1, 2. Why is it important to encourage others?

CRISTINA, who is 18 years old, says: “My parents hardly ever encourage me, but they criticize me a lot. And their words can be so hurtful. They say that I’m immature, that I’ll never learn, and that I’m fat. So I cry often and prefer not to talk to them. I feel that I’m worthless.”^[1] (See endnote.) Life can be so difficult when others do not encourage us!

² On the other hand, think of how much we can help others when we encourage them. Rubén says: “I have fought feelings of worthlessness for many years. But one time, I was preaching with an elder who realized that I was having a bad day. He listened with sympathy as I expressed my feelings. Then he reminded me of the good I was accomplishing. He also reminded me of Jesus’ words​—that each of us is worth more than many sparrows. I often recall that scripture, and it still touches my heart. The elder’s words made a huge difference.”​—Matthew 10:31.

3. (a) What did the apostle Paul say about encouraging others? (b) What will we discuss in this article?

³ The Bible says that we need to encourage one another regularly. The apostle Paul wrote to the Hebrew Christians: “Beware, brothers, for fear there should ever develop in any one of you a wicked heart lacking faith by drawing away from the living God; but keep on encouraging one another each day.” Paul explained why: “So that none of you should become hardened by the deceptive power of sin.” (Hebrews 3:12, 13) Think about how good you felt when someone encouraged you. So, what reasons do we have to encourage our brothers? What can we learn from the way Jehovah, Jesus, and Paul encouraged others? And what are some ways we can encourage one another? Let us discuss these questions.

WE ALL NEED TO BE ENCOURAGED

4. Who need to be encouraged? Why do most people today not encourage others?

⁴ All of us need to be encouraged. And there is a special need for parents to encourage their children. A teacher named Timothy Evans explains that children “need encouragement like plants need water.” He adds: “With encouragement, a child feels worthwhile and appreciated.” But because we are living in “the last days,” many people are selfish and have little “natural affection” for one another. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Some parents do not encourage their children because their own parents never encouraged them. Adults too need to be encouraged, but often this does not happen. For example, many complain that they are never commended for what they do at work.

5. How can we encourage others?

⁵ We can encourage others by commending them for something they did well. We can also encourage others by telling them that they have good qualities and by comforting them when they are sad or discouraged. (1 Thessalonians 5:14) Because we are often with our brothers and sisters, we have many opportunities to say something encouraging. (Read Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10.) So ask yourself: ‘Do I let others know why I value and love them? And do I do this whenever I can?’ Think about what the Bible says: “A word spoken at the right time​—how good it is!”​—Proverbs 15:23.

6. Why does Satan want to discourage God’s people? Give an example of how he tried to do this.

⁶ Proverbs 24:10 says: “If you become discouraged in the day of distress, your strength will be meager.” Satan knows that if he discourages us, he can weaken our relationship with Jehovah. He tried to discourage Job by causing him to suffer terribly. But Satan’s cruel plan failed. Job stayed loyal to Jehovah. (Job 2:3; 22:3; 27:5) We too can fight Satan and make sure that he does not succeed. If we continue encouraging our family members and our brothers and sisters in the congregation, we can help one another to be happy and to stay close to Jehovah.

EXAMPLES WE CAN IMITATE

7, 8. (a) How has Jehovah encouraged people? (b) How can parents follow Jehovah’s example? (See opening picture.)

⁷ Jehovah encourages people. The psalmist wrote: “Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; he saves those who are discouraged.” (Psalm 34:18, footnote) When the prophet Jeremiah was afraid and discouraged, Jehovah promised to help him. (Jeremiah 1:6-10) Jehovah sent an angel to strengthen the elderly prophet Daniel. That angel called Daniel “very precious.” (Daniel 10:8, 11, 18, 19) Could you encourage your brothers and sisters in a similar way, including pioneers as well as older ones who cannot do as much as they used to?

⁸ Even though Jehovah and Jesus had been together for many years, Jehovah knew that he still needed to encourage his Son when Jesus was on earth. Jesus heard his Father speak from heaven when he began his preaching work and during his last year on earth. On two occasions, Jehovah said: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.” (Matthew 3:17; 17:5) Jesus surely felt very encouraged when he heard his Father say that he loved him and was proud of him. Later, on the night before Jesus died, he was feeling very anxious. Jehovah encouraged him by sending an angel to strengthen and comfort him. (Luke 22:43) Parents, you can imitate Jehovah’s example by regularly encouraging your children. Commend them when they do something well. And when they have trials at school, do all you can to strengthen them and help them to endure.

9. What can we learn from the way Jesus treated his apostles?

⁹ Jesus also set a good example for us to imitate. On the night before he died, Jesus washed his apostles’ feet and told them how important it is to be humble. But they were proud and argued about who was the greatest, and Peter boasted that he would never leave Jesus. (Luke 22:24, 33, 34) Jesus, however, did not focus on their mistakes. Instead, he commended them for staying loyal to him. He promised them that they would do greater things than he did, and he assured them that Jehovah loved them. (Luke 22:28; John 14:12; 16:27) We can ask ourselves, ‘Do I imitate Jesus’ example and commend others for their good qualities instead of focusing on their mistakes?’

10, 11. How did Paul encourage his brothers, and what was he willing to do?

¹⁰ The apostle Paul often said good things about his brothers. He had spent many years traveling with some of them and had come to know them very well, but he did not write about their mistakes. Instead, he praised them. For example, Paul said that Timothy was his “beloved and faithful child in the Lord” and that he was confident that Timothy would care for the needs of others. (1 Corinthians 4:17; Philippians 2:19, 20) Paul told the Christians in Corinth that Titus was his “companion and a fellow worker for your interests.” (2 Corinthians 8:23) Surely Timothy and Titus were encouraged when they learned what Paul thought of them!

¹¹ Paul and his companion Barnabas risked their lives to encourage their brothers. For example, they both knew that many people in the city of Lystra wanted to kill them. Still, they went back there to encourage the new disciples and to help them stay faithful to Jehovah. (Acts 14:19-22) Later, in Ephesus, Paul was in danger from an angry crowd, but he stayed long enough to encourage his brothers. Acts 20:1, 2 says: “Paul sent for the disciples, and after he had encouraged them and said farewell, he began his journey to Macedonia. After going through those regions and giving many words of encouragement to the ones there, he arrived in Greece.”

ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER

12. Why is it good for us to go to the meetings?

¹² Jehovah wants the best for us. That is why he tells us to meet together regularly. At our meetings, we learn about him and encourage one another. (1 Corinthians 14:31; read Hebrews 10:24, 25.) Cristina, who was mentioned at the beginning of this article, says: “What I like most about the meetings is the love and encouragement I receive there. Sometimes I feel depressed when I arrive at the Kingdom Hall. But then sisters approach me, give me a hug, and say I look pretty. They tell me that they love me and are pleased to see my spiritual progress. Their encouragement makes me feel so much better!” How important it is for each of us to encourage others!​—Romans 1:11, 12.

13. Why do even those who have served Jehovah for a long time need to be encouraged?

¹³ Even those who have served Jehovah for a long time need to be encouraged. Think of Joshua. When the Israelites were about to go into the Promised Land, Jehovah chose Joshua to lead them. Yet, Jehovah told Moses to encourage him even though Joshua had served Jehovah for many years. Jehovah said: “Commission Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, because he is the one who will cross over before this people and he is the one who will cause them to inherit the land that you will see.” (Deuteronomy 3:27, 28) Joshua needed to be encouraged, because later the nation would fight many battles and even lose at least one. (Joshua 7:1-9) Today, we can encourage elders and circuit overseers, who work hard to care for God’s people. (Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12, 13.) One circuit overseer said: “Sometimes the brothers give us a thank-you letter saying how much they enjoyed our visit. We keep these letters and read them when we are feeling low. They are a real source of encouragement.”

14. What examples show that it is good to commend others when we are giving them counsel?

¹⁴ On one occasion, the apostle Paul had to give the Corinthians counsel. When they applied that counsel, Paul commended them. (2 Corinthians 7:8-11) Surely, his words encouraged them to continue doing what was right. Today, elders and parents can follow Paul’s example. Andreas, who has two children, says: “Encouragement helps children to grow up spiritually and emotionally. You nail down counsel by giving encouragement. Even though our kids know what is right, doing the right thing becomes their way of life through our constant encouragement.”

WHAT CAN HELP YOU TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS?

15. What is one way we can encourage others?

¹⁵ Tell your brothers and sisters how much you value their efforts and their good qualities. (2 Chronicles 16:9; Job 1:8) If we do this, we imitate Jehovah and Jesus. They value everything we do for them, even if we cannot do as much as we would like to. (Read Luke 21:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:12.) For example, we know that it takes a lot of effort for our dear older ones to come to the meetings and go out in the ministry regularly. Do we encourage them and commend them for all they do?

16. When can we encourage others?

¹⁶ Encourage others as often as possible. Whenever you notice something that a person did well, be sure to commend him. When Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch in Pisidia, the leaders of the synagogue there told them: “Men, brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, tell it.” Paul used that opportunity to encourage the people. (Acts 13:13-16, 42-44) When we encourage others, people will likely encourage us too.​—Luke 6:38.

17. What is the best way to commend others?

¹⁷ Be specific. When Jesus commended the Christians in Thyatira, he was specific and explained what they had done well. (Read Revelation 2:18, 19.) How can we imitate him? Perhaps we could commend a single mother for the way she raises her children despite how difficult it is for her. Or if you are a parent, you could commend your children for their efforts to serve Jehovah. Explain to them what good things you have noticed. If we are specific when we encourage others, they will know that we mean what we say.

18, 19. How can we help one another to stay close to Jehovah?

¹⁸ Jehovah told Moses to encourage and strengthen Joshua. Of course, Jehovah will not speak to us today and tell us to encourage a certain person. But he is pleased when he sees the efforts we make to encourage others. (Proverbs 19:17; Hebrews 12:12) For example, when a brother gives a public talk in our congregation, we can tell him what we enjoyed about his talk. Perhaps what he said helped us to cope with a problem or to understand a certain scripture. One sister wrote to a brother who had given a talk: “Although we spoke for only a few minutes, you saw my heavy heart, and you comforted and uplifted me. I want you to know that when you spoke in such a kind way, both from the platform and in person, I felt that it was a gift from Jehovah.”

¹⁹ We will be able to help one another stay close to Jehovah if we follow Paul’s counsel: “Keep encouraging one another and building one another up, just as you are in fact doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) If we “keep on encouraging one another each day,” we will make Jehovah very happy!

1, 2. (a) What do some people say about the idea that God has an organization? (b) What will we discuss in this article?

SOME people say: “You don’t need an organization to direct you. All you need is a relationship with God.” Is this true? What do the facts show?

² In this article, we will see that Jehovah does things in an orderly way and that he organizes his people. We will also discuss what we need to do when Jehovah’s organization gives us direction. (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40) In the first century, Jehovah’s people followed the direction in the Scriptures and were able to preach the good news in many places. Like them, we let the Bible guide us today. And we obey the instructions we receive from God’s organization. As a result, we are able to preach the good news worldwide. We also keep the congregation clean, peaceful, and united.

JEHOVAH IS THE GOD OF ORDER

3. What convinces you that Jehovah is the God of order?

³ When we look at the things Jehovah created, we clearly see that he is the God of order. He “founded the earth in wisdom. He solidly established the heavens in discernment.” (Proverbs 3:19) There is much we do not know about the things Jehovah made. In fact, “only a faint whisper has been heard of him.” (Job 26:14) But it is clear from the little we do know about our universe that it is very well-organized. (Psalm 8:3, 4) Millions of stars move through space in an orderly way. And think of the way the planets in our solar system move around the sun. This amazing order is possible only because Jehovah organized the way the planets and stars move. When we think of how he has “skillfully made the heavens” and the earth, we want to praise him, worship him, and be loyal to him.​—Psalm 136:1, 5-9.

