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WHY HAS GOD PERMITTED WICKEDNESS?

*** pe 99-104 ***


WHEREVER you look in the world, there is crime, hatred and trouble. Often it is the innocent who suffer. Some people
blame God. They may say: „If there is a God, why does he permit all these terrible things to happen?‟
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Yet who are doing these wicked things to others? It is people, not God. God condemns wicked acts. In fact, much of the
suffering on earth would be prevented if people obeyed God‟s laws. He commands us to love. He forbids murder, stealing,
fornication, greed, drunkenness and other acts of wrongdoing that cause humans to suffer. (Romans 13:9; Ephesians 5:3, 18)
God made Adam and Eve with a marvellous brain and body and with the ability to enjoy life to the full. He never wanted
them or their children to suffer or have trouble.
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It was Satan the Devil who started wickedness on earth. But Adam and Eve were also to blame. They were not so
weak that they could not have resisted when the Devil tempted them. They could have told Satan to “go away,” just as the
perfect man Jesus later did. (Matthew 4:10) (◄Click Here). But they did not. As a result, they became imperfect. All their
children, including us, have inherited that imperfection, which brought with it sickness, sorrow and death. (Romans 5:12)
(◄Click Here). But why has God permitted suffering to go on?
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A person may at first think that there could be no reason great enough for God to allow all the human suffering that has
been experienced over the centuries. Yet, is it right to reach that conclusion? Have not parents who truly love their children
permitted them to undergo a painful operation to correct some problem? Yes, the permission of temporary suffering has
often made it possible for children to enjoy better health later on in life. What good has been done by God‟s permission of
wickedness?
An Important Issue To Be Settled
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The rebellion against God in the garden of Eden raised an important issue or question. We need to examine it in order
to understand why God has permitted wickedness. Jehovah God created the first man and woman perfect and placed them in
Paradise. They were endowed with a gift that distinguished them from animals—the gift of free will. (Genesis 1:28;
2:15, 19) As free moral agents, Adam and Eve could use their intellect to choose to love, serve, and obey their Creator. Or
they could select a course of independence from God and deliberately disobey him.
To give Adam and Eve an opportunity to demonstrate their love for him, the true God placed one restriction upon them.
He commanded Adam: “From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of
good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.” (Genesis 2:16, 17) To remain
in God‟s favour, to their own benefit and that of their future family, Adam and Eve would have to refrain from eating the
fruit of that one particular tree. Would they? If not what would happen?
Jehovah told Adam not to eat from that certain tree in the garden. If Adam did, what would happen? God said: “You
will positively die.” (Genesis 2:17) (◄Click Here). However, Satan said exactly the opposite. Using a serpent as his
mouthpiece, Satan the Devil approached Eve and said: “Is it really so that God said you must not eat from every tree of the
garden?” When Eve repeated God‟s command, Satan said to her: “You positively will not die. By saying that Adam and
Eve would not die if they partook of the forbidden fruit, Satan was in effect calling Jehovah a liar. A serious charge indeed!
If God were not truthful in this matter, how could he be trusted in anything else?

Satan told Eve, to go ahead and eat from the forbidden tree. In fact, he went on to tell Eve: “For God knows that in the
very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you [both Eve and Adam] are bound to be like God,
knowing good and bad.”— (Genesis 3:1-5) (◄Click Here). With those cunning words, Satan presented humans with a sham
opportunity to be self-governed. Deceptively, Satan implied that humans would be better off independent of God. Has this
proved true?
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Consequently, the tree seemed so desirable to Eve that “she began taking of its fruit and eating it.” The account
continues: “Afterward she gave some also to her husband when with her and he began eating it.” (Genesis 3:1-6). Why did
Eve disobey God and eat? Eve believed Satan. She selfishly thought that she would benefit by disobeying God. She
reasoned that no longer would she or Adam need to answer to God. They could be “like God” in that they no longer would
they have to submit to his laws. They could decide for themselves what is “good” and what is “bad.” Adam went along with
Eve and also ate. Both Adam and Eve thus misused their free will and sinned by disobeying God.

