Waswe, Blessing Bilong Jehovah Bae Barava Kasem Iu?

“Evri blessing hia mas kam long iu and barava kasem iu, bikos iu go ahed for lisin long voice bilong Jehovah God bilong iu.”—DEUTERONOMY 28:2.

1. Wanem nao bae disaedem sapos olketa Israelite bae kasem olketa blessing or curse?

KLOSAP long end bilong 40 year gogo long wilderness, olketa Israelite camp long Flat Ples bilong Moab. Promis Land stap front long olketa. Long datfala taem Moses raetem buk bilong Deuteronomy, wea storyim olketa blessing and curse. Sapos pipol bilong Israel “go ahed for lisin long voice bilong Jehovah” long wei for obeyim hem, olketa blessing “barava kasem” olketa. Jehovah lovem olketa olsem “spesol sekson” bilong hem and hem laek for showimaot strong bilong hem for helpem olketa. Bat sapos olketa no go ahed for lisin long hem, olketa curse bae barava kasem olketa.—Deuteronomy 8:10-14; 26:18; 28:2, 15.

2. Wanem nao mining bilong tufala Hebrew word wea olketa transleitim “go ahed for lisin” and “barava kasem” long Deuteronomy 28:2?

² Hebrew word wea olketa transleitim “go ahed for lisin” long Deuteronomy 28:2 hem minim for go ahed for duim samting. Pipol bilong Jehovah no lisin long hem samfala taem nomoa; wei for lisin hem kamap part long laef bilong olketa. From diswan nao bae olketa blessing bilong God barava kasem olketa. Hebrew word wea olketa transleitim “barava kasem” hem wanfala word for hunting wea planti taem minim “for ran go kasem” or “for kasem.”

3. Hao nao iumi savve olsem Joshua, and why nao diswan hem important tumas?

³ Joshua, datfala Israelite leader chus for lisin long Jehovah dastawe hem kasem olketa blessing. Joshua sei: “Chusim for iufala seleva tuday hu nao iufala bae servem . . . Bat for mi and olketa long haos bilong mi, mifala bae servem Jehovah.” Taem olketa herem datwan, pipol hia sei: “Mifala kanduit ting for lusim Jehovah for mekem mifala servem olketa nara god.” (Joshua 24:15, 16) Bikos long gudfala fasin bilong Joshua, hem nao wanfala long tu-thri from genereson bilong hem wea garem privilege for go insaed Promis Land. Distaem, iumi redy nao for go insaed Promis Land wea moabeta—wanfala paradaes earth wea olketa blessing insaed moabeta winim taem bilong Joshua wea pipol wea God appruvim bae kasem. Waswe, bae olketa blessing hia barava kasem iu? Hem savve olsem sapos iu go ahed for lisin long Jehovah. For help strongim disison bilong iu for duim datwan, tingim history bilong Israel bifor and tu example bilong samfala man wanwan.—Romans 15:4.

Blessing or Curse?

4. Long wanem wei nao God ansarem prea bilong Solomon, and hao nao iumi shud feel abaotem olketa blessing olsem?

⁴ Long bigfala haf long rul bilong King Solomon, olketa Israelite kasem olketa spesol blessing from Jehovah. Olketa enjoyim sef living and staka gudfala samting. (1 Kings 4:25) Gogo Solomon hem garem staka riches, nomata hem no askem God for olketa material samting. Bat, taem hem young yet and no garem bigfala savve, hem prea for garem heart wea obey—and Jehovah givim hem datwan taem hem blessim hem witim wisdom and wei for minim samting. Diswan mekem Solomon fit for judgem pipol long stret wei, for luksavve long samting wea gud and nogud. Nomata God givim hem rich samting and glory tu, taem hem young man, Solomon tinghae tumas long gudfala samting bilong olketa spiritual riches. (1 Kings 3:9-13) Nomata iumi garem planti material samting or nomoa, iumi tinghae tumas long wei wea iumi savve enjoyim blessing bilong Jehovah and iumi rich long spiritual wei!

