Good news to make you happy (1976)
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Good News—To Make You Happy
Source: jw.org
Contents
Title Page/Publishers’ Page
Contents
Where Can Good News Be Found Today?
Making the Book of Good News
What the Book Contains
A Practical Guide to True Happiness
How the Good News Was Preserved
The Source of Good News—“God”
Preparing a Happy Home for Mankind
The Creator Populates “Spaceship Earth”
Sin Robs Mankind of Happiness
What Happens to Us When We Die
God Does Not Torment Souls
Why Has God Permitted Unhappiness?
A Release from Death to Life
Worshiping the Living God
Superstitions Can Lead to Unhappiness
Making One World Under God’s Kingdom
A Paradise of Joy for All Mankind
Happy Families in the Purpose of God
Children—“An Inheritance from Jehovah”
A Way of Life That Leads to Happiness
God Makes “All Things New”
Timely Information for Young and Old
Title Page/Publishers’ Page
Title Page/Publishers’ Page
Good News to Make You Happy
Is there any good news for mankind today? Yes, there is! It is “good news of a great joy that all the people will have”—earth wide. It touches the life of each one of us now, and it tells of a glorious future in which you and your loved ones may share. It is good news to make you happy.
—The Publishers
Contents
Contents
PAGE CHAPTER
5 1 Where Can Good News Be Found Today?
10 2 Making the Book of Good News
19 3 What the Book Contains
29 4 A Practical Guide to True Happiness
39 5 How the Good News Was Preserved
48 6 The Source of Good News—“God”
58 7 Preparing a Happy Home for Mankind
66 8 The Creator Populates “Spaceship Earth”
75 9 Sin Robs Mankind of Happiness
85 10 What Happens to Us When We Die
95 11 God Does Not Torment Souls
106 12 Why Has God Permitted Unhappiness?
116 13 A Release from Death to Life
124 14 Worshiping the Living God
133 15 Superstitions Can Lead to Unhappiness
141 16 Making One World Under God’s Kingdom
151 17 A Paradise of Joy for All Mankind
160 18 Happy Families in the Purpose of God
166 19 Children—“An Inheritance from Jehovah”
174 20 A Way of Life That Leads to Happiness
183 21 God Makes “All Things New”
NOTE: Bible quotations in this book are from the modern-language New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures, revised edition of 1971.
In connection with dates, the abbreviation B.C.E. means “Before the Common Era,” and C.E. means “Of the Common Era.”
Where Can Good News Be Found Today?
Chapter 1
Where Can Good News Be Found Today?
1. What would you regard as good news?
WE ALL welcome good news, do we not? Well, the purpose of this book is to tell of good news that affects every man, woman and child on this earth today. It points to a bright and secure future for the human family. In fact, when you understand what this good news is all about, we feel sure that you will agree that it is the grandest of good news.
2. What effect should good news have on us? (Proverbs 12:25; 25:25)
2 To be good news to us, this news would need to touch our lives. It should cheer us, and encourage us to have an optimistic view of the future. It should help us as we face up to the realities of life. Its effect should be to lighten the burdens that press down on most people during this age of uncertainty. It should aid in removing our fears, and in making life purposeful and worth living.
3. What kind of news reports would make you happy?
3 Suppose that each morning as we picked up the newspaper we read headlines like these:
“No Housing Shortage—Secure Jobs for Everyone”
“Record Crops—Plenty of Good Food”
“Racial Barriers Gone”
“Crime Eradicated”
“Global Peace Complete”
“Disease and Old Age Eliminated—Hospitals and Funeral Parlors Closed Down”
“Earth’s Administrators in Complete Accord—Programs for Full Enjoyment of Life Under Way”
4. (a) Would you consider it miraculous for such good news to come true? (b) Can you think of some everyday happenings that really are miracles? (Luke 12:27) (c) Logically, who is responsible for these miracles? (Acts 14:15, 17) (d) What else does the good news relate?
4 Surely news like that would make us happy! However, you are probably saying, ‘That is impossible! It could never happen! That would be a miracle? But what is a miracle? It is defined as “a marvelous event due to some supernatural agency.” And truly we are surrounded constantly by marvels that no natural human agency could bring about or create. Why, life itself is a miracle! And among living things on earth, myriads of miracles are happening every day. The birth of each living creature is a miracle, and so is the blossoming of each flower. The beauty that adorns this earth, and the abundant provision to sustain life on it, cry out that an all-wise, all-loving Creator performed the miracle of producing it all. The good news related herein tells of further marvelous things that he is about to perform in restoring unity, peace and happiness among all his creation.
5. What message do you observe in creation?
5 Even now, where greedy men have not polluted this earth, all creation testifies to us that the One who designed and made it has marvelous qualities of love, kindness, wisdom and foresight. The glories of his creation are part of his message to us. How restful and appealing to our eyes is the beauty of a green landscape! Yet that same green of the vegetation is the stuff that turns energy from the sun into food to sustain our bodies. A human face has a nose to smell with, ears to hear with, eyes to see with, and mouth, teeth and tongue to eat and speak with. But when all these parts are put together, how beautiful that face can appear in expressing a personality that shows forth Godlike qualities!
6. (a) In what two Books does the Grand Creator spell out his message for mankind? (b) What hope does Bible prophecy hold out for: (1) Housing and secure Jobs for all? (2) Abundant food supplies? (3) Removal of racial barriers? (4) Eradication of crime? (5) Abolition of war? (6) Elimination of sickness, old age and death? (7) Administration of earth in righteousness?
6 Yes, the marvelous things we see in creation, including the design of man himself, speak to us the message that a Grand Creator lives and has a purpose toward us humans. However, he writes this message, not only in the Book of his creation, but also in black and white in a Book that we today can read in print. In this Book he spells out what he can do in handling the problems and curing the ills that confront us humans today. Consider, please, some examples of what the Creator of our earth talks about doing for his people.
Homes and Secure Jobs for Everyone:
“They will actually build . . . , and plant vineyards and drink the wine of them, and make gardens and eat the fruit of them.” “As for the one listening to [wisdom], he will reside in security and be undisturbed from dread of calamity.”—Amos 9:14; Proverbs 1:33.
An Abundance of Produce and Food for All:
“The earth itself will certainly give its produce.” “There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth.” “I will exalt you, O my God . . . You are opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.”—Psalm 67:6; 72:16; 145:1, 16.
