References for “Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook”

References for Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook

MARCH 2-8

Spiritual Gems

w01 10/1 20 ¶3

What Does It Mean to Be Loyal?

Jehovah told his friend Abraham: “I am a shield for you.” (Genesis 15:1; Isaiah 41:8) These were not mere words. Jehovah protected and delivered Abraham and his household from Pharaoh and from Abimelech. He helped Abraham rescue Lot from a four-king confederacy. Jehovah restored the procreative powers of 100-year-old Abraham and 90-year-old Sarah so that through them might come the promised Seed. Jehovah regularly communicated with Abraham through visions, dreams, and angelic messengers. In fact, Jehovah demonstrated loyalty to Abraham while he was alive and also long after his death. Over the centuries, Jehovah kept his promises to Abraham’s descendants, the nation of Israel, despite their waywardness. Jehovah’s relationship with Abraham was a demonstration of what true loyalty is—love translated into action.—Genesis, chapters 12 to 25.

MARCH 9-15

Spiritual Gems

w24.02 30 ¶8

Questions From Readers

The second example is the prophecy about a conqueror named Cyrus, who would release the Jews from captivity and order the rebuilding of Jehovah’s temple. (Isa. 44:26–45:4) King Cyrus of Persia fulfilled that prophecy. (Ezra 1:1-4) However, Cyrus did not worship the true God. Jehovah used Cyrus to fulfill prophecy without interfering with Cyrus’ free will to choose whom he would worship.—Prov. 21:1.

MARCH 16-22

Spiritual Gems

w11 1/1 14 ¶2-3

Did God Know That Adam and Eve Would Sin?

The Scriptures also show that Jehovah is “wise alone.” (Romans 16:27) God’s heavenly angels witnessed many manifestations of this boundless wisdom. They began “shouting in applause” when Jehovah brought forth his earthly creations. (Job 38:4-7) No doubt these intelligent spirit creatures followed events in the garden of Eden with great interest. Would it, then, make sense for a wise God, after creating an awe-inspiring universe and an array of marvelous earthly works, to bring forth under the eyes of his angelic sons two unique creatures who he knew were bound to fail? Clearly, to plan such a calamity would not stand to reason.

Still, someone may object, ‘But how could an all-wise God not have known?’ Granted, a facet of Jehovah’s great wisdom is his capability to know “from the beginning the finale.” (Isaiah 46:9, 10) However, he does not have to use this capability, just as he does not always have to use his immense power to the full. Jehovah wisely uses his ability of foreknowledge selectively. He uses it when it makes sense to do so and fits the circumstances.

MARCH 23-29

Spiritual Gems

it “Acceptable Time” ¶1-3

Acceptable Time

At 2 Corinthians 6:2 the apostle Paul quotes from the prophecy of Isaiah 49:8, which says: “This is what Jehovah has said: ‘In a time of goodwill I have answered you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you; and I kept safeguarding you that I might give you as a covenant for the people, to rehabilitate the land, to bring about the repossessing of the desolated hereditary possessions.’” In its original setting this statement was evidently made to Isaiah as representing or personifying the nation of Israel. (Isa 49:3) It was clearly a restoration prophecy and, hence, had its first fulfillment at the time of the liberation of Israel from Babylon when the call went to the Israelite prisoners, “Come out!” They thereafter returned to their homeland and rehabilitated the desolated land.—Isa 49:9.

However, the words “that I might give you as a covenant for the people” in verse 8 of this chapter and the preceding statement in verse 6 that this “servant” of Jehovah would be given as “a light of the nations, that [God’s] salvation may come to be to the extremity of the earth,” definitely mark the prophecy as Messianic and as therefore applying to Christ Jesus as God’s “servant.” (Compare Isa 42:1-4, 6, 7 with Mt 12:18-21.) Since the “time of goodwill” was a time when Jehovah would ‘answer’ and ‘help’ his servant, it must apply to Jesus’ earthly life when he “offered up supplications and also petitions to the One who was able to save him out of death, with strong outcries and tears, and he was favorably heard for his godly fear.” (Heb 5:7-9; compare Joh 12:27, 28; 17:1-5; Lu 22:41-44; 23:46.) It was, therefore, “a day of salvation” for God’s own Son, during which period of opportunity he demonstrated perfection of integrity and, as a result, “became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him.”—Heb 5:9.

