Times and Seasons in Jehovah’s Hands

“It does not belong to you to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.”—ACTS 1:7.

1. How did Jesus answer his apostles’ time-oriented questions?

WHAT could be more natural for those “sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done” in Christendom and throughout the earth than to wonder when this wicked system will end and be replaced by God’s righteous new world? (Ezekiel 9:4; 2 Peter 3:13) Jesus’ apostles asked him time-oriented questions just before his death and after his resurrection. (Matthew 24:3; Acts 1:6) In reply, however, Jesus did not give them a means of calculating dates. In one case he gave them a composite sign, and in the other he said that ‘it did not belong to them to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father had placed in his own jurisdiction.’—Acts 1:7.

2. Why can it be said that Jesus has not always known his Father’s timing of events due to occur during the time of the end?

² Although Jesus is Jehovah’s only-begotten Son, he himself has not always known his Father’s timetable for events. In his prophecy regarding the last days, Jesus humbly acknowledged: “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36) Jesus was willing to wait patiently for his Father to reveal to him the exact time for destructive action to be taken against this wicked system of things.a

3. What can we learn from Jesus’ answers to questions regarding God’s purpose?

³ Two things can be deduced from the way Jesus answered questions relating to when things would occur in fulfillment of God’s purpose. First, that Jehovah has a timetable; and second, that he alone fixes it, and his servants cannot expect to be given precise advance information of his times or seasons.

Jehovah’s Times and Seasons

4. What are the meanings of the Greek words translated “times” and “seasons” at Acts 1:7?

⁴ What is meant by “times” and “seasons”? Jesus’ statement recorded at Acts 1:7 contains two aspects of time. The Greek word rendered “times” means “time in the sense of duration,” a space of time (long or short). “Seasons” is the translation of a word referring to a fixed or an appointed time, a particular season, or period, marked by certain features. Regarding these two original words, W. E. Vine states: “In Acts 1:7, ‘the Father has set within His own authority’ both the times (chronos), the lengths of the periods, and the seasons (kairos), epochs characterized by certain events.”

5. When did Jehovah inform Noah of His purpose to destroy the corrupt world, and what dual mission did Noah perform?

⁵ Before the Flood, God fixed a 120-year time limit for the corrupt world that humans and rebellious materialized angels had brought about. (Genesis 6:1-3) Godly Noah was 480 years old at that point. (Genesis 7:6) He was childless and remained so for another 20 years. (Genesis 5:32) Much later, only after Noah’s sons had reached adulthood and had married, God informed Noah of His purpose to remove wickedness from the earth. (Genesis 6:9-13, 18) Even then, though Noah was entrusted with the dual commission of building the ark and preaching to his contemporaries, Jehovah did not reveal his time schedule to him.—Genesis 6:14; 2 Peter 2:5.

6. (a) How did Noah show that he left time factors in Jehovah’s hands? (b) How can we follow Noah’s example?

⁶ For decades—perhaps half a century—“Noah proceeded to do according to all that God had commanded him.” Noah did so “by faith,” without knowing a precise date. (Genesis 6:22; Hebrews 11:7) Jehovah left him uninformed about the exact timing of events until one week before the Deluge was due to begin. (Genesis 7:1-5) Noah’s implicit trust and faith in Jehovah enabled him to leave time factors in God’s hands. And how grateful Noah must have been when he felt Jehovah’s protection during the Flood and later stepped out of the ark onto a cleansed earth! With a similar hope of deliverance in view, should we not exercise such faith in God?

7, 8. (a) How did nations and world powers come into existence? (b) In what way did Jehovah ‘decree the appointed times and the set limits of the dwelling of men’?

⁷ After the Flood, most of Noah’s descendants abandoned the true worship of Jehovah. With the aim of remaining in one place, they began to build a city and a tower for false worship. Jehovah determined that it was time to intervene. He confused their language and “scattered them from [Babel] over all the surface of the earth.” (Genesis 11:4, 8, 9) Later, the language groups developed into nations, some of which absorbed other nations and became regional powers, and even world powers.—Genesis 10:32.

