Comments You Will Not Hear at the 6-24-2012 WT Study (APRIL 15, 2012, pages 22-26)(DELIVER)
Review comments will be headed by COMMENTS
WT material from today's WT will be in black
w = Watchtower
g = Awake
jv = Proclaimers book
EXCELLENT GENERAL WEBSITE : www.jwfacts.com
Bible translations www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible
WT publications www.strictlygenteel.co.uk
WT child abuse www.silentlambs.org
Blood issue www.ajwrb.org
United Nations http://www.randytv.com/secret/unitednations.htm
Also posted on
http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com
http://www.jwsupportforum.com/index.php
http://www.jehovahswitnessrecovery.com/
JEHOVAH KNOWS
HOW TO DELIVER
HIS PEOPLE
“Jehovah knows how to
deliver people of godly
devotion out of trial.”
—2 PET. 2:9.
WHY CAN WE BE CONFIDENT
THAT JEHOVAH:
Knows the timing of events in
the outworking of his purpose?
Will use his power to intervene
in behalf of his people?
Knows how climactic events will unfold?
OPENING COMMENTS
Where is Jesus in this picture? Paul says in the bible that Jesus is our deliverer.
(1 Thessalonians 1:10) . . ., Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath which is coming.
***w78 6/1 p. 28 Christian ***
“From Thessalonica the word of the Lord rang out; and not in Macedonia and Achaia alone, but everywhere your faith in God has reached men’s ears. No words of ours are needed, for they themselves spread the news of our visit to you and its effect: how you turned from idols, to be servants of the living and true God, and to wait expectantly for the appearance from heaven of his Son Jesus, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus our deliverer from the terrors of judgement to come.”—1 Thess. 1:8-10, The New English Bible.
So who does the WTS say that God will DESTROY and why? All non-jws.
START OF ARTICLE
1. What conditions will accompany the “great tribulation”?
THE execution of God’s judgment upon Satan’s
world will break out with striking suddenness.
(1 Thess. 5:2, 3) As “the great day of
Jehovah” unfolds, earthly society will descend into
chaos. (Zeph. 1:14-17) Hardships and deprivations
will be the order of the day. It will be a time of distress
“such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning
until now.”—Read Matthew 24:21, 22.
COMMENTS
Satan’s world = all 7 billion non-jws, women, men and children, eternal death with no hope of a resurrection. Nothing the “doomsday preppers” do will save them per the WTS.
Suddenness? 1879 to 2012 = 133 years
The WTS teaches that the great tribulation occurred previously.
***it-2 p. 1127 Tribulation ***The “Great Tribulation.”
When answering the question of his disciples concerning the sign of his presence and the conclusion of the system of things, Jesus mentioned a “great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Mt 24:3, 21) As a comparison of Matthew 24:15-22 with Luke 21:20-24 reveals, this had initial reference to a tribulation to come upon Jerusalem. The fulfillment came in 70 C.E., when the city was besieged by the Roman armies under General Titus. This resulted in severe famine conditions and much loss of life. The Jewish historian Josephus relates that 1,100,000 Jews died or were killed, whereas 97,000 survived and were taken into captivity. (TheJewishWar, VI, 420 [ix, 3]) Such a “great tribulation” has not occurred again or been repeated upon Jerusalem.
2, 3. (a) What will God’s people face during the “great tribulation”?
(b) What can fortify us for what lies ahead?
2 As the “great tribulation” moves toward its climax,
God’s people will be the target of an all-out attack
by “Gog of the land of Magog.” During this attack,
“a numerous military force” will come against
God’s people “like clouds to cover the land.” (Ezek.
38:2, 14-16) No human agency will come to the defense
of Jehovah’s people. Their survival will depend
on God alone. How will they react when staring
extermination in the face?
COMMENTS
Great tribulation = not one in 70 C.E.
God’s people – individuals protected or only “as a group”
***w09 3/15 p. 26 par. 8 ***
Because of obeying such commands, God’s servants on earth today now number some seven million. Who can deny that his people have become “mighty in the earth”? (John 10:16; Rev. 7:9, 14) And how “blessed” they will yet be as God carries out his purpose! As a group, those with an earthly hope will be preserved through the coming “great tribulation” to form “a new earth” in which “righteousness is to dwell.”
