JW subtitle extractor

Welcome to JW Broadcasting®.
Many of us
routinely have our vision tested.
But how often
do we test our spiritual vision?
If we feel our spiritual vision is cloudy,
how can we see past the distractions
and regain our focus?
One way that some
have kept their spiritual focus
is by volunteering
as a commuter Bethelite.
What’s that like?
And we’ll also take a fascinating trip
through our history of Bible translation.
This is JW Broadcasting.
How’s your eyesight?
If you wear contact lenses
or eyeglasses like I do,
then your vision isn’t perfect.
My problem is myopia—nearsightedness.
Visual images that enter my eyes
come to a focus in front of the retina
instead of at the retina
in the back of the eye,
and that distorts my view of distant objects.
You might have the opposite problem,
hyperopia, farsightedness,
where images focus behind the retina,
distorting your view of close-up objects.
Some people are nearsighted in one eye
and farsighted in their other eye.
In any case,
the correct lenses adjust our vision
so that our eyes can focus properly.
There are other eye problems,
such as blindness,
that may not be corrected
until God’s new world.
However,
there’s a much more serious vision problem
than the ones I just mentioned.
Jesus talked about this
in his Sermon on the Mount.
Let’s read his words
at Matthew 6:22, 23:
“The lamp of the body is the eye.”
Let’s pause there.
What did Jesus mean
that “the lamp of the body is the eye”?
He was using a metaphor.
The eye is like a lighted lamp
in a dark place,
so that the body can walk about
without stumbling.
Jesus, though, also had in mind
a person’s figurative sight,
that is, how we see the things
that God wants us to do.
Jesus followed up that initial statement
with two contrasting situations.
Let’s keep reading.
“If, then, your eye is focused,
your whole body will be bright.
But if your eye is envious,
your whole body will be dark.”
The contrast is
between an eye that is focused
versus an eye that is envious.
The first brightens a person’s life,
and the latter darkens one’s life.
What we choose to focus on will affect us
either for good or for bad.
We need to keep spiritual matters
in the center of our field of vision.
Hence, the theme of this discussion is
“Always Focus on Doing God’s Will.”
Well, what is God’s will for us?
Simply put,
he wants us to come to know him,
draw close to him, obey him,
and love and serve him
with our whole heart.
Jesus set the example for us.
At John 6:38,
he said his purpose in life was
‘to do, not his own will,
but the will of the One who sent him.’
Jesus kept his eye focused
on a single purpose
—his ministry.
He devoted his time and energy
to Kingdom interests.
He was not interested in trying
to achieve worldly prestige,
a high social standing,
or material advantages.
Jesus likewise taught his disciples
to keep focused on serving Jehovah.
He told them that the only ones
who will enter into his Kingdom
are the ones
who are ‘doing the will of his Father.’
All of us should be focused
on the same thing,
centering our life on doing God’s will,
seeking first the Kingdom,
and zealously preaching about that to others.
Having a focused eye means
keeping our life simple, uncomplicated.
We will not be obsessed
with our own selfish will,
getting caught up in the never-ending quest
for all that the world has to offer.
By keeping our eye focused on God’s will,
our lives will be spiritually bright.
How different that is from people
whose figurative eye is envious
and cannot focus on what is really important!
They pursue a selfish course of life.
Their eye is distracted, shifty, and greedy.
As Proverbs 17:24 says,
their eyes “wander to the ends of the earth.”
Their thoughts and desires
are scattered here, there, and everywhere,
except where they ought to be.
Focusing on material things
instead of on serving God
results in a body that is dark.
We can use our physical eyesight
to illustrate what Jesus was talking about.
This drawing was published in 1915
by William Hill, a well-known cartoonist.
It’s an optical illusion that shows
the head and shoulders
of two women, one younger and one older.
Can you see each of them?
The young woman is facing away from you.
Here’s the left side of her face,
her left ear,
her nose,
her eyelash,
her jawline,
and a ribbon around her neck.
This is her hair and her bonnet.
Here are her shoulders.
Now look for the old woman.
She’s looking to your left.
Here’s her nose,
her left eye,
her mouth, her chin.
Again, here’s her hair,
her bonnet, and her shoulders.
You can’t see both women simultaneously.
You have to choose which to focus on,
and then your mind perceives what you see.
Now let’s make the connection
with what we’re discussing.
How do you perceive the old world around you
compared with God’s new world to come?
Satan would have you perceive his world
as something full of energy,
desirable material things,
great potential, and opportunity.
In reality, Satan’s aging world
is like the picture of the older woman.
It will soon come to its end,
completely destroyed by God’s Kingdom.
In contrast,
we perceive the new world
like the picture of the younger woman.
It will be a healthy, vibrant,
never-ending system of things
in which “the desire of every living thing”
will be satisfied.
We have to use our God-given insight
and understanding to see the difference
between Satan’s wicked world
and God’s righteous new world
as Jehovah has taught us
through the crystal-clear lens
of his written Word.
