The Study Watchtower, "Article 44", Week of December 25 to 31, 2023, Let's explore the Word of God in all its dimensions, Answers.

The Study Watchtower, "Article 44", December 25-31, 2023, Let's explore the Word of God in all its dimensions", Answers.

“Be fully capable of understanding the width, length, height, and depth” (EPHES. 3:18).

1, 2. What is the best way to read and study the Bible? Give an example.

We can give an example: When we want to buy a house, it would not be enough for us to just see a photograph, but we prefer to go see it in person, inspect all the rooms and know all its corners and dimensions. When we read and study the Bible the same thing happens, as a reference work mentions, the message of the Bible is compared to a huge and spacious building with high towers and deep foundations, therefore, if we read quickly, we will only be able to learn the basics. or the elementary things of the word of God. For this reason it is much better to do as with the house: examine the "Interior" to see all its details.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

As we know very well, reading and studying are two very different things, reading the Bible is easy, but we would only understand the most basic and elementary things. But if we want to have an accurate understanding and knowledge, we must study the Bible even if this entails greater effort.

By studying the Bible we will come to know the details, how the parts of the message relate to each other, and most importantly, why we believe what we believe. Therefore studying the Bible leads us to understand what we believe and thus be able to share that understanding.

3. What did Paul encourage his fellow Christians to do, and why? (Ephesians 3:14-19).

Paul encouraged his Christian brothers to study the word of God, but not only that, but to do so with great effort, because his objective was that they could fully understand the width, length, height and depth of the truth.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

In the text, we have read how Paul encourages all Christians to study the word of God with determination. Paul, when he used the expressions width, length, height and depth, was referring to how we are to understand the scriptures.

Paul meant that we must have a complete and accurate understanding and knowledge of all the details of the word of Jehovah.

LET'S EXPLORE THE DEEPER BIBLICAL TRUTHS

4. What can we do to grow closer to Jehovah? Give some examples.

To be able to get closer to Jehovah. For example: We can investigate how Jehovah demonstrated his love for his servants in ancient times and how that proves that he loves each of us personally. We could also study the system that Jehovah established in Israel for their worship and compare that Christian system with that of today. Furthermore, we could even analyze in depth the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled during his life and ministry here on earth.

As we have seen before, the study and understanding of the word of Jehovah brings us closer to him. We should not settle for having superficial knowledge. Therefore, to achieve this detailed knowledge of the Bible, we can organize a personal study, which will surely bring us closer to Jehovah.

5. What topic would you like to research as a personal study project?

In the topics box for personal study projects, we can find several projects that we can study in our personal study. For example, I would like to investigate the similarities between the prophecies of Daniel and those of Revelation.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

It is difficult to say that we would like to study, because everyone has a preference. In fact, a group of good students were asked what their preferences were and each one said something different.

However, fortunately we have help from the faithful slave through publications such as: The Index of Watchtower Publications or the study guide for Jehovah's Witnesses.

These publications will help us achieve what we read in Proverbs 2:4 and 5 where it says that, if we continue searching for this as if it were silver and always go in search as if they were hidden treasures, then only in this way will we be able to understand the fear of Jehovah and find the knowledge of God.

 Topics for personal study projects

1.How the theme of the Bible develops from Genesis to Revelation.

2.Better understand the meaning of the name Jehovah.

3.What relationship do the covenants mentioned in the Bible have with God's purpose?

4.What meaning did the sacrifices required by the Mosaic Law have?

5.How Isaiah's restoration prophecies encourage us.

6.How Jehovah uses his holy spirit to accomplish his will.

7.What similarities are there between the prophecies of Daniel and those of Revelation.

LET US REFLECT ON THE PURPOSE OF GOD

6. a) What is the difference between a plan and a purpose? b) Why can it be said that Jehovah's purpose for man and the Earth is eternal? (Ephesians 3:11).

A plan is like a fixed route that can take us to the destination we have chosen, but it can fail and obstacles appear along the way, whereas a purpose does not focus on the path, if it does not focus on the destination. So we know exactly where we want to go, so the route can be changed, but the destination cannot.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

For example, if someone wants to take a trip to a country to a specific place, they can arrive by land by sea or by air, the plan is to travel by any possible route, but the destination is not changed, it is the same destination.

