1. What did Jehovah give mankind for their benefit?

JEHOVAH lives forever, and he has told us what we need to do so that we can live forever. Those instructions have not changed. The Bible says: “The saying of Jehovah endures forever.” (1 Peter 1:23-25) We should be grateful that he has given us the Bible and its important message.

2. What does God want us to know about him?

² Jehovah wants all of us to know his name. The Bible first mentions Jehovah’s name when describing how he made the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 2:4) God miraculously wrote his name several times on stone tablets when he gave Moses the Ten Commandments. For example, the first commandment began: “I am Jehovah your God.” (Exodus 20:1-17) The Devil has tried to destroy the Bible so that we would not be able to know God and His name. But Jehovah has not let that happen.​—Psalm 73:28.

3. What else does God want us to learn from the Bible?

³ People have many wrong ideas about God. But Jehovah wants all of us to know the truth. We should be glad that the Bible clearly tells us what the truth is. (Read Psalm 43:3, 4.) It is as if we have light while the world is in darkness.​—1 John 1:6, 7.

WE HAVE A SPECIAL HERITAGE

4, 5. What special privilege did we receive in 1931?

⁴ People living in the same area might have similar qualities, traditions, and ways of life that each generation teaches the next. This can be called their heritage. As Jehovah’s Witnesses, we have something similar. Jehovah has helped his people to understand the Bible and the truth about him and his purposes. He has also given us the special honor to be called by his name.

⁵ We received our name at a convention in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A., in 1931. The letters “JW” were printed on the convention program. One sister said that the brothers and sisters thought it meant “Just Wait” or “Just Watch,” and some even guessed “Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Before that time we had been called Bible Students, but all in the audience during a special talk on July 26, 1931, agreed to be called Jehovah’s Witnesses from then on. That was a very exciting day, because we received a new name that came from the Bible. (Read Isaiah 43:12.) “I will never forget the tremendous shout and applause,” said one brother. No one else in the world wanted that name, but God has allowed us to have that very special name for more than 80 years!

6. What information is part of our heritage?

⁶ Another part of our heritage is the accurate and important information in the Bible about God’s servants in the past. For example, it tells us what happened to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They must have often talked with their families about the way of life that was acceptable to Jehovah. Discussions such as these must have helped Joseph to refuse to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife. (Genesis 39:7-9) In the first century, Christians shared information about God with one another. Paul told the congregation what Jesus had taught him about the Lord’s Evening Meal. (1 Corinthians 11:2, 23) All of this is in the Bible so that we can learn how to worship God. (Read John 4:23, 24.) The Bible can help all mankind, but as Jehovah’s people we should be especially grateful for it.

7. What promise is part of our heritage?

⁷ Jehovah helps his people in our day too. (Psalm 118:7) We can read in our publications about what he is doing to protect them. This makes us feel safe, even if we are persecuted. The Bible promises that any weapon, or effort to hurt us, will not be successful. And if others try to speak against God’s people in a court, they will later be proved wrong because our righteousness comes from Jehovah. This is part of our heritage. (Isaiah 54:17) Satan can do nothing that will hurt us forever.

8. What will we discuss in this article and in the next?

⁸ Satan has tried to destroy the Bible, prevent people from knowing Jehovah’s name, and hide the truth. But Satan has failed. In this article and in the next, we will talk about (1) how God has made sure that the Bible and its message have been protected; (2) how Jehovah has made sure that people can know his name; and (3) how God has made it possible for us to know the truth today.

JEHOVAH HAS PROTECTED THE BIBLE AND ITS MESSAGE

9-11. How has Jehovah protected the Bible?

⁹ There have been many efforts to destroy the Bible, but Jehovah has protected it. The Catholic Church has tried to prevent people from reading the Bible. In the year 1229, a church council in France made a law that said that it was wrong for people to read the Bible in their own language. In Spain, in the year 1234, a similar law was made. Later, in the year 1559, Pope Paul IV included the Bible on a list of books that a person could not print or own without the permission of the church.

¹⁰ Even though people have tried to destroy the Bible, Jehovah has protected it. In about 1382, John Wycliffe produced the first Bible translation in English. William Tyndale also translated the Bible into English. As a result, he was put to death in 1536. He was tied to a wooden pole, and he shouted: “Lord, open the eyes of the king of England.” Then he was strangled, and his body was burned.

¹¹ In 1535, Miles Coverdale also translated the Bible into English. Coverdale used Tyndale’s translation for part of his Bible, and he translated other parts from Latin and from Martin Luther’s Bible in German. In our day, we have the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. We are happy to have this translation because it is clear, accurate, and easy to use in our preaching work. Neither Satan nor humans have been able to destroy the Bible.

JEHOVAH HAS MADE SURE THAT WE CAN KNOW HIS NAME

12. How has the New World Translation helped people to know Jehovah’s name?

¹² Jehovah God has made sure that his name has never been removed from all Bibles. When the New World Translation was produced, the brothers made sure to use God’s name, Jehovah, in every place it was written in the original Bible books. The name is in the Hebrew Scriptures 6,973 times and in the Christian Greek Scriptures 237 times. The New World Translation is now available in over 116 languages. More than 178,545,862 copies have been printed.

13. How do we know that people have known God’s name since mankind was first created?

¹³ The first humans, Adam and Eve, knew Jehovah’s name and used it. Noah too used the name. He said: “Blessed be Jehovah, Shem’s God.” (Genesis 4:1; 9:26) God used his own name when speaking to people. He said: “I am Jehovah. That is my name; and to no one else shall I give my own glory.” God also stated: “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else. With the exception of me there is no God.” (Isaiah 42:8; 45:5) Jehovah has made sure that people around the earth can know his name. We should feel honored to use the name Jehovah and to be his Witnesses! This is what the Bible means when it says: “In the name of our God we shall lift our banners.”​—Psalm 20:5.

14. In addition to the Bible, where else does God’s name appear?

¹⁴ God’s name does not appear only in the Bible. For example, it appears on the Moabite Stone, which was found at Dhiban (Dibon), 21 kilometers (13 miles) east of the Dead Sea. On the stone was written a story that mentions Israel’s King Omri and that includes what Moabite King Mesha said about his battle against Israel. (1 Kings 16:28; 2 Kings 1:1; 3:4, 5) The Moabite Stone includes God’s name, written as the Tetragrammaton. The Tetragrammaton also appears many times in the Lachish Letters, which were pieces of pottery found in Israel.

