Monday, May 4, 2009
Free Bible Studies Via email
For a free Bible study email me at Kristah56@gmail.com and we can have email studies
Learn more about Jehovah's Witnesses
WWW.Watchtower.org
Jehovah's witnesses are servants of Jehovah. We believe Jehovah is God's personal name as stated in Psalms 83:18 and Exodus 3:16 in most versions of the bible where God's name has not been removed.
If you want to learn about Jehovah you can email me at Kristah56@gmail.com and use Bible as your subject. But most importantly check out the above website.
Jehovah's witnesses are servants of Jehovah. We believe Jehovah is God's personal name as stated in Psalms 83:18 and Exodus 3:16 in most versions of the bible where God's name has not been removed.
If you want to learn about Jehovah you can email me at Kristah56@gmail.com and use Bible as your subject. But most importantly check out the above website.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Can Religion Unite Mankind
WHY MANY DOUBTThat Religion Can Unite Mankind
“LOVE your neighbor.” (Matthew 22:39) This basic rule of conduct is acclaimed by many religions. If such religions were effective in teaching their members to love their neighbor, their flocks would be drawn together and be united. However, is that what you have observed? Are religions a force for unity? A recent survey in Germany asked the question: “Do religions unite people, or are they more likely to separate them?” Of the respondents, 22 percent felt that religions unite, whereas 52 percent felt that they divide, or separate. Perhaps people in your country feel much the same way.
Why do many have little confidence that religion can unite mankind? Perhaps because of what they know from history. Instead of drawing people together, religion has often pushed them apart. In some instances, religion has been the cover under which the most dreadful atrocities have been committed. Consider some examples from just the last 100 years.
Influenced by Religion
During the second world war, Roman Catholic Croats and Orthodox Serbs in the Balkans were at one another’s throats. Both groups claimed to follow Jesus, who taught his followers to love their neighbor. Yet, their conflict led to “one of the most appalling civilian massacres known to history,” as one researcher put it. The world was aghast at the death toll of more than 500,000 men, women, and children.
In 1947 the Indian subcontinent was home to some 400 million people—about a fifth of humanity—mainly Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. When India was partitioned, the Islamic nation of Pakistan was born. At the time, hundreds of thousands of refugees from both countries were burned, beaten, tortured, and shot in a series of religious massacres.
As if the foregoing examples were not disturbing enough, the turn of the century brought to the fore the threat of terrorism. Today, terrorism has put the whole world on alert, and many terrorist groups claim to have religious ties. Religion is not viewed as a promoter of unity. Instead, it is often associated with violence and disunity. Small wonder, therefore, that the German newsmagazine FOCUS compared the world’s major religions—Buddhism, Christendom, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism—to gunpowder.
Internal Squabbles
While some religions are at war with one another, others are beset by internal squabbles. For instance, in recent years the churches of Christendom have been split by ongoing debates on matters of doctrine. Clergy and laity alike ask: Is birth control permitted? What about abortion? Should women be ordained as priests? How ought the church to view homosexuality? Should a religion sanction war? In view of such disunity, many wonder, ‘How can a religion unite mankind if it cannot unite even its own members?’
Clearly, religion in general has failed to be a force for unity. But are all religions marked by divisions? Is there a religion that is different—one that can unite mankind?
“LOVE your neighbor.” (Matthew 22:39) This basic rule of conduct is acclaimed by many religions. If such religions were effective in teaching their members to love their neighbor, their flocks would be drawn together and be united. However, is that what you have observed? Are religions a force for unity? A recent survey in Germany asked the question: “Do religions unite people, or are they more likely to separate them?” Of the respondents, 22 percent felt that religions unite, whereas 52 percent felt that they divide, or separate. Perhaps people in your country feel much the same way.
Why do many have little confidence that religion can unite mankind? Perhaps because of what they know from history. Instead of drawing people together, religion has often pushed them apart. In some instances, religion has been the cover under which the most dreadful atrocities have been committed. Consider some examples from just the last 100 years.
Influenced by Religion
During the second world war, Roman Catholic Croats and Orthodox Serbs in the Balkans were at one another’s throats. Both groups claimed to follow Jesus, who taught his followers to love their neighbor. Yet, their conflict led to “one of the most appalling civilian massacres known to history,” as one researcher put it. The world was aghast at the death toll of more than 500,000 men, women, and children.
In 1947 the Indian subcontinent was home to some 400 million people—about a fifth of humanity—mainly Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. When India was partitioned, the Islamic nation of Pakistan was born. At the time, hundreds of thousands of refugees from both countries were burned, beaten, tortured, and shot in a series of religious massacres.
As if the foregoing examples were not disturbing enough, the turn of the century brought to the fore the threat of terrorism. Today, terrorism has put the whole world on alert, and many terrorist groups claim to have religious ties. Religion is not viewed as a promoter of unity. Instead, it is often associated with violence and disunity. Small wonder, therefore, that the German newsmagazine FOCUS compared the world’s major religions—Buddhism, Christendom, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism—to gunpowder.
Internal Squabbles
While some religions are at war with one another, others are beset by internal squabbles. For instance, in recent years the churches of Christendom have been split by ongoing debates on matters of doctrine. Clergy and laity alike ask: Is birth control permitted? What about abortion? Should women be ordained as priests? How ought the church to view homosexuality? Should a religion sanction war? In view of such disunity, many wonder, ‘How can a religion unite mankind if it cannot unite even its own members?’
Clearly, religion in general has failed to be a force for unity. But are all religions marked by divisions? Is there a religion that is different—one that can unite mankind?
Serve Jehovah and be happy
I wanted to create a special blog that I decided to write personally. Jehovah is an amazing God. And he blesses those who serve him. I hope you all find happiness because we are wating for the government to turn on religion WORLD WIDE - AND BIBLE PROPHECY HAS FORETOLD. That is the sign of the Great Tribulation that leads right into Armageddon. For those who are skeptics, be glad God has not fullfilled that prophecy yet. He is trying to allow as many people the opportunity to live forever as possible. This is the final hour.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Jehovah's Witnesses conventions
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTIONS
In 1893 the first major convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. It was attended by 360, and 70 new ones were baptized. The last big single international convention was held in New York City in 1958. It used both Yankee Stadium and the then-existing Polo Grounds. Peak attendance was 253,922; new ones baptized numbered 7,136. Since then international conventions have been held as a series in many countries. In all, such a series may involve a thousand conventions in lands around the globe.
There are over 7 million witnesses world wide!!!!
There are 3 conventions every year. Have you ever been to one??? One is coming up in June or July 2009 for Kentucky and Indiana. You will probably get an invite in your door! There's usually 2,000 to 7,000 attendes in certain areas at one convention.
In 1893 the first major convention was held in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. It was attended by 360, and 70 new ones were baptized. The last big single international convention was held in New York City in 1958. It used both Yankee Stadium and the then-existing Polo Grounds. Peak attendance was 253,922; new ones baptized numbered 7,136. Since then international conventions have been held as a series in many countries. In all, such a series may involve a thousand conventions in lands around the globe.
There are over 7 million witnesses world wide!!!!
There are 3 conventions every year. Have you ever been to one??? One is coming up in June or July 2009 for Kentucky and Indiana. You will probably get an invite in your door! There's usually 2,000 to 7,000 attendes in certain areas at one convention.
Jehovah's Witnesses printing facilities
PRINTING FACILITIES EXPAND
The history of Jehovah’s Witnesses in modern times has been filled with dramatic events. From the one small Bible study in Pennsylvania back in 1870, the Witnesses by the year 2000 grew to some 90,000 congregations worldwide. All literature was, at first, printed by commercial firms; then, in 1920, the Witnesses produced some literature in rented factory buildings. But from 1927 on, much more literature was turned out in the eight-story factory building in Brooklyn, New York, owned by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. This has now expanded into other factory buildings and an office complex. There are additional buildings nearby in Brooklyn to house the ministers who volunteer to operate the publishing facilities. In addition to this, a combination farm and printery is operated near Wallkill, in upstate New York. It handles printing of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines and produces some of the food for the ministers serving in the various locations. Each volunteer worker receives a small monthly reimbursement to cover incidental expenses.
The history of Jehovah’s Witnesses in modern times has been filled with dramatic events. From the one small Bible study in Pennsylvania back in 1870, the Witnesses by the year 2000 grew to some 90,000 congregations worldwide. All literature was, at first, printed by commercial firms; then, in 1920, the Witnesses produced some literature in rented factory buildings. But from 1927 on, much more literature was turned out in the eight-story factory building in Brooklyn, New York, owned by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. This has now expanded into other factory buildings and an office complex. There are additional buildings nearby in Brooklyn to house the ministers who volunteer to operate the publishing facilities. In addition to this, a combination farm and printery is operated near Wallkill, in upstate New York. It handles printing of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines and produces some of the food for the ministers serving in the various locations. Each volunteer worker receives a small monthly reimbursement to cover incidental expenses.
Jehovah's Witnesses 1914
THE YEAR 1914
A crucial time was drawing close. In 1876 the Bible student Charles Taze Russell contributed the article "Gentile Times: When Do They End?" to the Bible Examiner, published in Brooklyn, New York, which said on page 27 of its October issue, "The seven times will end in A.D. 1914." The Gentile Times is the period referred to in another Bible translation as "the appointed times of the nations." (Luke 21:24) Not all that was expected to happen in 1914 did happen, but it did mark the end of the Gentile Times and was a year of special significance. Many historians and commentators agree that 1914 was a turning point in human history. The following quotations illustrate this:
"The last completely ‘normal’ year in history was 1913, the year before World War I began."-Editorial in the Times-Herald, Washington, D.C., March 13, 1949.
"Increasingly, the 75-year period from 1914 to 1989, covering two world wars and the cold war, is being seen by historians as a single, discrete epoch, a time apart in which much of the world was fighting war, recovering from war or preparing for war."-The New York Times, May 7, 1995.
"The whole world really blew up about World War I and we still don’t know why. Before then, men thought that utopia was in sight. There was peace and prosperity. Then everything blew up. We’ve been in a state of suspended animation ever since . . . More people have been killed in this century than in all of history."-Dr. Walker Percy, American Medical News, November 21, 1977.
More than 50 years after 1914, German statesman Konrad Adenauer wrote: "Security and quiet have disappeared from the lives of men since 1914."-The West Parker, Cleveland, Ohio, January 20, 1966.
The Society’s first president, C. T. Russell, died in 1916 and was succeeded the following year by Joseph F. Rutherford. Many changes took place. A companion magazine to The Watchtower, called The Golden Age, was introduced. (Now called Awake!, with a circulation of more than 20,000,000 in over 80 languages.) Door-to-door witnessing received greater emphasis. To distinguish themselves from the denominations of Christendom, in 1931 these Christians embraced the name Jehovah’s Witnesses. This name is based on Isaiah 43:10-12.
The radio was used extensively in the 1920’s and 1930’s. By 1933 the Society was using 403 radio stations to broadcast Bible lectures. Later, the use of the radio was largely replaced by increased house-to-house visits by Witnesses with portable phonographs and recorded Bible talks. Home Bible studies were started with anyone who showed interest in Bible truth.
A crucial time was drawing close. In 1876 the Bible student Charles Taze Russell contributed the article "Gentile Times: When Do They End?" to the Bible Examiner, published in Brooklyn, New York, which said on page 27 of its October issue, "The seven times will end in A.D. 1914." The Gentile Times is the period referred to in another Bible translation as "the appointed times of the nations." (Luke 21:24) Not all that was expected to happen in 1914 did happen, but it did mark the end of the Gentile Times and was a year of special significance. Many historians and commentators agree that 1914 was a turning point in human history. The following quotations illustrate this:
"The last completely ‘normal’ year in history was 1913, the year before World War I began."-Editorial in the Times-Herald, Washington, D.C., March 13, 1949.
"Increasingly, the 75-year period from 1914 to 1989, covering two world wars and the cold war, is being seen by historians as a single, discrete epoch, a time apart in which much of the world was fighting war, recovering from war or preparing for war."-The New York Times, May 7, 1995.
"The whole world really blew up about World War I and we still don’t know why. Before then, men thought that utopia was in sight. There was peace and prosperity. Then everything blew up. We’ve been in a state of suspended animation ever since . . . More people have been killed in this century than in all of history."-Dr. Walker Percy, American Medical News, November 21, 1977.
More than 50 years after 1914, German statesman Konrad Adenauer wrote: "Security and quiet have disappeared from the lives of men since 1914."-The West Parker, Cleveland, Ohio, January 20, 1966.
The Society’s first president, C. T. Russell, died in 1916 and was succeeded the following year by Joseph F. Rutherford. Many changes took place. A companion magazine to The Watchtower, called The Golden Age, was introduced. (Now called Awake!, with a circulation of more than 20,000,000 in over 80 languages.) Door-to-door witnessing received greater emphasis. To distinguish themselves from the denominations of Christendom, in 1931 these Christians embraced the name Jehovah’s Witnesses. This name is based on Isaiah 43:10-12.
The radio was used extensively in the 1920’s and 1930’s. By 1933 the Society was using 403 radio stations to broadcast Bible lectures. Later, the use of the radio was largely replaced by increased house-to-house visits by Witnesses with portable phonographs and recorded Bible talks. Home Bible studies were started with anyone who showed interest in Bible truth.
Jehovah's Witnesses Growth
Their Modern Development and Growth
THE modern history of Jehovah’s Witnesses began more than a hundred years ago. In the early 1870’s, a rather inconspicuous Bible study group began in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., which is now a part of Pittsburgh. Charles Taze Russell was the prime mover of the group. In July 1879, the first issue of the magazine Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence appeared. By 1880 scores of congregations had spread from that one small Bible study into nearby states. In 1881 Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society was formed, and in 1884 it was incorporated, with Russell as president. The Society’s name was later changed to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Many were witnessing from house to house offering Bible literature. Fifty persons were doing this full time in 1888-now the average number worldwide is about 700,000.
By 1909 the work had become international, and the Society’s headquarters was moved to its present location in Brooklyn, New York. Printed sermons were syndicated in newspapers, and by 1913 these were in four languages in 3,000 newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Books, booklets, and tracts had been distributed by the hundreds of millions.
In 1912 work began on the "Photo-Drama of Creation." By slides and motion pictures with sound, it covered from earth’s creation to the end of Christ’s Thousand Year Reign. Showings started in 1914, with 35,000 seeing it daily. It was a pioneer in motion pictures with sound.
THE modern history of Jehovah’s Witnesses began more than a hundred years ago. In the early 1870’s, a rather inconspicuous Bible study group began in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., which is now a part of Pittsburgh. Charles Taze Russell was the prime mover of the group. In July 1879, the first issue of the magazine Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence appeared. By 1880 scores of congregations had spread from that one small Bible study into nearby states. In 1881 Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society was formed, and in 1884 it was incorporated, with Russell as president. The Society’s name was later changed to Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Many were witnessing from house to house offering Bible literature. Fifty persons were doing this full time in 1888-now the average number worldwide is about 700,000.
By 1909 the work had become international, and the Society’s headquarters was moved to its present location in Brooklyn, New York. Printed sermons were syndicated in newspapers, and by 1913 these were in four languages in 3,000 newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Books, booklets, and tracts had been distributed by the hundreds of millions.
In 1912 work began on the "Photo-Drama of Creation." By slides and motion pictures with sound, it covered from earth’s creation to the end of Christ’s Thousand Year Reign. Showings started in 1914, with 35,000 seeing it daily. It was a pioneer in motion pictures with sound.
Jehovah's Witnesses - Where they get their name
THEIR NAME
Jehovah’s Witnesses? Yes, that is the way they refer to themselves. It is a descriptive name, indicating that they bear witness concerning Jehovah, his Godship, and his purposes. "God," "Lord," and "Creator"-like "President," "King," and "General"-are titles and may be applied to several different personages. But "Jehovah" is a personal name and refers to the almighty God and Creator of the universe. This is shown at Psalm 83:18, according to the King James version of the Bible: "That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth."
The name Jehovah (or Yahweh, as the Roman Catholic Jerusalem Bible and some scholars prefer) appears almost 7,000 times in the original Hebrew Scriptures. Most Bibles do not show it as such but substitute "God" or "Lord" for it. However, even in these Bibles, a person can usually tell where the original Hebrew text uses Jehovah because in those places the substituted words are written in large and small capitals, thus: GOD, LORD. Several modern translations do use either the name Jehovah or the name Yahweh. Hence, the New World Translation reads at Isaiah 42:8, "I am Jehovah. That is my name."
The Scriptural account that Jehovah’s Witnesses draw on for their name is in the 43rd chapter of Isaiah. There the world scene is viewed as a courtroom drama: The gods of the nations are invited to bring forth their witnesses to prove their claimed cases of righteousness or to hear the witnesses for Jehovah’s side and acknowledge the truth. Jehovah there declares to his people: "Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour."-Isaiah 43:10, 11, American Standard Version.
Jehovah God had witnesses on earth during the thousands of years before Jesus was born. After Hebrews chapter 11 lists some of those men of faith, Hebrews 12:1 says: "So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Jesus said before Pontius Pilate: "For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth." He is called "the faithful and true witness." (John 18:37; Revelation 3:14) Jesus told his disciples: "You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth."-Acts 1:8.
Hence, some 6,000,000 persons today who are telling the good news of Jehovah’s Kingdom by Christ Jesus in over 230 lands feel that they properly refer to themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Jehovah’s Witnesses? Yes, that is the way they refer to themselves. It is a descriptive name, indicating that they bear witness concerning Jehovah, his Godship, and his purposes. "God," "Lord," and "Creator"-like "President," "King," and "General"-are titles and may be applied to several different personages. But "Jehovah" is a personal name and refers to the almighty God and Creator of the universe. This is shown at Psalm 83:18, according to the King James version of the Bible: "That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth."
The name Jehovah (or Yahweh, as the Roman Catholic Jerusalem Bible and some scholars prefer) appears almost 7,000 times in the original Hebrew Scriptures. Most Bibles do not show it as such but substitute "God" or "Lord" for it. However, even in these Bibles, a person can usually tell where the original Hebrew text uses Jehovah because in those places the substituted words are written in large and small capitals, thus: GOD, LORD. Several modern translations do use either the name Jehovah or the name Yahweh. Hence, the New World Translation reads at Isaiah 42:8, "I am Jehovah. That is my name."
The Scriptural account that Jehovah’s Witnesses draw on for their name is in the 43rd chapter of Isaiah. There the world scene is viewed as a courtroom drama: The gods of the nations are invited to bring forth their witnesses to prove their claimed cases of righteousness or to hear the witnesses for Jehovah’s side and acknowledge the truth. Jehovah there declares to his people: "Ye are my witnesses, saith Jehovah, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour."-Isaiah 43:10, 11, American Standard Version.
Jehovah God had witnesses on earth during the thousands of years before Jesus was born. After Hebrews chapter 11 lists some of those men of faith, Hebrews 12:1 says: "So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Jesus said before Pontius Pilate: "For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth." He is called "the faithful and true witness." (John 18:37; Revelation 3:14) Jesus told his disciples: "You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth."-Acts 1:8.
