1. Give an example that shows how some of God’s people deceived themselves. (See opening picture.)

A GROUP of men were standing in front of the tabernacle, ready to offer incense to Jehovah. On the one side was Aaron, the high priest of Israel, and on the other side were Korah and 250 men. (Numbers 16:16-18) It seemed that all of them were loyal to God. However, Korah and his supporters were proud, rebellious, and selfish, and they were trying to grab the priesthood from Aaron. (Numbers 16:1-11) They had deceived themselves, thinking that Jehovah would accept their worship. But in reality, they had insulted Jehovah, who could read their hearts. He could see that they were hypocrites and that they wanted glory for themselves.​—Jeremiah 17:10.

2. What did Moses say would happen, and how did his words come true?

² Earlier, Moses had said: “Jehovah will make known who belongs to him.” (Numbers 16:5) How did Jehovah show that he knew who his true worshippers were and who the hypocrites were? Jehovah sent fire from heaven and destroyed Korah and the 250 men. (Numbers 16:35; 26:10) Only Aaron was left standing. Jehovah made it clear that Aaron was the real priest and a true worshipper of God.​—Read 1 Corinthians 8:3.

3. (a) What happened in the Christian congregation in Paul’s day? (b) What can we learn from what Jehovah did to the rebels in Moses’ day?

³ In Paul’s time, more than 1,500 years later, something similar happened in the Christian congregation. Paul explained that some who claimed to be Christians began to promote false teachings. Yet, they remained part of the congregation. These apostates may have appeared to be true worshippers of Jehovah. But in reality they were like dangerous wolves, and they even began to destroy “the faith of some.” (2 Timothy 2:16-18) Was Jehovah watching? Yes. Paul knew what God had done to the rebels, Korah and his supporters, so he was confident that Jehovah was fully aware of this situation as well. We too can have the same confidence in Jehovah. Let us learn how we can from the interesting words Paul wrote to Timothy.

“I AM JEHOVAH; I DO NOT CHANGE”

4. What was Paul sure that Jehovah would do? What did Paul tell Timothy?

⁴ Paul was sure that Jehovah would recognize hypocritical worship. Also, he was sure that Jehovah knew who His true worshippers were. Paul’s confidence was shown by the words he was inspired to write to Timothy. After he described the harm that apostates were causing to the faith of some, Paul said: “Despite that, the solid foundation of God remains standing, having this seal, ‘Jehovah knows those who belong to him,’ and, ‘Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.’”​—2 Timothy 2:19.

5, 6. What is interesting about Paul’s use of the expression “the solid foundation of God”? How would that affect Timothy?

⁵ The Bible uses the word “foundation” to describe different things. These include Jerusalem, which was the capital of ancient Israel, as well as Jesus’ role in God’s purpose. (Psalm 87:1, 2; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Peter 2:6) But the expression “the solid foundation of God” is used only once in the Bible. What event did Paul refer to when he used that expression?

⁶ When Paul used the expression “the solid foundation of God,” he did so in the same verse in which he quoted Moses’ words about Korah and his supporters. (See Numbers 16:5.) In this way, Paul was reminding Timothy that Jehovah knew what was happening in the congregation. God would prevent apostates from causing any harm. Jehovah’s purpose was not changed by Korah, and God’s purpose would not be changed by apostates in the congregation. Paul did not fully explain what was meant by “the solid foundation of God.” Still, what Paul said helped Timothy to have confidence and trust in Jehovah.

7. Why can we be sure that Jehovah will always be righteous and faithful?

⁷ Jehovah’s principles never change. “The decisions of Jehovah will stand forever; the thoughts of his heart are from generation to generation,” says Psalm 33:11. Jehovah is King, he shows loyal love, and he is righteous and faithful. The Bible shows that these facts also never change. (Exodus 15:18; Psalm 106:1; 111:3; 117:2) Malachi 3:6 says: “I am Jehovah; I do not change.” Similarly, James 1:17 says that Jehovah “does not vary or change like the shifting shadows.”

AN INSCRIPTION THAT BUILDS FAITH IN JEHOVAH

8, 9. What lesson can we learn from what was inscribed on “the solid foundation of God”?

⁸ In ancient times, it was common to write or engrave a message on a building’s foundation. This was often done to show who built or owned the building. Paul is the first Bible writer to refer to this custom.a (See footnote.) “The solid foundation of God” that Paul described at 2 Timothy 2:19 has two statements engraved on it: (1) “Jehovah knows those who belong to him” and, (2) “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.” This reminds us of what we read at Numbers 16:5.​—Read.

⁹ What lesson can those who belong to Jehovah learn from what was inscribed on “the solid foundation of God”? That Jehovah’s values and principles are based on two vital truths. These are (1) Jehovah loves those who are loyal to him, and (2) Jehovah hates wrong conduct. How is this lesson related to apostasy in the congregation?

10. How did the conduct of apostates affect faithful ones in Paul’s day?

¹⁰ Timothy and other faithful ones were very troubled by the conduct of apostates. Some Christians may have asked why those apostates were allowed to remain in the congregation. Faithful ones may even have wondered whether Jehovah was able to see the difference between their own firm loyalty and the hypocritical worship of apostates.​—Acts 20:29, 30.

11, 12. How did Paul’s letter no doubt strengthen Timothy’s faith?

¹¹ Paul’s letter must have strengthened Timothy’s faith. He reminded Timothy that Jehovah had earlier made it clear that Korah and his supporters were hypocrites. Jehovah had rejected and destroyed them but had shown his approval of Aaron. In a similar way, even though there were people who pretended to be Christians in Paul’s day, Jehovah would clearly reveal who belonged to him.

¹² Jehovah never changes, so we can always depend on him. He hates wickedness and will punish those who do what is wrong and do not repent. Timothy was reminded that he had to reject the wicked influence of those who pretended to be Christians, because “everyone calling on the name of Jehovah” must reject wickedness.b​—See footnote.

GENUINE WORSHIP IS ALWAYS REWARDED

13. Of what can we be confident?

¹³ Paul’s words to Timothy can encourage us too. How so? Jehovah knows very well that we are loyal to him. But he goes far beyond simply knowing those who are loyal to him. Jehovah shows intense interest in them. The Bible says: “The eyes of Jehovah are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) We can be confident that Jehovah will never forget our sincere efforts to worship him.​—1 Corinthians 15:58; 1 Timothy 1:5.

