Listen to God

Live Forever
and
 God is like a loving father.
1 Peter 5:6, 7

God is our Creator, and he

cares for us. Just as a wise
and loving father instructs
his children, so God teaches
people everywhere the best
way to live.
God reveals precious truths
that fill us with joy and
hope.
If you listen to God, he
will guide and protect you
and help you deal with
problems.
But there is more
—you will live forever!

This publication is not for sale.

It is provided as part of a worldwide
Bible educational work supported by
voluntary donations.
To make a donation, please visit
www.jw.org.
Unless otherwise indicated,
Scripture quotations are from the
modern-language New World
Translation of the Holy Scriptures.
Listen to God and Live Forever
January 2016 Printing
English (ll-E)
5 2011
WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT
SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA How Do We Listen to God? PAGE 4
Publishers
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Who Is the True God? PAGE 6
New York, Inc., Wallkill, New York, U.S.A.
Made in the United States of America What Was Life Like in Paradise? PAGE 8
They Listened to Satan
—With What Results? PAGE 10
The Great Flood—Who Listened?
Who Did Not? PAGE 12
 “Come to me,” God tells us.
“Listen, and . . . keep alive.”
Isaiah 55:3

What Do We Learn From What Blessings Await Those

the Great Flood? PAGE 14 Who Listen to God? PAGE 22
Who Was Jesus? PAGE 16 Does Jehovah Listen to Us? PAGE 24
What Does the Death of Jesus How Can You Have a Happy
Mean for You? PAGE 18 Family Life? PAGE 26
When Will Paradise Come? What Must We Do to Please God? PAGE 28
PAGE 20 How Can You Show Loyalty to Jehovah?
PAGE 30
How Do We Listen to God?

The true God directed men to write

down his thoughts in one sacred
book. That book is the Bible. It
contains important information
that God wants you to know.

God knows what is best for us,

and he is the Source of all wisdom.
By listening to him, you will
become truly wise.
—Proverbs 1:5.

God wants everyone on

earth to read the Bible.
It is now available in
many languages.

If you want to listen to

God, you must read and
understand the Bible.

God speaks to us through the Bible.

4 2 Timothy 3:16
Jehovah’s Witnesses can help
you understand the Bible.

In all the earth, they teach

the truth about God.

You do not have

to pay anything for
this instruction.
You can also learn
about God at the local
Kingdom Hall of
Jehovah’s Witnesses.

God’s word is truth.—John 17:17.

Why can we trust in God?—Numbers 23:19.

People everywhere are listening.

Matthew 28:19 5
Who Is the True God?

There is only one true God,

and his name is Jehovah.
(Psalm 83:18) He is a Spirit;
we cannot see him. He loves us
and wants us to love him in
return. He also wants us to love
other people. (Matthew 22:35-40)
He is the Supreme One, the
Creator of all things.

The first of God’s

creations was a mighty
spirit person who
later came to be known
as Jesus Christ.
Jehovah also created
the angels.

Jehovah created everything in heaven . . .

6
 Jehovah God created the stars
as well as the earth and all that
is on it.—Genesis 1:1.

He formed Adam,
the first man, from
the dust of the ground.
—Genesis 2:7.

Why should we honor Jehovah?—Isaiah 42:5.

What are some of God’s qualities?—Exodus 34:6.

and on earth.
Revelation 4:11 7
What Was Life Like in Paradise?

Jehovah made the first

woman, Eve, and gave her
to Adam to be his wife.
—Genesis 2:21, 22.

Jehovah created them with

minds and bodies that were
perfect, without any flaw.

Their Paradise home

was the garden of Eden
—a place of great beauty
with a river and fruit trees
and animals.

Jehovah spoke to them; he

taught them. If they listened
to him, they would live forever
in Paradise on earth.

Jehovah gave Adam and Eve many good things.

8 Genesis 1:28
One of the angels
rebelled against
God. That wicked
angel is Satan
the Devil.

Jehovah showed
Adam and Eve
one fruit tree in
the garden and told
them that if they ate
from it, they would die.

Satan did not want Adam and

Eve to obey Jehovah. So he
used a serpent to tell Eve that if
she ate the fruit from that tree,
she would not die, but she would
be like God. Of course, that was
a lie.—Genesis 3:1-5.

God said not to eat from one of the trees.

Genesis 2:16, 17 9
They Listened to Satan
—With What Results?

Eve listened to the

serpent and ate of
the fruit. Afterward,
she gave some to
Adam, and he ate it.

What they did was wrong

—it was a sin. God made them
leave their Paradise home.

Life was hard for them and their

children. They grew old and died.
They did not go to the spirit world;
they ceased to exist.

Adam and Eve did not obey God, so they died.

