1. (a) What did Jephthah and Hannah have in common? (See opening pictures.) (b) What questions will be answered in this article?

JEPHTHAH was a courageous leader and a brave warrior. Hannah was a humble woman who took care of her husband and home. They both worshipped Jehovah. But they also had something else in common. Both Jephthah and Hannah made a vow to Jehovah, and they each kept their vow faithfully. They are excellent examples for men and women today who choose to make vows to Jehovah. Let us now discuss the answers to three questions: What is a vow? How serious is it to make a vow to God? What lessons can we learn from Jephthah and Hannah?

2, 3. (a) What is a vow? (b) What do the Scriptures say about making vows to God?

² In the Bible, a vow is a serious promise made to God. For example, a person may promise Jehovah that he will perform some act, offer some gift, enter some type of service, or abstain from certain things. Vows are made by choice, using free will. Nobody is forced to make a vow. But when a person chooses to do so, Jehovah views his vow as a serious promise that must be respected and kept. In the Bible, a vow is as important as an oath. An oath is a statement in which a person swears either to do or not to do a certain thing. (Genesis 14:22, 23; Hebrews 6:16, 17) What does the Bible say about how seriously we should take our vows to God?

³ In the Mosaic Law, we read that if a man makes a vow to Jehovah, “he must not violate his word. He should do everything he vowed he would do.” (Numbers 30:2) Later, Solomon wrote: “Whenever you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it, for he finds no pleasure in the stupid ones. What you vow, pay.” (Ecclesiastes 5:4) Jesus taught that making a vow to God is serious when he said: “It was said to those of ancient times: ‘You must not swear without performing, but you must pay your vows to Jehovah.’”​—Matthew 5:33.

4. (a) How serious is it to make a vow to God? (b) What do we want to learn about Jephthah and Hannah?

⁴ It is clear that we must take very seriously any promises we make to Jehovah. The way we treat our vows affects our relationship with him. David made this clear when he asked: “Who may ascend to the mountain of Jehovah, and who may stand up in his holy place?” Then he answered by saying that Jehovah will accept anyone “who has not sworn a false oath.” (Psalm 24:3, 4) What did Jephthah and Hannah each vow? Was it easy for them to pay their vow?

THEY KEPT THEIR VOW TO GOD

5. What did Jephthah vow? What was the result?

⁵ Jephthah made a promise to Jehovah when he was about to fight the Ammonites. That nation was an enemy of God’s people. (Judges 10:7-9) Jephthah begged Jehovah for victory, and he vowed: “If you give the Ammonites into my hand, then whoever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites will become Jehovah’s.” God answered Jephthah’s prayer and helped him win the war. When Jephthah went home, his beloved daughter came out to meet him. She was the one who would “become Jehovah’s.” (Judges 11:30-34) What did that mean for her?

6. (a) How easy was it for Jephthah and his daughter to pay his vow to God? (b) What do we learn about vows from Deuteronomy 23:21, 23 and Psalm 15:4?

⁶ To pay her father’s vow, Jephthah’s daughter had to go and serve Jehovah full-time at the tabernacle. Had Jephthah made his promise without thinking it through? No. In fact, Jephthah probably knew that his daughter could be the first person to come meet him. But whether he knew or not, keeping his vow to Jehovah was not easy for either Jephthah or his daughter. When Jephthah saw her, he said that his heart was broken. His daughter went away “to weep over her virginity.” Why? Jephthah had no son, and now his only daughter would never marry and have children. Jephthah’s family name would end. But both Jephthah and his daughter realized that something more important than their own feelings was involved. Jephthah said: “I have opened my mouth to Jehovah, and I am unable to turn back.” His daughter said: “Do to me as you have promised.” (Judges 11:35-39) Jephthah and his daughter were loyal people who would never think of breaking a vow to God, even if it was very difficult for them to keep it.​—Read Deuteronomy 23:21, 23; Psalm 15:4.

7. (a) What did Hannah vow, and why? How did it turn out for her? (b) What did Hannah’s vow mean for Samuel? (See footnote.)

⁷ Hannah also made a vow to Jehovah during a stressful time in her life. She was miserable because she was not able to have children, and she was being bullied and taunted because of it. (1 Samuel 1:4-7, 10, 16) She told Jehovah how she felt, and she made this promise: “O Jehovah of armies, if you look upon the affliction of your servant and remember me and you do not forget your servant and give to your servant a male child, I will give him to Jehovah all the days of his life, and no razor will touch his head.”a (See footnote.) (1 Samuel 1:11) Jehovah listened to Hannah’s prayer, and the next year she gave birth to a son, Samuel. Hannah was very happy! But she did not forget her vow to God. When her baby boy was born, she said: “It is from Jehovah that I have asked him.”​—1 Samuel 1:20.

8. (a) Was it easy for Hannah to fulfill her vow? (b) How does Psalm 61 remind you of Hannah’s good example?

⁸ When Samuel was about three years old, Hannah did just as she had promised Jehovah. She took Samuel to High Priest Eli at the tabernacle in Shiloh and said: “It was for this boy that I prayed, and Jehovah granted my petition that I asked of him. I, in turn, now lend him to Jehovah. For all his days, he is lent to Jehovah.” (1 Samuel 1:24-28) From then on, Samuel lived at the tabernacle. The Bible says that “the boy Samuel continued growing up before Jehovah.” (1 Samuel 2:21) Keeping her vow could not have been easy for Hannah. It meant that she would not be able to spend each day with her precious son whom she loved very much. She would miss out on watching him grow up. But Hannah took her vow to Jehovah seriously. She was willing to sacrifice things that were important to her in order to keep her promise to God.​—1 Samuel 2:1, 2; read Psalm 61:1, 5, 8.

9. What will we discuss next?

⁹ Now that we understand how serious it is to make a vow to Jehovah, let us discuss these questions: What kind of vows might we make today? How determined should we be to keep those vows?

YOUR DEDICATION VOW

10. What is the most important vow that a Christian can make? What does it involve?

¹⁰ The most important vow that a Christian can make is the one in which he dedicates his life to Jehovah. In private prayer, a person promises to use his life to serve God forever, no matter what happens. Jesus said that we “disown” ourselves, that is, we promise to put Jehovah first, not ourselves. (Matthew 16:24) From that day on, “we belong to Jehovah.” (Romans 14:8) We take our dedication seriously. We feel like the psalmist who said: “With what will I repay Jehovah for all the good he has done for me? I will pay my vows to Jehovah in the presence of all his people.”​—Psalm 116:12, 14.

