Comments You Will Not Hear at the 09-16-2012 WT Study (JULY 15, 2012, pages 22-26)(DREAD)
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/
“OF WHOM SHALL I BE IN DREAD?”
“Though against me war should rise, even
then I shall be trusting.”—
PS. 27:3.
ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING VERSES, WHAT
CAN HELP YOU TO DEVELOP COURAGE?
Psalm 27:1
Psalm 27:4
Psalm 27:11
OPENING COMMENTS
First, again another article focusing on the OT, and specifically David. Neither fear/dread of God or humans did not prevent him from the following actions.
An adulterer
A murderer
A man who had 70,000 innocent people die for his sin of taking a census (although being warned by a good friend)
A man who did nothing after his son Amnon raped his own half-sister, David’s daughter.
In known of these cases did the fear or dread of God move him to do the moral thing.
Pictures—page 23
Perhaps David felt because God protected him against a bear and Goliath that he was protected from the punishments under the Law. He was not put to death under the Law code re adultery and murder although there was no provision for deliberate sinners in these categories.
Pictures—page 25
So how does this show economic hardship is improved by going door to door—Does the non-jw seem to have his wallet out????
START OF ARTICLE
1. What will the 27th Psalm help us to understand?
WHY is our preaching activity on the increase
despite worsening world conditions?
Why do we give freely of our time
and energy while many are experiencing economic
reversals? How can we remain courageous when
many others fear the future? An inspired song of
King David, recorded in Psalm 27, gives us the answers.
COMMENTS
The preaching activity of only jws is meant here implying other religions do not preach and it is not increasing.
I know jws that kept a log of mileage in “preaching” to use on their tax form.
Do jws help each other financially as other religions do or is it all sent to the WTS? Or is it only words?
James 2:15,16
If a brother or a sister is in a naked state and lacking the food sufficient for the day , yet a certain one of ? YOU ? says to them: “Go in peace, keep warm and well fed,” but ? YOU ? do not give them the necessities for [their] body, of what benefit is it?
2. What does the feeling of dread do to a person, but what
confidence do we have?
2 David begins this psalm with the words: “Jehovah
is my light and my salvation. Of whom shall I
be in fear? Jehovah is the stronghold of my life. Of
whom shall I be in dread?” (Ps. 27:1) While fear can
exert a weakening influence, the feeling of dread is
even more severe. But no underlying dread should
agitate one who fears Jehovah. (1 Pet. 3:14) When
we make Jehovah our stronghold, we “will reside in
security and be undisturbed from dread of calamity.”
(Prov. 1:33; 3:25) Why so?
COMMENTS
Did David dread God committing adultery and murder with God looking on?
“JEHOVAH IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION”
3. In what sense is Jehovah our light, but what must we do?
3 The metaphor “Jehovah is my light” draws attention
to the fact that Jehovah frees us from ignorance
and spiritual darkness. (Ps. 27:1) A literal light
may reveal a danger or an obstacle on our pathway,
but it does not remove it. We must act wisely on
what we see. In a similar way, Jehovah reveals to us
the basic meaning of world events. He alerts us to
the dangers of this system of things. He provides us
with Bible principles that always work, but we must
apply what we learn. When we do, we can act with
more wisdom than either our enemies
or our teachers.—Ps. 119:98, 99, 130.
COMMENTS
Through the WTS have their members been freed from ignorance and spiritual darkness?
1874 or 1914 start of Christ’s presence
Pyramids used to calculate bible chronology
Great tribulation temporarily ended in 1918
Superior authorities: 1879 to 1929, secular governments; 1929 to 1962, God and Jesus; 1962 to now, secular governments
End coming in 1914, 1920, 1925, 1940’s, 1975, (1984), (1994)
http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/changed-watchtower-teachings.php
4. (a) Why could David say with conviction:
“Jehovah is my . . . salvation”? (b)When especially
will Jehovah become our salvation?
4 David’s words at Psalm 27:1 show
that he must have recalled how Jehovah
had delivered, or saved, him on previous
occasions. For instance, Jehovah
had delivered him “from the paw of the
lion and from the paw of the bear.” Jehovah
also gave him victory over the giant
Goliath. Later, King Saul tried to pierce
David with a spear, but each time Jehovah
delivered him. (1 Sam. 17:37, 49,
50; 18:11, 12; 19:10) No wonder David
could say with conviction: “Jehovah is
my. . . salvation”! Jehovah will again become
to his servants what hews to David—
a salvation. How? By delivering his
worshippers through the coming “great
tribulation.”—Rev. 7:14; 2 Pet. 2:9.
