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00:00 “He does not go back on his promise.” 00:03 Now, those words say a lot 00:05 about a person, don’t they? 00:06 What Bible examples are there of those 00:09 who please Jehovah by keeping their promise? 00:12 And what is in store for those who do so, 00:14 even when it is bad for them? 00:18 Well, we know Jesus, of course, is the foremost example 00:21 of one who kept his promise to do Jehovah’s will. 00:24 But imperfect people too 00:26 have displayed loyalty by keeping their promises. 00:30 For instance, in Joshua chapter 9, 00:34 we read that the Gibeonites tricked the chieftains of Israel 00:38 into concluding a covenant of peace with them. 00:42 Unwittingly, the Israelites promised not to destroy Gibeon. 00:47 What makes this of special interest 00:49 is that those disguised men were part of the Hivite nation, 00:54 which was considered to be a threat to Israel. 00:57 At Joshua 10:2, 00:59 it says that ‘all of Gibeon’s men were warriors.’ 01:05 What happened when Israel learned the truth? 01:08 Joshua 9:18 tells us: 01:11 “The Israelites did not attack them, 01:14 “because the chieftains of the assembly 01:16 “had sworn an oath to them 01:19 by Jehovah the God of Israel.” 01:22 Did Jehovah approve of their decision not to attack them? 01:26 Yes, he did, as events recorded 01:29 in Joshua chapter 10 go on to prove. 01:32 And we’ll come back to that in a few minutes. 01:35 In another example, Mordecai urged Esther 01:38 to go in before King Ahasuerus 01:41 and plead for his favor on behalf of the Jews. 01:44 Now, Esther knew that going in unannounced 01:47 could mean her life. 01:49 Mordecai, however, reasoned with her about the matter 01:52 and the importance of doing so, 01:55 and Esther gave him her word that she would go in. 01:59 Please notice what she says 02:01 in Esther 4:16, 02:05 in the final part of that verse. 02:07 She’s really giving her word. 02:09 She says: “I will go in to the king, 02:12 “which is against the law, 02:14 and if I am to perish, I will perish.” 02:19 Well, we know how it turned out for Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews. 02:23 Esther kept her word, 02:25 and they were all blessed for it, weren’t they? 02:28 Why did such ones live up to their word? 02:31 Because, among other things, they had qualities, 02:33 such as faith, loyalty, and love for Jehovah and for others. 02:38 The chieftains of Israel had faith and viewed Jehovah as real 02:43 and were aware of their promise to the Gibeonites. 02:47 Out of faith and loyalty, they would not go back on their word. 02:52 Also, Esther was moved by love to see the greater good 02:56 and to put her own life at risk in order to help her people. 03:01 Now, going back to our second question, 03:03 What is in store for those who keep their promises 03:06 even when it is bad for them? 03:09 Let’s look at the principle found at Mark 4:24. 03:15 Now, here Jesus said in part: 03:21 “With the measure that you are measuring out, 03:23 “you will have it measured out to you, 03:26 yes, you will have more added to you.” 03:30 Well, what is the principle here? 03:33 As the context shows, 03:35 Jesus was speaking about a person 03:38 receiving information and enlightenment 03:42 by paying attention to his words. 03:45 But this thought of having “more added” 03:48 can be seen in many ways. 03:50 For example, when we’re loyal to Jehovah, 03:54 he often blesses us with more than we might expect. 03:58 At times, even a surprise. 04:00 Psalm 84:11 says of him: 04:03 “Jehovah will not hold back anything good 04:07 from those walking in integrity.” 04:10 Now, going back to what happened with Israel and the Gibeonites, 04:14 we read in Joshua chapter 8 04:16 that in an earlier battle against Ai, 04:20 Jehovah helped Israel with a strategy that led to victory. 