11. What happened on the day you were baptized?

¹¹ Have you dedicated your life to Jehovah and symbolized your dedication by baptism in water? If you have, that is wonderful! Do you remember when the brother giving the baptism talk asked whether you had dedicated yourself to Jehovah and understood that “your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses”? When you answered yes, everyone present knew that you had dedicated your life and were qualified to be baptized as an ordained minister of Jehovah. You must have made Jehovah very happy!

12. (a) What questions should we ask ourselves? (b) What qualities did Peter encourage us to develop?

¹² When you got baptized, you promised Jehovah that you would use your life to serve him and do all you could to follow his standards. But baptism is just the beginning. As time passes, all of us need to continue to examine ourselves. We could ask: ‘How has my relationship with Jehovah grown since I was baptized? Am I still serving him with all my heart? (Colossians 3:23) Do I pray often? Do I read the Bible every day? Am I regular at congregation meetings? Do I share in the preaching work as often as possible? Or have I lost some of my enthusiasm for these activities?’ The apostle Peter warned us that there is a danger that we could become inactive in our service to Jehovah. We can avoid this if we work hard to grow in faith, knowledge, endurance, and godly devotion.​—Read 2 Peter 1:5-8.

13. What does a dedicated and baptized Christian need to realize?

¹³ Once we have made a vow to serve Jehovah, it is not possible to take it back. A person who becomes tired of serving Jehovah or living as a Christian cannot later say that he was never really dedicated to God and that his baptism was not valid.b (See footnote.) If a person who is dedicated to Jehovah commits a serious sin, then he is accountable to Jehovah and the congregation. (Romans 14:12) We never want to be like those to whom Jesus said: “You have left the love you had at first.” Instead, we want him to be able to say about us: “I know your deeds, and your love and faith and ministry and endurance, and that your deeds of late are more than those you did at first.” (Revelation 2:4, 19) We want to make Jehovah happy by zealously living up to our dedication.

YOUR MARRIAGE VOW

14. What is the second most important vow that a person can make? Why?

¹⁴ The second most important vow that a person can make is the marriage vow. Marriage is sacred. Jehovah views the marriage vow as a very serious matter. When a bride and groom make their vows, they are making a promise in front of Jehovah as well as all those who are present. They usually promise to love, cherish, and respect each other for as long as they both shall live together on earth according to God’s marital arrangement. Others may not use these exact words, but they still make a vow before God. When they make these vows, they become husband and wife. Marriage is meant to be a lifelong union. (Genesis 2:24; 1 Corinthians 7:39) Jesus said: “What God has yoked together, let no man put apart.” A couple who are getting married should not think that if their marriage does not work out, they can always get a divorce.​—Mark 10:9.

15. Why must Christians not view marriage as the world does?

¹⁵ Of course, just as there are no perfect humans, there are no perfect marriages. That is why the Bible tells us that every married person “will have tribulation” at times. (1 Corinthians 7:28) In the world today, many have a casual attitude about marriage. They feel that if things do not work out, they can always end their marriage. But that is not how Christian men and women view marriage. They realize that they made their marriage vow in front of God. If they broke that vow, it would be as if they were lying to him, and God hates liars. (Leviticus 19:12; Proverbs 6:16-19) Married Christians should remember the apostle Paul’s words: “Are you bound to a wife? Stop seeking a release.” (1 Corinthians 7:27) Paul could say that because he knew that Jehovah also hates a treacherous divorce.​—Malachi 2:13-16.

16. What does the Bible say about divorce and separation?

¹⁶ Jesus taught that the only Scriptural reason for divorce is if one mate commits adultery and the innocent mate chooses not to forgive him or her. (Matthew 19:9; Hebrews 13:4) What about separating from one’s marriage mate? The Bible is also clear about this. (Read 1 Corinthians 7:10, 11.) There is no Scriptural reason for marital separation. However, at times there may be a situation in which a Christian feels that it is absolutely necessary to separate from his or her mate. For example, some might be convinced that their life or relationship with Jehovah will be in extreme danger if they stay with a mate who is abusive or apostate.c (See footnote.)

17. What can a Christian couple do to make their marriage last?

¹⁷ If a couple goes to the congregation elders for advice on how to improve their marriage, the elders could ask the couple if they have watched the video What Is True Love? and studied the brochure Your Family Can Be Happy. These emphasize Bible principles that can help a marriage become stronger. One couple said: “Since we have been studying this brochure, our marriage has been happier than ever.” A sister who had been married for 22 years thought that her marriage was about to end. Then she watched the video. She said: “We are both baptized, but we were on two different pages emotionally. The video came right on time! We are doing much better now as a couple.” Clearly, if a husband and wife apply Jehovah’s principles in their marriage, their relationship will become happier and stronger.

THE VOW OF SPECIAL FULL-TIME SERVANTS

18, 19. (a) What have many Christian parents done? (b) What can be said about those who are in special full-time service?

¹⁸ Earlier we discussed the vows made by Jephthah and Hannah. Because of these vows, both Jephthah’s daughter and Hannah’s son used their lives to serve Jehovah in special ways. Many Christian parents today have encouraged their children to enter the full-time ministry and to focus their lives on their service to God. And we can all have a part in encouraging these young ones to continue in their service.​—Judges 11:40; Psalm 110:3.

¹⁹ Today, there are about 67,000 members of the Worldwide Order of Special Full-Time Servants of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some serve at Bethel or in construction work or in circuit work. Others work hard as field instructors, special pioneers, missionaries, Assembly Hall servants, or Bible school facility servants. Each of them has made a “Vow of Obedience and Poverty.” In this vow, they promise to work hard at any assignment they are given in Jehovah’s service, to live a simple life, and not to do secular work unless they have permission. It is not the people but their assignments that are viewed as special. They are humble and determined to keep their vow for as long as they remain in special full-time service.

20. How should we view our vows to God? Why?

²⁰ In this article, we have discussed three vows that we might make to God. Perhaps you have made some of these vows yourself. We know that our vows must be taken seriously and that we should do all we can to keep them. (Proverbs 20:25) If we do not keep our vows to Jehovah, there may be serious consequences. (Ecclesiastes 5:6) So let us be like the psalmist who said to Jehovah: “I will sing praises to your name forever as I pay my vows day after day.”​—Psalm 61:8.

1, 2. (a) In what way is this wicked world similar to a criminal who is about to be executed? (See opening picture.) (b) How will everyone in heaven and on earth feel after this wicked system is destroyed?

IMAGINE the scene. A dangerous criminal is walking down a prison hallway while the guards with him shout out, “Dead man walking!” Why do they say this? Even though the criminal is alive and looks healthy, he has been sentenced to death and is about to be executed. It is as if he were already dead.a​—See footnote.

