We help others to benefit from Jehovah's mercy (10 mins.)
Mercy is one of the most comforting qualities of our God, Jehovah. Why do we say this? Because we all make mistakes and need Jehovah to forgive us and help us restore our friendship with him.
However, Jehovah’s mercy does not mean that he tolerates wickedness without limits. On the contrary, his mercy is always in harmony with his perfect justice. He does not force anyone to serve him, but he is willing to forgive those who sincerely repent and desire to do his will.
In chapter 50 of the book of Jeremiah, we find a prophecy that teaches us much about these two qualities of Jehovah. On the one hand, we see that he condemned ancient Babylon for its wickedness and arrogance. On the other hand, we see that he promised to forgive the repentant Israelites.
Furthermore, this account teaches us how we can imitate Jehovah's mercy and help others to benefit from it.
Jehovah was just when he condemned Babylon for her grave sins and her arrogance (Jer 50:14, 29, 31; it “Presumption” par. 10).
In Jeremiah’s day, Babylon was a world power that seemed invincible. It had conquered nations, destroyed Jerusalem, and taken Jehovah’s people into captivity. But what did Jehovah think of Babylon? Would he overlook its cruelty simply because it was a powerful nation?
LET'S READ JEREMIAH 50:29
“Summon the archers against Babylon, all who bend the bow. Encamp around her; let no one escape. Give her what she deserves for what she has done. Do to her as she has done, for she has acted arrogantly against the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.”
This verse shows that Jehovah commanded that Babylon receive the consequences of its conduct, because it had acted arrogantly against him, against the Holy One of Israel.
Let us note something important: Babylon had not only committed cruel acts, but had also demonstrated an arrogant attitude toward Jehovah. It had overstepped its bounds and shown contempt for divine sovereignty.
It is true that Jehovah allowed Babylon to punish Judah for his people’s disobedience. But that did not mean he approved of the Babylonians’ cruelty or arrogance. They, too, had to answer for their actions. That is why Jehovah declared at Jeremiah 50:31: “Look, I am against you, O arrogant one.”
What an important lesson, brothers! Jehovah is merciful, but he never ceases to be just. He is not impressed by the power, position, or apparent greatness of a person or nation. He sees what is in the heart and judges actions with perfect justice.
What do we learn? We should never think that we can deliberately act wrongly and avoid the consequences. Jehovah expects us to respect his standards and to be humble. If we make a mistake, we should acknowledge it and correct it, instead of justifying our conduct or acting proudly.
We also learn that Jehovah does not approve of arrogance or cruelty, even if those who practice them seem to succeed for a time. But now a question arises: If Jehovah rightly condemned Babylon for its wickedness, what would he do with his own people, who had also committed serious sins?
Jehovah completely forgave the Israelites who repented of their sins (Jer 50:20).
The Israelites had disobeyed Jehovah on many occasions. Therefore, he allowed them to suffer the consequences of their actions and be taken into captivity. However, Jehovah did not consider them all a lost cause. A remnant of his people would respond with humility and could benefit from his mercy.
LET'S READ JEREMIAH 50:20
“In those days and at that time,” declares Jehovah, “the guilt of Israel will be sought, but there will be none, and the sins of Judah will not be found, for I will forgive those whom I leave alive.”
There Jehovah promised that when Israel’s guilt and Judah’s sins were sought, they would not be found, for he would forgive those he left unpunished. Consider how comforting this promise is. Jehovah was not saying that the Israelites had never sinned. Rather, he was showing that he could completely forgive those who sincerely repented.
What a beautiful quality our heavenly Father has! When someone acknowledges their mistakes, sincerely repents, and changes their conduct, Jehovah is willing to forgive them through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This teaches us that Jehovah does not want us to live trapped in guilt over mistakes we have already acknowledged and corrected. He wants us to regain our inner peace and our friendship with him.
Of course, repentance involves more than simply saying we are sorry for what we did. It also means making a concerted effort to abandon wrongdoing and demonstrating by our actions that we want to please Jehovah.
And what about us? How should we treat those who sincerely repent of their mistakes? We should imitate Jehovah. We do not want to hold a grudge or constantly remind them of their past errors. If Jehovah is willing to forgive those who show genuine repentance, we too should strive to be merciful.
