Reference for Life and How we dey Preach—Meeting Book
JANUARY 2-8
BETTER THINGS WEY DEY INSIDE BIBLE | ISAIAH 24-28
“Jehovah Takes Care of His People”
ip-1 272 ¶5
Jehovah’s Hand Becomes High
5 Although fearsome when viewed by his enemies, Jehovah is a refuge to the meek and humble who want to serve him. Religious and political tyrants may try everything to break the faith of true worshipers, but they fail because these have absolute confidence in Jehovah. Eventually, he easily silences his opposers, doing so as if he were covering the burning desert sun with a cloud or blocking the force of a rainstorm with a wall.—Read Isaiah 25:4, 5.
Benefit Fully From Jehovah’s Provisions
4 In addition to publications for Jehovah’s Witnesses in general, we receive Bible-based material that appeals to specific groups. Some material is especially designed to help young people; other material assists their parents. Much of the material in print and on our website is prepared with the non-Witness public in mind. Such an abundance of spiritual food reminds us that Jehovah has kept his promise to “make for all the peoples a banquet of rich dishes.”—Isa. 25:6.
ip-1 273 ¶6-7
Jehovah’s Hand Becomes High
‘A Banquet for All the Peoples’
6 Like a loving father, Jehovah not only protects but also feeds his children, especially in a spiritual way. After liberating his people in 1919, he set before them a victory banquet, an abundant supply of spiritual food: “Jehovah of armies will certainly make for all the peoples, in this mountain, a banquet of well-oiled dishes, a banquet of wine kept on the dregs, of well-oiled dishes filled with marrow, of wine kept on the dregs, filtered.”—Isaiah 25:6.
7 The banquet is spread in Jehovah’s “mountain.” What is this mountain? It is “the mountain of the house of Jehovah” to which all nations stream “in the final part of the days.” It is Jehovah’s “holy mountain,” where his faithful worshipers do no harm and cause no ruin. (Isaiah 2:2; 11:9) In this elevated place of worship, Jehovah spreads his lush banquet for faithful ones. And the spiritual good things now supplied so generously foreshadow the physical good things that will be provided when God’s Kingdom becomes the sole government of mankind. Then hunger will be no more. “There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.”—Psalm 72:8, 16.
w14 9/15 26 ¶15
The Last Enemy, Death, Brought to Nothing
15 By the end of the thousand years of Kingdom rule, obedient mankind will have been liberated from all enemies introduced by Adam’s disobedience. The Bible says: “Just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive. But each one in his own proper order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ [his joint rulers] during his presence. Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing.” (1 Cor. 15:22-26) Yes, death inherited from Adam will at last be done away with. “The shroud” that entraps the entire human family will have been removed forever.—Isa. 25:7, 8.
ip-1 273-274 ¶8-9
Jehovah’s Hand Becomes High
8 Those who now partake of the divinely provided spiritual feast have glorious prospects. Listen to Isaiah’s next words. Comparing sin and death to a suffocating “woven work,” or “envelopment,” he says: “In this mountain [Jehovah] will certainly swallow up the face of the envelopment that is enveloping over all the peoples, and the woven work that is interwoven upon all the nations. He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces.”—Isaiah 25:7, 8a.
9 Yes, no more sin and death! (Revelation 21:3, 4) Moreover, the lying reproach that Jehovah’s servants have endured for thousands of years will also be done away with. “The reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for Jehovah himself has spoken it.” (Isaiah 25:8b) How will this happen? Jehovah will remove the source of that reproach, Satan and his seed. (Revelation 20:1-3) Little wonder that God’s people will be moved to exclaim: “Look! This is our God. We have hoped in him, and he will save us. This is Jehovah. We have hoped in him. Let us be joyful and rejoice in the salvation by him.”—Isaiah 25:9.
Better Things Wey Dey Inside Bible—Find Am Well
w15 7/15 11 ¶18
Work to Enhance the Spiritual Paradise
YOUR SHARE IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE SPIRITUAL PARADISE
18 It is an honor to be allowed by Jehovah to contribute to the beauty of our spiritual paradise. We do that by zealously preaching the Kingdom good news and making more disciples. Each time we help a person progress to Christian dedication, we have worked to extend the borders of the spiritual paradise.—Isa. 26:15; 54:2.
w13 3/15 23 ¶15-16
Jehovah—Our Place of Dwelling
OUR “REAL DWELLING” AS THE END APPROACHES
15 As Satan’s world nears its end, its “pangs of distress” will get worse. (Matt. 24:7, 8) Things will definitely get worse during the great tribulation. Infrastructures will collapse, and people will fear for their very lives. (Hab. 3:16, 17) Out of sheer desperation, they will, as it were, seek refuge “in the caves and in the rock-masses of the mountains.” (Rev. 6:15-17) But neither literal caves nor mountainlike political and commercial organizations will afford any protection.
