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Greatest Man (gt) 1991

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

Chapter 15 Jesus’ First Miracle IT HAS been only a day or two since Andrew, Peter, John, Philip, Nathanael, and perhaps James became Jesus’ first disciples. These now are on their way home to the district of Galilee, where all of them originated. Their destination is Cana, the hometown of Nathanael, located in the hills not far from Nazareth, where Jesus himself grew up. They have been invited to a wedding feast in Cana. Jesus’ mother too has come to the wedding. As a friend of the family of the ones getting married, Mary appears to have been involved in ministering to the needs of the many guests. So she is quick to note a shortage, which she reports to Jesus: “They have no wine.” When Mary thus, in effect, suggests that Jesus do something about the lack of wine, Jesus at first is reluctant. “What have I to do with you?” he asks. As God’s appointed King, he is not to be directed in his activity by family or friends. So Mary wisely leaves the matter in her son’s hands, simply saying to those ministering: “Whatever he tells you, do.” Well, there are six large stone water jars, each of which can hold over ten gallons [40 L]. Jesus instructs those ministering: “Fill the water jars with water.” And the attendants fill them to the brim. Then Jesus says: “Draw some out now and take it to the director of the feast.” The director is impressed by the fine quality of the wine, not realizing that it has been miraculously produced. Calling the bridegroom, he says: “Every other man puts out the fine wine first, and when people are intoxicated, the inferior. You have reserved the fine wine until now.” This is the first miracle of Jesus, and on their seeing it, the faith of his new disciples is strengthened. Afterward, along with his mother and his half brothers, they travel to the city of Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee. John 2:1-12. ▪ When during Jesus’ ministry does the wedding in Cana occur? ▪ Why does Jesus object to his mother’s suggestion? ▪ What miracle does Jesus perform, and what effect does it have on others?

Will the Earth Come to an End?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2010010

Will the Earth Come to an End? “THE end of the world never goes out of style, at least as far as film is concerned.” So stated columnist John Scalzi. Why are audiences captivated by movies depicting the end of the world? “Because they speak to our fears,” reasoned Scalzi. Would you agree? Do we have legitimate reasons to be fearful about how and when the earth​—and all life upon it—​might come to an end? Almost daily, we hear of natural disasters wreaking havoc around the globe. Terrifying footage of such destruction is replayed over and over on TV and on the Internet. When we are bombarded with images of real people and real places being destroyed, it is easy to view the end of the world as an actual threat and not just the stuff of movies. Fueling such fears, scientists theorize about how the earth might end. Some even predict what might be called earth’s expiration date. In March 2008, the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society reported that a pair of astronomers forecast that in approximately 7.59 billion years, the sun will engulf and vaporize our planet. Will the earth really expire someday? Does Our Planet Have an Expiration Date? The Bible assures us: “Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever.” (Ecclesiastes 1:4, New International Version) Jehovah God securely “founded the earth upon its established places” and designed it to last “to time indefinite, or forever.” (Psalm 104:5) Do these inspired words of God sound too good to be true? Why should you believe that our earth will not expire, when some scientists claim otherwise? Well, think for a moment about products on the shelf at a store. Some are labeled with an expiration date. Who set that date? Was it just an educated guess by the store manager? Of course not! The manufacturer determined the expiration date. We trust that date because the manufacturer knows his products better than anyone else. How much more so should we trust the Maker of our planet! His Word clearly states that he “solidly fixed the earth” to last forever. There is no expiration date​—ever!​—Psalm 119:90. Is it possible, though, that irresponsible humans might spoil the planet beyond recovery? Absolutely not! Unlike human manufacturers, Jehovah is “able to do all things.” (Job 42:2) That is why he can confidently guarantee: “My word that goes forth from my mouth will . . . have certain success.” (Isaiah 55:11) We can be sure that “our Maker” will not allow anything to stop him from carrying out his purpose for the earth. (Psalm 95:6) What is that purpose, and how will God fulfill it? God’s Kingdom Will Carry Out His Purpose In addition to guaranteeing that the earth will never expire, God’s Word also tells us that he “formed it even to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18) Although our earth has been inhabited for thousands of years, that in itself has not fulfilled God’s purpose. Jehovah is a “happy God” and “a lover of justice.” (1 Timothy 1:11; Psalm 37:28) His purpose is for all humans to live happily and free from injustice. In order to carry out his purpose, God foretold that he would set up one Kingdom in the heavens that will rule over the entire earth. (Daniel 2:44) While on earth, Jesus regularly spoke about God’s Kingdom government. He encouraged his disciples to pray for it because he knew of all the blessings that were in store for the earth under the reign of that Kingdom. (Matthew 6:9, 10; 24:14) What are some of those blessings? ▪ Peace and security will prevail because God promises to end all wars.​—Psalm 46:9. ▪ There will be ample food for all.​—Psalm 72:16. ▪ Health care will not be an issue because “no resident will say: ‘I am sick.’”​—Isaiah 33:24. ▪ Grieving will not be necessary, for “death will be no more.”​—Revelation 21:4. ▪ God promises that his people will build their own houses, live in security, and “be joyful forever.”​—Isaiah 65:17-24. No doubt you long to enjoy conditions like those outlined above. Jehovah has a fiery zeal​—a burning desire—​to carry out all that he has foretold. (Isaiah 9:6, 7) Yet, you may wonder: ‘It has been thousands of years since God’s promises were recorded in the Bible. Why have they not yet been fulfilled?’ God’s Patience Leads to Our Salvation Rest assured that “Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise.” The Bible explains that God has been lovingly demonstrating patience with us. Thus, we are encouraged to “consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.” (2 Peter 3:9, 15) But why has God’s patience been necessary for salvation? First of all, God knows that before he can provide righteous humans with a secure and prosperous home, he will have to “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) However, because he loves humans, Jehovah “does not desire any to be destroyed.” Consequently, our heavenly Father has been patiently trying “to warn the wicked one from his wicked way.” To that end, Jehovah is having the message about his Kingdom preached worldwide.a (Ezekiel 3:17, 18) All who respond favorably to God’s warning and bring their life into harmony with his righteous principles will be granted salvation and enjoy everlasting life on a paradise earth. Turn to God and Be Saved For a certainty, the Bible has “good news” for us. (Matthew 24:14) It gives us God’s unfailing word that our earth will never come to an end! Moreover, according to Bible prophecies, we can have faith that “just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more.” Soon, only those righteous in God’s eyes “will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” (Psalm 37:9-11, 29; Matthew 5:5; Revelation 21:3, 4) Until then, God will continue to call out patiently: “Turn to me and be saved, all you at the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 45:22) How will you respond? Why not make it your determination to turn to God? Psalm 37:34 exhorts us: “Hope in Jehovah and keep his way, and he will exalt you to take possession of the earth.” Jehovah’s Witnesses will be happy to assist you in learning more about God’s eternal purpose for the earth and how you can live to see that purpose become a reality. [Footnote] a In obedience to Jesus’ command at Matthew 28:19, 20, over seven million of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 236 lands spend about one and a half billion hours each year teaching people about God’s grand purpose for this earth. [Picture Credit Line on page 22] NASA photo

Jehovah’s Servant—“Pierced for Our Transgression”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2009044

Jehovah’s Servant​—“Pierced for Our Transgression” “He was being pierced for our transgression; he was being crushed for our errors. . . . Because of his wounds there has been a healing for us.”​—ISA. 53:5. 1. What should we keep in mind when we observe the Memorial, and what prophecy will help us to do so? WE OBSERVE the Memorial to commemorate Christ’s death and to remember all that his death and resurrection have accomplished. The Memorial reminds us of the vindication of Jehovah’s sovereignty, the sanctification of his name, and the fulfillment of his purpose, including the salvation of mankind. Perhaps no other prophecy in the Bible better depicts Christ’s sacrifice and what it has accomplished than the one recorded at Isaiah 53:3-12. Isaiah foretold the Servant’s sufferings and provided specific details about Christ’s death and about the blessings his death would result in for his anointed brothers and his “other sheep.”​—John 10:16. 2. Of what is Isaiah’s prophecy a proof, and what effect will it have on us? 2 Seven centuries before Jesus’ birth on earth, Jehovah inspired Isaiah to prophesy that His chosen Servant would be faithful even when tested to the limit. This very fact is proof of Jehovah’s absolute confidence in his Son’s loyalty. As we examine this prophecy, our hearts will be warmed and our faith will be strengthened. “Despised” and Held “as of No Account” 3. Why should the Jews have welcomed Jesus, but how did they receive him? 3 Read Isaiah 53:3. Just imagine what it must have meant for the only-begotten Son of God to forgo the joy of serving at his Father’s side and come to earth to give his life in sacrifice to save mankind from sin and death! (Phil. 2:5-8) His sacrifice was to accomplish real forgiveness of sins, which the offering of animal sacrifices under the Mosaic Law only foreshadowed. (Heb. 10:1-4) Should he not have been welcomed and honored, at least by the Jews, who were awaiting the promised Messiah? (John 6:14) Instead, the Christ was “despised” by the Jews, and they “held him as of no account,” as Isaiah had prophesied. The apostle John wrote: “He came to his own home, but his own people did not take him in.” (John 1:11) The apostle Peter told the Jews: “The God of our forefathers . . . has glorified his Servant, Jesus, whom you, for your part, delivered up and disowned before Pilate’s face, when he had decided to release him. Yes, you disowned that holy and righteous one.”​—Acts 3:13, 14. 4. How did Jesus become acquainted with sickness? 4 Isaiah also prophesied that Jesus was meant to have “acquaintance with sickness.” During his ministry, Jesus certainly got tired on occasion, but there is no indication that he got sick. (John 4:6) He did, however, become acquainted with the sicknesses of those to whom he preached. He felt pity for them and healed many. (Mark 1:32-34) Jesus thus fulfilled the prophecy that states: “Truly our sicknesses were what he himself carried; and as for our pains, he bore them.”​—Isa. 53:4a; Matt. 8:16, 17. As if “Stricken by God” 5. How did many of the Jews view Jesus’ death, and why did this add to his suffering? 5 Read Isaiah 53:4b. Many of Jesus’ contemporaries did not understand the reason for his suffering and death. They believed that God was punishing him, as if plaguing him with a loathsome disease. (Matt. 27:38-44) The Jews charged Jesus with blasphemy. (Mark 14:61-64; John 10:33) Of course, Jesus was neither a sinner nor a blasphemer. But in view of his great love for his Father, the very idea that he was to die accused of blasphemy must have added to his suffering as Jehovah’s Servant. Nevertheless, he was willing to submit to Jehovah’s will.​—Matt. 26:39. 6, 7. In what sense did Jehovah ‘crush’ his faithful Servant, and why did this bring God “delight”? 6 It is one thing for Isaiah’s prophecy to state that others would account Christ as “stricken by God” but quite another for the prophecy to foretell: “Jehovah himself took delight in crushing him.” (Isa. 53:10) Since Jehovah had also stated: “Look! My servant, . . . my chosen one, whom my soul has approved,” how could Jehovah possibly take “delight in crushing him”? (Isa. 42:1) In what sense can it be said that this brought Jehovah joy? 7 To understand this part of the prophecy, we should remember that in challenging Jehovah’s sovereignty, Satan cast doubt on the loyalty of all of God’s servants in heaven and on earth. (Job 1:9-11; 2:3-5) Jesus, by remaining faithful to death, provided the perfect answer to Satan’s challenge. Thus, while Jehovah permitted Christ to be killed by his enemies, there can be no doubt that Jehovah suffered when he saw his chosen Servant being put to death. However, observing his Son’s absolute faithfulness brought Jehovah much delight. (Prov. 27:11) Furthermore, knowing the benefits that his Son’s death would bring to repentant humans brought Jehovah great joy.​—Luke 15:7. “Pierced for Our Transgression” 8, 9. (a) How was Jesus “pierced for our transgression”? (b) How did Peter confirm this? 8 Read Isaiah 53:6. Like lost sheep, sinful humans have wandered about, seeking deliverance from the sickness and death inherited from Adam. (1 Pet. 2:25) Being imperfect, not one of Adam’s descendants could buy back what Adam had forfeited. (Ps. 49:7) In his great love, however, “Jehovah himself has caused the error of us all to meet up with that one,” his dear Son and chosen Servant. By consenting to be “pierced for our transgression” and “crushed for our errors,” Christ carried our sins upon the stake and died in our place. 9 The apostle Peter wrote: “To this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely. He himself bore our sins in his own body upon the stake, in order that we might be done with sins and live to righteousness.” Then, quoting from Isaiah’s prophecy, Peter added: “And ‘by his stripes you were healed.’” (1 Pet. 2:21, 24; Isa. 53:5) This opened the way for sinners to become reconciled to God, as Peter further stated: “Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous person for unrighteous ones, that he might lead you to God.”​—1 Pet. 3:18. “Brought Just Like a Lamb to the Slaughtering” 10. (a) How did John the Baptizer describe Jesus? (b) Why did John’s words prove to be fitting? 10 Read Isaiah 53:7, 8. When John the Baptizer saw Jesus approaching, he exclaimed: “See, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29) In speaking of Jesus as a Lamb, John may have had in mind the words of Isaiah: “He was being brought just like a lamb to the slaughtering.” (Isa. 53:7, ftn.) “He poured out his soul to the very death,” prophesied Isaiah. (Isa. 53:12) Interestingly, on the night when Jesus instituted the Memorial of his death, he gave a cup of wine to the 11 faithful apostles and stated: “This means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.”​—Matt. 26:28. 11, 12. (a) What does Isaac’s willingness to be offered up illustrate about Christ’s sacrifice? (b) What should we keep in mind about the Greater Abraham, Jehovah, when we observe the Memorial? 11 Like Isaac of old, Jesus was willing to be offered up as a sacrifice on the altar of Jehovah’s will for him. (Gen. 22:1, 2, 9-13; Heb. 10:5-10) While Isaac willingly consented to being sacrificed, it was Abraham who attempted to offer the sacrifice. (Heb. 11:17) Similarly, Jesus willingly accepted that he was to die, but it was Jehovah who was the Author of the ransom arrangement. The sacrifice of his Son was an expression of God’s deep love for mankind. 12 Jesus himself stated: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) The apostle Paul wrote: “God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8) Therefore, while honoring Christ by commemorating his death, we should never forget that the one who made the sacrificial arrangement possible was the Greater Abraham, Jehovah. We observe the Memorial to his praise. The Servant Brings “a Righteous Standing to Many” 13, 14. How has Jehovah’s Servant brought “a righteous standing to many”? 13 Read Isaiah 53:11, 12. Of his chosen Servant, Jehovah stated: “The righteous one, my servant, will bring a righteous standing to many people.” In what way? The end of verse 12 gives us a clue to the answer. “And for the transgressors he [the Servant] proceeded to interpose.” All of Adam’s descendants are born sinners, “transgressors,” and therefore receive “the wages sin pays,” namely, death. (Rom. 5:12; 6:23) Reconciliation between Jehovah and sinful man is necessary. Chapter 53 of Isaiah’s prophecy describes beautifully how Jesus ‘interposed,’ or interceded, on behalf of sinful mankind, stating: “The chastisement meant for our peace was upon him, and because of his wounds there has been a healing for us.”​—Isa. 53:5. 14 By taking our sins upon himself and dying for us, Christ brought “a righteous standing to many people.” Paul wrote: “God saw good for all fullness to dwell in him [Christ], and through him to reconcile again to himself all other things by making peace through the blood he shed on the torture stake, no matter whether they are the things upon the earth or the things in the heavens.”​—Col. 1:19, 20. 15. (a) Who are “the things in the heavens” mentioned by Paul? (b) Who alone are eninputd to partake of the Memorial emblems, and why? 15 “The things in the heavens” that are reconciled to Jehovah by means of Christ’s shed blood are the anointed Christians, called to reign with Christ in the heavens. Christians who are “partakers of the heavenly calling” are declared “righteous for life.” (Heb. 3:1; Rom. 5:1, 18) Jehovah then begets them as spiritual sons. The holy spirit bears witness to them that they are “joint heirs with Christ,” called to become kings and priests in his heavenly Kingdom. (Rom. 8:15-17; Rev. 5:9, 10) They become part of spiritual Israel, “the Israel of God,” and they are taken into the “new covenant.” (Jer. 31:31-34; Gal. 6:16) As members of the new covenant, they are eninputd to partake of the Memorial emblems, including the cup of red wine, of which Jesus stated: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.”​—Luke 22:20. 16. What are “the things upon the earth,” and in what way are they given a righteous standing before Jehovah? 16 “The things upon the earth” are Christ’s other sheep, who have the hope of living forever on earth. To these also Jehovah’s chosen Servant brings a righteous standing before Jehovah. Because they have faith in Christ’s ransom sacrifice and thus “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb,” Jehovah declares them righteous, not as spiritual sons, but as his friends, giving them the wonderful prospect of surviving “the great tribulation.” (Rev. 7:9, 10, 14; Jas. 2:23) Not being in the new covenant and therefore not having the hope of living in heaven, these other sheep do not partake of the Memorial emblems but attend as respectful observers. All Thanks to Jehovah and His Approved Servant! 17. How has a study of the prophecies in Isaiah that center on the Servant helped us to prepare our minds for the Memorial? 17 The examination of the prophecies in Isaiah that center on the Servant has been a fine way to prepare our minds for the Memorial of Christ’s death. It has enabled us to “look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith.” (Heb. 12:2) We have learned that God’s Son is not rebellious. Unlike Satan, he delights in being taught by Jehovah, recognizing him as the Sovereign Lord. We have seen that during Jesus’ earthly ministry, he showed compassion for the people to whom he preached, healing many of them both physically and spiritually. He thus demonstrated what he will do as Messianic King in the new system of things when “he sets justice in the earth.” (Isa. 42:4) The zeal he showed in preaching the Kingdom, as “a light of the nations,” is a reminder to his followers to preach the good news zealously throughout the earth.​—Isa. 42:6. 18. Why does Isaiah’s prophecy fill our hearts with gratitude to Jehovah and to his faithful Servant? 18 Isaiah’s prophecy also enhances our understanding of the great sacrifice Jehovah made when he sent his dear Son to earth to suffer and die for us. Jehovah delighted, not in seeing his Son suffer, but in observing Jesus’ absolute faithfulness to the very death. We should share Jehovah’s delight, recognizing all that Jesus did to prove Satan a liar and sanctify Jehovah’s name, thus vindicating the rightfulness of His sovereignty. In addition, Christ took our sins upon himself and died in our behalf. In that way, he made it possible for the little flock of his anointed brothers and for the other sheep to have a righteous standing before Jehovah. As we gather together for the Memorial, may our hearts be filled with gratitude to Jehovah and to his faithful Servant. By Way of Review • In what sense did Jehovah ‘take delight’ in his Son’s being ‘crushed’? • How was Jesus “pierced for our transgression”? • How did the Servant “bring a righteous standing to many”? • How has a study of the prophecies regarding the Servant prepared your mind and heart for the Memorial? [Picture on page 26] “He was despised, and we held him as of no account” [Picture on page 28] “He poured out his soul to the very death” [Picture on page 29] The “other sheep” attend the Memorial as respectful observers