Hence, some 6,000,000 persons today who are telling the good news of Jehovah’s Kingdom by Christ Jesus in over 230 lands feel that they properly refer to themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Moe about Jehovah's Witnesses
Who Are They?
IT IS the desire of Jehovah’s Witnesses that you become better acquainted with them. You may have met them as neighbors and fellow employees or in other daily affairs of life. You may have seen them on the street, offering their magazines to passersby. Or you may have spoken briefly with them at your door.
Actually, Jehovah’s Witnesses are interested in you and your welfare. They want to be your friends and to tell you more about themselves, their beliefs, their organization, and how they feel about people and the world in which all of us live. To accomplish this, they have prepared this brochure for you.
In most ways Jehovah’s Witnesses are like everyone else. They have normal problems-economic, physical, emotional. They make mistakes at times, for they are not perfect, inspired, or infallible. But they try to learn from their experiences and diligently study the Bible to make needed corrections. They have made a dedication to God to do his will, and they apply themselves to fulfill this dedication. In all their activities they seek guidance from God’s Word and his holy spirit.
It is of vital importance to them that their beliefs be based on the Bible and not on mere human speculations or religious creeds. They feel as did the apostle Paul when he expressed himself under inspiration: “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.” (Romans 3:4, New World Translation) When it comes to teachings offered as Biblical truth, the Witnesses strongly endorse the course followed by the Beroeans when they heard the apostle Paul preach: “They received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11) Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that all religious teachings should be subjected to this test of agreement with the inspired Scriptures, whether the teaching is offered by them or by someone else. They invite you-urge you-to do this in your discussions with them.
From this it is apparent that Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in the Bible as the Word of God. They consider its 66 books to be inspired and historically accurate. What is commonly called the New Testament they refer to as the Christian Greek Scriptures, and the Old Testament they call the Hebrew Scriptures. They rely on both of these, the Greek and the Hebrew Scriptures, and take them literally except where the expressions or settings obviously indicate that they are figurative or symbolic. They understand that many of the prophecies of the Bible have been fulfilled, others are in the course of fulfillment, and still others await fulfillment.
IT IS the desire of Jehovah’s Witnesses that you become better acquainted with them. You may have met them as neighbors and fellow employees or in other daily affairs of life. You may have seen them on the street, offering their magazines to passersby. Or you may have spoken briefly with them at your door.
Actually, Jehovah’s Witnesses are interested in you and your welfare. They want to be your friends and to tell you more about themselves, their beliefs, their organization, and how they feel about people and the world in which all of us live. To accomplish this, they have prepared this brochure for you.
In most ways Jehovah’s Witnesses are like everyone else. They have normal problems-economic, physical, emotional. They make mistakes at times, for they are not perfect, inspired, or infallible. But they try to learn from their experiences and diligently study the Bible to make needed corrections. They have made a dedication to God to do his will, and they apply themselves to fulfill this dedication. In all their activities they seek guidance from God’s Word and his holy spirit.
It is of vital importance to them that their beliefs be based on the Bible and not on mere human speculations or religious creeds. They feel as did the apostle Paul when he expressed himself under inspiration: “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar.” (Romans 3:4, New World Translation) When it comes to teachings offered as Biblical truth, the Witnesses strongly endorse the course followed by the Beroeans when they heard the apostle Paul preach: “They received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11) Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that all religious teachings should be subjected to this test of agreement with the inspired Scriptures, whether the teaching is offered by them or by someone else. They invite you-urge you-to do this in your discussions with them.
From this it is apparent that Jehovah’s Witnesses believe in the Bible as the Word of God. They consider its 66 books to be inspired and historically accurate. What is commonly called the New Testament they refer to as the Christian Greek Scriptures, and the Old Testament they call the Hebrew Scriptures. They rely on both of these, the Greek and the Hebrew Scriptures, and take them literally except where the expressions or settings obviously indicate that they are figurative or symbolic. They understand that many of the prophecies of the Bible have been fulfilled, others are in the course of fulfillment, and still others await fulfillment.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Do you have to preach when you become a witness?
If I become one of Jehovah's Witnesses, would I be expected to preach as they do?
When one becomes filled with the knowledge of the promised earthly Paradise under Christ's Kingdom, one wants to share it with others. You will too. It is good news!—Acts 5:41, 42.
Doing this is an important way of showing that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. In the Bible, Jesus is called "the faithful and true witness." When on earth he preached, saying: "The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near," and he sent out his disciples to do the same. (Revelation 3:14; Matthew 4:17; 10:7) Later, Jesus commanded his followers: "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, . . . teaching them." He also foretold that before the end, "this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations."—Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20.
There are many ways of declaring this good news. Conversation with friends and acquaintances often opens the way to do so. Some do it by writing letters or by using the telephone. Others mail literature containing material that they think an acquaintance would be especially interested in. Out of a desire to miss no one, Witnesses go from door to door with the message.
The Bible contains this warm invitation: "The spirit and the bride keep on saying: 'Come!' And let anyone hearing say: 'Come!' And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life's water free." (Revelation 22:17) Telling others about the Paradise earth and its blessings is to be done willingly, out of a heart filled with a desire to share this good news.
We are sure that you have other questions about Jehovah's Witnesses and their beliefs. Perhaps some issues are controversial in nature. We would like to answer your questions. Space is limited in this brochure, so we invite you to ask the Witnesses locally. You can do so either at their Kingdom Hall meetings or when they visit you in your home. Or you may send your questions to Watch Tower, using the appropriate address.
When one becomes filled with the knowledge of the promised earthly Paradise under Christ's Kingdom, one wants to share it with others. You will too. It is good news!—Acts 5:41, 42.
Doing this is an important way of showing that you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. In the Bible, Jesus is called "the faithful and true witness." When on earth he preached, saying: "The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near," and he sent out his disciples to do the same. (Revelation 3:14; Matthew 4:17; 10:7) Later, Jesus commanded his followers: "Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, . . . teaching them." He also foretold that before the end, "this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations."—Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20.
There are many ways of declaring this good news. Conversation with friends and acquaintances often opens the way to do so. Some do it by writing letters or by using the telephone. Others mail literature containing material that they think an acquaintance would be especially interested in. Out of a desire to miss no one, Witnesses go from door to door with the message.
The Bible contains this warm invitation: "The spirit and the bride keep on saying: 'Come!' And let anyone hearing say: 'Come!' And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life's water free." (Revelation 22:17) Telling others about the Paradise earth and its blessings is to be done willingly, out of a heart filled with a desire to share this good news.
We are sure that you have other questions about Jehovah's Witnesses and their beliefs. Perhaps some issues are controversial in nature. We would like to answer your questions. Space is limited in this brochure, so we invite you to ask the Witnesses locally. You can do so either at their Kingdom Hall meetings or when they visit you in your home. Or you may send your questions to Watch Tower, using the appropriate address.
Are there money collections taken up at the meetings?
What financial contributions are expected of those attending meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses?
Regarding money contributions, the apostle Paul said: "Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7) At the Kingdom Halls and convention auditoriums of Jehovah's Witnesses, no collections are ever taken. Boxes are placed so that it is convenient for any who wish to contribute to do so. No one knows what or if others give. Some are able to give more than others; some may not be able to give anything. Jesus showed the right view when he commented on the treasury box at the temple in Jerusalem and those contributing: It is one's capacity to give and the spirit of giving that count, not the amount of money.—Luke 21:1-4.
Regarding money contributions, the apostle Paul said: "Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7) At the Kingdom Halls and convention auditoriums of Jehovah's Witnesses, no collections are ever taken. Boxes are placed so that it is convenient for any who wish to contribute to do so. No one knows what or if others give. Some are able to give more than others; some may not be able to give anything. Jesus showed the right view when he commented on the treasury box at the temple in Jerusalem and those contributing: It is one's capacity to give and the spirit of giving that count, not the amount of money.—Luke 21:1-4.
Who are Jehovah's Witnesses? Let's see!
Jehovah's Witnesses—Who Are They? What Do They Believe?
Questions Often Asked by Interested People
If God is love, why does he permit wickedness?
GOD does permit wickedness, and millions on earth willfully make a practice of it. For instance, they declare wars, drop bombs on children, scorch the earth, and cause famines. Millions smoke and get lung cancer, practice adultery and get sexually transmitted diseases, use alcohol to excess and get cirrhosis of the liver, and so on. Such people do not truly want all wickedness stopped. They only want the penalties for it eliminated. When they reap what they have sown, they cry out, "Why me?" And they blame God, as Proverbs 19:3 says: "A man's own folly wrecks his life, and then he bears a grudge against the LORD." (The New English Bible) And if God stopped their evildoing, they would protest their loss of freedom to do it!
Jehovah's main reason for permitting evil is to answer Satan's challenge. Satan the Devil said that God could not put men on earth who would be true to Him under test. (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-10) Jehovah allows Satan to remain to have opportunity to prove his challenge. (Exodus 9:16) Satan continues to bring woes now, to turn men against God, as he tries to prove his challenge. (Revelation 12:12) However, Job kept integrity. So did Jesus. True Christians do now.—Job 27:5; 31:6; Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Peter 1:6, 7.
I would like to believe in an earthly paradise where people live forever, but isn't that too good to be true?
Not according to the Bible. It seems too good to be true only because mankind has known the bad for so many centuries. Jehovah created the earth and told mankind to fill it with righteous men and women who would care for its plant and animal life and preserve its beauty instead of destroying it. (See pages 12 and 17.) Rather than that promised Paradise being too good to be true, the present sorrowful state is too bad to continue. Paradise will replace it.
How can I answer people who scoff and say that the Bible is a myth and is unscientific?
Faith in these promises is not a matter of credulity. "Faith follows the thing heard." By studying God's Word, its wisdom becomes apparent and faith grows.—Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:1.
Biblical archaeology confirms much of the Bible's historical accuracy. True science harmonizes with the Bible. The following facts were in the Bible long before they were discovered by secular scholars: the order of stages through which the earth passed in its development, that the earth is round, that it hangs in space on nothing, and that birds migrate.—Genesis, chapter 1; Isaiah 40:22; Job 26:7; Jeremiah 8:7.
The inspiration of the Bible is shown by fulfilled prophecies. Daniel foretold in advance the rise and the fall of world powers, as well as the time when the Messiah would come and be put to death. (Daniel, chapters 2, 8; 9:24-27) Today, still other prophecies are being fulfilled, identifying these as "the last days." (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Matthew, chapter 24) Such foreknowledge is not within man's power. (Isaiah 41:23) For more confirmation, see the books The Bible—God's Word or Man's? and Is There a Creator Who Cares About You?, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
How can I learn to answer questions on the Bible?
You must study the Bible and meditate on it, at the same time asking for God's spirit to direct you. (Proverbs 15:28; Luke 11:9-13) "If any one of you is lacking in wisdom," the Bible says, "let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him." (James 1:5) Also, there are Bible study aids worth consulting. Usually help from others is needed, as when Philip studied with the Ethiopian. (Acts 8:26-35) Jehovah's Witnesses conduct Bible studies free of charge with interested people in their homes. Feel free to request this service.
Why do many oppose Jehovah's Witnesses and tell me not to study with them?
There was opposition to Jesus' preaching, and he said that his followers also would be opposed. When some were impressed with Jesus' teaching, religious opposers retorted: "You have not been misled also, have you? Not one of the rulers or of the Pharisees has put faith in him, has he?" (John 7:46-48; 15:20) Many who advise you not to study with the Witnesses are either uninformed or prejudiced. Study with the Witnesses and see for yourself whether your Bible understanding increases or not.—Matthew 7:17-20.
Why do the Witnesses call on people who have their own religion?
In doing this they follow Jesus' example. He went to the Jews. The Jews had their own religion, but in many ways it had turned away from the Word of God. (Matthew 15:1-9) All nations have religions of some kind, whether so-called Christian or non-Christian. It is vitally important for people to hold beliefs that conform to God's own Word, and the efforts of the Witnesses to assist them in doing this constitute a showing of neighbor love.
Do the Witnesses believe that their religion is the only right one?
Anyone who is serious about his religion should think that it is the right one. Otherwise, why would he or she be involved in it? Christians are admonished: "Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine." (1 Thessalonians 5:21) A person should make sure that his beliefs can be supported by the Scriptures, for there is only one true faith. Ephesians 4:5 confirms this, mentioning "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." Jesus did not agree with the modern, relaxed view that there are many roads, many religions, all leading to salvation. Instead, he said: "Narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it." Jehovah's Witnesses believe that they have found it. Otherwise, they would look for another religion.—Matthew 7:14.
Do they believe that they are the only ones who will be saved?
No. Millions that have lived in centuries past and who were not Jehovah's Witnesses will come back in a resurrection and have an opportunity for life. Many now living may yet take a stand for truth and righteousness before the "great tribulation," and they will gain salvation. Moreover, Jesus said that we should not be judging one another. We look at the outward appearance; God looks at the heart. He sees accurately and judges mercifully. He has committed judgment into Jesus' hands, not ours.—Matthew 7:1-5; 24:21; 25:31.
Questions Often Asked by Interested People
If God is love, why does he permit wickedness?
GOD does permit wickedness, and millions on earth willfully make a practice of it. For instance, they declare wars, drop bombs on children, scorch the earth, and cause famines. Millions smoke and get lung cancer, practice adultery and get sexually transmitted diseases, use alcohol to excess and get cirrhosis of the liver, and so on. Such people do not truly want all wickedness stopped. They only want the penalties for it eliminated. When they reap what they have sown, they cry out, "Why me?" And they blame God, as Proverbs 19:3 says: "A man's own folly wrecks his life, and then he bears a grudge against the LORD." (The New English Bible) And if God stopped their evildoing, they would protest their loss of freedom to do it!
Jehovah's main reason for permitting evil is to answer Satan's challenge. Satan the Devil said that God could not put men on earth who would be true to Him under test. (Job 1:6-12; 2:1-10) Jehovah allows Satan to remain to have opportunity to prove his challenge. (Exodus 9:16) Satan continues to bring woes now, to turn men against God, as he tries to prove his challenge. (Revelation 12:12) However, Job kept integrity. So did Jesus. True Christians do now.—Job 27:5; 31:6; Matthew 4:1-11; 1 Peter 1:6, 7.
I would like to believe in an earthly paradise where people live forever, but isn't that too good to be true?
Not according to the Bible. It seems too good to be true only because mankind has known the bad for so many centuries. Jehovah created the earth and told mankind to fill it with righteous men and women who would care for its plant and animal life and preserve its beauty instead of destroying it. (See pages 12 and 17.) Rather than that promised Paradise being too good to be true, the present sorrowful state is too bad to continue. Paradise will replace it.
How can I answer people who scoff and say that the Bible is a myth and is unscientific?
Faith in these promises is not a matter of credulity. "Faith follows the thing heard." By studying God's Word, its wisdom becomes apparent and faith grows.—Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:1.
Biblical archaeology confirms much of the Bible's historical accuracy. True science harmonizes with the Bible. The following facts were in the Bible long before they were discovered by secular scholars: the order of stages through which the earth passed in its development, that the earth is round, that it hangs in space on nothing, and that birds migrate.—Genesis, chapter 1; Isaiah 40:22; Job 26:7; Jeremiah 8:7.
The inspiration of the Bible is shown by fulfilled prophecies. Daniel foretold in advance the rise and the fall of world powers, as well as the time when the Messiah would come and be put to death. (Daniel, chapters 2, 8; 9:24-27) Today, still other prophecies are being fulfilled, identifying these as "the last days." (2 Timothy 3:1-5; Matthew, chapter 24) Such foreknowledge is not within man's power. (Isaiah 41:23) For more confirmation, see the books The Bible—God's Word or Man's? and Is There a Creator Who Cares About You?, published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
How can I learn to answer questions on the Bible?
You must study the Bible and meditate on it, at the same time asking for God's spirit to direct you. (Proverbs 15:28; Luke 11:9-13) "If any one of you is lacking in wisdom," the Bible says, "let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him." (James 1:5) Also, there are Bible study aids worth consulting. Usually help from others is needed, as when Philip studied with the Ethiopian. (Acts 8:26-35) Jehovah's Witnesses conduct Bible studies free of charge with interested people in their homes. Feel free to request this service.
Why do many oppose Jehovah's Witnesses and tell me not to study with them?
There was opposition to Jesus' preaching, and he said that his followers also would be opposed. When some were impressed with Jesus' teaching, religious opposers retorted: "You have not been misled also, have you? Not one of the rulers or of the Pharisees has put faith in him, has he?" (John 7:46-48; 15:20) Many who advise you not to study with the Witnesses are either uninformed or prejudiced. Study with the Witnesses and see for yourself whether your Bible understanding increases or not.—Matthew 7:17-20.
Why do the Witnesses call on people who have their own religion?
In doing this they follow Jesus' example. He went to the Jews. The Jews had their own religion, but in many ways it had turned away from the Word of God. (Matthew 15:1-9) All nations have religions of some kind, whether so-called Christian or non-Christian. It is vitally important for people to hold beliefs that conform to God's own Word, and the efforts of the Witnesses to assist them in doing this constitute a showing of neighbor love.
Do the Witnesses believe that their religion is the only right one?
Anyone who is serious about his religion should think that it is the right one. Otherwise, why would he or she be involved in it? Christians are admonished: "Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine." (1 Thessalonians 5:21) A person should make sure that his beliefs can be supported by the Scriptures, for there is only one true faith. Ephesians 4:5 confirms this, mentioning "one Lord, one faith, one baptism." Jesus did not agree with the modern, relaxed view that there are many roads, many religions, all leading to salvation. Instead, he said: "Narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it." Jehovah's Witnesses believe that they have found it. Otherwise, they would look for another religion.—Matthew 7:14.
Do they believe that they are the only ones who will be saved?
No. Millions that have lived in centuries past and who were not Jehovah's Witnesses will come back in a resurrection and have an opportunity for life. Many now living may yet take a stand for truth and righteousness before the "great tribulation," and they will gain salvation. Moreover, Jesus said that we should not be judging one another. We look at the outward appearance; God looks at the heart. He sees accurately and judges mercifully. He has committed judgment into Jesus' hands, not ours.—Matthew 7:1-5; 24:21; 25:31.
Are You Interested in Dedicating your life to God?
Are you impressed by all you have learned so far? Would you like to study the Bible with one of Jehovah's Witnesses? Go to www.watchtower.org and click on request more information. Fill out the form and put the best day and time for someone to contact you. You can have a 15 min. study or up to 1/2 hours. Depending on your circumstances.
Lesson 9 - God's Servants MUST be clean
Lesson 9
God’s Servants Must Be Clean
Why must we be clean in every way? (1)
What does it mean to be spiritually clean? (2) morally clean? (3) mentally clean? (4) physically clean? (5)
What kinds of unclean speech should we avoid? (6)
1. Jehovah God is clean and holy. He expects his worshipers to remain clean-spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically. (1 Peter 1:16) It takes real effort to stay clean in God’s eyes. We live in an unclean world. We also have a struggle against our own tendencies to do wrong. But we must not give up.