We simply cannot focus on both.
A Christian cannot give God
the exclusive devotion that he deserves
and at the same time get caught up
in the spirit of this world.
The apostle John could see the world
from Jehovah’s point of view.
Let’s read what he said about it
at 1 John 2:15-17.
And there he tells us
of two things we must not love.
As I read it, think to yourself,
‘Of those two things,
which is it easier not to love?’
“Do not love either the world
or the things in the world.
“If anyone loves the world,
the love of the Father is not in him;
“because everything in the world
“—the desire of the flesh
and the desire of the eyes
“and the showy display
“of one’s means of life—
“does not originate with the Father,
but originates with the world.
“Furthermore, the world is passing away
“and so is its desire,
but the one who does the will of God
remains forever.”
Of the two things we are not to love,
“the world or the things in the world,”
which is it easier not to love?
Would you agree
it is easier not to love the world?
We’re eager to see Satan’s system
with its false religion, corrupt politics,
and greedy commercialism
eliminated, destroyed forever.
We yearn for that day!
But Satan’s world exposes us
to a vast array of distractions.
Some things in the world look very appealing,
exciting, enticing, seductive.
Of all the things Satan uses
to mislead mankind,
this appeal to “the desire of the eyes”
from all the glitter and glamour of the world
is one of the most powerful.
Think of what he accomplished with Eve,
using only a piece of fruit.
We need to examine our heart constantly
to see if it’s being enticed
by anything in the world.
If a Christian were to focus on
and perhaps envy
one of “the things in the world,”
it would make it
very difficult to concentrate
on something far more important
—doing God’s will.
Instead, we must be focused on the goal
of rendering whole-souled service
and devotion to Jehovah.
Just as it’s important to have
our physical eyesight checked periodically,
it’s wise to reevaluate ourselves
from time to time
to see whether adjustments are needed
to maintain our spiritual outlook.
How do we test our spiritual vision?
The Bible provides a chart
with which we can gauge it
—not the typical eye chart.
This is a list of qualities
found at 2 Peter 1:5-7.
Let’s read it.
“Put forth all earnest effort
“to supply to your faith virtue,
“to your virtue knowledge,
“to your knowledge self-control,
“to your self-control endurance,
“to your endurance godly devotion,
“to your godly devotion brotherly affection,
to your brotherly affection love.”
How well are we manifesting
each of these qualities in our life?
Let’s go through the list one by one.
Faith:
This vital quality is the one
on which all the rest need to be built.
It must be ever strengthened
to keep it healthy.
With strong faith, we will believe
everything Jehovah has promised us,
and with our eyes of faith,
we’ll see that those promises
will be fulfilled.
Virtue:
Being virtuous means
doing what’s good in God’s sight.
It motivates us to avoid doing bad
or causing harm to anyone,
and it prompts us to see ways
in which we can do good things for others.
Knowledge:
We need it to distinguish right from wrong,
especially as we face
new challenges to our faith.
Through deep Bible study,
we get to see what God’s will is for us
and how to exercise wisdom
in all aspects of our daily life.
Self-control:
In Greek, it literally means
‘to get a grip on oneself.’
It helps us to see how to bring our life
into harmony with God’s standards
by exercising restraint in our thoughts,
speech, and actions
so as not to give in to sin.
Endurance:
This is courageous steadfastness
that comes from relying on Jehovah
for strength.
It keeps us from losing hope
when we’re faced with trials.
With it,
we can see that Jehovah is helping us
to resist temptation
and to bear up under persecution.
Godly devotion:
This affects how we feel about Jehovah,
having reverence and awe for him,
and being loyal to his sovereignty.
It moves us to see
how Jehovah deals with his people
and to live in a way that’s pleasing to God
because we love him.
Brotherly affection:
We need this to truly display godliness.
With it, we can see beyond the imperfections
of our brothers and sisters,
show them warm familylike affection,
and seek their best welfare at all times.
Love:
We must see all of humanity,
not just our brothers,
from Jehovah’s impartial perspective
and show this by helping them spiritually
—sharing with them at every opportunity
the Bible truths we love to teach.
Now that we’ve read this spiritual chart,
the diagnosis is found
in the next two verses.
“For if these things exist in you
and overflow,
“they will prevent you from being
either inactive or unfruitful regarding
“the accurate knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For anyone lacking these things is blind,
shutting his eyes to the light.”
Good spiritual eyesight is very precious.
If we do as Peter urged
and “put forth all earnest effort”
so that these eight qualities
“overflow” in us,
we will never become “inactive,” or idle,
in our worship.
Rather, we’ll be fruitful and productive
in doing God’s will.
But if we fail to display these qualities,
we’ll lose faith in Jehovah
and become spiritually blind.
We might humbly admit
that we could do better
in displaying some of those qualities.
We may need to sharpen our vision
and bring our eye back into proper focus.
How can we do that?
Here are four suggestions that can help.
