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JOB
Sept 14, 2023 0:37:05 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Sept 14, 2023 0:37:05 GMT -5
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JOB
Sept 14, 2023 0:37:37 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Sept 14, 2023 0:37:37 GMT -5
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JOB
Sept 14, 2023 0:44:30 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Sept 14, 2023 0:44:30 GMT -5
02-08 OCT MW 1. How does this verse help us understand Jesus’ words as recorded at Matthew 27:46? ( Job 1:10) "Shortly before his death, Jesus called out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46 ) The Bible does not explain why Jesus said this. Consider, though, what those words tell us. For one thing, by saying these words, Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy found at Psalm 22:1 Furthermore, the words made it clear that Jehovah was not keeping “a protective hedge around” his Son. (Job 1:10) Jesus understood that his Father had released him fully into the hands of his enemies so that he could be tested to the limit—as no human has ever been tested. In addition, these words confirmed that he was innocent of any crime deserving of death." [w21.04 11 par 9] " 09-15 OCT MW 2. What good example did Job set for Christians today? ( Job 4:4) "Being part of the worldwide organization of true worshipers can have a powerful stabilizing effect on us. What a blessing it is to be associated with such a loving, global brotherhood! (1 Peter 2:17) And we can have a stabilizing effect on our fellow believers.
Consider the helpful actions of the upright man Job. Even the false comforter Eliphaz was forced to admit: “Anyone stumbling, your words would raise up; and knees giving way you would make firm.” (Job 4:4) How are we doing in this respect? We individually have the responsibility to help our spiritual brothers and sisters to endure in God’s service. In our dealings with them, we can act in the spirit of the words: “Strengthen the weak hands, you people, and make the knees that are wobbling firm.” (Isaiah 35:3) So why not make it your aim to strengthen and encourage one or two fellow Christians every time you meet with them? (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Heartening words of commendation and gratitude for their continued efforts to please Jehovah can really help them to remain steadfast with a view to winning the race for life." [w03 5/15 22 par 5-6] 16-22 OCT MW 3. What can help us to avoid misjudging our brothers? ( Job 6:29) "We can imitate Jehovah by trying to understand one another. Get to know your brothers and sisters better. Talk with them before and after meetings, work with them in the ministry, and if possible, invite them for a meal. When you do, you may learn that a sister who seems unfriendly is actually shy, a brother whom you thought to be materialistic is hospitable, or a family that often comes late to the meetings is enduring opposition. (Job 6:29) Of course, we should not become “meddlers in other people’s affairs.” (1 Tim. 5:13) However, it is good to know something about our brothers and sisters and the circumstances that have shaped their personality." [w20.04 16 par 10] 23-29 OCT MW 4. What should we do if we come across a Bible passage that we do not understand? ( Job 9:32) "What have we learned about “the mind of Jehovah”? We need to allow God’s Word to mold our understanding of Jehovah’s mind. We should never impose our limitations on Jehovah and judge him by our standards and thinking. Job stated: “[God] is not a man like me that I should answer him, that we should come together in judgment.” (Job 9:32) Like Job, when we start to understand the mind of Jehovah, we cannot help but exclaim: “Look! These are the fringes of his ways, and what a whisper of a matter has been heard of him! But of his mighty thunder who can show an understanding?”—Job 26:14.
