Study From The Watchtower, Week of April 3 to 9, 2023, What the Bible tells us about its author, Underlined Answers.

The Watchtower Study, April 3-9, 2023, What the Bible tells us about its author, Underlined Answers.

Yellow: Direct Answer.

Dark Yellow: Additional Answer.

Light Blue: Additional Points.

What the Bible tells us about its author

1. Why are you grateful for the gift of the Bible?

HOW MUCH we thank Jehovah for giving us the Bible! In it, he gives us wise advice that can help us know what to do when we have problems. He also gives us wonderful hope for the future. And, more importantly, he shows us what his personality is like. Meditating on the precious qualities of Jehovah moves us deeply. That makes us want to get close to him and be his friend (Ps. 25:14).

2. In what ways has Jehovah given us information about him?

2 Jehovah wants people to know him. In the past, he used dreams, visions, and even angels to give us information about him (Num. 12:6; Acts 10:3, 4). But, if all this had not been put in writing, we could not study it. For this reason, Jehovah commanded some men to write “in a book” what he wanted us to know (Jer. 30:2). We can be sure that he conveyed this valuable information in the best way, since “the way of the true God is perfect” (Ps. 18:30).

3. What did Jehovah do so that the Bible would be preserved to this day? (Isaiah 40:8).

3 (Read Isaiah 40:8). For thousands of years, the Word of God has been an excellent guide for his servants. But how can that be possible? After all, the Bible was written long ago on materials that deteriorate easily. And, as far as is known, there is no original document. However, Jehovah made sure that copies of the sacred text were made. The copyists were imperfect but very careful. In fact, speaking of the Hebrew Scriptures, one scholar said: "It can be safely said that no other work of antiquity has been transmitted with such accuracy."Though written by imperfect men so long ago and on easily deteriorated materials, it is clear that what we read in the Bible today conveys the thoughts of its author, Jehovah.

4. What will we analyze in this article?

4 “All good gifts and all perfect gifts” come from Jehovah, and the Bible is one of the greatest gifts he has given us (James 1:17). A gift tells us a lot about the person who gave it to us. It shows us if he really knows us and knows what we need. That happens with the Bible. When we analyze it, we learn a lot about Jehovah. We realize that he knows us well and that he knows what we need. In this article we will discuss three qualities of Jehovah that are clearly seen in the Bible: his wisdom, his justice, and his love. Let's start by talking about what the Bible tells us about God's wisdom.

THE BIBLE REFLECTS THE WISDOM OF GOD

5. What is one proof that the Bible reflects God's wisdom?

5 Jehovah knows that we need his wise counsel. That is why he has given us the Bible, which is full of his wisdom. His advice has a very positive effect on people. In fact, the Bible can change people's lives. When Moses wrote the first books of the Bible, he told God's people, the Israelites: “These are not empty words for you, but they mean your life” (Deut. 32:47). Those who obeyed what the Scriptures said would be happy and successful (Ps. 1:2, 3). Although the Bible was written a long time ago, it still has the power to change people's lives.For example, in the “The Bible Changed Their Lives” series on jw.org, you'll find more than 50 biographies of people who were able to make big changes and improve their lives by following the Bible's advice (1 Thess. 2:13).

6. Why do we say that there is no book like the Bible?

6 There is no book like the Bible. Because? Because its author, Jehovah, is Almighty, he is eternal and his wisdom is incomparable. There are many books that continue to be read even though their author has died. However, his advice often stops being useful. Instead, the wise advice of the Bible never loses value; They have helped people of all ages. When we read this sacred book and meditate on its advice, its author uses its powerful holy spirit to help us put it into practice (Ps. 119:27; Mal. 3:16; Heb. 4:12). Think about it, the author of the Bible wants to help you with all his heart. Doesn't that encourage you to get into the habit of reading the Bible?

