The Watchtower Study, "Article 29", Week of September 11 to 17, 2023, Are You Prepared for the Great Tribulation?, Answers.

The Watchtower Study, “Article 29”, 11-17-September-2023, Are You Prepared for the Great Tribulation?, Answers. 

“Be ready” (MAT. 24:44).

1. Why is it good to prepare before a disaster strikes?

Preparedness is crucial to saving lives, as people who are well prepared are more likely to survive and be able to provide help to others. 

2. Why should we prepare for the great tribulation? (Matthew 24:44).

In Matthew 24:44, Jesus urges his followers to be prepared for the day of judgment. By following this advice, we will be alert and able to survive and help others during that challenging time.

3. Why do we need endurance, compassion, and love to be prepared for the great tribulation?

These three qualities will be useful in the great tribulation. For example, we will need endurance when facing opposition for preaching a harsh message. We will show compassion by helping our brothers who have lost everything. And we need a deep love for our spiritual family as we live together in a small space.

4. What indicates that we should strive for more endurance, compassion, and love?

In 1 Thessalonians 4:9,10, we are encouraged to love one another. And to continue strengthening these qualities in us, even if we are already demonstrating them.

CULTIVATE ENDURANCE

5. What did the first Christians do to endure?

At this time, Christians suffered persecution from religious leaders and Roman authorities, as well as family opposition. Still, they endured, asking Jehovah for strength and drawing inspiration from examples of residence in the Hebrew scriptures such as Job.

6. What can we learn from what Merita did to withstand the opposition?

This sister named Merita suffered violent opposition from her family. However, she learned from the endurance of Job, who stated that she would not give up her integrity. Unlike him, she knows who is behind her trials which motivated her to move forward.

7. Even if you are not going through a difficult test right now, what is good for you to learn now?

We must learn from now on to vent frequently with Jehovah and seek his guidance, since if we have the habit of turning to Jehovah to face the problems that afflict us in these times, we will also do so in the future when the world situation worsens, which will cause us It will convince us that he knows exactly when and how to help us.

8. How does Mira's example demonstrate that holding on in the present will help us hold on in the future? (James 1:2-4; see also image).

Sometimes this sister feels like her problems are unique. But she remembers Jehovah's support in the last 20 years and she is encouraged to continue being faithful.

As we can see in the paragraph, many brothers feel that with each trial they endure, they become stronger to face the next trial. Because when they endure a trial with the help of Jehovah, they manage to increase their faith and confidence that he wants to help them, and they manage to endure the next trial thanks to that faith.

ILLUSTRATION

In the image we can see a sister, although in a hospital bed, demonstrates a positive attitude. And that is possible, because by reading the Bible she receives the endurance she needs to move forward despite her current situation.

A sister in a hospital bed with the Bible open in her lap. 

ENDURANCE: With each test we endure we become stronger to face the next one. (See paragraph 8).

SHOW COMPASSION

9. How did the congregation at Antioch in Syria show compassion?

The Christians of Judea suffered hunger and the brothers of Antioch of Syria decided to help them. Despite the distance, they were determined to help those in need.

10. In what ways can we show our compassion when our brothers are in an emergency situation? (See also the image).

We can act quickly by making ourselves available to the elders in our local congregation, donating to the global work, and praying for those who suffer. 

ILLUSTRATION

In the image we see a brother participating in a construction project, and most likely, what drove or motivated him was the love and compassion that he feels for his brothers. And that is why he became available to help humanitarianly, which is a great example for each of us.

A brother who is working on a construction project.

COMPASSION: When disaster strikes, we can demonstrate our compassion. (See paragraph 10).

11. How do we honor our heavenly Father when we show compassion?

Most people do not know Jehovah, but they are aware of what his Witnesses do. An example of this is when Hurricane Dorian devastated a Kingdom Hall in the Bahamas. While rebuilding it, the Brothers asked the contractor for a quote. and the surprise was that he offered to provide machinery, labor and materials as a sign of his support. This teaches us that our acts of compassion can encourage others to know Jehovah. And in that way we honor God when we show compassion.

12. Why does showing compassion now prepare us for the great tribulation? (Revelation 13:16, 17).

It prepares us because the Bible warns of problems for those who do not support governments now and during the great tribulation. Furthermore, Jesus Christ urges us to show compassion in order to inherit the Kingdom.

FEEL MORE LOVE FOR YOUR BROTHERS

13. What did the first Christians do to love each other even more? (Romans 15:7).

In the congregation in Rome there were Christians from different cultural backgrounds. There were slaves and free men. The apostle Paul advised them to receive each other kindly; despite their differences, these Christians overcame divisions and accepted each other.

ILLUSTRATION

A couple and a young man visit an older brother, and they all have a very pleasant time together.

LOVE: We need the love of all brothers. (See paragraph 15).

14. How did Anna and her husband express their love?

Ana and her husband, Missionaries in West Africa, were unable to meet in person with the brothers of the congregation due to Covid-19. Despite this, they contacted them by video conference to express their desire to get to know them better. This gesture moved the brothers who began to call them and send them messages.

15. What does Vanessa's example teach you about love for siblings? (See also the image).

Vanessa used to have difficulty getting along with some brothers in her congregation because of their irritating personalities. Instead of just ignoring them, she decided to spend more time with them. This allowed him to discover the things that Jehovah likes about these people. Now that her husband is a circuit overseer, she finds it easier to get along with others and appreciate diversity.

Vanessa's example teaches us that we should focus on the good qualities of our siblings, since instead of ignoring them or leaving them aside, we can strive to spend more time with them, if we do so it will make it easier for us to get along with others. , And so we can love them all, without making any distinction, since Jehovah loves variety, and that is why he brings very different people to his people.

16. Why will love be essential during the great tribulation? (See also the image).

If we remain united with our brothers during this period, Jehovah will protect us, as he promised. Since it is not enough to put up with our brothers, we must love each other sincerely. And we say this because it is possible that without that love we cannot survive.

ILLUSTRATION

In the images we can see at the top the brothers from the previous photographs who are gathered in a basement. Despite the situation, they seem happy, since they are studying the Bible, encouraging each other, possibly with biblical texts, with publications from the organization, and this makes the brothers' faces look happy and without worry despite of the situation they are going through, and at the bottom we can see the same brothers coming out of the great tribulation, and this was possible thanks to the fact that they remained united.

Series of images: 1. The brothers in the three previous photographs meet with more Witnesses in a basement during the great tribulation. 2. Later, the brothers who were in the basement come out of the great tribulation. If we remain united with our brothers during the great tribulation, Jehovah will protect us, just as he has promised. (See paragraph 16).

PREPARE NOW

17. What can we do during the great tribulation if we prepare now?

As we know very well, the great day of Jehovah will be a very distressing period for all humanity, that is why it is important to prepare now, only then will we be able to remain calm and help others, and if we do it as mentioned at end of paragraph Jehovah will reward us with eternal life in the new world, since there will be no disasters or tribulations and everything past will be forgotten.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

What can you do to have more endurance?

What we can do to have more endurance is to meditate on the examples of endurance that we find in the Bible and in our publications, and it is also extremely important to have the habit of turning to Jehovah to face day-to-day problems, and finally We have to endure these tests, since with each test our endurance will be stronger.

In what ways can you show compassion to others?

We can show our compassion when we find out what the brothers are going through in an emergency situation and support them quickly.

What can you do to love your siblings more?

What we can do is welcome them, include ourselves in our circle of friends and not let our differences divide us. For we must strive to see our brothers as Jehovah sees them.