Goodness With Everlasting Benefits

Jesus said: "It is written, 'Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every utterance coming forth through Jehovah's mouth.' " (Matthew 4;4) Indeed, Jehovah's spiritual provisions can do us even more good than can the physical kind, for they lead to everlasting life. In Chapter 8 of this book, we noted that Jehovah has used his restorative power during these last days to bring into being a spiritual paradise. A key feature of that paradise is the abundance of spiritual food.

In one of the Bible's great restoration prophecies, the prophet Ezekiel was given a vision of a restored and glorified temple. From that temple flowed a stream of water, widening and deepening as it went until it became a "double-size torrent." Wherever it flowed, that river brought blessings. On its banks flourished a crop of trees that provided food and healing. And the river even brought to life and productivity to the salty, lifeless Dead Sea! (Ezekiel 47:1-12) But what did all of that mean?

The vision meant that Jehovah would restore his arrangement for pure worship, as pictured by the temple Ezekiel saw. Like that visionary river, God's provisions for life would flow out to his people in ever-greater abundance. Since the restoration of pure worship in 1919, Jehovah has blessed his people with life-giving provisions. How? Well, Bible literature, meetings and conventions have all served to bring vital truths to millions. By such means Jehovah has taught people about the most important of his provisions for life-Christ's ransom sacrifice, which brings a clean standing before Jehovah and the hope of everlasting life to all those who truly love and fear God. Hence, throughout these last days, while the world has suffered famine, Jehovah's people have enjoyed a spiritual feast. -Isaiah 65:13.

But Ezekiel's visionary river does not stop flowing when this old system of things meets its end. On the contrary, it will flow even more abundantly during Christ's Millennial Reign. Then, by means of the Messianic Kingdom, Jehovah will apply the full value of Jesus' sacrifice, gradually lifting faithful mankind to perfection. How we will exult over Jehovah's goodness!

Next time: Additional Facets Of Jehovah's Goodness

Draw Close To Jehovah, 2002