You Paying Attention to the Warnings?

1. What judgment will soon take place?

WE LIVING in the time that some big-big thing them happening! Jesus will soon judge everybody who living on earth. Jesus tell his disciples about some thing them they will see happening to show that he king in heaven and that “the conclusion of the system of things” na start. (Matt. 24:3) We can see what Jesus say in Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Mark chapter 13 and Luke chapter 21.

2. Wetin we coming talk about in this article, and how it will help us?

² Jesus use three parables that can help us. That the parables about the sheep and the goats, the discreet and the foolish virgins, and the talents. Each of this parable will help us to understand how somebody behavior will affect the way Jesus will judge them. When we discussing this parable them, let try to find lessons we can learn and how to apply them. The first parable we will talk about, that the sheep and the goats.

THE SHEEP AND THE GOATS

3. What time Jesus will judge people?

³ In the parable about the sheep and the goats, Jesus say he will judge people base on whether they listen to the good news and whether they support his anointed brothers. (Matt. 25:​31-46) He will do this judgment during the “great tribulation,” right before Armageddon start. (Matt. 24:21) Just how the shepherd can take the sheep from among the goats, that the same way Jesus will take those who faithfully supporting his anointed brothers from among those who not doing it.

4. According to Isaiah 11:​3, 4, why we can be sure that Jesus will be fair when he judging people? (Also see the picture.)

⁴ The Bible show that Jehovah appoint Jesus to be the Judge. So when Jesus judging people, he will be fair. (Read Isaiah 11:​3, 4.) He looking at the way people can act, think, talk and the way they treat his anointed brothers. (Matt. 12:​36, 37; 25:40) Jesus will know all the people who support his anointed brothers and their work.a One main way people can support Christ brothers, that to help them to do the preaching work. The people who support Jesus brothers, he will judge them to be “righteous” and they will get the opportunity to live on earth forever. (Matt. 25:46; Rev. 7:​16, 17) That not small blessing for the people who will remain faithful! When they remain faithful during the great tribulation and even after it, their names will remain in “the book of life.”—Rev. 20:15.

5. Wetin we learn from the parable about the sheep and the goats, and who can benefit from it?

⁵ Show that you faithful and loyal. Jesus parable about the sheep and the goats focus mainly on those who get the hope to live on earth forever. They can show that they get faith by helping Christ brothers in the preaching work. They can also do it by following the direction of the small group of anointed brothers that Jesus appoint. (Matt. 24:45) But those who get the hope to go to heaven also need to pay attention to the warning in this parable. Why? Because Jesus looking at the way they can act, think and talk. They need to be faithful too. In fact, Jesus talk about two other parables that get warnings mainly for the anointed. We can also find this parable them in Matthew chapter 25. Now, let look at the parable about the discreet and the foolish virgins.

THE DISCREET AND THE FOOLISH VIRGINS

6. How five of the virgins show that they were having sense? (Matthew 25:​6-10)

⁶ In the parable about the virgins, Jesus talk about ten virgins who went to meet the bridegroom. (Matt. 25:​1-4) All of them were hoping to be there with the bridegroom for his wedding program. Jesus say five of them was “discreet” or having sense and the other five was “foolish.” The virgins who were having sense was prepare and they were on the watch. Even if the bridegroom was going to come way in the night, they were ready to wait for him. So, they brought oil lamps with them to use it in the darkness. They even brought extra oil in case the bridegroom not come soon. So they were prepare for their lamps to continue burning. (Read Matthew 25:​6-10.) When the bridegroom reach, the virgins who were having sense went inside with him for the wedding program. That the same way it will be for anointed Christians when they remain faithful and keep on the watch until Jesus Christ come. They will be qualify to join the bridegroom Jesus in his Kingdom in heaven.b (Rev. 7:​1-3) What about the five foolish virgins?

7. Wetin happen to the five foolish virgins, and why?

⁷ The five foolish virgins were not looking like the virgins who were having sense. They were not ready the time the bridegroom came. Their lamps were almost to go off, and they not bring extra oil with them. When they hear that the bridegroom will soon reach, they decide to go buy oil. They were not there when the bridegroom came. So, the virgins who were ready went inside with him to the wedding program, and they close the door. (Matt. 25:10) Later on when the foolish virgins came back and wanted to enter, the bridegroom tell them say: I not know yor. (Matt. 25:​11, 12) This virgin them were not really prepare to wait for the bridegroom for long time. Wetin anointed Christians can learn from this?

8-9. Wetin anointed Christians can learn from the parable about the virgins? (Also see the picture.)

⁸ Be prepare and keep on the watch. Jesus was not saying that they coming be having two group of anointed Christians. He was not saying that one group was coming wait until the end of this system of things and one group was not coming be prepare. But, he was explaining what was coming happen to anointed Christians if they not prepare to remain faithful to the end. If it happen like that, then they will not get their reward. (John 14:​3, 4) That serious thing there! Whether we get the hope to live in heaven or on earth, all of us must pay attention to the warning from the parable about the virgins. Each of us must keep on the watch, be prepare and ready to endure to the end.—Matt. 24:13.

⁹ After Jesus gave the parable about the virgins to show that we need to be prepare and keep on the watch, he gave the parable about the talents. That parable encourage us to be hard working.

