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Knowledge (kl) 1995

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/kl

Chapter 10 God’s Kingdom Rules 1, 2. How have human governments proved inadequate? PERHAPS you have had the experience of buying a piece of equipment, only to find that it did not work. Let us say that you called a repairman. Shortly after he “fixed” the device, however, it broke down. How disappointing that was! 2 It is similar with human governments. Mankind has always desired a government that would ensure peace and happiness. Yet, strenuous efforts to repair the breakdowns in society have not been truly successful. A great many peace treaties have been made—and then broken. Moreover, what government has been able to eradicate poverty, prejudice, crime, disease, and ecological ruin? Man’s rule is beyond repair. Even Israel’s wise King Solomon asked: “As regards earthling man, how can he discern his way?”—Proverbs 20:24. 3. (a) What was the theme of Jesus’ preaching? (b) How do some people describe God’s Kingdom? 3 Do not despair! A stable world government is not just a dream. It was the theme of Jesus’ preaching. He called it “the kingdom of God,” and he taught his followers to pray for it. (Luke 11:2; 21:31) Of course, God’s Kingdom is sometimes mentioned in religious circles. In fact, millions pray for it daily when they repeat the Lord’s Prayer (also called the Our Father or model prayer). But people answer in various ways when asked, “What is God’s Kingdom?” Some say, “It is in your heart.” Others call it heaven. The Bible gives a clear answer, as we shall see. A KINGDOM WITH A PURPOSE 4, 5. Why did Jehovah choose to bring about a new expression of his sovereignty, and what will it accomplish? 4 Jehovah God has always been King, or Sovereign Ruler, of the universe. The fact that he created all things elevates him to that exalted position. (1 Chronicles 29:11; Psalm 103:19; Acts 4:24) But the Kingdom that Jesus preached about is subsidiary, or secondary, to God’s universal sovereignty. That Messianic Kingdom has a specific purpose, but what is it? 5 As explained in Chapter 6, the first human pair rebelled against God’s authority. Because of the issues raised, Jehovah chose to bring about a new expression of his sovereignty. God announced his purpose to produce a “seed” that would crush the Serpent, Satan, and remove the effects of mankind’s inherited sin. The primary “seed” is Jesus Christ, and “the kingdom of God” is the agency that will utterly defeat Satan. By means of this Kingdom, Jesus Christ will restore rulership over the earth in Jehovah’s name and will vindicate God’s rightful sovereignty for all time.—Genesis 3:15; Psalm 2:2-9. 6, 7. (a) Where is the Kingdom, and who are the King and his associate rulers? (b) Who are the subjects of the Kingdom? 6 According to one rendition of Jesus’ words to wicked Pharisees, he said: “The kingdom of God is within you.” (Luke 17:21, King James Version) Did Jesus mean that the Kingdom was in the wicked hearts of those corrupt men? No. A more accurate translation of the original Greek reads: “The kingdom of God is in your midst.” (New World Translation) Jesus, who was in their midst, thus referred to himself as the future King. Far from being something that a person has in his heart, God’s Kingdom is a real, operating government having a ruler and subjects. It is a heavenly government, for it is called both “the kingdom of the heavens” and “the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 13:11; Luke 8:10) In vision, the prophet Daniel beheld its Ruler as “someone like a son of man” brought before Almighty God and given lasting “rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him.” (Daniel 7:13, 14) Who is this King? Well, the Bible calls Jesus Christ “the Son of man.” (Matthew 12:40; Luke 17:26) Yes, Jehovah designated his Son, Jesus Christ, to be King. 7 Jesus does not rule alone. With him are 144,000 who have been “bought from the earth” to be his associate kings and priests. (Revelation 5:9, 10; 14:1, 3; Luke 22:28-30) The subjects of God’s Kingdom will be a global family of humans who are submissive to Christ’s leadership. (Psalm 72:7, 8) How, though, can we be sure that the Kingdom will actually vindicate God’s sovereignty and restore paradisaic conditions to our earth? THE REALITY OF GOD’S KINGDOM 8, 9. (a) How might we illustrate the reliability of God’s Kingdom promises? (b) Why can we be sure of the Kingdom’s reality? 8 Imagine that a fire has destroyed your home. Now a friend who has the means to do so promises to help rebuild your house and provide food for your family. If that friend has always told you the truth, would you not believe him? Suppose you came home from work the next day and found that workers were already starting to clean up the debris from the fire and that food had been brought for your family. No doubt you would be completely confident that with the passing of time, things would not only be restored but would even be better than before. 9 Similarly, Jehovah gives us assurance of the Kingdom’s reality. As shown in the Bible book of Hebrews, many facets of the Law foreshadowed the Kingdom arrangement. (Hebrews 10:1) Foregleams of God’s Kingdom were also evident in the earthly kingdom of Israel. That was no ordinary government, for the rulers sat upon “Jehovah’s throne.” (1 Chronicles 29:23) Moreover, it had been foretold: “The scepter will not turn aside from Judah, neither the commander’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to him the obedience of the peoples will belong.” (Genesis 49:10)a Yes, it was into this Judean line of kings that Jesus, the permanent King of God’s government, was to be born.—Luke 1:32, 33. 10. (a) When was the foundation of God’s Messianic Kingdom laid? (b) What important work would Jesus’ prospective corulers be spearheading on earth? 10 The foundation of God’s Messianic Kingdom was laid with the selection of Jesus’ apostles. (Ephesians 2:19, 20; Revelation 21:14) These were the first of 144,000 who would rule in heaven as associate kings with Jesus Christ. While on earth, these prospective corulers would spearhead a witnessing campaign, in keeping with Jesus’ command: “Go . . . and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.”—Matthew 28:19. 11. How is the Kingdom-preaching work being carried out today, and what is it accomplishing? 11 The command to make disciples is now being obeyed on an unprecedented scale. Jehovah’s Witnesses are proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom all around the globe, in harmony with Jesus’ prophetic words: “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) As one aspect of the Kingdom-preaching work, a great educational program is being carried out. Those who submit to the laws and principles of God’s Kingdom are already experiencing a peace and unity that human governments cannot achieve. All of this gives clear evidence that God’s Kingdom is a reality! 12. (a) Why is it appropriate to call Kingdom proclaimers Jehovah’s Witnesses? (b) How does God’s Kingdom differ from human governments? 12 Jehovah told the Israelites: “You are my witnesses, . . . even my servant whom I have chosen.” (Isaiah 43:10-12) Jesus, “the Faithful Witness,” zealously declared the good news of the Kingdom. (Revelation 1:5; Matthew 4:17) So it is appropriate that present-day Kingdom proclaimers bear the divinely appointed name Jehovah’s Witnesses. But why do the Witnesses spend so much time and effort talking to others about God’s Kingdom? They do this because the Kingdom is mankind’s only hope. Human governments break down sooner or later, but God’s Kingdom never will. Isaiah 9:6, 7 calls its Ruler, Jesus, the “Prince of Peace” and adds: “To the abundance of the princely rule and to peace there will be no end.” God’s Kingdom is not like man’s governments—here today and overthrown tomorrow. Indeed, Daniel 2:44 says: “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. . . . It itself will stand to times indefinite.” 13. (a) What are some problems that God’s Kingdom will address successfully? (b) Why can we be sure that God’s promises will be fulfilled? 13 What human king could bring about the elimination of war, crime, sickness, starvation, and homelessness? Furthermore, what earthly ruler could resurrect those who have died? God’s Kingdom and its King will address these matters. The Kingdom will not prove defective, like malfunctioning equipment that continually needs repair. Rather, God’s Kingdom will succeed, for Jehovah promises: “My word that goes forth from my mouth . . . will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) God’s purpose will not fail, but when was Kingdom rule to begin? KINGDOM RULE—WHEN? 14. What misunderstanding did Jesus’ disciples have regarding the Kingdom, but what did Jesus know about his rulership? 14 “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” This question posed by Jesus’ disciples revealed that as yet they did not know the purpose of God’s Kingdom and the appointed time for its rule to begin. Warning them not to speculate about the matter, Jesus said: “It does not belong to you to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.” Jesus knew that his rulership over the earth was reserved for the future, long after his resurrection and ascension to heaven. (Acts 1:6-11; Luke 19:11, 12, 15) The Scriptures had foretold this. How so? 15. How does Psalm 110:1 shed light on the timing of Jesus’ rulership? 15 Prophetically referring to Jesus as “Lord,” King David said: “The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord is: ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.’” (Psalm 110:1; compare Acts 2:34-36.) This prophecy indicates that Jesus’ rulership would not begin immediately after his ascension to heaven. Rather, he would wait at God’s right hand. (Hebrews 10:12, 13) How long would this waiting go on? When would his rulership begin? The Bible helps us to find the answers. 16. What happened in 607 B.C.E., and how was this related to God’s Kingdom? 16 The only city in all the earth upon which Jehovah placed his name was Jerusalem. (1 Kings 11:36) It was also the capital of a God-approved earthly kingdom typical of God’s heavenly Kingdom. Therefore, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 607 B.C.E. was very significant. This event marked the beginning of a lengthy interruption of God’s direct rule over his people on earth. Some six centuries later, Jesus indicated that this period of interrupted rule was still in effect, for he said: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.”—Luke 21:24. 17. (a) What are “the appointed times of the nations,” and how long were they to last? (b) When did “the appointed times of the nations” begin and end? 17 During “the appointed times of the nations,” worldly governments would be allowed to interrupt rulership approved by God. That period began with the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E., and Daniel indicated that it would go on for “seven times.” (Daniel 4:23-25) How long is that? The Bible shows that three and a half “times” equal 1,260 days. (Revelation 12:6, 14) Twice that period, or seven times, would be 2,520 days. But nothing noteworthy happened at the end of that short period of time. By applying “a day for a year” to Daniel’s prophecy and counting 2,520 years from 607 B.C.E., however, we arrive at the year 1914 C.E.—Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6. 18. What did Jesus do shortly after receiving Kingdom power, and how did this affect the earth? 18 Did Jesus begin to reign in heaven at that time? Scriptural reasons for saying that he did will be discussed in the next chapter. Of course, the beginning of Jesus’ rule would not be marked by immediate peace on the earth. Revelation 12:7-12 shows that just after receiving the Kingdom, Jesus would oust Satan and the demon angels from heaven. This would mean woe for the earth, but it is heartening to read that the Devil has only “a short period of time” left. Soon, we will be able to rejoice not only because God’s Kingdom rules but also because it will bring blessings to the earth and obedient mankind. (Psalm 72:7, 8) How do we know that this will happen soon? [Footnotes] a The name Shiloh means “He Whose It Is; He to Whom It Belongs.” In time, it became evident that “Shiloh” was Jesus Christ, “the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah.” (Revelation 5:5) Some of the Jewish Targums simply replaced the word “Shiloh” with “the Messiah” or “the king Messiah.” TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE What is God’s Kingdom, and from where does it rule? Who rules in the Kingdom, and who are its subjects? How has Jehovah assured us that his Kingdom is a reality? When did “the appointed times of the nations” begin and end? [Box on page 94] SOME IMPORTANT EVENTS RELATED TO GOD’S KINGDOM • Jehovah announces his purpose to produce a “seed” that would crush the head of the Serpent, Satan the Devil.—Genesis 3:15. • In 1943 B.C.E., Jehovah indicates that this “seed” would be a human descendant of Abraham.—Genesis 12:1-3, 7; 22:18. • The Law covenant given to Israel in 1513 B.C.E. provides “a shadow of the good things to come.”—Exodus 24:6-8; Hebrews 10:1. • The earthly kingdom of Israel commences in 1117 B.C.E., and it continues later in the line of David.—1 Samuel 11:15; 2 Samuel 7:8, 16. • Jerusalem is destroyed in 607 B.C.E., and “the appointed times of the nations” begin.—2 Kings 25:8-10, 25, 26; Luke 21:24. • In 29 C.E., Jesus is anointed as King-Designate and proceeds with his earthly ministry.—Matthew 3:16, 17; 4:17; 21:9-11. • In 33 C.E., Jesus ascends to heaven, there to wait at God’s right hand until his rule begins.—Acts 5:30, 31; Hebrews 10:12, 13. • Jesus is enthroned in the heavenly Kingdom in 1914 C.E. as “the appointed times of the nations” end.—Revelation 11:15. • Satan and his demons are cast down to the vicinity of the earth and bring increased woe to mankind.—Revelation 12:9-12. • Jesus oversees the worldwide preaching of the good news of God’s Kingdom.—Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20.

Greatest Man (gt) 1991

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt

Chapter 78 Keep Ready! AFTER warning the crowds about covetousness, and cautioning his disciples about giving undue attention to material things, Jesus encourages: “Have no fear, little flock, because your Father has approved of giving you the kingdom.” He thus reveals that only a relatively small number (later identified as 144,000) will be in the heavenly Kingdom. The majority of the ones who receive eternal life will be earthly subjects of the Kingdom. What a marvelous gift, “the kingdom”! Describing the proper response the disciples should have upon receiving it, Jesus urges them: “Sell the things belonging to you and give gifts of mercy.” Yes, they should use their assets to benefit others spiritually and thus build up “a never-failing treasure in the heavens.” Jesus next admonishes his disciples to keep ready for his return. He says: “Let your loins be girded and your lamps be burning, and you yourselves be like men waiting for their master when he returns from the marriage, so that at his arriving and knocking they may at once open to him. Happy are those slaves whom the master on arriving finds watching! Truly I say to you, He will gird himself and make them recline at the table and will come alongside and minister to them.” In this illustration, the readiness of the servants at their master’s return is shown by their pulling up their long robes and fastening these under their girdles and their continuing to care for their duties on into the night by the light of well-fueled lamps. Jesus explains: ‘If the master arrives in the second watch [from about nine in the evening to midnight], even if in the third [from midnight to about three in the morning], and finds them ready, happy are they!’ The master rewards his servants in an unusual way. He has them recline at the table and begins serving them. He treats them, not as slaves, but as loyal friends. What a fine reward for their continuing to work for their master throughout the night while waiting for his return! Jesus concludes: “You also, keep ready, because at an hour that you do not think likely the Son of man is coming.” Peter now asks: “Lord, are you saying this illustration to us or also to all?” Rather than answer directly, Jesus gives another illustration. “Who really is the faithful steward,” he asks, “whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time? Happy is that slave, if his master on arriving finds him doing so! I tell you truthfully, He will appoint him over all his belongings.” The “master” obviously is Jesus Christ. The “steward” pictures the “little flock” of disciples as a collective body, and the “body of attendants” refers to this same group of 144,000 who receive the heavenly Kingdom, but this expression highlights their work as individuals. The “belongings” that the faithful steward is appointed to care for are the master’s royal interests on earth, which include the Kingdom’s earthly subjects. Continuing the illustration, Jesus points to the possibility that not all members of that steward, or slave, class will be loyal, explaining: “If ever that slave should say in his heart, ‘My master delays coming,’ and should start to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day that he is not expecting him . . . , and he will punish him with the greatest severity.” Jesus notes that his coming has brought a fiery time for the Jews, as some accept and others reject his teachings. Over three years earlier, he was baptized in water, but now his baptism into death is drawing ever closer to a conclusion, and as he says: “I am being distressed until it is finished!” After directing these remarks to his disciples, Jesus again addresses the crowds. He laments their stubborn refusal to accept the clear evidence of his identity and its significance. “When you see a cloud rising in western parts,” he observes, “at once you say, ‘A storm is coming,’ and it turns out so. And when you see that a south wind is blowing, you say, ‘There will be a heat wave,’ and it occurs. Hypocrites, you know how to examine the outward appearance of earth and sky, but how is it you do not know how to examine this particular time?” Luke 12:32-59. ▪ How many make up the “little flock,” and what do they receive? ▪ How does Jesus emphasize the need for his servants to be ready? ▪ In Jesus’ illustration, who are the “master,” the “steward,” the “body of attendants,” and the “belongings”?

Empowered to Fight Temptation and Cope With Discouragement

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2011046

Empowered to Fight Temptation and Cope With Discouragement “You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you.”​—ACTS 1:8. 1, 2. What help did Jesus promise his disciples, and why would they need it? JESUS knew that his disciples in their own strength were not capable of observing all that he had commanded. Considering the scope of their preaching commission, the strength of their opponents, and the frailty of the human flesh, it was clear that they needed superhuman power. Thus, just before his ascension to heaven, Jesus assured his disciples: “You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth.”​—Acts 1:8. 2 That promise began to have its fulfillment at Pentecost 33 C.E. when holy spirit empowered the followers of Jesus Christ to fill Jerusalem with their preaching. No opposition was able to halt it. (Acts 4:20) “All the days until the conclusion of the system of things,” Jesus’ faithful followers, including us, would be in urgent need of that same God-given strength.​—Matt. 28:20. 3. (a) Explain the difference between holy spirit and power. (b) What can power from Jehovah help us to do? 3 Jesus promised his disciples that ‘they would receive power when the holy spirit arrived upon them.’ The terms “power” and “spirit” are distinct in their meaning. God’s spirit, his active force, describes energy that is projected and exerted on people or things to accomplish God’s will. Power, however, can be defined as the “ability to act or produce an effect.” It can lie dormant in someone or something until it is needed to produce a given result. Thus, holy spirit might be likened to the electric current that energizes a rechargeable battery, whereas power is more like the latent energy that is then stored in the battery. The power that Jehovah grants to his servants by means of holy spirit gives each one of us the ability to fulfill our Christian dedication and, when necessary, to resist negative forces that are exerted upon us.​—Read Micah 3:8; Colossians 1:29. 4. What will be considered in this article, and why? 4 How is the power given to us by holy spirit manifested? What kinds of actions or reactions might be the result of its influence? As we seek to serve God faithfully, we face numerous obstacles caused either by Satan, by his system of things, or by our own imperfect flesh. It is important that we overcome such obstacles in order to persevere as Christians, share regularly in the ministry, and maintain a good relationship with Jehovah. Let us consider how holy spirit helps us to fight temptation and cope with tiredness and discouragement. Empowered to Fight Temptation 5. How can prayer empower us? 5 Jesus taught his followers to pray: “Do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the wicked one.” (Matt. 6:13) Jehovah will not abandon his faithful servants who make this request. On another occasion, Jesus said that “the Father in heaven [will] give holy spirit to those asking him.” (Luke 11:13) How reassuring that Jehovah promises to grant us this force for righteousness! This, of course, does not mean that Jehovah will prevent us from being tempted. (1 Cor. 10:13) But when we face temptation, that is a time to pray even more intensely.​—Matt. 26:42. 6. Upon what did Jesus base his answers to Satan’s temptations? 6 In answer to the Devil’s temptations, Jesus quoted scriptures. God’s Word was clearly in Jesus’ mind when he responded: “It is written . . . Again it is written . . . Go away, Satan! For it is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’” Love for Jehovah and for his Word impelled Jesus to reject the allurements that the Tempter put before him. (Matt. 4:1-10) After Jesus repeatedly resisted temptation, Satan left him. 7. How does the Bible help us to resist temptation? 7 Since Jesus relied on the Scriptures to resist the Devil’s temptations, how much more so should we! Indeed, our ability to resist the Devil and his agents begins with a determination to be acquainted with God’s standards and to adhere to them fully. Many people have been moved to live by Bible standards as they studied the Scriptures and came to appreciate God’s wisdom and righteousness. Indeed, “the word of God” exerts a power that is capable of discerning “thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12) The more one reads and ponders over the Scriptures, the more one can gain ‘insight into Jehovah’s trueness.’ (Dan. 9:13) That being so, we do well to meditate on scriptures that deal with our specific weaknesses. 8. Through what means can we obtain holy spirit? 8 In addition to knowing the Scriptures, Jesus could resist temptation because he was “full of holy spirit.” (Luke 4:1) In order to have similar strength and ability, we need to draw close to Jehovah by taking full advantage of all the provisions he has made to fill us with his spirit. (Jas. 4:7, 8) Among these are Bible study, prayer, and association with fellow believers. Many have also appreciated the benefit of maintaining a full schedule of Christian activities, which helps to keep the mind focused on upbuilding spiritual thoughts. 9, 10. (a) What temptations are common in your area? (b) How can meditation and prayer empower you to fight temptation even when you feel tired? 9 What enticements to err do you have to resist? Have you ever been tempted to flirt with someone who is not your marriage mate? If you are not married, have you ever had the urge to accept a date with an unbeliever? When watching television or using the Internet, Christians may suddenly be tempted to view something unclean. Has that happened to you, and if so, how did you react? It would be wise to meditate on how one false step could lead to another and then to serious wrongdoing. (Jas. 1:14, 15) Think about the pain that an unfaithful act would bring to Jehovah, to the congregation, and to your family. A clean conscience, on the other hand, results from maintaining loyalty to divine principles. (Read Psalm 119:37; Proverbs 22:3.) Whenever you face such tests, be determined to pray for strength to resist them. 10 There is something else to remember about the Devil’s temptations. Satan approached Jesus after He had been fasting for 40 days in the wilderness. No doubt the Devil thought that this was a particularly “convenient time” to test Jesus’ integrity. (Luke 4:13) Satan looks for convenient times to test our integrity too. It is vital, therefore, that we keep ourselves spiritually strong. Satan often attacks when he perceives that his target is at its weakest point. So whenever we feel tired or discouraged, we should be more determined than ever to petition Jehovah for his protective help and holy spirit.​—2 Cor. 12:8-10. Empowered to Cope With Tiredness and Discouragement 11, 12. (a) Why do many feel discouraged today? (b) What can empower us to resist discouragement? 11 As imperfect humans, we feel discouraged from time to time. That may particularly be true today because the period in which we live is especially stressful. We are passing through perhaps the most difficult times that mankind as a whole has yet experienced. (2 Tim. 3:1-5) As Armageddon approaches, economic, emotional, and other pressures are mounting. It should not come as a surprise, then, that some find it increasingly hard to fulfill their responsibility to look after and provide for their families. They feel tired, burdened down, worn-out, and even burned-out. If that is true in your case, how can you cope with the pressure? 12 Remember, Jesus assured his disciples that he would give them a helper​—God’s holy spirit. (Read John 14:16, 17.) This is the most powerful force in the universe. With it, Jehovah can “more than superabundantly” provide the strength that we need to endure any trial. (Eph. 3:20) By relying on it, said the apostle Paul, we receive “power beyond what is normal,” even though we are “pressed in every way.” (2 Cor. 4:7, 8) Jehovah does not promise to remove stress, but he does assure us that by means of his spirit, he will give us the strength to deal with it.​—Phil. 4:13. 13. (a) How has one young person been empowered to cope with a difficult situation? (b) Do you know of similar examples? 13 Consider the example of Stephanie, a 19-year-old regular pioneer. At age 12, she suffered a stroke and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Since then, she has undergone surgery twice, received radiation treatment, and suffered two more strokes, which left her with limited movement on her left side and limited vision. Stephanie has to save her energy for the things that she considers more important, such as Christian meetings and field service. Yet, she perceives Jehovah’s strengthening hand helping her to endure in many ways. Bible-based publications containing experiences of fellow Christians have uplifted her when she has been downhearted. Brothers and sisters have supported her by sending her letters or by speaking encouragingly to her before and after meetings. Interested people too have shown appreciation for what Stephanie is teaching them by going to her home to receive their Bible instruction. For all of this, Stephanie feels a great debt of gratitude to Jehovah. Her favorite scripture is Psalm 41:3, which she believes has been fulfilled in her case. 14. What must we avoid when we are discouraged, and why? 14 When we are tired or under pressure, we must never reason that the way to deal with stress is to cut back on spiritual activities. That is the worst thing we could possibly do. Why? Because such activities as personal and family Bible study, field service, and meeting attendance are the means by which we receive revitalizing holy spirit. Christian activities are always refreshing. (Read Matthew 11:28, 29.) How often brothers and sisters arrive at meetings feeling weary, but when the time comes to go home, it is as if their energy has been renewed, their spiritual batteries recharged! 15. (a) Does Jehovah promise that he will make life effortless for a Christian? Explain Scripturally. (b) What does God promise us, leading to what question? 15 This is not to say, of course, that the load of Christian discipleship is weightless. It takes effort to be a faithful Christian. (Matt. 16:24-26; Luke 13:24) Nevertheless, by means of holy spirit, Jehovah can give the tired one strength. “Those who are hoping in Jehovah will regain power,” wrote the prophet Isaiah. “They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not tire out.” (Isa. 40:29-31) That being the case, we would do well to ask, What truly is at the root of spiritual fatigue? 16. What can we do to eliminate possible causes of tiredness or discouragement? 16 Jehovah’s Word urges us to “make sure of the more important things.” (Phil. 1:10) Likening the Christian life course to a long-distance footrace, under inspiration the apostle Paul recommended: “Let us also put off every weight . . . , and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” (Heb. 12:1) His point was that we must avoid needless pursuits, needless weights, that will tire us out. It may be that some of us are simply trying to squeeze too much into already busy lives. So if you often feel tired and under pressure, you might benefit from reviewing how you meet the demands of secular work, the frequency with which you travel for pleasure, and the intensity with which you pursue sports or other leisure activities. Reasonableness and modesty should move all of us to recognize our limitations and keep unnecessary commitments to a minimum. 17. Why may some feel discouraged, but what assurance does Jehovah provide in this regard? 17 It may also be that some among us feel a measure of discouragement because the end of this system of things has not come as soon as we expected. (Prov. 13:12) Any who feel this way, however, can draw encouragement from the words found at Habakkuk 2:3: “The vision is yet for the appointed time, and it keeps panting on to the end, and it will not tell a lie. Even if it should delay, keep in expectation of it; for it will without fail come true. It will not be late.” We have Jehovah’s assurance that the end of this system of things will come right on schedule! 18. (a) What promises give you strength? (b) How will the next article be of benefit to us? 18 Surely, all of Jehovah’s faithful servants long for the day when tiredness and discouragement will be gone, when all alive will enjoy “youthful vigor.” (Job 33:25) Even now we can be made mighty on the inside through the action of holy spirit as we participate in invigorating spiritual activities. (2 Cor. 4:16; Eph. 3:16) Do not let fatigue cause you to miss out on eternal blessings. Every trial​—whether caused by temptation, tiredness, or discouragement—​will pass, if not immediately, then in God’s new world. In the following article, we will examine how holy spirit empowers Christians to withstand persecution, resist harmful peer pressure, and endure various other adversities. How Would You Answer? • How does Bible reading empower us? • How do prayer and meditation empower us? • How can you eliminate potential causes of discouragement? [Picture on page 24] Christian meetings can invigorate us spiritually

Isaiah’s Prophecy II (ip-2) 2001

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-2

Chapter Thirteen “Cry Out Joyfully in Unison”! Isaiah 52:1-12 1. Why are the prophetic words of Isaiah chapter 52 a source of joy, and what two fulfillments do they have? LIBERATION! Can there be a more joyful prospect for a captive people? Since a major theme in the book of Isaiah is liberation and restoration, it is not surprising that aside from the Psalms, this Bible book contains more expressions of joy than any other. Isaiah chapter 52 especially gives reason for God’s people to rejoice. Its prophetic words are fulfilled upon Jerusalem in 537 B.C.E. And they have a greater fulfillment involving “Jerusalem above,” Jehovah’s heavenly organization of spirit creatures, which is sometimes described as a mother and a wife.​—Galatians 4:26; Revelation 12:1. “Put On Your Strength, O Zion!” 2. When does Zion wake up, and how does this happen? 2 Jehovah, through Isaiah, calls out to His beloved city, Zion: “Wake up, wake up, put on your strength, O Zion! Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For no more will there come again into you the uncircumcised and unclean one. Shake yourself free from the dust, rise up, take a seat, O Jerusalem. Loosen for yourself the bands on your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.” (Isaiah 52:1, 2) Because her inhabitants have provoked Jehovah’s anger, Jerusalem has lain desolate for 70 years. (2 Kings 24:4; 2 Chronicles 36:15-21; Jeremiah 25:8-11; Daniel 9:2) Now it is time for her to wake up from her long period of inactivity and don the beautiful garments of liberty. Jehovah has moved the heart of Cyrus to free the “captive daughter of Zion” so that the former inhabitants of Jerusalem and their offspring can leave Babylon, return to Jerusalem, and restore true worship. No uncircumcised and unclean ones must be found in Jerusalem.​—Ezra 1:1-4. 3. Why can the congregation of anointed Christians be called the “daughter of Zion,” and in what sense are they liberated? 3 These words of Isaiah also have a fulfillment on the Christian congregation. The congregation of anointed Christians can be described as the modern-day “daughter of Zion,” since “Jerusalem above” is their mother.a Set free from pagan teachings and apostate doctrines, the anointed must maintain a clean standing before Jehovah, no, not by being circumcised in the flesh, but by being circumcised in their hearts. (Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 2:25-29) This includes maintaining spiritual, mental, and moral cleanness before Jehovah.​—1 Corinthians 7:19; Ephesians 2:3. 4. Although “Jerusalem above” has never disobeyed Jehovah, what experiences of her representatives on earth mirror those of the ancient inhabitants of Jerusalem? 4 True, “Jerusalem above” has never disobeyed Jehovah. During the first world war, however, her representatives on earth​—anointed Christians—​unwittingly broke Jehovah’s law because they did not properly understand true Christian neutrality. Losing divine favor, they came into spiritual captivity to “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion. (Revelation 17:5) Their condition of being in slavery climaxed in June 1918 when eight staff members of the Watch Tower Society were imprisoned on false charges, including conspiracy. At that point the organized preaching of the good news virtually stopped. In 1919, however, a clarion call to spiritual wakefulness was sounded forth. Anointed Christians began to separate themselves more completely from the moral and spiritual uncleanness of Babylon the Great. They rose from the dust of captivity, and “Jerusalem above” came to have the splendor of a “holy city” where spiritual uncleanness is not allowed. 5. Why does Jehovah have a perfect right to repurchase his people without giving compensation to their captors? 5 Both in 537 B.C.E. and in 1919 C.E., Jehovah had a perfect right to liberate his people. Isaiah explains: “This is what Jehovah has said: ‘It was for nothing that you people were sold, and it will be without money that you will be repurchased.’” (Isaiah 52:3) Neither ancient Babylon nor Babylon the Great paid anything when they took possession of God’s covenant people as slaves. Since no transaction involving money took place, Jehovah was still the legal Owner of his people. Should he have felt indebted to anybody? Of course not. In both cases, Jehovah could rightly repurchase his worshipers without giving any compensation to their captors.​—Isaiah 45:13. 6. What lessons from history did Jehovah’s enemies fail to heed? 6 Jehovah’s enemies had not learned any lessons from history. We read: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: ‘It was to Egypt that my people went down in the first instance to reside there as aliens; and without cause Assyria, for its part, oppressed them.’” (Isaiah 52:4) Pharaoh of Egypt enslaved the Israelites, who had been invited to his land to reside as guests. But Jehovah drowned Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea. (Exodus 1:11-14; 14:27, 28) When King Sennacherib of Assyria threatened Jerusalem, Jehovah’s angel struck down 185,000 of the king’s soldiers. (Isaiah 37:33-37) Similarly, neither ancient Babylon nor Babylon the Great can escape the consequences of oppressing God’s people. “My People Will Know My Name” 7. What effect has the captivity of Jehovah’s people had on his name? 7 The captive condition of Jehovah’s people has an effect on his name, as the prophecy shows: “‘Now, what interest do I have here?’ is the utterance of Jehovah. ‘For my people were taken for nothing. The very ones ruling over them kept howling,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and constantly, all day long, my name was being treated with disrespect. For that reason my people will know my name, even for that reason in that day, because I am the One that is speaking. Look! It is I.’” (Isaiah 52:5, 6) What interest does Jehovah have in the situation? What concern of his is it that Israel is enslaved in Babylon? Jehovah must act because Babylon has taken his people captive and has howled over them in triumph. Such bragging has led to Babylon’s treating Jehovah’s name disrespectfully. (Ezekiel 36:20, 21) She has failed to recognize that the desolate condition of Jerusalem is on account of Jehovah’s displeasure toward his people. Rather, Babylon has viewed the enslavement of the Jews as evidence of the weakness of their God. The Babylonian coregent Belshazzar even mocks Jehovah by using vessels from His temple during a feast in honor of Babylonian gods.​—Daniel 5:1-4. 8. How has Jehovah’s name been treated since the death of the apostles? 8 How does all of this apply to “Jerusalem above”? Ever since apostasy took root among professed Christians, it could be said that “the name of God is being blasphemed on account of [those] people among the nations.” (Romans 2:24; Acts 20:29, 30) For that matter, because of superstition the Jews eventually started to avoid using the divine name. Soon after the death of the apostles, apostate Christians followed suit and ceased to use God’s personal name. The apostasy resulted in the development of Christendom, a major part of Babylon the Great. (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7; Revelation 17:5) Christendom’s wanton immorality and brazen bloodguilt have reflected badly on Jehovah’s name.​—2 Peter 2:1, 2. 9, 10. What deeper understanding of Jehovah’s standards and his name have God’s covenant people of modern times come to have? 9 When the Greater Cyrus, Jesus Christ, freed God’s covenant people from captivity to Babylon the Great in 1919, they came to a better understanding of Jehovah’s requirements. They had already cleansed themselves of many teachings of Christendom that have their roots in pre-Christian paganism, such as the Trinity, immortality of the soul, and eternal torment in a fiery hell. Now they set out to rid themselves of all traces of Babylonish influence. They also came to realize the importance of maintaining strict neutrality regarding this world’s partisan affairs. They even wanted to purify themselves of whatever bloodguilt some might have incurred. 10 The modern-day servants of God also came to have a deeper understanding of the importance of Jehovah’s name. In 1931 they adopted the name Jehovah’s Witnesses, thus publicly announcing that they supported Jehovah and his name. Moreover, through the publication of the New World Translation since 1950, Jehovah’s Witnesses have restored the divine name to its proper place in the Bible. Yes, they have come to appreciate Jehovah’s name and are making it known to the ends of the earth. “The One Bringing Good News” 11. Why is the exclamation “Your God has become king!” appropriate with regard to events in 537 B.C.E.? 11 Now our attention is turned back to Zion when she is still in her desolate state. A messenger approaches bearing good news: “How comely upon the mountains are the feet of the one bringing good news, the one publishing peace, the one bringing good news of something better, the one publishing salvation, the one saying to Zion: ‘Your God has become king!’” (Isaiah 52:7) In 537 B.C.E., how can it be said that Zion’s God has become King? Has not Jehovah always been King? Indeed, he is the “King of eternity”! (Revelation 15:3) But the exclamation “Your God has become king!” is appropriate because Babylon’s fall and the royal proclamation to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and restore pure worship there constitute a new expression of Jehovah’s kingship.​—Psalm 97:1. 12. Who took the lead in “bringing good news,” and how? 12 In Isaiah’s day, no individual or group of individuals was identified as “the one bringing good news.” Today, though, the identity of the bearer of good news is known. Jesus Christ is Jehovah’s greatest messenger of peace. While on earth, he preached the good news that there would be a release from all the effects of sin inherited from Adam, including sickness and death. (Matthew 9:35) Jesus set a zealous example in publishing this good news of something better, seizing every opportunity to teach people about the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 5:1, 2; Mark 6:34; Luke 19:1-10; John 4:5-26) And his disciples followed his example. 13. (a) How does the apostle Paul expand on the meaning of the expression “How comely upon the mountains are the feet of the one bringing good news”? (b) Why can it be said that the feet of the messengers are “comely”? 13 In his letter to the Romans, the apostle Paul quotes Isaiah 52:7 to highlight the importance of the work of preaching the good news. He poses a series of thought-provoking questions, including ‘How will people hear without someone to preach?’ He then says: “Just as it is written: ‘How comely are the feet of those who declare good news of good things!’” (Romans 10:14, 15) Paul thus expands the application of Isaiah 52:7, using the plural form “those” instead of the singular “one,” which appears in the original text of Isaiah. Imitating Jesus Christ, all Christians are messengers of the good news of peace. How are their feet “comely”? Isaiah speaks as if the herald is approaching Jerusalem from the nearby mountains of Judah. From afar, it is impossible to see the messenger’s feet. Rather, the focus here is on the messenger, the feet standing for the messenger himself. Just as Jesus and his disciples were a beautiful sight to meek ones in the first century, present-day Witnesses are a welcome sight to humble ones who heed the lifesaving message of good news. 14. How has Jehovah become King in modern times, and since when has this been announced to mankind? 14 Since when in modern times has the cry “Your God has become king!” been heard? Since 1919. In that year at a convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, J. F. Rutherford, then president of the Watch Tower Society, stirred his listeners with a talk eninputd “Address to Co-laborers.” The talk, based on Isaiah 52:7 and Revelation 15:2, encouraged all present to take up the preaching work. Thus, ‘comely feet’ began to appear on “the mountains.” First anointed Christians and later their companions of the “other sheep” zealously went forth to preach the good news that Jehovah had become King. (John 10:16) How had Jehovah become King? He expressed his kingship anew in 1914 when he installed his Son, Jesus Christ, as King in the newly established heavenly Kingdom. And Jehovah made yet another expression of his kingship in 1919 when he liberated “the Israel of God” from Babylon the Great.​—Galatians 6:16; Psalm 47:8; Revelation 11:15, 17; 19:6. “Your Own Watchmen Have Raised Their Voice” 15. Who are the “watchmen” who raise their voice in 537 B.C.E.? 15 Does the cry “Your God has become king!” elicit a response? Yes. Isaiah records: “Listen! Your own watchmen have raised their voice. In unison they keep crying out joyfully; for it will be eye into eye that they will see when Jehovah gathers back Zion.” (Isaiah 52:8) No literal watchmen take their positions in Jerusalem in 537 B.C.E. to welcome back the first returning exiles. The city has lain desolate for 70 years. (Jeremiah 25:11, 12) So the “watchmen” who raise their voice must be those Israelites who get the news in advance regarding Zion’s restoration and who become responsible for passing the news on to the rest of Zion’s children. Upon seeing Jehovah give Babylon into the hands of Cyrus in 539 B.C.E., the watchmen have no doubt in their minds that Jehovah is liberating his people. Together with those who respond to their call, the watchmen keep crying out joyfully, in unison, letting others hear the good news. 16. Whom do the watchmen see “eye into eye,” and in what sense? 16 The alert watchmen establish a close, personal relationship with Jehovah, seeing him “eye into eye,” or face-to-face, as it were. (Numbers 14:14) Their close contact with Jehovah and with one another highlights their unity and the joyful nature of their message.​—1 Corinthians 1:10. 17, 18. (a) How has the modern-day watchman class raised its voice? (b) In what sense has the watchman class called out in unison? 17 In the modern-day fulfillment, the watchman class, “the faithful and discreet slave,” raises its voice not just to the ones who are already in God’s visible organization but also to outsiders. (Matthew 24:45-47) A call went out to gather in the remaining ones of the anointed in 1919, and in 1922 the call was intensified at the Cedar Point, Ohio, convention with the appeal to “advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom.” Since 1935, attention has been turned to gathering in a great crowd of sheeplike ones. (Revelation 7:9, 10) In recent years the announcement of Jehovah’s kingship has intensified. How? In the year 2000, some six million were sharing in telling of Jehovah’s kingship in more than 230 lands and territories. Further, The Watchtower, the foremost instrument of the watchman class, sounds out the joyful message in more than 130 languages. 18 To share in such a unifying work takes humility and brotherly love. For the call to be effective, all involved must preach the same message, featuring Jehovah’s name, his ransom provision, his wisdom, his love, and his Kingdom. As Christians all around the world work shoulder to shoulder, their personal bond with Jehovah is strengthened to sound out the glad tidings in unison. 19. (a) How do the “devastated places of Jerusalem” become cheerful? (b) In what sense has Jehovah “bared his holy arm”? 19 With God’s people shouting in joy, even the place in which they dwell looks cheerful. The prophecy continues: “Become cheerful, cry out joyfully in unison, you devastated places of Jerusalem, for Jehovah has comforted his people; he has repurchased Jerusalem. Jehovah has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth must see the salvation of our God.” (Isaiah 52:9, 10) With the arrival of the returnees from Babylon, the mournful-looking places of desolated Jerusalem have a cheerful appearance because Jehovah’s pure worship can now be restored. (Isaiah 35:1, 2) Clearly, Jehovah has his hand in this. He has “bared his holy arm,” as if rolling up his sleeves in order to apply himself to the task of saving his people.​—Ezra 1:2, 3. 20. What has resulted and will yet result from Jehovah’s baring his holy arm in modern times? 20 In these “last days,” Jehovah has bared his holy arm in order to revive the anointed remnant, the “two witnesses” of the book of Revelation. (2 Timothy 3:1; Revelation 11:3, 7-13) Since 1919, these have been brought into a spiritual paradise, the spiritual estate that they now share with millions of their associates, the other sheep. Eventually, Jehovah will bare his holy arm to bring salvation to his people at “Har–Magedon.” (Revelation 16:14, 16) Then, “all the ends of the earth must see the salvation of our God.” An Urgent Requirement 21. (a) What is required of those “carrying the utensils of Jehovah”? (b) Why is there no reason for Jews departing from Babylon to panic? 21 Those who get out of Babylon to return to Jerusalem have a requirement to meet. Isaiah writes: “Turn away, turn away, get out of there, touch nothing unclean; get out from the midst of her, keep yourselves clean, you who are carrying the utensils of Jehovah. For you people will get out in no panic, and you will go in no flight. For Jehovah will be going even before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” (Isaiah 52:11, 12) The departing Israelites must leave behind them in Babylon anything having a taint of Babylon’s false worship. Since they carry the utensils of Jehovah that came from the temple in Jerusalem, they have to be clean, not merely in an outward, ceremonial way, but primarily in their hearts. (2 Kings 24:11-13; Ezra 1:7) Further, Jehovah is going before them, so they do not have to panic, nor do they have to run frantically, as though bloodthirsty pursuers were hard on their heels. The God of Israel is their rear guard.​—Ezra 8:21-23. 22. How does Paul stress the need for cleanness among anointed Christians? 22 Isaiah’s words about keeping clean have a major fulfillment on the offspring of “Jerusalem above.” When Paul admonished the Corinthian Christians not to become unevenly yoked with unbelievers, he quoted the words of Isaiah 52:11: “‘Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing.’” (2 Corinthians 6:14-17) Just like the Israelites heading home from Babylon, Christians have to steer clear of Babylonish false worship. 23. In what ways do servants of Jehovah today endeavor to keep themselves clean? 23 This was particularly true of those anointed followers of Jesus Christ who fled Babylon the Great in 1919. They progressively cleansed themselves of all traces of false worship. (Isaiah 8:19, 20; Romans 15:4) They also became increasingly aware of the importance of moral cleanness. Although Jehovah’s Witnesses have always upheld high moral standards, The Watchtower carried articles in 1952 emphasizing the need to discipline immoral ones so as to keep the congregation clean. Such disciplinary action also helps the wrongdoer himself to realize the need for sincere repentance.​—1 Corinthians 5:6, 7, 9-13; 2 Corinthians 7:8-10; 2 John 10, 11. 24. (a) In modern times, what are “the utensils of Jehovah”? (b) Why are Christians today confident that Jehovah will continue to go before them as well as be their rear guard? 24 Anointed Christians together with the great crowd of other sheep are determined to touch nothing that is spiritually unclean. Their purified, cleansed condition qualifies them to be bearers of “the utensils of Jehovah”​—the precious provisions that God makes for sacred service in the house-to-house and Bible study ministry and other forms of Christian activity. By maintaining a clean standing, God’s people today can be confident that Jehovah will continue to go before them as well as be their rear guard. As God’s clean people, they have an abundance of reasons to “cry out joyfully in unison”! [Footnote] a See Chapter 15 of this book for a more extensive discussion of the relationship between “Jerusalem above” and her earthly, anointed children. [Picture on page 183] Zion will be freed from captivity [Picture on page 186] Starting in 1919, ‘comely feet’ have once again appeared on “the mountains” [Picture on page 189] Jehovah’s Witnesses speak in unison [Picture on page 192] Those “carrying the utensils of Jehovah” have to be morally and spiritually clean

What Does It Mean to “Love Your Enemies”?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500100127

What Does It Mean to “Love Your Enemies”? The Bible’s answer In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “Love your enemies.” (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27, 35) His words mean that we should act lovingly toward those who hate us or treat us unjustly. Jesus demonstrated love for his enemies by forgiving those who mistreated him. (Luke 23:33, 34) His teachings about loving our enemies harmonize with what is stated in the Hebrew Scriptures, commonly called the Old Testament.—Exodus 23:4, 5; Proverbs 24:17; 25:21. “Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those who persecute you.”—Matthew 5:43, 44. In this article Why love your enemies? What are some ways to love your enemies? Should you go to war against your enemies? Misconceptions about loving your enemies Bible verses about loving your enemies Why love your enemies? God sets the example. God “is kind toward the unthankful and wicked.” (Luke 6:35) He “makes his sun rise on . . . the wicked.”—Matthew 5:45. Love may move an enemy to change. The Bible recommends that we treat an enemy kindly, stating that by doing so, we “will be heaping burning coals on his head.” (Prov. 25:22) This metaphor refers to the process of heating ore to extract precious metal. Similarly, if we are kind to a person who hates us, we may melt away his anger and bring out the good in him. What are some ways to love your enemies? “Do good to those hating you.” (Luke 6:27) “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink,” says the Bible. (Romans 12:20) You may find other ways to show love to an enemy by applying what is known as the Golden Rule, which says: “Just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them.”—Luke 6:31. “Bless those cursing you.” (Luke 6:28) We bless our enemies by speaking kindly and considerately to them, even if they speak abusively to us. The Bible says: “Do not pay back . . . insult for insult. Instead, repay with a blessing.” (1 Peter 3:9) This advice can help us to break the cycle of hatred. “Pray for those who are insulting you.” (Luke 6:28) If a person insults you, do not repay “evil for evil.” (Romans 12:17) Instead, ask God to forgive the person. (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:59, 60) Rather than seek revenge, leave it to God to deal with the person according to His perfect standard of justice.—Leviticus 19:18; Romans 12:19. “Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you, to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you.”—Luke 6:27, 28. Be “patient and kind.” (1 Corinthians 13:4) In his well-known description of love, the Christian apostle Paul used a form of the same Greek word (a·gaʹpe) that we find in the words recorded at Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27, 35. We show such Christian love even to our enemies by being patient and kind, not jealous, arrogant, or rude. “Love is patient 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.”—1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Should you go to war against your enemies? No, for Jesus taught his followers that they should not fight their enemies. For example, when he warned them of an impending attack on Jerusalem, he did not tell them to stay and fight but, rather, to flee. (Luke 21:20, 21) Jesus also told the apostle Peter: “Return your sword to its place, for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword.” (Matthew 26:52) The Bible and secular history show that Jesus’ followers in the first century did not go to war against their enemies.a—2 Timothy 2:24. Misconceptions about loving your enemies Misconception: God’s Law required Israelites to hate their enemies. Fact: The Law contained no such command. Rather, it directed the Israelites to love their neighbor. (Leviticus 19:18) While the term “neighbor” simply meant other humans, some Jews narrowed the meaning down to include only fellow Jews, and they believed that non-Jews were enemies who should be hated. (Matthew 5:43, 44) Jesus corrected their wrong view by relating the parable of the good, or neighborly, Samaritan.—Luke 10:29-37. Misconception: Loving your enemies means approving of their wrong conduct. Fact: The Bible shows that you can love a person without approving of his wrong conduct. For example, Jesus condemned violence but prayed for those who executed him. (Luke 23:34) And he hated lawlessness, or sin, but gave his life for sinners.—John 3:16; Romans 6:23. a The book The Rise of Christianity by E. W. Barnes notes: “A careful review of all the information available goes to show that, until the time of Marcus Aurelius [Roman emperor from 161 to 180 C.E.], no Christian became a soldier; and no soldier, after becoming a Christian, remained in military service.” Bible verses about loving your enemies Exodus 23:5: “If you see that the donkey of someone who hates you has fallen under its load, you must not ignore it and leave. You must help him release the animal.” Meaning: We show that we love our enemy by actively helping him. Proverbs 24:17, 18: “When your enemy falls, do not rejoice, and when he stumbles, do not let your heart be joyful; otherwise, Jehovahb will see and be displeased.” Meaning: God does not want us to rejoice, even secretly, over bad things that happen to our enemies. Luke 6:28: “Bless those cursing you, [and] pray for those who are insulting you.” Meaning: Speak in a kind and respectful way to those who hate you or treat you unfairly, and ask God to forgive them. 1 Peter 2:23: “When [Jesus] was being insulted, he did not insult in return. When he was suffering, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the One who judges righteously.” Meaning: Jesus left it to God to deal with injustices. 1 Peter 3:9: “Do not pay back injury for injury or insult for insult.” Meaning: Rather than seek revenge, try to resolve conflicts peacefully. b Jehovah is the personal name of God. (Psalm 83:18) See the article “Who Is Jehovah?”

When We Die (ie) 1998

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/when-we-die-ie

Table of outputs Page 3 Is There Life After Death? 5 Immortality of the Soul—The Birth of the Doctrine 8 The Idea Enters Eastern Religions 13 The Idea Enters Judaism, Christendom, and Islam 17 Where to Turn for Answers 19 The Soul According to the Bible 21 Why Do We Die? 22 What Happens to the Soul at Death? 25 A Sure Hope 28 The Truth About the Soul Matters 30 A Unique Prospect!

Great Teacher (te) 1971

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/te

Chapter 32 “Happy Are the Peaceable” DO YOU know any boys who are always trying to act big and tough?⁠— Do you like to be with them? Or would you rather be with someone who is peaceable?⁠— The Great Teacher knows what kind of person God likes. He said: “Happy are the peaceable, since they will be called ‘sons of God.’” That is the kind of person we want to be, isn’t it?⁠— We want to be peaceable.​—Matthew 5:9. But sometimes other people do things that make us angry. And we may feel like getting even with them. Once this happened to Jesus’ disciples. They were traveling with Jesus toward Jerusalem. When they had gone some distance, Jesus sent certain ones ahead to a village to find a place for them to rest. But the people there did not want them to stay. Those people had a different religion. And they did not like anyone that went to the city of Jerusalem to worship. If that had happened to you, what would you have done? Would you have gotten angry? Would you have wanted to get even with them?⁠— That is what the disciples James and John wanted to do. They said to Jesus: ‘Do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and destroy them?’ But Jesus told them it was not right to treat other people that way.​—Luke 9:51-56. It is true that people may be mean to us at times. Other children may not want you to play in their games. They may even say, “We don’t want you around here.” When something like that happens, it can make us feel bad, can’t it?⁠— We may feel like doing something to get even with them. But should we?⁠— Why not get your copy of the Bible? And let’s turn to Proverbs chapter twenty-four, verse twenty-nine. There it reads: “Do not say: ‘Just as he did to me, so I am going to do to him. I shall repay to each one according to his acting.’” What does that mean to you?⁠— It is saying that we should not try to get even. We should not be mean to the other person because he was mean to us. God does not want us to do that. But what if someone tries to pick a fight with you? He may try to get you angry by calling you names. He may laugh at you and say that you’re scared. Maybe he calls you a sissy. What should you do? Should you let yourself be drawn into a fight?⁠— Again, let’s see what the Bible says. Turn to Matthew chapter five and verse thirty-nine. There Jesus says: “Do not resist him that is wicked; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him.” What did Jesus mean by that? Did he mean that if someone hits you with his fist on one side of your face, you should let him hit you on the other side?⁠— No, he did not mean that. A slap is not like a hit with the fist. It is more like a push or a shove. A person does this to pick a fight. He wants us to get angry. And if we do get angry and push or shove back, what happens?⁠— We will probably get into a fight. Jesus did not want his followers to act like that. So he said that if someone slaps us, we should not slap back. We should not become angry and get into a fight. If we do, we show that we are no better than the one who started the fight. If trouble starts, the best thing is to walk away. The other fellow may push or shove a few more times. But that will probably be the end of it. When you walk away, it does not show that you are weak. It shows that you are strong for what is right. Now, what should we do if we see other people fighting? Should we get in there and take sides with one or the other?⁠— The Bible tells us what is right. Turn to Proverbs chapter twenty-six and verse seventeen. It says: “As one grabbing hold of the ears of a dog is anyone passing by that is becoming furious at the quarrel that is not his.” What would happen if you grabbed hold of the ears of a dog? It would hurt the dog, and he would snap at you, wouldn’t he?⁠— The more the dog tried to get loose, the harder you would squeeze the ears. And the more excited the dog would get. If you let him go, he would probably bite you hard. But can you just stand there and hold his ears forever?⁠— Well, that is the kind of trouble that we would be in if we got mixed up in a fight between other people. We may not know who started the fight or why they are fighting. One person may be getting beaten, but perhaps he stole something from the other one. If we helped him, we would be helping a thief. That would not be good, would it?⁠— So, what should you do if you see a fight?⁠— If it is at school, you can run and tell a teacher. And if it is away from school, you can call a policeman. Even when other people want to fight, we can be peaceable. They may want to fight. But we can show that we are strong for what is right. (More good counsel that can help a person stay out of fights is found at Romans 12:17-21, Psalm 34:14 [33:15, Dy] and 2 Timothy 2:24.)

Greatest Man (gt) 1991

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt

Chapter 123 “Look! The Man!” IMPRESSED by Jesus’ demeanor and recognizing his innocence, Pilate pursues another way to release him. “You have a custom,” he tells the crowds, “that I should release a man to you at the passover.” Barabbas, a notorious murderer, is also being held as prisoner, so Pilate asks: “Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas or Jesus the so-called Christ?” Persuaded by the chief priests who have stirred them up, the people ask for Barabbas to be released but for Jesus to be killed. Not giving up, Pilate responds, asking again: “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” “Barabbas,” they shout. “What, then, shall I do with Jesus the so-called Christ?” Pilate asks in dismay. With one deafening roar, they answer: “Let him be impaled!” “Impale! Impale him!” Knowing that they are demanding the death of an innocent man, Pilate pleads: “Why, what bad thing did this man do? I found nothing deserving of death in him; I will therefore chastise and release him.” Despite his attempts, the enraged crowd, egged on by their religious leaders, keep yelling: “Let him be impaled!” Worked into a frenzy by the priests, the crowd wants blood. And to think, only five days before, some of them were probably among those who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem as King! All the while, Jesus’ disciples, if they are present, remain silent and inconspicuous. Pilate, seeing his appeals are doing no good but, rather, that an uproar is arising, takes water and washes his hands before the crowd, and says: “I am innocent of the blood of this man. You yourselves must see to it.” At that, the people answer: “His blood come upon us and upon our children.” So, in accord with their demands​—and wishing to satisfy the crowd more than to do what he knows is right—​Pilate releases Barabbas to them. He takes Jesus and has him stripped and then scourged. This was no ordinary whipping. The Journal of the American Medical Association describes the Roman practice of scourging: “The usual instrument was a short whip (flagrum or flagellum) with several single or braided leather thongs of variable lengths, in which small iron balls or sharp pieces of sheep bones were tied at intervals. . . . As the Roman soldiers repeatedly struck the victim’s back with full force, the iron balls would cause deep contusions, and the leather thongs and sheep bones would cut into the skin and subcutaneous tissues. Then, as the flogging continued, the lacerations would tear into the underlying skeletal muscles and produce quivering ribbons of bleeding flesh.” After this torturous beating, Jesus is taken into the governor’s palace, and the whole body of troops is called together. There the soldiers heap further abuse on him by braiding a crown of thorns and pushing it down on his head. They put a reed in his right hand, and they clothe him with a purple garment, the type that is worn by royalty. Then they say to him mockingly: “Good day, you King of the Jews!” Also, they spit on him and slap him in the face. Taking the sturdy reed from his hand, they use it to hit him on the head, driving even further into his scalp the sharp thorns of his humiliating “crown.” Jesus’ remarkable dignity and strength in the face of this mistreatment so impresses Pilate that he is moved to make another attempt to redeem him. “See! I bring him outside to you in order for you to know I find no fault in him,” he tells the crowds. Possibly he imagines that the sight of Jesus’ tortured condition will soften their hearts. As Jesus stands before the heartless mob, wearing the thorny crown and the purple outer garment and with his bleeding face etched with pain, Pilate proclaims: “Look! The man!” Though bruised and battered, here stands the most outstanding figure of all history, truly the greatest man who ever lived! Yes, Jesus shows a quiet dignity and calm that bespeak a greatness that even Pilate must acknowledge, for his words are apparently a mingling of both respect and pity. John 18:39–19:5; Matthew 27:15-17, 20-30; Mark 15:6-19; Luke 23:18-25. ▪ In what way does Pilate attempt to have Jesus released? ▪ How does Pilate try to absolve himself of responsibility? ▪ What is involved in being scourged? ▪ How is Jesus ridiculed after being scourged? ▪ What further attempt does Pilate make to release Jesus?

Choosing (bw) 1979

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/bw

Chapter 2 Encouraging Aid to Stick to Our Decision 1, 2. (a) How did Jesus Christ illustrate the importance of sticking to our decision to serve God? (b) Why is it unwise to disregard Jesus’ counsel? “NO MAN that has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things behind is well fitted for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) To plow effectively, to make the furrows line up, a plowman has to keep his eyes on a fixed point at the other end of the field. How much more important it is to keep our eyes on our life’s goal! Then the precious days and years of our life-span will display a pattern that is consistent with the goal for which we are aiming. 2 The words of God’s Son quoted above show that, once we make a commitment to serve our Creator, we should be determined to stick to that decision, come what may. The world may offer what seems to be a more alluring course​—the pursuit of pleasures, popularity or material possessions. But to look back longingly to any of these things​—worse, to let them become the focal point of our lives—​could mean the loss of the prize we seek. It could result in a wasted life. 3. What is a basic objective of our faith? 3 “Better is the end afterward of a matter than its beginning,” says Ecclesiastes 7:8. So, while making a start in our chosen course is essential, it is the finish that really counts. That is why, in God’s Word, so much stress is placed on proving faithful to the end. (Matthew 24:13) Our faith has as a basic objective, purpose or goal, the securing of salvation or everlasting life.​—1 Peter 1:9. 4. (a) To remain faithful, what view of salvation is important? (b) What does 1 Peter 1:10-12 tell us about the interest of the prophets in the divine arrangement for salvation? 4 What can help us to persevere as loyal disciples of God’s Son? For one thing, we need to see clearly, feel deeply, the precious worth of the salvation we seek. The inspired words of the apostle Peter, a close associate of Jesus Christ, can greatly aid us in this regard. His admonition can help us to see that our final salvation is something for which we should gladly endure all the pressure of opposition, no matter how severe. It is something for which we should be willing to work, to sacrifice, yes, to die if need be. (Luke 14:26-33) At 1 Peter 1:10-12, the apostle writes: “Concerning this very salvation a diligent inquiry and a careful search were made by the prophets who prophesied about the undeserved kindness meant for you. They 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. It was revealed to them that, not to themselves, but to you, they were ministering the things that have now been announced to you through those who have declared the good news to you with holy spirit sent forth from heaven.” A MATTER OF INTENSE INTEREST TO PROPHETS 5. What did the prophets foretell about Messiah’s sufferings? 5 Centuries before Jesus’ days on earth, the Hebrew prophets were inspired to foretell the suffering that would befall the promised Messiah or Christ. The prophecy of Daniel specified the time for the arrival of the Christ and indicated that he would be cut off in death after a ministry of three and a half years. (Daniel 9:24-27) From Isaiah’s prophecy we learn that the Messiah would be rejected and come to be a stone of stumbling. (Isaiah 8:14, 15; 28:16; 53:3) That prophecy also showed that he would carry the sicknesses of the people, be tried and condemned but remain silent before his accusers, would be spit on, numbered with sinners, pierced, die a sacrificial death and carry away sins in order to pave the way for many to gain a righteous standing with God. (Isaiah 50:6; 53:4-12) The prophecy of Zechariah pointed to Messiah’s being betrayed for 30 silver pieces. (Zechariah 11:12) And the prophet Micah foretold that the Christ, the “judge of Israel,” would be struck on the cheek.​—Micah 5:1. 6. What details about Messiah’s sufferings are set forth in the Psalms? 6 Among the statements in the Psalms applying to Jesus Christ are the following: He would be betrayed by an intimate associate. (Psalm 41:9) Rulers, supported by their subjects, would range themselves up against him. (Psalm 2:1, 2) The Jewish religious builders would reject him. (Psalm 118:22) False witnesses would testify against the Messiah. (Psalm 27:12) On arriving at the place of execution, he would be offered a stupefying drink. (Psalm 69:21a) Those fastening him to the stake would be ‘at his hands and his feet’ like wild beasts. (Psalm 22:16) Lots would be cast over his garments. (Psalm 22:18) His enemies would mock him with the words: “He committed himself to Jehovah. Let Him provide him with escape! Let him deliver him, since he has taken delight in him!” (Psalm 22:8) Suffering from great thirst, he would ask for a drink and be offered sour wine. (Psalms 22:15; 69:21b) Just before his death, he would cry out: “My God, my God, why have you left me?”​—Psalm 22:1. 7. What do the prophecies reveal about the “glories to follow” Christ’s sufferings? 7 As Peter points out, the prophets were also inspired to speak of the ‘glories that would follow’ Messiah’s suffering. By God’s majestic power, this faithful Son would be raised from the dead. (Psalm 16:8-10) On his ascension to heaven, he would be seated at God’s right hand, waiting until his enemies would be placed as a stool for his feet. (Psalm 110:1) He would occupy the position of an everlasting priest after the order of Melchizedek. (Psalm 110:4) His Father, “the Ancient of Days,” would grant him kingly authority. (Daniel 7:13, 14) The time would finally come for God’s anointed one to dash to pieces all nations opposing his rulership. (Psalm 2:9) He would then exercise dominion over the whole earth.​—Psalm 72:7, 8; Zechariah 9:9, 10. 8. How did the prophets show intense interest in what they wrote, and why did they do so? 8 Yes, the prophecies provided splendid foregleams of the Messiah’s role in the divine arrangement for salvation or liberation from sin and death. His faithfulness under suffering, his death, resurrection and ascension to heaven as a glorious spirit person​—all of these were needed for individuals to receive the foretold “undeserved kindness,” including forgiveness of sins and total reconciliation with Jehovah God as his sons. The prophets themselves could not fully understand how salvation would come through the Messiah. Nonetheless, as the apostle Peter shows, they were intensely interested in the things that they had recorded. They diligently examined the prophetic words, repeatedly studying their own prophecies to discover the significance of what they had been inspired to write. Recognizing that there were marvelous truths incorporated in the revelations that they had received, the prophets used their mental faculties to the full in an effort to gain the greatest benefit from the God-given predictions. This was despite the fact that it was not until the coming of the Messiah that individuals could be recipients of the foretold unmerited kindness. Nevertheless, what the prophets understood was enough to sustain them and it also incited them to want to know still more. They were especially interested in knowing about the conditions that would exist at the time of Messiah’s appearance, yes, in what “sort of season” he would undergo the foretold suffering and then experience exaltation. 9. Who especially benefited from the prophecies about the Messiah? 9 As Peter made clear, the Hebrew prophets came to understand that the Messianic prophecies were not primarily recorded for their profit but for the benefit of those who would actually be living at the time of Messiah’s appearance. (1 Peter 1:12) Regarding the revelations that he received, the prophet Daniel admitted: “I heard, but I could not understand.” (Daniel 12:8) However, persons who accepted the “good news” that was proclaimed in the first century C.E. were the ones who profited fully from the inspired words about Messiah’s first coming. It was to them that the prophets were actually ministering.​—Matthew 13:16, 17. 10. How should we be affected by the interest that the Hebrew prophets showed in salvation, and why? 10 How, then, should our knowing about the intense interest of the prophets affect us? It should make us examine ourselves to see whether we have the same concern about salvation. Is our remaining approved servants of Jehovah God and Jesus Christ the main object in life? Are we truly intense about this matter? Certainly, we have good reason to be totally absorbed in proving ourselves to be loyal disciples of God’s Son. The Messiah came centuries ago. His sacrificial death provided the very basis for salvation and made certain the fulfillment of every single promise of God. (2 Corinthians 1:20) The passage of time in no way weakens the certainty of the fulfillment of the divine promises. Rather, it confirms that God’s desire is for as many as possible to gain salvation. (1 Timothy 2:3, 4; 2 Peter 3:9) So, with confidence, we can look forward to inheriting the blessings that the Most High has in store for faithful ones. WHY ANGELS ARE INTERESTED 11. According to 1 Peter 1:12, how intense is the interest of the angels in the divine arrangement for salvation? 11 The example of the angels should also serve to encourage us to do our utmost to remain in God’s favor. Though having no personal need for the divine arrangement of salvation, faithful angels take a real interest in the outworking of God’s grand purpose for humankind. The apostle Peter wrote: “Into these very things [that occupied the attention of the Hebrew prophets] angels are desiring to peer.” (1 Peter 1:12) Yes, before the coming of Jesus Christ to this earth, the angels were desirous of knowing more about Christ’s sufferings, the “glories to follow these” and the impact of the “good news” on humankind. The apostle Peter could speak of them as “desiring to peer” into these matters. In the original Greek, the expression “to peer” suggests a stooping down with a view to scrutinizing an object more closely. But why were the angels so keenly interested in making a careful examination of Jehovah God’s revelation about salvation? As perfect spirit persons, why should the provisions for sinful, earthly humans particularly concern them? 12, 13. How might we explain the great interest of the angels in the salvation of mankind? 12 Since the angels are not all-knowing, they doubtless increase their knowledge by studiously considering God’s dealings and revelations. The arrangement for the redemption of the human race truly furnished a marvelous example of Jehovah’s love, justice, mercy and wisdom. Hence, by occupying themselves with gaining greater understanding of Jehovah’s arrangement for saving sinful mankind, the angels would come to appreciate their heavenly Father even more. They would learn things about his personality and ways that could not be discerned from a study or an examination of any other development in the universe.​—Compare Ephesians 3:8-10. 13 Furthermore, the angels have a “fondness” for the human race. (Compare Proverbs 8:22-31.) They want to see mankind reconciled with the heavenly Father, Jehovah. That is why Jesus Christ could say: “Joy arises among the angels of God over one sinner that repents.”​—Luke 15:10. 14. (a) What should the attitude of the angels toward our salvation help us to do? (b) What counsel of the apostle Peter should we keep in mind in order to remain faithful servants of God? 14 Yes, millions of angels rejoiced when we ourselves came to repentance. They are very much interested in seeing us maintain faithfulness to the very end. In effect, they are ‘cheering us on.’ May we not let our vision of the great heavenly host that have deep concern and affection for us become dim. Surely we want their joy respecting us to continue. This requires that we heed Peter’s admonition: “Hence brace up your minds for activity, keep your senses completely; set your hope upon the undeserved kindness that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”​—1 Peter 1:13. BRACING UP OUR MINDS FOR ACTIVITY 15. How are we to understand Peter’s admonition to ‘brace up our minds for activity’? 15 What does it mean for us to ‘brace up the mind for activity’? A literal translation of the apostle Peter’s words would be: “Gird up the loins of your mind.” In the days of the apostle, men wore long robes. When working or engaging in vigorous activity such as running, a man would pull up the robe between his legs and fasten it securely by means of a girdle. “To gird up the loins” meant to be prepared for activity. For us to ‘gird up the loins of the mind’ would, therefore, signify having our mental faculties in a state of preparedness for discharging our Christian obligations and for bearing up under whatever trial may befall us. 16. How can we show that we are ‘keeping our senses completely’? 16 With our mental powers in a state of readiness to continue in faithful service to God, we would certainly be ‘keeping our senses completely.’ We would be balanced in our thinking, able to evaluate matters properly. Our life would show that we have our faculties in control and are not yielding to the allurements of a world alienated from Jehovah God. (1 John 2:16) Foremost in our lives would be the doing of what is pleasing in the eyes of our heavenly Father and his Son. 17. (a) What is the “undeserved kindness” that will be brought to believers? (b) How do we ‘set our hope on the undeserved kindness that is to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ’? 17 To ‘brace up our minds for activity and to keep our senses completely,’ we must ‘set our hope on the undeserved kindness that is to be brought to us at the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ At the time that the Lord Jesus Christ comes in glory, all those with the heavenly hope who have remained his devoted disciples will become sharers in divine undeserved kindness. (1 Corinthians 1:4-9) Not only will these spirit-begotten disciples experience refreshing relief from the suffering that they have undergone at the hands of wicked men; but also those Christians with the hope of an earthly paradise will be preserved alive through the “great tribulation” that follows Christ’s coming and have before them the prospect of unending earthly life. Indeed, we have good reason to keep ever before us the fulfillment of our Christian hopes, looking forward with eagerness to our being recipients of divine favor. Our confidence in the sure fulfillment of these hopes can spur us on in remaining loyal to our heavenly Father and his Son. May we set our sights firmly on the blessings that Christ’s coming in glory will bring for his faithful followers.​—Matthew 25:31-46. PROVING OURSELVES GOD’S OBEDIENT CHILDREN 18. How do we show ourselves to be “obedient children”? 18 In harmony with these hopes, our attitude should be that of “obedient children.” The apostle Peter continued: “As obedient children, quit being fashioned according to the desires you formerly had in your ignorance.” (1 Peter 1:14) As children who respect and love their heavenly Father, we should want to submit ourselves joyfully to his requirements, appreciating that this is the right thing to do. No longer do we want to conduct our affairs of life in the manner to which we were accustomed before becoming disciples of Jesus Christ. In our ignorance of God’s commands, we may have indulged our sinful passions, selfishly put our own interests first to the hurt of others, or centered our lives around gaining material possessions, popularity or authority. To a large extent, we patterned our lives in harmony with the attitudes, words and actions of those around us. We now know that such a way of life that ignores God is empty, meaningless. 19. As illustrated by the Mosaic law, what is included in being “holy”? 19 To enjoy a richness of life, we need to imitate Jehovah God, who is holy, clean or pure. Is our imitating our heavenly Father limited to formal worship? Note that the apostle Peter says: “In accord with the Holy One who called you, do you also become holy yourselves in all your conduct.” (1 Peter 1:15) Then he quoted from Leviticus 19:2, which reads: “You should prove yourselves holy, because I Jehovah your God am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) These words in Leviticus appear in a setting that outlines what Jehovah God required of the Israelites in conducting both their formal worship and their regular daily affairs. Included among these requirements for holy conduct are: Proper regard for parents, honesty, consideration for the deaf, the blind and other afflicted ones, not harboring grudges but loving one’s fellowman, refraining from slander and from bearing false witness, and rendering justice. (Leviticus 19:3, 9-18) Really, then, no aspect of life is exempted from the requirement to be holy or pure from Jehovah’s standpoint. “CONDUCT YOURSELVES WITH FEAR” 20. What should we keep in mind about judgment, and how should this affect our conduct? 20 Another powerful reason for living up to our dedication to God is found in the apostle Peter’s next words: “Furthermore, if you are calling upon the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your alien residence.” (1 Peter 1:17) We should never lose sight of the fact that our heavenly Father, by means of his Son, will judge us. That judgment will not be influenced by outward appearances but will be impartial, in harmony with what we really are as persons. (Isaiah 11:2-4) So, if we acknowledge the Most High as our Father, we will want to conduct ourselves in such a way that he can look upon us with approval, rendering a favorable judgment toward us. We would rightly continue pursuing a course of life that reflects a healthy and reverential fear of Jehovah God. 21. How do we show that we view our being in this world as a time of “alien residence”? 21 Then, too, we need to appreciate that the world and what it has to offer are temporary. We are to think of ourselves as being in an “alien residence.” It is essential for us to guard against attaching ourselves to anything in this world as if it were going to continue forever. Even the once luxurious palaces of the kings of ancient Assyria, Babylon and Persia no longer provide a comfortable home for anyone; they lie in ruins. No architectural work, no product of modern engineering and technology, no painting, no sculpture, no single item manufactured by man can remain unchanged for all eternity. True, we must live in this world that is alienated from God, and we cannot “emigrate” from it. (1 Corinthians 5:9, 10) But we do not want to feel really ‘at home’ in the present arrangement of things. No, for we are looking forward to something far better, to the coming “new heavens and a new earth” of God’s making. (2 Peter 3:13) Our journey through life in the world is a ‘time of alien residence,’ and our attitudes, words and actions should demonstrate that this is the case.​—Compare Hebrews 11:13-16. A PRECIOUS PRICE WAS PAID 22, 23. Why should we feel forever indebted to Jehovah God and Jesus Christ? 22 Further emphasizing the importance of our continuing to be holy, devoted servants of Jehovah God, the apostle Peter writes: “For you know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were delivered from your fruitless form of conduct received by tradition from your forefathers. But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, even Christ’s.” (1 Peter 1:18, 19) Having been redeemed from the condemnation of sin and death, we are under obligation to Jehovah God who made the arrangement for our being ransomed. Suppose a large amount of silver or gold had been paid to ransom us from death. Would we not feel deeply indebted to the one who made such a major material sacrifice in our behalf? 23 How much greater, then, is our indebtedness to Jehovah God and to Jesus Christ! The ransom price paid was far more valuable than any material treasure that can be lost, stolen or destroyed. Its value is greater than all the silver and gold found on earth today. The precious blood of the sinless Son of God is the valuable ransom price that was paid. It is the lifeblood of someone who had the right to live forever and, hence, of one who did much more than give up his life prematurely, as other men have done for what they thought to be a noble cause. The payment of this ransom price also provided the basis, as Peter says, for our being ‘delivered from our fruitless form of conduct received by tradition from our forefathers.’ How so? 24. Before we became disciples of Jesus Christ, how may our conduct have been “fruitless”? 24 When we accepted the fact of our having been ransomed or bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, we abandoned our former course of life. Without knowledge of Jehovah God or his purposes, our life had been “fruitless,” vain, empty, in that it revolved exclusively around the attainment of things that had no permanence. The way we conducted ourselves may even have harmed us mentally, physically and emotionally. Moreover, our parents and grandparents may have been unacquainted with the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, the standards and principles by which they conducted their affairs of life may not have been in harmony with the divine will. They may even have engaged in God-dishonoring religious practices. Thus, even the “tradition” we may have received from our ancestors respecting conduct did not lead to our enjoying a purposeful life.​—Compare Matthew 15:3-9. 25. How can the words of 1 Peter 1:10-19 provide strong encouragement for us to remain faithful to Jehovah God and our Lord Jesus Christ? 25 Surely, the words of the apostle Peter are a real encouragement for us to stick to our commitment to serve Jehovah God as devoted disciples of Jesus Christ. Never should we allow ourselves to forget about the keen interest that the Hebrew prophets and the angels showed in the divine revelations concerning salvation. May we keep ever before us the certainty of God’s judgment, the fulfillment of our hope at the revelation of Jesus Christ, the importance of being clean in all our conduct because Jehovah’s holiness requires it, and the fact that the period of our life in this world is but a time of alien residence. Above all, may we never, no, never, lose sight of the fact that we have been ransomed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ! 26. How do the things this world can offer compare with what we gain from serving Jehovah? 26 When compared with the blessings that come from serving the Most High, the showy things of this world are really refuse. (1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Philippians 3:7, 8) No amount of money can buy a clean conscience, a meaningful life now and an abiding future of happy living. But faithful service to God does bring such blessings. What powerful reasons we have for making this our chief concern in life!

