God’s Word Is Alive

You never know how people will react to a well-chosen scripture. For instance, two Witnesses in Australia knocked on a young woman’s door. One of them asked her, “Do you know God’s name?” and then read one scripture—Psalm 83:18. “I was floored!” the woman says. “After they left, I drove 35 miles (56 km) to a bookstore to check other Bible translations and then looked up the name in a dictionary. Having convinced myself that God’s name is Jehovah, I wondered what else I didn’t know.” Soon thereafter, she and her future husband began studying the Bible, and later they got baptized. God’s Word changes the lives of those who read it and develop faith in Jehovah’s living promises. The Bible’s message is more powerful than anything we might say to try to reach the heart of another person. That is why, at every possible opportunity, we should use the Word of God. It is alive!

COMMENTARY

God’s word is alive! It transcends time and space. It shines light into darkened places. It reveals the true state of things, from God’s exalted perspective. God’s word determines the future. Here are a few words from the collection of little books that the leadership of the Watchtower would do well to consider:

“Jehovah says: ‘This people approaches me with their mouth and they honor me with their lips, but their heart is far removed from me; and their fear of me is based on commands of men that they have been taught. Therefore, I am the One who will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their discreet men will be hidden.”’ —Isaiah 29

As the day’s text proves, Jehovah’s Witnesses honor the name of God with their lips. They praise Jehovah with their mouths. But, their devotion is tied to the Watchtower organization. Who can deny that Jehovah’s Witnesses follow the dictates of the men whom they look to as being the wise and discreet slave?

Here are some more sacred words of God:

“This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘Not for your sakes am I acting, O house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you profaned among the nations where you have gone. I will certainly sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the nations, which you profaned among them; and the nations will have to know that I am Jehovah…’” —Ezekiel 36

Back in 1931 J.F. Rutherford boldly adopted the name of Jehovah’s Witnesses in place of the International Bible Students. Since then the sacred name of God has been translated into hundreds of languages and dialects and is exclusively associated with the Watchtower and Jehovah’s Witnesses. But like the ancient house of Israel and Judah the Watchtower has brought reproach upon the name of God. The fact is, Jehovah’s Witnesses have caused the name of Jehovah to be profaned. There are consequences.

Here are even more living words of God:

“So my people will go into exile for lack of knowledge; their glorious men will go hungry, and all their people will be parched with thirst. So the Grave has enlarged itself and has opened its mouth wide without limit; and her splendor, her noisy multitudes, and her revelers will certainly go down into it. And man will bow down, man will be brought low, and the eyes of the haughty will be brought low. Jehovah of armies will be exalted by his judgment; the true God, the Holy One, will sanctify himself through righteousness.”