2017, May 29 – June 4, Our Christian Life and Ministry

Treasures from Gods Word: “Jehovah Blesses Humility and Punishes Arrogance”

Jeremiah 50:29-32 – Babylon would be destroyed for acting arrogantly against Jehovah

Israel profaned Jehovah’s name, but he sanctified his name to take away their reproach. This is a warning to us today. We need to ask: Are our actions or the actions of the organization profaning Jehovah’s name? The so called ‘Two Witness rule’ comes to mind. In the Australian Royal High Commission on Child Abuse the transcripts (and YouTube video) show that even a ‘worldly’ lawyer knew the scriptures better on this subject than a member of the GB, who claim to be guardians of doctrine. Jehovah will clear his name at Armageddon, but what will become of the profaned? Jehovah does not change, so based on his past dealings with Israel those profaners are in for a torrid time. (Ezekiel 36:21-24)

Jeremiah 50:38, 39 – Babylon would never be again be inhabited  (jr161 para 15)

The prophecy against Babylon took some considerable time to be completely fulfilled, until the 4^th century some 800 years later, although it was never powerful again and dwindled rapidly after the time of Alexander the Great. Jerome states in ‘Lives of illustrious men’ that Babylon was a hunting ground in the 4^th century CE. Thus not all Bible prophecy is fulfilled instantly or quickly or according to man’s desire. We should bear this in mind when desiring Armageddon to come. Jehovah will bring it in his time, not ours, and we cannot and should not second guess him.

Talk – In Recent Years, Why have our publications seldom mentioned Types and Antitypes? (w15 3/15 17-18)

Paragraph 5 says: ”Some writers in the centuries after Christ’s death fell into a trap—they saw types everywhere.[bold ours] Describing the teachings of Origen, Ambrose, and Jerome, The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia explains: “They sought for types, and of course found them, in every incident and event, however trivial, recorded in Scripture. Even the most simple and commonplace circumstance was thought to conceal within itself the most recondite [hidden] truth . . . , even in the number of fish caught by the disciples on the night the risen Saviour appeared to them—how much some have tried to make of that number, 153!”

For example one writer who fell into the trap found the following types and antitypes among others: “In the type, the golden vessels of the Temple were carried away and profaned by literal Babylon: in the antitype, the precious, divine (golden) truths, pertaining to the service of the true Temple, the Church were far removed from their proper places, perverted and misapplied by mystic Babylon.” [1]

Also: ”As shown in the accompanying diagram, the period of their favor, from the commencement of their national existence at the death of Jacob, down to the end of that favor at the death of Christ, A.D. 33, was eighteen hundred and forty-five (1845) years; and there their “double” (mishneh)–the repetition or duplication of the same length of time, eighteen hundred and forty-five (1845) years, without favor–began. Eighteen hundred and forty-five years since A.D. 33 shows A.D. 1878 to be the end of their period of disfavor. A.D. 33 plus 1845 = A.D. 1878. All these prophetic points in the past are clearly marked, and we should expect some evidence of God’s returning favor to Fleshly Israel (“Jacob”) in or about A.D. 1878.”[2].

And a final example (there are many more): “Then measuring down the “Entrance Passage” from that point, to find the distance to the entrance of the “Pit,” representing the great trouble and destruction with which this age is to close, when evil will be overthrown from power, we find it to be 3457 inches, symbolizing 3457 years from the above date, B.C. 1542. This calculation shows A.D. 1915 as marking the beginning of the period of trouble; for 1542 years B.C. plus 1915 years A.D. equals 3457 years. Thus the Pyramid witnesses that the close of 1914 will be the beginning of the time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation–no, nor ever shall be afterward.”[3]

 

Paragraph 7 states: “If such interpretations seem far-fetched, you can understand the dilemma. Humans cannot know which Bible accounts are shadows of things to come and which are not. The clearest course is this: Where the Scriptures teach that an individual, an event, or an object is typical of something else, we accept it as such. Otherwise, we ought to be reluctant to assign an antitypical application to a certain person or account if there is no specific Scriptural basis for doing so.”

