1. In what difficult situation was David?
Because he was fleeing from King Saul, David went through the difficult situation of not being afraid to eat, so he asked the priest Ahimelech for bread for himself and his men and then had to seek refuge in a cave.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
If King Saul was determined to kill him so David had to flee for his life.
And now we see him stop at the city of Nob and he asks Ahimelech the priest if he could give him five loaves or whatever you have so he was showing that they didn't have plenty and he didn't have much food.
2. How did Saul put himself in a dangerous position? (1 Samuel 23:16, 17).
Saul placed himself in a dangerous position before Jehovah because he allowed envy to blind him and tried to kill David on several occasions, even though he knew that Jehovah had said that David would be the next king of Israel.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Saul allowed envy to affect her and what she did was to oppose David who had already been chosen to later be king.
We see that even his own son Jonathan saw that what Saul was doing was not correct and took David's side and we also see that Jehovah had rejected him as king.
It is interesting the phrase that we find at the end of the paragraph those who fight against God always lose and that was going to be very clear because as we have read David was also going to become king because Jehovah had said so.
And this is confirmed by the Bible itself, the prophet Isaiah in chapter 55 verse 11 here it is shown that what Jehovah says is going to be done yes or yes, bone that he always complies with what he says.
3. How was David feeling in spite of everything he was going through?
Despite the difficult situation David was going through, he had full confidence that Jehovah would never fail to provide for his needs. The nation that he composed, possibly when he was hidden in the cave, highlights the trust he had in him, there he says: "that those who seek the Lord will not lack anything good."
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
For since he spoke the words those who seek Jehovah will not lack for anything good, we know that he had confidence in Jehovah and that he was grateful for the care he was giving him.
It is interesting the reasoning that the paragraph makes thinking that David could blame Jehovah because in the end he was starving we are fleeing but he had not done anything to deserve that because it was Jehovah who had anointed him but instead of blaming Jehovah he felt happy and satisfied because of how she cared for him.
And the fact that we are told that David did not blame Jehovah makes us see what a danger we face when we go through difficulties that we want to blame Jehovah, however if we are like David and see the whole picture and we see the blessings that Jehovah gives us in a spiritual sense despite the problems we are going through we can always feel happy.
And this attitude that David had was because he was humble he was chosen by Jehovah to be the king, he would have said why I have to go through this unfortunate situation but we see that that was not his attitude he did not blame Jehovah and was always grateful for all that he had given.
ILLUSTRATION:
Even in difficult moments, David said that he did not lack for anything good. (See paragraphs 1 to 3). *
Well, we see in this image how David is possibly looking out of the cave at that situation that could possibly be uncomfortable with little food but he was not thinking that because Jehovah was leaving him, rather he was seeing how Jehovah was taking care of him even in the situation perhaps the more complicated he was seeing the hand of Jehovah, he felt cared for even in the most precarious situation.
4. What questions will we answer, and why are they important?
The questions are: In what sense did David lack “nothing good”? Why should we learn to be content with what we have? Why can we be sure that Jehovah will take care of us? and How can we prepare now for the future? It is important that we answer these questions because Matthew 24:11 says that there will be a "great tribulation", this means that things will not get better, rather, they will get worse.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We will answer these questions: In what sense did David lack “nothing good”? Why should we learn to be content with what we have? Why can we be sure that Jehovah will take care of us? and How can we prepare now for the future? These questions are important because there are many brothers today who do not have enough food or lack other things that are needed to live.
And in the note we see an example of how the lack of food was a diabolical method that Satan used to make the brothers break their faith, but even in such an extreme situation, Jehovah helped them endure.
Well, yes, here in this article we see that Jehovah may allow us to suffer deprivation from time to time, but he gives us the opportunity to refute the devil's accusations.
“NOTHING I WILL LACK”
5, 6. How does Psalm 23:1-6 help us understand what David meant when he said that God's servants would lack “nothing good”?
In this Psalm, David refers that the most important thing is to have the blessing and protection of Jehovah. He begins by saying that Jehovah is our Shepherd and that we will lack nothing because he "guides us along paths of justice" and "makes us strong in meadows covered with grass", and although, sometimes due to problems, we feel that we walk "in a valley of deep darkness» we need not fear because he loyally supports us. So David assures us that we will always have the abundant spiritual blessings that Jehovah gives us.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, it helps us understand that despite the situations in which we may live, we do trust and take refuge in Jehovah because we are going to find peace to be able to move forward.
We have read that he spoke, for example, of his enemies or of walking in the valley of deep darkness, so he was clear that he could face serious difficulties, but he also spoke that Jehovah renews his strength, guides him along the paths of Justice or gives him security like this that he had the spiritual support of Jehovah.
