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ozziepost

Geoffrey Jackson is an Australian
Things will never be the same again!
RichieRich

*** w92 4/15 pp. 12-17 Jehovah’s Provision, the "Given Ones" ***
Jehovah’s
Provision, the "Given Ones"
"Strangers will actually stand and shepherd the flocks of you people."—ISAIAH 61:5.
WHAT a generous giver God is! The apostle Paul said: "[Jehovah] himself gives to all persons life and breath and all things." (Acts 17:25) Each of us can benefit from reflecting on the many ‘good gifts and perfect presents’ that we receive from God.—James 1:5, 17; Psalm 29:11; Matthew 7:7; 10:19; 13:12; 21:43.
2
With good reason the psalmist wondered how he might repay Jehovah. (Psalm 116:12) Our Creator does not really need anything that humans might have or could give. (Psalm 50:10, 12) Jehovah indicates, though, that it pleases him when people appreciatively give of themselves in true worship. (Compare Hebrews 10:5-7.) All humans should give of themselves in dedication to their Creator who, in turn, may extend added privileges, as was the case with the ancient Levites. Though all Israelites were dedicated to God, he chose the Levitical family of Aaron as priests to offer sacrifices at the tabernacle and the temple. What about the rest of the Levites?
3
Jehovah told Moses: "Bring the tribe of Levi near . . . And they must take care of all the utensils of the tent of meeting . . . And you must give the Levites to Aaron and his sons. They are given ones [Hebrew, nethu·nim´], given to him from the sons of Israel." (Numbers 3:6, 8, 9, 41) The Levites were "given" to Aaron to carry out duties in tabernacle service, so God could say: "They are given ones, given to me from among the sons of Israel." (Numbers 8:16, 19; 18:6) Some Levites performed simple tasks; others received outstanding privileges, such as teaching God’s laws. (Numbers 1:50, 51; 1 Chronicles 6:48; 23:3, 4, 24-32; 2 Chronicles 35:3-5) Let us now shift our consideration to another "given" people and a modern parallel.
Israelites
Return From Babylon
4
Ezra and Nehemiah relate how a remnant of Israelites, led by Governor Zerubbabel, returned from Babylon to their land, to restore true worship. Both accounts report that these returnees totaled 42,360. Thousands of that number were "men of the people of Israel." The accounts next list the priests. Then come about 350 Levites, including Levitical singers and gatekeepers. Ezra and Nehemiah write also of additional thousands who were apparently Israelites, maybe even priests, but who could not prove their genealogy.—Ezra 1:1, 2; 2:2-42, 59-64; Nehemiah 7:7-45, 61-66.
5
This remnant of Israel taken into exile and who later returned to Jerusalem and to Judah displayed outstanding devotion to God and deep commitment to true worship. As noted, we see in modern times a fitting correspondency in the remnant of spiritual Israel who came out of captivity to Babylon the Great in 1919.
6
Since their release in 1919, the remnant of Christ’s anointed brothers have moved zealously forward in true worship. Jehovah has blessed their efforts to gather the final ones of the 144,000 making up "the Israel of God." (Galatians 6:16; Revelation 7:3, 4) As a group, the anointed remnant constitute "the faithful and discreet slave" class used to provide an abundance of life-giving spiritual food, which they have worked hard to distribute earth wide.—Matthew 24:45-47.
7
As the preceding article showed, Jehovah’s people now include millions of "other sheep," who have the God-given hope of passing through the great tribulation just ahead. They desire to serve Jehovah forever on earth, where they will hunger and thirst no more and where tears of sadness will no longer flow. (John 10:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 21:3-5) Do we find in the account of the returnees from Babylon anything corresponding to such ones? Yes!
Non-Israelites
Also Return
8