10 Genesis 3:6, 23
 We die because we all come from Adam
and Eve. The dead are not able to see or
hear or do anything.—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10.

Jehovah did not mean for

people to die. Soon he will
bring back to life those
asleep in death. If they
listen to him, they will live
forever.
Why do we die?—Romans 5:12.
Death will be no more.—1 Corinthians 15:26.

The dead are as lifeless as the dust.

Genesis 3:19 11
The Great Flood
—Who Listened? Who Did Not?

Adam and Eve had children,

and people became many
on the earth. In time,
some angels joined Satan’s
rebellion.

They came to earth and took on

the bodies of men so that they could
marry women. The women gave birth
to superhuman sons, who were
fierce and strong.

The world became filled

with people who did bad
things. The Bible says that
“man’s wickedness was
great on the earth and that
every inclination of the
thoughts of his heart was
only bad all the time.”

Most in Noah’s time did what was bad.

12 Genesis 6:5
 Noah was a good man.
Jehovah told Noah that
He was going to destroy
the wicked people with
a great flood.

God also told Noah to build a

huge boat, called an ark, and
to take into it his family and
every sort of animal.

Noah warned people about the coming Flood,

but they did not listen. Some laughed at Noah;
others hated him.

When the ark was finished,

Noah brought the animals inside.

Noah listened to God and built an ark.

Genesis 6:13, 14, 18, 19, 22 13
What Do We Learn From the Great Flood?

It rained for 40 days

and 40 nights, and
the water covered all
the earth. All the The rebellious angels left their
wicked people died. bodies of flesh and became demons.

Those who were in the ark survived.

Though Noah and his family eventually
died, God will bring them to life again
with the prospect of living forever.

God destroyed the wicked but saved Noah and his family.
14 Genesis 7:11, 12, 23
Satan and the demons
continue to mislead
people.

Some people are like Noah.

They listen to God and
Today, as in Noah’s do what he says; they are
time, many reject Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Jehovah’s loving
direction. Soon
Jehovah will destroy
all who are wicked.
Choose the road that leads to life.
—2 Peter 2:5, 6. —Matthew 7:13, 14.
The wicked will be destroyed;
the meek will enjoy peace.
—Psalm 37:10, 11.

God will again destroy the wicked and save the good people.
Matthew 24:37-39 15
Who Was Jesus?
If we want to please Jehovah,
we must listen to another
important person. Long
before creating Adam,
Jehovah created a mighty
spirit person in the heavens.

In time, Jehovah sent

this one to be born in
Bethlehem to a virgin
named Mary. The child
was given the name
Jesus.—John 6:38.

As a man on earth, Jesus perfectly reflected

God’s qualities. He was kind, loving, and
approachable. Fearlessly, he taught others
the truth about Jehovah.

Jehovah sent Jesus to earth.

16 1 John 4:9
 The religious leaders persuaded
Jesus also healed the sick and raised the Romans to beat Jesus and
to life some who had died. to kill him.

The religious leaders hated

Jesus because he exposed
their false teachings and Why is it important to know about Jesus?
their evil ways. —John 17:3.
What did Jesus do in heaven before he came to
earth?—Colossians 1:15-17.

Jesus did good but was hated.

1 Peter 2:21-24 17
What Does the Death
of Jesus Mean for You?

Three days after Jesus died, some

women visited his tomb and found
it empty. Jehovah had raised Jesus
from the dead.

Jesus later appeared

to his apostles.

What are “the wages” of sin? Yes, Jehovah had resurrected Jesus
—Romans 6:23. to life as a powerful, immortal spirit
Jesus opened the way to creature. Jesus’ disciples saw him go
everlasting life.—Romans 5:21. up to heaven.

Jesus died so that we might live.

18 John 3:16
Jesus gave up his life to
pay a ransom for mankind.
(Matthew 20:28) By means of
that ransom, God makes it
possible for us to live forever.

Jehovah appointed Jesus as King to rule over

the earth. With him will be 144,000 faithful
people who are resurrected from the earth
to life in heaven. Jesus and the 144,000 form
a righteous heavenly government—God’s
Kingdom.—Revelation 14:1-3.

God’s Kingdom will make

the earth a paradise. War,
crime, poverty, and hunger
will be no more. People will
be truly happy.
—Psalm 145:16.

What blessings will God’s Kingdom

bring?—Psalm 72.
We should pray for God’s Kingdom
to come.—Matthew 6:10.

God resurrected Jesus and made him King of God’s Kingdom.

Daniel 7:13, 14 19
When Will
Paradise Come?
The Bible foretold many of
the things that are happening
today. It said that people
would be lovers of money,
disobedient to parents, fierce,
and lovers of pleasures.