After our first parents chose


independence from God, they eventually
grew old and died
Adam and Eve became subject to sickness, pain, aging and, finally, death. “All the days of Adam that he lived
amounted to nine hundred and thirty years and he died,” states the Bible. (Genesis 3:19; 5:5) And from Adam, this sad
legacy has been transmitted to all mankind. (Romans 5:12) The passing of time has proved Satan to be “a liar and the father
of the lie” and has shown that Jehovah is “the God of truth.”—John 8:44; Psalm 31:5.
Do you see the seriousness of what transpired? The Devil contradicted what God had said to Adam. Satan’s words
implied that Adam and Eve would not need Jehovah in order to decide what was good and what was bad for them. Satan’s
challenge therefore brought into question the right and validity of Jehovah‟s rulership over man. Discussing man‟s original
sin against God, a footnote in The Jerusalem Bible says: “It is the power of deciding for himself what is good and what is
evil and of acting accordingly, a claim to complete moral independence. . . The first sin was an attack on God‟s
sovereignty.” That is, it was an attack on God‟s right to be man‟s absolute ruler or superior. So by eating the forbidden fruit,
Adam and Eve withdrew themselves from under God‟s rulership. They went out on their own, doing what was “good” or
“bad” according to their own decisions.
So the important issue or question raised was: Does God have the right to be the absolute ruler of humankind? In other
words, is Jehovah the One to decide what is good or bad for humans? Is he the One to say what right conduct is and what is
not? Or can man do a better job of governing himself? Whose way of ruling is best? Could humans do better if not ruled by
God? Can humans, under the invisible direction of Satan, rule successfully without Jehovah‟s direction? Or is God‟s
guidance needed in order to set up a righteous government that will bring lasting peace to the earth? All such questions were
raised in this attack on God‟s sovereignty, on his right to be the only and absolute ruler of humankind.
The Creator certainly knew the answer, but a sure way for humans to find out was to allow them the total freedom they
wanted. They chose that course of their own free will.
The Issue of Universal Sovereignty
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Of course, as soon as the rebellion happened Jehovah could have destroyed the three rebels. There was no question that
he was stronger than Satan or Adam and Eve. But destroying them would not have settled matters in the best way. For
example, it would not have answered the question of whether humans could successfully rule themselves without help from
God. Satan called into issue the rightness and righteousness of Jehovah's rulership of earth, and he challenged God that now
he, Satan, could turn all mankind aside from true worship. So Jehovah allowed time to settle the important issue that was
raised. By allowing humans -under the rule of Satan- enough time to experiment with total freedom, God would establish
for all time whether humans are better off under God's rule or on their own. And the time permitted would have to be long
enough to allow humans to come to what they considered the peak of their political, industrial, scientific, and medical
achievements.
Therefore, God has allowed man a free rein clear down to our day to show beyond any doubt whether human rule
independent of him can succeed. Thus man has been able to choose between kindness and cruelty, between love and hate,
between righteousness and unrighteousness. But he has also been confronted with the consequences of his choice: goodness
and peace or wickedness and suffering.
Rebellion of Spirit Creatures
There is another factor to consider. Our original parents were not the only ones to rebel against God's rule. Before
God created humans, he created a higher form of life, great numbers of angels, to live in the heavenly realm. They
too were created with free will and also with the need to submit to God's rule.—Job 38:7; Psalm 104:4 Revelation
5:11.
Rebellion first broke out in the spirit realm. A spirit creature (Satan) wanted total freedom. He even wanted
humans to worship him. (Matthew 4:8, 9) He influenced Adam and Eve to rebel, claiming falsely that God was