Pleasant Unity and the Memorial

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2018243

Pleasant Unity and the Memorial “How good and how pleasant it is . . . to dwell together in unity!”​—PS. 133:1. SONGS: 18, 14 HOW DOES THE MEMORIAL . . . benefit us personally? influence the unity of God’s people? motivate us to promote unity? 1, 2. What is the most unifying event of 2018, and why? (See opening picture.) ON March 31, 2018, as the sun begins to set, God’s people and many interested ones will assemble for the annual observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal. As the planet turns on its axis, millions will gather to observe the Memorial of Christ’s death. Each year, this observance is the most amazing unifying event that takes place on planet Earth! 2 We can only try to imagine how Jehovah and Jesus must rejoice as they observe hour after hour millions of earth’s inhabitants attending this special event until that day ends. The Bible foretold that “a great crowd, which no man [would be] able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues” would shout: “Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:9, 10) How wonderful that Jehovah and Jesus are honored in this way by means of the annual Memorial observance! 3. What questions will this article answer? 3 Some questions have arisen that this article will answer. (1) How can we individually prepare for the Memorial and benefit from attending it? (2) In what ways does the Memorial influence the unity of God’s people? (3) How can we personally contribute to that unity? (4) Will there ever be a final Memorial? If so, when? HOW TO PREPARE FOR AND BENEFIT FROM ATTENDING 4. Why is it important for us to be present at the Memorial if at all possible? 4 Reflect on the importance of attending the Memorial. Remember, congregation meetings are part of our worship. Surely Jehovah and Jesus take note of who makes the effort to attend this most important meeting of the year. Frankly, we want them to see that unless it is physically or circumstantially impossible, we will be present at the Memorial. When we show by our actions that meetings for worship are important to us, we give Jehovah added reason to keep our name in his “book of remembrance”​—“the book of life”—​in which the names of those who are in line to attain to everlasting life are inscribed.​—Mal. 3:16; Rev. 20:15. 5. In the days before the Memorial, how can we ‘test whether we are in the faith’? 5 In the days leading up to the Memorial, we can set aside time to examine prayerfully and carefully our personal relationship with Jehovah. (Read 2 Corinthians 13:5.) How can we do that? By ‘testing whether we are in the faith.’ To do that, we do well to ask ourselves: ‘Do I really believe that I am part of the only organization that Jehovah has approved to accomplish his will? Am I doing my utmost to preach and teach the good news of the Kingdom? Do my actions show that I truly believe that these are the last days and that the end of Satan’s rule is near? Do I have the same confidence in Jehovah and Jesus now that I had when I dedicated my life to Jehovah God?’ (Matt. 24:14; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 3:14) Pondering the answers to such questions will help us to keep proving what we ourselves are. 6. (a) What is the only path to life? (b) How does one elder prepare for the Memorial each year, and how might you do something similar? 6 Read and meditate on Scriptural material that discusses the significance of the Memorial. (Read John 3:16; 17:3.) The only path to everlasting life involves “coming to know” Jehovah and “exercising faith” in Jesus, His only-begotten Son. To prepare for the Memorial, why not choose some study projects that will help you to draw closer to Jehovah and Jesus? Consider what one longtime elder has been doing. Over the years, he has collected Watchtower articles that particularly discuss the Memorial and the love that Jehovah and Jesus have shown us. In the weeks prior to the Memorial, he rereads these articles and meditates on the importance of this observance. On occasion, he updates his collection with an article or two. This elder has found that by rereading these articles and by reading and meditating on the Memorial Bible reading, he learns new things each year. Most important, he feels that his love for Jehovah and Jesus deepens each and every year. Such a study project may help you to deepen your love and appreciation for Jehovah and Jesus and thus may help you to benefit more fully from the Memorial. THE MEMORIAL’S INFLUENCE ON OUR UNITY 7. (a) What did Jesus pray for on the night of the first Lord’s Evening Meal? (b) What shows that Jehovah has answered Jesus’ prayer? 7 On the night of the first Lord’s Evening Meal, Jesus prayed that his followers would all be united and that they would enjoy the same unity that he and his Father treasure. (Read John 17:20, 21.) Jehovah has indeed answered that prayer of his dear Son, and now millions believe that Jehovah sent his Son. The Memorial, like no other meeting of God’s people, provides undeniable evidence of the unity of Jehovah’s Witnesses. People of many nations and skin colors gather together in meeting places around the earth. In some areas, the gathering of these different races at a religious meeting is unheard of or is looked down on by others. But such unity is beautiful in the eyes of Jehovah and Jesus! 8. What message did Jehovah give Ezekiel regarding unity? 8 As Jehovah’s people, we are not surprised at the unity we enjoy. Jehovah, in fact, foretold it. Consider the message he gave to the prophet Ezekiel regarding the joining together of two sticks, the stick “for Judah” and the stick “for Joseph.” (Read Ezekiel 37:15-17.) The “Questions From Readers” published in The Watchtower of July 2016 explained: “Jehovah gave Ezekiel a message of hope promising the unification of the nation of Israel after its being restored to the Promised Land. That message also foretells the unification of God’s people that started to take place during the last days.” 9. How is the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy in evidence each year at the Memorial? 9 From the year 1919 onward, Jehovah first gradually reorganized and reunited the anointed, who were symbolically like the stick “for Judah.” Then, as more and more of those with the earthly hope​—symbolically like the stick “for Joseph”—​joined the anointed, the two groups became “one flock.” (John 10:16; Zech. 8:23) Jehovah promised to join these two sticks and make them one in his hand. (Ezek. 37:19) Now both groups serve unitedly under one King​—the glorified Jesus Christ, who is prophetically spoken of as God’s “servant David.” (Ezek. 37:24, 25) The precious unity described in Ezekiel is clearly evident each year as the anointed remnant and the “other sheep” gather to observe the Memorial of Christ’s death! What, though, can we individually do to preserve and promote that unity? WAYS WE INDIVIDUALLY CAN PROMOTE UNITY 10. How can we promote unity among God’s people? 10 One way we can promote the unity of God’s people is by cultivating humility. When on earth, Jesus admonished his disciples to humble themselves. (Matt. 23:12) If we are lowly in heart, we will not give in to the worldly spirit of self-exaltation. Rather, our humility will help us to be submissive to those taking the lead, and such an obedient spirit is essential for unity in the congregation. Above all, our humility will please God, for he “opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”​—1 Pet. 5:5. 11. How can reflecting on the meaning of the Memorial emblems help us to promote unity? 11 A second way we can promote unity is by reflecting on the meaning of the emblems used at the Memorial. Prior to that special night​—and especially on that night—​give serious thought to the significance of the unleavened bread and the red wine. (1 Cor. 11:23-25) The bread represents the sinless body of Jesus offered in sacrifice, and the wine pictures his shed blood. But we need more than just an intellectual understanding of what those emblems mean. Remember that the ransom sacrifice of Christ involved the two greatest expressions of love​—the love that Jehovah showed in giving his Son in our behalf, and the love that Jesus showed by willingly offering up his life for us. Reflecting on their love should move us to love them in return. And the love for Jehovah that we and our fellow worshippers share is like a cord that ties us together and strengthens our bond of unity. When we are forgiving, we promote unity (See paragraphs 12, 13) 12. In his illustration of the king settling accounts, how did Jesus make it clear that Jehovah expects us to be forgiving? 12 A third way we can promote unity is by freely forgiving others. When we forgive those who have offended us, we show that we appreciate the forgiveness of our own sins made possible by Christ’s ransom sacrifice. Consider one of Jesus’ illustrations as recorded at Matthew 18:23-34. Ask yourself: ‘Am I moved to apply what Jesus taught? Do I show patience and understanding to my fellow servants? Am I ready to forgive those who sin against me personally?’ Granted, there are degrees of sin, and some offenses are very hard for imperfect humans to forgive. Yet, this illustration teaches us what Jehovah expects. (Read Matthew 18:35.) Jesus makes it clear that Jehovah will not forgive us if we do not forgive our brothers when there is a sound basis for doing so. What a sobering thought! We protect and preserve our precious unity when we forgive others as Jesus taught us to do. 13. How does proving ourselves to be peacemakers promote unity? 13 When we forgive others, we prove ourselves to be peacemakers. Recall the apostle Paul’s counsel that we should be “earnestly endeavoring to maintain the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:3) During this Memorial season and especially on the night of the Memorial, think deeply about how you treat others. Ask yourself: ‘Do I give clear evidence of being one who does not hold grudges? Am I known for going out of my way to promote peace and unity?’ These are serious questions to ponder at this time of the year. 14. How can we show that we are “putting up with one another in love”? 14 A fourth way to promote unity is by showing love in imitation of Jehovah, the God of love. (1 John 4:8) Never would we want to say regarding fellow worshippers, “I may have to love them, but I do not have to like them”! To think that way is contrary to Paul’s counsel that we should be “putting up with one another in love.” (Eph. 4:2) Note that he did not simply say that we should be “putting up with one another.” He added that we should do so “in love.” There is a difference. In our congregations are found all sorts of people whom Jehovah has drawn to him. (John 6:44) Since Jehovah has drawn them to him, he must find them lovable. How, then, could any of us judge a fellow worshipper as being unworthy of our love? We must not hold back the love that Jehovah commands us to display!​—1 John 4:20, 21. A FINAL MEMORIAL​—WHEN? 15. How do we know that there will be a final Memorial? 15 One day the Memorial will be observed for the last time. How do we know? In his first inspired letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote to anointed Christians that by commemorating Jesus’ death each year, they “keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he comes.” (1 Cor. 11:26) The word “comes” here refers to the same event as the “coming” that Jesus mentioned in his prophecy about the time of the end. Regarding the great tribulation just ahead of us, he said: “The sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And [Jesus] will send out his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity.” (Matt. 24:29-31) This ‘gathering of chosen ones’ refers to the time when all anointed Christians who still remain on earth will receive their heavenly reward. It will happen after the initial part of the great tribulation has passed but before the battle of Armageddon. Then all of the 144,000 will share with Jesus in conquering the kings of the earth. (Rev. 17:12-14) The last Memorial that is observed prior to this gathering of the anointed to heaven will be the final one, for Jesus will have ‘come.’ 16. Why are you determined to be present at this year’s Memorial? 16 May we be determined to benefit ourselves by attending the Memorial on March 31, 2018. And let us ask Jehovah to help us keep contributing to the unity of his people! (Read Psalm 133:1.) Remember, someday the Memorial we observe will be the final one. Meanwhile, may we do our utmost to be in attendance, and may we treasure the pleasant unity experienced at the Memorial.

Holy Spirit (hs) 1976

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/hs

Scripture Index GENESIS 1:1 6 1:1, 2 13, 14 1:3-5 15 1:26 20 1:26-28 38, 121 1:26-31 29 1:27-31 21 2:7, 8 38 2:9 40 2:16, 17 40 3:1-5 40 3:14 44 3:14, 15 41 3:15 43, 99, 103, 182 3:17-24 40 3:22, 23 40 3:24 29 4:4-7 45 4:11 44 5:18-24 67, 68 6:1-3 68 8:1 14 9:24-29 68 22:18 103 32:1, 2, 24-30 160 EXODUS 14:19, 20 160 14:21–15:21 64 19:5, 6 117, 157 25:10-22 31 31:1-6 70 33:20 18 38:22, 23 71 40:1-34 71 NUMBERS 7:89 31 11:16, 17, 24-29 66 DEUTERONOMY 18:9-14 48 18:15-19 82 32:4, 5 38 JUDGES 3:9-11 73 6:33, 34 73 11:29–12:7 74 13:5, 25 74 14:5-19 75 15:11-15 75 16:23-30 76 1 SAMUEL 16:13, 14 76, 77 2 SAMUEL 7:4-17 25 23:1-3 62 1 KINGS 8:27 7 22:19-21 23 2 KINGS 6:15-17 160 19:15 31 1 CHRONICLES 28:11-19 72 2 CHRONICLES 5:13, 14 72 NEHEMIAH 9:30 110 JOB 1:6 29 1:6, 7 22 2:1 29 2:1, 2 22 38:1-7 21 38:7 29, 46 PSALMS 2:1 62 8:4, 5 21 8:5 167 18:10 30 19:1, 2 10 22:1 26 31:5 26 34:7 160 40:6-8 92 45:16 180 48:1, 2 165 50:2 165 51:11 12 80:1 31 82:1-6 181 83:9-12 73 84:11 18 89:26, 27 25 89:28-37 25 90:2 8 96:1 164 98:1 164 99:1 31 103:20, 21 32 104:4 20 104:29, 30 17 139:7-10 181 143:9, 10 183 143:10 15 144:9 164 147:4 9 149:1 164 PROVERBS 13:12 133 ECCLESIASTES 1:9, 10 163 9:5, 10 179 ISAIAH 1:1, 2 63 6:1-7 30 7:14 85 9:4-6 73 9:6, 7 129, 180 10:26 73 11:1-5 172 11:6-9 173 11:10-12 174 32:1, 2 180 32:15 147 32:15-18 161 37:14-37 30 37:36 160 40:3 82 40:3-5 79 40:26 9 40:29 10 42:2-4 79 43:10-12 149, 150 43:21 109 51:15, 16 175 51:16 176 54:5 105 54:13 105, 120 61:1-3 81, 95, 120, 126, 147, 157 63:10 69 63:11-14 65 JEREMIAH 1:1, 2 63 LAMENTATIONS 2:15 165 EZEKIEL 1:1-25 30 9:3 30 10:1-20 30 11:22 30 28:11-19 42 37:1-10 161 37:11-14 161 44:3 180 45:7-22 180 46:2-18 180 48:21, 22 180 DANIEL 2:44 170 7:7-14 25 9:24-27 84 JOEL 2:28, 29 122, 148 2:28-32 79, 112, 149 2:31, 32 152 2:32 149 AMOS 9:11, 12 119 MICAH 5:2 89 ZECHARIAH 4:6 77, 148, 162 4:10 160 9:9 165 MALACHI 4:5, 6 79, 82 MATTHEW 1:18-21 88 1:22, 23 86 3:7-12 83 3:11 111 3:13-17 102 3:17 92 4:12-17 95, 123 7:16-21 140 10:1, 8 48 10:8 159 10:18-20 97 12:24-27 47 12:24-32 99 12:28 28 12:43-45 48 13:39-43, 49, 50 160 16:16-19 106 16:18 166 16:19 108, 122, 124 16:21-23 100 17:1-9 59 17:12, 13 100 21:4, 5 165 24:3 139 24:3, 9-14 98 24:3, 30, 31 160 24:3–25:46 139 24:9 141 24:14 141, 144, 145, 147, 158 24:14-22 123, 127 25:31-46 160 27:46 26 28:18-20 138 28:19, 20 114, 148, 158 MARK 1:12 95 8:27-32 106 9:2-9 59 9:42 40 13:3-37 139 13:10 127, 147 13:10-13 98 15:34 26 LUKE 1:5-17 79 1:15 82 1:19 18 1:26-33 87 1:32 89 1:32, 33 94 1:34, 35 87 1:37 87 1:38 88 2:7 90 2:8-20 90 2:11 86 3:15-17 83 3:16, 17 123 3:21-23 91 4:1, 2 95 4:14, 15 95 4:16-21 95 4:43 96 5:17-26 98 5:36-38 164 8:1-3 97 9:1, 2 97 9:18-22 106 9:28-36 59 10:1-9 97 11:13 12 11:20 28 12:11, 12 97 12:32 155 21:7-36 139 21:24 142 23:39-43 179 23:43 132 23:46 26 24:36-39 19 24:46-48 121 JOHN 1:1 181 1:1-3 27 1:6, 7 79 1:11-13 116 1:12, 13 166 1:14 89 1:19-23 82 1:29-34 83 1:33 113 1:33, 34 91 1:35-49 92 3:3, 5 114, 166, 167 3:3-7 93 3:16 27 3:16, 17 86 4:21 164 4:24 7, 11, 17 4:25, 26 94 5:27-29 178 6:44, 45 105 6:51 167 8:44 39 10:3, 16 155 10:16 132, 160 10:33-36 181 12:31 50, 170 14:16, 17 139 14:18, 26 109 14:30 50 15:26, 27 109 16:7, 13-15 110 16:11 50 20:17 26 20:31 89 ACTS 1:1-3 110 1:4, 5 111 1:6 107 1:6-8 111 1:8 121 1:15, 16 61 1:16 77 2:1-4 112 2:11 122 2:14-21 148 2:14-39 122 2:16-21 112 2:32, 33 113 2:40 123 3:18 99 3:18-21 61 4:24, 25 62, 77 4:31 152 8:1-17 124 8:15-18 129 9:1-30 124 10:38 81, 94, 98, 103, 138 10:44-48 124 11:26 119 14:15 134 15:1, 2 119 15:3-29 120 15:14 149 17:1-3 100 17:3 60 17:24-27 7 19:2-6 129 21:25 120 26:12-18 101 26:22, 23 101 28:22 100 28:30, 31 126 ROMANS 1:1-4 102 1:7 133 1:20, 21 11 1:26-32 54 2:28, 29 117 3:4 182 5:3-5 132 5:12 51 6:5 169 6:5-8 131 6:5, 8 167 8:3 167 8:11 162 8:15-17 127 8:16, 17 133 8:17 131 8:23 134, 135 8:23-27 133 8:26, 27 136 8:28 136 10:14, 15 147 11:13 125 15:24, 28 126 16:20 43 1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31 129 10:4 107 15:3-8 101 15:42-54 102, 168 15:45 169 15:50 19, 114 2 CORINTHIANS 1:21, 22 114, 126, 157 3:17 162 4:3, 4 51 4:4 181 5:16-18 118 5:17 166 11:2 166 13:14 183 GALATIANS 3:19-25 85 4:4, 5 84 4:5-7 117 4:25, 26 103 5:16-23 36 5:19, 20 48 5:19-23 140 5:22, 23 66, 173, 181 6:15, 16 118 EPHESIANS 1:19-21 103 2:1-5 52 2:2 52, 53, 177 3:14, 15 23 4:3 33 4:18 52 4:30 69 5:18 151, 177 5:25-27 166 PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8 85 2:5-11 103 3:11 169 COLOSSIANS 1:13 129 1:15 27, 86 1:16 27 1:18 28 1:21 52 1:23 126 1 THESSALONIANS 1:4-6 129 2:13 128 1 TIMOTHY 1:8-11 36 1:11 38 2:5, 6 89, 117 6:15, 16 170 2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5, 12 56 3:16, 17 60, 135 HEBREWS 1:7 19 1:14 159 2:6-9 21 2:7-9 167 4:12 40 6:7, 8 47 8:6-13 117 9:5 31 10:1-10 167 10:5-10 92 10:29 47, 69 11:1, 27 32 11:2–12:1 180 11:4-7 66 11:6 66 11:29 66 11:32, 33 73 11:32-34 76 12:1 66 12:22 176 12:22, 23 22 12:29 47 JAMES 1:1, 18 116 1:17 34 4:4 141 1 PETER 1:3, 4 117 1:23 116 2:4-10 107 2:8-10 109 2:25 155 3:18 167 3:18, 19 101 3:19, 20 67 3:20 68 3:21, 22 103 4:14 162 2 PETER 1:4 166, 170 1:10, 11 130 1:15-21 59 1:20, 21 134 2:4 42 2:5 68 3:13 170 3:15, 16 60, 107 1 JOHN 1:5 17 2:15-17 53 2:20, 27 114, 157 3:1-3 115 3:8 39 3:9 117 3:11, 12 44 4:2 103 5:18 93 2 JOHN vs 7 103 JUDE vs 6 42 vs 11 44 vs 14, 15 67 REVELATION 2:5 151 2:10 132, 168 2:17 164 3:1-3 151 3:12 26, 164, 166 3:14 25, 26 3:14-18 140 3:21 26 4:11 18 5:9 164 5:11-14 34 6:14-17 152 7:1-3 153 7:4-8 153, 166 7:9-17 132, 153, 155-157, 175, 180 7:17 155 9:20, 21 48 11:7-12 143 11:11 144, 161 11:11, 12 150 11:15-18 147 12:7-12 50 13:4 50 14:1 26 14:1-5 153, 166 14:3 164 14:6 160 16:14-16 170 19:7, 8 166 19:11-15 173 19:11-21 170 19:13 28 20:1-3 177 20:3 181 20:4-6 169 20:7-15 182 21:1, 2 164 21:1-4 171 21:2 165, 166 21:3 176 21:3, 4 181 21:5 163 21:8 48 21:9–22:3 165 21:14 166 22:16 171 22:17 166

Young People Ask (yp) 1989

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp

Chapter 31 How Do I Know If It’s Real Love? LOVE​—to starry-eyed romantics it is a mysterious visitation that seizes you, a once-in-a-lifetime feeling of sheer ecstasy. Love, they believe, is strictly an affair of the heart, something that cannot be understood, just experienced. Love conquers all and lasts forever . . . So go the romantic clichés. And no doubt about it, falling in love can be a uniquely beautiful experience. But just what is real love? Love at First Sight? David met Janet for the first time at a party. He was immediately attracted to her shapely figure and the way her hair tumbled over her eye when she laughed. Janet was enchanted by his deep brown eyes and his witty conversation. It seemed like a case of mutual love at first sight! During the next three weeks, David and Janet were inseparable. Then one night Janet received a devastating phone call from a former boyfriend. She called David for comfort. But David, feeling threatened and confused, responded coldly. The love they thought would last forever died that night. Movies, books, and television shows would have you believe that love at first sight lasts forever. Granted, physical attractiveness is usually what makes two people notice each other in the first place. As one young man put it: “It is hard to ‘see’ a person’s personality.” But what is it that one “loves” when a relationship is but a few hours or days old? Is it not the image that person projects? Really, you don’t know much about that person’s thoughts, hopes, fears, plans, habits, skills, or abilities. You’ve met only the outer shell, not “the secret person of the heart.” (1 Peter 3:4) How enduring could such love be? Looks Are Deceiving Furthermore, outward appearances can be deceiving. The Bible says: “Charm may be false, and prettiness may be vain.” The glittering wrappings of a gift tell you nothing of what’s inside. In fact, the most elegant wrappings may cover a useless gift.​—Proverbs 31:30. The Proverbs say: “As a gold nose ring in the snout of a pig, so is a woman that is pretty but that is turning away from sensibleness.” (Proverbs 11:22) Nose rings were a popular adornment during Bible times. They were exquisite, often made of solid gold. Naturally, such a ring would be the first piece of jewelry you would notice on a woman. Appropriately, the proverb compares an outwardly beautiful woman who lacks “sensibleness” to a “nose ring in the snout of a pig.” Beauty simply does not befit a senseless woman; it is a useless ornament on her. In the long run, it no more makes her appealing than would a gorgeous nose ring beautify a pig! What a mistake it is, then, to fall ‘in love’ with the way someone looks​—and ignore what that person is inside. “The Most Deceitful Thing There Is” Some, however, feel that the human heart has infallible romantic judgment. ‘Just listen to your heart,’ they argue. ‘You will know when it’s real love!’ Unfortunately, the facts contradict this notion. A survey was taken in which 1,079 young people (ages 18 to 24) reported having experienced an average of seven romantic involvements up to that time. Most admitted that their past romances were mere infatuation​—a passing, fading emotion. Yet, these youths “invariably described their current experience as love”! Most, though, will likely one day view their current involvements as they did their past ones​—as mere infatuations. The tragedy is that thousands of couples every year marry under the illusion of being ‘in love,’ only to find shortly thereafter that they have seriously erred. Infatuation “lures unsuspecting men and women into poor marriages like lambs to the slaughter,” says Ray Short in his book Sex, Love, or Infatuation. “He that is trusting in his own heart is stupid.” (Proverbs 28:26) Far too often, the judgment of our heart is misguided or misdirected. In fact, the Bible says: “The heart is the most deceitful thing there is.” (Jeremiah 17:9, The Living Bible) Yet, the aforementioned proverb continues: “But he that is walking in wisdom is the one that will escape.” You too can escape the dangers and frustrations other youths have suffered if you learn the difference between infatuation and the love described in the Bible​—the love that never fails. Love Versus Infatuation “Infatuation is blind and it likes to stay that way. It doesn’t like to look at reality,” admits 24-year-old Calvin. A 16-year-old girl, Kenya, added, “When you’re infatuated with a person, you think that everything they do is just perfect.” Infatuation is counterfeit love. It is unrealistic and self-centered. Infatuated persons have a tendency to say: ‘I really feel important when I’m with him. I can’t sleep. I can’t believe how fantastic this is’ or, ‘She really makes me feel good.’ Notice how many times either “I” or “me” is used? A relationship based on selfishness is bound to fail! Note, however, the Bible’s description of true love: “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.”​—1 Corinthians 13:4, 5. Since it “does not look for its own interests,” love based on Bible principle is neither self-centered nor selfish. True, a couple may have strong romantic feelings and mutual attraction. But these feelings are balanced by reason and deep respect for the other person. When you are really in love, you care just as much for the other person’s welfare and happiness as you do for your own. You do not let overpowering emotion destroy good judgment. An Example of Real Love The Bible account of Jacob and Rachel vividly illustrates this. This couple met at a well where Rachel had come to water her father’s sheep. Jacob was immediately attracted to her not only because she was “beautiful in form and beautiful of countenance” but because she was a worshiper of Jehovah.​—Genesis 29:1-12, 17. After spending a full month living in the home of Rachel’s family, Jacob made it known that he was in love with Rachel and wanted to marry her. Mere romantic infatuation? Not at all! During that month, he had seen Rachel in her natural setting​—how she treated her parents and others, how she went about her work as a shepherdess, how seriously she took Jehovah’s worship. Undoubtedly he saw her at both her “best” and her “worst.” His love for her was therefore not unbridled emotion but an unselfish love based on reason and deep respect. Such being the case, Jacob could declare that he was willing to work for her father seven years to be able to have her as a wife. Certainly no infatuation would have lasted that long! Only genuine love, an unselfish interest in the other, would have made those years seem “like some few days.” Because of that genuine love, they were able to maintain their chastity during that period.​—Genesis 29:20, 21. It Takes Time! True love is therefore not hurt by time. Indeed, often the best way to test out your feelings for someone is to let some time pass. Furthermore, as a young woman named Sandra observed: “A person just doesn’t hand out to you his personality by simply saying: ‘This is what I am. Now you know all about me.’” No, it also takes time to get to know someone you are interested in. Time also allows you to examine your romantic interest in the light of the Bible. Remember, love “does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests.” Is your companion eager for the success of your plans​—or only for his or her own? Does he or she show respect for your viewpoint, your feelings? Has he or she pressured you to do things that are really ‘indecent’ in order to satisfy selfish passions? Does this person tend to put you down or build you up in front of others? Asking questions like these can help you appraise your feelings more objectively. Rushing romance invites disaster. “I just fell in love, fast and deep,” explained 20-year-old Jill. After a whirlwind romance of two months, she married. But previously concealed faults began to emerge. Jill began to display some of her insecurity and self-centeredness. Her husband, Rick, lost his romantic charm and became selfish. After being married for about two years, Jill one day screamed that her husband was “cheap,” “lazy,” and a “flop” as a husband. Rick responded by striking her in the face with his fist. In tears, Jill dashed out of their house​—and out of their marriage. Following the Bible’s counsel would no doubt have helped them preserve their marriage. (Ephesians 5:22-33) But how different things might have been had they become better acquainted with each other before marriage! Their love would have been not of an “image” but of a real personality​—one with both flaws and strengths. Their expectations would have been more realistic. Real love does not happen overnight. Nor is the person who would make you a good marriage mate necessarily someone you find overwhelmingly attractive. Barbara, for example, met a young man whom she admits she was not overly attracted to​—at first. “But as I got to know him better,” recalls Barbara, “things changed. I saw Stephen’s concern for other people and how he always put the interests of others before himself. These were the qualities I knew would make a good husband. I was drawn to him and began to love him.” A solid marriage resulted. So how can you know true love? Your heart may speak, but trust your Bible-trained mind. Get to know more than the person’s external “image.” Give the relationship time to blossom. Remember, infatuation reaches a fever pitch in a short time but then fades. Genuine love grows stronger with time and becomes “a perfect bond of union.”​—Colossians 3:14. Questions for Discussion ◻ What is the danger of falling in love with someone’s looks? ◻ Can your heart be trusted to recognize real love? ◻ What are some differences between love and infatuation? ◻ Why do dating couples often split up? Is this always wrong? ◻ How can you deal with feelings of rejection if a romance has been terminated? ◻ Why is it important to take time to get to know each other? [Blurb on page 242] Is it the person you are in love with or just an “image”? [Blurb on page 247] “Infatuation is blind and it likes to stay that way. It doesn’t like to look at reality.”​—A 24-year-old man [Blurb on page 250] “I can only be a ‘Hi, how are you?’ person now. I am not letting any person get close to me” [Box/​Picture on page 248, 249] How Can I Get Over a Broken Heart? You just know this is the one you will marry. You enjoy each other’s company, you share common interests, and you sense a mutual attraction. Then, suddenly, the relationship dies, exploding in a burst of anger​—or melting in tears. In his book The Chemistry of Love, Dr. Michael Liebowitz likens the onset of love to the rush of a powerful drug. But like a drug, such love can trigger raging ‘withdrawal symptoms’ if it dies. And it makes little difference whether the love is mere infatuation or the ‘real thing.’ Both can create dizzying highs​—and agonizing lows if the relationship ends. The feelings of rejection, hurt, and perhaps outrage that come in the wake of a breakup may thus sour your view of the future. One young woman speaks of herself as ‘wounded’ because of being jilted. “I can only be a ‘Hi, how are you?’ person [with the opposite sex] now,” she says. “I am not letting any person get close to me.” The deeper the commitment you feel in a relationship, the deeper the hurt its breakup can cause. Yes, indeed, the freedom to court whom you please carries a hefty price tag: the real possibility of rejection. There simply is no guarantee that true love will grow. So if someone began courting you with honest intentions but later concluded that marriage would be unwise, you have not necessarily been dealt with unfairly. The problem is, even when a breakup is handled with the utmost tact and kindness, you are still bound to feel hurt and rejected. This is no reason to lose your self-esteem, however. The fact that you were not “right” in this person’s eyes does not mean that you will not be just right in the eyes of someone else! Try putting the defunct romance in cool perspective. The breakup may very well have spotlighted disturbing things about the person you were involved with​—emotional immaturity, indecision, inflexibility, intolerance, a lack of consideration for your feelings. These are hardly desirable qualities in a marriage mate. What if the breakup is entirely one-sided and you are convinced that a marriage would have worked out well? Certainly you have a right to let the other person know how you feel. Perhaps there have simply been some misunderstandings. Emotional ranting and raving accomplishes little. And if he or she insists on splitting up, there is no need for you to humiliate yourself, tearfully begging for the affections of someone who obviously has no feelings for you. Solomon said there is “a time to seek and a time to give up as lost.”​—Ecclesiastes 3:6. What if you have strong reason to suspect that you were merely being used by someone who never had a sincere interest in marriage in the first place? You need not resort to vindictive reprisals. Be assured that his or her deviousness is not unnoticed by God. His Word says: “The cruel person is bringing ostracism upon his own organism.”​—Proverbs 11:17; compare Proverbs 6:12-15. From time to time you may still be tormented by loneliness or romantic memories. If so, it’s all right to have a good cry. It also helps to get busy, perhaps in some physical activity or the Christian ministry. (Proverbs 18:1) Keep your mind on things that are cheerful and upbuilding. (Philippians 4:8) Confide in a close friend. (Proverbs 18:24) Your parents may also be of great comfort, even if you feel you are old enough to be independent. (Proverbs 23:22) And above all, confide in Jehovah. You may now see the need to work on certain aspects of your personality. Your vision of what you want in a marriage mate may be clearer than ever. And having loved and lost, you may decide to handle courtship a bit more prudently should a desirable person come along again​—the likelihood of which may be greater than you think. [Chart on page 245] Is It Love or Infatuation? LOVE INFATUATION 1. An unselfish caring 1. Is selfish, restrictive.about the interests of One thinks, ‘What doesthe other this do for me?’ 2. Romance often starts 2. Romance starts fast,slowly, perhaps taking perhaps taking hoursmonths or years or days 3. You are attracted by 3. You are deeply impressedthe other person’s total or interested in thepersonality and spiritual other’s physicalqualities appearance. (‘He has such dreamy eyes.’ ‘She’s got a great figure’) 4. The effect on you is that 4. A destructive,it makes you a better person disorganizing effect 5. You view the other 5. Is unrealistic. Therealistically, seeing his other person seems perfect.or her faults, yet loving You ignore any naggingthat one anyway doubts about serious personality flaws 6. You have disagreements, 6. Arguments are frequent.but you find that you can Nothing really getstalk them out and settle them settled. Many are “settled” with a kiss 7. You want to give and share 7. The emphasis is onwith the other person taking or getting, especially in satisfying sexual urges [Picture on page 244] A physically attractive, but senseless, man or woman is ‘like a gold ring in the snout of a pig’ [Picture on page 246] A person who constantly puts you down before others may well lack genuine love for you

Can I Find Words of Comfort in the Bible?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500100121

Can I Find Words of Comfort in the Bible? The Bible’s answer Yes. (Romans 15:4) Consider some examples of Bible passages that have comforted many who are dealing with difficult situations and troubling emotions. In this article Adversity Death of a loved one Excessive guilt Sadness Sickness Stress and anxiety Warfare Worry about the future Adversity Psalm 23:4: “Though I walk in the valley of deep shadow, I fear no harm, for you are with me.” Meaning: When you pray to God and rely on his Word, the Bible, for guidance, you can face adversity with courage. Philippians 4:13: “For all things I have the strength through the one who gives me power.” Meaning: God can give you the strength to cope with any problem. To learn more about how the Bible can help you cope with long-term adversity, see the article “The Challenge: Unchangeable Circumstances.” Death of a loved one Ecclesiastes 9:10: “There is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave.” Meaning: Those who have died are not suffering, nor can they harm us. They are unconscious. Acts 24:15: “There is going to be a resurrection.” Meaning: God can bring our dead loved ones back to life. To learn more about how the Bible can help you cope with the loss of a loved one, see the article “Coping With Grief—What You Can Do Today.” Excessive guilt Psalm 86:5: “For you, O Jehovah,a are good and ready to forgive; you abound in loyal love for all those who call on you.” Meaning: God forgives those who are truly sorry for their past mistakes and are determined not to repeat them. Psalm 103:12: “As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset, so far off from us he has put our transgressions.” Meaning: When God forgives, he puts our sins as far away as we can imagine. He does not bring them up over and over again to accuse or punish us. To learn more about how the Bible can help you deal with excessive guilt, see the article “I Feel Guilty—Can the Bible Help Me Find Relief?” Sadness Psalm 31:7: “You have seen my affliction; you are aware of my deep distress.” Meaning: God is fully aware of everything you suffer. He understands your deepest feelings—even when others do not. Psalm 34:18: “Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; he saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Meaning: God promises to support you when you feel sad. He can give you the strength to cope with your pain. To learn more about how the Bible can help you deal with feelings of sadness, watch the video From Sad to Glad. Sickness Psalm 41:3: “Jehovah will sustain him on his sickbed.” Meaning: God can help you deal with a serious illness by giving you inner peace, along with strength, endurance, and wisdom to make wise decisions. Isaiah 33:24: “No resident will say: ‘I am sick.’” Meaning: God promises a time when all humans will enjoy good health. To learn more about how the Bible can help you cope with illness, see the article “How to Deal With a Sudden Health Problem.” Stress and anxiety Psalm 94:19: “When anxieties overwhelmed me, you comforted and soothed me.” Meaning: If we turn to God when we are feeling stressed, he can help us to remain calm. 1 Peter 5:7: “Throw all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you.” Meaning: God is not indifferent to our suffering. He invites us to pray to him about our concerns. To learn more about how the Bible can help you deal with stress and anxiety, see the article “How to Deal With Stress.” Warfare Psalm 46:9: “He is bringing an end to wars throughout the earth.” Meaning: God’s Kingdom will soon eliminate all war. Psalm 37:11, 29: “The meek will possess the earth, and they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace. . . . The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.” Meaning: Good people will enjoy peace on earth forever. To learn more about how we know that God’s Kingdom is near, see the article “When Will God’s Kingdom Rule the Earth?” Worry about the future Jeremiah 29:11: “‘I well know the thoughts that I am thinking toward you,’ declares Jehovah, ‘thoughts of peace, and not of calamity, to give you a future and a hope.’” Meaning: God assures his people that they can look forward to a bright future. Revelation 21:4: “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.” Meaning: God promises to eliminate all the bad things you see and experience today. To learn more about the Bible’s promises for the future, see the article “A Real Hope for a Better Tomorrow.” a Jehovah is the personal name of God. (Psalm 83:18) See the article “Who Is Jehovah?”

Is Evolution Compatible With the Bible?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2008006

Is Evolution Compatible With the Bible? IS IT possible that God used evolution to make men from beasts? Did God direct bacteria to develop into fish and then to continue developing through reptiles and mammals, so that finally a race of apes became humans? Some scientists and religious leaders claim to believe both the theory of evolution and the Bible. They say that the Bible book of Genesis is a parable. Perhaps you have wondered, ‘Is the theory that man evolved from animals compatible with the Bible?’ Understanding our origin is vital to understanding who we are, where we are going, and how we should live. Only with knowledge of man’s origin can we understand God’s permission of suffering and his purpose for man’s future. We cannot enjoy a fine standing with God if we are not sure that he is our Creator. So let us examine what the Bible says about man’s origin, his present condition, and his future. Then we will see if the theory of evolution is compatible with the Bible. When There Was One Man Evolutionists generally claim that a population of animals gradually developed into a population of humans, denying that there was once only one man. However, the Bible presents a very different picture. It says that we originate from one man, Adam. The Bible account presents Adam as a historical person. It gives us the names of his wife and some of his children. It tells us in detail what he did, what he said, when he lived, and when he died. Jesus did not consider that account as just a story for uneducated people. When addressing well-educated religious leaders, he said: “Did you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female?” (Matthew 19:3-5) Jesus then quoted the words about Adam and Eve recorded at Genesis 2:24. Luke, a Bible writer and a careful historian, presented Adam as a person who was as real as Jesus. Luke traced Jesus’ genealogy back to the first man. (Luke 3:23-38) Also, when the apostle Paul spoke before an audience that included philosophers who were educated in the famous Greek schools, he told them: “The God that made the world and all the things in it . . . made out of one man every nation of men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth.” (Acts 17:24-26) Clearly, the Bible teaches that we descended from “one man.” Is what the Bible says about man’s original condition compatible with evolution? Man’s Slide From Perfection According to the Bible, Jehovah made the first man perfect. It is impossible for God to make things any other way. The creation account says: “God proceeded to create the man in his image . . . After that God saw everything he had made and, look! it was very good.” (Genesis 1:27, 31) What is a perfect man like? A perfect man has free will and is able to imitate God’s qualities completely. The Bible says: “The true God made mankind upright, but they themselves have sought out many plans.” (Ecclesiastes 7:29) Adam chose to rebel against God. By his rebellion, Adam lost perfection for himself and his offspring. Man’s fall from perfection explains why we often disappoint ourselves, even though we want to do what is good. The apostle Paul wrote: “What I wish, this I do not practice; but what I hate is what I do.”​—Romans 7:15. A perfect man would live forever in perfect health, according to the Bible. It is evident from what God said to Adam that if the first man had not disobeyed God, he would never have died. (Genesis 2:16, 17; 3:22, 23) Jehovah would not have declared the creation of man to be “very good” if the man had a tendency to get sick or to rebel. The fall from perfection explains why the human body, though marvelously designed, is susceptible to deformities and disease. Evolution is therefore incompatible with the Bible. Evolution presents modern man as an improving animal. The Bible presents modern man as the degenerating descendant of a perfect man. The idea that God directed evolution in order to produce man is also incompatible with what the Bible says about God’s personality. If God guided the process of evolution, it would mean that he guided mankind into its present diseased and distressed state. However, the Bible says of God: “The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he. They have acted ruinously on their own part; they are not his children, the defect is their own.” (Deuteronomy 32:4, 5) Therefore, mankind’s present suffering is not the result of God-directed evolution. It is the result of one man’s losing perfection for himself and his offspring by rebelling against God. Now that we have considered Adam, we can turn to Jesus. Is evolution compatible with what the Bible says about Jesus? Can You Believe in Both Evolution and Christianity? “Christ died for our sins.” As you probably know, that is one of the basic teachings of Christianity. (1 Corinthians 15:3; 1 Peter 3:18) To see why evolution is incompatible with that statement, we first need to understand why the Bible calls us sinners and what sin does to us. We are all sinners in the sense that we cannot perfectly imitate God’s glorious qualities, such as his love and justice. Therefore, the Bible says: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) The Bible teaches that sin is the cause of death. “The sting producing death is sin,” says 1 Corinthians 15:56. Our inheritance of sin is also the underlying cause of sickness. Jesus indicated that there is a instruction between sickness and our sinful condition. He said to a paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven,” and the man was healed.​—Matthew 9:2-7. How does Jesus’ death help us? The Bible contrasts Adam with Jesus Christ and says: “Just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22) By laying down his life, Jesus paid the price for the sin that we inherited from Adam. Thus, all who exercise faith in Jesus and obey him will receive what Adam forfeited​—the prospect of everlasting life.​—John 3:16; Romans 6:23. Do you see, then, that evolution is incompatible with Christianity? If we doubt that “in Adam all are dying,” how can we hope that “in the Christ all will be made alive”? Why Evolution Attracts People The Bible reveals how such teachings as evolution become popular. It says: “There will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories.” (2 Timothy 4:3, 4) Although evolution is usually presented in scientific language, it is really a religious doctrine. It teaches a philosophy of life and an attitude toward God. Its beliefs are subtly attractive to mankind’s selfish, independent tendencies. Many who believe in evolution say that they also believe in God. However, they feel free to think of God as one who has not created things, does not intervene in man’s affairs, and will not judge people. It is a creed that tickles people’s ears. Teachers of evolution are often motivated, not by the facts, but by “their own desires”​—perhaps a desire to be accepted by a scientific community in which evolution is orthodox doctrine. Professor of biochemistry Michael Behe, who has spent most of his life studying the complex internal functions of living cells, explained that those who teach the evolution of cell structure have no basis for their claims. Could evolution occur at this tiny, molecular level? “Molecular evolution is not based on scientific authority,” he wrote. “There is no publication in the scientific literature​—in prestigious journals, specialty journals, or books—​that describes how molecular evolution of any real, complex, biochemical system either did occur or even might have occurred. . . . The assertion of Darwinian molecular evolution is merely bluster.” If evolutionists lack explanations, why do they preach their ideas so loudly? Behe explains: “Many people, including many important and well-respected scientists, just don’t want there to be anything beyond nature.” The doctrine of evolution attracts many clergymen who want to appear wise. They are similar to those described in the apostle Paul’s letter to Christians in Rome. Paul wrote: “What may be known about God is manifest among them . . . 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, so that they are inexcusable; because, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their unintelligent heart became darkened. Although asserting they were wise, they became foolish.” (Romans 1:19-22) How can you avoid being deceived by false teachers? Evidence-Based Faith in the Creator The Bible stresses the importance of evidence when it defines faith. It says: “Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld.” (Hebrews 11:1) True faith in God should be based on evidence that demonstrates the reality of the Creator. The Bible shows where you can find the evidence. The inspired Bible writer David wrote: “I shall laud you because in a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) Taking time to reflect on the amazing design of our own body and of other living things fills us with awe at the wisdom of our Maker. Every part of the thousands of systems that cooperate to keep us alive is ideally designed. Also, the physical universe displays evidence of mathematical precision and order. David wrote: “The heavens are declaring the glory of God; and of the work of his hands the expanse is telling.”​—Psalm 19:1. The Bible itself is a rich source of evidence about the Creator. Taking the time to examine the consistency of its 66 books, the superiority of its moral standards, and the unfailing fulfillment of its prophecies will provide you with abundant evidence that its author is the Creator. Understanding the Bible’s teachings will also give you confidence that the Bible is, indeed, the Word of the Creator. For example, when you understand such Bible teachings as the cause of suffering, the Kingdom of God, the future of mankind, and the way to find happiness, you will see an evident demonstration of God’s wisdom. You may come to feel as Paul did when he wrote: “O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are!”​—Romans 11:33. As you examine the evidence and your faith grows, you will become convinced that when you read the Bible, you are listening to the Creator himself. He says: “I myself have made the earth and have created even man upon it. I​—my own hands have stretched out the heavens, and all the army of them I have commanded.” (Isaiah 45:12) Surely you will never regret making the effort to prove to yourself that Jehovah is the Creator of all things. [Blurb on page 14] The apostle Paul told educated Greeks: “God . . . made out of one man every nation of men” [Blurb on page 15] Evolution presents modern man as an improving animal. The Bible presents modern man as the degenerating descendant of a perfect man [Blurb on page 16] “Molecular evolution is not based on scientific authority” [Blurb on page 17] The amazing design of living things fills us with awe at the wisdom of our Maker

Greatest Man (gt) 1991

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt

Chapter 11 John Prepares the Way SEVENTEEN years have passed since Jesus was a child of 12 questioning the teachers in the temple. It is the spring of the year 29 C.E., and everybody, it seems, is talking about Jesus’ cousin John, who is preaching in all the country around the Jordan River. John is indeed an impressive man, both in appearance and in speech. His clothing is of camel hair, and he wears a leather girdle around his loins. His food is insect locusts and wild honey. And his message? “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” This message excites his listeners. Many realize their need to repent, that is, to change their attitude and to reject their past course of life as undesirable. So from all the territory around the Jordan, and even from Jerusalem, the people come out to John in great numbers, and he baptizes them, dipping them beneath the waters of the Jordan. Why? John baptizes people in symbol, or acknowledgment, of their heartfelt repentance for sins against God’s Law covenant. Thus, when some Pharisees and Sadducees come out to the Jordan, John condemns them. “You offspring of vipers,” he says. “Produce fruit that befits repentance; and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘As a father we have Abraham.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Already the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree, then, that does not produce fine fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Because of all the attention John is receiving, the Jews send out priests and Levites to him. These ask: “Who are you?” “I am not the Christ,” John confesses. “What, then?” they inquire. “Are you Elijah?” “I am not,” he answers. “Are you The Prophet?” “No!” So they become insistent: “Who are you? that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John explains: “I am a voice of someone crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make the way of Jehovah straight,’ just as Isaiah the prophet said.” “Why, then, do you baptize,” they want to know, “if you yourself are not the Christ or Elijah or The Prophet?” “I baptize in water,” he answers. “In the midst of you one is standing whom you do not know, the one coming behind me.” John is preparing the way by getting people in a proper heart condition to accept the Messiah, who will become King. Of this One, John says: “The one coming after me is stronger than I am, whose sandals I am not fit to take off.” In fact, John even says: “The one coming behind me has advanced in front of me, because he existed before me.” Thus, John’s message, “the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near,” serves as a public notification that the ministry of Jehovah’s appointed King, Jesus Christ, is about to begin. John 1:6-8, 15-28; Matthew 3:1-12; Luke 3:1-18; Acts 19:4. ▪ What kind of man is John? ▪ Why does John baptize people? ▪ Why can John say that the Kingdom has drawn near?

Isaiah’s Prophecy I (ip-1) 2000

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-1

Chapter Thirty “Comfort My People” Isaiah 40:1-31 1. What is one way that Jehovah comforts us? JEHOVAH is ‘the God who supplies comfort.’ One way that he comforts us is through the promises he has had recorded in his Word. (Romans 15:4, 5) For example, when faced with the death of someone dear to you, what could be more comforting than the prospect of that loved one’s being resurrected in God’s new world? (John 5:28, 29) And what about Jehovah’s promise that he will soon end wickedness and transform this earth into a paradise? Is it not comforting to have the prospect of surviving into that coming Paradise and never dying?​—Psalm 37:9-11, 29; Revelation 21:3-5. 2. Why can we trust the promises of God? 2 Can we really trust the promises of God? Indeed, we can! The Maker of those promises is completely reliable. He has both the capability and the will to carry out his word. (Isaiah 55:10, 11) This was powerfully demonstrated in connection with Jehovah’s statement through the prophet Isaiah that he would restore true worship in Jerusalem. Let us consider that prophecy, as it appears in Isaiah chapter 40, for doing so can strengthen our faith in Jehovah, the Fulfiller of promises. A Comforting Promise 3, 4. (a) Isaiah records what words of comfort that God’s people will need at a later time? (b) Why will the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem be taken into exile to Babylon, and how long will their servitude last? 3 In the eighth century B.C.E., the prophet Isaiah records words of comfort that Jehovah’s people will need at a later time. Immediately after telling King Hezekiah of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of the Jewish people to Babylon, Isaiah sets forth Jehovah’s words that promise restoration: “‘Comfort, comfort my people,’ says the God of you men. ‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call out to her that her military service has been fulfilled, that her error has been paid off. For from the hand of Jehovah she has received a full amount for all her sins.’”​—Isaiah 40:1, 2. 4 “Comfort,” the opening word of Isaiah chapter 40, well describes the message of light and hope contained in the rest of the book of Isaiah. For turning apostate the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem will be taken into exile to Babylon in 607 B.C.E. But those Jewish captives will not serve the Babylonians forever. No, their servitude will last only until their error is “paid off.” How long will that be? According to Jeremiah the prophet, 70 years. (Jeremiah 25:11, 12) After that, Jehovah will lead a repentant remnant from Babylon back to Jerusalem. In the 70th year of Judah’s desolation, what a comfort it will be for the captives to realize that the time for their promised deliverance is at hand!​—Daniel 9:1, 2. 5, 6. (a) Why will the long journey from Babylon to Jerusalem not impede the fulfillment of God’s promise? (b) The restoration of the Jews to their homeland will have what effect on other nations? 5 The journey from Babylon to Jerusalem is 500 to 1,000 miles [800 to 1,600 km], depending upon the route taken. Will the long trip impede the fulfillment of God’s promise? By no means! Isaiah writes: “Listen! Someone is calling out in the wilderness: ‘Clear up the way of Jehovah, you people! Make the highway for our God through the desert plain straight. Let every valley be raised up, and every mountain and hill be made low. And the knobby ground must become level land, and the rugged ground a valley plain. And the glory of Jehovah will certainly be revealed, and all flesh must see it together, for the very mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.’”​—Isaiah 40:3-5. 6 Before embarking on a journey, Eastern rulers would often send out men to prepare the way by removing big stones and even building causeways and leveling hills. In the case of the returning Jews, it will be as if God himself is in the forefront, clearing away any obstacles. After all, these are Jehovah’s name people, and fulfilling his promise to restore them to their homeland will cause his glory to be manifest before all the nations. Like it or not, those nations will be forced to see that Jehovah is the Fulfiller of his promises. 7, 8. (a) The words of Isaiah 40:3 had what fulfillment in the first century C.E.? (b) Isaiah’s prophecy had what larger fulfillment in 1919? 7 The restoration in the sixth century B.C.E. was not the only fulfillment of this prophecy. There was also a fulfillment in the first century C.E. John the Baptizer was the voice of someone “crying out in the wilderness,” in fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3. (Luke 3:1-6) Under inspiration, John applied Isaiah’s words to himself. (John 1:19-23) Starting in 29 C.E., John began preparing the way for Jesus Christ.a John’s advance proclamation aroused people to look for the promised Messiah so that they, in turn, might listen to him and follow him. (Luke 1:13-17, 76) Through Jesus, Jehovah would lead repentant ones into the freedom that only God’s Kingdom can provide​—liberation from bondage to sin and death. (John 1:29; 8:32) Isaiah’s words had a larger fulfillment in the deliverance of the remnant of spiritual Israel from Babylon the Great in 1919 and in their restoration to true worship. 8 What, though, about those who are in line to benefit from the initial fulfillment of the promise​—the Jewish captives in Babylon? Can they really trust Jehovah’s promise to return them to their beloved homeland? Indeed, they can! With vivid words and illustrations taken from everyday life, Isaiah now gives compelling reasons why they can have complete confidence that Jehovah will prove true to his word. A God Whose Word Lasts Forever 9, 10. How does Isaiah contrast the transitoriness of man’s life with the permanence of God’s “word”? 9 First, the word of the One who promises restoration lasts forever. Isaiah writes: “Listen! Someone is saying: ‘Call out!’ And one said: ‘What shall I call out?’ ‘All flesh is green grass, and all their loving-kindness is like the blossom of the field. The green grass has dried up, the blossom has withered, because the very spirit of Jehovah has blown upon it. Surely the people are green grass. The green grass has dried up, the blossom has withered; but as for the word of our God, it will last to time indefinite.’”​—Isaiah 40:6-8. 10 The Israelites well know that grass does not last forever. During the dry season, the sun’s intense heat changes it from green to a parched brown. In some respects, man’s life is like grass​—so temporary in nature. (Psalm 103:15, 16; James 1:10, 11) Isaiah contrasts the transitoriness of man’s life with the permanence of God’s “word,” or stated purpose. Yes, “the word of our God” endures forever. When God speaks, nothing can annul his words or prevent them from being fulfilled.​—Joshua 23:14. 11. Why can we trust Jehovah to fulfill the promises contained in his written Word? 11 Today we have Jehovah’s statement of purpose in written form in the Bible. The Bible has faced bitter opposition over the centuries, and fearless translators and others have risked their lives to preserve it. Yet, their efforts alone do not explain why it has survived. All credit for its survival must go to Jehovah, “the living and enduring God” and the Preserver of his Word. (1 Peter 1:23-25) Think about this: Since Jehovah has preserved his written Word, can we not trust him to fulfill the promises it contains? A Strong God Who Tenderly Cares for His Sheep 12, 13. (a) Why can the promise of restoration be trusted? (b) What good news is there for the Jewish exiles, and why can they have confidence? 12 Isaiah gives a second reason why the promise of restoration can be trusted. The One who makes the promise is a strong God who tenderly cares for his people. Isaiah continues: “Make your way up even onto a high mountain, you woman bringing good news for Zion. Raise your voice even with power, you woman bringing good news for Jerusalem. Raise it. Do not be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah: ‘Here is your God.’ Look! The Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself will come even as a strong one [“even with strength,” footnote], and his arm will be ruling for him. Look! His reward is with him, and the wage he pays is before him. Like a shepherd he will shepherd his own drove. With his arm he will collect together the lambs; and in his bosom he will carry them. Those giving suck he will conduct with care.”​—Isaiah 40:9-11. 13 In Bible times it was the custom for women to celebrate victories, crying out or singing the good news of battles won or of coming relief. (1 Samuel 18:6, 7; Psalm 68:11) Isaiah prophetically indicates that there is good news for the Jewish exiles, news that can be fearlessly shouted, even from the mountaintops​—Jehovah will lead his people back to their beloved Jerusalem! They can have confidence, for Jehovah will come “even with strength.” Nothing, therefore, can prevent him from fulfilling his promise. 14. (a) How does Isaiah illustrate the tender way in which Jehovah will lead his people? (b) What example illustrates how shepherds tenderly care for their sheep? (See box on page 405.) 14 There is, however, a gentle side to this strong God. Isaiah warmly describes how Jehovah will lead his people back to their homeland. Jehovah is like a loving shepherd who collects his lambs together and carries them in his “bosom.” The word “bosom” here evidently refers to the upper folds of the garment. This is where shepherds sometimes carry newborn lambs that cannot keep pace with the flock. (2 Samuel 12:3) Such a touching scene from pastoral life no doubt reassures Jehovah’s exiled people of his loving concern for them. Surely such a strong yet tender God can be trusted to fulfill what he has promised them! 15. (a) When did Jehovah come “even with strength,” and who is the ‘arm that is ruling for him’? (b) What good news must be fearlessly proclaimed? 15 Isaiah’s words are filled with prophetic meaning for our day. In 1914, Jehovah came “even with strength” and established his Kingdom in the heavens. The ‘arm that is ruling for him’ is his Son, Jesus Christ, whom Jehovah has installed upon his heavenly throne. In 1919, Jehovah delivered his anointed servants on earth from bondage to Babylon the Great and set about completely restoring the pure worship of the living and true God. This is good news that must be fearlessly proclaimed, as if by shouting from the mountaintops so that the proclamation carries far and wide. Let us, then, lift up our voices and boldly let others know that Jehovah God has restored his pure worship on this earth! 16. In what manner does Jehovah lead his people today, and what pattern does this set? 16 The words of Isaiah 40:10, 11 have further practical value for us today. It is comforting to note the tender manner in which Jehovah leads his people. Just as a shepherd understands the needs of individual sheep​—including the little lambs that cannot keep up with the rest—​Jehovah understands the limitations of each one of his faithful servants. In addition, Jehovah, as a tender Shepherd, sets a pattern for Christian shepherds. Elders must treat the flock with tenderness, imitating the loving concern shown by Jehovah himself. They must be ever mindful of the way that Jehovah feels about each member of the flock, “which he purchased with the blood of his own Son.”​—Acts 20:28. All-Powerful, All-Wise 17, 18. (a) Why can the Jewish exiles have confidence in the promise of restoration? (b) What awe-inspiring questions does Isaiah raise? 17 The Jewish exiles can have confidence in the promise of restoration because God is all-powerful and all-wise. Says Isaiah: “Who has measured the waters in the mere hollow of his hand, and taken the proportions of the heavens themselves with a mere span and included in a measure the dust of the earth, or weighed with an indicator the mountains, and the hills in the scales? Who has taken the proportions of the spirit of Jehovah, and who as his man of counsel can make him know anything? With whom did he consult together that one might make him understand, or who teaches him in the path of justice, or teaches him knowledge, or makes him know the very way of real understanding?”​—Isaiah 40:12-14. 18 These are awe-inspiring questions for the Jewish exiles to ponder. Can mere humans turn back the tide of the mighty seas? Of course not! Yet, to Jehovah, the seas that cover the earth are like a drop of water in the palm of his hand.b Can puny men measure the vast, starry heavens or weigh earth’s mountains and hills? No. Yet, Jehovah measures the heavens as easily as a man might measure an object with a span​—the distance between the end of the thumb and the end of the little finger when the hand is spread out. God can, in effect, weigh mountains and hills in a pair of scales. Can even the wisest humans advise God what to do under present circumstances or tell him what to do in the future? Certainly not! 19, 20. To emphasize the greatness of Jehovah, Isaiah uses what graphic word pictures? 19 What about the mighty nations of the earth​—can they resist God as he fulfills his word of promise? Isaiah answers by describing the nations as follows: “Look! The nations are as a drop from a bucket; and as the film of dust on the scales they have been accounted. Look! He lifts the islands themselves as mere fine dust. Even Lebanon is not sufficient for keeping a fire burning, and its wild animals are not sufficient for a burnt offering. All the nations are as something nonexistent in front of him; as nothing and an unreality they have been accounted to him.”​—Isaiah 40:15-17. 20 To Jehovah, entire nations are as a drop of water falling from a bucket. They are no more than the fine dust that accumulates on a scale, without effect.c Suppose that someone were to construct a huge altar and use as firewood for the altar all the trees that covered the mountains of Lebanon. Then suppose that he were to offer as sacrifices all the animals that roamed on those mountains. Even such an offering would not be worthy of Jehovah. As if the imagery used thus far were not sufficient, Isaiah resorts to an even stronger statement​—all the nations are as “less than nothing” in Jehovah’s eyes.​—Isaiah 40:17, New Revised Standard Version. 21, 22. (a) How does Isaiah emphasize that Jehovah is incomparable? (b) Isaiah’s vivid descriptions lead us to what conclusion? (c) The prophet Isaiah records what scientifically sound statement? (See box on page 412.) 21 To emphasize further that Jehovah is beyond compare, Isaiah proceeds to show the folly of those who make idols out of gold, silver, or wood. How foolish to think that any such idol could be a fitting representation of the “One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth” and who holds sway over its inhabitants!​—Read Isaiah 40:18-24. 22 All these vivid descriptions lead us to one conclusion​—nothing can prevent the all-powerful, all-wise, and incomparable Jehovah from fulfilling his promise. How Isaiah’s words must have comforted and strengthened the Jewish exiles in Babylon who longed to return to their homeland! Today we too can have confidence that Jehovah’s promises for our future will become a reality. “Who Has Created These Things?” 23. For what reason can the Jewish exiles take heart, and what does Jehovah now stress about himself? 23 There is yet another reason why the Jewish exiles can take heart. The One who promises deliverance is the Creator of all things and the Source of all dynamic energy. To stress his astounding capacity, Jehovah calls attention to his ability manifest in creation: “‘To whom can you people liken me so that I should be made his equal?’ says the Holy One. ‘Raise your eyes high up and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who is bringing forth the army of them even by number, all of whom he calls even by name. Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power, not one of them is missing.’”​—Isaiah 40:25, 26. 24. Speaking for himself, how does Jehovah show that he is without equal? 24 The Holy One of Israel is speaking for himself. To show that he is without equal, Jehovah directs attention to the stars of the heavens. Like a military commander able to marshal his troops, Jehovah is in command of the stars. If he were to muster them, ‘not one of them would be missing.’ Though the number of the stars is great, he calls each one by name, either an individual name or a namelike designation. Like obedient soldiers, they keep their place and observe proper order, for their Leader has an abundance of “dynamic energy” and is “vigorous in power.” Therefore, the Jewish exiles have reason for confidence. The Creator, who commands the stars, has the power to support his servants. 25. How may we respond to the divine invitation recorded at Isaiah 40:26, and with what effect? 25 Who of us can resist the divine invitation recorded at Isaiah 40:26: “Raise your eyes high up and see”? The discoveries of modern-day astronomers have shown that the starry heavens are even more awe-inspiring than they appeared to be in Isaiah’s day. Astronomers who peer into the heavens with their powerful telescopes estimate that the observable universe contains as many as 125 billion galaxies. Why, just one of these​—the Milky Way galaxy—​contains, according to some estimates, over 100 billion stars! Such knowledge should awaken in our hearts reverence for our Creator and complete trust in his word of promise. 26, 27. How are the feelings of the exiles in Babylon described, and what things should they know? 26 Knowing that the years in captivity will dampen the spirits of the Jewish exiles, Jehovah inspires Isaiah to record in advance these words of reassurance: “For what reason do you say, O Jacob, and do you speak out, O Israel, ‘My way has been concealed from Jehovah, and justice to me eludes my God himself’? Have you not come to know or have you not heard? Jehovah, the Creator of the extremities of the earth, is a God to time indefinite. He does not tire out or grow weary. There is no searching out of his understanding.”​—Isaiah 40:27, 28.d 27 Isaiah records Jehovah’s words describing the feelings of the exiles in Babylon, hundreds of miles from their homeland. Some think that their “way”​—the hard course of their life—​is unseen or unknown by their God. They think that Jehovah is indifferent to the injustices they suffer. They are reminded of things that they should know, if not from personal experience, then at least from information that has been handed down. Jehovah is able and willing to deliver his people. He is the eternal God and the Creator of the entire earth. Hence, he still possesses the power he displayed in creation, and not even mighty Babylon is beyond his reach. Such a God cannot grow tired and fail his people. They ought not to expect to be able fully to grasp Jehovah’s doings, for his understanding​—or insight, discernment, and perception—​is beyond their comprehension. 28, 29. (a) How does Jehovah remind his people that he will come to the aid of weary ones? (b) What illustration is used to show how Jehovah empowers his servants? 28 Through Isaiah, Jehovah continues with encouragement for the despondent exiles: “He is giving to the tired one power; and to the one without dynamic energy he makes full might abound. Boys will both tire out and grow weary, and young men themselves will without fail stumble, but those who are hoping in Jehovah will regain power. They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not tire out.”​—Isaiah 40:29-31. 29 When speaking of the need to give to the tired one power, Jehovah may have in mind the arduous journey that the exiles will have to make in order to return home. Jehovah reminds his people that it is characteristic of him to come to the aid of weary ones who look to him for support. Even the most vibrant of humans​—“boys” and “young men”—​may be worn down by fatigue and stumble from exhaustion. Yet, Jehovah promises to give power​—unwearied power to run and to walk—​to those who are trusting in him. The seemingly effortless flight of the eagle, a powerful bird that can soar for hours at a time, is used to illustrate how Jehovah empowers his servants.e With prospects of such divine support, the Jewish exiles have no cause for despair. 30. How can true Christians today draw comfort from the closing verses of Isaiah chapter 40? 30 These closing verses of Isaiah chapter 40 contain words of comfort for true Christians living in the last days of this wicked system. With so many pressures and problems that tend to dishearten, it is reassuring to know that the hardships we endure and the injustices we suffer do not go unnoticed by our God. We can be sure that the Creator of all things, the One whose “understanding is beyond recounting,” will correct all injustices in his own time and way. (Psalm 147:5, 6) Meanwhile, we need not endure in our own strength. Jehovah, whose resources are inexhaustible, can impart power​—even “power beyond what is normal”—​to his servants in times of trial.​—2 Corinthians 4:7. 31. What promise of light did Isaiah’s prophecy contain for the Jewish captives in Babylon, and in what can we have absolute confidence? 31 Think of those Jewish captives in Babylon in the sixth century B.C.E. Hundreds of miles away, their beloved Jerusalem lay desolate, its temple in ruins. For them, Isaiah’s prophecy contained a comforting promise of light and hope​—Jehovah would restore them to their homeland! In 537 B.C.E., Jehovah led his people home, proving that he is the Fulfiller of promises. We too can have absolute confidence in Jehovah. His Kingdom promises, which are so beautifully expressed in Isaiah’s prophecy, will become a reality. That is indeed good news​—a message of light for all mankind! [Footnotes] a Isaiah foretells the preparing of the way before Jehovah. (Isaiah 40:3) However, the Gospels apply that prophecy to what John the Baptizer did in preparing the way for Jesus Christ. The inspired writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures made such application because Jesus represented his Father and came in his Father’s name.​—John 5:43; 8:29. b It has been calculated that “the mass of the oceans is approximately 1.35 quintillion (1.35 x 1018) metric tons, or about 1/4400 of the total mass of the Earth.”​—Encarta 97 Encyclopedia. c The Expositor’s Bible Commentary notes: “Near Eastern marketplace commerce would take no account of the minute water drop in the measuring bucket or a little dust on the scales when meat or fruit was weighed.” d At Isaiah 40:28, the expression “time indefinite” means “forever,” for Jehovah is “the King of eternity.”​—1 Timothy 1:17. e The eagle stays aloft with a minimum expenditure of energy. It does so by making skillful use of thermals, or columns of rising warm air. [Box/​Picture on page 404, 405] Jehovah, a Loving Shepherd Isaiah compares Jehovah to a loving shepherd who carries his lambs in his bosom. (Isaiah 40:10, 11) Isaiah evidently bases this warm illustration on the real-life practices of shepherds. A modern-day observer who watched shepherds on the slopes of Mount Hermon in the Middle East reports: “Each shepherd watched his flock closely to see how they fared. When he found a new-born lamb he put it in the folds of his . . . great coat, since it would be too feeble to follow the mother. When his bosom was full, he put lambs on his shoulders, holding them by the feet, or in a bag or basket on the back of a donkey, until the little ones were able to follow the mothers.” Is it not comforting to know that we serve a God who has such tender concern for his people? [Box/​Picture on page 412] What Is the Shape of the Earth? In ancient times humans in general believed that the earth was flat. As early as the sixth century B.C.E., however, Greek philosopher Pythagoras theorized that the earth must be a sphere. Even so, two centuries before Pythagoras formulated his theory, the prophet Isaiah stated with extraordinary clarity and certainty: “There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth.” (Isaiah 40:22) The Hebrew word chugh here translated “circle” may be rendered “sphere.” Interestingly, only a spherical object appears as a circle from every angle.f Far ahead of his time, then, the prophet Isaiah recorded a statement that is scientifically sound and free from ancient myths. [Footnote] f Technically speaking, the earth is an oblate spheroid. It is slightly flattened at the poles. [Picture on page 403] John the Baptizer was a voice “crying out in the wilderness”

