1, 2. What can the word “footstool” refer to in the Hebrew Scriptures?

JEHOVAH GOD said: “The heavens are my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” (Isaiah 66:1) God was also speaking about his “footstool” when he said: “I will glorify the place for my feet.” (Isaiah 60:13) How does he glorify his footstool, or make it beautiful? And what does this mean for those living on his footstool, the earth?

² In the Hebrew Scriptures, the word “footstool” is also used to describe the ancient temple in Israel. (1 Chronicles 28:2; Psalm 132:7) The temple was very beautiful to Jehovah because it was the center of true worship. And it was used to glorify Jehovah on the earth.

3. What is the center of true worship today, and when did it begin to exist?

³ What is the center of true worship today? It is not a building like the temple. It is a spiritual temple, and it glorifies Jehovah more than any building ever could. What is the spiritual temple? It is God’s arrangement that allows humans to become his friends and to worship him. This arrangement is only possible because of Jesus’ ransom. This arrangement began in the year 29 when Jesus was baptized and anointed as High Priest of Jehovah’s spiritual temple.​—Hebrews 9:11, 12.

4, 5. (a) What do Jehovah’s true worshippers want to do according to Psalm 99? (b) What question should we ask ourselves?

⁴ We are very grateful for God’s arrangement of true worship. We show our gratitude by telling others about Jehovah’s name and his wonderful gift of the ransom. We are excited that there are more than eight million true Christians praising Jehovah each day! While many religious people wrongly think that they will praise God in heaven after they have died, Jehovah’s people know how important it is to praise him here and now.

⁵ When we praise Jehovah, we imitate the example of faithful servants of God described at Psalm 99:1-3, 5. (Read.) Faithful men such as Moses, Aaron, and Samuel fully supported God’s arrangement for true worship in the past. (Psalm 99:6, 7) Today, before the anointed on earth begin serving as priests with Jesus in heaven, they faithfully serve Jehovah in the earthly part of the spiritual temple. Millions of “other sheep” loyally assist them. (John 10:16) Both groups unitedly worship Jehovah. However, we should ask ourselves a personal question, ‘Am I fully supporting Jehovah’s arrangement for true worship?’

IDENTIFYING THOSE WHO SERVE AT GOD’S SPIRITUAL TEMPLE

6, 7. What problem developed in the early Christian congregation, and what happened by the year 1919?

⁶ Less than 100 years after the Christian congregation was formed, an apostasy developed as foretold. (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4) After that time, it became more and more difficult to identify God’s true worshippers. Hundreds of years passed before Jehovah used Jesus to identify who really were serving God at His spiritual temple.

⁷ By the year 1919, those approved by God and serving at his spiritual temple were clearly identified. They had made adjustments so that their worship would be even more acceptable to Jehovah. (Isaiah 4:2, 3; Malachi 3:1-4) So a vision the apostle Paul saw hundreds of years earlier began to be fulfilled.

8, 9. What is the “paradise” that Paul saw in a vision?

⁸ Paul’s vision is described at 2 Corinthians 12:1-4. (Read.) In that vision, Jehovah showed Paul something that would exist in the future. What is the “paradise” that Paul saw? First, it can refer to the literal Paradise soon to come on earth. (Luke 23:43) Second, it can refer to the perfect spiritual paradise in the new world. And third, it can refer to the wonderful conditions in heaven in “the paradise of God.”​—Revelation 2:7.

⁹ Why, though, did Paul say that he had “heard words that cannot be spoken and that are not lawful for a man to say”? Because it was not the time for him to explain in detail the wonderful things that he had seen in the vision. But today Jehovah does allow us to tell others about the blessings that his people enjoy right now!

10. Why are the spiritual paradise and the spiritual temple not the same?

¹⁰ We often talk about the spiritual paradise, but what is it? It is the special environment of peace that God gives to his people. So the spiritual paradise and the spiritual temple are not the same. The spiritual temple is God’s arrangement for true worship. The spiritual paradise clearly identifies those who are approved by God and who worship him at his spiritual temple.​—Malachi 3:18.

11. What privilege do we have today?

¹¹ It is exciting to know that since 1919, Jehovah has allowed imperfect humans to cultivate, strengthen, and increase the spiritual paradise. Are you helping to do this wonderful work? Do you appreciate the privilege of working with Jehovah to bring glory to him on the earth?

JEHOVAH IS MAKING HIS ORGANIZATION MORE BEAUTIFUL

12. How do we know that Isaiah 60:17 has been fulfilled? (See opening picture.)

¹² The prophet Isaiah foretold that many wonderful changes and adjustments would happen in the earthly part of God’s organization. (Read Isaiah 60:17.) Young or new Christians have only read or heard about these changes. But there are many brothers and sisters who have had the privilege of experiencing those wonderful adjustments! These faithful servants are convinced that God is using our King, Jesus, to guide and direct His organization! When we listen to the experiences of these dear Christians, our faith and trust in Jehovah will be strengthened.

13. According to Psalm 48:12-14, what must we do?

¹³ All true Christians must tell others about Jehovah’s organization. It is a miracle that even though we live in Satan’s wicked world, we have a peaceful and united brotherhood! We must joyfully tell “future generations” about Jehovah’s organization and about the spiritual paradise!​—Read Psalm 48:12-14.

14, 15. What adjustments were made after 1970, and how has the organization benefited?

¹⁴ Many older ones in our congregations have experienced adjustments that have made the earthly part of Jehovah’s organization more beautiful. They remember when congregations had a congregation servant rather than a body of elders, when countries had a branch servant rather than a Branch Committee, or when the president of the Watch Tower Society gave direction rather than the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Even though all these brothers had faithful assistants, one person was basically responsible for making decisions in the congregations, at the branch offices, and at world headquarters. After 1970, adjustments were made so that groups of elders had the responsibility for making decisions rather than one individual.

