1-2. Who was Zadok? (1 Chronicles 12:​22, 26-28)

 IMAGINE more than 340,000 men come together to make David king for Israel. For three days, this men them stay in the rocky hill near Hebron. They laugh, talk and sing songs to praise Jehovah. (1 Chron. 12:39) One young man name Zadok was among them and maybe plenty people not even notice that he was there. But Jehovah make sure for us to know that Zadok was there. (Read 1 Chronicles 12:​22, 26-28.) Who was Zadok?

² Zadok was priest and he and High Priest Abiathar use to work close together. God also gave Zadok plenty wisdom and help him to understand His will good-good. (2 Sam. 15:27) People use to go to Zadok for good advice. He was also brave. In this article, we will learn how Zadok show that he was brave.

3. (a) Why Jehovah people need to be brave? (b) Wetin we will talk about in this article?

³ During this last days, Satan really attacking God people more than ever before. (1 Pet. 5:8) So we need to be brave and bear it until Jehovah destroy Satan and his wicked system. (Ps. 31:24) Let talk about three ways we can be brave like Zadok.

SUPPORT GOD KINGDOM

4. Why Jehovah people need to be brave to support God Kingdom? (Also see the picture.)

⁴ We Jehovah people can support God Kingdom with our whole heart. But most of the time, we need to be brave to be able to do it. (Matt. 6:33) For example, in this wicked world, we need to be brave to be able to live by God laws and to preach the good news about God Kingdom. (1 Thess. 2:2) Also, the world continue to divide people more and more because of politics. So, we need  to be brave to not put our hand in politics. (John 18:36) Plenty of Jehovah people na face money problem. They na even beat them or put them in jail because they refuse to take part in politics or join the army.

5. Why Zadok needed to be brave to support David?

⁵ Zadok not go to Hebron just to join the celebration to make David king. But he also go there with his weapons, ready to fight war. (1 Chron. 12:38) He was willing to follow David to fight war and protect Israel from their enemies. Maybe Zadok was not having plenty experience in fighting war, but he was really brave.

6. From the way David was brave, how he set good example for Zadok to follow? (Psalm 138:3)

⁶ How Zadok who was priest learn to be so brave? He use to be around plenty men them who were strong and brave. So it clear that he learn from them. For example, because David was brave and “leading Israel on its campaigns”, it made all the Israelite them to support him with their whole heart. (1 Chron. 11:​1, 2) David always use to depend on Jehovah for help against his enemies. (Ps. 28:7; read Psalm 138:3.) Zadok also learn from other brave men them like Jehoiada and his son Benaiah who was in the army, and also 22 other army chiefs who support David. (1 Chron. 11:​22-25; 12:​26-28) All this men them do their best to make David king and protect him.

7. (a) In our time, what some examples we can learn from to be brave? (b) From the video, wetin you learn from Brother Nsilu example?

⁷ When we think about other people who were brave to stick to Jehovah and His Kingdom, it can make us to be brave too. Our King, Jesus Christ refuse to  take part in this world politics when he was on earth. (Matt. 4:​8-11; John 6:​14, 15) He always use to depend on Jehovah to give him strength. In our time, we also get plenty examples of young men who refuse to join the army or take part in politics. You can read about some of their experience on jw.org. a

HELP YOUR BROTHER THEM

8. Sometime, when the elder them need to be brave to help their brothers?

⁸ Jehovah people like helping each other. (2 Cor. 8:4) But sometime we need to be brave to do it. For example, when war fighting, the elder them in that area can do their best to encourage and support their brothers and sisters. Sometime they can give them publications, food, clothes and place to stay. Because the elders love their brothers, they can try their best to give them what they need even when it risky. (John 15:​12, 13) When they do it like that, they following Zadok example to be brave.

9. According to 2 Samuel 15:​27-29, wetin David tell Zadok to do? (Also see the picture.)

⁹ David life was in danger. His son Absalom was trying hard to kill him and be king. (2 Sam. 15:​12, 13) David needed to run away from Jerusalem right away! He tell his servant them say: “Get up, and let us run away, for none of us will escape from Absalom!” (2 Sam. 15:14) When his servant them were leaving, David decided that somebody must stay behind to know what Absalom was planning, and tell him about it. So he sent Zadok and the other priest them back in the city to spy on Absalom. (Read 2 Samuel 15:​27-29.) But they suppose to be very careful. The thing David tell this priest them to do was risky and it even put their life in danger. Absalom was violent and selfish,  and he betray his own pa. So just imagine what he was coming do to Zadok and the other priests, if he was coming find out that they were spying on him to protect David!

10. How Zadok and the people who was with him help to protect David?

¹⁰ David make one plan. Then he ask Zadok and another loyal friend name Hushai, to help him make his plan work. (2 Sam. 15:​32-37) Hushai follow the plan and pretend like he was supporting Absalom, and gave him advice about how to attack David. And that one gave David more time to prepare for the attack. After that, Hushai tell Zadok and Abiathar about the plan. (2 Sam. 17:​8-16) Then this two men them sent message to David about what Absalom plan to do. (2 Sam. 17:17) With Jehovah help, Zadok and the other priests play important part in protecting David life.—2 Sam. 17:​21, 22.