15. What is the Septuagint, and why was it needed?

¹⁵ More than 2,000 years ago, the Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek and published as the Septuagint. Why was a translation into Greek necessary? The Jews had been prisoners in Babylon for 70 years. When they were released in the year 537 before our Common Era, some chose to stay in Babylon. But in time, many Jews moved to Alexandria, Egypt, where people spoke Greek. These Jews needed a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. Some copies of the Greek Septuagint contain God’s name in Hebrew.

16. How did the Bay Psalm Book use God’s name?

¹⁶ The first book published in the American colonies was a translation of Psalms that contains the divine name. It was translated from Hebrew into English. It is called the Bay Psalm Book and was first printed in 1640. One of the places it uses God’s name, spelled Iehovah, is at Psalm 1:1, 2. It says that a blessed man does not listen to the wicked, but he longs for “the law of Iehovah.” For more information about God’s name, see the brochure The Divine Name That Will Endure Forever.

JEHOVAH HAS MADE SURE THAT WE CAN KNOW THE TRUTH

17, 18. (a) What is truth? (b) What facts are part of “the truth of the good news”?

¹⁷ We joyfully serve “Jehovah the God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5) What is truth? It involves the facts about something. In the original Bible languages, the words that are often translated as “truth” refer to something that is true, right, and worthy of our trust.

¹⁸ Jehovah has made sure that we can know the truth today. And he keeps helping us to learn more about the truth. (2 John 1, 2) This is what we learn from Proverbs 4:18, which says: “The path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established.” Jesus said in a prayer to God: “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) The Bible has “the truth of the good news,” which is all the facts that we believe as Christians. (Galatians 2:14) What are some of these facts? The truth about Jehovah’s name, his rulership, the ransom sacrifice of Jesus, the resurrection, and the Kingdom. We will now learn how God has protected the truth even though Satan has tried to hide it.

JEHOVAH STOPS SATAN FROM HIDING THE TRUTH

19, 20. Who was Nimrod? What did humans try to do when he was ruling?

¹⁹ After the Flood, there was a mighty hunter named Nimrod, who opposed Jehovah. (Genesis 10:9) Because Nimrod opposed Jehovah God, he was really serving Satan. Nimrod was like the ones who later opposed God’s Son. Jesus said to them: “You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father,” who “did not stand fast in the truth.”​—John 8:44.

²⁰ Nimrod ruled over Babel and other cities between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. (Genesis 10:10) He may have been the one who started to build Babel and its tower about the year 2269 before our Common Era. Jehovah did not want mankind to stay in one place, but the builders of Babel said: “Come on! Let us build ourselves a city and also a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a celebrated name for ourselves, for fear we may be scattered over all the surface of the earth.” They were not able to finish this tower because God “confused the language of all the earth.” So the people moved away from Babel. (Genesis 11:1-4, 8, 9) Satan wanted to destroy true worship and to make everyone worship him. But Jehovah protected true worship, and now each day more and more people begin to worship him.

21, 22. (a) Why has true worship never actually been in danger? (b) What will we learn about in the next article?

²¹ True worship has actually never been in danger. Why? Because our Grand Instructor, Jehovah, has made sure that we have the Bible, that we know his name, and that we know the truth. (Isaiah 30:20, 21) When we worship God the way he wants us to, we have real joy. But we have to be careful to believe only what is true and to follow the guidance we receive from his holy spirit.

²² In the next article, we will learn how some churches started to teach wrong things about God. We will learn that the Scriptures do not teach these wrong things. And we will see that Jehovah has blessed us by giving us true information about himself. All of this is a very special heritage.

1, 2. (a) What was “the booth of David”? How was it rebuilt? (b) Who are Jehovah’s servants today?

AT A meeting of the governing body in Jerusalem in the year 49 of our Common Era, James said: “Symeon [Peter] has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name. And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, ‘After these things I shall return and rebuild the booth of David that is fallen down; and I shall rebuild its ruins and erect it again, in order that those who remain of the men may earnestly seek Jehovah, together with people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says Jehovah, who is doing these things, known from of old.’”​—Acts 15:13-18.

² “The booth of David” means the kings that came from David’s family. It had “fallen” when the last king of Judah, Zedekiah, was removed. (Amos 9:11) But that prophecy explained that God would “build it up” again. This meant that there would be another king, David’s descendant Jesus. (Ezekiel 21:27; Acts 2:29-36) James showed that this prophecy also foretold that Jews and Gentiles would be anointed to be kings with Jesus in heaven. These anointed ones and millions of Jesus’ “other sheep” preach about the truth.​—John 10:16.

THE JEWS WERE TAKEN CAPTIVE

3, 4. What helped Jews in Babylon to draw close to Jehovah?

³ When the Jews were taken as captives to Babylon, it was clear that “the booth of David” had fallen. The Babylonians practiced false religion. So how would God’s people be able to stay faithful during their 70 years in Babylon? In the same way that Jehovah’s people today remain faithful in Satan’s world. (1 John 5:19) Jehovah’s servants have a special heritage that helps them to remain faithful.

⁴ Today, we have the complete Bible as part of our heritage. The Jews in Babylon did not have the whole Bible. But they knew the Mosaic Law and its Ten Commandments. They knew “the songs of Zion” and many proverbs. They also knew about others in the past who had been faithful to Jehovah. The Jews cried because they wanted to return to their homeland, and they did not forget Jehovah. (Read Psalm 137:1-6.) All of this helped them to draw close to Jehovah, even though they were surrounded by Babylon’s many false teachings and practices.

THE TRINITY IS NOT A NEW TEACHING

5. What trinities did the ancient Babylonians and Egyptians believe in?

⁵ In ancient times, gods were worshipped in trinities, that is, in groups of three gods. For example, one of the trinities that the Babylonians worshipped was a moon-god, a sun-god, and a goddess of fertility and war. The Egyptians worshipped families of three gods, with a father, a mother, and a son. Although these gods were a trinity, they were not always viewed as equals. One Egyptian trinity was the god Osiris, the goddess Isis, and their son Horus.