2. Spiritual Cleanness: If we want to serve Jehovah, we cannot hold on to any of the teachings or customs of false religion. We must get out of false religion and not support it in any way. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Revelation 18:4) Once we have learned the truth about God, we must be careful not to be misled by people who teach falsehood.-2 John 10, 11.
3. Moral Cleanness: Jehovah wants his worshipers to behave as true Christians at all times. (1 Peter 2:12) He sees everything we do, even in secret. (Hebrews 4:13) We should avoid sexual immorality and other unclean practices of this world.-1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
4. Mental Cleanness: If we fill our minds with clean, pure thoughts, our conduct will also be clean. (Philippians 4:8) But if we dwell on unclean things, it will result in wicked deeds. (Matthew 15:18-20) We should avoid forms of entertainment that could soil our minds. We can fill our minds with clean thoughts by studying God’s Word.
5. Physical Cleanness: Because they represent God, Christians should keep their bodies and clothing clean. We should wash our hands after using the toilet, and we should wash them before eating meals or handling food. If you do not have a proper sewage disposal system, toilet wastes should be buried. (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13) Keeping physically clean contributes to good health. A Christian’s home should be neat and clean both inside and outside. It should stand out in the community as a good example.
6. Clean Speech: God’s servants must always speak the truth. Liars will not enter God’s Kingdom. (Ephesians 4:25; Revelation 21:8) Christians do not use bad language. They do not listen to or tell dirty jokes or unclean stories. Because of their clean speech, they stand out as different at work or at school and in the neighborhood.-Ephesians 4:29, 31; 5:3.
[Pictures on page 18, 19]
God’s servants must be clean in all respects
God’s Servants Must Be Clean
Why must we be clean in every way? (1)
What does it mean to be spiritually clean? (2) morally clean? (3) mentally clean? (4) physically clean? (5)
What kinds of unclean speech should we avoid? (6)
1. Jehovah God is clean and holy. He expects his worshipers to remain clean-spiritually, morally, mentally, and physically. (1 Peter 1:16) It takes real effort to stay clean in God’s eyes. We live in an unclean world. We also have a struggle against our own tendencies to do wrong. But we must not give up.
2. Spiritual Cleanness: If we want to serve Jehovah, we cannot hold on to any of the teachings or customs of false religion. We must get out of false religion and not support it in any way. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Revelation 18:4) Once we have learned the truth about God, we must be careful not to be misled by people who teach falsehood.-2 John 10, 11.
3. Moral Cleanness: Jehovah wants his worshipers to behave as true Christians at all times. (1 Peter 2:12) He sees everything we do, even in secret. (Hebrews 4:13) We should avoid sexual immorality and other unclean practices of this world.-1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
4. Mental Cleanness: If we fill our minds with clean, pure thoughts, our conduct will also be clean. (Philippians 4:8) But if we dwell on unclean things, it will result in wicked deeds. (Matthew 15:18-20) We should avoid forms of entertainment that could soil our minds. We can fill our minds with clean thoughts by studying God’s Word.
5. Physical Cleanness: Because they represent God, Christians should keep their bodies and clothing clean. We should wash our hands after using the toilet, and we should wash them before eating meals or handling food. If you do not have a proper sewage disposal system, toilet wastes should be buried. (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13) Keeping physically clean contributes to good health. A Christian’s home should be neat and clean both inside and outside. It should stand out in the community as a good example.
6. Clean Speech: God’s servants must always speak the truth. Liars will not enter God’s Kingdom. (Ephesians 4:25; Revelation 21:8) Christians do not use bad language. They do not listen to or tell dirty jokes or unclean stories. Because of their clean speech, they stand out as different at work or at school and in the neighborhood.-Ephesians 4:29, 31; 5:3.
[Pictures on page 18, 19]
God’s servants must be clean in all respects
Lesson 8 Require Brochure Family Life
Lesson 8
Family Life That Pleases God
What is the husband’s position in the family? (1)
How should a husband treat his wife? (2)
What responsibilities does a father have? (3)
What is the wife’s role in the family? (4)
What does God require of parents and of children? (5)
What is the Bible’s view of separation and of divorce? (6, 7)
1. The Bible says that a husband is the head of his family. (1 Corinthians 11:3) A husband must have only one wife. They should be properly married in the eyes of the law.-1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 3:1.
2. A husband should love his wife just as he loves himself. He should treat her the way Jesus treats his followers. (Ephesians 5:25, 28, 29) He should never hit his wife or mistreat her in any way. Rather, he should show her honor and respect.-Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7.
3. A father should work hard to care for his family. He must provide food, clothing, and housing for his wife and children. A father must also provide for his family’s spiritual needs. (1 Timothy 5:8) He takes the lead in helping his family to learn about God and His purposes.-Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Ephesians 6:4.
4. A wife should be a good helper for her husband. (Genesis 2:18) She should assist her husband in teaching and training their children. (Proverbs 1:8) Jehovah requires a wife to care for her family lovingly. (Proverbs 31:10, 15, 26, 27; Titus 2:4, 5) She should have deep respect for her husband.-Ephesians 5:22, 23, 33.
5. God requires children to obey their parents. (Ephesians 6:1-3) He expects parents to instruct and correct their children. Parents need to spend time with their children and study the Bible with them, caring for their spiritual and emotional needs. (Deuteronomy 11:18, 19; Proverbs 22:6, 15) Parents should never discipline their children in a harsh or cruel way.-Colossians 3:21.
6. When marriage mates have problems getting along together, they should try to apply Bible counsel. The Bible urges us to show love and to be forgiving. (Colossians 3:12-14) God’s Word does not encourage separation as a way to solve minor problems. But a wife might choose to leave her husband if (1) he stubbornly refuses to support his family, (2) he is so violent that her health and life are in danger, or (3) his extreme opposition makes it impossible for her to worship Jehovah.-1 Corinthians 7:12, 13.
7. Marriage mates must be faithful to each other. Adultery is a sin against God and against one’s mate. (Hebrews 13:4) Sex relations outside the marriage is the only Scriptural ground for divorce allowing for remarriage. (Matthew 19:6-9; Romans 7:2, 3) Jehovah hates it when people get divorced without Scriptural grounds and marry someone else.-Malachi 2:14-16.
[Pictures on page 16, 17]
A loving father provides for his family materially and spiritually
[Picture on page 17]
God expects parents to instruct their children and to correct them
Family Life That Pleases God
What is the husband’s position in the family? (1)
How should a husband treat his wife? (2)
What responsibilities does a father have? (3)
What is the wife’s role in the family? (4)
What does God require of parents and of children? (5)
What is the Bible’s view of separation and of divorce? (6, 7)
1. The Bible says that a husband is the head of his family. (1 Corinthians 11:3) A husband must have only one wife. They should be properly married in the eyes of the law.-1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 3:1.
2. A husband should love his wife just as he loves himself. He should treat her the way Jesus treats his followers. (Ephesians 5:25, 28, 29) He should never hit his wife or mistreat her in any way. Rather, he should show her honor and respect.-Colossians 3:19; 1 Peter 3:7.
3. A father should work hard to care for his family. He must provide food, clothing, and housing for his wife and children. A father must also provide for his family’s spiritual needs. (1 Timothy 5:8) He takes the lead in helping his family to learn about God and His purposes.-Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Ephesians 6:4.
4. A wife should be a good helper for her husband. (Genesis 2:18) She should assist her husband in teaching and training their children. (Proverbs 1:8) Jehovah requires a wife to care for her family lovingly. (Proverbs 31:10, 15, 26, 27; Titus 2:4, 5) She should have deep respect for her husband.-Ephesians 5:22, 23, 33.
5. God requires children to obey their parents. (Ephesians 6:1-3) He expects parents to instruct and correct their children. Parents need to spend time with their children and study the Bible with them, caring for their spiritual and emotional needs. (Deuteronomy 11:18, 19; Proverbs 22:6, 15) Parents should never discipline their children in a harsh or cruel way.-Colossians 3:21.
6. When marriage mates have problems getting along together, they should try to apply Bible counsel. The Bible urges us to show love and to be forgiving. (Colossians 3:12-14) God’s Word does not encourage separation as a way to solve minor problems. But a wife might choose to leave her husband if (1) he stubbornly refuses to support his family, (2) he is so violent that her health and life are in danger, or (3) his extreme opposition makes it impossible for her to worship Jehovah.-1 Corinthians 7:12, 13.
7. Marriage mates must be faithful to each other. Adultery is a sin against God and against one’s mate. (Hebrews 13:4) Sex relations outside the marriage is the only Scriptural ground for divorce allowing for remarriage. (Matthew 19:6-9; Romans 7:2, 3) Jehovah hates it when people get divorced without Scriptural grounds and marry someone else.-Malachi 2:14-16.
[Pictures on page 16, 17]
A loving father provides for his family materially and spiritually
[Picture on page 17]
God expects parents to instruct their children and to correct them
Lesson 7 Prayer - Require Brochure
Lesson 7
Drawing Close to God in Prayer
Why is it important to pray regularly? (1)
To whom should we pray, and how? (2, 3)
What are proper subjects for prayer? (4)
When should you pray? (5, 6)
Does God listen to all prayers? (7)
1. Prayer is humbly speaking to God. You should pray to God regularly. Thus you can feel close to him as to a dear friend. Jehovah is so great and powerful, yet he listens to our prayers! Do you pray to God regularly?-Psalm 65:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
2. Prayer is part of our worship. Thus, we should pray only to God, Jehovah. When Jesus was on earth, he always prayed to his Father, not to anyone else. We should do the same. (Matthew 4:10; 6:9) However, all our prayers should be said in the name of Jesus. This shows that we respect Jesus’ position and that we have faith in his ransom sacrifice.-John 14:6; 1 John 2:1, 2.
3. When we pray we should speak to God from our heart. We should not say our prayers from memory or read them from a prayer book. (Matthew 6:7, 8) We can pray in any respectful position, at any time, and at any place. God can hear even silent prayers said in our heart. (1 Samuel 1:12, 13) It is good to find a quiet place away from other people to say our personal prayers.-Mark 1:35.
4. What subjects can you pray about? Anything that might affect your friendship with him. (Philippians 4:6, 7) The model prayer shows that we should pray about Jehovah’s name and purpose. We can also ask for our material needs to be provided, for our sins to be forgiven, and for help to resist temptation. (Matthew 6:9-13) Our prayers should not be selfish. We should only pray for things that harmonize with God’s will.-1 John 5:14.
5. You may pray whenever your heart moves you to thank or praise God. (1 Chronicles 29:10-13) You should pray when you have problems and your faith is being tested. (Psalm 55:22; 120:1) It is appropriate to pray before you eat your meals. (Matthew 14:19) Jehovah invites us to pray "on every occasion."-Ephesians 6:18.
6. We especially need to pray if we have committed a serious sin. At such times we should beg for Jehovah’s mercy and forgiveness. If we confess our sins to him and do our very best not to repeat them, God is "ready to forgive."-Psalm 86:5; Proverbs 28:13.
7. Jehovah listens only to the prayers of righteous people. For your prayers to be heard by God, you must be trying your best to live by his laws. (Proverbs 15:29; 28:9) You must be humble when you pray. (Luke 18:9-14) You need to work at what you pray for. You will thus prove that you have faith and that you really mean what you say. Only then will Jehovah answer your prayers.-Hebrews 11:6.
Drawing Close to God in Prayer
Why is it important to pray regularly? (1)
To whom should we pray, and how? (2, 3)
What are proper subjects for prayer? (4)
When should you pray? (5, 6)
Does God listen to all prayers? (7)
1. Prayer is humbly speaking to God. You should pray to God regularly. Thus you can feel close to him as to a dear friend. Jehovah is so great and powerful, yet he listens to our prayers! Do you pray to God regularly?-Psalm 65:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
2. Prayer is part of our worship. Thus, we should pray only to God, Jehovah. When Jesus was on earth, he always prayed to his Father, not to anyone else. We should do the same. (Matthew 4:10; 6:9) However, all our prayers should be said in the name of Jesus. This shows that we respect Jesus’ position and that we have faith in his ransom sacrifice.-John 14:6; 1 John 2:1, 2.
3. When we pray we should speak to God from our heart. We should not say our prayers from memory or read them from a prayer book. (Matthew 6:7, 8) We can pray in any respectful position, at any time, and at any place. God can hear even silent prayers said in our heart. (1 Samuel 1:12, 13) It is good to find a quiet place away from other people to say our personal prayers.-Mark 1:35.
4. What subjects can you pray about? Anything that might affect your friendship with him. (Philippians 4:6, 7) The model prayer shows that we should pray about Jehovah’s name and purpose. We can also ask for our material needs to be provided, for our sins to be forgiven, and for help to resist temptation. (Matthew 6:9-13) Our prayers should not be selfish. We should only pray for things that harmonize with God’s will.-1 John 5:14.
5. You may pray whenever your heart moves you to thank or praise God. (1 Chronicles 29:10-13) You should pray when you have problems and your faith is being tested. (Psalm 55:22; 120:1) It is appropriate to pray before you eat your meals. (Matthew 14:19) Jehovah invites us to pray "on every occasion."-Ephesians 6:18.
6. We especially need to pray if we have committed a serious sin. At such times we should beg for Jehovah’s mercy and forgiveness. If we confess our sins to him and do our very best not to repeat them, God is "ready to forgive."-Psalm 86:5; Proverbs 28:13.
7. Jehovah listens only to the prayers of righteous people. For your prayers to be heard by God, you must be trying your best to live by his laws. (Proverbs 15:29; 28:9) You must be humble when you pray. (Luke 18:9-14) You need to work at what you pray for. You will thus prove that you have faith and that you really mean what you say. Only then will Jehovah answer your prayers.-Hebrews 11:6.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
What is God's Kingdom Lesson 6
Lesson 6
What Is the Kingdom of God?
Where is the Kingdom of God located? (1)
Who is its King? (2)
Do others share in ruling with the King? If so, how many? (3)
What shows that we are living in the last days? (4)
What will God’s Kingdom do for mankind in the future? (5-7)
1. When he was on earth, Jesus taught his followers to pray for God’s Kingdom. A kingdom is a government that is headed by a king. God’s Kingdom is a special government. It is set up in heaven and will rule over this earth. It will sanctify, or make holy, God’s name. It will cause God’s will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven.—Matthew 6:9, 10.
2. God promised that Jesus would become the King of His Kingdom. (Luke 1:30-33) When Jesus was on earth, he proved that he would be a kind, just, and perfect Ruler. When he returned to heaven, he was not enthroned as King of God’s Kingdom right away. (Hebrews 10:12, 13) In 1914, Jehovah gave Jesus the authority He had promised him. Since then, Jesus has ruled in heaven as Jehovah’s appointed King.—Daniel 7:13, 14.
3. Jehovah has also selected some faithful men and women from the earth to go to heaven. They will rule with Jesus as kings, judges, and priests over mankind. (Luke 22:28-30; Revelation 5:9, 10) Jesus called these corulers in his Kingdom a "little flock." They number 144,000.—Luke 12:32; Revelation 14:1-3.
4. As soon as Jesus became King, he threw Satan and his wicked angels out of heaven and down to the locality of the earth. That is why things have become so bad here on earth since 1914. (Revelation 12:9, 12) Wars, famines, pestilences, increasing lawlessness—all these are part of a "sign" indicating that Jesus is ruling and that this system is in its last days.—Matthew 24:3, 7, 8, 12; Luke 21:10, 11; 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
5. Soon Jesus will judge people, separating them as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The "sheep" are those who will have proved themselves his loyal subjects. They will receive everlasting life on earth. The "goats" are those who will have rejected God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 25:31-34, 46) In the near future, Jesus will destroy all goatlike ones. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) If you want to be one of Jesus’ "sheep," you must listen to the Kingdom message and act on what you learn.—Matthew 24:14.
6. Now the earth is divided up into many countries. Each has its own government. These nations often fight one another. But God’s Kingdom will replace all human governments. It will rule as the only government over the entire earth. (Daniel 2:44) Then there will be no more war, crime, and violence. All people will live together in peace and unity.—Micah 4:3, 4.
7. During Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign, faithful humans will become perfect, and the whole earth will become a paradise. By the end of the thousand years, Jesus will have done everything God asked him to do. Then he will hand the Kingdom back to his Father. (1 Corinthians 15:24) Why not tell your friends and loved ones about what God’s Kingdom will do?
[Picture on page 13]
Under Jesus’ rule, there will be no more hatred or prejudice
What Is the Kingdom of God?
Where is the Kingdom of God located? (1)
Who is its King? (2)
Do others share in ruling with the King? If so, how many? (3)
What shows that we are living in the last days? (4)
What will God’s Kingdom do for mankind in the future? (5-7)
1. When he was on earth, Jesus taught his followers to pray for God’s Kingdom. A kingdom is a government that is headed by a king. God’s Kingdom is a special government. It is set up in heaven and will rule over this earth. It will sanctify, or make holy, God’s name. It will cause God’s will to be done on earth as it is done in heaven.—Matthew 6:9, 10.
2. God promised that Jesus would become the King of His Kingdom. (Luke 1:30-33) When Jesus was on earth, he proved that he would be a kind, just, and perfect Ruler. When he returned to heaven, he was not enthroned as King of God’s Kingdom right away. (Hebrews 10:12, 13) In 1914, Jehovah gave Jesus the authority He had promised him. Since then, Jesus has ruled in heaven as Jehovah’s appointed King.—Daniel 7:13, 14.
3. Jehovah has also selected some faithful men and women from the earth to go to heaven. They will rule with Jesus as kings, judges, and priests over mankind. (Luke 22:28-30; Revelation 5:9, 10) Jesus called these corulers in his Kingdom a "little flock." They number 144,000.—Luke 12:32; Revelation 14:1-3.
4. As soon as Jesus became King, he threw Satan and his wicked angels out of heaven and down to the locality of the earth. That is why things have become so bad here on earth since 1914. (Revelation 12:9, 12) Wars, famines, pestilences, increasing lawlessness—all these are part of a "sign" indicating that Jesus is ruling and that this system is in its last days.—Matthew 24:3, 7, 8, 12; Luke 21:10, 11; 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
5. Soon Jesus will judge people, separating them as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The "sheep" are those who will have proved themselves his loyal subjects. They will receive everlasting life on earth. The "goats" are those who will have rejected God’s Kingdom. (Matthew 25:31-34, 46) In the near future, Jesus will destroy all goatlike ones. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) If you want to be one of Jesus’ "sheep," you must listen to the Kingdom message and act on what you learn.—Matthew 24:14.
6. Now the earth is divided up into many countries. Each has its own government. These nations often fight one another. But God’s Kingdom will replace all human governments. It will rule as the only government over the entire earth. (Daniel 2:44) Then there will be no more war, crime, and violence. All people will live together in peace and unity.—Micah 4:3, 4.
