Was Jehovah the Tribal God of the Jews?

Israel Rejected

Regarding the relationship of Israel with Jehovah, Professor C.J. Labuschagne wrote: "Throughout her history, Israel experienced again and again  that the 'national' God could act in a most unnational and even anti-national way." In the first century when Israel rejected the Messiah, Jehovah rejected that nation.

However, Jehovah's name was to continue to be used among Christians. As the Christian congregation grew, its membership came to include people of all nations. Presiding at a Christian assembly in Jerusalem, the Jewish disciple James spoke of God as having "turned his attention to the [non-Jewish] nations to take out of them a people for his name."  As proof that his had been foretold, James then quoted a prophecy in the book of Amos in which Jehovah's name appears. -Acts 15:2, 12-18; Amos 9:11, 12. 

Cares for All, Blesses All

Further, confirming the universalness of Jehovah's Godship, Paul wrote:  "There is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for there is the same Lord over all, who is rich to all those calling upon him." (Romans 10:12)  Yes, all obedient humankind can receive Jehovah's blessing.

To all his faithful and obedient human children-regardless of their nationality or race-Jehovah promises a glorious future. His Word describes such people as "the desirable things of all the nations." (Haggai 2:7) These people get to know Jehovah and come to love him. The last book of the Bible says about them:  "All the nations will come and worship before you [Jehovah], because your righteous decrees have been made manifest." -Revelation 15:4. 

Next time:  HOW TO DEAL WITH BURNOUT

From the jw.org publications












\]