over until they are easy for you to say. After you can say the word alone, then read the entire sentence with that word in it until you can add it to the sentence just as freely as you can the more familiar words.
10 Also, practice sight-reading regularly. For example, always read the daily text and comments aloud the first time you see them. Become accustomed to allowing your eye to take in words as groups, expressing complete thoughts, rather than seeing just one word at a time. If you practice, you can conquer this vital quality of effective speaking and reading.
**********
11-15. How does conversational quality depend on the expressions used?
11 Another desirable speech characteristic noted on the counsel slip is “Conversational quality.” It is something that you have in everyday life, but do you have it when you get up to give a talk? Somehow, persons who easily converse even with a large group often become very formal and somewhat “preachy” when called on to prepare in advance to “give a talk.” Yet the most effective manner of public speaking is the conversational style.
12 Conversational expressions used. Much of the effectiveness of conversational speaking depends upon the expressions that are used. In preparing an extemporaneous talk, it is generally not good to repeat expressions exactly as they appear in print. A written style is different from the spoken word. So shape these ideas according to your own individual expression. Avoid the use of involved sentence structure.
13 Your speech on the platform should reflect your daily expression. You should not try to “put on airs.” Still, your prepared talk will naturally be an improvement over everyday speech, since your ideas are more carefully thought out in advance and will come with greater fluency. Consequently, your expressions themselves should be better phrased.
14 This stresses the importance of daily practice. In speaking, be yourself. Avoid slang. Avoid constant repetition of the same expressions and phrases to convey every different thought that you might have. Learn to speak with meaning. Take pride in your daily conversation and, when you are on the platform, words will come much more readily and you will be able to speak with a conversational quality that will be colorful, easy and acceptable to any audience.
15 This is particularly true in the field ministry. And in your student talks, if you are talking to a householder, try to talk as though you were in the field service, using expressions that you would use there in a natural and easy way. This will make an informal and realistic talk and, more important, will train you for more effective presentations in the field ministry.
16-19. Point out how delivery can affect conversational quality.
16 Conversational style of delivery. Conversational quality does not depend alone upon the expressions that are used. Your manner or style of delivery is also important. This involves the tone of voice, voice inflection and naturalness of expression. It is as spontaneous as everyday speaking, though amplified to the audience.
17 Conversational delivery is just the opposite of oratory. It lacks all the elements of the “preachy” delivery and is free from all affectation.
18 One way in which conversational quality is often lost by beginning speakers is through too thorough advance preparation of the wording of the material. In preparation for delivery, do not think that you should go over the talk word for word until you know it practically by heart in order to be properly prepared. In extemporaneous speaking, preparation for delivery should put the emphasis on a careful review of the ideas to be expressed. These should be reviewed as thoughts or ideas until one easily follows the other in your mind. If they have been logically developed and well planned this should not be difficult, and in delivery of the talk the ideas should come freely and easily. That being so, and if they are expressed with the desire to communicate, the conversational quality will be a part of the delivery.
19 One way that you can assure yourself of this is to make an effort to talk to different individuals in the audience. Speak directly to one at a time. Think of that person as having asked a question, and then answer it. Picture yourself in a private conversation with that person in developing that particular thought. Then pass on to another in the audience and repeat the same process.
20-23. How can one make his reading sound natural?
20 Maintaining a conversational style of delivery in reading is one of the most difficult qualities of speech to master, yet one of the most vital. Most of our public reading, of course, is from the Bible, in reading texts in connection with an extemporaneous talk. The Bible should be read with feeling and a keen awareness of the meaning. It should be alive. On the other hand, God’s true ministers will never affect the sanctimonious tonal inflection of the religious clergy. Jehovah’s servants will read His Word with the natural emphasis and unpretentious reality that the living language of this Book deserves.
21 Much the same is true in reading The Watchtower or the paragraphs at a book study. Here again, the expressions and sentence structure are not designedly conversational, so your reading cannot always sound like conversation. But, if you get the sense of what you are reading and read it as naturally and meaningfully as you can, you can often make it sound as though it were extemporaneous speech, though perhaps a little more formal than you would normally use. It should be your practice, therefore, to write in whatever marks will help you, if you can prepare in advance, and do your utmost to present the material in a realistic and natural style.
22 In conversational reading or speaking, sincerity and naturalness are the keynotes. Let your heart overflow and speak with appeal to your hearers.
23 Good speech cannot be put on for an occasion any more than can good manners. But if you employ good speech every day it will show on the platform the same as your good manners applied at home always show when you are in public.
**********
24, 25. Why is poor pronunciation undesirable?
24 Pronunciation. Proper pronunciation is also important, and it is listed separately on the Speech Counsel slip. While not all Christians have had a great deal of worldly education, even as Peter and John were observed as being unlettered and ordinary men, still it is important to avoid detracting from our presentation of the message due to poor pronunciation. It is something that can be readily corrected if we give adequate attention to it.
25 If a person’s pronunciation is very bad, it may even be that he will convey wrong ideas to the minds of his audience, which would be definitely undesirable. When you hear someone mispronounce a word in his talk, the general effect is that it flashes before your mind as a stoplight would. You may even cease following his line of argument and begin to think about the word that he mispronounced. It can cause you to switch your attention from what is said to how it is being said.
26, 27. What problems are listed in connection with pronunciation?
26 It might be said that there are three general types of problems in connection with pronunciation. One is definitely erroneous pronunciation, where the accent is misplaced or the letters are given the wrong sound. Most modern languages have a regular pattern of accentuation, but in the English language the pattern is not uniform, which makes the problem a more difficult one. Then, too, there is pronunciation that is correct but exaggerated, overly precise, giving an impression of affectation, even snobbishness, and this is not desirable. The third problem is slovenly speech, characterized by constant slurring of words, telescoping or skipping syllables and other such practices. They are to be avoided.
27 Usually in our everyday speech we employ words with which we are well acquainted; so pronunciation is not a great problem in this connection. The greatest problem arises in reading. But Jehovah’s witnesses do a great deal of reading in public as well as in private. We read the Bible to people when we go from house to house. Sometimes we are called on to read the paragraphs in the Watchtower study, at a home Bible study or a congregation book study. It is important that the reading be accurate, that the pronunciation be proper. If it is not, it gives the impression that we do not know what we are talking about. It also draws attention away from the message.
28-34. How can one be helped to improve his pronunciation?
28 Counsel on wrong pronunciation should not be overdone. If there is some question concerning a word or two, private counsel may be sufficient. But even if only a few words are mispronounced in the course of a talk, if these are words that we regularly use in our ministry or in our daily speech, it would be helpful to the student for the school overseer to draw attention to them so that he learns how to pronounce them properly.
29 On the other hand, if in reading from the Bible the student happened to mispronounce one or two Hebrew names, this would not be considered an outstanding weakness. However, if he mispronounced many names, this would give evidence of lack of preparation, and counsel should be given. The student should be helped to learn how to ascertain the proper pronunciation and then practice it.
30 So too with exaggerated pronunciation. If it really detracts from the talk because it is a constant practice, help should be given to the student. It should also be noted that, when speaking rapidly, most persons are inclined to slur a few words. No counsel needs to be given on this, but if it is a regular practice, if a student constantly slurs his words and it becomes difficult to understand his speech or detracts from the message, then it would be advisable to give him some assistance on articulation.
31 Of course, your counselor will keep in mind that acceptable pronunciation may vary in different localities. Even dictionaries often list more than one acceptable pronunciation. So he will exercise care in counseling on pronunciation. He will not make it a matter of personal preference.
32 If you have a problem with pronunciation, you will not find it difficult to correct when you set your mind to it. Even experienced speakers when given an assignment of reading get out the dictionary and look up words with which they are not well acquainted. They do not simply make a stab at them. So use the dictionary.
33 Another way that pronunciation can be improved is by reading to someone else, someone who does pronounce words well, and ask him to stop you and correct you every time you make a mistake.
34 A third method is by listening carefully to good speakers. Think as you listen; take note of the words that they pronounce differently than you do. Write them down; check them in the dictionary and practice them. Soon you too will have correct pronunciation. Fluent, conversational delivery, along with proper pronunciation, will greatly enhance your speaking. |
Mankind’s Search for God (sh)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/sh | Chapter 15
A Return to the True God
“I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.”—John 13:34, 35.
1, 2. What should be the effects of love among true Christians?
WITH those words, Jesus established a criterion for those claiming to be his true followers. Christian love would have to transcend all racial, tribal, and national divisions. It would require that true Christians should be “no part of the world,” just as Jesus was, and is, “no part of the world.”—John 17:14, 16; Romans 12:17-21.
2 How does the Christian show himself to be “no part of the world”? For example, how should he act with regard to the turbulent politics, revolutions, and wars of our times? The Christian apostle John wrote, in harmony with Jesus’ words above: “Everyone who does not carry on righteousness does not originate with God, neither does he who does not love his brother. For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should have love for one another.” And Jesus himself explained why his disciples did not fight to deliver him, saying: “My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought . . . But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source.” Even with Jesus’ life at stake, those attendants did not get involved in settling the controversy according to the warring ways of the world.—1 John 3:10-12; John 18:36.
3, 4. (a) What did Isaiah prophesy regarding “the final part of the days”? (b) What questions require an answer?
3 Over 700 years before Christ, Isaiah prophesied that people of all nations would gather to Jehovah’s true worship and would learn war no more. He said: “And it must occur in the final part of the days that the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, . . . and to it all the nations must stream. And many peoples will certainly go and say: ‘Come, you people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion law will go forth, and the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem. And he will certainly render judgment among the nations and set matters straight respecting many peoples. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.”a—Isaiah 2:2-4.
4 Which of all the religions in the world has been outstanding in meeting these requirements? Who have refused to learn war in spite of prisons, concentration camps, and death sentences?
Christian Love and Neutrality
5. What record of Christian neutrality have Jehovah’s Witnesses established as individuals, and why?
5 Jehovah’s Witnesses are known worldwide for their individual conscientious stand of Christian neutrality. They have endured prisons, concentration camps, torture, deportations, and persecution throughout the 20th century because they have refused to sacrifice their love and unity as a worldwide congregation of Christians drawn to God. In Nazi Germany during the years 1933-45, about a thousand Witnesses died and thousands were imprisoned, on account of their refusal to cooperate with Hitler’s war effort. Likewise, under Franco in formerly Fascist Spain, hundreds of young Witnesses went to prison and many spent an average of ten years each in military prisons rather than learn war. To this day in several countries, many young Witnesses of Jehovah languish in prisons because of their stand on Christian neutrality. However, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not interfere with the governments in their military programs. The Witnesses’ unwavering Christian neutrality in political matters has been one of the constants of their beliefs throughout all the conflicts and wars of the 20th century. It stamps them as true followers of Christ and separates them from Christendom’s religions.—John 17:16; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.
6, 7. What have Jehovah’s Witnesses come to understand regarding Christianity?
6 By holding to the Bible and to the example of Christ, Jehovah’s Witnesses demonstrate they are practicing the worship of the true God, Jehovah. They recognize God’s love as reflected in the life and sacrifice of Jesus. They understand that true Christian love results in an indivisible worldwide brotherhood—above political, racial, and national divisions. In other words, Christianity is more than international; it is supranational, transcending national boundaries, authority, or interests. It views the human race as one family with a common progenitor and with a common Creator, Jehovah God.—Acts 17:24-28; Colossians 3:9-11.
7 While nearly all other religions have been involved in wars—fratricidal and homicidal—Jehovah’s Witnesses have shown that they take to heart the prophecy of Isaiah 2:4, quoted previously. ‘But,’ you might ask, ‘where did Jehovah’s Witnesses come from? How do they function?’
God’s Long Line of Witnesses
8, 9. What invitation has God extended to mankind?
8 Over 2,700 years ago, the prophet Isaiah also uttered the following invitation: “Search for Jehovah, you people, while he may be found. Call to him while he proves to be near. Let the wicked man leave his way, and the harmful man his thoughts; and let him return to Jehovah, who will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will forgive in a large way.”—Isaiah 55:6, 7.
9 Centuries later, the Christian apostle Paul explained to those Greeks in Athens who were “given to the fear of the [mythological] deities”: “[God] made out of one man every nation of men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth, and he decreed the appointed times and the set limits of the dwelling of men, for them to seek God, if they might grope for him and really find him, although, in fact, he is not far off from each one of us.”—Acts 17:22-28.
10. How do we know that God was not far off from Adam and Eve and their children?
10 Certainly God was not far off from his human creations Adam and Eve. He spoke to them, communicating his commandments and wishes. Furthermore, God did not conceal himself from their sons Cain and Abel. He counseled hateful Cain when he showed envy regarding his brother’s sacrifice to God. However, rather than change his form of worship, Cain showed jealous, religious intolerance and murdered his brother Abel.—Genesis 2:15-17; 3:8-24; 4:1-16.
11. (a) What does the word “martyr” mean? (b) How did Abel become the first martyr?
11 Abel, by his faithfulness to God even to death, became the first martyr.b He was also the first witness of Jehovah and the forerunner of a long line of integrity-keeping witnesses all down through history. Thus Paul could state: “By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than Cain, through which faith he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness respecting his gifts; and through it he, although he died, yet speaks.”—Hebrews 11:4.
12. Who are further examples of Jehovah’s faithful witnesses?
12 In that same letter to the Hebrews, Paul lists a whole series of faithful men and women, such as Noah, Abraham, Sarah, and Moses, who, by their record of integrity, came to form a ‘great cloud of witnesses [Greek, mar·tyʹron]’ who have served as examples and encouragement for others wanting to know and serve the true God. They were men and women who had a relationship with Jehovah God. They had sought and found him.—Hebrews 11:1–12:1.
13. (a) Why is Jesus an outstanding manifestation of God’s love? (b) In what special way is Jesus an example to his followers?
13 Outstanding among such witnesses was the one described in the book of Revelation, “Jesus Christ, ‘the Faithful Witness.’” Jesus is yet another clear evidence of God’s love, for as John wrote: “We ourselves have beheld and are bearing witness that the Father has sent forth his Son as Savior of the world. Whoever makes the confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, God remains in union with such one and he in union with God. And we ourselves have come to know and have believed the love that God has in our case.” Born a Jew, Jesus was a true witness and died a martyr in faithfulness to his Father, Jehovah. Christ’s authentic followers down through the ages would likewise be witnesses of him and of the true God, Jehovah.—Revelation 1:5; 3:14; 1 John 4:14-16; Isaiah 43:10-12; Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 1:8.
14. What question now requires an answer?
14 Isaiah’s prophecy indicated that a return to the true God, Jehovah, would be a feature of “the final part of the days,” or what other parts of the Bible term “the last days.”c In view of the religious diversity and confusion that we have described in this book, the question arises: Who in these last days in which we live have really searched for the true God, to serve him “with spirit and truth”? To answer that question, we must first turn our attention to events of the 19th century.—Isaiah 2:2-4; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; John 4:23, 24.
A Young Man in Search of God
15. (a) Who was Charles Taze Russell? (b) What were some of his religious doubts?
15 In 1870 a zealous young man, Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916), began to ask many questions about Christendom’s traditional teachings. As a youth, he worked in his father’s haberdashery in the bustling industrial city of Allegheny (now part of Pittsburgh), Pennsylvania, U.S.A. His religious background was Presbyterian and Congregational. However, he was perturbed by such teachings as predestination and eternal torment in hellfire. What were his reasons for doubting these basic doctrines of some of Christendom’s religions? He wrote: “A God that would use his power to create human beings whom he foreknew and predestinated should be eternally tormented, could be neither wise, just nor loving. His standard would be lower than that of many men.”—Jeremiah 7:31; 19:5; 32:35; 1 John 4:8, 9.
16, 17. (a) What teachings deeply interested Russell’s Bible study group? (b) What major disagreement arose, and how did Russell answer?
16 While still in his late teens, Russell started a weekly Bible study group with other young men. They began to analyze the Bible’s teachings on other subjects, such as immortality of the soul as well as Christ’s ransom sacrifice and his second coming. In 1877, at the age of 25, Russell sold his share in his father’s prospering business and began a full-time preaching career.
17 In 1878 Russell had a major disagreement with one of his collaborators, who had rejected the teaching that Christ’s death could be an atonement for sinners. In his rebuttal Russell wrote: “Christ accomplished various good things for us in his death and resurrection. He was our substitute in death; he died the just for the unjust—all were unjust. Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death for every man. . . . He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” He continued: “To redeem is to buy back. What did Christ buy back for all men? Life. We lost it by the disobedience of the first Adam. The second Adam [Christ] bought it back with his own life.”—Mark 10:45; Romans 5:7, 8; 1 John 2:2; 4:9, 10.
18. (a) What followed the disagreement over the ransom? (b) What pattern did the Bible Students follow regarding donations?
18 Always a staunch advocate of the ransom doctrine, Russell severed all ties with this former collaborator. In July 1879, Russell started to publish Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence, known worldwide today as The Watchtower—Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. In 1881 he, in association with other dedicated Christians, established a nonprofit Bible society. It was called Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society, known today as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, the legal agency that acts in behalf of Jehovah’s Witnesses. From the very beginning, Russell insisted that there would be no collections taken at congregation meetings nor contributions solicited through the Watch Tower publications. The people who joined Russell in deep Bible study became known simply as the Bible Students.
A Return to Bible Truth
19. What teachings of Christendom did the Bible Students reject?
19 As a result of their Bible study, Russell and his associates came to reject Christendom’s teachings of a mysterious “Most Holy Trinity,” an inherently immortal human soul, and eternal torment in hellfire. They also rejected the need for a separate seminary-trained clergy class. They wanted to return to the humble origins of Christianity, with spiritually qualified elders to lead the congregations without thought of a salary or remuneration.—1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9.
20. What did those Bible Students discover regarding Christ’s pa·rou·siʹa and 1914?
20 In their investigation of God’s Word, those Bible Students were keenly interested in the prophecies of the Christian Greek Scriptures related to “the end of the world” and to Christ’s “coming.” (Matthew 24:3, KJ) By turning to the Greek text, they discovered that Christ’s “coming” was, in fact, a “pa·rou·siʹa,” or invisible presence. Therefore, Christ had given his disciples information about the evidence of his invisible presence in the time of the end, not a future visible coming. Along with this study, those Bible students had a keen desire to understand the Bible’s chronology in relation to Christ’s presence. Without understanding all the details, Russell and his associates realized that 1914 would be a crucial date in human history.—Matthew 24:3-22; Luke 21:7-33, Int.
21. What responsibility did Russell and his fellow believers feel?
21 Russell knew that a great preaching work had to be done. He was conscious of the words of Jesus recorded by Matthew: “And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:10) There was a sense of urgency to the activity of those Bible Students prior to 1914. They believed that their preaching activity would culminate in that year, and therefore they felt they should expend every effort to help others to know “this good news of the kingdom.” Eventually, C. T. Russell’s Bible sermons were being published in thousands of newspapers around the world.
Tests and Changes
22-24. (a) What was the reaction of most of the Bible Students when C. T. Russell died? (b) Who succeeded Russell as president of the Watch Tower Society?
22 In 1916, at the age of 64, Charles Taze Russell died suddenly in the course of a preaching tour across the United States. Now what would happen to the Bible Students? Would they fold up as if they were followers of a mere man? How would they face the tests of World War I (1914-18), in which slaughter the United States would soon be involved?
23 The reaction of most of the Bible Students was typified by the words of W. E. Van Amburgh, an official of the Watch Tower Society: “This great worldwide work is not the work of one person. It is far too great for that. It is God’s work and it changes not. God has used many servants in the past and He will doubtless use many in the future. Our consecration is not to a man, or to a man’s work, but to do the will of God, as He shall reveal it unto us through His Word and providential leadings. God is still at the helm.”—1 Corinthians 3:3-9.
24 In January 1917, Joseph F. Rutherford, a lawyer and keen student of the Bible, was elected as the second president of the Watch Tower Society. He had a dynamic personality and could not be intimidated. He knew that God’s Kingdom had to be preached.—Mark 13:10.
Renewed Zeal and a New Name
25. How did the Bible Students respond to the challenge in the years following the first world war?
25 The Watch Tower Society organized conventions in the United States in 1919 and in 1922. After the persecution of World War I in the United States, it was almost like another Pentecost for the few thousand Bible Students at that time. (Acts 2:1-4) Instead of yielding to fear of man, they took up with even more vigor the Bible call to go out and preach to the nations. In 1919 the Watch Tower Society produced a companion magazine to the Watch Tower called The Golden Age, known worldwide today as Awake! This has served as a powerful instrument to awaken people to the significance of the times in which we live and to build confidence in the Creator’s promise of a peaceful new world.
26. (a) To what responsibility did the Bible Students give more and more emphasis? (b) What clearer understanding of the Bible did the Bible Students receive?
26 During the 1920’s and 1930’s, the Bible Students gave more and more emphasis to the early Christian method of preaching—from house to house. (Acts 20:20) Each believer had the responsibility to witness to as many people as possible regarding Christ’s Kingdom rule. They came to see clearly from the Bible that the great issue before mankind was that of universal sovereignty and that this would be settled by Jehovah God’s crushing Satan and all his ruinous works on earth. (Romans 16:20; Revelation 11:17, 18) In the context of this issue, it was appreciated that the salvation of man was secondary to the vindication of God as the rightful Sovereign. Therefore, there would have to be on earth faithful witnesses willing to testify to God’s purposes and supremacy. How was this need satisfied?—Job 1:6-12; John 8:44; 1 John 5:19, 20.
27. (a) What momentous event took place in 1931? (b) What are some of the Witnesses’ distinctive beliefs?
27 In July 1931, the Bible Students held a convention in Columbus, Ohio, during which the thousands present adopted a resolution. In it they joyfully embraced “the name which the mouth of the Lord God has named,” and they declared: “We desire to be known as and called by the name, to wit, ‘Jehovah’s witnesses.’” Ever since that date, Jehovah’s Witnesses have become known worldwide not only for their distinctive beliefs but also for their zealous house-to-house and street ministry. (See pages 356-7.)—Isaiah 43:10-12; Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 1:8.
28. In 1935 what clearer understanding did the Witnesses receive regarding Kingdom rulership?
28 In 1935 the Witnesses came to a clearer understanding regarding the heavenly Kingdom class, who will reign with Christ, and their subjects on the earth. They already knew that the number of anointed Christians called to rule with Christ from the heavens would be only 144,000. So, what would be the hope for the rest of mankind? A government needs subjects to justify its existence. This heavenly government, the Kingdom, would also have millions of obedient subjects here on earth. These would be the “great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues,” who cry out: “Salvation we owe to our God [Jehovah], who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb [Christ Jesus].”—Revelation 7:4, 9, 10; 14:1-3; Romans 8:16, 17.
29. What challenge did the Witnesses perceive and accept?
29 This understanding about the great crowd helped Jehovah’s Witnesses to see that they had before them a tremendous challenge—to find and teach all those millions who were searching for the true God and who would form the “great crowd.” It would involve an international educational campaign. It would require trained speakers and ministers. Schools would be needed. All of this was envisioned by the next president of the Watch Tower Society.
Worldwide Search for Seekers of God
30. What events of the 1930’s and 1940’s affected the Witnesses?
30 In 1931 there were under 50,000 Witnesses in fewer than 50 lands. The events of the 1930’s and 1940’s did not make their preaching any easier. This period saw the rise of Fascism and Nazism and the outbreak of World War II. In 1942 J. F. Rutherford died. The Watch Tower Society would need vigorous leadership in order to give further impetus to the preaching of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
31. What began functioning in 1943 to expand the preaching of the good news?
31 In 1942, at the age of 36, Nathan H. Knorr was chosen to be the third president of the Watch Tower Society. He was an energetic organizer with clear insight into the need to promote the preaching of the good news in all the world as fast as possible, even though the nations were still embroiled in World War II. As a result, he immediately put into effect a plan for a school to train missionaries, called the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead.d The first hundred students, all full-time ministers, were enrolled in January 1943. They studied the Bible and related ministerial subjects intensively for nearly six months before being sent out to their assignments, mainly in foreign countries. Up to 1990, 89 classes have graduated, and thousands of ministers have gone out from Gilead to serve around the world.
32. What progress has been made by Jehovah’s Witnesses since 1943?
32 In 1943 there were only 126,329 Witnesses preaching in 54 countries. In spite of atrocious opposition from Nazism, Fascism, Communism, and Catholic Action as well as from the so-called democracies during World War II, by 1946 Jehovah’s Witnesses had reached a peak of over 176,000 Kingdom preachers. Forty-four years later, there were nearly four million active in over 200 lands, islands, and territories. Without a doubt, their clear identification by name and action has served to make them known worldwide. But other factors have been involved that have greatly influenced their effectiveness.—Zechariah 4:6.
A Bible Education Organization
33. Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses have Kingdom Halls?
33 Jehovah’s Witnesses hold weekly Bible study meetings in their Kingdom Halls that serve over 60,000 congregations throughout the earth. These meetings are not based on ritual or on emotion but on the gaining of accurate knowledge of God, his Word, and his purposes. Therefore, Jehovah’s Witnesses come together three times a week to increase their understanding of the Bible and to learn how to preach and teach its message to others.—Romans 12:1, 2; Philippians 1:9-11; Hebrews 10:24, 25.
34. What is the purpose of the Theocratic Ministry School?
34 For example, a midweek meeting includes the Theocratic Ministry School, in which members of the congregation may be enrolled. This school, presided over by a qualified Christian elder, serves to train men, women, and children in the art of teaching and self-expression in accordance with Bible principles. The apostle Paul stated: “Let your utterance be always with graciousness, seasoned with salt, so as to know how you ought to give an answer to each one.” In their Christian meetings, the Witnesses also learn how to express the Kingdom message “with a mild temper and deep respect.”—Colossians 4:6; 1 Peter 3:15.
35. What are some other meetings the Witnesses hold, and what are their benefits?
35 On a different day, the Witnesses also meet for a 45-minute Bible discourse followed by a one-hour congregation consideration (by means of questions and answers) of a Bible theme related to Christian teaching or conduct. Members of the congregation are free to participate. Every year the Witnesses also attend three larger meetings, assemblies and conventions of one to four days, where thousands usually gather to listen to Bible discourses. As a result of these and other free meetings, each Witness deepens his or her knowledge of God’s promises for this earth and for mankind in addition to acquiring an excellent education in Christian morals. Each one is drawn closer to the true God, Jehovah, by following the teachings and example of Christ Jesus.—John 6:44, 65; 17:3; 1 Peter 1:15, 16.
How Are the Witnesses Organized?
36. (a) Do the Witnesses have a paid clergy class? (b) Who, then, take the lead in the congregation?
36 Logically, if Jehovah’s Witnesses hold meetings and are organized to preach, they must have someone to take the lead. However, they do not have a paid clergy class nor do they have any charismatic leader on a pedestal. (Matthew 23:10) Jesus said: “You received free, give free.” (Matthew 10:8; Acts 8:18-21) In each congregation, there are spiritually qualified elders and ministerial servants, many of whom have secular employment and care for a family, who voluntarily take the lead in teaching and directing the congregation. This is precisely the model set by first-century Christians.—Acts 20:17; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-10, 12, 13.
37. How are elders and ministerial servants appointed?
37 How are these elders and ministerial servants appointed? Their appointments are made under the supervision of a governing body of anointed elders from various lands whose function is parallel to that of the body of apostles and elders in Jerusalem who took the lead in the early Christian congregation. As we saw in Chapter 11, no one apostle had the primacy over the others. They came to their decisions as a body, and these were respected by the congregations scattered throughout the ancient Roman world.—Acts 15:4-6, 22, 23, 30, 31.
38. How does the Governing Body function?
38 The same arrangement functions for the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses today. They hold weekly meetings at their world headquarters in Brooklyn, New York, and instructions are then sent from there to the Branch Committees around the world that superintend the ministerial activity in each country. By following the example of the earliest Christians, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been able to cover vast portions of the earth with the preaching of the good news of God’s Kingdom. That work continues on a global scale.—Matthew 10:23; 1 Corinthians 15:58.
Flocking to the True God
39. (a) Why do the Witnesses take a neutral stand on political issues? (b) How have the Witnesses prospered under ban?
39 During the 20th century, Jehovah’s Witnesses have prospered throughout the earth. This has even been true in lands where they have been under ban or proscription. These bans were imposed mainly by regimes that failed to understand the neutral position of Jehovah’s Witnesses regarding the political and nationalistic allegiances of this world. (See box, page 347.) Yet, in such lands, tens of thousands of people have turned to God’s Kingdom as the only true hope for peace and security for mankind. In most nations a tremendous witness has been given, and now there are millions of active Witnesses everywhere.—See chart, page 361.
40, 41. (a) What do Jehovah’s Witnesses now await? (b) What question still must be answered?
40 With their Christian love and their hope of “a new heaven and a new earth,” Jehovah’s Witnesses are looking to the near future for world-stirring events that must soon put an end to all injustice, corruption, and unrighteousness on this earth. For that reason they will continue to visit their neighbors in a sincere effort to bring honesthearted ones nearer to the true God, Jehovah.—Revelation 21:1-4; Mark 13:10; Romans 10:11-15.
41 Meanwhile, according to Bible prophecy, what does the future hold for mankind, for religion, and for this polluted earth? Our final chapter will answer that vital question.—Isaiah 65:17-25; 2 Peter 3:11-14.
[Footnotes]
a These last two sentences are found on the “Isaiah Wall” in front of the UN buildings as well as on a statue in the UN gardens, and in effect, their fulfillment is one of the aims of the UN.
b The Greek word marʹtyr, from which the English word “martyr” is derived (“one who bears witness by his death,” An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, by W. E. Vine), actually means “witness” (“one who avers, or can aver, what he himself has seen or heard or knows by any other means,” A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, by J. H. Thayer).
c For a detailed consideration of “the last days,” see You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 1982, chapter 18.
d Gilead, derived from Gal·‛edhʹ in Hebrew, means “Witness Heap.” See also Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1, pages 882, 942.—Genesis 31:47-49.
[Box on page 347]
Christian Neutrality in Pagan Rome
In accordance with the principles of love and peace that Jesus taught, and based on their personal study of God’s Word, early Christians would not participate in wars or in training for them. Jesus had said: “My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source.”—John 18:36.
At as late a date as 295 C.E., Maximilianus of Theveste, son of a Roman army veteran, was conscripted for military service. When the proconsul asked him his name, he answered: “Now, why do you want to know my name? I have a conscientious objection to military service: I am a Christian. . . . I can’t serve; I can’t sin against my conscience.” The proconsul warned him that he would lose his life if he did not obey. “I won’t serve. You may behead me, but I won’t serve the powers of This World; I will serve my God.”—An Historian’s Approach to Religion, by Arnold Toynbee.
In modern times, personal study of the Bible has led individual Witnesses of Jehovah worldwide to follow the dictates of conscience in taking a similar stand. In some countries many paid the supreme price, especially in Nazi Germany, where they were shot, hanged, and beheaded during World War II. But their worldwide unity, based on Christian love, has never been broken. No one has ever died in war at the hands of one of the Christian Witnesses of Jehovah. How different world history might have been if every professing Christian had also lived by Christ’s rule of love!—Romans 13:8-10; 1 Peter 5:8, 9.
[Box/Pictures on page 356, 357]
What Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe
Question: What is a soul?
Answer: In the Bible the soul (Hebrew, neʹphesh; Greek, psy·kheʹ) is a person or an animal or the life that a person or an animal enjoys.
“And God went on to say: ‘Let the earth put forth living souls according to their kinds, domestic animal and moving animal and wild beast of the earth according to its kind.’ And 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 1:24; 2:7.
Animals and man ARE living souls. The soul is not something with a separate existence. It can and does die. “Look! All the souls—to me they belong. 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.
Question: Is God a Trinity?
Answer: Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jehovah is the unequaled Sovereign Lord of the universe. “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) Christ Jesus as the Word was a spirit creation and came to earth in obedience to his Father’s will. He is in subjection to Jehovah. “But when all things will have been subjected to him [Christ], then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.”—1 Corinthians 15:28; see also Matthew 24:36; Mark 12:29; John 1:1-3, 14-18; Colossians 1:15-20.
The holy spirit is God’s active force, or energy in action, not a person.—Acts 2:1-4, 17, 18.
Question: Do Jehovah’s Witnesses worship or venerate idols?
Answer: Jehovah’s Witnesses do not practice any form of idolatry, whether it involves idols, persons, or organizations.
“We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one. For even though there are those who are called ‘gods,’ whether in heaven or on earth, just as there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords,’ there is actually to us one God the Father, out of whom all things are, and we for him; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things are, and we through him.”—1 Corinthians 8:4-6; see also Psalm 135:15-18.
Question: Do Jehovah’s Witnesses celebrate Mass or Communion?
Answer: Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe in transubstantiation, a Roman Catholic teaching. They do celebrate the Lord’s Evening Meal on the date corresponding to the Jewish Nisan 14 (usually in March or April) as an annual memorial of Christ’s death. At this meeting they pass around the congregation unleavened bread and red wine in symbol of Christ’s sinless body and sacrificial blood. Only those with the hope of reigning with Christ in his heavenly Kingdom partake of the emblems.—Mark 14:22-26; Luke 22:29; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Revelation 14:1-5.e
[Pictures]
Jehovah’s Witnesses meet regularly in Kingdom Halls for Bible study
Kingdom Halls: Ichihara City, Japan (previous page), and Boituva, Brazil
[Footnotes]
e For a further consideration of this subject, see Reasoning From the Scriptures, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 1985, pages 261-9.
[Chart on page 361]
Some Countries Where Witnesses Preach
Country Active Witnesses
Argentina 79,000
Australia 51,000
Brazil 267,000
Britain 117,000
Canada 98,000
Colombia 42,000
El Salvador 18,000
Finland 17,000
France 109,000
Germany, F. R. 129,000
Greece 24,000
Hungary 10,000
India 9,000
Italy 172,000
Japan 138,000
Korea 57,000
Lebanon 2,500
Mexico 277,000
Nigeria 137,000
Philippines 102,000
Poland 91,000
Portugal 36,000
Puerto Rico 24,000
South Africa 46,000
Spain 78,000
U.S.A. 818,000
Venezuela 47,000
Zambia 72,000
36 under ban 220,000
1989 World Figures 60,192 Congregations 3,787,000 Witnesses
[Pictures on page 346]
UN peace statue states: “We shall beat our swords into plowshares”; the “Isaiah Wall” gives the Biblical text
[Picture on page 351]
Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in Christ’s ransom sacrifice for mankind’s sins
[Pictures on page 363]
Assembly Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses: Aerial view of hall in East Pennines, England
Assembly Hall, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A., used for English, Spanish, and French programs
[Pictures on page 364]
Watch Tower Society World Headquarters, Brooklyn, New York; (from top left) offices, factories, and residences (highlighted)
[Pictures on page 365]
Watch Tower branch offices (from top left) in South Africa, Spain, and New Zealand |
Examining the Scriptures—2022
2021 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/examining-the-scriptures/examining-the-scriptures-2022 | Our Christian Life and Ministry Bible Reading Schedule for 2022
January
3 Judges 15-16
10 Judges 17-19
17 Judges 20-21
24 Ruth 1-2
31 Ruth 3-4
February
7 1 Samuel 1-2
14 1 Samuel 3-5
21 1 Samuel 6-8
28 1 Samuel 9-11
March
7 1 Samuel 12-13
14 1 Samuel 14-15
21 1 Samuel 16-17
28 1 Samuel 18-19
April
4 1 Samuel 20-22
11 Week of Memorial
18 1 Samuel 23-24
25 1 Samuel 25-26
May
2 1 Samuel 27-29
9 1 Samuel 30-31
16 2 Samuel 1-3
23 2 Samuel 4-6
30 2 Samuel 7-8
June
6 2 Samuel 9-10
13 2 Samuel 11-12
20 2 Samuel 13-14
27 2 Samuel 15-17
July
4 2 Samuel 18-19
11 2 Samuel 20-21
18 2 Samuel 22
25 2 Samuel 23-24
August
1 1 Kings 1-2
8 1 Kings 3-4
15 1 Kings 5-6
22 1 Kings 7
29 1 Kings 8
September
5 1 Kings 9-10
12 1 Kings 11-12
19 1 Kings 13-14
26 1 Kings 15-16
October
3 1 Kings 17-18
10 1 Kings 19-20
17 1 Kings 21-22
24 2 Kings 1-2
31 2 Kings 3-4
November
7 2 Kings 5-6
14 2 Kings 7-8
21 2 Kings 9-10
28 2 Kings 11-12
December
5 2 Kings 13-15
12 2 Kings 16-17
19 2 Kings 18-19
26 2 Kings 20-21 |
Watching the World | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101998008 | Watching the World
Alcoholism in Mexico
Studies conducted by the Mexican Institute of Social Security indicated that there were more than four million alcoholics in Mexico in 1991. But by 1997, that number may have doubled, reports Mexico City’s newspaper El Universal. It quotes Alcoholics Anonymous as saying that of the eight million alcoholics in Mexico, three million are found in Mexico City. According to El Universal, most crimes in Mexico are committed under the influence of alcohol. Abuse of alcohol results in work absenteeism and poor school performance. José Manuel Castrejón, representative of the National Council Against Addiction, says that “50 percent of the cases of family violence and a fifth of the work accidents are closely related to alcohol use.”
Tips for Air Travelers
Long-distance air travel puts stress on mind and body, and The Times newspaper of London offers some suggestions for relief. These include “avoiding alcohol but taking plenty of soft drinks, eating only light meals and picturing yourself in a pleasant place.” Sitting still for long periods can cause swollen feet and can make clothing feel tighter. Thus, reports The Times, “doctors suggest loosening clothes, removing shoes and requesting an aisle seat so you can keep strolling to the lavatory.” Flexing and stretching your arms and legs during the journey helps to prevent circulation problems. To combat jet lag, “seasoned travellers sometimes adjust their daily routine in advance of their journeys. Those heading east get up earlier for a week and those heading west go to bed late.”
Tokyo’s Commuting Crows
Crows in Tokyo, Japan, have taken up the habit of commuting between the suburbs and the city each day, reports The Daily Yomiuri. Bird experts say that this started a few years ago when the crow population of Tokyo’s parks and temple grounds grew so large that crows were forced to build nests elsewhere. It was then that they discovered the comforts of suburban life. The one thing they missed, though, was sophisticated city food—garbage and discarded leftovers. They overcame this problem by developing “commuting patterns that are similar to that of salaried workers. They fly to urban areas in the morning to search for food,” says The Daily Yomiuri, “then return to the suburbs in the evening.”
Natural Wealth Threatened
◆ The northeastern region of India, rich in plant and animal life, now lists 650 species of plants and 70 species of animals as being endangered. The fragile ecosystem in the state of Meghalaya, on the border with Bangladesh, has been identified as one of 18 ‘hot spots’ where biodiversity is at risk. As reported in The Asian Age, the ecosystem has come under assault from human depredation and poaching, among other factors. The biodiversity of the seven northeastern Indian states is considered more fragile and sensitive ecologically than that of other parts of the country.
◆ In Italy the number of threatened plant species and subspecies is also on the rise. In 1992, 458 were considered endangered, but by 1997, that number had increased to 1,011. “About one seventh of the varieties that constitute the Italian flora are endangered in some way, and as many as 29 species have become extinct in the last few years,” explains Corriere della Sera. More than 120 species are “in serious danger of extinction in the immediate future,” and almost 150 may run that risk in the near future. In the view of botanist Franco Pedrotti, of the University of Camerino, “these figures reveal an alarming situation.” One plant became extinct in its natural habitat when the only area in which it grew was turned into a soccer field.
◆ In Argentina 500 of the 2,500 indigenous animal species are in danger, reports the Buenos Aires newspaper Clarín. “Even though preserving biodiversity is a key to assuring the present and future well-being of people, many animals are at risk of disappearing,” according to Claudio Bertonatti, coordinator of the conservation department of the Wildlife Foundation. Among the animals threatened in Argentina are varieties of armadillo, jaguar, vicuña, whale, and land tortoise. “Despite [the fact] that the sale of them is prohibited,” notes the report, in greater Buenos Aires “about 100,000 tortoises are sold each year.” Bertonatti observed: “Man, who ought to be the primary one interested in protecting this source of riches, is responsible for the majority of the threats that are taking many species to the brink of extinction.”
Mary First to See the Risen Christ?
Pope John Paul II has asserted that “it is legitimate to think that the Mother [of Jesus, Mary] was probably the first person to whom the risen Jesus appeared.” (L’Osservatore Romano) None of the four Gospel accounts speak of Jesus’ mother being present when his tomb was found to be empty. However, the pope also said: “How could the Blessed Virgin, present in the first community of disciples (cf. Acts 1:14), be excluded from those who met her divine Son after he had risen from the dead?” The pope used various arguments to try to explain the absence of a record in the Gospels of any meeting between Jesus and his mother. The fact remains that holy spirit did not inspire the Gospel writers to make mention of any such event. Nor, for that matter, is she mentioned in the apostolic letters.—2 Timothy 3:16.
Southern Summer Risk
In the Southern Hemisphere, January is one of the hottest months. In hot weather it is important to safeguard against heatstroke, explains FDA Consumer magazine. Although heatstroke causes hundreds of deaths each year, it is entirely preventable, states endocrinologist Dr. Elizabeth Koller. Heatstroke can occur as a result of exertion in the heat, but it also strikes older adults who do not have air-conditioning and who have an underlying health problem, such as diabetes or heart disease. When the temperature soars, FDA Consumer advises drinking lots of water—a quart [liter] an hour if exercising. In the sun, wear sunscreen, a broad-brimmed hat, and loose clothing. If you have no air-conditioning and there is danger of heatstroke, “take cool baths, spray yourself with water frequently, and sit in front of a fan. If you feel faint, call for emergency medical attention.” Dr. Koller warns: “If someone is overheating, you have only minutes to do something about it.”
“Torture” at Work
“Headaches, fatigue, impaired memory, visual disturbance, dizziness, respiratory problems, catarrhal deafness, tinnitus, [and] skin conditions”—all may result from sick building syndrome, or SBS, says John Moores University researcher Jack Rostron. SBS, officially recognized by the World Health Organization in 1986, can “transform the humdrum business of going to work into something approaching torture,” he claims. Centrally controlled air-conditioned buildings with sealed windows can accumulate air pollutants, such as the toxic gases and particles given off by photocopiers and printers, reports The Independent of London. To avoid SBS, air-conditioning systems must be cleaned frequently and thoroughly. Rostron notes: “Work performance improves when small groups of people share small offices with windows that open.”
Winter Warning
Anyone who spends time outdoors in winter cold and wind is at risk of hypothermia, a dangerous lowering of body temperature, states The Toronto Star newspaper. This occurs “when the body loses heat faster than it can generate it,” the report notes, adding that “temperatures do not have to be sub-zero for hypothermia to occur.” The metabolism of the elderly is often less able to compensate for heat loss. They, along with children, are at greatest risk. When a person is “cold, wet, tired, hungry, shivering, complaining, [and] not enjoying being outdoors,” he may be at risk of hypothermia, states the Wilderness First Aid Handbook. Such a person should be given shelter, dry clothes, food, and fluids but not alcohol or caffeine. If he does not show signs of recovery, medical help should be sought immediately. |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 63—2 John
Writer: Apostle John
Place Written: Ephesus, or near
Writing Completed: c. 98 C.E.
1. To whom may Second John have been written?
JOHN’S second letter is short—it could have been written on a single sheet of papyrus—but it is full of meaning. It is addressed “to the chosen lady and to her children.” Since “Kyria” (Greek for “lady”) did exist as a proper name at the time, some Bible scholars feel that an individual by that name was being addressed. On the other hand, it is thought by some that John was writing to a Christian congregation, referring to it as “the chosen lady.” This may have been done in order to confuse persecutors. In that case, the greetings of the “sister” mentioned in the last verse would be those of the members of another congregation. So the second letter was not intended to be as general in scope as the first, for it evidently was written either to an individual or to one particular congregation.—2 Jo Vs. 1.
2. (a) What evidence points to the apostle John as writer of Second John? (b) What suggests that the letter was written in or near Ephesus, about 98 C.E., and what supports its authenticity?
2 There is no reason to doubt that John wrote this letter. The writer calls himself “the older man.” This certainly fits John not only because of his advanced age but also because, as one of the “pillars” (Gal. 2:9) and the last surviving apostle, he was truly an “older man” in the Christian congregation. He was well-known, and no further identification would be required for his readers. His writership is also indicated by the similarity in style to that of the first letter and John’s Gospel. Like the first letter, the second letter appears to have been written in or around Ephesus, about 98 C.E. Concerning Second and Third John, McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia comments: “From their general similarity, we may conjecture that the two epistles were written shortly after the 1st Epistle from Ephesus. They both apply to individual cases of conduct the principles which had been laid down in their fullness in the 1st Epistle.”a In support of its authenticity, the letter is quoted by Irenaeus, of the second century, and was accepted by Clement of Alexandria, of the same period.b Also, John’s letters are listed in the Muratorian Fragment.
3. Why did John write the letter?
3 As was true of First John, the reason for this letter is the onslaught by false teachers against the Christian faith. John wants to warn his readers about such ones so they can recognize them and stay clear of them, while continuing to walk in the truth, in mutual love.
outputS OF SECOND JOHN
4. Why particularly does John admonish loving one another, and how must those who push ahead beyond the teaching of Christ be treated?
4 Love one another; reject apostates (Vss. 1-13). After expressing his love in the truth for ‘the chosen lady and her children,’ John rejoices that he has found some of them walking in the truth, as commanded by the Father. He requests that they show their love for one another by continuing to walk according to God’s commandments. For deceivers and antichrists have gone forth into the world, who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. He that pushes ahead beyond the teaching of Christ does not have God, but he that remains in this teaching “has both the Father and the Son.” Anyone that does not bring this teaching is not to be received into their homes, nor is he even to be greeted. John has many things to write them, but instead he hopes to come and speak with them face-to-face, that their joy may be “in full measure.”—Vss. 9, 12.
WHY BENEFICIAL
5. (a) What situation arose in John’s day that has also arisen in modern times? (b) Like John, how can we today show appreciation for the unity of the congregation?
5 It appears that in John’s day, as in modern times, there were some who were not output to stay with the plain, simple teachings of Christ. They wanted something more, something that would tickle their ego, something that would exalt them and put them in a class with worldly philosophers, and they were willing to contaminate and divide the Christian congregation in order to gain their selfish ends. John valued the harmony of the congregation that rests in love and in right teaching in union with the Father and the Son. We should place like store on the unity of the congregation today, even refusing fellowship or greetings to those who apostatize to another teaching beyond that received through the inspired Scriptures. By continuing to walk according to God’s commandments, and in the full measure of joy to be found in true Christian association, we can be assured that “there will be with us undeserved kindness, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father, with truth and love.” (Vs. 3) Certainly John’s second letter underlines the blessedness of such Christian oneness.
[Footnotes]
a 1981 reprint, Vol. IV, page 955.
b New Bible Dictionary, second edition, 1986, edited by J. D. Douglas, page 605. |
“Good Land” (gl)
2003 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/good-land-gl | Israel in Its Surroundings
JEHOVAH told Abraham: ‘Go from Ur in Mesopotamia to the country that I shall show you.’ That country was inhabited and surrounded by other nations.—Ge 12:1-3; 15:17-21.
As God’s people moved away from Egypt, they knew that they might face resistance from enemies, such as “the despots of Moab.” (Ex 15:14, 15) The Amalekites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Amorites were on Israel’s route to the Promised Land. (Nu 21:11-13; De 2:17-33; 23:3, 4) And the Israelites would encounter other enemy nations in the land that God had promised them.
God said that Israel was to “clear away” seven “populous nations”—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—that merited destruction. They were morally degraded and religiously corrupt. Their gods included Baal (noted for phallic stone pillars), Molech (object of child sacrifice), and the fertility goddess Ashtoreth (Astarte).—De 7:1-4; 12:31; Ex 23:23; Le 18:21-25; 20:2-5; Jg 2:11-14; Ps 106:37, 38.
Sometimes the whole area that God was giving to Israel was called “Canaan,” from north of Sidon to “the torrent valley of Egypt.” (Nu 13:2, 21; 34:2-12; Ge 10:19) At other times the Bible names various nations, city-states, or peoples in that land. Some had distinct locales, such as the Philistines on the coast and the Jebusites in the mountains near Jerusalem. (Nu 13:29; Jos 13:3) Others changed locations or territory over time.—Ge 34:1, 2; 49:30; Jos 1:4; 11:3; Jg 1:16, 23-26.
At the time of the Exodus, the Amorites were likely the dominant tribe.a (De 1:19-21; Jos 24:15) They had seized Moabite land down to the torrent valley of Arnon, though the area across from Jericho was still called “the desert plains of Moab.” Amorite kings also ruled Bashan and Gilead.—Nu 21:21-23, 33-35; 22:1; 33:46-51.
Even though they had God’s backing, the Israelites did not eliminate all those condemned nations, who over time ensnared Israel. (Nu 33:55; Jos 23:13; Jg 2:3; 3:5, 6; 2Ki 21:11) Yes, the Israelites fell victim despite the warning: “You must not walk after other gods, any gods of the peoples who are all around you.”—De 6:14; 13:7.
[Footnote]
a Like “Canaanite,” “Amorite” could be used collectively for the peoples of the land or could be listed separately.—Ge 15:16; 48:22.
[Map on page 11]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Nations to Be Displaced From the Promised Land
PHILISTIA (D8)
C8 Ashkelon
C9 Gaza
D8 Ashdod
D8 Gath
D9 Gerar
CANAAN (D8)
B10 AMALEKITES
C12 Hazar-addar (Addar?)
C12 Kadesh (Kadesh-barnea)
D8 Lachish
D9 Beer-sheba
D10 AMORITES
D11 NEGEB
E4 Dor
E5 Megiddo
E5 Taanach
E6 Aphek
E6 HIVITES
E7 JEBUSITES
E8 Beth-shemesh
E8 Hebron (Kiriath-arba)
E9 HITTITES
E9 Debir
E10 Arad (Canaanite)
E10 KENITES
E11 Akrabbim
F4 GIRGASHITES
F6 Shechem
F7 PERIZZITES
F7 Gilgal
F7 Jericho
F8 Jerusalem
G2 HIVITES
G2 Dan (Laish)
G3 Hazor
PHOENICIA (F2)
E2 Tyre
F1 Sidon
EDOM (F12)
F11 SEIR
G11 Bozrah
AMORITES (SIHON) (G8)
G6 GILEAD
G7 Shittim
G7 Heshbon
G9 Aroer
SYRIA (H1)
G1 Baal-gad
G2 HIVITES
I1 Damascus
MOAB (H10)
AMORITES (OG) (I5)
G6 GILEAD
H3 BASHAN
H4 Ashtaroth
H4 Edrei
AMMON (I7)
H7 Rabbah
[Deserts]
H12 ARABIAN DESERT
[Mountains]
E4 Mt. Carmel
E11 Mt. Hor
G1 Mt. Hermon
G8 Mt. Nebo
[Bodies of water]
C6 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
[Pictures on page 10]
Right: Amorite King Og ruled Bashan, noted for its bulls and sheep
Below: Moab, looking across the Salt Sea to the wilderness of Judah
[Picture on page 11]
Jehovah directed Israel to displace nations worshiping false gods, such as Baal, Molech, and the fertility goddess Ashtoreth (shown) |
United in Worship (uw)
1983 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/uw | Chapter 20
Life and Blood—Do You Treat Them as Sacred?
1. (a) How does God view life? (b) How can we demonstrate that we appreciate God’s gift of life?
IT SHOULD NOT surprise us that God’s viewpoint toward life is very different from that of the world. To God, human life is sacred. Do you view it in that way? We are completely dependent on God, who “gives to all persons life and breath and all things.” (Acts 17:25-28; Ps. 36:9) If we share God’s view, we will safeguard our life. But we will not violate divine law in an attempt to save our present life. We treasure God’s promise of everlasting life for those who truly exercise faith in his Son.—Matt. 16:25, 26; John 6:40; Jude 21.
2. Whose attitude toward life does the world reflect, and to what kind of reasoning does this sometimes lead?
2 In contrast, Jesus said that Satan the Devil, the ruler of this world, “was a manslayer when he began.” (John 8:44; 12:31) From the very start of his course of rebellion he brought death to mankind. The world’s violent history reflects his spirit. But Satan can also present a seemingly different appearance. Thus men who are influenced by his thinking argue that, while it may be all right to be religious, when life is at stake you would be benefited by heeding their “expert” advice instead of quoting the Bible. (Compare 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15.) When faced with an apparent life-or-death situation, which way will your heart incline? Of course, our desire should be to please Jehovah.
3. (a) Why should we be especially interested in what the Bible says about blood? (b) Read Genesis 9:3-6 and Acts 15:28, 29, and then answer the questions listed above with these texts.
3 God’s Word reveals an intimate relationship between life and blood, saying: “The soul [or life] of the flesh is in the blood.” Just as life is sacred, so, too, God has made blood sacred. It is something that belongs to him, to be used only in the manner he approves. (Lev. 17:3, 4, 11; Deut. 12:23) So we do well to consider carefully what he requires of us with regard to blood.
Read Genesis 9:3-6
What practices in your area require you to be alert so as not to consume animal blood?
In view of what is said in Ge 9 verse 4 regarding animal blood, how would you react to the drinking of human blood (which was done at Roman gladiatorial events)?
As shown in Ge 9 verses 5 and 6, to whom primarily must one answer for shedding human blood?
Read Acts 15:28, 29
Does this state that the requirements would apply for only a limited time? Do they apply to us?
Is human blood excluded by the language used here?
Does the text indicate that exceptions might be made in cases of emergency?
4. As discussed here, what action do the Scriptures show that a person may need to take so as not to share in bloodguilt?
4 As regards human blood, we cannot assume that simply refraining from murder keeps us guiltless. The Scriptures show that if we are part of any organization that is bloodguilty before God, we must sever our ties with it if we do not want to share in its sins. (Rev. 18:4, 24; Mic. 4:3) Such action deserves urgent attention.
5. How is diligence in the field ministry associated with being free of bloodguilt?
5 In the case of God’s servants whom he has commissioned to warn of coming destruction in the great tribulation, their remaining free from bloodguilt requires that they faithfully proclaim that message. (Compare Ezekiel 3:17-21.) The apostle Paul viewed himself as a debtor to people of all sorts because of the ministry assigned to him. He felt free of responsibility for their blood only after he had borne thorough witness to them about God’s provision for salvation. (Rom. 1:14, 15; Acts 18:5, 6; 20:26, 27) Does your diligence in the field ministry reflect a similar awareness of the responsibility that rests on all of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
6. What connection is there between accident prevention and respect for the sacredness of life?
6 Fatal accidents should also be of serious concern to us. Under the Mosaic Law persons who accidentally caused the death of a fellow human were not viewed as guiltless. Penalties were imposed. (Ex. 21:29, 30; Deut. 22:8; Num. 35:22-25) If we take to heart the principle involved, we will be careful to avoid contributing to any fatal accident by the way we drive a vehicle, by our taking some foolish chance or by allowing unsafe conditions to exist in our home or at our place of business. Does your attitude regarding these things reflect full appreciation for the sacredness of life?
What About Medical Use of Blood?
7. (a) Is transfusing blood of one human into another compatible with the sacredness of blood? (b) Why is it unreasonable to restrict the command to ‘abstain from blood’ to practices that were common in the first century?
7 Although the practice is not new, particularly in the 20th century blood has been widely used for transfusions, with the intention of sustaining life. Both whole blood and primary components of blood are used in this manner. Of course, such medical procedures do not guarantee that the patient will not die. Sometimes, in fact, death follows as a direct result of such use of blood. But of even greater concern—Does the Bible requirement that we ‘abstain from blood’ apply to this medical practice? Yes! Taking blood into one’s body from any other creature, human or animal, violates the divine law. It shows disregard for the sacredness of blood. (Acts 15:19, 20) There is no basis for restricting the command to ‘abstain from blood’ to practices that were current in the first century and thus excluding modern medical techniques. Reason on the matter: Who would claim that the Bible’s command against murder did not include illegally taking human life by means of a gun, since gunpowder was not invented until the 10th century? And would it be reasonable to argue that the prohibition of drunkenness applied only in connection with beverages known in the first century and not to modern-day hard liquors? For persons who truly want to please God, the message conveyed by the command to ‘abstain from blood’ is clear.
8. (a) How can you determine whether a certain medical procedure is suitable for a Christian? (b) If a doctor wanted to withdraw some of your own blood, store it and then return it to your body during an operation, what Bible principles could help you to make a sound decision? (c) How might a person reason on treatment that requires the blood to circulate through equipment outside the body?
8 Nevertheless, the complexity of some medical procedures may give rise to questions. How can these be resolved? First, ask your doctor for a clear explanation of the proposed procedure. Then analyze it prayerfully in the light of Bible principles. The doctor may suggest that you have some of your own blood withdrawn and stored for use, if necessary, during a later operation. Would you agree? Remember that, according to God’s Law given through Moses, blood removed from a creature was to be poured out on the ground. (Deut. 12:24) We today are not under the Law code, but the underlying message is that blood is sacred and, when removed from a creature’s body, is to be returned to God by pouring it out on his footstool, the earth. (Compare Matthew 5:34, 35.) So how could it be proper to store your blood (even for a relatively brief time) and then put it back into your body? But what if the doctor says that, during surgery or in the course of other treatment, your blood would be channeled through equipment outside your body, and then, right back in? Would you consent? Some have felt that, with a clear conscience, they could permit this, provided that the equipment was primed with a nonblood fluid. They have viewed the external equipment as an extension of their circulatory system. Of course, situations vary, and it is you that must decide. But your decision should leave you with a clean conscience before God.—1 Pet. 3:16; 1 Tim. 1:19.
9. (a) To assure respect for your decision to ‘abstain from blood,’ what precautions ought to be taken? (b) Even in the event of an emergency, how can an unpleasant confrontation sometimes be avoided? (c) If a doctor or a court tried to force a blood transfusion, what would you do?
9 To assure that your doctor will respect your decision to ‘abstain from blood,’ talk to him before any medical emergency arises. If it is necessary to check into a hospital for treatment, take the precaution of requesting in writing that no blood be used, also speak about it personally to the doctor that will be handling your case. But what if there is an unexpected emergency? Unpleasant confrontations can often be avoided by having a respectful, reasonable discussion with the doctor, urging him to use his skills to help, but with respect for your Christian conscience. (Prov. 15:1; 16:21, 23) However, if perhaps well-meaning medical personnel insist that refusing blood will endanger our life and so try to force us to acquiesce, then what? Faith in the rightness of Jehovah’s ways should make us firm. Loyalty to Jehovah ought to make us resist resolutely, because we choose to obey God rather than men.—Acts 5:29; compare Job 2:4; Proverbs 27:11.
How Serious Is the Matter?
10. Why would the claim that a transfusion is needed to save a life not change our view of the matter?
10 To persons who do not yet know Jehovah, arguments in favor of blood transfusions may at times seem to show high regard for the sacredness of life. But we do not forget that many who argue in this way also condone the destruction of life by means of abortion. Jehovah knows more about life and blood than any medical “expert.” All His commandments have proved to be for our good, safeguarding our present life and our future prospects. (Isa. 48:17; 1 Tim. 4:8) Is the command to ‘abstain from blood’ any different?
11. (a) What was the only use that Jehovah permitted the Israelites to make of blood? (b) Why is this very important to us as Christians?
11 The seriousness of respecting the sacredness of blood is emphasized by what Jehovah said regarding the only use to which blood could be put. “The soul of the flesh is in the blood, and I myself have put it upon the altar for you to make atonement for your souls, because it is the blood that makes atonement by the soul in it. That is why I have said to the sons of Israel: ‘No soul of you must eat blood.’” (Lev. 17:11, 12) All the animal blood poured out at Jehovah’s altar in harmony with that requirement foreshadowed the precious blood of Jesus Christ. (Heb. 9:11, 12; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19) Thus the sacredness of the blood of Jesus itself is emphasized by God’s law prohibiting any other use of blood. From this it can be seen that any misuse of blood shows gross disrespect for Jehovah’s provision for salvation through his Son.
12. If faced with death, why would a true Christian not resort to any misuse of blood in an attempt to stay alive?
12 When faced with a life-or-death situation, how shortsighted it would be to turn one’s back on God! Although we appreciate the services of conscientious doctors, we do not desperately try to keep ourselves or our loved ones alive for a few more days or years by violating God’s law, as if this life were everything. We have faith in the value of Jesus’ shed blood and the eternal life that it makes possible. With our whole heart we believe that faithful servants of God—even those who die—will be rewarded with eternal life.—John 11:25; 1 Tim. 4:10.
Review Discussion
● What makes life and blood sacred? Why does the world argue for a different view?
● As regards animals, how do we show respect for the sacredness of their blood?
● In what various ways should all of us show that we treat human life as being sacred? How important is it to do so? |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 10
Be Steadfast, Unmovable!
(1 Corinthians 15:58)
1. As the last days move along to the end,
Wisely in service ourselves we expend.
Firm and unmovable we want to be,
Serving our God faithfully.
(Chorus)
2. Pleasures from Satan’s old system abound.
Great is the need for our mind to keep sound.
If we keep steadfast, to God ever true,
Safely he’ll carry us through.
(Chorus)
3. Let us serve God with real vigor and vim.
Care let us take lest our vision grow dim.
To the good news may we always hold fast.
Soon these last days will have passed.
(CHORUS)
Steadfast we all need to be; far from this world we keep free,
As we feed on God’s truth and keep integrity. |
Scriptures for Christian Living (scl)
2023 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/scl | Disrespect
What kind of disrespectful actions and attitude should we avoid?
Ps 10:13; 3Jo 9, 10
See also Ps 74:10, 18; Jude 8, 10
Relevant Bible account(s):
1Sa 2:12-17, 22-25, 27-30—The sons of High Priest Eli treat Jehovah’s worship with disrespect, and Eli fails to discipline them, showing disrespect for Jehovah
2Ki 1:9-15—Jehovah executes soldiers who show disrespect for his prophet Elijah, but He spares those who show humility |
Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Trying to Earn Salvation by Their Door-to-Door Ministry? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502012529 | Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Trying to Earn Salvation by Their Door-to-Door Ministry?
No. We engage regularly in our door-to-door ministry, but we don’t believe that we earn our salvation by doing such work. (Ephesians 2:8) Why not?
Think of this comparison: Imagine that a benevolent man promised an expensive gift to everyone who showed up at a certain location on a given date. If you really believed the man’s promise, would you follow his instructions? No doubt! Likely, you would also tell your friends and family about the opportunity, so that they too could benefit from it. Even so, you wouldn’t earn the gift by following the man’s instructions. The gift is still a gift.
Likewise, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe God’s promise of everlasting life for all who obey him. (Romans 6:23) We endeavor to share our faith with others, hoping that they will benefit from God’s promises. But we don’t believe that we earn our salvation by engaging in our ministry. (Romans 1:17; 3:28) Really, no human could ever do enough to merit such an astounding blessing from God. “He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things that we have done.”—Titus 3:5, Contemporary English Version. |
Worldwide Security (ws)
1986 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ws | Chapter 2
The “Prince of Peace” Faces Armageddon
1, 2. (a) What thrilling words did God inspire the prophet Isaiah to speak? (b) When did these words begin to be fulfilled?
IN THE eighth century before our Common Era, the prophet Isaiah was inspired to say to God’s people: “For 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. To the abundance of the princely rule and to peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom in order to establish it firmly and to sustain it by means of justice and by means of righteousness, from now on and to time indefinite.”—Isaiah 9:6, 7.
2 Those thrilling words began to be fulfilled in the latter part of the year 2 B.C.E. This was when Jesus was born as a descendant of King David, who had reigned in the city of Jerusalem over the 12 tribes of Israel.
Covenant for a Kingdom With No End of Peace
3. (a) What covenant did God make with King David? (b) Upon what descendant of King David has Jehovah conferred the input “Prince of Peace”?
3 Because of David’s zeal for the worship of the God of Israel, Jehovah made with him a covenant for an everlasting Kingdom in his line of descent. (2 Samuel 7:1-16) That covenant was backed by God’s oath. (Psalm 132:11, 12) According to that covenant, David’s kingdom had to furnish the basis for the coming Kingdom of the “Prince of Peace.” “Jesus Christ, son of David,” is the one upon whom Jehovah conferred the input “Prince of Peace.”—Matthew 1:1.
4. (a) Who became the earthly mother of Jesus? (b) What did the angel Gabriel say to her in this respect?
4 Jesus’ mother was a woman born into the royal line of King David. She was a virgin when she conceived her promised son, who would become the permanent heir to David’s throne. This conception took place before Joseph took her as his wife. (Matthew 1:18-25) The angel Gabriel had informed the virgin Mary: “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.”—Luke 1:31-33.
5. What had Isaiah the prophet foretold regarding the rule of the “Prince of Peace”?
5 That is why the prophet Isaiah foretold regarding the “Prince of Peace” that “wide is his dominion in a peace that has no end, for the throne of David and for his royal power.” (Isaiah 9:6, 7, The Jerusalem Bible) Thus, according to the covenant established with David, this Kingdom would be an everlasting government with no end of peace. His throne must stand “forever”!
6. (a) To carry out the Kingdom covenant, what did God do on the third day of Jesus’ death? (b) When did Jesus begin to reign as the “Prince of Peace”?
6 For the carrying out of this Kingdom covenant, the Almighty God resurrected Jesus from the dead on the third day of his martyrdom. This was on the 16th day of the Jewish month Nisan, in the year 33 of our Common Era. As an eyewitness of the resurrected Son of God, the apostle Peter said that Jesus was “put to death in the flesh, but . . . made alive in the spirit.” (1 Peter 3:18) The Most High God elevated him to His own right hand. There, since the end of the Gentile Times, or “the appointed times of the nations,” in early October of the year 1914, he has been reigning as the “Prince of Peace.”—Luke 21:24.
7. (a) What has Jesus faced from the start of his reign? (b) Who are proclaiming Jesus’ kingship to all the nations, and in fulfillment of what?
7 From the start of his celestial reign, he has faced a hostile world, as is evidenced by two world wars over the issue of who shall rule the earth. He is now confronted with the United Nations organization. By the globe-encircling proclamation of the good news of the Kingdom by Jehovah’s Witnesses, who are preaching in more than 200 lands, his active kingship in the heavens is being called to the attention of all nations. This is in fulfillment of what the “Prince of Peace” himself foretold, as we read at Matthew 24:14: “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.”
8. Why can it be said that we are very deep into this “conclusion of the system of things”?
8 The issue of world domination must be settled soon. Now, more than 70 years after the end of “the appointed times of the nations” in 1914, we are deep into this “conclusion of the system of things.” The generation of 1914 saw the start of the meaningful world events foretold by Jesus. (Matthew 24:3-14) That generation, Jesus said, would not pass away until all these things would be fulfilled. It is now very close to finishing its course.—Matthew 24:34.
9, 10. (a) How was the prophetic information in the book of Revelation communicated to us? (b) What does Revelation 16:13, 14, 16 foretell about Har–Magedon, or Armageddon?
9 Hence, what lies immediately ahead, and what does the “Prince of Peace” face? He himself was used to foretell this in the very last book of the Bible, the Revelation, or Apocalypse, which God gave to him and which he communicated to the aged apostle John by means of an angel. (Revelation 1:1, 2) That happened about the end of the first century of our Common Era. At Revelation 16:13, 14, 16, Jesus had the apostle John make this significant reference to Har–Magedon, or Armageddon:
10 “And I saw three unclean inspired expressions that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Magedon.”
The Figurative “Mountain of Megiddo”
11. (a) What does the name Armageddon mean, and was there ever a geographical location so named? (b) Why was the ancient city of Megiddo of historical importance? (c) What double meaning did the name Megiddo take on?
11 The Hebrew name Har–Magedon, or Armageddon, means “Mountain of Megiddo.” No geographical location in ancient or modern times has been called Mountain of Megiddo. Thus in a book like Revelation that is filled with figurative language, the term has symbolic meaning. What must that be? Well, the elevated city of Megiddo, the name of which place means “assembly of troops,” was of historical importance. In secular and in Biblical history the name stirred up memories of decisive battles. Why? Because the city then dominated a strategic land passageway between Europe, Asia, and Africa, and invaders could advantageously be challenged and halted there by the inhabitants. Thus Megiddo took on a double meaning—that of tragic defeat for one side and of glorious victory for the other side.
12, 13. (a) How did the God of the Bible become associated with Megiddo and its nearby river during the days of Judge Barak? (b) How does the victory song of Barak and Deborah describe God’s role in the victory?
12 The God of the Bible became associated with Megiddo and with the nearby river Kishon during the period of the Israelite judges. In the days of Judge Barak and the prophetess Deborah, God gave a signal victory to his chosen people in the neighborhood of Megiddo. Judge Barak had only 10,000 men, whereas the enemy under General Sisera had, besides ground troops, 900 horse-drawn war chariots. Jehovah stepped into the battle in behalf of his chosen people and caused a flash flood to immobilize those formidable chariots of the enemy. In the victory song that Barak and Deborah sang to God after the miraculous defeat of Sisera’s army, they called attention to God’s part in this overthrow of the enemy:
13 “Kings came, they fought; it was then that the kings of Canaan fought in Taanach by the waters of Megiddo. No gain of silver did they take. From heaven did the stars fight, from their orbits they fought against Sisera. The torrent of Kishon washed them away, the torrent of ancient days, the torrent of Kishon.”—Judges 5:12, 19-21.
14. What closing words of that inspired victory song are no doubt a prayer with regard to the coming war at Armageddon?
14 Without doubt, the inspired words with which Barak and Deborah closed their song after that ancient victory at Megiddo apply as a prayer with regard to the coming war at Armageddon. They sang: “Thus let all your enemies perish, O Jehovah, and let your lovers be as when the sun goes forth in its mightiness.”—Judges 5:31.a
Nations Being Gathered to Armageddon
15. (a) What kind of place, then, is Armageddon? (b) What is one of the sources of the unclean propaganda that mobilizes the nations to the war at Armageddon?
15 So Megiddo was a place where decisive battles were fought. Logically, then, Armageddon would be the battlefield to which all the worldly nations of today would march under the inciting forces described at Revelation 16:13, 14. The “expressions inspired by demons” that mobilize the nations are the propaganda that is today croaked forth, unclean like the Biblically unclean frog. One of the sources of such unclean propaganda is the “great fiery-colored dragon.” Revelation 12:1-9 identifies “the dragon” as Satan the Devil.
16. At Revelation 16:13, what does “the wild beast” symbolize?
16 Another source of unclean propaganda is “the wild beast.” At Revelation 16:13 this symbolic “wild beast” is associated with the devilish “dragon.” According to Revelation 20:10, this “wild beast” will be destroyed forever because of its cooperation with the symbolic “dragon.” “The wild beast” symbolizes the entire political system of this world of which “the dragon” is the god. (2 Corinthians 4:4) It takes in all the various political governments of this world.—Compare Daniel 7:17; 8:20, 22.
17. What is the effect of the froglike propaganda issuing forth from “the wild beast”?
17 Such a world system of political rule has its distinctive propaganda. And this croaking, froglike propaganda is an inspired expression that serves with the inspired expression of “the dragon” to gather “the kings,” or political rulers of the world, to “the war of the great day of God the Almighty” that will be fought at Armageddon.
18. (a) What does the name Har–Magedon denote? (b) What would a mountain symbolize?
18 Har–Magedon thus signifies a world situation that involves a decisive war. It denotes that ultimate state to which world affairs come where the political rulers unitedly oppose God’s will, so that God must react with a counterforce according to his purpose. So the future is to be determined by what results from this confrontation. At Megiddo itself, the geographical location, there was no mountain. But a mountain would symbolize a prominent place of assembly that would be easily discerned from a distance by all the military forces gathering there.
19, 20. What strategy will the General of Jehovah’s heavenly forces use at Armageddon, and with what result?
19 Jesus Christ, the General of Jehovah’s fighting forces, has for some years looked upon the gathering of the rulers of the world and their fighting forces to Armageddon. But he has not tried to single out any particular king and his military forces to strike them down singly and thus finish off the enemy forces piecemeal. On the contrary, he is allowing them sufficient time to mass together and to unify their forces to the greatest military potential. His bold purpose is to take all of them on at the same time!
20 He will thereby gain a more resounding victory over them, to the glory of his own Commander in Chief, Jehovah God, and to the verification of himself as, indisputably, the “King of kings and Lord of lords.”—Revelation 19:16.
[Footnotes]
a Some other references to Megiddo are found at 2 Kings 9:27; 23:29, 30; 2 Chronicles 35:22; Zechariah 12:11. |
Young People Ask, Volume 2 (yp2)
2008 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp2 | SECTION 6
Your Parents
Parents have the benefit of hindsight. They’ve already navigated the maze of physical and emotional changes that are part of adolescence. Ideally, they should be in the best position to guide you through the maze. Sometimes, though, parents can seem to be part of the problem—not the solution. For example, you might face one of the following challenges:
□ My parents never stop criticizing me.
□ My dad or mom is addicted to drugs or alcohol.
□ My parents are always arguing.
□ My parents have separated.
Chapters 21-25 will help you deal with these and other problems.
[Full-page picture on page 172, 173] |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 80
Walking in the Name of Our God
(Micah 4:5)
1. Great Sov’reign in heav’n, Jehovah our God,
For all of your love, you we want to laud.
You pardon our sins; you show us life’s way.
Lord, here in your service we choose to stay.
2. Our foes now abound. They make up a host.
And in their false gods they make loud their boast.
We loathe their false gods; the truth we proclaim
And worship Jehovah, walk in his name.
3. From small Bethlehem comes God’s Ruler grand,
The Shepherd who saves with strength from God’s hand.
And now, with great joy, your remnant restored
Exalts your true worship, O Sov’reign Lord.
4. Come worship Jehovah. Serve him as one.
Do learn of his ways; his will let be done.
All swords and all spears we yield up for peace.
With joy we will serve him, never to cease. |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 22—The Song of Solomon
Writer: Solomon
Place Written: Jerusalem
Writing Completed: c. 1020 B.C.E.
1. In what respect is this the “Song of the songs”?
“THE whole world was not worthy of the day in which this sublime Song was given to Israel.” Thus the Jewish “rabbi” Akiba, who lived in the first century of the Common Era, expressed his appreciation for The Song of Solomon.a The book’s input is a contraction of the opening words, “The superlative song, which is Solomon’s.” According to the Hebrew word-for-word text, it is the “Song of the songs,” denoting superlative excellence, similar to the expression “heavens of the heavens,” for the highest heavens. (Deut. 10:14) It is not a collection of songs but one song, “a song of the utmost perfection, one of the best that existed, or had ever been penned.”b
2. (a) Who was the writer of The Song of Solomon, what were his qualifications, and why could the book be called a song of frustrated love? (b) Where was the book written, and when?
2 King Solomon of Jerusalem was the writer of this song, as is borne out by its introduction. He was highly qualified to write this supremely beautiful example of Hebrew poetry. (1 Ki. 4:32) It is an idyllic poem loaded with meaning and most colorful in its description of beauty. The reader who can visualize the Oriental setting will appreciate this still more. (Song of Sol. 4:11, 13; 5:11; 7:4) The occasion for its writing was a unique one. The great king Solomon, glorious in wisdom, mighty in power, and dazzling in the luster of his material wealth, which evoked the admiration even of the queen of Sheba, could not impress a simple country girl with whom he fell in love. Because of the constancy of her love for a shepherd boy, the king lost out. The book, therefore, could rightly be called The Song of Solomon’s Frustrated Love. Jehovah God inspired him to compose this song for the benefit of Bible readers of the ages to follow. He wrote it in Jerusalem. Perhaps this was about 1020 B.C.E., some years after the temple had been completed. By the time he wrote the song, Solomon had “sixty queens and eighty concubines,” compared with “seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines” at the end of his reign.—Song of Sol. 6:8; 1 Ki. 11:3.
3. What evidence is there for the Song of Solomon’s canonicity?
3 The canonicity of The Song of Solomon was wholly unchallenged in early times. It was regarded as an integral and inspired portion of the Hebrew canon long before the Common Era. It was embodied in the Greek Septuagint. Josephus inserted it in his catalog of the sacred books. Therefore, it has the same evidence for its canonicity as is commonly adduced for any other book of the Hebrew Scriptures.
4. (a) Does the absence of the word “God” argue against the canonicity of The Song of Solomon? (b) What marks it for its unique place in the Bible canon?
4 Some, however, have questioned the book’s canonicity on the ground that there is no reference to God in it. The absence of any mention of God would not disqualify the book any more than the mere presence of the word “God” would make it canonical. The divine name does appear in its abbreviated form at chapter 8, verse 6, where love is said to be “the flame of Jah.” The book unquestionably forms a part of those writings to which Jesus Christ referred with approval when he said: “You are searching the Scriptures, because you think that by means of them you will have everlasting life.” (John 5:39) Moreover, its powerful portrayal of the exquisite quality of mutual love, such as exists, in a spiritual sense, between Christ and his “bride,” marks The Song of Solomon for its unique place in the Bible canon.—Rev. 19:7, 8; 21:9.
outputS OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON
5. (a) How are the characters in the drama identified? (b) What touching theme is expressed?
5 The material in the book is presented through a series of conversations. There is a constant change of speakers. The persons with speaking parts are Solomon the king of Jerusalem, a shepherd, his beloved Shulammite, her brothers, court ladies (“daughters of Jerusalem”), and women of Jerusalem (“daughters of Zion”). (Song of Sol. 1:5-7; 3:5, 11) They are identified by what they say of themselves or by what is said to them. The drama unfolds near Shunem, or Shulem, where Solomon is camped with his court entourage. It expresses a touching theme—the love of a country girl of the village of Shunem for her shepherd companion.
6. What conversation takes place between the maiden and the court ladies of Solomon’s camp?
6 The Shulammite maiden in Solomon’s camp (1:1-14). The maiden appears in the royal tents into which the king has brought her, but she is anxious only to see her shepherd lover. With longing for her loved one, she speaks out as if he were present. The ladies of the court who wait on the king, the “daughters of Jerusalem,” look curiously at the Shulammite because of her swarthy complexion. She explains that she is sunburned from caring for her brothers’ vineyards. She then speaks to her lover as though she were free and asks where she might find him. The court ladies bid her to go out and pasture her flock by the tents of the shepherds.
7. What advances does Solomon make, but with what result?
7 Solomon comes forward. He is unwilling to let her go. He praises her beauty and promises to adorn her with “circlets of gold” and “studs of silver.” The Shulammite resists his advances and lets him know that the only love she can feel is for her beloved.—1:11.
8. How does the maiden’s lover encourage her? For what does she yearn?
8 The shepherd lover appears (1:15–2:2). The Shulammite’s lover makes his way into Solomon’s camp and encourages her. He assures her of his love. The Shulammite yearns for the nearness of her dear one and the simple pleasure of dwelling at one with him out in the fields and woods.
9. How do the girl and her lover appraise her beauty?
9 The Shulammite is a modest girl. “A mere saffron of the coastal plain I am,” she says. Her shepherd lover thinks her to be without compare, saying: “Like a lily among thorny weeds, so is my girl companion among the daughters.”—2:1, 2.
10. What does the maiden recall concerning her love?
10 The maiden longs for her shepherd (2:3–3:5). Separated again from her lover, the Shulammite shows how she esteems him above all others, and she tells the daughters of Jerusalem that they are under oath not to try to arouse in her unwanted love for another. The Shulammite remembers the time when her shepherd answered her call and invited her to the hills in springtime. She sees him climbing upon the mountains, leaping with joy. She hears him cry out to her: “Rise up, come, O girl companion of mine, my beautiful one, and come away.” However, her brothers, who were not sure of her steadiness, got angry and set her to work in guarding the vineyards. She declares, “My dear one is mine and I am his,” and she pleads for him to hurry to her side.—2:13, 16.
11. Of what oath does the Shulammite again remind the daughters of Jerusalem?
11 The Shulammite describes her detainment in Solomon’s camp. At night in bed, she longs for her shepherd. Again she reminds the daughters of Jerusalem that they are under oath not to awaken unwanted love in her.
12. What further encouragement does her lover give when the maiden is taken by Solomon to Jerusalem?
12 The Shulammite in Jerusalem (3:6–5:1). Solomon returns to Jerusalem in regal splendor, and the people admire his cortege. In this critical hour, the shepherd lover does not fail the Shulammite. He follows his girl companion, who is veiled, and gets in touch with her. He strengthens his beloved with warm expressions of endearment. She tells him she wants to get free and leave the city, and then he bursts into an ecstasy of love: “You are altogether beautiful, O girl companion of mine.” (4:7) A mere glimpse of her makes his heart beat faster. Her expressions of endearment are better than wine, her fragrance is like that of Lebanon, and her skin is like a paradise of pomegranates. The maiden invites her dear one to come into “his garden,” and he accepts. Friendly women of Jerusalem encourage them: “Eat, O companions! Drink and become drunk with expressions of endearment!”—4:16; 5:1.
13. What dream does the maiden have, and how does she describe her lover to the court ladies?
13 The maiden’s dream (5:2–6:3). The Shulammite tells the court ladies of a dream, in which she hears a knock. Her dear one is outside, pleading for her to let him in. But she is in bed. When she finally gets up to open the door, he has disappeared into the night. She goes out after him, but he cannot be found. The watchmen mistreat her. She tells the court ladies that if they see her lover, they are under obligation to tell him that she is lovesick. They ask her what makes him so outstanding. She launches into an exquisite description of him, saying he is “dazzling and ruddy, the most conspicuous of ten thousand.” (5:10) The court women ask her of his whereabouts. She says he has gone to shepherd among the gardens.
14. Despite all his arts, how does Solomon lose out in his quest?
14 Solomon’s final advances (6:4–8:4). King Solomon approaches the Shulammite. Again he tells her how beautiful she is, more lovely than “sixty queens and eighty concubines,” but she rejects him. (6:8) She is here only because an errand of service had brought her near his camp. ‘What do you see in me?’ she asks. Solomon takes advantage of her innocent question to tell her of her beauty, from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head, but the maiden resists all his arts. Courageously she declares her devotion to her shepherd, crying out for him. For the third time, she reminds the daughters of Jerusalem that they are under oath not to awaken love in her against her will. Solomon lets her go home. He has lost out in his quest for the Shulammite’s love.
15. (a) With what request does the maiden return to her brothers? (b) How has exclusive devotion triumphed?
15 The Shulammite returns (8:5-14). Her brothers see her approaching, but she is not alone. She is “leaning upon her dear one.” She calls to mind having met her lover under an apple tree and declares the unbreakableness of her love for him. Some of her brothers’ earlier comments about their concern over her when “a little sister” are mentioned, but she declares she has proved herself a mature and stable woman. (8:8) Let her brothers now consent to her marriage. King Solomon can have his wealth! She is output with her one vineyard, for she loves one who is exclusively dear to her. In her case this love is as strong as death and its blazings as “the flame of Jah.” Insistence on exclusive devotion “as unyielding as Sheol” has triumphed and has led to the glorious heights of union with her shepherd lover.—8:5, 6.
WHY BENEFICIAL
16. What valuable lessons are taught in this song?
16 What lessons are taught in this song of love that the man of God might find beneficial today? Faithfulness, loyalty, and integrity to godly principles are clearly shown. The song teaches the beauty of virtue and innocence in a true lover. It teaches that genuine love remains unconquerable, inextinguishable, unpurchasable. Young Christian men and women as well as husbands and wives can benefit from this fitting example of integrity when temptations arise and allurements present themselves.
17. (a) How does Paul show this song to have been written for the instruction of the Christian congregation? (b) Why may Paul well have had it in mind in writing to the Corinthians and the Ephesians? (c) What interesting comparisons may be made with inspired writings of John?
17 But this inspired song is also most beneficial for the Christian congregation as a whole. It was recognized as part of the inspired Scriptures by the Christians of the first century, one of whom wrote: “All the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.” (Rom. 15:4) This same inspired writer, Paul, could well have had in mind the Shulammite girl’s exclusive love for her shepherd when he wrote to the Christian congregation: “For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I personally promised you in marriage to one husband that I might present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ.” Paul also wrote of the love of Christ for the congregation as that of a husband for a wife. (2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:23-27) Not only is Jesus Christ the Fine Shepherd for them but he is also their King who holds out to his anointed followers the indescribable joy of “marriage” with him in the heavens.—Rev. 19:9; John 10:11.
18. In what way may the anointed followers of Christ Jesus benefit from the example of the Shulammite girl?
18 Certainly these anointed followers of Christ Jesus can benefit much from the example of the Shulammite girl. They also must be loyal in their love, unenticed by the materialistic glitter of the world, keeping balance in their integrity clear through to the attainment of the reward. They have their minds set on the things above and ‘seek first the Kingdom.’ They welcome the loving endearments of their Shepherd, Jesus Christ. They are overjoyed in knowing that this dear one, though unseen, is close beside them, calling on them to take courage and conquer the world. Having that unquenchable love, as strong as “the flame of Jah,” for their Shepherd King, they will indeed overcome and be united with him as fellow heirs in the glorious Kingdom of the heavens. Thus will Jah’s name be sanctified!—Matt. 6:33; John 16:33.
[Footnotes]
a The Jewish Mishnah (Yadayim 3:5).
b Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. III, page 841. |
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 | input Page/Publishers’ Page
Spirits of the Dead—Can They Help You or Harm You? Do They Really Exist?
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.
November 2015 Printing
English (sp-E)
© 1991, 2005
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania |
Hemingway and the Fascist Salute | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101992012 | Hemingway and the Fascist Salute
In 1938 the famous writer Ernest Hemingway was upset by two photographs. One showed a line of dead children in Barcelona, Spain, killed by bombs dropped by Franco’s forces in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). In fact, on that occasion, out of 875 killed, 118 were children. Hemingway wondered who had given the order for that bombing of civilians.
Hemingway was further perturbed by a news item from the New York Herald Tribune that stated that in New York, Patrick Cardinal Hayes was praying for victory for General Franco’s forces in Spain. But what was the second photograph that bothered the author?
It was a photo of Spanish army officers and clergy in front of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in northern Spain, saluting as troops marched past. What was so disturbing about that? Hemingway wrote: “I recognize General Aranda and General Davila . . . and I recognize the salute they are giving. It is the salute of the old regular Spanish army. What I don’t recognize is the salute that is being given by the Bishop of Lugo, the Archbishop of Santiago, the Canon of Santiago, and the Bishop of Madrid. Is that the fascist salute that they are giving? Is that the salute of the Nazis and the Italian fascists?” It certainly was!
The sight of children killed by bombs dropped by Catholics and the Catholic bishops giving the Nazi-Fascist salute baffled Hemingway. Perhaps he was aware that the Spanish Catholic clergy had blessed the civil war in Spain as a holy crusade. Well over 500,000 Spaniards lost their lives in that ideological conflict, which also served as Hitler’s rehearsal for World War II.
What was it that James, Jesus’ half brother, wrote? “O you unfaithful ones, are you not aware that love of the world is enmity to God? A man is marked out as God’s enemy if he chooses to be the world’s friend.” Christendom’s clergy, with few exceptions, have consistently allied themselves with the world’s political and military rulers.—James 4:4, The New American Bible, Saint Joseph Edition.
[Picture Credit Line on page 31]
A.G.E. Fotostock |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 58
Jehovah, “the God of All Comfort”
(2 Corinthians 1:3-7)
1. Great indeed the comfort God supplies;
For us he has affection.
We must comfort others with his Word,
Under his Son’s direction.