⁸ In line with the outworking of his purpose, occasionally God determined national frontiers and at what point in time a certain nation would predominate locally or as a world power. (Genesis 15:13, 14, 18-21; Exodus 23:31; Deuteronomy 2:17-22; Daniel 8:5-7, 20, 21) The apostle Paul referred to this aspect of Jehovah’s times and seasons when he told Greek intellectuals in Athens: “The God that made the world and all the things in it . . . made out of one man every nation of men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth, and he decreed the appointed times and the set limits of the dwelling of men.”—Acts 17:24, 26.

9. How has Jehovah ‘changed times and seasons’ respecting kings?

⁹ This does not mean that Jehovah is responsible for all the political conquests and changes among the nations. Yet, he can intervene when he chooses to do so in order to accomplish his purpose. Thus, the prophet Daniel, who was to witness the demise of the Babylonian World Power and its replacement by Medo-Persia, said of Jehovah: “He is changing times and seasons, removing kings and setting up kings, giving wisdom to the wise ones and knowledge to those knowing discernment.”—Daniel 2:21; Isaiah 44:24–45:7.

“The Time Was Approaching”

10, 11. (a) How long in advance did Jehovah set the time when he would deliver Abraham’s descendants from bondage? (b) What suggests that the Israelites did not know exactly when they were going to be delivered?

¹⁰ Over four centuries in advance, Jehovah set the precise year when he would humiliate the king of the Egyptian World Power and liberate Abraham’s descendants from slavery. Revealing his purpose to Abraham, God promised: “You may know for sure that your seed will become an alien resident in a land not theirs, and they will have to serve them, and these will certainly afflict them for four hundred years. But the nation that they will serve I am judging, and after that they will go out with many goods.” (Genesis 15:13, 14) In his overview of Israel’s history, given before the Sanhedrin, Stephen referred to this 400-year period and stated: “Just as the time was approaching for fulfillment of the promise that God had openly declared to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, until there rose a different king over Egypt, who did not know of Joseph.”—Acts 7:6, 17, 18.

¹¹ This new Pharaoh reduced the Israelites to slavery. The book of Genesis had not yet been written by Moses, although it is likely that Jehovah’s promises to Abraham had been handed down in either oral or written form. Even so, it appears that the information the Israelites possessed did not allow them to calculate the precise date of their deliverance from oppression. God knew when he was going to deliver them, but apparently the suffering Israelites were not informed. We read: “It came about during those many days that the king of Egypt finally died, but the sons of Israel continued to sigh because of the slavery and to cry out in complaint, and their cry for help kept going up to the true God because of the slavery. In time God heard their groaning and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. So God looked on the sons of Israel and God took notice.”—Exodus 2:23-25.

12. How did Stephen show that Moses acted in advance of Jehovah’s time?

¹² This lack of knowledge about the exact time of Israel’s deliverance can also be deduced from Stephen’s synopsis. Speaking of Moses, he said: “When the time of his fortieth year was being fulfilled, it came into his heart to make an inspection of his brothers, the sons of Israel. And when he caught sight of a certain one being unjustly treated, he defended him and executed vengeance for the one being abused by striking the Egyptian down. He was supposing his brothers would grasp that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not grasp it.” (Acts 7:23-25) Moses here acted 40 years in advance of God’s time. Stephen pointed out that Moses had to wait another 40 years before God ‘gave the Israelites salvation by his hand.’—Acts 7:30-36.

13. How is our situation similar to that of the Israelites before their deliverance from Egypt?

¹³ Although “the time was approaching for fulfillment of the promise” and that precise year had been fixed by God, Moses and all Israel had to exercise faith. They had to wait for Jehovah’s appointed time, apparently without being able to calculate it in advance. We too are convinced that our deliverance from the present wicked system of things is approaching. We know that we are living in “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) So should we not be willing to display our faith and await Jehovah’s due time for his great day? (2 Peter 3:11-13) Then, like Moses and the Israelites, we may well sing a glorious song of deliverance, to Jehovah’s praise.—Exodus 15:1-19.

‘When the Time Arrived’

14, 15. How do we know that God had set a time for his Son to come to earth, and for what did prophets and even angels keep on the watch?