16 Jehovah’s people, however, will continue to enjoy the safety of their “real dwelling,” Jehovah God. Like the prophet Habakkuk, they “will exult in Jehovah himself.” They “will be joyful in the God of [their] salvation.” (Hab. 3:18) In what ways will Jehovah prove to be “a real dwelling” during that tumultuous time? We will have to wait and see. But of this we can be sure: Like the Israelites at the time of the Exodus, the “great crowd” will remain organized, ever alert to divine direction. (Rev. 7:9; read Exodus 13:18.) That direction will come theocratically, probably by means of the congregation arrangement. Indeed, the many thousands of congregations around the world appear to be linked to the protective “interior rooms” foretold at Isaiah 26:20. (Read.) Do you value the congregation meetings? Do you act promptly on the direction Jehovah provides through the congregation arrangement?—Heb. 13:17.
JANUARY 9-15
BETTER THINGS WEY DEY INSIDE BIBLE | ISAIAH 29-33
“A King Will Reign for Righteousness”
w14 2/15 6 ¶13
Hail Christ, the Glorious King!
13 Christ also sallies forth ‘in the cause of righteousness.’ The righteousness that the King defends is “God’s righteousness”—Jehovah’s standards of what is right and what is wrong. (Rom. 3:21; Deut. 32:4) About the King Jesus Christ, Isaiah prophesied: “A king will reign for righteousness.” (Isa. 32:1) Jesus’ reign will usher in the promised “new heavens” and “new earth,” wherein “righteousness is to dwell.” (2 Pet. 3:13) Every inhabitant of that new world will be required to conform to Jehovah’s standards.—Isa. 11:1-5.
ip-1 332-334 ¶7-8
The King and His Princes
7 In his great prophecy describing the distressful “conclusion of the system of things,” Jesus said: “See that you are not terrified.” (Matthew 24:3-8) Why are Jesus’ followers not terrified by today’s dangerous world conditions? One reason is that the “princes”—whether they be anointed or “other sheep”—are loyally protecting the flock. (John 10:16) They fearlessly care for their brothers and sisters, even in the face of such horrors as ethnic wars and genocide. In a spiritually exhausted world, they see to it that depressed souls are refreshed by the upbuilding truths of God’s Word, the Bible.
8 During the past 50 years, the “princes” have come clearly into view. “Princes” who are of the other sheep are being trained as a developing “chieftain” class so that after the great tribulation, qualified ones from among them will be ready for appointment to serve in an administrative capacity in the “new earth.” (Ezekiel 44:2, 3; 2 Peter 3:13) By providing spiritual guidance and refreshment as they take the lead in Kingdom service, they are proving themselves to be “like the shadow of a heavy crag,” bringing relief to the flock in its realm of worship.
ip-1 334-335 ¶10-11
The King and His Princes
Paying Attention With Eyes, Ears, and Hearts
10 How have the great crowd responded to Jehovah’s theocratic arrangement? The prophecy continues: “The eyes of those seeing will not be pasted together, and the very ears of those hearing will pay attention.” (Isaiah 32:3) Over the years, Jehovah has provided for the instruction and bringing to maturity of his precious servants. The Theocratic Ministry School and other meetings operating in the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide; the district, national, and international conventions; as well as the specialized training of the “princes” to treat the flock with loving care have all contributed to the building up of a united, global brotherhood of millions. Wherever these shepherds are on earth, their ears are wide open to adjustments in understanding of the advancing word of truth. With Bible-trained consciences, they are ever ready to hear and to obey.—Psalm 25:10.
11 The prophecy then cautions: “The heart itself of those who are overhasty will consider knowledge, and even the tongue of the stammerers will be quick in speaking clear things.” (Isaiah 32:4) Let no one be overhasty in drawing conclusions about what is right and what is wrong. The Bible says: “Have you beheld a man hasty with his words? There is more hope for someone stupid than for him.” (Proverbs 29:20; Ecclesiastes 5:2) Before 1919, even Jehovah’s people were tainted with Babylonish ideas. But starting in that year, Jehovah has given them a clearer understanding of his purposes. They have found the truths he has revealed to be, not overhasty, but well thought out, and they are now speaking with the certainty of belief, not stammering with uncertainty.
