References for LifeandMinistryMeetingWorkbook

OCTOBER 2-8

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | DANIEL 7-9 “Daniel’s Prophecy Foretold the Messiah’s Arrival”

(Daniel 9:24) “There are 70 weeks that have been determined for your people and your holy city, in order to terminate the transgression, to finish off sin, to make atonement for error, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies.

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Seventy Weeks

Transgression and sin terminated. Jesus’ being cut off in death, his resurrection, and his appearance in heaven resulted in ‘terminating transgression and finishing off sin as well as in making atonement for error.’ (Da 9:24) The Law covenant had exposed the Jews as sinners, condemned them as such, and brought upon them the curse as covenant breakers. But where sin “abounded” as exposed or made evident by the Mosaic Law, God’s mercy and favor abounded much more through his Messiah. (Ro 5: 20) By Messiah’s sacrifice, transgression and sin of the repentant sinners can be canceled and the penalty thereof be lifted.

(Daniel 9:25) You should know and understand that from the issuing of the word to restore and to rebuild Jerusalem until Mes^si'ah the Leader, there will be 7 weeks, also 62 weeks. She will be restored and rebuilt, with a public square and moat, but in times of distress.

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Seventy Weeks

Messiah’s Arrival After ‘Sixty-Nine Weeks.’ As to the following “sixty-two weeks” (Da 9:25), these, being part of the 70 and named second in order, would continue from the conclusion of the “seven weeks.” Therefore, the time “from the going forth of the word” to rebuild Jerusalem until “Messiah the Leader” would be 7 plus 62 “weeks,” or 69 “weeks”—483 years—from the year 455 B.C.E. to 29 C.E. As mentioned above, in the autumn of that year, 29 C.E., Jesus was baptized in water, was anointed with holy spirit, and began his ministry as “Messiah the Lead-er.”—Lu 3:1, 2, 21, 22.

(Daniel 9:26, 27a) “And after the 62 weeks, Mes-si'ah will be cut off, with nothing for himself. “And the people of a leader who is coming will destroy the city and the holy place. And its end will be by the flood. And until the end there will be war; what is decided upon is desolations. ²⁷ “And he will keep the covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week, he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease.

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Seventy Weeks

“Cut off” at the half of the week. Gabriel further said to Daniel: “After the sixty-two weeks Messiah will be cut off, with nothing for himself.” (Da 9:26) It was sometime after the end of the ‘seven plus sixty-two weeks,’ actually about three and a half years afterward, that Christ was cut off in death on a torture stake, giving up all that he had, as a ransom for mankind. (Isa 53:8) Evidence indicates that the first half of the “week” was spent by Jesus in the ministry. On one occasion, likely in the fall of 32 C.E., he gave an illustration, apparently speaking of the Jewish nation as a fig tree (compare Mt 17:15-20; 21:18, 19, 43) that had borne no fruit for “three years.” The vinedresser said to the owner of the vineyard: “Master, let it alone also this year, until I dig around it and put on manure; and if then it produces fruit in the future, well and good; but if not, you shall cut it down.” (Lu 13:6-9) He may have referred here to the time period of his own ministry to that unresponsive nation, which ministry had continued at that point for about three years and was to continue into a fourth year.

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Seventy Weeks

“The half of the week” would be at the middle of seven years, or after three and a half years within that “week” of years. Since the 70th “week” began about the fall of 29 C.E. at Jesus’ baptism and anointing to be Christ, half of that week (three and a half years) would extend to the spring of 33 C.E., or Passover time (Nisan 14) of that year. This day appears to have been April 1, 33 C.E., according to the Gregorian calendar. (See LORD’S EVENING MEAL [Time of Its Institution].) The apostle Paul tells us that Jesus ‘came to do the will of God,’ which was to ‘do away with what is first [the sacrifices and offerings according to the Law] that he may establish what is second.’ This he did by offering as a sacrifice his own body.—Heb 10:1-10.

Digging for Spiritual Gems

(Daniel 9:24) “There are 70 weeks that have been determined for your people and your holy city, in order to terminate the transgression, to finish off sin, to make atonement for error, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and the prophecy, and to anoint the Holy of Holies.

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Questions From Readers

When was “the Holy of Holies” anointed, as foretold at Daniel 9:24?

