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"Happy are those who are upright [...], those who walk according to the law of Jehovah" (SAL. 119:1, note).
1, 2. (a) What have some governments done against Jehovah's servants, and how have our brothers reacted?
What they have done is prohibit or restrict the work, they have even imprisoned many of our brothers. But despite this, they have maintained their integrity, have remained loyal, have shown unwavering devotion, and are happy for their loyalty.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
They have arrested the brothers but the only bad thing they have done to them is that they are talking about Jehovah and fulfilling Jehovah's rules but in reality they are not doing anything bad against anyone.
Their way of reacting is to remain upright and loyal to Jehovah and his sovereignty at all times. Even in these moments when they are going through the same thing.
Yes, despite the fact that our work is restricted or prohibited in more than 30 countries and territories, the brothers have shown unwavering devotion to Jehovah and are happy to do so.
1, 2. b) Why can we be happy even when we are persecuted? (Comment on the cover photos, too.)
We can be happy even when we are persecuted, because we know that we are earning the approving smile of our God. Also, as Jesus himself said, the persecuted were happy because they knew their reward was great.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, because we know that as First Chronicles 29:17 says, Jehovah examines our hearts and likes the integrity that he finds in them, so if we remain faithful in the face of trials, Jehovah will be very happy about it and that will help us face difficulties, including chase with joy.
Yes, Jesus also said it in Matthew 5:10 to 12, he said that happy are those who have been persecuted because of justice and that therefore we have to be happy and radiant with joy because we know that later we will have a great reward.
ILLUSTRATION
And that is precisely what we see in the photograph that draws our attention to those smiles and they are happy, although it is true that it is not a very happy situation but nevertheless knowing that they were doing and are being upright to Jehovah and they are making the heart happy of Jehovah that is what helps him to remain and have that smile.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
All the brothers and sisters in the image, despite being persecuted and imprisoned, are happy, and they show it with their smiles and the expression on their faces. They know that the words of Jesus recorded in Matthew 5:10-12 are being fulfilled in them. From there, your happiness does not depend on your physical freedom.
Some of our brave brothers and sisters who have been or are imprisoned for being loyal to Jehovah's Sovereignty. (See paragraphs 1 and 2).
The photo at the bottom has caught my attention because you can see a brother who is locked in a kind of cage that is in some courts that is usually used for dangerous criminals and there we see him considered a dangerous criminal but he is happy.
AN EXAMPLE FOR US
3. According to Acts 4:19, 20, what did the apostles do in the face of persecution, and why?
When they were persecuted, on the contrary, they faced the opposition with courage and defended their faith, because it was God himself who had ordered them to bear witness to his son. And these rulers in no way had more authority than God.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, with courage they told the rulers that they were going to obey God that they were not going to obey them and also that they could not stop talking about Jesus they could not stop talking about what they had seen and heard.
And when it is said with courage, it is that courage was needed because the supreme court was like now here, you couldn't go anywhere else, a court that had sentenced Jesus to death, which meant that you have to examine these situations carefully because we see that they really had a lot of value.
4. As shown at Acts 5:27-29, what example did the apostles set for all true Christians, and how can we follow it?
They gave us an excellent example, and that is that despite all the mistreatment they put us through, we have to obey God as ruler rather than men, and precisely in the Illustration we can see the courage shown by servants of God from the past, and how his example is imitated by our brothers who face persecution today.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The text shows many details that make us see in the situation they were in, it shows how they had already been ordered not to preach and not to say anything about Jesus. they are saying to all the Jews and we have the authority to do the same as we did with Jesus, however they remained firm in a very delicate position.
The fact that the paragraph shows and also the Bible in acts 5:40 to 42, that is, not only did they remain upright, but they were also happy, obviously happy, not because they beat him, so they did not feel happy, but they did feel happy because God had considered them worthy, Jehovah was happy and they, despite being beaten, were happy too.
ILLUSTRATION
Well, what the photograph looks like is very clear, there I see the apostle Paul when they were prohibited from preaching and the other photograph is seen in today's time in these moments that we are living, so it is important that we understand that they were persecuted just like in that time Christians at this time are also experiencing it in many countries.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
And why did they do that, although it is true that the supreme court ordered them to stop preaching but there was another higher authority that told them they had to do it, so they obeyed Jehovah rather than the court at that time.
In the photograph on the left we see that calm, that courage to say how they explain themselves and do not convey fear or fear but a strong faith that they will continue to do Jehovah's will and have left us a good example for current Christians.
We must take into account what surrounds this scene is not a friendly lawyer or a favorable environment but rather a hostile one and seeing this face of calm that shows courage and conviction is something that makes us also meditate on the great testimony that they are giving there in front of these judges demonstrating that value.
Series of images: 1. The apostles Peter and John speak before the Sanhedrin. 2. In court, a brother speaks before the judge.