¹⁵ Why have these adjustments benefited the organization? Because they were based on a better understanding of the Scriptures. Instead of having one person making all the decisions, the organization benefits from the good qualities of all the elders, or “gifts in men,” provided by Jehovah.​—Ephesians 4:8; Proverbs 24:6.

16, 17. What recent adjustments have impressed you, and why?

¹⁶ Think about some of the recent adjustments made to our literature. We enjoy offering helpful and attractive literature in our ministry. Think, too, about how we use new technology to preach the good news. For example, the jw.org website reaches many more people so that they can receive the help they really need. In all these adjustments, we see Jehovah’s deep interest in people and his love for them.

¹⁷ We also appreciate the adjustment made to our meetings so that we can have time for family worship or for personal study. And we appreciate the changes made to our assembly and convention programs. They seem to get better and better every year! We are also thankful for the training we receive from our many Bible schools. In all these adjustments, it is clear that Jehovah is directing his organization and that he continues to make the spiritual paradise even more beautiful!

HOW WE HELP MAKE THE SPIRITUAL PARADISE MORE BEAUTIFUL

18, 19. How can we help to make the spiritual paradise more beautiful?

¹⁸ Jehovah has given us the honor of helping to make our spiritual paradise even more beautiful. But how do we do that? By zealously preaching the good news of the Kingdom and making more disciples. Every time we help a person to become a servant of God, we help the spiritual paradise to grow.​—Isaiah 26:15; 54:2.

¹⁹ We also help to beautify the spiritual paradise when we work hard to improve our Christian personality. This helps to make the spiritual paradise more attractive to others. Usually, it is not just our knowledge of the Bible but our clean and peaceful conduct that first attracts people to the organization and then to both Jehovah and Jesus.

20. According to Proverbs 14:35, what should be our desire?

²⁰ Jehovah and Jesus must be very pleased when they see our beautiful spiritual paradise today. The joy we feel now from making it more beautiful is just a small sample of the joy we will feel later when we work to make the earth into a literal paradise. We should always remember Proverbs 14:35, which says: “The king finds pleasure in a servant who acts with insight.” Let us be wise as we work hard to beautify the spiritual paradise!

1. What events occurred in the year 66? (See opening picture.)

IMAGINE that you were a Christian living in Jerusalem in the year 66. A lot had been happening. A Roman official named Florus had stolen 17 talents from the temple treasury. The Jews immediately became angry. They killed many Roman soldiers and declared independence from Rome. But Rome reacted quickly. Within three months, 30,000 soldiers led by Cestius Gallus surrounded Jerusalem. The Jewish rebels hid in the temple fortress, but Roman soldiers eventually got to the outer wall of the temple and tried to break in. Everyone within the city began to panic. How would you have felt at seeing all of this?

2. What did Christians need to do when they saw Roman soldiers surrounding their city, and how was this possible?

² Years before, Jesus had warned his disciples about this event and instructed them: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, then know that the desolating of her has drawn near. Then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains, let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her.” (Luke 21:20, 21) How would it be possible for them to obey Jesus’ instructions to leave Jerusalem when there were soldiers surrounding the city? Something amazing happened. The Roman army suddenly left Jerusalem! As Jesus said, the attack was “cut short.” (Matthew 24:22) Once the army had left, it was now the opportunity for faithful Christians to obey Jesus by immediately fleeing to the mountains.a (See footnote.) Later, in the year 70, a new Roman army returned to Jerusalem. This time, they destroyed the city. But everyone who obeyed Jesus’ instructions was saved.

3. What similar situation will Christians soon experience, and what will we discuss in this article?

³ Jesus’ warning and instructions also apply to our day. Very soon, we will be in a similar situation. Jesus used the events in the first century to explain what will happen when the “great tribulation” suddenly begins. (Matthew 24:3, 21, 29) Just as there were faithful Christians who survived the destruction of Jerusalem, there will be a “great crowd” who will survive the coming worldwide disaster. (Read Revelation 7:9, 13, 14.) It is very important that we understand what the Bible tells us about these future events. Why? Because our life depends on it. So let us discuss how these events will affect us personally.

THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION

4. How will the great tribulation begin?

⁴ How will the great tribulation begin? With the destruction of all false religion. In the Bible, false religion is called “Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutes.” (Revelation 17:5-7) Why is false religion called a prostitute? Because its clergy have been unfaithful to God. Instead of loyally supporting Jesus and his Kingdom, they have supported human governments and ignored Bible teachings in order to have more influence. Their worship is not like the clean worship of the anointed. (2 Corinthians 11:2; James 1:27; Revelation 14:4) But who will destroy Babylon the Great? Jehovah will cause “the ten horns” of the “scarlet-colored wild beast” to “carry out his thought.” The “scarlet-colored wild beast” represents the United Nations, and “the ten horns” represent all the political powers that support it.​—Read Revelation 17:3, 16-18.

5, 6. Why do we say that the destruction of Babylon the Great does not mean the death of all its members?

⁵ Will all members of false religion be killed when Babylon the Great is destroyed? No. Jehovah inspired the prophet Zechariah to write about what will happen. At that time, someone who was once part of false religion will say: “‘I am no prophet. I am a man cultivating the soil, because a man bought me when I was young.’ And if someone asks him, ‘What are these wounds between your shoulders?’ he will answer, ‘Wounds I received in the house of my friends.’” (Zechariah 13:4-6) So even religious leaders will pretend that they are not religious and will deny that they were ever part of those false religions.

⁶ What will happen to God’s people during that time? Jesus explains: “In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.” (Matthew 24:22) In the first century, the tribulation in Jerusalem was “cut short.” This allowed “the chosen ones,” the anointed Christians, to flee. In a similar way, the first part of the great tribulation will be “cut short” because of “the chosen ones.” The political powers, “the ten horns,” will not be allowed to destroy God’s people. Instead, there will be a short time of calm once the initial attack is over.

A TIME OF TESTING AND JUDGMENT

7, 8. What opportunity will there be after the destruction of false religion, and how will God’s people be different from everyone else at that time?