Furthermore, this lesson helps us to understand that Jehovah is not only a just judge but also a loving Father who wants people to draw close to him and receive his forgiveness. However, Jehovah does not want only us to enjoy his mercy. He also wants us to help others come to know him and benefit from it. How can we do this?
We strive to imitate Jehovah’s mercy by preaching the good news and helping others to get out of false religion (Jer 50:2, 8; w08 6/15 8, 9 pars. 8-11).
To answer how we can help others come to know Jehovah and benefit from his mercy, let us return to Jeremiah’s prophecy.
LET'S READ JEREMIAH 50:2, 8
“Declare this among the nations and proclaim it. Raise a sign and proclaim it. Do not conceal anything! Say: ‘Babylon has been conquered. Bel has been put to shame. Merodach has been terrified. Her images have been put to shame. Her detestable idols have been terrified.’ Flee from Babylon, get out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be like the animals that go before the flock.”
In these verses, Jehovah commanded that the fall of Babylon be announced and told his people to flee from her. Why was it important to convey this message? Because people needed to know what Jehovah had decided and to act accordingly to escape the consequences of Babylon's fall.
Today, the Bible links Babylon the Great to the global empire of false religion. Therefore, Jeremiah's words remind us of the importance of helping sincere people recognize the truth and abandon religious teachings that are not in accordance with God's Word.
Let's consider this: If we know someone is in danger, would we truly be showing love by remaining silent and not warning them? Of course not. Similarly, genuine mercy moves us to tell others about Jehovah and his purposes.
That is why we participate in preaching the good news of the Kingdom. We preach from house to house, on the streets, and informally. We take advantage of opportunities to talk with our family members, coworkers, and others.
We do not do this to criticize or argue with those of other religions. We do it because we are genuinely interested in people and want them to come to know Jehovah, understand his teachings, and have the opportunity to serve him.
How can we demonstrate that mercy in practice?
First, by patiently listening to people. Some may have sincere doubts about God or have suffered painful experiences related to religion. Instead of rushing to judge them, we can listen respectfully and help them find answers in the Bible.
Second, by teaching them the truth with tact and kindness. It's not always easy to change beliefs someone has held for many years. That's why we must be patient and allow God's Word to reach their hearts.
And third, by helping them to understand that Jehovah does not want to harm them, but wants them to know him and benefit from his love and mercy.
Brothers and sisters, every time we share in the preaching work, we are offering people the opportunity to get to know Jehovah and draw close to him. We don't know who will accept the message, but we can be sure that our sincere efforts are of great value.
Therefore, let us not be discouraged if some people do not want to listen to us. Let us continue preaching with love, patience, and courage. Let us remember that Jehovah wants people to have the opportunity to know the truth.
Illustration
In the picture in our Activity Guide, a sister is studying the Bible with an elderly woman who has many religious images in her home. Both are using the woman’s Bible. This teaches us that we continue to imitate Jehovah’s mercy when we patiently and lovingly help people learn Bible truth, even if they have deeply held religious beliefs. Instead of criticizing them, we help them reason with the Scriptures so they can identify true teachings and make their own decision to draw closer to Jehovah.
Conclusion
What have we learned from Jeremiah chapter 50?
First, Jehovah was righteous in condemning Babylon for its wickedness and arrogance. This reminds us that we should never defy his standards or justify wrongdoing.
Second, Jehovah promised to completely forgive the Israelites who sincerely repented. This confirms that he is a merciful Father who desires to forgive us and help us restore our friendship with him.
And third, that we can imitate His mercy by enthusiastically participating in preaching and helping sincere people to know the truth and abandon the teachings of false religion.
So let us ask ourselves: Are we taking advantage of our opportunities to tell others about Jehovah? Are we showing patience, kindness, and genuine interest in those who need to know him?
Let us remember that Jehovah's mercy is a wonderful gift. We have had the opportunity to know him and benefit from his love. Now we have the privilege of helping others receive that same benefit.
Therefore, let us continue to use our time and energy to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom. Let us help as many people as possible to come to know Jehovah, draw close to him, and benefit from his unfailing mercy, with the hope of enjoying his blessings for all eternity.
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