Daniel 9:24-27 is a prophecy concerning the appearance of “Messiah the Leader”—the Christ. The foretold anointing of “the Holy of Holies,” then, does not refer to the anointing of the Most Holy compartment of the temple in Jerusalem. Rather, the expression “Holy of Holies” refers to the heavenly sanctuary of God—the heavenly Most Holy—in the great spiritual temple of Jehovah.—Hebrews 8:1-5; 9:2-10, 23.

When did God’s spiritual temple begin to operate? Well, consider what took place when Jesus presented himself for baptism in 29 C.E. From that point on in his life, Jesus fulfilled the words of Psalm 40:6-8. The apostle Paul later indicated that Jesus had prayed to God: “Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but you prepared a body for me.” (Hebrews 10:5) Jesus knew that God “did not want” animal sacrifices to continue to be offered at Jerusalem’s temple. Instead, Jehovah had prepared a perfect human body for Jesus to offer as a sacrifice. Expressing his heartfelt desire, Jesus continued: “Look! I am come (in the roll of the book it is written about me) to do your will, O God.” (Hebrews 10:7) And what was Jehovah’s response? The Gospel of Matthew states: “After being baptized Jesus immediately came up from the water; and, look ! the heavens were opened up, and he saw descending like a dove God’s spirit coming upon him. Look! Also, there was a voice from the heavens that said: ‘This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.’ ”—Matthew 3:16, 17.

Jehovah God’s acceptance of the presentation of Jesus’ body for sacrifice meant that an altar greater than the literal altar in Jerusalem’s temple had come into existence. This was an altar of God’s “will,” or arrangement for accepting Jesus’ human life as a sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:10) The anointing of Jesus with holy spirit meant that God had now brought forth his entire spiritual temple arrangement. Hence, at the time of Jesus’ baptism, God’s heavenly abode was anointed, or set apart, as “the Holy of Holies” in the great spiritual temple arrangement.

(Daniel 9:27) “And he will keep the covenant in force for the many for one week; and at the half of the week, he will cause sacrifice and gift offering to cease. “And on the wing of disgusting things there will be the one causing desolation; and until an extermination, what was decided on will be poured out also on the one lying desolate.”

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Highlights From the Book of Daniel

9:27—What covenant was ‘kept in force for the many’ until the end of the 70th week of years, or 36 C.E.? The Law covenant was removed in 33 C.E. when Jesus was impaled. But by keeping the Abrahamic covenant in force toward fleshly Israel until 36 C.E., Jehovah extended the period of special favor to the Jews on the basis of their being descendants of Abraham. The Abrahamic covenant continues in force with regard to “the Israel of God.” —Galatians 3:7-9, 14-18, 29; 6:16.

Bible Reading

(Daniel 7:1-10) In the first year of King Bel-shaz'zar of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and visions of his head as he lay on his bed. Then he wrote down the dream; he recorded a complete account of the matters. ² Daniel declared: “I was watching in my visions during the night, and look! the four winds of the heavens were stirring up the vast sea. ³ And four huge beasts came out of the sea, each different from the others. ⁴ “The first one was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were plucked out, and it was lifted up from the earth and was made to stand up on two feet like a man, and it was given the heart of a man. ⁵ “And look! another beast, a second one, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and three ribs were in its mouth between its teeth; and it was told, ‘Get up, eat much flesh.’ ⁶ “After this I kept watching, and look! another beast, like a leopard, but on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. And the beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule. ⁷ “After this I kept watching in the visions of the night, and I saw a fourth beast, fearsome and terrifying and unusually strong, and it had large iron teeth. It was devouring and crushing, and what was left it trampled down with its feet. It was different from all the other beasts that were prior to it, and it had ten horns. ⁸ While I considered the horns, look! another horn, a small one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were plucked up from before it. And look! there were eyes like human eyes in this horn, and there was a mouth speaking arrogantly. ⁹ “I kept watching until thrones were set in place and the Ancient of Days sat down. His clothing was white like snow, and the hair of his head was like clean wool. His throne was flames of fire; its wheels were a burning fire. ¹⁰ A stream of fire was flowing and going out from before him. A thousand thousands kept ministering to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The Court took its seat, and books were opened.

OCTOBER 9-15

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | DANIEL 10-12

“Jehovah Foresaw the Future of Kings”

(Daniel 11:2) What I will tell you now is the truth: “Look! Three more kings will stand up for Persia, and the fourth one will amass greater riches than all others. And when he becomes strong by means of his riches, he will rouse up everything against the kingdom of Greece.