4. Why have scientists not been able to answer many important questions?

⁴ Scientists have used many of the things they have learned about the universe and our earth to make our lives better. But they have not been able to answer many important questions. For example, astronomers cannot tell us exactly how the universe began or why humans, animals, and plants exist on earth. And most people cannot explain why humans have a strong desire to live forever. (Ecclesiastes 3:11) One reason why people do not have the answers to these questions is that scientists and others say there is no God and promote evolution. But God gives us the answers in his own Book, the Bible.

5. In what ways do humans rely on the laws of nature?

⁵ Jehovah created the many laws of nature. These laws do not change. Electricians, plumbers, engineers, pilots, surgeons, and others rely on these laws to do their work. For example, the human heart is normally located in the same part of the body, so a surgeon knows where to find it in each of his patients. And everyone knows that if a person jumps off a high place, he will fall and could die. We obey the laws of nature, such as gravity, because we want to stay alive.

WHAT GOD HAS ORGANIZED

6. How do we know that Jehovah wants people to worship him in an organized way?

⁶ Jehovah organized the universe in a truly wonderful way. Surely, then, he wants his people to worship him in an organized manner. In fact, Jehovah has provided the Bible to teach us how to worship him. Only by following the guidance he gives us by means of the Bible and his organization will we be able to live a happy and satisfying life.

7. What can we learn from the way the Bible was written?

⁷ The Bible is a truly unique gift from God. Some scholars say that the Bible is just a group of Jewish and Christian books put together by humans. But God decided who would write the books, when they would write them, and what they would write. That is why all the books in the Bible help us to understand God’s message. From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible shows that there would be an “offspring” who would make the earth a paradise again. And we have learned that this “offspring” is Christ Jesus and that his Kingdom will prove that Jehovah has the right to rule over everyone.​—Read Genesis 3:15; Matthew 6:10; Revelation 11:15.

8. In what ways were the Israelites organized well?

⁸ The Israelites followed the Law that God gave them and were organized very well. For example, there were “women who were organized to serve at the entrance of the tent of meeting.” (Exodus 38:8) The Israelites also had instructions on how to move their camp and the tabernacle in an orderly way. Later, King David organized the priests and Levites to do specific work at the temple. (1 Chronicles 23:1-6; 24:1-3) When the Israelites obeyed Jehovah, he blessed them. They were organized and had peace and unity.​—Deuteronomy 11:26, 27; 28:1-14.

9. How were the congregations in the first century organized?

⁹ The congregations in the first century were organized too. There was a governing body, that is, a group of men who gave the congregations direction. At first, this group was made up of the apostles. Later, other elders were added to it. (Acts 6:1-6; 15:6) Jehovah guided members of the governing body and others who worked closely with them to write letters with counsel and instruction to the congregations. (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9) How did the congregations benefit from following the direction of the governing body?

10. What happened when congregations in the first century followed the instructions of the governing body? (See opening picture.)

¹⁰ Read Acts 16:4, 5. In the first century, some brothers visited the congregations to tell them “the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and the elders who were in Jerusalem,” that is, by the governing body. The congregations followed these instructions and “continued to be made firm in the faith and to increase in number day by day.” What can we learn from their example that will help us in our congregation today?

DO YOU FOLLOW DIRECTION?

11. What should elders and ministerial servants do when they receive direction from God’s organization?

¹¹ Members of Branch Committees or Country Committees, circuit overseers, and elders need to obey the direction they receive from God’s organization. In fact, Jehovah’s own Book tells all of us to obey those who are taking the lead. (Deuteronomy 30:16; Hebrews 13:7, 17) Those who are loyal to Jehovah are not rebellious, and they do not complain about the direction they receive. We would not want to be like Diotrephes, who had no respect for the brothers taking the lead. (Read 3 John 9, 10.) When we follow the direction we are given, we help to keep peace and unity in the congregation. So we can ask ourselves: ‘Do I encourage my brothers and sisters to be loyal to Jehovah? Am I quick to follow the direction I receive from God’s organization?’

12. How are elders and ministerial servants appointed?

¹² Recently, the Governing Body changed how elders and ministerial servants in each congregation are appointed. “Questions From Readers” in The Watchtower of November 15, 2014, explained that in the first century, the governing body gave traveling overseers the authority to appoint elders and ministerial servants. Thus, since September 2014, circuit overseers have been making these appointments. When the elders of a congregation recommend that a brother serve as an elder or a ministerial servant, the circuit overseer tries to get to know him and his family. For example, he might work with the brother in field service. (1 Timothy 3:4, 5) Then the circuit overseer and the elders meet. They carefully look at the Scriptures that describe the qualities of an elder or a ministerial servant.​—1 Timothy 3:1-10, 12, 13; 1 Peter 5:1-3.

13. How can we show that we cooperate with the direction we receive from the elders?

¹³ The elders give us direction from the Bible because they want to protect and take care of the congregation. We need to cooperate with them because this instruction is for our own benefit. (1 Timothy 6:3) In the first century, some individuals were being “disorderly.” They were not working at all but were getting involved in things that did not concern them. The elders tried to correct them, but they refused to change. Paul told the congregation how they should treat someone like that. He said: “Keep this one marked and stop associating with him.” They needed to stop socializing with that person but not treat him as an enemy. (2 Thessalonians 3:11-15) Elders today also try to help a person who ignores God’s standards, for example, one who dates an unbeliever. (1 Corinthians 7:39) If the person refuses to change his behavior, the elders may decide to give a talk explaining how such behavior could cause others to speak badly about the congregation. If the elders give such a talk in your congregation, how will you react? If you know who the person is, will you avoid socializing with him? In this way, you may help him realize that his behavior is harmful to himself and displeasing to Jehovah, and he may change his attitude.^[1]​—See endnote.

KEEP THE CONGREGATION CLEAN, PEACEFUL, AND UNITED

14. How can we help to keep the congregation clean?

¹⁴ God’s Word tells us what all of us should do so that we do not allow wickedness in our congregations. Consider what happened in Corinth. Paul loved the brothers and sisters there. He had helped many of them to learn the truth. (1 Corinthians 1:1, 2) So imagine how he felt when he found out that one of them was living a sexually immoral life and that the brothers had allowed this person to stay in the congregation! Paul told the elders to “hand such a man over to Satan.” They needed to remove that person from the congregation, that is, to disfellowship him. (1 Corinthians 5:1, 5-7, 12) Today, the elders may decide that someone has to be disfellowshipped because he has sinned seriously and has not repented. In that case, will we treat the disfellowshipped person as the Scriptures direct us to? If we do, we help to keep the congregation clean. And we may help the person to realize that he needs to repent and ask Jehovah to forgive him.

