who inhabit the spirit realm?

7/29/2019 Who inhabit the Spirit realm?

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34567

DECEMBER 1, 2010

Who Inhabit the

Spirit Realm?


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345676 Printing Each Issue:39,601,000 IN 182 LANGUAGESTHE PURPOSE OF THIS MAGAZINE, The Watchtower, is to honor Jehovah God, the Supreme Ruler of theuniverse. Just as watchtowers in ancient times enabled a person to observe developments from afar,

so this magazine shows us the significance of world events in the light of Bible prophecies. It comfortspeople with the good news that Gods Kingdom, which is a real government in heaven, will soon bring anend to all wickedness and transform the earth into a paradise. It promotes faith in Jesus Christ, who diedso that we might gain everlasting life and who is now ruling as King of Gods Kingdom. This magazinehas been published by Jehovahs Witnesses continuously since 1879 and is nonpolitical. It adheres to theBible as its authority.

This publication is not for sale. It is provided as part of a worldwide Bible educational work supported by voluntary donations. Unless otherwise indicated,Scripture quotations are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy ScripturesWith References.

DECEMBER 1, 2010

FROM OUR COVER

3 Someone Is Out ThereBut Who?4 Visions of the Spirit Realm

7 Contact With the Spirit Realm

REGULAR FEATURES

10 Did You Know?

11 Draw Close to GodHe Knows the Heart of the Sons of Mankind

& 15 A Letter From Haiti

25 Our Readers Ask . . .

30 Teach Your ChildrenA Secret You Can Tell Others

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

12 Did People in Bible Times Really Live So Long?18 Why Did They Reject the Messiah?

& 22 Show Consideration for Single Parents

26 God Is a Doer of Great ThingsHow I Came to Know It


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THE WAT CH TO WER DECEMBER 1, 2010 3

WHAT do these people have in com-mon? All believe that there are intelli-gent beings in the spirit realm who can becontacted and who have the ability to influ-ence profoundly the lives of humans. Ofcourse, this belief is neither new nor surpris-ing. What is surprising is that there are somany conflicting ideas about who live in thespirit realm.

Muslims worship one GodAllah.1 Peoplein Christendom say that God is a Trinity,

made up of God the Father, God the Son,and God the Holy Ghost. Hindus believe in

the existence of more than a thousand godsand goddesses. Other people say that spiritsreside in certain animals, trees, rocks, andstreams. Still others are influenced by books,

movies, and television programs about an-

1 Allah is not a name but simply means God.

gels and demons, ghosts and goblins, godsand goddesses.

Just as there are many varied and conflict-ing ideas about gods and deities, there arealso many varied and conflicting ideas abouthow to approach them. Logic tells us thatnot all approaches can be correct. Think of itthis way: Before we make a telephone call,we need to know whom we are calling andwe need to be confident that the person real-ly exists and will be receptive to our call. Totry to contact an imaginary person would bepointless. Worse yet, to contact an impostor

could be dangerous.So, then, who really live in the spiritrealm? The Bible not only answers this ques-tion but also explains whom to communi-cate with and what to expect in return. Readon. You may be surprised at what the Biblereveals.

Someone IsOut ThereBUT WHO?

In Europe, an elderly woman enters a

church, rosary in hand, and kneels reverently

before a statue of Mary. In Africa, a family

pours out gin at the graveside of a respectedrelative. In the Americas, a young man fasts

and meditates, hoping to contact what he

believes to be his guardian angel. In Asia,

a priest burns colorful paper objects

as an offering to ancestral spirits.


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The Watchtower (ISSN 0043-1087) is publishedsemimonthly by Watchtower Bible and Tract So-ciety of New York, Inc.; M. H. Larson, President;G. F. Simonis, Secretary-Treasurer; 25 Colum-bia Heights, Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483. PeriodicalsPostage Paid at Brooklyn, NY, and at additional

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Semimonthly ENGLISH4

GAZE intently into the sky as long as youlike, but you will not see a spirit person.Listen, but you will not hear one. Yet, you

may be sure that spirits exist. Highly intelli-

gent and powerful, they have distinct names

and personalities. Some do us good; others

want to harm us. All are interested in us.

The true God himself is a Spirit. (John

4:24) He has a unique name that distin-guishes him from the many false gods. His

name is Jehovah. (Psalm 83:18) The psalmist

wrote: Jehovah is great and very much to be

praised. He is fear-inspiring above all other

gods. For all the gods of the peoples are val-

ueless gods; but as for Jehovah, he has made

the very heavens. Dignity and splendor are

before him; strength and beauty are in his

sanctuary.Psalm 96:4-6.

Visions of the True GodNo man has seen God at any time, the Bi-

ble tells us. (John 1:18) His appearance and

his splendor are beyond our comprehension,

as colors are beyond a person born blind. But

just as a good teacher explains complicated

matters to students in terms they can relate

to, so God, through his Word, the Bible, de-

scribes things we cannot see by means ofthings we can see. By inspired visions givento faithful ones of old, Jehovah helps us topicture the heavenly courtyards and to un-derstand our relationship to those who residethere.

One vision given to the prophet Ezekiel,for example, associates the glory of Jehovahwith fire, brightness, sapphire stone, and arainbow. In another vision, the apostle Johnobserves Jehovah on his throne and states

that God is, in appearance, like a jasperstone and a precious red-colored stone, add-ing that round about the throne there isa rainbow like an emerald in appearance.Such descriptions tell us that Jehovahs pres-

ence is one of rare and dazzling beauty, pleas-antness, and serenity.Revelation 4:2, 3; Eze-kiel 1:26-28.

The prophet Daniel too had a vision of Je-hovah, in which he saw ten thousand times

ten thousand [angelic creatures] that keptstanding right before [Jehovah]. (Daniel 7:10) What a sight that must have been! To see,even in vision, one angel would be awe-inspiring, but try to imagine myriads of per-

fect angelic creatures!

Visions of the

Spirit Realm


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5

Angels are mentioned nearly 400 times inthe Bible, and their ranks include seraphsand cherubs. The Greek and Hebrew wordstranslated angel in the Bible both meanmessenger. Angels can therefore communi-cate with one another, and they have in thepast communicated with humans. The an-gels are not former humans who lived onearth. Jehovah created these spirit beingslong before the creation of man.Job 38:4-7.

In Daniels vision, the multitudes of angelshad gathered to witness a remarkable event.Daniel then saw someone like a son ofman approach Jehovahs throne to be givenrulership and dignity and kingdom, thatthe peoples, national groups and languagesshould all serve even him. (Daniel 7:13, 14)The son of man, a central figure in the spir-

it realm, is the resurrected Jesus Christ, whois granted rulership over all the earth. Hisrule will soon replace all human govern-ments and bring an end to sickness, sorrow,oppression, poverty, and even death.Daniel2:44.

The enthronement of Jesus surely broughtgreat joy to the multitudes of faithful angels,who want the best for humankind. Sadly,though, not all spirit creatures felt that way.

Enemies of God and Man

At the very start of human history, oneof the angels, consumed by a desire tobe worshipped, turned against Jehovah andmade himself Satan, meaning Resister.The ultimate personification of evil, Satanstands in bitter opposition to Jehovah, who

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6 THE WATCHTOWER DECEMBER 1, 2010

personifies love. Other angels joined Satanin his rebellion. The Bible calls them de-mons. Like Satan, the demons have turnedthemselves into cruel enemies of mankind.Much of the suffering on earth, the injus-

tice, the sickness, the poverty, and the warsare results of their influence.

Though talking about Satan has becomeunfashionable in many of the churches ofChristendom, the Bible book of Job providesinsight into the character and motives of thisrebel angel. It says: Now it came to be theday when the sons of the true God enteredto take their station before Jehovah, andeven Satan proceeded to enter right amongthem. In the exchange that followed, Sataninsolently charged that the man Job servedGod only for what he received in return. Inan attempt to prove his contention, Satanbrought great tribulation upon Job, killinghis livestock and all ten of his children. Afterthat, he struck Job with malignant boils thatcovered his whole body. All of Satans attacksfailed to make his point.Job 1:6-19; 2:7.