Better Things Wey Dey Inside Bible—Find Am Well
w14 8/15 21 ¶2
Hear Jehovah’s Voice Wherever You Are
2 Today, Jehovah guides his people by means of the Bible, his holy spirit, and the congregation. (Acts 9:31; 15:28; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17) The guidance that we receive from him is so clear that it is as if ‘our own ears hear a word behind us saying: “This is the way. Walk in it.”’ (Isa. 30:21) In effect, Jesus also conveys Jehovah’s voice to us as he directs the congregation through “the faithful and discreet slave.” (Matt. 24:45) We need to take this guidance and direction seriously, for our everlasting life depends on our obedience.—Heb. 5:9.
w14 10/15 14 ¶4
You Will Become “a Kingdom of Priests”
4 The Law covenant went into effect at Mount Sinai in 1513 B.C.E. By means of that covenant, the ancient nation of Israel was set apart as God’s chosen nation. Jehovah now became ‘their Judge, their Lawgiver, and their King.’ (Isa. 33:22) The history of Israel provides a record of what happens when God’s righteous standards are either observed or ignored. Since the Law forbade intermarrying with pagans and participation in false worship, it was designed to prevent Abraham’s line of descent from being contaminated.—Ex. 20:4-6; 34:12-16.
JANUARY 16-22
BETTER THINGS WEY DEY INSIDE BIBLE | ISAIAH 34-37
“Hezekiah’s Faith Was Rewarded”
ip-1 386-388 ¶7-14
A King’s Faith Is Rewarded
Rabshakeh Presents His Case
7 Sennacherib dispatches Rabshakeh (a military title, not a personal name) along with two other dignitaries to Jerusalem to demand the city’s surrender. (2 Kings 18:17) These are met outside the city wall by three of Hezekiah’s representatives, Eliakim the overseer of Hezekiah’s household, Shebna the secretary, and Joah the son of Asaph the recorder.—Isaiah 36:2, 3.
8 Rabshakeh’s aim is simple—convince Jerusalem to surrender without a fight. Speaking in Hebrew, he first cries out: “What is this confidence in which you have trusted? . . . In whom have you put trust, that you have rebelled against me?” (Isaiah 36:4, 5) Then Rabshakeh taunts the frightened Jews, reminding them that they are completely isolated. To whom can they turn for support? To that “crushed reed,” Egypt? (Isaiah 36:6) At this time, Egypt does resemble a crushed reed; in fact, that former world power has been temporarily conquered by Ethiopia, and Egypt’s present Pharaoh, King Tirhakah, is not an Egyptian but an Ethiopian. And he is about to be defeated by Assyria. (2 Kings 19:8, 9) Since Egypt cannot save itself, it will be of little help to Judah.
9 Rabshakeh now argues that Jehovah will not fight for His people because He is displeased with them. Rabshakeh says: “In case you should say to me, ‘It is Jehovah our God in whom we have trusted,’ is he not the one whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has removed?” (Isaiah 36:7) Of course, far from rejecting Jehovah by tearing down the high places and the altars in the land, the Jews have actually returned to Jehovah.
10 Next Rabshakeh reminds the Jews that militarily they are hopelessly outclassed. He issues this arrogant challenge: “Let me give you two thousand horses to see whether you are able, on your part, to put riders upon them.” (Isaiah 36:8) In reality, though, does it matter whether Judah’s trained cavalry are many or few? No, for Judah’s salvation does not depend upon superior military strength. Proverbs 21:31 explains matters this way: “The horse is something prepared for the day of battle, but salvation belongs to Jehovah.” Then Rabshakeh claims that Jehovah’s blessing is with the Assyrians, not the Jews. Otherwise, he argues, the Assyrians could never have penetrated so far into Judah’s territory.—Isaiah 36:9, 10.
11 Hezekiah’s representatives are concerned about the effect that Rabshakeh’s arguments will have on the men who can hear him from the top of the city wall. These Jewish officials request: “Speak, please, to your servants in the Syrian language, for we are listening; and do not speak to us in the Jews’ language in the ears of the people that are on the wall.” (Isaiah 36:11) But Rabshakeh has no intention of speaking in the Syrian language. He wants to sow seeds of doubt and fear in the Jews so that they will surrender and Jerusalem can be conquered without a fight! (Isaiah 36:12) Hence the Assyrian speaks again in “the Jews’ language.” He warns the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “Do not let Hezekiah deceive you people, for he is not able to deliver you.” Following this, he tries to tempt those listening by painting a picture of life as it could be for the Jews under Assyrian rule: “Make a capitulation to me and come out to me and eat each one from his own vine and each one from his own fig tree and drink each one the water of his own cistern, until I come and actually take you to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards.”—Isaiah 36:13-17.