First, study and meditate on God’s Word.
If you have a physical problem with your eye,
a doctor may prescribe eyedrops
to moisten and medicate it
and then cover the eye
with a patch to rest it
and let the medication do its work.
Daily Bible reading
keeps us spiritually moistened
with the waters of truth
and medicated with the balm of God’s Word.
Meditating on his instruction helps us
to assimilate what we read
and to sound it down into our heart.
This prevents us
from forgetting Jehovah’s will,
his wonderful works,
and the hope he set before us.
Bible scholar William Barclay said:
“For the sincere Christian,
“to study God’s word
is not a labour but a delight,
“for he knows that therein his heart
will find the nourishment
for which it longs.”
Second, apply the things learned.
Eye exercises
can improve physical sight problems.
Spiritually, we need
to put into practice Bible principles
to see for ourselves
that God’s counsel really works.
We can also exercise our faith
by sharing zealously
in the Christian ministry
and declaring our faith
at Christian meetings.
Third, yield to the influence of holy spirit.
With some eye problems,
a doctor may need to use a laser
to repair a detached retina
or other problems inside the eye.
For our spiritual well-being,
there’s nothing more powerful
than God’s laser-like spirit.
To the extent that our thinking and actions
respond to the leading of his spirit,
to that extent,
we can make spiritual progress.
Fourth, accept help from others.
In some cases, a skilled doctor
may say that eye surgery is necessary.
Skillful, experienced elders
may need to use God’s Word
that is sharper than any doctor’s scalpel
to offer us some direct counsel
or strong reproof.
The better we respond to it,
the greater our improvement.
Well, what have we learned?
A focused spiritual eye
is one that conveys to the mind
a clear image of God’s will for us,
of the Kingdom,
and of the promised new world.
An envious eye conveys blurred images
that make the new world
seem like a fairy tale.
As I demonstrated earlier,
our physical eyes cannot focus
on two things at the same time.
Envying the things
in this crumbling old world
will put God’s will for us out of focus
and, in time, that blurred, peripheral image
may disappear altogether.
How tragic that would be!
It is absolutely essential
that we always keep our eye focused
on doing God’s will,
riveted on rendering whole-souled service
to our heavenly Father for all eternity.
Let’s see how one determined couple
regained their focus
and found the secret
to a richer, more meaningful life.
In our early 20’s,
we owned an apartment
right in the center of Vienna
with a mortgage we had to pay off.
And it was a beautiful apartment.
Beautiful—yes, exactly.
And it sounds impressive: to own something.
My focus was to earn money
because I thought
that would make Doris happy.
We started neglecting congregation meetings.
We didn’t have a spiritual routine.
That really wasn’t good for our marriage.
We received a very kind shepherding call.
The elder was very direct
and pointed out to me
that I am the head of the family.
And as the head,
I also have the spiritual responsibility
to take care of Doris and . . .
. . . not just financially, right?
Not just financially, yes.
It really got me thinking.
I didn’t want to be like that.
Above all,
I wanted Doris to be happy,
and she can be happy
when we build our life around Jehovah.
We talked a lot.
We got back into the habit
of praying together every day.
And eventually,
we said we needed to change something
about our apartment situation.
We made that part of our prayers:
“Please, we really want
to get rid of the apartment.
We want to get rid of this burden.”
And we actually managed
to sell it successfully.
That meant we were debt free.
The convention in 2014
gave us another real boost . . .
. . . to seek the Kingdom first
and let Jehovah take care of the rest.
That was the first time
we applied that to ourselves
and saw that Jehovah did that for us too,
not just for others,
but for us as well.
We immediately talked to Jehovah about it.
For the first time, I truly wanted
to do something for God’s Kingdom.
And we did.
Yes, exactly.
The convention was in summer,
and in autumn,
we started regular auxiliary pioneering.
In the construction industry,
it’s not common to work part-time.
And when it came to the point
of wanting to reduce my work hours,
I really had to test Jehovah out,
because when I calculated everything,
I thought:
‘Whoa!
That’s going to be tight.’
I talked a lot with Jehovah about it,
asking him to help me find the courage
to go to my boss and to ask
for an hour reduction
and also to give me the trust in Him
that it would work out.
We really enjoyed auxiliary pioneering,
and for the next service year, we thought,
‘Hey, what about regular pioneering?’
And we started planning a bit.
And we said, “Let’s start pioneering,”
and everything became wonderful.
It just kept getting better.
It really kept getting better.
Yeah.
At some point,
we decided to simplify our life again.
We moved into a pretty small apartment.
But it has everything we need,
and we feel very comfortable.
I have to show you a Watchtower;
it triggered something in us.
It was the article
“Work With Jehovah Each Day,”
and near the end,
there was this sentence
or, rather, a question:
“Do you desire to receive further training
“so as to be better equipped
to carry out your sacred service?
If so, you may qualify to attend
the School for Kingdom Evangelizers.”
And we felt personally addressed.