15. How can we keep peace in the congregation?

¹⁵ There was another problem in Corinth. Some were taking their brothers to court. Paul asked them: “Why not rather let yourselves be wronged?” (1 Corinthians 6:1-8) Today, some in the congregation have made business agreements with their brothers but have then lost money or felt that their brothers committed fraud. So they have taken their brothers to court. But when this happens, it may cause people to speak badly about Jehovah and his people. And it may cause trouble in the congregation. God’s own Book helps us to see that we must keep peace with our brothers, even if it means that we lose money.^[2] (See endnote.) In fact, Jesus taught us how to solve serious problems and disagreements. (Read Matthew 5:23, 24; 18:15-17.) When we obey his direction, we keep peace and unity in the congregation.

16. Why are God’s people united?

¹⁶ Jehovah’s own Book tells us: “Look! How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1) When they obeyed Jehovah, the Israelites were organized and united. God foretold about his people: “In unity I will place them, like sheep in the pen.” (Micah 2:12) Jehovah also foretold that his people would learn the truth from the Scriptures and would serve him unitedly. He said: “I will change the language of the peoples to a pure language, so that all of them may call on the name of Jehovah, to serve him shoulder to shoulder.” (Zephaniah 3:9) How grateful we are that we can worship Jehovah in unity!

17. What should the elders do when someone in the congregation commits a serious sin?

¹⁷ If someone commits a serious sin, the elders must be quick to correct him in a loving way. They know that Jehovah wants them to protect the congregation from any bad influence and to keep it clean and united. (Proverbs 15:3) Paul deeply loved his brothers in Corinth and corrected them when they needed it, as we read in his first letter to them. We know that the elders there were quick to follow Paul’s direction because some months later, he commended them in the second letter he wrote to them. If a brother “takes a false step before he is aware of it,” the elders should correct him in a kind way.​—Galatians 6:1.

18. (a) How did the guidance in God’s Word help the congregations in the first century? (b) What will we discuss in the next article?

¹⁸ It is clear that when the Christians in the first century followed the guidance in God’s own Book, their congregations were clean, peaceful, and united. (1 Corinthians 1:10; Ephesians 4:11-13; 1 Peter 3:8) As a result, those brothers and sisters were able to preach the good news “in all creation under heaven.” (Colossians 1:23) Today, too, Jehovah’s people are united and organized, and they are preaching the good news in all the earth. The next article will give more proof that their greatest desire is to honor the Sovereign Lord Jehovah and obey the guidance in his own Book, the Bible.​—Psalm 71:15, 16.

1-3. What might have happened between Euodia and Syntyche? How can such problems be avoided? (See opening picture.)

WE HIGHLY value the Bible because we know it is God’s own Book. The Bible contains advice that can help us avoid problems, and it can correct us when we make mistakes. So how do we react to its advice? Think of two anointed women in the first century, Euodia and Syntyche. The Bible says that they argued, but it does not tell us why. Let us imagine what might have happened.

² Perhaps Euodia invited some brothers and sisters to her home for a meal. But she did not invite Syntyche. Later, when Syntyche heard others saying how much they had enjoyed the meal, she got very upset. She may have thought: ‘I cannot believe that Euodia did not invite me! I thought we were best friends.’ Syntyche felt that Euodia did not really like her and that she was avoiding her. So Syntyche invited the same people for a meal but did not invite Euodia! This situation might even have upset others in the congregation. The Bible shows that Paul corrected the two sisters and encouraged them to make peace. They may have listened to him and continued serving Jehovah happily.​—Philippians 4:2, 3.

³ In our congregations today, sometimes we too may have a problem with a brother or a sister. But if we follow the advice in the Bible, we can solve such problems. In fact, we can even avoid them. And when we obey what the Bible says, we show that we truly value Jehovah’s own Book.​—Psalm 27:11.

THE BIBLE TEACHES US TO CONTROL OUR EMOTIONS

4, 5. What advice does God’s Word give us about controlling our emotions?

⁴ It is not always easy to control our emotions. We may feel very sad or angry if someone says something insulting to us or treats us unfairly, perhaps because of our culture, the color of our skin, or the way we look. And it may hurt us even more if the person insulting or mistreating us is our brother or sister. What advice do we find in God’s Word that can help us?

⁵ Jehovah knows what can happen when humans do not control their emotions. When we feel upset or angry, we may say or do something that we later regret. In the Bible, Jehovah instructs us to control our temper and tells us: “Do not be quick to take offense.” Just think how many problems we avoid when we obey that advice and do not get upset easily! (Read Ecclesiastes 7:9; Proverbs 16:32.) The Bible also tells us to forgive others. In fact, Jesus said that if we do not forgive others, Jehovah will not forgive us. (Matthew 6:14, 15) Do you need to be more patient and more willing to forgive others?

6. What may happen if we do not control our emotions?

⁶ If we do not control our emotions, we may keep feeling angry and may even start feeling hatred for someone. Or we may influence some in the congregation to feel that way. Even if we try to hide our anger or hatred, others will eventually realize how we feel. Then our brothers and sisters may stay away from us. (Proverbs 26:24-26) The elders will use the Bible to try to help us get rid of anger and hatred and forgive others. (Leviticus 19:17, 18; Romans 3:11-18) When they do, will we follow the guidance of Jehovah’s own Book?

JEHOVAH IS LEADING US

7, 8. (a) How does Jehovah lead his people? (b) What are some of the directions we find in the Bible, and why should we obey them?

⁷ Jehovah leads those in the earthly part of his organization today and teaches them. How? He has appointed Christ to be the “head of the congregation,” and Christ has appointed “the faithful and discreet slave” to teach and direct God’s people. (Ephesians 5:23; Matthew 24:45-47) Just like the governing body in the first century, this slave truly values the Bible because it is the Word of God. (Read 1 Thessalonians 2:13.) What are some of the directions we find in the Bible?