Racial Barriers Replaced by Brotherhood of Mankind:
“Look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues . . . They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore.” “All you are brothers.”—Revelation 7:9, 16; Matthew 23:8.
Crime, Violence and Wickedness Eradicated:
“Evildoers themselves will be cut off, . . . just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more.” “When the wicked ones sprout as the vegetation and all the practicers of what is hurtful blossom forth, it is that they may be annihilated forever.”—Psalm 37:9, 10; 92:7.
The Achieving of Global Peace—No More War:
“Upon earth peace among men of goodwill.” “They will not lift up sword, nation against nation, neither will they learn war anymore. And they will actually sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one making them tremble.”—Luke 2:14; Micah 4:3, 4.
Elimination of Disease, Old Age and Death:
“Death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.” “There were trees of life . . . And the leaves of the trees were for the curing of the nations [of mankind]. And no more will there be any curse.”—Revelation 21:4; 22:2, 3.
One Righteous Administration for All Mankind:
“Look! A king will reign for righteousness itself; and as respects princes, they will rule as princes for justice itself.” “In his days the righteous one will sprout, and the abundance of peace until the moon is no more. And he will have subjects . . . to the ends of the earth.”—Isaiah 32:1; Psalm 72:7, 8.
7. (a) To how many persons is the good news declared “as glad tidings“? (b) Why may this be termed “everlasting” good news? (Isaiah 40:8)
7 This sounds like marvelous good news, does it not? True, some people ridicule this good news, but they have nothing to offer in its place. You do not need to be like them. You and your family will not lose anything—and can gain much—by examining these grand promises. The good news that we are about to examine has been termed “everlasting good news” that is declared “as glad tidings to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.” (Revelation 14:6) It tells of permanent, lasting benefits to come to all mankind.
[Full-page picture on page 4]
Making the Book of Good News
Chapter 2
Making the Book of Good News
1. What kind of book would be beneficial to all mankind?
WHAT would you expect of a book that provides good news for all mankind? First, it would have to be available in a wide number of languages. Also, its message would have to be meaningful, helping people of all national groups to get the best from life even now, and giving them hope for the future. That is the book we started to discuss in our first chapter. It is:
2. (a) How old is the Bible? (b) Why can most people read it in their own language? (c) As to circulation, how does the Bible compare with other books? (Romans 10:14, 18)
2 What kind of book is the Bible? In the first place, it is a very ancient book, having been started more than 3,400 years ago. It has reached every land and even distant, isolated islands. It may be found in simple huts and modern homes. The book itself has been translated, the whole or in part, into more than 1,575 languages and dialects, so that nearly everyone can read it in his own language. No other book even approaches its circulation, which runs into the billions. Each year millions upon millions of Bibles are distributed earth wide.
3. (a) Why is “Bible” a fitting name for the book? (b) On what were the original writings made?
3 The Bible is actually sixty-six small books combined into one. The word “Bible” comes from the Greek word bibliʹa, meaning “little books.” The word bibliʹa itself is related to biblos, which refers to the soft inner part of the papyrus plant. In Bible lands, an ancient form of paper was made from this. Books of the Bible were at one time recopied by hand on this papyrus paper, though the original writings appear to have been made on processed animal skins.
4. (a) How many writers compiled the Bible? (b) During what period did they write? (c) Why is the Bible a unique book of wisdom? (John 17:17)
4 The sixty-six “little books” of the Bible were compiled by about forty writers over a period of more than 1,600 years, between 1513 B.C.E. and 98 C.E. All its writers are in complete agreement as to doctrine, and in developing one consistent theme. The result is a remarkable, yes, a unique book of wisdom.
5. What designations are preferable to “Old Testament” and “New Testament,” and why?
5 Some persons divide the Bible up into two “Testaments,” and claim that the “Old Testament” is not of equal value with the “New Testament.” But this is not so, for it is all one Bible. Also, by “testament” is meant a covenant and there are more covenants than just two in the Bible. It is preferable, therefore, to speak of the two parts of the Bible as the “Hebrew Scriptures” and the “Greek Scriptures,” as these were the original languages in which most of the Bible was written. The Hebrew Scriptures are an essential background for fully understanding the Greek Scriptures, and the Greek Scriptures are an extension of the Hebrew Scriptures, showing their fulfillment. Each one of the sixty-six “little books” makes its contribution toward rounding out our understanding of the purpose of mankind’s Creator.
6. (a) What types of men wrote down the Bible? (b) Why were these things written aforetime? (1 Corinthians 10:11)
6 Just as the good news in the Bible is provided for all mankind, so too its writers were men who came from many different walks of life. They included shepherds and herdsmen, fishermen and farmers, a doctor and a tax collector. At least two were kings. Others were priests, prophets or scribes. One writer at one time had been a vicious persecutor of those who believed this good news, but he changed and became one of its most zealous advocates. After his conversion, this former leader in false religion, the apostle Paul, wrote concerning the earlier books of the Bible:
“All the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.”—Romans 15:4.
7. Why may the Bible be termed an Oriental book? (Romans 3:1, 2)
7 Though the Bible’s greatest distribution has been in countries of the Western world, it is actually an Oriental book. All the men who shared in writing it were Orientals who lived in the Middle East. Most of its action took place in Oriental lands, whose customs it reflects. For example, it depicts the future Ruler over mankind as an Oriental shepherd, caring compassionately for his flock:
“He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has got all his own out, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. A stranger they will by no means follow . . . the fine shepherd surrenders his soul in behalf of the sheep.” (John 10:3-5, 11)
What a happy day it will be when we have that once-Oriental Shepherd as our loving Ruler!
HOW THE GOOD NEWS WAS RECORDED
8. In what way were the Bible writers similar to us humans today?
8 The men who wrote down the Bible were imperfect, subject to weaknesses and error. As humans, they did not differ from other people. The apostle Paul told men who were wrongly viewing him and his missionary companion Barnabas as gods: “We also are humans having the same infirmities as you do.” (Acts 14:15) How, then, was it possible for imperfect men to produce a record that is actually God’s message?