Isaiah’s Prophecy I (ip-1) 2000

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

Chapter Twenty-one Jehovah’s Hand Becomes High Isaiah 25:1–27:13 1. Why does Isaiah have appreciation for Jehovah? ISAIAH has deep love for Jehovah and delights in praising him. He cries out: “O Jehovah, you are my God. I exalt you, I laud your name.” What helps the prophet to have such fine appreciation for his Creator? A major factor is his knowledge of Jehovah and of his activities. Isaiah’s next words reveal this knowledge: “For you have done wonderful things, counsels from early times, in faithfulness, in trustworthiness.” (Isaiah 25:1) Like Joshua before him, Isaiah knows that Jehovah is faithful and trustworthy and that all his “counsels”​—the things he purposes—​come true.​—Joshua 23:14. 2. What counsel of Jehovah does Isaiah now pronounce, and what may be the object of this counsel? 2 The counsels of Jehovah include his judgment declarations against Israel’s enemies. Isaiah now pronounces one of these: “You have made a city a pile of stones, a fortified town a crumbling ruin, a dwelling tower of strangers to be no city, which will not be rebuilt even to time indefinite.” (Isaiah 25:2) What is this unnamed city? Isaiah may be referring to Ar of Moab​—Moab has long been at enmity with God’s people.a Or he may be referring to another, stronger city​—Babylon.​—Isaiah 15:1; Zephaniah 2:8, 9 3. In what way do Jehovah’s enemies glorify him? 3 How will Jehovah’s enemies react when his counsel against their strong city comes true? “Those who are a strong people will glorify you; the town of the tyrannical nations, they will fear you.” (Isaiah 25:3) It is understandable that the enemies of the almighty God will fear him. How, though, do they glorify him? Will they abandon their false gods and adopt pure worship? Hardly! Rather, like Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, they glorify Jehovah when they are compelled to recognize his overwhelming superiority.​—Exodus 10:16, 17; 12:30-33; Daniel 4:37. 4. What “town of the tyrannical nations” exists today, and how does even she have to glorify Jehovah? 4 Today “the town of the tyrannical nations” is “the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth,” namely, “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion. (Revelation 17:5, 18) The principal part of this empire is Christendom. How do the religious leaders of Christendom glorify Jehovah? By bitterly conceding the wonderful things he has accomplished in behalf of his Witnesses. Particularly in 1919 when Jehovah restored his servants to dynamic activity after their release from spiritual captivity to Babylon the Great, these leaders “became frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven.”​—Revelation 11:13.b 5. How does Jehovah protect those who have absolute confidence in him? 5 Although fearsome when viewed by his enemies, Jehovah is a refuge to the meek and humble who want to serve him. Religious and political tyrants may try everything to break the faith of true worshipers, but they fail because these have absolute confidence in Jehovah. Eventually, he easily silences his opposers, doing so as if he were covering the burning desert sun with a cloud or blocking the force of a rainstorm with a wall.​—Read Isaiah 25:4, 5. ‘A Banquet for All the Peoples’ 6, 7. (a) What kind of feast does Jehovah spread, and for whom? (b) What does the banquet prophesied by Isaiah foreshadow? 6 Like a loving father, Jehovah not only protects but also feeds his children, especially in a spiritual way. After liberating his people in 1919, he set before them a victory banquet, an abundant supply of spiritual food: “Jehovah of armies will certainly make for all the peoples, in this mountain, a banquet of well-oiled dishes, a banquet of wine kept on the dregs, of well-oiled dishes filled with marrow, of wine kept on the dregs, filtered.”​—Isaiah 25:6. 7 The banquet is spread in Jehovah’s “mountain.” What is this mountain? It is “the mountain of the house of Jehovah” to which all nations stream “in the final part of the days.” It is Jehovah’s “holy mountain,” where his faithful worshipers do no harm and cause no ruin. (Isaiah 2:2; 11:9) In this elevated place of worship, Jehovah spreads his lush banquet for faithful ones. And the spiritual good things now supplied so generously foreshadow the physical good things that will be provided when God’s Kingdom becomes the sole government of mankind. Then hunger will be no more. “There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.”​—Psalm 72:8, 16. 8, 9. (a) What two great enemies of mankind will be removed? Explain. (b) What will God do to remove the reproach of his people? 8 Those who now partake of the divinely provided spiritual feast have glorious prospects. Listen to Isaiah’s next words. Comparing sin and death to a suffocating “woven work,” or “envelopment,” he says: “In this mountain [Jehovah] will certainly swallow up the face of the envelopment that is enveloping over all the peoples, and the woven work that is interwoven upon all the nations. He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces.”​—Isaiah 25:7, 8a. 9 Yes, no more sin and death! (Revelation 21:3, 4) Moreover, the lying reproach that Jehovah’s servants have endured for thousands of years will also be done away with. “The reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken it.” (Isaiah 25:8b) How will this happen? Jehovah will remove the source of that reproach, Satan and his seed. (Revelation 20:1-3) Little wonder that God’s people will be moved to exclaim: “Look! This is our God. We have hoped in him, and he will save us. This is Jehovah. We have hoped in him. Let us be joyful and rejoice in the salvation by him.”​—Isaiah 25:9. The Haughty Are Abased 10, 11. What harsh treatment does Jehovah reserve for Moab? 10 Jehovah saves those of his people who manifest humility. However, Israel’s neighbor Moab is proud, and Jehovah detests pride. (Proverbs 16:18) Moab, therefore, is slated for humiliation. “The hand of Jehovah will settle down on this mountain, and Moab must be trodden down in its place as when a straw heap is trodden down in a manure place. And he must slap out his hands in the midst of it as when a swimmer slaps them out to swim, and he must abase its haughtiness with the tricky movements of his hands. And the fortified city, with your high walls of security, he must lay low; he must abase it, bring it into contact with the earth, to the dust.”​—Isaiah 25:10-12. 11 Jehovah’s hand will “settle down” protectively on his holy mountain. However, haughty Moab is to be slapped and trodden down as “in a manure place.” In Isaiah’s time, straw is trampled into piles of dung to make fertilizer; so Isaiah foretells humiliation for Moab, despite her high, seemingly secure walls. 12. Why is Moab singled out for Jehovah’s judgment declaration? 12 Why does Jehovah single out Moab for such harsh counsel? The Moabites are descendants of Lot, the nephew of Abraham and a worshiper of Jehovah. Thus, they are not only neighbors of God’s covenant nation but also relatives. Despite this, they have adopted false gods and manifested hard-set enmity toward Israel. They deserve their fate. In this, Moab is like the enemies of Jehovah’s servants today. She is especially like Christendom, which claims to have roots in the first-century Christian congregation but which, as seen earlier, is the principal part of Babylon the Great. A Song of Salvation 13, 14. What “strong city” does God’s people have today, and who are allowed to enter it? 13 What of God’s people? Thrilled to have Jehovah’s favor and protection, they raise their voices in song. “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: ‘We have a strong city. He sets salvation itself for walls and rampart. Open the gates, you men, that the righteous nation that is keeping faithful conduct may enter.’” (Isaiah 26:1, 2) While these words no doubt had a fulfillment in ancient times, they also have a clear fulfillment today. Jehovah’s “righteous nation,” spiritual Israel, is endowed with a strong, citylike organization. What a cause for rejoicing, for song! 14 What kind of people come into this “city”? The song gives the answer: “The inclination that is well supported you [God] will safeguard in continuous peace, because it is in you that one is made to trust. Trust in Jehovah, you people, for all times, for in Jah Jehovah is the Rock of times indefinite.” (Isaiah 26:3, 4) “The inclination” Jehovah supports is the desire to obey his righteous principles and to trust in him, not in the floundering commercial, political, and religious systems of the world. “Jah Jehovah” is the only reliable Rock of security. Those having full confidence in Jehovah receive his protection and enjoy “continuous peace.”​—Proverbs 3:5, 6; Philippians 4:6, 7. 15. How has “the elevated town” been abased today, and in what way do “the feet of the afflicted one” trample it? 15 What a contrast to what happens to the enemies of God’s people! “He has laid low those inhabiting the height, the elevated town. He abases it, he abases it to the earth; he brings it in touch with the dust. The foot will trample it down, the feet of the afflicted one, the steps of the lowly ones.” (Isaiah 26:5, 6) Again, Isaiah may be here referring to an “elevated town” in Moab, or he may mean some other city, such as Babylon, which is certainly elevated in haughtiness. Whatever the case, Jehovah has turned the tables on “the elevated town,” and his ‘lowly and afflicted ones’ trample it. Today this prophecy aptly fits Babylon the Great, particularly Christendom. In 1919 this “elevated town” was forced to release Jehovah’s people​—a humiliating fall—​and they, in turn, have taken to trampling upon their old captor. (Revelation 14:8) How? By publicly announcing Jehovah’s coming vengeance upon her.​—Revelation 8:7-12; 9:14-19. Desiring Righteousness and Jehovah’s “Memorial” 16. What fine example of devotion does Isaiah set? 16 After this triumphant song, Isaiah reveals the depth of his own devotion and the rewards of serving the God of righteousness. (Read Isaiah 26:7-9.) The prophet provides a fine example of ‘hoping in Jehovah’ and of having a deep desire for Jehovah’s “name” and “memorial.” What is Jehovah’s memorial? Exodus 3:15 says: “Jehovah . . . is my name to time indefinite, and this is the memorial of me to generation after generation.” Isaiah cherishes Jehovah’s name and all that it stands for, including His righteous standards and ways. Those who cultivate a similar love for Jehovah are assured of his blessing.​—Psalm 5:8; 25:4, 5; 135:13; Hosea 12:5. 17. What privileges will be withheld from the wicked? 17 Not all, however, love Jehovah and his lofty standards. (Read Isaiah 26:10.) The wicked, even when invited, stubbornly refuse to learn righteousness in order to enter “the land of straightforwardness,” the land occupied by Jehovah’s morally and spiritually straightforward servants. Consequently, the wicked “will not see the eminence of Jehovah.” They will not live to enjoy the blessings that will flow to mankind after Jehovah’s name has been sanctified. Even in the new world, when the whole earth will be a “land of straightforwardness,” some may fail to respond to Jehovah’s loving-kindness. The names of such ones will not be written in the book of life.​—Isaiah 65:20; Revelation 20:12, 15. 18. In what way are some in Isaiah’s day blind by choice, and when will they be forced to “behold” Jehovah? 18 “O Jehovah, your hand has become high, but they do not behold it. They will behold and be ashamed at the zeal for your people. Yes, the very fire for your own adversaries will eat them up.” (Isaiah 26:11) In Isaiah’s day, the hand of Jehovah has shown itself to be exalted when Jehovah protects his people by acting against their enemies. But most have not recognized this. Such ones, spiritually blind by choice, will eventually be forced to “behold,” or acknowledge, Jehovah when they are eaten up by the fire of his zeal. (Zephaniah 1:18) God later says to Ezekiel: “They will have to know that I am Jehovah.”​—Ezekiel 38:23. “Whom Jehovah Loves He Disciplines” 19, 20. Why and how has Jehovah disciplined his people, and who have benefited from such discipline? 19 Isaiah knows that any peace and prosperity that his fellow countrymen enjoy is due to Jehovah’s blessing. “O Jehovah, you will adjudge peace to us, because even all our works you have performed for us.” (Isaiah 26:12) In spite of this and in spite of Jehovah’s having set before his people the opportunity to become “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation,” Judah has had a checkered history. (Exodus 19:6) Repeatedly, her people have turned to the worship of false gods. As a result, time after time they have been disciplined. Such discipline, however, is evidence of Jehovah’s love because “whom Jehovah loves he disciplines.”​—Hebrews 12:6. 20 Often, Jehovah disciplines his people by allowing other nations, “other masters,” to dominate them. (Read Isaiah 26:13.) In 607 B.C.E., he allows the Babylonians to take them into exile. Does this benefit them? Suffering in itself does not benefit a person. However, if the sufferer learns from what happens, repents, and gives Jehovah exclusive devotion, then he benefits. (Deuteronomy 4:25-31) Do any Jews show godly repentance? Yes! Isaiah says prophetically: “By you only shall we make mention of your name.” After their return from exile in 537 B.C.E., the Jews often need discipline for other sins, but they never again fall prey to worshiping gods of stone. 21. What will happen to those who have oppressed God’s people? 21 What of Judah’s captors? “Impotent in death, they will not rise up. Therefore you have turned your attention that you might annihilate them and destroy all mention of them.” (Isaiah 26:14) Babylon will suffer for the cruelties visited upon Jehovah’s chosen nation. By means of the Medes and the Persians, Jehovah will overturn proud Babylon and free his exiled people. That great city, Babylon, will be rendered impotent, as good as dead. Eventually, she will cease to exist. 22. In modern times, how have God’s people been blessed? 22 In the modern fulfillment, a remnant of chastened spiritual Israel was set free from Babylon the Great and restored to Jehovah’s service in 1919. Revitalized, anointed Christians threw themselves into their preaching work. (Matthew 24:14) In turn, Jehovah has blessed them with increase, even bringing in a great crowd of “other sheep” to serve with them. (John 10:16) “You have added to the nation; O Jehovah, you have added to the nation; you have glorified yourself. You have extended afar all the borders of the land. O Jehovah, during distress they have turned their attention to you; they have poured out a whisper of prayer when they had your disciplining.”​—Isaiah 26:15, 16. “They Will Rise Up” 23. (a) What outstanding demonstration of Jehovah’s power occurs in 537 B.C.E.? (b) What similar demonstration occurred in 1919 C.E.? 23 Isaiah returns to the situation facing Judah while she is still captive to Babylon. He compares the nation to a woman who is in labor but who without help is unable to give birth. (Read Isaiah 26:17, 18.) That help comes in 537 B.C.E., and Jehovah’s people return to their homeland, eager to rebuild the temple and restore true worship. In effect, the nation is raised from the dead. “Your dead ones will live. A corpse of mine​—they will rise up. Awake and cry out joyfully, you residents in the dust! For your dew is as the dew of mallows, and the earth itself will let even those impotent in death drop in birth.” (Isaiah 26:19) What a demonstration of Jehovah’s power! Further, what a great demonstration there was when these words were fulfilled in a spiritual sense in 1919! (Revelation 11:7-11) And how we look forward to the time when these words are fulfilled in a literal way in the new world and those impotent in death ‘hear Jesus’ voice and come out’ from the memorial tombs!​—John 5:28, 29. 24, 25. (a) How may the Jews in 539 B.C.E. have obeyed Jehovah’s command to hide themselves? (b) What may the “interior rooms” point to in modern times, and what attitude must we cultivate toward these? 24 However, if faithful ones are to enjoy the spiritual blessings promised through Isaiah, they must obey Jehovah’s commands: “Go, my people, enter into your interior rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for but a moment until the denunciation passes over. For, look! Jehovah is coming forth from his place to call to account the error of the inhabitant of the land against him, and the land will certainly expose her bloodshed and will no longer cover over her killed ones.” (Isaiah 26:20, 21; compare Zephaniah 1:14.) This passage may have an initial fulfillment when the Medes and the Persians, led by King Cyrus, conquer Babylon in 539 B.C.E. According to the Greek historian Xenophon, when Cyrus enters Babylon, he commands everyone to stay in their homes because his cavalry has “orders to cut down all whom they found out of doors.” Today, the “interior rooms” of this prophecy could be closely instructioned with the tens of thousands of congregations of Jehovah’s people around the world. Such congregations will continue to play a key role in our lives, even through “the great tribulation.” (Revelation 7:14) How vital that we maintain a wholesome attitude toward the congregation and regularly associate with it!​—Hebrews 10:24, 25. 25 Soon the end will come for Satan’s world. How Jehovah will protect his people during that fear-inspiring time, we do not yet know. (Zephaniah 2:3) However, we do know that our survival will depend on our faith in Jehovah and our loyalty and obedience to him. 26. What is “Leviathan” in Isaiah’s day and in our day, and what happens to this “sea monster”? 26 Looking toward that time, Isaiah prophesies: “In that day Jehovah, with his hard and great and strong sword, will turn his attention to Leviathan, the gliding serpent, even to Leviathan, the crooked serpent, and he will certainly kill the sea monster that is in the sea.” (Isaiah 27:1) In the initial fulfillment, “Leviathan” refers to the countries to which Israel has been scattered, such as Babylon, Egypt, and Assyria. These countries will be unable to prevent the return of Jehovah’s people to their homeland at the proper time. Who, though, is the modern-day Leviathan? It appears to be Satan​—“the original serpent”—​and his wicked system of things here on earth, his tool for warring against spiritual Israel. (Revelation 12:9, 10; 13:14, 16, 17; 18:24) “Leviathan” lost his hold on God’s people in 1919, and soon he will disappear altogether when Jehovah will “certainly kill the sea monster.” Meantime, nothing “Leviathan” may try to do against Jehovah’s people will have real success.​—Isaiah 54:17. “A Vineyard of Foaming Wine” 27, 28. (a) With what has Jehovah’s vineyard filled the whole earth? (b) How does Jehovah protect his vineyard? 27 With another song, Isaiah now beautifully illustrates the fruitfulness of Jehovah’s freed people: “In that day sing to her, you people: ‘A vineyard of foaming wine! I, Jehovah, am safeguarding her. Every moment I shall water her. In order that no one may turn his attention against her, I shall safeguard her even night and day.’” (Isaiah 27:2, 3) The remnant of spiritual Israel and their hardworking associates have indeed filled the entire earth with spiritual produce. What a cause for celebration​—for song! All credit goes to Jehovah, the one lovingly attending to his vineyard.​—Compare John 15:1-8. 28 Truly, Jehovah’s earlier anger has been replaced by joy! “There is no rage that I have. Who will give me thornbushes and weeds in the battle? I will step on such. I will set such on fire at the same time. Otherwise let him take hold of my stronghold, let him make peace with me; peace let him make with me.” (Isaiah 27:4, 5) To ensure that his vines continue to produce an abundance of “foaming wine,” Jehovah crushes and consumes as with fire any weedlike influence that could corrupt his vineyard. Hence, let no one endanger the welfare of the Christian congregation! Rather, let all ‘take hold of Jehovah’s stronghold,’ seeking his favor and protection. In so doing, they make peace with God​—something so important that Isaiah mentions it twice. The result? “In the coming days Jacob will take root, Israel will put forth blossoms and actually sprout; and they will simply fill the surface of the productive land with produce.” (Isaiah 27:6)c What wonderful evidence of Jehovah’s power the fulfillment of this verse is! Since 1919, anointed Christians have filled the earth with “produce,” nourishing spiritual food. As a result, they have come to be joined by millions of loyal other sheep, who together with them “are rendering [God] sacred service day and night.” (Revelation 7:15) In the midst of a corrupt world, these joyfully maintain his elevated standards. And Jehovah continues to bless them with increase. May we never lose sight of the grand privilege of partaking of “produce” and sharing it with others through our own shout of praise! [Footnotes] a The name Ar probably means “City.” b See Revelation​—Its Grand Climax At Hand!, page 170. c Isaiah 27:7-13 is discussed in the box on page 285. [Box on page 285] “A Great Horn” Heralds Liberty In 607 B.C.E., Judah’s pains increase when Jehovah disciplines his wayward nation with the stroke of exile. (Read Isaiah 27:7-11.) The nation’s error is too great to be atoned for by animal sacrifices. So, as one might scatter sheep or goats with “a scare cry” or might “blast” leaves away with a strong wind, Jehovah expels Israel from their homeland. Thereafter, even weak peoples, symbolized by the feminine sex, are able to exploit what remains in the land. However, the time comes for Jehovah to deliver his people from captivity. He frees them as a farmer might free olives held prisoner, so to speak, on trees. “It must occur in that day that Jehovah will beat off the fruit, from the flowing stream of the River [Euphrates] to the torrent valley of Egypt, and so you yourselves will be picked up one after the other, O sons of Israel. And it must occur in that day that there will be a blowing on a great horn, and those who are perishing in the land of Assyria and those who are dispersed in the land of Egypt will certainly come and bow down to Jehovah in the holy mountain in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 27:12, 13) Following his victory in 539 B.C.E., Cyrus issues a decree freeing all the Jews in his empire, which includes those in Assyria and Egypt. (Ezra 1:1-4) It is as if “a great horn” sounded, echoing the anthem of freedom for God’s people. [Pictures on page 275] “A banquet of well-oiled dishes” [Picture on page 277] Babylon is trampled under the feet of those who were prisoners [Picture on page 278] “Enter into your interior rooms”

School Guidebook (sg) 1992

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

Study 38 Let Your Advancement Be Manifest 1, 2. Why should we all think in terms of making advancement? 1 Having carefully studied and applied all the lessons in this book, are you now ready to graduate from the Theocratic Ministry School? No, for this is a continuing program of ministerial training. There is no graduation when it comes to laying up godly knowledge and practicing what you learn. Rather, as a diligent student you can continue to make advancement that is observable to those acquainted with you. 2 The apostle Paul urged his young fellow worshiper Timothy to ‘continue applying himself to public reading, to exhortation, to teaching, to ponder over the things he had learned, to be absorbed in them, that his advancement might be manifest to all persons.’ (1 Tim. 4:13, 15) You, too, as a worshiper of the same God can make your advancement manifest to others. You can go on doing so without ever reaching the point where there is no more opportunity to progress. Jehovah is the source of all true knowledge, and that source is like an unfathomed well of refreshing water. Though we can never plumb its depths completely, we can go on deriving life and refreshment from it to time indefinite. (Rom. 11:33, 34; Isa. 55:8, 9) How, then, can your advancement become manifest to onlookers? 3, 4. How is advancement shown in the ministry school and at other congregation meetings? 3 Ways in which advancement is manifest. One way your advancement is evident is in your ministry school talks. You may feel that you have not made great advancement, but others may note your progress even more than you do. In this regard we are all like the child who wishes that it did not take so long to grow up, but when relatives visit, they exclaim: “My, how you have grown!” Think back to the very first talk you gave in the school. Do you remember it? Compare that with the talks you have given recently. You have learned much and gained valuable experience since then, have you not? Then keep on moving ahead. 4 It is not only in talks on the ministry school that advancement is manifest. It is also noted at congregation meetings. Do you attend meetings regularly? If you do, it shows that you are making progress, that you appreciate Jehovah’s provisions for our spiritual well-being. In addition, the quality of the comments given at meetings can give evidence of advancement. Those who give comments in their own words, instead of just reading them, show progress. Similarly, those who comment on the meaning and value in our lives of the information being studied show that they are developing discernment. Thus, regular attendance at meetings and the quality of one’s personal participation in them are deserving of notice when considering what advancement has been made. 5. What gives evidence of advancement in one’s field ministry? 5 And what of the advancement you have made in the field ministry? Remember how you felt when you approached that first door as you started out in the service? Compare that with your ability at the doors now. There has been improvement, has there not? And yet, you no doubt recognize that there is room for further improvement in effectiveness when preaching and teaching. Also, could you have a fuller share in all features of the service that are possible for you? The apostle Paul exhorted: “Just as you received the instruction from us on how you ought to walk and please God, just as you are in fact walking, . . . keep on doing it more fully.” (1 Thess. 4:1) As you keep on advancing, having a fuller share in Jehovah’s service, not only will your preaching and teaching become more effective, but your appreciation for the privilege of serving Jehovah will be deepened. Even when the response of householders is not good, you will still count it a privilege to have been used by Jehovah to bear his message to the people. 6. How could one’s conversation reflect spiritual growth? 6 One’s advancement is also manifest in conversation. Jesus said that ‘out of the heart’s abundance one’s mouth speaks.’ (Luke 6:45) When one’s conversation focuses to an increasing extent on Jehovah and his purposes, it is evident that there has been advancement. It shows that that person is growing in appreciation for Jehovah, that he is drawing closer to God. And the closer we draw to him, the more it will serve as a protection to us. 7. Where would advancement in applying Bible principles be evident? 7 Advancement is manifest in the application of Bible principles in daily life too. Is it not true that you find yourself doing things differently now than you did before you became acquainted with Jehovah’s Word? Likely this progress in doing things Jehovah’s way is reflected in your activity everywhere. It shows up in your home, in your dealings with other members of your household. It is reflected in how you shoulder your responsibilities. At your secular work you are more careful to apply Bible principles. All of this is an evidence that you have made a measure of progress. But here too we can all work for improvement, seeking to apply Bible principles more fully. 8, 9. If we make ourselves available to assist other publishers, what does this indicate, and what opportunities are there for this? 8 Make yourself available. Another way to make advancement manifest is to make ourselves available for Jehovah’s service to a greater extent. Psalm 110:3 states: “Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force.” Is that true of you? Could it be true of you to an even greater extent in the future? 9 You can show willingness by being available to help others, showing a genuine concern for them. Elders in the congregation may ask you to assist brothers or sisters in some way. These may need help in getting to meetings. Are you available to assist? You do not have to wait until someone asks for your assistance either. Why not volunteer, offering help to those who seem to need it? Is someone sick or hospitalized? It is not necessary to wait until the elders call this to our attention, but you can take the initiative and visit them or help out in some other way if you know of the need. Do you have a regular family Bible study in your home? Might it help a newly associated family that does not have such a study if you were to invite them to join your household for this study from time to time? Or if you go out in the field ministry alone, are there others who would go out if you offered to take them along? Why not plan in advance to invite another publisher to go with you? Yes, Jehovah’s servants are very busy these days, but our willingness to offer assistance to other brothers and sisters is a measure of our advancement. “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.”—Gal. 6:10. 10, 11. In harmony with 1 Timothy 3:1, how can brothers make themselves available? 10 If you are a brother, you can make yourself available by working to measure up to the qualifications set out in God’s Word for those who take the lead in the congregation. First Timothy 3:1 commends those who reach out for overseership. This is not a matter of pushing oneself forward to be noticed, or competing with others. It is a matter of working to prove oneself a mature Christian, an “older man,” qualified and willing to serve in whatever capacity needed. And there is a need for many “older men” and “ministerial servants” in each congregation to take the lead in teaching, preaching and caring for congregation responsibilities. 11 Willing ones can enjoy many privileges in the congregation. They may be asked to be in demonstrations on the service meeting or to assist the elders or ministerial servants because they have demonstrated willingness and have shown themselves responsible in caring for whatever task was given them. When the need arises, their willingness and advancement may mark them as brothers who may be recommended as servants. Why are they appointed? Because they have shown willingness and have advanced, now measuring up to the qualifications that Jehovah has set down in his Word. Those appointed as servants are invited to the periodic Kingdom Ministry Schools for additional training in caring for congregation matters. 12, 13. What other privileges are open to many who are willing and able to make themselves available? 12 There are additional privileges that all may enjoy if they are willing and their situation permits. Could you offer yourself periodically as an auxiliary pioneer as tens of thousands of others have? Perhaps you could become a regular pioneer and join their growing numbers. Are your personal circumstances and your viewpoint toward Jehovah’s service such that you would even be willing to move to another place to serve, if that is what is needed? Many have done this as special pioneers, or by going to Gilead school and into the missionary work, or as publishers who have moved to serve where the need is greater. Some have taken up service in the various Bethel homes throughout the world. They have been greatly blessed because they have offered themselves willingly to Jehovah. 13 These are thrilling times in which to be alive. Jehovah is having a marvelous preaching and teaching work done in the earth in these “last days.” When, through his organization, Jehovah extends an invitation for some feature of the service, ask yourself: “Is that something that Jehovah is saying to me?” Examine your own circumstances, your own heart. Very likely you have already made a certain amount of advancement and do show a certain willingness, and that is fine. But are there other ways in which your advancement can be made manifest, by making yourself available to a fuller degree? As you grow in responsiveness to Jehovah’s direction and yield yourself to his guidance, you will be richly blessed. Jehovah’s willing servants all over the world can testify that this is the case. Indeed, on our advancement depends the greatest blessing of all, eternal life in God’s new world. That is why God’s Word urges: “Ponder over these things; be absorbed in them, that your advancement may be manifest to all persons. Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Stay by these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.”—1 Tim. 4:15, 16.

“Will I Ever Walk Again?”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101986007

“Will I Ever Walk Again?” THAT Monday morning in September of 1983 I went to pick up my attaché case as usual. I tried to take hold of the handle. ‘That’s rather odd,’ I thought​—it just slipped right through my fingers! There was no strength in my hand. At first I thought that maybe I had slept on my hand during the night and that shortly it would be normal again. But that wasn’t the case. The rest of the day the problem just grew worse and worse. By the next morning, I had lost the strength in both my legs. The only way I could get out of bed was with my wife Barbara’s help. By this time, I knew I had to see a doctor. We arrived at a small local hospital at Botwood, Newfoundland, where three doctors examined me. After consultation, they told me they thought I had polyneuritis, a paralytic disease also known as Guillain-Barré Syndrome, or GBS. To make sure, they made arrangements for me to go to another hospital in the larger town of Grand Falls, Newfoundland. There a neurologist examined me. Using simple tests, he confirmed the earlier diagnosis​—polyneuritis! (See the accompanying box, “What Is GBS?”) He told me to expect that I would grow weaker and weaker. That wasn’t hard to believe! Already I was having to struggle for over ten minutes just to put on my socks! For treatment I agreed to go to a hospital in St. John’s, the largest city in Newfoundland. Barbara drove us the 300 miles (480 km) there. I remember that at one point on the trip she asked me to change the station on the car radio, but I didn’t even have the strength to do that! By this time I wasn’t able to walk. The questions that haunted me were, ‘Will I ever walk again? Will my wife be burdened with the responsibility of looking after me for the rest of my life?’ When we arrived at the hospital, I was a deadweight. It was frustrating​—and a little frightening at times. Here, too, the chief neurologist said: “It’s definite. You have polyneuritis, or GBS.” That night I was determined to feed myself. But you should have seen me! Food on top of my head, even behind my ears! I simply couldn’t coordinate my hands or my arms. I could still speak, but by the next morning I was completely paralyzed. I was in no real pain at that time, but I did feel a pins-and-needles sensation. The paralysis now spread to my abdomen, and my breathing was affected. Every two hours my breathing was monitored. Then the pain started​—excruciating pain. My knees and shoulders throbbed like a giant toothache. I found this the hardest period to endure. It lasted for several weeks. Since I couldn’t ring a bell for any needed attention, I had to yell for the nurses to come and move me. The nurses would apply hot compresses, which would relieve the pain for about 20 minutes. The doctors encouraged me by explaining that while it wasn’t easy to endure the pain, it was a good sign that the nerves were beginning to recover. “Is He Depressed Yet?” The best help of all was when Barbara came in every day and kept me built up spiritually by reading to me from the Bible and Bible publications. She also fed me and gave me some of the physiotherapy treatment that I required. At times the nurses called Barbara over and quietly asked, “Is he depressed yet?” They knew that with this disease there is a terrible emotional strain. And, true, there were moments when I did get discouraged, even frightened, wondering: ‘Maybe my illness will affect my career, and I will have to give up the traveling ministry, which I enjoy so much.’ But with the encouragement I received from Barbara and from the visits by members of the local congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I continually fought to think positively. Another thing that helped me to endure was a warm bath. They used to place me in a special chair, wheel me down to the bathing room, and then hoist me into a pool of lovely warm water! This was very helpful in relieving the pain in my joints. You see, I could feel the warm sensation on my skin even though I had no reflexes. As far as physical comfort was concerned, this was the highlight of my day! It helped me, too, to keep in mind what the doctors had said to us, namely, that while it might take a number of months or even a year or so, there were good chances of complete recovery in my case. That’s one thing that kept me going. After a few weeks, as part of the therapy, I was placed in a chair and required to sit up. The pain was agonizing! A few minutes was all I could bear at first. Another victim of this disease hit the nail on the head when she said: “The pain is similar to what you feel when you bang your funny bone​—only it doesn’t let up.” As the days went by, I tried to sit up for longer periods of time. Also, my wife took me around the hospital in a wheelchair so I could visit the other two patients who were afflicted with GBS. Though I’ve heard that it usually affects only about one person in half a million, surprisingly, the two others stricken with GBS had been admitted after I was. “Now, How Far Can You Go on Your Own?” After about three weeks of total paralysis, what a joy it was to wake up one morning and find that I could move my thumb slightly! This added to the doctors’ prior encouragement that there could be early recovery. Slowly, movement came to the rest of my fingers. After I had been in the hospital for about a month, the nurses put me in a wheelchair, gave it a little shove, and said: “Now, how far can you go on your own?” I still wasn’t that strong, but I tried to roll the wheels with the palms of my hands. I had to pause to rest frequently, yet with great effort​—and with perspiration running down my face—​I was able to move the full length of the hallway! I felt such a sense of accomplishment. My first attempt to stand up was truly frightening! The pain was so intense that it is beyond description. For a moment I thought that my legs would go right through my body. But each day I tried to do a bit more than the day before. As I progressed, I was finally supplied with a walker, so that more and more I was on my own. I learned to be patient. Shortly thereafter I was allowed a trial run of life at home again, spending the weekend with some friends. Barbara was able to look after me quite well there. Of course, I didn’t like being totally dependent on other people, but there was nothing I could do about it. So I learned the lesson of humbly accepting the loving care of others when needed. As I recuperated and saw how my body was mending itself, I often thought of the scripture that says, “In a fear-inspiring way I am wonderfully made.” (Psalm 139:14) I learned through adversity to appreciate the human body. How exciting it was now to wake up each morning and think: ‘What will I be able to do today that I wasn’t able to do yesterday?’ ‘You Have Connections With a Higher Power!’ My doctors were very impressed with my relatively speedy recovery. Most people take much longer to get back on their feet again. One nurse said to me: “I think that what contributes to your quick recovery is the fine, loving support of your congregation.” That taught me a valuable lesson: the need to visit and give encouragement to those who are not well or are undergoing suffering of some kind. My wife kept a record of our visitors. Why, we had over 300 come to see us while I was recuperating! The end of the fifth week of my hospitalization came, and I was anxiously awaiting my doctor’s report. Finally, he came in to see me and said that I could go home. I was to return at certain times for physiotherapy and examination. Ten days after my discharge, I took the walker back to the hospital, explaining that I was determined to walk on my own again. I thanked the doctor for his care, but he said, “Don’t thank me. You have connections with a power higher than ours!” As I continued recuperating at home, I still had only a little strength in my hands. In fact, it wasn’t until February that I was able to resume, in a limited way, my normal activities as a traveling minister of Jehovah’s Witnesses in eastern Canada. It had been five months since that Monday in September when the attaché case slipped through my fingers. I had been paralyzed​—but now I could walk again!​—As told by Winston Peacock. [Box on page 16] What Is GBS? The Guillain-Barré Syndrome (named after the French neurologists who first discovered it) is a mystery to scientists. The exact cause is still unknown, though it seems to follow some minor viral infections. Usually victims recover somewhat spontaneously. Yet, death may result if the paralysis extends to the respiratory system. Thus, the Journal of Neurosurgical Nursing says that “the only hope these patients have is complete and exact nursing care.” In GBS, the body, after an infection, is thought to produce antibodies that attack the coating​—the myelin sheath—​of the nerves. These exposed nerves cannot now conduct the electrons that control muscle action. This, in turn, causes weakness and paralysis. Recovery begins as the nerves recoat themselves. This may take as long as 18 months, and in less than one third of the cases, there is significant pain. Laura Barry, writing in The Canadian Nurse, observed the stages that most patients suffering GBS go through: “You keep denying the fact that you are suffering from this disease but all the while you are getting weaker and weaker. . . . Anger takes over: ‘Why me!?’ . . . The point at which the patient realizes she cannot control her disease . . . frequently leads to depression which, in the case of the patient with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, can be overwhelming.” Nurse Barry concludes that, to ensure recovery, the help of nurses and supportive family members and friends is needed. With their help the patient may progress to acceptance, and “hopefully, by this time the disease will have reached its zenith and ceased to progress further.” [Box on page 19] Remember the Patient! Suggestions for Visiting Hospitalized Friends • Stay for short periods, so as to avoid tiring the patient • If visiting with a group, try to limit visitors in the room to two at a time; larger numbers can be tiring • Speak in a low tone; loud talk can be disturbing to other patients • Keep any talking positive and upbuilding • Try to discern the needs of the patient. Offer to run errands for family members so they are freed to visit the patient as much as possible • Make yourself available for supplying needed transportation • If patient is asleep or receiving treatment when you arrive, leave a brief note or card to indicate that you called • A mild handshake or a touch on the hand can be reassuring to the patient [Picture on page 17] I was paralyzed, but now I can walk again​—and hold my attaché case!

Comforting Others Despite Her Health Challenges

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500200116

Comforting Others Despite Her Health Challenges Clodean, who is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and lives in South Africa, was admitted to the hospital for major surgery. She had a number of complications and had to weigh several treatment options. Both before and after surgery, she experienced fatigue, pain, and stress. Nearly ten weeks after she returned home, she was still unable to sit up. And because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she could not receive visitors. Determined not to feel sorry for herself, Clodean asked God to give her the strength to comfort others. So as soon as she could sit up, she contacted her neighbor’s sister, who had at one time studied the Bible with the Witnesses but had then stopped. Clodean shared an encouraging thought from God’s Word with her, which moved the lady to resume her study. Clodean also explained the benefits of attending Christian meetings, at the same time making sure that her student was able to tie in to the local congregation via videoconference. The lady followed through and even offered a comment during a question-and-answer part on the program. Clodean next spoke with her student’s younger sister, who was also quite eager to study the Bible. She even told Clodean about others who might be interested. The result? Clodean started Bible studies with four more women. But her story does not end there! Clodean Because of Clodean’s sincere interest in others, she was able to start Bible studies with ten more women—all during the pandemic—making a total of 16! Some are regularly attending Christian meetings via videoconference. Keeping busy in this way has helped Clodean take her mind off her own situation. She also feels that because Jehovah, “the God of all comfort,” comforted her in her trials, she has been able to comfort others.—2 Corinthians 1:3, 4. How do Clodean’s students feel about what they have learned? One of them says: “I have benefited in many ways. But the highlight was learning God’s name. This has helped me to draw close to Jehovah.” As for the first woman Clodean contacted, she is now looking forward to getting baptized. These experiences have given Clodean much joy. And she has made a fine recovery from her surgery.

