Lesson 03 Can You Trust the Bible?
[Image:] Ancient Bible manuscripts.
[Press play to hear the MP3 of the Lesson]
The Bible makes many promises and offers much advice. Likely you are curious about what it teaches, but perhaps you are also cautious. Should you trust promises and advice from such an old book? Can you really believe what the Bible says about enjoying life now and in the future? Millions of people do. Let us see whether you can too.
1. Is the Bible a book of fact or fiction?
The Bible claims to be a record of “accurate words of truth.”
[Quotation] Ecclesiastes 12:10 The congregator sought to find delightful wordso and to record accurate words of truth. [End Quotation]
It relates real events that involved real people. (Read Luke 1:3 and 3:1 and 2.) Many historians and archaeologists have confirmed the accuracy of important dates, people, places, and events described in the Bible.
[Read Scripture] Luke 1:3: I resolved also, because I have traced all things from the start with accuracy, to write them to you in logical order, most excellent Theophilus, [End of Read Scripture]
[Read Scripture] Luke 3:1 and 2: In the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod was district ruler of Galilee, Philip his brother was district ruler of the country of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was district ruler of Abilene, in the days of chief priest Annas and of Caiaphas, God’s declaration came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. [End of Read Scripture]
2. Why can we say that the Bible is not out-of-date?
In many ways, the Bible has proved to be ahead of its time. For example, it touches on scientific subjects. Much of what it says on those subjects was controversial when it was written. However, modern science confirms that what the Bible says is accurate. It is “always reliable, now and forever.” (Psalm 111:8)
[Quotation] Psalm 111:8 They are always reliable, now and forever; They are made in truth and righteousness. [End Quotation]
3. Why can we trust what the Bible says about the future?
The Bible contains prophecies * that foretell “the things that have not yet been done.” (Isaiah 46:10)
[Quotation] Isaiah 46:10 From the beginning I foretell the outcome, And from long ago the things that have not yet been done. I say, ‘My decision will stand, And I will do whatever I please.’ [End Quotation]
It accurately foretold numerous historical events long before they occurred. It also described today’s world conditions in striking detail. In this lesson, we will examine some of the Bible’s prophecies. Their accuracy is amazing! [Footnote] * Prophecies include messages from God about future events. [End of footnote]
Dig Deeper
Examine how modern science agrees with the Bible, and investigate a few impressive Bible prophecies.
4. Science agrees with the Bible
In ancient times, most people believed that the earth rested upon something. Play the video
Video Link The Earth Hangs Upon Nothing (1:13).
[Click for Transcript]|[Transcript: The Earth Hangs Upon Nothing]
Presenter: During the time when the Bible was written,
[A timeline]
many people had mistaken ideas about the shape of the earth.
[Men of ancient cultures write theories]
A theory written after the Bible was completed was that the universe emerged from a cosmic egg
[The egg splits]
and that the earth was supported by various creatures.
[Animals stack inside]
In contrast, about the year 1473 B.C.E., Moses wrote that the earth is suspended ‘upon nothing.’
[Job 26:7]
And around the year 732 B.C.E., the prophet Isaiah wrote that the earth is a circle, or sphere.
[Isaiah 40:22]
These Bible writers contradicted ideas that were popular at the time.
[The round earth spins]
It was some 200 years after Isaiah’s day that the Greek philosopher Pythagoras may have proposed that the earth is a sphere.
[6th Century]
And more than 3,000 years passed from Moses’ writings until scientists such as Isaac Newton realized that the earth seemed to hang upon nothing.
[1687 C.E. Newton catches a fallen apple.]
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2015 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania) [Click to close]
Notice what was recorded in the book of Job some 3,500 years ago. Read Job 26:7, and then discuss the question that follows:
[Read Scripture] Job 26:7: He stretches out the northern sky over empty space, Suspending the earth upon nothing; [End of Read Scripture]
Why is the statement that the earth is suspended “upon nothing” surprising?
It was not until the 1800’s that the earth’s water cycle was well understood. Yet, notice what the Bible stated thousands of years ago. Read Job 36:27 and 28, and then discuss the questions that follow:
[Read Scripture] Job 36:27 and 28: He draws up the drops of water; They condense into rain from his mist; Then the clouds pour it down; They shower down upon mankind. [End of Read Scripture]
Why is this simple description of the water cycle remarkable?