COMMENTS
Must have = let’s add to the bible
Because of this was David convinced that God would protect him from all things even from execution for adultery and murder?
His worshippers = only jws
God will only protect jws per the WTS “as a group”
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.”
*** w08 9/15 p.9***What About Physical Protection?
8 As individuals, we know that our immediate physical protection is not guaranteed. We take the position expressed by the three faithful Hebrews who refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s image of gold. Those God-fearing young men did not presume that Jehovah would miraculously protect them from physical harm. (Read Daniel 3:17, 18.) As matters turned out, Jehovah did deliver them from the flames of the fiery furnace. (Dan. 3:21-27) Even in Bible times, however, miraculous deliverance was the exception rather than the rule. Many faithful servants of Jehovah died at the hands of opposers.—Heb. 11:35-37.
9 What about today? As “the Provider of escape,” Jehovah certainly can deliver individuals from perilous situations. Can we definitively say whether Jehovah did or did not intervene in specific cases? No. Still, an individual who has escaped a dangerous situation may feel that Jehovah intervened. It would be presumptuous for others to take issue with his feeling. At the same time, we must realistically acknowledge that many faithful Christians have died as a result of persecution, as was the case during the Nazi era. Others have died under tragic circumstances. (Eccl. 9:11) We might ask, ‘Did Jehovah fail to be “the Provider of escape” for faithful ones whose lives were cut short?’ That could hardly be the case.
REMEMBER EACH SUCCESS
5, 6. (a) What role does our memory play in
our developing courage? (b) How does the record
of Jehovah’s dealings with his servants fortify
your courage?
5 An important factor in developing
courage is brought to our attention at
Psalm 27:2, 3. (Read.) David recalled
events in which he experienced deliverance
with the aid of Jehovah. (1 Sam.
17:34-37) Those memories filled him
with confidence to face even the worst
of adversities. Do you draw similar conclusions
from your experiences? For instance,
have you prayed intensely
about a distressing problem and then
seen how Jehovah gave you wisdom or
strength to cope with that trial? Or can
you recall how obstacles to your joyful
service were removed or how a large
door of activity was opened to you?
(1 Cor. 16:9) What effect does remembering
such events have on you now?
Do not those memories continue to persuade
you that Jehovah can help you to
overcome or endure even more serious
obstacles or adversities?—Rom. 5:3-5.
COMMENTS
God protected David but not Tamar his daughter from being raped by her half-brother? Would David have allowed Amnon to become king knowing he had raped Tamar?
Remember David was God’s anointed; is the WTS suggesting that all in Israel received the same protection as David?
Does God promise individual protection per the WTS?
Does the WTS promise individual protection?
***w08 9/15 p.9 par.8***
As individuals, we know that our immediate physical protection is not guaranteed. We take the position expressed by the three faithful Hebrews who refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s image of gold. Those God-fearing young men did not presume that Jehovah would miraculously protect them from physical harm. (Read Daniel3:17, 18. ) As matters turned out, Jehovah did deliver them from the flames of the fiery furnace. (Dan. 3:21-27) Even in Bible times, however, miraculous deliverance was the exception rather than the rule. Many faithful servants of Jehovah died at the hands of opposers.—Heb. 11:35-37.
6 What if a powerful government
were to hatch a plot to exterminate Jehovah’s
Witnesses as an organization?
Many men in modern times have attempted
to do just that but have failed.
Recounting how Jehovah has helped
his people in the past will instill in
David drew strength from his memories of
Jehovah’s acts of deliverance
us confidence to face the future.—Dan.
3:28.
COMMENTS
The WTS says that God protected the nation of Israel to insure that the Messiah would not have his family line cut off…he protected those in the line of the Messiah only.
Is the WTS suggesting that the Messiah is coming through the WTS? The WTS says that the majority of the anointed are in heaven, so how would the destruction of a human, earthly organization today would protect the Messiah or the anointed as a group? And the WTS teaches that only the anointed are the target and that is why David is the example in this article.
APPRECIATE PURE WORSHIP
7, 8. (a) According to Psalm 27:4, what did
David ask from Jehovah? (b) What is Jehovah’s
great spiritual temple, and how is worship offered
there?
