Watchtower Study, Week 8 to July 14, 2024, Let us trust in “the Judge of the whole earth” and in his mercy, Underlined Answers.

Watchtower Study, June 8-14, 2024, Let us trust in “the Judge of all the earth” and in his mercy, Underlined Answers.

Yellow: Direct Response

Light Yellow: Additional Response

Light Blue: Additional Points

“Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is right?” (GEN. 18:25).

1. What valuable lesson did Jehovah teach Abraham?

IT WAS an unforgettable conversation for Abraham. Through an angel, Jehovah told him that he was going to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Although Abraham had a lot of faith in God, he had a hard time understanding that decision, and that is why he asked: “Are you really going to destroy righteous people along with evil people? […] Will not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” With patience, Jehovah taught his dear friend a valuable lesson: He will never destroy righteous people. How comforting we are to know that! (Gen. 18:23-33).

2. Why are we sure that Jehovah's judgments are just and merciful?

2 Why can we be sure that Jehovah's judgments are just and merciful? Because we know that he “sees the hearts” of the people (1 Sam. 16:7). In fact, he knows “the heart of every person” (1 Kings 8:39; 1 Chron. 28:9). What an awesome idea! Jehovah's wisdom is so immense that sometimes we cannot fully understand his way of judging. No wonder the apostle Paul said, “How inexplicable are his judgments” (Rom. 11:33).

3, 4. What might we ask ourselves? And what will we analyze in this article? (John 5:28, 29).

3 Sometimes we may have questions like the ones Abraham asked. We may even ask ourselves: “Is it possible that some of the people whom Jehovah destroyed, such as those in Sodom and Gomorrah, will be resurrected?” Could it be that they come to life in the 'resurrection [...] of the unrighteous'?” (Acts 24:15).

4 Let's review what we understand about the topic of the resurrection. Some time ago, we clarified how to understand what the “resurrection of life” and the “resurrection of judgment” are (read John 5:28, 29). This clarification has led us to make additional changes, which we will discuss in this article and the next. First let's talk about what we don't know about Jehovah's way of judging, and then we'll look at what we do know.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW

5. What have our publications in the past said about the people who died in Sodom and Gomorrah?

5 What will happen to the people whom Jehovah destroyed because he considered them unjust, such as those in Sodom and Gomorrah? In the past, we said that those people were not going to be resurrected. But, after much study and prayer, the faithful and prudent slave has realized that we cannot say that with certainty. Let's see why not.

6. What are some times when Jehovah destroyed people he considered unjust, and what cannot we say?

6 There are many other Bible accounts that tell of times when Jehovah destroyed people whom he considered unjust. For example, in the Flood everyone on Earth died except Noah and his family. Later, Jehovah ordered the Israelites to wipe out the inhabitants of the seven nations in the Promised Land. And on another occasion he had an angel kill 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in a single night (Gen. 7:23; Deut. 7:1-3; Isa. 37:36, 37). In these cases, the Bible does not give us enough information to affirm that Jehovah destroyed all those people forever and that therefore they will not be resurrected. Let's analyze this matter further.

7. What don't we know about the people who died in the Flood and the conquest of Canaan? (See the drawing).

7 Although we know that Jehovah destroyed these people groups as a whole, we do not know how he viewed each of these people or whether they had the opportunity to learn about him and repent. Speaking of the time of the Flood, the Bible does say that Noah was “a preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5). But it doesn't say whether he tried to preach to each and every person on Earth while he was busy building the ark. Likewise, we do not know whether all the wicked people living in Canaan had the opportunity to learn about Jehovah and correct their ways.

ILLUSTRATION

Noah and his family work on the construction of the ark. In the distance you can see a town surrounded by the forest. Noah and his family building the ark. We do not know if in the meantime they organized a preaching campaign to warn each and every person on Earth that the Flood was coming. (See paragraph 7).

8. What don't we know about the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah?

8 And what can we say about the people of Sodom and Gomorrah? We know that in Sodom there lived a righteous man named Lot. But we do not know if he preached to all its inhabitants. It is true that they were evil, but did they all know how to distinguish between what was right and what was wrong? It seems not, because the Bible says that a crowd of men from Sodom tried to sexually abuse Lot's guests. Among that crowd were very young people who perhaps did not understand the seriousness of their actions (Gen. 19:4; 2 Pet. 2:7). Can we really say with certainty that Jehovah, who is so merciful, has decided that none of these people will be resurrected? It is true that Jehovah gave Abraham to understand that there were not even 10 righteous people in that city (Gen. 18:32). So they were unjust and Jehovah acted justly in destroying them. Now, can we assure that not a single one of them will return to life in the resurrection of the unrighteous? We cannot assure it.