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Two Kings in Conflict

• ⁵ The first three kings were Cyrus the Great, Cam-byses II, and Darius I (Hystaspes). Since Bardiya (or perhaps a pretender named Gaumata) ruled for only seven months, the prophecy did not take his brief reign into consideration. In 490 B.C.E., the third king, Darius I, attempted to invade Greece for the second time. However, the Persians were routed at Marathon and retreated to Asia Minor. Though Darius made careful preparations for a further campaign against Greece, he could not carry it out before his death four years later. That was left up to his son and successor, the “fourth” king, Xerxes I. He was the King Ahasuerus who married Esther.—Esther 1:1; 2:15-17.

• ⁶ Xerxes I did indeed “rouse up everything against the kingdom of Greece,” that is, the independent Grecian states as a group. “Urged on by ambitious courtiers,” says the book The Medes and Persians —Conquerors and Diplomats, “Xerxes launched an assault by land and sea.” Greek historian Herodotus, of the fifth century B.C.E., writes that “no other expedition compared to this seems of any account.” His record states that the sea force “amounted in all to 517,610 men. The number of the foot soldiers was 1,700,000; that of the horsemen 80,000; to which must be added the Arabs who rode on camels, and the Libyans who fought in chariots, whom I reckon at 20,000. The whole number, therefore, of the land and sea forces added together amounts to 2,317,610 men.”

(Daniel 11:3) “And a mighty king will stand up and rule with extensive dominion and do as he pleases.

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Two Kings in Conflict

• ⁸ “A mighty king will certainly stand up and rule with extensive dominion and do according to his will,” said the angel. (Daniel 11:3) Twenty-year-old Alexander ‘stood up’ as king of Macedonia in 336 B.C.E. He did become “a mighty king”—Alexander the Great. Driven by a plan of his father, Philip II, he took the Persian provinces in the Middle East. Crossing the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, his 47,000 men scattered the 250,000 troops of Darius III at Gauga-mela. Subsequently, Darius fled and was murdered, ending the Persian dynasty. Greece now became the world power, and Alexander ‘ruled with extensive dominion and did according to his will.’

(Daniel 11:4) But when he has stood up, his kingdom will be broken and be divided toward the four winds of the heavens, but not to his descendants and not like the dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom will be uprooted and go to others besides these.

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Two Kings in Conflict

¹¹ Following the death of Alexander, his kingdom was “divided toward the four winds.” His many generals quarreled among themselves as they grabbed for territory. One-eyed General Antigonus I tried to bring all of Alexander’s empire under his control. But he was killed in a battle at Ipsus in Phrygia. By the year 301 B.C.E., four of Alexander’s generals were in power over the vast territory that their commander had conquered. Cassander ruled Macedonia and Greece. Lysimachus gained control over Asia Minor and Thrace. Seleucus I Nicator secured Mesopotamia and Syria. And Ptolemy Lagus took Egypt and Palestine. True to the prophetic word, Alexander’s great empire was divided into four Hellenistic kingdoms.

Digging for Spiritual Gems

(Daniel 12:3) “And those having insight will shine as brightly as the expanse of heaven, and those bringing the many to righteousness like the stars, forever and ever.

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“Look! I Am With You All the Days”

Daniel 12:3 states that “the ones having insight [anointed Christians] will shine like the brightness of the expanse.” While still on earth, they do this by sharing in the preaching work. However, Matthew 13:43 points to the time when they will shine brightly in the heavenly Kingdom. Previously, we thought that both scriptures referred to the same activity —the preaching work.

(Daniel 12:13) “But as for you, go on to the end. You will rest, but you will stand up for your lot at the end of the days.”

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Jehovah Promises Daniel a Wonderful Reward

¹⁸ The book of Daniel closes with one of the most beautiful promises God has ever made to a human. Jehovah’s angel told Daniel: “You will stand up for your lot at the end of the days.” What did the angel mean? Well, since the “rest” he had just referred to was death, the promise that Daniel would “stand up” at some later time could mean only one thing —resurrection! In fact, some scholars have asserted that Daniel chapter 12 contains the first explicit reference to resurrection to be found in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Daniel 12:2) In this, though, they are wrong. Daniel was very familiar with the resurrection hope.