² The wicked world we live in is similar to that criminal who is about to be executed. The Bible says: “The world is passing away.” (1 John 2:17) Jehovah has decided that this system will end very soon, so there is no doubt that it will end. But there is one important difference between the end of this system and the execution of that criminal. Some people may feel that the criminal’s judgment was unfair and may protest, hoping that he will not be executed. However, Jehovah is a perfect judge, and his decision to destroy this system is perfectly fair. (Deuteronomy 32:4) Its execution will not be delayed. After this system is finally destroyed, everyone in heaven and on earth will agree that Jehovah’s judgment was right. There will be huge relief!

3. What four problems will be gone when God’s Kingdom comes?

³ What does “the world” that is “passing away” include? It includes the bad things that have become a part of life today. All those things will soon be gone. This is actually part of the “good news of the Kingdom.” (Matthew 24:14) In this article, we will discuss four problems that will be gone when God’s Kingdom comes: wicked people, corrupt organizations, wrong activities, and bad conditions. For each of these we will learn (1) how they affect us now, (2) what Jehovah will do about them, and (3) what he will replace them with.

WICKED PEOPLE

4. How do wicked people affect us now?

⁴ How do wicked people affect us now? The apostle Paul said that in the last days, there would be “critical times hard to deal with.” Then he added: “Wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5, 13) Have you experienced this? Many of us have been victims of wicked people such as violent bullies, hateful racists, and vicious criminals. Some of them do not try to hide the bad things that they do. Others pretend to help people, but in reality they are wicked. Yet, even if we have not been victims of a crime, we are still affected by wicked people. We feel sick when we hear about the cruel way they treat children, the elderly, and others who cannot defend themselves. These wicked people act in a way that makes them seem like wild animals or even demons. (James 3:15) Happily, Jehovah’s Word gives us hope.

5. (a) What opportunity do wicked people still have? (b) What will happen to those who refuse to change?

⁵ What will Jehovah do? Right now Jehovah is giving wicked people the opportunity to change. (Isaiah 55:7) Although this system will soon be destroyed, they have not been finally judged yet. What, though, will happen to those who refuse to change and who support this system right up to the time of the great tribulation? Jehovah has promised to remove all wicked people from the earth. (Read Psalm 37:10.) Today, many have learned to hide the bad things they do, and oftentimes they are not punished. (Job 21:7, 9) But the Bible reminds us: “God’s eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps. There is no darkness or deep shadow where wrongdoers can conceal themselves.” (Job 34:21, 22) So there is no way to hide from Jehovah. He can see everything that the wicked are doing. After Armageddon, we may look where they used to be, but we will not see them. They will be gone forever!​—Psalm 37:12-15.

6. Who will remain when the wicked people are gone, and why is that good news?

⁶ Who will remain when the wicked people are gone? Jehovah promises: “The meek will possess the earth, and they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” Later in the same psalm, we read: “The righteous will possess the earth, and they will live forever on it.” (Psalm 37:11, 29) Who are “the meek” and “the righteous”? The meek are humble ones who learn from and obey Jehovah. The righteous are those who love to do what God says is right. In the world today, there are many more wicked people than righteous ones. But in the new world, there will only be meek and righteous people, and they will make the earth a paradise!

CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS

7. How do corrupt organizations affect us today?

⁷ How do corrupt organizations affect us now? Much of the evil in the world today is not caused by individuals but by organizations. Religious organizations deceive millions of people. For example, they lie about who God is, they say the Bible cannot be trusted, and they deceive people about the future of the earth and mankind. Corrupt governments promote war and racial violence and oppress the poor and defenseless. Such governments become more wealthy and powerful by showing favoritism or accepting bribes. Greedy corporations pollute the environment, destroy natural resources, and take advantage of people so that a few can get rich. Clearly, corrupt organizations are responsible for much of the suffering in the world today.

8. What does the Bible say will happen to organizations that seem strong to many people today?

⁸ What will Jehovah do? The great tribulation will begin when the political powers attack all false religious organizations, which the Bible describes as a prostitute named Babylon the Great. (Revelation 17:1, 2, 16; 18:1-4) Those religious organizations will be completely destroyed. But what will happen to all other corrupt organizations? The Bible compares them to mountains and islands because they seem to be strong and solid. (Read Revelation 6:14.) But it adds that the governments and all other organizations that do not support God’s Kingdom will be destroyed. This will be the final part of the great tribulation. (Jeremiah 25:31-33) After that, there will be no corrupt organizations at all!

9. Why can we be sure that the new earth will be well-organized?

⁹ What will replace corrupt organizations? After Armageddon, will there be any organization on earth? The Bible says: “There are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.” (2 Peter 3:13) The old heavens and earth are the corrupt governments and the people whom they control. After they are gone, what will replace them? “New heavens and a new earth.” The new heavens refer to a new government, the Kingdom made up of Jesus Christ and his 144,000 corulers. The new earth refers to the people ruled by God’s Kingdom. Jesus and his corulers will perfectly imitate Jehovah God, who is a God of order. (1 Corinthians 14:33) So the “new earth” will be organized. There will be good men to take care of things. (Psalm 45:16) Those men will be guided by Christ and the 144,000. Imagine a time when all corrupt organizations will be replaced by a single, united organization that can never be corrupted!

WRONG ACTIVITIES

10. What kind of wrong activities are common where you live, and how are you and your family affected?

¹⁰ How do wrong activities affect us now? We live in a world where immorality, dishonesty, and brutal violence are common. The world’s entertainment makes such things look attractive while making fun of Jehovah’s standards of right and wrong. (Isaiah 5:20) Parents especially must fight to protect their children from such bad influences. In fact, all true Christians have to work hard to protect their relationship with Jehovah in a world that does not respect God’s standards.

11. What do we learn from Jehovah’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah?

¹¹ What will Jehovah do about wrong activities? Consider what Jehovah did about the bad things happening in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. (Read 2 Peter 2:6-8.) Lot was a righteous man, and he and his family suffered greatly because of all the bad things the people around them were doing. Jehovah destroyed that entire region to end the wicked things happening there. But he was also “setting a pattern” for wicked people today. Just as Jehovah ended all the immoral activities back then, he will also end them today when he destroys this present system.

12. What are some activities that you look forward to when this system is gone?

¹² What will replace wrong activities? In the new world, we will be busy with many happy activities. For example, we will turn the earth into a paradise and build homes for ourselves and our loved ones. We will also welcome back to life millions of resurrected ones and teach them about Jehovah and all he has done for humans. (Isaiah 65:21, 22; Acts 24:15) At that time, we will be busy with activities that will make us happy and bring praise to Jehovah!

