JEHOVAH -THE ONE WHO IS VIGOROUS IN POWER

Jehovah's Power Guarantees the Fulfillment of His Promises

Jehovah's power is also closely connected with his name and the carrying out of his will. The unique name Jehovah, which means "He Causes to Become," reveals that he causes himself to become the Fulfiller of promises. Nothing or nobody can prevent God from bringing his purposes to fruition, however farfetched skeptics may consider them to be. As Jesus once told his apostles, "with God all things are possible." -Matthew 19:26.

To illustrate, Jehovah once promised Abraham and Sarah that he would make their descendants a great nation. However, they remained childless for many years. They were both very old when Jehovah told them that the promise was about to be fulfilled and Sarah laughed. In reply, the angel said: 'Is anything too extraordinary for Jehovah?" (Genesis 12:1-3; 17:4-8; 18:10-14) Four centuries later, when Moses finally assembled Abraham's descendants-now a great nation-on the plains of Moab, he reminded them that God had fulfilled his promise. Moses said: "You continue to live, because [Jehovah] loved your forefathers so that he chose their seed after them and brought you out of Egypt in his sight with his great power, to drive away nations greater and mightier than you from before you,so as to bring you in, to give you their land as an inheritance as at this day." -Deuteronomy 4:37, 38.

Centuries later, Jesus censured the Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection. Why did they refuse to believe God's promise that he would bring back the dead? Jesus told them: "You know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God." (Matthew 22:29) The Scriptures assure us that 'all those in the memorial tombs will hear the voice of the Son of man and come out.' (John 5:27-29) If we know what the Bible says about the resurrection, our confidence in the power of God will convince us that the dead will be raised up. God "will actually swallow up death forever . . . for Jehovah himself has spoken it." -Isaiah 25:8.

In the near future, there will come a time when every one of us will need to trust in God's saving power in a special way. Satan the Devil will launch an attack on God's people, who will appear to be unprotected. (Ezekiel 38:14-16) God will then manifest his great power in our behalf, and everyone will have to know that he is Jehovah. (Ezekiel 38:21-23) Now is the time to build our faith and confidence in God the Almighty so that we will not waver at that crucial time.

Without doubt,there are many reasons for meditating on Jehovah's power. As we contemplate his works, we are humbly moved to praise our Grand Creator and give thanks that he uses his power in such a wise and loving way. We will never be intimated if we trust in Jehovah of armies. Our faith in his promises will be unwavering. Remember, though, that we have been created in the image of God. Hence, we also have power-albeit to a limited extent. How can we imitate our Creator in the way we exercise our power? This will be considered in the following article.

Next time:"SEARCH FOR JEHOVAH AND HIS STRENGTH"

Watchtower, 2000