Watchtower Study, Week of August 11-17, 2025, Jehovah's Name: What It Should Mean to Us, Underlined Answers.

Watchtower Study, August 11-17, 2025, Jehovah's Name: What It Should Mean to Us, Underlined Answers.

Yellow: Direct Response

Light Yellow: Additional Response

Celeste: Additional Points

“You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah. (IS. 43:10)

1, 2. How do we know that for Jesus there is nothing more important than the name of Jehovah?

There is nothing more important to Jesus than the name of Jehovah. He is the chief defender of his Father's name. As we saw in the previous article, he was willing to die for Jehovah's name, to vindicate his reputation. (Mark 14:36; Heb. 10:7-9). And at the end of the Thousand Year Reign, he will be willing to give up all his authority in order to sanctify the name of Jehovah. (1 Cor. 15:26-28). Everything Jesus has done and will do for the name of Jehovah demonstrates beyond a doubt the immense love he has for his Father.

2 Jesus came to Earth in the name of his Father (Juan 5:43; 12:13).  He made known the name of his Father to his disciples (Juan 17:6, 26). He taught and performed miracles in the name of Jehovah (Juan 10:25). In a prayer, referring to his disciples, he asked Jehovah: “Take care of them for your own name’s sake.” (John 17:11) So if the name Jehovah meant so much to Jesus, how could someone claim to be a Christian and not know or use the name Jehovah?

3. What will we see in this article?

3 True Christians strive to follow in Jesus' footsteps, and that is why the name of his Father is also very important to us (1 Pet. 2:21). In this article, we will see that those who announce “the good news of the Kingdom” bear the name of Jehovah. (Mat. 24:14). We will also see what the name Jehovah should mean to each of us.

“A PEOPLE FOR ITS NAME”

4. a) What did Jesus tell his disciples just before returning to heaven? b) What question are we going to answer?

4 Just before returning to heaven, Jesus said to his disciples: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). So the good news would not only be preached in Israel, but eventually people of all nations would have the opportunity to become Jesus’ disciples (Matt. 28:19, 20). But notice that Jesus said, “You will be my witnesses.” Does this mean that the new disciples would only be witnesses of Jesus, or would they also have to know the name of Jehovah? Acts chapter 15 helps us find the answer.

5. How did the apostles and elders in Jerusalem demonstrate the importance of knowing Jehovah's name? (See also the image.)

5 In the year 49, the apostles and the elders of Jerusalem met to discuss what non-Jews should do to become Christians. At the end of the meeting, James, Jesus’ half-brother, said, “Symeon [Peter] has told us in detail the first time God turned his attention to the nations to bring out of them a people for his name.” Whose name? Quoting from the prophet Amos, he added: “So that the men who are left may diligently seek Jehovah with people of all nations, people who are called by my name. Thus says Jehovah.” (Acts 15:14-18) So the new disciples would not only learn about Jehovah, but they would also be called by God's name. In other words, they would be known by that name and would make it known.

ILLUSTRATION

James speaks to some apostles and elders of Jerusalem. Two of the brothers have scrolls open while they listen to him.

The apostles and elders in Jerusalem understood that Christians would make Jehovah's name known and would be known by that name. (See paragraph 5.)

6, 7. a) Why did Jesus come to Earth? b) What is the most important reason why Jesus came to Earth?

6 Let us remember that the name Jesus means "Jehovah is salvation." And so it was: Jehovah used Jesus to save all people who have faith. Jesus came to Earth to give his life for humanity. (Matt. 20:28) By paying the ransom, he made it possible for all to receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life (John 3:16).

7 Now, why did humans need rescuing? Because of what happened in the Garden of Eden. As we saw in the previous article, our first parents, Adam and Eve, rebelled against Jehovah and lost their chance to live forever. (Gen. 3:6, 24) But something even more important than the salvation of humankind was involved: Jehovah's name had been slandered. (Gen. 3:4, 5) So the salvation of the descendants of Adam and Eve was connected with a much more relevant matter: the sanctification of Jehovah's name. Because Jesus represented his Father and bore his name perfectly, he did more than anyone else to sanctify Jehovah's name.