5. Wanem nao happen taem pipol bilong Israel and Judah fail for go ahed for lisin long Jehovah?

⁵ Olketa Israelite fail for showimaot wei for tinghae long blessing bilong Jehovah. Bikos olketa no go ahed for lisin long hem, olketa curse wea hem sei bae kasem olketa hem kasem olketa nao. Samting wea kamaot from diswan nao olketa enemy winim olketa and mekem pipol bilong Israel and Judah olsem prisoner. (Deuteronomy 28:36; 2 Kings 17:22, 23; 2 Chronicles 36:17-20) Taem olketa safa olsem, waswe, pipol bilong God lanem leson long hao blessing bilong God barava kasem nomoa olketa wea go ahed for lisin long Jehovah? Datfala smol sekson bilong olketa Jew wea go bak long homland bilong olketa long 537 B.C.E. garem chance for showimaot sapos olketa kasem “heart wea fulap witim wisdom” and lukim need for go ahed for lisin long God.—Psalm 90:12.

6. (a) Why nao Jehovah sendem Haggai and Zechariah for talem profesi long pipol bilong hem? (b) Wanem principle nao showaot long message bilong God wea Haggai talemaot?

⁶ Olketa Jew wea go bak wakem wanfala altar and start for waka long temple long Jerusalem. Bat taem strongfala wei for againstim olketa kamap, olketa start for wikdaon and building waka hem stop. (Ezra 3:1–3, 10; 4:1-4, 23, 24) Olketa start tu for tingim firstaem gudfala living for olketa seleva. Dastawe God sendem profet Haggai and Zechariah for mekem strong bilong pipol for trufala worship kamap moa. Thru long Haggai, Jehovah sei: “Waswe, fitim iufala for stap distaem long olketa stael haos bilong iufala, and letem disfala haos [bilong worship] kamap nogud? . . . Lukluk gud long olketa wei bilong iufala. Iufala plantim planti seed, bat harvest hem no big. Wei for kaikai hem go ahed, bat wei for satisfae hem nomoa. . . . And man wea letem narawan haerem hem, hem haerem hemseleva for kasem basket wea garem hol.” (Haggai 1:4-6) Wei for sakrifaesim olketa spiritual samting for aftarem material samting hem no mekem man kasem blessing bilong Jehovah.—Luke 12:15-21.

7. Why nao Jehovah sei long olketa Jew: “Lukluk gud long olketa wei bilong iufala”?

⁷ From olketa wari tumas abaotem evriday living, olketa Jew forgetim hao olketa blessing bilong God olsem rain and taem bilong harvest bae kamap barava staka only sapos olketa go ahed for obeyim God, nomata nara pipol againstim olketa. (Haggai 1:9-11) Dastawe disfala kaonsel hem barava fitim: “Lukluk gud long olketa wei bilong iufala.”! (Haggai 1:7) Hem olsem Jehovah talem olketa: ‘Tingim diswan! Lukim hao wei wea iufala hard waka nating long field hem join witim wei wea haos bilong mi for worship hem nogud.’ Gogo, toktok bilong olketa profet bilong Jehovah kasem heart bilong pipol wea lisin long olketa, from pipol hia startim moa waka long temple, and finisim long 515 B.C.E.

8. Wanem kaonsel nao Jehovah givim for olketa Jew long taem bilong Malachi, and why nao olsem?

⁸ Bihaen, long taem bilong profet Malachi, olketa Jew start moa for ap and daon long spiritual saed, and givim olketa sakrifaes wea God no acceptim tu. (Malachi 1:6-8) So, Jehovah encouragem olketa for tekem kam mek-ten part long kaikai bilong olketa insaed stoahaos bilong hem and for testim hem for faendaot sapos hem bae openem gate bilong heven and kapsaetem blessing long olketa go kasem taem no eniwan wantem eni samting moa. (Malachi 3:10) Olketa Jew krangge tumas for waka hard for olketa samting wea God bae givim long olketa sapos olketa go ahed for lisin long voice bilong hem!—2 Chronicles 31:10.

