LIVING IN A WAY THAT PLEASES GOD

Article 14

 

How can you become God’s friend?

In what way does Satan’s challenge involve you?

What conduct displeases Jehovah?

How can you live in a way that pleases God?

WHAT kind of person would you choose as a friend? Very likely you would want the company of someone who shares your views, interests, and values. And you would be drawn to one who has fine qualities, such as honesty and kindness.

  Throughout history, God has chosen certain humans to be his close friends. For example, Jehovah called Abraham his friend. (Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23) God referred to David as “a man agreeable to my heart” because he was the kind of person Jehovah loves. (Acts 13:22) And Jehovah viewed the prophet Daniel as “someone very desirable.”—Daniel 9:23.

  Why did Jehovah consider Abraham, David, and Daniel to be his friends? Well, he told Abraham: “You have listened to my voice.” (Genesis 22:18) So Jehovah draws close to those who humbly do what he asks of them. “Obey my voice,” he told the Israelites, “and I will become your God, and you yourselves will become my people.” (Jeremiah 7:23) If you obey Jehovah, you too can become his friend!

JEHOVAH STRENGTHENS HIS FRIENDS

  Think about what friendship with God means. The Bible says that Jehovah is looking for opportunities “to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) How can Jehovah show his strength in your behalf? One way is brought out at Psalm 32:8, where we read: “I [Jehovah] shall make you have insight and instruct you in the way you should go. I will give advice with my eye upon you.”

  What a touching expression of Jehovah’s care! He will give you needed direction and watch over you as you apply it. God wants to help you get through your trials and tests. (Psalm 55:22) So if you serve Jehovah with a complete heart, you can be as confident as the psalmist who said: “I have placed Jehovah in front of me constantly. Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be made to totter.” (Psalm 16:8; 63:8) Yes, Jehovah can help you to live in a way that pleases him. But, as you know, there is an enemy of God who would like to keep you from doing this.

SATAN’S CHALLENGE

A previous artice explained how Satan the Devil challenged God’s sovereignty. Satan charged God with lying and implied that Jehovah was unfair in not letting Adam and Eve decide for themselves what was right and what was wrong. After Adam and Eve sinned and as the earth began to be filled with their offspring, Satan questioned the motive of all humans. “People do not serve God because they love him,” Satan charged. “Give me a chance, and I can turn anyone against God.” The account of the man named Job shows that this is what Satan believed. Who was Job, and how was he involved with Satan’s challenge?

 Job lived about 3,600 years ago. He was a good man, for Jehovah said: “There is no one like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, fearing God and turning aside from bad.” (Job 1:8) Job was pleasing to God.

  Satan questioned Job’s motive for serving God. The Devil said to Jehovah: “Have not you yourself put up a hedge about [Job] and about his house and about everything that he has all around? The work of his hands you have blessed, and his livestock itself has spread abroad in the earth. But, for a change, thrust out your hand, please, and touch everything he has and see whether he will not curse you to your very face.”—Job 1:10, 11.

  Satan thus argued that Job served God just for what he got in return. The Devil also charged that if Job was tested, he would turn against God. How did Jehovah respond to Satan’s challenge? Since the issue involved Job’s motive, Jehovah allowed Satan to test Job. In this way, Job’s love for God—or lack of it—would be clearly shown.

JOB IS TESTED

  Satan soon tested Job in a number of ways. Some of Job’s animals were stolen, and others were killed. Most of his servants were slaughtered. This brought economic hardship. Further tragedy struck when Job’s ten children died in a storm. Despite these terrible events, however, “Job did not sin or ascribe anything improper to God.”—Job 1:22.

 Satan did not give up. He must have thought that although Job could endure the loss of his possessions, servants, and children, he would turn against God if he became sick. Jehovah let Satan strike Job with a disgusting, painful disease. But even this did not cause Job to lose faith in God. Rather, he firmly said: “Until I expire I shall not take away my integrity!”—Job 27:5.

  Job was not aware that Satan was the cause of his troubles. Not knowing the details about the Devil’s challenge of Jehovah’s sovereignty, Job feared that God was the source of his problems. (Job 6:4; 16:11-14) Still, he kept his integrity to Jehovah. And Satan’s claim that Job served God for selfish reasons was proved false by Job’s faithful course!

  Job’s faithfulness provided Jehovah with a forceful reply to Satan’s insulting challenge. Job truly was Jehovah’s friend, and God rewarded him for his faithful course.—Job 42:12-17.

HOW YOU ARE INVOLVED

 The issue of integrity to God that was raised by Satan was not directed against Job alone. You too are involved. This is clearly shown at Proverbs 27:11, where Jehovah’s Word says: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.” These words, written hundreds of years after Job’s death, show that Satan was still taunting God and accusing His servants. When we live in a way that pleases Jehovah, we actually help to give an answer to Satan’s false charges, and in that way we make God’s heart rejoice. How do you feel about that? Would it not be wonderful to have a part in answering the Devil’s lying claims, even if it means making certain changes in your life?