Do the scriptures you just read strengthen your trust in the Bible?
[Image:] The Bible describes earth’s water cycle. Arrows point in a clockwise circle showing water movement between the earth and the atmosphere. Caption: The Bible describes earth’s water cycle
5. The Bible foretold important events
Read Isaiah 44:27 through 45:2, and then discuss th question that follows:
[Read scripture] Isaiah 44:27 through 45:2: The One saying to the deep waters, ‘Be evaporated, And I will dry up all your rivers’; The One saying of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, And he will completely carry out all my will’; The One saying of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ And of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’” This is what Jehovah says to his anointed one, to Cyrus, Whose right hand I have taken hold of To subdue nations before him, To disarm kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut: “Before you I will go, And the hills I will level. The copper doors I will break in pieces, And the iron bars I will cut down. [End of Read scripture]
What details did the Bible foretell 200 years before the fall of Babylon?
Play the video The Bible Foretold the Fall of Babylon (0:58).
[Click for Transcript]|[The Bible Foretold the Fall of Babylon]
[On a porch a woman looks at the pouring rain, she then looks at her phone forecasting sunshine]
Presenter: No human can foretell the future in exact detail. Yet, about the year 732 B.C.E., the prophet Isaiah foretold that a man named Cyrus would conquer the mighty city of Babylon, that he would “dry up” a river, and that he would enter the city through open gates.
[Soldiers charge in]
[Isaiah 44:27 through 45:4]
History confirms that every detail of this prophecy was fulfilled.
[539 B.C.E]
Concerning the same city, the prophet Jeremiah foretold that Babylon would “become piles of stones” and “never again be inhabited.” Despite its strategic location, Babylon eventually became a pile of stones and remains that way!
[614 B.C.E Jeremiah 50:39; 51:37]
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[Image:] Caption: Babylon’s ruins in modern-day Iraq
History confirms that King Cyrus of Persia and his army conquered the city of Babylon in 539 B.C.E. * They diverted the river that protected the city. After entering the city through gates that had been left open, they captured it without a battle. Today, over 2,500 years later, Babylon lies in ruins. Note what the Bible foretold. [Footnote.] * B.C.E. means “Before the Common Era,” and C.E. means “Common Era.” [End of footnote.]
Read Isaiah 13:19 and 20, and then discuss the question that follows:
[Read scripture] Isaiah 13:19 and 20: And Babylon, the most glorious of kingdoms, The beauty and the pride of the Chaldeans, Will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. She will never be inhabited, Nor will she be a place to reside in throughout all generations. No Arab will pitch his tent there, And no shepherds will rest their flocks there. [End of Read scripture]
How does what happened to Babylon confirm the fulfillment of this prophecy?
6. The Bible foretold things we see today
The Bible refers to our time as “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1)
[Quotation] 2 Timothy 3:1 But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. [End Quotation]
Notice what the Bible foretold about this time period.
Read Matthew 24:6 and 7, and then discuss the question that follows:
[Read Scripture] Matthew 24:6 and 7: You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for these things must take place, but the end is not yet. “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. [End of Read Scripture]
What significant conditions did the Bible say would exist during the last days?
Read 2 Timothy 3:1 through 5, and then discuss the questions that follow:
[Read Scripture] 2 Timothy 3:1 through 5: But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, 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 an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. [End of Read Scripture]
What common attitudes of people during the last days did the Bible describe?
Which of these attitudes have you observed?
[Image:] Collage: Scenes of conditions that the Bible foretold regarding ‘the last days.’ 1. Buildings on fire. 2. A soldier shoots a machine gun. 3. Civilians fight against police in riot gear. 4. Two men rob a man at a store. 5. An army tank raids a city. 6. Hungry people wear masks and stand in a food line. 7. Dry earth splits apart for miles. 8. A house crumbles in ruins after an earthquake.
[Box]
Some People Say: “The Bible is a book of myths and legends.” In your opinion, what is the strongest evidence that the Bible is trustworthy? [End of box]
Summary
History, science, and prophecy all indicate that you can trust the Bible.
Review
Is the Bible a book of fact or fiction?