Also, Jesus said

that the good news
about the Kingdom
would be preached
There would be great in all the earth.
earthquakes, wars, food —Matthew 24:14.
shortages, and widespread
disease. These things are
happening now.

Troubles on the earth prove that God’s Kingdom will soon act.
20 Luke 21:10, 11; 2 Timothy 3:1-5
 Those who listen to
God will survive into
Jehovah will a righteous new world,
soon destroy all where there will be
the wicked. no more fear, a world
where people trust
and love one another.

Satan and
the demons
will be punished.

What did Jesus say would occur in

our time?—Matthew 24:3-14.
The wicked will be destroyed.
—2 Peter 3:7.

The Kingdom will remove all wickedness.

2 Peter 3:13 21
What Blessings Await Those
Who Listen to God?

Imagine the future blessings

that you will enjoy if you
listen to Jehovah! You will
have perfect health; no
one will be sick or infirm.
There will be no bad people,
and you will be able to
trust everyone.

There will be no pain,

sorrow, or tears. No one
will grow old and die.

Most of the dead will be resurrected on earth.

22 Acts 24:15
 You will be surrounded by friends and
family. Life in Paradise will be a delight.

There will be no fear.

People will be truly
happy.

God’s Kingdom will end all suffering.

Revelation 21:3, 4 23
Does Jehovah
Listen to Us?
Jehovah is the “Hearer of
prayer.” (Psalm 65:2) He wants
us to speak to him from our
hearts.

Pray to Jehovah and

not to anyone else.

Jesus taught us how to pray.

—Matthew 6:9-15.
To whom does God listen?
—Psalm 145:18, 19.

God does hear our prayers.

24 1 Peter 3:12
 Pray that God’s will
be done in heaven
and on earth.

Ask Jehovah to help

you do what is good.
You can also pray
about food, employment,
shelter, clothing,
and health. Pray in the name of
Jesus to show that
you value what he did
for you.

Jehovah listens to people who do

what is right.—Proverbs 15:29.
Do not be anxious.
—Philippians 4:6, 7.

We can pray about many things.

1 John 5:14 25
How Can You Have a Happy Family Life?

God’s standard is that marriage

should be between one man and
one woman.

A loving husband treats his

wife with tenderness and
understanding.

Children should obey

A wife should cooperate their parents.
with her husband.

Love is the key to happy families.

26 Ephesians 5:33
God’s Word says that
a husband should love his
wife as his own body and
that a wife should have
deep respect for her husband.

Sex outside the marriage

arrangement is wrong.
Polygamy is also wrong.

Jehovah’s Word
teaches families how
to be happy.

Keep morally clean.—1 Corinthians 6:18.

Love, teach, and protect your children.
—Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

Be kind and faithful, not cruel and unfaithful.

Colossians 3:5, 8-10 27
What Must We
Do to Please God?

If we love Jehovah,
we will not do
things that he hates.

Jehovah does not want

us to steal, to get drunk,
or to abuse drugs.

God hates murder,

abortion, and
homosexuality. He
does not want us to
be greedy or to
fight with others.

We must not worship

idols or practice spiritism.

In the earthly
What is God’s view of magic? Paradise to come,
—Deuteronomy 18:10-12. there will be no
Why should we not worship idols? place for people
—Isaiah 44:15-20. who do bad things.

Avoid what is bad.

28 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10
 To be pleasing to
God, we must try to
be like him.

Show love to others

by being kind and
generous.

Be honest.

Be merciful and forgiving.

Imitate Jehovah.—1 Peter 1:14-16.

Tell others about Jehovah
Show love.—1 John 4:7, 8, 11.
and his ways.—Isaiah 43:10.

Do what is good.
Matthew 7:12 29
How Can You Show
Loyalty to Jehovah?

Avoid taking part in any

customs that are not in
agreement with the Bible.
It takes courage to do this.

Do not get involved in

the political affairs of
the nations; they do
not support Jehovah
and his Kingdom.

Jehovah guards those loyal to him.

—Psalm 97:10.

Take your stand on God’s side.

30 1 Peter 5:6-9
Associate with Jehovah’s Continue to learn about
Witnesses; they will help you God and try to obey
draw close to God. his commandments.

When your faith has

become strong, you
should dedicate your
life to Jehovah and get
baptized.—Matthew
28:19.
Listen to God. Read
the Bible, and ask
Jehovah’s Witnesses
to help you understand
it. Then, apply what
you learn. If you do,
you will live forever.
—Psalm 37:29.

Repent and be forgiven.

—Acts 3:19.
Walk on the road to life.
—Matthew 7:13, 14.

Make the right choice—listen to God.

Matthew 7:24, 25 31
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