Additionally, Paul’s quotation from this prophecy indicates a still further application to those Christians whom Paul urges “not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose,” and to whom he says (after quoting Isa 49:8): “Look! Now is the especially acceptable time. Look! Now is the day of salvation.” (2Co 6:1, 2) Such Christians had become the spiritual “Israel of God” from Pentecost of 33 C.E. forward (Ga 6:16), but there was a need for them to prove worthy of God’s undeserved kindness, so that the “acceptable time” might indeed prove to be “a day of salvation” for them.

APRIL 6-12

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | ISAIAH 50-51

Listen to the One Whom God Taught

kr 182 ¶5

Training Ministers of the Kingdom

⁵ In due time, Jehovah taught his Son about the ministry that he would carry out on earth. Consider a prophecy that describes the relationship between the Grand Instructor and his firstborn Son. (Read Isaiah 50:4, 5.) Jehovah awakened his Son “morning by morning,” says the prophecy. That word picture conveys the idea of a teacher who wakes his pupil up early in the morning in order to teach him. One Bible reference work states: “Jehovah . . . takes him as it were into the school after the manner of a pupil, and teaches him what and how he is to preach.” In that heavenly “school,” Jehovah taught his Son “what to say and what to speak.” (John 12:49) The Father also gave his Son instruction on how to teach. While on earth, Jesus put his training to good use not only by carrying out his ministry but also by training his followers to fulfill their ministry.

cf 133 ¶13

“I Love the Father”

¹³ In his prehuman existence, the Son had eagerly learned from his Father. A prophecy recorded at Isaiah 50:4-6 reveals that Jehovah gave his Son specialized education regarding his role as the Messiah. Even though such education included learning about some of the hardships that would befall Jehovah’s Anointed One, the Son learned eagerly. Later, after Jesus came to earth and grew to adulthood, he remained eager to go to his Father’s house and share in the worship and the learning that Jehovah wanted to see promoted there. The Bible thus reports on Jesus’ faithful attendance at the temple and at the synagogue. (Luke 4:16; 19:47) If we want to keep our love for Jehovah alive and thriving, we need to be diligent about attending Christian meetings, where we worship Jehovah and deepen our knowledge and appreciation of him.

Spiritual Gems

it “Quarry” ¶2

Quarry

Using an eloquent metaphor, Jehovah, by the mouth of Isaiah, calls to mind the quarry and its operation. (Isa 51:1) As indicated in the succeeding verse, “the rock” was apparently Abraham, as the human source of the nation, and “the hollow of the pit” was Sarah, whose pitlike womb bore Israel’s ancestor Isaac. (Isa 51:2) However, since the birth of Isaac was by divine power and a miraculous act, the metaphoric quarrying may also have a higher spiritual application. Thus, Deuteronomy 32:18 refers to Jehovah as “The Rock who fathered” Israel, the “One bringing you forth [the same verb used of Sarah at Isa 51:2] with childbirth pains.”

APRIL 13-19

Spiritual Gems

it “Utensils” ¶2

Utensils

Often keliʹ designates the various utensils used in connection with the sanctuary. These utensils included such items as dishes, pitchers, shovels, bowls, forks, fire holders, extinguishers, snuffers, basins, and cups. (Ex 25:29, 30, 39; 27:3, 19; 37:16, 23; 38:3; 1Ki 7:40-50; 2Ch 4:11-22) Being used for a sacred purpose, these utensils were “holy.” (1Ki 8:4) Accordingly, since the Jews who left Babylon in 537 B.C.E. were privileged to carry with them the sacred utensils that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem, they had to keep themselves clean religiously and morally. The prophetic command applied to them: “Turn away, turn away, get out of [Babylon], touch nothing unclean; get out from the midst of her, keep yourselves clean, you who are carrying the utensils of Jehovah.” (Isa 52:11) This required more than cleanness in an outward ceremonial way. It called for a cleanness of heart. The apostle Paul, when writing to the Corinthians, applied the words of Isaiah 52:11 in showing that Christians must likewise be free from defilement of flesh and spirit.—2Co 6:14-18; 7:1.