¹⁴ Jehovah had set a fixed time for his only-begotten Son to come to the earth as the Messiah. Paul wrote: “When the full limit of the time arrived, God sent forth his Son, who came to be out of a woman and who came to be under law.” (Galatians 4:4) This was in fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Seed—‘Shiloh, to whom the obedience of the peoples would belong.’—Genesis 3:15; 49:10.

¹⁵ God’s prophets—even angels—kept on the watch for the “season” when the Messiah would appear on earth and salvation would be made possible for sinful mankind. “Concerning this very salvation,” said Peter, “a diligent inquiry and a careful search were made by the prophets who prophesied about the undeserved kindness meant for you. They kept on investigating what particular season or what sort of season the spirit in them was indicating concerning Christ when it was bearing witness beforehand about the sufferings for Christ and about the glories to follow these. . . . Into these very things angels are desiring to peer.”—1 Peter 1:1-5, 10-12.

16, 17. (a) By means of what prophecy did Jehovah help first-century Jews to be in expectation of the Messiah? (b) How did Daniel’s prophecy affect Jewish expectation of the Messiah?

¹⁶ By means of his prophet Daniel—a man of unwavering faith—Jehovah had given a prophecy involving “seventy weeks.” That prophecy would enable first-century Jews to know that the appearance of the promised Messiah was approaching. In part, the prophecy stated: “From the going forth of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Leader, there will be seven weeks, also sixty-two weeks.” (Daniel 9:24, 25) Jewish, Catholic, and Protestant scholars generally agree that the “weeks” mentioned here mean weeks of years. The 69 “weeks” (483 years) of Daniel 9:25 began in 455 B.C.E., when Persian King Artaxerxes authorized Nehemiah “to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem.” (Nehemiah 2:1-8) They ended 483 years later—in 29 C.E., when Jesus was baptized and anointed with holy spirit, thus becoming the Messiah, or Christ.—Matthew 3:13-17.

¹⁷ Whether first-century Jews knew precisely when the 483 years began is open to question. But when John the Baptizer began his ministry, “the people were in expectation and all were reasoning in their hearts about John: ‘May he perhaps be the Christ?’” (Luke 3:15) Some Bible scholars link this expectation to Daniel’s prophecy. In commenting on this verse, Matthew Henry wrote: “We are here told . . . how the people took occasion, from the ministry and baptism of John, to think of the Messiah, and to think of him as at the door. . . . Daniel’s seventy weeks were now expiring.” The French Manuel Biblique, by Vigouroux, Bacuez, and Brassac states: “People knew that the seventy weeks of years fixed by Daniel were drawing to a close; nobody was surprised to hear John the Baptist announce that the kingdom of God had drawn near.” Jewish scholar Abba Hillel Silver wrote that according to “the popular chronology” of the day, “the Messiah was expected around the second quarter of the first century C.E.”

Events—Not Time Calculations

18. While Daniel’s prophecy helped the Jews to identify the time when the Messiah could be expected to appear, what was the most convincing evidence of Jesus’ Messiahship?

¹⁸ Although chronology apparently helped the Jewish people to have a general idea of when the Messiah was due to appear, subsequent events show that it did not help to convince most of them of Jesus’ Messiahship. Less than a year before his death, Jesus asked his disciples: “Who are the crowds saying that I am?” They replied: “John the Baptist; but others, Elijah, and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has risen.” (Luke 9:18, 19) We have no record that Jesus ever quoted the prophecy of the symbolic weeks to prove that he was the Messiah. But on one occasion, he said: “I have the witness greater than that of John, for the very works that my Father assigned me to accomplish, the works themselves that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father dispatched me.” (John 5:36) Rather than any revealed chronology, Jesus’ preaching, his miracles, and the events surrounding his death (the miraculous darkness, the rending of the temple curtain, and the earthquake) testified that he was the Messiah sent by God.—Matthew 27:45, 51, 54; John 7:31; Acts 2:22.

19. (a) How would Christians know that Jerusalem’s destruction was near? (b) Why did the early Christians who fled from Jerusalem still need much faith?