Paradise Restored (pm) 1972

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/pm

Chapter 12 An End to Permission of Wickedness 1. Instead of going through mere religious formalities at his temple, what should the nation of Israel do to have Jehovah’s blessings according to his covenant? THE ANCIENT nation of Israel had at Jerusalem the beautiful symbol of the pure worship of the only living and true God. It was his sacred temple, rebuilt. But the nation should be doing more than merely going through routine ceremonial performances at that center of worship. The chosen nation of Israel, with its rebuilt temple of Jehovah’s worship at Jerusalem, should be living that religion daily throughout its God-given land. Then their religion would not be just a mere pious formality, but would be a living experience. It would not result in profaning the sacred house of Jehovah’s worship. It would not bring ridicule and reproach upon the name of God. Then he could gladly bless the worshipful inhabitants of the land in accord with the promise of his solemn covenant with the nation. He would not be obliged to send a death-dealing curse upon those not living up to the covenant. 2. (a) On the part of Jehovah’s worshipers there should be a hatred of what, according to Psalm 97:10, 11? (b) In harmony with what purpose of God should they tolerate no wickedness in their God-given estate? 2 On the part of His sincere worshipers, there must be a genuine hatred of wickedness. To that effect the inspired psalmist exhorts them: “Oh you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad. He is guarding the souls of his loyal ones; out of the hand of the wicked ones he delivers them. Light itself has flashed up for the righteous one, and rejoicing even for the ones upright in heart.” (Psalm 97:10, 11) There should be no tolerating of wickedness where the lovers of Jehovah reside, in their God-given estate. In his own time, to which he strictly adheres, he will put an end to all wickedness throughout the whole earth, together with all its terrible consequences. He will no longer permit wickedness. Hail that happy time for all righteously disposed mankind! 3. In harmony with that theme, what vision was now given, and for whose encouragement was it recorded? 3 In harmony with this delightful prospect is the theme of the sixth vision given to the prophet Zechariah on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh lunar month (Shebat) in the year 519 B.C.E. That it might be preserved for our encouragement in this time of its complete fulfillment, he was inspired to record it. THE SIXTH VISION 4, 5. (a) To the interpretative angel, what did Zechariah report seeing? (b) How was that scroll proceeding through the air, and how much writing surface did it have, for what kind of message? 4 Zechariah writes: “Then I raised my eyes again and saw; and, look! a flying scroll. So he [the angel of interpretation] said to me: ‘What are you seeing?’ In turn I said: ‘I am seeing a flying scroll, the length of which is twenty cubits, and the breadth of which is ten cubits.’”​—Zechariah 5:1, 2. 5 The scroll is unrolled. With flat surface it is skimming through the air as with the wings of an airplane. It is a large scroll, for it is twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad, to total up an area of two hundred square cubits, or around four hundred and fifty square feet. And if both sides of the scroll were used for writing, that would amount to nine hundred square feet of writing surface. It did prove to be written on both sides. This would enable it to convey an impressively large message. Was the message favorable for the land, or unfavorable? That would indicate what the flying scroll meant. Zechariah wanted to know. So do we. 6. What did the interpreting angel explain the flying scroll to mean? 6 What did the interpreting angel say? “Then he said to me: ‘This is the curse that is going forth over the surface of all the earth, because everyone that is stealing, according to it on this side, has gone free of punishment; and everyone making a sworn oath, according to it on that side, has gone free of punishment.’”​—Zechariah 5:3. 7, 8. What questions arise as regards the thief and the swearer of a false oath in Jehovah’s name, and what does Jehovah say that the curse will do? 7 What, then, is to happen to these evildoers who have thus far got off scot-free? According to what is written on the one side of the scroll, what curse is to be executed upon the hitherto-unpunished stealer? And according to what is written on the other side of the scroll, what curse is to be executed upon the guilty maker of a sworn oath? Even we today are interested in knowing, because all the earth at present abounds with stealers and with persons who do not live up to their sworn oath. What does the interpreting angel have to tell us? This: 8 “‘I have caused it to go forth,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, ‘and it must enter into the house of the thief and into the house of the one making a sworn oath in my name falsely; and it must lodge in the midst of his house and exterminate it and its timbers and its stones.’”​—Zechariah 5:4. 9. To what extent was the extermination to proceed​—to the houses alone? 9 The thief and the maker of a sworn oath in Jehovah’s name falsely were cursed to destruction. Not alone were their houses to be exterminated, timbers, stones and all, but the thief and false oath swearers were to be exterminated. The very place of their residence was to be blotted out of the land, and they along with their living quarters. A terrible curse, indeed! Drastic! 10. To what land did this matter apply, and why did this fact make the stealing and the false swearing all the more serious? 10 We must bear in mind that this applied to the land occupied by the remnant of once exiled Jews who had been liberated from Babylon and had returned to the land of Judah for the purpose of rebuilding Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem. That made matters all the more serious. Under the Ten Commandments, as given through the prophet Moses, those natural, circumcised Jews were under divine command not to steal, not to swear falsely or bear false witness. Hence, in stealing from God’s chosen people, the thief was really stealing from Jehovah. In swearing falsely in Jehovah’s holy name, the false swearer was lying, not only to the one for whom the sworn oath was to be an assurance or guarantee, but also to Jehovah. It was a misuse of His name, the use of His name in a worthless way. (Exodus 20:7, 15, 16) Although the thieves and false swearers escaped for a time punishment at the hands of those who should enforce God’s law, yet His curse would apply to those violators and would in due time take effect upon them. KINDS OF THIEVERY 11. Did hunger make thievery excusable, or what consequences did such stealing bring according to Solomon and proverbialist Agur? 11 No matter what the motive for stealing might be and how excusable the theft might seem to be under the circumstances, yet it was a sin and deserved to be punished according of God’s law. Said the inspired wise King Solomon: “People do not despise a thief just because he commits thievery to fill his soul when he is hungry. But, when found, he will make it good with seven times as much; all the valuables of his house he will give.” (Proverbs 6:30, 31) The proverbialist Agur the son of Jakeh did not desire to get into circumstances where he felt obliged to steal, for he saw that his God was involved or was affected. Hence he prayed to God: “Untruth and the lying word put far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Let me devour the food prescribed for me, that I may not become satisfied and I actually deny you and say: ‘Who is Jehovah?’ and that I may not come to poverty and I actually steal and assail the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:1, 8, 9) How would he by thievery be assailing the name of his God? 12. (a) How, in the light of the Ten Commandments, is the stealing, even for hunger’s sake, an assailing of God’s name? (b) What does the apostle Paul say on this? 12 Because thievery is an expression of idolatry. The thief idolizes himself or the thing he steals. He covets that to which he has no right but which belongs to another. To escape punishment for thievery, he takes the coveted thing when the owner or enforcers of the law are not watching. Since the commandment against thievery was given over God’s name Jehovah, the thieving person is disregarding God’s name and assailing it as being of no force or importance. Wrote the Christian apostle Paul to Christian heirs of God’s heavenly kingdom: “No fornicator or unclean person or greedy person​—which means being an idolater—​has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and of God.” (Ephesians 5:5) He also wrote: “Deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5) Paul may have had in mind the prophecy of Zechariah when he wrote: “Let the stealer steal no more, but rather let him do hard work, doing with his hands what is good work, that he may have something to distribute to someone in need.”​—Ephesians 4:28, 25. 13. (a) How does the “curse” affect the dedicated, baptized Christian who takes up stealing? (b) What stealing is more serious than stealing some creature’s material property? 13 If a dedicated, baptized Christian renews any stealing that he did before his conversion or he takes up stealing, he is assailing the name of his God. Since he as a stealer cannot inherit God’s Messianic kingdom, he comes under the divine curse. This will mean his destruction, for if he fails to gain entrance into the kingdom to which he is called, there is nothing else left for him. To be a thief, we do not necessarily need to steal material things from another person. Of more serious consequence is one’s stealing the words of God. God is against such stealing. 14. What does Jehovah say, in Jeremiah 23:30-32, about those who steal His words? 14 “‘Therefore here I am against the prophets,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘the ones who are stealing away my words, each one from his companion.’ ‘Here I am against the prophets,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘the ones who are employing their tongue that they may utter forth, “An utterance!”’ ‘Here I am against the prophets of false dreams,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘who relate them and cause my people to wander about because of their falsehoods and because of their boasting.’ ‘But I myself did not send them or command them. So they will by no means benefit this people,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.”​—Jeremiah 23:30-32. 15. (a) What must be said as to whether we are stealing our companion’s words when we make Bible quotations to others? (b) How did the false prophets in Jeremiah’s days steal God’s words from their companion? 15 Stealing Jehovah’s words from one’s companion is a serious matter. How do we do this? Do we steal Jehovah’s words from the prophet when we quote the words of the one whom He inspired to say them? No, for we give due credit to the inspired prophet whose words we are quoting for our support or for proof of a teaching. We refer people to the Bible book, chapter and verse from which we quote. We do not do like the false prophets in Jeremiah’s day. These prophets would take the prophecy of the man whom Jehovah inspired to utter the prophecy and then would palm this prophecy off as being their own. And, of course, when they enlarged upon this prophecy that they had stolen, they would not have the divine guidance in doing so. This would result in their not explaining it correctly or in making unauthorized additions of their own or adulterating, distorting, watering down the prophecy. In this way they would use the purloined prophecy to their own selfish ends. 16. How did those who pretended to be inspired prophets or who related mere dreams steal God’s name? 16 They put on an appearance of being a prophet by saying, as if under inspiration: “An utterance!” Then they really steal the name of Jehovah by attaching it to their own “utterance” to which it does not belong. They dream up false dreams for the future so as to influence the people against Jehovah’s true mouthpieces. Because of their false dreams and their boasting regarding the future, they cause the people to go astray religiously and spiritually and leave them unprepared for the real things to come. Jehovah did not send them or command them, for which reason they have no right to steal God’s name from its rightful place and use it for their deceptive purposes. Such thieves benefit no one. 17. What did Jehovah forewarn was approaching, and how were the prophets that did not stand in His intimate group responsible for the people’s conduct? 17 “For who has stood in the intimate group of Jehovah that he might see and hear his word? Who has given attention to his word that he might hear it? 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. I did not send the prophets, yet they themselves ran. I did not speak to them, yet they themselves prophesied. But if they had stood in my intimate group, then they would have made my people hear my own words, and they would have caused them to turn back from their bad way and from the badness of their dealings.”​—Jeremiah 23:18-22. 18. How have Christendom’s clergymen done what Revelation 22:19 warns against, and how have they stolen the words of their companion? 18 The foregoing corresponds with what is said to dedicated, baptized Christians in the last book of the Bible: “If anyone takes anything away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take his portion away from the trees of life and out of the holy city, things which are written about in this scroll.” (Revelation 22:19) In teaching that the book of Revelation has no prophetic value or that the Bible is full of myths and legends and impossibilities, the clergy of Christendom have certainly taken away much from God’s Word, and so are withholding it from the unsuspecting people. How often during political campaigns and in wartime the clergy of Christendom have appropriated to their own selfish use a text from the Bible and employed it as a pretext to talk to their congregations about worldly politics, social reform schemes and war propaganda! Is that not stealing Jehovah’s word from one’s companion? 19. How can we, like the apostle Paul, avoid God’s curse for stealing God’s words from those needing them? 19 In contrast with stealing away any of the Word of God from those who deserve to hear it, we should imitate the example of the apostle Paul who said: “I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house. But I thoroughly bore witness both to Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. Hence I call you to witness this very day that I am clean from the blood of all men, for I have not held back from telling you all the counsel of God.” (Acts 20:19-21, 26, 27) Like Paul, we do not want to be cursed for spiritual stealing. MAKING A SWORN OATH IN GOD’S NAME FALSELY 20. The prophet Zechariah and his fellow Jews could well remember what outstanding case of swearing falsely by God’s name in Judah? 20 Zechariah and the rest of the restored Jews of his day could well remember an outstanding case in history that showed how strongly God felt about one’s swearing falsely with an oath in His name. This case was that of their last king on the throne of Jerusalem, namely, that of King Zedekiah the son of Josiah. He died blind in a prison in Babylon before the faithful Jewish remnant were liberated from Babylonian exile. Why? The record at 2 Chronicles 36:12, 13 explains why, saying: “He continued to do what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah his God. He did not humble himself on account of Jeremiah the prophet at the order of Jehovah. And even against King Nebuchadnezzar he rebelled, who had made him swear by God; and he kept stiffening his neck and hardening his heart so as not to return to Jehovah the God of Israel.” 21. According to Ezekiel 17:16-20, what decision did Jehovah make concerning unfaithful King Zedekiah? 21 With regard to the oath with which King Zedekiah swore to King Nebuchadnezzar in the name of Jehovah, Ezekiel 17:16-20 sets forth this decision of Jehovah: “‘As I am alive,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘in the place of the king [Nebuchadnezzar] who put in as king the one that despised his oath and that broke his covenant, with him in the midst of Babylon he will die. . . . And he has despised an oath in breaking a covenant, and, look! he had given his hand and has done even all these things. He will not make his escape.’ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: “As I am alive, surely my oath that he has despised and my covenant that he has broken​—I will even bring it upon his head. And I will spread over him my net, and he will certainly be caught in my hunting net; and I will bring him to Babylon and put myself on judgment with him there respecting his unfaithfulness with which he acted against me.”’” 22. How did King Zedekiah forswear himself, and against whose counsel? 22 Since King Zedekiah had sworn with an oath to King Nebuchadnezzar in the name of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, he owed it to God to live up to his oath and carry out his covenant to be a vassal king to the king of Babylon. In disregard of the inspired counsel of the prophet Jeremiah, he perjured himself, forswore himself and rebelled and turned to Pharaoh of Egypt for military help.​—Ezekiel 17:11-15, 17; Isaiah 31:1-3. 23. Similar to Zedekiah, how have the nations of Christendom and their clergy gone for help and broken their covenant? 23 Similar to King Zedekiah, who was in the Law covenant with God through the mediator Moses, the nations of Christendom have gone down to symbolic Egypt for help, yes, to the world with its military equipment. The religious clergymen of Christendom have gone along with their respective nations and have blessed and prayed for their armies, their military weapons and their war procedures. In this manner the nations of Christendom and their clergy, who claim to be in the new covenant with God through Christ as mediator, have broken their covenant with God. The religious clergy have violated the neutrality toward world conflicts that is binding on all Christians. 24. (a) How have Christendom’s clergymen acted toward vows or oaths taken when they were ordained as ministers? (b) How will they fare when God executes the flying scroll “curse” in the coming “great tribulation”? 24 Whatever vows or sworn oaths the sectarian clergy of Christendom have made to God when being ordained to the ministry of their respective religious denominations, they have broken. They have done so by their worldly course, well knowing that “the friendship with the world is enmity with God” and that “whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) What about the “curse” that was represented by the unusually large flying scroll that was going forth over all the surface of the earth? Will it enter into the houses of those spiritual or religious thieves? Will it exterminate them and all their religious houses in the time of God’s executing that curse? Without fail, yes! Those clergymen and their professed Christian nations are “false to agreements” respecting God, although they should know full well “the righteous decree of God, that those practicing such things are deserving of death.” (Romans 1:31, 32) Woe to them in the coming “great tribulation” when that curse on the “flying scroll” is executed by God.​—Matthew 24:21, 22. 25, 26. (a) Where finally must an end be put to those kinds of wickedness specified on the flying scroll? (b) By what course of action will dedicated, baptized Christians escape the “curse” of the flying scroll? 25 As in the vision to Zechariah the curse was to put an end to thievery and false swearing in Jehovah’s name throughout the land of His people, so an end must be put to such things in all the earth. Especially so now in the spiritual estate of Jehovah’s restored remnant of spiritual Israel. Such kinds of wickedness are no longer to be permitted, tolerated, and allowed to go unpunished in this earth, which belongs to its Creator, the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. To escape the coming extermination all fully dedicated, baptized Christians are under Scriptural obligation to be “no part of this world,” to stick inseparably to theocratic neutrality toward the selfish disputes of this world. Because the restored remnant of spiritual Israelites do this, there is fulfilled to them what is foretold in Revelation 22:3-5: 26 “And no more will there be any curse. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his slaves will render him sacred service; and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Also, night will be no more, and they have no need of lamplight nor do they have sunlight, because Jehovah God will shed light upon them, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.” WICKEDNESS REMOVED TO BABYLON 27. (a) In the seventh vision, what did Zechariah see going forth? (b) What question is raised regarding “their aspect in all the earth”? 27 Since there is to be no curse from God, there is to be no wickedness any longer. That wickedness was to be permitted no longer in and on the property that belongs to the divine Creator, the seventh vision to the prophet Zechariah indicates with interesting symbols. Let us fix our mental eyes on the word picture that Zechariah draws for us: “Then the angel who was speaking with me went forth and said to me: ‘Raise your eyes, please, and see what this is that is going forth.’ So I said: ‘What is it?’ In turn he said: ‘This is the ephah measure that is going forth.’ And he went on to say: ‘This is their aspect in all the earth.’” (Zechariah 5:5, 6) According to the language used by the angel, that is to say, the Hebrew, the expression “their aspect” is literally “their eye.” Similarly to here, in Numbers 11:7 “its eye” (that is, of the newly found manna) is translated as “its look.” However, in the Greek Septuagint Version of Zechariah 5:6 it reads differently: “This is the unrighteousness of them in all the earth.” Will the “aspect” or “look” of them all be unrighteous? 28. What does the fact that the container was a definite measure of volume indicate as regards those “in all the earth”? 28 Well, we shall have to see what is inside that flying ephah measure, which, we are to find, has a leaden lid upon it. An ephah contained more than half a bushel (.62 bushel), or twenty-two liters. Since it measures off what is contained in it, it appears to say that it measures off or takes the measure of what is inside the symbolic ephah and thereby presents the “aspect” or “look” of all those in the land or earth. Is it unrighteous, as the rendering of the Greek Septuagint Version suggests? 29. What was exposed as being inside the ephah, and what was the name given thereto? 29 “And, look!” says Zechariah, “the circular lid of lead was lifted up; and this is a certain woman sitting in the midst of the ephah. So he said: ‘This is Wickedness.’ And he proceeded to throw her back into the midst of the ephah, after which he threw the lead weight upon its mouth.”​—Zechariah 5:7, 8. 30. (a) So what did the “woman” inside picture, and her being confined in the ephah suggest? (b) Did the container’s being an ephah used in commercial affairs limit the kind of wickedness symbolized, but in any case where did it belong? 30 So the wickedness of all the inhabitants of the land is symbolized by a woman. But now this “wickedness” has been confined like the woman inside the ephah measure. It itself has been measured off, and the time for its permission in the land has also been measured off by the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. And to keep it confined, a heavy circular lid of lead has been put upon the ephah measure’s mouth. The ephah in being a measure used in trading might suggest something commercial and, correspondingly, contain commercial wickedness, bad business dealings. But not necessarily so! A measure can be taken also of all fields of human relations and activities, and that appears to be how “wickedness” as symbolized here should be viewed. Wickedness of whatever kind has no place anywhere in the land or spiritual estate of Jehovah’s dedicated people. It should be put in a container and shipped out, in full measure, to where it belongs. It should not be permitted to stay. 31. What did Zechariah see next happen to the ephah measure? 31 Such a removal and transfer of “wickedness” is just what this seventh vision to Zechariah portrays. We can rejoice with him as he tells us: “Then I raised my eyes and saw, and here there were two women coming forth, and wind was in their wings. And they had wings like the wings of the stork. And they gradually raised the ephah up between the earth and the heavens. So I said to the angel who was speaking with me: ‘Where are they taking the ephah?’”​—Zechariah 5:9, 10. 32. How are these two women set in contrast with the woman inside the ephah, and what does having the wind in their wings suggest? 32 Two symbolic women are used to transport the confined “wickedness” away posthaste as if by airfreight of modern times. This is a good use of symbolisms. This womankind is used not just to symbolize wickedness; wickedness is not confined to women, but they too can be virtuous and useful in Jehovah’s service. And here in this vision they are used to symbolize agents employed by the Sovereign Lord God, who hates wickedness. Like Him, these two symbolic women hate wickedness and are glad to be used by him to rid the land of it. So here we have a nice balance in the use of women as symbols. And since “wind was in their wings,” it shows they had heavenly help to make speedy riddance of wickedness. 33. What features about the stork made it appropriate for these two symbolic women to have stork wings in this connection? 33 We observe that their wings are the “wings of the stork.” How appropriate such kind of wings for these two symbolic women, for the Hebrew word for “stork” (hha·si·dahʹ) is evidently derived from the Hebrew word (hheʹsed) that means “loving-kindness” and “loyalty,” qualities that mark womankind. The stork is known to be markedly tender toward its brood of young and also loyal to its mate throughout life. But, of course, there is to be no tenderness in the treatment of “wickedness.” Storks being migratory birds and having an instinctive awareness of the times for their migration, these two symbolic women with stork wings would know Jehovah’s appointed time for the removal of “wickedness.” (Jeremiah 8:7) Since storks have a wingspread of up to seven feet (2.1 meters), they can fly high and also lift heavy loads. With stork wings the two symbolic women should be able to lift and carry off the heavy load of “wickedness.” (Job 39:13; Psalm 104:17) With Zechariah we ask: “Where are they taking the ephah?” 34. Where did the angel say that the winged women were taking the loaded ephah? 34 The angel who was speaking with Zechariah tells us: “In turn he said to me: ‘In order to build for her a house in the land of Shinar; and it must be firmly established, and she must be deposited there upon her proper place.’”​—Zechariah 5:11. 35. What about the “land of Shinar” made it the fitting location to which to transport “wickedness” and house it on its “proper place”? 35 Why was the depositing of “wickedness” in the “land of Shinar” a putting of it in its own “proper place”? Because it was there, even in the prophet Zechariah’s day, that the city of Babylon was located. It was there that Babylon was founded by Nimrod, the “mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.” It was there, with the city of Babylon as its center, that wicked rebellion against the Sovereign Lord Jehovah was organized. There too organized false religion was founded, so that the city of Babylon came to be the world center of false religion. It became the seat for “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion, which religious empire persists to this day. (Genesis 10:8-10; 11:1-9; Revelation 14:8; 17:1-18) So, then, in the “land of Shinar,” symbolizing the location of rebellion against the universal sovereignty of Jehovah God and also the location of false Babylonish religion, there is where “wickedness” should be settled and kept, as in a house firmly established upon its “proper place” as a base. 36. With the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, the God-given land of Jehovah’s chosen people was not a proper place for what, even as indicated by Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16? 36 The God-given land of Jehovah’s chosen people was, indeed, no place for wickedness of any kind, whether idolatry, stealing, crooked commercial dealings, the swearing of oaths falsely in God’s name, or any other wicked thing. This should be the case especially with the rebuilding of Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem for his pure, undefiled, whole-souled worship. As the Christian apostle Paul wrote to the congregation in the pagan city of Corinth: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16) None whatsoever! As regards anyone practicing what is wrong within the congregation of Jehovah’s dedicated, baptized people, Paul says: “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”​—1 Corinthians 5:13. 37. In this “time of the end,” what should be done with “wickedness” as respects the God-given spiritual estate of Jehovah’s worshipers? 37 During this “time of the end,” during this “conclusion of the system of things,” let wickedness of all kinds be removed from the God-given spiritual estate of Jehovah’s worshipers. Let it be kept out and confined to the realm of Babylon the Great and her political, military and commercial patrons. There let it stay fixed, as if residing in a firmly established house. We want no fellowship and association with this symbolic woman Wickedness. Leave her to her destruction along with Babylon the Great and all rebels against Jehovah’s universal sovereignty “in the land of Shinar.” 38. So since the beginning of the building of pure worship at Jehovah’s temple in 1919 C.E., what removal has been in progress, and how did Jesus foretell such a thing in his parable of the wheat and the weeds? 38 Already since the restoring and rebuilding of Jehovah’s pure worship at his spiritual temple was begun in 1919 C.E., this removal of wickedness as if by the two stork-winged women has been in progress. It is just as Jesus Christ foretold for this “conclusion of the system of things,” saying: “The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels. Therefore, just as the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be in the conclusion of the system of things. The Son of man will send forth his angels, and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness, and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be.” (Matthew 13:39-42) When Babylon the Great and her worldly paramours are destroyed as with fire in the approaching “great tribulation,” their weeping and gnashing of teeth will cease at their destruction.​—Matthew 24:21, 22; 25:41, 46. 39. What, then, is the course of loyalty for us to persist in, while taking to heart Psalm 145:20? 39 All we who have left Babylon the Great and her worldly paramours in the Babylonish “land of Shinar” have no reason to go back to that “wickedness” that belongs in that place of its inception. Our course of loyalty to Jehovah as the Sovereign Lord and only true God is to persist in his pure, undefiled worship at his spiritual temple under his High Priest, Jesus Christ. We take to heart what his inspired psalmist has written: “Jehovah is guarding all those loving him, but all the wicked ones he will annihilate.”​—Psalm 145:20.

God’s Kingdom Has Approached (ka) 1973

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ka

Chapter 5 How the Associate Kings Are Put in Office 1. Why could there be no one more suitable to be king over mankind than Jesus Christ? WHAT king better than Jesus Christ the Son of God could all mankind have over itself? What human king loved his people so much as to leave all his glory and lay down his life innocently in his people’s behalf? And even if he did unselfishly lay down his life for his people, of what lasting benefit would this be to them? But in the case of Jesus Christ the Son of God, he left his heavenly glory with his Father and became a mere man, perfect indeed and yet “a little less than godlike ones,” “a little lower than angels.” (Psalm 8:5; Hebrews 2:9) Then, according to God’s will, he humbled himself still further to be violently killed even by humans after God anointed him to be the Messianic King. Not only was this an incomparable demonstration of love for mankind, but his death provided a perfect human sacrifice acceptable to God for the everlasting benefit of all humankind. Who better than this one could commend himself to mankind as suitable to be their king? 2. (a) How are people today like those of the first century as respects wanting Jesus Christ as king? (b) What is it that really counts as regards whom mankind will get as king? 2 Nineteen centuries ago men who believed in mere human political rulership did not desire him as their king; which was why they cried out to the Roman governor for the executing of him as if he were a false Christ, a false Messiah. Today the vast majority of mankind, even in Christendom, do not want him as a real King but do a lot of politicking for human rulership and belittle, oppose and persecute Christians who really imitate their Leader, Jesus. But what does it matter that the overwhelming majority of mankind today do not want Jesus Christ as their real heavenly King? Does that decide matters for mankind, the living and the dead? What counts is Almighty God’s decision. He approved of his Son Jesus at the time that he was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. He approved of his Son Jesus at the time that this faithful Son was gloriously transfigured before three witnesses in a very high mountain in northern Palestine. (Matthew 3:17; 17:5) God approved of his sinless Son when, in his dying moments on the execution stake at Calvary, he called out with a loud voice: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”​—Luke 23:46. 3. (a) What all-excelling expression of approval did God give of his martyred Son Jesus Christ? (b) To what level of life did God resurrect him? 3 In an all-excelling expression of his approval of his martyred Son, the God who works what puny men call impossibilities raised Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day. On what level of existence? As a mere human of blood and flesh, “a little lower than angels”? No! but on a level far higher than that of angels, on a heavenly level of life higher than that which he emptied himself of when he submitted to having his life transferred to the womb of the virgin Jewess Mary. (Philippians 2:5-11) Said the apostle Peter, who was one of the first to see him in a materialized body after his resurrection: “That which corresponds to this is also now saving you . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is at God’s right hand, for he went his way to heaven; and angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him.”​—1 Peter 3:21, 22; Hebrews 1:1-4; Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5. 4, 5. How did Jesus Christ the “son of David” become the “Lord” of David, and who was the first one to point this out? 4 Thus the triumphant Son of God who had been made a “son of David” through a virgin birth in David’s line of descent came to be far higher than King David. The apostle Peter pointed this out in his inspired speech to thousands of Jews on the day of the Festival of Weeks, the fiftieth day from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter, filled with holy spirit, said to them: 5 “This Jesus God resurrected, of which fact we are all witnesses. Therefore because he was exalted to the right hand of God and received the promised holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out this which you see and hear. Actually David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’ Therefore let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you impaled.”​—Acts 2:32-36. 6. (a) After his resurrection, what acknowledgment will David have to make regarding Jesus? (b) What kind of genealogical record does Jesus have as a man? 6 In his coming resurrection from the dead under the Messianic kingdom David will have to acknowledge the glorified Jesus Christ as his “Lord.” David will then call him “my Lord.” (Psalm 110:1) He will have to acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ, exalted from earth to heaven, as the most vital one of his descendants, “the root and the offspring of David,” “The Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David.” (Revelation 22:16; 5:5) This is why the genealogy of David’s descendants in two lines of descent ends with Jesus the son of Mary the virgin Jewess. In fact, the genealogy of Jesus Christ runs back, not just to King David, not just to the patriarch Abraham, but all the way back to the first Adam, who, in the day of his creation in the Garden of Eden, was called the “son of God.” (Matthew 1:1-18; Luke 3:23-38) Jesus Christ is the only one whose ancestry all the way back to the first human “son of God” was preserved without a break or gap in the long line. 7. (a) How long did the royal dynasty in King David’s family reign in Israel? (b) How long will Jesus Christ reign without any earthly rival, and how so? 7 King David reigned in Israel for only forty years. (1 Kings 2:10, 11; 1 Chronicles 29:26, 27) All together, through a line of twenty male successors to King David, his royal family reigned in Israel for 470 years, or from 1077 to 607 B.C.E. What other dynasty of kings in one family can equal that in any other country? However, Jesus Christ, as David’s heavenly Lord, will reign without an earthly rival king for a thousand years over all mankind. This will be without successors on his heavenly throne, for he is immortal. He has the “power of an indestructible life”; and so, “because of continuing alive forever,” he can have his kingdom “without any successors.” (Hebrews 7:16, 24) As the angel Gabriel said to Mary at Nazareth, “there will be no end of his kingdom.” (Luke 1:33) Consequently, he is King David’s Permanent Heir. ASSOCIATES, NOT SUCCESSORS 8, 9. (a) Are the 144,000 to be the successors of Jesus Christ, and how did he, after setting up the Lord’s Supper, speak of their privileges in the Kingdom? (b) How did Daniel foretell that same joint participation? 8 The 144,000 joint heirs of Jesus Christ are not his successors in the Kingdom. They are merely associate kings, over whom He is the divinely appointed Head. Accordingly, the way in which Revelation 20:4 states the matter is: “And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ [not, after the Christ] for a thousand years.” It is just as Jesus Christ said to his faithful apostles on Passover night, after he had set up a new celebration that came to be called the Lord’s Supper or Evening Meal: “You are the ones that have stuck with me in my trials; and I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Luke 22:28-30) Hundreds of years before Christ, the prophet Daniel pointed forward to that same joint participation, saying: 9 “But the holy ones of the Supreme One will receive the kingdom, and they will take possession of the kingdom for time indefinite, even for time indefinite upon times indefinite.” “The Ancient of Days came and judgment itself was given in favor of the holy ones of the Supreme One, and the definite time arrived that the holy ones took possession of the kingdom itself. And the kingdom and the rulership and the grandeur of the kingdoms under all the heavens were given to the people who are the holy ones of the Supreme One. Their kingdom is an indefinitely lasting kingdom, and all the rulerships will serve and obey even them.”​—Daniel 7:18, 22, 27. 10, 11. (a) What must be said as to whether the 144,000 have successors and as to their being “firstfruits to God and to the Lamb”? (b) Because of what mental attitude are the 144,000 not to be feared as kings? 10 From this it follows that the 144,000 holy ones of the Most High God will be kings with Christ for a thousand years without successors. It is said of these: “These are the ones that keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:4) Being bought from among mankind, they were once ordinary men and women just like all the rest of mankind, but from this fact earth’s inhabitants over whom these 144,000 will rule as kings have nothing to fear. They have become “holy ones,” just as any “firstfruits to God and to the Lamb” would have to be strictly “holy.” Is there anything to fear from the rulership of Jesus Christ? No! And likewise there is nothing to be uneasy about as to the rulership of the 144,000 “bought from among mankind.” They have obeyed the apostle Paul’s counsel: “Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5) Also, the apostle Peter’s counsel in 1 Peter 4:1: 11 “Therefore since Christ suffered in the flesh, you too arm yourselves with the same mental disposition; because the person that has suffered in the flesh has desisted from sins.” 12. (a) What did God foreordain with regard to the associate kings of Christ? (b) When and how did Jehovah God give first recognition to this governmental class? 12 It is evident that the 144,000 need to have developed in them the mental, moral and spiritual image of their Leader and Teacher Jesus Christ. This is one of the requirements that Jehovah God foreordained about them. Although He did not foreordain the individual persons from among mankind who should make up those bearing in themselves this image of Jesus Christ, God did foreordain how many there should be of them​—144,000. He did foreordain how he would deal with them and to what glorious heavenly station he would bring them. Because, from the very time of man’s rebellion in the Garden of Eden, Jehovah God was concerned about the government for a new system of things over mankind, he gave first recognition to this governmental class. This recognition He voiced in the divine decision he made known to Satan the Devil, “the original serpent,” saying: “I shall put enmity between you and the woman and between your seed and her seed. He will bruise you in the head and you will bruise him in the heel.”​—Genesis 3:15. 13, 14. (a) What is Jesus Christ with reference to the promised “seed” of God’s woman? (b) What did the apostle Paul encouragingly write to the Christians striving to make their calling secure? 13 Jesus Christ is, of course, the principal one of that promised “seed” of God’s woman. But it also includes those faithful disciples who are to be associated with Christ in the bruising of the Serpent’s head. (Romans 16:20) So, addressing himself to a congregation of those who had been called and who were striving to make this calling of them sure and irrevocable, the apostle Paul wrote encouragingly, in Romans 8:28-32: 14 “Now we know that God makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God, those who are the ones called according to his purpose; because those whom he gave his first recognition he also foreordained to be patterned after the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Moreover, those whom he foreordained are the ones he also called; and those whom he called are the ones he also declared to be righteous. Finally those whom he declared righteous are the ones he also glorified. What, then, shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who will be against us? He who did not even spare his own Son but delivered him up for us all, why will he not also with him kindly give us all other things?” 15. (a) How, according to God’s foreordination, will the government of His new order be harmonious in itself? (b) How, by God’s action, will those in this government be “righteous”? 15 Note that those called are, regardless of whoever they might individually prove to be, “foreordained to be patterned after the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” This requires and ensures that they will all be Christlike as sons of God. Thus God foreordained that the government of His coming new order should be a harmonious government, not divided in itself, not at disagreement within itself. Everyone in that government has to be “righteous.” That is why God has to make special provision, yet just provision, in order to declare these called ones “righteous,” and this He does through the blood of the Lamb Jesus Christ. When resurrecting them from the dead, He will make them righteous as perfect spirit creatures in harmony with their righteous personality. (Romans 5:1, 9; 8:1) Such ones whom God declares righteous now by reason of their faith in the blood of Jesus Christ, God dignifies, honors, glorifies with blessed privileges in His service now on earth. He sets before them future glory in the Kingdom. 16. How did Jesus show his disciples whether the politicians of this world are the ones for them to imitate? 16 All mankind can be sure that those whom God approves and resurrects to Kingdom glory will not conduct themselves in office like the politicians of the present worldly governments. Jesus did not set the politicians of this world before his disciples as an example to imitate. There will be no political rivalry between his 144,000 associates in the heavenly kingdom. Not according to what we read in Luke 22:24-27: “There also arose a heated dispute among them over which one of them seemed to be greatest. But he said to them: ‘The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those having authority over them are called Benefactors. You, though, are not to be that way. But let him that is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the one acting as chief as the one ministering. For which one is greater, the one reclining at the table or the one ministering? Is it not the one reclining at the table? But I am in your midst as the one ministering.’” 17. Why, when sent to this world, was Jesus rightly God’s Ambassador to mankind? 17 About two thousand years ago the Son of God was sent into this world, but not to become a politician campaigning for votes or fighting against political rivals, even in the nation of Israel. He came to do what no earthly politician can do, namely, to reconcile the people of all races, nations and tribes to God, with whom they were at enmity. He came in order to bring mankind back to peaceful, friendly relations with the great Life-Giver, Jehovah God. This meant self-sacrifice for the Son of God. He is rightly said to be the Ambassador from God, who was sent to a hostile race of people in order to plead with them to become reconciled to God and thereby escape being destroyed by Him. 18. Those who became disciples of Christ reacted in what way to God’s Ambassador? With what effects? 18 The Christian disciples were the ones who accepted that Ambassador from God and his ambassadorial work in their behalf. The apostle Paul wrote to such disciples in Rome and said: “God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, therefore, since we have been declared righteous now by his blood, shall we be saved through him from wrath. For if, when we were enemies, we became reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, now that we have become reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only that, but we are also exulting in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”​—Romans 5:8-11. “AMBASSADORS SUBSTITUTING FOR CHRIST” 19. (a) Since Christ’s ascension to heaven, how is the ambassadorial work carried on toward mankind? (b) How do the world’s political rulers look upon the ambassadors from Christ, and why so? 19 Since his ascension to heaven in the spring of the year 33 C.E., Jesus Christ has been no longer on earth to carry on personally this work of ambassadorship. Therefore his reconciled disciples must carry on the ambassadorial work as substitutes for him. The political rulers and governments of this world do not recognize these disciples as ambassadors from the Highest Government of the universe. Neither do these Christian ambassadors treat or negotiate with the political ambassadors of the nations to bring about at one negotiation the reconciliation of a whole nation by one single treaty through those diplomatic ambassadors. The political rulers and governments look upon commissioned disciples according to the flesh, from the old standpoint, and do not send diplomatic representatives to them as they have done for centuries with the Vatican of the Roman Catholic Church. They view these uninputd disciples, without diplomatic dress and credentials, as being just ordinary humans. They do not discern these to be new creatures spiritually, with something new to offer. 20. Although he was not recognized by Rome as an ambassador, how did Paul speak of himself when writing to the Ephesians? 20 Because the apostle Paul, who did not represent the Jewish government at Jerusalem, was not recognized as a Christian ambassador by the Roman Empire, did that make him any less a real ambassador from the Government of the Most High God? Yet, even while not being honorably recognized by the Roman government, Paul spoke of himself as such while under arrest in Rome, saying to the congregation in Ephesus, Asia Minor: “Keep awake with all constancy and with supplication in behalf of all the holy ones, also for me, that ability to speak may be given me with the opening of my mouth, with freeness of speech to make known the sacred secret of the good news, for which I am acting as an ambassador in chains; that I may speak in connection with it with boldness as I ought to speak.”​—Ephesians 6:18-20. 21. In discharging their responsibilities, to whom do the Christian ambassadors go? 21 A commissioned Christian should not adopt the viewpoint of the political governments of this world that are at enmity with Jehovah God. The Christian has received his ambassadorship from God through Christ, and he must recognize the responsibilities that this new honor conferred upon him places upon him. Because he is not a worldly ambassador, he does not go to the political governments in his new capacity. In this matter of reconciliation with God, the governments cannot act for the whole nation and alter the relationship of their subjects to God. It is an individual matter; each person must decide and act for himself. That is why the spiritual Christian ambassadors go directly to the people, not through their political governments. Discounting the old standing and giving full value to the new responsibility, the apostle Paul put the matter squarely, saying: 22. What ministry do the Christian ambassadors fulfill, for whom do they substitute, and what do they entreat reconciled ones not to do? 22 “Consequently if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new creation [or, creature]; the old things passed away, look! new things have come into existence. But all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of the reconciliation, namely, that God was by means of Christ reconciling a world to himself, not reckoning to them their trespasses, and he committed the word of the reconciliation to us. We are therefore ambassadors substituting for Christ, as though God were making entreaty through us. As substitutes for Christ we beg: ‘Become reconciled to God.’ The one who did not know sin he made to be sin for us, that we might become God’s righteousness by means of him. Working together with him, we also entreat you not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose.”​—2 Corinthians 5:17 through 6:1, margin. 23. Being “ambassadors substituting for Christ” places what serious restrictions upon God’s representatives? 23 Being “ambassadors substituting for Christ” places serious restrictions upon God’s representatives who are new creatures in union with Christ. What restrictions? Those similar to the restrictions that rest upon ambassadors of the political nations. Not only today, but also in Bible times, ambassadors had no right to meddle in the politics of foreign nations to which they were sent. (Luke 19:12-15, 27) They might make an appeal to those foreign governments, or even a protest, but they must strictly keep out of the politics of such alien nations. They must be loyal to their own home government and jealously take care of its interests when they are dealing with foreign governments. If they do not do this, they can be refused recognition or their credentials be turned down and their presence in the land can be denied. 24. Where is the citizenship of these spiritual ambassadors, what government do they represent, and from what worldly activities do they refrain and thus keep clean? 24 The 144,000 who are joint heirs with Christ recognize that they are, while on earth, “ambassadors substituting for Christ.” In the light of the Holy Scriptures they see clearly what their being such ambassadors really means with regard to their relationship to this world that is at enmity with God. (Romans 5:10) With the apostle Paul, they confess: “Our citizenship exists in the heavens, from which place also we are eagerly waiting for a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 3:20) In this hostile world they must faithfully represent the heavenly kingdom that the Lord Jesus Christ commanded them to preach world wide. (Matthew 24:14) Their being spiritual ambassadors to an enemy world does not allow them to meddle and take an active part in the politics of any nation whatsoever of this world. They cannot engage in political electioneering or hold public office in a worldly government any more than a worldly ambassador can divide his loyalty and assume political office in a land foreign to his own. In this way they keep clean from any community responsibility for the misconduct and bloodshed committed by any nation on earth. 25. How do the 144,000 Kingdom joint heirs keep from worshiping the “wild beast” and its “image” and from having its mark on forehead and hand? 25 In the face of this we can appreciate more what the apostle John says of the faithful 144,000 who become Kingdom associates of Christ: “I saw the souls of those executed with the ax for the witness they bore to Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had worshiped neither the wild beast nor its image and who had not received the mark upon their forehead and upon their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for a thousand years.” (Revelation 20:4) Under the enlightening power of God’s spirit they see the “wild beast,” the number of which is 666, to be the Devil’s worldwide political system by means of which he is the “ruler of this world.” They see that, today, the “image” of that political wild beast is another political organization, namely, the United Nations, the man-made organization for the peace and security of this world that is at enmity with God. It is only by keeping clean and unentangled from the politics and conflicts of this symbolic “wild beast” that they keep from having the mark of the wild beast on forehead or hand. 26. Although keeping free from the worship of the “wild beast” and its “mark,” what do the 144,000 render to the “superior authorities” of the world, but to what extent? 26 The 144,000 are neither slaves nor worshipers of the “wild beast” and its political “image.” They do not display themselves openly as by a mark on the uncovered forehead as being slaves of this “wild beast” of human rulership under Satan the Devil. They do not show its political “mark” on their hand as by slavishly and worshipfully giving the “wild beast” their active support and “right hand of fellowship.” They do obey the apostle Paul’s counsel in Romans 13:1-7 and conscientiously show “subjection to the superior authorities” of this world, paying taxes and such due things. But this subjection is not total; it is only relative, for a serious reason. What? This: when the laws and rulings of these earthly superior authorities clash with the laws and rulings of the Most High God, then they must conscientiously follow the course set by Christ’s apostles before the Supreme Court in Jerusalem: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) Only by doing this can they keep free of the “mark” of the “wild beast” and prove themselves worthy to reign with Christ above. 27. According to Revelation 22:4, what identification do the 144,000 display on their foreheads? 27 The 144,000 faithful ones will therefore carry none of the political uncleanness of this self-seeking world into the heavenly kingdom of the Christ. As for any identification being displayed upon their foreheads, Revelation 22:3-5 says concerning these loyal servants of God: “His slaves will render him sacred service; and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. . . . Jehovah God will shed light upon them, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.” BENEFIT OF BEING A THOUSAND YEARS IN OFFICE 28. (a) For the 144,000, what will be the benefit of reigning for a thousand years without successors? (b) What will Satan and his demons do, when let loose, regarding divine rulership, and what will happen to the misled ones? 28 What a grand privilege and opportunity it will be for them to rule as kings with the Christ for the thousand years after the binding and abyssing of Satan the Devil and his demons! This will allow them ample time to carry out to completion and success the work that Jehovah God has assigned to be done during this first thousand years of His new order. Neither they nor Jesus Christ will have any successors, who might come along into office and try to reverse the things that they have accomplished or insist on carrying on things in another way. According to Revelation 20:7-10, Satan the Devil and his demons will, after being let loose at the end of the thousand years, try to reverse matters. They will try to undo everything that was accomplished by the millennial government for God’s glory and man’s blessing, but they will not succeed. Any humans that Satan then succeeds in misleading will then find their rebellion against divine rulership to be ineffective and short-lived. With Satan and his demons these earthly rebels will be obliterated from the realm of the living. 29. (a) How, at the end of the thousand years, will things show that not in vain did God send his Son or His Son die? (b) In what way will Christ and the 144,000 have reason to rejoice that they did not reign for a thousand years in vain? 29 The millennial reign of Jesus Christ and his 144,000 Kingdom joint heirs will not prove to be in vain. The restoration of mankind to human perfection in an earth-wide paradise will stand as an accomplished fact. Yes, Jesus Christ the Son of God will not have died in vain, and the purpose for which God lovingly sent him into this world will not have failed. In the faithful upholders of Jehovah’s universal sovereignty who loyally pass the test at the loosing of Satan for a little while, it will be overwhelmingly demonstrated that Almighty God the Creator can put men and women on this earth who will unbreakably maintain their integrity to Him. They will for this deserve to be declared righteous by the Supreme Judge Jehovah God and to be favored with the inviolable right to serve Him in peace and happiness in the earthly Paradise forever. (Revelation 20:5) At this outcome of the divine judgment of mankind Jesus Christ and his 144,000 associate kings will rejoice and know that their reign of a thousand years brought successful results. 30. What other office besides that of kings must the 144,000 carry out with Christ for a thousand years, and what questions does this raise? 30 However, the glorious vision seen by the apostle John reveals to us that the 144,000 Kingdom joint heirs do more than rule as kings with Christ for a thousand years. Revelation 20:6 says of these 144,000 partakers of the “first resurrection” that “they will be priests of God and of the Christ.” Why must they also be “priests” for a thousand years? What will this bring about that mere kingship does not accomplish? We shall not be satisfied about the coming thousand years until we find out.

Is Buddhism the Way to Enlightenment?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101974004

Is Buddhism the Way to Enlightenment? BUDDHISM developed in Asia, and most adherents to it are still on that continent. But interest in Buddhist teachings has been increasing in other parts of the world in recent times. Many look to it as a way to “enlightenment.” Buddhism is based upon the person and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who became known as “Buddha” (meaning “Enlightened One”). Siddhartha was born into a royal family in India in the sixth century B.C.E. While still a young man Siddhartha became disturbed over the fact that sickness, suffering, old age and death are the common lot of everyone. He determined to abandon his royal surroundings and to become a wanderer in search of truth. For six years Gautama practiced extreme self-denial. During this time he spoke with many teachers and philosophers but could not gain satisfying answers as to why life seemed to be so filled with unpleasantness. What would he do? Gautama had grown up as a Hindu and was familiar with yoga, which includes exercises by mental concentration. He decided to search for the truth by means of meditation. To that end he sat down under a large fig tree called a bo tree. Here he claimed to have become enlightened, this making him a Buddha. “Enlightenment” About What? What was Buddha enlightened about that has attracted so many followers for centuries? To answer that question, let us consider some background information about the people of India in the sixth century B.C.E. A scholar of Buddhist writings, Professor T. W. Rhys Davids, points out: “The country was politically split up into little principalities, most of them governed by some petty despot, whose interests were not often the same as those of the community. . . . A convenient belief in the doctrine of the transmigration of souls satisfied the unfortunate that their woes were the natural result of their own deeds in a former birth, and, though unavoidable now, might be escaped in a future state of existence by present good conduct. [They were] hoping for a better fate in their next birth.” Buddha himself was influenced by that belief in transmigration of souls after death. He developed a complicated philosophy based upon it. In general, Buddhists believe that rebirth can take place in five different states: (1) in hell (there are eight hot hells, eight cold hells and other minor hells); (2) as an animal; (3) as a “preta” (a ghost with a small mouth and big belly, tortured by hunger and thirst); (4) as a human; (5) as a god. Of course, certain groups may list these various “states” somewhat differently. Thus Buddha believed that all things were constantly going through a cycle, changing from one state to another. He considered nothing permanent. Buddha expressed his view of life as follows: “Birth is suffering; decay is suffering; death is suffering; sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering; not to get what one desires is suffering.” Buddha’s enlightenment had to do with how to escape from the endless cycle of rebirths. How would that be possible? By recognizing the “Four Noble Truths,” which may be summarized as follows: (1) All living is painful; (2) Suffering is due to craving or desire; (3) When desire ceases there comes a release from suffering; (4) The way to release from suffering is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path consisting of four ethical precepts​—right speech, effort, conduct and work—​and four mental precepts​—right views, hopes, attentiveness and contemplation. So it is desire, in Buddha’s opinion, that instructions a person to the chain of rebirths. To escape from it one must extinguish all desire for things pleasing to the senses. All craving for life as we know it must be suppressed. Meditation was viewed as a means to that end. The Way to Nirvana The kind of meditation that he advocated involves concentrating all of one’s attention on a single object, a certain part of the body or perhaps on a phrase or riddle. In time, the mind empties of all other thoughts, feelings and imagination. Through such meditation some have even developed “superhuman qualities” or abilities, including levitation, ability to project an image of themselves to a distant place and mental telepathy. It is said that one meditating can get to a point in which he is indifferent to pain or pleasure and no longer desires life or any of the pleasures associated with it. At this point he is said to become free of the necessity of rebirth. He has reached Nirvana. What is that? Professor of Sanskrit Walter E. Clark explains that Nirvana is a state which “cannot be reached or described by human knowledge and words.” It is “utterly different from all things in the knowable world.” Does that sound desirable to you? Would a state in which you are neither aware of life nor desire it help you to cope with the problems you face in life? Does Buddhism Satisfy Man’s Spiritual Need? Man has an inborn need to worship God. That is why he has always had some form of religion. Can Buddhism satisfy man’s spiritual need? Can it answer his questions about how the universe came about, how life came to be upon earth, why wickedness exists and whether it will ever end? Concerning the origin of the universe, Buddha said: “The origin of phenomenal existence is inconceivable, and the beginnings of beings obstructed by ignorance and ensnared by craving is not to be discovered.” Buddhist writings say that the universe evolved from the dispersed matter of a previous universe that wore out. In time Buddhists expect that the present one will dissolve and that out of it will arise another. Zen Buddhist expert Daisetz T. Suzuki emphasized: “To us Orientals . . . there is no God, no creator, no beginning of things, no ‘Word,’ no ‘Logos,’ no ‘nothing.’ Westerners would then exclaim, ‘It is all nonsense! It is absolutely unthinkable!’ Orientals would say, ‘You are right. As long as there is at all a “thinking” you cannot escape getting into the dilemma or the bottomless abyss of absurdity.’” [Italics ours] How do you feel about that? Do you wish to believe in something that is admittedly “nonsense” if a person uses his thinking ability? In your own experience have you found that thinking leads only to “dilemma or the bottomless abyss of absurdity”? Are you more successful in coping with the problems of life when you refrain from thinking? Is it really enlightenment to say there is no Creator and to believe in an unprovable theory of evolution? Such a philosophy could never satisfy your spiritual needs. In fact, it failed to do so even for followers of Buddha in ancient times. Professor Albert S. Geden explains: “The human craving for an ideal or idealized object of love and homage was too strong. . . . The desire was met, and found its satisfaction, in the deification [after his death] of [Buddha] himself; . . . With him were reintroduced the Hindu deities, or the more important and popular of them. But they were always subordinated in attributes and power to the Buddha. And thus a system in theory deistic became a practical polytheism.” Toward the beginning of the Common Era images of Buddha made their appearance. The simple places of Buddhist devotion were changed into elaborate temples. Some of these temples also contain images of the Hindu gods Vishnu, Siva and Ganesha. Buddha’s refusal to enlighten his followers about God left a vacuum that was filled by his own deification and by adopting gods and practices of other religions. What about guidance for everyday life? Buddhism does contain some moral precepts. There are, for example, the “five precepts” against killing, stealing, adultery, lying and drunkenness. But moral precepts alone are not sufficient. People need a reliable guide for making everyday decisions. Where do many Buddhists turn for such guidance? Professor L. A. Waddell observes: “Divination is sought after by the majority of professing Buddhists in matters of almost everyday business, as well as in the great epochs of life​—birth, marriage, and death—​or in sickness. . . . The Burmese, who may be taken as a type of the [conservative] ‘Southern’ division of Buddhists, are lettered in the bonds of horoscopes and witch-doctors.” Buddhists, like everyone else, have a need for spiritual guidance on matters. Because Buddha’s philosophy does not fill that need, they resort to divination. What About Hope for the Future? Does Buddhism offer any hope for the future? Buddhists divide an epoch of evolution and destruction of the universe into four “incalculable” periods. Buddha spoke of the length of one of these in this way: “Suppose a mountain of iron to be touched every hundred years by a muslin veil; the mountain will be destroyed before the Incalculable is at an end.” After four of these “incalculable” periods the whole cycle starts over again. So, according to Buddhist belief, evil and suffering have always existed and will continue forever as a part of recurring world cycles. What about Nirvana as a hope? This, too, is questionable. Why so? Because Nirvana is supposed to signify that one has reached the end of one’s cycle of rebirths. Some Buddhist monks have even burned themselves to death to make sure they do not slip back into the rebirth cycle. But if a person is not to be reborn, what happens to him? Buddha considered this one of the “questions which tend not to edification.” He said: “I have not elucidated that the saint exists after death; I have not elucidated that the saint does not exist after death; I have not elucidated that the saint both exists and does not exist after death; I have not elucidated that the saint neither exists nor does not exist after death.” In other words, Buddha offered no enlightenment whatsoever as to the future hopes of even a Buddhist “saint,” not to mention the hopeless situation of most laymen who must experience innumerable rebirths. Origin of Buddha’s Teachings Buddha’s belief in rebirth and that a person’s deeds in one life affect him in his next life came from Hinduism. So did his ideas about meditation and Nirvana. Where did these Hindu beliefs get their start? The Encyclopædia Britannica (1952 edition) observes: “The religion [of India] is not based on anything exclusively Indian but on old world-wide beliefs.” How did these “old world-wide beliefs” get to India? William H. McNeill explains in The Rise of the West: “The existence of trade relations between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley from [the third millennium B.C.E.] . . . suggests that the Sumerians may have played a role in the earliest stages of Indus civilization . . . Seaborne contact with Sumer may have provided ready-made models and ideas which the Indus peoples could adapt to the peculiarities of their local cultural tradition.” Interestingly, the Holy Bible pinpoints Babel in Mesopotamia as the center from which civilization spread out after the confusion of man’s languages because of disobedience to God in the third millennium B.C.E.​—Gen. 11:1-9. Of course, the teaching of rebirth comes from belief in immortality of the soul. Interestingly the Bible sheds light on the origin of that teaching. In the Bible the word “soul” refers to all breathing creatures, whether insects, birds, fish, animals or humans. The Bible shows that the soul is the entire creature, every fiber of its being, not something immaterial and separate from the body. Therefore, at his creation, the Bible says, “the first man Adam” was not given but “became a living soul.”​—1 Cor. 15:45; Gen. 1:20-28; 2:7. As related in Genesis, the oldest record about the origin of man, God commanded Adam not to eat the fruit of a certain tree. If he did so, God said, Adam would “positively die.” (Gen. 2:15-17) Did that mean that the human soul can die? Yes, as the prophet Ezekiel later explained: “The soul that is sinning it itself will die.” (Ezek. 18:4) According to the Bible, nothing spiritual survives the body at death.​—See also Psalm 146:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10. However, an opposer of God, whom the Bible identifies as Satan the Devil, contradicted God and said: “You positively will not die.” (Gen. 3:1-5) But Adam did die. (Gen. 5:5) Thus the “living soul” died, and all human souls descended from him have also died till now. In the case of those who practice the Buddhist type of meditation, it is especially easy for Satan and his demons to further the lie of survival after death that came from Babylon. By emptying their minds of all conscious thoughts, these individuals open themselves up to demon influence. Thus, at times, such individuals display supernatural mental and physical abilities. But do they really benefit themselves by laying themselves open to demon influence? (Note for yourself the principle stated at Matthew 12:43-45.) No true enlightenment can come from a system that is built on a lie and that encourages the influence of wicked spirits. The Bible reveals that the true hope for the dead is not transmigration, but resurrection. Jesus Christ promised: “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.” (John 5:28, 29) Yes, billions of persons will live again as humans, but under righteous conditions, right on this earth. This is no empty promise. Jesus demonstrated its truthfulness by restoring to life at least three persons.​—Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-56; John 11:1-40. The Bible also tells the truth about the origin of the earth and man, how wickedness got its start and how God will put an end to all human oppression in this very generation. Would you not like to become better acquainted with this hope? Jehovah’s witnesses will be glad to help you to do so.

Cultivate Safe Driving Habits

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101988003

Cultivate Safe Driving Habits SAFE, careful, steady, cautious, overcautious, erratic, reckless, dangerous​—these are all descriptions of drivers. Which applies to you? Most drivers may consider themselves safe and careful drivers, but their passengers and other road users may be less complimentary. One essential to driving safely is a roadworthy vehicle. Is Your Vehicle Roadworthy? Some countries check the mechanical condition of vehicles at regular intervals. The results are often surprising. In France, for example, a recent inspection of five-year-old vehicles revealed that 73 percent were in either mediocre, very poor, or even dangerous condition. To help you check your own vehicle, you will find it useful to follow a routine in much the same way as airline pilots do to ensure that all is ready for the takeoff. The suggested check is shown on page 8. With a roadworthy vehicle, properly insured and legally acceptable, you need a valid driving permit. To obtain this, you must take a test. Will you pass or fail? The Driving Test Most learner drivers view the driving test as a hurdle. It certainly is a major topic of conversation among them. Tests vary from country to country. In France, as in many other lands, learner drivers take a driving test in two parts, practice and theory. In Germany, training includes first-aid instruction on what to do at the scene of an accident. Additionally, the authorities there impose a legal minimum of one and a half hours’ practice in night driving as well as just over two hours’ driving on a motorway (freeway). If the learner passes the examiner’s test, he receives a probationary license valid for two years. Should this time pass without incident, a permanent license is granted. Japan insists on from 30 to 60 hours of practical instruction from qualified driving instructors, followed by a three-part test: medical (for vision, color blindness, hearing), driving (for practical skill), and written (on traffic regulations). According to The Times of London, “the tough British driving test is defeating hundreds of angry Americans [resident there].” With a 51-percent failure rate (compared with 15 percent in the U.S.A.), it is reckoned to be “one of the most stringent in the world.” The variations extend past the technicalities. Ben Yoshida, who runs a driving school in New York, asserts: “In Tokyo, an inspector tests [drivers] from the point of view of how well they can drive a car technically, but in the United States, he tests to see how safely they can drive.” Whatever the differences, all drivers need to apply themselves to driving safely. How can they do this? One English lady, who took her driving test when 50 years of age and passed, found it helpful to prepare by making a thorough study of Britain’s Highway Code.a But as with any skill, she found that more is required than studying a textbook. Practice is essential. If you are a new driver, learn to drive safely under varying conditions. For example, when the weather changes, so does the condition of the road surface. Though there may be only a light sprinkling of rain, the grip of your vehicle’s tires will not be as effective as on a dry road. Consequently, slower speeds coupled with a greater awareness of road hazards become imperative. Heavy rain brings additional problems, such as when the spray kicked up behind vehicles obstructs your clear view ahead. Yes, become accustomed to different weather conditions and adjust your driving accordingly. You are probably not a qualified mechanic. In fact, “not one in five motorists knows his car’s tyre pressures or service intervals,” claims London’s Daily Mail, adding: “Not one in three ever reads a handbook and nearly all are baffled by modern engines.” How about you? Although it is not necessary to know all the intricate mechanical details of today’s vehicles, it does help to know the basics. This will enable you to develop ‘car sympathy.’ Improve Your Technique Passing your driving test will give you a good feeling, a sense of achievement. But then what? Will you let your standards drop? “Often after passing the test, many drivers get a bit reckless,” comments a driving instructor. He offers this advice: “Know your limitations and the limitations of the vehicle in varying conditions. Until you have found those out, you are likely to have an accident.” One driver conceded: “If I drove the way I did the first few weeks after my test, I would be a safer driver.” Why so? He admits: “I now take more chances.” On passing your test, you demonstrate that you are basically a safe driver. To become a good driver, you now must continue to work on your driving. You can almost certainly improve your skill with experience and attention to your driving technique. Become ever more alert to possible dangers. “Lack of anticipation and awareness of what is going on in front, behind and around your car is the main fault of today’s drivers,” claims British police driving examiner, Alex Miller. Try to expect the unexpected. Learning to ‘read the road’ will help.​—See box on this page. Safety Involves Attitude “Temperament,” according to driving examiner Miller, “is the most important thing.” A driver with 30 years’ experience, in both Africa and Europe, offers this estimate: “Driving is a question of character. A person’s driving manners reflect the way he treats others in everyday life.” A Canadian driver focuses attention on the value of the right attitude, writing: “When a driver’s license is regarded as a ‘privilege’ rather than a ‘right,’ traffic etiquette will improve our highway safety appreciably.” “If safety is an attitude of mind,” states a British Department of Transport driving manual, “then humility is one of its main ingredients.” For many, this will mean a change of temperament. Is that possible? Yes. It involves being conscious of others, being unselfish. How well the Biblical golden rule expresses it: “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must likewise do to them.”​—Matthew 7:12. But how does this work out in practice? “When tempers get frayed on the road, it is really difficult to cultivate good qualities,” observes one driver in England. No doubt you agree. The desire to retaliate is strong. “Nevertheless, I have used music cassettes to help me. The calming effect is amazing.”​—See box on page 9. “Try very hard to control any feelings of irritation,” is the admonition of one experienced Japanese driver. “If you are upset for some reason, hum or sing.” Do not expect too much of others. Accident statistics clearly warn of the peril from dangerous drivers. Be determined to drive defensively, or as one driver put it: “Drive as though everyone else on the road is a potential hazard.” Recognize, too, that you can learn from others. Analyze the quality of their driving.​—See box on this page. “There isn’t much magic to becoming a Driving Ace,” asserts Jim Kenzie, writing in The Toronto Star. “All you need is some knowledge, some common sense, [and] some consideration for the other guy.” Whether you are a new driver or an experienced one, remember that the road is not the place for showing off, for impatience, or for selfishness. By developing ‘car sympathy,’ by ‘reading the road,’ by concentrating and anticipating, as well as by cultivating a humble attitude, you will succeed in driving​—safely! [Footnotes] a Updated many times since its first appearance in 1931, this government publication, the “No. 2 best-selling book of all time, second only to the Bible” in Britain, offers clear safety guidelines for all road users. [Box/​Pictures on page 8] Is Your Vehicle Roadworthy? Items one should check every trip: Windshield and windows: Clean? Is windshield washer filled? Wiper blades in good condition? Lights, brake lights, and turn signals: In working order? Tires: Any deep cuts or cracks, splits, bulges, or other damage? Brakes: As soon after start as possible, check if they are in working order. Periodic check per owner’s manual: Engine: Is oil level above the “ADD” line? Do not overfill. Radiator (if any): Is coolant level high enough? Is there adequate freeze protection? Tires: Correct inflation pressure, depth of tread, and evenness of wear? Battery: Is fluid level correct in each cell? Do not overfill. [Box on page 9] Driven to Distraction Car radios and cassette recorders offer up-to-date news and music. Do they interfere with the driver’s concentration? Opinions differ. Some drivers claim they concentrate well whatever is broadcast. Others prefer to limit the use of such to background music when driving in heavy traffic. This is in harmony with the warning of the Driving manual: “Serious listening could affect your concentration.” What, then, of the use of car phones? It advises: “Stop before making or receiving a call.”b [Footnotes] b Drivers in Britain have been advised to use only a “handsfree” set when driving and then only when its use would not distract their attention from the road. [Box on page 10] Read the Road In a series of booklets designed to help both learners and qualified drivers, Britain’s RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) first acknowledges the motor industry’s investment in producing vehicles that meet high safety criteria. But it reminds drivers that “a car can only be as safe as the driver at the wheel.” It recommends that all drivers ‘read the road.’ How can this be done? What is involved? 1. Search for early indications of road and traffic situations. Most of the time, a driver should look ahead, searching for information that will alert him to possible hazards. He will, however, be aware of what is happening at the side of the road. 2. Observe the location, weather, time, and other road users. Where you are, in town or in the country, should influence your driving. Wet, icy, or snowbound roads are more hazardous. Patchy fog is especially dangerous. High winds may blow you out of your traffic lane. Glare, either from the sun or from an oncoming car’s headlights, may blind you temporarily or at least drastically reduce your vision. Vacation time brings many inexperienced drivers onto the roads. Watch out for pedestrians and animals. Notice the shadows that warn you of pedestrians crossing the road in front of the bus you overtake. 3. Predict how what you observe will affect your driving. Decide carefully how to cope with this, and drive through the situations safely. “This technique,” claims RoSPA, “is constantly used by expert drivers. . . . It should improve your standard of driving.” What is more, “it is known to help to reduce the possibility of accidents.” [Box on page 11] Tips From the Experts Take pride in giving your passengers a comfortable, smooth ride. View driving as a skill to be perfected. Make sure your vehicle is in tip-top condition. Look ahead to the far distance and the middle distance, as well as close by. Check the mirrors for what is happening behind and alongside your vehicle. Beware of the blind spot in your vision. Before turning or changing lanes, check mirror and give signal in sufficient time. If necessary, physically turn to check before changing direction rather than relying on the mirrors alone. Be patient. Keep calm. Safe driving means obeying the traffic laws. [Picture on page 7] The driving test is to ensure that you will drive safely

God’s Word (gm) 1989

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gm

Chapter 14 The Bible and You Modern critics say that the Bible is unscientific and contradictory, that it is just a collection of myths. Jesus, on the other hand, said: “Your [God’s] word is truth.” (John 17:17) The evidence supports Jesus rather than the critics. The facts show that the Bible is historically truthful. Moreover, its remarkable harmony, its true prophecies, its deep wisdom, and its power for good in people’s lives all demonstrate that the Bible is the written Word of God. As the apostle Paul wrote: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial.”​—2 Timothy 3:16. 1. (Include introduction.) (a) What do the facts prove about the Bible? (b) What are the implications of the fact that the Bible is the inspired Word of God? THE fact that the Bible is God’s word, not man’s, has profound implications. It means that God really has communicated with humans. He has answered many of our questions and has shown the solution to many of our problems. It also means that the prospects for the future described in the Bible are genuine. God’s Kingdom really is ruling and in time will act to remove from this earth all injustice, oppression, and suffering. 2. The knowledge that the Bible is God’s Word should move you to do what? 2 Now, the question is: What will you do with this information? At the very least, the knowledge that the Bible is God’s Word should encourage you to look into it. The psalmist promised happiness for those who do so when he wrote: “Happy is the man that has not walked in the counsel of the wicked ones . . . but his delight is in the law of Jehovah, and in his law he reads in an undertone day and night.”​—Psalm 1:1, 2. Accept Help 3, 4. (a) As the Bible itself shows, what should we do when we find things in the Bible that we do not understand? (b) Who are always willing to help people understand the Bible better? 3 Likely, in your reading of the Bible, you will find things that you do not understand. (2 Peter 3:16) An event recorded in the Bible book of Acts shows that this should be expected. Soon after the death of Jesus, an Ethiopian was reading from the prophecies of the Bible book of Isaiah. The Christian evangelist Philip met up with the man and asked: “Do you actually know what you are reading?” The Ethiopian did not, so he invited Philip to help him understand.​—Acts 8:30, 31. 4 A lady in the United States was in a similar situation. She was a regular Bible reader, but there were many important teachings of the Bible that she had not come to understand from her own reading. It was only when she had discussions with Jehovah’s Witnesses that she learned of basic Bible truths, including the importance of God’s Kingdom and the many blessings that the Kingdom will bring to mankind. If you invite them to, Jehovah’s Witnesses will be happy to help you too so that you can better understand what you read in the Bible. Apply the Bible’s Counsel 5. According to the Bible, what course brings happiness? 5 We are encouraged not only to read the Bible but also to act on what we read. (Psalm 119:2) In addition, the Bible encourages: “Taste and see that Jehovah is good, O you people; happy is the able-bodied man that takes refuge in him.” (Psalm 34:8) In effect, it invites us to put God to the test. Try living according to God’s principles, showing that you trust God to know what is best for you. Only then will you see that this truly is the right way. Those with such trust in God are really happy. 6. Is it practical to try to live up to the Bible’s standards today? Explain. 6 Some claim that no one can live by Bible principles in this dishonest, immoral, violent world. The truth is, though, that many do. Who? A young man in Africa found a group of such ones. He wrote: “I have been observing over the past few years that here in Zimbabwe it is you people, Jehovah’s Witnesses, who are really trying to follow Christ’s own example . . . You are the only group, so far, that has managed to convince me of God’s love and the power of His gospel, through your living and not only through speeches and writings. You are living and preaching the gospel while many, many people are preaching the gospel but not living it.” Accept Its Authority 7. What common practices today are contrary to what the Bible says? 7 The apostle Paul said that the Bible is “beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight.” (2 Timothy 3:16) Sometimes, however, what the Bible says is not popular. For example, the Bible condemns homosexual acts, but homosexuality is widely viewed as an acceptable life-style. (Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:9-11; 1 Timothy 1:9-11) The Bible also says that the life of an unborn baby is important and should not be deliberately destroyed, but about 50 million abortions are performed worldwide each year. (Exodus 21:22, 23; Psalm 36:9; 139:14-16; Jeremiah 1:5) What if we personally find it difficult to accept what the Bible says on such matters? 8, 9. When we at first find it hard to accept some point in the Bible, what should we remember, and whose standards should we always accept? 8 Well, Christians have learned that it is always wise to follow God’s Word. Why? Because in the long run, following what the Bible says always works out best for everyone. (Proverbs 2:1-11) The fact is, humans are very limited as far as wisdom is concerned. They can rarely foresee the final consequences of their actions. The prophet Jeremiah confessed: “I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.”​—Jeremiah 10:23. 9 We have only to look around us to see that this assessment is correct. Most of the problems afflicting the world are direct results of people’s not following the counsel of God’s Word. The long, troubled history of mankind has shown that humans cannot successfully decide for themselves in moral matters. God is infinitely wiser than we are. Why not accept what he says, instead of relying on our own wisdom?​—Proverbs 28:26; Jeremiah 17:9. No One Is Perfect 10, 11. (a) What facts about the way we are made and the world we live in cause problems when we try to live up to the Bible’s standards? (b) What kind of association does the Bible encourage us to seek, and where can we find such association? 10 The Bible alerts us to another area in which we need help. We all have an inherited tendency to sin. “The inclination of the heart of man is bad from his youth up.” (Genesis 8:21; Romans 7:21) This problem is intensified by the fact that we live in a world that does not follow Bible principles. Hence, we need help not only to understand the Bible but also to practice the things we learn. That is why the Bible encourages us to associate with others who wish to live according to godly standards. The psalmist wrote: “I have hated the congregation of evildoers, and with the wicked ones I do not sit. . . . Among the congregated throngs I shall bless Jehovah.” And another psalm says: “How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!”​—Psalm 26:5, 12; 133:1. 11 Associating together is an essential part of worship for Jehovah’s Witnesses. They have several meetings each week, as well as periodic conventions, where they study the Bible together and discuss how its principles apply in their lives. They form a worldwide “association of brothers” in which each one is encouraged and helped to maintain these high Bible standards. (1 Peter 2:17) Why not attend one of their meetings and see how such a community can help you too?​—Hebrews 10:24, 25. Live by God’s Word 12. What blessings come from knowing that the Bible is God’s Word? 12 Hence, knowing that the Bible is God’s Word brings blessings and responsibilities. We are blessed because we get guidance for our daily conduct that is not available elsewhere. Further, we learn of God’s love in providing his own Son to ransom us so that we might have the hope of everlasting life. (John 3:16) We realize that Jesus is now ruling as King and soon will act to remove wickedness from the earth. And we confidently await the righteous “new heavens and a new earth” that God himself has promised.​—2 Peter 3:13. 13. What responsibilities come upon us when we accept the Bible as God’s Word? 13 Bear in mind, though, that we have the responsibility to study the Bible and take to heart what it says. God himself urges: “My son, my law do not forget, and my commandments may your heart observe.” (Proverbs 3:1) Even if most view the Bible as just the word of man, we should courageously “let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.” (Romans 3:4) Let God’s wisdom guide your life. “Trust in Jehovah with all your heart . . . In all your ways take notice of him.” (Proverbs 3:5, 6) Wisely heeding God’s Word in this way will affect your life for good both now and for all eternity. [Blurb on page 187] We should not only read the Bible but also act on what we read [Blurb on page 188] Following what the Bible says always works out for the best

KEEP ON THE WATCH! 2022: A Year of Turmoil—What Does the Bible Say?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501100061

Left: Hurricane Ian, Florida, USA, September 2022 (Sean Rayford/Getty Images); center: Mother evacuating with her son, Donetsk, Ukraine, July 2022 (Alex Chan Tsz Yuk/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images); right: Mass COVID testing, Beijing, China, April 2022 (Kevin Frayer/Getty Images) KEEP ON THE WATCH! 2022: A Year of Turmoil—What Does the Bible Say? During 2022, war, economic hardship, and environmental disasters have dominated the news. Only the Bible explains the real meaning behind these events. The real meaning of events in 2022 The events of the last year add to the evidence that we are living in what the Bible calls “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) That time period began in the year 1914. Note how recent events match what the Bible predicted for our time: “Wars.”—Matthew 24:6. “2022 Was [the] Year the Horror of War Returned to Europe.”a See the article “Russia Invades Ukraine.” “Food shortages.”—Matthew 24:7. “2022: A Year of Unprecedented Hunger.”b See the article “Ukraine War Fuels Global Food Crisis.” “Pestilences.”—Luke 21:11. “The reemergence of polio, as monkeypox soared and COVID-19 continues its devastation, has laid bare the magnitude of communicable disease threats and humankind’s vulnerability.”c See the article “6 Million COVID Deaths.” “Fearful sights.”—Luke 21:11. “Heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, and floods. Summer 2022 will certainly be remembered for the countless extreme weather events that have brought about destruction, claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, and displaced millions worldwide.”d See the article “Record-Breaking Temperatures Worldwide.” “Disturbances [or, “disorders; uprisings,” ftn.].”—Luke 21:9. “Rising citizen anger about economic problems, especially surging inflation, drove antigovernment protests to a new high in 2022.”e See the article “Soaring Worldwide Inflation.” What will the next year bring? No one can say for certain what will happen in 2023. What we do know is that soon, God’s Kingdom, or heavenly government, will intervene in earth’s affairs. (Daniel 2:44) That government will eliminate the cause of human suffering and ensure that God’s will is done on the earth.—Matthew 6:9, 10. We urge you to follow the advice of Jesus Christ and “keep on the watch” to how world events are fulfilling Bible prophecy. (Mark 13:37) Please contact us to learn more about how the Bible can help you now and how it can give you and your family real hope for a better future. a AP News, “2022 Was Year the Horror of War Returned to Europe,” by Jill Lawless, December 8, 2022. b World Food Programme, “A Global Food Crises.” c JAMA Health Forum, “Living in an Age of Pandemics—From COVID-19 to Monkeypox, Polio, and Disease X,” by Lawrence O. Gostin, JD, September 22, 2022. d Earth.Org, “What’s Behind the Record-Breaking Extreme Weather Events of Summer 2022?” by Martina Igini, October 24, 2022. e Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, “Economic Anger Dominated Global Protests in 2022,” by Thomas Carothers and Benjamin Feldman, December 8, 2022.

Study Edition

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2013040

Study Edition

Serving Jehovah Before the Days of Distress Come

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2014046

Serving Jehovah Before the Days of Distress Come “Remember . . . your Grand Creator.”​—ECCL. 12:1. CAN YOU EXPLAIN? How can experienced Christians benefit younger ones? What Biblical examples of serving where the need is greater can benefit older Christians today? How have some Christians started serving God in new ways later in life? 1, 2. (a) What counsel was Solomon inspired to write to young people? (b) Why is Solomon’s counsel also of interest to Christians in their 50’s and older? KING SOLOMON was inspired to address young people with the words: “Remember . . . your Grand Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of distress come.” What are “the days of distress”? Solomon used intriguing poetic language to describe the calamitous days of old age​—trembling hands, unsteady legs, loss of teeth, dim vision, poor hearing, white hair, and a bent frame. No one should plan on waiting until he arrives at that stage in life before starting to serve Jehovah.​—Read Ecclesiastes 12:1-5. 2 Many Christians in their 50’s and older still have plenty of vigor. They may have some gray hair, but likely they do not yet have the frail health described by Solomon. Could these older Christians benefit from the inspired counsel that was addressed to young people: “Remember . . . your Grand Creator”? What does that counsel mean? 3. What is involved in remembering our Grand Creator? 3 Even though we may have been serving Jehovah for many years, it is good for us to stop occasionally and think appreciatively about how grand our Creator is. Is not life awe-inspiring? The complexity of its design is beyond human understanding. Jehovah’s provisions are so rich in variety that we have abundant possibilities for enjoying life. When we contemplate Jehovah’s creation, we renew our appreciation for his love, wisdom, and power. (Ps. 143:5) But remembering our Grand Creator also involves pondering our obligations to him. During such reflective moments, we surely feel resolved to express our gratitude to our Creator by serving him as fully as possible for as long as we live.​—Eccl. 12:13. UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES LATER IN LIFE 4. What question can Christians with long experience ask themselves, and why? 4 If you have acquired decades of experience as an adult, you have a key question to ask yourself, ‘What will I do with my life now while I still have some energy and strength?’ As an experienced Christian, you have opportunities that are not open to others. You can pass on to younger ones what you have learned from Jehovah. You can strengthen others by relating experiences you have enjoyed while serving God. King David prayed for opportunities to do so. He wrote: “O God, you have taught me from my youth . . . Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon me. Let me tell the next generation about your power and about your mightiness to all those who are to come.”​—Ps. 71:17, 18. 5. How can older Christians pass on to others what they have learned? 5 How could you make known the wisdom you have acquired over the years? Could you invite younger servants of God to your home for some upbuilding association? Could you ask them to accompany you in the Christian ministry and show them the joy you experience in serving Jehovah? Elihu of ancient times said: “Let age speak, and let a multitude of years declare wisdom.” (Job 32:7) The apostle Paul urged experienced Christian women to encourage others by word and example. He wrote: “Let the older women be . . . teachers of what is good.”​—Titus 2:3. CONSIDER YOUR POTENTIAL FOR HELPING OTHERS 6. Why should Christians with decades of experience not underestimate their potential? 6 If you are an experienced Christian, you have great potential. Consider what you understand now that you did not know 30 or 40 years ago. You can skillfully apply Bible principles in life. No doubt you have the ability to reach the hearts of others with Bible truth. If you are an elder, you know how to help brothers who take a false step. (Gal. 6:1) Perhaps you have learned how to oversee congregation activities, assembly departments, or Kingdom Hall construction. You may know how to encourage doctors to use health-care strategies that avoid the use of blood. Even if you have only recently learned the truth, you have valuable experience in life. For example, if you have raised children, you will have gained much practical wisdom. Older Christians are a potentially powerful source of encouragement for Jehovah’s people by teaching, leading, and strengthening the brothers and sisters.​—Read Job 12:12. 7. What useful training can older Christians provide for younger ones? 7 How could you use your potential more fully? Perhaps you could show younger ones how to start and conduct Bible studies. If you are a sister, could you suggest to young mothers how they might keep up with spiritual activities while caring for small children? If you are a brother, could you teach young brothers to give talks with enthusiasm and to be more effective preachers of the good news? Could you show them how you visit elderly brothers and sisters to encourage them spiritually? Even if you do not have the physical power that you used to have, you have splendid opportunities to train younger ones. God’s Word says: “The glory of young men is their strength, and the splendor of old men is their gray hair.”​—Prov. 20:29. SERVING WHERE THE NEED IS GREATER 8. What did the apostle Paul do later in life? 8 The apostle Paul used his full potential to serve God later in life. By the time he was released from prison in Rome about 61 C.E., he had endured many years of rigorous missionary service, and he could have settled down to preach in Rome. (2 Cor. 11:23-27) The brothers in that large city would no doubt have valued his continued support. But Paul saw that the need was even greater overseas. With Timothy and Titus, he resumed his missionary activity, traveling to Ephesus, then on to Crete, and probably to Macedonia. (1 Tim. 1:3; Titus 1:5) We do not know if he visited Spain, but he intended to do so.​—Rom. 15:24, 28. 9. When may Peter have moved to serve where the need was greater? (See opening image.) 9 The apostle Peter may have been over 50 when he moved to where the need was greater. Why may that be true? If he was about the same age as Jesus or perhaps somewhat older, he would have been about 50 years old when he met with the other apostles in Jerusalem in the year 49 C.E. (Acts 15:7) Some time after that meeting, Peter went to live in Babylon, doubtless to preach to the large population of Jews in that area. (Gal. 2:9) He was residing there when he wrote his first inspired letter, about 62 C.E. (1 Pet. 5:13) Settling in a foreign land can be challenging, but Peter did not allow the fact that he was advancing in age to rob him of the joy of serving Jehovah fully. 10, 11. Relate an experience about someone who later in life moved to serve where the need is greater. 10 Today, many Christians in their 50’s and older find that their circumstances have changed and that they are able to serve Jehovah in new ways. Some have moved to where the need is greater. For example, Robert writes: “My wife and I were in our mid-50’s when we realized what opportunities lay before us. Our only son had left home, we no longer had aging parents needing care, and we had received a small inheritance. I calculated that the sale of our house would suffice to pay off the mortgage and provide for us until I received income from my retirement pension. We heard that in Bolivia the number of people accepting Bible studies is high but the cost of living is low. So we decided to move. Adapting to our new home was not easy. Everything was so different from what we were accustomed to in North America. But our efforts were well rewarded.” 11 Robert adds: “Our whole life now revolves around congregation activities. Some of the people with whom we studied the Bible got baptized. One family we studied with lives in humble circumstances in a village several miles away. But each week, the members of that family make the difficult journey into town for the meetings. Can you imagine our joy at seeing the family’s progress and the eldest boy even taking up the pioneer service?” THE NEED IN FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FIELDS 12, 13. Relate an experience about a Christian who began serving Jehovah in new ways after reaching retirement age. 12 Foreign-language congregations and groups can benefit greatly from the example of older brothers and sisters. Also, such territory can be very enjoyable to work. For example, Brian writes: “My wife and I experienced a lull in life when I reached the British retirement age of 65. Our children had left home, and we rarely found interested people with whom we could conduct Bible studies. Then I met a young Chinese man who was doing research at the local university. He accepted an invitation to our meeting, and I started studying the Bible with him. After a few weeks, he began bringing a Chinese colleague with him. Two weeks later, he brought a third, and then a fourth. 13 “About the time a fifth Chinese researcher asked for a Bible study, I thought, ‘Just because I am 65 does not mean that I should retire from Jehovah’s service.’ So I asked my wife, who is two years younger than I am, if she would like to learn Chinese. We used a recorded language course. That was ten years ago. Preaching in a foreign-language field made us feel young again. So far, we have studied the Bible with 112 Chinese people! Most of them have attended meetings. One of them now serves with us as a pioneer.” You may not be too old to expand your ministry (See paragraphs 12, 13) ENJOY DOING WHAT YOU CAN 14. About what can older Christians be happy, and how is Paul’s example encouraging to them? 14 Although many Christians in their 50’s have fine opportunities to do new things in Jehovah’s service, not all can. Some of them have poor health, and others care for aging parents or dependent children. You can be happy in the knowledge that Jehovah appreciates whatever you do in his service. So rather than be frustrated by what you cannot do, enjoy what you can do. Consider the apostle Paul’s example. For years, he was under house arrest, unable to continue his missionary travels. But whenever people visited him, he spoke to them about the Scriptures and strengthened them in the faith.​—Acts 28:16, 30, 31. 15. Why are elderly Christians highly valued? 15 Jehovah also appreciates what elderly ones can do in his service. Although Solomon pointed out that the distressing days of frail health are not the best stage of life, Jehovah values what elderly Christians can accomplish in praising him. (Luke 21:2-4) Congregations appreciate the faithful example of the long-time servants in their midst. 16. What privileges was elderly Anna not likely able to enjoy, but what could she do to worship God? 16 The Bible reports that an elderly woman named Anna continued faithfully praising Jehovah into her old age. She was an 84-year-old widow when Jesus was born. Likely, she did not live long enough to become a follower of Jesus, to be anointed with holy spirit, or to enjoy preaching the good news of the Kingdom. Yet, what Anna could do, she enjoyed doing. “She was never missing from the temple, rendering sacred service night and day.” (Luke 2:36, 37) As the priest offered incense in the temple each morning and evening, Anna would be with the assembled crowd in the courtyard offering silent prayer for perhaps half an hour. When she saw the baby Jesus, she began “speaking about the child to all who were waiting for Jerusalem’s deliverance.”​—Luke 2:38. 17. How might we be able to help elderly and infirm Christians to share in true worship? 17 Today, we should be alert to help elderly or infirm Christians. Some who would dearly love to be at congregation meetings and assemblies may rarely be able to do so. In some places, congregations lovingly arrange for such elderly ones to listen to the meetings by telephone. In other places, this may not be possible. Even so, Christians who cannot attend meetings can share in supporting true worship. For example, their prayers contribute to the success of the Christian congregation.​—Read Psalm 92:13, 14. 18, 19. (a) Why might older Christians not realize how much they encourage others? (b) Who can apply the counsel: “Remember . . . your Grand Creator”? 18 Elderly Christians may not realize how much they encourage others. For example, although Anna was faithful all those years at the temple, she probably did not realize that centuries later her example would still encourage others. Anna’s love for Jehovah was recorded in the Scriptures. No doubt your love for God is recorded in the hearts of fellow worshippers. No wonder God’s Word says: “Gray hair is a crown of beauty when it is found in the way of righteousness”!​—Prov. 16:31. 19 There are limits to what all of us can do in Jehovah’s service. But let those of us who still have some strength and vigor take to heart the inspired words: “Remember . . . your Grand Creator . . . before the days of distress come.”​—Eccl. 12:1.

BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED Revelation 21:4—“He Will Wipe Away Every Tear”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502300154

BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED Revelation 21:4—“He Will Wipe Away Every Tear” “He will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:4, New World Translation. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:4, English Standard Version. Meaning of Revelation 21:4 God promises to remove not only the pain and suffering that afflict humans today but also the root cause of these problems. “He will wipe out every tear from their eyes.” These words confirm Jehovah’sa promise recorded by the prophet Isaiah that He will “wipe away the tears from all faces.” (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17) This expression shows God’s tender care for all those who shed tears because of the loss of a loved one or any other cause of suffering. “Death will be no more.” This expression can also be rendered “death will no longer exist” or “there will no longer be any death.” God promises to eliminate death and the suffering that it causes. In addition, there will be a resurrection of the dead. (1 Corinthians 15:21, 22) Hence, death will be “brought to nothing.”—1 Corinthians 15:26. “Neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.” God’s promise does not mean that humans will become insensitive to all pain, including the physical pain that naturally warns us of danger or potential injury. Rather, this promise indicates that all the mental, emotional, and physical pain caused by sinb and imperfection will be no more.—Romans 8:21, 22. “The former things have passed away.” This concluding phrase sums up the dramatic changes that humans will experience. One reference work states: “The old mode of existence, in which death, mourning, weeping, and pain were an inescapable part of the human situation, will be replaced by a new manner of life.” Humans will then be able to enjoy life on earth forever in ideal conditions, as God originally intended.—Genesis 1:27, 28. Context of Revelation 21:4 At the beginning of chapter 21, the apostle John describes what he saw in a vision: “I saw a new heaven and a new earth.” (Revelation 21:1) He uses figurative language to describe a radical change that is also foretold in other Bible verses. (Isaiah 65:17; 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13) God’s heavenly government, or the “new heaven,” will replace all human governments and rule over “a new earth,” that is, a new human society living on earth.—Isaiah 65:21-23. What indicates that the vision refers to life on earth? First, God’s promise is introduced with the words: “The tent of God is with mankind.” (Revelation 21:3) So this promise is given, not to angels in heaven, but to humans on earth. Second, the vision describes a world where “death will be no more.” (Revelation 21:4) Death has never existed in heaven, but it has only affected people on earth. (Romans 5:14) Thus, it is logical to conclude that this verse describes future conditions on earth. Read Revelation chapter 21 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 Revelation. a Jehovah is the personal name of God. (Psalm 83:18) See the article “Who Is Jehovah?” b In the Bible, sin refers to any action, lack of action, feeling, or thought that goes against God’s standards. (1 John 3:4) See the article “What Is Sin?”

