Is it not true that when the members of a family love one another, respect one another and work together, this is a happy family? Why would this be so? Largely because the family members  are considerate of one another’s feelings and display an unselfish spirit toward one another. A lot would depend on the example that the parents set for them. They would handle their children with kindness, consideration and love. They would treat them fairly. They would set a good example in conduct and be trustworthy, never lying to their children and could be depended on to always help them. They would also want their children to be happy and make a success of their lives. Discipline would be administered in a reasonable manner. It would be firm, consistent and never abusive. If these conditions exist would there be any doubt regarding their being a contented and happy family.

But what if the father was irresponsible, thought only of himself, failed to provide for his family, was harsh and showed little regard for their feelings. Imagine if he could not be even trusted to keep his word and generally left them to their own devices. Could such a family be truly happy?

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God has a Family

From the time that our Creator began to create and bring forth living intelligent creatures, he took on the responsibility of fathering a family. What sort of father would he be? What sort of family did he want his family to be? If we look at the many provisions that God made for his earthly children’s happiness then it is apparent that he wanted a contented and happy family who respected and loved him as much as he loved them.

Look at the home that he provided for them. It is a storehouse of delightful and tasty fruits and vegetables that can be blended into an infinite variety of dishes. The structure of the universe makes it possible for us to be happy with all sorts of pursuits that give us joy and happiness, Take music as an example. Just as a father buys a meccano set for his son and by using this set of tools his son can spend hours entertaining himself by building all sorts of machines, so a musician can compose an infinite number of musical compositions using the fact that sound pitches and tones can be arranged in rhythmic patterns that are pleasant to our ears. Is it just luck that our ears find the combining of certain pitches of sound in rhythmic patterns pleasant? No! Music has a logical mathematical structure and our ears are tuned to it.

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God’s way of Ruling the Universe

Although possessing awesome power and being capable of doing anything that he wanted, our God has chosen to use his power in a loving, just way. This suggests that these qualities are intrinsic to his nature. We create what we like and this expresses to some degree what kind of person we are. However as we can see, by promising to always be righteous, this places a limitation on his use of his power. Was this a weakness on his part? Apparently this was the view that one of his spirit creation developed. However is this really a weakness? Well what would any reasonable person want? Would he prefer to live in a family where his father was a dictator who ruled, without consideration for his children, preferring to do as he pleased without regard for their feelings or would he not prefer to be part of a family where the father governed his family in a loving considerate way. Surely any person that thought otherwise would only show that the person had a callous regard for others. Is not the controlled use of power an admirable quality rather than a weakness. If someone loses his temper is that not an indication that the person is a slave to his temper whereas the one controlling it displays strength of character.

Our God, (Jehovah is his name) chose to be a loving father, always treating his family with respect, kindness and love. Even when he administered discipline it is to benefit his children.

(Hebrews 12:5-6) . . .My son, do not belittle [the] discipline from Jehovah, neither give out when you are corrected by him; 6 for whom Jehovah loves he disciplines; in fact, he scourges every one whom he receives as a son.”

(Hebrews 12:11) . . .True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but grievous; yet afterward to those who have been trained by it it yields peaceable fruit, namely, righteousness.

God always disciplines with love. . In this way he sets a good example for his family to follow. After all in the case of the human family, one day they would be fathers themselves with there own families and would need a good example to follow. But what would be the result if God’s family caught him out in a lie?  Would all his family members feel happy about that? Would they trust and respect him to the same degree? As his family grew larger and larger could some perhaps feel justified in also lying when it suited their purpose.

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Why God commands us to Love him

(Hebrews 6:17-18) . . .In this manner God, when he purposed to demonstrate more abundantly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his counsel, stepped in with an oath, 18 in order that, through two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to the refuge may have strong encouragement to lay hold on the hope set before us.

In God’s law to the Israelite nation the first commandment as Jesus explained was for a person to love God above all else
(Matthew 22:34-40) . . .After the Pharisees heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they came together in one group. 35 And one of them, versed in the Law, asked, testing him: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 He said to him: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 The second, like it, is this, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments the whole Law hangs, and the Prophets. . .

