world under the symbol “Babylon,” and says, “Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and provide escape each one for his own soul. Do not be rendered inanimate through her error. For it is the time of vengeance belonging to Jehovah. There is treatment that he is paying back to her. Babylon . . . [is] making all the earth drunk. . . . That is why the nations keep acting crazed.”—Jer. 51:6, 7.

16, 17. (a) What is involved in fleeing out of modern Babylon? (b) How does Jeremiah emphasize the need for fleeing from the “sheer falsehood” of modern religion?

¹⁶ Do you see the modern-day nations “acting crazed”? Then flee! says the prophet. But how? By separating from their noisy politics, their heartless militarism, their degraded morals and their stupefying religion. Drunk with false religion, whether this be churchianity, the exalting of military might or the worship of the Communist state, the nations have ignored God’s warning. Their saber-rattling has brought them not only to the brink of a nuclear “hot war” but more than this, to the brink of terrible and wondrous destruction by the great God, Jehovah. However, within those nations, peace-loving men of good will are awakening to the emptiness of the nationalistic gods of their forefathers. They are fleeing from support of the “sheer falsehood” of the religions of Christendom and heathendom, and dedicating themselves to Jehovah, the true God and Creator of the enduring new world of sanity and peace.

¹⁷ These are the men of good will that David foresaw at Psalm 86:9, and who are also described at Jeremiah 16:19, 20: “O Jehovah my strength and my stronghold, and my place for flight in the day of distress, to you the nations themselves will come from the ends of the earth, and they will say: ‘Indeed our forefathers came to possess sheer falsehood, vanity and things in which there was nothing beneficial.’ Can earthling man make for himself gods when they are no gods?” Jehovah’s anger will soon blaze against the false gods of the nations, and concerning this he declares: “At this one time I shall cause them to know my hand and my mightiness, and they will have to know that my name is Jehovah.”—Jer. 16:21.

18. Why will Jehovah bring the nations and their religions to ruin?

¹⁸ Is it not a terrible thing for Jehovah to wipe out the nations and their religions? It would be a terrible thing if Jehovah permitted the braggart nations to continue desecrating his handiwork, the earth, even to destroying all life with their nuclear devices. Happily, he purposes to bring them to ruin first. (Rev. 11:18) Moreover, since he purposes a clean earth and one true, clean religion for all mankind, he will also destroy all false gods and religions. (Zeph. 2:11, AS) Flee out of Babylonish religion now. Provide escape for your soul by removing all spots of false religion, and henceforth keep clean from its spots!

19. What does it mean to say, “Instruct me, O Jehovah, about your way”?

¹⁹ Do you say ‘with all your heart,’ as did David, “Instruct me, O Jehovah, about your way”? Is it your resolve that “I shall walk in your truth”? To do so means to dedicate oneself to Jehovah and to keep on continually studying and walking in his doctrine. It calls for continued progress. The religions of Christendom have bogged down in formalistic creeds for centuries. However, in Jehovah’s New World society, there is not even a momentary standing still. Said Paul: “Now that we have left the elementary doctrine about the Christ, let us press on to maturity.” (Heb. 6:1) As King David was required ‘to read in the book of God’s law all the days of his life, so as to learn to fear Jehovah his God,’ so the man of God today must study God’s Word daily, so that he “may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.”—Deut. 17:19; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.

20. (a) What mistake have some made? (b) What is necessary in order to fully walk in the truth?

²⁰ Some persons have contented themselves with a superficial knowledge of God’s purposes. They have learned something of the blessings of God’s new world, or they have formed a personal liking for the minister of Jehovah’s witnesses that calls on them. For a time they join themselves to the New World society “with flatteries.” (Dan. 11:34) They say, “I think you are wonderful people,” but go no farther. They do not study the Bible so as to discern its real meaning and power. They do not let it take root in their hearts, so that they can dedicate themselves to Jehovah and bear fruit with endurance. (Luke 8:15) How necessary, not only to learn the “first principles” of Jehovah’s teaching, but also to be “carefully examining the Scriptures daily,” by digging down into the Bible with all provided study aids! In this way one will become convinced in his faith and equipped to confidently explain all the wonderful facets of the truth to others. Make the truth your own, and walk in it.—Acts 17:11.

21. To what extent should one know the Bible?

²¹ To free heart and mind for dedicated service to the true God, one must know the Bible. In such matters as neutrality in time of peace or of war, honoring flags, patriotic ceremonies, politics, the sanctity of blood, making offerings to idols and paying homage at the tombs of one’s ancestors, each must take his personal stand according to what he has studied in God’s Word and knows to be right. He must know the principles that God sets out in His Word and be minded to please God, even at great personal sacrifice, by living according to these principles. It is not simply a matter of knowing isolated texts in the Bible that may prove one’s stand. He who ‘walks in Jehovah’s truth’ must be mature in knowing the whole grand theme of the Bible, the depth of meaning behind Jehovah’s Kingdom promises and the reality of leading a dedicated life in separateness from Satan’s world. He has to have deep discernment as to what is Jehovah’s will for all occasions, and he must do that will.—Heb. 5:14; Col. 1:9, 10.

22. (a) Illustrate how one may apply Bible principles. (b) What powerful encouragement does the Bible give to those who hold fast their integrity?

