Yellow: Direct Response
Light Yellow: Additional Response
“Give your servant an obedient heart” (1 Kings 3:9).
1. Why do some people tend to obey?
Some people obey because they know others are watching them or to avoid punishment. Or perhaps they do it because they want to impress others. Something similar happened in Jesus' time: religious leaders boasted of their obedience to God to appear more important to others.
2. What is the main reason why we obey Jehovah?
The primary reason we obey Jehovah is that we love him deeply. That love motivates us to be “obedient from the heart.” Therefore, we do our best to apply his standards at all times, not just when others are watching or when we see immediate benefits.
Something we must not forget is that our hearts can be treacherous. That's why sometimes we may find it difficult to obey.
FIRST THEY OBEYED, BUT LATER THEY REBELLED
3. Why might the command to sprinkle blood on the frames have tested the Israelites' obedience? (See also the picture.)
The command to sprinkle blood on the doorframes may have tested the Israelites' obedience, because lambs were sacred animals in Egypt. Therefore, they may have feared Egyptian retaliation.
However, the Israelites understood that obedience was vital, so they “did exactly as the Lord had commanded them.” As a result, God blessed their obedience and saved their firstborn.
ILLUSTRATION
An Israelite splatters blood on his doorframe while his son holds a lamp. In neighboring houses, several Israelites do the same.
The Israelites obeyed Jehovah despite possible retaliation from the Egyptians (see paragraph 3).
4. What surprising instruction did Jehovah give the Israelites?
The surprising instruction Jehovah gave the Israelites was to change direction, head south, and camp between the sea and the mountains. From a human standpoint, it seemed they would be trapped, with Pharaoh's army on one side and the Red Sea on the other.
The Israelites again obeyed the instructions Jehovah had given them through his servant Moses. However, when they saw the Egyptians approaching, they were “terrified” and even accused Moses of leading them to their deaths.
5. What did the Israelites not do at the Red Sea? (Psalm 106:7 and the footnote).
At the Red Sea, the Israelites “did not appreciate” the wonderful works Jehovah had done in Egypt, nor did they “remember” his loyal love. Although they had seen how Jehovah protected his firstborn during the tenth plague, they did not understand how much he loved them, nor did they trust that he would save them again.
It is true that the Israelites followed Moses' instructions and crossed the Red Sea, but they did not change their ways. Ultimately, Jehovah rejected that entire generation and did not allow them to enter the Promised Land.
LESSONS FROM THE BAD EXAMPLE OF THE ISRAELITES
6. What will we do if we have an obedient heart? (Jeremiah 23:4).
If we have an obedient heart, we will trust in Jehovah and in those he has appointed to guide us. We will follow his instructions even if we do not fully understand the reasons or if it provokes the anger of those who hate Jehovah.
7. Why will it be easier for us to obey Jehovah if we strengthen our love for him?
It is important to remember that we obey Jehovah primarily because we love and trust him. That love will help us to be patient and to recognize that sometimes we must wait to see the good results of our obedience.
8. How did two Witnesses show that they were determined to be obedient?
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Governing Body requested that meetings be held by videoconference. An elder in Peru recalls: “At first, I thought that instruction wouldn’t work in our area.” Even so, he was determined to obey and trust in Jehovah. As a result, the congregation became more united and strengthened.
In Japan, when a sister learned that the group she served in was going to be disbanded because of changes the organization had made to the guidelines for congregations and foreign language groups, she said: “I will be obedient and will not criticize the change. I am eager to see the benefits.”
9. How can we prepare ourselves to be obedient when we face opposition in the future? (See also the image.)
We can prepare ourselves to be obedient when we face opposition in the future if we obey the command to preach now, even if some people react badly or try to stop us.
The good news we preach includes the message that God will soon destroy this evil system. Therefore, we must continue proclaiming this message to people until just before Armageddon.
ILLUSTRATION
A married couple who are preaching from house to house calmly walk away from a house where two people are furious with them.
Being obedient now prepares us to face opposition in the future (see paragraph 9).
LET US BE OBEDIENT LIKE KING JEHOSAPATH
10. How did King Jehoshaphat feel when three nations threatened him?
When three nations joined forces to fight against King Jehoshaphat, both he and his people were afraid, but he did not allow that fear to paralyze him. His example helps us to cultivate and maintain a heart obedient to Jehovah.
11. What did Jehoshaphat do when he felt afraid? (2 Chronicles 20:5, 6, 10-12).
When Jehoshaphat felt afraid, he first “resolved to seek Jehovah”: he prayed and begged for his help. In that distressing situation, he strengthened his resolve more than ever to seek God and obey any instruction he gave him.