“A Calm Heart Gives Life to the Body”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102020009

“A Calm Heart Gives Life to the Body” Those words, found at Proverbs 14:30, were written about three thousand years ago! They reflect the timeless wisdom found in the Bible. If you would like to learn more, go to jw.org. There you will find videos, animations, interviews, and articles on many helpful topics, including stress relief. A sample is listed here: FOR MARRIED COUPLES Managing Conflicts in Marriage How to Keep Peace With Your Relatives How to Let Go of Resentment FOR PARENTS How to Communicate With Your Teenager When Your Teenage Daughter Is Stressed Out How to Teach Teens Internet Safety FOR TEENS Beat a Bully Without Using Your Fists How Can I Get More Sleep? Why Make Peace With My Siblings?

From Our Readers

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102001013

From Our Readers Cocoon The article “When Love Is Blind” (March 22, 2000) refers to the moth emerging from its chrysalis. However, it is butterflies that make a chrysalis. Moths make cocoons. V. L., United States According to “Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary,” the term “chrysalis” can be applied broadly to mean “an insect pupa.” Admittedly, it is more common to use the word in connection with butterflies. However, some sources do apply the term to moths.—ED. Vasa I want to express my appreciation for the article “The Vasa—From Disaster to Attraction.” (April 8, 2000) As a historian who has done some work on this subject, I can confirm that the article was extremely well researched. It did an excellent job of explaining the events in a balanced way. T. W., Germany Legal Victories I’ve recently gone to court for custody of my children, and my ex-husband has made an issue of my religious beliefs. It has been hard. When I read the article “The Battle Is Not Yours, but God’s” (April 22, 2000), tears ran down my face. D. B., United States After I read the article, I shared it with local attorneys. I did not get a single rejection. Some even invited me into their offices for coffee and further discussion. A number asked for extra copies for their associate attorneys. All the attorneys were astounded when I showed them that Hayden Covington had won 36 out of 45 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. C. M., United States Teenage Fathers I am writing to express my profound appreciation for the article “Young People Ask . . . Fathering Children—Does It Make One a Man?” (April 22, 2000) I am 28 years old and single, and I serve as a special pioneer, or full-time evangelizer. In this part of West Africa, someone my age without a wife or girlfriend is considered uncivilized and impotent. I am often mocked and looked down on because of this. However, my determination to remain chaste was strengthened by your article. A. E., Ghana I lost my virginity as a teenager and committed fornication with one boy after another. I was left feeling filthy each time, and I was often taken advantage of. This led to my becoming depressed. Jehovah helped me to clean up my life, and I am now happily married to a fine man. But it’s good that you publish such articles to help young men realize that what they do can hurt a girl for the rest of her life. F.A.S., Germany I feel moved to thank you for putting at least half the responsibility for unwed mothers where it belongs—with the fathers! Too many people believe that since only women get pregnant, nature indicates that it’s the women’s problem and that men do not have to take any responsibility. Continue sensitizing young men to the way God wants women to be treated. J.M.O., Italy

Reasoning (rs) 1989

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/reasoning-rs

Jehovah Definition: The personal name of the only true God. His own self-designation. Jehovah is the Creator and, rightfully, the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. “Jehovah” is translated from the Hebrew Tetragrammaton, יהוה, which means “He Causes to Become.” These four Hebrew letters are represented in many languages by the letters JHVH or YHWH. Where is God’s name found in Bible translations that are commonly used today? The New English Bible: The name Jehovah appears at Exodus 3:15; 6:3. See also Genesis 22:14; Exodus 17:15; Judges 6:24; Ezekiel 48:35. (But if this and other translations use “Jehovah” in several places, why not be consistent in using it at every place where the Tetragrammaton appears in the Hebrew text?) Revised Standard Version: A footnote on Exodus 3:15 says: “The word LORD when spelled with capital letters, stands for the divine name, YHWH.” Today’s English Version: A footnote on Exodus 6:3 states: “THE LORD: . . . Where the Hebrew text has Yahweh, traditionally transliterated as Jehovah, this translation employs LORD with capital letters, following a usage which is widespread in English versions.” King James Version: The name Jehovah is found at Exodus 6:3; Psalm 83:18; Isaiah 12:2; 26:4. See also Genesis 22:14; Exodus 17:15; Judges 6:24. American Standard Version: The name Jehovah is used consistently in the Hebrew Scriptures in this translation, beginning with Genesis 2:4. Douay Version: A footnote on Exodus 6:3 says: “My name Adonai. The name, which is in the Hebrew text, is that most proper name of God, which signifieth his eternal, self-existing being, (Exod. 3, 14,) which the Jews out of reverence never pronounce; but, instead of it, whenever it occurs in the Bible, they read Adonai, which signifies the Lord; and, therefore, they put the points or vowels, which belong to the name Adonai, to the four letters of that other ineffable name, Jod, He, Vau, He. Hence some moderns have framed the name of Jehovah, unknown to all the ancients, whether Jews or Christians; for the true pronunciation of the name, which is in the Hebrew text, by long disuse is now quite lost.” (It is interesting that The Catholic Encyclopedia [1913, Vol. VIII, p. 329] states: “Jehovah, the proper name of God in the Old Testament; hence the Jews called it the name by excellence, the great name, the only name.”) The Holy Bible translated by Ronald A. Knox: The name Yahweh is found in footnotes at Exodus 3:14 and 6:3. The New American Bible: A footnote on Exodus 3:14 favors the form “Yahweh,” but the name does not appear in the main text of the translation. In the Saint Joseph Edition, see also the appendix Bible Dictionary under “Lord” and “Yahweh.” The Jerusalem Bible: The Tetragrammaton is translated Yahweh, starting with its first occurrence, at Genesis 2:4. New World Translation: The name Jehovah is used in both the Hebrew and the Christian Greek Scriptures in this translation, appearing 7,210 times. An American Translation: At Exodus 3:15 and 6:3 the name Yahweh is used, followed by “the LORD” in brackets. The Bible in Living English, S. T. Byington: The name Jehovah is used throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. The ‘Holy Scriptures’ translated by J. N. Darby: The name Jehovah appears throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, also in many footnotes on Christian Greek Scripture texts, beginning with Matthew 1:20. The Emphatic Diaglott, Benjamin Wilson: The name Jehovah is found at Matthew 21:9 and in 17 other places in this translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures. The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text—A New Translation, Jewish Publication Society of America, Max Margolis editor-in-chief: At Exodus 6:3 the Hebrew Tetragrammaton appears in the English text. The Holy Bible translated by Robert Young: The name Jehovah is found throughout the Hebrew Scriptures in this literal translation. Why do many Bible translations not use the personal name of God or use it only a few times? The preface of the Revised Standard Version explains: “For two reasons the Committee has returned to the more familiar usage of the King James Version: (1) the word ‘Jehovah’ does not accurately represent any form of the Name ever used in Hebrew; and (2) the use of any proper name for the one and only God, as though there were other gods from whom he had to be distinguished, was discontinued in Judaism before the Christian era and is entirely inappropriate for the universal faith of the Christian Church.” (Thus their own view of what is appropriate has been relied on as the basis for removing from the Holy Bible the personal name of its Divine Author, whose name appears in the original Hebrew more often than any other name or any input. They admittedly follow the example of the adherents of Judaism, of whom Jesus said: “You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition.”—Matt. 15:6.) Translators who have felt obligated to include the personal name of God at least once or perhaps a few times in the main text, though not doing so every time it appears in Hebrew, have evidently followed the example of William Tyndale, who included the divine name in his translation of the Pentateuch published in 1530, thus breaking with the practice of leaving the name out altogether. Was the name Jehovah used by the inspired writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures? Jerome, in the fourth century, wrote: “Matthew, who is also Levi, and who from a publican came to be an apostle, first of all composed a Gospel of Christ in Judaea in the Hebrew language and characters for the benefit of those of the circumcision who had believed.” (De viris inlustribus, chap. III) This Gospel includes 11 direct quotations of portions of the Hebrew Scriptures where the Tetragrammaton is found. There is no reason to believe that Matthew did not quote the passages as they were written in the Hebrew text from which he quoted. Other inspired writers who contributed to the outputs of the Christian Greek Scriptures quoted hundreds of passages from the Septuagint, a translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek. Many of these passages included the Hebrew Tetragrammaton right in the Greek text of early copies of the Septuagint. In harmony with Jesus’ own attitude regarding his Father’s name, Jesus’ disciples would have retained that name in those quotations.—Compare John 17:6, 26. In Journal of Biblical Literature, George Howard of the University of Georgia wrote: “We know for a fact that Greek-speaking Jews continued to write יהוה within their Greek Scriptures. Moreover, it is most unlikely that early conservative Greek-speaking Jewish Christians varied from this practice. Although in secondary references to God they probably used the words [God] and [Lord], it would have been extremely unusual for them to have dismissed the Tetragram from the biblical text itself. . . . Since the Tetragram was still written in the copies of the Greek Bible which made up the Scriptures of the early church, it is reasonable to believe that the N[ew] T[estament] writers, when quoting from Scripture, preserved the Tetragram within the biblical text. . . . But when it was removed from the Greek O[ld] T[estament], it was also removed from the quotations of the O[ld] T[estament] in the N[ew] T[estament]. Thus somewhere around the beginning of the second century the use of surrogates [substitutes] must have crowded out the Tetragram in both Testaments.”—Vol. 96, No. 1, March 1977, pp. 76, 77. Which form of the divine name is correct—Jehovah or Yahweh? No human today can be certain how it was originally pronounced in Hebrew. Why not? Biblical Hebrew was originally written with only consonants, no vowels. When the language was in everyday use, readers easily provided the proper vowels. In time, however, the Jews came to have the superstitious idea that it was wrong to say God’s personal name out loud, so they used substitute expressions. Centuries later, Jewish scholars developed a system of points by which to indicate which vowels to use when reading ancient Hebrew, but they put the vowels for the substitute expressions around the four consonants representing the divine name. Thus the original pronunciation of the divine name was lost. Many scholars favor the spelling “Yahweh,” but it is uncertain and there is not agreement among them. On the other hand, “Jehovah” is the form of the name that is most readily recognized, because it has been used in English for centuries and preserves, equally with other forms, the four consonants of the Hebrew Tetragrammaton. J. B. Rotherham, in The Emphasised Bible, used the form Yahweh throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. However, later in his Studies in the Psalms he used the form “Jehovah.” He explained: “JEHOVAH—The employment of this English form of the Memorial name . . . in the present version of the Psalter does not arise from any misgiving as to the more correct pronunciation, as being Yahwéh; but solely from practical evidence personally selected of the desirability of keeping in touch with the public ear and eye in a matter of this kind, in which the principal thing is the easy recognition of the Divine name intended.”—(London, 1911), p. 29. After discussing various pronunciations, German professor Gustav Friedrich Oehler concluded: “From this point onward I use the word Jehovah, because, as a matter of fact, this name has now become more naturalized in our vocabulary, and cannot be supplanted.”—Theologie des Alten Testaments, second edition (Stuttgart, 1882), p. 143. Jesuit scholar Paul Joüon states: “In our translations, instead of the (hypothetical) form Yahweh, we have used the form Jéhovah . . . which is the conventional literary form used in French.”—Grammaire de l’hébreu biblique (Rome, 1923), footnote on p. 49. Most names change to some extent when transferred from one language to another. Jesus was born a Jew, and his name in Hebrew was perhaps pronounced Ye·shuʹa‛, but the inspired writers of the Christian Scriptures did not hesitate to use the Greek form of the name, I·e·sousʹ. In most other languages the pronunciation is slightly different, but we freely use the form that is common in our tongue. The same is true of other Bible names. How, then, can we show proper respect for the One to whom the most important name of all belongs? Would it be by never speaking or writing his name because we do not know exactly how it was originally pronounced? Or, rather, would it be by using the pronunciation and spelling that are common in our language, while speaking well of its Owner and conducting ourselves as his worshipers in a manner that honors him? Why is it important to know and use God’s personal name? Do you have a close relationship with anyone whose personal name you do not know? For people to whom God is nameless he is often merely an impersonal force, not a real person, not someone that they know and love and to whom they can speak from the heart in prayer. If they do pray, their prayers are merely a ritual, a formalistic repetition of memorized expressions. True Christians have a commission from Jesus Christ to make disciples of people of all nations. When teaching these people, how would it be possible to identify the true God as different from the false gods of the nations? Only by using His personal name, as the Bible itself does.—Matt. 28:19, 20; 1 Cor. 8:5, 6. Ex. 3:15: “God said . . . to Moses: ‘This is what you are to say to the sons of Israel, “Jehovah the God of your forefathers . . . has sent me to you.” This is my name to time indefinite, and this is the memorial of me to generation after generation.’” Isa. 12:4: “Give thanks to Jehovah, you people! Call upon his name. Make known among the peoples his dealings. Make mention that his name is put on high.” Ezek. 38:17, 23: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘ . . . And 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.’” Mal. 3:16: “Those in fear of Jehovah spoke with one another, each one with his companion, and Jehovah kept paying attention and listening. And a book of remembrance began to be written up before him for those in fear of Jehovah and for those thinking upon his name.” John 17:26: “[Jesus prayed to his Father:] I have made your name known to them [his followers] and will make it known, in order that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them.” Acts 15:14: “Symeon has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name.” Is Jehovah in the “Old Testament” Jesus Christ in the “New Testament”? Matt. 4:10: “Jesus said to him: ‘Go away, Satan! For it is written, “It is Jehovah [“the Lord,” KJ and others] your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.”’” (Jesus was obviously not saying that he himself was to be worshiped.) John 8:54: “Jesus answered [the Jews]: ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father that glorifies me, he who you say is your God.’” (The Hebrew Scriptures clearly identify Jehovah as the God that the Jews professed to worship. Jesus said, not that he himself was Jehovah, but that Jehovah was his Father. Jesus here made it very clear that he and his Father were distinct individuals.) Ps. 110:1: “The utterance of Jehovah to my [David’s] Lord is: ‘Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.’” (At Matthew 22:41-45, Jesus explained that he himself was David’s “Lord,” referred to in this psalm. So Jesus is not Jehovah but is the one to whom Jehovah’s words were here directed.) Phil. 2:9-11: “For this very reason also God exalted him [Jesus Christ] to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. [Dy reads: “ . . . every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.” Kx and CC read similarly, but a footnote in Kx acknowledges: “ . . . the Greek is perhaps more naturally rendered ‘to the glory,’” and NAB and JB render it that way.]” (Notice that Jesus Christ is here shown to be different from God the Father and subject to Him.) How can a person love Jehovah if he is also to fear Him? The Bible tells us that we should both love Jehovah (Luke 10:27) and fear him. (1 Pet. 2:17; Prov. 1:7; 2:1-5; 16:6) Wholesome fear of God will make us very careful to avoid incurring his displeasure. Our love for Jehovah will move us to want to do the things that are pleasing to him, to express our appreciation for the countless expressions of his love and undeserved kindness. Illustrations: A son properly fears to displease his father, but appreciation for all that his father does for him should also move the son to express genuine love for his father. A scuba diver may say that he loves the sea, but a wholesome fear of it causes him to realize that there are certain things that he should avoid doing. Similarly, our love for God should be coupled with a wholesome fear of doing anything that will incur his displeasure.

Does the Bible Teach ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502016155

Does the Bible Teach ‘Once Saved, Always Saved’? The Bible’s answer No, it does not teach the doctrine of ‘once saved, always saved.’ A person who has gained salvation by faith in Jesus Christ can lose that faith and the salvation that comes with it. The Bible says that maintaining faith requires great effort, a “hard fight.” (Jude 3, 5) Early Christians who had already accepted Christ were told: “Keep working out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”​—Philippians 2:​12. Bible verses that disprove the teaching of ‘once saved, always saved’ The Bible warns against serious sins that will keep a person from entering God’s Kingdom. (1 Corinthians 6:​9-​11; Galatians 5:​19-​21) If salvation could not be lost, such warnings would be meaningless. Instead, the Bible shows that someone who has been saved can fall away by returning to a practice of serious sin. For example, Hebrews 10:26 states: “If we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left.”​—Hebrews 6:​4-6; 2 Peter 2:​20-​22. Jesus emphasized the importance of maintaining faith by giving an illustration in which he likened himself to a vine and his followers to branches on that vine. Some of them would at one time demonstrate faith in him by their fruits, or actions, yet would later fail to do so and be “thrown out like a [fruitless] branch,” losing their salvation. (John 15:​1-6) The apostle Paul used a similar illustration, saying that Christians who do not maintain their faith “will be lopped off.”​—Romans 11:17-​22. Christians are commanded to “keep on the watch.” (Matthew 24:42; 25:13) Those who fall asleep spiritually, whether by practicing “works belonging to darkness” or by not fully performing the works that Jesus commanded, lose their salvation.​—Romans 13:11-​13; Revelation 3:​1-3. Many scriptures show that those who have been saved must still endure faithfully to the end. (Matthew 24:13; Hebrews 10:36; 12:​2, 3; Revelation 2:​10) First-century Christians expressed joy when they learned that fellow believers were enduring in their faith. (1 Thessalonians 1:​2, 3; 3 John 3, 4) Does it seem reasonable that the Bible would stress faithful endurance if those who did not endure would be saved anyway? Only when his death was imminent did the apostle Paul feel that his salvation was assured. (2 Timothy 4:​6-8) Earlier in his life, he recognized that he could still miss out on salvation if he gave in to fleshly desires. He wrote: “I pummel my body and lead it as a slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow.”​—1 Corinthians 9:​27; Philippians 3:​12-​14.

Young People Ask, Volume 2 (yp2) 2008

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp2

SECTION 8 Recreation How often do you enjoy some form of recreation, such as sports, music, movies, TV, or electronic games? □ Rarely □ Once a day □ Several times a day Who or what has the most influence on your choice of recreation? □ Your peers □ Your parent(s) □ Advertising You and your peers likely have more options for recreation than any other generation in history. But you have only a limited number of hours in a day. And the type of recreation you choose can affect your thinking and attitudes. So, what’s a reasonable amount of time to devote to recreation? And how can you figure out what type to choose? Chapters 30-33 will help you to take a serious look at how you have fun. [Full-page picture on page 244, 245]

HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE USED A JW Satellite Channel Reaches Where Internet Does Not

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502500208

HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE USED A JW Satellite Channel Reaches Where Internet Does Not APRIL 1, 2021 Each month, we eagerly anticipate the spiritual programs and videos released on JW Broadcasting. However, many of our brothers in Africa cannot access these programs on the Internet. Why not? Much of Africa has limited Internet access. And where access is available, it is often slow or very expensive. For example, a circuit overseer in Madagascar once downloaded a single JW Broadcasting monthly program at an Internet café. He was billed $16, which is more than some people earn in a week!a Despite these difficulties, millions in Africa may now enjoy JW Broadcasting without using the Internet. How? Since 2017, JW Broadcasting has been made available to those living in sub-Saharan Africa via a satellite-television channel. This channel is broadcast free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in 16 languages. Brothers in Mozambique adjust a JW satellite-channel receiver at their Kingdom Hall, 2018 To accomplish this, Jehovah’s Witnesses contract a television broadcast service to transmit output via satellite. The satellite that is used covers some 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The contract costs more than $12,000 per month. From time to time, an additional amount is paid to broadcast live events on a separate channel. This allows thousands to enjoy conventions or special programs in connection with branch visits. A Malawi Local Design/Construction group watch the JW satellite channel, 2018 Many people, including non-Witnesses, view the JW satellite channel on a television at home. However, a number of our brothers cannot afford to purchase the equipment needed to watch the satellite channel. To help them, over 3,670 Kingdom Halls have been equipped with satellite-receiving equipment so that brothers and sisters can watch JW Broadcasting there. The equipment, including delivery, costs approximately $70 if the Kingdom Hall already has a television or a projector. Otherwise, the necessary equipment can cost up to $530. Our brothers and sisters greatly appreciate the channel. An elder in Cameroon says: “It is like manna in the middle of the desert for our family.” Odebode, a brother in Nigeria, says: “We watch the channel as a family three times a week. My children always look forward to those moments. They even request that we switch to the JW channel at other times.” Rose, also in Nigeria, says: “I am happy to say that the JW satellite channel has replaced my addiction to the news channel. When I watched the news, I was easily irritated by what I saw and my blood pressure would rise. But JW Broadcasting is so upbuilding and serene! It is my favorite channel. It is a big blessing from Jehovah.” A family in Malawi watch a video for children on our satellite channel A circuit overseer in Mozambique reports that in his circuit, Kingdom Halls have been set up with equipment to receive the satellite channel. Brothers in these congregations arrive one hour or more before the meeting to watch JW Broadcasting via satellite. A congregation in Ethiopia enjoyed a monthly JW Broadcast program without using the Internet, 2018 For the 2019 international convention in Johannesburg, South Africa, the channel was used to transmit key talks, including those given by a Governing Body member, to nine other locations. Sphumelele, from the local Broadcasting Department at the South Africa branch, says: “Previously, we would have had to transmit the talks via Internet. But this requires a stable Internet connection and paying data costs. The JW satellite channel was more cost-effective and reliable.” Thanks to your generous donations to the worldwide work, many of our brothers and sisters in Africa can view JW Broadcasting via satellite. We greatly appreciate the donations you have made through the different methods found on donate.jw.org. JW Satellite Channel and JW Box The JW satellite channel transmits video output that can be viewed on a television connected to a satellite dish. JW Box allows brothers to download publications and videos to their mobile devices. If brothers can use JW Box to download videos, why is the satellite channel necessary? In many areas, it can be difficult to update JW Box with new output because Internet access is limited or expensive. So branch offices ship USB drives with new output to Kingdom Halls. However, this takes time. The JW Satellite Channel allows brothers to watch JW Broadcasting programs the day after they are released, whether our brothers have a smartphone or not. It also allows them to watch special theocratic events live. a All dollar amounts in this article refer to U.S. dollars.

Greatest Man (gt) 1991

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt

Chapter 54 “True Bread From Heaven” THE day before had truly been eventful. Jesus miraculously fed thousands and then escaped the attempt of the people to make him king. That night he walked on the stormy Sea of Galilee; rescued Peter, who began to sink when he walked on the storm-tossed water; and calmed the waves to save his disciples from shipwreck. Now the people whom Jesus had miraculously fed northeast of the Sea of Galilee find him near Capernaum and inquire: “When did you get here?” Rebuking them, Jesus says that they have come looking for him only because they expect to get another free meal. He urges them to work, not for food that perishes, but for food that remains for everlasting life. So the people inquire: “What shall we do to work the works of God?” Jesus names but one work of the highest value. “This is the work of God,” he explains, “that you exercise faith in him whom that One sent forth.” The people, however, do not exercise faith in Jesus, despite all the miracles he has performed. Unbelievably, even after all the marvelous things that he has done, they ask: “What, then, are you performing as a sign, in order for us to see it and believe you? What work are you doing? Our forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” In response to their request for a sign, Jesus makes clear the Source of miraculous provisions, saying: “Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father does give you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Lord,” the people say, “always give us this bread.” “I am the bread of life,” Jesus explains. “He that comes to me will not get hungry at all, and he that exercises faith in me will never get thirsty at all. But I have said to you, You have even seen me and yet do not believe. Everything the Father gives me will come to me, and the one that comes to me I will by no means drive away; because I have come down from heaven to do, not my will, but the will of him that sent me. This is the will of him that sent me, that I should lose nothing out of all that he has given me but that I should resurrect it at the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone that beholds the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life.” At this the Jews begin murmuring at Jesus because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” They see in him nothing more than a son of human parents and so in the same manner as did the people of Nazareth, they object, saying: “Is this not Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it that now he says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” “Stop murmuring among yourselves,” Jesus responds. “No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him; and I will resurrect him in the last day. It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone that has heard from the Father and has learned comes to me. Not that any man has seen the Father, except he who is from God; this one has seen the Father. Most truly I say to you, He that believes has everlasting life.” Continuing, Jesus repeats: “I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness and yet died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever.” Yes, by exercising faith in Jesus, the one sent forth by God, people can have everlasting life. No manna, or any other bread, can provide that! The discussion regarding the bread from heaven apparently began shortly after the people found Jesus near Capernaum. But it continues, reaching a climax later while Jesus teaches in a synagogue in Capernaum. John 6:25-51, 59; Psalm 78:24; Isaiah 54:13; Matthew 13:55-57. ▪ What events preceded Jesus’ discussion regarding the bread from heaven? ▪ In view of what Jesus has just done, why is the request for a sign so inappropriate? ▪ Why do the Jews murmur at Jesus’ claim that he is the true bread from heaven? ▪ Where did the discussion about the bread from heaven take place?

When We Die (ie) 1998

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/when-we-die-ie

The Idea Enters Judaism, Christendom, and Islam “Religion is among other things a way of reconciling people to the fact that some day they must die, whether by the promise of a better life beyond the grave, rebirth, or both.”—GERHARD HERM, GERMAN AUTHOR. 1. Most religions base their promise of life after death on what basic belief? IN MAKING a promise of an afterlife, virtually every religion depends on the belief that a human has a soul that is immortal and that upon death journeys to another realm or transmigrates to another creature. As noted in the preceding section, the belief in human immortality has been an integral part of Eastern religions from their inception. But what about Judaism, Christendom, and Islam? How did the teaching become central to these faiths? Judaism Absorbs Greek Concepts 2, 3. According to the Encyclopaedia Judaica, did the sacred Hebrew writings teach the immortality of the soul? 2 The roots of Judaism go back some 4,000 years to Abraham. The sacred Hebrew writings began to be written in the 16th century B.C.E. and were completed by the time Socrates and Plato gave shape to the theory of the immortality of the soul. Did these Scriptures teach the immortality of the soul? 3 Answers the Encyclopaedia Judaica: “Only in the post-biblical period, did a clear and firm belief in the immortality of the soul take hold . . . and become one of the cornerstones of the Jewish and Christian faiths.” It also states: “The personality was considered as a whole in the biblical period. Thus the soul was not sharply distinguished from the body.” The early Jews believed in the resurrection of the dead, and this “is to be distinguished from the belief in . . . the immortality of the soul,” points out that encyclopedia. 4-6. How did the doctrine of the immortality of the soul become “one of the cornerstones” of Judaism? 4 How, then, did the doctrine become “one of the cornerstones” of Judaism? History provides the answer. In 332 B.C.E., Alexander the Great took much of the Middle East in lightning-quick conquest. Upon his arrival in Jerusalem, the Jews welcomed him with open arms. According to first-century Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, they even showed him the prophecy from the book of Daniel, written over 200 years earlier, that clearly described Alexander’s conquests in the role of “the king of Greece.” (Daniel 8:5-8, 21) Alexander’s successors continued his plan of Hellenization, imbuing all parts of the empire with Greek language, culture, and philosophy. A blending of the two cultures—the Greek and the Jewish—was inevitable. 5 Early in the third century B.C.E., the first translation of the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, called the Septuagint, was begun. Through it many Gentiles came to have respect for and familiarity with the Jewish religion, some even converting. Jews, on the other hand, were becoming conversant with Greek thought, and some became philosophers, something entirely new to them. Philo of Alexandria, of the first century C.E., was one such Jewish philosopher. 6 Philo revered Plato and endeavored to explain Judaism in terms of Greek philosophy. “By creating a unique synthesis of Platonic philosophy and biblical tradition,” says the book Heaven—A History, “Philo paved the way for later Christian [as well as Jewish] thinkers.” And what was Philo’s belief about the soul? The book continues: “For him, death restores the soul to its original, pre-birth state. Since the soul belongs to the spiritual world, life in the body becomes nothing but a brief, often unfortunate, episode.” Other Jewish thinkers who believed in the immortality of the soul include Isaac Israeli, the well-known 10th-century Jewish physician, and Moses Mendelssohn, a German-Jewish philosopher of the 18th century. 7, 8. (a) How does the Talmud depict the soul? (b) What does later Jewish mystical literature say about the soul? 7 A book that has also deeply influenced Jewish thought and life is the Talmud—the written summary of the so-called oral law, with later commentaries and explanations of this law, compiled by rabbis from the second century C.E. into the Middle Ages. “The rabbis of the Talmud,” says the Encyclopaedia Judaica, “believed in the continued existence of the soul after death.” The Talmud even speaks of the dead contacting the living. “Probably on account of the influence of Platonism,” says the Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics, “[rabbis] believed in the pre-existence of souls.” 8 Later Jewish mystical literature, the Cabala, even goes as far as to teach reincarnation. Regarding this belief, The New Standard Jewish Encyclopedia states: “The idea seems to have originated in India. . . . In Kabbalah it first emerges in the book Bahir, and then, from the Zohar onward, was commonly accepted by mystics, playing an important role in Hasidic belief and literature.” In Israel today, reincarnation is widely accepted as a Jewish teaching. 9. What is the stance of most factions of today’s Judaism as to the immortality of the soul? 9 The idea of the immortality of the soul, therefore, entered Judaism through the influence of Greek philosophy, and the concept is today accepted by most of its factions. What can be said about the entry of the teaching into Christendom? Christendom Adopts Plato’s Thoughts 10. What did a prominent Spanish scholar conclude regarding Jesus’ belief in the immortality of the soul? 10 Genuine Christianity began with Christ Jesus. Concerning Jesus, Miguel de Unamuno, a prominent 20th-century Spanish scholar, wrote: “He believed rather in the resurrection of the flesh, according to the Jewish manner, not in the immortality of the soul, according to the [Greek] Platonic manner. . . . The proofs of this can be seen in any honest book of interpretation.” He concluded: “The immortality of the soul . . . is a pagan philosophical dogma.” 11. When did Greek philosophy begin making inroads into Christianity? 11 When and how did this “pagan philosophical dogma” infiltrate Christianity? The New Encyclopædia Britannica points out: “From the middle of the 2nd century AD Christians who had some training in Greek philosophy began to feel the need to express their faith in its terms, both for their own intellectual satisfaction and in order to convert educated pagans. The philosophy that suited them best was Platonism.” 12-14. What roles did Origen and Augustine play in fusing Platonic philosophy with Christianity? 12 Two such early philosophers wielded a great deal of influence on Christendom’s doctrines. One was Origen of Alexandria (c. 185-254 C.E.), and the other, Augustine of Hippo (354-430 C.E.). Regarding them, the New Catholic Encyclopedia states: “Only with Origen in the East and St. Augustine in the West was the soul established as a spiritual substance and a philosophical concept formed of its nature.” On what basis did Origen and Augustine form their concepts about the soul? 13 Origen was a pupil of Clement of Alexandria, who was “the first of the Fathers explicitly to borrow from the Greek tradition on the soul,” says the New Catholic Encyclopedia. Plato’s ideas about the soul must have influenced Origen deeply. “[Origen] built into Christian doctrine the whole cosmic drama of the soul, which he took from Plato,” noted theologian Werner Jaeger in The Harvard Theological Review. 14 Augustine is viewed by some in Christendom as the greatest thinker of antiquity. Before converting to “Christianity” at the age of 33, Augustine had intense interest in philosophy and had become a Neoplatonist.a Upon his conversion, he remained Neoplatonic in his thinking. “His mind was the crucible in which the religion of the New Testament was most completely fused with the Platonic tradition of Greek philosophy,” says The New Encyclopædia Britannica. The New Catholic Encyclopedia admits that Augustine’s “doctrine [of the soul], which became standard in the West until the late 12th century, owed much . . . to Neoplatonism.” 15, 16. Did 13th-century interest in Aristotle’s teachings alter the stance of the church on the teaching of the immortality of the soul? 15 In the 13th century, the teachings of Aristotle were gaining in popularity in Europe, largely because of the availability in Latin of the works of Arab scholars who had commented extensively on Aristotle’s writings. A Catholic scholar named Thomas Aquinas was deeply impressed by Aristotelian thinking. Because of Aquinas’ writings, Aristotle’s views wielded a greater influence on the church’s teaching than Plato’s did. This trend, however, did not affect the teaching about the immortality of the soul. 16 Aristotle taught that the soul was inseparably connected with the body and did not continue individual existence after death and that if anything eternal existed in man, it was abstract, nonpersonal intellect. This way of looking at the soul was not in harmony with the church’s belief of personal souls surviving death. Therefore, Aquinas modified Aristotle’s view of the soul, asserting that the immortality of the soul can be proved by reason. Thus, the belief of the church in the immortality of the soul remained intact. 17, 18. (a) Did the Reformation of the 16th century introduce a reform in the teaching about the soul? (b) What is the position of most denominations of Christendom on the immortality of the soul? 17 During the 14th and 15th centuries, the early part of the Renaissance, there was a revival of interest in Plato. The famous Medici family in Italy even helped establish an academy in Florence to promote the study of Plato’s philosophy. During the 16th and 17th centuries, interest in Aristotle waned. And the Reformation of the 16th century did not introduce a reform in the teaching about the soul. Although Protestant Reformers took issue with the teaching of purgatory, they accepted the idea of eternal punishment or reward. 18 The teaching of the immortality of the soul thus prevails in most denominations of Christendom. Noting this, an American scholar wrote: “Religion, in fact, for the great majority of our own race, means immortality, and nothing else. God is the producer of immortality.” Immortality and Islam 19. When was Islam founded, and by whom? 19 Islam began with Muḥammad’s call to be a prophet when he was about 40 years old. It is generally believed by Muslims that revelations came to him during a period of some 20 to 23 years, from about 610 C.E. to his death in 632 C.E. These revelations are recorded in the Koran, the Muslim holy book. By the time Islam came into existence, Judaism and Christendom were infiltrated with the Platonic concept of the soul. 20, 21. What do Muslims believe about the Hereafter? 20 Muslims believe that their faith is the culmination of the revelations given to the faithful Hebrews and Christians of old. The Koran cites both the Hebrew and the Greek Scriptures. But on the teaching of the immortality of the soul, the Koran diverges from these writings. The Koran teaches that man has a soul that goes on living after death. It also speaks of resurrection of the dead, a judgment day, and the final destiny of the soul—either life in a heavenly garden of paradise or punishment in a burning hell. 21 Muslims hold that a dead person’s soul goes to the Barzakh, or “Partition,” “the place or state in which people will be after death and before Judgment.” (Surah 23:99, 100, The Holy Qur-an, footnote) The soul is conscious, there experiencing what is termed the “Chastisement of the Tomb” if the person had been wicked or enjoying happiness if he had been faithful. But the faithful ones must also experience some torment because of their few sins committed while alive. On the judgment day, each faces his eternal destiny, which ends that intermediate state. 22. What differing theories regarding the soul’s destiny did some Arab philosophers present? 22 The idea of the immortality of the soul in Judaism and Christendom appeared because of Platonic influence, but the concept was built into Islam from its beginning. This is not to say that Arab scholars have not tried to synthesize Islamic teachings and Greek philosophy. The Arab world, in fact, was greatly influenced by Aristotle’s work. And noted Arab scholars, such as Avicenna and Averroës, expounded and built on Aristotelian thinking. In their attempts to harmonize Greek thought with the Muslim teaching about the soul, however, they came up with differing theories. For example, Avicenna declared that the personal soul is immortal. Averroës, on the other hand, argued against that view. Regardless of these viewpoints, the immortality of the soul remains the belief of Muslims. 23. Where do Judaism, Christendom, and Islam stand on the issue of the immortality of the soul? 23 Clearly, then, Judaism, Christendom, and Islam all teach the doctrine of the immortality of the soul. [Footnotes] a An adherent of Neoplatonism, a new version of Plato’s philosophy developed by Plotinus in third-century Rome. [Picture on page 14] The conquest by Alexander the Great led to the blending of the Greek and the Jewish cultures [Pictures on page 15] Origen, top, and Augustine tried to fuse Platonic philosophy with Christianity [Pictures on page 16] Avicenna, top, declared that the personal soul is immortal. Averroës argued against that view

“Kingdom Come” (kc) 1981

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/kc

input Page/​Publishers’ Page “Let Your Kingdom Come” For centuries lovers of God and of righteousness have been praying, “Let your kingdom come.” World events in fulfillment of Bible prophecy prove that God’s kingdom is now at hand. It is hoped that this book will help you to reach out for a share in the grand blessings that the Kingdom will provide for mankind right here on our earth. ​—The Publishers

A Unique Web Site

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102014000

A Unique Web Site

Sing Praises (ssb) 1984

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb

Song 222 Keep Your Eyes on the Prize! (2 Corinthians 4:18) 1. When eyes of blind ones see again And ears of deaf ones hear again, When deserts blossom as the rose And from parched ground fresh water flows, When lame ones leap just like the hart, When loved ones never have to part —Such blessed times you’ll realize If you keep your eyes on the prize. 2. When tongues of mute ones speak again, When old ones will be young again, When earth will yield her rich increase And all good things will never cease, When songs of children fill the air, When joy and peace are ev’rywhere, Then, too, you’ll see the dead arise If you keep your eyes on the prize. 3. When wolves and lambs will feed as one, When bears and calves bask in the sun, A mere young boy will lead them all, And they will heed his childish call. When tears belong to yesterday, When fears and pain have passed away, You’ll see how God these things supplies If you keep your eyes on the prize.

Examining the Scriptures—2024 2023

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/examining-the-scriptures/examining-the-scriptures-2024

March Friday, March 1 Why do you boast?​—1 Cor. 4:7. The apostle Peter urged his brothers to use whatever gifts and talents they had to build up their fellow believers. Peter wrote: “To the extent that each one has received a gift, use it in ministering to one another as fine stewards of God’s undeserved kindness.” (1 Pet. 4:10) We should not hold back from using our gifts to the fullest for fear that others may become jealous or get discouraged. But we must be careful that we do not boast about them. (1 Cor. 4:6) Let us remember that any natural abilities we may have are gifts from God. We should use those gifts to build up the congregation, not to promote ourselves. (Phil. 2:3) When we use our energy and abilities to do God’s will, we will have cause for rejoicing​—not because we are outdoing others or proving ourselves superior to them, but because we are using our gifts to bring praise to Jehovah. w22.04 11-12 ¶7-9 Saturday, March 2 Open my eyes so that I may see clearly the wonderful things from your law.​—Ps. 119:18. Jesus loved the Holy Scriptures, and his feelings were prophetically expressed in the words found at Psalm 40:8: “To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is deep within me.” As a result, he was happy and successful in serving Jehovah. We too can enjoy happiness and success if we work on getting God’s Word into our heart. (Ps. 1:1-3) In harmony with Jesus’ words and example, let us sharpen our Bible-reading skills. We can improve our understanding of Bible passages by praying, reading at a slow pace, asking questions, and taking brief notes. We can use discernment by carefully analyzing what we read with the help of our Bible-based publications. And we can let God’s Word mold us by maintaining the right attitude as we read. When we apply ourselves in these ways, we will get more out of our Bible reading and draw ever closer to Jehovah.​—Ps. 119:17; Jas. 4:8. w23.02 13 ¶15-16 Sunday, March 3 The plans of the diligent surely lead to success.​—Prov. 21:5. Choose a specific goal and then take practical steps to reach your goal. How can this be accomplished? Suppose you wanted to improve your ability to teach. You could carefully study the brochure Apply Yourself to Reading and Teaching. When you are assigned a part on the midweek meeting, you could ask a qualified brother to listen to your presentation beforehand and provide suggestions for improvement. Earn a reputation not just for being skilled but also for being diligent and dependable. (2 Cor. 8:22) What if the skill you want to develop involves something that you are not naturally good at? Do not give up! Did Timothy become a notable speaker or an outstanding teacher? The Bible does not say. But no doubt Timothy became progressively more effective in carrying out his responsibilities as he followed Paul’s advice.​—2 Tim. 3:10. w22.04 24-25 ¶8-11 Monday, March 4 I saw a wild beast ascending out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads.​—Rev. 13:1. What is the seven-headed wild beast? We notice that this beast has the general appearance of a leopard but the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion, and it has ten horns. All of these are also features of the four beasts mentioned in Daniel chapter 7. Yet, here in the book of Revelation, these characteristics are combined into one beast, not four separate beasts. This wild beast does not represent just one government or world empire. It is spoken of as ruling “over every tribe and people and tongue and nation.” So it must be greater than any single national government. (Rev. 13:7) This wild beast, then, must represent all the political powers that have dominated humankind down through history. (Eccl. 8:9) Another indication is that the number ten is often used in the Bible to denote completeness. w22.05 9 ¶6 Tuesday, March 5 He will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.​—Rev. 21:4. Who will benefit from these wonderful provisions? First of all, the great crowd of Armageddon survivors, along with any children who may be born in the new world. But Revelation chapter 20 also promises that the dead will be resurrected. (Rev. 20:11-13) Faithful “righteous” ones who died in the past along with “unrighteous” ones​—who did not receive an adequate opportunity to learn about Jehovah—​will all come back to life here on the earth. (Acts 24:15; John 5:28, 29) Does this mean that everyone will be resurrected during the Thousand Year Reign? No. Those who wickedly rejected the opportunity to serve Jehovah before their death will not be raised to life. They had their chance and proved that they were not worthy of life on the Paradise earth.​—Matt. 25:46; 2 Thess. 1:9; Rev. 17:8; 20:15. w22.05 18 ¶16-17 Wednesday, March 6 Whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life.​—John 6:68. By means of “the faithful and discreet slave,” Jesus has built up a remarkable organization on earth to promote pure worship. (Matt. 24:45) How do you feel about that organization? In response, perhaps you think of the words of the apostle Peter, who said the words of today’s text to Jesus. Where would any of us be today if we had not come in contact with Jehovah’s organization? Through it, Christ makes sure that we are well-fed spiritually. He also trains us to carry out our ministry effectively. Further, he helps us to put on “the new personality,” so that we are pleasing to Jehovah. (Eph. 4:24) Jesus provides wise direction in times of crisis. The benefits of that direction were evident when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. While many in the world were uncertain about what course to take, Jesus made sure that we received clear guidance to keep us safe. w22.07 12 ¶13-14 Thursday, March 7 Make sure of the more important things.​—Phil. 1:10. Jehovah instructed the ancient Israelites to teach their children about him regularly. (Deut. 6:6, 7) Those parents had many opportunities throughout the day to talk with their children and instill love for Jehovah in their heart. For instance, a young Israelite boy might spend hours helping his father plant the crops or bring in the harvest. His sister might spend much of the day helping her mother with sewing, weaving, and other household chores. As parents and children worked together, they could talk about many important topics. For example, they could discuss Jehovah’s quality of goodness and consider how he was helping the family. In many lands, parents and children cannot spend time together throughout the day. The parents may be at work, and the children may be in school. As a result, parents must look for occasions when they can talk with their children.​—Eph. 5:15, 16. w22.05 28 ¶10-11 Friday, March 8 Do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom?​—1 Cor. 6:9. Serious sins are gross violations of God’s law. If a Christian commits such a sin, he must approach Jehovah God in prayer, and he must go to the elders of the congregation. (Ps. 32:5; Jas. 5:14) What role do the elders play? Only Jehovah has the authority to forgive sins fully, which he makes possible on the basis of the ransom sacrifice. Jehovah, however, has entrusted the elders with the responsibility of determining from the Scriptures whether the sinner can remain in the congregation. (1 Cor. 5:12) Among other things, they will endeavor to answer the following questions: Was the sin intentional? Did the person scheme to do what was wrong? Did he practice the sin over an extended period of time? Most important, is there evidence that he is sincerely repentant? Are there indications that Jehovah has forgiven him?​—Acts 3:19. w22.06 9 ¶4 Saturday, March 9 Love truth.​—Zech. 8:19. Jesus urged his followers to pursue righteousness. (Matt. 5:6) This means that one needs to have a strong desire to do what is right, good, and clean in God’s eyes. Do you love truth and righteousness? We are sure that you do. You hate lies and all that is wrong and wicked. (Ps. 119:128, 163) Lies reflect the personality of Satan, the ruler of this world. (John 8:44; 12:31) One of Satan’s goals is to slander the holy name of Jehovah God. Satan has been spreading lies about our God since the rebellion in Eden. He portrayed Jehovah as a selfish and dishonest Ruler who withholds good from humans. (Gen. 3:1, 4, 5) Satan’s lies about Jehovah have continued to poison the minds and hearts of people. When humans choose not to “love truth,” Satan can lead them into all kinds of unrighteous and wicked conduct.​—Rom. 1:25-31. w23.03 2 ¶3 Sunday, March 10 [Jehovah’s] love endures forever.​—Ps. 100:5. As you work to overcome a bad habit, you may suffer an occasional relapse. Or you may just feel impatient and frustrated because your goal seems far away. What will help you to endure? A vital quality​—love for Jehovah. Your love for Jehovah is a beautiful quality, the very best you have. (Prov. 3:3-6) Strong love for God can help you to face life’s challenges successfully. The Bible often refers to Jehovah’s loyal love for his servants. This is a strong attachment that never quits, never lets go. You are made in God’s image. (Gen. 1:26) How can you reflect that kind of love? Start with gratitude. (1 Thess. 5:18) Each day, ask yourself, ‘How has Jehovah shown love to me?’ Then make sure to thank Jehovah in your prayers, mentioning specific things that he has done for you. See his acts of love as personal, directed to you as an individual. w23.03 12 ¶17-19 Monday, March 11 [Jesus] knew what was in man.​—John 2:25. Jesus dealt with all 12 apostles in a kind and loving way. The lesson for us? What matters is not only what other people do but also how we react to their mistakes and shortcomings. When we are upset with a fellow believer, we can ask ourselves: ‘Why does what he did bother me so much? Does it reveal a negative trait that I need to work on? Could it be that the person who upset me is dealing with a difficulty? Even if I feel that I am justified for being upset, can I show unselfish love by overlooking the offense?’ The more we deal with others in a loving way, the more we prove to be Jesus’ true followers. Jesus’ example also teaches us to try to understand our fellow believers. (Prov. 20:5) Granted, Jesus could read hearts. We cannot. But we can make allowances for the imperfections of our brothers and sisters. (Eph. 4:1, 2; 1 Pet. 3:8) It is easier to do so if we learn about their background. w23.03 30 ¶14-16 Tuesday, March 12 He is a God, not of the dead, but of the living.​—Luke 20:38. Satan may take advantage of a life-threatening medical situation to try to get us to compromise. Medical doctors or unbelieving family members may pressure us to accept a blood transfusion, which would violate God’s law. Or someone may try to persuade us to consider another therapy that goes against Scriptural principles. Although we do not want to die, we know that Jehovah will not stop loving us if our life should end. (Rom. 8:37-39) When Jehovah’s friends die, he keeps them in his memory, as if they were still alive. (Luke 20:37) He longs to bring them back to life. (Job 14:15) Jehovah has paid a high price so that we “might . . . have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) We know how deeply Jehovah loves us and cares for us. So rather than abandon Jehovah when we are sick or threatened with death, we turn to him for comfort, wisdom, and strength.​—Ps. 41:3. w22.06 18 ¶16-17 Wednesday, March 13 True wisdom cries aloud in the street.​—Prov. 1:20. The Bible states: “The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Most Holy One is understanding.” (Prov. 9:10) So when we have an important decision to make, we should make Jehovah’s thinking​—“knowledge of the Most Holy One”—​the basis for our decision. We can do that by consulting the Bible and Bible-based publications. When we do, we are showing true wisdom. (Prov. 2:5-7) Jehovah is the only one who can give us true wisdom. (Rom. 16:27) Why is he the Source of wisdom? First, as the Creator, he has unlimited knowledge and understanding of his creation. (Ps. 104:24) Second, all of Jehovah’s actions reflect wisdom. (Rom. 11:33) Third, Jehovah’s wise counsel always benefits those who apply it. (Prov. 2:10-12) If we are to acquire true wisdom, we must accept these basic truths and allow them to guide us when making decisions and when taking a course of action. w22.10 19 ¶3-4 Thursday, March 14 War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them any longer in heaven.​—Rev. 12:7, 8. Satan lost the battle foretold in Revelation chapter 12, and he and the demons were hurled down to the earth. Enraged, Satan began to vent his anger on humankind, resulting in “woe for the earth.” (Rev. 12:9-12) How can these prophecies benefit us? World events and the noticeable change in people’s attitude would help us discern that Jesus has become King. So rather than become upset when we see people act selfishly and hatefully, we remember that their actions are fulfilling Bible prophecy. The Kingdom is in place! (Ps. 37:1) And we can expect world distress to increase as Armageddon draws ever nearer. (Mark 13:8; 2 Tim. 3:13) Are you not thankful to our loving heavenly Father for helping us to make sense of our turbulent times? w22.07 3-4 ¶7-8 Friday, March 15 A righteous man’s supplication has a powerful effect.​—Jas. 5:16. We can ask Jehovah to help our fellow worshippers to endure sickness, natural disasters, civil war, persecution, or other difficulties. We can also pray for our self-sacrificing brothers and sisters who provide relief for those in need. You may personally know some who are facing such challenges. Why not mention them by name in your personal prayers? We show genuine brotherly love by asking Jehovah to help them to endure. Those who take the lead in the congregation greatly appreciate the prayers of others and benefit from them. That was true of the apostle Paul. He wrote: “Pray also for me, that the words may be given to me when I open my mouth, so that I may be able to speak boldly in making known the sacred secret of the good news.” (Eph. 6:19) Today, too, we have many hardworking brothers who take the lead among us. We show love for them by asking Jehovah to bless their work. w22.07 23-24 ¶14-16 Saturday, March 16 Put on . . . the hope of salvation as a helmet.​—1 Thess. 5:8. A soldier wears a helmet to protect his head. In our spiritual warfare, we need to protect our mind from Satan’s attacks. He bombards us with temptations and ideas designed to corrupt our thinking. Just as the helmet protects a soldier’s head, our hope protects our thinking so that we can remain faithful to Jehovah. If our hope weakens and we allow fleshly thinking to take hold of our mind, we can lose sight of the goal of everlasting life. Consider the case of some Christians living in ancient Corinth. They lost faith in a key promise of God​—the hope of the resurrection. (1 Cor. 15:12) Paul argued that people with no hope of a future life live only for the present. (1 Cor. 15:32) Today many who have no hope in God’s promises live for the moment, grasping whatever pleasures are available to them. We, however, put our trust in the future promised by God. w22.10 25-26 ¶8-9 Sunday, March 17 Pray constantly.​—1 Thess. 5:17. Jehovah invites you to pray to him. He sees what you are dealing with, and he assures you that he will listen to your prayers at any time. He finds pleasure in listening to his worshippers. (Prov. 15:8) What can you pray about when you feel alone? Pour your heart out to Jehovah. (Ps. 62:8) Tell him about your concerns and how they make you feel. Ask Jehovah to help you to cope with your feelings and to give you the courage you need to express yourself. You can even ask him for the wisdom to explain your beliefs tactfully. (Luke 21:14, 15) If you are struggling with negative emotions, ask Jehovah to help you to talk with a mature Christian about it. You can ask Jehovah to help the one you are confiding in to listen to you with understanding. See how he responds to your prayers, and accept the help of others; you will feel less alone. w22.08 10 ¶6 Monday, March 18 These men act in opposition to the decrees of Caesar.​—Acts 17:7. The new congregation in Thessalonica faced severe opposition. A mob of vicious opposers dragged “some of the brothers to the city rulers.” (Acts 17:6) Can you imagine how shaken those newly converted Christians must have been? They could have slowed down in their service to Jehovah, but the apostle Paul did not want that to happen. He made sure that the fledgling congregation was well cared for. Paul reminded the Thessalonians: “We sent Timothy, our brother . . . , to make you firm and comfort you regarding your faith, so that no one might be shaken by these tribulations.” (1 Thess. 3:2, 3) Timothy had seen how Paul strengthened the brothers in Lystra. Having seen the outcome that Jehovah gave, Timothy could assure his new brothers and sisters that everything would turn out well for them too.​—Acts 14:8, 19-22; Heb. 12:2. w22.08 21 ¶4 Tuesday, March 19 We . . . gain life through him.​—1 John 4:9. In the late 19th century, a group of Bible students led by Charles Taze Russell began an intensive study of the Scriptures. They wanted to know the truth about the value of Jesus’ sacrifice and how his death should be commemorated. Today we benefit from their research. How so? Our eyes have been opened to the truth about Jesus’ sacrifice and what it accomplishes. (1 John 2:1, 2) We have also learned that the Bible holds out two hopes for humans who please God​—immortal life in heaven for some and everlasting life on earth for others. We draw closer to Jehovah as we consider how much he loves us and how much we personally benefit from Jesus’ sacrifice. (1 Pet. 3:18) So like our faithful brothers of the past, we invite others to join us in observing the Memorial according to the pattern Jesus set. w23.01 21 ¶6-7 Memorial Bible reading: (Events after sunset: Nisan 9) Mark 14:3-9 Wednesday, March 20 He died for all so that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and was raised up.​—2 Cor. 5:15. Jesus taught people about the blessings that God’s Kingdom would bring. We are thankful for the ransom because it opens the way for us to enjoy a close friendship with Jehovah and Jesus. Those who exercise faith in Jesus also have the hope of living forever and of seeing their dead loved ones again. (John 5:28, 29; Rom. 6:23) We have not done anything to deserve these blessings; nor can we ever repay God and Christ for what they have done for us. (Rom. 5:8, 20, 21) But we can show them the depth of our gratitude. How? By using our resources to advance the Kingdom work. For example, we can make ourselves available to help with constructing and maintaining buildings for pure worship. w23.01 26 ¶3; 28 ¶5 Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 9) Mark 11:1-11 Thursday, March 21 I saw . . . the Lamb . . . and with him 144,000.​—Rev. 14:1. Those ruling in God’s Kingdom will help to care for billions of people living across the globe. Like Jesus, the 144,000 will serve as kings and priests. (Rev. 5:10) Under the Mosaic Law, the priests were primarily responsible for protecting the people’s physical health while making sure that they were spiritually healthy. The Law was “a shadow of the good things to come,” so it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus’ corulers will assist in the unique role of caring for the physical and spiritual needs of God’s people. (Heb. 10:1) We will have to wait and see just how these kings and priests will communicate with subjects of the Kingdom who are on earth. We can be confident that in the Paradise to come, those on earth will receive the guidance they need.​—Rev. 21:3, 4. w22.12 11 ¶11-13 Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 10) Mark 11:12-19 Friday, March 22 You keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he comes.​—1 Cor. 11:26. One reason why we invite others to observe the Memorial with us is that we want those who attend for the first time to learn the truth about what Jehovah and Jesus have done for all of us. (John 3:16) We hope that what they see and hear at the Memorial will move them to learn more and to become servants of Jehovah. We also invite those who are no longer serving Jehovah. We do so to remind them that God still loves them. Many respond to our invitation, and we are overjoyed to see them. Attending the Memorial reminds them of how much they enjoyed serving Jehovah in the past. (Ps. 103:1-4) Whether people respond positively to our invitation or not, we diligently invite others to the Memorial, knowing that Jehovah is interested in individuals.​—Luke 15:7; 1 Tim. 2:3, 4. w23.01 20 ¶1; 22-23 ¶9-11 Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 11) Mark 11:20–12:27, 41-44 Saturday, March 23 The eye of Jehovah watches over those fearing him.​—Ps. 33:18. On the night before he died, Jesus made a special request to his heavenly Father. He asked Jehovah to watch over his followers. (John 17:15, 20) Jehovah has always watched over​—cared for and protected—​his people. However, Jesus knew that his followers would face unprecedented opposition from Satan. Jesus also realized that they would need Jehovah’s help to resist the Devil’s wicked attacks. Satan’s system puts an immense amount of pressure on true Christians today. We face adversities that can discourage us and even test our loyalty to Jehovah. But we have nothing to fear. Jehovah is watching over us​—he sees the challenges we are facing, and he is ever ready to help us deal with them. Yes, Jehovah “watches over those fearing him . . . to rescue them.”​—Ps. 33:18-20. w22.08 8 ¶1-2 Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 12) Mark 14:1, 2, 10, 11; Matthew 26:1-5, 14-16 MEMORIAL DATEAfter SundownSunday, March 24 Keep doing this in remembrance of me.​—Luke 22:19. Each year during the Memorial season, we show our appreciation for what Jesus has done by taking time to meditate prayerfully on the meaning of his death. We also encourage as many as possible to join us for this special occasion. And we are determined not to allow anything to prevent us from attending the Memorial. At the Memorial, we learn why mankind needs a ransom and how the death of one man can atone for the sins of many. We are reminded of what the bread and the wine represent and who should partake of them. (Luke 22:19, 20) And we meditate on the blessings that are in store for those who cherish the earthly hope. (Isa. 35:5, 6; 65:17, 21-23) We should not take these truths for granted. w23.01 20 ¶2; 21 ¶4 Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 13) Mark 14:12-16; Matthew 26:17-19 (Events after sunset: Nisan 14) Mark 14:17-72 Monday, March 25 God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might . . . have everlasting life.​—John 3:16. By giving his Son as a ransom to cover our sins, God makes it possible for us to gain everlasting life. (Matt. 20:28) The apostle Paul wrote: “Since death came through a man, resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:21, 22) Jesus taught his followers to pray for God’s Kingdom to come and for God’s will to take place on earth. (Matt. 6:9, 10) Part of God’s purpose is for humans to live forever on the earth. To accomplish that, Jehovah has appointed his Son as King of the Messianic Kingdom. God has been gathering 144,000 people from the earth to work with Jesus in fulfilling God’s will.​—Rev. 5:9, 10. w22.12 5 ¶11-12 Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 14) Mark 15:1-47 Tuesday, March 26 The love the Christ has compels us . . . so that those who live should live no longer for themselves.​—2 Cor. 5:14, 15. When we lose a loved one in death, we miss that person so much! At first, we may feel nothing but pain, especially if our loved one suffered before dying. With time, however, we begin to feel a measure of joy when we think of something he taught us or something he did or said to encourage us or to make us smile. In a similar way, it saddens us to read about Jesus’ suffering and death. During the Memorial season, we especially take time to reflect on the significance of his ransom sacrifice. (1 Cor. 11:24, 25) However, we find great joy in reflecting on all the things Jesus said and did while he was on earth. We also find it stimulating to think about what he is doing now and what he will do for us in the future. w23.01 26 ¶1-2 Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 15) Matthew 27:62-66 (Events after sunset: Nisan 16) Mark 16:1 Wednesday, March 27 [Seek] first the Kingdom.​—Matt. 6:33. The disciples were very sad when Jesus died. Not only had they lost their beloved friend but they also felt as though they had lost their hope. (Luke 24:17-21) However, when Jesus appeared to them, he took the time to help them understand his role in fulfilling Bible prophecy. He also gave them an important work to do. (Luke 24:26, 27, 45-48) By the time Jesus ascended to heaven, the sadness of the disciples had turned into great joy. Knowing that their Master was alive and ready to help them accomplish their new commission made them happy. Their joy moved them to praise Jehovah without letup. (Luke 24:52, 53; Acts 5:42) To imitate Jesus’ disciples requires that we put God’s Kingdom first in our life. Although we need endurance to serve Jehovah continually, he promises to bless us richly if we do so.​—Prov. 10:22. w23.01 30-31 ¶15-16 Memorial Bible reading: (Daytime events: Nisan 16) Mark 16:2-8 Thursday, March 28 To dust you will return.​—Gen. 3:19. We certainly do not want to make the same mistake that Adam and Eve made. We can avoid that outcome if we keep learning about Jehovah, appreciating his qualities, and trying to understand his way of thinking. As we do, our love for Jehovah is sure to grow. Consider Abraham. He truly loved Jehovah. Even when he found it hard to grasp Jehovah’s decisions, Abraham did not rebel. Instead, he tried to get to know Jehovah better. For example, when he learned of Jehovah’s decision to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham was at first afraid that “the Judge of all the earth” would sweep away the righteous along with the wicked. To Abraham, that seemed unthinkable, so he humbly asked Jehovah a series of questions. Jehovah patiently answered him. Finally, Abraham came to realize that Jehovah examines the heart of every human and that He never punishes the innocent along with the guilty.​—Gen. 18:20-32. w22.08 28 ¶9-10 Friday, March 29 The trustworthy person keeps a confidence.​—Prov. 11:13. In 455 B.C.E., after Governor Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, he looked for dependable men who would take good care of the city. Nehemiah selected, among others, the chief of the Fortress, Hananiah. The Bible describes Hananiah as “a most trustworthy man [who] feared the true God more than many others.” (Neh. 7:2) Love for Jehovah and fear of displeasing him moved Hananiah to take seriously any assignment he was given. Those qualities will also help us to be dependable in our service to God. Note the example of Tychicus, a trusted companion of the apostle Paul. Paul relied on Tychicus, describing him as a “faithful minister.” (Eph. 6:21, 22) Paul trusted him not only to deliver letters to the brothers in Ephesus and Colossae but also to encourage and comfort them. Tychicus reminds us of the faithful, reliable men who care for our spiritual needs today.​—Col. 4:7-9. w22.09 9-10 ¶5-6 Saturday, March 30 Love covers a multitude of sins.​—1 Pet. 4:8. Joseph faced severe trials that lasted about 13 years. Joseph could have questioned whether Jehovah really loved him. And he could have wondered if Jehovah had abandoned him in his time of need. But Joseph did not become embittered. Instead, he kept his senses by remaining calm. When he had the chance to retaliate against his brothers, he refrained from doing so and showed love for them and forgave them. (Gen. 45:4, 5) Joseph behaved this way because he was able to think clearly. Rather than focus on his problems, he saw the big picture​—Jehovah’s purpose. (Gen. 50:19-21) What is the lesson? If you are mistreated, do not become embittered against Jehovah or wonder if he has abandoned you. Instead, meditate on how he is helping you to endure the trial. Additionally, when others mistreat you, try to cover over their imperfections with love. w22.11 21 ¶4 Sunday, March 31 All rulerships will serve and obey them.​—Dan. 7:27. The prophet Daniel saw visions that clearly showed Jehovah’s supremacy over all other authorities. Daniel first saw four huge beasts that symbolize past and present world powers​—Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome and its modern-day offshoot, Anglo-America. (Dan. 7:1-3, 17) Then Daniel saw Jehovah God sitting enthroned in the heavenly court. (Dan. 7:9, 10) God takes all rulership away from human governments and gives it to others more deserving and more powerful. To whom? To “someone like a son of man,” Jesus Christ, and to “the holy ones of the Supreme One,” the 144,000 who will rule “forever and ever.” (Dan. 7:13, 14, 18) Clearly, Jehovah is “the Supreme One.” The event that Daniel saw in vision harmonizes with something he had stated earlier. “The God of heaven,” Daniel said, “removes kings and sets up kings.”​—Dan. 2:19-21. w22.10 14-15 ¶9-11

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK How Can I Cope With Grief?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500600119

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK How Can I Cope With Grief? Has a friend or a family member recently died? If so, this article can help you deal with your loss. In this article Am I grieving too much? How to deal with the grieving process What your peers say Am I grieving too much? For many people, the grieving process is intense and doesn’t end quickly. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about my grandpa. Although it’s been two years since he died, I still have a hard time talking about him without crying.”—Olivia. “My grandmother was a huge supporter of my goals, but she didn’t live to see me reach any of them. Grief hits me with each milestone in my life that she misses.”—Alison. The grieving process can cause you to feel a wide range of emotions. For example: “When my uncle died, I was in shock, and I stayed in shock for a long time. That was the first time someone close to me had died, and it hit me like a freight train.”—Nadine. “I felt some anger toward my grandfather when he died, because he didn’t take care of his health, even though we urged him to.”—Carlos. “My sister and I were the only close family members who weren’t present when my grandfather died. Afterward, I felt guilt because I felt I had not given him a proper goodbye.”—Adriana. “A married couple whom our family was close to died in a car accident. Afterward, anytime a family member left the house, I felt fear, thinking that he or she might die too.”—Jared. “When my grandmother died three years ago, I regretted not having spent more time with her while she was alive.”—Julianna. Shock, anger, guilt, fear, and regret are normal aspects of grieving. If you have any of those feelings, be assured that eventually they will become less intense. In the meantime, how can you cope with your grief? How to deal with the grieving process Confide in a friend. The Bible says that a true friend is “born for times of distress.” (Proverbs 17:17) Talking to someone about how you feel can help you to get the support you need. “It’s normal to grieve. Sometimes you can do it alone, but then you can get stuck in a cloud of gloom. That’s why it’s good to talk to someone.”—Yvette. Remember your loved one. The Bible says that “a good person has good things saved in his heart.” (Luke 6:45, Easy-to-Read Version, 1992) You could write about your fond memories or create a scrapbook. “I decided to write out all the things that my friend taught me before his death, and in that way his example lived on. Writing it down helped me to cope with the loss.”—Jeffrey. Take care of your health. The Bible acknowledges the benefits of physical activity. (1 Timothy 4:8) Make sure you are getting the nutrition, exercise, and rest you need. “Grief can interfere with your common sense, so you need to make sure that you’re staying healthy. Don’t neglect eating and getting sufficient sleep.”—Maria. Help others. The Bible says: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”—Acts 20:35. “Try to do things for others, especially those who have also gone through a loss. This can remind you that others are suffering too.”—Carlos. Express your feelings in prayer. The Bible calls Jehovah God the “Hearer of prayer.” (Psalm 65:2) It also says that Jehovah “heals the brokenhearted; he binds up their wounds.”—Psalm 147:3. “Ask Jehovah to give you the support and encouragement that you need. Some days will be harder than others, but Jehovah is always there for us.”—Jeanette. Have reasonable expectations. Remember that each person grieves in his or her own way. The Bible says that Jacob “kept refusing to take comfort” when he thought that his son had died. (Genesis 37:35) So don’t be surprised if your grief lingers. “I find that random sights can trigger memories of my great-aunt, even though it’s been 15 years since she passed away.”—Taylor. Imagine that you broke a bone. That would be painful, and it might take some time to heal. Meanwhile, the doctor would give you suggestions on how to cooperate with your body and help it to heal. It is similar with recovering from the painful “injury” of losing a loved one in death. It takes time for intense grief to subside. So be patient. Consider the suggestions in this article, and see which ones are most helpful. What your peers say “Coping with grief doesn’t mean that you forget your loved one or that you keep pushing that person out of your mind. It’s good to revisit memories and think about what he or she meant to you and still means to you.”—Isabelle. “Don’t feel guilty when you start to get past the grief. Being happy again doesn’t mean you’re showing disrespect for your loved one. It means you’re healing, and likely that’s what your loved one would want for you.”—Jordan. Review: How can I cope with grief? Confide in a friend. Talking to someone about how you feel can help you get the support you need. Remember your loved one. Focus on the good memories you have—even write about them. Take care of your health. Make sure that you are getting the nutrition, exercise, and rest you need. Help others. Try to do things for others, especially those who have also suffered a loss. Express your feelings in prayer. Ask Jehovah to give you the support and encouragement that you need. Have reasonable expectations. Remember that each person grieves in his or her own way.

KEEP ON THE WATCH! World Military Spending Surpasses $2 Trillion—What Does the Bible Say?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501100075

Sean Gladwell/Moment via Getty Images KEEP ON THE WATCH! World Military Spending Surpasses $2 Trillion—What Does the Bible Say? World military spending reached a record high of 2.24 trillion dollars (U.S.) in 2022, largely in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to a report released in April 2023 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), during 2022: European military spending “rose by 13 per cent during the year, which was the largest annual increase in total European spending in the post-cold war era.” “Russia…increased its spending by an estimated 9.2 per cent to move from fifth to third largest spender in the world.” The United States remained the top military spender, “accounting for 39 per cent of world military spending.” “The continuous rise in global military expenditure in recent years is a sign that we are living in an increasingly insecure world,” said Dr. Nan Tian, coauthor of the SIPRI report. The Bible foretold the rising tensions between global superpowers today and reveals the only hope for peace. Increased military conflict foretold The Bible calls the time we are living in the “time of the end.”—Daniel 8:19. The book of Daniel foretold that during that time, there would be competing world powers. These world powers would engage in a “pushing,” or struggle for dominance. That military struggle would involve spending vast “treasures,” or financial resources.—Daniel 11:40, 42, 43. To learn more about this intriguing Bible prophecy, watch the video Fulfilled Prophecy—Daniel Chapter 11. How true peace will be achieved The Bible states that God will replace human governments. He “will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever.”—Daniel 2:44. Jehovaha God will soon do what humans are incapable of doing—bring true and lasting peace. How? His heavenly Kingdom government will eliminate all weapons and end all violence.—Psalm 46:8, 9. To learn more about what God’s Kingdom will accomplish, read the article “Under God’s Kingdom ‘Peace Will Abound.’” a Jehovah is the personal name of God.—Psalm 83:18.

Abraham—A Man of Love

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2012005

Abraham​—A Man of Love Abraham can hardly bear his sorrow. His beloved wife, Sarah, has died. A myriad of fond memories fill the aged man’s head while he says his final good-byes. As the grief rises in his heart, the tears fall. (Genesis 23:1, 2) Far from being a cause for shame or embarrassment, those tears give evidence of one of Abraham’s finest qualities​—his love. WHAT IS LOVE? Love is a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection. A loving person demonstrates by his actions how he feels about those whom he loves, even if doing so calls for personal sacrifice. HOW DID ABRAHAM DISPLAY LOVE? Abraham showed that he loved his family. Undoubtedly, Abraham was a busy man. Yet, he never neglected his family’s emotional or spiritual needs. In fact, Jehovah himself noticed that Abraham took the lead in worship as a family head. (Genesis 18:19) What is more, Jehovah expressly mentioned Abraham’s love. Speaking to Abraham, He referred to Isaac as the “son whom you so love.”​—Genesis 22:2. We can further sense Abraham’s love in the way he reacted to the death of his dear wife, Sarah. Abraham wailed over her. Though strong and manly, he was not afraid to show his grief. Abraham exhibited a beautiful blend of strength and gentleness. Abraham showed that he loved his God. His entire life course expressed such love. How so? We might be reminded of what the Bible says at 1 John 5:3: “This is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments.” By that definition, Abraham was a stellar example of love for God. Time and again, when Jehovah gave Abraham a command, Abraham obeyed immediately. (Genesis 12:4; 17:22, 23; 21:12-14; 22:1-3) It did not matter whether the command was easy or hard to obey; nor did it matter much whether Abraham knew why Jehovah had asked him to comply with it. To Abraham, such factors were insignificant. If his God wanted him to do something, he was willing to do it. Abraham viewed each command as an opportunity to demonstrate his love for Jehovah. WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FOR US? We can imitate Abraham by showing warm affection for others, especially for members of our family. We would never want to allow the pressures of life to crowd out time for those who mean the most to us. We also do well to cultivate heartfelt love for Jehovah. Such love can be a powerful force in our lives. For example, it can motivate us to make changes in our attitudes, speech, and conduct in order to please God.​—1 Peter 1:14-16. Granted, obeying Jehovah’s commands is not always easy. But we can be sure that the One who helped Abraham​—the One who called him “my friend”—​will be there to support us too. (Isaiah 41:8) His Word, the Bible, promises: “He will make you firm, he will make you strong.” (1 Peter 5:10) What a heartwarming promise from that trusted Friend of Abraham! [Box on page 11] Is It Unmanly to Cry? Many would answer yes. Perhaps they would be surprised to learn that Abraham was just one of several vigorous, faithful men whom the Bible describes as giving way to tears in times of distress. Others include Joseph, David, the apostle Peter, the elders of the congregation in Ephesus, and even Jesus. (Genesis 50:1; 2 Samuel 18:33; Luke 22:61, 62; John 11:35; Acts 20:36-38) Clearly, the Bible does not teach that it is unmanly to cry.

Survival (su) 1984

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/su

outputs PAGE CHAPTER 4 1 What Will Become of Planet Earth? 13 2 The Issues That Determine Our Future 21 3 How Long Will the Present System Last? 30 4 The Kind of Life That Awaits Survivors 38 5 Reliable Foregleams of Mankind’s Future 46 6 A World That Was Destroyed 54 7 Act Wisely in the Face of Calamity 61 8 Survivors Out of All the Nations 68 9 Who Leads the Way to Deliverance? 75 10 “They Will Hunger No More” 82 11 “Flee out of the Midst of Babylon” 89 12 Identified for Destruction or Survival? 98 13 A Time of Re-Creation 105 14 How “New Heavens and a New Earth” Begin 113 15 Dividing of People Over the Kingdom Issue 121 16 What Will You Personally Do? 129 17 A Different Attitude Toward Obedience 138 18 Are You Loyal to Earth’s New King? 145 19 “We Have Heard That God Is With You People” 152 20 ‘The Small One Becomes a Mighty Nation’ 160 21 A Warm Welcome for Those Who Return 167 22 Do Not Long for What Was Left Behind! 175 23 “You Have Need of Endurance” 183 24 The Countdown Nears Its Zero Hour!

Table of outputs

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2009047

Table of outputs January 15, 2009 Study Edition STUDY ARTICLES FOR THE WEEKS OF: March 2-8, 2009 “Come Be My Follower” PAGE 3 SONGS TO BE USED: 200, 172 March 9-15, 2009 Find Joy in the Disciple-Making Work PAGE 7 SONGS TO BE USED: 130, 211 March 16-22, 2009 Are You a ‘Steward of God’s Undeserved Kindness’? PAGE 12 SONGS TO BE USED: 50, 58 March 23-29, 2009 Look! Jehovah’s Approved Servant PAGE 21 SONGS TO BE USED: 168, 4 March 30, 2009–April 5, 2009 Jehovah’s Servant​—“Pierced for Our Transgression” PAGE 25 SONGS TO BE USED: 224, 214 Purpose of Study Articles Study Articles 1-3 PAGES 3-16 What is involved in being a follower of Christ? It means imitating his outstanding qualities, such as his wisdom and his humility. It also requires that we be zealous in making disciples. And it includes showing heartfelt love for fellow believers. The articles discuss how you can imitate Christ in these three ways. Study Articles 4, 5 PAGES 21-29 These two articles examine several prophecies found in the book of Isaiah that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. A consideration of the prophecies will enhance our appreciation for all that Jehovah and Jesus accomplished in our behalf through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Thus, the articles will help us to prepare our minds and hearts for the observance of the Memorial on the evening of April 9, 2009. ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: “This Is the Way. Walk in It” PAGE 17 Jehovah’s Word Is Alive​—Highlights From the Book of Revelation—​I PAGE 30

Peace and Security (tp73) 1973

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/tp73

outputs PAGE CHAPTER 5 1 The Choice We All Face 9 2 Can Men Bring Lasting Peace and Security? 22 3 Are the World’s Religions Giving the Right Lead? 37 4 World Destruction First​—Then World Peace 46 5 An Issue That Involves You 58 6 What Has God Been Doing? 72 7 When Will the Foretold World Destruction Come? 90 8 Who Will the Survivors Be? 98 9 Peace and Security Earth Wide​—A Reliable Hope 111 10 Are You Willing to Face the Truth in Your Life? 120 11 Survivors Must Be “No Part of the World” 132 12 Respect for Authority Essential for Peaceful Living 145 13 Your View of Sex​—What Difference Does It Make? 155 14 Respect for the Gift of Life 166 15 Why Care What Happens to Other People? 178 16 The Choice Assuring Life in True Peace and Security 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. Listed below are the abbreviations of names of other Bible versions quoted: Dy — Roman Catholic Douay Version, of 1610. NE — The New English Bible, of 1970. Ro — The Emphasised Bible, of 1897, Joseph B. Rotherham.