There are good reasons why Jehovah hastolerated Satan for so long, but he will not do

so indefinitely. Soon the Devil will be doneaway with. Initial steps have already beentaken and are described in the book of Reve-lation, where the curtain is drawn back to re-

veal yet another important event in the spir-it realm that we could otherwise never see.We read: War broke out in heaven: Michael[the resurrected Jesus Christ] and his angelsbattled with the dragon [Satan], and thedragon and its angels battled but it did notprevail, neither was a place found for themany longer in heaven. So down the greatdragon was hurled, the original serpent, theone called Devil and Satan, who is mislead-ing the entire inhabited earth; he was hurleddown to the earth, and his angels werehurled down with him.Revelation 12:7-9.

Notice that Satan is said to be misleadingthe entire inhabited earth. He misleadspeople by promoting religious lies to turnthem away from Jehovah and his Word. Onesuch lie is that at deatheveryone passes on to

the spirit realm. There are many variationsof this idea. For example, in Africa and Asia,many believe that at death people pass on toa spirit world inhabited by their ancestors.The teachings of purgatory and hell are alsobased on the idea that a person goes on liv-ing after death.

After DeathHeavenly Life?

What, though, about the belief, held bymillions worldwide, that all good people go

to heaven? It is true that some good peoplego there, but their number is small com-pared to the billions who have passed awayin death. The Bible reveals that 144,000 peo-ple will be bought from the earth and willserve as priests and kings over the earth.(Revelation 5:9, 10; 14:1, 3) Together withthe Son of man, Jesus Christ, they will makeup a heavenly government, Gods Kingdom.That government will bring an end to Satan

and his demons and will make the earth aparadise. Most of those who died will be re-stored to life at a future time with the pros-pect of living forever in that Paradise onearth.Luke 23:43.

To sum up, then, multitudes dwell in thespirit realm. Supreme among them is Jeho-

vah God, the Creator of all life. Faithfullyserving him are myriads of angels. Other an-gels, led by Satan, turned against Jehovahand work to mislead humans. In addition,a limited number of humans have beenbought, or chosen, from the earth to takeup special responsibilities in heaven. Withthis in mind, let us now consider who can becontacted in the spirit realm and how weshould go about making the contact.


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ALMIGHTY GOD has entrusted certain re-sponsibilities to other spirit creatures.He has, for example, placed rulership of theearth in the hands of Jesus Christ, and hehas appointed faithful angels to help directthe declaring of the good news. (Revelation14:6) Prayers, though, are different. He hasnot delegated the hearing of prayers. Ourprayers are rightly directed only to God him-

self.Jehovah is the Hearer of prayer. (Psalm

65:2) He listens to our prayers, and he an-swers them. Regarding prayer, the apostleJohn wrote to fellow servants of Jehovah:No matter what it is that we ask accordingto his will, [God] hears us. Further, if weknow he hears us respecting whatever we areasking, we know we are to have the thingsasked since we have asked them of him.1 John 5:14, 15.

The faithful angels do not want us tocall upon or pray to them. They under-stand and cooperate with Gods arrange-ment for prayer, which sometimes directlyinvolves them. In what way? Well, when theprophet Daniel prayed to Jehovah about the

ContactWith

the Spirit

Realm


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desolation of Jerusalem, God answered Dan-iels prayer by sending the angel Gabrielwith an encouraging message.Daniel 9:3,20-22.

Messages From the Dead?Should we try to contact those who havedied? Many stories tell of conversations peo-ple supposedly have had with spirits of thedead. For example, a woman in Ireland wascontacted by a spirit medium who said thatthe night before, she had a conversationwith Fred, the womans husband. Yet, Fredhad died a few weeks earlier. The mediumwent on to relate what Fred had said, mat-ters that his wife believed were known only

to her. How easy it would have been for herto conclude that Fred was alive in the spir-

it world and was trying to make contactthrough the stranger. That conclusion, how-ever, would contradict what the Bible clearlysays about the condition of the dead.Seebox below.

How, then, can stories like this be ex-plained? One tool of deception that the de-mons employ is that of impersonating thedead, in this case, Fred. The motive? To turnpeople away from what the Bible teaches andto weaken faith and trust in Jehovah. Un-questionably, Satan and the demons misleadpeople with every powerful work and lyingsigns and portents and with every unrigh-teous deception for those who are perish-ing.2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10.

To be sure, there are spirit mediums andthose who are associated with them who tru-

FACT: SATAN IS A REAL PERSON

Satan himself keeps transforming himselfinto an angel of light.2 Corinthians 11:14.

Keep your senses, be watchful. Youradversary, the Devil, walks about like aroaring lion, seeking to devour someone.1 Peter 5:8.

He who carries on sin originates with theDevil, because the Devil has been sinningfrom the beginning.1 John 3:8.

Subject yourselves, therefore, to God; butoppose the Devil, and he will flee fromyou.James 4:7.

The Devil . . . was a manslayer when hebegan, and he did not stand fast in thetruth, because truth is not in him. When hespeaks the lie, he speaks according to hisown disposition, because he is a liar and thefather of the lie.John 8:44.

FICTION: AT DEATH ALL PASS ON TOTHE SPIRIT REALM

In the sweat of your face you will eat

bread until you return to the ground, forout of it you were taken. For dust you areand to dust you will return.Genesis 3:19.

The living are conscious that they will die;but as for the dead, they are conscious ofnothing at all.Ecclesiastes 9:5.

All that your hand finds to do, do withyour very power, for there is no work nordevising nor knowledge nor wisdom in She-ol [the grave], the place to which you are

going.Ecclesiastes 9:10.His spirit goes out, he goes back to hisground; in that day his thoughts do perish.Psalm 146:4.

Fact and Fiction


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ly believe that they are contacting peoplewho have died. In reality, if they are contact-ing anyone, they are contacting spirits whoare in opposition to Jehovah. Similarly, thereare those who believe that they are worship-

ping God but who are mistaken. The apostlePaul was inspired to pen this sober warning:The things which the nations sacrifice theysacrifice to demons, and not to God.1 Co-rinthians 10:20, 21.

Knowing that we can pray to the SupremeOne, who loves and cares for us, why wouldwe want to pray to anyone else? After all, theBible gives this assurance: As regards Jeho-vah, his eyes are roving about through all theearth to show his strength in behalf of

those whose heart is complete toward him.2 Chronicles 16:9.

Knowing that we can prayto the Supreme One, who

loves and cares for us, whywould we want to pray

to anyone else?

FACT: FAITHFUL ANGELS CAREABOUT US

The angel of Jehovah is camping all around

those fearing him, and he rescues them.Psalm 34:7; 91:11.

Are they [angels] not all spirits forpublic service, sent forth to minister forthose who are going to inherit salvation?Hebrews 1:14.

I saw another angel flying in midheaven,and he had everlasting good news to de-clare as glad tidings to those who dwellon the earth, and to every nation and

tribe and tongue and people, say-ing in a loud voice: Fear Godand give him glory.Reve-lation 14:6, 7.

FICTION: JESUS IS EQUAL TO GOD

I want you to know that the head of everyman is the Christ; in turn the head of a

woman is the man; in turn the head of theChrist is God.1 Corinthians 11:3.

When all things will have been subjectedto him, then the Son himself will also sub-ject himself to the One who subjected allthings to him, that God may be all things toeveryone.1 Corinthians 15:28.

Most truly I say to you, The Son cannotdo a single thing of his own initiative, but

only what he beholds the Father doing.

John 5:19.

9


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According to the account of Jesusbirth in the Gospel of Matthew, visitorsfrom eastern parts who had seen thestar of a new king presented gifts to

young Jesus. The Greek text of the Gos-pel calls these visitors magoi, that is,magi. (Matthew 2:1, footnote) Whatdo we know about them?

The earliest substantial source of in-formation about the Magi is the Greek

historian Herodotus. Living in the fifthcentury B.C.E., Herodotus recordedthat the Magi belonged to a Persianpriestly class who specialized in astrol-ogy, interpretation of dreams, and cast-ing of spells. In Herodotus time, the re-ligion of Persia was Zoroastrianism.Hence, the Magi he spoke about were

likely Zoroastrian priests. In a moregeneral sense, says The InternationalStandard Bible Encyclopedia, a m

agos

in the Hellenistic world had supernatu-ral knowledge and ability and wassometimes a practitioner of magic.