What are some areas where science agrees with the Bible?
Do you think that the Bible foretells the future? Why, or why not?
Goal
To strengthen your trust in the Bible, read or watch one of the items in the Explore section. Set Other Goals
Explore
Are there scientific errors in the Bible? “Does Science Agree With the Bible?” (Web article)
[Click for article]|[Does Science Agree With the Bible?
The Bible’s answer
Yes, for although the Bible is not a science textbook, it is accurate when it mentions matters of science. Consider some examples showing that science and the Bible agree and that the Bible contains scientific facts that differed greatly from the beliefs of many people living at the time it was written.
The universe had a beginning. (Genesis 1:1)
[Quotation] Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [End Quotation]
In contrast, many ancient myths describe the universe, not as being created, but as being organized from existing chaos. The Babylonians believed that the gods that gave birth to the universe came from two oceans. Other legends say that the universe came from a giant egg.
The universe is governed day-to-day by rational natural laws, not by the whims of deities. (Job 38:33; Jeremiah 33:25)
[Quotation] Job 38:33: Do you know the laws governing the heavens, Or can you impose their authority on the earth? [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Jeremiah 33:25: “This is what Jehovah says: ‘Just as surely as I have established my covenant regarding the day and the night, the laws of heaven and earth, [End Quotation]
Myths from around the world teach that humans are helpless before the unpredictable and sometimes merciless acts of the gods. The earth is suspended in empty space. (Job 26:7)
[Quotation] Job 26:7: He stretches out the northern sky over empty space, Suspending the earth upon nothing; [End Quotation]
Many ancient peoples believed that the world was a flat disk supported by a giant or an animal, such as a buffalo or a turtle.
Rivers and springs are fed by water that has evaporated from the oceans and other sources and then has fallen back to earth as rain, snow, or hail. (Job 36:27, 28; Ecclesiastes 1:7; Isaiah 55:10; Amos 9:6)
[Quotation] Job 36:27: He draws up the drops of water; They condense into rain from his mist; 28: Then the clouds pour it down; They shower down upon mankind. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Ecclesiastes 1:7: All the streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is not full. To the place from which the streams flow, there they return so as to flow again. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Isaiah 55:10: For just as the rain and the snow pour down from heaven And do not return there until they saturate the earth, making it produce and sprout, Giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Amos 9:6: ‘The one who builds his stairs in the heavens And establishes his structure over the earth; The one who summons the waters of the sea, To pour them out on the surface of the earth —Jehovah is his name.’ [End Quotation]
The ancient Greeks thought that rivers were fed by underground ocean water, and this idea persisted into the 18th century.
The mountains rise and fall, and today’s mountains were once under the ocean. (Psalm 104:6, 8)
[Quotation] Psalm 104:6: You covered it with deep waters as with a garment. The waters stood above the mountains. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Psalm 104:8: —Mountains ascended and valleys descended— To the place you established for them. [End Quotation]
In contrast, several myths say that the mountains were created in their current form by the gods.
Sanitary practices protect health. The Law given to the nation of Israel included regulations for washing after touching a dead body, quarantining those with infectious disease, and disposing of human waste safely. (Leviticus 11:28; 13:1-5; Deuteronomy 23:13)
[Quotation] Leviticus 11:28: The one who carries their dead bodies should wash his garments, and he will be unclean until the evening. They are unclean to you. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Leviticus 13:1: Jehovah continued to speak to Moses and Aaron, saying: 2: “If a man develops on his skin a swelling, a scab, or a blotch and it could become the disease of leprosy on his skin, he must then be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons, the priests. 3: The priest will examine the infection on his skin. When the hair in the infection has turned white and the appearance of the infection is deeper than the skin, it is the disease of leprosy. The priest will examine it and declare him unclean. 4: But if the blotch on his skin is white and its appearance is not deeper than the skin and the hair has not turned white, the priest will then quarantine the infected person for seven days. 5: The priest will then examine him on the seventh day, and if it appears that the infection has stopped and has not spread on the skin, the priest will quarantine him for another seven days. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Deuteronomy 23:13: A peg should be part of your equipment. When you squat outside, you should dig a hole with it and then cover your excrement. [End Quotation]
By contrast, one of the Egyptian remedies in use when these commands were given called for applying to an open wound a mixture that included human excrement.
