Learn From the Parting Words of Faithful Men

1. Why can we learn from older ones?

ALL of us need guidance in making life’s important decisions. We can obtain much of that guidance from elders and other mature Christians. If they are much older than we are, we should not automatically dismiss their advice as outdated. Jehovah wants us to learn from older ones. They have had more time than we have had to acquire experience, understanding, and wisdom.​—Job 12:12.

2. What will this article discuss?

² In Bible times, Jehovah used faithful older ones to encourage and guide his people. Consider, for example, Moses, David, and the apostle John. They lived at different times, and their circumstances differed greatly. As they neared the end of their life, they gave wise advice to younger ones. Each of these faithful older men emphasized the value of being obedient to God. Jehovah preserved their wise words for us today. Whether we are young or old, we can benefit by reviewing their counsel. (Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16) In this article, we will consider the parting words of these three older men and the lessons we can draw from what they said.

“YOU WILL ENDURE A LONG TIME”

3. In what capacities did Moses serve?

³ Moses was wholly devoted to Jehovah. He served as a prophet, a judge, a commander, and a historian. Moses had a lot of experience in life! He led the nation of Israel out of slavery in Egypt and personally witnessed many of Jehovah’s miracles. Jehovah used him to write the first five books of the Bible, Psalm 90, and possibly Psalm 91. He also likely wrote the book of Job.

4. Whom did Moses encourage, and why?

⁴ Shortly before he died, at the age of 120, Moses called together all the Israelites to remind them of the things they had seen and experienced. In their youth, some of his listeners had witnessed the many signs and miracles performed by Jehovah as well as His judgments against Egypt. (Ex. 7:3, 4) They had walked through the parted waters of the Red Sea and had seen the destruction of Pharaoh’s army. (Ex. 14:29-31) In the wilderness, they had experienced Jehovah’s protection and care. (Deut. 8:3, 4) Now as the nation stood poised to enter the Promised Land, Moses grasped this last opportunity to encourage the people.a

5. Moses’ parting words found at Deuteronomy 30:19, 20 gave what assurance to the Israelites?

⁵ What did Moses say? (Read Deuteronomy 30:19, 20.) The nation of Israel had prospects for a wonderful future. With Jehovah’s blessing, the Israelites could live for a long time in the land that he had promised them. And what a beautiful, fruitful land it was! Moses described it for them: “Great and fine cities that you did not build, houses full of all sorts of good things that you did not work for, hewn cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant.”​—Deut. 6:10, 11.

6. Why did God allow other nations to conquer Israel?

⁶ Moses also gave the Israelites a warning. In order to continue living in their bountiful land, they had to obey Jehovah’s commandments. Moses urged them to “choose life” by listening to Jehovah and by “sticking to him.” However, the Israelites rejected Jehovah. So in time God allowed the Assyrians and later the Babylonians to conquer them and take them into exile.​—2 Ki. 17:6-8, 13, 14; 2 Chron. 36:15-17, 20.

7. What can we learn from the words of Moses? (See also picture.)

⁷ What is the lesson for us? Obedience leads to life. Like the Israelites who were on the threshold of the Promised Land, we are on the verge of entering God’s promised new world, where we will see the earth transformed into a paradise. (Isa. 35:1; Luke 23:43) The Devil and his demons will be gone. (Rev. 20:2, 3) No longer will false religion lead people away from Jehovah. (Rev. 17:16) No longer will human governments oppress those under their care. (Rev. 19:19, 20) Paradise will have no place for rebels. (Ps. 37:10, 11) People everywhere will obey Jehovah’s righteous laws, which promote unity and peace. Thus, they will love and trust one another. (Isa. 11:9) What a wonderful prospect! What is more, if we obey Jehovah, we can continue to live on a paradise earth not just for hundreds of years but for all eternity.​—Ps. 37:29; John 3:16.

8. How did the promise of everlasting life help one longtime missionary? (Jude 20, 21)

⁸ If we keep God’s promise of everlasting life closely in mind, we will want to stick to him no matter what trials we may face. (Read Jude 20, 21.) That promise can also empower us to fight personal weaknesses. One longtime missionary in Africa who struggled with a persistent fleshly weakness said: “Realizing that my prospect of living forever was threatened made me all the more determined to fight the problem and to supplicate Jehovah fervently. With his help, I was then able to overcome it.”

“YOU WILL SUCCEED”

9. What trials did David experience in his life?

⁹ David was a great king. He was also a musician, a poet, a warrior, and a prophet. He experienced many trials. For some years, he lived as a fugitive, fleeing from jealous King Saul. After becoming king, David again had to run for his life when his son Absalom tried to steal his throne. Despite David’s difficulties and personal failings, he proved loyal to God to the end of his life. Jehovah described him as “a man agreeable to [His] heart.” David’s counsel is worth listening to!​—Acts 13:22; 1 Ki. 15:5.

10. Why did David give counsel to his son and successor, Solomon?

¹⁰ Consider, for example, the counsel that David gave to his son and successor, Solomon. The young man had been chosen by Jehovah to continue to promote pure worship and to build a temple to honor God. (1 Chron. 22:5) Solomon would face difficulties. What would David say to him? Let us see.

11. According to 1 Kings 2:2, 3, what assurance did David give Solomon, and how did these words prove true? (See also picture.)