We had no more excuses.
And then . . .
. . . we actually received an invitation!
We were really invited.
That was cool.
Yeah.
It wasn’t easy
to get two months off for the SKE.
Actually, I didn’t get time off,
to be honest.
I had to quit my job,
and I don’t regret it at all.
I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
Going through SKE training—
That was simply proof of Jehovah’s love.
It felt like he was investing in us.
That’s beautiful.
We joined a very loving congregation.
And I’m grateful
to enjoy the pioneer service,
the most beautiful life,
together with Doris.
Jehovah has always treated us lovingly
and cared for our needs.
We have less,
but we are much less burdened
because Jehovah always takes care of us.
No, we don’t regret anything.
Well, yes.
Yeah.
What?
That we didn’t do more for Jehovah sooner.
That’s true.
The Satlauers made a choice
to follow Jehovah’s gentle direction
and simplify.
Now they’ve built a life that’s happier
and more meaningful than ever imagined!
What if the thought of simplifying
feels overwhelming?
Don’t lose heart.
We can draw strength
from the book of Zechariah.
I’d forgotten just how dynamic
the book of Zechariah is.
Right?
I’ve been looking forward
to diving into it all week.
Are you ready?
Absolutely.
You know, I keep thinking
about what we talked about last week,
how much pressure the Jews were under
—enemies, political opposition,
their own discouragement,
and on top of that,
they had to rebuild the temple,
restore Jerusalem,
and care for their families.
It must’ve been exhausting.
Honestly, it sounds a lot like life today.
It really does.
And from a human standpoint,
they were vulnerable
—no army, no political power,
just a small group facing a huge challenge.
Well, that’s why Jehovah
sent Haggai and Zechariah
to give them the needed strength.
Exactly.
Haggai gave them the clear, direct messages
they needed to get started,
and Zechariah followed up
with the deeper spiritual encouragement
to keep them going.
Well, there’s so much in Zechariah to unpack.
Maybe we should break it up.
That’s a great idea!
You know, the introduction video
highlights key sections of the book,
especially the Messianic prophecies.
That’s true,
and I also liked using
the “Outline of Contents”
in the New World Translation.
I started with “Vision 5:
A lampstand and two olive trees.”
That’s a good one.
So, what did you find?
Well, when I was researching,
I came across a great Watchtower article,
March 2022:
“Do You See What Zechariah Saw?”
The details and artwork were really helpful.
Oh, nice.
How did you find it?
I used the Scripture Index
and just went verse by verse.
That’s a great way to do it.
One thing the article explained was
that the oil flowing from the two trees
represents Jehovah’s holy spirit
—“an inexhaustible supply of it.”
Hmm.
Imagine what that must’ve meant for the Jews.
They were worn out and discouraged,
and now they’re being reassured
that Jehovah’s powerful, unstoppable support
wouldn’t run out.
And then Jehovah takes it even further.
In verses 6 and 7, he said:
“‘Not by a military force, nor by power,
“‘but by my spirit,’ says Jehovah of armies.
“Who are you, O great mountain?
Before Zerubbabel
you will become a level land.”
That’s quite a word picture.
All that opposition the Jews were facing
was like a mountain,
but Zechariah describes it
as being completely leveled.
So no Persian empire or resistance
or even a ban could stop the work.
They didn’t need an army.
They had Jehovah.
I could just imagine
them picturing that in their minds
—the enormous mountain flattening out
right in front of them.
And it made one thing clear:
Their success didn’t depend
on circumstances or personal ability;
it depended on Jehovah’s spirit.
That’s so true.
And this message had a positive effect.
Despite everything they were facing,
the Jews trusted Jehovah and got to work.
And just over four years later,
the temple was finished.
They really got to see
Jehovah’s spirit in action.
That ban was lifted suddenly,
and the surrounding nations
were even ordered to provide
material support for the temple restoration.
It wasn’t human effort;
it was Jehovah’s spirit.
He leveled the mountain.
So, what do you think
that tells us about Jehovah?
These visions in Zechariah reassure me
that Jehovah’s spirit can accomplish
what feels impossible to us.
And Jehovah knows we sometimes feel
the same way the Jews did
—drained, discouraged, even afraid,
so he wants us to visualize his power.
Zechariah’s prophecy can help us do that.
That’s actually a great study tip
for Zechariah:
really try to visualize
what’s happening in the account.
Exactly.
The title of that article you found
says it all:
“Do You See What Zechariah Saw?”
So how do we apply this?
Honestly,
sometimes I’m just exhausted.
We have so much to do
on top of our spiritual routine:
family responsibilities,
making a living, caring for our health,
not to mention
the constant pressure from Satan’s system.
It can feel overwhelming.
Sometimes I just want to tie in
to our meetings on video.
Me too.
But picturing that vision
helps me keep going.
It reminds me that Jehovah will give me
the physical and emotional strength I need.
I feel that way too.
