by yadda yadda 2 17 Replies latest jw friends
The Elisha/Elijah Class crap was originally used of Russell/Rutherford.
Rutherford claimed the prophetic type proved the organisation mantel had passed to him and his cronies.
Post Rutherford it had to be updated. Watch this space - its about to happen again with all the new partakers - they need to justify the relative youth of the GB
HB
Thanks ATJ and others. I had never heard this in 35 years of being a JW. Would be curious to read it in print - can you put up a copy from your Gilead manual ATJ?
Hi Yadda.....
There is no manual, in fact, there is an entire afternoon dedicated to the shredding of all materials, schedules, and syllabus given to each class. (boy do I get the heebie jeebies thinking about that afternoon...) In the lack of specific questions, which I would be more then happy to answer for you Yadda, I thought initially I might direct you to some past posts of mine, if that will help....
Here are some posts I started that refer to Gilead.
In addition, my blog and Lance's (Awakened@Gilead) is on www.freeminds.org. Lance has made great video's that talk about Gilead, and he lists his personal journey out as well.
I can also tell you that all of the material we went through in Gilead is in the WT Library, including 2 Kings and the Elijah/Elisha link to Rutherford and Knorr, as quoted below...
*** w 658/15 pp.494-495pars.11-12Turning to Jehovah***
11
Do you recall Elisha’s first miracle? It was the same as Elijah’s last one, using the official garment that had fallen from Elijah for the same purpose, enabling Elisha to recross the riverbed dryshod. Only now he was alone, except that Jehovah was backing him up. In between those two miracles another notable one occurred, when Elijah ascended to the heavens in a windstorm after being separated from Elisha by a fiery war chariot and horses. That prophetically pictured the end of the work by the Elijah class and the continuation of the same work, only intensified, by the Elisha class. The historical events occurring early in the war year of 1942 marked the fulfillment of this changeover. Just prior to that time, in the midst of World War II, it seemed as if the witness work might be coming to its end. The outlook was very uncertain. On January 8, 1942, the president of the Watch Tower Society, J. F. Rutherford, died. Did the work stop?—2 Ki. 2:11-14.12
To the contrary, the Elisha class, made up of the remaining members of the anointed remnant, immediately carried on with the same work of dividing the symbolic waters, even as Elisha did in a literal way. The same Watch Tower Society was used as a publishing agency, but with a new elected president. In the same issue of TheWatchtower that announced President Rutherford’s death, there appeared the leading article entitled "Final Gathering," based on Jeremiah 16:16, telling of an intensive fishing and hunting for those who might yet be recovered. In the late summer of 1942 a three-day convention was held by Jehovah’s witnesses at Cleveland, Ohio, with repeat programs in many cities of other countries. The main theme was based on Isaiah, chapters 59 and 60, bidding God’s people to "Arise . . . shed forth light," resulting in a great flock of peoples coming to the light, "flying just like a cloud." (Isa. 60:1-3, 8; Rev. 7:9) No doubt about it! The Elisha class recognized their commission and were losing no time!
I'll check out those links ATJ, thanks. I've seen some of Lance's videos and found them quite good.
As for those Watchtower quotes (what year is that Watchtower?)?
You claimed "that Jehovah's Witnesses really teach that practically ALL "faithful" Old Testament charecters from Noah and Abraham through Elijah and Elishah and David to Hezekiah are prophetic of the Presidents of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society".
Those two Watchtower quotes definitely show a purported prophetic parallel between Elijah/Elisha and the activity of modern day "classes" of the anointed separated by Rutherford's death in 1942 (all complete bogus of course), something I have never heard before. Thanks for that. But is it really the case the Society claims that ALL "faithful" OT characters are prophetic of Watchtower Society Presidents? Would love to see proof of that.
Yadda
I certainly understand why you read it that way, and frankly, wouldn't discourage you from your own conclusions. Imagine MY surprise to have those references such as the one listed above attached to a question on a Gilead exam: (I am remembering the question as best I can...)
Who is the antitypical Elijah? (Rutherford)
Who is the antitypical Elisha? (Knorr)
What year did the passing of the prophetic mantel take place? (1943)
As you can see, all Gilead students got an up or down, right or wrong based on this. Our lectures also gave this as the direct answer, using these references as the material to base our answers on.
I humbly invite you to be the judge. I found it very disturbing. If you will read my "life story" you will find that it was at this precise moment in class during our discussion of 2 Kings where I admitted to myself for the first time consciously that "this wasnt' the truth".
Here are some other types and anti-types, under my "Gilead" post from a while back. Time doesn't permit me to copy all of them, but the idea as I report in that article represents the lens and trajectory through which, traditional JW "prophetic" dogma springs from. (originated by Fred Franz...
TYPE ANTI TYPE
Noah Jesus
Noahs wife FD Slave
Noahs sons and wives Great Crowd
Ark Spiritual Paradise
Flood Armageddon
Here are some more favorites
Gen 24
TYPE ANTI TYPE
Abraham Jehovah
Issac Jesus
Eleizer (Abra Servant) Holy Spirit
Rebekah 144000 annointed
Rebekahs attendants Great Crowd
The Camels(!) The word of God, The bible
Job (Chapter 1) Jesus
Job (Chap 2-42) The 1900 year old FD Slave
2 Kings 1
Elijah Rutherford administration
Elisha Knorr Administration
Humble Regards,
Jeff
Hi Jeff...I amended my last post slightly after your last post it seems. Thanks for the extra info. There's no doubt the Society has claimed all sorts of ridiculous and unwarranted parallels between the OT and themselves. I was merely nitpicking your claim that they teach every faithful OT character was prophetic of Watchtower Presidents as that seemed a slight exaggeration.
Bookmarked for AllTimeJeff's Gilead type/antitype list! Thank you...
Hi there Yadda
I was merely nitpicking your claim that they teach every faithful OT character was prophetic of Watchtower Presidents as that seemed a slight exaggeration.
In my opinion, how I said that deserved the nitpicking. I wrote it at a time where I was very close to my "exit". I certainly did not mean that JW's teach EVERY character is to have an antitypical parallel. That wasn't the case. However, for every character in the OT that we did go somewhat in depth on, effort was made to indoctrinate us to view the "parallel" with the modern day history of JW's...
Having said that, I merited that critique. I probably would have worded it slightly different today, but it is good for me to see where I was when I wrote it, so, warts and all, there it is, and there is where I was.... :-)