Peter and John set a good example for Christians today who have to defend their faith in court. (See paragraphs 3 and 4).
5. What questions do we have to answer?
We have to answer two questions: How did his decision to obey God rather than man fit in with the Biblical command to submit to “higher authorities”? . And how can we be “obedient to governments and authorities”, as the apostle Paul said, and at the same time be upright in the eyes of God, who is our supreme ruler?
“THE SUPERIOR AUTHORITIES”
6. (a) Who are the “higher authorities” mentioned at Romans 13:1, and what obligation do we have to them?
These superior authorities are human governments, and we for our part have to obey them, since they maintain public order, enforce the law and sometimes come out in favor of the people of God, that is why we have to give them the taxes they ask for and we must also be obedient, we only stop obeying if they ask us for things that go against the laws of Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Well, these authorities are the human rulers and it is that they have power and have authority and we recognize this, we recognize it because as we have read in Romans 13, it is Jehovah who has given this authority. The beginning of this authority comes from Jehovah and then we have to recognize that we get a lot of benefits from these governments, it is true that we can have certain comforts and maintain a certain degree of peace because they mark certain laws that benefit us, that is why we also want to understand that when they ask us for taxes or that they ask us certain honor because we have to give it to them because Jehovah recognizes that we have to do it.
6. b) What is the truth about all human rulers?
The truth is that their authority is limited because their authority is only because Jehovah allows them to, so they have no authority other than Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Because the authority they have is limited because Jehovah has given it to them and that Jesus made clear to Pontius Pilate and we see it in John 19:11 where he says that he would have no authority if he had not given it to him above.
7. In what situations should we not obey human rulers, and what do they have to know?
When they go against the laws of Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
For example, if they ask us to do something that Jehovah has prohibited, or on the contrary, they prohibit us from doing something that Jehovah asks us to do, in these cases we will not obey him, and the paragraph gives some examples, such as the fact that governments order young men to serve in the military, or perhaps ban the Bible, our publications, and even preaching or meeting.
And what they have to know is what Ecclesiastes 5:8 says that the official is watched by someone who is superior to him and above them there are others who are in an even higher position, so they have to know that what they are doing today they will have to give an account to Jehovah in the future.
Yes, that very interesting article explains that Jehovah in his authority decides when there should be a war and when not, when the human being decides to start a war, he is exceeding his rights of his functions, then Jehovah decided when he had to see a war and wars were always controlled and there was justice in them.
8. What is the difference between superior and supreme, and what does this matter?
The difference is that superior is something greater than something else, or that it is above many things, but supreme is something bigger, with more power and that is above everything, and this is very important because in the Bible the authorities are He tells them superiors, but only Jehovah is the one who has the supreme authority.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Yes, because although human governments are called superior authorities, there are other authorities that are above everything in the Bible and it says that Jehovah is supreme on four occasions.
If the superior word says that it conveys the idea that it is better or greater than something that is above something, but that does not mean that it is the highest or the best and that refers to the superior authorities, but above the higher authorities is what is supreme.
And the texts of the Prophet Daniel attest to this, they speak of Jehovah sitting on the throne, the supreme, they speak of the saints of the supreme, all of this indicates that there are far above the authorities, which is true, they are superior, and we recognize them that way, but very above is the authority of Jehovah.
THE SUPREME
9. What did the prophet Daniel see in visions?
The Bible says that Daniel sees four gigantic beasts that represent the world powers that have existed and exist, such as Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome, and finally the power made up of the United Kingdom United States, which is the one that is currently ruling, and then see Jehovah seated on a throne in the heavenly court.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
In Daniel chapter 7 verses from 1 to 3 and verse 17 it is showing how a vision saw four kings who represent those four world powers that were Babylon Medo Persia Greece and Rome and the one we are living in today what is the United Kingdom and United States.
10. According to Daniel 7:13, 14, 27, to whom does Jehovah give authority on earth, and what does this tell us about him?
Jehovah takes authority away from human governments and gives it to Jesus Christ and the 144,000 Anointed Christians, and this clearly shows us that Jehovah is supreme, that is, only he has the authority to do this.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Jehovah takes authority away from human governments and gives it to Jesus Christ and the 144,000 Anointed Christians, and this clearly shows us that Jehovah is supreme, that is, only he has the authority to do this.
Yes, in Daniel 7:13 and 14, speaking of this government, it says that this one who is similar to a son of man who is Jesus Christ who receives dominion, honor and a kingdom so that people of all peoples and nations serve him and then he talks about this dominion is eternal that it will never end and that his kingdom will not be destroyed.
This transfer of powers exemplifies or ratifies what we saw in the previous paragraph that Jehovah is supreme and can give that authority to whoever he wants.