⁷ What will happen after the destruction of false religion? It will be a time to show what is really in our heart. At that time, most humans will try to get protection and help from human organizations, “the rocks of the mountains.” (Revelation 6:15-17) But Jehovah’s people will look to him for protection. When the attack was “cut short” in the first century, it was not the time for all the Jews suddenly to convert to Christianity. Rather, it was the time for those who were already Christians to get out of Jerusalem as Jesus had instructed. In a similar way in the future, when the attack against Babylon the Great is “cut short,” we cannot expect that many people will suddenly convert to true Christianity. Instead, it will be an opportunity for all true worshippers to prove their love for Jehovah and to support the anointed.​—Matthew 25:34-40.

⁸ We do not know exactly what will happen during that time of test. However, we do expect that life will not be easy and that we will need to make sacrifices. In the first century, Christians had to leave their homes and endure difficulties in order to survive. (Mark 13:15-18) We should ask ourselves: ‘Am I ready to give up material things? Am I willing to do whatever is necessary to remain loyal to Jehovah?’ Just think! At that time, we will be the only ones worshipping our God no matter what happens, as did the prophet Daniel.​—Daniel 6:10, 11.

9, 10. (a) What message will God’s people declare during the great tribulation? (b) How will the enemies of God’s people react?

⁹ The great tribulation will not be the time to preach the “good news of the Kingdom.” The time to preach that message will have passed. The time for “the end” will have come! (Matthew 24:14) God’s people will boldly declare a strong message of judgment that will affect all people. The message may be that Satan’s wicked world is about to be totally destroyed. The Bible compares this message to hailstones when it says: “Great hailstones, each about the weight of a talent, fell from heaven on the people, and the people blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, for the plague was unusually great.”​—Revelation 16:21.

¹⁰ Our enemies will hear this strong message. Jehovah inspired the prophet Ezekiel to explain how a group of nations, called in the Bible Gog of Magog, will react: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘In that day thoughts will come into your heart, and you will devise an evil plan. You will say: “I will invade the land of unprotected settlements. I will come against those living in security, without disturbance, all of them living in settlements unprotected by walls, bars, or gates.” It will be to take much spoil and plunder, to attack the devastated places that are now inhabited and a people regathered from the nations, who are accumulating wealth and property, those who are living in the center of the earth.’” (Ezekiel 38:10-12) God’s people will stand out as different from everyone else, as if they “are living in the center of the earth.” The nations will no longer be able to hold themselves back. They will be eager to attack Jehovah’s anointed ones and those who support them.

11. (a) What do we need to remember about the order of events during the great tribulation? (b) How will people react when they see the signs?

¹¹ What will happen next? The Bible does not tell us the exact order of events, but some events will probably happen at the same time. In his prophecy about the conclusion of this system of things, Jesus said: “There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation. People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:25-27; read Mark 13:24-26.) Will the fulfillment of this prophecy include frightening signs and events in the sky? We must wait to find out. However, we do know that when God’s enemies see the signs, they will be terrified and they will panic.

12, 13. (a) What will happen when Jesus comes “with power and great glory”? (b) How will God’s servants react at that time?

¹² What will happen when Jesus comes “with power and great glory”? He will reward those who are faithful and will punish those who are not. (Matthew 24:46, 47, 50, 51; 25:19, 28-30) Jesus used an illustration to explain this in more detail. He said: “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.” (Matthew 25:31-33) What will happen to the sheep and the goats? They will be judged. The goats, or the unfaithful ones, “will depart into everlasting cutting-off.” But the sheep, or the faithful ones, will receive everlasting life.​—Matthew 25:46.

¹³ How will the goats react when they realize that they will be destroyed? They “will beat themselves in grief.” (Matthew 24:30) But how will the anointed and those who support them react? They will do what Jesus said: “As these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near.”​—Luke 21:28.

SHINING BRIGHTLY IN THE KINGDOM

14, 15. What gathering work will occur after the start of the attack by Gog of Magog, and how will this happen?

¹⁴ What will happen after Gog of Magog starts to attack God’s people? The Bible says that the Son of man “will send out the angels and will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from earth’s extremity to heaven’s extremity.” (Mark 13:27; Matthew 24:31) This gathering work does not refer to the time when anointed Christians are first chosen. And it does not refer to the final sealing of the anointed still on earth. (Matthew 13:37, 38) That sealing happens just before the start of the great tribulation. (Revelation 7:1-4) So, what is this gathering work? It is the time when the anointed still on earth will receive their reward and go to heaven. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; Revelation 14:1) This event will happen at some point after Gog of Magog begins to attack. (Ezekiel 38:11) Then, just as Jesus said, “the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.”​—Matthew 13:43.b (See footnote.)

¹⁵ Does this mean that there will be a “rapture” of the anointed? Many people in Christendom believe that Christians will be taken to heaven in a human body. They also think that they will see Jesus visibly return to rule the earth. However, the Bible clearly shows that Jesus’ return is invisible when it says: “The sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven” and, Jesus will come “on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 24:30) The Bible also says that “flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s Kingdom.” So those who will be taken to heaven will first need to be “changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during the last trumpet.”c (See footnote.) (Read 1 Corinthians 15:50-53.) We do not use the word “rapture” here to describe this event because of its connection to Christendom’s false teaching. However, the faithful anointed still on earth will be gathered together instantly.

16, 17. What must happen before the marriage of the Lamb?

¹⁶ Once all the 144,000 anointed are in heaven, the final preparations for the marriage of the Lamb can begin. (Revelation 19:9) But something else must happen before that exciting event. Remember that Gog will attack God’s people while the remaining anointed ones are still on earth. (Ezekiel 38:16) How will God’s people react? They will obey the following instructions: “You will not need to fight this battle. Take your position, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah in your behalf. . . . Do not be afraid or be terrified.” (2 Chronicles 20:17) Sometime after the attack of Gog begins, all the remaining anointed ones on earth will be taken to heaven. Then Revelation 17:14 tells us about the reaction in heaven to Gog’s attack. The enemies of God’s people “will battle with the Lamb, but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.” Thus, Jesus, together with his 144,000 anointed kings in heaven, will rescue God’s people here on earth.