14. What type of worship does Jehovah reject?

¹⁴ Jehovah hates and rejects hypocritical worship. He can read the hearts of all people and can see whose hearts are not “complete toward him.” It is disgusting to Jehovah when a person pretends to be obedient but is secretly practicing sin. (Proverbs 3:32) Humans may be fooled by such a person, but Jehovah is not. The Bible says: “The one covering over his transgressions will not succeed.” This is because Jehovah is almighty and because he is a God of righteousness.​—Proverbs 28:13; read 1 Timothy 5:24; Hebrews 4:13.

15. What should we avoid, and why?

¹⁵ Most of Jehovah’s people love him with all their heart. It is rare for someone to try to deceive Jehovah with hypocritical worship. But if this happened in the days of Moses and in the time of the early Christians, it can happen today. (2 Timothy 3:1, 5) Does this mean that we should be suspicious of our brothers and doubt their loyalty to Jehovah? No, it would be wrong to have suspicions about our brothers and sisters without proof. (Read Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 13:7.) And doubting our brothers would hurt our own relationship with Jehovah.

16. (a) How can you make sure that there is no hypocrisy in your heart? (b) What can we learn from the box “Keep Testing . . . Keep Proving . . .”?

¹⁶ Each Christian should “examine his own actions.” (Galatians 6:4) Because we are imperfect, we might begin to worship Jehovah for the wrong reasons without even realizing it. (Hebrews 3:12, 13) In minor ways our service to him might become hypocritical. So we must ask ourselves: ‘Why do I worship Jehovah? Do I worship him because I love him and because I want him to be my Ruler? Or am I thinking mostly about the good life that I am hoping to enjoy in Paradise?’ (Revelation 4:11) By asking such questions, we can make sure that there is not even a trace of hypocrisy in our heart.

LOYALTY LEADS TO HAPPINESS

17, 18. Why should we be genuine in our worship of Jehovah?

¹⁷ We will be rewarded if we make every effort to remove all traces of hypocrisy from our heart. “Happy is the man whom Jehovah does not charge with guilt, in whose spirit there is no deceit,” says the psalmist. (Psalm 32:2) If we are sincere in our worship, we will be happy now and will enjoy perfect happiness in the future.

¹⁸ Very soon, Jehovah will expose wicked people who refuse to repent or who secretly practice sin. He will show the difference “between a righteous person and a wicked person, between one serving God and one not serving him.” (Malachi 3:18) Until then, it is comforting to know that “the eyes of Jehovah are on the righteous, and his ears listen to their supplication.”​—1 Peter 3:12.

1. What has a special place in our worship?

AROUND the world, the name Jehovah can be found engraved on many buildings and on various objects in museums. If you have ever seen that name in such places, you no doubt felt excitement. For us as Jehovah’s Witnesses, God’s name has a special place in our worship. No other people use God’s name as we do. But more is involved than simply using his name. Because we have the privilege to be his Witnesses, we have the responsibility to act in a way that will honor him.

2. Because we have the privilege of being identified by God’s name, what responsibility do we have?

² To have God’s approval, we must do more than simply use his name. We must also follow his moral standards and “turn away from what is bad.” (Psalm 34:14) Paul made this responsibility clear when he wrote: “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.” (Read 2 Timothy 2:19.) So as God’s people, how can we make sure that we “renounce unrighteousness,” that is, reject wickedness?

“MOVE AWAY” FROM BADNESS

3, 4. What words have been difficult for some to understand, and why?

³ At 2 Timothy 2:19, Paul refers to “the solid foundation of God.” Engraved on this foundation are two statements. The first statement, “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” is taken from Numbers 16:5. (See previous article.) But what about the second statement, “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness”? Some have difficulty understanding these words. Why?

⁴ Paul’s words suggest that he was quoting from another part of the Hebrew Scriptures. But there does not seem to be any verse that matches this statement. So, what was the apostle referring to when he said: “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness”? Paul’s first statement was taken from Numbers chapter 16, and it refers to the rebellion of Korah. Could the second statement also refer to the same event?

5-7. What events in Moses’ day was Paul referring to at 2 Timothy 2:19? (See opening picture.)

⁵ Dathan and Abiram joined Korah as leaders of the rebellion. (Numbers 16:1-5) They were disrespectful to Moses and rejected the authority he had received from God. They became a danger to the Israelites because they still lived among them. Before Jehovah identified his loyal worshippers, he gave one simple command.

⁶ The Bible states: “Jehovah then said to Moses: ‘Speak to the assembly and tell them, “Get away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram!”’ Then Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel went with him. He told the assembly: ‘Move away, please, from the tents of these wicked men and do not touch anything that belongs to them, so that you may not be swept away in all their sin.’ They immediately moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, from every side.” (Numbers 16:23-27) Then Jehovah destroyed all the rebels. But those who were loyal to God survived. How? They ‘renounced unrighteousness’ by moving away from the rebels.

⁷ When Paul wrote the words “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” he was quoting from Numbers 16:5. And when he made the statement “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness,” he might have been referring to the events recorded at Numbers 16:5, 23-27. So it seems reasonable to conclude that both statements found at 2 Timothy 2:19 refer to the same events. What do we learn from these statements? That Jehovah reads hearts. He knows who his loyal servants are, and he expects them to separate themselves from those who are wicked.

“REJECT FOOLISH AND IGNORANT DEBATES”

8. Besides using God’s name and belonging to a congregation, what else must we do?

⁸ Paul also used the events of Moses’ day to remind Timothy that he needed to protect his relationship with Jehovah. Christians had to do more than belong to the congregation, just as God’s loyal servants in Moses’ day had to do more than simply use Jehovah’s name. All faithful servants of God must reject wickedness. What did this mean for Timothy? And what can we learn from Paul’s counsel?

9. How did “foolish and ignorant debates” affect the early Christian congregation?

⁹ In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he gave wise advice on how to reject wickedness. For example, Paul tells Timothy “not to fight about words” and to “reject empty speeches.” (Read 2 Timothy 2:14, 16, 23.) What did these words mean? Some in the congregation were teaching apostate doctrines. Others were spreading ideas that caused arguments. Some of these ideas were not directly against Bible teachings, but they threatened the unity of the congregation. That is why Paul encouraged Timothy to “reject foolish and ignorant debates.”