2. Suff’ring and affliction now abound;
Of them we all are sharers.
But Jehovah God will warm our hearts,
Since we’re his witness bearers.
3. Blessed be the God who comfort gives;
We find it so assuring.
Yes, he will sustain and nourish us
If we keep on enduring.
4. Strength and peace of mind we all can have
As hardships we keep facing.
Christ our Lord and King taught us the truth:
God’s love is all-embracing. |
Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1)
2011 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1 | SECTION 1
Dealing With Family
7 Communication
14 Arguing
21 Freedom
28 Divorce
34 Remarriage
40 Siblings
49 Leaving Home |
How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses View Education? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502018291 | How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses View Education?
We base our view of education on the principles found in the Bible. Each Witness uses his Bible-trained conscience to determine how to apply godly principles such as the following.a
Education is vital
Education should be viewed objectively
Higher education can lead to moral and spiritual dangers
Do Jehovah’s Witnesses have Sunday schools?
Education is vital
Education helps a person to develop “practical wisdom and thinking ability,” qualities that the Bible praises highly. (Proverbs 2:10, 11; 3:21, 22) Further, Jesus told his followers to be teachers of the things he commanded. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Thus, we encourage and help those in our congregations to have a well-rounded education, including skills in reading, writing, and communicating,b as well as knowledge about other religions and cultures.—1 Corinthians 9:20-22; 1 Timothy 4:13.
Governments also see the value of education and often require young people to receive primary and secondary schooling. We comply with such laws in harmony with the command: “Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities,” or governments. (Romans 13:1) In addition, we encourage our children to apply themselves at school and to do their best, not being satisfied to do the bare minimum.c As God’s Word says: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as though you were working for the Lord and not for people.”—Colossians 3:23, Good News Translation.
Education helps us to provide for our families. According to the Bible, “if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.” (1 Timothy 5:8) Secular education can help us fulfill the sacred obligation to support our families. As The World Book Encyclopedia states, a key purpose of education is to “enable people to become productive members of society . . . as workers in the economy.” A skillful, well-educated person can provide for his family more readily and reliably than one who is unskilled and lacks a basic education.—Proverbs 22:29.
Parents also provide for their children by equipping them for adult life, and formal schooling can be invaluable in that regard. (2 Corinthians 12:14) We encourage parents to provide a formal education for their children even if they live in areas where it is not free, is difficult to obtain, or goes against cultural norms.d We also give practical suggestions on how parents can get involved in their children’s education.e
Education should be viewed objectively
We examine secular education options carefully. The Bible says: “The naive person believes every word, but the shrewd one ponders each step.” (Proverbs 14:15) We apply this principle by carefully examining the range of options available for supplementary (postsecondary) education and the cost and value of each. For example, vocational training can often provide good value for a reasonable investment of time.
Spiritual education has greater value than secular education. Unlike secular education, Bible-based spiritual education provides the lifesaving knowledge of God. (John 17:3) It also teaches moral values—“what is righteous and just and fair, the entire course of what is good.” (Proverbs 2:9) The apostle Paul received what could be likened to a modern university education, yet he acknowledged “the excelling value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:8; Acts 22:3) Likewise today, many of Jehovah’s Witnesses have received advanced secular education, yet they believe that their spiritual education has greater value.f
Spiritual education teaches fine moral values
Higher education can lead to moral and spiritual dangers
A Bible proverb says: “The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself.” (Proverbs 22:3) Jehovah’s Witnesses feel that the environment in some universities or similar centers of higher learning can pose moral and spiritual dangers. For that reason, many Witnesses choose not to immerse themselves or their children in such an environment. They feel that in centers of higher learning, mistaken ideas such as the following are often promoted:
Misconception: Money brings happiness and security
Higher education is often promoted as the surest way to a high-paying job, so an increasing number of students attend a university primarily to make more money. Some hope that money will bring them happiness and security, yet the Bible exposes the futility of such thinking. (Ecclesiastes 5:10) More important, the Bible also teaches that “the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things” and often leads to a loss of faith. (1 Timothy 6:10) Jehovah’s Witnesses make every effort to avoid being ensnared by “the deceptive power of riches.”—Matthew 13:22.
Misconception: A person should seek the prestige or status that can result from higher education
For example, Nika Gilauri, a former prime minister of Georgia, wrote regarding the common viewpoint in his homeland: “A university degree is almost obligatory as a status symbol in Georgia. . . . [In the past,] young people who did not get a degree were a disgrace to their families.”g In contrast, the Bible warns against seeking prominence in this world. Jesus told the glory-seeking religious leaders of his day: “How can you believe, when you are accepting glory from one another?” (John 5:44) The university environment could foster a haughty spirit, which God hates.—Proverbs 6:16, 17; 1 Peter 5:5.
Misconception: Each person should set his own standards of right and wrong
Jehovah’s Witnesses accept God’s standards of right and wrong. (Isaiah 5:20) However, according to an article published in the Journal of Alcohol and Drug Education, peer pressure in universities leads many students to “make decisions contrary to their established knowledge of right and wrong.”h This observation agrees with the Bible principle: “Bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) In the university environment, practices that God condemns, such as drunkenness, drug use, and sex outside marriage, are often common and even encouraged.—1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 2 Corinthians 7:1.
Misconception: Higher education is the best way to improve the world
We recognize that many pursue higher education, not to gain wealth, prestige, or illicit pleasure, but to improve themselves and the world. These are noble goals, but Jehovah’s Witnesses have chosen a different path. Like Jesus, we look to God’s Kingdom as the only hope for a better world. (Matthew 6:9, 10) However, we do not passively wait for the Kingdom to solve the world’s problems. Instead, like Jesus, we share “this good news of the Kingdom” throughout the earth, helping hundreds of thousands of people every year to transform their lives for the better.i—Matthew 24:14.
Do Jehovah’s Witnesses have Sunday schools?
No, we do not separate children for religious instruction. The Bible shows that God wants people to worship him without being separated by age. For example, God commanded the Israelites: “Gather the people together, the men, the women, the children, and your foreign resident who is within your cities, in order that they may listen and learn about and fear Jehovah your God and take care to carry out all the words of this Law.” (Deuteronomy 31:12) We follow this pattern in our meetings by encouraging families to sit together. Parents know what their children hear, and this helps them to fulfill their responsibility to provide religious instruction for their children.—Ephesians 6:4.
a Witness youths still living at home abide by their parents’ wishes in regard to education as long as these do not conflict with God’s laws.—Colossians 3:20.
b To that end, we have published more than 11 million copies of literacy aids, such as Apply Yourself to Reading and Writing. And we conduct free literacy classes around the world in 120 languages. Between 2003 and 2017, we taught some 70,000 people to read and write.
c See the article “Should I Quit School?”
d For example, we encourage parents to send their sons and daughters to school. See the article “Should My Child Go to School?” in the March 15, 2003, issue of The Watchtower.
e See the article “How to Help Your Child Improve His Grades.”
f See the jw.org section “Viewpoints on the Origin of Life.”
g Practical Economics: Economic Transformation and Government Reform in Georgia 2004—2012, page 170.
h Volume 61, No. 1, April 2017, page 72.
i See the jw.org section “The Bible Changes Lives” for real-life examples of the power of God’s Word and the Kingdom message. |
Young People Ask, Volume 2 (yp2)
2008 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp2 | CHAPTER 11
What About Online Friendships?
Which form of communication do you prefer?
□ Face-to-face
□ Phone
□ Computer
Whom do you find it easiest to converse with?
□ Classmates
□ Family members
□ Fellow Christians
Where does your communication tend to be least inhibited?
□ At school
□ At home
□ At congregation meetings
LOOK at your answer to the first question. Did you indicate that you prefer to communicate by computer rather than talk face-to-face? If so, you’re far from being alone. Many youths use the Internet to start and maintain friendships. “The idea of being able to meet people from around the world—people you’d never be able to meet otherwise—is alluring,” says a young woman named Elaine. Tammy, 19, points out another enticement. “You can control how people view you,” she says. “When you’re face-to-face, if you don’t fit in, there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Now look at your answers to the second and third questions. Don’t be surprised if you find it easier to converse with classmates than with fellow Christians at congregation meetings. “At school, there’s a greater chance of finding people who are going through the same things you are,” says 18-year-old Jasmine. “That can make them a lot easier to warm up to.”
Put all the above factors together, and it may seem only natural that you would want to chat with schoolmates online. Tammy admits that for a time she did that. “All my schoolmates talked online about things, and I didn’t want to be left out,” she says.a Natalie, 20, set up a Web page to keep in touch with friends. “Technology is advancing,” she says. “Communication is finding new forms. This is one of them, and I like it.”
Weighing the Dangers
There’s no question that, for some, making and maintaining friendships is easier online. “The Internet gives you a form of confidence that you wouldn’t otherwise have,” says Natalie. Tammy would agree. “If you’re shy,” she says, “communicating online gives you a chance to plan exactly what you will say.”
But there are dangers to communicating online, and it would be foolish for you to ignore them. To illustrate: Would you walk blindfolded through the streets of a dangerous neighborhood? Why, then, wander online without being aware of the dangers?
Consider the dangers of trying to find friends over the Internet. “It’s too easy to meet shady people,” says Elaine, who at one time enjoyed casually chatting with strangers online. She adds: “Sometimes it’s only a matter of minutes before someone makes lewd remarks or asks such questions as: ‘Are you a virgin? Do you do oral sex?’ Some even offer cybersex.”
What if you’re just chatting with a trusted friend? Even then, you need to be careful. “You could spend too much time conversing with someone of the opposite sex, even if that person is ‘just a friend,’” says Joan. “The more time you spend sending messages to that person, the closer your friendship becomes, and conversation has the potential of becoming much more intimate.”
“Those Who Hide What They Are”
King David well knew the value of guarding against the wrong kind of friends. He wrote: “I have not sat with men of untruth; and with those who hide what they are I do not come in.”—Psalm 26:4.
While online, have you encountered the type of people David spoke of? Under what circumstances do people online “hide what they are”? ․․․․․
On the other hand, could it be that you hide what you are while online? “I would start conversations with people and then take on a personality to fit the conversation,” says Abigail, who visited chat rooms.
A girl named Leanne employed another form of deception. She relates: “I regularly communicated online with a boy in a neighboring congregation. We were soon voicing our feelings of ‘love.’ I would minimize the page on the screen when my parents walked by, so they never had a clue as to what was going on. I don’t think they thought it possible that their 13-year-old daughter was writing love poems to a 14-year-old boy. It never entered their heads.”
Staying Safe
Of course, there are times when online communication is appropriate. For example, many people—adults included—use the Internet to keep in touch with friends. If that’s true of you, are there any precautions you can take? Consider the following points.
● Monitor the amount of time you spend online, and don’t let it rob you of time for more important things—including sleep. “Some kids at school said they stayed up till three in the morning on the Internet,” says a youth named Brian.—Ephesians 5:15, 16.
● Communicate only with people you know or whose identity you can verify. Unsavory individuals regularly troll the Internet looking to exploit unsuspecting youths.—Romans 16:18.
● When conducting a business transaction, be cautious. Be extremely careful about giving out personal information. Otherwise, you could become a victim of fraud—or worse.—Matthew 10:16.
● When sending photos to your friends, ask yourself, ‘Does this truly represent someone who claims to serve God?’—Titus 2:7, 8.
● As with face-to-face communication, if an online discussion turns toward “things which are not becoming,” end the conversation.—Ephesians 5:3, 4.
● Always be aboveboard in your use of the Internet. If you have to ‘hide what you are’ from your parents, something’s wrong. “I’m open with my mom,” says a teen named Kari. “I show her what I’m doing online.”—Hebrews 13:18.
“It’s Worth the Wait!”
You want friends. That’s normal. Humans were created to enjoy the company of others. (Genesis 2:18) So when you feel the urge to have friends, that’s in harmony with the way you were made! Just be careful how you choose them.
Be assured that you can find the best of friends if you choose them according to the standards of God’s Word. One 15-year-old girl put it this way: “It’s hard to find friends who love Jehovah and love you. But when you do find them, it’s worth the wait!”
IN OUR NEXT CHAPTERWho said words can’t hurt? Gossip can stab like a sword. How can you put a stop to it?
[Footnote]
a School friendships will be discussed further in Chapter 17.
KEY SCRIPTURE
“I have not sat with men of untruth; and with those who hide what they are I do not come in.”—Psalm 26:4.
TIP
Time flies when you’re on the Internet! So set a time limit and stick to it. If need be, set an alarm to go off when your scheduled time is up.
DID YOU KNOW . . . ?
It only takes a few online details—perhaps your last name, the name of your school, and your phone number—to enable someone with bad intentions to find you.
ACTION PLAN!
I would like to limit my time on the Internet to ․․․․․ per week, and to do this I will ․․․․․
If I find myself talking to a stranger on the Internet, I will ․․․․․
What I would like to ask my parent(s) about this subject is ․․․․․
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
● What are the pros and cons of online communication compared with face-to-face conversation?
● Why is it easy to adopt a different personality when conversing online?
● How can you control the amount of time you spend online?
● In what beneficial ways might Internet communication be used?
[Blurb on page 103]
“I don’t have online contacts whom I don’t know or wouldn’t associate with in real life.”—Joan
[Picture on page 100, 101]
Would you walk blindfolded through the streets of a dangerous neighborhood? Then why communicate online without being alert to the dangers? |
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 | April
Wednesday, April 1
[Jesus] said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! . . . You think, not God’s thoughts, but those of men.”—Matt. 16:23.
What about us? Do we think God’s thoughts or those of this world? Granted, we have likely conformed our conduct to God’s requirements. But what about our thinking? Are we bringing our thoughts and viewpoints into alignment with Jehovah’s? Doing so requires a deliberate effort. On the other hand, little or no effort is needed to absorb the world’s thinking. That is because the spirit of the world is all around us. (Eph. 2:2) Furthermore, because it often appeals to self-interest, the world’s way of thinking can be enticing. Yes, it is challenging to think like Jehovah but all too easy to think like the world. However, if we allow the world to mold our thinking, we will be inclined toward selfishness and a desire for moral independence. (Mark 7:21, 22) It is therefore vital that we cultivate “God’s thoughts,” not “those of men.” w18.11 18 ¶1; 19 ¶3-4
Thursday, April 2
This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.—Matt. 3:17.
How encouraged Jesus must have been when Jehovah acknowledged him on three separate occasions by speaking directly from heaven. Just after Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, Jehovah said the above. Evidently, John the Baptist was the only other person who heard those words. Then, about a year before Jesus’ death, three of his apostles heard Jehovah say about Jesus: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved. Listen to him.” (Matt. 17:5) Finally, just a few days before Jesus’ death, Jehovah again spoke to his Son from heaven. (John 12:28) Even though Jesus knew that he would experience a shameful death, falsely branded as a blasphemer, he prayed that Jehovah’s will be done and not his. (Matt. 26:39, 42) “He endured a torture stake, despising shame,” not seeking recognition from the world, but only from his Father.—Heb. 12:2. w18.07 10-11 ¶15-16
Memorial Bible reading: (Events after sunset: Nisan 9) Mark 14:3-9
Friday, April 3
Father, if you want to, remove this cup from me.—Luke 22:42.
Just after Jesus introduced the Lord’s Evening Meal, he demonstrated tremendous courage. How so? Jesus accepted his Father’s will for him, even though he knew that doing so meant that he would be executed for the shameful crime of blasphemy. (Matt. 26:65, 66) Jesus maintained perfect integrity so as to honor Jehovah’s name, uphold God’s sovereignty, and open the way to endless life for repentant humans. At the same time, Jesus prepared his followers for what they would soon face. Jesus also showed courage by setting aside any anxiety he may have had and by focusing attention on the needs of his faithful apostles. The simple meal, which he introduced after dismissing Judas, would remind those who would become his anointed followers of the benefits of Jesus’ shed blood and of sharing in the new covenant.—1 Cor. 10:16, 17. w19.01 22 ¶7-8
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 9) Mark 11:1-11
Saturday, April 4
Father, glorify your name.—John 12:28.
In response, Jesus’ Father spoke from heaven: “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” Jesus was troubled because of the great responsibility he had to remain faithful to Jehovah. Jesus was aware that he was going to suffer a brutal scourging and a cruel death. (Matt. 26:38) More than all else, Jesus wanted to glorify his Father’s name. Jesus was charged with blasphemy, and he was concerned that his death would bring reproach on God. Like Jesus, we too may be concerned about reproach brought on Jehovah’s name. Perhaps like Jesus, we are victims of unjust treatment. Or we may be disturbed by false stories that opposers spread about us. We may think about the reproach these reports bring on Jehovah’s name. At such times, Jehovah’s words are of great comfort to us. Jehovah will never fail to glorify his name.—Ps. 94:22, 23; Isa. 65:17. w19.03 11-12 ¶14-16
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 10) Mark 11:12-19
Sunday, April 5
Jesus began explaining to his disciples that he must . . . suffer many things . . . and be killed.—Matt. 16:21.
Jesus’ disciples could not believe what they were hearing. Jesus, the one they expected to restore Israel’s kingdom, said that he would soon suffer and die. It was the apostle Peter who spoke up. “Be kind to yourself, Lord,” he said. “You will not have this happen to you at all.” Jesus countered: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you think, not God’s thoughts, but those of men.” (Matt. 16:22, 23; Acts 1:6) With those words, Jesus made a distinction between thoughts that originate with God and thoughts that originate with this world under Satan’s control. (1 John 5:19) Peter echoed the self-sparing attitude of the world. But Jesus knew that his Father’s thinking was different. In his reply to Peter, Jesus clearly rejected the world’s thinking in favor of Jehovah’s. w18.11 18 ¶1-2
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 11) Mark 11:20–12:27, 41-44
Monday, April 6
Keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he comes.—1 Cor. 11:26.
Imagine what Jehovah sees when millions around the world gather for the Lord’s Evening Meal. He looks at more than just the large number of people; he notices each individual who is present. For instance, he sees those who faithfully come every year. Among them may be individuals who come despite facing severe persecution. Others do not come regularly to other meetings, but they view attending the Memorial as a solemn duty. Jehovah also notices those who may be at the Memorial for the first time, perhaps out of curiosity. Certainly, Jehovah is pleased to see that so many attend the Memorial. (Luke 22:19) However, he is more interested in the reason for their coming; motive matters to Jehovah. Are we eager to be instructed by Jehovah and the organization that he is using?—Isa. 30:20; John 6:45. w19.01 26 ¶1-3
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 12) Mark 14:1, 2, 10, 11; Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16
Memorial DateAfter SundownTuesday, April 7
Christ died for us.—Rom. 5:8.
Jesus was willing not only to die for his disciples but also to live each day in a way that put their interests ahead of his own. For instance, he met with his followers even when he was physically tired or emotionally distressed. (Luke 22:39-46) And he focused on what he could give to others, not on what he could get from them. (Matt. 20:28) We belong to the only true Christian brotherhood, and we enjoy spending as much time as possible inviting new ones to join us. However, we are particularly interested in helping those who are “related to us in the faith” but who have become inactive. (Gal. 6:10) We prove our love for them by encouraging them to attend our meetings, especially the Memorial. Like Jehovah and Jesus, we are deeply moved when an inactive one returns to Jehovah.—Matt. 18:14. w19.01 29 ¶12, 14; 30 ¶15
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 13) Mark 14:12-16; Matthew 26:17-19 (Events after sunset: Nisan 14) Mark 14:17-72
Wednesday, April 8
This means my body. . . . This means my “blood of the covenant.”—Matt. 26:26-28.
In introducing the Memorial of his death, Jesus used only the Passover bread and the wine that were already on hand. Jesus told his apostles that those two basic items symbolized his perfect body and blood, which he would soon offer up in their behalf. The apostles may not have been surprised at the simplicity of this important new meal. Why not? Months earlier, at the home of his close friends—Lazarus, Martha, and Mary—Jesus began teaching. Martha was present, but she was distracted with preparing a large meal for her honored guest. Observing this, Jesus kindly corrected Martha, helping her to see that an elaborate meal was not always necessary. (Luke 10:40-42) Later, with just hours remaining before his sacrificial death, Jesus applied his own counsel. He kept the Memorial meal simple. w19.01 20-21 ¶3-4
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 14) Mark 15:1-47
Thursday, April 9
Father, glorify me at your side with the glory that I had.—John 17:5.
Jehovah honored Jesus in an unexpected way by resurrecting him to “a superior position” and giving him what no one else had received up until that time—immortal spirit life! (Phil. 2:9; 1 Tim. 6:16) What an outstanding acknowledgment of Jesus’ faithful course! What will help us to avoid seeking approval from this world? Keep close in mind that Jehovah always gives recognition to his faithful servants and that he often rewards them in unexpected ways. Who knows what unexpected blessings await us in the future? But for now, as we endure the hardships and trials of this wicked world, let us always remember that this world, is passing away. (1 John 2:17) Our loving Father, Jehovah, ‘is not unrighteous so as to forget our work and the love we show for his name.’—Heb. 6:10. w18.07 11 ¶17-18
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 15) Matthew 27:62-66 (Events after sunset: Nisan 16) Mark 16:1
Friday, April 10
I make request . . . that they may all be one.—John 17:20, 21.
Jesus was concerned about unity during his final supper with his apostles. When praying with them, he spoke of his desire that all his disciples be one, just as he and his Father are one. Their unity would give a powerful witness, offering clear evidence that Jehovah had sent Jesus to the earth to do God’s will. Love would be a mark of Jesus’ true disciples that would contribute to their unity. (John 13:34, 35) Jesus’ emphasis on unity is understandable. He had noticed a lack of unity or harmony among the apostles, such as during his final meal with them. As had happened before, a dispute arose over “which one of them was considered to be the greatest.” (Luke 22:24-27; Mark 9:33, 34) Another time, James and John requested that Jesus give them prominent places alongside him in his Kingdom.—Mark 10:35-40. w18.06 8 ¶1-2
Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 16) Mark 16:2-8
Saturday, April 11
A man will leave his father and his mother and he will stick to his wife, and they will become one flesh.—Gen. 2:24.
Jehovah wants married couples to develop a love so strong that it lasts for life. (Matt. 19:3-6) Adultery is one of the most unloving crimes a person can commit. With good reason, the seventh of the Ten Commandments prohibited adultery. (Deut. 5:18) It is a sin “against God” and a cruel blow to a marriage mate. (Gen. 39:7-9) A victim of adultery might feel the pain of betrayal for decades. Jehovah also cares deeply about the welfare of children. Jehovah commanded parents to provide not only for their children’s physical needs but also for their spiritual needs. Parents were to take every opportunity to help their children appreciate Jehovah’s Law and learn to love him. (Deut. 6:6-9; 7:13) Parents were to view their children, not as mere property that they could neglect or mistreat, but as an inheritance, a gift from Jehovah to be cherished.—Ps. 127:3. w19.02 21 ¶5, 7
Sunday, April 12
God . . . will recognize my integrity.—Job 31:6.
Job kept his integrity by focusing on the hope that God would reward him. He believed that God did care about his integrity. Despite his trials, Job was confident that Jehovah would finally reward him. This confidence surely helped him cling to his integrity. Jehovah was so delighted with Job’s integrity that He rewarded him richly while he was still an imperfect man! (Job 42:12-17; Jas. 5:11) And even greater rewards lie ahead for Job. Our God has not changed. (Mal. 3:6) If we remember that he values our integrity, we can keep our hope for a bright future alive in our heart. (1 Thess. 5:8, 9) At times, you may feel lonely in such a course, but you will never be alone. You will be among millions of faithful integrity-keepers around the world. You will also join the ranks of men and women of faith who kept their integrity in the past, even under the threat of death.—Heb. 11:36-38; 12:1. w19.02 7 ¶15-16
Monday, April 13
Have unity of mind, fellow feeling, brotherly affection, tender compassion, and humility.—1 Pet. 3:8.
As the Memorial season passes, we do well to ask ourselves the following questions: ‘How can I imitate Jesus more closely in showing love? Do I think more about the needs of my fellow worshippers than about my own? Do I expect more from my brothers and sisters than they can give, or am I aware of their limitations?’ May we always imitate Jesus and show “fellow feeling.” The requirement to observe the Memorial of Christ’s death will not last much longer. When Jesus “comes” during the great tribulation, he will gather his remaining “chosen ones” to heaven, and the Memorial will cease to be commemorated. (1 Cor. 11:26; Matt. 24:31) Even after the Memorial meal is no longer observed, we can be sure that Jehovah’s people will fondly remember this simple meal as a symbol of the greatest humility, courage, and love ever shown by a human. w19.01 25 ¶17-19
Tuesday, April 14
You find pleasure in truth in the inner person; teach my innermost self true wisdom.—Ps. 51:6.
Consider how our physical health illustrates the importance of who we are on the inside. First, to keep ourselves in good condition on the inside, we must choose a healthy diet, and we need to exercise regularly. Likewise, to keep ourselves in good spiritual condition, we must choose a healthy diet of spiritual food and regularly exercise our faith in Jehovah. That form of exercise involves applying what we learn and speaking about our faith. (Rom. 10:8-10; Jas. 2:26) Second, based on outward appearance, we might think that we are healthy even though we are actually diseased on the inside. In a similar way, based on our theocratic routine, we may think that our faith is strong, but wrong desires could be growing in us. (1 Cor. 10:12; Jas. 1:14, 15) We must remember that Satan would like to infect us with his thinking. w19.01 15 ¶4-5
Wednesday, April 15
Go and do the same yourself.—Luke 10:37.
We might ask ourselves: ‘Am I doing the same? Am I doing what the compassionate Samaritan did?’ (Luke 10:30-35) ‘Could I more actively display mercy and engage in positive deeds of kindness toward those who are suffering? For instance, could I offer practical help to older fellow Christians, widows, and those who are spiritually fatherless children? Can I take the initiative to “speak consolingly to those who are depressed”?’ (1 Thess. 5:14; Jas. 1:27) When we display mercy toward others, we enjoy the happiness that results from giving. Moreover, we know that we are pleasing Jehovah. (Acts 20:35; Heb. 13:16) Regarding a person who shows consideration, King David said: “Jehovah will guard him and keep him alive. He will be pronounced happy in the earth.” (Ps. 41:1, 2) Giving expression to our feelings of compassion will also put us in line to receive Jehovah’s mercy, which in turn can result in our being eternally happy.—Jas. 2:13. w18.09 19 ¶11-12
Thursday, April 16
Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be anxious, for I am your God. I will fortify you, yes, I will help you.—Isa. 41:10.
A faithful Christian sister named Yoshiko received bad news. Her doctor said that she had only a few months to live. How did she react? Yoshiko recalled a favorite Bible verse, today’s text. She then calmly told her doctor that she was not afraid, because Jehovah was grasping her hand. The comforting message found in that verse helped our dear sister to trust in Jehovah completely. That same verse can help us remain calm when dealing with severe trials. Initially, Jehovah had Isaiah record those words to comfort the Jews who would later be taken to Babylon as exiles. However, Jehovah had that message preserved for the benefit of not only the Jewish exiles but also all his people since that time. (Isa. 40:8; Rom. 15:4) Today, we live in “critical times hard to deal with,” and more than ever, we need the encouragement found in the book of Isaiah.—2 Tim. 3:1. w19.01 2 ¶1-2
Friday, April 17
If the unbelieving one chooses to depart, let him depart.—1 Cor. 7:15.
In such a separation, the two are still marriage mates and, even though living apart, would still face challenges. The apostle Paul gave this reason for staying united: “The unbelieving husband is sanctified in relation to his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in relation to the brother; otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy.” (1 Cor. 7:14) Many loyal Christians have remained with an unbelieving mate under very trying circumstances. They can testify that doing so was worthwhile in a special sense when their mate became a true worshipper. (1 Cor. 7:16; 1 Pet. 3:1, 2) Worldwide today, the Christian congregation abounds with successful marriages. You can likely find many happy couples in your local congregation. They are made up of loyal brothers who love their wife and devoted wives who prove to be loving mates, all showing that marriage can be honorable.—Heb. 13:4. w18.12 14 ¶18-19
Saturday, April 18
Jehovah God planted a garden in Eden, . . . and there he put the man whom he had formed.—Gen. 2:8.
Eden means “Pleasure,” and that garden was indeed pleasant. There was ample food, beautiful scenery, and delightful interaction with many animals. (Gen. 1:29-31) Pa·raʹdei·sos is the Greek term that translates the Hebrew word for “garden.” The Cyclopaedia by M’Clintock and Strong says about pa·raʹdei·sos: “A wide, open park, enclosed against injury, yet with its natural beauty unspoiled, with stately forest-trees, many of them bearing fruit, watered by clear streams, on whose banks roved large herds of antelopes or sheep—this was the scenery which connected itself in the mind of the Greek traveller.” (Compare Genesis 2:15, 16.) God put Adam and Eve in such a paradise, but they disqualified themselves by disobeying God. Thus, Paradise was lost for them and their offspring. (Gen. 3:23, 24) Though without human occupants, that garden apparently remained until the Deluge of Noah’s day. w18.12 3-4 ¶3-5
Sunday, April 19
I, Jehovah, am . . . the One teaching you to benefit yourself.—Isa. 48:17.
Parents endeavor to instill in their children good values. If the children choose to live within the values that they learned from their parents, they will be more likely to make decisions that they will not later regret. As a result, they will be free from many self-induced troubles and anxieties. Like a good parent, Jehovah wants his children to have the most fulfilling life possible. (Isa. 48:18) He therefore provides basic principles for moral conduct and for behavior toward others. In such matters he invites us to cultivate his very way of thinking and to share his values. Far from constraining us, this enhances, elevates, and expands our thinking ability. (Ps. 92:5; Prov. 2:1-5; Isa. 55:9) It helps us make choices that lead to happiness while still allowing us to blossom as individuals. (Ps. 1:2, 3) Yes, thinking like Jehovah is beneficial and desirable! w18.11 19-20 ¶7-8
Monday, April 20
They speak abusively of you.—1 Pet. 4:4.
To continue walking in the truth, we must not give in to pressure from others. When we started to walk in the truth, our relationship with non-Witness associates and family members changed. Some were tolerant; others became outright opposers. Family members, workmates, and schoolmates may try to get us to join them in their celebrations. How can we resist the pressure to conform to customs and holidays that do not honor Jehovah? We can do so by keeping Jehovah’s view of such practices clearly in mind. Reviewing discussions printed in our publications that show the origin of popular holidays can be helpful. When we remind ourselves of the Scriptural reasons for not participating in such holidays, we are convinced that we are walking in the way that “is acceptable to the Lord.” (Eph. 5:10) Trusting in Jehovah and his Word of truth will protect us from “trembling at men.”—Prov. 29:25. w18.11 11 ¶10, 12
Tuesday, April 21
Jehovah was with Joseph and Jehovah made whatever he did successful.—Gen. 39:23.
When we are faced with sudden changes, we might easily let worries about the future paralyze our life. This could have happened to Joseph. Instead, he evidently decided to make the best of his situation, thus giving Jehovah something to bless. Although in prison, Joseph worked hard to fulfill any task given him by the chief officer, just as he had done when working for Potiphar. (Gen. 39:21, 22) Like Joseph, we may find ourselves in a situation over which we have little or no control. However, if we remain patient and work hard at making the best of our circumstances, we will give Jehovah something to bless. (Ps. 37:5) True, we may at times feel “perplexed,” but we will never, as the apostle Paul put it, be “left in despair.” (2 Cor. 4:8; ftn.) These words of Paul will come true in our case, especially if we stay focused on our ministry. w18.10 29 ¶11, 13
Wednesday, April 22
God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name.—Heb. 6:10.
How do you feel when someone you know and respect forgets your name or, worse still, does not even recognize you? Such an experience can be very discouraging. Why? It is because each one of us has a natural desire to be accepted. The type of recognition we desire goes beyond being identified by others; we also want some acknowledgment of who we are and what we have accomplished. (Num. 11:16; ftn.; Job 31:6) Like many other natural desires, though, our desire to be appreciated can become unbalanced, distorted by our imperfections. It can make us crave inappropriate expressions of recognition. Satan’s world fuels a desire for fame and acknowledgment that distracts attention from the one who truly deserves to be recognized and worshipped, our heavenly Father, Jehovah God.—Rev. 4:11. w18.07 7 ¶1-2
Thursday, April 23
The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.—1 John 5:19.
We are not surprised, then, that Satan and his demons would influence men in powerful positions to “speak lies.” (1 Tim. 4:1, 2) Religious leaders who lie are especially guilty because they endanger the future life prospects of those who believe their lies. If an individual accepts a false teaching and practices something that is actually condemned by God, it can cost that person his eternal life. (Hos. 4:9) Jesus knew that the religious leaders in his day were guilty of such deception. He told them to their face: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you travel over sea and dry land to make one convert, and when he becomes one, you make him a subject for Gehenna [everlasting destruction] twice as much so as yourselves.” (Matt. 23:15; ftn.) Jesus condemned those false religious leaders in the strongest terms. They truly were ‘from their father the Devil, a murderer.’—John 8:44. w18.10 7 ¶5-6
Friday, April 24
Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you . . . for my sake.—Matt. 5:11.
What did Jesus mean? He went on to say: “Rejoice and be overjoyed, since your reward is great in the heavens, for in that way they persecuted the prophets prior to you.” (Matt. 5:12) When the apostles were beaten and commanded to stop preaching, “they went out from before the Sanhedrin, rejoicing.” Of course, they did not relish the pain of being whipped. Yet, they rejoiced “because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of [Jesus’] name.” (Acts 5:41) In our time, Jehovah’s people also endure with joy when they suffer in behalf of Jesus’ name or when they face difficult trials. (Jas. 1:2-4) Like the apostles, we do not take delight in any kind of suffering. But if we maintain our integrity to God during trials, Jehovah can help us to endure with fortitude. When we have the smile of approval of “the happy God,” we can be happy despite religious persecution or opposition at home.—1 Tim. 1:11. w18.09 21 ¶18-20
Saturday, April 25
They are filled with trouble and sorrow.—Ps. 90:10.
Because many in these “critical times” suffer from various degrees of emotional distress, countless individuals feel like just giving up. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) Estimates suggest that more than 800,000 people die every year from suicide—about one death every 40 seconds. Sad to say, even some Christians have succumbed to such pressures and have taken their own life. Even if our brothers and sisters do not necessarily feel like giving up, many today deal with stressful situations and need to be built up in love. Some endure persecution and ridicule. Others are the victims of criticism or backbiting at their workplace. Or they are exhausted because of working overtime or having to meet relentless deadlines. Still others deal with strength-sapping domestic problems, perhaps being the target of criticism by an unbelieving mate. As a result of these and other pressures, many in the congregation feel physically and emotionally drained. w18.09 13 ¶3, 5
Sunday, April 26
No greater joy do I have than this: that I should hear that my children go on walking in the truth.—3 John 4.
Christian parents cooperate with Jehovah when they set theocratic goals before their children. Many who have done so have later seen their sons and daughters take up full-time service assignments far from home. Some are missionaries; others pioneer where the need for publishers is greater; still others serve at Bethel. Distance might mean that families cannot get together as often as they would like to. Nevertheless, the self-sacrificing parents encourage their children to persevere in their assignments. Why? They find great joy and satisfaction in knowing that their children are putting Kingdom interests first. Perhaps many of these parents feel like Hannah, who said that she “lent” her son Samuel to Jehovah. These parents rightly view such cooperation as a precious privilege. They would not want things any other way.—1 Sam. 1:28. w18.08 24 ¶4
Monday, April 27
It will be difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of the heavens.—Matt. 19:23.
Jesus did not say that it would be impossible. He also said: “Happy are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20) Yet, this did not mean that all poor people were specially blessed and responded to the teaching of Jesus. Many poor people did not respond. The point is, We simply cannot judge a person’s relationship with Jehovah by his material possessions. We are blessed to have many brothers and sisters, rich and poor, who love and serve Jehovah with a complete heart. The Scriptures instruct those who are rich “to place their hope, not on uncertain riches, but on God.” (1 Tim. 6:17-19) At the same time, God’s Word admonishes all of God’s people, rich and poor, to be careful not to love money. (1 Tim. 6:9, 10) Indeed, when we open our eyes and see our brothers as Jehovah sees them, we will not be tempted to judge them solely on what they have or do not have materially. w18.08 10-11 ¶11-12
Tuesday, April 28
Subject yourselves to God.—Jas. 4:7.
Surely we are eager to show our appreciation to Jehovah for the honor of being his people. We see the wisdom in acknowledging his ownership of us by voluntarily dedicating ourselves to him. We take a firm stand against badness. And we love and respect our fellow worshippers, recognizing that they too belong to Jehovah. (Rom. 12:10) The Bible promises: “Jehovah will not forsake his people.” (Ps. 94:14) This ironclad guarantee is binding despite any calamity that might befall us. Even death cannot stand in the way of Jehovah’s love for us. (Rom. 8:38, 39) “Both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah.” (Rom. 14:8) We eagerly look forward to the day when Jehovah will bring to life all his loyal friends who have died. (Matt. 22:32) Even now we enjoy many blessings. As the Bible says, “happy is the nation whose God is Jehovah, the people he has chosen as his own possession.”—Ps. 33:12. w18.07 26 ¶18-19
Wednesday, April 29
All things are lawful, but not all things are advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.—1 Cor. 10:23.
Some individuals may feel that since some choices in life, such as education, employment, or career, are personal, they should have the freedom to choose what they please as long as their conscience permits it. Perhaps they have in mind Paul’s words to the Corinthian Christians about food: “Why should my freedom be judged by another person’s conscience?” (1 Cor. 10:29) While it is true that we have the freedom to make these personal choices, we need to remember that our freedom is relative and that all decisions we make have consequences. For that reason, Paul prefaced his statement with the words of today’s text. That certainly helps us to see that there are far more important factors to consider than our own preferences when it comes to exercising personal freedom in all aspects of our life. w18.04 10 ¶10
Thursday, April 30
Return to me, and I will return to you.—Mal. 3:7.
A Christian today could be following the wrong path even while professing to worship Jehovah. (Jude 11) For instance, one could nurture immoral fantasies, greedy thoughts, or hateful feelings toward a fellow Christian. (1 John 2:15-17; 3:15) This thinking can lead to sinful actions. All the while, one could be active in the ministry and regular at congregation meetings. Other humans may not be aware of our thoughts and conduct, but Jehovah sees all things and knows if we are not wholeheartedly on his side. (Jer. 17:9, 10) Even so, Jehovah is not quick to give up on us. When a person’s steps lead him away from God, Jehovah urges him: “Return to me.” Especially when we struggle with weaknesses, Jehovah wants us to take a stand against badness. (Isa. 55:7) If we do, he will in turn prove to be on our side by giving us the spiritual, emotional, and physical strength needed to “get the mastery over” our sinful inclinations.—Gen. 4:7. w18.07 18 ¶5-6 |
Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1)
2011 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1 | CHAPTER 16
Is It Normal to Grieve the Way I Do?
Although this chapter specifically deals with the death of a parent, the principles discussed apply when any family member or close friend passes away.
“When Mom died, I felt completely lost and empty. She was the glue that held our family together.”—Karyn.
FEW things in life will ever affect you more deeply than the death of a parent. Afterward, you may have to contend with a range of emotions that you have never before experienced. Brian, who was 13 when his father died from a heart attack, says, “The night we found out, all we could do was cry and embrace each other.” Natalie, who was ten when her dad died of cancer, recalls: “I didn’t know what to feel. So I felt nothing. I was void of emotion.”
Death affects each person differently. Indeed, the Bible says that “each one” has “his own plague and his own pain.” (2 Chronicles 6:29) With that in mind, take a moment to think about how your parent’s death has affected you. Below, describe (1) how you felt when you first found out about your parent’s death and (2) how you feel now.a
1 ․․․․․
2 ․․․․․
Perhaps your answers reveal that your emotions are, at least to a degree, leveling off. This is normal. It does not mean that you have forgotten your parent. On the other hand, you may find that your emotions are still the same or are even more intense. Maybe your grief comes in waves that seem to ebb and flow and then “crash ashore” at unexpected moments. This too is normal—even if it occurs years after your parent’s death. The question is, How can you cope with your grief—whatever form it takes?
Don’t hold back the tears! Crying helps ease the pain of grief. However, you may feel the way Alicia did. She was 19 when her mother passed away. Alicia relates, “I felt that if I showed too much emotion, it would seem to others that I lacked faith.” But think: Jesus Christ was a perfect man who had strong faith in God. Yet, he “gave way to tears” when he saw those who were bereaved over the death of his dear friend Lazarus. (John 11:35) So don’t be afraid to let your tears flow. It does not mean that you lack faith! Alicia says: “Eventually, I cried. A lot. Every day.”b
Address feelings of guilt. “I always went upstairs and kissed my mom good night,” says Karyn, who was 13 when her mother died. “There was one time that I didn’t do that. The next morning, Mom passed away. As unrealistic as it sounds, I feel guilty for not having seen her that last night—and for the chain of events that occurred the next morning. My dad left on a business trip and wanted me and my sister to look in on Mom. But we slept late. When I went into the bedroom, Mom wasn’t breathing. I felt terrible, because she was OK when Dad left!”
Like Karyn, perhaps you feel a measure of guilt for things you neglected to do. You might even torture yourself with “if onlys.” ‘If only I had urged Dad to see a doctor.’ ‘If only I had checked on Mom earlier.’ If such thoughts plague you, remember this: It’s normal to feel regret over things you wish you had done differently. The fact is, you would have done things differently had you known what would happen. But you did not know. Therefore, guilt is inappropriate. You are not responsible for your parent’s death!c
Communicate your feelings. Proverbs 12:25 states: “Kind words will cheer you up.” (Today’s English Version) Keeping your feelings bottled up inside may make it difficult for you to deal with your grief. On the other hand, discussing your feelings with someone you trust will open the way for you to receive “kind words” of encouragement when you need them most.
Talk to God. Likely, you will feel much better after you “pour out your heart” to Jehovah God in prayer. (Psalm 62:8) This is not simply a ‘feel-good therapy.’ In prayer, you are appealing to “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation.” (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4) One way that God provides comfort is through his Word, the Bible. (Romans 15:4) Why not keep handy a list of scriptures that are comforting to you?d
Grieving is not an overnight process. But the Bible can provide comfort, for it assures us that in the new world that God promises to bring about, “death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.” (Revelation 21:3, 4) You too may find that meditating on such promises will help you cope with the loss of your parent.
[Footnotes]
a If answering those questions is too difficult at present, you might try to do so at a later time.
b Don’t feel that you must cry to manifest your grief. People grieve in different ways. The important thing is this: If you feel tears welling up, realize that it may be “a time to weep.”—Ecclesiastes 3:4.
c If such thoughts continue to plague you, share your feelings with your surviving parent or another adult. In time, you will acquire a more balanced outlook.
d Some have been comforted by the following scriptures: Psalm 34:18; 102:17; 147:3; Isaiah 25:8; John 5:28, 29.
KEY SCRIPTURE
“[God] 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 21:4.
TIP
Keep a journal. Writing out your thoughts about the parent you lost can be a tremendous aid in coping with grief.
DID YOU KNOW . . . ?
Crying is not a sign of weakness. Even such strong men as Abraham, Joseph, and David shed tears when they were grieving.—Genesis 23:2; 50:1; 2 Samuel 1:11, 12; 18:33.
ACTION PLAN!
When I feel overwhelmed with grief, I will ․․․․․
What I would like to ask my surviving parent about this subject is ․․․․․
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
● Why is it good to reflect on pleasant memories you have of the parent you lost in death?
● Why can writing out your thoughts help you to cope with grief?
[Blurb on page 112]
“I kept all my feelings locked up inside me. It would have been healthier for me if I had talked more about it. I could have coped better.”—David
[Box/Picture on page 113]
CHANTELLE
“My dad had been sick for about five years, and his health was deteriorating. I was 16 years old when he took his life. Afterward, my mother kept me and my older brother informed of everything that was happening. She even let us help make decisions about the funeral. That made it easier for us. I think that children do not like to feel that things are being kept from them—especially huge things like this. As time went on, I was able to speak openly about my dad’s death. Whenever I felt the need to cry, I would just go somewhere or to a friend and cry. My advice is: If you need to talk about it, approach your family and friends. Whatever you have to do to grieve, do it.”
[Box/Picture on pages 113, 114]
LEAH
“Mom had a massive stroke when I was 19, and she died three years later. After her death, I felt that I had to be strong. The last thing Dad needed was for me to go to pieces. When I was growing up, Mom was always there when I was sick or didn’t feel good. I remember how her hands felt when she checked me for a fever. Often, I’m painfully reminded of her absence. I tend to bury my feelings, and that’s not healthy. So sometimes I look at pictures just to make myself cry. Talking to friends helps too. The Bible promises that those who have died will be resurrected to a paradise earth. (John 5:28, 29) When I focus on the hope of seeing my mom again—and when I focus on what I need to do to be there—the stabs of grief lessen.”
[Box/Picture on page 114]
BETHANY
“I wish I could remember telling my dad ‘I love you.’ I’m sure I did, but I don’t remember telling him, and I would like to have that memory. I was only five years old when he died. My dad had a stroke in his sleep, and he was rushed off to the hospital. When I woke up the next morning, I found out that he had died. Afterward, talking about my dad bothered me, but later I came to enjoy hearing stories about him because that has helped me get to know him better. My advice to any who have lost a parent in death is to savor every moment you had with your parent and to write your memories down so you don’t forget them. Then do what you can to build your faith so that you’ll be there when your parent is resurrected in God’s new world.”
[Box on page 116]
Worksheet
Write Your Thoughts
List some pleasant memories you have of your parent. ․․․․․
Write down what you wish you could have said to your parent while he or she was still alive. ․․․․․
Imagine that you have a younger sibling who struggles with feelings of guilt over the death of your parent. Write down what you would say to comfort your sibling. (This can also help you to put your own feelings of guilt into perspective.) ․․․․․
List two or three things that you wish you could have known about your deceased dad or mom, and then ask to discuss one of these with your surviving parent. ․․․․․
Read Acts 24:15. How does the hope held out in that verse help you to cope with your parent’s death? ․․․․․
[Picture on page 115]
Grief can be like waves that crash ashore at unexpected moments |
The Secret Behind the Bubbles | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102002006 | The Secret Behind the Bubbles
BY AWAKE! WRITER IN FRANCE
AROUND THE WORLD, CHAMPAGNE is synonymous with festivity and celebration. Indeed, the sparkle and bubbles that characterize this beverage are a hallmark of many happy occasions.
Many credit Dom Pérignon with inventing champagne. Whatever the case, he certainly did much to improve its quality. This Benedictine monk was cellarer of the Hautvillers Abbey (in the heart of the Champagne region of France) from 1668 until his death in 1715. Some credit Dom Pérignon for many of the techniques used in champagne-making to this day.
The first to become enthusiastic over sparkling wine were the British, but by the 18th century, the French court discovered this luxurious beverage. Note, however, that to be truly called champagne, the wines must be produced in Champagne, France. Even the grapes cannot come from outside this region!
The subsoil of the Champagne region is chalky as far down as 330 feet [100 m] and is covered by a fine layer of alluvial soil.a This peculiarity guarantees constant humidity, and at night the soil releases the heat accumulated during the day. Furthermore, the roots of the vines burrow down more than 30 feet [10 m] into the ground, making it easier to take up the minerals essential to the wine’s finesse.
While the region bearing the champagne appellation covers some 90,000 acres [35,000 ha], the vineyards cover roughly 70,000 acres [28,000 ha]. The vines are planted on the upper half of hillsides to limit the devastating effects of frosts, such as the one in 1985 that reached minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit [-30°C]. Three types of grapes are grown: Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, which are black grapes, and Chardonnay, which are white grapes.b
The Still Wine
Picked grapes are immediately put into large, shallow winepresses to prevent the skins from coloring the juice. An initial pressing of four tons of grapes yields 540 gallons [2,050 l] of cuvée, used only for the best wines. Two subsequent pressings yield 110 gallons [410 l] and 54 gallons [205 l] respectively of inferior-quality juice. After that, anything obtained is not truly champagne.
For several weeks yeasts quietly work away in oak casks or metal vats. Consuming the sugars in the juice, the microorganisms produce alcohol and carbon dioxide as waste products. This first fermentation is similar to that undergone by any wine. The outcome of this process is a still (noneffervescent) wine. Now it is time to transform this excellent wine into a sparkling nectar.
The sugar output of this still wine is measured and regulated to approximately one ounce per quart [25 grams per liter] by adding a liqueur composed of cane sugar dissolved in old wine. The resulting wine is then transferred into bottles, which are closed with a temporary stopper. These are stacked horizontally in cellars at 50 degrees Fahrenheit [10°C] for several months. During this time the yeast gorges itself on the sugar and slowly starts a second fermentation. By once again consuming sugar, the microorganisms produce more carbon dioxide. But this time it cannot escape, as it did in the vats. Instead, it is trapped inside the bottle, steadily increasing the pressure to about six atmospheres. Upon being uncorked, about five or six liters of gas are set free, which accounts for the famous sparkle and the millions of bubbles.
To withstand such pressure, the bottles must be strong, and they need to be securely stopped. In the past this caused considerable difficulties for producers. For example, in his book The Story of Wine, Hugh Johnson relates that toward the end of the 19th century, “it was most unwise to venture into a champagne cellar, especially in springtime, without a metal mask to protect one’s face from flying glass.”
However, our champagne is not quite ready. The deposit made up of dead yeast cells and mineral salts must be eliminated to keep it from clouding the wine. This is the traditional task of remueurs, or bottle twisters. The bottles are progressively tilted neck downward and turned daily by the remueurs by an eighth to a quarter of a turn. Some workers can turn up to 10,000 bottles an hour! For ordinary champagnes, however, this task is gradually being mechanized.
The Finishing Touches
Eventually, the sediment collects in the neck of the bottle. This is removed in a process called dégorgement (disgorging). While the bottle is held upside down, its neck is steeped in a saltwater solution at minus 17 degrees Fahrenheit [-27°C]. The bottle is then quickly opened. The pressure inside forces the frozen sediment out. To make up for lost volume, a new liqueur is added. Its sugar output determines whether the champagne will be dry, medium, or sweet, to suit the consumer’s taste. Now the bottles can finally be sealed with special corks that will gradually take on their distinctive mushroom shape—one of the hallmarks of champagne.
The cork, though, must be firmly held in place. Initial attempts using hemp twine proved unsuccessful, as it rotted in the damp cellars. Next, ordinary metal wire was used, but this rusted and cut through the cork. Finally, another idea was introduced: A metal cap was placed over the cork, and these were held in place by a muzzle of twisted wire. For the past 150 years or so, bottles have been sealed in this way. Finally, the foil trimming and the decorative label are added.
An Envied Drink
Many wine-making areas have sought to produce similar sparkling wines. However, even if the same methods are used, the product can only be called sparkling wine—not champagne—since the name champagne is protected. Recently, when a French fashion designer released a perfume called Champagne, he was taken to court. The same thing happened to an Englishman who marketed a drink called Elderflower Champagne, made from elder flowers, in bottles resembling those of champagne.
As with many enterprises, the champagne industry has experienced an economic crisis. After record production figures in 1989—with 249 million bottles—sales fell, leaving a large surplus. Today, wine-growers limit production in favor of quality.
Away from light and at a constant temperature, champagne may be kept for a few years, but it has already been aged by the manufacturer. Therefore, champagne may be consumed as soon as it is bought. How should it be served? Champagne should be chilled to between 43 and 48 degrees Fahrenheit [6-9°C]—setting the bottle in a bucket of water and ice cubes is a good method to achieve this—and poured into fluted glasses to show off the rising bubbles.
So if you get the chance to sample this delicious drink, think about the continuous care that has gone into making it, and take delight in the millions of bubbles whose secret we have tried to reveal.
[Footnotes]
a The chalky soil there also made it easier to dig more than 150 miles [250 km] of cellars, where the temperature must remain at 50 degrees Fahrenheit [10°C]. Presently, most cellars in the Reims region are the remains of ancient Roman quarries.
b Certain champagnes are made with just Chardonnay grapes, such as the famous Blanc de Blancs (meaning white of whites), from the Côte des Blancs vines south of the town of Épernay.
[Pictures on page 15]
Chardonnay
Pinot Noir
Pinot Meunier
[Credit Lines]
Photo DUBOIS-Collection C.I.V.C.
Photo collection C.I.V.C.
[Pictures on page 15]
1 Grapes are carefully handpicked and pressed in mechanical grape presses
2 Yeasts work in oak casks for several weeks
3 Bottles are stored on racks for a second fermentation
4 In a process called “dégorgement,” the sediment is shot out of the bottle
[Credit Lines]
Photo M. HETIER-Collection C.I.V.C.
Photo collection C.I.V.C. |
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 | November
Monday, November 1
Consider others superior to you.—Phil. 2:3.
Today, many people who are considered wise would ridicule the Bible’s counsel about self-importance. They would say that considering others superior to you would make you vulnerable and that others would take advantage of you. But what fruitage has the self-centered attitude promoted by Satan’s world produced? Are selfish people happy? Do they have happy families and genuine friends? Do they have a close friendship with God? From what you have seen, which produces the best results—following the wisdom of this world or the wisdom found in God’s Word? (1 Cor. 3:19) People who follow the advice of those whom the world views as wise are like a tourist who asks a fellow tourist for directions when both of them are lost. Jesus said regarding the “wise” men of his day: “Blind guides is what they are. If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matt. 15:14) Truly, the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. w19.05 24-25 ¶14-16
Tuesday, November 2
They will gather his chosen ones together.—Matt. 24:31.
In recent years, the number of those partaking at the Memorial has been going up. Do we need to worry about this? No. “Jehovah knows those who belong to him.” (2 Tim. 2:19) Unlike Jehovah, the brothers who count the number of those partaking at the Memorial do not know who truly is anointed. So the number includes those who think that they are anointed but are not. For example, some who used to partake later stopped. Others may have mental or emotional problems that make them believe that they will rule with Christ in heaven. Clearly, we do not know exactly how many anointed ones are left on earth. There will be anointed ones in many parts of the earth when Jesus comes to take them to heaven. The Bible does say that during the last days, there will be a small number of anointed ones left on earth. (Rev. 12:17) But it does not say how many of them will be left when the great tribulation begins. w20.01 29-30 ¶11-13
Wednesday, November 3
God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son.—John 3:16.
Jesus illustrated the depth of Jehovah’s fatherly care with the story of the son who was lost. (Luke 15:11-32) The father in that illustration never stopped hoping that his son would return. When the son made his way home, the father eagerly welcomed him back. If we have strayed from Jehovah but are repentant, we can be sure that our loving Father is ready and willing to welcome us back. Our Father will repair all the damage caused by Adam. After Adam’s rebellion, Jehovah purposed to adopt 144,000 individuals from among mankind who will serve as kings and priests in heaven with his Son. Jesus and those associate rulers will help obedient humans to come to perfection in the new world. After they pass a final test of obedience, God will grant them everlasting life. Our Father will then have the satisfaction of seeing the earth filled with his perfect sons and daughters. What a glorious time that will be! w20.02 6-7 ¶17-19
Thursday, November 4
Continue to be made new in your dominant mental attitude.—Eph. 4:23.
All of us need to ask ourselves, ‘Are the changes I am making to become a Christian only skin-deep, or am I truly becoming a Christian deep within?’ The difference is important. In his words recorded at Matthew 12:43-45, Jesus indicated what needs to be done. The idea behind those words highlights this important truth: It is not enough to get rid of wrong thoughts; we need to fill the void with godly thinking. Is it possible to change our basic inclinations or who we really are inside? God’s Word answers: “Put on the new personality that was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.” (Eph. 4:24) Yes, it is possible to change what we are inside, but it is not easy to do. We need to do more than just suppress wrong desires and actions. We need to change our “dominant mental attitude.” That involves changing our desires, our tendencies, and our motivations. This requires continuous action. w19.06 9-10 ¶6-7
Friday, November 5
We are going to destroy this place.—Gen. 19:13.
Jehovah compassionately sent angels to rescue Lot and his family. However, Lot “kept lingering.” The angels had to seize hold of his hand and help him and his family flee the city. (Gen. 19:15, 16) The angels then told him to run to the mountainous region. But instead of obeying Jehovah, Lot asked to go to a nearby town. (Gen. 19:17-20) Jehovah patiently listened and allowed Lot to go to that town. Lot later became afraid of living there and moved to the mountainous region, the very area Jehovah had told him to go to in the first place. (Gen. 19:30) What remarkable patience Jehovah showed! Like Lot, a member of our spiritual family may make poor decisions and cause serious problems for himself. If that were to happen, how would we respond? We might be tempted to point out that he is reaping what he has sown, which would be true. (Gal. 6:7) However, we can do better. We can imitate the way that Jehovah helped Lot. w19.06 20-21 ¶3-5
Saturday, November 6
Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid.—Heb. 13:6.
When our enemies ban our worship, they hope to make us afraid to serve Jehovah. In addition to the ban, they may circulate false stories, send officials to search our homes, drag us to court, or even imprison some of us. They hope that we will be terrified because they managed to put a small number of us in prison. If we were to allow them to instill fear in our heart, we might even begin to “ban” our own worship. We would not want to become like those described at Leviticus 26:36, 37. We will not allow fear to cause us to reduce or to stop our spiritual activities. We trust completely in Jehovah and refuse to panic. (Isa. 28:16) We prayerfully seek Jehovah’s guidance. We know that with his backing, not even the most powerful human government can prevent us from faithfully worshipping our God. Rather than intimidate us, opposition can motivate us to serve Jehovah more fully. w19.07 9-10 ¶6-7
Sunday, November 7
Preach the word.—2 Tim. 4:2.
Even if your ministry seems to be unproductive, do not give up hope of finding potential disciples. Remember that Jesus likened disciple-making to fishing. Fishermen may spend many hours before they catch any fish. Often they work late at night or early in the morning, and sometimes they have to sail long distances. (Luke 5:5) In like manner, some disciple-makers spend many hours patiently “fishing” at different times and in various locations. Why? To improve their chances of meeting people. Those who put in the extra effort are often rewarded by meeting people who are interested in our message. Could you try preaching at a time of day when you are more likely to meet people or at a location where you are more likely to find them? Why does conducting Bible studies require patience? One reason is that we need to do more than help the student come to know and love the doctrines found in the Bible. We need to help the student come to know and love the Author of the Bible, Jehovah. w19.07 18-19 ¶14-15
Monday, November 8
[I am] forgetting the things behind.—Phil. 3:13.
Some of us may need to overcome feelings of guilt because of past sins. If so, why not start a personal study project that focuses on Christ’s ransom sacrifice? If we study, meditate, and pray about that upbuilding subject, we may do much to relieve unnecessary guilt. We may even stop punishing ourselves for sins that Jehovah has forgiven. Consider another lesson we can learn from Paul. Some may have given up a potentially lucrative career in order to pursue Kingdom interests. If so, can we forget the things behind by refusing to look back longingly at material opportunities we might have missed? (Num. 11:4-6; Eccl. 7:10) “The things behind” might even include things that we accomplished or trials that we endured in the past. Of course, looking back on the way Jehovah has blessed and supported us over the years can draw us closer to our Father. However, we never want to become self-satisfied, imagining that our work is done.—1 Cor. 15:58. w19.08 3 ¶5-6
Tuesday, November 9
Pray constantly.—1 Thess. 5:17.
We can respectfully approach our God at any time, no matter where we are. He is never too busy to listen to us; he is always available and attentive. When we appreciate that Jehovah listens to our prayers, we are drawn to him. “I love Jehovah,” said the psalmist, “because he hears my voice.” (Ps. 116:1) Our Father not only listens to our prayers but also answers them. The apostle John assures us: “No matter what we ask according to [God’s] will, he hears us.” (1 John 5:14, 15) Of course, Jehovah may not answer our prayers in the way that we expect. He knows what is best for us, so sometimes his answer is no or he wants us to wait. (2 Cor. 12:7-9) Jehovah provides for us. He does what he requires all fathers to do. (1 Tim. 5:8) He cares for the material needs of his children. He does not want us to be anxious about our food, clothing, or shelter. (Matt. 6:32, 33; 7:11) As a loving parent, Jehovah has even arranged to satisfy all our future needs. w20.02 5 ¶10-12
Wednesday, November 10
They will become one flock, one shepherd.—John 10:16.
Not all who have the hope of living in heaven are part of “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matt. 24:45-47) Just as in the first century, Jehovah and Jesus today are using a few brothers to feed, or teach, many. Only a few anointed Christians in the first century were used to write the Christian Greek Scriptures. Today, only a few anointed Christians have the responsibility to give God’s people “food at the proper time.” Jehovah has decided to give everlasting life on earth to the vast majority of his people and life in heaven to those few who will rule with Jesus. Jehovah rewards all his servants—the “Jew” as well as the “ten men”—and he requires them to obey the same laws and remain faithful. (Zech. 8:23) All must stay humble. All must serve him together and be united. And all must work to keep the peace in the congregation. As we get closer to the end, let us all keep serving Jehovah and following Christ as “one flock.” w20.01 31 ¶15-16
Thursday, November 11
If any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word . . . because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct together with deep respect.—1 Pet. 3:1, 2.
We cannot force our relatives to accept the good news, but we can encourage them to open their minds and hearts to the Bible’s message. (2 Tim. 3:14, 15) Let your conduct speak for you. Often, what we do makes a bigger impression on our relatives than what we say. Persevere in trying to help your relatives. Jehovah sets the example for us. “Again and again” he gives people the opportunity to respond to the good news and gain life. (Jer. 44:4) And the apostle Paul told Timothy to persevere in helping others. Why? Because by doing so, he would save himself and those who listened to him. (1 Tim. 4:16) We love our relatives, so we want them to know the truths found in God’s Word. w19.08 14 ¶2; 16-17 ¶8-9
Friday, November 12
Open reproof is better than concealed love.—Prov. 27:5.
We do well to remember that if someone takes the time to offer us correction, we have likely strayed more than we realize. At such times, we may find that our first inclination is to reject the counsel. We might criticize the person who gave it or the way he said it. But if we are humble, we will strive to regain our balance. A humble person appreciates counsel. To illustrate: Imagine that you are at a Christian meeting. After talking with several fellow believers, you are pulled aside by one of them who discreetly mentions that you have some food on your teeth. No doubt, you would feel embarrassed. But would you not also appreciate that he or she let you know? In fact, you might wish that someone else had told you sooner! Likewise, we should humbly appreciate a fellow believer who has the courage to offer us counsel when we need it. We view that person as our friend, not our enemy.—Prov. 27:6; Gal. 4:16. w19.09 5 ¶11-12
Saturday, November 13
Observe, my son, the commandment of your father, and do not forsake the instruction of your mother.—Prov. 6:20.
Jehovah has assigned the mother an honorable role in the family, and he has given her a measure of authority over her children. In fact, a mother’s influence on her children can be profound and lifelong. (Prov. 22:6) Note what mothers can learn from Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary knew the Scriptures very well. She had developed a deep respect for Jehovah and had formed a strong personal friendship with him. She was willing to submit to Jehovah’s direction, even though it involved changing her entire life course. (Luke 1:35-38, 46-55) Mothers, you can imitate Mary in a number of ways. How? First, by maintaining your own friendship with Jehovah through personal Bible study and private prayers. Second, by being willing to make changes in your life to please Jehovah. w19.09 18 ¶17-19
Sunday, November 14
Look! a great crowd.—Rev. 7:9.
The apostle John received an exciting prophetic vision. In it, angels are told to hold back the destructive winds of the great tribulation until the final sealing of a group of slaves. (Rev. 7:1-3) That group is made up of 144,000 who will rule with Jesus in heaven. (Luke 12:32; Rev. 7:4) Then John mentions another group, so vast that he exclaims: “Look!”—an expression that may indicate his surprise at seeing something unexpected. What does John see? “A great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:9-14) Imagine how happy John must have been to learn about myriads of people practicing true worship in the future! That vision no doubt strengthened John’s faith. How much more should it strengthen our faith, since we live in the time of the fulfillment of the vision! We have seen the gathering of millions whose hope is to survive the great tribulation and live forever on earth. w19.09 26 ¶2-3
Monday, November 15
Sudden destruction is to be instantly on them, . . . and they will by no means escape.—1 Thess. 5:3.
Imagine that the nations have just made their long-awaited proclamation of “peace and security.” They may boast that the world has never been so safe. The nations will want us to think that they have the world situation under control. But they have absolutely no control over what will follow. “Babylon the Great” will be destroyed! (Rev. 17:5, 15-18) “God [will] put it into their hearts to carry out his thought.” What is that thought? To destroy the world empire of false religion, including Christendom. God will put his thought into the hearts of “the ten horns” of the “scarlet-colored wild beast.” The ten horns represent all the political powers that support “the wild beast”—the United Nations. (Rev. 17:3, 11-13; 18:8) When those political powers turn on false religion, that will mark the beginning of the great tribulation. It will be a truly catastrophic world event. w19.10 14 ¶1, 3
Tuesday, November 16
Diotrephes, who likes to have the first place among them, does not accept anything from us with respect.—3 John 9.
In the first century, Diotrephes envied those who took the lead in the Christian congregation. He wanted “to have the first place” among congregation members, so he spread malicious talk to discredit the apostle John and other responsible brothers. (3 John 10) Although not going as far as Diotrephes, we too could begin to envy a fellow Christian who receives an assignment that we had hoped to get—especially if we feel that we are just as qualified as he is to care for that responsibility. Envy is like a poisonous weed. Once the seed of envy takes root in our heart, it can be difficult to destroy. Envy feeds on other negative feelings, such as improper jealousy, pride, and selfishness. Envy can choke the development of good qualities, such as love, compassion, and kindness. As soon as we see envy starting to sprout, we need to uproot it from our heart. w20.02 15 ¶6-7
Wednesday, November 17
I was given a thorn in the flesh.—2 Cor. 12:7.
The apostle Paul was saying that he faced a painful personal trial of some sort. He called this trial “an angel of Satan” that kept “slapping” (“beating,” ftn.) him. Satan or his demon angels may not directly have caused Paul’s trials, as if driving a thorn into his flesh. But when those wicked spirits noticed the “thorn,” they may have been eager to push it in deeper, so to speak, to increase Paul’s pain. What did Paul do? At first, Paul wanted to be rid of the “thorn.” He admits: “Three times I begged the Lord [Jehovah] . . . that it would depart from me.” Yet, despite Paul’s prayers, the thorn in the flesh remained. Does this mean that Jehovah did not answer Paul’s prayers? Not at all. He did answer them. Jehovah did not remove the problem, but he did give Paul the strength to endure it. Jehovah said: “My power is being made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:8, 9) And with God’s help, Paul was able to maintain his joy and inner peace!—Phil. 4:4-7. w19.11 9 ¶4-5
Thursday, November 18
Jehovah is a God who requires exclusive devotion.—Nah. 1:2.
Jehovah deserves our exclusive devotion because he is our Creator and Life-Giver. (Rev. 4:11) However, we face a challenge. Even though we love and respect Jehovah, we might be lured away from giving him the exclusive devotion he deserves. In the Bible, being devoted to God implies having a deep love for him. When we are exclusively devoted to Jehovah, we will worship only him. We will not allow anyone or anything to take his place in our heart. (Ex. 34:14) Our devotion to Jehovah is not blind. Why not? Because it is based on the facts we have learned about him. We have come to admire his beautiful qualities. We know and agree with his likes and dislikes. We understand and support his purpose for us. We feel honored that he allows us the opportunity to be his friend. (Ps. 25:14) Every detail we learn about our Creator draws us closer to him.—Jas. 4:8. w19.10 26 ¶1-3
Friday, November 19
A true friend shows love at all times and is a brother who is born for times of distress.—Prov. 17:17.
Today, our brothers and sisters face a variety of challenges. For instance, many suffer from natural or man-made disasters. When that happens, some of us may be able to welcome these friends into our home. Others may be able to help financially. But all of us can ask Jehovah to help our brothers and sisters. If we learn that a brother or sister is discouraged, we may not know what to say or how to react. But all of us have much to offer. For example, we can make time to be with our friend. We can listen sympathetically when he or she speaks. And we can share our favorite comforting scripture. (Isa. 50:4) What matters most is that you are there with your friends when they need you. We must be determined to build and maintain strong relationships with our brothers and sisters now. Those friendships will last not only through the end of this system but for eternity! w19.11 7 ¶18-19
Saturday, November 20
This is the law of the communion sacrifice that one may present to Jehovah.—Lev. 7:11.
This was a voluntary offering that the individual made because he loved his God, Jehovah. The person making the offering, his family, and the priests would eat the meat of the sacrificed animal. But certain parts of the animal sacrifice were offered up exclusively to Jehovah. Which parts? Jehovah viewed the fat as the best part of an animal. He also specified that vital organs, including the kidneys, were of special value. (Lev. 3:6, 12, 14-16) So Jehovah was especially pleased when an Israelite voluntarily offered vital organs and the fat to him. The Israelite who made such an offering demonstrated his deep desire to offer the very best to God. In a similar way, Jesus willingly offered up to Jehovah his very best by serving Him whole-souled out of love for Him. (John 14:31) For Jesus, doing God’s will was a delight. (Ps. 40:8) How pleasing it must have been for Jehovah to see Jesus serve him so willingly! w19.11 22-23 ¶9-10
Sunday, November 21
The seventh day is a sabbath of complete rest. It is something holy to Jehovah.—Ex. 31:15.
God’s Word states that after six “days” of creating, God paused from his works as regards the earth. (Gen. 2:2) Yet, Jehovah loves to work, and in other respects he “has kept working.” (John 5:17) The provision for the weekly Sabbath follows a pattern similar to that of Jehovah’s day of rest described in Genesis. God said that the Sabbath was a sign between him and Israel. (Ex. 31:12-14) The prohibition against work applied to everyone, including children, slaves, and even domestic animals. (Ex. 20:10) It allowed the people to give more attention to spiritual matters. Many religious leaders in Jesus’ time took an extreme, rigid view of the Sabbath day. They claimed that it was unlawful on the Sabbath even to pluck some heads of grain or to heal a person who was ill. (Mark 2:23-27; 3:2-5) Such views did not reflect God’s thinking, and Jesus made that clear to those who would listen. w19.12 3-4 ¶8-9
Monday, November 22
Become imitators of God, as beloved children.—Eph. 5:1.
The more we learn about the qualities that make up Jehovah’s personality, the better we will be able to imitate him. David came to know his heavenly Father well, so he was able to imitate Him when dealing with others. Because David had such a good relationship with Jehovah, he became one of Israel’s most beloved kings and the standard by which Jehovah measured other kings of Israel. (1 Ki. 15:11; 2 Ki. 14:1-3) What is the lesson for us? We need to be “imitators of God.” When we model our personality after his, we prove that we are his children. (Eph. 4:24) We will never stop learning about Jehovah. (Eccl. 3:11) The important thing is, not how much we know about him, but what we do with what we know. If we apply what we learn and try to imitate our loving Father, he will continue to draw close to us. (Jas. 4:8) Through his Word, he assures us that he will never abandon those seeking him. w19.12 20 ¶20; 21 ¶21, 23
Tuesday, November 23
The heart is more treacherous than anything else.—Jer. 17:9.
Jacob loved all his sons, but he had special affection for 17-year-old Joseph. How did Joseph’s brothers react? They became envious of him, and that envy made them bitter. So they sold Joseph into slavery and lied to their father, saying that a wild animal had killed his favorite son. Envy caused them to disrupt the peace of the family and to break their father’s heart. (Gen. 37:3, 4, 27-34) Envy is listed among the death-dealing “works of the flesh” that can disqualify a person from inheriting God’s Kingdom. (Gal. 5:19-21) Envy is often the root cause of such poisonous fruits as hostility, strife, and fits of anger. The example of Joseph’s brothers shows how envy can damage relationships and disturb the peace that once existed in a family. Although we would never do what Joseph’s brothers did, we all have an imperfect and treacherous heart. Little wonder, then, that we may at times struggle with feelings of envy. w20.02 14 ¶1-3
Wednesday, November 24
With humility consider others superior to you.—Phil. 2:3.
On one occasion, Jehovah took away some of his holy spirit from Moses and gave it to a group of Israelite elders who were standing near the tent of meeting. Shortly thereafter, Moses heard that two elders who had not gone out to the tent of meeting had also received holy spirit and had begun to behave as prophets. How did he react when Joshua asked him to restrain the two elders? Moses did not become envious of the attention these two men were getting from Jehovah. Instead, he humbly rejoiced with them in their privilege. (Num. 11:24-29) What lesson can we learn from Moses? If you are an elder, have you ever been asked to train someone else to care for a privilege in the congregation that you have and truly love? If you are humble like Moses, you will not feel threatened if you are asked to train another brother so that, in time, he will be able to handle this privilege. Instead, you will be happy to help your brother. w20.02 15 ¶9; 17 ¶10-11
Thursday, November 25
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, but a good word cheers it up.—Prov. 12:25.
Illness can take an emotional toll on us. We may feel embarrassed when people notice our limitations or when we must rely on others for help. Even when others are not aware of our illness, we may fight feelings of shame because of how limited we have become. At such distressing times, Jehovah lifts us up. How? In the Bible, Jehovah has stored up good words that remind us that we matter to him despite our sickness. (Ps. 31:19; 41:3) Through those inspired words, Jehovah will help us to deal with the negative emotions that our illness brings. Be assured that Jehovah knows what you are going through. Beg him for help so that you can develop a wholesome view of your situation. Then use the Bible to retrieve the good words Jehovah has stored up for you. Focus on passages that show how much Jehovah values his servants. As you do, you will see that Jehovah is good to all those who serve him faithfully.—Ps. 84:11. w20.01 15-16 ¶9-10; 17 ¶12
Friday, November 26
Do not imitate what is bad, but imitate what is good.—3 John 11.
Isaac was a wealthy man, and the Philistines envied Isaac’s prosperity. (Gen. 26:12-14) They even stopped up the wells that Isaac depended on in order to water his flocks and herds. (Gen. 26:15, 16, 27) Like the Philistines, some people today become envious of those who have more material possessions than they do. They not only want the things others have but also want to deprive them of what they have. The Jewish religious leaders envied Jesus because he was much appreciated by the common people. (Matt. 7:28, 29) Jesus was God’s representative, and he was teaching the truth. Even so, these religious leaders spread wicked lies and slander to ruin Jesus’ good name. (Mark 15:10; John 11:47, 48; 12:12, 13, 19) What warning lesson can we learn from this account? We must fight any tendency to envy those who have qualities that endear them to the congregation. Instead, we should try to imitate their loving ways.—1 Cor. 11:1. w20.02 15 ¶4-5
Saturday, November 27
He is to be put to death.—Esther 4:11.
Imagine that you are living some 2,500 years ago in Persia and want to speak to the king. You would not even think of approaching the monarch without first receiving his permission. To do otherwise could very well cost you your life! How thankful we are that Jehovah is not like that Persian king! He welcomes us at any time. He wants us to feel free to approach him. For example, although Jehovah bears such lofty inputs as Grand Creator, Almighty, and Sovereign Lord, we are invited to call on him using the familiar term “Father.” (Matt. 6:9) How touching that Jehovah wants us to view him in such a warm and intimate way! We can rightly call Jehovah “Father”—he is the Source of our life. (Ps. 36:9) Because he is our Father, we have a responsibility to obey him. When we do what he asks of us, we will enjoy marvelous blessings. (Heb. 12:9) Those blessings include everlasting life, whether in heaven or on earth. w20.02 2 ¶1-3
Sunday, November 28
Make disciples.—Matt. 28:19.
Our goal is to help our Bible student to grow spiritually. (Eph. 4:13) When someone agrees to a study of the Bible, he may mainly be interested in how the study will benefit him personally. As his love for Jehovah grows, however, he will likely begin to think about how he can help others, including those who are already part of the congregation. (Matt. 22:37-39) When the time is right, do not hold back from mentioning the privilege of supporting the Kingdom work financially. Teach your Bible student what to do when problems arise. Suppose, for example, that your student, an unbaptized publisher, tells you that he has been offended by someone in the congregation. Rather than take sides, why not explain what his Scriptural options are? He can either forgive the brother or, if he cannot let the matter go, approach the person kindly and lovingly with the goal of ‘gaining the brother.’ (Compare Matthew 18:15.) Help your student to prepare what he is going to say. w20.01 5-6 ¶14-15
Monday, November 29
I confessed my sin to you; I did not cover my error. . . . And you pardoned the error of my sins.—Ps. 32:5.
We show that we appreciate Jehovah’s forgiveness when we pray for it, accept discipline, and work hard to avoid repeating our mistakes. When we take these steps, we will regain our inner peace. How encouraging it is to know that “Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; he saves those who are crushed in spirit”! (Ps. 34:18) As these last days come to a close, the causes of anxiety are likely to increase. When you have anxious thoughts, do not delay in seeking Jehovah’s help. Study the Bible diligently. Learn from the examples set by Hannah, the apostle Paul, and King David. Ask your heavenly Father to help you identify the cause of your anxiety. (Ps. 139:23) Let him carry your burdens, especially those over which you have little or no control. If you do, you can be like the psalmist who sang to Jehovah: “When anxieties overwhelmed me, you comforted and soothed me.”—Ps. 94:19. w20.02 24 ¶17; 25 ¶20-21
Tuesday, November 30
All Scripture is inspired of God.—2 Tim. 3:16.
The Greek word translated “inspired of God” literally means “God-breathed.” God used his spirit to “breathe” his thoughts into the minds of Bible writers. When we read the Bible and meditate on what we read, God’s instructions enter our mind and heart. Those inspired thoughts move us to bring our life in line with God’s will. (Heb. 4:12) But to benefit fully from holy spirit, we must set aside time to study the Bible regularly and to think deeply about what we read. Then God’s Word will influence all that we say and do. Also, we must worship God together. (Ps. 22:22) Jehovah’s spirit is present at meetings. (Rev. 2:29) When we meet for worship with fellow Christians, we pray for holy spirit, we sing Kingdom songs based on God’s Word, and we listen to Bible-based instruction presented by brothers who have been appointed by holy spirit. To benefit fully from holy spirit, however, we need to come prepared to participate in the meetings. w19.11 11 ¶13-14 |
How to Control Worry | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501100018 | How to Control Worry
Excessive worry can harm you physically and emotionally. It might even lead to bigger problems than the problem you originally worried about.
Tips to limit worrying
Limit your intake of negative news. There is only so much you need to know about a crisis. Overexposure to calamitous reports will only heighten your feelings of fear and despair.
Bible principle: “A crushed spirit saps one’s strength.”—Proverbs 17:22.
“It’s easy to get addicted to the constant feed of what’s new and shocking, but that’s an unhealthy habit. My worry decreases significantly when I cut back on my intake of the news.”—John.
To think about: How often do you really need to be updated on the news?
Stick to a routine. Try to wake up, eat meals, handle chores, and go to bed at set times. Having a schedule will preserve a sense of normalcy in your life and will help you to reduce your worries.
Bible principle: “The plans of the diligent surely lead to success.”—Proverbs 21:5.
“When the COVID-19 pandemic started, I completely neglected my routine and ended up spending too much time on entertainment. I wanted to make better use of my time, so I made a schedule for handling my daily responsibilities.”—Joseph.
To think about: Do you have a routine that gives you a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day?
Focus on the positive. Dwelling on what-ifs and imagining worst-case scenarios will only fuel your tendency to worry. Instead, think of two or three things for which you can be grateful.
Bible principle: “Show yourselves thankful.”—Colossians 3:15.
“Reading the Bible helps me avoid taking in the negative information and helps me focus on the positive. That might sound cliché, but it works!”—Lisa.
To think about: Do you tend to dwell on the negative things going on in your life and filter out the positive?
Think of others. Rather than isolate yourself—which is all too easy to do if you are consumed with worry—think of how you can help those who are in need.
Bible principle: “Look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.”—Philippians 2:4.
“Doing things for others makes me happy. I’m creating good experiences for them, and at the same time, I’m reducing my worries. In fact, I just don’t have time left for worry.”—Maria.
To think about: Of the people you know, which ones might have special needs, and what can you do to help them?
Stay healthy. Get sufficient exercise and rest. Eat healthy foods. Taking care of your physical health can improve your outlook on life and help you ward off worry.
Bible principle: “Physical exercise is beneficial.”—1 Timothy 4:8, footnote.
“My son and I cannot be as active outside as we would like, so we have made indoor exercise a part of our routine at home. This has helped us feel good about ourselves and even deal better with each other.”—Catherine.
To think about: Do you need to improve your diet and exercise regimen so that you can be healthier?
In addition to applying these tips to reduce worry, many people have benefited from learning about the Bible’s reliable promises of a better future. See the article “What Will God’s Kingdom Accomplish?”
Bible verses about worry
Psalm 55:22: “Throw your burden on Jehovah, and he will sustain you.”a
What it means: We can throw our burden, which includes our worries, on God through prayer. Prayer is real communication with the Creator, who sustains us and “comforts us in all our trials.”—2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.
Proverbs 12:25, footnote: “Anxiety in a man’s heart depresses him, but a good word cheers it up.”
What it means: Reach out to family members or friends who can provide words of encouragement and give practical help.
Matthew 6:27: “Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span?”
What it means: Often, worry is pointless. It does not improve your situation or lead you to practical solutions.
Matthew 6:31, 32: “Never be anxious and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to wear?’ . . . Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.”
What it means: Jehovah God can anticipate our needs for food, clothing, and shelter even before we become aware of them.
a Jehovah is God’s personal name.—Psalm 83:18. |
YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Get Motivated to Exercise? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019478 | YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Get Motivated to Exercise?
Why should I exercise?
What’s holding me back?
How can I get the exercise I need?
Be balanced
What your peers say
Why should I exercise?
In some lands, young people are spending less time being physically active, and it is putting their health at risk. For good reason, the Bible acknowledges that “physical training is beneficial.” (1 Timothy 4:8) Consider the following:
Exercise can improve your outlook. Physical activity releases endorphins—brain chemicals that make you feel relaxed and happy. Some call exercise a natural antidepressant.
“If I go for a run first thing in the morning, my whole day is more productive and enjoyable. Running lifts my mood.”—Regina.
Exercise can help you look your best. Balanced exercise will help you become stronger, fitter, and more likely to project self-confidence.
“It feels great to be able to do ten chin-ups—a year ago there was no way I could do even one! Best of all, I know that I’m taking care of my body.”—Olivia.
Exercise can prolong your life. Being active benefits your cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Aerobic exercise can also help prevent coronary artery disease—a leading cause of death for both men and women.
“When we have a healthful exercise routine, we show our Creator that we appreciate the body that he gave us.”—Jessica.
The bottom line: Exercise has huge health benefits for the future, and it can be rewarding right now. “You’ll never say, ‘I wish I hadn’t gone on that hike or that run,’” says a young woman named Tonya. “When I have put my excuses aside and exercised, I have never regretted it.”
A car that is neglected will eventually stop functioning; the same can be true of your body if you neglect exercise
What’s holding me back?
These are several potential obstacles:
No incentive. “I think people feel invincible when they are young. It’s hard to imagine a time when you will have health problems. You think it’s an older-person issue.”—Sophia.
No time. “With a busy schedule, I have to make time for good food and sleep, but finding time to exercise has always been more challenging.”—Clarissa.
No gym membership. “It’s expensive to stay in shape—you have to pay if you want to go to a gym!”—Gina.
To think about:
What is your biggest obstacle to exercise? Overcoming that obstacle will take some work, but the results will be worth it.
How can I get the exercise I need?
Here are a few suggestions:
Take responsibility for your health.—Galatians 6:5.
Avoid making excuses. (Ecclesiastes 11:4) For example, you don’t need to sign up at a gym to start your exercise program. Just find an activity that you enjoy and make it part of your routine.
To get ideas, ask others what they do for exercise.—Proverbs 20:18.
Have a specific schedule. Set goals and log your progress to keep yourself motivated.—Proverbs 21:5.
Find someone to exercise with you. A “workout buddy” will cheer you on and help you stick to a routine.—Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10.
Expect setbacks, and don’t give up when you face them.—Proverbs 24:10.
Be balanced
The Bible tells both men and women to be “moderate in habits.” (1 Timothy 3:2, 11) So be balanced about exercise. People who take working out to extremes often come across as vain. “If a guy’s muscles outweigh his intelligence, that’s the opposite of attractive,” says a young woman named Julia.
Also beware of ‘fitness inspiration’ posters that flaunt slogans such as “When you feel like dying do 10 more.” Such advice could hurt you physically and cause you to lose focus on “the more important things” in life.—Philippians 1:10.
In addition, fitness inspiration can backfire. A young woman named Vera observes: “A lot of girls save pictures of people they want to look like, and they look at those pictures when they lack motivation. But they end up comparing themselves with those people and get discouraged. It’s better to make it a goal to improve your health, not just your appearance.”
What your peers say
“I like to run because it’s a huge stress-reliever. Running also increases my heart rate and helps me to burn calories. After I run, I have more energy and feel better about myself.”—Yasmine.
“My favorite form of exercise is playing sports—basketball in particular. Once I start playing, I don’t even consider it exercise. It takes some time to be good at a sport and to enjoy it, but the effort is well worth it.”—Joel.
“Hiking benefits me so much! In fact, I’d say it helps me as much mentally as it does physically. Like most people, I deal with anxiety, but when I am out in nature, I feel re-centered and energized—a rare thing in this busy world.”—Lily.
“A lot of the things that make exercise seem hard aren’t that bad if I don’t think about them. For example, when I play basketball, I’m focused on the game not on how tired I feel. Playing basketball is also a great way to make friends.”—Miles. |
Football Fervor—Is It Worth It? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101983006 | Football Fervor—Is It Worth It?
By “Awake!” correspondent in Spain
IT WAS just a few minutes before eight o’clock on Sunday evening, June 13, 1982. It is estimated that 1,500 million people had centered their attention on King Juan Carlos who was giving a brief discourse. What was he talking about that would capture the attention of so many people? Would it be imminent world disarmament? Or the solution to the world’s economic crisis? No, it was something much more ephemeral—a third of the world’s population was watching the opening ceremony of the 1982 World Soccer Cup.
Although the final result is known to millions, a few questions about the 1982 World Cup competition are apropos. For example, How does the World Cup competition function? Does it serve as a model for football to become better and more attractive in the future? For children and youth, does it inculcate the principles of good sportsmanship? Or is that asking too much?
In actual fact the current competition started two years earlier when 107 different national teams were grouped geographically for their play-offs to decide the final 24 qualifying nations. The question then was, which of the 107 would compete in Spain?
By the spring of 1982 this big question was answered. The victors were: Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Czechoslovakia, El Salvador, England, France, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Northern Ireland, Italy, Kuwait, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, Russia, Scotland, Yugoslavia. Argentina and Spain had automatically qualified—Argentina for being the previous cup winner and Spain for being the host nation.
Giant-Killers?
Under new rules the qualifying nations rose from 16 to 24. This meant that some nations were represented with relatively little experience in championships of this kind—especially Kuwait, Cameroon, Honduras, Algeria and New Zealand. The experts immediately wrote these off as of little consequence against the Goliaths of the established soccer-playing nations. Were they right in their forecast?
The first round of games soon brought upsets. The opening match between the reigning champions, Argentina, and the challengers from Belgium produced a surprise result—Belgium won. That seemed to set the tone for the whole championship—a string of surprises. Outstanding teams, such as those of West Germany, Spain, Czechoslovakia and Peru, were unable to beat the underdogs. Before the match against Algeria the German manager was heard to say: “If we don’t beat Algeria I’ll take the next train home.” His comment proved to be imprudent. West Germany lost by two goals to one! However, like Argentina, West Germany passed to the second round on a points-accrued basis. Needless to say, the German manager delayed his journey back to West Germany.