This law was not because Jehovah was flattered and needed to satisfy his ego. God knows that he is supreme and all-powerful but he is also  aware that the love and devotion on the part of his creation for him provided the attachment that was vital for the unity and well being of his family.

Jehovah revealed his high principles to Moses and had them recorded for our benefit.
(Exodus 34:6-7) . . .And Jehovah went passing by before his face and declaring: “Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness and truth, 7 preserving loving-kindness for thousands, pardoning error and transgression and sin, but by no means will he give exemption from punishment, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons and upon grandsons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation.”

Don’t be put off by the remark that Jehovah does not give exemption from punishment. He has already said that he pardon’s error and transgression and sin and this takes in any extenuating circumstance. However those deserving of punishment will not be exempted. He will always fulfil his sentence.

Why is punishment extended to sons and grandsons. Generally when a man gets punished by Jehovah he has done something really bad. Usually it has been noticed that these characteristics are passed on. For example very often children abused by their parents abuse their own children. Furthermore we should remember that often when God says he does something, he does not necessarily do it personally, but the persons are subject to laws created by Jehovah and therefore in this way we could say that he permits it.  When Adam sinned he began to damage his body and because he was subject to the conservation laws his body began to run down. His children inherited this damage which resulted in them also suffering. This was not the intention of the law. The results of his action were passed on to  succeeding generations. He had never been designed to experience guilt. Furthermore, breaking  God’s laws they “reap what they sow and the bad effects can be passed on to their offspring.

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The Laws Regarding Decay Affect All.

To answer the question of why a living God permits pain and suffering we need to see how pain and suffering entered the universe for the first time.
Adam and Eve were created perfect. If they were obedient, God would have undertaken to sustain their lives indefinitely, however when he withdrew his protection they were exposed to the laws of energy conservation, one of which results in decay, better known as the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Apparently everything in the universe is subject to this law.
In fact the universe itself is subject this law. If it is to last forever God has to sustain it.
To illustrate what I mean consider this; If you build a house you have to put a lot of work to construct it. If the house is meant to last, one will have to put an enormous amount of work into it to maintain it  otherwise if one leaves the house to itself, the natural forces in the universe will cause it to fall apart and it will finally return to the dust.
When applied to the universe we understand that if the universe is left alone it will ultimately die, so if it is to last forever it needs to be maintained by God. That is why humans are foolish if they think that they can ignore God’s part in the operation of the universe.

The Bible shows that God sustains the earth by means of his dynamic energy.

(Isaiah 40:25-26) . . .But to whom can YOU people liken me so that I should be made his equal?” says the Holy One. 26 “Raise YOUR eyes high up and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who is bringing forth the army of them even by number, all of whom he calls even by name. Due to the abundance of dynamic energy, he also being vigorous in power, not one [of them] is missing.

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Death and Disease are Part of the Laws of Decay

When animals were created God never sentenced them to death. They died naturally according to the conservation laws operating in the universe. However with man it was different. Although created with the ability to exercise freedom of choice, God put the desire to live forever into man’s figurative heart, because he intended to sustain them if they agreed to follow his instructions. That was why God actually warned Adam what would happen if Adam disobeyed him.

As we can see from the foregoing God could not justifiably allow open rebellion to exist in his universe and was certainly not under any obligation to sustain any creature indefinitely if the creature was not prepared to follow God’s directions. Would you or I be willing to uphold a guarantee on a machine, if the person that possessed it was not prepared to follow the directions on how it should be used.

(Ecclesiastes 3:10-11) . . .I have seen the occupation that God has given to the sons of mankind in which to be occupied. 11 Everything he has made pretty in its time. Even time indefinite he has put in their heart, that mankind may never find out the work that the [true] God has made from the start to the finish. . .

As God’s family, we have all been created with the ability to reflect God’s qualities of love, justice wisdom and power. We are naturally drawn towards those who treat us with respect, love and consideration so when a family manifest this behavior we find happiness. However we can also make the wrong choices and ruin our happiness by a selfish course of action. By following God’s direction this would never occur,
Why do perons Rebel?