11. What else did Daniel write that shows that Jehovah is far above the nations?
Daniel made it clear that Jehovah removes Kings and sets up Kings. That is, He has all the authority to see to whom he gives the kingdom of humanity.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Well, he wrote that Jehovah removes and sets up kings according to his will, that he is the most high and ruler in the kingdom of humanity and that he gives it to whomever he wants to give it because he is supreme.
12. Give an example of how Jehovah removed kings in the past. (See drawing).
We have several examples, to mention one of them, the heart and nails of the people of God and many times refused to release them, so Jehovah the Ibero and Pharaoh drowned in the Red Sea.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We also have the case of King Belshazzar, who challenged Jehovah and instead worshiped false gods, that is why God humiliated him, as we see in the Illustration, and told him that his kingdom would be delivered to the Medes and Persians and so on. happened.
Well, the first one that is cited is from Pharaoh who, despite receiving continuous plagues from Jehovah, refused to take the people out of Egypt and in the end, when he had to leave them, he was drowned with all his army in the Red Sea.
Well, King Belshazzar of Babylon surely we all remember Daniel's movie so if he saw the writing on the wall and then he was told that that same night he was going to die and God humiliated that arrogant man and therefore with everything powerful that he believed himself to be and who had also defied Jehovah by drinking from the vessels of the temple etc. and praising their gods because it was clearly seen who was supreme.
The last one mentioned is King Herod Agrippa who killed Jehovah's servants the apostle James and also imprisoned the apostle Peter and yet as the account of facts 21 says, Jehovah prevented him from carrying out this plan and what he did is that immediately made him sick and died of a disgusting disease.
ILLUSTRATION
Yes, you can see precisely that moment in which Jehovah handed down the sentence against Belshazzar that was written on the wall and the sentence was given that it was destroyed that same night and that was what happened to an empire like Babylon that seemed impregnable the city that same night the gates were left open and the Medes and Persians came in and destroyed a whole period in one night.
King Belshazzar and his guests look in amazement at what is written on the wall.
Jehovah took the kingdom from Belshazzar and gave it to the Medes and Persians. (See paragraph 12).
13. Give an example of how Jehovah defeated entire coalitions of rulers.
An example is the one mentioned in Joshua 11:4-6 and then verse 24, where it says that Jehovah helped Israel put an end to 31 Canaanite Kings and thus they were able to conquer a large part of the promised land.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Another example is the one mentioned in chapter 20 of 1 Kings, where it says that Israel was able to defeat the Syrian king ben-Hadad and 32 other Kings, because in verse 29 it says that Israel in a single day can kill 100,000 Syrian soldiers of a foot.
Well, we know the journey that the nation of Israel had to go through to reach the Promised Land and this was an alliance of 31 Canaanite Kings and Jehovah supported the Israelites so that they defeated this coalition.
Well, on another occasion it was when the king of Syria gathered another 32 Kings with their armies to go against Israel and Jehovah finished off all those Kings.
14, 15. (a) What did King Nebuchadnezzar and King Darius say about Jehovah's sovereignty?
King Nebuchadnezzar after seeing the power of Jehovah, I praise him and recognized that God's domain is eternal, He also said that there was no one who could stop God's action, In the case of King Darius after seeing the integrity of Daniel , he recognized that the God of Daniel was a living God, that his sovereignty is eternal and that it is a Kingdom that will never be destroyed.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Yes, well, in the case of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter 4 of Daniel from 33 to 35, what he recognizes after this period of madness that he had is very interesting, he says that he looked up to the heavens and recovered his wits, he says and praise the Most High, he says that he praised him gave glory to the one who lives forever and now he recognized that his domain is an eternal domain and his kingdom lasts generation after generation and then he even said that his own will would always be fulfilled he says there is no one who can stop him or can tell him that you have done, so he recognized the supreme authority of Jehovah.
Yes, about Darío this situation occurs after the Prophet Daniel remains faithful and rescues him from the den of lions Jehovah, Darío expresses that people from all corners of my kingdom must tremble with fear before the God of Daniel because he is the God alive and remains forever his kingdom will never be destroyed and his sovereignty is eternal, expressions where Darío acknowledges that Jehovah is supreme.
Well, we have seen that in the end Jehovah is supreme and it is true that human governments have superior governments but the one who is above them is Jehovah.
14, 15. (b) What did a psalm writer say about Jehovah and his nation?
This psalm writer said that Jehovah has made the plans of the wicked fail. And that the nation that has him for God and that has been chosen by him, is a nation or a happy people.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Yes, we have seen how many rulers are conceited and believe that no one can beat them, but Jehovah does not cost him anything to make them learn who is supreme, then in Psalm 33:10 it is said that Jehovah has made the evil projects of nations fail He has disrupted the plans of the peoples and the nation that has Jehovah as God the people he has chosen as his property also says happy.