⁸ The Bible directs us to attend meetings regularly. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) It encourages all of us to believe the same Bible teachings. (1 Corinthians 1:10) It also tells us to keep “seeking first the Kingdom.” (Matthew 6:33) The Bible instructs us to preach from house to house, in public places, and wherever people may be. (Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 5:42; 17:17; 20:20) It directs elders to keep the congregations clean. (1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 13; 1 Timothy 5:19-21) And it tells us that we should keep our bodies clean and avoid thoughts and habits that Jehovah hates.​—2 Corinthians 7:1.

9. Whom did Jesus appoint to help us understand God’s Word?

⁹ Some may feel that they do not need anyone to explain the Bible to them. But since 1919, Jesus has been using “the faithful and discreet slave” to help God’s people understand what the Bible teaches and follow what it says. By obeying the Bible, we keep the congregation clean, peaceful, and united. Ask yourself, ‘Will I be loyal to Jesus and follow the direction of the faithful slave?’

JEHOVAH’S CHARIOT IS MOVING FAST!

10. How does the book of Ezekiel describe the heavenly part of Jehovah’s organization?

¹⁰ By means of the Bible, we learn that Jehovah’s servants in heaven are organized too. For example, Ezekiel saw a vision of Jehovah riding on a chariot that could move quickly in any direction that Jehovah wanted it to go. (Ezekiel 1:4-28) The chariot represents the heavenly part of God’s organization, which is quick to follow his direction. In turn, it influences the earthly part of his organization. Think of the many changes that have been made in God’s organization in the last ten years. Remember that Jehovah guides such changes. Soon Christ and the angels will destroy this wicked world. No longer will anyone dishonor Jehovah and his name or criticize his way of ruling!

11, 12. What has Jehovah’s organization been able to do in these last days?

¹¹ Consider what Jehovah’s organization has been able to do in these last days. Construction. Hundreds of brothers and sisters have worked hard to build the new headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Warwick, New York, U.S.A. Thousands of other volunteers around the world are building Kingdom Halls and branch offices. These volunteers are directed by the Worldwide Design/​Construction Department. How thankful we are for the many who work very hard on such buildings! And Jehovah’s servants everywhere give what they can to help pay for building these places. Jehovah blesses his people for the humility and loyalty they show.​—Luke 21:1-4.

¹² Education. Jehovah loves to educate his people. (Isaiah 2:2, 3) Think of the various schools we have. There are the Pioneer Service School, the School for Kingdom Evangelizers, Gilead School, Bethel Entrants’ School, the School for Circuit Overseers and Their Wives, the School for Congregation Elders, the Kingdom Ministry School, and the School for Branch Committee Members and Their Wives. And on our website, jw.org, we can find the Bible and other literature in hundreds of languages. The website also has special sections for children and for families as well as a section with news items. Have you been using jw.org in your ministry and in your family worship?

BE LOYAL TO JEHOVAH AND SUPPORT HIS ORGANIZATION

13. What responsibility do Jehovah’s people have?

¹³ What an honor to be part of Jehovah’s organization and to know what he requires of us! Of course, since we know what pleases God, we have the responsibility to obey him and do what is right. And even though many people love doing bad things, we must “hate what is bad,” as Jehovah does. (Psalm 97:10) We must never be like those who think that “good is bad and bad is good.” (Isaiah 5:20) We want to please Jehovah, so we are determined to be clean in every way. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11) What Jehovah tells us in the Bible is for our own good. We love him and want to be loyal to him. That is why we follow his guidance at home, in the congregation, at work, at school, or wherever we may be. (Proverbs 15:3) Think of some areas where we need to be loyal to God.

14. How can parents be loyal to Jehovah?

¹⁴ How we train our children. In the Bible, Jehovah has given parents direction on how to train their children. Christians need to be careful not to be influenced by the way of thinking that is common in this world. (Ephesians 2:2) For example, in some places a father might think, ‘Well, here the women teach the children.’ But the Bible clearly commands fathers to teach their children about Jehovah. (Ephesians 6:4) Fathers and mothers who love Jehovah want their children to have a close friendship with him, just like Samuel had when he was a little boy.​—1 Samuel 3:19.

15. How can we be loyal to Jehovah when we are making major decisions?

¹⁵ How we make decisions. Before we make major decisions in life, we want to find out what Jehovah thinks so that we can be loyal to him. The Bible and his organization can help us. For example, some parents today who have left the country they came from have decided to send their newborn baby back to their country to live with their relatives. In this way, both the father and the mother can continue working and making money. True, this is a personal decision, but a couple should ask themselves, ‘What will Jehovah think of our decision?’ (Read Romans 14:12.) It would be wise first to think about what the Bible says before we make important decisions about our family and our work. We need our Father’s help because we cannot direct our steps.​—Jeremiah 10:23.

16. When her son was born, what choice did one mother have to make? What helped her to make the right decision?

¹⁶ After one couple moved to another country, their baby boy was born, and they planned to send him back to live with his grandparents. But at that time, the wife began to study the Bible with one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She learned that it was her duty to teach her son about Jehovah. (Psalm 127:3; Proverbs 22:6) The young woman prayed to Jehovah, as the Bible tells us to do, and begged him to help her do what is right. (Psalm 62:7, 8) She also talked about her problem with the sister who studied the Bible with her and spoke with others in the congregation. Although her relatives and friends kept telling her that she should send the baby to the grandparents, she decided that it was not right to do so. Her husband noticed how much the brothers and sisters helped his wife and their baby. He was so impressed that he began to study the Bible and attend meetings with his family. Imagine how happy this mother felt when she realized that Jehovah had answered her prayer!

17. When we are studying the Bible with someone, what direction should we follow?

¹⁷ How we follow direction. If we are loyal to God, we will follow the direction we receive from his organization. For example, consider what we need to do soon after we start studying the book What Does the Bible Really Teach? with someone. We have been told to take a few minutes after each study to help the student get to know more about Jehovah’s organization. We can use the video What Happens at a Kingdom Hall? and the brochure Who Are Doing Jehovah’s Will Today? After completing the Bible Teach book, we can help the student become more “stabilized in the faith” by studying the book “Keep Yourselves in God’s Love” with him, even if he got baptized in the meantime. (Colossians 2:7) Are you following this direction from Jehovah’s organization?

