"Keep waiting
(perimeno) for what
the Father has promised."―Acts 1:4
Good is Jehovah to the one hoping in him, to the soul that keeps seeking
for him.
Good it is that one should wait, even silently, for the salvation of
Jehovah.
―Lamentations 3:25,26
The Truth is simple! It
becomes complicated only when we deviate from it by going "beyond the
things that are written." —1 Corinthians
4:6
Please
Note:
The mention of "the
Society" in my articles refers to the "Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society" that is publishing our literature. By "organization"
I mean the entire brotherhood in all the congregations, who are expected
to be submissive and loyal to the Society and its Governing Body.
"Faithful and
Discreet"
or "good-for-nothing" slaves?
The foremost shepherd of God's sheep is Jesus Christ. (John 10:11)
But Jesus said that there would also be others, slaves of his, who would be
appointed to feed and care for the sheep. The faithful slaves would be
rewarded with greater responsibility, while any wicked or evil slave who
abused his position would
be dismissed and punished. That is why Jesus asked the rhetorical question:
"Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed
over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?" (Matt.
24:45)
The Governing Body members enjoin that Jesus was referring to them. Thus,
they love to refer to themselves as "the Faithful and Discreet Slave,"
having adopted this as their title of distinction. They claim to have
already been rewarded by their master and entrusted with all his
belongings.
But Jesus put any presumed importance of his "faithful and discreet slave"
into proper
perspective when he said: "[The master] will not
feel gratitude to the slave because he did the things assigned, will he? So
you, also, when you have done all the things assigned to you, say, 'We
are good-for-nothing slaves. What we have done is what we ought to have done."
―Luke 17:7-10, NWT
Clearly, it is highly presumptuous for anyone to declare himself to be a
"faithful and discreet" slave!
"This
Generation"
The
Watchtower of February 15, 2008, (pages 23-25), offered an updated
explanation regarding "this generation," as mentioned by Jesus at Matthew
24:34. But this was not a "new" understanding, as it returned to the
interpretation of 81 years earlier, in the
1927 Watchtower, February 15, page 62.
The changing explanations over the years of "this generation":
C.T. Russell taught that "this generation" referred to people in general,
who were living at a significant time in history. (Battle of Armageddon,
pages 603-605)
J.F. Rutherford changed this in 1927 to apply only to the members of
the "new creation," the anointed. "Some members of the new creation will be on the earth at the
time of Armageddon."
(W27, 2/15,
p 62,
click to view photocopy (res. 900x1191)
In 1942, "this generation" was no longer identified with
just the
anointed. (W42, 7/1, p 204, par. 43)
In 1949 it
was more clearly explained that it "had its modern counterpart in our
generation from A.D. 1914 forward. This generation is the one that sees the
Son of man coming with the clouds of heaven as foretold by Daniel." It was
expected that the generation of 1914 would be on hand to witness the
end of this system. (W49, 7/15, p 215, par. 19)
By 1995 time for "this generation" had run out and the explanation
needed to be updated. Therefore, "this generation" became "the wayward
people who make up this contemporary 'wicked and adulterous generation,'"
but no longer limited to any particular date. (w95 11/1 p. 15 par. 21)
Then in 2008, we were told: "As a class, these anointed ones make up
the modern-day 'generation' of contemporaries that will not pass away 'until
all these things occur.'" (W08, 2/15, p 23-25)
This explanation was a return to the one offered in 1927, which had already been discredited.
The April 15, 2010 Watchtower adds the following "increased light":
"[The word
'generation'] usually refers to people of varying ages whose lives overlap
during a particular time period; it is not excessively long; and it has an
end...[Jesus] evidently meant that the lives of the anointed who were on
hand when the sign began to become evident in 1914 would overlap with the
lives of other anointed ones who would see the start of the great
tribulation. That generation had a beginning, and it surely will have an
end."
Isaiah foretold: "O my people, those leading you on are causing [you] to
wander, and the way of your paths they have confused. . . Jehovah
himself will enter into judgment with the elderly ones of his people and its
princes." —Isaiah
3:12-14.
▪ Number of Peak Publishers
▪
Number Baptized
▪
Memorial Attendance
▪
Memorial Partakers
▪
Number of Congregations
▪ Number of Lands
Make Sure of All Things, Hold Fast to What is Fine.