9. Iumi bae lukluk long laef bilong hu insaed long Bible?

⁹ Witim history bilong nation bilong Israel, Bible storyim tu laef bilong planti pipol wea kasem blessing or curse bilong God, wea depend long wei wea olketa go ahed for lisin long Jehovah or nomoa. Letem iumi lukim samting wea iumi savve lanem from thrifala hia—Boaz, Nabal, and Hannah. For duim diswan, maet iu laek for readim buk bilong Ruth and tu 1 Samuel 1:1–​2:21 and 1 Samuel 25:2-42.

Boaz Lisin Long God

10. Wanem nao semsem long Boaz and Nabal?

¹⁰ Nomata Boaz and Nabal no stap long semtaem, tufala semsem long samfala samting. Olsem example, tufala man hia stap long land bilong Judah. Tufala hia rich landowner, and tufala evriwan garem spesol chance for showimaot loving-kaeness long samwan wea garem need. Bat datwan nomoa samting tufala semsem long hem.

11. Hao nao Boaz showimaot hem go ahed for lisin long Jehovah?

¹¹ Boaz stap long taem bilong olketa judge bilong Israel. Hem treatim pipol witim respect, and pipol wea harvest for hem tinghae tumas long hem. (Ruth 2:4) From hem obeyim Law, Boaz mek sure long field bilong hem olketa mas leavim samfala leftova for pipol wea kasem hard taem and olketa wea poor. (Leviticus 19:9, 10) Wanem nao Boaz duim taem hem herem story abaotem Ruth and Naomi and lukim wei wea Ruth waka hard for lukaftarem mami-in-law bilong hem wea olo? Hem deal witim Ruth long spesol wei and talem olketa man bilong hem for letem Ruth tekem leftova kaikai long field bilong hem. From toktok bilong hem and loving samting wea hem duim, Boaz showimaot hem wanfala spiritual man wea lisin long Jehovah. So God hapi long hem and blessim hem.—Leviticus 19:18; Ruth 2:5-16.

12, 13. (a) Hao nao Boaz showimaot hem tinghae tumas long law bilong Jehovah for baem bak? (b) Wanem nao olketa blessing from God wea Boaz barava kasem?

¹² Barava kliafala pruv wea showaot Boaz go ahed for lisin long Jehovah hem nao wei wea hem willing for followim law bilong God saed long wei for baem bak. Boaz duim evri samting wea hem fit for duim for mek sure evri samting bilong relative bilong hem—Elimelech, hasband bilong Naomi—stap insaed long famili bilong Elimelech. Thru long “brata-in-law marit,” wanfala widow woman mas maritim next wan long laen bilong hasband bilong hem mekem tufala savve bornem wanfala son for keepim datfala nem. (Deuteronomy 25:5-10; Leviticus 25:47-49) Ruth givim hemseleva for datfala marit for changem Naomi, wea no fit nao for bornem pikinini. Bihaen wanfala relative wea moa klos long Elimelech hem talem bae hem no helpem Naomi, Boaz tekem Ruth olsem waef bilong hem. Son bilong tufala, Obed, hem olsem kam from laen bilong Naomi and hem man wea fit for kasem evri samting bilong Elimelech.—Ruth 2:19, 20; 4:1, 6, 9, 13-16.

¹³ Boaz kasem olketa rich blessing bikos hem willing for obeyim law bilong God. Thru long son bilong tufala, Obed and Ruth kasem blessing for olsem laen dadi and laen mami bilong Jesus. (Ruth 2:12; 4:13, 21, 22; Matthew 1:1, 5, 6) From wei wea Boaz no selfish, iumi lanem hao olketa blessing bae barava kasem olketa wea showimaot love for nara pipol and duim samting followim olketa mark bilong God.

Nabal Hem No Lisin

14. Nabal hem wanem kaen man?

¹⁴ Long wei wea difren tumas from Boaz, Nabal fail for lisin long Jehovah. Hem brekem disfala law bilong God: “Iu mas lovem narafala man olsem iuseleva.” (Leviticus 19:18) Nabal no wanfala spiritual man; hem “raf and duim olketa nogud samting.” Olketa wakman bilong hem tu ting long hem olsem “wanfala iusles man.” Dastawe nem bilong hem Nabal minim “krangge fasin,” or “stupid.” (1 Samuel 25:3, 17, 25) So wanem nao Nabal duim taem hem garem chance for showimaot kaenfala fasin long samwan wea garem need—David, datfala anointed wan bilong Jehovah?—1 Samuel 16:13.