18, 19. What are some reasons why we should be thankful to Jehovah?

¹⁸ There are many reasons why we should be thankful to Jehovah! For one thing, “by him we have life and move and exist.” (Acts 17:27, 28) He has also given us his own Book, the Bible. Like the Christians in Thessalonica, we cherish this gift because it is a message from him.​—1 Thessalonians 2:13.

¹⁹ The Bible has helped us to draw close to Jehovah, and he has drawn close to us. (James 4:8) We are very grateful that our Father has invited us to be part of his organization! We feel like the psalmist who wrote: “Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good; his loyal love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1) In every verse of that psalm, the psalmist repeated the words “his loyal love endures forever.” Yes, if we are loyal to Jehovah and follow the direction he gives us by means of his organization, he will give us everlasting life and he will be loyal to us forever!

1. What happened during the destruction of Jerusalem?

IN THE year 607 before Christ, King Nebuchadnezzar II and his huge Babylonian army attacked the city of Jerusalem. The Bible says that the king killed the young men with a sword. “He felt no compassion for young man or virgin, old or infirm.” In the end, “he burned down the house of the true God, tore down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its fortified towers with fire, and destroyed everything of value.”​—2 Chronicles 36:17, 19.

2. What warning did Jehovah give, and what would happen to the Jews?

² The Jews should not have been surprised at the destruction of Jerusalem. For many years, God had sent prophets to warn the people that if they continued to disobey him, they would be attacked by the Babylonians. Many Jews would be killed by the sword, and those who survived would likely live in exile in Babylon. (Jeremiah 15:2) What was it like to live in exile? Did something similar to the Babylonian captivity ever happen to Christians? If so, when?

LIFE IN EXILE

3. How was life as exiles in Babylon different from life as slaves in Egypt?

³ Jehovah had told the Jews that when they were taken into exile, they were to accept their new situation and live their lives as best they could. He told them through Jeremiah: “Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit. And seek the peace of the city to which I have exiled you, and pray in its behalf to Jehovah, for in its peace you will have peace.” (Jeremiah 29:5, 7) The Jews who followed Jehovah’s instructions lived an almost normal life in exile. The Babylonians allowed the Jews to handle most of their own affairs and to travel around the country freely. At that time, Babylon was a center for business. Ancient documents show that while in exile, many Jews learned the art of buying and selling and became good craftsmen. Some Jews even became rich. Life in exile was not as difficult as life had been for the Israelites who were slaves in Egypt hundreds of years before.​—Read Exodus 2:23-25.

4. Along with the unfaithful Jews, who else had to suffer, and why were they not able to do everything the Law required?

⁴ Some of the Jewish exiles were faithful servants of God. Even though they had done nothing wrong, they had to suffer along with the rest of the nation. The Jews had what they needed materially, but how could they worship Jehovah? The temple and the altar had been destroyed, and the priesthood could not work in an organized way. But faithful Jews did what they could to follow God’s Law. For example, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to eat foods forbidden for the Jews. And the Bible says that Daniel regularly prayed to God. (Daniel 1:8; 6:10) Still, because they were ruled by a pagan nation, it was impossible for faithful Jews to do everything the Law required.

5. What hope did Jehovah give his people, and why was this promise remarkable?

⁵ Would the Israelites ever again be able to worship God in a completely acceptable way? At that time, it may have seemed impossible because Babylon never released its captives. But Jehovah God had promised that his people would be freed, and they eventually were. God’s promises always come true!​—Isaiah 55:11.

WERE CHRISTIANS EVER CAPTIVES TO BABYLON?

6, 7. Why is it necessary for us to adjust our understanding?

⁶ Have Christians ever experienced anything similar to that Babylonian captivity? For many years, The Watchtower said that faithful Christians went into Babylonian captivity in 1918 and were freed from Babylon in 1919. However, in this article and the next, we will learn why it is necessary to adjust our understanding.

⁷ Think about this: Babylon the Great is the world empire of false religion. And God’s people did not become slaves to false religion in 1918. It is true that during that time, the anointed were persecuted. But their persecution was caused mostly by governments, not by false religion. Long before World War I, God’s anointed servants were actually separating themselves from false religion. So it does not really seem that Jehovah’s people entered into captivity to Babylon the Great in 1918.

WHEN WERE GOD’S PEOPLE IN BABYLONIAN CAPTIVITY?

8. What happened after the apostles died? (See opening picture.)

⁸ At Pentecost in the year 33, thousands of new Christians were anointed with holy spirit. These became “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession.” (Read 1 Peter 2:9, 10.) The apostles carefully watched over the congregations as long as they lived. However, particularly after the apostles died, some men in the congregations started to teach false ideas and wanted to draw the disciples away from the truth. These men loved the philosophies of Aristotle and Plato and started teaching their ideas instead of the truth from God’s Word. (Acts 20:30; 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8) Many were prominent men and overseers in the congregations. So even though Jesus had said to his followers, “All of you are brothers,” a clergy class was starting to form.​—Matthew 23:8.

9. Describe how apostate Christianity began working with the Roman government. What was the result?

⁹ In the year 313 after Christ, Emperor Constantine ruled over the pagan Roman Empire and made this apostate form of Christianity a legal religion. After that, the Church began working closely with the Roman government. For example, Constantine held a meeting with religious leaders, which became known as the Council of Nicaea. After that meeting, the emperor sent a priest named Arius into exile because he refused to believe that Jesus is God. Later, Theodosius became the Roman emperor, and the Catholic Church became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Historians say that pagan Rome became “Christian” during the time of Emperor Theodosius. But the truth is that by that time, apostate Christians had accepted pagan teachings, so they had already become part of Babylon the Great. However, there were still some faithful anointed Christians. They were like the wheat that Jesus talked about. These faithful ones were doing their best to worship God, but few were listening to what they had to say. (Read Matthew 13:24, 25, 37-39.) They truly were in Babylonian captivity!