6. What is the Trinity? Why do Jehovah’s people not believe in it?

⁶ Today, Christendom also teaches that there is a Trinity, or one God made up of the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit. But this belief makes it seem that Jehovah is not almighty. It would mean that he is only part of God. Jehovah’s people have been protected from this false teaching. We have learned that “Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” (Deuteronomy 6:4) Jesus repeated these words, and true Christians believe what Jesus said.​—Mark 12:29.

7. What must a person believe about God before he can be baptized as a true Christian?

⁷ Jesus told his followers to “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) This means that a person who wants to be baptized as a true Christian and one of Jehovah’s Witnesses must believe that the Father, Jehovah, has authority over Jesus and that Jesus is God’s Son, who came to earth as a ransom. The person must not believe that the holy spirit is part of a Trinity. Instead, it is God’s active force. (Genesis 1:2) It is part of our special heritage to know that the Trinity teaching dishonors God and is not true.

SPIRITISM

8. What did the Babylonians believe about gods and demons?

⁸ People in Babylon believed not only in their gods but also in demons and spiritism. The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia says that the Babylonians believed that demons could make people sick. The people would pray to their gods and ask for protection from the demons.

9. (a) How did many Jews learn false ideas about demons? (b) How are we protected from the dangers of spiritism?

⁹ When they were in Babylon, many Jews learned false ideas. Later, many Jews started to believe the Greek idea that the demons could be good. But God tells us that spiritism, or trying to contact the demons, is dangerous and wrong. This truth is part of our special heritage. (Isaiah 47:1, 12-15) We are protected because we reject spiritism, as Jehovah tells us to do.​—Read Deuteronomy 18:10-12; Revelation 21:8.

10. Where did the bad practices and wrong ideas of Babylon the Great come from?

¹⁰ Similarly, many today who belong to false religions practice spiritism, as people did in ancient Babylon. That is why the Bible refers to all false religion on earth as Babylon the Great. (Revelation 18:21-24) These false religions are truly like the religion of ancient Babylon because that is where the wrong ideas and bad practices came from. Because of spiritism, idolatry, and other sins, Babylon the Great will soon be destroyed.​—Read Revelation 18:1-5.

11. What warnings about spiritism have been in our publications?

¹¹ Jehovah said that he “cannot put up with” spiritism. (Isaiah 1:13) In the 1800’s, many people practiced spiritism. So Zion’s Watch Tower of May 1885 discussed this matter. It said that ancient religions taught that the dead were alive and that the mythology of all cultures was based on the idea that the dead were in another world. It also said that the demons have pretended to be dead people who are trying to communicate with the living, and as a result, the demons have been able to influence the thinking and actions of many. The early booklet What Say the Scriptures About Spiritism? gave similar warnings, and so have our more recent publications.

ARE THE DEAD SUFFERING IN ANOTHER WORLD?

12. What did God inspire Solomon to write about those who have died?

¹² All those “who have come to know the truth” know that the dead are not suffering. (2 John 1) Solomon explained about those who are “in Sheol,” the grave: “A live dog is better off than a dead lion. For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all . . . All that your hand finds to do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol, the place to which you are going.”​—Ecclesiastes 9:4, 5, 10.

13. What belief did the Jews accept from Greek religion and culture?

¹³ Jehovah had told the Jews the truth about the dead. But when Greek rulers took control of Judah and Syria, they tried to make people accept Greek religion and culture. As a result, the Jews started to believe that an invisible part of the human survives the death of the body. They believed that this invisible part goes to another world and is tortured. The Greeks were not the first to believe in an invisible place of suffering. The book The Religion of Babylonia and Assyria says that the Babylonians believed that there was another world where strong gods and demons tortured people. It is clear that the Babylonians believed that part of the human survives the death of the body.

14. What did Job and Abraham know about death and resurrection?

¹⁴ Although Job did not have the Bible, he knew the truth about what happens to people when they die. He also knew that if he died, his loving God, Jehovah, would be eager to resurrect him. (Job 14:13-15) Abraham too believed in the resurrection. (Read Hebrews 11:17-19.) These men clearly did not believe that the dead are alive somewhere else. It is not possible to resurrect someone who cannot die. God’s spirit helped Job and Abraham to have faith in the resurrection. These truths are also part of our heritage.

WE NEED “THE RELEASE BY THE RANSOM”

15, 16. How have we been saved from sin and death?

¹⁵ We should be grateful that God has also told us how he has saved us from sin and death. (Romans 5:12) We know that Jesus “came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many.” (Mark 10:45) How good it is to know about “the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus”!​—Romans 3:22-24.

¹⁶ In the first century, people needed to repent of their sins and have faith in Jesus’ ransom sacrifice if they wanted to be forgiven. It is the same with us today. (John 3:16, 36) If a person wants to believe false teachings, such as the Trinity and the immortality of the soul, he cannot benefit from the ransom. But we can. We know the truth about God’s Son, “by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins.”​—Colossians 1:13, 14.

KEEP SERVING JEHOVAH!

17, 18. Where can we learn about the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses? Why is it good for us to learn about it?

¹⁷ Our special heritage includes other things that God has taught us and other ways he has helped and blessed us. Our Yearbooks tell us about how Jehovah’s people around the world keep serving him. We can learn about the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the videos Faith in Action, Parts 1 and 2, and in such publications as Jehovah’s Witnesses​—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom. And our magazines often tell us about the experiences of our brothers and sisters.

¹⁸ It is good for us to learn about the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses, just as it was good for the people of Israel to learn about how God had helped them. (Exodus 12:26, 27) When Moses had grown old, he told the Israelites: “Remember the days of old, consider the years back from generation to generation; ask your father, and he can tell you; your old men, and they can say it to you.” (Deuteronomy 32:7) All of us joyously praise God and tell others about what he has done. (Psalm 79:13) The lessons we learn from our history as Jehovah’s people will help us to keep serving him.

19. Since we know the truth, what should we do?

¹⁹ In this wicked world, we are grateful that we have the truth from God. (Proverbs 4:18, 19) So let us keep studying God’s Word and preaching to others. We feel like the psalmist who said: “I shall mention your righteousness, yours alone. O God, you have taught me from my youth on, and until now I keep telling about your wonderful works. And even until old age and gray-headedness, O God, do not leave me, until I may tell about your arm to the generation, to all those who are to come, about your mightiness.”​—Psalm 71:16-18.