withholding something good from them. (Genesis 3:1-5) So he is called Devil (Slanderer) and Satan (Adversary).
Later, he induced other spirit creatures to rebel. They became known as demons.—Deuteronomy 32:17;
Revelation 12:9; 16:14.
Humans, by rebelling against God, gave themselves over to the influence of Satan and his demons. That is why
the Bible calls Satan "the god of this system of things," who "has blinded the minds of the unbelievers." Hence,
God's Word says that "the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." Jesus himself called Satan "the
ruler of this world."—2 Corinthians 4:4; John 5:19; John 12:31.
Settling The Issue
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Now that time has passed, what has been the result? Well, what would you say? Have the past 6,000 years of history
shown that humans have been successful in governing themselves without God‟s guidance? Have humans provided good
government for the blessing and happiness of all? Or has the record of history shown that the prophet Jeremiah‟s words are
correct: “It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step”?—Jeremiah 10:23.
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Throughout history all kinds of governments have been tried, but none have brought security and real happiness to all
those living under their rule. Some persons may point to the signs of progress. But can a person speak of true progress when
the bow and arrow have been replaced by nuclear weapons, and when the world now is in great fear of war and worldwide
terrorism? What kind of progress is it when men can walk on the moon and build a space station but cannot live together in
peace on the earth? What good is it for men to build homes equipped with all kinds of modern conveniences when the
families who live in them are torn apart by troubles? Are riots in the streets, the destruction of property and life and the
widespread lawlessness things of which to be proud? Not at all! But these are the results of humans trying to rule themselves
apart from God.—Proverbs 19:3.
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The evidence should be clear to all. Man‟s efforts to govern himself independently of God have been a terrible failure.
They have resulted in great human suffering. “Man has dominated man to his injury,” the Bible explains. (Ecclesiastes 8:9)
Clearly, humans need God‟s guidance in governing their affairs. Just as God created man with the need to eat food and drink
water, so man was made with the need to obey God‟s laws. If man ignores God‟s laws, he will come into difficulty, just as
surely as he would suffer if he ignored his body‟s need for food and water.—Proverbs 3:5, 6 (◄Click Here). Man-rule
independent of God has failed miserably. But men and women of faith, among whom Jesus is the outstanding example, have
kept integrity to God under the severest trials, vindicating Jehovah and proving the Devil a liar. (Luke 4:1-13; Job 1:7-12;
2:1-6;
*** pe 105-111 *** YOU ARE INVOLVED IN A VITAL ISSUE
How you live your life really does matter. It will mean for you either a happy future or a miserable one. Eventually it will
determine whether you pass away with this world or survive its end into God‟s righteous new world where you can live
forever.—1 John 2:17(◄Click Here); 2 Peter 3:13(◄Click Here).
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But how you live your life affects more than just yourself. Others are involved. What you do affects them too. For
example, if your parents are alive, what you do can bring them either honor or shame. The Bible says: “A wise son is the
one that makes a father rejoice, and a stupid son is the grief of his mother.” (Proverbs 10:1) More importantly, how you live
your life affects Jehovah God. It can either make him rejoice or make him sad. Why? Because of a vital issue in which you
are involved.
Satan raised another issue that challenged God. In effect, he charged that God was mistaken in the way He
created humans and that no one would want to do the right thing when put under pressure. In fact, he claimed that
under test they would even curse God. (Job 2:1-5) In this way Satan called into question the integrity of the
human creation.