So when I start to feel like slowing down,
I try to pray for that holy spirit
and then act.
Sometimes that just means
showing up for a meeting
or for field service
even if I don’t really feel like it.
I trust that Jehovah
will give me the power I need.
And I want to imitate Jehovah
by using whatever strength I have
to encourage others,
especially when they’re discouraged
or afraid.
I want to reassure them
of how interested Jehovah is in them
and how much he wants to empower them.
That’s really important.
And it applies to the future too
when we face persecution or fear.
I loved how you put it:
Success doesn’t depend
on ability or circumstances.
It depends on Jehovah’s spirit.
What a great way
to approach the book of Zechariah
—break it into smaller sections,
use the Scripture Index,
and visualize the accounts!
Those tools really help
God’s Word come alive.
So can we talk a little more
about what the “two staffs” meant?
Absolutely.
And I’d love to dig
into the Messianic prophecies too
and see how they connect
to the Bible’s theme,
like how Zechariah’s actions
help identify Jesus as the Messiah.
And then there are all the other visions.
It looks like we’ve got plenty
of family worships ahead.
The book of Zechariah
is just getting started.
What a beautiful, practical lesson!
Success doesn’t depend
on personal ability or circumstances.
Jehovah can use his holy spirit to bless us
as long as we’re obedient.
One way that some
have focused their service to Jehovah
is by volunteering
as a commuter at a branch office.
Let’s take a peek in the following episode of
A Day in the Life of a Bethel Commuter.
Hi, my name is Hye-in.
I currently serve as a commuter
at the Korea branch.
As an occasional commuter,
rather than having a fixed schedule,
I usually go in
whenever there’s a need that week.
My commute to Bethel
depends on how the traffic is,
but it usually takes
about 45 minutes to an hour.
Fortunately, I enjoy driving,
so I don’t find the commute that tiring.
A day at Bethel
always starts with morning worship.
A recent talk that stuck with me
was based on James 1:2-4.
It encouraged us
to view our trials and challenges
as teachers who help us grow.
Of course, when you’re facing a trial,
it’s not always easy to ask yourself,
‘What can I learn from this experience?’
But the message was that if we keep striving
to endure these trials with joy
through personal study, Bible reading,
prayer, and meditation,
then eventually we’ll be able
to smile through these challenges
and overcome them.
Morning worship is always encouraging.
I feel like there’s always
something to learn.
I work in the Transportation Department.
Our department mainly handles
providing transportation to Bethel
for special full-time servants
who are visiting from abroad.
I always make an effort to keep in mind
that Bethel’s purpose
is to support the field ministry.
Whenever I meet special full-time servants
from overseas who are visiting Bethel,
they’re always so deeply appreciative,
which makes me realize,
‘Oh, we were able
to do something helpful for them.’
And that brings a deep sense of satisfaction.
The trip usually takes
about an hour and a half to two hours,
and we usually have
all kinds of conversations.
Even though we’ve just met,
it feels like meeting an old friend.
We just open up and share stories
of how Jehovah has supported us,
like how he gave us the strength
to endure difficult times.
Moments like those
make the rides really precious to me.
Initially, I wasn’t that eager
to serve at Bethel, so I hesitated a bit.
But one day a very close friend reminded me,
“We shouldn’t pick and choose
what kind of assignments we accept
when serving Jehovah.”
After thinking about it,
I realized they were right.
So I decided,
‘I’ll leave it in Jehovah’s hands
and just apply.’
And that’s how I ended up applying,
and I’m still happily doing
Bethel service today.
I faced some challenges
rearranging my secular work schedule.
My biggest concern
was whether I’d be OK financially.
But once I got started,
those worries just seemed to vanish.
Everything just fell into place
—my schedule was rearranged just fine.
Besides my Bethel and secular work,
for quite some time I was also responsible
for taking care of my family members.
To maintain my spiritual routine,
I set aside a specific day
for personal study.
Regular spiritual activities are important.
When I start to burn out,
they help rekindle my tired mind and heart
so that I can continue to serve at Bethel
and share in the field ministry with zeal.
Really,
these spiritual activities
are like a spiritual oxygen mask,
so no matter what,
I always carve out time
to participate in these spiritual activities.
“A day in [Jehovah’s house]
is better than a thousand anywhere else!”
This is a verse I think about
on mornings when I commute to Bethel.
No matter what assignment I’m given next,
I want to serve Jehovah
with happiness, joy, and gratitude.
Serving as a commuter Bethelite
requires focus and lots of energy.
Did you notice how Hye-in
stayed balanced and refreshed?
She consistently sets aside time
to recharge with deep personal study.
Studying Jehovah’s Word can soothe
and medicate our spiritual eyes
to see the future
with clarity and confidence.
Let’s see how Daniel did this
in the following morning worship.
We’d like to discuss the theme
“Strengthen Your Confidence
in Jehovah’s Loyal Love.”
Now, why do we need to do that?
Well, it could be because of things
that we’ve experienced in the past.