BAD CONDITIONS

13. What has resulted from the rebellion in Eden?

¹³ How do bad conditions affect us now? A world full of wicked people, corrupt organizations, and wrong activities has led to bad living conditions. All of us are affected by things such as war, poverty, racism, sickness, and death. These bad conditions began because Satan, Adam, and Eve rebelled against Jehovah. And all of us have been affected by their rebellion.

14. What will Jehovah do about bad conditions?

¹⁴ What will Jehovah do about bad conditions? Consider some examples. Jehovah promises to end all wars. (Read Psalm 46:8, 9.) He will eliminate sickness. (Isaiah 33:24) He will swallow up death forever. (Isaiah 25:8) He will end poverty. (Psalm 72:12-16) And Jehovah will remove all the other bad conditions that make life miserable today. He will even remove the bad influence of Satan and his demons!​—Ephesians 2:2.

15. What are some things that will be gone forever after Armageddon?

¹⁵ Just imagine what it will be like to live in a world without war, sickness, or death! There will be no armies, weapons, or war memorials. We will not need hospitals, doctors, nurses, morgues, or cemeteries. There will be no crime, so we will not need police, security alarms, or perhaps even locks or keys! All these bad conditions that cause us so much anxiety will be gone forever.

16, 17. (a) How will those who survive Armageddon feel? Illustrate. (b) How can we be sure that we will remain after this old world is gone?

¹⁶ What will life be like when bad conditions are gone? It is not easy to imagine. We have lived with bad conditions for so long that we may not even notice how much stress they cause us. To illustrate, people who live near a busy train station may no longer notice the noise. And people who live near a garbage dump may no longer notice the smell. But when Jehovah takes away all bad conditions, it will be a huge relief!

¹⁷ What will replace all the stress we feel now? Psalm 37:11 says: “They will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.” How comforting it is to know that this is what Jehovah wants for us! During these stressful times, do everything you can to stay close to Jehovah and his organization. Your hope for the future is precious, so think deeply about it, make sure that it is real to you, and share it with others. (1 Timothy 4:15, 16; 1 Peter 3:15) That way, you can be sure that when this system comes to an end, you will remain alive and be happy forever!

1. How did Abraham show that he trusted in Jehovah’s justice? (See opening picture.)

“WILL the Judge of all the earth not do what is right?” (Genesis 18:25) The faithful man Abraham did not ask that question because he was in doubt. Instead, his question showed that he was confident that Jehovah would judge the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah with perfect justice. He was convinced that Jehovah would never put “the righteous man to death with the wicked one.” That was “unthinkable” to Abraham. Later, Jehovah said of himself: “The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness who is never unjust; righteous and upright is he.”​—Deuteronomy 31:19; 32:4.

2. Why is it impossible for Jehovah to be unjust?

² Why was Abraham confident that Jehovah would always do what is right? Because Jehovah is the greatest example of justice and righteousness. In fact, the words “justice” and “righteousness” are often used together in the Hebrew Scriptures because they have similar meanings. So since Jehovah’s standards are always right, he will always judge matters correctly. The Bible says: “He loves righteousness and justice.”​—Psalm 33:5.

3. Give an example of injustice in the world today.

³ It is comforting to know that Jehovah is always fair. However, the world today is full of injustice. For example, people have been convicted and sent to prison for crimes that they did not commit. As a result of DNA tests, some have eventually been found innocent, but only after spending many years in prison. Such injustices cause frustration and anger. However, there is another type of injustice that may be even more difficult to endure. What is it?

INJUSTICE INSIDE THE CONGREGATION

4. How might a Christian’s faith be tested?

⁴ Christians expect to experience some injustice outside the Christian congregation. However, our faith may be tested if we notice or experience something that seems to be unjust inside the congregation. If this happens, how will you react? Will you allow it to stumble you?

5. Why should it not surprise us if we observe or experience injustice in the congregation?

⁵ All of us are imperfect and make mistakes, so it is possible that someone could be unfair to us or that we could be unfair to someone else in the congregation. (1 John 1:8) Even though this rarely happens, faithful Christians are not surprised or stumbled when an injustice takes place. Jehovah has given us practical advice in the Bible to help us remain faithful if we experience injustice from one of our brothers or sisters.​—Psalm 55:12-14.

6, 7. What injustice did one brother experience in the congregation, and what qualities helped him?

⁶ Consider the experience of Willi Diehl. Beginning in 1931, Brother Diehl served faithfully at Bethel in Bern, Switzerland. In 1946, he attended the eighth class of Gilead School in New York, U.S.A. After graduation, he was eventually assigned to the circuit work in Switzerland. In his life story, Brother Diehl said that in May 1949, he informed the Switzerland branch that he planned to get married. The responsible brothers told him that they were taking away all his privileges. He would only be allowed to pioneer. “I was not permitted to give talks,” said Brother Diehl. “Many no longer greeted us, treating us like disfellowshipped persons.”

⁷ How did Brother Diehl react? He said: “We knew, however, that getting married was not unscriptural, so we took refuge in prayer and put our trust in Jehovah.” Even though some brothers did not understand Jehovah’s view of marriage, in time their understanding was corrected, and Brother Diehl got his privileges back. Jehovah rewarded his loyalty.a (See footnote.) Let us ask ourselves: ‘If I experienced such injustice, would I also be patient and wait on Jehovah to correct the situation? Or would I rely on myself and try to fight the injustice?’​—Proverbs 11:2; read Micah 7:7.

8. Why might we mistakenly think that we or others have been victims of injustice?

⁸ If you feel that there has been some injustice in the congregation, remember that you could be mistaken. Why? We are imperfect and may have misunderstood the situation. We also may not have all the facts. But whether our understanding is correct or not, we must pray to Jehovah about the situation, rely on him, and remain loyal. This will prevent us from becoming “enraged against Jehovah.”​—Read Proverbs 19:3.

9. What examples will we consider in this article and in the next?

⁹ Let us learn from three instances of injustice that Jehovah’s people experienced in Bible times. In this article, we will consider Abraham’s great-grandson Joseph and his experience with his brothers. In the next article, we will discuss the way Jehovah treated King Ahab and the apostle Peter’s experience in Syrian Antioch. As we discuss these examples, look for ways that you can stay focused on Jehovah and preserve your relationship with him, especially when you believe that you have been treated unfairly.

JOSEPH WAS A VICTIM OF INJUSTICE

10, 11. (a) What injustices did Joseph experience? (b) What opportunity did Joseph have while he was in prison?