04:24 But the account does not say 04:26 that He performed astounding miracles in doing so. 04:30 On the other hand, in Joshua chapter 10, 04:34 we find something more. 04:37 After the Gibeonites tricked the chieftains of Israel 04:40 into making that covenant of peace with them, 04:43 the Gibeonites were threatened by an alliance of five kings of the Amorites. 04:48 What would the Israelites do? 04:50 Well, as we know, they kept their promise 04:53 and went out to defend the Gibeonites. 04:56 In verse 7 of chapter 10, 04:59 we read that Joshua and all his fighting men went out to do this, 05:04 and as they kept their word, Jehovah blessed them. 05:08 In verse 8, he said to them: “Do not be afraid . . . 05:11 Not one of them will be able to stand against you.” 05:16 Well, Jehovah was pleased with their decision, wasn’t he? 05:19 He showed his approval in a marvelous way. 05:22 Giant hailstones dropped down on their enemies, 05:26 and even the sun remained motionless in the sky 05:30 for about a whole day. 05:32 Chapter 10 and verse 14 says: 05:35 “There has never been a day like that one, 05:38 “either before it or after it, 05:40 “when Jehovah listened to the voice of a man, 05:43 for Jehovah was fighting for Israel.” 05:47 Yes, Jehovah really loved the Israelites, 05:49 didn’t he —for keeping their promise? 05:51 And when the Israelites went to war for Gibeon, He supported them. 05:55 Or as they say, “He poured it on.” 05:58 Have you ever sensed Jehovah doing that for you 06:01 when you stick to a difficult task, to a promise? 06:05 Isn’t it true that when we do so, 06:07 we often look back and see blessings that we never anticipated? 06:12 Among other things, we might be surprised 06:14 at how our faith has grown, 06:16 how our love has deepened, 06:19 and how things that we may have once viewed as overwhelming 06:24 are now manageable. 06:26 One Bethelite who endured in his assignment 06:29 in spite of the loss of his mother said this 06:32 —he also included some mistreatment by others— 06:35 he said: “Sometimes we go through something 06:38 “we’ve never experienced before, 06:40 “and we may not understand why Jehovah 06:42 “does not do a specific thing we request. 06:45 “But when we endure, we see, 06:48 “one, his greater comprehension of the overall situation 06:53 “and, two, his desire for us to rely on him 06:57 “and know that he’s there for us, 06:59 “and that we’ve not lost his favor 07:02 “when we experience a difficult time in our life. 07:05 “As Jehovah helps us, 07:07 “we have to do as Genesis 24:21 says 07:10 and ‘stare in amazement’ as he answers our prayers.” 07:16 Well, that’s a beautiful thought. 07:18 And so the blessings may take a while, 07:20 but we can trust that Jehovah will be there to help us 07:24 at the right time. 07:26 That happened with Job. 07:28 He once said: “Until I die, I will not renounce my integrity!” 07:33 And he lived up to those words, didn’t he? 07:35 So much so that after enduring great sorrow and suffering 07:39 he was able to say: 07:41 “My ears have heard about you, 07:43 but now I do see you with my eyes.” 07:47 Yes, Job’s faith grew. 07:49 And, as we know, Jehovah eventually restored Job’s health, 07:53 doubled his wealth, and blessed him with a beautiful family. 07:58 We benefit from such Bible accounts. 08:01 Like Jehovah’s servants in the past, 08:04 we may suffer from persecution, 08:06 injustice, disasters, grief, 08:10 disappointments, or serious illness. 08:13 In addition, we may have to work hard 08:16 to fulfill our promise to be a good husband, wife, 08:20 or a friend in time of need. 08:22 The list is long. 08:24 And despite the difficulties or even the pain at times, we can do it. 08:29 We can imitate the faith of past and present examples 08:33 and live up to our promises 08:36 —including, of course, our dedication vow to Jehovah. 08:41 Since Jehovah often does more for us than we might expect, 08:45 we’re confident that what he holds out for our future 08:50 is greater than we can now imagine. 08:52 As Psalm 31:19 says of Jehovah: 08:56 “How abundant your goodness is! 08:59 You have stored it up for those who fear you.”
