Now that I speak to my Mom everyday (and she is on her way out) I read your threads every week, so I have something to tell her when she tells me, "well the WT study was nice"...
Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 11-09-08 WT Study (ESCAPE)
by blondie 16 Replies latest jw friends
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Jeremy C
Cultic religious groups usually always rely disproportionately upon the Old Testament for their teachings. This is because they like to draw parallels between the Old Covenant Priesthood and the modern day leadership. In the OT, Moses was a human mediator to the rest of Jehovah’s servants. Thus, groups such as the Watchtower like to draw parallels between that ancient human mediator, and the supposed modern day human mediatorship of the Watchtower. The fact that the Old Covenant was done away with and replaced by one mediator, Jesus; is inconvenient for cults, and it is why it is not emphasized very much.
Another reason why cults use the OT so much is that the Noah / Flood myth is a perfect way to draw parallels between his ark, and the "modern day ark" of salvation - the organization. This plays into the Jehovah’s Witness mindset of "where else would we go?"
I’m sure that many of the dyed in the wool Watchtower Witnesses will eat this up; believing that the Slave Class is preparing them for the end. The funny thing is, there is absolutely nothing new about this material. It could have been lifted from a Watchtower during any one of the decades of the last 50 years!
The Watchtower organization is like a washed up rock band that can’t write anymore good music. So, all they do is release more "greatest hit" albums in re-mixed form every couple of years.
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RULES & REGULATIONS
Blondie,
I went today's snore-fest just to keep peace with my family. The comments at the meetings are like the circus elephants. They are trained to do the same trick over and over until it becomes mundane.
Here is one comment that was made at today's WT Study.....................
Q 1, 2. (a) When do God's worshippers turn to him for help? (b) What question arises, and where can we find the answer? While on vacation, the parents of a 23-year-old married woman learn that their daughter has mysteriously disappeared. Foul play is suspected. At once they pack up and head for home, all the while beseeching Jehovah to help them. A 20-year old Witness is diagnosed with a disease that will eventually leave him completely paralyzed. Immediately he turns to Jehovah in prayer. A single mother struggling to find a job does not have enough money to buy food for herself and her 12-year-old daughter. She pours out her heart to Jehovah. Yes, when faced with severe trials or hardships, God's worshippers naturally turn to him for help. Have you ever called out to Jehovah in a time of desperate need?
2. An important question arises: Can we really expect Jehovah to respond to our prayers for help? The faith-strengthening answer is found in Psalm 70. This stirring psalm was written by David, a loyal worshipper of Jehovah who faced many difficult trials and challenges during his life. This inspired psalmist was moved to say of Jehovah: "O God, ... you are my help and the Provider of escape for me." (Ps. 70:5) An examination of Psalm 70 can help us to see why we too can turn to Jehovah in times of need and fully trust that he will be our "Provider of escape."One sister's comment to questions 1 & 2: " My daughter went missing for 3 days. We didn't know where she was.We prayed to Jehovah and poured our hearts to Jehovah. Jehovah answered our prayers 3 days later when we received a call that she was found.''
What the sister failed to mention was that her daughter went to Cancun,Mexico and met a local .She decided to stay there 3 extra days to spend time with him. She didn't call for 3 days because she was afraid that her mom would not let her stay. She then called her mom after repeated calls to the hotel.The daughter told her mom that there was a hurricane and couldn't call because the phones were dead.
Jehovah was not the "true provider of escape" in this comment.
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Leolaia
There was an unfortunate episode when JWs in concentration camps in Germany believed that God would provide miracles to protect them. Many of these originally regarded themselves as members of the anointed and believed that God would safeguard a remnant of his elect (cf. Vindication, Vol. 1, 1931, pp. 337-341), but then in 1934 the Watchtower published the "His Name" series of articles that claimed instead that all spirit-begotten members of Christ will "die sacrifically" while the Jonadab class would be saved, and that only anointed individuals may properly partake of the Memorial emblems:
*** w34 3/15 pp. 92-93 His Name -- Part 2 ***
The "great multitude" will not survive Armageddon, because they are not of the "church of the firstborn" and are not shown in this type or picture...The "great multitude" are ‘appointed to die’. The Scriptures also show that the Jonadab class will survive Armagedddon, but not for the same reason that the Lord will preserve the remnant of the firstborn.... Jehovah gave to Jesus the privilege and honor of being his vindicator at the cost of his human life. All who are with him in that vindication must likewise die sacrifically, as Jesus did, faithful unto the end. All of such capital organization are "one bread and one body," and the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the cup show forth that all who do so properly are one with Christ Jesus, that is to say, in unity with him as members of his body and therefore in the temple (1 Cor. 10:16, 17) Such, therefore, properly partake of the emblems of the Memorial.
