References for Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook

© 2024 Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania

JULY 8-14

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PSALMS 60-62

Jehovah Gives Us Security, Protection, and Stability

it-2 1118 ¶7

Tower

Figurative Use. Those who look in faith and obedience to Jehovah have great security, as David sang: “You [Jehovah] have proved to be a refuge for me, a strong tower in the face of the enemy.” (Ps 61:3) Those who recognize what his name stands for, and who trust in and faithfully represent that name, have nothing to fear, for: “The name of Jehovah is a strong tower. Into it the righteous runs and is given protection.”​—Pr 18:10; compare 1Sa 17:45-47.

it-2 1084 ¶8

Tent

A “tent” also served in another figurative way in a number of instances. The tent of an individual was a place of rest and protection from the elements. (Ge 18:1) In view of the customs regarding hospitality, visitors had reason to believe that they would be cared for and respected when welcomed into someone’s tent. Consequently, when Revelation 7:15 says about the great crowd that God “will spread his tent over them,” it suggests protective care and security. (Ps 61:3, 4) Isaiah speaks of the preparations that God’s wife, Zion, is to make for the sons she will produce. She is told to “make the place of your tent more spacious.” (Isa 54:2) Thus, she enlarges the protective place for her children.

JULY 29–AUGUST 4

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PSALM 69

g95 10/22 31 ¶4

Can You Die of a Broken Heart?

Some say that a broken heart was a factor in the death of Jesus Christ, of whom it was prophesied: “Reproach itself has broken my heart, and the wound is incurable.” (Psalm 69:20) Are these words to be understood literally? Perhaps so, for the hours preceding Jesus’ death were agonizing​—not only physically but also emotionally. (Matthew 27:46; Luke 22:44; Hebrews 5:7) Furthermore, a broken heart may explain why “blood and water” flowed from a spear wound inflicted on Jesus just after his death. A rupture of the heart or a major blood vessel could discharge blood either into the chest cavity or into the pericardium​—a fluid-containing membrane that loosely encases the heart. In either location a puncture could cause the flow of what would appear to be “blood and water.”​—John 19:34.

AUGUST 5-11

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PSALMS 70-72

Spiritual Gems

it-1 768

Euphrates

Boundary of Israel’s Assigned Territory. In God’s statement to Abraham he covenanted to give Abraham’s seed the land “from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates.” (Ge 15:18) This promise was restated to the nation of Israel. (Ex 23:31; De 1:7, 8; 11:24; Jos 1:4) First Chronicles 5:9 states that certain descendants of Reuben in the period prior to David’s reign extended their dwelling “as far as where one enters the wilderness at the river Euphrates.” However, since the Euphrates is some 800 km (500 mi) distant, when traveling “east of Gilead” (1Ch 5:10), this may mean simply that the Reubenites extended their territory E of Gilead into the edge of the Syrian Desert, which desert continues over to the Euphrates. (RS reads, “as far as the entrance of the desert this side of the Euphrates”; JB, “to the beginning of the desert that ends at the river Euphrates.”) It thus appears that Jehovah’s promise was first fully realized during the reigns of David and Solomon when the boundaries of Israel’s dominion extended to include the Aramaean kingdom of Zobah and thus reached to the banks of the Euphrates, evidently along the section traversing northern Syria. (2Sa 8:3; 1Ki 4:21; 1Ch 18:3-8; 2Ch 9:26) Because of its preeminence, it was often designated simply as “the River.”​—Jos 24:2, 15; Ps 72:8.

AUGUST 26–SEPTEMBER 1

TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD | PSALM 78

w11 7/1 10 ¶3-4

Does Jehovah Have Feelings?

The psalmist says: “How often they would rebel against him in the wilderness!” (Verse 40) The next verse adds: “Again and again they would put God to the test.” (Verse 41) Notice that the writer describes a pattern of rebellion. This ugly spirit surfaced early​—in the wilderness shortly after their deliverance from Egypt. The people began to murmur against God, questioning whether he was able and willing to care for them. (Numbers 14:1-4) A reference work for Bible translators says that the words “they would rebel against him” might be “rendered idiomatically as ‘they made their hearts hard against God’ or ‘they said “No” to God.’” Yet, in his mercy, Jehovah would forgive his people when they demonstrated repentance. But then they would return to their old ways and rebel again, and the pattern continued.​—Psalm 78:10-19, 38.

How did Jehovah feel each time his fickle people rebelled? “They would make him feel hurt,” says verse 40. Another translation says that they would “give him cause for grief.” One Bible reference work explains: “The meaning here is that the conduct of the Hebrews was such as was fitted to cause pain,​—as the conduct of a disobedient and rebellious child is.” Just as an unruly child can cause his parents much pain of heart, the rebellious Israelites “pained even the Holy One of Israel.”​—Verse 41.