When the call went out for lovers of Jehovah in Babylon to return to the Promised Land, thousands of non-Israelites responded. In the lists provided by Ezra and Nehemiah, we read of the "Nethinim" (meaning, "Given Ones") and "the sons of the servants of Solomon," whose combined number was 392. The accounts mention also more than 7,500 others: ‘men slaves and slave girls,’ as well as non-Levite "male singers and female singers." (Ezra 2:43-58, 65; Nehemiah 7:46-60, 67) What moved so many non-Israelites to return?
9
Ezra 1:5 speaks of "everyone whose spirit the true God had roused, to go up and rebuild the house of Jehovah." Yes, Jehovah moved all those who returned. He stimulated their spirit, that is, their impelling mental inclination. Even from the heavens, God could do this by using his holy spirit, his active force. Thus, all who rose "to go up and rebuild the house of Jehovah" were helped "by [God’s] spirit."—Zechariah 4:1, 6; Haggai 1:14.
A
Modern-Day Parallel
10
Who are foreshadowed by such non-Israelite returnees? Many Christians might reply: ‘The Nethinim correspond to the "other sheep" today.’ True, but not just the Nethinim; for all the non-Israelites who returned represent Christians today who are not of spiritual Israel.
11
The book You May Survive Armageddon Into God’s New World observed: "The remnant of 42,360 Israelites were not the only ones that left Babylon with governor Zerubbabel . . . There were thousands of non-Israelites . . . Besides the Nethinim there were other non-Israelites, the slaves, the professional male and female singers and the descendants of the servants of King Solomon." The book explained: "The Nethinim, the slaves, the singers and the sons of the servants of Solomon, all non-Israelites, left the land of captivity and returned with the Israelite remnant . . . So is it right to think that today people of different nationalities who are not spiritual Israelites would associate themselves with the remnant of spiritual Israel and promote the worship of Jehovah God with them? Yes." Such ones ‘have become modern-day, antitypical Nethinim, singers, and sons of the servants of Solomon.’
12
As in the ancient pattern, God provides his spirit also for these hoping to live forever on earth. True, they are not born again. Each of the 144,000 has the singular experience of being born again as a spiritual son of God and anointed with holy spirit. (John 3:3, 5; Romans 8:16; Ephesians 1:13, 14) Of course, that anointing is a unique manifestation of God’s spirit in behalf of the little flock. But God’s spirit is also needed to carry out his will. Hence, Jesus said: ‘The Father in heaven gives holy spirit to those asking him.’ (Luke 11:13) Whether the one asking has the heavenly hope or is of the other sheep, Jehovah’s spirit is abundantly available to carry out His will.
13
God’s spirit moved both Israelites and non-Israelites to return to Jerusalem, and it strengthens and helps all of his loyal people today. Whether a Christian’s God-provided hope is life in heaven or life on earth, he must preach the good news, and holy spirit enables him to be faithful in that. Every one of us—whichever our hope—ought to cultivate the fruits of the spirit, which all of us need in full measure.—Galatians 5:22-26.
Given
for Special Service
14
Among the thousands of non-Israelites that the spirit moved to return were two small groups that God’s Word singled out—the Nethinim and the sons of the servants of Solomon. Who were they? What did they do? And what might this mean today?
15
The Nethinim were a group who had non-Israelite origins and who were privileged to minister with the Levites. Recall the Canaanites from Gibeon who became "gatherers of wood and drawers of water for the assembly and for Jehovah’s altar." (Joshua 9:27) Probably some of their descendants were among the Nethinim returning from Babylon, as well as others who had been added as Nethinim during David’s reign and at other times. (Ezra 8:20) What did the Nethinim do? The Levites were given to help the priests, and thereafter the Nethinim were given to help the Levites. Even for circumcised foreigners, this was a privilege.
16