10. What should we do if we are exposed to apostasy?

¹⁰ Today, it is not common to find apostates in the congregation. Yet, we may still be exposed to ideas that go against Bible teachings. No matter where these ideas come from, we need to be determined to reject them. It is not wise to have communication with apostates, either in person, over the Internet, or in any other way. Even though we may want to help the person, we would be disobeying God if we had such a conversation. He commands us to reject, yes, completely avoid, apostasy.

11. What could divide a congregation, and how can Christian elders set a good example?

¹¹ There are other things that can disturb the peace of a congregation besides apostate ideas. For example, there may be different opinions about what entertainment is appropriate for a Christian. Trying to force these opinions on others could cause “foolish and ignorant debates.” But what if someone in the congregation is promoting entertainment that goes against God’s moral standards? Elders would not tolerate this behavior simply to avoid an argument. (Psalm 11:5; Ephesians 5:3-5) Yet, elders are careful not to promote their own ideas. Instead they follow the Bible’s counsel: “Shepherd the flock of God under your care, . . . not lording it over those who are God’s inheritance, but becoming examples to the flock.”​—1 Peter 5:2, 3; read 2 Corinthians 1:24.

12, 13. (a) How do Jehovah’s Witnesses decide which entertainment to choose, and what Bible principles apply? (b) How do the principles discussed in paragraph 12 apply to various personal matters?

¹² Our organization does not review movies, video games, books, or songs to decide which ones we should avoid. Why not? Because the Bible tells each person to train his conscience “to distinguish both right and wrong.” (Hebrews 5:14) We can use Bible principles to help us make wise decisions about entertainment. With all such decisions, we need to “keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:10) The Bible also teaches that the head of the family has authority, so he may decide not to allow certain entertainment in his household.a (See footnote.)​—1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 6:1-4.

¹³ The Bible principles mentioned above can help us to make wise decisions in other areas of life. For example, there are different opinions about dress and grooming, health and nutrition, and other personal matters. Some may want to force their opinions about such matters on others, and this can cause disagreements. But if no Bible principle is being violated, there is no reason to argue about what each Christian should do. The Bible says that “a slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all.”​—2 Timothy 2:24; footnote.

AVOID BAD ASSOCIATIONS!

14. How did Paul illustrate the need to avoid bad associations?

¹⁴ As servants of God, in what other way can we “renounce unrighteousness”? By avoiding bad associations. How did Paul illustrate this? After mentioning “the solid foundation of God,” he wrote about “a large house.” Inside this house there were “utensils,” that is, objects, made “not only of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for an honorable use but others for a use lacking honor.” (2 Timothy 2:20, 21) Paul then encouraged Christians to keep clear of the “utensils” used for a purpose “lacking honor.”

15, 16. What can we learn from the illustration of “a large house”?

¹⁵ What is the meaning of Paul’s illustration? The “large house” can be compared to the Christian congregation. The “utensils” in the house can be compared to each member of the congregation. In a house, some objects may be harmful if they become contaminated, that is, unclean. When this happens, the owner of the house must separate the unclean objects from the clean ones, such as the ones he uses for cooking.

¹⁶ It is similar for God’s servants today. If we want to be clean in all areas of our lives, we must separate ourselves from people within the congregation who continually refuse to obey Jehovah’s principles. (Read 1 Corinthians 15:33.) If we must avoid those inside the congregation who disobey God, we certainly must avoid close association with those outside the congregation. We do that because many people outside the congregation are lovers of money, disobedient to parents, disloyal, liars, violent, without love for what is good, betrayers, and lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.​—2 Timothy 3:1-5.

JEHOVAH BLESSES OUR LOYALTY

17. How careful were loyal Israelites to “renounce unrighteousness”?

¹⁷ When Jehovah gave the command to “get away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram,” the faithful Israelites “immediately moved away.” (Numbers 16:24, 27) They did not delay in separating themselves from the rebels or seem unsure about doing so. They “moved away . . . from every side.” Loyal ones were eager to obey with their whole heart. They made it very clear that they supported Jehovah and opposed unrighteousness. What can we learn from this example?

18. What did Paul mean when he told Timothy to “flee from youthful desires”?

¹⁸ Our friendship with Jehovah is valuable to us. We must act promptly to protect it. This is what Paul meant when he told Timothy to “flee from youthful desires.” (2 Timothy 2:22) Timothy was probably more than 30 years old. But even adults can have foolish “youthful desires.” When facing such desires, Timothy had to “flee” from them. He needed to “renounce unrighteousness.” Jesus stated something similar: “If your eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you.” (Matthew 18:9) Christians who want to obey this advice and protect their friendship with God must act quickly and with determination.

19. How have some protected their friendship with Jehovah?

¹⁹ How have some Christians protected their relationship with Jehovah? Some who once had problems with alcohol have decided not to drink at all. Others who have certain weaknesses avoid any type of entertainment that might excite wrong desires. (Psalm 101:3) For example, before becoming a Witness, one brother enjoyed going to dance parties where people behaved immorally. After learning the truth, he decided not to dance at all, not even at Witness gatherings. He does not want to bring back improper thoughts or desires. Of course, this does not mean that all Christians need to avoid alcohol, dancing, or other things that are not wrong in themselves. However, all of us should be careful and protect our relationship with Jehovah.

20. Although it might not be easy to “renounce unrighteousness,” what comforts us?

²⁰ It is a privilege to be called one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Yet, this privilege comes with responsibility. We must “renounce unrighteousness” and “turn away from what is bad.” (Psalm 34:14) Doing so is not always easy. But how comforting it is to know that Jehovah will always love “those who belong to him” and obey him.​—2 Timothy 2:19; read 2 Chronicles 16:9a.

1, 2. (a) What does it mean to be a witness, and what has the world’s news media not told people? (b) Why does Jehovah not depend on this world’s news media?