²² A family may require its children to put out food and drink before an idol each day or to make periodic pilgrimages to the ancestral tombs. May one who walks in Jehovah’s truth do these things? Probably he will recall the scripture at 2 Corinthians 6:16: “And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said: ‘I shall reside among them and walk among them, and I shall be their God, and they will be my people.’” Rejoicing in this privilege of walking with the living God, he will examine the Scriptures diligently to establish in his heart God’s principles regarding idolatry. However, if the family objects, and even becomes demanding in its opposition, what course will he then take? He will, of course, show his desire to co-operate in all the ordinary affairs of life. In love, in kindness and in pleasantness, he will be a living testimony to the change that has taken place in him since dedicating himself to the true God. However, in matters of worship his stand must be firmly with the principles that Jehovah expresses in His Word. Even if it should come to bitter persecution, he will find courage in Jesus’ words foretelling the situation: “Do not think I came to put peace upon the earth; I came to put, not peace, but a sword. For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law. Indeed, a man’s enemies will be persons of his own household.” (Matt. 10:34-36) Have courage! Though one may lose friendships in this old world, the course of integrity will win many genuine friends in Jehovah’s New World society, and also the friendship of Jehovah and his King, which leads to refreshing peace and eternal life in the new world!—Matt. 19:29.

23. How may Jehovah’s worshipers overcome the world? Illustrate.

²³ He who holds fast to theocratic principles in prayer will gain “the peace of God that excels all thought” and an inner strength that overcomes the world. (Phil. 4:6, 7) During World War II, the stand of Jehovah’s witnesses in Germany in refusing to salute the Nazi swastika or heil Hitler, and their neutrality as regards his war of aggression, brought upon them one of the cruelest persecutions in history. One writer describes it: “When the witnesses did not give up the struggle for their religious convictions, a campaign of terror was launched against them which surpassed anything perpetrated against other victims of Nazism in Germany. . . . The sufferings of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the camps were even worse than those meted out to Jews, pacifists or Communists. Small as the sect is, each member seems to be a fortress which can be destroyed but never taken.”b Walking with God in his true doctrine, you too can become such a fortress!

24. How does living up to Bible principles act as a testimony to others?

²⁴ Those who live up to Bible principles will come to appreciate that most opposers are at heart cowards. When they see an unshakable stand for right principles, they will, in many cases, give up the fight. They will acknowledge the Christian’s reasonable freedom to worship the true God. If they have been sincere in their opposition, the greater sincerity and the greater conviction of the dedicated Christian may even persuade them to take an interest and, in time, to embrace the same precious faith. (1 Pet. 3:1, 2) Remember that the apostle Paul, whom Jehovah used to explain many of the divine principles, was himself once a belligerent persecutor of God’s true people.—Gal. 1:13-16, 23, 24.

25. (a) When particularly, is an all-conquering faith necessary? (b) What strong assurance does Jesus give to men of faith?

²⁵ In some Eastern countries religion is closely identified with almost every activity of life. The person who abandons the national or tribal religion is regarded not only as an outcast by his family, but also as an outcast from all society. In some places every male is required to become a priest for part of his life. Recently, in Burma, former premier U Nu illustrated this custom by donning the orange robe of Buddhist priesthood for a month. Where a local religion is so deeply ingrained into the lives of the people, strong faith, an all-conquering faith, is needed to break free into Jehovah’s ways of truth and to maintain that stand. But it can be done and it is being done! As the apostle says, “And this is the conquest that has conquered the world, our faith.” (1 John 5:4) All who treasure this faith and the privilege of continued association in God’s New World society will grow strong! Though they may become outcasts of worldly societies, Jesus assures them: “All that the Father gives me will come to me; and him who comes to me I will not cast out. For this is the will of my Father, that every one who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.”—John 6:37, 40, RS.

26. (a) What must be carefully watched, as to thoughts and attitudes? (b) What habits must the Christian form, in harmony with the divine will?

²⁶ All who gain the freedom of God’s New World society must watch carefully that their newly acquired Christian way of thinking is not tainted by pagan thoughts and ways. “‘For the thoughts of you people are not my thoughts, nor are my ways your ways,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.” (Isa. 55:8) The new Christian often has to get rid of local attitudes. In many Oriental countries it is not the custom to go to a temple for religious instruction. Likewise, in Western lands religion is often regarded as incidental to living, and is called in only for weddings, funerals, “Easter” parades and the like. Hence, the one who makes his mind over to Jehovah’s thoughts must form the habit, at first strange to him, of regularly attending Bible study meetings several times a week. But go he must, if he is to become thoroughly versed in the ways of the great God of truth. Attitudes toward national feast days, holidays and leisure hours must change. It is not Jehovah’s way to squander time in these wicked days, but rather he tells Christians to walk as wise persons, “buying out the opportune time for yourselves” and “perceiving what the will of Jehovah is.” (Eph. 5:15-17) Hours are too precious to be wasted on the old world. At “Christmas,” at New Year, on feast days or on free weekends, there is time to be bought out for New World service. Use it wisely.—Eph. 4:22; Col. 4:5.

27. Where and how will the true and praiseworthy things be found today?

²⁷ “Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste, whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well spoken of, whatever virtue there is and whatever praiseworthy thing there is, continue considering these things.” (Phil. 4:8) These are the things with which to fill mind and heart. Where will these true and praiseworthy things be found today? Nowhere in Satan’s world! They will be found only in God’s Word, the Bible, and they may be considered in precious association with others of the New World society of Jehovah’s witnesses. The most important hours of each week are those hours that you spend at meetings, considering the wondrous Kingdom purposes of the great God of truth, and the hours that you devote to preaching and teaching from door to door. In all of your dedicated life and with all your heart continue to laud Jehovah, for he is “doing wondrous things.” Jehovah—he alone—is THE GREAT GOD.

The Happy Family of the Wonder-working God

1. Why is God’s family supremely happy today?

THERE is one family on earth today that is supremely happy. It is the happy family of the great God who is “doing wondrous things.” Its family members are scattered among all nations and peoples of earth, but all are happily united through their worship of the most loving Father in all the universe. They are happy because their Father, Jehovah, has established the kingdom of heaven in the hands of his Son, Christ Jesus, and because he