THE FINAL SHOWDOWN
ILLUSTRATION
Yes, it might seem that the weapons used by human beings down there are more powerful, more powerful, more effective, but when we see in a museum the military equipment of ancient civilizations that were once very powerful and see that they are now rusty, broken archaeological pieces, it is clear. who is the supreme authority, in the case of the weapons of those human beings from Gog de Magog they are not even going to be exposed in a museum they are going to be transformed into plows and pruning shears says the Bible.
Jehovah's heavenly armies on white horses attack armed men on earth.
The coalition of nations will be no match for Jehovah's heavenly armies. (See paragraphs 16 and 17).
16. What can we be sure of, and why? (See drawing).
For all of us brothers can be sure that Jehovah will save us and his loyal servants during the great tribulation.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
We can be sure that Jehovah will save all his faithful servants during the great tribulation. Thus, all this group of Nations that attack the people of God is made up of 193 members of the United Nations, and will not be able to be a rival for Jehovah and his armies, since he himself has said that he will make himself known to the Nations and the knowledge will come. that he is Jehovah.
We can be sure because in the past Jehovah already did it Jehovah defeated Kings updates of Kings to many nations and during the great tribulation as Daniel also says that it will be the time of anguish that has not been repeated before that was when this coalition of Gog Nations Magog, as the Bible says, will attack the people of Jehovah and as the interesting paragraph mentions, it says that this coalition does not matter if there are only 193 members of the United Nations, they will not be a rival for Jehovah because Jehovah is supreme.
If another reason will be because Jehovah, as verse 23 chapter 38 says, says that he without fail has to magnify himself, sanctify himself and make himself known before all nations, then a reason that does not matter the number of Nations or whatever coalition it is is a main reason.
17. What awaits the kings of the Earth, and what will happen to those who are upright?
The kings of the earth will be destroyed, but those who are upright will be able to continue serving on earth.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, it says that they are going to be destroyed in the battle of Armageddon and the people who are integrated as proverbs 2:21 says will be able to live on earth forever.
Well, it says that they are going to meet in the war of Armageddon. What is the war of God, the only just war in which only those who Jehovah see that they deserve it will die.
LET US CONTINUE TO BE INTEGRATED
18. What have many true Christians been willing to do, and why? (Daniel 3:28).
Like the three young Hebrews, many Christians have risked their lives because of the great love they have for Jehovah.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Yes Well, just as we have seen here in the text of the three Hebrews, they were willing to die in the fire throughout history, also many true Christians have risked their lives and also their freedom for the love of Jehovah and have been integrated and that way because they have also remained happy.
19. On what basis will Jehovah judge his servants, and what should we do now?
For Jehovah will rely on whether we have shown righteousness and integrity.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Jehovah will rely on our integrity and our way of living. So what we must do now is to remain loyal, keeping our loyalty come what may.
Well, strive to remain loyal to Jehovah in the face of trials and also obey all his regulations.
Psalm 25:21 speaks of integrity and rectitude protecting me, so it is also a protection to be upright to Jehovah.
And the quote from Psalm 7:8 in which the psalmist asks Jehovah to judge me according to my righteousness and according to my integrity is also very beautiful.
WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?
What example did the apostles leave us?
They left us an excellent example, and that is that despite all the mistreatment they put us through, we have to obey God as ruler rather than men, and we must maintain that integrity even if our lives are in danger.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
An example of maintaining integrity because they obeyed Jehovah above the commands they have received from the men of the Sanhedrin.
If they were prohibited from preaching, they were persecuted and beaten, but they recognized that someone with a supreme authority, such as Jehovah, had ordered them that they had to continue preaching and make the truth of Christ known to them, and that is what they did, leaving us a stupendous example of obedience.
On what does our obedience to “higher authorities” depend?
This will depend on whether their laws do not contradict the laws of Jehovah. For example, if they ask us to do something that is prohibited, or on the contrary, they prohibit us from doing something that Jehovah asks us to do, in these cases we will not obey.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, we know that the higher authorities are set by Jehovah and have their function, we always obey them up to certain limits as long as their authority is not above Jehovah's orders, in which case we will always put Jehovah in first place.
If the superior authorities referring to the rulers and the supreme authority referring to Jehovah.
How has Jehovah shown that he is Supreme?
Because Jehovah is the only one who can take away the authority that he has already given and give it to others, just as he did in the past when he removed and put Kings.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Well, as the supreme being we read in the psalm that Jehovah has made the evil projects of the nations fail, he has derailed the plans of the peoples, so that is why only he can be the supreme.
Also when when he has taken a nation supposedly the most powerful in the world that it seems that there is nothing above it and he has shown that he is supreme because he has been able to remove kings even put another bone he has managed all that as he wanted to the He has seen fit because he is the supreme being and human beings have not been able to do anything about it and not only Reyes but also coalitions do not put anything ahead of him in that regard.
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