7. During Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign, faithful humans will become perfect, and the whole earth will become a paradise. By the end of the thousand years, Jesus will have done everything God asked him to do. Then he will hand the Kingdom back to his Father. (1 Corinthians 15:24) Why not tell your friends and loved ones about what God’s Kingdom will do?
[Picture on page 13]
Under Jesus’ rule, there will be no more hatred or prejudice
Lesson 5 Require Brochure The Earth
Lesson 5
What Is God’s Purpose for the Earth?
Why did Jehovah create the earth? (1, 2)
Why is the earth not a paradise now? (3)
What will happen to wicked people? (4)
In the future, what will Jesus do for the sick? the elderly? the dead? (5, 6)
To share in the future blessings, what do you need to do? (7)
1. Jehovah created this earth so that humans could enjoy living on it forever. He wanted the earth always to be inhabited by righteous, happy people. (Psalm 115:16; Isaiah 45:18) The earth will never be destroyed; it will last forever.—Psalm 104:5; Ecclesiastes 1:4.
2. Before God made man, He chose one small part of the earth and made it into a beautiful paradise. He called it the garden of Eden. It was here that he put the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. God purposed for them to have children and fill the whole earth. Gradually they would have made the entire earth into a paradise.—Genesis 1:28; 2:8, 15.
3. Adam and Eve sinned by deliberately breaking God’s law. So Jehovah put them out of the garden of Eden. Paradise was lost. (Genesis 3:1-6, 23) But Jehovah has not forgotten his purpose for this earth. He promises to make it into a paradise, where humans will live forever. How will he do this?—Psalm 37:29.
4. Before this earth can become a paradise, wicked people must be removed. (Psalm 37:38) This will happen at Armageddon, which is God’s war to end wickedness. Next, Satan will be imprisoned for 1,000 years. This means that no wicked ones will be left to spoil the earth. Only God’s people will survive.—Revelation 16:14, 16; 20:1-3.
5. Then Jesus Christ will rule as King over this earth for 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:6) He will gradually take sin away from our minds and bodies. We will become perfect humans just as Adam and Eve were before they sinned. Then there will be no more sickness, old age, and death. Sick people will be cured, and old persons will become young again.—Job 33:25; Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 21:3, 4.
6. During Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign, faithful humans will work to turn the whole earth into a paradise. (Luke 23:43) Also, millions of dead ones will be resurrected to human life on the earth. (Acts 24:15) If they do what God requires of them, they will continue to live on earth forever. If not, they will be destroyed forever.—John 5:28, 29; Revelation 20:11-15.
7. God’s original purpose for the earth will thus succeed. Would you like to share in these future blessings? If so, you need to keep learning about Jehovah and obeying his requirements. Attending meetings at the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses will help you to do so.—Isaiah 11:9; Hebrews 10:24, 25.
[Picture on page 10]
Paradise lost
[Pictures on page 11]
After Armageddon, earth will be made into a paradise
What Is God’s Purpose for the Earth?
Why did Jehovah create the earth? (1, 2)
Why is the earth not a paradise now? (3)
What will happen to wicked people? (4)
In the future, what will Jesus do for the sick? the elderly? the dead? (5, 6)
To share in the future blessings, what do you need to do? (7)
1. Jehovah created this earth so that humans could enjoy living on it forever. He wanted the earth always to be inhabited by righteous, happy people. (Psalm 115:16; Isaiah 45:18) The earth will never be destroyed; it will last forever.—Psalm 104:5; Ecclesiastes 1:4.
2. Before God made man, He chose one small part of the earth and made it into a beautiful paradise. He called it the garden of Eden. It was here that he put the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. God purposed for them to have children and fill the whole earth. Gradually they would have made the entire earth into a paradise.—Genesis 1:28; 2:8, 15.
3. Adam and Eve sinned by deliberately breaking God’s law. So Jehovah put them out of the garden of Eden. Paradise was lost. (Genesis 3:1-6, 23) But Jehovah has not forgotten his purpose for this earth. He promises to make it into a paradise, where humans will live forever. How will he do this?—Psalm 37:29.
4. Before this earth can become a paradise, wicked people must be removed. (Psalm 37:38) This will happen at Armageddon, which is God’s war to end wickedness. Next, Satan will be imprisoned for 1,000 years. This means that no wicked ones will be left to spoil the earth. Only God’s people will survive.—Revelation 16:14, 16; 20:1-3.
5. Then Jesus Christ will rule as King over this earth for 1,000 years. (Revelation 20:6) He will gradually take sin away from our minds and bodies. We will become perfect humans just as Adam and Eve were before they sinned. Then there will be no more sickness, old age, and death. Sick people will be cured, and old persons will become young again.—Job 33:25; Isaiah 33:24; Revelation 21:3, 4.
6. During Jesus’ Thousand Year Reign, faithful humans will work to turn the whole earth into a paradise. (Luke 23:43) Also, millions of dead ones will be resurrected to human life on the earth. (Acts 24:15) If they do what God requires of them, they will continue to live on earth forever. If not, they will be destroyed forever.—John 5:28, 29; Revelation 20:11-15.
7. God’s original purpose for the earth will thus succeed. Would you like to share in these future blessings? If so, you need to keep learning about Jehovah and obeying his requirements. Attending meetings at the local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses will help you to do so.—Isaiah 11:9; Hebrews 10:24, 25.
[Picture on page 10]
Paradise lost
[Pictures on page 11]
After Armageddon, earth will be made into a paradise
Who is Satan the Devil - Require Lesson 4
Lesson 4
Who Is the Devil?
Satan the Devil—where did he come from? (1, 2)
How does Satan mislead people? (3-7)
Why should you resist the Devil? (7)
1. The word "devil" means someone who tells wicked lies about another person. "Satan" means an enemy or an opposer. These are terms given to God’s chief enemy. At first, he was a perfect angel in heaven with God. However, he later thought too much of himself and wanted the worship that rightly belongs to God.—Matthew 4:8-10.
2. This angel, Satan, spoke to Eve by means of a snake. By telling her lies, he got her to disobey God. Satan thus attacked what is called God’s "sovereignty," or position as the Most High. Satan questioned whether God rules in a worthy way and in the best interests of His subjects. Satan also brought into question whether any human would remain loyal to God. By doing this, Satan made himself God’s enemy. That is why he came to be called Satan the Devil.—Genesis 3:1-5; Job 1:8-11; Revelation 12:9.
3. Satan tries to trick people into worshiping him. (2 Corinthians 11:3, 14) One way he misleads people is through false religion. If a religion teaches lies about God, it really serves the purpose of Satan. (John 8:44) People who are members of false religions may sincerely believe that they are worshiping the true God. But they are really serving Satan. He is ‘the god of this world.’—2 Corinthians 4:4.
4. Spiritism is another way Satan brings people under his power. They may call upon spirits to protect them, to harm others, to foretell the future, or to perform miracles. Satan is the wicked force behind all these practices. To please God, we must have nothing to do with spiritism.—Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Acts 19:18, 19.
5. Satan also misleads people through extreme pride of race and the worship of political organizations. Some feel that their nation or race is better than others. But this is not true. (Acts 10:34, 35) Other people look to political organizations to solve man’s problems. By doing this, they are rejecting God’s Kingdom. It is the only solution for our problems.—Daniel 2:44.
6. Another way Satan misleads people is by tempting them with sinful desires. Jehovah tells us to avoid sinful practices because he knows they will harm us. (Galatians 6:7, 8) Some people may want you to join them in such practices. Remember, though, it is really Satan who wants you to do these things.—1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 15:33.
7. Satan may use persecution or opposition to get you to leave Jehovah. Some of your loved ones may become very angry because you are studying the Bible. Others may make fun of you. But to whom do you owe your life? Satan wants to frighten you so that you will stop learning about Jehovah. Do not let Satan win! (Matthew 10:34-39; 1 Peter 5:8, 9) By resisting the Devil, you can make Jehovah happy and show that you uphold His sovereignty.—Proverbs 27:11.
[Pictures on page 9]
False religion, spiritism, and nationalism mislead people
[Picture on page 9]
Resist Satan by continuing to learn about Jehovah
Who Is the Devil?
Satan the Devil—where did he come from? (1, 2)
How does Satan mislead people? (3-7)
Why should you resist the Devil? (7)
1. The word "devil" means someone who tells wicked lies about another person. "Satan" means an enemy or an opposer. These are terms given to God’s chief enemy. At first, he was a perfect angel in heaven with God. However, he later thought too much of himself and wanted the worship that rightly belongs to God.—Matthew 4:8-10.
2. This angel, Satan, spoke to Eve by means of a snake. By telling her lies, he got her to disobey God. Satan thus attacked what is called God’s "sovereignty," or position as the Most High. Satan questioned whether God rules in a worthy way and in the best interests of His subjects. Satan also brought into question whether any human would remain loyal to God. By doing this, Satan made himself God’s enemy. That is why he came to be called Satan the Devil.—Genesis 3:1-5; Job 1:8-11; Revelation 12:9.
3. Satan tries to trick people into worshiping him. (2 Corinthians 11:3, 14) One way he misleads people is through false religion. If a religion teaches lies about God, it really serves the purpose of Satan. (John 8:44) People who are members of false religions may sincerely believe that they are worshiping the true God. But they are really serving Satan. He is ‘the god of this world.’—2 Corinthians 4:4.
4. Spiritism is another way Satan brings people under his power. They may call upon spirits to protect them, to harm others, to foretell the future, or to perform miracles. Satan is the wicked force behind all these practices. To please God, we must have nothing to do with spiritism.—Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Acts 19:18, 19.
5. Satan also misleads people through extreme pride of race and the worship of political organizations. Some feel that their nation or race is better than others. But this is not true. (Acts 10:34, 35) Other people look to political organizations to solve man’s problems. By doing this, they are rejecting God’s Kingdom. It is the only solution for our problems.—Daniel 2:44.
6. Another way Satan misleads people is by tempting them with sinful desires. Jehovah tells us to avoid sinful practices because he knows they will harm us. (Galatians 6:7, 8) Some people may want you to join them in such practices. Remember, though, it is really Satan who wants you to do these things.—1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 15:33.
7. Satan may use persecution or opposition to get you to leave Jehovah. Some of your loved ones may become very angry because you are studying the Bible. Others may make fun of you. But to whom do you owe your life? Satan wants to frighten you so that you will stop learning about Jehovah. Do not let Satan win! (Matthew 10:34-39; 1 Peter 5:8, 9) By resisting the Devil, you can make Jehovah happy and show that you uphold His sovereignty.—Proverbs 27:11.
[Pictures on page 9]
False religion, spiritism, and nationalism mislead people
[Picture on page 9]
Resist Satan by continuing to learn about Jehovah
Lesson 3 - Require - Who Is Jesus Christ
Lesson 3
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Why is Jesus called God’s "firstborn" Son? (1)
Why is he called "the Word"? (1)
Why did Jesus come to earth as a man? (2-4)
Why did he perform miracles? (5)
What will Jesus do in the near future? (6)
1. Jesus lived in heaven as a spirit person before he came to earth. He was God’s first creation, and so he is called the "firstborn" Son of God. (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14) Jesus is the only Son that God created by himself. Jehovah used the prehuman Jesus as his "master worker" in creating all other things in heaven and on earth. (Proverbs 8:22-31; Colossians 1:16, 17) God also used him as His chief spokesman. That is why Jesus is called "the Word."—John 1:1-3; Revelation 19:13.
2. God sent His Son to the earth by transferring his life to the womb of Mary. So Jesus did not have a human father. That is why he did not inherit any sin or imperfection. God sent Jesus to earth for three reasons: (1) To teach us the truth about God (John 18:37), (2) to maintain perfect integrity, providing a model for us to follow (1 Peter 2:21), and (3) to sacrifice his life to set us free from sin and death. Why was this needed?—Matthew 20:28.
3. By disobeying God’s command, the first man, Adam, committed what the Bible calls "sin." So God sentenced him to death. (Genesis 3:17-19) He no longer measured up to God’s standards, so he was not perfect anymore. Slowly he grew old and died. Adam passed on sin to all his children. That is why we also grow old, get sick, and die. How could mankind be saved?—Romans 3:23; 5:12.
4. Jesus was a perfect human just like Adam. Unlike Adam, though, Jesus was perfectly obedient to God under even the greatest test. He could therefore sacrifice his perfect human life to pay for Adam’s sin. This is what the Bible refers to as the "ransom." Adam’s children could thus be released from condemnation to death. All who put their faith in Jesus can have their sins forgiven and receive everlasting life.—1 Timothy 2:5, 6; John 3:16; Romans 5:18, 19.
5. When on earth Jesus cured the sick, fed the hungry, and calmed storms. He even raised the dead. Why did he perform miracles? (1) He felt pity for people who were suffering, and he wanted to help them. (2) His miracles proved that he was God’s Son. (3) They showed what he will do for obedient mankind when he rules as King over the earth.—Matthew 14:14; Mark 2:10-12; John 5:28, 29.
6. Jesus died and was resurrected by God as a spirit creature, and he returned to heaven. (1 Peter 3:18) Since then, God has made him a King. Soon Jesus will remove all wickedness and suffering from this earth.—Psalm 37:9-11; Proverbs 2:21, 22.
[Pictures on page 7]
Jesus’ ministry included teaching, performing miracles, and even offering up his life for us
Who Is Jesus Christ?
Why is Jesus called God’s "firstborn" Son? (1)
Why is he called "the Word"? (1)
Why did Jesus come to earth as a man? (2-4)
Why did he perform miracles? (5)
What will Jesus do in the near future? (6)
1. Jesus lived in heaven as a spirit person before he came to earth. He was God’s first creation, and so he is called the "firstborn" Son of God. (Colossians 1:15; Revelation 3:14) Jesus is the only Son that God created by himself. Jehovah used the prehuman Jesus as his "master worker" in creating all other things in heaven and on earth. (Proverbs 8:22-31; Colossians 1:16, 17) God also used him as His chief spokesman. That is why Jesus is called "the Word."—John 1:1-3; Revelation 19:13.
2. God sent His Son to the earth by transferring his life to the womb of Mary. So Jesus did not have a human father. That is why he did not inherit any sin or imperfection. God sent Jesus to earth for three reasons: (1) To teach us the truth about God (John 18:37), (2) to maintain perfect integrity, providing a model for us to follow (1 Peter 2:21), and (3) to sacrifice his life to set us free from sin and death. Why was this needed?—Matthew 20:28.
3. By disobeying God’s command, the first man, Adam, committed what the Bible calls "sin." So God sentenced him to death. (Genesis 3:17-19) He no longer measured up to God’s standards, so he was not perfect anymore. Slowly he grew old and died. Adam passed on sin to all his children. That is why we also grow old, get sick, and die. How could mankind be saved?—Romans 3:23; 5:12.
4. Jesus was a perfect human just like Adam. Unlike Adam, though, Jesus was perfectly obedient to God under even the greatest test. He could therefore sacrifice his perfect human life to pay for Adam’s sin. This is what the Bible refers to as the "ransom." Adam’s children could thus be released from condemnation to death. All who put their faith in Jesus can have their sins forgiven and receive everlasting life.—1 Timothy 2:5, 6; John 3:16; Romans 5:18, 19.
5. When on earth Jesus cured the sick, fed the hungry, and calmed storms. He even raised the dead. Why did he perform miracles? (1) He felt pity for people who were suffering, and he wanted to help them. (2) His miracles proved that he was God’s Son. (3) They showed what he will do for obedient mankind when he rules as King over the earth.—Matthew 14:14; Mark 2:10-12; John 5:28, 29.
6. Jesus died and was resurrected by God as a spirit creature, and he returned to heaven. (1 Peter 3:18) Since then, God has made him a King. Soon Jesus will remove all wickedness and suffering from this earth.—Psalm 37:9-11; Proverbs 2:21, 22.
[Pictures on page 7]
Jesus’ ministry included teaching, performing miracles, and even offering up his life for us
Require- Lesson 2 - Who is God?
Lesson 2
Who Is God?
Who is the true God, and what is his name? (1, 2)
What sort of body does he have? (3)
What are his outstanding qualities? (4)
Should we use images and symbols in our worship of him? (5)
What are two ways we can learn about God? (6)
1. People worship many things. But the Bible tells us that there is only one TRUE God. He created everything in heaven and on earth. Because he gave us life, he is the only One we should worship.—1 Corinthians 8:5, 6; Revelation 4:11.
2. God has many titles but has only one name. That name is JEHOVAH. In most Bibles, God’s name has been removed and has been replaced with the titles LORD or GOD. But when the Bible was written, the name Jehovah appeared in it some 7,000 times!—Exodus 3:15; Psalm 83:18.
3. Jehovah has a body, but it is not like ours. "God is a Spirit," says the Bible. (John 4:24) A spirit is a form of life that is much higher than ours. No human has ever seen God. Jehovah lives in heaven, but he can see all things. (Psalm 11:4, 5; John 1:18) What, though, is the holy spirit? It is not a person like God. Rather, it is God’s active force.—Psalm 104:30.
4. The Bible reveals Jehovah’s personality to us. It shows that his outstanding qualities are love, justice, wisdom, and power. (Deuteronomy 32:4; Job 12:13; Isaiah 40:26; 1 John 4:8) The Bible tells us that he is also merciful, kind, forgiving, generous, and patient. We, like obedient children, should try to imitate him.—Ephesians 5:1, 2.
5. Should we bow down or pray to images, pictures, or symbols in our worship? No! (Exodus 20:4, 5) Jehovah says that we must worship only him. He will not share his glory with anyone or anything else. Images have no power to help us.—Psalm 115:4-8; Isaiah 42:8.
6. How can we get to know God better? One way is by observing the things he has created and thinking deeply about what they tell us. God’s creations show us that he has great power and wisdom. We see his love in all that he has made. (Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:20) Another way we can learn about God is by studying the Bible. In it he tells us much more about the kind of God he is. He also tells us about his purpose and what he wants us to do.—Amos 3:7; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
[Pictures on page 5]
We learn about God from creation and from the Bible
Who Is God?
Who is the true God, and what is his name? (1, 2)
What sort of body does he have? (3)
What are his outstanding qualities? (4)
Should we use images and symbols in our worship of him? (5)
What are two ways we can learn about God? (6)
1. People worship many things. But the Bible tells us that there is only one TRUE God. He created everything in heaven and on earth. Because he gave us life, he is the only One we should worship.—1 Corinthians 8:5, 6; Revelation 4:11.
2. God has many titles but has only one name. That name is JEHOVAH. In most Bibles, God’s name has been removed and has been replaced with the titles LORD or GOD. But when the Bible was written, the name Jehovah appeared in it some 7,000 times!—Exodus 3:15; Psalm 83:18.
3. Jehovah has a body, but it is not like ours. "God is a Spirit," says the Bible. (John 4:24) A spirit is a form of life that is much higher than ours. No human has ever seen God. Jehovah lives in heaven, but he can see all things. (Psalm 11:4, 5; John 1:18) What, though, is the holy spirit? It is not a person like God. Rather, it is God’s active force.—Psalm 104:30.
