The Watchtower — January 1, 2004

War Has Changed Its Face

WAR has always been brutal. It has always ruined the lives of soldiers and has always brought suffering to civilians. But in recent years, war has changed its face. In what way?

Today’s wars are mainly civil wars​—wars between opposing groups of citizens of the same country. And civil wars often last longer, leave the population more traumatized, and destroy countries more thoroughly than wars fought between nations. “Civil wars are cruel, bloody operations that result in thousands of deaths, sexual assaults, forced exile and, in the most extreme cases, genocide,” notes Spanish historian Julián Casanova. Indeed, when atrocities are committed by neighbor against neighbor, the wounds may take centuries to heal.

Since the end of the Cold War, relatively few wars have been fought between national armies. “All but three of the major armed conflicts registered for 1990-2000 were internal,” reports the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Granted, internal conflicts may seem less threatening and may be largely ignored by the international media, but the pain and destruction caused by such hostilities are devastating all the same. Millions of people have died in internal conflicts. In fact, during the last two decades, nearly five million people lost their lives in just three war-torn countries​—Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sudan. In the Balkans, fierce ethnic fighting cost the lives of almost 250,000 people, and prolonged guerrilla warfare in Colombia has left 100,000 dead.

Nowhere is the brutality of civil war more evident than in its effect on children. During the last decade, over two million children lost their lives in civil conflicts, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Another six million were wounded. A growing number of children have been turned into soldiers. Says one child soldier: “They gave me training. They gave me a gun. I took drugs. I killed civilians. Lots. It was just war . . . I only took orders. I knew it was bad. It was not my wish.”

Many children in countries where civil war has become a way of life are growing up without ever having known peace. They live in a world where schools have been destroyed and where dialogue takes place through the mouths of guns. Says 14-year-old Dunja: “So many people have been killed . . . No longer can you hear the singing of the birds, only the sound of the children crying for a lost mother or father, a brother or a sister.”

What Are the Causes?

What fuels the fires of such cruel civil wars? Ethnic and tribal hatred, religious differences, injustice, and political turmoil are all significant factors. Another root cause is greed​—greed for power and greed for money. Political leaders, often motivated by greed, stir up the hatred that fuels the fighting. A report published by SIPRI states that many participants in armed conflicts “are motivated by personal gain.” The report adds: “Greed is manifested in many forms, from large-scale diamond trading by military and political leaders to village-level pillage by youths with guns.”

The ready availability of cheap but lethal weapons adds to the carnage. About 500,000 deaths a year​—mainly women and children—​are attributed to so-called small arms. In one African country, an AK-47 assault rifle can be bought for the price of a chicken. Sad to say, in some places rifles are becoming almost as plentiful as these domestic birds. Worldwide there are now an estimated 500 million small arms and light weapons​—1 for every 12 persons alive.

Will bitter civil conflicts become the hallmark of the 21st century? Can civil wars be controlled? Will people eventually stop the killing? The following article will address these questions.

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The Tragic Toll of Civil Wars

In low-tech but brutal civil wars, 90 percent of the casualties are civilians rather than combatants. “It is clear that increasingly, children are targets, not incidental casualties, of armed conflict,” notes Graça Machel, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Expert on the Impact of Armed Conflicts on Children.

Rape has become a military tactic. In some war-torn areas, insurgents rape virtually every adolescent girl found in the villages they overrun. The goal of such rapists is to spread panic or to destroy family ties.

Famine and disease follow in the wake of war. A civil war means that few crops will get planted and harvested, few if any medical services will function, and little international aid will get to the needy. One study of an African civil war revealed that 20 percent of the casualties died from disease and 78 percent from hunger. Only 2 percent died as a direct result of the fighting.

On an average, every 22 minutes someone loses a limb or his life by stepping on a land mine. There are an estimated 60 million to 70 million land mines scattered about in over 60 countries.

People are forced to flee their homes. Around the world, there are now 50 million refugees and displaced persons​—half of them children.

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COVER: Boy: Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images

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Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images

An End to War

‘We are only 12 years old. We can’t influence politics and the war, but we want to live! We wait for peace. Will we live to see it?’​—A class of fifth-grade schoolchildren

‘We want to attend school and to visit our friends and family without fear of abduction. I hope the government will listen. We want a better life. We want peace.’​—Alhaji, age 14

THESE poignant words convey the heartfelt hope of young people who have suffered for years as a result of civil strife. Their only desire is to live a normal life. But converting hope into reality is no easy task. Will we ever live to see a world without war?

In recent years, there have been international efforts to resolve some civil wars by pressuring opposing sides to sign a peace accord. Some countries have provided peace-keeping forces to effect such agreements. But few nations have the money or the inclination to police faraway countries where deep-seated hatred and suspicion make any agreement between warring factions fragile at best. Not infrequently, the flames of conflict flare up again just a few weeks or months after a cease-fire is signed. As the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute points out, “peace is difficult to achieve when combatants have the will and capacity to continue to fight.”

At the same time, these intractable conflicts that plague so many parts of the earth remind Christians of a Bible prophecy. The book of Revelation speaks of a critical period in history during which a symbolic horseman would “take peace away from the earth.” (Revelation 6:4) This picture of unremitting warfare is part of a composite sign that indicates that we are now living in a time described in the Bible as “the last days.”a (2 Timothy 3:1) God’s Word assures us, however, that these last days are a prelude to peace.

The Bible explains at Psalm 46:9 that real peace requires an end of war, not in just one region of the globe, but in all the earth. Furthermore, this same psalm specifically mentions the destruction of the weapons of Bible times​—the bow and the spear. The weapons that proliferate nowadays must likewise be destroyed if mankind is ever to live in peace.

Ultimately, though, it is hatred and greed rather than bullets and rifles that fuel the flames of war. Covetousness, or greediness, is a fundamental cause of war, and hatred frequently leads to violence. To uproot these destructive feelings, people need to change the way they think. They need to be educated in the ways of peace. Thus, the ancient prophet Isaiah realistically states that war will cease only when people ‘do not learn war anymore.’​—Isaiah 2:4.

However, at present we live in a world that teaches adults and children, not the value of peace, but the glory of war. Sadly, even children are being trained to kill.

They Learned to Kill

At the age of 14, Alhaji became a decommissioned soldier. He was only ten years old when rebel troops captured him and trained him to fight with an AK-47 assault rifle. As a forced recruit, he went on food raids and burned down houses. He also killed and mutilated people. Today, Alhaji finds it difficult to forget war and to adjust to civilian life. Abraham, another child soldier, also learned to kill and was reluctant to turn over his weapon. He said: “If they tell me to go away without my gun, I don’t know what I will do, how I will eat.”

More than 300,000 child soldiers​—both boys and girls—​are still fighting and dying in the endless civil conflicts that plague our planet. Explained one rebel leader: “They obey orders; they are not concerned about getting back to their wife or family; and they don’t know fear.” Yet, these children want and deserve a better life.

In developed countries, the appalling situation of the child soldier may seem a world away. Even so, many Western children are learning to wage war in the comfort of their homes. In what way?

Take José from southeastern Spain as an example. He was a teenager who enjoyed practicing martial arts. His prize possession was a samurai sword that his father had bought him for Christmas. And he loved video games, especially violent ones. On April 1, 2000, he emulated in real life the aggression of his screen hero. In an orgy of violence, he killed his father, his mother, and his sister with the very sword his father had given him. “I wanted to be alone in the world; I didn’t want my parents looking for me,” he explained to the police.