An examination of this issue will provide further help in our understanding why God has permitted wickedness.
Will Humans Be Faithful To God?
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Satan the Devil also raised this issue when he was able to get Adam and Eve to break God‟s law and thus join him in
rebellion against God. (Genesis 3:1-6) (◄Click Here). This provided Satan with what he felt were grounds for addressing
Jehovah with the challenge: „People serve you only for what they get from you. Just give me the chance and I can turn
anybody away from you.‟ Although these words do not actually appear in the Bible, it is clear that Satan said something
like this to God. This is shown in the Bible book of Job.
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Job was a man who lived many centuries after the rebellion had taken place in the garden of Eden. He was a righteous
and faithful servant of God. But did it really matter to God or to Satan that Job was faithful? The Bible shows that it did. It
tells us about an appearance of Satan before Jehovah in the courts of heaven. Notice the subject of their conversation:
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“Now it came to be the day when the sons of the true God entered to take their station before Jehovah, and even Satan
proceeded to enter right among them. Then Jehovah said to Satan: „Where do you come from?‟ At that Satan answered
Jehovah and said: „From roving about in the earth and from walking about in it.‟ And Jehovah went on to say to Satan:
„Have you set your heart upon my servant Job, that there is no one like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright,
fearing God and turning aside from bad?‟”—Job 1:6-8.
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Why did Jehovah mention to Satan that Job was an upright man? Clearly, there was an issue as to whether Job would
remain faithful to Jehovah or not. Think about God‟s question, “Where do you come from?” and Satan’s reply, “From
roving about in the earth and from walking about in it.” This question and Satan’s reply showed that Jehovah was
permitting Satan free opportunity to carry out his challenge that he could turn anyone away from God. Well, what was
Satan’s reply to Jehovah‟s question about Job‟s faithfulness?
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“At that Satan answered Jehovah and said: „Is it for nothing that Job has feared God? Have not you yourself put up a
hedge about him and about his house and about everything that he has all around? The work of his hands you have blessed,
and his livestock itself has spread abroad in the earth. But, for a change, thrust out your hand, please, and touch everything
he has and see whether he will not curse you to your very face.‟”—Job 1:9-11.
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By his reply Satan was making an excuse for Job‟s faithfulness to God. „Job serves you,‟ Satan argued, „because of the
things you give him, not because he loves you.‟ Satan also complained that Jehovah was using his greater power in an
unfair way. „You have always protected him,‟ he said. So, to settle the issue, Jehovah answered: “Look! Everything that he
has is in your hand. Only against him himself do not thrust out your hand!”—Job 1:12.
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Right away Satan began causing trouble for Job. He had all Job‟s livestock either killed or stolen. Then he saw to it that
Job‟s 10 children were killed. Job lost almost everything, yet he remained faithful to Jehovah. He did not curse God. (Job
1:2, 13-22) (◄Click Here). But that was not the end of the matter.
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Satan again appeared with the other angels before Jehovah. Once again Jehovah asked Satan if he had seen the
faithfulness of Job and said: “Even yet he is holding fast his integrity.” At that Satan answered: “Skin in behalf of skin, and
everything that a man has he will give in behalf of his soul. For a change, thrust out your hand, please, and touch as far as
his bone and his flesh and see whether he will not curse you to your very face.”—Job 2:1-5.
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In answer, Jehovah gave Satan permission to do whatever he could to Job, although God said: „You are not to kill