7 Another essential component of
courageous action is our fondness for
true worship. (Read Psalm 27:4.) In David’s
day, “the house of Jehovah” was
the tabernacle. It was David himself
who made arrangements for the elaborate
temple structure that was to be built
by his son Solomon. Centuries later, Jesus
revealed that rendering acceptable
worship to Jehovah would no longer be
contingent on having one grand structure
that was blessed by God. (John 4:
21-23) The apostle Paul indicated in Hebrews
chapters 8 to 10 that a great spiritual
temple came into existence at Jesus’
baptism in 29 C.E., when he presented
himself to do Jehovah’s will. (Heb.
10:10) This great spiritual temple is the
arrangement Jehovah has made so that
we, through our faith in Jesus’ ransom
sacrifice, can approach God acceptably.
How do we worship there? By praying
“with true hearts in the full assurance
of faith”; by declaring our hope publicly
without wavering; and by considering,
inciting, and encouraging fellow worshippers
when we assemble together
at our congregation meetings and during
family worship. (Heb. 10:22-25) Appreciation
for the arrangement of true
worship fortifies us in these critical last
days.
COMMENTS
Huh….remember David was not allowed to build the temple. And why?
(1 Chronicles 22:8) . . .But Jehovah’s word came against me, saying, ‘Blood in great quantity you have spilled, and great wars you have waged. You will not build a house to my name, for a great deal of blood you have spilled on the earth before me. . .
So it was killing soldiers in war…not the murder of Uriah that was so bad?
Temple arrangement—only through the WTS and as baptized jws
8 Earth wide, Jehovah’s faithful servants
are increasing their share in the
ministry, learning new languages, and
moving to areas where the need for
Kingdom preachers is greater. Their actions
reveal that they, like the psalmist,
have but one thing to ask of Jehovah.
They want to enjoy the pleasantness
of Jehovah and to participate in sacred
service no matter what happens.—Read
Psalm 27:6.
COMMENTS
Jehovah’s faithful servants = only jws
So have they moved to China and Muslim countries where the need is greatest?
Where is Jesus in their picture?
TRUST IN GOD’S HELP
9, 10. What is the meaning of the assurance
given at Psalm 27:10?
9 David forcefully articulates his trust
in Jehovah’s help by saying: “In case
my own father and my own mother did
leave me, even Jehovah himself would
take me up.” (Ps. 27:10) We may conclude
from the events mentioned in
1 Samuel chapter 22 that David’s parents
did not abandon him. However,
many today have had to endure extreme
rejection by their family. Yet, many thus
forsaken have found help and protection
in the warmth of the Christian congregation.
COMMENTS
Remember David supposedly had personal conversations with God (see scripture above), personal physical protection from God, even to the point that God stepped in and personally handled David’s “judicial committee” and David was “privately reproved” rather than executed as the Law stated for adultery and murder. So why did David warrant special handling and not the rest of the Israelites guilty of adultery and murder? Is that how the ransom will be applied?
10 Since Jehovah is ready to support
his servants when others desert them,
would he not also sustain them during
any other sort of tribulation? If, for instance,
we are concerned about how to
provide materially for our family, can
we not be certain that Jehovah will help
us? (Heb. 13:5, 6) He understands the
circumstances and needs of all his loyal
servants.
COMMENTS
So how does God help jws today?
From other jws? How many times did you receive such “help” or see others or help others? Was it the rule or the exception? So how many times did you or others find a purse full of money and receive a reward?
11. What impact can our trust in Jehovah have
on others? Illustrate.
11 Consider the case of Victoria, a Bible
student in Liberia. As she progressed
toward baptism, the man she
was living with left her and her three
children. Despite being homeless and
jobless, she continued to make spiritual
progress. After Victoria’s baptism, her
13-year-old daughter discovered a purse
full of money. In order to avoid temptation,
they decided not even to count
the money. Instead, they quickly contacted
the soldier to whom the purse
belonged. He told them that if all people were
as honest as Jehovah’s Witnesses,
the whole world would be better and
more peaceful. From the Bible, Victoria
showed the soldier Jehovah’s promise of
a new world. Impressed with her integrity,
the soldier gave Victoria a considerable
reward from the recovered funds.
Indeed, implicit faith in Jehovah’s ability
to provide has given Jehovah’s Witnesses
an impeccable reputation for honesty.
COMMENTS
How many cases of non-jws have you read who found money and returned it? I have seen several. This implies that only jws are honest. Yet I have known of accounts servants that dipped into the congregation funds, jws that cheated other jws out of money, jw employers that did not pay their jw employees employment taxes, etc.
