‘Those Who Keep Their Integrity to Jehovah Will be Happy’

1-2. (a) Wetin some governments na do to Jehovah people, but how his people can act? (b) Why we can be happy even when they persecute us? (Comment also on the cover picture.)

NOW-now, more than 30 countries around the world na restrict or stop our work. In some of those countries, people who get authorities na put our brother and sister them in jail. Wetin they do? Nothing. All Jehovah know, his people not do anything wrong. The only thing they na do that to read and study the Bible, preach to other people about their beliefs, and go to meetings with their brother and sister them. They also refuse to put their hand in politics. Even though people really being going against God faithful servants, but they continue to keep their integrity,b showing that they loyal to Jehovah. And it really making them happy!

² Maybe, you na see pictures of some of these faithful brothers and sisters and you notice that they smiling. They happy because they know that Jehovah happy with them too for remaining loyal to him. (1 Chron. 29:17a) Jesus said: “Happy are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake . . . Rejoice and be overjoyed, since your reward is great.”​—Matt. 5:​10-12.

EXAMPLE FOR US

3. According to Acts 4:​19, 20, how the apostle them acted when they persecuted them way back and why?

³ The thing that happening to our brother and sister them now, that the same thing the apostles went through when they were persecuted for preaching about Jesus. The judges from the Jewish high court always use to ‘order them to stop talking about Jesus.’ (Acts 4:18; 5:​27, 28, 40) How the apostles use to act? (Read Acts 4:​19, 20.) They knew that someone with more authority ‘order them to preach to people and give witness’ about the Christ. (Acts 10:42) So their spokesmen, Peter and John, were brave and told them that they will obey God instead of the judges. And they also told them that they will not stop talking about Jesus. In other words, they were asking the judges this question, ‘Yor brave to say that we must obey yor instead of obeying God?’

4. According to Acts 5:​27-29, what example the apostles set for all true Christians, and how we can follow their example?

⁴ The apostles set fine example that all true Christians being following ever since, that to “obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Read Acts 5:​27-29.) After they beat them for remaining loyal, the apostles left the Jewish high court, “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of [Jesus’] name,” and they continue preaching!​—Acts 5:​40-42.

5. What questions we need to answer?

⁵ The apostles example can make us to ask some questions. For example, how their decision to obey God instead of men, in line with the Bible command to “be in subjection to the superior authorities”? (Rom. 13:1) According to what the apostle Paul said, How we can “be obedient to governments and authorities,” and still remain loyal to God as our Ruler?​—⁠Titus 3:1.

“THE SUPERIOR AUTHORITIES”

6. (a) Who “the superior authorities” Romans 13:1 talking about, and how we must treat them? (b) What the true about all human governments?

⁶ Read Romans 13:1. In this verse “superior authorities” mean human rulers who get power over other people. Christians must obey human governments. The ruler them can maintain peace, make sure that people obey the law, and they can even defend Jehovah people sometime. (Rev. 12:16) So, the Bible say we must give them their taxes, respect, get fear for them, and give them the honor they deserve. (Rom. 13:7) But the government them get authority only because Jehovah allow them. Jesus made that principle clear when Roman Governor Pontius Pilate was questioning him. When Pilate told Jesus that he was having the authority to either free him or let the people kill him, Jesus told him: “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been granted to you from above.” (John 19:11) The authority human rulers and politicians having today, get limit just how Pilate authority was having limit.

7. What some of the situations we must not obey human government, and what they must remember?

⁷ Christians must obey the governments laws when it not against God laws. But we can’t obey human government when they asking us to do things that against God laws or when they stopping us from doing things that Jehovah want us to do. For example, they may even force young men to join the army to fight war.c Or maybe they will ban our Bible and our publications and even stop us from preaching and worshipping together. Jehovah will hold all human governments responsible when they use their power to persecute Christ disciples. Jehovah watching them!​—Eccl. 5:8.

8. What the difference between “superior” and “supreme,” and why does this matter?

⁸ Superior different from supreme. The word “superior” mean “better, greater, higher in rank.” But the word “supreme” mean “best, greatest, highest in rank.” Even though the Bible call human governments “the superior authorities,” but it also talk about another authority that get power pass all the governments, that the supreme authority. The Bible call Jehovah God with the title “the Supreme One” four different times”​—Dan. 7:​18, 22, 25, 27.

“THE SUPREME ONE”

9. Wetin the prophet Daniel saw in some visions?

⁹ The prophet Daniel saw some visions that make it clear that Jehovah get power pass all other governments. Daniel first saw four big-big dangerous animals that stand for world powers that na pass and world powers that ruling now-now. That Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome and the Anglo-American world power that ruling today. (Dan. 7:​1-3, 17) Then Daniel saw Jehovah God sitting down on his throne in heaven. (Dan. 7:​9, 10) What that faithful prophet saw next that warning for people who ruling today.

10. According to Daniel 7:​13, 14, 27, that who Jehovah gave power, to rule the earth, and what it show about Him?

¹⁰ Read Daniel 7:​13, 14, 27. God took all the rulership from human governments and gave it to other people who deserve it and who get more power. Who he gave it to? To “someone like a son of man,” Jesus Christ, and to “the holy ones of the Supreme One,” the 144,000 who will rule “forever and ever.” (Dan. 7:18) It clear that Jehovah that “the Supreme One,” because that he alone get the power to take action like that.