Sing Praises (ssb) 1984

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

Song 50 Responding to God’s Love (1 John 4:11) 1. Great God, there’s none above you; wholeheartedly we love you, Jehovah, so deserving of praise. We hail your name so famous, your Word by which you let us Now learn the things about all your ways. You show such tender feeling, yet just you prove in dealing; You manifest such wisdom and pow’r. By Scripture we can be sure that if we keep our hearts pure, You’ll pour out blessings on us—a show’r. 2. You were the first to love us; your love through Christ does move us To love you in return from our hearts. To sanctify your name and reveal your love, Christ came; And eternal life he thereby imparts. No greater love had any than he who gave for many His life, a gift at great sacrifice. That we may never perish, his shepherding we cherish And heed his counsel and his advice. 3. From faithful Kingdom service this world will never swerve us; We’ll keep on telling out what is true. In service free and willing, we would be e’er fulfilling A love that gives to all what is due. As we thus serve together, our love for one another Discloses those who follow your Son. His Kingdom values we take and of them proper use make; We long to hear his promised “Well done.”

What Do You Think?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2018024

What Do You Think? Can the Bible help you become God’s friend? SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE . . . that they cannot be God’s friend because they feel unclean or sinful. Others say that God does not care about us. What do you think? WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS God’s “close friendship is with the upright.” (Proverbs 3:32) If we obey God, we can become his friends. WHAT ELSE CAN WE LEARN FROM THE BIBLE? God wants to be our Friend.​—James 4:8. As our Friend, God is ready to help and forgive us.​—Psalm 86:5. God’s friends love what he loves and hate what he hates.​—Romans 12:9. For more information about how you can live in a way that pleases God, see chapter 12 of this book, What Can the Bible Teach Us? published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Also available at www.jw.org

‘Know Jehovah’ (kj) 1971

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

Chapter 7 Christendom Will Know—at Her End 1. What is the Creator’s purpose concerning the earth, making the defiling of it something not enjoyable to Him? THE Creator does not enjoy seeing this earth defiled, polluted. It is his creation and was meant to be a credit to him. It was his original purpose that this earth, as a home for mankind, should be everywhere a paradise such as would make this terrestrial globe a decoration in the gorgeous celestial Milky Way of which it is a tiny part. 2. How does the earth’s condition today compare with the possible condition that was set before man in his original paradise home, and so what questions come up as to the Creator’s pleasure or anger? 2 The first human couple were started off in a paradise that went beautifully with their human perfection. Before them and their offspring to be, there lay the opportunity to extend their original paradise home to the complete circumference of the earth. (Genesis 1:26 to 2:25) Today, after six thousand years of man’s existence on earth, look at it! Its condition is far from being the happy paradise of life, health and beauty that its Creator purposed it to be. This could hardly be any cause of pleasure to Him any more than it is to us humans. In fact, does He have any right to be angry about this? If He does not have a right to be angered over this, who else does? 3. What question arises as to the procedure of a Creator when creatures living on it defile it? 3 However, what does a Creator do when his creation has been defiled and its surface has been spoiled, ruined, by the creatures who were meant to take care of it? Does he destroy this whole creation, together with the living creatures upon it? 4. As to what was to be done, why does the land of Judah here come under consideration, and what happened to that land in 607 B.C.E.? 4 Any doing of such a thing would be a waste of his creative activity, a sign of defeat. What he should do, and what he purposes to do, he illustrated by what he did to the land of Judah and Jerusalem back there in the seventh century before our Common Era. Jehovah had brought his people into the Promised Land in the year 1473 B.C.E. It was then, as Jehovah said, “a land that I had spied out for them, one flowing with milk and honey. It was the decoration of all the lands.” (Ezekiel 20:6, 15) The generation of those Israelites that Jehovah brought into this beautiful land remained faithful to Him. But their descendants began to defile the land by adopting idolatry and unrighteously shedding innocent blood. Repeated religious purgings followed, but the Israelites would always fall back into idolatry. Finally, in 607 B.C.E., Jehovah cleared off all the Jewish idolaters and thus left the land of Judah utterly desolate. 5. How did Jehovah let the land of Judah undergo a purging, and how was it put to use again for the purpose for which it was given? 5 The land of Judah and Jerusalem did not then go out of existence. For seventy years it lay desolate, Jehovah not permitting even pagan, non-Israelite idolaters to move in and continue the defilement of it. Jehovah purposed for his pure worship to be reestablished in that land which was undergoing a purging. At the end of the seventy years of desolation Jehovah brought back to the land a repentant purified remnant of Israelites to reoccupy the land of Judah and Jerusalem and to restore the clean worship of their God there. Jehovah repeopled the land with his worshipers who would use it in harmony with the sacred purpose for which he had given them the land. By his prophet Ezekiel he foretold this. 6. First, what difficult task did Ezekiel have, and why did Jehovah have Ezekiel address the land itself? 6 Ezekiel first had the difficult task of prophesying against the inhabitants of the land of Judah and Jerusalem who were defiling their God-given possession. Jehovah used Ezekiel to make an address to the land itself to indicate what would befall it because of its idolatrous God-defying occupants. Ezekiel, still referring to the year 613 B.C.E., tells us of this in these words: 7, 8. What was Ezekiel told to say to Israel’s mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys regarding a purging, and so what would the land have to know? 7 “And the word of Jehovah continued to occur to me, saying: ‘Son of man, set your face toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy to them. And you must say, “O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah: This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said to the mountains and to the hills, to the stream beds and to the valleys: 8 “‘“‘Here I am! I am bringing upon you a sword, and I shall certainly destroy your high places. And your altars must be made desolate and your incense stands must be broken, and I will cause your slain ones to fall before your dungy idols. And I will put the carcasses of the sons of Israel before their dungy idols, and I will scatter your bones all around your altars. In all your dwelling places the very cities will become devastated and the high places themselves will become desolated, in order that they may lie devastated and your altars may lie desolated and be actually broken and your dungy idols may be actually made to cease and your incense stands cut down and your works wiped out. And the slain one will certainly fall in the midst of you, and you will have to know that I am Jehovah.’”’”—Ezekiel 6:1-7.a IDOL WORSHIPERS WILL HAVE TO KNOW WHO HE IS 9. What had Jehovah meant for that beautiful land to be religiously, and what was now infringing upon exclusive worship at his temple? 9 Idolatrous high places, idolatrous altars, idolatrous incense stands, dungy idols—those are the vile things by means of which the unfaithful inhabitants of the mountains and hills and valleys and banks of the stream beds of the land of Judah are polluting their God-given possession. He had meant for that beautiful land to be sanctified as a place of his clean worship, but now, after 860 years of occupancy, look at it! Desecrated by those corrupt high places, altars, incense stands, dungy idols, whereas Jehovah’s temple was ignored as the only right place of worship with the help of his priesthood there! 10. Why was Jehovah bringing the sword of aggressive warfare upon that land? 10 Little wonder, therefore, that Jehovah determined to bring the “sword” of aggressive warfare upon those mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys of the land of Judah, to cause the slain bodies of the idolaters to fall around their idols that were filthy like the dung of animals. Their high places, incense stands and altars with which they carried on their idolatrous worship were to be wrecked by the highly militarized invaders whom Jehovah would bring against this land to purge it of its idolatrous inhabitants. 11. Why was such drastic action with the sword of war necessary, but thereby what would the land come to know? 11 It had to take such drastic action as that to rid those mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys of the land of Judah of those rebels against the pure worship of the one living and true God. They had chosen to leave Jehovah out of their minds, and they had caused the mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys of the God-given land to be identified with false worship and the names of false deities. Now, by his purging work, he would cause those mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys to know once again who is the true God: “You will have to know that I am Jehovah.”—Ezekiel 6:7. 12. How had the Israelites become guilty of spiritual immorality, and according to what rule was this punishable? 12 Bodily immorality is unclean. Spiritual immorality, or spiritual fornication, is still worse. Spiritual fornication—that is what those ancient Israelites were guilty of to a shocking degree. By means of the covenant that Jehovah had established by means of the prophet Moses in 1513 B.C.E., Jehovah had brought the nation of Israel into a marriage relationship with him. He was as a heavenly Husband to the nation. (Jeremiah 31:31, 32) But the nation did not appreciate its blessed relationship to him, but united itself to false gods in idolatrous worship. By this the nation committed spiritual immorality. Was physical fornication punishable according to the law of Jehovah? Yes. Likewise, spiritual fornication or immorality was punishable, for it meant unfaithfulness to the nation’s covenant with him. How the disloyal Israelites would be punished and would suffer for their spiritual immorality, Jehovah went on to say by Ezekiel: 13. By Ezekiel, what did Jehovah say regarding the scattered ones that escaped from the sword, and what would they have to know? 13 “And when it occurs I will let you have as a remnant the ones escaping from the sword among the nations, when you get scattered among the lands. And your escaped ones will certainly remember me among the nations to which they will have been taken captive, because I have been broken up at their fornicating heart that has turned aside from me and at their eyes that are going in fornication after their dungy idols; and they will certainly feel a loathing in their faces at the bad things that they have done in all their detestable things. And they will have to know that I am Jehovah; not in vain did I speak about doing to them this calamitous thing.”—Ezekiel 6:8-10. 14. Comparatively, what would the escapees of the idolatrous Israelites constitute, and for what feeling will they take up residence in exile, and what will they have to know? 14 The escapees of the sword of execution right there in the land of Judah will be but a remnant of these idolatrous spiritual fornicators. But into slavish captivity they will be led away from the mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys in which they committed the things detestable to Jehovah, the One to whom they had been married by their national covenant. But it will be only for shame of face that they will take up residence in the lands of their captors. Their false gods will prove to be no saviors to them. Since they abandoned Jehovah in order to pursue spiritual immorality, he abandons them to their enemies. Then this captive remnant of escaped ones will know that he is Jehovah, who cannot be tampered with in a disregard of their matrimonial covenant. By hard experiences in the distant lands of their captors they will know that, in the terms of his covenant with them, he did not speak in vain to warn them that he would bring upon them the terrible consequences of their forsaking his pure worship. 15. Similarly how has Christendom committed spiritual immorality, what will happen to her as to a place in the realm called Christian, and what will she have to know concerning her executioner? 15 Like the mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys of the land of Judah, the realm of Christendom has been polluted by the religious things that she adopted from the idolatrous pagans in order to carry on her spiritual immorality. She should have kept her realm clean of all false worship, because she paraded herself before all the nations as being Christian and so as being in the “new covenant” with God through the Mediator, Jesus Christ. But her standing as Christian before the eyes of the world she profaned by imitating the “heathen” in religious idolatry both in teaching and in practice. She is wrongly occupying any standing as Christian. She has no right to the name Christian. She must be removed from such a standing and name. At her destruction Jehovah will deprive her of such a standing and name. Any adherents who escape execution at her destruction have no prospect of a future free life. They will be taken over and brought under the control of the secular elements of this world. They will have to know that their executioner is really Jehovah and that he did not speak amiss in his holy written Word, the Sacred Bible. DRASTIC MEANS BY WHICH TO MAKE THEM KNOW 16, 17. As in Israel’s case, Christendom must come to know that He is Jehovah in what way, and Ezekiel was told to describe this way with what details? 16 The knowledge that He is Jehovah will have to be forced upon the spiritual fornicators of Christendom, just as it had to be in the case of the polluters of the mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys of the land of Judah. To emphasize this fact still more, the Lord God went on to say to his prophet Ezekiel: 17 “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘Clap your hands and stamp with your foot, and say: “Alas!” on account of all the bad detestable things of the house of Israel, because by the sword, by the famine and by the pestilence they will fall. As for the one far away, by the pestilence he will die; and as for the one that is nearby, by the sword he will fall; and as for the one that has been left remaining and that has been safeguarded, by the famine he will die, and I will bring to its finish my rage against them. And you people will have to know that I am Jehovah, when their slain ones come to be in the midst of their dungy idols, all around their altars, upon every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains and under every luxuriant tree and under every branchy big tree, the place where they have offered a restful odor to all their dungy idols. And I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land a desolate waste, even a desolation worse than the wilderness toward Diblah, in all their dwelling places. And they will have to know that I am Jehovah.’”—Ezekiel 6:11-14. 18. Why was Ezekiel told to cry out, clap his hands and stamp with his foot, and for the spiritual fornicators why would no place at all be safe from execution of God’s judgment? 18 To think of all the destruction that was to come upon the inhabitants of the land of Judah by the famine, the pestilence and the sword of war was enough to make a person cry out, “Alas!” Yes, enough to move a person to make this exclamation emphatic by clapping the hands and stamping with the foot! There would be no escaping by the guilty ones from the execution of the judicial decisions of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. If a spiritual fornicator escaped one form of execution, another form was certain to strike him. Near or far, wherever a person happened to be physically located would not safeguard him. He is marked for annihilation. And famine and pestilence that would take their toll of victims would not be plagues that spread to the land of Judah from outside lands, but such disasters would arise within as the result of activity from the outside by the sword of the aggressive invader. Only by the execution of the divine judicial decision to the full will Jehovah’s rage against them come to a finish and subside. 19. The sight of the dead bodies lying at the locations for idolatrous worship silently testifies to what fact, and it emphasizes what things about a covenant with God? 19 What a sight there is to behold! Dead bodies of the spiritual fornicators all around their idolatrous altars, by their incense stands upon which they offered incense emitting restful odors to their false gods, at their religious “high places” on the hilltops and mountaintops, and in the shade under the trees of luxuriant foliage and branchy big trees! A ghastly silent testimony to the mournful end to which the God who requires exclusive devotion to Him brings the spiritual fornicators! They have been made to know that the one living and true God is Jehovah. A covenant with Him is not a mere scrap of manuscript to be torn to pieces and canceled unilaterally by the unfaithful party to the covenant at any time that he likes! A covenanter should not think that Jehovah does not care about his covenants, that he forgets about them, or that he does not hold the covenanter as well as himself to the covenant as being a binding one. He is true to His covenant. Not only does he bless the covenanter who is true to the covenant, but he punishes the covenanter who is untrue to the covenant according to the punishments specified in the covenant. 20. Thus how were the mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys of Judah to be cleansed and rested up from all the misuse, and what were the covenant breakers to know? 20 Left behind are the putrefying corpses of all these slain ones when the remnant of survivors are led away by their captors into alien lands. The mountains, hills, stream beds and valleys of the land of Judah are cleansed of all the polluting idolatry and idolatrous spiritual fornicators by being left a desolation. Why, the desolate waste is worse than the wilderness that stretches “toward Diblah.” (Ezekiel 6:14, NW; LXX; Vg; Aramaic; Syriac; Arabic) By lying desolate for seventy years, without man or domestic animal, the land would be considered cleansed and rested up from its pollution, according to the decree of Jehovah. He was obliged to vindicate his unbreakable word. He had to uphold the reality of his own Godship. Said he, in connection with those covenant breakers, those spiritual fornicators: “And they will have to know that I am Jehovah.” 21. How will that ancient type have a modern fulfillment, all this resulting in what vital knowledge to whom? 21 That ancient type will not fail of fulfillment upon its modern, antitypical counterpart. Christendom will be uprooted from where she has been deeply entrenched for sixteen centuries. Her realm will be desolated, without her hypocritically Christian clergymen and church institutions. Men will look at the place where she used to exist and to flourish, and she will be no more. (Psalm 37:9, 10) Like her ancient type, she will have to feel the full force of the words of the God whom she has misrepresented: “And they will have to know that I am Jehovah.” (Ezekiel 6:14) His pure worship will survive Christendom’s destruction everlastingly from the earth. THE END OF HER IS NEAR! 22. Should sorrow or pity be felt at the destruction of Christendom, and at what result thereof will lovers of truth and righteousness rejoice? 22 Should the destruction of an idolatrous system of false, hypocritical religion call for pity from the eyes of persons who love truth and righteousness, or even pity from the eyes of the God of true worship? The great oppression and the blinding and misguidance of the people that have resulted from such false religion keep the lovers of truth and righteousness from feeling sorry. To the contrary, they rejoice at the clearing of the way for the prevalence of pure and true worship throughout the whole earth. The approaching end of Christendom does not fill these with sorrow or dismay. The Sovereign Lord God himself will feel no more sorrow at this than he felt when he brought destruction upon her ancient type, the inhabitants of the land of Judah and Jerusalem. In evidence of this the prophet Ezekiel writes: 23. Though not feeling sorry or pitiful, Jehovah can bring what upon doers of detestable things and thus make them know what? 23 “And the word of Jehovah continued to occur to me, saying: ‘And as for you, O son of man, this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said to the soil of Israel, “An end, the end, has come upon the four extremities of the land. Now the end is upon you, and I must send my anger against you, and I will judge you according to your ways and bring upon you all your detestable things. And my eye will not feel sorry for you, neither will I feel compassion, for upon you I shall bring your own ways, and in the midst of you your own detestable things will come to be; and you people will have to know that I am Jehovah.”’”—Ezekiel 7:1-4. 24. Why was Jehovah precise in saying that “an end, the end,” had come upon the land, and what is it really that He brings to an end? 24 It is still the year 613 B.C.E. as Jehovah makes that statement. The destruction of the city of Jerusalem and its defiled temple was therefore just six years off, the closing six years of a period of forty years of bearing the “error” of the house of Judah. (Ezekiel 4:6) Quite precisely, then, Jehovah could say that “an end, the end” has come upon the four extremities of the land, “the soil of Israel.” He himself feels the urgency of the progress of events as he says: “Now the end is upon you.” It means that the time has come for him to take judicial action as respects the “soil of Israel” to its four corners. So he adds: “And I must send my anger against you, and I will judge you according to your ways and bring upon you all your detestable things.” It is not the “soil of Israel,” “the four extremities of the land,” that He brings to an end. The lifeless soil is not responsible to Him. Rightly, it is the unfaithful religious system that has for more than three centuries been operating upon this soil that Jehovah brings to an end in his righteous anger. 25. What divine law concerning consequences will Jehovah not change toward the detestable religious system, and what will its religious adherents be brought to know as regards their covenant? 25 He will not be held back by sorrow and compassion from putting an end to that religious system with its detestable things. He will not change his law that, as a person or nation sows, it must also reap. The consequences of its own unfaithful ways must be brought upon it, to make the religious system eat the fruitage of its own doings. In this way the religious adherents of that system must be made to know that he is Jehovah, that he is the same Jehovah who said to his covenant people by the mouth of the prophet Moses: “If you will not do this way, you will also certainly sin against Jehovah. In that case know that your sin will catch up with you [will find you out].”—Numbers 32:23, NW; AS. 26. As to discerning that one gets one’s deserts, what is indicated by the observation that Nebuzaradan made to Jeremiah concerning Jerusalem’s destruction? 26 Even those whom Jehovah uses as his executioners on earth might appreciate that the detestable religious system is getting nothing but its just deserts and deserves no pity. Listen in on the prophet Jeremiah as he tells us what a Babylonian army officer said to him after the destruction of Jerusalem in the year 607 B.C.E.: “The word that occurred to Jeremiah from Jehovah after Nebuzaradan the chief of the bodyguard sent him from Ramah, when he took him while he was bound with handcuffs in the midst of all the exiles of Jerusalem and of Judah, who were being taken into exile in Babylon. Then the chief of the bodyguard took Jeremiah and said to him: ‘Jehovah your God himself spoke this calamity against this place, that Jehovah might bring it true and do just as he has spoken, because you people have sinned against Jehovah and have not obeyed his voice. And this thing has happened to you.’”—Jeremiah 40:1-3. 27. How does Christendom’s existence compare with that of Israel upon the Promised Land down to Ezekiel’s appointment, and now what is about to come upon her? 27 Today Christendom has been longer in existence than the 860 years that the house of Israel was in the Promised Land by the time that Ezekiel was appointed as a prophet and a watchman over Israel. She has a longer record of committing detestable things in her religious realm. She has been a longer time in coming to her day of reckoning. But now at last her sin has found her out, has caught up with her. The end that Jehovah has decreed for her is about to come upon her, and she may expect no mercy from Him. She is past all possibility of repenting and converting to Him. 28. As foretold, what has been the religious course of Christendom, and does Jehovah do her any injustice by bringing her ways upon her? 28 Just as it was foretold concerning these last days, Christendom has had a “form of godliness,” a “form of godly devotion,” but she has all along been “denying the power thereof,” or “proving false to its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, AV; NW) By not holding true to the Holy Bible, she ignored the God who is set forth in the Bible, Jehovah. He does her no injustice by bringing upon her the consequences of her ways and by showing her how detestable to Him her religious things are. At her end it is proper for her to know that there is indeed a God named Jehovah, who gives due rewards. 29, 30. A calamity must come because Jehovah brings what upon the inhabiter of the land, and the one doing the striking shall be known to be who? 29 Never can Christendom rightly scream out to Jehovah, “Calamity howler!” because he told Ezekiel to say, with her as well as the unfaithful house of Israel in mind: 30 “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘A calamity, a unique calamity, look! it is coming. An end itself must come. The end must come; it must awaken for you. Look! It is coming. The garland must come to you, O inhabiter of the land, the time must come, the day is near. There is confusion, and not the shouting of the mountains. Now shortly I shall pour out my rage upon you, and I will bring my anger against you to its finish, and I will judge you according to your ways and bring upon you all your detestable things. Neither will my eye feel sorry nor shall I feel compassion. According to your ways shall I do the bringing upon you yourself, and your own detestable things will come to be right in the midst of you; and you people will have to know that I am Jehovah doing the smiting.’”—Ezekiel 7:5-9. 31. What kind of garland will it be that will come upon the inhabiter of the land, and the shouting then will not be for what causes? 31 No, there was no mistake about what we heard when Jehovah spoke the first time. He meant what he said in the first place. So for the sake of emphasis he repeats himself in many respects, with some new details added, about the end. A “garland” will indeed come to the idolatrous inhabiter of the land, but it will encircle the inhabiter’s head with calamitous things, not with the nice-looking decoration of an idolater who is enjoying a festival. It will be a time, not of well-arranged ceremonies, but of confusion, false religion not being able to unite the people in any self-helpful measures, even against a common enemy. What shouting will then be heard will be that of wild confusion, not that of revelers at the religious “high places” on the mountains or the shouting of men treading the grapes gathered from the vineyards on the mountainsides. There will be the noise foretold for this time by the prophet Isaiah: 32. The noise then will be due to what, according to Isaiah 66:6? 32 “There is a sound of uproar out of the city [of Jerusalem], a sound out of the temple! It is the sound of Jehovah repaying what is deserved to his enemies.”—Isaiah 66:6. 33. Why will no pity then be deserved, and to whom will they then knowingly be able to attribute the calamitous end? 33 If, in their dire distress, people finally call to Jehovah as a last source of relief, he will not hear them. His eye will not feel sorry, nor will he feel compassion for these idolatrous worshipers who have continually refrained from listening to him. When he fails to answer their prayers, they will come to sense that he is against them. By his prophets and by his Bible instructors he has foretold this calamitous end upon the unfaithful religious system. Hence when it comes upon them, they will be able to attribute it to no one else but Him. Just as he said to the stubborn, heedless religionists: “You people will have to know that I am Jehovah doing the smiting.” THE “ROD” FOR DIVINE USE ON THAT DAY 34. What executional forces did Jehovah have ready for his use back in Ezekiel’s day? 34 Back in Ezekiel’s day Jehovah had his executional forces ready, and He foretold who they would be, namely, the military forces of the Third World Power of Bible history, namely, Babylon, of whom the mighty Nebuchadnezzar was then king. Correspondingly, Jehovah has his visible executional forces ready now, poised to strike Christendom, the present-day counterpart of the land of Judah and Jerusalem. Jehovah refers to these in his next words: 35. To what time period does Jehovah now repeatedly call attention, and in view of it what should the buyer and the seller respectively not do for certain reasons? 35 “Look! The day! Look! It is coming. The garland has gone forth. The rod has blossomed. Presumptuousness has sprouted. Violence itself has risen up into a rod of wickedness. It is not from them, nor is it from their wealth; and it is not from their own selves, nor is there any eminency in them. The time must come, the day must arrive. As regards the buyer, let him not rejoice; and as regards the seller, let him not go into mourning, for there is hot feeling against all its crowd. For to what was sold the seller himself will not return, while their life is yet among the living ones; for the vision is for all its crowd. No one will return, and they will not possess themselves each one of his own life by his own error.”—Ezekiel 7:10-13. 36. On whose head was the “garland” to be placed, what was the “rod” that had blossomed and so was ready to be applied, and against whom was presumptuous action to be taken? 36 Let the hypocritical religionists who claim to be in a relationship with the Sovereign Lord God by a covenant through his mediator not forget that this extraordinary day is coming. It must be a terrible day; otherwise, Jehovah would not so repeatedly call attention to it. From the description that he gives of it by Ezekiel, it does prove to be a most tragic day! On that day the “garland” is to be put as a circlet upon the head of the doomed people, to crown them with calamity. The symbolic “rod” for the applying of punishment is at hand, for Jehovah’s use, for it has blossomed. In Ezekiel’s day it was King Nebuchadnezzar together with his then invincible Babylonian military forces. Babylon, as represented by her king and his armies, was going to do the presumptuous thing against Jehovah’s chosen people and his temple. 37. By what term does Jehovah address Babylon, and what does its having “sprouted” mean for it? 37 On this account Jehovah addresses Babylon as Presumptuousness personified, saying: “‘Look! I am against you, O Presumptuousness,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord, Jehovah of armies, ‘for your day must come, the time that I must give you attention. And Presumptuousness will certainly stumble and fall, and it will have no one to cause it to rise up.’” (Jeremiah 50:31, 32) Since Babylonish PRESUMPTUOUSNESS had “sprouted,” it was in position to exert itself and was ready to do so. 38. What does the mention of violence remind us of that has set in since 1914 C.E., and how has “violence” resulted in being a “rod” for punishing wickedness? 38 The violence that marked the Jerusalem and Judah of Ezekiel’s day reminds us that, since the year 1914 C.E., we too have entered into an “age of violence,” especially so in Christendom. Has such violence “risen up into a rod of wickedness”? Most assuredly, Yes! A violent “wind” is what the violent religionists keep sowing, and “a stormwind is what they will reap.” (Hosea 8:7) Violence brings on its own punishment as by a “rod” for its own wickedness. In the case of these violent religionists the truth of Proverbs 13:21 must be demonstrated: “Sinners are the ones whom calamity pursues, but the righteous are the ones whom good rewards.” From the “rod” of punishment the violent religionists do not deserve to be shielded. There is no “eminency” to be found in them, no worthiness of being spared from the execution of Jehovah’s judicial decisions. There is no excusableness that proceeds from them, nor from their wealth, nor from their very own selves. they deserve to feel the “rod” for their wickedness. 39, 40. Why was the seller not to mourn, and the buyer not to rejoice, and was that “crowd” to expect that by committing error each one could possess himself of his own life? 39 Learn, now, the long-range effects of the coming of that day of deserved punishment. There is no reason for a buyer to rejoice because he has bought the hereditary land-property of a fellow Israelite and thus expects to reap the produce from that land down till the Jubilee year. Let not the indebted Israelite who is economically forced to sell his hereditary property mourn because of his loss till the next Jubilee year in the land of Judah. Why not? Because the feeling of Jehovah is hot against “all its crowd,” buyers and sellers alike. When the calamitous day arrives, either they will be killed off or else they will be taken off the land into distant exile. Even if the sellers were to survive until the next Jubilee year, even though “their life is yet among the living ones” when that year of liberation falls due, no seller will return to the hereditary possession that he sold to pay off his debt. Why is that to be so? 40 Because the exile of the violent religionist would extend beyond the time of the next Jubilee year. The exile would be longer than the Jubilee cycle of fifty years. (Leviticus 25:8-54) Jehovah would enforce his decree that the land of Judah should lie desolate, without man or domestic animal, for seventy years. (Jeremiah 25:11, 12; 29:10) Furthermore, after the long-desolated land would begin to be occupied again, the Jubilee system would not be put in operation again in the land of Judah. Each hereditary possession that was sold before that calamitous day would be gone for good. So why should the seller of it mourn? He would have to part with it anyhow when that day of recompense came. And so, too, would the buyer of it, for which reason he had no cause to rejoice at his purchase. The “vision” of coming catastrophe is meant “for all its crowd,” without distinction. They are not to expect that by the committing of some planned “error” they can or “will possess themselves each one of his own life.” 41. What does the seller’s permanent loss suggest as to adherents of Christendom, and to what extent will fear affect the defense of Christendom? 41 From such an outcome of things we can draw one conclusion for today: Any adherent of Christendom who suffers material loss by her destruction in the coming calamitous day will never recover his loss. According to the ancient prophetic model in Ezekiel’s day, Christendom is to be besieged by her desolators. It will be a time of great fear on the part of her members. They will be afraid to come to her defense or to do battle with those bent on her destruction. Let the military trumpet be blown to summon her defenders to their defensive posts. The response thereto will be like that foretold by Jehovah in further describing the events of that “day” to Ezekiel, saying: 42. How did Jehovah describe what responsiveness there would be to the call to defense, and also the effects of fear and grief? 42 “They have blown the trumpet and there has been a preparing of everybody, but there is no one going to the battle, because my hot feeling is against all its crowd. The sword is outside, and the pestilence and the famine are inside. Whoever is in the field, by the sword he will die, and whoever are in the city, famine and pestilence themselves will devour them. And their escapees will certainly make their escape and become on the mountains like the doves of the valleys, all of which are moaning, each one in his own error. As for all the hands, they keep dropping down; and as for all knees, they keep dripping with water. And they have girded on sackcloth, and shuddering has covered them; and on all faces there is shame and on all their heads there is baldness.”—Ezekiel 7:14-18. 43. Such disheartenment will be due to the refusal of whom to fight for them? 43 The refusal of Jehovah to fight for them against their besiegers will dishearten the religionists who are under attack. Those who manage to keep alive will have their hands drop from sheer faintness, as if paralyzed. Out of fear their limbs will perspire so heavily that their knees will drip from perspiration. It will be no day of glory for false religionists, but one of shame for them. At the overthrow of their cherished religious system they will, as it were, shave their heads bald in mourning. MATERIAL RICHES THEN OF NO AVAIL! 44. What questions arise as to the use of the material wealth that the system of false religion has amassed, in that day of calamity, and what must the answers be? 44 Wait, though! What about the tremendous wealth that the system of false hypocritical religion has amassed? Will not the religious controllers of all this material wealth be able to use these vast riches in buying their way out to safety or to buy food and drink to stave off starvation? Jehovah will not let silver or gold bribe him or his executional forces so as to spare religious systems that have trusted in material riches to save them in the day of reckoning. By His prophet Ezekiel he says: 45. What did Jehovah say as to the gaining of deliverance by means of silver and gold on the day of His fury, and what are the things that he will then let be profaned? 45 “Into the streets they will throw their very silver, and an abhorrent thing their own gold will become. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s fury. Their souls they will not satisfy, and their intestines they will not fill, for it has become a stumbling block causing their error. And the decoration of one’s ornament—one has set it as reason for pride; and their detestable images, their disgusting things, they have made with it. That is why I will make it to them an abhorrent thing. And I will give it into the hand of the strangers for plunder and to the wicked ones of the earth for spoil, and they will certainly profane it. And I shall have to turn away my face from them, and they will actually profane my concealed place, and into it robbers will really come and profane it.”—Ezekiel 7:19-22. 46. To the hypocritical religionists, what has become a “stumbling block causing their error,” and what shameful report did the prophet Micah make about such religionists of his day? 46 Imagine silver money being thrown into the streets of the city of Jerusalem! Imagine gold money becoming like a thing abhorred! And yet once these material riches were the things highly prized and hungrily sought after. But putting money ahead of spiritual interests and the craving of money became a stumbling block over which the hypocritical religionists stumbled and fell into committing “error” just to make unjust gain. How shameful it was for the prophet Micah to have to report: “Her own head ones judge merely for a bribe, and her own priests instruct just for a price, and her own prophets practice divination simply for money; yet upon Jehovah they keep supporting themselves, saying: ‘Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? There will come upon us no calamity.’ Therefore on account of you men Zion will be plowed up as a mere field, and Jerusalem herself will become mere heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the house [of Jehovah] will be as the high places of a forest”!—Micah 3:11, 12. 47. How have the religious leaders of Christendom charged for ecclesiastical services, and such materialism has proved to be a stumbling block to fall into what error? 47 As regards the religious leaders of Christendom, they also have charged money for their ecclesiastical services to the church members. They have charged for performing baptisms and marriages, for blessing homes and properties of church members, for saying masses in church and for praying in behalf of the “souls of the dead in Purgatory,” for granting indulgences, for admission into church or for seats therein, for education at religious schools, for serving as chaplains in the armies, for carrying of images of “saints” in processions, at the same time accepting money from the political State where there happens to be a union of Church and State or a State Church. Countless other ways have been devised to take in money from the people. And much of such money has been invested in the financial center of Wall Street, New York city, and in other commercial enterprises for the sake of money profits. Scandalously this greed for money and material riches has caused the religious leaders of Christendom to stumble into erroneous conduct before God.—1 Timothy 6:10. 48. How valueless will gold and silver, though coined, be in the day of Jehovah’s fury, and how will it become an “abhorrent thing” to the possessors? 48 But a human creature cannot eat gold or silver or paper stocks and bonds! In Jehovah’s day of accounting for them the hypocritical religionists will not be able to consume gold and silver to fill their intestines with needed food amid famine conditions. They will not be able to ransom their lives with gold and silver by bribing Jehovah and his executional agents in the earth. Did not the Christian apostle Peter tell Simon, the professional magician in the city of Samaria: “May your silver perish with you, because you thought through money to get possession of the free gift of God”? (Acts 8:9-20) Yes! And as respects those who think they will be able to buy their way out and satisfy the animalistic cravings of their souls, the Sovereign Lord God says: “Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s fury.” (Ezekiel 7:19) Such coined metal will be valueless. To its owners even gold will become an “abhorrent thing,” when they now at last reflect that their greed for it has brought on their destruction. 49. What “decoration of one’s ornament” have the religious leaders set as a “reason for pride” in comparison with whom? 49 The religious leaders of Christendom have adorned themselves with gold and silver crucifixes, rings, miters, crosiers, regalia, thrones, and other paraphernalia. They have made such costly things the “decoration of one’s ornament,” and they have set such as a reason for priding themselves, considering themselves as somebodies higher than the common, ordinary laity. 50. What else besides themselves have the religious leaders used gold, silver and jewels in decorating, and how will such things be profaned in the day of Jehovah’s fury? 50 They have also used such gold and silver and jewels for decorating the images and emblems used in their churches. “Detestable images,” “disgusting things,” Jehovah calls them, despite their artistic construction. As in the case of ancient Jerusalem in the day of Jehovah’s fury against her, those gold and silver and bejeweled articles of false worship will be plundered by the antireligious “strangers” and will be seized as “spoil” by the irreligious “wicked ones.” They will not consider as untouchable the things, even religious images, held sacred by Christendom. They will profane such reputedly holy things. What enormous accumulations of wealth in Christendom will fall to the greedy irreligious despoilers in the “day of Jehovah’s fury”! 51. How did shocking profanation of things considered most holy come in 607 B.C.E., and for that reason where did Jehovah have to turn his face? 51 Shocking profanation of things once regarded as most holy took place back there in the year 607 B.C.E., just six years after the giving of this prophecy. Those things had to do with Jehovah himself, a house, a temple, dedicated to Him, and a city where he had placed his holy name! No wonder he had to say regarding the religionists who formalistically worshiped there: “I shall have to turn away my face from them”! (Ezekiel 7:22) This reminds us of what Jesus Christ himself said to the Jews about their temple at Jerusalem, which was to be destroyed in the year 70 C.E.: “Look! Your house is abandoned to you.” (Matthew 23:38) Abandoned by Jehovah as a place of his pure worship! 52, 53. What was then Jehovah’s “concealed place,” and why did he allow even the profanation of it by the pagan “robbers” without punishment then? 52 For what did that abandoned state of Jerusalem’s temple open the way back there in Ezekiel’s day? Having in mind the Babylonian military forces, Jehovah said: “And they will actually profane my concealed place, and into it robbers will really come and profane it.”—Ezekiel 7:22. 53 Jehovah’s “concealed place” was the innermost chamber of the temple and was called “the Most Holy.” In the “day of Jehovah’s fury” the Babylonian invaders would be permitted to profane even this most sacred compartment. For then invading it in search of loot no pagan Babylonian would be struck down dead immediately by Jehovah or be smitten with leprosy. Those Babylonian or Chaldean “robbers” would be allowed, actually without divine punishment then, to profane the temple even to its most sacred compartment. It was because Jehovah’s presence was no longer there! The Chaldean “robbers” were permitted to make away with the sacred utensils and paraphernalia of Jerusalem’s temple and cart them off and display them in the temples of their pagan gods and goddesses in idolatrous Babylon. Behind them they left the smoldering ruins of the looted temple that they had burned down.—2 Kings 25:8-17; 2 Chronicles 36:17-19; Daniel 5:2, 3, 22, 23. 54. Of what was such ancient profanation of sacred things prophetic for the now not distant future? 54 Those shocking events of ancient history were prophetic and reflect the now not distant future. When Jehovah turns away his face from the hypocritical worshipers of Christendom, what can we expect, in the light of the past? The profanation, misuse and destruction of the things now rated as sacred by Christendom, even her most sacred things, be they the very heart and center of Christendom, such as Vatican City, or the palatial residences of the patriarchs of the various sister church systems, Greek Orthodox, Constantinopolitan, Armenian, Coptic, or palace of the Anglican archbishop. Nothing will be sacred to the looters! THE DIVINE PURPOSE IN ALL THIS 55, 56. The consequences of what will Jehovah bring upon the false religionists, and what is Jehovah’s valid purpose in all of this? 55 In all this the Sovereign Lord God who thus executes his judicial decisions against false religion has a valid purpose. He leads up to the plain declaration of this purpose in what he next says to his prophet Ezekiel: 56 “Make the chain, for the land itself has become full of bloodstained judgment and the city itself has become full of violence. And I will bring in the worst ones of the nations, and they will certainly take possession of their houses, and I will cause the pride of the strong ones to cease, and their sanctuaries must be profaned. There will come anguish, and they will certainly seek peace but there will be none. There will come adversity upon adversity, and there will occur report upon report, and people will actually seek a vision from a prophet, and the law itself will perish from a priest and counsel from elderly men. The king himself will go into mourning; even a chieftain will clothe himself with desolation, and the very hands of the people of the land will get disturbed. According to their way I shall act toward them, and with their judgments I shall judge them; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah.”—Ezekiel 7:23-27. 57. Jehovah’s command to Ezekiel, “Make the chain,” was fulfilled how in actuality? 57 In the chains of captivity the survivors of the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. could well meditate on what had happened to their land and nation. They could painfully realize that there is indeed a God that intervenes in the affairs of men and that his name is Jehovah. “Make the chain,” Ezekiel was commanded by Jehovah, in order to indicate what Jehovah had in store for the survivors of the national catastrophe. Six years more, and those survivors did find themselves in chains, being dragged off into distant exile in a pagan land. Speaking for the survivors after the destruction of Jerusalem, the prophet Jeremiah said in lamentation: “He has blocked me up as with a stone wall, that I may not go forth. He has made my copper fetters heavy.” (Lamentations 3:7) Jeremiah also tells what the king of Babylon did to King Zedekiah, who had fled from the breached city and was nonetheless captured: “And the eyes of Zedekiah he blinded, after which the king of Babylon bound him with copper fetters and brought him to Babylon and put him in the house of custody until the day of his death.”—Jeremiah 52:11; 39:7. 58. For what reasons was the “chain” to be forged for the house of Judah? 58 Why was the “chain” of captives and exiles to be forged for the house of Judah? Jehovah explained to Ezekiel the reason for making this symbolic chain, saying: “For the land itself has become full of bloodstained judgment and the city itself has become full of violence.” Inhabitants who were guilty of such wicked things deserved to be chained and dragged off the land that they were defiling. 59. Why were those whom Jehovah used to forge the chain for Judah called “the worst ones of the nations”? 59 Whom, though, was Jehovah about to use to fasten the chain upon them? The answer makes one shudder, as Jehovah continues on to say: “And I will bring in the worst ones of the nations, and they will certainly take possession of their houses.” Aha! “the worst ones of the nations.” The Babylonian armies matched that description, for Babylon then held the position of the Third World Power of Bible history. Not even Egypt could hold them in check. Later, in prophesying against the king of Egypt, Ezekiel speaks of the aggressive Babylonians as “the tyrants of the nations.” (Ezekiel 30:11) In prophesying against the “leader” of ancient Tyre, Ezekiel says: “Here I am bringing upon you strangers, the tyrants of the nations, and they will certainly draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom and profane your beaming splendor.”—Ezekiel 28:1, 2, 7. 60. How did Jehovah “cause the pride of the strong ones to cease” and fulfill his determination that “their sanctuaries must be profaned”? 60 For about eighteen lunar months the city of Jerusalem held out against the siege by the “worst ones of the nations,” and then the city was breached. (2 Kings 25:1-4) Then, in fact, Jehovah did “cause the pride of the strong ones to cease.” Their anointed King Zedekiah, of the royal house of David, was captured while in flight. (2 Kings 25:4-7) The chief ones of their priesthood of the family of Moses’ brother Aaron were slaughtered. (2 Kings 25:18-21) In addition to that, as Jehovah said, “their sanctuaries must be profaned” by the “worst ones of the nations,” and that did not exclude the gorgeous temple that had been built by wise King Solomon at Jerusalem.—Ezekiel 7:24; 2 Kings 25:8-17. 61. Why was it that, among the besieged inhabitants, they would not find peace although they sought it? 61 What, though, about the situation inside Jerusalem during the siege by the “worst ones of the nations”? With the sword of punitive warfare outside and with famine and pestilence taking their toll inside, there must have been anguish inside the besieged city, just as Jehovah had foretold. Why was it that He said: “They will certainly seek peace and there will be none”? It was because they did not seek peace in the way that Jehovah had instructed through the prophet Jeremiah, namely, go out in unconditional surrender to the Babylonians. (Jeremiah 21:7-9; 38:1-3, 9-23) Consequently, what followed? 62. What would be the case as to getting information or an effective law or practical advice and knowing how to use one’s hands? 62 There was to “come adversity upon adversity,” and there was to “occur report upon report,” but no good news from any quarter. It was of no use to “seek a vision from a prophet,” aside from Jehovah’s true prophet Jeremiah, who was held in custody. The law as given by the priest, who was against priest Jeremiah, was of no avail; it was to perish. The counsel as given by the elderly men of experience was impractical; it also was to perish. Stubborn King Zedekiah, who was in fear of his own princes, had no other course to take but “go into mourning.” Each chieftain could not do anything but rip his garments apart in expression of inward despair and grief and thus “clothe himself with desolation.” With their leaders in such a mental, spiritual and nervous state, what could the common “people of the land” do but get disturbed as to using their hands, not knowing how and with what to employ them? (Ezekiel 7:25-27) They had only themselves to blame! 63. Why did the besieged inhabitants have only themselves to blame in the light of their judgments and conduct, and what questions arise as to Jehovah’s obligations in this regard? 63 Continually those beleaguered inhabitants of the land of Judah and Jerusalem had ignored the counsel of the God of Israel. They had persecuted his prophets, including Jeremiah the priest. The judgments that their courts handed down and executed caused the shedding of innocent blood, or because of the wickedness of the people those courts had to handle capital crimes involving blood. “Bloodstained judgment,” indeed, resulted! The capital city itself, Jerusalem, was “full of violence,” despite its being the center of religious worship at the temple of Jehovah. Under such circumstances was Jehovah obliged to deal lightly with those religious rebels by condoning and overlooking their terrible “error”? Was he to act as if he did not exist? Was he to deal with them as if he were some god different from the Sovereign Lord Jehovah with whom their forefathers had made a solemn covenant through the mediator Moses? What must we say in all fairness? 64. What was Jehovah, as party to a covenant with Israel, obliged to do, in order to leave no misimpression about himself in their minds? 64 Jehovah was obliged to fulfill His part of the solemn covenant and act toward them “according to their way.” Also, “with their judgments.” That is to say, with the judgments that apply to them according to the law of His covenant, Jehovah was obliged to “judge them,” to give to them according to their deserts. It was fair and equitable for Him to do so. He must be true to Himself. He must leave no misimpressions in their minds about Him. He is the same Jehovah as the One with whom their forefathers entered into their solemn obligations under the law given through Moses. They needed to be forced to know that He is Jehovah. The righteous way that He chose was the way to bring this about. WHAT ABOUT CHRISTENDOM? 65. What questions therefore arise with regard to Christendom as to the treatment that she merits? 65 Is Christendom of today to be treated in any different way? Is not her realm likewise “full of bloodstained judgment”? Is she not, even in her religious centers and strongholds, “full of violence”? Why, then, should any different treatment be expected for her? 66. As in ancient Jerusalem’s case, when Christendom’s siege sets in at the “great tribulation” she will be carrying on in what way, and what will be the outcome with her? 66 When in the coming “great tribulation” the siege takes place that results in her destruction at the hands of the “worst ones of the nations,” she will continue to do just as she is already doing. She will persist in seeking peace and making terms according to her ways, but “there will be none” in that way. There will be more extreme anguish than what she feels already. Further visions of her false prophets will perish in failure. The law of her priesthood and clergy will perish, disregarded; likewise, the counsel of her worldly-wise elders. Ecclesiastical rulers will mourn. Religious chieftains will lose confidence in their own leadership and take on an appearance of desolation as regards their hopes. Their hosts of laymen will have nervous hands, uncertain as to how to apply their powers to save their religious institutions. The outcome will be the same with Christendom as it was with typical Jerusalem. 67. Since Christendom has all along claimed to represent God, in what, then, will his taking her at her word result? 67 The ways of Christendom are written down on the pages of history from her beginning in the fourth century down till now. Since she has given all the world to understand that she represents the Sovereign Lord God, Jehovah must take her at her word and act toward her according to her ways. His judgments that apply to her are written in his sacred Word, the Bible; and in full accord with these He must judge her. Those judgments are unchangeable. By His executing them upon her and thus bringing about her end, Christendom will learn that He has not changed. He is still the same God in this twentieth century. She will have to know that He is Jehovah. [Footnotes] a Here begins the series of sixty-two occurrences in the book of Ezekiel where Jehovah declares that others will “have to know that I am Jehovah,” as follows: Ezekiel 6:7, 10, 13, 14; Eze 7:4, 9, 27; Eze 11:10, 12; Eze 12:15, 16, 20; Eze 13:9, 14, 21, 23; Eze 14:8; Eze 15:7; Eze 16:62; Eze 20:12, 20, 26, 38, 42, 44; Eze 22:16; Eze 23:49; Eze 24:24, 27; Eze 25:5, 7, 11, 17; Eze 26:6; Eze 28:22, 23, 24, 26; Eze 29:6, 9, 16, 21; Eze 30:8, 19, 25, 26; Eze 32:15; Eze 33:29; Eze 34:27; Eze 35:4, 9, 15; Eze 36:11, 23, 38; Eze 37:6, 13; Eze 38:23; Eze 39:6, 7, 22, 28.