In a letter written on 27 August 1963, Konrad Franke described the reaction to his article in his concentration camp: "At first one thought that persecution of such kind that will end in death, especially will be for the remnant class. Indeed, in the first years of persecution about 80% were partakers of the emblems -- as far as there was the opportunity for that. But then the Watchtower 'His Name' was published, and brothers from Czechoslovakia and Holland, who were imprisoned later, told us about this article. So there was a change in the number of persons, who took the emblems, then just about 20%." The same thought about the anointed was expressed in an article the following month, which added that only those who are faithful unto the end shall receive life:
*** w34 4/1 p. 105 His Covenants -- Part 1 ***
The covenant by sacrifice means to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as the randomer and, based upon this faith, to exercise such faith by unconditionally agreeing to do the will of God. Three and one-half years after Jesus entered into the covenant by sacrifice God made the new covenant with him. This seems clearly to fix the rule that no one can be taken into the new covenant until after having entered into a covenant with Jehovah by sacrifice. All begotten of God necessarily have made a covenant by sacrifice, and all such are appointed to die a sacrificial death, and this includes the "great multitude" class (Ps. 79:11). Not everyone who makes a covenant by sacrifice proves faithful, and hence not everyone, by any means, who makes a covenant by sacrifice is embraced within the class that is 'the people taken out for his name.' Only the faithful ones are the saints of God...These saints have been taken into the new covenant with Christ Jesus, the high priest of Jehovah, and to such Jesus now says: "Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee the crown of life" (Rev. 2:10, A.R.V.). This proves that only those who are absolutely faithful after being taken into the new covenant receive the crown of life.
The switch from declaring themselves members of the anointed to members of the Jonadab class, therefore, may have had something to do with the fact that the anointed were decreed to die and that only those who remained faithful to the very end would have any reward. Those who belonged to the Jonadabs were assured a safe place in Armageddon and protection accorded to them by Jehovah:
*** w34 8/1 p. 230-231 His Kindness -- Part 1 ***
Those who have unwittingly or unawares supported these wrongdoers must have some way of escape, otherwise they would fall in the great trouble in the battle of the great day of God Almighty. Jehovah in his loving-kindness has made just such a provision as is needed for their escape, and the cities of refuge pictured that way of escape. Of the six cities of refuge "Moses severed three cities on this side [the] Jordan toward the sunrising". (Deut. 4 :41-44) Joshua confirmed that selection after he had crossed the Jordan, and also appointed three cities in Canaan. (Josh. 20:7-9) The six cities were a place of refuge for the children of Israel and for the stranger and for the sojourner, thus showing that in the fulfilmcnt of the prophecy the place of refuge would be for those in "Christendom", and also for those associated with "Christendom" but not a part thereof, who might have need of such refuge and who desire and seek it.... Those who have been unwittingly associated with the devilish work against mankind, and in the heaping of infamy upon the name of Jehovah, and who would now escape to the city of refuge, must hasten thereto. They must get away from the Devil's organization and take their place with the Lord God’s organization and remain there.
This article was quite clear that this refuge was only from execution at Armageddon, such that the executioner pictured Jesus and not Satan (as claimed by the Society in 1925). But in a later article in the same year, Rutherford taught that this protection embraced persecution from allies of Satan (whereas the anointed would die in such persecution):
*** w34 9/15 p. 284 Wicked Spirits -- Part 2 ***
Jehovah will not permit Satan to destroy the right to life of any of his anointed who remain faithful to him. They must die, of course; but, being faithful unto death, they shall receive the crown of life. The Devil and the wicked angels likewise assaulted Jesus and continued to do so for three and one-half years. They succeeded in causing his death, but God raised him out of death and thus demonstrated his supreme power and made manifest his reward to those who are faithful. The Jonadab company will be assaulted by Satan and his wicked agents and allies. If they stand firm and remain faithful and true to God and his organization, they will be preserved.
