Watchtower Study, Let's Explore the Word of God in all its dimensions", Week of December 25 to 31, 2023, Comments and Practical Responses.

Watchtower Study, Let's Explore the Word of God in all its dimensions", December 25-31, 2023, Comments and Responses.

“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 need more than just a cursory glance to truly understand its message and meaning. Just as we would inspect each room and floor plans to understand the structure of a house, studying the Bible involves exploring its different sections, seeing how they relate to each other, and understanding the larger text in which the individual passages are found.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

It is crucial to go beyond simply memorizing verses to understand what is behind what is believed. That deeper understanding comes from connecting the dots between different parts of the Bible and delving into its meaning.

Well , just as we would say that we do not want to see only the cover in the Bible if we do not want to get inside the Bible to see how everything is related to the messages of the Bible with each other and with a specific purpose and we also know that, as it says very well here And what is highlighted is that it is not enough to know what we believe but also to say why we believe what we believe and that is revealed by a deep study of the Bible.

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

Paul's invitation to his Christian brothers was to deepen the study and understanding of the word of God, and the objective was that they could be firmly rooted in their faith, and thus, be nourished by a more complete understanding of love and compassion. truth of God.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

For the apostle Paul encourages Christians as we have read in Ephesians to be able to understand well the height, length, depth and breadth of the knowledge of Jehovah and the result would be that we would be well rooted and established in the faith.

Normally when we talk about dimensions we talk about three dimensions, height, width and length, but here depth is added, so depth is an important element because before it has been said that in the case of the house it would be the foundations, so here, for example, Pablo Talking about being rooted like a tree means that everything that has to do with knowing involves much more than just the exterior dimensions but also the interior ones.

How important it is then that we have to explore what the Bible says not only what is easiest for us to understand. Jehovah wants us to have an exact knowledge of his word. That means that we have to know the depth of what the Bible says even if it is difficult for us. more work but if Jehovah does not put it through the Bible we can understand it perfectly, it only takes our personal interest.

And the apostle Paul speaks of depth because Christ says that he comes to reside in the hearts with love or know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge so that it is filled with all the fullness that God gives, so it is very important to deepen the study so that reach the heart, this will motivate us to have faith and we will have Christ in our hearts in the sense of faithfully following him and not deviating.

LET'S EXPLORE THE DEEPER BIBLICAL TRUTHS

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

We can study in depth, and to do so we can conduct detailed personal study on specific topics of interest in the Bible. Which involves immersing yourself in particular stories, prophecies or teachings to understand their context, meaning and application in daily life.

We can also explore Biblical history, as studying how Jehovah interacted with his servants in ancient times can be very revealing. Analyzing the biblical stories about God's love and faithfulness towards his people can greatly influence our personal relationship with him.

We can also compare between the system of Israel and Christianity. Investigating and comparing the religious and worship system in Israel with Christianity today can provide a broader understanding of how God reveals himself over time and how he relates to his followers in different eras.

Studying and delving into the prophecies that Jesus fulfilled during his life and earthly ministry can reveal the coherence of the divine plan throughout history. Understanding how these prophecies were fulfilled can strengthen your faith and connection with God.

Yes, we should not be satisfied with simply having a superficial study of the Bible, but rather, as First Corinthians says, we should study even the deepest things about God and in that way the Holy Spirit will help us achieve it.

First Corinthians 2:9 mentions that the eye has not seen, nor the ear, nor the heart of man has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him, so we need to go deeper and we need to go to the word of God. God learn from her to be able to know Jehovah and know the deep things that he is revealing to us.

Of course, to go deeper we need the spirit of Jehovah as it says here in 10 in first Corinthians 2:10 it says that the spirit examines all things even to the deep things of God, so we have to ask Jehovah to give us his spirit and As he says here, he asks us a question that we can meditate on, he says why he doesn't propose a personal study project that will bring him closer to Jehovah.

And for example, one of the ways suggested here is to investigate how I helped faithful servants in the past and also come to the conclusion that it can help us in the same way.

Another example given here is that we could study the system that Jehovah established for Israel to worship him and compare it to the Christian system today. It is very fascinating and next week we are going to have a sample of that. 