¹⁷ That rescue will result in the battle of Armageddon, which will bring glory to Jehovah’s holy name. (Revelation 16:16) All those who are judged as goats, or as unfaithful, will be destroyed. There will be no more wickedness on earth, and the “great crowd” will survive Armageddon. Finally, the exciting end to the book of Revelation can take place, the marriage of the Lamb! (Revelation 21:1-4)d (See footnote.) All who survive on the earth will enjoy God’s favor and experience his great love and generosity. We eagerly look forward to that time. What a marriage feast that will be!​—Read 2 Peter 3:13.

18. With the foretold exciting events soon to come, what should we be determined to do?

¹⁸ With these exciting events soon to come, what should each of us be doing now? Jehovah inspired the apostle Peter to write: “Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah . . . Therefore, beloved ones, since you are awaiting these things, do your utmost to be found finally by him spotless and unblemished and in peace.” (2 Peter 3:11, 12, 14) Let us, then, be determined to keep our worship pure, with no connection to false religion, and support the King of Peace, Jesus Christ.

1, 2. (a) What is the connection between being loyal to Jehovah and not taking sides in this world’s conflicts? (See opening picture.) (b) What are many people loyal to, but what is the result?

SERVANTS of Jehovah are neutral and do not get involved in the issues that divide people, such as nationality, race, or culture. Why? Because we love Jehovah, we are loyal to him, and we obey him. (1 John 5:3) No matter where we live or where we are from, we follow God’s standards. Loyalty to Jehovah and to his Kingdom is more important than anything else. (Matthew 6:33) This is why we can say that we are “no part of the world.”​—Read John 17:11, 15, 16; Isaiah 2:4.

² Many people in the world today are loyal to their country, tribe, or culture, or even to their sports team. Sadly, this has resulted in many of them competing with one another, hating one another, and at times killing those who are loyal to the opposing side. Even though we do not take part in these conflicts, they can affect us and our family, and we may suffer terrible injustice. It could be very easy to take sides if governments make unfair decisions, because God made us with the ability to know whether things are fair or not. (Genesis 1:27; Deuteronomy 32:4) How do you feel when something unfair happens? Are you able to stay neutral, or do you take sides?

3, 4. (a) Why do we not take sides when there are conflicts? (b) What will we discuss in this article?

³ Many people take sides when there are conflicts because governments convince them that this is what good citizens should do. But we follow Jesus. So we do not get involved in politics, and we do not go to war. (Matthew 26:52) True Christians do not think that one part of Satan’s world is better than another. (2 Corinthians 2:11) We want nothing to do with the conflicts of this world.​—Read John 15:18, 19.

⁴ Because we are imperfect, some of us might still have negative feelings about people who are different from us. (Jeremiah 17:9; Ephesians 4:22-24) In this article, we will learn principles that will help us to fight against and overcome those feelings that divide people. We will also discuss how we can be loyal to the Kingdom by training ourselves to think the way Jehovah and Jesus do.

WHY WE DO NOT SUPPORT ANY PART OF THE WORLD

5, 6. When Jesus was on earth, how did he view the different groups of people, and why?

⁵ When you find it hard to stay neutral and not take sides, ask yourself, ‘What would Jesus have done?’ When Jesus was on earth, there were conflicts and disagreements between people from Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. Think of some examples. The Jews and the Samaritans did not speak to one another. (John 4:9) The Pharisees and the Sadducees disagreed on many things. (Acts 23:6-9) Jews who had studied the Law thought that they were better than those who had not. (John 7:49) And many hated the tax collectors and the Romans. (Matthew 9:11) But Jesus did not take part in these conflicts. Although he always defended the truth about Jehovah and knew that Israel was God’s special nation, he never taught his disciples that they were better than others. (John 4:22) Instead, he taught them to love all people.​—Luke 10:27.

⁶ Why did Jesus not view any group of people as superior? Because of how he and his Father feel about people. Jehovah created humans so that they would fill the earth with a variety of races. (Genesis 1:27, 28) So Jehovah and Jesus do not think that one race, nationality, or language is better than another. (Acts 10:34, 35; Revelation 7:9, 13, 14) We must follow their perfect example.​—Matthew 5:43-48.

7, 8. (a) Whose side do we take, and why? (b) What must we remember about the solution to mankind’s problems?

⁷ Why do we not support any human ruler or government? Because we take Jehovah’s side. He is our Ruler. In Eden, Satan said that Jehovah was not the best ruler for humans. Satan wanted humans to believe that his way of doing things was better than God’s. Jehovah lets us decide for ourselves whose side we want to be on. But what about you? Do you obey Jehovah because you believe that his way of doing things is better than your way? Are you convinced that only his Kingdom can solve our problems? Or do you think that people can rule themselves successfully without God?​—Genesis 3:4, 5.

⁸ For example, if someone asks you what you think about a certain political party, activist group, or other similar organization, how will you answer? Some of these groups may be sincere and want to help people. But we realize that only Jehovah’s Kingdom can solve mankind’s problems and remove all injustice. We also follow Jehovah’s direction in the congregation, instead of each person doing what he thinks is best. That is why the congregation is united.

9. What problem did some Christians in the first century have, and what did they need to do?

⁹ In the first century, some Christians in Corinth were arguing with one another and saying: “‘I belong to Paul,’ ‘But I to Apollos,’ ‘But I to Cephas,’ ‘But I to Christ.’” When Paul found out about this, he was shocked. This was a very serious problem, because the peace of the congregation was in danger. So he asked his brothers and sisters: “Is the Christ divided?” Paul counseled them: “I urge you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you should all speak in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you may be completely united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.” The same is true today. There should not be any divisions in the congregation.​—1 Corinthians 1:10-13; read Romans 16:17, 18.