THE TALENTS

10. How two of the slaves show that they were faithful? (Matthew 25:​19-23)

¹⁰ In the parable about the talents, Jesus talk about two slaves who were faithful to their master and one slave who was not faithful. (Matt. 25:​14-18) The two slaves show that they were faithful by working hard to make their master money plenty. Before their master travel, he gave each of them talents or plenty money. The two faithful slaves were hardworking and they use the money to do business. What was the result? When their master came back, they double the amount of money that he gave them. Their master tell them thank you and they enter “into the joy of [their] master.” (Read Matthew 25:​19-23.) But what about the third slave? Wetin he do with the money his master gave him?

11. Wetin happen to the “lazy” slave, and why?

¹¹ The third slave got only one talent but he was “lazy.” His master was expecting him to use the talent the right way. But he bury it in the ground. When the master came back, this slave gave him that same one talent, he not add nothing there. The slave was not having good way. Instead of telling his master sorry for not making his money plenty, he say the master hard to deal with. So his master was not happy with him. The master even take the talent from him and put him out of the house.—Matt. 25:​24, 26-30.

12. Who the two faithful slaves stand for today?

¹² The two faithful slaves stand for faithful anointed Christians. The Master, Jesus, invite them to “enter into the joy of [their] master.” They get their reward in heaven through the first resurrection. (Matt. 25:​21, 23; Rev. 20:5b) But the bad example the lazy slave set, that warning for anointed Christians. How?

13-14. Wetin anointed Christians can learn from the parable about the talents? (Also see the picture.)

¹³ Show that you hardworking. In the parable about the talents and the virgins, Jesus was not saying that anointed Christians was coming be lazy. But he was explaining what was coming happen if they allow their zeal to go down. If that one happen to them, then they will not make their “calling and choosing sure for [themselves],” and Jehovah will not allow them to enter in the Kingdom in heaven.—2 Pet. 1:10.

¹⁴ Jesus parables about the virgins and the talents make it clear that all anointed Christians must be prepare and keep on the watch. They must also be hardworking. But Jesus gave any other warning to anointed Christians? Yes! You can find it in Matthew 24:​40, 41 where Jesus talk about the final judgment for anointed Christians.

WHO WILL BE “TAKEN ALONG”?

15-16. How Matthew 24:​40, 41 show that anointed Christians need to keep on the watch?

¹⁵ Before Jesus talk this three parable them, he talk about the final judgment for anointed Christians that will show who he accept. He talk about two men working on the farm and two women working with hand mill. It looking like all of them doing the same work, but Jesus say that one will be “taken along and the other abandoned.” (Read Matthew 24:​40, 41.) So he encourage his disciples: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” (Matt. 24:42) Jesus say almost the same thing after he finish talking the parable about the virgins. (Matt. 25:13) You think what Jesus say in Matthew 24:42 and Matthew 25:13 get something in common? It look so. Only anointed Christians who really faithful will be “taken along.” That mean, only them Jesus will accept to rule with him in heaven.—John 14:3.

¹⁶ Show that you keeping on the watch. Any anointed Christian who not continue to keep on the watch, will not be together with the “chosen ones.” (Matt. 24:31) All those who get the hope to live on the earth must also take Jesus warning serious. They must continue to keep on the watch and remain faithful.

17. If Jehovah decide to anoint some people in our time, why we must not worry our self?

¹⁷ We trust the way Jehovah can judge because we know him good-good. We must not worry our self if Jehovah decide to anoint some faithful people in our time.c We remember what Jesus say about the people who came to work last minute to time in his example about the vineyard. (Matt. 20:​1-16) The people who work last minute to time and the people who came to work soon, get the same pay. So, no matter what time somebody get anointed, all of them will get the same reward in heaven if they remain faithful.

LISTEN TO THE WARNINGS

18-19. Wetin we na learn from this parable them?

¹⁸ Wetin we na learn? We learn from the parable about the sheep and the goats that those who get the hope to live forever on earth, must remain faithful and loyal to Jehovah now-now and during the great tribulation. During that time, Jesus will judge faithful people to be qualify to get everlasting life.—Matt. 25:46.

¹⁹ We also talk about two parables that get warnings for anointed Christians. In Jesus parable about the virgins, five of them show that they were having sense. They were prepare and they keep on the watch. They were ready to wait for the bridegroom even if he come late. But the foolish virgins were not prepare. So the bridegroom not allow them to enter his wedding program. No matter how long it take, we our self too must be prepare to wait until this system end. Also, in Jesus parable about the talents, we talk about two faithful slaves who were hardworking. They work hard for their master so he was happy with them. But, he not accept the lazy slave. What the lesson? We must continue to be busy in Jehovah service until the end. The last one we talk about, that how anointed Christians must continue to keep on the watch so they can be “taken along” by Jesus to heaven. Anointed Christians really waiting for the time that they will “be together” with Jesus in heaven. After Armageddon, they will be Jesus bride during the wedding of the Lamb.—2 Thess. 2:1; Rev. 19:9.

20. Wetin Jehovah will do for those who listen to his warnings?

²⁰ Even though the time for judgment will soon be here, we must not be scary. If we remain faithful, our loving Father in heaven will give us “the power beyond what is normal” so that we “may succeed . . . in standing before the Son of man.” (2 Cor. 4:7; Luke 21:36) So whether our hope that to go to heaven or to live on earth, our Father will be happy if we listen to the warnings in Jesus parables. And because Jehovah kind, he will write our names in the “book” of life.—Dan. 12:1; Rev. 3:5.