In verse 6 he already shows us that if he acted in accordance with what Jehovah asked of him, he would have his approval and this is logical because although we know that there will be problems that we have to face, but that Jehovah will help us at the right time.
In verse 5 also David describes Jehovah as a generous host who provides food of life in great quantity and we can see that today it is the same as we can enjoy a great quantity and variety of spiritual food that we receive.
And verse 2 when it says takes me to places of rest where water abounds, a sheep by itself would surely not find a place like that, it would have to be its shepherd who takes it because that is how Jehovah guides us, he takes into account our circumstances and the necessary data so that we do not miss anything.
7. According to Luke 21:20-24, what difficult situation did first-century Christians living in Judea face?
The difficult situation of having to leave their houses, all their material possessions and flee to the mountains to survive the destruction that was coming. History shows that the Jews who heeded Jesus' warning were saved because they left many things behind and relied on Jehovah's protection and support, and furthermore, they put their worship first above all else.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
That one day Jerusalem would be surrounded by encamped armies and when this happened they would have to flee to the mountains leaving their own things behind.
If a situation that was not easy but that could make the Christians of Judea understand what is the place that material things should have in their lives, the importance that they give to these things could make the difference between life and death in a literal sense but also in a spiritual sense.
So that situation made it clear to them where they put their security in whom they placed their trust if in material things or in the protection and security that Jehovah offers.
8. What important lesson is taught by what happened to the Christians in Judea?
What happened to the Christians in Judea teaches us that we must have a proper point of view about material goods, because it may be that in "the great tribulation" our life involves going through certain difficulties and deprivations. So we have to be prepared to do whatever it takes to be one of the survivors like the obedient Christians of the first century.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The 1999 watchtower asterisk call gives us an important detail, it says “that we cannot conclude that the flight that Jesus spoke of is in a geographical sense, because Jehovah’s people are found in all corners of the earth. But we can be sure that this flight means maintaining a clear distinction between ourselves and false religious organizations. At that time, our safe haven will continue to be Jehovah and his mountainlike organization.
Well, The Watchtower said more than 20 years ago that it is possible that we also have to flee, perhaps not to a geographical location as the Jews did in the first century, the Christians in the first century, but yes, perhaps we have to leave our material goods, so from now on, ask ourselves What is more important to us if spiritual things or our material goods.
The article that appears in the note mentions that the Christians of Judea had to take a clear stand on Jehovah's side and not on the side of the Jewish religious political system and something that could make it more difficult for them was to abandon their material possessions, so if we have Of course, material positions should not be a hindrance to serving Jehovah, we can save ourselves in the future.
It is true that it can generate certain doubts because we do not know exactly what we will experience during the great tribulation but we are being encouraged to be people of faith that if we have faith we will be totally sure that we will only find care in the hands of Jehovah and not in material things.
And the film that we have on video that we have we walk by faith and not by sight tells us this story of the flight of the Christians from Jerusalem and makes us see that although at first we have it clear and say if we have to obey and we have to leave it everything behind the fact is that if we have a lot of things we can later have second thoughts and miss what we have left behind a lot and that can mean that although we made the right decision at first we return to things from behind, however if we make an effort to have only what is necessary to leave that, I don't know, it will be so difficult for us and we don't want to go back.
9. How does the advice the apostle Paul gave the Hebrews encourage you?
They encourage me because they make me reflect that we have to accept and be willing to adapt to having a simpler life and being happy with the things we have in the present. Although it is not easy to make changes or make a new life in another place, Pablo's advice reminds me that trust in Jehovah is paramount, because "He has said that he will never leave us or forsake us" but that he will cover our basic needs.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
If the biblical advice of the apostle Paul helps us to have a balanced point of view about money, for example when he says that his way of life is free from the love of money and also on the other hand he encourages us all to trust in Jehovah because as he says also the text will never leave us and will never abandon them if we take these two points into account, especially if we trust in Jehovah and then we have the money in its place because material things will not distract us from following Jehovah.
Paul also shows that it is very important to think that Jehovah is our helper with a helper so we can be calm but we also have to do our part and one of them is to simplify our lives because the same thing that happened to the Christians of the first century this too can help us to obtain salvation.
It is also encouraging to know that when we have Jehovah's advice we benefit in the case of these Christians who took seriously the advice that Paul gave them because obviously it cost them less to adapt to that simpler life and they were sure that Jehovah was going to cover their basic needs.
“WE ARE HAPPY WITH THAT”
10. What “secret” did Paul leave on record for us?
Paul wrote that "if we have food and clothing, let us be content with it." So the secret is that we should be happy and satisfied with what we have in a material sense, because the most valuable possession we have in our friendship with Jehovah, not material things.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, that we were content with what we had and with our circumstances since the most valuable possession we have is our worship.