20. What should we do if we come across a passage of Scripture that is difficult for us to understand?
20 As we read the Scriptures, what should we do if we come across a passage that is difficult to understand, especially with regard to Jehovah’s thinking? If after researching the matter we still do not have a clear answer, we can view this as a test of our trust in Jehovah. Remember, at times certain statements allow us an opportunity to express our faith in Jehovah’s qualities. Let us humbly acknowledge that we do not understand everything that he does. (1 Eccl. 11:5) ) We will thus be prompted to agree with these words of the apostle Paul: “O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are! For ‘who has come to know Jehovah’s mind, or who has become his counselor?’ Or, ‘Who has first given to him, so that it must be repaid to him?’ Because from him and by him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.”—Rom. 11:33-36." [w10 10/15 6-7 par 19-20]
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JOB
Nov 1, 2023 9:52:07 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Nov 1, 2023 9:52:07 GMT -5
30-05 NOV MW 5. Job 12:11 - How can the principle found in this verse help us improve our listening skills? ( Job 12:11) "‘Do I discern the message behind the words?’ Job 12:11 says: “Does not the ear itself test out words as the palate tastes food?” Now more than ever, you need to “test out” what your son or daughter says. Adolescents often speak in absolutes. For example, your son or daughter might say, “You always treat me like a child!” or “You never listen to me!” Rather than picking on the technical inaccuracies of “always” and “never,” recognize that your child is probably not speaking in literal terms. For instance, “You always treat me like a child” could mean “I feel that you don’t trust me,” and “You never listen to me” might mean “I want to tell you how I really feel.” Try to discern the message behind the words." [w08 8/1 11 par 5] 06-12 NOV MW 6. Why did Job liken the sayings of his false comforters to “proverbs of ashes”? ( Job 13:12) "Ashes also served as a figure of what was insignificant or valueless, Abraham acknowledging before Jehovah, for instance, “I am dust and ashes.” (Ge 18:27; see also Isa 44:20; Job 30:19.) And Job likened the sayings of his false comforters to “proverbs of ashes.”—Job 13:12." [it-1 191] 13-19 NOV MW 7. Does Job’s statement indicate that he did not believe in the resurrection? ( Job 16:22) "7:9, 10; 10:21; 16:22—Do these statements indicate that Job did not believe in the resurrection? These are comments about Job’s immediate future. What, then, did he mean? One possibility is that if he should die, none of his contemporaries would see him. From their standpoint, he would neither return to his house nor get further acknowledgment until God’s appointed time. Job might also have meant that no one can come back from Sheol on his own. That Job hoped in a future resurrection is clear from Job 14:13-15" [w06 3/15 14 par 11] 20-26 NOV MW 8. What lesson can we learn from Job’s reaction to the uncompassionate words of his “friends”? ( Job 19:1, 2) "However, when Job himself needed encouragement, Eliphaz and his companions did not utter kind words. They blamed Job for his adversity, implying that he must have had some secret fault. (Job 4:8) The Interpreter’s Bible comments: “What Job needs is the compassion of a human heart. What he gets is a series of absolutely ‘true’ and absolutely beautiful religious clichés and moral platitudes.” So distraught was Job at hearing the speech of Eliphaz and his companions that he was compelled to cry out: “How long will you men keep irritating my soul and keep crushing me with words?”—Job 19:2.
Never should we cause a fellow servant of God to cry out in distress because of our thoughtless, unkind words. (Compare Deuteronomy 24:15) A Bible proverb warns: “What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words.”—Proverbs 18:21, TEV."—Job 13:12." [w94 10/1 32]
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JOB
Nov 26, 2023 3:37:12 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Nov 26, 2023 3:37:12 GMT -5
27-03 DEC MW 8. How can the elders help those contending with “troubling thoughts”? ( Job 20:2) "It is of interest that God’s servant Job had to contend with “disquieting thoughts” that Satan conveyed through Eliphaz and Zophar. (Job 4:13-18; 20:2, 3) Job thus suffered “vexation,” resulting in his indulging in “wild talk” about the “terrors” afflicting his mind. (Job 6:2-4; 30:15, 16) Elihu listened quietly to Job and sincerely helped him see Jehovah’s all-wise view of matters. Likewise today, understanding elders show that they care for afflicted ones by not adding more “pressure” to such ones. Rather, like Elihu, they patiently listen to them and then apply the soothing oil of God’s Word. (Job 33:1-3, 7; James 5:13-15 ) Thus anyone whose emotions are disturbed by traumas, real or fancied, or who is “terrified . . . with dreams, and by visions” as Job was, may find soothing Scriptural comfort within the congregation.—Job 7:14; James 4:7."—Job 13:12." [w95 1/1 9 par 19] 04-10 DEC MW 9. How can Jehovah’s example help us to reach spiritual goals? ( Job 23:13) "Consider how Jehovah accomplished the creation of the universe. With the words “there came to be evening and there came to be morning,” Jehovah marked off the successive periods of creation. (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31) At the beginning of each creative time period, he well knew his goal, or objective, for that day. And God carried out his purpose to create things. (Revelation 4:11) “[Jehovah’s] own soul has a desire, and he will do it,” said the patriarch Job. (Job 23:13) How satisfying it must have been for Jehovah to see “everything he had made” and declare it “very good”!—Genesis 1:31.