(James 1:16-17) . . .Do not be misled, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect present is from above, for it comes down from the Father of the [celestial] lights, and with him there is not a variation of the turning of the shadow.

(James 1:13-15) . .When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone. 14 But each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then the desire, when it has become fertile, gives birth to sin; in turn, sin, when it has been accomplished, brings forth death. . .

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The Reason for Satan’s Rebellion

Rebellion evidently started in the spirit realm. A rebellions spirit son who later came to be called Satan or the Devil embarked on his rebellious course. Evidently this spirit son began to cultivate a bad attitude. It appears that he must have reasoned that God had a weakness and that this weakness was God’s stand on righteous principles. Because God limits the use of his power in this way, this spirit son apparently reasoned that if a situation arose where God could not fulfil his purpose without breaking his standards of righteousness this would expose this weakness to everybody. He saw an opportunity with the creation of Adam and Eve to create such a situation and thought that God would not be able to resolve the situation without breaking his own word. In this way he imagined that he was smarter than God.

How did this come about? After God created Adam and Eve, he had stated his purpose for them to populate this earth with perfect humans like themselves. Satan evidently reasoned that if he could induce them to disobey God, then God would have a problem. Further because God had proceeded to rest almost immediately after creating Adam and Eve, it appeared to Satan that this would make it impossible for God to fix matters up without breaking his rest. It seemed that no matter what God did Satan would have achieved his goal. Can you imagine what kind of son would do this to a loving father. How could this possibly have occurred? Because the King of tyre was manifesting an attitude like Satan the Devil, the prophet Ezekiel addressed these words to the King of Tyre but as you can see they acutally expressed God’s views to Satan humself.

(Ezekiel 28:12-13) . . .You are sealing up a pattern, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. 13 In Eden, the garden of God, you proved to be. . .
(Ezekiel 28:14) . . .You are the anointed cherub that is covering, and I have set you so.. . .
(Ezekiel 28:15) . . .You were faultless in your ways from the day of your being created until unrighteousness was found in you.
(Ezekiel 28:17) . . .Your heart became haughty because of your beauty. You brought your wisdom to ruin on account of your beaming splendor. . .

How did Satan go about accomplishing this?
The Bible indicates that Adam was not deceived and knew that what his wife had done was wrong and so Satan must have noticed that Adam’s desire for his wife was causing  him to allow her to get her own way in everything. That is why the scripture explains that Eve came to be in transgression. As a submissive wife she should have consulted her husband and this would never had happened.

(1 Timothy 2:11-14) 11 Let a woman learn in silence with full submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 Also, Adam was not deceived, but the woman was thoroughly deceived and came to be in transgression.

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The Rebellion a Universal Issue

However when we look at how Satan tempted Eve, it becomes obvious that this was not just an issue involving Adam and his wife. It had greater implications. It was a universal issue because it created doubt in the minds of God’s spirit sons, who may have wondered was this actually a weakness in their father.
Satan used a serpent like a ventriloquist. Likely noting her interest in the serpent, he approached her using deception to hide his real motives. Here is what Satan said to Eve.

(Genesis 3:1-7) .…….’” 4 At this the serpent said to the woman: “YOU positively will not die. 5 For God knows that in the very day of YOUR eating from it YOUR eyes are bound to be opened and YOU are bound to be like God, KNOWING good and bad.”

Notice how Eve cultivated the desire until it overcame her .

6 Consequently the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something to be longed for to the eyes, yes, the tree was desirable to look upon. So she began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward she gave some also to her husband when with her and he began eating it.

As Adam was not deceived, he evidently explained what a serious mistake she had made because they both were ashamed of their bodies realising that they could never fulfill God’s purpose to produce perfect children

7 Then the eyes of both of them became opened and they began to realize that they were naked. Hence they sewed fig leaves together and made loin coverings for themselves.

Satan had accused God of lying and attacked Jehovah’s right to govern mankind, by claiming that humans could better off if they made their own decisions on what was right of wrong.