Yes, that is what the words of Habakkuk 3:17 and 18 demonstrate, because many times the circumstances that surround us are not in our hands, but the basis of our happiness and if it is Jehovah, I owe what is happening around us if we can have it.
11. What lesson do we learn from what Moses told the Israelites?
Moses reminded the Israelites that Jehovah had blessed them for 40 years in the journey they made through the desert, they had not lacked anything, but rather gave him what was necessary, such as the manna that served them as food that made their clothes not it will wear out This leaves us with a great lesson because we must learn to value all the things that Jehovah does for us, no matter how small they seem to us, we must see it as a blessing and thank Jehovah for them.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
He told them you have not lacked anything and it is because Jehovah gave them everything he gave them food with the manna clothes that were not used up with that I consider that it was enough for them to be faithful because in this way we have to align our thoughts with what Jehovah is enough for us.
Jehovah's blessing was the same clothes for 40 years, a very simple food so that is what Jehovah's blessing really is that he gives us what is necessary for life and if we pay attention and see it as a blessing that will help us to be happy.
ILLUSTRATION:
Series of images: 1. A young man leaves Egypt together with other Israelites. 2. A few years later, the young man is already a grown man and is with his wife in the desert gathering manna. He wears the same clothes as he did when he left Egypt. 3. The same man is already elderly and is checking out his store. He still wears the same clothes.
The Israelites lacked nothing in the 40 years that they walked in the desert. And we? Can we feel content with what we have now? (See paragraph 11). *
Yes, beautiful how this Israelite is seen leaving Egypt because he had these clothes when he was young, then as a mature man he was with his wife collecting Manna with the same clothes and already in his old age also with the same clothes but it is seen that he was concentrated in what he did have, in what Jehovah gave him, not in what he had left behind in Egypt, how much the Israelites did and this allowed him to be happy.
LET US BE SURE THAT JEHOVAH WILL TAKE CARE OF US
12. Why do we know that David trusted in Jehovah and not in himself?
We know this because, for example, he wrote the words that we find in Psalm 34:7, where he said “he felt as if the angel of the Lord was camping around him” which shows the faith and confidence he had that the Lord protected him. We also know that he was a mighty warrior, but I do not trust his ability, but he trusted that Jehovah would take care of him and deliver him from all his enemies.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, because of how he acted, for example when he had to face Goliath because of his words, he made it clear that if he won it was not because of his skill with the slingshot but because Jehovah was with him.
And that is why he was able to express what we read in Psalm 34:7, and that is that David compares the angel of Jehovah as a soldier who is permanently at his side, watching in case the enemy arrives, so he could trust, he knew that Jehovah was loyal, that he would not He was going to abandon that is why he could express himself in this way and teaches us that we can also trust in Jehovah in the same way.
Jehovah had promised him that he would become king and perhaps we could think that at some point it might have crossed his mind to accelerate things through his hand, however in First Samuel 24:12 he says just the opposite in the final words he says I do not I'm going to lay my hands on you, so it's clear that he knew that Jehovah would do things in his time and he just let Jehovah act.
13. When Gog of Magog launches his attack, why will it seem like we're easy targets, but why won't we be afraid? (See cover drawing.)
We Christians will seem to be an easy target, because we have no weapons or training for war. But we will not be afraid because we are convinced that Jehovah will deliver us, we see with eyes of faith an army of angels camping around us, ready to defend and rescue us.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
In Ezekiel 38:11 we can see that it will seem that we are defenseless that we do not have walls but in reality it will not be like that, although they see that we do not have weapons or any training for war because in reality we are with Jehovah he will protect us.
In Revelation he already tells us that there is a horseman called faithful and true in this case Jesus himself who will command his angels to protect us the people of the coalition they will not have this army but they will notice his influence in protecting the people of Jehovah.
ILLUSTRATION:
Jesus and the angels watch as armed policemen approach the home of some Witnesses.
During the great tribulation, the forces of Gog de Magog may try to attack us in our homes. But we are reassured knowing that Jesus and his angels will be very aware and will defend us. (See paragraph 13).
Well, here we can see how for the nations we will be a very easy target, but we have to see the spiritual region as we have Jesus and his angels prepared and willing to put an end to all the enemies of Jehovah.
LET'S PREPARE NOW FOR THE FUTURE
14. What must we do now to prepare for the future?
First, we must have the proper point of view on material things and remember that one day we will have to go and leave everything behind. Also, we must learn to be content with what is necessary, and most importantly, feel very happy to be friends with Jehovah and convince ourselves that he will protect us when Gog de Magog attacks us.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, we have to make an effort to have a proper thought about material things because we have to remember that one day we have to go and leave everything behind.
Yes, to also be convinced that Jehovah will take care of us, it is necessary that we now strengthen our faith and trust in the protective power of Jehovah.