However, by the second round 12 teams had qualified—10 from Europe and 2 from South America. Which would be the finalists? Many hoped for and expected a final between the giants of South America, Brazil and Argentina. Did it turn out that way?
More surprises! Both Brazil and Argentina were eliminated. The semifinals became an all-European affair with France and West Germany joined in combat and Italy facing up to Poland. West Germany, after being 3-1 down in extra time, forced a draw and then won on penalty kicks. Italy beat Poland 2-0. That meant the final for the World Cup would be Italy versus West Germany. Although this resulted in an all-European final, even many Europeans were sorry to see the Brazilians eliminated with their attractive style of football. The joie de vivre seemed to have evaporated from the competition.
Nevertheless the football fervor increased. Over 90,000 packed out Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium for the final. Did West Germany win the Cup as many had expected? Yet another surprise—“Italy shattered the great German machine” was the headline in the Madrid daily ABC. “Italy win brawling finale” was The Guardian’s comment. Italy became world soccer champions for the third time in their history. For them the 1982 World Cup had been a winner. But perhaps for soccer in general the World Cup competition presented a more than slightly tarnished image. Why do we say that?
Brawling and Shamming—Necessary?
David Lacey, The Guardian sports correspondent, wrote that in spite of Italy’s 3-1 victory over West Germany “it was clear that the good name of football had become an irrelevance compared to the all-important matter of winning.” He then raised the question: “Was it really necessary to subject everybody to a month of what was often mediocre football in order to produce a brawling finale which did little to alleviate the gloomy prospects for the future of the game as a spectator sport?” He continued: “One lost count of the number of times those who had been tackled lay on the ground apparently at death’s door and in the next instant were seen chasing for the ball.” This shamming is laid on to deceive the referee and obtain a more severe penalty against the opposing side. As such, it is playacting and hypocrisy. It may be “professional” but it is neither ethical nor noble.
Why is there this tendency toward violence and shamming, even at the highest levels of this professional sport? Precisely because it is a highly paid professional sport, and winning means so much. The dangers of this trend go far beyond the field of action. Children and youngsters tend to imitate the professionals, and thus violence and hypocrisy creep into school sports. This fact was acknowledged by a well-known Australian cricket player, Dennis Lillee, who was temporarily suspended from international matches for kicking the Pakistan captain. He later apologized, saying that the incident “set a bad example for children and for this in particular I am truly sorry.” Would that more sportsmen were conscious of the effect of their example on children!
Without a doubt professional sportsmen and sportswomen strive very hard to reach the pinnacle of their sporting achievement. But the bottom line is that sports should be just a recreation, a pastime. It is not the most important factor in life nor is it mankind’s most vital occupation or need. Thus the Bible’s expression is very appropriate: “I myself have seen all the hard work and all the proficiency in work [which also applies to sports converted into work], that it means the rivalry of one toward another; this also is vanity and a striving after the wind.” (Ecclesiastes 4:4) The modern-day violence, shamming and also spectator hooliganism are the fruits of the “rivalry” and competitive spirit.
Therefore it is appropriate to ask, Is professional football an uplifting influence today? Does it draw people together, or does it tend to heighten old rivalries? Does it make for more genuine peace between the nations?
A Force for Peace and Unity?
One touching moment at the inaugural ceremony held on Barcelona’s Nou Camp football field was when a young boy, dressed in soccer gear, advanced across the field to place the ball on the center spot. Everyone’s gaze was upon him as he deposited the ball on the turf. To everyone’s surprise the ball opened and out flew a dove, the symbol of peace!
Such idealism was soon shattered on the field of play. As the Madrid Gaceta Ilustrada commented on one match: “The most agitated game: Italy-Argentina. At the thirty-eighth minute of the first half thirty-eight fouls had been committed. One a minute.” If you participate in sports, do you want to imitate that kind of example? As a spectator, do you enjoy watching that kind of negative play?
The next World Cup competition is scheduled for 1986. Its month of football fervor is expected to bring tremendous free publicity to the host nation, as well as economic benefits to some. But what about football itself? What direction is it taking? Will there be a return to clean, open football, attractive to the public? Or will the ever larger stadiums become even emptier? Will football fervor diminish or flourish? Time will tell.
[Picture on page 19]
The dove was inside the ball. Did it bring peace? |
What if My Parents Are Divorcing? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502012514 | What if My Parents Are Divorcing?
What you can do
Discuss your concerns. Let your parents know how sad or confused you are. Maybe they will be able to explain what is happening and thus lessen your anxiety.
If your parents are unable to give you the support you need, you may be able to confide in a mature friend.—Proverbs 17:17.
Above all, you can find a listening ear with your heavenly Father, the “Hearer of prayer.” (Psalm 65:2) Pour out your heart to him “because he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:7.
What not to do
Getting over your parents’ divorce is like recovering from a broken arm—the process is painful, but you will eventually heal
Don’t hold a grudge. “My parents were selfish,” says Daniel, whose parents split up when he was seven. “They didn’t really think about us and how what they did would affect us.”
What harm could come to Daniel if he refused to let go of his anger and resentment?—Clue: Read Proverbs 29:22.
Why might it be good for Daniel to try to forgive his parents for the hurt they have caused him?—Clue: Read Ephesians 4:31, 32.
Avoid self-destructive behavior. “I was unhappy and depressed after my parents’ divorce,” recalls Denny. “I started having problems in school and failed one year. After that ... I became the class clown and got into a lot of fights.”
What, do you think, was Denny trying to accomplish by becoming the class clown or getting into fights?
How might the principle at Galatians 6:7 help people like Denny avoid self-destructive behavior?
Emotional injuries take time to heal. As your life regains some semblance of regularity, however, you will begin to feel normal again. |
YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Deal With Sexual Harassment? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502012536 | YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
How Can I Deal With Sexual Harassment?
What is sexual harassment?
What if I’m being sexually harassed?
What would I do?
What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment includes any unwanted sexual behavior—including touching or even making comments of a sexual nature. But sometimes the line can be blurred between teasing, flirting, and sexually harassing.
Do you know the difference between them? Take our sexual harassment quiz and find out!
Sadly, sexual harassment doesn’t always stop when you graduate from school. However, if you develop the confidence and skills you need to deal with sexual harassment now, you’ll be prepared to deal with it when you enter the workforce. And you might even stop a harasser from hurting others!
Olivia
“You really have to stand up for yourself. People usually don’t back off unless you give them a clear message. Just stand up and say, ‘No!’ If that doesn’t work, tell someone!”
Tanisha
“Don’t laugh at jokes with sexual innuendo or get involved in sexually charged conversations. If you do, or if you hang around people who enjoy a lot of attention from the opposite sex, others will assume that you want that attention too.”
What if I’m being sexually harassed?
Sexual harassment is more likely to stop if you know what it is and how to react to it! Consider three situations and how you might deal with each one.
SITUATION:
“At work, some guys who were much older than I am kept telling me that I was beautiful and that they wished they were 30 years younger. One of them even walked up behind me and sniffed my hair!”—Tabitha, 20.
Tabitha could think: ‘If I just ignore it and tough it out, maybe he will stop.’
Why that probably won’t help: Experts say that when victims ignore sexual harassment, it often continues and even escalates.
Try this instead: Speak up and calmly but clearly tell your harasser that you won’t tolerate his speech or behavior. “If anyone touches me inappropriately,” says 22-year-old Taryn, “I turn around and tell him not to touch me ever again. That usually catches the guy off guard.” If your harasser persists, be firm and don’t give up. When it comes to maintaining high moral standards, the Bible’s advice is: “Stand firm, mature and confident.”—Colossians 4:12, The New Testament in Contemporary Language.
What if the harasser threatens to harm you? In that case, don’t confront him. Escape the situation as quickly as possible, and seek the help of a trusted adult.
SITUATION:
“When I was in the sixth grade, two girls grabbed me in the hallway. One of them was a lesbian, and she wanted me to go out with her. Although I refused, they continued to harass me every day between classes. Once, they even pushed me up against a wall!”—Victoria, 18.
Victoria could have thought: ‘If I tell anyone about this, I will be labeled as weak, and maybe no one will believe me.’
Why that thinking probably would not have helped: If you hold back from telling someone, the harasser may continue and even go on to harass others.—Ecclesiastes 8:11.
Try this instead: Get help. Parents and teachers can give you the support you need to deal with your harasser. But what if the people you tell don’t take your complaint seriously? Try this: Every time you are harassed, write down the details. Include the date, time, and location of each incident, along with what the harasser said. Then give a copy of it to your parent or teacher. Many people treat a written complaint more seriously than a verbal one.
SITUATION:
“I was really afraid of this one boy who was on the rugby team. He was almost two meters (6.5 ft) tall, and he weighed about 135 kilograms (300 lb)! He got it into his head that he was going to ‘have me.’ He pestered me almost every day—for a whole year. One day, we were the only people in the classroom, and he started closing in on me. I jumped up and ran out the door.”—Julieta, 18.
Julieta could think: ‘That’s just the way boys are.’
Why that probably won’t help: Your harasser is unlikely to change his behavior if everyone thinks it’s acceptable.
Try this instead: Resist the temptation to laugh it off or to respond with a smile. Rather, make sure that your reaction—including your facial expression—makes it clear to your harasser what you will and will not tolerate.
What would I do?
TRUE STORY 1:
“I don’t like being rude to people at all. So even when guys kept harassing me, I would tell them to stop—but I wasn’t very firm, and I often smiled as I spoke to them. They thought I was flirting.”—Tabitha.
If you were Tabitha, how would you have dealt with those harassers? Why?
What may cause a harasser to think that you are flirting with him or her?
TRUE STORY 2:
“It all started with just a few sleazy comments from some boys in my physical education class. I ignored what they said for a few weeks, but it just got worse and worse. Then the boys started to sit beside me and put their arms around me. I pushed them away, but they kept it up. Finally, one of the guys handed me a piece of paper with a derogatory message. I gave it to my teacher. The boy was suspended from school. I realized that I should have gone to the teacher at the beginning!”—Sabina.
Why do you think that Sabina decided not to go to her teacher earlier? Do you think that she made a good decision? Why or why not?
TRUE STORY 3:
“My brother Greg was approached in the bathroom by another boy. The boy got very close to Greg and said, ‘Kiss me.’ Greg said no, but the boy wouldn’t go away. In fact, Greg had to push the boy away from him.”—Suzanne.
Do you think that Greg was a victim of sexual harassment? Why or why not?
Why do you think some boys are reluctant to speak up when they’ve been sexually harassed by another boy?
Do you agree with the way Greg handled the situation? What would you have done?
Sexual harassment quiz
“In middle school, boys would pull on the back of my bra and make derogatory comments—like how much better I would feel once I had sex with them.”—Coretta.
Do you think that those boys were
A Teasing?
B Flirting?
C Sexually harassing her?
“On the bus, a boy started saying nasty things to me and grabbing me. I smacked his hand away and told him to move. He looked at me like I was crazy.”—Candice.
What do you think that this boy was doing to Candice?
A Teasing?
B Flirting?
C Sexually harassing her?
“Last year, a boy kept telling me that he liked me and that he wanted to go out with me, even though I constantly told him no. Sometimes, he rubbed my arm. I told him to stop, but he wouldn’t. Then, while I was tying my shoe, he smacked my rear end.”—Bethany.
In your opinion, was this boy:
A Flirting?
B Teasing?
C Sexually harassing her?
The correct answer to all three questions is C.
What makes sexual harassment different from flirting or teasing? “Sexual harassment is one-sided,” says a girl named Eve. “It continues even when you tell the person to stop.” Harassment is serious. Not only can it affect your grades and health but it can also lead to sexual violence.
Learn more: See chapter 32, “How Can I Protect Myself From Sexual Predators?” of the book Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, Volume 1. |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 12—2 Kings
Writer: Jeremiah
Places Written: Jerusalem and Egypt
Writing Completed: 580 B.C.E.
Time Covered: c. 920–580 B.C.E.
1. What histories are related in Second Kings, and in vindication of what?
THE book of Second Kings continues to trace the turbulent course of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Elisha took up the mantle of Elijah and was blessed with two parts of Elijah’s spirit, performing 16 miracles, compared with the 8 of Elijah. He continued to prophesy doom for apostate Israel, where only Jehu provided a brief flash of zeal for Jehovah. More and more, Israel’s kings became bogged down in wickedness, until the northern kingdom finally crumbled before Assyria in 740 B.C.E. In the southern kingdom of Judah, a few outstanding kings, notably Jehoshaphat, Jehoash, Hezekiah, and Josiah, swept back the tide of apostasy for a time, but Nebuchadnezzar at last executed Jehovah’s judgment by devastating Jerusalem, its temple, and the land of Judah in 607 B.C.E. Thus Jehovah’s prophecies were fulfilled, and his word was vindicated!
2. What may be said as to the writership and canonicity of Second Kings, and what period is covered by it?
2 Since Second Kings was originally part of the same roll as First Kings, what has already been said concerning Jeremiah’s writership applies equally here, as do the proofs of the book’s canonicity and authenticity. It was completed about 580 B.C.E. and covers the period beginning with the reign of Ahaziah of Israel in about 920 B.C.E. and ending in the 37th year of Jehoiachin’s exile, 580 B.C.E.—1:1; 25:27.
3. What remarkable archaeological finds support Second Kings?
3 Archaeological finds supporting the record of Second Kings give further evidence of its genuineness. For example, there is the famous Moabite Stone, whose inscription gives Moabite king Mesha’s version of the warfare between Moab and Israel. (3:4, 5) There is also the black basalt obelisk of the Assyrian Shalmaneser III, now on display in the British Museum, London, which mentions Israel’s king Jehu by name. There are the inscriptions of Assyrian king Tiglath-pileser III (Pul), which name several kings of Israel and Judah, including Menahem, Ahaz, and Pekah.—15:19, 20; 16:5-8.a
4. What proves that Second Kings is an integral part of the inspired Scriptures?
4 A clear proof of the authenticity of the book is to be found in the utmost candor with which it describes the execution of Jehovah’s judgments upon his own people. As first the kingdom of Israel and then the kingdom of Judah go crashing into ruin, the telling force of Jehovah’s prophetic judgment in Deuteronomy 28:15–29:28 is brought home to us. In the destruction of those kingdoms, “Jehovah’s anger blazed against that land by bringing upon it the whole malediction written in this book.” (Deut. 29:27; 2 Ki. 17:18; 25:1, 9-11) Other events recorded in Second Kings are elucidated elsewhere in the Scriptures. At Luke 4:24-27, after Jesus refers to Elijah and the widow of Zarephath, he speaks of Elisha and Naaman in showing why he himself was not accepted as a prophet in his home territory. Thus, both First and Second Kings are seen to be an integral part of the Holy Scriptures.
outputS OF SECOND KINGS
5. What reproof and sentence does Elijah pass on Ahaziah, and why?
5 Ahaziah, king of Israel (1:1-18). Suffering a fall in his home, this son of Ahab gets sick. He sends to ask Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether he is to recover. Elijah intercepts the messengers and sends them back to the king, reproving him for not inquiring of the true God and telling him that because he did not turn to the God of Israel, he will positively die. When the king sends out a chief with 50 men to take Elijah and bring him to the king, Elijah calls down fire from heaven to devour them. The same thing happens to a second chief with his 50. A third chief and 50 are sent, and this time Elijah spares their lives by virtue of the chief’s respectful plea. Elijah goes with them to the king and again pronounces sentence of death on Ahaziah. The king dies just as Elijah said he would. Then Jehoram the brother of Ahaziah becomes king over Israel, for Ahaziah has no son to take his place.
6. Under what circumstances does Elijah part from Elisha, and how is it soon shown that “the spirit of Elijah” has settled on Elisha?
6 Elisha succeeds Elijah (2:1-25). The time comes for Elijah to be taken away. Elisha sticks with him on his journey from Gilgal to Bethel, to Jericho, and finally across the Jordan. Elijah parts the waters of the Jordan by striking them with his official garment. As he sees a fiery war chariot and fiery horses come between himself and Elijah and he sees Elijah go up in a windstorm, Elisha receives the promised two parts in Elijah’s spirit. He soon shows that “the spirit of Elijah” has settled down upon him. (2:15) Taking up Elijah’s fallen garment, he uses it to divide the waters again. He then heals the bad water at Jericho. On the way to Bethel, small boys begin to jeer at him: “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!” (2:23) Elisha calls on Jehovah, and two she-bears come out of the woods and kill 42 of these juvenile delinquents.
7. Because of what does Jehovah rescue Jehoshaphat and Jehoram?
7 Jehoram, king of Israel (3:1-27). This king keeps on doing what is bad in Jehovah’s eyes, sticking to the sins of Jeroboam. The king of Moab has been paying tribute to Israel but now revolts, and Jehoram obtains the help of King Jehoshaphat of Judah and the king of Edom in going against Moab. On the way to the attack, their armies come to waterless terrain and are about to perish. The three kings go down to Elisha to inquire of Jehovah his God. Because of faithful Jehoshaphat, Jehovah rescues them and gives them the victory over Moab.
8. What further miracles does Elisha perform?
8 Elisha’s further miracles (4:1–8:15). As her creditors are about to take her two sons into slavery, the widow of one of the sons of the prophets seeks help from Elisha. He miraculously multiplies the small supply of oil in her house so that she is able to sell enough to pay her debts. A Shunammite woman recognizes Elisha as a prophet of the true God, and she and her husband prepare a room for his use when he is in Shunem. Because of her kindness, Jehovah blesses her with a son. Some years later, the child becomes sick and dies. The woman immediately seeks out Elisha. He accompanies her to her home, and by Jehovah’s power he raises the child to life. Returning to the sons of the prophets at Gilgal, Elisha miraculously removes “death in the pot” by rendering poisonous gourds harmless. He then feeds a hundred men with 20 barley loaves, and yet they have “leftovers.”—4:40, 44.
9. What miracles are performed in connection with Naaman, and with the axhead?
9 Naaman, the chief of the Syrian army, is a leper. A captive Israelite girl tells Naaman’s wife that there is a prophet in Samaria who can cure him. Naaman journeys to Elisha, but instead of attending to him personally, Elisha merely sends word for him to go and wash himself seven times in the Jordan River. Naaman is indignant at this apparent lack of respect. Are not the rivers of Damascus better than the waters of Israel? But he is prevailed upon to obey Elisha, and he is cured. Elisha refuses to accept a gift as a reward, but later his attendant Gehazi runs after Naaman and asks for a gift in Elisha’s name. When he returns and tries to deceive Elisha, Gehazi is struck with leprosy. Still another miracle is performed when Elisha makes an axhead float.
10. How are the superior forces of Jehovah shown, and how does Elisha turn back the Syrians?
10 When Elisha warns the king of Israel of a Syrian plot to kill him, the king of Syria sends a military force to Dothan to capture Elisha. Seeing the city surrounded by the armies of Syria, Elisha’s attendant becomes fearful. Elisha assures him: “Do not be afraid, for there are more who are with us than those who are with them.” Then he prays to Jehovah to let his attendant see the great force that is with Elisha. ‘And, look! The mountainous region is full of horses and war chariots of fire all around Elisha.’ (6:16, 17) When the Syrians attack, the prophet again prays to Jehovah, and the Syrians are struck with mental blindness and led to the king of Israel. Instead of their being put to death, however, Elisha tells the king to spread a feast for them and send them home.
11. How are Elisha’s prophecies concerning the Syrians and Ben-hadad fulfilled?
11 Later on, King Ben-hadad of Syria besieges Samaria, and there is a great famine. The king of Israel blames Elisha, but the prophet predicts an abundance of food for the following day. In the night, Jehovah causes the Syrians to hear the sound of a great army, so that they flee, leaving all their provisions for the Israelites. After some time Ben-hadad becomes sick. On hearing a report that Elisha has come to Damascus, he sends Hazael to inquire if he will recover. Elisha’s answer indicates that the king will die and that Hazael will become king in his place. Hazael makes sure of this by himself killing the king and taking over the kingship.
12. What kind of king does Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram prove to be?
12 Jehoram, king of Judah (8:16-29). Meanwhile, in Judah, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram is now king. He proves to be no better than the kings of Israel, doing bad in Jehovah’s eyes. His wife is Ahab’s daughter Athaliah, whose brother, also named Jehoram, is reigning in Israel. At the death of Jehoram of Judah, his son Ahaziah becomes king in Jerusalem.
13. With what lightning campaign does Jehu follow up his anointing?
13 Jehu, king of Israel (9:1–10:36). Elisha sends one of the sons of the prophets to anoint Jehu to be king over Israel and to commission him to strike down the entire house of Ahab. Jehu loses no time. He sets out after Jehoram, king of Israel, who is at Jezreel recuperating from war wounds. The watchman sees the heaving mass of men approaching, and at last he reports to the king: “The driving is like the driving of Jehu the grandson of Nimshi, for it is with madness that he drives.” (9:20) Jehoram of Israel and Ahaziah of Judah inquire as to Jehu’s intent. Jehu replies by asking: “What peace could there be as long as there are the fornications of Jezebel your mother and her many sorceries?” (9:22) As Jehoram turns to flee, Jehu shoots an arrow through his heart. His body is thrown there into the field of Naboth, as further repayment for the innocent blood shed by Ahab. Later Jehu and his men pursue Ahaziah, striking him down so that he dies at Megiddo. Two kings die in Jehu’s first lightning campaign.
14. How is Elijah’s prophecy concerning Jezebel fulfilled?
14 Now it is Jezebel’s turn! As Jehu triumphantly rides into Jezreel, Jezebel appears at her window in her most glamorous makeup. Jehu is unimpressed. “Let her drop!” he calls to some attendants. Down she goes, her blood spattering on the wall and on the horses that trample on her. When they go to bury her, they can find only her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. This is in fulfillment of Elijah’s prophecy, ‘dogs have eaten her, and she has become as manure in the tract of land of Jezreel.’—2 Ki. 9:33, 36, 37; 1 Ki. 21:23.
15. What different kinds of encounters does Jehu have on the way to Samaria?
15 Next, Jehu orders the slaughter of the 70 sons of Ahab, and he stacks their heads at the gate of Jezreel. All of Ahab’s yes-men in Jezreel are struck down. Now, on to Israel’s capital, Samaria! On the way he meets the 42 brothers of Ahaziah, who are traveling to Jezreel, unaware of what is happening. They are taken and slain. But now there is a different kind of encounter. Jehonadab the son of Rechab comes out to meet Jehu. To Jehu’s question, “Is your heart upright with me, just as my own heart is with your heart?” Jehonadab replies, “It is.” Jehu then makes him go along with him in his chariot to see firsthand his “toleration of no rivalry toward Jehovah.”—2 Ki. 10:15, 16.
16. How thorough is Jehu’s action against Ahab’s house and against Baal?
16 On arrival in Samaria, Jehu annihilates everything left over of Ahab’s, according to Jehovah’s word to Elijah. (1 Ki. 21:21, 22) However, what of the detestable religion of Baal? Jehu declares, “Ahab, on the one hand, worshiped Baal a little. Jehu, on the other hand, will worship him a great deal.” (2 Ki. 10:18) Calling all these demon worshipers to the house of Baal, he has them put on their garments of identification and makes sure there is no worshiper of Jehovah among them. Then he sends his men in to strike them down, not letting a single one escape. Baal’s house is demolished, and the place is turned into privies, which remain till Jeremiah’s day. ‘Thus Jehu annihilates Baal out of Israel.’—10:28.
17. In what does Jehu fail, and how does Jehovah start to bring punishment on Israel?
17 However, even the zealous Jehu fails. In what? In that he continues to follow the golden calves that Jeroboam set up in Bethel and Dan. He does not “take care to walk in the law of Jehovah the God of Israel with all his heart.” (10:31) But because of his action against the house of Ahab, Jehovah promises that his descendants will reign over Israel to the fourth generation. In his days, Jehovah starts to cut off the eastern part of the kingdom, bringing Hazael of Syria against Israel. After reigning 28 years, Jehu dies and is succeeded by his son Jehoahaz.
18. How is Athaliah’s conspiracy in Judah thwarted, and what is noteworthy about the reign of Jehoash?
18 Jehoash, king of Judah (11:1–12:21). The queen mother, Athaliah, is daughter to Jezebel in flesh and in spirit. Hearing of the death of her son Ahaziah, she orders the execution of the entire royal family and takes over the throne. Only Ahaziah’s baby son Jehoash escapes death when he is hidden away. In the seventh year of Athaliah’s reign, Jehoiada the priest has Jehoash anointed as king and has Athaliah put to death. Jehoiada directs the people in the worship of Jehovah, instructs the youthful king in his duties before God, and arranges for repairing the house of Jehovah. By means of gifts, Jehoash turns back an attack by Hazael the king of Syria. After he has ruled for 40 years in Jerusalem, Jehoash is assassinated by his servants, and Amaziah his son begins to rule as king in place of him.
19. (a) What false worship continues during the reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoash in Israel? (b) How does Elisha end his course as Jehovah’s prophet?
19 Jehoahaz and Jehoash, kings of Israel (13:1-25). Jehu’s son Jehoahaz continues in idol worship, and Israel comes under the power of Syria, although Jehoahaz is not dethroned. Jehovah frees the Israelites in time, but they continue in Jeroboam’s calf worship. At Jehoahaz’ death, his son Jehoash takes his place as king in Israel, even while the other Jehoash is reigning in Judah. Jehoash of Israel continues in the idol worship of his father. At his death his son Jeroboam becomes king. It is during the reign of Jehoash that Elisha falls sick and dies, after making his final prophecy that Jehoash will strike down Syria three times, which is duly fulfilled. The final miracle accredited to Elisha takes place after his death, when a dead man is thrown into the same burial place, only to stand up alive as soon as he touches Elisha’s bones.
20. Describe Amaziah’s reign in Judah.
20 Amaziah, king of Judah (14:1-22). Amaziah does what is upright in Jehovah’s eyes, but he fails to destroy the high places used for worship. He is defeated in war by Jehoash of Israel. After a 29-year reign, he is killed in a conspiracy. Azariah his son is made king in his place.
21. What occurs during the reign of Jeroboam II in Israel?
21 Jeroboam II, king of Israel (14:23-29). The second Jeroboam to be king in Israel continues in the false worship of his forefather. He reigns in Samaria for 41 years and is successful in winning back Israel’s lost territories. Zechariah his son becomes his successor on the throne.
22. What is related concerning Azariah’s reign in Judah?
22 Azariah (Uzziah), king of Judah (15:1-7). Azariah rules for 52 years. He is upright before Jehovah but fails to destroy the high places. Later, Jehovah plagues him with leprosy, and his son Jotham takes care of the royal duties, becoming king on Azariah’s death.
23. With what evils is Israel plagued as the Assyrian menace arises?
23 Zechariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah, kings of Israel (15:8-31). According to Jehovah’s promise, the throne of Israel remains in the house of Jehu to the fourth generation, Zechariah. (10:30) Accordingly, he becomes king in Samaria, and six months later an assassin strikes him down. Shallum, the usurper, lasts only one month. False worship, assassination, and intrigue continue to plague Israel as kings Menahem, Pekahiah, and Pekah pass in procession. During Pekah’s reign Assyria closes in for the kill. Hoshea assassinates Pekah, to become Israel’s last king.
24. After Jotham, how does Ahaz of Judah sin as to worship?
24 Jotham and Ahaz, kings of Judah (15:32–16:20). Jotham practices pure worship but lets the high places continue. Ahaz his son imitates the kings of neighboring Israel by practicing what is bad in Jehovah’s eyes. Under attack by the kings of Israel and Syria, he appeals to the king of Assyria for help. The Assyrians come to his aid, capturing Damascus, and Ahaz goes there to meet the king of Assyria. Seeing the altar of worship there, Ahaz has one erected in Jerusalem according to the same pattern, and he begins sacrificing on it instead of on the copper altar at Jehovah’s temple. His son Hezekiah becomes king of Judah as his successor.
25. How does Israel go into captivity, and why?
25 Hoshea, last king of Israel (17:1-41). Israel now comes under the power of Assyria. Hoshea rebels and seeks help from Egypt, but in the ninth year of his reign, Israel is conquered by Assyria and is carried into captivity. Thus ends the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. Why? “Because the sons of Israel had sinned against Jehovah their God . . . And they continued to serve dungy idols, concerning which Jehovah had said to them: ‘You must not do this thing’; therefore Jehovah got very incensed against Israel, so that he removed them from his sight.” (17:7, 12, 18) The Assyrians bring in people from the east to settle the land, and these become ‘fearers of Jehovah,’ though they continue to worship their own gods.—17:33.
26, 27. (a) How does Hezekiah of Judah do right in Jehovah’s eyes? (b) How does Jehovah answer Hezekiah’s prayer in turning back the Assyrians? (c) What further fulfillment does Isaiah’s prophecy have?
26 Hezekiah, king of Judah (18:1–20:21). Hezekiah does what is right in Jehovah’s eyes, according to all that David his forefather had done. He roots out false worship and tears down the high places, and because the people now worship it, he even destroys the copper serpent Moses made. Sennacherib, king of Assyria, now invades Judah and captures many fortified cities. Hezekiah tries to buy him off with a heavy tribute, but Sennacherib sends his messenger Rabshakeh, who comes up to the walls of Jerusalem and demands surrender and mocks Jehovah within the hearing of all the people. The prophet Isaiah reassures faithful Hezekiah with a message of doom against Sennacherib. “This is what Jehovah has said: ‘Do not be afraid.’” (19:6) As Sennacherib continues to threaten, Hezekiah implores Jehovah: “And now, O Jehovah our God, save us, please, out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Jehovah, are God alone.”—19:19.
27 Does Jehovah answer this unselfish prayer? First, through Isaiah, he sends the message that “the very zeal of Jehovah of armies” will turn back the enemy. (19:31) Then, that same night, he sends his angel to strike down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. In the morning ‘all of them are dead carcasses.’ (19:35) Sennacherib returns in defeat and takes up dwelling in Nineveh. There his god Nisroch fails him once more, for it is while he is bowed in worship that his own sons kill him, in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.—19:7, 37.
28. For what is Hezekiah renowned, but in what does he sin?
28 Hezekiah becomes deathly ill, but Jehovah again heeds his prayer and prolongs his life an additional 15 years. The king of Babylon sends messengers with gifts, and Hezekiah presumes to show them all his treasure house. Isaiah then prophesies that everything in his house will one day be carried to Babylon. Hezekiah then dies, renowned for his mightiness and for the tunnel that he built to bring Jerusalem’s water supply into the city.
29. What idolatry does Manasseh institute, what calamity does Jehovah foretell, and what further sin does Manasseh commit?
29 Manasseh, Amon, and Josiah, kings of Judah (21:1–23:30). Manasseh succeeds his father, Hezekiah, and reigns 55 years, doing bad in Jehovah’s eyes on a large scale. He restores the high places of false worship, sets up altars to Baal, makes a sacred pole as Ahab did, and makes Jehovah’s house a place of idolatry. Jehovah foretells that he will bring calamity on Jerusalem as he has done on Samaria, “wiping it clean and turning it upside down.” Manasseh also sheds innocent blood “in very great quantity.” (21:13, 16) He is succeeded by his son Amon, who continues to do bad for two years, until struck down by assassins.
30. Why and how does Josiah return to Jehovah with all his heart?
30 The people now make Amon’s son Josiah king. During his 31-year reign, he briefly reverses Judah’s plunge toward destruction ‘by walking in all the way of David his forefather.’ (22:2) He begins repairs on the house of Jehovah, and there the high priest finds the book of the Law. This confirms that destruction will come on the nation for its disobedience to Jehovah, but Josiah is assured that because of his faithfulness, it will not come in his day. He purges the house of Jehovah and the entire land of demon worship and extends his idol-smashing activity to Bethel, where he destroys Jeroboam’s altar in fulfillment of the prophecy at 1 Kings 13:1, 2. He reinstitutes the Passover to Jehovah. “Like him there did not prove to be a king prior to him who returned to Jehovah with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his vital force, according to all the law of Moses.” (23:25) Nevertheless, Jehovah’s anger still burns because of Manasseh’s offenses. Josiah dies in an encounter with the king of Egypt at Megiddo.
31. What setbacks befall Judah following Josiah’s death?
31 Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Jehoiachin, kings of Judah (23:31–24:17). After a three-month reign, Josiah’s son Jehoahaz is taken captive by the king of Egypt, and his brother Eliakim, whose name is changed to Jehoiakim, is placed on the throne. He follows in the wrong course of his forefathers and becomes subject to Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, but rebels against him after three years. At Jehoiakim’s death his son Jehoiachin begins to reign. Nebuchadnezzar besieges Jerusalem, captures it, and carries the treasures of the house of Jehovah to Babylon, “just as Jehovah had spoken” by Isaiah. (24:13; 20:17) Jehoiachin and thousands of his subjects are carried into exile in Babylon.
32. What dramatic events lead up to the desolation of Jerusalem and of the land?
32 Zedekiah, last king of Judah (24:18–25:30). Nebuchadnezzar makes Jehoiachin’s uncle Mattaniah king and changes his name to Zedekiah. He reigns 11 years in Jerusalem and continues to do bad in Jehovah’s eyes. He rebels against Babylon, so in Zedekiah’s ninth year, Nebuchadnezzar and his entire army come up and build a siege wall all around Jerusalem. After 18 months the city is ravaged by famine. The walls are then breached, and Zedekiah is captured while trying to flee. His sons are slaughtered before him, and he is blinded. In the next month, all the principal houses of the city, including the house of Jehovah and the king’s house, are burned and the city walls demolished. Most of the survivors are carried off captive to Babylon. Gedaliah is appointed governor over the few lowly ones who remain in the countryside of Judah. However, he is assassinated, and the people flee to Egypt. Thus, from the seventh month of 607 B.C.E., the land lies utterly desolate. The final words of Second Kings tell of the favor the king of Babylon shows to Jehoiachin in the 37th year of his captivity.
WHY BENEFICIAL
33. What fine examples are provided in Second Kings for us to follow?
33 Though it covers the fatal decline of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, Second Kings sparkles with many examples of Jehovah’s blessing on individuals who showed love for him and his right principles. Like the widow of Zarephath before her, the Shunammite woman received an abundant blessing for her hospitality shown to God’s prophet. (4:8-17, 32-37) Jehovah’s ability always to provide was shown when Elisha fed a hundred men from 20 loaves, even as Jesus was to perform similar miracles later. (2 Ki. 4:42-44; Matt. 14:16-21; Mark 8:1-9) Note how Jehonadab received a blessing in being invited to go along in Jehu’s chariot to see the destruction of the Baal worshipers. And why? Because he took positive action in coming out to greet the zealous Jehu. (2 Ki. 10:15, 16) Finally, there are the splendid examples of Hezekiah and Josiah, in their humility and proper respect for Jehovah’s name and Law. (19:14-19; 22:11-13) These are splendid examples for us to follow.
34. What does Second Kings teach us regarding respect for official servants and regarding bloodguilt?
34 Jehovah tolerates no disrespect for his official servants. When the delinquents mocked Elisha as the prophet of Jehovah, He brought swift recompense. (2:23, 24) Moreover, Jehovah respects the blood of the innocent. His judgment rested heavily on Ahab’s house not only because of Baal worship but also because of the bloodshed that accompanied it. Thus, Jehu was anointed to avenge “the blood of all the servants of Jehovah at the hand of Jezebel.” When judgment was executed against Jehoram, Jehu remembered Jehovah’s pronouncement that it was on account of “the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons.” (9:7, 26) Likewise, it was Manasseh’s bloodguilt that finally sealed Judah’s doom. Adding to his sin of false worship, Manasseh ‘filled Jerusalem with blood from end to end.’ Even though Manasseh later repented of his bad course, bloodguilt remained. (2 Chron. 33:12, 13) Not even the good reign of Josiah, and his putting away of all idolatry, could wipe out the community bloodguilt carrying over from Manasseh’s reign. Years later, when Jehovah began to bring his executioners up against Jerusalem, he declared that it was because Manasseh had “filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and Jehovah did not consent to grant forgiveness.” (2 Ki. 21:16; 24:4) Likewise, Jesus declared that the Jerusalem of the first century C.E. had to perish because its priests were the sons of those who shed the blood of the prophets, ‘that there may come upon them all the righteous blood spilled on earth.’ (Matt. 23:29-36) God warns the world that he will avenge the innocent blood that has been shed, especially the blood “of those slaughtered because of the word of God.”—Rev. 6:9, 10.
35. (a) How are Elijah, Elisha, and Isaiah confirmed to be true prophets? (b) In connection with Elijah, what does Peter say as to prophecy?
35 The unerring sureness with which Jehovah brings his prophetic judgments to fulfillment is also shown in Second Kings. Three leading prophets are brought to our attention, Elijah, Elisha, and Isaiah. The prophecies of each one are shown to have striking fulfillments. (2 Ki. 9:36, 37; 10:10, 17; 3:14, 18, 24; 13:18, 19, 25; 19:20, 32-36; 20:16, 17; 24:13) Elijah is also confirmed as a true prophet in his appearing with the prophet Moses and the Great Prophet, Jesus Christ, in the transfiguration on the mountain. (Matt. 17:1-5) Referring to the magnificence of that occasion, Peter said: “Consequently we have the prophetic word made more sure; and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until day dawns and a daystar rises, in your hearts.”—2 Pet. 1:19.
36. Why did Jehovah show his people mercy, and how is our confidence in the Kingdom of the Seed deepened?
36 The events recorded in Second Kings clearly reveal that Jehovah’s judgment against all practicers of false religion and all willful shedders of innocent blood is extermination. Yet, Jehovah showed favor and mercy to his people “for the sake of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (2 Ki. 13:23) He preserved them “for the sake of David his servant.” (8:19) He will show like mercy to those who turn to him in this day. As we review the Bible record and promises, with what deepening confidence we look forward to the Kingdom of the “son of David,” Jesus Christ the promised Seed, in which bloodshed and wickedness will be no more!—Matt. 1:1; Isa. 2:4; Ps. 145:20.
[Footnotes]
a Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pages 152, 325; Vol. 2, pages 908, 1101. |
Youth (yy)
1976 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yy | outputs
PAGE CHAPTER
5 1 Living for Today and Tomorrow
9 2 Why You Can Look to the Future with Confidence
18 3 Growing into Manhood
25 4 Moving into Womanhood
35 5 Masturbation and Homosexuality
44 6 Caring for Yourself Physically
50 7 Your Clothes and Appearance Talk—About You
59 8 What Kind of Friends Do You Want?
67 9 Are You Bored at Home?
73 10 How Do You View Your Parents?
80 11 Why Study in School?
86 12 Do You Finish What You Start?
92 13 How Do You View Discipline?
97 14 Should You Drink Alcoholic Beverages?
106 15 Drugs—Key to Real Living?
116 16 Sports and Entertainment
124 17 The Music and Dancing You Choose
133 18 Does Sexual Morality Make Sense?
142 19 Dating and Courtship
157 20 Can You Succeed in Marriage?
166 21 How Do You View Material Possessions?
172 22 Honesty—Does It Pay?
180 23 What Do You Want out of Life?
187 24 A Grand Future in Store for You
The scriptures referred to in this book may be found in any translation of the Bible. However, unless otherwise indicated, direct quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1971 edition. |
Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1)
2011 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1 | CHAPTER 38
How Can I Make Worship of God Enjoyable?
Josh, 16, is sprawled on his bed. His mom stands at the doorway. “Joshua, get up!” she says sternly. “You know it’s a meeting night!” Josh is being raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and attendance at Christian meetings is a part of the family routine. Lately, though, Josh hasn’t felt inclined to attend.
“Oh, Mom,” he groans, “do I really have to go?”
“Stop complaining and get dressed,” she replies. “I don’t want to be late again!” She turns and starts to walk away.
“Look, Mom,” Josh blurts out while she’s still within earshot. “This may be your religion, but that doesn’t mean it’s mine.” He knows his mom heard that because the sound of her footsteps has stopped. Then, without responding, she continues walking away.
Josh feels a twinge of guilt. He doesn’t really want to hurt his mom. But he doesn’t want to apologize either. The only thing he can do is . . .
With a sigh, Josh starts getting dressed. Then he says, more to himself than to his mom: “Sooner or later I’m going to have to make my own decision. I’m not like the others at the Kingdom Hall. I’m just not cut out to be a Christian!”
HAVE you ever felt the way Josh does in the preceding scenario? At times, does it seem that while others enjoy Christian activities, you’re just going through the motions? For instance:
● Is studying the Bible just like another homework assignment to you?
● Do you dislike taking part in the door-to-door ministry?
● Do you often find yourself getting bored at Christian meetings?
If your answer is yes, don’t be discouraged. You can learn to enjoy serving God. Let’s see how.
CHALLENGE 1 Studying the Bible
Why it’s not easy. Maybe you feel you’re just not the “studying type.” Your attention span seems short—it’s hard to sit still and concentrate! Besides, don’t you have enough studying to do for school?
Why you should do it. Not only is the Bible inspired of God but it’s also “useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live.” (2 Timothy 3:16, Contemporary English Version) Studying the Bible and meditating on what you read can open up a whole new world for you. Let’s face it, nothing worthwhile comes to you without some hard work. If you want to play a sport well, you’ve got to learn the rules and practice the game. If you want to get fit, you need to exercise. Likewise, if you want to learn about your Creator, you need to study God’s Word.
What your peers say. “I came to a crossroads in my life when I got to high school. The kids were doing all sorts of wrong things, and I had to make some decisions: ‘Is that what I want to do? Are my parents really teaching me the truth?’ I had to find out for myself.”—Tshedza.
“I always believed that what I had learned was the truth, but I needed to prove it to myself. I had to make it my own religion—as opposed to it being just a family religion.”—Nelisa.
What you can do. Make up your own, customized personal study plan. You get to choose which subjects you’ll explore. Where could you start? Why not dig into your Bible and scrutinize your beliefs, perhaps using a book such as What Does the Bible Really Teach?a
Get started! Put a ✔ next to two or three Bible topics below that you’d like to learn more about—or, if you prefer, write in some of your own.
□ Is there a God?
□ How can I be sure that the Bible writers were inspired by God?
□ Why should I believe in creation rather than evolution?
□ What is God’s Kingdom, and how can I prove its existence?
□ How can I explain my belief about what happens at death?
□ Why should I be convinced that there will be a resurrection?
□ How can I be sure which is the true religion?
․․․․․
CHALLENGE 2 Engaging in the Ministry
Why it’s not easy. Talking to others about the Bible—or encountering a schoolmate while doing so—can be scary.
Why you should do it. Jesus instructed his followers: “Make disciples . . . , teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) But there are further reasons for doing it. Studies suggest that in some places the vast majority of teens believe in God and in the Bible. Yet, those same youths have no genuine hope for the future. Through your study of the Bible, you have the very information that many of your peers are searching for and need! By sharing your beliefs with others, you will feel better about yourself, and more important, you will make Jehovah’s heart rejoice.—Proverbs 27:11.
What your peers say. “My friend and I prepared effective introductions, and we learned how to overcome objections and how to make return visits. Once I started putting more into my ministry, it became more enjoyable.”—Nelisa.
“One Christian sister has helped me out so much! She’s six years older than I am, and she takes me out in the ministry with her and sometimes out to breakfast. She showed me encouraging scriptures that helped me to rearrange my thinking. I find that now I reach out to people more because of her wonderful example. I could never repay her!”—Shontay.
What you can do. With your parents’ permission, find someone in your congregation who is older than you and with whom you can share in the ministry. (Acts 16:1-3) The Bible states: “By iron, iron itself is sharpened. So one man sharpens the face of another.” (Proverbs 27:17) There are many benefits to associating with older ones who have a wealth of experience. “It’s actually a relief to be around older ones,” says 19-year-old Alexis.
Get started! Below, write the name of someone in your congregation in addition to your parents who could assist you in the ministry.
․․․․․
CHALLENGE 3 Attending Christian Meetings
Why it’s not easy. After sitting in class all day, an hour or so of listening to Bible-based talks might seem like an eternity.
Why you should do it. The Bible exhorts Christians: “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 you behold the day drawing near.”—Hebrews 10:24, 25.
What your peers say. “Preparing for congregation meetings is an absolute must. Sometimes you just have to motivate yourself. When you do prepare, you enjoy the meetings because you know what’s being discussed, and you can even participate.”—Elda.
“At one point, I began to notice that when I gave comments at the meetings, those meetings became much more interesting to me.”—Jessica.
What you can do. Take time to prepare in advance, and if you can, offer a comment. This will help you to feel more a part of what is going on.
To illustrate: What’s more enjoyable—watching a sport on television or playing it on the field? Obviously, being a participant is more rewarding than being a spectator. Why not take that approach to Christian meetings?
Get started! In the space below, write down the time when you can spend just 30 minutes each week preparing for a congregation meeting.
․․․․․
Many youths are experiencing the truthfulness of Psalm 34:8, which says: “Taste and see that Jehovah is good.” How satisfying is it just to hear about a mouthwatering dish? Isn’t it better to savor the food for yourself? It’s the same with worshipping God. Taste and see for yourself how rewarding it is to participate in spiritual activities. The Bible says that the one who is not just a hearer but a doer of the work “will be happy in his doing it.”—James 1:25.
IN OUR NEXT CHAPTERLearn how to set—and reach—your goals.
[Footnote]
a Published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.
KEY SCRIPTURE
“Be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”—Romans 12:2.
TIP
Get a notebook, and start writing down main points at Christian meetings. Time will pass faster, and learning will be easier!
DID YOU KNOW . . . ?
It’s not wrong to examine your religious beliefs. In fact, asking questions and then doing research is a good way to find out whether what you believe about God is really the truth.—Acts 17:11.
ACTION PLAN!
I will schedule ․․․․․ minutes of Bible reading each day and will spend ․․․․․ each week preparing for Christian meetings.
To pay better attention at Christian meetings, I will ․․․․․
What I would like to ask my parent(s) about this subject is ․․․․․
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
● Why might spiritual activities seem boring to a teenager?
● Which of the three aspects of worship discussed in this chapter would you like to work on?
[Blurb on page 278]
“The religion I’m in is no longer just my parents’ religion but my religion. Jehovah is my God, and I don’t want to do anything that will harm my relationship with him.”—Samantha
[Box/Pictures on pages 280, 281]
They Set Goals
The Bible states: “You do not know what your life will be tomorrow.” (James 4:14) In some cases, death comes unexpectedly and at a young age. As you read the experiences of Catrina and Kyle, note how they made a good name with Jehovah God during their brief lives by setting and reaching spiritual goals.—Ecclesiastes 7:1.
Catrina passed away at the age of 18, but at 13 she had already written out a “life plan”—a list of goals she wanted to achieve. Her goals included entering the full-time ministry, serving in a land where there is a need for Bible teachers, and working along with her dad on Kingdom Hall construction projects. She wrote: “I have made a dedication of my life to Jehovah God!” Catrina’s aim was to “live according to his standards, in a way that makes him happy.” At her funeral, Catrina was described as a “beautiful young woman who had her whole life planned out to be centered around Jehovah.”
From an early age, Kyle was taught to have goals. After a tragic car accident claimed his life at age 20, his relatives found a “goal book” that his mom helped him make when he was just four years old. His goals included getting baptized, giving talks at the Kingdom Hall, and serving at the headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses, where he could assist in producing literature that would help people to learn about God. After looking through Kyle’s goal book, made so many years earlier, his mother stated, “He reached every one of those goals.”
What goals have you set for yourself? You do not know what your life will hold tomorrow. So, use each day you have to the full. Like Catrina and Kyle, spend your time in the most rewarding way possible. Imitate the apostle Paul, who could say near the close of his life: “I have fought the fine fight, I have run the course to the finish, I have observed the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7) The following chapter will help you to do just that!
[Picture on pages 274, 275]
If you want to become physically fit, you need to exercise. If you want to become spiritually fit, you need to study God’s Word |
When You Feel Like Giving Up on Life | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102012006 | When You Feel Like Giving Up on Life
EACH year tens of thousands of people in the United States alone attempt to take their own life. The Bible gives a fundamental reason why many are in such a state of despair. It explains that we live in “critical times hard to deal with.” People feel the pressures of life with great intensity. (2 Timothy 3:1; Ecclesiastes 7:7) When a person is overwhelmed by life’s anxieties, he may contemplate suicide as a means to escape pain. What can you do if you have had such thoughts?
You Are Not Alone!
Even though your situation may seem desperate, remember that you are not alone and that sadly nearly everyone is coping with some type of problem today. The Bible states: “All creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together.” (Romans 8:22) While in the short term it may seem that your problem will never be resolved, things often do improve with the passing of time. In the meantime, what can help?
Share your feelings with a mature, trusted friend. The Bible says: “A true companion is loving all the time, and is a brother that is born for when there is distress.” (Proverbs 17:17) The righteous man Job, described in the Bible, opened up to others during his period of turmoil. When he felt what he referred to as “a loathing toward my life,” he stated: “I will give vent to my concern about myself. I will speak in the bitterness of my soul!” (Job 10:1) Confiding in others can diminish the intensity of your emotions, and it may give you a fresh perspective on the problems you face.a
Pour out your heart to God in prayer. Some have the idea that prayer is just a psychological crutch, but the Bible says otherwise. Psalm 65:2 calls Jehovah God the “Hearer of prayer,” and 1 Peter 5:7 says: “He cares for you.” The Bible repeatedly stresses the importance of relying on God. For example:
“Trust in Jehovah with all your heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.”—PROVERBS 3:5, 6.
“The desire of those fearing [Jehovah] he will perform, and their cry for help he will hear, and he will save them.”—PSALM 145:19.
“This is the confidence that we have toward him, that, no matter what it is that we ask according to his will, he hears us.”—1 JOHN 5:14.
“Jehovah is far away from the wicked ones, but the prayer of the righteous ones he hears.”—PROVERBS 15:29.
If you tell God the difficulties you face, he will provide help. For good reason, the Bible encourages you to “trust in him at all times . . . Before him pour out your heart.”—Psalm 62:8.
When More Is Needed
Studies reveal that most people who take their life have a history of depression.b This underscores the fact that medical attention may be necessary. A physician may prescribe medication or recommend dietary adjustments. In some cases, a program of exercise is an effective supplement to treatment. Professional medical care has proved beneficial to many.c
The Bible contains much information that can give you support and hope. For example, at Revelation 21:4, the Bible says regarding Jehovah God: “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.” This is a divine promise, and meditating on it can provide relief.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are sharing this Bible-based hope with millions of people around the world. As a result, many are finding genuine hope in these distressful times. For more information, contact Jehovah’s Witnesses in your area by visiting your local Kingdom Hall, or write to the appropriate address on page 5 of this magazine. You can also visit our Web site www.watchtower.org.
[Footnotes]
a Some have received help by calling a suicide-prevention center or a mental-health center.
b For more information on depression, see the July 2009 issue of Awake! pages 3-9.
c Awake! does not endorse any particular treatment. Each individual should carefully evaluate his options before making a personal decision.
[Box on page 16]
HELP FROM THE BIBLE
● “Do not be anxious over anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving 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.
● “I inquired of Jehovah, and he answered me, and out of all my frights he delivered me.”—Psalm 34:4.
● “Jehovah is near to those that are broken at heart; and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.”—Psalm 34:18.
● “He is healing the brokenhearted ones, and is binding up their painful spots.”—Psalm 147:3.
[Box on pages 17, 18]
IF YOU HAVE THOUGHTS OF SUICIDE . . .
Share your feelings with a trusted friend
Pour out your heart to God in prayer
Seek medical advice
[Box/Picture on page 18]
FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Family members and close friends are often the first to recognize that a distressed individual is contemplating suicide. Taking action can save that one’s life! Be an empathetic listener. Acknowledge the reality of the difficulties that he or she is undergoing. The Bible says: “Speak consolingly to the depressed souls.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14) Urge the distressed one to get help, and when necessary, follow through to make sure that such help is arranged. |
Paradise Restored (pm)
1972 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/pm | Chapter 8
Mercy to the Persecuted but Judgment to Persecutors
1. How much time was it after Haggai’s final prophecy before another inspired message came to the temple builders, and what had they done meantime?
AT THE Jerusalem of the days of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah the time had now moved into the first quarter of the year 519 B.C.E., but still in the second year of the reign of King Darius I of the Persian Empire, the Fourth World Power of Bible history. It was exactly two lunar months since the day that Haggai was inspired to give his final prophecies—to the Aaronic priests and to Governor Zerubbabel. That was on the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month (Chislev), which was toward the beginning of the year 519 B.C.E. On that memorable day of Jerusalem’s history, work had been taken up again at the foundation of the temple on Mount Moriah, just north of Mount Zion. Before another inspired message came to the Jewish builders from their God, they worked unceasingly at the sacred building site, for two whole months. This time they did not let any attempts at interference by enemies stop them.
2. Who evidently would get the news before King Darius I did concerning what was going on at Jerusalem, and how much time for getting a decision would be involved?
2 By Shebat 24, 519 B.C.E., the word of what was going on at Jerusalem may not have reached the ears of King Darius at the distant Persian capital city. The news traveled quite slowly, even by couriers riding post-horses and covering about a hundred miles a day. (Esther 3:13-15; 8:10, 14) From Jerusalem by way of the “fertile crescent” over to Shushan would be over a thousand miles, and from Shushan up to Ecbatana to the north would be more than two hundred miles, if the roads were straight. Hence considerable time would be required for King Darius to get the startling information. Persian officials of provinces lying beyond (westward of) the Euphrates River from the king in Persia, reasonably, would get the news earlier. This is evidently what happened. The discussions that followed and the investigations that were launched must have occupied months (four or five months, according to some estimates) before a decision by King Darius on the matter in dispute could be received and enforced. Here is what took place, as recorded in Ezra 5:2 to 6:2:
3. What questions did the Persian governors westward beyond the Euphrates River ask the temple builders, and what did these do?
3 “It was then that Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jehozadak got up and started to rebuild the house of God, which was in Jerusalem; and with them there were God’s prophets giving them aid. At that time Tattenai the governor beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues came to them, and this is what they were saying to them: ‘Who put an order through to you to build this house and to finish this beam structure?’ Then they said to them this: ‘What are the names of the able-bodied men that are building this building?’ And the eye of their God proved to be upon the older men of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report could go to Darius and then an official document concerning this could be sent back.
4. What did the letter that the Persian governors sent to King Darius I say?
4 “Here is a copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues, the lesser governors that were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king; they sent the word to him, and the writing in it was in this manner:
“‘To Darius the king:
“‘All peace! Let it become known to the king that we went to the jurisdictional district of Judah to the house of the great God, and it is being built with stones rolled into place, and timbers are being laid in the walls; and that work is being eagerly done and is making progress in their hands. Then we asked these older men. This is what we said to them: “Who put an order through to you to build this house and to finish this beam structure?” And we also asked them their names, so as to let you know, that we might write the names of the able-bodied men that are at their head.
“‘And this is the word that they gave back to us, saying: “We are the servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and we are rebuilding the house that had been built many years before this, which a great king of Israel built and finished. However, because our fathers irritated the God of the heavens, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, and he demolished this house and took the people into exile at Babylon. Nevertheless, in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, Cyrus the king put an order through to rebuild this house of God. And also the gold and silver vessels of the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple, which was in Jerusalem, and brought to the temple of Babylon, these Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were given to Sheshbazzar, the name of the one whom he made governor. And he said to him: ‘Take these vessels. Go, deposit them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt upon its place.’ When that Sheshbazzar came he laid the foundations of the house of God, which is in Jerusalem; and from then until now it is being rebuilt but it has not been completed.”
“‘And now if to the king it seems good, let there be an investigation in the king’s house of treasures that is there in Babylon, whether it is so that from Cyrus the king an order was put through to rebuild that house of God in Jerusalem; and the decision of the king concerning this let him send to us.’
5. What action did King Darius take on receipt of the letter, and what was found?
5 “It was then that Darius the king put an order through, and they made an investigation in the house of the records of the treasures deposited there in Babylon. And at Ecbatana, in the fortified place that was in the jurisdictional district of Media, there was found a scroll, and the memorandum to this effect was written within it.”
6. While that was going on, what were the builders at Jerusalem doing, and what happened on Shebat 24 of 519 B.C.E.?
6 During all the time that the things narrated by the priest Ezra were taking place, the Jewish remnant under Governor Zerubbabel and the High Priest Joshua courageously went forward with the temple reconstruction. This was true on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which fell in the winter of the year 519 B.C.E. On that momentous day the prophet Zechariah began to receive a series of encouraging visions. About this he tells us:
THE FIRST VISION
7. In the first vision on Shebat 24, what did Zechariah see?
7 “On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, that is, the month Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of Jehovah occurred to Zechariah the son of Berechiah the son of Iddo the prophet, saying: ‘I saw in the night, and, look! a man riding on a red horse, and he was standing still among the myrtle trees that were in the deep place; and behind him there were horses red, bright red, and white.’”—Zechariah 1:7, 8.
8, 9. Who explained matters to Zechariah, and what questions did the sight of those horses arouse?
8 During the vision Zechariah had an angelic guide, who explained things to him, things that we today also want to understand. Those horses with their riders, standing there among the myrtle trees in the hollow alongside Jerusalem—why were they there? Was war impending against Jerusalem at this stage of temple building? In the Bible horses are a symbol of war. (Job 39:19-25; Proverbs 21:31) Who sent those horses? Whom do the horsemen represent? Is their purpose warfare? Zechariah desired to know:
9 “And so I said: ‘Who are these, my lord?’”
10, 11. Who did those horse riders prove to be, and what did they report to the rider among the myrtle trees?
10 “At that the angel who was speaking with me said to me: ‘I myself shall show you who these very ones are.’”—Zechariah 1:9.
11 Those horse riders proved to be holy angels, sent out by God on scout duty, as it were. This is what becomes apparent as we read: “Then the man [on horseback] who was standing still among the myrtle trees answered and said: ‘These are the ones whom Jehovah has sent forth to walk about in the earth.’ And they proceeded to answer the angel of Jehovah who was standing among the myrtle trees and to say: ‘We have walked about in the earth, and, look! the whole earth is sitting still and having no disturbance.’”—Zechariah 1:10, 11.
12. (a) In what way was “the whole earth” at peace, as reported by the angelic scouts? (b) Over what had Egypt fought with Assyria and then with Babylon in this connection?
12 What was it that those angelic scouts were saying to their chief astride the red horse? Were they saying that there was universal peace throughout the whole earth? Apparently so! But this was true only in a relative sense, that is, in relation to something else. To what? To Jerusalem and the territory of Judah. How so? In that Jerusalem had lost its former earthly position among the nations. Down to the year 607 B.C.E., it had been the seat of the typical Messianic kingdom of God on earth. This miniature kingdom of Jehovah was a disturbing factor to the Gentile world, the pagan nations. Egypt fought with Assyria and then with Babylon to have treaty relations with Jerusalem or to have a controlling voice in its affairs. But no more since 607 B.C.E.
13. Why, since 607 B.C.E., did Egypt cease to maintain treaty relations with the typical Messianic kingdom at Jerusalem?
13 In that year of world importance King Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian armies and allies destroyed Jerusalem and its temple. The kingdom of David was overthrown, and a king of David’s royal line ceased to sit on “Jehovah’s throne” at Jerusalem. The last human king who sat there, Zedekiah the great granduncle of Zerubbabel, was caught and taken captive to Babylon, to wear out the rest of his life there as an exile, blinded, imprisoned. During the month of Tishri of 607 B.C.E., what few Jews had been left as a poor, inconsequential minority in the land of Judah fled down to Egypt because of fear of the Babylonians (Chaldeans), and the land of Judah and Jerusalem were left desolated without man or even domestic animal. Just as the prophet Jeremiah had foretold! It was then that a divinely marked out period of time began to count. What?
14. What did Jesus Christ call that divinely marked period, what did it mean for worldly politics, and when did it end?
14 “The times of the Gentiles,” or, “the appointed times of the nations,” as Jesus Christ later spoke of them, saying: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) Inasmuch as Jerusalem had been the seat of the miniature Messianic kingdom of God and therefore stood for the right of God’s kingdom to rule in the hands of a Messianic descendant of King David, this meant something special to those Gentile nations that were to be permitted to trample on Jerusalem or its Kingdom right. What? Nothing less than that the Gentile nations would be permitted by Jehovah of armies to rule the earth without interference from any Messianic kingdom of God, such as the former one that had had its capital in earthly Jerusalem. As the Gentile Times of such noninterruption were to run for seven symbolic “times” or for 2,520 literal years, this marked period would run from Tishri of 607 B.C.E. down to Tishri of 1914 C.E., in our own twentieth century. (Daniel, chapter four) No wonder that, back there in 519 B.C.E., the angelic scouts reported the whole earth as without disturbance!
15. Why was the status of the land of Judah and its Jewish governor nothing to be disturbed about, and how did the inquiring Governor Tattenai proceed respecting the resumed temple building?
15 In that second year of King Darius I, the land of Judah with its local capital at Jerusalem was merely one of the 127 provinces of the Persian Empire “from India to Ethiopia.” (Esther 1:1-3) It had a governor, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, but he was not sitting upon the throne of David as his grandfather, King Jehoiachin, had done for three months and ten days. He was directly responsible probably to one of the governors of a jurisdictional district on the western side of the Euphrates, probably Governor Tattenai, and then ultimately responsible to King Darius I. So now there was hardly anything to get seriously disturbed about as regards Jerusalem. Of course, Governor Tattenai had got excited because rebuilding work had been resumed at the temple foundation and he had officially inquired: “What are the names of the able-bodied men that are building this building?” But he did not apply military force to stop the work. He chose rather to submit the question to King Darius for his decision according to the “law of the Medes and the Persians, which is not annulled.” (Daniel 6:8) Why such self-restraint on Governor Tattenai’s part? Ezra 5:5 explains:
16. According to Ezra 5:5, why did Governor Tattenai proceed that way?
16 “And the eye of their God proved to be upon the older men of the Jews, and they did not stop them until the report could go to Darius and then an official document concerning this could be sent back.”
17, 18. (a) So what could the angelic scouts announce as to the state of the “whole earth”? (b) But whose attitude on this was it of highest importance to inquire about, and what inquiry was made?
17 Accordingly, as regards world uneasiness over what Jerusalem was planning and doing, the angelic scouts could report to their chief among the myrtle trees in the deep place by Jerusalem: “The whole earth is sitting still and having no disturbance.” The Gentile or pagan world, indeed, was sitting complacently without fears of any interference in its affairs by any kind of a Messianic kingdom of Jehovah God. But what about Jehovah of armies himself? What was his attitude toward Jerusalem and what it represented? Was there any further assurance from Him now that his prophet Haggai had ceased to speak under inspiration? Was he also complacent like the Gentile nations as regards the welfare of Jerusalem and the role it had to play in the outworking of Jehovah’s purposes? The angels of heaven were also concerned about this, and especially so Michael, “the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your [Daniel’s] people.” (Daniel 12:1; 1 Peter 1:12) In proof of this the prophet Zechariah next sees this in the vision:
18 “So the angel of Jehovah answered and said: ‘O Jehovah of armies, how long will you yourself not show mercy to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah, whom you have denounced these seventy years?’”—Zechariah 1:12.
19. Why had the “seventy years” of divine denunciation appeared to some to be continuing?
19 To some minds, according to what was said by the angel, it appeared that Jehovah’s denunciation of “these seventy years” was still continuing against Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah. This was due to the fact that the rebuilding of his temple had been neglected for the past seventeen years. He had had very much indignation against their fathers who suffered exile because of profaning the former temple that had been built by King Solomon. Now, in the eighth month (Heshvan) of the year 520 B.C.E. Jehovah had warned the repatriated Jewish remnant to avoid suffering divine indignation through becoming like their fathers and not returning to Jehovah with zeal for full worship of Him through a rebuilt temple. (Zechariah 1:1-6) In the light of this we are to understand the outcry of the angel according to what these things might indicate to him regarding Jerusalem and the other cities of repopulated Judah.
20. So why is the angel’s outcry about “these seventy years” not to be misunderstood as if those “years” were continuing?
20 The angel’s mention of these “seventy years” calls to mind the seventy years mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah. During those seventy years the nations of Judah and Israel must serve the dynasty of kings of Babylon, at the end of which seventy years Jehovah was to call the erroneous conduct of the king of Babylon and of the Chaldeans to account and He would punish them therefor. (Jeremiah 25:11-13) So did Jehovah’s angel mean that those seventy years had not yet ended, or that they had just now ended? This could not historically be true. Why not? Because about twenty years before this (in 539 B.C.E.) Jehovah had used Cyrus the Great of Persia to overthrow Babylon as a world power and about two years later, in 537 B.C.E., Jehovah moved Cyrus who was acting as the king of Babylon to let the Jewish exiles leave Babylon and return to Jerusalem to rebuild Jehovah’s temple.—Ezra 1:1 to 2:2; 2 Chronicles 36:20-23.
21. During those “seventy years,” how was the land of Judah to lie, and what now shows whether that state of the land had long passed?
21 Furthermore, the land of Judah was to keep a “sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.” (2 Chronicles 36:21) How? By lying as a “desolate waste without man and domestic animal,” it having been “given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” (Jeremiah 32:43; 33:10-12) Both the prophet Zechariah and the angels knew that those seventy years of utter desolation of the land of Judah and Jerusalem without man and domestic animal had ended in the year 537 B.C.E. when the Jewish remnant returned from Babylon and reoccupied the land, they being reported back in their cities in the seventh month (Tishri) of that year. (Ezra 3:1, 2) Instead of its lying as a desolate waste any longer, crops began to be raised in the land, as the prophet Haggai reports seventeen years later. (Haggai 1:6-11; 2:16, 17) So those seventy years were long past!
22. How did the prophet Daniel indicate that the “seventy years” did not extend to 519 B.C.E., when Zechariah got his first vision?
22 If, at the time of Zechariah’s first vision, those seventy years were still continuing or were just now over, why would the angel, knowing what he did, speak as he did? Since he knew that the time period was definitely seventy years long, why would he say: “O Jehovah of armies, how long?” (Zechariah 1:12) Why, away back in the first year of Darius the Mede after the overthrow of Babylon in 539 B.C.E., the prophet Daniel “discerned by the books the number of the years concerning which the word of Jehovah had occurred to Jeremiah the prophet, for fulfilling the devastations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.” (Daniel 9:1, 2) And certainly Daniel verified the number of years, not seventeen long years before they were due to end, but immediately before the end of the seventy years in the first year of the reign of King Cyrus the Persian. Thus the aged prophet Daniel, who lived at least into “the third year of Cyrus the king of Persia,” could know that he had calculated the length of the time period correctly. (Daniel 10:1) Hence those “seventy years” did not extend to the time when Zechariah got his first vision, in 519 B.C.E.
23. Those “seventy years” were the opening of what larger period of time, and so, in asking, “How long?” the angel was making what comparison?
23 Be it remembered, also, that those unforgettable seventy years were the first seventy years of the Gentile Times, “the appointed times of the nations.” So, when those seventy years ended in 537 B.C.E., the Gentile Times still continued on for Jerusalem to be trampled on by the Gentile nations. (Luke 21:24) Apparently, then, the angel who cried out, “O Jehovah of armies, how long?” was referring back to that former period of seventy years as an illustration of Jehovah’s denunciation of his chosen people. He was asking whether Jehovah’s denunciation of them was being renewed because of their long neglect toward His temple. And so the angel was asking how long it would yet be before Jehovah would show mercy to Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah. The prophet Zechariah was also interested in knowing this. We, also!
24. How did Jehovah answer the inquiring angel, and so how did Jehovah feel toward Jerusalem and how toward the Gentile nations?
24 It must have been satisfying to Zechariah to be allowed to overhear the conversation between Jehovah of armies and the inquiring angel: “And Jehovah proceeded to answer the angel who was speaking with me, with good words, comforting words; and the angel who was speaking with me went on to say to me: ‘Call out, saying, “This is what Jehovah of armies has said: ‘I have been jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with great jealousy. With great indignation I am feeling indignant against the nations that are at ease; because I, for my part, felt indignant to only a little extent, but they, for their part, helped toward calamity.’”’”—Zechariah 1:13-15.
25. Why had Jehovah been indignant with his chosen people, but why had he become indignant toward the Gentile nations?
25 Justly, Jehovah felt indignation against this disobedient chosen people. He was therefore obliged to administer disciplinary punishment to them. He used Babylon and her allies and sympathizers as His instrument in applying the punishment. However, he was “indignant to only a little extent.” On the other hand, the Gentile nations who were used as His instrument of correction carried the disciplinary action too far, out of sheer hatred of his chosen people and to show their contempt for him and his worship. Viciously they “helped toward calamity” upon his people. In malice they added an extra measure to that calamity. How prone the persecutors in modern times have been to do that way to Jehovah’s worshipers! For good and just cause Jehovah of armies could say: “With great indignation I am feeling indignant against the nations.” Let the nationalistically minded persecutors of today remember that!
26. Therefore, what did Jehovah now purpose to do as to Jerusalem?
26 “Therefore this is what Jehovah has said, ‘I shall certainly return to Jerusalem with mercies. My own house will be built in her,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, ‘and a measuring line itself will be stretched out over Jerusalem.’”—Zechariah 1:16.
27. How would Jehovah prove to the persecutors that he had not permanently abandoned Jerusalem, and how would the measuring line be stretched out over her?
27 The disciplinary action of the Gentile nations against the people of Judah and Jerusalem had been carried to the point of outright persecution. These people had been completely abandoned by their God to them, the persecutors must have thought. But not so! Jehovah had not abandoned them for all time. He was determined to prove this to the persecutors. In symbol of this, Jerusalem was not to be left permanently desolated. He would return to her with mercies by having her raised from the dust and rubble and once again peopled. Houses would be built in her, and thus the “measuring line itself will be stretched out over Jerusalem,” during house building. Why, even the most important building of all would be built in her—Jehovah’s temple itself! What a setback that would be for the persecutors and to their false gods!
28. Thus Jehovah’s choice was to be made manifest to whom, and what was it that Jehovah chose?
28 The divine time for reconstruction had arrived. Nothing was now going to stop it. The divine choice had been made of his visible earthly organization. That choice was to be made manifest by divine favor, whether the worldly nations that were at ease resented it or not. No secret was to be made of the divine choice. To show that public attention was to be called to the divine decision and choice, the command was issued in the hearing of the prophet Zechariah: “Call out further, saying, ‘This is what Jehovah of armies has said: “My cities will yet overflow with goodness; and Jehovah will yet certainly feel regrets over Zion and yet actually choose Jerusalem.”’”—Zechariah 1:17.
29. (a) So what did Jehovah claim as his possession, and how was he to show his choice of such? (b) By what other name was Jerusalem called and why, and who would reside there?
29 Let us note that Jehovah of armies calls the cities of the Persian province of Judah “my cities.” He has chosen them. He claims them as his possession. He will give proof that these reconstructed cities were his by filling them with goodness from him. Consequently they would prosper. Each of these cities would have its body of elders for their local government. Such reorganized cities would not be without their earthly capital. That chief city would be the one of Jehovah’s choice. It would be the one that had been the preexile capital of Jehovah’s people, namely, Jerusalem, rebuilt by his own people. That was no democratic choice, nor any imperial choice. It was the theocratic choice. This city chosen by the heavenly Theocrat Jehovah of armies was also called Zion, because Mount Zion had been the location of King David’s palace alongside of which David had pitched the tent for the temporary residence of Jehovah’s Ark of the Covenant. In rebuilt Zion or Jerusalem was to be the location of the provincial governing body. So Governor Zerubbabel resided here.
30. How and when did Jehovah “feel regrets over Zion”?
30 Because of the persistent disobedience of its inhabitants, Jehovah had decreed that Zion or Jerusalem should be destructed by the Babylonians and that it would lie desolate for seventy years. At his due time Jehovah felt regrets for desolate Zion. Not that he had done wrong or made a mistake in having Zion destructed, but that his will had been carried out and his purpose had been served and he had vindicated himself. Now his indignation could subside and he could comfort himself. He could now feel sorrow for the object of his indignation and now feel free to show pity toward it and comfort it. Thus, without having to admit any mistake, Jehovah felt regrets for Zion at the end of the seventy years of desolation. Without having to undo any misdeed on His part and without having to make reparations for any unwarranted injuries on His part, Jehovah mercifully brought his exiled people back and had them reconstruct Zion. The time of destruction was past; the time of construction was here! What a display of divine pity!
31. (a) What nation had called out for Jerusalem to be razed to the ground, and in what belief? (b) When was it the time to call out the choice of Jehovah as to a city?
31 At the time of the razing of Zion or Jerusalem in the year 607 B.C.E., the enemy Edomites had egged on the Babylonian conquerors by saying: “Lay it bare! Lay it bare to the foundation within it!” (Psalm 137:7) The gloating enemies thought that its God, Jehovah, had cast off the city forever, and, like them, He would never choose Jerusalem again. But Jehovah could not forget or deny his gracious prophecies concerning Jerusalem. In faithfulness he did “actually choose Jerusalem,” and that choice held good years later, in 519 B.C.E., at the time of the first vision of Zechariah. Not only was Jerusalem constructed again by his own people, but the foundation of his temple was laid there and work on the superstructure was already begun. When that temple was fully constructed, then Jehovah would put his own name there, his presence by his spirit would be there, his full worship would be resumed there. This would prove to all the nations that Jehovah had chosen Jerusalem. So, even in 519 B.C.E., it was time to call out his choice!
32. Why can we not look to modern-day Jerusalem for a fulfillment of Zechariah 1:17 today?
32 Has there been anything similar to this in modern times? Certainly not so with regard to modern Jerusalem over which the Arabs and the Israelis fought both in 1948 and in 1967. The orthodox Jews wail or recite prayers down below at the Western Wall (Kótel Maʽarabí), whereas on the platform about sixty feet above them the Mohammedans worship at the Dome of the Rock and the Mosque el-Aksa. To the south of this the Biblical Mount Zion lies desolate outside the present city walls. With all due regard for the facts of the situation, Jehovah has not chosen this earthly Jerusalem as a place for his name and worship. We must look elsewhere for the modern-day fulfillment of Zechariah 1:17.
33. (a) What today corresponds with Zerubbabel governing over ancient Jerusalem? (b) What about those over whom this one governs?
33 On earth today there is no temple-building being carried on by Zerubbabel as governor of Jerusalem. But there is the Greater Zerubbabel, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ glorified in the heavens. In Jehovah’s name he governs at what Hebrews 12:22 calls “Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem.” At the close of the Gentile Times in 1914 he was installed as reigning King there and he governs over those who are his true and faithful disciples on earth. Such disciples do not make up any part of Christendom, by any means, for she is made up of hundreds of conflicting religious sects and adheres to the United Nations as the preserver of world peace and security and her hands are full of bloodshed from the unchristian wars of this world. The heavenly Greater Zerubbabel governs over those who worship the same God that he does, namely, Jehovah of armies. These worshipers are also under obligation to be the Christian witnesses of this God, Jehovah. (Isaiah 43:10-12; 44:8) They are the ones identified with the “heavenly Jerusalem,” the seat of government of the Greater Zerubbabel.
34. During World War I of 1914-1918, how did it appear as if Jehovah had abandoned his spiritual Zion or Jerusalem?
34 Because of all these Scriptural connections, such Christian witnesses of Jehovah on earth represent the Mount Zion up above and the “heavenly Jerusalem.” What has happened to them has been like happening to the figurative Zion or Jerusalem. In the turmoil of World War I (1914-1918) they were persecuted by the so-called Christians of Christendom for trying to hold fast to the Kingdom of the Greater Zerubbabel, Jesus Christ. Their public witnessing to Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom was obstructed and reduced to a minimum. They were not fighting against one another with carnal weapons by fighting on the opposing sides of war-mad Christendom, but their international cooperation with one another was broken up by the enemies in breaking up their international organization. Because of the worldwide affliction upon them, it was as if Jehovah their God had abandoned the spiritual Zion or Jerusalem.
35. At the beginning of the postwar period, Jehovah’s choice as to who should represent his spiritual Zion or Jerusalem was between what groups?
35 Quite suddenly World War I came to an end by an armistice in November of 1918. The postwar period set in. Peacetime activities could now be resumed. In December of that year the religionists of Christendom began taking their stand in favor of an international organization for world peace and security. This was notably made publicly clear by the declaration of the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America that the proposed League of Nations is “the political expression of the kingdom of God on earth.” This even though all the nations of the proposed League were stained with the blood of the millions of war dead. Was the Federal Council correct in its high-sounding declaration, so piously religious in its wording? For a certainty it was the time for Jehovah of armies to make an expression of Himself. Whom would he choose as his representatives of spiritual Zion or Jerusalem? Christendom with her bloodstained persecutors, or the persecuted adherents to the kingdom of his Greater Zerubbabel, Jesus Christ? Whom would he organize as His witnesses?
36. What questions do we ask today to prove whether Christendom was Jehovah’s choice as his organization right after World War I?
36 Does the religious disorganization and deterioration of Christendom today overwhelmingly prove that back there in the postwar year of 1919 she was the choice of Jehovah of armies? Do the facts of today prove beyond all contradiction that He has filled her “cities” with His goodness to overflowing? Does his spiritual temple stand rebuilt within her as a house of worship, that is to say, is she through her hundreds of religious sects worshiping Jehovah as God at his spiritual temple? Who will come forward as the witnesses of Christendom to offer the unequivocal answer Yes? In the absence of such witnesses we look elsewhere.
37. What is it, as respects a change of condition, that draws our attention in the right direction of Jehovah’s choice?
37 Where? It is not just the name that draws our attention in the direction of Jehovah’s plainly evident choice. What does draw attention to the chosen ones is how they have organized for His postwar service and what they have both proclaimed and what they have uncompromisingly stood for on the world stage. Also, what they have done! Yes, too, the “mercies” with which Jehovah of armies has “returned” to them. This we can appreciate when we consider the spiritual state from which they have arisen in the postwar period. From a state of apparently being disowned, rejected, by God they have arisen. Yes, from the state of being persecuted almost to the death by Christendom, who persecuted them not just during World War I but also during World War II and in between those bloodbaths of the world, all in the effort to break up their religious organization and ruin them permanently as an irritating religious problem. Who, then, are such objects of religious persecution and hostility, but also of divine “mercies”?
38. Who on earth in the postwar period has proved to be Jehovah’s choice, and by what identifying features?
38 The historical facts since World War I of 1914-1918 identify them. Their role on the international scene today marks them out in bold relief. They are the Christian witnesses bearing the name of the God whom they worship and serve, Jehovah. From the religiously crippled state in which the postwar year of 1919 found this internationally despised group, this remnant of dedicated, baptized, spirit-anointed Christians stepped forth in Jehovah’s service upon the world stage of action. When the world, political, religious, military and social, was going over to the espousal of the League of Nations, this anointed remnant stood firm for Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom as the only hope for all humanity and entered upon a course of preaching “this good news of the kingdom” as never before in their earthly career. Their preaching of “this good news” has by now proved to be just as Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:14 foretold that it would be: “in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.” Yes, in 165 languages!
39. (a) This exploit is due to the fact that Jehovah has returned where and with what? (b) To what have these approached, and where do they render sacred service, being now joined by whom?
39 This noteworthy exploit in world annals has been accomplished not by human strength, ability, ingenuity, courage and fortitude on their part alone. It is primarily because Jehovah of armies has chosen them for foretold service and witness. Nor just because they were wholly dedicated to him as disciples of Jesus Christ, but because he had shown mercy upon them through Jesus Christ and had now “returned” to them with “mercies.” By faithfully following in Christ’s footsteps they are approaching “Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem.” With greater understanding and discernment than ever previously they appreciate Jehovah’s spiritual temple and they are worshiping him there, rendering service as spiritual underpriests under their heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ. In their worship there they have now been joined by an innumerable “great crowd” of peaceable sheeplike persons out of all nations, peoples, tribes and languages. Just as foretold! (Revelation 7:9-17) In 207 countries and island groups we find them.
40. (a) Why may Jehovah call these congregations “my cities,” and how are they organized? (b) In what way do those “cities” “overflow with goodness”?
40 They do not have political communities such as cities. Their figurative “cities” are religious congregations of dedicated, baptized disciples of Jesus Christ, the Greater Zerubbabel. (Matthew 28:19, 20) These are organized according to theocratic rule as outlined in the inspired Holy Scriptures, and, like the cities of ancient Israel, these congregations have each a local presbytery or “body of elders.” There are also “ministerial servants” (diákonoi) to assist each body of elders. (1 Timothy 3:1-13; 4:14; Titus 1:5-9; Philippians 1:1; 1 Peter 5:1-4) Jehovah can appropriately call these Christian congregations “my cities,” because he is really responsible for their organization and growth and they are unreservedly dedicated to Him through Jesus Christ. An investigation of these figurative “cities” of Jehovah reveals that they “overflow with goodness” from Him, in a spiritual sense. To judge from all the accumulated evidence, Jehovah of armies has chosen them as representative of his heavenly Jerusalem. Praise to Him, for the prophecy of Zechariah 1:16, 17 has had such fulfillment!
THE SECOND VISION
41. (a) What must be said as to whether what has already befallen the persecutors is the end of the matter? (b) In his second vision on Shebat 24, about what did Zechariah ask?
41 What, though, about the persecutors and would-be destroyers of the dedicated worshipers of Jehovah of armies? As we look at the world conditions today, we can observe what has already befallen them. But the present state with the persecutors is not the end of the matter. With a view to illustrating what is finally to happen to them, the prophet Zechariah was given another vision right on the heels of the first one, on that same twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (Shebat) in 519 B.C.E., in the second year of the reign of King Darius I of Persia. The Medo-Persian Empire was the Fourth World Power of Bible history, and this second vision should have been of interest to it. The viewer, Zechariah, tells us: “And I proceeded to raise my eyes and see; and, look! there were four horns. So I said to the angel who was speaking with me: ‘What are these?’ In turn he said to me: ‘These are the horns that dispersed Judah, Israel and Jerusalem.’”—Zechariah 1:18, 19.
42. What did those “horns” symbolize, and what is the significance of there being four of them?
42 The prophet Zechariah knew that in the inspired Hebrew Scriptures a horn is used to symbolize a governmental power of a nation or empire. Those four symbolic horns would not necessarily picture four individual nations or empires that had till then dispersed the peoples of Judah, Israel and Jerusalem and ruined their cities. In Scripture, the number four has a symbolic meaning. For example, in using four with respect to the winds, the four winds of the heavens would refer to all parts or quarters of the heavens. Or just the four winds would refer to all directions of the earth. (Ezekiel 37:9; Daniel 7:2) The four wheels belonging to Jehovah’s celestial chariot as seen by the prophet Ezekiel would suggest a well-balanced riding base for the divine chariot. (Ezekiel 1:15, 21) Four horns could accordingly mean all the governmental powers that were concerned or involved, and not just a literal four of such, operating from all directions and leaving no imbalance because of having omitted any quarter.
43. Hence, besides Egypt, Assyria and Babylon, what other political powers would be included under the symbol of those “four horns”?
43 So not just Egypt, Assyria and Babylon as world powers had been implicated with dispersing Judah, Israel and Jerusalem, but others also like the nation of Edom and other national allies or collaborators in such wicked action against Jehovah’s chosen people. They were all persecutors. Those political organizations used their power, particularly military power, in a vicious, violent way toward Jehovah’s chosen people.—Zechariah 1:15.
44. Why did Jehovah feel indignant with great indignation against the Gentile nations that were at ease?
44 Those pagan political powers had all of them gone beyond what Jehovah of armies had in mind for the disciplining of his heedless, disobedient people. They used the leeway that was given to them just to express their ill-will, resentment, envy and spite upon Judah, Israel and Jerusalem. For that reason Jehovah of armies said to the angel in Zechariah’s hearing: “With great indignation I am feeling indignant against the nations that are at ease.” (Zechariah 1:15) How did Jehovah purpose to express his great indignation against those nations that felt at ease because of having satisfied their feeling of revenge or malice upon His people? He discloses how in the further part of the second vision unfolded before Zechariah’s eyes: He says:
45. What did Jehovah show in vision to Zechariah as his instruments to express his indignation against the nations at ease?
45 “Furthermore, Jehovah showed me four craftsmen. At that I said: ‘What are these coming to do?’ And he went on to say: ‘These are the horns that dispersed Judah to such an extent that no one at all raised his head; and these others will come to set them trembling, to cast down the horns of the nations that are lifting up a horn against the land of Judah, in order to disperse her.’”—Zechariah 1:20, 21, NW; JP; Ro.
46. (a) Why were there four such “craftsmen,” and, despite their profession, what was their mission? (b) Who sent them, and what did this mean for the persecutors?
46 These craftsmen or artisans by being four in number offset the four horns. Their number would have the same significance as that in the case of the four horns. They would picture all the “craftsmen” involved in the matter and organized in a balanced, fully adequate way. Being craftsmen or artisans, they were not destructionists. Primarily they were constructionists. But they could be used in an operation of destruction, and they could use their working utensils to that end. This was their mission in the vision. But whose craftsmen were they, or who sent them? Evidently Jehovah of armies, for they came to destroy the power of the four horns that had dispersed Jehovah’s people, Judah, Israel and Jerusalem. What they used in order to do this were doubtless the hammers of their trade. Woe, then, to the persecuting “horns”! There was to be divine judgment executed against those persecutors.
PERSECUTORS COME IN FOR DIVINE ATTENTION
47. How is what happened to those persecutor nations afterward to be viewed—as the natural course of world affairs or what?
47 Jehovah’s great indignation did not fail to pour down upon the persecutor nations. Ancient history shows that the nations that maliciously mistreated Jehovah’s chosen people of old did not fare well thereafter; they suffered calamity. Where are they today? This calamitous outcome was not just the natural course of world affairs without any overriding design. It was the outworking of the divine indignation against them. The lesson of that should not be lost on us today.
48. (a) Of whom did Rome become the persecutor in the first century C.E., and how has she continued as such? (b) Of what part of Christendom is she the head today?
48 In the first century of our Common Era spiritual Israel came into existence under the leadership of the God-sent Messiah, Jesus of Bethlehem-Judah. The nation of natural, circumcised Israel was thus displaced. Just as Ishmael was displaced by Isaac the true heir of Abraham and became a persecutor of Isaac, so natural Israel persecuted Christ’s disciples who made up spiritual Israel. Natural Israel fared badly for this, its holy city Jerusalem being destroyed in the year 70 C.E. and the survivors of the province of Judah being dispersed, largely by being carried off captive. (Galatians 4:21-31; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16; Genesis 21:1-14) After the burning of Rome in the year 64 C.E., Rome took up the persecution of the Christian spiritual Israel. She continued this persecution, not only as mistress of the pagan Roman Empire, but as religious mistress of the Holy Roman Empire. That Holy Roman Empire went out of existence in the days of Napoleon Bonaparte in the early part of the nineteenth century. Yet Rome continues as the head of the largest, strongest, most populous part of religious Christendom. But in that capacity Rome has been set “trembling.”
49. Who succeeded to Rome as a persecutor World Power, and by means of whom and when was this foretold?
49 In the eighteenth century Rome as the Sixth World Power of Bible history had to bow to the British Empire as the Seventh and Greatest World Power of Bible prophecy. Its record discloses that it too has been guilty of persecuting and dispersing the spiritual Israel of Jehovah of armies. In this, too, the United States of America has shared, it being later integrated with the Seventh World Power to form a dual Anglo-American World Power. Such persecution notoriously raged against the remnant of spiritual Israel during World War I, yes, and to even a greater extent during World War II. This had been vividly foretold under prophetic symbols to the exiled prophet Daniel “in the third year of the kingship of Belshazzar the king,” that is, before the fall of ancient Babylon, and thus more than twenty years before Zechariah’s vision of the four horns and the four craftsmen. (Daniel 8:1, 9-12, 23-26) Hence Jehovah knew that there would be need of his symbolic “craftsmen” to “cast down the horns of the nations” more than 2,490 years after Zechariah’s vision.