***w75 6/15 p. 377 par. 10 ***
Should we expect, moreover, that because Jehovah is on our side he will miraculously intervene to protect each one of us personally from death or injury during the “great tribulation”? Both Psalm 91:7-12 and Proverbs 3:25, 26 have been mistakenly cited by some as supporting this view. The psalm says: “A thousand will fall at your very side and ten thousand at your right hand; to you it will not come near.” Lest we read into this text more than it states, we must ask ourselves if Moses is here talking about the coming “great tribulation” and is declaring a blanket protection for individual servants of God then. This would hardly be so when we remember that centuries later Paul showed that up to his time the devoted followers of Jehovah had undergone mockings, scourgings, prisons, tribulations and many other persecutions, even violent death. However, we can be assured that, as a group, Jehovah will protect them from being exterminated by their enemies during the “great tribulation,” and He, himself, will not touch them during his executing of adverse judgments.—Heb. 11:36-38.
3 If you are a servant of Jehovah, do you have
faith that Jehovah can and will preserve his people
alive through the great tribulation? The apostle Peter
wrote: “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of
godly devotion out of trial, but to reserve unrighteous
people for the day of judgment to be cut off.”
(2 Pet. 2:9) Meditating on Jehovah’s past acts of deliverance
can fortify us for what lies ahead. Let us
consider three examples that will instill in us confidence
in Jehovah’s ability to deliver his people.
COMMENTS
Servant of Jehovah – only jws
In past acts – were individuals guaranteed protection, Israelite soldiers, Jonathan (king saul); do jws today individually expect and talk about having individual protection for dangers today and in the future? Yes.
SURVIVING A GLOBAL DELUGE
4. Why was timing important in connection with the Flood?
4 First, consider the account of the Flood of
Noah’s day. For Jehovah’s will to be accomplished,
timing was important. The
colossal task of building the ark had
to be completed and the animals had
to be safely loaded on board before the
floodwaters fell. The Genesis account
reveals that Jehovah did not have the
ark built and then decide when to bring
the floodwaters, as if he needed to keep
the timing of the start of the Flood flexible
in case the construction project ran
behind schedule. Rather, long before he
said anything to Noah about building an
ark, God fixed the time for the Flood to
begin. How do we know that?
COMMENTS
How many jws blindly accept the logistics of this building project with no knowledge of construction, engineering, etc.?
God fixed the time for the Flood, but did he have his representatives give false dates as the WTS has, 1914, 1915, 1925, 1940’s, 1975, 1984 (70 yr generation from 1914), 1994 (80 yr generation from 1914)?
5. What did Jehovah declare in the pronouncement
recorded at Genesis 6:3, and when was
this decree issued?
5 The Bible tells us that Jehovah issued
a decree in heaven. According to
Genesis 6:3, he said: “My spirit shall
not act toward man indefinitely in that
he is also flesh. Accordingly his days
shall amount to a hundred and twenty
years.” This was not a statement regarding
the average human lifespan. It
was a judicial decree in which Jehovah
declared when he would act to cleanse
the earth of ungodliness.* Since the
Flood began in 2370 B.C.E., we infer
that God made this pronouncement in
2490 B.C.E. At that time, Noah was 480
years old. (Gen. 7:6) Some 20 years later,
in the year 2470 B.C.E., Noah’s sons
began to be born. (Gen. 5:32) About
one hundred years remained before the
Flood was to begin, but Jehovah had still
not revealed to Noah the special role
he would play in preserving the human
family. How long would God wait before
he told Noah?
*See The Watchtower, December 15, 2010, pages
30-31.
COMMENTS
120 years = does that correlate with the WTS timeline.
1914 the beginning of the end = 2034 the end?
6. When did Jehovah command Noah to build
the ark?
6 Jehovah apparently waited decades
before revealing to Noah what He was
going to do. On what basis do we draw
this conclusion ? The inspired record indicates
that Noah’s sons were already
grown and married when God commanded
Noah to build the ark. Jehovah
told him: “I do establish my covenant
with you; and you must go into the ark,
you and your sons and your wife and
your sons’ wives with you.” (Gen. 6:9-
18) It is possible, therefore, that when
Noah received the commission to build
the ark, only 40 or 50 years remained
before the Flood.
