BLONDIE.........ANOTHER GREAT WT STUDY!
Notice how Jehovah doesn't dwell on minor failings in paragraph 3 and how he has shown consideration even toward unbelievers in paragraph 4 but somehow changes his attitude in paragraph 13-15. King David commits adultery and murder (which were major failings) and stays alive but Achan's ,Anania's, and Sapphira's (which were minor) dealings deserved death.
3. Jehovah's primary interest is in the inner person-who we really are at heart. (Ps. 19: 14; 26:2) Lovingly, he does not dwell on minor failings. For example, when Sarah, the wife of Abraham, spoke less than truthfully to a materialized angel, the angel evidently saw that she was afraid and embarrassed, so he simply gave her a mild reproof. (Gen. 18:12-15) When the patriarch Job declared "his own soul righteous rather than God," Jehovah did not withhold a blessing from him, aware that Job had suffered intensely at Satan's hand. (Job 32:2; 42:12) Likewise, Jehovah did not take offense at the frank words of the widow of Zarephath to the prophet Elijah. God understood that she was grief-stricken at the loss of her only child. -1 Ki.17:8-24.
Q 4, 5. How did Jehovah show graciousness in the way he dealt with Abimelech? 4. Because Jehovah examines the heart, he has shown consideration even toward unbelievers. Consider his dealings with Abimelech, king of the Philistine city of Gerar. Abimelech, not realizing that Abraham and Sarah were married, took Sarah to become his own wife. However, before Abimelech could go any further, Jehovah said to him in a dream: "1 too have known that in the honesty of your heart you have done this, and I was also holding you back from sinning against me. That is why I did not allow you to touch her. But now return the man's wife, for he is a prophet, and he will make supplication for you. So keep living."-Gen. 20:1-7.
Q 13. How did wrong thinking evidently contribute to Achan's bad conduct? 13. In direct violation of God's command, Achan took spoil from the city of Jericho and hid it in his tent, likely with the complicity of his family. When his sin was exposed, Achah showed that he realized the seriousness of what he had done, for he said: "I have sinned against Jehovah." (Josh. 7:20) Like Cain, Achan had developed a bad heart. In Achan's case, greed was a major factor, and it contributed to his becoming deceitful. Since the spoil from Jericho belonged to Jehovah, Achan in effect stole from God, and this cost him and his family dearly.-Josh. 7:25.
Q 14, 15. Why did Ananias and Sapphira merit God's disapproval. and what is the lesson for us?14. Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, were members of the early Christian congregation in Jerusalem. ' Following Pentecost of 33 C.E.. a common fund was set up to care for the physical needs of the new believers from distant lands who still remained in Jerusalem. The fund was maintained by voluntary contributions. Ananias sold a field and donated part of the money to the fund. However, with his wife's full knowledge, he pretended that he had donated the entire proceeds. No doubt, this couple wanted to gain special honor within the congregation. But their act was deceitful. In a miraculous way, Jehovah revealed the fraud to the apostle Peter, who confronted Ananias with his error. At that, Ananias fell down and expired. Shortly thereafter, Sapphira also died.-Acts 5:1-11. 15. Arianias and Sapphira did not fall prey to a momentary weakness. They schemed and lied in an attempt to deceive the apostles. Worse still, they 'played false to the holy spirit and to God.' Jehovah's response demonstrates in no uncertain terms that he is prepared to protect the congregation from hypocrites. Truly, "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God"!-Heb. 10:31