7. How did the Bible unite God's people in the past?

7 There is something else that impressively demonstrates that the Bible contains God's wisdom, and that is that it helps his people stay together. When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they settled in different places. Some became fishermen, others ranchers, and others farmers. So the Israelites who lived in one part of the country could easily have forgotten those who lived in another. But Jehovah saw to it that everyone met regularly to hear his Word and learn more (Deut. 31:10-13; Neh. 8:2, 8, 18). Imagine how a loyal Israelite must have felt when he arrived in Jerusalem and was met by perhaps millions of Israelites who came from all over the country to worship Jehovah. In this way, Jehovah helped them stay together.Later, in the first century, the Christian congregation was born. It was made up of men and women who came from different social and economic backgrounds, and who spoke different languages. But because they all loved the Scriptures, they served Jehovah together. In fact, those who were joining the Christian congregation could understand the Word of God thanks to other Christians explaining it to them and because they met together (Acts 2:42; 8:30, 31).

8. How does Jehovah use the Bible to unite his people today?

8 Today , Jehovah continues to use the Bible to teach his people and keep them together. On it is based all the spiritual food we receive. Christians regularly attend meetings and assemblies, where we read the Bible, discuss it, and learn more about it. So it is clear that Jehovah uses the Bible to fulfill his purpose that his servants “serve him shoulder to shoulder” (Zeph. 3:9).

ILLUSTRATION

Series of images: 1. Scrolls of the Holy Scriptures, codices and copies on paper, as well as the digital version of the Bible on two electronic devices. 2. People from different countries and backgrounds reading the Bible in digital or paper format. They are in places like work, home or public transport. How did the Bible unite God's people in the past, and how does it hold them together today? (See paragraphs 7 and 8).

9. What quality is needed to understand the message of the Bible? (Luke 10:21).

9 Let's look at another test of Jehovah  's wisdom . He made sure that many parts of the Scriptures were written in such a way that only humble people could understand them (see Luke 10:21). The Bible is a book that is read by people all over the world . A certain specialist said that "it has not only been the most widely read work, but also the one that has received the most attention", that is, the one that has been studied in depth. But only the humble can understand it and put into practice what it says (2 Cor. 3:15, 16).

10. How else can we see Jehovah's wisdom in the Bible?

10 Let's look at another way Jehovah's wisdom is reflected in the Bible. He uses the Scriptures not only to teach us as a group, but to teach and comfort us individually. When we read his Word, we see that Jehovah is very aware of each one of us (Is. 30:21). When going through a problem, have we read any biblical text that came to us like a glove? Surely many times. But, if the Bible was written for millions of people, how can it be that it contains information so up-to-date that it adapts to the needs of each person? This is only possible because the Bible is the work of the wisest author there is (2 Tim. 3:16, 17).

THE BIBLE REFLECTS THE JUSTICE OF GOD

11. How did God show that he is impartial when the Bible was written?

11 Justice is another of Jehovah's main qualities (Deut. 32:4). It is closely related to fairness, and Jehovah is fair (Acts 10:34, 35; Rom. 2:11). The languages ​​that he chose to write the Bible attest to this. The first 39 books were written almost entirely in Hebrew, a language understood by God's people at that time. However, by the time of the early Christians many people spoke Greek. Therefore, the last 27 books of the Bible were written mainly in this language. Jehovah was pleased that his Word should be written in more than one language. At present, we live on Earth almost 8,000 million people and we speak different languages . What makes it possible for all of us to know Jehovah?

12. How has Daniel 12:4 been fulfilled in these last days?

12 Jehovah promised through the prophet Daniel that at the time of the end “true knowledge” would become “abundant,” that is, many people would understand what the Bible says.—Read Daniel 12:4. One thing that has made this possible is that vast numbers of scriptures and Bible publications have been translated, edited, and distributed. In fact, the Bible is the most translated and distributed book in history. Many of the translations that are for sale are very expensive. However, Jehovah's people have already translated the Bible, in whole or in part, into more than 240 languages, and everyone can get a copy free of charge. What was the result?Millions of people from all nations are accepting “the good news of the Kingdom” before the end comes (Matt. 24:14). Jehovah is a just God, and he wants as many people as possible to have the opportunity to meet him by reading his Word. What motivates him? The great love that he has for us.

