certainly Saul of Tarsus acted wisely and properly in devoting his life to Jehovah, becoming the Christian apostle Paul. To such persons, and others like them in more recent times, the door to blessings and inestimable privileges before God swung open. Possibly you are already of their number. Or, perhaps you have resolved to pursue true worship from now on and “serve Jehovah with rejoicing.” If so, rich blessings await you, for of Jehovah it is said: “You are opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.” (Ps. 145:16) For instance, it may yet be your joyous privilege to aid other good-hearted persons to conform their lives to God’s righteous requirements by preaching to them and teaching them his Word.

19, 20. (a) Give examples to show that serving Jehovah results in blessing and joy? (b) What is required to enjoy full satisfaction and true happiness?

¹⁹ Faithful Christian ministers experience no sorrow over an unsatisfying or fruitless life. Instead, despite persecution, years of service to God and his manifest blessing on the Kingdom-preaching work prompted one of Jehovah’s witnesses to write: “How gratifying it is to have experienced all this! How often I have felt Jehovah’s help and protection! Time and again I have stared death in the face, but I can join the psalmist in saying: ‘Jehovah is my shepherd. I shall lack nothing.’ . . . Truly, Jehovah blesses us beyond what we can ever ask or comprehend when we answer his call and wholeheartedly take up the ministry as his witnesses.” (Ps. 23:1) At ninety-three years of age another Witness, long a minister, could state: “Spending my full time in Jehovah’s service has been the joy of my life, and I look forward to continuing it eternally in association with Jesus Christ and his ‘holy ones in the light.’—Col. 1:12.”

²⁰ This is the experience of those who faithfully “serve Jehovah with rejoicing.” (Ps. 100:2) They can confidently speak about God as did David, who said: “You will cause me to know the path of life. Rejoicing to satisfaction is with your face; there is pleasantness at your right hand forever.” (Ps. 16:11) But, to enjoy full satisfaction and true happiness, one must take pleasure in the house of God.

“Taking Pleasure in the House of My God”

“We should not neglect the house of our God.”—Neh. 10:39.

1. Describe the structure for true worship originally erected by the Israelites in the wilderness.

MORE than thirty-four centuries ago, in the inhospitable wilderness of the Sinai Peninsula, a magnificent tent was erected. It was only fifteen feet wide, fifteen feet high and forty-five feet long. Yet it, together with its courtyard and all furnishings, cost well over two million dollars. (Ex. 38:29-31, footnotes b, c, 1953 edition) This was the marvelous tabernacle as set up in 1512 B.C.E. at