A number of early Christian com-mentators, such as Justin Martyr, Ori-gen, and Tertullian, described the Magiwho visited Jesus as astrologers. For ex-

ample, Tertullian wrote in his book OnIdolatry: We know the mutual allianceof magic and astrology. The interpretersof the stars, then, were the first . . . topresent Him [Jesus] gifts. In harmo-ny with this understanding, many Bi-ble translations rendermagoi astrolo-gers.

DID YOU KNOW?

Who were the Magi who came to visit the infant Jesus?

The passage in question is found atMatthew 27:9, 10, where the Gospelwriter commented on the money givento Judas Iscariot for the betrayal of Je-sus. The verses read: Then what wasspoken through Jeremiah the prophetwas fulfilled, saying: And they took thethirty silver pieces, the price upon theman that was priced, . . . and theygave them for the potters field. Thesource of the prophecy concerning the30 pieces of silver is Zechariah, not Jer-emiah.Zechariah 11:12, 13.

It appears that Jeremiah, rather thanIsaiah, was sometimes placed first in

the collection of books called the

Prophets. (Matthew 22:40) Hence,when Matthew here spoke of Jeremi-ah, he was referring to an entire sec-tion of Scripture called by the name ofits first book. This section of Scriptureincluded Zechariah.

In a similar way, Jesus designatedas Psalms several Bible books alsoknown as the Writings. Thus, when he

said that all things written about himin the law of Moses and in the Proph-ets and Psalms had to be fulfilled, hewas referring to the prophecies con-tained in the entire Hebrew Scriptures.Luke 24:44.

Why did Matthew attribute words from the book of Zechariah

to the prophet Jeremiah?


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THE WAT CH TO W ER DECEMBER 1, 2010 11

2 CHRONICLES 6:29, 30

WHO of us has not felt overwhelmedby lifes challenges and problems? Attimes, it may seem that there is no one who

can truly grasp the struggles we face or the

deep pain we feel. Yet, there is someone who

fully understands our feelingsJehovah God.

We can find comfort in the words of Solomon

found at 2 Chronicles 6:29, 30.

Solomon is offering a prayer at the in-

auguration of the temple in Jerusalem in

1026 B.C.E. In his prayer, perhaps ten minutes

in duration, Solomon extols Jehovah as a God

of loyalty, the Fulfiller of promises, and the

Hearer of prayer.1 Kings 8:23-53; 2 Chroni-

cles 6:14-42.

Solomon implores God to hear the entreatyof his worshippers. (Verse 29) Although Solo-

mon mentions many afflictions (verse 28), he

notes that each worshipper knows his own

plague and feels his own pain. One per-

son might be grieved by one thing while

another may carry a very different inward bur-

den.

Whatever the case, God-fearing ones need

not carry their burdens alone. In his prayer,

Solomon has in mind the individual wor-shipper who may be moved to spread out

his palms, approaching Jehovah in heartfelt

prayer.1 Perhaps Solomon recalls that his fa-

1 In Bible times, spreading out the palms, holding outthe hands with the palms facing upward, was a gestureof prayer.2 Chronicles 6:13.

ther, David, when greatly distressed, said:

Throw your burden upon Jehovah.Psalm

55:4, 22.

How will Jehovah respond to sincere pleas

for help? Solomon beseeches Jehovah: May

you yourself hear from the heavens, the place

of your dwelling, and you must forgive and

give to each one according to all his ways.(Verse 30) Solomon knows that the Hearer of

prayer cares about his worshippers not just

as a group but also as individuals. (Psalm

65:2) Jehovah provides the help needed, in-

cluding forgiveness for the sinner whoreturns

to God with all his heart.2 Chronicles 6:

36-39.

Why is Solomon sure that Jehovah will re-

spond to the pleas of the repentant wor-

shipper? Continuing his prayer, Solomon ob-

serves: Because you [Jehovah] know his

heart (for you yourself alone well know the

heart of all the sons of mankind). Jehovah is

aware of the plague or pain that each faithful

worshipper may carry in his heart, and his dis-

tress matters to Him.Psalm 37:4.

We can draw comfort from Solomons

prayer. Fellow humans may not fully under-

stand our inner feelingsour own plague

and our own pain. (Proverbs 14:10) But Je-

hovah knows our heart, and he deeply cares

about us. Pouring out our heart to him in

prayer can make our burdens easier to bear.

Throw all your anxiety upon him, says

the Bible, because he cares for you.1 Peter

5:7.

DRAW CLOSE TO GOD

He Knows the Heart of the Sonsof Mankind


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JEANNE LOUISE CALMENT died on August 4, 1997, in herhometown in southeast France. She was 122 years old!Advancements in science, health care, and other fields of

endeavor are helping people today to live longer. Still, notmany individuals reach or surpass the century mark. Thatmay be why the longevity of those who do so some-times makes the news, as happened in the case of Ma-dame Calment.

The Bible relates that in ancient times people lived muchlonger, in some cases almost one thousand years. Is that trueor believable? Did people in Bible times really live thatlong? And should it matter to us today?

People Who Lived a Long Time

The Bible book of Genesis speaks of seven men who livedmore than 900 years, all of them being born prior to theFlood of Noahs day. They were Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan,Jared, Methuselah, and Noah. (Genesis 5:5-27; 9:29) Manyof these men may be unfamiliar to most people, but all ofthem were among the first ten generations in human histo-ry. Methuselah is well-known forhaving lived the longestarecord 969 years!

The Bible mentions at least another 25 individuals whoalso reached ages beyond what is common today. Some ofthem lived 300, 400, even 700 or more years. (Genesis 5:28-31; 11:10-25) To many people, though, Bible accounts of in-

dividuals who lived such long lives are nothing but myths.Is that really so?

Myth or Reliable Record?

According to a document published by the Max Planck In-stitute for Demographic Research in Germany, researchersvalidated the age of Madame Calment, mentioned earlier,

DID PEOPLE IN BIBLE TIMES

Really Live So Long?

METHUSELA

H

NOAH

ADAM

MODERNM

AN

969

950

930

AGES

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000


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through the gathering of some simple verifi-able statements made by her. These had todo with her or her relatives at the timewhen certain events took place. What shesaid was then compared with civic, notarial,

and church records, as well as with newspa-per articles and population censuses. Interest-ingly, although it was impossible to confirmeach and every detail, the direct and indirectevidence available made it possible to con-firm the duration of her life.

What about the accounts in the Bible?Have they proved to be trustworthy? Abso-lutely! Although not all details have beenconfirmed by available secular sources, evi-dence has shown again and again that what

is stated in the Bible is reliable from his-torical, scientific, and chronological stand-points.1 That should come as no surprise, forthe Bible itself states: God tells the truth,even if everyone else is a liar. (Romans 3:4,Contemporary English Version) Yes, being abook inspired of God, the Bible allows noroom for fiction.2 Timothy 3:16.

Moses, who was guided by Jehovah God towrite the Pentateuch, or the first five books ofthe Bible, must be ranked as one of the mostinfluential and respected men in human his-tory. Jews consider him the greatest amongall their teachers. Muslims regard him as oneof their greatest prophets. As for Christians,Moses is a forerunner of Jesus Christ. Wouldit be reasonable to conclude that the writingsof such an important historical figure are notto be trusted?

Was Time Measured Differently?

Some have alleged that time was measureddifferently in those days and that what wascalled a year was actually a month. An analy-sis of the Genesis account, however, leaves nodoubt that people back then had the same

1 For details, see the book The BibleGods Word orMans?published by Jehovahs Witnesses.

concept of time as we do today. Consider twoexamples. In the Flood account, we read thatthe Deluge began when Noah was 600 yearsold, in the second month, on the seven-teenth day of the month. Then it goes on to

say that the waters overwhelmed the earthfor 150 days and that in the seventh month,on the seventeenth day of the month, the arkcame to rest on the mountains of Ararat.(Genesis 7:11, 24; 8:4) Thus, a period of fivemonthsfrom the 17th day of the secondmonth to the 17th day of the seventh monthof that yearis said to be 150 days. Clearly,the claim that a year was actually a month istotally baseless.