Commenting on the effects of violent entertainment, author and military officer Dave Grossman noted: “We are reaching that stage of desensitization at which the inflicting of pain and suffering has become a source of entertainment: vicarious pleasure rather than revulsion. We are learning to kill, and we are learning to like it.”

Both Alhaji and José learned to kill. Neither set out to be killers, but training of one sort or another warped their thinking. Such training​—whether for children or for adults—​sows the seeds of violence and war.

Learning Peace Instead of War

Lasting peace can never be established while people are learning to kill. Many centuries ago, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “If only you would actually pay attention to [God’s] commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river.” (Isaiah 48:17, 18) When people acquire accurate knowledge about God’s Word and learn to love God’s law, violence and war become repulsive to them. Even now, parents can make sure that the games their children play do not encourage violence. Adults can also learn to overcome hatred and greed. Jehovah’s Witnesses have discovered time and again that God’s Word has the power to change personalities.​—Hebrews 4:12.

Consider the example of Hortêncio. He was a young man when he against his will was recruited to become a soldier. Military training was designed to “inculcate in us the desire to kill other people and not to have any fear of killing,” he explains. He fought in a drawn-out civil war in Africa. “The war affected my personality,” he admits. “Even today I still remember everything I did. I feel very bad about what I was forced to do.”

When a fellow soldier spoke to Hortêncio about the Bible, it touched his heart. God’s promise at Psalm 46:9 to bring an end to all forms of war impressed him. The more he studied the Bible, the less he wanted to fight. Before long, he and two of his companions were expelled from the army, and they dedicated their lives to Jehovah God. “Bible truth helped me to have love for my enemy,” Hortêncio explains. “I saw that by fighting in the war, I was actually sinning against Jehovah, for God says that we should not kill our neighbor. To show this love, I had to change my way of thinking and not view people as my enemies.”

Such true-life experiences illustrate that Bible education indeed promotes peace. This is not surprising. The prophet Isaiah stated that there is a direct relationship between divine education and peace. He foretold: “All your sons will be persons taught by Jehovah, and the peace of your sons will be abundant.” (Isaiah 54:13) The same prophet foresaw a time when people of all nations would stream to the pure worship of Jehovah God to learn of his ways. With what result? “They will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.”​—Isaiah 2:2-4.

In harmony with that prophecy, Jehovah’s Witnesses are engaged in a worldwide educational work that has already helped millions to overcome the hatred that is at the root of man’s wars.

A Guarantee for World Peace

Apart from providing education, God has established a government, or “kingdom,” capable of ensuring worldwide peace. Significantly, the Bible describes God’s chosen Ruler, Jesus Christ, as the “Prince of Peace.” It further assures us that “to the abundance of the princely rule and to peace there will be no end.”​—Isaiah 9:6, 7.

What guarantee do we have that Christ’s rule will successfully eliminate every kind of war? The prophet Isaiah adds: “The very zeal of Jehovah of armies will do this.” (Isaiah 9:7) God has the will and the means to preserve lasting peace. Jesus has every confidence in this promise. That is why he taught his followers to pray for God’s Kingdom to come and for God’s will to be done on earth. (Matthew 6:9, 10) When that sincere request is finally answered, war will never again blight the surface of the earth.

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Bible education promotes true peace

Let All Declare the Glory of Jehovah

“Ascribe to Jehovah glory and strength. Ascribe to Jehovah the glory belonging to his name.”​—PSALM 96:7, 8.

1, 2. From what source is praise ascribed to Jehovah, and who are urged to join in?

DAVID, the son of Jesse, grew up as a shepherd lad in the vicinity of Bethlehem. How often he must have gazed up into the vastness of the starry heavens in the stillness of the night while watching over his father’s flocks in those lonely sheep pastures! No doubt, such vivid impressions sprang to his mind when, inspired by God’s holy spirit, he composed and sang the beautiful words of the 19th Psalm: “The heavens are declaring the glory of God; and of the work of his hands the expanse is telling. Into all the earth their measuring line has gone out, and to the extremity of the productive land their utterances.”​—Psalm 19:1, 4.

² Without speech, without words, without voice, Jehovah’s awesome created heavens declare his glory, day after day, night after night. Creation never ceases to declare God’s glory, and it is humbling to contemplate this silent testimony going into “all the earth” for all its inhabitants to see. However, the silent witness of creation is not enough. Faithful humans are urged to join in with audible voice. An unnamed psalmist addressed faithful worshipers with these inspired words: “Ascribe to Jehovah glory and strength. Ascribe to Jehovah the glory belonging to his name.” (Psalm 96:7, 8) Those who have a close relationship with Jehovah are thrilled to respond to that exhortation. What, though, is involved in ascribing glory to God?

3. Why do humans ascribe glory to God?

³ More is required than mere words. The Israelites of Isaiah’s day glorified God with their lips, but most lacked sincerity. Through Isaiah, Jehovah said: “This people have come near with their mouth, and they have glorified me merely with their lips, and they have removed their heart itself far away from me.” (Isaiah 29:13) Any praise uttered by such individuals was meaningless. To be meaningful, praise must spring from a heart filled with love for Jehovah and a sincere recognition of his unique glory. Jehovah alone is the Creator. He is the Almighty, the Just One, the epitome of love. He is the author of our salvation and the rightful Sovereign to whom everyone living in heaven and on earth owes subjection. (Revelation 4:11; 19:1) If we truly believe these things, let us glorify him with all our heart.

4. What instructions did Jesus give as to how to glorify God, and how can we fulfill them?

⁴ Jesus Christ told us how to glorify God. He said: “My Father is glorified in this, that you keep bearing much fruit and prove yourselves my disciples.” (John 15:8) How do we bear much fruit? First, by sharing whole-souled in preaching the “good news of the kingdom” and thus joining with all created things in “telling” about God’s “invisible qualities.” (Matthew 24:14; Romans 1:20) Moreover, in this way we all have a share​—directly or indirectly—​in the making of new disciples who swell the chorus of praise to Jehovah God. Second, we cultivate the fruitage produced in us by holy spirit and strive to imitate Jehovah God’s superlative qualities. (Galatians 5:22, 23; Ephesians 5:1; Colossians 3:10) As a result, our daily conduct glorifies God.

“Into All the Earth”

5. Explain how Paul stressed the responsibility of Christians to glorify God by sharing their faith with others.

⁵ Paul in his letter to the Romans stressed the responsibility of Christians to glorify God by sharing their faith with others. A major theme of Romans is that only those who exercise faith in Jesus Christ can be saved. In Ro chapter 10 of his letter, Paul showed that natural Israel of his day was still trying to achieve a righteous standing by following the Mosaic Law, whereas “Christ [was] the end of the Law.” Hence, Paul says: “If you publicly declare that ‘word in your own mouth,’ that Jesus is Lord, and exercise faith in your heart that God raised him up from the dead, you will be saved.” From that time on, “there [has been] no distinction between Jew and Greek, for there is the same Lord over all, who is rich to all those calling upon him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.’”​—Romans 10:4, 9-13.

