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If anointed Jehovah's Witnesses are the remnant of the 'bride of Christ' and the Governing Body are the representative of that remnant, then if the Governing Body has committed spiritual adultery with the United Nations, which it plainly has, then would it not be true that Christ, as the groom, has rejected this bride for her spiritual fornication? That being the case, it follows that Jehovah and Christ are no longer using the present Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses as their channel for providing 'food at the proper time'. Would you agree with that logic? |
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No. Jesus foretold that both faithful and evil slaves would co-exist in the same household up until he arrives like a thief in the night to initiate judgment. Then, after the master's arrival, each will be judged individually. Look at the prophecy in the 9th chapter of Ezekiel. That's where we read: "Old man, young man and virgin and little child and women you should kill off—to a ruination. But to any man upon whom there is the mark do not go near, and from my sanctuary you should start." So they started with the old men that were before the house. Ezekiel indicates that Jehovah judged the nation as a whole, but he also took note of each individual, too. The Watchtower, of course, applies Ezekiel's prophecy to Christendom. However, the fact that the judgment started off at Jehovah's sanctuary is in complete harmony with what the apostle Peter wrote concerning judgment starting with the house of God. So, even though the entire organization has been compromised in God's eyes, like ancient Jerusalem had also been, Jehovah bases his judgment upon whether his people are "sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done in the midst" of his organization. The prophets foretell that ultimately, after the judgment has passed, Jehovah will become a Repurchaser of his people and forgive in a large way. |
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I'm not sure if you came across the NGO "Aidafrique" used in France by the WTBTS. There is information on this which you can access using Google….This information was/is posted on the JW official website of France. I can't locate it on the current list of NGO's on the UN website and I wonder if it is under another name...Apparently the friends in France and Africa are very aware of this organization and some are becoming aware of just what they have been participating in. I believe the JW site stated that they were a non-governmental organization, but apparently the rank and file did not understand why they used that terminology. But, I have heard that some of the brothers did understand there was some kind of cooperation between them and the UN. On Google, I did find a letter to the congregations asking them to support through donations, the Aidafrique organization. It would help if you had anyone who could translate French and you might be able to uncover more info. |
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| Thanks for the link. Perhaps someone who speaks French may make themselves available to do some translating for us. It appears that there were a few perks that came with the Watchtower being a human rights NGO. |
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Dear Watchman. I have several related questions. How do we know that the number 144,000 - whether literal or not - refers to the entire number of those who have been anointed since the 1st century and not merely to the number of those LIVING anointed who are FINALLY sealed as faithful, DURING THE END? Revelation 7 says "do not harm the earth...until after we have sealed" the anointed. So the context is the final sealing (presumably) of the living anointed at this time, is it not? However, the next verse continues: "And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000". Does this mean that the number who will be sealed after having proved faithful AT THIS TIME will be 144,000 and that, consequently, the total number of anointed ones gathered since the 1st century could be very much larger? I understand that a resurrection of the anointed may have occurred by this time, but, were these resurrected ones not sealed earlier, either before or at death or BEFORE their resurrection, as symbolized by their being given the white robes of Rev 6:9-11? This leads to my final question. Verse four of Rev.7 says that 144,000 were sealed "out of" each tribe of Israel. This is the FINAL sealing, so would it not be the case that those who are finally sealed at this time are taken "out of" - from among - spiritual Israel, meaning that these 144,000 are the "chosen" NOT the total number of the anointed "called" ones alive at that time? |
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The 14th chapter of Revelation also mentions 144,000. It depicts them as standing on top of Mount Zion with Jesus. It further goes on to say that only the 144,000 could master the song so as to ultimately qualify reign with Jesus. So, that's pretty clear. All anointed persons have to be sealed with Jehovah's stamp of approval before they die. As an example, Paul wrote to the Philippians saying that he did not consider himself as having laid hold on the prize, but he was pursuing the upward call to see if he might attain it. However, several years later Paul wrote to Timothy saying that he felt he had as good as received his reward. In other words he had been sealed. 2nd Timothy 4:6-8 says: "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the due time for my releasing is imminent. I have fought the fine fight, I have run the course to the finish, I have observed the faith. From this time on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me as a reward in that day, yet not only to me, but also to all those who have loved his manifestation." So, all of the 144,000 are sealed before their deaths. In the case of 1st Century Christians they were individually given Jehovah's seal of approval at some point during their earthly course—even as Paul described above. But, the sealing described in Revelation the 7th chapter is foretelling a mass sealing of all the remaining sons of the kingdom during the tribulation. That's also when the resurrection of the holy ones takes place. So, those who died prior to Christ's arrival, but who were sealed, are resurrected nearly simultaneously as when the sealing of the remaining sons who are still alive. That's why Revelation pictures the entire body as being sealed. The purpose of this final sealing of the remaining living saints is that it presents the Devil with an irresistible temptation. That's because the final sealing means that Jehovah is not going to do any more anointing—no more replacements. The sealing means that God is staking his entire purpose to the integrity of the remaining sealed individuals. No doubt this is what is likened to putting hooks in Satan's jaws and luring him to his own doom. From Satan's perspective, though, it looks like a sure thing; all he has to do is force just one of the remaining sealed sons to be unfaithful to Jehovah and he wins. After all, a kingdom made up of 143,999 would mean that Jehovah lied. And keep in mind that Satan originally boasted that he could turn any creature away from God if he were allowed to really bring the pressure. So, Jehovah gives him one last shot at the remnant of the 144,000. Of course, we know they will prove faithful to the death; but, this is what has to be played out for the record. That's why the 144,000 is a real number. Jehovah stakes his entire name and reputation on his ability to create a people who will prove faithful to him down to the last individual. By giving the exact number of those who will be faithful, Jehovah even stacks the deck against himself; in order to prove with finality that Satan is a gross liar and a colossal loser. |
