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The World Was Not Worthy of ThemThe Watchtower—1987 | January 15
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7. (a) Who “through faith defeated kingdoms in conflict”? (b) Who “effected righteousness” through faith?
7 By faith we can successfully meet every test of integrity and can accomplish anything harmonizing with the divine will. (Read Hebrews 11:33, 34.) In citing further acts of faith, apparently Paul had in mind Hebrew judges, kings, and prophets, for he had just named such men. “Through faith” such judges as Gideon and Jephthah “defeated kingdoms in conflict.” So did King David, who subdued the Philistines, Moabites, Syrians, Edomites, and others. (2 Samuel 8:1-14) Also through faith, upright judges “effected righteousness,” and the righteous counsel of Samuel and other prophets moved at least some to avoid or abandon wrongdoing.—1 Samuel 12:20-25; Isaiah 1:10-20.
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The World Was Not Worthy of ThemThe Watchtower—1987 | January 15
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10. Who “stayed the force of fire” through faith, and what will comparable faith enable us to do?
10 Daniel’s integrity-keeping Hebrew associates Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in effect “stayed the force of fire.” When threatened with death in a superheated furnace, they told King Nebuchadnezzar that, whether their God rescued them or not, they would not serve the Babylonian monarch’s gods or worship the image he had set up. Jehovah did not put out the fire in that furnace, but he made sure that it did the three Hebrews no harm. (Daniel 3:1-30) Comparable faith enables us to maintain integrity to God to the point of possible death at enemy hands.—Revelation 2:10.
11. (a) Through faith, who “escaped the edge of the sword”? (b) Who were “made powerful” through faith? (c) Who “became valiant in war” and “routed the armies of foreigners”?
11 David “escaped the edge of the sword” of King Saul’s men. (1 Samuel 19:9-17) The prophets Elijah and Elisha also escaped death by the sword. (1 Kings 19:1-3; 2 Kings 6:11-23) But who ‘from a weak state were made powerful through faith’? Well, Gideon considered himself and his men too weak to save Israel from the Midianites. But he was “made powerful” by God, who gave him the victory—and that with only 300 men! (Judges 6:14-16; 7:2-7, 22) “From a weak state” when his hair was shorn, Samson was “made powerful” by Jehovah and brought death to many Philistines. (Judges 16:19-21, 28-30; compare Judges 15:13-19.) Paul may also have thought of King Hezekiah as one “made powerful” from a weak state militarily and even physically. (Isaiah 37:1–38:22) Among God’s servants who “became valiant in war” were Judge Jephthah and King David. (Judges 11:32, 33; 2 Samuel 22:1, 2, 30-38) And those who “routed the armies of foreigners” included Judge Barak. (Judges 4:14-16) All these exploits should convince us that by faith we can successfully meet every test of our integrity and can accomplish anything that is in accord with Jehovah’s will.
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