12 There will be no harvest for the Jews this year—the Assyrian invasion has prevented them from planting crops. The prospect of eating succulent grapes and of drinking cool water must be very appealing to the men listening on the wall. But Rabshakeh has not yet finished trying to weaken the Jews.
13 From his arsenal of arguments, Rabshakeh draws another verbal weapon. He warns the Jews against believing Hezekiah should he say: “Jehovah himself will deliver us.” Rabshakeh reminds the Jews that the gods of Samaria were unable to prevent the ten tribes from being overcome by the Assyrians. And what of the gods of the other nations Assyria has conquered? “Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad?” he demands. “Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? And have they delivered Samaria out of my hand?”—Isaiah 36:18-20.
14 Of course, Rabshakeh, a worshiper of false gods, does not understand that there is a big difference between apostate Samaria and Jerusalem under Hezekiah. Samaria’s false gods had no power to save the ten-tribe kingdom. (2 Kings 17:7, 17, 18) On the other hand, Jerusalem under Hezekiah has turned its back on false gods and has returned to serving Jehovah. However, the three Judean representatives do not try to explain this to Rabshakeh. “They continued to keep silent and did not answer him a word, for the commandment of the king was, saying: ‘You must not answer him.’”
ip-1 389-391 ¶15-17
A King’s Faith Is Rewarded
Hezekiah Makes a Decision
15 King Hezekiah now has a decision to make. Will Jerusalem surrender to the Assyrians? join forces with Egypt? or stand her ground and fight? Hezekiah is under great pressure. He goes to Jehovah’s temple, while dispatching Eliakim and Shebna, along with the older men of the priests, to inquire of Jehovah through the prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah 37:1, 2) Dressed in sackcloth, the king’s emissaries approach Isaiah, saying: “This day is a day of distress and of rebuke and of scornful insolence . . . Perhaps Jehovah your God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his lord sent to taunt the living God, and he will actually call him to account for the words that Jehovah your God has heard.” (Isaiah 37:3-5) Yes, the Assyrians are challenging the living God! Will Jehovah give attention to their taunts? Through Isaiah, Jehovah reassures the Jews: “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard with which the attendants of the king of Assyria spoke abusively of me. Here I am putting a spirit in him, and he must hear a report and return to his own land; and I shall certainly cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”—Isaiah 37:6, 7.
16 Meanwhile, Rabshakeh is called away to be at Sennacherib’s side while the king wages war at Libnah. Sennacherib will deal with Jerusalem later. (Isaiah 37:8) Still, Rabshakeh’s departure brings no letup of pressure on Hezekiah. Sennacherib sends threatening letters describing what the inhabitants of Jerusalem can expect if they refuse to surrender: “You yourself have heard what the kings of Assyria did to all the lands by devoting them to destruction, and will you yourself be delivered? Have the gods of the nations that my forefathers brought to ruin delivered them? . . . Where is the king of Hamath and the king of Arpad and the king of the city of Sepharvaim—of Hena and of Ivvah?” (Isaiah 37:9-13) Basically, the Assyrian is saying that it is senseless to resist—resistance will only bring more trouble!
17 Deeply concerned about the consequences of the decision he must make, Hezekiah spreads Sennacherib’s letters out before Jehovah in the temple. (Isaiah 37:14) In heartfelt prayer he implores Jehovah to give ear to the Assyrian’s threats, concluding his prayer with the words: “And now, O Jehovah our God, save us out of his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Jehovah, are God alone.” (Isaiah 37:15-20) From this it is clear that Hezekiah is primarily concerned, not with his own deliverance, but with the reproach that will be heaped upon Jehovah’s name if Assyria defeats Jerusalem.
ip-1 391-394 ¶18-22
A King’s Faith Is Rewarded
18 Jehovah’s answer to Hezekiah’s prayer comes through Isaiah. Jerusalem must not surrender to Assyria; she must stand her ground. Speaking as to Sennacherib, Isaiah boldly states Jehovah’s message to the Assyrian: “The virgin daughter of Zion has despised you, she has held you in derision. Behind you the daughter of Jerusalem has wagged her head [mockingly].” (Isaiah 37:21, 22) Jehovah then adds, in effect: ‘Who are you to taunt the Holy One of Israel? I know your deeds. You have great ambitions; you make great boasts. You have trusted in your military power and have conquered much land. But you are not invincible. I will frustrate your plans. I will conquer you. Then I will do to you as you have done to others. I will put a hook in your nose and lead you back to Assyria!’—Isaiah 37:23-29.