Now consider a second example. According

to Genesis 5:15-18, Mahalalel fathered a sonat the age of 65, lived on for 830 years, anddied at the age of 895. His grandson Enochalso fathered a son when 65 years old. (Gene-sis 5:21) If a year were really one month, thenthose two men would have become parentswhen they were only five years old! Does thatmake any sense?

Archaeology also comes into the picture,for it agrees with Bible statements aboutlong-lived individuals. About the patriarchAbraham, the Bible says that he was from thecity of Ur, that he later resided in the city ofHaran and then in the region of Canaan, andthat he fought and defeated Chedorlaomer,king of Elam. (Genesis 11:31; 12:5; 14:13-17)Discoveries have confirmed the existence ofthese places and people. Archaeology has alsoshed some light on features of the landsand customs of the peoples mentioned inconnection with Abraham. Since these Bible

statements about Abraham are accurate, whyshould there be questions about his age of175 years?Genesis 25:7.

There is, therefore, no reason to be skepti-cal about the Bibles statements regarding theextraordinarily long lives of some people inancient times. But you may ask yourself,


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Why should it matter to me whether those people lived solong or not?

You Can Live Longer Than You Think!

The outstanding longevity of those men living prior tothe Flood proves that the human body has a remarkable po-tential for life. Modern technology has enabled scientists totake a closer look at the human body and its marvelous de-sign, including its amazing capacity for regenerating andhealing itself. Their conclusion? It is capable of living indef-initely. [Aging], says Professor of Medicine Tom Kirkwood,remains one of the great mysteries of medical science.

To Jehovah God, though, aging is neither a mystery nor aproblem without a solution. He created the first man, Adam,perfect and purposed that humans should live forever. Sad-ly, Adam decided to turn his back on God. As a result, he fell

into sin and became imperfect. Herein lies the explanationscientists have been looking for: Through one man sin en-tered into the world and death through sin, and thus deathspread to all men because they had all sinned. (Romans 5:12) It is because of sin and imperfection that we get sick,grow old, and die.

However, the purpose of our loving Creator has neverchanged. As a remarkable proof of that, he provided the ran-som sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ, which opened thedoor to perfection and everlasting life. The Bible states: Justas in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be

made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22) People before the Floodwere closer to perfection than we are, and that is why theylived longermuch longerthan we do at present. But to-day we are closer to the time when Gods promise will befulfilled. Soon all traces of sin and imperfection will begone, and people will not have to degenerate and die.Isa-iah 33:24; Titus 1:2.

How can you receive such blessings? Do not assume thatwhat God has promised is just a dream. Jesus said: He thathears my word and believes him that sent me has everlastinglife. (John 5:24) So take in Bible knowledge and apply it. If

you do, you will be following the example of those whomthe apostle Paul spoke of as safely treasuring up for them-selves a fine foundation for the future, in order that theymay get a firm hold on the real life. (1 Timothy 6:19) Youcan be sure that the God who made it possible for individu-als mentioned in the Bible to live so long can make you liveforever!


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AFTER the Haiti earthquake on January 12,2010, I found it hard even to look at thedevastation on the news. Then on the 20th,

my dear friend Carmen called me and sug-gested that we go to Haiti as volunteer work-ers. I had met Carmen some years earlierwhen we worked as volunteer nurses at aKingdom Hall construction site. Since then,we have volunteered for other projects andhave become close friends.

I told Carmen that I might not be able tohandle Haiti physically or emotionally. Shereminded me that we worked well as a teamand could support each other. Encouragedby her words, I called the headquarters of Je-hovahs Witnesses in Brooklyn, New York,and spoke with the person who was organiz-ing the relief work from the United States. Igave him my name to add to the list of vol-unteers. I mentioned Carmen and said thatwe would like to work together. I was toldthat there was no guarantee that either sheor I would be called or that we would worktogether.

So I went about my daily routine, thinkingthat I would not be invited to go. Four dayslater, on Monday the 25th, I received a callfrom Brooklyn asking if I could travel to Hai-tithe following day if possible! I could notbelieve my ears. I agreed to do my best. First,I arranged to get time off from work. Next, I

contacted Carmen, only to find out that shehad not been invited because she does notspeak French. I was excited and afraid at the

same time. On January 28, after managingto get a plane ticket, I flew from New York toSanto Domingo in the Dominican Republic,which borders Haiti.

A young Witness met me at the airportand drove me to the Dominican Republicbranch office of Jehovahs Witnesses. Twoother nurses also arrived from the UnitedStates that day, and we roomed together thatnight. The next morning, we were driven tothe Haiti branch office in Port-au-Prince, a

journey of seven and a half hours.After crossing the border into Haiti, we

saw the devastation. It was almost unreal tosee what 35 seconds of earthquake did tothisbeautiful land. It had been hard enough tolook at the devastation on TV; I cannot de-scribe how I felt seeing it firsthand. Manyhomes, including the presidential palace,were damaged, while others had been re-duced to piles of rubble. Many of those

homes represented a lifetime of hard workall lost in seconds. I could not help but re-flect on the fact that the truly importantthings in life are not material.

When we arrived at the branch, the recep-tionist caught sight of us walking in and ranfrom her desk to meet us at the door with a

A LETTER FROM

HAITI

I Feel So Very Privileged


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big hug and a warm smile. She thanked usfor putting our lives on hold to be there. Af-ter the noon meal, we went to the nearby As-sembly Hall, which had been converted intoa hospital. There I met other Witnesses who

had volunteered to come, including a couplefrom Germany who were both physicians,their assistant, and a midwife from Switzer-land.

I started working that first night. Therewere 18 patients, both Witnesses and non-Witnesses, lying on mattresses on the floorof the Assembly Hall. Every patient receivedthe same attention and free medical carefrom the medical staff of Witnesses.

That night, one patient, an 80-year-old

man, died. His wife was at his side, alongwith my roommate and me. After that, ayoung woman named Ketly started to cryout in pain. Her right arm had been am-putated because of injuries sustained fromthe earthquake. Beside her was the Witnesswho was Ketlys Bible teacher. She had beensleeping at Ketlys bedside at the AssemblyHall practically every night.

I went to Ketly, wanting so much to ease

her pain, but this was more than physicalpain. She told me that she was at the homeof a friend when the earthquake struck.They were not sure what was happening.They started to run to the balcony, arm inarm, when a wall fell on them, pinningthem under the debris. She called out to her

friend, but she did not respond. She said thatshe knew right away that her friend haddied. The friends body was lying partiallyon Ketly until rescuers arrived four hours lat-er. Ketly lost her right arm all the way up to

the shoulder joint.During my first night there, Ketly was re-

living the experience every time she tried tosleep. Sobbing, she said to me: I know whatthe Scriptures say about the last days andearthquakes. I know we have a happy hopefor the future. I know I should be grateful tobe alive. But put yourself in my place just fora minute. One day you have everythinggoing for you, and before you know it, youfind yourself like this. Feeling utterly help-less, I just held her, and I too started to cry.We both kept crying until she fell asleep.

Every day, one doctor and two nurses weresent out to help those who needed medicalattention. I was sent to Petit Goave, about atwo-hour drive from Port-au-Prince. I wentwith two other volunteersa nurse fromFlorida and a physician from France. We ar-rived at 9:30 a.m., unloaded our supplies,and moved them inside the local Kingdom

Hall. People had been told that we were com-ing, so they were seated and waiting for ourarrival.

We got to work right away. It was hot,and the lines of those needing treatmentkept getting longer and longer. It was aboutthree oclock before we could take a break.The three of us gave 114 vaccinations anddid 105 medical consultations that day. I wasexhausted but happy that we could contrib-ute to the well-being of those in need.

Altogether I spent a little over two weeksin the Haitian relief work. Almost everynight, I worked a 12-hour shift at the As-sembly Hall. It was a heavy responsibility,one that I had never experienced before.Yet, I felt privileged and blessed to have


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been there. I am very happy that I couldbring some comfort and relief to the Haitianpeople, who have suffered so greatly.

