it and looked forward to it, and so do multitudes of persons today. And Jehovah has not let one faithful person down. He has not changed this great purpose of his to have the universe ruled by the righteous kingdom, but has steadily through thousands of years worked out the details for such an arrangement. Thus persons have been able to worship God and know what to look forward to and have not had to be disappointed and change their hopes. God’s Word has been a ‘lamp unto their feet, and a light unto their path.’ (Ps. 119:105) Walking in the way Jehovah directs, they have found their feet on a steady and even place.

28. What kind of path do those not trusting in Jehovah have to walk in?

²⁸ In contrast with this, those persons who have not looked to Jehovah for counsel but have looked to great ones in this old world’s systems have constantly been disappointed and have had their hopes fail them as one scheme after another, one agreement after another, one king after another, has failed to bring them real satisfaction and has always left them with plenty of troubles and problems, many seeming to be unsolvable. Their feet are on a path that is full of pitfalls, a very uneven path with no sure goal in view.

29. What can one say about a place in Jehovah’s congregations?

²⁹ It should be clear, then, that it is not those things that are great and popular in the sight of this old world that are best for man, but it is the arrangement that Jehovah has made that is best. As humble as a place in the congregations of Jehovah’s people may seem to be, it is the place of real safety and value. It is the place that a Christian should seek out, get into it and then keep his place there. This he will do if he has the psalmist’s appreciation: “Jehovah, I love the habitation of thy house, and the place where thy glory dwelleth. Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with men of blood; in whose hands is wickedness, and their right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me. My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless Jehovah.”—Ps. 26:8-12, AS.

Questions From Readers

Jehovah told Balaam to go to Balak, but when he started to go Jehovah was angry with Balaam because he was going. Why?—G. S., England.

Balak king of Moab sent messengers to the prophet Balaam in the land now Iraq. The messengers brought payments to the prophet to hire him to curse Israel. Balaam wanted the rewards, but he had some relations with Jehovah the God of Israel and he wanted Jehovah’s permission to go curse Israel. However, Jehovah told the prophet: “You must not go with them. You must not curse the people, for they are blessed.” So Balaam refused to return with the older men from Moab and Midian. Balak sent more men to Balaam with an entreaty to the prophet to come curse Israel and gain great honor and riches. This time Jehovah said to Balaam: “Get up, go with them. But only the word that I shall speak to you is what you may speak.” Yet immediately after this the record states: “And the anger of God began to blaze because he was going.” Jehovah’s angel blocked the way and the ass on which Balaam rode halted and finally spoke miraculously, and then Balaam saw the angel also. Frightened and ready to turn back, Balaam said: “Let me go my way back.” But Jehovah’s angel said: “Go with the men, and nothing but the word that I shall speak to you is what you may speak.”