10. Paul reminded Christians of what, and what do we learn from that?

¹⁰ Paul reminded anointed Christians that they are citizens of heaven and that they should not focus on “earthly things.” (Philippians 3:17-20)a (See footnote.) The anointed are ambassadors who represent God and Christ. When an ambassador is in a foreign country, he does not get involved in its problems and politics. In a similar way, it would not be right for the anointed to get involved in the problems and politics of the world. (2 Corinthians 5:20) Those who hope to live forever on earth are also loyal to the Kingdom and do not take sides in this world’s conflicts.

TRAIN YOURSELF TO BE LOYAL TO JEHOVAH’S KINGDOM

11, 12. (a) What attitudes should we avoid if we want to remain loyal to God’s Kingdom? (b) How did one sister feel about some people, and what helped her to change?

¹¹ In most parts of the world, people feel a special connection with those who have the same history, culture, and language as they do. They are often very proud of the place they come from. But we must not let these attitudes affect us. Instead, we have to change the way we think and we need to train our conscience so that we remain neutral in all circumstances. How can we do this?

¹² For example, Mirjetab (see footnote) was born in the country that used to be called Yugoslavia. In the area where she grew up, people hated Serbians. When she learned about Jehovah, she realized that he does not favor one ethnic group over another and that Satan wants people to hate one another. So she tried hard to change the way she felt. But when a war started between various ethnic groups in the area where she lived, Mirjeta started to have negative feelings about Serbians again. She did not even want to preach to them. She knew this was wrong, so she begged Jehovah to help her stop feeling this way. She also asked him to help her start pioneering. Mirjeta says: “I have found that focusing on the ministry is the best help ever. In the ministry, I try to imitate Jehovah’s loving personality, and I have seen my negative feelings melt away.”

13. (a) What happened to Zoila, and how did she react? (b) What can we learn from Zoila’s experience?

¹³ Zoila is a sister from Mexico who moved to Europe. In her congregation, there are brothers and sisters from another part of Latin America. Zoila says that some of them made fun of the country she was from, its customs, and its music. She was upset, so she prayed to Jehovah to help her not to feel offended. How would we have reacted if we were in her situation? Some of our brothers and sisters are still struggling to control their emotions when they hear negative comments about the place they are from. So we would never want to say or do anything that makes one group of people seem better than another. We do not want to cause divisions in the congregation or anywhere else.​—Romans 14:19; 2 Corinthians 6:3.

14. What can help you to think about people the way Jehovah does?

¹⁴ We all know that servants of Jehovah are united as one people, so we must never feel that one place or country is superior to another. But your family and those you grew up around might have influenced you to love the place where you come from. So perhaps at times you still think negatively about people of other nations, cultures, languages, or races. What can help you change? Meditate on how Jehovah feels about people who are proud of their country or who think they are better than others. Do more research on this subject during your personal study or family worship. Then ask Jehovah to help you feel the same way he does about people.​—Read Romans 12:2.

15, 16. (a) How will some react because we are different? (b) How can parents help their children to remain loyal to Jehovah?

¹⁵ We want to serve Jehovah with a good conscience, so at times we will stand out as very different from our workmates, classmates, neighbors, or relatives. (1 Peter 2:19) Jesus warned us that others will even hate us because we are different. Remember that most of those who oppose us do not know about God’s Kingdom. So they do not understand why it is so important for us to be loyal to the Kingdom instead of to human governments.

¹⁶ To be loyal to Jehovah, we must obey him no matter what other people might do or say to us. (Daniel 3:16-18) Young people especially may find it difficult to be different from others. Parents, help your children to be courageous at school. Your children might be afraid to refuse to salute the flag or to refuse to participate in other nationalistic celebrations. During family worship, you can study how Jehovah feels about these things. Teach them how to explain what they believe clearly and respectfully. (Romans 1:16) Also, if necessary, help your children by speaking to their teachers and explaining to them what we believe.

ENJOY ALL OF JEHOVAH’S CREATION

17. What thinking should we avoid, and why?

¹⁷ We usually enjoy the food, language, scenery, and customs of the place we grew up in. But do we feel that what we like is always better than what other people like? Jehovah wants us to enjoy the variety of things he has created. (Psalm 104:24; Revelation 4:11) So why insist that one way of doing things is better than another?

18. Why is it good for us to think of others the way Jehovah does?

¹⁸ Jehovah wants all kinds of people to learn about him, to worship him, and to live forever. (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:3, 4) So when our brothers have ideas that are different from ours, we are willing to listen to them, as long as their ideas are acceptable to Jehovah. If we do, our life is interesting and enjoyable and we remain united with our brothers and sisters. As we have discussed, because we are loyal to Jehovah and his Kingdom, we do not take sides in the world’s conflicts. We hate the pride and competition in Satan’s world. How thankful we are that Jehovah has taught us to love peace and be humble! We feel like the psalmist who said: “Look! How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!”​—Psalm 133:1.

1, 2. (a) In the past, where did Jehovah’s servants worship him? (b) How did Jesus feel about Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem? (c) What will we discuss in this article?

GOD’S servants, in the past and today, have had places where they worship God. For example, when Abel offered sacrifices to Jehovah, he may have built an altar. (Genesis 4:3, 4) Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses all made altars. (Genesis 8:20; 12:7; 26:25; 35:1; Exodus 17:15) Jehovah told the Israelites to build a tabernacle. (Exodus 25:8) Later, he instructed them to build a temple. (1 Kings 8:27, 29) After God’s people returned from exile in Babylon, they regularly met in synagogues. (Mark 6:2; John 18:20; Acts 15:21) And the first Christians met in homes. (Acts 12:12; 1 Corinthians 16:19) Today, Jehovah’s people all around the world meet in tens of thousands of Kingdom Halls, where they learn about Jehovah and worship him.