50. Besides the Seventh World Power, what other “horns” have engaged in persecuting spiritual Israelites in recent times?
50 In modern times not only the two-horned Anglo-American dual world power has taken part in dispersing spiritual Israel by persecutions and oppressions, but also other modern symbolic “horns.” One of the most outrageous instances of this in recent times was the sadistic mistreatment of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses in the Third German Reich under the Nazi Fuehrer Adolf Hitler from 1933 to 1945 C.E. The other Axis Powers joined in with him in such malicious oppression of spiritual Israelites and their dedicated companions. Even since then other political “horns” who make up a composite “king of the north” have pushed and gored and threatened Jehovah’s faithful worshipers.
51. When and by whom was persecution by the “king of the north” foretold, and so what did Jehovah have in mind about persecution?
51 “In the third year of Cyrus the king of Persia,” after the fall of Babylon, Jehovah’s angel foretold to the prophet Daniel the infliction of such persecution upon Jehovah’s Christian witnesses by the symbolic “king of the north” in our times. (Daniel 10:1, 18-21; 11:29-36, 44, 45) From this it is apparent that Jehovah was thinking not just of “horns” that had persecuted his typical people in the past but also of “horns” that would persecute his antitypical people in the future, in our modern times.
52. Thus Jehovah was using a past case of his typical people to forewarn whom today, and how was this indicated in John’s vision in Revelation 7:1-3?
52 Thus Jehovah was using a past case of persecution of his typical people to forewarn the modern nations that “are lifting up a horn” against the rightful spiritual estate of his faithful worshipers. Against all such nations He would use his symbolic “craftsmen.” The visionary “craftsmen” being four in number calls to our minds what the Christian apostle John saw in vision near the end of the first century C.E. He tells it, saying: “After this I saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding tight the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow upon the earth or upon the sea or upon any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the sunrising, having a seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying: ‘Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until after we have sealed the slaves of our God in their foreheads.’”—Revelation 7:1-3.
53. In what will the loosing of those “four winds” result as respects the “four horns,” but what strengthens the persecuted worshipers of Jehovah to endure?
53 The release of the four winds will result in a worldwide storm that will harm all the nations of the earth and destroy the symbolic “horns” that they have lifted up against the spiritual Israelites who are sealed with the “seal of the living God.” This will produce the same result as that pictured by the “four craftsmen” in hammering and smashing the symbolic “four horns” of all the nations. In sharp contrast with all the “mercies” with which Jehovah returns to his persecuted worshipers, there will come the execution of his merciless judgments upon their persecutors. Putting our full trust in the divine assurance of this will strengthen all the persecuted ones to endure to the end. |
Family Life (fl)
1978 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/fl | Chapter 6
Love, “a Perfect Bond of Union”
1-6. (a) What can happen when marriage mates are too involved with their own feelings? (b) Heeding what Scriptural principles could prevent the buildup of a serious argument?
‘WHY can’t we ever have supper on time?’ her husband snapped, tired of waiting and worn out after a hard day’s work.
2 ‘Quit complaining. It’s almost ready,’ she flared back. Her day had not been easy either.
3 ‘But you’re always late. Why can’t you ever be on time?’
4 ‘That’s not true!’ she shouted. ‘But if you’d try to take care of the children someday, you wouldn’t complain so much. After all, they’re your children too!’
5 So between husband and wife this molehill grows into a mountain, leaving both of them angry and not speaking to each other. Each one reacts to the other’s responses, until both are hurt and resentful, and their evening is spoiled. Either one could have prevented this buildup. As it was, both were too involved with their own feelings and oblivious to those of their mate. Frayed nerves snapped.
6 Such problems can arise in many areas. They might involve money. Or the husband might feel that his wife is overly possessive, not letting him enjoy the company of other people. She might feel neglected and taken for granted. Tension could exist because of a big problem or several minor ones. Whatever the case may be, our concern right now is how the situation is to be approached. Either mate can stop the buildup toward trouble by being willing to ‘turn the other cheek,’ being willing not to “return evil for evil,” but instead ‘conquering the evil with good.’ (Matthew 5:39; Romans 12:17, 21) To be able to do this takes restraint and maturity. It takes Christian love.
WHAT LOVE REALLY MEANS
7-9. (a) How is love described at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8? (b) What kind of love is this?
7 Jehovah God inspired a definition of love, in terms of what it is and what it is not, at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8: “Love is long-suffering and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, does not get puffed up, does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
8 Love may be based on many things—physical attraction, family relationship or mutual enjoyment of another’s companionship. But the Bible shows that, to be of true value, love must go beyond affection or mutual attraction and be governed by what is for the highest good of the loved one. That kind of love can even call for reproving or disciplining, as a parent might do with a child, or as Jehovah God does with his worshipers. (Hebrews 12:6) Feelings and emotion are there, of course, but they are not allowed to overrule wise judgment or right principles in dealing with others. That kind of love moves one to treat all according to fine principles of consideration and fairness.
9 To appreciate more fully how it can benefit our family life, let us consider in greater detail the definition given at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
10, 11. What would we expect from a marriage mate who is long-suffering and kind?
10 “Love is long-suffering and kind.” Are you long-suffering with your mate? Even when a situation tends to provoke, and perhaps unfair accusations are made, do you exercise restraint? Jehovah is long-suffering with all of us, and ‘the kindly quality of God is trying to lead persons to repentance.’ Both long-suffering and kindness are fruits of God’s spirit.—Romans 2:4; Galatians 5:22.
11 Love does not approve of wrongdoing, but it is not “picky.” It is not impatient. It takes into account extenuating circumstances. (1 Peter 4:8; Psalm 103:14; 130:3, 4) And even in serious matters it is ready to extend forgiveness. The apostle Peter doubtless thought he was being long-suffering when he asked Jesus: “How many times is my brother to sin against me and am I to forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus’ answer was: “Not, Up to seven times, but, Up to seventy-seven times.” (Matthew 18:21, 22; Luke 17:3, 4) Love forgives repeatedly, and is kind endlessly. Are you?
12, 13. How may jealousy manifest itself, and why should efforts be made to keep it in check?
12 “Love is not jealous.” It is difficult to live with a mate who is jealous without genuine cause. Such jealousy is suspicious, overly possessive. It is childish and restrains the other person from being natural and friendly around others. Happiness is in giving freely, not in meeting a jealous demand.
13 “Who can stand before jealousy?” the Bible asks. It is one of the works of the imperfect flesh. (Proverbs 27:4; Galatians 5:19, 20) Are you able to detect in yourself any signs of the kind of jealousy that results from a feeling of insecurity and is fed by imagination? It usually is not hard to see the flaws in another person, but we profit more when we examine ourselves. “Where jealousy and outputiousness are, there disorder and every vile thing are.” (James 3:16) Jealousy can wreck a marriage. Your mate will not be held safe by jealous restrictions, but by loving attention, by consideration and trust.
14, 15. (a) How does bragging show a lack of love? (b) Instead of belittling one’s mate, what should one do?
14 Love “does not brag, does not get puffed up.” It is true that many persons do it, but few people like to hear bragging. In fact, it may embarrass anyone who knows the braggart well. While some persons brag by talking about themselves in a boastful manner, others accomplish the same thing in another way. They criticize and run down others, and by comparison this tends to elevate them above their victims. So, a person may elevate himself by lowering others. Belittling one’s mate is really a way of bragging about oneself.
15 Have you ever found yourself talking in public about the shortcomings of your mate? How do you think it made your mate feel? What if you had been the one whose flaws were being exposed? How would you have felt? Loved? No, love “does not brag,” either by praising self or by belittling others. When talking about your mate, be upbuilding; it will strengthen the bond between you. And as for what is said about yourself, apply the wise counsel found at Proverbs 27:2: “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.”—Revised Standard Version.
16. What are some indecencies that a loving person would avoid?
16 Love “does not behave indecently.” There are many things that are strikingly indecent, such as adultery, drunkenness and fits of anger. (Romans 13:13) In contrast with love, all of these cause damage to the marriage bond. Rudeness, vulgar speech and actions, as well as neglecting personal cleanliness, all show a lack of human decency. How careful are you to avoid being offensive to your mate in this regard? Do you treat him or her with consideration, good manners, respect? All these things contribute to a marriage that is happy, one that endures.
17. How can quarrels be avoided by a person not looking for his own interests?
17 Love “does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked.” It is not self-centered. How much better it would have been if the couple mentioned at the beginning of this chapter had been that way. The husband would not have snapped at his wife because supper was late, and she would not have flared back. If the wife had discerned that his irritation was partly because he was tired, instead of being provoked she might have replied: ‘Supper is almost ready. You must have had a hard day at work. Let me give you a cool glass of juice to drink while I put things on the table.’ Or if the husband had been more understanding, not thinking only of himself, he might have asked whether there was anything that he could do to help.
18. How can love prevent one from becoming provoked?
18 Are you easily provoked by something your mate says or does, or do you try to discern the intent behind the word or act? Maybe it was innocent, only thoughtlessness, and no offense was intended. If you have love, ‘the sun won’t set with you in a provoked state.’ (Ephesians 4:26) What if your mate felt frustrated, and really did mean to say or do something that would hurt? Can’t you wait until tempers cool and discuss it then? Approaching the situation with the best interests of both at heart will help you to say the right thing. “The heart of the wise one causes his mouth to show insight.” “The one covering over transgression is seeking love,” not stirring up more strife. (Proverbs 16:23; 17:9) By fighting down the impulse to continue an argument and prove yourself right, you can gain a victory in favor of love.
19. (a) What might be included in ‘rejoicing over unrighteousness’? (b) Why should this be avoided?
19 Real love “does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.” It does not think it clever to deceive one’s mate—whether as to the use of one’s time, the spending of money, or in one’s associations. It does not employ half-truths in order to appear righteous. Dishonesty destroys confidence. For there to be genuine love, both of you must rejoice to communicate the truth.
TRUE LOVE HAS STRENGTH AND ENDURANCE
20. How does love (a) ‘bear all things’? (b) ’believe all things’? (c) ‘hope all things’? (d) ‘endure all things’?
20 “It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” It bears up under the stresses and strains put upon it in marriage, while the two in this close relationship learn to be flexible and adjust to each other. It believes all the counsel set out in God’s Word and earnestly applies it, even when circumstances seem to be unfavorable. And, while not being gullible in dealing with persons who resort to dishonesty, it is not unduly suspicious. Rather, it displays trust. Moreover, it hopes for the best. Such hope is based on the confident assurance that applying Bible counsel will yield the best results possible. Thus, love can be positive, optimistic and forward looking. Also, it is not fickle, nor is it a passing infatuation. Real love endures, facing up to problems when the going is hard. It has staying power. It is strong; but with all its strength, it is kind, gentle, yielding, easy to live with.
21, 22. What are some circumstances illustrating that love never fails?
21 Such “love never fails.” If hard times press the couple into financial straits, what happens? Instead of thinking about finding an easier life somewhere else, the wife who has such love loyally sticks with her mate, seeking to economize and perhaps to supplement her husband’s income. (Proverbs 31:18, 24) But what if the wife becomes afflicted with an illness that is prolonged for years? The husband who has this kind of love does all he can to provide the care she needs, to help out with work at home that she is not now able to do, and to provide assurance of his continued devotion. God himself sets the example in this regard. No matter what the circumstances into which his faithful servants come, ‘nothing can separate them from God’s love.’—Romans 8:38, 39.
22 What problems could prevail over a love like that? Does your marriage have it? Do you personally practice it?
MAKING LOVE GROW
23. What determines whether we are going to do the loving thing?
23 Love, like a muscle, is strengthened by use. On the other hand, love, like faith, is dead without works. Words and acts, motivated by feelings deep within us, are said to come from the heart, representing our inner motivation. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man out of his good treasure sends out good things.” But if the feelings within us are wicked, “out of the heart come wicked reasonings, murders, adulteries, fornications, thieveries, false testimonies, blasphemies.”—Matthew 12:34, 35; 15:19; James 2:14-17.
24, 25. How can you strengthen your motivation to show love?
24 What thoughts and feelings do you cultivate in your heart? If you daily meditate on the ways in which God has shown love, and seek to imitate his example, fine motivations will be strengthened. The more you exercise this love, the more you act and speak in harmony with it, the more deeply inscribed it will become on your heart. Daily practice of it in little things will make such love habitual. Then, when occasional big issues arise, this love will be there, strongly entrenched, to help you to cope with them.—Luke 16:10.
25 Do you notice something commendable in your mate? Give voice to it! Do you have an impulse to do a kindness? Obey that impulse! We must show love in order to reap it. Practicing these things will bring you and your mate closer, make the two of you one, make the love between you grow.
26, 27. How does sharing things increase one’s love?
26 To increase love, share it. The first man, Adam, lived in a paradise. All his physical needs were bountifully supplied. From the start he was surrounded by beauty. Not only were there meadows and flowers, woodlands and streams, but also there was an abundant variety of animal life subject to his domination as earth’s caretaker. Yet with all of this, one need was not met: someone human with whom to share this paradise of beauty. Have you ever been alone as you gazed in amazement at a spectacular sunset, and wished that a loved one were there to share it with you? Or have you had exciting good news, but no one to tell it to? Jehovah God discerned Adam’s need, and provided him a mate with whom to share his thoughts and feelings. Sharing brings two persons together, and helps love to take root and grow.
27 Marriage is sharing. Perhaps there is an affectionate glance across the room, a touch, a soft word, even sitting peacefully together without speaking. Every act can manifest love: making a bed, washing the dishes, saving to buy something that she wants but won’t ask for because of the budget, helping with the other’s work when he or she is behind. Love means sharing the work and the play, the troubles and the joys, the accomplishments and the failures, the thoughts of the mind and the feelings of the heart. Share common goals, and reach them together. This is what makes two people one; this is what makes love grow.
28. How does serving promote love?
28 Serving your mate can help your love for him to mature. A wife commonly serves by cooking meals, making beds, cleaning house, washing clothes, caring for household business. The husband usually serves by providing the food she cooks, the beds she makes, the house she cleans, the clothes she washes. It is this serving, this giving, that brings happiness and nourishes love. As Jesus said, there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving. Or, there is more happiness in serving than in being served. (Acts 20:35) He told his disciples that “the greatest among you must be your servant.” (Matthew 23:11, New English Bible) That view will eliminate any spirit of competitiveness and contribute to happiness. When we serve we feel needed, we are filling a purpose, and this gives us self-respect and makes us output. Marriage gives both husband and wife ample opportunity to serve and to find such outputment, thus cementing their marriage more strongly in love.
29. Why will love appeal even to those who are not servants of God?
29 What if one of the marriage mates is a Christian servant of God who practices these Biblical principles, but the other is not? Does this change the way a Christian should act? Not basically. There may not be as much talk about God’s purposes on the part of the Christian, but the conduct is the same. The unbelieving mate has the same basic needs as a worshiper of Jehovah, and in some respects reacts in the same way. This is stated at Romans 2:14, 15: “Whenever people of the nations that do not have law do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves. They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them and, between their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused.” Exemplary Christian conduct will usually be appreciated and will make love grow.
30. Is love to be displayed only under dramatic circumstances? Why do you so answer?
30 Love does not wait for dramatic circumstances to reveal itself. In some respects, love is like clothing. What holds your clothing together? A few big knots tied with rope? Or thousands of little stitches of thread? The thousands of little stitches, and that is true whether we speak of literal clothing or spiritual “garments.” It is the continuing accumulation of small words and acts manifested daily that “clothe” us and reveal what we are. Such spiritual “clothing” will not wear out and become valueless as does physical clothing. It is, as the Bible says, “incorruptible apparel.”—1 Peter 3:4.
31. What fine counsel on love is provided at Colossians 3:9, 10, 12, 14?
31 Do you want your marriage to be held together by “a perfect bond of union”? Then do as recommended at Colossians 3:9, 10, 12, 14: “Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality . . . clothe yourselves with the tender affections of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, mildness, and long-suffering . . . clothe yourselves with love, for it is a perfect bond of union.” |
Table of outputs | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015001 | Table of outputs
January 1, 2015
© 2015 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
COVER SUBJECT
A Government Free of Corruption
PAGES 3-7
The Poison of Government Corruption 3
God’s Kingdom—A Government With No Corruption 4
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
The Bible Changes LivesBible Truth Satisfied My Thirst for Answers 8
Husbands—Make Your Home Secure 10
Did You Know? 13
Should We Pray to Jesus? 14
Bible Questions Answered 16
READ MORE ONLINE
Other Bible Questions AnsweredDoes the Bible Comment on Same-Sex Marriages?
(Look under BIBLE TEACHINGS > BIBLE QUESTIONS ANSWERED > FAMILY) |
“One Small Act of Honesty” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500200100 | “One Small Act of Honesty”
Danielle, one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in South Africa, found a bag that a customer had left behind in a coffee shop. Inside the bag was a wallet with money and credit cards. Determined to return the bag to its owner, Danielle searched for an address or phone number but found only a man’s name. She tried to contact the man through his bank but was unsuccessful. Undeterred, she then called the phone number on a doctor’s receipt that she found in the bag. The receptionist who answered the call agreed to give Danielle’s telephone number to the man.
The man was surprised to receive a phone call from his doctor’s office, informing him that Danielle had found his bag and wanted to return it to him. When he arrived to collect it, he was greeted by Danielle and her father. They used the opportunity to tell him why they had gone to such lengths to find him. They explained that as Jehovah’s Witnesses, they try to live in harmony with Bible principles. That is why they are so concerned with always being honest.—Hebrews 13:18.
A few hours later, the man sent a message to Danielle and her father, thanking them again for returning his bag and wallet. He wrote: “I greatly appreciate your determination to locate me. I was delighted to meet you and your family and will fondly remember you for being so warmhearted and friendly. As a gesture of my gratitude, I would like to make a donation to you. I know you make personal sacrifices to honor your God-appointed calling. Your actions are a testimony to your character, as seen in Danielle’s honesty and integrity. So once again, thank you and may God bless your ministry.”
Some months later, Danielle’s father was again in contact with the man, who related what happened to him a short time before when he found a lost purse. While shopping, he discovered a purse lying on the ground. When he found the woman who owned the purse and returned it to her, he explained what moved him to do so. He had recently been the recipient of a similar act of honesty. He said: “One small act of honesty and kindness leads to another, making life better for everyone in the community.” |
“Look!” booklet (mn)
1970 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/look-booklet-mn | Offer of Literature
“Your Will Be Done on Earth,” based on the prophecy of Daniel, is a revealing account of the nations’ fatal struggle against God’s righteous kingdom now at hand. To learn what God’s will is for you, obtain and read this book.
Hard bound, beautiful embossed cover in green with input stamped in gold, maps, chronological table, subject and scripture indexes. 50c.
From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, is more than the thrilling story of the Bible in simple understandable language. It provides a complete explanation of the divine will as indicated in its input. It will answer your own Bible questions as well as those of your children.
Hard bound, embossed coral cover, gold-lettered input, large print, illustrated throughout, 7-1/4 x 9-1/4 inches, 256 pages. Sent postpaid, 75c.
See addresses on page 31 for ordering the above. |
Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 63
Further Corrective Counsel
WHILE Jesus and his apostles are still in the house in Capernaum, something besides the apostles’ argument over who is the greatest is discussed. This is an incident that may also have occurred on their return to Capernaum, when Jesus was not personally present. The apostle John reports: “We saw a certain man expelling demons by the use of your name and we tried to prevent him, because he was not accompanying us.”
Evidently John views the apostles as an exclusive, input-holding team of healers. So he feels that the man was performing powerful works improperly because he was not part of their group.
However, Jesus counsels: “Do not try to prevent him, for there is no one that will do a powerful work on the basis of my name that will quickly be able to revile me; for he that is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink on the ground that you belong to Christ, I truly tell you, he will by no means lose his reward.”
It was not necessary for this man bodily to follow Jesus to be on his side. The Christian congregation had not yet been set up, so his not being part of their group did not mean that he was of a separate congregation. The man really had faith in Jesus’ name and thus succeeded in expelling demons. He was doing something that compared favorably with what Jesus said was deserving of a reward. Jesus shows that for doing this, he will not lose his reward.
But what if the man was stumbled by the words and actions of the apostles? This would be very serious! Jesus observes: “Whoever stumbles one of these little ones that believe, it would be finer for him if a millstone such as is turned by an ass were put around his neck and he were actually pitched into the sea.”
Jesus says that his followers should remove from their lives anything as dear to them as a hand, a foot, or an eye that may cause them to stumble. Better to be without this cherished thing and enter into God’s Kingdom than to hold on to it and be pitched into Gehenna (a burning rubbish heap near Jerusalem), which symbolizes eternal destruction.
Jesus also warns: “See to it that you men do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that their angels in heaven always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.” He then illustrates the preciousness of “little ones” when he tells about a man who possesses a hundred sheep but loses one. The man will leave the 99 to search for the lost one, Jesus explains, and on finding it will rejoice more over it than over the 99. “Likewise,” Jesus then concludes, “it is not a desirable thing with my Father who is in heaven for one of these little ones to perish.”
Possibly having in mind his apostles’ argument among themselves, Jesus urges: “Have salt in yourselves, and keep peace between one another.” Tasteless foods are made more palatable by salt. Thus, figurative salt makes what one says easier to accept. Having such salt will help preserve the peace.
But because of human imperfection, at times serious disputes will occur. Jesus also provides guidelines for handling them. “If your brother commits a sin,” Jesus says, “go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.” If he does not listen, Jesus advises, “take along with you one or two more, in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established.”
Only as a last resort, Jesus says, take the matter to “the congregation,” that is, to responsible overseers of the congregation who can render a judicial decision. If the sinner will not abide by their decision, Jesus concludes, “let him be to you just as a man of the nations and as a tax collector.”
In making such a decision, overseers need to adhere closely to instructions in Jehovah’s Word. Thus, when they find an individual guilty and worthy of punishment, the judgment ‘will already have been bound in heaven.’ And when they “loose on earth,” that is, find one innocent, it will already have been “loosed in heaven.” In such judicial deliberations, Jesus says, “where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there I am in their midst.” Matthew 18:6-20; Mark 9:38-50; Luke 9:49, 50.
▪ Why was it not necessary in Jesus’ day to accompany him?
▪ How serious is the matter of stumbling a little one, and how does Jesus illustrate the importance of such little ones?
▪ What probably prompts Jesus’ encouragement for the apostles to have salt among themselves?
▪ What significance is there to ‘binding’ and ‘loosing’? |
Good News (gh)
1976 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gh | input Page/Publishers’ Page
Good News to Make You Happy
Is there any good news for mankind today? Yes, there is! It is “good news of a great joy that all the people will have”—earth wide. It touches the life of each one of us now, and it tells of a glorious future in which you and your loved ones may share. It is good news to make you happy.
—The Publishers |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 167
Thanks to the Giver of Life
(Psalm 36:9)
1. Thank you, Jehovah, our heav’nly Father.
What can we do but give you heartfelt praise?
Following closely Christ Jesus’ footsteps,
Our dedicated, earnest hands we raise.
2. Happy are we, great Sov’reign eternal;
Heaven and earth serve all your just demands.
All that we now have we do surrender,
In loyal worship, to your wise commands.
3. Promptly you set up your promised Kingdom;
Peaceful relations we now have with you.
Daily we look to you for true wisdom
That we may give you homage that is due.
4. Gratefully we would serve you, Jehovah,
Make known your virtues and your Word of truth.
We look to you to bless all our efforts,
And may your spirit give us strength of youth. |
Wisdom for Life and Happiness | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102021004 | Wisdom for Life and Happiness
“Although I feel sad when I see the badness in the world—wars, poverty, disease, and the mistreatment of children—I am no longer without hope.”—RANI.a
Rani found real happiness when she learned about the Source of true wisdom—our Creator, the almighty God. As you read the following articles, see how his teachings can help you to . . .
enjoy family happiness
have peaceful relationships with others
find outputment
understand the root causes of suffering and death
have a sure hope for the future
get to know our Creator and draw close to him
You will also see that our Creator’s wisdom is not just for a select few but is freely available to all who seek it.
a Names in this magazine have been changed. |
Why Give to the One Who Has Everything? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2018245 | Why Give to the One Who Has Everything?
“O our God, we thank you and praise your beautiful name.”—1 CHRON. 29:13.
SONGS: 80, 50
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Why does Jehovah expect us to use our valuable things to give back to him?
How did faithful ones in the past support the activities of Jehovah’s representatives financially?
How does the organization use the money that is donated today?
1, 2. How does Jehovah generously use his material resources?
JEHOVAH is a generous God. Everything we have is from him. Jehovah owns all the gold and silver along with all other natural resources of the earth, and he uses them to provide what is needed to sustain life. (Ps. 104:13-15; Hag. 2:8) The Bible contains numerous accounts of how Jehovah used his resources miraculously to provide for his people.
2 For 40 years, Jehovah supplied manna and water for the nation of Israel while they were in the wilderness. (Ex. 16:35) As a result, “they lacked nothing.” (Neh. 9:20, 21) Through the prophet Elisha, Jehovah performed the miracle of multiplying the small quantity of oil for a faithful widow. God’s gift enabled her to pay off her debts and after that to have enough money for her and her sons to live on. (2 Ki. 4:1-7) With Jehovah’s support, Jesus miraculously provided food and even money when needed.—Matt. 15:35-38; 17:27.
3. What will we consider in this article?
3 Jehovah has access to unlimited resources that can sustain his earthly creation. However, he still invites his servants to use their material things to support the work of his organization. (Ex. 36:3-7; read Proverbs 3:9.) Why does Jehovah expect us to use our valuable things to give back to him? How did faithful ones in the past support the activities of Jehovah’s representatives financially? How does the organization use the money that is donated today? The answers to these questions will be discussed in this article.
WHY DO WE GIVE TO JEHOVAH?
4. What do we show Jehovah when we support his work?
4 We give to Jehovah because of our love and appreciation for him. We are overwhelmed when we consider all that Jehovah has done in our behalf. When explaining the needs of the upcoming project to build the temple, King David acknowledged that everything we receive comes from Jehovah and that whatever we give to Jehovah is from what he has already given us.—Read 1 Chronicles 29:11-14.
5. How do the Scriptures show that unselfish giving is a fundamental aspect of true worship?
5 Giving is also an expression of our worship of Jehovah. In vision, the apostle John heard Jehovah’s servants in heaven say: “You are worthy, Jehovah our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they came into existence and were created.” (Rev. 4:11) Would you not agree that Jehovah is worthy of all the glory and honor that we can give him by offering the best that we have? Through Moses, Jehovah commanded the nation of Israel to appear before Jehovah at three annual festivals. As part of their worship at those festivals, the Israelites were not to “appear before Jehovah empty-handed.” (Deut. 16:16) Likewise today, unselfish giving in appreciation for and in support of the work of the earthly part of Jehovah’s organization is a fundamental aspect of worship.
6. Why is giving good for us? (See opening picture.)
6 Giving is good for us. It is healthy for us to be generous givers and not just receivers. (Read Proverbs 29:21.) We may think of a child who gives a gift to his parents from the small allowance they have given him. How the parents appreciate this gift! A son or a daughter who may be pioneering and living at home may rightly give the parents some funds to assist with household expenses. Though the parents may not expect this, they may accept these gifts because it is a way for the child to show appreciation for all that they do for him. Likewise, Jehovah realizes that giving from our valuable things is good for us.
GIVING IN BIBLE TIMES
7, 8. How did Jehovah’s people in Bible times set an example in contributing (a) for specific projects? (b) for the general support of the work?
7 The aspect of giving from personal resources is well-established in the Scriptures. In some cases, Jehovah’s people contributed for specific projects. For example, Moses called for donations for the construction of the tabernacle, as did King David for the building of the temple. (Ex. 35:5; 1 Chron. 29:5-9) During the time of King Jehoash, the priests used money that was collected to repair the house of Jehovah. (2 Ki. 12:4, 5) When the brothers in the early Christian congregation were made aware of the need that arose because of a famine, they “determined, each according to what he could afford, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea.”—Acts 11:27-30.
8 In other cases, Jehovah’s people gave financial support to those taking the lead in the work. Under the Mosaic Law, the Levites did not receive an inheritance as the other tribes did. Rather, the Israelites gave them a tithe, or a tenth part, that allowed the Levites to focus on their work at the tabernacle. (Num. 18:21) Similarly, Jesus and his apostles later benefited from the generosity of the women “who were ministering to them from their belongings.”—Luke 8:1-3.
9. What were some sources of contributions in times past?
9 Of course, the sources of such donations varied. When contributing for the building of the tabernacle in the wilderness, what the Israelites gave likely included what they had brought with them from Egypt. (Ex. 3:21, 22; 35:22-24) In the first century, some Christians sold items that they owned, such as fields or houses, and brought the money to the apostles. The apostles distributed these funds to those in need. (Acts 4:34, 35) Others set aside money and gave regular donations to support the work. (1 Cor. 16:2) Thus, people of all walks of life—from the very wealthy to the very poor—had a share.—Luke 21:1-4.
GIVING TODAY
10, 11. (a) How can we imitate the generous servants of Jehovah in Bible times? (b) How do you feel about the privilege you have to support the Kingdom work?
10 Today, we too may be asked to make donations for a specific purpose. For example, are there plans to build a new Kingdom Hall that your congregation will use? Or is your current Kingdom Hall being renovated? We may be made aware of financial needs with regard to renovations to our local branch office, a convention we are attending, or assistance to our brothers after a natural disaster. We also donate to support those caring for the work at world headquarters and at branch offices around the earth. Our donations support missionaries, special pioneers, and those in the circuit work. Your congregation also no doubt has a standing resolution to assist financially with the worldwide program of building Assembly Halls and Kingdom Halls, which benefits our brothers throughout the earth.
11 All of us can have a share in supporting the work that Jehovah is accomplishing in these last days. Most donations are anonymous. We discreetly place funds in the contribution boxes at the Kingdom Hall, or we may make donations online through jw.org. We may feel that our small donations do not mean much. Yet, the majority of donated funds today come from many small gifts rather than from a few large ones. Our brothers, even those who are in poor economic situations, are like the Macedonians who were in “deep poverty” and yet begged for the privilege to give and did so generously.—2 Cor. 8:1-4.
12. How does the organization strive to make the best use of donated funds?
12 With prayerful consideration, the Governing Body strives to be faithful and discreet with regard to how the organization’s funds are used. (Matt. 24:45) The funds that are received are budgeted and spent accordingly. (Luke 14:28) In Bible times, stewards of dedicated funds followed procedures to make sure that donations were used only for their intended purposes. For example, Ezra traveled back to Jerusalem with donated items from the Persian king—gold, silver, and other materials worth well over $100 million (U.S.) in today’s values. Ezra considered these funds to be voluntary offerings to Jehovah and put detailed procedures in place to protect these treasures on the perilous journey through hostile territory. (Ezra 8:24-34) The apostle Paul collected funds as a relief ministration for the brothers in Judea. He took steps to ensure that those delivering the funds cared for “everything honestly, not only in the sight of Jehovah but also in the sight of men.” (Read 2 Corinthians 8:18-21.) Imitating the examples of Ezra and Paul, our organization today follows strict procedures when it comes to handling and spending donated funds.
13. How should we view recent simplifications in the organization?
13 A family may make adjustments as they seek to balance income with expenses or as they consider how to simplify their life and reduce expenses in order to do more for Jehovah. The same is true of Jehovah’s organization. In recent years, there have been many exciting new initiatives. At times, this resulted in more money going out than coming in for a period of time. Thus, the organization looks for ways to reduce expenses and simplify the work so as to be able to accomplish the most that it can with your generous donations.
BENEFITS FROM YOUR DONATIONS
Your donations help our worldwide work (See paragraphs 14-16)
14-16. (a) What are some of the things being accomplished with your donations? (b) In what ways have you benefited from these provisions?
14 Many longtime servants of Jehovah have been heard to say that they have never seen a time like this with so many spiritual provisions. Just think! In recent years, we have seen the start of jw.org and JW Broadcasting. The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures is published in many more languages. In 2014/2015, some of the largest stadiums in 14 cities around the world became home for the three-day “Keep Seeking First God’s Kingdom!” International Conventions. Those who attended were thrilled to be present.
15 Many have expressed appreciation for the outstanding benefits they are receiving from Jehovah’s organization. For example, regarding the provision of JW Broadcasting, one couple serving in a country in Asia wrote: “Our assignment is in a small city. As a result, we sometimes feel isolated, and we easily forget the scope of Jehovah’s work. But as soon as we watch the various programs on JW Broadcasting, we remember that we are part of an international brotherhood. Our dear local brothers and sisters are very excited about JW Broadcasting. We often hear them say that after watching the monthly programs, they feel close to the members of the Governing Body. Now they are prouder than ever to be part of God’s organization.”
16 Worldwide, nearly 2,500 Kingdom Halls are currently in the process of being built or extensively renovated. After beginning to use their new Kingdom Hall, the members of one congregation in Honduras wrote: “We feel truly happy to be part of Jehovah’s universal family and to enjoy our wonderful worldwide brotherhood, both of which helped to make our dream of having a Kingdom Hall in our community a reality.” Many express similar appreciation after receiving the Bible and other publications translated into their own language, after benefiting from relief work, or after seeing the results of metropolitan and public witnessing in their communities.
17. How does the way the organization operates today give evidence of Jehovah’s backing?
17 Onlookers cannot understand how it is possible for us to do all this work using only voluntary donations. After touring one of our printing facilities, an executive from a large company was amazed that all the work was accomplished by volunteers, with voluntary donations, and without any sales or fund drives. He said that it should not be possible to do what we do. We agree! We know that it is possible only because Jehovah is backing the work.—Job 42:2.
BLESSINGS FOR GIVING BACK TO JEHOVAH
18. (a) What blessings do we receive when we give in support of the Kingdom? (b) How can we train our children and new ones to have a share?
18 Jehovah dignifies us with the opportunity to support the grand work taking place today. He guarantees that we will receive blessings when we give in support of the Kingdom. (Mal. 3:10) Jehovah promises that the one who gives generously will prosper. (Read Proverbs 11:24, 25.) Giving also makes us happy, for “there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” (Acts 20:35) By word and example, we have the privilege of training our children and new ones to appreciate how they can have a share and how they, as a result, can enjoy many blessings.
19. How has this article encouraged you?
19 Everything we have is from Jehovah. Giving back to him shows that we love him and appreciate all that he has done in our behalf. (1 Chron. 29:17) When donating for the construction of the temple, “the people rejoiced over making these voluntary offerings, for they made the voluntary offerings to Jehovah with a complete heart.” (1 Chron. 29:9) May we likewise continue to find joy and satisfaction in giving back to Jehovah what has come to us from his own hand. |
No Part of the World? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101995008 | No Part of the World?
BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN GERMANY
“THEY are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.” (John 17:16) With these words Jesus described the absolute neutrality of his followers toward political affairs. Do professed Christians today measure up to this standard?
Consider the following press comments regarding Christendom’s involvement in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), which until its dissolution in 1990 had been governed by a Communist regime.
• “Now that the Lutheran Church in the GDR has basked in glory for a short time as mother of the peaceful revolution, its public rating seems to be sinking rapidly. To many it appears to have been more a pillar of support for the regime and a playground for the Stasi (State Security Service).”—Die Zeit, November 1991.
• “Various provincial Lutheran Churches . . . have expressed bewilderment at involvement of church workers and parishioners with the Stasi.”—Evangelische Kommentare, January 1991.
• “[Lutheran] Church leaders hear complaints that priests were no longer caring for their people as they used to, as they are active in politics.”—Süddeutsche Zeitung, February 1990.
• “Weizsäcker [former president of the Federal Republic of Germany] said that the [Lutheran] Church had always played a helpful role in the political relationship of the two German States.”—Wetterauer Zeitung, February 1992.
Political meddling was by no means limited to the Lutheran Church. “Virtually every [Protestant] church grouping was infiltrated by Stasi agents,” reported The European. Manfred Stolpe, whom The European describes as “the protestant church’s chief negotiator with the communist authorities,” said in his defense: “I would have shaken hands with the Devil if it had furthered our cause.”
The Guardian of London reported on the close relationship between the clergy and the Mafia in Italy. It stated: “Church and Cosa Nostra have cohabited peacefully for so long that the church is frequently accused of complicity.”
The Toronto Star carried an article on the collaboration of some Russian Orthodox priests with the former KGB. The report states: “The disclosures about church collaboration with the communist regime represent the most shattering blow. . . . Material from KGB archives . . . suggests that senior church officials not only betrayed their own principles but were willing to compromise religious leaders abroad.”
While the churches of Christendom continue to meddle in politics, genuine Christianity adheres to Jesus’ injunction to be no part of the world. |
Youth (yy)
1976 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yy | Chapter 23
What Do You Want out of Life?
1-6. (a) To get the best out of life, what must you be willing to do? (b) For you to have a happy life, what is even more important than excelling in a certain career? (c) Why can the Bible help you in this?
IN YOUTH your life is largely ahead of you. It probably seems to stretch out for a long way, like a road with its end somewhere beyond the horizon. Where will it lead you?
2 There is no doubt that the road of life will hold some surprises for you, along with some disappointments. But, as we have seen in this book, there is a lot you can do now to make sure that you get the best out of life. The question is, Are you willing to put forth the effort needed?
3 Many young people think about what activity they will pursue when they finish school. Perhaps you too have thought about that. But no matter what kind of work you do, if you do it poorly it won’t bring you much satisfaction. There is something far more important than this, though.
4 Suppose you do become a very fine architect or artist, mechanic, musician, farmer, schoolteacher, or whatever it might be. Is this a sure guarantee that your life will be happy? Not really. Far more important is: What kind of person are you going to be? Many people have had a brilliant career in some profession but have made a miserable failure of their personal lives; they were very unhappy individuals.
5 That is why the Bible is so important. Really, the whole Bible is somewhat like a collection of letters from our Creator. As our heavenly Father he is interested in our happiness, and we should be interested in what he has to tell us. We have seen the guidelines that he gives us in answer to so many of our problems. And isn’t it true that it all makes sense? Really without those guidelines from him, how could we be sure of what to do, or know what would work out for the best?
6 This calls to mind what the apostle Paul wrote to a younger fellow worker, Timothy. Paul urged him to keep on in the things he had learned since childhood about the Bible’s teachings and said: “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 3:14-17) Anything that is really worth while in life—no matter what kind of activity it may involve—you will be better equipped to do it and do it well if you let yourself be guided by God’s Word. It can make you a better son or daughter, a better husband or wife, a better father or mother, a better worker, a better friend and, above all, a better servant of your Creator.
TAKING ON RESPONSIBILITY
7-11. As shown in the Bible, what is the key to getting the very best out of life?
7 Sooner or later you will have some serious decisions to make. The time will come when you will have to take on your own load of responsibility. Right now you are something like a young eagle. You may know that eagles often build their nest high up on the edge of a towering cliff. When the young ones start fluttering their wings and are ready to fly, the parent eagles will edge them to the side of the nest and then—out into the air! One observer tells of watching a parent eagle letting the young one drop about ninety feet before swooping underneath and, with outspread wings, letting the young bird alight on its back. Then a soaring flight back up to the nest and the process was repeated until the young eagle had learned to fly.—Bulletin of the Smithsonian Institution, Vol. CLXVII, page 302.
8 In your case, your parents have built up a home with much effort and planning. But you cannot forever count on them to do things for you or to make big decisions for you. This would be especially true if, on coming of age, you should decide to leave home. Your parents can help to prepare you for taking on responsibility as a grown man or woman, making it easier for you until you are able to be on your own, just as the parent eagle does for its young. But you will have to do your part also.
9 The design of the eagle’s powerful wings and its instinctive ability to fly—these things originally came from an all-wise Creator. So each of us needs to realize that the key to getting the best out of life is found in our reliance on Him. No matter how fine (or how poor) a start your parents may be able to give you, and no matter how good a mind and body you may have, you will always want to appreciate the need for guidance from Jehovah God and look to him for strength to follow his leadings. He inspired these words to be written for young persons like yourself:
10 “To my sayings incline your ear. May they not get away from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those finding them and health to all their flesh. More than all else that is to be guarded, safeguard your heart, for out of it are the sources of life. . . . As for your eyes, straight ahead they should look, yes, your own beaming eyes should gaze straight in front of you. Smooth out the course of your foot, and may all your own ways be firmly established.”—Proverbs 4:20-26.
11 The more you look to Jehovah God and his Word for direction, the smoother the road of life will become for you.
HAVING GOD AS YOUR FRIEND
12, 13. (a) Besides avoiding what the Bible says is wrong, what else do we need if God is to be our friend? (b) How was the way opened for us to have such a relationship? (John 14:6)
12 How can you do this? It isn’t simply by avoiding things that God’s Word shows to be wrong. You need to have a personal relationship with Jehovah as your heavenly Father. Your parents may be able to point you in that direction, but they can’t establish that relationship for you. You must do that yourself, seeking Jehovah’s friendship. If you want the Maker of this vast universe as your friend, what does he require of you?
13 To open the way for this, Jehovah God sent his firstborn Son on an assignment to this planet Earth, causing him to be born as a human. When he became a full-grown man, God’s Son gave his life on our behalf. As the Bible says: “We behold Jesus, who has been made a little lower than angels, crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death, that he by God’s undeserved kindness might taste death for every man.”—Hebrews 2:9.
14, 15. (a) What can all of us see in our lives that shows that we are imperfect? (Romans 5:12; 7:21-23) (b) At Matthew 6:12, to what are sins likened? How can that “debt” be paid?
14 The Bible shows that the reason this was needed is that we are all imperfect and sinful. That shouldn’t be hard for you to recognize as true, because at times you probably have found it a real struggle to keep from doing things that you knew were wrong. Very likely you have at times weakened and given in to some wrong desire. This inborn leaning toward wrongdoing is something that we all inherited from our first parents, and that is why the whole human race is in a dying condition.
15 But God’s Son gave his perfect human life so as to provide the means for canceling out all our wrongdoing. The Bible helps us to understand how this works by likening sins to “debts.” (Matthew 6:12) For example, if you spread around some false rumor about someone else, wouldn’t you say that you “owed” him an apology? That means you are in “debt” to him because of the wrong you did. But the debt we have toward God is so big that we could never pay it ourselves. Christ Jesus’ perfect human life, however, is of such great value that it can cancel out all the debts we incur against God due to inherited sinfulness, and that is why God’s Son gave up his life on our behalf.
16-18. (a) Why do you feel that God deserves our appreciation for what was done by means of his Son? (Romans 5:6-10) (b) What are some of the things that we can do to show that appreciation?
16 So the way is open for us to have friendship with God. But we have to show that we appreciate what he has done in sacrificing his own Son and what his Son did in dying for us. We have to show that we have faith in this provision of God. Jesus said: “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. He that exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life; he that disobeys the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him.”—John 3:35, 36.
17 Just suppose you were to save a person’s life—perhaps saving someone from drowning or from dying in a burning house—and as a result of doing this you yourself then died. What if the person who was saved didn’t show any gratitude at all, didn’t even bother to go to your parents and say something in appreciation for your unselfish act? How do you think your own father would feel? You can understand, then, why Jehovah God is rightly grieved and withholds his friendship from those who know about what his Son did for mankind but who show no appreciation for it.
18 You can show appreciation by the life you live. You can show that you sincerely regret the wrongs you have committed and ask God to ‘cover your debts’ by means of his Son’s sacrifice. You can dedicate yourself to God to serve him for the rest of your life, doing what pleases him. The Bible shows that we can symbolize this dedication by water baptism. Of course, this is not something to be done hastily. You can’t say to God that you’re going to do something and then change your mind. That’s the way little children are; they aren’t really sure what they want to do. But as you approach manhood or womanhood, you are reaching the point in life where you can decide. So it is something for you to be thinking seriously about.
FACING UP TO THE CHALLENGE
19-21. (a) How is the challenge that you face similar to the one that faced David when he went out to fight Goliath? (1 Samuel 17:4-11, 26-51; John 15:17-20; James 4:4) (b) Why can we be confident that it is possible to meet this challenge successfully? (John 16:33; Philippians 4:13; Proverbs 3:5, 6)
19 To keep proving that you are God’s friend will not always be easy. In fact, the Bible shows that you will have a big challenge because the world as a whole is not God’s friend but his enemy. But do not lose heart. You can show the same spirit that God’s servant David did when he was a young lad. He had come to the army camp of the Israelites at a time when they were confronted by the forces of the Philistines, who were worshipers of false gods. The Philistines’ champion—a giant of a man named Goliath—was taunting the Israelites, daring them to do battle with him. David heard this. Though only a youth, he had strong faith in Jehovah. He took up the challenge, advanced on the hulking, heavily armed foe and dropped him with a single stone from his shepherd’s sling.
20 Today you face an enemy world, but have no fear. Jehovah is the same Almighty God that he was in David’s day and you can gain a victory if you show courage and, above all, faith that He will never abandon you but will back you up and give you the needed strength.
21 Some men and women, including many young persons, have endured hardships, risked their lives or even died in order to serve the interests of some political government of earth. What a far greater honor it is, however, to serve the interests of the Creator of the whole universe! Consider now how this can give you a life that is far, far better than the life that anyone on earth today enjoys. |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 192
Making Known the Kingdom Truth
(Acts 20:20, 21)
1. There was a time we did not know
The way a Christian ought to go.
But then Jehovah sent the light,
His Kingdom truth so clear and bright.
2. Our privilege we then did see
To serve the grand Theocracy,
To make well-known Jehovah’s fame,
Thus glorifying his great name.
3. We witness now to all we meet,
From door to door and on the street.
With Bible studies, patiently
We teach the truth that sets men free.
4. And as we strive in ev’ry land
True worship widely to expand,
May we serve faithfully as one,
Until God says the work is done. |
Youth (yy)
1976 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yy | Chapter 15
Drugs—Key to Real Living?
1, 2. (a) To what extent are drugs used among the folks that you know? (b) Why do young folks use drugs?
LIKELY you have drugs—tranquilizers, “pep pills”—of some kind in your home, for today many of us live in a drug-obsessed society. For example, in the United States sales of the drug industry have increased more than thirtyfold since World War II. Dr. Mitchell S. Rosenthal said that in a recent year enough mood-altering drugs were prescribed by doctors “to keep every man, woman and child in [the United States] either ‘up,’ ‘down’ or ‘out of it’ for a solid month.”
2 Most drugs are prescribed for adults. But in some countries youths are consuming a big share of them ‘to enjoy themselves.’ They are also using other drugs that are not generally produced for medical use, including heroin, LSD and marijuana. Some youths may be inclined to reason: “If grown-ups take pills, use tobacco and get drunk, why shouldn’t I enjoy myself smoking marijuana or taking drugs?” What do you think? Do you feel that drugs are a key to enjoying life more fully?
DRUGS TO WHICH MANY TURN
3-9. (a) What are the drugs that are used for “kicks” or pleasure? What effects do they have on the ones who use them? (b) Do you know of any experiences that people have had with drugs that verify these effects?
3 There is a wide range of drugs that persons turn to for “kicks” or pleasure. You may already have heard much about them. But take a few moments to review what they are.
4 There are barbiturates, sometimes called “downers.” They are sedatives, which doctors may prescribe to induce sleep. There are more than two dozen types of them, and over 525 tons (476 metric tons) are produced each year in the United States alone. A large part of the supply is diverted into illegal channels.
5 There are also many stimulants used, commonly known as “pep pills” or “uppers.” Amphetamines are the principal ones. Some doctors prescribe them to suppress the appetite, reduce fatigue or relieve depression. However, it is estimated that half the legally manufactured amphetamines find their way into illegal channels.
6 LSDa is the most potent of the dozens of drugs that bring on hallucinations. In recent years many “underground” laboratories have begun making it. It produces weird effects in users. Vision is particularly altered. Illusions and hallucinations can occur even months after taking the last dose. On a “bad trip,” what a person sees in visions may be terrifying.
7 Marijuana, a product of the cannabis plant, is one of the most widely used drugs. Do you know of persons who have smoked it? Its effect is milder than that of LSD, although it, too, produces a distortion of the senses. When one is smoking marijuana, five minutes may seem like an hour. Sound and colors may seem intensified.
8 Heroin is made from morphine, which comes from the opium poppy. It is a particularly dangerous drug. Persons may become addicted after injecting it only a few times, going through terrible withdrawal pains unless they get more. When people are addicted to heroin, it can destroy their will and capacity to learn. They become slaves to a habit that slowly destroys them. A New York congressman wrote: “Heroin has destroyed the functioning of our school system.”
9 There are, of course, other drugs that many people think give them more out of life. Cocaine is one of these. Nicotine in tobacco is another. Should you use these drugs? As we have seen in the previous chapter, the Bible does not condemn moderate use of alcoholic beverages, which can relax a person and make his heart rejoice. Is it, then, proper or wise to use any of these many different drugs in an effort to make life more satisfying?
A PLACE FOR THEM?
10-12. (a) How might a doctor use a drug to help a person? (b) But how does abuse of drugs do terrible harm to people?
10 Drugs evidently have their place, and a doctor may sometimes prescribe one for you because of a health problem. If you are in excruciating pain, a doctor might give you a shot of morphine to provide relief. Barbiturates and amphetamines have undoubtedly helped some patients with medical problems. Also, heroin is used in some places to relieve the suffering of terminally ill cancer patients.
11 But, on the other hand, drugs are doing terrible harm to millions. About one million persons in the United States are reportedly barbiturate addicts, with over 3,000 dying each year from overdoses. Addiction to heroin not only results in many deaths a day due to overdoses but has turned tens of thousands into dangerous criminals. To support their expensive habits, addicts steal more than $3,000,000 in property in New York city, on the average, every day!
12 What does this mean? Should drugs be abolished? Not necessarily, since many drugs can serve a good purpose. But the problem is the widespread misuse or abuse of them. Millions of persons use them where no treatment for illness is involved, and in large doses never intended in medical use. Often the user simply desires to get a dreamy feeling, or even to go into some sort of trance. Is such use justified?
EFFECT ON THE BODY
13-17. (a) As shown in medical literature, what actually are all drugs? (b) So, why is their use even for medical purposes a calculated risk? (c) Analyze how the following scriptures indicate God’s view of any use of drugs simply for pleasure or to “get high”: 2 Corinthians 7:1; Romans 13:13; 12:1.
13 You probably are aware that many drugs are available only on a doctor’s prescription, and that some are even illegal in many countries. Ask yourself: Why? It is for the protection of all of us. Yes, drugs can be dangerous, even death-dealing. They are, in effect, a two-edged sword, capable, in some instances, of healing, but, in others, of hurting or even killing. Drugs, a book coauthored by a professor of pharmacology, explains:
14 “All drugs are poisons, and all poisons are drugs. It is no accident that the words ‘poison’ and ‘potion’ come from the same root, or that the Greek word pharmakon, which we find rooted in our words ‘pharmacy’ and ‘pharmacology,’ originally meant both a healing draught and a deadly one.”
15 So, even when you are sick, taking a drug is a calculated risk. But because you value your life you may accept the risk and take a drug to relieve pain or to improve a poor condition of health. But would it be right for you to swallow, inject, smoke or sniff a drug in order to produce a so-called “high,” to make you forget reality and go off into some dream world? Is this use of your marvelous, God-given body in harmony with what our Creator purposed?
16 Think about this. If you were able to give somebody an exquisite gift, say a brand-new automobile, how would you feel if he deliberately misused it? Say that he tried to operate it without ever putting oil into it or changing the oil, and he used it to deliver manure? You would probably be angry or disgusted with him for such stupid misuse of your gift, wouldn’t you? How do you think, then, Jehovah God feels if we misuse our wonderful body, needlessly filling it with some poison in the quest of “kicks” or “thrills”? His Word lets us know by encouraging us: “Let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in God’s fear.” (2 Corinthians 7:1) So, we cannot be living in harmony with God’s will if, in a quest for “kicks” or “thrills,” we take into our bodies a drug that defiles them.
17 Consider too this point. We have previously discussed what the Creator has advised about drunkenness. He plainly has shown in his Word that the person who loses control because of drinking too much debases himself, often becoming unclean and foolish, a source of embarrassment to persons around him. There is no question about it, our Maker rightly condemns drunkenness. So would God’s view be different if a person lost self-control on heroin, marijuana or some other drug? Even though the reaction from drugs is not exactly the same as from alcohol, one may lose control as much or even more so than do those who get drunk on alcohol. So from the wise and reasonable counsel found in the Bible, we can see the value of not turning to drugs for intoxicating thrills.
WHAT ABOUT USING TOBACCO?
18-21. (a) Why do so many people smoke tobacco, even though it is well known that doing so is dangerous to one’s health? (b) Give at least two reasons why it would be wrong for a Christian to smoke.
18 You may ask: “What, then, about the use of tobacco, which contains the harmful drug nicotine? Tens of millions of adults smoke, as they say, ‘for pleasure.’ Is this proper?” No, it is not, as evidenced by the warning that appears on cigarette packages sold in the United States: SMOKING IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH. That fact is true no matter what country you live in. Why, then, do so many adults deliberately set a bad example for young people and, at the same time, ruin their own health by smoking? Mainly it is because they are addicted. A report in Science World explains:
19 “The drug . . . that causes the addiction is nicotine. . . . When there is no nicotine, the body ‘hungers’ for it. So much so that the body sometimes becomes ‘sick’ without it. Withdrawal symptoms—a sick feeling—begin. . . . Some of these symptoms are drowsiness, headaches, stomach upsets, sweating, and irregular heart beats.”
20 Clearly, smoking abuses one’s body; it is one of the ‘defilements of the flesh’ of which Christians are urged by our Creator to cleanse themselves. So you may feel that adults who smoke are in a poor position to criticize young people who are abusing themselves with drugs. And it’s true. If parents continue to abuse themselves by inhaling nicotine, how can they expect their children to take seriously what they say about the importance of avoiding drugs? Yet regardless of what others do or say, each of us individually is held accountable to God for his actions. And God’s Word the Bible has something else to say that makes smoking wrong for a Christian.
21 The Bible commands: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) But how can you smoke in the presence of others and still love your neighbor? We ask this in view of what the Medical Tribune explains: “Cigarette smoking is injurious not only to the smoker’s health—it can be harmful to the innocent bystander as well.” A prominent medical journal also noted: “Where the air circulation is typically poor, the non-smoker will be subjected to a significant health hazard from a smoker.” Since smoking also harms those around a smoker, isn’t it clear that you cannot smoke and truly love your neighbor?
IS MARIJUANA DIFFERENT?
22-25. (a) How is the effect of even moderate use of marijuana different from that of alcohol? (b) In warning us against harmful practices, how is God really helping us to get the best out of life? (Isaiah 48:17; Psalm 16:11; Proverbs 3:1-7)
22 Some young people are inclined to compare smoking marijuana with drinking alcoholic beverages. They may see their parents or other adults “get high” on alcohol, and conclude that smoking marijuana to produce similar effects is no different. Is it?
23 Recall that, whereas the Bible approves moderate use of alcoholic beverages, it condemns overindulgence, saying that “drunkards . . . will [not] inherit God’s kingdom.” (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10) However, many youths may say they use marijuana in moderation, and never to the extent to produce an effect similar to drunkenness. Yet marijuana is different from alcohol. Your body can convert alcohol into “fuel” that you can “burn” in your tissues. It is a food. But your body cannot use marijuana. Furthermore, alcohol is not retained for long periods of time in body or brain cells. It is dispersed from the body in a matter of hours. Marijuana’s toxic substance, however, is not quickly passed off, and produces harmful effects on the body. Six doctors from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons, in a letter to the editor of the New York Times, explained:
“Marijuana contains toxic substances . . . which are only soluble in fat and stored in body tissues, including brain, for weeks and months, like DDT. The storage capacity of tissues for these substances is enormous—which explains their slow deleterious effects in habitual smokers. Anyone using these substances more than once a week cannot be drug free.”
24 Thus Tulane University’s Dr. Robert Heath brands the comparison between alcohol and marijuana as “ridiculous.” He states that alcohol has “a temporary effect. Marijuana is complex with a persisting effect.” Evidently even the moderate, regular use of marijuana can have bad effects, as the Detroit Free Press notes: “Medical researchers are reporting new discoveries which indicate that marijuana—and its big brother [hashish]—are indeed dangerous to physical and mental health when used regularly, even once or twice a week.”
25 Truly, we can be thankful for the guiding principles our Creator has given us. He loves us, and for that reason urges us to avoid what will defile our bodies and thereby hurt us, rather than contribute to our lasting happiness and welfare. Certain drugs may be able to benefit a person who is sick, but they can only harm those who turn to them in the quest for pleasure. They are not the key to real living.
[Footnotes]
a Lysergic acid diethylamide.
[Full-page picture on page 108]
[Picture on page 113]
Just because millions of adults smoke, is this reason for you to do it? |
What Is the Unforgivable Sin? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502016103 | What Is the Unforgivable Sin?
The Bible’s answer
The unforgivable sin refers to actions accompanied by an attitude that keeps a sinner from ever receiving God’s forgiveness. How could such a disposition develop?
God forgives those who repent of their sins, follow his standards in their life, and exercise faith in Jesus Christ. (Acts 3:19, 20) However, a person can become so set in following a sinful course that he will never change his attitude or conduct. The Bible describes such a person as having “a wicked heart” that has “become hardened by the deceptive power of sin.” (Hebrews 3:12, 13) Like clay that has been fired in a kiln and that can never be reshaped, the person’s heart has become permanently opposed to God. (Isaiah 45:9) There could never be a basis for such a person to be forgiven, so he is guilty of the unforgivable, or unpardonable, sin.—Hebrews 10:26, 27.
Some Jewish religious leaders in Jesus’ day committed the unforgivable sin. They knew that God’s holy spirit was the force behind Jesus’ miracles, yet they maliciously said that he got his power from Satan the Devil.—Mark 3:22, 28-30.
Examples of sins that can be forgiven
Blasphemy due to ignorance. The apostle Paul had once been a blasphemer, but he later said: “I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and with a lack of faith.”—1 Timothy 1:13.
Adultery. The Bible mentions some who at one time committed adultery but who changed their conduct and were forgiven by God.—1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
“Have I committed the unforgivable sin?”
If you sincerely hate your past course of sin and truly want to change, then you have not committed the unforgivable sin. God can forgive even repeated relapses into the same sin as long as your heart has not permanently hardened against him.—Isaiah 1:18.
Some people feel that they may have committed an unforgivable sin because they are troubled by nagging feelings of guilt. However, the Bible teaches that we cannot always trust our feelings. (Jeremiah 17:9) God has not authorized us to judge anyone—even ourselves. (Romans 14:4, 12) He can forgive us even when our own heart still condemns us.—1 John 3:19, 20.
Did Judas Iscariot commit an unforgivable sin?
Yes, he did. His greed moved him to steal money that had been donated for a sacred use. He even pretended to be concerned about the poor when his real interest was to acquire more money to steal. (John 12:4-8) Once Judas’ heart had become permanently set in doing wrong, he betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus knew that Judas could never truly repent for what he had done, and he called him “the son of destruction.” (John 17:12) This meant that when Judas died, he would suffer permanent destruction, with no hope for a resurrection.—Mark 14:21.
Judas did not show true repentance for his sin. He confessed, not to God, but to the religious leaders he had conspired with.—Matthew 27:3-5; 2 Corinthians 7:10. |
Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1)
2011 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1 | SECTION 1
My Journal—Dealing With Family
Describe a problem that you have recently had with a family member.
․․․․․
Using the suggestions you’ve read in this section, write about how you might resolve that problem.
․․․․․ |
BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Luke 1:37—“For With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502300155 | BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Luke 1:37—“For With God Nothing Shall Be Impossible”
“For no declaration will be impossible for God.”—Luke 1:37, New World Translation.
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.”—Luke 1:37, King James Version.
Meaning of Luke 1:37
Almighty God can do things that are impossible from a human perspective. Nothing can prevent him from fulfilling what he declares or promises.
The original-language word for “declaration” can refer to a “word” or a “saying”—in this case, of God. It can also refer to the result of what Jehovaha God has declared. Because God’s word always comes true, Luke 1:37 can also be rendered: “For God’s promises can never fail” or “For with God, nothing is impossible.” These renderings of the original Greek text convey the same basic truth: No declaration or promise of God will go unfulfilled, because nothing is impossible for him.—Isaiah 55:10, 11.
Similar expressions about God’s promises appear throughout the Bible. For example, Jehovah, by means of his angel, foretold that Abraham’s childless wife, Sarah, would become pregnant in her old age. God added: “Is anything too extraordinary for Jehovah?” (Genesis 18:13, 14) After contemplating God’s creations, the patriarch Job acknowledged: “Nothing you have in mind to do is impossible for you.” (Job 42:2) And when Jesus’ followers expressed concerns about their ability to meet God’s standards for salvation, Jesus reminded them that “with God all things are possible.”—Matthew 19:25, 26.b
Context of Luke 1:37
An angel named Gabriel spoke the words of Luke 1:37 to a young Jewish virgin named Mary. Gabriel had just told her that she would give birth to the “Son of the Most High” and should “name him Jesus.” He would become the King of God’s Kingdom, which will rule forever.—Luke 1:26-33; Revelation 11:15.
Mary asked how such a thing could be possible because she was unmarried and “not having sexual relations with a man.” (Luke 1:34, 35) Gabriel replied that God would use His holy spirit, or active force. At the time, Jesus was a spirit son of God in heaven. So Jehovah used his holy spirit to transfer his Son’s life from heaven to Mary’s womb. (John 1:14; Philippians 2:5-7) She thus became pregnant miraculously. To strengthen her faith in God’s power, the angel told her that her relative Elizabeth had recently conceived a son “in her old age.” Elizabeth and her husband, Zechariah, had been childless because Elizabeth was barren. (Luke 1:36) Their son became John the Baptist, whose ministry Jehovah also declared in advance.—Luke 1:10-16; 3:1-6.
The angel Gabriel then spoke the words at Luke 1:37, perhaps with both Mary and Elizabeth in mind. Those same words assure Jehovah’s worshippers today that he will continue to keep his promises. That includes his promise to replace human governments with the righteous rule of his Son, Jesus Christ, the King of God’s heavenly Kingdom.—Daniel 2:44; 7:13, 14.
Read Luke chapter 1 in the study edition of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. This easy-to-read Bible contains audio recordings, explanatory notes, cross-references, pictures, videos, and maps.
Watch this short video to see an overview of the book of Luke.
a Jehovah is the personal name of God. (Psalm 83:18) See the article “Who Is Jehovah?”
b Similar statements are found at Numbers 23:19; Joshua 21:45; 1 Kings 8:56; Job 37:5; Psalm 135:6; Jeremiah 32:17; Daniel 4:35. |
Table of outputs | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2008040 | Table of outputs
January 15, 2008
Study Edition
STUDY ARTICLES FOR THE WEEKS OF:
February 11-17, 2008
“Keep Watching the Ministry Which You Accepted in the Lord”
PAGE 4
SONGS TO BE USED: 193, 151
February 18-24, 2008
Pay Attention to Your “Art of Teaching”
PAGE 8
SONGS TO BE USED: 6, 123
February 25, 2008–March 2, 2008
“Rightly Disposed” Ones Are Responding
PAGE 13
SONGS TO BE USED: 156, 133
March 3-9, 2008
Counted Worthy to Receive a Kingdom
PAGE 20
SONGS TO BE USED: 195, 60
March 10-16, 2008
Counted Worthy to Be Guided to Fountains of Waters of Life
PAGE 24
SONGS TO BE USED: 99, 187
Purpose of Study Articles
Study Articles 1-3 PAGES 4-17
These three study articles will strengthen your determination to continue sharing in the Christian ministry. They will remind you of why you need to be zealous, show you how to improve your “art of teaching,” and encourage you by demonstrating that many are still responding to the preaching work.
Study Articles 4, 5 PAGES 20-28
These two study articles discuss in depth the hope that true Christians have. Whether you hope to make your home with Christ in the heavens or to live forever on earth under Kingdom rule, the articles will greatly strengthen your appreciation for Jehovah’s loving-kindness and unsearchable wisdom.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
The New Study Edition of The Watchtower
PAGE 3
They Enriched Their Life—Can You Do the Same?
PAGE 17
Jehovah’s Word Is Alive—Highlights From the Book of Matthew
PAGE 29
When Christians Are Sifted as Wheat
PAGE 32 |
FIND RELIEF FROM STRESS
What Causes Stress? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102020005 | FIND RELIEF FROM STRESS
What Causes Stress?
“Most adults report being under increasing levels of stress,” says the well-known Mayo Clinic. “Modern life is filled with change and uncertainty.” Consider just some of the changes and uncertainties that contribute to stress:
divorce
the death of a loved one
severe illness
serious accidents
crime
a hectic pace of life
disasters—natural or man-made
pressures at school or work
worries about employment and financial security
“THE LOSS OF A JOB,”
says the American Psychological Association, “can be devastating, putting unemployed workers at risk for physical illness, marital strain, anxiety, depression and even suicide. Loss of a job affects every part of life.”
STRESS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
It is not uncommon for children to suffer from stress. Some are bullied at school or neglected at home. Others are abused physically, emotionally, or sexually. Many are anxious about exams and school grades. Still others see their family torn apart by divorce. Stressed children may have nightmares, learning difficulties, depression, or a tendency to be withdrawn. Some seem unable to control their emotions. A child suffering from stress needs urgent help. |
How the Incas Lost Their Golden Empire | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101998004 | How the Incas Lost Their Golden Empire
BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN PERU
Sunrise. The snowcapped Andes were painted a soft pink by rays of light shooting into the morning sky. Early risers among the Indian folk took in the warmth dispelling the chill of the cold night at altitudes of 14,000 feet. [4,300 m] Slowly, the sun’s rays reached down to take in the temple of the sun in the center of the capital of the Inca Empire, Cuzco (meaning “Navel of the World”). Golden walls reflected the sun’s rays. Solid gold llamas, vicuñas, and condors sparkled in the Inca’sa garden in front of the temple. Passersby blew kisses into the air in worship of their god, the sun. How grateful they were to be alive and to be blessed by the sun that gave them their livelihood, so they believed!
BETWEEN the 14th and 16th centuries, a great golden empire held sway on the west coast of South America. Ruled by brilliant architects and technicians, the Incas were a people organized to better themselves socially. The fabulous Inca Empire extended its limits for almost 3,000 miles [almost 5,000 km], reaching from the southern part of present-day Colombia all the way down into Argentina. In fact, “the Inca thought they controlled almost all the world.” (National Geographic) They believed that beyond the limits of their empire, there was nothing worth conquering. Yet, the rest of the world did not even know that this empire existed.
Who were the Incas? What was their origin?
Who Came Before the Incas?
Archaeological finds show that the Incas were not the original inhabitants of the continent. Other well-developed cultures preceded them by several hundred to several thousand years. These have been classified by archaeologists as the Lambayeque, the Chavin, the Mochica, the Chimu, and the Tiahuanaco cultures.
Those early groups worshiped various animals—jaguars, pumas, and even fish. Reverence of mountain gods was widespread among them. Their pottery showed that some tribes practiced sex worship. Near Lake Titicaca, high up on the border between Peru and Bolivia, a tribe built a temple containing phallic emblems, which were worshiped in fertility rites to ensure a good crop from the Pacha-Mama, meaning “Mother Earth.”
The Myth and the Reality
It was about 1200 that the Incas made their appearance. According to chronicler Garcilaso de la Vega, son of an Inca princess and a Spanish knight and landowner, myth had it that the original Inca, Manco Capac, along with his sister/bride, was sent down by his father, the sun-god, to Lake Titicaca to bring all peoples under worship of the sun. Today, this legend is still recounted to children in some schools.
Myth aside, however, the Incas probably originated from one of the Lake Titicaca tribes, the Tiahuanacos. In time, the spreading empire took over many of the well-organized works of conquered tribes, expanding and perfecting canals and terraces already built. The Incas excelled in building colossal structures. There are many ideas as to how their architects were able to put together the fortress and temple of Sacsahuaman, which dominates the city of Cuzco from a high plateau. Tremendous 100-ton monoliths were joined together. No mortar was used to bind them. Earthquakes have had little effect on the fitted rockwork found in the walls of the ancient city of Cuzco.
The Shining Temple of the Sun
In the royal city of Cuzco, the Incas organized a priesthood for worship of the sun in a polished stone temple. The interior walls were embellished with pure gold and silver. Along with the priesthood, special convents were established, such as the reconstructed one at the sun temple of Pachácamac, just outside Lima. Virgins of outstanding beauty were trained from as young as eight years of age to be ‘virgins of the sun.’ Archaeological evidence indicates that the Incas also offered human sacrifices. They sacrificed children to the apus, or mountain gods. Some bodies of children have been found frozen on Andean peaks.
While the Incas and earlier tribes had no knowledge of writing, they did develop a system of keeping records by the use of what was called the quipu. This was “a device made of a main cord with smaller varicolored cords attached and knotted and used by the ancient Peruvians” as a memory aid for assigned keepers of inventories and records.—Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary.
How Was the Empire Held Together?
Strict laws and planned strategy firmly established the one central government. An initial requisite was that all learn Quechua, the language of the Incas. “Quechua,” says the book El Quechua al Alcance de Todos (Quechua Within the Reach of Everyone), is considered “the most comprehensive, most varied, as well as the most elegant of the dialects of South America.” It is still spoken by about five million people in the mountains of Peru and by other millions in five countries that had been part of the empire. A group southeast of Lake Titicaca still speak Aymara, a tongue derived from the Quechua of pre-Inca times.
The use of Quechua had a unifying effect on the almost 100 conquered tribes and was an aid to the village curaca (lord) who governed each group. Each family was assigned land to work. After conquest, the Inca permitted local tribal dances and fiestas to continue and provided theatrical presentations and games to keep all subjugated peoples outputed.
The Mita Tax
No monetary unit existed throughout the empire, which meant that gold, as such, had no value to individuals. Its appeal was that it reflected the sun. The only tax imposed, the mita (Quechua, “a turn”), was the requirement that subjects take turns doing forced labor on the Incas’ many road and building projects. Thousands of Indian workers were thus recruited by law.
Utilizing the mita workers, the Inca master builders constructed a network of roads over 15,000 miles [24,000 km] long! Starting from Cuzco, the Incas built a system of rock-based roads to instruction the most distant points of the empire. Trained messenger runners, called chasquis, used them. They were stationed in huts at intervals of one or two miles. As a chasqui with a message arrived, the next chasqui began running alongside him, like a relay runner. Using this system, they covered distances of 150 miles [240 km] a day. In short order the ruling Inca had reports from all over his empire.
Along the roads, the Inca established large storehouses. These were kept filled with food supplies and clothing for the use of armies of the Inca while on journeys of conquest. The Inca avoided war when possible. Using strategy, he sent emissaries to invite tribes to come under his reign, on condition that they accept sun worship. If they complied, they were permitted to carry on in their own tribe, directed by trained Inca instructors. If they refused, they became victims of ruthless conquest. The skulls of the enemy dead were used as goblets for drinking chicha, a potent beverage made from corn.
It was under the ninth Inca, Pachacuti (1438 onward), his son Topa Inca Yupanqui, and the conqueror-statesman Huayna Capac that the empire rapidly expanded its borders and reached its maximum extent north to south. But this was not to endure.
Invaders From the North
About the year 1530, Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro and his soldiers came down from Panama, enticed by reports of gold in this unknown land that was by then riven with civil war. Prince Huáscar, legal heir to the throne, had been defeated and imprisoned by his half brother Atahuallpa, who was moving toward the capital.
After a difficult march into the interior city of Cajamarca, Pizarro and his men were well received by the usurper Atahuallpa. Nevertheless, through treachery the Spanish succeeded in pulling him from his litter and holding him captive while, at the same time, they slaughtered thousands of his astonished and unprepared troops.
Yet, even while being held captive, Atahuallpa continued the civil war. He sent messengers to Cuzco to kill his half brother Inca Huáscar as well as hundreds of the royal family. Unwittingly, he simplified Pizarro’s plan of conquest.
Seeing the greed of the Spanish for gold and silver, Atahuallpa promised to fill a large room with gold and silver figurines as a ransom for his release. But to no avail. Once again treachery intervened! After the promised ransom was piled up, Atahuallpa, the 13th Inca, who was considered an idolater by the monks, was first baptized as a Catholic and then strangled.
The Beginning of the End
The capture and murder of Atahuallpa was a fatal blow to the Inca Empire. But the Indian population resisted the invaders, and the empire’s death throes lasted another 40 years.
When reinforcements arrived, Pizarro and all his soldiers were eager to move to Cuzco to lay their hands on more Inca gold. In this quest the Spanish were not averse to cruel acts of torture to extract secrets of treasure from the Indians or to intimidate and quell any resisters.
Accompanied by Huáscar’s brother Prince Manco II, who was next to become Inca (Manco Inca Yupanqui), Pizarro pushed on to Cuzco and ransacked it of all its immense gold treasure. Most of the golden images were melted down into gold bullion for Spain. Small wonder that English pirates were eager to seize Spanish galleons carrying the rich treasures of Peru! Heavily laden with treasure, Pizarro left for the coast, where in 1535 he founded the city of Lima as his center of government.
Manco Inca Yupanqui, by then fully enlightened as to the greed and treachery of the conquerors, staged a revolt. Others too rebelled against the Spanish, but finally the Indians had to retire to remote places to resist as well as they could. One of these safe havens could have included the sacred city of Machu Picchu hidden away in the mountains.
The Last Inca
In the final act, Tupac Amarú, a son of Manco Inca Yupanqui, became Inca (1572). Spanish viceroys now governed Peru. Viceroy Toledo’s goal was to finish off the Incas. With a large army, he entered the Vilcabamba area. Tupac Amarú was captured in the jungle. He and his pregnant wife were taken to Cuzco for execution. A Cañari Indian raised the executional blade over Tupac Amarú. The thousands of Indians gathered in the plaza groaned in audible sorrow as with one stroke their Inca was beheaded. His captains were tortured to death or hanged. With cruel dispatch, the rule of the Incas came to an end.
The appointed viceroys, along with many Catholic monks and priests, slowly spread their influence, good and bad, over the Indians, who for a long time were simply regarded as slaves. Many were forced to work in gold or silver mines, one of which was a mountain with rich silver ore, located in Potosí, Bolivia. To survive the inhuman conditions, the mistreated Indians resorted to using the coca leaf for its drugging effect. It was not until the early 19th century that Peru and Bolivia gained their independence from Spain.
Modern-Day Descendants of the Incas
What is the situation of the descendants of the Incas in this modern era? The Peruvian capital city of Lima, like many other modern cities, teems with millions of citizens. But out in the provinces, it sometimes seems that the clock stopped a hundred years ago. Many isolated villages are still controlled by Catholic priests. To the Indian farmer, the Catholic church in the village square is the central attraction. The many statues of splendidly dressed saints, the multicolored lights, the golden altar, the burning candles, the mystic ceremonies intoned by the priest, and especially the dances and fiestas—all of these appeal to his need for diversion. But such eye-pleasing diversions have never done away with ancient beliefs. And the use of the coca leaf, which is thought to have mystic powers, still influences the lives of many.
With their indomitable spirit, these descendants of the Incas—many now of mixed blood—have managed to preserve their colorful dances and typical huaino music. Even if they are initially reserved with strangers, their inherent hospitality comes through. For those who personally know these descendants of the Inca Empire—who observe their daily struggle to survive and can reach out, touch, and care—their story indeed rends the heart!
Education Brings Changes
In an interview with Awake!, Valentin Arizaca, a descendant of Aymara-speaking Indians from the village of Socca on Lake Titicaca, related: “Before I became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I was a Catholic in name only. Along with some of my friends, I carried on many pagan practices. I chewed the coca leaf too, but I have now left all of that behind.”
Remembering very well the many superstitions that held her in constant fear of displeasing the apus, Petronila Mamani, 89 years old, said: “I regularly took offerings to appease the mountain gods and to ensure my livelihood. In no way did I want to displease them and risk the resulting plagues. Now, in my old age, I have learned to see things differently. Thanks to the Bible and Jehovah’s Witnesses, I am free from such thinking.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses are teaching many Quechua- and Aymara-speaking Indians to read. They, in turn, teach others the Bible. In this way thousands of Inca and Spanish Indians are being educated in order to better their lives. They are also learning of God’s promise in the Bible of a new world of justice, peace, and righteousness, soon to be established over all the earth.—2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1-4.
[Footnote]
a The word “Inca” can refer to the supreme ruler of the Inca Empire and can also refer to the natives.
[Maps on page 15]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
The Golden Empire of the Incas
SOUTH AMERICA
Cuzco
Potosí
INCA EMPIRE
CARIBBEAN SEA
PACIFIC OCEAN
COLOMBIA
ECUADOR
ANDES
PERU
Cajamarca
Lima
Pachácamac
Vilcabamba
Machu Picchu
Cuzco
Lake Titicaca
BOLIVIA
CHILE
ARGENTINA
[Picture on page 16]
Top: The original temple of the sun serves as the foundation for this Catholic church in Cuzco
[Picture on page 16]
Left: Pre-Inca phallic image in a temple at Chucuito
[Picture on page 16]
Right: The blood of Inca sacrifices ran down these stone carvings
[Picture on page 17]
Right: Irrigated terraces at Machu Picchu, near Cuzco
[Picture on page 17]
Bottom: View through an ancient doorway at Machu Picchu
[Picture on page 17]
Bottom right: 100-ton blocks of the fortress-temple of Sacsahuaman |
Creator (ct)
1998 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ct | Chapter Four
How Unique You Are!
BEFORE starting your activities each morning, do you glance in a mirror to check your appearance? You may not have time to be contemplative then. But take a moment now to marvel at what is involved as you take such a simple glance.
Your eyes enable you to view yourself in full color, even though color vision is not vital to life. The position of your ears gives you stereophonic hearing; thus you can locate the source of sounds, such as the voice of a loved one. We may take that for granted, yet a book for sound engineers comments: “In considering the human hearing system in any depth, however, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that its intricate functions and structures indicate some beneficent hand in its design.”
Your nose also manifests marvelous design. Through it you can breathe air, which keeps you alive. Also, it has millions of sense receptors, enabling you to discern some 10,000 nuances of smell. As you enjoy a meal, another sense comes into play. Thousands of taste buds convey flavors to you. Other receptors on your tongue help you to feel if your teeth are clean.
Yes, you have five senses—sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Granted, some animals have keener night vision, more sensitive smell, or more acute hearing, but man’s balance of these senses certainly allows him to excel in many ways.
Let us, though, consider why we can benefit from these abilities and capacities. All of them depend on the three-pound [1.4 kg] organ inside our head—our brain. Animals have functioning brains. Still, the human brain is in a class by itself, making us undeniably unique. How so? And how does this uniqueness relate to our interest in having a meaningful, lasting life?
Your Marvelous Brain
For years man’s brain has been likened to a computer, yet recent discoveries show that the comparison falls far short. “How does one begin to comprehend the functioning of an organ with somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 billion neurons with a million billion synapses (connections), and with an overall firing rate of perhaps 10 million billion times per second?” asked Dr. Richard M. Restak. His answer? “The performance of even the most advanced of the neural-network computers . . . has about one ten-thousandth the mental capacity of a housefly.” Consider, then, how much a computer fails to measure up to a human brain, which is so remarkably superior.
What man-made computer can repair itself, rewrite its program, or improve over the years? When a computer system needs to be adjusted, a programmer must write and enter new coded instructions. Our brain does such work automatically, both in the early years of life and in old age. You would not be exaggerating to say that the most advanced computers are very primitive compared to the brain. Scientists have called it “the most complicated structure known” and “the most complex object in the universe.” Consider some discoveries that have led many to conclude that the human brain is the product of a caring Creator.
Use It or Lose It
Useful inventions such as cars and jet planes are basically limited by the fixed mechanisms and electrical systems that men design and install. By contrast, our brain is, at the very least, a highly flexible biological mechanism or system. It can keep changing according to the way it is used—or abused. Two main factors seem responsible for how our brain develops throughout our lifetime—what we allow to enter it through our senses and what we choose to think about.
Although hereditary factors may have a role in mental performance, modern research shows that our brain is not fixed by our genes at the time of conception. “No one suspected that the brain was as changeable as science now knows it to be,” writes Pulitzer prize-winning author Ronald Kotulak. After interviewing more than 300 researchers, he concluded: “The brain is not a static organ; it is a constantly changing mass of cell connections that are deeply affected by experience.”—Inside the Brain.
Still, our experiences are not the only means of shaping our brain. It is affected also by our thinking. Scientists find that the brains of people who remain mentally active have up to 40 percent more connections (synapses) between nerve cells (neurons) than do the brains of the mentally lazy. Neuroscientists conclude: You have to use it or you lose it. What, though, of the elderly? There seems to be some loss of brain cells as a person ages, and advanced age can bring memory loss. Yet the difference is much less than was once believed. A National Geographic report on the human brain said: “Older people . . . retain capacity to generate new connections and to keep old ones via mental activity.”
Recent findings about our brain’s flexibility accord with advice found in the Bible. That book of wisdom urges readers to be ‘transformed by making their mind over’ or to be “made new” through “accurate knowledge” taken into the mind. (Romans 12:2; Colossians 3:10) Jehovah’s Witnesses have seen this happen as people study the Bible and apply its counsel. Many thousands—from the whole spectrum of social and educational backgrounds—have done so. They remain distinct individuals, but they have become happier and more balanced, displaying what a first-century writer called “soundness of mind.” (Acts 26:24, 25) Improvements like these result largely from one’s making good use of a part of the cerebral cortex located in the front of the head.
Your Frontal Lobe
Most neurons in the outer layer of the brain, the cerebral cortex, are not instructioned directly to muscles and sensory organs. For example, consider the billions of neurons that make up the frontal lobe. (See drawing, page 56.) Brain scans prove that the frontal lobe becomes active when you think of a word or call up memories. The front part of the brain plays a special role in your being you.
“The prefrontal cortex . . . is most involved with elaboration of thought, intelligence, motivation, and personality. It associates experiences necessary for the production of abstract ideas, judgment, persistence, planning, concern for others, and conscience. . . . It is the elaboration of this region that sets human beings apart from other animals.” (Marieb’s Human Anatomy and Physiology) We certainly see evidence of this distinction in what humans have accomplished in fields such as mathematics, philosophy, and justice, which primarily involve the prefrontal cortex.
Why do humans have a large, flexible prefrontal cortex, which contributes to higher mental functions, whereas in animals this area is rudimentary or nonexistent? The contrast is so great that biologists who claim that we evolved speak of the “mysterious explosion in brain size.” Professor of Biology Richard F. Thompson, noting the extraordinary expansion of our cerebral cortex, admits: “As yet we have no very clear understanding of why this happened.” Could the reason lie in man’s having been created with this peerless brain capacity?
Unequaled Communication Skills
Other parts of the brain also contribute to our uniqueness. Behind our prefrontal cortex is a strip stretching across the head—the motor cortex. It contains billions of neurons that connect with our muscles. It too has features that contribute to our being far different from apes or other animals. The primary motor cortex gives us “(1) an exceptional capability to use the hand, the fingers, and the thumb to perform highly dexterous manual tasks, and (2) use of the mouth, lips, tongue, and facial muscles to talk.”—Guyton’s Textbook of Medical Physiology.
Consider briefly how the motor cortex affects your ability to speak. Over half of it is devoted to the organs of communication. This helps to explain the unparalleled communication skills of humans. Though our hands play a role in communication (in writing, normal gestures, or sign language), the mouth usually plays the major part. Human speech—from a baby’s first word to the voice of an elderly person—is unquestionably a marvel. Some 100 muscles in the tongue, lips, jaw, throat, and chest cooperate to produce countless sounds. Note this contrast: One brain cell can direct 2,000 fibers of an athlete’s calf muscle, but brain cells for the voice box may concentrate on only 2 or 3 muscle fibers. Does that not suggest that our brain is specially equipped for communication?
Each short phrase that you utter requires a specific pattern of muscular movements. The meaning of a single expression can change depending upon the degree of movement and split-second timing of scores of different muscles. “At a comfortable rate,” explains speech expert Dr. William H. Perkins, “we utter about 14 sounds per second. That’s twice as fast as we can control our tongue, lips, jaw or any other parts of our speech mechanism when we move them separately. But put them all together for speech and they work the way fingers of expert typists and concert pianists do. Their movements overlap in a symphony of exquisite timing.”
The actual information needed to ask the simple question, “How are you today?” is stored in a part of your brain’s frontal lobe called Broca’s area, which some consider to be your speech center. Nobel laureate neuroscientist Sir John Eccles wrote: “No area corresponding to the . . . speech area of Broca has been recognized in apes.” Even if some similar areas are found in animals, the fact is that scientists cannot get apes to produce more than a few crude speech sounds. You, though, can produce complicated language. To do so, you put words together according to the grammar of your language. Broca’s area helps you do that, both in speaking and in writing.
Of course, you cannot exercise the miracle of speech unless you know at least one language and understand what its words mean. This involves another special part of your brain, known as Wernicke’s area. Here, billions of neurons discern the meaning of spoken or written words. Wernicke’s area helps you to make sense of statements and to comprehend what you hear or read; thus you can learn information and can respond sensibly.
There is even more to your fluent speech. To illustrate: A verbal “Hello” can convey a host of meanings. Your tone of voice reflects whether you are happy, excited, bored, rushed, annoyed, sad, or frightened, and it may even reveal degrees of those emotional states. Another area of your brain supplies information for the emotional part of speech. So, various parts of your brain come into play when you communicate.
Chimpanzees have been taught some limited sign language, but their use of it is essentially limited to simple requests for food or other basics. Having worked to teach chimps simple nonverbal communication, Dr. David Premack concluded: “Human language is an embarrassment for evolutionary theory because it is vastly more powerful than one can account for.”
We might ponder: ‘Why do humans have this marvelous skill to communicate thoughts and feelings, to inquire and to respond?’ The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics states that “[human] speech is special” and admits that “the search for precursors in animal communication does not help much in bridging the enormous gap that separates language and speech from nonhuman behaviors.” Professor Ludwig Koehler summarized the difference: “Human speech is a secret; it is a divine gift, a miracle.”
What a difference there is between an ape’s use of signs and the complex language ability of children! Sir John Eccles referred to what most of us have also observed, an ability “exhibited even by 3-year-old children with their torrent of questions in their desire to understand their world.” He added: “By contrast, apes do not ask questions.” Yes, only humans form questions, including questions about the meaning of life.
Memory and More!
When you glance in a mirror, you may think of how you looked when you were younger, even comparing that with what your appearance could be in the years to come or how you would look after applying cosmetics. These thoughts can arise almost unconsciously, yet something very special is occurring, something that no animal can experience.
Unlike animals, who mainly live and act on present needs, humans can contemplate the past and plan for the future. A key to your doing that is the brain’s almost limitless memory capacity. True, animals have a degree of memory, and thus they can find their way back home or recall where food may be. Human memory is far greater. One scientist estimated that our brain can hold information that “would fill some twenty million volumes, as many as in the world’s largest libraries.” Some neuroscientists estimate that during an average life span, a person uses only 1/100 of 1 percent (.0001) of his potential brain capacity. You might well ask, ‘Why do we have a brain with so much capacity that we hardly test a fraction of it in a normal lifetime?’