9. How could imperfect men produce a perfect message for mankind?
9 It was because they did not write of their own impulse, but were inspired by God. What is here meant by the word “inspired”? It means that God, the Creator of heaven and earth, moved these men by his spirit or invisible empowering force, putting into their minds what they should write down as his “word,” or message, for mankind. For example, the psalm writer David said:
“The spirit of Jehovah [God] it was that spoke by me, and his word was upon my tongue.” (2 Samuel 23:2)
And concerning prophetic messages, the apostle Peter wrote:
“No prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will, but men spoke from God as they were borne along by holy spirit.”—2 Peter 1:20, 21.
10. (a) Why would it be easy for God to transmit messages to faithful men? Illustrate. (Exodus 34:27, 28; Jeremiah 1:1, 2, 9; Ezekiel 1:1; Daniel 7:1) (b) What directed the assembling of the complete Bible, and what is this called? (Revelation 22:18, 19)
10 It was no problem for God, the Supreme Being and Creator of all the universe, to convey messages to faithful men on earth. In modern times men have traveled to the moon, and the messages they sent back from there to earth by radio came through clearly and understandably from over 400,000 kilometers out in space. Also, TV pictures were transmitted over all that distance, so that men on earth could actually sit in their homes and watch astronauts walking about on the moon. If man can transmit messages in this way, how easy must it be for the Creator of all things to transmit messages and visions to men on earth, even from beyond “the heaven of the heavens“! (1 Kings 8:27) As God conveyed his thoughts to the minds of Bible scribes, they wrote these down as “the word of God“—his message. (Hebrews 4:12) God, by his spirit, also directed men to assemble these sixty-six “little books,” and these only, to make up the complete Bible, known as the Bible “canon.”
AN ACCURATE AND RELIABLE RECORD
11. Illustrate the accuracy and logical arrangement of the Bible.
11 An amazing thing about the Bible is the carefulness with which it records details, and also its complete harmony. For example, in Genesis, chapters 5 and 10, it sets out the family lists from the time of the first man Adam to that of the sons of Noah, covering a period of more than 2,000 years. Later, the priest Ezra wrote First Chronicles and devoted the first nine chapters to repeating and enlarging on these previous family lists, bringing the record down through another 1,500 years of ancient history to the time when the Israelites returned from captivity in Babylonia. Still later, both Matthew and Luke, in their Gospels, repeated essential parts of these earlier records, and extended the Bible family lists down to Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38) Thus, under the direction of God’s spirit, the Bible writers made a permanent record of the line of descent from our first ancestor, Adam, down through more than 4,000 years to Jesus, the “Son of man.” Of his own Gospel account, the physician Luke wrote:
“I have traced all things from the start with accuracy, to write them in logical order.” (Luke 1:3)
The record is indeed accurate and logical.
12. How may Moses have obtained information on early history?
12 The Bible speaks of early ‘histories.’ (Genesis 2:4; 5:1) These may have been transmitted by word of mouth. But in this event how could accuracy have been ensured? God created the first man, Adam, perfect. Later, he rebelled against God, so that God sentenced him to die. However, it took a long time for his once-perfect body to deteriorate to the point of death. He lived for 930 years, into the time of Lamech, the father of Noah, who could thus learn early history directly from Adam. Lamech could communicate all of this to Noah, and to Noah’s son Shem, whose near-perfect physique enabled him to live on for 500 years after the Flood. Shem would be able to convey to Abraham and to his son Isaac detailed information about the pre-Flood world. Isaac could relay this on to his grandson Levi, and evidently Levi to his grandson Amram, the father of Moses. Thus, in relating early history by word of mouth, only five links would be needed between Adam and Moses—Lamech, Shem, Isaac, Levi and Amram.
13. Why did the Creator make a record of early history, by means of inspiration? (Psalm 102:18)
13 However, due to inherited imperfection, and probably due also to changed conditions following the Flood, mankind was growing progressively weaker, Isaac living only 180 years, and Moses, 120 years. As man’s life-span dropped toward seventy or eighty years, the Creator saw fit to have mankind’s early history preserved accurately as a permanent record. Thus we would always have the reliable information concerning mankind’s beginnings. The Creator used Moses, under inspiration, to compile this record, which became the first part of the Bible.
14. (a) Who was Moses? (Hebrews 11:23-27) (b) Why were Moses and later writers well qualified to make the Bible record? (Acts 3:21)
14 Who was this Moses? He was a descendant of Abraham, the Hebrew, and was born when his people, the Israelites, were slaves in Egypt. As the adopted son of the daughter of Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, Moses was raised and educated in the royal court. However, when it came to an issue, he showed that he valued the spiritual riches that he could enjoy with God’s people as far greater than all the material wealth he might have had in Egypt. He chose to be ill-treated along with God’s own people. In the course of his life experience in Egypt and later as a shepherd in the wilderness, he cultivated great faith in God and came to be “by far the meekest of all the men who were upon the surface of the ground.” (Numbers 12:3) He was well qualified, not only to lead the nation of several million Israelites out of Egypt, but also to serve as God’s scribe, under His spirit, in writing the first part of the Bible record. After him, other men of like faith continued to add to the Bible record, until it was completed, 1,600 years later. It is of real interest, and of value to us today, to review what these Bible writings contain.
[Chart on page 12]
The Bible reaches farther back into man’s history than any other ancient writings
(For fully formatted text, see publication)
AGE OF PRINCIPAL RELIGIOUS WRITINGS
(showing also year each was completed)
Before Common Era (B.C.E.)
Years
4026 Man’s Creation
2370 Great Flood
1473 Pentateuch (Bible) 3,448 years
500 Hindu “Books of Knowledge” (Veda) 2,475 years
480 Confucian “Great Learning” (Ta-hsüeh) 2,455 years
443 Hebrew Scriptures Completed (Bible) 2,418 years
43 Buddhist Scriptures, “Three Baskets” 2,018 years
Common Era (C.E.)
Years
98 Whole Bible Completed 1,878 years
650 Koran (Holy Book of Islam) 1,326 years
720 Shinto Kojiki and Nihongi 1,256 years
1830 Book of Mormon 146 years
[Non-Biblical dates based on “Encyclopœdia Britannica,” 1971 edition.]