WHAT does it mean to be a witness? One dictionary explains that a witness is “someone who sees an event and reports what happened.” In South Africa, a newspaper that has been published for over 160 years is called The Witness. It is an appropriate name because the purpose of a newspaper is to report accurately on events. The editor who started this newspaper promised that it would tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

² Sadly, the world’s news media has not reported accurately on many news events. It has surely not told the truth about God and what he has done. But Jehovah, the almighty Ruler of the universe, does not depend on the world’s news media. God said through his prophet Ezekiel: “The nations will have to know that I am Jehovah.” (Ezekiel 39:7) Jehovah has about eight million Witnesses who tell people around the world about him. This army of Witnesses tell others what God has done for people in the past and what he is doing now. They also tell about the wonderful things he has promised to do in the future. At Isaiah 43:10, we read: “‘You are my witnesses,’ declares Jehovah, ‘yes, my servant whom I have chosen.’” When we make the preaching work the most important work in our lives, we prove that we really are Jehovah’s Witnesses.

3, 4. (a) When did the Bible Students start to be called Jehovah’s Witnesses, and how did they feel about this new name? (See opening picture.) (b) What questions will we now discuss?

³ Jehovah’s name will remain forever because he is “the King of eternity.” And he himself said: “This is my name forever, and this is how I am to be remembered from generation to generation.” (1 Timothy 1:17; Exodus 3:15; compare Ecclesiastes 2:16.) To be called by Jehovah’s name is the greatest honor we can have. In 1931, the Bible Students were thrilled when they began using the name Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many of them wrote letters to express their gratitude for this change. One congregation in Canada wrote that the new name made them more determined to live in a way that brings praise to Jehovah.

⁴ How can you show that you feel honored to be called a Witness of Jehovah? Also, can you explain why Jehovah calls us his Witnesses, as we read in the book of Isaiah?

GOD’S WITNESSES IN THE PAST

5, 6. (a) How did Israelite parents witness about Jehovah? (b) What else did Israelite parents need to do, and why do parents today need to do the same?

⁵ Jehovah chose the nation of Israel to be his witnesses. Each Israelite had the responsibility to witness about him. (Isaiah 43:10) For example, parents witnessed by teaching their children about what God did in the past. Jehovah instructed parents to teach their children about the Passover. He told them: “When your sons ask you, ‘What does this observance mean to you?’ you must say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Passover to Jehovah, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when he plagued the Egyptians, but he spared our houses.’” (Exodus 12:26, 27) Parents explained that Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go to the wilderness to worship Jehovah. Pharaoh said: “Who is Jehovah, that I should obey his voice to send Israel away?” (Exodus 5:2) Parents told their children how Jehovah answered Pharaoh’s question and showed to all that He is the Almighty. He brought ten plagues on Egypt and saved the Israelites from Egypt’s army at the Red Sea. The Israelites saw that Jehovah is the true God and that he always does what he promises.

⁶ The Israelites felt that it was an honor for them to be witnesses of Jehovah. They told their children and any slaves who worked in their homes about the wonderful things that Jehovah had done. The Israelites also knew that they needed to keep their conduct holy. Jehovah said: “You should be holy, because I, Jehovah your God, am holy.” Israelite parents had to train their children to be holy, that is, to live according to Jehovah’s standards. (Leviticus 19:2; Deuteronomy 6:6, 7) Parents today must do the same. They must train their children to live in a way that brings honor to God’s glorious name.​—Read Proverbs 1:8; Ephesians 6:4.

7. (a) When the Israelites obeyed Jehovah, what could the nations around them see? (b) What responsibility do all those who represent Jehovah have?

⁷ When the Israelites obeyed God, he blessed them. As a result, the nations around them could see that Jehovah was protecting his people. (Deuteronomy 28:10) But sadly, for most of their history, the Israelites were disobedient to Jehovah. They worshipped idols, the gods of Canaan. Like those gods, the Israelites became cruel. They sacrificed their own children and mistreated the poor. Their bad example teaches us an important lesson. We need to imitate Jehovah and be holy because we represent him, the Most Holy One.

“LOOK! I AM DOING SOMETHING NEW”

8. What did Jehovah tell Isaiah to do, and how did Isaiah react?

⁸ Jehovah used Isaiah to warn the Israelites that He was going to destroy Jerusalem, their capital city, and allow His people to be taken captive. Jehovah also foretold that he was going to do “something new” and free his people from captivity in an amazing way. (Isaiah 43:19) Jehovah knew that the Israelites would not repent, but he still told Isaiah to continue warning them. The first six chapters of the book of Isaiah are mostly warnings about the destruction of Jerusalem. Isaiah wanted to know how long the nation would continue to disobey Jehovah. God answered: “Until the cities crash in ruins without an inhabitant and the houses are without people and the land is ruined and desolate.”​—Read Isaiah 6:8-11.

9. (a) When did Isaiah’s prophecy about Jerusalem come true? (b) Today, what warning do we need to pay attention to?

⁹ For over 45 years, Isaiah warned the Israelites about the coming destruction. He started prophesying in the last year of King Uzziah’s reign, in 778 before Christ, and continued until about the year 732 before Christ, during King Hezekiah’s reign. After that, Jehovah continued warning his people until the year 607 before Christ, when Jerusalem was destroyed. So the Israelites were warned many years in advance about what was going to happen. Today, Jehovah has used his people to warn others about what will happen in the future. For many years, The Watchtower has been telling people that soon Satan will no longer rule the earth and that Christ will begin to rule the earth instead.​—Revelation 20:1-3, 6.

10, 11. What fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy did the Israelites in Babylon witness?

¹⁰ Some Jews survived the destruction of Jerusalem. They obeyed Jehovah’s instruction to surrender to the Babylonians and were taken captive to Babylon. (Jeremiah 27:11, 12) Seventy years later, a few of them witnessed the fulfillment of another one of Isaiah’s prophecies: “This is what Jehovah says, your Repurchaser, the Holy One of Israel: ‘For your sakes I will send to Babylon and bring down all the bars of the gates.’”​—Isaiah 43:14.

¹¹ Jehovah fulfilled that prophecy in an amazing way. One night in October of the year 539 before Christ, Babylon’s king and his nobles were having a celebration in honor of their gods. They were even drinking from cups they had stolen from Jehovah’s temple. But that same night, King Cyrus and his armies invaded Babylon. They took control of the city and defeated the Babylonian Empire. In the year 538 or 537 before Christ, Cyrus commanded the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild God’s temple. And on their journey back, Jehovah made sure that they were safe. All of this happened just as Isaiah had prophesied. When God’s people finally saw the temple in Jerusalem rebuilt, they were witnesses to the fact that Jehovah is the true God and that he always does what he promises. God called the Jews who returned to Jerusalem “the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.”​—Isaiah 43:21; 44:26-28.