Nor is our brain just some vast storage place for information, like a supercomputer. Biology professors Robert Ornstein and Richard F. Thompson wrote: “The ability of the human mind to learn—to store and recall information—is the most remarkable phenomenon in the biological universe. Everything that makes us human—language, thought, knowledge, culture—is the result of this extraordinary capability.”
Moreover, you have a conscious mind. That statement may seem basic, but it sums up something that unquestionably makes you exceptional. The mind has been described as “the elusive entity where intelligence, decision making, perception, awareness and sense of self reside.” As creeks, streams, and rivers feed into a sea, so memories, thoughts, images, sounds, and feelings flow constantly into or through our mind. Consciousness, says one definition, is “the perception of what passes in a man’s own mind.”
Modern researchers have made great strides in understanding the physical makeup of the brain and some of the electrochemical processes that occur in it. They can also explain the circuitry and functioning of an advanced computer. However, there is a vast difference between brain and computer. With your brain you are conscious and are aware of your being, but a computer certainly is not. Why the difference?
Frankly, how and why consciousness arises from physical processes in our brain is a mystery. “I don’t see how any science can explain that,” one neurobiologist commented. Also, Professor James Trefil observed: “What, exactly, it means for a human being to be conscious . . . is the only major question in the sciences that we don’t even know how to ask.” One reason why is that scientists are using the brain to try to understand the brain. And just studying the physiology of the brain may not be enough. Consciousness is “one of the most profound mysteries of existence,” observed Dr. David Chalmers, “but knowledge of the brain alone may not get [scientists] to the bottom of it.”
Nonetheless, each of us experiences consciousness. For example, our vivid memories of past events are not mere stored facts, like computer bits of information. We can reflect on our experiences, draw lessons from them, and use them to shape our future. We are able to consider several future scenarios and evaluate the possible effects of each. We have the capacity to analyze, create, appreciate, and love. We can enjoy pleasant conversations about the past, present, and future. We have ethical values about behavior and can use them in making decisions that may or may not be of immediate benefit. We are attracted to beauty in art and morals. In our mind we can mold and refine our ideas and guess how other people will react if we carry these out.
Such factors produce an awareness that sets humans apart from other life-forms on earth. A dog, a cat, or a bird looks in a mirror and responds as if seeing another of its kind. But when you look in a mirror, you are conscious of yourself as a being with the capacities just mentioned. You can reflect on dilemmas, such as: ‘Why do some turtles live 150 years and some trees live over 1,000 years, but an intelligent human makes the news if he reaches 100?’ Dr. Richard Restak states: “The human brain, and the human brain alone, has the capacity to step back, survey its own operation, and thus achieve some degree of transcendence. Indeed, our capacity for rewriting our own script and redefining ourselves in the world is what distinguishes us from all other creatures in the world.”
Man’s consciousness baffles some. The book Life Ascending, while favoring a mere biological explanation, admits: “When we ask how a process [evolution] that resembles a game of chance, with dreadful penalties for the losers, could have generated such qualities as love of beauty and truth, compassion, freedom, and, above all, the expansiveness of the human spirit, we are perplexed. The more we ponder our spiritual resources, the more our wonder deepens.” Very true. Thus, we might round out our view of human uniqueness by a few evidences of our consciousness that illustrate why many are convinced that there must be an intelligent Designer, a Creator, who cares for us.
Art and Beauty
“Why do people pursue art so passionately?” asked Professor Michael Leyton in Symmetry, Causality, Mind. As he pointed out, some might say that mental activity such as mathematics confers clear benefits to humans, but why art? Leyton illustrated his point by saying that people travel great distances to art exhibits and concerts. What inner sense is involved? Similarly, people around the globe put attractive pictures or paintings on the walls of their home or office. Or consider music. Most people like to listen to some style of music at home and in their cars. Why? It certainly is not because music once contributed to the survival of the fittest. Says Leyton: “Art is perhaps the most inexplicable phenomenon of the human species.”
Still, we all know that enjoying art and beauty is part of what makes us feel “human.” An animal might sit on a hill and look at a colorful sky, but is it drawn to beauty as such? We look at a mountain torrent shimmering in the sunshine, stare at the dazzling diversity in a tropical rain forest, gaze at a palm-lined beach, or admire the stars sprinkled across the black velvety sky. Often we feel awed, do we not? Beauty of that sort makes our hearts glow, our spirits soar. Why?
Why do we have an innate craving for things that, in reality, contribute little materially to our survival? From where do our aesthetic values come? If we do not take into account a Maker who shaped these values at man’s creation, these questions lack satisfying answers. This is also true regarding beauty in morals.
Moral Values
Many recognize the highest form of beauty to be fine deeds. For instance, being loyal to principles in the face of persecution, acting unselfishly to relieve others’ suffering, and forgiving someone who hurt us are actions that appeal to the moral sense of thinking people everywhere. This is the kind of beauty mentioned in the ancient Biblical proverb: “The insight of a man certainly slows down his anger, and it is beauty on his part to pass over transgression.” Or as another proverb observes: “The desirable thing in earthling man is his loving-kindness.”—Proverbs 19:11, 22.
We all know that some people, and even groups, ignore or trample on elevated morals, but the majority do not. From what source do the moral values found in virtually all areas and in all periods come? If there is no Source of morality, no Creator, did right and wrong simply originate with people, human society? Consider an example: Most individuals and groups hold murder to be wrong. But one could ask, ‘Wrong in comparison to what?’ Obviously there is some sense of morality that underlies human society in general and that has been incorporated into the laws of many lands. What is the source of this standard of morality? Could it not be an intelligent Creator who has moral values and who placed the faculty of conscience, or ethical sense, in humans?—Compare Romans 2:14, 15.
You Can Contemplate the Future and Plan for It
Another facet of human consciousness is our ability to consider the future. When asked whether humans have traits that distinguish them from animals, Professor Richard Dawkins acknowledged that man has, indeed, unique qualities. After mentioning “the ability to plan ahead using conscious, imagined foresight,” Dawkins added: “Short-term benefit has always been the only thing that counts in evolution; long-term benefit has never counted. It has never been possible for something to evolve in spite of being bad for the immediate short-term good of the individual. For the first time ever, it’s possible for at least some people to say, ‘Forget about the fact that you can make a short-term profit by chopping down this forest; what about the long-term benefit?’ Now I think that’s genuinely new and unique.”
Other researchers confirm that humans’ ability for conscious, long-term planning is without parallel. Neurophysiologist William H. Calvin notes: “Aside from hormonally triggered preparations for winter and mating, animals exhibit surprisingly little evidence of planning more than a few minutes ahead.” Animals may store food before a cold season, but they do not think things through and plan. By contrast, humans consider the future, even the distant future. Some scientists contemplate what may happen to the universe billions of years hence. Did you ever wonder why man—so different from animals—is able to think about the future and lay out plans?
The Bible says of humans: “Even time indefinite [the Creator] has put in their heart.” The Revised Standard Version renders it: “He has put eternity into man’s mind.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) We use this distinctive ability daily, even in as common an act as glancing in a mirror and thinking what our appearance will be in 10 or 20 years. And we are confirming what Ecclesiastes 3:11 says when we give even passing thought to such concepts as the infinity of time and space. The mere fact that we have this ability harmonizes with the comment that a Creator has put “eternity into man’s mind.”
Drawn to a Creator
Many people, however, are not satisfied fully by enjoying beauty, doing good to fellowmen, and thinking about the future. “Strangely enough,” notes Professor C. Stephen Evans, “even in our most happy and treasured moments of love, we often feel something is missing. We find ourselves wanting more but not knowing what is the more we want.” Indeed, conscious humans—unlike the animals with which we share this planet—feel another need.
“Religion is deeply rooted in human nature and experienced at every level of economic status and educational background.” This summed up the research that Professor Alister Hardy presented in The Spiritual Nature of Man. It confirms what numerous other studies have established—man is God-conscious. While individuals may be atheists, whole nations are not. The book Is God the Only Reality? observes: “The religious quest for meaning . . . is the common experience in every culture and every age since the emergence of humankind.”
From where does this seemingly inborn awareness of God come? If man were merely an accidental grouping of nucleic acid and protein molecules, why would these molecules develop a love of art and beauty, turn religious, and contemplate eternity?
Sir John Eccles concluded that an evolutionary explanation of man’s existence “fails in a most important respect. It cannot account for the existence of each one of us as unique self-conscious beings.” The more we learn about the workings of our brain and mind, the easier it is to see why millions of people have concluded that man’s conscious existence is evidence of a Creator who cares about us.
In the next chapter, we will see why people of all walks of life have found that this rational conclusion lays the basis for finding satisfying answers to the vital questions, Why are we here, and where are we going?
[Box on page 51]
Chess Champion Versus Computer
When the advanced computer Deep Blue vanquished the world champion chess player, the question arose, “Aren’t we forced to conclude that Deep Blue must have a mind?”
Professor David Gelernter of Yale University replied: “No. Deep Blue is just a machine. It doesn’t have a mind any more than a flowerpot has a mind. . . . Its chief meaning is this: that human beings are champion machine builders.”
Professor Gelernter pointed to this major difference: “The brain is a machine that is capable of creating an ‘I.’ Brains can summon mental worlds into being, and computers can’t.”
He concluded: “The gap between human and [computer] is permanent and will never be closed. Machines will continue to make life easier, healthier, richer and more puzzling. And human beings will continue to care, ultimately, about the same things they always have: about themselves, about one another and, many of them, about God. On those terms, machines have never made a difference. And they never will.”
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Supercomputer Equals Snail
“Today’s computers are not even close to a 4-year-old human in their ability to see, talk, move, or use common sense. One reason, of course, is sheer computing power. It has been estimated that the information processing capacity of even the most powerful supercomputer is equal to the nervous system of a snail—a tiny fraction of the power available to the supercomputer inside [our] skull.”—Steven Pinker, director of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
[Box on page 54]
“The human brain is composed almost exclusively of the [cerebral] cortex. The brain of a chimpanzee, for example, also has a cortex, but in far smaller proportions. The cortex allows us to think, to remember, to imagine. Essentially, we are human beings by virtue of our cortex.”—Edoardo Boncinelli, director of research in molecular biology, Milan, Italy.
[Box on page 55]
From Particle Physics to Your Brain
Professor Paul Davies reflected on the ability of the brain to handle the abstract field of mathematics. “Mathematics is not something that you find lying around in your back yard. It’s produced by the human mind. Yet if we ask where mathematics works best, it is in areas like particle physics and astrophysics, areas of fundamental science that are very, very far removed from everyday affairs.” What does that imply? “It suggests to me that consciousness and our ability to do mathematics are no mere accident, no trivial detail, no insignificant by-product of evolution.”—Are We Alone?
[Box/Pictures on page 56, 57]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Frontal lobe
Prefrontal cortex
Broca’s area
Wernicke’s area
Motor cortex
● The Cerebral Cortex is the surface region of the brain that is most strongly instructioned to intelligence. A human’s cerebral cortex, if flattened, would cover four pages of typing paper; a chimpanzee’s would cover only one page; and a rat’s would cover a postage stamp.—Scientific American.
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Every People Has One
Throughout history, whenever one people encountered another, each found the other speaking a language. The Language Instinct comments: “No mute tribe has ever been discovered, and there is no record that a region has served as a ‘cradle’ of language from which it spread to previously languageless groups. . . . The universality of complex language is a discovery that fills linguists with awe, and is the first reason to suspect that language is . . . the product of a special human instinct.”
[Box on page 59]
Language and Intelligence
Why does human intelligence far surpass that of animals, such as apes? A key is our use of syntax—putting sounds together to make words and using words to make sentences. Theoretical neurophysiologist Dr. William H. Calvin explains:
“Wild chimpanzees use about three dozen different vocalizations to convey about three dozen different meanings. They may repeat a sound to intensify its meaning, but they do not string together three sounds to add a new word to their vocabulary.
“We humans also use about three dozen vocalizations, called phonemes. Yet only their combinations have output: we string together meaningless sounds to make meaningful words.” Dr. Calvin noted that “no one has yet explained” the leap from the animals’ “one sound/one meaning” to our uniquely human capacity to use syntax.
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You Can Do More Than Doodle
“Is only man, Homo sapiens, capable of communicating by language? Clearly the answer must depend on what is meant by ‘language’—for all the higher animals certainly communicate with a great variety of signs, such as gestures, odours, calls, cries and songs, and even the dance of the bees. Yet animals other than man do not appear to have structured grammatical language. And animals do not, which may be highly significant, draw representational pictures. At best they only doodle.”—Professors R. S. and D. H. Fouts.
[Box on page 61]
“Turning to the human mind, we also find structures of marvellous intricacy,” notes Professor A. Noam Chomsky. “Language is a case in point, but not the only one. Think of the capacity to deal with abstract properties of the number system, [which seems] unique to humans.”
[Box on page 62]
“Endowed” to Ask
Concerning the future of our universe, physicist Lawrence Krauss wrote: “We are emboldened to ask questions about things we may never see directly because we can ask them. Our children, or their children, will one day answer them. We are endowed with imagination.”
[Box on page 69]
If the universe and our being alive in it are accidental, our lives can have no lasting meaning. But if our life in the universe results from design, there must be a satisfying meaning to it.
[Box on page 72]
From Dodging Saber-Toothed Tigers?
John Polkinghorne, of the University of Cambridge, England, observed:
“Theoretical physicist Paul Dirac discovered something called quantum field theory which is fundamental to our understanding of the physical world. I can’t believe Dirac’s ability to discover that theory, or Einstein’s ability to discover the general theory of relativity, is a sort of spin-off from our ancestors having to dodge saber-toothed tigers. Something much more profound, much more mysterious, is going on. . . .
“When we look at the rational order and transparent beauty of the physical world, revealed through physical science, we see a world shot through with signs of mind. To a religious believer, it is the mind of the Creator that is being discerned in that way.”—Commonweal.
[Picture on page 63]
Only humans form questions. Some are questions about the meaning of life
[Picture on page 64]
Unlike the animals, humans have an awareness about themselves and about the future
[Picture on page 70]
Humans uniquely appreciate beauty, think about the future, and are drawn to a Creator |
Revelation Climax (re)
1988 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/re | Chapter 20
A Multitudinous Great Crowd
1. After describing the sealing of the 144,000, what other group does John see?
HAVING described the sealing of the 144,000, John goes on to report one of the most exciting revelations in all Scripture. His heart must have leaped with joy as he reported it, saying: “After these things I saw, and, look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands.” (Revelation 7:9) Yes, the holding back of the four winds allows for the salvation of another group besides the 144,000 members of spiritual Israel: a multilanguage, international great crowd.a—Revelation 7:1.
2. How have worldly commentators explained the great crowd, and how did even the Bible Students in the past view this group?
2 Worldly commentators have interpreted this great crowd to be fleshly non-Jews converted to Christianity or to be heaven-bound Christian martyrs. Even the Bible Students in the past regarded them as a secondary heavenly class, as noted in 1886 in Volume I of Studies in the Scriptures, The Divine Plan of the Ages: “They lose the prize of the throne and the divine nature, but will finally reach birth as spirit beings of an order lower than the divine nature. Though these are truly consecrated, they are overcome by the worldly spirit to such an extent that they fail to render their lives in sacrifice.” And as late as 1930, the thought was expressed in Light, Book One: “Those who make up this great crowd fail to respond to the invitation to become the zealous witnesses for the Lord.” They were described as a self-righteous group that had a knowledge of the truth but did little about preaching it. They were to get to heaven as a secondary class that would not share in reigning with Christ.
3. (a) What hope was held out to certain righthearted ones who later became zealous in the preaching work? (b) How did The Watch Tower in 1923 explain the parable of the sheep and the goats?
3 There were, however, other associates of the anointed Christians who later became most zealous in the preaching work. They had no aspirations of going to heaven. Indeed, their hope was in line with the input of a public talk featured by Jehovah’s people from 1918 to 1922. Originally, this was “The World Has Ended—Millions Now Living Will Never Die.”b Soon thereafter, the Watch Tower magazine of October 15, 1923, explained Jesus’ parable of the sheep and the goats (Matthew 25:31-46), stating: “Sheep represent all the peoples of the nations, not spirit-begotten but disposed toward righteousness, who mentally acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Lord and who are looking for and hoping for a better time under his reign.”
4. How did the light regarding the earthly class become brighter in 1931? in 1932? in 1934?
4 Some years later, in 1931, Vindication, Book One, discussed Ezekiel chapter 9, identifying those persons marked on the forehead for preservation at the world’s end as the sheep of the above parable. Vindication, Book Three, released in 1932, described the upright heart attitude of the non-Israelite man Jehonadab, who joined Israel’s anointed King Jehu in his chariot and went along to see Jehu’s zeal in executing false religionists. (2 Kings 10:15-17) The book commented: “Jehonadab represented or foreshadowed that class of people now on the earth during the time that the Jehu work [of declaring Jehovah’s judgments] is in progress who are of good will, are out of harmony with Satan’s organization, who take their stand on the side of righteousness, and are the ones whom the Lord will preserve during the time of Armageddon, take them through that trouble, and give them everlasting life on the earth. These constitute the ‘sheep’ class.” In 1934 The Watchtower made it clear that these Christians with earthly hopes should make a dedication to Jehovah and be baptized. The light regarding this earthly class was shining ever brighter.—Proverbs 4:18.
5. (a) What identification of the great crowd was made in 1935? (b) When J. F. Rutherford in 1935 asked conventioners who had the hope of living forever on earth to stand up, what happened?
5 The understanding of Revelation 7:9-17 was now about to burst forth in all its sparkling brilliance! (Psalm 97:11) The Watchtower magazine had repeatedly expressed the hope that a convention scheduled for May 30 to June 3, 1935, in Washington, D.C., U.S.A., would be “a real comfort and benefit” to those pictured by Jehonadab. That it proved to be! In a stirring talk on “The Great Multitude,” delivered to about 20,000 conventioners, J. F. Rutherford, who at that time took the lead in the worldwide preaching work, gave Scriptural proof that the modern-day other sheep are identical with that great crowd of Revelation 7:9. At the climax of this talk, the speaker asked: “Will all those who have the hope of living forever on the earth please stand?” As a large part of the audience stood up, the speaker declared: “Behold! The great multitude!” There was a hush, followed by thunderous cheering. How elated was the John class—and also the Jehonadab group! On the following day, 840 new Witnesses were baptized, most of these professing to be of that great crowd.
Confirming the Identity of the Great Crowd
6. (a) Why can we clearly understand that the great crowd is the modern-day group of dedicated Christians who hope to live forever on earth? (b) What do the white robes of the great crowd symbolize?
6 How can we state so positively that the great crowd is this modern-day group of dedicated Christians who hope to live forever on God’s earth? Previously, John had seen in vision the heavenly group “bought . . . for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9, 10) The great crowd have a similar origin but a different destiny. Unlike the Israel of God, their number is not predetermined. No man can tell in advance how many there will be. Their robes are washed white in the blood of the Lamb, symbolizing that they have a righteous standing before Jehovah by virtue of their faith in Jesus’ sacrifice. (Revelation 7:14) And they are waving palm branches, hailing Messiah as their King.
7, 8. (a) The waving of palm branches doubtless reminded the apostle John of what events? (b) What is the significance of the fact that those of the great crowd are waving palm branches?
7 As he looks on in this vision, John’s thoughts must be taking him back more than 60 years to Jesus’ last week on earth. On Nisan 9, 33 C.E., when the crowds flocked to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem, they “took the branches of palm trees and went out to meet him. And they began to shout: ‘Save, we pray you! Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name, even the king of Israel!’” (John 12:12, 13) In like fashion, the waving of palm branches and crying out on the part of the great crowd shows their unbridled joy in accepting Jesus as Jehovah’s appointed King.
8 Doubtless, the palm branches and exulting cries also remind John of the ancient Israelite Festival of Booths. For this festival Jehovah commanded: “And you must take for yourselves on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, the fronds of palm trees and the boughs of branchy trees and poplars of the torrent valley, and you must rejoice before Jehovah your God seven days.” The palm branches were used as a mark of rejoicing. The temporary booths were a reminder that Jehovah had saved his people out of Egypt, to live in tents in the wilderness. “The alien resident and the fatherless boy and the widow” shared in this festival. All Israel were to “become nothing but joyful.”—Leviticus 23:40; Deuteronomy 16:13-15.
9. In what joyful cry do the great crowd join?
9 It is fitting, then, that the great crowd, though no part of spiritual Israel, should wave palm branches, since they joyfully and gratefully ascribe the victory and salvation to God and to the Lamb, as John here observes: “And they keep on crying with a loud voice, saying: ‘Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” (Revelation 7:10) Although they have been separated out of all ethnic groups, the great crowd cry out with just that one “loud voice.” How can they do this, despite their diversity of nations and languages?
10. How can the great crowd cry out unitedly with one “loud voice” despite the diversity of nations and languages?
10 This great crowd is part of the only truly united multinational organization on earth today. They do not have different standards for different countries but apply the Bible’s right principles consistently wherever they live. They are not involved in nationalistic, revolutionary movements but have truly ‘beaten swords into plowshares.’ (Isaiah 2:4) They are not divided into sects or denominations, so that they shout confused or mutually contradictory messages as do the religions of Christendom; nor do they leave it to a professional clergy class to do their praising for them. They do not cry out that they owe salvation to the holy spirit, for they are not servants of a trinitarian god. In some 200 geographical territories around the earth, they are at one in calling upon the name of Jehovah as they speak the one pure language of truth. (Zephaniah 3:9) Properly, they publicly acknowledge that their salvation comes from Jehovah, the God of salvation, through Jesus Christ, His Chief Agent of salvation.—Psalm 3:8; Hebrews 2:10.
11. How has modern technology helped those of the great crowd to render their loud voice even louder?
11 Modern technology has helped to make the loud voice of the united great crowd sound even louder. No other religious group on earth has need of publishing Bible study aids in more than 400 languages, since no other group is interested in reaching all peoples of earth with one united message. As a further aid in this, under the supervision of the anointed Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, a Multilanguage Electronic Phototypesetting System (MEPS) was developed. At the time of this printing, various forms of MEPS are used in more than 125 locations around the earth, and this has helped to make possible publication of the semimonthly journal, The Watchtower, in over 130 languages simultaneously. Jehovah’s people also simultaneously publish books, such as this one, in a number of languages. Thus, Jehovah’s Witnesses, of whom the great crowd make up the vast majority, are able yearly to distribute hundreds of millions of publications in all the better-known languages, enabling additional throngs out of all tribes and tongues to study God’s Word and join their voices to the loud voice of the great crowd.—Isaiah 42:10, 12.
In Heaven or on Earth?
12, 13. In what way is the great crowd “standing before the throne and before the Lamb”?
12 How do we know that “standing before the throne” does not mean that the great crowd is in heaven? There is much clear evidence on this point. For example, the Greek word here translated “before” (e·noʹpi·on) literally means “in [the] sight [of]” and is used several times of humans on earth who are “before” or “in the sight of” Jehovah. (1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Timothy 2:14; Romans 14:22; Galatians 1:20) On one occasion when the Israelites were in the wilderness, Moses said to Aaron: “Say to the entire assembly of the sons of Israel, ‘Come near before Jehovah, because he has heard your murmurings.’” (Exodus 16:9) The Israelites did not have to be transported to heaven in order to stand before Jehovah on that occasion. (Compare Leviticus 24:8.) Rather, right there in the wilderness they stood in Jehovah’s view, and his attention was on them.
13 Additionally, we read: “When the Son of man arrives in his glory . . . all the nations will be gathered before him.”c The whole human race will not be in heaven when this prophecy is fulfilled. Certainly, those who “depart into everlasting cutting-off” will not be in heaven. (Matthew 25:31-33, 41, 46) Instead, mankind stands on earth in Jesus’ view, and he turns his attention to judging them. Similarly, the great crowd is “before the throne and before the Lamb” in that it stands in the view of Jehovah and his King, Christ Jesus, from whom it receives a favorable judgment.
14. (a) Who are described as being “round about the throne” and “upon the [heavenly] Mount Zion”? (b) Though the great crowd serve God “in his temple,” why does this not make them a priestly class?
14 The 24 elders and the anointed group of 144,000 are described as being “round about the throne” of Jehovah and “upon the [heavenly] Mount Zion.” (Revelation 4:4; 14:1) The great crowd is not a priestly class and does not attain to that exalted position. True, it is later described at Revelation 7:15 as serving God “in his temple.” But this temple does not refer to the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy. Rather, it is the earthly courtyard of God’s spiritual temple. The Greek word na·osʹ, here translated “temple,” often conveys the broad sense of the entire edifice erected for Jehovah’s worship. Today, this is a spiritual structure that embraces both heaven and earth.—Compare Matthew 26:61; 27:5, 39, 40; Mark 15:29, 30; John 2:19-21, New World Translation Reference Bible, footnote.
A Universal Shout of Praise
15, 16. (a) What is the reaction in heaven to the appearance of the great crowd? (b) How does Jehovah’s spirit creation react to each new revelation of his purpose? (c) How can we on earth join in the song of praise?
15 The great crowd is praising Jehovah, but others are also singing his praises. John reports: “And all the angels were standing around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: ‘Amen! The blessing and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’”—Revelation 7:11, 12.
16 When Jehovah created the earth, all of his holy angels “joyfully cried out together, and all the sons of God began shouting in applause.” (Job 38:7) Each new revelation of Jehovah’s purpose must have evoked similar angelic shouts of praise. When the 24 elders—the 144,000 in their heavenly glory—cry aloud in recognition of the Lamb, all others of God’s heavenly creatures chime in with praises for Jesus and for Jehovah God. (Revelation 5:9-14) Already, these creatures have been overjoyed to observe the fulfillment of Jehovah’s purpose in his resurrecting faithful anointed humans to a glorious place in the spirit realm. Now, all of Jehovah’s faithful heavenly creatures burst into melodious praise as the great crowd appears. Truly, for all of Jehovah’s servants, the Lord’s day is a thrilling time in which to be living. (Revelation 1:10) Here on earth, how privileged we are to share in the song of praise by witnessing to Jehovah’s Kingdom!
The Great Crowd Makes Its Appearance
17. (a) What question is raised by one of the 24 elders, and the fact that the elder could locate the answer suggests what? (b) When was the elder’s question answered?
17 From the time of the apostle John and on into the Lord’s day, anointed Christians were puzzled as to the identity of the great crowd. It is fitting, then, that one of the 24 elders, representing anointed ones already in heaven, should stir John’s thinking by raising a pertinent question. “And in response one of the elders said to me: ‘These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?’ So right away I said to him: ‘My lord, you are the one that knows.’” (Revelation 7:13, 14a) Yes, that elder could locate the answer and give it to John. This suggests that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today. For their part, those of the John class on earth got to learn the identity of the great crowd by closely observing what Jehovah was performing in their midst. They were quick to appreciate the dazzling flash of divine light that emblazoned the theocratic firmament in 1935, at Jehovah’s due time.
18, 19. (a) What hope was stressed by the John class during the 1920’s and 1930’s, but who responded to the message in increasing numbers? (b) The identification of the great crowd in 1935 indicated what with regard to the 144,000? (c) What do Memorial statistics reveal?
18 During the 1920’s and early 1930’s, the John class had stressed the heavenly hope, both in the publications and in the preaching work. Apparently, the full number of the 144,000 had yet to be filled. But increasing numbers of those who heeded the message and who showed zeal in the witness work came to profess an interest in living forever on the Paradise earth. They had no desire to go to heaven. That was not their calling. They were no part of the little flock but rather of the other sheep. (Luke 12:32; John 10:16) Their being identified in 1935 as the great crowd of other sheep was an indication that the choosing of the 144,000 was then about complete.
19 Do statistics support this conclusion? Yes, they do. In 1938, worldwide, 59,047 Witnesses of Jehovah shared in the ministry. Of these, 36,732 partook of the emblems at the annual celebration of the Memorial of Jesus’ death, thus indicating that they had a heavenly calling. In the years since then, the number of these partakers has progressively decreased, principally because faithful Witnesses of Jehovah finished their earthly life course in death. In 2005 only 8,524 partook of the Memorial emblems—0.05 percent of the 16,390,116 attending that global observance.
20. (a) During World War II, what comment did J. F. Rutherford privately make about the great crowd? (b) What facts now show that the great crowd is indeed a great one?
20 When the second world war broke out, Satan put forth bitter efforts to stop the harvesting of the great crowd. Jehovah’s work was restricted in many countries. During those dark days, and shortly before his death in January 1942, J. F. Rutherford was heard to say: “Well . . . it looks as though the great multitude is not going to be so great after all.” But divine blessing directed otherwise! By 1946 the number of Witnesses ministering worldwide had jumped to 176,456—most of these being of the great crowd. In 2005 there were 6,390,022 Witnesses who were serving Jehovah faithfully in 235 different lands—truly A GREAT CROWD! And the number keeps on increasing.
21. (a) How has the harvesting of God’s people during the Lord’s day been in full harmony with John’s vision? (b) How did certain important prophecies begin to be fulfilled?
21 The harvesting of God’s people during the Lord’s day has thus been in full harmony with John’s vision: first the work of gathering the remaining ones of the 144,000; then the gathering of the great crowd. As Isaiah prophesied, now “in the final part of the days,” people of all nations are streaming to share in Jehovah’s pure worship. And, indeed, we exult in appreciation of Jehovah’s creation of “new heavens and a new earth.” (Isaiah 2:2-4; 65:17, 18) God is gathering “all things together again in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth.” (Ephesians 1:10) The anointed heirs of the heavenly Kingdom—chosen over the centuries since Jesus’ day—are “the things in the heavens.” And now, the great crowd of the other sheep appear as initial ones of “the things on the earth.” Your serving in harmony with that arrangement can mean eternal happiness for you.
The Blessings of the Great Crowd
22. What further information does John receive regarding the great crowd?
22 Through the divine channel, John receives further information regarding this great crowd: “And he [the elder] said to me: ‘These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. That is why they are before the throne of God; and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread his tent over them.’”—Revelation 7:14b, 15.
23. What is the great tribulation from which the great crowd “come out”?
23 On an earlier occasion, Jesus had said that his presence in Kingdom glory would culminate in “great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matthew 24:21, 22) In fulfillment of that prophecy, the angels will unleash the four winds of the earth to devastate Satan’s world system. First to go will be Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. Then, at the peak of the tribulation, Jesus will deliver the remaining ones of the 144,000 on earth, together with the multitudinous great crowd.—Revelation 7:1; 18:2.
24. How do individuals of the great crowd qualify for survival?
24 How do individuals of the great crowd qualify for survival? The elder tells John that they have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” In other words, they have exercised faith in Jesus as their Ransomer, have made a dedication to Jehovah, have symbolized their dedication by water baptism, and “hold a good conscience” by their upright conduct. (1 Peter 3:16, 21; Matthew 20:28) Thus, they are clean and righteous in Jehovah’s eyes. And they keep themselves “without spot from the world.”—James 1:27.
25. (a) How is the great crowd rendering Jehovah “sacred service day and night in his temple”? (b) How does Jehovah “spread his tent” over the great crowd?
25 Further, they have become zealous Witnesses of Jehovah—“rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple.” Are you one of this dedicated great crowd? If so, it is your privilege to serve Jehovah without letup in the earthly courtyard of his great spiritual temple. Today, under the direction of the anointed ones, the great crowd is performing by far the greater part of the witness work. Despite secular responsibilities, hundreds of thousands of them have made room for the full-time ministry as pioneers. But whether you are in that group or not, as a dedicated member of the great crowd, you can rejoice that because of your faith and works you are declared righteous as a friend of God and are welcomed as a guest in his tent. (Psalm 15:1-5; James 2:21-26) Jehovah thus ‘spreads his tent’ over those who love him and, as a good host, protects them.—Proverbs 18:10.
26. What other blessings will the great crowd enjoy?
26 The elder continues: “They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down upon them nor any scorching heat, because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them, and will guide them to fountains of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:16, 17) Yes, Jehovah is truly hospitable! But what depth of meaning is there to these words?
27. (a) How did Isaiah prophesy something similar to the words of the elder? (b) What shows that Isaiah’s prophecy began to be fulfilled on the Christian congregation in Paul’s day?
27 Let us consider a similarly worded prophecy: “This is what Jehovah has said: ‘In a time of goodwill I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you . . . They will not go hungry, neither will they go thirsty, nor will parching heat or sun strike them. For the One who is having pity upon them will lead them, and by the springs of water he will conduct them.’” (Isaiah 49:8, 10; see also Psalm 121:5, 6.) The apostle Paul quoted part of this prophecy and applied it to the “day of salvation” that began at Pentecost 33 C.E. He wrote: “For he [Jehovah] says: ‘In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you.’ Look! Now is the especially acceptable time. Look! Now is the day of salvation.”—2 Corinthians 6:2.
28, 29. (a) How were Isaiah’s words fulfilled in the first century? (b) How are the words of Revelation 7:16 fulfilled with regard to the great crowd? (c) What will result from the great crowd’s being guided to “fountains of waters of life”? (d) Why will the great crowd be unique among mankind?
28 What application did the promise about not getting hungry or thirsty or suffering parching heat have back then? Certainly, Christians in the first century did suffer literal hunger and thirst at times. (2 Corinthians 11:23-27) In a spiritual way, though, they had an abundance. They were richly provided for, so that they did not go hungry or thirsty for spiritual things. Moreover, Jehovah did not cause the heat of his anger to blaze against them when he destroyed the Jewish system of things in 70 C.E. The words of Revelation 7:16 have a similar spiritual fulfillment for the great crowd today. Along with the anointed Christians, they enjoy bounteous spiritual provisions.—Isaiah 65:13; Nahum 1:6, 7.
29 If you are one of that great crowd, your good condition of heart will make you “cry out joyfully,” no matter what you have to endure in the way of privations and pressures during the twilight years of Satan’s system. (Isaiah 65:14) In that sense, even now, Jehovah can ‘wipe out every tear from your eyes.’ No longer does God’s torrid “sun” of adverse judgment threaten you, and when the four winds of destruction are unleashed, you may be spared the “scorching heat” of Jehovah’s displeasure. After that destruction is over, the Lamb will guide you to benefit fully from the revitalizing “fountains of waters of life,” these representing all the provisions that Jehovah makes for your gaining everlasting life. Your faith in the blood of the Lamb will be vindicated in that you will gradually be raised to human perfection. You of the great crowd will be unique among mankind as the “millions” that did not even have to die! In the fullest sense, every tear will have been wiped from your eyes.—Revelation 21:4.
Making the Calling Sure
30. What magnificent vista opens up to us in John’s vision, and who will be able to “stand”?
30 What a magnificent vista these words open up to us! Jehovah himself is on his throne, and all his servants, heavenly and earthly, unite in praising him. His earthly servants appreciate what an awesome privilege it is to share in this swelling chorus of praise. Very soon, Jehovah and Christ Jesus will execute judgment, and the cry will be heard: “The great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Revelation 6:17) The answer? Only a minority of mankind, including any of the sealed 144,000 who might still be remaining in the flesh and a great crowd of other sheep who will “stand,” that is, survive with them.—Jeremiah 35:19; 1 Corinthians 16:13.
31. How should the fulfillment of John’s vision affect Christians, both of the anointed and of the great crowd?
31 In view of this fact, anointed Christians of the John class exert themselves vigorously in “pursuing down toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) They are fully aware that events during these days call for special endurance on their part. (Revelation 13:10) After loyally serving Jehovah for so many years, they hold fast to the faith, rejoicing that their names are “inscribed in the heavens.” (Luke 10:20; Revelation 3:5) Those of the great crowd too know that only “he that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.” (Matthew 24:13) While the great crowd as a group is marked to come out of the great tribulation, individuals thereof must exert themselves to remain clean and active.
32. What urgent situation is highlighted by the fact that only two groups will “stand” in the day of Jehovah’s wrath?
32 There is no evidence that any apart from these two groups will “stand” in the day of Jehovah’s wrath. What does this mean for the millions who each year show a certain respect for Jesus’ sacrifice by attending the celebration of the Memorial of his death but who have not yet exercised faith in Jesus’ sacrifice to the point of becoming dedicated, baptized servants of Jehovah, active in his service? Further, what about those who were once active but who have allowed their hearts to “become weighed down with . . . anxieties of life”? May all of such awaken, and stay awake, in order to “succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and in standing before the Son of man”—Jesus Christ. The time is short!—Luke 21:34-36.
[Footnotes]
a See New World Translation Reference Bible, footnote.
b The Watch Tower, April 1, 1918, page 98.
c Literally, “in front of him,” The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures.
[Box on page 119]
Interpretations Belong to God
For many decades the John class inquired as to the identity of the great crowd but without finding a satisfactory explanation. Why? We find the answer in the words of faithful Joseph, when he said: “Do not interpretations belong to God?” (Genesis 40:8) When and how does God interpret the fulfillment of his prophecies? Usually, it is when they are due to be fulfilled or are in course of fulfillment so that their message can be clearly discerned by his searching servants. This understanding is given “for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.”—Romans 15:4.
[Box on page 124]
Members of the great crowd
▪ come out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues
▪ stand before Jehovah’s throne
▪ have washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb
▪ ascribe salvation to Jehovah and to Jesus
▪ come out of the great tribulation
▪ serve Jehovah in his temple day and night
▪ receive Jehovah’s loving protection and care
▪ are shepherded by Jesus to fountains of waters of life
[Full-page picture on page 121]
[Picture on page 127]
The great crowd owes salvation to God and to the Lamb
[Picture on page 128]
The Lamb will guide the great crowd to fountains of waters of life |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 45—Romans
Writer: Paul
Place Written: Corinth
Writing Completed: c. 56 C.E.
1. What does Paul discuss in his letter to the Romans?
IN Acts we watched Paul, formerly a violent persecutor of Jewish Christians, become Christ’s zealous apostle to the non-Jewish nations. With Romans we begin the 14 books of the Bible that the holy spirit inspired this former Pharisee, now a faithful servant of God, to write. By the time he wrote Romans, Paul had already completed two long preaching tours and was well along on the third. He had written five other inspired letters: First and Second Thessalonians, Galatians, and First and Second Corinthians. Yet it seems appropriate that in our modern Bibles, Romans precedes the others, since it discusses at length the new equality between Jews and non-Jews, the two classes to whom Paul preached. It explains a turning point in God’s dealings with his people and shows that the inspired Hebrew Scriptures had long foretold that the good news would be proclaimed also to the non-Jews.
2. (a) What problems does Paul discuss in Romans? (b) What is firmly established by this letter?
2 Paul, using Tertius as secretary, laces rapid argument and an astounding number of Hebrew Scripture quotations into one of the most forceful books of the Christian Greek Scriptures. With remarkable beauty of language, he discusses the problems that arose when first-century Christian congregations were composed of both Jews and Greeks. Did Jews have priority because of being Abraham’s descendants? Did mature Christians, exercising their liberty from the Mosaic Law, have the right to stumble weaker Jewish brothers who still held to ancient customs? In this letter Paul firmly established that Jews and non-Jews are equal before God and that men are declared righteous, not through the Mosaic Law, but through faith in Jesus Christ and by God’s undeserved kindness. At the same time, God requires Christians to show proper subjection to the various authorities under which they find themselves.
3. How did the congregation in Rome get started, and what may account for Paul’s knowing so many there?
3 How did the Roman congregation get started? There had been a sizable Jewish community in Rome at least since the time of Pompey’s capturing Jerusalem in 63 B.C.E. At Acts 2:10 it is specifically stated that some of those Jews were in Jerusalem at Pentecost 33 C.E., where they heard the good news preached. The converted sojourners stayed in Jerusalem to learn from the apostles, and later the ones from Rome no doubt returned there, some probably at the time when persecution broke out in Jerusalem. (Acts 2:41-47; 8:1, 4) Further, the people of that day were great travelers, and this may explain Paul’s intimate acquaintance with so many members of the Roman congregation, some of whom may have heard the good news in Greece or Asia as a result of Paul’s preaching.
4. (a) What information does Romans provide concerning the congregation in that city? (b) What is indicated by the presence of Aquila and Priscilla in Rome?
4 The first reliable information about this congregation is found in Paul’s letter. It is clear from this that the congregation was made up of both Jewish and non-Jewish Christians and that their zeal was praiseworthy. He tells them: “Your faith is talked about throughout the whole world,” and, “Your obedience has come to the notice of all.” (Rom. 1:8; 16:19) Suetonius, writing in the second century, reports that during the rule of Claudius (41-54 C.E.), the Jews were banished from Rome. They later returned, however, as is shown by the presence of Aquila and Priscilla in Rome. They were Jews whom Paul met in Corinth and who had left Rome at the time of Claudius’ decree but who were back in Rome at the time Paul wrote to the congregation there.—Acts 18:2; Rom. 16:3.
5. What facts establish the authenticity of Romans?
5 The letter’s authenticity is firmly established. It is, as its introduction says, from “Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ and called to be an apostle, . . . to all those who are in Rome as God’s beloved ones, called to be holy ones.” (Rom. 1:1, 7) Its outside documentation is among the earliest to be found for the Christian Greek Scriptures. Peter uses so many similar expressions in his first letter, written probably six to eight years later, that many scholars think he must have already seen a copy of Romans. Romans was clearly regarded as a part of Paul’s writings and was cited as such by Clement of Rome, Polycarp of Smyrna, and Ignatius of Antioch, all of whom lived in the late first and early second centuries C.E.
6. How does an ancient papyrus testify to the canonicity of Romans?
6 The book of Romans is found, together with eight others of Paul’s letters, in a codex called Chester Beatty Papyrus No. 2 (P46). Regarding this early codex, Sir Frederic Kenyon wrote: “Here, then, we have a nearly complete manuscript of the Pauline Epistles, written apparently about the beginning of the third century.”a The Chester Beatty Greek Biblical papyri are older than the well-known Sinaitic Manuscript and Vatican Manuscript No. 1209, both of the fourth century C.E. These too contain the book of Romans.
7. What evidence is there as to place and time of writing of Romans?
7 When and from where was Romans written? There is no disagreement among Bible commentators that this letter was written from Greece, most probably from Corinth, when Paul visited there for some months toward the end of his third missionary journey. The internal evidence points to Corinth. Paul wrote the letter from the home of Gaius, who was a member of the congregation there, and recommends Phoebe of the nearby congregation of Cenchreae, Corinth’s seaport. Apparently it was Phoebe who carried this letter to Rome. (Rom. 16:1, 23; 1 Cor. 1:14) At Romans 15:23 Paul wrote: “I no longer have untouched territory in these regions,” and he indicates in the following verse that he intends to extend his missionary work west, toward Spain. He could well write this way toward the end of his third tour, at the beginning of 56 C.E.
outputS OF ROMANS
8. (a) What does Paul say about his mission? (b) How does he show that both Jews and Greeks merit God’s wrath?
8 God’s impartiality toward Jew and Gentile (1:1–2:29). What does the inspired Paul tell the Romans? In his opening words, he identifies himself as an apostle chosen by Christ to teach ‘obedience by faith’ among the nations. He expresses his fervent desire to visit the holy ones in Rome, to enjoy “an interchange of encouragement” with them, and to declare among them the good news that is “God’s power for salvation to everyone having faith.” As had long ago been written, the righteous one will live “by means of faith.” (1:5, 12, 16, 17) Both Jews and Greeks, he shows, merit God’s wrath. Man’s ungodliness is inexcusable because God’s “invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward.” (1:20) Yet, the nations foolishly make gods of created things. However, the Jews should not judge the nations harshly, since they also are guilty of sins. Both classes will be judged according to their deeds, for God is not partial. Fleshly circumcision is not the determining factor; “he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart.”—2:29.
9. (a) In what are the Jews superior, and yet what scriptures does Paul quote to show that all are under sin? (b) How, then, will a man be declared righteous, and what example supports this argument?
9 By faith all are declared righteous (3:1–4:25). “What, then, is the superiority of the Jew?” It is great, for the Jews were entrusted with God’s sacred pronouncements. Yet, “Jews as well as Greeks are all under sin,” and no one is “righteous” in God’s sight. Seven quotations are made from the Hebrew Scriptures to prove this point. (Rom. 3:1, 9-18; Ps. 14:1-3; 5:9; 140:3; 10:7; Prov. 1:16; Isa. 59:7, 8; Ps. 36:1) The Law shows up man’s sinfulness, so “by works of law no flesh will be declared righteous.” However, through God’s undeserved kindness and the release by ransom, both Jews and Greeks are being declared righteous “by faith apart from works of law.” (Rom. 3:20, 28) Paul supports this argument by citing the example of Abraham, who was counted righteous, not because of works or circumcision, but because of his exemplary faith. Thus Abraham became the father not only of the Jews but of “all those having faith.”—4:11.
10. (a) How did death come to rule as king? (b) What has resulted through Christ’s obedience, but what warning is sounded with regard to sin?
10 No longer slaves to sin but to righteousness through Christ (5:1–6:23). Through the one man, Adam, sin entered into the world, and sin brought death, “and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (5:12) Death ruled as king from Adam down to Moses. When the Law was given through Moses, sin abounded, and death continued to reign. But God’s undeserved kindness now abounds even more, and through Christ’s obedience many are declared righteous for everlasting life. Yet this is no license for living in sin. Persons baptized into Christ must be dead to sin. Their old personality is impaled, and they live with reference to God. Sin no longer rules over them, but they become slaves to righteousness, with holiness in view. “The wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.”—6:23.
11. (a) How does Paul illustrate the release of Christian Jews from the Law? (b) What did the Law make evident, and so what things are at war in the Christian?
11 Dead to the Law, alive by spirit in union with Christ (7:1–8:39). Paul uses the example of a wife, who is bound to her husband as long as he lives but who is free to marry another if he dies, to show how through Christ’s sacrifice Christian Jews were made dead to the Law and were free to become Christ’s and bear fruit to God. The holy Law made sin more evident, and sin brought death. Sin, dwelling in our fleshly bodies, wars against our good intentions. As Paul says: “For the good that I wish I do not do, but the bad that I do not wish is what I practice.” Thus, “the one working it out is no longer I, but the sin dwelling in me.”—7:19, 20.
12. How do some become joint heirs with Christ, and in what are these completely victorious?
12 What can save man from this miserable state? God can make those who belong to Christ alive through His spirit! They are adopted as sons, are declared righteous, become heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and are glorified. To them Paul says: “If God is for us, who will be against us? Who will separate us from the love of the Christ?” No one! Triumphantly he declares: “We are coming off completely victorious through him that loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor governments nor things now here nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—8:31, 35, 37-39.
13. (a) According to prophecy, who are included in the real Israel of God, and this is according to what divine principle? (b) Why did fleshly Israel fall short, but what is necessary for salvation?
13 “Israel” saved through faith and by God’s mercy (9:1–10:21). Paul expresses “great grief” for his fellow Israelites, but he recognizes that not all fleshly Israel is really “Israel,” since God has the authority to choose as sons whomever he wishes. As is shown by God’s dealings with Pharaoh and by the illustration of the potter, “it depends, not upon the one wishing nor upon the one running, but upon God, who has mercy.” (9:2, 6, 16) He calls sons “not only from among Jews but also from among nations,” as Hosea long before foretold. (Hos. 2:23) Israel fell short because of seeking to gain God’s favor, “not by faith, but as by works,” and because of stumbling over Christ, the “rock-mass of offense.” (Rom. 9:24, 32, 33) They had “a zeal for God” but not “according to accurate knowledge.” Christ is the end of the Law for those exercising faith for righteousness, and to gain salvation one must publicly declare “that Jesus is Lord” and exercise faith “that God raised him up from the dead.” (10:2, 9) Preachers are sent forth to enable people of all nations to hear, to have faith, and to call upon the name of Jehovah in order to be saved.
14. What does Paul illustrate by the olive tree?
14 Illustration of the olive tree (11:1-36). Because of undeserved kindness, a remnant of natural Israel has been chosen, but because the majority stumbled, “there is salvation to people of the nations.” (11:11) Using the illustration of an olive tree, Paul shows how, because of the lack of faith of fleshly Israel, non-Jews were grafted in. Nevertheless, non-Jews should not rejoice over the rejection of Israel, since if God did not spare the unfaithful natural branches, neither will he spare the wild olive branches grafted in from among the nations.
15. What is involved in presenting living sacrifices to God?
15 Making over the mind; the superior authorities (12:1–13:14). Present your bodies as living sacrifices to God, Paul counsels. No longer be “fashioned after this system of things,” but be “transformed by making your mind over.” Do not be haughty. The body of Christ, like a human body, has many members, which have different functions, but they work together in unity. Return evil for evil to no one. Leave vengeance to Jehovah. Conquer “the evil with the good.”—12:2, 21.
16. How must Christians walk before authorities and others?
16 Be in subjection to superior authorities; it is the arrangement of God. Keep doing good and do not be owing anyone a single thing except to love one another. Salvation approaches, so “put off the works belonging to darkness” and “put on the weapons of the light.” (13:12) Walk in good behavior, not according to the desires of the flesh.
17. What is counseled concerning judging and building up the weak?
17 Welcome all impartially without judging (14:1–15:33). Put up with those who, because their faith is weak, abstain from certain foods or observe feast days. Neither judge your brother nor stumble him by your own eating and drinking, since God judges everyone. Pursue peace and upbuilding things, and bear the weaknesses of others.
18. (a) What further quotations does Paul make in showing God’s acceptance of the non-Jews? (b) How does Paul himself take advantage of God’s undeserved kindness?
18 The apostle writes: “All the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction,” and he gives four more Hebrew Scripture quotations as final proof that the inspired prophets had long before foretold that God’s promises would extend to the non-Jewish nations. (Rom. 15:4, 9-12; Ps. 18:49; Deut. 32:43; Ps. 117:1; Isa. 11:1, 10) “Therefore,” Paul admonishes, “welcome one another, just as the Christ also welcomed us, with glory to God in view.” (Rom. 15:7) Paul expresses appreciation for the undeserved kindness given to him by God to be a public servant to the nations, “engaging in the holy work of the good news of God.” He is always seeking to open up new territories instead of “building on another man’s foundation.” And he is not yet finished, for he plans, after taking contributions to Jerusalem, an even greater preaching tour to distant Spain and, on his way there, to bring “a full measure of blessing from Christ” to his spiritual brothers in Rome.—15:16, 20, 29.
19. What salutations and exhortation conclude the letter?
19 Concluding salutations (16:1-27). Paul sends personal greetings to 26 members of the Roman congregation by name, as well as to others, and exhorts them to avoid persons who cause divisions and to “be wise as to what is good, but innocent as to what is evil.” All is for God’s glory “through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.”—16:19, 27.
WHY BENEFICIAL
20. (a) What logical reason does Romans give for belief in God? (b) How are God’s righteousness and mercy illustrated, and what does this lead Paul to exclaim?
20 The book of Romans presents a logical basis for belief in God, stating that “his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship.” But more than this, it goes on to exalt his righteousness and to make known his great mercy and undeserved kindness. This is beautifully brought to our attention through the illustration of the olive tree, in which the wild branches are grafted in when the natural branches are lopped off. In contemplation of this severity and kindness of God, Paul exclaims: “O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are!”—1:20; 11:33.
21. How does Romans show the further development of God’s sacred secret?
21 It is in this connection that the book of Romans explains the further development of God’s sacred secret. In the Christian congregation, there is no longer a distinction between Jew and Gentile, but persons of all nations may share in Jehovah’s undeserved kindness through Jesus Christ. “There is no partiality with God.” “He is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit, and not by a written code.” “There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for there is the same Lord over all, who is rich to all those calling upon him.” For all of these it is faith, and not works, that is counted to them as righteousness.—2:11, 29; 10:12; 3:28.
22. What practical counsel does Romans give concerning relations with those outside the congregation?
22 The practical counsel contained in this letter to the Christians in Rome is equally beneficial to Christians today, who have to meet similar problems in an alien world. The Christian is exhorted to “be peaceable with all men,” including those outside the congregation. Every soul must “be in subjection to the superior authorities,” for these constitute an arrangement of God and are an object of fear, not to the law-abiding, but to those who do bad deeds. Christians are to be in law-abiding subjection not only on account of the fear of punishment but on account of Christian conscience, therefore paying their taxes, rendering their dues, meeting their obligations, owing no one anything, “except to love one another.” Love fulfills the Law.—12:17-21; 13:1-10.
23. How does Paul emphasize the importance of public declaration, and what example does he give as to preparation for the ministry?
23 Paul emphasizes the matter of public testimony. While it is with the heart that one exercises faith for righteousness, it is with the mouth that one makes public declaration for salvation. “Everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.” But in order for this to take place, it is necessary for preachers to go forth and “declare good news of good things.” Happy is our portion if we are among these preachers whose sound has now gone out “to the extremities of the inhabited earth”! (10:13, 15, 18) And in preparation for this preaching work, may we try to become as familiar with the inspired Scriptures as was Paul, for in this one passage (10:11-21) he makes quotation upon quotation from the Hebrew Scriptures. (Isa. 28:16; Joel 2:32; Isa. 52:7; 53:1; Ps. 19:4; Deut. 32:21; Isa. 65:1, 2) He could well say: “All the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.”—Rom. 15:4.
24. What advice does Paul give with a view to building zeal and happy relations within the congregation?
24 Wonderfully practical advice is given on relations within the Christian congregation. Whatever their previous national, racial, or social background, all must make over their minds to render God sacred service according to his “good and acceptable and perfect will.” (11:17-22; 12:1, 2) What practical reasonableness breathes through all of Paul’s counsel at Romans 12:3-16! Here indeed is excellent admonition for building zeal, humility, and tender affection among all in the Christian congregation. In the closing chapters, Paul gives strong admonition on watching and avoiding those who cause divisions, but he also speaks of the mutual joy and refreshment that come from clean associations in the congregation.—16:17-19; 15:7, 32.
25. (a) What proper view and further understanding does Romans give concerning God’s Kingdom? (b) In what ways should the study of Romans benefit us?
25 As Christians, we must continue to watch our relations with one another. “For the kingdom of God does not mean eating and drinking, but means righteousness and peace and joy with holy spirit.” (14:17) This righteousness, peace, and joy is especially the portion of the “joint heirs with Christ,” who are to be “glorified together” with him in the heavenly Kingdom. Note, too, how Romans points to a further step in the fulfillment of the Kingdom promise given in Eden, saying: “The God who gives peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.” (Rom. 8:17; 16:20; Gen. 3:15) Believing these great truths, may we continue to be filled with all joy and peace and abound in hope. Let our determination be to come off victorious with the Kingdom Seed, for we are convinced that nothing in heaven above or in earth below “nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”—Rom. 8:39; 15:13.
[Footnotes]
a Our Bible and the Ancient Manuscripts, 1958, page 188. |
Live Again (T-35)
2013 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/T-35 | Can the Dead Really Live Again?
Would you say . . .
yes?
no?
maybe?
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
“There is going to be a resurrection.”—Acts 24:15, New World Translation.
WHAT THAT CAN MEAN FOR YOU
Comfort when loved ones die.—2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.
Freedom from a morbid fear of death.—Hebrews 2:15.
A real hope of being reunited with your dead loved ones.—John 5:28, 29.
CAN WE REALLY BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS?
Yes, for at least three reasons:
God is the Creator of life. The Bible calls Jehovah God “the source of life.” (Psalm 36:9; Acts 17:24, 25) The One who gave life to all living creatures is certainly capable of restoring life to someone who has died.
God has resurrected humans in the past. The Bible reports eight instances of humans—young, old, male, and female—who were brought back to life on earth. Some had been dead for a short while, but one had been in a tomb for four days!—John 11:39-44.
God is eager to do it again. Jehovah hates death; he views it as an enemy. (1 Corinthians 15:26) He has a longing to conquer that enemy, to undo death by means of the resurrection. He yearns to bring back those who are in his memory and to see them live on earth again.—Job 14:14, 15.
TO THINK ABOUT
Why do we grow old and die?
The Bible answers that question at GENESIS 3:17-19 and ROMANS 5:12. |
Mankind’s Search for God (sh)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/sh | Subject Index
Abel: 349
Abram, Abraham, forefather of the Jews: 206-7
origin: 206-7
Agnostic, definition: 7
Ahimsa (nonviolence): 105-6
Gandhi’s viewpoint: 113
Jainism: 104-5
Albigenses: 309
formation of: 281-2
persecuted: 282
Alchemy, Taoist: 170-2
Alexander the Great, welcomed by Jews: 213
Allāh, God to Muslims: 284, 286-7
Anabaptists: 313, 320-1
Ancestor worship: 151, 186
Anglican Church: 313
Church of England: 325-7
Anubis, Egyptian god: 50, 53
Apostasy, apostles forewarned: 263-5, 278
in Christianity: 260
Armageddon: 371
Ashkenazi: 216
Astrology: 83-8
Babylonian star catalogs and reports: 84, 86
common among religions: 74
constellations: 86
horoscope: 88
Magi: 86
natal astrology: 87
origin of: 84
Ptolemy’s Tetrabiblos: 87
scientific?: 85
Sirius and the Nile: 84
Atheism: 329-34
England in 1572: 330
failure of churches: 333
in Paris in 1623: 330
Reformation: 330-1
science and philosophy: 331-4
‘God replaced’: 329
Athens, idols and temples in: 29-30, 69
Paul’s testimony: 30-1, 69
“Unknown God”: 69
Babel: 39-40, 68
Babylon, source of religious ideas: 39
Babylon the Great: 368-70
‘get out of her’: 370-1
Bahāʼī: 304-5
beliefs: 304-5
founder: 304
Baptism: 320-1
infant: 9, 319
Baptist Church: 326-7
Bhagavad Gita: 103, 105
Hindu holy book: 105
teaching on hell: 126
Bible, authenticity: 340-2
basic teachings: 17-18
Coverdale: 325
first complete English: 310
Luther: 317
Pilate confirmed: 241
Tyndale: 325
who wrote it: 241
Wycliffe’s wish: 310
Bishops, early Christians not bishops: 267-70
‘from persecution to prestige’: 274
Brahma, Creator: 115-16, 118
Brahman, Brahm, Hindu supreme entity: 116, 119
Buddha, The (See also Gautama, Siddhārtha)
meaning of term: 137
other Buddhas: 149
views on nature of: 137-8
Buddhism: 129-60
agnostic?: 159-60
appeal to Westerner: 143
atheistic?: 145
bodhisattva: 137-8, 146, 150
Buddh Gaya, India: 76, 143
canonical texts: 130-2
decline in India: 143
Emperor Aśoka: 141
enlightenment: 138-40
extent by 7th century: 142-3
Four Noble Truths: 138-9
image worship: 157
Karma: 150-2
Lotus Sutra: 148, 150
Lumbini Grove: 134, 143
Mahayana school: 144-5, 149-50
membership: 129
Middle Way: 137-8
nature of the Buddha: 137-8
Nirvana: 137-8, 146, 154
personal effort: 139
pipal (tree): 137
present trends: 156, 158
Pure Land school: 146
rebirth (samsara): 151
scriptures: 148-50
sects: 144-8
similarity to Catholicism: 33-4
spread by Asian refugees: 129
spread through India: 140-1
Theravada (Hinayana) school: 144, 149-50
Three Baskets: 17, 149
Three Jewels: 140
Yoga: 137
Zen Buddhism: 146
‘did not teach belief in God’: 159
Cain, religious intolerance: 349
Calvin, John: 321-5
burned Servetus: 322
insisted on austere life: 323
Institutes: 323
predestination doctrine: 323
reforms in Geneva: 324
Calvinist (Reformed) Churches: 313, 327
Huguenots: 325
predestination: 323
Trinity: 322
Campbell, Joseph, Chinese deluge mythology: 50-1
‘Jesus a myth’: 65-6
Castes, four major: 108-9, 111
Gandhi’s viewpoint: 113
Celibacy: 34
Charon: 54
China, Huang-Ti (Yellow Emperor): 36-8
legend of golden age: 37
oracle bones: 83
rain rituals: 79
Shih Huang-Ti: 170
superstitions: 71, 76
Christendom: 309, 313
bishops: 267, 269-70
crusaders kill heretics: 281-2
definition: 235
major denominations: 327
‘abolished by Christ’: 274
‘bishops gained prestige’: 274
‘early factions’: 279
‘founded by Constantine’: 273
‘proof of decadence’: 309
‘religious wars’: 14
‘tradition led to murder of God’: 343
Christianity, definition: 235
governing body: 267
love is basis: 244, 247, 344
neutral in pagan Rome: 347
neutral today politically: 344-6
no clergy class: 269
preaching religion: 247-8
supranational: 348
‘Christianity challenged pagans’: 262
‘early Christian restraint’: 236
‘had Christianity been preserved’: 309
‘if invented, incredible miracle’: 237
‘loyalty suspect’: 60
Chuang-tzu, Taoist: 168-70
Church and State, Anabaptist view: 321
Calvin’s view: 324
Church of Scotland: 325
Confucianism: 161-3, 174-86
became State cult: 183
Books and Classics: 177
Chang Tao-ling: 172
concept of jen: 180, 182
concept of li: 180, 182
concept of Tao: 163-4
influence: 183-6
philosophy or religion?: 175
solution to social ills?: 181
why falls short?: 185
why triumphed: 178
Confucius: 20-1, 174-9
canonized: 175
deified: 183
meaning of name: 175
teaching method: 176
worship today: 181, 185
‘most learned scholar’: 178
Congregational Church: 326
Conservative Judaism, beliefs: 227
Constantine the Great
conversion: 272-4
Council of Nicaea: 276
cross, vision of: 273
favored Greeks: 279
‘founded Christendom’: 273
Copernicus: 88, 331
Council of Nicaea, bishops present: 276
Constantine convened: 276
pope absent: 276
Coverdale, Miles: 325
Creation, reasons for: 336-9
Creeds of Christendom: 328
Cronos, Cronus: 43-4, 54
Dalai Lama: 33, 143, 147
David, King, God’s covenant with: 210
Demonism, human sacrifice: 94
satanic cults: 94
Diet of Worms: 316
Divination (See also Fortune-telling)
geomancy: 83
oracle of Delphi: 81-2
yin and yang: 82-3
Zohar: 89
‘Babylonians noted for’: 80
Divinities, Deities (See Gods)
Durga, Kali: 116-17, 121
Dutch Reformed Church: 325
Eastern Orthodox Churches, formation of: 280
Eban, Abba, ‘Catholic persecution of Jews’: 217
Egypt, Sirius, bringer of Nile floods: 84
Evolution, effect on religion: 332
life not by chance: 336
response of clergy: 332
‘evolution compatible with Bible’: 332
Flood, Bible account: 46-8
Flood legends
Aztec: 51
Chinese: 50-1
Gilgamesh: 48-9
Hindu: 120
Inca: 51
Maya: 52
South American: 51-2
Sumerian: 49-50
Fortune-telling
Chinese: 83, 90
chiromancy: 90
common among religions: 74
geomancy: 83
I Ching: 83, 168
oracle of Delphi: 81-2
physiognomy: 89
Roman: 82
yin and yang: 82-3
Zohar: 89
‘Babylonians noted for’: 80
Fox, George, Quakers: 327
Frazer, James, on magic: 24
Freud, Sigmund, psychology theories: 24-5, 332
Gaea, Greek goddess: 42-4
Galileo, astronomer: 88, 331
Gandhi, Mahatma, ahimsa: 105, 113
Ganesa, god of good fortune: 96, 116
Ganges: Hindu sacred river: 4, 76, 121-4
Siva’s role: 122-3
valley: 140
Vishnu’s role: 122
Gautama, Siddhārtha (the Buddha): 20, 132-40
became the Buddha: 137
enlightenment: 136
lack of source material on: 130-2
legends: 132-5
origin: 128
time of birth: 135
used common language: 150
‘no gods who can help man’: 159
‘seek no assistance but self’: 139, 156
‘work out own salvation’: 140
Gibbon, Edward, on Roman divination: 82
Gilead, Watchtower Bible School of, founded: 359-60
Gilgamesh, Epic of: 47-9, 54
clay tablet: 47
Enkidu: 48-9
myth: 48-9
Utnapishtim: 49
God, basis for belief in: 334
belief under attack: 334-5
name: 225, 228-9, 232
oath to Abraham: 207-8
relationship with: 378-9
Gods, animism: 23
Assyro-Babylonian: 45
Egyptian: 50, 59, 62-4
Greek: 43, 54, 64, 66
Hindu: 116-17
Roman: 43, 60-1, 64-6
Shinto: 190-2
South American: 57-9
Taoist: 172
God’s name: 225, 228-9, 232, 366
pronunciation lost: 225
‘causes of prohibition’: 229
‘New Testament writers used Tetragrammaton’: 259
‘prohibition of name’: 228
‘removal of Tetragrammaton’: 232
‘use advocated’: 228-9
Golden Bough, The, by James Frazer: 24
Hades, god and realm: 54
Hadrian’s Wall, Roman worship: 60-1
Hasidism, beliefs of: 226
Lubavitchers: 226
Tales of the Hasidim: 223
Haskala (enlightenment)
forerunner of Modern Judaism: 217-18
Hathor: 59, 62-3
Hell, Bible’s teaching: 127-8
Buddhist depiction: 155
eternal torment: 34
Hindu teaching: 126-7
Muslim teaching: 297, 299
Taoist teaching: 174
Henry VIII, split with pope: 325-6
Hermes, Paul called: 66
Hesiod (Greek poet), Golden Age: 37
Theogony: 42, 44
Works and Days: 37
Hinayana Buddhism (See Theravada Buddhism)
Hinduism: 95-128
definition: 97
gods and goddesses: 116-17
history: 98-9, 102
holy writings: 17, 102-3, 105, 107
not polytheistic?: 97, 119
puja: 5, 124
Rama: 97, 103, 116
religious customs: 95
teachings and conduct: 105-14
terminology: 106-7
transmigration of soul: 125-6
view of life: 95
Yoga: 110
‘jungle of luxuriant growths’: 98
Horus: 59, 62
Hoyle, Fred, life’s origin: 336
Huguenots: 325
Hus, Jan: 311-12
Hutterites: 313, 321
I Ching, divination: 83, 168
Idolatry, Bible viewpoint: 211, 357
Immortal soul, belief in
African: 56
Algonquian Indian: 75
Assyro-Babylonian: 52-3
Aztec, Inca, Maya: 55-6
Bahāʼī: 305
basis for superstitions: 92
Bible’s teaching: 224-5
Buddhist today: 151
Chinese: 53
common belief: 369-70
Egyptian: 53, 59
Greek: 54-5
Hindu: 112, 114
Jewish: 219, 222-5
Muslim: 297, 299-300
not Biblical: 250, 356
origin of: 126
Shinto: 189
Taoist: 174
‘contradicts resurrection’: 222
‘Greek influence on Judaism’: 219
‘pagan dogma’: 265
Indians, North American
Algonquian idea on soul: 75
Omaha rain dance: 78
Indulgences, papal: 312, 315
Inquisition, Holy, function and results: 282-3
Tomás de Torquemada: 283
Isis, Egyptian goddess: 59
Islām: 284-303
Five Pillars of Belief: 296
Five Pillars of Observance: 303
Ḥusayn’s martyrdom: 295
Islām’s spread: 292, 302
meaning of: 285
mosques: 298, 301-2
muezzin: 5, 301
number of Muslims: 284-5
Qurʼān: 6, 17, 284-91
Qurʼān, Ḥadīth, Sharīʽah: 290-1
ṣalāt: 6, 301
shahādah, confession of faith: 296
temporary marriage: 300-1
Jainism: 104-5, 108
Japan, legend of origin: 170
Jehovah: 225, 228-9, 232, 366-7
God of prophecy: 245, 367
Latinized form: 225
name used 6,828 times: 228
Jehovah’s Witnesses: 344-65
beliefs: 356-8
Bible study meetings: 360-2
elders and servants, no clergy: 362-3
Governing Body: 363
“great crowd”: 358-9
house-to-house ministry: 355, 358
Jesus a witness: 349-50
line from Abel: 349
name embraced: 358
number in 1931, 1943, 1946, 1989: 359-61
144,000 to rule: 358
persecuted: 345-6, 360
politically neutral: 345-6
saw sovereignty issue: 355
supranational: 348
Watchtower, Golden Age, Awake!: 352, 355
Jerusalem, off-limits to Jews: 215
overthrown by Babylon: 212
razed by Romans: 207, 215
Jesus Christ, approved by God: 252-4
baptized, anointed: 240
birthplace: 239
commanded disciples to preach: 376
credentials: 236, 239
fulfilled prophecies: 245
glorified Father’s name: 258-9
indicated way to God: 244, 246
mythological?: 65-7, 237, 252-4
performed miracles: 242, 249-51
practiced love: 242, 244, 344
resurrected: 255, 375
resurrection gave impetus to preaching: 376
resurrection is basis for new world: 375-6
rock foundation of church: 268
transfiguration: 252-4
use of illustrations: 238, 242
viewed as subordinate to God: 274-5
witness of Jehovah: 258
Jews: 205-34
a nation: 209
expelled from Spain: 217
origin of name: 207
Josephus, Flavius, Jews welcomed Alexander: 213
‘Herod killed John’: 66
‘Jesus a wizard’: 67
Judaism: 205-34
circumcision: 231
Conservative: 227
festivals and customs: 230-1
God’s name: 225, 228-9, 232
Greek influence: 214
Hasidism: 217, 223, 226
immortal soul: 219, 222-5
Kethuvim: 220
mezuzah: 231
monotheistic: 208, 218-19
Neviʼim: 220
numbers: 205
Orthodox: 226
Passover (Pesach): 230-1
Reform: 224, 226-7
religion of a people: 218
religious divisions: 226-7
Sabbath (Shabbat): 230
Talmud: 221
Torah: 17, 220
why of interest: 205-6
Yom Kippur: 230
‘ignited by Greek philosophers’: 216
Kaʽbah, description: 287, 289
Karma, Bible refutation: 151-2
Buddhist belief: 151
definition: 103, 106
effect of: 112
Garuda Purana quote: 111
Knorr, Nathan H., president of Watch Tower: 359
Knox, John, Scottish Reformer: 325
Language, ‘from one source’: 31
Lao-tzu, Taoist: 165-6
Lazarus, raised from dead: 249-51
Legends, common in religions: 35
Golden Age: 36-8
Lingam, Buddhist: 157
cult of: 99, 102
Hindu: 120
Lin Yutang, on Confucianism: 178
Lollards: 311
Lord’s Evening Meal
partakers: 357
Witnesses celebrate: 357
Zwingli’s belief: 320
Lourdes, France, shrine: 77
Love, definition: 247
Luther, Martin: 21, 314-19
Bible translation: 317
marriage: 319
nailing of theses: 314-16
“justification by faith”: 318
‘retained ancient beliefs’: 318
Lutheran Churches: 313
similar to Catholic: 318-19
Maat, Egyptian goddess of truth: 50, 53
Magic, as origin of religion: 24
casting spells: 79
Chinese: 78-9
common among religions: 74
imitative magic: 78
Ngoni (E. Africa): 79
Omaha Indians: 78
rise of: 77-8
Taoist: 170-1
Mahayana Buddhism: 144-6, 149-50
Mantrayana (See Tibetan Buddhism)
Mao Tse-tung: 161
Marx, Karl: 332-3
Mary (mother of Jesus)
frequency in Bible: 277
Mother-of-God teaching: 277
veneration: 277
Mass (Communion, or the Eucharist): 320
Bible viewpoint: 357
Mecca, idolatry cleansed: 292
pilgrimage: 4, 289, 303
site of the Kaʽbah: 287, 289
Medicine man: 77-8
Meditation, Gautama: 137
Zen Buddhism: 146
Mendelssohn, Moses
Haskala: 217-18, 227
Mennonites: 313, 321
Messiah, Bible prophecies: 232-3, 245
concept rejected: 218, 234
False Messiahs: 217
Jewish concept: 233-4
modern Jewish view: 234
Methodist Church: 327
Mithras, Roman god: 61, 65
Moksha, definition: 114
paths to: 110
Mormon, Book of: 17
Moses, Hebrew leader: 208-9
Mosque: 298, 303
Mezquita, Spain: 302-3
‘heart of Muslim society’: 301-2
Mother goddess: 277
Catholic: 33, 277
Chinese: 33
Egyptian: 59
Hindu: 98, 121
Taoist Matsu: 185
Muḥammad, call to be prophet: 286-8
death and crisis: 292-5
early life: 286-7
emigration, hijrah: 292
founder of Islām: 20-1
issue of succession: 293-5
marriages: 300
period of revelations: 288, 290
Qurʼān memorized: 288, 290
rejected in Mecca: 292
‘ascended to heaven’: 286
‘no Islāmic issue brought more bloodshed’: 293
Muḥammad al-Muntaẓar
12th imām, and Mahdi: 295
Muslim(s), meaning of: 285
Shīʽite: 293-5
Sunnī: 293-5
why reject Jews and Christians: 295-6
Mythology: 41-68
African: 56
Aztec: 51, 55, 57, 59
Chinese: 44-5, 50-1, 53
Egyptian: 57, 59, 62-4
Gilgamesh: 48-9
Greek: 42-4, 54
home of the gods: 42
immortal soul: 41, 52-5
Inca: 45-6, 55
Maya: 52, 55-6
Roman: 43, 60-1, 64-5
‘New heaven and new earth,’ Christian hope: 365
new rulership: 372-4
New world
only one religion: 378
promised by God: 372-5
New Year’s Day
Egyptian celebration: 63
Nirvana
Bible refutation: 154, 156
Buddhist concept: 137, 154
OM, AUM, Hindu word symbol: 106, 116, 119
Orthodox Judaism: 226
Osiris, brother of Isis: 59
judged souls: 50, 53
Overseers, elders
early Christian: 267, 269
not bishops: 270-1
Pandora, Greek legend: 37
Paradise
Bible teaching: 372-5
Buddhist belief: 146
Muslim belief: 297, 299-300
‘Peace and security’: 371-2
Pentecost, God gave spirit to Christians: 257, 260
Peter (apostle)
not first pope: 268
Pharisees: 214-15
Plagues, on Egypt: 62-4
Polytheism: 92-3, 97, 119
Pontifex Maximus, pope adopted input: 262, 271
Roman State religion: 65
Pontius Pilate, condemned Jesus: 254
historical: 241
Pope, papacy: 268-72
Leo I: 271-2
Leo III: 272
Peter not pope: 268, 272
rules sovereign state: 272
sources of revenue: 307
Sylvester I not at Nicaea: 276
inputs: 272
‘input used in 3rd century’: 271
‘very worldly popes’: 308
Porphyry, Jesus not called God: 266
Prayer, rosary: 33
wheel: 33, 147
Predestination, Calvin’s theology: 323
Prophets, Hebrew, sent by Jehovah: 210, 212
Ptolemy, Claudius, Greek astronomer: 87
Pure Land Buddhism: 146
Purgatory: 315
Puritans: 313, 325-6
Quakers: 327
Qurʼān, Arabic: 284, 290-1
Biblical parallels: 285
communicated by Gabriel: 6, 287-8
first revelation: 288
meaning: 284
period of revelations: 288
“The Clot”: 288
“The Opening”: 284
translation: 291
when written: 290
Qurʼān quotations
‘abide in hell for ages’: 299
‘Allāh brings friendship’: 11
‘Allāh receives souls’: 297
‘fresh skins taste torment’: 299
‘Gardens for good souls’: 300
‘God is One God’: 296
‘hell a blazing fire’: 299
‘hellfire torments’: 299
‘marry two, three, or four women’: 300
‘Qurʼān in Arabic’: 291
‘recline with wives’: 300
‘Resurrection Day’: 297
‘revealed Torah and Gospels’: 285
‘righteous inherit earth’: 300
‘say not Trinity’: 297
‘soul goes to Barzakh’: 299
‘those who go astray’: 295
‘torment of hell’: 299
Ra, Amon-Ra
Egyptian sun-god: 57
Rabbis, Jewish teachers: 214
Rambam: 221
Rashi: 221
Rama: 97, 103, 116
Ransom
rejected by Bahāʼīs: 305
Russell, C. T.: 352
Reformation: 306-28
Augsburg Confession: 317-18
backlash of: 330-1
decisive starting point: 314
Luther’s 95 theses: 315-16
made Bible available: 328
name Protestant coined: 317
old creeds retained: 328
three main divisions: 313
Reform Judaism
beliefs: 224, 226-7
Reincarnation (See also Transmigration)
Bible refutation: 153-4
Buddhist belief: 151-3
Taoist celestial masters: 172
Religion
among all peoples: 19, 73
attempt to explain: 26
bloodstained: 370
common threads in: 32
definition: 7, 16, 265
from common origin: 35-6
identify true religion: 377
Roman soldier’s: 60-1
theories on origin of: 22-5
why man is religious: 28
‘all religions equal’: 12
‘evil from religious conviction’: 14
‘false religions’: 14
‘impossible to reach origins’: 26
‘man forever questing’: 73
‘religion à la carte’: 342
‘religion to hate’: 14
Resurrection, Bible’s teaching: 222, 224-5
Christian belief: 375-6, 379
Greek word: 266
in Jewish theology: 222
Jesus’ not a myth: 255-6
Lazarus raised: 249-51
Muslim belief: 297
‘growing concept of’: 222
‘immortal soul contradicts’: 219, 222
‘was a central doctrine of Judaism’: 223
Rhea, Greek goddess: 43-4
Roman Catholic Church
Coptic and Jacobite churches break away: 279
during Swiss reform: 320
Eastern church breaks away: 280
Europe’s largest landholder: 306-7
iconoclastic period: 280
Machiavelli’s comments: 309
papacy: 268-72
priestly immorality: 308
rosary: 5, 33
similarity to Buddhism: 33-4
split by language and geography: 279
‘Church took on pagan customs’: 262
‘Paradise shut from those with no money’: 308-9 ‘retrograde, decadent, corrupt’: 306
‘very worldly popes’: 308
Roman gods
debauched: 64-5
more numerous than people: 82
Russell, Charles T.: 350-4
early life: 350-1
founded Bible society: 352
founded Zion’s Watch Tower: 352
ransom issue: 352
view of doctrines: 350-3
view of 1914: 353
view of parousia: 353
Rutherford, J.F., president of Watch Tower: 354-5
Sadducees: 214-15
Satan, Devil, abyssed: 371
blinds unbelievers: 367
Mara, Buddhist devil: 137
Sati, widow suicide: 115, 118
Savonarola, Girolamo, Italian Reformer: 312-13
Science, effect on religion: 331-2
Sephardic, Jewish community: 216
Septuagint
God’s name in: 259
when translated: 213
Servetus, Michael
Spanish Reformer: 322
Shema, Hebrew prayer: 219
Shinto: 187-204
Amaterasu, sun-goddess: 191-2, 200
ancestor worship: 189
Buddhist influence: 196-8
departed souls: 189-90
emperor worship: 199-203
festivals: 193-5
Imperial Rescripts: 200-1
kami, gods: 191
kamikaze: 197-8
membership: 188
religious customs: 187
shintai: 190-1
Shinto writings: 192, 200-1
‘religion of withouts’: 192
‘way of the gods’: 196
Sikhism: 100-1
Guru Nānak, founder: 100
use of turbans: 100-1
warrior tradition: 105, 108
Siva, Destroyer: 115, 117
Mahesha, Mahadeva: 120
prototype of: 98
Soul (See also Immortal Soul)
Algonquian Indians: 75
Bible’s teaching: 125-6, 127-8, 224, 356
Malays: 75
original Buddhist concept: 151
Spain, Jews expelled: 217, 302
reconquest: 302
Spirit(s), belief in: 75-6
Bible teaching: 153-4
Spiritism: 69-94
identifies Babylon the Great: 369
Suetonius
‘Chrestus [Christ]’: 237
‘Christians a new sect’: 260
Sun worship, Aztec: 57, 59
Egyptian: 57
Inca: 57-9
Superstitions: 70-2
amulets and talismans: 92
birthday: 70
certain numbers: 71
Chinese: 71, 76, 184
Druids: 76
immortal soul: 92
innocent fun?: 91-2, 94
Japanese: 71
Philippines: 71
Taoist: 173-4
wearing black at funeral: 70
Synagogue: 212
Talmud, Gemara: 221
immortal soul in: 223
Mishnah: 221
oral traditions: 216, 221
revered more than Bible: 216
Tanakh, three divisions of Hebrew Bible: 220
Taoism: 161-74
belief in immortality: 169-71
celestial master: 172, 184-5
Chuang-tzu: 168-9
concept of Tao: 163-4, 166-7
I Ching: 83, 168
immortals: 170
influence on art: 171
Lao-tzu: 165-6
Tao Te Ching: 166-7, 169
why falls short?: 185
Ten Commandments
Israel’s law: 209, 211
Tetragrammaton
appears 6,828 times: 228
four consonants: 225, 246
‘characterized person of God’: 228
Tetzel, John, sale of indulgences: 315
Theravada Buddhism: 144, 149-50
Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism): 33, 147-8
Totem and Taboo, by Sigmund Freud: 24
Toynbee, Arnold
‘accident of birthplace’: 8
‘man’s true end’: 14
‘spiritual reality’: 366
Transfiguration
Peter witnessed: 67
reality, not myth: 252-4
Transmigration (See also Reincarnation)
Bahāʼīs reject: 305
Hindu samsara: 102-3, 106
Jewish belief: 223
‘soul in another body’: 223
Triads, Egyptian: 59
Hindu (Trimurti): 115-17
Trinity
Arius rejected: 274-5
Bahāʼīs reject: 305
common denominator: 369
debate raged: 274-6
developed in theological vacuum: 229, 232
excluded by the Shema: 219
filioque debate: 280
God’s role submerged: 277
Muslims reject: 296-7
Servetus’ stand: 322
Witnesses reject: 356
‘Bible excludes Trinity’: 219
‘early church considered Christ subordinate’: 275
‘Greek reason’: 263-4
‘mystery which cannot be solved’: 264
‘not orthodox doctrine in 4th century’: 275
‘removal of Tetragrammaton aided’: 232
Tyndale, William, Bible translation: 325
Unamuno, Miguel de (Spanish scholar)
‘immortal soul is pagan’: 265
‘Jesus believed in resurrection’: 265
United Nations, symbolized in Bible: 370
Unkulunkulu, Zulu death-legend: 56
Uranus, Greek god: 42-3
Van Amburgh, W. E.
‘God still at helm’: 354
Vishnu, Preserver: 115, 117
ten avatars: 119
Waldenses: 280-1, 309
Wesley, John, founder of Methodist Church: 327
Witchcraft, Acts of Parliament forbidding: 79
witches and wizards: 70, 79
Wittenberg, center of reform: 314-15
Wycliffe, John, English Reformer: 310-12, 325
YHWH, Tetragrammaton: 225, 232
Yin and yang, method of divination: 82-3
Taoist concept: 168
Yoga: 110, 137
Zen Buddhism: 146
Zeus, Barnabas called: 66
Greek god: 43-4, 54
Zionism, ‘secularization of messianism’: 218
Zoroastrianism, Ahura Mazda, the creator: 36
Avesta, sacred book: 36
Zwingli, Ulrich, Swiss Reformer: 319-20 |
Reasoning (rs)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/reasoning-rs | How to Use “Reasoning From the Scriptures”
The pattern to follow in helping others to understand the Bible is that provided by Jesus Christ and his apostles. In answer to questions, Jesus quoted scriptures and at times used appropriate illustrations that would help honest-hearted persons to be receptive to what the Bible says. (Matt. 12:1-12) The apostle Paul made it a practice to ‘reason from the Scriptures, explaining and proving by references’ what he taught. (Acts 17:2, 3) The material contained in this book can help you to do the same.
Instead of providing a broad, general coverage of each subject, Reasoning From the Scriptures focuses primary attention on questions that are currently being asked by many people.
This publication has not been prepared for the purpose of helping anyone to “win arguments” with people who show no respect for the truth. Rather, it provides valuable information that is meant to be used in reasoning with individuals who will allow you to do so. Some of them may ask questions to which they really want satisfying answers. Others, in the course of conversation, may simply state their own beliefs and they may do so with some conviction. But are they reasonable persons who are willing to listen to another viewpoint? If so, you can share with them what the Bible says, doing so with the conviction that it will find welcome response in the hearts of lovers of truth.
How can you locate in this handbook the specific material you need? Often you will find it most readily by turning directly to the main heading that represents the subject being discussed. Under all the main headings, the principal questions are easy to isolate; they are in boldface type that extends to the left-hand margin. If you do not quickly find what you need, consult the Index in the back of the book.
Advance preparation for a discussion is always beneficial. But if you are not yet familiar with certain sections of the book, you can still make good use of them. How? When you locate the question that most nearly corresponds to the point you want to discuss, look at any subheadings under it. These subheadings are set in bold italics and are indented under the questions to which they relate. If you already have some knowledge of the subject, a review of those subheadings and a quick glance at some of the thoughts under them may be all that you need, because they outline a helpful line of reasoning that might be used. Do not hesitate to express the ideas in your own words.
Do you feel that you need more—perhaps the actual scriptures, the reasoning to use in connection with those scriptures, some illustrations to help you to make clear the reasonableness of what the Bible says, and so forth? If so, you may want to show the person with whom you are talking what you have in this book and then read together the portion that deals with the question he has brought up. Even if you have not studied the material in advance, you can use it to give a satisfying answer. Everything is right here in the book, stated in a simple and concise manner.
Keep in mind that this book is only an aid. The Bible is the authority. That is God’s Word. When quotations in the book are from the Bible, impress this fact on those with whom you are speaking. Wherever possible, ask them to get out their Bible and look up the scriptures so they will see that what you are saying is actually in their own copy of the Scriptures. If some popularly used Bible translations render key portions of certain texts in a different way, attention is often drawn to this, and the renderings from a variety of translations are provided for comparison.
In harmony with the example set by the apostle Paul in referring to the altar “To an Unknown God” and in quoting some generally accepted secular sources when preaching to the Athenians (Acts 17:22-28), this book makes limited use of quotations from secular history, encyclopedias, religious reference books, and Bible-language lexicons. Thus, instead of making assertions as to the origin of false religious practices, the development of certain doctrines, and the meanings of Hebrew and Greek terms, the book shows the reasons for statements made. However, it directs attention to the Bible as the basic source of truth.
As further aids in paving the way to share Bible truth with others, the opening sections of this book provide a listing of “Introductions for Use in the Field Ministry” and a compilation of suggestions as to “How You Might Respond to Potential Conversation Stoppers.” Many other potential “conversation stoppers” relate to particular beliefs, and these are considered at the end of each of the main sections dealing with those beliefs. It is not intended that you memorize these replies, but no doubt you will find it helpful to analyze why others have found them to be effective; then express the ideas in your own words.
Use of this handbook should help you to cultivate the ability to reason from the Scriptures and to use them effectively in helping others to learn about “the magnificent things of God.”—Acts 2:11. |
Greatest Man (gt)
1991 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt | Chapter 126
“Certainly This Was God’s Son”
JESUS has not been on the stake long when, at midday, a mysterious, three-hour-long darkness occurs. A solar eclipse is not responsible, since these take place only at the time of the new moon and the moon is full at Passover time. Moreover, solar eclipses last only a few minutes. So the darkness is of divine origin! It probably gives pause to those mocking Jesus, even causing their taunts to cease.
If the eerie phenomenon occurs before the one evildoer chastises his companion and asks Jesus to remember him, it may be a factor in his repentance. Perhaps it is during the darkness that four women, namely, Jesus’ mother and her sister Salome, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of the apostle James the Less, make their way close to the torture stake. John, Jesus’ beloved apostle, is with them there.