10. Why did people start questioning the church?

¹⁰ For the first few hundred years after Christ, many people could still read the Bible in either Greek or Latin. They could compare the teachings of God’s Word with the teachings of the church. When some people learned that the church’s teachings were false, they rejected them. But it was dangerous to tell others their opinion, and they could even be killed for doing so.

11. How was the church able to control the Bible?

¹¹ As time passed, few people spoke Greek or Latin. And church leaders did not allow God’s Word to be translated into the common languages of the people. As a result, only the clergy and some other educated people could read the Bible for themselves, and even some of the clergy could not read or write well. Anyone who did not agree with what the church taught was severely punished. Faithful anointed Christians had to meet together in small private groups, and some were not able to meet at all. Similar to the Jewish Babylonian exiles, the anointed “royal priesthood” could not worship in an organized way. Babylon the Great had strict control over the people!

THERE WERE REASONS FOR HOPE

12, 13. What two reasons gave true Christians hope of freedom? Explain.

¹² Would true Christians ever be free to worship God openly and acceptably? Yes! There was some hope, for two important reasons. The first was the invention of a printing press with movable type. Before it was invented about the year 1450, the Bible had to be copied by hand, which was not easy. It could take ten months for a skilled person to make just one copy of the Bible! Also, the copyists wrote on parchment, or material made of animal skin. As a result, there were very few copies of the Bible, and those were very expensive. However, with a printing press and paper, a skilled person could print more than 1,300 pages each day!

¹³ The second reason was the translation of the Bible. About the year 1500, a few courageous men translated God’s Word into languages spoken by the common people. They did this work even though they knew they could be killed for it. The church leaders were horrified. Why? Because they were afraid that when sincere men and women read the Bible in their own language, they would start to ask such questions as: ‘Where in the Bible is the teaching of purgatory? Where does the Bible say that a person must pay a priest to have a mass for the dead? Where does the Bible speak about popes and cardinals?’ Many of the church’s false teachings were based on the philosophies of Aristotle and Plato, men who lived hundreds of years before Christ. The church leaders were angry when people questioned them. Men and women who rejected their teachings were sentenced to death. Church leaders wanted to stop people from reading the Bible and asking questions, and in most cases, that is what happened. But a few brave people refused to be controlled by Babylon the Great. They had found the truth from God’s Word, and they wanted to know more! Freedom from false religion was getting closer.

14. (a) What did people who wanted to study the Bible do? (b) Describe Brother Russell’s search for truth.

¹⁴ Many people wanted to read and study the Bible and talk about what they had learned. They did not want church leaders to tell them what they should believe. So they fled to countries where they were free to study the Bible. One of these countries was the United States. There, by 1870, Charles Taze Russell and a few others had started a deep study of the Bible. At first, Brother Russell wanted to find out which religion was teaching the truth. He carefully compared the teachings of many so-called Christian religions, and even non-Christian religions, with what the Bible says. He soon realized that not a single one of those religions completely followed God’s Word. At one point, he spoke with the leaders of several local churches. Brother Russell hoped that they would accept the truths that he and his group had found from the Bible and teach those truths to their congregations. But the religious leaders were not interested. The Bible Students soon learned that they could not worship God along with those who were part of false religion.​—Read 2 Corinthians 6:14.

15. (a) When did true Christians come into Babylonian captivity? (b) What questions will be answered in the next article?

¹⁵ In this article, we have learned that true Christians came into Babylonian captivity soon after the last of the apostles died. However, we still need to learn the answers to the following questions: How do we know that the anointed were actually breaking free from Babylon the Great during the years before 1914? Is it true that Jehovah was not pleased with his servants because they had slowed down in their preaching activity during World War I? Did some of our brothers during that time compromise their Christian neutrality and lose Jehovah’s favor? Finally, if Christians went into captivity to false religion after the apostles died, when did they get free? These are excellent questions, and they will be answered in the next article.

1. How do we know that God’s people would be freed from Babylon the Great, and what questions will we answer?

IN THE last article, we learned that faithful Christians became captives of Babylon the Great. The good news is that they would not remain captives forever. We know this because in the Bible, God commands his people to “get out of” the world empire of false religion. (Read Revelation 18:4.) This proves that Christians would be freed from Babylon the Great. We are eager to learn when they would be freed! But first, we must answer the following questions: What were the Bible Students determined to do regarding Babylon the Great even before 1914? How zealous were our brothers in the preaching work during World War I? Were God’s people captives of Babylon during that time because they needed to be corrected?

“THE FALL OF BABYLON”

2. What did the early Bible Students decide to do even before World War I?

² Many years before World War I (1914-1918), Charles Taze Russell and other Bible Students realized that Christendom was not teaching the truth from the Bible. So they wanted nothing to do with false religion. Even in 1879, Zion’s Watch Tower said that every church that claims to be a loyal bride to Christ but that actually supports the governments is really part of Babylon the Great, which the Bible calls a prostitute.​—Read Revelation 17:1, 2.

3. What did the Bible Students do to show that they were not part of false religion anymore? (See opening picture.)

³ Faithful men and women knew that if they continued to support false religion, God would not bless them. So, many of them sent letters to their churches saying that they did not want to be members anymore. Some even read their letters out loud to the whole church. Where this was not allowed, they sent a letter to each member of the church. The Bible Students made it clear that they did not want to have anything to do with false religion! Years earlier, they could have been killed for doing this. But by 1870, the governments in many countries were not supporting the churches as much as they used to. Now people could freely talk about the Bible and even disagree with the churches.

4. During World War I, how did the Bible Students view Babylon the Great? Explain.

⁴ The Bible Students understood that it was not enough for them to tell family, close friends, and church members that they no longer supported false religion. They wanted the whole world to know that Babylon the Great is a religious prostitute! So between December 1917 and early 1918, the few thousand Bible Students zealously distributed 10,000,000 copies of a tract that included an article called “The Fall of Babylon.” That tract boldly revealed the truth about Christendom. As you can imagine, church leaders were furious! But the Bible Students did not stop. They were determined to keep preaching and to obey “God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) What does this show us? It shows that during World War I, these Christian men and women were not going into captivity; instead, they were actually breaking free from false religion and were helping others to do so.