Are there scientific errors in the Bible?
A reasonable examination of the Bible shows the answer to be no. Here are some common misconceptions about the scientific accuracy of the Bible:
Myth: The Bible says that the universe was created in six 24-hour days.
Fact: According to the Bible, God created the universe in the indefinite past. (Genesis 1:1)
[Quotation] Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [End Quotation]
Also, the days of creation described in chapter 1 of Genesis were epochs whose length is not specified. In fact, the entire period during which earth and heaven were made is also called a “day.”—Genesis 2:4.
[Quotation] Genesis 2:4: This is a history of the heavens and the earth in the time they were created, in the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven. [End Quotation]
Myth: The Bible says that vegetation was created before the sun existed to support photosynthesis.—Genesis 1:11, 16.
[Quotation] Genesis 1:11: Then God said: “Let the earth cause grass to sprout, seed-bearing plants and fruit trees according to their kinds, yielding fruit along with seed on the earth.” And it was so. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Genesis 1:16: And God went on to make the two great luminaries, the greater luminary for dominating the day and the lesser luminary for dominating the night, and also the stars. [End Quotation]
Fact: The Bible shows that the sun, one of the stars that make up “the heavens,” was created before vegetation. (Genesis 1:1)
[Quotation] Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [End Quotation]
Diffused light from the sun reached the earth’s surface during the first “day,” or epoch, of creation. As the atmosphere cleared, by the third “day” of creation, the light was strong enough to support photosynthesis. (Genesis 1:3-5, 12, 13)
[Quotation] Genesis 1:3: And God said: “Let there be light.” Then there was light. 4: After that God saw that the light was good, and God began to divide the light from the darkness. 5: God called the light Day, but the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, a first day. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Genesis 1:12: And the earth began to produce grass, seed-bearing plants and trees yielding fruit along with seed, according to their kinds. Then God saw that it was good. 13: And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. [End Quotation]
Only later did the sun become distinctly visible from the surface of the earth.—Genesis 1:16.
[Quotation] Genesis 1:16: And God went on to make the two great luminaries, the greater luminary for dominating the day and the lesser luminary for dominating the night, and also the stars. [End Quotation]
Myth: The Bible says that the sun revolves around the earth.
Fact: Ecclesiastes 1:5 says: “The sun rises, and the sun sets; then it hurries back to the place where it rises again.” However, this statement merely describes the apparent motion of the sun as viewed from the earth. Even today, a person can use the words “sunrise” and “sunset,” yet he knows that the earth revolves around the sun.
Myth: The Bible says that the earth is flat.
Fact: The Bible uses the phrase “the ends of the earth” to mean “the most distant part of the earth”; this does not imply that the earth is flat or that it has an edge. (Acts 1:8; footnote)
[Quotation] Acts 1:8: But you will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you, and you will be witnesses of me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the most distant part of the earth.” [End Quotation]
Likewise, the expression “the four corners of the earth” is a figure of speech referring to the entire surface of the earth; today a person might use the four points of the compass as a similar metaphor.—Isaiah 11:12; Luke 13:29.
[Quotation] Isaiah 11:12: He will raise up a signal for the nations and gather the dispersed ones of Israel, and he will gather together the scattered ones of Judah from the four corners of the earth. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Luke 13:29: Furthermore, people will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the Kingdom of God. [End Quotation]
Myth: The Bible says that the circumference of a circle is exactly three times its diameter, but the correct value is pi (π), or about 3.1416.