How the heart of Jesus’ mother is ‘pierced through’ as she watches the son she nursed and nurtured hanging there in agony! Yet Jesus thinks, not of his own pain, but of her welfare. With great effort, he nods toward John and says to his mother: “Woman, see! Your son!” Then, nodding toward Mary, he says to John: “See! Your mother!”
Jesus thereby entrusts the care of his mother, who is evidently now a widow, to his specially loved apostle. He does this because Mary’s other sons have not as yet manifested faith in him. Thus he sets a fine example in making provision not only for his mother’s physical needs but also for her spiritual ones.
At about three in the afternoon, Jesus says: “I am thirsty.” Jesus senses that his Father has, as it were, withdrawn protection from him in order that his integrity might be tested to the limit. So he calls out with a loud voice: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At hearing this, some who are standing nearby exclaim: “See! He is calling Elijah.” Immediately one of them runs and, placing a sponge soaked with sour wine on the end of a hyssop stalk, gives him a drink. But others say: “Let him be! Let us see whether Elijah comes to take him down.”
When Jesus receives the sour wine, he cries out: “It has been accomplished!” Yes, he has finished everything that his Father has sent him to earth to do. Finally, he says: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.” Jesus thereby commits to God his life-force in confidence that God will restore it to him again. Then he bows his head and dies.
The moment Jesus breathes his last, a violent earthquake occurs, splitting open the rock-masses. The quake is so powerful that the memorial tombs outside Jerusalem are broken open and corpses are thrown out of them. Passersby who see the dead bodies that have been exposed enter the city and report it.
Furthermore, at the moment Jesus dies, the huge curtain that divides the Holy from the Most Holy in God’s temple is rent in two, from top to bottom. Apparently this beautifully ornamented curtain is some 60 feet [18 m] high and very heavy! The astonishing miracle not only manifests God’s wrath against the killers of His Son but signifies that the way into the Most Holy, heaven itself, is now made possible by Jesus’ death.
Well, when people feel the earthquake and see the things happening, they grow very much afraid. The army officer in charge at the execution gives glory to God. “Certainly this was God’s Son,” he proclaims. Likely he had been present when the claim of divine sonship was discussed at Jesus’ trial before Pilate. And now he is convinced that Jesus is the Son of God, yes, that he is indeed the greatest man who ever lived.
Others too are overcome by these miraculous events, and they begin returning home beating their breasts as a gesture of their intense grief and shame. Observing the spectacle at a distance are many female disciples of Jesus who are deeply moved by these momentous events. The apostle John is also present. Matthew 27:45-56; Mark 15:33-41; Luke 23:44-49; 2:34, 35; John 19:25-30.
▪ Why can a solar eclipse not be responsible for the three hours of darkness?
▪ Shortly before his death, what fine example does Jesus provide for those with aged parents?
▪ What are Jesus’ last four statements before he dies?
▪ What does the earthquake accomplish, and what is the significance of the temple curtain’s being rent in two?
▪ How is the army officer in charge at the execution affected by the miracles? |
How to Overcome Feelings of Insecurity | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2016007 | How to Overcome Feelings of Insecurity
NOTHING seems more helpless than a newborn baby. When we came into the world our security depended entirely on our parents. When we learned to walk, we met strangers who towered over us like giants. They frightened us unless our parents were close at hand. But we felt safe when we grasped the hand of our mother or father.
During childhood, our well-being depended on the love and encouragement that our parents gave us. When we realized that our parents loved us, it reinforced our sense of security. When they assured us that we were doing well, we felt more confident and we made progress.
As we got a bit older, close friends also provided additional security. We felt comfortable in their presence, and they made the school environment seem less intimidating.
Those thoughts, of course, describe the ideal childhood. Some youngsters find few close friends, and too many children receive scant parental support. “Whenever I see pictures of united families doing things together, I think to myself, ‘I wish I had enjoyed that when I was a young girl,’” confesses Melissa.a Perhaps you feel the same way.
PROBLEMS OF AN INSECURE UPBRINGING
Maybe you lacked confidence during your formative years. Perhaps you received little love and encouragement. Possibly, you remember the constant fights between your parents that led to the breakup of their marriage—a separation you may have mistakenly blamed on yourself. Or even worse, perhaps one of your parents abused you verbally or physically.
How may an insecure child react? Some turn to drugs or binge drinking during their teenage years. Others join gangs in search of a sense of belonging. Insecure teenagers may jump into a romantic relationship, seeking love and affection. But these relationships rarely last long, and the breakup often causes even more insecurity.
Vulnerable teenagers who avoid such major pitfalls may still grow up with little sense of self-worth. “I became convinced that I was useless, since that is what my mother told me time and time again,” explains Ana. “I can’t remember receiving any commendation or affection from her.”
Our upbringing is not the only cause of insecurity. We may feel insecure as a result of a traumatic divorce, the trials of old age, or even concern about our appearance. Whatever the cause, it can rob us of happiness and damage our relationships with others. What can we do to overcome those feelings?
GOD DOES CARE ABOUT US
We need to know that help is available. We all have someone who can help us, someone who wants to help us—God himself.
This is the message God set out through his prophet Isaiah: “Do not be anxious, for I am your God. I will fortify you, yes, I will help you, I will really hold on to you with my right hand of righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10, 13) How comforting to think that God figuratively wants to take us by the hand! We have no need to feel anxious!
The Bible describes worshippers of God who felt anxious but who learned to hold God’s hand. Hannah, the mother of Samuel, felt that she was a failure, since she could not have a baby. She was often ridiculed for her barrenness. As a result, Hannah lost her appetite and often wept. (1 Samuel 1:6, 8) But after she poured out her feelings to God, she no longer felt miserable.—1 Samuel 1:18.
The psalmist David also felt insecure at times. For years, King Saul tried to hunt him down. David survived several attempts on his life, and he sometimes felt he was drowning in his problems. (Psalm 55:3-5; 69:1) Despite this, he wrote: “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Jehovah, make me dwell in security.”—Psalm 4:8.
Both Hannah and David threw their emotional burdens on Jehovah, and they found that he did sustain them. (Psalm 55:22) How can we do the same today?
THREE WAYS TO FEEL MORE SECURE
1. Learn to trust in Jehovah as a Father.
Jesus urged us to get to know his Father, “the only true God.” (John 17:3) “He is not far off from each one of us,” the apostle Paul assures us. (Acts 17:27) “Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you,” wrote James.—James 4:8.
Knowing that we have a heavenly Father who loves and cares for us is a vital step in overcoming feelings of anxiety. True, it may take time to build this trust, but many have found that doing so really helps. “When Jehovah became my Father, I finally had someone to whom I could express my inner feelings,” says Caroline. “This brought me so much relief!”
“Jehovah is the one who helped me to feel secure when I was left all alone without my parents,” recalls Rachel. “I could talk to him and ask him to help me with my problems. And he did help me.”b
2. Find a spiritual family.
Jesus taught his disciples to think of one another as brothers and sisters. “All of you are brothers,” he told them. (Matthew 23:8) He wanted his true disciples to love one another and become what we could call a large spiritual family.—Matthew 12:48-50; John 13:35.
Congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses sincerely try to provide the warmth and comfort of a true spiritual family. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Many have found that congregation meetings can serve as a soothing ointment that cures their emotional cuts and bruises.
“I had a special friend in my local congregation, who understood the pain I was suffering,” recalls Eva. “She listened to me, read to me, and prayed with me. She made sure I was not alone. She helped me talk things through and unburden myself. Thanks to her support, I began to feel more secure.” “I found a ‘mother and father’ in the congregation,” Rachel adds. “They really made me feel loved and secure.”
3. Show love and kindness to others.
Showing love and kindness to others builds lasting friendships. Jesus said: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” (Acts 20:35) And we will doubtless discover that the more love we show, the more we receive. “Practice giving, and people will give to you,” Jesus told his disciples.—Luke 6:38.
By giving and receiving love, we feel much more secure. As the Bible points out, “love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:8) “I know that some negative views I have about myself are simply not true,” María admits. “I escape from this frame of mind by helping others and forgetting myself. I always feel satisfied when I do something for others.”
SECURITY FOR EVERYONE
The above steps are not a ‘magic formula’ that provides instant, lasting relief. But they can make a big difference. “I still have feelings of insecurity,” Caroline admits. “But now I have more self-worth. I know God cares for me, and I have many close friends who also make me feel secure.” Rachel feels the same way. “From time to time, sadness overwhelms me,” she says. “But I have spiritual brothers and sisters I can turn to for advice, ones who help me see things positively. And above all, I have a heavenly Father whom I talk to every day. That makes all the difference.”
The Bible describes a coming new world, where each one of us will feel secure
There is also a lasting solution. The Bible describes a coming new world, where each one of us will feel secure. God’s Word promises: “They will sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.” (Micah 4:4) At that time, nobody will make us feel unprotected, nor will anyone do us harm. Even deep-rooted traumas of the past “will not be called to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17, 25) God and his Son, Christ Jesus, will establish “true righteousness.” The result “will be lasting tranquillity and security.”—Isaiah 32:17.
a All names have been changed.
b Jehovah’s Witnesses offer free Bible studies to those who would like to draw closer to God.
The Face of Insecurity
“When my drunken father used to explode in anger, his appearance changed. He became like a wolf baring its teeth before attacking its prey without mercy. And I was like a frightened lamb, cowering out of sight, hoping he wouldn’t see me. I lived this nightmare almost every day.”—Caroline’s memories of her childhood.
“I felt I couldn’t trust anyone. It seemed as if I were lost on top of a mountain shouting for help, but there was nobody who could hear me, no one who could lead me to safety.”—Eva, a recently divorced woman.
“My father would often yell at me, ‘You’re bad. Nobody will ever love you!’ For years I have tried to convince myself that I am not a bad person and that others really like me. I felt like a puppy with its tail between its legs, always looking for a kindly pat, but never getting one.”—Mark, whose father demeaned him.
“I sometimes look at an attractive woman and compare her to a beautiful orchid that people would love to have in their home. But I am more like a common weed that wouldn’t interest anyone.”—María, a young woman who struggles with feelings of inferiority.
“When I was just 12 years old, my parents emigrated to another country and left me behind to care for my two younger sisters. I felt so lonely. I wanted somebody to look after me and to tell me I was doing well. But I felt I was lost in a big, dark forest. Although I carried on day by day, I wanted to find an escape from this forest. I wanted to feel secure and happy.”—Rachel, a daughter of emigrant workers. |
Isaiah’s Prophecy I (ip-1)
2000 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-1 | input Page/Publishers’ Page
Isaiah’s Prophecy—Light for All Mankind I
Photo Credits:
▪ Cover: Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah: Courtesy of the Shrine of the Scroll, Israel Museum
▪ Page 63: Landscape: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
▪ Page 122: Photo: Garo Nalbandian
▪ Page 156: Left: Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum; right: Musée du Louvre, Paris
▪ Page 170: © John C. Trever
▪ Page 191: Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY
▪ Page 192: Musée du Louvre, Paris
▪ Page 196: The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore
▪ Page 198: Kim Westerskov/Tony Stone Images
▪ Page 209: Copyright the British Library (735 g. 5)
▪ Page 213: Space shuttle: NASA photo
▪ Page 241: Garo Nalbandian
▪ Page 256: Ship: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
▪ Page 289: Top center: U.S. National Archives photo; top right and middle left: UN photo
▪ Page 311: Garo Nalbandian
▪ Page 312: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
▪ Page 322: © Len Rue, Jr./Visuals Unlimited
▪ Page 324: Top: Reuters/Nikola Solic/Archive Photos; bottom left: A. Boulat/Sipa; bottom right: UN PHOTO 186797/J. Isaac
▪ Page 331: Left, Dead Sea Scroll of Isaiah: © John C. Trever; middle right, jars: Courtesy of the Visitors of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford; bottom right, jar: Photograph taken by courtesy of the British Museum
▪ Page 333: Top left and top right: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
▪ Page 359: Top left, WWII bomber: USAF photo; top right, WWI soldiers: U.S. National Archives photo; middle left, atomic blast: USAF photo; middle right, Vietnam: U.S. Army photo
▪ Page 362: Mountain High Maps® Copyright © 1997 Digital Wisdom, Inc.
▪ Page 411: Courtesy of Anglo-Australian Observatory, photograph by David Malin
▪ Page 412: NASA photo
© 2000
Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania
PUBLISHERS
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
2006 Printing
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References |
The First Hurdle—Oral Argument Before the Supreme Court | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102003003 | The First Hurdle—Oral Argument Before the Supreme Court
THE DATE SET for the oral argument before Chief Justice William Rehnquist and eight associate justices of the Supreme Court was February 26, 2002. The interests of Jehovah’s Witnesses were represented by a team of four attorneys.
The lead attorney for the Witnesses opened his argument with an attention-grabbing introduction: “It’s 11:00 Saturday morning in the Village of Stratton. [He then knocked three times on the lectern.] ‘Good morning. In light of recent events, I’ve made a special effort to come to your door to speak to you about what the Prophet Isaiah has referred to as something better. That’s the good news Christ Jesus spoke about, the good news of the Kingdom of God.’”
He continued: “It is a criminal act to go from door to door in the Village of Stratton and deliver that message unless one has first obtained a permit from the village to do so.”
‘You Don’t Ask for Money?’
Justice Stephen G. Breyer raised some pointed questions for the Witnesses. He asked: “Is it the case that your clients don’t ask for any money, not a penny, and [that] they don’t sell Bibles, and they’re not selling anything, all that they do is say, ‘I want to talk to you about religion’?”
The attorney for the Witnesses answered: “Your Honor, the record is absolutely clear, in the Village of Stratton, Jehovah’s Witnesses did not ask for money. In other jurisdictions the record is equally clear that sometimes they will mention a voluntary donation. . . . We are not seeking a solicitation of funds. We’re merely seeking to talk to people about the Bible.”
Government Permission Needed?
Justice Antonin Scalia perceptively asked: “Isn’t your position that you don’t have to go to the mayor and ask for permission to talk to a neighbor about something that’s interesting?” The Witnesses’ attorney replied: “We don’t believe that this Court should sanction a regulation of a Government that requires one citizen to get a license to speak to another citizen at that citizen’s home.”
Change of Arguments, Change of Mood
It was now time for the Village to present its case. Lead counsel explained Stratton’s ordinance, saying: “Stratton is exercising its police power when it seeks to protect the privacy of its residents, when it seeks to deter crime. The no canvassing or soliciting on private property ordinance simply requires preregistration and the carrying of a permit during the course of the door-to-door activity.”
Justice Scalia went immediately to the heart of the matter when he asked: “Do you know any other case of ours [the Supreme Court] that has even involved an ordinance of this breadth, that involves solicitation, not asking for money, not selling goods, but even, you know, ‘I want to talk about Jesus Christ,’ or ‘I want to talk about protecting the environment?’ Have we had a case like that?”
Justice Scalia continued: “I don’t even know of such cases, over two centuries.” To which Chief Justice Rehnquist quipped: “You haven’t been around that long.” That provoked laughter in the courtroom. Justice Scalia pressed his argument: “The breadth of this thing is novel to me.”
A Beautiful Idea?
Justice Anthony M. Kennedy asked a pointed question: “You think it’s a beautiful idea that I have to ask the Government for permission before I go down the block, where I don’t know all of the people, [and] I say, I want to talk to you because I’m concerned about the garbage pick-up, because I’m concerned about our Congressman, whatever. I have to ask the Government before I can do that?” He added, “It’s astounding.”
Then Justice Sandra Day O’Connor joined the argument, asking: “Well, how about trick-or-treaters? Do they have to get a permit?” Justices O’Connor and Scalia both pursued this line of reasoning. Justice O’Connor introduced another argument: “How about borrowing a cup of sugar from your neighbor? Do I have to get a permit to go borrow a cup of sugar from my neighbor?”
Are the Witnesses Canvassers?
Justice David H. Souter asked: “Why are Jehovah’s Witnesses covered? Are they canvassers, solicitors, peddlers, hawkers, itinerant merchants or transient vendors of merchandise or services? They’re none of those, are they?” The Village’s counsel quoted the ordinance at length and added that the lower court had defined Jehovah’s Witnesses as canvassers. To this, Justice Souter rejoined: “So you have a very broad definition of canvassers, if it includes Jehovah’s Witnesses.”
Justice Breyer then quoted the dictionary definition of a canvasser to show that it did not apply to the Witnesses. He added: “I haven’t read anything in your brief that says what the purpose is for requiring these people [Jehovah’s Witnesses] who are not interested in money, not interested in selling, not even interested in votes, to go to the city hall and register. What’s the city’s purpose?”
The “Privilege” of Communication
The Village then argued that “the city’s purpose is to prevent annoyance of the property owner.” He clarified further that it was to protect the residents from fraud and criminals. Justice Scalia quoted the ordinance to show that the mayor can demand further information concerning the registrant and his purpose in order “to accurately describe the nature of the privilege desired.” He added pointedly: “The privilege of going about to persuade your fellow citizens about one thing or another—I just can’t understand that.”
Justice Scalia again pressed: “So should you require everybody who rings a doorbell to get fingerprinted at city hall before [he] can ring a doorbell? That minor risk of a crime occurring is enough to require everybody who wants to ring a doorbell to register at city hall? Of course it isn’t.”
Residents Protected?
With his 20 minutes expired, counsel for the Village handed over the argument to the solicitor general for the state of Ohio. He argued that the no-solicitation ordinance protected the residents from visits by a stranger, “certainly an uninvited person, [who] is here on my property . . . and I think the village is eninputd to say, ‘We’re concerned about that kind of activity.’”
Justice Scalia then observed: “The village is saying even those people who welcome Jehovah’s Witnesses, they’re sitting there lonely, they would love to talk to somebody about anything, and these people [Jehovah’s Witnesses] still have to go register with the mayor to get the privilege of ringing their doorbell.”
“A Very Modest Restriction”
During the questioning Justice Scalia made a powerful point when he said: “We can all stipulate that the safest societies in the world are totalitarian dictatorships. There’s very little crime. It’s a common phenomenon, and one of the costs of liberty is to some extent a higher risk of unlawful activity, and the question is whether what this is directed at stops enough unlawful activity to be worth the cost of requiring the privilege of ringing somebody’s doorbell.” Then the solicitor general responded that “it’s a very modest restriction.” Justice Scalia countered that it was so modest that “we can’t find a single case reporting a single municipality that has ever enacted an ordinance of that type. I don’t think that’s modest.”
Finally, under pressure from one of the justices, the solicitor general had to admit: “I’d be hesitant to say you can have an outright ban on ringing doorbells or knocking.” On that note, his argument ended.
During rebuttal, the Witnesses’ attorney pointed out that the ordinance had no verification mechanism. “I can go to the village hall and say, ‘I’m [So-and-so],’ and get a permit and go from door to door.” He also pointed out that the mayor has the power to refuse to issue a permit to a person who says that he is unaffiliated with an organization. “We believe that this is manifestly exercise of discretion,” he said and added: “I respectfully suggest that our [Jehovah’s Witnesses’] activity indeed lies at the heart of the First Amendment.”
Shortly after this, Chief Justice Rehnquist closed the oral arguments, saying: “The case is submitted [to the Supreme Court].” The whole process had taken just over an hour. How important that hour was would be shown in the written judgment that was announced in June.
[Pictures on page 6]
Chief Justice Rehnquist
Justice Breyer
Justice Scalia
[Credit Lines]
Rehnquist: Collection, The Supreme Court Historical Society/Dane Penland; Breyer: Collection, The Supreme Court Historical Society/Richard Strauss; Scalia: Collection, The Supreme Court Historical Society/Joseph Lavenburg
[Pictures on page 7]
Justice Souter
Justice Kennedy
Justice O’Connor
[Credit Lines]
Kennedy: Collection, The Supreme Court Historical Society/Robin Reid; O’Connor: Collection, The Supreme Court Historical Society/Richard Strauss; Souter: Collection, The Supreme Court Historical Society/Joseph Bailey
[Picture on page 8]
Courtroom interior
[Credit Line]
Photograph by Franz Jantzen, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States |
Isaiah’s Prophecy I (ip-1)
2000 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-1 | Chapter Nine
Trust in Jehovah in the Face of Adversity
Isaiah 7:1–8:18
1. Why will Christians today benefit by examining Isaiah chapters 7 and 8?
ISAIAH chapters 7 and 8 are a study in contrasts. Isaiah and Ahaz both belonged to a nation dedicated to Jehovah; both had God-given assignments, one as a prophet, the other as a king of Judah; and both faced the same threat—the invasion of Judah by superior enemy forces. Isaiah, however, faced the threat with confidence in Jehovah, whereas Ahaz gave way to fear. Why the different reactions? Since Christians today are likewise surrounded by hostile forces, they do well to examine these two chapters of Isaiah to discover what lessons they contain.
Facing a Decision
2, 3. What summary does Isaiah give in his opening words?
2 Much like an artist who defines the outline of a new painting with a few sweeping strokes, Isaiah starts his account with a few broad statements that mark the beginning and the end of the events he is about to relate: “It came about in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham the son of Uzziah, the king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, the king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem for war against it, and he proved unable to war against it.”—Isaiah 7:1.
3 It is the eighth century B.C.E. Ahaz has succeeded his father, Jotham, as king over Judah. Rezin, the king of Syria, and Pekah, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel, invade Judah, and their armies hit hard. Eventually, they will besiege Jerusalem itself. However, the siege will fail. (2 Kings 16:5, 6; 2 Chronicles 28:5-8) Why? That we will learn later.
4. Why are the hearts of Ahaz and his people filled with fear?
4 Earlier in the war, “a report was made to the house of David, saying: ‘Syria has leaned upon Ephraim.’ And his heart and the heart of his people began to quiver, like the quivering of the trees of the forest because of a wind.” (Isaiah 7:2) Yes, it is frightening to Ahaz and his people to learn that the Syrians and the Israelites have teamed up and that their armies are at this very moment encamped on Ephraim’s (Israel’s) soil. They are merely a two- or three-day march from Jerusalem!
5. In what way do God’s people today resemble Isaiah?
5 Jehovah tells Isaiah: “Go out, please, to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, to the end of the conduit of the upper pool by the highway of the laundryman’s field.” (Isaiah 7:3) Just think! At a time when the king should be looking for Jehovah’s prophet and asking for guidance, the prophet has to go and find the king! Even so, Isaiah willingly obeys Jehovah. Similarly, God’s people today readily go out to find people who are fearful because of the pressures of this world. (Matthew 24:6, 14) How satisfying that each year hundreds of thousands respond to the visits of these preachers of the good news and take hold of Jehovah’s protective hand!
6. (a) What heartening message does the prophet convey to King Ahaz? (b) What situation exists today?
6 Isaiah finds Ahaz outside the walls of Jerusalem, where, in preparation for the expected siege, the king is inspecting the city’s water supply. Isaiah gives him Jehovah’s message: “Watch yourself and keep undisturbed. Do not be afraid, and do not let your heart itself be timid because of the two tail ends of these smoking logs, because of the hot anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah.” (Isaiah 7:4) When the attackers ravaged Judah earlier, their anger was as hot as flames. Now they are merely ‘two tail ends of smoking logs.’ Ahaz need not dread Syrian King Rezin or Israelite King Pekah, son of Remaliah. Today it is similar. For centuries, Christendom’s leaders have subjected true Christians to fiery persecution. Now, though, Christendom resembles a log that is nearly burned up. Her days are numbered.
7. Why do Isaiah’s name and that of his son give reason for hope?
7 In Ahaz’ day, not only Isaiah’s message but also the meaning of Isaiah’s name and that of his son give hope to those trusting in Jehovah. True, Judah is in danger, but the name Isaiah, meaning “Salvation of Jehovah,” signals that Jehovah will provide deliverance. Jehovah tells Isaiah to take with him his son Shear-jashub, whose name means “A Mere Remnant Will Return.” Even when the kingdom of Judah finally falls, God will mercifully bring a remnant back to the land.
More Than a War Between Nations
8. Why is the attack on Jerusalem more than a war between nations?
8 Jehovah, through Isaiah, reveals the strategy of Judah’s enemies. Here is what they are planning: “Let us go up against Judah and tear it apart and by breakthroughs take it for ourselves; and let us make another king reign inside it, the son of Tabeel.” (Isaiah 7:5, 6) The Syro-Israelite league schemes to conquer Judah and replace Ahaz, a son of David, with their man. Clearly, the attack on Jerusalem is now more than a war between nations. It has become a struggle between Satan and Jehovah. Why? Because Jehovah God made a covenant with King David, thus assuring him that his sons would rule over Jehovah’s people. (2 Samuel 7:11, 16) What a triumph for Satan if he could install some other royal dynasty on the throne in Jerusalem! He might even frustrate Jehovah’s purpose for David’s line to produce a permanent heir, the “Prince of Peace.”—Isaiah 9:6, 7.
Jehovah’s Loving Assurances
9. What assurances should give courage to Ahaz as well as to Christians today?
9 Will the scheme of Syria and Israel succeed? No. Jehovah declares: “It will not stand, neither will it take place.” (Isaiah 7:7) Through Isaiah, Jehovah says that not only will the siege of Jerusalem fail but “within just sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered to pieces so as not to be a people.” (Isaiah 7:8) Yes, within 65 years Israel will no longer exist as a people.a This assurance, with its specific timetable, should give Ahaz courage. In the same way, God’s people today are strengthened by knowing that the time left for Satan’s world is running out.
10. (a) How can true Christians today imitate Jehovah? (b) What offer does Jehovah make to Ahaz?
10 Perhaps Ahaz’ face registers disbelief, since Jehovah, through Isaiah, says: “Unless you people have faith, you will in that case not be of long duration.” Jehovah, in his patience, “went on speaking some more to Ahaz.” (Isaiah 7:9, 10) What a fine example! Today, although many do not readily respond to the Kingdom message, we do well to imitate Jehovah by “speaking some more” as we visit again and again. Jehovah next tells Ahaz: “Ask for yourself a sign from Jehovah your God, making it as deep as Sheol or making it high as the upper regions.” (Isaiah 7:11) Ahaz may ask for a sign, and Jehovah will perform it as a guarantee that he will protect the house of David.
11. What assurance is found in Jehovah’s expression “your God”?
11 Note that Jehovah says: ‘Ask a sign from your God.’ Jehovah is truly kind. Ahaz is already reportedly worshiping false gods and following disgusting pagan practices. (2 Kings 16:3, 4) Despite that and despite Ahaz’ fearful attitude, Jehovah still calls himself the God of Ahaz. This assures us that Jehovah does not reject humans rashly. He is willing to reach out to those who err or whose faith has grown weak. Will this assurance of God’s love move Ahaz to take hold of Jehovah’s hand?
From Doubt to Disobedience
12. (a) What haughty attitude does Ahaz adopt? (b) Instead of turning to Jehovah, to whom does Ahaz go for help?
12 Ahaz replies defiantly: “I shall not ask, neither shall I put Jehovah to the test.” (Isaiah 7:12) Ahaz is not here observing the words of the law: “You must not put Jehovah your God to the test.” (Deuteronomy 6:16) Centuries later, Jesus quotes that same law when Satan tempts him. (Matthew 4:7) In Ahaz’ case, though, Jehovah is inviting him to turn back to true worship and is offering to strengthen his faith by performing a sign. However, Ahaz prefers to seek protection elsewhere. It is possibly at this point that the king sends a large sum of money to Assyria, seeking help against his northern enemies. (2 Kings 16:7, 8) Meanwhile, the Syro-Israelite army encircles Jerusalem and the siege is on.
13. What change do we notice in Isa 7 verse 13, signifying what?
13 With the king’s lack of faith on his mind, Isaiah says: “Listen, please, O house of David. Is it such a little thing for you to tire out men, that you should also tire out my God?” (Isaiah 7:13) Yes, Jehovah can get tired of constant defiance. Observe, too, that the prophet now says “my God,” not “your God.” An ominous change! When Ahaz rejects Jehovah and turns to Assyria, he loses a fine opportunity to restore his relationship with God. May we never sacrifice our relationship with God by compromising our Scriptural beliefs in order to gain temporary advantages.
The Sign of Immanuel
14. How does Jehovah show his faithfulness to his covenant with David?
14 Jehovah remains faithful toward his covenant with David. A sign was offered, a sign will be given! Isaiah continues: “Jehovah himself will give you men a sign: Look! The maiden herself will actually become pregnant, and she is giving birth to a son, and she will certainly call his name Immanuel. Butter and honey he will eat by the time that he knows how to reject the bad and choose the good. For before the boy will know how to reject the bad and choose the good, the ground of whose two kings you are feeling a sickening dread will be left entirely.”—Isaiah 7:14-16.
15. What two questions does the prophecy about Immanuel answer?
15 Here is good news for anyone fearing that the invaders will put an end to the Davidic line of kings. “Immanuel” means “With Us Is God.” God is with Judah and will not allow his covenant with David to be nullified. In addition, Ahaz and his people are told not only what Jehovah will do but also when he will do it. Before the boy Immanuel is old enough to distinguish between good and bad, the enemy nations will be destroyed. And this proves true!
16. Why may Jehovah have left the identity of Immanuel in Ahaz’ day uncertain?
16 The Bible does not reveal whose child Immanuel is. But since the young Immanuel is to serve as a sign and Isaiah later states that he and his children “are as signs,” Immanuel may be a son of the prophet. (Isaiah 8:18) Perhaps Jehovah leaves the identity of Immanuel in Ahaz’ day uncertain so as not to distract later generations from the Greater Immanuel. Who is that?
17. (a) Who is the Greater Immanuel, and what did his birth signify? (b) Why can God’s people cry out today, “With us is God”?
17 Outside of the book of Isaiah, the name Immanuel occurs only once in the Bible, at Matthew 1:23. Jehovah inspired Matthew to apply the prophecy of Immanuel’s birth to the birth of Jesus, the rightful Heir to the throne of David. (Matthew 1:18-23) The birth of the first Immanuel was a sign that God had not forsaken the house of David. Likewise, the birth of Jesus, the Greater Immanuel, was a sign that God had not forsaken mankind or his Kingdom covenant with David’s house. (Luke 1:31-33) With Jehovah’s chief representative now among mankind, Matthew could truly say, ‘With us is God.’ Today, Jesus rules as heavenly King and is with his congregation on earth. (Matthew 28:20) Surely, God’s people have added reason to cry out boldly: “With us is God!”
More Consequences of Unfaithfulness
18. (a) Why do Isaiah’s next words bring terror to his listeners? (b) What turn of events is soon to take place?
18 Comforting though his latest words are, Isaiah’s next statement brings terror to his hearers: “Jehovah will bring against you and against your people and against the house of your father days such as have not come since the day of Ephraim’s turning away from alongside Judah, namely, the king of Assyria.” (Isaiah 7:17) Yes, disaster is coming, and at the hand of the king of Assyria. The prospect of domination by the notoriously cruel Assyrians must be the cause of many sleepless nights for Ahaz and his people. Ahaz has reasoned that befriending Assyria would relieve him of Israel and Syria. Indeed, Assyria’s king will respond to Ahaz’ plea by eventually attacking Israel and Syria. (2 Kings 16:9) This is likely why Pekah and Rezin will be forced to lift their siege of Jerusalem. Thus, the Syro-Israelite league will have proved unable to take Jerusalem. (Isaiah 7:1) Now, though, Isaiah tells his shocked audience that Assyria, their hoped-for protector, will become their oppressor!—Compare Proverbs 29:25.
19. What warning does this historical drama contain for Christians today?
19 For Christians today, this true historical account contains a warning. When under pressure we may be tempted to compromise Christian principles, thereby rejecting Jehovah’s protection. This is shortsighted, even suicidal, as becomes evident from Isaiah’s further words. The prophet goes on to describe what the Assyrian invasion will do to the land and its people.
20. Who are “the flies” and “the bees,” and what will they do?
20 Isaiah divides his pronouncements into four parts, each foretelling what will happen “in that day”—that is, the day when Assyria attacks Judah. “It must occur in that day that Jehovah will whistle for the flies that are at the extremity of the Nile canals of Egypt and for the bees that are in the land of Assyria, and they will certainly come in and settle down, all of them, upon the precipitous torrent valleys and upon the clefts of the crags and upon all the thorn thickets and upon all the watering places.” (Isaiah 7:18, 19) The armies of Egypt and Assyria, like swarms of flies and bees, will have their attention directed to the Promised Land. This will not be a passing invasion. “The flies” and “the bees” will settle down, infesting every nook and cranny of the land.
21. In what way will the Assyrian king be like a razor?
21 Isaiah continues: “In that day, by means of a hired razor in the region of the River, even by means of the king of Assyria, Jehovah will shave the head and the hair of the feet, and it will sweep away even the beard itself.” (Isaiah 7:20) Now only Assyria, the chief threat, is mentioned. Ahaz hires the Assyrian king to “shave” Syria and Israel. However, this “hired razor” from the Euphrates region will move against Judah’s “head” and shave it clean, even removing the beard!
22. What examples does Isaiah use to show the consequences of Assyria’s imminent invasion?
22 What will be the result? “It must occur in that day that an individual will preserve alive a young cow of the herd and two sheep. And it must occur that, due to the abundance of the producing of milk, he will eat butter; because butter and honey are what everyone left remaining in the midst of the land will eat.” (Isaiah 7:21, 22) By the time the Assyrians have ‘shaved’ the land, so few people will be left that only a small number of animals will be needed to provide food. “Butter and honey” will be eaten—nothing else, no wine, no bread, no other staples. As if to stress the degree of desolation, Isaiah three times says that where there used to be valuable, productive land, there will now be thornbushes and weeds. Those venturing into the countryside will need “arrows and the bow” for protection against wild animals lurking in the thickets. Cleared fields will become trampling grounds for oxen and sheep. (Isaiah 7:23-25) This prophecy begins to be fulfilled in Ahaz’ own day.—2 Chronicles 28:20.
Precise Predictions
23. (a) What is Isaiah now commanded to do? (b) How is the sign of the tablet confirmed?
23 Isaiah now returns to the immediate situation. While Jerusalem is still under siege by the Syro-Israelite combine, Isaiah reports: “Jehovah proceeded to say to me: ‘Take for yourself a large tablet and write upon it with the stylus of mortal man, “Maher-shalal-hash-baz.” And let me have attestation for myself by faithful witnesses, Uriah the priest and Zechariah the son of Jeberechiah.’” (Isaiah 8:1, 2) The name Maher-shalal-hash-baz means “Hasten, O Spoil! He Has Come Quickly to the Plunder.” Isaiah asks two respected men in the community to attest his writing this name on a large tablet, so that they can later confirm the authenticity of the document. This sign, though, is to be confirmed by a second sign.
24. What effect should the sign of Maher-shalal-hash-baz have on the people of Judah?
24 Isaiah says: “Then I went near to the prophetess, and she came to be pregnant and in time gave birth to a son. Jehovah now said to me: ‘Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz, for before the boy will know how to call out, “My father!” and “My mother!” one will carry away the resources of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria before the king of Assyria.’” (Isaiah 8:3, 4) Both the large tablet and the newborn boy will serve as signs that Assyria will soon plunder Judah’s oppressors, Syria and Israel. How soon? Before the boy is able to say the first words that most babies learn—“Father” and “Mother.” Such an exact prediction should build the people’s confidence in Jehovah. Or it could cause some to ridicule Isaiah and his sons. Whatever the case, Isaiah’s prophetic words come true.—2 Kings 17:1-6.
25. What similarities are there between the days of Isaiah and the present time?
25 Christians can learn from Isaiah’s repeated warnings. The apostle Paul revealed to us that in this historic drama, Isaiah portrayed Jesus Christ and Isaiah’s sons foreshadowed Jesus’ anointed disciples. (Hebrews 2:10-13) Jesus, through his anointed followers on earth, has been reminding true Christians of the need to “keep awake” in these critical times. (Luke 21:34-36) At the same time, unrepentant opposers are warned of their coming destruction, although such warnings are often met with ridicule. (2 Peter 3:3, 4) The fulfillment of time-related prophecies in Isaiah’s day is a guarantee that God’s timetable for our day will also “without fail come true. It will not be late.”—Habakkuk 2:3.
Devastating “Waters”
26, 27. (a) What events does Isaiah foretell? (b) What do Isaiah’s words indicate for Jehovah’s servants today?
26 Isaiah continues his warnings: “For the reason that this people has rejected the waters of the Shiloah that are going gently, and there is exultation over Rezin and the son of Remaliah; even therefore, look! Jehovah is bringing up against them the mighty and the many waters of the River, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And he will certainly come up over all his streambeds and go over all his banks and move on through Judah. He will actually flood and pass over. Up to the neck he will reach. And the outspreading of his wings must occur to fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel!”—Isaiah 8:5-8.
27 “This people,” the northern kingdom of Israel, reject Jehovah’s covenant with David. (2 Kings 17:16-18) To them, it looks as weak as the trickling waters of Shiloah, Jerusalem’s water supply. They exult in their war against Judah. But this contempt will not go unpunished. Jehovah will allow the Assyrians to “flood,” or overrun, Syria and Israel, much as Jehovah will soon allow the present political part of the world to flood the realm of false religion. (Revelation 17:16; compare Daniel 9:26.) Next, says Isaiah, the swelling “waters” will “move on through Judah,” reaching right “up to the neck,” up to Jerusalem, where Judah’s head (king) rules.b In our time the political executioners of false religion will likewise close in on Jehovah’s servants, surrounding them “up to the neck.” (Ezekiel 38:2, 10-16) What will be the outcome? Well, what happens in Isaiah’s time? Do the Assyrians surge across the city walls and sweep God’s people away? No. God is with them.
Fear Not—“God Is With Us!”
28. Despite the strenuous efforts of their enemies, of what does Jehovah assure Judah?
28 Isaiah warns: “Be injurious, O you peoples [opposed to God’s covenant people], and be shattered to pieces; and give ear, all you in distant parts of the earth! Gird yourselves, and be shattered to pieces! Gird yourselves, and be shattered to pieces! Plan out a scheme, and it will be broken up! Speak any word, and it will not stand, for God is with us!” (Isaiah 8:9, 10) Some years later, during the reign of Ahaz’ faithful son Hezekiah, these words come true. When the Assyrians threaten Jerusalem, Jehovah’s angel strikes down 185,000 of them. Clearly, God is with his people and the royal line of David. (Isaiah 37:33-37) During the coming battle of Armageddon, Jehovah will likewise send the Greater Immanuel not only to dash His enemies to pieces but also to rescue all those who trust in Him.—Psalm 2:2, 9, 12.
29. (a) How do Jews in Ahaz’ day differ from those in the days of Hezekiah? (b) Why do Jehovah’s servants today refrain from making religious and political alliances?
29 Unlike Jews in Hezekiah’s time, Ahaz’ contemporaries lack faith in Jehovah’s protection. They favor a confederacy, or “conspiracy,” with the Assyrians as a bulwark against the Syro-Israelite league. However, Jehovah’s “hand” prods Isaiah to speak against “the way of this people,” or the popular trend. He warns: “The object of their fear you men must not fear, nor must you tremble at it. Jehovah of armies—he is the One whom you should treat as holy, and he should be the object of your fear, and he should be the One causing you to tremble.” (Isaiah 8:11-13) With this in mind, Jehovah’s servants today guard against conspiring with or putting their trust in religious councils and political leagues. Servants of Jehovah have full confidence in God’s protective power. After all, if ‘Jehovah is on our side, what can earthling man do to us?’—Psalm 118:6.
30. What will be the fate of those not trusting in Jehovah?
30 Isaiah goes on to reiterate that Jehovah will prove to be “a sacred place,” a protection, for those trusting in him. In contrast, those rejecting him “will be certain to stumble and to fall and be broken, and to be snared and caught”—five vivid verbs that leave no doubt about the fate of those not trusting in Jehovah. (Isaiah 8:14, 15) In the first century, those rejecting Jesus likewise stumbled and fell. (Luke 20:17, 18) A similar outcome awaits those today who fail to give allegiance to the enthroned heavenly King, Jesus.—Psalm 2:5-9.
31. How can true Christians today follow the example of Isaiah and of those who listen to his teaching?
31 In Isaiah’s day, not all are stumbled. Isaiah says: “Wrap up the attestation, put a seal about the law among my disciples! And I will keep in expectation of Jehovah, who is concealing his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.” (Isaiah 8:16, 17) Isaiah and those who heed his teaching will not abandon God’s Law. They keep on trusting in Jehovah, even though their delinquent compatriots refuse to and thus have Jehovah conceal his face from them. May we follow the example of those trusting in Jehovah and have the same determination to cling to pure worship!—Daniel 12:4, 9; Matthew 24:45; compare Hebrews 6:11, 12.
“Signs” and “Miracles”
32. (a) Who today serve “as signs and as miracles”? (b) Why should Christians stand out from the world?
32 Isaiah now proclaims: “Look! I and the children whom Jehovah has given me are as signs and as miracles in Israel from Jehovah of armies, who is residing in Mount Zion.” (Isaiah 8:18) Yes, Isaiah, Shear-jashub, and Maher-shalal-hash-baz are signs of Jehovah’s purposes for Judah. Today, Jesus and his anointed brothers similarly serve as signs. (Hebrews 2:11-13) And they are joined in their work by “a great crowd” of “other sheep.” (Revelation 7:9, 14; John 10:16) Of course, a sign is valuable only if it stands out from its surroundings. Likewise, Christians fulfill their commission as signs only if they stand out as being different from this world, putting their full trust in Jehovah and boldly proclaiming his purposes.
33. (a) What are true Christians determined to do? (b) Why will true Christians be able to stand firm?
33 Let all, then, observe God’s standards, not those of this world. Continue to stand out fearlessly—as signs—carrying forward the commission given to the Greater Isaiah, Jesus Christ: “Proclaim the year of goodwill . . . and the day of vengeance on the part of our God.” (Isaiah 61:1, 2; Luke 4:17-21) Indeed, when the Assyrian flood surges across the earth—even if it reaches up to our necks—true Christians will not be swept away. We will stand firm because “God is with us.”
[Footnotes]
a For further details about this prophecy’s fulfillment, see Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1, pages 62 and 758, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
b Assyria is also compared to a bird whose outspread wings “fill the breadth of your land.” Thus, wherever the land extends, it will be covered by the Assyrian army.
[Picture on page 103]
Isaiah took Shear-jashub along when he conveyed Jehovah’s message to Ahaz
[Picture on page 111]
Why did Isaiah write “Maher-shalal-hash-baz” on a large tablet? |
God’s Word (gm)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gm | Chapter 4
How Believable Is the “Old Testament”?
In the next few chapters, we will discuss some of the charges leveled against the Bible by modern critics. Some charge that the Bible contradicts itself and is “unscientific,” and these accusations will be taken up later. But first, consider the often-made charge that the Bible is no more than a collection of myths and legends. Do the Bible’s opponents have solid grounds for such a criticism? To begin with, let us look at the Hebrew Scriptures, the so-called Old Testament.
1, 2. What was the siege of Jericho like, and what questions are raised in connection with it?
AN ANCIENT city is under siege. Its attackers have swarmed across the Jordan River and are now encamped before the city’s high walls. But what strange battle tactics! Each day for six days, the invading army has marched around the city, silent except for an accompanying group of priests blowing on horns. Now, on the seventh day, the army silently marches around the city seven times. Suddenly, the priests blow their horns with all their might. The army breaks its silence with a mighty battle cry, and the towering city walls collapse in a cloud of dust, leaving the city defenseless.—Joshua 6:1-21.
2 This is how the book of Joshua, the sixth book of the Hebrew Scriptures, describes the fall of Jericho that occurred almost 3,500 years ago. But did it really happen? Many higher critics would confidently answer no.a They claim that the book of Joshua, along with the previous five books of the Bible, is made up of legends written up many centuries after the alleged events took place. Many archaeologists would also answer no. According to them, when the Israelites came into the land of Canaan, Jericho may not even have existed.
3. Why is it important to discuss whether the Bible contains true history or not?
3 These are serious charges. As you read through the Bible, you will notice that its teachings are solidly instructioned to history. God deals with real men, women, families, and nations, and his commands are given to a historical people. Modern scholars who cast doubt on the historicity of the Bible cast doubt also on the importance and reliability of its message. If the Bible really is God’s Word, then its history must be trustworthy and not contain mere legends and myths. Do these critics have grounds for challenging its historical truthfulness?
Higher Criticism—How Reliable?
4-6. What are some of Wellhausen’s theories of higher criticism?
4 Higher criticism of the Bible got started in earnest during the 18th and 19th centuries. In the latter half of the 19th century, the German Bible critic Julius Wellhausen popularized the theory that the first six books of the Bible, including Joshua, were written in the fifth century B.C.E.—about a thousand years after the events described. He did say, though, that they contained material that had been written down earlier.1 This theory was printed in the 11th edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, published in 1911, which explained: “Genesis is a post-exilic work composed of a post-exilic priestly source (P) and non-priestly earlier sources which differ markedly from P in language, style and religious standpoint.”
5 Wellhausen and his followers viewed all the history recorded in the earlier part of the Hebrew Scriptures as “not literal history, but popular traditions of the past.”2 The earlier accounts were considered to be merely a reflection of the later history of Israel. For example, it was stated that the enmity between Jacob and Esau did not really happen, but it reflected the enmity between the nations of Israel and Edom in later times.
6 In harmony with this, these critics felt that Moses never received any commandment to make the ark of the covenant and that the tabernacle, center of Israelite worship in the wilderness, never existed. They also believed that the authority of the Aaronic priesthood was fully established only a few years before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, which the critics believed happened at the beginning of the sixth century B.C.E.3
7, 8. What “proofs” did Wellhausen have for his theories, and were they sound?
7 What “proof” did they have for these ideas? Higher critics claim to be able to divide the text of the early books of the Bible into a number of different documents. A basic principle they use is to assume that, generally speaking, any Bible verse using the Hebrew word for God (’Elo·himʹ) on its own was written by one writer, while any verse referring to God by his name, Jehovah, must have been written by another—as if one writer could not use both terms.4
8 Similarly, anytime an event is recorded more than once in a book, it is taken as proof of more than one writer at work, even though ancient Semitic literature has other similar examples of repetition. Additionally, it is assumed that any change of style means a change of writer. Yet, even modern-language writers often write in different styles at different stages in their careers, or when they are dealing with different subject matter.b
9-11. What are some outstanding weaknesses of modern higher criticism?
9 Is there any real proof for these theories? Not at all. One commentator noted: “Criticism, even at its best, is speculative and tentative, something always liable to be modified or proved wrong and having to be replaced by something else. It is an intellectual exercise, subject to all the doubts and guesses which are inseparable from such exercises.”5 Biblical higher criticism, especially, is “speculative and tentative” in the extreme.
10 Gleason L. Archer, Jr., shows another flaw in the reasoning of higher criticism. The problem, he says, is that “the Wellhausen school started with the pure assumption (which they have hardly bothered to demonstrate) that Israel’s religion was of merely human origin like any other, and that it was to be explained as a mere product of evolution.”6 In other words, Wellhausen and his followers started with the assumption that the Bible was merely the word of man, and then they reasoned from there.
11 Back in 1909, The Jewish Encyclopedia noted two more weaknesses in the Wellhausian theory: “The arguments by which Wellhausen has almost entirely captured the whole body of contemporary Biblical critics are based on two assumptions: first, that ritual becomes more elaborate in the development of religion; secondly, that older sources necessarily deal with the earlier stages of ritual development. The former assumption is against the evidence of primitive cultures, and the latter finds no support in the evidence of ritual codes like those of India.”
12. How does modern higher criticism stand up in the light of archaeology?
12 Is there any way of testing higher criticism to see whether its theories are correct or not? The Jewish Encyclopedia went on to say: “Wellhausen’s views are based almost exclusively on literal analysis, and will need to be supplemented by an examination from the point of view of institutional archeology.” As the years went by, did archaeology tend to confirm Wellhausen’s theories? The New Encyclopædia Britannica answers: “Archaeological criticism has tended to substantiate the reliability of the typical historical details of even the oldest periods [of Bible history] and to discount the theory that the Pentateuchal accounts [the historical records in the earliest books of the Bible] are merely the reflection of a much later period.”
13, 14. In spite of its shaky foundations, why is Wellhausen’s higher criticism still widely accepted?
13 In view of its weakness, why is higher criticism so popular among intellectuals today? Because it tells them things that they want to hear. One 19th-century scholar explained: “Personally, I welcomed this book of Wellhausen’s more than almost any other; for the pressing problem of the history of the Old Testament appeared to me to be at last solved in a manner consonant to the principle of human evolution which I am compelled to apply to the history of all religion.”7 Evidently, higher criticism agreed with his prejudices as an evolutionist. And, indeed, the two theories serve a similar end. Just as evolution would remove the need to believe in a Creator, so Wellhausen’s higher criticism would mean that one does not have to believe that the Bible was inspired by God.
14 In this rationalistic 20th century, the assumption that the Bible is not God’s word but man’s looks plausible to intellectuals.c It is much easier for them to believe that prophecies were written after their fulfillment than to accept them as genuine. They prefer to explain away the Bible accounts of miracles as myths, legends, or folk tales, rather than consider the possibility that they really happened. But such a viewpoint is prejudiced and gives no solid reason to reject the Bible as true. Higher criticism is seriously flawed, and its assault on the Bible has failed to demonstrate that the Bible is not the Word of God.
Does Archaeology Support the Bible?
15, 16. The existence of what ancient ruler mentioned in the Bible was confirmed by archaeology?
15 Archaeology is a much more solidly based field of study than higher criticism. Archaeologists, by digging among the remains of past civilizations, have in many ways increased our understanding of the way things were in ancient times. Hence, it is not surprising that the archaeological record repeatedly harmonizes with what we read in the Bible. Sometimes, archaeology has even vindicated the Bible against its critics.
16 For example, according to the book of Daniel, the last ruler in Babylon before it fell to the Persians was named Belshazzar. (Daniel 5:1-30) Since there appeared to be no mention of Belshazzar outside the Bible, the charge was made that the Bible was wrong and that this man never existed. But during the 19th century, several small cylinders inscribed in cuneiform were discovered in some ruins in southern Iraq. They were found to include a prayer for the health of the eldest son of Nabonidus, king of Babylon. The name of this son? Belshazzar.
17. How can we explain the fact that the Bible calls Belshazzar a king, while most inscriptions called him a prince?
17 So there was a Belshazzar! Was he a king, though, when Babylon fell? Most documents subsequently found referred to him as the son of the king, the crown prince. But a cuneiform document described as the “Verse Account of Nabonidus” shed more light on Belshazzar’s true position. It reported: “He [Nabonidus] entrusted the ‘Camp’ to his oldest (son), the firstborn, the troops everywhere in the country he ordered under his (command). He let (everything) go, he entrusted the kingship to him.”8 So Belshazzar was entrusted with the kingship. Surely, to all intents and purposes that made him a king!d This relationship between Belshazzar and his father, Nabonidus, explains why Belshazzar, during that final banquet in Babylon, offered to make Daniel the third ruler in the kingdom. (Daniel 5:16) Since Nabonidus was the first ruler, Belshazzar himself was only the second ruler of Babylon.
Other Supporting Evidence
18. What information does archaeology supply to confirm the peace and prosperity resulting from David’s reign?
18 Indeed, many archaeological discoveries have demonstrated the historical accuracy of the Bible. For example, the Bible reports that after King Solomon had taken over the kingship from his father, David, Israel enjoyed great prosperity. We read: “Judah and Israel were many, like the grains of sand that are by the sea for multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing.” (1 Kings 4:20) In support of this statement, we read: “Archaeological evidence reveals that there was a population explosion in Judah during and after the tenth century B.C. when the peace and prosperity David brought made it possible to build many new towns.”10
19. What additional information does archaeology give concerning the warfare between Israel and Moab?
19 Later on, Israel and Judah became two nations, and Israel conquered the neighboring land of Moab. At one time Moab, under King Mesha, revolted, and Israel formed an alliance with Judah and the neighboring kingdom of Edom to war against Moab. (2 Kings 3:4-27) Remarkably, in 1868 in Jordan, a stela (a carved stone slab) was discovered that was inscribed in the Moabite language with Mesha’s own account of this conflict.
20. What does archaeology tell us about the destruction of Israel by the Assyrians?
20 Then, in the year 740 B.C.E., God allowed the rebellious northern kingdom of Israel to be destroyed by the Assyrians. (2 Kings 17:6-18) Speaking of the Bible account of this event, archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon comments: “One might have a suspicion that some of this is hyperbole.” But is it? She adds: “The archaeological evidence of the fall of the kingdom of Israel is almost more vivid than that of the Biblical record. . . . The complete obliteration of the Israelite towns of Samaria and Hazor and the accompanying destruction of Megiddo is the factual archaeological evidence that the [Bible] writer was not exaggerating.”11
21. What details about the subjugation of Judah by the Babylonians are supplied by archaeology?
21 Later still, the Bible tells us that Jerusalem under King Jehoiachin was besieged by the Babylonians and was defeated. This event is recorded on the Babylonian Chronicle, a cuneiform tablet discovered by archaeologists. On this, we read: “The king of Akkad [Babylon] . . . laid siege to the city of Judah (iahudu) and the king took the city on the second day of the month of Addaru.”12 Jehoiachin was taken to Babylon and imprisoned. But later, according to the Bible, he was released from prison and given an allowance of food. (2 Kings 24:8-15; 25:27-30) This is supported by administrative documents found in Babylon, which list the rations given to “Yaukîn, king of Judah.”13
22, 23. In general, what is the relationship between archaeology and the Bible’s historical accounts?
22 Regarding the relationship between archaeology and the Bible’s historical accounts, Professor David Noel Freedman commented: “In general, however, archaeology has tended to support the historical validity of the biblical narrative. The broad chronological outline from the patriarchs to N[ew] T[estament] times correlates with archaeological data. . . . Future discoveries are likely to sustain the present moderate position that the biblical tradition is historically rooted, and faithfully transmitted, though it is not history in the critical or scientific sense.”
23 Then, regarding the efforts of higher critics to discredit the Bible, he says: “Attempted reconstructions of biblical history by modern scholars—e.g., Wellhausen’s view that the patriarchal age was a reflex of the divided monarchy; or the rejection of the historicity of Moses and the exodus and consequent restructuring of Israelite history by Noth and his followers—have not survived the archaeological data as well as the biblical narrative.”14
The Fall of Jericho
24. What information does the Bible give us about the fall of Jericho?
24 Does this mean that archaeology agrees with the Bible in every case? No, there are a number of disagreements. One is the dramatic conquest of Jericho described in the beginning of this chapter. According to the Bible, Jericho was the first city conquered by Joshua as he led the Israelites into the land of Canaan. Bible chronology indicates that the city fell in the first half of the 15th century B.C.E. After the conquest, Jericho was completely burned with fire and was then left uninhabited for hundreds of years.—Joshua 6:1-26; 1 Kings 16:34.
25, 26. What two different conclusions have archaeologists reached as a result of excavating Jericho?
25 Before the second world war, the site believed to be Jericho was excavated by Professor John Garstang. He discovered that the city was very ancient and had been destroyed and rebuilt many times. Garstang found that during one of these destructions, the walls fell as if by earthquake, and the city was completely burned with fire. Garstang believed that this took place in about 1400 B.C.E., not too distant from the Biblically indicated date for the destruction of Jericho by Joshua.15
26 After the war, another archaeologist, Kathleen Kenyon, did further excavations at Jericho. She came to the conclusion that the collapsed walls Garstang had identified dated from hundreds of years earlier than he thought. She did identify a major destruction of Jericho in the 16th century B.C.E. but said that there was no city on the site of Jericho during the 15th century—when the Bible says Joshua was invading the land. She goes on to report possible indications of another destruction that might have taken place on the site in 1325 B.C.E. and suggests: “If the destruction of Jericho is to be associated with an invasion under Joshua, this [latter] is the date that archaeology suggests.”16
27. Why should discrepancies between archaeology and the Bible not unduly disturb us?
27 Does this mean that the Bible is wrong? Not at all. We have to remember that while archaeology gives us a window to the past, it is not always a clear window. Sometimes it is decidedly murky. As one commentator noted: “Archaeological evidence is, unfortunately, fragmentary, and therefore limited.”17 Especially is this true of the earlier periods of Israelite history, when archaeological evidence is not clear. Indeed, the evidence is even less clear at Jericho, since the site has been badly eroded.
The Limitations of Archaeology
28, 29. What are some limitations of archaeology that scholars have admitted?
28 Archaeologists themselves admit the limitations of their science. Yohanan Aharoni, for example, explains: “When it comes to historical or historio-geographical interpretation, the archaeologist steps out of the realm of the exact sciences, and he must rely upon value judgements and hypotheses to arrive at a comprehensive historical picture.”18 Regarding the dates assigned to various discoveries, he adds: “We must always remember, therefore, that not all dates are absolute and are in varying degrees suspect,” although he feels that today’s archaeologists can be more confident of their dating than was the case in the past.19
29 The World of the Old Testament asks the question: “How objective or truly scientific is the archaeological method?” It answers: “Archaeologists are more objective when unearthing the facts than when interpreting them. But their human preoccupations will affect the methods they use in making the ‘dig,’ too. They cannot help destroying their evidence as they dig down through the layers of earth, so they can never test their ‘experiment’ by repeating it. This makes archaeology unique among the sciences. Moreover, it makes archaeological reporting a most demanding and pitfall-ridden task.”20
30. How do Bible students view archaeology?
30 So archaeology can be very helpful, but like any human endeavor, it is fallible. While we consider archaeological theories with interest, we should never view them as incontrovertible truth. If archaeologists interpret their findings in a way that contradicts the Bible, it should not automatically be assumed that the Bible is wrong and the archaeologists are right. Their interpretations have been known to change.
31. What new suggestion has recently been put forward regarding the fall of Jericho?
31 It is interesting to note that in 1981 Professor John J. Bimson looked again at the destruction of Jericho. He studied closely the fiery destruction of Jericho that took place—according to Kathleen Kenyon—in the middle of the 16th century B.C.E. According to him, not only did that destruction fit the Bible’s account of Joshua’s destruction of the city but the archaeological picture of Canaan as a whole fit perfectly with the Bible’s description of Canaan when the Israelites invaded. Hence, he suggests that the archaeological dating is wrong and proposes that this destruction really took place in the middle of the 15th century B.C.E., during Joshua’s lifetime.21
The Bible Is Genuine History
32. What tendency has been observed among some scholars?
32 This illustrates the fact that archaeologists often differ among themselves. It is not, then, surprising that some disagree with the Bible while others agree with it. Nevertheless, some scholars are coming to respect the historicity of the Bible in general, if not in every detail. William Foxwell Albright represented one school of thought when he wrote: “There has been a general return to appreciation of the accuracy, both in general sweep and in factual detail, of the religious history of Israel. . . . To sum up, we can now again treat the Bible from beginning to end as an authentic document of religious history.”22
33, 34. How do the Hebrew Scriptures themselves give evidence of being historically accurate?
33 In fact, the Bible in itself bears the stamp of accurate history. Events are instructioned to specific times and dates, unlike those of most ancient myths and legends. Many events recorded in the Bible are supported by inscriptions dating from those times. Where there is a difference between the Bible and some ancient inscription, the discrepancy can often be attributed to the ancient rulers’ distaste for recording their own defeats and their desire to magnify their successes.
34 Indeed, many of those ancient inscriptions are not history as much as they are official propaganda. In contrast, the Bible writers display a rare frankness. Major ancestral figures such as Moses and Aaron are revealed with all their weaknesses and strengths. Even the failings of the great king David are honestly revealed. The shortcomings of the nation as a whole are repeatedly exposed. This candor recommends the Hebrew Scriptures as truthful and reliable and lends weight to the words of Jesus, who, when praying to God, said: “Your word is truth.”—John 17:17.
35. What have rationalistic thinkers failed to do, and what do Bible students look to in order to prove the inspiration of the Bible?
35 Albright went on to say: “In any case the Bible towers in output above all earlier religious literature; and it towers just as impressively over all subsequent literature in the direct simplicity of its message and the catholicity [comprehensive range] of its appeal to men of all lands and times.”23 It is this ‘towering message,’ rather than the testimony of scholars, that proves the inspiration of the Bible, as we will see in later chapters. But let us note here that modern rationalistic thinkers have failed to prove that the Hebrew Scriptures are not true history, while these writings themselves give every evidence of being accurate. Can the same be said for the Christian Greek Scriptures, the “New Testament”? We will consider this in the next chapter.
[Footnotes]
a “Higher criticism” (or “the historical-critical method”) is a term used to describe the study of the Bible with a view to finding out details such as the authorship, source material, and time of composition of each book.
b For example, the English poet John Milton wrote his lofty epic poem “Paradise Lost” in quite a different style from his poem “L’Allegro.” And his political tracts were written in still another style.
c Most intellectuals today tend to be rationalistic. According to the dictionary, rationalism means “reliance on reason as the basis for establishment of religious truth.” Rationalists try to explain everything in human terms rather than take into account the possibility of divine action.
d Interestingly, a statue of an ancient ruler found in northern Syria in the 1970’s showed that it was not unknown for a ruler to be called king when, strictly speaking, he had a lesser input. The statue was of a ruler of Gozan and was inscribed in Assyrian and Aramaic. The Assyrian inscription called the man governor of Gozan, but the parallel Aramaic inscription called him king.9 So it would not be unprecedented for Belshazzar to be called crown prince in the official Babylonian inscriptions while in the Aramaic writing of Daniel he is called king.
[Blurb on page 53]
Unlike ancient secular histories, the Bible frankly records the human failings of respected figures such as Moses and David
[Box on page 44]
The Value of Archaeology
“Archaeology provides a sampling of ancient tools and vessels, walls and buildings, weapons and adornments. Most of these can be chronologically arranged and securely identified with appropriate terms and contexts contained in the Bible. In this sense the Bible accurately preserves in written form its ancient cultural milieu. The details of biblical stories are not the fanciful products of an author’s imagination but rather are authentic reflections of the world in which the recorded events, from the mundane to the miraculous, took place.”—The Archaeological Encyclopedia of the Holy Land.
[Box on page 50]
What Archaeology Can and Cannot Do
“Archaeology neither proves nor disproves the Bible in conclusive terms, but it has other functions, of considerable importance. It recovers in some degree the material world presupposed by the Bible. To know, say, the material of which a house was built, or what a ‘high place’ looked like, much enhances our understanding of the text. Secondly, it fills out the historical record. The Moabite Stone, for example, gives the other side of the story treated in 2 Kings 3:4ff. . . . Thirdly, it reveals the life and thought of the neighbours of ancient Israel—which is of interest in itself, and which illuminates the world of ideas within which the thought of ancient Israel developed.”—Ebla—A Revelation in Archaeology.
[Picture on page 41]
Milton wrote in different styles, not just one. Do higher critics believe his work to be the product of a number of different writers?
[Picture on page 45]
The “Verse Account of Nabonidus” reports that Nabonidus entrusted the kingship to his firstborn
[Picture on page 46]
The Moabite Stone gives King Mesha’s version of the conflict between Moab and Israel
[Picture on page 47]
Official Babylonian records support the Bible account of the fall of Jerusalem |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 17—Esther
Writer: Mordecai
Places Written: Shushan, Elam
Writing Completed: c. 475 B.C.E.
Time Covered: 493-c. 475 B.C.E.
1. What story unfolds in the book of Esther?
SIMPLY told, here is the story of Ahasuerus, king of Persia, thought by some to be Xerxes I, whose disobedient wife Vashti is replaced by the Jewess Esther, cousin of Mordecai. The Agagite Haman plots the death of Mordecai and all the Jews, but he is hung on his own stake, while Mordecai is advanced to be prime minister and the Jews are delivered.
2. (a) Why have some questioned the inspiration of the book of Esther? (b) In what form does God’s name appear to be used in the book of Esther?
2 Of course, there are those who want to say that the book of Esther is neither inspired nor beneficial but is simply a beautiful legend. They base their claim on the absence of God’s name. While it is true that God is not directly mentioned, in the Hebrew text there appear to be four separate instances of an acrostic of the Tetragrammaton, the initial letters of four successive words, spelling out YHWH (Hebrew, יהוה), or Jehovah. These initials are made especially prominent in at least three ancient Hebrew manuscripts and are also marked in the Masora by red letters. Also, at Esther 7:5 there is apparently an acrostic on the divine pronouncement “I shall prove to be.”—See footnotes on Esther 1:20; 5:4, 13; 7:7, as well as 7:5.
3. What events indicate faith in and prayer to God, and what events suggest God’s maneuvering of matters?
3 Throughout the record it is strongly evident that Mordecai both accepted and obeyed the law of Jehovah. He refused to bow down to honor a man who probably was an Amalekite; God had marked the Amalekites for extermination. (Esther 3:1, 5; Deut. 25:19; 1 Sam. 15:3) Mordecai’s expression at Esther 4:14 indicates that he expected deliverance from Jehovah and that he had faith in divine direction of the entire course of events. Esther’s fasting, together with similar action by the other Jews, for three days before she went in to the king shows reliance on God. (Esther 4:16) God’s maneuvering of events is also suggested in Esther’s finding favor in the eyes of Hegai, the guardian of the women, and in the king’s sleeplessness on the night that he called for the official records and found that Mordecai had not been honored for his past good deed. (Esther 2:8, 9; 6:1-3; compare Proverbs 21:1.) There is undoubtedly a reference to prayer in the words, “the matters of the fasts and their cry for aid.”—Esther 9:31.
4. How is the book of Esther established as authentic and factual?
4 Many facts establish the record as authentic and factual. It was accepted by the Jewish people, who called the book simply the Meghil·lahʹ, meaning “roll; scroll.” It appears to have been included in the Hebrew canon by Ezra, who would certainly have rejected a fable. To this day, the Jews keep the feast of Purim, or Lots, in celebration of the great deliverance in Esther’s time. The book presents Persian manners and customs in a lifelike way and in harmony with the known facts of history and archaeological discoveries. For example, the book of Esther accurately describes the way Persians honored a man. (6:8) Archaeological excavations have revealed that the descriptions of the king’s palace as given in the book of Esther are exact to the smallest detail.a—5:1, 2.
5. What exactness gives the account of Esther a note of genuineness, and with what period does the language harmonize?
5 This exactness is also to be noted in the account itself, in its careful naming of court officials and attendants, giving even the names of Haman’s ten sons. The lineage of Mordecai and Esther is traced back to Kish of the tribe of Benjamin. (2:5-7) References are made to the official records of the Persian government. (2:23; 6:1; 10:2) The language of the book is late Hebrew, with many Persian and Aramaic words and expressions added, which style matches that of Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah, thus harmonizing completely with the period in which it was written.
6. (a) What time period is indicated for the book of Esther? (b) What does the evidence suggest as to the writer, as well as the place and the time of writing?
6 It is thought that the events of Esther are set in the days when the mighty Persian empire was at its peak and that they cover about 18 years of the reign of Ahasuerus (Xerxes I). The time period, extending down to about 475 B.C.E., is indicated by testimony from Greek, Persian, and Babylonian sources.b Mordecai, eyewitness and a major character in the account, was most likely the writer of the book; the intimate and detailed account shows that the writer must have lived through these events in Shushan the palace.c Though he is not mentioned in any other Bible book, there is no question that Mordecai was an actual individual of history. Interestingly, an undated cuneiform text has been found that is described by A. Ungnad of Germany as referring to Mardukâ (Mordecai?) as a high official at the court of Susa (Shushan) during the reign of Xerxes I.d It was there at Shushan that Mordecai no doubt completed the record of the events of Esther immediately after they took place, that is, about 475 B.C.E.
outputS OF ESTHER
7. What crisis develops at Ahasuerus’ banquet, and what action does the king take as a result?
7 Queen Vashti deposed (1:1-22). It is the third year of the reign of Ahasuerus. He holds a mighty banquet for the officials of his empire, showing them the riches and glory of his kingdom for 180 days. Next, there is a grand seven-day feast for all the people in Shushan. At the same time, Vashti the queen holds a banquet for the women. The king boasts of his riches and glory and, merry with wine, calls on Vashti to come and show her loveliness to the people and the princes. Queen Vashti keeps refusing. On the advice of court officials, who point out that this bad example can cause the king to lose face throughout the empire, Ahasuerus removes Vashti as queen and publishes documents calling on all wives to “give honor to their owners” and every husband to “be continually acting as prince in his own house.”—1:20, 22.
8. (a) What events lead up to Esther’s becoming queen? (b) What plot does Mordecai uncover, and what record is made thereof?
8 Esther becomes queen (2:1-23). Later on, the king appoints commissioners to seek out the most beautiful virgins in all the 127 provinces of the empire and to bring them to Shushan, where they are to be prepared by beauty treatment for presentation to the king. Among the young women selected is Esther. Esther is a Jewish orphan, “pretty in form and beautiful in appearance,” who has been reared by her cousin Mordecai, an official in Shushan. (2:7) Esther’s Jewish name, Hadassah, means “Myrtle.” Hegai, the guardian of the women, is pleased with Esther and gives her special treatment. No one knows that she is a Jewess, for Mordecai has instructed her to keep this a secret. The young women are brought in to the king in turn. He selects Esther as his new queen, and a banquet is held to celebrate her coronation. Shortly afterward, Mordecai hears of a conspiracy to assassinate the king, and he has Esther make it known to him “in Mordecai’s name.” (2:22) The plot is uncovered, the conspirators are hanged, and a record is made in the royal annals.
9. How does Mordecai anger Haman, and what royal decree does the latter obtain against the Jews?
9 Haman’s conspiracy (3:1–5:14). About four years pass by. Haman, apparently a descendant of the Amalekite king Agag whom Samuel slew, becomes prime minister. (1 Sam. 15:33) The king exalts him and orders all his servants in the king’s gate to bow before Haman. These include Mordecai. However, Mordecai refuses to do so, making it known to the king’s servants that he is a Jew. (Compare Exodus 17:14, 16.) Haman is filled with rage and, finding out that Mordecai is a Jew, sees in this the grand opportunity to get rid of Mordecai and all the Jews once and for all. The lot (pur) is cast to determine a good day for annihilating the Jews. Using his favor with the king, Haman charges lawlessness against the Jews and asks that their destruction be ordered in writing. Haman offers a contribution of 10,000 silver talents (equivalent to about $66,060,000) toward financing the slaughter. The king consents, and written orders, sealed with the king’s ring, are sent throughout the empire, setting Adar the 13th as the day for the genocide of the Jews.
10. How do Mordecai and Esther proceed with faith in Jehovah’s power?
10 On hearing the law, Mordecai and all the Jews go to mourning in sackcloth and ashes. There is “fasting and weeping and wailing.” (Esther 4:3) On being informed by Mordecai of the Jews’ plight, Esther at first hesitates to intercede. Death is the penalty for appearing uninvited before the king. However, Mordecai shows his faith in Jehovah’s power by declaring that if Esther fails them, she will die anyway and deliverance will “stand up for the Jews from another place.” Moreover, may it not be that Esther has become queen “for a time like this”? (4:14) Seeing the issue, she agrees to take her life in her hands, and all the Jews in Shushan fast with her for three days.
11. How does Esther use her favor with the king, but what does Haman plot against Mordecai?
11 Then, dressed in her royal best, Esther appears before the king. She gains favor in his eyes, and he holds out to her his golden scepter, sparing her life. She now invites the king and Haman to a banquet. During the feast, the king urges her to make known her petition, assuring that it will be granted, “to the half of the kingship,” whereupon she invites the two to a further banquet the following day. (5:6) Haman goes out joyful. But there in the king’s gate is Mordecai! Again he refuses to do Haman honor or quake before him. Haman’s joy turns to anger. His wife and friends suggest he build a stake 50 cubits (73 ft) [22.3 m] high and get an order from the king to hang Mordecai on it. Haman has the stake built immediately.
12. What turn in events results in Ahasuerus’ honoring Mordecai, to Haman’s humiliation?
12 The tables are turned (6:1–7:10). That night the king cannot sleep. He has the book of the records brought and read to him, and he discovers that he has not rewarded Mordecai for saving his life. Later, the king asks who is in the courtyard. It is Haman, who has come to ask the king’s warrant for Mordecai’s death. The king asks Haman how one who pleases the king should be honored. Thinking that the king has him in mind, Haman outlines a lavish program of honor. But the king commands him: “Do that way to Mordecai the Jew”! (6:10) Haman has no alternative but to clothe Mordecai in regal splendor, seat him on the king’s horse, and lead him round the public square of the city, calling out ahead of him. Humiliated, Haman hurries home mourning. His wife and friends have no comfort to offer. Haman is doomed!
13. What does Esther reveal at the banquet, leading to what doom for Haman?
13 It is now time for Haman to attend the banquet with the king and Esther. The queen declares that she and her people have been sold, to be destroyed. Who has dared to perpetrate this wickedness? Says Esther: “The man, the adversary and enemy, is this bad Haman.” (7:6) The king rises up in a rage and walks out into the garden. Alone with the queen, Haman pleads for his life, and the king, returning, is further infuriated at seeing Haman on the queen’s couch. Forthwith he orders that Haman be hung on the very stake Haman had prepared for Mordecai!—Ps. 7:16.
14. How does the king reward Esther and Mordecai, and with what written decree does he favor the Jews?
14 Mordecai promoted, the Jews delivered (8:1–10:3). The king gives Esther all of Haman’s possessions. Esther makes known to Ahasuerus her relationship to Mordecai, whom the king promotes to Haman’s previous position, giving him the royal signet ring. Again, Esther risks her life in going in before the king to request the undoing of the written decree to destroy the Jews. However, “the laws of Persia and Media” cannot be annulled! (1:19) The king therefore gives Esther and Mordecai authority to write a new law and seal it with the king’s ring. This written order, sent throughout the empire in the same way as the previous one, grants the Jews the right ‘to congregate themselves and stand for their souls, to annihilate and kill and destroy all the force of the people and jurisdictional district that are showing hostility to them, little ones and women, and to plunder their spoil,’ on the same day that Haman’s law goes into effect.—8:11.
15. (a) What is the outcome of the fighting, and what feast does Mordecai institute? (b) To what position is Mordecai exalted, and to what end does he use this authority?
15 When the appointed day, the 13th of Adar, comes, not a man can stand before the Jews. On Esther’s petitioning the king, the fighting is continued on the 14th day in Shushan. All together, 75,000 of the Jews’ enemies are killed throughout the empire. An additional 810 are killed in Shushan the castle. Among these are Haman’s ten sons, who are killed the first day and hanged on stakes the second day. No plunder is taken. On the 15th of Adar, there is rest, and the Jews give way to banqueting and rejoicing. Mordecai now gives written instructions for the Jews to observe this feast of “Pur, that is, the Lot,” every year on the 14th and 15th of Adar, and this they do to the present day. (9:24) Mordecai is magnified in the kingdom and uses his position as second to King Ahasuerus “for the good of his people and speaking peace to all their offspring.”—10:3.
WHY BENEFICIAL
16. What divine principles and worthy pattern do Christians find in the book of Esther?
16 While no other Bible writer makes any direct quotation from Esther, the book is completely in harmony with the rest of the inspired Scriptures. In fact, it provides some splendid illustrations of Bible principles that are stated later in the Christian Greek Scriptures and that apply to Jehovah’s worshipers in all ages. A study of the following passages will not only show this to be so but will be upbuilding to Christian faith: Esther 4:5—Philippians 2:4; Esther 9:22—Galatians 2:10. The charge made against the Jews, that they did not obey the king’s laws, is similar to the charge raised against the early Christians. (Esther 3:8, 9; Acts 16:21; 25:7) True servants of Jehovah meet such charges fearlessly and with prayerful reliance on divine power to deliver, after the splendid pattern of Mordecai, Esther, and their fellow Jews.—Esther 4:16; 5:1, 2; 7:3-6; 8:3-6; 9:1, 2.
17. How did Mordecai and Esther exemplify the proper course in subjecting themselves to God and “the superior authorities”?
17 As Christians, we should not think that our situation is different from that of Mordecai and Esther. We too live under “the superior authorities” in an alien world. It is our desire to be law-abiding citizens in whatever country we reside, but at the same time, we want to draw the line correctly between ‘paying back Caesar’s things to Caesar and God’s things to God.’ (Rom. 13:1; Luke 20:25) Prime Minister Mordecai and Queen Esther set good examples of devotion and obedience in their secular duties. (Esther 2:21-23; 6:2, 3, 10; 8:1, 2; 10:2) However, Mordecai fearlessly drew the line at obeying the royal command to bow low before the despicable Agagite, Haman. Moreover, he saw to it that appeal was made to seek legal redress when Haman conspired to destroy the Jews.—3:1-4; 5:9; 4:6-8.
18. (a) What proves the book of Esther to be “inspired of God and beneficial”? (b) How does it encourage the defense of God’s Kingdom interests?
18 All the evidence points to the book of Esther as being part of the Holy Bible, “inspired of God and beneficial.” Even without directly mentioning God or his name, it provides us sterling examples of faith. Mordecai and Esther were no mere figments of some storyteller’s imagination, but they were real servants of Jehovah God, persons who placed implicit confidence in Jehovah’s power to save. Though they lived under “superior authorities” in a foreign land, they used every legal means to defend the interests of God’s people and their worship. We today can follow their examples in “the defending and legally establishing of the good news” of God’s Kingdom of deliverance.—Phil. 1:7.
[Footnotes]
a Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, page 764; Vol. 2, pages 327-31.
b Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2, pages 613-16.
c McClintock and Strong’s Cyclopedia, 1981 reprint, Vol. III, page 310.
d A. Ungnad, “Keilinschriftliche Beiträge zum Buch Esra und Ester,” Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft, LVIII (1940-41), pages 240-4. |
God’s Word (gm)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gm | Chapter 1
Why Read the Bible?
We are living in a world with too many problems and far too few answers. Many millions regularly go hungry. Increasing numbers are addicted to drugs. More and more families are breaking up. Incest and family violence are constantly in the news. The air we breathe and the water we drink are slowly being poisoned. Meanwhile, more and more of us are victimized by crime. Do you think problems like these will ever be solved?
1. (Include introduction.) What modern problems show that mankind needs guidance?
IN ADDITION, we live in an age of hard choices. Many, for example, are implacably opposed to abortion, calling it murder of the unborn. Others feel just as strongly that women have authority over their own bodies and should decide such a matter for themselves. Many view homosexuality, adultery, and premarital sex as rank immorality. Others believe these practices are a matter of personal choice. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong?
2, 3. How do many today view the Bible?
2 The Bible offers guidance in matters of morality, and it describes effective solutions to the problems of crime, hunger, and pollution. The trouble is, most people no longer view the Bible as an authority in such matters. At one time, it was listened to with respect—at least in the West. Although the Bible was written down by humans, in the past the majority in Christendom accepted it as the Word of God and believed that God himself had inspired its outputs.
3 Today, however, it is fashionable to be skeptical about everything: customs, ideas, morals, even the existence of God. Especially, people doubt the value of the Bible. Most seem to consider it out of date and irrelevant. Few modern intellectuals view it as the Word of God. Most people would rather agree with scholar James Barr, who wrote: “My account of the formation of the biblical tradition is an account of a human work. It is man’s statement of his beliefs.”1
4, 5. Why is it vital to know whether the Bible is inspired by God or not? What is the purpose of this publication?
4 Is this your opinion? Do you think the Bible is God’s word, or man’s? However you answer that question, consider this point: If the Bible is merely man’s word, then logically there is no clear answer to mankind’s problems. Humans will just have to muddle through as best they can, hoping somehow to avoid poisoning themselves out of existence or blowing themselves up in a nuclear war. But if the Bible is the Word of God, it is the very thing we need to get us through this difficult time.
5 This publication will present evidence that the Bible really is God’s Word. And the publishers hope that after you have considered the evidence, you will realize that the Bible contains the only valid answers to mankind’s problems. First, though, we would like to draw to your attention some facts that, in themselves, make the Bible worthy of your consideration.
An All-Time Best-Seller
6, 7. What remarkable facts about the Bible demand our attention?
6 To begin with, it is a best-seller, the most widely circulated book in all history. According to the 1988 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records, an estimated 2,500,000,000 copies were printed between 1815 and 1975. That is an enormous figure. No other book in history has come even close to the Bible in circulation figures.
7 Besides that, no other book has been translated into so many languages. The Bible can now be read, in its entirety or in part, in more than 1,800 different tongues. The American Bible Society reports that it is now accessible to 98 percent of the population of our planet. Imagine the huge effort involved in producing so many translations! What other book has received such attention?
A Book With Influence
8, 9. What expressions have some made that show the influence the Bible has exercised?
8 The New Encyclopædia Britannica calls the Bible “probably the most influential collection of books in human history.”2 The 19th-century German poet Heinrich Heine confessed: “I owe my enlightenment quite simply to the reading of a book . . . the Bible. It is quite rightly called Holy Scriptures. He who has lost his God can rediscover Him in this book.”3 During that same century, antislavery activist William H. Seward proclaimed: “The whole hope of human progress is suspended on the ever-growing influence of the Bible.”4
9 Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, called the Bible “the best gift God has ever given to man . . . But for it we could not know right from wrong.”5 British jurist Sir William Blackstone highlighted the influence of the Bible when he said: “Upon these two foundations, the law of nature and the law of revelation [the Bible], depend all human laws, that is to say, no human laws should be suffered to contradict these.”6
Hated and Loved
10. How has opposition to the Bible been expressed?
10 At the same time, we have to note that no other book has been the target of so much vicious opposition and even hatred throughout history. Bibles have been burned on public bonfires, from the Middle Ages down to our 20th century. And reading or distributing the Bible has been punished with fines and imprisonment even in modern times. In past centuries, such “crimes” often led to torture and death.
11, 12. How did Tyndale demonstrate his love of the Bible?
11 Parallel with this has been the devotion that the Bible has inspired. Many have persevered in reading it despite relentless persecution. Consider William Tyndale, a 16th-century Englishman who was educated at Oxford University and became a respected instructor at Cambridge University.
12 Tyndale loved the Bible. But in his days, the religious authorities insisted on keeping it in Latin, a dead language. So, in order to make it accessible to his fellow countrymen, Tyndale determined to translate the Bible into English. Since this was against the law, Tyndale had to give up his comfortable academic career and flee to the Continent. He lived the difficult life of a fugitive long enough to translate the Greek Scriptures (the “New Testament”) and some of the Hebrew Scriptures (the “Old Testament”) into his native tongue; but he was finally arrested, convicted of heresy, and strangled, and his body was burned.
13. What is one thing that makes the Bible truly unique?
13 Tyndale is only one of a great number of people who have sacrificed everything in order to read the Bible or make it available to others. No other book has inspired so many ordinary men and women to rise to such heights of courage. In this respect, the Bible is truly without equal.
Claim That It Is God’s Word
14, 15. What claim do Bible writers frequently make?
14 The Bible is also unique because of the claim made by many of its writers. Some 40 individuals, including kings, shepherds, fishermen, civil servants, priests, at least one general, and a physician, had a hand in writing the different parts of the Bible. But time and again, the writers made the same claim: that they were writing not their own thoughts but God’s.
15 Thus, in the Bible we often read expressions such as: “The spirit of Jehovah it was that spoke by me, and his word was upon my tongue” or, “This is what the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, has said.” (2 Samuel 23:2; Isaiah 22:15) In a letter sent to a fellow evangelizer, the apostle Paul wrote: “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.
16. What questions does the Bible discuss?
16 In harmony with the claim that it is God’s word, not man’s, the Bible answers questions that only God can answer. It explains, for example, why human governments have not been able to bring lasting peace, how humans can find the deepest satisfaction in life, and what the future holds for the earth and mankind upon it. Now, as a thinking person, you must have wondered about these and similar questions many times. Why not at least consider the possibility that the Bible is God’s Word and thus uniquely able to give authoritative answers?
17, 18. (a) What are some of the accusations leveled against the Bible that are discussed in this publication? (b) What further subjects will be covered?
17 We encourage you to examine carefully the evidence presented in this book. Some of its chapters will discuss often-heard criticisms of the Bible. Is the Bible unscientific? Does it contradict itself? Does it contain real history or just myth? Did the miracles recorded in the Bible really happen? Logical evidence is presented to answer these questions. After this, powerful demonstrations of the Bible’s divine inspiration are discussed: its prophecies, its deep wisdom, and the remarkable effect it has on people’s lives. Finally, we will see what effect the Bible can have on your life.
18 First, though, we will discuss how we got the Bible. Even the history of this amazing book gives proof that it has more than merely a human origin.
[Full-page picture on page 4]
[Picture on page 6]
The Bible is the most widely distributed and the most translated book in all history
[Picture on page 9]
As this 15th-century woodcut illustrates, many were burned alive for the “crime” of reading the Bible
[Picture on page 11]
Bible writers claimed to be inspired by God |
The Most Populous Nation in Africa | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101986016 | The Most Populous Nation in Africa
A country where 250 languages are spoken. Here are people who are outspoken but willing to discuss religion. Read about them in the 1986 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES.
As you read this report from Nigeria, you will share the fascinating experiences of those who have taught the Bible to idol worshipers, to villagers who shared in demonistic rites to fetish gods, and to practicers of polygamy.
This 256-page Yearbook also features thrilling accounts of Christian faithfulness in Bolivia and the Netherlands, and an up-to-date report on the activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide.
Please send, postpaid, the 1986 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I enclose $1 (U.S.). |
School (sj)
1983 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/school-sj | input Page/Publishers’ Page
School and Jehovah’s Witnesses
Scripture quotations in this brochure are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1981 Edition. |
The Truth About God and Christ | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2020004 | The Truth About God and Christ
Although humans worship many gods, there is only one true God. (John 17:3) He is “the Supreme One,” the Creator of everything and the Source of all life. He alone is worthy of our worship.—Daniel 7:18; Revelation 4:11.
Who Is God?
God’s name appears in the original text SOME 7,000 TIMES
JEHOVAH is God’s name
LORD, GOD, FATHER—Some of Jehovah’s inputs
What Is God’s Name? God himself says: “I am Jehovah. That is my name.” (Isaiah 42:8) The personal name of God appears some 7,000 times in the Bible. However, many Bible translations improperly substitute this name with a input, such as “Lord.” God wants you to be his friend, so he encourages you to “call on his name.”—Psalm 105:1.
Jehovah’s inputs. The Bible refers to Jehovah by such inputs as “God,” “Almighty,” “Creator,” “Father,” “Lord,” and “Sovereign.” Many prayers are recorded in the Bible in which Jehovah is addressed by both a respectful input and his personal name, Jehovah.—Daniel 9:4.
God’s Form. God is an invisible spirit. (John 4:24) The Bible confirms that “no man has seen God.” (John 1:18) The Bible reveals his feelings. People can cause him grief, or they can “bring pleasure to him.”—Proverbs 11:20; Psalm 78:40, 41.
God’s Wonderful Attributes. God is impartial toward people of all nations and backgrounds. (Acts 10:34, 35) He is also “merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love and truth.” (Exodus 34:6, 7) However, four attributes of God are especially appealing.
Power. Since he is “God Almighty,” he has unlimited power to accomplish whatever he promises.—Genesis 17:1.
Wisdom. God’s wisdom surpasses that of anyone else. In that sense the Bible says that he “alone is wise.”—Romans 16:27.
Justice. God always does what is right. His actions are “perfect,” and he “is never unjust.”—Deuteronomy 32:4.
Love. The Bible says that “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Not only does God show love—he is the very personification of love. His superlative love influences everything he does, and it benefits us in many ways.
God’s Friendship With Humans. God is our loving heavenly Father. (Matthew 6:9) If we put faith in him, we can be his friends. (Psalm 25:14) In fact, God invites you to draw close to him in prayer and to “throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.”—1 Peter 5:7; James 4:8.