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

I would like to study the qualities of Jehovah since they are an inexhaustible source of study and reflection. For example, exploring how God's love is manifested in the scriptures, how it relates to his mercy and grace toward humanity throughout history. Or investigate how God's justice is balanced with his love, how he judges and acts righteously in the different situations narrated in the Bible.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

I recently heard a speech about the Angels and the different assignments that Jehovah has given them and they were angels, they were not characters that I do not pay much attention to, but after that speech I would like to do a project to study the different assignments they received and things I can learn from their attitude for example.

Also another topic that is mentioned here is to better understand the meaning of the name of Jehovah and I find it interesting, we all know that man means he makes him come to be, but knowing that meaning how it can strengthen us how it can help us cope Testing seems like an interesting topic to delve into and study.

Point 6 of the box we are seeing here mentions how Jehovah uses his Holy Spirit to fulfill his will and this is very important because when we are going through some trial it seems that we do not understand how Jehovah's spirit is protecting or helping us, so study how The spirit of Jehovah works as he is always loyal and fulfills his purpose and his will will help us face trials.

It is not just having intellectual knowledge but, as it says in number 5, it says to understand the fear of Jehovah and find knowledge that reaches our hearts and motivates us to act. 

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 usually more specific and detailed, it is the route drawn to achieve a goal. It is made up of specific steps and can be affected by changing or unforeseen circumstances. If something goes wrong, the plan may need adjustments or modifications to achieve the desired goal.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

A purpose is broader and more fundamental, it is the ultimate goal toward which decisions and actions are directed, but the way to achieve that purpose may vary. Unlike a rigid plan, a purpose is more flexible in how it is achieved, allowing for adaptations along the way to meet the main intention.

If the plan can be compared to the tracks of a train, they cannot be moved, they are unalterable and the train always has to follow that route. However, a purpose that focuses on the destination can be compared to a GPS even if one deviates from a route. The GPS recalculates and then the destiny takes us, that's why Jehovah always succeeds.

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

Throughout the scriptures, we see how God has gradually revealed his purpose. Despite changes in circumstances and history, his fundamental purpose for humanity and the earth has remained constant and clear in his progressive revelation over time.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Jehovah is sovereign and has absolute control of all things. Even when circumstances change, he directs and guides everything toward the realization of his ultimate purpose. Everything that happens contributes in some way to the culmination of his eternal plan.

Well, because Jehovah's purpose has not changed over the years, proverbs say that he has made everything contribute to his purpose, that is, the purpose remains the same even if he has to modify the plan, but it is eternal also in the sense that When that purpose is fulfilled, the results that will be obtained will be forever. 

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

When Adam and Eve rebelled and sinned, it altered the original course of how Jehovah's purpose for humanity and the earth would be carried out. However, human rebellion did not frustrate God's plan, but rather adjusted it according to circumstances. Despite the introduction of sin into humanity, God continues to work to fulfill his purpose. He decided to establish a heavenly kingdom that would be the means to carry out his original goal for humanity and the earth.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Yes, since they could not participate in this purpose, Jehovah decided that he would establish a kingdom in heaven that would make this original purpose that he had established come true.

Therefore, Jehovah had to make the appropriate arrangements for this purpose to be fulfilled since when Adam and Eve when Jehovah created them, he told them to have children, that is, the idea was that there would be an obedient humanity that would see Jehovah perfect, but of course when They disobeyed because imperfection came to Earth and that is why Jehovah made arrangements to send his son to earth. Jesus spoke of that kingdom of the arrangement that Jehovah had made about this kingdom and also gave his life when he was resurrected, The way was already being opened for that purpose to finally be successful for a while.

Yes, something interesting that Matthew's text reveals to us is that Jesus said there that Jehovah prepared the kingdom from the foundation of the world, that is to say that the moment Adam sinned he already provided this alternative solution, this shows us the ability to adapt. what our God has and how he will fulfill his purpose no matter what. 

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

The main theme of the Bible centers on the vindication of his Name through the fulfillment of his purpose through his Kingdom, which is under the rule of Christ.

