How different those faithful kings were from the leaders of other nations, men who were guided by human wisdom and short sighted strategy! Under Canaanite leadership,people did detestable things, which included incest, homosexuality, bestiality, child sacrifice,and gross idolatry.(Lev.18:6, 21-25).....Not all the kings who ruled God’s ancient people followed God’s instructions. Those who did not obey Jehovah refused to accept the guidance of God’s holy spirit,his angels,and his Word.In some cases, Jehovah disciplined or replaced those leaders.(1Sam.13:13,14) In his own due time,he appointed someone who would be superior to any of the men he had used thus far.
The whole article is strange but I wonder why they chose to include this information about leaders of God's people. It demonstrates that 'Jehovah's chariot' does not stand still and will take action if his earthly leaders were not doing a good job and were either disciplined or replaced.
This leaves open the idea that if the current GB/FDS has not been demonstrating wisdom and using short sighted strategies (e.g. child abuse policies leading to shame and costly payouts, the generation teaching, unwillingness to radically revamp current teachings, allowing apostasy to surface as a serious problem, the high rate amongst JWs on dependency of prescription medication, etc.). Notice that the above Watchtower quote states that under Caananite leadership detestable things occurred, it does not say that these leaders advocated such bad behaviour but just that it occurred under their watch. And the immediate sentence prior to this comment includes the words wisdom and short sighted strategy. IMHO using the term 'short sighted strategy' is unusual and on checking the CD Library, it has never been used before.
Consider what the GB's short sighted strategy has resulted in today. The child abuse situation is obvious. Changing the publications being offered to a donation arrangement has resulted in a financial loss. Their current financial situation has resulted in serious cutbacks, even to the extent of reducing special pioneers and missionaries.
Are they introducing the idea that If God replaced or disciplined leaders in the past, there is every reason to think that he would do the same today?
Although there is just a suggestion of discipline/replacement in this issue, I don't recall when they have done this in the past.
It has been mentioned before that there is probably a group of awake JWs in the organization that are able to print such obvious negative comments that could be applied directly to the org. and it goes without notice by the GB and other reviewers before it goes into print. It has also been mentioned here, although not for some time, that there are a core group at the top that want to grab authority from others at the top (possibly the legal department)
Whatever the case, we have seen a huge amount of change already take place, and further changes taking place. It is certainly interesting times.
But if they are going to get rid of a number of core doctrines, including 1914 then a way to do it would be with a new leadership and for those at the top that want to see these changes there is no option but to do this because the current GB are holding tight these undefendable ideas.
Their problems have become so immense that they cannot continue to ignore them.