¹¹ What did David say? (Read 1 Kings 2:2, 3.) David told his son that if he obeyed Jehovah, he would succeed in life. And for many years, Solomon enjoyed considerable success. (1 Chron. 29:23-25) He built the magnificent temple and wrote and contributed to several books of the Bible. He became famous for his wisdom and wealth. (1 Ki. 4:34) But as David explained, Solomon would be successful only as long as he obeyed Jehovah God. Sadly, later in life Solomon turned to other gods. Jehovah withdrew his favor, and Solomon lost the wisdom to govern in righteousness and justice.​—1 Ki. 11:9, 10; 12:4.

12. What can we learn from the words of David?

¹² What is the lesson for us? Obedience leads to success. (Ps. 1:1-3) Of course, Jehovah has not promised to give us the riches and the glory of Solomon. But if we obey our God, he will give us wisdom that will enable us to make sound decisions. (Prov. 2:6, 7; Jas. 1:5) His principles can guide us in such practical matters as employment, education, entertainment, and money. Applying godly wisdom will protect us from lasting harm. (Prov. 2:10, 11) We will cultivate strong friendships. And we will have the guidance we need for a happy family life.

13. How did Carmen find the way to success in life?

¹³ Carmen, who lives in Mozambique, thought that higher education was the key to success. She enrolled in a university and studied architecture. “I loved what I was learning,” she wrote. “But it took so much of my time and energy. I was at school from 7:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. It was hard to get to meetings, and my spirituality suffered. Deep within me, I realized that I was trying to serve two masters.” (Matt. 6:24) She prayed about her situation and did research in our publications. She added: “After receiving sound counsel from mature brothers and from my mother, I decided to leave university to serve Jehovah full-time. This helped me to make the best choices in my life, and I have no regrets.”

14. What was the basic message of both Moses and David?

¹⁴ Moses and David loved Jehovah and deeply appreciated the value of obeying him. In their parting words, they encouraged their listeners to follow their example by sticking with Jehovah their God. Both of them also warned that those who would leave Jehovah would lose his favor as well as the blessings he had promised them. Their advice is valuable for us today. Centuries later, yet another servant of Jehovah showed the value of faithfulness to God.

“NO GREATER JOY”

15. What did the apostle John experience during his life?

¹⁵ John was a beloved apostle of Jesus Christ. (Matt. 10:2; John 19:26) John accompanied Jesus throughout his ministry, witnessed his miracles, and stuck with him during difficult times. He watched as Jesus was executed and saw him after he was resurrected. He also witnessed the spread of Christianity in the first century from a small group of faithful ones until the good news had been “preached in all creation under heaven.”​—Col. 1:23.

16. Who have benefited from John’s letters?

¹⁶ Near the end of his long life, John was privileged to contribute to God’s inspired Word. He recorded the awe-inspiring “revelation by Jesus Christ.” (Rev. 1:1) John wrote the Gospel bearing his name. He also wrote three inspired letters. He addressed his third letter to a faithful Christian named Gaius, whom John viewed as a beloved spiritual child. (3 John 1) By then, there must have been many whom John viewed as his spiritual children. What this faithful older man wrote has encouraged all of Jesus’ followers down to our day.

17. According to 3 John 4, what brings great joy?

¹⁷ What did John write? (Read 3 John 4.) John wrote of the joy that obedience to God brings. By the time John wrote his third letter, some individuals were spreading false teachings and causing divisions. However, others continued “walking in the truth.” They obeyed Jehovah and were “walking according to his commandments.” (2 John 4, 6) These faithful Christians brought joy not just to John but also to Jehovah himself.​—Prov. 27:11.

18. What can we learn from the words of John?

¹⁸ What is the lesson for us? Faithfulness leads to joy. (1 John 5:3) For example, we have the joy of knowing that we make Jehovah happy. He rejoices to see us reject the temptations of the world and accept the truth. (Prov. 23:15) Others in heaven also rejoice. (Luke 15:10) We too can find joy in seeing one another remain faithful, especially in the face of trials and temptations. (2 Thess. 1:4) Then when this system passes away, we will have the satisfaction of knowing that we demonstrated our loyalty to Jehovah even in a world dominated by Satan.

19. What did a sister named Rachel say about teaching the truth to others? (See also picture.)

¹⁹ We are especially joyful when we share the truth with others. Rachel, who lives in the Dominican Republic, feels that teaching someone about the wonderful God we serve is a privilege beyond words. Reflecting on her spiritual children, she says: “It’s hard to describe the joy I feel when I watch those I teach grow to love Jehovah, make him their anchor, and adjust their lives in order to make him happy. That feeling more than makes up for any effort and sacrifice I might have made to teach them.”

BENEFIT FROM THE PARTING WORDS OF FAITHFUL MEN

20. What do we have in common with Moses, David, and John?

²⁰ Moses, David, and John lived in time periods and circumstances that were different from ours. But we have much in common with them. They served the true God, and so do we. Like them, we pray to Jehovah, rely on him, and look to him for guidance. And like those men of old, we are confident that Jehovah richly blesses those who obey him.

21. What blessings are in store for those who heed the counsel of such faithful older ones as Moses, David, and John?

²¹ Let us, therefore, heed the parting words of those older men by obeying Jehovah’s commandments. Then we will have true success in all that we do. We will have life and “endure a long time,” yes, forever! (Deut. 30:20) And we will have the joy of pleasing our loving heavenly Father, who fulfills all his promises in ways far beyond anything we can anticipate or even imagine.​—Eph. 3:20.