To understand it, let's imagine that we want to get from where we are to a certain city. We can draw up a "Plan", which details, for example, the distance to travel, the vehicle we use, how much we will spend, where we will stop to rest, etc. Instead, a purpose is to know where we want to get to, regardless of how we do it, the cost, the vehicle, the distance, the journey. The important thing is that we reach that destination, no matter what.

6. b) Why can it be said that Jehovah's purpose for man and the Earth is eternal? (Ephesians 3:11).

We can say that Jehovah's purpose for man and the earth is eternal, because Jehovah has been revealing all his purposes in his word the Bible. For this reason, in one way or another he always succeeds, because he has made everything contribute to his purpose and those results will last forever.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Jehovah has an eternal purpose for us, and he will fulfill it. Therefore, the vision of where the world is going is clear. Now, the way to reach that end can alternate depending on the circumstances, as we read in Ephesians 3:11.

This agrees with the eternal purpose that he established in relation to the Christ, Jesus Our Lord. Therefore, Christians today know that no matter what, Jehovah always succeeds.

In Proverbs 16:4 we see that Jehovah has made everything work for his purpose and Jehovah's purpose is eternal.

7. How did Jehovah change the way he carried out his purpose when Adam and Eve rebelled? (Matthew 25:34).

Jehovah's original purpose for humanity was for humanity to have many children, multiply, fill the earth, take control of it, and have authority over all living things. However, Adam and Eve, due to their disobedience, introduced sin into humanity. For this reason Jehovah immediately made the decision to establish a Kingdom for humanity and the earth, and later at his time Jehovah showed his love and sent his firstborn son to Earth.

As we have seen before, the meaning of the word purpose. We know that Jehovah had a purpose for humans on earth, and it was as the first part of Genesis 1:28 says, That they should have many children and multiply and fill the earth and take control of it. Therefore, Jehovah's purpose remains the same, but when Adam and Eve sinned, Jehovah had to change the way it was carried out.

Jehovah decided that he would establish a Jeino in heaven, for this he sent his firstborn son to Earth, who gave his life to rescue all people. Therefore, we see that Jehovah's purpose has not changed, he has only had to modify the way to achieve that purpose.

8. a) What is the theme of the Bible?

The Bible focuses on one main theme, which involves the vindication of Jehovah's Name when his purpose for the earth is realized through his Kingdom, which Jehovah has established and given into the hands of Christ.

8. b) As explained in Ephesians 1:8-11, what else will Jehovah accomplish? (See cover drawing).

According to Ephesians 1:8-11, Jehovah will ensure that all intelligent beings, both in heaven and on earth, form a united family, and that all will come to loyally recognize his authority as sovereign.

In the text, it clarifies that Jehovah makes known to us the sacred secret of his will. That is, he will ensure that all intelligent beings, both in heaven and on earth, form a united family and that we all loyally recognize his authority as sovereign.

In Isaiah 46:10, we see that from the beginning Jehovah predicted the end and long ago things that have not yet been done and that his decision will stand. Therefore, let us wait patiently until we see how Jehovah fulfills his purpose.

ILLUSTRATION

The angels in heaven and human beings in Paradise happily praise Jehovah. Imagine what it will be like when all intelligent beings in heaven and on Earth form a united family that loyally serves Jehovah! (See paragraph 8).

LET'S IMAGINE OUR FUTURE

9. How much do we know about the future by reading the Bible?

By reading the Bible we know a lot about the future. Genesis 3:15 refers to events that will fulfill God's purpose, but that would take place thousands of years later. One of these events is that the main part of the woman's offspring, the Messiah, would come from the lineage of Abraham. And later in the year 33 AD, Jesus was wounded in the heel, as had been prophesied long before. And after all this is fulfilled there are still more than 1000 years until the final part of the prophecy is fulfilled and Satan's head is crushed as mentioned in Revelation 20:7-10.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

From the beginning of creation, in the Garden of Eden, Jehovah already prophesied things that would happen thousands of years later. Therefore, the Bible is the source of information about things yet to come.

For example, in Revelation 20:7-10, a prophecy is made that will be fulfilled in more than 1000 years, giving many details of what will happen in the future. Therefore, let us study the Bible and pay attention to all these important prophecies.