[Pictures on page 16, 17]
Ten Commandments written by God
Angels spoke God’s word
Visions while awake
God’s spirit guided selection from earlier records
Dreams while asleep
What the Book Contains
Chapter 3
What the Book Contains
1. What does the Bible tell us about life? (Proverbs 21:21)
WHEN you pick up a Bible, what is your impression? Do you say, ‘What a large book!” or ‘It looks too difficult for me‘? True, it is large. But a large book is needed to set out all of our Creator’s loving purpose for mankind. The Bible deals with the lives of people—people like us. It shows life as it really is, with its joys and sorrows, its successes and mistakes. It tells us how to avoid problems or to solve them, and how to have a real purpose in living. When you get absorbed in its contents, you will find it—no, not difficult, but a thrilling explanation of how to “get a firm hold on the real life” that is in store for mankind.—1 Timothy 6:19.
THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS
2. (a) What are the first five Bible books? (b) Who wrote them, in what language, and when?
2 Let us look first at the five opening “little books” of the Bible—Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. These are often called the Pentateuch, meaning “Five Rolls,” as they were apparently written originally on separate animal-skin scrolls. The prophet Moses wrote all these books in the Hebrew language more than 3,400 years ago! It is of great value for us to learn what these books contain.
3. (a) What does Genesis tell about early history? (b) What does it indicate concerning the Deliverer?
3 The first of these five books, Genesis, gives the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth, of things on the earth, and of man. It describes how wickedness got its start on earth, when the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, disobeyed their Creator, and how God promised a Deliverer, the “seed.” It calls attention to the faithfulness of a few men, such as Noah, and tells of the annihilation of the corrupt world by a global flood. It gives the origin of present-day nations and their languages, and shows that the Deliverer, the “seed,” would come through the family line of faithful Abraham. (Genesis 3:15; 12:3; 22:17, 18) Genesis also describes in detail events in the lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. Jacob was also called Israel, hence his descendants were called Israelites. This thrilling history helps us to get a long-range view of God’s purposes.
4. (a) What do the books from Exodus to Deuteronomy contain, and with what value to us today? (Deuteronomy 32:46, 47) (b) What laws are contained in these books, and how have they affected mankind?
4 The last four books of the Pentateuch describe events of Moses’ lifetime, including the miraculous deliverance of the Israelites at the Red Sea, and the people’s behavior under various trials, this being recorded as a warning for us today. These books also include the Ten Commandments and other laws that have greatly benefited mankind, many of the laws being repeated and amplified by Moses in Deuteronomy.
LATER HISTORICAL BOOKS
5. What events are related in the next twelve Bible books?
5 There follow a series of twelve “little books,” from Joshua to Esther, that make up more than one quarter of the Bible record. This is the history of God’s chosen nation, Israel, covering more than a thousand years, from 1473 B.C.E., when Moses’ successor, Joshua, led them across the Jordan River into the Promised Land, to about 443 B.C.E. The real-life events related in these pages make exciting and instructive reading. As we observe how God dealt with people in Bible times, we can learn how we may be pleasing to him today, so as to enjoy his blessing on our lives.
6. What candid picture is given in Joshua, Judges and Ruth? (Judges 2:7, 11, 20-22)
6 The books Joshua, Judges and Ruth cover this period up to 1107 B.C.E. and give a candid picture of the blessings and disasters experienced by the nation of Israel, according to how they obeyed or disobeyed their God.
7. (a) What do the books from First Samuel to Esther describe? (b) Why are they more than just history? (Romans 15:4)
7 The history in First Samuel through to Second Kings includes the establishing of the kingdom in Israel in 1117 B.C.E. and the glorious reigns of Kings David and Solomon during the next century. Then it describes the splitting of the nation into the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel and Judah in 997 B.C.E., and also events leading to the desolation of Israel by Assyria in 740 B.C.E., and of Judah by Babylon in 607 B.C.E. The two books of Chronicles set out early family lists, and repeat the histories of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, as written by a skilled copyist and priest, Ezra. The books Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther trace events in Jewish history from the decree of King Cyrus of Persia, which restored the Jews from Babylonian captivity in 537, down to about 443 B.C.E. All these books are much more than just history. They contain valuable admonition for all who love righteousness, and point forward to the promised Deliverer of mankind.
POETIC BOOKS
8. Who wrote the book of Job, and why is this book important to us? (Job 2:4, 5)
8 The next five “little books,” the poetic books, were written at various times during Israel’s history. The book of Job was evidently written by Moses, about the same time as the Pentateuch. It shows God’s chief adversary to be Satan, a spirit person; it indicates why God has permitted Satan’s wicked domination of earth’s affairs for so long, and makes known that God rewards those who keep integrity to him in the face of reproaches and persecutions from Satan.
9. (a) Who wrote many of the Psalms, and what do they contain? (b) Who wrote the other poetic books, and how are they valuable to us? (Proverbs 3:5, 6) (c) When were these books written?
9 The Psalms, of which about half were written by King David, feature prayers of praise and of thankfulness for the loving-kindnesses of God. They also give many prophecies concerning the promised Deliverer. The books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and The Song of Solomon were written almost entirely by David’s son Solomon. They express much practical wisdom that is especially valuable in helping us to meet the problems of life today. For the most part, these poetic books were written in the eleventh century B.C.E. They are of special interest in that they point the way to true happiness. In all, the Hebrew word describing “happiness” appears dozens of times in them.
PROPHETIC BOOKS
10. (a) What do the prophetic books contain, and why are they of interest to us today? (Isaiah 2:2) (b) During what period of time were the prophetic books of the Bible written?
10 Would you not like to know what the future holds for you? Well, you can know. The seventeen “little books” from Isaiah to Malachi, nearly all of which bear the name of their writer, contain prophecies that have had remarkable fulfillments in past ages. They also foretell events of our own day, such as the power struggle between the Democratic and Communistic nations, which now nears its climax, and the deliverance of God’s own people in the world’s greatest “time of distress.” (Daniel 11:40–12:1) They speak of judgments from God and of a glorious paradise that may be enjoyed by all persons who love him. These prophetic books were all written during the period of the later historical books previously described, starting with the book of the prophet Jonah about 844, and ending with Malachi’s prophecy about 443 B.C.E.