¹⁰ Joseph was a faithful servant of Jehovah who experienced injustice from strangers. But what hurt him the most was the injustice from his own brothers. When Joseph was 17 years old, his brothers kidnapped him and sold him as a slave. Then he was taken to Egypt. (Genesis 37:23-28; 42:21) Later, in that foreign country, Joseph was falsely accused of trying to rape a woman and was sent to prison without a trial. (Genesis 39:17-20) Joseph’s suffering as a slave and as a prisoner lasted for about 13 years. What lessons can we learn from Joseph’s experience that will help us if we experience injustice from our brothers?

¹¹ While Joseph was in prison, the chief cupbearer of the king was also sent to prison. One night, the cupbearer had a dream, which Jehovah helped Joseph to interpret. Joseph explained that the cupbearer would be released from prison and would serve Pharaoh again. Then Joseph took the opportunity to explain his situation to the man. We can learn much not only from what Joseph said but also from what he did not say.​—Genesis 40:5-13.

12, 13. (a) How do we know that Joseph did not simply accept the injustice? (b) What did Joseph not tell the cupbearer?

¹² Read Genesis 40:14, 15. Notice that Joseph said he had been “kidnapped.” The word the Bible uses here can also mean “stolen.” Obviously, he was the victim of injustice. Joseph also said clearly that he was not guilty of the crime that he was accused of. That is why he asked the cupbearer to mention him to Pharaoh. What was his goal? He said: “In order to get me out of this place.”

¹³ Did Joseph simply accept his situation without trying to do something about it? No! Joseph knew that he was the victim of many injustices. That is why he explained his situation to the cupbearer, hoping that the man would be able to help him. But note that the Scriptures do not say that Joseph ever told anyone, not even Pharaoh, that his brothers were the kidnappers. In fact, when his brothers came to Egypt and made peace with Joseph, Pharaoh welcomed them and invited them to live in Egypt and to enjoy “the best of all the land.”​—Genesis 45:16-20.

14. What will protect us from saying something hurtful if we experience injustice in the congregation?

¹⁴ If we think that we have experienced injustice in the congregation, we must be very careful not to gossip about the situation. Of course, we should ask for help from the elders and tell them if a brother has committed a serious sin. (Leviticus 5:1) However, in many cases that do not involve a serious sin, it may be possible to make peace with a brother without telling anyone else, not even the elders. (Read Matthew 5:23, 24; 18:15.) Let us be loyal and apply Bible principles in these situations. Sometimes we may realize that we have misunderstood the situation and that we were not the victim of an injustice after all. Then we would be grateful that we did not make the situation worse by saying bad things about our brother! Remember that whether we are right or wrong, saying something hurtful will never improve a situation. Loyalty to Jehovah and to our brothers will protect us from making such a mistake. The psalmist said that there is “one who is walking faultlessly.” Such a person “does not slander with his tongue, he does nothing bad to his neighbor.”​—Psalm 15:2, 3; James 3:5.

REMEMBER YOUR MOST IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP

15. How was Joseph’s relationship with Jehovah a blessing?

¹⁵ We can learn another important lesson from Joseph. During the 13 years he suffered injustice, Joseph showed that he had Jehovah’s view of matters. (Genesis 45:5-8) He never blamed Jehovah for his situation. Of course, Joseph did not forget the injustice he suffered, but he did not become bitter. Most important, he did not allow the imperfections and wrong actions of others to separate him from Jehovah. Joseph’s loyalty gave him the opportunity to see Jehovah correct the injustice and bless him and his family.

16. Why should we draw even closer to Jehovah if we experience injustice in the congregation?

¹⁶ In a similar way, we must cherish and protect our relationship with Jehovah. We should never allow the imperfections of our brothers to separate us from the God we love and worship. (Romans 8:38, 39) Instead, if we experience injustice in the congregation, let us imitate Joseph and draw even closer to Jehovah. Try to have His view of matters. After we have done all that we can to solve the problem by following Bible principles, we need to leave the matter in Jehovah’s hands. We can be confident that he will correct the matter in his own time and way.

TRUST “THE JUDGE OF ALL THE EARTH”

17. How can we show that we have confidence in “the Judge of all the earth”?

¹⁷ As long as we live in this wicked world, we can expect to experience injustices. At rare times, you or someone you know may experience or observe what seems to be an injustice in the congregation. Do not be stumbled. (Psalm 119:165) Instead, remain loyal to God, pray to him for help, and rely on him. Remember that because of imperfection, you may have misunderstood the situation, and you probably do not have all the facts. Imitate Joseph’s example and avoid negative speech, which can make a bad situation worse. Finally, rather than relying on yourself, be determined to remain loyal and wait patiently for Jehovah to correct the matter. Then you will have Jehovah’s approval and blessing, as Joseph did. You can be sure that Jehovah, “the Judge of all the earth,” will always do what is right, “for all his ways are justice.”​—Genesis 18:25; Deuteronomy 32:4.

18. What will we consider in the next article?

¹⁸ In the next article, we will consider two more examples of injustice among Jehovah’s people in Bible times. These examples will help us to see how humility and forgiveness will help us to imitate Jehovah’s view of justice.

1, 2. (a) What injustice did Naboth and his sons experience? (b) What two qualities will we consider in this article?

TWO bad men accuse a man of a very serious crime. What they say is a lie. But the man is found guilty and is to be executed. Imagine how people who loved justice felt as they watched this innocent man and his sons being stoned to death! This is not just a story. It is what really happened to a faithful servant of Jehovah named Naboth, who lived when King Ahab ruled Israel.​—1 Kings 21:11-13; 2 Kings 9:26.

² In this article, we will discuss what happened to Naboth. We will also discuss the serious mistake that a faithful elder in one of the first Christian congregations made. These two examples will show us how humility and a willingness to forgive are necessary if we want to imitate Jehovah’s sense of justice.

A TRAGIC INJUSTICE

3, 4. What kind of man was Naboth, and why did he refuse to sell his vineyard to King Ahab?

³ Naboth was faithful to Jehovah at a time when most Israelites were following the bad example of King Ahab and his wife, wicked Queen Jezebel. They worshipped the false god Baal and did not respect Jehovah or his laws. But Naboth valued his relationship with Jehovah even more than his own life.

⁴ Read 1 Kings 21:1-3. When Ahab offered to buy Naboth’s vineyard or to give him a better vineyard in exchange, Naboth refused. Why? He respectfully explained: “It is unthinkable, from Jehovah’s standpoint, for me to give you the inheritance of my forefathers.” Naboth refused King Ahab’s offer because it was against Jehovah’s law for Israelites to sell their family inheritance permanently. (Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7) Clearly, Naboth was obedient to Jehovah.

