Lesson 07 You Can Be Jehovah' Friend
[Image:] A man looking across the ocean at twilight.
[Press play to hear the MP3 of the Lesson]
When you think of Jehovah God, what comes to your mind? Is he awe-inspiring but far away from you, like the stars of a distant galaxy? Or do you imagine him to be powerful but without a personality, like a thunderstorm? What is Jehovah really like? Through his Word, the Bible, Jehovah reveals some of his qualities, as well as his interest in you.
1. Why are we unable to see God?
“God is a Spirit.” (John 4:24) Jehovah does not have a physical body. He is a Spirit who lives in heaven, a place that we cannot see.
2. What are some aspects of Jehovah’s personality?
Although Jehovah is invisible, he is a real Person with qualities that endear him to those who know him. The Bible says: “Jehovah loves justice, and he will not abandon his loyal ones.” (Psalm 37:28) He is also “very tender in affection and merciful,” especially toward people who are suffering.
[Quotation] James 5:11: Look! We consider happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful. [End Quotation]
“Jehovah is close to the brokenhearted; he saves those who are discouraged.” Psalm 34:18 footnote Or “are discouraged.”
And did you know that Jehovah is affected by the way we act? A person who chooses to do bad things disappoints him and makes him sad.
[Quotation] Psalm 78:40 and 41: How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness And made him feel hurt in the desert! Again and again they put God to the test, And they grieved the Holy One of Israel. [End Quotation]
But a person who does what is right makes him happy. Read Proverbs 27:11.
[Read Scripture] Proverbs 27:11: Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, So that I can make a reply to him who taunts me. [End of Read Scripture]
3. How does Jehovah show that he loves us?
Jehovah’s most outstanding quality is love. In fact, “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) Jehovah reveals his love, not only through the Bible but also through the things he created. (Read Acts 14:17.) Consider, for example, how he made us. He has given us the ability to see beautiful colors, hear delightful music, and taste delicious food. He wants us to enjoy life.
[Read Scripture] Acts 14:17: although he did not leave himself without witness in that he did good, giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying you with food and filling your hearts with gladness.” [End of Read Scripture]
Dig Deeper
Learn what Jehovah uses to accomplish amazing things. Then see how Jehovah reveals and expresses his appealing qualities.
4. Holy spirit. God’s active force
Just as we use our hands to do work, Jehovah uses his holy spirit. The Bible reveals that holy spirit is, not a person, but the force God uses to get things done. Read Luke 11:13 and Acts 2:17, and then discuss these questions: God will “pour out” his holy spirit on those who ask for it. So do you think holy spirit is a person, or is it God’s active force? Why do you say that?
[Read Scripture] Luke 11:13: Therefore, if you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him!” [End of Read Scripture]
[Read Scripture] Acts 2:17: ‘“And in the last days,” God says, “I will pour out some of my spirit on every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams, [End of Read Scripture]
Jehovah uses his holy spirit to accomplish amazing things. Read Psalm 33:6 and 2 Peter 1:20 and 21, and then discuss the question that follows:
[Read Scripture] Psalm 33:6: By the word of Jehovah the heavens were made, And by the spirit of his mouth everything in them. [End of Read Scripture]
[Read Scripture] 2 Peter 1:20 and 21: For you know this first, that 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 moved by holy spirit. [End of Read Scripture]
What are some ways in which Jehovah has used his holy spirit?
[Image:] Collage: Things accomplished by God’s holy spirit. 1. Planets and the universe. 2. A Bible writer records God’s inspired thoughts in a scroll.
5. Jehovah has an appealing personality
Moses was a faithful worshipper of God, but he wanted to know his Creator better. So Moses said to him: “Make me know your ways, so that I may know you.”
[Quotation] Exodus 33:13: Please, if I have found favor in your eyes, make me know your ways, so that I may know you and continue to find favor in your eyes. Consider, too, that this nation is your people.” [End Quotation]
In reply, Jehovah revealed to Moses some aspects of His personality. Read Exodus 34:4 through 6, and then discuss the questions that follow:
[Read Scripture] Exodus 34:4 through 6: So Moses carved out two tablets of stone like the first ones and got up early in the morning and went up Mount Sinai, just as Jehovah had commanded him, and he took the two tablets of stone in his hand. Then Jehovah came down in the cloud and stationed himself with him there and declared the name of Jehovah. Jehovah was passing before him and declaring: “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love and truth, [End of Read Scripture]
What aspects of Jehovah’s personality did he reveal to Moses?
Which of Jehovah’s qualities especially appeal to you?
6. Jehovah cares about people
God’s people, the Hebrews, were slaves in Egypt. How did their suffering affect Jehovah? Play the audio Jehovah Cared About Their Suffering (2:45) and follow along, or read Exodus 3:1 through 10. Then discuss the questions that follow.