6. How did Paul apply Psalm 19:4?

⁶ Then Paul logically asks: “How will they call on him in whom they have not put faith? How, in turn, will they put faith in him of whom they have not heard? How, in turn, will they hear without someone to preach?” (Romans 10:14) Of Israel, Paul says: “They did not all obey the good news.” Why did Israel not obey? Their lack of response was due to lack of faith, not lack of opportunity. Paul shows this by quoting Psalm 19:4 and applying it to the Christian preaching work rather than to the silent witness of creation. He says: “Why, in fact, ‘into all the earth their sound went out, and to the extremities of the inhabited earth their utterances.’” (Romans 10:16, 18) Yes, even as the inanimate creation glorifies Jehovah, first-century Christians preached the good news of salvation everywhere and thus praised God in “all the earth.” In his letter to the Colossians, Paul also described how widely the good news had spread. He said that the good news had been preached “in all creation that is under heaven.”​—Colossians 1:23.

Zealous Witnesses

7. According to Jesus, what responsibility do Christians have?

⁷ Likely, Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians about 27 years after the death of Jesus Christ. How could the preaching work have spread as far as Colossae in such a relatively short time? It happened because first-century Christians were zealous, and Jehovah blessed their zeal. Jesus had foretold that his followers would be active preachers when he said: “In all the nations the good news has to be preached first.” (Mark 13:10) To that prophecy, Jesus added the command recorded in the final verses of Matthew’s Gospel: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) Shortly after Jesus’ ascension to heaven, his followers began to fulfill those words.

8, 9. According to Acts, how did Christians respond to Jesus’ commands?

⁸ After the outpouring of holy spirit at Pentecost 33 C.E., the first thing the loyal followers of Jesus did was to go out and preach, telling the crowds in Jerusalem “about the magnificent things of God.” Their preaching was most effective, and “about three thousand souls” were baptized. The disciples continued to praise God publicly and zealously, with good results.​—Acts 2:4, 11, 41, 46, 47.

⁹ The activities of those Christians soon came to the attention of the religious leaders. Disturbed by the outspokenness of Peter and John, they commanded the two apostles to stop preaching. The apostles responded: “We cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.” After being threatened and released, Peter and John returned to their brothers, and all joined in prayer to Jehovah. They courageously asked Jehovah: “Grant your slaves to keep speaking your word with all boldness.”​—Acts 4:13, 20, 29.

10. What opposition began to manifest itself, and how did true Christians respond?

¹⁰ That prayer was in harmony with Jehovah’s will, as became evident a little later. The apostles were arrested and then miraculously released by an angel. The angel told them: “Be on your way, and, having taken a stand in the temple, keep on speaking to the people all the sayings about this life.” (Acts 5:18-20) Because the apostles obeyed, Jehovah continued to bless them. Hence, “every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.” (Acts 5:42) Clearly, determined opposition was completely unable to stop Jesus’ followers from publicly ascribing glory to God.

11. What was the attitude of the early Christians toward the preaching work?

¹¹ Soon Stephen was arrested and stoned to death. His murder sparked bitter persecution in Jerusalem, and all the disciples except the apostles were forced to scatter abroad. Were they discouraged by the persecution? By no means. We read: “Those who had been scattered went through the land declaring the good news of the word.” (Acts 8:1, 4) That zeal for declaring God’s glory was seen again and again. In Acts chapter 9, we read that the Pharisee Saul of Tarsus, while traveling to Damascus to initiate persecution of Jesus’ disciples there, saw a vision of Jesus and was struck blind. In Damascus, Ananias miraculously healed Saul’s blindness. What was the first thing that Saul​—later known as the apostle Paul—​did? The record says: “Immediately in the synagogues he began to preach Jesus, that this One is the Son of God.”​—Acts 9:20.

Everyone Shared in Preaching

12, 13. (a) According to historians, what was noteworthy about the early Christian congregation? (b) How do the book of Acts and the words of Paul agree with the statements of historians?

¹² It is widely acknowledged that everyone in the early Christian congregation shared in the preaching work. Of Christians in those days, Philip Schaff writes: “Every congregation was a missionary society, and every Christian believer a missionary.” (History of the Christian Church) W. S. Williams states: “The general testimony is that all Christians in the primitive Church, especially those who had the charismatic gift [gifts of the spirit], preached the gospel.” (The Glorious Ministry of the Laity) He also maintains: “Preaching was never meant by Jesus Christ to be the exclusive privilege of certain ranks of the ministry.” Even Celsus, an ancient enemy of Christianity, wrote: “Wool-workers, cobblers, leather-dressers, the most illiterate and vulgar of mankind, were zealous preachers of the gospel.”

¹³ The accuracy of those statements is seen in the historical record of Acts. At Pentecost 33 C.E., after the outpouring of the holy spirit, all the disciples, men and women, publicly declared the magnificent things of God. After the persecution following the murder of Stephen, all Christians who were scattered abroad spread the good news far and wide. Some 28 years later, Paul was writing to all Hebrew Christians, not merely to a small clergy class, when he said: “Through him let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.” (Hebrews 13:15) Describing his own view of the preaching work, Paul said: “If, now, I am declaring the good news, it is no reason for me to boast, for necessity is laid upon me. Really, woe is me if I did not declare the good news!” (1 Corinthians 9:16) Clearly, all faithful Christians in the first century felt the same way.

14. What is the relationship between faith and preaching?

¹⁴ Indeed, a genuine Christian has to share in the preaching work because it is inseparably linked to faith. Paul said: “With the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration for salvation.” (Romans 10:10) Is it only a small group within the congregation​—like a clergy class—​that exercises faith and thus has the responsibility to preach?a Of course not! All true Christians cultivate a living faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and are moved to make a public declaration of that faith to others. Otherwise, their faith is dead. (James 2:26) Because all loyal Christians in the first century of our Common Era demonstrated their faith in this way, a great shout of praise to Jehovah’s name was heard.

15, 16. Give examples to show that the preaching work progressed despite problems.

¹⁵ In the first century, Jehovah blessed his people with growth despite problems inside and outside the congregation. For example, Acts chapter 6 records a disagreement between Hebrew-speaking and Greek-speaking converts. The problem was handled by the apostles. As a result, we read: “The word of God went on growing, and the number of the disciples kept multiplying in Jerusalem very much; and a great crowd of priests began to be obedient to the faith.”​—Acts 6:7.

¹⁶ Later, political tensions developed between King Herod Agrippa of Judea and the people of Tyre and Sidon. The inhabitants of those cities made flattering peace overtures, and in response Herod gave a public address. The assembled crowd began to cry: “A god’s voice, and not a man’s!” Instantly, Jehovah’s angel struck Herod Agrippa, and he died “because he did not give the glory to God.” (Acts 12:20-23) What a shock to those whose hope was in human rulers! (Psalm 146:3, 4) The Christians, however, went on glorifying Jehovah. Consequently, “the word of Jehovah went on growing and spreading” despite such political instability.​—Acts 12:24.

Then and Now

17. In the first century, what did increasing numbers join in doing?

¹⁷ Yes, the worldwide Christian congregation in the first century was made up of zealous, active praisers of Jehovah God. All loyal Christians shared in spreading the good news. Some met responsive ones and, as Jesus said, taught them to obey all the things he commanded. (Matthew 28:19, 20) The result was that the congregation grew, and more and more individuals joined King David of old in ascribing praise to Jehovah. All echoed the inspired words: “I laud you, O Jehovah my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify your name to time indefinite, for your loving-kindness is great toward me.”​—Psalm 86:12, 13.