For our goals to become a reality, we too must have a strong desire to achieve them. What will help us develop such an intense desire? Even while the earth was formless and waste, Jehovah could foresee the end result—a beautiful jewel in space, bringing him glory and honor. Similarly, our desire to accomplish what we set out to do can be cultivated by meditating on the results and benefits of achieving the goal. That was the experience of 19-year-old Tony. He never forgot his first impression of a visit to a branch office of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Western Europe. From then on, the question that occupied Tony’s mind was, ‘What would it be like to live and serve in a place like that?’ Tony never stopped thinking about the possibility, and he continued to reach out for it. How happy he was when several years later his application to serve at the branch was approved!"—Job 13:12." [w04 7/15 21-22] 11-17 DEC MW 10. What does the little we know about creation move us to acknowledge about Jehovah? ( Job 26:14) "Creation proves that God is the incomparable Organizer. “Jehovah founded the earth in wisdom,” says the Bible. “He solidly established the heavens in discernment.” (Prov. 3:19) We know only “the fringes of [God’s] ways,” and “only a faint whisper has been heard of him.” (Job 26:14) Yet, the little we know about planets, stars, and galaxies moves us to acknowledge that these celestial bodies are superbly organized. (Ps. 8:3, 4) Galaxies consist of millions of stars, all moving in space in an orderly way. Why, planets in our solar system travel in orbits around the sun as though they were humbly obeying traffic laws! Surely the mind-boggling order evident in the universe helps us to see that Jehovah, who “skillfully made the heavens” and the earth, deserves our praise, loyalty, and worship.—Ps. 136:1, 5-9."—Job 13:12." [w16.11 9 par 3] 18-24 DEC MW 11. What can we learn from Job’s example? ( Job 29:24) "Does smiling really make a difference? Well, do you remember when someone’s smile brought you a sense of relief or made you feel relaxed? Or when the absence of a smile made you feel nervous or even rejected? Yes, a smile does make a difference. It affects both the one who is smiling and the one smiled at. The Bible character Job said of his adversaries: “I would smile at them—they would not believe it—and the light of my face they would not cast down.” (Job 29:24) “The light” of Job’s face may have denoted his brightness or cheerfulness" [g00 7/8 11 par 3]
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JOB
Dec 29, 2023 2:58:16 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Dec 29, 2023 2:58:16 GMT -5
25-31 DEC MW 12. How can we avoid being like Job’s companions when someone expresses his concerns to us? ( Job 31:35) "Companions of the man Job heard no fewer than ten of his discourses. Still, Job exclaimed: “O that I had someone listening to me!” (Job 31:35) Why? Because their listening provided no comfort. They neither cared about Job nor wanted to understand his feelings. They surely did not have fellow feeling as sympathetic listeners. But the apostle Peter counsels: “All of you be like-minded, showing fellow feeling, having brotherly affection, tenderly compassionate, humble in mind.” (1 Peter 3:8) How can we show fellow feeling? One way is by showing concern for the other person’s feelings and trying to understand them. Making such sympathetic comments as “that must have been upsetting” or “you must have felt misunderstood” is one way to show that we are concerned. Another way is to put what the person is saying in our own words, thus showing that we understood what he said. Listening with love means paying attention not only to the words but also to the emotions subtly expressed." [w05 11/15 11 par 3] 01-07 JAN MW 13. How does this verse help us to have a balanced view of our appearance as we age ? ( Job 33:25) "Similarly, it is appropriate to be concerned about our appearance. But