¹⁹ Similarly, after the death of Jesus, the early Christians were given no means to calculate the coming end of the Jewish system of things. True, Daniel’s prophecy of the symbolic weeks mentioned the destruction of that system. (Daniel 9:26b, 27b) But this would occur after the end of the “seventy weeks” (455 B.C.E.–36 C.E.). In other words, after the first Gentiles became Jesus’ followers in 36 C.E., Christians were beyond the chronological milestones of Daniel chapter 9. For them, events, not chronology, would indicate that the Jewish system must shortly end. Those events, foretold by Jesus, began to come to a climax from 66 C.E., when Roman legions attacked Jerusalem and then withdrew. This gave faithful, attentive Christians in Jerusalem and Judea the opportunity to ‘flee to the mountains.’ (Luke 21:20-22) Having no chronological signposts, those early Christians did not know when the destruction of Jerusalem would come about. What faith it took for them to leave their homes, farms, and workshops and to stay out of Jerusalem for some four years until the Roman army returned in 70 C.E. and exterminated the Jewish system!—Luke 19:41-44.

20. (a) How can we benefit from the examples of Noah, Moses, and first-century Christians in Judea? (b) What will we discuss in the following article?

²⁰ Like Noah, Moses, and first-century Christians in Judea, we today can confidently leave the times and seasons in Jehovah’s hands. Our conviction that we are living in the time of the end and that our deliverance is drawing near depends, not merely on chronological computation, but on real-life events in fulfillment of Bible prophecies. Furthermore, although we are living during Christ’s presence, we are not relieved of the need to exercise faith and to keep on the watch. We must continue to live in eager expectation of the exciting events foretold in the Scriptures. This will be the subject of the following article.

Waiting in “Eager Expectation”

“The eager expectation of the creation is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God.”—ROMANS 8:19.

1. What similarity exists between the situation of Christians today and that of first-century Christians?

THE situation of true Christians today resembles that of the first-century Christians. A prophecy helped Jehovah’s servants of those days to identify when the Messiah was due to appear. (Daniel 9:24-26) The same prophecy foretold Jerusalem’s destruction but contained no elements enabling Christians to know in advance when that city would be destroyed. (Daniel 9:26b, 27) Similarly, a prophecy providentially caused sincere 19th-century Bible students to be in expectation. By linking the “seven times” of Daniel 4:25 with “the times of the Gentiles,” they anticipated that Christ would receive Kingdom power in 1914. (Luke 21:24, King James Version; Ezekiel 21:25-27) While the book of Daniel contains many prophecies, none of these enable present-day Bible students to calculate exactly when Satan’s entire system of things will be destroyed. (Daniel 2:31-44; 8:23-25; 11:36, 44, 45) However, this will soon occur, for we are living in “the time of the end.”—Daniel 12:4.a

Watchfulness During Christ’s Presence

2, 3. (a) What constitutes the major proof that we are living during Christ’s presence in kingly power? (b) What shows that Christians were to keep on the watch during Jesus Christ’s presence?

² True, a prophecy put Christians in a state of expectation before Christ was invested with Kingdom power in 1914. But the “sign” that Christ gave of his presence and of the conclusion of the system of things featured events. And most of these would be seen after his presence had begun. Such events—wars, food shortages, earthquakes, pestilences, increased lawlessness, persecution of Christians, and the worldwide preaching of the good news of the Kingdom—serve as the major proof that we are now living during Christ’s presence in kingly power.—Matthew 24:3-14; Luke 21:10, 11.

³ Yet, the whole tenor of Jesus’ parting counsel to his disciples was: “Keep looking, keep awake, . . . keep on the watch.” (Mark 13:33, 37; Luke 21:36) A careful reading of the context of these exhortations to watchfulness shows that Christ was not primarily speaking of keeping a close watch for the sign of the beginning of his presence. Instead, he was ordering his true disciples to keep watchful during his presence. For what were true Christians to remain on the watch?

4. What purpose would be served by the sign that Jesus gave?

⁴ Jesus gave his great prophecy in answer to the question: “When will these things be [events leading up to the destruction of the Jewish system of things], and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” (Matthew 24:3) The foretold sign would serve to identify not only Christ’s presence but also events leading up to the end of the present wicked system of things.