 Notice that Satan said: “Everything that a man has he will give in behalf of his soul.” (Job 2:4) By saying “a man,” Satan made it clear that his charge applied not just to Job but to all humans. That is a very important point. Satan has called into question your integrity to God. The Devil would like to see you disobey God and abandon a righteous course when difficulties arise. How might Satan try to accomplish this?

 As discussed in an earlier article, Satan uses various methods to try to turn people away from God. On the one hand, he attacks “like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.” (1 Peter 5:8) Thus Satan’s influence may be seen when friends, relatives, or others oppose your efforts to study the Bible and apply what you learn. (John 15:19, 20) On the other hand, Satan “keeps transforming himself into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14) The Devil can use subtle means to mislead you and lure you away from a godly way of life. He can also use discouragement, perhaps causing you to feel that you are not good enough to please God. (Proverbs 24:10) Whether Satan is acting like “a roaring lion” or posing as “an angel of light,” his challenge remains the same: He says that when you are faced with trials or temptations, you will stop serving God. How can you answer his challenge and prove your integrity to God, as Job did?

OBEYING JEHOVAH’S COMMANDMENTS

  You can answer Satan’s challenge by living in a way that pleases God. What does this involve? The Bible answers: “You must love Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your vital force.” (Deuteronomy 6:5) As your love for God grows, you will be filled with a desire to do what he requires of you. “This is what the love of God means,” wrote the apostle John, “that we observe his commandments.” If you love Jehovah with your whole heart, you will find that “his commandments are not burdensome.”—1 John 5:3.

  What are Jehovah’s commandments? Some of them involve conduct that we must avoid. For example, note the box at the bottom of the page entitled “Shun What Jehovah Hates.” There you will find listed conduct that the Bible clearly condemns. At first glance, some practices that are listed might not seem so bad. But after meditating on the cited scriptures, you will likely see the wisdom of Jehovah’s laws. Making changes in your conduct may be the greatest challenge you have ever faced. Yet, living in a way that pleases God brings great satisfaction and happiness. (Isaiah 48:17, 18) And it is something that is within your reach. How do we know that?

·         Jehovah never asks more of us than we can do. (Deuteronomy 30:11-14) He knows our potential and our limitations better than we do. (Psalm 103:14) Moreover, Jehovah can give us the strength to obey him. The apostle Paul wrote: “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out in order for you to be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13) To help you endure, Jehovah can even supply you with “power beyond what is normal.” (2 Corinthians 4:7) After enduring many trials, Paul could say: “For all things I have the strength by virtue of him who imparts power to me.”—Philippians 4:13.

DEVELOPING GODLY QUALITIES

  Of course, more is involved in pleasing Jehovah than avoiding things that he hates. You also need to love what he loves. (Romans 12:9) Do you not feel drawn to those who share your views, interests, and values? Jehovah does too. So learn to love the things that Jehovah holds dear. Some of these are described at Psalm 15:1-5, where we read about those whom God considers his friends. Jehovah’s friends display what the Bible calls “the fruitage of the spirit.” It includes such qualities as “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.”—Galatians 5:22, 23.

  Reading and studying the Bible regularly will help you to develop godly qualities. And learning what God requires will help you to harmonize your thoughts with God’s thinking. (Isaiah 30:20, 21) The more you strengthen your love for Jehovah, the greater will be your desire to live in a way that pleases God.

 Effort is required to live in a way that pleases Jehovah. The Bible likens changing your life to stripping off your old personality and clothing yourself with a new one. (Colossians 3:9, 10) But regarding Jehovah’s commandments, the psalmist wrote: “In the keeping of them there is a large reward.” (Psalm 19:11) You too will find that living in a way that pleases God is richly rewarding. By so doing, you will give an answer to Satan’s challenge and make Jehovah’s heart rejoice!

[Footnote]

This does not mean that those who oppose you are personally controlled by Satan. But Satan is the god of this system of things, and the whole world is in his power. (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19) So we can expect that living a godly life will be an unpopular course, and some will oppose you.

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES

▪ You can become God’s friend by obeying him.—James 2:23.

▪ Satan has challenged the integrity of all humans.—Job 1:8, 10, 11; 2:4; Proverbs 27:11.

▪ We must shun practices that displease God.—1 Corinthians 6:9, 10.

▪ We can please Jehovah by hating what he hates and loving what he loves.—Romans 12:9.

 

SHUN WHAT JEHOVAH HATES

Manslaughter.—Exodus 20:13; 21:22, 23.

Sexual immorality.—Leviticus 20:10, 13, 15, 16; Romans 1:24, 26, 27, 32; 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10.

Spiritism.—Deuteronomy 18:9-13; 1 Corinthians 10:21, 22; Galatians 5:20, 21.

