The Fight Against Poverty​—A Losing Battle?

TOURISTS visiting the United Nations in New York City see the Economic and Social Council Chamber, with its exposed pipes and ducts in the ceiling above the public gallery. The tour guide explains: “The ‘unfinished’ ceiling is commonly seen as a symbolic reminder that the economic and social work of the United Nations is never finished; there will always be something more that can be done to improve the living conditions of the world’s people.”

Although the Council is committed to the worthy cause of encouraging a higher standard of living for all, the task seems to be unending. Interestingly, during Jesus Christ’s ministry on earth in the first century C.E., he said: “Jehovah’s spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news to the poor.” (Luke 4:18) What was the “good news” that he declared? It was the message concerning the Kingdom that Jehovah God, who becomes “a stronghold to the poor one in . . . distress,” will establish with Jesus Christ as King. What will that Kingdom accomplish? Isaiah prophesied: “Jehovah of armies will certainly make for all the peoples . . . a banquet of well-oiled dishes, a banquet of wine kept on the dregs, of well-oiled dishes filled with marrow, of wine kept on the dregs, filtered. He will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces.”​—Isaiah 25:4-6, 8.

Would you like to know more about how God’s Kingdom will “improve the living conditions of the world’s people,” so that there will be no more want? See below to learn how you can have a qualified teacher visit you to show you more about what the Bible says on such matters.