4. The Bible reveals Jehovah’s personality to us. It shows that his outstanding qualities are love, justice, wisdom, and power. (Deuteronomy 32:4; Job 12:13; Isaiah 40:26; 1 John 4:8) The Bible tells us that he is also merciful, kind, forgiving, generous, and patient. We, like obedient children, should try to imitate him.—Ephesians 5:1, 2.
5. Should we bow down or pray to images, pictures, or symbols in our worship? No! (Exodus 20:4, 5) Jehovah says that we must worship only him. He will not share his glory with anyone or anything else. Images have no power to help us.—Psalm 115:4-8; Isaiah 42:8.
6. How can we get to know God better? One way is by observing the things he has created and thinking deeply about what they tell us. God’s creations show us that he has great power and wisdom. We see his love in all that he has made. (Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:20) Another way we can learn about God is by studying the Bible. In it he tells us much more about the kind of God he is. He also tells us about his purpose and what he wants us to do.—Amos 3:7; 2 Timothy 3:16, 17.
[Pictures on page 5]
We learn about God from creation and from the Bible
Require Brochure Lesson 1
Lesson 1
How You Can Find Out What God Requires
What important information is contained in the Bible? (1)
Who is the Bible’s author? (2)
Why should you study the Bible? (3)
1. The Bible is a precious gift from God. It is like a letter from a loving father to his children. It tells us the truth about God—who he is and what he stands for. It explains how to cope with problems and how to find true happiness. The Bible alone tells us what we must do to please God.—Psalm 1:1-3; Isaiah 48:17, 18.
2. The Bible was written by some 40 different men over a period of 1,600 years, beginning in 1513 B.C.E. It is made up of 66 little books. Those who wrote the Bible were inspired by God. They wrote his thoughts, not their own. So God in heaven, not any human on earth, is the Author of the Bible.—2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21.
3. God made sure that the Bible was accurately copied and preserved. More Bibles have been printed than any other book. Not everyone will be happy to see you studying the Bible, but do not let that stop you. Your eternal future depends on your getting to know God and doing his will despite any opposition.—Matthew 5:10-12; John 17:3.
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How You Can Find Out What God Requires
What important information is contained in the Bible? (1)
Who is the Bible’s author? (2)
Why should you study the Bible? (3)
1. The Bible is a precious gift from God. It is like a letter from a loving father to his children. It tells us the truth about God—who he is and what he stands for. It explains how to cope with problems and how to find true happiness. The Bible alone tells us what we must do to please God.—Psalm 1:1-3; Isaiah 48:17, 18.
2. The Bible was written by some 40 different men over a period of 1,600 years, beginning in 1513 B.C.E. It is made up of 66 little books. Those who wrote the Bible were inspired by God. They wrote his thoughts, not their own. So God in heaven, not any human on earth, is the Author of the Bible.—2 Timothy 3:16, 17; 2 Peter 1:20, 21.
3. God made sure that the Bible was accurately copied and preserved. More Bibles have been printed than any other book. Not everyone will be happy to see you studying the Bible, but do not let that stop you. Your eternal future depends on your getting to know God and doing his will despite any opposition.—Matthew 5:10-12; John 17:3.
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Did Jesus Die on a Cross
(Sorry I haven't posted in awhile I didn't know I had a follower, he he - If you have any questions you can submit it as a comment and I will make a posting of any topic you are interested in knowing about!!!)
Did JesusReally Die on a Cross?
THE cross is one of the most recognizable religious symbols known to man. Millions revere it, considering it to be the sacred instrument on which Jesus was put to death. Roman Catholic writer and archaeologist Adolphe-Napoleon Didron stated: “The cross has received a worship similar, if not equal, to that of Christ; this sacred wood is adored almost equally with God Himself.”
Some say that the cross makes them feel closer to God when they pray. Others use it as an amulet, thinking that it protects them from evil. But should Christians use the cross as an object of veneration? Did Jesus really die on a cross? What does the Bible teach on this subject?
What Does the Cross Symbolize?
Long before the Christian era, crosses were used by the ancient Babylonians as symbols in their worship of the fertility god Tammuz. The use of the cross spread into Egypt, India, Syria, and China. Then, centuries later, the Israelites adulterated their worship of Jehovah with acts of veneration to the false god Tammuz. The Bible refers to this form of worship as a ‘detestable thing.’—Ezekiel 8:13, 14.
The Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John use the Greek word stau·ros′ when referring to the instrument of execution on which Jesus died. (Matthew 27:40; Mark 15:30; Luke 23:26) The word stau·ros′ refers to an upright pole, stake, or post. The book The Non-Christian Cross, by J. D. Parsons, explains: “There is not a single sentence in any of the numerous writings forming the New Testament, which, in the original Greek, bears even indirect evidence to the effect that the stauros used in the case of Jesus was other than an ordinary stauros; much less to the effect that it consisted, not of one piece of timber, but of two pieces nailed together in the form of a cross.”
Some ancient drawings depict the use of a single wooden pole in Roman executions
As recorded at Acts 5:30, the apostle Peter used the word xy′lon, meaning “tree,” as a synonym for stau·ros′, denoting, not a two-beamed cross, but an ordinary piece of upright timber or tree. It was not until about 300 years after Jesus’ death that some professed Christians promoted the idea that Jesus was put to death on a two-beamed cross. However, this view was based on tradition and a misuse of the Greek word stau·ros′. It is noteworthy that some ancient drawings depicting Roman executions feature a single wooden pole or tree.
“Guard Yourselves From Idols”
A more important issue for true Christians should be the propriety of venerating the instrument used to kill Jesus. Whether it was an upright single torture stake, a cross, an arrow, a lance, or a knife, should such an instrument be used in worship?
Suppose a loved one of yours was brutally murdered and the weapon was submitted to the court as evidence. Would you try to gain possession of the murder weapon, take photographs of it, and print many copies for distribution? Would you produce replicas of the weapon in various sizes? Would you then fashion some of them into jewelry? Or would you have these reproductions commercially manufactured and sold to friends and relatives to be venerated? Likely you would be repulsed at the idea! Yet, these very things have been done with the cross!
Besides, the use of the cross in worship is no different from the use of images in worship, a practice condemned in the Bible. (Exodus 20:2-5; Deuteronomy 4:25, 26) The apostle John accurately reflected the teachings of true Christianity when he admonished his fellow Christians with the words: “Guard yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21) This they did even when it meant facing death in the Roman arena.
First-century Christians, however, held the sacrificial death of Christ in high esteem. Likewise today, although the instrument used to torture and kill Jesus is not to be worshipped, true Christians commemorate Jesus’ death as the means by which God provides salvation to imperfect humans. (Matthew 20:28) This superlative expression of God’s love will bring untold blessings to lovers of truth, including the prospect of everlasting life.—John 17:3; Revelation 21:3, 4.
Did JesusReally Die on a Cross?
THE cross is one of the most recognizable religious symbols known to man. Millions revere it, considering it to be the sacred instrument on which Jesus was put to death. Roman Catholic writer and archaeologist Adolphe-Napoleon Didron stated: “The cross has received a worship similar, if not equal, to that of Christ; this sacred wood is adored almost equally with God Himself.”
Some say that the cross makes them feel closer to God when they pray. Others use it as an amulet, thinking that it protects them from evil. But should Christians use the cross as an object of veneration? Did Jesus really die on a cross? What does the Bible teach on this subject?
What Does the Cross Symbolize?
Long before the Christian era, crosses were used by the ancient Babylonians as symbols in their worship of the fertility god Tammuz. The use of the cross spread into Egypt, India, Syria, and China. Then, centuries later, the Israelites adulterated their worship of Jehovah with acts of veneration to the false god Tammuz. The Bible refers to this form of worship as a ‘detestable thing.’—Ezekiel 8:13, 14.
The Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John use the Greek word stau·ros′ when referring to the instrument of execution on which Jesus died. (Matthew 27:40; Mark 15:30; Luke 23:26) The word stau·ros′ refers to an upright pole, stake, or post. The book The Non-Christian Cross, by J. D. Parsons, explains: “There is not a single sentence in any of the numerous writings forming the New Testament, which, in the original Greek, bears even indirect evidence to the effect that the stauros used in the case of Jesus was other than an ordinary stauros; much less to the effect that it consisted, not of one piece of timber, but of two pieces nailed together in the form of a cross.”
Some ancient drawings depict the use of a single wooden pole in Roman executions
As recorded at Acts 5:30, the apostle Peter used the word xy′lon, meaning “tree,” as a synonym for stau·ros′, denoting, not a two-beamed cross, but an ordinary piece of upright timber or tree. It was not until about 300 years after Jesus’ death that some professed Christians promoted the idea that Jesus was put to death on a two-beamed cross. However, this view was based on tradition and a misuse of the Greek word stau·ros′. It is noteworthy that some ancient drawings depicting Roman executions feature a single wooden pole or tree.
“Guard Yourselves From Idols”
A more important issue for true Christians should be the propriety of venerating the instrument used to kill Jesus. Whether it was an upright single torture stake, a cross, an arrow, a lance, or a knife, should such an instrument be used in worship?
Suppose a loved one of yours was brutally murdered and the weapon was submitted to the court as evidence. Would you try to gain possession of the murder weapon, take photographs of it, and print many copies for distribution? Would you produce replicas of the weapon in various sizes? Would you then fashion some of them into jewelry? Or would you have these reproductions commercially manufactured and sold to friends and relatives to be venerated? Likely you would be repulsed at the idea! Yet, these very things have been done with the cross!
Besides, the use of the cross in worship is no different from the use of images in worship, a practice condemned in the Bible. (Exodus 20:2-5; Deuteronomy 4:25, 26) The apostle John accurately reflected the teachings of true Christianity when he admonished his fellow Christians with the words: “Guard yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21) This they did even when it meant facing death in the Roman arena.
First-century Christians, however, held the sacrificial death of Christ in high esteem. Likewise today, although the instrument used to torture and kill Jesus is not to be worshipped, true Christians commemorate Jesus’ death as the means by which God provides salvation to imperfect humans. (Matthew 20:28) This superlative expression of God’s love will bring untold blessings to lovers of truth, including the prospect of everlasting life.—John 17:3; Revelation 21:3, 4.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Why We Preach Door to door and by telephone
Ways They Use to Share the Good News
Hawaii
Venezuela
Yugoslavia
CHRISTIANS are commanded to "make disciples of people of all the nations," but this does not mean that they are to use pressure or convert others by force. Jesus' commission was to "tell good news to the meek ones," to "bind up the brokenhearted," to "comfort all the mourning ones." (Matthew 28:19; Isaiah 61:1, 2; Luke 4:18, 19) Jehovah's Witnesses seek to do this by declaring the good news from the Bible. Like the prophet Ezekiel of old, Jehovah's Witnesses today try to find those who "are sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done."—Ezekiel 9:4.
The best-known way they use to find those who are distressed by present conditions is by going from house to house. Thus they make a positive effort to reach the public, just as Jesus did when "he went journeying from city to city and from village to village, preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God." His early disciples did likewise. (Luke 8:1; 9:1-6; 10:1-9) Today, where it is possible, Jehovah's Witnesses endeavor to call at each home several times a year, seeking to converse with the householder for a few minutes on some local or world topic of interest or concern. A scripture or two may be offered for consideration, and if the householder shows interest, the Witness may arrange to call back at a convenient time for further discussion. Bibles and literature explaining the Bible are made available, and if the householder desires, a home Bible study is conducted free of charge. Millions of these helpful Bible studies are conducted regularly with individuals and families throughout the world.
Another way in which "the good news of the kingdom" is told to others is through meetings held at local Kingdom Halls. The Witnesses conduct meetings there weekly. One meeting is a public lecture on a subject of current interest, followed by a study of some Biblical theme or prophecy, using the Watchtower magazine as source material. Another meeting is a school for training Witnesses to be better proclaimers of the good news, followed by a part devoted to discussing the witnessing work in the local territory. Also, once a week Witnesses assemble in private homes, in small groups, for Bible studies.
Kingdom Halls, practicalin design, are places forBible discussion
All these meetings are open to the public. No collections are ever taken. Such meetings are beneficial for all. The Bible says: "We ought to see how each of us may best arouse others to love and active goodness, not staying away from our meetings, as some do, but rather encouraging one another, all the more because you see the Day drawing near." Private study and research are necessary, but meeting with others is stimulating: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens the wits of another."—Hebrews 10:24, 25; Proverbs 27:17, The New English Bible.
The Witnesses also make good use of openings for talking about the good news as they come in contact with other people in their daily lives. It may be a few words exchanged with a neighbor or with a fellow traveler on a bus or a plane, a longer conversation with a friend or a relative, or a discussion with a fellow worker during lunch hour. Much of the witnessing that Jesus did when he was on earth was of this kind—as he walked along the seashore, sat on a hillside, dined at someone's home, attended a wedding, or traveled in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. He taught in the synagogues and at the temple in Jerusalem. Wherever he was, he found opportunities to talk about God's Kingdom. Jehovah's Witnesses endeavor to follow in his footsteps in this regard also.—1 Peter 2:21.
PREACHING BY EXAMPLE
In their family life and in contacts with others, the Witnesses sincerely try to do the things that they advocate
None of these ways of telling you the good news would be meaningful to you if the one telling you did not apply the teachings to himself. To say one thing and do another is hypocrisy, and religious hypocrisy has turned millions away from the Bible. The Bible is not rightly blamed. The scribes and Pharisees had the Hebrew Scriptures, but Jesus denounced them as hypocrites. He spoke of their reading from the Law of Moses, then added to his disciples: "All the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform." (Matthew 23:3) A Christian's being an example of right living says more than hours of sermonizing. This was pointed out to Christian wives who had unbelieving husbands: "They may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct."—1 Peter 3:1, 2.
Therefore, Jehovah's Witnesses try to recommend the good news to others in this way also: by being exemplary in the Christian conduct that they recommend to others. They try to 'do unto others as they would have others do unto them.' (Matthew 7:12) They try to be this way with all men, not just with fellow Witnesses, friends, neighbors, or relatives. Being imperfect, they do not always succeed 100 percent. But it is the desire of their hearts to do good unto all people not only in telling them the good news of the Kingdom but also in extending a helping hand whenever possible.—James 2:14-17
Hawaii
Venezuela
Yugoslavia
CHRISTIANS are commanded to "make disciples of people of all the nations," but this does not mean that they are to use pressure or convert others by force. Jesus' commission was to "tell good news to the meek ones," to "bind up the brokenhearted," to "comfort all the mourning ones." (Matthew 28:19; Isaiah 61:1, 2; Luke 4:18, 19) Jehovah's Witnesses seek to do this by declaring the good news from the Bible. Like the prophet Ezekiel of old, Jehovah's Witnesses today try to find those who "are sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done."—Ezekiel 9:4.
The best-known way they use to find those who are distressed by present conditions is by going from house to house. Thus they make a positive effort to reach the public, just as Jesus did when "he went journeying from city to city and from village to village, preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God." His early disciples did likewise. (Luke 8:1; 9:1-6; 10:1-9) Today, where it is possible, Jehovah's Witnesses endeavor to call at each home several times a year, seeking to converse with the householder for a few minutes on some local or world topic of interest or concern. A scripture or two may be offered for consideration, and if the householder shows interest, the Witness may arrange to call back at a convenient time for further discussion. Bibles and literature explaining the Bible are made available, and if the householder desires, a home Bible study is conducted free of charge. Millions of these helpful Bible studies are conducted regularly with individuals and families throughout the world.
Another way in which "the good news of the kingdom" is told to others is through meetings held at local Kingdom Halls. The Witnesses conduct meetings there weekly. One meeting is a public lecture on a subject of current interest, followed by a study of some Biblical theme or prophecy, using the Watchtower magazine as source material. Another meeting is a school for training Witnesses to be better proclaimers of the good news, followed by a part devoted to discussing the witnessing work in the local territory. Also, once a week Witnesses assemble in private homes, in small groups, for Bible studies.
Kingdom Halls, practicalin design, are places forBible discussion
All these meetings are open to the public. No collections are ever taken. Such meetings are beneficial for all. The Bible says: "We ought to see how each of us may best arouse others to love and active goodness, not staying away from our meetings, as some do, but rather encouraging one another, all the more because you see the Day drawing near." Private study and research are necessary, but meeting with others is stimulating: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens the wits of another."—Hebrews 10:24, 25; Proverbs 27:17, The New English Bible.
The Witnesses also make good use of openings for talking about the good news as they come in contact with other people in their daily lives. It may be a few words exchanged with a neighbor or with a fellow traveler on a bus or a plane, a longer conversation with a friend or a relative, or a discussion with a fellow worker during lunch hour. Much of the witnessing that Jesus did when he was on earth was of this kind—as he walked along the seashore, sat on a hillside, dined at someone's home, attended a wedding, or traveled in a fishing boat on the Sea of Galilee. He taught in the synagogues and at the temple in Jerusalem. Wherever he was, he found opportunities to talk about God's Kingdom. Jehovah's Witnesses endeavor to follow in his footsteps in this regard also.—1 Peter 2:21.
PREACHING BY EXAMPLE
In their family life and in contacts with others, the Witnesses sincerely try to do the things that they advocate
None of these ways of telling you the good news would be meaningful to you if the one telling you did not apply the teachings to himself. To say one thing and do another is hypocrisy, and religious hypocrisy has turned millions away from the Bible. The Bible is not rightly blamed. The scribes and Pharisees had the Hebrew Scriptures, but Jesus denounced them as hypocrites. He spoke of their reading from the Law of Moses, then added to his disciples: "All the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform." (Matthew 23:3) A Christian's being an example of right living says more than hours of sermonizing. This was pointed out to Christian wives who had unbelieving husbands: "They may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives, because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conduct."—1 Peter 3:1, 2.
Therefore, Jehovah's Witnesses try to recommend the good news to others in this way also: by being exemplary in the Christian conduct that they recommend to others. They try to 'do unto others as they would have others do unto them.' (Matthew 7:12) They try to be this way with all men, not just with fellow Witnesses, friends, neighbors, or relatives. Being imperfect, they do not always succeed 100 percent. But it is the desire of their hearts to do good unto all people not only in telling them the good news of the Kingdom but also in extending a helping hand whenever possible.—James 2:14-17
Jehovah's Witnesses - What They want you to hear
Jehovah's Witnesses—Who Are They? What Do They Believe?
The Good News They Want You to Hear
WHEN Jesus was on earth, his disciples came to him and asked: "What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?" He replied that there would be wars involving many nations, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, an increasing of lawlessness, false religious teachers misleading many, a hatred and persecution of his true followers, and a cooling off of the love of righteousness in many people. When these things would start to happen, it would indicate that Christ was invisibly present and that the heavenly Kingdom was at hand. This would be news—good news! So Jesus added these words as a part of the sign: "This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come."—Matthew 24:3-14.
In themselves, recent world happenings are bad, but what they signify is good, namely, Christ's presence. The conditions mentioned above started to be evident in that widely heralded year 1914! It marked the end of the Gentile Times and the beginning of the transition period from human rule to the Thousand Year (Millennial) Reign of Christ.