“This Will Be the Sign for You”
19 What guarantee does Hezekiah have that Isaiah’s prophecy will be fulfilled? Jehovah answers: “This will be the sign for you: There will be an eating this year of the growth from spilled kernels, and in the second year grain that shoots up of itself; but in the third year sow seed, you people, and reap, and plant vineyards and eat their fruitage.” (Isaiah 37:30) Jehovah will provide food for the trapped Jews. Although unable to plant seed because of the Assyrian occupation, they will be able to eat from the gleanings of the preceding year’s harvest. The following year, a sabbath year, they must let their fields lie fallow, despite their desperate situation. (Exodus 23:11) Jehovah promises that if the people obey his voice, enough grain will sprout in the fields to sustain them. Then, in the following year, men will sow seed in the usual way and enjoy the fruitage of their labor.
20 Jehovah now compares his people to a plant that cannot easily be uprooted: “Those who escape of the house of Judah . . . will certainly take root downward and produce fruitage upward.” (Isaiah 37:31, 32) Yes, those who trust in Jehovah have nothing to fear. They and their offspring will remain firmly established in the land.
21 What of the Assyrian’s threats against Jerusalem? Jehovah answers: “He will not come into this city, nor will he shoot an arrow there, nor confront it with a shield, nor cast up a siege rampart against it. By the way by which he came he will return, and into this city he will not come.” (Isaiah 37:33, 34) There will be no battle between Assyria and Jerusalem after all. Surprisingly, it will be the Assyrians, not the Jews, who are defeated without a fight.
22 True to his word, Jehovah sends an angel who strikes down the cream of Sennacherib’s troops—185,000 men. This apparently happens at Libnah, and Sennacherib himself wakes up to find the leaders, chiefs, and mighty men of his army dead. Shamefaced, he returns to Nineveh, but despite his resounding defeat, he stubbornly remains devoted to his false god Nisroch. Some years later, while worshiping in the temple of Nisroch, Sennacherib is assassinated by two of his sons. Once again, lifeless Nisroch proves powerless to save.—Isaiah 37:35-38.
Better Things Wey Dey Inside Bible—Find Am Well
w08 5/15 26 ¶4
Pursue “Holiness in God’s Fear”
‘There Will Come to Be the Way of Holiness’
Jehovah foretold that his people who were in Babylonian exile would be restored to their homeland. The prophecy of restoration contained this guarantee: “There will certainly come to be a highway there, even a way; and the Way of Holiness it will be called.” (Isa. 35:8a) These words show that Jehovah not only opened the way for the Jews to get home but assured them of his protection along the way.
w08 5/15 27 ¶1
Pursue “Holiness in God’s Fear”
“The Unclean One Will Not Pass Over It”
In 537 B.C.E., the returning Jews had to meet an important requirement. Regarding those qualified to walk on “the Way of Holiness,” Isaiah 35:8b states: “The unclean one will not pass over it. And it will be for the one walking on the way, and no foolish ones will wander about on it.” Since the purpose of the Jews’ return to Jerusalem was to reestablish pure worship, there would be no place for those who had selfish motives, lacked respect for sacred things, or were spiritually unclean. The returnees needed to maintain Jehovah’s high moral standards.[6a] Those desiring God’s favor today need to meet the same requirement. They must pursue “holiness in God’s fear.” (2 Cor. 7:1) What unclean practices, then, ought we to shun?
w07 1/15 8 ¶6
Highlights From the Book of Isaiah—II
Lessons for Us:
36:2, 3, 22. Though dismissed from serving as a steward, Shebna was allowed to continue in the king’s service as a secretary to his replacement. (Isaiah 22:15, 19) If we are removed from a position of responsibility in Jehovah’s organization for some reason, should we not continue to serve God in whatever capacity he permits?
JANUARY 23-29
BETTER THINGS WEY DEY INSIDE BIBLE | ISAIAH 38-42
“Jehovah Gives Power to the Tired One”
ip-1 409-410 ¶23-25
“Comfort My People”
“Who Has Created These Things?”