Isaiah’s Prophecy I (ip-1) 2000

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-1

Chapter Eighteen Lessons About Unfaithfulness Isaiah 22:1-25 1. What might it have been like to be inside an ancient city under siege? IMAGINE what it was like to be in an ancient city under siege. Outside the walls is the enemy​—strong and ruthless. You know that other cities have already fallen to him. Now he is determined to conquer and plunder your city and rape and kill its inhabitants. The enemy armies are far too powerful to confront directly in combat; you can only hope that the walls of the city will keep them out. As you look out over the walls, you can see siege towers brought by the enemy. They also have siege engines capable of hurling boulders to smash your defenses. You see their battering rams and scaling ladders, their archers and chariots, their hordes of soldiers. What a terrifying sight! 2. When does the siege described in Isaiah chapter 22 happen? 2 In Isaiah chapter 22, we read about such a siege​—a siege against Jerusalem. When does it happen? It is difficult to pinpoint any one siege in which all the features described are fulfilled. Evidently, the prophecy is best understood as a generic description of the various sieges that will befall Jerusalem, a general warning of what lies ahead. 3. How are Jerusalem’s inhabitants reacting to the siege that Isaiah describes? 3 In the face of the siege that Isaiah describes, what are the inhabitants of Jerusalem doing? As God’s covenant people, are they crying out to Jehovah to save them? No, they are showing a very unwise attitude, one like that found today among many who claim to worship God. A City Under Siege 4. (a) What is “the valley of the vision,” and why does it have this name? (b) What is the spiritual condition of the inhabitants of Jerusalem? 4 In chapter 21 of Isaiah, each of the three judgment messages was introduced with the expression “The pronouncement.” (Isaiah 21:1, 11, 13) Isa Chapter 22 opens the same way: “The pronouncement of the valley of the vision: What is the matter with you, then, that you have gone up in your entirety to the roofs?” (Isaiah 22:1) “The valley of the vision” refers to Jerusalem. The city is called the valley because even though elevated, it is surrounded by higher mountains. It is associated with “the vision” because many divine visions and revelations are given there. For this reason, the city’s inhabitants should pay heed to Jehovah’s words. Instead, they have ignored him and have strayed into false worship. The enemy besieging the city is an instrument of God’s judgment against his wayward people.​—Deuteronomy 28:45, 49, 50, 52. 5. Likely, why do the people go up to their roofs? 5 Notice that the inhabitants of Jerusalem have ‘gone up in their entirety to the roofs’ of their houses. In ancient times, the roofs of Israelite homes were flat and families often congregated there. Isaiah does not tell why they do so on this occasion, but his words indicate disapproval. Likely, then, they have gone to the roofs to appeal to their false gods. This is their custom in the years leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E.​—Jeremiah 19:13; Zephaniah 1:5. 6. (a) What conditions prevail inside Jerusalem? (b) Why do some exult, but what lies ahead? 6 Isaiah continues: “With turmoil you were full, a boisterous city, an exultant town. Your slain ones are not those slain with the sword, nor those dead in battle.” (Isaiah 22:2) Multitudes have flocked to the city, and it is in turmoil. People in the streets are noisy and fearful. Some, though, are exulting, perhaps because they feel secure or they believe that the danger is passing.a To exult at this time, however, is foolish. Many in the city are going to die a death far more cruel than by the edge of the sword. A city under siege is cut off from outside sources of food. Stockpiles within the city dwindle. Starving people and crowded conditions lead to epidemics. Many in Jerusalem will thus die by famine and pestilence. This happens both in 607 B.C.E. and in 70 C.E.​—2 Kings 25:3; Lamentations 4:9, 10.b 7. What do Jerusalem’s rulers do during the siege, and what happens to them? 7 In this crisis, what lead do Jerusalem’s rulers give? Isaiah answers: “All your dictators themselves have fled at one time. Without need of a bow they have been taken prisoner. All those of you who have been found have been taken prisoner together. Far off they had run away.” (Isaiah 22:3) The rulers and the mighty men run away and are then caught! Without even a bow bending against them, they are captured and led off as prisoners. This happens in 607 B.C.E. After Jerusalem’s wall is breached, King Zedekiah flees by night with his mighty men. The enemy learns of this, pursues them, and catches up with them on the plains of Jericho. The mighty men scatter. Zedekiah is seized, blinded, bound in copper fetters, and dragged off to Babylon. (2 Kings 25:2-7) What a tragic consequence of his unfaithfulness! Dismay at the Calamity 8. (a) How does Isaiah react to the prophecy foretelling calamity upon Jerusalem? (b) What will be the scene in Jerusalem? 8 This prophecy moves Isaiah deeply. He says: “Turn your gaze away from me. I will show bitterness in weeping. Do not you people insist on comforting me over the despoiling of the daughter of my people.” (Isaiah 22:4) Isaiah grieved over the prophesied fate of Moab and Babylon. (Isaiah 16:11; 21:3) Now his dismay and lamentation are even more intense as he contemplates the disaster coming upon his own people. He is inconsolable. Why? “For it is the day of confusion and of downtreading and of confounding that the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, has in the valley of the vision. There is the demolisher of the wall, and the cry to the mountain.” (Isaiah 22:5) Jerusalem will be filled with wild confusion. People will wander about panic-stricken, without purpose. As the enemy begins to break through the city walls, there will be a “cry to the mountain.” Does this mean that the city’s inhabitants will cry out to God in his holy temple on Mount Moriah? Perhaps. In view of their unfaithfulness, however, it probably means no more than that their cries of terror will echo in the surrounding mountains. 9. Describe the army threatening Jerusalem. 9 What sort of enemy is threatening Jerusalem? Isaiah tells us: “Elam itself has taken up the quiver, in the war chariot of earthling man, with steeds; and Kir itself has uncovered the shield.” (Isaiah 22:6) The foes are fully armed. They have archers whose quivers are filled with arrows. Warriors are readying their shields for battle. There are chariots and battle-trained horses. The army includes soldiers from Elam, located north of what is now the Persian Gulf, and from Kir, probably located close to Elam. Mention of those lands indicates the great distance from which the invaders come. It also indicates that Elamite archers may have been in the army threatening Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s day. Attempts at Defense 10. What development bodes ill for the city? 10 Isaiah describes the developing situation: “It will occur that the choicest of your low plains must become full of war chariots, and the very steeds must without fail set themselves in position at the gate, and one will remove the screen of Judah.” (Isaiah 22:7, 8a) Chariots and horses crowd the plains outside the city of Jerusalem and position themselves to attack the gates of the city. What is “the screen of Judah” that is removed? Likely, it is a gate of the city, the capture of which bodes ill for the defenders.c When this defensive screen is removed, the city is open to its attackers. 11, 12. What defensive measures do the inhabitants of Jerusalem take? 11 Isaiah now focuses on the attempts by the people to defend themselves. Their first thought​—weapons! “You will look in that day toward the armory of the house of the forest, and you people will certainly see the very breaches of the City of David, for they will actually be many. And you will collect the waters of the lower pool.” (Isaiah 22:8b, 9) Weapons are stored in the armory of the house of the forest. This armory was built by Solomon. Since it was constructed of cedars from Lebanon, it became known as “the House of the Forest of Lebanon.” (1 Kings 7:2-5) Breaches in the wall are examined. Water is collected​—an important measure of defense. The people need water to live. Without it, a city cannot stand. Notice, though, that nothing is said of their looking to Jehovah for deliverance. Rather, they rely on their own resources. May we never make that mistake!​—Psalm 127:1. 12 What can be done about those breaches in the city wall? “The houses of Jerusalem you will actually count. You will also pull down the houses to make the wall unattainable.” (Isaiah 22:10) Houses are evaluated to see which ones might be demolished to provide materials for repairing the breaches. This is an effort to prevent the enemy from gaining complete control of the wall. A Faithless People 13. How do the people try to ensure a supply of water, but whom do they forget? 13 “There will be a collecting basin that you must make between the two walls for the waters of the old pool. And you will certainly not look at the grand maker of it, and the one forming it long ago you will certainly not see.” (Isaiah 22:11) The efforts to collect water, described both here and in Isa 22 verse 9, remind us of the action King Hezekiah took to protect the city against the invading Assyrians. (2 Chronicles 32:2-5) However, the people of the city in this prophecy of Isaiah are absolutely faithless. As they work on the defense of the city, they give no thought to the Creator, unlike Hezekiah. 14. Despite Jehovah’s warning message, what unwise attitude do the people have? 14 Isaiah continues: “The Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, will call in that day for weeping and for mourning and for baldness and for girding on sackcloth. But, look! exultation and rejoicing, the killing of cattle and the slaughtering of sheep, the eating of flesh and the drinking of wine, ‘Let there be eating and drinking, for tomorrow we shall die.’” (Isaiah 22:12, 13) The inhabitants of Jerusalem show no remorse for their rebellion against Jehovah. They do not weep, cut their hair, or wear sackcloth as a sign of repentance. If they were doing so, likely Jehovah would spare them the coming horrors. Instead, they abandon themselves to sensual enjoyment. The same attitude exists today among many who do not put faith in God. Because they have no hope​—either of a resurrection from the dead or of life in the future Paradise earth—​they pursue lives of self-indulgence, saying: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we are to die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32) How shortsighted! If only they would put their trust in Jehovah, they would have a lasting hope!​—Psalm 4:6-8; Proverbs 1:33. 15. (a) What is Jehovah’s judgment message against Jerusalem, and who carries out his judgment? (b) Why will Christendom suffer a fate similar to that of Jerusalem? 15 The besieged inhabitants of Jerusalem will not know security. Isaiah says: “In my ears Jehovah of armies has revealed himself: ‘“This error will not be atoned for in your behalf until you people die,” the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, has said.’” (Isaiah 22:14) Because of the hardheartedness of the people, there will be no pardon. Without fail, death will come. This is a certainty. The Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, has said it. In fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophetic words, calamity comes twice upon unfaithful Jerusalem. It is destroyed by the armies of Babylon and later by those of Rome. So, too, calamity will come upon unfaithful Christendom, whose members claim to worship God but actually disown him by their works. (Titus 1:16) The sins of Christendom, along with those of the world’s other religions that flout God’s righteous ways, have “massed together clear up to heaven.” Like the error of apostate Jerusalem, their error is too great to be atoned for.​—Revelation 18:5, 8, 21. A Selfish Steward 16, 17. (a) Who now receives a warning message from Jehovah, and why? (b) Because of his lofty aspirations, what will happen to Shebna? 16 The prophet now turns his attention from an unfaithful people to an unfaithful individual. Isaiah writes: “This is what the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, has said: ‘Go, enter in to this steward, to Shebna, who is over the house, “What is there of interest to you here, and who is there of interest to you here, that you have hewed out for yourself here a burial place?” On a height he is hewing out his burial place; in a crag he is cutting out a residence for himself.’”​—Isaiah 22:15, 16. 17 Shebna is ‘steward over the house,’ probably the house of King Hezekiah. As such, he has an influential position, second only to the king. Much is expected of him. (1 Corinthians 4:2) Yet, when he should be giving first attention to the affairs of the nation, Shebna is pursuing glory for himself. He is having a luxurious tomb​—comparable to that of a king—​carved for himself high on a crag. Jehovah, observing this, inspires Isaiah to warn the unfaithful steward: “Look! Jehovah is hurling you down with violent hurling, O able-bodied man, and grasping you forcibly. Without fail he will wrap you up tightly, like a ball for a wide land. There you will die, and there the chariots of your glory will be the dishonor of the house of your master. And I will push you away from your position; and from your official standing one will tear you down.” (Isaiah 22:17-19) Because of his self-centeredness, Shebna will not have even an ordinary tomb in Jerusalem. Instead, he will be hurled like a ball, to die in a distant land. In this there is a warning to all of those entrusted with authority among God’s people. Abuse of power will lead to the loss of that authority and possibly to banishment. 18. Who will replace Shebna, and what does it mean that this one will receive Shebna’s official garments and the key of the house of David? 18 How, though, will Shebna be removed from his position? Through Isaiah, Jehovah explains: “It must occur in that day that I will call my servant, namely, Eliakim the son of Hilkiah. And I will clothe him with your robe, and your sash I shall firmly bind about him, and your dominion I shall give into his hand; and he must become a father to the inhabitant of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will put the key of the house of David upon his shoulder, and he must open without anyone’s shutting, and he must shut without anyone’s opening.” (Isaiah 22:20-22) Replacing Shebna, Eliakim will be given the steward’s official garments along with the key of the house of David. The Bible uses the term “key” to symbolize authority, government, or power. (Compare Matthew 16:19.) In ancient times, a king’s adviser, entrusted with the keys, might have general supervision of the royal chambers, even deciding on candidates for the king’s service. (Compare Revelation 3:7, 8.) Thus, the office of steward is important, and much is expected of whoever serves in it. (Luke 12:48) Shebna may be capable, but because he is unfaithful, Jehovah will replace him. Two Symbolic Pegs 19, 20. (a) How will Eliakim prove to be a blessing to his people? (b) What will happen to those who continue to look to Shebna? 19 Finally, Jehovah uses symbolic language to describe the transfer of power from Shebna to Eliakim. He states: “‘I will drive him [Eliakim] in as a peg in a lasting place, and he must become as a throne of glory to the house of his father. And they must hang upon him all the glory of the house of his father, the descendants and the offshoots, all the vessels of the small sort, the vessels of the bowl sort as well as all the vessels of the large jars. In that day,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, ‘the peg [Shebna] that is driven in a lasting place will be removed, and it must be hewn down and fall, and the load that is upon it must be cut off, for Jehovah himself has spoken it.’”​—Isaiah 22:23-25. 20 In these verses the first peg is Eliakim. He will become “a throne of glory” to the house of his father, Hilkiah. Unlike Shebna, he will not disgrace his father’s house or reputation. Eliakim will be a lasting support to household vessels, that is, to others in the king’s service. (2 Timothy 2:20, 21) In contrast, the second peg refers to Shebna. Though he may seem secure, he will be removed. Any who continue to look to him will fall. 21. In modern times, who, like Shebna, was replaced, why, and by whom? 21 Shebna’s experience reminds us that among those who claim to worship God, those who accept privileges of service should use them to serve others and to bring praise to Jehovah. They should not abuse their position in order to enrich themselves or gain personal prominence. For example, Christendom has long promoted herself as an appointed steward, the earthly representative of Jesus Christ. However, just as Shebna brought dishonor on his father by seeking his own glory, Christendom’s leaders have brought dishonor on the Creator by amassing riches and power for themselves. Hence, when the time of judgment “to start with the house of God” came in 1918, Jehovah removed Christendom. Another steward was identified​—“the faithful steward, the discreet one”—​and appointed over Jesus’ earthly household. (1 Peter 4:17; Luke 12:42-44) This composite class has shown itself worthy of shouldering the royal “key” of the house of David. Like a trustworthy “peg,” it has proved to be a reliable support for all the different “vessels,” anointed Christians with different responsibilities who look to it for spiritual sustenance. The “other sheep” too, like ‘the alien resident within the gates’ of ancient Jerusalem, depend on this “peg,” the modern-day Eliakim.​—John 10:16; Deuteronomy 5:14. 22. (a) Why was the replacing of Shebna as steward timely? (b) In modern times, why was the appointing of “the faithful steward, the discreet one,” timely? 22 Eliakim replaced Shebna when Sennacherib and his hordes were threatening Jerusalem. Similarly, “the faithful steward, the discreet one,” has been appointed to serve during the time of the end, which will come to a conclusion when Satan and his forces move for a final attack on “the Israel of God” and their other sheep companions. (Galatians 6:16) As in Hezekiah’s day, that attack will end in destruction for the enemies of righteousness. Those who support themselves on the “peg in a lasting place,” the faithful steward, will survive, just as faithful inhabitants of Jerusalem survived the Assyrian invasion of Judah. How wise, then, not to cling to the discredited “peg” of Christendom! 23. What eventually happens to Shebna, and what can we learn from this? 23 What happens to Shebna? We have no record of how the prophecy about him, recorded at Isaiah 22:18, was fulfilled. When he exalts himself and is then disgraced, he resembles Christendom, but he may have learned from the discipline. In this, he is very different from Christendom. When the Assyrian Rabshakeh demands Jerusalem’s surrender, Hezekiah’s new steward, Eliakim, leads the delegation that goes out to meet him. However, Shebna is at his side as secretary to the king. Evidently, Shebna is still in the king’s service. (Isaiah 36:2, 22) What a fine lesson for those who lose positions of service in God’s organization! Rather than being bitter and resentful, they are wise to continue serving Jehovah in whatever capacity he allows. (Hebrews 12:6) By so doing, they will avoid the disaster that will befall Christendom. They will enjoy God’s favor and blessing throughout eternity. [Footnotes] a In 66 C.E., many Jews exulted when the Roman armies besieging Jerusalem withdrew. b According to first-century historian Josephus, in 70 C.E., famine in Jerusalem was so severe that people ate leather, grass, and hay. In one reported instance, a mother roasted and ate her own son. c Alternatively, “the screen of Judah” might refer to something else that protects the city, such as fortresses where arms are stored and soldiers quartered. [Picture on page 231] When Zedekiah flees, he is captured and blinded [Picture on page 232, 233] Prospects are grim for Jews trapped in Jerusalem [Picture on page 239] Eliakim is made “a peg in a lasting place” by Hezekiah [Picture on page 241] Like Shebna, many of Christendom’s leaders have brought dishonor on the Creator by amassing riches [Pictures on page 242] In modern times a faithful steward class has been appointed over Jesus’ household

Page Two

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101981000

Page Two People everywhere long for a better life. For most of them it is just a dream. But for millions of persons worldwide it has become reality, and they have sound reasons for confidence in even finer things to come. What they have found you can share, and these articles show how 5 A BETTER LIFE​—JUST A DREAM? 6 LIFE CAN BE BETTER NOW! 9 THE BEST LIFE​—SOON TO COME

Greatest Man (gt) 1991

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt

Chapter 85 Searching for the Lost JESUS is eager to seek and find those who will humbly serve God. So he searches out and talks to everyone about the Kingdom, including notorious sinners. Such persons now draw near to listen to him. Observing this, the Pharisees and scribes criticize Jesus for keeping company with people whom they consider unworthy. They mutter: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” How far beneath their dignity that is! The Pharisees and scribes treat common people like dirt under their feet. In fact, they use the Hebrew expression ‛am ha·’aʹrets, “people of the land [earth],” to show the disdain they have for such ones. On the other hand, Jesus treats everyone with dignity, kindness, and compassion. As a result, many of these lowly ones, including persons who are well-known for practicing wrongdoing, are eager to listen to him. But what of the Pharisees’ criticism of Jesus for expending efforts in behalf of those they consider unworthy? Jesus answers their objection by using an illustration. He speaks from the Pharisees’ own viewpoint, as though they are righteous and are safe in the fold of God, while the despicable ‛am ha·’aʹrets have gone astray and are in a lost state. Listen as he asks: “What man of you with a hundred sheep, on losing one of them, will not leave the ninety-nine behind in the wilderness and go for the lost one until he finds it? And when he has found it he puts it upon his shoulders and rejoices. And when he gets home he calls his friends and his neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep that was lost.’” Jesus then makes the application of his story, explaining: “I tell you that thus there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner that repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who have no need of repentance.” The Pharisees consider themselves to be righteous and thus to have no need of repentance. When some of them criticized Jesus a couple of years earlier for eating with tax collectors and sinners, he told them: “I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.” The self-righteous Pharisees, who fail to see their need to repent, bring no joy in heaven. But truly repentant sinners do. To make doubly strong the point that the restoration of lost sinners is a cause for great rejoicing, Jesus relates another illustration. He says: “What woman with ten drachma coins, if she loses one drachma coin, does not light a lamp and sweep her house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it she calls the women who are her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found the drachma coin that I lost.’” Jesus then gives a similar application. He goes on to say: “Thus, I tell you, joy arises among the angels of God over one sinner that repents.” How remarkable this loving concern of God’s angels for the restoration of lost sinners! Especially is this so since these once lowly, despised ‛am ha·’aʹrets eventually come into line for membership in God’s heavenly Kingdom. As a result, they attain a position in heaven higher than that of the angels themselves! But rather than feel jealous or slighted, the angels humbly appreciate that these sinful humans have faced and overcome situations in life that will equip them to serve as sympathetic and merciful heavenly kings and priests. Luke 15:1-10; Matthew 9:13; 1 Corinthians 6:2, 3; Revelation 20:6. ▪ Why does Jesus associate with known sinners, and what criticism does he draw from the Pharisees? ▪ How do the Pharisees view the common people? ▪ What illustrations does Jesus use, and what can we learn from them? ▪ Why is the rejoicing of the angels remarkable?

Young People Ask, Volume 2 (yp2) 2008

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp2

CHAPTER 5 Why Stay a Virgin? “I feel pressure to experiment with sex.”​—Kelly. “I feel strange for still being a virgin.”​—Jordon. “ARE you still a virgin?” The very question might make you cower! After all, in many places a youth who is a virgin is likely to be viewed as a curiosity, an oddball. No wonder so many young people have sex before they’re out of their teens! Pulled by Desire, Pushed by Peers If you are a Christian, you know that the Bible tells you to “abstain from fornication.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3) Still, you might find it hard to control your sexual urges. “At times, thoughts about sex enter my mind without any apparent cause or reason,” admits a young man named Paul. Be assured that to a large extent, such feelings are normal. However, being the victim of unrelenting teasing and harassment for being a virgin is no fun at all! For instance, what if your peers tell you that you’re not a real man or woman unless you’ve had sex? “Your peers make sex seem exciting and normal,” says Ellen. “If you’re not sleeping around, you’re classed as weird.” But there’s a side to premarital sex that your peers may not talk about. For example, Maria, who had sex with her boyfriend, recalls: “Afterwards I felt embarrassed and ashamed. I hated myself and I hated my boyfriend.” Such experiences are more typical than most youths realize. In reality, premarital sex is often an emotionally painful experience​—with devastating consequences! However, a youth named Shanda asks, “Why would God give young people sexual desires, knowing that they should not use them until after marriage?” That’s a good question. But consider the following: Are sexual urges the only strong feelings you experience? Not at all. Jehovah God created you with the capacity to feel a wide range of desires and emotions. Do you have to act on each impulse the instant that it wells up inside you? No, for God also made you with the ability to control your actions. What’s the lesson, then? You may not be able to keep certain desires from arising, but you can control your reaction to them. Really, to act upon every sexual urge would be as wrong and foolish as hitting someone each time you felt anger. The fact is, God never intended for us to misuse our procreative powers. “Each one of you should know how to get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor,” says the Bible. (1 Thessalonians 4:4) Just as there is “a time to love and a time to hate,” there is also a time to act on sexual urges and a time to refrain from doing so. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) Ultimately, you are in control of your desires! But what can you do if someone taunts you, saying with disbelief, “Are you really still a virgin?” Don’t be intimidated. To a person who only wants to put you down, you could say: “Yes, I am still a virgin, and you know what? I’m glad I am!” Or you could say, “That is a personal matter I don’t discuss with others.”a (Proverbs 26:4; Colossians 4:6) On the other hand, you might feel that the person questioning you deserves to know more. In that case you may well choose to explain your Bible-based stand. Can you think of some other replies to the taunt “Are you really still a virgin?” If so, write them below. ․․․․․ A Precious Gift How does God feel when people decide to have sex before marriage? Well, imagine that you’ve purchased a gift for a friend. But before you can give it to that friend, he or she​—out of sheer curiosity—​opens the gift! Wouldn’t you be upset? Imagine, then, how God would feel if you were to engage in premarital sex. He wants you to wait until you’re married to enjoy the gift of sexual relations.​—Genesis 1:28. What should you do about your sexual feelings? Put simply, learn to control them. You have the strength to do so! Pray to Jehovah to help you. His spirit can enhance your ability to exercise self-control. (Galatians 5:22, 23) Remind yourself that Jehovah “will not hold back anything good from those walking in faultlessness.” (Psalm 84:11) Says a youth named Gordon: “When I find myself thinking that premarital sex would not be so bad, I reflect on the bad spiritual consequences and realize that no sin is worth the loss of my relationship with Jehovah.” The fact is, virginity is not strange or abnormal. It’s immoral sex that is degrading, humiliating, and harmful. So don’t let the world’s propaganda con you into thinking that something is wrong with you if you hold to Bible standards. By retaining your virginity, you protect your health, your emotional well-being, and​—most important of all—​your relationship with God. READ MORE ABOUT THIS TOPIC IN VOLUME 1, CHAPTER 24 [Footnote] a Interestingly, Jesus chose to remain silent when questioned by Herod. (Luke 23:8, 9) Silence is often a good way to handle impertinent questions. KEY SCRIPTURE “If anyone . . . has made this decision in his own heart, to keep his own virginity, he will do well.”​—1 Corinthians 7:37. TIP Avoid association with those who lack strong moral standards, even if they claim to share your religious beliefs. DID YOU KNOW . . . ? Sexually permissive people are unlikely to change their habits just because they get married. In contrast, those who are loyal to God’s moral standards before marriage are more likely to be loyal to their mate afterward. ACTION PLAN! If I am going to stay a virgin until I’m married, I will need to ․․․․․ If my associates are making it difficult for me to keep my resolve, I will ․․․․․ What I would like to ask my parent(s) about this subject is ․․․․․ WHAT DO YOU THINK? ● Why in your opinion do some ridicule those who are virgins? ● Why can it be difficult to remain a virgin? ● What are the benefits of remaining a virgin until you’re married? ● How would you explain the benefits of virginity to a younger sibling? [Blurb on page 51] “I am motivated to resist sexual temptations by always remembering that ‘no fornicator or unclean person has any inheritance in the kingdom of God.’” (Ephesians 5:5)​—Lydia [Box on page 49] Worksheet What Really Happens Next? Your peers and popular entertainment often cleverly mask the unpleasant realities of premarital sex. Look at the following three scenarios. What do you think would really happen to these teens? ● A schoolmate brags that he’s had sex with many girls. He says it’s fun​—nobody gets hurt. What really happens next​—to him and to the girls? ․․․․․ ● A movie ends with two unmarried teens having sex as a way to express their love for each other. What would happen next​—in real life? ․․․․․ ● You meet a cute boy who asks you for sex. He says no one has to find out about it. If you gave in and tried to cover it up, what would really happen next? ․․․․․ [Picture on page 54] Engaging in premarital sex is like opening a gift before it has been given to you

Family Happiness (fy) 1996

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/fy

outputs CHAPTER 1 Is There a Secret of Family Happiness? 2 Preparing for a Successful Marriage 3 Two Keys to a Lasting Marriage 4 How Can You Manage a Household? 5 Train Your Child From Infancy 6 Help Your Teenager to Thrive 7 Is There a Rebel in the House? 8 Protect Your Family From Destructive Influences 9 Single-Parent Families Can Succeed! 10 When a Family Member Is Sick 11 Maintain Peace in Your Household 12 You Can Overcome Problems That Damage a Family 13 If Marriage Is at the Breaking Point 14 Growing Older Together 15 Honoring Our Elderly Parents 16 Secure a Lasting Future for Your Family

Are Demons Real?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502013253

Are Demons Real? The Bible’s answer Yes. Demons are “angels that sinned,” spirit creatures who rebelled against God. (2 Peter 2:4) The first angel to make himself into a demon was Satan the Devil, whom the Bible calls “the ruler of the demons.”—Matthew 12:24, 26. Rebellion in Noah’s day The Bible records a rebellion by angels before the Flood of Noah’s day: “The sons of the true God began to notice the daughters of men, that they were good-looking; and they went taking wives for themselves, namely, all whom they chose.” (Genesis 6:2) Those wicked, or fallen, angels “forsook their own proper dwelling place” in heaven and materialized human bodies in order to have sex with women.—Jude 6. When the Flood came, the rebellious angels abandoned their human bodies and returned to heaven. However, God expelled them from his family. As part of their punishment, the demons are prevented from ever again taking on human form.—Ephesians 6:11, 12.

“I Do What I Can”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502019275

“I Do What I Can” Irma, who lives in Germany, is almost 90 years old. After two severe accidents and several operations, she can no longer preach from house to house as she once did. Irma now talks to others about her faith by writing letters to relatives and acquaintances. Irma’s letters of encouragement and condolence are so well received that people often call her to ask when the next letter will arrive. She also receives many thank-you letters, asking her to write again. Irma says, “All of this makes me happy and keeps me spiritually active.” Irma also sends letters to residents in nursing homes. She relates: “An elderly lady phoned and said that my letter had given her much comfort after her husband died. She keeps the letter in her Bible and often reads it in the evening. Another woman, whose husband recently died, said that my letter had helped her more than the priest’s sermon. She had a lot of questions to be answered and asked if she could visit me.” A non-Witness acquaintance of Irma who moved a distance away asked Irma to write to her. “The woman kept all my letters,” says Irma. “After she died, her daughter phoned. She told me that she had read all the letters that I had written to her mother and asked me if I would be so kind as to write Biblical letters to her too.” Irma thoroughly enjoys her ministry. “I beg Jehovah to continue to give me the strength to serve him,” she says. “Although I cannot go from house to house anymore, I do what I can.”

Greatest Man (gt) 1991

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt

Chapter 75 The Source of Happiness DURING his ministry in Galilee, Jesus performed miracles, and he now repeats these in Judea. For instance, he casts out of a man a demon that has prevented him from speaking. The crowds are amazed, but critics raise the same objection as was raised in Galilee. “He expels the demons by means of Beelzebub the ruler of the demons,” they claim. Others want greater evidence from Jesus as to his identity, and they try to tempt him by asking for a sign from heaven. Knowing what they are thinking, Jesus gives the same answer to his critics in Judea as he gave to those in Galilee. He observes that every kingdom divided against itself will fall. “So,” he asks, “if Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?” He shows the dangerous position of his critics by saying: “If it is by means of God’s finger I expel the demons, the kingdom of God has really overtaken you.” Those observing Jesus’ miracles should respond to them in the same way as those did who centuries before saw Moses perform a miracle. They exclaimed: “It is the finger of God!” It was also “God’s finger” that carved the Ten Commandments on stone tablets. And “God’s finger”​—his holy spirit, or active force—​is what enables Jesus to cast out demons and to cure the sick. So the Kingdom of God has indeed overtaken these critics, since Jesus, the designated King of the Kingdom, is right there in their midst. Jesus then illustrates that his ability to expel demons is evidence of his power over Satan, even as when a stronger man comes along and overpowers a well-armed man guarding his palace. He also repeats the illustration he told in Galilee regarding an unclean spirit. The spirit leaves a man, but when the man does not fill the void with good things, the spirit returns with seven others, and the condition of the man becomes worse than at the first. While listening to these teachings, a woman from the crowd is moved to exclaim loudly: “Happy is the womb that carried you and the breasts that you sucked!” Since the desire of every Jewish woman is to be the mother of a prophet and particularly the Messiah, it is understandable that this woman would say this. Apparently she thought Mary could especially be happy because of being Jesus’ mother. However, Jesus quickly corrects the woman regarding the true source of happiness. “No,” he responds, “rather, Happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!” Never did Jesus imply that his mother, Mary, should be given special honor. Instead, he showed that true happiness is found in being a faithful servant of God, not in any physical ties or accomplishments. As he did in Galilee, Jesus also goes on to rebuke the people in Judea for requesting a sign from heaven. He tells them that no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah. Jonah became a sign both by his three days in the fish and by his bold preaching, which resulted in the Ninevites’ being moved to repent. “But, look!” Jesus says, “something more than Jonah is here.” Similarly, the queen of Sheba marveled at Solomon’s wisdom. “But, look!” Jesus also says, “something more than Solomon is here.” Jesus explains that when a person lights a lamp, he does not put it in a vault or under a basket but upon a lampstand so that people can see the light. Perhaps he is intimating that teaching and performing miracles before these obstinate persons in his audience is comparable to hiding the light of a lamp. The eyes of such observers are not simple, or in focus, so the intended purpose of his miracles is not accomplished. Jesus has just expelled a demon and has caused a mute man to speak. This should motivate people with simple, or focused, eyes to praise this glorious feat and proclaim the good news! Yet, with these critics, this is not what occurs. So Jesus concludes: “Be alert, therefore. Perhaps the light that is in you is darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is bright with no part at all dark, it will all be as bright as when a lamp gives you light by its rays.” Luke 11:14-36; Exodus 8:18, 19; 31:18; Matthew 12:22, 28. ▪ What is the response to Jesus’ healing the man? ▪ What is “God’s finger,” and how had God’s Kingdom overtaken Jesus’ listeners? ▪ What is the source of true happiness? ▪ How can a person have a simple eye?

Grateful for Serving Jehovah, Even Under Trials

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2011043

Grateful for Serving Jehovah, Even Under Trials As told by Maatje de Jonge-van den Heuvel I AM 98 years of age. For 70 of those years, I have had the pleasure of serving Jehovah​—but not without having my faith tested. During World War II, I ended up in a concentration camp, where discouragement at one point led me to make a decision that I later regretted. Some years later, I faced another painful test. Even so, I am grateful to Jehovah that I have had the privilege of serving him, even under trials. My life changed in October 1940. I lived in Hilversum, a town some 15 miles (24 km) southeast of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. The country was under Nazi rule. I had been married for five years to Jaap de Jonge, a caring husband, and we had a precious three-year-old daughter named Willy. We lived next to a family who was poor and struggling to feed eight children. Yet, they also provided lodging and meals for a permanent guest, a young man. ‘Why would they take on that extra burden?’ I wondered. When I delivered some food to them, I learned that the young man was a pioneer. He told me about God’s Kingdom and the blessings it will bring. I was deeply moved by what I learned, and I quickly accepted the truth. That very same year, I dedicated myself to Jehovah and was baptized. A year after my baptism, my husband also took his stand for the truth. Although I had little Bible knowledge, I fully understood that by becoming a Witness, I became part of an organization that was banned. I also knew that numerous Witnesses had already been sent to prison because of preaching the Kingdom message. Still, I immediately set out preaching from house to house, and my husband and I opened our house as a place of lodging for pioneers and traveling overseers. Our home also became a storage place for Bible literature, which was delivered to us by brothers and sisters from Amsterdam. Their heavy transport bikes were loaded with books, which they covered with tarpaulin. What love and courage those couriers had! They risked their lives in behalf of their brothers.​—1 John 3:16. “Will You Be Back Soon, Mommy?” About six months after my baptism, three police officers showed up at our door. They entered the house and searched it. Although they did not find the closet filled with literature, they did find some books hidden under our bed. Right away, they ordered me to follow them to the police station in Hilversum. When I embraced my daughter to say good-bye, Willy asked, “Will you be back soon, Mommy?” “Yes, darling,” I said, “Mommy will be home soon.” However, 18 difficult months would pass before I could hold her in my arms again. You see, a police officer took me by train to Amsterdam for questioning. The interrogators tried to make me identify three brothers from Hilversum as Jehovah’s Witnesses. I said: “I don’t know them, except one. He is our milkman.” And that was true; that brother delivered milk. “But whether he is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses,” I added, “you should ask him, not me.” When I refused to say anything else, they struck me in the face and locked me up in a cell, where they left me for two months. When my husband found out where I was, he was able to bring me some clothes and food. Then, in August 1941, I was sent to Ravensbrück​—a notorious concentration camp for women, some 50 miles (80 km) north of Berlin, Germany. “Cheer Up, Dear” On arrival, we were told that we could go home if we signed a declaration renouncing our faith. But, of course, I did not sign it. Instead, I had to hand over my belongings and strip naked in a washroom, where I met some Christian sisters from the Netherlands. We were given camp clothing with a purple triangle sewn on, a plate, a cup, and a spoon. The first night, we were kept in a transit barracks. There, for the first time since my arrest, I broke down in tears. “What is going to happen? How long will I stay here?” I sobbed. Frankly, at that point my relationship with Jehovah was not yet very strong, since I had known the truth for just a few months. I still had so much to learn. The next day at roll call, a Dutch sister must have noticed my sadness. She said: “Cheer up, dear, cheer up! What can harm us?” After the roll call, we were taken to another barracks, where we were welcomed by several hundred Christian sisters from Germany and the Netherlands. Some of the German sisters had already lived in that barracks for over a year. Their company strengthened me​—indeed, it cheered me up. I was also impressed that the barracks where our sisters were housed was so much cleaner than other barracks in the camp. Besides being clean, our barracks was also known as a place where no stealing, cursing, or fighting took place. In contrast with the cruel conditions we faced in the camp, our barracks was like a clean island surrounded by a filthy sea. Daily Life in Camp Camp life consisted of working a lot and eating very little. We had to get up at five o’clock in the morning, and shortly thereafter the roll call began. Guards made us stand outside for about an hour, rain or shine. At five o’clock in the afternoon, after a day of hard labor, the roll-call routine was repeated. Then we ate some soup and bread and went to sleep​—exhausted. Each day except Sunday, I was put to work on farms, where I cut wheat with a scythe, dredged ditches, and cleaned pigsties. Though the work was heavy and dirty, I could handle it from day to day because I was still young and quite strong. Also, by singing songs with a Bible message while working, I strengthened myself. However, every day I yearned for my husband and child. We received very little food, but all of us sisters tried to save a piece of bread every day so that we would have something extra on Sundays, when we had an opportunity to get together to discuss Bible topics. We had no Bible literature, but I eagerly listened to the older, faithful German sisters as they considered spiritual matters. We even observed the Memorial of Christ’s death. Distress, Regret, and Encouragement At times, we were ordered to do work that directly supported the war effort of the Nazis. Because of our neutrality in political matters, all sisters refused to do that work, and I followed their courageous example. As punishment, we did not receive food for days and had to stand at roll calls for hours. Once, during wintertime, we were locked up for 40 days in a barracks without any heating. As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we were told over and over again that we would be released and could go home if we signed a declaration renouncing our faith. After I had been living in Ravensbrück for over a year, I became very discouraged. The desire to see my husband and daughter became so strong that I went to the guards, asked for the form with the declaration that stated that I would no longer be a Bible Student, and signed it. When the sisters learned what I had done, some began to avoid me. However, two elderly German sisters named Hedwig and Gertrud sought me out and reassured me of their love. While working together in the pigsties, they kindly explained to me the importance of keeping integrity to Jehovah and how we show our love for him by making no compromises. Their motherly concern and tender affection touched me deeply.a I knew that what I had done was wrong, and I wanted my declaration to be annulled. One evening I told a sister about my decision to ask for an annulment. A camp official must have overheard our conversation because the very same evening, I was suddenly discharged from the camp and sent on a train back to the Netherlands. One of the supervisors​—I can still remember her face—​said to me, “You are still a Bibelforscher (Bible Student), and you always will be.” I replied, “Yes, I will, Jehovah willing.” Still, I kept thinking, ‘How can I renounce that declaration?’ One of the points in the declaration stated: “I assure by this never again to be active for the International Bible Students Society.” I knew what to do! In January 1943, soon after I reached home, I again began to share in the preaching work. Of course, if I was caught a second time by the Nazi authorities while preaching about God’s Kingdom, my punishment would be severe. To demonstrate further to Jehovah my heartfelt desire to be a loyal servant, my husband and I again opened our home as a lodging place for the couriers and the traveling overseers. How grateful I was for having received another opportunity to prove my love for Jehovah and his people! A Painful Ordeal A few months before the war ended, my husband and I faced a painful ordeal. In October 1944, our daughter suddenly fell ill. Willy had diphtheria. Her condition quickly deteriorated, and she died three days later. She was only seven years old. Losing our only child was a devastating blow. Truly, the trials I went through in Ravensbrück were nothing compared to the pain I felt when we lost our child. However, in moments of distress, we always drew comfort from the words found at Psalm 16:8: “I have placed Jehovah in front of me constantly. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be made to totter.” My husband and I had firm confidence in Jehovah’s promise of the resurrection. We persevered in the truth and were always zealous preachers of the good news. Until my husband’s death in 1969, he truly helped me to serve Jehovah gratefully. Blessings and Joys During the past decades, one great source of joy has always been close association with full-time servants. As it had been during the war, our home was always open to host traveling overseers and their wives when they visited our congregation. One couple in the traveling work, Maarten and Nel Kaptein, even lived in our home for 13 years! When Nel became terminally ill, I had the privilege of caring for her in our home for three months until she died. The association with them and with the dear local brothers and sisters has helped me to enjoy the spiritual paradise in which we live right now. One of the highlights of my life came in 1995​—an invitation to attend a commemoration in Ravensbrück. There I met sisters with whom I had been in camp and whom I had not seen for over 50 years! Being together with them was an unforgettable and heartwarming experience and a fine opportunity to encourage one another to look forward to the day when our dead loved ones will live again. The apostle Paul states at Romans 15:4 that “through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.” I thank Jehovah for furnishing this hope, which has enabled me to serve him gratefully, even under trials. [Footnote] a During that time, in the absence of contact with headquarters, brothers handled matters relative to neutrality to the best of their ability. For that reason, there was some variation in the way individuals dealt with the issue. [Picture on page 10] With Jaap, 1930 [Picture on page 10] Our daughter, Willy, at age seven [Picture on page 12] In 1995, I attended a heartwarming reunion. I am in the first row, second from the left

KEEP ON THE WATCH! Global Food Crisis Fueled by War and Climate Change—What Does the Bible Say?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/501100078

hadynyah/E+ via Getty Images KEEP ON THE WATCH! Global Food Crisis Fueled by War and Climate Change—What Does the Bible Say? The war in Ukraine, coupled with the effects of climate change, continues to wreak havoc on global food supplies. This is especially the case in developing lands where many struggle to get enough food. “The production and availability of food is being disrupted by conflict, climate change, energy prices and more.”—António Guterres, UN secretary-general, July 17, 2023. “Experts predict that Russia’s withdrawal from the grain export agreement will aggravate the global food security crisis and lead to higher food inflation in low-income countries, especially in North Africa and the Middle East.”—Atalayar.com, July 23, 2023. Consider what the Bible says about food crises and the future. The Bible foretold food crises Jesus prophesied: “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages.”—Matthew 24:7. The Bible book of Revelation describes four symbolic horsemen. One of those horsemen represents warfare. He is followed by another who represents famine, a time when food would be rationed and sold at exorbitant prices. “I saw a black horse, and its rider had a balance scale in one hand. I heard what sounded like a voice . . . It said, ‘A quart of wheat will cost you a whole day’s wages! Three quarts of barley will cost you a day’s wages too.’”—Revelation 6:5, 6, Contemporary English Version. These Bible prophecies about food crises are being fulfilled now in the time that the Bible calls “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) To learn more about “the last days” and the ride of the four horsemen of Revelation, watch the video The World Has Changed Since 1914 and read the article “The Four Horsemen—Who Are They?” How the Bible can help The Bible contains practical advice that can help us cope with challenging circumstances, including rising food prices or even food shortages. See some examples in the article “How to Live on Less.” The Bible also gives us hope that things will get better. It promises a time when “there will be an abundance of grain on the earth” and everyone will have plenty to eat. (Psalm 72:16) To learn more about this hope for the future and why you can trust it, read the article “A Real Hope for a Better Tomorrow.”

Young People Ask, Volume 2 (yp2) 2008

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp2

CHAPTER 34 Why Live by Bible Standards? You’re in the cafeteria eating lunch with two girls at school when the new boy walks in. “You know, Brett really likes you,” the first girl says to you. “I can tell by the way he stares at you. His eyes are all over you!” “And guess what?” the second girl whispers as she leans toward you. “He’s available!” You already suspected all of that. After all, just the other day Brett invited you to his house for a party. You declined, of course, although you secretly wondered what it would have been like. The first girl interrupts your thoughts. “Too bad I’m not available,” she says. “I’d go out with Brett in a heartbeat.” Then she looks at you, puzzled. You know what’s coming. “Hey, how come you don’t have a boyfriend?” she asks. You dread that question! The fact is, you’d like to have a boyfriend. But you’ve been told that it’s best to wait until you’re ready for marriage before you start dating. If only it weren’t for . . . “Your religion, right?” the second girl says. ‘Was she reading my mind?’ you think to yourself. “With you it’s always Bible, Bible, Bible,” she taunts. “Why can’t you have a little fun sometimes?” HAVE you ever been ridiculed because of trying to live by Bible standards? If so, perhaps you wondered if you were missing out on something. A youth named Deborah felt that way. “Bible standards felt restrictive,” she recalls. “My school friends’ uninhibited lifestyle appealed to me.” A Reality Check Experience is not always the best teacher. In fact, it’s both wise and Scriptural to learn from the mistakes of others, as did the psalmist Asaph. For a time, he felt that God’s standards were too restrictive. But examining the course of those who had abandoned God’s ways gave him a reality check. Asaph later concluded that they were on “slippery ground.”​—Psalm 73:18. With that in mind, consider the following comments from youths who, for a time, abandoned Bible standards and became involved in premarital sex. ● What factors influenced your thinking and actions? Deborah: “I went through school seeing everyone else having boyfriends and girlfriends, and they seemed to be happy. When I hung out with them and saw them kissing and embracing, I felt jealous and lonely. I often allowed myself to spend hours fantasizing about a certain boy I liked. This heightened my desire to be with him.” Mike: “I read material and watched programs that glorified sex. Talking about sex with my friends heightened my curiosity. Then, when I was alone with a girl, I’d think that I could be physically intimate with her without having sex, that I could stop anytime.” Andrew: “I habitually viewed pornography on the Internet. I started drinking a lot of alcohol. And I attended parties with youths who had little respect for the Bible’s moral standards.” Tracy: “I knew in my mind that premarital sex was wrong, but I didn’t hate it. I didn’t intend to start a sexual relationship before marriage, but my emotions overrode my thinking. For a while, my conscience was numb to any feelings of guilt.” ● Did your lifestyle make you happy? Deborah: “At first, I felt a rush of freedom and was happy that I finally fit in with my peers. But those feelings didn’t last. I started to feel dirty, robbed of innocence, empty. I felt a deep sense of regret that I’d thrown away my virginity.” Andrew: “It became easier and easier to act on wrong desires. But at the same time, I was consumed with feelings of guilt and was disappointed with myself.” Tracy: “Immorality ruined my youth. I thought that my boyfriend and I would have such fun. We didn’t. We ended up causing each other pain, misery, and heartache. I spent night after night sobbing in bed, wishing I’d done things Jehovah’s way.” Mike: “I started to feel like part of me had died. I tried to disregard the effect my actions were having on others, but I couldn’t. It pained me to realize that in seeking my own pleasure, I was hurting others.” ● What advice would you give to youths who wonder if the Bible’s moral standards are too restrictive? Tracy: “Live by Jehovah’s standards, and associate with people who do the same. You will be happier that way.” Deborah: “It’s not just about you and what you want. Your actions will affect others. And if you ignore God’s advice, you will damage yourself.” Andrew: “When you’re inexperienced, you think your peers’ lifestyle is exciting. Their attitudes will rub off on you. So choose your friends wisely. Trust Jehovah, and you’ll save yourself a lot of regrets.” Mike: “Among the most valuable possessions Jehovah gives you are your dignity and innocence. To throw those gifts away because you can’t control yourself is to sell yourself cheap. Talk to your parents and other mature people about your problems. If you make a mistake, be quick to speak up and correct the situation. If you do things Jehovah’s way, you will gain a real sense of peace.” Bible Standards​—Straitjacket or Seat Belt? Jehovah is “the happy God,” and he wants you to be happy too. (1 Timothy 1:11; Ecclesiastes 11:9) The standards recorded in the Bible are for your benefit. True, you could view them as a straitjacket that limits your freedom. In reality, though, the Bible’s moral code is more like a seat belt that helps protect you from harm. Certainly, you can trust the Bible. If you choose to live by its standards, you’ll not only make Jehovah happy but also benefit yourself.​—Isaiah 48:17. IN OUR NEXT CHAPTERYou can be God’s friend. Find out how. KEY SCRIPTURE “I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit yourself.”​—Isaiah 48:17. TIP Think of how you would defend the wisdom of Bible standards to a younger sibling. Speaking about your beliefs is a powerful way to solidify them in your heart. DID YOU KNOW . . . ? It takes only moments to damage your relationship with Jehovah, but it could take years to repair it. ACTION PLAN! To help me understand the wisdom of Bible standards, I will ․․․․․ If I start to envy those who live by the world’s standards, I will ․․․․․ What I would like to ask my parent(s) about this subject is ․․․․․ WHAT DO YOU THINK? ● When it comes to the consequences of disobeying God’s laws, why is personal experience not the best teacher? ● What do you learn from the comments of Deborah, Mike, Andrew, and Tracy? ● Why might some people view Bible standards as a straitjacket, but why is that view shortsighted? [Blurb on page 285] “The despair of being disciplined for wrongdoing isn’t as bad as the pain of trying to hide it.”​—Donna [Pictures on page 288] Bible standards don’t restrict your happiness; they protect you

Who Was Cain’s Wife?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502017129

Who Was Cain’s Wife? The Bible’s answer Cain, the eldest child of the first human couple, married one of his sisters or another close female relative. This conclusion may be drawn by considering what the Bible says about Cain and his family. Facts about Cain and his family All humans descended from Adam and Eve. God “made out of one man [Adam] every nation of men to dwell on the entire surface of the earth.” (Acts 17:26) Adam’s wife, Eve, became “the mother of everyone living.” (Genesis 3:​20) Therefore, Cain must have married a fellow descendant of Adam and Eve. Cain and his brother Abel were the first of a number of children born to Eve. (Genesis 4:​1, 2) When Cain was banished for killing his brother, he complained: “Anyone who finds me will certainly kill me.” (Genesis 4:​14) Of whom was Cain afraid? The Bible says that Adam “became father to sons and daughters.” (Genesis 5:4) Evidently, these other descendants of Adam and Eve could have posed a threat to Cain. Early in human history, marrying one’s relative was not uncommon. The faithful man Abraham, for example, married his half sister. (Genesis 20:12) The first prohibitions against such marriage appeared in the Mosaic Law, which was codified centuries after Cain’s day. (Leviticus 18:​9, 12, 13) It seems that children born to close relatives back then were not as prone to birth defects as they are today. The Bible presents the account of Adam, Eve, and their family as accurate history. Detailed genealogies going back to Adam can be found not only in the book of Genesis, written by Moses, but also in the writings of the historians Ezra and Luke. (Genesis 5:​3-5; 1 Chronicles 1:​1-4; Luke 3:​38) Bible writers cite the story of Cain as a historical event.​—Hebrews 11:4; 1 John 3:​12; Jude 11.

God’s Sovereignty (og) 1975

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/gods-sovereignty-og

Answers to Your Questions These informative pocket-size books are also available. Each one gives satisfying answers to vital questions. Hardbound, 192 pages, only 25 cents each. IS THE BIBLE REALLY THE WORD OF GOD? Careful examination of the evidence will strengthen your faith. DID MAN GET HERE BY EVOLUTION OR BY CREATION? Examines both sides; you can see for yourself what the facts show. GOD‘S “ETERNAL PURPOSE” NOW TRIUMPHING FOR MAN’S GOOD. What really is God’s purpose for mankind? This book traces God’s dealings with mankind from the beginning. IS THIS LIFE ALL THERE IS? The revealing truth about life after death. TRUE PEACE AND SECURITY—FROM WHAT SOURCE? An analysis of the major problems facing mankind and the Bible’s answer to each. To order, see addresses on the next page. [Addresses of branch offices] (See publication)

Thinking Aids for a Balky Brain

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101973001

Thinking Aids for a Balky Brain DOES your brain seem to balk when it comes to everyday thinking and decision-making? Perhaps you reason that “thinkers” are always scholars or geniuses. Well, that is not true. Most real thinkers are ordinary people who know how to cope with the countless multitude of day-by-day challenges facing them. What can aid you to develop the same ability? Do You Keep All Your Goals in View? As explained in the previous article, the basic aid to better thinking is to keep always in mind your overall purpose in life. When your main goal is lost from sight, thinking becomes uncertain. But also important to prodding your thinking processes are what might be called secondary goals. Some day-by-day problems never get solved because people think only of long-range, principal goals, ignoring smaller yet important goals. How secondary goals assist thinking can, again, be illustrated by a journey. The person traveling from Madrid, Spain, to Berlin, Germany, knows what is his main goal. However, he might wish to segment the trip into smaller sections, perhaps making stops at Toulouse and Paris, France. The overall trip then seems shorter and he has an immediate goal toward which to direct his thinking. Similarly, with our lives. A person may know his primary goal in life. Keeping that foremost, he should, after carefully weighing his own circumstances, decide on certain subgoals. Working toward these makes his main goal seem to come easier and more rapidly. Thus, while a Christian has the main goal of gaining God’s approval to life eternal, he wisely decides upon subgoals in life. A missionary conditions his thinking toward the goal of holding onto his privilege of teaching people in a foreign land. But, he might also set goals of learning his new language or the customs of the people better. Or, a Christian father, though he has the same primary goal as the missionary, may set a goal of building his family spiritually by a regular Bible study arrangement. On the other hand, his goal may be to balance their study program with family recreation. Thereafter when either of these men considers a decision, he must not only think, ‘How will this affect my main goal in life?’ but also ask, ‘How will this affect any secondary goals I have?’ This helps to keep daily thinking straight, in focus. In fact, people can greatly aid their thinking by giving each day a goal. Knowing that you would like to accomplish certain tasks within the day often prods you to consider how to do all things in the most efficient way. This, of course, means that each day must be planned. Some persons find time to plan their day’s work by rising a little earlier in the morning or by staying up a little later the evening before. Others reclaim time otherwise lost to television for use in this way. Some take just a few minutes before leaving their job each day to lay out the next day’s activities. One busy executive with nine children does much of his planning while on a commuter train. He says: ‘If I didn’t have that privacy each day, I‘d never do important thinking and daily programing.’ Do You Think Systematically? Another help to budge a balking brain is to learn to think in a systematic way. This calls for trying to see every side of a matter. To learn how to do this, some have suggested approaching problems as though playing the game “Twenty Questions.” In this game a group or panel is given twenty chances to ferret out a subject on the moderator’s mind. The idea is to eliminate as many probabilities as possible with each question, progressively narrowing the field to a logical answer. The game embodies a model of productive thinking, actually the principles of scientific research, namely, running through a list of questions to eliminate probabilities until one can single out an answer. An engineer reviews mentally whether a given problem can be solved by electric, hydraulic, chemical, mechanical or other means. A doctor making a diagnosis mentally runs through a list of diseases with similar symptoms, endeavoring by process of elimination to arrive at the right conclusion. This process of ordered thinking can be illustrated with a family who, having decided to move to another location, set down a list of requirements with regard to a new home they must find: For example: (1) Do we want a house or an apartment? (2) A new one or an older one? (3) One or two stories? (4) Price not over what fixed amount? (5) In city or suburb? (6) Maximum distance from employment? (7) From schools? (8) From shopping facilities and other conveniences, and so forth? Until the habit of approaching all problems systematically becomes ingrained in you, do not be embarrassed about employing a written checklist similar to this. Of course, such thinking can be learned by using it in connection with all your daily tasks, not just the major moves in life. For instance, are you a thinking housewife? Instead of secretly envying so-called “talented” women, why not use the same thinking processes they must employ in order to do their work? Samm S. Baker in his book Your Key to Creative Thinking (1962) shows ways of doing this: “A leading professor of psychology stated, ‘The capacity to create . . . is not limited to the highly gifted person, but is the birthright of every person of average talent.’ . . . If you’re a housewife, there are many creative challenges all about you, waiting to be solved for the convenience and enjoyment of your family. Consider something as simple as a clothes closet. You can permit a messy situation to develop, as in so many homes . . . Or, you can plan creatively so that everything has a clean, orderly place in the closet, saving time and temper for everyone in the family, and winning praise for yourself.”​—Pages 1, 17. The same can be said for your cooking. One noted psychologist said: “To originate a first-rate soup is more creative than daubing a second-rate painting.” Or, as a parent contemplating a vacation for your family, do you really stop to think the trip through? Do you consider all the possible problems that might arise as to your automobile? Clothing for a different climate? Entertainment for the children while you are driving, and so on? Or, do you have difficulty in getting along with certain people? Have you thought about what definite steps to take that may possibly resolve the situation? In every area of life, systematically thinking through whatever confronts you, consistent with your goals in life, is of immeasurable value in jarring a complacent brain. Do You Balk at Decision-making? Another aid to stir hesitant thinking is to remember that problems just do not “go away” as a result of putting them off or refusing to make a decision. Not making any decision at all, in effect, is itself to make a decision. Many persons who balk when faced with decisions, find that later on they are more difficult to make. Why do many have that tendency? Some fear imagined consequences. Others recall past decisions, and, regretting the way things turned out, hesitate to make new ones. But suppose they had decided another way on those past decisions​—who can really say things would have worked out much better? On the other hand, possibly you have made wrong decisions in the past. Should pride now stymie you from making future ones? No less a thinker than Albert Einstein said regarding his own conclusions from study: “I think and think, for months, for years, ninety-nine times the conclusion is false. The hundredth I am right.” Fortunately, in personal decisions the average is often much higher than that. However, as an aid in making proper and prompt decisions, ask yourself, ‘Am I willing to consider other people’s views, especially if they are in any way involved in the decision?’ A wise supervisor or family head appreciates that he is not the only one who knows how to think. Yes, even on the family level, each member may have something to contribute. Rudolph Flesch notes: “If you want to pool quickly the viewpoints of various ages and sexes, stay right at home. The basis of clear thinking . . . is the realization that we think with our experience. The family . . . is the place to learn this once and for all. . . . Family team-work in thinking is common when it comes to big decisions like buying a new house. This is where husbands, wives and older children get together discussing the problem, weighing the pros and cons of possible solutions, planning with pencil and paper, and surveying the available factual information.”​—The Art of Clear Thinking (1951), pages 160, 163. Of course, not only in major projects, but even in lesser ones it is a good idea to consult other people. The Biblical principle is true that “in the multitude of counselors there is accomplishment.” (Prov. 15:22) Considering other people’s advice also prevents one from making hasty or “snap” decisions. As another proverb reminds us, “everyone that is hasty surely heads for want.”​—Prov. 21:5. Another source of information based on experience is reading material. Here one can benefit from the experience of the author, perhaps a person who has spent years in the field covered by his book or article. Nevertheless, if you read to get information before making a decision, be selective. Often only a small part of all that is published on a given subject is of real value to you. Keep clearly in mind the kind of information you want. Avoid tangents. In other words, rather than “speed reading” learn “speed thinking,” keeping your mind on your purpose. Once you have a reasonable amount of facts gathered from reading and from discussion, and time has been spent on meditation, then make your decision. Finally, unless overpowering evidence to the contrary later presents itself, stick to what you have decided.​—Jas. 1:5-8. By way of summary, to learn to think clearly requires riveting your mind to your primary goal in life, as well as setting up other, secondary, goals in life. Then as you go about handling daily problems, plan your work, think systematically and make decisions in a way that is consistent with your goals.

When Someone Dies (we) 2005

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/when-someone-dies-we

Introduction Has someone you loved fallen asleep in death? Are you still grieving? Do you need help in dealing with your grief? Is there hope for the dead? If so, what is it? How can we be sure? In this brochure, such questions will receive comforting answers from the Bible. We invite you to read it carefully.

Young People Ask (yp) 1989

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp

Chapter 25 Masturbation​—How Serious Is It? “I’m wondering if masturbation is wrong in the eyes of God. Will it affect my physical and/​or mental health in the future and if I ever get married?”​—Fifteen-year-old Melissa. THESE thoughts have plagued many youths. The reason? Masturbation is widespread. Reportedly, some 97 percent of males and more than 90 percent of females have masturbated by the age of 21. Furthermore, this practice has been blamed for all manner of ills​—from warts and red eyelids to epilepsy and mental illness. Twentieth-century medical researchers no longer make such alarming claims. Indeed, doctors today believe that no physical illness is caused by masturbation. Researchers William Masters and Virginia Johnson add that “there is no established medical evidence that masturbation, regardless of frequency, leads to mental illness.” Nevertheless, there are other ill effects! And many Christian youths are rightly concerned about the practice. “When I gave in to [masturbation], I’d feel as if I were failing Jehovah God,” wrote one youth. “I got seriously depressed sometimes.” Just what is masturbation? How serious is it, and why do so many youths find it to be a habit that is hard to break? Why Youths Are Vulnerable Masturbation is deliberate self-stimulation to produce sexual arousal. During the bloom of youth, sexual desires become strong. Powerful hormones are released that affect the reproductive organs. A youth thus becomes aware that these organs are capable of producing pleasurable sensations. And sometimes a youth may become sexually excited without even thinking about sex. For instance, the tensions produced by various worries, fears, or frustrations can affect a boy’s sensitive nervous system and cause sexual arousal. A buildup of semen may in turn cause him to awaken sexually excited. Or it may produce a nocturnal emission, usually accompanied by an erotic dream. Similarly, some young girls may find themselves stimulated unintentionally. Many have a heightened sexual desire just before or after their menstrual period. So if you have experienced such arousal, there is nothing wrong with you. This is a normal response of a youthful body. Such sensations, even if very intense, are not the same as masturbation, since they are largely involuntary. And as you grow older, the intensity of these new sensations will subside. Curiosity and the novelty of these new sensations, though, lead some youths deliberately to manipulate, or play with, their sexual organs. ‘Mental Fuel’ The Bible describes a young man who meets a promiscuous woman. She kisses him and says: “Do come, . . . let us enjoy each other with love expressions.” Then what happens? “All of a sudden he is going after her, like a bull that comes even to the slaughter.” (Proverbs 7:7-22) Obviously, this youth’s passions were aroused not simply because his hormones were at work but because of what he saw and heard. Similarly, one young man admits: ‘The root of my whole problem with masturbation boiled down to what I put in my mind. I would watch TV programs that included immorality and in some cases watch programs on cable TV that would show nudity. Such scenes are so shocking that they stay with you. They would surface again in my mind, providing the mental fuel needed to engage in masturbation.’ Yes, often it is what one reads, watches, or listens to, as well as what one talks about or meditates on, that triggers masturbation. As one 25-year-old woman confessed: “I just couldn’t seem to stop the habit. However, I used to read romance novels, and this contributed to the problem.” A “Tranquilizer” This young woman’s experience reveals what is undoubtedly the greatest reason why the habit can be so hard to break. She continues: “Usually I masturbated to release pressure, tension, or anxiety. That fleeting pleasure was like the drink the alcoholic takes to calm his nerves.” Researchers Suzanne and Irving Sarnoff write: “For some people masturbation may become a habit to which they turn for solace whenever they are rebuffed or feel apprehensive about something. Others, however, may withdraw in this way only occasionally, when they are under the most acute emotional stress.” Evidently, others similarly resort to the habit when upset, depressed, lonely, or under much stress; it becomes a “tranquilizer” to blot out their troubles. What Does the Bible Say? A youth asked: “Is masturbation an unforgivable sin?” Masturbation is not mentioned at all in the Bible.a The practice was common in the Greek-speaking world during Bible times, and several Greek words were used to describe the practice. But not one of these words is used in the Bible. Since masturbation is not directly condemned in the Bible, does this mean it is harmless? Absolutely not! Though it is not classed with such gross sins as fornication, masturbation is surely an unclean habit. (Ephesians 4:19) The principles of God’s Word thus indicate that you “benefit yourself” by strongly resisting this unclean habit.​—Isaiah 48:17. Arousing “Sexual Appetite” “Deaden, therefore, your body members,” urges the Bible, “as respects . . . sexual appetite.” (Colossians 3:5) “Sexual appetite” refers not to normal sexual feelings but to passion that is out of control. Such “sexual appetite” can thus lead to one’s indulging in gross acts, as described by Paul at Romans 1:26, 27. But does not masturbation “deaden” these desires? No, on the contrary, as one youth confessed: “When you masturbate, you dwell mentally on wrong desires, and all that does is increase your appetite for them.” Often an immoral fantasy is used to increase the sexual pleasure. (Matthew 5:27, 28) Therefore, given the right circumstances, one could easily fall into immorality. This happened to one youth, who admits: “At one time, I felt that masturbation could relieve frustration without my getting involved with a female. Yet I developed an overpowering desire to do so.” He committed fornication. Not surprisingly, a nationwide study revealed that the majority of adolescents who masturbated were also committing fornication. They outnumbered those who were virgins by 50 percent! Mentally and Emotionally Defiling Masturbation also instills certain attitudes that are mentally corrupting. (Compare 2 Corinthians 11:3.) When masturbating, a person is immersed in his or her own bodily sensations​—totally self-centered. Sex becomes separated from love and is relegated to a reflex that releases tension. But God intended that sexual desires be satisfied in sexual relations​—an expression of love between a man and his wife.​—Proverbs 5:15-19. A masturbator may also tend to view the opposite sex as mere sex objects​—tools for sexual satisfaction. Wrong attitudes taught by masturbation thus defile one’s “spirit,” or dominant mental inclination. In some cases, the problems caused by masturbation persist even after marriage! For good reason, God’s Word urges: “Beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit.”​—2 Corinthians 7:1. A Balanced View of Guilt Many youths, though generally successful in overcoming this bad habit, occasionally give in to it. Fortunately, God is very merciful. “For you, O Jehovah, are good and ready to forgive,” said the psalmist. (Psalm 86:5) When a Christian succumbs to masturbation, his heart is often self-condemning. Yet, the Bible states that “God is greater than our hearts and knows all things.” (1 John 3:20) God sees more than our sins. The greatness of his knowledge enables him to hear with sympathy our earnest pleas for forgiveness. As one young woman wrote: “I have felt guilty to an extent, but knowing what a loving God Jehovah is and that he can read my heart and know all my efforts and intentions keeps me from feeling too depressed when I fail on occasion.” If you fight the desire to masturbate, it is not likely that you will commit the serious sin of fornication. The September 1, 1959, issue of The Watchtower stated: “We [may] find ourselves stumbling and falling many times over some bad habit that has bitten more deeply into our former pattern of life than we had realized. . . . Do not despair. Do not conclude you have committed the unforgivable sin. That is just how Satan would like you to reason. The fact that you feel grieved and vexed with yourself is proof in itself that you have not gone too far. Never weary of turning humbly and earnestly to God, seeking his forgiveness and cleansing and help. Go to him as a child goes to his father when in trouble, no matter how often on the same weakness, and Jehovah will graciously give you the help because of his undeserved kindness and, if you are sincere, he will give you the realization of a cleansed conscience.” How can that “cleansed conscience” be attained? [Footnotes] a God executed Onan for ‘wasting his semen on the earth.’ However, interrupted intercourse, not masturbation, was involved. Furthermore, Onan was executed because he selfishly failed to perform brother-in-law marriage in order to continue his deceased brother’s family line. (Genesis 38:1-10) What of the “emission of semen” mentioned at Leviticus 15:16-18? This apparently refers, not to masturbation, but to a nocturnal emission as well as to marital sexual relations. Questions for Discussion ◻ What is masturbation, and what are some popular misconceptions regarding it? ◻ Why do youths often feel very strong sexual desire? Do you think this is wrong? ◻ What things can fuel the desire to masturbate? ◻ Does masturbation do a youth any harm? ◻ How serious a sin do you feel masturbation is? How does Jehovah view a youth who is putting up a fight against it, though perhaps having problems overcoming it? [Blurb on page 200] Some feel the urge to masturbate when under pressure or when tense, lonely, or depressed [Blurb on page 202] ‘The root of my whole problem with masturbation boiled down to what I put in my mind’ [Blurb on page 204] “When I gave in to [masturbation], I’d feel as if I were failing Jehovah God” [Picture on page 198] Though masturbation may cause strong guilt feelings, sincere prayer for God’s forgiveness and hard work to resist the practice can give one a good conscience [Picture on page 203] Erotic movies, books, and TV shows are often the ‘mental fuel’ for masturbation

Where Can You Find Reliable Guidance Today?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2024008

Where Can You Find Reliable Guidance Today? In our rapidly changing world, how can you be certain that the choices you make will result in good? How can you be sure that what is considered right today won’t be considered wrong tomorrow? The Bible can help you make choices that you will never regret. How is that possible? The Bible is from our Creator, and he knows what will make us truly happy and secure. “He has told you . . . what is good.”​—Micah 6:8. We can trust the practical wisdom found in the Bible. It is “always reliable, now and forever.”​—Psalm 111:8. Why not examine for yourself how the Bible can help you in this ever-changing world?

Family Communication—How Can It Be Improved?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101985002

Family Communication​—How Can It Be Improved? ‘MY HUSBAND never talks.’ ‘My wife never listens to what I have to say.’ These complaints are common among married couples. Youngsters often feel like 12-year-old Max: “I’m not scared to talk [to my parents], but I’m scared of how they might react.” Barricades of silence thus separate family members. Some might argue that in many cases the husband and wife are simply a bad match; that they are hopelessly incompatible and should never have got married in the first place! To be sure, many couples do take courtship lightly and fail to lay a firm groundwork for communication before marriage. (See box on page 9.) Nevertheless, the success of a marriage does not rest solely upon so-called compatibility. Far more crucial is whether a couple is willing to accept God’s standards for marriage and apply the Bible’s principles or not. Consider just a few of the things the Bible says about the roles and responsibilities of husbands and wives: ● “Let wives be in subjection to their husbands as to the Lord.”​—Ephesians 5:22, 23. ● “Husbands, continue loving your wives, just as the Christ also loved the congregation and delivered up himself for it . . . Husbands ought to be loving their wives as their own bodies.”​—Ephesians 5:25, 28. ● “Do not be irritating your children, but go on bringing them up in the discipline and mental-regulating of Jehovah.”​—Ephesians 6:4. When these principles are put to work, a solid basis for marital communication is laid. Why? Because a husband who views ‘loving his wife’ as a God-given responsibility will be more inclined to talk to her and listen to her. A wife who believes that obedience to her husband is a divine requirement will be similarly motivated. But how does one deal with stresses and strains that develop in a marriage? Can the Bible’s advice really help you cope? When Problems Arise Marriage is the most intimate of human relationships. In time a couple can enjoy a relationship so close that just a touch, look, or gesture conveys volumes. Few attain this blissful state however. A young wife recalls: “We had a rough time financially after we got married. We were living from week to week and from hand to mouth. I wasn’t used to such insecurity.” This young couple, however, eased their marital tensions by applying the Scriptures. Confesses the husband: “I guess I was just totally oblivious to her feelings. I thought everything was just fine. But I didn’t realize she was a nervous wreck.” What did they do about this communication gap? Recalls the wife: “We had long talks. They were at times uncomfortable talks, but they always helped.” A husband named Richard said: “I had trouble adjusting to the routine of marriage. We were both working full time and my wife wanted me to pitch in with the housework. However, I had the idea that my wife should do everything. Besides, after a day of work I was in no mood to do anything but relax and watch sports. So if all of a sudden I heard, ‘Can you take the clothes to the cleaners?’ I’d say, ‘Do it yourself!’” Richard and his wife, though, began studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Learning that God required him to ‘love his wife as his own body,’ he was motivated to carry a share of household responsibilities. Even the pressures of work looked different in the light of God’s Word. He recollects: “Once I had a reason to live and understood God’s purposes, I could get rid of the negative thinking I picked up on the job.” The Bible, though, points to another possible source of problems: “For we all stumble many times. If anyone does not stumble in word, this one is a perfect man, able to bridle also his whole body.” (James 3:2) Yes, everyone is occasionally guilty of a tactless or even unkind remark. And when two imperfect personalities grate on each other, tempers may flare. But what happens if a couple allows such problems to dominate in their marriage? Says the Bible: “A brother who is transgressed against is more than a strong town; and there are outputions that are like the bar of a dwelling tower.” (Proverbs 18:19) Communication may be cut off, with serious consequences for both the couple and their children. Indeed, experts say “persistent parental discord” is one of the most destructive influences on a child. Applying the Bible’s counsel, however, can minimize such conflicts. Husbands are commanded not to “be bitterly angry with” their wives. (Colossians 3:19) And it takes two to quarrel. If your mate gets upset and angry, why not try to remain calm and tactful? Agree and sympathize if possible. As the Bible says: “An answer, when mild, turns away rage.” (Proverbs 15:1) Sharp retorts will only aggravate the situation. Better it is to ask in a kind way: “Did I upset you? What’s wrong, dear?” Lovingly and tactfully drawing out the cause of the trouble in this way will often help to solve it. On the other hand, it might be a matter of frankly, but kindly, telling your mate that you are irritated or upset by his or her actions. The Bible says: “Let the sun not set with you in a provoked state. But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate, freely forgiving one another.”​—Ephesians 4:26, 32. One young husband learned to apply this counsel. He says: “My wife is very emotional. So it’s sometimes hard for her to have a calm discussion without getting really uptight. But I’ve tried to adjust to her personality and to be more sensitive to her feelings.” Such conscientious effort not only helps keep peace but endears you to your mate! Communicating With the Children The arrival of a young couple’s first child presents a real challenge to them. After all, a newborn infant needs more than just regular feedings and diaper changes. Researchers say that infants have a strong need to communicate. True, a baby cannot talk. But a parent’s eyes, touch, and bodily contact do much to open the lines of communication. This is one reason why many hospitals no longer separate mothers from their newborn infants. And, say Swedish researchers Winberg and de Château: “While close [mother-infant] contact during this period may directly influence the baby’s development, it may be of even greater importance to the mother, strengthening her bond to the newborn . . . This contact seems to influence her attitudes and sensitivity to the infant’s needs.” What else can parents do to get communication with their children off to a good start? The Bible indicates that parents should speak to their children “from infancy.” (2 Timothy 3:15) Is this realistic? Researchers Winberg and de Château claim that singing and talking to an infant may be “important in meeting [his] psychological needs.” Soviet researcher M. I. Lisina similarly cites an experiment in which babies were spoken to affectionately, smiled at and caressed. The result? After two months these babies reached “a significantly higher developmental level” than other children who did not receive this attention. Such loving communication pays emotional dividends for a child, and as Dr. Lisina further observes: “We believe interaction with other people is critically important in the genesis of [a baby’s] verbal functions.” Study and Recreation Naturally, as the children grow older the problems of raising them become more complex. Many Christian families have thus found it helpful to establish a program of spiritual activities. This can do much to promote communication and unity. Such a program can be varied, flexible, and enjoyable for all. Admittedly, establishing such a program may require some adjustments on the part of everyone. For example, in some parts of Africa, the father traditionally eats in dignified solitude. But upon becoming a Christian, he sees the need to preside over his family at mealtimes. The advantages? At breakfast, a Bible text or topic can be discussed, setting a good tone for the day. The evening meal can be a relaxed time for all to recount the events of the day and to have “an interchange of encouragement.” (Romans 1:12) Parents can encourage their youngsters to express themselves. Time for serious study such as homework and Bible discussion is a must. But let us not forget the need for recreation. TV, films, and recorded music are popular with young folks, but these highly efficient means of communication are becoming like sewers​—loaded with filth. According to a study by the National Institute of Mental Health (U.S.A.), “the evidence accumulated in the 1970s seems overwhelming that televised violence and aggression are positively correlated in children.” Parents therefore have to exercise tight control over their children’s recreation. (See Ephesians 5:3-5.) Picnics and other outings, as well as Christian gatherings, are some ways to provide youngsters with wholesome entertainment. Talking With Teenagers Some parents experience a breakdown in communication with their children when these reach the teen years. Those years bring for a youth not only rapid physical changes but also an onslaught of new emotions and desires. Some youths react by withdrawing into themselves. Others withdraw from their parents and become strongly attached to their peers. It therefore takes much determination on the parents’ part to keep the lines of communication open during these critical years. They must be sensitive to their youngsters’ moods and feelings. Personal chats can be very helpful​—especially when they are kept informal. “You must inculcate [God’s words] in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up,” the Bible tells parents. (Deuteronomy 6:7) A father might therefore ask his unusually quiet son to work with him in the garden or on some repair project. A mother might likewise instruct her daughter in sewing. Such relaxed occasions often lead to a real sharing of feelings. Even intimate subjects such as sex, bodily changes, morals, faith, and goals in life can often be broached on such occasions. “I had some of my best discussions with my boys over the kitchen sink,” one mother recalls. Be prepared, however, to hear about problems at times. Perhaps it is a bout with masturbation or even an admission of a lack of faith. Instead of scolding, listen calmly and show understanding. Otherwise the precious line of communication might break. “Know this, my beloved brothers. Every man must be swift about hearing, slow about speaking, slow about wrath,” says the Bible. (James 1:19) Even if wrongdoing is involved, you do not want to condemn your child summarily. It is the wrongdoing you want to reject​—not the child. (Compare Jude 23.) First prove yourself “swift about hearing,” and then offer your child help and counsel. At times you might even be able to reassure him by saying, ‘You are not the only one who has had such a problem. Even I had to deal with it when I was your age.’ Your calm reaction may result in his confiding in you when the need for help again arises. It is important, though, that you make yourself available to your children. One father had a quite responsible job, and as a result he spent much time at home in his study poring over papers. His daughter, though, had what seemed to her a serious problem. But with her father so busy, she kept it to herself. Soon she became depressed and left home. Fortunately she returned, had a good talk with her father and realized that the problem was only a minor one. However, thereafter her father arranged to do his work in the sitting room where he was more available to his youngsters. Your just being there means more to your children than material riches. A single parent named Anita had five children, aged one to six, to provide for. Though child welfare granted her but a meager monthly allowance, she did not begrudge having to live off so little. This government provision allowed her to be at home with her children. And although money at times was very tight, she recalls: “We were never hungry. We learned to rely on Jehovah.” With the help of some Christian friends who furnished them with clothing, she was able both to provide materially for her children and to give them the attention they needed. Happy, United Families Loving, empathetic, communicative parents can do wonders for their youngsters. Wrote educationist Audrey Bilski: “‘I can talk with them about anything’ is perhaps one of the finest compliments a teenager or a grown-up son or daughter can pay to their parents.” Wives and husbands likewise appreciate it when they can confidently approach their mates to discuss even the most delicate of matters, knowing they will receive an understanding and sympathetic hearing. True, in today’s complex world there are many pressures that work against family communication. And at times parents need guidance themselves. But there is no reason for you to feel helpless. Other experienced parents, especially mature Christians, can often help. And there is God’s Word, the Bible, which is “alive and exerts power.” (Hebrews 4:12) The book Making Your Family Life Happy, published by the publishers of this magazine, has helped thousands to improve their family life. This article has presented merely a sampling of the Bible’s practical advice. Take the time to study and apply it regularly. By doing so, you can succeed in making your family a happy and united one. [Box on page 9] COURTSHIP and COMMUNICATION “YOU make two great choices in life,” wrote Professor Ernest Burgess, “the selection of a profession or trade; the other, the choice of a mate.” Most people are fairly rational when it comes to picking their lifework. “When you marry, however,” the professor continued, “you are likely to behave in a romantic rather than a practical way.” Courtship is therefore a time for doing some serious communicating. True, even before they actually meet, there can be powerful communication between a man and a woman. He may gaze admiringly at her, and she may flash an appreciative look. An old saying has it: “The eye is the mirror of the soul.” Our eyes can convey deep emotions and messages of the heart. In time verbal expressions of endearment may give way to another means of communication​—touch. In many cultures such things as holding hands or embracing are considered appropriate expressions of love. But while displays of affection have their place, a solid marriage is not based on passion. A touch from a person you love can arouse strong feelings and sexual desires. The Bible encourages Christians to “deaden” immoral impulses. (Colossians 3:5) This is not only a moral safeguard but good and practical advice. For when sexual desires are uncontrollably “turned on,” serious communication is often “turned off.” Couples can be blinded to obvious personality flaws and weaknesses. Open and frank conversations during courtship will provide the answer to questions such as: Are we really well matched? Is he, or she, honest and kind? Does this person have good morals? Is he capable of being a good provider? Does he make good decisions? Will she be capable of caring for a home? Is she willing to submit to headship? Do we have true love for each other​—and not merely physical attraction? What if one is shy? Remember that a basic requirement of good conversation is being sensitive to the feelings and interests of others. That should not be difficult for two who really love each other. (1 Corinthians 13:5) Learn to ask simple, but appropriate, questions. Most people like to talk about themselves, their lives, families, and occupations and will do so willingly if tactfully drawn out. These courtship chats might reveal that a couple holds many interests, goals, and hopes in common. What, though, if differences are revealed? Try to discern to what extent these differences will jeopardize marital happiness. The fact that a prospective mate does not enjoy a particular form of recreation, such as dancing, does not mean that the person will make a poor husband or wife. Perhaps there are other, more important things that could be shared in common. Or there is the potential of developing new interests in common. At any rate, Professor Ernest Burgess further stated: “Couples should discuss and try to settle the important issues in their relationship, such as children, in-laws, finances, religion, and philosophy of life, before the wedding date. It is generally a vain hope to expect to reform a mate after the wedding ceremony.” [Pictures on page 7] Parents should use every opportunity to build up communication with their children

Why the Cinstructioning of Glasses?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101985011

Why the Cinstructioning of Glasses? Have you ever noticed people at parties or in restaurants cinstructioning their beverage glasses before taking a drink? If you asked them why they did this, most of them could not give you an answer. Or they may feel it is a harmless act among friends. However, they may be surprised to learn that it is an ancient superstitious custom. According to the American Library Association, thousands of years ago people had the ridiculous notion that when they took a drink the Devil could enter their bodies through their open mouth. And they actually believed that this evil spirit could be frightened by noise. So to avoid this danger they noisily banged their goblets. In Europe, drinkers still bash their beer steins or make the sign of the cross. And some primitive people, including certain Africans, will ring bells before downing their drinks.