How can someone claim to be a Christian and not know or use the name Jehovah?

8. What would all those who became disciples of Jesus have to understand and accept?

8 All those who became disciples of Jesus, both Jews and non-Jews, would have to understand and accept that the one who really made their salvation possible was Jesus' Father, Jehovah. (Juan 17:3). Furthermore, like Jesus, they would be known by God's name. They would also need to understand the importance of sanctifying Jehovah's name. Their salvation depended on it. (Num. 2:21, 22). Therefore, all of Jesus' faithful disciples had to learn from both Jehovah and Jesus. Hence, he concluded the prayer found in John 17 with the following words: "I have made your name known to them, and I will continue to make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them, and I may be in them." (Juan 17:26).

“YOU ARE MY WITNESSES”

9. How should true Christians view the name of Jehovah?

9 As we have seen, the sanctification of Jehovah's name should be a matter of utmost importance to all true Christians. (Matt. 6:9, 10) For us, Jehovah's name is above all other names. And we must demonstrate this with our actions. What can we do to help sanctify Jehovah's name and prove that Satan's accusations against him are false?

10. What symbolic judgment is described in chapters 42-44 of the book of Isaiah? (Isaiah 43:9; 44:7-9; see also the image.)

10 Chapters 42-44 of the book of Isaiah explain our role in sanctifying Jehovah's name. They describe a symbolic judgment in which the question of who the true God is is debated. Jehovah challenges those who claim to be gods to prove that they really are. He also asks for witnesses to confirm what these supposed gods say. But no one can do it. (see Isaiah 43:9; 44:7-9).

ILLUSTRATION

Images showing various brothers and sisters around the world participating in the sanctification of Jehovah's name while angels fly above them. 1. A couple preaching with their cart. 2. A young sister gives a jw.org contact card to a classmate. 3. A brother preaches to a man on public transportation. 4. A brother is led away in handcuffs by hooded officers. 5. A sister, bedridden in the hospital, explains her position on blood to a doctor.

We have been called to testify as witnesses in a symbolic trial. (See paragraphs 10 and 11.)

11. According to Isaiah 43:10-12, What does Jehovah say to his servants?

11 (Read Isaiah 43:10-12). Jehovah tells his servants: “You are my witnesses [...], and I am God.” He asks them to answer this question: “Is there any God before me?” (Isa. 44:8) We have the great honor of answering that question. With our words and our actions, we bear witness that Jehovah is the only true God and that his name is above all other names. And by our lives, we demonstrate that we love Jehovah wholeheartedly and that we are loyal to him no matter how difficult things Satan makes for us. In this way, we can help sanctify God's name.

12. How was the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3, 5 fulfilled?

12 Isaiah also foretold that someone would clear or prepare “the way of the Lord” (Isa. 40:3; footnote). How was that prophecy fulfilled? John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, who came in the name of Jehovah and spoke in the name of Jehovah (Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:2-4; Luke 3:3-6). Isaiah also prophesied: “The glory of the Lord will be revealed.” (Is. 40:5) How were those words fulfilled? When Jesus came to Earth, he represented his Father so perfectly that it was as if Jehovah himself had come to Earth. (Juan 12:45).

13. How can we imitate Jesus?

13 When we uphold Jehovah's name—or reputation—we are imitating Jesus Christ. Like him, we are Witnesses of Jehovah God. We bear Jehovah's name and tell everyone about his wonderful works. But to fulfill that role well, we must also tell them about everything Jesus did and will do to sanctify Jehovah's name. (Hebrews 1:8). Jesus is the most important Jehovah's Witness, and we follow in his footsteps (Rev. 1:5) Now, what should the name Jehovah mean to each of us?

WHAT DOES THE NAME OF JEHOVAH MEAN TO US?