He Learned From His Mistakes

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2009009

Imitate Their Faith He Learned From His Mistakes JONAH wished he could shut out the terrible sounds. It was not just the fierce wind, which was shrieking through the ship’s rigging; nor was it just the mountainous waves, which were thundering against the sides of the vessel, making her every timber creak and groan. No, far worse to Jonah were the shouts of those mariners, the captain and his crew, as they struggled to keep the ship afloat. Jonah felt sure that those men were about to die​—all because of him! What had put Jonah in such dire straits? He had made a serious mistake in his dealings with his God, Jehovah. What had he done? Were matters beyond repair? The answers can teach us much. For example, Jonah’s story helps us to see how even those with genuine faith can go astray​—and how they can make amends. A Prophet From Galilee When people think of the man Jonah, they often seem to focus on negative traits, such as his lapses into disobedience or even his hardheadedness. But there was far more to the man than that. Remember, Jonah was selected to serve as a prophet of Jehovah God. Jehovah would not have picked him for such a weighty responsibility had he been unfaithful or unrighteous. At 2 Kings 14:25, we learn a little about Jonah’s background. He was from Gath-hepher, just two and a half miles [4 km] from Nazareth, the town where Jesus Christ would grow up some eight centuries later.a Jonah served as a prophet during the reign of King Jeroboam II of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. The time of Elijah was long past; his successor, Elisha, had died during the reign of Jeroboam’s father. Although Jehovah had used those men to wipe out Baal worship, Israel was willfully going astray again. The land was now under the influence of a king who “continued to do what was bad in Jehovah’s eyes.” (2 Kings 14:24) So Jonah’s service could not have been easy or pleasant. Yet, he carried it out faithfully. One day, though, Jonah’s life took a dramatic turn. He received an assignment from Jehovah that he found to be extremely difficult. What was Jehovah asking him to do? “Get Up, Go to Nineveh” Jehovah told Jonah: “Get up, go to Nineveh the great city, and proclaim against her that their badness has come up before me.” (Jonah 1:2) It is not hard to see why this assignment might have appeared daunting. Nineveh lay some 500 miles [800 km] to the east, an overland journey that would likely take about a month on foot. However, the hardships of such a trek might have seemed the easy part of the job. At Nineveh, Jonah was to deliver Jehovah’s judgment message to the Assyrians, who were notoriously violent, even savage. If Jonah had seen little response among God’s own people, what could he hope to see among those pagans? How would a lone servant of Jehovah fare in vast Nineveh, which would come to be called “the city of bloodshed”?​—Nahum 3:1, 7. Such thoughts may well have occurred to Jonah. We do not know. What we do know is that he ran. Jehovah had directed him to go east; Jonah headed west, and as far west as he could go. He went down to the coast, to a port city named Joppa, where he found a ship headed to Tarshish. Some scholars say that Tarshish was in Spain. If so, Jonah was heading some 2,200 miles [3,500 km] away from Nineveh. Such a voyage to the far end of the Great Sea​—as the Mediterranean Sea was called in those days—​might have taken as long as a year! Jonah was that determined to get away from the assignment Jehovah had given him! Does this mean that we can dismiss Jonah as a coward? We should not be too quick to judge him. As we shall see, he was capable of remarkable personal courage. Like all of us, though, Jonah was an imperfect human struggling with a great many faults. (Psalm 51:5) Who of us has never struggled with fear? It may occasionally seem that God asks us to do what strikes us as difficult, even impossible. We may even find it daunting to preach the good news of God’s Kingdom, as Christians are required to do. (Matthew 24:14) It is only too easy for us to forget the profound truth that Jesus uttered: “All things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27) If we lose sight of that truth at times, perhaps we can understand Jonah’s difficulty. What, though, were the consequences of Jonah’s flight? Jehovah Disciplines His Wayward Prophet We can just imagine Jonah getting himself situated on that vessel, likely a Phoenician cargo ship. He watched as the captain and his crew bustled about to get their craft under way and out of port. As the shoreline slowly receded and disappeared, Jonah may have hoped he was escaping the danger he so dreaded. But suddenly, the weather changed. Strong winds churned up the sea into a nightmarish rage, with waves that might dwarf even modern-day vessels. How long did it take for that wooden craft to seem terribly small and frail, lost in a watery wilderness of towering waves and plunging canyons? Did Jonah know, at that point, what he later wrote​—that “Jehovah himself hurled forth a great wind at the sea”? It is hard to say. He saw, though, that the mariners began crying out to their various gods, and he knew that no help would come from that direction. His account says: “As for the ship, it was about to be wrecked.” (Jonah 1:4; Leviticus 19:4) And how could Jonah pray to the God he was running from? Feeling powerless to help, Jonah went below the deck of the ship and found a place to lie down. There, he went fast asleep.b The captain found Jonah, woke him up, and urged him to pray to his god, as everyone else was doing. Convinced that there was something supernatural about this storm, the seamen cast lots to see which of the people on board might be the cause of their trouble. No doubt Jonah’s heart sank as the lots eliminated one man after another. Soon the truth was plain. Jehovah was directing the storm, as well as the lots, toward one man​—Jonah!​—Jonah 1:5-7. Jonah told the sailors everything. He was a servant of the almighty God, Jehovah. This was the God he was running from and had offended, putting them all in this terrible danger. The men were aghast; Jonah could see the terror in their eyes. They asked him what they should do to him in order to save the ship and their lives. What did he say? Jonah may have shuddered to think of himself drowning in that cold, wild sea. But how could he send all these men to such a death when he knew he could save them? So he said: “Lift me up and hurl me into the sea, and the sea will become still for you; because I am aware that it is on my account that this great tempest is upon you.”​—Jonah 1:12. Hardly the words of a coward, are they? It must have warmed Jehovah’s heart to see Jonah’s brave, self-sacrificing spirit in that dire moment. Here we see Jonah’s faith at its best. We can imitate it today by putting the welfare of others ahead of our own. (John 13:34, 35) When we see someone in need, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually, do we give of ourselves in order to help out? How we please Jehovah when we do so! Perhaps the sailors were moved too, for at first they refused to comply! Instead, they did everything they could to work their way through the storm​—but to no avail. The tempest only grew worse. Finally, they saw that they had no choice. Calling out to Jonah’s God, Jehovah, to show them mercy, they lifted the man up and hurled him over the side, into the sea.​—Jonah 1:13-15. Jonah Finds Mercy and Deliverance Jonah plummeted into the raging waves. Perhaps he struggled, floundering a bit, and saw amid a chaos of foam and spray that the ship was swiftly moving away. But the mighty breakers crashed over him and forced him under. He sank down and down, sensing that all hope was gone. Jonah later described how he felt at this time. Fleeting images crossed his mind. He thought with sadness that he would never again see the beautiful temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem. He had the sensation of descending to the very depths of the sea, near the roots of the mountains, where seaweed entangled him. This, it seemed, was to be his pit, his grave.​—Jonah 2:2-6. But wait! There was something moving nearby​—an immense, dark shape, a living thing. Looming close, it darted at him. A great maw opened over him, engulfed him, swallowed him down! This must be the end. Yet, Jonah sensed something astounding. He was still alive! He was neither crushed, nor digested, nor even suffocated. No, the breath of life was still in him, though he was in what should rightly be his grave. Slowly, Jonah became filled with awe. Without a doubt, it was his God, Jehovah, who had “appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah.”c​—Jonah 1:17. Minutes passed, stretching into hours. There, in the deepest darkness he had ever known, Jonah composed his thoughts and prayed to Jehovah God. His prayer, recorded fully in the second chapter of Jonah, is revealing. It shows that Jonah had extensive knowledge of the Scriptures, for it often refers to the Psalms. It also shows a heartwarming quality: gratitude. Jonah concluded: “As for me, with the voice of thanksgiving I will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed, I will pay. Salvation belongs to Jehovah.”​—Jonah 2:9. Jonah learned that salvation is something that Jehovah can bring to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Even there, “in the inward parts of the fish,” Jehovah found and saved his troubled servant. (Jonah 1:17) Only Jehovah could keep a man alive and well for three days and three nights in the belly of a great fish. It is good for us to remember today that Jehovah is “the God in whose hand your breath is.” (Daniel 5:23) We owe our every breath, our very existence, to him. Are we grateful? Do we not, then, owe Jehovah our obedience? What about Jonah? Did he learn to show his gratitude to Jehovah through obedience? He did. After three days and three nights, the fish brought Jonah right to the shore and “vomited out Jonah onto the dry land.” (Jonah 2:10) Imagine​—after all that, Jonah did not even have to swim ashore! Of course, he did have to find his way from that beach, wherever it was. Before long, though, his spirit of gratitude was put to the test. Jonah 3:1, 2, says: “Then the word of Jehovah occurred to Jonah the second time, saying: ‘Get up, go to Nineveh the great city, and proclaim to her the proclamation that I am speaking to you.’” What would Jonah do? Jonah did not hesitate. We read: “At that, Jonah got up and went to Nineveh in accord with the word of Jehovah.” (Jonah 3:3) Yes, he obeyed. Clearly, he learned from his mistakes. In this too we need to imitate Jonah’s faith. We all sin; we all make mistakes. (Romans 3:23) But do we give up, or do we learn from our mistakes and turn to a course of obedient service to God? Did Jehovah reward Jonah for his obedience? Indeed he did. For one thing, it seems that Jonah eventually learned that those sailors had survived. The storm abated immediately after Jonah’s self-sacrificing act, and those mariners “began to fear Jehovah greatly” and made a sacrifice to him instead of to their false gods.​—Jonah 1:15, 16. An even greater reward came much later. Jesus used Jonah’s time in the huge fish as a prophetic picture of his own time in the grave, or Sheol. (Matthew 12:38-40) How thrilled Jonah will be to learn of that blessing when he is resurrected to life on the earth! (John 5:28, 29) Jehovah wants to bless you too. Like Jonah, will you learn from your mistakes and display an obedient, selfless spirit? [Footnotes] a Jonah’s origin in a Galilean town is noteworthy because the Pharisees arrogantly said about Jesus: “Search and see that no prophet is to be raised up out of Galilee.” (John 7:52) Many translators and researchers suggest that the Pharisees were making a sweeping generalization that no prophet ever has arisen or ever does arise out of lowly Galilee. If so, those men were ignoring history as well as prophecy.​—Isaiah 9:1, 2. b The Septuagint stresses the depth of Jonah’s slumber by adding that he snored. However, lest we judge Jonah’s sleep as a sign of indifference on his part, we might recall that sometimes an urge to sleep overcomes those who are very low in spirits. During Jesus’ agonizing hours in the garden of Gethsemane, Peter, James, and John were “slumbering from grief.”​—Luke 22:45. c When translated into Greek, the Hebrew word for “fish” was rendered “sea monster,” or “huge fish.” Although there is no way to determine exactly what kind of sea creature was involved, it has been observed that there are sharks in the Mediterranean large enough to swallow a man whole. There are far larger sharks elsewhere; the whale shark can reach up to 45 feet [15 m] in length​—possibly even more! [Box/​Picture on page 29] Jonah Faces the Critics ▪ Did the events recorded in the Bible book of Jonah really happen? Since ancient times, the book has had its critics. In the modern era of higher criticism, the book is often dismissed​—whether as fable, legend, myth, or fiction. One 19th-century author reported how a clergyman explained the account of Jonah and the huge fish as a strange sort of allegory: Jonah stayed at a hotel in Joppa called The Sign of the Whale. When he did not have enough money to pay his bill, the landlord ejected him. Thus was Jonah “taken in” by and later “vomited” from a whale! Really, Bible critics seem more determined to devour Jonah than that huge fish was! Why does this Bible book elicit so much skepticism? It describes miracles. Many critics, it seems, approach miracles with this rigid preconception: Such things are impossible. But is that approach truly reasonable? Ask yourself this, ‘Do I believe the first sentence of the Bible?’ It says: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) Many millions of reasonable people around the world wisely accept that simple truth. In a way, though, that statement alone encompasses far more than any of the miracles described later in the Bible. Consider: For the One who created the vast starry heavens and all the complex wonders of life on the earth, what elements in the book of Jonah would be impossible? Creating a storm? Impelling a huge fish to swallow a man? Or causing that same fish to vomit the man out again? For One with unlimited power, such things would not be difficult at all.​—Isaiah 40:26. Even without intervention by divine power, amazing things sometimes happen. For example, it is said that in 1758, a sailor tumbled from his ship into the Mediterranean Sea and was consumed by a shark. However, a cannon was fired at the shark. Struck, the fish disgorged the sailor, who was pulled to safety alive and barely injured. If it is true, we might deem the story remarkable, even amazing​—but not a miracle. Could God not use his power to do far more? Skeptics also insist that no man could stay alive within a fish for three days without suffocating. However, humans have been clever enough to figure out how to fill tanks with compressed air and use them in order to breathe underwater for extended periods. Could God not use his infinitely greater power and wisdom to keep Jonah alive and breathing for three days? As one of Jehovah’s angels once said to Mary, the mother of Jesus, “with God no declaration will be an impossibility.”​—Luke 1:37. What else marks the book of Jonah as accurate history? Jonah’s description of the ship and its crew is detailed and realistic. At Jonah 1:5, we see the sailors hurling articles from the ship to lighten it. Ancient historians and even rabbinic law show that this was a common practice in the face of bad weather. Jonah’s later description of Nineveh also fits in with historical and archaeological evidence. Above all, though, Jesus Christ referred to Jonah’s three-day sojourn in the huge fish as prophetic of his own stay in the grave. (Matthew 12:38-40) The testimony of Jesus confirms that Jonah’s story is true. “With God no declaration will be an impossibility.”​—LUKE 1:37 [Picture on page 26] At Jonah’s urging, the sailors lifted him up and hurled him into the sea