him.‟ (Job 2:6) So Satan struck Job with a terrible disease. Job‟s suffering was so great that he prayed to die. (Job 2:7;
14:13, 14) His own wife turned against him, saying: “Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9) But Job refused to do that. “Until I
expire I shall not take away my integrity from myself!” he said. (Job 27:5) Job remained faithful to God. So it was proved
that Satan was wrong in his challenge that Job only served God for material gain and not out of love. It was also shown that
Satan could not turn everybody away from serving God.
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How do you suppose Job‟s faithful course made Jehovah feel? It made him very happy! God‟s Word urges: “Be wise,
my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.” (Proverbs 27:11) It is Satan who is
taunting Jehovah. And by his faithful course Job made God‟s heart rejoice. This gave God an answer to Satan’s boastful
taunt or challenge that humans would not serve Him under test. Many others have also provided God with such an answer.
The greatest example was the perfect man Jesus. He held fast his loyalty to God despite all the tests and trials that Satan
brought upon him. This proved that the perfect man Adam could have done the same if he had wanted to, and that God was
not unrighteous in requiring full obedience from man.
Two Issues
This second issue that Satan raised actually challenged God. In effect, he charged that God was mistaken in the
way He created humans and that no one would want to do the right thing when put under pressure. In fact, he
claimed that under test they would even curse God. (Job 2:1-5) In this way Satan called into question the integrity
of the human creation.
Therefore, God has permitted enough time for all intelligent creatures to see how this issue as well as the issue of
God's sovereignty would be resolved. (Compare Exodus 9:16.) The eventual experience of human history would
reveal the truth about these two issues.
First of all, what would time reveal regarding the issue of universal sovereignty, the rightness of God's rule?
Could humans rule themselves better than God? Would any system of human rule apart from God usher in a
happy world free from war, crime, and injustice? Would any eliminate poverty and provide prosperity for all?
Would any conquer sickness, old age, and death? God's rule was designed to do all of that.—Genesis 1:26-31.
Regarding both of these issues, what would time reveal as to the worth of the human creation? Was it a mistake
for God to have created humans the way he did? Would any of them do the right thing under test? Would any
people show that they wanted God's rule instead of independent human rule?
Why So Long?
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However, a person might ask, „Why did God not just destroy Adam and Eve and start over with another human pair?
Why has God permitted so much time, about 6,000 years now, to settle this issue? Could it not have been settled in a
satisfactory way long ago?‟ Not really. Because his universal sovereignty, that is, his absolute right to rule, had been
challenged. The question was: Who has the right to rule, and whose rule is right? His being almighty and the Creator of all
creatures gives God the right to rule over them. Since he is all-wise, his rule is best for all creatures. But God's rule had now
been challenged. If God had stepped in long ago, the charge could have been made that humans were not given enough time
to experiment. Whereas now, in the 21st Century, humans have had plenty of time to develop a government that would
satisfy the needs of all its subjects, as well as make scientific discoveries that could contribute to the prosperity of all.
Throughout the course of history, empires have come and gone. Every conceivable form of human government has been
tried. Even scientific and technological achievements of recent years have not negated the truth of these statements. Progress
in the field of science has been remarkable. They have harnessed nuclear power, travelled into outer space, and developed
genetic engineering. But what has been the result? Has it brought a grand new system for the blessing of humankind?

