Divine interpretation…through a human channel ??

by MacHislopp 5 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • MacHislopp
    MacHislopp

    Hello everyone,

    please take note of these claims from the WTBS Inc.

    1st°°°

    *** w50 7/15 214 Organized Testimony to the New World ***

    Jehovah’s Word is not of private human interpretation. He is his own Interpreter. He causes light to be shed on one Scripture text by others elsewhere in the Bible bearing on the same subject.

    He also brings to pass the fulfillment of Bible prophecies by definite events and then he calls the attention of his witnesses to such fulfillments in clarification of prophecy.

    He has appointed Christ Jesus the Head of his visible organization and his associate interpreter for the organization, “an interpreter, one among a thousand.” (Job 33:23)

    So Jehovah’s visible organization under Christ is a channel for bringing the divine interpretation of his Word to his devoted people.

    What then? An organizational instrument must be provided to help all lovers of truth and life to gain a progressive understanding of God’s Word and for freeing themselves from all the confusing, faith-destroying religious doctrines and creeds of Christendom.

    Such an educational instrument this journal The Watchtower was meant to be and has proved to be. Not fettered by any man-made religious creed, it has been free to advance in the truth as the divine Interpreter has led the way by Jesus Christ.

    2th°°°

    *** w52 2/1 79-82 Jehovah's Theocratic Organization Today *** POINTS TO APPRECIATE

    10 Jehovah God deals with his people as a servant class. He does not feed each one individually nor does he appoint an individual over them. No individual student of God’s Word reveals God’s will or interprets His Word. (2 Pet. 1:20, 21) God interprets and teaches, through Christ the Chief Servant, who in turn uses the discreet slave as the visible channel, the visible theocratic organization. David approached God through the priestly organization represented by Abiathar, who had the ephod; and a servant of today must likewise look to God’s visible organization for spiritual food that is timely and for directions in Kingdom service. (1 Sam. 23:6, 9-11; 30:7, 8) Just as is shown in the illustration of the talents where different amounts were committed to different individual slaves on the basis of their abilities, so the domestics are assigned service privileges on the basis of their abilities and devotion and readiness to submit and conform to the leadings of the holy spirit. Jehovah through Christ sets the domestics in their service positions in the discreet-slave body.—1 Cor. 12:18.

    11 We must show our understanding in these matters, appreciating our relationship to the visible theocratic organization, remembering the fate of those like Korah and Achan and Saul and Uzziah and others who forgot the theocratic order. Are we assigned as individuals to bring forth the food for the spiritual table? No? Then let us not try to take over the slave’s duties. We should eat and digest and assimilate what is set before us, without shying away from parts of the food because it may not suit the fancy of our mental taste. The truths we are to publish are the ones provided through the discreet-slave organization, not some personal opinions contrary to what the slave has provided as timely food. Jehovah and Christ direct and correct the slave as needed, not we as individuals. If we do not see a point at first we should keep trying to grasp it, rather than opposing and rejecting it and presumptuously taking the position that we are more likely to be right than the discreet slave. We should meekly go along with the Lord’s theocratic organization and wait for further clarification, rather than balk at the first mention of a thought unpalatable to us and proceed to quibble and mouth our criticisms and opinions as though they were worth more than the slave’s provision of spiritual food. Theocratic ones will appreciate the Lord’s visible organization and not be so foolish as to pit against Jehovah’s channel their own human reasoning and sentiment and personal feelings.

    3rd°°°

    *** w52 4/15 253 Aids for Understanding Prophecy ***

    19 When may prophecies be understood? The Lord said to Daniel, “O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end.” (Dan. 12:4, AS)

    This indicates that the further fulfillments of the prophecies are sealed until the physical facts appear that begin to fulfill them.

    So the rule seems to be reasonable and certain that prophecies cannot be understood until they are in the course of fulfillment or until they have been fulfilled.

    Jehovah as the great Interpreter makes known the meaning of his revelations in his due time, and speculation by men cannot bring to light the true meaning of prophecy before time.

    Jehovah has provided a channel, the “faithful and discreet slave” class, who are given spiritual “food at the proper time”, and this spiritual food includes among other things the understandings of the prophecies in the course of their fulfillments. (Matt. 24:45, NW) Jehovah’s witnesses themselves are not nor can they be interpreters of prophecies. But as fast as the “superior authorities” Jehovah and Christ Jesus reveal the interpretations through their provided channel that fast do God’s people publish them the world over to strengthen the faith of all lovers of righteousness.

    I do believe all this is very clear.

    Btw, remember that all these texts i.e. "Watchtowers" articles

    from 1950 to 1969, are NOT avalaible anymore, in theSociety's

    new 2001 CD ! So to be able to prove the existence of any of those articles (w 1950-1969 ) hold to the previous edition of the CD's (1999, 1995 ).

    Greetings, J.C. MacHislopp

  • greven
    greven
    Btw, remember that all these texts i.e. "Watchtowers" articles

    from 1950 to 1969, are NOT avalaible anymore, in theSociety's
    new 2001 CD !

    Hmm, strange...I think it proved to harmful to the avarage jw prowling in these older mags...funny thing is they never were included in the dutch version of the WTCD 1999. That's why I needed the english one because it had 20 years more material.

