Let us examine the scriptures every day 2025
Saturday February 8, 2025
I, Jehovah, am the one who guides you (Isa. 48:17).
Today, as in the past, Jehovah continues to guide his people through his Word and his Son, the head of the congregation. Do we have evidence that he has continued to use human beings as his representatives? Yes. Let's think, for example, about what happened at the end of the nineteenth century. Charles Russell and his collaborators realized that 1914 would be a very important year for the Kingdom of God (Dan. 4:25, 26). How did they come to that conclusion? Studying the prophecies of the Bible. And, without a doubt, Jehovah guided his research work. What happened in the world in 1914 confirmed that the Kingdom of God had begun to rule: World War I broke out and there were epidemics, earthquakes, and famine (Luke 21:10, 11). It became clear that Jehovah was using these good-hearted men to help his people. w24.02 22 para. 11.
What was done during World War II to give a boost to preaching and teaching?
Let's also think about something that happened during World War II. The brothers responsible for the world headquarters studied what Revelation 17:8 says and understood that after the Second World War Armageddon would not come, but rather there would be a period of peace that would allow them to preach to more people. For this reason, Jehovah's organization made a decision that may not have seemed very logical at the time: it started the Watchtower Bible College of Gilead,b with the purpose of preparing missionaries to go to preach and teach in other places in the world. Even during the war, brothers were sent to different countries. Additionally, the faithful slave created the Theocratic Ministry Coursec to help all publishers become better teachers. All this prepared Jehovah's servants for the work ahead.
We can clearly see that Jehovah guided his people in that difficult time. Since the end of World War II, Jehovah’s servants have been able to preach freely in many places. In fact, many people have come to know Jehovah, and today it is preached throughout the Earth.
Why can we trust in the guidance of Jehovah's organization and the elders? (Revelation 2:1; see also image).
Today, members of the Governing Body continue to seek guidance from Christ. They do their best to ensure that the instructions they give are in harmony with the views of Jehovah and Jesus. And, through circuit overseers and elders, they deliver those instructions to the congregations. The anointed elders and, by extension, all elders are at the “right hand” of Christ (read Revelation 2:1). Because they are imperfect, they sometimes make mistakes, just as Moses, Joshua, and the apostles did (Num. 20:12; Josh. 9:14, 15; Rom. 3:23). However, we know that Jesus closely guides the faithful slave and elders, and will continue to do so “every day until the end of the system” (Matt. 28:20). Therefore, we have compelling reasons to trust in the guidance given to us through these brothers.
What do you learn from those who have allowed themselves to be guided by Jehovah?
Always following Jehovah's guidance benefits us even now. For example, Andy and his wife, Robyn, applied the advice to live a simple life (see the second study note on Matthew 6:22, in the Study Bible). This allowed them to collaborate on construction projects for the organization. She says: “We have lived in very small places, and many times we had nowhere to cook. Also, I love photography, but I had to sell a lot of my cameras and accessories. Although I sold them with tears in my eyes, I was determined to be like Sarah, Abraham's wife, and not look back, but forward” (Heb. 11:15). Are you happy with the decision you made? She continues: “We feel very happy because we know that we are giving everything we have to Jehovah. Every time we work for Jehovah it is as if we are getting a taste of what life will be like in the new world.” And what does Andy think? He says, “There is no greater joy than to wear yourself out completely for the Kingdom.”
What is another benefit of always following Jehovah's guidance? Let's look at the case of a sister named Marcia. When he finished his studies, he decided to follow the advice to begin pioneering (Matt. 6:33; Rom. 12:11). She explains: “A university offered me a four-year scholarship. But I wanted to focus on spiritual goals, so I decided to enroll in a technical school to learn a trade where I could earn a living and be a pioneer. It was one of the best decisions of my life. Now I am a regular pioneer, and my work schedule allows me to be an external volunteer at Bethel and enjoy other nice privileges.”
In what other ways can we benefit from always following Jehovah's guidance? (Isaiah 48:17, 18).
Jehovah's organization sometimes gives us advice that protects us from materialism and other things that might lead us to disobey God's standards. In these cases, following Jehovah’s guidance also benefits us, keeping a clear conscience and avoiding many unnecessary headaches. This way we can focus completely on our service to Jehovah. There is nothing that makes us so happy and gives us so much peace (read Isaiah 48:17, 18).
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