Watchtower Study, Week of October 16-22, 2023, Bible prophecies: much to learn, Underlined Answers.

Watchtower Study, October 16-22, 2023, Bible prophecies: much to learn, Underlined Answers.

Yellow: Direct Response.

Dark Yellow: Additional Response.

Light Blue: Additional Points.

“Only the discerning will understand” (DAN. 12:10).

1. What will help us enjoy studying Bible prophecies?

“I LOVE studying Bible prophecies ,” says a young brother named Ben. Do you feel the same? Or do you think that prophecies are a very complicated or even boring topic? In that case, you may change your mind if you better understand why Jehovah wanted prophecies written in his Word.

2. What will we see in this article?

2 In this article, we will see why we should know the prophecies of the Bible well and also what it takes to study them. Then we will analyze two prophecies from the book of Daniel and see how understanding their meaning helps us now.

WHY SHOULD WE STUDY BIBLICAL PROPHECIES?

3. What do we have to do to understand biblical prophecies?

3 To understand biblical prophecies, we have to ask for help. Let's think about the following example. Imagine that he is visiting a city he has never been to, but he is accompanied by a friend who knows that place like the back of his hand. His friend knows exactly where they are in the city and where each street leads. It's great that this friend wanted to accompany him! Similarly, Jehovah knows where we are in history and also knows what lies ahead. So, to understand the prophecies of the Bible, we must humbly ask Him to help us (Dan. 2:28; 2 Pet. 1:19, 20).

4. Why did Jehovah want prophecies to be written in his Word? (Jeremiah 29:11; see also photo).

4 Like any good parent, Jehovah wants his children to do well in the future. (Read Jeremiah 29:11.) But unlike human parents, Jehovah has the ability to predict the future down to the smallest detail.  He wanted prophecies to be written in His Word so that we could know in advance the important events that are going to occur (Is. 46:10). We could say that prophecies are gifts that our heavenly Father gives us with great love. But how can we be sure that they will come true?

ILLUSTRATION

A couple watching the video “Daniel, a man of faith.” Studying Bible prophecies helps us prepare for the future. (See paragraph 4).

5. What can young people learn from Max's example?

5 In school, young Witnesses are surrounded by people who have little or no respect for the Bible. What these people say or do may lead you to doubt your beliefs. Let's look at the case of a brother named Max. He says: “When I was a teenager, I began to doubt whether the religion my parents were teaching me was true and whether the Bible really came from God.” What did your parents do? Max says: “I knew they were worried, but they didn't lose their cool.” His parents used the Bible to answer his questions, and Max did not sit idly by. He explains: “I began to study the prophecies of the Bible, and I discussed what I learned with other young people in the congregation.” Which it was the result? Max says, “After that, I became convinced that the Bible is inspired by God.”

6. What should we do if we have doubts, and why?

6 What if, like Max, you begin to have doubts about whether the Bible tells the truth? Don't feel guilty, but don't sit idly by. Doubts are like rust. If something valuable has rust on it and we don't do anything to remove it, it will eventually go bad. How can you remove the “rust” that has grown on your faith? First ask yourself, “Do I believe what the Bible says about the future?” If you are not sure, then you need to study the prophecies that have already been fulfilled. What will help you in that process?

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO STUDY BIBLICAL PROPHECIES?

7. What helped Daniel study the prophecies? (Daniel 12:10; see also photo).

7 To study the prophecies it is good that we look at the example of Daniel. He studied them for the right reason: he wanted to know the truth. It also helped him to be humble. He recognized that Jehovah gives understanding to those who know him and obey his righteous and pure standards (Dan. 2:27, 28; read Daniel 12:10). Daniel demonstrated his humility by turning to Jehovah for help (Dan. 2:18). Furthermore, he studied the Scriptures carefully. He thoroughly investigated the sacred writings that existed in his time (Jer. 25:11, 12; Dan. 9:2). How can we follow his example?

ILLUSTRATION

A sister studies the prophecy about the king of the north and the king of the south using the May 2020 issue of “The Watchtower.” To trust in Jehovah as much as Daniel did, we must study Bible prophecies humbly, carefully, and with the right motive. (See paragraph 7).

