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A Diamond as Big as the Moon

Jehovah has always invited and encouraged people to look up from our tiny little sphere and to contemplate the immensity and marvels of the universe above us.  For instance, God once invited Abraham to gaze into the night sky, saying to him: "Look up, please, to the heavens and count the stars, if you are possibly able to count them." If Abraham were so inclined, he could have counted about 5,000 stars.

As a shepherd living out-of-doors, David no doubt frequently contemplated the awesome majesty of the lunar phases and other celestial phenomenon; in comparison to his own smallness and insignificance. Accordingly, the lyrics to one of his inspired songs ponders the question: "When I see your heavens, the works of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have prepared, what is mortal man that you keep him in mind, and the son of earthling man that you take care of him?"

Unfortunately, because of light pollution, modern city dwellers can see far fewer stars than David and Abraham did. However, the trade-off is that modern astronomical science has extended our view far, far beyond the limitations of unaided sight. Ancient sky gazers, in fact, had no idea of how immense and wonderful the universe really is. To them, the stars were mere twinkling specks of light. As it turns out, telescopes reveal that some of those star-like specks are themselves swirling galaxies containing billions of stars. The orbiting Hubble telescope has extended our view of the heavens even farther. It seems that we are now peering out from our remote location to the very edge of the universe.

Scientists and astronomers have recently discovered a strange new heavenly wonder. By observing the pulses of light from a dying star known as a white dwarf, researchers have theorized that the core of the star has solidified into a giant diamond-like crystal the size of our moon. The New Scientist magazine says of this phenomenon: "But the crystal, which has been likened to a diamond, is in fact unlike any known on Earth. The pressure inside the white dwarf is a million, million times the pressure that produces diamonds."

In view of the fact that we have been enabled through technology to peer higher into the heavens than previous generations could have imagined possible, the question posed to God's servants long ago has even more relevance for us today. Isaiah 40:26 asks: "Raise your eyes high up and see. Who has created these things?"

But, Jehovah's exhortation to "raise your eyes high up" into the heavens is not an invitation to astronomers to study the heavens. The entire prophecy of Isaiah, particularly from the 40th chapter onward, is directed to God's people, witnesses of Jehovah as they are called, at the time of their being disciplined and redeemed.

For instance, the 40th chapter establishes the setting, where God says: "Comfort, comfort my people," says the God of you men.  "Speak to the heart of Jerusalem and call out to her that her military service has been fulfilled, that her error has been paid off. For from the hand of Jehovah she has received a full amount for all her sins."

Jehovah goes on to describe the nations of the earth as a mere unreality; a drop in the bucket, as the expression goes. Isaiah 40:22 likens humans to grasshoppers, saying: "There is One who is dwelling above the circle of the earth, the dwellers in which are as grasshoppers, the One who is stretching out the heavens just as a fine gauze, who spreads them out like a tent in which to dwell, the One who is reducing high officials to nothing, who has made the very judges of the earth as a mere unreality."

It is one thing to merely liken earth's inhabitants to grasshoppers in comparison to God; it is quite another matter for Jehovah to demonstrate his superiority. That is exactly what is to occur during the tribulation.

Just as scientists were recently startled and amazed to find a new phenomenon in the physical universe with the discovery of a star with a crystal core, Jehovah's Witnesses are soon to be more than astonished  when Jehovah unveils new and brilliant spiritual realities from a book we presume to already have all figured out.

Indeed, it is thrilling that God has hidden treasures throughout the physical universe; just waiting to be discovered. But, without a doubt, the future revelation of Christ Jesus surpasses in glory even a diamond as big as the moon.

Sodom and Gomorrah or Spiritual Paradise?

Originally published in 2002

If you could be transported back in time, as is the theme of many popular novels and movies, to arrive at a time and place unfamiliar to you, it might be difficult at first to determine exactly where you were. What if, for instance, you went back in time 4,000 years to a place called the Land of Canaan? You would probably be deeply impressed by the natural beauty of the land; a land God himself described as simply flowing with milk and honey. 'Beauty as far as the eye can see and a well-watered region comparable to the very Garden of God,' is how you might describe it. Situated in the lush verdant valley of pastures, olive gardens, orchards, and vineyards bursting with fruit, is a quaint little city. 'This must be paradise,' you muse. As you enter the town looking for accommodations, suddenly, you are surrounded by a mob of unruly and depraved men! To your horror you realize that you have just entered the city of Sodom.

In a way that illustrates the predicament of Jehovah's Witnesses today. We are time travelers in a sense, in that we have gone back in time through the pages of the Bible to try and discern where we stand today in relation to the prophecies written long ago. Are we presently living in the spiritual paradise that the prophet Isaiah described, or are we perhaps similarly disoriented by the disarming beauty of what turns out to be the region of Sodom and Gomorrah?

Centuries after the Israelites settled in the Land of Canaan, Jehovah spoke through his prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah and likened the spiritually corrupt condition of his nation to the depraved cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. In the 1st chapter of Isaiah, Jehovah addresses himself to the Jews and their leaders, saying to them: "Hear the word of Jehovah you dictators of Sodom. Give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah."

