when we must be on guard to keep humble is when we are given a position of responsibility. We do not want to be like rejected King Saul, who started out humbly but then took himself too seriously, acting disobediently and presumptuously and so losing out on everything. As Samuel had to tell him: “Was it not on the condition that you were little in your own eyes that you were head of the tribes of Israel and Jehovah proceeded to anoint you as king over Israel? . . . Does Jehovah have as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Look! . . . rebelliousness is the same as the sin of divination, and pushing ahead presumptuously the same as using uncanny power and teraphim.” Only by continuing to remain little in our own eyes can we hope to continue to enjoy the added privileges that have come our way.—1 Sam. 15:17, 22, 23.

AIDS TO BEING HUMBLE

What aids has God provided to help us to ‘be humble in walking with our God’? Certainly, foremost among these is God’s Word, the Bible. Thus the king of Israel had to make his own copy of the Law and read in it all the days of his life, in order to fear Jehovah his God so as to keep all the words of this law and these regulations by doing them, that his heart might not exalt itself above his brothers.’—Deut. 17:18-20.

God’s holy spirit is one of love and power and soundness of mind. It therefore will also aid us to be humble, to avoid resentment when disciplined and to keep from becoming puffed up when honored with added privileges of service. Certainly the fear of Jehovah will help us to keep humble by making us ever aware of our relationship with Jehovah, our accountability to as well as our dependence upon him. And in particular will prayer be a help to our being humble. In prayer we beg of God mercy, forgiveness, wisdom, his holy spirit, strength, prosperity upon our efforts, and suchlike. Appreciating our unworthiness and our needs, our prayers to God will keep us from being proud.

So let all take to heart the counsel to “be humble in walking with your God.” It will mean many blessings both now and in the new world, for “the result of humility and the fear of Jehovah is riches and glory and life.”—Prov. 22:4.

Questions From Readers

● If my brother in the flesh, who is disfellowshiped, and his family come to visit me from out of town, may I invite them in and even permit them to stay overnight if need be?—E. T., United States.

The disfellowshiping of a member of one’s relationship does not cancel the natural flesh-and-blood relationship. For example, disfellowshiping of itself would not break the marital tie. Hence, if a brother in the flesh who is disfellowshiped visits with his family on the basis, not of Christian unity, but of family relationship, then one would be entitled to receive him with courtesy on that natural earthly basis, not, of course, to have spiritual association with him and treat him as a member of the congregation, but merely to discuss family relationship and other mundane matters.

One has to be reasonable in this matter, and if the relative was from a different town and could not get back home that day, but needed housing for the night, there would be nothing wrong with an extension of courtesy in letting him stay overnight, merely because this relative and those with him were close to one by flesh-and-blood ties, although not by spiritual ones.

Of course, it would not be well to encourage frequent associations merely because of having a family relationship. This would interfere with the carrying out of one’s obligations to the Lord God and might endanger one’s spiritual health and integrity. The underlying principle mentioned at Matthew 12:47-50 should be borne in mind. When someone said to Jesus: “Look! your mother and your brothers are standing outside seeking to speak to you,” he replied: “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? . . . whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

● In what form or manner did Satan come to tempt Jesus? Did he appear in the form of a man, or was it only a voice that Jesus heard? Also, how is it that Jesus would allow Satan to take him along out of the wilderness and, in fact, right through the city to and on top of the temple? Was Jesus taken bodily to the top of the temple?—D. A., Sierra Leone.

At Jude 6 we read regarding the angels that “forsook their own proper dwelling-place” that God “has reserved [them] with eternal bonds under dense darkness for the judgment of the great day.” The Watchtower, October 1, 1955, pages 594, 595, after showing that this darkness is a spiritual and not a literal one, goes on to say: “Their being ‘reserved with eternal bonds’ evidently means also that they are no more permitted to materialize in the flesh as before the Flood. This power of materialization was exercised by God’s faithful angels, including Jesus Christ, for thousands of years after the Flood, down into the day of Christ’s faithful apostles, according to God’s will and to serve his holy purposes. But the sinner angels were not allowed to use this power longer, for they would misuse it.” In view of this we must conclude that Satan the Devil also was prohibited from materializing in order to tempt Jesus.

As for Jesus’ permitting Satan to take him along to the battlement of the temple, it does not seem reasonable to place a literal construction on all that appears in the account of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. Certainly there is no mountain from which one could be shown “all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.” So too, we must reasonably conclude that Satan did not literally, bodily, physically, take Jesus “along into the holy city” and station him “upon the battlement of the temple.” Such was not at all necessary for the temptation to have force.—Matt. 4:3-10.

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

Servants of God copy His Son and their Master in the way they perform their ministry. They employ the Master’s manner of teaching. During March Jehovah’s witnesses will continue to do that as they present a year’s subscription for this journal, The Watchtower, and three booklets on a contribution of $1.

MEMORIAL

The date for celebrating the Memorial of the Lord’s evening meal in 1961 is Thursday, March 30, after 6 p.m., standard time. Each congregation should start making arrangements. A qualified speaker, one of the remnant if available and capable, should be assigned the discourse. All of Jehovah’s witnesses and persons of good will toward God will make arrangements to attend.

READ THIS. IT TAKES ONLY 30 SECONDS

Newsstands and bookstores are overflowing with printed matter. No one person could possibly read it all, yet much of it holds out some claim of value in your busy schedule. Do you choose your reading out of habit? Why not be selective? Become regular in choosing those two journals that are based on the highest authority, the Bible. Read The Watchtower and Awake! each issue. Millions do. You too can be spiritually stimulated as well as highly enlightened on world events in the light of Bible prophecy. Send only $2 for a year’s subscription to each and receive free six booklets on Bible subjects. Your time will be well spent.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

April 9: The Congregation’s Place in True Worship. Page 137.

April 16: The Congregation in the Time of the End. Page 143.