Idolatry.—1 Corinthians 10:14.

Drunkenness.—1 Corinthians 5:11.

Stealing.—Leviticus 6:2, 4; Ephesians 4:28.

Lying.—Proverbs 6:16, 19; Colossians 3:9; Revelation 22:15.

Greed.—1 Corinthians 5:11.

Violence.—Psalm 11:5; Proverbs 22:24, 25; Malachi 2:16; Galatians 5:20.

Improper speech.—Leviticus 19:16; Ephesians 5:4; Colossians 3:8.

 

For more information see the book 'What Does the Bible REALLY Teach' at www.jw.org

 

 

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW SUFFERING?

Article 13

 

Has God caused the suffering in the world?

What issue was raised in the garden of Eden?

How will God undo the effects of human suffering?

AFTER a terrible battle in one war-torn land, the thousands of civilian women and children who had been killed were buried in a mass grave surrounded by markers. Each marker bore this inscription: “Why?” Sometimes that is the most painful question of all. People ask it sadly when war, disaster, disease, or crime takes their innocent loved ones, destroys their home, or brings them untold suffering in other ways. They want to know why such tragedies befall them.

 Why does God allow suffering? If Jehovah God is all-powerful, loving, wise, and just, why is the world so full of hatred and injustice? Have you ever wondered about these things yourself?

  Is it wrong to ask why God allows suffering? Some worry that asking such a question means that they do not have enough faith or that they are showing disrespect for God. When reading the Bible, however, you will find that faithful, God-fearing people had similar questions. For example, the prophet Habakkuk asked Jehovah: “Why is it that you make me see what is hurtful, and you keep looking upon mere trouble? And why are despoiling and violence in front of me, and why does quarreling occur, and why is strife carried?”—Habakkuk 1:3.

  Did Jehovah scold the faithful prophet Habakkuk for asking such questions? No. Instead, God included Habakkuk’s sincere words in the inspired Bible record. God also helped him to get a clearer understanding of matters and to gain greater faith. Jehovah wants to do the same for you. Remember, the Bible teaches that “he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) God hates wickedness and the suffering it causes far more than any human does. (Isaiah 55:8, 9) Why, then, is there so much suffering in the world?

WHY SO MUCH SUFFERING?

  People of various religions have gone to their religious leaders and teachers to ask why there is so much suffering. Often, the response is that suffering is God’s will and that he long ago determined everything that would ever happen, including tragic events. Many are told that God’s ways are mysterious or that he brings death upon people—even children—so that he can have them in heaven with him. As you have learned, though, Jehovah God never causes what is bad. The Bible says: “Far be it from the true God to act wickedly, and the Almighty to act unjustly!”—Job 34:10.

  Do you know why people make the mistake of blaming God for all the suffering in the world? In many cases, they blame Almighty God because they think that he is the real ruler of this world. They do not know a simple but important truth that the Bible teaches. You learned that truth in article 3 of these posts. The real ruler of this world is Satan the Devil.

  The Bible clearly states: “The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1 John 5:19) When you think about it, does that not make sense? This world reflects the personality of the invisible spirit creature who is “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:9) Satan is hateful, deceptive, and cruel. So the world, under his influence, is full of hatred, deceit, and cruelty. That is one reason why there is so much suffering.

  A second reason why there is so much suffering is that, as discussed in article 3, mankind has been imperfect and sinful ever since the rebellion in the garden of Eden. Sinful humans tend to struggle for dominance, and this results in wars, oppression, and suffering. (Ecclesiastes 4:1; 8:9) A third reason for suffering is “time and unforeseen occurrence.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) In a world without Jehovah as a protective Ruler, people may suffer because they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  It is comforting for us to know that God does not cause suffering. He is not responsible for the wars, the crimes, the oppression, or even the natural disasters that cause people to suffer. Still, we need to know, Why does Jehovah allow all this suffering? If he is the Almighty, he has the power to stop it. Why, then, does he hold back? The loving God that we have come to know must have a good reason.—1 John 4:8.

A VITAL ISSUE IS RAISED

  To find out why God allows suffering, we need to think back to the time when suffering began. When Satan led Adam and Eve into disobeying Jehovah, an important question was raised. Satan did not call into question Jehovah’s power. Even Satan knows that there is no limit to Jehovah’s power. Rather, Satan questioned Jehovah’s right to rule. By calling God a liar who withholds good from his subjects, Satan charged that Jehovah is a bad ruler. (Genesis 3:2-5) Satan implied that mankind would be better off without God’s rulership. This was an attack on Jehovah’s sovereignty, his right to rule.

