Has the Watchtower changed its mind or did I miss something?

by Gill 27 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Terry

  Seems to me the obstacle to Armageddon fever is the proliferation of anointed at each year's Lord's Evening Meals around the globe.

  If the first resurrection whisks away anointed and the anointed have to be IN PLACE as judges and kings and priests for judgement day to commence....well, "Brooklyn we have a problem."

  So, this may be an effort to tidy up the notion all anointed are gone before ramping up expectations for a truly imminent Armageddon scare.

  I remember when the Truth book came out in 1968 while I was in prison over the "neutrality issue".

  There were two opinions floating about with the brothers by way of speculation. One group said there were too many things which had to happen in too little time and the other group said, "Nah, Jah can do it".

  Since the coven of crazies in Brooklyn have absolutely nothing better to do with their time but fight apostates; I'm sure they will be tweaking this and that thorny doctrine from now until doomsday.
• 

  sir82

  It seems that resurrected ones of the 24 elders group may be involved in communicating of divine truths today.

  This may be the most significant sentence in the article (haven't read it in its entirety yet). I don't recall seeing anything like it in print before.

  Seems to be laying the groundwork for a "flash of new light", to be exposed probably whenever the last of the 3 old-timers hanging on (Barr, Barber, Jaracz) drop off:

  I suspect the "new light" will be this: Governing body members could be members of the "great crowd" rather than "anointed". If the "faithful & discreet slave" can communicate from beyond the dead, you don't really need any living on the earth, do you?

  This resolves the whole issue of the "young anointed", and the paradox of roundly criticizing anyone who who dares to profess to be such in a local congregation, while simultaneously depending on such "young anointeds" to fill positions on the chief doctrine-producing body, the GB.

  This could also lead to just entirely dropping the annual report of the (increasingly embarrassing) constant count of 8000+ Memorial partakers. Why bother to count them, if the majority are in heaven and are "communicating" with the GB? That would also take the pressure off them regarding the silly 1935 date, and it could just fade into oblivion.

  Jaracz is the youngest of the old-timers, but he's in his 80's with heart problems. He may not last another 5 years. I'm sure they'd like to implement this before another embarrassing date arrives, 2014 (marking the close of the first century of the "last days").
• 

  stevenyc

  Maybe I'm not reading correctly, but I see nothing new here.

  : Reasonably then, anointed ones who die before Armageddon are resurected sometime between 1914 and Armageddon.'

  This has always been said. If you are of the "anointed class"(TM) and die before the "Big A" then you go to heaven after Jesus removes Satan.

  revealed to God's anointed servants on earth in 1935. If oneo f the 24 elders was used to convey that important truth, he would have had to be resurrected to heaven by 1935 at the latest. That would indicate that the first resurrection began sometime between 1914 and 1935. '

  This is the same as before.

  What am I missing? Can someone explain why this may be "new light"(TM)

  The Insight Book puts it like this (Cp 29, P.201):

  10 How can the 144,000 sing “before” the elders, since the 24 elders are the 144,000 in their glorious heavenly position? Early in the Lord’s day, those “dead in union with Christ” were resurrected as spirit creatures. Thus, faithful anointed Christians who have conquered are now in heaven, symbolically fulfilling functions comparable to those of 24 divisions of priestly elders. They are included in the vision of Jehovah’s heavenly organization. (1 Thessalonians 4:15, 16; 1 Chronicles 24:1-18; Revelation 4:4; 6:11) The remnant of the 144,000 still on earth are therefore singing the new song before, or in the sight of, their resurrected brothers in heaven.

  11 At this point we might also ask: Why is it that these anointed overcomers are referred to as the symbolic 24 elders as well as the 144,000? It is because Revelation views this one group from two different standpoints. The 24 elders are always shown in their ultimate position around Jehovah’s throne, installed as kings and priests in the heavens. They symbolize the entire group of 144,000 in their heavenly position, although at present a small remnant of these is still on earth. (Revelation 4:4, 10; 5:5-14; 7:11-13; 11:16-18) Revelation chapter 7, however, focuses on the 144,000 as brought forth from humankind, and it stresses Jehovah’s grand purpose to seal the complete number of individual spiritual Israelites and to grant salvation to an unnumbered great crowd. Revelation chapter 14 provides a picture confirming that the complete Kingdom class of 144,000 individual overcomers will be assembled with the Lamb on Mount Zion. The qualifications to be met in order to be numbered with the 144,000 are also made known, as we shall now see.

  steve
• 

  Gill

  Do you think that JWs might ever wonder HOW exactly these 24 Elders communicate with Brooklyn?

  I'd like to see that explained in a Watchtower study. I suspect certain FDS may have enforced trips to the local psych ward!
• 

  stevenyc

  BINGO!!!!!!!

  I've just worked it out:

  Insight Book: The 24 elders are always shown in their ultimate position around Jehovah’s throne, installed as kings and priests in the heavens. They symbolize the entire group of 144,000 in their heavenly position, although at present a small remnant of these is still on earth.

  If the 24 Elders are "ALWAYS" show in their ultimate position, how come they are shown as directing while there are still some on the Earth. They would be depicted and the 144,000.

  The quote I showed from the Insight Book basically says:

  When in Rev it says 24 Elders read :: 144,000 COMPLETED in Heaven

  When in Rev is says 144,000 read :: 144,000 some now in Heaven, some still on Earth ("the remnant"(TM))

  steve
• 

  stevenyc

  edited: double post
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  Sir82,

  I find your post so refreshingly helpful. I have been wondering what they future holds for memorials with a continual 8000 partakers or so. If they replaced GB members with newer younger anointed, people will wonder. If they replace them with great crowd, people will wonder why they don't recruit from the anointed partakers (opening up a huge problem, since they only want stable life-long company men, not some of those guys out there.)

  I like your insight. Perhaps they will just use their new "light" to explain why they no longer count partakers, then replace these old men as they die off with whomever they want.

  I have learned that doctrine that is not constantly repeated is forgotten. (Not here, but in the congregations) They can eventually go wherever they want.
• 

  done4good

  It seems that resurrected ones of the 24 elders group may be involved in communicating of divine truths today.

  This may be the most significant sentence in the article (haven't read it in its entirety yet). I don't recall seeing anything like it in print before.

  Seems to be laying the groundwork for a "flash of new light", to be exposed probably whenever the last of the 3 old-timers hanging on (Barr, Barber, Jaracz) drop off:

  I suspect the "new light" will be this: Governing body members could be members of the "great crowd" rather than "anointed". If the "faithful & discreet slave" can communicate from beyond the dead, you don't really need any living on the earth, do you?

  Intresting stuff, Sir82. I've been wondering myself what jws are thinking of the influx of younger anointed into the GB. Unfortunately, as OnTheWayOut said, nobody on the inside will notice. Especially if it's handled in the above manner.

  j
• 

  garybuss

  Sir 82 wrote: "If the "faithful & discreet slave" can communicate from beyond the dead, you don't really need any living on the earth, do you?"
  
  If the "faithful & discreet slave" can communicate from beyond the dead, they don't need a "Governing Body". They could just go back to a president (who has all power) and a writing department under his (Don Adams') control.
  
  
• 

  Gill

  And these 24 Elders, complete or incomplete, they communicate with the FDS from the mother ship, HOW exactly?????