Jehoshaphat's example teaches us that when we face difficulties, we should be determined to obey Jehovah and seek his guidance through prayer and study. Furthermore, we should trust that he will help us.
12. How will we strengthen our determination to obey Jehovah?
We will strengthen our resolve to obey Jehovah by increasing our Bible knowledge. Jehoshaphat’s prayer reflects his deep understanding of the Scriptures. Similarly, if we keep adding truths to the “treasure trove” of knowledge we already possess, we will strengthen our resolve to always obey Jehovah, even in difficult situations.
13. How does humility help us?
Jehoshaphat did not rely on his own strength or his army to face the threat. Rather, in his prayer before the people, he humbly acknowledged that Judah needed Jehovah’s support. Likewise, humility helps us not to rely on our own strength, but to turn to Jehovah and acknowledge our need for his support in dealing with difficult situations.
Jehoshaphat’s prayer showed that he was humble, and that enabled him to more readily accept God’s guidance. Similarly, humility will help us to have an obedient heart and to accept Jehovah’s guidance, no matter what.
14. What did Jehoshaphat do when Jehovah gave him instructions?
When Jehovah gave him instructions, Jehoshaphat reacted immediately: he bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of the nation did the same to worship Jehovah. The next day, as they went out to meet their enemies, the king encouraged the people, saying: “Have faith in Jehovah” and “Have faith in his prophets.”
15. How did Jehoshaphat demonstrate that he was a man of great faith?
Jehoshaphat proved himself a man of great faith because he encouraged others to trust in Jehovah and to be obedient. Furthermore, he was certain that Jehovah would keep his promise and fight for his people. Thus, he demonstrated his great faith, and Jehovah rewarded his faith and obedience by causing his enemies to kill one another.
16. What can those in authority learn from Jehoshaphat? (1 Kings 3:9; see also the picture.)
Those in positions of authority can learn from Jehoshaphat to consult others before making an important decision and to encourage the congregation to obey God’s instructions. His example reminds us of King Solomon at the beginning of his reign, who, because of his desire to care for God’s people and judge them well, asked Jehovah for an obedient heart.
Elders, too, must rely on Jehovah to care well for the congregation. Like Jehoshaphat, they are humble and consult God’s Word, our publications, and other elders before making decisions that affect the congregation.
Through their words and example, those in authority encourage their siblings to be obedient from the heart. Similarly, parents should remember that if they strive to be obedient, their children are more likely to follow their example.
ILLUSTRATION
A body of elders analyzes the instructions and principles of the article “How to Show Love and Mercy to Those Who Commit Serious Sin,” from the August 2024 issue of “The Watchtower.”
The elders listen to Jehovah, the organization, and the other elders (see paragraph 16).
17. Why should we cultivate and maintain an obedient heart?
Because if we cultivate and maintain an obedient heart, we can be sure that Jehovah will care for us and guide us in any situation we face. Furthermore, we know that he will use his human representatives to do so, just as he did in the past.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What lessons can we learn from the bad example of the Israelites?
From the bad example of the Israelites, we learn the importance of reflecting on why we obey Jehovah and those he has appointed to lead his people. We should also ask ourselves: Do we obey only when we see immediate benefits, or do we maintain our obedience even when we do not fully understand the reasons?
We learn the importance of having an obedient heart and trusting in Jehovah and those he has appointed to lead us. In this way, we will follow his instructions even if we do not fully understand all the reasons or if this provokes the anger of those who hate Jehovah.
How did Jehoshaphat demonstrate that he had “an obedient heart”?
Jehoshaphat showed that he had “an obedient heart” when Jehovah, through the prophet Jahaziel, gave him clear instructions and told the people that they would not have to fight. He commanded them: “Take your places, be still, and see how Jehovah saves you.” Immediately, “Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground,” and all the inhabitants of the nation did the same to worship Jehovah.
What do we learn from the example of Jehoshaphat?
Let us resolve to seek Jehovah and obey him. When we face difficulties, let us seek Jehovah's guidance through prayer and study, and trust that he will help us.
Let us increase our biblical knowledge. If we keep adding truths to the “treasure” of knowledge we already possess, we will strengthen our determination to always obey Jehovah, even in difficult situations.
Let us always be humble. Humility will help us to have an obedient heart and to accept Jehovah's guidance, no matter what happens.
Let's think about how what we do influences others. Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground to worship Jehovah, and all the inhabitants of the nation did the same. His example teaches us that our actions can positively influence others and encourage them to obey Jehovah.
From Jehoshaphat's example of obedience, those in authority learn the importance of being a positive influence on those under their care. They, too, must be humble and listen to others before making an important decision. Furthermore, they must encourage those under their care to obey God's instructions.
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