  Adam and Eve rebelled against Jehovah. In effect, they said: “We do not need Jehovah as our Ruler. We can decide for ourselves what is right and what is wrong.” How could Jehovah settle that issue? How could he teach all intelligent creatures that the rebels were wrong and that his way truly is best? Someone might say that God should simply have destroyed the rebels and made a fresh start. But Jehovah had stated his purpose to fill the earth with the offspring of Adam and Eve, and he wanted them to live in an earthly paradise. (Genesis 1:28) Jehovah always fulfills his purposes. (Isaiah 55:10, 11) Besides that, getting rid of the rebels in Eden would not have answered the question that had been raised regarding Jehovah’s right to rule.

  Let us consider an illustration. Imagine that a teacher is telling his students how to solve a difficult problem. A clever but rebellious student claims that the teacher’s way of solving the problem is wrong. Implying that the teacher is not capable, this rebel insists that he knows a much better way to solve the problem. Some students think that he is right, and they also become rebellious. What should the teacher do? If he throws the rebels out of the class, what will be the effect on the other students? Will they not believe that their fellow student and those who joined him are right? All the other students in the class might lose respect for the teacher, thinking that he is afraid of being proved wrong. But suppose that the teacher allows the rebel to show the class how he would solve the problem.

  Jehovah has done something similar to what the teacher does. Remember that the rebels in Eden were not the only ones involved. Millions of angels were watching. (Job 38:7; Daniel 7:10) How Jehovah handled the rebellion would greatly affect all those angels and eventually all intelligent creation. So, what has Jehovah done? He has allowed Satan to show how he would rule mankind. God has also allowed humans to govern themselves under Satan’s guidance.

  The teacher in our illustration knows that the rebel and the students on his side are wrong. But he also knows that allowing them the opportunity to try to prove their point will benefit the whole class. When the rebels fail, all honest students will see that the teacher is the only one qualified to lead the class. They will understand why the teacher thereafter removes any rebels from the class. Similarly, Jehovah knows that all honesthearted humans and angels will benefit from seeing that Satan and his fellow rebels have failed and that humans cannot govern themselves. Like Jeremiah of old, they will learn this vital truth: “I well know, O Jehovah, that to earthling man his way does not belong. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.”—Jeremiah 10:23.

WHY SO LONG?

  Why, though, has Jehovah allowed suffering to go on for so long? And why does he not prevent bad things from happening? Well, consider two things that the teacher in our illustration would not do. First, he would not stop the rebel student from presenting his case. Second, the teacher would not help the rebel to make his case. Similarly, consider two things that Jehovah has determined not to do. First, he has not stopped Satan and those who side with him from trying to prove that they are right. Allowing time to pass has thus been necessary. In the thousands of years of human history, mankind has been able to try every form of self-rule, or human government. Mankind has made some advances in science and other fields, but injustice, poverty, crime, and war have grown ever worse. Human rule has now been shown to be a failure.

  Second, Jehovah has not helped Satan to rule this world. If God were to prevent horrible crimes, for instance, would he not, in effect, be supporting the case of the rebels? Would God not be making people think that perhaps humans can govern themselves without disastrous results? If Jehovah were to act in that way, he would become party to a lie. However, “it is impossible for God to lie.”—Hebrews 6:18.

  What, though, about all the harm that has been done during the long rebellion against God? We do well to remember that Jehovah is almighty. Therefore, he can and will undo the effects of mankind’s suffering. As we have already learned, the ruining of our planet will be undone by the turning of the earth into Paradise. The effects of sin will be removed through faith in Jesus’ ransom sacrifice, and the effects of death will be reversed by means of the resurrection. God will thus use Jesus “to break up the works of the Devil.” (1 John 3:8) Jehovah will bring all of this about at just the right time. We can be glad that he has not acted sooner, for his patience has given us the opportunity to learn the truth and to serve him. (2 Peter 3:9, 10) Meanwhile, God has been actively seeking sincere worshipers and helping them to endure any suffering that may come upon them in this troubled world.—John 4:23; 1 Corinthians 10:13.

  Some might wonder, Could all this suffering have been prevented if God had created Adam and Eve in such a way that they could not rebel? To answer that question, you need to remember a precious gift that Jehovah has given you.

HOW WILL YOU USE THE GIFT FROM GOD?

  As was noted in article 5, humans were created with free will. Do you realize what a precious gift that is? God has made countless animals, and these are driven largely by instinct. (Proverbs 30:24) Man has made some robots that can be programmed to follow every command. Would we be happy if God had made us like that? No, we are glad to have the freedom to make choices about what kind of person to become, what course of life to pursue, what friendships to form, and so on. We love to have a measure of freedom, and that is what God wants us to enjoy.

  Jehovah is not interested in service performed under compulsion. (2 Corinthians 9:7) To illustrate: What would please a parent more—a child’s saying “I love you” because he is told to say it or his saying it freely from the heart? So the question is, How will you use the free will that Jehovah has given you? Satan, Adam, and Eve made the worst possible use of free will. They rejected Jehovah God. What will you do?