Food Shortages—An Evidence of What?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101985004

Food Shortages​—An Evidence of What? INCLUDING this as part of “the sign” of what the Bible calls the conclusion of the system of things, Jesus said that “food shortages” would occur “in one place after another.” Giving us reason for hope, however, he explained that these food shortages would be an evidence that “deliverance” was “getting near.”​—See Luke 21:7, 11, 28. Are the food shortages signifying imminent deliverance really in evidence today? Many people think so. Do you? Consider the Facts War is a prime cause of food shortages, so it was only to be expected that the first global conflict, World War I, would be followed by serious food shortages. It was. World War II was even more catastrophic and likewise the food shortages it helped produce. The problem at the end of World War II was so serious, in fact, that in 1945 the United Nations formed its first permanent specialized agency, FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization). Designed to alleviate the problems of world hunger, it accomplished much good during its first 20 years of activity. And yet, as the Britannica Book of the Year 1966 revealed, the basic situation did not change. We read: “The Food and Agriculture Organization’s 1965 assessment of the developing imbalance between the world’s population and its probable ability to feed itself revealed a situation that many considered serious if not, indeed, alarming. . . . Sen. George McGovern of South Dakota termed the food gap ‘the number one problem of the last third of the 20th century.’” In 1978, over ten years later, the problem persisted. In fact, it was getting worse (see chart), leading the then U.S. President Carter to set up a 20-member Commission on World Hunger. Its purpose: to determine how the problem of world hunger could be eliminated by the end of the century. An admirable goal, but could it be reached? What Caused the Problem? To put all the blame simply on overpopulation would be misleading. The matter is really much more complex. The scientific journal Bild der Wissenschaft comments: “The determining factor does not seem to be the rate of population growth in itself but the failure of governments to pursue an adequate agricultural program.” Also not to be overlooked are so-called natural causes, like drought and flooding, which in 1981 were responsible for reducing an estimated 14 million Chinese to emergency rations. Political upheaval and labor unrest can also cause food lines, as they in fact did in some eastern European nations that same year. Another cause is best exemplified in Africa. About the world’s hungriest continent, where 23 of the 29 countries currently classified by FAO as having “abnormal food shortages” are located, the magazine New African writes: “Before the impact of colonialism, Africa was self-sufficient in food. There were surpluses which were traded within the continent. But as European powers divided up Africa, they also forced cash-crop production onto African societies. “This shift has accelerated since the end of World War II. Africa has been ‘developed’ as a producer of cash crops for the Western world. . . . Luxury crops such as flowers, tea, coffee and cocoa, and industrial crops such as rubber, cotton and sisal.” These and many other factors have contributed toward making food shortages a global problem. How many more millions are doomed to die before it can be solved? Outlook for the 1980’s The World Food Council’s conference held in Arusha, Tanzania, in 1980, issued a report saying that the prospects for developing nations had never looked so gloomy. It prophesied that the 1980’s might well turn out to be “the decade of food shortages.” The Council’s Executive Director Maurice Williams was moved to say: “I wish I could say I had hope for the future, but I fear that we are headed for a period of permanent food crisis in Africa.” Man’s success in preventing the causes of food shortages​—droughts, wars, political upheavals, disease or pests, natural disasters—​is limited at best. And political expediency, poor management, transportation bottlenecks, bureaucratic snags, shortsightedness, and greed make the problem even more difficult to overcome. Gordon Taylor, author of The Doomsday Book, says that far from being solved, “the crisis . . . will become more and more imminent as we approach the end of the century.” The President’s Commission on World Hunger has reached similar conclusions. Reporting on their findings, Time magazine said: “The hunger problem today is vastly different from that of the past, when recurrent famines killed millions. Now there is so little food in so many parts of the world, year after year, that fully 25% of the globe’s population is hungry or undernourished, and one person in eight suffers from debilitating malnutrition. . . . The report predicts that a major shortage of food could occur in the next 20 years​—with disastrous effects.”​—Italics ours. In summary, what do these facts show? That present food shortages affect more people now than at any other time in history, that rather than being temporary in nature as in the past, they are becoming a permanent feature of today’s world, and that despite scientific progress no human solution seems forthcoming. These facts make this phenomenon of food shortages something new, just exactly what we would expect to see in fulfillment of Jesus’ “sign.” But do not forget that Jesus said that “food shortages” experienced “in one place after another” would be clear evidence that “deliverance” was “getting near.” Jehovah’s Witnesses will be happy to help you learn more about this exciting prospect. [Graph/​Picture on page 13] (For fully formatted text, see publication.) WORLD HUNGER IN MILLIONS WITH INSUFFICIENT FOOD 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1970 360 1977 420 1981 800 (ACCORDING TO FAO FIGURES)

Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1) 2011

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1

SECTION 6 My Journal​—Your Free Time Describe a recent incident when your parent said no to your request to enjoy some type of fun, and write down what you think motivates your parents to say no to you at times. ․․․․․ List some things you learned in this section that could help improve your chances of having your parents say yes more often. ․․․․․

Worship Jehovah, the King of Eternity

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2014043

Worship Jehovah, the King of Eternity “To the King of eternity . . . be honor and glory forever.”​—1 TIM. 1:17. HOW WOULD YOU ANSWER? Why are we drawn to Jehovah’s way of ruling? How has Jehovah always shown a loving interest in his human family? What moves you to worship the King of eternity? 1, 2. (a) Who is “the King of eternity,” and why is that input appropriate? (See opening image.) (b) What is it about Jehovah’s kingship that draws us to him? KING SOBHUZA II of Swaziland ruled for nearly 61 years. That was quite a record for a modern-day monarch. As impressive as the length of King Sobhuza’s rule may be, there is a king whose reign is not limited by the short life span of humans. In fact, the Bible refers to him as “the King of eternity.” (1 Tim. 1:17) A psalmist identified this Sovereign by name, proclaiming: “Jehovah is King forever and ever.”​—Ps. 10:16. 2 The length of God’s reign makes his rule unlike that of any human. However, it is Jehovah’s way of ruling that draws us to him. A king who ruled over ancient Israel for 40 years praised God with these words: “Jehovah is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love. Jehovah has firmly established his throne in the heavens; and his kingship rules over everything.” (Ps. 103:8, 19) Not only is Jehovah our King but he is also our Father​—our loving, heavenly Father. This raises two questions: In what way has Jehovah acted as a Father? How has Jehovah exercised his kingship since the rebellion in Eden? The answers to these questions will move us to draw closer to Jehovah and worship him with all our heart. THE KING OF ETERNITY PRODUCES A UNIVERSAL FAMILY 3. Who was the first member of Jehovah’s universal family, and who else were created as God’s “sons”? 3 What pleasure Jehovah must have had when he brought forth his only-begotten Son! God did not treat his firstborn as a lowly subject. Rather, he loved him as a Son and invited him to share in the joy of creating other perfect subjects. (Col. 1:15-17) These came to include myriads of angels. Described as “his ministers who do his will,” the angels serve God with joy, and he dignifies them by calling them his “sons.” They are part of Jehovah’s universal family.​—Ps. 103:20-22; Job 38:7. 4. How did God’s universal family come to include humans? 4 Once he had created the physical heavens and earth, Jehovah expanded his universal family. After preparing the earth as a beautiful, self-sustaining home, Jehovah put the crowning touch on his earthly works by creating the first man, Adam, in His own image. (Gen. 1:26-28) As Creator, Jehovah could rightly expect Adam to be obedient. As Father, Jehovah conveyed all of his instructions with love and kindness. In no way did those directives unduly restrict man’s freedom.​—Read Genesis 2:15-17. 5. What arrangement did God make to fill the earth with his human children? 5 Unlike many human monarchs, Jehovah is pleased to delegate responsibility to his subjects, treating them as trusted members of his family. For example, he gave Adam authority over other living creatures, even assigning him the enjoyable and challenging task of naming the animals. (Gen. 1:26; 2:19, 20) God did not create millions of individual perfect humans to populate the earth. Rather, he chose to create a perfect complement for Adam​—the woman Eve. (Gen. 2:21, 22) Then he gave this couple the opportunity to fill the earth with their children. Under flawless conditions, humans could progressively extend the boundaries of Paradise until it covered the globe. United with the angels in heaven, they could worship Jehovah forever as part of his universal family. What a wonderful prospect! And what an expression of Jehovah’s fatherly love! REBELLIOUS SONS REJECT GOD’S KINGSHIP 6. (a) In what way did rebellion in God’s family begin? (b) Why did rebellion not mean that Jehovah had lost control? 6 Sadly, Adam and Eve were not output to have Jehovah as their Sovereign. Instead, they chose to follow a rebellious spirit son of God, Satan. (Gen. 3:1-6) Life apart from God’s rule brought pain, suffering, and death to them and their offspring. (Gen. 3:16-19; Rom. 5:12) God no longer had obedient subjects on the earth. Did this mean that he had lost control, that he had relinquished sovereignty over the earth and its inhabitants? Absolutely not! He exercised his authority by driving the man and woman out of the garden of Eden, and to prevent their return, he assigned cherubs to stand guard at the entrance. (Gen. 3:23, 24) At the same time, God showed his fatherly love by confirming that his purpose to have a universal family of devoted spirit sons as well as human sons would be accomplished. He promised an “offspring” who would bring an end to Satan and undo the effects of Adam’s sin.​—Read Genesis 3:15. 7, 8. (a) How bad had conditions become by the time of Noah? (b) What arrangements did Jehovah make to cleanse the earth and to preserve the human family? 7 In the centuries that followed, some men chose to be loyal to Jehovah. Among them were Abel and Enoch. However, the majority of humans rejected Jehovah as their Father and King. By the time of Noah, the earth had become “filled with violence.” (Gen. 6:11) Did this mean that Jehovah no longer had control of earth’s affairs? What does the historical record reveal? 8 Consider the account of Noah. Jehovah gave him detailed architectural plans and instructions to build a massive ark that would save Noah and his immediate family. God also showed great love for his entire human family when he commissioned Noah to be “a preacher of righteousness.” (2 Pet. 2:5) Noah’s message no doubt included a call for repentance and warnings of impending destruction, but it fell on deaf ears. For decades, Noah and his family lived amid a violent and grossly immoral world. Jehovah, as a caring Father, protected and blessed those eight loyal souls. By bringing a global Flood, Jehovah exercised dominion over the rebellious humans and wicked angels. Yes, Jehovah was definitely in control.​—Gen. 7:17-24. Jehovah has always exercised his kingship (See paragraphs 6, 8, 10, 12, 17) JEHOVAH’S KINGSHIP AFTER THE FLOOD 9. What opportunity did Jehovah give mankind after the Flood? 9 As Noah and his family took their first steps on the cleansed earth and inhaled the fresh air, their hearts were certainly filled with gratitude to Jehovah for his care and protection. Immediately, Noah built an altar and offered sacrifices to worship Jehovah. God blessed Noah and his family and gave them instructions to “be fruitful and become many and fill the earth.” (Gen. 8:20–9:1) Once again, mankind had the opportunity to unite in worship and to fill the earth. 10. (a) Where and how did rebellion against Jehovah flare up after the Flood? (b) What action did Jehovah take to ensure that his will was done? 10 The Flood, however, did not wash away imperfection, and humans still had to cope with the invisible influence of Satan and the rebellious angels. It was not long before rebellion against Jehovah’s benevolent rule again flared up. For example, Noah’s great-grandson Nimrod took opposition to Jehovah’s rule to new heights. Nimrod is described as being “a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.” He built great cities, such as Babel, and set himself up as a king “in the land of Shinar.” (Gen. 10:8-12) What action would the King of eternity take toward this rebel king and his efforts to thwart God’s purpose to “fill the earth”? God confused the people’s language, causing Nimrod’s frustrated subjects to be scattered “over the entire face of the earth.” They took their false worship and pattern of human rulership with them.​—Gen. 11:1-9. 11. How did Jehovah show loyalty to his friend Abraham? 11 Even though many worshipped false gods after the Flood, some faithful men continued to honor Jehovah. One was Abraham, who obediently left the comforts of his home city of Ur and dwelled in tents for years. (Gen. 11:31; Heb. 11:8, 9) During the time of Abraham’s nomadic life, he was often surrounded by human kings, many of whom lived in walled cities. But Jehovah safeguarded Abraham and his family. Regarding Jehovah’s fatherly protection, the psalmist declared: “[God] did not allow any man to oppress them, but on their account he reproved kings.” (Ps. 105:13, 14) Out of loyalty to his friend, Jehovah promised Abraham: “Kings will come from you.”​—Gen. 17:6; Jas. 2:23. 12. How did Jehovah express his sovereignty over Egypt, and how did this affect his chosen people? 12 God repeated to Abraham’s son Isaac and grandson Jacob his promise to bless them, which would include producing kings from their descendants. (Gen. 26:3-5; 35:11) However, prior to producing kings, Jacob’s descendants became slaves in Egypt. Did this mean that Jehovah would not fulfill his promise or that he had relinquished his sovereignty over the earth? Not at all! In his due time, Jehovah demonstrated his divine power and expressed his sovereignty over stubborn Pharaoh. The enslaved Israelites put their faith in Jehovah, who delivered them in a grand way through the Red Sea. Obviously, Jehovah was still the Universal Sovereign, and as a caring Father, he used his great power to protect his people.​—Read Exodus 14:13, 14. JEHOVAH BECOMES KING TO ISRAEL 13, 14. (a) In song, what did the Israelites proclaim about Jehovah’s kingship? (b) What promise regarding kingship did God make to David? 13 Immediately following their miraculous deliverance from Egypt, the Israelites sang a victory song of praise to Jehovah. That song, recorded in Exodus chapter 15, includes this declaration in verse 18: “Jehovah will rule as king forever and ever.” Indeed, Jehovah became King over the new nation. (Deut. 33:5) However, the people were not output to have Jehovah as their invisible Ruler. About 400 years after leaving Egypt, they asked God to set up a human king, such as their pagan neighbors had. (1 Sam. 8:5) In spite of this, Jehovah was still King, a fact that was manifest during the reign of David, Israel’s second human king. 14 David brought the sacred ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. During this joyous occasion, the Levites sang a song of praise that contained a noteworthy statement, recorded at 1 Chronicles 16:31: “Declare among the nations: ‘Jehovah has become King!’” One might wonder, ‘Since Jehovah is the King of eternity, how is it that he became King at that time?’ Jehovah becomes King when he expresses his rulership or establishes an agency to represent him at a certain time or to deal with a specific situation. This aspect of Jehovah’s kingship has far-reaching significance. Before David died, Jehovah promised him that his kingship would continue indefinitely: “I will raise up your offspring after you, your own son, and I will firmly establish his kingdom.” (2 Sam. 7:12, 13) In the final outworking of matters, this “offspring” of David appeared more than 1,000 years later. Whom did this prove to be, and when would he become King? JEHOVAH APPOINTS A NEW KING 15, 16. When was Jesus anointed as the future King, and while on earth, what arrangements did Jesus make for his rule? 15 In the year 29 C.E., John the Baptizer began preaching that “the Kingdom of the heavens [had] drawn near.” (Matt. 3:2) When Jesus was baptized by John, Jehovah anointed Jesus as the promised Messiah and the future King of God’s Kingdom. Jehovah expressed fatherly affection for Jesus with the words: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.”​—Matt. 3:17. 16 Throughout his ministry, Jesus glorified his Father. (John 17:4) He did this by preaching about the Kingdom of God. (Luke 4:43) He even taught his followers to pray for that Kingdom to come. (Matt. 6:10) As King-Designate, Jesus could declare to his opposers: “The Kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:21) Later, on the evening before his death, Jesus concluded ‘a covenant for a kingdom’ with his followers. He thereby gave some of his faithful disciples the prospect of joining him as kings in God’s Kingdom.​—Read Luke 22:28-30. 17. In what limited way did Jesus begin to exercise his kingship in the first century, but for what would he have to wait? 17 When would Jesus begin to rule as King of God’s Kingdom? He could not do so immediately. The very next afternoon, Jesus was executed and his followers scattered. (John 16:32) However, as in times past, Jehovah remained in control. On the third day, he resurrected his Son, and on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., Jesus established a spiritual kingdom over the Christian congregation of his anointed brothers. (Col. 1:13) Still, Jesus would have to wait to take up full kingly power over the earth as the promised “offspring.” Jehovah told his Son: “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”​—Ps. 110:1. WORSHIP THE KING OF ETERNITY 18, 19. What are we moved to do, and what will we learn in the next article? 18 For millenniums Jehovah’s kingship was challenged in heaven and on earth. Jehovah never relinquished his sovereignty; he remained in control. As a loving Father, he protected and cared for such loyal subjects as Noah, Abraham, and David. Does this not move us to submit to our King and to draw closer to him? 19 But now we may ask: How has Jehovah become King in our day? How can we prove to be loyal subjects of Jehovah’s Kingdom and become perfect sons in his universal family? What does it mean when we pray for God’s Kingdom to come? These questions will be answered in the next article.

Did Jesus Die on a Cross?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502013284

Did Jesus Die on a Cross? The Bible’s answer Many view the cross as the most common symbol of Christianity. However, the Bible does not describe the instrument of Jesus’ death, so no one can know its shape with absolute certainty. Still, the Bible provides evidence that Jesus died, not on a cross, but on an upright stake. The Bible generally uses the Greek word stau·rosʹ when referring to the instrument of Jesus’ execution. (Matthew 27:40; John 19:17) Although translations often render this word “cross,” many scholars agree that its basic meaning is actually “upright stake.”a According to A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament, stau·rosʹ “never means two pieces of wood joining each other at any angle.” The Bible also uses the Greek word xyʹlon as a synonym for stau·rosʹ. (Acts 5:​30; 1 Peter 2:​24) This word means “wood,” “timber,” “stake,” or “tree.”b The Companion Bible thus concludes: “There is nothing in the Greek of the N[ew] T[estament] even to imply two pieces of timber.” Is using the cross in worship acceptable to God? A crux simplex​—the Latin term for a single stake used for impalement of a criminal Regardless of the shape of the instrument on which Jesus died, the following facts and Bible verses indicate that we should not use the cross in worship. God rejects worship that uses images or symbols, including the cross. God commanded the Israelites not to use “the form of any symbol” in their worship, and Christians are likewise told to “flee from idolatry.”​—Deuteronomy 4:​15-​19; 1 Corinthians 10:14. First-century Christians did not use the cross in worship.c The teachings and example of the apostles set a pattern that all Christians should adhere to.​—2 Thessalonians 2:​15. Use of the cross in worship has a pagan origin.d Hundreds of years after the death of Jesus, when the churches had deviated from his teachings, new church members “were permitted largely to retain their pagan signs and symbols,” including the cross. (The Expanded Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words) However, the Bible does not condone adopting pagan symbols to help make new converts.​—2 Corinthians 6:​17. a See New Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, edited by D. R. W. Wood, page 245; Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Volume VII, page 572; The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised Edition, Volume 1, page 825; and The Imperial Bible-Dictionary, Volume II, page 84. b See The Expanded Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, page 1165; A Greek-English Lexicon, by Liddell and Scott, Ninth Edition, pages 1191-​1192; and Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Volume V, page 37. c See Encyclopædia Britannica, 2003, entry “Cross”; The Cross​—Its History and Symbolism, page 40; and The Companion Bible, Oxford University Press, appendix 162, page 186. d See The Encyclopedia of Religion, Volume 4, page 165; The Encyclopedia Americana, Volume 8, page 246; and Symbols Around Us, pages 205-​207.

Our Readers Ask Why Do Some Prayers Go Unanswered?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2009010

Our Readers Ask Why Do Some Prayers Go Unanswered? God is very approachable. Just as a loving father is glad to have his children speak freely with him, Jehovah God welcomes our prayers. At the same time, like any wise father, God has good reasons for not answering some requests. Are his reasons mysterious, or does he reveal something about them in the Bible? The apostle John explains: “This is the confidence that we have toward him, that, no matter what it is that we ask according to his will, he hears us.” (1 John 5:14) Our requests must be in harmony with God’s will. Some pray for things that are clearly not God’s will​—to win the lottery, for example, or to win a bet. Others pray with improper motives. The disciple James warns against such abuse of prayer, saying: “You do ask, and yet you do not receive, because you are asking for a wrong purpose, that you may expend it upon your cravings for sensual pleasure.”​—James 4:3. Imagine, for example, that both sides in a soccer game pray to win. God can hardly be expected to respond to such conflicting prayers. The same can be said about modern-day warfare when opposing sides pray for victory. Those who show contempt for God’s law pray in vain. Jehovah once felt compelled to say to hypocritical worshippers: “Even though you make many prayers, I am not listening; with bloodshed your very hands have become filled.” (Isaiah 1:15) The Bible says: “He that is turning his ear away from hearing the law​—even his prayer is something detestable.”​—Proverbs 28:9. On the other hand, Jehovah will always listen to the sincere prayers of worshippers who are doing their best to serve him according to his will. Does that mean, though, that he will grant their every request? No. Consider some Scriptural examples. Moses had an exceptionally close relationship with God; yet, he too had to ask “according to [God’s] will.” Contrary to God’s stated purpose, Moses begged for permission to enter the land of Canaan: “Let me pass over, please, and see the good land that is across the Jordan.” But previously, because of his sin, Moses was told that he would not enter that land. So now, instead of granting Moses’ request, Jehovah told him: “That is enough of you! Never speak to me further on this matter.”​—Deuteronomy 3:25, 26; 32:51. The apostle Paul prayed for relief from what he called his “thorn in the flesh.” (2 Corinthians 12:7) This “thorn” may refer to a chronic eye affliction or to the constant harassment of opposers and “false brothers.” (2 Corinthians 11:26; Galatians 4:14, 15) Paul wrote: “I three times entreated the Lord that it might depart from me.” However, God knew that if Paul continued preaching despite this nagging “thorn in the flesh,” it would clearly demonstrate God’s power and Paul’s implicit trust in Him. So rather than grant Paul’s request, God told him: “My power is being made perfect in weakness.”​—2 Corinthians 12:8, 9. Yes, God knows better than we do whether granting certain requests is in our best interests. Jehovah always responds for our good, in harmony with his loving purposes recorded in the Bible.