As offensive and uncomplimentary as such a description was, Jehovah nevertheless honored his people by his willingness to reason with them. The 18th verse goes on to say: "Come, now, you people and let us set matters straight between us," says Jehovah. "Though the sins of you people should be as scarlet, they will be made white as snow; though they should be as crimson cloth, they will become even like wool."

Jehovah's remedy for the malady afflicting his people was to allow the Babylonish hoards to completely dispossess the Jews of their beautiful land, and then allow a chastened and cleansed remnant to re-inhabit it. While Jehovah's correction of his ancient wayward people was no doubt very traumatic and painful for them to endure, the end result was worth the suffering. God's undying love for his people moved him to take drastic measures to heal them of their loathsome spiritual sickness.

One of the most comforting and beautiful prophecies in the Bible is found in the 35th chapter of Isaiah, where God promises his people that they will be restored to their homeland. At Isaiah 35:8-9, Jehovah foretells that he will make a way for his people to escape their Babylonish captors. "And there will certainly come to be a highway there, even a way; and the Way of Holiness it will be called. The unclean one will not pass over it. And it will be for the one walking on the way, and no foolish ones will wander about on it. No lion will prove to be there, and the rapacious sort of wild beast will not come up on it. None will be found there; and the repurchased ones will walk there."

That is quite a contrast that Jehovah vividly portrays in prophecy. In the beginning of Isaiah, God's people are likened to Sodom and Gomorrah, then, later, Jehovah opens up to them a special highway called the Highway of Holiness, and the travelers on that road are called the redeemed ones of Jehovah who rejoice to time indefinite.

According to the Watchtower's interpretation of that prophecy as it applies to spiritual Zion, Jehovah's modern people were released from captivity to Babylon the Great back in 1919 and set out upon the foretold Highway of Holiness leading to spiritual paradise. We believe this highway opened up shortly after the hard experiences of the First World War, when several officers of the Watchtower were released from the federal penitentiary and the work of the Bible Students was reinvigorated.

But, do present realities really match the prophetic description that Jehovah gave of spiritual paradise? At Acts 17:10, the Beroeans are complimented because they not only eagerly received the word, but they also carefully examined the Scriptures daily in order to determine if what they were hearing was the truth. Should we do any less?

First, note that the prophecy is spiritual in nature and not literal, evidenced by the fact that preliminary to the Jews taking to the "highway" is the fact that Jehovah must first open blind eyes and unstop the ears of the deaf ones. That means that God causes his people to see and hear vital truths that they had previously been blind and deaf to. Is it possible that we are blind and deaf to certain aspects of God's Word?

Well, consider that the above-quoted prophecy says that, "the unclean one will not pass over it." Now, consider the reality of our present situation, whereby every year tens of thousand of Jehovah's Witnesses are judicially expelled from the Christian congregation for various forms of moral uncleanness. But God's word says that no such ones will even travel that road in the first place, so that expelling such ones shouldn't even be necessary ---that is, if we were actually on the foretold Highway of Holiness.

Or what about the fact that the 9th verse says that not one rapacious sort of wild beast will be found there? The 11th chapter of Isaiah foretells that men who pose a spiritual and moral danger to their fellows, as if predatory animals, would experience a radical transformation of character so as to become harmless. So, we are not being presumptuous if we take God's word at face value, are we? When God's promise states that not so much as one predatory, animalistic, unclean, or foolish man will be found on his holy highway, we must take that to mean what it says: namely, that there will be no such men among all of God's holy people. Yet, sadly, the reality of our situation is quite different from the idyllic conditions the prophecy portrays.

Frankly, and to the point: If we were in a spiritual paradise, would there be animalistic sexual predators in our congregations stalking our young men and women, and yes, even infants? Would there be faithless apostates lurking among us placing their stumbling blocks in our path? If even one case of child abuse or fornication were to take place, wouldn't that be an indication that we were not on any Highway of Holiness? Surely, it is not too much to expect our Christian brothers to be trustworthy in that respect? In the coming physical paradise after the war of Armageddon, when the meek inherit the earth, are we to expect that there will be occasional cases of child rape and defrauding on the part of human predators? If not, then why do we imagine that God's Highway of Holiness is anything less?

To help us reason on this matter, we ought to ask a few pertinent questions, such as: Just what do we mean by spiritual paradise anyway? Has there ever been a so-called spiritual paradise on earth?

"He was caught away into Paradise and heard unutterable words"

The above verse was the apostle Paul talking in the third person about a supernatural vision he had had. Apparently, he was privileged to get a glimpse of the spiritual paradise that Jehovah had previously described through Isaiah. Did such a spiritual paradise exist in the first century among those spirit-anointed apostles and disciples? No, otherwise Paul would not have had a vision of paradise. Too, it is evident by reason of the fact that first-century Christians were plagued with all sorts of moral and spiritual problems, the same as we are. They had problems with sexual immorality, sectarianism, and apostasy; there was dissension and disputes about what was correct teaching, and so forth. Some congregations were troubled with petty jealousies, hatreds, and backbiting. There were treacherous, animalistic men who sought to prey upon the innocent vulnerable ones. Paul spoke about the spiritual dangers he faced from false brothers who sneaked into the congregations to spy upon the brothers, and from the satanic charlatans in Corinth whom Paul sarcastically dubbed the super-fine apostles. Those are hardly the conditions of a spiritual paradise.