When the group returned from Babylon, it contained few Levites, compared to the priests or Nethinim and "sons of the servants of Solomon." (Ezra 8:15-20) The Dictionary of the Bible, by Dr. James Hastings, observes: "After a time we find [the Nethinim] so completely established as a sacred official class, that privileges are accorded to them." The scholarly journal Vetus Testamentum notes: "A change occurred. After the Return from Exile, these [foreigners] were no longer regarded as slaves of the Temple, but as ministrants in it, enjoying a status similar to that of those other bodies, which officiated in the Temple."—See the box "A Changed Status."
17
Of course, the Nethinim did not become the equals of the priests and the Levites. The latter groups were Israelites, who were chosen by Jehovah himself and not to be supplanted by non-Israelites. Yet, the Biblical indications are that in the face of a reduced number of Levites, the Nethinim were given more to do in God’s service. They were assigned living quarters close to the temple. In Nehemiah’s day they worked with priests in repairing walls near the temple. (Nehemiah 3:22-26) And the king of Persia decreed that the Nethinim be exempt from taxes, just as the Levites were exempt because of their temple service. (Ezra 7:24) This indicates how closely these "given ones" (Levites and Nethinim) were then linked in spiritual matters and how the Nethinim’s assignments increased in accord with the need, though they never were counted as being Levites. When Ezra later collected exiles to return, no Levites were initially among them. So he intensified efforts to collect some. That resulted in 38 Levites and 220 Nethinim returning to serve as "ministers for the house of our God."—Ezra 8:15-20.
18
A second group of non-Israelites singled out were the sons of the servants of Solomon. The Bible gives few details about them. Some were "the sons of Sophereth." Ezra adds a definite article to that name, making it Has·so·phe´reth, possibly meaning "the scribe." (Ezra 2:55; Nehemiah 7:57) They thus may have been a staff of scribes or copyists, possibly temple/administrative scribes. Though of foreign extraction, the sons of the servants of Solomon proved their devotion to Jehovah by leaving Babylon and returning to share in restoring His worship.
Giving
of Ourselves Today
19
In our time, God has used the anointed remnant mightily in spearheading pure worship and declaring the good news. (Mark 13:10) How these have rejoiced to see tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, and then millions of other sheep join them in worship! And what delightful cooperation there has been between the remnant and the other sheep!—John 10:16.
20
All the non-Israelites who returned from exile in ancient Babylon parallel the other sheep who now serve with the remnant of spiritual Israel. What, though, of the fact that the Bible singles out the Nethinim and the sons of the servants of Solomon? In the pattern the Nethinim and the sons of the servants of Solomon were given privileges beyond those of other non-Israelite returnees. This could well foreshadow that God today has extended privileges and added duties to some mature and willing other sheep.
21
The Nethinim’s added privileges were linked directly to spiritual activities. The sons of the servants of Solomon evidently received administrative responsibilities. Similarly today, Jehovah has blessed his people with "gifts in men" to care for their needs. (Ephesians 4:8, 11, 12) Included in this provision are many hundreds of mature, experienced brothers who share in ‘shepherding the flocks,’ serving as circuit and district overseers and on Branch Committees at the Watch Tower Society’s 98 branches. (Isaiah 61:5) At the world headquarters of the Society, under the direction of "the faithful steward" and its Governing Body, capable men receive training to help in preparing spiritual food supplies. (Luke 12:42) Other longtime dedicated volunteers have been trained to operate Bethel homes and factories and to oversee programs worldwide in constructing new branch facilities and halls for Christian worship. They have excelled in serving as close helpers of the anointed remnant, who constitute part of the royal priesthood.—Compare 1 Corinthians 4:17; 14:40; 1 Peter 2:9.