Maybe our upbringing,
mistakes that we’ve made,
or experiences that we’ve had
can at times make us doubt
whether or not Jehovah will love us.
It could be current situations
that we’re facing
—anxious times that we have,
maybe dealing with family responsibilities,
a heavy workload, a health issue,
or other concerns that we have—
make us keenly aware
that we need Jehovah’s loving support.
And, of course, we know
what we’re going to face in the future,
tests of our faith,
and at times we may wonder
whether or not we can measure up and endure.
So whatever we’ve had in the past,
have presently, or will have in the future,
we need to strengthen our confidence
in Jehovah’s loyal love.
One way that we can do that is to consider
what Daniel wrote at Daniel 9:4.
This verse is
quoted partially in our comments.
So let’s turn there, Daniel 9:4.
Daniel says: “I prayed to Jehovah my God
“and made confession and said:
“‘O Jehovah the true God,
“‘the great and awe-inspiring One,
“‘who keeps his covenant
and shows loyal love to those who love him
and keep his commandments.’”
So this was part of a prayer
that Daniel offered.
And he mentions Jehovah’s loyal love,
keeping the covenant, keeping His promises,
and that He acts that way
toward those who love Him
and keep Jehovah’s commandments.
Now, examining the prayer and its context
can strengthen our confidence that Jehovah
will show loyal love to us.
First: What is it that prompted
this prayer on Daniel’s part?
Well, take a look at verse 2
of Daniel chapter 9.
It says:
“In the first year of his reign I, Daniel,
“discerned by the books the number of years
“mentioned in the word of Jehovah
to Jeremiah the prophet
to fulfill the desolation of Jerusalem,
namely, 70 years.”
So when did these events take place?
The year was 539 B.C.E.,
and for 68 years,
Jerusalem had been lying desolate.
And so Daniel turns his attention
to “the books.”
The footnote says, “the sacred books.”
So in addition to Jeremiah’s writings,
he likely had access to the writings
of Moses, Isaiah,
Ezekiel, Amos, and Hosea.
Now, Daniel no doubt read Jeremiah 29:10,
and this is what that verse says.
It says: “For this is what Jehovah says,
“‘When 70 years at Babylon are fulfilled,
I will turn my attention to you,
and I will make good my promise
by bringing you back to this place.’”
Now, Daniel could see how current events
were lining up with Bible prophecy.
And he knew that Cyrus,
who was already ruling,
was the one who had been prophesied
to release the Israelites.
Now, he may not have known
all of the details,
but he knew those events were near at hand,
and that prompted him to offer this prayer
and to focus on Jehovah’s loyal love.
Now, Daniel’s prayer goes from verse 4
all the way to verse 19,
and the wording and content of this prayer
show that the words of Jeremiah
were fresh in his mind and deep in his heart.
In fact, one reference said this:
“Daniel had prayed this prayer,
not on the basis
“of one or two passages in Jeremiah,
but based on the entire book.”
Daniel’s prayer shows how much
the nation needed Jehovah’s loyal love.
He contrasts
Jehovah’s faithfulness and compassion
with the Israelites’ rejection
of Jehovah’s Word
and their unfaithfulness.
And Daniel emphasized that everything
that they had experienced
was just what Jehovah
had prophesied would take place.
Look at verse 13; it says:
“Just as it is written in the Law of Moses,
all this calamity has come upon us.”
Now, Daniel knew that those same prophecies
that foretold
the consequences of their actions
also held promise
that the Israelites would be returned.
The books of Leviticus,
Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Jeremiah
—they all contained promises
that if Israel repented,
Jehovah would return them to their homeland.
Now, note how this prayer concludes
in verse 19.
He says: “O Jehovah, do hear.
“O Jehovah, do forgive.
“O Jehovah, do pay attention and act!
“Do not delay, for your own sake, O my God,
“for your own name
has been called upon your city
and upon your people.”
So he pleaded based on Jehovah’s name.
Now, it’s worth noting
that in the book of Daniel,
Jehovah’s name appears 19 times;
18 of those appear in this chapter,
and 14 are in this prayer
that Daniel uttered.
Now, why does Daniel pray
and plead on the basis of Jehovah’s name?
Well, Daniel knew that for Jehovah not to act
would affect Jehovah’s reputation
and that Jehovah had promised to free
the Israelites,
and if he didn’t fulfill that promise,
it would be a reproach.
Daniel knew that fundamental
to understanding who Jehovah was
and understanding what His name means
is to recognize Him
as a God of loyal love.
Jehovah’s acting in behalf of his people
was part of a bigger issue:
Jehovah holding up his name.
Now, what lessons can we learn
from this prayer
that can strengthen our confidence
that Jehovah will act
with loyal love toward us?
Well, one is that Jehovah
does not abandon his people.
The bad consequences
that the Israelites suffered
were just what Jehovah foretold.
And they could be just as certain
that if they repented,
all the good that Jehovah promised
would come upon them.
