“Praise the Lord, all his angels” (Ps. 103:20).
1, 2. a) What distinguishes us from angels?
Angels and humans are very different. The Bible shows that angels were created before humanity and witnessed the creation of the Earth, indicating that they have a much broader perspective of God's purpose.
Furthermore, as spiritual beings, they possess abilities and a sanctity that imperfect humans cannot achieve. They do not age, die, or have physical limitations. Yet, the book Insight shows that angels are not robots, but rather have personalities and feelings.
1, 2. b) What things do we have in common with angels?
Angels share with us several aspects that bring us closer as a spiritual family. One of the most beautiful is that we can both reflect Jehovah's qualities.
Angels have emotions, wills, and distinct personalities, just like us. This shows that Jehovah desires a close relationship with them as well as with us.
Another shared characteristic is freedom of choice. Although angels are perfect, they have the choice to obey Jehovah or not. We also choose whether to obey him or not. This freedom makes us responsible, but also valuable to God.
Furthermore, First Peter 1:12 shows that angels are attentive to human affairs, indicating that they are not disconnected from us, but that we share the same cause: supporting the Kingdom of God.
3. What can we learn from faithful angels?
The example of the faithful angels is a source of motivation for us. Despite being sinless and powerful beings, they remain humble and focused on doing Jehovah's will.
Their love for humanity is also touching. Angels are deeply interested in human spiritual development. They not only protect us but also support us in our preaching work, which demonstrates their spirit of service.
Regarding endurance, angels have been active since creation, tirelessly facing rebellions like Satan's and always standing firm. Furthermore, their work in keeping the congregation clean demonstrates their commitment to holiness.
ANGELS ARE HUMBLE
4. a) In what ways do angels show that they are humble?
Faithful angels demonstrate their humility in many ways. Despite their vast knowledge, millennia of experience, and immense power, they obey Jehovah's instructions without question. They don't rebel or question, but joyfully do what they are instructed to do.
Psalm 103:20 says they carry out his commands and obey his word, which shows their complete submission to Jehovah. This example leaves us with a very clear lesson: power does not justify pride. They are not interested in receiving credit or becoming famous. They are happy to do God's will, even if no one knows they were behind it.
4. b) Why are angels humble? (Psalm 89:7)
Angels are humble because they have a clear and profound vision of who Jehovah is. Psalm 89:7 says that Jehovah is greatly feared by all those around Him, which shows that there is an atmosphere of profound respect and reverence for God in heaven.
Angels are not humble out of obligation, but because their love and admiration for Jehovah is so great that they do not want to steal even a shred of his glory. They love him deeply, and that love is expressed in their submissive and respectful attitude. This teaches us that the more we know and love Jehovah, the easier it will be to develop sincere humility.
5. How did an angel demonstrate humility when he corrected the apostle John? (See also the image.)
This account from Revelation 19:10 is one of the finest examples of angelic humility. Despite having shown John an impressive vision of the future, the angel refused to allow himself even a gram of glory. Instead of allowing himself to be worshipped, he immediately turned his attention to Jehovah. His quick reaction shows that, for faithful angels, worship is sacred and belongs only to God.
Furthermore, his attitude toward John was especially notable. Although he was a heavenly being with thousands of years of experience, he did not place himself above John, an imperfect human. By saying, "I am a slave like you," the angel acknowledged that all of Jehovah's servants, human or spiritual, are in service to the same God.
ILLUSTRATION
An angel tells the apostle John not to bow down to him or worship him.
The angel was humble when he spoke to John and corrected him. (See paragraph 5.)
6. How can we imitate the humility of angels?
Angels have great abilities, but they never glorify themselves. Following their example, Christians should fulfill our assignments with a spirit of service, always remembering that everything we have is a gift from Jehovah.
Jesus taught in Luke 9:48 that he who behaves like the least is the greatest in God's sight. This applies especially to those who have responsibilities. The more privileges we have, the more we should strive to be approachable, helpful, and humble, rather than standing out or seeking recognition.