15. Hao nao Nabal deal witim David, and hao nao Abigail difren from hasband bilong hem?

¹⁵ Taem David and olketa man bilong hem camp klosap long olketa animal bilong Nabal, olketa protectim olketa animal hia from sekson for steal, and no askem hem for eni pei. Wanfala shepherd bilong Nabal sei: “Olketa kamap olsem wanfala wall raonem mifala long naetaem and daytaem.” Bat taem olketa messenger bilong David ask for samfala kaikai, Nabal “hotem olketa” and sendem olketa go nating. (1 Samuel 25:2-16) Stretawe Abigail, waef bilong Nabal tekem samfala kaikai go long David. From hem kros fogud David hem redy for killim dae Nabal and olketa man bilong hem. Samting wea Abigail duim sevem laef bilong planti and stopem David for kamap guilty long blood. Bat greedy fasin and raf fasin bilong Nabal hem ova tumas. Samting olsem tenfala day bihaen, “Jehovah killim dae Nabal.”—1 Samuel 25:18-38.

16. Hao nao iumi savve followim Boaz and rejectim olketa wei bilong Nabal?

¹⁶ Boaz and Nabal difren tumas! Iumi shud rejectim olketa raf and selfish wei bilong Nabal, and followim kaenfala and willing fasin bilong Boaz. (Hebrews 13:16) Iumi savve duim olsem taem iumi followim disfala kaonsel bilong aposol Paul: “Sapos iumi garem taem wea hem fitim, letem iumi duim samting wea hem gud long evriwan, bat main wan nao long olketa wea garem sem faith olsem iumi.” (Galatians 6:10) Distaem, “nara sheep” bilong Jesus, olketa Christian wea garem hope for stap long earth, garem privilege for duim gud samting for olketa anointed wan bilong Jehovah, datfala remnant bilong 144,000 wea bae kasem wei for kanduit dae long heven. (John 10:16; 1 Corinthians 15:50-53; Revelation 14:1, 4) Jesus ting long olketa loving samting hia olsem man duim long hemseleva, and man wea duim olketa gud samting hia bae kasem bigfala blessing bilong Jehovah.—Matthew 25:34-40; 1 John 3:18.

Olketa Test and Blessing Bilong Hannah

17. Wanem test nao kasem Hannah, and wanem fasin nao hem showimaot?

¹⁷ Blessing bilong Jehovah barava kasem Hannah, datfala woman wea followim God. Hem stap long olketa maunten bilong Ephraim witim hasband bilong hem wea Levite, Elkanah. Followim Law long datfala taem, hem garem nara waef—Peninnah. Hannah no bornem eni pikinini, and diswan wanfala samting for shame for Israelite woman, bat Peninnah garem tu-thri pikinini. (1 Samuel 1:1-3; 1 Chronicles 6:16, 33, 34) Peninnah no comfortim Hannah bat long wei wea no showimaot love hem tokspoelem Hannah go kasem taem wea hem krae and no laek kaikai. Samting wea moa worse, diswan happen “evri year,” long evritaem wea famili go long haos bilong Jehovah long Shiloh. (1 Samuel 1:4-8) Peninnah hem barava no kaen and hem bigfala test for Hannah! Nomata olsem, Hannah nating blamem Jehovah; and hem no stap long haos taem hasband bilong hem go long Shiloh. So, gogo, bigfala blessing bae kasem hem.