5. What did Jezebel do in order to get Naboth’s vineyard?

⁵ When Naboth refused to sell his vineyard, King Ahab and his wife did terrible things. In order to get the vineyard, Queen Jezebel asked two men to accuse Naboth of a crime he had not committed. As a result, both Naboth and his sons were killed. What did Jehovah do about this tragic injustice?

GOD’S JUSTICE

6, 7. How did Jehovah show that he loves justice, and why would this have been comforting to Naboth’s family and friends?

⁶ Right away Jehovah sent Elijah to confront Ahab. Elijah told Ahab that he was a murderer and a thief. What was Jehovah’s decision? Ahab, his wife, and his sons would be killed, as had been Naboth and his sons.​—1 Kings 21:17-25.

⁷ Naboth’s family and friends grieved over the terrible things Ahab had done. But Jehovah saw the injustice and quickly responded to it. That must have been comforting to them. However, their humility and trust in Jehovah were probably tested by what happened next.

8. How did Ahab react when he heard Jehovah’s message, and what was the result?

⁸ When Ahab heard what Jehovah had decided to do to him, “he ripped his garments apart and put sackcloth on his body; and he went on a fast and kept lying down in sackcloth and walking despondently.” Ahab humbled himself! What was the result? Jehovah told Elijah: “Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the calamity during his lifetime. I will bring the calamity upon his house in the days of his son.” (1 Kings 21:27-29; 2 Kings 10:10, 11, 17) Jehovah, “the examiner of hearts,” the one who can see who we really are, showed mercy to Ahab.​—Proverbs 17:3.

HUMILITY IS A PROTECTION

9. Why would humility have been a protection to Naboth’s family and friends?

⁹ When Naboth’s family and friends heard that Ahab’s family would not be punished until after Ahab died, that may have tested their faith in God. But humility would have helped them to protect their faith. Why? If they were humble, they would continue worshipping Jehovah, trusting that it is impossible for God to be unfair. (Read Deuteronomy 32:3, 4.) In the future, Naboth’s family will experience the blessing of seeing their loved ones in the resurrection. There will be perfect justice for Naboth and his sons. (Job 14:14, 15; John 5:28, 29) A humble person knows that “the true God will judge every deed, including every hidden thing, as to whether it is good or bad.” (Ecclesiastes 12:14) Jehovah considers facts that are not known to us. So humility protects us from losing our faith in Jehovah.

10, 11. (a) What situations might test our sense of justice? (b) In what ways will humility protect us?

¹⁰ How will you react if the elders make a decision that you do not understand or that you do not agree with? For example, what will you do if you or someone you love loses an assignment in Jehovah’s service? What if your marriage mate, your son or daughter, or your close friend is disfellowshipped and you do not agree with the elders’ decision? What will you do if you believe that it was a mistake for the elders to show mercy to someone who sinned? These situations can test our faith in Jehovah and the way he has organized the congregation today. How will humility protect you if you are tested by one of those situations? Let us consider two ways.

¹¹ First, if we are humble, we will agree that we do not have all the facts. Even if we think we know everything there is to know about a situation, only Jehovah knows what is in a person’s heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) When we remember this, we will humbly recognize that we have limitations and that we need to adjust our thinking. Second, if we have observed or experienced an injustice, humility will help us to be obedient and patient and wait for Jehovah to correct the situation. The Bible says: “It will turn out well for those who fear the true God.” The Bible also says: “But it will not turn out well for the wicked one, nor will he prolong his days.” (Ecclesiastes 8:12, 13) If we remain humble, we will benefit and so will everyone involved.​—Read 1 Peter 5:5.

A CASE OF HYPOCRISY IN THE CONGREGATION

12. What account will we now consider, and why?

¹² The early Christians in Syrian Antioch experienced a situation that tested their humility and also their willingness to forgive. Let us consider that account and use it to examine our attitude about forgiveness. It may help us to understand why Jehovah can use imperfect people without lowering his standards.

13, 14. What assignments did the apostle Peter have, and how did he show that he was courageous?

¹³ The apostle Peter was an elder whom most of the early Christians knew very well. He was a personal friend of Jesus and had been given important assignments. (Matthew 16:19) For example, in the year 36, Peter was assigned to preach to Cornelius and everyone in his house. Why was this special? Because Cornelius was not a Jew; he was an uncircumcised Gentile. When Cornelius and those in his house received holy spirit, Peter recognized that they could be baptized as Christians. He said: “Can anyone deny water to prevent these from being baptized who have received the holy spirit just as we have?”​—Acts 10:47.

¹⁴ In the year 49, the apostles and the elders in Jerusalem met to decide whether Gentile Christians needed to be circumcised. At this meeting, Peter courageously reminded the brothers that he had personally seen uncircumcised Gentiles receive the holy spirit. It was Peter’s experience that helped the governing body to make their decision. (Acts 15:6-11, 13, 14, 28, 29) Both Jewish and Gentile Christians must have been grateful that Peter had the courage to tell the facts. It must have been easy for those early Christians to trust this faithful and mature man!​—Hebrews 13:7.

15. What mistake did Peter make while he was in Syrian Antioch? (See opening picture.)

¹⁵ Soon after the meeting in Jerusalem, Peter visited Syrian Antioch. While he was there, he spent time with his Gentile brothers. We can imagine how much they loved learning from Peter’s knowledge and experience. However, they must have been surprised and hurt when Peter suddenly stopped eating with them. Peter influenced other Jewish Christians, including Barnabas, to do the same. Why did this mature Christian elder make such a serious mistake, one that could have divided the congregation? More important, what can we learn from Peter’s mistake that can help us if we are hurt by the words or actions of an elder?

16. How was Peter corrected, and what questions arise?

¹⁶ Read Galatians 2:11-14. Peter became afraid of men. (Proverbs 29:25) Peter knew how Jehovah felt about the Gentiles. Still, he was afraid that the circumcised Jewish Christians visiting from Jerusalem would think less of him for associating with those Gentile Christians. The apostle Paul told Peter that he was being a hypocrite. Why? Because Paul had heard Peter defend the Gentiles at the meeting in Jerusalem in the year 49. (Acts 15:12; Galatians 2:13, footnote) How would the Gentile Christians whom Peter had offended react? Would they allow themselves to be stumbled? Would Peter lose his assignments because of his mistake?