THE FOUR GOSPELS
11. (a) When at last does the promised “seed” appear? (b) What do his name and title mean? (c) What do the Gospels tell us about this Messiah? (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14, 15; Luke 7:19, 22; John 21:25)
11 At last, in the year 29 C.E., the promised “seed” and Deliverer appears! He is Jesus Christ, his name “Jesus” meaning “Salvation of Jehovah,” and his title “Christ” meaning “Anointed One.” Jehovah God commissions Jesus as Deliverer by anointing him—not with a fragrant oil, as was the custom in installing kings in ancient times, but with His own empowering holy spirit. This is the same active force of God that empowered the Bible writers to record His “word.” The “little books” Matthew, Mark, Luke and John describe from various standpoints Jesus’ works and preaching, his martyrdom and resurrection, and his fulfilling many prophecies in the Hebrew Scriptures that identify him as the Deliverer.
12. (a) When, and in what languages, were the Gospels written? (b) Why should we humans be thankful for this “good news”? (2 Corinthians 9:15)
12 Matthew wrote his account of the life of Jesus in Hebrew about 41 C.E. and later translated this into Greek. Mark and Luke also wrote their accounts prior to the second destruction of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. John wrote his account about 98 C.E. These Gospels, all written in common Greek, the universal language of that day, contain the “good news” of Jesus’ Kingdom rule under which we humans may come to enjoy “life . . . in abundance”! (Matthew 9:35; John 10:10) We should thank God for this marvelous provision.
ACTS AND THE LETTERS
13. (a) What is described in the “Acts of Apostles”? (b) Who wrote Acts, and what period does it embrace?
13 The “little book” entitled “Acts of Apostles” describes first the ascension of the resurrected Jesus to heaven and his organizing the congregation of Christians, whom God also anoints and empowers by his spirit. Then it tells of the zeal of these early Christians in proclaiming the good news throughout the world of that time, describing particularly the preaching activity of the apostles Peter and Paul. This vivid account was compiled by Paul’s traveling companion Luke, a doctor, and embraces the period of 33 to about 61 C.E.
14. (a) Who wrote the twenty-one letters of the Greek Scriptures? (b) What do they contain, and why should this interest us today? (1 Timothy 4:15, 16)
14 From Romans through to Jude, there follow twenty-one letters of admonition and encouragement, the first fourteen written by Paul and the remainder by other apostles and disciples of Jesus Christ. These “little books” speak confidently of the resurrection hope, and encourage those who love God to right works and zeal in doing his will. They also call attention to the fulfillment of many prophecies. Paul’s letters carry the names of the congregations or persons to whom he wrote. Then, from James onward, the letters are identified by the name of the writer.
A REVELATION
15. (a) Who wrote “A Revelation,” where and when, and what does it contain? (Revelation 1:1-3) (b) What does it say about the present “woe,” and about future events?
15 This final prophetic book, written by John while in exile on the isle of Patmos, about 96 C.E., records a series of visions given from heaven by God through the glorified Jesus. It is written in highly symbolic language, and sets forth God’s judgment messages. It tells why the people of earth suffer so much “woe” and how God and his Christ will deliver mankind from all enemies—religious, political, military and demonic—preparatory to Christ’s thousand-year reign of peace over the earth.—Revelation 12:12.
16. How does this last “little book” of the Bible show the glorious fulfillment of Genesis 3:15?
16 The Bible’s last “little book” thus shows how God’s promise of a Deliverer for mankind, described in the first book, Genesis, is brought to glorious fulfillment, and how “God himself . . . will wipe out every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 21:3, 4) Truly, this is “good news” for all of us today!
[Chart on page 21]
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FIRST 4,000 YEARS OF MANKIND’S HISTORY
(Based principally on Bible record; parentheses indicate approximate date only)
LIVES OF MEN YEAR EVENTS
B.C.E.
Adam created 4026 Rebellion; God promises “seed”
God ‘takes’ Enoch 3039 Enoch prophesied of judgment
Noah’s 600th year 2370 Global flood begins
(2189) Tongues confused at Babel
Abraham is born 2018
1943 God’s promise regarding Abraham’s
“seed”
Isaac is born 1918
1913 “Seed” promised through Isaac
Jacob is born 1858
1781 “Seed” promised through Jacob
Joseph is born 1767
Death of Jacob 1711 Jacob prophesies “seed” to come from
tribe of Judah
Job keeps integrity (1613) God turns back Satan’s challenge
Moses starts Bible 1513 God delivers Israel from Egypt
Death of Moses 1473 Joshua leads Israel into “Land”
David becomes king 1077 [“Seed” promised through King David
of Judah]
Solomon becomes 1037
king
Death of Solomon 997 Kingdom split: Israel and Judah
Isaiah prophesies (778)
Hezekiah king 745
in Judah
740 Assyria destroys 10-tribe Israel
Jeremiah prophesies 647
Ezekiel prophesies 613
607 Babylon desolates Judah
Daniel prophesies 605
537 Cyrus of Persia restores Jews to
“Land”
Malachi ends (443) Hebrew Scriptures now complete
prophesying
332 Greece rules over Judea
63 Rome begins to rule Jerusalem
[Chart on page 26]
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EVENTS OF HISTORY, PAST AND PENDING
(Based on Bible and secular records and prophecy that is in the course of fulfillment; parentheses indicate approximate date only)
YEAR
B.C.E.
Jesus born 2 From line of Abraham, David
YEAR
C.E.
Jesus anointed 29 Jesus becomes Messianic “seed”
Martyrdom of Jesus 33 Disciples scattered
Jesus resurrected 33 Christian congregation formed
Paul converted (34)
Cornelius converted 36
Matthew writes (41)
Gospel
Paul’s first tour (47-48)
Paul’s second tour (49-52)
Paul’s third tour (52-56)
Luke writes Gospel (56-58)
Mark writes Gospel (60-65)
66 Romans besiege Jerusalem, withdraw.
Christians flee city
70 Romans destroy Jerusalem, temple
John pens (96)
Revelation
John writes Gospel (98)
Death of apostle (100) No restraint now to apostasy
John
325 Constantine founds Christendom
Christ becomes King 1914 Christendom starts World War I
Kingdom preaching 1919 Christendom sponsors League
intensifies
1939 Christendom starts World War II
1945-1975 ‘Cold war’; hot wars (Korea, Vietnam,
Holy Land)
Man ends 6,000 years 1975
of history on earth
— U.N. “horns” devastate
“Babylon”
“Great crowd” — Christ destroys nations at
survives Har–Magedon
Christ abysses Devil — 1,000-year reign starts
and demons
[Picture on page 23]
Like King David, we should thank God for his loving-kindness
[Picture on page 25]
God empowered Jesus to be the Deliverer
[Picture on page 28]
God’s promised Deliverer will restore happiness to all races of mankind
A Practical Guide to True Happiness
Chapter 4
A Practical Guide to True Happiness
1. (a) What kind of guide should we appreciate today? (b) Why is the Bible recommended as a guide?