² Jesus had deep respect for Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem. Jesus’ love for the temple reminded his disciples of the words of the psalmist: “Zeal for your house has consumed me.” (Psalm 69:9; John 2:17) A Kingdom Hall is not “the house of Jehovah” in the same way the temple in Jerusalem was. (2 Chronicles 5:13; 33:4) But we should have deep respect for our places of worship. In this article, we will discuss Bible principles that teach us how we should behave when we are at our Kingdom Halls, how we should take care of them, and how we can help pay for them.a​—See footnote.

WE SHOW RESPECT FOR OUR MEETINGS

3-5. What is a Kingdom Hall, and how should we feel about our meetings?

³ A Kingdom Hall is the main place where people can meet to worship Jehovah. Meetings are a gift from God, and they help us to strengthen our relationship with him. At our meetings, his organization gives us the encouragement and direction that we need. It is an honor to be invited by Jehovah and his Son to eat at “the table of Jehovah” every week. (1 Corinthians 10:21) We must never forget how special this invitation is.

⁴ Jehovah clearly tells us that he wants us to be at the meetings to worship him and to encourage one another. (Read Hebrews 10:24, 25.) Because we respect Jehovah, we will not miss meetings unless it is truly necessary. We show that we are grateful for our meetings when we prepare for them and look forward to participating in them.​—Psalm 22:22.

⁵ How we behave at the meetings and how we care for our Kingdom Halls show how much we respect Jehovah. We want our conduct to bring praise to Jehovah’s name, which usually appears on the Kingdom Hall sign.​—Compare 1 Kings 8:17.

6. What have people said about our Kingdom Halls and those who are at the meetings? (See opening picture.)

⁶ When we show respect for our Kingdom Halls, other people notice this. For example, a man in Turkey said: “The cleanliness and orderliness that I observed at the Kingdom Hall impressed me. The people there were well-dressed, had smiles on their faces, and greeted me warmly. This impressed me greatly.” The man started coming to all the meetings and soon got baptized. In one city in Indonesia, the brothers invited their neighbors, the mayor, and other officials to see their new Kingdom Hall. The mayor was impressed with the good quality of the building, its design, and its beautiful garden. He said: “The cleanliness of this hall reflects your true faith.”

7, 8. How do we show that we respect Jehovah when we are at the Kingdom Hall?

⁷ Jehovah is the one inviting us to the meetings, and he cares about the way we look and behave there. So we avoid extremes. On the one hand, we are not too strict and formal, and on the other hand, we are not too relaxed and casual. It is true that Jehovah wants us and the people we invite to the Kingdom Hall to feel comfortable there. But we do not want to show disrespect for the meetings in any way. That is why we do not wear clothes that are untidy or too casual, and we are careful not to text, talk, or eat and drink during the meetings. And parents should teach their children not to run or play in the Kingdom Hall.​—Ecclesiastes 3:1.

⁸ When Jesus saw people selling things in God’s temple, he got angry and threw them out. (John 2:13-17) In our Kingdom Halls, we worship Jehovah and learn about him. So it would not be right to take care of business activities while we are there.​—Compare Nehemiah 13:7, 8.

WE HELP TO BUILD KINGDOM HALLS

9, 10. (a) How do Jehovah’s people build Kingdom Halls, and what have been the results? (b) How does Jehovah’s organization help congregations that cannot afford to build their own Kingdom Hall?

⁹ Jehovah’s people around the world work hard to build Kingdom Halls. Unpaid volunteers design, build, and renovate them. As a result, during the last 15 years, we have built more than 28,000 beautiful Kingdom Halls worldwide, or about 5 Kingdom Halls every day.

¹⁰ Jehovah’s organization assigns volunteers and uses contributions to help build Kingdom Halls wherever there is a need. We follow the Bible principle that those who have more can help those who do not have enough. (Read 2 Corinthians 8:13-15.) What have been the results? Many Kingdom Halls have been built for congregations that could not afford to pay for them.

11. What do some brothers say about their new Kingdom Hall, and how does this make you feel?

¹¹ Brothers from one congregation in Costa Rica wrote: “When we stand in front of the Kingdom Hall, we feel that we must be dreaming! We cannot believe it. Our beautiful hall was finished down to the last detail in only eight days! It was made possible by Jehovah’s blessing, the arrangements made by his organization, and the support of our dear brothers. This place of worship is indeed a precious gift, a gem that Jehovah has given us. We feel extremely joyful about it.” It truly makes us happy to hear our brothers and sisters thank Jehovah for what he has done for them. And we are delighted that brothers all over the world can have their own Kingdom Hall. It is clear that Jehovah is blessing the work of building Kingdom Halls, because as soon as they are built, many more people start attending meetings to learn about Jehovah.​—Psalm 127:1.

12. How can you help build Kingdom Halls?

¹² How can you help build Kingdom Halls? Perhaps you can volunteer to help in that work. And all of us can contribute money to pay for building Kingdom Halls. When we do all we can to support this work, we feel the joy of giving and, more important, we praise Jehovah. We follow the example of God’s people in Bible times who were eager to contribute to the building of their places of worship.​—Exodus 25:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7.

WE KEEP OUR KINGDOM HALL CLEAN

13, 14. What do we learn in the Bible that shows we must keep our Kingdom Hall clean and tidy?

¹³ Jehovah is a clean and holy God. He is a God of order. That is why we must keep our Kingdom Hall clean and tidy. (Read 1 Corinthians 14:33, 40.) And to be clean and holy like Jehovah, we not only keep our worship, our thinking, and our actions clean, but we also keep our bodies clean.​—Revelation 19:8.

¹⁴ When we keep our Kingdom Hall clean and tidy, we are proud to invite people to our meetings. And people will see that we truly put into practice what we preach about a clean new world. They will see that we worship a holy and clean God who will make this earth into a beautiful paradise.​—Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 11:18.

