Flee to the Mountains......What Mountains?

by liam 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  liam

  May 2025 Study Article 21 Seek the City that will remain.

  What I remember was, When you see the Romans, flee to the Mountains. Now the WT is saying that's not enough. We need to know WHICH MOUNTAINS. The only way to know which mountains is the same way first Century Christians figured out which mountains to flee to.. Which is..............By trusting Those taking the lead, The Faithful and Discreet Slave/and elders
  

  8 A few years after receiving Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, Christians saw the Roman armies surround the city of Jerusalem. That signaled the time for them to flee; the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed.But where would their flight lead them? Jesus had simply said: “Let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains.” There were many mountains in the region. So in what direction would they flee?

  9 Consider some of the mountains to which Christians could have fled: the mountains of Samaria, the mountains in Galilee, Mount Hermon and the mountains of Lebanon, and the mountains across the Jordan. (See map.) Some of the cities in those mountainous areas may have appeared to be safe havens. The city of Gamla, for example, was situated on the rough ridge of a high mountain and was extremely difficult to reach. Some Jews viewed that city as an ideal place of refuge. However, Gamla became the site of a vicious battle between the Jews and the Romans, and many of its inhabitants died. b

  10 It appears that Jehovah guided the Christians by means of those who were taking the lead in the congregation. Historian Eusebius later wrote: “The people of the congregation in Jerusalem, by divine providence, received a revelation given to approved men; they were commanded . . . to migrate from the city before the war and to settle in a certain city of Perea called Pella.” Pella seems to have been an ideal choice. It was not far from Jerusalem, making it relatively easy to reach. It was primarily a Gentile city and for the most part unaffected by the fanatical Jewish freedom fighters and their battles with the Romans.​—See map.

  11 The Christians who fled to the mountains applied Paul’s counsel to “be obedient to those who are taking the lead” in the congregation. ) As a result, God’s people survived. History confirms that God did not abandon those “awaiting the city having real foundations”​—God’s Kingdom.​

  13 For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, “those . . . taking the lead” gave needed direction. The elders received instructions for meeting the spiritual needs of their brothers and sisters. Shortly after the outbreak of the pandemic, we held a landmark convention in more than 500 languages via Internet, TV, and radio. The flow of spiritual food did not stop. As a result, we remained united. We can be confident that no matter what trials we may face in the future, Jehovah will continue to help those taking the lead to determine the wise course to take. Besides trust in Jehovah and obedience to his commands, what other qualities will help us to prepare for the great tribulation and to act wisely during that earthshaking period?

  PS, Let me know if we are not supposed to post WT stuff.
  

  https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/1ityyna/obey_obey_obey_the_gb_new_watchtower_now_claims/

  https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-may-2025/Seek-the-City-That-Will-Remain/
• 

  Duran

  13 For example, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, “those . . . taking the lead” gave needed direction.

  From what I saw/heard is that everything the WTS/GB said during that time is to do all the CDC and WHO said to do. Stay home, wear mask, take vax shot, etc.

  If that is the case, then those who were taking the lead at that time were 'worldly government agencies'. That's who was directing JWs. So I guess the same is to be expected during the GT... listen and obey the 'worldly government agencies'.
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  liam

  The first paragraph makes this statement: *"*A FEW days before his death, Jesus Christ gave a detailed prophecy that had its first fulfillment during the last days of the Jewish system of things." They then proceed to claim that that detailed prophecy was still not sufficient.

  Even granting that they received additional revelations, the issue is would that translate to absolutely obeying any instruction at all from those taking the lead - e.g suppose they instructed then to flee to the valleys instead of the mountains.
  
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  Vanderhoven7

  Absolutely clear that the GB does not know how to interpret scripture. The GT of Matthew 24 occurred and terminated in the first century with the destruction of Jerusalem. The GT was a non-repeatable local event affecting "this people" inhabiting Judea and Jerusalem.

  To make it a dual prophecy, is to make Jesus speaking simultaneously, literally to His generation of believers and figuratively to ours. And we are left trying to figure out what praying our flight will not be in winter or on a Sabbath means. And what Jerusalem and Judea means and what the mountains mean and what not going home to pick up your jacket when roofing means...etc.

  That there is not a Bible Scholar among them is obvious.
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  Duran

  To make it a dual prophecy, is to make Jesus speaking simultaneously, literally to His generation of believers and figuratively to ours. And we are left trying to figure out what praying our flight will not be in winter or on a Sabbath means. And what Jerusalem and Judea means and what the mountains mean and what not going home to pick up your jacket when roofing means...etc.

  It does have a future application according to the Bible. But the parts that you are referring to do not apply.

  [ 21 for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.]

  = Rev 17:13; 13:5,7,10;14:6,7,9-12;7:9,13,14;20:4;19:20,21 Here
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  Duran

  LOL

  It's funny to see a down vote based on showing what the Bible actually says.

  I don't care if you believe the Bible or not. Chances are it is all BS, but regardless, it says what it says and states of those coming out of the GT, which is the time during the MOTB period. Obviously that time has not come yet so that shows the GT is still future.

  [9 After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands...13 In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” 14 So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.]
• 

  Listener

  10. It appears that Jehovah guided the Christians by means of those who were taking the lead in the congregation. Historian Eusebius later wrote: “The people of the congregation in Jerusalem, by divine providence, received a revelation given to approved men; they were commanded . . . to migrate from the city before the war and to settle in a certain city of Perea called Pella.”

  This is speculation by the Watchtower, again.

  If this is true then the prophecy was not fulfilled in accordance to what Jesus said. They are taking his prophecy and expanding on it when there is no instruction to do so. If it was necessary, we would have been given more details (I.e, that they would be led to a safe city).

  The command was to ‘flee to the mountains’. It was not one specific place that they were directed to flee to, it was not one mountain, it was ‘mountains’. Paella is not a mountain either and therefore falls outside of this prophecy.

  The inspired instruction was to ‘flee to the mountains’. What occurred in regards to any settlements after they did so is not recorded in the Bible and therefore irrelevant. The Watchtower is going beyond what Is written and have no authority to claim that they will have instructions that are life saving.
  
  
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  ukpimo

  This is one of the most ridiculous articles I have read recently. The wording is charged with speculation. The idea that Jesus didn't provide specific direction as to where to go, and years later elders in first century congregations decided how to direct the Christians to safety is such an ingenious ploy by Watchtower. Why?

  Because Watchtower knows that when they give "direction" that never makes sense, they will gradually move the goalpost or change approach so as to make their decisions more believable. More importantly, Watchtower is still holding to the key scriptural interpretation they use "the light gets brighter". I call utter BS on this article. How dare they even suggest that Jesus' sayings aren't enough!
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  Mikejw

  Everyone should make a point of answering up paragraph 13 “ Jehovah protected his people he made it so clear not to believe the conspiracy theories that the vaccine was not safe, we are all so pleased we could trust the vaccines when so many were saying not to”

  this should wake up everyone in the congregation
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  menrov

  every generation believes that a prophesy applies to them. It is an ever lasting practice. Who know, one day a generation might be correct.