ON A dark night, we are glad to have bright streetlights to show us our path. These can also help us to feel safe. Now, in the darkest time of the world’s history, surely we appreciate helpful guidance to light the way for ourselves and our families. And if we can have a guide that leads us to a gloriously happy future, we would indeed want to know about that guide! A wise man once addressed himself to God, saying:
“Your word is a lamp to my foot, and a light to my roadway.” (Psalm 119:105)
God’s “word” is contained in the Bible. It is believed that you will find the Bible to be a wholesome, down-to-earth guide and help toward living a happy, meaningful life.
A BOOK THAT SOLVES PROBLEMS
2. What did a Hindu leader say about the practical value of the Sermon on the Mount?
2 The Bible can be of tremendous practical value to us. Many thinking persons have acknowledged this fact. As an example, there is the following report in Treasury of the Christian Faith by S. J. Corey concerning a conversation between the Hindu leader Mahatma Gandhi and the former British Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin:
“Lord Irwin paid a visit to the Mahatma in his ashram. During the conversation Lord Irwin put this question to his host: ‘Mahatma, as man to man, tell me what you consider to be the solution to the problems of your country and mine.’ Taking up a little book from the nearby lampstand, Gandhi opened it to the fifth chapter of Matthew and replied, ‘When your country and mine shall get together on the teachings laid down by Christ in this Sermon on the Mount, we shall have solved the problems not only of our countries but those of the whole world.’ That from a Hindu!”
3. How may those who mourn become happy? (Isaiah 61:1, 2)
3 As an example of practical Bible teaching, let us consider part of this famous Sermon. It opens by showing the source of true happiness:
“Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.
“Happy are those who mourn, since they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:3, 4)
In these perplexing times, many persons feel the need for food for the mind, to satisfy them spiritually. Many people mourn, feeling hurt at heart over the bad conditions in the world. Are you one of these? If so, you will become happy if you exert yourself to find out the reason for these critical days and what the hope for the future is. As you learn of that hope, your mourning will indeed turn to comfort.
4. What kind of persons may enjoy God’s blessing now, and in the future? (Psalm 24:4, 5)
4 Jesus’ Sermon continues with these words:
“Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.
“Happy are those hungering and thirsting for righteousness, since they will be filled.
“Happy are the merciful, since they will be shown mercy.
“Happy are the pure in heart, since they will see God.
“Happy are the peaceable, since they will be called ‘sons of God.’” (Matthew 5:5-9)
In a world where there is so much violence, what a blessing it is to have mild-tempered persons around us! And when the entire earth is filled with such people, as the Bible assures us it will be, mankind will be truly happy. Do you not desire to see all the dishonesty, injustice and wickedness of today removed from the earth? Surely you do! You can be happy now, in pursuing righteousness as your way of life, and that happiness will overflow as you live to see God restore righteousness throughout the universe. Even in this difficult age, the merciful, the pure in heart and the peaceable can live a satisfying life, with God’s blessing. But this is only a foretaste of the happiness that will soon abound earth wide.
HAPPY IN TIMES OF TRIAL
5. If someone opposed your studying the Bible, what would you do about it? (2 Peter 3:3, 13)
5 By examining the “good news” you can be helped to have a bright, positive outlook, with real hope for the future. But some persons may oppose or mock you because of your learning the Bible. Is this a reason to stop your study of the Bible? No, for this would mean abandoning the only guide to happiness in these troublesome times. Jesus goes on to say in his Sermon:
“Happy are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.
“Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you for my sake. Rejoice and leap for joy, since your reward is great in the heavens; for in that way they persecuted the prophets prior to you.” (Matthew 5:10-12)
You will be happy because of having resisted such opposers, for you will progress toward living a purposeful, fruitful life, and toward an everlasting reward from God.
6. What kind of Bible study is recommended? (Deuteronomy 11:18, 19)
6 On the other hand, many who start to study the Bible find that others in their family, or among their friends, become interested in joining them. Why not suggest this to them yourself? It is a fine thing when a family shares together in Bible discussions. This can contribute greatly toward building a happy family.
7. Illustrate how study of the Bible can solve even serious family problems.
7 At times, the Bible has helped families in solving very serious problems, as the following report shows:
A man in the Philippines was a heavy drinker and gambler, smoked forty cigarettes a day and was developing a cancerous throat. Though he had nine children, his family rarely saw him. He spent most of his time and money in places of ill repute, though he was a nominal Christian. The family started to fall apart. But he was impressed by the humility and friendliness of Jehovah’s Witnesses when they called. First some of his children, and then the entire family, started to study the Bible. This man had to make strenuous efforts to rid himself of his unclean habits, but now he and seven other members of his family have dedicated their lives to God, while the entire family continues its Bible studies. Due to his giving up tobacco, his throat problem has cleared up. He is now a devoted family man. His relatives were amazed at his transformation, and many of them also became interested in Bible study.
If your family has a problem, it may not be as serious as this man’s. However, the Bible can be a marvelous influence for unity in your family, too.
TRUE NEIGHBOR LOVE
8. How does the Bible warn against wrong desire? (1 John 2:15-17)
8 Let us examine some other teachings of the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus probes to the root causes of the problems that afflict mankind. For example, in referring back to the Ten Commandments, he tells us:
“You heard that it was said, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone that keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27, 28)
So it is wrong desire that we must watch. If we cultivate such desire in our hearts, it will lead us on toward wrongdoing. How important, then, that we cultivate right desires, letting our minds and hearts dwell upon wholesome, upbuilding matters!
9. By following what example could mankind’s problems be solved? (Luke 6:35)
9 In Jesus’ day, there were those who taught, “You must love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But Jesus states it differently:
“However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you; that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens, since he makes his sun rise upon wicked people and good and makes it rain upon righteous people and unrighteous.” (Matthew 5:43-45)
How unselfish—to seek even good things for our enemies! But note that this is in imitation of our heavenly Father and Creator, who provides bountifully for all who live on earth—even for wicked persons. If all mankind were to show such loving consideration for others, the problems of the whole world could indeed be solved!