And that’s exactly what happened.
Now, that can encourage us.
At times, we may make mistakes,
but we can be certain that if we correct
our ways, Jehovah will be with us.
Just as he was with Daniel
and the Israelites, Jehovah will be with us.
He will never abandon us.
Here’s a second lesson we learn:
Studying Bible prophecies can strengthen
our confidence in Jehovah’s loyal love.
That was true for Daniel.
His personal study
strengthened his confidence
that Jehovah would act, and so it goes
when we study Bible prophecies.
In fact, the August 2023 Watchtower article
“Learn From Bible Prophecy”
made this statement; it said:
“When we see how some prophecies
in God’s Word have already been fulfilled,
“we develop an unbreakable trust in Jehovah
“and in the way that he is guiding us.
“In addition,
Bible prophecies help us to maintain
a positive hope for the future,
no matter what trials we face now.”
Here’s a third lesson: Loyal love
is inseparably linked with Jehovah’s name,
with who he is.
Daniel was convinced of that, and so are we.
Jehovah—his showing love to us
is part of who he is.
Jehovah is going to act
in behalf of his name,
and that gives us
the greatest assurance that Jehovah
will keep his promises to care for us.
And here’s a fourth thing we’ve learned:
Jehovah reveals matters at the right time.
Daniel was able to match current events
with Bible prophecy,
and Jehovah helped him with the information
he needed to know when he needed to know it.
And Jehovah is doing the same thing
for his people today.
We know that the increased clarification
we have on Bible prophecies,
including what we can expect
during the great tribulation,
is evidence that Jehovah
is guiding us right now.
So meditating on Daniel’s prayer
can strengthen our confidence
in Jehovah’s loyal love.
And we can be convinced
that no matter what we’ve faced in the past,
what we’re going through now,
or what we will face in the future,
Jehovah will show us loyal love.
What rich lessons from just a few verses!
I enjoyed the point
that studying Jehovah’s promises
helps to keep a positive view of the future.
In the coming resurrection,
we’ll welcome back millions of people.
Are you waiting for someone special,
someone you’re eager to embrace again?
Keep that person in mind
as you watch our music video for this month,
Rise Again.
My friend,
I know it’s tough
To say goodbye
to the one you loved.
It’s okay.
Let your feelings show.
Just remember
that you are not alone.
The hour is coming
when we will rejoice
When those in the memorial tombs
will hear Christ’s voice.
You are waiting for
what we’re all waiting for.
We are waiting for the moment
when we see them rise again.
Now each day
may be hard to bear
When you look where they were,
but they’re not there.
Tell Jehovah
how you feel.
You’ll see
that the peace of God is real.
The hour is coming
when we will rejoice
When those in the memorial tombs
will hear Christ’s voice.
You are waiting for
what we’re all waiting for.
We are waiting for the moment
when we see them rise again.
One day soon,
there you’ll be, and up ahead
You’ll recognize
that smiling face.
Those tears of pain
have been erased.
Holding them so tight,
you can’t believe they’re really here.
These promises will all come true,
so see yourself when all is new!
Yes, the hour is coming
when we will rejoice
When those in the memorial tombs
will hear Christ’s voice.
You are waiting for
what we’re all waiting for.
We are waiting for that moment when
we see them rise again.
We’ll see them
rise again.
Jehovah knows how much we long
to see our loved ones.
And he longs to see them too.
As his Word promises us:
“They are all living to him.”
We strengthen our faith
in all of Jehovah’s promises
when we read the Bible
in our mother tongue.
What have we done
to render the Bible readable and accurate
in as many languages as possible?
When we released
the Christian Greek Scriptures
of the New World Translation in 1950,
Brother Nathan H. Knorr
explained its purpose:
To provide
a translation just as understandable
to modern readers
as the original writings
of Christ’s disciples
were understandable to the . . .
common . . . readers
of their day.
Additional volumes
were published over time
until we released
the complete New World Translation
in English in 1961.
We finally had a Bible
that was accurate, readable,
and honored
Jehovah’s name in English.
And efforts were already underway
to provide it in six more languages.
By 1963, six translators
had finished
the Christian Greek Scriptures
in their respective languages.
But Bible translation
was progressing slowly,
and some languages were taking
over 20 years to complete.
About 30 years after the release
of the complete English edition,
the New World Translation
was only available in 12 languages.
To accelerate Bible translation,
in 1989,
the Governing Body
formed a new department
at world headquarters:
Translation Services.
The job of this department was
—and still is—
to support translation of the Bible
and Bible-based publications,
to train translators,
and to answer questions
from translators all over the world.
Naturally, our translators
would have many questions
about how to translate accurately.
How does Translation Services
organize and prepare translation teams
to take on Bible projects?
It all starts with training
in the principles of translation.
This includes information about idioms,
the meaning of Bible passages,
as well as how to handle
ancient word pictures.
