you, whom I have taken hold of from the extremities of the earth, and you, whom I have called even from the remote parts of it. And so I said to you, ‘You are my servant; I have chosen you, and I have not rejected you.

Isaiah 41:8-

13. Why will Jehovah’s words be of comfort to the captive Jews?

¹³ How comforting these words will be to the faithful Jews held captive in a foreign land! How encouraging it will be to hear Jehovah call them “my servant” at the time when they are exiles, servants of the king of Babylon! (2 Chronicles 36:20) Though Jehovah will discipline them because of their unfaithfulness, he will not reject them. Israel belongs to Jehovah, not to Babylon.

14. How do Jehovah’s words to Israel comfort God’s servants today?

¹⁴ Those words have reassured and strengthened God’s servants even down to our day. Back in 1918 they yearned to know Jehovah’s will for them. They longed for deliverance from their spiritually captive state. Today we yearn for relief from the pressures inflicted on us by Satan, the world, and our own imperfection. But we appreciate that Jehovah knows precisely when and how to act in behalf of his people. Like young children, we hold on to his mighty hand, confident that he will help us to cope. (Psalm 63:7, 8) Jehovah treasures those who serve him. He supports us today just as he supported his people through the difficult period of 1918-19 and just as he supported faithful Israelites so long ago.