But, even though those early congregations were serving as illuminators in a bedarkened world because of their possessing the truth, nowhere do we find any description of them as being in any spiritual paradise. So, just knowing certain truths, and even living by them, doesn't make for a spiritual paradise. Having organizational unity and order is not what makes for a spiritual paradise either. What makes for a spiritual paradise is the absolute absence of any corrupting influence or stumbling block of any kind. Such a condition did not exist in the first-century congregation, and neither does it exist today.

The only time a spiritual paradise has ever existed on earth was that brief moment in the Garden of Eden before the Devil misled humans into rebellion. Since that time, no such paradise has existed.

According to Jehovah's grand promise, though, there will yet again exist a spiritual paradise even in the midst of the present degenerate world. It will come about, not by mere human efforts to follow Christ, but by God's power and irresistible judgment. In the 13th chapter of Matthew, Jesus gave several illustrations to explain how a spiritual paradise would come about. He plainly said that during the conclusion of the system of things, he would send forth his powerful angels, "and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons doing lawlessness." Notice, please, that Christ's judgment is final and absolute. It says that all things that cause stumbling, and all persons doing lawlessness,' would be removed.

Since there are undeniably stumbling blocks and persons doing lawlessness among us up to the present moment, it is obvious that Jesus has not yet sent forth his angels to accomplish that phase of Jehovah's purpose. That means, too, that we are not in the period of the harvest, or as Jesus called it---the conclusion of the system of things, but that is another topic.

In the prophecy of Malachi, the messenger of the covenant is said to come for the purpose of judging and cleansing God's people. Malachi 3:2 states: "But who will be putting up with the day of his coming, and who will be the one standing when he appears? For he will be like the fire of a refiner and like the lye of laundrymen."

We shouldn't imagine that Jesus Christ has already refined and cleansed his people. That is apparent from Christ's own words at Luke 21:35-36, where he spoke about the great time of trouble that was coming "upon the face of all the earth," and gave admonishment and instruction so that we might keep "standing before the Son of man." Since the tribulation has not come in upon all the earth, as Jesus foretold, our standing before the Son of man occurs in the future. That's why Malachi's question is still valid: "who will be the one standing when he appears."

That means that Christ is yet to purge his congregation of wicked ones and cleanse and refine the rest. Malachi 3:5 says: "And I will come near to you people for the judgment, and I will become a speedy witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against those swearing falsely, and against those acting fraudulently with the wage worker, with the widow and with the fatherless boy, and those turning away the alien resident, while they have not feared me,' Jehovah of armies has said."

We must humbly and honestly face the truth. The truth is that in spite of the many wonderful spiritual blessings that we enjoy as Jehovah's Witnesses, we are not living in any sort of spiritual paradise. We must admit that we suffer all of the same maladies of spirit as any other religion of Christendom. Otherwise, why would it be necessary for Christ to cleanse us of such things as Malachi foretells? At some point we will be painfully forced to recognize that Jehovah's words directed to the "dictators of Sodom and you people of Gomorrah," are really words meant for our ears. Only when we listen to and accept God's scathing rebuke will he afterwards open up before us the spiritual paradise of unutterable beauty and peace that the prophets envisioned.

Justice for the Silent Lambs

Originally published on e-watchman.com in September, 2002

In recent months, the news media has brought to the public's attention shocking stories of child sexual abuse within the families and congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses. As horrendous and heart breaking as child abuse is, the most disturbing aspect of such revelations is the apparent failure on the part of local elders and the Watchtower Society's leadership to deal appropriately with the accused and especially their victims.

In all fairness, if such cases of mishandled child abuse were isolated, we might be justified in coming to the conclusion that a few elders simply lacked proper judgment - certainly that would be bad enough. But, apparently there are literally thousands of cases of abuse on file at the Watchtower headquarters and a pattern has definitely been established as to how such cases are handled - or mishandled, as the case may be.

Given the secretive nature of the judicial process in the congregations, most of Jehovah's Witnesses have been kept in the dark as to the extent of the problem. But now that the victims of sexual abuse have been given a voice through the public media, and courageous abuse advocates have also stepped forward from within Jehovah's Witnesses to speak for them and verify their stories; they all tell a very similar tale. It goes something like this: A trusted brother in the congregation, sometimes a family member, abuses the victims over a period of time. The victim finally musters the courage to go to the elders and report the crime. The Watchtower's Legal department is contacted. A committee of elders is formed to handle the case. Typically, the accused denies the charges and the elders tell the victim that their hands are tied because there are not two witnesses to the crime. Sometimes the police are notified and other times they are not - depending upon local legal requirements.