"Critical times hard to deal with,"
BUT "then theend will come"
That there was to be a transition period is indicated by the 110th Psalm, verses 1 and 2, and Revelation 12:7-12. There it is shown that Christ would sit at God's right hand in heaven until the time for his becoming King. Then war in heaven would result in Satan's being cast to earth, bringing woe to the earth, and Christ would rule in the midst of his enemies. The complete end of wickedness would come by means of a "great tribulation," culminating in the war at Har-Magedon and followed by Christ's Thousand Year Reign of peace.—Matthew 24:21, 33, 34; Revelation 16:14-16.
"But know this," the Bible says, "that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away."—2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Some may argue that these things have happened before in human history, but the fact is that they have never occurred to the same extent. As the historians and commentators say, there has never been a time on earth like the one experienced from 1914 onward. (See page 7.) The woes have been far more extensive than ever before. Moreover, as to other features of Christ's sign of the last days, these facts should be considered: The earth-wide proclamation of Christ's presence and Kingdom has been of a magnitude unprecedented in history. Persecution for preaching has never equaled that visited upon Jehovah's Witnesses. Many hundreds of them were executed in Nazi concentration camps. To this day Jehovah's Witnesses are under ban in some places, and in others they are arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and killed. This is all part of the sign Jesus gave.
As foretold at Revelation 11:18, 'the nations have become wrathful' against Jehovah's faithful Witnesses, and this indicates that Jehovah's "own wrath" will be expressed against those nations. This same scripture says that God will "bring to ruin those ruining the earth." Never before has there been a time in human history when the earth's capacity for sustaining life has been threatened. However, now it is different! Many scientists have warned that if man continues to pollute the earth, it will become uninhabitable. But Jehovah "formed it even to be inhabited," and he will get rid of the polluters before they complete their ruin of the earth.—Isaiah 45:18.
EARTHLY BLESSINGS UNDER THE KINGDOM
The thought of people living on earth as subjects of God's Kingdom may seem strange to many Bible believers who think of all those saved as being in heaven. The Bible shows that only a limited number go to heaven and that those who will live forever on earth will be a great crowd of unlimited number. (Psalm 37:11, 29; Revelation 7:9; 14:1-5) That God's Kingdom under Christ will fill the earth and reign over it is shown by a prophecy in the Bible book of Daniel.
Netherlands
Nigeria
Christ's Kingdom is there represented as a stone cut from Jehovah's mountainlike sovereignty. It strikes and destroys an image that represents powerful nations of the earth, and "the stone that struck the image . . . became a large mountain and filled the whole earth." The prophecy continues: "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite."—Daniel 2:34, 35, 44.
It is this Kingdom and the Scripturally supported hope of everlasting life on a cleansed and beautified earth that Jehovah's Witnesses wish to tell you about. Millions now living and many, many millions now in their graves will have opportunity to dwell therein forever. Then, under the Thousand Year Reign of Christ Jesus, Jehovah's original purpose for creating the earth and putting the first human pair on it will be realized. This earthly Paradise will never become boring. Just as Adam was assigned work in the garden of Eden, so humankind will have challenging projects in caring for the earth and the plant and animal life on it. They "shall long enjoy the work of their hands."—Isaiah 65:22, Revised Standard Version; Genesis 2:15.
Many scriptures could be presented to show the conditions that will exist when the prayer that Jesus taught us is answered: "Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth." (Matthew 6:10) However, let this one suffice for now: "I heard a loud voice from the throne say: 'Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.' And the One seated on the throne said: 'Look! I am making all things new.' Also, he says: 'Write, because these words are faithful and true.'"—Revelation 21:3-5.
The Good News They Want You to Hear
WHEN Jesus was on earth, his disciples came to him and asked: "What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?" He replied that there would be wars involving many nations, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, an increasing of lawlessness, false religious teachers misleading many, a hatred and persecution of his true followers, and a cooling off of the love of righteousness in many people. When these things would start to happen, it would indicate that Christ was invisibly present and that the heavenly Kingdom was at hand. This would be news—good news! So Jesus added these words as a part of the sign: "This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come."—Matthew 24:3-14.
In themselves, recent world happenings are bad, but what they signify is good, namely, Christ's presence. The conditions mentioned above started to be evident in that widely heralded year 1914! It marked the end of the Gentile Times and the beginning of the transition period from human rule to the Thousand Year (Millennial) Reign of Christ.
"Critical times hard to deal with,"
BUT "then theend will come"
That there was to be a transition period is indicated by the 110th Psalm, verses 1 and 2, and Revelation 12:7-12. There it is shown that Christ would sit at God's right hand in heaven until the time for his becoming King. Then war in heaven would result in Satan's being cast to earth, bringing woe to the earth, and Christ would rule in the midst of his enemies. The complete end of wickedness would come by means of a "great tribulation," culminating in the war at Har-Magedon and followed by Christ's Thousand Year Reign of peace.—Matthew 24:21, 33, 34; Revelation 16:14-16.
"But know this," the Bible says, "that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away."—2 Timothy 3:1-5.
Some may argue that these things have happened before in human history, but the fact is that they have never occurred to the same extent. As the historians and commentators say, there has never been a time on earth like the one experienced from 1914 onward. (See page 7.) The woes have been far more extensive than ever before. Moreover, as to other features of Christ's sign of the last days, these facts should be considered: The earth-wide proclamation of Christ's presence and Kingdom has been of a magnitude unprecedented in history. Persecution for preaching has never equaled that visited upon Jehovah's Witnesses. Many hundreds of them were executed in Nazi concentration camps. To this day Jehovah's Witnesses are under ban in some places, and in others they are arrested, imprisoned, tortured, and killed. This is all part of the sign Jesus gave.
As foretold at Revelation 11:18, 'the nations have become wrathful' against Jehovah's faithful Witnesses, and this indicates that Jehovah's "own wrath" will be expressed against those nations. This same scripture says that God will "bring to ruin those ruining the earth." Never before has there been a time in human history when the earth's capacity for sustaining life has been threatened. However, now it is different! Many scientists have warned that if man continues to pollute the earth, it will become uninhabitable. But Jehovah "formed it even to be inhabited," and he will get rid of the polluters before they complete their ruin of the earth.—Isaiah 45:18.
EARTHLY BLESSINGS UNDER THE KINGDOM
The thought of people living on earth as subjects of God's Kingdom may seem strange to many Bible believers who think of all those saved as being in heaven. The Bible shows that only a limited number go to heaven and that those who will live forever on earth will be a great crowd of unlimited number. (Psalm 37:11, 29; Revelation 7:9; 14:1-5) That God's Kingdom under Christ will fill the earth and reign over it is shown by a prophecy in the Bible book of Daniel.
Netherlands
Nigeria
Christ's Kingdom is there represented as a stone cut from Jehovah's mountainlike sovereignty. It strikes and destroys an image that represents powerful nations of the earth, and "the stone that struck the image . . . became a large mountain and filled the whole earth." The prophecy continues: "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite."—Daniel 2:34, 35, 44.
It is this Kingdom and the Scripturally supported hope of everlasting life on a cleansed and beautified earth that Jehovah's Witnesses wish to tell you about. Millions now living and many, many millions now in their graves will have opportunity to dwell therein forever. Then, under the Thousand Year Reign of Christ Jesus, Jehovah's original purpose for creating the earth and putting the first human pair on it will be realized. This earthly Paradise will never become boring. Just as Adam was assigned work in the garden of Eden, so humankind will have challenging projects in caring for the earth and the plant and animal life on it. They "shall long enjoy the work of their hands."—Isaiah 65:22, Revised Standard Version; Genesis 2:15.
Many scriptures could be presented to show the conditions that will exist when the prayer that Jesus taught us is answered: "Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth." (Matthew 6:10) However, let this one suffice for now: "I heard a loud voice from the throne say: 'Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.' And the One seated on the throne said: 'Look! I am making all things new.' Also, he says: 'Write, because these words are faithful and true.'"—Revelation 21:3-5.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Divine Name
The Divine Name Through the Ages
JEHOVAH God wants man to know and use his name. This is evident from the fact that He revealed His name to the very first two persons on earth. We know that Adam and Eve were familiar with God’s name because after Eve gave birth to Cain, according to the original Hebrew text, she said: "I have produced a man with the aid of Jehovah."-Genesis 4:1.
Later we read that faithful men like Enoch and Noah "walked with the true God." (Genesis 5:24; 6:9) They also, then, must have known God’s name. The name survived the great Flood with the righteous man Noah and his family. In spite of the great rebellion some time later at Babel, true servants of God kept on using his name. It appears hundreds of times in the laws that God gave to Israel. In the book of Deuteronomy alone, it appears 551 times.
In the days of the judges, the Israelites evidently did not shy away from using God’s name. They even used it in greeting one another. We read (in the original Hebrew) of Boaz greeting his harvesters: "Jehovah be with you." They returned his greeting by saying: "Jehovah bless you."-Ruth 2:4.
Throughout the history of the Israelites right up until the time that they returned to Judah after their captivity in Babylon, Jehovah’s name continued in common usage. King David, a man agreeable to God’s own heart, used the divine name extensively-it appears hundreds of times in the psalms that he wrote. (Acts 13:22) God’s name was also incorporated in many Israelite personal names. Thus we read of Adonijah ("My Lord Is Jah"-"Jah" is a shortened form of Jehovah), Isaiah ("Salvation of Jehovah"), Jonathan ("Jehovah Has Given"), Micah ("Who is like Jah?") and Joshua ("Jehovah Is Salvation").
Outside the Bible
There is also evidence from sources outside the Bible of the extensive use of the divine name in ancient times. In 1961 an ancient burial cave was uncovered a short distance to the southwest of Jerusalem, according to a report in the Israel Exploration Journal (Volume 13, No. 2). On its walls were Hebrew inscriptions that appear to date from the second half of the eighth century B.C.E. The inscriptions contain statements such as "Jehovah is the God of the whole earth."
In 1966 a report was published in the Israel Exploration Journal (Volume 16, No. 1) about pottery fragments with Hebrew writing on them that were found in Arad, in southern Israel. These were written in the second half of the seventh century B.C.E. One of them was a private letter to a man named Eliashib. The letter begins: "To my lord Eliashib: May Jehovah ask for your peace." And it ends: "He dwells in the house of Jehovah."
In 1975 and 1976, archaeologists working in the Negeb uncovered a collection of Hebrew and Phoenician inscriptions on plaster walls, large storage jars and stone vessels. The inscriptions included the Hebrew word for God, as well as God’s name, YHWH, in Hebrew letters. In Jerusalem itself, there was recently discovered a small, rolled-up strip of silver, apparently dating from before the Babylonian exile. Researchers say that when it was unrolled, the name of Jehovah in Hebrew was found to be written on it.-Biblical Archaeology Review, March/April 1983, page 18.
Another example of the use of God’s name is found in the so-called Lachish Letters. These letters, written on potsherds, were found between the years 1935 and 1938 in the ruins of Lachish, a fortified city that figured prominently in Israel’s history. They appear to have been written by an officer at a Judean outpost to his superior, named Yaosh, at Lachish, apparently during the war between Israel and Babylon toward the end of the seventh century B.C.E.
Of the eight legible shards, seven begin their message with a salutation such as: "May Jehovah cause my lord to see this season in good health!" Altogether, God’s name appears 11 times in the seven messages, clearly indicating that the name of Jehovah enjoyed everyday usage toward the end of the seventh century B.C.E.
Even pagan rulers knew and used the divine name when referring to the God of the Israelites. Thus, on the Moabite Stone, King Mesha of Moab boasts of his military exploits against Israel and, among other things, states: "Chemosh said to me, ‘Go, take Nebo from Israel!’ So I went by night and fought against it from the break of dawn until noon, taking it and slaying all . . . And I took from there the [vessels] of Jehovah, dragging them before Chemosh."
In reference to these non-Biblical uses of the name of God, the Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Alten Testament (Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament), in Volume 3, column 538, says: "Thus some 19 documentary evidences of the Tetragrammaton in the form jhwh testify in this regard to the reliability of the M[asoretic] T[ext]; more can be expected, above all from the Arad-Archives."-Translated from German.
God’s Name Not Forgotten
This familiarity with and use of God’s name continued right up to the days of Malachi, who lived about 400 years before Jesus’ time. In the Bible book bearing his name, Malachi gives great prominence to the divine name, using it altogether 48 times.
As time went on, many Jews came to live far from the land of Israel, and some could no longer read the Bible in the Hebrew language. Hence, in the third century B.C.E., a start was made in translating the part of the Bible that existed then (the "Old Testament") into Greek, the new international language. But the name of God was not neglected. The translators retained it, writing it in its Hebrew form. Ancient copies of the Greek Septuagint that have been preserved to our day testify to that.
What, though, was the situation when Jesus walked the earth? How can we know whether he and his apostles used God’s name?
[Picture on page 12]
In this letter, written on a fragment of pottery in the second half of the seventh century B.C.E., God’s name appears twice.
[Credit Line]
(Picture by courtesy of the Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums)
[Pictures on page 13]
God’s name is also found in the Lachish Letters and on the Moabite Stone
JEHOVAH God wants man to know and use his name. This is evident from the fact that He revealed His name to the very first two persons on earth. We know that Adam and Eve were familiar with God’s name because after Eve gave birth to Cain, according to the original Hebrew text, she said: "I have produced a man with the aid of Jehovah."-Genesis 4:1.
Later we read that faithful men like Enoch and Noah "walked with the true God." (Genesis 5:24; 6:9) They also, then, must have known God’s name. The name survived the great Flood with the righteous man Noah and his family. In spite of the great rebellion some time later at Babel, true servants of God kept on using his name. It appears hundreds of times in the laws that God gave to Israel. In the book of Deuteronomy alone, it appears 551 times.
In the days of the judges, the Israelites evidently did not shy away from using God’s name. They even used it in greeting one another. We read (in the original Hebrew) of Boaz greeting his harvesters: "Jehovah be with you." They returned his greeting by saying: "Jehovah bless you."-Ruth 2:4.
Throughout the history of the Israelites right up until the time that they returned to Judah after their captivity in Babylon, Jehovah’s name continued in common usage. King David, a man agreeable to God’s own heart, used the divine name extensively-it appears hundreds of times in the psalms that he wrote. (Acts 13:22) God’s name was also incorporated in many Israelite personal names. Thus we read of Adonijah ("My Lord Is Jah"-"Jah" is a shortened form of Jehovah), Isaiah ("Salvation of Jehovah"), Jonathan ("Jehovah Has Given"), Micah ("Who is like Jah?") and Joshua ("Jehovah Is Salvation").
Outside the Bible
There is also evidence from sources outside the Bible of the extensive use of the divine name in ancient times. In 1961 an ancient burial cave was uncovered a short distance to the southwest of Jerusalem, according to a report in the Israel Exploration Journal (Volume 13, No. 2). On its walls were Hebrew inscriptions that appear to date from the second half of the eighth century B.C.E. The inscriptions contain statements such as "Jehovah is the God of the whole earth."
In 1966 a report was published in the Israel Exploration Journal (Volume 16, No. 1) about pottery fragments with Hebrew writing on them that were found in Arad, in southern Israel. These were written in the second half of the seventh century B.C.E. One of them was a private letter to a man named Eliashib. The letter begins: "To my lord Eliashib: May Jehovah ask for your peace." And it ends: "He dwells in the house of Jehovah."
In 1975 and 1976, archaeologists working in the Negeb uncovered a collection of Hebrew and Phoenician inscriptions on plaster walls, large storage jars and stone vessels. The inscriptions included the Hebrew word for God, as well as God’s name, YHWH, in Hebrew letters. In Jerusalem itself, there was recently discovered a small, rolled-up strip of silver, apparently dating from before the Babylonian exile. Researchers say that when it was unrolled, the name of Jehovah in Hebrew was found to be written on it.-Biblical Archaeology Review, March/April 1983, page 18.
Another example of the use of God’s name is found in the so-called Lachish Letters. These letters, written on potsherds, were found between the years 1935 and 1938 in the ruins of Lachish, a fortified city that figured prominently in Israel’s history. They appear to have been written by an officer at a Judean outpost to his superior, named Yaosh, at Lachish, apparently during the war between Israel and Babylon toward the end of the seventh century B.C.E.
Of the eight legible shards, seven begin their message with a salutation such as: "May Jehovah cause my lord to see this season in good health!" Altogether, God’s name appears 11 times in the seven messages, clearly indicating that the name of Jehovah enjoyed everyday usage toward the end of the seventh century B.C.E.
Even pagan rulers knew and used the divine name when referring to the God of the Israelites. Thus, on the Moabite Stone, King Mesha of Moab boasts of his military exploits against Israel and, among other things, states: "Chemosh said to me, ‘Go, take Nebo from Israel!’ So I went by night and fought against it from the break of dawn until noon, taking it and slaying all . . . And I took from there the [vessels] of Jehovah, dragging them before Chemosh."
In reference to these non-Biblical uses of the name of God, the Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Alten Testament (Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament), in Volume 3, column 538, says: "Thus some 19 documentary evidences of the Tetragrammaton in the form jhwh testify in this regard to the reliability of the M[asoretic] T[ext]; more can be expected, above all from the Arad-Archives."-Translated from German.
God’s Name Not Forgotten
This familiarity with and use of God’s name continued right up to the days of Malachi, who lived about 400 years before Jesus’ time. In the Bible book bearing his name, Malachi gives great prominence to the divine name, using it altogether 48 times.
As time went on, many Jews came to live far from the land of Israel, and some could no longer read the Bible in the Hebrew language. Hence, in the third century B.C.E., a start was made in translating the part of the Bible that existed then (the "Old Testament") into Greek, the new international language. But the name of God was not neglected. The translators retained it, writing it in its Hebrew form. Ancient copies of the Greek Septuagint that have been preserved to our day testify to that.
What, though, was the situation when Jesus walked the earth? How can we know whether he and his apostles used God’s name?
[Picture on page 12]
In this letter, written on a fragment of pottery in the second half of the seventh century B.C.E., God’s name appears twice.
[Credit Line]
(Picture by courtesy of the Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums)
[Pictures on page 13]
God’s name is also found in the Lachish Letters and on the Moabite Stone
Hallowed be what NAME part 2
God’s Name-Its Meaning and Pronunciation
ONE of the Bible writers asked: "Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of both hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who has made all the ends of the earth to rise? What is his name and what the name of his son, in case you know?" (Proverbs 30:4) How can we find out what God’s name is? That is an important question. The creation is a powerful proof that God must exist, but it does not tell us his name. (Romans 1:20) In fact, we could never know God’s name unless the Creator himself told us. And he has done that in his own Book, the Holy Bible.
On one celebrated occasion, God pronounced his own name, repeating it in the hearing of Moses. Moses wrote an account of that event that has been preserved in the Bible down to our day. (Exodus 34:5) God even wrote his name with his own "finger." When he had given Moses what we today call the Ten Commandments, God miraculously wrote them down. The record says: "Now as soon as [God] had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai he proceeded to give Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone written on by God’s finger." (Exodus 31:18) God’s name appears eight times in the original Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:1-17) Thus God himself has revealed his name to man both verbally and in writing. So, what is that name?