18. (a) What difference is noted between the first-century Christian congregation and Christendom today? (b) What will be considered in the next article?

¹⁸ In view of this, the words of theology professor Allison A. Trites are thought provoking. Comparing modern-day Christendom with first-century Christianity, he said: “Churches today grow usually by biological growth (when the children within a local church family make a personal profession of faith) or by transfer growth (when a newcomer transfers his or her membership from another local church). In Acts, however, the growth was conversion growth, for the church was just beginning its work.” Does that mean that true Christianity is no longer growing in the way that Jesus said it should? Of course not. True Christians today are every bit as zealous in publicly ascribing praise to God as were Christians in the first century. We will see this in the following article.

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Can You Explain?

• In what ways do we glorify God?

• What application did Paul make of Psalm 19:4?

• What is the relationship between faith and preaching?

• What was noteworthy about the first-century Christian congregation?

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The heavens constantly testify to Jehovah’s glory

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Courtesy of Anglo-Australian Observatory, photograph by David Malin

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The preaching work and prayer are closely linked

“Into All the Earth Their Sound Went Out”

“Make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.”​—MATTHEW 28:19.

1, 2. (a) What commission did Jesus give his disciples? (b) Why were first-century Christians able to accomplish so much?

SHORTLY before his ascension to heaven, Jesus gave his disciples a commission. He told them: “Make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) What a staggering task that was!

² Just think! At Pentecost 33 C.E., about 120 disciples received the outpouring of holy spirit and began to fulfill that commission by telling others that Jesus was the long-hoped-for Messiah, through whom salvation could be gained. (Acts 2:1-36) How would such a small group reach “people of all the nations”? In human terms it was impossible, but “with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) The early Christians had the support of Jehovah’s holy spirit, and they had a sense of urgency. (Zechariah 4:6; 2 Timothy 4:2) Hence, within just a few decades, the apostle Paul could say that the good news was being declared “in all creation that is under heaven.”​—Colossians 1:23.

3. What obscured the pure Christian “wheat” from view?

³ Throughout much of the first century, true worship continued to spread. However, Jesus had prophesied that the time would come when Satan would sow “weeds” and the true Christian “wheat” would be overshadowed for many centuries until harvesttime. After the death of the apostles, that came true.​—Matthew 13:24-39.

Rapid Increase Today

4, 5. Starting in 1919, what work did anointed Christians begin to undertake, and why did that present a great challenge?

⁴ In 1919, it was time for the pure Christian wheat to be separated from the weeds. Anointed Christians knew that Jesus’ great commission still applied. They firmly believed that they were living in “the last days” and were aware of Jesus’ prophecy: “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.” (2 Timothy 3:1; Matthew 24:14) Yes, they knew that there was much work to be done.

⁵ Still, like the disciples in 33 C.E., those anointed Christians faced a huge challenge. There were merely a few thousand of them located in just a few countries. How could they possibly preach the good news “in all the inhabited earth”? Remember, the earth’s population had increased from perhaps 300 million in the time of the Caesars to nearly 2 billion after the first world war. And throughout the 20th century, it would continue to increase rapidly.

6. What progress had the spreading of good news made by the 1930’s?

⁶ Nevertheless, Jehovah’s anointed servants, like their first-century brothers, set about the task before them with full faith in Jehovah, and his spirit was with them. By the mid-1930’s, some 56,000 evangelizers had declared Bible truth in 115 lands. Already, much work had been done, but much more remained.

7. (a) What new challenge did anointed Christians face? (b) With the support of the “other sheep,” how has the gathering work progressed so far?

⁷ Then, a deeper understanding of the identity of the “great crowd” mentioned at Revelation 7:9 presented a new challenge and also promised those hardworking Christians help. An unnumbered crowd of “other sheep,” believers with an earthly hope, had to be gathered “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.” (John 10:16) These would ‘render Jehovah sacred service day and night.’ (Revelation 7:15) That means that they would help in the preaching and teaching work. (Isaiah 61:5) Consequently, anointed Christians were thrilled to see the ranks of evangelizers expand by tens of thousands and then by millions. In the year 2003, a new peak of 6,429,351 shared in the preaching work​—the vast majority of them of the great crowd.a Anointed Christians are grateful for this help, and the other sheep are grateful for the privilege of supporting their anointed brothers.​—Matthew 25:34-40.

8. How did Jehovah’s Witnesses respond to the extreme pressures brought on during the second world war?

⁸ When the wheat class once again became evident, Satan waged bitter warfare against it. (Revelation 12:17) How did he react when the great crowd began to appear? With extreme violence! Can we doubt that he was behind the worldwide attack on true worship that occurred during the second world war? On both sides of the conflict, Christians came under great pressure. Many dear brothers and sisters suffered terrible trials, some dying for their faith. Still, they echoed the words of the psalmist: “In union with God I shall praise his word. In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:4; Matthew 10:28) Anointed Christians and other sheep, strengthened by Jehovah’s spirit, stood firm together. (2 Corinthians 4:7) As a result, “the word of God went on growing.” (Acts 6:7) In 1939, when war broke out, 72,475 faithful Christians reported sharing in the preaching work. However, the incomplete report for 1945, the year the war ended, revealed that 156,299 active Witnesses were spreading the good news. What a defeat for Satan!

9. What new schools were announced during World War II?

⁹ Clearly, the chaos of the second world war did not make Jehovah’s servants doubt that the preaching work would be accomplished. Indeed, in 1943, when the war was at its height, two new schools were announced. One, now called the Theocratic Ministry School, was to be conducted in all congregations to train individual Witnesses to preach and make disciples. The other, the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead, was for the training of missionaries who would develop the preaching work in foreign lands. Yes, when the fires of war finally died down, true Christians were ready for increased activity.

10. How was the zeal of Jehovah’s people seen during 2003?

¹⁰ And what a marvelous job they have done! Trained in the Theocratic Ministry School, all​—young and old, parents and children, even the infirm—​have shared and continue to share in fulfilling Jesus’ great commission. (Psalm 148:12, 13; Joel 2:28, 29) In the year 2003, on average each month, 825,185 demonstrated their sense of urgency by sharing, temporarily or continuously, in the pioneer service. In that same year, Jehovah’s Witnesses spent 1,234,796,477 hours talking to others about the good news of the Kingdom. Surely Jehovah is pleased with the zeal of his people!

In Foreign Fields

11, 12. What examples demonstrate the fine record of missionaries?

¹¹ Over the years, graduates of Gilead and, more recently, graduates of the Ministerial Training School have built up a magnificent record. In Brazil, for example, there were fewer than 400 publishers when the first missionaries arrived in 1945. These and the missionaries who followed them have worked hard alongside their zealous Brazilian brothers, and Jehovah has greatly blessed their efforts. How thrilling it is for any who remember those early days to see that Brazil reported a new peak of 607,362 in 2003!

¹² Consider Japan. Before the second world war, there were about one hundred Kingdom preachers in that land. During the war, brutal persecution decimated their ranks, and by the end of the war, only a few Witnesses were still spiritually and physically alive. (Proverbs 14:32) Those few outstanding integrity-keepers were surely delighted in 1949 to welcome the first 13 Gilead-trained missionaries, and the missionaries quickly warmed to their enthusiastic, hospitable Japanese brothers. Over 50 years later, in the year 2003, Japan reported a peak of 217,508 publishers! Jehovah has indeed richly blessed his people in that land. There are similar reports from many other countries. Those able to preach in foreign territories have made a real contribution to the spread of the good news, so that in 2003 it was heard in 235 lands, islands, and territories around the world. Yes, the great crowd is coming out of “all nations.”