Examining the Scriptures—2024 2023

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/examining-the-scriptures/examining-the-scriptures-2024

September Sunday, September 1 If any man thinks he is a worshipper of God but does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he is deceiving his own heart, and his worship is futile.​—Jas. 1:26. When we use the gift of speech well, we identify ourselves as worshippers of Jehovah. We help those around us to see clearly the difference “between one serving God and one not serving him.” (Mal. 3:18) Consider how this proved to be true for a sister named Kimberly. She was assigned to work with a classmate on a high-school project. After working together, the classmate noticed that Kimberly was different from other students. She did not criticize people behind their back, she spoke in a positive way, and she did not use profanity. Kimberly’s classmate was intrigued and eventually agreed to a Bible study. How pleased Jehovah is when we speak in a way that attracts people to the truth! We all want to speak in a way that brings honor to Jehovah. w22.04 5-6 ¶5-7 Monday, September 2 Women . . . were ministering to them from their belongings.​—Luke 8:3. Jesus freed Mary Magdalene from the influence of seven demons! Her gratitude moved her to become his follower and to support him in the ministry. (Luke 8:1-3) Although Mary deeply appreciated what Jesus did for her personally, she may not have grasped that his greatest gift was yet to come. He would give his life “so that everyone exercising faith in him” could enjoy everlasting life. (John 3:16) Still, Mary showed her appreciation for Jesus by being loyal. While Jesus was suffering on the torture stake, Mary stood nearby, providing emotional support to him and to others. (John 19:25) After Jesus died, Mary and two other women brought spices to the tomb for his burial. (Mark 16:1, 2) Mary had the joy of meeting the resurrected Jesus and of speaking with him​—a privilege that most disciples did not have.​—John 20:11-18. w23.01 27 ¶4 Tuesday, September 3 I wish you were cold or else hot.​—Rev. 3:15. We cannot rely merely on what we have done in the past in Jehovah’s service. Though we may have more limitations than before, we need to keep busy in “the work of the Lord,” remaining awake and alert right to the end. (1 Cor. 15:58; Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:33) We must be zealous and wholehearted in our worship. Jesus’ message to those in Laodicea highlighted yet a different problem. They were “lukewarm” in their worship. Because of their apathy, Jesus told them that they were in a “miserable and pitiful” state. They needed to display fiery zeal for Jehovah and his worship. (Rev. 3:16, 17, 19) What is the lesson for us? If we have lost a measure of our zeal, we must stir up our appreciation for the spiritual riches we have. (Rev. 3:18) Never would we want to allow the pursuit of a comfortable lifestyle to distract us, causing us to relegate spiritual activities to second place. w22.05 3-4 ¶7-8 Wednesday, September 4 A book of remembrance was written before him for those fearing Jehovah.​—Mal. 3:16. For thousands of years, Jehovah has been writing a special book. This book consists of a list of names, beginning with the name of the first faithful witness, Abel. (Luke 11:50, 51) Down through the centuries, Jehovah has added names to the book, and today it contains millions of names. In the Bible, that book is called “a book of remembrance,” “the book of life,” and “the scroll of life.” (Mal. 3:16; Rev. 3:5; 17:8) This special book contains the names of all those who worship Jehovah with fear, or awe, and who treasure his name. They are in line to receive everlasting life. Today we can have our name written in that book if we develop a close, personal relationship with Jehovah based on the ransom sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ. (John 3:16, 36) All of us want our name to be found in that book​—whether we hope to live in heaven or on the earth. w22.09 14 ¶1-2 Thursday, September 5 The Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur.​—Rev. 20:10. The book of Revelation describes “a great fiery-colored dragon.” (Rev. 12:3) This dragon fights against Jesus and his angels. (Rev. 12:7-9) It attacks God’s people, and it gives power to the political beasts. (Rev. 12:17; 13:4) Who is this dragon? It is “the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan.” (Rev. 12:9; 20:2) He is the one behind all the other enemies of Jehovah. What happens to the dragon? Revelation 20:1-3 explains that an angel will hurl Satan into an abyss, which represents a prisonlike confinement. During that confinement, Satan will “not mislead the nations anymore until the 1,000 years [have] ended.” Finally, Satan and his demons will be destroyed once and for all, represented by their being hurled into “the lake of fire and sulfur.” Just imagine a world without Satan and his demons. What a wonderful time that will be! w22.05 14 ¶19-20 Friday, September 6 Let him do hard work, doing good work with his hands, so that he may have something to share with someone in need.​—Eph. 4:28. Jesus was a hard worker. In his early years on earth, he worked as a carpenter. (Mark 6:3) No doubt his parents appreciated his help as they tried hard to provide for the needs of their large family. And as a carpenter, the perfect man Jesus must have been in high demand! Jesus very likely enjoyed his work. Yet, even while he was applying himself to his secular work, Jesus set aside time for spiritual activities. (John 7:15) Later, as a full-time minister, he advised his listeners: “Work, not for the food that perishes, but for the food that remains for everlasting life.” (John 6:27) And in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” (Matt. 6:20) Godly wisdom helps us to have a balanced view of our secular work. As Christians, we are taught to do “hard work . . . , good work.” w22.05 22 ¶9-10 Saturday, September 7 Your mother will rejoice.​—Prov. 23:25. Eunice set a good example for Timothy. He could no doubt see that his mother’s actions were motivated by her strong love for Jehovah and that serving Jehovah made his mother happy. Similarly today, many mothers have reached the heart of family members “without a word.” (1 Pet. 3:1, 2) You can do the same. How? Make your relationship with Jehovah your priority. (Deut. 6:5, 6) Like most mothers, you make many sacrifices. You give up time, money, sleep, and other things to care for your children’s physical needs. But you should never be so busy caring for those needs that you sacrifice your relationship with Jehovah. Regularly set aside time for private prayer, personal study of the Bible, and congregation meetings. By doing so, you will strengthen yourself spiritually and set a good example for your family as well as for others. w22.04 16 ¶1; 19 ¶12-13 Sunday, September 8 Judge your servants by pronouncing the wicked one guilty and bringing what he did on his own head, and by pronouncing the righteous one innocent and rewarding him.​—1 Ki. 8:32. What a relief it is to know that we do not have the burden of deciding how individuals should be judged! As the Supreme Judge, Jehovah will care for this important work. (Rom. 14:10-12) We can have complete confidence that he will always judge in harmony with his perfect standards of right and wrong. (Gen. 18:25) He will never do anything unrighteous! We long for the time when Jehovah will completely undo all the bad effects of human imperfection and sin. At that time, all our physical and emotional wounds will be permanently healed. (Ps. 72:12-14; Rev. 21:3, 4) They will never come to mind again. While we wait for that wonderful time to arrive, how thankful we are that Jehovah has empowered us with the ability to imitate him by being forgiving. w22.06 13 ¶18-19 Monday, September 9 Will the Judge of all the earth not do what is right?​—Gen. 18:25. A good judge needs to have a thorough understanding of the law. He should have a deep and strong sense of right and wrong. What else does a good judge need? He needs to be able to consider all the relevant facts in a case before he renders judgment. In this respect, Jehovah is uniquely qualified as Judge. Unlike human judges, Jehovah always has a perfect grasp of all the facts of any case that comes before him. (Gen. 18:20, 21; Ps. 90:8) He is not limited by what humans see or hear. He completely understands how a person’s actions are influenced by his genetic makeup, upbringing, and environment as well as by his emotional and mental condition. Jehovah also reads the heart. He fully perceives the motivations, intentions, and desires of each person. Nothing can be hidden from Jehovah. (Heb. 4:13) Thus, Jehovah’s forgiveness is always based on his complete knowledge of a situation. w22.06 4 ¶8-9 Tuesday, September 10 A man will give everything that he has for his life.​—Job 2:4. We must pay close attention to the tactics used on Job because Satan uses similar methods on us today. Satan claims that we do not really love Jehovah God and that we will turn against Him if it means saving our life. Satan further claims that God does not love us and that He will not notice our efforts to please Him. Being forewarned, we who hope in Jehovah are not fooled by Satan’s tactics. We should view trials as an opportunity to learn about ourselves. The trials that Job faced helped him to identify certain weaknesses and to correct them. For one thing, he learned that he needed to cultivate humility to a greater degree. (Job 42:3) We too can learn a lot about ourselves when we are under trial. Once we identify our weaknesses, we can work on correcting them. w22.06 23 ¶13-14 Wednesday, September 11 “You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “Yes, my servant whom I have chosen.”​—Isa. 43:10. Jehovah assures us of his support. For example, just before Jehovah stated: “You are my witnesses,” he said: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not flood over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame singe you.” (Isa. 43:2) As we carry out our ministry, we sometimes encounter floodlike obstacles and face firelike trials. Even so, with Jehovah’s help we keep preaching. (Isa. 41:13) Most people today reject the message. We keep in mind that their rejection does not mean that we have failed as God’s Witnesses. We draw comfort and strength from knowing that Jehovah is pleased when we faithfully continue to declare his message. The apostle Paul stated: “Each person will receive his own reward according to his own work.”​—1 Cor. 3:8; 4:1, 2. w22.11 4 ¶5-6 Thursday, September 12 Maintain your conduct fine among the nations.​—1 Pet. 2:12. Today, we are seeing Bible prophecies being fulfilled. People “out of all the languages of the nations” are learning to speak the “pure language” of Bible truth. (Zech. 8:23; Zeph. 3:9) Well over 8,000,000 people in 240 lands are associating with Jehovah’s organization, and each year tens of thousands get baptized! More important than numbers, however, are the spiritual qualities, “the new personality,” that these new disciples have cultivated. (Col. 3:8-10) Many stopped being immoral, violent, prejudiced, and nationalistic. The prophecy recorded at Isaiah 2:4 is being fulfilled; they are ‘not learning war anymore.’ As we work hard to put on the new personality, we help draw people to God’s organization and we prove that we are following our overseer Christ Jesus. (John 13:35) None of this happens by accident. Jesus is giving us the help we need. w22.07 9 ¶7-8 Friday, September 13 May my prayer be as incense prepared before you.​—Ps. 141:2. When we pray to Jehovah, we should avoid being overly familiar. Instead, we pray with an attitude of deep respect. Think about the amazing visions that Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and John received. They all depict Jehovah as a majestic King. Isaiah “saw Jehovah sitting on a lofty and elevated throne.” (Isa. 6:1-3) Ezekiel saw Jehovah seated on his celestial chariot, surrounded by “a brilliance . . . like that of a rainbow.” (Ezek. 1:26-28) Daniel saw “the Ancient of Days” clothed in white garments, with flames of fire coming from His throne. (Dan. 7:9, 10) And John saw Jehovah seated on a throne surrounded by something like a beautiful emerald-green rainbow. (Rev. 4:2-4) As we reflect on Jehovah’s incomparable glory, we are reminded of the incredible privilege of approaching him in prayer and the importance of doing so with reverence. w22.07 20 ¶3 Saturday, September 14 [Beware] of the trickery of men.​—Eph. 4:14. Young ones, Satan will try to prevent you from making further spiritual progress. One way he may do that is by raising doubts in your mind about some of the Bible’s teachings. For example, sooner or later you will come across the God-dishonoring theory of evolution. You may have given little or no thought to the subject when you were younger, but now that you are older, perhaps you are confronted with it directly in school. What your teachers say in support of evolution may seem logical and convincing. However, they may have never seriously considered the evidence of the existence of a Creator. Remember the principle found at Proverbs 18:17: “The first to state his case seems right, until the other party comes and cross-examines him.” Instead of blindly accepting ideas that you hear at school as fact, carefully consider the truths found in God’s Word, the Bible and in our publications. w22.08 2 ¶2; 4 ¶8 Sunday, September 15 Observe carefully all that is written in it; for then your way will be successful and then you will act wisely.​—Josh. 1:8. We want to understand the meaning of what we read in God’s Word. Otherwise, our reading may not fully benefit us. For example, consider Jesus’ conversation with “a man versed in the Law.” (Luke 10:25-29) When the man asked what he needed to do to gain everlasting life, Jesus directed him to God’s Word by asking: “What is written in the Law? How do you read?” The man was able to give the right answer by quoting the scriptures about loving God and loving neighbor. (Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:5) But note what he said next: “Who really is my neighbor?” The man revealed that he did not understand the real meaning of what he had read. As a result, he did not know how to apply those scriptures correctly in his life. We need Jehovah’s help to understand the Scriptures. So ask him for his holy spirit in order to concentrate, and then ask for his help to apply what you have read. w23.02 9 ¶4-5 Monday, September 16 Go on walking in the truth.​—3 John 4. “How did you come into the truth?” No doubt you have answered that question many times. It is one of the first questions that a fellow believer will ask when we are getting acquainted. We love to hear how our brothers and sisters came to know and love Jehovah, and we enjoy telling them what the truth means to us. (Rom. 1:11) As a result of these conversations, we are reminded of just how precious the truth is. We also become even more determined to “go on walking in the truth”​—that is, to keep living in a way that will bring Jehovah’s blessing and approval. We love the truth for many reasons. Most important, we love Jehovah God, the Source of the truth. Through his Word, the Bible, we have come to know him not only as the all-powerful Maker of heaven and earth but also as our loving heavenly Father, who tenderly cares for us.​—1 Pet. 5:7. w22.08 14 ¶1, 3 Tuesday, September 17 Keep the poor in mind.​—Gal. 2:10. The apostle Paul encouraged his brothers and sisters to show love through “fine works.” (Heb. 10:24) He helped his brothers and sisters not only by what he said but also by what he did. For example, when fellow believers in Judea faced a famine, Paul helped distribute relief to them. (Acts 11:27-30) In fact, even though Paul was busy preaching and teaching, he always looked for ways to help those who needed material assistance. By so doing, he built up his fellow believers’ confidence that Jehovah would care for them. Today, when we volunteer our time, effort, and skills to help with disaster relief, we too build up the faith of our brothers and sisters. The same happens when we regularly donate toward the worldwide work. In these and other ways, we help our brothers and sisters to trust that Jehovah will never abandon them. w22.08 24 ¶14 Wednesday, September 18 Prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, but men spoke from God as they were moved by holy spirit.​—2 Pet. 1:21. The Bible contains many prophecies that were fulfilled, some of them hundreds of years after they were recorded. History confirms that these prophecies came true. This does not surprise us because we know that the Author of Bible prophecy is Jehovah. Think of the prophecies regarding the fall of the ancient city of Babylon. In the eighth century B.C.E., the prophet Isaiah was inspired to foretell that the then powerful city of Babylon would be captured. He even gave the name of its conqueror, Cyrus, and foretold precisely how the city would be seized. (Isa. 44:27–45:2) Isaiah also prophesied that Babylon would eventually be destroyed and completely deserted. (Isa. 13:19, 20) Babylon fell to the Medes and the Persians in 539 B.C.E., and the site of this once great city is now a pile of ruins. w23.01 4 ¶10 Thursday, September 19 Keep encouraging one another.​—1 Thess. 5:11. Jehovah has chosen us to be part of his worldwide family of worshippers. Just think what a privilege that is and what benefits it brings! (Mark 10:29, 30) Around the world, we have brothers and sisters who share our love for Jehovah and who try their best to live by his standards. Our language, culture, and dress may be different from theirs, but we feel close to them, even when meeting them for the first time. We especially love to be with them to praise and worship our loving heavenly Father, and we need to remain united with them. (Ps. 133:1) At times, they help us to carry our burdens. (Rom. 15:1; Gal. 6:2) They also encourage us to stay active in Jehovah’s service and to keep spiritually strong. (Heb. 10:23-25) Think how we would feel if we did not have the protection of the congregation to help us stand firm against our common enemies​—Satan the Devil and his wicked world. w22.09 2-3 ¶3-4 Friday, September 20 Whoever controls his lips acts discreetly.​—Prov. 10:19. We may find that our self-control is put to the test when we are using social media. If not careful, we could unintentionally reveal confidential matters to a large audience. And once we broadcast the information electronically, we have no control over how it will be used or how much damage it will cause. Self-control also allows us to remain silent when opposers try to trick us into revealing things that could endanger our brothers and sisters. This might occur when we are being interrogated by the police in a land where our work is banned or restricted. We can apply the principle to “guard [our] mouth with a muzzle” in these and other situations as well. (Ps. 39:1) Whether we are dealing with our family, our friends, our brothers and sisters, or anyone else, we need to be trustworthy. And to be trustworthy, we need self-control. w22.09 13 ¶16 Saturday, September 21 Happy is the man . . . [whose] delight is in the law of Jehovah, and he reads His law in an undertone day and night.​—Ps. 1:1, 2. To be truly happy, we must take in spiritual food. And we need it. That is why Jesus said: “Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from Jehovah’s mouth.” (Matt. 4:4) Therefore, we should not let a day go by without taking in some spiritual food from God’s precious Word, the Bible. In the Bible, Jehovah has lovingly given us vital information on how to live a happy life. We learn what his purpose is for our life. We learn how we can draw close to him and gain his forgiveness for our sins. And we learn about the wonderful hope that he promises for the future. (Jer. 29:11) These truths that we gain from a study of the Bible fill our heart with joy! Whenever you feel discouraged by life’s problems, spend more time reading Jehovah’s Word and meditating on it. w22.10 7 ¶4-6 Sunday, September 22 Become full-grown in your understanding.​—1 Cor. 14:20. With good reason, the Bible encourages us not to remain inexperienced. We acquire the right kind of experience by applying Bible principles in our life. Little by little, we learn firsthand how those principles help us to avoid problems and make wise decisions. We do well to check our progress in this regard. If we have been studying the Bible and attending meetings for some time, we might ask ourselves why we have still not taken steps to make a dedication to Jehovah and get baptized. If we are baptized, are we making progress as a preacher and teacher of the good news? Do our decisions show that we are guided by Bible principles? Are we displaying Christian qualities in our dealings with others? If we see room for improvement, let us pay attention to Jehovah’s reminders, which ‘make the inexperienced one wise.’​—Ps. 19:7. w22.10 20 ¶8 Monday, September 23 They would go where the spirit inclined them to go.​—Ezek. 1:20. Ezekiel saw how powerful God’s spirit is. In vision, he witnessed holy spirit at work on the mighty spirit creatures and on the gigantic wheels of a celestial chariot. (Ezek. 1:21) What was Ezekiel’s reaction? He recorded what happened. “When I saw it, I fell facedown.” Overcome with awe, Ezekiel dropped to the ground. (Ezek. 1:28) Later, whenever Ezekiel reflected on that impressive vision, it must have strengthened his conviction that with the help of God’s spirit, he could accomplish his ministry. Jehovah commanded Ezekiel: “Son of man, stand up on your feet that I may speak with you.” That command gave Ezekiel the inner strength, or the “spirit,” that he needed to get up from the ground. (Ezek. 2:1, 2) Later and throughout his ministry, Ezekiel was guided by God’s “hand”​—that is, God’s holy spirit.​—Ezek. 3:22; 8:1; 33:22; 37:1; 40:1. w22.11 4 ¶7-8 Tuesday, September 24 Your own ears will hear a word behind you.​—Isa. 30:21. The prophet Isaiah here describes Jehovah as an attentive instructor who is walking behind his students, pointing to the way ahead and giving them guidance. Today we hear God’s voice from behind us. How? God’s inspired words were recorded in the Bible long ago, a time far behind us. So when we read the Bible, it is as if we were hearing God’s voice coming from behind us. (Isa. 51:4) How can we benefit to the full from the guidance Jehovah provides? Note that Isaiah makes two statements. First, “this is the way.” Second, “walk in it.” It is not enough to know “the way.” We also need to “walk in it.” By means of Jehovah’s Word, as it is explained by his organization, we learn what Jehovah requires of us. We also learn how to apply what we learn. To endure with joy in our service to Jehovah, we need to take both steps. Only then can we be assured of Jehovah’s blessing. w22.11 11 ¶10-11 Wednesday, September 25 After my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among you.​—Acts 20:29. Soon after most of Jesus’ apostles died, imitation Christians worked their way into the congregation. (Matt. 13:24-27, 37-39) They spoke “twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:30) One of the “twisted things” that imitation Christians eventually began teaching was that Jesus did not offer his body “once for all time to bear the sins of many,” as the Bible says, but that his sacrifice must be repeated over and over again. (Heb. 9:27, 28) Today many sincere people believe this false teaching. They gather together in churches regularly​—sometimes daily—​to observe what has come to be called “the Sacrifice of the Mass.” Other religious organizations observe the death of Jesus less often, but most of their members have only a vague notion about what Jesus’ sacrifice has accomplished. w23.01 21 ¶5 Thursday, September 26 Do not forget to do good and to share what you have with others.​—Heb. 13:16. During Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign, the dead will be raised and obedient mankind will be brought to perfection. Those whom Jehovah judges to be righteous “will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.” (Ps. 37:10, 11, 29) Happily, “the last enemy, death,” will be “brought to nothing.” (1 Cor. 15:26) Our hope of living forever is solidly based on God’s Word. That hope can help us to remain loyal during these difficult last days. But to please Jehovah, we must be motivated by more than just a desire to stay alive. Our primary reason for remaining loyal to Jehovah and Jesus is that we love them deeply. (2 Cor. 5:14, 15) That love motivates us to imitate them and to share with others the hope we have. (Rom. 10:13-15) As we learn to be unselfish and generous, we become the type of people whom Jehovah wants as his friends forever. w22.12 6-7 ¶15-16 Friday, September 27 All those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.​—2 Tim. 3:12. Persecution can rob us of many things that normally bring peace. We may become anxious, fearing what will happen next. These feelings are normal. Still, we must be careful. Jesus indicated that persecution could cause his followers to stumble. (John 16:1, 2) While Jesus did tell us to expect persecution, he also assured us that we can remain faithful. (John 15:20; 16:33) When our work is banned or greatly restricted, we may receive instructions from the branch office and the elders. These are meant to protect us, to make sure that we keep receiving spiritual food, and to help us continue preaching to the extent possible. Do your best to obey the direction you receive. (Jas. 3:17) Also, never reveal information about our brothers and sisters to those who are not eninputd to it.​—Eccl. 3:7. w22.12 20-21 ¶14-16 Saturday, September 28 Show the same industriousness.​—Heb. 6:11. Today, Jesus continues to direct his disciples as they preach about God’s Kingdom in all the earth. He has done his part. Through Jehovah’s organization, Jesus trains us how to preach and he provides us with the tools we need to spread the good news. (Matt. 28:18-20) We do our part by being industrious in our preaching and teaching work and by keeping watchful as we wait on Jehovah to bring an end to this system of things. By applying the counsel found at Hebrews 6:11, 12, we will hold fast to our hope “down to the end.” Jehovah has a fixed day and hour when he will bring an end to Satan’s system. When that day comes, Jehovah will without fail fulfill the prophecies that he had recorded in his Word. Meanwhile, it may at times seem that the end of this system has been delayed. However, Jehovah’s day “will not be late!” (Hab. 2:3) So may we be determined to “keep on the lookout for Jehovah,” showing “a waiting attitude for the God of [our] salvation.”​—Mic. 7:7. w23.02 19 ¶15-16 Sunday, September 29 None can compare to you.​—Ps. 40:5. A mountain climber’s goal is to reach the summit. However, there are numerous points along the route where he can stop and take in the view. In a similar way, regularly take time to stop and think about how Jehovah is making you successful even while you are enduring a hardship. At the end of each day, ask yourself: ‘In what way did I see Jehovah’s blessing today? Although the trial is still running its course, how is Jehovah helping me to endure?’ See if you can identify at least one blessing from Jehovah that has made you successful. True, you might be praying for your trial to end. (Phil. 4:6) But we should also be aware of the blessings we have right now. After all, Jehovah promises to strengthen us and to help us to endure. So never lose appreciation for the fact that Jehovah is supporting you. Then you will see how Jehovah is helping you to succeed, even during times of trial.​—Gen. 41:51, 52. w23.01 19 ¶17-18 Monday, September 30 Keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah.​—2 Pet. 3:12. Ask yourself: ‘Does my way of life show that I understand how close we are to the end of this system of things? Do my decisions regarding education and employment show that serving Jehovah is the most important thing in my life? Do I have faith that Jehovah will provide for me and my family?’ Think how pleased Jehovah is when he sees us bringing our life into harmony with his will. (Matt. 6:25-27, 33; Phil. 4:12, 13) We need to examine our thinking regularly and follow through by making any necessary adjustments. Paul told the Corinthians: “Keep testing whether you are in the faith; keep proving what you yourselves are.” (2 Cor. 13:5) So we need to keep making our mind over by reading God’s Word, learning to think as he thinks, and then doing whatever is necessary to bring ourselves in line with Jehovah’s will.​—1 Cor. 2:14-16. w23.01 9 ¶5-6

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

October Thursday, October 1 Weep with those who weep.​—Rom. 12:15. We cannot read hearts as Jehovah and Jesus do. Even so, we can try to understand the emotions and needs of others. (2 Cor. 11:29) Unlike the selfish world around us, we strive to “look out not only for [our] own interests, but also for the interests of others.” (Phil. 2:4) Congregation elders in particular need to show fellow feeling. They know that they are accountable for the sheep entrusted to their care. (Heb. 13:17) To help their fellow believers, elders need to be understanding. How can elders demonstrate fellow feeling? A sympathetic elder spends time with his Christian brothers and sisters. He asks questions and then listens attentively and patiently. That is especially important if one of these dear sheep wants to pour out his heart but struggles to find the right words. (Prov. 20:5) By willingly giving of his time, an elder forms strong bonds of trust, friendship, and love with his brothers.​—Acts 20:37. w19.03 17 ¶14-17 Friday, October 2 Like apples of gold in silver carvings is a word spoken at the right time.​—Prov. 25:11. Appreciation is like a good meal​—it is more enjoyable when shared. When we feel appreciated, we are happy. When we express our appreciation, we make others happy. The person who receives our gratitude knows that his efforts to help us, or to give us something we need, were worthwhile. As a result, the bonds of friendship between us and that person are strengthened. Our expressions of gratitude are valuable, as mentioned in today’s text. Imagine how beautiful an apple made of gold and set in silver would look! And just think how valuable it would be! How would you feel if you received such a gift? Well, the words of gratitude you express to others can be just as valuable. And consider this fact: An apple made of gold could last indefinitely. Likewise, your expressions of appreciation may be remembered and treasured by the recipient for the rest of his life. w19.02 15 ¶5-6 Saturday, October 3 The man has become like one of us in knowing good and bad.​—Gen. 3:22. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, they sent a clear message: They did not trust Jehovah and his standards. They chose to set their own standards of good and bad. But look at what they lost. They lost their friendship with Jehovah. They also lost the opportunity to live forever, and they passed sin and death on to their children. (Rom. 5:12) Compare the way Adam and Eve behaved with the way that the Ethiopian eunuch responded when Philip preached to him. The eunuch appreciated so much what Jehovah and Jesus had done for him that he immediately got baptized. (Acts 8:34-38) When we dedicate ourselves to God and, like that eunuch, get baptized, we send a clear message. We show that we appreciate what Jehovah and Jesus have done for us. We also show that we trust Jehovah and recognize that he is the one who should set the standard of good and bad. w19.03 2 ¶1-2 Sunday, October 4 I will not renounce my integrity!​—Job 27:5. When applied to us as servants of God, integrity means wholehearted love for and unbreakable devotion to Jehovah as a Person, so that his will comes first in all our decisions. One basic meaning of the Bible word for “integrity” is this: complete, sound, or whole. For example, the animals sacrificed to Jehovah had to be sound. (Lev. 22:21, 22) God’s people were not allowed to offer up an animal that was missing a leg, an ear, or an eye; nor could they offer one full of disease. It was important to Jehovah that the animal be complete, sound, or whole. (Mal. 1:6-9) We can understand why Jehovah cares about soundness or completeness. When we purchase something, whether a piece of fruit, a book, or a tool, we do not want one that has gaping holes or parts missing. We want one that is complete, sound, or whole. Jehovah feels similarly when it comes to our love for him, our loyalty. It must be complete, sound, or whole. w19.02 3 ¶3 Monday, October 5 How I do love your law! I ponder over it all day long.​—Ps. 119:97. To safeguard our heart, we must not only close it to wrong influences but also open it to positive influences. In ancient walled cities, a gatekeeper closed the gates of the city to stop an enemy invasion, but at other times he opened the gates to allow food and other supplies to be brought in. If the gates were never open, the inhabitants of the city would starve. Similarly, we need to open our heart regularly to the influence of God’s thinking. The Bible contains Jehovah’s thinking, so each time we read it, we allow Jehovah’s thoughts to affect the way we think, feel, and act. How can we get the most from our Bible reading? Prayer is vital to help us “see clearly the wonderful things” in his Word. (Ps. 119:18) We also need to meditate on what we read. When we pray, read, and meditate, God’s Word reaches “deep within [our] heart,” and we come to love Jehovah’s thinking.​—Prov. 4:20-22. w19.01 18 ¶14-15 Tuesday, October 6 Let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise.​—Heb. 13:15. Jehovah knows that we have different abilities and circumstances, and he deeply appreciates the sacrifices we are able to offer to him. Think of the type of sacrifices that he accepted from the Israelites. Some Israelites were able to offer a lamb or a goat. But a poor Israelite might offer “two turtledoves or two young pigeons.” And if an Israelite could not afford two birds, Jehovah accepted “a tenth of an ephah of fine flour.” (Lev. 5:7, 11) Flour was less expensive, but Jehovah still appreciated that sacrifice, as long as it was “fine flour.” Our kind God feels the same way today. When we give comments, he does not demand that all of us be as eloquent as Apollos or as persuasive as Paul. (Acts 18:24; 26:28) All Jehovah wants is that we give the best comments we can​—within our limits. Remember the widow who offered the two small coins. She was precious to Jehovah because she gave the best she could.​—Luke 21:1-4. w19.01 8-9 ¶3-5 Wednesday, October 7 You will be hated by all people on account of my name.​—Matt. 10:22. As Christ’s followers, we expect to be hated. Jesus foretold that his disciples would be severely persecuted during the last days. (Matt. 24:9; John 15:20) Isaiah’s prophecy forewarns us that our enemies will do more than hate us; they will use various weapons against us. Those weapons have included subtle deception, blatant lies, and brutal persecution. (Matt. 5:11) Jehovah will not stop our enemies from using these weapons to wage war against us. (Eph. 6:12; Rev. 12:17) But we do not need to be afraid. Jehovah said that “no weapon” used against us would “have any success.” (Isa. 54:17) Just as a wall protects us from the force of a destructive rainstorm, so Jehovah protects us against “the blast of the tyrants.” (Isa. 25:4, 5) Our enemies will never succeed in causing us any lasting harm. (Isa. 65:17) All enemies of God’s people “will be brought to nothing and perish.”​—Isa. 41:11, 12. w19.01 6-7 ¶13-16 Thursday, October 8 Where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom.​—2 Cor. 3:17. Young ones, Jehovah loves freedom, and he put that love in your heart. At the same time, however, he wants you to use your freedom responsibly, which is a protection for you. Perhaps you know others who view pornography or who engage in sexual immorality, high-risk sports, or drug and alcohol abuse. To be sure, they may enjoy a few moments of excitement or pleasure. But often that comes at great cost, perhaps in the form of disease, addiction, or even death. (Gal. 6:7, 8) Yes, their “freedom” is a cruel self-deception. (Titus 3:3) By comparison, how many people do you know who became sick because they adhered to Bible standards? Clearly, obedience to Jehovah is both healthful and liberating. (Ps. 19:7-11) What is more, when you use your freedom wisely​—that is, within the bounds of God’s perfect laws and principles—​you show God, as well as your parents, that you can be trusted with more freedom.​—Rom. 8:21. w18.12 22-23 ¶16-17 Friday, October 9 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. Adam’s sin brought changes. One was death, which would affect marriage. We can see that from what the apostle Paul wrote when explaining that Christians are not under the Mosaic Law. He revealed that death ends a marriage and that the surviving mate can thereafter remarry. (Rom. 7:1-3) The Law that God gave to the nation of Israel provided details about marriage. It allowed for polygamy, a practice that existed even before God gave Israel the Law. However, polygamy was regulated, prohibiting abuses. For example, if an Israelite married a slave and later took a second wife, he could not diminish his first wife’s food, clothing, and marital due. God required that he protect and care for her. (Ex. 21:9, 10) We are not under the Law, but we can still see from it Jehovah’s interest in marriage. Does that not help you to esteem marriage? w18.12 10 ¶3; 11 ¶5-6 Saturday, October 10 You will not believe even if it is told to you.​—Hab. 1:5. After leaving his worries and concerns in Jehovah’s hands, Habakkuk may have wondered how Jehovah would react. As an empathetic and understanding Father, Jehovah did not rebuke him for his sincere complaint. God knew that it was a desperate cry of pain and sorrow. In words really aimed at the wayward Jews, Jehovah informed Habakkuk of what would happen in the near future. It could well be that Habakkuk was the first to whom Jehovah revealed that the end of that violent era was very near. Jehovah showed Habakkuk that He was ready to act. The punishment of that violent and wicked generation was imminent. By the expression “in your days,” Jehovah indicated that this judgment would definitely occur during the lifetime of the prophet or that of his contemporaries. Jehovah’s reply was not at all what Habakkuk expected. Was this the answer to his impatient cry? What Jehovah told him surely meant that suffering would increase for all of Judah. w18.11 15 ¶7-8 Sunday, October 11 [God’s] will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.​—1 Tim. 2:4. What is your view of the many sorts of people who have yet to learn the truth? Although the apostle Paul searched in synagogues for those who already knew something about God, he certainly did not restrict his efforts to Jewish people. On Paul’s first missionary journey, for instance, the Lycaonian people mistook him and Barnabas for superheroes​—as incarnations of their false gods Zeus and Hermes. Were Paul and Barnabas tempted to ride the wave of popularity? Would that seem to be a refreshing break from all the persecution they had experienced in the last two cities they visited? Did they imagine that the publicity could help to advance the good news? Not at all! They immediately protested by ripping their garments and leaping into the crowd, crying out: “Why are you doing these things? We too are humans having the same infirmities as you have.”​—Acts 14:8-15. w18.09 4-5 ¶8-9 Monday, October 12 Do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom? . . . And yet that is what some of you were. But you have been washed clean; . . . you have been declared righteous.​—1 Cor. 6:9, 11. To accept the truth and live by the Bible’s moral standards, we must be willing to make changes in our thinking and conduct. Note what Peter wrote regarding these adjustments: “As obedient children, stop being molded by the desires you formerly had in your ignorance, but . . . become holy yourselves in all your conduct.” (1 Pet. 1:14, 15) For people in the morally corrupt city of Corinth, buying truth meant making major changes in their lifestyle. Likewise, to be able to buy truth, many today have turned their back on ungodly conduct. Peter further reminded Christians in his day: “The time that has passed by is sufficient for you to have done the will of the nations when you carried on in acts of brazen conduct, unbridled passions, overdrinking, wild parties, drinking bouts, and lawless idolatries.”​—1 Pet. 4:3. w18.11 6 ¶13 Tuesday, October 13 All those who were rightly disposed for everlasting life became believers.​—Acts 13:48. How can we know who are “rightly disposed for everlasting life”? As in the first century, the only way to find those people is to give a witness. Thus, we need to do just as Jesus instructed: “Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving.” (Matt. 10:11) We do not expect insincere people, haughty individuals, or those with no spiritual inclination to respond favorably to the good news. We are looking for people who are honest, humble, and hungry for the truth. We can liken this search to what Jesus as a carpenter might have done in looking for just the right wood for making furniture, doors, yokes, or other things. Once he found suitable material, he could get his toolbox, use his skill, and make the item. We must do likewise as we endeavor to make disciples of honesthearted people.​—Matt. 28:19, 20. w18.10 12 ¶3-4 Wednesday, October 14 Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began to preach the Christ to them.​—Acts 8:5. Philip the evangelizer provides a fine example of one who stayed focused on his ministry despite changing circumstances. In Jerusalem, a wave of persecution arose following the martyrdom of Stephen. At the time, Philip was enjoying a new privilege of service. (Acts 6:1-6) But when Christ’s followers were scattered, Philip could not just watch and do nothing. He went to preach in Samaria, a city that was largely untouched by the good news at that time. (Matt. 10:5; Acts 8:1) Philip was willing to go wherever God’s spirit would lead him, so Jehovah used him to open up new territories. His impartial approach was likely refreshing to the Samaritans, who were used to being treated with disdain by the Jews. Little wonder that crowds listened to him “with one accord”! (Acts 8:6-8) Philip stayed focused on his ministry, and as a result, he and his family were richly blessed by Jehovah.​—Acts 21:8, 9. w18.10 30 ¶14-16 Thursday, October 15 Let us consider one another so as to incite to love and fine works.​—Heb. 10:24. One time when Jesus was in the Decapolis region, people “brought him a deaf man with a speech impediment.” (Mark 7:31-35) Instead of healing him in public, Jesus “took him aside” and healed him. Why? The man’s disabilities may have made him feel uncomfortable in a crowd. Perhaps sensing this, Jesus healed him in private. Of course, we cannot perform miraculous cures. But we can​—and should—​show thoughtful regard for the needs and feelings of our fellow worshippers. Jesus understood how the deaf man felt and treated him thoughtfully. Likewise, we should show consideration for the elderly and the infirm. The Christian congregation is marked, not by mere efficiency, but by love. (John 13:34, 35) That love moves us to go out of our way to help older ones and those with disabilities to attend Christian meetings and to preach the good news. That is so even if what they can do is limited.​—Matt. 13:23. w18.09 29-30 ¶7-8 Friday, October 16 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.​—Rom. 15:2. Every one of Jehovah’s sheep is extremely precious to him and to Jesus, who provided the ransom sacrifice. (Gal. 2:20) We love our spiritual brothers and sisters dearly. And we want to care for them in a tender and loving way. In order to be a source of refreshment, “let us pursue the things making for peace and the things that build one another up.” (Rom. 14:19) How we all look forward to the time when, in the coming Paradise, we will never have reason to be discouraged! There will be no more sickness, wars, inherited death, persecution, domestic strife, and disappointments. When the Millennium is past, mankind will have reached perfection. Those who pass the final test will then be adopted as earthly sons of Jehovah God and have “the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Rom. 8:21) May we all keep displaying the love that builds up and helping one another to attain that joyful and rewarding goal. w18.09 14 ¶10; 16 ¶18 Saturday, October 17 How I do love your law! I ponder over it all day long.​—Ps. 119:97. Studying God’s Word involves more than superficial reading and merely highlighting the answers to study questions. When we study, we consider what the material tells us about Jehovah, his ways, and his thinking. We try to understand why God commands one thing and condemns another. We also give thought to what changes we need to make in our life and in our thinking. Although all these aspects might not be considered in every session of study, we profit by spending time​—perhaps half of each study period—​meditating appreciatively on what we read. (1 Tim. 4:15) As we meditate regularly on God’s Word, we ‘prove to ourselves’ that Jehovah’s reasoning on matters is perfect. We begin to see things from his point of view, and we come to agree with that viewpoint. Our minds are ‘made over,’ and we develop a new pattern of thinking. (Rom. 12:2) Progressively, we make Jehovah’s thoughts our own. w18.11 24 ¶5-6 Sunday, October 18 We are God’s fellow workers.​—1 Cor. 3:9. In the first century C.E., Paul referred to himself and certain close associates as “God’s fellow workers” because of their role in planting and watering the seed of Kingdom truth. (1 Cor. 3:6) Today, we too can be “God’s fellow workers” by generously giving of our time, resources, and energy to the divinely commissioned preaching work. What a tremendous privilege this is! Being generous with our time and energy in the preaching and disciple-making work brings great joy. Many who have had the privilege of conducting progressive Bible studies will tell you that few things are more rewarding. Great happiness comes from seeing appreciative individuals light up when they grasp spiritual truths, grow in faith, make changes, and start sharing the truth with others. Jesus also experienced great happiness when the 70 preachers whom he had sent out to the field “returned with joy” because of the favorable results they had experienced.​—Luke 10:17-21. w18.08 20 ¶11-12 Monday, October 19 Whoever trusts in his own heart is stupid.​—Prov. 28:26. Leaning too heavily on our own understanding can become a snare. We may begin to feel that we can look at a situation and understand it even though we do not have all the facts. Also, a challenge to evaluating matters accurately may be faced when we have a personality conflict with a brother in the congregation. If we constantly dwell on our differences, we may begin to look at our brother with a measure of suspicion. Thus, if we hear a negative report about this brother, we may be eager to believe it. What is the lesson? Harboring ill feelings toward our brothers can lead to distorted judgments that are not based on the facts. (1 Tim. 6:4, 5) We can prevent our judgment from becoming clouded by refusing to allow envy and jealousy to take root in our hearts. Instead of giving in to such bad feelings, may we recognize our obligation to love our brothers and freely forgive them from the heart.​—Col. 3:12-14. w18.08 6 ¶15; 7 ¶18 Tuesday, October 20 To Jehovah . . . belong the heavens . . . and the earth with all that is in it.​—Deut. 10:14. By reason of their very existence, all humans belong to Jehovah. (Ps. 100:3; Rev. 4:11) Yet, throughout human history, God has designated specific groups of people as belonging to him in a special way. For example, Psalm 135 refers to faithful worshippers of Jehovah in ancient Israel as “his special property.” (Ps. 135:4) Also, the book of Hosea foretold that some non-Israelites would become Jehovah’s people. (Hos. 2:23) Hosea’s prophecy was fulfilled when Jehovah included non-Jews in his selection of prospective corulers with Christ. (Acts 10:45; Rom. 9:23-26) This “holy nation” is Jehovah’s “special possession” in an outstanding way, its members having been anointed with holy spirit and chosen for life in heaven. (1 Pet. 2:9, 10) What about the majority of faithful Christians today who have an earthly hope? Jehovah also calls them his “people” and his “chosen ones.”​—Isa. 65:22. w18.07 22 ¶1-2 Wednesday, October 21 Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus . . . He emptied himself and took a slave’s form.​—Phil. 2:5, 7. True Christians imitate the Christ, who provided us with the perfect example of how a human can be generous. (Matt. 20:28) Each of us would do well to ask, ‘Can I follow Jesus’ example even more closely than I am already doing?’ (1 Pet. 2:21) We can enjoy Jehovah’s favor by imitating his and Christ’s perfect examples, by being interested in the welfare of others, and by looking for ways to care for their needs. Indeed, in the parable of the neighborly Samaritan, Jesus made clear that he expected his followers to go out of their way to help others, even those of a different background. (Luke 10:29-37) Do you recall the question that moved Jesus to recount the parable of the neighborly Samaritan? A Jew asked him: “Who really is my neighbor?” Jesus’ answer shows that like the Samaritan we must be willing to give generously if we are to enjoy God’s favor. w18.08 19 ¶5-6 Thursday, October 22 The angel said to her: “Greetings, you highly favored one, Jehovah is with you.”​—Luke 1:28. Did Jehovah continue to show Mary due recognition for faithfully caring for and raising his Son? Yes, he did. God had her actions and words recorded in the Bible. Apparently, Mary was not in a position to travel with Jesus during the three and a half years of his ministry. Perhaps as a widow, Mary had to stay in Nazareth. But even though she missed out on many privileges, she was able to be with Jesus at the time of his death. (John 19:26) Later, though, Mary was in Jerusalem along with the disciples during the days leading up to Pentecost when holy spirit was poured out. (Acts 1:13, 14) She was likely anointed along with the others present. If so, this would mean that she was given the opportunity to be in heaven with Jesus for all eternity. What a beautiful reward for her faithful service! w18.07 9 ¶11; 10 ¶14 Friday, October 23 Do all things for God’s glory.​—1 Cor. 10:31. Throughout his ministry, Jesus taught basic truths to help his disciples recognize the consequences of certain attitudes or actions. For example, he taught that resentment can lead to violence and that lust can lead to adultery. (Matt. 5:21, 22, 27, 28) To help us have a conscience that is properly trained, we should let godly principles guide us and thus bring glory to God. On certain matters, two different Christians with Bible-trained consciences might come to opposite conclusions. Consider the use of alcoholic beverages. The Bible does not condemn the moderate use of alcohol. It does, however, warn against the excessive use of alcohol, as well as drunkenness. (Prov. 20:1; 1 Tim. 3:8) Does this mean that a Christian has no other factors to consider as long as his use of alcohol is moderate? Not at all. While he may be at peace with his own conscience, the Christian must also consider the conscience of others. w18.06 18 ¶10-11 Saturday, October 24 Look out for the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.​—Mark 8:15. Jesus emphatically warned his disciples to stay clear of the teachings, or leaven, that the Pharisees, Sadducees, and party followers of Herod advocated. (Matt. 16:6, 12) Interestingly, this conversation took place not long after the occasion when the people wanted to make Jesus king. When religion is mixed with politics, violence can easily erupt. Jesus taught his disciples that they must maintain neutrality in these circumstances. That is related to the reason why the chief priests and the Pharisees planned to kill Jesus. They saw him as a political and religious rival who threatened their position. “If we let him go on this way, they will all put faith in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation,” they said. (John 11:48) Thus, High Priest Caiaphas took the lead in plotting Jesus’ death.​—John 11:49-53; 18:14. w18.06 6-7 ¶12-13 Sunday, October 25 Let your love be without hypocrisy.​—Rom. 12:9. An effective bait that Satan uses is curiosity about the occult. Today, he promotes interest in the demons not only through false religion but also through the entertainment industry. Movies, electronic games, and other media make spiritism seem exciting. How can we avoid being caught in this trap? We should not expect God’s organization to supply a list of acceptable and unacceptable entertainment. Each of us needs to train his own conscience to be in harmony with God’s standards. (Heb. 5:14) However, we will make wise choices if we apply the apostle Paul’s inspired counsel above. We could ask ourselves: ‘Will my choice of entertainment make me seem hypocritical? If my Bible students or return visits saw the entertainment I choose, would they think that I practice what I preach?’ The more our speech and actions harmonize, the less likely we are to be caught in Satan’s snares.​—1 John 3:18. w18.05 25 ¶13 Monday, October 26 The goodwill of my heart and my supplication to God for them are indeed for their salvation.​—Rom. 10:1. How can we imitate Paul? First, we strive to maintain a heartfelt desire to find any who might be “rightly disposed for everlasting life.” Second, we supplicate Jehovah in prayer to open the heart of sincere ones. (Acts 13:48; 16:14) Silvana, a pioneer for nearly 30 years, says, “Before I go to a house in my territory, I pray to Jehovah, asking him to give me a positive attitude.” We also pray to God that angels may direct us to find honesthearted ones. (Matt. 10:11-13; Rev. 14:6) Notes Robert, a pioneer for over 30 years, “To work along with angels who know what is going on in the householders’ lives is exciting.” Third, we try to see a potential for good in people. Says Carl, an elder, “I look for any small sign that may reveal a person’s sincerity, perhaps a smile, a kind look, or an honest question.” Yes, like Paul, we can endure in bearing fruit. w18.05 15 ¶13; 16 ¶15 Tuesday, October 27 Let us consider one another . . . , encouraging one another, and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.​—Heb. 10:24, 25. News of faithfulness on the part of those we have helped in the past can be a real source of encouragement, as it was for the apostle John, who wrote: “No greater joy do I have than this: that I should hear that my children go on walking in the truth.” (3 John 4) Many pioneers can attest to how encouraging it is for them to learn that some of those they helped into the truth years ago are staying faithful and perhaps are even serving as pioneers. Simply reminding a discouraged pioneer of past joys can be a real source of comfort. Many circuit overseers have stated how encouraged they and their wives felt after receiving even a short note of gratitude for their visit to a congregation. The same can be true of elders, missionaries, pioneers, and Bethel family members who receive a word of appreciation for their faithful service. w18.04 23 ¶14-15 Wednesday, October 28 [The king] should [not] take many wives for himself, so that his heart [might] not go astray.​—Deut. 17:17. Solomon disobeyed, eventually marrying 700 women. He brought into his household an additional 300 concubines. (1 Ki. 11:3) Many of his wives were non-Israelites, who worshipped false gods. Hence, Solomon also disobeyed God’s law against marrying foreign women. (Deut. 7:3, 4) Solomon’s gradual departure from Jehovah’s requirements led him in time to extreme wrongdoing. Solomon built an altar to the idol goddess Ashtoreth and at least one other altar to the false god Chemosh. There he joined his wives in pagan worship. He built those altars on, of all places, a mountain located directly in front of Jerusalem, where he had built Jehovah’s temple! (1 Ki. 11:5-8; 2 Ki. 23:13) Perhaps Solomon fooled himself into thinking that Jehovah would overlook his disobedience as long as he also continued to offer sacrifices at the temple. But Jehovah never overlooks wrongdoing. w18.07 18-19 ¶7-9 Thursday, October 29 Take up the large shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the wicked one’s burning arrows.​—Eph. 6:16. Some of the “burning arrows” that Satan might fire at you are lies about Jehovah​—that He does not care about you and that you are unlovable. Nineteen-year-old Ida struggles with feelings of unworthiness. She says, “I have often felt that Jehovah isn’t close to me and that he doesn’t want to be my Friend.” How does she deal with this attack? “The meetings are a giant boost to my faith,” says Ida. “I used to sit there and never comment, thinking that nobody would want to hear what I had to say. Now, though, I prepare for the meetings and try to answer two or three times.” Ida’s experience highlights an important truth: The literal shield given to a soldier had fixed dimensions, but the size of our shield of faith can either shrink or grow. It is up to us. (Matt. 14:31; 2 Thess. 1:3) How important it is that we build up our faith! w18.05 29-30 ¶12-14 Friday, October 30 What must I do to get saved?​—Acts 16:30. The jailer had a change of heart and asked for help only after the earthquake struck. (Acts 16:25-34) Similarly, some individuals today who have not responded to the Bible’s message before may have a change of heart and look for help when their world is suddenly shaken by a seismic event. Perhaps they may have lost their longtime job unexpectedly and are left in shock. Others may be at a loss after being diagnosed with a serious illness, or they may be heartbroken after losing a loved one in death. They may ask questions about the meaning of life that at one time they ignored. Perhaps they even wonder, ‘What must I do to get saved?’ When we meet them, they may want to listen to our message of hope for the first time in their life. Therefore, by faithfully continuing in our preaching work, we make sure that we will be available to give comfort to people at a time when they may be ready to accept it.​—Isa. 61:1. w18.05 19-20 ¶10-12 Saturday, October 31 Jehovah’s spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news.​—Luke 4:18. Today, the vast majority of people are still blinded by the god of this system of things and are in bondage​—religious, economic, and social. (2 Cor. 4:4) It is our privilege to follow Jesus’ example of helping people to come to know and worship Jehovah, the God of freedom. (Matt. 28:19, 20) That is not an easy work, and there are many challenges. In some lands, people are becoming more indifferent, some even hostile. The question that each of us should consider is, ‘Can I use my freedom to give greater support to the Kingdom work?’ It is most encouraging to see that many have sensed the urgency of our times and have simplified their lives so as to share in the full-time ministry. (1 Cor. 9:19, 23) Some of them serve within their local territories; others move to where the need is greater. What a splendid result of making wise use of the freedom to serve Jehovah!​—Ps. 110:3. w18.04 11-12 ¶13-14

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Should I Expand My Circle of Friends?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502017120

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Should I Expand My Circle of Friends? “My clique is my comfort zone, and it’s very difficult for me to step outside of it.”​—Alan. “I have a small circle of friends, and I like it that way. I’m not one to branch out and talk to people I don’t know.”​—Sara. Do you feel the way Alan and Sara do? Do you have a tight-knit group of friends and find it uncomfortable to make new ones? If so, this article is for you! The problems with cliques What you can do What your peers say The problems with cliques There’s nothing wrong with having a tight-knit group of friends. Having a close circle of friends gives you a sense of belonging and a place where you are accepted for who you are​—flaws and all. “It feels good to be liked by others and to be part of a group. When you’re young, you just want to fit in.”​—Karen, 19. Did you know? Jesus’ 12 apostles were among his many friends, but three of those apostles​—Peter, James, and John​—were his closest companions.​—Mark 9:2; Luke 8:​51. However, associating with only an exclusive group of friends​—and shutting out others​—can create problems. For example: It can close the door to other potentially great friendships. “Having only friends who are similar to you closes you off to new experiences​—and to fantastic people.”​—Evan, 21. It can make you appear snobbish. “When you have an exclusive group of friends, you can give off the vibe that you don’t want to talk to anyone else.”​—Sara, 17. It can lead you to take part in bullying. “An individual might not bully someone, but if your circle of friends does it, suddenly it seems OK​—even funny.”​—James, 17. It can get you into trouble​—especially if you want to belong to that group at any price. “All it takes is one bad person in a tight-knit group for the whole group to be swayed into wrongdoing.”​—Martina, 17. What you can do Examine your values. Ask yourself: ‘What values do I strive to live by? Do my friends make it easier or harder for me to live by those values? Would I hold on to those friends at any price?’ Bible principle: “Bad associations corrupt good morals.”​—1 Corinthians 15:33, footnote. “When your group is made up of people who don’t share your values, you could find yourself doing things you never would have done otherwise.”​—Ellen, 14. Examine your priorities. Ask yourself: ‘Is my circle of friends so tight that I would compromise my standards to preserve it? What would I do if a friend did something wrong?’ Bible principle: “All those for whom I have affection, I reprove.”​—Revelation 3:​19. “If someone in your group gets into trouble and your loyalties are misplaced, it could seem like a betrayal to speak up about it.”​—Melanie, 22. Expand your friendships. Ask yourself: ‘Could I benefit by widening my circle of friends to include some I do not know as well?’ Bible principle: “Look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.”​—Philippians 2:4. “Kids who are considered unpopular might just have a tough life at home. Once you get to know them, you usually find out that they are awesome in their own way.”​—Brian, 19. The bottom line: There’s nothing wrong with having a close-knit group of friends. At the same time, you may benefit from expanding your circle of friends to include others. The Bible says: “Whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”​—Proverbs 11:25. What your peers say “I was attracted to a particular group in school, but I later realized that some of the girls bullied others, so I left that group. True, I barely had friends for a while, but it felt good to take a stand for my values.”​—Maryam. “In school, I would try to be in a certain group just to boost my social ranking. But then I came to realize that the wrong kind of friends can give you a negative view of people and even make you act like someone you’re not.”​—Alex. “I spent most of my middle school years trying to be part of a group that didn’t want me in it. When I realized how futile my efforts were, I learned to appreciate the friends that I already had.”​—Bethany.

Peace on Earth—How Will It Come?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502012123

Peace on Earth​—How Will It Come? The Bible’s answer Peace on earth will come, not by human efforts, but by means of God’s Kingdom, a heavenly government ruled by Christ Jesus. Notice how the Bible teaches us about this wonderful hope. God will make “wars to cease to the extremity of the earth,” fulfilling his promise to bring “peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!”—Psalm 46:9; Luke 2:14, Good News Translation. God’s Kingdom will rule from heaven over the entire earth. (Daniel 7:14) As a world government, it will eliminate nationalism, which is at the root of many conflicts. Jesus, the Ruler of God’s Kingdom, is called the “Prince of Peace,” and he will ensure that “to peace there will be no end.”—Isaiah 9:6, 7. People determined to keep fighting will not be allowed to live under the Kingdom, since “anyone loving violence [God’s] soul certainly hates.”—Psalm 11:5; Proverbs 2:22. God teaches his subjects how to live in peace. Describing the results of this instruction, the Bible says: “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.”—Isaiah 2:3, 4. Already, millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world are learning from God how to be peaceable. (Matthew 5:9) Although we belong to many different ethnic groups and live in over 230 different lands, we refuse to take up arms against our fellow man. Jehovah’s Witnesses are learning the ways of peace today

“The Awake! Saved My Life”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101998012

“The Awake! Saved My Life” “About 10:00 p.m. on November 11,” reported Arthur, in Suva, Fiji, “I started to feel chest pains, which I passed off as heartburn. My wife, Esther, was convinced that I was having a heart attack, since she said my symptoms were similar to those described in the December 8, 1996, Awake!, “Heart Attack—What Can Be Done?,” which she had just read. “I talked to my doctor on the telephone, and he advised me to take some heartburn medication, go to sleep, and see him in the morning. Yet, the pain persisted. I then asked Esther to bring the Awake! and read the section “Symptoms of a Heart Attack.” After she read it to me, I agreed to be taken to the hospital. “Tests showed that I was having a heart attack, and I was admitted to the hospital. For the next five days, I was kept heavily sedated and given complete rest. The heart specialist said that I was fortunate to have detected my heart attack. “On January 9, 1997, I underwent four hours of open-heart surgery in Sydney, Australia. ‘The coronary artery disease was incredibly severe,’ the surgeon’s report stated. The condition of my coronary arteries showed that I was heading for a major heart attack that would have come within a few months had the attack on November 11 gone undetected. “I can say without a doubt that the Awake! saved my life, since I would definitely have passed off my attack as severe heartburn.” Awake! endeavors to present timely and current information on a wide variety of subjects. If you would like to receive this journal regularly, make it known to Jehovah’s Witnesses the next time they call, or write to the appropriate address listed on page 5.

Good News (gh) 1976

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gh

Chapter 19 Children​—“An Inheritance from Jehovah” 1. How should parents and children regard one another? (Psalm 128:1, 3, 4) KING SOLOMON described children as “a reward” and “an inheritance from Jehovah.” (Psalm 127:3) If you are a parent, surely you treasure your children! And if you are a child, surely you want to make your parents joyful and to live a happy, useful life with them! 2. What responsibility should children feel toward parents, and why? (Exodus 20:12) 2 After giving helpful advice to husbands and wives, the apostle Paul went on to counsel children and parents, in these words: “You children, be obedient to your parents in everything, for this is well-pleasing in the Lord. You fathers, do not be exasperating your children, so that they do not become downhearted.” (Colossians 3:20, 21) So, youths, remember that your parents love you, and that you should try to obey them in the everyday things of life. And parents, help your children to feel your love for them, and that they are an important part of the family unit. 3. When and how should correction be given? (Proverbs 13:24) 3 There are times, of course, when every child needs discipline, even with the literal rod, but this should be done​—and not overdone—​firmly and in love, without displaying the heat of anger. Children will come to appreciate deserved chastisement, and it will not ‘exasperate’ them. They will appreciate, too, the kindness and loving care that they receive at other times. MAKING CHILDREN “WISE FOR SALVATION” 4. (a) What was the result of Eunice’s diligent training of Timothy? (Acts 16:1, 2) (b) From what age should a child be helped to know “the holy writings”? (Psalm 22:9, 10) 4 In a final letter written just before his execution, Paul spoke warmly of the “faith . . . without any hypocrisy” that his young companion Timothy had acquired from his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice, a Jewess. Though Timothy’s Greek father was an unbeliever, his mother exerted herself, as all believing parents should, in raising her son in the faith. Not only oral teaching, but also the parent’s sincere example in always behaving “in a manner worthy of the good news,” will set the pattern for the young one’s way of life. From what age onward did Timothy receive such instruction? Paul wrote him that “from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus.”​—2 Timothy 1:5; 3:15; Philippians 1:27. 5. Why is it important to implant God’s thoughts in a child from an early age? (Luke 2:40) 5 However, is an infant child capable of absorbing spiritual matters? Yes, it is! Consider this: At birth a child’s brain is only one fourth the weight of an adult brain. But in just two years that brain grows so rapidly that it reaches three fourths of its adult weight. In that brief time, the child absorbs much of the basic information that will set it up in life, including a start in the difficult task of learning a language. 6. What will aid parents to reach the hearts of their children? (Proverbs 4:23) 6 Whatever the infant hears on spiritual matters may be absorbed, too! And it has a need for spiritual information, for man was created “in God’s image.” (Genesis 1:27) That is why God instructs fathers, at Deuteronomy 11:18, 19: “You must apply these words of mine to your heart and your soul . . . You must also teach them to your sons.” Parents can be aided to reach the hearts of their children if they set a good example in applying godly principles in their own lives. Those who mold the hearts and souls of their little ones “from infancy” will have their reward! 7. (a) Why is it vital to spend time with little ones? (Proverbs 4:1-4) (b) Relate an experience showing how parents may find joy in training children. 7 How may this be done? Perhaps humans could learn from certain animals that are usually with their young, training and disciplining them for life. There is no substitute for spending time with our little ones. Oriental mothers who are accustomed to tying their youngsters on their backs, and who are constantly talking to them over their shoulders as they do their household chores and go marketing or visiting, have had good success in impressing worthwhile matters on little ones. One mother taught her baby to sing, and then to include Scriptural matters as the words. By the time the baby was two years of age she could sing the names of the books of the Christian Greek Scriptures. At two years and three months she could sing the names of the sixty-six books from Genesis to Revelation. As she learned to repeat God’s attributes of wisdom, justice, power and love, and also the nine fruits of the spirit of Galatians 5:22, 23, these were impressed on her by teaching her how to express each with meaningful gestures. As she “pioneered” with her mother in daily door-to-door preaching of the “good news” and attended Bible studies in the homes of interested persons, her appreciation of spiritual things increased month by month. Thousands of other believing parents have had similar joy in training their little ones. 8. How may parents interest children in Jehovah’s works and wisdom? (Psalm 78:2-4) 8 The matter of spending time profitably with one’s children is emphasized in the Hebrew Scriptures. Thus, after clearly stating the greatest commandment​—“You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your vital force”—​Moses went on to tell Israelite fathers: “These words . . . must prove to be on your heart; and you must inculcate them in your son and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-7) From the time of waking in the morning to the time of retiring at night, parents can benefit their little ones by teaching them, as appropriate, about the marvelous wisdom of Jehovah so manifest in the productions of creation. 9. (a) As to length of study sessions, what should parents keep in mind? (b) How can the good news be presented to one’s children in a positive manner, and with what goal? (Psalm 71:17, 18) 9 However, it must be remembered that young minds tire rapidly, and that youngsters need periods of play and relaxation. Sessions of Bible study with young children can be made informal, brief and interesting, but when it is seen that their minds are starting to wander, it may be best to discontinue the instruction until another time. It is vital for success that both parents and youngsters find joy and pleasure in what they are studying together. Parents, build up love for God in those young hearts! Never should you make the “good news” appear like a list of “don’ts” and “shouldn’ts.” Rather, help your children to trust God even as they do you, their earthly parents, and to appreciate His goodness, His kindness and His generosity. In time they will want to serve Jehovah out of love and thankfulness for all his grand provision for life, now and in the future. 10. How can believing children benefit an unbelieving parent? (Proverbs 10:1) 10 Children that are well trained according to Bible principles can grow up to be a credit and a joy to believing parents. And often an unbelieving parent, on noting the fine qualities that Bible instruction instills in his child, may be persuaded to take an interest in the “good news.” A family head told the following on the day of his baptism: ‘I was the overseer at a construction site, but every evening I got drunk, and this began to affect my work. My wife and family were studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. One night my little boy, not yet five years old, suddenly came to me, laid his head on my shoulder, and said: “Daddy, every night you get drunk and smoke tobacco. It is so upsetting to mommy and my sisters, and even more hateful to Jehovah God. The Bible says that as a child I should obey my daddy, and that daddy should obey Jesus Christ. So please study the Bible the same as mommy.” For two hours he talked persuasively to me, and had a fine attitude. So I promised to try to study. As soon as I started to learn the truth, I found I could give up my independent ways and develop self-control. Our home became a bright and happy place.’ It has often happened that an unbelieving mate has listened to a child well trained in the Bible and been impressed. AS YOUNGSTERS GROW UP 11. Why should families attend meetings together? (Psalm 84:4, 10-12) 11 For families of God’s people, regular attendance at weekly congregational meetings provides for joyful association. Indeed, it was the commandment in Israel, to “congregate the people, the men and the women and the little ones . . . in order that they may listen and in order that they may learn.” (Deuteronomy 31:12) As young ones sit alongside parents, endeavoring to listen, learn and share in meetings, happy family groups contribute toward the warmth, love and unity of the Christian congregation. 12. (a) What special care do parents need to take when their children enter school? (1 Corinthians 15:33) (b) What long-term blessing may proper child training bring? (Deuteronomy 11:18-21) 12 On entering school, youngsters are exposed to new associations and also to teachings, such as evolution, that may conflict with the Bible. Parents need to take special care to guard them against wrong influences, taking an interest in all their activities and reasoning out with them what is good and what is bad according to Bible principles. As Proverbs 22:6 states it: “Train up a boy according to the way for him; even when he grows old he will not turn aside from it.” 13. As related in the book, what fine impression may Bible-trained children make? 13 The good behavior at school of Bible-trained children has often made a fine impression, as the following report shows: One day at school a sixth-grade girl and her younger sister were called to the teacher’s office. There, fifty-two teachers, obviously worried about the rising delinquency among students, interviewed them for two hours before a group of fellow students, inquiring minutely into their background of Bible training, the controls that their parents placed on viewing TV programs, reading comic books, and so forth. In conclusion the headmaster remarked, “If all children were trained like those of Jehovah’s Witnesses, we would have a fine school, with no children who harass others or answer back.” As a result of this meeting, the young girl was able to start Bible studies with twenty-six of her classmates. 14. What testifies to the fact that God’s arrangement for families really works? 14 The family that is united around the Bible, and that places spiritual interests first in life, is well equipped to stand against the trials of these “critical times hard to deal with.” (2 Timothy 3:1) In the grand spiritual paradise that now extends to the ends of the earth, a multitude of family groups from all nations, tribes and peoples can testify that Jehovah’s arrangement for families really works, to the blessing of those who love him! They extol Jehovah as Head of “every family in heaven and on earth,” and look forward to his bestowing blessings on all families that support his sovereignty, through into the paradise earth that is now so close at hand.​—Ephesians 3:15. [Picture on page 167] A child’s abilities develop rapidly even from infancy [Picture on page 168] Children need to be nourished spiritually [Picture on page 170] Spend time with your children. It will be rewarded [Picture on page 173] Happy those families that press on unitedly toward eternal life

STUDY ARTICLE 2 Learn From Jesus’ Younger Brother

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STUDY ARTICLE 2 Learn From Jesus’ Younger Brother “James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.”​—JAS. 1:1. SONG 88 Make Me Know Your Ways PREVIEWa 1. How would you describe James’ family? JAMES, the brother of Jesus, was raised in a spiritually strong family.b His parents, Joseph and Mary, loved Jehovah very much and did their best to serve Him. James had an added blessing​—his older brother would grow up to be the promised Messiah. What a fine privilege James had to be part of that family! During the time that he spent growing up with Jesus, James got to know his older brother very well (See paragraph 2) 2. What reasons did James have to look up to his older brother? 2 James had many reasons to look up to his older brother. (Matt. 13:55) For example, Jesus knew the Scriptures so well that by the age of 12, he amazed the well-educated elders in Jerusalem. (Luke 2:46, 47) James may have worked in the carpentry trade with Jesus. In that case, he would have come to know his brother very well. Nathan H. Knorr often said, “You learn a lot about a person when you work with him.”c James could also not help but notice how “Jesus went on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men.” (Luke 2:52) So we might assume that James would have been among the first to become a disciple of Jesus. But that is not what happened. 3. How did James respond when Jesus began his ministry? 3 During Jesus’ ministry on earth, James did not become one of his disciples. (John 7:3-5) In fact, James may have been one of the relatives who thought that Jesus had “gone out of his mind.” (Mark 3:21) And there is no indication that James was with their mother, Mary, when Jesus was put to death on the torture stake.​—John 19:25-27. 4. What lessons will we consider? 4 Later, James put faith in Jesus and became a respected member of the Christian congregation. In this article, we will consider two lessons that we can learn from James: (1) why we must remain humble and (2) how we can be effective teachers. REMAIN HUMBLE LIKE JAMES James humbled himself when Jesus appeared to him, and from then on he faithfully served as Christ’s disciple (See paragraphs 5-7) 5. How did James respond when the resurrected Jesus appeared to him? 5 When did James become a loyal follower of Jesus? After Jesus was raised from the dead, “he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” (1 Cor. 15:7) That meeting with Jesus marked a turning point in James’ life. He was present when the apostles awaited the promised holy spirit in an upper room in Jerusalem. (Acts 1:13, 14) Later, James had the joy of serving as a member of the first-century governing body. (Acts 15:6, 13-22; Gal. 2:9) And sometime before 62 C.E., he was inspired to write a letter to anointed Christians. That letter is of benefit to us today, whether our hope is heavenly or earthly. (Jas. 1:1) According to the first-century historian Josephus, James was executed at the order of the Jewish High Priest Ananias the Younger. James remained faithful to Jehovah until he finished his earthly course. 6. In what way was James different from the religious leaders of his day? 6 James was humble. Why can we say that? Consider the contrast between the way James eventually responded to Jesus and the way that many of the religious leaders reacted. When James was confronted by irrefutable evidence that Jesus is the Son of God, he humbly accepted it. That was not the case with the chief priests in Jerusalem. For example, they could not deny that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. Instead of acknowledging that Jesus was Jehovah’s representative, they endeavored to kill both Jesus and Lazarus. (John 11:53; 12:9-11) Later when Jesus himself was resurrected from the dead, they conspired to hide that fact from the people. (Matt. 28:11-15) The pride of those religious leaders caused them to reject the Messiah. 7. Why must we avoid pride? 7 The lesson: Avoid pride, and remain teachable. Just as disease can harden the arteries of a literal heart and restrict its ability to beat, pride can harden our figurative heart and prevent us from responding to Jehovah’s direction. The Pharisees allowed their heart to become so hard that they refused to recognize the clear evidence being presented to them by God’s spirit. (John 12:37-40) That was a dangerous course because it affected their everlasting future. (Matt. 23:13, 33) How important it is that we continue to allow God’s Word and spirit to mold our personality and influence our thinking and our decisions! (Jas. 3:17) Because James was humble, he allowed himself to be taught by Jehovah. And, as we will see, it was because of his humility that he became a skillful teacher. TEACH EFFECTIVELY LIKE JAMES 8. What will help us to become good teachers? 8 James did not have an impressive secular education. The religious leaders of his day no doubt viewed him in the same way they viewed the apostles Peter and John​—as “uneducated and ordinary.” (Acts 4:13) But James learned to be an effective teacher, as is evident when we read the book that bears his name. Like James, we may have limited secular education. Even so, with the help of Jehovah’s spirit and practical training from his organization, we too can become good teachers. Let us consider the example James set as a teacher and see what lessons we can learn. 9. How would you describe James’ way of teaching? 9 James did not use big words or complicated reasoning. As a result, his audience knew what they needed to do and how to do it. Consider, for example, the simple way James taught that Christians must be willing to suffer injustice without becoming resentful. He wrote: “We consider happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.” (Jas. 5:11) Note that James relied on the Scriptures as his authority. He used God’s Word to help his audience to see that Jehovah always rewards those who, like Job, are loyal to Him. James got his point across by using simple words and logic. In that way, he drew attention, not to himself, but to Jehovah. 10. What is one way that we can imitate James when teaching? 10 The lesson: Keep your message simple, and teach from God’s Word. Our goal should be, not to impress others with how much we know, but to impress them with how much Jehovah knows and how much he cares about them. (Rom. 11:33) We can reach that goal by always basing what we say on the Scriptures. For example, rather than tell our Bible students what we would do in their place, we should help them to reason on Bible examples and to perceive Jehovah’s thinking and feelings. Then they will be motivated by a desire to please Jehovah, not us. 11. What challenges were some Christians dealing with in James’ day, and what counsel did he give them? (James 5:13-15) 11 James was realistic. From his letter, it is obvious that James was aware of the challenges his fellow believers were struggling with, and he gave them clear direction on how to overcome these. For example, some Christians were slow to apply counsel. (Jas. 1:22) Others showed partiality toward the rich. (Jas. 2:1-3) Still others had a hard time controlling their tongue. (Jas. 3:8-10) Those Christians had serious problems, but James did not give up on them. He presented his counsel in a kind but straightforward way and encouraged those who were struggling spiritually to seek additional help from the elders.​—Read James 5:13-15. 12. How can we remain positive when helping our Bible students? 12 The lesson: Be realistic, but keep a positive view of others. Many with whom we study the Bible may struggle to apply its counsel. (Jas. 4:1-4) It may take them some time to root out bad traits and replace them with Christlike qualities. In imitation of James, we must have the courage to tell our students where they need to improve. We also need to remain positive, trusting that Jehovah will draw humble people to him and will give them the strength to make changes in their life.​—Jas. 4:10. 13. As indicated at James 3:2 and footnote, what did James recognize? 13 James kept the right view of himself. James did not feel that his family background or his privileged assignments made him special or placed him above his brothers and sisters. He referred to his fellow worshippers as “my beloved brothers.” (Jas. 1:16, 19; 2:5) He did not give the impression that he was perfect. Rather, he included himself in the statement: “We all make mistakes many times.”​—Read James 3:2 and footnote. 14. Why must we be willing to admit our mistakes? 14 The lesson: Remember that we are all sinners. We must not think that we are somehow superior to those whom we teach. Why not? If we give our student the impression that we are flawless, he may conclude that he could never measure up to God’s requirements. But when we honestly admit that it has not always been easy for us to follow Scriptural principles and we explain how Jehovah has helped us to overcome our challenges, we will help our student to see that he too can serve Jehovah. James’ illustrations were simple, clear, and effective (See paragraphs 15-16)d 15. How would you describe the illustrations James used? (James 3:2-6, 10-12) 15 James used illustrations that reached the heart. No doubt he was helped by holy spirit, but he likely also learned a great deal about how to teach by studying the illustrations that his older brother, Jesus, had used. The illustrations James used in his letter are simple, and the application is clear.​—Read James 3:2-6, 10-12. 16. Why should we use effective illustrations? 16 The lesson: Use effective illustrations. When you use appropriate illustrations, you turn ears into eyes. You paint pictures in the minds of people. These pictures help your audience to remember key Bible truths. Jesus was a master at using effective illustrations, and his brother James followed his example. Let us examine one of James’ illustrations and consider why it is so effective. 17. Why is the illustration recorded at James 1:22-25 so effective? 17 Read James 1:22-25. James’ illustration of the mirror is effective for a number of reasons. He had a specific point in mind, namely, that to benefit from God’s Word, we must do more than read it; we must act on what we read. James chose an illustration that his audience could quickly relate to​—a man looking in a mirror. His point? It would be foolish if a man were to look in a mirror, see a flaw he can correct, and do nothing about it. Similarly, it would be foolish if we were to read God’s Word, see something that we need to change about our personality, and do nothing about it. 18. What three things must we do when using an illustration? 18 When using an illustration, you can imitate James’ example by doing three things: (1) Make sure that the illustration is appropriate to the point you are discussing. (2) Use an illustration that your audience can easily relate to. (3) Make the application of the illustration clear. If you find it difficult to think of appropriate illustrations, consult the Watch Tower Publications Index. Under the heading “Illustrations,” you will find dozens of examples that you can use. Remember, though, that illustrations are like a microphone​—they will amplify the point you are making. So be sure to illustrate only the key points that you want to teach. Of course, our ultimate reason for wanting to improve our teaching skills is, not to draw attention to ourselves, but to help as many as possible to be part of Jehovah’s happy family. 19. How do we show that we appreciate our spiritual family? 19 We have not had the privilege of growing up with a perfect older brother, but we have had the honor of serving Jehovah along with a large family of Christian brothers and sisters. We show our love for them by associating with them, by learning from them, and by loyally serving side by side with them in the preaching and teaching work. When we strive to imitate James’ example in our attitude, conduct, and method of teaching, we bring honor to Jehovah and we help honesthearted people to draw close to our loving heavenly Father. HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER? Why must we remain humble? Why should we keep our teaching simple? Why should we use effective illustrations? SONG 114 “Exercise Patience” a James grew up in the same household as Jesus did. James knew the perfect Son of God better than most people at that time. In this article, we will examine what we can learn from the life and teachings of Jesus’ younger brother who became a pillar in the first-century Christian congregation. b For the sake of simplicity, we will refer to James as Jesus’ brother. He was actually Jesus’ half brother and evidently the one who wrote the letter bearing his name. c Nathan H. Knorr was a member of the Governing Body. He finished his earthly course in 1977. d PICTURE DESCRIPTION: James used the example of a small fire​—something people could easily understand—​to illustrate the danger of misusing the tongue.