10. Why should we not be anxious about daily needs? (Luke 12:15)
10 Farther on, the Sermon says:
“On this account I say to you: Stop being anxious about your souls as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear. Does not the soul mean more than food and the body than clothing? Observe intently the birds of heaven, because they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses; still your heavenly Father feeds them. . . . Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they are growing; they do not toil, nor do they spin; but I say to you that not even [King] Solomon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. If, now, God thus clothes the vegetation of the field, . . . will he not much rather clothe you . . .? So never be anxious and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to put on?’ For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things.”—Matthew 6:25-32.
11. (a) What do “the nations” pursue, and with what result? (Matthew 6:19-21) (b) What is the way to true happiness? (Luke 11:28)
11 Here Jesus speaks of the normal concern we all have for food, clothing and shelter. We need these things to make us happy. However, “the nations” of mankind around us are often pursuing, not the needs, but the desires of man. In emphasizing selfish desire and pride in what men possess, this greedy world contributes to mankind’s unhappiness. Material possessions may bring some temporary enjoyment, but the way to true and lasting happiness is to “keep on . . . seeking first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) Does your own love of righteousness impel you to do this? It should. The Sermon on the Mount gives fine encouragement to this end.
TRUE GUIDANCE IN CRITICAL TIMES
12. (a) What foretold conditions do we see around us today? (b) But where can we find sound guidance? (2 Peter 1:19)
12 It is especially important to seek righteousness in these times in which we now live. When we look at the world around us, we observe how well it fits the following description by the apostle Paul:
“In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power; and from these turn away.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5)
Paul says that these conditions will be here in the “last days.” And today, how obvious it is that human society is facing a day of reckoning! It goes rapidly from bad to worse. So where really may we look for guidance? Paul answers by calling attention to “the holy writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation,” and adds: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial.” (2 Timothy 3:15, 16) Our Creator, God, prepared “all Scripture” and preserved it for our benefit and encouragement in these “last days.”
[Picture on page 31]
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount sets forth teachings capable of ‘solving the problems of the whole world’
[Picture on page 34]
Bible study helped to solve problems for this Filipino family; it can help you too
[Picture on page 36]
Happiness comes when we imitate the loving God, who lets his sun shine on people of all kinds
[Picture on page 38]
In these critical “last days,” we need the Bible’s guidance to survive
How the Good News Was Preserved
Chapter 5
How the Good News Was Preserved
1. Why has the Bible survived?
MANY ancient writings have disappeared. Like the men who made them, they have returned to the dust and are forgotten. Only fragments remain of most literature of several thousand years ago. But the Bible lives on! It is just as 1 Peter 1:24, 25 states:
“For ‘all flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like a blossom of grass; the grass becomes withered, and the flower falls off, but the saying of Jehovah [God] endures forever.’ Well, this is the ‘saying,’ this which has been declared to you as good news.”
The Bible’s record in surviving both the ravages of time and the attacks of its enemies is remarkable. There is no question that God saw to it that the “good news” was preserved to guide us through the present critical days.
PRESERVING THE BIBLE
2. How were the original Bible writings of Moses preserved, and for how long?
2 The inspired writers recorded the original “little books” on material made from animal skins. Faithful men saw to it that such early records were preserved safely “at the side of the ark,” the sacred box that God commanded the Israelites to make. (Deuteronomy 31:26; 1 Samuel 10:25) When Israel fell into idol worship, the Law as written by Moses was lost for a time, but good King Josiah found it when he was repairing the temple in Jerusalem. These original writings disappeared at the latest when the Babylonians destroyed this temple in 607 B.C.E.
3. (a) What shows that Scripture copies had been made by Daniel’s day? (b) How was prophecy fulfilled in 537 B.C.E.? (Jeremiah 29:10)
3 By this time, however, other handwritten copies of these inspired Scriptures had been made, so that God’s servant Daniel, a captive in Babylon, “discerned by the books,” Jeremiah’s prophecy, that the Jews’ captivity must end after seventy years, in 537 B.C.E. (Daniel 9:2) And history relates that it did end, by a miracle of God, in that very year, with a remnant of the Jews returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God.
4. (a)What did Ezra encourage that benefited the Jews? (Ezra 7:6) (b) What new development took place from about 280 B.C.E.?
4 After this restoration, “Ezra the copyist” was one who encouraged “a reading aloud of the book of the law of the true God day by day” by the Jews in assembly. (Nehemiah 8:13, 18) Many copyists appear to have been busy in those days, writing out the Scriptures by hand for the use of the Jews, who were now scattered in communities throughout the ancient world. About 280 B.C.E. a start was made in Alexandria, Egypt, to translate the Hebrew Scriptures into Greek, for the benefit of Greek-speaking Jews there. This translation is known as the Greek Septuagint (meaning, “Seventy”), as it is said to have been translated by seventy Jews.
5. (a) How did scribes guard against error in making copies of the Scriptures? (b) What does a comparison of the “Dead Sea scroll” of Isaiah with tenth-century manuscripts show? (Deuteronomy 4:2)
5 Copies of the Hebrew Scriptures were written out with painstaking care and the scribes took unusual precautions to make sure that these were free from error. They checked by counting the number of words, even the number of letters, and if even one letter was wrong, they would discard that section of the manuscript and rewrite it. As proof of this accuracy, manuscripts dated as being of the tenth century C.E. contain essentially the same record as the recently discovered “Dead Sea scroll” of Isaiah, which was copied in the first or second century B.C.E. More than a thousand years of copying and recopying had resulted in no distortion of the Bible text!
6. Why can we be sure that the Bible text today is correct?
6 Similarly, minute attention to detail was shown in recopying manuscripts of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Thus we are assured that the Hebrew and Greek texts, from which our modern-day Bibles have been translated, are essentially the same as the original handwritten copies that were “inspired of God.” Comparative study of tens of thousands of manuscripts in many languages proves this to be so. Yes, the printed Bible, as we now have it, in over 1,500 languages, is the same “word” that was written down by hand under God’s inspiration, from the sixteenth century B.C.E. to the first century C.E.