APRIL 20-26

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | ISAIAH 54-55

be 14 ¶3-5

“Pay Attention to How You Listen”

There are many obstacles to our listening attentively. Our minds may be crowded with anxieties. Noise and movement in the audience or outside the meeting place may distract us. Physical discomfort may make it difficult for us to concentrate. Those with young children often find that their attention is divided. What can help us to keep our attention focused on the program?

The eyes strongly influence where we focus our attention. Use your eyes to help you concentrate by keeping them on the speaker. When he cites a Bible text—even a familiar one—look it up, and follow along as he reads it. Resist the temptation to turn your head in the direction of every noise or movement. If the eyes are flooding your mind with distracting information, you will miss much of what is being presented from the platform.

If any “disquieting thoughts” make it difficult for you to focus on the program, pray to Jehovah for the calmness of mind and heart needed to pay attention. (Ps. 94:19; Phil. 4:6, 7) Do so repeatedly if necessary. (Matt. 7:7, 8) The congregation meetings are a provision from Jehovah. You can be confident that he wants you to benefit from them.—1 John 5:14, 15.

APRIL 27–MAY 3

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | ISAIAH 56-57

We Are Happy to Have Jehovah as Our God

ip-2 269 ¶14-16

Jehovah Revives the Spirit of the Lowly Ones

¹⁴ However, the period of God’s long-suffering will end. Looking toward that time, Jehovah declares: “I myself shall tell forth your righteousness and your works, that they will not benefit you. When you cry for aid your collection of things will not deliver you, but a wind will carry even all of them away. An exhalation will take them away.” (Isaiah 57:12, 13a) Jehovah will expose Judah’s sham righteousness. Her hypocritical works will be of no benefit. Her “collection of things,” her inventory of idols, will not deliver her. When calamity strikes, the gods in which she trusts will be blown away by a mere breath of wind.

¹⁵ Jehovah’s words are fulfilled in 607 B.C.E. That is when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem, burns the temple, and takes most of the people captive. “Thus Judah went into exile from off its soil.”—2 Kings 25:1-21.

¹⁶ Similarly, Christendom’s large inventory of idols will not deliver her in the day of Jehovah’s anger. (Isaiah 2:19-22; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10) Along with the rest of “Babylon the Great”—the world conglomerate of false religion—Christendom will be annihilated. The symbolic scarlet-colored wild beast and its ten horns “will make [Babylon the Great] devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.” (Revelation 17:3, 16, 17) How glad we are to have obeyed the command: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues”! (Revelation 18:4, 5) May we never return to her or her ways.

Spiritual Gems

w07 1/15 10 ¶3

Highlights From the Book of Isaiah—II

56:6—Who are “the foreigners,” and in what ways are they “laying hold of [Jehovah’s] covenant”? “The foreigners” are Jesus’ “other sheep.” (John 10:16) They lay hold of the new covenant in that they obey the laws related to that covenant, cooperate fully with the arrangements made through it, partake of the same spiritual food as anointed Christians do, and support them in the Kingdom-preaching and disciple-making work.

w06 11/1 27 ¶1

Showing Respect for Our Sacred Gatherings

JEHOVAH has gathered his people, anointed Christians and their companions, to worship him at his “holy mountain.” He is making them rejoice inside his “house of prayer,” his spiritual temple, which is “a house of prayer for all the nations.” (Isaiah 56:7; Mark 11:17) These developments indicate that Jehovah’s worship is holy, pure, and elevated. By showing proper respect for our meetings for study and worship, we prove that we share Jehovah’s view of sacred things.