God has allowed time for


humans to come to the Human rule apart from God
peak of their has proved to be calamitous
achievements

War scene: U.S. Coast Guard


photo
Time and again, however, dreadful things have happened to the human family. “Man has dominated man to his injury,” a
Bible writer wisely concluded some 3,000 years ago. (Ecclesiastes 8:9) “It does not belong to man who is walking even to
direct his step,” wrote the prophet Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 10:23). The passage of time has only proved these observations to be
true.
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Increasingly there is more unhappiness and trouble on earth than ever before. In fact, crime, pollution, war, terrorism,
financial crises, family breakdown and other problems have reached such a dangerous stage that man‟s very existence is
threatened. Yes, after about 6,000 years of experience in self-rule, and after reaching a peak in scientific “progress,”
humankind is now facing self-destruction! How clear it is that humans cannot successfully govern themselves apart from
God! Nor can anyone now complain that God did not allow enough time to settle this issue.
14
Surely God has had good reason for permitting -under the rule of Satan- human wickedness that has existed for so
long. By his rebellion Satan raised these two issues that have required time to settle. You should be especially interested in
these issues because you are personally involved.
Where Do You Stand?
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What about your life? You may not think that it really matters how you live. But it does. Whether you know it or not, it
supports either God‟s side of the issue or Satan’s side. Jehovah cares for you, and he wants to see you serve him and live
forever on the paradise earth. (John 3:16) (◄Click here). When the Israelites rebelled against God, he was pained or felt hurt.
(Psalm 78:40, 41) Is your course of life one that is making God happy or is he pained by it? Of course, to make God happy
you need to learn his laws and obey them.
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A chief aim of Satan is to get persons to break God‟s laws...In fact you
will notice that especially now in the 21st century practices that are specifically
condemned in the Bible are increasingly being permitted in this world. Even
Christendom‟s priests and ministers often blatantly water down God‟s laws in
the Bible. They often either perpetrate these filthy acts in their own conduct or
condone the government legislation that legalises them in so-called
“progressive” human laws.
Just like Eve did in the garden of Eden, mankind in general obeys Satan
by heeding his urgings to ignore the good ways of Jehovah God. (Matthew
6:13; John 14:30; 1 John 2:15-17) “The whole world is lying in the power of
the wicked one,” says 1 John 5:19. In fact, Satan and his angels are
“misleading the entire inhabited earth,” causing nothing but “woe.”
(Revelation 12:9, 12) Thus, the major part of the blame for wickedness has to
be placed squarely on Satan the Devil.
15
We should not be surprised that this Devil-ruled world would make it
seem normal and right for us to do things that God forbids. True, it is not
always easy to be faithful to God. It was not easy for Job either. But
remember, it is wise to obey God‟s laws. You will be happier now if you do.
But, more importantly, you will be supporting God‟s side of the issue and will
make him happy. And he will bless you with everlasting life in happiness on
earth.
16
True, Satan was able to reduce Job to poverty and to cause the death of
his 10 children. There is no question that this was a deep loss for Job. But
when Job proved faithful, God blessed him with twice as much as he had
before Satan was permitted to test him. Job also became father to 10 more
children. (Job 42:10-17) (◄Click Here).
Job was rewarded for his faithful course
Furthermore, we can be sure that Job‟s 10 children who were killed by
Satan will be brought back to life in the resurrection of the dead. Truly, there is no harm or trouble that Satan is permitted to
cause that our loving Father, Jehovah, will not correct in his own due time.
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So you will always want to keep in mind that how you live your life really does matter. It matters particularly to
Jehovah God and Satan the Devil. This is because you are involved in the issue of whether humans will be faithful to God
or not.
What Will You Do?
The time allowed by God has proved Satan wrong on the issue of the rightfulness of Jehovah‟s sovereignty. Jehovah God is
the absolute Sovereign of the universe. He has the right to rule over his creation, and his way of ruling is the best.
Acknowledging this fact, heavenly creatures who have intimately experienced life under God‟s rule declare: “You are
worthy, Jehovah, even our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and
because of your will they existed and were created.”—Revelation 4:11.
Where do you stand on the question of God‟s rulership? Do you agree that
God is worthy to rule over you? If you do, you must recognize Jehovah‟s
sovereignty. You can do this by applying the marvellous truths and counsel
found in his Word, the Bible, in every aspect of your life. “God is love,” and
his laws and commandments spring from his love for his creatures. (1 John
4:8) Jehovah does not deprive any of us of what is for our good. You can
therefore take to heart the Bible‟s admonition: “Trust in Jehovah with all your
heart and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take
notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight.”—Proverbs
3:5, 6.

You can choose Jehovah God’s rulership


by studying the Bible and applying in your life what it says

Learn about how it is Jehovah‟s purpose to eliminate wickedness and those


who cause it. (Proverbs 2:22) In fact, he will do more than that. The Scriptures
declare that God‟s purpose through Christ is “to break up the works of the
Devil.” (1 John 3:8) The present system of things—based on greed, hatred,
and wicked deeds—will then be gone. God will even “wipe out every tear
from [all] eyes,” thus bringing an end to suffering. (Revelation 21:4)

Jehovah’s Witnesses offer you:


A free short course of Bible study where a friendly witness, qualified to teach the Bible can come to your home or
another convenient location and spend a little time each week discussing the Bible with you. This is a short course using the
book “What Does the Bible Really Teach?” (◄Click Here) with only 19 easy chapters. It concisely answers the most
common questions about Bible teachings. Millions of people the world over have benefited from this program. Many of
them have come to this thrilling conclusion: “I have found the truth!”

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