15, 16. (a) Why is it not always easy to keep the Kingdom Hall clean? Why must we keep it clean? (b) How is the cleaning of your Kingdom Hall organized, and what honor does each of us have?

¹⁵ People have different opinions about cleaning. Why? It could be because of the way they have been brought up. Also, some live in a dusty place or in a place where the roads are dirty and muddy. Others do not have enough water or cleaning products. But wherever we live and no matter how people in our area feel about cleaning, we should keep our Kingdom Hall clean and tidy. It is the place where we worship Jehovah.​—Deuteronomy 23:14.

¹⁶ If we want our Kingdom Hall to be as clean as possible, we need to be organized. The elders make a schedule for the congregation and make sure that there are always enough cleaning products and equipment available. The elders also organize the work so that it gets done. Some things need to be cleaned after every meeting, but others not as often. All of us have the honor of sharing in the cleaning of our Kingdom Hall.

WE TAKE CARE OF OUR KINGDOM HALL

17, 18. (a) What can we learn from the way Jehovah’s people in the past cared for the temple? (b) Why must we take care of our Kingdom Hall?

¹⁷ We also keep our Kingdom Hall in good condition by doing any necessary repairs. Jehovah’s servants in the past did the same. For example, during the reign of King Jehoash of Judah, people contributed money to the temple. The king commanded the priests to use this money to repair the temple wherever any damage was found. (2 Kings 12:4, 5) Over 200 years later, King Josiah also used temple contributions to pay for repairs.​—Read 2 Chronicles 34:9-11.

¹⁸ Some Branch Committees have noticed that people in their countries are not used to keeping buildings or equipment in good condition. It may be that few people in these countries know how to do the work. Or they may not have enough money to pay for repairs. But if we do not repair our Kingdom Hall when necessary, it will begin to look untidy and people will notice this. It would not give them a good witness. Instead, when we all do what we can to take care of our Kingdom Hall, we praise Jehovah and we do not waste the money that our brothers have contributed.

19. What will you do to show your respect for the place where you worship Jehovah?

¹⁹ A Kingdom Hall is a building dedicated to Jehovah. It does not belong to any person or congregation. As we discussed in this article, Bible principles will help us to have the right attitude toward the place where we worship God. Because we respect Jehovah, we show respect for our meetings as well as for the Kingdom Hall. We are happy to contribute money to the building of Kingdom Halls, and we work hard to take care of them and keep them clean. Like Jesus, we show our zeal and respect for the place where we worship Jehovah.​—John 2:17.

IN June 1970, I lay in a hospital bed in Pennsylvania, United States. I was a 20-year-old soldier suffering from a serious infection. A male nurse was taking my blood pressure every half hour. The nurse, who was a few years older than I was, looked worried. As my blood pressure continued to drop, I said, “You’ve never seen anybody die before, have you?” His face became pale, and he answered, “No, I haven’t.” It looked as if I was not going to survive, but I did. Let me tell you some of my life story.

MY FIRST EXPERIENCES OF WAR

I became sick while working as a technician in an operating room during the war in Vietnam. I enjoyed helping the sick and injured and had the goal of becoming a surgeon. I arrived in Vietnam in July 1969. Like all new soldiers, I was allowed one week to adjust to the time difference and the heat.

I was assigned to work in an army hospital in the Mekong Delta. Many helicopters brought wounded soldiers to the hospital. I loved my country and I loved to work, so I wanted to help my fellow countrymen right away. The injured soldiers were prepared for surgery and then quickly sent to small air-conditioned metal containers that were used as operating rooms. A surgeon, an anesthetist, and two nurses did their best to save lives. I noticed large black bags that were not unloaded from the helicopters. I was told that those bags contained the body parts of soldiers who had been blown apart in battle. That was one of my first experiences of war.

MY SEARCH FOR GOD

I first heard the truth from Jehovah’s Witnesses when I was young. My mother studied the Bible with the Witnesses, but she never got baptized. Still, I really enjoyed attending those studies. One day, my stepfather and I passed by a Kingdom Hall. I asked him, “What is that?” He answered, “Don’t ever go near those people!” Because I loved and trusted my stepfather, I obeyed and no longer met with Jehovah’s Witnesses.

However, when I returned from Vietnam, I had many painful memories. Because of the things I experienced during the war, I could not feel any emotions. It seemed that no one really understood what was happening in Vietnam. I remember hearing protesters call U.S. soldiers baby killers because of reports that innocent children were being murdered. All these things made me feel that I needed a relationship with God.

In my search for God, I began to visit different churches. I always loved God, but I did not like what I saw in those churches. Eventually, I went to a Kingdom Hall in Delray Beach, Florida. My first meeting was on a Sunday in February 1971.

When I walked into the Kingdom Hall, the public talk was ending, so I stayed for the Watchtower Study. I do not remember the subject of the article, but I do remember watching the children finding the scriptures in their Bibles. I was so impressed! I just listened and watched. As I was leaving, a brother who was about 80 years old came over to me. His name was Jim Gardner. He handed me the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life and asked, “Would you please accept this?” I said yes, and we decided to meet for my first Bible study on Thursday morning.

After the meeting on Sunday, I had to go to work. I had a job at a hospital in Boca Raton, Florida, and was scheduled to work from 11 o’clock at night to 7 o’clock in the morning. There were not many patients that night, so I was able to read the Truth book. A nurse grabbed the book from me, looked at the cover, and demanded to know whether I was going to become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I grabbed the book back and told her that even though I had only read part of the book, I was definitely thinking of becoming a Witness. She left me alone, and I finished reading the book that night.

I began my first Bible study with Brother Gardner by asking, “So, what are we going to study?” He answered, “The book that I gave you.” I said, “I’ve already read it.” Brother Gardner kindly said, “Well, let’s just consider this first chapter.” I was amazed at how many details I had missed. He asked me to look up many scriptures in my King James Version of the Bible. I was finally learning about the true God, Jehovah. Jim studied three chapters of the Truth book with me that morning. After that, we studied three chapters every Thursday morning. I enjoyed those studies very much. It was a privilege for me to be taught by that anointed brother who had known Charles T. Russell!