Watching the World

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101978010

Watching the World Aliens, Please Note ◆ During January all aliens in the United States (with few exceptions) are required to report their addresses to the government. Forms for this purpose are available at offices of the Immigration and Naturalization Service as well as all post offices. Upon completing Form 1-53, place a postage stamp on the card’s reverse side and mail it to the preprinted address appearing there. Last year, in New York State alone, 4,964,331 aliens reported their addresses. Top Salaries ◆ During the first half of the 1970’s, Denmark became the world leader in salaries, according to a recent Conference Board report. The survey was based on the salaries of new engineers because job output is comparable in all nations and their wages frequently are used as a bench mark for salaries in other lines of work. In 1975, Denmark’s beginning engineers had an average salary of $20,400, compared with $14,890 in the United States. Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Belgium all were ahead of the U.S. Widowed Senior Citizens ◆ According to the American Council of Life Insurance, women 65 years of age or older number 12.7 million in the United States. Of these, 53 percent are widows. Cocaine Dangers ◆ It is thought that about two million Americans are using cocaine. Many persons consider this drug harmless, and it does have medical uses that seem beneficial. However, the journal Scientific American cites the results of a four-year research project financed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and comments: “Heavy, prolonged use of the drug can produce dependence, intense anxiety or depression and sometimes a cocaine psychosis characterized by tactile hallucinations, in particular a feeling that insects are crawling over the skin. Overdoses can cause death, resulting from a central-nervous-system response usually involving seizures followed by respiratory or cardiac arrest.” Penalty for Promiscuity ◆ Research at the University of the Philippines public health institute reveals that nearly all gonorrhea germs afflicting Manila patients are resistant to penicillin and other antibiotics except the drug named rifampicin. But fear is expressed that, within three years, it will be ineffective. The Philippine newspaper Bulletin Today opened its report on this matter with the words: “For the promiscuous, a word of caution.” But Bible students already know that the price paid for continued promiscuity is high indeed, for such persons “will not inherit God’s kingdom.”​—1 Cor. 6:9, 10. Watch Your Child! ◆ Crossing a street and bicycle riding are the greatest perils for children. But how many are injured or killed in a single year? Note some of the most recent sample statistics for youngsters under 15 years of age. By country, those injured ran as follows: Italy, 15,641; France, 19,090; Great Britain, 41,082; Federal Republic of Germany, 45,701; United States, 82,150. The death toll for the same age group was: Italy, 552; France, 552; Great Britain, 594; Federal Republic of Germany, 1,231; United States, 2,650. Safeguarding Your Bicycle ◆ The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation recommends the following measures to foil bicycle thieves: Register the bike, with either the police or some other agency; etch on the frame your state’s abbreviation, followed by the number of your driver’s license; use a chain (through both wheels and the frame) and a good lock to secure an unattended bike to a tree or sturdy rack; also, do not leave your bicycle in an unlocked garage or on your porch or lawn, particularly during the night. When Tremors Strike ◆ For over a year, speculation has grown that a great earthquake will strike Japan on the Pacific side in the area between Tokyo and Mt. Fuji. So, for some months, police and fire departments have conducted exercises to acquaint people with what they should do in the event of a quake. But has all the effort been worth while? Not if one judges by the response to four tremors that jolted Tokyo and vicinity in the early morning hours of October 5. When the Tokyo Fire Department polled 1,005 persons by telephone, it found that 963 felt the tremor at 12:39 a.m., 42 slept right through it, and in only 35 out of 51 places where individuals were using fires did they extinguish them. Just 214 persons opened their doors in preparation for flight, whereas 614 of those surveyed took no defensive measures at all. Divorce Rise in Britain ◆ Among the British, marital breakups have reached the point of nearly one divorce for two new marriages, according to Sir George Baker, president of the family division of Britain’s high court. Recently, he said that in England and Wales during 1976 there were 146,415 divorces, as compared with 356,000 marriages. Baker indicated that wives sought the divorce in seven out of 10 cases. Newfound Tribe ◆ In an undisclosed area of the Amazon, scientists have discovered an Indian tribe that runs a profitable gold mine described as “an underground city worked by 50 prisoners.” The newly found Niawa tribe “also owns valuable jewels, makes human sacrifices, marries off its children at age 6 and boasts a language with a 15-letter alphabet,” reports Parade magazine. Fatal Sound Shocks ◆ Professor of medicine Masaki Omori of Okayama, Japan, has found that mice are affected and may even be killed by supersonic waves. By accident, he noted that the 35- to 50-kilohertz vibrations produced by equipment used in the washing of test tubes caused mice in nearby cages suddenly to begin running around. These mice, of two separate breeds, died soon afterward. Dr. Omori thinks that these breeds apparently possess genes that cause them to be sensitive to sound shocks, and he feels that sound-wave energy is absorbed through their hair and is transmitted by nerves to the animals’ nervous systems, resulting in the death-dealing shock. But Dr. Omori considers it too early to tell whether his findings will have any application to humans. Balloons Are Back ◆ Hot-air ballooning is rapidly increasing in popularity. In 1963 there were only six of them in the United States, but today there are about 1,000. These balloons, some 70 feet (21 meters) in height, are inflated with air that is heated by fuel such as propane gas. The warm air inside the balloon causes it to rise in the cooler air surrounding it. The balloon’s burner can heat the air again in flight when more lift is desired. While the up-and-down motion can be controlled, there is no control of direction. The balloons are entirely at the mercy of air currents, resulting in a number of accidents. Most balloonists prefer to fly at altitudes of less than 500 feet (150 meters), because at low altitudes they can observe all the activity below and hear the sounds of birds, mountain streams, the wind in the trees, and people talking on the ground. Smoking Increases Miscarriages ◆ A new study by Columbia University scientists in New York confirms that cigarette smoking during pregnancy nearly doubles the chance of a miscarriage (or, spontaneous abortion, as some call it). Previous studies showed that smoking caused a higher rate of infant mortality and lower-than-normal weight at birth, which causes a higher risk of serious illness. Also significant in the new study was the fact that light smokers suffered nearly the same number of miscarriages as did heavy smokers. The striking difference in miscarriage rates was between smokers and nonsmokers. More Unmarried Couples ◆ The United States Census Bureau reports a huge rise in the number of unmarried persons living together. Nearly one million couples now do so, an 83-percent increase in such households in the last seven years. The Bureau also noted that the nation’s marriage rate has dropped sharply in recent years. Noise Levels ◆ Long exposure to noise levels of about 70 decibels can cause hearing loss. Typical levels for some sounds are: jet airplane takeoff, 120; garbage truck loading, 100; city traffic, 90; alarm clock, 80; electric shaver, 75; noisy restaurant, 70; air-conditioning unit, 60; light auto traffic, 40; quiet office, 40. The sound level doubles with each 10 decibels. Endangered Creatures ◆ Citing information provided by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, the journal To the Point International lists the following as the most threatened animals in Africa: Northern square-lipped white rhino, Jentink’s duiker (an antelope), Swayne’s hartebeest, Grevy’s zebra, Cape Mountain zebra, mountain gorilla, cheetah, black rhino, Barbary macaque (a monkey) and the leopard. Stronger Finnish Hearts ◆ For some time North Karelia County in eastern Finland held the distinction of having more people die of heart disease, on the average, than any other place on earth. But after a special five-year prevention program, the heart-attack rate for males reportedly has dropped by 40 percent. Though Finland still has the highest heart-disease rate among developed nations, North Karelia is down to fifth place among the nation’s counties. The improvement is credited to a coordinated program that attacked smoking and fat in the diet, while promoting consumption of fresh vegetables. Mechanizing Religion ◆ In their legalistic quest for godliness, devout Jews seeking rulings on fine points of conduct have had a big job. It has meant searching the Responsa, 2,500 volumes of rabbinical opinions compiled over 1,200 years. Now, though, for just $50, a powerful computer near Tel Aviv will quickly come up with references to answer such questions as, “What dietary standards must a kosher hotelkeeper maintain for gentile quests?” In a test, the computer was able to produce far more references needed for full answers than did a panel of Talmudic scholars. Reform Judaism recently issued a new book of prayers to replace their previous 25-year-old prayer book. The new book covers more situations in life, enabling pious Jews to read off a prayer for everything from adopting a child to entering college. Substitute for Whale Oil ◆ Oil from the sperm whale has been an important component in lubricating oils. But since this whale is an endangered species, importation of its oil into the United States is forbidden. However, years of research with the jojoba, an oil-bearing bean, is now bearing results. The peanut-sized jojoba contains an odorless, chemically rare liquid wax that is almost identical to sperm-whale oil. The bean grows in arid desert regions of Mexico and the United States. Hundreds of acres are now under commercial cultivation, and wild jojoba plants are being harvested too. Its oil also is used in some cosmetics. It is nontoxic and nonirritating. And since it is chemically stable, it will not turn rancid as do some other oils. Falls Still Receding ◆ Famous Niagara Falls between Canada and the United States has been eroding for many years. A number of suggestions have been offered to slow down or stop the erosion, but an International Joint Commission has rejected them all as impractical. Instead, it has decided to “let nature take its course.” Presently the falls are receding at the rate of about one meter a year.

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Creation or Evolution?—Part 3: Why Believe in Creation?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502014302

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Creation or Evolution?​—Part 3: Why Believe in Creation? “If you believe in creation, people might think that you’re stupid, that you’re clinging to childish beliefs taught to you by your parents, or that you’ve been brainwashed by religion.”​—Jeanette. Do you feel the same way Jeanette does? If so, you may find yourself doubting your belief in creation. After all, no one likes to be viewed as ignorant. What can help? Objections to belief Think about your beliefs Tools to help you examine the evidence What your peers say Objections to belief 1. If you believe in creation, people will think you’re against science. “My teacher said that believing in creation is something people do when they’re too lazy to come up with an explanation for how the world works.”​—Maria. What you should know: Those who make such claims are not aware of the facts. Famous scientists such as Galileo and Isaac Newton believed in a Creator. Their belief did not conflict with their love for science. Likewise, some scientists today find no conflict between science and belief in creation. Try this: Type the expression (including quotation marks) “explains her faith” or “explains his faith” in the search box of Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY for examples of those in the field of medicine and science who accept creation. Note what helped them to reach that conclusion. The bottom line: Belief in creation doesn’t make you antiscience. In fact, learning more about the natural world can strengthen your belief in creation.​—Romans 1:​20. 2. If you believe in the Bible’s account of creation, people will think you’re a religious fanatic. “A lot of people consider belief in creation to be a joke. They feel that the Genesis account is just a story.”​—Jasmine. What you should know: People often have misconceptions about the Bible’s account of creation. For example, some creationists claim that the earth was recently created or that life was created in six 24-hour days. The Bible does not support either viewpoint. Genesis 1:1 simply states: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This does not conflict with scientific evidence that the earth is billions of years old. The word “day” as used in Genesis can refer to long periods of time. In fact, at Genesis 2:4, the word “day” is used to describe all six days of creation. The bottom line: The Bible’s account of creation is in harmony with scientific facts. Think about your beliefs Belief in creation does not require “blind faith.” Rather, it rests on sound reasoning. Consider this: Everything you experience in life teaches you that where there is design, there is a designer. When you see a camera, a plane, or a house, you rightly conclude that someone designed it. Why should you abandon that logic when you consider the human eye, a bird in the sky, or our planet Earth? To think about: Engineers often copy traits that they observe in nature so that they can improve their own inventions, and they rightly want others to acknowledge their work. Is it logical to recognize the human inventor and his work and yet fail to acknowledge the Creator and His far superior designs? Is it reasonable to think that an airplane was designed but a bird was not? Tools to help you examine the evidence You can strengthen your conviction in creation by inspecting the evidence found in nature. Try this: Type the phrase (including quotation marks) “was it designed” in the search box of Watchtower ONLINE LIBRARY. Select some inputs that interest you from the Awake! series “Was It Designed?” For each article, identify what is remarkable about the aspect of nature discussed. How does it convince you that there is a Designer? Dig deeper: Use the following brochures to explore the evidence for creation in more detail. Was Life Created? The earth is perfectly located and equipped to support life.​—See pages 4-​10. Examples of design are found in nature.​—See pages 11-​17. The Bible’s account of creation in Genesis is in harmony with science.​—See pages 24-​28. The Origin of Life​—Five Questions Worth Asking Life could not have begun spontaneously from nonliving matter.​—See pages 4-7. Living organisms are too complex to have developed through undirected, spontaneous events.​—See pages 8-​12. The information capacity within the genetic code surpasses modern technology.​—See pages 13-​21. All life did not descend from a common ancestor. The fossil record supports the sudden appearance of major animal groups, not their gradual development.​—See pages 22-​29. “The natural world convinces me most about God’s existence, from the animals here on earth to the universe and the order that exists in it.”​—Thomas. WHAT YOUR PEERS SAY “When I read in science class about all the intricacies of plants, animals, and the human body, it just blew my mind! I have no doubt that this is the work of a Creator. I think it takes ‘blind faith’ to believe in evolution, not creation.”​—Hannah. “I love to read the feature ‘Was it Designed?’ in the ‘Awake!’ magazine. It proves to me that evolution cannot be true. It’s crazy to think that something as beautiful as a butterfly or a hummingbird can come about by accident.”​—Talia.

You Can Make Flying Safer

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101993006

You Can Make Flying Safer By Awake! correspondent in Finland NOWADAYS, flying is a fast and common way of traveling. It is also considered to be one of the safest. This safety is the result of determined and combined efforts by authorities and airline companies to eliminate potential risks. Safety depends on various factors. Airlines contribute by keeping their planes in good condition through checking and servicing at regular intervals. Furthermore, detailed loading plans and instructions are carefully designed for each flight. Luggage, freight, and mail are placed in the cargo space according to those instructions, and accurate weight-and-balance calculations concerning the flight are made. Did you ever think about all these preparations carried out behind the scenes? But is this all there is as far as safety on a flight is concerned? By no means! There are additional features to which you as an airline passenger can directly contribute. In what way? Did you know that you may be a safety risk without being aware of it? Or that you can promote general safety on flights by knowing and observing some basic rules of aviation? The Airlines and Your Safety ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), operating under the supervision of the United Nations, has made an effort to improve flight safety, working with the commercial airlines. IATA (International Air Transport Association) and ATA (Air Transport Association of America) have been in very close association with ICAO as far as safety matters are concerned. They have published instructions and requirements and prepared training material and information for the benefit of their members and the general public. The development of various new materials and chemical compounds, as well as electronic devices used by passengers, has resulted in an increase in the number of risk factors. This has in turn increased the volume of safety measures and the need to inform the passengers. What Kinds of Dangerous Situations Can Occur? Fatal consequences could have resulted from the following situations: (1) A suitcase of a member of a skiing team ignited on the luggage conveyor belt before it was loaded onto the plane. When examined, it was found to include a solvent for removing ski wax. The solvent had leaked out of its container. There was also a gas lighter in the suitcase, and a spark caused by the shaking of the suitcase set its outputs on fire. Fortunately, all of this took place on the ground and not in the cargo space at 35,000 feet, [11,000 m] where it might have resulted in an extremely serious accident. (2) In a similar way, ordinary matches ignited in a passenger’s suitcase by friction. (3) At one airport, the personnel found a leaking container of bottled gas. The bottle was quickly developing into a delayed-action bomb! (4) Acid leaking from the battery of a motorized wheelchair caused corrosion and significant damage to a plane’s structure. The plane was grounded for several days for cleaning and repair work, which resulted in financial loss to the airline. What Must Not Be Taken on Board The international associations mentioned above publish a handbook that is called the Dangerous Goods Regulations, which is available to airline companies and forwarding agents. Many of its stipulations form a part of the national aviation legislation in various countries. These stipulations include a listing of thousands of dangerous goods together with detailed directions for packing and transporting such items. There are some substances and goods that you are not allowed to transport by plane at all. Furthermore, there are items that cannot be transported in luggage but may be approved as airfreight under certain preconditions. Then there are items​—though classified as dangerous—​that the rules of an individual airline may allow you to take with you in small amounts, for example in your hand luggage. Whenever you are uncertain, it is wise to consult your airline before the trip. Where Can You Get the Necessary Information? Most airlines print in their timetables the restrictions concerning hazardous items. Your ticket also has a listing of items and goods that are restricted. Furthermore, at their conference held in 1989, airlines around the world decided to direct the attention of the public to the risk factors that they may unintentionally create. At the beginning of 1990, the airlines launched a campaign directed at travelers. Posters were placed at airports and travel agencies to inform the public that hazardous items would be listed on a slip they would receive with their tickets. What Is Included in Hazardous Goods and Items? There are plenty of seemingly harmless goods and items that under certain circumstances may react to form a danger on board an aircraft. In flight, variations in temperature and air pressure, for example, may cause leakage to occur. Certain materials may seem safe, but as they come in contact with some other normally harmless items, they may generate a chemical reaction. This may cause a fire or spread toxic fumes. Therefore, it is essential that you know what you are packing in your suitcase. As mentioned earlier, the forbidden items include ordinary matches and cigarette lighters. You are permitted to carry them only in your hand luggage. The transport of all kinds of flammable liquids is forbidden. Paints, varnishes, and adhesives may also prove dangerous, let alone such solvents as thinner and acetone. All kinds of flammable gases, such as lighter or camping gas refills, are forbidden on board an aircraft. Explosives, fireworks, and signal flares are also forbidden because of their hazardous nature. You have probably become accustomed to using many kinds of chemicals and industrial products in your home. Did you know that when taking a plane, you may not be allowed to take certain ones with you? The forbidden items include many aerosols, pesticides, bleaches, and cleaners. They may cause corrosion or oxidation or damage the plane or other goods around them. Magnetic items may disturb the function of the aircraft instruments, and radioactive items may cause damage through radiation. You Might Affect the Navigation System! In the last few years, you may have been able to enjoy the use of all kinds of new inventions in the field of electronics. Radios, small video cameras, CD players, and cellular telephones, as well as remote-control toys, have attained wide popularity. Usually, you are allowed to pack these goods in your luggage provided you have removed the batteries. Since the rules differ from airline to airline, you should consult your travel agent before packing. It is, however, a universal rule that you may not use this type of equipment during the flight since it can disturb the navigation system of the aircraft. Each passenger is allowed to carry a limited amount of medication, cosmetics, and alcoholic beverages for personal use, and aerosols such as hair spray and antiperspirants may usually be included in the luggage. Are You Promoting Safety Aboard? Do you observe all these regulations? Are you aware of your responsibility? Before packing for your next flight, sit down and carefully read the transport conditions, especially the rules concerning hazardous items. We have dealt with the general stipulations in this regard, but there may be variations among different airlines. If you are uncertain about an item, do not hesitate to consult your airline just to make sure. Thus, you may avoid unintentional breaking of the rules. Thereby, you also avoid subjecting yourself, your fellow passengers, and airline property to dangerous situations. Yes, you can make flying safer. [Picture on page 25] Can you identify which of these items do not belong in your luggage?

What Can Knowing God Mean for You?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2019009

What Can Knowing God Mean for You? Up to this point, we have taken progressive steps to find the answer to the question, Who is God? We began by seeing in the Bible that his name is Jehovah and that his dominant quality is love. We also considered what he has done and what he will yet do for the benefit of his human creation. Though there is much more to learn about God, you might wonder what doing so can mean for you. Jehovah promises that “if you search for him, he will let himself be found by you.” (1 Chronicles 28:9) Imagine the precious gift that awaits you as you search and come to know God​—a “close friendship with Jehovah”! (Psalm 25:14) What can such a friendship mean for you? Genuine happiness. Jehovah is described as “the happy God.” (1 Timothy 1:11) Becoming close to him and imitating his ways will bring you genuine happiness, which can benefit you emotionally, mentally, and physically. (Psalm 33:12) You will also be able to build a happy life​—by avoiding damaging lifestyles, cultivating healthful habits, and maintaining good relations with others. You will come to agree with what the psalmist said: “Drawing near to God is good for me.”​—Psalm 73:28. Personal care and attention. Jehovah promised his servants: “I will give you advice with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8) That means that Jehovah gives his servants personal attention and tailors his care to fit their individual needs. (Psalm 139:1, 2) Once you have developed a proper relationship with Jehovah, you will find that he is always there for you. A grand future. In addition to offering you the key to a happy and satisfying life now, Jehovah God also opens to you a marvelous future. (Isaiah 48:17, 18) The Bible states: “This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (John 17:3) In these turbulent times, the hope that God offers can act like an anchor that keeps us “sure and firm.”​—Hebrews 6:19. These are but a few of the many important reasons to get to know God better and to develop a personal relationship with him. You are welcome to talk with any one of Jehovah’s Witnesses or visit jw.org for more helpful information.

What the Truth Can Do for You

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2020007

What the Truth Can Do for You God, who can only ever speak truth, offers you the hope of “everlasting life.”​—John 3:16. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO? Learn what God’s Word of truth says.​—John 17:3, 17. Choose to obey God.​—Deuteronomy 30:19, 20. Apply God’s practical guidance in your life.​—James 1:25. Jehovah’s Witnesses all over the world are experiencing the benefits of learning the truth from the Bible. They will be happy to share what they are learning with you. To learn more truths from the Bible, see the brochure Enjoy Life Forever! published by Jehovah’s Witnesses and available online at www.jw.org.

DAYRELL SHARP | LIFE STORY By God’s Strength We Do Not Shrink Back

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502400103

DAYRELL SHARP | LIFE STORY By God’s Strength We Do Not Shrink Back “He won’t last a month!” That’s what some brothers in my congregation said when I applied for vacation pioneering back in 1956. I was 16 years old. I had been baptized four years earlier because a brother whom I liked suggested it. In those days there was no review by the elders to make sure a person was qualified to be baptized. The brothers had good reason to doubt that I would stick with pioneering. I was not a spiritual person. I didn’t like field service and would pray for rain on Sundays so that I would not have to engage in the ministry. When I did go, I just offered the magazines; I had never given a presentation with the Bible. My dear mother bribed me to do Bible readings in the congregation. I was not a good student, and I had no spiritual goals. That summer there was a district assembly (now called a regional convention) in Cardiff, Wales. That is where my life changed completely. One of the speakers asked some rhetorical questions. They went something like this: “Are you dedicated and baptized?” ‘Yes,’ I thought. “Did you promise to serve Jehovah with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength?” ‘Yes.’ “Do you have any health problems or family responsibilities that would prevent you from pioneering?” ‘No.’ “Is there any reason why you cannot pioneer?” ‘No.’ “If your answer to the last question is no, then why are you not pioneering?” It was as if someone had switched on the lights. I thought: ‘I am wasting my life. I am not keeping my dedication promise. I am not serving Jehovah whole-souled.’ I reasoned that if I expected Jehovah to keep his promises to me, I should keep my promise to him. So in October 1956, I started vacation pioneering. Today we call this auxiliary pioneering. In 1959, I was assigned to Aberdeen as a special pioneer The following year, I became a regular pioneer and moved to a congregation of 19 publishers. From the time I arrived, I was assigned talks every week. With the help of patient brothers, I made improvements in the output and delivery of my talks. Two years later, in 1959, I was appointed as a special pioneer and assigned to Aberdeen, in the far north of Scotland. After a few months, I was invited to serve at London Bethel. I was privileged to work in the printery for the seven years I was there. I loved Bethel life but now felt the desire for special service in the field. I was young, healthy, and willing to be used by Jehovah anywhere. So in April 1965, I applied to go to Gilead School for missionary training. That year my roommate and I decided to go to Berlin, Germany, to attend a convention and to see the Berlin Wall that had been built a few years earlier. One day during the convention, we had the opportunity to share in the ministry, and I was assigned to work with Susanne Bandrock. We were married in 1966, and two years later we were invited to attend the 47th class of Gilead. What a blessing that was! All too soon, the five months of schooling was over. Our assignment was to Zaire, now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo. What a shock! We knew little about this country. We were apprehensive, but we accepted the assignment and put ourselves in Jehovah’s hands. In 1969, Susanne and I graduated from Gilead School After many hours in airports and on airplanes, we arrived at the small mining town of Kolwezi. We wondered why there was no friendly face to meet us. We later learned that the telegram informing the brothers to expect us arrived two days after we did. An airport official approached us and said something to us in French, a language that we did not yet understand. The woman in front of us turned and translated, “You are being arrested.” The officer who arrested us commandeered an aging, rear-engine, two-seater sports car. Both the officer and the car’s owner somehow squeezed into the car with Susanne and me. It must have looked like a scene from a comedy as we rocked and bumped our way along a potholed road, the open hood gaping like a fish’s mouth chewing at our luggage. We drove to the missionary home. Although we did not know where it was located, the officer did. No one was home, and the gates were locked. The missionaries had all left for international conventions and vacation. Standing in the hot sun, we wondered what would happen next. Eventually, a local brother arrived. When he saw us, a bright smile lit up his face, and we felt better. He knew the officer, who evidently hoped to receive money from us. After the brother reasoned with him for a while, the officer left, and soon we got settled in. Outside a missionary home in Zaire with Nathan H. Knorr during his visit in 1971 Not a Time to Shrink Back We soon came to see that we were among a cheerful and loving people who had endured much. Sadly, though, unrest and rebellion had plagued the country with violence for the previous ten years. Then, in 1971, Jehovah’s Witnesses lost the official recognition they had previously enjoyed. We wondered how we would manage. It was no time to shrink back in fear, and very few of the brothers and sisters did so, despite enormous pressure to compromise their Christian neutrality by carrying a political party card and wearing a party pin. Not wearing the pin meant no access to local government services as well as harassment from the military and the police. Brothers lost their jobs, and children were expelled from school. Hundreds of brothers were imprisoned. It was a difficult time. Nevertheless, the Witnesses continued to share the good news courageously. We Needed Endurance During those years, Susanne and I spent a large portion of our time traveling in rural areas in the circuit and district work. Life in the villages presented unique and sometimes daunting challenges. Small thatched homes provided barely enough space to lie down. I lost count of how many times I hit my head passing through small doorways. We bathed in water drawn from streams and rivers. At night, we read by candlelight. We cooked on charcoal. But as far as we were concerned, this was real missionary life. This was what we had come to do—we felt that we were on the front lines of theocratic activity. Living with local Witness families taught us to value things that might easily be taken for granted: food, water, clothing, and shelter. (1 Timothy 6:8) Everything else is a bonus. That simple truth still lives within us. Though we never faced the sort of trials that the apostle Paul did, at times our journeys made us feel that our faith and motives were being tested. We had to travel on roads that were in terrible condition or almost nonexistent. While traveling on rocky roads, we were horribly shaken. At times, our vehicle would sink into deep sand. During the rainy season, we would get bogged down deep in mud, which stuck like glue. During one full day of traveling, we were able to drive only 70 kilometers (43 mi) and we had to dig out our vehicle 12 times. While serving in our assignment, we often had road difficulties But we never felt closer to Jehovah than when we were serving under difficult circumstances in the bush. We learned that with Jehovah’s help, we can endure with joy, even when we are powerless to change a difficult situation. By nature, Susanne is not the outdoorsy, adventurous type, but during all our trials and difficulties, she never complained. We remember those times as being happy, rewarding, and certainly educational. During our years in Zaire, I was arrested several times. Once I was falsely accused of dealing illegally in diamonds. Naturally, we experienced anxiety, but we told ourselves that if Jehovah wanted us to accomplish our assigned ministry, he would help us. And he did! Pressing Forward In 1981, we were invited to serve at the branch office in Kinshasa. A year earlier, legal recognition for our work had again been granted. The brothers obtained a plot of land for the construction of an enlarged branch facility. Then, unexpectedly, in March 1986, the president of the country signed a decree to ban the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Construction came to a halt, and before long, most of the missionaries had left the country. For a few years, we served at the Zaire branch office We were able to stay for a while. We did what we could to continue preaching, though we knew we were under constant observation. Despite our caution, I was arrested while conducting a Bible study. I was put into a large dungeonlike room that was crowded with other detainees. It was hot, smelly, dark, and stuffy; the only light and ventilation came from a small opening high on one wall. Some prisoners grabbed me and brought me to their self-appointed boss. “Sing our national anthem!” he demanded. “I don’t know it,” I replied. “Sing your own country’s national anthem!” they said. “I don’t know that one either,” I said. He then made me stand against a wall for about 45 minutes. Eventually, local brothers negotiated my release. In 1987, shortly after arriving at the Zambia branch We could see that things were not going to improve in the country, and it was not long afterward that we were reassigned to Zambia. As we crossed the border, we felt a mixture of sadness and relief. We thought about the 18 years we had spent in our assignment along with faithful missionaries and local brothers and sisters. Though life was stressful at times, we felt blessed. We knew that Jehovah had been with us all the way. We had learned Swahili and French, and Susanne, some Lingala. We had enjoyed success in the ministry, helping more than 130 people progress to baptism. We also had the deep satisfaction of knowing that we had shared in laying a foundation for future growth. And what growth would follow! In 1993, the Supreme Court annulled the 1986 ban. There are now more than 240,000 Kingdom publishers in Congo. Our time in Zambia has seen the construction of a new branch and then the further expansion of the facilities. There are now more than three times as many active publishers here as there were when we arrived in 1987. An aerial view of the Zambia branch So, what of the young brother who appeared unlikely to last a month in full-time service? With Jehovah’s blessing and the support of my dear wife, Susanne, I have now clocked 65 years of wonderful full-time service, having tasted and seen that Jehovah is good!—Psalm 34:8. We know that we are not special; we have simply tried our best to be faithful in keeping our dedication promise. We trust that Jehovah will continue to help us never to “shrink back” but to grow in faith “for the preserving of our lives.”—Hebrews 10:39. Susanne and I continue to serve at the Zambia branch Watch the video Dayrell and Susanne Sharp: We Promised to Serve Jehovah Whole-Souled.

Guidance for Peaceful Relationships

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102021006

Guidance for Peaceful Relationships Our Creator tells us how we can enjoy peaceful relationships with others, whether at home, at work, or with friends. Consider some examples of his wise counsel that many people have successfully applied. Be Forgiving “Continue . . . forgiving one another freely even if anyone has a cause for complaint against another.”​—COLOSSIANS 3:13. We all make mistakes. We might offend others, or they might offend us. Whatever the case, we all need to forgive and to be forgiven. When we forgive, we stop feeling resentment toward the person who offended us. We do not “return evil for evil,” and we do not constantly remind the person of his failings or weaknesses. (Romans 12:17) But what if we have been deeply hurt and cannot stop thinking about what happened? Then we should respectfully talk to the person about the matter in private. Our goal should be to make peace, not to win the dispute.​—Romans 12:18. Be Humble and Respectful “With humility consider others superior to you.”​—PHILIPPIANS 2:3. When we are humble and respectful, people enjoy being with us. They know that we will be kind and considerate and that we will not intentionally hurt their feelings. But if we view ourselves as superior to others or if we always insist on getting our way, we create strife and tension. People will avoid us, and we will have few friends, if any. Be Impartial “God is not partial, but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”​—ACTS 10:34, 35. Our Creator does not favor people because of their nationality, language, social standing, or skin color. “He made out of one man every nation of men.” (Acts 17:26) So in a sense, all humans are brothers and sisters. When we treat everyone with dignity and kindness, we make them happy, we ourselves are happier, and we please our Creator. Be Mild-Tempered “Clothe yourselves with . . . mildness.”​—COLOSSIANS 3:12. When we are mild-tempered, we put others at ease. They feel free to talk to us and even to correct us because they know we will remain calm. And when someone is angry with us, our mild response may calm the person down. “A mild answer turns away rage, but a harsh word stirs up anger,” says Proverbs 15:1. Be Generous and Thankful “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”​—ACTS 20:35. Many people today are greedy and think only of themselves. But true happiness comes to those who are generous. (Luke 6:38) Generous people are happy because they love people more than things. That same love moves them to be thankful and to show their appreciation when someone is generous toward them. (Colossians 3:15) Ask yourself, ‘Whom do I like to be with​—the stingy and thankless or the generous and thankful?’ The point? Be the kind of person you want others to be.​—Matthew 7:12. I No Longer Look Down on People “The Scriptures say: ‘Have the same attitude toward others as toward yourselves . . . Do not become wise in your own eyes.’” (Romans 12:16) “This guidance helped me to fight pride and the tendency to look down on people. I no longer see my ethnic group as better than others, and I do not look down on people of another religion. Also, I am friendlier and more willing to greet others.”​—Asha. Learn more: For more practical advice on how to improve your relationships, go to jw.org and look under BIBLE TEACHINGS > PEACE & HAPPINESS > RELATIONSHIPS.