9. What don't we know about Solomon?

9 On the other hand, the Bible also talks about righteous people who became unrighteous, such as King Solomon. He knew Jehovah very well and knew how to worship him, and he received many blessings from him. But over time he began to worship false gods. This made Jehovah very angry, and the entire nation suffered for centuries because of Solomon 's sins . It is true that the Bible says that, when he died, he “rested with his ancestors,” including faithful King David (1 Kings 11:5-9, 43; 2 Kings 23:13). Now, does the type of burial he received indicate that he will be resurrected? The Bible doesn't say it. However, some might conclude that he will indeed be resurrected because Romans 6:7 says that “he who dies is absolved of his sin.” But this text does not mean that all those who have died will be resurrected , as if the resurrection were a right that is earned by the simple fact of having died. The resurrection is a gift that Jehovah gives out of love to those he wants to have the opportunity to serve him forever.​—Job 14:13, 14; John 6:44. Could Solomon be one of those people? Jehovah knows the answer; we do not. What we do know is that Jehovah will do what is right.

WHAT WE DO KNOW

10. How does Jehovah feel about destroying the wicked? (Ezekiel 33:11; see also image).

10 (Read Ezekiel 33:11). Jehovah tells us how he feels when he carries out his sentence against someone. The apostle Peter wrote by inspiration words very similar to those of the prophet Ezekiel. He said, “Jehovah […] does not wish that any should be destroyed” (2 Pet. 3:9). Without a doubt, those words calm us down. We are assured that Jehovah never destroys anyone forever unless there are compelling reasons to do so. He is full of mercy and he demonstrates this quality whenever possible.

ILLUSTRATION

A brother teaches the resurrected in Paradise. He points to a blackboard with a drawing of the huge image from Daniel chapter 2. In the resurrection of the unrighteous, very different people will have the opportunity to learn about Jehovah. (See paragraph 10).

11. Who will not be resurrected, and how do we know?

11 What people do we know will not be resurrected? The Bible only mentions a few. For example, Jesus indicated that Judas Iscariot will not be resurrected (Mark 14:21; see also John 17:12 and the study note). Judas knew perfectly well what he was doing when he acted against Jehovah and his Son (see Mark 3:29 and the study notes). Jesus also said that some of the religious leaders who had opposed him would have no chance of being resurrected (Matt. 23:33; see also John 19:11 and the “man” study note). And the apostle Paul warned that unrepentant apostates would not be resurrected (Heb. 6:4-8; 10:29).

12. What do we know about Jehovah's mercy? Mention some example.

12 Now, as we have already seen, Jehovah is full of mercy and “does not wish that anyone should be destroyed.” How did you show mercy to some people who committed serious sins? King David committed adultery and murder, which were very serious sins, but he repented and Jehovah had mercy on him and forgave him (2 Sam. 12:1-13). King Manasseh did horrible things throughout much of his life. Despite this king's great wickedness, Jehovah showed him mercy and forgave him because he repented from the heart (2 Chron. 33:9-16). These examples remind us that Jehovah shows mercy whenever he finds a reason to do so. He will resurrect David and Manasseh because they realized they had committed terrible sins and repented.

13. a) Why did Jehovah show mercy to the people of Nineveh? b) What did Jesus say later about the inhabitants of Nineveh?

13 We also know that Jehovah was merciful to the inhabitants of Nineveh. God said to Jonah, “I have noticed his wickedness.” But, when a).  They repented of their sins, and Jehovah was kind and forgave them. He showed much more mercy than Jonah. In fact, when the prophet became angry, God had to remind him that those people did not even know “the difference between what is right and what is wrong” (Jon. 1:1, 2; 3:10; 4:9- eleven). Some time later, b).  Jesus used the example of the people of Nineveh who repented to highlight Jehovah’s justice and mercy. He said they would arise “in judgment” (Matt. 12:41).

14. What opportunity will the Ninevites have during the “resurrection of judgment”?

14 In what “judgment” would the inhabitants of Nineveh arise? Jesus spoke of “a resurrection of judgment,” which would occur in the future (John 5:29). He was referring to His Thousand Year Reign, when there will be “a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous” (Acts 24:15). For the unrighteous, it will be “a resurrection of judgment” because Jehovah and Jesus will observe them to see if they obey and put into practice what they learn. If a Ninevite is resurrected but refuses to worship Jehovah, his judgment will end in a death sentence (Isa. 65:20). But, if he chooses to be faithful to Jehovah, the sentence will be favorable and he will have the possibility of living forever (Dan. 12:2).