This was the origin of the idea that it was man’s right to be absolutely free and independent. Satan was in fact parroting his own belief. We should understand that these charges were serious and raise questions about God that had to be settled for the good of all God’s intelligent creation,  Unless these issues were cleared up they could disrupt the unity and peace of God’s family and contribute to the breakdown of trust in God. As God’s way of governing the universe was based on the fact that he could be trusted to always act in righteousness his name would have to be cleared of all reproach for the good of the universe. The use of power would not settle the issue. The question was; how would God handle the problem?

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Can all Humans Remain Faithful to God

Jesus called Satan a murderer and a liar because God holds him responsible for the deaths of mankind. But those who follow Satan’s course  whether knowingly or not are regarded as following the ways of their father the Devil.

(John 8:44) . . .YOU are from YOUR father the Devil, and YOU wish to do the desires of YOUR father. That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of [the lie].

Later during the time of Job the Bible reveals that the issue of man’s integrity was constantly being challenged by Satan. God permitted Satan to bring a certain amount of trouble to his servant Job. This was without Job’s knowledge of why these things were happening to him at the time. God was confident that Job would continue faithful and not let him down. By his faithfulness Job gave God an answer to Satan’s accusations. What I find particular interesting is that God maintained control of the situation, only allowing the  matter to proceed as far as it was necessary to answer the challenge..

Job chapters 1 and 2 describe the scene in heaven, normally invisible to human eyes. It was put over like a court case with all God’s spirit sons in assembly and God is shown being accused by the prosecutor Satan the Devil.  Satan repeatedly attacks Jehovah and claims that if God allowed him to bring trouble for Job, he would be able to break Job’s integrity. He insinuated that Job’s integrity was not based on a genuine love for God but was selfishly motivated. However what we are interested in is his final attack on Job’s integrity because he included all mankind in his accusation. He said that no man could remain absolutely faithful to death. Can we also see how Jesus Christ in dying faithful to his father showed once and for all that Adam’s failure to obey was not caused by a defect in his creation. It was a matter of choice because this perfect human son died faithful to his heavenly father in spite of Satan’s temptation and in spite of dying a horrible death. He supplied God with an answer to Satan’s challenge. That is why Jesus is referred to as “the faithful and true” Witness in the book of revelation.

(Revelation 3:14) . . .And to the angel of the congregation in La·o·di·ce´a write: These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God,

Here is the biblical record of Satan’s challenge of God with regard to Job.

(Job 2:3-6) ...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? Even yet he is holding fast his integrity, although you incite me against him to swallow him up without cause.” 4 But Satan answered Jehovah and said: “Skin in behalf of skin, and everything that a man has he will give in behalf of his soul. 5 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.” 6 Accordingly Jehovah said to Satan: “There he is in your hand! Only watch out for his soul itself!”

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God Permits the Test

By charging that no man would obey God if Satan was allowed to test out humans it becomes apparent that God had to permit this to prove his case. If he did not this would created doubts in the minds of his universal family. Jehovah had to fundamentally permit certain things to happen so this is why he permits the existence of pain and suffering. This challenge had to be answered for the good of the universe.

Sometimes people think that because God is wo powerful that they think that he can do anything.Their religious leaders allow them to believe these false ideas because they themselves do not know any better. No! God has placed limitations on his use of his power because he is a person of high morality. He will under no circumstance break his own laws and standards of conduct.This is why we can always trust him to do the right thing. However he has promised to rectify the situation once these issues have been settled. God even allowed his firstborn son and the most beloved one within his family to be born as a man and to suffer probably far more than any  of us may have to suffer, so that a legal basis could be provided for our forgiveness and the rectifying of the situation. This is how devoted God is to righteousness.

(Hebrews 12:1-2) . . .and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus. For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider the fact that if God was prepared to allow his son to suffer as he did for the greater good of ransoming the human race and demonstrating to the entire universe his stand for righteousness then it should be apparent that what we suffer is small in comparison.