Non-jws
jws
http://jwemployees.bravehost.com/NewsReports/2016.html
12. What do we demonstrate when we continue
to serve Jehovah despite suffering material
loss? Illustrate.
12 Or imagine how Thomas, an unbaptized
publisher in Sierra Leone,
must have felt. He started working as
a teacher in a secondary school, but he
could not receive his salary for nearly
one year until the paperwork was final.
What was the last requirement Thomas
had to meet before receiving his salary
and back pay? An interview with
the school administrator—a priest. The
priest explained that the beliefs of Jehovah’s
Witnesses were not compatible
with those of the institute. He insisted
that Thomas choose between his job and
his Bible-based beliefs. Quitting that
job and forfeiting nearly a year’s salary,
Thomas found other work, repairing radios
and mobile phones. As this and numerous
similar examples show, fear of
privation may be the object of other people’s
dread, but it is no match for our
well-founded trust in the Creator of all
things and Protector of his people.
COMMENTS
So Thomas was an unbaptized publisher but neither he, the jw that studied with him, or anyone else in his congregation realized and told him that he could not work for a religious organization, for a year? Why could he not get a job as a teacher in a non-religious organization.
So if jws should not fear or plan for privation, they should not save money but give it all to the WTS?
That they should not take out insurance but give the money to the WTS and believe that God will provide?
13. How is the Kingdom-preaching work progressing
in lands where material resources are
scarce?
13 In a number of lands where living
conditions are challenging, Kingdom
proclaimers are often markedly active.
Why is this? One branch office writes:
“Many householders accepting Bible
studies are unemployed and therefore
have more time to study during the day.
Brothers also have more time to preach.
People, especially in the worst-hit areas,
do not have to be told that we are living
in the last days; they see the conditions
all around them.” A missionary serving
for over 12 years in a land where every
publisher conducts, on average, more
than three Bible studies writes: “Since
many of the publishers have a simple
lifestyle with few distractions, they generally
have more time for the field ministry
and Bible study work.”
COMMENTS
Markedly active, but not seeking work or food….with their “spare” time they are instead promoting the WT agenda door to door presenting their magazines as the solution to problems not the bible.
*** km 8/11 p.8 Sa mple Presentations***
To start Bible studies on the first Saturday in September
“People of different nationalities and faiths pray every day. Do you think God listens to and answers all prayers?” Allow for response. Then hand him a copy of the September 1 Watchtower, and consider together the material under the first subheading on page 16 and at least one of the cited scriptures.Offer the magazines, and arrange to return to discuss the next question.
So what about people who are working hard; are they deficient because they don’t have that kind of time? Are these people receiving unemployment; are they diligently looking for work? What about the elders in your current or old congregation…how many had jobs that took up a great deal of their time…did they quit? In one congregation, there were 3 elders who traveled on the road during the week, no meetings at the congregation they attended except on Sunday. Who handled their duties or covered the responsibilities during the week? Or the elders I knew on the 3-11 shift in one neighboring town who actually formed a congregation for those with that schedule.
14. In what ways can the great crowd enjoy divine
protection?
14 Jehovah has promised to help, protect,
and deliver his people, as a group,
Do we see economic hardship as an opportunity
to expand our ministry?
physically and spiritually, and we trust
in him. (Ps. 37:28; 91:1-3) The crowd
that survive “the great tribulation” must
indeed be great. (Rev. 7:9, 14) Thus
that crowd, as a group, will be shielded
from extinction throughout the remainder
of the last days. They will be
supplied with everything they need to
endure trials and to safeguard their relationship
with Jehovah. And throughout
the final phase of the great tribulation,
Jehovah will protect his people .
COMMENTS
Protect…as a group
So what is economic hardship, sleeping on the street, no food, no medical care, going everywhere on foot, one set of clothes, no access to baths/showers?
“INSTRUCT ME, O JEHOVAH, IN YOUR WAY”
15, 16. How do we benefit when we heed divine
instruction? Illustrate.
15 To remain courageous, we need ongoing
instruction in God’s way. This is
evident from David’s plea: “Instruct me,
O Jehovah, in your way, and lead me in
the path of uprightness on account of
my foes.” (Ps. 27:11) Acting in harmony
with this prayer means paying careful
attention to any Bible-based direction
that we receive through Jehovah’s
organization and applying it at once.