  You have the opportunity to put the marvelous gift of free will to the best possible use. You can join the millions who have taken a stand on Jehovah’s side. They make God rejoice because they take an active part in proving Satan a liar and a miserable failure as a ruler. (Proverbs 27:11) You too can do that by choosing the right course of life. This will be explained in the next chapter.

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES

▪ God does not cause the bad conditions in the world.—Job 34:10.

▪ By calling God a liar and saying that He withholds good from His subjects, Satan questioned Jehovah’s right to rule.—Genesis 3:2-5.

▪ Jehovah will use his Son, the Ruler of the Messianic Kingdom, to end all human suffering and to undo its effects.—1 John 3:8.

 

For more information please see the book 'What Does the Bible REALLY Teach' at www.jw.org

 

 

SPIRIT CREATURES---HOW THEY AFFECT US

Article 12

Do angels help people?

How have wicked spirits influenced humans?

Do we need to fear wicked spirits?

GETTING to know a person usually involves learning something about his family. Similarly, getting to know Jehovah God includes becoming better acquainted with his angelic family. The Bible calls the angels “sons of God.” (Job 38:7) So, what is their place in God’s purpose? Have they played a role in human history? Do angels affect your life? If so, how?

  The Bible refers to angels hundreds of times. Let us consider a few of these references to learn more about angels. Where did angels come from? Colossians 1:16 says: “By means of him [Jesus Christ] all other things were created in the heavens and upon the earth.” Hence, all the spirit creatures called angels were individually created by Jehovah God through his firstborn Son. How many angels are there? The Bible indicates that hundreds of millions of angels were created, and all of them are powerful.—Psalm 103:20.

  God’s Word, the Bible, tells us that when the earth was founded, “all the sons of God began shouting in applause.” (Job 38:4-7) Angels thus existed long before humans were created, even before the creation of the earth. This Bible passage also shows that angels have feelings, for it says that they “joyfully cried out together.” Note that “all the sons of God” rejoiced together. At that time, all the angels were part of a united family serving Jehovah God.

ANGELIC SUPPORT AND PROTECTION

  Ever since they witnessed the creation of the first humans, faithful spirit creatures have shown keen interest in the growing human family and in the outworking of God’s purpose. (Proverbs 8:30, 31; 1 Peter 1:11, 12) With the passing of time, however, the angels observed that most of the human family turned away from serving their loving Creator. No doubt this saddened the faithful angels. On the other hand, whenever even one human returns to Jehovah, “joy arises among the angels.” (Luke 15:10) Since angels have such deep concern for the welfare of those who serve God, it is no wonder that Jehovah has repeatedly used angels to strengthen and protect his faithful servants on earth. (Hebrews 1:7, 14) Consider some examples.

  Two angels helped the righteous man Lot and his daughters to survive the destruction of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by leading them out of that area. (Genesis 19:15, 16) Centuries later, the prophet Daniel was thrown into a lions’ pit, but he escaped harm and said: “My own God sent his angel and shut the mouth of the lions.” (Daniel 6:22) In the first century C.E., an angel freed the apostle Peter from prison. (Acts 12:6-11) Moreover, angels supported Jesus at the start of his earthly ministry. (Mark 1:13) And shortly before Jesus’ death, an angel appeared to Jesus and “strengthened him.” (Luke 22:43) What a comfort that must have been for Jesus at those very important times in his life!

 Today, angels no longer appear visibly to God’s people on earth. Although invisible to human eyes, God’s powerful angels still protect his people, especially from anything spiritually harmful. The Bible says: “The angel of Jehovah is camping all around those fearing him, and he rescues them.” (Psalm 34:7) Why should those words be of great comfort to us? Because there are dangerous wicked spirit creatures who want to destroy us! Who are they? Where do they come from? How are they trying to harm us? To find out, let us briefly consider something that happened at the start of human history.

SPIRIT CREATURES WHO ARE OUR ENEMIES

 As we learned earlier, one of the angels developed a desire to rule over others and thus turned against God. Later this angel became known as Satan the Devil. (Revelation 12:9) During the 16 centuries after he deceived Eve, Satan succeeded in turning away from God nearly all humans except a few faithful ones, such as Abel, Enoch, and Noah.—Hebrews 11:4, 5, 7.

  In Noah’s day, other angels rebelled against Jehovah. They left their place in God’s heavenly family, came down to the earth, and took on fleshly bodies. Why? We read at Genesis 6:2: “The sons of the true God began to notice the daughters of men, that they were good-looking; and they went taking wives for themselves, namely, all whom they chose.” But Jehovah God did not allow the actions of these angels and the resulting corruption of mankind to go on. He brought upon the earth a global flood that swept away all wicked humans and preserved only his faithful servants. (Genesis 7:17, 23) Thus, the rebellious angels, or demons, were forced to abandon their fleshly bodies and return to heaven as spirit creatures. They put themselves on the side of the Devil, who became “the ruler of the demons.”—Matthew 9:34.

