A Sure Hope for the Present Generation
“If you could change the world, what would you do?” Some youngsters will answer like Swen, a German teenager who thinks it is “Utopian to dream of having complete power to change things.”
Others say what they would do if they had the ability to bring changes for the better. Their solutions to some of mankind’s problems often come very close to the ones put forward in the Bible.
What Youths Would Do What God Promises
Interesting Work for All
Seventeen-year-old Jacky, There will be satisfying work
from northern France, would for all, and men will enjoy
limit “technology by cutting the fruits of their labor.
down on robots in order to “They will certainly build
provide work for men.”a houses and have occupancy . . .
Susanne, a teenager from They will not build and
Hamburg, Federal Republic of someone else have occupancy;
Germany, would like to see a they will not plant and
world of just manual trades— someone else do the eating.
cobblers, builders, millers, . . . The work of their own
carpenters, and so forth. hands my chosen ones will use
to the full. They will not toil
for nothing, nor will they bring
to birth for disturbance.”
Peace on Earth
Like many youngsters, Carla, “Come, you people, behold the
a girl of 14 from the Federal activities of Jehovah, how he
Republic of Germany, would has set astonishing events on
“do away with bombs and wars.” the earth. He is making wars
Jun, a young boy from to cease to the extremity
Japan, “would bring peace to of the earth.”—Psalm 46:8, 9.
everyone.” And Delphine,
from France, would also “stop
wars all over the world.”
A United World
John, a young Canadian, “And to him [Jesus] there were
“would bring the world together given rulership and dignity
into a single community.” and kingdom, that the peoples,
Mikiko, a young girl from national groups and languages
Japan, explains how she thinks should all serve even him.”
unity could be obtained: “I “Many nations will certainly go
would make a land where only and say: ‘Come, you people,
good people live.” And and let us go up to the
Milton, from Brazil, gives mountain of Jehovah . . . and
further ideas: “I would he will instruct us about his
like to see a united world, ways, and we will walk in his
with one government and one paths.’”—Daniel 7:14;
religion.” Micah 4:2.
As the preceding comparisons have shown, the future that God promises is just what many young people desire. This future will come to be a reality, for the psalmist, speaking to Jehovah, gives the assurance: “You are opening your hand and satisfying the desire of every living thing.” (Psalm 145:16) But when will these promises be fulfilled? Let’s see how some other youngsters answer.
The Time for a Change Is Near!
Carole, from France, has a “marvelous hope” and foresees, for the near future, “something marvelous—not at all like the world we live in.” Samuel, a 15-year-old youth from the same country, also believes in a complete change: “For the year 2000, I visualize a world transformed into a beautiful paradise! But I don’t think that either the present world or its rulers will live to see that day. . . . We are living in the last days of the system of things.” Ruth, a German girl of 16, also expresses her confidence in these changes: “I know I’m not smart enough to change the world and make things run right. Only Jehovah, our Creator, can and will do that soon.”
But why are the last youngsters interviewed so sure of beneficial changes in the near future? Simply because they have come to know about God’s promises through his Word, the Bible. As Jehovah’s Witnesses, they are confident of something better—a world of justice and peace where, according to God’s promise, even illness and death will be no more.—2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:3, 4.
A close examination of Bible prophecies showed these young Witnesses that we are now living in a privileged period of history, for the time has come for God to intervene in human affairs and rid the entire earth of unrighteousness. The Scriptures call this short period preceding God’s intervention “the time of the end” and specify that it will not last longer than a “generation.” It would also be distinguished by wars, earthquakes, epidemics, fear, and rising insecurity—all of which have marked the world since 1914. Since the “generation” of 1914 is now well advanced in years, God’s promise is really up-to-date news for young people today.—Daniel 12:4; Matthew 24:3, 7-14, 34.
Preparing Your Future
What, then, should be our attitude toward the future? A choice is offered to everyone. A French journalist put it this way: “There are two ways of showing an interest in the future: One is by trying to visualize it, like someone in a train watching the countryside go by; the other is by preparing for it.” Which do you prefer?
Rather than living in dread of a dark future, you may wish to investigate the beliefs of the young Witnesses to find out if there is a solid basis for their hope. Why not begin a study of God’s Word together with one of Jehovah’s Witnesses? Instead of waiting passively for the future, you will learn to prepare for it. The marvelous hope of the future can be yours.
[Box on page 8]
Is Tomorrow Like Today?
When imagining the future, people often tend to think of it as a prolonging of their present way of life. The famous American physicist Robert Oppenheimer, one of the fathers of the atom bomb, explained why he thought the future cannot be foreseen in that way: “There is a complementary danger in foreseeing the future and trying to foretell it. We are often convinced that yesterday’s surprises will determine what happens tomorrow. . . . But for good or for bad, tomorrow is novelty. It is the novelty of chance, things that come together in a way one cannot predict. . . . What makes tomorrow is that it cannot be foretold today; it is not implied by today.”
Since man cannot of his own ability peer into the future, he needs to consult a Being of superior intelligence. The Bible describes God as having the necessary capacity in these words: “I am . . . the One telling from the beginning the finale, and from long ago the things that have not been done.” So it is to him alone that man can turn to find out what the future holds.—Isaiah 46:9, 10