“Out of All . . . Tribes and Peoples and Tongues”

13, 14. In what way did Jehovah show the value of preaching the good news in “all . . . tongues”?

¹³ The first reported miracle after the disciples were anointed with holy spirit at Pentecost 33 C.E. was their talking in tongues to the assembled crowds. All those who heard them may have spoken an international tongue, perhaps Greek. Being “reverent men,” they were likely also able to understand the Hebrew services at the temple. But their attention was truly caught when they heard the good news in the language they learned at their mother’s knee.​—Acts 2:5, 7-12.

¹⁴ Today, too, many languages are being used in the preaching work. The great crowd was prophesied to come out of not only nations but also “tribes and peoples and tongues.” In agreement with this, Jehovah prophesied through Zechariah: “Ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold, yes, they will actually take hold of the skirt of a man who is a Jew, saying: ‘We will go with you people, for we have heard that God is with you people.’” (Zechariah 8:23) Although Jehovah’s Witnesses no longer have the gift of tongues, they know the value of teaching in the languages of the people.

15, 16. How have missionaries and others taken up the challenge of preaching in local languages?

¹⁵ True, there are today a few very widely used languages, such as English, French, and Spanish. However, those who have left their homeland to serve in other countries try to learn the local languages so as to make the good news more accessible to those “rightly disposed for everlasting life.” (Acts 13:48) That can be difficult. When the brothers in the South Pacific nation of Tuvalu needed publications in their own tongue, one of the missionaries took up the challenge. Since no dictionary was available, he began building a glossary of Tuvaluan words. In time, the book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earthb was published in the Tuvaluan language. When missionaries arrived in Curaçao, there was no Bible literature and no dictionary in the local language, Papiamento. There was also wide disagreement on how the language should be written. Still, within two years of the arrival of the first missionaries, the first Christian Bible tract was published in that tongue. Today, Papiamento is one of the 133 languages in which The Watchtower is published simultaneously with English.

¹⁶ In Namibia the first missionaries could find no local Witness to help them translate. Moreover, one local language, Nama, lacked words for commonly used concepts, such as “perfect.” A missionary reports: “For translation I mainly used schoolteachers who were studying the Bible. Since they had little knowledge of the truth, I had to sit with them to make sure that each sentence was accurate.” Nevertheless, the tract Life in a New World was eventually translated into four Namibian languages. Today, The Watchtower is published regularly in Kwanyama and Ndonga.

17, 18. What challenges are being handled in Mexico and other countries?

¹⁷ In Mexico, the main language is Spanish. However, before the Spaniards arrived, many languages were spoken there, and a number are still in use. Hence, literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses is now produced in seven Mexican languages and also in Mexican Sign Language. The Maya Kingdom Ministry was the first dated publication in an American Indian language. Indeed, several thousand Maya, Aztecs, and others are to be found among the 572,530 Kingdom publishers in Mexico.

¹⁸ In recent times, millions have fled to foreign lands as refugees, or they have migrated for economic reasons. As a result, many countries now for the first time have sizable foreign-language fields. Jehovah’s Witnesses have taken up the challenge. In Italy, for example, there are congregations and groups in 22 languages besides Italian. To help brothers to preach to people who speak other languages, classes were recently organized to teach 16 languages, including Italian Sign Language. In many other countries, Jehovah’s Witnesses are making similar efforts to reach large immigrant populations. Yes, with Jehovah’s help, the great crowd is indeed coming out of many, many language groups.

“Into All the Earth”

19, 20. What words of Paul are being fulfilled in a remarkable way today? Explain.

¹⁹ In the first century, the apostle Paul wrote: “They did not fail to hear, did they? Why, in fact, ‘into all the earth their sound went out, and to the extremities of the inhabited earth their utterances.’” (Romans 10:18) If that was true in the first century, how much more is it true in our day! Millions​—perhaps more than at any previous time in history—​are saying: “I will bless Jehovah at all times; constantly his praise will be in my mouth.”​—Psalm 34:1.

²⁰ Moreover, the work is not slowing down. The number of Kingdom publishers keeps increasing. More and more time is spent in the preaching work. Millions of return visits and hundreds of thousands of Bible studies are conducted. And interest continues to manifest itself. Last year, a new peak of 16,097,622 attended the observance of the Memorial of Jesus’ death. Clearly, there is still much to be done. May we continue to imitate the firm integrity of our brothers who have endured intense persecution. And may we display the zeal of all our brothers who since 1919 have spent themselves in Jehovah’s service. Let all continue to echo the chorus of the psalmist: “Every breathing thing​—let it praise Jah. Praise Jah, you people!”​—Psalm 150:6.

[Footnotes]

Can You Explain?

• What task did the brothers begin to undertake in 1919, and why was it a challenge?

• Who were gathered in to support the preaching work?

• What record have missionaries and others serving in foreign lands compiled?

• What evidence can you quote to show that Jehovah is blessing the work of his people today?

[Chart on page 18-21]

2003 SERVICE YEAR REPORT OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES WORLDWIDE

(See bound volume)

[Pictures on page 14, 15]

The chaos of the second world war did not cause Christians to doubt that the good news would be preached

[Credit Line]

Explosion: U.S. Navy photo; others: U.S. Coast Guard photo

[Pictures on page 16, 17]

The great crowd would come out of all tribes and tongues

Life Story

Richly Blessed for Maintaining the Missionary Spirit

AS TOLD BY TOM COOKE

The sound of gunfire suddenly shattered the afternoon tranquillity. Bullets ripped through the trees in our garden. What was going on? Before long we learned that there had been a coup and that Uganda was now under the rule of General Idi Amin. It was 1971.

WHY had my wife, Ann, and I moved from the relative peace of England to this volatile part of Africa? I think I am a little adventurous by nature, but it was primarily my parents’ example of zealous Kingdom service that fostered the missionary spirit in me.

I remember the hot August day in 1946 when my parents first met Jehovah’s Witnesses. They stood at the front door and talked to the two visitors for what seemed like hours. These visitors, Fraser Bradbury and Mamie Shreve, came back many times, and during the months that followed, life for our family changed dramatically.

My Parents’ Courageous Example

My parents were involved in many community activities. For example, shortly before they started studying the Bible, posters of Winston Churchill festooned our house. During the postwar national elections, our home was used as the local Conservative Party Committee center. Our family also had prominent religious and social connections. Although I was only nine at the time, I sensed the shock among our relatives when they realized that we were becoming Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The whole-souled and fearless example of the Witnesses with whom we associated motivated my parents to become active in the preaching work. Soon my father was giving open-air talks through an amplifier in the main shopping area of Spondon, our home village, while we children stood in strategic locations holding up The Watchtower and Awake! I have to admit that when children with whom I went to school approached me, I wished the earth would swallow me up.

My parents’ example encouraged my older sister, Daphne, to start pioneering. In 1955, she attended the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead and was assigned as a missionary to Japan.a However, my younger sister, Zoe, stopped serving Jehovah.