  When the disobedient angels returned to heaven, they were treated as outcasts, like their ruler, Satan. (2 Peter 2:4) Although they are now unable to take on human bodies, they still exercise a very bad influence over humans. In fact, with the help of these demons, Satan “is misleading the entire inhabited earth.” (Revelation 12:9; 1 John 5:19) How? Mainly, the demons use methods designed to mislead people. (2 Corinthians 2:11) Let us consider some of these methods.

HOW DEMONS MISLEAD

 To mislead people, the demons use spiritism. The practice of spiritism is involvement with the demons, both in a direct way and through a human medium. The Bible condemns spiritism and warns us to keep free from everything connected with it. (Galatians 5:19-21) Spiritism does for the demons what bait does for fishermen. A fisherman uses a variety of baits to catch various kinds of fish. Similarly, wicked spirits use different forms of spiritism to bring all sorts of people under their influence.

 One type of bait used by the demons is divination. What is divination? It is an attempt to find out about the future or about something unknown. Some forms of divination are astrology, the use of tarot cards, crystal gazing, palmistry, and the search for mysterious omens, or signs, in dreams. Although many people think that practicing divination is harmless, the Bible shows that fortune-tellers and wicked spirits work together. For instance, Acts 16:16-18 mentions “a demon of divination” that enabled a girl to practice “the art of prediction.” But she lost this ability when the demon was cast out of her.

  Another way that the demons mislead people is by encouraging them to inquire of the dead. People grieving over the death of a loved one are often deceived by wrong ideas about those who have died. A spirit medium may give special information or may speak in a voice that seems to be that of a dead person. As a result, many people become convinced that the dead are really alive and that contacting them will help the living to endure their grief. But any such “comfort” is really false as well as dangerous. Why? Because the demons can imitate the voice of a dead person and give a spirit medium information about the one who died. (1 Samuel 28:3-19) Moreover, as we learned in Chapter 6, the dead have ceased to exist. (Psalm 115:17) So “anyone who inquires of the dead” has been misled by wicked spirits and is acting contrary to the will of God. (Deuteronomy 18:10, 11; Isaiah 8:19) Therefore, be careful to reject this dangerous bait used by the demons.

  Wicked spirits not only mislead people but also frighten them. Today, Satan and his demons know that they have only “a short period of time” left before they are put out of action, and they are now more vicious than ever. (Revelation 12:12, 17) Even so, thousands of people who once lived in daily dread of such wicked spirits have been able to break free. How did they do this? What can a person do even if he is already involved in spiritism?

HOW TO RESIST WICKED SPIRITS

 The Bible tells us both how to resist wicked spirits and how to break free from them. Consider the example of the first-century Christians in the city of Ephesus. Some of them practiced spiritism before becoming Christians. When they decided to break free from spiritism, what did they do? The Bible says: “Quite a number of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them up before everybody.” (Acts 19:19) By destroying their books on magic, those new Christians set an example for those who wish to resist wicked spirits today. People who want to serve Jehovah need to get rid of everything related to spiritism. That includes books, magazines, movies, posters, and music recordings that encourage the practice of spiritism and make it seem appealing and exciting. Included, too, are amulets or other items worn for protection against evil.—1 Corinthians 10:21.

  Some years after the Christians in Ephesus destroyed their books on magic, the apostle Paul wrote them: “We have a wrestling . . . against the wicked spirit forces.” (Ephesians 6:12) The demons had not given up. They were still trying to gain an advantage. So, what else did those Christians need to do? “Above all things,” said Paul, “take up the large shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the wicked one’s [Satan’s] burning missiles.” (Ephesians 6:16) The stronger our shield of faith, the greater our resistance to wicked spirit forces will be.—Matthew 17:20.

  How, then, can we strengthen our faith? By studying the Bible. The firmness of a wall depends very much on the strength of its foundation. In the same way, the firmness of our faith depends greatly on the strength of its base, which is accurate knowledge of God’s Word, the Bible. If we read and study the Bible daily, our faith will become strong. Like a strong wall, such faith will shield us from the influence of wicked spirits.—1 John 5:5.

  What other step did those Christians in Ephesus need to take? They needed further protection because they were living in a city filled with demonism. So Paul told them: “With every form of prayer and supplication . . . carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit.” (Ephesians 6:18) Since we too live in a world full of demonism, earnestly praying to Jehovah for his protection is essential in resisting wicked spirits. Of course, we need to use Jehovah’s name in our prayers. (Proverbs 18:10) Hence, we should keep on praying to God to “deliver us from the wicked one,” Satan the Devil. (Matthew 6:13) Jehovah will answer such earnest prayers.—Psalm 145:19.

