WHY DOES JEHOVAH EXPECT US TO WAIT?

The Bible says: “Jehovah is waiting patiently to show you favor, and he will rise up to show you mercy. For Jehovah is a God of justice. Happy are all those keeping in expectation of him.” (Isa. 30:18) These words of Isaiah were originally directed to the stubborn Jews. (Isa. 30:1) But there were some faithful ones among the Jews, and these words offered them hope. These same words offer hope to Jehovah’s faithful servants today.

So we must wait patiently because Jehovah is waiting patiently. He has an appointed time for when he will bring this system to an end, and he is waiting for that day and hour to arrive. (Matt. 24:36) At that time, it will be absolutely clear that the Devil’s charges against Jehovah and those who serve Him are false. He will then remove Satan and any who side with him, but He will “show [us] mercy.”

In the meantime, Jehovah may not remove our trials, but he assures us that we can be happy while waiting. As Isaiah stated, we can be happy while we long or hope for something good to happen. (Isa. 30:18)a