Is There a Reliable Guide to a Secure Future?

As discussed in the preceding articles, people have tried to find a better future by putting their trust in such things as fate, education, wealth, and being a good person. Taking these approaches, however, is like using a faulty map to get to a destination. Does that mean there is no reliable guide for the future? No!

GUIDANCE FROM A SUPERIOR SOURCE

When making decisions, we usually consult someone who is older and wiser than we are. In a similar way, we can find sound guidance for our future from a Source who is far older and wiser than we are. The counsel from this One has come to us in a collection of sacred writings that began to be produced about 3,500 years ago. This collection of holy writings is a book called the Bible.

Why can you trust the Bible? Because its Author is the oldest and wisest Person in the universe. He is described as “the Ancient of Days” who is “from everlasting to everlasting.” (Daniel 7:9; Psalm 90:2) He is “the Creator of the heavens, the true God, the One who formed the earth.” (Isaiah 45:18) He identifies himself by his personal name, Jehovah.—Psalm 83:18.

Because the Bible is from the Creator of all mankind, it does not favor one culture or race over another. Its counsel is timeless and has benefited people in all lands. It is available in more languages and has been more widely distributed than any other book.a This means that people everywhere can easily understand it and be guided by it. These facts support the Bible’s own statement:

“God is not partial, but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”—ACTS 10:34, 35.

Just as a caring parent provides guidance for his children, Jehovah God is a loving Father who offers us help through his Word, the Bible. (2 Timothy 3:16) You can trust his Word; after all, he made us and knows what course of life is best for us.

GUIDANCE THAT IS RELIABLE

We can trust that the Bible is a reliable guide for the future because some 2,000 years ago, it accurately foretold world events and people’s behavior that we see today.

EVENTS

“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another food shortages and pestilences.”—LUKE 21:10, 11.

BEHAVIOR

“In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.”—2 TIMOTHY 3:1-4.

What do you conclude when you see that the Bible so long ago accurately described what is happening today? No doubt you will agree with Leung, from Hong Kong, who says: “Bible prophecies were written long ago. It is impossible for any human to have predicted these things so accurately. The Bible has to be inspired by someone far superior to us.”

The Bible contains hundreds of prophecies that have been fulfilled.b These prove that the Bible really is God’s Word. “I am God, and there is no one like me,” says Jehovah. “From the beginning I foretell the outcome.” (Isaiah 46:9, 10) With good reason, therefore, you can rely on what the Bible says about the future.

GUIDANCE THAT BENEFITS YOU NOW AND FOREVER

When you follow the guidance found in the Holy Scriptures, you benefit yourself. Consider some examples.

BALANCED VIEW OF MONEY AND WORK

“Better is a handful of rest than two handfuls of hard work and chasing after the wind.”—ECCLESIASTES 4:6.

FAMILY LIFE

“Each one of you must love his wife as he does himself; on the other hand, the wife should have deep respect for her husband.”—EPHESIANS 5:33.

HUMAN RELATIONS

“Let go of anger and abandon rage; do not become upset and turn to doing evil.”—PSALM 37:8.

Applying what the Bible says benefits you now and also opens up to you a bright future. In the Bible, we find God’s promise of a wonderful future that includes

PEACE AND SECURITY

“They will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”—PSALM 37:11.

HOUSING AND FOOD FOR ALL

“They will build houses and live in them, and they will plant vineyards and eat their fruitage.”—ISAIAH 65:21.

NO MORE SICKNESS OR DEATH

“Death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”—REVELATION 21:4.

What do you need to do to be assured of such a future? Consider the next article.

a For details regarding the translation and distribution of the Bible, go to www.jw.org and look under BIBLE TEACHINGS > HISTORY & THE BIBLE.

b For more details, see chapter 9 of the book The Bible—God’s Word or Man’s? published by Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is available online at www.jw.org. Look under LIBRARY > BOOKS & BROCHURES.