10. (a) Spiritual Israel was experiencing fulfillment of what promise recorded at Isaiah 54:13? (b) How has Jehovah’s disciplining of them been a factor in their experiencing peace?

¹⁰ Those of spiritual Israel were experiencing fulfillment of the grand promise recorded at Isaiah 54:13. There God himself said to his wifelike organization of loyal spirit creatures: “All your sons will be persons taught by Jehovah, and the peace of your sons will be abundant.” Of course, her principal Son is Jesus Christ himself, brought forth as the Messiah when he was anointed with holy spirit in 29 C.E. But Jehovah’s heavenly “woman” has more sons​—144,000 others who become the secondary part of the seed foretold at Genesis 3:15. Jehovah promised that he would be the Grand Instructor of all these sons. He has taught them the truth about himself and his purposes. He has told them how to serve him. At times, he has had to discipline them. This has been necessary when they have failed to heed his Word. Discipline can be hard to take. But they have humbly acknowledged their need of it and made the required changes, and that discipline has yielded good results​—“peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.”​—Hebrews 12:7, 11; Psalm 85:8.

A Unique Kind of Peace

14. On what is the peace of Jehovah’s people based, and how is this so?

¹⁴ The peace with which Jehovah favors his people is truly unique. It is not the sort of thing that results when a shaky agreement is made between two parties that do not trust each other. It involves no compromises. It is based on righteousness. (Isaiah 32:17) But how can that be true of peace that involves imperfect humans? As sinners, what righteousness do any of us have? Well, by faith we can enjoy a righteousness that is made possible through the sin-atoning value of Jesus’ sacrifice.

15. During Jesus’ earthly ministry, what was Jehovah teaching his prospective sons that was vital to peace?

¹⁵ This helps us to appreciate what Jesus said as recorded at John 6:45-47. There he was speaking to Jews who were not drawn to him as the Messiah and so were murmuring against him. But it was with reference to his disciples that he said: “It is written in the Prophets [specifically, at Isaiah 54:13], ‘And they will all be taught by Jehovah.’ Everyone that has heard from the Father and has learned comes to me. Not that any man has seen the Father, except he who is from God; this one has seen the Father. Most truly I say to you, He that believes has everlasting life.” Those disciples accepted the instruction that Jehovah was giving them. They were drawn to Jesus. When others rejected the things he taught and forsook Jesus, his apostles stayed. As Peter said: “We have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God.” (John 6:69) Because of their faith in Jesus Christ, it would be possible for them to come into a peaceful relationship with Jehovah God, a relationship that carries with it the assurance of everlasting life.

16. (a) Starting at Pentecost 33 C.E., how did Jesus’ followers benefit from the provision made through Christ? (b) Thereafter, what was required of them?

¹⁶ Starting at Pentecost 33 C.E., the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice began to be applied to those faithful followers of Jesus. What Paul later wrote at Romans 5:1 came to be true of them: “Now that we have been declared righteous as a result of faith, let us enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” By birth all of these were descendants of Adam. As sinners, they were alienated from God. No good works that they might personally have done could have canceled out their inheritance of sin. But by His undeserved kindness, Jehovah accepted the sacrifice of Jesus’ perfect human life in behalf of Adam’s offspring. For those who exercised faith in this provision, it now became possible to have righteousness credited to them and for them to be adopted by God as sons with heavenly life in view. (Ephesians 1:5-7) But was more required on their part? Yes, they had to walk in Jehovah’s ways. No longer were they to make a practice of sin. But they realize that whatever righteousness they have is a result of God’s undeserved kindness expressed through Christ. As the scripture says, they ‘enjoy peace with God through Jesus Christ.’