We have so much to learn from them. Forexample, one of the patients I took care of,Eliser, a boy of 15, had to have one of his legs

amputated. I noticed that he would save hismeal to share with Jimmy, who had beenspending the night at his bedside. He ex-plained to me that Jimmy did not always getto eat before he came in the evening. Elisersexample impressed on me that we do nothave to be richor even wellin order toshare what we have with others.

That spirit was also evident among thevolunteers who were on my team. One vol-

unteer was not well herself; another was suf-fering from back pain. Yet, all put the pa-tients needs ahead of their own personalcomforts. This gave me the encouragement Ineeded to carry on. We all felt emotionally,mentally, and physically drained from timeto time, but we supported one another and

kept going. What an unforgettable experi-ence! I am thankful to be part of an organi-zation of fine Christians who are kind, lov-ing, and self-sacrificing.

Before I left Haiti, two of the patients whohad had their right arms amputated man-

aged to write me thank-you letters that theyinsisted I read only after I got on the plane.That was what I did. The letters touched myheart, and I could not stop weeping.

Since my return home,I have been in contactwith some of the newfriends I met in Haiti.Strong friendships areforged and tested dur-

ing times of hardshipand crisis. Our bondsof friendship, I be-lieve, will stand thetest of any hardshipin the future. I feel sovery privileged.


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WHEN Jesus was on earth, the crowdswere enthralled by the things he saidand amazed by the miracles he performed. Asa result, many put faith in him and accept-ed him as the foretold Messiah, or Christ.They reasoned: When the Christ arrives, hewill not perform more signs than this manhas performed, will he?John 7:31.

Despite the overwhelming evidence insupport of Jesus identity as the Messiah, themajority of those who saw and heard Jesusdid not become believers. Sadly, even somewho initially believed turned away later. Whydid so many reject Jesus as the Messiah in

spite of the powerful evidence? Let us consid-er the reasons, and as we do, ask yourself,Could I be in danger of making a similarmistake today?

Unfulfilled Expectations

At the time of Jesus birth, many Jews were

expecting the appearance of the Messiah.When Jesus was brought as an infant to thetemple, he was met by those waiting for Je-rusalems deliverance by the promised Mes-siah. (Luke 2:38) Later, many who observedthe works of John the Baptizer wondered:May he perhaps be the Christ? (Luke 3:15)

WHY DID THEY

REJECT THE MESSIAH?


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What, though, were the Jews in the first cen-tury expecting the Messiah to do?

The common belief among the Jews inthose days was that the Messiah would comeand liberate them from the oppressive Ro-

man yoke and restore the earthly kingdom ofIsrael. Before Jesus began his ministry, a num-ber of charismatic leaders arose and advocat-ed violent resistance to the existing politicalrule. What these men did likely influencedthe peoples expectations of the Messiah.

Jesus stood in stark contrast to such falseMessiahs. He did not promote violence buttaught his listeners to love their enemies andto be submissive to the authorities. (Matthew5:41-44) He rejected the peoples efforts to

make him a king. Instead, he taught that hiskingdom was to be no part of this world.(John 6:15; 18:36) Still, preconceived ideasabout the Messiah exerted a very strong influ-ence on the people.

John the Baptizer personally saw and heardmiraculous evidence establishing Jesus iden-tity as Gods Son. Yet, when John was impris-oned, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus: Areyou the Coming One, or are we to expect adifferent one? (Matthew 11:3) Perhaps John

wondered if Jesus was indeed the promisedDeliverer, who would fulfill the Jews expec-tations.

Jesus apostles found it difficult to under-stand that he would be killed and then res-urrected. On one occasion when Jesus ex-plained that it would be necessary for theMessiah to suffer and die, Peter took himaside and started rebuking him. (Mark 8:31,32) Peter was not yet able to see how Jesus

death could fit inwith his role as the Messiah.Upon entering Jerusalem shortly beforePassover 33 C.E., Jesus was welcomed byenthusiastic crowds hailing him as King.(John 12:12, 13) How quickly the situationchanged! Within the week, Jesus was arrestedand executed. After Jesus death, two of his

disciples lamented: We were hoping thatthis man was the one destined to deliver Isra-el. (Luke 24:21) Even when the resurrectedJesus appeared to his disciples, the idea thatthe Messiah would establish an earthly king-

dom still lingered. They asked: Lord, areyou restoring the kingdom to Israel at thistime? Clearly, mistaken expectations aboutthe Messiah were deeply entrenched in thehearts and minds of Jesus listeners.Acts 1:6.

After Jesus ascension to heaven and theoutpouring of the holy spirit, his disciplescame to understand clearly that the Messiahwould rule as a heavenly King. (Acts 2:1-4,32-36) The apostles Peter and John boldlypreached about Jesus resurrection and gave

evidence of Gods backing by performingmiracles themselves. (Acts 3:1-9, 13-15) Thou-sands in Jerusalem responded and becamebelievers. This, however, did not sit well withthe Jewish authorities. Just as they had op-posed Jesus, they now opposed his apostlesand disciples. Why did the Jewish religiousleaders so fiercely reject Jesus?

Rejected by Religious Leaders

By thetime Jesus came to earth, Jewish reli-

gious thinking and practices had strayed farfrom what was taught in the inspired Scrip-tures. The religious leaders of the daytheSadducees, Pharisees, and scribesupheldman-made traditions, putting them ahead ofGods written Word. Time and again they ac-cused Jesus of breaking the Law becausehe performed miraculous cures on the Sab-bath. By forcefully refuting their unscripturalteachings, Jesus challenged both their au-

thority and their claims of having an ap-proved standing with God. By contrast, Jesuscame from a humble background and lackedtheir formal religious education. No wonderit was so difficult for such proud men to ac-knowledge Jesus as the Messiah! Such con-frontations so enraged them that they took


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counsel against [Jesus] that they might de-stroy him.Matthew 12:1-8, 14; 15:1-9.

How, though, could the religious leadersexplain away Jesus ability to perform mira-cles? They did not deny that the miracles oc-

curred. Instead, they blasphemously tried toundermine faith in Jesus by attributing hispower to Satan, saying: This fellow does notexpel the demons except by means of Beelze-bub, the ruler of the demons.Matthew12:24.

There was another deep-seated reason fortheir adamant refusal to acknowledge Jesusas the Messiah. After Jesus resurrected Laza-rus, leaders of the various religious factionsconsulted together and said: What are we to

do, because this man performs many signs?If we let him alone this way, they will all putfaith in him, and the Romans will come andtake away both our place and our nation.

For fear of losing their power and position,the religious leaders conspired to kill both Je-sus and Lazarus!John 11:45-53; 12:9-11.

Community Prejudiceand Persecution

The attitude of first-century Jewish reli-gious leaders created a social climate that washostile to anyone accepting Jesus as the Mes-siah. Taking pride in their prominent posi-tions, they belittled anyone showing faith inJesus, saying: Not one of the rulers or of thePharisees has put faith in him, has he?(John 7:13, 48) Some Jewish leaders, such asNicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, did be-come disciples of Jesus, but they kept their

faith secret out of fear. (John 3:1, 2; 12:42; 19:

38, 39) The Jewish leaders had decreed thatif anyone confessed [Jesus] as Christ, heshould get expelled from the synagogue.(John 9:22) Such a person would be shunnedand scorned as a social outcast.

Opposition to Jesus apostles and disci-ples eventually ignited violent persecution.Because of their bold preaching, the apos-tles suffered at the hands of the Sanhedrin,the Jewish high court. (Acts 5:40) Opposersframed false charges of blasphemy againstthe disciple Stephen. He was condemned bythe Sanhedrin and stoned to death. Then,great persecution arose against the congre-gation that was in Jerusalem; all except theapostles were scattered throughout the re-

gions of Judea and Samaria. (Acts 6:8-14;7:548:1) Saul, who later became the apostlePaul, shared in a campaign of persecutionthat was officially supported by the highpriest and the assembly of older men.Acts 9:1, 2; 22:4, 5.

Even under such difficult circumstances,Christianity grew rapidly in the years afterJesus death. Although thousands becamebelievers, however, Christians remained a

minority in first-century Palestine. Publiclyidentifying oneself as a follower of Christmeant risking ostracism and even violence.