10. a) What events will take place soon? 

The events that will take place soon are the following:

In 1 Thessalonians 5:2,3, we see that the nations proclaim peace and security.

In Revelation 17:16, it shows that the great tribulation will begin suddenly when the nations attack all false religions.

Matthew 24:30 shows us that the son of man, that is, Jesus, will come on the clouds of heaven with great power and glory.

In Matthew 25:31-33,46, we see that Jesus will judge all people and separate those who are like sheep from those who are like goats.

The prophetic book of Ezekiel in chapter 38 and verses 2:10,11, show us that Satan filled with hatred will incite a coalition of nations, which the Bible calls Gog of the land of Magog, whose objective will be to attack the people of Jehovah.

Matthew 24:31 and Revelation 16:14-16, shows that the rest of the Anointed Christians will be reunited in heaven. There they will join Christ and his heavenly sheep to fight the war of Armageddon, which will end the great tribulation.

And finally, Revelation 20:6 shows that finally, the thousand-year reign of Christ over the entire Earth will begin.

10. b) How can we prepare our minds and hearts? (See note).

It is good to be aware of these prophecies, since we should not get anxious or panic, but what we can do is strive every day to be solvent before Jehovah. And thus the importance of being willing even to do anything to faithfully and completely obey Jehovah until the end, and we must not allow our faith and obedience to depend on others.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

In Isaiah 26:20, In this text we can find many verbs that appear in this verse, for example: "go" "enter" "close" and "hide" They are in the imperative mood, which means they are commands. Therefore, our survival will depend on us being obedient and following the instructions that God gives us. These instructions will come to us through the organization that Jehovah established here on earth.

For this reason, we must get used to obeying from the heart the guidance we are receiving. In this way we will apply to what is mentioned in Zephaniah 2:3, Where we are told to seek Jehovah all the meek of the Earth who obey his righteous decrees, and we are encouraged to seek justice and meekness, since If we do so, it will probably be hidden from us during the day of Jehovah's fury. 

11. What does the prospect of living forever mean to you? (See also images).

Personally, the hope of a new world is a respite and a change to what we are currently experiencing. A change that only Jehovah and his son Jesus Christ will bring, an end to all the injustices that the same man, under the influence of Satan, does to others. As the paragraph mentions, we cannot even imagine how incredible and varied life in paradise will be. However, of everything we do there, the most beautiful thing will be getting closer to Jehovah every day.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

For each of us this question would have a different answer. But what is certain is that after an eternity living in paradise, we will have immense knowledge about Jehovah.

Yet as Ecclesiastes 3:11 mentions, Jehovah has put eternity in our hearts and humanity will never fully understand the works that the true God has done. With these words, we are told that although we have lived an eternity in paradise, we still have much to learn.

ILLUSTRATION

A brother uses the “Message of the Bible” chart in Appendix B1 of the “New World Translation” to get more out of his Bible reading. Series of images: 1. In the new world, the brother is sitting next to a bear and two of her cubs, and caresses one of the cubs. 2. At night, he observes the countless stars in the sky with a telescope. Can you imagine how close to Jehovah you will feel after millions of years of learning about him? (See paragraph 11).

LET'S RAISE THE LOOK TO THE HEAVENS

12. How can we look up to the heavens? Give an example.

While Isaiah 33:5 is true, it mentions that Jehovah “Lives above on high,” but even though Jehovah is so far away in a physical sense, the Bible reveals impressive aspects about Jehovah and the heavenly part of his organization. Therefore in order to look up to the heavens we can read about the great things that Ezekiel saw when “the heavens were opened” and he began to have visions.

No matter how much we imagine, it will be very difficult for us to get an idea of ​​the glory of Jehovah, on his throne. But if we read the books of Daniel, Isaiah, Ezekiel or John in their book of Revelation, we will see how they on certain occasions had visions of great things, and thus we can imagine what the day will be like when we see those things with our own eyes. wonderful.