COMMENTS
Apparently…it is possible????
Does that mean Noah “preached” for only 40 years?
7. (a) How did Noah and his family demonstrate
faith? (b)When did God finally tell Noah
exactly when the Flood would begin?
7 As the work of constructing the ark
progressed, Noah and his family must
have wondered how God would accomplish
his purpose and when the Flood
would begin. Yet, their lack of knowledge
of these details did not stop them
from getting the ark built. The Scriptural
record states: “Noah proceeded to
do according to all that God had commanded
him. He did just so.” (Gen. 6:22)
Seven days before the floodwaters
fell—just enough time for Noah and
his family to load the animals into the
ark—Jehovah finally told Noah exactly
when the Flood would begin . Hence,
when the floodgates of the heavens
were opened “in the six hundredth year
of Noah’s life, in the second month,
on the seventeenth day of the month,”
everything was ready.—Gen. 7:1-5, 11.
COMMENTS
Remember that in this account Noah was dealing directly with God not a middleman or a middleman organization.
Note how carefully the WTS inserts information not in the bible but treats it the same as the “inspired” information that came down through the bible now accepted by many as coming from God.
Do you think Noah might have wondered if he had to gather the animals and wait to load them for 133 years as the WTS has waited for the end?
Noah got a 7-day notice, they got on the ark and waited…so does this parallel today, will jws get a 7-day notice?
8. How does the account of the Flood instill
confidence that Jehovah knows when to deliver
his people?
8 The account of the Flood testifies to
Jehovah’s skill not only as a Timekeeper
but also as a Deliverer. As he counts
down to the end of the present system
of things, we can be sure that everything
Jehovah has purposed will take
place at his appointed time, to the very
“day and hour.”—Matt. 24:36; read Habakkuk
2:3.
COMMENTS
God maybe a skillfull timekeeper, but not at conveying it accurately to the WTS or they have been “running ahead” and arrogant in claiming to know.
I remember a jw who said pre-1975, we don’t know the day and the hour, but we know the year.
DELIVERED AT THE RED SEA
9, 10. How did Jehovah use his people to lure
the military forces of Egypt into a trap?
9 Thus far, we have seen that Jehovah
is in full control of the timing of events
in the outworking of his purpose. The
second example that we will consider
highlights yet another reason we can
trust in Jehovah to deliver his people:
He will use the unlimited power at his
disposal to make sure that his will takes
place. So certain is Jehovah’s ability to
deliver his servants that he at times has
used them to lure his enemies into a
trap. That was the case when he liberated
the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.
COMMENTS
Remember the WTS teaches that it is “God’s sovereignty” that matters first, not the deliverance of jws, only “as a group” not as individuals. Did any individual Israelites die during their liberation from Egypt?
10 The Israelites who departed from
Egypt may have numbered some
three million people. Jehovah had Moses
lead them in a way that caused Pharaoh
to think that they were wandering
in confusion. (Read Exodus 14:1-4.) Unable
to resist the bait, Pharaoh led his
military forces in pursuit of the former
slaves, trapping them at the Red Sea.
There seemed to be no way out. (Ex.
14:5-10) Actually, though, the Israelites
were not in any danger. Why not? Because
Jehovah was about to intervene in
their behalf.
COMMENTS
May have – three million – why the guess, do other Bible historians contradict this?
I’m sure the WTS says that perhaps today God is leading them in confusion which is why they have given so many false dates for the end.
The WTS also teaches that when Gog (Satan) attacks after the great tribulation starts, it will seem there is no way out.
11, 12. (a) How did Jehovah intervene in behalf
of his people? (b)What was the outcome of
God’s intervention, and what does this account
teach us about Jehovah?
11 “The pillar of cloud” that was leading
the Israelites moved to their rear,
blocking the approach of Pharaoh’s
army and throwing them into darkness.
For the Israelites, however, the pillar miraculously
lit up the night. (Read Exodus
14:19, 20.) Jehovah then split the
Were the Israelites ever in any danger from Pharaoh’s army?
sea apart by means of a strong east
wind, “converting the sea basin into
dry ground.” This no doubt took considerable
time, for the account says: “At
length the sons of Israel went through
the midst of the sea on dry land.” Compared
with Pharaoh’s military forces in
their war chariots, the Israelites moved
at a ponderous pace. Yet, there was
no possibility that the Egyptians would
overtake them, for Jehovah was fighting
for Israel. “He went throwing the camp
of the Egyptians into confusion. And he
kept taking wheels off their chariots so
that they were driving them with difficulty.”—
Ex. 14:21-25.