(Philippians 2:5-11) 5 Keep this mental attitude in YOU that was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. 7 No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men. 8 More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake. 9 For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every [other] name, 10 so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, 11 and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Just as Jehovah has rewarded his son, so he will reward all those who uphold his sovereignty by faithful obedience and the endurance of much during this time. Because Jehovah’s rule is based on trust He is not the cause of the problem. Satan, Adam and Eve are responsible but Jehovah  has turned it around so that it will result in finalizing any rebellion that might ever occur in the universe. However, just as he finally blessed Job after Job’s trial, he had the account in Job recorded so that we could understand what is going on. In the same way that he blessed Job he promises to bless all of his servants who act as witnesses to his righteousness like Job did.

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How does God help us?

When will these blessings come? For the present he gives us his word, which explains his reasons and also gives us instruction on  how to make the best of our present situation. In this way we can avoid unnecessary problems and in wisdom make the best decisions for our own happiness. It also helps us to avoid bringing reproach on his name.  When the allotted time is up, his son will destroy this wicked world and preserve his faithful living servants, just like Jehovah preserved Noah and his family through the flood.

He will not allow distress to arise a second time

(Nahum 1:9) 9 What will YOU men think up against Jehovah? He is causing an outright extermination. Distress will not rise up a second time.. . .
I will now supply some of the scriptural evidence to what I have said proving that God understands our predicament.

God calls on us to be his witnesses.

(Proverbs 27:11) . . .Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.

(Isaiah 43:10-11) . . .YOU are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah, “even my servant whom I have chosen, in order that YOU may know and have faith in me, and that YOU may understand that I am the same One. Before me there was no God formed, and after me there continued to be none. 11 I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior.”

Isaiah 43:12-13) . . .So YOU are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah, “and I am God. 13 Also, all the time I am the same One; and there is no one effecting deliverance out of my own hand. I shall get active, and who can turn it back?”

AT Hebrews 11 the whole chapter is devoted to showing how God’s servants in pre-Christian times, served as faithful witesses to God’s side of the issue.

(Hebrews 12:1) . . .So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. . .

In this way true Christians imitate Jesus who was the chief witness to God’s side of the universal issue.

(Revelation 3:14) . . .And to the angel of the congregation in La·o·di·ce´a write: These are the things that the Amen says, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation by God,

God understands our circumstances and gives us hope.

(Romans 8:20-22) 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will but through him that subjected it, on the basis of hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God. 22 For we know that all creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now.

At great cost to himself God unselfishly provided his willing and trustworthy son so that the necessary legal requirement for man’s restoration could be provided.

(John 3:16) “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.

The son out of his love for his father and in sympathy for the handicapped human race voluntarily came to fulfil this assignment.

(Hebrews 10:5-10) . . .Hence when he comes into the world he says: “‘Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but you prepared a body for me. 6 You did not approve of whole burnt offerings and sin [offering].’ 7 Then I said, ‘Look! I am come (in the roll of the book it is written about me) to do your will, O God.’” 8 After first saying: “You did not want nor did you approve of sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin [offering]”—[sacrifices] that are offered according to the Law— 9 then he actually says: “Look! I am come to do your will.” He does away with what is first that he may establish what is second. 10 By the said “will” we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. . .

(Matthew 20:28) . . .Just as the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his soul a ransom in exchange for many.”

When he was on earth Jesus recommended that his faithful servants pray for the only hope of mankind. No human government would ever solve the problems we face so we were to make our concern the clearing of God’s name and then to await and pray for the setting up of God’s kingdom Which would ultimately bring God’s will on earth..

(Matthew 6:9-13) . . .YOU must pray, then, this way: “‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. 10 Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth. 11 Give us today our bread for this day; 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the wicked one.’.

We are now in the last days of this world and deliverance is close at hand. Other articles on my site will help you to see that this is now a fact.

The preaching of the kingdom message by Jehovah’s witnesses which was predicted will open the door to your understanding of many more things. But more important it will help you to benefit and be confident that you can survive the end of this wicked world,

My articles are designed to answer most of the questions that prevent people from understanding the truth of God’s word and then to point you to the instrument that God has provided to help you and me.

(Matthew 24:45-47) 45 “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. 47 Truly I say to YOU, He will appoint him over all his belongings.

This is the food provided at the proper time.

(Matthew 24:14) . . .And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.

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