And that purpose will be fulfilled with complete certainty. Hebrew 6:18 reminds us that it is based on two things that do not change and about which it is impossible for God to lie and refers to the covenant that Jehovah made with Abraham where there was a promise that all The nations would get a blessing through the kingdom but there was also an oath that Jehovah swore by himself, so it is inevitable that Jehovah's purpose will surely be fulfilled.

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

As mentioned in the passage Ephesians 1:8-11. Jehovah's purpose includes unifying all intelligent creatures, both in heaven and on earth, into a united family. This implies that, under the authority of Christ, there will be universal reconciliation, a harmony and unity among all spiritual and earthly creatures.

Well, according to this text that has just been read written by Paul, an administration will be achieved in which intelligent heavenly and earthly beings, all united and in harmony, form a family and recognize the authority and sovereignty of Jehovah.

ILLUSTRATION

Yes, we can see all the human servants loyal to Jehovah, we see the little sister who appeared in the previous article who was deaf, there giving glory and honor to Jehovah and also to the family of heavenly servants there are all the angels giving glory and honor. to Jehovah in paradise.

Yes, we can imagine thinking about what the earth will be like because Jehovah wanted it to be and that is very beautiful and the faithful and prudent slave always encourages us to imagine, it is that when we imagine these things that helps us move forward.

And also thank Jehovah for revealing this sacred secret to us because he could have made the plans without needing to tell us, but why did he tell us so that we have hope of being able to see ourselves in that picture.

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?

There are many prophecies that give us information on the subject, for example in Genesis 3:15, it teaches us that the offspring would come through Abraham and in facts we see that the offspring would be wounded in the heel, and in Revelation 20:7-10 shows the result of this rivalry, as Satan's head would be crushed.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

We know that there is a wonderful future that things will be restored because the prophecy that Jehovah God in the Garden of Eden of the serpent of the woman and the offspring we have seen in the Bible how it was giving clues in the time of Abraham in the time of David and in many other prophecies that it was really going to come true and we can therefore see what remains unfulfilled we can still be sure that it will be fulfilled in its due time.

Yes, we know on the one hand that the promised offspring of the Messiah was Jesus and that in the year 33 Satan struck Jesus in the heel and killed him, so we already know those two things, but since that happened until today many things have happened. more things that have also been prophesied.

My attention was drawn by quoting from this Watchtower of July 22 the idea of ​​paragraph 3 where it says that in this article the questions that are related to this prophecy of Genesis will be answered and there it mentions who the characters are as stated. been fulfilling and how it can help us today, so we know that it is a prophecy that covers the entire Bible but it also worries us, at least for me, if I am within the fulfillment of this prophecy.

We have also seen here in the call we have from the Watchtower how Satan and his world persecutes all Christians because they hate us and then of course there is also very clear information for all of us that when Jehovah tells us in Romans 8:31 for example If God is on our side, who could be against us? What do we see? Well, the prophecy is from Genesis 3:15. Jehovah is the one who makes things come true and if we are by his side we will always have the victory in the end.

Also in the prophecy there is talk of a woman who clearly mentions that she is not a literal woman because she says that she has the moon under her feet and wears a crown of 12 stars on her head, but rather represents the heavenly part of Jehovah's organization that is formed by spiritual beings.

Well, may the final part of the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 be fulfilled when Satan's head is crushed, so that we can see not only what has already been fulfilled what we see in our days but how Jehovah's purpose advances until to be fulfilled and that there are more than 1000 years left for this to happen during the millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

10. a) What events will take place soon? 

Something that will begin the cry of peace and security, which will be proclaimed by the nations, the great tribulation will immediately come and Jesus will judge all people and separate those who are like sheep from the goats, immediately afterward The Nations will go against the people of God , which will bring the end of The Great Tribulation when Christ and his army destroy the enemies of God's people.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Yes and we know that at some point within this period of the great tribulation just before Armageddon begins the anointed Christians who remain here on earth will be gathered in heaven to join Jesus Christ and his heavenly armies and to begin the war of Armageddon.