15. a) Why should we not say that no one from Sodom and Gomorrah will be resurrected? b) How can we understand the words of Jude 7? (See the box “What did Judas mean?”)

 15 a ). Jesus said that “the Day of Judgment will be more bearable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah” than for those who rejected him and his teachings (Matt. 10:14, 15; 11:23, 24; Luke 10 :12). What did he mean? It may seem that Jesus was using hyperbole, but everything indicates that this was not the case, but that he meant it literally, just as when he spoke of the inhabitants of Nineveh. “The Day of Judgment” that he spoke of here is surely the same judgment that he mentioned when he spoke of the inhabitants of Nineveh. Both the Ninevites and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah did bad things. But those from Nineveh had the opportunity to repent. Also, let us remember that Jesus said there will be “a resurrection of judgment” for “those who did evil things” (John 5:29). So, it seems, perhaps there is hope for the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is possible that at least some of them will be resurrected and we can help them come to know Jehovah and Jesus.

What did Judas mean?

Many years after Jesus' death, his half-brother Jude wrote that Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities had “suffered the judicial punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 7). What did he mean? Was he saying the opposite of what Jesus had mentioned? (Luke 10:12). No. b). Jesus did not say that all the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah would be resurrected, but he implied that there was hope for some of them. Apparently, what was destroyed forever as a warning against immorality were the cities themselves, not all their inhabitants. Judas' words agree with others that Jeremiah wrote. This prophet explained that Edom and Babylon would be like Sodom and Gomorrah, that is, that they would be destroyed forever and that no one would rebuild them or live in them again (Jer. 49:17, 18; 50:35, 39, 40). On the other hand, both Jude and the apostle Peter implied that some of the people whom God had destroyed will not be resurrected (2 Pet. 2:6).

16. What does Jehovah take into account when deciding who he will resurrect? (Jeremiah 17:10).

16 (Read Jeremiah 17:10). This verse summarizes very well what we do know: Jehovah always examines “the heart” and analyzes “the innermost thoughts.” In deciding who he will resurrect, he will repay “each one according to his conduct.” Jehovah will be firm when necessary, but he will be merciful whenever possible. So we should never assume that a person will not be resurrected unless we know it for sure because the Bible says so.

“THE JUDGE OF THE WHOLE EARTH” WILL ALWAYS “DO WHAT IS JUST”

17. What will happen to the people who have died?

17 Since Adam and Eve joined Satan in his rebellion against Jehovah, billions of people have died. Our “enemy, death,” has claimed many lives (1 Cor. 15:26). What will happen to all those people? A group of 144,000 faithful Christians will be resurrected in heaven and have immortal life (Rev. 14:1). A large number of men and women who loved Jehovah will be brought back to life in the “resurrection […] of the righteous” and will live forever on Earth if they remain faithful during Christ's Thousand Year Reign and the final test (Dan . 12:13; Also during the Millennium, the “unrighteous”—including those who never served Jehovah or who even “did bad things”—will have the opportunity to change their behavior and worship God (Luke 23:42, 43). However, some people were so wicked and so determined to rebel against Jehovah that he has decided that they will not be resurrected (Luke 12:4, 5).

18, 19. a) Why can we trust the decisions that Jehovah will make about those who have died? (Isaiah 55:8, 9). b) What will we see in the next article?

18 Can we be absolutely sure that when Jehovah judges people, his decisions are always just? Of course! a).  Like Abraham, we know that “the Judge of all the earth” is perfect, merciful, and infinitely wise. Jehovah has charged his Son with the responsibility of judging and has taught her how to do so (John 5:22). Both the Father and the Son can see what is in the heart (Matt. 9:4). So in all cases they will do “what is right.”

19 Let us always trust in Jehovah and his decisions. Unlike us, he is qualified to judge (read Isaiah 55:8, 9). We know that we are in the best hands, and that is why we completely trust in all the judgments of Jehovah and his Son. We also know that Jesus, our King, perfectly imitates the justice and mercy of his Father (Is. 11:3, 4). b). In the next article we will talk about what we do not know and what we do know about how Jehovah and Jesus will judge people during the great tribulation.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

What don't we know about the resurrection of the unrighteous?

We do not know exactly who among those destroyed by Jehovah will be resurrected, since the Bible does not provide specific details about each person's eternal destiny.

What do we know?

We know that there will be a resurrection of the just and unjust during the millennial Reign of Christ and that Jehovah will search the heart of each person to decide their destiny.

Why can we trust that Jehovah’s decisions will be just?

We can trust that Jehovah's decisions will be just because he is infinitely wise, merciful and perfect in his judgments. He has entrusted Jesus, who is also just and merciful, with the responsibility of judging.