12, 13. (a) When the Israelites returned to rebuild the temple, who else joined them? (b) What must the “other sheep” do now, and what can they look forward to?

¹² When the Israelites returned to rebuild the temple, thousands of foreigners joined them in worshipping Jehovah. Later, even more foreigners joined them. (Ezra 2:58, 64, 65; Esther 8:17) Today, anointed Christians are God’s nation, “the Israel of God,” and “a great crowd” of “other sheep” have joined them in worshipping Jehovah. (Galatians 6:16; Revelation 7:9, 10; John 10:16) Both the anointed and the other sheep have the honor of being called Jehovah’s Witnesses.

¹³ In the new world, the great crowd will have an amazing opportunity. They will tell resurrected ones what it was like to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses during the last days of Satan’s world. To have this privilege in the future, we must remain holy. Even though we try hard to live according to Jehovah’s standards, we make mistakes every day. So we daily need to ask Jehovah for forgiveness. If we remain holy, we show we are grateful that Jehovah has allowed us to represent him.​—Read 1 John 1:8, 9.

WHAT GOD’S NAME MEANS

14. What does the name Jehovah mean?

¹⁴ To get a better understanding of how great an honor it is to be called by Jehovah’s name, we need to know what his name means. The name Jehovah comes from a Hebrew word that can be translated “to become” and can describe action. Thus, God’s name is believed to mean “He Causes to Become.” Jehovah’s name helps us understand who he is. He is the One who created everything. Also, when Jehovah says that he will do something, no one can stop him from doing it, not even Satan.

15. What can we learn about Jehovah’s name from what he told Moses? (See the box “Jehovah​—A Name With Deep Meaning.”)

¹⁵ Jehovah explained more about the meaning of his name to Moses. When Jehovah sent him to free His people from Egypt, he told Moses: “I Will Become What I Choose to Become.” Jehovah added: “This is what you are to say to the Israelites, ‘I Will Become has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14; footnote) So Jehovah will become whatever is needed to accomplish his purpose. For the Israelites, Jehovah did whatever was necessary to be a Deliverer, a Protector, a Guide, and a Provider of everything they needed.

HOW WE SHOW WE ARE THANKFUL

16, 17. (a) How can we show we are thankful for the honor of being called by God’s name? (b) What will we discuss in the next article?

¹⁶ Today, Jehovah has not changed. His name reminds us that he will become whatever is needed in order to care for his people. For example, he gives us everything we need to live each day and to keep our faith strong. Jehovah’s name teaches us something else about him. What is that? Jehovah can cause his creation to do what is needed to accomplish his purpose. For example, he uses his Witnesses to do his work. Knowing this should motivate us to represent him well. Kåre from Norway, who has been a zealous Witness of Jehovah for the past 70 years, says: “I feel that it is a great honor to serve Jehovah, the King of eternity, and to be a part of the people who are called by his holy name. It is always a great privilege to explain Bible truth and to see people’s eyes light up with joy and understanding. For instance, it brings me deep satisfaction when I teach them how Christ’s ransom sacrifice works and how, by means of it, they can get everlasting life in a peaceful and righteous new world.”

¹⁷ In some places around the world, it is difficult to find people who want to learn about Jehovah. But like Kåre, we are very happy when we find at least one person who wants to learn about Jehovah’s name. But how can we be Jehovah’s Witnesses and at the same time be witnesses of Jesus? This will be discussed in the next article.

1, 2. (a) Who is the greatest witness of Jehovah? (b) What does the name Jesus mean, and what did he do to help the Jews regain Jehovah’s approval?

WHEN Jesus was on trial, he courageously told the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate: “For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” (Read John 18:33-37.) Years later, the apostle Paul called Jesus the witness who made “the fine public declaration before Pontius Pilate.” (1 Timothy 6:13) We live in a world that is controlled by Satan and is filled with hatred. To keep witnessing, we need to have great courage like that of Jesus, “the faithful and true witness.”​—Revelation 3:14.

² All Jews were called witnesses of Jehovah, but Jesus was going to be the greatest witness of all. (Isaiah 43:10) Before Jesus was born, an angel told his adoptive father, Joseph: “You are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20, 21; footnote) The name Jesus in Hebrew means “Jehovah Is Salvation.” Jehovah was going to use Jesus to save mankind from sin and death. Jesus told the Jews that they needed to repent of their sins in order to regain Jehovah’s approval. (Matthew 10:6; 15:24; Luke 19:10) He preached about God’s Kingdom. Mark wrote: “Jesus went into Galilee, preaching the good news of God and saying: ‘The appointed time has been fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent, and have faith in the good news.’” (Mark 1:14, 15) Jesus was zealous and courageous when he preached. He even courageously condemned the powerful Jewish religious leaders, which was one reason why the Jewish religious leaders killed him.​—Mark 11:17, 18; 15:1-15.

“THE MAGNIFICENT THINGS OF GOD”

3. What happened three days after Jesus died?

³ Three days after Jesus’ cruel death, something amazing happened. Jehovah resurrected him, not with a body like that of a human, but with a spirit body. (1 Peter 3:18) Jesus proved to his disciples that he had come back to life when he appeared to them as a human. The same day he was resurrected, he appeared to different disciples at least five times.​—Matthew 28:8-10; Luke 24:13-16, 30-36; John 20:11-18.

4. What happened when Jesus appeared to his disciples, and what did he command them to do?

⁴ When Jesus appeared for the fifth time, his apostles and others were gathered together. Then he helped them understand that his death and resurrection were foretold in the Scriptures. At the end of that important meeting, Jesus told his disciples what they had to do. He said that “on the basis of his name, repentance for forgiveness of sins would be preached in all the nations​—starting out from Jerusalem.” Then Jesus commanded them: “You are to be witnesses of these things.”​—Luke 24:44-48.

5, 6. (a) Whom would Jesus’ disciples be witnesses of? (b) What were Jesus’ disciples going to witness about?