23 There is yet another reason why the Jewish exiles can take heart. The One who promises deliverance is the Creator of all things and the Source of all dynamic energy. To stress his astounding capacity, Jehovah calls attention to his ability manifest in creation: “‘To whom can you people liken me so that I should be made his equal?’ says the Holy One. ‘Raise your eyes high up and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who is bringing forth the army of them even by number, all of whom he calls even by name. Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power, not one of them is missing.’”—Isaiah 40:25, 26.
24 The Holy One of Israel is speaking for himself. To show that he is without equal, Jehovah directs attention to the stars of the heavens. Like a military commander able to marshal his troops, Jehovah is in command of the stars. If he were to muster them, ‘not one of them would be missing.’ Though the number of the stars is great, he calls each one by name, either an individual name or a namelike designation. Like obedient soldiers, they keep their place and observe proper order, for their Leader has an abundance of “dynamic energy” and is “vigorous in power.” Therefore, the Jewish exiles have reason for confidence. The Creator, who commands the stars, has the power to support his servants.
25 Who of us can resist the divine invitation recorded at Isaiah 40:26: “Raise your eyes high up and see”? The discoveries of modern-day astronomers have shown that the starry heavens are even more awe-inspiring than they appeared to be in Isaiah’s day. Astronomers who peer into the heavens with their powerful telescopes estimate that the observable universe contains as many as 125 billion galaxies. Why, just one of these—the Milky Way galaxy—contains, according to some estimates, over 100 billion stars! Such knowledge should awaken in our hearts reverence for our Creator and complete trust in his word of promise.
ip-1 413 ¶27
“Comfort My People”
27 Isaiah records Jehovah’s words describing the feelings of the exiles in Babylon, hundreds of miles from their homeland. Some think that their “way”—the hard course of their life—is unseen or unknown by their God. They think that Jehovah is indifferent to the injustices they suffer. They are reminded of things that they should know, if not from personal experience, then at least from information that has been handed down. Jehovah is able and willing to deliver his people. He is the eternal God and the Creator of the entire earth. Hence, he still possesses the power he displayed in creation, and not even mighty Babylon is beyond his reach. Such a God cannot grow tired and fail his people. They ought not to expect to be able fully to grasp Jehovah’s doings, for his understanding—or insight, discernment, and perception—is beyond their comprehension.
ip-1 413-415 ¶29-31
“Comfort My People”
29 When speaking of the need to give to the tired one power, Jehovah may have in mind the arduous journey that the exiles will have to make in order to return home. Jehovah reminds his people that it is characteristic of him to come to the aid of weary ones who look to him for support. Even the most vibrant of humans—“boys” and “young men”—may be worn down by fatigue and stumble from exhaustion. Yet, Jehovah promises to give power—unwearied power to run and to walk—to those who are trusting in him. The seemingly effortless flight of the eagle, a powerful bird that can soar for hours at a time, is used to illustrate how Jehovah empowers his servants. With prospects of such divine support, the Jewish exiles have no cause for despair.
30 These closing verses of Isaiah chapter 40 contain words of comfort for true Christians living in the last days of this wicked system. With so many pressures and problems that tend to dishearten, it is reassuring to know that the hardships we endure and the injustices we suffer do not go unnoticed by our God. We can be sure that the Creator of all things, the One whose “understanding is beyond recounting,” will correct all injustices in his own time and way. (Psalm 147:5, 6) Meanwhile, we need not endure in our own strength. Jehovah, whose resources are inexhaustible, can impart power—even “power beyond what is normal”—to his servants in times of trial.—2 Corinthians 4:7.
31 Think of those Jewish captives in Babylon in the sixth century B.C.E. Hundreds of miles away, their beloved Jerusalem lay desolate, its temple in ruins. For them, Isaiah’s prophecy contained a comforting promise of light and hope—Jehovah would restore them to their homeland! In 537 B.C.E., Jehovah led his people home, proving that he is the Fulfiller of promises. We too can have absolute confidence in Jehovah. His Kingdom promises, which are so beautifully expressed in Isaiah’s prophecy, will become a reality. That is indeed good news—a message of light for all mankind!