    Thanx,

    Greven

  • greven
    greven

    Some more juicy stuff from these years:

    *** w55 5/15 305 Jehovah's Channel of Communication ***
    For supernatural communications that reach the earth, the agent (generally a human, although once the ass of Balaam was used) is referred to Biblically as a prophet if he is a male servant of God or a prophetess if a woman. The prophet, in turn, speaks out the communication as God’s spokesman on earth. He publishes it to the many whom God intends to hear it if other than a single person is being specifically addressed. The prophet then becomes the immediate earthly channel through which the waters of lifegiving truth are conveyed to earth’s thirsting residents. Thus Jehovah’s earthly channel of communication is identified. The earthly channel is either a prophet or a collective prophetlike organization.

    *** w58 7/1 406 Studying with a Purpose ***
    The Watchtower
    is written to upbuild and bless. This is the best entertainment one can find—good reading. It does not compete with nor is it like any other religious magazine. It does not provide some man’s opinion, because what is said is based on a Greater One’s thought. An understanding of Jehovah’s Word is a gift from God and the best help today to the earnest seeker for truth.

    *** w58 8/15 487 The Watch Tower Society in God's Purpose ***
    The facts show that Jehovah God is using the Watch Tower Society
    to make known the facts about the vindication of his name, regarding Armageddon and concerning his established kingdom for which all Christians have been praying.

    *** w64 5/1 277-8 Building a Firm Foundation in Christ ***
    It is through the columns of The Watchtower that Jehovah provides direction
    and constant Scriptural counsel to his people, and it requires careful study and attention to details in order to apply this information, to get a full understanding of the principles involved, and to assure ourselves of right thinking on these matters. It is in this way that we "are thoroughly able to grasp mentally with all the holy ones" the fullness of our commission and of the preaching responsibility that Jehovah has placed on all Christians as footstep followers of his Son. Any other course would produce independent thinking and cause division.

    *** w59 10/1 608 Questions from Readers ***With these things in mind, we encourage all who seek the Bible truth to see the prime necessity of the possession of the holy spirit on the part of those who are responsible for the material that goes into the publications of our Society. The evidence of the holy spirit in the quality and content of the writings published by the Watch Tower Society should be the thing that satisfies, that convinces, together with a comparison of these things with the inspired Word of God, the Holy Scriptures.

    *** w60 7/15 439 Staying Awake with the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" ***Abundant spiritual food and amazing details as to the doing of God’s will have been flowing through this unique channel actually as a miraculous evidence of the operation of holy spirit.

    *** w60 7/15 439 Staying Awake with the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" ***The present stature of the New World society of Jehovah’s witnesses, numbering nearly a million ministers in 175 lands, gives eloquent testimony that it is not the product of human ingenuity. Rather, it is the product of holy spirit operating theocratically through a tested channel, influencing the lives of dedicated men and women in all walks of life.—Zech. 4:6.

    *** w55 5/15 315 Christian Channel of Communication ***Tenth, the congregation of Christ must today follow its first-century pattern by receiving progressive understandings of Bible prophecies which unfold further majestic purposes of the Living God and which new light of truth must be published impartially the world over by God’s prophetlike organization. Only the remnant of Jehovah’s anointed witnesses and their companions "do not treat prophesying with contempt" but publish their fulfillments as they become clear, in their Bible publications.—1 Thess. 5:20; Rev. 11:3, 4, NW.

    *** w59 10/1 601-2 Part 23: "Your Will Be Done on Earth" ***This Resolution was adopted by congregations of Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the earth. The announcement in the Watchtower magazine of October 15, 1932, at the end of 2,300 evenings and mornings was the official notification made by Jehovah through his visible channel of communication that his sanctuary of anointed "living stones" had been cleansed, vindicated and justified.

    *** w60 7/15 439 Staying Awake with the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" ***Again the awake world-watchman, the "slave" class, must undertake another world educational campaign following their restoration as witnesses after 1919. Such a global work has now been under way for more than forty years and is reaching its fruitful culmination. The facts show that during this time and up to the present hour the "slave" class has served as God’s sole collective channel for the flow of Biblical truth to men on earth. Just as the early Christian congregation collectively served as the channel of communication from heaven to earth, so in our time. (Eph. 3:10)

    *** w57 6/15 370 Overseers of Jehovah's People ***Yes, particularly since 1919 has it been true that he has appointed the collective body of the anointed remnant over all the visible interests of the Kingdom. The "slave" then became responsible not only for ministering to the needs of the anointed body members but also for taking on the responsibility of preaching the good news of the established Kingdom to people of all nations. (Matt. 24:14) Such is true not by their determination of it, but because God himself has so directed. "God has set the members in the body, each one of them, just as he pleased," is the way it is pictured in 1 Corinthians 12:18 (NW). It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the "slave" as we would to the voice of God, because it is His provision.

    Greven

  • cyberguy
    cyberguy

    Btw, remember that all these texts i.e. "Watchtowers" articles

    from 1950 to 1969, are NOT avalaible anymore, in theSociety's

    new 2001 CD !

    I just checked my 2001 CD and my copy does have the Watcthwer articles from 1950-1969. The Awakes start in 1970. Is your copy a prerelease or are there multiple versions out there?

    Thank you otherwise for your insightful posts, J.C.M.

  • MacHislopp
    MacHislopp

    Hello everyone,

    Greven: thanks for the comments and the precious additions!

    Cyberguy: thanks to you too. Btw, I did make a mistake:

    the CD - English version - does have the w 1950-1969!

    Some other languages do begin the w. from the year 1970.-

    Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp

  • Gerard
    Gerard

    WT a human channel...it is remarkably similar to VooDoo!

    Thanks, I'll pass.

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