22
In ancient times, priests and Levites continued to serve among the Jews. (John 1:19) Today, however, the remnant of spiritual Israel on earth must go on decreasing. (Contrast John 3:30.) Finally, after the demise of Babylon the Great, all 144,000 ‘sealed ones’ will be in heaven for the marriage of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:1-3; 19:1-8) But now the other sheep must go on increasing. The fact that some of them, comparable to the Nethinim and the sons of the servants of Solomon, are now being assigned weighty responsibilities under the oversight of the anointed remnant does not cause them to be presumptuous or feel self-important. (Romans 12:3) This gives us confidence that as God’s people "come out of the great tribulation," there will be experienced men—"princes"—prepared to take the lead among the other sheep.—Revelation 7:14; Isaiah 32:1; compare Acts 6:2-7.
23
All who returned from Babylon were willing to work hard and prove that they had Jehovah’s worship uppermost in mind and heart. It is the same today. Along with the anointed remnant, "strangers . . . actually stand and shepherd the flocks." (Isaiah 61:5) So no matter what God-provided hope we have, and no matter what privileges may be extended spirit-appointed elders before the day of Jehovah’s vindication at Armageddon, let all of us cultivate a selfless, wholesome, giving spirit. While we can never repay Jehovah for all of his grand benefits, may we be whole-souled in whatever we are doing within his organization. (Psalm 116:12-14; Colossians 3:23) Thus all of us can give of ourselves for true worship, as other sheep serve closely with anointed ones, who are destined to "rule as kings over the earth."—Revelation 5:9, 10.
[Footnotes]
Pages 142-8; published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Points
to Remember
· In what way were the Levites "given ones" in ancient Israel?
· What non-Israelites returned from exile, foreshadowing whom?
· What change seems to have occurred with the Nethinim?
· Concerning the Nethinim and the sons of the servants of Solomon, what parallel is now appreciated?
· What confidence is engendered by the cooperation between the anointed and the other sheep?
[Study
Questions]
1. Why might the word "giver" call Jehovah to our minds?
2, 3. (a) How should we respond to God’s gifts? (b) In what sense were the Levites "given ones"?
4, 5. (a) What Israelites returned from exile in Babylon? (b) In modern times, what corresponds to the Israelites’ return from exile?
6. How has God used the spiritual Israelites in our time?
7. Who are associating with the anointed ones in true worship?
8. Who accompanied the Israelites returning from Babylon?
9. How was God’s spirit involved in the return from exile?
10, 11. What parallel can be drawn to the non-Israelites who returned from Babylon?
12. How does God use his spirit in a special way for spiritual Israelites, but why can we be sure that it is available to all of his worshipers?
13. How can the spirit operate on all of God’s servants?
14, 15. (a) Among the non-Israelites who returned, what two groups were singled out? (b) Who were the Nethinim, and what did they do?
16. How did the role of the Nethinim change in time?
17. Why did the Nethinim receive more to do, and what Biblical evidence is there for this?
18. The sons of the servants of Solomon may have carried out what function?
19. What is the relationship between the anointed today and the other sheep?
20. What new understanding is reasonable as to a parallel to the Nethinim and the sons of the servants of Solomon? (Proverbs 4:18)
21. How have some brothers with the earthly hope received added duties and privileges?
22. Why is it appropriate that some of the other sheep be given weighty responsibilities now, and how should we react to this?
23. Why must all of us cultivate a giving spirit regarding God’s service?