Fact: The measurements of “the Sea of cast metal” given at 1 Kings 7:23 and 2 Chronicles 4:2
[Quotation] 1 Kings 7:23: Then he made the Sea of cast metal. It was circular in shape, 10 cubits from brim to brim and 5 cubits high, and it took a measuring line 30 cubits long to encircle it. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] 2 Chronicles 4:2: He made the Sea of cast metal. It was circular in shape, 10 cubits from brim to brim and 5 cubits high, and it took a measuring line 30 cubits long to encircle it. [End Quotation]
indicate that it had a diameter of 10 cubits and that “it took a measuring line 30 cubits long to encircle it.” These dimensions might have been merely the nearest round numbers. It is also possible that the circumference and diameter represented inner and outer measurements of the basin respectively. [Click to close]
What are the facts about “the last days”? “6 Bible Prophecies You Are Seeing Fulfilled” (The Watchtower, May 1, 2011)
[Click for article]|[Coming soon] [Click to close]
Learn how Bible prophecies about the Greek Empire came true. Fortified by “the Prophetic Word” (5:22)
[Click for transcript]|[Fortified by "the Prophetic Word"
[Gerrit Losch Governing Body]
Gerrit: My comments to you today are based on 2 Peter 1:19. There it states: “We have the prophetic word made more sure.” Yes, we are fortified by the prophetic word. Actually, there is no one on earth today that is not affected by prophecy, even if he is not aware of it. What is a prophecy? The Hebrew term for ‘prophecy’ is not limited to predicting, or foretelling, something in the future. It also includes divine commands, or inspired instruction. The Samaritan woman at the well-recognized Jesus as a prophet because he revealed, not future things, but things about her past that he could not have known except by divine power. The source of all true prophecy is Jehovah God. At 2 Peter 1:21, it is said of prophecy that “men spoke from God as they were moved by holy spirit.” In addition to transmitting prophecy by holy spirit, Jehovah occasionally communicated such messages by means of angels.
One outstanding prophet was Daniel. In about 536 before our Common Era, Daniel recorded a vision involving world powers having interaction with God’s servants.
Turn with me to Daniel 8:21, 22. Daniel’s vision was of animals representing governments. Note this remarkable prophecy at Daniel 8:21, 22: “The hairy male goat stands for the king of Greece; “and the great horn that was between its eyes “stands for the first king. “As for the horn that was broken, “so that four stood up instead of it, “there are four kingdoms from his nation that will stand up, but not with his power.” Interestingly, the Bible specifically named Greece. The ruler under which Greece became a world power in relation to God’s people, like a great horn, was the Macedonian Alexander the Great. Alexander’s rulership was short-lived. He died young in the year 323 before our Common Era—213 years after Daniel wrote his book. Jehovah’s angel had told Daniel that there would be, four kingdoms from his nation that would stand up in place of the Grecian empire. And chapter 11, verse 4, specifically states that the four regions would not go to his descendants. Do the historical facts support these prophecies? Yes. Alexander’s two sons, from different women, Heracles and Alexander IV, both were killed before they reached adulthood. Isn’t it astounding how precisely the prophecy came true that the rulership would not be passed on to Alexander’s posterity? But the prophecy also foretold that Alexander’s empire would be divided up into four kingdoms. Did that happen? Yes! One source listed 72 different military leaders under Alexander the Great, but the prophecy said only four would eventually rule in his place. After Alexander’s death, there were constant fierce battles between these military leaders. But finally, just four dynasties resulted—just as the Bible prophesied. One was that of General Cassander, son of Antipater, in Macedonia and Greece. The second was that of General Lysimachus in Asia Minor and European Thrace. The third was the one of General Seleucus Nicator, the conqueror who secured Babylon, Media, Syria, Persia, and the provinces eastward into the Indus River. And finally, the fourth was that of General Ptolemy Soter, son of Lagus, who secured Egypt, Libya, Arabia, Palestine, and Celesyria [Coele-Syria]. These four proclaimed themselves king around 305 before our Common Era—18 years after the death of Alexander. The prophecy was so detailed; its fulfillment is fascinating proof of divine inspiration. Does this not strengthen your faith and trust in the Bible?
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Discover how Bible prophecies changed one man’s view of the Bible. “For Me, God Did Not Exist” (The Watchtower No. 5 2017)
[Click for article]|[The Bible Changes Lives—For Me, God Did Not Exist
As told by Andreas Golec
Year Born: 1974
Country Of Origin: German Democratic Republic
History: Atheist
My Past: I was born in a village in Saxony, in what was then the German Democratic Republic (GDR). The atmosphere at home was warm and loving, and my parents taught me sound moral values. The GDR was a Communist state, so for most people in Saxony, religion was unimportant. And for me, God did not exist. Two ideologies shaped the first 18 years of my life: atheism and Communism.