Many who have rid themselves of needless
debt can testify that applying wise
counsel to simplify their life has benefited
them during the recent economic
crises. Rather than finding themselves
burdened with possessions they can no
longer afford, they are free to expand
their ministry. Each of us does well to
ask himself, ‘Do I immediately apply
everything I read in the Bible and in the
publications of the faithful and discreet
slave class, even when it requires making
personal sacrifices?’—Matt. 24:45.
COMMENTS
So how carefully did David listen to the bible-based direction in the Law regarding adultery and murder?
So, don’t make sure of all things?
(Philippians 1:9,10) And this is what I continue praying, that YOUR love may abound yet more and more with accurate knowledge and full discernment; that YOU may make sure of the more important things, so that YOU may be flawless . . .
What does the WTS think are “possessions they can no longer afford”?
Do I immediately apply
everything I read in the Bible and in the
publications of the faithful and discreet
slave class, even when it requires making
personal sacrifices? ’
WTS publications = bible
*** w94 10/1 p.8***CHANNEL TO UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE
JESUS assured us that after his death and resurrection, he would raise up a “faithful and discreet slave” that would serve as his channel of communication. (Matthew 24:45-47) The apostle Paul identified this channel to the Ephesian Christians when he wrote that “there might be made known through the congregation the greatly diversified wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose that he formed in connection with the Christ, Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3:10, 11) It was the congregation of anointed Christians, born at Pentecost 33 C.E., that was entrusted with the “things revealed.” (Deuteronomy 29:29) As a group, anointed Christians serve as the faithful and discreet slave. (Luke 12:42-44) Their appointed assignment from God is to provide spiritual understanding of the “things revealed.”
Even as Bible prophecy pointed forward to the Messiah, it also directs us to the close-knit body of anointed Christian Witnesses that now serve as the faithful and discreet slave. It helps us to understand the Word of God. All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the “greatly diversified wisdom of God” can become known only through Jehovah’s channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave.—John 6:68.
16 By allowing Jehovah to instruct us
and lead us in the path of uprightness,
we will have no cause for fear. When a
regular pioneer in the United States applied
for a job that would help him to
keep his entire family in full-time service,
his supervisor told him that he
would never get that position without
a college degree. Had this happened
to you, would you have regretted pursuing
full-time service to the exclusion
of seeking higher education? Two weeks
later, that supervisor’s employment was
terminated, and another manager asked
the brother about his goals. He readily
explained that he and his wife were fulltime
ministers of Jehovah’s Witnesses
and wanted to continue as such. Before
the brother could say anything else, the
manager said: “I knew there was something
different about you! When my father
was on his deathbed, two of your
fellow believers came and read the Bible
to him every day. I promised myself
that if I ever had an opportunity to help
one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I would do
it.” The next morning, this brother was
given the very job that the former director
had refused to give him. Indeed,
when we put Kingdom interests first in
our life, Jehovah lives up to his assurance
that we will not go without material
necessities.—Matt. 6:33.
COMMENTS
So when did this story take place, last year or 20 years ago. The WTS is not beneath using “experiences” that are old.
The WTS never has to confirm their experiences and I have seen how they “massage” them. So why help this family and not others who need just the food for the day? Do only pioneers have miracle experiences?
FAITH AND HOPE ESSENTIAL
17. What will enable us to face the future with
confidence?
17 David next underscores the necessity
of faith and hope by saying: “If I
had not had faith in seeing the goodness
of Jehovah in the land of those alive—!”
(Ps. 27:13) Indeed, where would we be
without our God-given hope and our appreciation
for the things discussed in
Psalm 27! May we, then, continue to
pray confidently for strength and deliverance
as we face the events leading up
to Armageddon.—Read Psalm 27:14.
COMMENTS
So did David see the goodness of God towards Uriah or the 70,000 who died because of David’s census sin?
*** w69 3/15 p.191***
As a punishment for this sin Jehovah brought three days of pestilence that killed 70,000 Israelites. (2 Sam. 24:12-16) Was that unjust? Were 70,000 innocent people dying for the king’s error? The Bible plainly shows that we all are sinners deserving of death; it is only by God’s undeserved kindness that we live. (Rom. 3:23; 6:23; Lam. 3:22, 23) So those who died had no special “right” to life. Additionally, can any human today say for sure that those 70,000 were not guilty of some serious sin not mentioned in the historical record?
Can jws expect the deliverance David received in light of previous statements above about individual protection?
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
Dread—just leading people away from the true point: DO MORE, be content with less, do everything the WTS says as if God was saying it, and immediately.
NEXT WEEK, “One Jehovah” Gathers His Family.
Love, Blondie