ZEAL DURING WORLD WAR I

5. Why do we say that the brothers were very zealous during World War I?

⁵ In the past, we said that God’s people did not have his favor during World War I because they did not preach with zeal. For this reason, we believed that Jehovah had allowed Babylon the Great to take them captive for a short time. However, faithful brothers and sisters who served God between 1914 and 1918 later explained that as a group, they did everything they could to keep preaching. A better understanding of what happened to the Bible Students during that time helps us to understand certain events recorded in the Bible.

6, 7. (a) What challenges did the Bible Students have during World War I? (b) What shows that the Bible Students were zealous?

⁶ In fact, during World War I, the Bible Students were very busy preaching. But they also had several challenges. Let us look at two of them. First of all, the Bible Students had not learned to preach using only the Bible. They were used to distributing books and letting the literature explain the truth. So when the book The Finished Mystery was banned by the government in the beginning of 1918, preaching became difficult for many of the brothers. A second challenge that same year was the start of the Spanish flu. This terrible illness was very contagious and made it difficult for the brothers to travel and to preach. Despite these challenges, however, the Bible Students did their best to continue with the preaching work.

⁷ In 1914, the small group of Bible Students presented the “Photo-Drama of Creation.” This presentation, which combined slides and moving pictures with sound, was something new at that time. The Drama, as it was called, was the story of mankind from the creation of Adam until the end of Christ’s Reign. In 1914, the first year of its showing, it was seen by more than 9,000,000 people. Think of it. That is more than the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the whole world today! Other reports show that in 1916, more than 809,000 people attended public meetings in the United States, and in 1918, that number grew to almost 950,000. Those Bible Students were zealous!

8. How did the brothers taking the lead strengthen the Bible Students during World War I?

⁸ During World War I, the brothers taking the lead worked very hard to provide Bible literature and encouragement to all the Bible Students. That loving support strengthened them to continue preaching. Richard H. Barber, who was a zealous preacher during that time, said: “We succeeded in keeping a few traveling overseers going and in keeping The Watch Tower in circulation and having it sent into Canada where it was banned.” He continued: “I had the privilege of mailing pocket-size copies of The Finished Mystery to a number of friends who had lost their copy due to confiscation. Brother Rutherford requested that we arrange conventions in several cities in the western United States and send speakers to try to encourage the friends as much as possible.”

SOME CORRECTION NEEDED

9. (a) Why did God’s people need some correction between 1914 and 1919? (b) Even though they needed some correction, what would it be wrong to assume?

⁹ There was something the Bible Students still needed to correct. They did not fully understand what it meant when Jehovah said to obey the governments. (Romans 13:1) That is why as a group, they were not always neutral during the war. For example, when the president of the United States asked people to pray for peace on May 30, 1918, The Watch Tower encouraged the Bible Students to pray also. Some brothers gave financial support to the war, and a few of them even became soldiers and went into battle. But even though they needed some correction, it would be wrong to assume that this was the reason why they were taken into captivity to Babylon the Great. The fact is, they had almost separated themselves completely from that world empire of false religion at the time of World War I.​—Read Luke 12:47, 48.

10. How did the Bible Students show respect for life?

¹⁰ It is true that the Bible Students did not fully understand what it meant for Christians to be neutral. But they did know that it was wrong to kill anyone. So even the few brothers who became soldiers and carried weapons during World War I refused to use them to kill another person. Some who refused to kill were sent to the front of the battle so that they would be killed.

11. How did the governments react when the Bible Students refused to fight in the war?

¹¹ The Devil was angry because of the brothers’ loyalty to God. As a result, he made “trouble in the name of the law.” (Psalm 94:20) A general of the U.S. Army, James Franklin Bell, told Brothers Rutherford and Van Amburgh that the government had tried to make a new law that would allow it to sentence to death anyone who refused to fight in the war. He meant the Bible Students in particular. The general angrily told Brother Rutherford that the law had not been made because the president of the United States had prevented it. Then the general said: “But we know how to get you, and we are going to do it!”

12, 13. (a) Why were eight brothers given long prison sentences? (b) Did prison cause the brothers to lose their determination to obey Jehovah? Explain.

¹² The government finally found a way to punish the Bible Students. Brothers Rutherford and Van Amburgh, along with six others who also represented the Watch Tower Society, were arrested. The judge who was in charge of the case said that those brothers were more dangerous than a division of German soldiers. He said that they had offended the government, the military, and all the churches and that they should be severely punished.^[1] (See endnote.) So the eight Bible Students were given long prison sentences to be served in Atlanta, Georgia. However, when the war ended, they were released and the charges against them were dropped.

¹³ Even while they were in prison, those eight men were determined to obey God’s law. How do we know this? They wrote to the president of the United States asking to be released from prison. In the letter, they said that the Bible tells us that we must not kill, so anyone who is dedicated to God and who willingly disobeys him will lose his favor and be destroyed. They explained that this was why they could not and would not kill another human. It was brave of them to write this to the president! There was no doubt that the brothers were never going to lose their determination to obey Jehovah.

GOD’S PEOPLE WERE FINALLY FREE!

14. Describe from the Scriptures what happened from 1914 to 1919.

¹⁴ Malachi 3:1-3 explains what happened to the Bible Students between 1914 and early 1919. (Read.) Jehovah God, “the true Lord,” and Jesus Christ, “the messenger of the covenant,” came to inspect the “sons of Levi,” who represented the anointed. After Jehovah had corrected and cleansed them, they were ready to receive a new assignment. In 1919, Jesus appointed a “faithful and discreet slave,” who was assigned to guide and instruct all of God’s servants. (Matthew 24:45) God’s people were finally free from Babylon the Great. Since then, they have been learning more about God’s will, and their love for him has grown even deeper. How grateful they are for his blessing!^[2]​—See endnote.

15. How can we show that we are thankful for having been freed from Babylon the Great?

¹⁵ We are very thankful for having been freed from Babylon the Great. Satan has not been able to destroy true worship. He has failed! However, we need to remember why Jehovah has freed us. His purpose is for all people to be saved. (2 Corinthians 6:1) But false religion is still controlling millions of sincere people, and they need our help! Let us do everything we can to imitate our faithful brothers, helping people get free.