May you all have peace... (and this change is not SO frightening, I guess - ).
I was talking to a dear friend the other day and he told/showed me a MARVELOUS thing. It was one I already knew... as do many of you... but have forgotten. In the great "debate" over what type of person God is... many form their opinions... and many others base their perceptions on such opinions. And with regard to God... and the kind of "person" He is... it is not always "pretty."
"God is this"... "God is that..." "He is this kind of person because"... "He is that kind of person because..."
Okay, yeah, yeah, you might say, so what? Well, what kind of person does GOD say God is? Does He in fact describe Himself and TELL us what His attributes are? He certainly does, and it is NOT what we have been misled by the WTBTS to be (power, justice, wisdom and love). Not exactly, although such things can be summed up in God's description of Himself, which description can be found at:
Exodus 34:6-7
I am compelled to point out, however, what is meant by the part where JAH (God) says He will bring punishment "against those not keeping His commandments" and "those not loving" Him (those hating Him). This is NOT as "christianty" has taught us... that His "commandments" are the Ten Commandments... for those were for those who walk by flesh. Walk by flesh, and you are bound by the Law Covenant... a Law for the flesh. Those who obey His commandments are those who LOVE... God and neighbor... just as commanded by God... through His Son. For upon those two "commandments" the whole Law hangs.
The other thing we see here, however, is God's mercy... for although "unchanging"... He in fact CHANGED this decree... bringing punishment upon the sons... due to His loving kindness. It was not hard-heartedness that brought such threat of punishment about anyway, but rather some type of way to instill fear... in a hard-headed, stiff-necked people. Many may cry "foul", here, but if you're a parent, then you know quite well that even you have resorted to "scare" tactics... when it seemed that nothing else would work... and you truly hoped you would NEVER have to carry the threat out. But sometimes... you were left with no choice: you've warned the child, but to NO avail, and thus are left pretty much with NO choice, other than to let them continue on their harmful course, not necessarily to their own detriment, but certainly to the detriment of others in the household. And you simply could not let that occur, even though your heart broke to mete out such punishment.
Anyway, I would ask YOU then, just as YOU would wish those who don't know YOU... to ask YOU what YOU are about, what kind of person YOU are, what YOU truly think and believe and desire... rather than assume and presume as to what YOU think and feel... those who understand the words "if you want to know something about me, don't ask my neighbors; ask me"... to grant the Holy One of Israel the SAME consideration that you wish done to YOU... to do unto HIM as you would have done unto YOU... and "hear" what HE says about Himself and the kind of person He is.
For those of you who truly wish it, may the undeserved kindness and mercy of my God and Father, the Holy One of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, whose name is JAH... of Armies... and the peace of His Son and Christ, my Lord, JAHESHUA MISCHAJAH... be upon you... if you indeed so wish it.
A slave of Christ,
SJ