24, 25. (a) What invitation does Jehovah extend, and why is his promise sure of fulfillment? (b) What does Jehovah rightfully require?

²⁴ Jehovah’s mercy moves him to extend an invitation: “Turn to me and be saved, all you at the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no one else.

Isaiah 45:22

²⁵ Jehovah promises Israel that he will save those in Babylon who turn to him. Failure of his prophecy is an impossibility because Jehovah has both the desire and the ability to rescue his people. (Isaiah 55:11)

26. How are “a great crowd” from all nations responding to Jehovah’s invitation to turn to him?

²⁶ God’s invitation to turn to him, however, is not limited to the exiles in ancient Babylon. (Acts 14:14, 15; 15:19; 1 Timothy 2:3, 4) This invitation is still going out, and “a great crowd . . . out of all nations” respond and proclaim: “Salvation we owe to our God . . . and to the Lamb [Jesus].” (Revelation 7:9, 10; 15:4) Every year, hundreds of thousands of new ones swell the great crowd by turning to God, fully recognizing his sovereignty and publicly declaring their allegiance to him. In addition, they loyally support spiritual Israel, the ‘seed of Abraham.’ (Galatians 3:29)

27. Why can Christians today have absolute trust in Jehovah’s promises?

²⁷ Why can members of the great crowd trust that turning to God means salvation? Because Jehovah’s promises are reliable, as the prophetic words found in Isaiah chapter 45 so clearly show. Just as Jehovah had the power and wisdom to create the heavens and the earth, so he has the power and wisdom to cause his prophecies to come true. And just as he saw to it that the prophecy concerning Cyrus came true, so he will fulfill any other Bible prophecy that still awaits fulfillment.