7. How can we show humility when we correct or advise someone?
The way we give advice reveals much about our hearts. Humility helps us remember that we all make mistakes, and that when someone needs correction, it's not to crush them, but to lift them up.
Just as the angel did with John, we can be firm without losing tenderness. Colossians 4:6 also teaches us that our words should be seasoned with salt, which implies wisdom and good taste.
Whether speaking with a brother, a friend, or a child, humility leads us to counsel with love and understanding, imitating the angels and Jehovah, who is tender and compassionate. Therefore, the right tone and timing can make even a difficult correction well-received.
ANGELS LOVE PEOPLES
8. a) According to Luke 15:10, how do angels show that they love people?
Angels, although far superior spiritual beings, care deeply for humans. Luke 15:10 makes it clear that they feel genuine joy when a person repents, reflecting a sincere and selfless love for those who seek Jehovah. They gain nothing personally, but their happiness comes from seeing God's will fulfilled and a person returned to his path.
Although angels don't preach directly, their help can manifest in many ways: facilitating a meeting, touching someone's heart to listen, or helping us remember a key text just when we need it. All of this reflects that they support us because they love us and because they want to see more people on life's path.
8. b) What role do angels play in preaching? (See also the image.)
Although angels do not deliver the message directly to people, their role is key to the success of the preaching. Revelation 14:6 depicts an angel proclaiming the good news, symbolizing that angels are charged with overseeing and promoting the worldwide spread of the preaching.
Angels are actively involved, not only observing, but also collaborating to direct the attention of the publishers to sincere people or help prepare someone's heart before receiving the message. They can also coordinate certain situations to occur at the precise moment to facilitate a meaningful conversation.
ILLUSTRATION
A married couple is walking down the street with a preaching cart. Angels are above them, causing the sister to notice a young woman sitting on a bench with a sad face.
A couple who have finished preaching with their wagon are on their way back home. Then the sister sees a woman who looks sad. She understands that angels can direct us to people who are seeking spiritual help, and she feels compelled to speak with her and comfort her. (See paragraph 8.)
9. How can we imitate the love that angels feel for people?
Angels rejoice deeply when a person repents and returns to Jehovah. And we can imitate that love by showing acceptance and affection when a brother or sister is readmitted. As Luke 15:4-7 mentions, Jesus compared heavenly joy to that of a shepherd who finds his lost sheep.
Second Corinthians 2:6-8 advises us to comfort and confirm our love for those who have been disciplined, so that they will not be overwhelmed by undue sadness.
Another way to imitate the angels is to strive in preaching, sowing the seed of the Kingdom message at all times, without knowing which will bear fruit. In this way, we demonstrate that, like the angels, we care deeply about the salvation of others.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
We can imitate the angels' love by rejoicing when someone returns to Jehovah, helping others in the preaching, and doing our best to reach as many people as possible with the Kingdom message.
10. What does Sara's experience teach us?
Sarah's experience reminds us that Jehovah values genuine effort, not the amount of activity we perform. 2 Corinthians 8:12 assures us that, if there is first willingness, acceptance is based on what one has, not on what one doesn't have.
Even though she was physically limited, Sarah continued to look for ways to fulfill her ministry, reflecting an active faith, similar to that of the poor widow who threw in two coins.
Furthermore, his experience shows us that angels are active in preaching, directing our efforts and multiplying the results when we have a willing heart. It's motivating to see how, from a bed, the hearts of so many people can be touched with the message of the Kingdom.
The Angels Show Resilience
11. In what ways do faithful angels give us an excellent example of endurance?
The angels' endurance is not passive, but filled with active faith and love for Jehovah. They have seen how Satan rebelled and dragged other angels along, corrupting humanity since Eden.
In Noah's time, they witnessed how the sons of God disobeyed God and had relations with human women. They also experienced direct spiritual battles, as shown in Daniel 10:13, where an angel needed Michael's help to confront a powerful demon.