⁵ So 40 days later, when Jesus appeared for the last time, the apostles would clearly have understood his next command. He said: “You will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) The disciples were Israelites who were already witnesses of Jehovah. Now they were going to be witnesses of Jesus too. What did that mean?

⁶ They would begin to make known that Jehovah was now using Jesus to save mankind. This way of salvation was far greater than the way Jehovah had saved the Israelites in the past. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ made it possible for people to be freed from sin and death. When Jesus’ disciples were anointed with holy spirit at Pentecost in the year 33, they began to witness about “the magnificent things of God.” Many who heard this message repented, put faith in Jesus’ sacrifice, and were baptized. The resurrected Jesus had new authority in heaven, and Jehovah was using him to save thousands of people on earth.​—Acts 2:5, 11, 37-41.

“A RANSOM IN EXCHANGE FOR MANY”

7. What did the events on the day of Pentecost in the year 33 prove?

⁷ The events at Pentecost in the year 33 proved that Jehovah had accepted Jesus’ perfect sacrifice as the ransom needed to free people from sin. (Hebrews 9:11, 12, 24) Jesus explained that he came “to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” (Matthew 20:28) Would only Jews benefit from this ransom? No, the ransom “takes away the sin of the world.” It is God’s will that “all sorts of people should be saved.”​—John 1:29; 1 Timothy 2:4-6.

8. How was it possible for Jesus’ early disciples to keep witnessing about him, and what did they accomplish?

⁸ Jesus’ early disciples courageously kept on witnessing about him. How was this possible? It was not because of their own strength. They asked Jehovah for his holy spirit to give them the courage they needed to keep on witnessing. (Read Acts 5:30-32.) About 27 years after Jesus’ disciples started witnessing, they had preached “the message of truth of the good news” to Jews and Gentiles “in all creation under heaven.”​—Colossians 1:5, 23.

9. As foretold, what happened to the Christian congregation?

⁹ Sadly, as time went by, members of the congregation began teaching things that were not true. (Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Peter 2:2, 3; Jude 3, 4) In time, these false teachers corrupted the entire congregation. Jesus foretold that this apostasy would continue until “the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matthew 13:37-43) In October 1914, Jehovah made Jesus King over mankind. At that time, the conclusion, or “the last days,” of Satan’s world began.​—2 Timothy 3:1.

10. (a) What date were anointed Christians preaching about? (b) What happened in October 1914, and how do we know?

¹⁰ More than 30 years before October 1914, anointed Christians began preaching that God’s Kingdom would begin to rule on that important date. Their understanding was based on Daniel’s prophecy about a large tree that was cut down and would grow again after a period of time. (Daniel 4:16) Jesus described a sign that would help his disciples know that he had become King and that the last days had begun. World events since 1914 clearly prove that Jesus is King. (Matthew 24:3, 7, 14; Luke 21:24) Today, “the magnificent things of God” that we preach about include the fact that Jehovah made Jesus King of the Kingdom in 1914.

11, 12. (a) What happened in 1919? (b) What became clear in the year 1935? (See opening picture.)

¹¹ In 1914, when Jesus Christ became King, he started to free his anointed followers from “Babylon the Great,” that is, false religion. (Revelation 18:2, 4) In 1919, soon after World War I ended, the anointed had greater freedom to preach around the world. They witnessed about the saving power of the ransom and the good news of God’s Kingdom. As a result, thousands more learned the truth and were anointed to be kings with Christ in heaven.

¹² In 1935, it was clear that Christ had already begun to gather his “other sheep.” Today, there are millions of these other sheep from all over the world. Along with the anointed, they follow Christ’s courageous example and witness to others. The other sheep too have faith that Jesus’ sacrifice is the only way they can have salvation. They know that if they endure in the witnessing work and use their lives to please Jehovah, they can survive “the great tribulation” and live in God’s new world.​—John 10:16; Revelation 7:9, 10, 14.

WE BOLDLY PREACH THE GOOD NEWS

13. As Jehovah’s Witnesses, what are we determined to do, and how can we imitate the Christians who lived in the first century?

¹³ It is a great honor to witness to others about “the magnificent things” that Jehovah has done and about his promises for the future. True, it is not always easy to continue doing this work. People may reject our message or even persecute us. If so, we can imitate the apostle Paul and his companions. Paul said: “We mustered up boldness by means of our God to tell you the good news of God in the face of much opposition.” (1 Thessalonians 2:2) We must keep the promise we made at our dedication. We want to remain loyal to Jehovah during the time when Satan’s world will “crash in ruins.” (Isaiah 6:11) We cannot do this in our own strength. Like Christians in the first century, we must ask Jehovah for his holy spirit so that we can have “the power beyond what is normal.”​—Read 2 Corinthians 4:1, 7; Luke 11:13.

14, 15. (a) In the first century, how were Christians treated, and how did Peter encourage them? (b) What should we remember if we are persecuted because we are Jehovah’s Witnesses?

¹⁴ Today, millions of people say that they are Christians, but they do what God hates and do not have his approval. (Titus 1:16) In the first century, most people did not worship God in a way that he accepts. In fact, true Christians at that time were hated by many of the people around them. To encourage those Christians, the apostle Peter said: “If you are being reproached for the name of Christ, you are happy.” Why could they be happy? Because they were approved by God and had his holy spirit.​—1 Peter 4:14.

¹⁵ Are Jehovah’s Witnesses “reproached for the name of Christ” today? Yes, because not only do we witness about Jehovah but we also talk about Jesus and preach that he is the King of God’s Kingdom. Jesus too was persecuted because he was a witness of Jehovah. He told his opposers: “I have come in the name of my Father, but you do not receive me.” (John 5:43) So the next time people persecute you because you are witnessing, remember that God approves of you and that you have his holy spirit.

16, 17. (a) How do Jehovah’s people around the world feel about the preaching work? (b) What are you determined to do?