This evidently led JWs professing to be Jonadabs to believe that God would miraculously protect them from death, even though the articles were never as clear as this (indeed, for those in the concentration camps, they only heard what recent prisoners said about the articles and likely did not have the actual articles at their disposal). As Franke sadly relates, some JWs did not take cover during a bombing raid -- evidently feeling that Jehovah would protect them:
But the general fundamental understanding was that Jehovah would protect his people when in danger, for apparently there were many proofs. Besides this it was the public meaning of all people. I think on the Russians especially, who mostly came to Jehovah's Witnesses while in bombing raid. Here they felt safe and thought, nothing will happen to them. Suddenly a bombing raid was at day-time, especially to destroy the government buildings of the camp. Five of our brothers just were working on an air-raid shelter together with some hundreds of other prisoners. Two days before I was put away from this company to do another important work. The other five brothers working at the air-raid shelter were no members of the remnant class, they had the hope to live on earth. Times before they always sat together while in bombing raids, so this time. Just they discused the daily text, when a bomb killed them and about 30 other prisoners.
For all brothers in camp that was a surprise, for this experience showed clearly that Jehovah will not protect his people every time, when in great danger. Then we remembered Jehovah's people in former times and their experiencess and so we learned to understand this point more clearly. But, I think, it was necessary for some to learn that Jehovah did not protect the life of persons who had an earthly hope and who had the wish to survive Armageddon into the New World.
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gumby
Hi blondie, I thought the ecact same thing when this article gave all glory and praise to Jehovah, never even mentioning Jesus.
The Jehovah's Witnesses , even though they admit Jesus is ruling as king, has had gods kingdom put fully into his hands, will in most cases always give glory to Jehovah. They are so afraid to give Jesus too much credit to the point of making Jesus a back burner and even less. This is why they live mostly in the old testament......even though it was just a "shadow" of the reality of what was to come. They are actually like the stuborn jews who wouldn't accept their own messiah in a way. They accept him, then turn back to their old ways. I think had Russell prevailed over Rutherfords teaching, Jesus, may have had more of a chance and given alot more creedence amoung Jehovahs Witnesses.I doubt their would have been a "two class" doctrine of christians.
4. What does Psalm 70 indicate about David? When he had been faced with determined enemies who were out to take his life, David chose not to take matters into his own hands. Instead, he trusted that Jehovah would deal with the opposers in his own time and way. (1 Sam. 26:10) David continued firmly convinced that Jehovah helps and delivers those who seek him. (Heb. 11:6) David believed that such true worshippers have every reason to rejoice and to magnify Jehovah by teIiing others about his greatness. -Ps. 5: 11; 35:27
So David did not take matters into his own hand? He never killed anyone or sent armies to do that?
By using an OT example, notice how the WTS shuts Jesus out of the picture. Where is the telling of his greatness?Gumby
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Amha·aret
I wanted to thank Blondie once again for the comments. I had quite a long chat with my mother today and was able to get across several points from this and a couple of other WT comments. Usually when I speak about these things she interjects with one of a few standard jw responses but today the points I made seemed to kinda silence her.
Here's hoping she's starting to understand why I am where I am. Much credit to the posters on this forum, esp Blondie, if she does.
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Billy the Ex-Bethelite
Thanks Blondie!
Sorry I'm late with my comments this week. Please punish me... and rescue me from your punishment... kinda like David in this lesson...
The superscription to Psalm 18 says that David "spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day that Jehovah had delivered him ... out of the hand of Saul."
Funny how Jehovah supposedly rescued David from Saul... Saul who was the rightfully chosen King of Israel... the Saul who was appointed and anointed by Jehovah himself. The anointed of Jehovah fighting the anointed of Jehovah. Kind of reminds us of:
(Matthew 12:25) . . .he said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself comes to desolation,. . .
Also, with David's other "escapes", they didn't cite instances of "worldly" opposers, but all Israelites.
... wait, there is that one non-Israelite that wasn't directly mentioned... Uriah the Hittite, a foreign warrior and proselyte... a good guy... whose wife David boinked... and then David had Uriah murdered. Of course, Uriah is worth mentioning since Jehovah then declared:(2 Samuel 12:10-12) 10 And now a sword will not depart from your own house to time indefinite, as a consequence of the fact that you despised me so that you took the wife of U?ri'ah the Hit'tite to become your wife.’ 11 This is what Jehovah has said, ‘Here I am raising up against you calamity out of your own house; and I will take your wives under your own eyes and give them to your fellowman, and he will certainly lie down with your wives under the eyes of this sun. 12 Whereas you yourself acted in secret, I, for my part, shall do this thing in front of all Israel and in front of the sun.’”
Then in this article, it explains how Jehovah "rescued" David from the punishment that Jehovah decreed.
This lesson is just plain weird when you try to build it on King David.