Here we go to a reference that takes us in the book Kingdom of God, it says how we can prepare ourselves, it says here that survival will depend on obedience. 

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

We must prepare our mind and heart so that it is ready to obey and follow the provided instructions and guides given through the organization. This includes being attentive to the teachings and guidelines of the faithful and prudent slave.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Our survival will depend on obedience and following instructions, and the example is cited to base this idea of ​​what Jehovah did with the Jews who were captive in ancient Babylon. Jehovah was very explicit when he imperatively told him to go or enter or close or hide, so they had to explicitly obey these steps that is what we have to do now so that our heart is prepared.

Yes, how these instructions will reach us through the congregation, that is why we must prepare ourselves from now on by getting used to obeying from the heart the guidance we receive and only then can we survive.

John 5:3 which says that the love of God consists in obeying his commandments and his commandments are not a burden, we understand that obedience is a more intellectual matter of mind, but now when they do not become a burden but are Beneficial for us, one comes to appreciate them and even love them, which is why whenever we obey Jehovah things go well for us and that will be a source of energy and fuel when we face the trials in the great tribulation.

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

The idea of ​​eternal life means the opportunity for continuous growth, constant learning, and the endless exploration of new experiences. It is the possibility of discovering more about Jehovah and the world around us over time, without limits imposed by the end of an existence.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Well, one of the wonderful things that living eternally will allow us is to get to know Jehovah better. Even when we have spent thousands of years or millions of years, we will know him better than now, there is no doubt, but we will still have a long way to go to know him and get to know him day by day. More days will allow us to be closer to him, which is wonderful.

Well, it will also mean a dream come true because the Bible says in Ecclesiastes that Jehovah is the one who has put eternity in our hearts, so that dream come true that will give us the opportunity to know Jehovah better and the more we know something, a person, the more we love him or her. We appreciate it.

ILLUSTRATION

Well, I was going to comment on the image that we see the man with the bear, that we can enjoy Jehovah's creation without limits and without fear. Of course, that is something that we are going to enjoy, but also, as mentioned, it is going to make us happy. bring Jehovah even closer to being able to enjoy his creation as we cannot do now.

If the image also shows the young man examining one's appendix in which the message of the Bible is discussed and it is precisely that that makes him think about what his future will be like, thinking about how Jehovah's purpose has been fulfilled so far. God then knows that the future is also guaranteed and he imagines himself already there as if he were there.

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.

Raising our gaze to the heavens means for us to contemplate the greatness of Jehovah and his spiritual organization. For example, Daniel and John were able to have a vision of what the glory of Jehovah was like and him sitting on his throne, we can know those same visions if we read these passages from the Bible.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

And we see that the Bible reveals impressive aspects about Jehovah and about the heavenly part of his organization, which means that we can, so to speak, raise our gaze to the heavens. In Isaiah, to mention an example, it mentions how Jehovah is sitting on his high and elevated throne. and there are seraphim standing above him, so that gives us a little bit of a vision of how Jehovah is situated in the heavens.

And again here the imagination would come in. The organization has helped us a lot with drawings, for example in terms of the book of Ezekiel, visualizing the heavenly chariot with the gigantic wheels, because imagining ourselves at that moment seeing that Immensity, that is, placing our mind a little in How can they be, not because they are physical things, but to see the greatness of Jehovah's entire organization.

Well, the greatness of Jehovah compared to how small we human beings are and also the privilege that Jehovah has allowed us as imperfect human beings has given us the opportunity to serve him, so the least that can come from us It is gratitude and absolute worship to Jehovah.

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

We should not spend a single day reflecting on what Jehovah and Jesus have done and are doing with us from heaven.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Having someone who understands our struggles and difficulties becomes a feeling of closeness for us. Imagining Jesus in that position of intercession gives us comfort and hope, because we know that both Jehovah and Jesus continue to show us their love, which is a motivation to continue serving Him.

Yes, it is interesting what Paul mentioned in verse 14 of Second Corinthians, there he mentions the love of Christ obligates us, so meditate on what Jehovah and Jesus have done for us and what they are going to do in how they support us, strengthen that love will help us to be grateful.