―1 Thessalonians 5:21
Click on the Bible to
access the NWT
"I,
Jehovah,
am your
God,
the One
teaching
you
to benefit
[yourself], the
One
causing you
to
tread
in
the
way in which
you should
walk.
O if only you would
actually
pay attention
to
my
commandments!
Then
your
peace would
become
just like a
river, and
your
righteousness
like
the
waves
of the sea." Isaiah 48:17,18
The Purpose of this Website
“Consider it all joy,
my brothers, when you meet with various trials, knowing as you do that
this tested quality of your faith works out endurance.”
—James 1:2,3.
This website is designed
for the encouragement of the many brothers and sisters who are puzzled
at present troubling
developments within God's household. Many are "sighing and
groaning over all the detestable things that are being done in the midst
of [us]." Knowing that these things were foretold in the
Scriptures should be of comfort to us, for otherwise “how would the Scriptures be
fulfilled that it must take place this way?” The time has arrived for
Jehovah to judge his people. —Ezek. 9:4,6; Matt. 26:54; 2 Thess. 2:9-12;
1 Peter 4:17 “The man of
lawlessness” within God’s temple has over the years enticed us to put
our trust in men. We
have made God's word invalid by our many traditions, doctrines, and
commandments, not unlike the
situation among God's people in Jesus’ day. (Psalms
146:3, 5; Matt.
15:6-9; 2 Thess. 2:3-12) It is vital for us today to listen to Jehovah,
for his true worshippers must worship with "spirit and truth." Jesus said that it is the truth of God’s word that
"sanctifies" us, setting us apart as his holy people. —John 4:23,24;
17:17; 1 Cor. 3:16,17; Mal. 3:14-18. We individually
have the responsibility to know the truth of God's Word. The Society has
long acknowledged our personal obligation in this regard:
"What results when a lie is let go unchallenged? Does not silence help
the lie to pass as truth, to have freer sway to influence many, perhaps
to their serious harm?. . . When persons are in great danger from a
source that they do not suspect or are being misled by those they
consider their friends, is it an unkindness to warn them? They may
prefer not to believe the warning. They may even resent it. But does
that free one from the moral responsibility to give that warning? If
you are among those seeking to be faithful to God, the issues these
questions raise are vital for you today. Why? Because God's servants
in every period of history have had to face up to the challenge these
issues present. They have had to expose falsehood and wrongdoing and
warn people of dangers and deception—not just in a general way, but in a
specific way, in the interest of pure worship."—Watchtower, January 15, 1974. It is God's holy
spirit that teaches us the truth, "even the deep things of God".
The spirit helps us to discern between the inspired expression of truth,
as contained in God's word, and the inspired expression of error taught
by the many foretold false prophets and teachers who would appear in the
last days. (Matt. 24:24,25; 1 Cor. 2:10; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 4:1, 6) Knowing the truth
helps us to endure our present troubles, and not lose our
spiritual balance. May this website help you to endure and to keep
yourself in God's love. —Matt. 24:13; Jude 21.
I do not promote my
website. I trust that Jehovah will direct anyone to it who might be
in need of encouragement. I receive no personal benefit from any visits
to my
site. My monthly expense is only $5.95 for web hosting. I do not
accept donations.
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1975-
What did the Society's literature really
teach about 1975? Did individuals read too much into what
was being printed regarding 1975?
Did you read the book "Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of
God" (pages 26-30), published in 1966?
What conclusion did you reach prior to 1975? Did it affect your
outlook and expectations?
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"Like Timothy, true
Christians today are keeping their senses by rejecting human reasoning
and by accepting only Scriptural authority for their doctrinal beliefs."
—The Watchtower 3/1/2004 p. 6
•
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Jehovah's Witnesses. Accurate, up-to-date information on the beliefs
and activities.
•
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providing Links to Jehovah's Witnesses in the News
•
http://jehovah.to/"All
those directly associated with this site are active Jehovah's Witnesses
in good standing with their local congregations. This site is not meant
as a substitute for Society literature, but as a further resource for
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• The Jehovah's Witnesses
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recognizes the value of the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses but sees an
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Discussion Boards:
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- A forum for Witnesses interested in the discussion of
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