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w03 7/1 17 ¶17
“God Is Love”
17 In a moving song of gratitude that Hezekiah composed after he was spared from a deadly sickness, he said to Jehovah: “You have thrown behind your back all my sins.” (Isaiah 38:17) Jehovah is here portrayed as taking the sins of a repentant wrongdoer and throwing them behind Him where He neither sees them nor takes notice of them anymore. According to one reference work, the idea conveyed may be expressed: “You have made [my sins] as if they had not happened.” Is that not comforting?
w15 2/15 8 ¶13
Imitate Jesus’ Humility and Tenderness
13 His tender words. Jesus’ tender heart moved him to speak tenderly to others, especially to the downtrodden. The apostle Matthew applied to Jesus these words of Isaiah: “No crushed reed will he break, and no smoldering wick will he extinguish.” (Isa. 42:3; Matt. 12:20) Jesus spoke in a way that lifted the spirits of those who were figuratively like a bruised reed or the wick of an oil lamp about to go out. He preached a message of hope “to bind up the brokenhearted.” (Isa. 61:1) He invited those who were “toiling and loaded down” to come to him, reassuring them that they would “find refreshment” for themselves. (Matt. 11:28-30) He assured his followers that God had tender concern for each of His worshippers, including the “little ones”—those who may seem unimportant from the standpoint of the world.—Matt. 18:12-14; Luke 12:6, 7.
JANUARY 30–FEBRUARY 5
BETTER THINGS WEY DEY INSIDE BIBLE | ISAIAH 43-46
“Jehovah Is the God of True Prophecy”
ip-2 71-72 ¶22-23
The True God Foretells Deliverance
22 Uninspired diviners usually dare not be too specific in their predictions for fear that time will prove them wrong. By contrast, through Isaiah, Jehovah reveals the very name of the man he will use to free his people from captivity so that they can go home and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. His name is Cyrus, and he is known as Cyrus the Great of Persia. Jehovah also gives details of the strategy that Cyrus will use to penetrate Babylon’s massive and elaborate defense system. Babylon will be protected by high walls and by waterways that run through and around the city. Cyrus will turn a main element of that system—the Euphrates River—to his advantage. According to ancient historians Herodotus and Xenophon, at a location upstream from Babylon, Cyrus diverted the waters of the Euphrates until the level of the river dropped low enough for his soldiers to wade through. As far as its ability to protect Babylon is concerned, the mighty Euphrates evaporates.
23 What about the promise that Cyrus will release God’s people and that he will see to it that Jerusalem and the temple will be rebuilt? Cyrus himself, in an official proclamation preserved in the Bible, declares: “This is what Cyrus the king of Persia has said, ‘All the kingdoms of the earth Jehovah the God of the heavens has given me, and he himself has commissioned me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God prove to be with him. So let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of Jehovah the God of Israel—he is the true God—which was in Jerusalem.’” (Ezra 1:2, 3) Jehovah’s word through Isaiah is completely fulfilled!
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Jehovah—“A Righteous God and a Savior”
4 Jehovah, through Isaiah, speaks to Cyrus as if he were alive, although in Isaiah’s day Cyrus has not yet been born. (Romans 4:17) Since Jehovah appoints Cyrus in advance to accomplish a specific task, Cyrus can be said to be God’s “anointed one.” With God leading him, he will subdue nations, rendering kings weak and incapable of resistance. Then, when Cyrus attacks Babylon, Jehovah will see to it that the doors of the city are left open, making them as useless as gates that have been shattered. He will go before Cyrus, smoothing out all obstacles. In the end, Cyrus’ troops will conquer the city and take possession of its “hidden treasures,” its wealth stored in dark vaults. This is what Isaiah foretells. Do his words come true?
5 In the year 539 B.C.E.—some 200 years after Isaiah records this prophecy—Cyrus does indeed arrive at the walls of Babylon to attack the city. (Jeremiah 51:11, 12) The Babylonians, however, are not concerned. They feel that their city is unconquerable. Its towering walls loom over deep moats filled with water from the Euphrates River, which forms part of the city’s defense system. For over a hundred years, no enemy has been able to take Babylon by storm! In fact, Babylon’s ruler in residence, Belshazzar, feels so secure that he feasts with members of his court. (Daniel 5:1) That night—the night of October 5/6—Cyrus completes a brilliant military maneuver.
6 Upstream from Babylon, Cyrus’ engineers have cut through the bank of the Euphrates River, diverting its waters so that they no longer flow southward toward the city. Before long, the water level of the river in and around Babylon falls so low that Cyrus’ troops are able to slosh along the riverbed toward the heart of the city. (Isaiah 44:27; Jeremiah 50:38) Amazingly, just as Isaiah foretold, the gates along the river are open. Cyrus’ forces swarm into Babylon, take the palace, and put King Belshazzar to death. (Daniel 5:30) In one night the conquest is all over. Babylon has fallen, and the prophecy is fulfilled to the letter.