5. How did Jesus show that while spiritually present, he would yet be “coming”?

⁵ Jesus showed that during his “presence” (Greek, pa·rou·siʹa) he would come with power and glory. Concerning such “coming” (denoted by forms of the Greek word erʹkho·mai), he declared: “Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. . . . Now learn from the fig tree as an illustration this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he [Christ] is near at the doors. . . . Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. . . . Prove yourselves ready, because at an hour that you do not think to be it, the Son of man is coming.”—Matthew 24:30, 32, 33, 42, 44.

Why Does Jesus Christ Come?

6. How will the destruction of “Babylon the Great” come about?

⁶ Although present as King since 1914, Jesus Christ must yet judge systems and individuals before executing judgment on those he finds to be wicked. (Compare 2 Corinthians 5:10.) Jehovah will soon put it into the minds of political rulers to destroy “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion. (Revelation 17:4, 5, 16, 17) The apostle Paul specifically stated that Jesus Christ will destroy “the man of lawlessness”—the apostate clergy of Christendom, a prominent part of “Babylon the Great.” Paul wrote: “The lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence.”—2 Thessalonians 2:3, 8.

7. When the Son of man arrives in his glory, what judgment will he render?

⁷ In the near future, Christ will judge people of the nations on the basis of how they have acted toward his brothers yet on earth. We read: “When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. . . . The king will say to [the sheep], ‘Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ . . . And [the goats] will depart into everlasting cutting-off, but the righteous ones into everlasting life.”—Matthew 25:31-46.

8. How does Paul describe Christ’s coming to execute judgment upon the ungodly?

⁸ As shown in the parable of the sheep and the goats, Jesus executes final judgment upon all the ungodly. Paul assured suffering fellow believers of “relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength, at the time he comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones.” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10) With all these exciting events ahead of us, should we not exercise faith and eagerly keep on the watch for Christ’s coming?

Eagerly Waiting for Christ’s Revelation

9, 10. Why do the anointed ones still on earth eagerly wait for the revelation of Jesus Christ?

⁹ “The revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven” will be not only to bring destruction upon the wicked but also to reward the righteous. The remaining ones of Christ’s anointed brothers still on earth may yet suffer before Christ’s revelation, but they rejoice in their glorious heavenly hope. To anointed Christians, the apostle Peter wrote: “Go on rejoicing forasmuch as you are sharers in the sufferings of the Christ, that you may rejoice and be overjoyed also during the revelation of his glory.”—1 Peter 4:13.

¹⁰ Anointed ones are determined to remain faithful until Christ ‘gathers them together to him’ so that “the tested quality” of their faith “may be found a cause for praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1; 1 Peter 1:7) Concerning such faithful spirit-begotten Christians, it can be said: “The witness about the Christ has been rendered firm among you, so that you do not fall short in any gift at all, while you are eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—1 Corinthians 1:6, 7.

11. While awaiting the revelation of Jesus Christ, what do anointed Christians do?

¹¹ The anointed remnant share the feelings of Paul, who wrote: “I reckon that the sufferings of the present season do not amount to anything in comparison with the glory that is going to be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18) Their faith does not need to be propped up by time calculations. They keep busy in Jehovah’s service, providing a wonderful example for their companions, the “other sheep.” (John 10:16) These anointed ones know that this wicked system’s end is near, and they heed Peter’s exhortation: “Brace up your minds for activity, keep your senses completely; set your hope upon the undeserved kindness that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”—1 Peter 1:13.

“The Eager Expectation of the Creation”

12, 13. How was human creation “subjected to futility,” and for what do the other sheep long?

¹² Do the other sheep also have something for which to live in eager expectation? Most assuredly they do. After speaking of the glorious hope of those adopted by Jehovah as his spirit-begotten “sons” and “joint heirs with Christ” in the heavenly Kingdom, Paul said: “The eager expectation of the creation is waiting for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will but through him that subjected it, on the basis of hope that the creation itself also will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God.”—Romans 8:14-21; 2 Timothy 2:10-12.