What Is the Difference Between God and Christ?
Jesus Is Not God. Jesus is unique—he is the only person created directly by God. That is why the Bible calls him God’s Son. (John 1:14) After creating Jesus, Jehovah used his firstborn as “a master worker” to create everything and everyone else.—Proverbs 8:30, 31; Colossians 1:15, 16.
Jesus Christ never claimed to be God. Instead, he explained: “I am a representative from [God], and that One sent me.” (John 7:29) When speaking to one of his disciples, Jesus called Jehovah “my Father and your Father” and “my God and your God.” (John 20:17) After Jesus died, Jehovah resurrected him to life in heaven and gave him great authority at His right hand.—Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:32, 33.
Jesus Christ Can Help You Draw Close to God
Jesus came to the earth to teach us about his Father. Jehovah himself said about Jesus: “This is my Son, the beloved. Listen to him.” (Mark 9:7) Jesus knows God better than anyone else. He said: “No one knows who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.”—Luke 10:22.
Jesus reflects God’s qualities perfectly. Jesus imitated his Father’s qualities so closely that he could say: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father also.” (John 14:9) Jesus drew people to God by reflecting his Father’s love in his own words and deeds. He said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) He also said: “True worshippers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for indeed, the Father is looking for ones like these to worship him.” (John 4:23) Imagine that! Jehovah is looking for people like you who want to know the truth about him. |
Life (lp)
1977 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/lp | Chapter 3
A Paradise Home Ahead
1-3. (a) Why is it not reasonable to suppose that man will be allowed to abuse the earth until it becomes a lifeless sphere? (b) Can man, by observing creation and by his own reasoning, discover why things are as they are, and what God’s purpose is? (Job 28:12-14, 28) (c) Where can we go to get an understanding of God and his purpose? (d) Is it reasonable to believe that God gave the Bible as a record of his thoughts and ways?
MORE and more the complaint is being heard throughout the world that ‘man is turning the earth into a vast garbage dump.’ Is that actually going to happen?
2 In spite of all the damage caused by human greed and violence, this planet is still filled with beauty—lush valleys, snowcapped mountains, plunging waterfalls, palm-lined beaches and a grand variety of plant and animal life. Are we to imagine that the Maker of all of this will permit mankind to mismanage and misuse earth’s resources until this splendid planet becomes a lifeless sphere? Sound reasoning says No. What, then, does God have in mind for our earth? The material, visible, created things may tell us something about earth’s Maker but they cannot tell us all we need to know. They cannot tell us what God’s purposes are for the future. What, or who, then, can tell us?
3 In order to know, we need some revelation from the Maker himself. So that humans need not be in darkness regarding his purpose, the Almighty God, Jehovah, has provided a revelation in written form. It is found in the Bible. True, men wrote that book. But they acknowledged that what they recorded was not their own wisdom. One of the Bible writers, King David, declared: “The spirit of Jehovah it was that spoke by me, and his word was upon my tongue.” (2 Samuel 23:2) Surely it was no difficult thing for the Designer of the human brain to activate the mental processes of men in a way that enabled them to write down His thoughts. The Bible being the only ancient book even making the claim of having been inspired by earth’s Creator, Jehovah God, no other source can give us any idea about what he has in mind for the earth and man upon it.—2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
JESUS’ PROMISE OF PARADISE
4. What outstanding man pointed to a grand future for humankind, and why should his words be believed?
4 Words stated over nineteen centuries ago by an inspired man to a criminal clearly point to a grand future. That inspired man was Jesus, who is widely recognized as a prophet and one of the greatest teachers that ever lived. The Bible identifies him as the promised Messiah or Christ, the Son of God, who existed as a spirit person before his being born a human. (Matthew 16:13-16; Luke 1:30-33; Philippians 2:5-7) To the evildoer Jesus Christ said: “You will be with me in Paradise.”—Luke 23:43.
5, 6. (a) What has caused Jesus’ words at Luke 23:43 to be understood differently by various persons? (b) What gives us guidance as to how Jesus’ words to the evildoer are to be understood?
5 This promise of Jesus Christ has been variously understood by Bible readers. Many Bible translations quote Jesus as saying: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” (Common Bible) In view of the punctuation, a person might conclude that the evildoer would be with Jesus in a paradise that very day. It should be noted, however, that little or no punctuation appears in the original Greek text. This makes it necessary for the translator to choose the placement of punctuation. Hence the words may also be punctuated to read: ‘Truly I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise.’ The thought thus conveyed points to the evildoer’s being with Jesus in Paradise at some future time.
6 This understanding of Jesus’ words harmonizes with the rest of the Bible. That day, upon dying, Jesus did not go to heaven or to some intermediate place. He was dead in Hades,a gravedom, for three days (or parts thereof).—Matthew 27:62-66; Acts 2:24, 27.
7. (a) How did the people understand the word “paradise” at the time Jesus Christ made his promise to the evildoer? (b) How can we prove that the man to whom Jesus spoke had no idea of going to a heavenly paradise?
7 Moreover, the evildoer would have understood Jesus’ reference to “paradise” in harmony with the then current usage. And what was that? A paradise was a garden or park. The man was not a disciple of Jesus and so had no idea about a heavenly paradise. The books of the Bible available at that time did not hold forth to believers the opportunity of living in the spirit realm with God. It was not until the coming of Jesus Christ that attention was drawn to the hope of life in the invisible heavens. (2 Timothy 1:10) Though Jesus’ disciples heard him talking about the “kingdom of the heavens,” even they did not grasp fully just what was meant. (Matthew 13:24, 31, 33) Later, they asked the resurrected Jesus Christ: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” (Acts 1:6; compare the apostles’ earlier words to Jesus at John 16:17, 18.) So they still thought in terms of the earth, expecting that Jesus would establish his kingdom in Jerusalem. Since Jesus’ own disciples did not fully comprehend heavenly things at that time, how, then, could the evildoer possibly imagine that Jesus was speaking about something other than an earthly paradise?
8. How was Jesus’ promise to the evildoer in harmony with the Hebrew Scriptures, with which the Jews were generally acquainted?
8 Jesus’ promise to the evildoer is in agreement with statements in the Bible that the earth was made for a purpose. God “did not create it simply for nothing, [but] formed it even to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18; Psalm 104:5) It would be unreasonable to suppose that God, having spent centuries in preparing the earth with such care, would destroy it or leave it a waste just because some people did not appreciate it. Really, the earth itself has the potential for being a most delightful place to live.
PARADISE-LIKE “NEW EARTH” FORETOLD
9-11. (a) Had the Jews had any experience with what virtually amounted to an earthly paradise? When? (b) How did Moses describe the land of Palestine as a delightful place to live?
9 It is of note that the concept of an earthly paradise was long known to Jesus’ fellow countrymen, the Israelites. When they moved into the Promised Land, it appeared to them as a paradise. Jehovah, through Moses, described it as far more beautiful and productive than even the rich Nile Valley where they had lived, saying:
10 “For the land to which you are going to take possession of it is not like the land of Egypt out of which you came, where you used to sow your seed and you had to do irrigating with your foot, like a garden of vegetables. But the land to which you are crossing to take possession of it is a land of mountains and valley plains. Of the rain of the heavens it drinks water; a land that Jehovah your God is caring for. The eyes of Jehovah your God are constantly upon it, from the beginning of the year to the close of the year.”—Deuteronomy 11:10-12.
11 In an earlier description of the land Moses had said:
“Jehovah your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of torrent valleys of water, springs and watery deeps issuing forth in the valley plain and in the mountainous region, a land of wheat and barley and vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of oil olives and honey, a land in which you will not eat bread with scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land the stones of which are iron and out of the mountains of which you will mine copper.”—Deuteronomy 8:7-9.
12. When the nation of Israel returned from exile, how did God provide there in the land of Judah “new heavens” and a “new earth”?
12 Through his prophet Isaiah, God foretold long in advance that the nation of Israel would be taken by their enemies into exile for disobedience. Then their formerly paradise-like land would become desolate. But with this prophecy God did not leave the nation without hope, for he said: “I am creating new heavens and a new earth; . . . I am creating Jerusalem a cause for joyfulness and her people a cause for exultation.” (Isaiah 65:17, 18) Here God was promising the restoration of Israel to the land of Judah, with Jerusalem again as capital. The “new heavens” would be, not new invisible heavens, but a governorship of the land of Judah in the hands of Zerubbabel of the tribe of Judah, a rulership over the land. The “new earth” was a repentant, cleansed, disciplined people brought back to their desolated land, which they began to cultivate and to beautify. They restored the worship of Jehovah God there and rebuilt the temple at Jerusalem.—Ezra 3:1, 2, 10.
13. What shows that God helped the restored Israelites in their efforts to bring about a paradise condition in their desolated land?
13 In their efforts to beautify the land of Judah to its former paradise-like state the Israelites received direct help from God, as indicated by Isaiah’s prophecy about their return. God promised: “The wilderness and the waterless region will exult, and the desert plain will be joyful and blossom as the saffron.” (Isaiah 35:1, 2) Similarly, the psalmist said that, when the nation would be obedient to God, “Jehovah, for his part, will give what is good, and our own land will give its yield.”—Psalm 85:12.
GLORIOUS “NEW EARTH” AHEAD
14. What assurance do we have that the prophecies about the “new earth” have even greater meaning to us today?
14 Does this prophecy about a “new earth” have anything to do with us today? Yes, it is a glimpse of what God will do for the whole earth. Centuries after Isaiah prophesied, the apostle Peter wrote to Christians scattered over the then-known earth, saying: “There are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.” (2 Peter 3:13) This coming “new earth” society will therefore occupy a far larger area than that of ancient Judah.
15. What does the vision given to the apostle John reveal to us about the coming earthly paradise?
15 Moreover, the vision of the apostle John, recorded in the Bible book of Revelation, leaves no doubt that, in final fulfillment, the “new earth” society will inhabit the entire globe. The apostle John writes: “I saw a new heaven and a new earth; . . . ‘Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples.’” (Revelation 21:1-3) The expression “new heavens” has reference to God’s rule from heaven where his throne is located. (Matthew 5:34) In due time, mankind will practice the true worship of God exclusively, and God’s favor, help and protection will be with them. The “new heavens” will extend blessings to humankind on a beautified earth.—Psalm 115:16.
16, 17. (a) How does the book of Genesis show that God’s original purpose for man was everlasting life in a paradise? (b) How does God’s prophecy at Genesis 3:15 reveal that God did not abandon his purpose when Adam sinned?
16 That this fine destiny for the earth is what God purposes is shown by his dealings with the human race. According to the Bible, the first man, Adam, was told that it would be only for disobedience that he would die. Therefore, if he had remained obedient, he would never have died. (Genesis 2:17; 3:19) He would have continued to live and the paradise garden would have continued as the God-given home of perfect man. As Adam’s family grew they would gradually have spread the paradise into the land outside, under God’s direction.
17 After Adam’s sin, God gave indication to Adam’s offspring that he had not abandoned his purpose toward the earth. He promised to bring forth a “seed,” an offspring who would be a liberator of mankind. (Genesis 3:15) Having this purpose toward the human race, God let Adam have children. They could live with this promise as their hope.
18. (a) What later revelation showed that the promise of the “seed” would be of importance to mankind right here on earth? (b) Who would be the “seed,” and what authority would he have?
18 Later, this hope of a future paradise was strengthened by the revelation to Abraham that the “seed” would come through his line of descent and would ‘bless all families of the earth.’ (Genesis 22:18) About eight hundred years farther down the stream of time, God told King David of Jerusalem that his offspring would sit on the throne forever. (2 Samuel 7:12, 13, 16) Everything pointed to one son of David’s line, superior to all previous kings of that line. This would be the Messiah (meaning “anointed one”) who would occupy the throne of David forever. (Psalm 45:6, 7; Galatians 3:16) The apostle Paul applies this prophecy to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born on earth in the line of David. Paul says of him: “God is your throne forever,” that is, God is the foundation and support of Christ’s throne for all time to come.—Hebrews 1:8, 9.
19. How do the Psalms make it sure to us that the paradise brought about through Christ the “seed” will endure forever?
19 Throughout the Psalms, written over a period of centuries, reference is repeatedly made to God’s righteous rule over earth “to time indefinite” and “to time indefinite, even forever.” (Psalms 9:7, 8; 10:16, 17; 29:10; 145:21) All these prophecies find fulfillment in the rulership of Jesus Christ, whom God raised from the dead and exalted to the highest position next to himself. (Ephesians 1:20-22) That men will live forever in this paradise home, Psalm 37:29 reveals by declaring: “The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”
BEFORE PARADISE, A CLEANSED EARTH
20. What example do we have to assure us that God will remove from the earth all elements that would be destructive of peace?
20 But the question arises, Just how will God ensure that there will be permanent peace on earth, so that the enjoyment of living will not be marred? Just as a man would begin the cleaning up of his house by ousting bad tenants, God purposes to make way for permanent peace on a renewed earth by cleansing it of bad elements. He did this for ancient Israel when he drove out the corrupt Canaanite nations who had been in possession of the land so that Israel could possess it in peace.—Leviticus 18:24-27.
21. Why, at the present time, is it impossible to have altogether righteous conditions, even though many people have that desire?
21 Today, many people would like to see peace and righteousness on earth. But the present system of things—dominated by powerful religious, political and commercial elements—has the people in a viselike grip. It is hard for people to do what is right. And the good news of God’s purpose toward the earth is opposed by the clergymen of the dominant religious systems, by growing atheism and by the news and propaganda channels. The Bible says that the nations walk “in the unprofitableness of their minds, while they are in darkness mentally, and alienated from the life that belongs to God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the insensibility of their hearts.”—Ephesians 4:17, 18; compare John 3:19.
22. What does God promise to do in behalf of those who want to do what is right?
22 This system of things has covered the earth, as it were, with a blinding veil. But God promises to tear away that veil. Prophetically he said that he would destroy “the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations.”—Isaiah 25:7, Revised Standard Version.
23. (a) Why does a war have to be fought to clean up the earth? (b) Who do not need to fear that war, and why not?
23 Jesus Christ, as heavenly King, will bring about the end of this system of things in what is called in the Bible “the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” (Revelation 16:14) Those persons seeking to do what is right need not fear that war, for it will be selective, getting rid of those who do harm to their fellowman and who do not want to serve God. Through their selfishness and greed these wicked ones are “ruining the earth,” hence they themselves must be brought to ruin.—Revelation 11:18; 2 Peter 2:9.
24. Why is there no other way to bring peace and happiness than by removing those greedy persons who persist in opposing their fellowman?
24 So God promises to do away with the system of things that oppresses people. Along with this, God purposes also to clean out those who persist in misleading, defrauding and oppressing their fellowman. (Psalms 72:4; 103:6) As long as such “tenants” remain in God’s earthly “house” there cannot be peace and happiness for those who sincerely want it. There is no other way. The price of a paradise is the removal of these greedy ones. The rule is: “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous one.” Says the proverb: “The righteous is the one rescued even from distress, and the wicked one comes in instead of him.” That is, the wicked one, who has been causing distress, receives retribution, bringing relief from distress for the righteous one.—Proverbs 21:18; 11:8.
25, 26. (a) To what does the Bible liken the cleanup of the earth? (b) What question arises as to the permanence of the cleansed earth?
25 This cleaning out of the present world system in which false religion, politics, commerce and materialism dominate will remove injustice and oppression. The Bible likens the agency used to a great windstorm: “Look! The windstorm of Jehovah, rage itself, will certainly go forth, even a whirling tempest. Upon the head of the wicked ones it will whirl itself. The anger of Jehovah will not turn back until he will have carried out and until he will have made the ideas of his heart come true. In the final part of the days you people will give your consideration to it with understanding.”—Jeremiah 23:19, 20.
26 God’s rule will then be undisputed in the earth. But will it bring in permanent happiness, without a reverting to disobedience and the ruin of paradise at a later time? The reason why its operation will be vastly superior to man-rule is a topic that deserves our attention next.
[Footnotes]
a For a full discussion of this word Hades, along with the corresponding Hebrew word Sheol, see the book Is This Life All There Is?, published by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc., 117 Adams Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201.
[Picture on page 27]
Greek text of Luke 23:42, 43 from Vatican MS. 1209, with literal rendering, line for line, at the right
committed and he was saying Jesus
remember me whenever
you might come into the kingdom
of you and he said to
him Amen to you I am saying today,
with me you will be
in the paradise and
[Picture on page 33]
Men of faith looked forward to a government of God, in heaven, that would rule the earth
[Picture on page 34]
God will clean out of the earth all who do harm
[Picture on page 35]
In a cleansed earth there will be enduring happiness |
Table of outputs | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102014001 | Table of outputs
January 2014
© 2014 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania.
COVER SUBJECT
A Unique Web Site
PAGES 2-6
7 Watching the World
8 InterviewA Microbiologist Explains Her Faith
10 Help for the FamilyHow to Resist Peer Pressure
12 The Bible’s ViewpointCreation
14 Lands and PeoplesA Visit to Italy
16 Was It Designed?The House Spider’s Sticky Secret |
BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Acts 1:8—“You Shall Receive Power” | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502300153 | BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED
Acts 1:8—“You Shall Receive Power”
“You will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the most distant part of the earth.”—Acts 1:8, New World Translation.
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”—Acts 1:8, New King James Version.
Meaning of Acts 1:8
Jesus promises his followers that they will be empowered by God’s holy spirit to carry out their ministry in the most remote parts of the world.
“You will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you.” Jesus reaffirms the promise he had previously made to his disciples that they would receive help by means of God’s spirita after his return to heaven. (John 14:16, 26) Ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven in the year 33 C.E., his followers received the promised holy spirit. (Acts 2:1-4) God’s holy spirit not only enabled them to speak in different languages and perform miracles but also gave them the ability to preach boldly about their faith in Jesus.—Acts 3:1-8; 4:33; 6:8-10; 14:3, 8-10.
“You will be witnesses of me.” The word translated “witness” means “one who testifies” or “attests something” from firsthand or personal knowledge. As eyewitnesses to Jesus’ life, the apostles could attest to the events that took place during his ministry as well as at his death and resurrection. (Acts 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39) Their irrefutable testimony convinced many others that Jesus was the Christ, the promised Messiah. (Acts 2:32-36, 41) Those who believed the apostles became witnesses of Jesus, and they, in turn, proclaimed the meaning of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.—Acts 17:2, 3; 18:5.
“To the most distant part of the earth.” This expression can also be rendered “to the ends of the earth” or “to other countries.” Jesus’ words indicate the extent to which his followers would be witnesses of him. They would go far beyond Judea and Samaria to proclaim what they believed. In fact, they would cover a greater territory and reach a greater number of people than Jesus ever did. (Matthew 28:19; John 14:12) Less than 30 years after Jesus spoke these words, the apostle Paul wrote that the good news about Jesus had been “preached in all creation under heaven,” even in such remote places as Rome, Parthia (southeast of the Caspian Sea), and North Africa.—Colossians 1:23; Acts 2:5, 9-11.
Context of Acts 1:8
The book of Acts picks up where the Gospel of Luke leaves off. (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4, 5) Its writer, the disciple Luke, begins his account by describing how Jesus appeared to his followers after his resurrection. (Acts 1:1-3) He then relates how the Christian congregation was founded and how it grew during the period from 33 C.E. to about 61 C.E.—Acts 11:26.
The context of Acts 1:8 shows that Jesus’ followers were wondering whether Jesus would begin ruling as King of God’s Kingdom during their lifetime. (Acts 1:6) In response, Jesus tells them not to be overly concerned about when the Kingdom will be established. (Acts 1:7) Instead, his followers should focus on bearing witness about Jesus “to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Christians today follow the same pattern, zealously preaching the good news about God’s Kingdom.—Matthew 24:14.
Read Acts chapter 1 in the study edition of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. This easy-to-read Bible contains audio recordings, explanatory notes, cross-references, pictures, videos, and maps.
Watch this short video to see an overview of the book of Acts.
a God’s holy spirit is his power in action, his active force. (Genesis 1:2) For more information, see the article “What Is the Holy Spirit?” |
Survival (su)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/su | Chapter 16
What Will You Personally Do?
1. What decision must be made on a personal basis?
THE decision to serve Jehovah is not one that anyone else can make for you. If your marriage mate is a faithful servant of God, that can be a priceless blessing. Similarly, if your parents love Jehovah, you are in a favored position. Such home circumstances may provide an impetus toward association with those who worship Jehovah “with spirit and truth.” (John 4:23, 24) But in time you must make a personal decision. Do you truly love Jehovah and want to be one of his servants? Do you really want to live in a world where righteousness will prevail?
2. (a) Why is the attitude of a parent toward serving Jehovah especially important? (b) What are five things that parents can do to give their children a fine start?
2 If you are a parent, surely you want your children to enjoy the blessing of eternal life under God’s Kingdom. You cannot control what they will do when they grow old enough to chart their own course in life. But what you personally do about true worship can exercise a powerful influence—either for good or for bad. If you were to hold back from serving Jehovah, that would deprive your offspring of what could well be their best opportunity to get started on the way to eternal life. Or if you were to make a dedication to God and then prove indifferent about living up to it, this might lead to spiritual disaster for the entire family, with the loss of everything in the great tribulation. But if you set an example of faithfulness, if you personally help your children to study God’s Word, if you cultivate in yourself and in them love for Jehovah and respect for his visible organization, if you help them to realize how they are safeguarded by doing God’s will, if you show them how to find joy in sacred service, then you are giving them an excellent start on the road leading to life. Only with Jehovah’s blessing is this possible. (Compare 2 Timothy 1:5.) Pray for it incessantly. Much effort is also required on your part. But how worth while the outcome will be!
3. (a) If you encounter opposition from family members, what might be done? (b) But what if the opposition continues?
3 Perhaps the situation that confronts you is that other members of your family do not share your love for Jehovah. Do they try to discourage you from “getting involved”? Or is there outright opposition? What could you do to help them to share your joy in understanding God’s purpose? Oftentimes obstacles can be overcome by inviting family members to go with you to the Kingdom Hall to see for themselves what takes place there. While there, they might speak with one of the elders to clear up questions they have as to the beliefs and practices of Jehovah’s Witnesses. But what if opposition continues? Then you need to ask yourself: ‘Do I really love Jehovah and his Son Jesus Christ and am I sufficiently grateful for all the things that they have done for us so that I am willing to put up with some hardship in order to show my love and gratitude? Do I love my own family enough to set a right example so that, if possible, they too might be helped to take hold of God’s provisions for eternal life?’—Matthew 10:36-38; 1 Corinthians 7:12, 13, 16.
THE SIGNAL TO WHICH NATIONS ARE TURNING
4. How can we show that we truly love Jehovah?
4 The opportunity is now being extended to people everywhere to demonstrate their love for Jehovah by aligning themselves with his Messianic Kingdom. That government is the means by which Jehovah’s name will be vindicated. Our attitude toward the Kingdom gives evidence of how we feel about Jehovah himself.
5. (a) At Isaiah 11:10, what was foretold for our day? (b) What does it mean?
5 Jehovah inspired the prophet Isaiah to write: “And it must occur in that day that there will be the root of Jesse that will be standing up as a signal for the peoples. To him even the nations will turn inquiringly, and his resting-place must become glorious.” (Isaiah 11:10) That “root of Jesse” is the glorified Lord Jesus Christ. When he began to exercise kingly authority, as a life-giving “root” he gave new vitality to the line of Messianic kings that came from Jesse through his son King David. (Revelation 5:5; 22:16) Since 1914 he has been “standing up as a signal for the peoples,” a rallying point for people who long for righteous government. Jehovah himself has raised him up as that Signal, the true Messianic King.—Isaiah 11:12.
6. (a) What has enabled humans to gather around a heavenly King? (b) As a result of ‘turning inquiringly’ to the “signal,” what have people learned?
6 But how could humans here on earth gather around a heavenly King? They need to be given information from the Bible so that they can see him with eyes of understanding. Under the direction of holy spirit, the remnant of spiritual Israel has been vigorously carrying out this activity, proclaiming earth wide the good news of the established Messianic Kingdom of God. Individuals out of all nations have listened appreciatively. They have inquired about the divine requirements for them to be subjects of the Kingdom, enjoying an eternity of life on a Paradise earth. Satisfied with the answers provided from the Bible, they have acted in harmony with these and have taken their stand on the side of Jehovah’s Messianic Kingdom. Have you done that?
‘THEY WILL HEAR BUT NOT DO’
7. What reaction to the Bible’s message was foretold at Ezekiel 33:30-33?
7 Because of the zealous activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses, they are a frequent topic for discussion among people. But how do these people feel about the message that Jehovah’s Witnesses proclaim? The reaction of many is like that of the prophet Ezekiel’s fellow exiles in Babylon. Concerning them, Jehovah said: “As for you, O son of man, the sons of your people are speaking with one another . . . saying, ‘Come, please, and hear what the word is that is going forth from Jehovah.’ And they will come in to you, like the coming in of my people, and sit before you as my people; and they will certainly hear your words but these they will not do, for with their mouth they are expressing lustful desires and after their unjust gain is where their heart is going. And, look! you are to them like a song of sensuous loves, like one with a pretty voice and playing a stringed instrument well. And they will certainly hear your words, but there are none doing them. And when it comes true—look! it must come true—they will also have to know that a prophet had proved to be in the midst of them.”—Ezekiel 33:30-33.
8. How do some persons give evidence of that attitude?
8 There are many people who admire Jehovah’s Witnesses and who like their Bible literature. They may even accept the offer of a free home Bible study. Some come with their friends to special meetings held by the Witnesses. At the annual Memorial of the death of Jesus Christ, for example, it is not unusual for the number in attendance to be double the number of active witnesses of Jehovah. In some lands, the attendance runs as high as five times the number of Witnesses. But what are they going to do about the Bible truths they hear? Upwards of two and a half million have personally taken these to heart and brought their lives into harmony with them. But others treat it all as if it were merely pleasant music, something to entertain them. They stay on the sidelines, perhaps offering words of encouragement but not making a dedication of their lives to God and not sharing in his sacred service.
9. Instead of doubting and waiting, what will wise persons do?
9 What is to be gained by doubting and waiting? Certainly not Jehovah’s favor and protection during the coming day of vengeance. To be among the survivors, you must give convincing evidence now that you have ‘joined yourself to Jehovah’ and that you belong to him.—Zechariah 2:11; Matthew 7:21.
THEY MADE THE RIGHT DECISION
10, 11. (a) Who was Hobab, and what invitation was extended to him? (b) How do we know what decision he made?
10 All who have become worshipers of Jehovah as followers of Jesus Christ have made a personal decision to do so. This is true of all who are heirs of the heavenly Kingdom. Now the precious opportunity is open for others to make their choice, with the prospect of surviving the great tribulation and living in perfection on earth. Hobab set an example worthy of their imitation.
11 Hobab was Moses’ brother-in-law. He was not an Israelite but a member of the tribe of Kenites living in Midianite territory. After Israel had received the Law through Moses and had built the sacred tabernacle for Jehovah’s worship, the time came to move north toward the Promised Land. The pillar of cloud representing Jehovah’s presence was to go ahead of them, indicating the route to take and where to camp. But it would be helpful to have with them someone who knew the terrain and where to find things needed by the encampment. Moses invited Hobab to join them, but at first Hobab declined, thinking it would be better to stay with his relatives in the place of his birth. However, Moses urged him to reconsider and to go with them to “serve as eyes” for Israel and thus to be in line to share the blessings that Jehovah would bestow on his people. Wisely Hobab did so, as indicated at Judges 1:16.—Numbers 10:29-32.
12. (a) Who today are like Hobab, and in what ways? (b) What invitation today is like that of Moses to Hobab?
12 There are persons today who were pictured by Hobab. Though not spiritual Israelites, they throw in their lot with these as they travel toward God’s New Order. To do this, they must cut ties with worldly relatives and human governments. Under the leadership of the Greater Moses, Jesus Christ, they have gladly served with the remnant of Christ’s “brothers,” often scouting out new territories for the preaching of the good news. Many of them have moved into areas where the need for Kingdom proclaimers was specially great, often as pioneers or missionaries, using their time to the full to publicize God’s Kingdom as mankind’s only real hope. There are still many opportunities to share in such sacred service. Qualified persons are invited to make themselves available and thus to share in the blessings that go with such enlarged service. Can you?
13. (a) Who was Jael, and what was her husband’s position regarding Jehovah’s servants? (b) How was Jael confronted with a test?
13 Some 180 years after Hobab decided to go with Israel, one of his descendants, a man named Heber, was living with his wife, Jael, not far from Megiddo. Heber had separated himself from the rest of the Kenites and had entered into peaceful relations with Jabin, a Canaanite king who harshly oppressed Israel. When Jehovah raised up Barak as a deliverer of Israel, Jabin’s army chief, Sisera, mustered his army and nine hundred war chariots with iron scythes fixed to the wheels. But Jehovah fought for his people, causing confusion in the enemy camp, and a flash flood to bog down the chariots. Sisera himself abandoned his chariot and fled on foot toward the tent of Jael the wife of Heber. As Sisera had hoped, she invited him into the tent.—Judges 4:4-17; 5:20, 21.
14. What decision did Jael make, and of what did this give evidence?
14 Now the test was on. What would she do to this enemy of Jehovah’s people? She covered Sisera with a blanket, quenched his thirst with curdled milk and waited until he fell asleep. At that she “proceeded to take a pin of the tent and to put the hammer into her hand. Then she went to him stealthily and drove the pin into his temples and beat it into the earth, while he was fast asleep and weary. So he died.” What she did required courage, and love for Jehovah and his people. It also involved positive action and exertion on her part.—Judges 4:18-22; 5:24-27, 31.
15. How are people today proving that they are like Jael?
15 As is true of other non-Israelite worshipers of Jehovah, Jael pictures the “other sheep” who do good to Christ’s spiritual brothers. Regardless of what ties their close relatives may have to the world and its ruling class, the “other sheep” do not approve of oppression of Jehovah’s people by worldly rulers. Their loyalty is to the Greater Barak, the Lord Jesus Christ, and to his true followers. These of the Jael class do not personally raise a hand against the worldly rulers, but they use whatever is at their disposal to counteract efforts to oppress Jehovah’s servants. They do not hold back from making known that they are in full harmony with Jehovah’s purpose to destroy all of his enemies.
16, 17. (a) What example worthy of our imitation is recorded in Acts chapter 8? (b) Thereafter what should we continue to do?
16 There is no time to lose. If you truly have faith in Jehovah and his Messianic Kingdom and if you have brought your life into harmony with the Bible’s requirements, then, without delay, openly manifest that. Reflect the spirit of the Ethiopian eunuch reported on in Acts chapter 8. As soon as he understood what was required of him, he asked Philip, who had explained to him the good news about Jesus: “What prevents me from getting baptized?” And he was promptly immersed in water.
17 Having thus made a fine beginning, daily strengthen your relationship with Jehovah, seek ways to apply his Word more fully in your life, and share as fully as possible in the vital work of Kingdom proclamation being done during the final days of this system of things. |
“Kingdom Come” (kc)
1981 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/kc | Chapter 2
The King of Eternity
1. Why should we have confidence in God as a real Father?
JESUS opened “the Lord’s Prayer” by addressing God as “our Father.” No, not just the Father of Jesus Christ, but eventually the Father of all mankind who obediently worship this loving “Hearer of prayer.” (Psalm 65:2) As “King of eternity” he displays a genuine and lasting concern for his creatures, even as a fine human father does for his children. (1 Timothy 1:17) We should have confidence in “our Father” as a real Person who cares for us. Whatever our language, skin color or station in life, we should feel free to approach him, for “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”—Acts 10:34, 35.
2, 3. How has our Father shown himself to be both Life-Giver and Grand Provider? (Genesis 1:1, 2, 31)
2 “Our Father in the heavens” is the Creator, the One who gave life to humankind. (Matthew 6:9; Psalm 36:9) But he is much more than our Life-Giver; he is also our Grand Provider. We would expect a responsible human father to provide home and sustenance for his children, even at the cost of much time and effort. Our heavenly Father has done this, and more, in a most generous way.
3 Consider how lovingly this “King of eternity” prepared the earth to be our home. He located it just right in the expanse of the heavens, and by his almighty power he brought forth on earth everything necessary for happy human habitation. Then he created man and woman, placing them in this delightful home—a grand gift, indeed, “to the sons of men”!—Psalm 115:16; 19:1, 2.
4. (a) What kindly foresight did our Father show in preparing our home? (b) What assures us that he wants us to be happy?
4 What a lovely home our heavenly Father provided for his children here on earth! He arranged it so that cool, restful nights could follow bright days of activity. He ordered the procession of the seasons for our benefit and pleasure. (Genesis 8:22) He supplied an abundance of that essential commodity water, and distributed it over the earth so that we might tap it wherever it was needed. He has spread a refreshing carpet of greenery—millions of square miles of it—throughout our global home. He has decorated it with exquisitely colored flowers. He has landscaped it beautifully amid a backdrop of delightful forests, lakes and mountains. In earth’s “cellar” he has stored abundant supplies of coal, oil and other energy resources. He keeps replenishing earth’s “larder” to overflowing with grains, fruits, vegetables and other tasty delicacies. What a wise, considerate Provider is our heavenly Father! The Bible calls him “the happy God.” Obviously, he wants us to be happy, too.—1 Timothy 1:11; Isaiah 25:6-8.
OUR FATHER’S “NAME”
5. What should be our heart’s desire in praying the opening words of Jesus’ model prayer?
5 Our loving heavenly Father has “a good name,” a fine reputation as a Grand Provider. He has also a personal name, just as does any human father. If we have a worthy fleshly father, we should hate to see his name and reputation reproached. We should want to see his name respected. Even more so, it should be our desire to see our heavenly Father’s name honored. Therefore, from the fullness of our hearts, we should be able to pray the words that Jesus places first in the Model Prayer: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified.”—Matthew 6:9; Proverbs 22:1, footnote.
6. With regard to God’s name, what would you like to see?
6 Indeed, it should always be our fervent prayer that the name of the grand Creator of heaven and earth be exalted, raised on high above all other names, and shown to be the most precious, meaningful, lovable name in the universe. Far more important than our own salvation is this sanctification of God’s holy name. His name and reputation must be hallowed—vindicated against all the reproach that infamous creatures have heaped upon it.
7. What does the Bible show to be God’s personal name?
7 What is our heavenly Father’s personal name? It is revealed in a context that shows that the Owner of that grand name has enemies. In describing these, Psalm 83, verses 17 and 18, in the King James Version of the Bible, reads: “Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.”—See also Psalm 100:3.
8. What have God’s enemies tried to do with his name, and with what result?
8 So, God’s name is JEHOVAH. But many persons who profess to worship God have been very disrespectful of that name. Some have even purged his name from their translations of the Bible, substituting therefor the inputs “LORD” and “GOD” in all capital letters. This practice not only hides God’s illustrious name, but also confuses the Lord Jehovah with the Lord Jesus Christ and with other “lords” and “gods” referred to in the Bible. (Psalm 110:1; Deuteronomy 10:17; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 8:5, 6) How can persons pray honestly for the Father’s name to be hallowed, or sanctified, when they seek to bury that name?
9. (a) What form does God’s name take in Hebrew, and in other tongues? (b) The Bible shows God to be how many persons?
9 The peerless name of God is represented in Hebrew, the first language used in Bible writing, by the characters יהוה, which some pronounce Yahʹweh. The generally accepted form of the name in English is “Jehovah,” and the name is similarly represented in other tongues. By using the name “Jehovah” we are able to indicate clearly who is meant. He is “one Jehovah.” He is not Jesus Christ, for Jesus is God’s loyal Son, “the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”—Colossians 1:15; Mark 12:29; Deuteronomy 6:4.
10. What does God’s name mean, and how has he demonstrated this?
10 The name “Jehovah” has powerful meaning. It signifies: “He Causes to Become (or, Prove to Be).” This is with regard to Himself, not with respect to His creating things. Thus, he declared “Jehovah” to be his own “memorial” name when he was about to become the miraculous Deliverer of his people Israel from Pharaoh of Egypt. (Exodus 3:13-15) Later, when the prophet Jeremiah acknowledged the Sovereign Lord Jehovah to be the Maker of heaven and earth ‘by his great power and his outstretched arm,’ and as “great in counsel and abundant in acts,” Jehovah assured his prophet that, in His own due time, He would perform a seemingly impossible act by becoming the Restorer of His people from captivity to the Babylonian Empire. And he did!—Jeremiah 32:17-19, 27, 44; 2 Chronicles 36:15-23.
11. How may God’s name be instructioned today with his kingdom?
11 Today, also, Jehovah is the great God who “causes to become.” He is able personally to become whatever is required, to fill any needed role, in order to perform wonderful things by means of his kingdom, in sanctifying his name and for the benefit of his people. Whatever he purposes to do is done, with success.—Isaiah 48:17; 55:11.
GOD’S NAME SANCTIFIED?
12. How has mankind regarded God?
12 Has mankind shown appreciation, respect and love for this illustrious God, who is so upright and who has provided so wonderfully for his creatures on earth? Look around this globe, and you will see the answer. How woefully God has been misrepresented by the religions of so-called Christian nations! Many of these nations have seen him as a partisan God, and have prayed for him to help them in warring against their fellowmen. Others have regarded him as a fiendish God, who consigns “departed souls” to agonizing flames of eternal torment. Still others have degraded him by likening him to lifeless images of wood or stone. Many have willfully violated his righteous laws, saying that God no longer sees or cares.—Contrast Acts 10:34, 35; Jeremiah 7:31; Isaiah 42:8 and; 1 Peter 5:7.
13. What would be the final result if misguided persons were permitted to pursue their unloving ways?
13 However, if misguided persons do not love God and sanctify his name, how are they going to love their fellowmen? (1 John 4:20, 21; 5:3) And unless love is restored among the family of mankind, the world must at last become a jungle of disunity, violence and anarchy. In some places, it is that way already. With the spread of nuclear armaments among the nations, someday trigger-happy persons could annihilate the entire human race. But that is something our loving Father will never permit!—Psalm 104:5; 119:90; Isaiah 45:18.
HOW GOD SANCTIFIES HIS NAME
14, 15. Who takes the lead in sanctifying God’s name, and how?
14 Who is it that takes the lead in sanctifying God’s name? Why, it is Jehovah himself! This he does by acting in vindication of his righteous standards. He will execute judgment on all who defy his holy will, including those who oppress their fellowmen and those who teach falsehoods about God. (Psalm 140:12, 13; Jeremiah 25:29-31) Jehovah cannot deny himself. He is the true God, who deserves the exclusive worship of all his creatures. He is the Universal Sovereign, to whom all creatures owe obedience.—Romans 3:4; Exodus 34:14; Psalm 86:9.
15 In sanctifying his name, the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will rid this earth of all humans who act ruinously, contrary to his will. This is because he hates wickedness and loves righteousness. (Psalm 11:5-7) As he himself says: “I shall certainly magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known before the eyes of many nations; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah.” (Ezekiel 38:23) Clearly, then, if we want to enjoy Jehovah’s approval, we too must sanctify his name, treating it as holy and deserving of full respect, and live in harmony with his will.
16. What part does our conduct play in sanctifying God’s name?
16 The conduct of all who worship Jehovah either honors the name of God or dishonors it. May all of us conduct ourselves in a way that causes others to speak well of the grand God that we serve and that brings joy to Jehovah’s own heart. (1 Peter 2:12; Proverbs 27:11) As obedient children, we should want to show thankfulness to our Father for all his gifts, including our delightful home—the earth—which will be restored to even greater glory under the Kingdom rule of his Son.—Isaiah 6:3; 29:22, 23.
17. With what attitude should we approach the “King of eternity” in prayer?
17 How desirable it is that we come into an approved relationship with this “King of eternity”! However, we cannot do this on our own merit, for all of us were conceived by sinful parents and brought forth imperfect. But we can pray to God as did King David: “Conceal your face from my sins, and wipe out even all my errors. Create in me even a pure heart, O God, and put within me a new spirit, a steadfast one.” (Psalm 51:5-10) As we learn what “our Father in the heavens” requires of us, we can pray for a share in the eternal blessings that his kingdom will bring. Yes, confidently we can pray for God’s kingdom to come. And what will that kingdom mean for mankind here on earth? Let us see. |
Great Teacher (te)
1971 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/te | Chapter 16
The Man Who Was Dead Four Days
ISN’T it wonderful to be alive? Do you enjoy life?— I enjoy living. When we are alive we can do so many interesting things.
But did you know that no man has lived forever?— Sooner or later all persons have died. Do you know of someone who has died?—
Once a good friend of Jesus died. This friend lived in Bethany, a small town not far from Jerusalem. His name was Lazarus, and he had two sisters, named Martha and Mary.
One day Lazarus got very sick. Jesus was far away at the time. So Martha and Mary sent word to him that their brother Lazarus was sick. Why did they do this? Because they knew that Jesus could make their brother well. Jesus was not a doctor, but he had power from God so that he could cure every kind of sickness.
But before Jesus came, Lazarus got so sick that he died. Jesus told his disciples that Lazarus was sleeping. But Jesus said that he would go to wake him up. The disciples did not understand what Jesus meant. So, then Jesus said plainly that Lazarus had died. Death is like a deep sleep, a sleep that is so deep that the person does not even dream.
Jesus now went to visit Martha and Mary. There were also many friends of the family there. They had come to comfort Martha and Mary because their brother had died.
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him. Soon Mary also came out to see Jesus. She was very sad and was crying, and she fell at his feet. Other friends, who had followed Mary, were also crying. When Jesus saw all the people crying, he became sad and started to cry too.
The Great Teacher asked where they had laid Lazarus. At that the people led Jesus to the cave where Lazarus had been buried. Jesus then told the men there: ‘Roll the stone away from the front of the cave.’ Should they do it?—
Martha did not think it was right. She said: ‘Lord, by now he must smell, for he has been dead four days.’ And it is true that dead bodies do smell bad after a while.
But Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Jesus meant that Martha would see something that would bring honor to God. What was Jesus going to do?
When the stone had been removed, Jesus prayed out loud to Jehovah. Then Jesus said in a loud voice: “Lazarus, come on out!” Would he come out? Could he?—
Well, can you wake up somebody who is sleeping?—Yes, if you call in a loud voice, he will wake up. But can you wake up someone who is sleeping in death?— No. No matter how loud you call, the one who is dead will not hear. There is nothing that you or I can do to wake the dead.
But Jesus is different. He has special power from God. So, when Jesus called Lazarus, an amazing thing happened. The man who had been dead for four days came out of the cave! He had been brought back to life! He could breathe and walk and speak again! Yes, Jesus raised Lazarus after he had been dead four days! Wasn’t that wonderful?— —John 11:1-44.
But you may ask, Where was Lazarus during the four days he was dead? Did Lazarus go to heaven when he died? Was he alive up there with God and the holy angels?—
Think now: If Lazarus had been in heaven during those four days, would he not have said something about it?— And if he were in heaven, would Jesus have made him come back from that wonderful place?— The Bible does not say that Lazarus was in heaven.
Remember, Jesus said that Lazarus was sleeping. What is it like when you are asleep?—
When you are in a very deep sleep, you do not know what is going on around you, do you?— And when you wake up you do not know how long you have been sleeping until you look at a clock.
It is like that with dead persons. They do not know anything that is happening. They do not feel anything. And they cannot do anything.
But some people are afraid of the dead. They won’t go near a graveyard, because they think that the dead might harm them. Can you imagine that? Can a dead person harm someone who is alive?— No, the Bible says that the dead are not able to do anything at all.
Have you ever heard anyone say that on a certain day the dead come back as spirits to visit the living?— Some people believe that. So they set out food for the dead. Or they may have special parties on those days. But do you think that people who do those things really believe what God says about the dead?—
Do you believe what God says?— If we do, we won’t be afraid of the dead, but we will be glad that we are alive. And if we are really thankful to God for life, we will show it by the way we live our lives each day. We will do the things that God approves.
(To emphasize appreciation for daily life, in contrast with the condition of the dead, read Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10, Ezekiel 18:4 and Psalm 115:17 [113:17, Dy].) |
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 | Introduction
“I grew up in a small village in the northern province,” relates Dauda from Sierra Leone. “Once, when I was a boy, there was a land dispute between my family and another family. Both claimed the same land. To settle the matter, a medicine man was called in. He gave another man a mirror, then covered him with a white cloth. Soon the man under the cloth began to tremble and sweat. As he looked into the mirror, he exclaimed: ‘I see an old man approaching! He is dressed in white garments. He is tall and old, with gray hair, and he walks with a slight stoop.’
“He was describing Grandfather! He then became hysterical and cried out: ‘If you don’t believe what I am saying, come look for yourselves!’ Of course, none of us had the courage to do that! The medicine man calmed him by sprinkling on him a magical mixture of leaves and water, which he held in a calabash.
“Speaking through the mirror-man, ‘Grandfather’ said the land belonged to our family. He told my grandmother she should work the land without worry. The other family accepted the judgment. The issue was settled.”
Such experiences are common in West Africa. Here, as in other parts of the world, countless millions believe that dead people pass on to the spirit world, where they are able to observe and influence the lives of people on earth. Is this belief true? Are the dead really alive? If not, who are those who claim to be spirits of the dead? Knowing the correct answers to these questions is vitally important. It is a life-and-death matter. |
“All Scripture” (si)
1990 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/all-scripture-si | Bible Book Number 13—1 Chronicles
Writer: Ezra
Place Written: Jerusalem (?)
Time of Writing: c. 460 B.C.E.
Time Covered: After 1 Chronicles 9:44: 1077–1037 B.C.E.
1. In what ways is First Chronicles an essential and beneficial part of the divine record?
IS First Chronicles just a dry list of genealogies? Is it merely a repetition of the books of Samuel and Kings? Far from it! Here is an illuminating and essential part of the divine record—essential in the day of its writing in reorganizing the nation and its worship, and essential and beneficial in showing a pattern of divine worship for later days, including this present day. First Chronicles contains some of the most beautiful expressions of praise to Jehovah to be found in all Scripture. It provides wonderful foregleams of Jehovah’s Kingdom of righteousness, and it is to be studied with profit by all who hope in that Kingdom. The two books of Chronicles have been treasured by Jews and Christians alike through the ages. The Bible translator Jerome had such an exalted opinion of First and Second Chronicles that he considered them an “epitome of the Old Testament” and asserted that “they are of such high moment and importance, that he who supposes himself to be acquainted with the sacred writings, and does not know them, only deceives himself.”a
2. Why was Chronicles written?
2 The two books of Chronicles apparently were originally one book, or roll, which was later divided for convenience. Why was Chronicles written? Consider the setting. The exile in Babylon had ended about 77 years before. The Jews were resettled in their land. However, there was a dangerous trend away from Jehovah’s worship at the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. Ezra had been authorized by the king of Persia to appoint judges and teachers of the law of God (as well as that of the king) and to beautify the house of Jehovah. Accurate genealogical lists were necessary to assure that only authorized persons served in the priesthood and also to confirm the tribal inheritances, from which the priesthood gained its support. In view of Jehovah’s prophecies regarding the Kingdom, it was also vital to have a clear and dependable record of the lineage of Judah and of David.
3. (a) What was Ezra desirous of infusing in the Jews? (b) Why did he highlight the history of Judah, and how did he stress the importance of pure worship?
3 Ezra was earnestly desirous of arousing the restored Jews from their apathy and of infusing in them the realization that they were indeed the inheritors of Jehovah’s covenanted loving-kindness. In the Chronicles, therefore, he set before them a full account of the nation’s history and of the origins of mankind, going back as far as the first man, Adam. Since the kingdom of David was the focal point, he highlighted the history of Judah, omitting almost entirely the absolutely unredeeming record of the ten-tribe kingdom. He depicted Judah’s greatest kings as engaged in building or restoring the temple and zealously leading in the worship of God. He pointed out the religious sins that led to the kingdom’s overthrow, while emphasizing also God’s promises of restoration. He stressed the importance of pure worship by focusing attention on the many details pertaining to the temple, its priests, the Levites, the masters of song, and so on. It must have been very encouraging for the Israelites to have a historical record that focused on the reason for their return from exile—the restoration of Jehovah’s worship at Jerusalem.
4. What evidence favors Ezra as the writer of Chronicles?
4 What is the evidence that Ezra wrote Chronicles? The closing two verses of Second Chronicles 36:22, 23 are the same as the opening two verses of Ezra 1:1, 2, and Second Chronicles ends in the middle of a sentence that is finished in Ezra 1:3. The writer of Chronicles must therefore have been the writer also of Ezra. This is further borne out in that the style, language, wording, and spelling of Chronicles and Ezra are the same. Some of the expressions in these two books are found in no other Bible books. Ezra, who wrote the book of Ezra, must also have written Chronicles. Jewish tradition supports this conclusion.
5. What were Ezra’s spiritual and secular qualifications?
5 No one was better qualified than Ezra to compile this authentic and accurate history. “For Ezra himself had prepared his heart to consult the law of Jehovah and to do it and to teach in Israel regulation and justice.” (Ezra 7:10) Jehovah aided him by holy spirit. The Persian world-ruler recognized the wisdom of God in Ezra and commissioned him with wide civil powers in the jurisdictional district of Judah. (Ezra 7:12-26) Thus equipped with divine and imperial authority, Ezra could compile his account from the best available documents.
6. Why may we have confidence in the correctness of Chronicles?
6 Ezra was an extraordinary researcher. He searched through older records of Jewish history that had been compiled by reliable prophets contemporary with the times as well as those compiled by official recorders and keepers of public records. Some of the writings he consulted may have been documents of state from both Israel and Judah, genealogical records, historical works written by prophets, and documents possessed by tribal or family heads. Ezra cites at least 20 such sources of information.b By these explicit citations, Ezra honestly gave his contemporaries the opportunity to check his sources if they wished to do so, and this adds considerable weight to the argument for the credibility and authenticity of his word. We today can have confidence in the correctness of the books of Chronicles for the same reason that the Jews of Ezra’s time had such confidence.
7. When was Chronicles written, who have regarded it as authentic, and what time period does it cover?
7 Since Ezra “went up from Babylon” in the seventh year of the Persian king Artaxerxes Longimanus, which was 468 B.C.E., and Ezra makes no record of Nehemiah’s significant arrival in 455 B.C.E., Chronicles must have been completed between these dates, probably about the year 460 B.C.E., in Jerusalem. (Ezra 7:1-7; Neh. 2:1-18) The Jews of Ezra’s day accepted Chronicles as a genuine part of ‘all Scripture that is inspired of God and beneficial.’ They called it Div·rehʹ Hai·ya·mimʹ, which means “The Affairs of the Days,” that is, history of the days or times. Some 200 years later, the translators of the Greek Septuagint also included Chronicles as canonical. They divided the book into two parts and, supposing it to be supplementary to Samuel and Kings or to the entire Bible of that time, called it Pa·ra·lei·po·meʹnon, meaning “Things Passed Over (Left Untold; Omitted).” Though the name is not particularly appropriate, still their action shows that they regarded Chronicles as authentic, inspired Scripture. In preparing the Latin Vulgate, Jerome suggested: “We may more significantly call [them] the Khro·ni·konʹ of the whole divine history.” It is from this that the input “Chronicles” appears to have been derived. A chronicle is a record of happenings in the order in which they occurred. After listing its genealogies, First Chronicles is concerned mainly with the time of King David, from 1077 B.C.E. down to his death.
outputS OF FIRST CHRONICLES
8. Into what two sections does the book of First Chronicles divide?
8 This book of First Chronicles divides naturally into two sections: the first 9 chapters, which deal primarily with genealogies, and the last 20 chapters, which cover events during the 40 years from the death of Saul to the end of David’s reign.
9. Why is there no reason to favor a later date for the writing of Chronicles?
9 The genealogies (1:1–9:44). These chapters list the genealogy from Adam down to the line of Zerubbabel. (1:1; 3:19-24) The renderings of many translations take the line of Zerubbabel to the tenth generation. Since he returned to Jerusalem in 537 B.C.E., there would not have been enough time for so many generations to have been born by 460 B.C.E., when Ezra evidently completed the writing. However, the Hebrew text is incomplete in this section, and it cannot be determined how most of the men listed were related to Zerubbabel. Hence, there is no reason to favor a later date for the writing of Chronicles, as some do.
10. (a) What generations are first given? (b) What genealogy is logically traced at the start of the second chapter? (c) What other listings are made, ending in what?
10 First there are supplied the ten generations from Adam to Noah, and then the ten generations down to Abraham. Abraham’s sons and their offspring; the posterity of Esau and of Seir, who lived in the mountainous region of Seir; and early kings of Edom are listed. From the second chapter, however, the record is concerned with the descendants of Israel, or Jacob, from whom the genealogy is first traced through Judah and then ten generations to David. (2:1-14) The listing is also made for the other tribes, with particular reference to the tribe of Levi and the high priests, and ending with a genealogy of the tribe of Benjamin by way of introduction to King Saul, a Benjamite, with whom the historical narrative in a strict sense then opens. Sometimes there may appear to be contradictions between Ezra’s genealogies and other Bible passages. However, it must be kept in mind that certain persons were also known by other names and that language changes and the passing of time could change the spelling of some names. Careful study removes most of the difficulties.
11. Give examples of other useful information interspersed in the record of genealogies.
11 Ezra intersperses his genealogies here and there with bits of historical and geographical information that serve to clarify and to give important reminders. For example, in listing Reuben’s descendants, Ezra adds an important piece of information: “And the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel—for he was the firstborn; but for his profaning the lounge of his father his right as firstborn was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel, so that he was not to be enrolled genealogically for the right of the firstborn. For Judah himself proved to be superior among his brothers, and the one for leader was from him; but the right as firstborn was Joseph’s.” (5:1, 2) Much is explained in these few words. Further, it is only in Chronicles that we learn that Joab, Amasa, and Abishai were all nephews of David, which helps us to appreciate the various events surrounding them.—2:16, 17.
12. What are the circumstances of Saul’s death?
12 Saul’s unfaithfulness results in his death (10:1-14). The narrative opens with the Philistines pressing the attack in the battle of Mount Gilboa. Three of Saul’s sons, including Jonathan, are struck down. Then Saul is wounded. Not wishing to be taken by the enemy, he urges his armor-bearer: “Draw your sword and run me through with it, that these uncircumcised men may not come and certainly deal abusively with me.” When his armor-bearer refuses, Saul kills himself. Thus Saul dies for acting “faithlessly against Jehovah concerning the word of Jehovah that he had not kept and also for asking of a spirit medium to make inquiry. And he did not inquire of Jehovah.” (10:4, 13, 14) Jehovah gives the kingdom to David.
13. How does David prosper in the kingdom?
13 David confirmed in the kingdom (11:1–12:40). In time the 12 tribes assemble to David at Hebron and anoint him as king over all Israel. He captures Zion and goes on ‘getting greater and greater, for Jehovah of armies is with him.’ (11:9) Mighty men are put in charge of the army, and by means of them, Jehovah saves “with a great salvation.” (11:14) David receives united support as the men of war flock together with one complete heart to make him king. There is feasting and rejoicing in Israel.
14. How does David fare in battle with the Philistines, and what faith-inspiring occasion gives rise to joyful song?
14 David and the ark of Jehovah (13:1–16:36). David consults the national leaders, and they agree to move the Ark to Jerusalem from Kiriath-jearim, where it has been for about 70 years. On the way, Uzzah dies for irreverently ignoring God’s instructions, and the Ark is left for a time at the home of Obed-edom. (Num. 4:15) The Philistines resume their raids, but David crushingly defeats them twice, at Baal-perazim and at Gibeon. Instructed by David, the Levites now follow theocratic procedure in moving the Ark safely to Jerusalem, where it is put in a tent that David has pitched for it, amid dancing and rejoicing. There is an offering of sacrifice and singing, David himself contributing a song of thanks to Jehovah for the occasion. Its grand climax is reached in the theme: “Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be joyful, and let them say among the nations, ‘Jehovah himself has become king!’” (1 Chron. 16:31) What a stirring, faith-inspiring occasion! Later, this song of David is adapted as the basis for new songs, one of which is Psalm 96. Another is recorded in the first 15 verses of Psalm 105:1-15.
15. With what marvelous promise does Jehovah answer David’s desire to build a house for unified worship?
15 David and Jehovah’s house (16:37–17:27). An unusual arrangement now obtains in Israel. The ark of the covenant resides in a tent in Jerusalem where Asaph and his brothers are in attendance, while a few miles northwest of Jerusalem at Gibeon, Zadok the high priest and his brothers carry on the prescribed sacrifices at the tabernacle. Always mindful of exalting and unifying Jehovah’s worship, David indicates his desire to build a house for Jehovah’s ark of the covenant. But Jehovah states that not David but his son will build a house for Him and that He will “certainly establish his throne firmly to time indefinite,” showing loving-kindness as from a father to a son. (17:11-13) This marvelous promise by Jehovah—this covenant for an everlasting kingdom—moves David to the heart. His thankfulness overflows in petitioning that Jehovah’s name “prove faithful and become great to time indefinite” and that His blessing be upon David’s house.—17:24.
16. What promise does Jehovah carry out through David, but how does David sin?
16 David’s conquests (18:1–21:17). Through David, Jehovah now carries out His promise to give the entire Promised Land to Abraham’s seed. (18:3) In a rapid series of campaigns, Jehovah gives “salvation to David” wherever he goes. (18:6) In smashing military victories, David subdues the Philistines, strikes down the Moabites, defeats the Zobahites, forces the Syrians to pay tribute, and conquers Edom and Ammon as well as Amalek. However, Satan incites David to number Israel and thereby to sin. Jehovah sends a pestilence in punishment but mercifully brings an end to the calamity at Ornan’s threshing floor, after 70,000 have been executed.
17. What preparation does David make for building Jehovah’s house, and how does he encourage Solomon?
17 David’s preparation for the temple (21:18–22:19). David receives angelic notice through Gad “to erect an altar to Jehovah on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.” (21:18) After purchasing the location from Ornan, David obediently offers sacrifices there and calls upon Jehovah, who answers him “with fire from the heavens upon the altar of burnt offering.” (21:26) David concludes that Jehovah wants his house built there, and he sets to work in shaping the materials and assembling them, saying: “Solomon my son is young and delicate, and the house to be built to Jehovah is to be surpassingly magnificent for beauteous distinction to all the lands. Let me, then, make preparation for him.” (22:5) He explains to Solomon that Jehovah has not permitted him to build the house, as he has been a man of wars and blood. He exhorts his son to be courageous and strong in this undertaking, saying: “Rise and act, and may Jehovah prove to be with you.”—22:16.
18. For what purpose is a census taken?
18 David organizes for Jehovah’s worship (23:1–29:30). A census is taken, this time according to God’s will, for the reorganizing of the priestly and Levitical services. The Levitical services are described in greater detail here than anywhere else in the Scriptures. The divisions of the king’s service are then outlined.
19. With what words does David commission Solomon, what plans does he provide, and what splendid example does he set?
19 Near the end of his eventful reign, David congregates the representatives of the entire nation, “Jehovah’s congregation.” (28:8) The king rises to his feet. “Hear me, my brothers and my people.” He then speaks to them concerning the desire of his heart, “the house of the true God.” In their presence he commissions Solomon: “And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve him with a complete heart and with a delightful soul; for all hearts Jehovah is searching, and every inclination of the thoughts he is discerning. If you search for him, he will let himself be found by you; but if you leave him, he will cast you off forever. See, now, for Jehovah himself has chosen you to build a house as a sanctuary. Be courageous and act.” (28:2, 9, 10, 12) He gives young Solomon the detailed architectural plans received by inspiration from Jehovah and contributes an immense personal fortune to the building project—3,000 talents of gold and 7,000 talents of silver, which he has saved up for this purpose. With such a splendid example before them, the princes and the people respond by donating gold worth 5,000 talents and 10,000 darics and silver worth 10,000 talents, as well as much iron and copper.c (29:3-7) The people give way to rejoicing at this privilege.
20. What sublime heights are reached in David’s final prayer?
20 David then praises Jehovah in prayer, acknowledging that all this abundant offering has actually proceeded from His hand and petitioning His continued blessing on the people and upon Solomon. This final prayer of David reaches sublime heights in exalting Jehovah’s kingdom and His glorious name: “Blessed may you be, O Jehovah the God of Israel our father, from time indefinite even to time indefinite. Yours, O Jehovah, are the greatness and the mightiness and the beauty and the excellency and the dignity; for everything in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Jehovah, the One also lifting yourself up as head over all. The riches and the glory are on account of you, and you are dominating everything; and in your hand there are power and mightiness, and in your hand is ability to make great and to give strength to all. And now, O our God, we are thanking you and praising your beauteous name.”—29:10-13.
21. On what lofty note does First Chronicles end?
21 Solomon is anointed a second time and begins to sit on ‘the throne of Jehovah’ in place of the aging David. After a reign of 40 years, David dies “in a good old age, satisfied with days, riches and glory.” (29:23, 28) Ezra then concludes First Chronicles on a lofty note, emphasizing the superiority of David’s kingdom over all the kingdoms of the nations.
WHY BENEFICIAL
22. How were Ezra’s fellow Israelites encouraged by First Chronicles?
22 Ezra’s fellow Israelites derived much benefit from his book. Having this compact history with its fresh and optimistic viewpoint, they appreciated Jehovah’s loving mercies toward them on account of his loyalty to the Kingdom covenant with King David and for his own name’s sake. Encouraged, they were able to take up the pure worship of Jehovah with renewed zeal. The genealogies strengthened their confidence in the priesthood officiating at the rebuilt temple.
23. How did Matthew, Luke, and Stephen make good use of First Chronicles?
23 First Chronicles was also of great benefit to the early Christian congregation. Matthew and Luke could draw on its genealogies in clearly establishing that Jesus Christ was the “son of David” and the Messiah with legal right. (Matt. 1:1-16; Luke 3:23-38) In concluding his final witness, Stephen spoke of David’s request to build a house for Jehovah and of Solomon’s doing the building. Then he showed that “the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands,” indicating that the temple of Solomon’s day pictured far more glorious heavenly things.—Acts 7:45-50.
24. What in David’s glowing example may we copy today?
24 What of true Christians today? First Chronicles should build and stimulate our faith. There is much that we can copy in David’s glowing example. How unlike the faithless Saul he was, in always inquiring of Jehovah! (1 Chron. 10:13, 14; 14:13, 14; 17:16; 22:17-19) In bringing up the ark of Jehovah to Jerusalem, in his psalms of praise, in his organizing of the Levites for service, and in his request to build a glorious house for Jehovah, David showed that Jehovah and His worship were first in his mind. (16:23-29) He was no complainer. He did not seek special privileges for himself but sought only to do Jehovah’s will. Thus, when Jehovah assigned the building of the house to his son, he wholeheartedly instructed his son and gave of his time, his energy, and his wealth in preparing for the work that would commence after his death. (29:3, 9) A splendid example of devotion indeed!—Heb. 11:32.
25. To what appreciation of Jehovah’s name and Kingdom should First Chronicles stir us?
25 Then there are the climactic concluding chapters. The magnificent language with which David praised Jehovah and glorified his “beauteous name” should stir in us joyful appreciation of our modern-day privilege of making known the glories of Jehovah and his Kingdom by Christ. (1 Chron. 29:10-13) May our faith and joy ever be like David’s as we express thankfulness for Jehovah’s everlasting Kingdom by pouring ourselves out in His service. (17:16-27) Truly, First Chronicles makes the Bible theme of Jehovah’s Kingdom by his Seed scintillate more beauteously than ever, leaving us expectant of further thrilling disclosures of Jehovah’s purposes.
[Footnotes]
a Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. II, page 574.
b Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pages 444-5.
c Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2, page 1076. |
Jesus—The Way (jy)
2015 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/jy | input Page/Publishers’ Page
Jesus—The Way, the Truth, the Life
An account of the life and ministry of Jesus that reveals what he was like, what he taught and did, and how you can benefit.
This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations.
To make a donation, please visit donate.jw.org.
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.
January 2019 Printing
English (jy-E)
© 2015
WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA |
Great Teacher (te)
1971 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/te | Chapter 26
Children Who Praise God
HAVE you ever stopped to think why you have a mouth? How do you use it?—
It is certainly true that we need the mouth for eating. But the mouth isn’t only for eating. Most of us eat just a few times a day. But isn’t it true that you use your mouth much more for talking?— Your lips, your tongue, the teeth, the roof of your mouth, and much more, all play a part every time you talk.
Just think what it would be like if you could not talk. How sad it would be if you could never tell anyone else what you were thinking! Aren’t you glad that Jehovah gave us a mouth?— And since he gave us our mouth, don’t you agree that it ought to be used in a way that will honor him?—
That is the way King David felt. He was a servant of God. And he said: “The praise of Jehovah my mouth will speak.” Do you agree that this is a good thing to do with our mouths?— Then, let’s repeat together what he said: “The praise of Jehovah my mouth will speak.”—Psalm 145:21.
There was a young Israelite girl who used her mouth in that way. When she was living, the nation of Syria and the nation of Israel were enemies. One day the Syrians fought against Israel and took that young girl captive. She was sent to the house of the army chief, who was called Naaman. There she came to be the servant of Naaman’s wife.
Now, Naaman had the sickness called leprosy. None of the doctors had been able to help him. But the young girl from Israel had great faith in Jehovah. She knew that he could do wonderful things. And she believed that one of God’s special servants, a prophet, could help Naaman. Of course, Naaman and his wife did not believe in Jehovah. They had another religion. Should the young girl tell them what she knew? Maybe they wouldn’t even want to hear it. What would you have done?—
She knew that she should talk. It would be the kind thing to do. And it would show her love for God. So she said: ‘If only Naaman could go to Jehovah’s prophet in Israel. In that case he could be healed from his leprosy.’
Naaman wanted very much to be healed. So he listened to the girl. He went to Jehovah’s prophet. When he did what the prophet told him to do, he was healed. This caused Naaman to become a worshiper of the true God. How glad he must have been that the young girl from Israel had not been afraid to praise Jehovah!—2 Kings 5:1-15.
Would you like to help someone to learn about Jehovah as that young girl did?— Who is there that you could help?—
Of course, at first they might not think that they need help. But you could talk to them about the good things that Jehovah does. And they might listen. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they came to love Jehovah as you do?— Things like that happen when you use your mouth to praise Jehovah.
The Bible also tells about a young man named Timothy. His father was not a believer in Jehovah. But his mother was, and so was his grandmother. Timothy listened to them. And from the time he was very small he knew the Bible. We need to know the Bible in order to praise Jehovah. It is the Bible that tells us about him.
As Timothy grew up, he became a fine young man. One day Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, visited the town where Timothy lived. He noticed how much Timothy wanted to serve Jehovah. So he invited this young man to come with him to serve God in an even bigger way. They traveled together to other places. Everywhere they told people about the kingdom of God and about Jesus.—Acts 16:1-5.
Timothy learned much about how to praise God from the apostle Paul. He saw Paul give talks to large groups of people. He saw how Paul went to people’s homes to teach them too. But Timothy did not just watch. He shared in the work. As Paul said, ‘Timothy is doing the work of Jehovah, even as I am.’—1 Corinthians 16:10.
Not everyone liked it when Timothy talked about God. But he did not quit. He did not say he wanted to go home. He was glad that he could use his mouth to speak the praise of Jehovah.
Now, some people may say that this is something that is only for older folks to do. But do you believe that?— The Great Teacher knew that wasn’t so. One day when some people tried to get young boys to quit praising God, Jesus said: ‘Did you never read in the Scriptures, “Out of the mouths of little children will come forth praise”?’—Matthew 21:16.
All of us can praise Jehovah if we really want to. It isn’t hard. God gave us a mouth with which to speak. We don’t have to know everything about the Bible before we start. We can just tell others what we have already learned. Would you like to do that?—
(Other scriptures that encourage young folks to serve God are Psalm 148:12, 13; Ecclesiastes 12:1; 1 Timothy 4:12.) |
Proclaimers (jv)
1993 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/jv | Chapter 16
Meetings for Worship, Instruction, and Encouragement
CONGREGATION meetings are an important part of the activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Even when circumstances make it very difficult, they endeavor to attend their meetings regularly, in harmony with the Bible’s exhortation: “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 you behold the day drawing near.” (Heb. 10:24, 25) Where possible, each congregation holds meetings three times a week, for a total of 4 hours and 45 minutes. However, the nature of the meetings, as well as their frequency, has varied according to what has been needed at the time.
In the first century, manifestations of the miraculous gifts of the spirit were a prominent feature of Christian meetings. Why? Because by means of these gifts, God bore witness to the fact that he was no longer using the Jewish religious system but that his spirit was now on the newly formed Christian congregation. (Acts 2:1-21; Heb. 2:2-4) At the meetings of early Christians, prayers were offered, praises to God were sung, and emphasis was placed on prophesying (that is, conveying revelations of the divine will and purpose) and imparting instruction that would upbuild those who heard it. Those Christians lived at a time when there were marvelous developments in connection with God’s purpose. They needed to understand these and know how to work in harmony with them. However, the way in which some of them handled matters at their meetings was not balanced, and as the Bible shows, counsel was needed so that things would be done in the most beneficial way.—1 Cor. 14:1-40.
Were the features that characterized the meetings of those early Christians also evident when the Bible Students met together in the 1870’s and thereafter?
Filling Spiritual Needs of Early Bible Students
Charles Taze Russell and a small group of associates in and around Allegheny, Pennsylvania, formed a class for Bible study in 1870. As a result of their meetings, they gradually grew in love for God and his Word and progressively came to know what the Bible itself teaches. There was no miraculous speaking in tongues at these meetings. Why not? Such miraculous gifts had accomplished their objective in the first century, and as the Bible foretold, they had ceased. “The next step of progress,” Brother Russell explained, “was the manifestation of the fruits of the Spirit, as St. Paul most clearly points out.” (1 Cor. 13:4-10) Furthermore, as also in the first century, there was urgent evangelizing work to do, and for this they needed to be encouraged. (Heb. 10:24, 25) Before long, they were having two regular meetings each week.
Brother Russell realized that it was important for Jehovah’s servants to be a unified people, no matter where they might be scattered around the globe. So, in 1879, shortly after the Watch Tower began to be published, its readers were invited to make request for Brother Russell or one of his associates to visit them. A clearly stated stipulation was “No charge made nor money taken.” After a number of requests came in, Brother Russell set out on a month-long trip that took him as far as Lynn, Massachusetts, with meetings for four to six hours a day at each stop. The subject featured was “Things Pertaining to the Kingdom of God.”
Early in 1881, Brother Russell urged Watch Tower readers who as yet had no regular meetings in their area: “Establish one in your own home with your own family, or even a few that may be interested. Read, study, praise and worship together, and where two or three are met in His name, the Lord will be in your midst—your teacher. Such was the character of some of the meetings of the church in the days of the Apostles. (See Philemon, 2).”
The program of meetings developed gradually. Suggestions were offered, but it was left up to each local group to decide what was best for their circumstances. A speaker might occasionally deliver a discourse, but greater emphasis was given to meetings in which everyone could freely participate. Some classes of Bible Students did not at first make much use of the Society’s publications at their meetings, but traveling ministers, the pilgrims, helped them to see the value of doing so.
After some of the volumes of Millennial Dawn had been published, these began to be used as a basis for study. In 1895 the study groups came to be known as Dawn Circles for Bible Study.a Some in Norway later referred to them as “reading and conversation meetings,” adding: “Extracts from Brother Russell’s books were read aloud, and when persons had comments or questions, they raised their hands.” Brother Russell recommended that at such studies participants make use of a variety of translations of the Scriptures, marginal references in the Bible, and Bible concordances. The studies were often held with groups of moderate size, in a private home, on an evening convenient to the group. These were forerunners of the present-day Congregation Book Study.
Brother Russell realized that more was needed than just study of doctrinal matters. There must also be expressions of devotion so that people’s hearts would be moved by appreciation of God’s love and by a desire to honor and serve him. The classes were urged to arrange a special meeting for this purpose once a week. These were sometimes referred to as “Cottage Meetings” because they were held in private homes. The program included prayers, hymns of praise, and testimonies related by those in attendance.b These testimonies were sometimes encouraging experiences; included, too, were the trials, difficulties, and perplexities confronted during recent days. In some places these meetings fell considerably short of their objective because of excessive emphasis on self. Kindly suggestions for improvement were set out in The Watch Tower.
Recalling those meetings, Edith Brenisen, the wife of one of the early pilgrims in the United States, said: “It was an evening for meditation upon Jehovah’s loving care and for close association with our brothers and sisters. As we listened to some of their experiences we grew to know them better. Observing their faithfulness, seeing how they overcame their difficulties, often helped us in solving some of our own perplexities.” In time, however, it became apparent that meetings designed to equip each one to share in the evangelizing work were more beneficial.
The way in which the Sunday meeting was handled in some places was of concern to the brothers. Some classes tried to discuss the Bible verse by verse. But at times the differences of opinion as to meaning were not at all upbuilding. To improve the situation, certain ones in the congregation in Los Angeles, California, developed outlines for topical Bible study, with questions and references to be examined by all the class before coming to the meeting. In 1902 the Society made available a Bible containing “Berean Bible Study Helps,” including a topical index.c To further simplify matters, starting with the March 1, 1905, Watch Tower, outlines for congregation discussion were published, with questions as well as references to the Bible and the Society’s publications for research. These continued until 1914, by which time study questions on the volumes of Studies in the Scriptures were published for use as a basis for Berean Studies.
All the classes had the same material available, but the number of weekly meetings varied from one to four or more, according to what was arranged locally. In Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), beginning in 1914, meetings were actually being held seven days a week.
The Bible Students were encouraged to learn to do research, to “prove all things,” to express thoughts in their own words. (1 Thess. 5:21, KJ) Brother Russell encouraged a full and free discussion of the study material. He also cautioned: “Never forget that the Bible is our Standard and that however God-given our helps may be they are ‘helps’ and not substitutes for the Bible.”
Commemoration of the Lord’s Death
Beginning in about 1876, arrangements were made each year by the Bible Students for commemoration of the Lord’s death.d At first, the group in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and vicinity met in the home of one of the friends. By 1883, attendance had grown to about a hundred there, and a hired hall was used. To accommodate the large audience expected in Pittsburgh in 1905, the brothers decided to secure the use of the spacious Carnegie Hall.
The Bible Students recognized this to be an annual observance, not something that was to be done every week. The date they kept the observance corresponded to Nisan 14 on the Jewish calendar, the time of Jesus’ death. Over the years, there were some refinements in the way in which that date was calculated.e But the principal matter of concern was the significance of the event itself.
Although Bible Students met for this commemoration in groups of varying sizes in many places, any who could join the brothers in Pittsburgh were welcomed. From 1886 to 1893, readers of the Watch Tower were especially invited to come to Pittsburgh, if possible, and they did, from various parts of the United States and from Canada. This not only enabled them to celebrate the Memorial together but also helped them to cement ties of spiritual unity. However, as the number of classes grew, both in the United States and in other parts of the world, it was no longer practical to try to meet in one location, and they realized that more good would be accomplished by assembling with fellow believers in the area of one’s home.
As the Watch Tower pointed out, there were many who professed to be believers in the ransom, and none of these were turned away from the annual commemoration. But the occasion had special significance to those who truly belonged to Christ’s “little flock.” These are the ones who would share in the heavenly Kingdom. On the night before Jesus’ death, when he instituted the Memorial, it was to individuals to whom such a hope was being extended that Christ said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”—Luke 12:32; 22:19, 20, 28-30.
Particularly beginning in the 1930’s, prospective members of the “great multitude,” or “great crowd” of other sheep, began to manifest themselves. (Rev. 7:9, 10, KJ; John 10:16) These were at that time referred to as Jonadabs. For the first time, in its issue of February 15, 1938, The Watchtower specifically invited them to be present at the Memorial, saying: “After six p.m. on April 15 let each company of the anointed assemble and celebrate the Memorial, their companions the Jonadabs also being present.” They did attend, not as partakers, but as observers. Their presence began to swell the number of those on hand at the time of the Memorial of Christ’s death. In 1938 the total attendance was 73,420, while those who partook of the emblematic bread and wine numbered 39,225. In the years that followed, those present as observers also began to include large numbers of newly interested persons and others who had not yet become active Witnesses of Jehovah. Thus, in 1992, when the peak number of those sharing in the field ministry was 4,472,787, attendance at the Memorial was 11,431,171, and the number of partakers of the emblems was just 8,683. In some lands the attendance has been as many as five or six times the number of active Witnesses.
Because of their deep regard for the significance of Christ’s death, Jehovah’s Witnesses commemorate the Memorial even when they are confronted by very difficult circumstances. During the 1970’s, when wartime curfews in Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe) made it impossible to go out in the evening, the brothers in some areas would all gather in the home of one of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the day and then celebrate the Memorial in the evening. Of course, they could not return home after the meeting, so they would stay overnight. The remaining evening hours were used to sing Kingdom songs and relate experiences, which was a source of added refreshment.
In concentration camps during World War II, the Memorial was celebrated, even though doing that could have resulted in severe punishment if the guards found out. When isolated in prison in Communist China from 1958 to 1963 because of his Christian faith, Harold King celebrated the Memorial the best way he could under the circumstances. He later said: “From my prison window I watched the moon grow full near the start of spring. I calculated as carefully as I could the date for the celebration.” He improvised the needed emblems, making a little wine from black currants and using rice, which is unleavened, for the bread. He also said: “I sang and prayed and gave a regular talk for the occasion, just as would be done in any congregation of Jehovah’s people. So I felt that each year I was united with my brothers all over the world on this most important occasion.”
Where Young Ones Fit In
During the early years, the publications and the meetings of the Bible Students were not particularly geared to young people. They could attend the meetings, and some of them did so and listened eagerly. But there was no special effort to involve them in what took place. Why not?
The understanding of the brothers at that time was that only a very short time was left until all the members of Christ’s bride would be united with him in heavenly glory. The Watch Tower, in 1883, explained: “We who are in training for the high calling cannot turn aside from the special work of this age—the work of preparing ‘the Bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ The Bride is to make herself ready; and just at the present moment, when the last touches of adornment are being put on preparatory to the wedding, every member’s service is required in this all-important, present work.”
Parents were strongly urged to shoulder their own God-given responsibility to care for the spiritual instruction of their children. Separate Sunday schools for youths were not encouraged. It was obvious that Christendom’s use of Sunday schools had done much harm. Parents who sent their children to such schools often took the view that this arrangement relieved them of the responsibility to give religious instruction to their children. The children, in turn, because they were not looking to their parents as a primary source of instruction about God, were not motivated to honor their parents and obey them as they should.
However, from 1892 to 1927, the Watch Tower did set aside space for comment on the text featured in the “International Sunday School Lessons,” which were then popular in many Protestant churches. These texts were for many years selected by F. N. Peloubet, a Congregational clergyman, and his assistants. The Watch Tower discussed these texts from the standpoint of the Bible Students’ advanced understanding of the Scriptures, free from the creeds of Christendom. It was hoped that in this way the Watch Tower would find its way into some of the churches, that the truth would thus be presented, and that some church members would accept it. Of course, the difference was evident, and this angered the Protestant clergy.
The year 1918 came, and the remnant, or remaining ones of the anointed, were still on the earthly scene. The number of children at their meetings had also greatly increased. Often the youngsters had simply been allowed to play while their parents studied. Yet, young people, too, needed to learn to “seek righteousness, seek meekness,” if they would be “hid in the day of the LORD’s anger.” (Zeph. 2:3, KJ) So, in 1918 the Society encouraged the congregations to arrange for a juvenile class for children from 8 to 15 years of age. In some places there were even primary classes for those too young to attend the juvenile class. At the same time, parental responsibility toward the children was again emphasized.
This led to other developments. The Golden Age, in 1920, carried a feature eninputd “Juvenile Bible Study,” with questions accompanied by Scripture citations in which the answers could be found. That same year, The Golden Age ABC was published; it was an illustrated booklet for use by parents in teaching basic Bible truths and Christian qualities to their youngsters. A book eninputd The Way to Paradise, written by W. E. Van Amburgh, followed in 1924. It was adapted to “intermediate students of the Bible.” For a time it was used at the meetings for younger ones. Additionally, in America, “Junior Witnesses” had their own arrangements for field service. In Switzerland a youth group formed an association called “Jehovah’s Youth,” for those between 13 and 25 years of age. They had their own secretary’s office in Berne, and a special magazine, Jehovah’s Youth, was edited and printed on the Society’s presses there. These youths had their own meetings and even put on Bible dramas, as they did in the Volkshaus in Zurich for an audience of 1,500.
What was taking place, however, was that an organization was developing within the organization of Jehovah’s servants. This would not contribute to unity, and it was discontinued in 1936. In April 1938, during a visit to Australia, J. F. Rutherford, the Society’s president, found that a class for children was being held apart from the convention for adults. He immediately arranged for all the children to be brought into the main convention, which was greatly to their benefit.
In that same year, The Watchtower reviewed the entire matter of separate classes for young folks in the congregation. That study again emphasized the fact that parents are responsible to instruct their own children. (Eph. 6:4; compare Deuteronomy 4:9, 10; Jeremiah 35:6-10.) It also showed that the Bible provides no precedent for segregating young ones by means of junior classes. Instead, they were to be present with their parents to hear God’s Word. (Deut. 31:12, 13; Josh. 8:34, 35) When further explanation of study material was needed, this could be given by the parents at home. Furthermore, the articles pointed out that arrangements for such separate classes were actually detracting from the house-to-house preaching of the good news. How so? Because the teachers were staying out of the field service to prepare for these classes and to conduct them. So, all separate classes for youths were discontinued.
Right down to the present, it remains the custom among Jehovah’s Witnesses for the entire family to attend congregation meetings together. Children are helped by their parents to prepare so that they can participate in appropriate ways. Additionally, a fine array of publications has been provided for parents to use in giving young folks instruction at home. Among these have been the books Children, in 1941; Listening to the Great Teacher, in 1971; Your Youth—Getting the Best Out Of It, in 1976; My Book of Bible Stories, in 1978; and Questions Young People Ask—Answers That Work, in 1989.
Equipping All to Be Active Evangelizers
Ever since the first issues of the Watch Tower were published, its readers have been regularly reminded of the privilege and responsibility of all true Christians to proclaim the good news about God’s purpose. The congregation meetings have helped to prepare their hearts and minds for this activity by building up their love for Jehovah and their knowledge of his purpose. Especially, however, following the convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, in 1922, greatly increased emphasis was placed on what was being accomplished in the field service and how to share in it effectively.
The Bulletin,f a folder containing information directly related to the field service, contained a brief testimony, then called a canvass, that was to be memorized and used when witnessing to people. During the greater part of 1923, at the first of each month, as a stimulus to united efforts to advertise the Kingdom, half of the Wednesday-night Prayer, Praise and Testimony Meeting was set aside for testimonies regarding the field service.
At least by 1926, monthly meetings where field service was discussed were called Workers’ Meetings. Those who actually participated in such service were usually the ones that attended. At these meetings, methods being used to witness to others were discussed, and plans for future activity were made. By 1928 the Society was urging the congregations to have such meetings each week. In another four years, congregations were beginning to replace the Testimony (or, Declaration) Meeting with what had come to be called the Service Meeting, and the Society encouraged everyone to attend. For over 60 years, this weekly meeting has been held by the congregations. By means of discourses, discussions involving audience participation, demonstrations, and interviews, specific help is provided in connection with all aspects of the Christian ministry.
This type of meeting certainly did not originate in the 20th century. Jesus himself gave detailed instructions to his disciples before sending them out to preach. (Matt. 10:5–11:1; Luke 10:1-16) Later, they built one another up by gathering to relate experiences they had while engaging in the ministry.—Acts 4:21-31; 15:3.
As for training in public speaking, in the early years this was not done at the regular congregation meetings. However, at least by 1916, it was suggested that those who felt that they had some potential as public speakers might hold classes by themselves, with perhaps an elder present as a moderator to hear them and to offer counsel for improvement in output and delivery of their talks. These gatherings, attended only by males in the congregation, later came to be known as Schools of the Prophets. When reviewing the events of those days, Grant Suiter recalled: “The constructive criticism that I got at the school was nothing compared with that which I received from my father personally after he had attended one of the sessions to hear me try to make a speech.” To help those who were trying to make progress, brothers privately compiled and printed a textbook of instructions on speaking, along with outlines for a variety of discourses. In time, however, these Schools of the Prophets were discontinued. To fill the special need that existed at that time, full attention was being focused on equipping every member of the congregation to share to the full in house-to-house evangelizing.
Was it possible to equip each member of this growing international organization not only to give a brief witness and to offer Bible literature but also to speak effectively and to be a teacher of God’s Word? That was the objective of a special school established in each congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, beginning in 1943. It had already been in operation at the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses since February 1942. Every week, instruction was given, and students delivered talks and were counseled on them. At first, only males gave talks in the school, though the entire congregation was encouraged to attend, to prepare the lessons, and to participate in reviews. In 1959 the sisters were also privileged to enroll, for training in discussing Bible subjects in a one-on-one setting.
Regarding the effect of this school, the Watch Tower Society’s branch in South Africa reported: “This very fine arrangement succeeded in a short while in helping many brothers who had imagined they would never be public speakers to become very efficient on the platform and more effective in the field. In all parts of South Africa the brothers welcomed this new provision of Jehovah and put it into operation with enthusiasm. This was done despite great obstacles of language and lack of education on the part of some.”
The Theocratic Ministry School continues to be an important meeting in the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Nearly all who are able to do so are enrolled. Young and old, new Witnesses and those with much experience participate. It is an ongoing program of education.
The Public Invited to See and Hear
Jehovah’s Witnesses are in no sense a secret society. Their Bible-based beliefs are fully explained in publications that are available to anyone. Additionally, they put forth special effort to invite the public to attend meetings to see and hear for themselves what takes place.
Jesus Christ gave personal instruction to his disciples, but he also spoke in public—along the seashore, on a mountainside, in synagogues, in the temple area in Jerusalem—where the crowds could hear. (Matt. 5:1, 2; 13:1-9; John 18:20) In imitation of this, as early as the 1870’s, the Bible Students began to arrange meetings where friends and neighbors and others who might be interested could hear a discourse about God’s purpose for humankind.
Special effort was put forth to have these discourses at places that would be convenient for the public. This was known as class extension work. In 1911, congregations that had sufficient talented speakers were encouraged to arrange for some of these to go to surrounding towns and villages to put on meetings in public halls. Where possible, they arranged for a series of six discourses. Following the final one, the speaker inquired as to how many in the audience felt sufficient interest in Bible study to come together regularly. Over 3,000 of such discourses were held the first year.
Starting in 1914, the “Photo-Drama of Creation” was also taken to the public. The brothers charged no admission. Since then, they have used other motion pictures and slide showings. Beginning in the 1920’s, extensive use of the radio by the Watch Tower Society enabled people to hear Bible discourses in their own homes. Then, in the 1930’s, lectures delivered by J. F. Rutherford were recorded and played at thousands of public gatherings.
By 1945, there was a large number of public speakers who had been trained in the Theocratic Ministry School. In January of that year, a well-coordinated campaign of public meetings was launched. The Society provided outlines for a series of eight timely discourses. Handbills, and sometimes placards, were used for advertising. In addition to using the congregations’ regular meeting places, the brothers made special efforts to arrange for these public meetings in territories where no congregation existed. All in the congregations could share—by advertising the meetings, by personally supporting them, as well as by welcoming newcomers and answering their questions. During the first year of this special activity, 18,646 public meetings were put on in the United States, with a total attendance of 917,352. The following year the number of public meetings rose to 28,703 for the American field. And in Canada, where 2,552 of such meetings were arranged in 1945, there were 4,645 the following year.