My challenge to all current Witnesses and indeed the Governing Body is:

Please answer the question ‘Where do the scriptures teach that’ Daniel 4 and Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of the 7 times has ‘an antitypical application’?

Should not the Watchtower’s own counsel be followed ‘we ought to be reluctant to assign an antitypical application to a certain person or account if there is no specific Scriptural basis for doing so’.

Why would Jehovah use a punishment meted out to an arrogant pagan King (Nebuchadnezzar) to be the antitype of God’s Kingdom rule being suspended?

Also if he did, then why did Jesus say ‘you do not know on what day your Lord is coming’ (Matthew 24:42) as Jesus knew the prophecies of Daniel?

Does not the interpretation of the 7 times seem far-fetched to you on this basis?

We need to know the answer to these questions for otherwise as Galatians 1:9 shows we would be accursed for going beyond the good news already declared.

The same writer as quoted above with 3 examples as types and antitypes also gave this reason on the matter: “Daniel’s interpretation of the dream relates only to its fulfilment upon Nebuchadnezzar; but the fact that the dream, the interpretation and the fulfilment are all so carefully related here is evidence of an object in its narration. And its remarkable fitness as an illustration of the divine purpose in subjecting the whole race to the dominion of evil for its punishment and correction, that in due time God might restore and establish it in righteousness and everlasting life, warrants us in accepting it as an intended type.”[4]

So note, according to our mystery writer the Bible doesn’t teach Daniel 4 is a type \ antitype, but because the writer thought it was a fitting illustration and the mathematics fitted his chronology, then it must be so.

So who is our mystery writer who found so many types and antitypes in the Bible, and even in the Great Pyramid of Giza? It is none other than C.T.Russell, the founder of Jehovah’s Witnesses. His successor as President of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, J.F. Rutherford was no better, but space does not permit a similar examination. We have to ask one final question, Why has the type and anti-type of Daniel 4 not been dropped in the light of this article, only taking types and antitypes mentioned in the scriptures? Could it be that if this was dropped then the entire basis for their claim to be the ‘appointed faithful and discreet slave’, is neither discreet nor true?

Remove the Rafter Video

The scenario that is unfolded in this video portrays a brother who still only gives Bible readings, something he had been doing since he was a young kid. He also notices how a certain couple is on the platform every week, and that elders only notice their own favorites for so-called ‘privileges‘.

If all these things are true, is he really proud, and critical for noticing it and getting upset about it? If the things he stated were an exaggeration and he was looking to pick fault regardless then maybe there would be grounds for saying so, but if these events are really true, then, no, he is not proud and critical.

It’s an interesting choice of events that upset the brother. Can you identify yourself as having noticed this behavior or suffered similarly? I certainly can from my personal experiences in my own congregation and my own circuit. Was the brother portrayed really a hypocrite? Not unless he was a poor speaker and had been given repeated assistance to improve. Not unless he refused to be interviewed or partake in demonstrations on the platform. Not unless he was also an elders favorite, or showed favoritism himself. In Matthew 7:1-5 Jesus was counseling about being judgmental, and critical, not about being upset because of injustices.

Focusing on ourselves instead of others as recommended is good counsel, but stating that ‘the best way to change the congregation is to change yourself’ is highly idealistic. Unless others apply the same counsel, while you could become a better Christian, you would still be suffering the same upsetting events for years to come. Would it not be better to add ‘So, elders do you show favoritism? Do you use the same brothers for interviews all the time?  Do you help brothers to improve in speaking and teaching ability? Then they can assist in sharing the load of teaching the congregation. Then you will be helping your brothers and sisters avoid becoming upset and disappointed and discouraged.’

[1] PDF Page 460, B209,(Vol 2 p209) 1916-1918 Studies in the Scriptures, by C.T.Russell, WBTS.

[2] PDF Page 468, B212,(Vol 2 p 212) 1916-1918 Studies in the Scriptures, by C.T.Russell, WBTS.

[3] PDF Page 874, C342,(Vol 3 p342) 1916-1918 Studies in the Scriptures, by C.T.Russell, WBTS

[4] PDF Page 367, B95, (Vol 2 p95) 1916-1918 Studies in the Scriptures, by C.T.Russell, WBTS.