Learn From Those WhoRejected Jesus

As we have seen, misconceptions, com-munity pressure, and persecution preventedmany in the first century from putting faithin Jesus. Today, erroneous ideas about Jesusand his teachings can have a similar effect.

For example, many have been taught thatGods Kingdom is in their heart or will comeabout by human efforts. Others are persuad-ed to look to science or technology for solu-tions to mankinds problems, thus doingaway with the need to put faith in the Mes-siah. Many modern critics assert that the

Would you have recognizedthe Messiah if you had livedin Jesus day?


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events of Jesus ministry recorded in the Bi-

ble are not historical facts; these men thusundermine faith in Jesus as the Messiah.

The result of such ideas and theories is thatmany have either been confused as to therole of the Messiah or see no need to considerthe matter. However, for those who are will-ing to examine the evidence, there is actuallymore proof today that Jesus is the Messiahthan there was in the first century. We havethe entire Hebrew Scriptures containing nu-

merous prophecies about what the Messiahwould do and the record in the four BiblicalGospels of what Jesus did in fulfillment ofthose prophecies.1

1 See the chart Prophecies Regarding the Messiah onpage 200 of the book What Does the Bible Really Teach?published by Jehovahs Witnesses.

There is really no lackof evidence by which

each one of us can make an informed choiceor decision in this matter. And that decisionis urgent. Why? Because the Bible revealsthat as the Messianic King of Gods King-dom, Jesus will soon take action to remove allthose who are ruining the earth and bringabout righteous rule that will allow all obedi-ent subjects to live forever on earth in paradi-saic conditions. (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 11:15, 18; 21:3-5) This marvelous future can be

yours if you make the effort to learn aboutJesus and demonstrate faith in him now.Take to heart Jesus own words: God lovedthe world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercis-ing faith in him might not be destroyed buthave everlasting life.John 3:16.

Do not let preconceived ideas prevent you from learning the truth about Jesus


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FEW people have to contend with more de-mands on their time and energy than sin-gle parents do. The challenges they face areinnumerable. They must care for the manyresponsibilities of raising a family. Besidesworking at a job, there is shopping, cooking,cleaning, parenting. Then there is the needto provide health care, recreation, and emo-tional support for the children and, if at allpossible, to find a few precious moments ofpersonal time.

Although single-parent families are be-coming an increasingly larger and more visi-ble part of society today, they can easily beoverlooked. As one mother candidly admit-ted, Until I became a single parent, I wasntreally aware of them. What can you doto show consideration for single parents?Should you be concerned about them? Letus consider three reasons for giving atten-tion to their needs.

Reasons for ShowingConsideration

Many single parents want help. A 41-year-old widow with two children stated, Thereare times when I am not sure what to do, andI feel quite overwhelmed by the many re-

sponsibilities I have. Widowhood, aban-donment, or other unfavorable circumstanc-es have left many single parents feeling theway one mother did. She said, We are plead-ing for relief, and we need it desperately!

It contributes to your own happiness. Haveyou ever helped someone carry a load thatwas too heavy for one person? If so, you like-ly felt a sense of satisfaction in knowing thatyou had assisted someone in a practical way.Similarly, single parents carry a load that canat times be too taxing for one person. Whenyou respond to their needs by lending ahelping hand, you will experience the truth-fulness of what is stated at Psalm 41:1: Hap-py is anyone acting with consideration to-ward the lowly one.

It is pleasing to God. James 1:27 says: Theform of worship that is clean and undefiledfrom the standpoint of our God and Father isthis: to look after orphans and widows in

their tribulation. This includes looking af-ter single parents.1 Hebrews 13:16 states:Do not forget the doing of good and the

1 Though the expression single parent does not ap-pear in the Bible, the terms widow and fatherless boyare frequently used. This suggests that single parents werecommon even in Bible times.Isaiah 1:17.

Show

ConsiderationforSingle

Parents


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sharing of things with others, for with suchsacrifices God is well pleased.

Having in mind these three reasons forshowing consideration for single parents, letus now see what you can do to help and how

you can be sure that the assistance you pro-vide will be practical.

Discerning Their Needs

It may seem that the obvious thing to do isto ask a single parent, How can I help? Real-istically, though, this rarely results in some-ones telling you what his or her real needsare. As noted earlier, Psalm 41:1 recommendsacting with consideration. One referenceworkexplains that theHebrew term used here

can mean the process of thinking through acomplex arrangement of thoughts resultingin a wise dealing.

Therefore, to find out the best way to help,you need to give serious thought to the chal-lenges the single parent faces. Be observant,not just taking a superficial look at the situa-tion. Ask yourself, If I were in that situation,what help would I want? Of course, manysingle parents will tell you that, try as youmay, you can never fully appreciate what it islike to be a single parent unless you are oneyourself. Still, doing your best to empathizewith their circumstances will put you in a bet-ter position to actwith consideration towardsingle parents.

Imitate Gods Perfect Example

When it comes to caring for single parents,no one has done this more lovingly and effec-tively than Jehovah God. Many scriptures

highlight the consideration and concern thatJehovah God shows to widows, fatherlessboys and, hence, single parents. By examin-ing the way God responds to the needs ofsuch lowly ones, we can learn much about of-fering assistance that is truly helpful and prac-tical. There are four key factors to consider.

Give a listening earIn the Law he gave to ancient Israel, Jeho-

vah declared that he would unfailingly hearthe outcry of the disadvantaged one. (Exo-

dus 22:22, 23) How can you imitate this fineexample? Single parents often experienceintense feelings of loneliness, having no oth-er adult to talk to. When the children go tobed, I sometimes cant stop crying, lament-ed one single parent. The loneliness is toomuch to bear at times. If appropriate, canyou make yourself available to hear the out-cry of a single parent who may need to pourout his or her feelings? Your giving a listen-ing ear under proper circumstances can do

much to help that one cope with the chal-lenges of single parenthood.

Offer words of encouragementJehovah inspired the writing of sacred

songs, or psalms, that the Israelites wouldsing during occasions for worship. Imaginethe encouragement Israelite widows and fa-therless boys received when singing the di-vinely inspired words that reminded them

that Jehovah was a father and a judge forthem and that he would provide them withrelief. (Psalm 68:5; 146:9) We too can offerwords of encouragement that can stay with asingle parent for years to come. Although 20years have passed, Ruth, a single parent, stillfondly remembers the occasion when an ex-perienced father told her: Youre really do-ing a good job raising your two sons. Keepit up. Ruth relates: Hearing those words

from him really had an impact on me. In-deed, kind words are good medicine andcan encourage a single parent more than wemay ever know. (Proverbs 15:4, Contempo-rary English Version) Can you think of specif-ic, genuine commendation that you can giveto a single parent?


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Provide material assistancewhere necessary

Jehovahs Law to ancient Israel includ-ed arrangements for widows and fatherless

boys to obtain needed food in a dignifiedway. Through such provisions, these lowlyones had enough to eat . . . and satisfythemselves. (Deuteronomy 24:19-21; 26:12, 13) We too can, in a discreet and digni-fied manner, offer material assistance toa single-parent family in need. Could youdrop off some food or a bag of groceries attheir home? Do you have clothing that a sin-gle parent or the children could use? Or canyou offer some financial assistance so that asingle parent can buy certain items that thefamily needs?

Provide associationJehovah commanded that widows and fa-

therless boys be included in the nations an-nual festivals, where they could enjoy asso-ciation with fellow Israelites. In fact, theywere told: You must rejoice. (Deuterono-

my 16:10-15) Similarly today, Christians areadmonished to be hospitable to one anoth-er, providing occasions for joyful associa-tion. (1 Peter 4:9) So why not invite a single-parent family to your home for a meal? It

need not be elaborate. A few things areneeded, or just one, said Jesus when he en-joyed association at the home of friends.Luke 10:42.

Your Consideration Will Be Appreciated

Kathleen, a single parent who brought upthree children, says she will never forgetthis sage advice, Expect nothing; appreciateeverything. Like Kathleen, many single par-ents recognize the personal responsibility

they have to raise their children. Therefore,they do not expect others to do for themwhat they must do for themselves. Never-theless, there is no doubt that they appreci-ate any assistance they receive. You can con-tribute to their well-being and your ownhappiness by showing consideration for sin-gle parents, confident that Jehovah Godwill reward you for what you have done.Proverbs 19:17, New Century Version.