THE BIBLE REFLECTS THE LOVE OF GOD

13. Why do we say that the Bible reflects God's love? (John 21:25).

13 The Bible also reflects the most important quality of its author: love (1 John 4:8). For example, let's think about what things God included in the Bible and what he didn't. He told us exactly what we need to know to be his friend, to have a happy life, and to live forever. But because Jehovah loves us so much, he hasn't burdened us with a bunch of details we don't need.—Read John 21:25.

14. How else does the Bible reflect God's love?

14 Jehovah also shows us his love by treating us with dignity when he communicates with us. He does not give us in the Bible an endless list of rules to control even the smallest detail of our lives. Rather, he uses real-life stories, exciting prophecies, and practical advice to help us make good decisions. This is how the Bible motivates us to love God and obey him from the heart.

15. (a) How does the Bible show that Jehovah cares a lot about us? b) What biblical characters are the girl, the young brother and the older sister in the images meditating on? (Gen. 39:1, 10-12; 2 Kings 5:1-3; Luke 2:25-38).

15 The Bible shows that Jehovah cares very much about us.  a).  We know this because his Word is full of stories that express human emotions. We can identify with biblical characters because they had "the same feelings as we do" (James 5:17). And, what is more important, when we analyze the way in which he treated people who were like us, we better understand that “Jehovah is very loving and merciful” (Jas. 5:11).

ILLUSTRATION

b). Series of images: 1. A girl reads the book "Lessons I Learn from the Bible" and meditates on when the Israelite girl had to talk to her mistress. 2. A young brother reads the Bible and meditates on Joseph running away from Potiphar's wife. 3. An older sister reads the Bible and meditates on the moment when the prophetess Anna saw little Jesus. Why is it good for us to ponder how Jehovah treated his past servants? (See paragraph 15).

16. What do Biblical accounts of people who made mistakes teach us about Jehovah? (Isaiah 55:7).

16 In the Bible we discover another way in which Jehovah expresses his love for us. The Scriptures assure us that God will not abandon us when we make a mistake. The Israelites sinned against Jehovah over and over again, but whenever they truly repented he forgave them.—Read Isaiah 55:7. The first-century Christians also knew how much Jehovah loved them. For example, he inspired the apostle Paul to encourage his fellow Christians to forgive and comfort a man who had repented after falling into an immoral life (1 Cor. 5:1-5; 2 Cor. 2:6 , 7).It impresses us to learn that Jehovah did not turn his back on his servants for making mistakes. On the contrary, with great affection, he helped them, corrected them and invited them to return to his arms. And he promises to do the same for anyone who sins and repents today (Jas. 4:8-10).

THE BIBLE IS A PRECIOUS GIFT

17. Why is the Bible such a special gift?

17 Jehovah has given us a precious gift. Why is his Word so special to him? Because, as we have seen, the Bible teaches us that God is just, he is wise and he loves us very much. Furthermore, this book shows that Jehovah wants us to know him and be his friends.

18. How do we show that we appreciate the great gift that is the Bible?

18 The Word of God is something we should not take for granted. It is one of the “good gifts” that Jehovah has given us (James 1:17). So let's always show him how much we appreciate this gift. We do it when, after having prayed, we read the Holy Scriptures and meditate on them. Surely the great author of the Bible will bless our efforts and we will find “the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:5).

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

How does the Bible reflect Jehovah's wisdom?

Although the Bible was written a long time ago, it still has the power to change people's lives. 

For example, in the “The Bible Changed Their Lives” series on jw.org, you'll find more than 50 biographies of people who were able to make big changes and improve their lives by following the Bible's advice (1 Thess. 2:13).

How does the Bible reflect Jehovah's righteousness?

Justice is another of Jehovah's main qualities. It is closely related to fairness, and Jehovah is fair. The languages ​​that he chose to write the Bible attest to this.

Countless copies of the scriptures and Bible publications have been translated, edited, and distributed. 

Millions of people from all nations are accepting “the good news of the Kingdom” before the end comes.

How does the Bible reflect Jehovah's love?

The Bible also reflects the most important quality of its author: love. For example, let's think about what things God included in the Bible and what he didn't. 

He told us exactly what we need to know to be his friends, to have a happy life, and to live forever. But because Jehovah loves us so much, he hasn't burdened us with a bunch of details we don't need.