STUDY ARTICLE 24
SONG 24 Come to Jehovah’s Mountain
Continue to Be Jehovah Guest Forever!
“O Jehovah, who may be a guest in your tent?” —PS. 15:1.
WHAT THE MAIN POINT?
In this article, we will understand what we need to do to continue to be Jehovah friend, and we will also talk about how Jehovah want us to treat his friends.
1. How Psalm 15:1-5 can help us?
IN THE article before this one, we learn that those who gave their life to Jehovah and who continue to get close friendship with him, can be guest in his tent. But what we must do to be his guest? Psalm 15 talk plenty about what we can do. (Read Psalm 15:1-5.) This scripture tell us what we must do to get close friendship with God.
2. Wetin David was thinking about when he talk about Jehovah tent?
2 Psalm 15 start with this question them: “O Jehovah, who may be a guest in your tent? Who may reside in your holy mountain?” (Ps. 15:1) When David talk about Jehovah “tent,” maybe he was thinking about the tabernacle that was in Gibeon for some time. David also talk about God “holy mountain,” maybe he was thinking about the tent that was in mount Zion in Jerusalem. That around the south of Gibeon David build one tent and put the ark of the covenant there until they build the temple.—2 Sam. 6:17.
3. Why we want understand Psalm 15? (Also see the picture.)
3 That true, most of the Israelites never work to the tabernacle, or even enter the tent where they use to keep the ark of the covenant. But all Jehovah faithful servants could be guests in his tent by becoming his friends and remaining his friends. And that something all of us want do. Psalm 15 talk about some quality them we need to get and show if we will continue to be Jehovah friends.
It was easy for the Israelites in David time to imagine what it mean to be guest in Jehovah tent (See paragraph 3)
CONTINUE TO WALK FAULTLESSLY AND PRACTICE THE RIGHT THING
4. How we know that Jehovah not only want us to get baptize? (Isaiah 48:1)
4 Psalm 15:2 describe God friend as “the one who is walking faultlessly, practicing what is right.” The words “walking” and “practicing” show that something we must continue doing. But we really able to ‘walk faultlessly’? Yes. Even though no human being perfect, but if we do our best to obey Jehovah, he will look at us to be “walking faultlessly.” When we give our life to God and get baptize, we just starting to walk with him. For example way back, just because somebody was Israelite not mean he was Jehovah guest. Some of them use to worship him but it was not “in truth and righteousness.” (Read Isaiah 48:1.) Israelites who really wanted to be Jehovah guests, suppose to learn about his laws and follow them. That the same way today, to get close friendship with Jehovah not only depend on getting baptize and worshiping Jehovah with our brothers and sisters. But we must continue “practicing what is right.” How we can do it?
5. What it mean to obey Jehovah in everything?
5 To Jehovah, “walking faultlessly” and “practicing what is right” not only mean taking part in some activities to the Kingdom Hall all the time. (1 Sam. 15:22) But we must try hard to obey God in everything we do, even when we by our self. (Prov. 3:6; Eccl. 12:13, 14) It important for us to try to obey Jehovah even in small-small things. When we do it, it will show that we really love Jehovah, and that the more time Jehovah will love us too.—John 14:23; 1 John 5:3.
6. According to Hebrews 6:10-12, wetin important more than the good-good thing them we na do in the past?
6 Jehovah really happy with all the things we na do for him in the past. But not just because we do good-good thing them in the past, mean that we qualify to always be guests in Jehovah tent. Hebrews 6:10-12 make it clear. (Read.) Jehovah will never forget the good-good things we na do for him. But he want us to continue serving him with our whole heart “down to the end.” He will be our friend forever “if we do not tire out.”—Gal. 6:9.
SPEAK THE TRUTH IN YOUR HEART
7. Wetin it mean to speak the truth in our heart?
7 Somebody who want be guest in Jehovah tent must be “speaking the truth in his heart.” (Ps. 15:2) It not only mean that we must not lie. Jehovah want us to be honest in everything we can say and do. (Heb. 13:18) That one important, “for Jehovah detests a devious person, but his close friendship is with the upright.”—Prov. 3:32.
8. Wetin we must avoid doing?
8 Those who can ‘speak the truth in their heart’ can’t pretend to obey God law when they among people but break his law when they by their self. (Isa. 29:13) They can’t act tricky. Someone who tricky can start thinking that some of Jehovah law not always the best. (Jas. 1:5-8) He can disobey Jehovah law on things that he feel not important to him. And when he see that he not getting any punishment for disobeying, it can make him to start breaking God law more and more. And even though he pretend that he serving God, God will not accept his worship. (Eccl. 8:11) So we want be honest in everything.
9. Wetin we can learn from Jesus first meeting with Nathanael? (Also see the picture.)
9 We can learn why it important to really be honest from Jesus first meeting with Nathanael. When Philip brought Nathanael to meet Jesus, something interesting happen. Even though that was Jesus first time seeing Nathanael, he say: “See, truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” (John 1:47) Jesus knew that his other disciples were honest, but he could see that Nathanael was really honest. Nathanael was not perfect just how we not perfect. But he never use to pretend. Jesus was happy with Nathanael and tell him thank you for being honest. We will be happy if Jesus say that same thing about us!