When was the last time you had a single-parent family over for a meal? Why not do so soon?


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Jesus promised a dying man who courageous-ly expressed faith in him: You will be with me inParadise. (Luke 23:43) Where would the manbe? Would Paradise be located in heaven, onearth, or at some intermediate location wherehumans await judgment?

Our ancestors once lived in Paradise. The Bibletells us: Jehovah God planted a garden in Eden,toward the east, and there he put the manwhom he had formed. . . . And Jehovah God pro-

ceeded to take the man and settle him in the gar-den of Eden to cultivate it and to take care of it.(Genesis 2:8, 15) When those words were trans-lated into Greek, the word garden was ren-dered paradeisos, from which came the En-glish word paradise.

Just as a couple would enlarge their homewhen they have more children, so our first par-ents were expected to expand Paradise beyondthe borders of Eden as the human family grew.God told them: Fill the earth and subdue it.

Genesis 1:28.Our Creators purpose, then, was for humans

to live and bear children in Paradise here onearth. They would live forever in an earthly gar-den with no need for any cemeteries. The earthwas to become the permanent home for allmankind. No wonder the natural features of ourplanet bring us so much delight! We were creat-ed to live on a beautiful earth.

Has Gods purpose changed? No. For Jehovahassures us: So my word that goes forth from my

mouth will prove to be. It will not return to mewithout results, but it will certainly do that inwhich I have delighted. (Isaiah 55:11) Over3,000 years after mans creation, the Bible statedregarding the Former of the earth and the Mak-er of it that he did not create it simply for noth-ing, but he formed it even to be inhabited.

(Isaiah 45:18) Gods will has not changed. The

earth will yet be a paradise.

Interestingly, many Bible passages about Par-

adise are simply descriptions of life on earth. For

example, a prophecy of Isaiah states: They will

certainly build houses and have occupancy; andthey will certainly plant vineyards and eat theirfruitage. (Isaiah 65:21) Where are houses built

and vineyards planted? Where is fruit eaten? On

the earth. Proverbs 2:21 explicitly states: The

upright are the ones that will reside in theearth.

Jesus too spoke about an earthly paradise.True, he also promised a heavenly paradise, but

that was for a select few. (Luke 12:32) Afterdeath, these are resurrected to the heavenly Par-

adise and join Christ to rule over the earthly Par-adise. (Revelation 5:10; 14:1-3) These heavenlycorulers will ensure that Paradise on earth willbe properly governed and maintained accord-ing to Gods standards.

Jesus knew that this was Gods will for theearth. After all, he was in heaven with his Fatherwhen the garden of Eden was created. Life in a

future earthly paradise is open to all people whoexercise faith today. (John 3:16) To such ones, Je-

sus promises: You will be with me in Paradise.Luke 23:43.

OUR READERS ASK . . .

Where is the Biblical Paradise?

5

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ORGETPatrick/SAGAPHOTO.COM/Alamy


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THE year was 1942. The world was at war,and we were fleeing from the advancingJapanese army. It had just invaded Burma,now called Myanmar, and had seized the oilfields of Yenangyaung. Before we could reachIndias border, Japanese soldiers overtook usand forced us to return home.

When I was a child, we lived in Yenan-gyaung, where my father worked for the Bur-

mah Oil Company. After the Japanese occu-pation, the rich oil fields of Yenangyaungbecame the target of intense bombing byBritish warplanes. Once, our family was shel-tered in a trench for three days as bombs ex-ploded all around us. Finally we fled by boatto Sale, a small town on the Ayeyarwady, orIrrawaddy, River. Grateful to be alive, wespent the remainder of the war there.

Tragedy Leads to Truth

My younger brother was born in 1945, theyear World War II ended. My father was de-lighted to have a child in his old age. But hishappiness was short-lived. Three months lat-er my brother died. Father died from griefshortly afterward.

Friends, intending to comfort me, said thatGod had taken my father and brother to bewith Him in heaven. How I yearned to bewith them! My family attended the Catholicchurch, where I received my early parochialeducation. I was taught that priests and nunsgo straight to heaven, while others have tospend time in purgatory, a place of tempo-rary torment where they are cleansed of their

sins. Determined to be reunited with myfather and brother, I set my mind on at-tending the Catholic seminary in Maymyo,now called Pyin Oo Lwin, some 130 miles(210 km) from where we lived.

A good formal education was needed in or-der to gain entry to the seminary. As animmigrant, I had attended school for onlytwo years. Then all schools were closed dur-ing the war. Though the schools reopened,our family was in dire economic straits. Mymother was caring not only for my twobrothers and me but also for the three youngchildren of her deceased sister. She could nolonger afford to keep us boys in school.

My older brother went to work, but I wasonly 13 years old and there was little I could

GOD IS ADOER OF GREAT THINGS

HOW I CAME TO KNOW ITAS TOLD BY MAURICE RAJ

My family, along with thousands of other immigrants, ran to escape

one of the most ferocious assaults in World War II. For days we

traveled through the dense Burmese jungle, sleeping under the

trees at night. I was nine years old. A little bundle tied to my back

held all my possessions. But this was just the beginning.


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do. My fathers brother, Manuel Nathan,lived in Chauk, a town near Sale. I reasoned,If I leave home, there will be one less mouthto feed. So I went to Chauk to live with myuncle.

I did not know that my uncle had recentlycome in contact with Jehovahs Witnessesand was eager to share his newfound Bibleknowledge. He shared it with me little by lit-tle, starting by explaining the meaning ofthe Our Father prayer, as Catholics call it.It begins: Our Father who art in heaven,hallowed be thy name.Matthew 6:9, 10,

Douay-Rheims Version.

So God has a name, my uncle explained.And that name is Jehovah. He then showed

me the name of God in the Bible. I wanted tolearn more. But I was a poor reader, even inmy native Tamil, and the Bible and Bible lit-erature my uncle had were in English, whichI did not know well. Despite my limitedschooling, I gradually came to understand Bi-ble teachings. (Matthew 11:25, 26) My eyeswere opened to see that many of the doc-trines I had been taught were not based onthe Bible. Uncle, I finally said, this is thetruth!

At the age of 16, I began sharing what I hadlearned with others. There were only 77 Wit-nesses of Jehovah in Myanmar at the time.Not long after, Robert Kirk, a Witness mis-sionary from the capital city, Rangoon, nowcalled Yangon, visited my uncle in Chauk. Itold Robert that I had dedicated my life to Je-hovah. So on December 24, 1949, I was bap-tized in the Ayeyarwady River, in symbol ofmy dedication to God.

Overcoming Obstacles

Soon afterward I moved to Mandalay tofind suitable employment. My goal was to be-come a pioneer, as full-time ministers of Je-hovahs Witnesses are called. One day whilewatching a soccer match, I collapsed with

convulsions. I had developed epilepsy andhad to move back to my family so that theycould care for me.

The seizures continued on and off for eightyears. When my health improved, I was able

to take on some secular work. AlthoughMother discouraged me from pursuing thefull-time ministry because of my condition,one day I told her: I cant wait any longer. Iwant to become a pioneer. Jehovah will takecare of me!

In 1957, I moved to Yangon and began topioneer. Amazingly, my seizures did not re-turn until 50 years later, in 2007. Now theyare controlled by medication. In 1958, I wasappointed as a special pioneer, devoting 150

hours each month to the preaching work.My first assignment was Kyonsha, a village

some 70 miles (110 km) northwest of Yan-gon. A small group there had read our Bibleliterature and wanted to know more. WhenRobert and I arrived, a large crowd gathered.We answered their many Bible questions andshowed them how to conduct Bible meet-ings. Some of them soon joined us in thepreaching work. I was asked to stay in that vil-

lage. Within a few months, the small groupbecame a thriving congregation. Today, thereare more than 150 Witnesses in the area.

In theministry inRangoon,Burma,about 1957


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Later, I was appointed to serve as a travel-ing minister, visiting congregations and iso-lated groups throughout Myanmar. I rodecountless miles over dusty roads atop load-ed trucks, hiked through jungles, sailed riv-ers, and trekked across mountain ranges. Al-though I was not strong physically, I felt thatJehovah gave me the power to keep going.Philippians 4:13.