Meanwhile, I completed my schooling by studying illustration and graphic arts. In those days, a burning issue among my fellow students was conscripted national service. When I told them that I was a conscientious objector, they took it as a joke. This issue gave me a chance to have many Bible discussions with some of the students. Soon, I was sentenced to 12 months in prison for refusing military service. One of the students at the art college who showed an interest in the Bible’s message later became my wife. But I will let Ann tell you how she learned the truth.

Ann’s Introduction to the Truth

“My family was not religious, and I was not baptized into any religion. But I was curious about the subject of religion and went to whichever church my friends attended. My interest in the Bible was aroused when I listened in on the animated discussions Tom and another Witness had with other students at the college. When Tom and the other Witness were sent to prison for refusing military service, I was shocked.

“I continued to correspond with Tom while he was in prison, and my interest in the Bible deepened. When I moved to London to further my secular studies, I agreed to have a Bible study with Muriel Albrecht. Muriel had served as a missionary in Estonia, and both she and her mother were a great source of encouragement to me. Within a few weeks, I was attending meetings and standing outside Victoria Station offering The Watchtower and Awake!

“I attended the Southwark Congregation in south London. It was made up of spiritual brothers and sisters of diverse nationalities, many of whom had very little materially. Although I was a stranger, they treated me as one of their own. It was the love in that congregation that really convinced me that this was the truth, and I was baptized in 1960.”

Same Goals​—Different Circumstances

Ann and I were married later in 1960, and we had the goal of entering missionary service. But our circumstances changed when we learned that we were going to have a baby. After our daughter Sara was born, Ann and I still had the desire to serve in a country where the need for Kingdom publishers was greater. I applied for employment in a number of countries, and eventually, in May 1966, a letter arrived from the Ministry of Education in Uganda confirming that I had a position. By this time, though, Ann was pregnant with our second child. Some doubted the wisdom of our even considering the move. We consulted our doctor, who said: “If you are going, you must fly before your wife is seven months pregnant.” So we immediately headed for Uganda. Consequently, our parents did not see our second daughter, Rachel, until she was two years old. Now that we are grandparents ourselves, we fully appreciate the self-sacrificing spirit of our dear parents.

Arriving in Uganda in 1966 was both exhilarating and daunting. Stepping off the plane, we were immediately impressed by the colors. They were so bright. Our first home was near the small town of Iganga, which was 30 miles [50 km] from Jinja, a town located at the source of the Nile River. The closest Witnesses to our home were an isolated group at Jinja. Missionaries Gilbert and Joan Walters and Stephen and Barbara Hardy cared for the group. I applied for a job transfer to Jinja so that we could better assist this group. Shortly after Rachel was born, we moved to Jinja. There we had the joy of serving with the small group of faithful Witnesses as it grew to become the second congregation in Uganda.

Serving as a Family in a Foreign Field

Ann and I feel that we could not have chosen a better environment for bringing up our family. We had the pleasure of working alongside missionaries from different countries and of assisting the fledgling congregation to grow. We loved the company of our Ugandan brothers and sisters, who often visited our home. Stanley and Esinala Makumba were especially encouraging to us.

But the brothers were not our only visitors, since we were surrounded by an amazing variety of wildlife. Hippopotamuses would come out of the Nile River at night and walk right up to our house. I have vivid memories of the time we had an 18-foot [6 m] python in the garden. Sometimes, we sought out wildlife by taking trips into game parks, where lions and other wild animals roamed freely.

In the ministry, we presented a rare sight for the local people, who had never before seen a baby carriage. As we went from house to house, we usually had an entourage of little children. People peered at us respectfully and then touched the white baby. Witnessing was a delight because the people were so courteous. We thought everyone was going to come into the truth, as it was so easy to start Bible studies. However, many found it difficult to break with unscriptural traditions. A good number, though, adopted the Bible’s high moral standards, and the congregation grew in number. Our first circuit assembly in Jinja in 1968 was a milestone. The baptism in the Nile River of some of those with whom we had studied the Bible is a cherished memory. But our peace was soon to be shattered.

The Ban​—A Test of Faith and Ingenuity

In 1971, General Idi Amin seized power. There was wild confusion in Jinja, and it was while we were enjoying a cup of tea in our garden that the scene described at the outset took place. During the next two years, the large Asian community was expelled. Most foreigners chose to leave, and schools and medical facilities suffered severely. Then came the stark announcement that Jehovah’s Witnesses were banned. Out of concern for our safety, the Education Department moved us into the capital city, Kampala. This move was beneficial in two ways. We were not well-known in Kampala and therefore had greater freedom of movement. There was also much work to do in the congregation and in the field ministry.

Brian and Marion Wallace and their two children were in a position similar to ours, and they also decided to stay in Uganda. We very much appreciated their company as we served together in the Kampala Congregation during this difficult time. The accounts we had read about our brothers serving under ban in other countries now became of special encouragement to us. We met in small groups, and once a month, we held larger gatherings in the Entebbe Botanical Gardens, disguising the occasions as a party. Our girls thought this was a great idea.

We had to be very cautious about the way we engaged in the preaching work. White people visiting Ugandan homes would have been far too conspicuous. So shops, apartments, and some campuses became our territory. One method I used in shops was to ask for a commodity that I knew was no longer available, like sugar or rice. If the shopkeeper manifested sorrow over what was happening in the country, I introduced the Kingdom message. This approach worked well. Occasionally, I left the shop not only with a return visit but also with a small supply of a rare commodity.

Meanwhile, violence was erupting all around us. Because of further deterioration in the relationship between Uganda and Britain, the authorities did not renew my contract. So in 1974, after eight years in Uganda, it was our turn to wave a sad good-bye to our brothers. Yet, our missionary spirit did not fade.

On to New Guinea

In January 1975, we seized an opportunity to work in Papua New Guinea. So began eight years of enjoyable service in this region of the Pacific. Our life with the brothers and in the ministry was rich and rewarding.

Our family remembers our stay in Papua New Guinea as the time of dramas​—Bible dramas, that is. Every year, we were involved in preparing dramas for the district convention, and what fun we had! We enjoyed the company of many spiritually-minded families, and these were a positive influence on our girls. Our eldest daughter, Sara, married a special pioneer, Ray Smith, and together they served as special pioneers close to the border of Irian Jaya (now Papua, an Indonesian province). Their home was a grass hut in the local village, and Sara says the time she spent in that assignment was excellent training for her.

Adapting to Changing Circumstances

By this time my parents needed additional care. Rather than have us return to England, my parents agreed to come to live with us, and we all moved to Australia in 1983. They also spent some time with my sister Daphne, who was still in Japan. After my parents died, Ann and I decided to enter the regular pioneer service, and this led to a privilege that I found quite daunting.

We had just started pioneering when we were invited to serve in the circuit work. Since childhood, I had viewed the circuit overseer’s visit as a special event. Now I was a circuit overseer. It proved to be the most challenging assignment we had enjoyed up to that point in our lives, but time and again Jehovah helped us in ways we had not experienced before.

During Brother Theodore Jaracz’ zone visit to Australia in 1990, we asked him if he thought we were too old to serve in the full-time work overseas. He said: “What about the Solomon Islands?” So finally, when Ann and I were both in our 50’s, we headed for what was to become our first official missionary assignment.

Serving in the “Happy Isles”

The Solomon Islands are known as the Happy Isles, and our service here over the past decade has indeed been a happy time. Ann and I were introduced to the gentle kindness of the brothers and sisters in the Solomon Islands as I served as a district overseer. The hospitality shown to us touched our hearts, and everyone was so tolerant of my efforts to explain things in what I thought was acceptable Solomon Islands Pidgin​—a language with what must be one of the smallest vocabularies in the world.

