house of Eli: “Those honoring me I shall honor, and those despising me will be of little account.” (1 Sam. 2:30, NW) But King Saul was disobedient to instructions and failed to keep integrity, turning instead to demonism. He lost his kingdom and his life. One of the original twelve apostles of Jesus forsook all to follow the Master. But though Judas Iscariot had many privileges, he let Satan enter his heart, surrendered to wickedness and became a traitor. For failure to keep integrity he lost his joy and took his own life.

²⁴ “Upright men are guided by their honesty; but faithless men are ruined by their crookedness.” (Prov. 11:3, AT) In view of this, consider: Is Jehovah’s judgment for integrity-keeping worth while? All breakers of integrity have come to a sad end. You would not want to be judged as having followed their steps, would you? Contrast, then, the mentioned examples of integrity-keepers with these examples of integrity-breakers. Abel, who died for the cause of pure worship, will be resurrected; but Satan, who originated false worship, will be destroyed. Enoch by faith walked with God; but Adam, who heard God’s voice, deserted Jehovah’s way. Abraham was obedient under a great test; but King Saul was disobedient even in a little thing. Sarah exercised conquering faith, but Eve manifested none whatever. Job held to his integrity despite the loss of all things, but Judas discarded integrity for selfish gain. Moses rejected the lusts of Egypt and served amid hardships; but the rebellious spirit “sons of God” yielded to unnatural desires and forsook their heavenly assignment. Let none of us become blameworthy by Jehovah as breakers of integrity and reap his death penalty for covenant-breakers. Rather let us hold dear the glorious treasure of service, ever keeping in mind that Jehovah judges, as David said, “according to my righteousness, and to mine integrity that is in me.”—Ps. 7:8, AS.

Maintaining Integrity

“Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? and who shall stand in his holy place?”—Ps. 24:3, AS.

1, 2. (a) Why has Jehovah long tolerated evildoers? (b) How is vindication of Jehovah linked with his witnesses’ maintaining integrity today?

JEHOVAH could have destroyed his enemies, including the entire human race, long before this time for their lack of integrity and their opposition to him. History’s pages tell of uncounted bloody deeds, with but few outstanding individuals marked therein as those of whom the world was not worthy. Only through Jehovah’s great mercy and forbearance has the human race been permitted to live. This period of tolerance of evildoers has provided ample time for testing human integrity and for the gathering of the little flock of those who are not of the world as well as thousands of the great crowd of “other sheep.” Jehovah’s purpose is to give a mighty witness to his name before the