Why did Communism appeal to me? Because I liked the idea that all people are equal. Furthermore, I believed that all property ought to be distributed fairly, since this would put an end to extremes of wealth and poverty. So I got busy in a Communist youth organization. When I was 14 years old, I spent a lot of time working on an environmental project to recycle wastepaper. The local town of Aue was so grateful for my efforts that the authorities there presented me with an award. Though still young, I got to know some top GDR politicians. I felt that I was pursuing the right goals and that my future was bright.
Then my world suddenly fell apart. In 1989 the Berlin Wall came down and with it the Communist bloc of Eastern Europe. One shock led to another. I soon discovered that injustice had been common in the GDR. For example, people who did not support Communism had been treated as second-rate citizens. How was that possible? Did we Communists not believe that all people are equal? Was Communism just an illusion? Anxiety gripped me.
So I switched priorities and focused on music and art. Since I was able to study at a music academy—with the likelihood of moving on to university—I dreamed of a career as a musician-artist. Furthermore, I threw overboard the moral values I had learned as a child. What was now important was to have a good time, which included dating several girls at once. But music, art, and a free lifestyle did not ease my anxiety. Even the pictures I painted reflected a morbid fear. What did the future hold? And what was the purpose of life?
When I finally found the answers I was looking for, they astonished me. One evening at the academy, I sat with a group of students discussing the future. Mandy [Name has been changed.] was a student and also one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. That evening she pointed me in the right direction. “Andreas,” she said, “if you want answers to your questions about life and the future, take a careful look at the Bible.”
I felt both skeptical and curious, but curiosity won the day. Mandy directed me to Daniel chapter 2, and what I read there stunned me. This prophecy describes a series of world powers, governments that would have a major impact down to our day. Mandy showed me other Bible prophecies that concern our future. At last I was finding answers to my questions! But who wrote those prophecies, and who could predict the future so accurately? Could it be that God exists after all?
How the Bible Changed My Life
Mandy put me in touch with Horst and Angelika, a Witness couple who helped me understand God’s Word better. I quickly recognized that Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only religious organization that consistently uses and draws attention to God’s personal name, Jehovah. (Psalm 83:18; Matthew 6:9)
[Quotation] Psalm 83:18: May people know that you, whose name is Jehovah, You alone are the Most High over all the earth. [End Quotation]
[Quotation] Matthew 6:9: “You must pray, then, this way: “‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. [End Quotation]
I learned that Jehovah God offers mankind the prospect of living forever on a paradise earth. Psalm 37:9 states: “Those hoping in Jehovah will possess the earth.” It appealed to me that this prospect is open to all individuals who endeavor to live up to God’s standards of conduct as explained in the Bible.
However, I struggled to change my ways so as to live in harmony with the Bible. Success as a musician-artist made me proud, so I first needed to learn some humility. Moreover, it was not easy for me to abandon a morally loose lifestyle. How grateful I am that Jehovah shows patience, mercy, and understanding toward those who try their best to practice what the Bible teaches!
Communism and atheism formed me during the first 18 years of my life; the Bible has been transforming my life ever since. What I learned quelled my anxiety about the future and gave me a purpose in life. In 1993, I got baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and in 2000, I married Tabitha, a zealous fellow believer. We spend as much time as possible helping others get to know the Bible. Many we meet have a background like mine, one shaped by Communism and atheism. I feel deep satisfaction when I show them how to get to know Jehovah.
How I Have Benefited
When I first began to associate with Jehovah’s Witnesses, my parents were horrified. Since then, however, they have come to see the positive effect that associating with the Witnesses has had on my life. To my joy, they now read the Bible and attend Christian meetings of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Tabitha and I enjoy a good marriage because we try to follow closely the advice given in the Bible to married couples. For instance, heeding its counsel about marital faithfulness continues to strengthen our marriage.—Hebrews 13:4.
[Quotation] Hebrews 13:4: Let marriage be honorable among all, and let the marriage bed be without defilement, for God will judge sexually immoral people and adulterers. [End Quotation]
I am no longer fearful of life and anxious about the future. I feel part of a worldwide family of fellow believers, one that enjoys real peace and unity. Within this family we treat one another as equals. That is something I have believed in and wanted to achieve all my life. [Click to close]