Soon after our arrival in the Solomon Islands, opposers tried to interfere with the use of our Assembly Hall. The Anglican church brought a charge against Jehovah’s Witnesses, claiming that our new Assembly Hall in Honiara encroached on their land. The government upheld their claim, so we appealed the decision to the High Court. The outcome of the appeal would determine if we had to dismantle our new 1,200-seat Assembly Hall.

The case was in court for a whole week. A smug confidence exuded from the opposing counsel as the case against us was presented. Then, with increasing devastation, our lawyer, Brother Warren Cathcart from New Zealand, exposed and nullified each part of the opposition’s case. By Friday, news of the court drama had spread afar, and the court was packed with church dignitaries, government officers, and our Christian brothers. I remember the error on the official court schedule notice. It read: “Solomon Islands Government and the Church of Melanesia v. Jehovah.” We won.

However, the comparative tranquillity of the Happy Isles was not to last. Again, Ann and I found ourselves amid the turmoil and violence of a military coup. Ethnic rivalry led to civil war. On June 5, 2000, the government was toppled and the capital came under the control of armed militants. For some weeks our Assembly Hall became a center for displaced persons. The authorities were amazed that our Christian brothers from opposing ethnic groups were living as one peaceful family under the Assembly Hall roof. What a fine witness this proved to be!

Even the militants respected the neutrality of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This enabled us to persuade one of the commanders to allow a truck with literature and other supplies to be driven to a small group of brothers cut off behind the opposing army’s lines. When we found the families who had been separated from us for some months, I don’t think there was a dry eye among us.

Much to Be Thankful For

Reflecting on our life in Jehovah’s service, we have so much to be thankful for. As parents, we have had the blessing of seeing both our daughters and their husbands, Ray and John, continue to serve Jehovah faithfully. They have been a real support to us in our missionary assignment.

For the past 12 years, Ann and I have had the privilege of serving at the Solomon Islands branch office, and during that time, we have seen the number of Kingdom proclaimers in the Solomon Islands double, reaching over 1,800. Recently, I received the additional privilege of attending the School for Branch Committee Members in Patterson, New York. Truly, we have enjoyed a rich life with many blessings for maintaining the missionary spirit.

[Footnote]

[Picture on page 23]

On our wedding day, 1960

[Picture on page 24]

In Uganda, Stanley and Esinala Makumba were a source of encouragement to our family

[Picture on page 24]

Sara walking into a neighbor’s hut

[Picture on page 25]

I drew pictures to help me teach Solomon Islanders

[Picture on page 25]

Meeting with an isolated congregation in the Solomon Islands

[Picture on page 26]

Our family today

Jehovah’s Word Is Alive

Highlights From the Book of Genesis​—I

“GENESIS” means “origin,” or “birth.” This is a fitting name for a book that relates how the universe came into being, how the earth was prepared for human habitation, and how man came to reside upon it. Moses wrote this book in the wilderness of Sinai, possibly completing it in 1513 B.C.E.

The book of Genesis tells us about the world before the Flood, what happened as the post-Flood era began, and how Jehovah God dealt with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. This article will consider highlights from Genesis 1:1–11:9, basically up to the time when Jehovah began dealing with the patriarch Abraham.

THE WORLD BEFORE THE FLOOD

(Genesis 1:1–7:24)

The opening words of Genesis, “in the beginning,” reach back billions of years into the past. The events of the six creative “days,” or time periods of special creative works, are described as they would have appeared to a human observer had he been present on the earth. By the end of the sixth day, God created man. Although Paradise is soon lost because of man’s disobedience, Jehovah gives hope. The very first prophecy of the Bible speaks of a “seed” who will undo the effects of sin and bruise Satan in the head.

During the following 16 centuries, Satan succeeds in turning aside from God all humans except a few faithful ones, such as Abel, Enoch, and Noah. For example, Cain murders his righteous brother Abel. “A start [is] made of calling on the name of Jehovah,” apparently in a profane way. Reflecting the violent spirit of the day, Lamech composes a poem about how he killed a young man, allegedly in self-defense. Conditions deteriorate as disobedient angelic sons of God take women as wives and produce violent giants called Nephilim. Yet, faithful Noah builds the ark, courageously warns others of the impending Deluge, and escapes its devastation with his family.

Scriptural Questions Answered:

1:16​—How could God produce light on the first day if the luminaries were not made until the fourth day? The Hebrew word rendered “make” in Ge 1 verse 16 is not the same as the word for “create” used in Genesis 1:1, 21, 27 chapter 1, verses 1, 21, and 27. “The heavens” that included the luminaries were created long before the “first day” even began. But their light did not reach the surface of the earth. On the first day, “there came to be light” because diffused light penetrated the cloud layers and became visible on the earth. The rotating earth thus began to have alternating day and night. (Genesis 1:1-3, 5) The sources of that light still remained invisible from the earth. During the fourth creative period, however, a notable change took place. The sun, the moon, and the stars were now made “to shine upon the earth.” (Genesis 1:17) “God proceeded to make” them in that they could now be seen from the earth.

3:8​—Did Jehovah God speak to Adam directly? The Bible reveals that when God spoke to humans, it was often through an angel. (Genesis 16:7-11; 18:1-3, 22-26; 19:1; Judges 2:1-4; 6:11-16, 22; 13:15-22) God’s chief spokesman was his only-begotten Son, called “the Word.” (John 1:1) Very likely God spoke to Adam and Eve through “the Word.”​—Genesis 1:26-28; 2:16; 3:8-13.

3:17​—In what way was the ground cursed, and for how long? The curse pronounced on the ground meant that cultivating it would now become very difficult. The effects of the cursed ground, with its thorns and thistles, were so keenly felt by Adam’s descendants that Noah’s father, Lamech, spoke of “the pain of our hands resulting from the ground which Jehovah has cursed.” (Genesis 5:29) After the Flood, Jehovah blessed Noah and his sons, stating His purpose that they fill the earth. (Genesis 9:1) God’s curse on the ground was apparently lifted.​—Genesis 13:10.

4:15​—How did Jehovah “set up a sign for Cain”? The Bible does not say that a sign or a mark was placed on Cain’s person in any way. The sign likely consisted of a solemn decree that was known and observed by others and that was intended to prevent his being killed out of revenge.

4:17​—Where did Cain get his wife? Adam “became father to sons and daughters.” (Genesis 5:4) So Cain took one of his sisters or perhaps one of his nieces as a wife. Later, God’s Law to the Israelites did not permit the marriage of a fleshly brother and sister.​—Leviticus 18:9.

5:24​—In what way did God ‘take Enoch’? Enoch was apparently in mortal danger, but God did not allow him to suffer at the hands of his enemies. “Enoch was transferred so as not to see death,” wrote the apostle Paul. (Hebrews 11:5) This does not mean that God took him to heaven, where he kept on living. Jesus was the first one to ascend to heaven. (John 3:13; Hebrews 6:19, 20) Enoch’s being “transferred so as not to see death” may mean that God put him in a prophetic trance and then terminated his life while he was in that state. Under such circumstances, Enoch did not suffer, or “see death,” at the hands of his enemies.