  Wicked spirits are dangerous, but we need not live in fear of them if we oppose the Devil and draw close to God by doing His will. (James 4:7, 8) The power of wicked spirits is limited. They were punished in Noah’s day, and they face their final judgment in the future. (Jude 6) Remember, too, that we have the protection of Jehovah’s powerful angels. (2 Kings 6:15-17) Those angels are deeply interested in seeing us succeed in resisting wicked spirits. The righteous angels are cheering us on, so to speak. Let us therefore stay close to Jehovah and his family of faithful spirit creatures. May we also avoid every kind of spiritism and always apply the counsel of God’s Word. (1 Peter 5:6, 7; 2 Peter 2:9) Then we can be sure of victory in our fight against wicked spirit creatures.

 But why has God tolerated evil spirits and the wickedness that has caused people so much suffering? That question will be answered in the next article.

[Footnote]

Regarding righteous angels, Revelation 5:11 says: “The number of them was myriads of myriads,” or “ten thousand times tens of thousands.” (Footnote) So the Bible does indicate that hundreds of millions of angels were created.

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES

▪ Faithful angels come to the aid of those who serve Jehovah.—Hebrews 1:7, 14.

▪ Satan and his demons are misleading people and turning them away from God.—Revelation 12:9.

▪ If you do God’s will and oppose the Devil, Satan will flee from you.—James 4:7, 8.

  

HOW TO RESIST WICKED SPIRITS

▪ Get rid of spiritistic items

▪ Study the Bible

▪ Pray to God

For more information please see the book 'What Does the Bible REALLY Teach' at www.jw.org

ARE WE LIVING IN "THE LAST DAYS?"

Article 11

What events in our time were foretold in the Bible?

What does God’s Word say people would be like “in the last days”?

Regarding “the last days,” what good things does the Bible foretell?

HAVE you watched the news on television and wondered, ‘What is this world coming to?’ Tragic things happen so suddenly and unexpectedly that no human can predict what tomorrow will bring. (James 4:14) However, Jehovah knows what the future holds. (Isaiah 46:10) Long ago his Word, the Bible, foretold not only the bad things happening in our day but also the wonderful things that will occur in the near future.

  Jesus Christ spoke about the Kingdom of God, which will bring an end to wickedness and make the earth a paradise. (Luke 4:43) People wanted to know when the Kingdom would come. In fact, Jesus’ disciples asked him: “What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” (Matthew 24:3) In reply Jesus told them that only Jehovah God knew exactly when the end of this system of things would come. (Matthew 24:36) But Jesus did foretell things that would take place on earth just before the Kingdom would bring true peace and security to mankind. What he foretold is now taking place!

  Before we examine the evidence that we are living in “the conclusion of the system of things,” let us briefly consider a war that no human could possibly have observed. It took place in the invisible spirit realm, and its outcome affects us.

A WAR IN HEAVEN

  The preceding article explained that Jesus Christ became King in heaven in the year 1914. (Daniel 7:13, 14) Soon after he received Kingdom power, Jesus took action. “War broke out in heaven,” says the Bible. “Michael [another name for Jesus] and his angels battled with the dragon [Satan the Devil], and the dragon and its angels battled.” Satan and his wicked angels, the demons, lost that war and were cast out of heaven to the earth. God’s faithful spirit sons rejoiced that Satan and his demons were gone. Humans, however, would experience no such joy. Instead, the Bible foretold: “Woe for the earth . . . because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”—Revelation 12:7, 9, 12.

 Please notice what would result from the war in heaven. In his fury, Satan would bring woe, or trouble, upon those on earth. As you will see, we are now living in that time of woe. But it will be relatively brief—only “a short period of time.” Even Satan realizes that. The Bible refers to this period as “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) How glad we can be that God will soon do away with the Devil’s influence over the earth! Let us consider some of the things foretold in the Bible that are happening right now. These prove that we are living in the last days and that God’s Kingdom will soon bring everlasting blessings to those who love Jehovah. First, let us examine four features of the sign that Jesus said would mark the time in which we live.

MAJOR DEVELOPMENTS OF THE LAST DAYS

  “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.” (Matthew 24:7) Millions of people have been killed in wars during the past century. One British historian wrote: “The 20th century was the most murderous in recorded history. . . . It was a century of almost unbroken war, with few and brief periods without organised armed conflict somewhere.” A report from the Worldwatch Institute states: “Three times as many people fell victim to war in [the 20th] century as in all the wars from the first century AD to 1899.” More than 100 million people have died as a result of wars since 1914. Even if we know the sorrow of losing one loved one in warfare, we can only imagine such misery and pain multiplied millions of times over.

  “There will be food shortages.” (Matthew 24:7) Researchers say that food production has increased greatly during the past 30 years. Nevertheless, food shortages continue because many people do not have enough money to buy food or land on which to raise crops. In developing countries, well over a billion people have to live on an income of a dollar or less a day. The majority of these suffer from chronic hunger. The World Health Organization estimates that malnutrition plays a major role in the deaths of more than five million children each year.

