Working Toward Deliverance of People of Godly Devotion
THROUGHOUT the Scriptures Jehovah God is shown to be a God of deliverance of people of godly devotion. He delivered Noah and his family from the watery destruction of that first wicked world; he delivered righteous Lot and his daughters from the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah; and he delivered the nation of Israel from Egypt and from Egypt’s army at the Red Sea, as well as delivering them time and time again after that. Yes, “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial.”—2 Pet. 2:9, NW.
Jehovah changes not, he assures us. He is ever angry with the wicked, and since he cannot deny himself, the wicked of our day will also feel his wrath. That, according to Jesus’ great prophecy recorded at Matthew 24, will be within this generation, at “the war of the great day of God the Almighty,” Armageddon. At that time also, he will make a name for himself and bring deliverance to people of godly devotion. As the psalmist expressed it: “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the wicked.”—Rev. 16:14, 16, NW; Ps. 91:7, 8, AS.
Today Jehovah is taking note of people of godly devotion; those who “sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in” modern Jerusalem, particularly Christendom, so called. People who, like Lot, are “greatly distressed by the indulgence of the law-defying people in loose conduct,” and who are ‘tormenting their souls because of the lawless deeds that they see committed.’ So that these lovers of righteousness may experience the deliverance Jehovah has provided for them he sends forth his dedicated servants with the good news regarding his established kingdom.—Ezek. 9:4, RS; 2 Pet. 2:7, 8, NW.
To be able to work for the deliverance of such people of godly devotion certainly is a great favor. God is not obligated to give all a like opportunity for deliverance, but it is the privilege of his servants, Jehovah’s witnesses, to furnish the greatest and most favorable opportunity to the greatest possible number. It therefore follows that without doubt some will experience deliverance to the righteous new world and will enjoy its blessings throughout all eternity simply because of the zeal of some of Jehovah’s witnesses in seeking them out by calling from door to door, by making return visits and then conducting Bible studies with them.
For the dedicated servants of Jehovah this working toward the deliverance of people of godly devotion is not only a privilege and favor but has also a great obligation connected with it. In fact, God makes their very lives dependent upon it, even as he said to Ezekiel, who foreshadowed God’s servants today: “If I say to the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand.”—Ezek. 33:8, RS.
Truly, it is both a great favor and a serious obligation that is resting upon Jehovah’s servants today to work toward the salvation of people of godly devotion. Those who appreciate this will do all they can in this work. They will buy out the opportune time for themselves so that they can go from house to house, make return visits and conduct Bible studies in the homes of the people. And they will take time to train others for this work. Are you doing what you can toward the deliverance of people of godly devotion?