20. When we are faithful to Jehovah, what do we prove? How do you feel about Jehovah’s right to rule and our worship of him?

²⁰ When we are faithful to Jehovah, we prove that we believe he has the right to rule over us and that he deserves our worship. (Revelation 4:11) Jehovah gives us his spirit to help us tell the good news to others and to give them comfort and hope. (Isaiah 61:1, 2) Satan will never be allowed to rule God’s people and all mankind. Our spiritual heritage will keep us strong and close to Jehovah so that we can serve him now and forever.​—Read Psalm 26:11; 86:12.

1, 2. What real war will happen very soon? What will we not need to do in this war?

ON October 30, 1938, millions of people in the United States were listening to a radio program. During the program, actors who played news reporters announced that creatures from planet Mars were invading Earth and destroying it. Many people did not realize that this was just a story being played on the radio. They thought that a real war had started and became frightened. Some even tried to protect themselves in different ways so that they would be ready for the enemy.

² Very soon a real war is going to happen. But most people are not getting ready for it. It is the war of Armageddon, that is, God’s war against this wicked world. This is not simply a story. We know that this war will happen because God has told us about it in his Word, the Bible. (Revelation 16:14-16) We will not have to fight in this war. Instead, Jehovah will use his power to save us in an amazing way.

3. What prophecy will we study? Why is this prophecy important to us today?

³ A prophecy we read in Zechariah chapter 14 tells us a lot about the war of Armageddon. Even though it was written about 2,500 years ago, this prophecy is very important to us today. (Romans 15:4) It talks about things that have happened to God’s people since Christ began ruling in heaven in 1914. It also tells us about exciting things that will happen very soon. This prophecy tells us about “a very great valley” and “living waters.” (Zechariah 14:4, 8) In this article, we will learn what this valley is and how Jehovah’s worshippers can get protection there. We will also learn what the living waters are and how we can benefit from them. As a result, not only will we realize we need to drink these waters but we will also want to drink them. Let us, then, pay close attention to this prophecy.​—2 Peter 1:19, 20.

A DAY “BELONGING TO JEHOVAH” BEGINS

4. (a) When did the day “belonging to Jehovah” begin? (b) For many years before 1914, what did anointed Christians preach? How did political and religious leaders react?

⁴ The prophecy in Zechariah chapter 14 starts by saying: “There is a day coming, belonging to Jehovah.” (Read Zechariah 14:1, 2.) What is this day? It is the same as “the Lord’s day,” which began in 1914 when Jesus became King of God’s Kingdom in heaven. (Revelation 1:10; 11:15) For many years, anointed Christians had preached that the end of “the appointed times of the nations” would come in 1914. They also preached that from that time on, there would be more trouble in the world than ever before. (Luke 21:24) Did “the nations” pay attention to this warning? No. Instead, political and religious leaders made fun of and persecuted those Christians. By doing that, these leaders were actually making fun of Almighty God himself, because anointed Christians represent God’s Kingdom.​—Hebrews 12:22, 28.

5, 6. (a) What did enemies of God’s people do? (b) Who were “the remaining ones of the people”?

⁵ Zechariah foretold what the enemies of God’s people would do: “The city will actually be captured.” “The city,” Jerusalem, is God’s Kingdom. Anointed Christians who are still on earth are part of this Kingdom. (Philippians 3:20) The city was “captured” during World War I when brothers who had great responsibility in Jehovah’s organization were arrested and put in prison in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. Enemies were unfair and cruel to the anointed Christians, banned their literature, and tried to stop their preaching work. It was as if the enemies had “pillaged,” or violently robbed, the city’s houses.

⁶ Even though powerful enemies persecuted God’s people and told lies about them, they could not destroy true worship. There were anointed Christians who stayed faithful. As mentioned by Zechariah, these were “the remaining ones of the people” who refused to be “cut off from the city.”

7. What example have anointed Christians set for us today?

⁷ Did enemies stop persecuting God’s people when World War I ended? No. The persecution foretold by Zechariah continued. (Revelation 12:17) For example, there was terrible persecution of our brothers during World War II. The example of faithfulness of the anointed Christians encourages us today to endure any trials we may suffer. These trials include opposition in the home, at work, and at school from those who make fun of us because of our faith. (1 Peter 1:6, 7) No matter where we live, we are determined to stay faithful and not be frightened by any who oppose us. (Philippians 1:27, 28) But how can we be safe in a world that hates us?​—John 15:17-19.

JEHOVAH MAKES “A VERY GREAT VALLEY”

8. (a) What do mountains sometimes represent in the Bible? (b) What does “the mountain of the olive trees” represent?

⁸ We have learned that in this prophecy, “the city,” or Jerusalem, represents God’s Kingdom. So, what does “the mountain of the olive trees, which is in front of Jerusalem,” represent? How will the mountain be “split at its middle” and become two mountains? And why does Jehovah call them “my mountains”? (Read Zechariah 14:3-5.) In the Bible, mountains sometimes represent kingdoms, or governments. Also, the Bible often says that blessings and protection come from God’s mountain. (Psalm 72:3; Isaiah 25:6, 7) So the mountain of the olive trees represents Jehovah’s rule over all his creation.

9. What does it mean that the mountain of the olive trees splits “at its middle”?

⁹ The prophecy says that the mountain of the olive trees splits “at its middle.” What does that mean? It means that Jehovah creates a second rulership for a special purpose. This rulership also belongs to God, and Jesus Christ is its King. Because both rulerships belong to Jehovah, he calls the two mountains “my mountains.”​—Zechariah 14:4, 5.

10. What does the “very great valley” between the two mountains represent?

¹⁰ According to the prophecy, when the mountain of the olive trees splits, half to the north and half to the south, Jehovah’s feet stay upon both mountains. This split forms “a very great valley” under Jehovah’s feet. What is this valley? It represents God’s protection. Just as people are protected in a valley between two mountains, Jehovah’s servants are safe under his rule and the rule of his Son. Jehovah will never allow pure worship to be destroyed. When did the mountain of the olive trees split? That happened in 1914, when Jesus started to rule in heaven. The prophecy also says that Jehovah’s people would escape to the “very great valley.” When did that begin to happen?