11. How we can be brave like Zadok when we helping our brother them?

¹¹ When our brother them in danger and they call us to help them, how we can be brave like Zadok? (1) Follow direction. In time like this, it important for us to remain united. Obey the direction from the branch office in your area. (Heb. 13:17) Elders must always go over the directions about how to prepare for disaster and what to do when it happen. (1 Cor. 14:​33, 40) (2) Be brave but be careful. (Prov. 22:3) Think before you act. Try your best to be save. (3) Depend on Jehovah. Remember that Jehovah really want you and your brother them to be save. And He can give you the strength to help your brother them to be save.

12-13. Wetin you learn from Viktor and Vitalii experience? (Also see the picture.)

¹² Let talk about two elders name Viktor and Vitalii, who help to carry food  for their brothers and sisters in Ukraine. Viktor say: “We use to look all around for food. Most of the time, they use to be shooting around us. One brother gave food for the brothers and sisters. This food help plenty publisher them for some time. When we were putting things in our truck, one bomb fall down not too far from us, but it not blast. That whole day, I pray to Jehovah to help me to be brave to continue helping my brothers and sisters.”

¹³ Vitalii say: “We really needed to be brave. I drive for 12 hours on my first trip. I continue praying to Jehovah when I was driving.” Vitalii was brave, but he was also careful. He also say: “I continue asking Jehovah for wisdom and to help me know my limit. I was only driving on the road the government say people must drive on. Seeing how the brothers and sisters work together make my faith strong. They help to clear the road, collect food, clothes and other important things and put them in the truck. They also gave us food and place to rest while we were traveling.”

CONTINUE TO STICK TO JEHOVAH

14. How it can affect us when somebody we love leave Jehovah?

¹⁴ One thing that can really make us to feel discourage, that when our family member or close friend leave Jehovah. (Ps. 78:40; Prov. 24:10) The more you close to the person, that the time it can really be hard for you to bear the situation. If you na go through this painful situation before, remember that Zadok example can help you because he too stick to Jehovah.

15. Why Zadok needed to be brave to stick to Jehovah? (1 Kings 1:​5-8)

¹⁵ Zadok continue to stick to Jehovah even when his close friend Abiathar decide to leave Jehovah. This one happen to the end of David rulership. When David was about to die, his son Adonijah try to make himself king even though Jehovah wanted Solomon to be king. (1 Chron. 22:​9, 10) Abiathar decide to support Adonijah. (Read 1 Kings 1:​5-8.) The thing Abiathar do make him to not stick to David and Jehovah! Imagine how Zadok was feeling bad. He and Abiathar work close together as priests for more than 40 years. (2 Sam. 8:17) Two of them use to take care of “the Ark of the true God” together. (2 Sam. 15:29) From the beginning, two of them support David as their king, and do plenty other things for Jehovah.—2 Sam. 19:​11-14.

16. Wetin help Zadok to stick to Jehovah?

¹⁶ Zadok continue to stick to Jehovah even though Abiathar not remain faithful. David knew that he could always trust Zadok. When Adonijah plan fail, David choose Zadok, Nathan, and Benaiah to make Solomon king. (1 Ki. 1:​32-34) The example of Nathan who stick to Jehovah and other people who support King David, really encourage Zadok. (1 Ki. 1:​38, 39) When they make Solomon king, he “appointed Zadok the priest in place of Abiathar.”—1 Ki. 2:35.

17. How you can be like Zadok if somebody you close to leave Jehovah?

¹⁷ How you can be like Zadok? If somebody you close to decide to leave Jehovah, make it clear that you on Jehovah side. (Josh. 24:15) Jehovah will give  you the strength and the courage you need to do the right thing. Pray to Jehovah and remain close to your brothers and sisters who loyal to Him. Jehovah can value you when you stick to him, and he will bless you for it.—2 Sam. 22:26.

18. Wetin you learn from Marco and Sidse experience?

¹⁸ Let look at Marco and his wife Sidse example. Their two daughters left the truth. Marco say: “You can really love your children from the day you born them. You will want do anything to protect them. So when they decide to leave Jehovah, it can really break your heart.” He also say: “But Jehovah na help us to bear it. When I feeling bad because of what happen, my wife can encourage me. And when she feeling bad, I can encourage her too.” Sidse also say: “We were not coming to bear it, if Jehovah was not coming give us the strength we need. I was feeling that I was the cause for my children to stop serving Jehovah. So I pray to Jehovah about the way I was feeling. After few days, one sister who I not see for long time, came near me and put her hand on my shoulder. She look at me and say, ‘Remember Sidse, you not the cause for your children to leave Jehovah!’ Jehovah na help me to continue serving him and be happy.”

19. Wetin you want fight hard to do?

¹⁹ Jehovah want all his servant them to be brave like Zadok. (2 Tim. 1:7) But He not want us to do it on our own. He want us to depend on him. So, when you find yourself in any situation that you need to be brave, ask Jehovah to help you. You can be sure that he will make you brave just like Zadok!—1 Pet. 5:10.