13. How do you feel when you think about Jesus' work in heaven? (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Personally, I am very moved to think about the work of Jesus in heaven, because thanks to Jesus our compassionate King and High Priest, we can approach Jehovah in prayer just at the moment when we need help. Which prompts me to reflect on what Jehovah and Jesus have done and are doing for us from heaven and this should motivate us and drive us to serve Jehovah with enthusiasm.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Above all, we should feel grateful. In the text we are reminded that we do not yet have a high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tested like us in every way but without sin.

And in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verses 14, we read that the love of Christ compels us, for this is the conclusion we have reached that one man died for all. Therefore, let us think every day about what Jehovah and Jesus did so that we can have and keep and enjoy the promise he has made to us.

14. What is one of the best ways to show gratitude to Jehovah and Jesus? (See also images).

To show gratitude to Jehovah and Jesus, the best way is to demonstrate with actions how grateful we are. For example, we can strive to help others become Jehovah's Witnesses and disciples of Jesus.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

The best demonstration of gratitude is for each of us to continue doing the work that Jesus began when he was on earth. This work is preaching.

In 1 Timothy 2:34 we read: that this is good and pleasing in the eyes of our savior God, since his will is that all kinds of people be saved and come to have an accurate knowledge of the truth. Meditating on these words, let us take advantage of any occasion, formal or informal, to bear witness to the Kingdom of Jehovah. 

ILLUSTRATION

A brother uses the “Message of the Bible” chart in Appendix B1 of the “New World Translation” to get more out of his Bible reading. Series of images: 1. In the new world, the brother is sitting next to a bear and two of her cubs, and caresses one of the cubs. 2. At night, he observes the countless stars in the sky with a telescope. Can you imagine how close to Jehovah you will feel after millions of years of learning about him? (See paragraph 11) Series of images: 1. A sister uses her phone to preach to a woman on the train. 2. In the new world, the sister and her husband walk happily with the woman on the train and her husband. Think how happy he will be in the new world knowing that he has helped others become Jehovah's Witnesses and disciples of Jesus. (See paragraph 14).

LET'S ENJOY EXPLORING THE WORD OF GOD

15. According to Psalm 1:2, what will make us happy?

The psalmist, in the text we have read, tells us that a happy person is one who enjoys the law of Jehovah.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

In Psalm 1:1-3, he shows that we will become happy and successful people if we enjoy Jehovah's law and meditate on it day and night. Therefore, if we enjoy studying the Bible, strive to grasp all its rich nuances, and see the relationship between them, we will feel true satisfaction as we explore God's word in all its dimensions.

Therefore, let's enjoy the study of the Bible, and take advantage of all the juice and wisdom it can give us. In this way we will know Jehovah and his laws more deeply. 

16. What will we examine in the next article?

In the following article, we will examine one of these deeper truths: Jehovah's great spiritual temple, which Paul described in his letter to the Hebrew Christians.

By analyzing this article I am sure that we will all really enjoy exploring this topic.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

What will be the final result when Jehovah fulfills his purpose?

The end result will be that Jehovah's name will be vindicated, fulfilling his purpose for the earth through his Kingdom in the hands of Christ. The earth will become a paradise, where the righteous descendants of Adam and Eve will be perfect and live eternally. Furthermore, all intelligent beings, both in heaven and on earth, will form a united family that loyally acknowledges Jehovah's authority.

When the Great Tribulation ends, Christ's 1000-year Reign on Earth will begin, as prophesied in Revelation 20:6.

What does the Bible reveal to us about the future?

The Bible reveals to us several future events, including the proclamation of peace and security, the beginning of the great tribulation, the trial of Jesus, the war of Armageddon, and the 1000-year Reign of Christ on Earth. The enmity between Satan's system and Jehovah's organization is also mentioned, as is the prospect of living eternally and learning more about Jehovah throughout eternity.

In the near future, our survival will depend on us being obedient and following the instructions that God gives us. And these instructions come to us through the congregation.

How can we look up to the heavens?

We can look up to the heavens through the word of God, which reveals impressive aspects about Jehovah and the heavenly part of his organization. An example mentioned in the story in the book of Ezekiel began to have visions of God. Meditation on these stories and contemplation of Jesus' work in heaven also allows us to elevate our spiritual perspective toward the heavenly.

When we read the books of Daniel, Isaiah, or John in his book of Revelation, we see how they had visions of great things. We can now imagine what the day will be like when we also see those wonderful things with our own eyes.