GOD’S PEOPLE BEGIN TO ESCAPE TO THE VALLEY!

11, 12. (a) When did God’s people begin to escape to the valley? (b) What shows that Jehovah protects his people?

¹¹ Jesus warned his followers: “You will be objects of hatred by all the nations on account of my name.” (Matthew 24:9) That hatred has become even stronger since 1914, when the last days began. During World War I, enemies cruelly persecuted faithful anointed Christians, but they were not able to destroy true worship. In 1919, God’s people became free from false religion, that is, Babylon the Great. (Revelation 11:11, 12)a (See footnote.) It was in that year that God’s people began to escape to the valley.

¹² Since 1919, Jehovah has continued to protect true worshippers everywhere in the world. Over the years, many governments have tried to stop Jehovah’s Witnesses from preaching or have banned their literature. This is still happening in some countries. But Jehovah has not allowed these governments to destroy true worship. No matter what human governments may do, Jehovah will continue to use his almighty power to protect his people.​—Deuteronomy 11:2.

13. How do we stay in Jehovah’s valley of protection? Why is it now more important than ever that we stay in the valley?

¹³ If we continue to be faithful to Jehovah, we stay in Jehovah’s valley of protection. He and his Son will not allow anyone or anything to take us away from their protection. (John 10:28, 29) Jehovah gives us all the help we need to be loyal to his rule and to the rule of his Son. We will need God’s help even more during the great tribulation that will soon arrive. So it is now more important than ever that we stay in Jehovah’s valley of protection.

“THE DAY OF HIS WARRING” ARRIVES

14, 15. On the day Jehovah fights his enemies, what will happen to those who do not have God’s protection?

¹⁴ From now until the end of this wicked world, Satan’s attacks on God’s people will become stronger. But soon Satan will make his last attack. On that day, Jehovah will fight and destroy all the enemies of his people. That will be “the day of his warring” foretold by Zechariah. This war will show more than any other what a glorious Warrior Jehovah is.​—Zechariah 14:3.

¹⁵ On the day Jehovah fights his enemies, what will happen to those who do not have God’s protection? The prophecy says that they will have “no precious light.” This means that they will not have God’s favor. The prophecy continues by saying that “the horse, the mule, the camel, and the male ass, and every sort of domestic animal” will be “congealed.” This means that weapons and machines used in war will freeze, or in other words, become useless. Zechariah says that Jehovah will punish his enemies with a “scourge,” or disease. Their eyes and tongues “will rot away.” We do not know if this will be a literal disease. But we do know that they will not be able to harm us or to speak against God. (Zechariah 14:6, 7, 12, 15) All “the kings of the earth and their armies” will take Satan’s side. But no matter where they are on the earth, they will be destroyed. (Revelation 19:19-21) “Those slain by Jehovah will certainly come to be in that day from one end of the earth clear to the other end.”​—Jeremiah 25:32, 33.

16. What questions should we ask ourselves? What will we need to do during the great tribulation?

¹⁶ All suffer in a war, even those who finally win. We too may suffer during the great tribulation. We may have little to eat. We may lose most of the things we own. We may not have the rights we now have. If we suffer such things, how will we react? Will we panic? Will we become discouraged and lose all hope? Will we stop serving Jehovah? During the great tribulation, we must stay in the valley of protection by being faithful to Jehovah and by trusting that he will protect us.​—Read Habakkuk 3:17, 18.

“LIVING WATERS WILL GO FORTH”

17, 18. (a) What are the “living waters”? (b) What do “the eastern sea” and “the western sea” represent? (c) What do we always want to do?

¹⁷ After Armageddon, “living waters will go forth” from Christ’s Kingdom. These “living waters” represent everything God has given humans so that they can live forever. In Zechariah’s prophecy, “the eastern sea” is the Dead Sea and represents people who are asleep in the grave. “The western sea” is the Mediterranean Sea, which is full of life and represents the “great crowd,” who survive Armageddon. (Read Zechariah 14:8, 9; Revelation 7:9-15) Both groups of people will drink “living waters” from the “river of water of life.” As a result, all of them will become perfect and live forever.​—Revelation 22:1, 2.

¹⁸ When Jehovah destroys this wicked system, he will protect us and take us into his righteous new world. Even though all the nations of this world hate us, we have firmly decided that we will be loyal to God’s Kingdom and will stay in Jehovah’s valley of protection.

1, 2. (a) What does the Hebrew word for “glory” refer to? (b) What questions will we answer in this article?

WHEN you hear the word “glory,” what do you think of? Do you think of the great beauty of God’s creation? (Psalm 19:1) Do you think of the praise and honor given to those who are rich, wise, or successful? In the Bible, the Hebrew word for “glory” gives the idea of weight. In ancient times, coins were made of metals, such as gold or silver. The heavier the coin was, the more valuable it was. That is why the word translated “glory” can refer to something that has great value or that is very impressive.

² Humans usually honor those who have power or fame. But for God to give someone glory, what does he look for in a person? Proverbs 22:4 says: “The result of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life.” And the disciple James wrote: “Humble yourselves in the eyes of Jehovah, and he will exalt you.” (James 4:10) What is the glory that Jehovah gives us? What might prevent us from receiving this glory? And how can we help others to receive it?

3-5. How does Jehovah give us glory?

³ The psalmist believed that Jehovah would give him glory. (Read Psalm 73:23, 24.) How does Jehovah give glory to obedient humans? He does this by giving them his approval and by blessing them in many ways. For example, he helps them to understand his will, and he allows them to have a close friendship with him.​—1 Corinthians 2:7; James 4:8.

⁴ Jehovah also gives us glory by allowing us to preach the good news. (2 Corinthians 4:1, 7) When we praise Jehovah by participating in the preaching work, we receive glory from him and we benefit others. In return, Jehovah promises us: “Those honoring me I shall honor.” (1 Samuel 2:30) Jehovah honors those who do the preaching work by giving them a good name, that is, his approval. And others in the congregation will speak well of them.​—Proverbs 11:16; 22:1.

⁵ What will the future be for those who obey Jehovah? The Bible promises: “He will exalt you to take possession of the earth. When the wicked ones are cut off, you will see it.” (Psalm 37:34) God’s servants have the extraordinary hope of living forever.​—Psalm 37:29.