One would think that such cases could be handled straightforwardly, especially by elders who presumably have Christ's mind on matters and who appreciate their responsibility to plead the legal case of the afflicted one. We might call to mind the apostle Paul's clear-headed judgment of a moral offense in the first century Corinthian congregation, which involved a scandalous case of immorality between a man and his father's wife. At 1st Corinthians 5:3-4, Paul told the brothers that even though he was personally absent in the flesh, he was present in the spirit and had judged the case already. His judgment was that the immoral man should be put out of the congregation. It was an open and shut case as far as the apostle was concerned. Paul told the Corinthian congregation that their cause for boasting was not proper. His words apply to us with equal force: "And are you puffed up, and did you not rather mourn, in order that the man that committed this deed should be taken away from your midst?"

How might Paul judge those men today who abuse or rape children? We cannot imagine Christ or Paul turning away an abused child who came to them for justice. How must Jehovah view the shepherds who fail to render justice to the disadvantaged and afflicted ones? Really, what must the God of righteousness think when his dear sheep are skinned and abused and they go to the appointed shepherds for protection and justice and the shepherds turn them away? How must God judge his shepherds? If the shepherds shove aside the legal claim of the abused, such elders have unquestionably abused their power and reproached their Creator.

To the shame of all of Jehovah's Witnesses, and a reproach to Jehovah God himself, the pattern that has emerged indicates that sexual abuse has not been the only form of abuse that has taken place in the organization. In addition to the scourge of sexual abuse, we must add abuse of power to the charge against the Watchtower and the congregations' appointed shepherds. Most sobering is that this accusation is not from those who might be described as opposers of the truth, but from God himself.

According to the Watchtower's official policy, in the absence of an outright confession of guilt on the part of the accused, no judicial action can be taken against any accused molester unless there happen to be at least two witnesses to the crime.

Ancient Biblical law expressly forbade the judges from acting upon the accusations of a single accuser, so, according to the Watchtower, the very law of God prevents our elders from rendering justice to the afflicted one!  But how can that be? Doesn't God's law specifically caution his judges that under no circumstances are they to shove aside the legal claims of fatherless boys and widows? Yet isn't that exactly what we have done, even using God's own law as a pretext for doing so? If there were some doubt as to how God's law should be applied today, wouldn't it be better for God-fearing elders to err on the side of the abused rather than the accused?

When Christ instructed his disciples to be quick about settling matters of dispute by taking "along one or two witnesses, so that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established," surely we are mistaken in applying that legal precept to cases of child abuse. After all, the first step in the process that Jesus outlined instructs the offended party to "go lay bare his fault between you and him alone." Surely, though, it is absurd and outrageous to expect an abused child to confront their adult abuser in private. No sane or reasonable person would suggest such a course of action be taken. Would Jesus Christ advise one of his battered lambs to go in private to confront the wolf that had just devoured them? Of course not!

But the question arises; if we do not require the victim to observe the first part of Christ's mandate, why then do we insist that the second aspect of that directive, in regard to the need for two witnesses, must be scrupulously observed? Are we so unreasonable as to imagine Christ demands that abused children produce another witness before they can obtain some sort of justice from the elders?

Even human law recognizes that children are vulnerable and therefore warrant special legal protection. That's why there are child protection agencies and laws that protect the rights of infants and minors. Jehovah himself is the primary advocate of the defenseless and afflicted. Yet, the Watchtower's policy makes no distinction between the judicial claim of an abused child and that of an adult. By so doing, the Watchtower's legal department has made it unscriptural for elders to advocate the lawful and God-given rights of abused children!

Jesus Christ condemned the Pharisees for their hypocrisy because they scrupulously observed relatively minor aspects of the Law, but disregarded the weightier matters having to do with justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Likewise, we have devoted ourselves to faithfully engaging in field service and regularly attending meetings, we have even proclaimed that we abhor child abuse, yet by our organizational policies we are denying justice and mercy to thousands of sexually abused children in our congregations! And do we imagine that Jehovah God shall be an accomplice to such atrocities? How could God possibly condone what is taking place among Jehovah's Witnesses?

Does not the prophecy of Isaiah accuse the leaders of God's people of the very thing that has taken place in the Watchtower Society? Isaiah 10:1-2 pronounces God's judicial decision in this regard, saying: "Woe to those who are enacting harmful regulations and those who, constantly writing, have written out sheer trouble, in order to push away the lowly ones from a legal case and to wrest away justice from the afflicted ones of my people, for the widows to become their spoil, and that they may plunder even the fatherless boys!"

It seems that the Watchtower has provided a timely example of what God is talking about of "those who, constantly writing, have written out sheer trouble," in that the above-linked press release admits that the Watchtower's legal experts are continually tinkering with their organizational policy. Here is a direct quote: "Our procedures have been refined over time. Over the years, as we have noted areas where our policies could be strengthened, we have followed through. We are continuing to refine them."
This is mere double-speak and legalese, because even as the press release notes, it remains the Watchtower's official policy to disallow the uncollaborated legitimate claim of an abused child. Indeed, the lawyers continue writing out sheer trouble for themselves and have brought the entire congregation under Jehovah's adverse judgment by their wicked reasonings! Is it not clear that it is wrong for the Watchtower to use biblical law in order to disregard the legal claim of sexually abused children? Surely the devising of such organizational policies is exactly what the prophecy foretold as to "enacting harmful regulations."