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Dear e-Watchman, you clearly believe that Jehovah's Witnesses are distinguished from other Christians as God's people and that their organization is God's organization, even if it has strayed. What makes you certain of this? If the 'wheat and the weeds' were to grow together, and this occurred WITHIN 'Christendom' for most of two thousand years, why do you feel that God has separated his people as Jehovah's Witnesses in modern times, even though you don't feel that the separating of the wheat and weeds has begun yet. What scriptural indication is there that God would do such a thing, and establish a 'true Christian congregation' in the late 19th and early 20th century? |
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There are many things. But, to get one thing straight: The wheat and the weeds do not grow together in Christendom. That is an unfortunate interpretation that the Watchtower has taught us. In Jesus' parable the wheat and the weeds grow together in the kingdom—that is Christ's kingdom mentioned at Colossians 1:13. According to Jesus, the separating occurs during the actual conclusion, and rather than the wheat-like sons supposedly being separated from the weeds, the weeds are taken out from among the wheat—afterwards the wheat is harvested. The Watchtower's interpretation is totally reversed; as it has taught us that the wheat were harvested out of Christendom way back…whenever. But Christ said, concerning the separation: "Therefore, just as the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be in the conclusion of the system of things. The Son of man will send forth his angels, and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness, and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace." Since there are innumerable stumbling blocks and persons doing lawlessness in the organization up to this very moment, it should be evident that the angels have not begun their work yet. The 35th Psalm makes that clear, describing the angelic work with these words: "May they become like chaff before the wind, and let Jehovah's angel be pushing them along. Let their way become darkness and slippery places and let Jehovah's angel be pursuing them." The point is, as regards your question, the wheat and the weeds grow together in the same organization up until the conclusion when the angels forcibly remove the wicked from among the faithful. And, since the wicked are said to be in Christ's kingdom up until they are uprooted, then there can only be one organization from which the angels perform the harvest. With that in mind, there are many reasons that we should recognize Jehovah's Witnesses as the true faith that will be brought into judgment with Jehovah. The Watchtower lists many of the things that identify Jehovah's Witnesses as the true religion. Of course, the Watchtower does not apply any of God's denunciation to itself—as does e-watchman; but for those of us who read the prophecies differently, there are even more reasons for us to identify Jehovah's Witnesses as the true faith. |
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I have two questions 1.) Why do you say that Christians are selected in to two categories namely one with a heavenly call and one with and earthly call, when Paul states that we have only one hope(Ephesians 4:4) 2.) on what grounds do the WT claim that all the anointed Christians was selected in 1935 or that anointed Christians in death was resurrected in 1918? Only Christ has the right and authority to say that according to Revelation 1:18. |
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Actually, Paul states in the very same letter to the Ephesians, that it is God's purpose to gather people to both earthly and heavenly destinies. "It is according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times, namely, to gather all things together again in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth." If you suppose that the "things in the heavens" are angels, you would have to explain why Christ would need to gather angels to himself. No, "the things in the heavens" actually refers to the anointed; even while they are on the earth. That is made apparent by Paul a little further on, where he says at Ephesians 2:6: "And he raised us up together and seated us together in the heavenly places in union with Christ Jesus, that in the coming systems of things there might be demonstrated the surpassing riches of his undeserved kindness in his graciousness toward us in union with Christ Jesus." So, Paul refers to those in union with Christ as being seated in the "heavenly places" even in this system. So, that means that "the things on earth" are those who hope to survive the great tribulation and inherit the earth. The "one hope" Paul referred to in that context was the heavenly hope of the one body of Christ; but it also certainly applies in principle to "the things on the earth" since they also have hope that Christ will provide them with salvation two. |
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Do you think that there are biblical grounds to expect that the great tribulation is still ahead of us? It seems to me that the great tribulation would be over soon considering the state that this world is in. Year 1914 could be seen as 'a beginning of pangs of distress'. |
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The great tribulation has not begun yet. The Watchtower used to teach that the tribulation began back in 1914 but that Jehovah cut it short. However, Jehovah's Witnesses now believe that the tribulation is ahead of us. As for the "state that the world is in," it all depends on which world you live in. What I mean is many people are doing quite well. People with wealth, the upper class, so-called, seem to be insulated from the difficulties that the rest of the world is struggling with. Yet, Jesus said the tribulation would come in upon the "entire inhabited earth." In other words—everyone will be affected. |