“I DO NOT ACCEPT GLORY FROM MEN”

6, 7. Why did many not believe that Jesus was the Messiah?

⁶ Could something prevent us from receiving glory from Jehovah? Yes. For example, we may give too much importance to the opinions of those who do not have a good relationship with Jehovah. This is what some of the rulers in Jesus’ time did. The apostle John wrote that they put faith in Jesus, “but because of the Pharisees they would not confess him, in order not to be expelled from the synagogue; for they loved the glory of men more than even the glory of God.” (John 12:42, 43) Those rulers should not have given so much importance to what the Pharisees thought.

⁷ Jesus had clearly explained why many did not believe that he was the Messiah. (Read John 5:39-44.) The nation of Israel had been waiting for the Messiah for hundreds of years. When Jesus began preaching, some may have understood from Daniel’s prophecy that the Messiah had arrived. Some months earlier, many even thought that John the Baptizer was the Messiah. (Luke 3:15) But when the Messiah came, those who were teachers of the Scriptures did not believe in him. Why not? Jesus mentioned the reason when he asked them: “How can you believe, when you are accepting glory from one another and you are not seeking the glory that is from the only God?”

8, 9. How could glory from humans become more important to us than glory from Jehovah? Use the illustration of light.

⁸ We can better understand how glory from humans could become more important to us than honor from Jehovah by comparing glory to light. The universe is full of light. Maybe you can remember a time when you looked at the sky on a clear night and you could see thousands of stars. You must have been very impressed by the beauty of those stars. (1 Corinthians 15:40, 41) But in some cities, there are so many lights that it is almost impossible to see the stars. Why? Is it because the lights from roads, stadiums, and buildings are brighter or more beautiful than the light from the stars? No. It is because the city lights are closer to us and make it much more difficult for us to see the stars. So to see the beauty of the stars, we must go somewhere far from the city lights.

⁹ In the same way, the glory from humans can make the glory from Jehovah seem less valuable to us. Many people do not accept the good news because they are afraid of what their friends and family members might think of them. Even servants of Jehovah might worry too much about what others think. For example, a young man is assigned to preach in an area where he knows everyone. Yet, most people there do not know that he is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Will he be afraid and not preach in that area? Another example is someone who wants to do more in Jehovah’s service, but others make fun of his goals. Will he listen to those who do not value Jehovah’s service as much as they should? Or maybe someone has committed a serious sin. Will he hide his sin because he is worried about losing his responsibilities in the congregation or because he does not want to disappoint his family and friends? He will ask the elders for help if his friendship with Jehovah is the most important thing to him.​—Read James 5:14-16.

10. (a) What could happen if we worry too much about what others think of us? (b) If we are humble, what can we be sure of?

¹⁰ Maybe you feel that you are working hard to become a better Christian, but a brother often gives you counsel. You could accept the counsel and benefit from it. Or you could ignore the counsel because of being proud, being too worried about your reputation, or wanting to make excuses for what you did. Or imagine that you are working on a project with other brothers and sisters. Will you worry about who gets the praise for your good ideas and hard work? If you are ever in one of these situations, remember that “he that is humble in spirit will take hold of glory.”​—Proverbs 29:23.

11. How should we feel when others praise us? Why?

¹¹ Elders and brothers who are working hard to have more responsibility in the congregation should be careful not to want “glory from men.” (1 Thessalonians 2:6; 1 Timothy 3:1) How should a brother react when others praise him for something he has done? Of course, he will not build a monument for himself, as King Saul did. (1 Samuel 15:12) But does he admit that what he did was possible only because Jehovah helped him and that he will have success in the future only if Jehovah continues to bless and help him? (1 Peter 4:11) The way we feel inside when others praise us shows what kind of glory we really want.​—Proverbs 27:21.

“YOU WISH TO DO THE DESIRES OF YOUR FATHER”

12. Why did certain Jews reject Jesus’ message?

¹² Something else that could prevent us from receiving honor from Jehovah is our wrong desires. Because of them, we might not want to hear the truth at all. (Read John 8:43-47.) For example, Jesus told certain Jews that they rejected his message because they desired to do the will of their father the Devil.

13, 14. (a) What do researchers say about our brain and the human voice? (b) How do we choose whom we will listen to?

¹³ We sometimes hear only what we want to hear. (2 Peter 3:5) Jehovah made our brain with the amazing ability to ignore some noises. Stop for a moment and think about how many sounds you can hear right now. You probably did not hear many of them a moment ago. Why not? Even though your brain has the ability to hear all those different sounds, it was helping you to concentrate on only one thing. But it is harder for the brain to do that when we listen to others speak. Researchers have discovered that we can pay attention to only one person at a time. This means that when two people are talking to you at the same time, you have to choose which one you will pay attention to. You will choose the one you want to listen to. The Jews in Jesus’ time wanted to do the desires of their father, the Devil, and that is why they chose not to listen to Jesus.

¹⁴ The Bible says that in a way, both “wisdom” and “stupidity” are always trying to get us to listen to them. (Proverbs 9:1-5, 13-17) We have a choice. Whom will we listen to? That depends on whom we want to please. If we are Jesus’ sheep, we will listen to him and follow him. (John 10:16, 27) Jesus says that his followers are “on the side of the truth.” (John 18:37) “They do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:5) Those who humbly follow Jesus will receive glory from God.​—Proverbs 3:13, 16; 8:1, 18.

“THESE MEAN GLORY FOR YOU”

15. Why did Paul say that his tribulations meant glory for the Ephesians?

¹⁵ How can we help others to receive glory from God? One way is by our example of endurance. Paul wrote to the congregation in Ephesus: “I ask you not to give up on account of these tribulations of mine in your behalf, for these mean glory for you.” (Ephesians 3:13) Why did Paul say that his tribulations meant glory for the Ephesians? By serving his brothers despite problems, Paul showed them that serving God should be the most valuable thing for a Christian. If Paul had given up when he suffered trials, his brothers might have thought that their friendship with Jehovah, their ministry, and their hope were not important. By his example of endurance, Paul showed the brothers that being a disciple of Christ is worth any sacrifice.