Jehovah's rhetorical question directed to the corrupt judges of his people in the next verse of Isaiah should give all God-fearing people a reason to shudder: "And what will you men do at the day of being given attention and at the ruin, when it comes from far away? Toward whom will you men flee for assistance, and where will you leave your glory?"

Jeremiah explains how this horrible miscarriage of justice has come about. He writes: "For among my people there have been found wicked men. They keep peering, as when birdcatchers crouch down. They have set a ruinous trap. It is men that they catch. As a cage is full of flying creatures, so their houses are full of deception. That is why they have become great and gained riches." (Jeremiah 5:26-27)

Typically, the Watchtower interprets God's unflattering and adverse judgments as applying to Christendom. Notice, though, that God locates such wicked men as being among his own people. Because wicked men use deception to set a trap for innocent, trusting ones, it makes it hard to detect such treacherous trappers. But, in view of the unrighteous and ruinous policies promoted by some among the Watchtower's leading men, and if we truly believe we are God's people, then we must accept the hard fact that God is speaking about his own organization as being victimized from within by wicked men.

In the next verses of Jeremiah, Jehovah accuses these wicked men of not pleading the legal case of the afflicted ones. It reads: "No legal case have they pleaded, even the legal case of the fatherless boy, that they may gain success; and the judgment of the poor ones they have not taken up...An astonishing situation, even a horrible thing, has been brought to be in the land." 

Surely, the Watchtower's unwillingness to plead the legal case of our own abused children is perfectly described in Scripture as "an astonishing situation, even a horrible thing."

"THEY HAVE GONE DEEP IN BRINGING RUIN"

The reason that Jehovah's ancient judicial rulings are relevant for our modern world is because, even though cultures have changed since Bible times, human nature has remained the same. That's why the apostle could say that all the things that were recorded aforetime were actually written for those who would be living at a much later date, during the period of the judgment. One of the things written aforetime that is especially relevant to the present situation has to do with a shocking sex crime that took place during the period when Israel was ruled by the judges. The account takes up three whole chapters in the book of Judges.

Briefly, what took place was that a man and his concubine were traveling and stopped over in the town of Gibeah for the night. Sex perverts surrounded the house where the couple were staying as guests and demanded that the male visitor be brought out that they might rape him. Instead, the men settled for the female concubine, whom they raped to death. News of the rape and murder was sent out to all the tribes. The 11 tribes gathered an army and came to the tribesmen of Benjamin and demanded that they hand over the guilty men so that they could be put to death, which is what the Law stipulated must be done in that case. However, the Benjaminites refused to hand the perpetrators over. War erupted and tens of thousands needlessly lost their lives. Gibeah and numerous other cities in Benjamin's territory were burned to the ground, and the tribe of Benjamin was almost entirely annihilated as a result of their foolish refusal to do justice.

What makes this historical account particularly relevant is that Jehovah referred to it years later through his prophet Hosea. Hosea 9:9 says: "They have gone down deep in bringing ruin, as in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their error; he will give attention to their sins."

In the case of Gibeah, the account probably wouldn't even be recorded in the Bible had the men of Benjamin done the right thing. It was the fact that Benjamin tried to shield the guilty men from justice that caused such widespread ruination. Their refusal to do justice compounded the original sin many times over. That is no doubt why God said through Hosea that they had "gone down deep in bringing ruin."

Keeping in mind that the book of Judges is an historical account that may or may not have an exact parallel for our day; on the other hand, Hosea is a prophecy that does have application to the Christian congregation during the time of judgment. How do we know that? Because at 1 Corinthians 15:55, Paul quoted directly from Hosea, when he asked: "Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?" Indeed, up to this very moment death continues to be victorious over us. As Paul noted, it is not until the last trumpet sounds during Christ's presence that "death is swallowed up forever." That being the case, Hosea's prophecy has relevance for spiritual Israel up until the last members of that spiritual nation are granted immortality. The very last verse of Hosea challenges us to discern what Jehovah's judgments actually mean. It says: "Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Discreet that he may know them?"

Virtually every Hebrew prophet foretells of Jehovah's judgments against his spiritual nation that are to be accomplished during the period immediately preceding the final war of Armageddon. The prophets have also foretold that God's otherwise-discreet men would be blind to such judgments. As just one example of our blindness in this regard, consider the oft-referred-to attack of Gog of Magog in Ezekiel. What is important to keep in mind is that the attack of Gog is entirely prophetic. In other words, the prophecy of Gog had no application to any ancient nation such as Babylon .

What we have understood up to this point is that when the symbolic Gog and his crowd are annihilated, that that is the end of the world as it presently exists. What we have so far failed to grasp is that Jehovah sanctions the attack of Gog as a means of punishing his people for their sins. That's why Ezekiel 39:23 says: "And the nations will have to know that it was because of their error that they, the house of Israel, went into exile, on account of the fact that they behaved unfaithfully toward me, so that I concealed my face from them and gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they kept falling, all of them, by the sword. According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions I did with them, and I kept concealing my face from them."