Bible Reading

(Daniel 11:28-39) “And he will go back to his land with a great amount of goods, and his heart will be against the holy covenant. He will act effectively and go back to his land. ²⁹ “At the time appointed he will return and come against the south. But this time will not be as it was before, ³⁰ for the ships of Kit'tim will come against him, and he will be humbled. “He will go back and hurl denunciations against the holy covenant and act effectively; and he will go back and will give attention to those leaving the holy covenant. ³¹ And arms will stand up, proceeding from him; and they will profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and remove the constant feature. “And they will put in place the disgusting thing that causes desolation. ³² “And those who act wickedly against the covenant, he will lead into apostasy by means of smooth words. But the people who know their God will prevail and act effectively. ³³ And those having insight among the people will impart understanding to the many. And they will be made to stumble by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plundering, for some days. ³⁴ But when they are made to stumble, they will be given a little help; and many will join with them by means of smooth speech. ³⁵ And some of those having insight will be made to stumble, in order to do a refining work because of them and to do a cleansing and a whitening until the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed. ³⁶ “The king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt himself and magnify himself above every god; and against the God of gods he will speak astonishing things. And he will prove successful until the denunciation comes to a finish; because what is determined must take place. ³⁷ He will show no regard for the God of his fathers; nor will he show regard for the desire of women or for any other god, but he will magnify himself over everyone. ³⁸ But instead he will give glory to the god of fortresses; to a god that his fathers did not know he will give glory by means of gold and silver and precious stones and desirable things. ³⁹ He will act effectively against the most fortified strongholds, along with a foreign god. He will give great glory to those who give him recognition, and he will make them rule among many; and the ground he will apportion out for a price.

OCTOBER 16-22

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | HOSEA 1-7 “Jehovah Delights in Loyal Love—Do You?” (Hosea 6:4, 5) “What should I do with you, E'phraJm? What should I do with you, Judah? For your loyal love is like the morning clouds, Like the dew that quickly vanishes. ⁵ That is why I will cut them down by means of the prophets; I will kill them with the words of my mouth. And the judgments on you will shine as the light.

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Let “the Law of Loving-Kindness” Safeguard Your Tongue

¹⁸ Loyal love should be evident in all our dealings with fellow worshippers of Jehovah. Even under difficult circumstances, the law of loving-kindness should not depart from our tongue. When the loving-kindness of the sons of Israel became “like the dew that early goes away,” Jehovah was displeased. (Hos. 6:4, 6) On the other hand, Jehovah ta kes pleasure in a regular pattern of loving-kindness. Consider how he blesses those who pursue it.

(Hosea 6:6) For in loyal love I delight, not in sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God, rather than in whole burnt offerings.

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Highlights From the Book of Hosea

6:6. Practicing sin is an indication of a lack of loyal love for God. No amount of spiritual sacrifices can compensate for this deficiency.

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Jehovah Values Your Obedience

⁷ In this connection, recall that in the past, Jehovah revealed to his ancient people that obedience was even more important than animal sacrifices. (Proverbs 21:3, 27; Hosea 6:6; Matthew 12:7) Why was that so, since it was Jehovah who had commanded his people to offer such sacrifices? Well, what is the motive of the one offering the sacrifice? Is he doing it to please God? Or is he merely following some ritual? If a worshipper is truly desirous of pleasing God, he will take care to be obedient to all of God’s commands. God has no need of animal sacrifices, but our obedience is one thing of value that we can give him.

Digging for Spiritual Gems

(Hosea 1:7) But I will show mercy to the house of Judah, and I will save them by Jehovah their God; I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen.”

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Highlights From the Book of Hosea

1:7—When was the house of Judah shown mercy and saved? This was fulfilled in 732 B.C.E., in the days of King Hezekiah. At that time, Jehovah ended the Assyrian threat to Jerusalem by having an angel slay 185,000 of the enemy’s forces in one night. (2 Kings 19:34, 35) Jehovah thus delivered Judah, not “by a bow or by a sword or by war, by horses or by horsemen,” but by an angel.

(Hosea 2:18) In that day I will make a covenant for them with the wild animals of the field, And with the birds of the heavens and the creeping things of the ground; I will rid the land of the bow and the sword and war, And I will make them lie down in security.

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Hosea’s Prophecy Helps Us to Walk With God

¹⁶ God also fulfilled this promise: “I shall certainly conclude a covenant in that day in connection with the wild beast of the field and with the flying creature of the heavens and the creeping thing of the ground, and the bow and the sword and war I shall break out of the land, and I will make them lie down in security.” (Hosea 2:18) The Jewish remnant who returned to their homeland lived in security, with nothing to fear from animals. This prophecy also had a fulfillment in 1919 C.E., when the remnant of spiritual Israel was freed from “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion. They now dwell in security and enjoy life in a spiritual paradise with their companions, who hope to live forever on earth. Animalistic traits do not exist among these true Christians.—Revelation 14:8; Isaiah 11:6-9; Galatians 6:16.