COMMENTS
Notice that only “as a group” and only because they are supposedly God’s plan to produce the Messiah.
*** w101/15 p.9par. 10***
What sort of protection did he mean? Well, Jehovah protected some of his ancient servants physically—in some cases to preserve the genealogical line leading to the promised Messiah.
12 Once all Israel was safely ashore
on the other side, Jehovah directed Moses:
“Stretch your hand out over the
sea, that the waters may come back
over the Egyptians, their war chariots
and their cavalrymen.” As the soldiers
tried to flee the onrushing waters, “Jehovah
shook the Egyptians off into the
midst of the sea.” There was no escape.
“Not so much as one among them was
let remain.” (Ex. 14:26-28) Jehovah thus
showed that he has the power to deliver
his people from any situation.
COMMENTS
Deliver them only “as a group” not as individuals.
ESCAPING JERUSALEM’S
DESTRUCTION
13. What instructions did Jesus give, and what
might his followers have wondered?
13 Jehovah knows exactly how events
will unfold to fulfill his purpose. The
importance of this is highlighted in the
third example we will consider: the first century
siege of Jerusalem. By means of
his Son, Jehovah provided instructions
for survival to Christians who were living
in Jerusalem and Judea prior to the
city’s destruction in 70 C.E. Jesus said:
“When you catch sight of the disgusting
thing that causes desolation, as spoken
of through Daniel the prophet, standing
in a holy place, . . . then let those in
Judea begin fleeing to the mountains.”
(Matt. 24:15, 16) But how would Jesus’
followers recognize when this prophecy
was being fulfilled?
COMMENTS
So God predestines things? Not according to the WTS, he supposedly adjusts to fulfill a purpose. Exactness is a “plan” according to them and inflexible.
Did all Christians back then survive? Of course, there is no record.
14. How did the unfolding of events make the
meaning of Jesus’ instructions clear?
14 As events unfolded, the meaning
of Jesus’ words became clear. In 66 C.E.,
Roman armies under Cestius Gallus arrived
in Jerusalem to quell a Jewish rebellion.
When the Jewish rebels, known
as the Zealots, sought refuge inside the
temple fortress, Roman soldiers began
to undermine the temple wall. For alert
Christians, the meaning was plain to
see: A pagan army with its idolatrous
standards (“the disgusting thing”) got as
far as the temple wall (“a holy place”).
It was time for Jesus’ followers to “begin
fleeing to the mountains.” But how
would they get out of a city that was under
siege? Events were about to take an
unexpected turn.
COMMENTS
Is there a record of all Christians congregating in Pella, any explanation why the Romans did not recognize these JEWISH Christians as Jews?
According to the WTS timeline, the last book of the Bible was written in 98 C.E. So was anything written in the 28 years after 70 C.E. about this amazing fulfillment of prophecy?
Remember these Christians had not been given many dates that were false by the so-called “governing body” of that time (that phrase does not occur in the bible). Today, 1914, 1915, 1925, 1975, (1984), (1994).
15, 16. (a) What specific instruction did Jesus
give, and why was it vital that his followers
obey it? (b) On what will our deliverance depend?
15 For no apparent reason, Cestius
Gallus and his troops withdrew from Jerusalem
and began retreating. The Zealots
gave chase. With the warring parties
away, Jesus’ followers suddenly had an
opportunity to flee. Jesus had specifically
instructed them to leave their material
possessions behind and depart without
delay. (Read Matthew 24:17, 18.) Was
prompt action really necessary? The answer
soon became clear. Within days,
the Zealots returned and began forcing
the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea
to join the rebellion. Conditions within
the city rapidly deteriorated as rival
Jewish factions struggled for control.
Flight became increasingly difficult.
When the Romans returned in 70 C.E.,
flight became impossible. (Luke 19:43)
Any who had lingered were trapped!