In the Hebrew language it is written יהוה. These four letters, called the Tetragrammaton, are read from right to left in Hebrew and can be represented in many modern languages as YHWH or JHVH. God’s name, represented by these four consonants, appears almost 7,000 times in the original "Old Testament," or Hebrew Scriptures.
The name is a form of a Hebrew verb ha·wah´ (הוה), meaning "to become," and actually signifies "He Causes to Become." Thus, God’s name identifies him as the One who progressively fulfills his promises and unfailingly realizes his purposes. Only the true God could bear such a meaningful name.
Do you remember the different ways that God’s name appeared in Psalm 83:18, as set out in the previous section (page 5)? Two of those translations had mere titles ("the LORD," the "Eternal") as substitutes for God’s name. But in two of them, Yahweh and Jehovah, you can see the four letters of God’s name. However, the pronunciation is different. Why?
How Is God’s Name Pronounced?
The truth is, nobody knows for sure how the name of God was originally pronounced. Why not? Well, the first language used in writing the Bible was Hebrew, and when the Hebrew language was written down, the writers wrote only consonants-not vowels. Hence, when the inspired writers wrote God’s name, they naturally did the same thing and wrote only the consonants.
While ancient Hebrew was an everyday spoken language, this presented no problem. The pronunciation of the Name was familiar to the Israelites and when they saw it in writing they supplied the vowels without thinking (just as, for an English reader, the abbreviation "Ltd." represents "Limited" and "bldg." represents "building").
Two things happened to change this situation. First, a superstitious idea arose among the Jews that it was wrong to say the divine name out loud; so when they came to it in their Bible reading they uttered the Hebrew word ’Adho·nai´ ("Sovereign Lord"). Further, as time went by, the ancient Hebrew language itself ceased to be spoken in everyday conversation, and in this way the original Hebrew pronunciation of God’s name was eventually forgotten.
In order to ensure that the pronunciation of the Hebrew language as a whole would not be lost, Jewish scholars of the second half of the first millennium C.E. invented a system of points to represent the missing vowels, and they placed these around the consonants in the Hebrew Bible. Thus, both vowels and consonants were written down, and the pronunciation as it was at that time was preserved.
When it came to God’s name, instead of putting the proper vowel signs around it, in most cases they put other vowel signs to remind the reader that he should say ’Adho·nai´. From this came the spelling Iehouah, and, eventually, Jehovah became the accepted pronunciation of the divine name in English. This retains the essential elements of God’s name from the Hebrew original.
Which Pronunciation Will You Use?
Where, though, did pronunciations like Yahweh come from? These are forms that have been suggested by modern scholars trying to deduce the original pronunciation of God’s name. Some-though not all-feel that the Israelites before the time of Jesus probably pronounced God’s name Yahweh. But no one can be sure. Perhaps they pronounced it that way, perhaps not.
Nevertheless, many prefer the pronunciation Jehovah. Why? Because it has a currency and familiarity that Yahweh does not have. Would it not, though, be better to use the form that might be closer to the original pronunciation? Not really, for that is not the custom with Bible names.
To take the most prominent example, consider the name of Jesus. Do you know how Jesus’ family and friends addressed him in day-to-day conversation while he was growing up in Nazareth? The truth is, no human knows for certain, although it may have been something like Yeshua (or perhaps Yehoshua). It certainly was not Jesus.
However, when the accounts of his life were written in the Greek language, the inspired writers did not try to preserve that original Hebrew pronunciation. Rather, they rendered the name in Greek, I·e·sous´. Today, it is rendered differently according to the language of the reader of the Bible. Spanish Bible readers encounter Jesús (pronounced Hes·soos´). Italians spell it Gesù (pronounced Djay·zoo´). And Germans spell it Jesus (pronounced Yay´soos).
Must we stop using the name of Jesus because most of us, or even all of us, do not really know its original pronunciation? So far, no translator has suggested this. We like to use the name, for it identifies the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ, who gave his lifeblood for us. Would it be showing honor to Jesus to remove all mention of his name in the Bible and replace it with a mere title like "Teacher," or "Mediator"? Of course not! We can relate to Jesus when we use his name the way it is commonly pronounced in our language.
Similar comments could be made regarding all the names we read in the Bible. We pronounce them in our own language and do not try to imitate the original pronunciation. Thus we say "Jeremiah," not Yir·meya´hu. Similarly we say Isaiah, although in his own day this prophet likely was known as Yesha?·ya´hu. Even scholars who are aware of the original pronunciation of these names use the modern pronunciation, not the ancient, when speaking about them.
And the same is true with the name Jehovah. Even though the modern pronunciation Jehovah might not be exactly the way it was pronounced originally, this in no way detracts from the importance of the name. It identifies the Creator, the living God, the Most High to whom Jesus said: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified."-Matthew 6:9.
‘It Cannot Be Supplanted’
While many translators favor the pronunciation Yahweh, the New World Translation and also a number of other translations continue the use of the form Jehovah because of people’s familiarity with it for centuries. Moreover, it preserves, equally with other forms, the four letters of the Tetragrammaton, YHWH or JHVH.
Earlier, the German professor Gustav Friedrich Oehler made a similar decision for much the same reason. He discussed various pronunciations and concluded: "From this point onward I use the word Jehovah, because, as a matter of fact, this name has now become more naturalized in our vocabulary, and cannot be supplanted."-Theologie des Alten Testaments (Theology of the Old Testament), second edition, published in 1882, page 143.
Similarly, in his Grammaire de l’hébreu biblique (Grammar of Biblical Hebrew), 1923 edition, in a footnote on page 49, Jesuit scholar Paul Joüon states: "In our translations, instead of the (hypothetical) form Yahweh, we have used the form Jéhovah . . . which is the conventional literary form used in French." In many other languages Bible translators use a similar form, as indicated in the box on page 8.
Is it, then, wrong to use a form like Yahweh? Not at all. It is just that the form Jehovah is likely to meet with a quicker response from the reader because it is the form that has been "naturalized" into most languages. The important thing is that we use the name and declare it to others. "Give thanks to Jehovah, you people! Call upon his name. Make known among the peoples his dealings. Make mention that his name is put on high."-Isaiah 12:4.
Let us see how God’s servants have acted in harmony with that command through the centuries.
[Footnotes]
See Appendix 1A in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1984 edition.
See Appendix 1A in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1984 edition.
[Box on page 7]
Different scholars have different ideas about how the name YHWH was originally pronounced.
In The Mysterious Name of Y.H.W.H., page 74, Dr. M. Reisel said that the "vocalisation of the Tetragrammaton must originally have been YeHuàH or YaHuàH."
Canon D. D. Williams of Cambridge held that the "evidence indicates, nay almost proves, that Jahwéh was not the true pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton . . . The Name itself was probably JAHÔH."-Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (Periodical for Old Testament Knowledge), 1936, Volume 54, page 269.
In the glossary of the French Revised Segond Version, page 9, the following comment is made: "The pronunciation Yahvé used in some recent translations is based on a few ancient witnesses, but they are not conclusive. If one takes into account personal names that include the divine name, such as the Hebrew name of the prophet Elijah (Eliyahou) the pronunciation might just as well be Yaho or Yahou."
In 1749 the German Bible scholar Teller told of some different pronunciations of God’s name he had read: "Diodorus from Sicily, Macrobius, Clemens Alexandrinus, Saint Jerome and Origenes wrote Jao; the Samaritans, Epiphanius, Theodoretus, Jahe, or Jave; Ludwig Cappel reads Javoh; Drusius, Jahve; Hottinger, Jehva; Mercerus, Jehovah; Castellio, Jovah; and le Clerc, Jawoh, or Javoh."
Thus it is evident that the original pronunciation of God’s name is no longer known. Nor is it really important. If it were, then God himself would have made sure that it was preserved for us to use. The important thing is to use God’s name according to its conventional pronunciation in our own language.
[Box on page 8]
Forms of the divine name in different languages, indicating international acceptance of the form Jehovah
Awabakal - Yehóa
Bugotu - Jihova
Cantonese - Yehwowah
Danish - Jehova
Dutch - Jehovah
Efik - Jehovah
English - Jehovah
Fijian - Jiova
Finnish - Jehova
French - Jéhovah
Futuna - Ihova
German - Jehova
Hungarian - Jehova
Igbo - Jehova
Italian - Geova
Japanese - Ehoba
Maori - Ihowa
Motu - Iehova
Mwala-Malu - Jihova
Narrinyeri - Jehovah
Nembe - Jihova
Petats - Jihouva
Polish - Jehowa
Portuguese - Jeová
Romanian - Iehova
Samoan - Ieova
Sotho - Jehova
Spanish - Jehová
Swahili - Yehova
Swedish - Jehova
Tahitian - Iehova
Tagalog - Jehova
Tongan - Jihova
Venda - Yehova
Xhosa - uYehova
Yoruba - Jehofah
Zulu - uJehova
[Box on page 11]
"Jehovah" has become widely known as the name of God even in non-Biblical contexts.
Franz Schubert composed the music for the lyric entitled "The Almightiness," written by Johann Ladislav Pyrker, in which the name Jehovah appears twice. It is also used at the end of the last scene of Verdi’s opera "Nabucco."
Additionally, French composer Arthur Honegger’s oratorio "King David" gives prominence to the name Jehovah, and renowned French author Victor Hugo used it in over 30 of his works. Both he and Lamartine wrote poems entitled "Jehovah."
In the book Deutsche Taler (The German Taler), published in 1967 by Germany’s Federal Bank, there is a picture of what is one of the oldest coins bearing the name "Jehovah," a 1634 Reichstaler from the Duchy of Silesia. Regarding the picture on the coin’s reverse side, it says: "Under the radiant name JEHOVAH, rising up out of the midst of clouds, is a crowned shield with the Silesian coat of arms."
In a museum in Rudolstadt, East Germany, you can see on the collar of the suit of armor once worn by Gustavus II Adolph, a 17th-century king of Sweden, the name JEHOVAH in capital letters.
Thus, for centuries the form Jehovah has been the internationally recognized way to pronounce God’s name, and people who hear it instantly recognize who is being spoken about. As Professor Oehler said, "This name has now become more naturalized in our vocabulary, and cannot be supplanted."-Theologie des Alten Testaments (Theology of the Old Testament).
[Picture on page 6]
Detail of an angel with God’s name, found on the tomb of Pope Clement XIII in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican
[Picture on page 7]
Many coins were minted bearing God’s name. This one, dated 1661, is from Nuremberg, Germany. The Latin text reads: "Under the shadow of your wings"
[Pictures on page 9]
In times past, God’s name in the form of the Tetragrammaton was made part of the decoration of many religious buildings
Fourvière Catholic Basilica, Lyons, France
Bourges Cathedral, France
Church in La Celle Dunoise, France
Church in Digne, southern France
Church in São Paulo, Brazil
Strasbourg Cathedral, France
Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Venice, Italy
[Pictures on page 10]
Jehovah’s name as it appears in a monastery in Bordesholm, Germany;
on a German coin dated 1635;
over a church door in Fehmarn, Germany;
and on an 1845 gravestone in Harmannschlag, Lower Austria
ONE of the Bible writers asked: "Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of both hands? Who has wrapped up the waters in a mantle? Who has made all the ends of the earth to rise? What is his name and what the name of his son, in case you know?" (Proverbs 30:4) How can we find out what God’s name is? That is an important question. The creation is a powerful proof that God must exist, but it does not tell us his name. (Romans 1:20) In fact, we could never know God’s name unless the Creator himself told us. And he has done that in his own Book, the Holy Bible.
On one celebrated occasion, God pronounced his own name, repeating it in the hearing of Moses. Moses wrote an account of that event that has been preserved in the Bible down to our day. (Exodus 34:5) God even wrote his name with his own "finger." When he had given Moses what we today call the Ten Commandments, God miraculously wrote them down. The record says: "Now as soon as [God] had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai he proceeded to give Moses two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone written on by God’s finger." (Exodus 31:18) God’s name appears eight times in the original Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20:1-17) Thus God himself has revealed his name to man both verbally and in writing. So, what is that name?
In the Hebrew language it is written יהוה. These four letters, called the Tetragrammaton, are read from right to left in Hebrew and can be represented in many modern languages as YHWH or JHVH. God’s name, represented by these four consonants, appears almost 7,000 times in the original "Old Testament," or Hebrew Scriptures.
The name is a form of a Hebrew verb ha·wah´ (הוה), meaning "to become," and actually signifies "He Causes to Become." Thus, God’s name identifies him as the One who progressively fulfills his promises and unfailingly realizes his purposes. Only the true God could bear such a meaningful name.
Do you remember the different ways that God’s name appeared in Psalm 83:18, as set out in the previous section (page 5)? Two of those translations had mere titles ("the LORD," the "Eternal") as substitutes for God’s name. But in two of them, Yahweh and Jehovah, you can see the four letters of God’s name. However, the pronunciation is different. Why?
How Is God’s Name Pronounced?
The truth is, nobody knows for sure how the name of God was originally pronounced. Why not? Well, the first language used in writing the Bible was Hebrew, and when the Hebrew language was written down, the writers wrote only consonants-not vowels. Hence, when the inspired writers wrote God’s name, they naturally did the same thing and wrote only the consonants.
While ancient Hebrew was an everyday spoken language, this presented no problem. The pronunciation of the Name was familiar to the Israelites and when they saw it in writing they supplied the vowels without thinking (just as, for an English reader, the abbreviation "Ltd." represents "Limited" and "bldg." represents "building").
Two things happened to change this situation. First, a superstitious idea arose among the Jews that it was wrong to say the divine name out loud; so when they came to it in their Bible reading they uttered the Hebrew word ’Adho·nai´ ("Sovereign Lord"). Further, as time went by, the ancient Hebrew language itself ceased to be spoken in everyday conversation, and in this way the original Hebrew pronunciation of God’s name was eventually forgotten.
In order to ensure that the pronunciation of the Hebrew language as a whole would not be lost, Jewish scholars of the second half of the first millennium C.E. invented a system of points to represent the missing vowels, and they placed these around the consonants in the Hebrew Bible. Thus, both vowels and consonants were written down, and the pronunciation as it was at that time was preserved.
When it came to God’s name, instead of putting the proper vowel signs around it, in most cases they put other vowel signs to remind the reader that he should say ’Adho·nai´. From this came the spelling Iehouah, and, eventually, Jehovah became the accepted pronunciation of the divine name in English. This retains the essential elements of God’s name from the Hebrew original.
Which Pronunciation Will You Use?
Where, though, did pronunciations like Yahweh come from? These are forms that have been suggested by modern scholars trying to deduce the original pronunciation of God’s name. Some-though not all-feel that the Israelites before the time of Jesus probably pronounced God’s name Yahweh. But no one can be sure. Perhaps they pronounced it that way, perhaps not.
Nevertheless, many prefer the pronunciation Jehovah. Why? Because it has a currency and familiarity that Yahweh does not have. Would it not, though, be better to use the form that might be closer to the original pronunciation? Not really, for that is not the custom with Bible names.
To take the most prominent example, consider the name of Jesus. Do you know how Jesus’ family and friends addressed him in day-to-day conversation while he was growing up in Nazareth? The truth is, no human knows for certain, although it may have been something like Yeshua (or perhaps Yehoshua). It certainly was not Jesus.
However, when the accounts of his life were written in the Greek language, the inspired writers did not try to preserve that original Hebrew pronunciation. Rather, they rendered the name in Greek, I·e·sous´. Today, it is rendered differently according to the language of the reader of the Bible. Spanish Bible readers encounter Jesús (pronounced Hes·soos´). Italians spell it Gesù (pronounced Djay·zoo´). And Germans spell it Jesus (pronounced Yay´soos).
Must we stop using the name of Jesus because most of us, or even all of us, do not really know its original pronunciation? So far, no translator has suggested this. We like to use the name, for it identifies the beloved Son of God, Jesus Christ, who gave his lifeblood for us. Would it be showing honor to Jesus to remove all mention of his name in the Bible and replace it with a mere title like "Teacher," or "Mediator"? Of course not! We can relate to Jesus when we use his name the way it is commonly pronounced in our language.
Similar comments could be made regarding all the names we read in the Bible. We pronounce them in our own language and do not try to imitate the original pronunciation. Thus we say "Jeremiah," not Yir·meya´hu. Similarly we say Isaiah, although in his own day this prophet likely was known as Yesha?·ya´hu. Even scholars who are aware of the original pronunciation of these names use the modern pronunciation, not the ancient, when speaking about them.
And the same is true with the name Jehovah. Even though the modern pronunciation Jehovah might not be exactly the way it was pronounced originally, this in no way detracts from the importance of the name. It identifies the Creator, the living God, the Most High to whom Jesus said: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified."-Matthew 6:9.
‘It Cannot Be Supplanted’
While many translators favor the pronunciation Yahweh, the New World Translation and also a number of other translations continue the use of the form Jehovah because of people’s familiarity with it for centuries. Moreover, it preserves, equally with other forms, the four letters of the Tetragrammaton, YHWH or JHVH.
Earlier, the German professor Gustav Friedrich Oehler made a similar decision for much the same reason. He discussed various pronunciations and concluded: "From this point onward I use the word Jehovah, because, as a matter of fact, this name has now become more naturalized in our vocabulary, and cannot be supplanted."-Theologie des Alten Testaments (Theology of the Old Testament), second edition, published in 1882, page 143.
Similarly, in his Grammaire de l’hébreu biblique (Grammar of Biblical Hebrew), 1923 edition, in a footnote on page 49, Jesuit scholar Paul Joüon states: "In our translations, instead of the (hypothetical) form Yahweh, we have used the form Jéhovah . . . which is the conventional literary form used in French." In many other languages Bible translators use a similar form, as indicated in the box on page 8.
Is it, then, wrong to use a form like Yahweh? Not at all. It is just that the form Jehovah is likely to meet with a quicker response from the reader because it is the form that has been "naturalized" into most languages. The important thing is that we use the name and declare it to others. "Give thanks to Jehovah, you people! Call upon his name. Make known among the peoples his dealings. Make mention that his name is put on high."-Isaiah 12:4.
Let us see how God’s servants have acted in harmony with that command through the centuries.
[Footnotes]
See Appendix 1A in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1984 edition.
See Appendix 1A in the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, 1984 edition.
[Box on page 7]
Different scholars have different ideas about how the name YHWH was originally pronounced.
In The Mysterious Name of Y.H.W.H., page 74, Dr. M. Reisel said that the "vocalisation of the Tetragrammaton must originally have been YeHuàH or YaHuàH."
Canon D. D. Williams of Cambridge held that the "evidence indicates, nay almost proves, that Jahwéh was not the true pronunciation of the Tetragrammaton . . . The Name itself was probably JAHÔH."-Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft (Periodical for Old Testament Knowledge), 1936, Volume 54, page 269.
