Comments You Will Not Hear at the 12-18-05 WT Study (November 15, 2005 issue)(WALK)(Abbreviated) Review comments will be in red WT material from today's WT will be in black Quotes from other sources will be in blue w = Watchtower
g = Awake
www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible
http://www.randytv.com/secret/unitednations.htm
HOSEA’S PROPHECY HELPS US TO WALK WITH GOD "After Jehovah they will walk."—Hosea 11:10Opening Comments
This is a three-part series using the OT book of Hosea to teach Christians to walk with God, totally disregarding again the scriptures regarding walking with Jesus.
I will be traveling and so will do an abbreviated review. If any posters have the complete scanned copy and can post it here, please do.
START OF ARTICLE
Paragraphs 1-2
The Bible book of Hosea contains a symbolic drama.* (*A symbolic drama is presented at Galations 4:21-26. Concerning it, see Volume 2, pages 693-4, of Insight on the Scriptures, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.)
I thought Jehovah’s Witnesses were preachers of the good news not book publishers?
Figurative marrage that Jehovah contracted with ancient Israel
Remember that the WTS says that only the 144,000 are picture by Israel; ask yourself where the great crowd fit in this drama.
Millions are pursuing a course
--- only JWs, but not just 144,000(?)What an Overview Reveals
Paragraphs 3,4
Spiritual adultery, God would be merciful to them if they repented.
Hosea…wife, Gomer…apparently had two illegitimate children…took her back
How many brothers do you know that would take back their adulterous wife? Women are told to stay with an abusive husband, but how often are husbands?
Apparently
— a word meaning the Bible does not say and the WTS is going to add to the Bible.Hold an accounting
— will God hold an accounting against the WTS for their association with the UN for 10 years, in a non-governmental organization supporting the goals of the UN?The Drama Unfolds
Paragraphs 5-9
"Go," God commanded Hosea, "take to yourself a wife of fornication and children of fornication."
I wonder how he determined if this woman was a fornicator? Note: only adulteresses were executed, fornicating women were sold by their fathers to the man that had deflowered them, either willingly or unwillingly.
Against those practicing immorality
— practicing means more than once in WTS judicial lingo. When Hosea married Gomer, she evidently was a virginEvidently— the Bible does not say but the WTS will add to the Bible accountWas Hosea a virgin when he married Gomer? "husbandly owner"— yes, women were property in Bible times and could be sold for 50 pieces of money. They could not own property, because property cannot own property. When a man with multiple wives died, his wives transferred over to the ownership of the oldest son. *** Insight (it) Volume-1 p. 815 Father *** In Bible times the father usually arranged for the marriage of his children. If he came into dire financial straits, he could sell his daughter into slavery, with certain restrictions for her protection.—Ex 21:7. *** it-1 pp. 1162-1163 Husband *** A man would betroth a woman or contract for future marriage by paying her father or guardians the bride-price, or purchase money. (Ex 22:16, 17) She then became his property. (Ex 20:17) The word ba´`al, meaning "owner, master," applied to him, and the woman was called be`u·lah´, meaning "owned as a wife." (Ge 20:3; De 22:22; Isa 62:4) How did Israel come to prostitute herself? How did the WTS come to prostitute herself?With Nazi Germany in 1934 http://quotes.watchtower.ca/nazi_conciliation.htmWith Bulgaria in 1997 http://www.pnc.com.au/~fichrist/bulgaria.htmlWith the UN from 1991 to 2001 http://www.randytv.com/secret/unitednations.htm Jehovah’s Legal Case Against IsraelParagraphs 9-11Gomer left Hosea and became "a wife of fornication," living adulterously with another man. Fornication = adultery; but adulteresses were to be executed under the Law, not fornicators though. Ten-tribe kingdom caused to end in 740 B.C.E. Were all these Israelites false worshippers? If not, why were they faithful ones punished? Destroyed by Babylonians in 607 B.C.E. No proof presented, not references even to other WTS publications discussing it; will any JW question it; how many JWs even can explain it?Was the figurative marriage with him (God) done away with in 33 or 36 C.E.? Jehovah Admonishes IsraelParagraphs 12,13 Return to my husband the first one—how is that possible when the Law says that adulteresses should be put to death? 740 BCE— any proof presented for this date? No. Another Look at the DramaParagraphs 14-16Go once again, love a woman loved by a companion and committing adultery…Hosea complied…by repurchasing Gomer from the man with whom she had been living.
I wondered how much he paid?Gomer responded to the discipline…firmly admonished
Is that another way of saying verbally abused? He (God) fulfilled that promise in 537 B.C.E.— NO PROOFI will make them dwell in down in security (Hosea 2:18)
This prophecy also had a fulfillment in 1919 C.E., when the remnant of spiritual Israel was freed from "Babylon the Great."
NO PROOF. And the WTS was still celebrating birthdays, Christmas, using the cross in worship, emblazoned on the cover of the WT, using pyramidology to calculated Bible prophecy until 1936.Remnant…with the companions, who hope to live forever on earth— CARROT
True Christians—only JWs, actually really only the 144,000
Take the Lessons to HeartParagraphs 17-22
God’s willingness to extend mercy to repentant Israelites
Comforting to repentant wrongdoers
They can repent and turn around. If they do Jehovah welcomes them.
Who determines repentance in the WTS organization? *** w91 4/15 p. 21 Imitate God’s Mercy Today *** When elders then meet with him, they will try to determine whether he has repented and left his sinful course.How can I better imitate Jehovah
Aren’t we following Christ and imitating him?If a fellow Christian (only JW) who has offended me asks for forgiveness, am I as ready to forgive as God is?
Translation: The elders won’t be asking for forgiveness; they’re imperfect you know. *** w98 5/15 p. 18 The Quality of Your Faith—Tested Now *** Furthermore, in each local congregation, there are men appointed to take the lead. They are imperfect men whose faults we may readily see; yet we are urged to respect such overseers and to be submissive. (Hebrews 13:7, 17) Do you at times find that challenging? Is this really a test for you? If so, are you benefiting from this test of your faith?Fulfillment of that promise, in 537 BCE—NO PROOFReject apostasy…apostate leaders were a trap and a net for the Israelites
As the leaders in the WTS are Please him— please the WTS Walk with God— where is Jesus?Concluding Comments This is only the first of 3 articles on Hosea.Learn what the WTS believes is true repentance, and don’t be crying crocodile tears. Hope everyone has a good weekend. Christmas is zooming up and then New Year’s. And then it will be 2006 and we will have successfully finished a "prophetic" year of 2005, 1935 + 70 years. Love, Blondie