  (“There will be great earthquakes.” Luke 21:11) According to the U.S. Geological Survey, since 1990 alone an average of 17 earthquakes per year have been powerful enough to damage buildings and crack the ground. And on an average, earthquakes strong enough to cause total destruction of buildings have occurred yearly. Another source states: “Earthquakes have claimed hundreds of thousands of lives in the last 100 years and improvements in technology have only slightly reduced the death toll.”

  “There will be . . . pestilences.” (Luke 21:11) Despite medical advances, old and new diseases plague mankind. One report says that 20 well-known diseases—including tuberculosis, malaria, and cholera—have become more common in recent decades, and some types of disease are increasingly difficult to cure by means of drugs. In fact, at least 30 new diseases have appeared. Some of them have no known cure and are fatal.

PEOPLE OF THE LAST DAYS

  Aside from identifying certain world developments, the Bible foretold that the last days would be marked by a change in human society. The apostle Paul described what people in general would be like. At 2 Timothy 3:1-5, we read: “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here.” In part, Paul said that people would be

▪ lovers of themselves

▪ lovers of money

▪ disobedient to parents

▪ disloyal

▪ having no natural affection

▪ without self-control

▪ fierce

▪ lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God

▪ having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power

  Have people become like that in your community? No doubt they have. There are people everywhere who have bad traits. This shows that God will soon act, for the Bible says: “When the wicked ones sprout as the vegetation and all the practicers of what is hurtful blossom forth, it is that they may be annihilated forever.”—Psalm 92:7.

POSITIVE DEVELOPMENTS!

  The last days are indeed filled with woe, just as the Bible foretold. In this troubled world, however, there are positive developments among the worshipers of Jehovah.

  “The true knowledge will become abundant,” the Bible book of Daniel foretold. When would that happen? During “the time of the end.” (Daniel 12:4) Especially since 1914, Jehovah has helped those who truly desire to serve him to grow in understanding of the Bible. They have grown in appreciation of precious truths about God’s name and purpose, the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the condition of the dead, and the resurrection. Moreover, worshipers of Jehovah have learned how to live their lives in a way that benefits them and brings praise to God. They have also gained a clearer understanding of the role of God’s Kingdom and how it will set matters straight on the earth. What do they do with this knowledge? That question brings us to yet another prophecy that is being fulfilled in these last days.

  “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth,” said Jesus Christ in his prophecy about “the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matthew 24:3, 14) Throughout the earth, the good news of the Kingdom—what the Kingdom is, what it will do, and how we can receive its blessings—is being preached in over 230 lands and in more than 400 languages. Millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses zealously preach the Kingdom good news. They come from “all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.” (Revelation 7:9) The Witnesses conduct free home Bible studies with millions of people who want to know what the Bible really teaches. What an impressive fulfillment of prophecy, especially since Jesus foretold that true Christians would be “objects of hatred by all people”!—Luke 21:17.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

 Since so many Bible prophecies are being fulfilled today, do you not agree that we are living in the last days? After the good news is preached to Jehovah’s satisfaction, “the end” is certain to come. (Matthew 24:14) “The end” means the time when God will get rid of wickedness on earth. To destroy all who willfully oppose Him, Jehovah will use Jesus and powerful angels. (2 Thessalonians 1:6-9) Satan and his demons will no longer mislead the nations. After that, God’s Kingdom will shower blessings upon all who submit to its righteous rulership.—Revelation 20:1-3; 21:3-5.

  Since the end of Satan’s system is near, we need to ask ourselves, ‘What should I be doing?’ It is wise to continue to learn more about Jehovah and his requirements for us. (John 17:3) Be a serious student of the Bible. Make it your habit to associate regularly with others who seek to do Jehovah’s will. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Take in the abundant knowledge that Jehovah God has made available to people worldwide, and make necessary changes in your life so that you may enjoy God’s favor.—James 4:8.

 Jesus foretold that most people would ignore the evidence that we are living in the last days. The destruction of the wicked will come suddenly and unexpectedly. Like a thief in the night, it will catch most people by surprise. (1 Thessalonians 5:2) Jesus warned: “As the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.”—Matthew 24:37-39.

 Hence, Jesus told his listeners: “Pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon you as a snare. For it will come in upon all those dwelling upon the face of all the earth. Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication that you may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur, and in standing [with approval] before the Son of man.” (Luke 21:34-36) It is wise to take Jesus’ words to heart. Why? Because those having the approval of Jehovah God and “the Son of man,” Jesus Christ, have the prospect of surviving the end of Satan’s system of things and of living forever in the marvelous new world that is so close at hand!—John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:13.

 WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES

▪ The last days are marked by wars, food shortages, earthquakes, and pestilences.—Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11.

▪ In the last days, many love themselves, money, and pleasures but do not love God.—2 Timothy 3:1-5.

▪ During these last days, the good news of the Kingdom is being preached worldwide.—Matthew 24:14.

For more information please see the book 'What Does the Bible REALLY Teach?' at www.jw.org