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When Global Harmony Will Prevail

In fact, life on earth will experience a new type of harmony, for God will teach his loyal human subjects how to be good caretakers of their terrestrial home. He will even “conclude a covenant,” as it were, with all predatory beasts, causing them to live in peaceful submission to humans.—Hosea 2:18; Genesis 1:26-28; Isaiah 11:6-8.

Bible Reading

(Hosea 7:1-16) “At the time when I would heal Israel, The error of E'phraJm is also exposed, And the wickedness of Sa^marTa. For they practice deception; Thieves break in and marauder bands raid outside. ² But they do not say in their heart that I will remember all their wickedness. Now their dealings are all around them; They are right in front of my face. ³ They make the king rejoice by their wickedness, And princes by their deceit. ⁴ All of them are adulterers, Burning like an oven fired by a baker, Who stops stirring the fire after kneading the dough until it is leavened. ⁵ On the day of our king, princes have become sick—They are enraged because of wine. He has reached out his hand to ridiculers. ⁶ For they approach with hearts burning like an oven. All night long the baker sleeps; In the morning the oven blazes like a flaming fire. ⁷ All of them are hot like an oven, And they devour their rulers. All their kings have fallen; No one among them calls out to me. ⁸ E'phraJm mixes with the nations. E'phraJm is like a round cake left unturned. ⁹ Strangers have consumed his strength, but he does not know it. And his gray hairs have turned white, but he does not notice it. ¹⁰ The pride of Israel has testified against him, But they have not returned to Jehovah their God, Nor have they looked for him despite all of this. ¹¹ E'phraJm is like a sim-pleminded dove, lacking good sense. They have called out to Egypt; they have gone to As^syrTa. ¹² Wherever they go, I will spread my net over them. I will bring them down like the birds of the heavens. I will discipline them according to the warning given to their assembly. ¹³ Woe to them, for they have fled from me! Devastation to them, for they have transgressed against me! I was ready to redeem them, but they have spoken lies against me. ¹⁴ From their heart they did not call to me for help, Although they kept wailing on their beds. For their grain and new wine they would slash themselves; They turn against me. ¹⁵ Although I disciplined them and strengthened their arms, They are against me, scheming what is bad. ¹⁶ They changed course, but not to anything loftier; They were as unreliable as a loose bow. Their princes will fall by the sword because of their defiant tongues. For this they will be an object of ridicule in the land of Egypt.”

OCTOBER 23-29

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | HOSEA 8-14 “Offer Your Very Best to Jehovah”

(Hosea 14:2) Come back to Jehovah with these words, Say to him, ‘May you pardon our error and accept what is good, And we will offer the praise of our lips as we would young bulls.

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Offering Sacrifices That Please God

Furthermore, the Bible indicates that our expressions of praise can be viewed as sacrifices offered to Jehovah. The prophet Hosea used the phrase “the young bulls of our lips,” showing that God considers the praise of our lips to be one of the finest sacrifices. (Hosea 14:2) The apostle Paul urged the Hebrew Christians: “Offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips which make public declaration to his name.” (Hebrews 13:15) Today, Jehovah’s Witnesses stay very busy preaching the good news and making disciples of people of all nations. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) They are offering sacrifices of praise to God day and night around the earth.—Revelation 7:15.

(Hosea 14:4) I will heal their unfaithfulness. I will love them of my own free will, Because my anger has turned away from him.

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Gaining God’s Approval Leads to Everlasting Life ¹⁵A bull was the costliest animal that an Israelite could offer to Jehovah. Hence, “the young bulls of our lips” referred to sincere, well-thought-out words spoken in praise of the true God. How did Jehovah respond to those making such sacrifices? He said: “I shall love them of my own free will.” (Hos. 14:4) To those offering such sacrifices of praise, Jehovah granted his forgiveness, approval, and friendship.

(Hosea 14:9) Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is discreet? Let him know them. For the ways of Jehovah are upright, And the righteous will walk in them; But the transgressors will stumble in them.