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Why Won’t My Parents Let Me Have Any Fun?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502012515

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Why Won’t My Parents Let Me Have Any Fun? Your friends have invited you to a party this weekend. You ask your parents if you can go, but their answer is a firm, “No.” You aren’t surprised. It’s the same answer they gave you last time. In this article Why do my parents always say no? How can I get my parents to say yes? What your peers say Why do my parents always say no? If it seems like your parents always deny your requests, you might conclude that they just don’t want you to have any fun. A teenager named Marie felt that way when she first got a phone. She says: “My dad put a lot of restrictions on which apps I could download, which people I could communicate with, and how late I could talk to them. Meanwhile, my friends could do whatever they wanted!” To think about: Was Marie’s dad really out to stop her from having fun? What else might he have been concerned about? A speed limit restricts your freedom somewhat, but it protects you from potential harm; the same is true of parental restrictions Try this: Pretend you are a parent, and you have a teenager who just got a phone. What concerns would you have? What restrictions would you put in place to address your concerns? What would you say if your teenager said you didn’t want him (or her) to have any fun? “My dad always said, ‘Put yourself in my shoes as a parent.’ Doing that forced me to see not only the value of his rules but also his reasons for them. If I had kids, I think I would expect the same things of them that my dad expects of me.”—Tanya. How can I get my parents to say yes? Don’t do this: Sulk, complain, or argue. “Yelling accomplishes nothing, and it’s emotionally draining—for you and your parents. If you argue, your parents will view you as immature and undeserving of more freedom.”—Richard. Try this instead: Avoid responding immediately. Instead, look at the situation from your parents’ viewpoint. Is the problem that they really don’t trust you, or could it be that they just don’t trust the environment you might be getting into or the people you might be with? Why not calmly discuss the matter with them, so that you can find out their reasoning on it? Tip: When you talk to your parents, make sure you have reasonable solutions to address their concerns. Even if your parents still say no, they will understand your thinking—and you might just come to understand theirs. “There are usually good intentions behind every rule. My parents aren’t trying to restrict my fun; they just want me to have the best kind of fun—the kind that doesn’t bring issues or problems.”—Ivy. Bible principle: “A stupid person gives vent to all his feelings, but the wise one calmly keeps them in check.”—Proverbs 29:11. Don’t do this: Go behind your parents’ backs. “I tried to get around the limits that my dad put on my phone use. I tried to find ways to message my friends late at night or to download apps that my dad didn’t approve of. Eventually, he’d find out, and my restrictions would be stricter because now he couldn’t trust me. Trying to get around restrictions is never a good idea.”—Marie. Try this instead: Show your parents that you can cooperate with their restrictions and gain their trust. Tip: When your parents ask specific questions (“Who will be at the gathering?” “When will you be home?”), give specific and truthful answers. Vague responses will not gain their trust! “Be patient. It might take time for your parents to adjust a rule, but if they see you obeying the rules they have in place, they may be inclined to give you more freedoms.”—Melinda. Bible principle: “Be obedient to your parents in everything.”—Colossians 3:20. Don’t do this: Put pressure on your parents, perhaps by telling them what other kids your age are allowed to do. “Pushing and pushing isn’t going to make things run smoother or get you any closer to what you want.”—Natalie. Try this instead: Use the worksheet “Reasoning on the Rules” to help you discuss the matter with your parents. Tip: Choose a time when your parents are relaxed—not when they just came home from work or when they are distracted by other matters. “A parent wants to see that you have good judgment. So when I talk to my parents, I try to use logic rather than emotion to state my case. When I do that, I have more success.”—Joseph. Bible principle: “Honor your father and your mother.”—Ephesians 6:2. What your peers say “I’ve learned that family rules are necessary to keep the family working like a well-oiled machine. And although they are called rules, they are really safeguards. If a family rule seems strict, it’s only because some situations give our parents a valid cause for concern.”—Isabella. “I think young people who are raised with rules turn out to be better adults. Our freedom has to have boundaries if we are going to enjoy life. Those boundaries help us learn how to be responsible and how to avoid negative consequences.”—Michael.

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK What if I Have a Health Problem? (Part 3)

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502015212

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK What if I Have a Health Problem? (Part 3) The teenage years are often associated with vibrant health and seemingly inexhaustible energy. Some young people, however, are limited by serious illness. Is that true of you? If so, you may be encouraged by the experiences of V’loria, Justin, and Nisa​—all three of whom are Jehovah’s Witnesses. Note how they are able to deal with their debilitating health problems. V’loria Justin Nisa V’loria I’ve had fibromyalgia since I was 14. By the time I was 20, I also had arthritis, lupus, and Lyme disease. It’s hard to do all the things you want to do when you always feel weak. At times, I was paralyzed from the hips down and needed a wheelchair. Worse than the physical aspect of my illnesses was the mental torment I put myself through for not being able to do simple tasks such as writing or opening a jar. I would see children walking and wonder why it was so hard for me to do so. I felt like a failure. Thankfully, I had help​—not only from family members but also from the congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses that I am associated with. Those from the congregation often visited me, which made me feel less alone. Some invited me to social events, even though it’s not easy getting me out of my wheelchair and in and out of a car. The older ones in the congregation were especially helpful because they knew what it was like to have health problems. They helped me accept my limitations and not feel guilty about not being able to do as much as others. When I am at congregation meetings and in the ministry is when I am the happiest. (Hebrews 10:25) On those occasions, I realize that despite my illnesses, I’m really not that different from others. I keep in mind that Jehovah gives us what we need in order to endure. For example, the Bible says that even if a person is wasting away on the outside, the person he is inside can be “renewed from day to day.” (2 Corinthians 4:​16) That is certainly how I feel! To think about: If you are afflicted with a serious health problem, why is it important to reach out to others? If you are healthy, how can you support someone who is sick?​—Proverbs 17:17. Justin I fell to the floor and couldn’t get up. My chest felt tight and I couldn’t move. I was rushed to the emergency room. At first, the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. But after several more incidents, they reached a diagnosis​—Lyme disease. Lyme disease took a toll on my nervous system. In fact, I still shake, sometimes uncontrollably, even though it is several years since I was diagnosed. There are days when my body will ache or my fingers will hurt so badly that I can’t even move them. It’s as if my joints were all rusted. I used to think to myself, ‘I’m too young to be sick,’ and that made me angry. I would cry to God each day, asking him, “Why am I going through this?” I even began to feel that God had abandoned me. But then I thought about Job in the Bible. Job didn’t fully understand why he had to face so many challenges, yet he remained faithful to God. If Job could do that with the enormous problems he faced, I can do the same. I have great support from the elders in my congregation. They always check up on me and ask me how I’m feeling. One elder told me to call him whenever I needed to talk, whatever the hour. I thank Jehovah every day for friends like these!​—Isaiah 32:​1, 2. Sometimes when we face serious illness, we forget the obvious​—that Jehovah knows what we’re going through. The Bible says: “Throw your burden on Jehovah, and he will sustain you.” (Psalm 55:22) That is what I try to do each day. To think about: How can a support system help you to endure a health problem?​—Proverbs 24:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:​11. Nisa When I was in my mid-teens, I was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome​—a disorder that affects the joints, making them weak. Marfan syndrome can also affect your heart, eyes, and other vital organs. I’m not in pain every day, but when I am, it can be severe. When I was first diagnosed, I cried a lot. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to do all the things that I enjoy doing. For example, I enjoy dancing, and to think that one day it might be too painful for me to do that​—and maybe even too painful for me to walk​—made me fearful of the future. My sister was very supportive. She helped me to get out of that phase of feeling sorry for myself. She told me that I shouldn’t live in fear, because that would consume my life. She also encouraged me to persevere in prayer, because if anyone knew and understood exactly what I was going through, it was Jehovah.​—1 Peter 5:7. One scripture that really encourages me is Psalm 18:6, which says: “In my distress I called on Jehovah, to my God I kept crying for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him for help reached his ears.” That verse helped me to realize that when I pray to Jehovah and ask him to help me cope, he will hear me and help me. He is always there for me. I’ve learned that it’s OK to feel sad and even upset about a tragedy that confronts us because those feelings are normal​—as long as we don’t let those feelings consume our life and affect our friendship with God. He is not the cause of our problems, and he will never leave us as long as we put him first in our life.​—James 4:8. To think about: Is God to blame for our suffering?​—James 1:​13.

Featured output in JW Library and on JW.ORG

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2022247

Featured output in JW Library and on JW.ORG HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE USED Producing the Most Important Book of All Translating, printing, and binding the New World Translation involves more than you may realize. In JW Library, go to PUBLICATIONS > ARTICLE SERIES > HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE USED. On jw.org, go to LIBRARY > ARTICLE SERIES > HOW YOUR DONATIONS ARE USED. THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES “Crime and the Love of Money Brought Me Much Pain” After Artan was released from prison, he learned that what the Bible says about the love of money is true. In JW Library, go to PUBLICATIONS > ARTICLE SERIES > THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES. On jw.org, go to LIBRARY > ARTICLE SERIES > THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES.

Who or What Is “the Alpha and the Omega”?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502018123

Who or What Is “the Alpha and the Omega”? The Bible’s answer “The Alpha and the Omega” refers to Jehovah God, the Almighty. This term occurs three times in the Bible.​—Revelation 1:8; 21:6; 22:13.a Why does God call himself “the Alpha and the Omega”? Alpha and omega are the first and last letters of the alphabet in Greek, the language used to write the part of the Bible commonly called the New Testament, which includes the book of Revelation. The respective positions of these letters in the Greek alphabet are used to illustrate that Jehovah alone is the beginning and the end. (Revelation 21:6) He was Almighty God in the infinite past, and he will continue to be Almighty God forever. He is the only one who is “from everlasting to everlasting.”​—Psalm 90:2. Who is “the first and the last”? The Bible applies this term both to Jehovah God and to his Son, Jesus, but with different meanings. Consider two examples. At Isaiah 44:6, Jehovah says: “I am the first and I am the last. There is no God but me.” Here Jehovah highlights that he is the everlasting true God; besides him, there is no other. (Deuteronomy 4:​35, 39) In this case, then, the expression “the first and the last” has the same meaning as “the Alpha and the Omega.” Additionally, the term “the First [pro’tos, not alpha] and the Last [e’skha·tos, not omega]” occurs at Revelation 1:​17, 18 and 2:8. In these verses, the context shows that the one referred to died and later returned to life. Thus, these verses cannot refer to God because he has never died. (Habakkuk 1:​12) However, Jesus died and was resurrected. (Acts 3:​13-​15) He was the first human to be resurrected to immortal spirit life in heaven, where he now lives “forever and ever.” (Revelation 1:​18; Colossians 1:​18) Jesus is the one who performs all resurrections thereafter. (John 6:​40, 44) Therefore, he was the last one to be resurrected directly by Jehovah. (Acts 10:40) In this sense, Jesus can properly be called “the First and the Last.” Does Revelation 22:13 prove that Jesus is “the Alpha and the Omega”? No. The speaker at Revelation 22:13 is not specifically identified, and there are various speakers in this chapter. Commenting on this section of Revelation, Professor William Barclay wrote: “Things are set down without any apparent order; . . . and it is often very difficult to be sure who is the actual speaker.” (The Revelation of John, Volume 2, Revised Edition, page 223) Thus, “the Alpha and the Omega” at Revelation 22:13 can be identified as the same Person given this input elsewhere in Revelation​—Jehovah God. a A fourth occurrence appears at Revelation 1:​11 in the King James Version of the Bible. However, most modern translations omit this occurrence because it is not found in the oldest Greek manuscripts but was evidently added to later copies of the Scriptures.

How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses View Science?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502017122

How Do Jehovah’s Witnesses View Science? We respect the achievements of science and believe in scientific findings that are supported by evidence. “Science is the study of the nature and behaviour of natural things and the knowledge that we obtain about them.” (Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary) Although the Bible is not a science textbook, it encourages people to study the natural world and to benefit from the scientific findings of others. Consider some examples: Astronomy: “Lift up your eyes to heaven and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who brings out their army by number; he calls them all by name.”​—Isaiah 40:26. Biology: Solomon “would speak about the trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop that grows on the wall; he would speak about the animals, the birds, the creeping things, and the fish.”​—1 Kings 4:​33. Medicine: “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but those who are ill do.”​—Luke 5:​31. Meteorology: “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail . . . ? From where does the east wind blow on the earth?”​—Job 38:22-​24. Our literature nurtures respect for science by featuring articles on nature and scientific achievement. Witness parents encourage their children to become educated so that they can better understand the world around them. A number of Jehovah’s Witnesses work in scientific fields, including biochemistry, mathematics, and physics. The limitations of science We do not believe that science can answer all of humankind’s questions.a For example, geologists analyze what the earth is made of, and human biologists study how the body functions. But why is the earth so finely tuned for life, and why do the parts of the body function so harmoniously? We have come to the conclusion that the Bible alone gives satisfying answers to those questions. (Psalm 139:13-​16; Isaiah 45:18) Therefore, we believe that a good education includes learning from both science and the Bible. At times, science may seem to contradict the Bible. However, some apparent contradictions are based on a misunderstanding of what the Bible actually teaches. For example, it does not teach that the earth was created in six 24-hour days.​—Genesis 1:1; 2:4. Some theories that are widely viewed as scientific lack sufficient evidence and are rejected by some well-respected scientists. For example, since the natural world reflects intelligent design, we share the view of many biologists, chemists, and others who have concluded that living things did not evolve through a process of random mutation and natural selection. a Austrian physicist and Nobel laureate Erwin Schrödinger wrote that science “is ghastly silent about all . . . that is really near to our heart, that really matters to us.” And Albert Einstein stated: “By painful experience we have learnt that rational thinking does not suffice to solve the problems of our social life.”

Creation (ce) 1985

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

Chapter 1 Life​—How Did It Start? 1. How extensive is life on planet Earth? LIFE is everywhere around us. It is evident in the humming of insects, the singing of birds, the rustlings of small animals in the underbrush. It exists in the icy polar regions and in parched deserts. It is present from the sea’s sunlit surface to its darkest depths. High in the atmosphere tiny creatures float about. Beneath our feet untold trillions of microorganisms are at work in the soil, making it fertile for the growing of green plants, which sustain other forms of life. 2. What questions have long occupied many people’s minds? 2 Earth is packed with life so abundant and varied as to stagger the imagination. How did it all start? This planet of ours and all its inhabitants​—how did they come to be here? More particularly, how did humankind get started? Did we evolve from apelike animals? Or were we created? Just how did we get here? And what does the answer imply for the future? Questions like these have been around for a long time and they are still unanswered in the minds of many. 3. How do some feel about these questions, but why are they important to everyone? 3 Perhaps you feel that these questions do not really affect you. You may think: ‘It doesn’t matter how I got here​—I’m here. And I’ll probably live for 60, 70 or maybe 80 years​—who knows? But whether we were created or we evolved, it changes nothing for me now.’ On the contrary, it could change a great deal​—how long you live, the way you live, the conditions under which you live. How so? Because our entire attitude toward life and the future is influenced by our viewpoint on the origin of life. And how life came to be here will definitely affect the future course of history and our place in it. Differing Viewpoints 4. How do many feel about the prospects for life on earth? 4 In the view of many who accept the theory of evolution, life will always be made up of intense competition, with strife, hatred, wars and death. Some even feel that man may destroy himself in the near future. A prominent scientist stated: “We may have only another few decades until Doomsday. . . . the development of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems will, sooner or later, lead to global disaster.”⁠1 Even if this did not happen soon, many believe that when a person’s life span runs out in death he is then nonexistent forever. Others feel that, in the future, all life on earth will end. They theorize that the sun will expand into a red giant star, and as it does, “the oceans will boil, the atmosphere will evaporate away to space and a catastrophe of the most immense proportions imaginable will overtake our planet.”⁠2 5. (a) How do the “scientific creationists” view the earth? (b) What questions does this viewpoint raise? 5 Recoiling from these conclusions are the “scientific creationists.” But their interpretation of the Genesis creation account has led them to claim that the earth is only 6,000 years old and that the six “days” allowed in Genesis for creation were each only 24 hours long. But does such an idea accurately represent what the Bible is saying? Was the earth, and all its life forms, created in just six literal days? Or is there a reasonable alternative? 6. On what should we base our conclusions about the origin of life on earth, and how did Darwin leave the subject open? 6 In considering questions related to the origin of life, popular opinion or emotion sway many. To avoid this and to reach accurate conclusions, we need to consider the evidence with an open mind. It is interesting to note, too, that even evolution’s best-known advocate, Charles Darwin, indicated an awareness of his theory’s limitations. In his conclusion to The Origin of Species, he wrote of the grandeur of the “view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one,”⁠3 thus making it evident that the subject of origins was open to further examination. Science Not at Issue 7. What clarification is made about science and our respect for it? 7 Before proceeding further, a clarification may be helpful: Scientific achievement is not at issue here. Every informed person is aware of the amazing accomplishments of scientists in many fields. Scientific study has dramatically increased our knowledge of the universe and of the earth and of living things. Studies of the human body have opened up improved ways of treating illnesses and injuries. Rapid advances in electronics have ushered in the computer age, which is altering our lives. Scientists have performed astounding feats, even sending men to the moon and back. It is only right to respect the skills that have added so greatly to our knowledge of the world around us, from minutely small things to infinitely large ones. 8. How is the term evolution used in this book, and to what does creation refer? 8 It may also be useful to clarify definitions at this point: Evolution, as used in this book, refers to organic evolution​—the theory that the first living organism developed from nonliving matter. Then, as it reproduced, it is said to have changed into different kinds of living things, producing ultimately all forms of life that have ever existed on earth, including humans. And all of this is believed to have been accomplished without intelligent direction or supernatural intervention. Creation, on the other hand, is the conclusion that the appearing of living things can only be explained by the existence of an Almighty God who designed and made the universe and all the basic kinds of life upon the earth. Some Vital Questions 9. What do those who accept evolution contend about creation, but what questions may come to mind about both evolution and creation? 9 Obviously, there are profound differences between the theory of evolution and the Genesis creation account. Those who accept evolution contend that creation is not scientific. But in fairness, it could also be asked: Is evolution itself truly scientific? On the other hand, is Genesis just another ancient creation myth, as many contend? Or is it in harmony with the discoveries of modern science? And what about other questions that trouble so many: If there is an all-powerful Creator, why is there so much war, famine and disease that send millions to an early grave? Why would he permit so much suffering? Also, if there is a Creator, does he reveal what the future will hold? 10. (a) What is the aim of this book, and the publishers’ hope? (b) Why is it so important to consider these matters? 10 It is the aim of this book to examine such questions and related issues. The publishers hope that you will consider its outputs with an open mind. Why is this so important? Because this information could prove to be of greater value to you than you may yet realize. [Blurb on page 7] Did life evolve or was it created? [Blurb on page 8] Our entire attitude toward life and the future is influenced by our viewpoint on its origin [Blurb on page 10] Those who accept evolution contend that creation is not scientific; but can it be fairly said that the theory of evolution itself is truly scientific? [Box/​Picture on page 12, 13] Some Things to Think About Our world is filled with so many marvelous things: Big things: A setting sun that turns the western sky into a blaze of colors. A night sky, packed with stars. A forest of towering trees, run through by shafts of light. Jagged mountain ranges, their icy summits glistening in the sun. Surging, wind-tossed oceans. These things exhilarate us, fill us with awe. Little things: A tiny bird, a warbler, flying high over the Atlantic, heading toward Africa on its way to South America. At some 20,000 feet it picks up a prevailing wind that turns it toward South America. Directed by its migrating instinct, it follows its course for several days and 2,400 miles​—three quarters of an ounce of courage wrapped in feathers. We are filled with admiration and wonder. Ingenious things: Bats that use sonar. Eels that make electricity. Gulls that desalt seawater. Wasps that make paper. Termites that install air conditioners. Octopuses that travel by jet propulsion. Birds that do weaving or build apartment houses. Ants that do gardening or sewing, or keep livestock. Fireflies with built-in flashlights. We marvel at such ingenuity. Simple things: As life nears its end, it is the small things that we often focus upon, things that we had so often taken for granted: A smile. The touch of a hand. A kind word. A tiny flower. The singing of a bird. The warmth of the sun. When we think about such big things that are breathtaking, little things that stir our admiration, ingenious things that fascinate us, simple things belatedly appreciated​—to what do we attribute them? Just how can such things be explained? Where did they come from? [Full-page picture on page 6] [Picture on page 9] Only 6,000 years old? [Picture on page 11] It is right to respect the scientific skills that have added so greatly to our knowledge

Should We Go Back to Coal?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101980004

Should We Go Back to Coal? UNTIL 1940, coal was the world’s chief commercial source of energy. Since then the amount of coal mined has changed but little, but the use of petroleum and natural gas has grown so fast that coal now supplies only 30 percent of the world’s energy. This has not been because of any problem of supplying coal, but basically because petroleum was cheaper. If oil comes to be too expensive and finally runs out, can we not switch back to coal? There is certainly plenty of coal. There is enough in known deposits to supply all the energy needed for at least 150 years. Many new mines would have to be opened, and transportation facilities by railroad and steamship would have to be expanded to match, but the coal is there. For generating electricity and for manufacturing, coal is a practical substitute for oil. But to heat the home, it has obvious drawbacks. Heating Our Homes Many of our older readers will recall the daily wintertime chore of shoveling coal into the furnace out of a black, dusty bin, and later shoveling the even dustier ashes into barrels to be taken to the dump. And some skill and patience were needed to kindle a bed of coals after the fire had gone out. When these onerous chores are compared with the convenience of simply adjusting a thermostat that automatically turns on the gas or oil-injection device and ignites it from the pilot light, few would relish a return to the “coal age.” Remember, too, how in towns or cities where everyone heated with coal, a freshly fallen blanket of snow was quickly darkened by the soot falling from hundreds of chimneys. A generation accustomed to the cleanliness and convenience of petroleum fuels will be reluctant to make room again for a coal bin in the house. What About Automobiles? When it comes to running our automobiles without gasoline, coal is out of the question. Only liquid or gaseous fuels will work in an internal-combustion engine. But, as mentioned above, coal differs from petroleum largely in its hydrogen output. Coal can be hydrogenated to convert it to a liquid or gaseous fuel. This was done on a large scale to supply Germany’s need for gasoline in World War II, and the process is used in South Africa today. However, it will require a major mobilization of the petroleum and chemical industries, probably with government subsidies, to produce synthetic fuels on the scale needed to replace oil. In the near future, such fuels will be available only in small quantities and at very high prices. A more immediate possibility is to power automobiles with electric storage batteries. The electric automobile is already fairly common in some cities, providing local transportation for individuals or families. The batteries are kept charged by plugging them into a utility outlet in the garage. However, the speed, range, and capacity of such cars are much less than today’s average motorist demands. Larger electric-powered cars or trains are well suited to mass transportation. Electric trolley cars, drawing power from an overhead wire, were common in city and interurban travel before automobiles and buses displaced them. High-speed electric trains are still common in Europe and Japan, as well as in metropolitan subways. All of this is compatible with power generated in central plants from coal, but it implies a shift from the individual motorcar back to mass transportation. Pollution Problems Continue By a change from oil to coal, air pollution will be changed, but not eliminated. One of the principal contributors to smog, the partially burned hydrocarbons from automobile exhausts, will cease to be a problem, but the oxides of nitrogen and sulfur may be as bad or worse with coal. More efficient combustion will have to be achieved to avoid a return to the smoke-laden atmosphere of industrial cities of 50 years ago. Another kind of pollution is unavoidable and irreversible as long as any kind of fossil fuel is burned. This is the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, we have taken so much carbon out of the earth and put it into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide that its global concentration has increased by 5 percent. Some scientists believe that the climate may be delicately balanced at the normal concentration, and if this is disturbed too much the whole earth may be warmed enough to melt the Arctic and Antarctic ice caps. There is even concern that it could get too hot to support life. While other sources of energy may ultimately supply the bulk of man’s needs, it appears that none of them can be developed soon enough to compensate for the rapidly vanishing reserves of petroleum. The only energy source that can be exploited soon enough to fill the gap is coal. But could the use of coal, then, really be the “solution” to the energy problem? The Bible shows that God’s purpose is for all this earth to become a paradise. Dependence on an energy source that pollutes the environment is not consistent with that. Furthermore, the Scriptures state that God made the earth to be inhabited forever, with God-fearing people enjoying eternal life on it. (Isa. 45:18; Ps. 96:10-13; John 17:3) Surely, then, he must have made available stores of suitable energy that would last beyond the 1980’s​—yes, beyond the next 150 years. What energy sources fit such a description? How can they be utilized? Future issues of Awake! will consider these questions, as well as what men are doing to cope with their immediate problem.

School Guidebook (sg) 1992

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

Study 14 Tactful Yet Firm 1. Why should we cultivate tactfulness? 1 When Jesus sent out his disciples to preach, he made it clear that they were to show discretion in what they said and did. Though he promised that he would be with them, they were not to act in a way that would cause needless difficulties. (Matt. 10:16) Even among themselves, Christians ought to use discretion in their speech and actions so as not to hurt one another thoughtlessly. (Prov. 12:8, 18) So there is a need to cultivate tactfulness. 2. What is the meaning of tact? 2 Tact is defined as “discernment of what is appropriate to say or do in dealing with others,” and the “ability to deal with others without giving offense.” Being tactful means being gracious enough in speaking and acting to spare others from having hurt feelings. We do not want to cause offense by the manner in which we say and do things. However, this does not mean that we will never offend others by what we say or do, because the Bible’s message itself is offensive to some. (Rom. 9:33; 2 Cor. 2:15, 16) Hence, while we are tactful in manner, we are also firm for God’s truth. 3. Explain how the fruitage of the spirit is the basis for tactfulness. 3 In our everyday life it is not difficult to be tactful if we manifest the fruitage of God’s spirit. That fruitage is the basis, or foundation, for tactfulness. (Gal. 5:22, 23) For example, a person who is moved by love does not want to irritate others, but has a sincere desire to help them. One who manifests kindness is going to be gentle in his way of doing things. And one who has cultivated self-control and remains calm under trying circumstances is most likely to win another person over to his point of view. An excitable or hotheaded person, on the other hand, is likely to say things bluntly and thereby arouse the antagonism of those to whom he speaks. (Prov. 15:18) Our speech and our actions should be such as will attract reasonable minds, not repel them. 4-8. (a) How can we show tactfulness in our house-to-house ministry? (b) Does tact require compromise? What does it involve? 4 Applying tactfulness in the field ministry. In the house-to-house ministry, you can show tactfulness by starting your conversation with matters that are of concern to the householder and showing how God’s kingdom will provide the remedy. Appeal to the person’s love of righteousness, to his reason and to his desire for better things. Ridicule or condemnation of his religious views will only close his mind. So, instead of talking on matters that stir up controversy, appeal to the things people generally accept as right. If it is necessary to pass on to something more controversial, first find some point of agreement with the householder and stress that agreement. If you can impress on the mind of the householder the hope-inspiring truths of the Kingdom and its blessings, other matters will in due time be corrected as the person comes to appreciate God’s undeserved kindness. 5 The tactful person makes every effort to encourage the one to whom he is talking to enter into the conversation and reveal his views. Paul endeavored to think from the viewpoint of those to whom he witnessed, thus being better able to bring to bear powerful arguments in favor of the good news. (1 Cor. 9:20-22) We need to do the same. A sympathetic viewing of other people’s circumstances, why they are what they are, why they believe and speak as they do, will help one to deal with them tactfully, with empathy. It may be that different circumstances in life, different experiences, or relying on a different authority accounts for the way they think. Once you have some clue to the thinking of the other party, you can lead into your presentation of the good news in a positive way rather than giving needless offense because of not knowing how the other person thinks and his reasons for thinking that way. 6 Considering the other person’s viewpoint does not imply a compromising of what is right. Tact is not a distortion of facts. At all times there must be firm adherence to what is right. Otherwise a person may find that instead of being tactful he is compromising the truth. He may find that he is moved by fear of man rather than by love of righteousness. Yet, while tact does not involve compromising the truth, it does involve timing, that is, determining the right time to give out certain information. Sometimes it is tactful simply to ignore something that is said. It may be best to leave certain things for later, until a person is ready for them. As Jesus said to his disciples: “I have many things yet to say to you, but you are not able to bear them at present.” (John 16:12) So while we may not agree with the one with whom we are talking, we do not immediately have to point out every mistaken idea. If we did, it might serve only to close his mind and prevent further discussion. 7 When a householder, in the course of conversation, brings up many things from the Bible that he says are wrong, it is difficult in a brief time tactfully to refute every objection. Often it is best simply to ignore most of them and discuss only what bears on the particular matter under consideration. Or the householder may try to draw you into worldly arguments. Tactfully avoid involvement, giving the Bible’s answer to such worldly problems. In this way you will imitate the example of Jesus.—Matt. 22:15-22. 8 When meeting an angry householder, be tactful and yet firm. Do not compromise the truth just to try to calm him down. Rather, try to understand why he feels as he does, perhaps even asking him why he has that viewpoint. If he comments, you might say that, in turn, you would like to inform him as to why you feel the way you do. But no matter how far you are able to pursue the conversation, tactfulness will get the best results. Remember the counsel at Proverbs 15:1: “An answer, when mild, turns away rage, but a word causing pain makes anger to come up.” However, if some persons show themselves to be unreasonable, then it is best simply to leave.—Matt. 7:6. 9, 10. Is tact required when dealing with our Christian brothers? 9 Tactful with Christian brothers. Not only should we cultivate tact in dealing with those who do not know Jehovah, but it is also required when dealing with our spiritual brothers. At times brothers and sisters who are very tactful in the field ministry may forget the need to be tactful in their brotherly relationships. Gentleness in speech and deeds is vital within Jehovah’s organization for building up a spirit of love and unity and having good everyday relations. Paul said: “Let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith.”—Gal. 6:10. 10 We are interested in our brothers, particularly their spiritual interests, because we are all in Jehovah’s organization. (Phil. 2:2, 4) However, the tactful person appreciates that while taking an interest in his brothers he should not pry into their personal matters, perhaps asking embarrassing questions that he has no business asking. Tactfulness will help us to avoid becoming “a busybody in other people’s matters.”—1 Pet. 4:15. 11. How do the Scriptures indicate the need for tactfulness on the part of elders in the congregation? 11 Tactfulness is especially important for elders who are handling problems in the congregation. When the apostle Paul gave Timothy instructions on how to deal with wayward ones in the Christian congregation, he stressed the need to be gentle and kind, saying: “A slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all, . . . keeping himself restrained under evil, instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed; as perhaps . . . they may come back to their proper senses out from the snare of the Devil.” (2 Tim. 2:24-26) Likewise the apostle advised using a “spirit of mildness” when approaching a brother who has taken a false step before being aware of it. (Gal. 6:1) In counseling such ones elders need to be tactful, but at the same time firm for the principles of righteousness. 12, 13. Why is tact important within our homes? 12 Our tactfulness in dealing with others should include those within the family circle. There is no reason to be blunt or unkind to persons within the family because we know them well. They too deserve to be dealt with tactfully. They will be repelled by blunt, sarcastic or harsh expressions. And if other family members are not servants of Jehovah, does that mean we can dispense with tactfulness when talking to them? By no means, for tactfulness in dealing with unbelievers may result in their accepting true worship someday.—1 Pet. 3:1, 2. 13 The use of theocratic tact produces much good fruit whether we are dealing with the public, our spiritual brothers and sisters, or our own families. It has a pleasing effect on the hearer, as Proverbs 16:24 shows: “Pleasant sayings are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and a healing to the bones.” By all means, then, cultivate tactfulness, motivated by a strong desire to benefit everyone you meet.