After a few weeks of studying, I was approved to preach the good news. Preaching from house to house was not easy for me, but Jim helped me to overcome my anxieties. (Acts 20:20) Because of his help, I learned to love the ministry. I feel that the ministry is the greatest privilege I have. I am so happy that I can be God’s fellow worker!​—1 Corinthians 3:9.

MY FIRST LOVE FOR JEHOVAH

Now let me tell you about something very special to me, my first love for Jehovah. (Revelation 2:4) That love for Jehovah has helped me to endure painful memories from the war and many other problems.​—Isaiah 65:17.

In 1971, I was told to leave the apartment where my parents had allowed me to live. Why? My stepfather did not want one of Jehovah’s Witnesses living there! I did not have a lot of money at that time. The hospital only paid me every two weeks, and I had just spent most of my money on clothes for the ministry because I wanted to represent Jehovah well. I had some money saved in a bank, but it was in my hometown in Michigan. So I needed to live in my car for a few days. I washed and shaved in gas-station restrooms.

One day while I was still living in my car, I finished work at the hospital and went to the Kingdom Hall a few hours before the meeting for field service. As I sat behind the Kingdom Hall where no one could see me, memories of Vietnam returned to me. It seemed that I could smell the burned human flesh and see all the blood, and I began to feel anxious. It was as if I could hear and see the young men begging me: “Am I going to make it? Am I going to make it?” I knew they would die, but I tried to comfort them and pretended that everything would be fine. As I sat there, I was overwhelmed with emotion.

I prayed to Jehovah as I cried and cried. (Psalm 56:8) I began to think seriously about the resurrection. It was then that I realized how wonderful this hope is! Jehovah will bring those young men back to life, and they will have the chance to learn the truth about him. The resurrection will undo all the pain and suffering we have experienced. (Acts 24:15) When I understood that, my love for Jehovah became stronger than ever before. That day is still special to me. Since then, whenever I have problems in life, I do my best to remember my first love for Jehovah.

JEHOVAH HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME

People do terrible things during war, and so did I. But I have been comforted by meditating on two of my favorite scriptures. The first one is Revelation 12:10, 11, which says that the Devil is conquered not only through our preaching but also by the blood of Jesus. The second is Galatians 2:20, which reminds me that Jesus died for me. Thanks to Christ’s sacrifice, Jehovah has forgiven me for what I have done. So now I have a clean conscience and a strong desire to tell others about our merciful God, Jehovah!​—Hebrews 9:14.

When I think about what I have experienced in life, it is clear to me that Jehovah has always taken good care of me. For example, the day Jim found out that I was living in my car, he introduced me to a sister who rented rooms in her home. I am sure that Jehovah used Jim and the sister to provide a good home for me. Jehovah is so kind! He takes care of his faithful worshippers.

LEARNING TO BE BOTH ZEALOUS AND TACTFUL

In May 1971, I needed to go to Michigan. So before I left Florida, I filled the trunk of my car with a lot of literature, and then I traveled north. Before I left the next state, Georgia, I had placed all the literature. I zealously preached the good news of the Kingdom everywhere I went. I preached in prisons and even gave tracts to men in the restrooms of the rest areas. I still wonder if any of the people I spoke to ever learned the truth.​—1 Corinthians 3:6, 7.

I must admit that when I first learned the truth, I was not always tactful, especially when I talked to my family. Sometimes I was too direct. I love my brothers, John and Ron, very much, and when I preached to them, I tried to force them to accept my new beliefs. Later, I had to apologize. But I continue to pray that they will accept the truth. Since then, Jehovah has helped me to become more tactful when I preach and teach.​—Colossians 4:6.

OTHERS WHOM I LOVE

My relationship with Jehovah will always be first in my life. However, there are others whom I love very much, especially my precious wife, Susan. I always wanted a wife who would help me to continue serving Jehovah. Susan is a determined woman who loves Jehovah very much. One day while we were dating, I visited her at her parents’ home in Rhode Island. There she was, sitting on the porch, reading The Watchtower along with her Bible. What impressed me was that she looked up all the scriptures, even though she was not reading a study article. I could see that her relationship with Jehovah was very important to her. We got married in December 1971. I am so thankful to have such a supportive wife. What I appreciate most is that although she loves me, she loves Jehovah even more.

Jehovah has given us two wonderful sons, Jesse and Paul. As they grew up, Jehovah guided them. (1 Samuel 3:19) They have their own personal relationship with him, and this makes us very happy. They have each served Jehovah full-time for more than 20 years. And they continue to serve him because they too have remembered their first love for him. I am also proud of my two beautiful daughters-in-law, Stephanie and Racquel, whom I view as my own daughters. I am so grateful that my sons have married women who love Jehovah with all their heart and who use their lives to serve him.​—Ephesians 6:6.

I served for 16 years in Rhode Island, where I made many friends. I still remember the excellent elders with whom I served. I am also thankful for the many traveling overseers who helped me. It has been a privilege to serve Jehovah along with men who have kept their first love for Jehovah. In 1987, we moved to North Carolina where the need was greater, and there we also made many good friends.a​—See footnote.

In August 2002, Susan and I accepted the invitation to become members of the United States Bethel family in Patterson. I worked in the Service Department, and Susan worked in the laundry, which she loved! In August 2005, I received the privilege of becoming a member of the Governing Body. I did not feel qualified for this new assignment. Susan was also overwhelmed by the responsibility, the work, and the travel involved. She has never liked traveling by airplane; however, we travel by plane a lot. The loving advice from other wives of members of the Governing Body has been a great help to her. It makes her more determined to support me, and I love her for that!

In my office I have many wonderful pictures that remind me of what a great life I have enjoyed. I have received many blessings for doing my best to remember my first love for Jehovah!