¹⁶ Remember, too, that around the world many people are coming into the truth. No matter where we live, even in territories where we preach often, there are people who are willing to listen to our wonderful message. So when we find people who are interested, let us make sure that we return and try to study the Bible with them. Then we can help them to know Jehovah so that they can dedicate their lives to him and get baptized. How do you feel when you do this work? Sarie in South Africa, who has been a Witness of Jehovah for over 60 years, says: “I am deeply thankful that through Jesus’ ransom sacrifice, I can enjoy a good relationship with Jehovah, the Sovereign of the universe, and I am happy that I can make known his glorious name.” She and her husband, Martinus, have helped their three children and many other people to become worshippers of Jehovah. She adds: “No other activity brings greater satisfaction, and by means of his holy spirit, Jehovah gives all of us the needed power to continue with this lifesaving work.”

¹⁷ Whether we are already baptized or not, we should be thankful for the honor of gathering together with Jehovah’s Witnesses. So continue to give a thorough witness together with his people worldwide, and keep yourself clean from Satan’s world. If you do so, you will bring honor to the one whom we represent, our loving heavenly Father, Jehovah.

MY FATHER was born in Graz, Austria, in 1899, so he was a youth during World War I. When World War II began in 1939, he was conscripted into the German army. While fighting in Russia in 1943, my father was killed. Sadly, that is how I lost my father when I was only two years old, so I never got to know him. When I attended school, I was very sad to see that other boys had a father but I did not. As a teenager, I found comfort when I learned about our Father in heaven, who cannot die.​—Habakkuk 1:12.

MY EXPERIENCES WITH THE BOY SCOUTS

When I was seven years old, I joined the Boy Scouts youth movement. This is a worldwide organization started in 1908 in Great Britain by a lieutenant general of the British army, Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell. In 1916 he started the Wolf Cubs (or Cub Scouts) for younger boys.

I liked our weekend camping trips in the country. We slept in tents, wore uniforms, and marched to the sound of drums. I enjoyed spending time with the other Scouts. We sang songs around a campfire in the evening and played games in the forest. We also learned a lot about nature, which taught me to love the things our Creator has made.

Boy Scouts are taught to do a good deed every day and to greet other Boy Scouts with the words “Always Prepared.” I liked this very much. In our group of over a hundred boys, about half were Catholics, half were Protestants, and one was a Buddhist.

Since 1920, the Boy Scouts have held international meetings every few years. I went to some of these gatherings. One was in Bad Ischl, Austria, in August 1951, and another was near Birmingham, England, in August 1957, where about 33,000 Scouts from 85 lands attended. There were also about 750,000 people who came to this meeting. One of these was Queen Elizabeth of England. To me, being a Boy Scout was like being part of a worldwide brotherhood. I did not know that soon I would find a better brotherhood, one made up of people who love God.

MEETING ONE OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES FOR THE FIRST TIME

In the spring of 1958, I was finishing my training as a waiter at the Grand Hotel Wiesler in my hometown of Graz, Austria. My workmate, a pastry chef named Rudolf Tschiggerl, witnessed informally to me. This was the first time I had heard anything about the truth. He told me that the Trinity doctrine was not a Bible teaching. I said that it was from the Bible and that he was wrong. I liked him and wanted to persuade him to return to the Catholic Church.

Rudolf, whom I called Rudi, wanted to give me a Bible. I told him that I only wanted a Catholic Bible. So he gave me one, and when I started reading it, I found inside a tract that was printed by the Watchtower Society. Rudi had put it there. I did not like this because I felt that such literature could sound correct but actually be untrue. But I was willing to discuss the Bible with him. Rudi wisely did not offer me any other books or magazines. For about three months, we had Bible discussions now and then. Sometimes we talked until late at night.

After I finished my training at the hotel, my mother sent me to a hotel management school. It was in Bad Hofgastein, a town in a valley in the Alps. The school was associated with the Grand Hotel in Bad Hofgastein, so sometimes I worked there to get more experience.

VISITED BY TWO MISSIONARY SISTERS

Rudi had sent my new address to the branch office in Vienna, and the branch then asked two missionary sisters, Ilse Unterdörfer and Elfriede Löhr, to visit me.a (See footnote.) One day the receptionist at the hotel called me and said that two women were outside in a car and that they wanted to speak to me. I did not know them, but I went out to see who they were. I learned later that Ilse and Elfriede had been Witness couriers in Nazi Germany when the work was under ban. Before World War II started, they had been captured by the German secret police (Gestapo) and sent to the Lichtenburg concentration camp. Then, during the war, they were moved to the camp in Ravensbrück, near Berlin.

These sisters were about the same age as my mother, so I had respect for them. I did not want to waste their time by having discussions with them and then later saying that I was not interested. So I asked them to bring me a list of scriptures about the Catholic teaching that the first pope was the apostle Peter and that all other popes receive authority from him, which is called apostolic succession. I told them that I would take it to the local priest and discuss it with him. I thought that by doing this, I would find the truth.

FINDING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE REAL HOLY FATHER

The Catholic Church interprets Jesus’ words found at Matthew 16:18, 19 to support this teaching of apostolic succession. The Church also says that the pope, known as the Holy Father, is unable to make a mistake when he speaks on doctrinal matters. Many Catholics believe this and base their faith on it. I also believed this and thought that if the pope says that the Trinity is true, then it must be true. But, I thought, if the pope can make a mistake, then the Trinity may be false.

When I visited the priest, he could not answer my questions. Instead, he gave me a book about apostolic succession. I took it home and read it. Then I came back to the priest with even more questions. He could not answer them and said: “I cannot convince you, and you cannot convince me. . . . I wish you the best!” He did not want to have any more discussions with me.

After this happened, I was ready to study the Bible with Ilse and Elfriede. They taught me much about the true Holy Father in heaven, Jehovah God. (John 17:11) The two sisters conducted meetings in the home of an interested family because there was no congregation in the area. Only a few people attended. There was no baptized brother to take the lead, so Ilse and Elfriede would discuss the information between the two of them at the meeting. Sometimes a brother would come from another town and give a public talk in a rented place.

GETTING STARTED IN THE MINISTRY

Ilse and Elfriede began studying the Bible with me in October 1958. I was baptized three months later in January 1959. Before my baptism, I asked if I could go with them from house to house to see how the preaching work was done. (Acts 20:20) After going with them for the first time, I asked for my own territory. They assigned a village to me, and I would go there alone to preach from house to house and make return visits on interested ones. The first brother I ever went out in the ministry with was the circuit overseer who later visited us.