In the glossary of the French Revised Segond Version, page 9, the following comment is made: "The pronunciation Yahvé used in some recent translations is based on a few ancient witnesses, but they are not conclusive. If one takes into account personal names that include the divine name, such as the Hebrew name of the prophet Elijah (Eliyahou) the pronunciation might just as well be Yaho or Yahou."
In 1749 the German Bible scholar Teller told of some different pronunciations of God’s name he had read: "Diodorus from Sicily, Macrobius, Clemens Alexandrinus, Saint Jerome and Origenes wrote Jao; the Samaritans, Epiphanius, Theodoretus, Jahe, or Jave; Ludwig Cappel reads Javoh; Drusius, Jahve; Hottinger, Jehva; Mercerus, Jehovah; Castellio, Jovah; and le Clerc, Jawoh, or Javoh."
Thus it is evident that the original pronunciation of God’s name is no longer known. Nor is it really important. If it were, then God himself would have made sure that it was preserved for us to use. The important thing is to use God’s name according to its conventional pronunciation in our own language.
[Box on page 8]
Forms of the divine name in different languages, indicating international acceptance of the form Jehovah
Awabakal - Yehóa
Bugotu - Jihova
Cantonese - Yehwowah
Danish - Jehova
Dutch - Jehovah
Efik - Jehovah
English - Jehovah
Fijian - Jiova
Finnish - Jehova
French - Jéhovah
Futuna - Ihova
German - Jehova
Hungarian - Jehova
Igbo - Jehova
Italian - Geova
Japanese - Ehoba
Maori - Ihowa
Motu - Iehova
Mwala-Malu - Jihova
Narrinyeri - Jehovah
Nembe - Jihova
Petats - Jihouva
Polish - Jehowa
Portuguese - Jeová
Romanian - Iehova
Samoan - Ieova
Sotho - Jehova
Spanish - Jehová
Swahili - Yehova
Swedish - Jehova
Tahitian - Iehova
Tagalog - Jehova
Tongan - Jihova
Venda - Yehova
Xhosa - uYehova
Yoruba - Jehofah
Zulu - uJehova
[Box on page 11]
"Jehovah" has become widely known as the name of God even in non-Biblical contexts.
Franz Schubert composed the music for the lyric entitled "The Almightiness," written by Johann Ladislav Pyrker, in which the name Jehovah appears twice. It is also used at the end of the last scene of Verdi’s opera "Nabucco."
Additionally, French composer Arthur Honegger’s oratorio "King David" gives prominence to the name Jehovah, and renowned French author Victor Hugo used it in over 30 of his works. Both he and Lamartine wrote poems entitled "Jehovah."
In the book Deutsche Taler (The German Taler), published in 1967 by Germany’s Federal Bank, there is a picture of what is one of the oldest coins bearing the name "Jehovah," a 1634 Reichstaler from the Duchy of Silesia. Regarding the picture on the coin’s reverse side, it says: "Under the radiant name JEHOVAH, rising up out of the midst of clouds, is a crowned shield with the Silesian coat of arms."
In a museum in Rudolstadt, East Germany, you can see on the collar of the suit of armor once worn by Gustavus II Adolph, a 17th-century king of Sweden, the name JEHOVAH in capital letters.
Thus, for centuries the form Jehovah has been the internationally recognized way to pronounce God’s name, and people who hear it instantly recognize who is being spoken about. As Professor Oehler said, "This name has now become more naturalized in our vocabulary, and cannot be supplanted."-Theologie des Alten Testaments (Theology of the Old Testament).
[Picture on page 6]
Detail of an angel with God’s name, found on the tomb of Pope Clement XIII in St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican
[Picture on page 7]
Many coins were minted bearing God’s name. This one, dated 1661, is from Nuremberg, Germany. The Latin text reads: "Under the shadow of your wings"
[Pictures on page 9]
In times past, God’s name in the form of the Tetragrammaton was made part of the decoration of many religious buildings
Fourvière Catholic Basilica, Lyons, France
Bourges Cathedral, France
Church in La Celle Dunoise, France
Church in Digne, southern France
Church in São Paulo, Brazil
Strasbourg Cathedral, France
Saint Mark’s Cathedral, Venice, Italy
[Pictures on page 10]
Jehovah’s name as it appears in a monastery in Bordesholm, Germany;
on a German coin dated 1635;
over a church door in Fehmarn, Germany;
and on an 1845 gravestone in Harmannschlag, Lower Austria
Hallowed be what NAME
"Hallowed Be Your Name"-What Name?
ARE you a religious person? Then doubtless, like many others, you believe in a Supreme Being. And likely you have great respect for the well-known prayer to that Being, taught by Jesus to his followers and known as the Lord’s Prayer, or the Our Father. The prayer begins like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name."-Matthew 6:9, New International Version.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus put the ‘hallowing,’ or sanctifying, of God’s name first in this prayer? Afterward, he mentioned other things such as the coming of God’s Kingdom, God’s will being done on earth and our sins being forgiven. The fulfillment of these other requests will ultimately mean lasting peace on earth and everlasting life for mankind. Can you think of anything more important than that? Nevertheless, Jesus told us to pray first of all for the sanctification of God’s name.
It was not merely by chance that Jesus taught his followers to put God’s name first in their prayers. That name was clearly of crucial importance to him, since he mentioned it repeatedly in his own prayers. On one occasion when he was praying publicly to God, he was heard to say: "Father, glorify your name!" And God himself answered: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."-John 12:28, The Jerusalem Bible.
The evening before Jesus died, he was praying to God in the hearing of his disciples, and once again they heard him highlight the importance of God’s name. He said: "I have made your name known to the men you took from the world to give me." Later, he repeated: "I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known."-John 17:6, 26, JB.
Why was God’s name so important to Jesus? Why did he show that it is important for us, too, by telling us to pray for its sanctification? To understand this, we need to realize how names were viewed in Bible times.
Names in Bible Times
Jehovah God evidently put in man a desire to name things. The first human had a name, Adam. In the story of creation, one of the first things Adam is reported as doing is naming the animals. When God gave Adam a wife, immediately Adam called her "Woman" (’Ish·shah´, in Hebrew). Later, he gave her the name Eve, meaning "Living One," because "she had to become the mother of everyone living." (Genesis 2:19, 23; 3:20) Even today we follow the custom of giving names to people. Indeed, it is hard to imagine how we could manage without names.
In Israelite times, however, names were not mere labels. They meant something. For example, the name of Isaac, "Laughter," recalled the laughter of his aged parents when they first heard that they were to have a child. (Genesis 17:17, 19; 18:12) Esau’s name meant "Hairy," describing a physical characteristic. His other name, Edom, "Red," or "Ruddy," was a reminder that he sold his birthright for a dish of red stew. (Genesis 25:25, 30-34; 27:11; 36:1) Jacob, although he was only slightly younger than his twin brother, Esau, bought the birthright from Esau and received the firstborn’s blessing from his father. From birth, the meaning of Jacob’s name was "Taking Hold of the Heel" or "Supplanter." (Genesis 27:36) Similarly the name of Solomon, during whose reign Israel enjoyed peace and prosperity, meant "Peaceable."-1 Chronicles 22:9.
Thus, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Volume 1, page 572) states the following: "A study of the word ‘name’ in the O[ld] T[estament] reveals how much it means in Hebrew. The name is no mere label, but is significant of the real personality of him to whom it belongs."
The fact that God views names as important is seen in that, through an angel, he instructed the future parents of John the Baptist and Jesus as to what their sons’ names should be. (Luke 1:13, 31) And at times he changed names, or he gave people additional names, to show the place they were to have in his purpose. For example, when God foretold that his servant Abram ("Father of Exaltation") would become father to many nations He changed his name to Abraham ("Father of a Multitude"). And he changed the name of Abraham’s wife, Sarai ("Contentious"), to Sarah ("Princess"), since she would be the mother of Abraham’s seed.-Genesis 17:5, 15, 16; compare Genesis 32:28; 2 Samuel 12:24, 25.
Jesus, too, recognized the importance of names and he referred to Peter’s name in giving him a privilege of service. (Matthew 16:16-19) Even spirit creatures have names. Two mentioned in the Bible are Gabriel and Michael. (Luke 1:26; Jude 9) And when man gives names to inanimate things such as stars, planets, towns, mountains and rivers, he is merely imitating his Creator. For example, the Bible tells us that God calls all the stars by name.-Isaiah 40:26.
Yes, names are important in God’s eyes, and he put in man the desire to identify people and things by means of names. Thus angels, people, animals, as well as stars and other inanimate things, have names. Would it be consistent for the Creator of all these things to leave himself nameless? Of course not, especially in view of the psalmist’s words: "Let all flesh bless [God’s] holy name to time indefinite, even forever."-Psalm 145:21.
The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Volume 2, page 649) says: "One of the most fundamental and essential features of the biblical revelation is the fact that God is not without a name: he has a personal name, by which he can, and is to be, invoked." Jesus certainly had that name in mind when he taught his followers to pray: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified."-Matthew 6:9.
In view of all of this, it is evidently important for us to know what God’s name is. Do you know God’s personal name?
What Is God’s Name?
Surprisingly, the majority of the hundreds of millions of members of the churches of Christendom would probably find it difficult to answer that question. Some would say that God’s name is Jesus Christ. Yet Jesus was praying to someone else when he said: "I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world." (John 17:6) He was praying to God in heaven, as a son speaking to his father. (John 17:1) It was his heavenly Father’s name that had to be "hallowed," or "sanctified."
Yet many modern Bibles do not contain the name, and it is rarely used in the churches. Hence, far from being "hallowed," it has been lost to millions of Bible readers. As an example of the way Bible translators have treated God’s name, consider just one verse where it appears: Psalm 83:18. Here is how this scripture is rendered in four different Bibles:
"Let them know that thou alone, whose name is the LORD, art the Most High over all the earth." (Revised Standard Version of 1952)
"To teach them that thou, O Eternal, thou art God Most High o’er all the world." (A New Translation of the Bible, by James Moffatt, of 1922)
"Let them know this: you alone bear the name Yahweh, Most High over the whole world." (Catholic Jerusalem Bible of 1966)
"That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth." (Authorized, or King James, Version of 1611)
Why does God’s name look so different in these versions? Is his name LORD, the Eternal, Yahweh or Jehovah? Or are these all acceptable?
To answer this, we have to remember that the Bible was not originally written in English. The Bible writers were Hebrews, and they mostly wrote in the Hebrew and Greek languages of their day. Most of us do not speak those ancient languages. But the Bible has been translated into numerous modern tongues, and we can use these translations when we want to read God’s Word.
Christians have a deep respect for the Bible and rightly believe that "all Scripture is inspired of God." (2 Timothy 3:16) Hence, translating the Bible is a weighty responsibility. If someone deliberately changes or omits part of the contents of the Bible, he is tampering with the inspired Word. To such a one the Scriptural warning would apply: "If anyone makes an addition to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this scroll; and if anyone takes anything away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take his portion away from the trees of life."-Revelation 22:18, 19; see also Deuteronomy 4:2.
Most Bible translators doubtless respect the Bible and sincerely want to make it understandable in this modern age. But translators are not inspired. Most of them have strong opinions, too, on religious matters and may be influenced by personal ideas and preferences. They can also make human errors or mistakes in judgment.
Hence, we have the right to ask some important questions: What is God’s real name? And why do different Bible translations have different names for God? Having established the answer to these questions, we can return to our original problem: Why is the sanctification of God’s name so important?
[Blurb on page 4]
Angels, people, animals, as well as stars and other inanimate things, have names. Would it be consistent for the Creator of all these things to be nameless?
[Blurb on page 5]
God’s name was clearly of crucial importance to Jesus, since he mentioned it repeatedly in his prayers
ARE you a religious person? Then doubtless, like many others, you believe in a Supreme Being. And likely you have great respect for the well-known prayer to that Being, taught by Jesus to his followers and known as the Lord’s Prayer, or the Our Father. The prayer begins like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name."-Matthew 6:9, New International Version.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus put the ‘hallowing,’ or sanctifying, of God’s name first in this prayer? Afterward, he mentioned other things such as the coming of God’s Kingdom, God’s will being done on earth and our sins being forgiven. The fulfillment of these other requests will ultimately mean lasting peace on earth and everlasting life for mankind. Can you think of anything more important than that? Nevertheless, Jesus told us to pray first of all for the sanctification of God’s name.
It was not merely by chance that Jesus taught his followers to put God’s name first in their prayers. That name was clearly of crucial importance to him, since he mentioned it repeatedly in his own prayers. On one occasion when he was praying publicly to God, he was heard to say: "Father, glorify your name!" And God himself answered: "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again."-John 12:28, The Jerusalem Bible.
The evening before Jesus died, he was praying to God in the hearing of his disciples, and once again they heard him highlight the importance of God’s name. He said: "I have made your name known to the men you took from the world to give me." Later, he repeated: "I have made your name known to them and will continue to make it known."-John 17:6, 26, JB.
Why was God’s name so important to Jesus? Why did he show that it is important for us, too, by telling us to pray for its sanctification? To understand this, we need to realize how names were viewed in Bible times.
Names in Bible Times
Jehovah God evidently put in man a desire to name things. The first human had a name, Adam. In the story of creation, one of the first things Adam is reported as doing is naming the animals. When God gave Adam a wife, immediately Adam called her "Woman" (’Ish·shah´, in Hebrew). Later, he gave her the name Eve, meaning "Living One," because "she had to become the mother of everyone living." (Genesis 2:19, 23; 3:20) Even today we follow the custom of giving names to people. Indeed, it is hard to imagine how we could manage without names.
In Israelite times, however, names were not mere labels. They meant something. For example, the name of Isaac, "Laughter," recalled the laughter of his aged parents when they first heard that they were to have a child. (Genesis 17:17, 19; 18:12) Esau’s name meant "Hairy," describing a physical characteristic. His other name, Edom, "Red," or "Ruddy," was a reminder that he sold his birthright for a dish of red stew. (Genesis 25:25, 30-34; 27:11; 36:1) Jacob, although he was only slightly younger than his twin brother, Esau, bought the birthright from Esau and received the firstborn’s blessing from his father. From birth, the meaning of Jacob’s name was "Taking Hold of the Heel" or "Supplanter." (Genesis 27:36) Similarly the name of Solomon, during whose reign Israel enjoyed peace and prosperity, meant "Peaceable."-1 Chronicles 22:9.
Thus, The Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Volume 1, page 572) states the following: "A study of the word ‘name’ in the O[ld] T[estament] reveals how much it means in Hebrew. The name is no mere label, but is significant of the real personality of him to whom it belongs."
The fact that God views names as important is seen in that, through an angel, he instructed the future parents of John the Baptist and Jesus as to what their sons’ names should be. (Luke 1:13, 31) And at times he changed names, or he gave people additional names, to show the place they were to have in his purpose. For example, when God foretold that his servant Abram ("Father of Exaltation") would become father to many nations He changed his name to Abraham ("Father of a Multitude"). And he changed the name of Abraham’s wife, Sarai ("Contentious"), to Sarah ("Princess"), since she would be the mother of Abraham’s seed.-Genesis 17:5, 15, 16; compare Genesis 32:28; 2 Samuel 12:24, 25.
Jesus, too, recognized the importance of names and he referred to Peter’s name in giving him a privilege of service. (Matthew 16:16-19) Even spirit creatures have names. Two mentioned in the Bible are Gabriel and Michael. (Luke 1:26; Jude 9) And when man gives names to inanimate things such as stars, planets, towns, mountains and rivers, he is merely imitating his Creator. For example, the Bible tells us that God calls all the stars by name.-Isaiah 40:26.
Yes, names are important in God’s eyes, and he put in man the desire to identify people and things by means of names. Thus angels, people, animals, as well as stars and other inanimate things, have names. Would it be consistent for the Creator of all these things to leave himself nameless? Of course not, especially in view of the psalmist’s words: "Let all flesh bless [God’s] holy name to time indefinite, even forever."-Psalm 145:21.
The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology (Volume 2, page 649) says: "One of the most fundamental and essential features of the biblical revelation is the fact that God is not without a name: he has a personal name, by which he can, and is to be, invoked." Jesus certainly had that name in mind when he taught his followers to pray: "Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified."-Matthew 6:9.
In view of all of this, it is evidently important for us to know what God’s name is. Do you know God’s personal name?
What Is God’s Name?
Surprisingly, the majority of the hundreds of millions of members of the churches of Christendom would probably find it difficult to answer that question. Some would say that God’s name is Jesus Christ. Yet Jesus was praying to someone else when he said: "I have made your name manifest to the men you gave me out of the world." (John 17:6) He was praying to God in heaven, as a son speaking to his father. (John 17:1) It was his heavenly Father’s name that had to be "hallowed," or "sanctified."
Yet many modern Bibles do not contain the name, and it is rarely used in the churches. Hence, far from being "hallowed," it has been lost to millions of Bible readers. As an example of the way Bible translators have treated God’s name, consider just one verse where it appears: Psalm 83:18. Here is how this scripture is rendered in four different Bibles:
"Let them know that thou alone, whose name is the LORD, art the Most High over all the earth." (Revised Standard Version of 1952)
"To teach them that thou, O Eternal, thou art God Most High o’er all the world." (A New Translation of the Bible, by James Moffatt, of 1922)
"Let them know this: you alone bear the name Yahweh, Most High over the whole world." (Catholic Jerusalem Bible of 1966)
"That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth." (Authorized, or King James, Version of 1611)
Why does God’s name look so different in these versions? Is his name LORD, the Eternal, Yahweh or Jehovah? Or are these all acceptable?
To answer this, we have to remember that the Bible was not originally written in English. The Bible writers were Hebrews, and they mostly wrote in the Hebrew and Greek languages of their day. Most of us do not speak those ancient languages. But the Bible has been translated into numerous modern tongues, and we can use these translations when we want to read God’s Word.
Christians have a deep respect for the Bible and rightly believe that "all Scripture is inspired of God." (2 Timothy 3:16) Hence, translating the Bible is a weighty responsibility. If someone deliberately changes or omits part of the contents of the Bible, he is tampering with the inspired Word. To such a one the Scriptural warning would apply: "If anyone makes an addition to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this scroll; and if anyone takes anything away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take his portion away from the trees of life."-Revelation 22:18, 19; see also Deuteronomy 4:2.
Most Bible translators doubtless respect the Bible and sincerely want to make it understandable in this modern age. But translators are not inspired. Most of them have strong opinions, too, on religious matters and may be influenced by personal ideas and preferences. They can also make human errors or mistakes in judgment.
Hence, we have the right to ask some important questions: What is God’s real name? And why do different Bible translations have different names for God? Having established the answer to these questions, we can return to our original problem: Why is the sanctification of God’s name so important?
[Blurb on page 4]
Angels, people, animals, as well as stars and other inanimate things, have names. Would it be consistent for the Creator of all these things to be nameless?
[Blurb on page 5]
God’s name was clearly of crucial importance to Jesus, since he mentioned it repeatedly in his prayers
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