For the Christians who had fled to the
mountains, heeding Jesus’ instructions
meant saving their lives. They saw firsthand
that Jehovah knows how to deliver
his people. What lesson can we learn
from this account?
COMMENTS
Once again the Christians had a physical location to go to like Noah and his family. Does the WTS teach there is a physical local for jws to go to? Some jws think that their kingdom halls are place of physical safety. Is that true?
*** w09 5/15 p.8 Where Should You Be When the End Comes?***“Enter Into Your Interior Rooms”
“Go, my people, enter into your interior rooms, and shut your doors behind you,” states Isaiah 26:20. “Hide yourself for but a moment until the denunciation passes over.” This prophecy may have had its first fulfillment in 539 B.C.E. when the Medes and the Persians conquered Babylon. Upon entering Babylon, Cyrus the Persian apparently commanded everyone to stay indoors because his soldiers were ordered to execute any found out-of-doors.
In our day, the “interior rooms” of this prophecy could be closely associated with the more than 100,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world. Such congregations play an important role in our lives. They will continue to do so through “the great tribulation.” (Rev. 7:14)
16 As events unfold during the great
tribulation, Christians will need to heed
instructions from God’s Word and organization.
For example, Jesus’ command
to “begin fleeing to the mountains” has
a modern-day application. Just what
form our flight will take remains to be
seen.* However, we can be sure that Jehovah
will make clear the meaning of
those instructions when the time comes
for us to follow them. Since our deliverance
will depend on obedience, we do
well to ask ourselves: ‘How do I respond
to instructions that Jehovah provides for
his people now? Am I quick to respond,
or do I hesitate to obey?’—Jas. 3:17.
* See The Watchtower, May 1, 1999, page 19.
COMMENTS
Christians = only jws
Notice that the bible is not enough = instructions from God’s word and organization. Of course, the WTS has given instructions supposedly based on the bible and had to reverse it.
1879 to 1929 = superior authorities, secular governments
1929 to 1962 = God and Jesus
1962 to 2012 = secular governments
Organ transplants, resurrection of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, screaming out when raped (reversed also with first premise, second opposite premise, back to first premise)
Based on the WTS track record, how can jws be sure that the WTS is giving accurate directions, and that they are from God?
When the Israelites were sacrificing their children to the fire, some did not, they did not obey the instructions from their religious leaders when they saw clearly they did not come from God’s words.
FORTIFIED FOR WHAT LIES AHEAD
17. What does Habakkuk’s prophecy reveal
about the coming attack on God’s people?
17 Let us now return to the all-out attack
by Gog mentioned at the outset. In
a related prophecy, Habakkuk said: “I
heard, and my belly began to be agitated;
at the sound my lips quivered; rottenness
began to enter into my bones;
and in my situation I was agitated, that
I should quietly wait for the day of distress,
for his [God’s] coming up to the
people [the menacing armies], that he
may raid them.” (Hab. 3:16) Just hearing
the report of the coming attack
against God’s people caused the prophet’s
stomach to churn, his lips to tremble,
and his strength to fail. Habakkuk’s
reaction indicates how dire our predicament
will seem to be when Gog’s
hordes come storming against us. Yet,
the prophet was willing to wait quietly
for Jehovah’s great day, trusting that Jehovah
would deliver his people. We
can have the same confidence.—Hab. 3:
18, 19.
COMMENTS
Should the Israelites above have waited quietly for God’s day and tossed their children into the fire?
18. (a) Why do we have reason not to fear
the coming attack? (b) What will we consider
next?
18 The three examples that we have
considered demonstrate without question
that Jehovah knows how to deliver
his people. His purpose cannot fail;
victory is certain. To share in that glorious
triumph, however, we must remain
faithful to the end. How does
Jehovah help us to maintain our integrity
now? That is the subject of the next
article.
COMMENTS
Has the WTS in their history proven worthy of being the only organization/people delivered?
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
Remember this paragraph, it is evident that the WTS wants its members to obey them blindly.
Since our deliverance will depend on obedience (to the organization), we do well to ask ourselves: ‘How do I respond to instructions that Jehovah provides for people now? Am I quick to respond or do I hesitate to obey?
So when the WTS/FDS/GB says jump, you say “how high.”
Next week, JEHOVAH SAFEGUARDS US FOR SALVATION (us = only jws).
Love, Blondie