16. What happened to Paul in Lystra?

¹⁶ Think about how much Paul’s zeal and endurance helped the brothers. Acts 14:19, 20 tells us about what happened to Paul in the city of Lystra: “Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and persuaded the crowds, and they stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, imagining he was dead. However, when the disciples surrounded him, he rose up and entered into the city. And on the next day he left with Barnabas for Derbe.” Imagine how difficult it must have been for Paul to make a trip of 100 kilometers (60 miles) on foot the day after he had almost been stoned to death!

17, 18. (a) How may Timothy have known about Paul’s suffering in Lystra? (b) How did Paul’s example of endurance help Timothy?

¹⁷ Was Timothy there when Paul was stoned? Maybe. The account in the book of Acts does not say. But Timothy did know about what had happened. Paul wrote in his second letter to him: “You have closely followed my teaching, my course of life.” Timothy knew not only that Paul was stoned in Lystra but also that the Jews had thrown Paul out of Antioch and that some had tried to stone him in Iconium.​—2 Timothy 3:10, 11; Acts 13:50; 14:5, 19.

¹⁸ Timothy knew that Paul had endured in all those difficult situations. Timothy must have learned a lot from Paul’s example. When Paul returned to Lystra, he learned that Timothy was an excellent example in the congregation, “well reported on by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.” (Acts 16:1, 2) After some time, Timothy was ready to receive even greater responsibilities.​—Philippians 2:19, 20; 1 Timothy 1:3.

19. How can our endurance help others?

¹⁹ If we continue to do God’s will, our example can help young ones to become even more valuable servants of God. Young ones watch us and learn from the way we speak to people in the field ministry and especially from the way we react to difficult situations in life. Paul said that he had endured many things so that he could help others to receive everlasting life.​—2 Timothy 2:10.

20. Why should we continue to seek the glory from God?

²⁰ We have very good reasons to continue “seeking the glory that is from the only God.” (John 5:44; 7:18) Jehovah gives “everlasting life to those who are seeking glory.” (Read Romans 2:6, 7.) Also, our endurance can help others to stay faithful and have everlasting life. So let nothing prevent you from receiving the glory that God gives.

The Bible gives us a serious warning: “Out of the heart come wicked reasonings, murders, adulteries, fornications, thieveries, false testimonies, blasphemies.” (Matthew 15:19) Our heart, the person we are inside, can deceive us and make us do something that is against God’s will. And we may not realize that our heart has deceived us until after we have made a mistake. What can help us to know what is in our heart before we do something wrong?

HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT IS IN YOUR HEART

Read the Bible every day and meditate on what it says. The apostle Paul wrote: “The word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than any two-edged sword and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit.” God’s Word “is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) When we study the Bible, we should examine our own thinking and actions. This will help us to find out what is really in our heart. So it is very important to read the Bible every day and meditate on what it says. This will help us to think the way Jehovah thinks.

If we pay attention to what the Bible says, this will train our conscience. Our conscience is like a voice inside of us. It can tell us that something is wrong and stop us from making excuses to do what is bad. (Romans 9:1) The Bible also has many examples that can be “a warning to us.” (1 Corinthians 10:11) If we learn from these examples, we can avoid making bad decisions. What else can help us?

Pray to God to help you find out what is in your heart. Jehovah is “an examiner of the heart.” (1 Chronicles 29:17) He “is greater than our hearts and knows all things.” (1 John 3:20) God knows everything about us. If we sincerely tell him in prayer about our worries, feelings, and desires, Jehovah can help us to know what is in our heart. We can even ask God to give us “a pure heart.” (Psalm 51:10) So prayer is a very important way to get help from Jehovah.

Listen carefully to what is said at the meetings. This can help us to think seriously about the person we are inside. It is true that we may not learn something new at every meeting. But if we are always there, we can get a better understanding of Bible principles. We receive counsel that can help us find out what is in our heart, and then we can make changes. The comments of our brothers and sisters can also help us very much. (Proverbs 27:17) But if we do not regularly get together with our brothers at the meetings, we can begin to focus too much on ourselves and make unwise decisions. (Proverbs 18:1) So it would be good to ask yourself, ‘Do I go to all the meetings and pay attention to what is said?’​—Hebrews 10:24, 25.

HOW CAN YOUR HEART DECEIVE YOU?

Our heart can deceive us in many different ways. Let us discuss four: the desire for material things, the use of alcohol, our choice of friends, and what we do for entertainment.

The desire for material things. We all need food, clothing, and a place to live. There is nothing wrong with wanting these things. But Jesus warned us not to put material things first in our life. Jesus told a story about a rich man whose storehouses were full of grain. He had no place to store grain for the next harvest, so he wanted to tear down his storehouses and build larger ones. He thought to himself: “There I will gather all my grain and all my good things; and I will say to my soul: ‘Soul, you have many good things laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, enjoy yourself.’” But this rich man forgot one important fact: If he died that night, all his work would be for nothing.​—Luke 12:16-20.

As we get older, we may begin to worry about having enough money for our old age. As a result, we may start making excuses to work more hours, miss meetings, do less in the preaching work, and not care for our Christian responsibilities. Or we may be young and know that full-time service is the best way of life. But we might think that we should work and save some money before we start pioneering. If this is the way you think, remember that now is the time to do your best in God’s service. After all, none of us know whether we will be alive tomorrow.

The use of alcohol. Proverbs 23:20 says: “Do not come to be among heavy drinkers of wine.” If you have a strong desire to drink alcohol, you may make excuses to drink it often. For example, you may say: ‘I don’t drink to get drunk. I just drink to relax.’ If this is your situation, think honestly about what is in your heart, and do not let it deceive you.

Our choice of friends. Every day, we are around people who do not serve Jehovah, whether at school, at work, or in the preaching work. But it would be wrong to spend more time than necessary with them or even have close friendships with them. We may make excuses and say that these people have many good qualities. But the Bible warns: “Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1 Corinthians 15:33) Just as a little bit of dirty water can ruin clean water, friendships with those who do not love God can ruin our friendship with Jehovah. We may begin to think, dress, speak, and act like people in the world.

What we do for entertainment. With modern technology, it is easy to find all kinds of entertainment. But much of this entertainment is not good for a Christian. Paul told Christians not even to speak about things that are unclean. (Ephesians 5:3) What if we have a strong desire to watch or listen to something that is unclean? We may make excuses and say that we all need to have some fun and that what we do for entertainment is our own choice. But we should always obey Paul’s counsel and not watch or listen to anything that is unclean.