Great Teacher (te) 1971

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/te

Chapter 27 Hated for Doing Good DO YOU love what is good?⁠— Both of us would say that we do, wouldn’t we? But do we really love it so much that we would do what is good even if others hated us for it?⁠— It takes courage to do that, doesn’t it?⁠— Do you think the Great Teacher had that kind of courage? Did he do good even when others hated him for it?⁠— Often people liked Jesus for the good things he did. Once all the people of a city gathered right at the door of the house where he was staying. They came because Jesus had been making sick people well.​—Mark 1:33. But sometimes what Jesus taught showed that the people did not believe the truth. Did everyone like to hear him then?⁠— Were they willing to change their beliefs?⁠— Not everyone was. In fact, some of them showed real hate for Jesus because he spoke the truth. This happened one day in Jesus’ own city of Nazareth. Jesus went into the synagogue. The synagogue is where the Jewish people met. Jesus stood up and gave a fine talk from the Scriptures. The people at first liked it. They were amazed at the beautiful words that came out of his mouth. They could hardly believe that this was the young man who had grown up in their own city. But then Jesus said something else. He told about times when God showed special favor to people who were not Jews like them. When Jesus said this, those in the synagogue became angry. Do you know why?⁠— They thought they were the only ones to have God’s special favor. They thought that they were better than other people. So they hated Jesus for what he said. And do you know what they tried to do to him?⁠— The Bible says: ‘They grabbed Jesus and rushed him outside the city. They led him to the edge of the mountain and were going to throw him over the side and kill him! But Jesus got away from them.’​—Luke 4:16-30. If that had happened to you, would you ever have gone back to talk to those people about God again?⁠— That would take courage, wouldn’t it?⁠— Well, about a year later Jesus did go back to Nazareth. And the Bible says: “He began to teach them in their synagogue.” Jesus did not stop speaking the truth because of fear of men who had no love for God.​—Matthew 13:54. On another day Jesus was in a place where there was a man whose hand was all withered up or crippled. Jesus had power from God to heal that man. But some men who were there were trying to make trouble for Jesus. What would the Great Teacher do?⁠— First he showed what was the right thing to do. He asked: ‘If you had a sheep that fell into a big hole on the sabbath, would you lift it out?’ Yes, they would do that for a sheep, even on the sabbath, the day when they were supposed to rest. So Jesus said: ‘It is even better to help a man on the sabbath, because a man is worth more than a sheep!’ How clear it was that Jesus should help this man by healing him! So Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand. Right away it was made well like the other one! How happy that man was! But what about those other men? Were they glad?⁠— No. They hated Jesus even more. They went out and made plans to kill him!​—Matthew 12:9-14. People are like that today. Some like what is right. Others do not. No matter what we do, we can never please them all. So we have to decide whom we really want to please. Whom do you want as your friends?⁠— Do you want good people for friends?⁠— Do you want Jehovah God to be your friend?⁠— Then you must always do what is right. But if you do good, will the Devil like you?⁠— And, really, do you want the Devil to like you?⁠— There are people whom the Devil likes. The Bible calls them “the world.” “The world” is made up of all the people who are not followers of the Great Teacher. The Great Teacher said: “If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you.”​—John 15:18, 19. Some people of the world say they believe in Jesus, but they do not teach others the truth about God, as Jesus did. If you show them from the Bible that they are not teaching the truth, will they like that?⁠— No, most of them won’t. But you may find someone like that man with the withered hand. He was grateful that Jesus did not hide the truth. There are many people who do hide the truth. They are afraid of what other people think. They are so worried about what other people may say that they hold back all their lives from doing what they know is right. What a shame! They miss out on so much happiness in life. And they miss out on the approval of God too. We don’t want to be like that, do we?⁠— (Read together these scriptures to show that we should never let fear of what other people might think hold us back from doing what is right: Proverbs 29:25; 1 Samuel 15:24 [1 Kings 15:24, Dy]; Matthew 26:69-75; John 12:42, 43.)

Jeremiah (jr) 2010

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/jr

input Page/​Publishers’ Page God’s Word for Us Through Jeremiah © 2010 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania PUBLISHERS Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. Brooklyn, New York, U.S.A. February 2016 Printing This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures​—With References. Photo Credits: ▪ Pages 54-55: Jucal seal and Gedaliah seal: Gabi Laron/​Institute of Archaeology/​Hebrew University © Eilat Mazar God’s Word for Us Through Jeremiah English (jr-E)

Is It Necessary to Belong to an Organized Religion?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502015170

Is It Necessary to Belong to an Organized Religion? The Bible’s answer Yes, because God wants people to gather for worship. The Bible says: “Let us consider one another so as to motivate to love and fine works, not forsaking our meeting together.”​—Hebrews 10:24, 25, footnote. Jesus indicated that his followers would form an organized group when he said to them: “By this all will know that you are my disciples​—if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) As a primary way of showing this love, disciples of Christ would associate with fellow believers. They would be organized into congregations that meet regularly for worship. (1 Corinthians 16:19) Collectively, they would form a worldwide brotherhood.​—1 Peter 2:​17. More is needed than just belonging to a religion While the Bible shows that people should gather to worship God, it does not teach that a person can please God by just being a member of a religion. To be approved by God, a person’s religion must affect his everyday life. For example, the Bible says: “The religion that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world.”​—James 1:​27, footnote.

Greatest Man (gt) 1991

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gt

Chapter 34 Choosing His Apostles IT HAS been about a year and a half since John the Baptizer introduced Jesus as the Lamb of God and Jesus began his public ministry. At that time Andrew, Simon Peter, John, and perhaps James (John’s brother), as well as Philip and Nathanael (also called Bartholomew), had become his first disciples. In time, many others joined them in following Christ. Now Jesus is ready to select his apostles. These will be his intimate associates who will be given special training. But before selecting them, Jesus goes into a mountain and spends the whole night in prayer, likely asking for wisdom and God’s blessing. When it becomes day, he calls his disciples and from among them chooses 12. However, since they continue to be Jesus’ pupils, they are still called disciples as well. Six that Jesus selects, named above, are those who became his first disciples. Matthew, whom Jesus called from his tax office, is also selected. The other five chosen are Judas (also called Thaddaeus), Judas Iscariot, Simon the Cananaean, Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus. This James is also called James the Less, perhaps because of being either smaller in physical stature or younger in age than the other apostle James. By now these 12 have been with Jesus for some time, and he knows them well. In fact, a number of them are his own relatives. James and his brother John evidently are Jesus’ first cousins. And it is probable that Alphaeus was the brother of Joseph, Jesus’ adoptive father. So Alphaeus’ son, the apostle James, would also be a cousin of Jesus. Jesus, of course, has no problem in remembering his apostles’ names. But can you remember them? Well, just remember that there are two named Simon, two named James, and two named Judas, and that Simon has a brother Andrew, and that James has a brother John. That is the key to remembering eight apostles. The other four include a tax collector (Matthew), one who later doubted (Thomas), one called from under a tree (Nathanael), and his friend Philip. Eleven of the apostles are from Galilee, Jesus’ home territory. Nathanael is from Cana. Philip, Peter, and Andrew are originally from Bethsaida, Peter and Andrew later moving to Capernaum, where it appears that Matthew lived. James and John were in the fishing business and also likely lived in or near Capernaum. It seems that Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus, is the only apostle from Judea. Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16. ▪ What apostles may have been relatives of Jesus? ▪ Who are Jesus’ apostles, and how can you remember their names? ▪ From which territories did the apostles come?

“I Cried When I Read It”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102011018

“I Cried When I Read It” ● The above is what a woman in Illinois, U.S.A., wrote about reading the book The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived. She explained in her letter to the book’s publishers, “I just hope and pray that more people will enjoy reading about Jesus as much as I do.” The Greatest Man book gives an account of the life of Jesus based on the inspired writings of four of his contemporaries, namely, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Matthew and John were apostles and traveling companions of Jesus. Mark was a close friend of Peter, one of Jesus’ apostles. And the physician Luke was a traveling companion of the apostle Paul. If you would like to receive a free copy of this fully illustrated book, please fill in the accompanying coupon, and mail it using an appropriate address found on page 5 of this magazine. □ Without obligation, I request a copy of the book shown here. □ Please contact me concerning a free home Bible study.

Peace and Security (tp73) 1973

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/tp73

Chapter 9 Peace and Security Earth Wide​—A Reliable Hope 1, 2. What conditions, foretold in the Bible, would make this earth a most pleasant place to live? THIS earth could be a most pleasant and interesting place in which to live​—if truly peaceful, secure conditions prevailed earth wide. Though it is far from that now, the Bible foretells that the earth will yet become a splendid home for mankind, one in which the human family will be able to enjoy life to the full. 2 Just what are the blessings promised, and how can we be sure that they will be fulfilled? SOLID BASIS FOR CONFIDENCE 3, 4. (a) What do we learn from the reliability of the basic laws that control the universe? (b) Who is the Maker of those laws, and so in what else do we have good reason to put our trust? 3 There are basic laws that control the universe. Many of them we take for granted. Sunrise, sunset, moon phases and seasons come and go in a manner that contributes to the stability of human living. Men draw up calendars and plan activities years ahead, knowing that the movements of the sun, moon and planets are reliable. What can we learn from this? 4 The Maker of those laws is reliable; what he says and does is dependable. It is over his name, as the Creator of heaven and earth, that the Bible’s promises concerning a righteous new order are made. (Isaiah 45:18, 19) In a person’s daily routine of life, it is the normal thing to rely in some measure on other people​—on those who bring food to the market to sell, those who deliver the mail, and close friends. Should we not place far, far more confidence in God and in the certainty of the fulfillment of his promises?​—Isaiah 55:10, 11. 5. Is there any selfish motivation in what God has promised so that we have reason to doubt that he will do what he has said? 5 It is true that men, for selfish reasons, often prove unreliable. But all of God’s promises contained in the Bible are clearly for our good, not to satisfy any selfishness on His part. He does not need anything from us; nor does our believing his Word work to the selfish gain of any men. But God does find delight in those who put faith in him due to their love for him and their appreciation of his ways.​—Psalm 50:10-12, 14, 15 [49:10-12, 14, 15, Dy]. 6. What kind of faith does the Bible help us to acquire? 6 Then, too, the Bible appeals to our powers of reason; it does not demand blind faith or credulity. In fact, it defines true faith as “the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld.” (Hebrews 11:1) In the Bible, God gives us a sound basis for faith. That basis becomes more and more evident as we grow in knowledge of God’s Word and see how true it proves to be in our own lives and in the fulfillment of its prophecies. Psalm 34:8-10 [33:9-11, Dy]. 7. As we examine the Bible’s promises of future blessings, what should we not expect belief in them to require of us? 7 The Bible’s promises of future blessings go far beyond what men dare to offer. Yet those promises do not require us to believe things that go against all human experience. Nor are they contrary to what it is normal for a human to desire. Consider some of these grand blessings and see how this is true. EARTH TO BECOME A GARDEN HOME 8, 9. (a) What idea should be conveyed to our minds by the term “paradise”? (b) Has such a thing ever existed on earth? (c) What shows that it is God’s purpose for Paradise to prevail earth wide? 8 To many persons the word “paradise” conveys the idea of something unearthly, even unreal. But “paradise” comes from similar words used in ancient times (Hebrew, par·desʹ; Persian, pai·ri·daeʹza; Greek, pa·raʹdei·sos), words that were used to describe things then actually existing on earth. These words all have the basic idea of a ‘beautiful park’ or ‘parklike garden.’ As in ancient times, so today there are many such places, some of them parks of great size. And man has a natural yearning for their beauty. The Bible promises that the day will come when this whole planet will be such a parklike garden or paradise. 9 When God created the first human pair he gave them as a home the Garden of Eden, which name means Paradise of Pleasure. Paradise was not to be limited to that one location, however. As the Bible relates: “God blessed them and God said to them: ‘Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it.’” (Genesis 1:28; 2:8, 9) This would involve spreading the boundaries of Paradise to the ends of the earth. The disobedient course of Adam and Eve did not bring to an end that divinely stated purpose. Showing that a Paradise earth was still God’s purpose, Christ Jesus promised a man who died alongside him, and who showed faith in Jesus as God’s Son, that he would have the opportunity to live in such earthly Paradise. (Luke 23:39-43) How will this come about? 10. At Revelation 11:18, what obstacles to Paradise does God promise to remove? 10 In the coming “great tribulation” God promises that he will clear away all obstacles to such a paradise by bringing to ruin those ruining the earth. (Revelation 11:18) God will thus do what human governments never could do. He will clear out all those who selfishly pollute and ravage the earth to satisfy commercial greed, all who wage devastating wars due to thirst for power, all who misuse the earth because they lack gratitude and respect for the bountiful gifts that God has provided. 11. (a) What historical event shows that restoration of the earth to a paradise state is not contrary to human experience? (b) In what promised blessing does this strengthen our faith? 11 The whole earth will then blossom forth with beauty; freshness and cleanness will then come to its air, water and land. This restoration of Paradise is not something beyond believing or contrary to human experience. Many centuries ago, when the nation of Israel came out of captivity in Babylon, Jehovah God restored them to their homeland. When they returned, the land was a desolate waste. Yet, because of God’s blessing on them and their work, the land soon changed so that neighboring peoples exclaimed: ‘It has become like the garden of Eden!’ Where thickets of thorns and stinging nettles had grown, now juniper and myrtle trees flourished. The land became bountifully productive, removing any threat of hunger and famine. (Ezekiel 36:29, 30, 35; Isaiah 35:1, 2; 55:13) What God did then in that small area of Palestine he promises to do on a global scale, so that all persons living will enjoy the divinely provided pleasures of life in Paradise.​—Psalm 67:6, 7 [66:7, 8, Dy]; Isaiah 25:6. END OF POVERTY AND ECONOMIC SLAVERY 12. What economic and working conditions must be remedied if we are to have real enjoyment in life? 12 It is well known that poverty and bondage to the economic system are found earth wide. There could be no real enjoyment of life in God’s new order if this condition were not-remedied, if millions went on doing labor that provided just the bare means of living, or doing work that is monotonous and makes a man an impersonal cog in a huge machine. 13-15. (a) Where do we find a historical example that shows us what God’s will for man is in this regard? (b) How did that arrangement contribute to the security and enjoyment of life of each individual and family? 13 God’s will for man in this regard is seen in the way he directed matters with ancient Israel. There, each family received a hereditary possession of land. (Judges 2:6) Even though this could be sold and even though individuals also could sell themselves into servitude if they fell into debt, Jehovah still made provisions to guard against the building up of huge landholdings or any long-term enslavement of people. How? 14 By means of the provisions in the Law he gave his people. The seventh year of servitude was a ‘year of release’ when any Israelite thus in bondage must be set free. Also, every fiftieth year was a “Jubilee” year for the whole nation, a year in which to “proclaim liberty in the land to all its inhabitants.” (Deuteronomy 15:1-9; Leviticus 25:10) Then any hereditary possession sold was returned to its original owner, and all in servitude were released, even though seven years had not elapsed. It was a joyful time of happy family reunion and a ‘new start’ in life economically. Thus, no land could be sold for all time, but its sale was, in effect, just a ‘lease’ that would end, at the latest, in the Jubilee year.​—Leviticus 25:8-24. 15 All this contributed splendidly to the economic stability of the nation and the security and peace of each family. When observed, it kept the nation from falling into the sad picture we see today in so many lands where only two classes exist, the extremely rich and the extremely poor. The benefits to the individual strengthened the nation, for none needed to be underprivileged and crushed by bad economic conditions. As reported during the reign of King Solomon, who looked to Jehovah for wisdom: “Judah and Israel continued to dwell in security, everyone under his own vine and under his own fig tree.” (1 Kings 4:25 [3 Kings 4:25, Dy]) Today many persons cannot really employ their talents and initiative, because they are trapped in an economic system that locks them in, making them serve the desires of one person or a small group of persons. Under God’s law the industrious person was aided to contribute his full abilities to the welfare and enjoyment of all. This gives us at least a small-scale idea of the measure of personal freedom and the sense of personal worth and dignity that those gaining life in God’s new order will enjoy. 16. As to living conditions and one’s economic situation, what will God’s kingdom provide for all of us who are its subjects? 16 Earth wide the prophecy of Micah 4:3, 4 will see major fulfillment. Peace-loving persons living under God’s righteous rule will “sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one making them tremble; for the very mouth of Jehovah of armies has spoken it.” None of the subjects of God’s kingdom will live in squalid slums or crowded tenements. They will have land and homes that are their own. (Isaiah 65:21, 22) The king, Christ Jesus, long ago promised that the ‘mild-tempered ones will inherit the earth,’ and he has ‘all authority in heaven and earth’ to see that this is the case.​—Matthew 5:5; 28:18. ENDURING HEALTH AND LIFE 17-19. (a) What shows that good health and long life are natural desires of mankind? (b) What facts about human life and about vegetation make man’s short life-span seem strange? (c) What is there about the human brain that shows it is very reasonable to believe that man was designed to live forever? 17 None of these conditions, however, could make your life genuinely peaceful and secure as long as sickness, old age and death clouded the future. Is it unreasonable or contrary to human experience to hope for relief from these things? It certainly is not contrary to man’s nature to want this, for men have spent lifetimes and untold sums of money searching for the means to accomplish it. 18 Rather than the hope of enduring health and life being unreasonable, is it not the opposite that is unreasonable​—that, just when humans reach an age where they begin to have a fine fund of knowledge, experience and ability to do worthwhile things, they then die? On the other hand, there are trees that live for thousands of years. Why should man, who is endowed with intelligence, live for only a fraction of the time that some unconscious, unintelligent vegetation does? Should he not reasonably live far, far longer? 19 The book Science Year of 1967 states that for specialists in the study of aging “the aging process is still largely a mystery.”32 Mystifying to scientists, too, is the fact that the human brain is obviously designed to take in virtually unlimited amounts of information. As biochemist Isaac Asimov points out, the brain’s “filing system” is “perfectly capable of handling any load of learning and memory which the human being is likely to put upon it​—and a billion times more than that quantity, too.”33 That means that your brain is capable of handling not only any load you might put on it in a lifetime of seventy or eighty years, but a thousand million times more! No wonder man has such a thirst for knowledge, such desire to learn to do and accomplish things. Yet he is blocked by his shortness of life. Is it reasonable that man should have such a fantastic organ as the human brain is and then never get to use more than a tiny fraction of its potential? Is it not far more reasonable that, as the Bible shows, Jehovah God designed man to live forever on earth and gave him a brain admirably suited to that purpose? 20. Just what does the Bible say that God has promised to do for mankind in regard to the effects of sin, including death itself? 20 The Bible shows that originally man had the opportunity of living forever, but lost it through rebellion; that “through one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.” (Romans 5:12) Human experience agrees, for sin and death are universal among mankind. But the Bible also contains God’s promise that, in the restored Paradise, “death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.” (Revelation 21:3, 4; 7:16, 17) It clearly states that everlasting life, free from the effects of sin, is God’s purpose for mankind. (Romans 5:21; 6:23) More than this, it promises that the blessings of God’s new order will be opened up for the many millions who have died in the past. How? By a resurrection from death, yes, by the emptying of the common grave of all mankind. Concerning this, Jesus Christ confidently foretold: “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out.”​—John 5:28, 29. 21, 22. Why is the prospect of restoration to full health not something that is too much to hope for? 21 Modern medical scientists today produce “miracle drugs” and perform surgical feats that would have seemed incredible centuries ago. Should we doubt that man’s Creator can do far grander and more astounding things to restore righteous-hearted persons to vibrant health, even reverse the aging process​—all without resorting to hospitals, operating rooms and artificial organs? In his considerateness, God has provided us with the evidence that such blessings are not too much to hope for. 22 He empowered his Son while on earth to perform powerful works of healing. These works assure us that no weakness, defect or disease is beyond God’s power to heal. When a man whose flesh was filled with leprosy implored Jesus to heal him, Jesus compassionately touched the man and said: “Be made clean.” And, as the historical record says, “immediately his leprosy was cleansed away.” (Matthew 8:2, 3) Jesus did not do these things in some isolated place, out of public view. The historian Matthew Levi reports: “Great crowds approached him, having along with them people that were lame, maimed, blind,: dumb, and many otherwise, and they fairly threw them at his feet, and he cured them; so that the crowd felt amazement . . . and they glorified the God of Israel.” (Matthew 15:30, 31) Read for yourself the account at John 9:1-21 as an example of how factual and true to life the historical report of such cures is. These events are testified to by many witnesses, including a doctor, the physician Luke.​—Mark 7:32-37; Luke 5:12-14, 17-25; 6:6-11; Colossians 4:14. 23, 24. Why is it not unreasonable to believe that the dead actually can and will be restored to life under God’s kingdom? 23 For similar reasons we need not view as beyond belief the clear Bible promise that “there is going to be a resurrection” of the dead. (Acts 24:15) Humans today can record a person’s voice, appearance and actions on a small piece of film or videotape, so that even years after his death these can be reproduced. Should not the One who created man, who logically knows the precise atomic and molecular structure of man, be able to do far more? If man-made computers can store up and coordinate literally billions of pieces of data, should not God be able to remember precisely the personalities of individuals so as to restore these to life?​—Job 14:13. 24 Again, Jehovah God has kindly given us the means for strengthening our faith in such a tremendous hope. He granted his Son power to demonstrate on a small scale what he will do on a massive scale during his righteous rule over earth. Christ Jesus resurrected dead persons, often doing so in full view of onlookers. The man Lazarus, whom he resurrected near Jerusalem, had even been dead long enough for his body to begin to decompose. Thus the resurrection hope is seen to have a solid basis.​—Luke 7:11-17; 8:40-42, 49-56; John 11:38-44. THE EARTH’S ABILITY TO CONTAIN SUCH POPULATION 25, 26. When the dead are resurrected, where will there be room for everyone to live? 25 Can this planet provide comfortable living space for such a population as would result from the resurrection of the dead? In 1960, Dr. Albert L. Elder, as president of the American Chemical Society, stated: “It took over 5000 years of human history up to about 1820 to reach a world population of 1.1 billion. Within the following century, population doubled. Now, it stands at about 2.8 billion and could reach 3 billion early in the 1960’s [as it did]. Thus, in less than 50 years there has been an increase in population equivalent to that which occurred during the first 50 centuries.”34 26 Those alive today, therefore, represent a sizable portion of the total that has ever lived on earth. In fact, in 1966 it was stated: “It is now estimated that 25 per cent of all the people who have ever lived are alive today.”35 On this basis the total population throughout all human history could be estimated at some 14,000,000,000 persons. The earth’s land area is more than 36,000,000,000 acres. That would allow more than two and a half acres per person. Not only would this provide space for food production, but also it would allow for forests, mountains and so forth with no undue crowding in the paradise earth. Then, too, it must be remembered that the Bible shows that by no means all those now living will survive and live in that new order. 27. Could the earth produce enough food for all those people? 27 But could the earth produce enough food for so many people? Scientists today claim that it could do so even under present-day conditions. Time magazine (July 13, 1970) reported that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization “now maintains that the world’s agricultural potential is great enough to feed 157 billion people.” That is far, far more than the total number estimated of those who have ever lived on earth. 28. Why is there no danger that, with people living forever, the earth would in time become overcrowded? 28 We should note that God’s purpose originally stated to the first, human pair was that they should “fill the earth and subdue it,” extending Eden’s limits to the farthest reaches of earth. (Genesis 1:28) This would mean, not overrunning the earth with people, but filling it to a comfortable extent, to an extent that would still permit the ‘subdued’ earth to be a global park like man’s original parklike home. So, this divine command indicates that, in God’s due time and way, reproduction would eventually cease among mankind. To God, who endowed man with reproductive abilities, that presents no big problem. A SURE FOUNDATION ENDURING HAPPINESS 29, 30. (a) What effect do relationships with other people have on a person’s happiness? (b) How do we know that those who gain eternal life in God’s new order will be only persons who truly contribute, to the peace and security of their fellowmen? 29 Even though you could live in beautiful surroundings, have material prosperity, do interesting work and enjoy relatively good health, this would still not guarantee your lasting happiness. There are persons today who have these things and yet are unhappy. Why? Because of their relationships with the people around them, people who may be selfish, quarrelsome, hypocritical or hateful. Enduring happiness in God’s new order will come in large measure from the changed attitude of people, all over the earth. Their love and respect for God and their seeking to carry out his purposes will bring spiritual prosperity. Without that, material prosperity becomes vain, unsatisfying and empty. 30 Even more than having material things, pleasure comes from being around people who are kind, humble, friendly, people you can really love and trust, and who feel that way about you. (Psalm 133:1 [132:1, Dy]; Proverbs 15:17) Love of God is what ensures true love of neighbor, which will make life so pleasant in His righteous new order. Those whom God will favor with eternal life will all be persons who have proved their love for him and for their fellowman. With such persons for your neighbors, friends and work companions, you will be able to enjoy real peace and security and enduring happiness.​—1 John 4:7, 8, 20, 21. 31. If we really want life in God’s new order, what should we do now? 31 Inasmuch as such a grand prospect is open to you, the course of practical wisdom is to find out what is required to lay hold of it. Now is the time to bring your life into harmony with the righteous requirements that God has set out in his Word for those who will be spared through the coming “great tribulation.”​—2 Peter 3:11-13.

Watching the World

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102001012

Watching the World Oxygen-Starved Eyes Some contact-lens wearers may be starving their eyes of oxygen, reports The Globe and Mail. “Vascularization occurs when the cornea [the eye’s transparent cover] can’t get the oxygen it needs through surface contact with the air and begins growing blood vessels to compensate.” Impaired vision or even blindness can result. Dr. Raymond Stein, chief of ophthalmology at a Toronto hospital, says that the “worst scenario is when a patient fails to take care of his or her lenses and does not come in for follow-up.” Optometrists encourage patients to consult an eye-care professional to make sure that they have the right contact lenses for their particular eyes and then to follow the recommended wear schedule and lens-care instructions. Brazilian Friendship in Decline Brazilians now cultivate friendships with less frequency than they did ten years ago, reports O Globo newspaper. According to mental-health expert Maria Abigail de Souza of the University of São Paulo, fierce competition in the job market, the struggle to maintain a certain life-style, and a reduction in leisure time are all contributing factors. César Vasconcelos de Souza, medical director at the Adventist Healthy Life Center, São Paulo, says: “To have true friends, we must share our feelings, open our heart, and let out happy and sad things, hard and easy things. That requires time and a deepening of emotional ties. Most people would like to share their feelings with others but are afraid to do so. To avoid risks they prefer shallow friendships.” Grieving and Depression A survey of men and women between the ages of 70 and 79 shows that some widows and widowers experience high levels of depressive symptoms up to two years after the loss of their spouse. Those taking part in the study were divided into six groups, based on the amount of time that had passed since the death of their spouse. Both interviews and questionnaires were used to measure symptoms of depression. Of the respondents, 38 percent were men, and 62 percent were women. The study found that the rate of depression among the newly bereaved is nine times higher than among married individuals who had not suffered a similar bereavement. Hooked on Internet Pornography Researchers have found that “at least 200,000 Internet users are hooked on pornography sites, X-rated chat rooms or other sexual materials online,” reports The New York Times. The study was conducted by psychologists at Stanford and Duquesne universities and is one of the first to have estimated the number of Internet “cybersex compulsives.” The researchers said that these individuals visit X-rated Web sites more than 11 hours a week. The newspaper quoted the researchers as saying: “This is a hidden public health hazard exploding, in part, because very few are recognizing it as such or taking it seriously.” AIDS Devastates Africa In the past year, AIDS has killed more people in Africa than has warfare, according to Kofi Annan, secretary-general of the United Nations. This includes the wars in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Angola, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan. Almost two thirds of the world’s 36 million AIDS sufferers live in sub-Saharan Africa. In Côte d’Ivoire, AIDS kills one teacher every school day, and in Botswana, life expectancy has dropped from 70 years to 41. Zimbabwe expects that by the year 2005, HIV and AIDS will consume 60 percent of its health budget, and even that will be inadequate. The subject of AIDS is avoided in Malawi and Zambia, where rates of infection are extremely high; and in South Africa sufferers are shunned, reports London’s newspaper The Guardian. “None of us has yet begun to grasp the full impact of this horror—on the quality of life in Africa, its economic potential and its social and political stability,” stated Mr. Annan. Cities Alter Climate “Explosive urban growth is creating ‘heat islands’ so intense that they are establishing their own local weather systems,” reports The Times of London. The cities trap heat during the day and radiate it back into space at night. Temperatures in cities such as Beijing and Atlanta are thus raised 10 degrees Fahrenheit [5.5°C] or more. In the past 19 years, Atlanta has lost 380,000 acres [150,000 ha] of tree cover to roads and housing. The urban sprawl increases air pollution, causes unseasonal thunderstorms, and reduces the photosynthetic productivity of farmland. Commenting on the effects of these “heat islands,” Dr. Marc Imhoff, a National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist, said: “Human survival depends on the ability of the landscape to produce food. If the capacity of the landscape to carry out photosynthesis is substantially reduced, the ability of the planet to support human life must also be diminished.” In most cases it is prime agricultural land that is sacrificed for urban expansion. Pollution Kills the Demand for Whales Pollution may have become an unlikely ally in the fight to save the whale. Recent investigations have shown that whales and dolphins caught off the coast of Japan are highly contaminated by DDT, dioxin, PCBs, and methylmercury. One test showed that eating just one and a half ounces [50 g] of contaminated dolphin meat could cause a significant health risk to a person. Such news, some expect, may kill the demand for whale meat. “Self-cleaning” Lotus Why does the lotus plant, long held sacred in Eastern religions, always look so clean? German scientists now claim to have found the answer to this question that has intrigued biologists for ages. “Water-repellency of plant surfaces has long been known,” say the scientists W. Barthlott and C. Neinhuis. “But the self-cleaning properties . . . had been completely overlooked.” As explained in The Sunday Times of India, “the water droplets rolling off a lotus leaf carry away contaminating particles, thus cleaning the surface perfectly.” This is not because the surface is smooth. Seen under a microscope, the leaf has a rough surface of “knobs, folds and buttons” with “convex or dome-shaped water-shedding” profile. But added to this is the effect of the hydrophobic, or water-hating, wax crystalloids with which the plant is covered. The researchers say that this “lotus effect” drastically reduces the adhesion of water and dirt particles, and they add that the plant can regenerate waxes in spite of adverse environmental conditions. This, they say, makes the lotus’ natural efficiency far superior to man-made waterproof paint or washing detergents. Fit to Drink? A study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) warns that “preventive measures must be taken” before the water quality in France reaches “a point of no return.” According to WWF, France’s underground and surface waters are being contaminated by pesticides and nitrates. Nitrate contamination primarily occurs when pig and cattle manure is carried into the water supply. The report says that “the feces of the eight million pigs in the Brittany region are comparable to the waste produced by a city of 24 million inhabitants without any sewage treatment plant!” Moreover, “the massive use of fertilizers for large-scale farming” also pollutes the water supply with nitrates, says WWF. Additionally, the heavy use of pesticides in corn production has resulted in raising pesticide levels over 40 percent higher than established standards. The WWF report recommends that wetlands and wooded embankments be rebuilt to act as natural filters.

Sing Praises (ssb) 1984

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb

Song 2 Obeying God Rather Than Men (Acts 5:29) 1. All things we do to please our God; The world we’ve left behind. The unbelievers think we’re odd, But this we do not mind. And rather God than men obey, That is our firm resolve. Our lives and all we do each day Around him now revolve. 2. To “Caesar” we pay back his things, Give rulers all their due. To God such conduct honor brings And shows that he is true. But since we were bought with a price And no more are our own, We take to heart our Lord’s advice And serve our God alone. 3. If we would bring Jehovah praise And lead a peaceful life, We may not walk in lawless ways Or join in worldly strife. We pay our dues to God Most High, Serve his Theocracy, Thus fearlessly e’er testify To his true Sov’reignty. 4. Our sacred service must come first. We will not be deterred, For many are the ones that thirst; They need to taste God’s Word. Though men may seek to interfere, We know what course to take: Obey our God, to him adhere; He ne’er will us forsake!

When February Had Thirty Days

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101971014

When February Had Thirty Days ● February had thirty days until the time of Julius Caesar. Caesar took one day off to add to the month named after him, July. The emperor Augustus took another day off to add to August, the month named after him.

STUDY ARTICLE 2 You Can Be “a Source of Great Comfort”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2020241

STUDY ARTICLE 2 You Can Be “a Source of Great Comfort” “These are my fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, and they have become a source of great comfort to me.”​—COL. 4:11. SONG 90 Encourage One Another PREVIEWa 1. What stressful situations are many faithful servants of Jehovah facing? AROUND the world, many servants of Jehovah are facing stressful, even painful, situations. Have you noticed this in your congregation? Some Christians are dealing with a serious illness or with the death of a loved one. Others are enduring the intense pain of seeing a family member or close friend leave the truth. Still others are coping with the effects of natural disasters. All such brothers and sisters need comfort. How can we help them? 2. Why did the apostle Paul at times need to be comforted? 2 The apostle Paul faced one life-threatening situation after another. (2 Cor. 11:23-28) He also had to endure “a thorn in the flesh,” possibly some sort of health problem. (2 Cor. 12:7) And he had to cope with disappointment when Demas, his onetime fellow worker, abandoned him “because [Demas] loved the present system of things.” (2 Tim. 4:10) Paul was a courageous spirit-anointed Christian who unselfishly helped others, but at times even he felt discouraged.​—Rom. 9:1, 2. 3. From whom did Paul receive comfort and support? 3 Paul received the comfort and support he needed. How? Jehovah certainly used His holy spirit to strengthen him. (2 Cor. 4:7; Phil. 4:13) Jehovah also comforted him through fellow Christians. Paul described some of his fellow workers as “a source of great comfort.” (Col. 4:11) Among the ones he mentioned by name were Aristarchus, Tychicus, and Mark. They strengthened Paul, helping him to endure. What qualities allowed these three Christians to be so comforting? How can we follow their fine example as we try to comfort and encourage one another? LOYAL LIKE ARISTARCHUS Like Aristarchus, we can be a loyal friend by sticking to our brothers and sisters during “times of distress” (See paragraphs 4-5)c 4. How did Aristarchus prove to be a loyal friend to Paul? 4 Aristarchus, a Macedonian Christian from Thessalonica, proved to be a loyal friend to Paul. We first read about Aristarchus when Paul visited Ephesus on his third missionary tour. While accompanying Paul, Aristarchus was captured by a mob. (Acts 19:29) When he was finally set free, he did not seek his own safety but loyally stayed with Paul. Some months later, in Greece, Aristarchus was still at Paul’s side even though opposers continued to threaten Paul’s life. (Acts 20:2-4) In about 58 C.E. when Paul was sent to Rome as a prisoner, Aristarchus accompanied him on the long journey, and together they endured shipwreck along the way. (Acts 27:1, 2, 41) Once in Rome, he apparently spent some time in prison with Paul. (Col. 4:10) Little wonder that Paul felt encouraged and comforted by such a loyal companion! 5. According to Proverbs 17:17, how can we be a loyal friend? 5 Like Aristarchus, we can be a loyal friend by sticking to our brothers and sisters not only in good times but also during “times of distress.” (Read Proverbs 17:17.) Even after a trial ends, our brother or sister may still need to be comforted. Frances,b who lost both her parents to cancer within a three-month period, says: “I think that difficult trials affect us for a long time. And I appreciate loyal friends who remember that I am still in pain, even though some time has passed since my parents died.” 6. What will loyalty move us to do? 6 Loyal friends make sacrifices in order to support their brothers and sisters. For example, a brother named Peter was diagnosed with a very aggressive terminal illness. His wife, Kathryn, says: “A couple in our congregation took us to the appointment where we found out about Peter’s illness. They decided then and there that they would not let us go on this painful journey alone, and they have been by our side whenever we have needed them.” How comforting it is to have true friends, who can help us to endure our trials! TRUSTWORTHY LIKE TYCHICUS Like Tychicus, we can be a trustworthy friend when others are struggling with problems (See paragraphs 7-9)d 7-8. According to Colossians 4:7-9, how did Tychicus prove trustworthy? 7 Tychicus, a Christian from the Roman district of Asia, stands out as a loyal companion to Paul. (Acts 20:4) About 55 C.E., Paul organized the collection of relief funds for Judean Christians, and he may have let Tychicus help with this important assignment. (2 Cor. 8:18-20) Later when Paul was imprisoned in Rome for the first time, Tychicus served as his personal messenger. He delivered Paul’s letters and messages of encouragement to the congregations in Asia.​—Col. 4:7-9. 8 Tychicus remained Paul’s trustworthy friend. (Titus 3:12) Not all Christians back then were as dependable as Tychicus. About 65 C.E., during his second imprisonment, Paul wrote that many Christian men in the province of Asia avoided associating with him, possibly because they were afraid of opposers. (2 Tim. 1:15) In contrast, Paul could rely on Tychicus and gave him yet another assignment. (2 Tim. 4:12) Paul surely appreciated having a good friend like Tychicus. 9. How can we imitate Tychicus? 9 We can imitate Tychicus by being a trustworthy friend. For example, we not only promise to help our brothers and sisters in need but also do practical things to assist them. (Matt. 5:37; Luke 16:10) When those who need help know that they can depend on us, they are genuinely comforted. One sister explains why. She says, “You do not have the added stress of wondering whether the person who offered to help will be there on time to do what he promised.” 10. As stated at Proverbs 18:24, from whom can those coping with a trial or disappointment find comfort? 10 Those coping with a trial or disappointment often find comfort by confiding in a trusted friend. (Read Proverbs 18:24.) After the disappointment of seeing his son disfellowshipped, Bijay said, “I needed to share my feelings with someone I could trust.” Carlos lost a cherished congregation privilege as the result of a personal failing. He says, “I needed a ‘safe place’ where I could freely express myself without fear of being judged.” Carlos found that safe place with the elders, who helped him get through his problem. He was also comforted in knowing that the elders were discreet and would keep what he said confidential. 11. How can we be a trusted friend and confidant? 11 To be a trusted friend and confidant, we need to cultivate patience. When Zhanna’s husband left her, she found comfort in sharing her feelings with close friends. “They patiently listened to me,” she says, “although I probably said the same things over and over again.” You too can prove to be a good friend by being a good listener. WILLING TO SERVE LIKE MARK Mark’s acts of kindness helped Paul to endure, and we can help our brothers during times of tragedy (See paragraphs 12-14)e 12. Who was Mark, and how did he show a willing spirit? 12 Mark was a Jewish Christian from Jerusalem. His cousin Barnabas was a well-known missionary. (Col. 4:10) Mark’s family appears to have been materially well-off, yet Mark did not put material things first in his life. Throughout his life, Mark showed a willing spirit. He was happy to serve others. For example, at various times he served alongside both the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter as they fulfilled their responsibilities, with Mark possibly attending to their physical needs. (Acts 13:2-5; 1 Pet. 5:13) Paul described Mark as one of his “fellow workers for the Kingdom of God” and as “a strengthening aid” to him.​—Col. 4:10, 11, ftn. 13. How does 2 Timothy 4:11 show that Paul appreciated Mark’s faithful service? 13 Mark became one of Paul’s close friends. For example, when Paul was imprisoned for the last time in Rome, about 65 C.E., he wrote his second letter to Timothy. In that letter, Paul asked Timothy to come to Rome and to bring Mark along. (2 Tim. 4:11) Paul no doubt appreciated Mark’s past faithful service, so he asked for Mark’s presence at that crucial time. Mark helped Paul in practical ways, perhaps supplying him with food or items for his writing. The support and encouragement that Paul received likely helped him to endure the final days leading up to his execution. 14-15. What can Matthew 7:12 teach us about assisting others in practical ways? 14 Read Matthew 7:12. When we are going through a hard time, how we appreciate those who offer support in practical ways! “There are so many routine things that seem to be impossible to do when you are suffering,” says Ryan, whose father died unexpectedly in a tragic accident. “Practical assistance​—even when it seems very little—​goes a long way.” 15 By being attentive and observant, we can likely find practical ways to help others. For example, one sister took the initiative to help Peter and Kathryn, mentioned earlier, get to all their medical appointments. Neither Peter nor Kathryn could drive anymore, so the sister made a schedule that enabled volunteers from the congregation to take turns providing transportation. Did this arrangement help? Kathryn says, “We felt as if a burden had been lifted off our shoulders.” Never underestimate how comforting your practical yet simple acts of kindness can be. 16. What important lesson about providing comfort do we learn from Mark’s example? 16 The first-century disciple Mark certainly was a busy Christian. He had weighty theocratic assignments, including writing the Gospel that bears his name. Yet, Mark made time to comfort Paul, and Paul felt free to ask for Mark’s assistance. Angela, who had to cope with the violent death of a family member, appreciated the similar willingness of those who comforted her. “When friends genuinely want to help, they are approachable,” she says. “They don’t seem reluctant or hesitant.” We can ask ourselves, ‘Am I known for being willing to comfort fellow worshippers in practical ways?’ DETERMINED TO COMFORT OTHERS 17. How can meditating on 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4 motivate us to offer comfort? 17 We do not have to look far to find brothers and sisters who need comfort. We may even be able to share the same encouraging thoughts that others have used to comfort us. Nino, a sister who lost her grandmother in death, says: “Jehovah can comfort others through us if we allow ourselves to be used by him.” (Read 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4.) Says Frances, quoted earlier: “There is real truth to 2 Corinthians 1:4. We can pass on to others the comfort we receive.” 18. (a) Why may some be afraid to offer comfort? (b) How can we genuinely comfort others? Give an example. 18 We need to take the initiative to act despite our fears. For instance, we may fear not knowing what to say or what to do for someone who is in a distressing situation. An elder named Paul remembers the efforts some made after his father died. “I could tell that it was not easy for them to approach me,” he says. “They struggled with their words. But I still appreciated their desire to offer comfort and support.” Similarly, after experiencing a powerful earthquake, a brother named Tajon said: “I honestly don’t remember every message that people sent me in the days following the earthquake, but I do remember that they cared enough to check on me.” We can be effective comforters if we show that we care. 19. Why are you determined to be “a source of great comfort”? 19 As we get closer to the end of this system of things, world conditions will deteriorate and life will become more challenging. (2 Tim. 3:13) And the problems that we bring on ourselves because of inherited sin and imperfection mean that we will continue to need comfort. The apostle Paul was able to endure faithfully to the end of his life, thanks, in part, to the comfort he received from fellow Christians. May we be loyal like Aristarchus, trustworthy like Tychicus, and willing to serve like Mark. By doing so, we can help our brothers and sisters to remain firm in the faith.​—1 Thess. 3:2, 3. a The apostle Paul experienced many difficulties in his life. During hard times, certain fellow workers were of great comfort to him. We will identify three specific qualities that made these fellow workers so good at comforting others. We will also consider how we can follow their example in practical ways. b Some of the names in this article have been changed. HOW CAN YOU COMFORT OTHERS BY IMITATING . . . Aristarchus’ loyalty? Tychicus’ trustworthiness? Mark’s willingness to help in practical ways? SONG 111 Our Reasons for Joy c PICTURE DESCRIPTION: Aristarchus and Paul endured a shipwreck together. d PICTURE DESCRIPTION: Tychicus was entrusted with delivering Paul’s letters to the congregations. e PICTURE DESCRIPTION: Mark assisted Paul in practical ways.

In This Issue of Awake!

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102022010

In This Issue of Awake! The world is in turmoil. Sooner or later, natural disasters and man-made problems are likely to bring suffering to each one of us. How can you and your family cope with the turmoil affecting mankind? Learn how you can: 1 | Protect Your Health 2 | Protect Your Livelihood 3 | Protect Your Relationships 4 | Protect Your Hope

Sing Praises (ssb) 1984

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb

Song 87 The Lord’s Evening Meal (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) 1. Jehovah, our Father in heaven, O this is a most sacred night! ’Twas Nisan fourteen when your glory was seen, Your justice, love, wisdom, and might. The Passover lamb was then eaten, And Israel’s twelve tribes went forth free. Cent’ries later our Lord his own lifeblood outpoured To fulfill this divine prophecy. 2. We’re gathered together before you, As sheep of your pasture we came, To praise the great love that brought Christ from above And honor your most holy name. Before us there stands a spread table Of wine and of unleavened bread. They are symbols, we know; as reminders they show With what nourishment we must be fed. 3. The bread stands for Jesus Christ’s body He gave on behalf of us all. The cup of red wine is a symbol divine, His blood which redeems from man’s fall. Let’s keep this Memorial occasion Fixed firmly in heart and in mind. Thus we’ll walk ev’ry day as Christ showed us the way, And so life everlasting we’ll find.

A Young Man’s Courage

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2009011

For Our Young People A Young Man’s Courage Instructions: Do this exercise in quiet surroundings. As you read the scriptures, imagine that you are part of the event. Visualize the scene. Hear the voices. Feel the emotions of the main characters. Let the account come to life. ANALYZE THE SCENE.​—READ 1 SAMUEL 17:1-11, 26, 32-51. Describe Goliath’s appearance and voice as you imagine them. ․․․․․ Although David was not in the Israelite army, what prompted him to get involved in a battle against Goliath? (See verse 26.) ․․․․․ What basis did David have for believing that Jehovah would come to his aid? (Reread verses 34-37.) ․․․․․ DIG DEEPER. Using research tools at your disposal, try to determine (1) Goliath’s height. (1 Samuel 17:4) Six cubits and a span = ․․․․․. (2) The weight of Goliath’s coat of mail. (1 Samuel 17:5) 5,000 shekels of copper = ․․․․․. (3) The weight of Goliath’s spear blade. (1 Samuel 17:7) 600 shekels of iron = ․․․․․. APPLY WHAT YOU LEARNED. WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT . . . Courage. ․․․․․ Reliance on Jehovah rather than on your own strength. ․․․․․ FOR FURTHER APPLICATION. What Goliathlike obstacles do you find yourself up against? ․․․․․ What experiences (of your own or of others) convince you that Jehovah will not abandon you? ․․․․․ WHAT ABOUT THIS ACCOUNT IS MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU, AND WHY? ․․․․․

What Are “the Keys of the Kingdom”?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502017107

What Are “the Keys of the Kingdom”? The Bible’s answer “The keys of the Kingdom,” sometimes called “the keys to the kingdom,” represent the authority to open the way for people to “enter into the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 16:19; The New American Bible; Acts 14:22)a Jesus gave Peter “the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens.” This means that Peter received the authority to unlock information about how faithful people, by receiving God’s holy spirit, could enjoy the privilege of entering the Kingdom in heaven. For whom were the keys used? Peter used authority from God to open the way for three groups to enter the Kingdom: Jews and Jewish converts. Shortly after Jesus’ death, Peter encouraged a crowd of Jewish believers to accept Jesus as the one selected by God to rule in the Kingdom. Peter showed them what they must do to get saved. He thus opened the way for them to enter the Kingdom, and thousands “accepted his word.”​—Acts 2:​38-​41. Samaritans. Peter was later sent to the Samaritans.b He again used a key of the Kingdom when he, along with the apostle John, “prayed for them to get holy spirit.” (Acts 8:​14-​17) This opened the way for the Samaritans to enter the Kingdom. Gentiles. Three and a half years after Jesus’ death, God revealed to Peter that Gentiles (non-Jews) would also have the opportunity to enter the Kingdom. In response, Peter used one of the keys by preaching to Gentiles, thus opening the door for them to receive the holy spirit, become Christians, and be prospective members of the Kingdom.​—Acts 10:30-​35, 44, 45. What does it mean to “enter into the Kingdom”? Those who actually “enter into the Kingdom” become corulers with Jesus in heaven. The Bible foretold that they would “sit on thrones” and “rule as kings over the earth.”​—Luke 22:29, 30; Revelation 5:​9, 10. Misconceptions about the keys of the Kingdom Misconception: Peter decides who may enter heaven. Fact: The Bible says that Christ Jesus, not Peter, “is to judge the living and the dead.” (2 Timothy 4:​1, 8; John 5:​22) In fact, Peter himself said that Jesus “is the one decreed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.”​—Acts 10:34, 42. Misconception: Heaven waited on Peter to decide when to use the keys of the Kingdom. Fact: When Jesus spoke about the keys of the Kingdom, he told Peter: “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” (Matthew 16:19, The New American Bible) Although some understand this statement to mean that Peter dictated decisions to heaven, the original Greek verbs show that Peter’s decisions would follow those made in heaven rather than precede them.c The Bible elsewhere shows that Peter was subject to heaven when using the keys of the Kingdom. For example, he responded to instructions from God when using the third key.​—Acts 10:19, 20. a At times, the Bible uses the term “key” as a symbol of authority and responsibility.​—Isaiah 22:20-​22; Revelation 3:​7, 8. b The Samaritans belonged to a religion that was distinct from Judaism but that incorporated some teachings and practices from the Mosaic Law. c See the study note for Matthew 16:19 in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition).

Isaiah’s Prophecy II (ip-2) 2001

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-2

Chapter Nineteen Hypocrisy Exposed! Isaiah 58:1-14 1. How do Jesus and Jehovah view hypocrisy, and what form does it take in Isaiah’s day? “OUTWARDLY indeed, [you] appear righteous to men,” Jesus said to the religious leaders of his day, “but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:28) Jesus’ condemnation of hypocrisy reflects the viewpoint of his heavenly Father. Chapter 58 of Isaiah’s prophecy specifically focuses attention on the hypocrisy that is rampant in Judah. Strife, oppression, and violence are the order of the day, and Sabbath observance has degenerated into a meaningless ritual. The people give mere token service to Jehovah and make a showy display of piety by insincere fasting. No wonder Jehovah exposes them for what they are! ‘Tell the People Their Sins’ 2. What spirit does Isaiah show as he declares Jehovah’s message, and who today are like him? 2 Although Jehovah is disgusted with Judah’s conduct, His words include a heartfelt appeal for the nation to repent. Still, Jehovah does not want his reproof to be indistinct. Hence, he commands Isaiah: “Call out full-throated; do not hold back. Raise your voice just like a horn, and tell my people their revolt, and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Isaiah 58:1) Boldly proclaiming Jehovah’s words might earn Isaiah ill will from the people, but he does not shrink back. He still has the same spirit of dedication that he showed when he said: “Here I am! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8) What a fine example of endurance Isaiah is to the modern-day Witnesses of Jehovah, who also are commissioned to preach God’s Word and expose religious hypocrisy!​—Psalm 118:6; 2 Timothy 4:1-5. 3, 4. (a) What false appearance do the people in Isaiah’s day put on? (b) What is the real situation in Judah? 3 Ostensibly, the people in Isaiah’s day seek Jehovah and express delight in his righteous judgments. We read Jehovah’s words: “Day after day it was I whom they kept seeking, and it was in the knowledge of my ways that they would express delight, like a nation that carried on righteousness itself and that had not left the very justice of their God, in that they kept asking me for righteous judgments, drawing near to God in whom they had delight.” (Isaiah 58:2) Is this professed delight in Jehovah’s ways genuine? No. They are “like a nation that carried on righteousness itself,” but the resemblance is merely superficial. In truth, this nation has “left the very justice of their God.” 4 The situation is much like that later revealed to the prophet Ezekiel. Jehovah told Ezekiel that the Jews were saying to one another: “Come, please, and hear what the word is that is going forth from Jehovah.” But God warned Ezekiel of their insincerity: “They will come in to you, . . . 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.” (Ezekiel 33:30-32) Isaiah’s contemporaries also claim to be seeking Jehovah constantly, but they do not obey his words. Hypocritical Fasting 5. How do the Jews try to gain divine favor, and with what reaction from Jehovah? 5 In an effort to gain divine favor, the Jews go through the formality of fasting, but their pretended piety only alienates them from Jehovah. In apparent bewilderment they ask: “For what reason did we fast and you did not see, and did we afflict our soul and you would take no note?” Jehovah responds frankly, saying: “Indeed you people were finding delight in the very day of your fasting, when there were all your toilers that you kept driving to work. Indeed for quarreling and struggle you would fast, and for striking with the fist of wickedness. Did you not keep fasting as in the day for making your voice to be heard in the height? Should the fast that I choose become like this, as a day for earthling man to afflict his soul? For bowing down his head just like a rush, and that he should spread out mere sackcloth and ashes as his couch? Is it this that you call a fast and a day acceptable to Jehovah?”​—Isaiah 58:3-5. 6. What actions by the Jews betray their fasting as hypocritical? 6 While fasting, feigning righteousness, and even asking for Jehovah’s righteous judgments, the people pursue selfish pleasures and business interests. They indulge in strife, oppression, and violence. In an attempt to whitewash their behavior, they engage in showy displays of mourning​—drooping their heads like bulrushes and sitting in sackcloth and ashes—​in apparent repentance for their sins. Of what value is all of this if they continue to rebel? They show none of the godly sorrow and repentance that should be associated with sincere fasts. Their wailing​—although noisy—​is not heard in heaven. 7. How did the Jews of Jesus’ time act hypocritically, and how do many today do the same? 7 The Jews of Jesus’ day put on a similar show of ceremonial fasting, some doing so twice a week! (Matthew 6:16-18; Luke 18:11, 12) Many of the religious leaders also imitated Isaiah’s generation by being harsh and domineering. Hence, Jesus courageously exposed those religious hypocrites, telling them that their form of worship was futile. (Matthew 15:7-9) Today, too, millions “publicly declare they know God, but they disown him by their works, because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of any sort.” (Titus 1:16) Such ones may hope for God’s mercy, but their conduct betrays their insincerity. In contrast, Jehovah’s Witnesses display true godly devotion and genuine brotherly love.​—John 13:35. What True Repentance Involves 8, 9. What positive actions must accompany sincere repentance? 8 Jehovah wants his people to do more than fast over their sins; he wants them to repent. Then they will gain his favor. (Ezekiel 18:23, 32) He explains that in order to be meaningful, fasting must be accompanied by a correction of past sins. Consider the heart-searching questions that Jehovah asks: “Is not this the fast that I choose? To loosen the fetters of wickedness, to release the bands of the yoke bar, and to send away the crushed ones free, and that you people should tear in two every yoke bar?”​—Isaiah 58:6. 9 Fetters and yoke bars are apt symbols of harsh bondage. So instead of fasting and at the same time oppressing fellow believers, the people ought to obey the command: “You must love your fellow as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18) They should release all whom they have oppressed and unjustly enslaved.a Showy religious acts, such as fasting, are no substitute for genuine godly devotion and acts demonstrating brotherly love. A contemporary of Isaiah, the prophet Micah, writes: “What is Jehovah asking back from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and to be modest in walking with your God?”​—Micah 6:8. 10, 11. (a) For the Jews, what would be better than fasting? (b) How can Christians today apply Jehovah’s counsel to the Jews? 10 Justice, kindness, and modesty call for the doing of good to others, which is the essence of Jehovah’s Law. (Matthew 7:12) Far better than fasting would be a sharing of their bounty with the needy. Jehovah asks: “Is [the fast that I choose] not the dividing of your bread out to the hungry one, and that you should bring the afflicted, homeless people into your house? That, in case you should see someone naked, you must cover him, and that you should not hide yourself from your own flesh?” (Isaiah 58:7) Yes, rather than making a show of fasting, those having the means to do so should give food, clothing, or housing to needy fellow inhabitants of Judah​—their own flesh. 11 These beautiful principles of brotherly love and compassion expressed by Jehovah do not apply only to the Jews in Isaiah’s time. They guide Christians as well. Hence, the apostle Paul wrote: “Really, then, as long as we have time favorable for it, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.” (Galatians 6:10) The Christian congregation must be a haven of love and brotherly affection, especially in view of the increasingly critical times in which we live.​—2 Timothy 3:1; James 1:27. Obedience Brings Rich Blessings 12. What will Jehovah do if his people obey him? 12 If only Jehovah’s people would have the insight to heed his loving reproof! Jehovah says: “In that case your light would break forth just like the dawn; and speedily would recuperation spring up for you. And before you your righteousness would certainly walk; the very glory of Jehovah would be your rear guard. In that case you would call, and Jehovah himself would answer; you would cry for help, and he would say, ‘Here I am!’” (Isaiah 58:8, 9a) What warm, appealing words! Jehovah blesses and protects those delighting in loving-kindness and righteousness. If Jehovah’s people repent of their harshness and hypocrisy and obey him, things will get much brighter for them. Jehovah will grant “recuperation,” a spiritual and physical recovery for the nation. He will also guard them, as he did their forefathers when they were leaving Egypt. And he will respond immediately to their cries for help.​—Exodus 14:19, 20, 31. 13. What blessings await the Jews if they respond to Jehovah’s exhortation? 13 Jehovah now adds to his earlier exhortation, saying: “If you will remove from your midst the yoke bar [of harsh, unjust slavery], the poking out of the finger [possibly in scorn or false accusation] and the speaking of what is hurtful; and you will grant to the hungry one your own soulful desire, and you will satisfy the soul that is being afflicted, your light also will certainly flash up even in the darkness, and your gloom will be like midday.” (Isaiah 58:9b, 10) Selfishness and harshness are self-defeating and bring Jehovah’s wrath. Kindness and generosity, however, especially when exercised toward the hungry and the afflicted, bring God’s rich blessing. If only the Jews will take these truths to heart! Then their spiritual radiance and prosperity will make them shine like the midday sun, dispelling any gloom. Above all, they will bring honor and praise to Jehovah, the Source of their glory and blessings.​—1 Kings 8:41-43. A Nation Restored 14. (a) How do Isaiah’s contemporaries react to his words? (b) What does Jehovah continue to offer? 14 Regrettably, the nation ignores Jehovah’s appeal and plunges even deeper into wickedness. Eventually, they leave Jehovah no choice but to send them into exile, just as he warned. (Deuteronomy 28:15, 36, 37, 64, 65) Still, Jehovah’s next words through Isaiah continue to offer hope. God predicts that a disciplined, contrite remnant will joyfully return to the land of Judah, even though it lies desolate. 15. What joyful restoration does Jehovah foretell? 15 Pointing forward to the restoration of his people in 537 B.C.E., Jehovah, through Isaiah, says: “Jehovah will be bound to lead you constantly and to satisfy your soul even in a scorched land, and he will invigorate your very bones; and you must become like a well-watered garden, and like the source of water [“spring,” The New English Bible], the waters of which do not lie [“fail,” NE].” (Isaiah 58:11) Jehovah will restore Israel’s scorched homeland to luxuriant productivity. What is more wonderful, he will bless his repentant people, invigorating their “very bones” from a spiritually lifeless state to one of full vitality. (Ezekiel 37:1-14) The people themselves will become like “a well-watered garden” filled with spiritual fruitage. 16. How will the land be restored? 16 Restoration will include the rebuilding of cities destroyed by the Babylonian invaders in 607 B.C.E. “At your instance men will certainly build up the places devastated a long time; you will raise up even the foundations of continuous generations. And you will actually be called the repairer of the gap, the restorer of roadways by which to dwell.” (Isaiah 58:12) The parallel expressions “the places devastated a long time” and “the foundations of continuous generations” (or, the foundations that have been lying in ruins for generations) show that the repatriated remnant will rebuild the ruined cities of Judah, especially Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 2:5; 12:27; Isaiah 44:28) They will repair “the gap”​—a collective term referring to breaches in the walls of Jerusalem and no doubt of other cities as well.​—Jeremiah 31:38-40; Amos 9:14. Blessings That Come From Faithful Sabbath Observance 17. How does Jehovah appeal to his people to obey the Sabbath laws? 17 The Sabbath was an expression of God’s deep concern for the physical and spiritual welfare of his people. Jesus said: “The sabbath came into existence for the sake of man.” (Mark 2:27) This day sanctified by Jehovah afforded the Israelites a special opportunity to show their love for God. Sadly, by Isaiah’s time it has been reduced to a day of observing empty rituals and indulging in selfish desires. So once again, Jehovah has cause to censure his people. And again, he tries to reach their hearts. He says: “If in view of the sabbath you will turn back your foot as regards doing your own delights on my holy day, and will actually call the sabbath an exquisite delight, a holy day of Jehovah, one being glorified, and will actually glorify it rather than doing your own ways, rather than finding what delights you and speaking a word; you will in that case find your exquisite delight in Jehovah, and I will make you ride upon the high places of the earth; and I will cause you to eat from the hereditary possession of Jacob your forefather, for the mouth of Jehovah itself has spoken it.”​—Isaiah 58:13, 14. 18. What will result from Judah’s failure to honor the Sabbath? 18 The Sabbath is a day for spiritual contemplation, prayer, and family worship. It should help the Jews reflect on Jehovah’s wonderful deeds in their behalf and on the justice and love manifest in his Law. Thus, faithful observance of this holy day should help the people draw closer to their God. Instead, they are perverting the Sabbath and therefore are in danger of being cut off from Jehovah’s blessing.​—Leviticus 26:34; 2 Chronicles 36:21. 19. What rich blessings are in store for God’s people if they turn to keeping the Sabbath? 19 Still, if the Jews learn from the discipline and turn to honoring the Sabbath arrangement, rich blessings are in store. The good effects of true worship and respect for the Sabbath will spill over into all aspects of their lives. (Deuteronomy 28:1-13; Psalm 19:7-11) For example, Jehovah will make his people “ride upon the high places of the earth.” This expression signifies security and conquest of one’s enemies. Whoever controls the high places​—the hills and the mountains—​controls the land. (Deuteronomy 32:13; 33:29) At one time Israel obeyed Jehovah, and the nation enjoyed his protection and was respected, even feared, by other nations. (Joshua 2:9-11; 1 Kings 4:20, 21) If once again they turn to Jehovah in obedience, some of that former glory will be restored. Jehovah will grant his people a full share in “the hereditary possession of Jacob”​—the blessings promised through His covenant with their forefathers, especially the blessing of secure possession of the Promised Land.​—Psalm 105:8-11. 20. What “sabbath resting” is there for Christians? 20 Is there a lesson in this for Christians? Upon the death of Jesus Christ, the Mosaic Law was done away with, including its Sabbath requirements. (Colossians 2:16, 17) However, the spirit that the Sabbath observance should have encouraged in Judah​—putting spiritual interests first and drawing close to Jehovah—​is still vital for worshipers of Jehovah. (Matthew 6:33; James 4:8) Moreover, Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, says: “There remains a sabbath resting for the people of God.” Christians enter into this “sabbath resting” by being obedient to Jehovah and pursuing righteousness based on faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ. (Hebrews 3:12, 18, 19; 4:6, 9-11, 14-16) For Christians, this kind of sabbath observance is kept, not just one day a week, but every day.​—Colossians 3:23, 24. Spiritual Israel ‘Rides Upon Earth’s High Places’ 21, 22. In what way has Jehovah made the Israel of God “ride upon the high places of the earth”? 21 Since their release from Babylonish captivity in 1919, anointed Christians have faithfully observed what was foreshadowed by the Sabbath. As a result, Jehovah has made them “ride upon the high places of the earth.” In what sense? Back in 1513 B.C.E., Jehovah made a covenant with Abraham’s descendants that if they were obedient, they would become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. (Exodus 19:5, 6) Throughout the 40 years in the wilderness, Jehovah carried them safely, as an eagle carries its fledglings, and blessed them with abundant provisions. (Deuteronomy 32:10-12) The nation lacked faith, however, and finally lost out on all the privileges they could have had. In spite of that, Jehovah does have a kingdom of priests today. It is the spiritual Israel of God.​—Galatians 6:16; 1 Peter 2:9. 22 During “the time of the end,” this spiritual nation has done what ancient Israel failed to do. They have kept faith with Jehovah. (Daniel 8:17) As its members strictly observe Jehovah’s high standards and lofty ways, in a spiritual sense Jehovah raises them on high. (Proverbs 4:4, 5, 8; Revelation 11:12) Protected from the uncleanness surrounding them, they enjoy an elevated life-style, and rather than insisting on following their own ways, they find “exquisite delight in Jehovah” and in his Word. (Psalm 37:4) Jehovah has kept them spiritually secure in the face of determined opposition worldwide. Since 1919 their spiritual “land” has not been breached. (Isaiah 66:8) They continue to be a people for his lofty name, which they joyfully declare worldwide. (Deuteronomy 32:3; Acts 15:14) Moreover, an increasing number of meek ones from all nations now share with them in the grand privilege of being taught Jehovah’s ways and helped to walk in his paths. 23. How has Jehovah caused his anointed servants to “eat from the hereditary possession of Jacob”? 23 Jehovah has caused his anointed servants to “eat from the hereditary possession of Jacob.” When Isaac blessed Jacob instead of Esau, the patriarch’s words foretold blessings for all who would exercise faith in the promised Seed of Abraham. (Genesis 27:27-29; Galatians 3:16, 17) Like Jacob​—and unlike Esau—​anointed Christians and their companions ‘appreciate sacred things,’ especially the spiritual food that God supplies in abundance. (Hebrews 12:16, 17; Matthew 4:4) This spiritual food​—which includes knowledge of what Jehovah is accomplishing through the promised Seed and that Seed’s associates—​is strengthening, invigorating, and vital for their spiritual life. Hence, it is crucial that they constantly take in spiritual nourishment by reading and meditating on God’s Word. (Psalm 1:1-3) It is imperative that they associate with fellow believers at Christian meetings. And it is essential that they uphold the high standards of pure worship as they joyfully share that nourishment with others. 24. How do true Christians today conduct themselves? 24 While eagerly awaiting the fulfillment of Jehovah’s promises, may true Christians continue to repudiate hypocrisy of all kinds. Nourished by “the hereditary possession of Jacob,” may they continue to enjoy spiritual security upon “the high places of the earth.” [Footnote] a Jehovah made the provision for those of his people who fell into debt to sell themselves into slavery​—essentially becoming hired laborers—​to pay off their debt. (Leviticus 25:39-43) However, the Law required that slaves be treated kindly. Those treated brutally were to be set free.​—Exodus 21:2, 3, 26, 27; Deuteronomy 15:12-15. [Picture on page 278] The Jews fasted and bowed their heads in mock repentance​—but they did not change their ways [Picture on page 283] Those with the means to do so give housing, clothing, or provisions to those in need [Picture on page 286] If Judah repents, she will rebuild her devastated cities

Read About Ivory Coast and Upper Volta

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Read About Ivory Coast and Upper Volta Customs and beliefs in these African lands should be very fascinating to people who live elsewhere. Read about the stalwart men and women who left their homelands to bring Bible truths to these remote peoples. Learn of the opposition, superstitions and other obstacles that were overcome to bring them the good news of God’s kingdom. It is absorbing reading in the 1981 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Also included in this 384-page book are faith-strengthening reports about the beginning and growth of true Christianity in the Central American country of El Salvador and the Pacific islands of New Zealand. Send for your copy. Please send me, postpaid, the “1981 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses”; I enclose $1 (U.S.).

HELP FOR THE FAMILY | YOUNG PEOPLE How to Make Real Friends

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102016004

HELP FOR THE FAMILY | YOUNG PEOPLE How to Make Real Friends THE CHALLENGE Thanks to technology, you can connect with more people​—and do so more conveniently—​than at any other time in history. Still, the relationships you have might seem rather shallow. One young man put it this way: “I feel as if my friendships could just fizzle out. On the other hand, my dad has friends he’s been close to for decades!” Why is it such a challenge these days to enjoy enduring and meaningful friendships? WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW Technology may be partly to blame. Texting, social networking, and other social media have made it seem possible to maintain a friendship without being in someone’s presence. Meaningful conversations have been replaced by rapid-fire texts and tweets. “People are having fewer face-to-face interactions,” says the book Artificial Maturity. “Students spend more time in front of a screen and less time with each other.” In some cases, technology can make friendships seem closer than they really are. “Recently,” says 22-year-old Brian,a “I realized that by texting my friends to see how they were, I was doing a lot of the work. Then I stopped texting them to see how many of them would take the initiative to contact me. Honestly, it’s been very few. Apparently, some friends weren’t as close as I thought.” But cannot texting and social media help you keep in touch with people and thereby strengthen your friendships? Yes​—especially if you also have an offline relationship with those people. Often, however, social media merely builds bridges to others without drawing you any closer to them. WHAT YOU CAN DO Define real friendship. The Bible describes a friend as someone who “sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24) Is that the kind of friend you want? Is that the kind of friend you are? To help you answer those questions, write down three qualities that you would want a friend to have. Then write down three qualities that you bring to a friendship. Ask yourself: ‘Which of my online contacts display the qualities that I value in a friend? Which qualities would those friends say I bring to the friendship?’​—Bible principle: Philippians 2:4. Establish priorities. Online friendships are often based on a shared interest, such as a hobby. However, having common values is more important than having similar interests. “I may not have a lot of friends,” says 21-year-old Leanne, “but the ones I do have make me want to be a better person.”​—Bible principle: Proverbs 13:20. Get out and meet people. There is nothing quite the same as face-to-face conversation, where you and another person can observe the subtle nuances of voice tone, facial expression, and body language.​—Bible principle: 1 Thessalonians 2:17. Write a letter. Old-fashioned as it may seem, letter writing sends the message that you care enough about someone to give him or her your undivided attention. That kind of focus is rare in today’s multitasking world. For example, in her book Alone Together, Sherry Turkle writes of one young man who says he cannot remember ever receiving a personal letter in his life. Referring to the time when people wrote letters, he says: “I miss those days even though I wasn’t alive.” Why not make use of this ‘old technology’ to make friends? The bottom line: Real friendship involves more than just keeping in touch. It requires that you and your friend display love, empathy, patience, and forgiveness. Those qualities ultimately make a friendship rewarding. But they are difficult to display when you only talk online. a Some names in this article have been changed. KEY SCRIPTURES “Look out not only for your own interests, but also for the interests of others.”​—Philippians 2:4. “The one walking with the wise will become wise.”​—Proverbs 13:20. “We made every effort to see you in person.”​—1 Thessalonians 2:17. ALISABEL “All of us need someone to talk to when we’re feeling down. Friends are the ones who really understand us and know how to make us feel better. They not only can share our happiness but can also give us a hand when we fall.” JORDAN “When I was younger, I was very reserved and didn’t exert myself to make friends. That was the saddest period of my life. I finally broke out of that shell. It’s important to have friends who can help you through the tough times and share the good times with you.”