Greatest Man (gt) 1991

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

Chapter 106 Exposed by Vineyard Illustrations JESUS is at the temple. He has just confounded the religious leaders who demanded to know by whose authority he was doing things. Before they recover from their confusion, Jesus asks: “What do you think?” And then by means of an illustration, he shows them what kind of persons they really are. “A man had two children,” Jesus relates. “Going up to the first, he said, ‘Child, go work today in the vineyard.’ In answer this one said, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go out. Approaching the second, he said the same. In reply this one said, ‘I will not.’ Afterwards he felt regret and went out. Which of the two did the will of his father?” Jesus asks. “The latter,” his opponents answer. So Jesus explains: “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and the harlots are going ahead of you into the kingdom of God.” The tax collectors and the harlots, in effect, initially refused to serve God. But then, like the second child, they repented and did serve him. On the other hand, the religious leaders, like the first child, professed to serve God, yet, as Jesus notes: “John [the Baptizer] came to you in a way of righteousness, but you did not believe him. However, the tax collectors and the harlots believed him, and you, although you saw this, did not feel regret afterwards so as to believe him.” Jesus next shows that the failure of those religious leaders is not simply in neglecting to serve God. No, but they are actually evil, wicked men. “There was a man, a householder,” Jesus relates, “who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and erected a tower, and let it out to cultivators, and traveled abroad. When the season of the fruits came around, he dispatched his slaves to the cultivators to get his fruits. However, the cultivators took his slaves, and one they beat up, another they killed, another they stoned. Again he dispatched other slaves, more than the first, but they did the same to these.” The “slaves” are the prophets that the “householder,” Jehovah God, sent to “the cultivators” of his “vineyard.” These cultivators are leading representatives of the nation of Israel, which nation the Bible identifies as God’s “vineyard.” Since “the cultivators” mistreat and kill the “slaves,” Jesus explains: “Lastly [the owner of the vineyard] dispatched his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ On seeing the son the cultivators said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance!’ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.” Now, addressing the religious leaders, Jesus asks: “When the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those cultivators?” “Because they are evil,” the religious leaders answer, “he will bring an evil destruction upon them and will let out the vineyard to other cultivators, who will render him the fruits when they become due.” They thus unwittingly proclaim judgment upon themselves, since they are included among the Israelite “cultivators” of Jehovah’s national “vineyard” of Israel. The fruitage that Jehovah expects from such cultivators is faith in his Son, the true Messiah. For their failing to provide such fruitage, Jesus warns: “Did you never read in the Scriptures [at Psalm 118:22, 23], ‘The stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. From Jehovah this has come to be, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? This is why I say to you, The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits. Also, the person falling upon this stone will be shattered. As for anyone upon whom it falls, it will pulverize him.” The scribes and chief priests now recognize that Jesus is speaking about them, and they want to kill him, the rightful “heir.” So the privilege of being rulers in God’s Kingdom will be taken from them as a nation, and a new nation of ‘vineyard cultivators’ will be created, one that will produce suitable fruits. Because the religious leaders fear the crowds, who consider Jesus a prophet, they do not try to kill him on this occasion. Matthew 21:28-46; Mark 12:1-12; Luke 20:9-19; Isaiah 5:1-7. ▪ Whom do the two children in Jesus’ first illustration represent? ▪ In the second illustration, who are represented by the “householder,” the “vineyard,” “the cultivators,” the “slaves,” and “the heir”? ▪ What will become of the ‘vineyard cultivators,’ and who will replace them?

Young People Ask, Volume 1 (yp1) 2011

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/publication/r1/lp-e/yp1

Role Model​—Job Job’s world is turned upside down. First, he loses his means of livelihood. Second, he loses his children in death. Third, he loses his health. All of this happens quickly and without warning. In utter despair, Job says: “My soul certainly feels a loathing toward my life.” He describes himself as “glutted with dishonor and saturated with affliction.” (Job 10:1, 15) Even in the midst of adversity, however, Job refuses to turn his back on his Creator. (Job 2:10) The changes in his life do not change him. Job thus stands as an example of endurance. When confronted with problems, you too might feel a ‘loathing toward your life.’ Still, like Job, you can show yourself unchanging in the midst of change, unwavering in your determination to serve Jehovah God. James wrote: “Look! We pronounce happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.” (James 5:11) He cared for Job, and he cares for you!

Violence Against Women

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101997012

Violence Against Women BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN NIGERIA FROM the womb to the grave, women fall victim to violence, according to the United Nations’ Human Development Report 1995. Studies from around the world reveal the following: Before birth. In some countries tests are made to determine whether a fetus is male or female. Females are often aborted. In childhood. In Barbados, Canada, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, and the United States, 1 woman in 3 reports having been sexually abused during childhood or adolescence. In Asia and elsewhere, about one million children—mostly girls—are forced into prostitution each year. Millions of girls worldwide suffer genital mutilation. In adulthood. In Chile, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, and the Republic of Korea, 2 out of every 3 married women are victims of domestic violence. In Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, 1 woman in 6 has been raped. In later life. More than half the women murdered in Bangladesh, Brazil, Kenya, Papua New Guinea, and Thailand were slain by past or present partners. In Africa, South America, several Pacific islands, and the United States, marital violence is a leading cause of female suicide. Violence against women is typical of what the Bible calls “the last days,” in which many would be “abusive,” “callous,” and “brutal.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, New American Bible) We can be thankful for Jehovah God’s promise that after these troubled “last days,” he will establish a peaceful new world in which earth’s inhabitants “will actually dwell in security, with no one to make them tremble.” (Ezekiel 34:28; 2 Peter 3:13) Under God’s Kingdom, Jesus Christ will “deliver the poor one crying for help, also the afflicted one and whoever has no helper. From oppression and from violence he will redeem their soul.”—Psalm 72:12, 14.

Sing Praises (ssb) 1984

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

Song 188 The Gift of Prayer (1 Timothy 2:8) 1. Pray’rs to God are truly heard From all those who keep his Word. And through Jesus Christ alone, We can reach God’s holy throne. 2. Pray’rs that reach Jehovah’s ear Earnest need to be, sincere. Being heartfelt, they reflect To our God all due respect. 3. But in praying to our God, We have need ourselves to prod Lest our words become mere rote. Rather, may they warmth denote. 4. Yes, we must find time to pray As we walk the narrow way. Pray’r consoles and does uplift; Truly it’s God’s gracious gift.

I Feel Guilty—Can the Bible Help Me Find Relief?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500100107

I Feel Guilty—Can the Bible Help Me Find Relief? The Bible’s Answer Yes. The Bible can help us to deal wisely with feelings of guilt. (Psalm 32:1-5) If we have done something wrong but are truly sorry, God will forgive us and help us recover. (Psalm 86:5) The Bible shows that feelings of guilt can at times be beneficial—they can move us to correct a wrong course and to try harder to avoid it in the future. (Psalm 51:17; Proverbs 14:9) That said, the Bible advises us against having excessive guilt, perhaps judging ourselves as hopeless or unworthy in God’s eyes. Such harshness could cause us to “give up in despair.”—2 Corinthians 2:7, Contemporary English Version. What can cause feelings of guilt? How can I deal with guilt? Bible verses about guilt and forgiveness What can cause feelings of guilt? We might feel guilty for a number of reasons. We may sense that we have hurt someone we love or have fallen short of a standard we believe we should live by. At times, we might feel guilty without really being guilty. For example, if we set unreasonably high standards for ourselves, we will likely have needless feelings of guilt every time we fail to meet those standards. That is why the Bible encourages us to have reasonable expectations of ourselves.​—Ecclesiastes 7:16. How can I deal with guilt? Instead of being paralyzed by guilt, do what you can to correct things. How? Admit your mistakes. In prayer, ask Jehovaha God to forgive you. (Psalm 38:18; Luke 11:4) You can be sure that God will hear you if you are repentant and truly sorry and if you try hard not to repeat the wrong. (2 Chronicles 33:13; Psalm 34:18) He sees the inner person, which no human can see. When God observes us trying to abandon a wrong course, “he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins.”—1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13. Of course, if you have wronged someone, you may need to acknowledge that and sincerely apologize to the person. That might not be easy! It may take courage and humility. But a heartfelt apology does two important things: It lifts a huge burden off your shoulders, and it restores peace.—Matthew 3:8; 5:23, 24. Reflect on scriptures about God’s mercy. Consider 1 John 3:19, 20, for example. There the Bible acknowledges that “our hearts may condemn us”—that is, we may be too hard on ourselves, perhaps feeling unworthy of God’s love. However, that passage also states that “God is greater than our hearts.” How so? He sees the whole person and fully understands our feelings and weaknesses. He also knows that we are born imperfect, prone to do wrong.b (Psalm 51:5) He therefore does not reject those who are truly sorry for their errors.—Psalm 32:5. Do not live in the past. The Bible contains many accounts of men and women who did bad things but later changed their ways. One example is Saul of Tarsus, who became known as the apostle Paul. As a Pharisee, he violently persecuted Jesus’ followers. (Acts 8:3; 9:1, 2, 11) But when he learned that he was actually opposing God and the Messiah, or Christ, he repented, changed his ways, and became a model Christian. Of course, Paul deeply regretted his past behavior, but he did not live in the past. Aware of God’s great mercy toward him, Paul became a zealous preacher and never lost sight of the hope of everlasting life.—Philippians 3:13, 14. Bible verses about guilt and forgiveness Psalm 51:17: “A heart broken and crushed, O God, you will not reject.” Meaning: God will not reject you for your mistakes if you are truly sorry that you hurt him. He shows mercy. Proverbs 28:13: “The one covering over his transgressions will not succeed, but whoever confesses and abandons them will be shown mercy.” Meaning: If we acknowledge our sins to God and change our ways, he will forgive us. Jeremiah 31:34: “I will forgive their error, and I will no longer remember their sin.” Meaning: Once God forgives us, he will not bring our mistakes up again. His mercy is genuine. a Jehovah is God’s personal name.​—Exodus 6:3. b Our inborn inclination toward wrongdoing is a result of inherited sin passed down to us from the first man, Adam. Along with his wife, Eve, he sinned against God and lost perfect human life for himself and the prospect of such for his descendants.—Genesis 3:17-19; Romans 5:12.

THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES I Put Down My Rifle

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/502016525

THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVES I Put Down My Rifle See how the Bible’s comforting message helped Cindy to change her aggressive personality. Media is loadingPlay videoPlayBack 5 secondsForward 15 secondsPreviousNextMuteSettingsFull ScreenLoaded: 0%Current time 0:00/Duration 0:00This is a modal window.Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaqueFont Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall CapsReset restore all settings to the default valuesDoneClose Modal DialogEnd of dialog window.

School (sj) 1983

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/brochures-and-booklets/school-sj

Holidays and Celebrations The fact that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not participate in most holiday observances and other celebrations can be somewhat perplexing to a teacher. We hope the following helps you to understand why we take the matter so seriously. Perhaps to a greater extent than you may have realized, many holidays and the customs associated with them have a non-Christian religious background. It is this that makes them objectionable to Jehovah’s Witnesses. We try to follow the principle stated by the Christian apostle Paul: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial [a false god]? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? . . . ‘Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah.”​—2 Corinthians 6:14-17. So if a holiday or a celebration is in some way instructioned to other gods or goddesses, or if observing it is contrary to our understanding of Biblical principles, we do not take part. Birthdays: Enjoying a feast or a party and generous giving to loved ones are certainly not wrong. (Luke 15:22-25; Acts 20:35) Jehovah’s Witnesses enjoy giving gifts and having good times together throughout the year. However, the only two birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible involved people who were not true believers. They were a Pharaoh of Egypt and the Roman ruler Herod Antipas, each of whose birthday celebrations had deadly results. (Genesis 40:18-22; Mark 6:21-28) So it is not surprising to see these historical references to the attitude of early Christians toward birthday celebrations: “The notion of a birthday festival was far from the ideas of the Christians of this period in general.”​—The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries (New York, 1848), by Augustus Neander (translated by Henry John Rose), page 190. “Of all the holy people in the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day on which they were born into this world below.”​—The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1911), Volume X, page 709 (quoting Origen Adamantius of the third century). Additionally, birthday celebrations tend to give excessive importance to an individual, no doubt one reason why early Christians shunned them. (Ecclesiastes 7:1) So you will find that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not share in birthday festivities (the parties, singing, gift giving, and so forth). Christmas: As you are probably aware, December 25 was not the birthday of Jesus Christ. You may feel that this does not matter​—that the event is the important thing. But the way the Christmas holiday developed shows that there is more to it than that. The following encyclopedias explain: “The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of N[ew] T[estament] origin. The day of Christ’s birth cannot be ascertained from the N[ew] T[estament], or, indeed, from any other source. The fathers of the first three centuries do not speak of any special observance of the nativity.”​—Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981 reprint), by John McClintock and James Strong, Volume II, page 276. “Most of the Christmas customs now prevailing in Europe, or recorded from former times, are not genuine Christian customs, but heathen customs which have been absorbed or tolerated by the Church. . . . The Saturnalia in Rome provided the model for most of the merry customs of the Christmas time.”​—Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics (Edinburgh, 1911), edited by James Hastings, Volume III, pages 608, 609. It is commonly known that Christmas was not originally a celebration of Christ’s birth. U.S. Catholic of December 1981, page 32, notes: “It is impossible to separate Christmas from its pagan origins.” The magazine explains: “The Romans’ favorite festival was Saturnalia, which began on December 17 and ended with the ‘birthday of the unconquered sun’ (Natalis solis invicti) on December 25. Somewhere in the second quarter of the fourth century, savvy officials of the church of Rome decided December 25 would make a dandy day to celebrate the birthday of the ‘sun of righteousness.’ Christmas was born.” When learning these facts about Christmas, how have some been affected? The World Book Encyclopedia (1982) observes under “Christmas”: “During the 1600’s . . . Christmas was outlawed in England and in parts of the English colonies in America.” Since people in the past refused to celebrate Christmas because of its pagan origins, it should be understandable why Jehovah’s Witnesses do not celebrate it today. We take no part in Christmas parties, plays, singing, exchanging of gifts, or in any other such activity that is associated with Christmas. Jehovah’s Witnesses take the same position of total nonparticipation in other religious or semireligious holidays that occur during the school year. The reason is that these holidays, too, are connected with non-Christian worship; in fact, certain features of such worship often dominate the celebrations. Consider the following examples: Easter: Although this holiday is supposed to commemorate Christ’s resurrection, note what secular authorities say regarding it: “Easter. Originally the spring festival in honor of the Teutonic goddess of light and spring known in Anglo-Saxon as Eastre. As early as the 8th century the name was transferred by the Anglo-Saxons to the Christian festival designed to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.”​—The Westminster Dictionary of the Bible (Philadelphia, 1944), by John D. Davis, page 145. “Everywhere they hunt the many-colored Easter eggs, brought by the Easter rabbit. This is not mere child’s play, but the vestige of a fertility rite, the eggs and the rabbit both symbolizing fertility.”​—Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore Mythology and Legend (New York, 1949), Volume 1, page 335. Halloween: Though celebrated as a Christian holiday, Halloween finds its origins in pre-Christian festivals that propagate false ideas about life after death. Interestingly, we read: “After the Reformation, Protestants rejected this feast along with other important ones such as Christmas and Easter. Nevertheless, Halloween folk customs of pagan origin flourished.”​—Encyclopædia Britannica (1959), Volume 11, page 107. All Saints’ Day: “There is little doubt that the Christian church sought to eliminate or supplant the Druid festival of the dead by introducing the alternative observance of All Saints’ day on Nov. 1. This feast was established to honour all saints, known or unknown, but it failed to displace the pagan celebration of Samhain.”​—Encyclopædia Britannica (1959), Volume 11, page 107. New Year’s Day: “In ancient Rome, the first day of the year was given over to honoring Janus, the god of gates and doors and of beginnings and endings. . . . New Year’s Day became a holy day in the Christian church in A.D. 487.”​—The World Book Encyclopedia (1982), Volume 14, page 237. Valentine’s Day: “Valentine’s Day comes on the feast day of two different Christian martyrs named Valentine. But the customs connected with the day . . . probably come from an ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia which took place every February 15. The festival honored Juno, the Roman goddess of women and marriage, and Pan, the god of nature.”​—The World Book Encyclopedia (1973), Volume 20, page 204. May Day: “May Day festivals probably stem from the rites practiced in honor of a Roman goddess, Maia, who was worshiped as the source of human and natural fertility. . . . [The] Maypole is believed by most scholars to be a survival of a phallic symbol formerly used in the spring rites for the goddess Maia.”​—The New Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia (1952), page 8294. Mother’s Day: “A festival derived from the custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. Formal mother worship, with ceremonies to Cybele, or Rhea, the Great Mother of the Gods, were performed on the Ides of March throughout Asia Minor.”​—Encyclopædia Britannica (1959), Volume 15, page 849. These are just a sampling of holidays that are commonly observed, and in which schoolchildren often are expected to participate by sharing in certain activities. However, Jehovah’s Witnesses for conscientious reasons do not take any part in these holiday activities​—whether it be singing, playing music, acting in plays, marching in parades, drawing pictures, attending parties, eating and drinking, and so forth. Yet, at the same time, we do not object to others celebrating such holidays nor try to hinder them. We appreciate it very much when teachers kindly excuse our children from participation in all activities that in any way commemorate these holidays. National Holidays Other holidays are somewhat different in nature. These are not so universally celebrated, but may be unique to a particular country. For example, there may be national days of thanksgiving. In some places there may also be a certain day set aside to memorialize a nation’s war dead, or a day to remember the birth of a country or certain prominent presidents, rulers or national heroes. Jehovah’s Witnesses also respectfully refrain from participating in such national holidays. Though we respect the authorities in whatever country we may reside, for conscientious reasons we do not give them what we view as worshipful honors. We remain neutral toward all such celebrations. This is in keeping with Jesus’ words regarding his followers: “They are no part of the world, just as I am no part of the world.”​—John 17:16. [Blurb on page 19] “Christmas was outlawed in England and in parts of the English colonies in America” [Blurb on page 21] For conscientious reasons, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not take part in holiday activities [Picture on page 17] Early Christians did not celebrate their birthdays [Picture on page 19] “This is not mere child’s play, but the vestige of a fertility rite, the eggs and the rabbit both symbolizing fertility”

“The Slaughter of Nature”

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101997001

“The Slaughter of Nature” BY AWAKE! CORRESPONDENT IN IRELAND GREED is threatening your home. It is undermining the earth’s potential to provide the food and shelter all of us need to survive. No doubt you are already aware of how greed is damaging the earth, but here are a few reminders. Poisoning the Planet Back in 1962, Rachel Carson, in her book Silent Spring, warned about the poisoning of the planet by pesticides and toxic waste. Says The Naked Savage: “Mankind was contaminating its own environment and fouling its own nest, the signal for the extinction of the species.” Men are still greedily poisoning the planet. “Seeking the greatest profits in the shortest time,” says World Hunger: Twelve Myths, “big growers are willing to overuse the soil, water, and chemical inputs without thought to eroding the soil, depleting the groundwater, and poisoning the environment.” Instead of protecting the world’s invaluable rain forests—which are crucial to earth’s survival—men are destroying them faster than ever. “Living tropical forests,” say the writers of Far From Paradise—The Story of Man’s Impact on the Environment (1986), “will have all but disappeared in fifty years if the present rate of exploitation continues unchanged.” Unscrupulous fishermen use dynamite and chemical poisons to catch fish around coral reefs—which have been described as “the marine equivalents of tropical rain forests” because of the abundance of life forms they shelter. These brutal fishing methods along with thoughtless chemical pollution have “gravely damaged” much living coral.—The Toronto Star. “We Are Our Own Scourge” Sir Shridath Ramphal, who was president of the IUCN-World Conservation Union from 1991 to 1993, describes this kind of mismanagement of earth’s resources as “the slaughter of nature.” Just how bad is it? Citing an example, Ramphal writes: “Most of India’s rivers are little more than open sewers carrying untreated waste from urban and rural areas to the sea.” What is his conclusion? “We are our own scourge.” Greed has dominated man’s history for centuries, but the threat to the survival of the planet today has increased. Why? Because man’s ability to destroy is now so much greater. “Only in the last fifty years,” says Far From Paradise, “have we had the chemical and mechanical means to destroy effectively other forms of life on our planet. . . . Homo sapiens [Latin, wise man], as man so immodestly calls himself, has almost absolute power and has ceased to exercise any restraint.” Recently, the Greenpeace environmental organization made a strong indictment, saying: “Modern Man has made a rubbish tip of Paradise [earth] . . . and now stands like a brutish infant . . . on the brink . . . of effectively destroying this oasis of life.” But greed does more than threaten the long-term prospects of the planet. It threatens the immediate happiness and security of you and your family. How is this? Consider the next article.

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Dating—Part 1: Am I Ready to Date?

https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/500600123

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK Dating—Part 1: Am I Ready to Date? In this article What is dating? Are you ready to date? What is dating? Some people view dating as merely a social activity. In this article, however, “dating” refers to the period of time a couple spend together to see if they would be suitable marriage mates for each other. So, dating has an objective. It isn’t just a way to enjoy attention from the opposite sex. In time, dating should lead to a decision—either to marry or to end the romantic relationship. When you start dating, you need to be ready for either outcome. The bottom line: If you believe that you’re ready to date, you should also believe that you’re ready for marriage. Dating without the goal of marriage is like going to a job interview without the goal of finding employment Are you ready to date? Dating could lead to marriage, so you would do well to consider what qualities you will bring to the relationship. For example, consider the following: Family relationships. How you treat your parents and siblings—especially when you’re under stress—often indicates how you will treat a spouse. Bible principle: “Put away from yourselves every kind of malicious bitterness, anger, wrath, screaming, and abusive speech, as well as everything injurious.”—Ephesians 4:31. Ask yourself: ‘Would my parents and siblings say that I treat them with respect? When I have a disagreement with one of them, am I able to discuss things calmly, or do I lose my temper and argue?’ If you can’t handle conflicts with your parents, will you really be able to do so with a spouse? Self-sacrifice. When you are married, you will need to consider and often yield to your spouse’s preferences. Bible principle: “Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.”—1 Corinthians 10:24. Ask yourself: ‘Do I always need to get my way? Do others view me as reasonable? In what ways have I shown that I put the needs of others ahead of my own?’ Humility. A good marriage mate can admit his or her mistakes and sincerely apologize for them. Bible principle: “We all make mistakes many times.”—James 3:2, footnote. Ask yourself: ‘Do I readily admit my mistakes, or do I make excuses for them? Am I overly sensitive when people give me constructive criticism?’ Finances. A person who can handle money responsibly will avoid one of the most common sources of conflict in marriage. Bible principle: “Who of you wanting to build a tower does not first sit down and calculate the expense to see if he has enough to complete it?”—Luke 14:28. Ask yourself: ‘Can I control my spending, or am I frequently in debt? How have I shown that I can handle money responsibly?’ Spiritual health. If you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, you should have an established routine of studying the Bible and attending Christian meetings. Bible principle: “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need.”—Matthew 5:3. Ask yourself: ‘Do I take the initiative to maintain my spiritual health? Is my spiritual routine a priority, or do I let other things interfere with it?’ The bottom line: The person you marry deserves nothing less than a capable mate. If you are working hard at being that kind of person, you will be more likely to attract someone who is doing the same.

Scriptures for Christian Living (scl) 2023

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

Charitable Works How does Jehovah set the example as the greatest Giver? Joh 3:16; Ac 17:25; Ro 6:23; Jas 1:17 See also Ps 145:15, 16; 2Co 9:15 What kind of giving fails to please God? Mt 6:1, 2; 2Co 9:7; 1Pe 4:9 Relevant Bible account(s): Ge 4:3-7; 1Jo 3:11, 12​—Why Cain’s sacrifice fails to win God’s approval Ac 5:1-11​—Ananias and Sapphira are punished because they lied about their gift and had improper motives What kind of giving pleases God? Mt 6:3, 4; Ro 12:8; 2Co 9:7; Heb 13:16 See also Ac 20:35 Relevant Bible account(s): Lu 21:1-4​—Jesus praises a poor widow for making a generous contribution even though the amount is very small How was the giving of contributions organized in the first-century congregation? Ac 11:29, 30; Ro 15:25-27; 1Co 16:1-3; 2Co 9:5, 7 Relevant Bible account(s): Ac 4:34, 35​—The Christian congregation shows generosity, and the apostles ensure that the needy benefit 2Co 8:1, 4, 6, 14​—A relief ministry is organized in behalf of needy Christians What special responsibility do Christians have toward their family and toward their spiritual brothers? Ro 12:13; 1Ti 5:4, 8; Jas 2:15, 16; 1Jo 3:17, 18 See also Mt 25:34-36, 40; 3Jo 5-8 How does the Bible guide us in caring for the poor? De 15:7, 8; Ps 41:1; Pr 19:17; Jas 1:27 See also Pr 28:27; Lu 14:12-14; Jas 2:1-4 What shows that people need spiritual help more than anything else? Mt 5:3, 6; Joh 6:26, 27; 1Co 9:23 See also Pr 2:1-5; 3:13; Ec 7:12; Mt 11:4, 5; 24:14 Relevant Bible account(s): Lu 10:39-42​—Jesus helps Martha to see that spiritual things should come first

Jeremiah (jr) 2010

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

Back Cover How do Jeremiah’s writings relate to people today? What lessons can you find in the book of Jeremiah?