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Jehovah—“A Righteous God and a Savior”
Why Jehovah Will Favor Cyrus
8 After stating who will conquer Babylon and how this will be done, Jehovah goes on to explain one reason why Cyrus will be given the victory. Jehovah, prophetically speaking to Cyrus, says that it is “in order that you may know that I am Jehovah, the One calling you by your name, the God of Israel.” (Isaiah 45:3b) It is fitting that the ruler of the fourth world power of Bible history recognizes that his greatest victory comes as a result of the support of one who is greater than he is—Jehovah, the Universal Sovereign. Cyrus should acknowledge that the one who calls, or commissions, him is Jehovah, the God of Israel. The Bible record shows that Cyrus did indeed acknowledge that his great victory came from Jehovah.—Ezra 1:2, 3.
9 Jehovah explains the second reason why he brings Cyrus to conquer Babylon: “For the sake of my servant Jacob and of Israel my chosen one, I even proceeded to call you by your name; I proceeded to give you a name of honor, although you did not know me.” (Isaiah 45:4) Cyrus’ victory over Babylon is earth-shattering. It marks the fall of one world power and the ascent of another, and it leaves its mark on history for generations to come. Yet, those of the nations round about who are anxiously watching events would likely be astounded to know that it all happens for the sake of a few thousand “insignificant” exiles in Babylon—the Jews, descendants of Jacob. In Jehovah’s eyes, however, these survivors of the ancient nation of Israel are far from insignificant. They are his “servant.” Of all the nations of the earth, they are his “chosen one.” Even though Cyrus previously did not know Jehovah, he is used by Jehovah as His anointed one to overthrow the city that refused to give up its captives. It is not God’s purpose that his chosen people languish forever on foreign soil.
10 There is a third, even more important reason why Jehovah uses Cyrus to overthrow Babylon. Jehovah says: “I am Jehovah, and there is no one else. With the exception of me there is no God. I shall closely gird you, although you have not known me, in order that people may know from the rising of the sun and from its setting that there is none besides me. I am Jehovah, and there is no one else.” (Isaiah 45:5, 6) Yes, the fall of the Babylonian World Power is a demonstration of Jehovah’s Godship, proof to everyone that he alone is worthy of worship. Because God’s people are released, individuals from many nations—from east to west—will come to acknowledge that Jehovah is the only true God.—Malachi 1:11.
Better Things Wey Dey Inside Bible—Find Am Well
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“The People Whose God Is Jehovah”
A NATION OF WITNESSES
14 The Israelites worshipped their God, Jehovah, whereas the other nations worshipped their own deities. At the time of the prophet Isaiah, Jehovah compared the world situation to that of a court trial. He challenged the gods of the nations to produce witnesses to confirm their divinity, declaring: “Let all the nations assemble in one place, and let the peoples be gathered together. Who [of their gods] among them can tell this? Or can they cause us to hear the first things? Let them present their witnesses to prove themselves right, or let them hear and say, ‘It is the truth!’”—Isa. 43:9.
15 The gods of the nations were unable to produce any evidence of their godship. They were mere idols that were speechless and that needed to be carried around. (Isa. 46:5-7) On the other hand, Jehovah told his people Israel: “You are my witnesses, . . . yes, my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and have faith in me and understand that I am the same One. Before me no God was formed, and after me there has been none. I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior. . . . So you are my witnesses, . . . and I am God.”—Isa. 43:10-12.
16 In what would amount to a universal court case over the issue “Who is the Supreme God?,” Jehovah’s chosen people were to attest loud and clear that Jehovah is the one true God. He called them “the people whom I formed for myself so that they might declare my praise.” (Isa. 43:21) They were the people who bore his name. Redeemed from Egypt by Jehovah, they were under a moral obligation to support his sovereignty before the other peoples of the earth. In effect, their stance was to be like that later set forth for God’s present-day people by the prophet Micah: “All the peoples will walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of Jehovah our God forever and ever.”—Mic. 4:5.
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“You Are My Witnesses”!
24 Notice, though, that the resulting divine mercy will not simply be because of Israel’s contrition; it will be for Jehovah’s own sake. Yes, his name is involved. Were he to abandon Israel to permanent exile, his own name would be reproached by onlookers. (Psalm 79:9; Ezekiel 20:8-10) Likewise today, the salvation of humans is secondary to the sanctification of Jehovah’s name and the vindication of his sovereignty. Nonetheless, Jehovah loves those who accept his discipline without reservation and who worship him with spirit and truth. He demonstrates his love for these ones—whether anointed or other sheep—by wiping out their transgressions on the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.—John 3:16; 4:23, 24.