00:00 “He does not go back on his promise.” 00:03 Now, those words say a lot 00:05 about a person, don’t they? 00:06 What Bible examples are there of those 00:09 who please Jehovah by keeping their promise? 00:12 And what is in store for those who do so, 00:14 even when it is bad for them? 00:18 Well, we know Jesus, of course, is the foremost example 00:21 of one who kept his promise to do Jehovah’s will. 00:24 But imperfect people too 00:26 have displayed loyalty by keeping their promises. 00:30 For instance, in Joshua chapter 9, 00:34 we read that the Gibeonites tricked the chieftains of Israel 00:38 into concluding a covenant of peace with them. 00:42 Unwittingly, the Israelites promised not to destroy Gibeon. 00:47 What makes this of special interest 00:49 is that those disguised men were part of the Hivite nation, 00:54 which was considered to be a threat to Israel. 00:57 At Joshua 10:2, 00:59 it says that ‘all of Gibeon’s men were warriors.’ 01:05 What happened when Israel learned the truth? 01:08 Joshua 9:18 tells us: 01:11 “The Israelites did not attack them, 01:14 “because the chieftains of the assembly 01:16 “had sworn an oath to them 01:19 by Jehovah the God of Israel.” 01:22 Did Jehovah approve of their decision not to attack them? 01:26 Yes, he did, as events recorded 01:29 in Joshua chapter 10 go on to prove. 01:32 And we’ll come back to that in a few minutes. 01:35 In another example, Mordecai urged Esther 01:38 to go in before King Ahasuerus 01:41 and plead for his favor on behalf of the Jews. 01:44 Now, Esther knew that going in unannounced 01:47 could mean her life. 01:49 Mordecai, however, reasoned with her about the matter 01:52 and the importance of doing so, 01:55 and Esther gave him her word that she would go in. 01:59 Please notice what she says 02:01 in Esther 4:16, 02:05 in the final part of that verse. 02:07 She’s really giving her word. 02:09 She says: “I will go in to the king, 02:12 “which is against the law, 02:14 and if I am to perish, I will perish.” 02:19 Well, we know how it turned out for Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews. 02:23 Esther kept her word, 02:25 and they were all blessed for it, weren’t they? 02:28 Why did such ones live up to their word? 02:31 Because, among other things, they had qualities, 02:33 such as faith, loyalty, and love for Jehovah and for others. 02:38 The chieftains of Israel had faith and viewed Jehovah as real 02:43 and were aware of their promise to the Gibeonites. 02:47 Out of faith and loyalty, they would not go back on their word. 02:52 Also, Esther was moved by love to see the greater good 02:56 and to put her own life at risk in order to help her people. 03:01 Now, going back to our second question, 03:03 What is in store for those who keep their promises 03:06 even when it is bad for them? 03:09 Let’s look at the principle found at Mark 4:24. 03:15 Now, here Jesus said in part: 03:21 “With the measure that you are measuring out, 03:23 “you will have it measured out to you, 03:26 yes, you will have more added to you.” 03:30 Well, what is the principle here? 03:33 As the context shows, 03:35 Jesus was speaking about a person 03:38 receiving information and enlightenment 03:42 by paying attention to his words. 03:45 But this thought of having “more added” 03:48 can be seen in many ways. 03:50 For example, when we’re loyal to Jehovah, 03:54 he often blesses us with more than we might expect. 03:58 At times, even a surprise. 04:00 Psalm 84:11 says of him: 04:03 “Jehovah will not hold back anything good 04:07 from those walking in integrity.” 04:10 Now, going back to what happened with Israel and the Gibeonites, 04:14 we read in Joshua chapter 8 04:16 that in an earlier battle against Ai, 04:20 Jehovah helped Israel with a strategy that led to victory. 