QUESTION: Given the current and developing situation for the brothers and sisters in Russia, when can we expect the Watchtower organization's leadership to admonish and encourage the friends in Russia to follow Jesus' advice at Matthew 10:23? “When they persecute you in one city, flee to another; for truly I say to you, you will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel [...]
Sunday, April 30 This is my name forever.—Ex. 3:15. Those who study ancient Hebrew Bible manuscripts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, are struck by the many occurrences of the Tetragrammaton—the four Hebrew letters that represent God’s name. The divine name appears not only in those ancient Hebrew manuscripts but also in some copies of the Greek Septuagint from the second century B.C.E. through the first century [...]
Friday, April 28 Wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse.—2 Tim. 3:13. History has demonstrated beyond any doubt the truthfulness of what the Bible says: “I well know, O Jehovah, that man’s way does not belong to him. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step.” No, Jehovah did not create humans with the ability or the right to direct their [...]
Wednesday, April 26 Without faith it is impossible to please God well.—Heb. 11:6. Have you ever thought, ‘Am I the kind of person Jehovah will want to save during the great tribulation and bring into the new world?’ One very important requirement is that we cultivate strong faith. The apostle Peter drew special attention to the importance of faith when he spoke of its “tested quality” that [...]
When the Israelites crossed the Jordan after their 40 year wilderness trek the first fortified city they encountered in the Promised Land was Jericho. As a vivid demonstration that the invaders had the support of a powerful God the protective walls of the city fell flat when the priests blew their trumpets. What confidence that must have inspired among the Israelites. With God fighting their battles [...]
Commentary on daily text for Jehovah's Witnesses Friday, April 21 Keep on the watch.—Mark 13:35. Upon recognizing that Christ’s presence began in 1914, Jesus’ followers rightly prepared for a possible early arrival of the end. They did so by intensifying their Kingdom-preaching work. Jesus indicated that he might come later—“at dawn or early in the morning.” If that happened, how were his followers to respond? He said: [...]
QUESTION: I've been watching the development of the story out of Russia where Jehovah's Witnesses are evidently being accused of extremism by the Russian government, which is surprising since I thought Jehovah's Witnesses hold to neutrality and have since their beginning, not even taking up arms against others. How is it, then, that they are being accused of extremism, considering most people associate extremism with [...]
Since the recent tomahawk bombing of a largely abandoned Syrian airbase and the saber-rattling over North Korea, the phrase “world war three” has been entered into Google search more frequently than at any other time, ever. Of course, the same googleers might also do a search for the best porno or make-up tips; but the point is, the threat of global war, no matter how real, [...]
QUESTION: What is the "constant feature" mentioned in Daniel chaps. 8, 11, 12? The “constant feature” is what the Watchtower has explained it to be. Most translations either use the phrase “daily sacrifice” or “continual burnt offering.” The most literal rendering is “continual sacrifice” —alluding to the sacrifices associated with the physical tabernacle and temple attended to by the Levitical priests. According to the Law given to [...]
QUESTION: Jehovah's Witnesses expect there to be opposition from Satan and his agents, but given that the Watchtower's leadership is making decisions contrary to God's just and loving principles and likely to result in harassment from the authorities Jehovah has in place to punish wrongdoers, and given that the typical brother and sister has no knowledge of these high-level decisions, how does one discern whether harassment [...]
