Treasures From God’s Word for the Week of February 22-28, 2027

Theme: Learning From How the Israelites Treated Other Nations

When someone in our family does not share our beliefs, we want to preserve their affection without weakening our friendship with Jehovah. But maintaining that balance is not always easy, especially if they pressure us or criticize our decisions. Israel’s relationship with some neighboring nations helps us see how to achieve it. Those peoples had family ties, but that did not prevent serious conflicts from arising. Their history teaches us to stand firm while continuing to show love.

To begin, let us think about who the Ammonites, Moabites, and Edomites were. They were not peoples unrelated to Israel. They shared ancestors and part of their history. So when reading what Jehovah said about them, it is helpful to keep that relationship in mind. Their actions did not affect mere neighbors but people with whom they had family ties. Let us listen to how these nations are mentioned in Ezekiel, chapter 25, verses 2, 8, and 12.

Ezekiel 25:2,8,12 — “Son of man, turn your face toward the Ammonites, and prophesy against them. “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘Because Moab and Seir have said, “Look! The house of Judah is like all the other nations,” “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘Edom has acted vengefully against the house of Judah and has incurred great guilt in taking revenge on them;

These verses identify the nations and reveal their attitude toward Judah. To better understand the seriousness of that attitude, let us remember their origins. The Ammonites descended from Lot, Abraham’s nephew, through his younger daughter. Because of that family relationship, Jehovah had commanded Israel not to go to war with Ammon. However, the Ammonites did not respond in kind: at various times they joined with other peoples to attack or oppress Israel.

The Moabites also descended from Lot, but through his older daughter. Jehovah likewise instructed the Israelites not to go to war with Moab. Even so, when Israel was traveling toward the Promised Land, the Moabite king Balak hired Balaam to curse them. Later, following Balaam’s advice, Israelite men were led into sexual immorality and idolatry. Family ties did not guarantee a good influence.

The connection with Edom was even closer. The Edomites descended from Esau, Jacob’s twin brother. Jehovah described their relationship with Israel as that of brothers. Yet when Jerusalem was destroyed, they rejoiced over the suffering of their relatives. They even blocked the escape routes in order to capture those who were fleeing and hand them over to the enemy. Now we better understand why Jehovah considered Edom’s vengeful attitude, which we just read about, so serious.

What does this contrast teach us? Jehovah asked Israel to respect family ties, even though those nations did not always act kindly. Proper treatment was not to depend on receiving the same in return. But neither should family relationship be confused with spiritual safety. This distinction prepares us for another important lesson: The conduct of a nation did not necessarily define each one of its inhabitants.

Before thinking about those individual differences, let us focus on what Jehovah observed in the Ammonites. It was not simply a failure to help. They had expressed joy at Israel’s suffering. Their attitude helps us understand how painful hostility from people related to us can be. It also shows that Jehovah pays attention to how his people are treated. Let us read Ezekiel 25:6.

Ezekiel 25:6 — “For this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘Because you clapped your hands and stamped your feet and you rejoiced over the land of Israel with such utter scorn,

Jehovah saw their gestures and the scorn they expressed. But does that mean that every person from those nations was his enemy? No. Zelek the Ammonite and Ithmah the Moabite are listed among David’s mighty warriors. And Ruth, who was also a Moabite, came to worship Jehovah loyally. These examples remind us that a person’s background does not determine the decision he or she will make about serving the true God.

Think about what this means for us. If a family member makes fun of our beliefs, we might come to think that he or she will never change. Or perhaps we might assume that an entire family will react the same way because one of its members opposes us. The examples of Zelek, Ithmah, and Ruth help us avoid such conclusions. Each person can decide for himself or herself. We do not know who will eventually listen and develop love for Jehovah.

Therefore, without minimizing painful opposition, let us not close the door to hope. We can continue to be respectful and show sincere interest in our relatives. We do not have to approve of their beliefs in order to love them. Nor do we have to respond harshly to their comments in order to defend our faith. Still, how can we combine that affection with the firmness needed to protect our friendship with Jehovah?

The first precaution is not to let down our guard. When the Israelites allowed the religious practices of their relatives to enter their lives, they suffered serious consequences. The worship of the Moabite god Baal of Peor is an example. We too might feel tempted to give in to please someone we love. Perhaps that person tells us that participating just once in a certain celebration is no big deal. But family affection does not make acceptable what displeases Jehovah.

For example, a relative might insist that we celebrate a birthday or participate in a religious custom. Perhaps he or she has good intentions and does not understand our position. We can calmly explain that we love the person but that our decision comes from the desire to be loyal to Jehovah. We can also look for other opportunities to spend time together or show affection. In this way, we make clear that we reject a practice, not the person inviting us.

Another lesson is to avoid fights. Jehovah had commanded Israel not to go to war with their relatives, and we too do not want to live arguing with ours. If someone makes a hurtful comment, we do not need to answer in the same way. We can speak calmly or leave the conversation for a quieter moment. Avoiding an argument does not mean giving in on our principles. It means that we want to defend our convictions without turning family interaction into a battle.

In addition, even when there is no open opposition, we should ask ourselves which influence carries more weight in our decisions. Is it the opinion of our relatives or what Jehovah wants? The material reminds us of Jesus’ teaching recorded at Matthew 10:37: Our love for our family should not displace our loyalty to him. Maintaining that priority does not require us to be cold or distant. It requires us to decide in advance that the desire to please others will not come before pleasing Jehovah.

Before our next difficult conversation, we might reflect: How can I express my affection without giving up my convictions? What can I do to avoid fueling an argument? Our kind firmness may help a relative better understand what it means to serve Jehovah. We cannot guarantee that he or she will change, but neither should we consider that person a lost cause. As the cases of Zelek, Ithmah, and Ruth show, someone who does not share our worship may eventually join us.

Let us, then, learn from how the Israelites treated other nations. Family ties should not cause us to let down our guard, but difficulties should not make us lose our affection or hope. Let us keep Jehovah first, avoid arguments, and treat each family member as someone who may yet come to love him. In this way, we will show that loyalty to Jehovah and love for our family can go hand in hand.

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