8. Why do some people study Bible prophecies, but what should we do?

8 Analyze your reasons. Why do you study Bible prophecies? Is it because you really want to know the truth? If so, Jehovah will help you.​—John 4:23, 24; 14:16, 17. However, some people study the Bible with other intentions. They try to find proof that it does not come from God. They try to find an excuse to decide for themselves what is right and what is wrong, and thus do what they want with their lives . But, when studying the prophecies, we must have the right motive. Furthermore, to understand them you need an important quality.

9. What quality do we need to understand Bible prophecies, and why?

9 Be humble. Jehovah promises to help the humble (James 4:6). Therefore, if we want to understand biblical prophecies, we have to pray to Him to help us. If we are humble, we will also accept the help of the faithful slave, who is Jehovah's means of giving us spiritual food at the right time. (Luke 12:42) Since Jehovah is an ordained God, it is logical that he uses only one means to help us understand biblical truths (1 Cor. 14:33; Eph. 4:4-6).

10. What does Esther's example teach you?

10 Study the Scriptures carefully. Think of a prophecy you like and start there. That's what a sister named Esther did. The prophecies that announced the arrival of the Messiah caught her attention. She says: “When she was 15, I wanted to see for myself if those prophecies had really been written before Jesus came to Earth.” So what did she do? She started reading about the Dead Sea Scrolls, and what she discovered removed her doubts. Esther says: “Some of those scrolls were written before the time of Jesus. So the prophecies in them had to come from God.” But she admits: “Some things I had to read a few times to understand.” Still, she feels it was worth the effort. She tells how she felt after studying several prophecies in depth: “It became very clear to me that the Bible tells the truth, and I verified it for myself.”

11. How does it benefit us to ensure that the Bible tells the truth?

11 When we see how some prophecies in God's Word have been fulfilled, our trust in Jehovah and the instructions he gives us becomes indestructible. Additionally, biblical prophecies help us not lose hope and maintain a positive attitude no matter what happens. Next, we are going to briefly analyze two prophecies from the book of Daniel that are being fulfilled in our days. Understanding its meaning will help us make good decisions.

THE FEET OF THE STATUE AND YOU

12. What do the feet of “iron mixed with wet clay” represent? (Daniel 2:41-43).

12 (Read Daniel 2:41-43). King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream in which he saw a statue that had feet of “iron mixed with wet clay.” By comparing this prophecy with others from Daniel and Revelation, we conclude that the feet represent the alliance formed by the United Kingdom and the United States, which is the dominant world power in our day. When Daniel explained to Nebuchadnezzar the meaning of his dream, he said the following about this world power: “The kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile.” Why partly fragile? Because the common people, represented by wet mud, do not let it act with the strength of iron.

13. What important truths does this prophecy help us understand?

13 What Daniel says about the statue in the dream and especially about its feet helps us understand several important truths. First, the world power of the United Kingdom and the United States has proven that it is strong. For example, it contributed decisively to the victory of the winning side in the First and Second World Wars. But this power has been weakened and will continue to weaken due to the internal conflicts among its citizens. Second, this will be the last world power that exists before the Kingdom of God ends all human governments. Although other nations may from time to time know, they won't replace it. We know this because according to prophecy “the stone”—that is, the Kingdom of God—will break the feet of the statue to pieces (Dan. 2:34, 35, 44, 45).

14. Why does understanding the prophecy about feet of iron and clay help us make good decisions?

14 Are you convinced that what Daniel said about the feet of the statue is true? If so, it will show in your life. For example, you will not seek economic security in a world whose days are numbered (Luke 12:16-21; 1 John 2:15-17). Furthermore, understanding this prophecy will help you give the work of preaching and making disciples the importance it deserves (Matt. 6:33; 28:18-20). So, now that we have reviewed this prophecy, it is good to ask yourself: “Do my decisions demonstrate that I am convinced that the Kingdom of God will soon put an end to all human governments?”

THE TWO RIVAL KINGS AND YOU

15. Who are “the king of the north” and “the king of the south” today? (Daniel 11:40).

15 (Read Daniel 11:40). Daniel chapter 11 talks about two kings or governments fighting each other to control the world. Comparing this and other prophecies in the Bible, we know that today “the king of the north” is Russia and its allies, and that “the king of the south” is the world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States.