[Click for Transcript]|[Jehovah Cared About Their Suffering
[Text: Exodus 3:1 through 10. Audio Bible Reading]
Narrator: “Moses became a shepherd of the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. While he was leading the flock to the west side of the wilderness, he eventually came to the mountain of the true God, to Horeb. Then Jehovah’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire in the midst of a thornbush. As he kept looking, he saw that the thornbush was on fire, and yet the thornbush was not consumed. So, Moses said: I will go over to inspect this unusual sight to see why the thornbush does not burn up. When Jehovah saw that he went over to look, God called to him out of the thornbush and said: Moses! Moses! To which he said: Here I am. Then he said: Do not come any nearer. Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground. He went on to say: I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at the true God. Jehovah added: I have certainly seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry because of those who force them to work; I well know the pains they suffer. I will go down to rescue them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a land good and spacious, a land flowing with milk and honey, the territory of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Now look! The outcry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen also the harsh way that the Egyptians are oppressing them. Now come, I will send you to Pharaoh, and you will bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2017 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania) [Click to close]
What does this account tell you as to how Jehovah feels about human suffering? See Exodus 3:7 and 8
[Quotation] Exodus 3:7 and 8 Jehovah added: “I have certainly seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry because of those who force them to work; I well know the pains they suffer. 8 I will go down to rescue them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a land good and spacious, a land flowing with milk and honey, the territory of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amʹor·ites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites [End Quotation]
Do you think that Jehovah really wants to help humans and that he is able to do so? Why, or why not?
[Read Scripture] Exodus 3:1 through 10: 1 Moses became a shepherd of the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. While he was leading the flock to the west side of the wilderness, he eventually came to the mountain of the true God, to Horeb. 2 Then Jehovah’s angel appeared to him in a flame of fire in the midst of a thornbush. As he kept looking, he saw that the thornbush was on fire, and yet the thornbush was not consumed. 3 So Moses said: “I will go over to inspect this unusual sight to see why the thornbush does not burn up.” 4 When Jehovah saw that he went over to look, God called to him out of the thornbush and said: “Moses! Moses!” to which he said: “Here I am.” 5 Then he said: “Do not come any nearer. Remove your sandals from your feet, because the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6 He went on to say: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at the true God. 7 Jehovah added: “I have certainly seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry because of those who force them to work; I well know the pains they suffer. 8 I will go down to rescue them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a land good and spacious, a land flowing with milk and honey, the territory of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 9 Now look! The outcry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen also the harsh way that the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 Now come, I will send you to Pharaoh, and you will bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.” [End of Read Scripture]
[Image:] A woman praying.
7. The natural world reveals Jehovah’s qualities
Jehovah reveals his qualities through the things he created. Play the video Creation Reveals Jehovah’s Love. The Human Body (1:57). Then read Romans 1:20, and discuss the question that follows.
[Click for Transcript]|[Creation Reveals Jehovah’s Love. The Human Body]
[A blue-eyed baby smiles]
Presenter: From the moment we are born, we experience the world through our senses.
[A brown-eyed infant’s tiny hand grips an adult’s finger]
Touch lets us feel safe and loved.
[A mamma kisses her baby’s chubby cheeks]
We use it to explore and learn.
[A boy examines a feather in his hand]
The sounds we hear convey meaning.
[A cellist plays in an orchestra]
With two ears, we can locate a sound’s direction.
[A conductor waves a baton as musicians play violins]
Different wavelengths of light are perceived as a range of vivid colors.
[A waterfall and rainbow]
Images from each eye combine in 3-D so that we can better judge depth and distance.
[A boy kicks a ball]
We can detect over ten thousand smells
[Lavender]
by using a small group of cells that detect microscopic materials in the air.
[Vegetables sizzle in a pan]
We taste, see, smell, touch, and hear in one enjoyable experience, with all the senses converging in one place —our brain.
[Neurones fire]
Some two hundred billion nerve cells are connected by trillions of tiny contacts. The brain interprets chemical signals from each sense, connects new information to what we already know, and stores lasting memories.
[Children giggle]
Life is a precious gift from our loving Creator. King David was inspired to write: “I praise you because in an awe-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, I know this very well.”
[Psalm 139:14]
(Logo: Black capital letters JW.ORG inside a white box. Copyright 2019 Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania) [Click to close]
What qualities of Jehovah do you see in the things he has made?
[Read scripture] Romans 1:20: For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable. [End of Read scripture]
[Image:] Collage: A whale and her calf, flowers, and a hummingbird.
[Box]
Some People Say: “God is not a person, he’s just a force that is everywhere.” What do you think? Why do you feel that way? [End of box]
Summary
Jehovah is an invisible Spirit with many appealing qualities, especially love.
Review
Why are we unable to see Jehovah?
What is the holy spirit?
What are some of Jehovah’s qualities?
Goal
After reading Psalm 23, try to discern what it reveals about God’s personality. Set Other Goals
Explore
Deepen your understanding of Jehovah by learning about four of his outstanding qualities. “What Is God Like?” (The Watchtower Number 1 2019)
[Click for article]|[Coming soon] [Click to close]
Consider evidence that Jehovah is not present in all things. “Is God Everywhere, Omnipresent?” (Web article)
[Click for article]|[Coming soon] [Click to close]
See why the Bible refers to the holy spirit as God’s hands. “What Is the Holy Spirit?” (Web article)
[Click for article]|[Coming soon] [Click to close]
A blind man struggled to believe that God cared about him. Find out what changed his mind. “I Now Feel That I Can Help Others” (The Watchtower, October 1, 2015)
[Click for article]|[Coming soon] [Click to close]