In 1960, after I finished my hotel training, I returned to my hometown to try to teach Bible truths to my relatives. Although no one has come into the truth yet, some are showing interest.

A LIFE OF FULL-TIME SERVICE

In 1961 the branch office sent letters encouraging brothers and sisters to think about pioneering. I was single and healthy, so I felt I should start pioneering. I thought I needed a car to pioneer, and I asked the circuit overseer, Kurt Kuhn, what he would think if I worked for a few more months in order to be able to buy a car. He answered, “Did Jesus and the apostles need a car to do full-time service?” His question helped me decide what I would do. I planned to start pioneering as soon as possible. But since I worked 72 hours every week in a hotel restaurant, there were some changes I needed to make.

I asked my boss whether he would allow me to work 60 hours instead of 72. He agreed, and he even paid me the same wage. A little later, I asked him if I could work just 48 hours a week. Again he said yes, and again he paid me the same. Next I asked to work only 36 hours a week, and once again he agreed. I could not believe that I still got the same pay! It seemed that my boss did not want me to leave. This schedule helped me to start regular pioneering. At that time, pioneers were required to spend 100 hours a month preaching.

Four months later, I was appointed as a special pioneer and as the congregation servant in a small congregation in the town of Spittal an der Drau. Then, special pioneers were required to spend 150 hours a month in service. I did not have a pioneer partner, but I had good support in the ministry from Sister Gertrude Lobner, who served as the assistant congregation servant.b​—See footnote.

MORE ASSIGNMENTS

In 1963, I was invited to be a circuit overseer. I often traveled by train from congregation to congregation, carrying heavy suitcases. Most brothers did not own a car, so no one could pick me up at the train station. I did not want to make the brothers feel bad by taking a taxi, so I would walk to their homes.

In 1965, I was invited to attend the 41st class of Gilead School. Many in the class were single, including me. To my great surprise, I was assigned back to circuit work in my home country of Austria. But before I left the United States, I was asked to work with a circuit overseer for four weeks. I really appreciated serving with Anthony Conte. He was a loving brother who loved the field service and was very effective in it. We served together in upstate New York in the Cornwall area.

When I arrived back in Austria, I was assigned to a circuit where I met Tove Merete, an attractive single sister. She was raised in the truth from the time she was five years old. When brothers ask us how we met, we jokingly say, “The branch office arranged for that.” We got married the next year, in April 1967, and we continued in the traveling work.

Romans 8:15 explains how some humans can have a special relationship with Jehovah and become his spiritual sons. They tenderly call him “Abba, Father!” I felt that way in 1968 when I realized that by his undeserved kindness, Jehovah had adopted me to be his spiritual son. I also became part of a spiritual brotherhood of anointed ones.

Merete and I served together in the circuit and district work until 1976. Sometimes in the winter, we slept in unheated bedrooms with below-freezing temperatures. Once, we woke up and found that the part of the blanket near our faces had frozen! We finally decided to carry a small electric heater to help us endure the night. At some places, if we needed to use the bathroom at night, we had to walk through snow to a drafty outhouse. We did not have our own apartment, so on Mondays we usually stayed in the home where we had been the week before. Then, Tuesday morning we traveled on to the next congregation.

I am happy to say that over the years, my dear wife has always been a great support. She loves the field service, and I never have to encourage her to go out in the ministry. She also loves the friends and cares very much for others. This has been a big help.

In 1976 we were invited to serve at the Austria branch office in Vienna, and I was appointed as a member of the Branch Committee. The Austria branch was then caring for the work in several Eastern European countries and was making sure that the brothers in those countries secretly received literature. Brother Jürgen Rundel took the lead in this, and I had the privilege to work with him. Later I was asked to oversee the work of translating literature into ten Eastern European languages. Jürgen and his wife, Gertrude, are still faithful special pioneers in Germany. Starting in 1978, the Austria branch phototypeset and printed our magazines in six languages on a small press. We also sent the magazines to readers in other countries. Otto Kuglitsch, who now serves with his wife, Ingrid, at the branch office in Germany, was the one caring for these operations.

The brothers in Eastern Europe also printed literature in their own countries, using copy machines or printing from film. But they needed support from brothers in other countries. Jehovah protected their activity. At the branch, we came to love these brothers who served faithfully under ban for many years.

A SPECIAL VISIT TO ROMANIA

In 1989, I had the privilege to go to Romania with Brother Theodore Jaracz, a member of the Governing Body. The goal was to help a large group of brothers to come back to the organization. Starting in 1949, these brothers had separated themselves from the organization and had formed their own congregations. Still, they continued to preach and to baptize new ones. They even went to prison for refusing to join the army, just as the brothers did who were still part of the organization. The work in Romania was still under ban, so we had to meet secretly. We met in the home of Brother Pamfil Albu, along with four key elders and with representatives of the appointed Romania Country Committee. We also had with us Rolf Kellner, an interpreter from Austria.

On the second night of discussion, Brother Albu persuaded his four fellow elders to unite with us. He said, “If we do not do it now, we may never get another chance.” After this, about 5,000 brothers came back to the organization. What a victory for Jehovah and what a defeat for Satan!

Toward the end of 1989, before the fall of Communism in Eastern Europe, the Governing Body invited my wife and me to transfer to world headquarters in New York. This was a great surprise for us. We began serving at Brooklyn Bethel in July 1990. In 1992, I was appointed as a helper to the Service Committee of the Governing Body, and since July 1994, I have had the privilege of serving on the Governing Body.

REFLECTING ON THE PAST AND LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

My days of serving food in a hotel are in the past. Now I enjoy having a share with others in preparing and serving spiritual food to our worldwide brotherhood. (Matthew 24:45-47) When I think about the more than 50 years I have spent in special full-time service, I feel deep appreciation. I am full of joy when I see Jehovah’s blessing on our worldwide brotherhood. I love to attend the international conventions of Jehovah’s Witnesses, where we learn about our heavenly Father, Jehovah, and about Bible truth.

I pray that millions more will study the Bible, accept the truth, and serve Jehovah unitedly with our worldwide Christian brotherhood. (1 Peter 2:17; footnote) I look forward to seeing from heaven the earthly resurrection and finally finding my physical father. I hope that he, my mother, and other dear relatives will all want to worship Jehovah in Paradise.