6:6​—In what sense can it be said that Jehovah “felt regrets” that he had made man? Here the Hebrew word translated “felt regrets” pertains to a change of attitude or intention. Jehovah is perfect and therefore did not make a mistake in creating man. However, he did have a change of mental attitude as regards the wicked pre-Flood generation. God turned from the attitude of the Creator of humans to that of a destroyer of them because of his displeasure with their wickedness. The fact that he preserved some humans shows that his regrets were confined to those who had become wicked.​—2 Peter 2:5, 9.

7:2​—What was used as a basis for making a distinction between clean and unclean animals? The basis of distinction evidently pertained to the use of sacrifices in worship and not to what could and could not be eaten. Animal flesh was not a part of man’s diet prior to the Flood. The designations “clean” and “unclean” for food came into existence only with the Mosaic Law, and they ended when it was abolished. (Acts 10:9-16; Ephesians 2:15) Apparently, Noah knew what was suitable for sacrifice in the worship of Jehovah. As soon as he left the ark, he “began to build an altar to Jehovah and to take some of all the clean beasts and of all the clean flying creatures and to offer burnt offerings upon the altar.”​—Genesis 8:20.

7:11​—Where did the water causing the global Flood come from? During the second creative period, or “day,” when the earth’s atmospheric “expanse” was formed, there were waters “beneath the expanse” and waters “above the expanse.” (Genesis 1:6, 7) The waters “beneath” were those already on earth. The waters “above” were huge quantities of moisture suspended high above the earth, forming a “vast watery deep.” These waters fell upon the earth in Noah’s day.

Lessons for Us:

1:26. Being made in God’s image, humans have the capacity to reflect godly attributes. Surely we should try to cultivate such qualities as love, mercy, kindness, goodness, and patience, reflecting the One who made us.

2:22-24. Marriage is God’s arrangement. The marriage bond is permanent and sacred, with the husband serving as head of the family.

3:1-5, 16-23. Happiness is dependent on our recognizing Jehovah’s sovereignty in our personal life.

3:18, 19; 5:5; 6:7; 7:23. Jehovah’s word always comes true.

4:3-7. Jehovah was pleased with Abel’s offering because he was a righteous man of faith. (Hebrews 11:4) On the other hand, as his actions indicated, Cain lacked faith. His works were wicked, marked by jealousy, hatred, and murder. (1 John 3:12) Moreover, he probably gave little more than superficial thought to his offering and merely went through the motions of presenting it. Should not our sacrifices of praise to Jehovah be wholehearted and accompanied by a proper attitude and right conduct?

6:22. Although it took many years to build the ark, Noah did just what God had commanded. Noah and his family were therefore preserved through the Deluge. Jehovah speaks to us through his written Word and gives direction through his organization. It is to our benefit to listen and obey.

7:21-24. Jehovah does not destroy the righteous along with the wicked.

MANKIND ENTERS A NEW ERA

(Genesis 8:1–11:9)

With the pre-Flood world gone, mankind enters a new era. Humans are granted permission to eat meat but with the command to abstain from blood. Jehovah authorizes the death penalty for murder and establishes the rainbow covenant, promising never to bring another Deluge. Noah’s three sons become the progenitors of the entire human race, but his great-grandson Nimrod becomes “a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.” Rather than spreading out to populate the earth, men decide to build a city named Babel and a tower to make a celebrated name for themselves. Their intentions are thwarted when Jehovah confuses their language and scatters them earth wide.

Scriptural Questions Answered:

8:11​—If the trees were ruined by the Flood, where did the dove get the olive leaf? There are two possibilities. Since the olive is quite a hardy tree, it might have remained alive under water for some months during the Deluge. With the abating of the floodwaters, an olive tree that had been submerged would again be on dry ground and could put forth leaves. The olive leaf carried to Noah by the dove could also have been taken from a fairly young sprout that came up after the floodwaters had abated.

9:20-25​—Why did Noah curse Canaan? Very likely Canaan was guilty of some abuse or perversion against his grandfather Noah. Though Canaan’s father, Ham, witnessed this, he did not interfere but appears to have spread the story. However, Noah’s other two sons, Shem and Japheth, acted to cover their father. They were blessed for this reason, but Canaan was cursed, and Ham suffered as a result of the shame brought upon his offspring.

10:25​—How was the earth “divided” in the days of Peleg? Peleg lived from 2269 to 2030 B.C.E. It was “in his days” that Jehovah caused a great division by confusing the language of Babel’s builders and scattering them over all the surface of the earth. (Genesis 11:9) Thus, “the earth [or, the earth’s population] was divided” in the days of Peleg.

Lessons for Us:

9:1; 11:9. No human scheme or effort can thwart Jehovah’s purpose.

10:1-32. The two records of genealogy surrounding the account of the Flood​—chapters 5 and 10—​connect the entire human race with the first man, Adam, through Noah’s three sons. Assyrians, Chaldeans, Hebrews, Syrians, and some Arabian tribes, are descendants of Shem. Ethiopians, Egyptians, Canaanites, and some African and Arabian tribes descended from Ham. Indo-Europeans are descendants of Japheth. All humans are related, and all are born equal before God. (Acts 17:26) This truth must affect how we view and treat others.

God’s Word Can Exert Power

The first part of the book of Genesis contains the only accurate account of early human history. In these pages, we gain insight into God’s purpose for putting man on the earth. How reassuring to see that no human efforts, like those of Nimrod, can prevent its fulfillment!

As you do the weekly Bible reading in preparation for the Theocratic Ministry School, considering what is stated under the section “Scriptural Questions Answered” will help you to understand some of the difficult Scriptural passages. The comments under “Lessons for Us” will show you how you can benefit from the Bible reading for the week. When appropriate, they can also provide the basis for a local needs part on the Service Meeting. Jehovah’s Word is indeed alive and can exert power in our lives.​—Hebrews 4:12.

Does God Care About Us?

DO YOU find yourself laboring under an emotional load because of problems with your family, health, work, or other weighty responsibilities? Many people do. And who today is not affected by injustice, crime, and violence? Indeed, it is just as the Bible says: “All creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now.” (Romans 8:22) No wonder that many people ask: ‘Does God care? Will he come to our aid?’

Wise King Solomon said to God in prayer: “You yourself alone well know the heart of the sons of mankind.” Solomon trusted that God not only knows us but also cares about us as individuals. He was able to ask God to “hear from the heavens” and to answer the prayers of each God-fearing individual who reveals to God “his own plague and his own pain.”​—2 Chronicles 6:29, 30.

Today, Jehovah God still cares about us and invites us to call on him in prayer. (Psalm 50:15) He promises to respond to heartfelt prayers that are in harmony with his will. (Psalm 55:16, 22; Luke 11:5-13; 2 Corinthians 4:7) Yes, Jehovah listens to “whatever prayer, whatever request for favor there may occur on the part of any man or of all [his] people.” Hence, if we put our trust in God, pray for his help, and draw close to him, we will experience his loving care and guidance. (Proverbs 3:5, 6) The Bible writer James assures us: “Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.”​—James 4:8.

Would You Welcome a Visit?

Even in this troubled world, you can gain happiness from accurate Bible knowledge of God, his Kingdom, and his wonderful purpose for mankind. If you would welcome further information or would like to have someone call at your home to conduct a free Bible study with you, please write to Jehovah’s Witnesses, 25 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483, or to the appropriate address listed on page 2.