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Serve Jehovah According to His High Standards

¹¹ Hosea 14:9 also turns our attention to the positive aspects of observing an upright course. Blessings and benefits come from measuring up to God’s requirements. As the Creator, he knows our makeup. What he expects of us is for our good. To illustrate the relationship between us and God, we might think of an automobile and its manufacturer. The maker knows how the auto is designed and put together. He knows that the car requires an oil change every so often. What would happen if you ignored that standard, perhaps reasoning that the car is running well? Much sooner than might otherwise be so, the engine would deteriorate and fail. The same is true of humans. Our Creator has given us commandments. Keeping them is for our benefit. (Isaiah 48:17, 18) Appreciating that we do benefit gives us additional reason to live up to his standards, to keep his commandments.—Psalm 112:1.

Digging for Spiritual Gems

(Hosea 10:12) Sow seed for yourselves in righteousness and reap loyal love. Plow for yourselves arable land While there is time to search for Jehovah, Until he comes and instructs you in righteousness.

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“The Ways of Jehovah Are Upright”

• ⁷ If we worship Jehovah in an unhypocritical and upright way, we will be recipients of his loving-kindness, or loyal love. The wayward Israelites were told: “Sow seed for yourselves in righteousness; reap in accord with loving-kindness. Till for yourselves arable land, when there is time for searching for Jehovah until he comes and gives instruction in righteousness to you.”—Hosea 10:12.

(Hosea 11:1) “When Israel was a boy, I loved him, And out of Egypt I called my son.

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They Waited for the Messiah

• ¹⁰ Like the Israelites, the Messiah would be called out of Egypt. (Hos. 11:1) Before Herod’s deathdealing decree, an angel directed that Joseph, Mary, and Jesus go to Egypt. There they remained “until the decease of Herod, for that to be fulfilled which was spoken by Jehovah through his prophet [Hosea], saying: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son.’ ” (Matt. 2:13-15) Of course, Jesus himself could not have orchestrated any of the foretold events associated with his birth and early life.

Bible Reading

(Hosea 8:1-14) “Put a horn to your mouth! One comes like an eagle against the house of Jehovah, For they have violated my covenant and transgressed against my law. ² To me they cry out, ‘My God, we, Israel, know you!’ ³ Israel has rejected what is good. Let an enemy pursue him. ⁴ They have appointed kings, but not through me. They have appointed princes, but I did not recognize them. With their silver and their gold they have made idols, To their own destruction. ⁵ Your calf has been rejected, O Sa^marTa. My anger flares up against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? ⁶ For this is from Israel. A craftsman made it, and it is not God; The calf of Sa^marTa will be reduced to splinters. ⁷ For it is wind that they are sowing, And they will reap a storm wind. No stalk produces ripe grain; Whatever sprouts produces no flour. If any is produced, foreigners will swallow it down. ⁸ Israel will be swallowed down. Now they will be among the nations, Like an unwanted vessel. ⁹ For they have gone up to As^syrTa, like a lone wild donkey. E'phraJm has hired lovers. ¹⁰ Although they hire them from among the nations, I will now round them up; They will begin to suffer because of the burden imposed by king and princes. ¹¹ For E'phraJm has multiplied altars to sin. They became his altars for sinning. ¹² I wrote for him the many things of my law, But they were regarded as something strange. ¹³ They offer sacrificial gifts to me, and they eat the meat, But Jehovah takes no pleasure in them. Now he will remember their error and punish them for their sins. They have turned back to Egypt. ¹⁴ Israel has forgotten his Maker and has built temples, And Judah has multiplied fortified cities. But I will send fire into his cities, And it will consume the towers of each one.”

OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER5

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | JOEL 1-3 “Your Sons and Your Daughters Will Prophesy” (Joel 2:28, 29) After that I will pour out my spirit on every sort of flesh, And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, And your young men will see visions. ²⁹ And even on my male slaves and female slaves I will pour out my spirit in those days.

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Stirred by “the Magnificent Things of God”

• ⁴ Having received the holy spirit, the disciples in Jerusalem lost no time in sharing the good news of salvation with others, beginning with the crowd who had gathered that morning. Their preaching fulfilled a remarkable prophecy, recorded eight centuries earlier by Joel, the son of Pethuel: “I shall pour out my spirit on every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will certainly prophesy. As for your old men, dreams they will dream. As for your young men, visions they will see. And even on the menservants and on the maidservants in those days I shall pour out my spirit . . . before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah.” —Joel 1:1; 2:28, 29, 31; Acts 2:17, 18, 20.