According to prophecy, Jehovah is going to judge and severely discipline his people for their unfaithfulness and transgressions. Clearly, Jehovah's judgment against his people for their transgressions was not fulfilled back in 1918-19 as we now suppose. Just what transgressions might we be punished for? Returning to the prophecy of Hosea, God's comparing the sin of his spiritual nation to the ruination brought about "in the days of Gibeah" must have reference to the present ruinous policies of the Watchtower that have shielded sexual predators and child molesters. Hosea 10:9 confirms that the sin of Gibeah was not merely the original sex crime, but the refusal of the older men of Benjamin to hand over the criminals. At Hosea 10:2, God indicts his people for becoming hypocrites. It reads: "Their heart has become hypocritical; now they will be found guilty."

Interestingly, Hosea makes mention of the fact that God's prophets will behave foolishly in the face of the coming judgment, and that as Jeremiah also described, birdcatchers will seek to lay traps among God's people. Hosea 9:7-8 reads as follows: "The days of being given attention must come; the days of the due payment must come. Those of Israel will know it. The prophet will be foolish, the man of inspired expression will be maddened on account of the abundance of your error, even animosity being abundant. The watchman of Ephraim was with my God. As regards a prophet, there is a trap of a birdcatcher on all his ways; there is animosity in the house of his God."

Certainly there is a growing animosity today among God's household due to the reproach that the organization has brought upon the sacred name of Jehovah, not to mention the many thousands who have already been stumbled in their faith due to such things as the Watchtower's NGO membership, false prophetic interpretations, and ruinous child abuse policies. The watchman, though, calls attention to Jehovah's coming judgment upon his house.

One aspect of Jehovah's coming judgment will be the settling accounts with his shepherds. James cautioned Christian men that teachers would receive a heavier judgment. Paul also verified that overseers are "those who will render an account" to God. The 34th chapter of Ezekiel is the legal basis for God's judgment of his shepherds. Ezekiel 34:4 says: "The sickened ones you have not strengthened, and the ailing one you have not healed, and the broken one you have not bandaged, and the dispersed one you have not brought back, and the lost one you have not sought to find, but with harshness you have had them in subjection, even with tyranny."

Encouragingly, Ezekiel goes on to foretell that after God feeds his self-serving negligent shepherds with judgment, and relieves them from serving as shepherds of his people, that he will personally bring his lost sheep back to the fold and bind up their wounds and heal them. Jehovah's coming judgment means justice for the silent lambs who have been made to suffer, not only at the hands of their wicked abusers, but also by the shepherds who have so far failed to care for them properly.

Although no human, no matter how caring, can remove the emotional scars that victims of child abuse bear deep in their souls, Jehovah can and will provide complete healing. Although no counselor, no matter how skillful, can give back the lost innocence to those robbed of it, Jehovah can and will create an entirely new person. Although no elder, no matter how just and compassionate, can undo the horrible wrongs committed, Jehovah can and will provide perfect justice.  Jehovah has the wisdom, the power, and most importantly, the desire to set all things right.

What we need within the congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses is not more lawyers fiddling with organizational policy. What we desperately need is Jehovah's judgment. The Watchtower has frequently advised victims of child abuse, as well as Jehovah's Witnesses in general, that we must "wait on Jehovah." Ironically, our waiting on Jehovah means that inevitably he is going to mete out some very harsh discipline upon those who probably imagine themselves to be least deserving of it. However, in regards to the so-called faithful slave, Christ Jesus stated a principle of accountability at Luke 12:48. It reads: "Indeed, everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him; and the one whom people put in charge of much, they will demand more than usual of him."

Up to the present moment, the brothers have refused to take responsibility for any of the injustices that have taken place on their watch. It is not likely that they ever will, of their own accord. But Jesus assures us that there will be a settling of accounts with all of his servants. Jehovah proposes to bring the whole organization to its knees just as he did Israel on several occasions. Only when we acknowledge our error will Jehovah grant his people the blessings that we prayerfully anticipate.

In the concluding chapter of Hosea, Jehovah invites his chastised and humbled people to return to him. Verse one says: "Do come back, O Israel , to Jehovah your God, for you have stumbled in your error." Interestingly, the 3rd verse makes acknowledgement that it is by God "that a fatherless boy is shown mercy." This seems to indicate that part of the error that caused us to stumble had to do with our not showing mercy to the fatherless boy. (The fatherless boy can represent all of those who are disadvantaged, abused, and afflicted.) But, in spite of all of our stupidity and sins, like the loving and merciful Father that he is, Jehovah consolingly promises: "I shall heal their unfaithfulness. I shall love them of my own free will, because my anger has turned back from him."

Whether you are personally a victim of child abuse, or perhaps one of many who are disturbed and even stumbled by the evils that have occurred within the organization, hopefully by our consideration of a few prophecies that deal with how Jehovah purposes to rectify such things, your faith in God might be restored and strengthened. The apostle Paul described God's word as being "alive and sharper than any two-edged sword." How true that is! How reassuring to know that men are not in control. Jehovah verifies for us through his written word that he has already seen what has taken place in secret. His solution is just as certain.