BE FORGIVING

17. How did Peter benefit from Jehovah’s forgiveness?

¹⁷ Peter was humble and accepted Paul’s correction. The Scriptures do not say that Peter lost any of his assignments. In fact, he was later inspired to write two letters that became part of the Bible. In his second letter, he even refers to Paul as “our beloved brother.” (2 Peter 3:15) Peter’s mistake must have been painful for the Gentile Christians. However, Jesus, who is head of the congregation, continued to use him. (Ephesians 1:22) Brothers and sisters in the congregation had an opportunity to imitate Jesus and his Father by forgiving Peter. Hopefully, no one allowed himself to be stumbled by an imperfect man’s mistake.

18. When may we need to imitate Jehovah’s sense of justice?

¹⁸ There were no perfect elders in the early Christian congregation, and there are no perfect elders in the Christian congregation today. The Bible says: “We all make mistakes many times.” (James 3:2, footnote) This is easy to recognize, but what will we do when we personally experience the imperfections of a brother? Will we imitate Jehovah’s sense of justice? For example, how will you respond if an elder makes a comment that seems prejudiced? Will you allow yourself to be stumbled if an elder thoughtlessly says something that offends or hurts you? Rather than quickly thinking that the brother should not be an elder, will you patiently wait on Jesus, the head of the congregation? Rather than focusing on the mistake, will you remember the brother’s many years of faithful service? If a brother who sins against you continues to serve as an elder or even receives more assignments, will you be happy for him? If you are willing to forgive, you show that you are imitating Jehovah’s sense of justice.​—Read Matthew 6:14, 15.

19. What should we be determined to do?

¹⁹ Because we love justice, we truly look forward to the day when Jehovah will completely erase all the injustice caused by Satan and his wicked system. (Isaiah 65:17) Until then, when we experience an injustice, let us humbly recognize that we may not have all the facts and generously forgive those who sin against us. If we do, we will be imitating Jehovah’s view of justice.

1, 2. (a) What did Eliphaz and Bildad say about how God views our service? (b) What did Jehovah say on the subject?

MANY years ago, three men went to speak to a faithful servant of God named Job. One of the men, Eliphaz the Temanite, asked Job some interesting questions: “Can a man be of use to God? Can anyone with insight be of benefit to him? Does the Almighty care that you are righteous, or does he gain anything because you follow the course of integrity?” (Job 22:1-3) Eliphaz clearly thought that the answer was no. Another one of the men, Bildad the Shuhite, then added that it is impossible for humans to be considered righteous by God.​—Read Job 25:4.

² Eliphaz and Bildad tried to make Job feel that his efforts to serve Jehovah were worthless. Those men wanted Job to believe that we are no more valuable to God than a moth, a maggot, or a worm. (Job 4:19; 25:6) Were they saying that because they were humble? (Job 22:29) It is true that Jehovah is supremely great and that we are very small in comparison to him. If we are on top of a mountain or looking out from an airplane window, we get a sense of how tiny and unimportant we are. But is that how Jehovah feels about our efforts to serve him and to work hard for the Kingdom? No! Jehovah told Eliphaz, Bildad, and the third man, Zophar, that they were telling lies. Then God said that he was happy with Job and called him “my servant.” (Job 42:7, 8) So we can be sure that imperfect humans can “be of use to God.”

“WHAT DO YOU GIVE HIM?”

3. What did Elihu say about our efforts to serve Jehovah? What did he mean?

³ A young man named Elihu was listening to the conversation between Job and the three men. When it was over, Elihu asked Job about Jehovah: “If you are righteous, what do you give him; what does he receive from you?” (Job 35:7) Was Elihu also trying to say that our efforts to serve God are worthless? No. Jehovah did not correct Elihu, as he had the other men. Elihu was making a different point. He was saying that Jehovah does not need us to worship him. Jehovah is complete. There is nothing we could do that would make him richer or stronger. In fact, any good quality or ability we have comes from God, and he notices how we use it.

4. How does Jehovah feel when we are kind to others?

⁴ When we show loyal love to those who worship Jehovah, he views those actions as if they were done to him personally. We read at Proverbs 19:17: “The one showing favor to the lowly is lending to Jehovah, and He will repay him for what he does.” Jehovah actually notices each time we show mercy to others. And although he is the Creator of the universe, Jehovah even chooses to view these actions as a personal loan to him, which he repays with many wonderful gifts. God’s Son, Jesus, confirmed this.​—Read Luke 14:13, 14.

5. What questions will we now discuss?

⁵ In ancient times, Jehovah invited the prophet Isaiah to represent him and serve him in a special way. (Isaiah 6:8-10) Isaiah willingly accepted the invitation and said: “Here I am! Send me!” Today, too, Jehovah gives faithful humans the opportunity to share in his work. Thousands of Jehovah’s servants are showing that they have the same attitude as Isaiah. They are willing to accept assignments to serve Jehovah in many different ways and places and to deal with difficult circumstances and challenges. But someone might say to himself: ‘I appreciate the opportunity to volunteer in Jehovah’s service, but does it really matter what I personally do? With or without me, will Jehovah not make sure his work gets done?’ Have you ever felt this way? Let us discuss how some events in the lives of two of Jehovah’s servants in the past, Deborah and Barak, can help us to answer these questions.

GOD CHANGES FEAR TO COURAGE

6. Why did it seem as if Jabin’s army could easily conquer the Israelites?

⁶ Barak was an Israelite warrior, and Deborah was a prophetess. For 20 years, the Israelites had been “harshly oppressed” by a Canaanite king named Jabin. Jabin’s army was so fierce and cruel that the Israelites living in villages were afraid even to leave their homes. Jabin’s army had 900 war chariots with iron scythes, but the Israelites did not have proper weapons to fight with or armor to protect themselves.​—Judges 4:1-3, 13; 5:6-8.a (See footnote.)

7, 8. (a) What were Jehovah’s first instructions to Barak? (b) How did Israel defeat Jabin’s army? (See opening picture.)

⁷ Compared with Jabin’s army, the Israelites seemed weak and easy to conquer. But Jehovah commanded Barak through Deborah the prophetess: “Go and march to Mount Tabor, and take 10,000 men of Naphtali and Zebulun with you. I will bring to you Sisera, the chief of Jabin’s army, along with his war chariots and his troops to the stream of Kishon, and I will give him into your hand.”​—Judges 4:4-7.