And also as we have read in Hebrews 4:15 we have a high priest who has been tested just like us who are now being tested in our own sin and also imperfection and thanks to this we can turn to Jehovah in prayer and ask for that goodness deserved gift that Jehovah gives to all of us to be able to continue facing these difficulties.

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

The passage from Matthew 28:19,20 refers to Jesus' command to make disciples, to share the word and teachings, which is a way of expressing gratitude. This involves sharing the message of love, compassion and teachings of Jesus, carrying his message to others and helping them find the path so that they can cultivate a relationship with Jehovah.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Helping others to know Jehovah is a way to express gratitude, since it is Jehovah's will that everything is on the path to salvation and knowledge of the truth.

Well, one of the best ways is to strive to help attract other people to become disciples of Jesus, as first Timothy 2:3 and 4 says, that it is the will of Jehovah that all kinds of people be saved and have a exact knowledge of the truth.

This can be done, we have to imitate Paul and in the same way work to help as many as we can so that they can be saved.

ILLUSTRATION

In first Corinthians we see that Paul adapted to people in this way, as the paragraph says, he could save some by all possible means, so we must take advantage of every opportunity as we see in the image that the sister took advantage of the subway to be able to preach. to people and thus make more people know Jehovah and be saved.

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?

Happiness is in the dedication and delight to immerse oneself in divine teachings, continually seeking to understand, learn and reflect on them. As the psalm describes, the person finds satisfaction in the study and understanding of God's counsels, considering that each day in which he delves into divine wisdom is a day gained, not lost.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Well, enjoying the law of Jehovah, a translator explained it very well because he says that whoever reads the Bible should like the advice in it so much that he says that he looks for it, learns it and keeps thinking about it and if one day he doesn't He does it, he says that it is a lost day, so that is what we should do and enjoy reading the Bible a lot.

And for this, all of us must make a genuine effort to read the word of God daily, explore its themes in depth, see the relationship that exists in order to find the common thread of the main theme of the Bible. That will help us a lot to enjoy the content of the Bible. Bible. 

16. What will we examine in the next article?

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

The next article will focus on exploring one of the deepest truths presented in the Bible, the great spiritual temple of Jehovah, as described by the apostle Paul in his letter to the Hebrew Christians.

We will also see that the earth will become a paradise and that its descendants will be perfect people and live forever.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

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

Despite the challenges and introduction of sin, God's ultimate purpose will be fulfilled through his heavenly Kingdom to restore the relationship between God and humanity, as well as to return the earth to its original state of harmony and perfection.

For he will ensure that all intelligent beings both in heaven and on earth form a united family and that they all loyally recognize the authority and sovereignty of Jehovah.

We will also see that the earth will become a paradise and that its descendants will be perfect people and live forever.

What does the Bible reveal to us about the future?

The Bible describes future events as the proclamation of peace and security, followed by the great tribulation, as an important event on the path to divine judgment. The separation between the sheep and the goats, followed by the confrontation of the Nations against the people of God and the intervention of Christ and his army putting an end to the enemies of the people of God.

Well, we saw several details that remain to be fulfilled just before the prophecy of Genesis 3:15 is finally fully fulfilled. We were told about the announcement of peace and security, the beginning of the great tribulation, and that Jesus would perhaps come with natural phenomena and would judge well. to the sheep and the goats and then finally the anointed would be gathered and Armageddon and 1000 more years would come.

And we also saw that a wonderful future awaits us because Jehovah has put eternity in our hearts and we will enjoy an incredible life that we cannot even imagine.

How can we look up to the heavens?

Lifting our gaze from the heavens means for us to contemplate the greatness of Jehovah and his spiritual organization. For example, Daniel and John were able to have a vision of what the glory of Jehovah was like and him sitting on his throne; we can see those same visions if we read these passages from the Bible.

Well, we do it by turning to the Bible and enjoying knowing Jehovah's heavenly organization, also recognizing the fundamental role of Jesus Christ as our high priest who allows us to enjoy Jehovah's mercy and contribute to the fulfillment of Jehovah's will by preaching and making disciples of Jesus so they can be saved.