Scriptures for Christian Living (scl) 2023

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/scl

Mothers What are the responsibilities of a mother? Pr 31:17, 21, 26, 27; Tit 2:4 Relevant Bible account(s): Ge 21:8-12​—When Sarah notices Ishmael persecuting her little son, Isaac, she pleads with Abraham to protect her boy 1Ki 1:11-21​—When Bath-sheba learns that the kingship and the life of her son Solomon are in danger, she pleads with King David to intervene Why should we obey and honor our mother? Ex 20:12; De 5:16; 27:16; Pr 1:8; 6:20-22; 23:22 See also 1Ti 5:9, 10 Relevant Bible account(s): 1Pe 3:5, 6​—The apostle Peter explains that Sarah became like a mother to many daughters because of her strong faith Pr 31:1, 15, 21, 28​—The mother of King Lemuel provides vital counsel to her son, the king, regarding marriage and the honorable role of a wife and mother 2Ti 1:5; 3:15​—The apostle Paul is inspired to praise Timothy’s mother, Eunice, for teaching her son the Scriptures from infancy even though her husband is an unbeliever

Isaiah’s Prophecy I (ip-1) 2000

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/ip-1

Chapter Fifteen Jehovah’s Counsel Against the Nations Isaiah 14:24–19:25 1. What judgment proclamation against Assyria does Isaiah record? JEHOVAH can use the nations to discipline his people for their wickedness. Even so, he does not excuse those nations for their unnecessary cruelty, their pride, and their animosity toward true worship. Thus, long in advance he inspires Isaiah to record “the pronouncement against Babylon.” (Isaiah 13:1) However, Babylon is a future threat. In Isaiah’s day, Assyria is oppressing God’s covenant people. Assyria destroys the northern kingdom of Israel and devastates much of Judah. But Assyria’s triumph is limited. Isaiah writes: “Jehovah of armies has sworn, saying: ‘Surely just as I have figured, so it must occur . . . in order to break the Assyrian in my land and that I may tread him down on my own mountains; and that his yoke may actually depart from upon them and that his very load may depart from upon their shoulder.’” (Isaiah 14:24, 25) Not long after Isaiah utters this prophecy, the Assyrian threat is removed from Judah. 2, 3. (a) In ancient times, against whom does Jehovah stretch out his hand? (b) What does it mean that Jehovah stretches out his hand against “all the nations”? 2 What, though, of other nations that are enemies of God’s covenant people? They too must be judged. Isaiah declares: “This is the counsel that is counseled against all the earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. For Jehovah of armies himself has counseled, and who can break it up? And his hand is the one stretched out, and who can turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:26, 27) Jehovah’s “counsel” is more than mere advice. It is his firm determination, his decree. (Jeremiah 49:20, 30) God’s “hand” is his applied power. In the final verses of Isaiah chapter 14 vss 29-32 and in Isa chapters 15 to 19, Jehovah’s counsel is against Philistia, Moab, Damascus, Ethiopia, and Egypt. 3 However, Isaiah says that Jehovah’s hand is stretched out against “all the nations.” Hence, while these prophecies of Isaiah are first fulfilled in ancient times, they also apply in principle during “the time of the end” when Jehovah stretches out his hand against all the kingdoms of the earth. (Daniel 2:44; 12:9; Romans 15:4; Revelation 19:11, 19-21) Long in advance, the almighty God, Jehovah, confidently reveals his counsel. No one can turn back his stretched-out hand.​—Psalm 33:11; Isaiah 46:10. “A Flying Fiery Snake” Against Philistia 4. What are some details of Jehovah’s pronouncement against Philistia? 4 The Philistines receive attention first. “In the year that King Ahaz died this pronouncement occurred: ‘Do not rejoice, O Philistia, any one of you, just because the staff of the one striking you has been broken. For out of the root of the serpent there will come forth a poisonous snake, and its fruit will be a flying fiery snake.’”​—Isaiah 14:28, 29. 5, 6. (a) In what way was Uzziah like a serpent to the Philistines? (b) What does Hezekiah prove to be against Philistia? 5 King Uzziah was strong enough to contain the threat posed by Philistia. (2 Chronicles 26:6-8) To them, he was like a serpent, and his staff kept striking that unfriendly neighbor. After Uzziah died​—‘his staff was broken’—​the faithful Jotham ruled, but “the people were yet acting ruinously.” Next, Ahaz became king. Things changed, and the Philistines conducted successful military raids on Judah. (2 Chronicles 27:2; 28:17, 18) Now, however, things are changing again. In 746 B.C.E., King Ahaz dies and the young Hezekiah takes the throne. If the Philistines feel that things will continue in their favor, they are sadly mistaken. Hezekiah proves to be a deadly foe. A descendant of Uzziah (the “fruit” from his “root”), Hezekiah is like “a flying fiery snake”​—rapidly darting to the attack, striking in a lightninglike fashion, and producing a burning effect, as if injecting his victims with venom. 6 This is an apt description of the new king. “It was [Hezekiah] that struck down the Philistines clear to Gaza and also its territories.” (2 Kings 18:8) According to the annals of Assyrian King Sennacherib, the Philistines become subjects of Hezekiah. “The lowly ones”​—the weakened kingdom of Judah—​get to enjoy security and material plenty, while Philistia suffers famine.​—Read Isaiah 14:30, 31. 7. What declaration of faith must Hezekiah make to the ambassadors present in Jerusalem? 7 It seems that ambassadors are present in Judah​—perhaps seeking an alliance against Assyria. What should they be told? “What will anyone say in answer to the messengers of the nation?” Should Hezekiah seek security in foreign alliances? No! He should tell the messengers: “Jehovah himself has laid the foundation of Zion, and in her the afflicted ones of his people will take refuge.” (Isaiah 14:32) The king must have full trust in Jehovah. The foundation of Zion is firm. The city will survive as a safe haven from the Assyrian menace.​—Psalm 46:1-7. 8. (a) How have some nations today been like Philistia? (b) As he did in ancient times, what has Jehovah done to support his people today? 8 Like Philistia, some nations today viciously oppose God’s worshipers. Christian Witnesses of Jehovah have been confined in prisons and concentration camps. They have been banned. A number have been killed. Opponents continue to “make sharp attacks on the soul of the righteous one.” (Psalm 94:21) To their enemies, this Christian group may seem “lowly” and “poor.” However, with Jehovah’s support, they enjoy spiritual plenty, while their enemies suffer famine. (Isaiah 65:13, 14; Amos 8:11) When Jehovah stretches out his hand against the modern-day Philistines, these “lowly ones” will be secure. Where? In association with “the household of God,” of which Jesus is the sure foundation cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:19, 20) And they will be under the protection of “heavenly Jerusalem,” Jehovah’s celestial Kingdom, which has Jesus Christ as King.​—Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1. Moab Is Silenced 9. Against whom is the next pronouncement made, and how has this people proved to be an enemy of God’s people? 9 East of the Dead Sea is another neighbor of Israel​—Moab. Unlike the Philistines, the Moabites are related to Israel, being descendants of Abraham’s nephew Lot. (Genesis 19:37) Despite that relationship, Moab has a history of enmity with Israel. For example, back in the days of Moses, the king of Moab hired the prophet Balaam, hoping that he would curse the Israelites. When that failed, Moab used immorality and Baal worship to ensnare Israel. (Numbers 22:4-6; 25:1-5) Little wonder, then, that Jehovah now inspires Isaiah to record “the pronouncement against Moab”!​—Isaiah 15:1a. 10, 11. What will happen to Moab? 10 Isaiah’s prophecy is directed against numerous cities and locations in Moab, including Ar, Kir (or Kir-hareseth), and Dibon. (Isaiah 15:1b, 2a) Moabites will mourn for Kir-hareseth’s raisin cakes, perhaps a principal product of the city. (Isaiah 16:6, 7) Sibmah and Jazer, famous for vine cultivation, will be smitten. (Isaiah 16:8-10) Eglath-shelishiyah, whose name may mean “A Heifer of Three Years Old,” will be like a sturdy young cow uttering pitiful cries of anguish. (Isaiah 15:5) The grass of the land will dry up while the “waters of Dimon” become full of blood because of the slaughter of the Moabites. The “waters of Nimrim” will become “sheer desolations,” in either a figurative sense or a literal sense​—likely because enemy forces dam up their streams.​—Isaiah 15:6-9. 11 Moabites will gird themselves with sackcloth, the garment of mourning. They will shave their heads bald to symbolize shame and lamentation. Their beards will be “clipped,” showing extreme grief and humiliation. (Isaiah 15:2b-4) Isaiah himself, certain of the fulfillment of these judgments, feels deep emotions. Like the vibrating strings of a harp, his inward parts are moved with pity because of the message of woe against Moab.​—Isaiah 16:11, 12. 12. How were Isaiah’s words against Moab fulfilled? 12 When will this prophecy be fulfilled? Soon. “This is the word that Jehovah spoke concerning Moab formerly. And now Jehovah has spoken, saying: ‘Within three years, according to the years of a hired laborer, the glory of Moab must also be disgraced with much commotion of every sort, and those who remain over will be a trifling few, not mighty.’” (Isaiah 16:13, 14) In harmony with this, there is archaeological evidence that during the eighth century B.C.E., Moab suffered grievously and many of its sites were depopulated. Tiglath-pileser III mentioned Salamanu of Moab among the rulers who paid tribute to him. Sennacherib received tribute from Kammusunadbi, king of Moab. Assyrian monarchs Esar-haddon and Ashurbanipal referred to Moabite Kings Musuri and Kamashaltu as being their subjects. Centuries ago, the Moabites ceased to exist as a people. Ruins of cities thought to be Moabite have been found, but little physical evidence of this once-powerful enemy of Israel has thus far been unearthed. Modern-Day “Moab” Perishes 13. What organization today can be compared with Moab? 13 Today there is a worldwide organization similar to ancient Moab. It is Christendom, the principal part of “Babylon the Great.” (Revelation 17:5) Both Moab and Israel descended from Abraham’s father, Terah. Similarly, Christendom, like the congregation of anointed Christians today, claims to have roots in the first-century Christian congregation. (Galatians 6:16) However, Christendom​—like Moab—​is corrupt, promoting spiritual immorality and the worship of gods other than the one true God, Jehovah. (James 4:4; 1 John 5:21) As a class, Christendom’s leaders oppose those who preach the good news of the Kingdom.​—Matthew 24:9, 14. 14. Despite Jehovah’s counsel against the modern-day “Moab,” what hope is there for individual members of that organization? 14 Moab was eventually silenced. The same will happen to Christendom. Jehovah, using a modern-day equivalent of Assyria, will cause her to be desolated. (Revelation 17:16, 17) However, there is hope for people in this modern-day “Moab.” In the midst of prophesying against Moab, Isaiah says: “In loving-kindness a throne will certainly be firmly established; and one must sit down upon it in trueness in the tent of David, judging and seeking justice and being prompt in righteousness.” (Isaiah 16:5) In 1914, Jehovah firmly established the throne of Jesus, a Ruler in the line of King David. Jesus’ kingship is an expression of Jehovah’s loving-kindness and, in fulfillment of God’s covenant with King David, will last forever. (Psalm 72:2; 85:10, 11; 89:3, 4; Luke 1:32) Many meek ones have left modern-day “Moab” and have submitted themselves to Jesus in order to gain life. (Revelation 18:4) How comforting for these to know that Jesus will ‘make clear to the nations what justice is’!​—Matthew 12:18; Jeremiah 33:15. Damascus Becomes a Decaying Ruin 15, 16. (a) What hostile steps do Damascus and Israel take against Judah, and with what result for Damascus? (b) Who is included in the pronouncement against Damascus? (c) What can Christians today learn from Israel’s example? 15 Next, Isaiah records “the pronouncement against Damascus.” (Read Isaiah 17:1-6.) Damascus, to the north of Israel, is “the head of Syria.” (Isaiah 7:8) During the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, Rezin of Damascus in league with Pekah of Israel invades Judah. At Ahaz’ request, however, Assyrian Tiglath-pileser III wars against Damascus, conquering it and exiling many of its inhabitants. Thereafter, Damascus ceases to be a threat to Judah.​—2 Kings 16:5-9; 2 Chronicles 28:5, 16. 16 Likely because of Israel’s alliance with Damascus, Jehovah’s pronouncement against Damascus also includes expressions of judgment against the unfaithful northern kingdom. (Isaiah 17:3-6) Israel will become like a field at harvesttime with very little grain or like an olive tree from which most of the olives have been shaken from the branches. (Isaiah 17:4-6) What a sobering example for those who are dedicated to Jehovah! He expects exclusive devotion and accepts only heartfelt sacred service. And he hates those who turn against their brothers.​—Exodus 20:5; Isaiah 17:10, 11; Matthew 24:48-50. Full Confidence in Jehovah 17, 18. (a) How do some in Israel react to Jehovah’s pronouncements, but what is the general response? (b) How do events today resemble those of Hezekiah’s day? 17 Isaiah now says: “In that day earthling man will look up to his Maker, and his own eyes will gaze at the Holy One of Israel himself. And he will not look to the altars, the work of his hands; and at what his fingers have made he will not gaze, either at the sacred poles or at the incense stands.” (Isaiah 17:7, 8) Yes, some in Israel heed Jehovah’s warning pronouncement. For example, when Hezekiah sends an invitation to the inhabitants of Israel to join Judah in a celebration of the Passover, some Israelites respond and travel south to join their brothers in pure worship. (2 Chronicles 30:1-12) Still, most of Israel’s inhabitants mock the messengers bearing the invitation. The country is incurably apostate. Hence, Jehovah’s counsel against her is fulfilled. Assyria destroys Israel’s cities, the land becomes waste, the pastures unproductive.​—Read Isaiah 17:9-11. 18 What of today? Israel was an apostate nation. Hence, the way Hezekiah tried to help individuals in that nation to return to true worship reminds us of how true Christians today try to help individuals in the apostate organization of Christendom. Since 1919, couriers from “the Israel of God” have gone through Christendom, inviting people to share in pure worship. (Galatians 6:16) Most have refused. Many have mocked the messengers. Some, though, have responded. They now number into the millions, and they delight in ‘gazing at the Holy One of Israel,’ being educated by him. (Isaiah 54:13) They abandon worship at the unholy altars​—devotion to and trust in man-made gods—​and eagerly turn to Jehovah. (Psalm 146:3, 4) Like Isaiah’s contemporary Micah, each one of them says: “As for me, it is for Jehovah that I shall keep on the lookout. I will show a waiting attitude for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.”​—Micah 7:7. 19. Whom will Jehovah rebuke, and what will this mean for them? 19 What a contrast to those who put their trust in mortal man! Turbulent waves of violence and upheaval buffet humanity in these last days. “The sea” of restless, rebellious humanity churns up disoutput and revolution. (Isaiah 57:20; Revelation 8:8, 9; 13:1) Jehovah will “rebuke” this noisy crowd. His heavenly Kingdom will destroy every trouble-making organization and individual, and these will “flee far away . . . like a thistle whirl before a storm wind.”​—Isaiah 17:12, 13; Revelation 16:14, 16. 20. Despite being ‘plundered’ by the nations, what confidence do true Christians have? 20 The result? Isaiah says: “At evening time, why, look! there is sudden terror. Before morning​—it is no more. This is the share of those pillaging us, and the lot belonging to those plundering us.” (Isaiah 17:14) Many are plundering Jehovah’s people, treating them harshly and disrespectfully. Because they are not​—and do not wish to be—​a part of the world’s mainstream religions, true Christians are viewed as easy prey by biased critics and fanatic opponents. But God’s people are confident that the “morning” when their tribulations will end is fast approaching.​—2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; 1 Peter 5:6-11. Ethiopia Brings a Gift to Jehovah 21, 22. Which nation next receives a judgment pronouncement, and how are Isaiah’s inspired words fulfilled? 21 On at least two occasions, Ethiopia, to the south of Egypt, has been involved in military action against Judah. (2 Chronicles 12:2, 3; 14:1, 9-15; 16:8) Now Isaiah predicts judgment on that nation: “Ha for the land of the whirring insects with wings, which is in the region of the rivers of Ethiopia!” (Read Isaiah 18:1-6.)a Jehovah decrees that Ethiopia will be ‘cut off, removed, and lopped off.’ 22 Secular history tells us that in the latter part of the eighth century B.C.E., Ethiopia conquered Egypt and ruled it for some 60 years. Assyrian Emperors Esar-haddon and Ashurbanipal invaded in turn. With the destruction of Thebes by Ashurbanipal, Assyria subjugated Egypt, thus ending Ethiopian dominance over the Nile Valley. (See also Isaiah 20:3-6.) What about in modern times? 23. What part does the modern-day “Ethiopia” play, and why does it meet its end? 23 In Daniel’s prophecy of “the time of the end,” the aggressive “king of the north” is described as having Ethiopia and Libya “at his steps,” that is, responsive to his direction. (Daniel 11:40-43) Ethiopia is also mentioned as being in the battle forces of “Gog of the land of Magog.” (Ezekiel 38:2-5, 8) Gog’s forces, including the king of the north, meet their end when they attack Jehovah’s holy nation. Hence, Jehovah’s hand will also be stretched out against the modern-day “Ethiopia” because of its opposition to Jehovah’s sovereignty.​—Ezekiel 38:21-23; Daniel 11:45. 24. In what ways has Jehovah received “gifts” from the nations? 24 Yet, the prophecy also says: “In that time a gift will be brought to Jehovah of armies, from a people drawn out and scoured, even from a people fear-inspiring everywhere . . . to the place of the name of Jehovah of armies, Mount Zion.” (Isaiah 18:7) Although the nations do not recognize Jehovah’s sovereignty, they have at times acted in ways that benefit Jehovah’s people. In some lands the authorities have enacted legislation and rendered court decisions giving legal rights to faithful worshipers of Jehovah. (Acts 5:29; Revelation 12:15, 16) And there are other gifts. “Kings will bring gifts to you yourself. . . . Bronzeware things will come out of Egypt; Cush [Ethiopia] itself will quickly stretch out its hands with gifts to God.” (Psalm 68:29-31) Today, millions of modern-day “Ethiopians” who fear Jehovah are bringing “a gift” in the form of worship. (Malachi 1:11) They are sharing in the immense task of preaching the good news of the Kingdom in all the earth. (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 14:6, 7) What a fine gift to offer to Jehovah!​—Hebrews 13:15. The Heart of Egypt Melts 25. In fulfillment of Isaiah 19:1-11, what happens to ancient Egypt? 25 Judah’s immediate neighbor to the south is Egypt, long an enemy of God’s covenant people. Isaiah chapter 19 recounts the unsettled state of affairs in Egypt during Isaiah’s lifetime. There is civil war in Egypt, with “city against city, kingdom against kingdom.” (Isaiah 19:2, 13, 14) Historians present evidence of rival dynasties ruling different parts of the country at the same time. The vaunted wisdom of Egypt, with her ‘valueless gods and charmers,’ does not save her from “the hand of a hard master.” (Isaiah 19:3, 4) Egypt is successively conquered by Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. All these events fulfill the prophecies of Isaiah 19:1-11. 26. In the larger fulfillment, how will inhabitants of modern-day “Egypt” react to Jehovah’s acts of judgment? 26 However, in the Bible, Egypt often symbolizes Satan’s world. (Ezekiel 29:3; Joel 3:19; Revelation 11:8) Therefore, does Isaiah’s “pronouncement against Egypt” have a larger fulfillment? Yes, indeed! The opening words of the prophecy should give everyone cause to take notice: “Look! Jehovah is riding on a swift cloud and coming into Egypt. And the valueless gods of Egypt will certainly quiver because of him, and the very heart of Egypt will melt in the midst of it.” (Isaiah 19:1) Jehovah will soon move against Satan’s organization. At that time, the gods of this system of things will be seen to be valueless. (Psalm 96:5; 97:7) “The very heart of Egypt will melt” in fear. Jesus foretold that time: “There will be . . . anguish of nations, not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation, while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.”​—Luke 21:25, 26. 27. What internal divisions were foretold for “Egypt,” and how is this being fulfilled today? 27 Of the time leading up to his execution of judgment, Jehovah says prophetically: “I will goad Egyptians against Egyptians, and they will certainly war each one against his brother, and each one against his companion, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.” (Isaiah 19:2) Since the establishment of God’s Kingdom in 1914, “the sign of [Jesus’] presence” has been marked by nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. Tribal massacres, bloody genocides, and so-called ethnic cleansings have claimed millions of lives during these last days. Such “pangs of distress” will only get worse as the end draws nearer.​—Matthew 24:3, 7, 8. 28. In the day of judgment, what will false religion be able to do to save this system of things? 28 “The spirit of Egypt must become bewildered in the midst of it, and I shall confuse its own counsel. And they will be certain to resort to the valueless gods and to the charmers and to the spirit mediums and to the professional foretellers of events.” (Isaiah 19:3) When Moses appeared before Pharaoh, the priests of Egypt were put to shame, unable to match Jehovah in power. (Exodus 8:18, 19; Acts 13:8; 2 Timothy 3:8) Similarly, in the day of judgment, false religion will be unable to save this corrupt system. (Compare Isaiah 47:1, 11-13.) Eventually, Egypt came under “a hard master,” Assyria. (Isaiah 19:4) This foreshadows the bleak future facing this system of things. 29. When Jehovah’s day comes, of what use will politicians be? 29 What, though, of the political leaders? Can they help? “The princes of Zoan are indeed foolish. As regards the wise ones of Pharaoh’s counselors, their counsel is something unreasonable.” (Read Isaiah 19:5-11.) How unreasonable to hope that human counselors will be of any use in the day of judgment! Even with all the world’s knowledge at their disposal, they lack godly wisdom. (1 Corinthians 3:19) They have rejected Jehovah and have turned to science so-called, philosophy, money, pleasure, and other substitute gods. As a result, they have no knowledge of God’s purposes. They are deceived and disconcerted. Their works are in vain. (Read Isaiah 19:12-15.) “The wise ones have become ashamed. They have become terrified and will be caught. Look! They have rejected the very word of Jehovah, and what wisdom do they have?”​—Jeremiah 8:9. A Sign and a Witness to Jehovah 30. In what way will ‘the ground of Judah become to Egypt a cause for reeling’? 30 However, while “Egypt’s” leaders are weak, “like women,” there are still some individuals who look for godly wisdom. Jehovah’s anointed ones and their companions ‘declare abroad God’s excellencies.’ (Isaiah 19:16; 1 Peter 2:9) They are doing what they can to warn people of the coming demise of Satan’s organization. Looking ahead to this situation, Isaiah says: “The ground of Judah must become to Egypt a cause for reeling. Everybody to whom one mentions it is in dread because of the counsel of Jehovah of armies that he is counseling against him.” (Isaiah 19:17) The faithful messengers of Jehovah go forth telling people the truth​—including the announcement of the plagues foretold by Jehovah. (Revelation 8:7-12; 16:2-12) This is disturbing to the religious leaders of the world. 31. How does it come to pass that “the language of Canaan” is spoken in cities of Egypt (a) in ancient times? (b) in modern times? 31 What is the surprising result of this proclamation work? “In that day there will prove to be five cities in the land of Egypt speaking the language of Canaan and swearing to Jehovah of armies. The City of Tearing Down will one city be called.” (Isaiah 19:18) In ancient times this prophecy was apparently fulfilled when the Hebrew language was spoken in Egyptian cities by Jews who had fled there. (Jeremiah 24:1, 8-10; 41:1-3; 42:9–43:7; 44:1) Today, there are people in the territory of modern-day “Egypt” who have learned to speak the “pure language” of Bible truth. (Zephaniah 3:9) One of the five figurative cities is called “The City of Tearing Down,” signifying that part of the “pure language” is related to exposing and “tearing down” Satan’s organization. 32. (a) What “altar” is in the midst of the land of Egypt? (b) How are the anointed like “a pillar” beside Egypt’s boundary? 32 Thanks to the proclamation work of Jehovah’s people, his great name will certainly become known in this system of things. “In that day there will prove to be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to Jehovah beside its boundary.” (Isaiah 19:19) These words point to the position of anointed Christians, who are in a covenant relationship with God. (Psalm 50:5) As “an altar” they are offering their sacrifices; as “a pillar and support of the truth,” they are bearing witness to Jehovah. (1 Timothy 3:15; Romans 12:1; Hebrews 13:15, 16) They are “in the midst of the land,” being found​—along with their “other sheep” companions—​in more than 230 countries and islands of the sea. But they are “no part of the world.” (John 10:16; 17:15, 16) They are, as it were, standing on the boundary between this world and the Kingdom of God, prepared to cross that boundary and receive their heavenly reward. 33. In what ways are the anointed “a sign” and “a witness” in “Egypt”? 33 Isaiah continues: “It must prove to be for a sign and for a witness to Jehovah of armies in the land of Egypt; for they will cry out to Jehovah because of the oppressors, and he will send them a savior, even a grand one, who will actually deliver them.” (Isaiah 19:20) As “a sign” and “a witness,” the anointed take the lead in the preaching work and exalt Jehovah’s name in this system of things. (Isaiah 8:18; Hebrews 2:13) Throughout the world the cries of oppressed people can be heard, but by and large, human governments are unable to help them. However, Jehovah will send a Grand Savior, the King Jesus Christ, to liberate all the meek ones. When these last days reach their climax at the war of Armageddon, he will bring relief and everlasting blessings to God-fearing humans.​—Psalm 72:2, 4, 7, 12-14. 34. (a) How will Jehovah come to be known to “the Egyptians,” and what sacrifice and gift will they give to him? (b) When will Jehovah deal a blow to “Egypt,” and what healing will follow? 34 In the meantime, it is God’s will that all sorts of people gain accurate knowledge and be saved. (1 Timothy 2:4) Hence, Isaiah writes: “Jehovah will certainly become known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians must know Jehovah in that day, and they must render sacrifice and gift and must make a vow to Jehovah and pay it. And Jehovah will certainly deal Egypt a blow. There will be a dealing of a blow and a healing; and they must return to Jehovah, and he must let himself be entreated by them and must heal them.” (Isaiah 19:21, 22) People from all nations of Satan’s world, individual “Egyptians,” come to know Jehovah and render him sacrifice, “the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.” (Hebrews 13:15) They make a vow to Jehovah by dedicating themselves to him, and they pay their vow by living a life of loyal service. Following the “blow” that Jehovah will deal this system of things at Armageddon, he will use his Kingdom to heal humankind. During Jesus’ Millennial Reign, mankind will be elevated to spiritual, mental, moral, and physical perfection​—healing indeed!​—Revelation 22:1, 2. “Blessed Be My People” 35, 36. In fulfillment of Isaiah 19:23-25, what connections came to exist in ancient times between Egypt, Assyria, and Israel? 35 The prophet then foresees a remarkable development: “In that day there will come to be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and Assyria will actually come into Egypt, and Egypt into Assyria; and they will certainly render service, Egypt with Assyria. In that day Israel will come to be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, namely, a blessing in the midst of the earth, because Jehovah of armies will have blessed it, saying: ‘Blessed be my people, Egypt, and the work of my hands, Assyria, and my inheritance, Israel.’” (Isaiah 19:23-25) Yes, one day friendly relations will exist between Egypt and Assyria. How? 36 When Jehovah rescued his people from the nations in times past, he made for them highways to freedom, so to speak. (Isaiah 11:16; 35:8-10; 49:11-13; Jeremiah 31:21) A limited fulfillment of this prophecy took place after the defeat of Babylon when exiles from Assyria and Egypt, as well as from Babylon, were brought back to the Promised Land. (Isaiah 11:11) But what of modern times? 37. How do millions today live as though there were a highway between “Assyria” and “Egypt”? 37 Today, the remnant of anointed spiritual Israelites is “a blessing in the midst of the earth.” They promote true worship and are declaring the Kingdom message to people in all the nations. Some of these nations are like Assyria, heavily militaristic. Other nations are more liberal, perhaps like Egypt​—at one time “the king of the south” in Daniel’s prophecy. (Daniel 11:5, 8) Millions of individuals from the militaristic nations and the more liberal nations have taken up the way of true worship. Thus, people from all nations are united in ‘rendering service.’ There are no nationalistic divisions among these ones. They love one another, and it can truly be said that ‘Assyria comes into Egypt and Egypt into Assyria.’ It is as if there were a highway from one to the other.​—1 Peter 2:17. 38. (a) How will Israel “come to be the third with Egypt and with Assyria”? (b) Why does Jehovah say “Blessed be my people”? 38 How, though, does Israel “come to be the third with Egypt and with Assyria”? Early in “the time of the end,” most of those serving Jehovah on earth were members of “the Israel of God.” (Daniel 12:9; Galatians 6:16) Since the 1930’s, a great crowd of “other sheep,” with an earthly hope, have appeared. (John 10:16a; Revelation 7:9) Coming out of the nations​—foreshadowed by Egypt and Assyria—​they stream to Jehovah’s house of worship and invite others to join them. (Isaiah 2:2-4) They perform the same preaching work as their anointed brothers, endure similar tests, manifest the same faithfulness and integrity, and feed at the same spiritual table. Truly, the anointed and the “other sheep” are “one flock, one shepherd.” (John 10:16b) Can anyone doubt that Jehovah, viewing their zeal and endurance, is pleased with their activity? Little wonder that he pronounces a benediction on them, saying: “Blessed be my people”! [Footnote] a Some scholars suggest that the expression “land of the whirring insects with wings” refers to the locusts that occasionally swarm in Ethiopia. Others point out that the Hebrew word for “whirring,” tsela·tsalʹ, resembles in sound the name given to the tsetse fly, tsaltsalya, by the Galla, a Hamitic people living in modern Ethiopia. [Picture on page 191] Philistine warriors charging their enemies (Egyptian carving from the 12th century B.C.E.) [Picture on page 192] Stone relief of a Moabite warrior or god (between 11th and 8th century B.C.E.) [Picture on page 196] Syrian warrior riding a camel (ninth century B.C.E.) [Picture on page 198] “The sea” of rebellious humanity churns up disoutput and revolution [Picture on page 203] The priests of Egypt were unable to match Jehovah in power

What Is the Golden Rule?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500100108

What Is the Golden Rule? The Bible’s answer The term “Golden Rule” does not appear in the Bible. However, many use this term to refer to a rule of conduct that Jesus taught. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “All things . . . that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.” (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:31) The Golden Rule has also been expressed this way: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”—Encyclopedia of Philosophy. What is the meaning of the Golden Rule? Why is the Golden Rule beneficial? Is the Golden Rule simply a matter of give-and-take? How can you apply the Golden Rule? What is the meaning of the Golden Rule? The Golden Rule encourages us to treat others as we would like to be treated. For instance, most people appreciate it when others treat them with respect, kindness, and love. Logically, then, we should “do the same way” to others.—Luke 6:31. Why is the Golden Rule beneficial? The Golden Rule applies in virtually all situations. For example, it can . . . Strengthen marriages.—Ephesians 5:28, 33. Guide parents when raising their children.—Ephesians 6:4. Promote good relations between friends, neighbors, and workmates.—Proverbs 3:27, 28; Colossians 3:13. The Golden Rule captures the spirit behind a major portion of what is commonly called the Old Testament. Jesus’ rule of conduct “is what the Law [the first five books of the Bible] and the Prophets [the prophetic books] mean.” (Matthew 7:12) In other words, the Golden Rule sums up a basic tenet of the Old Testament: love of neighbor.—Romans 13:8-10. Is the Golden Rule simply a matter of give-and-take? No. The emphasis of the Golden Rule is on giving. When Jesus gave the Golden Rule, he was speaking about how to treat not only people in general but even one’s enemies. (Luke 6:27-31, 35) Thus the Golden Rule encourages people to do good to all. How can you apply the Golden Rule? 1. Be observant. Pay close attention to those around you. For instance, you may see someone struggling to carry groceries, hear of a neighbor who is hospitalized, or notice that a workmate is discouraged. When you “look out . . . for the interests of others,” you will likely find opportunities to say or do something helpful.—Philippians 2:4. 2. Be empathetic. Imagine yourself in the other person’s place. How would you feel if you were in the same situation? (Romans 12:15) When you try to understand the feelings of others, you may feel moved to help them. 3. Be flexible. Keep in mind that everyone is different. What others would like to have done for them may not be the same as what you would want to have done for you. So, out of the many things you could do, try to choose what they will appreciate most.—1 Corinthians 10:24.

God’s Word (gm) 1989

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gm

outputs Page Chapter 5 1. Why Read the Bible? 12 2. The Bible’s Fight to Live 25 3. The Bible’s False Friend 37 4. How Believable Is the “Old Testament”? 55 5. The “New Testament”​—History or Myth? 71 6. The Miracles​—Did They Really Happen? 87 7. Does the Bible Contradict Itself? 98 8. Science: Has It Proved the Bible Wrong? 117 9. Prophecies That Came True 134 10. A Bible Prophecy You Have Seen Fulfilled 149 11. The Overall Harmony of the Bible 162 12. A Higher Source of Wisdom 175 13. “The Word of God Is Alive” 184 14. The Bible and You Picture Credits Listed by Page ▪ Page 9, Edition Leipzig, Werner Pinkert ▪ Page 13, Courtesy of the British Museum ▪ Page 16, Musei Capitolini, Roma ▪ Page 21, Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums; Courtesy of the Shrine of the Book, Israel Museum; B. Samuel and Jeane H. Gottesman Center for Biblical Manuscripts ▪ Page 23, Musei Capitolini, Roma ▪ Page 26, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Bequest of Mrs. F. F. Thompson, 1926 (26.229) ▪ Page 29, Sacro Speco, Subiaco ▪ Page 35, Photo by C.N. ▪ Page 41, Leslie’s ▪ Page 45, Courtesy of the British Museum ▪ Page 46, Louvre Museum, Paris ▪ Page 99, NASA photo ▪ Page 114, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.; photo number 83-2259 ▪ Page 115, By courtesy of U.S. National Library of Medicine ▪ Page 121, Aerial Photography Archives, Geography Department, Hebrew University, Jerusalem ▪ Page 137, Left, U.S. Army photo ▪ Page 137, Right, British Aerospace, Aircraft Group, Warton Division ▪ Page 138, FAO photo ▪ Page 143, WHO photo

BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED Colossians 3:23—“Whatever You Do, Work At It With All Your Heart”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502300136

BIBLE VERSES EXPLAINED Colossians 3:23—“Whatever You Do, Work At It With All Your Heart” “Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as for Jehovah, and not for men.”—Colossians 3:23, New World Translation. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”—Colossians 3:23, New International Version. Meaning of Colossians 3:23 A Christian should strive to be a hard worker because his attitude toward work is instructioned to his worship of Jehovah God. “Whatever you are doing.” Those who want to worship Jehovah try to follow what the Bible says in all that they do. They strive to be industrious, honest, and trustworthy in their daily activities at home, at work, and at school.—Proverbs 11:13; Romans 12:11; Hebrews 13:18. “Work at it with all your heart.” The expression “with all your heart” is translated from a Greek expression that “describes a person’s commitment in acting or fulfilling God’s will with his entire vital energy.”a Thus, such a worker uses all his physical and mental abilities to do his best when caring for a task. Other Bible translations render the expression “wholeheartedly” (New Catholic Bible) or “heartily” (King James Version).—See “Colossians 3:23 From Additional Translations.” “For Jehovah, and not for men.” No matter what work they are doing, Christians take it seriously because they recognize that their relationship with Jehovah God is involved. They are primarily interested in pleasing him, not an employer or another human. A Christian’s excellent work ethic and positive attitude reflect well not only on him but also on the God he worships. In this way, a Christian does what he can “so that the name of God . . . may never be spoken of injuriously.”—1 Timothy 6:1; Colossians 3:22. Context of Colossians 3:23 The Bible book of Colossians was written by the apostle Paul to Christians in the ancient city of Colossae.b He apparently wrote it toward the end of his first imprisonment in Rome, about 60-61 C.E. Colossians contains counsel to help Christians of all backgrounds and circumstances to worship God in unity. (Colossians 3:11) It encourages them to reflect God’s qualities, such as love, kindness, and mercy. (Colossians 3:12-14) It also explains how worship of God should affect every aspect of a person’s life.—Colossians 3:18–4:1. Colossians 3:23 From Additional Translations “Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly, as if you were doing it for the Lord and not for others.”—New Catholic Bible. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”—King James Version. “Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men.”—The Amplified Study Bible, brackets theirs. “Whatever your task is, put your whole heart and soul into it, as into work done for the Lord and not merely for men.”—The New Testament in Modern English, by J. B. Phillips. Read Colossians chapter 3 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 Colossians. a From the Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament, 1993, Volume 3, page 502. b Located in what is modern-day Turkey.

Proclaimers (jv) 1993

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/jv

Section 2 Gaining Accurate Knowledge of God’s Word and Applying It How did the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses develop? How did they get their name? What distinguishes them from other religious groups? These questions are answered in Chapters 10 to 14. [Full-page picture on page 118]

Sing Praises (ssb) 1984

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb

Song 160 Walking in Integrity (Psalm 26:1) 1. Please, judge me, Lord, my Lord Jehovah God. In you I trust, and in integrity I’ve trod. Examine me, and put me to the test; My mind and heart refine that my soul might be blest. (Chorus) 2. I do not sit with wicked men of lies. I hate the company of those who truth despise. With evil men take not away my life, My soul, with those whose hands are full of bribes and strife. (Chorus) 3. For I have loved the dwelling of your house. Your worship, O so pure, I daily will espouse. And I will march around your altar grand To make thanksgiving heard aloud throughout the land. (CHORUS) But as for me, determined I shall be To walk eternally in my integrity.

Reasoning (rs) 1989

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/books/reasoning-rs

Religion Definition: A form of worship. It includes a system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices; these may be personal, or they may be advocated by an organization. Usually religion involves belief in God or in a number of gods; or it treats humans, objects, desires, or forces as objects of worship. Much religion is based on human study of nature; there is also revealed religion. There is true religion and false. Why are there so many religions? A recent tabulation concluded that there are 10 main religions and some 10,000 sects. Of these, some 6,000 exist in Africa, 1,200 in the United States, and hundreds in other lands. Many factors have contributed to the development of new religious groups. Some have said that the various religions all represent different ways of presenting religious truth. But a comparison of their teachings and practices with the Bible indicates, rather, that the diversity of religions is because people have become followers of men instead of listening to God. It is noteworthy that, to a large extent, teachings they hold in common, but that differ from the Bible, originated in ancient Babylon. (See pages 50, 51, under the heading “Babylon the Great.”) Who is the instigator of such religious confusion? The Bible identifies Satan the Devil as “the god of this system of things.” (2 Cor. 4:4) It warns us that “the things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God.” (1 Cor. 10:20) How vitally important, then, to make sure that we really are worshiping the true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and that our worship is pleasing to him! Are all religions acceptable to God? Judg. 10:6, 7: “The sons of Israel again proceeded to do what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah, and they began to serve the Baals and the Ashtoreth images and the gods of Syria and the gods of Sidon and the gods of Moab and the gods of the sons of Ammon and the gods of the Philistines. So they left Jehovah and did not serve him. At this Jehovah’s anger blazed against Israel.” (If a person worships any thing or any person other than the true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, it is evident that his form of worship is not acceptable to Jehovah.) Mark 7:6, 7: “He [Jesus] said to them [the Jewish Pharisees and scribes]: ‘Isaiah aptly prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written, “This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far removed from me. It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach as doctrines commands of men.”’” (Regardless of whom a group profess to worship, if they hold to doctrines of men instead of the inspired Word of God, their worship is in vain.) Rom. 10:2, 3: “I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God; but not according to accurate knowledge; for, because of not knowing the righteousness of God but seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.” (People may have God’s written Word but lack accurate knowledge of what it contains, because they have not been taught properly. They may feel that they are zealous for God, but they may not be doing what he requires. Their worship is not going to please God, is it?) Is it true that there is good in all religions? Most religions do teach that a person should not lie or steal, and so forth. But is that sufficient? Would you be happy to drink a glass of poisoned water because someone assured you that most of what you were getting was water? 2 Cor. 11:14, 15: “Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light. It is therefore nothing great if his ministers also keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness.” (Here we are cautioned that not everything that originates with Satan may appear hideous. One of his chief methods of deceiving mankind has been false religion of all kinds, to some of which he gives a righteous appearance.) 2 Tim. 3:2, 5: “Men will be . . . having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.” (Regardless of their outward professions of love for God, if those with whom you worship do not sincerely apply his Word in their own lives, the Bible urges you to break off such association.) Is it proper to leave the religion of one’s parents? If what our parents taught us is really from the Bible, we should hold on to it. Even if we learn that their religious practices and beliefs are out of harmony with God’s Word, our parents deserve our respect. But what if you learned that a certain habit of your parents was harmful to health and could shorten a person’s life? Would you imitate them and encourage your children to do so, or would you respectfully share with them what you learned? Similarly, knowledge of Bible truth brings responsibility. If possible, we should share with family members what we learn. We must make a decision: Do we really love God? Do we really want to obey God’s Son? Our doing so may require that we leave the religion of our parents to take up true worship. It certainly would not be fitting to allow our devotion to our parents to be greater than our love for God and Christ, would it? Jesus said: “He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me.”—Matt. 10:37. Josh. 24:14: “Now fear Jehovah and serve him in faultlessness and in truth, and remove the gods that your forefathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt, and serve Jehovah.” (That meant a change from the religion of their forefathers, did it not? To serve Jehovah acceptably, they had to get rid of any images used in such religion and cleanse their hearts of any desire for those things.) 1 Pet. 1:18, 19: “You know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were delivered from your fruitless form of conduct received by tradition from your forefathers. But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, even Christ’s.” (So, early Christians turned away from those traditions of their forefathers, which traditions could never give them eternal life. Gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ made them eager to get rid of anything that caused their lives to be fruitless, lacking real meaning because they did not honor God. Should not we have the same attitude?) What is the Bible’s viewpoint as to interfaith? How did Jesus view religious leaders who pretended to be righteous but disrespected God? “Jesus said to them: ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for from God I came forth and am here. Neither have I come of my own initiative at all, but that One sent me forth. . . . You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie. Because I, on the other hand, tell the truth, you do not believe me. . . . This is why you do not listen, because you are not from God.’”—John 8:42-47. Would it demonstrate loyalty to God and to his righteous standards if his servants were to embrace in religious brotherhood those who themselves practice what God condemns or who condone such practices? “Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. . . . Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit God’s kingdom.” (1 Cor. 5:11; 6:9, 10) “Whoever . . . wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” (Jas. 4:4) “O you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad. He is guarding the souls of his loyal ones.”—Ps. 97:10. 2 Cor. 6:14-17: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? . . . ‘“Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,” says Jehovah, “and quit touching the unclean thing”’; ‘“and I will take you in.”’” Rev. 18:4, 5: “I heard another voice out of heaven say: ‘Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues. For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven, and God has called her acts of injustice to mind.’” (For details, see the main heading “Babylon the Great.”) Is belonging to an organized religion necessary? Most religious organizations have produced bad fruitage. It is not the fact that groups are organized that is bad. But many have promoted forms of worship that are based on false teachings and are largely ritualistic instead of providing genuine spiritual guidance; they have been misused to control the lives of people for selfish objectives; they have been overly concerned with money collections and ornate houses of worship instead of spiritual values; their members are often hypocritical. Obviously no one who loves righteousness would want to belong to such an organization. But true religion is a refreshing contrast to all of that. Nevertheless, to fulfill the Bible’s requirements, it must be organized. Heb. 10:24, 25: “Let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you behold the day drawing near.” (To carry out this Scriptural command, there must be Christian meetings that we can attend on a consistent basis. Such an arrangement encourages us to express love toward others, not only concern about self.) 1 Cor. 1:10: “Now I exhort you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that you should all speak in agreement, and that there should not be divisions among you, but that you may be fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.” (Such unity would never be achieved if the individuals did not meet together, benefit from the same spiritual feeding program, and respect the agency through which such instruction was provided. See also John 17:20, 21.) 1 Pet. 2:17: “Have love for the whole association of brothers.” (Does that include only those who may meet together for worship in a particular private home? Not at all; it is an international brotherhood, as shown by Galatians 2:8, 9 and 1 Corinthians 16:19.) Matt. 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.” (For all nations to be given the opportunity to hear that good news, the preaching must be carried out in an orderly way, with suitable oversight. Love for God and for one’s fellowman has caused people around the earth to unite their efforts to do this work.) See also the main heading “Organization.” Is loving one’s fellowman what really counts? There is no doubt about it, such love is important. (Rom. 13:8-10) But being a Christian involves more than simply being kind to our neighbor. Jesus said that his true disciples would be outstandingly identified by their love for one another, for fellow believers. (John 13:35) The importance of that is emphasized repeatedly in the Bible. (Gal. 6:10; 1 Pet. 4:8; 1 John 3:14, 16, 17) However, Jesus showed that even more important is our love for God himself, which is shown by our obedience to his commandments. (Matt. 22:35-38; 1 John 5:3) To demonstrate such love, we need to study and apply God’s Word and assemble with fellow servants of God for worship. Is having a personal relationship with God the really important thing? It certainly is important. Merely attending religious services in a formalistic way cannot take the place of it. But we need to be careful. Why? In the first century, there were people who thought they had a good relationship with God but whom Jesus showed to be badly mistaken. (John 8:41-44) The apostle Paul wrote about some who evidently were zealous about their faith and obviously thought they had a good relationship with God but who did not understand what was really required in order to have God’s approval.—Rom. 10:2-4. Could we have a good personal relationship with God if we treated as of little importance his commandments? One of these is that we regularly assemble with fellow believers.—Heb. 10:24, 25. If we personally read the Bible, is that sufficient? It is true that many people can learn a great deal by reading the Bible personally. If their motive is to learn the truth about God and his purposes, what they are doing is highly commendable. (Acts 17:11) But, being honest with ourselves, are we truly going to grasp the full significance of it all without help? The Bible tells about a man who held a prominent position but who was humble enough to acknowledge his need for help in understanding Bible prophecy. That help was provided by a member of the Christian congregation.—Acts 8:26-38; compare other references to Philip in Acts 6:1-6; 8:5-17. Of course, if a person reads the Bible but does not apply it in his life, it does him little good. If he believes it and acts on it, he will associate with God’s servants in regular congregation meetings. (Heb. 10:24, 25) He will also join with them in sharing the “good news” with other people.—1 Cor. 9:16; Mark 13:10; Matt. 28:19, 20. How can a person know which religion is right? (1) On what are its teachings based? Are they from God, or are they largely from men? (2 Tim. 3:16; Mark 7:7) Ask, for example: Where does the Bible teach that God is a Trinity? Where does it say that the human soul is immortal? (2) Consider whether it is making known the name of God. Jesus said in prayer to God: “I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world.” (John 17:6) He declared: “It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.” (Matt. 4:10) Has your religion taught you that ‘it is Jehovah you must worship’? Have you come to know the Person identified by that name—his purposes, his activities, his qualities—so that you feel you can confidently draw close to him? (3) Is true faith in Jesus Christ being demonstrated? This involves appreciation of the value of the sacrifice of Jesus’ human life and of his position today as heavenly King. (John 3:36; Ps. 2:6-8) Such appreciation is shown by obeying Jesus—sharing personally and zealously in the work that he assigned to his followers. True religion has such faith that is accompanied by works.—Jas. 2:26. (4) Is it largely ritualistic, a formality, or is it a way of life? God strongly disapproves of religion that is merely a formalism. (Isa. 1:15-17) True religion upholds the Bible’s standard of morality and clean speech instead of weakly going along with popular trends. (1 Cor. 5:9-13; Eph. 5:3-5) Its members reflect the fruits of God’s spirit in their lives. (Gal. 5:22, 23) So, those who adhere to true worship can be identified because they sincerely endeavor to apply Bible standards in their lives not only at their places of meeting but in their family life, at their secular work, in school, and in recreation. (5) Do its members truly love one another? Jesus said: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) Such love reaches across racial, social, and national boundaries, drawing people together in genuine brotherhood. So strong is this love that it sets them apart as being truly different. When the nations go to war, who have enough love for their Christian brothers in other lands that they refuse to take up arms and kill them? That is what early Christians did. (6) Is it truly separate from the world? Jesus said that his true followers would be “no part of the world.” (John 15:19) To worship God in a manner that he approves requires that we keep ourselves “without spot from the world.” (Jas. 1:27) Can that be said of those whose clergy and other members are involved in politics, or whose lives are largely built around materialistic and fleshly desires?—1 John 2:15-17. (7) Are its members active witnesses concerning God’s Kingdom? Jesus foretold: “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.” (Matt. 24:14) What religion is really proclaiming God’s Kingdom as the hope of mankind instead of encouraging people to look to human rulership to solve their problems? Has your religion equipped you to share in this activity, and to do it from house to house as Jesus taught his apostles to do?—Matt. 10:7, 11-13; Acts 5:42; 20:20. Do Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that theirs is the only right religion? See pages 203, 204, under “Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Why do some people have faith while others do not? See the main heading “Faith.” If Someone Says— ‘I’m not interested in religion’ You might reply: ‘That doesn’t surprise me. Many people share your view. May I ask, Have you always felt that way?’ Then perhaps add: ‘One of the things that impressed me was finding out that almost every major doctrine taught in the churches today is not found in the Bible. (Perhaps use what is found on pages 203, 204, under “Jehovah’s Witnesses,” with special emphasis on the Kingdom. By way of contrast, point out what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe, as outlined on pages 199, 200.)’ See also pages 16, 17. ‘There is too much hypocrisy in religion’ You might reply: ‘Yes, I agree with you. Many preach one thing and live another way. But tell me, How do you feel about the Bible? (Ps. 19:7-10)’ ‘I live a good life. I treat my neighbors right. That’s enough religion for me’ You might reply: ‘Since you say that you live a good life, you evidently enjoy life, is that right? . . . How would you like to live under the kind of conditions described here in Revelation 21:4? . . . Notice what John 17:3 says is necessary in order to have a part in it.’ See also page 327. ‘I’m not interested in organized religion. I believe that a personal relationship with God is what counts’ You might reply: ‘That interests me. Have you always felt that way? . . . Did you ever associate with a religious group in the past? . . . (Then perhaps use material on pages 326-328.)’ ‘I don’t agree with everything my church teaches, but I don’t see the need to change to another. I’d rather work for improvement within my own’ You might reply: ‘I appreciate your telling me that. I am sure you will agree that what is really important to all of us is having God’s approval, is it not?’ Then perhaps add: (1) ‘God gives us all something serious to think about here at Revelation 18:4, 5. . . . Even if we personally do not practice the wrong things, the Bible shows that we share the blame if we support these organizations. (See also the main heading “Babylon the Great.”)’ (2) (Perhaps also use material on pages 328-330.) (3) ‘God is looking for people who love truth, and he is bringing them together for united worship. (John 4:23, 24)’ ‘All religions are good; you have yours, and I have mine’ You might reply: ‘You evidently are a broad-minded person. But you also recognize that we all need the guidance that God’s Word provides, and that is why you have a religion, is that not right?’ Then perhaps add: ‘Here at Matthew 7:13, 14 the Bible provides us some very valuable guidance in the words of Jesus. (Read it.) . . . Why might that be so?’ See also pages 322, 323. ‘As long as you believe in Jesus, it really does not matter what church you belong to’ You might reply: ‘There is no question about it, belief in Jesus is vital. And I assume that by that you mean accepting everything that he taught. No doubt you have observed, as I have, that many who say they are Christians really do not live up to what that name represents.’ Then perhaps add: (1) ‘Notice what Jesus said here at Matthew 7:21-23.’ (2) ‘There is a wonderful future for those who care enough to find out what God’s will is and then do it. (Ps. 37:10, 11; Rev. 21:4)’ ‘What makes you think there is only one religion that is right?’ You might reply: ‘Without doubt, there are sincere people in almost every religion. But what really counts is what God’s Word says. How many true faiths does it refer to? Notice what is written here at Ephesians 4:4, 5.’ Then perhaps add: (1) ‘That agrees with what other texts state. (Matt. 7:13, 14, 21; John 10:16; 17:20, 21)’ (2) ‘So, the challenge that we must face is identifying that religion. How can we do it? (Perhaps use material on pages 328-330.)’ (3) (See also what is on pages 199, 200, under the heading “Jehovah’s Witnesses.”) ‘I just read my Bible at home and pray to God for understanding’ You might reply: ‘Have you succeeded in reading the entire Bible as yet?’ Then perhaps add: ‘As you work on that, you will find something very interesting at Matthew 28:19, 20. . . . This is significant because it shows that Christ uses other humans to help us to understand what is involved in being a real Christian. In harmony with that, Jehovah’s Witnesses offer to visit people in their home for an hour or so each week, free of charge, to discuss the Bible. May I take just a few minutes to show you how we go about it?’ See also page 328. ‘I feel that religion is a private affair’ You might reply: ‘That is a common view nowadays, and if folks are really not interested in the Bible’s message, we gladly go on to other homes. But did you realize that the reason I came to see you was that this is what Jesus instructed his followers to do? . . . (Matt. 24:14; 28:19, 20; 10:40)’

God’s Word (gm) 1989

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/gm

Chapter 13 “The Word of God Is Alive” In the previous chapter, we saw that Bible counsel can help us to solve problems and avoid mistakes. The timeless wisdom of the Bible’s counsel is strong evidence of inspiration. The Bible itself says: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) But the Bible does more than give us wise counsel. As the Word of God, it actually changes people. 1-3. (a) How does the Bible emphasize the need for personality changes? (b) What experience shows the power of the Bible to change personalities? CAN the Bible really change people? Yes, it can even alter their personality. Consider this counsel recorded in the Bible: “You should put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct and which is being corrupted according to his deceptive desires; but . . . you should be made new in the force actuating your mind, and should put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.”​—Ephesians 4:22-24. 2 Is it truly possible to put on a new personality? Yes, it is! In fact, becoming a Christian sometimes involves quite dramatic personality adjustments. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) For example, a boy in South America was orphaned at the age of nine. Growing up without parental guidance, he developed severe personality problems. He relates: “By the time I was 18, I was completely addicted to drugs and had already spent time in prison for stealing to support the habit.” His aunt, though, was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and eventually she was able to help him. 3 He explains: “My aunt began to study the Bible with me, and after seven months I was able to break the drug habit.” He also broke with his previous companions and made new friends among Jehovah’s Witnesses. He goes on: “These new companions, along with my regular study of the Bible, enabled me to make progress and finally to dedicate my life to serve God.” Yes, this former drug addict and thief became an active Christian, and this radical change was accomplished through the power of the Bible. Indeed, as the apostle Paul says, “The word of God is alive and exerts power.”​—Hebrews 4:12. Changed Through Knowledge 4, 5. According to Colossians 3:8-10, what is needed in order to cultivate the new personality? 4 How does the Bible change people? The answer is seen in this Bible passage: “Put them all away from you, wrath, anger, badness, abusive speech, and obscene talk out of your mouth. Do not be lying to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it.”​—Colossians 3:8-10. 5 Notice the important part played by accurate knowledge of the Bible. The Bible explains which characteristics we need to get rid of and which we should cultivate. Such knowledge can in itself have a powerful effect, as a young man in southern Europe found. He had a real problem: a violent temper. While growing up, he was constantly in fights, and as an outlet for his violence, he took up boxing; but he still could not control his violent nature. When in the army, he got into trouble for beating a fellow soldier. After leaving the army, he got married but then beat his wife. In one family argument, he even beat his own father, knocking him to the ground. Truly an angry, violent young man! 6, 7. How did accurate knowledge of the Bible help a young man in southern Europe to change his personality? 6 Eventually, though, he studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and heard counsel such as the following: “Return evil for evil to no one. . . . If possible, as far as it depends upon you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath.” (Romans 12:17-19) This helped him to realize how bad a weakness his violent temperament was. He gave up boxing, which he realized was not compatible with the peaceful Christian personality. But he still had a real struggle with his violent nature. 7 He was helped, however, by his increasing knowledge of Bible principles. This refined his conscience, which in turn acted to counteract his quick temper. Once, after he had made some progress in his Bible studies, a stranger got angry and shouted insults at him. The young man felt the familiar rage welling up inside. Then, he felt another force: a sense of shame; and this prevented him from giving in to his anger. Rather than “return evil for evil,” he controlled his spirit. Now, he is a changed person, with a new personality, thanks to accurate knowledge from the Bible. Getting to Know God 8. (a) In whose image is the new personality made? (b) The accurate knowledge that molds the new personality must include knowledge of whom? 8 True, many people know the right thing to do, but they give in to fleshly weaknesses. Clearly, simply having an accurate knowledge of right and wrong is not all that is needed. Something else helped the two individuals described above to change. What was it? The passage referred to earlier said: “Clothe yourselves with the new personality, which through accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it.” (Colossians 3:10) Notice that, just as Adam was originally made in God’s image, so the new personality is made in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26) Therefore, the accurate knowledge that helped these two young men had to include a knowledge of God. This reminds us of Jesus’ words: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”​—John 17:3. 9. How does a knowledge of God help us to change our personality? 9 How does a knowledge of God help us to change our personality? It gives us a motive to do so. When we come to know God through our study of the Bible, we learn of his divine qualities and see the love he has shown for us. This leads us to love him in return. (1 John 4:19) Then, we can obey what Jesus said was the first and greatest commandment: “You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.” (Matthew 22:37) Loving God makes us want to put on the new personality that pleases him. It makes us want to be more like him, however hard we may have to struggle to do so. Deeply Ingrained Weaknesses 10, 11. How did accurate knowledge help a young North American woman to start to change her personality? 10 In some cases, it really is a struggle. A young woman in North America had to fight very hard to change. A victim of childhood sexual abuse, she grew up in a violent family and eventually turned to drugs. Drugs were expensive, though, so she sold herself as a prostitute to pay for the habit. She also harassed and robbed tourists and ended up spending more time in prisons and poolrooms than she did at home. 11 When Jehovah’s Witnesses met her, she had​—after several abortions—​become the mother of an illegitimate child. Nevertheless, she liked what she heard from the Bible and began to study it. Soon she was building a relationship with God and making adjustments in her life. 12, 13. Describe how accurate knowledge, once implanted, acts as a force for change. 12 A hard fight lay ahead, however, because the old personality was deeply ingrained. On one occasion, she took offense at some well-meant counsel, quit studying the Bible, and went back to her unclean ways. But she could not forget the Bible truth that had been implanted in her, and she admits: “Every now and then I had feelings of guilt, and the words of 2 Peter 2:22 raced through my mind: ‘The dog returns to its own vomit and the washed sow to the mire.’” 13 Eventually, this knowledge motivated her to make another determined effort. She says: “I began opening the door to Jehovah and praying often for help.” This time, the new personality became more firmly implanted, although she still had to struggle hard. Once, in a moment of weakness, she relapsed into drunkenness and immorality. This time, though, her reaction showed that she was truly changing. She was disgusted with herself and says: “I did a lot of praying and studying.” Eventually, God’s Word exerted power in her life to such an extent that she became an active Christian, living a clean, honorable life. For several years now, she has been a totally different person from the abused, drug-addicted, wild-living individual that she used to be. A People Changed by God’s Word 14, 15. (a) What force from God works through the Bible? (b) What are some characteristics of true Christians today? 14 The power that the Bible has wielded in the lives of humble individuals shows that it is more than merely a human work. As the inspired Word of God, it is a channel for the operation of God’s spirit. The same spirit that made possible the miracles Jesus performed helps us today to conquer bad qualities and develop a Christian personality. Indeed, the basic qualities that Christians need to cultivate​—love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, and self-control—​are called in the Bible “the fruitage of the spirit.”​—Galatians 5:22, 23. 15 Today, this spirit is working not on just a few individuals but upon millions who have been “taught by Jehovah” and enjoy ‘abundant peace’ from Him. (Isaiah 54:13) Who are these ones? Jesus gave one way of identifying them, saying: “By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” (John 13:35) Christian love is a fruit of the spirit and a key part of the Christian new personality. Is there any group of people showing love in the way that Jesus said? 16, 17. Quote some newspaper comments that help to identify those who are “taught by Jehovah” and who enjoy ‘abundant peace.’ 16 Well, listen to this extract from a letter written to the New Haven Register, a North American newspaper: “Whether you have been aggravated or ired [angered], as I have, by their proselytizing, you have to admire their dedication, their wholesomeness, their outstanding example of human behavior and healthful living.” The German newspaper Münchner Merkur was speaking of the same group when it said: “They are the most honest and the most punctual tax payers in the [German] Federal Republic. Their obedience to the laws can be seen in the way they drive as well as in crime statistics.” 17 About whom were these two newspapers talking? The same group that was discussed in the Herald of Buenos Aires, Argentina. This newspaper said: “Jehovah’s Witnesses have proven throughout the years to be hard-working, sober, thrifty and God-fearing citizens of the kind the nation manifestly needs.” A sociological study from Zambia published in the American Ethnologist refers to the same group. It says: “Jehovah’s Witnesses experience greater success than members of other denominations in maintaining stable marital unions.” 18, 19. How have Jehovah’s Witnesses in Italy and in South Africa been described? 18 The newspaper La Stampa in Italy was also speaking of Jehovah’s Witnesses when it said: “They are the most loyal citizens anyone could wish for: they do not dodge taxes or seek to evade inconvenient laws for their own profit. The moral ideals of love for neighbor, refusal of power, non-violence and personal honesty (which for most Christians are ‘Sunday rules’ only good for being preached from the pulpit) enter into their ‘daily’ way of life.” 19 A South African university professor who experienced discrimination under that country’s racial laws calls Jehovah’s Witnesses a “people educated by the lofty standards of the Bible to be truly ‘color-blind.’” Explaining this, he added: “Here are people who see what others are inside, not just the color of their skin. Jehovah’s Witnesses today form the only true brotherhood of mankind.” 20. Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses stand out as different? 20 These comments show that there is a body of people who have opened their hearts to the Bible and upon whom God’s spirit has been active. It is worthy of note that these are the same people whom we identified earlier as obeying Jesus’ command to preach the good news of the Kingdom around the world. (Matthew 24:14) Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses stand out in these ways? In many respects they are no different from other people. They have the same fleshly weaknesses, the same economic problems, and the same basic needs. But as a group, they love God, take the Bible seriously, and let it exert power in their lives. 21. What is proved by the fact that a people such as Jehovah’s Witnesses can exist in today’s hate-filled world? 21 Millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses are found in more than 200 lands. They include people of every race, language, and social standing imaginable. Yet they are a united, peaceful, international brotherhood. They are good citizens of whatever country they happen to live in, but first and foremost, they are subjects of God’s Kingdom, and they are all very active in telling others the good news of that Kingdom. It is truly remarkable that in this divided, hate-filled world, a group such as Jehovah’s Witnesses can even exist. The fact that they do is powerful evidence that God’s spirit is still active among mankind. And it is proof that the Bible is indeed “alive and exerts power.” [Blurb on page 177] The Bible actually changes people [Blurb on page 181] A knowledge of God makes a person want to be like him

Make the Most of Your Singleness

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2011045

Make the Most of Your Singleness “Let him that can make room for it make room for it.”​—MATT. 19:12. 1, 2. (a) How did Jesus, Paul, and others view singleness? (b) Why might some not think of singleness as a gift? MARRIAGE is unquestionably one of God’s most precious gifts to mankind. (Prov. 19:14) Yet, many single Christians also enjoy a rich and satisfying life. Harold, a 95-year-old brother who never married, says: “Although I enjoy being with others and showing hospitality, when I am alone I am never lonely. I guess it can truly be said that I have the gift of singleness.” 2 Indeed, both Jesus Christ and the apostle Paul referred to singleness, like marriage, as a gift from God. (Read Matthew 19:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 7:7.) Admittedly, though, not everyone who is unmarried is single by choice. Sometimes circumstances make it hard to find a suitable partner. Or after years of marriage, some unexpectedly find themselves alone because of a divorce or the death of their spouse. In what sense, then, can singleness be a gift? And how can single Christians make the most of their singleness? A Unique Gift 3. What advantages do single Christians often enjoy? 3 A single person often has more time and greater personal freedom than a married person does. (1 Cor. 7:32-35) These are unique advantages that may allow him to expand his ministry, widen out in love for others, and draw closer to Jehovah. A number of Christians, therefore, have come to appreciate the benefits of singleness and have decided to “make room for it,” at least for a time. Others may not have initially planned for singleness, but when their circumstances changed, they prayerfully reflected on their situation and realized that with Jehovah’s help they too could be settled in their heart. Thus, they accepted their changed circumstances and made room for singleness.​—1 Cor. 7:37, 38. 4. Why can single Christians feel complete in God’s service? 4 Single Christians know that they do not have to get married to be recognized or appreciated by Jehovah or his organization. God’s love reaches out to each of us as individuals. (Matt. 10:29-31) No one and nothing can separate us from God’s love. (Rom. 8:38, 39) Whether married or single, we have every reason to feel complete in God’s service. 5. What is needed in order to obtain the full rewards of singleness? 5 Still, as with such gifts as musical or athletic talent, the gift of singleness has to be cultivated in order to realize its full potential. So how can single Christians today​—whether brothers or sisters, young in age or up in years, single by choice or because of circumstances—​make the most of their situation in life? Let us consider some encouraging examples from the early Christian congregation and see what we can learn. Singleness in Youth 6, 7. (a) What privilege did Philip’s virgin daughters receive in God’s service? (b) In what ways did Timothy make good use of his single years, and how was he blessed for his willingness to serve in his youth? 6 The evangelizer Philip had four virgin daughters who shared their father’s zeal for evangelizing. (Acts 21:8, 9) Prophesying was among the miraculous gifts of the holy spirit, and these young women used that gift in fulfillment of Joel 2:28, 29. 7 Timothy was a young man who made good use of his singleness. From infancy he was taught “the holy writings” by his mother, Eunice, and his grandmother Lois. (2 Tim. 1:5; 3:14, 15) But they likely embraced Christianity only during Paul’s first visit to Lystra, their hometown, about 47 C.E. Two years later, when Paul visited a second time, Timothy was perhaps in his late teens or early 20’s. Despite being relatively young both in age and in the truth, he was “well reported on” by the Christian elders in Lystra and neighboring Iconium. (Acts 16:1, 2) So Paul invited Timothy to join him as a traveling companion. (1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14) We cannot say for certain that Timothy never married. But we do know that as a young man, he cheerfully accepted Paul’s invitation, and for many years thereafter, he enjoyed serving as a single missionary and overseer.​—Phil. 2:20-22. 8. What enabled John Mark to pursue spiritual goals, and what blessings did he receive for doing so? 8 In his youth, John Mark also used his single years to good advantage. He and his mother, Mary, as well as his cousin Barnabas were early members of the Jerusalem congregation. Mark’s family may also have been comfortably situated, since they owned their own home in the city and had a servant. (Acts 12:12, 13) Despite these advantages, however, even as a young man, Mark was not self-indulgent or self-centered; nor was he output to settle down and lead a comfortable family life. His early association with the apostles likely instilled in him a desire for missionary service. So he eagerly joined Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary tour and served as their attendant. (Acts 13:5) Later, he traveled with Barnabas, and later still, we find him serving with Peter in Babylon. (Acts 15:39; 1 Pet. 5:13) How long Mark remained single, we do not know. But he earned an excellent reputation as someone who was willing to minister to others and do more in God’s service. 9, 10. What opportunities are there today for young single Christians to expand their ministry? Give an example. 9 Many young ones in the congregation today also gladly use their single years to expand their share in God’s service. Like Mark and Timothy, they appreciate that singleness allows for “constant attendance upon the Lord without distraction.” (1 Cor. 7:35) This is a real advantage. Opportunities abound​—pioneering, serving where the need for Kingdom preachers is greater, learning a foreign language, assisting with Kingdom Hall or branch construction, attending Ministerial Training School, and serving at Bethel. If you are still young and unmarried, are you making the most of your opportunities? 10 A brother named Mark started pioneering in his late teens, attended the Ministerial Training School, and has served in various assignments around the world. Looking back on 25 years of full-time service, he says: “I’ve tried to work with everyone in the congregation, sharing in the ministry with them, making shepherding calls on them, inviting them to my home for meals, and even arranging gatherings with a spiritual focus. All these things have brought me a great deal of joy.” As Mark’s comments reveal, the greatest joy in life comes from giving, and a full life in sacred service offers many opportunities for giving to others. (Acts 20:35) No matter what your personal interests, skills, or experience in life, for young people today, there is plenty to do in the Lord’s work.​—1 Cor. 15:58. 11. What are some benefits of not rushing into marriage? 11 Although most young people would like to marry eventually, there are good reasons not to rush into marriage. Paul encourages youths to wait at least until they are past “the bloom of youth,” when sexual desires are most powerful. (1 Cor. 7:36) It takes time to understand yourself and acquire the experience in life that is needed to choose a suitable mate. Making a marriage vow is a serious decision, one that should last for life.​—Eccl. 5:2-5. Singleness in Later Life 12. (a) How did the widow Anna cope with her changed circumstances? (b) What privilege did she receive? 12 Anna, mentioned in Luke’s Gospel, likely was deeply saddened when her husband died unexpectedly after just seven years of marriage. We do not know whether they had any children or if she ever considered remarrying. But the Bible reports that at age 84, Anna was still a widow. From what the Bible says, we can conclude that Anna used her changed circumstances to draw closer to Jehovah. She was “never missing from the temple, rendering sacred service night and day with fastings and supplications.” (Luke 2:36, 37) So spiritual things came first in her life. That took real determination and effort, but she was greatly rewarded. She was privileged to see the young child Jesus, and she witnessed to others about the liberation that was due to be effected through this coming Messiah.​—Luke 2:38. 13. (a) What indicates that Dorcas was actively involved in the congregation? (b) How was Dorcas rewarded for her goodness and kindness? 13 A woman named Dorcas, or Tabitha, lived in Joppa, an ancient seaport northwest of Jerusalem. Since the Bible mentions no husband, she was likely unmarried at the time. Dorcas “abounded in good deeds and gifts of mercy.” She evidently made many garments for needy widows and others, and this greatly endeared her to them. So when she suddenly fell ill and died, the whole congregation sent for Peter to implore him to resurrect their dear sister. As news of her resurrection spread throughout Joppa, many became believers. (Acts 9:36-42) Through her extraordinary kindness, Dorcas herself may have had a share in helping some of them. 14. What moves single Christians to draw closer to Jehovah? 14 Like Anna and Dorcas, many in congregations today find themselves single later in life. Some may not have found a suitable marriage mate. Others are divorced or widowed. Having no marriage mate to confide in, single Christians often learn to lean more heavily on Jehovah. (Prov. 16:3) Silvia, a single sister who has served at Bethel for more than 38 years, sees this as a blessing. “Sometimes I get tired of being the strong one,” she admits. “I wonder, ‘Who will encourage me?’” But then she adds: “Trusting that Jehovah knows what I need better than I do helps me to draw closer to him. And the encouragement always comes, sometimes from completely unexpected sources.” Whenever we draw closer to Jehovah, he always responds in a most tender and reassuring way. 15. How may unmarried Christians “widen out” in their love? 15 Singleness affords a special opportunity to “widen out” in love. (Read 2 Corinthians 6:11-13.) Jolene, a single sister who has spent the past 34 years in full-time service, says: “I’ve tried to work hard at building warm relationships, not just with people my own age, but with all types of people. Singleness is a real opportunity to give to Jehovah, your family, and your brothers and sisters, as well as to your neighbors. The older I get, the happier I feel about my single state.” The elderly, the infirm, single parents, youths, and others in the congregation certainly appreciate the unselfish support that single ones offer to them. Indeed, whenever we show love to others, we feel better about ourselves. Can you too “widen out” in your love for others? Single for Life 16. (a) Why did Jesus stay single for life? (b) How did Paul make wise use of his single state? 16 Jesus did not marry; he had to prepare for and carry out his assigned ministry. He traveled extensively, worked from early in the morning until late at night, and eventually laid down his life in sacrifice. Singleness was an advantage in his case. The apostle Paul traveled thousands of miles and faced great hardships in the ministry. (2 Cor. 11:23-27) Although he may have been married earlier, Paul chose to stay single after he was commissioned as an apostle. (1 Cor. 7:7; 9:5) For the sake of the ministry, both Jesus and Paul encouraged others to imitate their example where possible. Yet, neither of them set celibacy as a requirement for ministers.​—1 Tim. 4:1-3. 17. How have some today followed in the footsteps of Jesus and Paul, and why can we be sure that Jehovah appreciates those who make such sacrifices? 17 Today, some have likewise made the conscious choice to remain single so that they can better pursue their ministry. Harold, mentioned earlier, has enjoyed over 56 years in Bethel service. “By the time I completed ten years at Bethel,” he says, “I had observed many married couples leaving Bethel because of sickness or the need to care for an aging parent. My parents were both deceased. But I loved Bethel so much that I did not want to put that privilege in jeopardy by getting married.” Similarly, years ago, a longtime pioneer named Margaret observed: “There have been opportunities for marriage in my life, but I just never got around to it. Instead, I was able to use the extra freedom and mobility that singleness affords to keep busy in the ministry, and this has brought me great happiness.” Surely, Jehovah will never forget any who make such unselfish sacrifices for true worship.​—Read Isaiah 56:4, 5. Make the Most of Your Circumstances 18. How can others encourage and support single Christians? 18 All unmarried Christians who are doing their best to serve Jehovah deserve our genuine commendation and encouragement. We love them for who they are and for the significant contribution they make to the congregation. They will never have to feel lonely if we truly become their spiritual “brothers and sisters and mothers and children.”​—Read Mark 10:28-30. 19. What can you do to make the most of your singleness? 19 Whether you are single by choice or simply because of circumstances, may these Scriptural and modern examples assure you that you can lead a happy and productive life. Some gifts are eagerly anticipated, while others are completely unexpected. Some are immediately appreciated, while others are valued only over time. Much, then, depends on our attitude. What can you do to make the most of your singleness? Draw closer to Jehovah, have plenty to do in God’s service, and widen out in your love for others. Like marriage, singleness can be rewarding when we view it from God’s perspective and make wise use of this gift. Do You Recall? • In what ways can singleness be a gift? • How can singleness be a blessing in youth? • What opportunities do single Christians have to draw closer to Jehovah and widen out in love? [Pictures on page 18] Are you making the most of your opportunities in God’s service?

Sing Praises (ssb) 1984

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/Ssb

Song 115 “Have Intense Love for One Another” (1 Peter 4:8) 1. Love that is intense and pure Helps us all things to endure And God’s favor to secure, Serving him aright. Through such love our God did send Jesus Christ, our loyal Friend, Our relationship to mend And with Him unite. We who fear Jehovah God Let our feet with love be shod As we walk the way Christ trod, Showing heartfelt love. In this hateful world today, Love intense we must display. It is the surpassing way —Copies God above, copies God above. 2. Love that is no mere pretense Gives no reasons for offense, Helps us show true deference To our brothers dear. It is patient, gentle, kind, To ourselves is not confined, Puts all grievances behind T’ward those who God fear. Since the end is near at hand, How we need to understand That our love must e’er expand T’ward humanity! One another we must love With true wisdom from above. May we copy God in love For eternity, for eternity.

Book for All (ba) 1997

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/book-for-all-ba

input Page/Publishers’ Page A Book for All People 2006 Printing This publication is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures—With References [Picture Credit Lines] Page 3 Heinrich Heine: Archive Photos; page 4 telescopes: © Gianni Tortoli, Science Source/Photo Researchers; page 5 Galileo questioned: Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY; page 6 By Permission of the British Library/Gutenberg Bible; press: Courtesy American Bible Society; page 9 jar: Bibelmuseum, Münster; page 11 Robert Moffat: Culver Pictures; page 12 Adoniram Judson: Engraving by John C. Buttre/Dictionary of American Portraits/Dover; page 13 Robert Morrison: Corbis-Bettmann; page 15 Tel Dan fragment: HUC, Tel Dan Excavations; photo: Zeev Radovan; pages 16-17 relief: Copyright The Trustees of the British Museum, British Museum Press; page 18 Earth: NASA photo; page 29 Babylon: WHO photo by Edouard Boubat

“God’s Love” (lv) 2014

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/lv

“Keep Yourselves in God’s Love”

Scriptures for Christian Living (scl) 2023

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/scl

Wrong Practices What wrong practices should Christians avoid? Abusive speech Mt 5:22; 1Co 6:9, 10; Eph 4:31 See also Ex 22:28; Ec 10:20; Jude 8 Relevant Bible account(s): 2Sa 16:5-8; 1Ki 2:8, 9, 44, 46​—Shimei reviles Jehovah’s anointed king and suffers the consequences Accepting or offering bribes Ex 23:8; Ps 26:9, 10; Pr 17:23 See also De 10:17; 16:19; Ps 15:1, 5 Relevant Bible account(s): 1Sa 8:1-5​—Instead of following their father’s good example, the sons of the prophet Samuel accept bribes and pervert justice Ne 6:10-13​—Shemaiah is hired by opposers to utter a false prophecy intended to scare Governor Nehemiah and slow down Jehovah’s work Bragging See “Bragging” Brazen conduct; uncleanness; immorality; adultery See “Sexual Immorality” Competitions; rivalry Ec 4:4; Ga 5:26 Relevant Bible account(s): Mr 9:33-37; 10:35-45​—Jesus repeatedly corrects his apostles for their tendency to compete for positions of prominence 3Jo 9, 10​—Diotrephes desires to have “the first place” among the brothers Creating divisions; promoting a sect Ro 16:17; Ga 5:19, 20; Tit 3:10, 11; 2Pe 2:1 See also Ac 20:29, 30; 1Co 1:10-12; Re 2:6, 15 Drunkenness; excessive drinking Pr 20:1; 23:20, 29-35; 1Co 5:11; 6:9, 10 See also Eph 5:18; 1Ti 3:8; Tit 2:3; 1Pe 4:3 See also “Drinking” Relevant Bible account(s): Ge 9:20-25​—Noah gets drunk, which creates an opportunity for Ham and his son Canaan to commit a serious sin Da 5:1-6, 30​—Under the influence of wine, King Belshazzar insults Jehovah, bringing disaster on himself and his kingdom Extortion Ps 62:10; 1Co 5:10, 11; 6:9, 10 See also Pr 1:19; 15:27 Relevant Bible account(s): Jer 22:11-17​—Jehovah condemns King Shallum (Jehoahaz) for extortion and other serious sins Lu 19:2, 8​—Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector, repents of his sin of extortion and promises to make reparations Ac 24:26, 27​—The apostle Paul did not give Governor Felix the bribe that the governor was hoping for Flattery Job 32:21, 22; Ps 5:9; 12:2, 3; Pr 26:24-28; 29:5 See also Pr 28:23; 1Th 2:3-6 Relevant Bible account(s): Lu 18:18, 19​—Jesus rejects a flattering input Ac 12:21-23​—King Herod Agrippa accepts flattery implying that he is a god; he is struck dead for his sin Gluttony Pr 23:20, 21; 28:7 See also Lu 21:34, 35 Harmful gossiping; being a busybody Pr 25:23; 1Th 4:11; 2Th 3:11; 1Pe 4:15 See also Pr 20:19; 1Ti 5:13 Idolatry See “Idolatry” Lying; proving false to agreements See “Lying” Lying; slander See “Lying” Misuse of blood Ge 9:4; De 12:16, 23; Ac 15:28, 29 See also Le 3:17; 7:26 Relevant Bible account(s): 1Sa 14:32-34​—The Israelites sin against Jehovah by eating meat without first bleeding it properly Murder Ex 20:13; Mt 15:19; 1Pe 4:15 See also Mt 5:21, 22; Mr 7:21 Relevant Bible account(s): Ge 4:4-16​—Despite Jehovah’s loving counsel, Cain murders his righteous brother Abel 1Ki 21:1-26; 2Ki 9:26​—Greed leads wicked King Ahab and Queen Jezebel to arrange for the murder of Naboth and his sons Murmuring 1Co 10:10; Php 2:14; Jude 16 See also Nu 11:1 Relevant Bible account(s): Nu 14:1-11, 26-30​—The Israelites murmur against Moses and Aaron, but Jehovah sees it as murmuring against Him Joh 6:41-69​—The Jews murmur against Jesus; some of his disciples abandon him Obscene talk or jesting Eph 5:4; Col 3:8 See also Eph 4:29, 31 Pornography See “Pornography” Quarreling See “Quarreling” Ridiculing Pr 19:29; 24:9 See also Pr 17:5; 22:10; 2Pe 3:3, 4 Relevant Bible account(s): 2Ch 36:15-21​—God’s rebellious people pay dearly for ridiculing his messengers and mocking his prophets Job 12:4; 17:2; 21:3; 34:7​—During his difficult trial, righteous Job suffers ridicule Stealing See “Stealing” Strife; violence Ps 11:5; Pr 3:31; 29:22 See also 1Ti 3:2, 3; Tit 1:7 Relevant Bible account(s): Ex 21:22-27​—The Mosaic Law exacts punishment from men who cause injury or death through physical violence Threatening Eph 6:9; 1Pe 2:23 See also Ps 10:4, 7; 73:3, 8 Relevant Bible account(s): Ac 4:15-21​—The Sanhedrin threatens Jesus’ disciples in an attempt to stop the preaching work Wild parties Ro 13:13; Ga 5:19, 21; 1Pe 4:3 See also Pr 20:1; 1Co 10:31 Relevant Bible account(s): Da 5:1-4, 30​—King Belshazzar’s “great feast” leads to excessive drinking and a catastrophic decision to blaspheme Jehovah