So whether you are a modern-day silent lamb or one who is heart-sick and dejected by what has taken place in Jehovah's organization, take courage from the fact that the true shepherd is at the door and his promise is as follows: Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said to them: "Here I am, I myself, and I will certainly judge between a plump sheep and a lean sheep, For the reason that with the flank and with the shoulder you kept pushing And with your horns you kept shoving all the sickened ones until you had scattered them to the outside. And I will save my sheep, and they will no longer become something for plunder; And I will judge between a sheep and a sheep. And I will raise up over them one shepherd, and he must feed them, even my servant David. He himself will feed them, and he himself will become their shepherd. And I myself, Jehovah, will become their God, and my servant David a chieftain in the midst of them. I myself, Jehovah, have spoken." (Ezekiel 34:20-24)

Congregation Politics

(Originally published 2003)

I spoke with an old friend recently who suggested that I ought to write something about the "politics of religion." He didn't elaborate, but knowing his situation, I knew what he meant by that phrase. So, this week's commentary speaks to that issue.

Not to be confused with religion in politics, among Jehovah's Witnesses, politics in religion has to do with what might be termed political maneuvering on the part of congregation elders to gain or maintain their positions over others. While undoubtedly most elders are sincerely concerned with serving the best interests of their respective congregations, fallen human nature being what it is, some men seem more motivated by their own personal advancement and gratification.

No doubt, the reason the Bible specifically counsels elders not to lord it over others in their charge is because some men have a strong tendency to do that very thing. It seems that those who are so inclined come to imagine that the congregation belongs to them and so they view their fellow elders and other qualified men as potential rivals. That is animalistic thinking to be sure, but unfortunately it is all-too-common in our congregations. Before they were anointed, even the apostles were constantly striving with each other to determine which one was the greatest among them, so it is not surprising that we are plagued with similar shortcomings.

I knew a brother who was one of the finest elders I have ever known. He was a kindly, grandfatherly shoulder to lean on for many who were privileged to be in his congregation. He was beloved by nearly everyone—but not all.

As the presiding overseer of the congregation, he was once approached by a young person who confessed that they had fallen into sin and committed fornication. Of course, the organizational procedure for handling such things is that a formal judicial inquiry looks into the matter. However, in this case the presiding overseer felt the person was repentant and he basically told them ‘to go and sin no more.' But, because the matter was handled privately and not in accord with the Watchtower's outlined procedural policy, one ambitious young elder seized upon the presiding overseer's false step as a pretext for launching his own bid to have his rival removed as an elder and himself crowned as reigning king of the congregation.

He called a secret meeting of the elder body, to the exclusion of the presiding overseer, in order to build a case against him. Regrettably, the ambitious elder succeeded in his scheme and the kindly presiding overseer was unceremoniously booted from office after over 40 years of unselfish service to the friends. The effect upon the congregation was devastating.

While that is one of the more extreme cases of congregational politics, unfortunately it is not a rare example. I have known several men who in many ways were more qualified to serve the congregations than those who stood in judgment of their "qualifications." But, because they were apparently judged to be a threat to the personal power and prestige of certain ones who coveted the first place, they were either hounded from office or not recommended for it.

Judging from several emails I have received, there are others who have suffered from such petty political games. We are reminded of Diotrophes, of whom John said: "He likes to have the first place among them."

From the start of e-watchman, I have tried to take the high road and not succumb to petty fault-finding and voicing mere personal grievances. But, such issues need to be addressed if only to give comfort and encouragement to those who are dismayed by such unchristian behavior on the part of some elders. No doubt many of Jehovah's Witnesses have been stumbled and discouraged by such things. So, it seems appropriate to at least consider why Jehovah tolerates such evil among his people—if indeed we are his people.

Actually the apostle Peter explains why God temporarily allows discord in the congregation of his people. 1 Peter 4:12 says: "Beloved ones, do not be puzzled at the burning among you, which is happening to you for a trial, as though a strange thing were befalling you."

It is puzzling and strange to us when those who are supposed to be our brothers and ministers instead become our oppressors and persecutors. And what makes it particularly hard to deal with is that usually the victims must suffer in silence. That's because we are conditioned to think of persecution as coming from outside "worldly" sources. For example, we frequently read of personal experiences in the Watchtower of brothers and sister who have undergone harsh family opposition, or who endured the brutality of the Nazi concentration camps. But, we seldom, if ever, read about those who have suffered under the petty tyrannies of elders, which in some cases may be every bit as trialsome as the aforementioned.

In some ways, Jehovah's Witnesses are like a big dysfunctional family, in that everybody knows there is something wrong but we don't talk about it. After all, we are supposed to be living in a trouble-free spiritual paradise that is devoid of all the problems the world suffers. So, when persecution comes like a burning fiery trial from among our fellow believers, it is puzzling and strange to us; even as the apostle noted.

But, the reason God allows for "the burning among you," is for a trial. In the very next verse, the apostle goes on to say: On the contrary, go on rejoicing forasmuch as you are sharers in the sufferings of the Christ, that you may rejoice and be overjoyed also during the revelation of his glory."

