One lesson we can learn from King Jehoash’s bad decision is that we need to choose friends who will be a good influence on us​—friends who love Jehovah and who want to make him happy. We do not need to limit our association to those in our own age group. Remember, Jehoash was much younger than his friend Jehoiada. Regarding your choice of friends, ask yourself: ‘Do they help me to strengthen my faith in Jehovah? Are they encouraging me to live by God’s standards? Do they talk about Jehovah and his valuable truths? Do they show respect for God’s standards? Do they just tell me what I might want to hear, or do they have the courage to correct me if I stray?’ (Prov. 27:5, 6, 17) Frankly, if your friends do not love Jehovah, you do not need them. But if you have friends who love Jehovah, hang on to them​—they will be good for you!​—Prov. 13:20. w23.09 38:6-7

The letter alpha begins the Greek alphabet, and the letter omega concludes it. By using the description “the Alpha and the Omega,” Jehovah indicates that when he starts something, he brings it to its successful conclusion. After Jehovah created Adam and Eve, He said to them: “Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gen. 1:28) At that moment, Jehovah, in effect, said “Alpha.” He clearly stated his purpose: The time would come when perfect, obedient descendants of Adam and Eve would fill the earth and transform it into a paradise. At that future time, Jehovah will, in a sense, say “Omega.” After completing the creation of “the heavens and the earth and everything in them,” Jehovah gave a guarantee. He guaranteed that he would without fail carry out his purpose for mankind and for the earth. It would be fully accomplished at the end of that seventh day.​—Gen. 2:1-3. w23.11 46:13-14

The difficult literal journey from Babylon to Israel could take about four months, but Jehovah promised that any obstacles that seemed to prevent their return would be cleared away. In the minds of faithful Jews, the benefits of returning to Israel far outweighed any sacrifices they would make. The greatest blessing involved their worship. There was no temple of Jehovah in Babylon. There was no altar where the Israelites could offer up the sacrifices required by the Mosaic Law, and there was no organized priesthood to offer those sacrifices. In addition, Jehovah’s people were greatly outnumbered by pagan men and women, who had no regard for Jehovah or his standards. So God-fearing Jews​—thousands of them—​were looking forward to returning to their homeland where they could restore pure worship. w23.05 22:3-4