Some Bible passages
are nearly impossible to translate accurately
without a diagram to help translators
envision all the parts.
A translation team
must choose an expression
that clearly communicates
the meaning of the original text.
If a team has a question,
they can request clarification
from Translation Services.
The response is documented
and stored with the aid
of a specialized software tool
containing 140,000
Bible translation questions to date.
And these questions are used
for additional training
to improve the speed
and quality of translation.
When asked, “How many languages
“do you envision the New World Translation
being translated into?”,
Brother Albert Schroeder
of the Governing Body replied,
“[In] every language
that translates the Watchtower magazine,”
since an accurate Bible will provide
a better foundation for learning Bible truth.
By the mid-1990’s,
the need for an accurate Bible translation
in local languages
was greater than ever before.
Language fields that did not have
the New World Translation
depended on other Bible translations.
In those cases,
some fast-growing congregations
shared just one or two Bibles.
Many translations
were inaccurate or supported false doctrine.
Some even used the name of local deities
in place of Jehovah’s name.
With the tools, technology,
and training in place,
in 2004, the Governing Body
gave direction to expand Bible translation.
Once a team has experience
translating The Watchtower,
Bible translation becomes a priority.
The framework was now in place
to advance toward the goal
Brother Schroeder had envisioned.
What a phenomenal amount of work
lay ahead for the translation teams!
And this work doesn’t end
with the release of the Bible.
Translations must be revised
because languages change over time,
and the meaning of the original Bible text
must remain clear.
At present, nearly 700 brothers and sisters
work full-time
to translate God’s Word.
While the Bible
may take only seconds to download,
on average,
between five to seven years of work
has gone into the translation.
And with Jehovah’s blessing,
we have a Bible translation
that continues to honor his name
in well over 325 languages
and is more accurate
and readable than ever before.
Even small groups of publishers
can receive a New World Translation
in their native tongue.
And what happens
when humble people receive God’s Word
in a language that reaches their heart?
Happiness,
zeal, and joy.
Translating God’s Word for “every nation
and tribe and tongue and people”
is just one step
toward reaching hearts
earth wide with the good news.
The most important step is up to you.
The next time you read the Bible,
let it reach your heart
and move you to share its lifesaving message
with as many as possible.
Did you feel like dancing
with those dear brothers and sisters?
What a joyful experience to receive
the New World Translation
in our own language!
What did you learn from this month’s program?
With precious guidance from God’s Word,
we can keep our ‘eye simple
and our whole body bright.’
Though it might require sacrifices,
we can unlock real happiness
if we simplify to expand our ministry.
If you live in close proximity
to a branch office,
could you possibly reach out
to serve as a commuter Bethelite?
The book of Zechariah enables us
to visualize Jehovah’s power
and imitate Him as we build up others.
And what a beautiful original song!
Did it move you like it moved me?
What a beautiful day that will be
when we welcome back to life
all the dear ones we’ve lost in death!
Our postcard this month
comes from Luxembourg.
Let’s pay a visit
to our brothers and sisters there.
Luxembourg is a small country
in the heart of Europe.
The name is derived
from words meaning “little fortress,”
a fitting description of a land
dotted with more than 70 castles
scattered across the countryside.
The Bourscheid Castle (seen here)
sits high above the Sûre River,
surrounded by 11 towers.
Nearby, the medieval Vianden Castle,
built on Roman foundations
dating back to the third century C.E.,
still watches over the town below.
Just as these castles
have stood firm through the centuries,
faithful Witnesses here
have remained steadfast
through every sort of trial.
For example, despite strong pressure
and opposition from the local clergy,
Eugene Reuter opened his home
to fellow believers.
In 1933,
his house became
the first place in the country
where Bible literature
was stored and distributed.
The sign of the Watchtower Society
hung right beside his door,
a quiet but courageous declaration of faith.
Rosalie Fonck was arrested
during the German occupation of 1940
when Witness literature
was found in her home.
Officials demanded that she reveal
the names of fellow believers and her leader.
Instead, she simply said,
“My Leader is Jehovah God.”
Around the same time,
Victor Bruch was imprisoned
for refusing to support the war.
He was sent
to the Buchenwald concentration camp.
Officials forced the brothers
to stand for hours,
work nights,
and march in wooden clogs.
But our brothers continued
to encourage one another.
Later, when Victor was transferred
to Auschwitz,
he still held firmly to his faith
and shared the hope of God’s Kingdom
with others.
The same faith and love for the truth
is evident in Luxembourg today.
Over 2,000 publishers
share the good news
in 10 different languages.
Brothers and sisters encourage one another
over hearty meals of green bean soup
and smoked pork neck and beans.
Together, they joyfully sing as one
at congregation meetings.
Let’s listen to the 84 members
of the Allemand Congregation
praise Jehovah in song.
Our brothers and sisters in Luxembourg
send their warm love and greetings.
And so do we.
From the World Headquarters
of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
this is JW Broadcasting.

JW Broadcasting—October 2026