14. As Psalm 105:3 indicates, How do we feel about the name of Jehovah?

14 We are proud of Jehovah's name. (Read Psalm 105:3.) And Jehovah loves it when we speak proudly of his name and boast about it. (Jer. 9:23, 24; 1 Cor. 1:31; 2 Cor. 10:17). Boasting about Jehovah means being proud to have Jehovah as God. It is a great privilege for us to honor his name and help clear his reputation. We should never be ashamed to identify ourselves as Jehovah's Witnesses, whether at work, in class, in our community, or wherever we are. The Devil wants us to stop making Jehovah's name known (Jer. 11:21; Rev. 12:17). In fact, he and his false prophets want people to forget Jehovah's name (Jer. 23:26, 27). But we love his name so much that we want to praise him "all day long." (Ps. 5:11; 89:16).

15. What does it mean to call on the name of Jehovah?

15 We continue to call on the name of Jehovah (Joel 2:32; Rom. 10:13, 14). Calling on Jehovah's name involves much more than just knowing and using God's personal name. It involves knowing what God is like, trusting him, and turning to him for help and guidance. (Ps. 20:7; 99:6; 116:4; 145:18). It also involves telling others about his name and his qualities, and encouraging them to repent and make the necessary changes in order to gain Jehovah's approval. (Is. 12:4; Acts 2:21, 38).

16. How can we prove that Satan is a liar?

16 We are willing to suffer for Jehovah’s name. (James 5:10, 11) When we remain loyal to Jehovah despite the suffering we may endure, we prove Satan a liar. In Job’s day, Satan leveled this accusation against all of God’s servants: “A man will give everything he has to save his life.” (Job 2:4) In other words, he implied that people would serve Jehovah only when things went well for them but would abandon him when things went badly for them. By his faithfulness, Job proved that to be a lie. And we too have the honor of showing that, no matter how many obstacles Satan puts in our way, we will never turn our backs on Jehovah. We are fully convinced that Jehovah will continue to take care of us for his name's sake. (Juan 17:11).

17. According to 1 Peter 2:12, how else can we give glory to the name of Jehovah?

17 We show respect for the name of Jehovah (Prov. 30:9; Jer. 7:8-11). As we are representatives of Jehovah and bear his name, our conduct can honor him or disgrace him. (it’s 1 Peter 2:12). Therefore, we want to do everything possible to praise Jehovah with what we say and do. In this way, even though we are imperfect, we contribute to bringing glory to his name.

18. How else do we show that Jehovah's name is important to us? (See also footnote.)

18 We care more about Jehovah's name than about our reputation (Ps. 138:2). Why do we say this? Because we love Jehovah's name, we do the things that please him. But sometimes that leads people to mock and criticize us. Jesus was willing to suffer a humiliating death, as if he were a criminal, in order to honor Jehovah's name. As Hebrews 12:2-4 says, he did so "without regard for humiliation"—that is, without worrying too much about what others might think of him. His greatest concern was to do God's will. (Mat. 26:39).

19. How do you feel about the name Jehovah, and why?

19 We are proud of Jehovah's name and consider it a great honor to be known as Jehovah's Witnesses. Therefore, we are not concerned about others mocking or criticizing us. For us, Jehovah's name is more important than our own reputation. So we are determined to continue praising Him no matter what Satan puts in our way. In this way, like Jesus, we will demonstrate that the name of Jehovah means everything to us.

WHAT WOULD YOU ANSWER?

Why can we say that the name of Jehovah is important for true followers of Jesus?

There is nothing more important to Jesus than the name of Jehovah. He is the chief defender of his Father's name. True Christians strive to follow in Jesus' footsteps, and that is why his Father's name is also extremely important to us.

In what symbolic trial do we act as witnesses?

Chapters 42-44 of the book of Isaiah explain our role in sanctifying Jehovah's name. They describe a symbolic judgment in which the debate over who the true God is is debated. Jehovah challenges those who claim to be gods to prove that they really are. He also asks for witnesses to confirm what these supposed gods claim. But no one can do it.

In what ways do we show that Jehovah's name is important to us?

We care more about Jehovah's name than about our reputation. Because we love Jehovah's name, we do things that please him. However, sometimes this causes people to mock and criticize us.