[Box
on page 14]
A
CHANGED STATUS
Many Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias comment on the changes experienced by some of the non-Israelites who returned from the exile. For example, under "Change in their position," the Encyclopædia Biblica says: "Their social position was, as already indicated, at the same time necessarily raised. [The Nethinim] no longer appear as slaves in the strict meaning of that word." (Edited by Cheyne and Black, Volume III, page 3399) In The Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature, John Kitto writes: "It was not to be expected that many of them [the Nethinim] would return to this humble station in Palestine . . . The voluntary devotedness which was thus manifested by these persons considerably raised the station of the Nethinim." (Volume II, page 417) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia points out: "In the light of this association and their background in the Solomonic period, it can be assumed that Solomon’s servants had significant responsibilities in the second temple."—Edited by G. W. Bromiley, Volume 4, page 570.
[Picture
on page 15]
When the Israelites returned to rebuild Jerusalem, thousands of non-Israelites accompanied them
[Credit Line]
Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est.
[Picture on page 17]
The Branch Committee in Korea. As did the ancient Nethinim, men of the other sheep have weighty responsibilities in true worship today
truthseeker

OK, the link and article are posted here...
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/member/4372.ashx
Food at Proper Time:Insider's Insight from Barbara
arbara Anderson's attention was called to the thread about the differences in policy of Great Britain and the US regarding child abuse; as you know she has championed a change in that policy. Another post caught her eye, and she expressed the desire to share some thoughts with you.
I'm delighted to share her first post, which I know you will find riveting. She tells it like it truly is.
Maximus
_______
I would like to share some insight about the now infamous statement in the
Watchtower 1/1/89, p. 12, end of par. 8: "The apostle Paul was spearheading the Christian missionary activity. He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our 20th century."
Such information is be considered by all to be the "food at the proper time" dispensed by the faithful and discreet slave. Now that we are in the year 2001 it is seen to be patently ridiculous, of course.
This statement got its human author into a heap of trouble. This is the same writer who was responsible for the ridiculous Nethinim "given ones" article in the W 4/15/92, and Questions From Readers, Watchtower of June 15, and the Oct. 15, 2000 purposely misleading directives on blood. By the way, everybody in the Writing Department knows who he is.
The Governing Body had vowed never to use dates for the "end" again after the 1975 fiasco, and here was another statement making only more trouble for them to deal with. Many people were phoning and writing the Society. You will notice in the Watchtower bound volume for that year, as one poster pointed out, the statement was changed to "He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our day."
Why the blatant change? Because they couldn't allow the original statement to add even more to their reputation as "false prophets" when it comes to date-setting. This crackpot writer really got read the riot act because of his prophetic insightful words.
Some of you might wonder how the gaffe slipped by the editors of the Watchtower. Well, Governing Body members Brothers Barry, Barr, and Kline were old, tired men, some of whom suffered exhaustion and jet lag from many zone trips, etc. It was no wonder as they quickly read through drafts of articles that such problematic statements could be missed.
Only Barry was college educated O so long ago, and he was ill and exhausted
most of the time. His mind was divided between putting out fires that were flaring up here and there within the earthly Kingdom he and his fellow GB members ruled, getting through his daily routine and assignments, moving from his room when the walls needed washing, etc.
So the poor man couldn't help but be under pressure. (Once he told me he
couldn't wipe the supper dishes and the counter to his wife's satisfaction.) Unquestionably, if articles passed through the anointed hands of these three men without red marks, they easily passed editors next in line pro forma. When the "20th century" statement passed without being red marked by the three GB members, all the other readers in the Writing Department, including the proofreaders, accepted that it was okay to state "in our 20th century."
After egregious blunders like this, the idea of assistants to the GB in Writing who would do the editing work for the GB sounded like an excellent idea. As to the unfortunate writer, to any reasonable person it would seem that someone would be removed from his position who came up with such "new light" (Nethinim, the teaching that was a hoax), and seemingly highly educated medical information on blood ("four components"), which in reality showed the height of ignorance.
That, however, was not to be so at the top of "God's organization," where blockheads are never in short supply. Remember, a person makes it to the top not because of education or intelligence, but because of one’s obedience and loyalty--and don't forget "seniority" or partiality to the "good ole boy" network. Our particular writer under discussion has been in Bethel since the 50’s and was famous for his insidious, obsequious behavior (brown-nosing, to be blunt). In fact, he was rewarded for his blunders by being made one of the assistants to the GB.
Stay at Bethel long enough and you're sure to be a big cheese some day. It
also helps if you know somebody. There are exceptions to the rule, of
course. That's so particularly in the technical area. It doesn't take long to be moved to a really important department if you have needed skills, but that doesn't mean you will be an overseer.
Overseers are usually men who are unskilled, but they lord it over the people in their departments who have the skills. Overseers are in their position mainly for showing obedience to organization rules. Writers in Bethel, with but a few exceptions, are not trained nor especially gifted. If you can write material a twelve-year-old can understand, you can be a writer; that is, if chance and circumstance have anything to do with it.
Now maybe you, dear reader, can understand why all the contradictions, changes, blunders, and drivel that appear in the Society's literature. This doesn't mean that all articles appearing in the magazines are written by inept people. Some senior writers are excellent writers, but they can not express any new and different ideas, only the party line.
Pedantic or precise people quickly learn the art of being non-controversial. Also, senior writers can accept and put through under their own name, very interesting and well written articles from certain people who are not in Bethel. Would the above be considered "new light" or maybe "present light" as C.T. Russell liked to call his cornucopia of non-inspired writings? I hope so.
Money is not what drives men at Bethel, so what does?
It's the three P’s: Power, Pride, and Position.
What drives women in Bethel? For sure it's not the three P’s.
It's called survival of the fittest!
Barbara
jeeprube