Despite all this, the angels have not given up or lost their enthusiasm. They have not become bitter or indifferent, but continue to serve Jehovah with joy, obeying his voice with gladness.
12. What will help us endure?
To endure like the angels, we need a combination of strong faith, trust in Jehovah, and constant spiritual support. Although angels have witnessed thousands of years of human rebellion and suffering, they have never lost faith in God's perfect word, and we too can imitate that attitude.
Furthermore, the fruit of the Spirit strengthens us in difficult times, helps us maintain joy, and endure adversity with a positive attitude. Therefore, when we face fear or distress due to opposition, we can remember Hebrews 13:6, which says: “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.”
Therefore, with constant prayer, full trust, and the help of the Holy Spirit, we can endure in faith, just as the angels do.
ANGELS HELP KEEP THE CONGREGATION CLEAN
13. What special work do angels perform during the last days? (Matthew 13:47-49)
Jesus explained in Matthew 13:47-49 that the Kingdom of heaven is like a net that gathers fish of every kind. This net represents the work of preaching, and the fish represent all the people who respond to the message of the Kingdom. However, not all the fish turn out to be good.
Therefore, angels have a crucial role at this time: to help separate those who truly desire to please Jehovah from those who do not. They do this work not through visible judgments, but through the way Jehovah uses his organization.
For example, they may act in situations that allow a person's true intentions to come to light, or they may lead the congregation to make decisions that help protect its purity. So we should not view this work with fear, but rather as a demonstration of Jehovah's care for his people.
ADDITIONAL COMMENT
Angels help separate the wicked from the righteous during these last days, as Matthew 13:47-49 says. In this way, they protect the purity of the congregation and show us that Jehovah cares for his people.
14, 15. How can we imitate the angels' concern for the spiritual and moral cleanliness of the congregation? (See also the images.)
Angels strive to keep the congregation clean, and we too can show that same concern in various ways.
First: We must ensure that we are spiritually and morally clean. This involves leading an upright life, avoiding bad company, rejecting any immoral content, and striving to maintain a pure heart.
Second: We demonstrate love and concern for our brothers and sisters. If we know someone has committed a serious sin, the right thing to do is to lovingly encourage them to speak to the elders. If they don't, we must act and inform the elders, not to judge, but so that the person receives the spiritual help they need.
Third: When someone is disfellowshipped, we cease to associate with that person. This measure is not cruel, but a way to protect the congregation and give the sinner an opportunity to reflect and return to Jehovah.
ILLUSTRATION
Series of images: 1. Two sisters are in a park, sitting on a bench drinking coffee. One of them is talking to the other, who is looking away. 2. Later, the sister who was talking is in the Kingdom Hall, telling something to two elderly people.
What should we do if we learn that a brother has committed a serious sin? (See paragraph 14.)
16. In what ways will you strive to imitate the angels?
I will strive to imitate the angels in several ways. First, I want to be humble like them, fulfilling my assignments without boasting and acknowledging that everything I do is thanks to Jehovah. I also want to sincerely love people, rejoicing when someone returns to the truth and putting more effort into preaching, knowing that the angels are supporting us.
Furthermore, I desire to endure trials, injustices, and opposition with faith and good courage, just as they have done for thousands of years without giving up. I will also strive to maintain spiritual and moral purity, both in my personal life and within the congregation.
HOW CAN WE IMITATE THE FOLLOWING QUALITIES OF ANGELS?
His humility
We can be humble like angels by accepting our assignments without boasting, without believing ourselves to be more important because of our experience or responsibilities, and by correcting others with respect and affection, without making them feel bad.
His love for people
We imitate his love by rejoicing when someone repents and returns to Jehovah, by preaching with enthusiasm, and by supporting our brothers and sisters in the ministry, especially those who are new, older, or sick.
His interest in the cleanliness of the congregation
We do this by keeping ourselves morally and spiritually clean, by encouraging those who have sinned to seek help, and by respecting disciplinary decisions, knowing that all of this helps protect the congregation.
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