we need not try too hard to erase all signs of aging. Those signs can be evidence of maturity, dignity, and inner beauty. For example, the Bible says: “Gray-headedness is a crown of beauty when it is found in the way of righteousness.” (Prov. 16:31) That is how Jehovah views us, and we should try to view ourselves as he does. (Read 1 Peter 3:3, 4) Is it wise, therefore, to risk unnecessary and potentially dangerous surgical procedures or medical treatments merely to make oneself more physically attractive? “The joy of Jehovah” is a source of true beauty that radiates from the inside, regardless of age or health. (Neh. 8:10) Only in the new world will we be completely healthy and regain youthful beauty. (Job 33:25; Isa. 33:24) Until then, showing practical wisdom and faith will help us to stay close to Jehovah while we make the best of our present circumstances.—1 Tim. 4:8." [w13 1/15 19 par 10] 08-14 JAN MW 13. What did Elihu mean when he asked Job: “What does [God] receive from you?” ? ( Job 35:7) "Elihu was not corrected by Jehovah for asking: “If you are righteous, what do you give him [God]; what does he receive from you?” (Job 35:7) Was Elihu suggesting that our efforts in God’s service are pointless? No. He was saying that Jehovah does not depend on our worship. Jehovah is complete. We cannot make him richer or stronger. On the contrary, any goodness, talent, or strength that we possess is a trust from God, and he takes note of how we use it." [w17.04 29 par 3] 15-21 JAN MW 13. How was news and information often communicated in Bible lands ? ( Job 37:20) "Information and ideas were transmitted from person to person in a variety of ways in Bible lands of antiquity. To a great extent, ordinary local and foreign news was communicated by word of mouth. (2Sa 3:17, 19;Job 37:20) Travelers, who often journeyed with caravans, related news from distant places when they stopped for food, water, and other provisions at cities or points along the caravan routes. In its unique position with relation to Asia, Africa, and Europe, the land of Palestine was traversed by caravans traveling to and from distant points. So its residents could readily acquire information regarding significant events in foreign lands. News, both national and foreign, could often be obtained in the city marketplace" [it-1 492] 22-28 JAN MW 14. What do these verses teach us about Jehovah as a Lawgiver ? ( Job 38:8-10) "Jehovah as the Lawgiver. Jehovah is actually the one true Lawgiver in the universe. Attributable to him are the physical laws governing inanimate creation (Job 38:4-38; Ps 104:5-19), and animal life. (Job 39:1-30) Man also, as a creation of Jehovah, is subject to Jehovah’s physical laws, and since he is a moral, rational creature, capable of reasoning and of spirituality, he is equally subject to God’s moral laws. (Ro 12:1; 1Co 2:14-16) Furthermore, Jehovah’s law governs spirit creatures, angels.—Ps 103:20; 2Pe 2:4, 11.
Jehovah’s physical laws are unbreakable. (Jer 33:20, 21) Throughout the known visible universe his laws are so stable and reliable that, in areas where scientists have knowledge of these laws, they can calculate the movements of the moon, planets, and other celestial bodies with split-second accuracy. One who goes contrary to the physical laws experiences immediate application of their sanctions. Likewise, the moral laws of God are irrevocable and cannot be circumvented or violated with impunity. They are as sure of enforcement as are His natural laws, though the punishment may not be as immediately enforced. “God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap.”—Ga 6:7; 1Ti 5:24." [it-2 222] 29-04 FEV MW 15. Whom were Job’s three companions actually speaking against, and how can knowing this help us to endure ridicule? ( Job 42:7)
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JOB
Jan 19, 2024 9:23:54 GMT -5
Post by Admin on Jan 19, 2024 9:23:54 GMT -5
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