16. What difficulties do the servants of God face in the territories dominated by “the king of the north”?

16 “The king of the north” is persecuting the servants of God who live in the territories he dominates. Some Witnesses have been beaten and imprisoned because of their beliefs . But our brothers have not been intimidated by the actions of the “king of the north.” On the contrary, his faith is stronger now. Because? Because you know that this persecution was predicted in the book that Daniel wrote (Dan. 11:41). Keeping in mind the fulfillment of this detail of the prophecy will also help us to keep our hope alive and remain loyal to Jehovah.

17. What difficulties have the servants of God faced in the territories dominated by “the king of the south”?

17 In the past, “the king of the south” also launched direct attacks against Jehovah’s people. During the first half of the twentieth century, many brothers were imprisoned and some Witness children were expelled from schools for being neutral. But in recent years, the loyalty of Jehovah's servants to the Kingdom of God has been tested in other, less direct ways. For example, during election campaigns, a Christian may be tempted to support a political party or candidate. Of course, although he will not vote for anyone, perhaps in his mind and heart he prefers someone to win. But to be completely neutral, we must be careful not only about what we do, but also about what we think and what we feel (John 15:18, 19; 18:36).

18. How do we feel when we see the fight between these two rival kings? (See also images).

18 Those who do not have faith in Bible prophecies may feel very distressed when they see “the king of the south” clashing “horns” with “the king of the north” (Dan. 11:40, note). With the nuclear weapons they have, the two kings could end life on Earth. But we know that Jehovah is not going to allow that to happen (Isa. 45:18). So we are not worried or afraid. On the contrary, when we see the rivalry between “the king of the north” and “the king of the south”, our faith becomes stronger, because this confirms that the end of this system is near.

ILLUSTRATION

Series of images: 1. The marriage from before, with handcuffs but full of trust. In the background you can see the Russian Government building and a map of Russia. The army attacks with machine guns, warplanes and tanks. 2. The sister from before, full of confidence. In the background you can see the United States Capitol and some maps of the United Kingdom and the United States. A group of angry people at a demonstration, and an attack with tanks, warships and planes. If we keep in mind that the opposition that comes from the “king of the north” and the “king of the south” fulfills what the prophecies say, we will have a stronger faith and we will not live in anguish. (See paragraphs 16 to 18).

LET'S STAY PENDING ON THE PROPHECIES

19. What should we recognize about biblical prophecies?

19 We do not know how some Bible prophecies will be fulfilled. Not even the prophet Daniel understood the meaning of everything he wrote (Dan. 12:8, 9). But just because we don't fully understand how a prophecy will be fulfilled doesn't mean it won't be fulfilled. We are fully convinced that Jehovah will reveal to us at the right time what we need to know, just as he did in the past (Amos 3:7).

20. What exciting prophecies will soon be fulfilled, and what should we continue to do?

20 The nations will proclaim “Peace and security!” (1 Thes. 5:3). Then the governments of this world will attack false religions and completely destroy them (Rev. 17:16, 17). Then they will attack God's people (Ezek. 38:18, 19). And then the final battle of Armageddon will begin (Rev. 16:14, 16). We are completely sure that all this will happen very soon. In the meantime, let us continue to show our gratitude to our good Heavenly Father by paying attention to Bible prophecies and helping others do the same.

HE REMEMBERS?

Why should we study biblical prophecies?

Studying Bible prophecies helps us prepare for the future. It also helps us resolve our doubts, make sure of our beliefs and be solid in our faith.

What does it take to study biblical prophecies?

Analyze our motives, be humble and study the scriptures carefully.

How are the prophecies about the two rival kings being fulfilled?

First, the world power formed by the United Kingdom and the United States has shown that it is strong. For example, he contributed decisively to the victory of the winning side in the First and Second World Wars. However, this power has been weakened and will continue to weaken due to the internal conflicts among its citizens.

Second, This will be the last world power that exists before the kingdom of God ends all human governments. While other nations may challenge it from time to time, they will not replace it. We know this because according to prophecy the stone, that is, the Kingdom of God, will shatter the feet of the statue.