Jehovah Will Help YouThen in 1962, I was transferred to the

branch office of Jehovahs Witnesses in Yan-gon, where Robert gave me some training.All too soon, government authorities or-dered all foreign missionaries to leave Myan-mar, and within a few weeks, they weregone. To my surprise, I was to look after thebranch office.

How can I do this work? I wondered. I

am uneducated and inexperienced. Not-ing my anxiety, several older ones told me:Maurice, dont worry. Jehovah will helpyou. And we are all with you. How reassur-ing their words were to me! A few monthslater, I had to compile the annual report ofour preaching activities in Myanmar for the

1967 Yearbook of Jehovahs Witnesses.For thenext 38 years, I compiled this annual reportfor the country. Time after time, eventsmade it clear to me that Jehovah truly is di-recting our activities.

For example, earlier, when I applied forMyanmar citizenship, I lacked the 450 kyats1needed to pay for my citizenship book, so Iput the matter off. Then one day, while I waspassing the office of the company that hademployed me years earlier, my former bosssaw me. He cried out: Hey, Raj, come andget your money. You forgot to collect yourprovident fund when you left. It amountedto 450 kyats.

As I left the office, I thought of all thethings I could do with 450 kyats. But since itwas the exactamount needed to get my citi-zenship book, I felt that it was Jehovahs willthat I use it for that purpose. And that choiceproved to be most beneficial. As a citizen, Icould remain in the country, travel freely,import literature, and carry out other dutiesvital to our preaching work in Myanmar.

A Convention in the North

By 1969, our work was progressing rapidlyin the town of Myitkyina in northern Myan-mar, so we decided to have a convention inthis city. Our biggest challenge, however, wasproviding transportation for all the Witness-es in the south. We prayed and then request-ed from Myanmar Railways reservations forsix railway coaches. We were greatly sur-prised when our application was approved.

In time, we had everything ready forour convention. On the day delegates werescheduled to arrive, we went to the railwaystation about midday, expecting the train toarrive at 2:30 p.m. While we were waiting,the stationmaster handed us a telegram that

1 Equivalent, at the time, to about $95 (U.S.), a sizablesum.

Traveling toattend a

convention inKalemyo,

Burma, late1970s


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read: We have disconnected the six coachesof the Watch Tower Society. He said that thetrain could not pull the extra coaches uphill.

What could we do? Our first thought wasto reschedule the convention. But that wouldmean applying for another set of permits,which would require weeks! Just as we werepraying fervently to Jehovah, the train pulledinto the station. We could not believe oureyesall six coaches filled with Witnesses!They were smiling and waving. When weasked what had happened, one of them ex-plained, They did disconnect six coaches,but not our six!

Between 1967 and 1971, the number ofWitnesses in Myanmar doubled to nearly600. Then in 1978, the branch office wasmoved to a two-story house. Twenty years lat-er, the number of Witnesses had increased toover 2,500. Further expansion of the branchfacilities was made, and on January 22, 2000,John E. Barr, a member of the GoverningBody of Jehovahs Witnesses, came from theUnited States and gave the dedication talk for

the three-story office and residence complexthat is in use today.

Looking Back on Blessings

Today, 52 volunteers live and work here atthe branch in Yangon, and there are about3,500 Witnesses serving in 74 congregations

and groups throughout the country. I amhappy to say that in 1969, shortly before herdeath, my dear mother also became one of

Jehovahs Witnesses.Doris Ba Aye, a local pioneer minister, be-

came a translator at our branch office in themid-1960s. Earlier, in 1959, she had attend-ed the 32nd class of the Watchtower BibleSchool of Gilead, a school for training mis-sionaries of Jehovahs Witnesses. Her naturalbeauty, cheerful personality, and deep spiri-tuality captured my heart. We were marriedin 1970. To this day, we remain devoted to Je-hovah and to each other.

For more than six decades now, I have seenGods hand in the preaching work being ac-complished in this land. Truly, he is greatand very much to be praised. He is a Doer ofgreat things, as I have seen throughout mylife.Psalm 106:21.

Our lovely new branch facilities,which were expanded in 2000

With Doris today

In the door-to-door

ministrytogether


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HAVE you ever been told a secret?1There is one I would like to tellyou. In the Bible it is called the sacredsecret which has been kept in silencefor long-lasting times. (Romans 16:25) At first only God knew the sacredsecret. Lets see how God saw to it thatthis secret became known to many.

To begin with, do you know whatsacred means? The word meansholy, clean, or very special. So the se-cret is called the sacred secret becauseit is from God, who is holy. Who do youthink wanted to know this special se-cret? Angels did. The Bible says: Intothese very things angels are desiring topeer. Yes, they wanted to understand

this holy secret.1 Peter 1:12.When Jesus came to earth, he talkedabout the sacred secret and began toexplain it. He told his disciples: To youthe sacred secret of the kingdom ofGod has been given. (Mark 4:11) Didyou notice what the sacred secret isabout? It is about Gods Kingdom,which Jesus taught us to pray for!Matthew 6:9, 10.

Now lets see how it was that GodsKingdom was a secret for long-lastingtimes until Jesus came to earth and

1 If you are reading with a child, the dash provides areminder to pause and encourage the child to expresshimself.

began to explain it. After Adam andEve broke Gods law and were put outof the garden of Eden, Gods servantscame to know that God would stillmake the whole earth into a paradise.(Genesis 1:26-28; 2:8, 9; Isaiah 45:18)

They wrote about the happiness peo-ple would enjoy on earth under Gods

Kingdom.Psalm 37:11, 29; Isaiah 11:6-9; 25:8; 33:24; 65:21-24.

Think, now, about the Ruler of GodsKingdom. Do you know whom Godchose to be Ruler? His Son, thePrince of Peace, Jesus Christ. Theprincely rule will come to be upon hisshoulder, the Bible says. (Isaiah 9:6, 7) You and I must take in knowl-edge of the sacred secret of God, name-ly, Christ.(Colossians 2:2) We need toknow that God took the life of the firstangel (spirit Son) whom he createdand put that life inside Mary. ThatSon, who had been a powerful angel,became the one whom God sent toearth as a sacrifice so that we can haveeverlasting life.Matthew 20:28; John3:16; 17:3.

There is more, though, that we needto know about this secret than thatGod has chosen Jesus to be the Ruler ofHis Kingdom. Part of the sacred secretis that others will be with the resurrect-ed Jesus in heaven, both men and

TEACH YOUR CHILDREN

A Secret You Can Tell Others


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women. They will rule with Jesus inheaven!Ephesians 1:8-12.

Lets learn the names of some ofthose who will rule with Jesus in heav-en. Jesus told his faithful apostles thathe was going there to prepare a placefor them. (John 14:2, 3) By looking at

the following scriptures, you will seethe names of a few of the men andwomen who will rule with Jesus inhis Fathers Kingdom.Matthew 10:2-4; Mark 15:39-41; John 19:25.

For a long time, it was not known

how many people would rule in heav-en with Jesus as part of his Kingdom.But now we know the number. Do youknow it? The Bible says it is 144,000.

This too is part of the sacred secret.Revelation 14:1, 4.

Do you agree that this sacred secret

of the kingdom of God is the mostwonderful secret anyone could evercome to know? If so, let us try to learnall we can about it so that we can ex-plain these things to as many peopleas we can.

QUESTIONS:

What is the secret we talked about called, and why is it called that?

What is this secret, and who first began teaching people about it?

What are some things about this secret that you have learned?

How might you explain the sacred secret to a friend?

What do you think the angels were trying to find out?


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Is it possible to make contact with the spirit realm?

SEE PAGES 3-9.

Did people in Bible times really live hundreds of years?

SEE PAGE 12.

What was it like working among earthquake victims in Haiti?

SEE PAGE 15.

Would you have recognized the Messiah if you had lived

in Jesus day? SEE PAGE 18.

What can you do that is really helpful to single parents?

SEE PAGE 22.

Would you welcome a visit?

who inhabit the spirit realm?

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