Thanks for the article post Richie! I remember that one now. At the time I thought it was just silly. So that's it then. The GB has gone and appointed two new members, that aren't anointed. Wow........I'm just sitting here in shock. They couldn't even just say, hey they're from the GC. No they had to go and invent some special other "class" of Christian. Now we have the Annointed, the Nethenim, and then the Great Crowd.
How do you get to be in the Nethenim class? Are they taking volunteers? Is there a sign up sheet somewhere?
Stealth

Thanks for the article post Richie! I remember that one now. At the time I thought it was just silly. So that's it then. The GB has gone and appointed two new members, that aren't anointed. Wow........I'm just sitting here in shock. They couldn't even just say, hey they're from the GC. No they had to go and invent some special other "class" of Christian. Now we have the Annointed, the Nethenim, and then the Great Crowd.
They were formerly "helpers" or "given ones."
I am sure they were upgraded to anointed class if they let them on the GB.
jeeprube

I am sure they were upgraded to anointed class if they let them on the GB
That presents the same problem the last few appointments have. The Annointed class was supposed to have been gathered by 1935, wasn't it? When were these men born? Are we going to continually have a steady stream of new annointed ones, for the next 100 years? Will people begin to see through the ruse?
SwordOfJah

I have not been able to confirm this news yet. I know some have very good contacts inside, can anyone confirm?
If this news is true, this will cause a lot of talk among the brothers. It will be taken as a sign that the end is almost upon us. Many would have never imagined seeing the day that the governing body has a member of the other sheep. Will the annointed be called up soon? Is the F&DS preparing us for something? This will be a topic of discussion in many witness homes.
Stealth

That presents the same problem the last few appointments have.

Sure does, but that did not seem to upset very many JWs, so why should it now?
The Annointed class was supposed to have been gathered by 1935, wasn't it?
YES
When were these men born?
Don't know, but they have other members on GB and I personally know other anointed who are younger. You have this issue for anyone claiming to be anointed not just GB members.
Are we going to continually have a steady stream of new annointed ones, for the next 100 years?
Probably.
Will people begin to see through the ruse?
A few will, but not the majority.
98% of the anointed are bogus anyway, but that does not stop the true believers from ignoring facts.
jeeprube

98% of the anointed are bogus anyway, but that does not stop the true believers from ignoring facts
Very true.
Ingenuous

Thanks for the article, Richie.
I remember reading this, though it doesn't seem like it was 13 years ago. I would have been 15, almost baptized for a full year. I remember studying this article and seeing no logical parallel at all between the non-Israelite returnees and the GC, much less the groups they arbitrarily picked out to compare to certain men among the GC. I didn't understand why they dropped the "slaves" and "singers" part, but now I see that giving those groups equal consideration would have meant the possibility of putting women into positions with responsibility. And how do you tell a Nethinim from a plain old "other sheep?" (Is this just begging for a punchline???) Only for the briefest of moments did I entertain the thought {Bad JW! Bad, Bad JW!!} that this was just a way of dancing around the fact that they wanted to start using brothers from the GC in positions that were only supposed to be occupied by the "anointed." And when I read this:
Finally, after the demise of Babylon the Great, all 144,000 ‘sealed ones’ will be in heaven for the marriage of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:1-3; 19:1-8) But now the other sheep must go on increasing.
I felt my stomach drop. I had thought, up til then, that the system would end once the "anointed" were in heaven. After all, they were supposed to go there to rule as "kings and priests" over those of us with an "earthly hope." We had been taught for a long while that there would still be "anointed brothers of Christ" on the earth during the Great Tribulation. This seemed to be a loophole that allowed the possibility of "this wicked system" carrying on for who-knew-how-long while the 144,000 just lounged around in heaven for no good reason.
But like the good JW (and kid) I was then, I pushed it all aside with the, "Well, someone in Brooklyn understands it, so I don't have to" clause.

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