In the majority of congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Public Meetings are now part of the regular schedule of weekly meetings. They are in the form of a discourse during which everyone is encouraged to look up key Scripture texts as these are read and discussed. These meetings are a rich source of spiritual instruction for the congregation and newcomers alike.
People who attend the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses for the first time are often pleasantly surprised. A prominent politician in Zimbabwe went to a Kingdom Hall to find out what was going on there. He was a man with a violent disposition, and he deliberately went unshaved and with hair uncombed. He expected that the Witnesses would chase him away. Instead, they showed genuine interest in him and encouraged him to have a home Bible study. Now he is a humble and peaceable Christian Witness.
There are millions of persons who, having attended the meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, have felt moved to say: “God is really among you.”—1 Cor. 14:25.
Suitable Places in Which to Meet
In the days of the apostles of Jesus Christ, Christians frequently held their meetings in private homes. In some places they were able to speak in Jewish synagogues. In Ephesus the apostle Paul gave discourses for two years in a school auditorium. (Acts 19:8-10; 1 Cor. 16:19; Philem. 1, 2) Similarly, in the latter part of the 19th century, the Bible Students met in private homes, sometimes spoke in church chapels, and used other halls that could be rented. In a few instances, they later purchased buildings that had formerly been used by other religious groups and made use of these on a regular basis. That was the case with the Brooklyn Tabernacle and the London Tabernacle.
But they neither needed nor wanted ornate buildings for their meetings. A few congregations purchased and renovated suitable structures; others built new halls. After 1935 the name Kingdom Hall gradually came into use to designate these places for congregation meetings. These are usually attractive in appearance but not pretentious. The architecture may vary from place to place, but the purpose of the building is functional.
A Unified Program of Instruction
During the latter part of the 19th century and the early part of the 20th century, spiritual growth and activity varied considerably from one congregation to another. They shared in common certain basic beliefs that set them apart from Christendom. Yet, while some of the brothers deeply appreciated the means by which Jehovah was feeding his people, others were easily swayed by the opinions of individuals who had strong personal views on matters.
Before his death Jesus prayed that his followers would “all be one”—at unity with God and Christ and with one another. (John 17:20, 21) This was not to be a forced unity. It would result from a unified program of education that found response in receptive hearts. As had long ago been foretold: “All your sons will be persons taught by Jehovah, and the peace of your sons will be abundant.” (Isa. 54:13) To enjoy that peace in full measure, all needed opportunity to benefit from the progressive instruction that Jehovah was providing through his visible channel of communication.
For many years the Bible Students used the various volumes of Studies in the Scriptures, along with the Bible, as a basis for discussion. What they contained was, indeed, spiritual “food at the proper time.” (Matt. 24:45) However, continued examination of the Scriptures under the direction of God’s spirit made it evident that there was more to learn and that much spiritual cleansing was still needed by Jehovah’s servants. (Mal. 3:1-3; Isa. 6:1-8) Furthermore, after the establishment of the Kingdom in 1914, many prophecies were being fulfilled in rapid succession, and these pointed to urgent work in which all true Christians should be engaged. This timely Scriptural information was regularly provided through the columns of The Watch Tower.
Realizing that not everyone in the congregations was benefiting from these articles, some of the traveling representatives of the Society recommended to the headquarters office that at regular weekly meetings the congregations all study The Watch Tower. That recommendation was passed along to the congregations, and “Berean Questions” for use in study of principal Watch Tower articles became a regular feature of the magazine, beginning with the issue of May 15, 1922. Most congregations had such a study one or more times each week, but the extent to which they really studied what was in the magazine varied. In some places, because the conductor had much to say, this study ran for two hours or more.
During the 1930’s, however, theocratic organization replaced democratic procedures. This greatly influenced how study of The Watchtowerg was viewed. Greater attention was directed to understanding what was in the study material provided by the Society. Those who had used the meetings as opportunities to air personal views and who resisted the responsibility to share in the field ministry gradually withdrew. With patient help the brothers learned how to confine the study to an hour. As a result, there was greater participation; meetings were more lively. A spirit of genuine unity also came to pervade the congregations, based on a unified spiritual feeding program in which God’s Word was the standard for truth.
In 1938, The Watchtower was being published in about 20 languages. Everything appeared first in English. It usually was not available in other languages for several months, or perhaps even a year, because of the time required to translate and print it. However, with a change in printing methods, during the 1980’s, simultaneous publication of The Watchtower was achieved in many languages. By 1992, congregations understanding any of 66 languages were able to study the same material at the same time. Thus the vast majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide partake of the same spiritual food week by week. In all of North and South America, in most of Europe, in a number of lands in the Orient, in many places in Africa, and on a large number of islands around the globe, Jehovah’s people enjoy a simultaneous arrangement for spiritual feeding. Together, they are being “fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.”—1 Cor. 1:10.
Attendance figures for their congregation meetings indicate that Jehovah’s Witnesses take their meetings seriously. In Italy, where there were about 172,000 active Witnesses in 1989, weekly attendance at Kingdom Hall meetings was 220,458. In contrast, a Catholic press agency says that 80 percent of Italians say they are Catholic but that only about 30 percent attend church services with any degree of regularity. Viewed proportionately, the picture is similar in Brazil. In Denmark, as of 1989, the National Church claimed 89.7 percent of the population as members, but only 2 percent were attending church once a week! Among Jehovah’s Witnesses in Denmark, weekly attendance figures at that time ran 94.7 percent. In Germany, a poll by the Allensbach Opinion Research Institute in 1989 indicated that 5 percent of Lutherans and 25 percent of Catholics in the Federal Republic attended church regularly. However, at the Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses, weekly attendance exceeded the number of Witnesses.
Those in attendance have often put forth great effort to be on hand. In the 1980’s, a 70-year-old woman in Kenya was regularly walking six miles [10 km] and wading through a river to get to the meetings each week. To attend meetings in her own language, a Korean Witness in the United States regularly traveled three hours each way, riding a bus, a train, and a boat, as well as walking. In Suriname, one family with little income spent a full day’s wages for bus fare each week in order to get to the meetings. In Argentina, a family regularly traveled 30 miles [50 km] and spent one fourth of the family’s income to attend meetings for Bible study. Where illness completely prevents some from attending congregation meetings, arrangements are often made for them to be tied in by telephone or to hear a tape recording of the program.
Jehovah’s Witnesses take seriously the Bible’s counsel not to forsake gathering together for spiritual upbuilding. (Heb. 10:24, 25) And it is not only for meetings in their local congregations that they are present. Attendance at conventions is also a highlight of their annual program of events.
[Footnotes]
a Later these meetings were called Berean Circles for Bible Study, in imitation of the first-century Beroeans who were commended for “carefully examining the Scriptures.”—Acts 17:11.
b Because of their output, these meetings were also called Prayer, Praise and Testimony Meetings. In view of the importance of prayer, it was in time recommended that once every three months the meeting be simply a prayer service, including hymns but no experiences.
c In 1907 the Berean study helps were revised, greatly enlarged, and updated. About 300 more pages of helpful material were added in the 1908 printing.
d This was, at times, referred to as the antitypical Passover, that is, the commemoration of the death of Jesus Christ, who was foreshadowed by the Passover lamb and was thus called “Christ our passover,” at 1 Corinthians 5:7. In harmony with 1 Corinthians 11:20 (KJ), it was also called the Lord’s Supper. It was sometimes termed “Anniversary Supper,” thus drawing attention to the fact that it was an annual commemoration.
e Compare Watchtower issues of March 1891, pages 33-4; March 15, 1907, page 88; February 1, 1935, page 46; and February 1, 1948, pages 41-3.
f Even before 1900 a pamphlet eninputd Suggestive Hints to Colporteurs was sent to those who enrolled for this special service. Starting in 1919 the Bulletin was published to provide stimulus for the field service, first in distributing The Golden Age and later with regard to all the various types of evangelizing activity.
g The name Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence was changed, on January 1, 1909, to The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence. As of October 15, 1931, the name became The Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.
[Blurb on page 237]
Meetings that called for personal participation
[Blurb on page 238]
Not merely a mental philosophy but expressions that would move the heart
[Blurb on page 246]
All in the family are encouraged to attend meetings together
[Blurb on page 252]
Unifying the program of spiritual feeding
[Blurb on page 253]
The Witnesses take their meetings seriously
[Box/Pictures on page 239]
Early Congregations
By 1916, there were some 1,200 groups of Bible Students worldwide
Durban, South Africa, 1915 (top right); British Guiana (Guyana), 1915 (middle right); Trondheim, Norway, 1915 (lower right); Hamilton, Ont., Canada, 1912 (bottom); Ceylon (Sri Lanka), 1915 (lower left); India, 1915 (upper left)
[Box/Pictures on page 240, 241]
Praising Jehovah in Song
As the ancient Israelites and Jesus himself used songs in worship, so do Jehovah’s Witnesses in modern times. (Neh. 12:46; Mark 14:26) While expressing praise to Jehovah and appreciation for his works, such singing has helped to impress Bible truths on both the mind and the heart.
Many collections of songs have been used by Jehovah’s Witnesses over the years. Words have been updated in harmony with progressive understanding of God’s Word.
1879: “Songs of the Bride”
(144 hymns expressing the desires and hopes of Christ’s bride)
1890: “Poems and Hymns of Millennial Dawn”
(151 poems and 333 hymns, published without music. Most were the works of well-known writers)
1896: “Watch Tower” of February 1 was devoted to “Zion’s Glad Songs of the Morning”
(Words for 11 songs, with music; lyrics written by Bible Students)
1900: “Zion’s Glad Songs”
(82 songs, many of them written by one Bible Student; to supplement the earlier collection)
1905: “Hymns of the Millennial Dawn”
(The 333 songs published in 1890, but with music)
1925: “Kingdom Hymns”
(80 songs, with music, especially for children)
1928: “Songs of Praise to Jehovah”
(337 songs, a mixture of new ones written by the Bible Students and older hymns. In the lyrics, special effort was made to break away from sentiments of false religion and from creature worship)
1944: “Kingdom Service Song Book”
(62 songs. Adapted to Kingdom service needs of the times. No credits were given to authors or composers)
1950: “Songs to Jehovah’s Praise”
(91 songs. This songbook had more up-to-date themes and dispensed with archaic language. It was translated into 18 languages)
1966: “Singing and Accompanying Yourselves With Music in Your Hearts”
(119 songs covering every aspect of Christian living and worship. Music known to have originated with secular or false-religious sources was deleted. Orchestral recordings of the entire book were made and were extensively used as accompaniment in congregation meetings. Some vocal selections were also recorded. Starting in 1980, recordings of orchestral arrangements of “Kingdom Melodies” were produced so that at home individuals could enjoy music that would be upbuilding)
1984: “Sing Praises to Jehovah”
(225 Kingdom songs, with words and melodies composed entirely by dedicated servants of Jehovah from all parts of the earth. Phonograph records and audiocassettes were produced to accompany singing)
At their early Cottage Meetings, the Bible Students included songs of praise. Singing also soon became a feature of their conventions. Some sang one of the songs before breakfast, in connection with their morning worship, as was done for many years at the Bible House. Although singing in local congregations was largely dispensed with in about 1938, it was revived again in 1944 and continues to be a significant feature of the congregation meetings and convention programs of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
[Picture]
Karl Klein leading a convention orchestra in 1947
[Graph on page 242]
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
Memorial of Christ’s Death
Active Witnesses
Attendance
11,000,000
10,000,000
9,000,000
8,000,000
7,000,000
6,000,000
5,000,000
4,000,000
3,000,000
2,000,000
1,000,000
1935 1945 1955 1965 1975 1985 1992
[Picture on page 243]
Though isolated in a Chinese prison, Harold King continued to celebrate the Memorial
[Picture on page 244]
Juvenile Bible class in Germany, in the early 1930’s
[Pictures on page 244]
In Switzerland, in the mid-1930’s, Witness youths published this magazine (below) and staged Bible dramas (as shown below in the center) for large audiences
[Pictures on page 247]
“Bulletin” (1919-35), “Director” (1935-36), “Informant” (1936-56), and now “Our Kingdom Ministry” in 100 languages—all have provided regular instructions for united field ministry by Jehovah’s Witnesses
[Picture on page 248]
Demonstrations at Service Meetings help Witnesses to improve their personal field ministry (Sweden)
[Picture on page 249]
Young Witness in Kenya gains experience by giving a talk to his father in the Theocratic Ministry School
[Picture on page 250]
As of 1992, Bible study material for congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses was being published simultaneously in 66 languages, and more continue to be added |
Learn From the Bible (lfb)
2017 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/lfb | Introduction to Section 8
Jehovah blessed Solomon with great wisdom and gave him the privilege of building the temple, but he gradually left Jehovah. If you are a parent, explain to your child how false worshippers turned Solomon away from God. The kingdom was divided, and bad kings led the nation into apostasy and idol worship. During this time, many loyal prophets of Jehovah were persecuted and killed. Queen Jezebel dragged the northern kingdom even deeper into apostasy. It was a dark time in the history of Israel. But there were still many faithful servants of Jehovah among the Israelites, including King Jehoshaphat and the prophet Elijah.
KEY LESSONS
Serve Jehovah faithfully, even if your family and friends do not
If you leave Jehovah, everything will go wrong; but if you stick with him, he will bless you
Often when you feel that there is no way out, Jehovah will show his power in ways that you cannot imagine |
Imitate (ia)
2013 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ia | Imitate Their Faith |
A STEP TOWARD MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Moral Education | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102019006 | Parents teach their children love by example
A STEP TOWARD MEETING THE CHALLENGE
Moral Education
While on a school trip, some teenage boys were accused of sexually assaulting another male student. All attended a prestigious private school in Canada. After the incident, Leonard Stern wrote in the Ottawa Citizen newspaper: “All the advantages of intellect and education and social class do not inoculate young people against making bad moral decisions.”
Stern also stated: “You’d think the single greatest goal of parenting would be the promotion of a child’s moral development. The reality is that many parents seem more concerned about academic or material advancement.”
To be sure, schooling is important. But even the best secular education cannot help a person to combat wrong desires or bad inclinations. Where, then, can we get an education that addresses those areas—that provides moral guidance?
EDUCATION THAT PROVIDES MORAL AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
The Bible is like a mirror. When we look into it, we see our limitations and weaknesses more clearly. (James 1:23-25) But the Bible does even more. It helps us to make needed changes, to develop qualities that foster true peace and harmony. Those qualities include goodness, kindness, patience, self-control, and love. Love is even called “a perfect bond of union.” (Colossians 3:14) Why is love so special? Note what the Bible says about this quality.
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up [with pride], does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness [badness], but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, . . . endures all things. Love never fails.”—1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
“Love does not work evil to one’s neighbor.”—Romans 13:10.
“Above all things, have intense love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”—1 Peter 4:8.
When you are with people who love you, how do you feel? Safe? Secure? Relaxed? Yes, you know that they want the best for you, that they would never intentionally hurt you.
Love can also move people to make sacrifices, even lifestyle changes, for the benefit of others. For example, when a man we will call George became a grandfather, he dearly wanted to spend time with his grandson. But there was a problem. George smoked heavily, and his son-in-law did not want him smoking around the baby. What did George do? Even though he had smoked for 50 years, he gave up the habit for the sake of his grandson. Yes, what power love has!
The Bible helps us to cultivate many fine qualities, such as goodness, kindness, and especially love
Love is a quality that we learn. Parents play a big role in teaching their children how to love. They feed and protect their children and come to their aid when they are hurt or sick. Good parents talk with their children and teach them. They also discipline their children, which includes teaching them sound principles of right and wrong. Additionally, good parents set a fine example, becoming role models for their children.
Sadly, though, some parents fail in their responsibilities. Does this mean that their children are doomed to failure? Not at all! Even many older people, including some who grew up in dysfunctional families, have made amazing changes in their lives, becoming caring and trustworthy citizens. As we will see in the following article, that even includes some who may have been viewed by others as beyond reform!
KEY POINT
THE BIBLE CAN PROVIDE WHAT SECULAR EDUCATION CANNOT—TRUSTWORTHY MORAL AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
NOT EVERYONE WILL CHANGE
The Bible frankly acknowledges that some people will simply refuse to change for the better. The wicked will continue to “act wickedly,” says Daniel 12:10. Does that reality doom our prospects for lasting peace and safety? If the future were just in human hands, our prospects would be grim indeed. But as we will see, that is not the case. In fact, the opposite is true—our future can be very bright! |
Reasoning (rs)
1989 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/reasoning-rs | False Prophets
Definition: Individuals and organizations proclaiming messages that they attribute to a superhuman source but that do not originate with the true God and are not in harmony with his revealed will.
How can true prophets and false ones be identified?
True prophets make known their faith in Jesus, but more is required than claiming to preach in his name
1 John 4:1-3: “Test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world. You gain the knowledge of the inspired expression from God by this: Every inspired expression that confesses Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God, but every inspired expression that does not confess Jesus does not originate with God.”
Matt. 7:21-23: “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens, but the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will. Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name . . . ?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
True prophets speak in the name of God, but merely claiming to represent him is not enough
Deut. 18:18-20: “A prophet I shall raise up for them from the midst of their brothers, like you [like Moses]; and I shall indeed put my words in his mouth, and he will certainly speak to them all that I shall command him. And it must occur that the man who will not listen to my words that he will speak in my name, I shall myself require an account from him. However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.” (Compare Jeremiah 14:14; 28:11, 15.)
Jesus said: “I do nothing of my own initiative; but just as the Father taught me I speak these things.” (John 8:28) He said: “I have come in the name of my Father.” (John 5:43) Jesus also said: “He that speaks of his own originality is seeking his own glory.”—John 7:18.
If any individuals or organizations claim to represent God but decline to use God’s personal name, and make it a practice to express their own opinions on matters, are they measuring up to this important qualification of a true prophet?
Ability to perform “great signs,” or “miracles,” is not necessarily proof of a true prophet
Matt. 24:24: “False Christs and false prophets will arise and will give great signs [“miracles,” TEV] and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones.”
2 Thess. 2:9, 10: “The lawless one’s presence is according to the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and portents and with every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth that they might be saved.”
On the other hand, Moses performed miracles at Jehovah’s direction. (Ex. 4:1-9) Jehovah also empowered Jesus to perform miracles. (Acts 2:22) But more than the miracles gave evidence that God had truly sent them.
What true prophets foretell comes to pass, but they may not understand just when or how it will be
Dan. 12:9: “Go, Daniel, because the words are made secret and sealed up until the time of the end.”
1 Pet. 1:10, 11: “The prophets . . . kept on investigating what particular season or what sort of season the spirit in them was indicating concerning Christ when it was bearing witness beforehand about the sufferings for Christ and about the glories to follow these.”
1 Cor. 13:9, 10: “We have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially; but when that which is complete arrives, that which is partial will be done away with.”
Prov. 4:18: “The path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established.”
The apostles and other early Christian disciples had certain wrong expectations, but the Bible does not classify them with the “false prophets.”—See Luke 19:11; John 21:22, 23; Acts 1:6, 7.
Nathan the prophet encouraged King David to go ahead with what was in his heart regarding the building of a house for Jehovah’s worship. But later Jehovah told Nathan to inform David that he was not the one who would build it. Jehovah did not reject Nathan for what he had said earlier but continued to use him because he humbly corrected the matter when Jehovah made it plain to him.—1 Chron. 17:1-4, 15.
The pronouncements of a true prophet promote true worship and are in harmony with God’s revealed will
Deut. 13:1-4: “In case a prophet or a dreamer of a dream arises in your midst and does give you a sign or a portent, and the sign or the portent does come true of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us walk after other gods, whom you have not known, and let us serve them,’ you must not listen to the words of that prophet or to the dreamer of that dream, because Jehovah your God is testing you to know whether you are loving Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul. After Jehovah your God you should walk, and him you should fear, and his commandments you should keep, and to his voice you should listen, and him you should serve, and to him you should cling.”
Since the Bible says that “a friend of the world” is an enemy of God, are clergymen who urge their parishioners to get involved in the affairs of the world promoting true worship? (Jas. 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17) The true God said that the nations “will have to know that I am Jehovah,” and the Bible states that God would take out of the nations “a people for his name,” but are religious organizations that minimize the importance of using God’s personal name acting in harmony with this revealed will of God? (Ezek. 38:23; Acts 15:14) Jesus taught his followers to pray for God’s Kingdom, and the Bible cautions against putting one’s trust in earthling men, so are clergymen or political organizations that urge people to place their confidence in human rulership true prophets?—Matt. 6:9, 10; Ps. 146:3-6; compare Revelation 16:13, 14.
True prophets and the false can be recognized by the fruitage manifest in their lives and the lives of those who follow them
Matt. 7:15-20: “Be on the watch for the false prophets that come to you in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves. By their fruits you will recognize them. . . . Every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit . . . Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men.”
What characterizes their way of life? “The works of the flesh are . . . fornication, uncleanness, loose conduct, idolatry, practice of spiritism, enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, outputions, divisions, sects, envies, drunken bouts, revelries, and things like these. . . . Those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom. On the other hand, the fruitage of [God’s] spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.”—Gal. 5:19-23; see also 2 Peter 2:1-3.
Have not Jehovah’s Witnesses made errors in their teachings?
Jehovah’s Witnesses do not claim to be inspired prophets. They have made mistakes. Like the apostles of Jesus Christ, they have at times had some wrong expectations.—Luke 19:11; Acts 1:6.
The Scriptures provide time elements related to Christ’s presence, and Jehovah’s Witnesses have studied these with keen interest. (Luke 21:24; Dan. 4:10-17) Jesus also described a many-featured sign that would tie in with the fulfillment of time prophecies to identify the generation that would live to see the end of Satan’s wicked system of things. (Luke 21:7-36) Jehovah’s Witnesses have pointed to evidence in fulfillment of this sign. It is true that the Witnesses have made mistakes in their understanding of what would occur at the end of certain time periods, but they have not made the mistake of losing faith or ceasing to be watchful as to fulfillment of Jehovah’s purposes. They have continued to keep to the fore in their thinking the counsel given by Jesus: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”—Matt. 24:42.
Matters on which corrections of viewpoint have been needed have been relatively minor when compared with the vital Bible truths that they have discerned and publicized. Among these are the following: Jehovah is the only true God. Jesus Christ is not part of a Trinitarian godhead but is the only-begotten Son of God. Redemption from sin is possible only through faith in Christ’s ransom sacrifice. The holy spirit is not a person but is Jehovah’s active force, and its fruitage must be evident in the lives of true worshipers. The human soul is not immortal, as the ancient pagans claimed; it dies, and the hope for future life is in the resurrection. God’s permission of wickedness has been because of the issue of universal sovereignty. God’s Kingdom is the only hope for mankind. Since 1914 we have been living in the last days of the global wicked system of things. Only 144,000 faithful Christians will be kings and priests with Christ in heaven, whereas the rest of obedient mankind will receive eternal life on a paradise earth.
Another factor to consider regarding the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses is this: Have these truly uplifted people morally? Are those who adhere to these teachings outstanding in their communities because of their honesty? Is their family life beneficially influenced by applying these teachings? Jesus said that his disciples would be readily identified because of having love among themselves. (John 13:35) Is this quality outstanding among Jehovah’s Witnesses? We let the facts speak for themselves.
If Someone Says—
‘My minister said that Jehovah’s Witnesses are the false prophets’
You might reply: ‘May I ask, Did he show you anything in the Bible that describes what we believe or do and that says people of that sort would be false prophets? . . . May I show you how the Bible describes false prophets? (Then use one or more of the points outlined on pages 132-136.)’
Or you could say: ‘I’m sure you’ll agree that specific evidence should back up such a serious charge. Did your minister mention any specific examples? (If householder refers to some claimed “predictions” that did not come to pass, use material on page 134, and from the bottom of page 135 to the top of 137.)’
Another possibility: ‘I’m sure that if someone accused you of something similar, you would welcome the opportunity at least to explain your position or point of view, wouldn’t you? . . . So may I show you from the Bible . . . ?’ |
Disarmament or Delusion? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101983004 | Disarmament or Delusion?
“Removing the threat of a world war—a nuclear war—is the most acute and urgent task of the present day. Mankind is confronted with a choice: we must halt the arms race and proceed to disarmament or face annihilation.”—Final Document of the United Nations First Special Session on Disarmament, 1978.
Has progress been made in ‘removing the threat of a nuclear war’? To answer that question and to take a step toward global disarmament The Second Special Session on Disarmament met June 7 to July 9, 1982. Note the remarks made by heads of state and world leaders at that Special Second Session:
● Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Zenko Suzuki: “During these four years the arms race has exacerbated the threat to peace, heightening the anxieties of peoples and imposing heavier burdens on each nation at the expense of its economic and social development.”
● Papal message delivered by Cardinal Agostino Casaroli, Secretary of State of the Holy See: “There seems to be very little improvement. Some in fact think that there has been a deterioration, at least in the sense that hopes born of that period could now be described as mere illusions.”
● Prime Minister of the Republic of Finland, Mr. Kalevi Sorsa: “Statesmen of dedication and sincerity, many of them in this hall, have done their utmost to arrest this development. Yet the arms race goes on. It is as if the arms race had escaped rational human control.”
● Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda, Mr. M. Otema Allimadi: “The picture is indeed grim. . . . Over the last four years, the hopes that were once raised . . . have been eroded almost to the point of despair.”
● President of the United States, Mr. Ronald Reagan: “The United Nations is dedicated to world peace and its Charter clearly prohibits the international use of force. Yet the tide of belligerence continues to rise. The Charter’s influence has weakened even in the four years since the first special session on disarmament.”
● Prime Minister of Canada, Mr. Pierre Elliot Trudeau: “I believe that we must accept the fact that total security has become for all countries an unattainable objective in today’s world.”
● Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher: “We must look for a better system of preventing war than nuclear deterrence. But to suggest that between East and West there is such a system within reach at the present time would be a perilous pretence.”
Was the Second Special Session any more successful than the First? Mr. Kittani, President of the UN General Assembly, answers: “Despite all our preparations and efforts, this session has not been a success. Our hopes and aspirations, together with those of countless millions, remain far from fulfillment.” |
God’s Laws on Hygiene Were Ahead of Their Time | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019228 | God’s Laws on Hygiene Were Ahead of Their Time
Shortly before the nation of Israel entered the Promised Land some 35 centuries ago, God said that he would protect them against “the terrible diseases” that they had known in Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:15) One way he did this was by giving them detailed instructions on disease control and hygiene. For example:
The nation’s code of laws required bathing and clothes washing.—Leviticus 15:4-27.
Regarding human waste, God stated: “A private place should be designated for use outside the camp, and there is where you should go. A peg should be part of your equipment. When you squat outside, you should dig a hole with it and then cover your excrement.”—Deuteronomy 23:12, 13.
People who were thought to have a communicable disease were quarantined—kept away from others for a time. Before returning, those who recovered from sickness had to wash their garments and bathe in water if they were to be considered “clean.”—Leviticus 14:8, 9.
Anyone who touched a dead body was quarantined.—Leviticus 5:2, 3; Numbers 19:16.
Israel’s laws reflected medical concepts and views on sanitation that were far ahead of their time.
Elsewhere, primitive standards of hygiene were prevalent. For example:
Waste was deposited in streets. Polluted water, contaminated food, and other kinds of refuse created unsanitary conditions that contributed to a high rate of disease and infant mortality.
Ancient medical doctors had little or no knowledge of germs and pathogens. Egyptians used such “remedies” as lizard blood, pelican dung, dead mice, urine, and moldy bread. Human as well as animal excrement was also commonly used in their medical procedures.
The ancient Egyptians picked up a variety of parasites from the contaminated waters of the Nile River and its irrigation canals. Likewise, many infants in Egypt died of diarrhea and similar disorders caused by contaminated food.
The Israelites, on the other hand, benefited and remained comparatively healthy by following the standards set out in God’s Law. |
Did You Know? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2009006 | Did You Know?
Did Pontius Pilate have reason to fear Caesar?
To pressure the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate into executing Jesus, the Jewish leaders said: “If you release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar.” (John 19:12) The “Caesar” mentioned here was Roman Emperor Tiberius. Would Pilate have had any reason to fear this Caesar?
What kind of person was Tiberius Caesar? Years before Jesus’ trial, Tiberius had already become “a man who seemed interested only in his own satisfactions and the increasingly perverse ways to find them,” says The New Encyclopædia Britannica. Paranoia moved him to torture and execute anyone who was even suspected of treason. “If the near-contemporary historians are to be believed,” reports the same reference work, “his favourite entertainments were cruel and obscene. Even under the most favourable interpretation, he killed ferociously and almost at random.”
Therefore, Tiberius’ reputation may well have figured in Pilate’s decision to bow to the pressure from the Jewish leaders and order the execution of Jesus.—John 19:13-16.
Why did Jesus wash the feet of his apostles?
In ancient Israel, many ordinary people would have gone about their daily business barefoot. Footwear, for those who did use it, consisted of sandals, which were little more than a sole strapped to the foot and ankle. Since roads and fields were dusty or muddy, people’s feet would inevitably get dirty.
It was the custom, therefore, for a person to remove his sandals upon entering a home. Hospitality required that a guest’s feet be washed. This task would be performed either by the householder or by a servant. The Bible contains a number of references to this common practice. For example, Abraham said to visitors to his tent: “Let a little water be taken, please, and you must have your feet washed. Then recline under the tree. And let me get a piece of bread, and refresh your hearts.”—Genesis 18:4, 5; 24:32; 1 Samuel 25:41; Luke 7:37, 38, 44.
This background information throws light on Jesus’ washing of his disciples’ feet during his last Passover with them. On that occasion, there was no householder or servant to perform this service, and evidently none of the disciples volunteered to do it. So by taking a basin of water and a towel to wash and dry his apostles’ feet, Jesus gave those men a lesson in love and humility.—John 13:5-17. |
Survival (su)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/su | Chapter 7
Act Wisely in the Face of Calamity
1. Why did people perish needlessly (a) when the Titanic sank? (b) when Mount Pelée exploded?
WHEN warned by a reliable source that disaster is impending, wise persons take action to safeguard their lives. (Proverbs 22:3) But countless thousands have perished needlessly because their confidence was misplaced. Despite warnings to get into lifeboats, hundreds of passengers went down with the ocean liner Titanic in 1912 because they believed the claim that it was unsinkable. When Mount Pelée in Martinique began to spew out volcanic ash and rock in 1902, the populace of nearby Saint-Pierre was apprehensive, but since the selfish interests of prominent members of the community were at stake, local politicians and the editor of the local newspaper sought to calm the fears of the people, urging them not to leave. Suddenly the mountain exploded, and 30,000 persons perished.
2. (a) What urgent warning is being sounded in our day? (b) Why is the situation serious?
2 In our day an even more urgent warning is being sounded—not about some local disaster but concerning the nearness of God’s universal war of Armageddon. (Isaiah 34:1, 2; Jeremiah 25:32, 33) Jehovah’s Witnesses have repeatedly called at the homes of people worldwide, urging them to act wisely, with a view to the preservation of their lives. Do you love life enough to take the needed action, and to do so promptly, without delay?
“THE WORLD IS PASSING AWAY”
3. Why will our attitude toward the world affect our prospect for survival?
3 A critical factor in your prospect for survival is your attitude toward the world. As long as you are alive as a human you are in the world. But you do not have to share its wrong desires and imitate its ungodly deeds. You do not have to identify yourself with it by putting your confidence in men and their schemes instead of in God and his purpose. But you must make a choice; you cannot be on both sides. “Whoever . . . wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” Why? Because, as God’s Word tells us, “the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.”—James 4:4; 1 John 5:19; Psalm 146:3-5.
4. (a) Using your Bible, explain what practices and attitudes will bar people from life under God’s Kingdom. (b) Why should any who have indulged in these things abandon them quickly?
4 Understandably, Jehovah will not preserve into his righteous New Order persons whose way of life gives evidence that they cling to what God condemns. What are some of these things? Many are activities and attitudes that the world takes for granted. But if we want to survive the end of this wicked world, then, regardless of what other people do and think, we will heed the Bible’s warning that fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals and those who indulge in immoral uncleanness and loose conduct will not be among the survivors. No matter how often others resort to lies or theft, we will reject such a way of life. Despite the popularity of occult practices, we will avoid them. Though others may become jealous, stir up strife, give in to fits of anger, or try to escape from frustrations with drugs or excessive use of alcoholic beverages, we will not imitate them. And if we have indulged in these things, we will face up to the need to change. Even if some of these seemed “normal” to us in the past, we will abandon them. Why? Because we truly love God, we love life, and God’s Word warns that “those who practice such things will not inherit God’s kingdom.”—Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 2 Corinthians 7:1; Revelation 22:15.
5. (a) If life is precious to us, what must we learn to do? (b) What fine qualities are mentioned in the scriptures at the end of this paragraph? How important are they? How can we develop them?
5 If an opportunity to live forever in happiness is important to us, we need to learn how to please the Giver of life, Jehovah God. (Acts 17:24-28; Revelation 4:11) Progressively we must apply his Word to every aspect of our lives. As we do that, we will soon take a serious look at our attitude toward ourselves and other people, toward personal possessions and attainments, and consider how this affects our standing before God. People around us may have an exalted opinion of themselves, of their own tribe or race or nation, but we will think seriously about the scripture that says: “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”—James 4:6; Zephaniah 2:2, 3; Psalm 149:4.
6, 7. Why should we examine our own lives in the light of 1 John 2:15-17?
6 Even though others allow themselves to be enslaved by the desires stimulated by a materialistic society or are motivated by a desire for personal prominence, we will examine our own life in the light of 1 John 2:15-17, which says: “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. Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.” If we need to make changes, this is the time to do it.
7 This world and its way of life will not go on forever. It is not “unsinkable.” Worldly men may try to hold on to their followers, making them feel that their efforts can improve the world. But the only way to be spared from impending calamity is to heed God’s message of warning. In this the Ninevites in the days of the prophet Jonah set an example that we do well to take to heart.
“THEY REPENTED AT WHAT JONAH PREACHED”
8. How did the Ninevites show wisdom when Jonah delivered God’s warning to them, and with what results?
8 In the ninth century B.C.E., Jehovah commissioned Jonah to go to the people of Nineveh, the capital of Assyria, to proclaim that, because of their badness, Nineveh was to be overthrown. When Jonah warned that in just 40 days they would perish, how did they react? Instead of scoffing, they “began to put faith in God, and they proceeded to proclaim a fast and to put on sackcloth.” The king himself joined them and urged all the people to call out earnestly to God and to turn back from their bad way and from their violence. He reasoned: “Who is there knowing whether the true God may . . . turn back from his burning anger, so that we may not perish?” Because they abandoned their bad way, Jehovah showed them mercy. Their lives were spared.—Jonah 3:2-10.
9, 10. (a) In what respect did Jesus say that the Ninevites were an example to imitate? (b) Who today are like those Ninevites?
9 As a reproof to unbelieving Jews in the first century C.E., Jesus drew attention to that historical incident, saying: “Men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it; because they repented at what Jonah preached, but, look! something more than Jonah is here.”—Matthew 12:41.
10 What about our day? Is anyone showing such repentance? Yes; there are many thousands worldwide who, like the Ninevites, may never have professed to worship the God of the Bible but who are now heeding Jehovah’s message of warning. When they learn why destruction is coming upon this world, they seek God’s mercy. They have a genuine change of mind and heart regarding their former way of life and now apply themselves to doing “works that befit repentance.” (Acts 26:20; see also Romans 2:4.) Is it your desire to be one of them? If so, do not delay.
URGENTLY SUE FOR PEACE
11. (a) What was the background of the Gibeonites? (b) Why did they sue for peace with Israel?
11 The Gibeonites in the days of Joshua also acted wisely so that their lives would be spared. They were Canaanites whose way of life was immoral and materialistic, idolatrous and demonistic. Jehovah had decreed their destruction. They knew how Jehovah had delivered Israel from Egypt 40 years earlier and that powerful Amorite kings east of the Jordan River had been unable to stand before them. Everyone was aware that, without the use of battering rams, the massive walls of Jericho had fallen flat before them and that the city of Ai had been reduced to a desolate mound. (Joshua 9:3, 9, 10) The inhabitants of the city of Gibeon wanted to live, but they realized that they could never win in a war against the God of Israel. Something needed to be done quickly. What? They could not insist on a treaty with Israel, but they thought they should at least try to obtain one. How?
12. (a) Despite the method they used, why were the Gibeonites spared? (b) What changes did they have to make, and what work was given them to do?
12 They acted shrewdly, sending to Joshua men whose appearance indicated that they had made a very long trip. Approaching Joshua, they said that they were from a distant land, that they had heard of the great things that Jehovah had done and, as representatives of their people, they had come to offer themselves as servants and to request that a covenant be made with them. Joshua and the chieftains of Israel agreed. Later, when the deception came to light, the Gibeonites humbly confessed that they were afraid for their lives and they showed a willingness to do anything required of them. (Joshua 9:4-25) Jehovah had observed the entire matter. He was not deceived. He could see that they were not trying to corrupt his people, as the Moabites had done earlier, and he appreciated their earnest desire to live. So he permitted them to be assigned to work under the Levites at the sacred tabernacle, gathering wood and drawing water, thus supporting Jehovah’s worship. To be acceptable for such service, of course, they had to abandon their former unclean practices.—Joshua 9:27; Leviticus 18:26-30.
13. (a) How can we benefit from that prophetic drama involving the Gibeonites? (b) To be spared by the Greater Joshua, what is required of people today?
13 In view of the fact that we live close to the end of the “last days,” it is vital for all persons who want to survive to act without delay, and with complete sincerity. Jesus Christ, who is Jehovah’s executioner today, cannot be tricked as Joshua was. The only way that such persons can enter into an arrangement with him to spare them from execution is for them publicly to declare their faith in Jehovah as the true God. (Compare Acts 2:17-21.) They must also accept Jesus Christ in the roles that God has assigned to him and live thereafter as persons who are not lovers of the way of life of this condemned world. Then they must become humble servants of God, rendering sacred service to him in association with the congregation of his people.—John 17:16; Revelation 7:14, 15.
14. Why is Jehovah’s deliverance of the Gibeonites from enemy forces significant for us?
14 Soon after the Gibeonites took their stand with Jehovah’s people, they came under great pressure. Five kings of the Amorites laid siege to Gibeon to force the inhabitants back onto their side, in opposition to Israel. The Gibeonites dispatched an urgent plea to Joshua for help, and the deliverance that they experienced was one of the most spectacular in all history. Jehovah threw the enemy into confusion, hurled hailstones on them from heaven, and caused the daylight to be extended miraculously until Israel had completely routed the enemy. (Joshua 10:1-14) That rescue of the Gibeonites was prophetic of an even more marvelous deliverance of a great crowd of worshipers of the true God at the universal war of Armageddon. The opportunity to benefit from that deliverance is open to people of every nation if they act wisely now. Are you availing yourself of that opportunity?—Revelation 7:9, 10. |
Sing Praises (ssb)
1984 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb | Song 189
Proclaiming Jehovah’s Day of Vengeance
(Isaiah 61:2)
1. The trumpets now are sounding;
The call is loud and clear.
Jehovah’s day of vengeance
Is drawing ever near.
We tell it out with boldness,
Though men may frown and scorn.
The warning must be given;
God’s Kingdom has been born.
2. The battle is Jehovah’s.
His Son directs the fight.
Victorious is the finish,
Exalting truth and right.
All strategy of Satan
Will surely come to naught.
To carry out our warfare,
Our hands by God are taught.
3. God’s watchmen must give warning.
As one, they raise their voice.
Each stands in his position
According to God’s choice.
Jehovah times all matters;
The time is getting short
For us to preach God’s Kingdom
And make a good report. |
Finding a Marriage Mate | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101977002 | Finding a Marriage Mate
“IF YOU would marry wisely, marry your equal,” said a poet. ‘But who is my equal?’ you might well ask. And so the answer starts not with a look across the dance floor, but with an honest look at yourself. You too have faults, personality flaws; you do not offer perfection. On the other hand, you have certain beliefs, talents, likes and needs. Try hard to see them.
Further, you need to determine your own preparedness for marriage. You cannot just be willing to say “I do.” You must be ready and able to “love, honor and cherish,” as wedlock demands. Do you have a fair understanding of what the roles of husband and wife involve? Do you have a realistic view of life, including matrimony?
In fact, being able honestly to appraise yourself is a good sign of emotional maturity. And it is this quality that you must see both in yourself and in anyone you wish to marry. When you think of a small child married to an adult it is ludicrous, laughable. Yet how sad to marry someone and find that inside an adult body the mind and emotions are those of a child.
How do you evaluate the emotional level of another? Here is where the key to finding a good mate comes in. Call it thinking ability, common sense, or discernment—it means being able to observe others objectively without letting your emotions ‘color over’ the truth. For example, if you see that someone always wants his own way, is easily discouraged and quits, strives to be the center of attention, of whom are you reminded? Yes, a child. “Oh, but he (or, she) is so good-looking!” you may exclaim. Then the individual is but a very attractive child. Think about it some more.
Many would scoff at this emphasis on thinking ability. They claim that the basis for liking another is sheer sexual attraction—‘that is real life.’ There is no doubt that sexual attraction is usually a big factor. Nevertheless, real life, daily living, involves much more than sex. In fact, how you get along all day is going to play a major role in your sexual compatibility. Too, emotionally “grown-up” people recognize that you can be sexually attracted to many, even simultaneously, but that there are comparatively few with whom you can be happily matched.
So, for those who seek a permanent, happy relationship, thinking ability and emotional maturity are essential. Because of this, youths face a particularly difficult barrier. Consider why.
“Emotional Adulthood”—When?
Really there is no set age at which one can be declared emotionally mature. Some never grow up. However, of one thing you can be sure, marrying someone will not instantly make that one grow up. Thus, youths who wish to marry must consider a serious question: What is the likelihood of your prospective partner’s being sufficiently adult emotionally? Would you want to face circumstances like these . . . ?
“I don’t understand what happened to us, but I just don’t love Bill any more. I can’t help it. He’s not the man I married.”
“I’ve outgrown my wife. She can’t give me what I need. She doesn’t have it and never will. I wish I had seen that before we got married.”—The Marriage Gap.
What has happened here? There are, no doubt, several elements. But likely, when they got married, one or both were still having what are called mental and emotional ‘growth spurts.’ Many psychologists agree with Dr. Bowman (Marriage for Moderns), that while humans normally stop growing physically by the late teens, “sometimes even during the early twenties, many individuals are still in the process of rather rapid change in attitudes, tastes, and choices. In many instances, what seems at the time like a permanent choice proves later to have been a tentative one.”
Now think of the impact on two teenagers in an early marriage. In a very real sense, the two persons may each change so much that they bring to the marriage personalities different from those expected. Of course, the couple can work to overcome this obstacle. They do not have to take the negative attitude of those quoted above. However, all of this illustrates the wisdom of the Bible when it discusses making a decision on marriage when one is “past the bloom of youth”—thus more emotionally settled.—1 Cor. 7:36.
Still, even among those emotionally full grown there are many areas that demand discernment of one seeking a mate. One of these is your circle of friends.
Your Relationships with Others
Everyone needs friends. Yet especially if you want to marry do you need to exercise care in your associations. Why? Because, unless you live where marriages are “arranged,” you will probably marry someone met through mutual friends. And your social group will dictate the caliber of people that you are constantly around. Thus, before you are romantically involved, assess your friends.
Are you their “friend” because you financially offer them something? Do you have meaningful relationships with them? Do you really share with them the same beliefs and interests? Has their influence made you a better person? Looking at this circle may seem irrelevant, but it is not. You may see the need to make adjustments in your associations, either dropping some or cautiously ‘widening out’ the circle.
Too, you will find that one of the best ways to get to know a new acquaintance better is to invite the “newcomer” to spend an evening with you along with your friends. This is much safer than immediately dating someone, isolating the relationship and allowing emotion to distort the realities.
At this point, however, some may be thinking: “What circle of friends?” For many it is truly difficult to form friendships and thus even get to know a possible mate. The problem may be shyness and insecurity. Sometimes it is being overly sensitive. With others, there is the feeling that no one is good enough—an attitude of superiority.
In any case, be honest with yourself about the problem and work on it. If you need to, get mature counsel. But do not isolate yourself. A Bible proverb says that “one isolating himself will seek his own selfish longing.” (Prov. 18:1) Whatever the cause, the more you turn inward, the more self-centered you become, the less you offer to others as a basis for friendship.
Happiness comes from giving of yourself, from extending yourself to others. Communicating well with other people, thinking in terms of how to help and love other people are valuable assets to bring to a marriage. Drawing off to yourself in a dream world, even if you do marry, will not prepare you for daily life with another imperfect human.
When you are invited somewhere, let it be known that you really appreciate it. In turn, just because you are single, do not develop the attitude that others should always entertain you. Be ready to extend hospitality, no matter how modest.
A word of caution here, however. It is not wise to convey to others the idea that your only aim in life is to enjoy a party and ‘have fun.’ Strive to develop practical, mind-improving interests. Take care of yourself physically, for your appearance does reflect what you think of yourself. Also, displaying an attractive personality is so often a matter of balance. Try not to be so withdrawn that you contribute nothing to a conversation or group activity, while avoiding the opposite extreme of being overbearing, constantly talking.
If you do decide to date, it is extremely unwise to date several different people at one time. You will be so emotionally confused that an intelligent choice is virtually impossible. Not only that, you are really perpetrating a fraud since you can only marry one. And besides hurting another you may acquire the reputation of a “flirt” or ‘insincere cheat.’ If you are so uncertain about a person’s being what you desire, why keep close company?
Now, suppose you find a mutual attraction growing between you and a ‘special friend.’ How can thinking ability and emotional maturity guide you through courtship?
A Realistic Courtship
Courtship should be a time of happiness. Yet if the flowering tree of spring brings forth bad fruitage later, the remembered blossoms are small compensation.
It is good to be able to laugh and have fun together. To walk by the seashore and just “talk and talk” can be very meaningful. Still, you need to remember that courtship has another purpose—preparation for marriage. If your courtship includes such practical things as shopping together or studying together, you are better prepared for the crucial transition to matrimony.
And while there is a great desire to please your boyfriend or girl friend, try hard not to put on “airs” or be someone you are not. Many, in fear of losing a prospective mate, end up virtually acting out a role. The question is, How long can you keep acting? This is one reason that a sufficiently long period of courtship is advisable.
Yet even if a courtship goes along smoothly, how can you really be sure of your feelings and the “rightness” of the match? Often when young people ask this question of married persons they get an answer such as “You just know.” Know what?
Well, you realize that besides wanting each other, you come to a point of mutual trust. You want to do things for each other, to give to each other. You clearly see the many beliefs and interests that you share in common. And you recognize not only the present depth of relationship but also its potential. All of this is part of genuine love.
Frequently today youths go their own way and suddenly bring home to their family a stranger to whom they are “engaged.” But there is much wisdom in the “old-fashioned” approach of talking to older persons about the individual that you are contemplating marrying and about your own feelings. Often those not emotionally involved can help you to make a more realistic decision.
The sincere Christian also recognizes the need to go to the greatest source of wisdom, the Creator of marriage. A servant of God realizes that such a far-reaching decision deserves much prayer and meditation. He remembers the Bible proverb: ‘Have you found a good wife (or, husband)? You have found a good thing, and you get goodwill from Jehovah.’ (Prov. 18:22) Considering the obstacles to a successful marriage, certainly God’s “goodwill” should be fervently sought.
Once a firm commitment has been made to wed, you cannot afford to lessen your efforts to get to know your fiancé or fiancée. In one college study the conclusion was drawn that “most engaged couples today spend much of their engagement time worrying about their weddings—and not enough planning about the kind of married life they’ll have after the wedding.” Really, on into marriage, an attitude of being eager to know and adjust to your partner is vital. It’s an “investment” in harmony and happiness.
However, some may read with despair these guidelines on finding a mate. They have tried many of these suggestions and they are still alone.
“I Can’t Find Anyone”
Today many single people face a most difficult reality. Because of circumstance—handicap, age, family responsibilities—they know that the opportunities for them to marry are few, if any. As one elderly widow expressed it: “There are fewer men at my age than women, and many of them are interested in younger women.” If you are in such a situation, what can you do?
Well, you may consider most of what we have stated as not applying in your case. But reflect for a moment. We have encouraged an honest appraisal of yourself, a careful widening out in your friendships. We have urged you to form meaningful relationships with others rather than to draw off to yourself in a dream world. You will find it true that there is more happiness in giving and whether you eventually marry or not you will not regret having a positive view of life. It offers so much more.
Sadly, some have allowed themselves to get into such a state of mind that when an unexpected opportunity to have a good marriage comes along, they are not prepared. On the other hand, to be obsessed with what you do not have is emotionally unhealthy. It is just as dangerous as when a married person constantly dwells on the freedoms he or she would have if single. It will not bring happiness.
Many lonely people have experienced that their way to happiness is in forming a deep relationship with their Creator. Realizing that there is a loving God, discovering how much he cares and what a purposeful life they can lead in serving him has brought them a outputment that they thought they would never find.—Ps. 55:22; 73:28.
It has also led them to enjoyable association with others who could help them. As one woman expressed it: “One of the things that attracted me most to Jehovah’s Witnesses was the warmth and genuine spirit of kindness that they showed. And the reception I received at the Kingdom Hall was very impressive. I was a very self-centered person, caring only for myself. The Bible truth helped me to see that it is better to give than to receive.” And certainly among such trustworthy Christians a person has a much better opportunity of finding an honest, balanced marriage mate.
So while the road to wedlock today has its difficulties and dangers, you can use thinking ability to avoid the modern “singles” trend, which so often is simply a series of disasters. By rejecting the myths and emotionally damaging practices of the majority, by following Bible principles, you do have a much better chance for finding a good marital match. Solid unions continue to be formed. This is because there remain people who will give of themselves within this God-arranged institution of marriage, which still contains every possibility for lasting joy. |
Great Teacher (te)
1971 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/te | Chapter 12
Tempted by the Devil
DID anyone ever ask you to do something that was wrong?— Did he dare you to do it? Or did he say it would be fun and that it would not really be wrong to do it?— When someone does this to us, he is trying to tempt us.
What should we do when we are tempted? Should we give in and do what is wrong?— That would not please Jehovah God. But do you know whom it would make happy?— Satan the Devil.
Satan is the enemy of God and he is our enemy. We cannot see him, because he is a spirit. But he can see us. One day the Devil talked with Jesus, the Great Teacher, and tried to tempt him. Let’s find out what Jesus did. Then we will know the right thing to do when we are tempted.
Jesus had gone away to the mountains to pray to God. He wanted to think about the work God gave him to do.
While Jesus was there in the mountains, forty days and nights went by! All of this time Jesus did not eat anything. Jesus was now very hungry.
This is when Satan tried to tempt Jesus. The Devil said: “If you are a son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.” How good some bread would taste!
But could Jesus have turned a stone into a loaf of bread?— Yes, he could. For Jesus is the Son of God. He has special powers.
Would you have made the stone a loaf of bread if the Devil asked you to do it?— Jesus was hungry. So would it have been all right to do it just once?— Jesus knew that it would be wrong to use his powers in this way. Jehovah gave him these powers to draw people to God, not to use them on himself.
So, instead, Jesus told Satan that it is written in the Bible: ‘Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from Jehovah’s mouth.’ Jesus knew that doing what pleases Jehovah is even more important than having food to eat.
But the Devil tried again. He took Jesus into Jerusalem and had him stand up on a high part of the temple. Then the Devil said to Jesus: ‘If you are a son of God, throw yourself down from here. For it is written that God’s angels will keep you from hurting yourself.’ What did Jesus do?—
Again, Jesus did not listen to Satan. He told Satan that it was wrong to test Jehovah by taking chances with his life.
Still Satan did not give up. He took Jesus along to a very high mountain. He showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. Then Satan said to Jesus: ‘All these things I will give you if you bow down and do an act of worship to me.’ What would you have done?—
Jesus would not do it. He knew it would be wrong to worship the Devil no matter what he would get. So Jesus said to the Devil: ‘Go away, Satan! For the Bible says, It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and you must serve only him.’—Luke 4:1-13; Matthew 4:1-10.
We are faced with temptations too. Do you know how?— Here is an example.
Your mother may make a delicious pie or cake for dinner. But she may tell you not to eat any of it until mealtime. You may be very hungry. So you may feel tempted to eat it. Will you obey your mother?— Satan wants you to disobey.
But remember Jesus. He was very hungry too. But he knew that pleasing God was more important.
As you grow a little older, it may be that some other children will ask you to swallow some pills. Or they may give you a cigarette to smoke. They may tell you that these will make you feel really good. But these things may be drugs. They can make you very sick, and can even kill you. What will you do?—
Remember Jesus. Satan tried to get Jesus to take chances with his life by telling him to jump off the temple. But Jesus would not do it. He did not listen to Satan. Neither should you listen to anyone who tries to get you to take drugs.
It is easy to do what is right when everyone else is doing it. But it can be pretty hard when others are trying to get us to do wrong. They may say that what they are doing is not so bad. But the big question is, What does God say about it? He knows best.
So no matter what others say, we will not do things God says are not right. In that way we will always make God happy, and will never serve the Devil.
(More good advice about how to resist temptation to do wrong is found at Matthew 26:41, Proverbs 22:24, 25 and Psalm 1:1, 2.) |
School Guidebook (sg)
1992 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/sg | Study 10
Developing the Art of Teaching
1-3. What does teaching involve, and what opportunities to teach do we have?
1 As true Christians we look to Jehovah God and Jesus Christ as our Great Teachers. We join with the psalmist who prayed to Jehovah: “Teach me to do your will.” (Ps. 143:10) We are also of the same mind as those first-century disciples of Jesus who addressed him as “Teacher.” And what a teacher Jesus is! After he gave his Sermon on the Mount, “the crowds were astounded at his way of teaching; for he was teaching them as a person having authority.” (Matt. 7:28, 29) These are the Greatest Teachers, and we seek to imitate them.
2 Teaching is an ability that needs to be developed. It involves explaining the whats, hows, whys, wheres and whens of a matter. Every Christian has need to improve his teaching ability, especially in view of Jesus’ instructions to his followers: “Make disciples of people of all the nations, . . . teaching them.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) That this is a work requiring skill can be seen from the admonition of the apostle Paul to Timothy: “Exhort, with all long-suffering and art of teaching.”—2 Tim. 4:2.
3 Many indeed are the opportunities to teach others. Parents need to teach their children. Proclaimers of the good news need to teach newly interested persons by means of home Bible studies. Often there are opportunities to instruct new publishers. And many brothers are privileged to give edifying discourses, either on the service meeting or as public talks. All students in the Theocratic Ministry School should be anxious to demonstrate their progress as teachers. As you develop your ability to share in this teaching aspect of the ministry, you will find it truly satisfying and richly rewarding. There is nothing quite as enjoyable as teaching someone from God’s Word and then seeing him make fine spiritual advancement.
4, 5. Upon whom and what should we rely in giving instruction?
4 Reliance on Jehovah. A vital requirement to be effective as a teacher of the good news is to rely on Jehovah, taking notice of him, leaning upon his guidance and asking for his help. (Prov. 3:5, 6) Even Jesus said, “What I teach is not mine, but belongs to him that sent me.” (John 7:16) He regularly referred to God’s Word, quoting from or alluding to about one half of the books of the Hebrew Scriptures in his recorded conversations. So when teaching others, rely on God’s Word of truth as Jesus did. Get your answers from it, for there is but one primary textbook for teaching people to become disciples of Jesus, and that is the Holy Bible.—2 Tim. 3:16.
5 If you truly rely on Jehovah, you need not feel incompetent. God gives us an understanding of his purposes as set forth in his Word of truth. If you share your knowledge of these truths with others, Jehovah will back you up. There is no need to hold back, saying, “I am not a teacher.” You can be if you prayerfully rely on Jehovah.—2 Cor. 3:5.
6-8. What part does preparation play in effective teaching?
6 Preparation. There is, of course, no substitute for getting to know your subject. You need a clear grasp of the material before you can teach someone else. (Rom. 2:21) As your scope of knowledge increases, you will obviously become a better teacher. But even though you know only a few basic truths, you can still be a teacher. Talk about what you know. Even young children can teach schoolmates truths they have learned from their parents. The Theocratic Ministry School will help you to develop your teaching ability.
7 If you are going to conduct a Bible study or give a talk, first get the arguments supporting the material clearly in mind. Try to determine why a thing is so. See if you can put the ideas in your own words. Get a good understanding of the Scriptural proofs. Be prepared to apply the scriptures effectively.
8 Another aspect of preparation is to consider beforehand the questions that may arise in the student’s mind due to his religious background. This will help you to be prepared with information that will particularly fit that student. Having in mind the understanding he has already will aid you in laying the foundation for new material and assisting him to progress. Another student may need a different set of arguments because of his background. So knowing your student helps you to prepare.
9. How can you encourage students to answer in their own words?
9 Questions. Questions are especially helpful in effective teaching, as Jesus Christ often demonstrated. (Luke 10:36) So when conducting a Bible study you can follow his method, using the printed questions in the publications. But if you are a thorough teacher, you will not be satisfied if the student simply reads the answer from the book. In such a case you need additional questions that stimulate the student to put the thought into his own words. Sometimes all you need to say is: “That is right, but how would you explain it in your own words?”
10. Explain the use of leading questions.
10 You will also find leading questions to be helpful in teaching. These are questions that aid you to direct the mind of the person, on the basis of what he already knows, to a conclusion that perhaps he has never thought about. (Matt. 17:25, 26; 22:41-46) In effect you say to yourself: ‘I know this student has knowledge of this and that, so if I ask some questions in a logical sequence, he can arrive at the right conclusion. But if I skip the leading questions and outrightly ask him the main question, he may jump to the wrong conclusion.’ In other words, the student has information with which he can arrive at the answer. But he needs help. The easy way, of course, is to tell him the answer. But if you use leading questions, you not only make the answer more acceptable because the student states it himself, but also help him to develop thinking ability. Your questions will lead his mind along the steps of logical thought to the right conclusion. This will be of immeasurable value to him later.
11. How may viewpoint questions be employed?
11 At times you will find it desirable to ask viewpoint questions. By means of them you seek to find out what the student personally believes on a matter. For example, you might ask him what God’s law is on fornication. He may be able to quote a scripture that shows it is wrong. But does the student really agree with the answer he gave? Is that his personal view? You may wish to ask a question to find out what he actually thinks about fornication. You might ask, “What difference does it make whether we live that way or not?” You may then discern areas where more help is needed and you can follow through. Viewpoint questions help you to reach the heart of the student.
12, 13. Why are questions beneficial to use both in the house-to-house ministry and when giving a talk from the platform?
12 Questions are also helpful in the house-to-house ministry. For example, you want to find out what the householder is thinking so you can better help him to understand Bible truths. You also ask questions and invite his comment because you know that if he is given the opportunity to express his view, he will be more inclined to listen to what you say.
13 Even when giving a talk from the platform, there are times when you ask questions to which you want an answer. So you invite the audience to respond. But there are also times when you use rhetorical questions—questions asked to stimulate thinking, with no answer expected from the audience. (Luke 12:49-51) You supply the answers yourself. At times you may wish to use a series of questions, not giving an answer till you get to the concluding one. The kind of question you use depends on your audience and what you are teaching.
14, 15. What purposes are served by illustrations and repetition?
14 Illustrations. These formed an important feature of Jesus’ teaching. Similarly, Christian teachers today can draw upon the affairs and experiences of life for illustrations that will help to impress fine teachings on the minds of their listeners. (Matt. 13:34, 35) Work to make your illustrations simple, as complex or involved ones may be difficult to follow and may even detract from your arguments. The letter of James contains many illustrations—the wave of the sea, rudder of a ship, bridle of a horse, a mirror, and so forth. All were taken from the common things of life. An alert teacher will seek to make the illustration applicable to his learner’s circumstances, age, religion, culture, and so forth. Illustrations, of course, can be used in discourses, as well as when you are teaching an individual.
15 Repetition. This technique is vital for successful teaching, no matter whether you are on the platform or teaching an individual at home. Seek to impress key words and phrases, and especially scriptures, on the mind of your student. If you have a student talk with a householder, you could ask review questions, thus emphasizing points by repetition. By this means you can be sure that the student got the thought. In effect you will be asking as Jesus did: “Did you get the sense of all these things?”—Matt. 13:51.
16. If a speaker is a good teacher, what will you be able to remember after hearing his talk?
16 Talks that teach. You remember with appreciation talks from which you learn the most. So take note why it is that some speakers are good teachers. Notice what makes their talks easy to remember. Their delivery is not hurried. They may use questions, whether for the audience to answer or rhetorical questions to stimulate thinking. They will ask you to look up the key scriptures and follow along as they are read, reasoning on them, elaborating on them and highlighting the main thoughts. Some may use visual aids. But in all cases you will note that it is much easier to recall a few points well explained than many briefly touched on. When the art of teaching is used, those who hear the talk should readily be able to state the theme, the main points and perhaps an outstanding scripture or two that were used.
17, 18. How and why should we direct attention to the Great Teachers?
17 Directing attention to the Great Teachers. As a Christian teacher you should always be conscious of the importance of directing attention to Jehovah God as the Source of life and to Jesus Christ as God’s channel through whom life and blessings come. (John 17:3) Endeavor to develop in others a warm appreciation for these truly Great Teachers.
18 As you master the art of teaching you will also appreciate the part played by love. If a student really comes to love Jehovah God, then he will serve him faithfully. So, in the course of the study, at appropriate points, draw attention to the significance of what God has done and is doing for sinful men. Highlight the wisdom, justice, love and power of God, those attributes that always blend so wonderfully for the benefit of obedient humans. If a student’s heart is right, in time he too will feel a deep loyalty to Jehovah and a desire to share in magnifying his name. |
School Guidebook (sg)
1992 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/sg | outputs
PAGE STUDY
5 1 Speaking Delightful Words of Truth
9 2 The Theocratic Ministry School Brings Benefits
14 3 The Bible—Our Principal Textbook
19 4 How to Read and Remember
24 5 Be a Good Listener
29 6 ‘Apply Yourself to Public Reading’
33 7 Study Is Rewarding
39 8 The Value of Preparation
44 9 Working Up an Outline
49 10 Developing the Art of Teaching
54 11 Using Good Speech Every Day
58 12 Extemporaneous and Impromptu Speech
63 13 Voice Improvement and Use of Microphones
69 14 Tactful Yet Firm
73 15 Reaching the Heart of Your Listeners
78 16 Conversation That Upbuilds
84 17 How to Write Letters
90 18 Improving Your Answers
96 19 Using the School to Improve Field Ministry
100 20 Counsel Builds Up
108 21 Informative Material, Clearly Presented
113 22 Effective Introductions
116 23 Volume and Pausing
122 24 Directing Attention to the Bible
126 25 Reading and Applying Scriptures
130 26 Use of Repetition and Gestures
133 27 Highlighting the Theme and Main Points
138 28 Audience Contact and Use of Notes
142 29 Fluent, Conversational Delivery with Proper Pronunciation
149 30 Coherent Development of a Talk
153 31 Convince Your Audience, Reason with Them
158 32 Sense Stress and Modulation
163 33 Manifesting Enthusiasm and Warmth
168 34 Fitting Illustrations
172 35 Material Adapted for Field Ministry
175 36 Appropriate Conclusion and Your Timing
181 37 Poise and Personal Appearance
188 38 Let Your Advancement Be Manifest
NOTE: Scripture quotations in this book are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. |
Examining the Scriptures—2022
2021 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/examining-the-scriptures/examining-the-scriptures-2022 | Examining the Scriptures Daily—2022 |
YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
What Should I Know About Online Photo Sharing? | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502017138 | YOUNG PEOPLE ASK
What Should I Know About Online Photo Sharing?
You’re having a great vacation, and you want to tell your friends all about it! But how? Will you
send each one a postcard?
write an e-mail to all your friends?
post photos online?
When your grandparents were your age, “A” was probably the only option.
When your parents were your age, “B” may have been a possibility.
Today, many young people who are allowed to post photos online prefer option “C.” Do you? If so, this article will help you avoid a few pitfalls.
What are the benefits?
What are the dangers?
What you can do
What your peers say
What are the benefits?
It’s immediate. “When I’ve had an awesome trip or a great time with friends, I can share photos of the experience while I’m still excited about it.”—Melanie.
It’s convenient. “It’s a lot easier to look through photo updates that my friends have posted than to use e-mail to find out what’s happening with them.”—Jordan.
It helps you stay in touch. “Some of my friends and family live far away. If they post pictures often and I check often, it’s as if I see them every day!”—Karen.
What are the dangers?
You can put your safety at risk. If your camera has geotagging, your posted pictures might reveal more than you intend. “Posting photos and other media tagged with exact geolocation on the Internet allows random people with the right tracking software and wrong motives to find an individual’s location,” reports the website Digital Trends.
Of course, some criminals are more concerned with where you are not. In one case reported by Digital Trends, three burglars broke into 18 homes while everyone was out. How did they know that no one would be home? They went online and tracked the movements of the residents—a technique called cybercasing—and made off with more than $100,000 (U.S.) worth of goods.
You can come across offensive output. Some people have no shame in posting anything for the world to see. A teenager named Sarah says: “The trouble comes when you browse through the accounts of people you don’t know. It’s like walking through an unfamiliar city without a map. You’re almost certain to end up in a place you didn’t want to go.”
Your time can slip away. “It’s easy to get caught up in viewing the latest posts and reading everyone’s comments,” says a young woman named Yolanda. “You can get to the point where you pull out your phone every spare second just to see what’s new.”
You need self-control if you have a photo-sharing account
A teenager named Samantha would agree. “I have to regulate the amount of time I spend on these sites,” she says. “You really need self-control if you’re going to have a photo-sharing account.”
What you can do
Be determined to avoid objectionable output. The Bible says: “I will not set anything worthless before my eyes.”—Psalm 101:3.
“I regularly check the posts of those I’m following, and I unfollow them if I feel that their output is inappropriate.”—Steven.
Avoid contact with people who do not share your values, since they can undermine your moral defenses. The Bible says: “Do not be misled. Bad associations corrupt good morals.”—1 Corinthians 15:33, footnote.
“Don’t follow photo trends just because they’re popular. Often, that’s where you will come across profanity, nudity, and other offensive output.”—Jessica.
Set limits on how long you will browse and how often you will post photos. The Bible says: “Keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, making the best use of your time.”—Ephesians 5:15, 16.
“I’ve unfollowed people who are ‘overposters.’ For example, someone goes to the beach and posts 20 pictures of the same shell. Really? It takes too much time to browse through all those photos!”—Rebekah.
Make sure the photos you post don’t give the impression that it’s all about you. The Bible writer Paul says: “I tell everyone there among you not to think more of himself than it is necessary to think.” (Romans 12:3) Don’t assume that your friends will be captivated by photos of you and your activities.
“Some people post endless selfies. If we’re friends, I know what you look like—I don’t need constant reminders!”—Allison.
What your peers say
“I have my account set to ‘Private’ so that not just anyone can follow me. I only let people follow me if I know them well and would feel comfortable having a face-to-face conversation with them.”—Cheyenne.
“Before sharing photos I usually ask myself questions like: ‘Is this too personal? Could this offend people in some way? Will I later regret having posted this photo?’ ”—Eliana. |
Isaiah’s Prophecy I (ip-1)
2000 | https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-1 | Chapter Twenty-two
Isaiah Foretells Jehovah’s ‘Strange Deed’
Isaiah 28:1–29:24
1, 2. Why do Israel and Judah feel secure?
FOR a brief moment, Israel and Judah feel secure. Their leaders have forged political alliances with larger, more powerful nations, in an effort to find safety in a dangerous world. Samaria, the capital of Israel, has turned to neighboring Syria, while Jerusalem, the capital of Judah, has rested her hope on ruthless Assyria.
2 In addition to putting their trust in new political allies, some in the northern kingdom may expect Jehovah to protect them—despite their continuing to use golden calves in worship. Judah is likewise convinced that she can count on Jehovah’s protection. After all, is not Jehovah’s temple located in Jerusalem, their capital city? But there are unexpected events ahead for both nations. Jehovah inspires Isaiah to foretell developments that will seem truly strange to his wayward people. And his words contain vital lessons for everyone today.
“The Drunkards of Ephraim”
3, 4. Of what is the northern kingdom of Israel proud?
3 Isaiah begins his prophecy with startling words: “Woe to the eminent crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading blossom of its decoration of beauty that is upon the head of the fertile valley of those overpowered by wine! Look! Jehovah has someone strong and vigorous. Like a thunderous storm of hail, . . . he will certainly do a casting down to the earth with force. With the feet the eminent crowns of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trampled down.”—Isaiah 28:1-3.
4 Ephraim, the most prominent of the ten northern tribes, has come to stand for the entire kingdom of Israel. Its capital, Samaria, enjoys a beautiful and commanding location at “the head of the fertile valley.” Ephraim’s leaders are proud of their “eminent crown” of independence from the Davidic kingship in Jerusalem. But they are “drunkards,” spiritually inebriated because of their alliance with Syria against Judah. Everything they cherish is about to be trampled under the feet of invaders.—Compare Isaiah 29:9.
5. What is Israel’s precarious position, but what hope does Isaiah hold out?
5 Ephraim does not realize its precarious position. Isaiah continues: “The fading flower of its decoration of beauty that is upon the head of the fertile valley must become like the early fig before summer, that, when the seer sees it, while it is yet in his palm, he swallows it down.” (Isaiah 28:4) Ephraim will fall into the hand of Assyria, a sweet morsel to be consumed in a single bite. Is there no hope, then? Well, as is so often the case, Isaiah’s judgment prophecies are tempered with hope. Even though the nation falls, faithful individuals will survive, with Jehovah’s help. “Jehovah of armies will become as a crown of decoration and as a garland of beauty to the ones remaining over of his people, and as a spirit of justice to the one sitting in the judgment, and as mightiness to those turning away the battle from the gate.”—Isaiah 28:5, 6.
“They Have Gone Astray”
6. When does Israel meet her demise, but why should Judah not gloat?
6 The day of reckoning for Samaria comes in 740 B.C.E. when the Assyrians devastate the land and the northern kingdom ceases to exist as an independent nation. What about Judah? Her land will be invaded by Assyria, and later Babylon will destroy her capital city. But during Isaiah’s lifetime, Judah’s temple and priesthood will remain in operation and her prophets will continue to prophesy. Should Judah gloat over the coming demise of her northern neighbor? Certainly not! Jehovah will also settle accounts with Judah and her leaders for their disobedience and lack of faith.
7. In what way are Judah’s leaders drunk, and with what results?
7 Directing his message to Judah, Isaiah continues: “And these also—because of wine they have gone astray and because of intoxicating liquor they have wandered about. Priest and prophet—they have gone astray because of intoxicating liquor, they have become confused as a result of the wine, they have wandered about as a result of the intoxicating liquor; they have gone astray in their seeing, they have reeled as to decision. For the tables themselves have all become full of filthy vomit—there is no place without it.” (Isaiah 28:7, 8) How disgusting! Literal drunkenness in God’s house would be bad enough. But these priests and prophets are spiritually intoxicated—their minds beclouded by overconfidence in human alliances. They have deceived themselves into thinking that their course is the only practical one, perhaps believing that they now have a backup plan in case Jehovah’s protection proves inadequate. In their spiritually inebriated state, these religious leaders spew out revolting, unclean expressions that betray their grievous lack of genuine faith in God’s promises.
8. What is the response to Isaiah’s message?
8 How do Judah’s leaders react to Jehovah’s warning? They mock Isaiah, accusing him of speaking to them as if they were infants: “Whom will one instruct in knowledge, and whom will one make understand what has been heard? Those who have been weaned from the milk, those moved away from the breasts? For it is ‘command upon command, command upon command, measuring line upon measuring line, measuring line upon measuring line, here a little, there a little.’” (Isaiah 28:9, 10) How repetitious and strange Isaiah sounds to them! He keeps repeating himself, saying: ‘This is what Jehovah has commanded! This is what Jehovah has commanded! This is Jehovah’s standard! This is Jehovah’s standard!’a But Jehovah will soon “speak” to the inhabitants of Judah by means of action. He will send against them the armies of Babylon—foreigners who really do speak a different language. Those armies will certainly carry out Jehovah’s “command upon command,” and Judah will fall.—Read Isaiah 28:11-13.
Spiritual Drunkards Today
9, 10. When and how have Isaiah’s words had meaning for later generations?
9 Were Isaiah’s prophecies fulfilled only on ancient Israel and Judah? By no means! Both Jesus and Paul quoted his words and applied them to the nation of their day. (Isaiah 29:10, 13; Matthew 15:8, 9; Romans 11:8) Today, too, a situation has arisen like that of Isaiah’s day.
10 This time, it is the religious leaders of Christendom who put their faith in politics. They stagger about unsteadily, like the drunkards of Israel and Judah, interfering in political matters, rejoicing at being consulted by the so-called great ones of this world. Instead of speaking pure Bible truth, they speak uncleanness. Their spiritual vision is blurred, and they are not safe guides for mankind.—Matthew 15:14.
11. How do the leaders of Christendom react to the good news of God’s Kingdom?
11 How do the leaders of Christendom react when Jehovah’s Witnesses draw their attention to the only true hope, God’s Kingdom? They do not understand. To them, the Witnesses seem to be babbling repetitiously, like babes. The religious leaders look down on these messengers and mock them. Like the Jews of Jesus’ day, they do not want God’s Kingdom nor do they want their flocks to hear about it. (Matthew 23:13) Hence, they are put on notice that Jehovah will not always speak by means of his harmless messengers. The time will come when those who do not subject themselves to God’s Kingdom will be “broken and ensnared and caught,” yes, utterly destroyed.
“A Covenant With Death”
12. What is Judah’s supposed “covenant with Death”?
12 Isaiah continues his pronouncement: “You men have said: ‘We have concluded a covenant with Death; and with Sheol we have effected a vision; the overflowing flash flood, in case it should pass through, will not come to us, for we have made a lie our refuge and in falsehood we have concealed ourselves.’” (Isaiah 28:14, 15) Judah’s leaders brag that their political alliances insulate them from defeat. They feel that they have made “a covenant with Death” to leave them alone. But their hollow refuge will not shield them. Their alliances are a lie, a falsehood. Similarly today, Christendom’s close relationship with the leaders of the world will not protect her when Jehovah’s time for her accounting comes. Indeed, it will prove to be her undoing.—Revelation 17:16, 17.
13. Who is the “tried stone,” and how has Christendom rejected him?
13 Where, then, should these religious leaders be looking? Isaiah now records Jehovah’s promise: “Here I am laying as a foundation in Zion a stone, a tried stone, the precious corner of a sure foundation. No one exercising faith will get panicky. And I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the leveling instrument; and the hail must sweep away the refuge of a lie, and the waters themselves will flood out the very place of concealment.” (Isaiah 28:16, 17) Not long after Isaiah speaks these words, faithful King Hezekiah is enthroned in Zion, and his kingdom is saved, not by neighboring allies, but by Jehovah’s intervention. However, these inspired words are not fulfilled in Hezekiah. The apostle Peter, quoting Isaiah’s words, showed that Jesus Christ, a distant descendant of Hezekiah, is the “tried stone” and that no one exercising faith in Him need have any fear. (1 Peter 2:6) How sad that the leaders of Christendom, while calling themselves Christian, have done what Jesus refused to do! They have sought prominence and power in this world rather than wait on Jehovah to bring about his Kingdom under Jesus Christ the King.—Matthew 4:8-10.
14. When will Judah’s “covenant with Death” be dissolved?
14 When “the overflowing flash flood” of Babylon’s armies passes through the land, Jehovah will expose Judah’s political refuge as the lie that it is. “Your covenant with Death will certainly be dissolved,” says Jehovah. “The overflowing flash flood, when it passes through—you must also become for it a trampling place. As often as it passes through, . . . it must become nothing but a reason for quaking to make others understand what has been heard.” (Isaiah 28:18, 19) Yes, there is a powerful lesson to be learned from what happens to those who claim to serve Jehovah but who instead put their confidence in alliances with the nations.
15. How does Isaiah illustrate the inadequacy of Judah’s protection?
15 Consider the position in which these leaders of Judah now find themselves. “The couch has proved too short for stretching oneself on, and the woven sheet itself is too narrow when wrapping oneself up.” (Isaiah 28:20) It is as if they were to lie down to take their ease, but in vain. Either their feet stick out in the cold or they pull up their legs and the cover is too narrow to wrap up in to keep warm. This was the uncomfortable situation in Isaiah’s day. And it is the situation today for any who put their trust in Christendom’s refuge of a lie. How disgusting that as a result of involving themselves in politics, some of Christendom’s religious leaders have found themselves implicated in such terrible atrocities as ethnic cleansing and genocide!
Jehovah’s ‘Strange Deed’
16. What is Jehovah’s ‘strange deed,’ and why is this work unusual?
16 The final outcome of affairs will be completely contrary to what Judah’s religious leaders are hoping for. Jehovah will do something strange to the spiritual drunkards of Judah. “Jehovah will rise up just as at Mount Perazim, he will be agitated just as in the low plain near Gibeon, that he may do his deed—his deed is strange—and that he may work his work—his work is unusual.” (Isaiah 28:21) In the days of King David, Jehovah gave his people notable victories over the Philistines at Mount Perazim and on the low plain of Gibeon. (1 Chronicles 14:10-16) In the days of Joshua, he even caused the sun to stand still over Gibeon so that the victory of Israel over the Amorites could be complete. (Joshua 10:8-14) That was most unusual! Now Jehovah will fight again but this time against those who profess to be his people. Could anything be more strange or unusual? Not in view of the fact that Jerusalem is the center of Jehovah’s worship and the city of Jehovah’s anointed king. Up to now, the royal house of David in Jerusalem has never been overthrown. Nevertheless, Jehovah will surely carry out his ‘strange deed.’—Compare Habakkuk 1:5-7.
17. What effect will scoffing have on the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy?
17 Therefore, Isaiah cautions: “Do not show yourselves scoffers, in order that your bands may not grow strong, for there is an extermination, even something decided upon, that I have heard of from the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, for all the land.” (Isaiah 28:22) Although the leaders scoff, Isaiah’s message is true. He has heard it from Jehovah, with whom those leaders are in a covenant relationship. Similarly today, the religious leaders of Christendom scoff when they hear of Jehovah’s ‘strange deed.’ They even rant and rave. But the message Jehovah’s Witnesses proclaim is true. It is found in the Bible, a book that those leaders claim to represent.
18. How does Isaiah illustrate Jehovah’s balance when administering discipline?
18 As for sincere individuals who do not follow those leaders, Jehovah will readjust them and restore them to his favor. (Read Isaiah 28:23-29.) Just as a farmer uses gentler methods to thresh a more delicate grain, such as cumin, so Jehovah adjusts his discipline according to the individual and the circumstances. He is never arbitrary or heavy-handed but acts with a view to the potential rehabilitation of erring ones. Yes, if individuals respond to Jehovah’s appeal, there is hope. Similarly today, while the fate of Christendom as a whole is sealed, any individual who subjects himself to Jehovah’s Kingdom can avoid the coming adverse judgment.
Woe to Jerusalem!
19. In what way is Jerusalem to become an “altar hearth,” and when and how does this take place?
19 What, though, is Jehovah now speaking about? “Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the town where David encamped! Add year upon year, you people; let the festivals run the round. And I have to make things tight for Ariel, and there must come to be mourning and lamentation, and she must become to me as the altar hearth of God.” (Isaiah 29:1, 2) “Ariel” possibly means “The Altar Hearth of God,” and here it evidently refers to Jerusalem. That is where the temple with its altar of sacrifice is located. The Jews follow the routine of holding festivals and offering sacrifices there, but Jehovah takes no pleasure in their worship. (Hosea 6:6) Rather, he decrees that the city itself is to become an “altar hearth” in a different sense. Like an altar, it will run with blood and be subjected to fire. Jehovah even describes how this will happen: “I must encamp on all sides against you, and I must lay siege to you with a palisade and raise up against you siegeworks. And you must become low so that you will speak from the very earth, and as from the dust your saying will sound low.” (Isaiah 29:3, 4) This is fulfilled for Judah and Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. when the Babylonian army besieges and destroys the city and burns the temple. Jerusalem is brought down as low as the ground on which she was built.
20. What will be the ultimate fate of God’s enemies?
20 Before that fateful time, Judah does from time to time have a king who obeys Jehovah’s Law. What then? Jehovah fights for his people. Even though the enemy may cover the land, they become like “fine powder” and “chaff.” In his own due time, Jehovah disperses them “with thunder and with quaking and with a great sound, storm wind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.”—Isaiah 29:5, 6.
21. Explain the illustration at Isaiah 29:7, 8.
21 Hostile armies may eagerly anticipate sacking Jerusalem and gorging themselves on the spoils of war. But they are in for a rude awakening! Like a starving man who dreams that he is feasting and then wakes up as hungry as ever, the enemies of Judah will not enjoy the feast that they so eagerly anticipate. (Read Isaiah 29:7, 8.) Consider what happens to the Assyrian army under Sennacherib when it threatens Jerusalem in faithful King Hezekiah’s day. (Isaiah, chapters 36 and 37) In one night, without a human hand being raised, the fear-inspiring Assyrian war machine is turned back—185,000 of its valiant warriors dead! Dreams of conquest will again be frustrated when the war machine of Gog of Magog gears up against Jehovah’s people in the near future.—Ezekiel 38:10-12; 39:6, 7.
22. How does Judah’s spiritual drunkenness affect her?
22 At the time that Isaiah utters this portion of his prophecy, the leaders of Judah do not have faith like that of Hezekiah. They have drunk themselves into a spiritual stupor by means of their alliances with ungodly nations. “Linger, you men, and be amazed; blind yourselves, and be blinded. They have become intoxicated, but not with wine; they have moved unsteadily, but not because of intoxicating liquor.” (Isaiah 29:9) Spiritually drunk, these leaders are unable to discern the import of the vision given to Jehovah’s true prophet. Isaiah states: “Upon you men Jehovah has poured a spirit of deep sleep; and he closes your eyes, the prophets, and he has covered even your heads, the visionaries. And for you men the vision of everything becomes like the words of the book that has been sealed up, which they give to someone knowing the writing, saying: ‘Read this out loud, please,’ and he has to say: ‘I am unable, for it is sealed up’; and the book must be given to someone that does not know writing, somebody saying: ‘Read this out loud, please,’ and he has to say: ‘I do not know writing at all.’”—Isaiah 29:10-12.
23. Why will Jehovah call Judah to account, and how will he do so?
23 Judah’s religious leaders profess to be spiritually discreet, but they have left Jehovah. They teach instead their own twisted ideas of right and wrong, justifying their faithless and immoral activities and their leading the people into God’s disfavor. By means of “something wonderful”—his ‘strange deed’—Jehovah will call them to account for their hypocrisy. He says: “For the reason that this people have come near with their mouth, and they have glorified me merely with their lips, and they have removed their heart itself far away from me, and their fear toward me becomes men’s commandment that is being taught, therefore here I am, the One that will act wonderfully again with this people, in a wonderful manner and with something wonderful; and the wisdom of their wise men must perish, and the very understanding of their discreet men will conceal itself.” (Isaiah 29:13, 14) Judah’s self-styled wisdom and understanding will perish when Jehovah maneuvers things for her entire apostate religious system to be wiped out by the Babylonian World Power. The same thing happened in the first century after the self-styled wise leaders of the Jews led the nation astray. Something similar will happen in our own day to Christendom.—Matthew 15:8, 9; Romans 11:8.
24. How do the Judeans betray their lack of godly fear?
24 For now, however, the bragging leaders of Judah believe that they are clever enough to get away with their perversion of true worship. Are they? Isaiah tears off their mask, exposing them as having no genuine fear of God and thus no true wisdom: “Woe to those who are going very deep in concealing counsel from Jehovah himself, and whose deeds have occurred in a dark place, while they say: ‘Who is seeing us, and who is knowing of us?’ The perversity of you men! Should the potter himself be accounted just like the clay? For should the thing made say respecting its maker: ‘He did not make me’? And does the very thing formed actually say respecting its former: ‘He showed no understanding’?” (Isaiah 29:15, 16; compare Psalm 111:10.) No matter how well concealed they think they are, they stand “naked and openly exposed” to the eyes of God.—Hebrews 4:13.
“Deaf Ones Will Certainly Hear”
25. In what sense will “deaf ones” hear?
25 However, there is salvation for individuals who exercise faith. (Read Isaiah 29:17-24; compare Luke 7:22.) “Deaf ones” will “hear the words of the book,” the message from God’s Word. Yes, this is not a healing of physical deafness. It is a spiritual healing. Isaiah once again points forward to the establishment of the Messianic Kingdom and the restoration of true worship on earth by the Messiah’s rule. This has taken place in our time, and millions of sincere ones are allowing themselves to be corrected by Jehovah and are learning to praise him. What a thrilling fulfillment! Ultimately, the day will come when everyone, every breathing thing, will praise Jehovah and sanctify his holy name.—Psalm 150:6.
26. What spiritual reminders do “deaf ones” hear today?
26 What do such “deaf ones” who hear God’s Word today learn? That all Christians, especially those to whom the congregation looks as examples, must scrupulously avoid ‘going astray because of intoxicating liquor.’ (Isaiah 28:7) Further, we must never tire of hearing God’s reminders, which help us to have a spiritual viewpoint of all things. While Christians are properly subject to governmental authorities and look to them to provide certain services, salvation comes, not from the secular world, but from Jehovah God. Also, we must never forget that like the judgment on apostate Jerusalem, God’s judgment on this generation is inescapable. With Jehovah’s help we can continue to proclaim his warning despite opposition, as did Isaiah.—Isaiah 28:14, 22; Matthew 24:34; Romans 13:1-4.
27. What lessons can Christians learn from Isaiah’s prophecy?
27 Elders and parents can learn from the way Jehovah administers discipline, always seeking to restore wrongdoers to God’s favor, not merely to punish them. (Isaiah 28:26-29; compare Jeremiah 30:11.) And all of us, including young people, are reminded of how vital it is to be serving Jehovah from the heart, not just going through the motions of being a Christian in order to please men. (Isaiah 29:13) We must show that unlike the faithless inhabitants of Judah, we have a wholesome fear of Jehovah and a profound respect for him. (Isaiah 29:16) Moreover, we need to show that we are willing to be corrected by and to learn from Jehovah.—Isaiah 29:24.
28. How do Jehovah’s servants view his saving acts?
28 How important it is to have faith and confidence in Jehovah and in his way of doing things! (Compare Psalm 146:3.) To most, the warning message we preach will sound childish. The prospective destruction of an organization, Christendom, that claims to serve God is a strange, an unusual, concept. But Jehovah will accomplish his ‘strange deed.’ Of that, there can be no doubt. Hence, through the last days of this system of things, God’s servants put full trust in his Kingdom and in his appointed King, Jesus Christ. They know that Jehovah’s saving acts—performed along with his ‘unusual work’—will bring eternal blessings to all obedient mankind.
[Footnote]
a In the original Hebrew, Isaiah 28:10 is a repetitious rhyme, rather like a child’s nursery rhyme. Thus, Isaiah’s message sounded repetitious and childish to the religious leaders.
[Pictures on page 289]
Christendom has relied on alliances with human rulers rather than on God
[Picture on page 290]
Jehovah carries out his ‘strange deed’ when he allows Babylon to destroy Jerusalem
[Picture on page 298]
Those who used to be spiritually deaf can “hear” the Word of God |
Subsets and Splits