18. Wanem example nao Hannah showimaot?

¹⁸ Hannah showimaot gudfala example for pipol bilong Jehovah distaem, especially for olketa wea maet feel nogud from toktok bilong narawan. Taem samting olsem happen, wei for stap seleva bae no winim disfala problem. (Proverbs 18:1) Hannah no letem olketa test bilong hem for daonem feeling bilong hem for go long ples wea olketa teachim Word bilong God and wea pipol bilong hem hipap for worship. So hem stap strong long spiritual wei. Wei wea hem barava garem spiritual fasin hem showaot long naesfala prea bilong hem long 1 Samuel 2:1-10.a

19. Hao nao iumi savve showimaot wei for tinghae long olketa spiritual samting?

¹⁹ Olsem olketa servant bilong Jehovah distaem, iumi no worship long wanfala tabernacle. Nomata olsem, iumi savve showimaot wei wea iumi tinghae long olketa spiritual samting, olsem Hannah duim. Olsem example, iumi savve showimaot bigfala wei for tinghae long olketa spiritual riches taem iumi evritaem attendim olketa Christian meeting, assembly, and convention. Letem iumi iusim olketa taem hia for encouragem each other long tru worship bilong Jehovah, wea givim iumi “privilege for strong for duim holy service long hem witim loyal and raeteous fasin.”—Luke 1:74, 75; Hebrews 10:24, 25.

20, 21. Hao nao Hannah kasem reward for wei wea hem lovem God?

²⁰ Jehovah lukim wei wea Hannah worshipim hem and givim hem bigfala reward. Long wanfala gogo bilong famili long Shiloh, Hannah prea witim krae long God and promis olsem: “O Jehovah bilong olketa army, sapos iu no fail for lukim bigfala pain bilong slave girl bilong iu and rememberim mi, and iu no forgetim slave girl bilong iu and givim wanfala baby boy long slave girl bilong iu, mi bae givim hem long Jehovah for full laef bilong hem.” (1 Samuel 1:9-11) God herem strongfala prea bilong Hannah and blessim hem witim wanfala son, wea hem givim nem Samuel long hem. Taem Hannah finisim hem from susu, hem tekem Samuel go long Shiloh mekem hem savve serve long tabernacle.—1 Samuel 1:20, 24-28.

²¹ Hannah showimaot love for God and fulfillim promis bilong hem saed long Samuel. And tingim olketa bigfala blessing hem and Elkanah kasem bikos son bilong tufala serve long tabernacle bilong Jehovah! Planti Christian parents kasem semkaen hapi and blessing bikos olketa son and dota bilong olketa serve olsem full-taem pioneer minister, member bilong Bethel famili, or long olketa nara wei wea givim honor long Jehovah.

Go Ahed for Lisin Long Jehovah!

22, 23. (a) Iumi savve sure long wanem samting sapos iumi go ahed for lisin long voice bilong Jehovah? (b) Wanem nao iumi bae lukluk long hem long next article?

²² Wanem nao iumi savve sure long hem sapos iumi go ahed for lisin long Jehovah? Iumi bae rich long spiritual wei sapos iumi showimaot love witim full soul for God and fulfillim dedication bilong iumi long hem. Nomata sapos wei for aftarem kaen wei olsem minim iumi mas stand strong long olketa hardfala test, iumi bae barava kasem blessing bilong Jehovah—planti taem long olketa nambawan wei wea iumi no tingim.—Psalm 37:4; Hebrews 6:10.

²³ Pipol bilong God bae kasem planti blessing long future. From olketa lisin long Jehovah, “wanfala big crowd” bae laef thru long “datfala big trabol” and bae kasem gudfala samting long living insaed long niu world bilong God. (Revelation 7:9-14; 2 Peter 3:13) Long there Jehovah bae satisfaem evribit olketa raeteous samting wea evri pipol bilong hem wantem. (Psalm 145:16) Olsem next article bae showimaot, distaem tu olketa wea go ahed for lisin long voice bilong Jehovah kasem ‘olketa gudfala and perfect present from antap.’—James 1:17.

[Footnote]

Waswe, Iu Remember?

• Wanem nao history bilong Israel teachim iumi abaotem olketa blessing bilong God?

• Long wanem wei nao Boaz and Nabal tufala difren?

• Hao nao iumi savve followim Hannah?

• Why nao iumi shud go ahed for lisin long voice bilong Jehovah?

[Piksa long page 10]

King Solomon prea for heart wea obey, and Jehovah blessim hem witim wisdom

[Piksa long page 12]

Boaz deal witim nara pipol long wei wea showimaot respect and kaen fasin

[Piksa long page 15]

Hannah kasem bigfala blessing bikos hem depend long Jehovah