The first time Jesus met Nathanael, he say Nathaniel was really honest. You think he can say the same thing about us? (See paragraph 9)
10. Why we must avoid talking bad things about other people? (James 1:26)
10 Psalm 15 talk more about how we can treat other people. Psalm 15:3 say that somebody who guest in Jehovah tent, “does not slander with his tongue, he does nothing bad to his neighbor, and he does not defame his friends.” If we talk bad about other people, it can really hurt them and it can make us to not be guest in Jehovah tent.—Read James 1:26.
11. What it mean to slander, and what can happen to someone who can slander and refuse to repent?
11 Slander among the thing them the psalmist talk about. What it mean to slander? It mean to say things that not true about somebody that can spoil their name. If somebody who can slander not repent, they can’t be Jehovah Witness again.—Jer. 17:10.
12-13. Give example to show how sometime, we can’t mean it to spoil somebody name? (Also see the picture.)
12 Psalm 15:3 also remind us that Jehovah guests can’t do bad to their neighbors and they can’t spoil their friend them name. How we can spoil our friend them name?
13 Sometime we can’t mean it, but we can spread information about our friend them that can spoil their name. For example: (1) one sister stop her full-time service, (2) one marry couple not serving to Bethel again, or (3) one brother not elder or ministerial servant again. You think it will be good to start looking for reasons why the person situation change and start telling other people about it? Maybe their situation change for plenty reasons that we not know about. So, somebody who guest in Jehovah tent “does nothing bad to his neighbor, and he does not defame his friends.”
It easy to spread information about other people that can lead to slander (See paragraphs 12-13)
HONOR THOSE WHO FEAR JEHOVAH
14. How Jehovah guests can know “anyone who is contemptible.”
14 Psalm 15:4 say that Jehovah friend “rejects anyone who is contemptible.” How we can do it? Because we not perfect, we not qualify to decide whether somebody contemptible or not. Why? Sometime we can like people who we think it easy to go around, but we can’t just like other people who we think can make us vex. So, we must only stop going around people when Jehovah say they “contemptible.” (1 Cor. 5:11) This one also talking about people who continue to do bad and refuse to repent, who not get respect for our faith and belief, or who can try to make our friendship with Jehovah weak.—Prov. 13:20.
15. What one way we can honor “those fearing Jehovah”?
15 Next, Psalm 15:4 say we must honor “those fearing Jehovah.” So we must look for ways to be kind and show respect to Jehovah friends. (Rom. 12:10) How? Psalm 15:4 talk about one way we can do it. It say that somebody who guest in Jehovah tent, “does not go back on his promise, even when it is bad for him.” When we break our promise, it can really make other people to feel bad. (Matt. 5:37) For example, Jehovah expect husband and wife to keep the promise they made to each other when they were getting marry. He can also be happy, when parents try their best to keep any promise they make to their children. Because we love God and our neighbor, we will try our best to keep any promise that we make.
16. What another way we can honor Jehovah friends?
16 Another way we can honor Jehovah friends, that to be kind and free handed. (Rom. 12:13) Beside field service and meetings, when we spend time with our brother them, it can make our friendship with them and Jehovah thick. Also, when we free handed, we following Jehovah example.
CONTINUE TO BE FREE FROM THE LOVE OF MONEY
17. Why Psalm 15 talk about money business?
17 Psalm 15:5 say that Jehovah guest “does not lend his money on interest, and he does not accept a bribe against the innocent.” (Ps. 15:5) Why this short psalm talk about money business? Because when we like money business too much, it can be important to us more than people and it can even spoil our friendship with God. (1 Tim. 6:10) In Bible times, some people not use to treat their poor brothers fair by putting interest on the money they use to credit. Also, some judges use to accept bribes to cheat innocent people. Jehovah hate for people to do this kind na thing them.—Ezek. 22:12.
18. What questions we must ask our self to know how we feel about money business? (Hebrews 13:5)
18 It good for us to think about how we feel about money by asking our self this question them: ‘I can always think about money and what I can buy with it? When I credit money, it can be hard for me to pay and I can be thinking that the person who credit me not need it? Money can make me feel that I important more than other people, or it can make it hard for me to do good? I can think that my brother and sister them like material things too much just because they get money? I can only be friendly with people who get plenty money and not get time for people who not get it?’ Jehovah na give us the wonderful opportunity to be his guest. We can continue to be Jehovah guest if we try our best to not like money business too much. If we do it, Jehovah will never leave us!—Read Hebrews 13:5.
JEHOVAH LOVE HIS FRIENDS
19. What the main reason Jehovah want us to do all the thing them in Psalm 15?
19 Psalm 15 end with the promise: “Whoever does these things will never be shaken.” (Ps. 15:5) This verse help us to see the main reason why Jehovah want us to do all this thing them. Jehovah want us to be happy. So, he give us direction that can make us to get his blessing and protection. —Isa. 48:17.
20. Wetin Jehovah guests will enjoy in the future?
20 Jehovah promise that his guests will enjoy wonderful future. The faithful anointed Christians will go to the “many dwelling places” that Jesus na prepare for them in heaven. (John 14:2) Those who get the hope to live on the earth forever, will see the promise in Revelation 21:3 fulfilling. That great honor for Jehovah to invite all of us to be guest in his tent forever!
SONG 39 Make a Good Name With God