⁸ The request for volunteers went out, and 10,000 men gathered at Mount Tabor. Then Barak and his men went into battle against the enemy army at a place called Taanach. (Read Judges 4:14-16.) Did Jehovah help the Israelites? Yes. There was a sudden rainstorm, and the dry battlefield turned into mud. This gave the Israelites an advantage. Barak chased Sisera’s army for 15 miles (24 kilometers), all the way to a place called Harosheth. Somewhere along the way, Sisera’s war chariot got stuck in the mud. He got out and ran to Zaanannim, possibly near Kedesh. There Sisera went to hide in the tent of a woman named Jael. Sisera was exhausted and fell fast asleep. While he was sleeping, Jael courageously put him to death. (Judges 4:17-21) Jehovah had given the Israelites victory over their enemies!b (See footnote.)

VERY DIFFERENT ATTITUDES ABOUT VOLUNTEER SERVICE

9. What do we learn at Judges 5:20, 21 about the battle against Sisera?

⁹ We learn more about the events described in Judges chapter 4 by reading the next chapter. Judges 5:20, 21 tells us: “From heaven the stars fought; from their orbits they fought against Sisera. The torrent of Kishon washed them away.” Does this mean that angels helped the Israelites during the battle, or does it mean that there was a meteorite shower? The Bible does not explain. But it seems reasonable to think that Jehovah saved his people by making heavy rain fall at that exact place and time so that the 900 war chariots could not move easily. At Judges 4:14, 15, we read three times that Jehovah was given the credit for Israel’s victory. None of the 10,000 Israelite volunteers could take credit for it.

10, 11. What was Meroz? Why was it cursed?

¹⁰ Now let us examine something very interesting. After Israel’s victory, Deborah and Barak sang praises to Jehovah. They sang: “‘Curse Meroz,’ said the angel of Jehovah, ‘yes, curse its inhabitants, for they did not come to the assistance of Jehovah, to the assistance of Jehovah with the mighty ones.’”​—Judges 5:23.

¹¹ What exactly was Meroz? We do not know for sure. But the curse on Meroz worked so well that all traces of it have disappeared. It could be that Meroz was a city whose people did not volunteer to join Barak in battle. Since 10,000 had volunteered for the battle against the Canaanites, the people of Meroz must have heard the request for volunteers. Or Meroz could have been a city that Sisera ran through as he tried to escape from Barak. Maybe the people of Meroz had a chance to capture Sisera but did not do so. Imagine them seeing the fierce warrior running for his life through their streets! They could have done something meaningful to support Jehovah’s purpose. If they had, he would have rewarded them. But when they had the chance to do something for Jehovah, they did nothing. It seems that the people of Meroz were very different from Jael, who acted courageously.​—Judges 5:24-27.

12. What contrast in people’s attitudes is seen at Judges 5:9, 10? How should this affect us?

¹² At Judges 5:9, 10, we see that the attitude of the 10,000 volunteers was very different from the attitude of those who did not volunteer. Deborah and Barak praised “the commanders of Israel, who went as volunteers with the people.” They were very different from the “riders on tawny donkeys,” who felt they were too important for volunteer service. Those people are described as ones “who sit on fine carpets” and “who walk on the road,” enjoying a comfortable life. In contrast, the volunteers willingly went with Barak to fight in the rocky hills of Tabor and the swampy valley of Kishon. Those who wanted an easy life were told: “Consider!” They needed to pay attention and think about the opportunities they had missed by not volunteering for Jehovah’s work. Today, we also need to examine our own attitude toward serving God.

13. How was the attitude of the tribes of Reuben, Dan, and Asher different from that of Zebulun and Naphtali?

¹³ The 10,000 volunteers had the opportunity to see for themselves how Jehovah acts as Sovereign Ruler. They could tell others about it when they spoke of “the righteous acts of Jehovah.” (Judges 5:11) In contrast, the tribes of Reuben, Dan, and Asher cared more about their own riches, such as their flocks, ships, and harbors, than they did about Jehovah’s work. (Judges 5:15-17) Not all the tribes were like that, though. The tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali “risked their lives to the point of death” to support Deborah and Barak. (Judges 5:18) We can learn an important lesson from these different attitudes toward volunteer service.

“PRAISE JEHOVAH!”

14. How do we show that we support Jehovah’s sovereignty today?

¹⁴ Today, we do not support Jehovah’s rulership by fighting. Instead, we show our support by preaching courageously and zealously. More than ever before, volunteers are needed for Jehovah’s work. Millions of brothers, sisters, and young people are volunteering for different types of full-time service. For example, many are pioneering, working at Bethel, building Kingdom Halls, and volunteering at assemblies and conventions. Some elders are working hard on Hospital Liaison Committees and organizing conventions. We can be sure that Jehovah appreciates our willingness to serve him in any way needed and that he will not forget our efforts.​—Hebrews 6:10.

15. How can we make sure that we are not losing our enthusiasm for Jehovah’s work?

¹⁵ We need to examine our own attitude about volunteer service. We can ask ourselves: ‘Am I letting others do most of the work? Am I more concerned with getting material things than with serving Jehovah? Or am I imitating the faith and courage of Barak, Deborah, Jael, and the 10,000 volunteers by using whatever resources I have to serve Jehovah? Am I thinking about moving to another city or country so as to make more money and have a better life? If so, am I praying to Jehovah about how this move would affect my family and congregation?’c (See footnote.)

16. Even though Jehovah has everything, what can we give to him?

¹⁶ Jehovah gives us an incredible honor by letting us support his rulership. Since the time of Adam and Eve, the Devil has wanted humans to take his side against Jehovah. But when we support Jehovah’s rulership, we clearly show Satan whose side we are on. Our faith and loyalty motivate us to volunteer in Jehovah’s service, and this makes him very happy. (Proverbs 23:15, 16) Our God can use our loyal support and obedience to answer Satan’s taunts. (Proverbs 27:11) Our obedience is something we can give to Jehovah that is precious to him and brings him great joy.

17. What does Judges 5:31 teach us about what will happen in the future?

¹⁷ Soon everyone on earth will prefer Jehovah’s rulership to any other. How we look forward to that time! We feel like Deborah and Barak, who sang: “Let all your enemies perish, O Jehovah, but let those who love you be like the sun rising in its glory.” (Judges 5:31) That will happen when Jehovah ends Satan’s wicked world. When the battle of Armageddon begins, Jehovah will not need human volunteers to destroy the enemy. Instead, we will “stand still” and “see the salvation of Jehovah.” (2 Chronicles 20:17) In the meantime, we have marvelous opportunities to support Jehovah’s rulership with courage and zeal.

18. How can your volunteer service benefit others?

¹⁸ Deborah and Barak began their victory song with praise to Jehovah, not to humans. They sang: “Because of the people’s volunteering, praise Jehovah!” (Judges 5:1, 2) In a similar way, when we serve Jehovah in any way needed, others may also be encouraged to “praise Jehovah!”