WE CAN MAKE CHANGES

Even if our heart has deceived us and we have made excuses for wrong actions, it is not too late to make changes. (Ephesians 4:22-24) Let us consider two examples.

Miguel had to change how he felt about material things.a (See footnote.) He says: “My wife, son, and I are from a country where obtaining the latest and the best in technology and comfort is considered very important. At one point, I devoted myself to obtaining all I could from the world, thinking that I could do this without becoming materialistic.” But soon Miguel realized that he was wrong. He prayed that Jehovah would help him change his way of thinking. Miguel adds: “I made it known to him that as a family, we wanted to serve him fully. We were able to make a decision to simplify our lives and move to where the need was greater. Soon we were able to pioneer. We have come to see that we do not need much materially in order to have a full and happy life.”

Lee spent too much time with the wrong kind of friends. His experience shows how important it is to stop and think carefully about what we want and what we do. Lee would regularly go out to drink with people he did business with. He knew that people would get drunk at those meetings, but he still enjoyed going. Many times he almost got drunk himself, but later he would feel bad about what he had done. He realized that he needed to change his thinking. He explains: “The counsel of God’s Word and suggestions of the elders helped me to realize that what I was really seeking was association with people who do not love Jehovah.” Now, instead of meeting with those people, Lee tries to do most of his business with them by telephone.

We need to be honest with ourselves and find out what is really in our heart. How can we do that? We can pray to Jehovah, who “is aware of the secrets of the heart.” (Psalm 44:21) We also have God’s Word. When we read it, it can be like a mirror that can help us to see the person we really are. (James 1:22-25) We also receive counsel from Jehovah through our meetings and publications. All these things can help us to protect our heart and keep doing what is right.

In the year 59 C.E., the centurion Julius and his tired soldiers led a group of prisoners into Rome. They came into the city through the Porta Capena gate. On Palatine Hill they could see the palace of Emperor Nero, which was protected by Praetorian soldiers armed with swords.a (See footnote.) The prisoners walked by the Roman Forum and up Viminal Hill. They went past a garden with many altars to Roman gods and then past a large area used for parades and military training.

One of the prisoners was the apostle Paul. Some time earlier, during a storm at sea, an angel had told Paul: “You must stand before Caesar.” (Acts 27:24) Paul might have been wondering if these words would soon come true. As he looked around at the city, he may have remembered what Jesus had told him at the Tower of Antonia in Jerusalem years earlier: “Be of good courage! For as you have been giving a thorough witness on the things about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”​—Acts 23:10, 11.

Perhaps Paul looked at the Praetorian camp, called the Castra Praetoria. This was a large fortress with high red-brick walls and towers. It housed 12 cohorts of the Praetorian Guard and several cohorts of the city’s police, including cavalry.b (See footnote.) This building reminded the people of how powerful the emperor was. Because the Praetorian Guard was also responsible for prisoners from other parts of the Roman Empire, Julius led these prisoners into the Praetorian camp. After a trip that lasted several months, the prisoners were finally in Rome.​—Acts 27:1-3, 43, 44.

PAUL DID NOT STOP PREACHING

Amazing things had happened on the way to Rome. During a storm at sea, Paul foretold that the ship would be destroyed but that everyone would survive. A poisonous snake bit Paul, but he was not harmed. Later, he healed sick people on the island of Malta, and some began to say that he was a god. Other members of the Praetorian Guard may have heard about these events and may have been talking about them.

Paul had already met brothers who had come from Rome to the Marketplace of Appius and Three Taverns to meet him. (Acts 28:15) Paul was eager to continue preaching in Rome. But how could he do that now that he was a prisoner? (Romans 1:14, 15) Some think that the prisoners were first taken to the captain of the guard. If that is true, Paul was probably taken to the leader of the Praetorian Guard, Afranius Burrus, who may have had almost as much power as the emperor.c (See footnote.) Instead of being guarded by officers, Paul was now guarded by one ordinary Praetorian soldier. Paul was allowed to find his own place to live and to receive visitors and preach to them.​—Acts 28:16, 30, 31.

PAUL WITNESSED “TO BOTH SMALL AND GREAT”

Burrus perhaps questioned Paul at the Praetorian camp or at the palace before taking him to Nero. Paul did not miss this opportunity to preach to someone who had great authority. (Acts 26:19-23) We do not know if Burrus thought Paul was guilty or not, but we do know that he did not send Paul to prison in the Praetorian camp.d​—See footnote.

Paul invited the Jewish leaders and many others to his house and witnessed to them. The Praetorian soldiers also received a witness. They heard as Paul gave a thorough witness to Jews about Jesus and the Kingdom “from morning till evening.”​—Acts 28:17, 23.

Every day, there was a different group of Praetorian soldiers guarding the palace. Paul may also have had a different soldier guarding him each day. As a result, many guards received a witness. They heard him dictate the letters to the Ephesian, Philippian, Colossian, and Hebrew Christians and saw him write a letter to a Christian named Philemon. While in prison, Paul helped Onesimus, a slave who had run away. He had become like a son to Paul, but he later returned to his master. (Philemon 10) Paul probably also showed interest in the soldiers who guarded him. (1 Corinthians 9:22) For example, Paul may have had a conversation with a guard about what different pieces of armor were for and then used what he learned in one of his illustrations.​—Ephesians 6:13-17.

“SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD FEARLESSLY”

Those in the Praetorian Guard were in contact with people everywhere in the Roman Empire, including the emperor and his family members, servants, and slaves. So not only the Praetorian Guard but also many others had the opportunity to hear the good news, and some of these became Christians. (Philippians 1:12, 13; 4:22) Paul’s example encouraged the brothers in Rome “to speak the word of God fearlessly.”​—Philippians 1:14.

Paul’s example also encourages us to preach the good news both in good times and in difficult times. (2 Timothy 4:2) For example, we may be in a nursing home, in a hospital, or in prison because of our faith. Whatever our situation, we can preach to those we meet. Perhaps we can speak to those who come to care for us or who come to do some kind of work for us. When we courageously use every opportunity to preach, we show that nothing can stop the good news from spreading.​—2 Timothy 2:8, 9.