22. How did three Hebrew youths in ancient Babylon demonstrate their loyalty to Jehovah and his law?

²² Loyal servants of Jehovah at all times have stood firm in their devotion to him. Hebrew youths in ancient Babylon were put under pressure to violate Jehovah’s law against idolatry. Nebuchadnezzar, ruler of the empire, became enraged at the report that they had not obeyed his imperial edict to bow before the towering image that he had set up. It was not that the king refused to recognize the religion of the Jews at all. (Dan. 2:46-49) But pride now impaired his reason. He demanded that these young men conform to his decree. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not disrespectful to the king, but they knew Jehovah’s law forbidding the worship of images. They recognized Jehovah as the Supreme Sovereign, so it was to him that they owed loyalty. They showed their loyalty by faithfulness to God’s law even when the king of Babylon threatened them with death.​—Dan. 3:13-24.

23, 24. How do Jehovah’s witnesses today prove their loyalty to Jehovah in the face of demands of human governments?

²³ The apostles of Jesus Christ were faced with a similar test of loyalty. Haled before the high court in Jerusalem, they were ordered to quit preaching in the name of Jesus. They were not told that they could not read the Scriptures at all, or that they could not talk about these to others. But there was this one matter that the officials found to be offensive. (Acts 4:15-18)

19. Who really was it that chose death for the Canaanite children? Could they have done otherwise?

¹⁹ The Canaanite parents could have chosen life for themselves and their children. Rahab did; so did the inhabitants of Gibeon and three other Canaanite cities. They recognized that the true God was guiding Israel, and so they took their stand with them. For this, they and their children were spared. (Josh. 2:1-21; 6:25; 9:3-21)