04:24 But the account does not say 04:26 that He performed astounding miracles in doing so. 04:30 On the other hand, in Joshua chapter 10, 04:34 we find something more. 04:37 After the Gibeonites tricked the chieftains of Israel 04:40 into making that covenant of peace with them, 04:43 the Gibeonites were threatened by an alliance of five kings of the Amorites. 04:48 What would the Israelites do? 04:50 Well, as we know, they kept their promise 04:53 and went out to defend the Gibeonites. 04:56 In verse 7 of chapter 10, 04:59 we read that Joshua and all his fighting men went out to do this, 05:04 and as they kept their word, Jehovah blessed them. 05:08 In verse 8, he said to them: “Do not be afraid . . . 05:11 Not one of them will be able to stand against you.” 05:16 Well, Jehovah was pleased with their decision, wasn’t he? 05:19 He showed his approval in a marvelous way. 05:22 Giant hailstones dropped down on their enemies, 05:26 and even the sun remained motionless in the sky 05:30 for about a whole day. 05:32 Chapter 10 and verse 14 says: 05:35 “There has never been a day like that one, 05:38 “either before it or after it, 05:40 “when Jehovah listened to the voice of a man, 05:43 for Jehovah was fighting for Israel.” 05:47 Yes, Jehovah really loved the Israelites, 05:49 didn’t he —for keeping their promise? 05:51 And when the Israelites went to war for Gibeon, He supported them. 05:55 Or as they say, “He poured it on.” 05:58 Have you ever sensed Jehovah doing that for you 06:01 when you stick to a difficult task, to a promise? 06:05 Isn’t it true that when we do so, 06:07 we often look back and see blessings that we never anticipated? 06:12 Among other things, we might be surprised 06:14 at how our faith has grown, 06:16 how our love has deepened, 06:19 and how things that we may have once viewed as overwhelming 06:24 are now manageable. 06:26 One Bethelite who endured in his assignment 06:29 in spite of the loss of his mother said this 06:32 —he also included some mistreatment by others— 06:35 he said: “Sometimes we go through something 06:38 “we’ve never experienced before, 06:40 “and we may not understand why Jehovah 06:42 “does not do a specific thing we request. 06:45 “But when we endure, we see, 06:48 “one, his greater comprehension of the overall situation 06:53 “and, two, his desire for us to rely on him 06:57 “and know that he’s there for us, 06:59 “and that we’ve not lost his favor 07:02 “when we experience a difficult time in our life. 07:05 “As Jehovah helps us, 07:07 “we have to do as Genesis 24:21 says 07:10 and ‘stare in amazement’ as he answers our prayers.” 07:16 Well, that’s a beautiful thought. 07:18 And so the blessings may take a while, 07:20 but we can trust that Jehovah will be there to help us 07:24 at the right time. 07:26 That happened with Job. 07:28 He once said: “Until I die, I will not renounce my integrity!” 07:33 And he lived up to those words, didn’t he? 07:35 So much so that after enduring great sorrow and suffering 07:39 he was able to say: 07:41 “My ears have heard about you, 07:43 but now I do see you with my eyes.” 07:47 Yes, Job’s faith grew. 07:49 And, as we know, Jehovah eventually restored Job’s health, 07:53 doubled his wealth, and blessed him with a beautiful family. 07:58 We benefit from such Bible accounts. 08:01 Like Jehovah’s servants in the past, 08:04 we may suffer from persecution, 08:06 injustice, disasters, grief, 08:10 disappointments, or serious illness. 08:13 In addition, we may have to work hard 08:16 to fulfill our promise to be a good husband, wife, 08:20 or a friend in time of need. 08:22 The list is long. 08:24 And despite the difficulties or even the pain at times, we can do it. 08:29 We can imitate the faith of past and present examples 08:33 and live up to our promises 08:36 —including, of course, our dedication vow to Jehovah. 08:41 Since Jehovah often does more for us than we might expect, 08:45 we’re confident that what he holds out for our future 08:50 is greater than we can now imagine. 08:52 As Psalm 31:19 says of Jehovah: 08:56 “How abundant your goodness is! 08:59 You have stored it up for those who fear you.”
