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Temple TeachingThe Watchtower—1953 | May 1
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token, now, since the building up of the temple and the gathering of the children of Zion including the “other sheep” of the Lord, Jehovah is the God of the whole earth, because now, for the first time, his praises are sung earth-wide in 127 different lands, countries, territories and islands of the sea, by “all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues”! (Rev. 7:9, NW) That is the God whom we must worship, for in him through Christ Jesus rest all our hopes for life, and he is worthy, even of our dedication to him.
19. Please recapitulate with reference to the main points of this and the preceding issue of The Watchtower.
19 May we now recapitulate with reference to our discussion in this and our preceding issue respecting being taught by Jehovah God. He is the exclusive God, the true and supreme One. As the Most High he is likewise the Maker, the great Source of all things good, of which his creation is eloquent in testimony. Organizations of his devoted creatures are formed by him for his purpose, and toward the great universal organization of his he bears the relationship of a loving, directing Husband. Both Father and Teacher of all of his children, he is Instructor of the members developed by and made a part of his organization, along with dedicated lovers of righteousness now on earth.
20. (a) What is the wise individual course of action? (b) What does Isaiah 54:13, 17 (AS) say?
20 To us his teaching through Christ Jesus is with life for us in view. We may choose it, well aware that our hopes for life in the new world of righteousness depend upon our devotion to righteousness now, which leads us to dedicate ourselves to Jehovah. Are we as individuals alone among men in this wise course of action? Not at all, because the New World society is a reality now, practicing pure religion earth-wide. Let the old world, the present system of things, pursue its wicked way to the doom for which it is marked. We need not go with it, but rather, with understanding and appreciation receive the peace, security and righteous heritage of those taught by Jehovah: “And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness which is of me, saith Jehovah.”—Isa. 54:13, 17, AS.
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Questions From ReadersThe Watchtower—1953 | May 1
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Questions From Readers
● What was the reason for religious fasts by Israelites? Some argue that Christians should fast, citing Matthew 9:15; 17:21 and Acts 13:2, 3 as proof. Is this correct?—S. A., Argentina.
The Mosaic law does not use the term “fast”, but in connection with the atonement day it does command, “Ye shall afflict your souls.” (Lev. 16:29-31; 23:27; Num. 29:7) This is generally understood to mean fasting, and the view is supported by Ezra 8:21, Isaiah 58:3, 5 and the marginal reading of Psalm 35:13. Though the atonement day was the only occasion specifically set by God as a fast day, yet on other special occasions he ordered fasts. The Jews established many fasts, and at one time had four annual ones to mark the calamitous events of the fateful year 607 B.C. When Jesus was on earth it was customary for the Pharisees to fast twice a week, on the second and fifth days of the week. (Zech. 8:19; Luke 18:12) Fasts were to show godly sorrow and repentance concerning past sins. (1 Sam. 7:6; Joel 1:14; 2:12-15; Jon 3:5) They were also fitting in the face of great danger, or when in sore need of divine guidance, or while enduring tests and meeting temptations.—2 Chron. 20:3; Ezra 8:21; Esther 4:3, 16; Matt. 4:1, 2.
Proper religious fasting is not an ascetic afflicting of the body with hunger, as though bodily pain or discomfort were in itself meritorious. Actually, it is a natural consequence of strong emotion. If the mind is gripped by pressing problems or the heart is swayed by deep feelings the body does not crave food, and would refuse to properly digest it if it were consumed. If emotional stress is great enough it destroys the body’s natural appetites.
It is on this natural basis that fasting is founded as a religious procedure. It indicates to Jehovah the intense feeling of the fasting individual. It shows that the individual’s mind or emotions are so burdened with a sense of sin or so loaded with grief that the body refuses food. The person’s mental and emotional faculties may be so humiliated by past transgressions, so occupied by longing for forgiveness, so concerned with resolves to avoid a repetition of sins, that no room is left for thinking of such things as food. If the grief is really great and the repentance deeply felt, eating at such a time would be both unwelcome and unhealthful. Or the person may be faced with a serious problem, demanding reflection and meditation and concentrated study to search out Jehovah’s will and direction in the matter. The honor of Jehovah’s name may hinge on the decision or statements made. In such an engrossed state of mind one would hardly be thinking of his stomach.
But what about the person who loudly talks about his sorrow for past sins, his desire for forgiveness, his resolves to reform, or his deep concern to make a right decision at a crucial time, and yet all the while busily stuffs himself with food? He cannot be very deeply stirred or genuinely concerned, despite his verbal protestations. His good appetite belies his pose of deep concern. For that matter, fasts themselves can be but a pose, an outward show.
For instance, at one time the sins of the Jews were heavy, yet they did not sincerely repent. They made a pretense of worshiping Jehovah, giving him lip service and performing religious rites for show. Fasting was one of such, and they thought it should gain them divine notice and favor: “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?” Jehovah told them why, when saying that even during the fast they pursued their own pleasure and business, indulged in strife, oppression and violence, and showed none of the godly sorrow and repentance behind sincere fasts. The fast was not such as to make their voice heard in heaven, though their showy wailings were noisy indeed. Jehovah denounced the hypocritical act they put on: “Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a rush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to Jehovah?”—Isa. 58:1-5, AS.
The fast bespoke sorrow and repentance, but their actions belied the claim or pose. To be acceptable the fast must be accompanied by a correction of past sins: “Is not this the fast I choose—to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the knots of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and every yoke to snap? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and the homeless poor to bring home; when you see the naked, to cover him, and to hide not yourself from your own flesh?” (Isa. 58:6, 7, AT) These Jews had lost the spiritual discipline involved in proper fasting, had left out the spirit of genuine repentance the fast was to express. They looked upon the mere act of fasting as a means of winning favor from God, as a basis for claiming that favor, as a purchase price of divine favor, much the same as some now view the ritual of praying with beads, a specified amount of such ritualistic praying shortening by so many days the torments to be endured in an imaginary purgatory. These Jews thought the very discomfort involved in afflicting the soul was meritorious, like ascetics, and they thus thought they put God under obligation as owing them something in return. When this return was not forthcoming, they queried God about the payment they thought due them: “Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?”
The four annual fasts to lament the calamities of 607 B.C. were similarly insincere, self-imposed, self-inflicted. On these occasions the Jews wept and fasted as sufferers, feeling sorry for themselves and gaining some satisfaction in this self-pity; but they were not truly sorry or humbled for the sins that had brought on these calamities, that had provoked God’s wrath against them in the first
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