• ⁵ Did this mean that God was going to raise up a whole generation of prophets, both male and female, in the manner of David, Joel, and Deborah, and use them to foretell future events? No. Christian ‘sons and daughters, menservants and maidservants’ would prophesy in the sense that they would be impelled by Jehovah’s spirit to declare “the magnificent things” that Jehovah had done and would still do. So they would serve as spokesmen for the Most High. How, though, did the crowd react?—Hebrews 1:1, 2.

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“Proclaim This, You People, Among the Nations”

⁴ Look at the matter from another standpoint. Jehovah God told the prophet Joel of a time when people of every sort would prophesy, so to speak: “After that it must occur that I shall pour out my spirit on every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will certainly prophesy. As for your old men, dreams they will dream. As for your young men, visions they will see.” (Joel 2:28-32) On the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., the apostle Peter applied this passage to the pouring out of holy spirit upon those who were gathered in an upper chamber in Jerusalem and to their subsequent preaching of “the magnificent things of God.” (Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-4, 11, 14-21) Now consider our time. Joel’s prophecy has been undergoing its major fulfillment since early in the 20th century. Spirit-anointed Christians—male and female, old and young—began to “prophesy,” that is, to declare “the magnificent things of God,” including the good news of the Kingdom, now established in the heavens.

(Joel 2:30-32) And I will give wonders in the heavens and on the earth, Blood and fire and columns of smoke. ³¹ The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood Before the coming of the great and awe-inspiring day of Jehovah. ³² And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, just as Jehovah has said, The survivors whom Jehovah calls.”

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Highlights From the Books of Joel and Amos

2:32—What does it mean to ‘call on the name of Jehovah’? To call on God’s name means to know that name, to respect it deeply, and to rely upon and trust in the bearer of that name.—Romans 10: 13, 14.

Digging for Spiritual Gems

(Joel 2:12, 13) “Yet even now,” declares Jehovah, “return to me with all your hearts, With fasting and weeping and wailing. ¹³ Rip apart your hearts, and not your garments, And return to Jehovah your God, For he is compassionate and merciful, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love, And he will reconsider the calamity.

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Highlights From the Books of Joel and Amos

2:12, 13. Genuine repentance is heartfelt. It involves an inward ‘ripping apart of our hearts,’ not an outward ‘ripping apart of garments.’

(Joel 3:14) Crowds, crowds are in the valley of the decision, For the day of Jehovah is near in the valley of the decision.

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Highlights From the Books of Joel and Amos

3:14—What is “the low plain of the decision”? It is a symbolic place for meting out God’s judgment. In the days of Judean King Jehoshaphat, whose name means “Jehovah Is Judge,” God delivered Judah from surrounding nations by confusing their military forces. Hence, the place is also called “the low plain of Jehoshaphat.” (Joel 3:2, 12) In our day, it represents a symbolic location in which nations will be crushed like grapes in a winepress.—Revela-tion 19:15.

Bible Reading

(Joel 2:28-3:8) After that I will pour out my spirit on every sort of flesh, And your sons and your daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, And your young men will see visions. ²⁹ And even on my male slaves and female slaves I will pour out my spirit in those days. ³⁰ And I will give wonders in the heavens and on the earth, Blood and fire and columns of smoke. ³¹ The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood Before the coming of the great and awe-inspiring day of Jehovah. ³² And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, just as Jehovah has said, The survivors whom Jehovah calls.”

3 For look! in those days and in that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, ² I will also gather together all the nations And bring them down to the Valley of Je^hosh'a-phat. I will enter into judgment with them there In behalf of my people and my inheritance Israel, For they scattered them among the nations, And they divided up my land among themselves. ³ For my people they cast lots; They would trade a boy to hire a prostitute And sell a girl for wine to drink. ⁴ Also, what do you have against me, O Tyre and Si'don and all the regions of PhMis'-tra? Are you repaying me for something? If you are repaying me, I will swiftly, speedily bring your repayment on your heads. ⁵ Because you have taken my silver and gold, And you have brought

my finest treasures into your temples; ⁶ And the people of Judah and Jerusalem you have sold to the Greeks, In order to remove them far from their territory; ⁷ Here I am rousing them to come from the place where you sold them, And I will bring your repayment on your heads. ⁸ I will sell your sons and daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, And they will sell them to the men of She'ba, to a nation far away; For Jehovah himself has spoken it.

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