¹³ Through Adam’s sin, all his descendants were “subjected to futility,” being born in bondage to sin and death. They have been unable to free themselves from such bondage. (Psalm 49:7; Romans 5:12, 21) Oh, how the other sheep long to be “set free from enslavement to corruption”! But before that happens, certain things must occur according to Jehovah’s times and seasons.

14. What will be involved in “the revealing of the sons of God,” and how will this result in mankind’s being “set free from enslavement to corruption”?

¹⁴ The remnant of the anointed “sons of God” must first be ‘revealed.’ What will this involve? In God’s due time, it will become evident to the other sheep that the anointed have been finally “sealed” and glorified to reign with Christ. (Revelation 7:2-4) The resurrected “sons of God” will also be ‘revealed’ when they share with Christ in destroying Satan’s wicked system of things. (Revelation 2:26, 27; 19:14, 15) Then, during Christ’s Thousand Year Reign, they will be further ‘revealed’ as priestly channels for dispensing the benefits of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice to human “creation.” This will result in mankind’s being “set free from enslavement to corruption” and eventually entering into “the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21; Revelation 20:5; 22:1, 2) With such grand prospects, is it any wonder that the other sheep are “waiting for the revealing of the sons of God” with “eager expectation”?—Romans 8:19.

Jehovah’s Patience Means Salvation

15. What should we never forget with regard to Jehovah’s timing of events?

¹⁵ Jehovah is the Great Timekeeper. His timing of events will prove to be perfect. Things may not always appear to be shaping up the way we personally expected. However, we can have absolute faith that all of God’s promises will be fulfilled. (Joshua 23:14) He may be allowing things to go on longer than many expected. But let us seek to understand his ways and be in admiration of his wisdom. Paul wrote: “O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are! For ‘who has come to know Jehovah’s mind, or who has become his counselor?’”—Romans 11:33, 34.

16. Who stand to benefit from Jehovah’s patience?

¹⁶ Peter wrote: “Beloved ones, since you are awaiting these things [the destruction of the old “heavens” and “earth” and their replacement by God’s promised “new heavens” and “new earth”], do your utmost to be found finally by him spotless and unblemished and in peace. Furthermore, consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.” Because of Jehovah’s patience, millions more are being given the opportunity to be saved through the “day of Jehovah,” which will come unexpectedly “as a thief.” (2 Peter 3:9-15) His patience is also allowing each one of us to ‘keep working out our own salvation with fear and trembling.’ (Philippians 2:12) Jesus said that we must ‘pay attention to ourselves’ and “keep awake” if we want to be approved and succeed in “standing before the Son of man” at the time he comes for judgment.—Luke 21:34-36; Matthew 25:31-33.

Keep On Waiting With Endurance

17. What words of the apostle Paul should we take to heart?

¹⁷ Paul urged his spiritual brothers to keep their eyes, “not on the things seen, but on the things unseen.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) He wanted nothing to cloud their view of the heavenly reward set before them. Whether we are anointed Christians or we are of the other sheep, let us keep in mind the wonderful hope set before us and not give up. Let us ‘keep waiting with endurance,’ proving that “we are not the sort that shrink back to destruction, but the sort that have faith to the preserving alive of the soul.”—Romans 8:25; Hebrews 10:39.

18. Why can we confidently leave the times and seasons in Jehovah’s hands?

¹⁸ We can confidently leave the times and seasons in Jehovah’s hands. The fulfillment of his promises “will not be late” according to his time schedule. (Habakkuk 2:3) Meanwhile, Paul’s exhortation to Timothy takes on added meaning for us. He said: “I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is destined to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and his kingdom, preach the word, be at it urgently in favorable season, in troublesome season . . . Do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.”—2 Timothy 4:1-5.

19. What is it still time for Jehovah’s people to do, and why?

¹⁹ Lives are at stake—our own and those of our neighbors. Paul wrote: “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Stay by these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.” (1 Timothy 4:16) Time is very short for this wicked system of things. While we await with eager expectation the exciting events ahead of us, let us be ever aware that it is still Jehovah’s time and season for his people to preach the good news of the Kingdom. That work must be accomplished to his satisfaction. “Then,” as Jesus said, “the end will come.”—Matthew 24:14.