Yes, we should be happy with what we have, with what is necessary and feel very grateful and happy to be friends of Jehovah.
Yes, we must cultivate detachment from material things for money because if we are happy now and do not have that affection for material things, surely you are not going to be any impediment in the most difficult moments.
15. What past experiences taught David that Jehovah would never fail him?
David had seen Jehovah's protective hand on several occasions, for example, Jehovah came to his aid when he "confronted the giant Goliath and delivered him into his hands." Also, when he was in the service of Saul and he tried to kill him several times and could not, he realized that «the Lord was with him». This convinced him that "The Lord is good, and happy is the man who takes refuge in him." Similarly, meditating on the things that Jehovah has done for us or that he has protected us in certain circumstances should convince us that he will never fail us.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, when he said in Psalm 34:8 try and see that the Lord is good, he could say it with confidence because he had faced very difficult situations like when he faced the Philistine because he knew he could do it because he was trusting in Jehovah knew that it was Jehovah who would give him victory, like when he came out of Saul's persecution unscathed, so he always had Jehovah's help and that is why he was able to remember these moments of how Jehovah had intervened in his life and gave him confidence to face the future.
And when Saul was chasing David we can think that a king with his army was chasing someone who hides in caves in the mountains and as we see in First Samuel 18:12 it was Saul who was afraid of David and it was because Jehovah was at his side. side.
16. In what ways can we prove that Jehovah is good?
We can prove that Jehovah is good when we go through difficult circumstances such as job loss because we may ask permission to go to an assembly or ask for a change of schedule so that we can go to all the meetings and preach more. If we have faith and trust that Jehovah is faithful and will help us in those circumstances, we will not doubt that he will not provide the necessary things and it is at that moment that we will prove that Jehovah really is good to us.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
For example with daily life here is the example of a brother who maybe asks the boss for more free time to go to meetings and maybe he gives it to him but maybe he doesn't give it but that way he also sees how Jehovah gives him what he needs despite having to turn down a job.
And when we look to Jehovah for guidance in making any difficult decision we may be tempted to pull from our experience or how we have done before or even from other people when we are faced with it. But when we look to Jehovah for guidance and do things his way when we face all kinds of difficult situations in the family at work school all this will undoubtedly show us that doing things Jehovah's way is always the best.
Yes, we have lost our jobs because we put Jehovah and his service first, we show that we trust in him that we have faith in him, because perhaps while that job that we need does not arrive, investing that free time now, perhaps to expand our ministry or to participate in theocratic activities.
And something that can help us see how Jehovah has helped other brothers, we can access JW and look for experiences of brothers to see how Jehovah has helped us in different facets of their lives.
17. What is the text of the year 2022, and why is it so timely?
The text of the year 2022 is: "Those who seek Jehovah will not lack anything good." It is fitting that the Governing Body has chosen this psalm to remind us of the need to prepare now for the difficult days ahead and trust that Jehovah will never leave or forsake us.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Psalm 34:10 says that those who seek the Lord will not lack for anything good.
If we may have to face difficult situations in the future, therefore, keep in mind this text of the year, as it will help us prepare now for the moments that may await us in the future.
This is already the case for many of our brothers and sisters who have lost some things, others have had to flee overnight and leave everything behind, so that is a reality and it helps us now, so preparing now helps us for what what remains of this system and for what comes.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
In what sense do we lack anything good?
We lack "nothing good" in a spiritual sense and we have everything we need in a material sense. Like David we know that the most important thing is to have the blessing and protection of our Shepherd Jehovah and that he will help us to achieve what is necessary if we put our worship above everything else.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We have learned what it means in a spiritual sense that our happiness depends on Jehovah's blessing and protection.
What “secret” did Paul leave on record for us?
Paul wrote that "if we have food and clothing, let us be content with it." So the secret is that we should be happy and satisfied with what we have materially, because the most valuable possession we have is our friendship with Jehovah, not material things.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, we must be content with what we have in a material sense and think that our friendship with Jehovah is the most valuable position we have, therefore we must balance our point of view regarding material things with what Jehovah has.
Being content with much or with little is that Jehovah is our helper and will never leave us.
What can we do now to prepare for the future?
First, we must have the proper point of view on material things and remember that one day we will have to go and leave everything behind. Also, we must learn to be content with what is necessary, and most importantly, feel very happy to be friends with Jehovah and convince ourselves that he will protect us when Gog de Magog attacks us.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, it is time to learn to depend on Jehovah to make us happy and knowing that he will fulfill as provider of his servants what we need at the time we need it, but what we have to do is be happy with everything he gives us. maintain our friendship with him.
Also reflecting on the things of the past means seeing how Jehovah has helped us in the past and has never left us, and that will strengthen our confidence that he will also do so in the future.
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