11. What else Daniel wrote that show that Jehovah get power over all the nations?

¹¹ The thing Daniel saw in vision in line with something he said before. Daniel said “The God of heaven remove kings and sets up kings.” He also said: “The Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that he gives it to whomever he wants.” (Dan. 2:​19-21; 4:17) You think Jehovah na remove some people from power and give it to other people before? Yes!

12. Give one example about how Jehovah remove kings from power way back. (See picture.)

¹² Jehovah na clearly show that he get power over all the government them. Let look at three examples. Pharaoh made Jehovah people slave and refuse to free them. But God free his people and Pharaoh die in the Red Sea. (Ex. 14:​26-28; Ps. 136:15) King Belshazzar from Babylon was having one big party, then he “exalted [himself] against the Lord of the heavens” and “praised gods of silver and gold” instead of Jehovah. (Dan. 5:​22, 23) But God discipline that proud man ‘that same night.’ They kill Belshazzar and gave his kingdom to the Medes and the Persians. (Dan. 5:​28, 30, 31) King Herod Agrippa I from Palestine kill the apostle James and then put the apostle Peter in jail, with the plan of killing him too. But Jehovah not allow Herod to carry on his plan. “The angel of Jehovah struck him,” and he die.​—Acts 12:​1-5, 21-23.

13. Give one example about how Jehovah defeated group of nations.

¹³ Jehovah also na show that he get power over group of nations that can join to fight against him. He fought for the Israelites and help them to destroy 31 Canaanite kings that join together to fight against him. And he help them to capture big part of the Promise Land. (Josh. 11:​4-6, 20; 12:​1, 7, 24) Jehovah also help the Israelites to win the battle against King Ben-hadad and the 32 other Syrian kings that join him to fight against Israel.​—1 Ki. 20:​1, 26-29.

14-15. (a) Wetin Kings Nebuchadnezzar and Darius say about Jehovah rulership? (b) Wetin the psalmist say about Jehovah and His nation?

¹⁴ Jehovah na prove over and over that he get more power over everyone! Jehovah made King Nebuchadnezzar crazy because he made big mouth about his power and glory instead of giving Jehovah the praise that He deserve. After he got better, Nebuchadnezzar “praised the Most High” and said that “[Jehovah’s] rulership is an everlasting rulership.” He also said: “There is no one who can hinder him.” (Dan. 4:​30, 33-35) When Jehovah save Daniel from the lion because he remain faithful to him, King Darius made one law. He said, “People are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his sovereignty is eternal.”​—Dan. 6:​7-10, 19-22, 26, 27, ftn.

¹⁵ The psalmist said: “Jehovah has frustrated the schemes of the nations; he has thwarted the plans of the peoples.” He also said: “Happy is the nation whose God is Jehovah, the people he has chosen as his own possession.” (Ps. 33:​10, 12) We get very good reason for us to always remain faithful to Jehovah!

THE FINAL WAR

16. Wetin we can be sure of during the “great tribulation,” and why? (See picture.)

¹⁶ We finish reading about what Jehovah did way back. So wetin we expecting to happen in the future? We can be sure that Jehovah will save his loyal servants during the “great tribulation.” (Matt. 24:21; Dan. 12:1) He will save his people when the group of nations, call Gog of Magog attack them all over the world. Even if all the 193 members of the United Nations join this group, they still can’t make it with Jehovah, the Supreme One and his army in heaven! Jehovah promise, “I will certainly magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known before the eyes of many nations; and they will have to know that I am Jehovah.”​—Ezek. 38:​14-16, 23; Ps. 46:10.

17. What the Bible say will happen to the kings of the earth and to those who will remain faithful to Jehovah?

¹⁷ Gog attack will lead to Armageddon. That the time Jehovah will destroy “the kings of the entire inhabited earth.” (Rev. 16:​14, 16; 19:​19-21) But, “only the upright will reside in the earth, and the one who keeps integrity will remain in it.”​—Prov. 2:​21, ftn.

WE MUST FIGHT HARD TO REMAIN FAITHFUL

18. Wetin plenty true Christians been willing to do, and why? (Daniel 3:28)

¹⁸ All through history, plenty true Christians been risking their freedom and even their lives because they love Jehovah their Ruler. Those true Christians been fighting hard to remain faithful to Jehovah. They just like the three Hebrew boys who fought hard to remain faithful to the Supreme One who save them from the fire.​—Read Daniel 3:28.

19. Jehovah will judge his people base on what, and wetin we must do now-now?

¹⁹ The psalmist David wrote about how it important to remain faithful to God: “Jehovah will pass sentence on the peoples. Judge me, O Jehovah, according to my righteousness and according to my integrity.” (Ps. 7:8) David also wrote: “May integrity and uprightness safeguard me.” (Ps. 25:21) The best way to live that to continue to remain faithful to Jehovah no matter what happen! Then we will feel the same way like the psalmist who wrote: “Happy are those who keep integrity . . . , who walk in the law of Jehovah.”​—Ps. 119:​1, ftn.