ATTEMPTS TO SUPPRESS THE “GOOD NEWS”
7. (a) Who have been enemies of the Bible, what did Jesus say to them, and how did they react? (Matthew 23:27, 28) (b) Whom has Satan used in continuing to oppose the “good news”? (2 Peter 2:1, 2)
7 There have always been enemies of the Bible. Surprisingly, its principal enemies have been religious leaders who claim to teach the Bible. For example, the religious leaders among the Jews of Jesus’ time “made the word of God invalid” because of teaching “tradition” and “commands of men as doctrines.” (Matthew 15:6-9) Jesus condemned them for this, telling them:
“You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father. . . . He did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie.” (John 8:44)
Because Jesus spoke the truth, proclaiming the “good news” of God’s purpose to deliver mankind, those religious leaders had Jesus put to death. And though Jesus established the Christian congregation as “a pillar and support of the truth,” the Devil, Satan, continued to oppose the “good news,” using his religious agents on earth to this end.—1 Timothy 3:15.
8. (a) How does the Bible foretell the great apostasy? (Matthew 7:15, 20) (b) When was Christendom founded, and by whom? (c) Of what did the religion of Christendom become a part? (d) What makes Christendom’s sects enemies of God?
8 The apostle Paul foretold what would happen, when, in 56 C.E., he said to the elders of the Christian congregation of Ephesus:
“After my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among you and will not treat the flock with tenderness, and from among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:29, 30)
True to this prophecy, within three centuries the great apostasy took place. It was in 325 C.E. that the unbaptized Roman emperor Constantine founded “Christendom.” Its religious system twisted Christian doctrine and combined it with many of the Satan-inspired mysteries of ancient Babylon, which the Bible shows to be the mother city of all false religion. Thus the religion of Christendom became part of the world empire of false religion, “Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.” (Revelation 17:3-5) This harlotry refers to the actions of religious sects that claim to belong to God but that are overly friendly with corrupt political leaders of this wicked world; this makes them ‘enemies of God.’ (James 4:4) Often Christendom’s religious sects have prodded the political rulers into persecuting true Christians.
9. What events of history prove Christendom to be bloodguilty? (Jeremiah 2:34)
9 Outwardly, the religion of Christendom may appear very beautiful, with its magnificent cathedrals, basilicas and churches, pompous processions and impressive music. But what is Christendom’s record? Over the centuries Christendom has plundered, colonized and suppressed defenseless peoples. History points an accusing finger at blood-spilling Crusades in the Near East, the cruel Inquisition in many Catholic-dominated lands, the Opium War against China, and also the cruel wars and religious strife of this twentieth century. World War I and World War II both started in Christendom, with Catholics and Protestants slaughtering one another indiscriminately.
10. What shows Christendom’s religions to be counterfeit? (Matthew 26:52)
10 The Bible strongly condemns such selfish warring:
“From what source are there wars and from what source are there fights among you? Are they not from this source, namely, from your cravings for sensual pleasure that carry on a conflict in your members? You desire, and yet you do not have. You go on murdering and coveting, and yet you are not able to obtain. You go on fighting and waging war. You do not have because of your not asking. You do ask, and yet you do not receive, because you are asking for a wrong purpose, that you may expend it upon your cravings for sensual pleasure.”—James 4:1-3.
OPPOSITION TO BIBLE TRANSLATION
11. How did the Catholic Church oppose Bible distribution? (John 3:19, 20)
11 The record of Christendom’s religions includes bitter opposition to the distribution of the Bible and its “good news.” And no wonder!—for it exposes her bloodguilt. During the infamous Dark Ages, when for more than a thousand years Christendom was dominated by the popes of Rome, no effort was made to circulate the Bible among the common people. The few copies available were in Latin, a language that in time came to be known only to the priests. When at last courageous men attempted to translate the Bible into the language of the common people, so that these could read and understand it, they were persecuted, often to the death. In the fourteenth century C.E., John Wycliffe first translated the Bible from Latin into English. But the Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury, England, described him as “that pestilent wretch . . . the son of the old Serpent,” and some years after his death, opponents of the Bible dug up his remains, burned them and threw his ashes into the river Swift.
12. (a) What was Tyndale’s goal? (Luke 2:10) (b) How did he proceed to attain this goal, but what happened to him? (c) What resulted from Tyndale’s work?
12 In the sixteenth century, William Tyndale set out to translate the Bible from the original Hebrew and Greek into English, declaring, “If God spare my life, I will, before many years have passed, cause the boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scriptures than the priests do.” But he had to flee from England to the European continent in order to translate and print his Bible. Copies were then smuggled into England and began to circulate in great numbers, despite the clergy’s publicly burning all the Bibles that they could find. A hypocritical person betrayed Tyndale, and he was executed by being strangled at the stake, after which his body was burned. But his Bible translation lived on, so that ordinary people like a plowboy could read its “good news.” Later it was extensively consulted in the preparation of the well-known English King James version of the Bible.
13. What is some of the history of Bible translation into Oriental languages?
13 Other Bible translations often encountered problems. In Canton, China, Robert Morrison and his helpers translated secretly at night, knowing that they could be put to death by torture if they were detected. At one stage they hid wooden printing blocks of the book of Acts, only to have these eaten by termites. They produced the complete Chinese Bible in 1818. Translation of the Bible into Burmese was completed in 1835, after the translator, A. Judson, had lain in chains for almost a year in a vermin-infested jail, with his translation manuscript concealed in his pillow. In the 1880’s, while missionary activity was banned in Korea, translation and printing of portions of the Bible in Korean were done in Manchuria, and many copies found their way into Korea. The earliest complete Bible in Japanese was produced in 1887, and some early editions correctly used the divine name, Jehovah, throughout both the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures.
THE “GOOD NEWS” LIVES ON!
14. (a) What shows that Satan’s efforts to suppress the Bible failed? (b) What attitude have Christendom’s sects taken toward teaching the Bible?
14 Satan’s attempts to suppress the Bible failed. In more recent years, excellent translations of the Bible have been made in many languages, and the “good news” has become available to all mankind. Bibles are to be found in many homes. But have the religious sects of Christendom helped the people to understand the Bible? No, for they stand today in the same position as the religious leaders of Jesus’ time. They shove the word of God aside “in order to retain [their] tradition,” the false teachings from Babylon that were adopted when Constantine founded “Christendom.”—Mark 7:9, 13.
…