While the above counsel is directed to those with a heavenly hope, all Christians are called upon to share in the sufferings of the Christ. And what exactly were some of the sufferings of the Christ? For one, Jesus suffered because his fellow Jews were so insensitive and hard-hearted. Mark 3:5 records an occasion in the synagogue when Jesus reached a point of near-total disgust, where it says: "after looking around upon them with indignation, being thoroughly grieved at the insensibility of their hearts." So, Jesus suffered because of the moral insensibility of others in the Jewish congregation.

Jesus no doubt suffered grief because his own family had not even put any faith in him as the Messiah. Not only that, but at one point they actually thought he'd gone crazy. The 3rd chapter of Mark also reports: "But when his relatives heard about it, they went out to lay hold of him, for they were saying: "He has gone out of his mind.""

There were also many occasions when his disciples let Jesus down. On the very night of the Evening meal, the apostles were still locked in a heated debate over which one of them was the greatest. Later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus pleaded with them to stay with him and pray. The account reads: "And he said to them: "My soul is deeply grieved, even to death. Stay here and keep on the watch."" Yet, each time Christ returned to them they were sleeping.

So, the sufferings of the Christ are not just the physical suffering that he went through during his trial and execution. He suffered the emotional pain of anxiety, disappointment and rejection too.

The apostle Paul was no doubt a sharer in the sufferings of the Christ more than any other Christian. Besides being beaten and stoned by frenzied mobs of Jews, as well as having been arrested on several occasions, Paul also suffered persecution from his own brothers in the congregations.

Paul apparently founded the Corinthian congregation during one of his missionary tours. Incredibly, though, he was not well received by the congregation on subsequent circuit visits. The superfine apostles, who evidently came to preside over the Corinthians, disrespected Paul by saying that, while, his letters were weighty, his presence in person was weak and that his speech was simply contemptible. Paul tried to remind the congregation of his qualifications as an apostle, but apparently some in the congregation were unmoved. That's why he was compelled to write them at 2 Corinthians 12:11, saying: "I have become unreasonable. You compelled me to, for I ought to have been recommended by you. For I did not prove to be inferior to your superfine apostles in a single thing, even if I am nothing."

If the apostle Paul himself was disrespected and not recommended by the Corinthians, should we be surprised that there are qualified brothers today who are not recommended by their congregation elders?

Paul also had to come to terms with why Christ allowed such things to go on in the congregation. The conclusion he reached was that suffering insults from his brothers was also part of the sufferings of the Christ. That's why he wrote, "Most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast as respects my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may like a tent remain over me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in cases of need, in persecutions and difficulties, for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful."

While inner-congregation trials may be unfair and difficult to deal with, the issues are the same as what we face from outside. Will we keep our integrity to God in spite of the injustice and indignities of such politics?

James 5:9-11 is encouraging, as it acknowledges that our brothers may grieve us in various ways, but we shouldn't become exasperated so as to "heave sighs against one another," perhaps becoming embittered and uncooperative.

The verses read: "Do not heave sighs against one another, brothers, so that you do not get judged. Look! The Judge is standing before the doors. Brothers, take as a pattern of the suffering of evil and the exercising of patience the prophets, who spoke in the name of Jehovah. Look! We pronounce happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful."

In view of so many distressing circumstances in the local congregations, not to mention the disheartening difficulties the Watchtower has brought upon itself and the stumbling blocks those things have presented before us, the expression "the Judge is standing before the doors," seems more timely than ever before, as we look to Jehovah's future judgment.

The Watchtower Sinks to New All-time Low

The Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses have courageously fought many legal battles in the United States during the last eight decades. Dating back to 1918, when The Watchtower's 2nd president and seven others were incarcerated in Atlanta Federal penitentiary on trumped up charges of sedition, the Watchtower has been involved in literally hundreds of court cases. Most of the cases centered on securing our 1st amendment rights of freedom of speech and religion during the intense wave of persecution that came upon us immediately before and during WWII.

Because of the far-reaching legal precedents handed down back then, Jehovah's Witnesses have been credited with causing the Supreme Court of the land to more fully ensure the constitutional rights of every American citizen. (For those interested, the recently published book, Judging Jehovah's Witnesses, recounts many of the legal battles that Jehovah's Witnesses bravely fought during that difficult period.)

Now, though, the Watchtower is embroiled in another sort of legal battle—for a much less noble cause. Regrettably, instead of boldly championing the cause of religious freedom and the protection of our God-given rights of individual conscience, in recent years the Watchtower's legal team has been engaged in discrediting the legal claims of our own members who were the victims of child abuse and molestation at the hands of their fellow Jehovah's Witnesses.

It is a far cry from the days when Jehovah's Witnesses on trial would use the witness stand as an opportunity to give a bold witness regarding the issues of Jehovah's universal sovereignty and Christ's kingdom. The only scripture that is likely to be quoted now in Watchtower child abuse cases is Matthew 18:16; when the Society's lawyers plead their case that God's Word has tied the hands of our elders by requiring two witnesses to each crime committed against our own children. Instead of pleading the cause of the defenseless children who were robbed of their innocence and dignity, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has brought the vast financial resources of its multi-million dollar publishing corporation to bear against the downtrodden proverbial "fatherless boys"—in order to crush them!

The recent case of Vicki Boer against the Watchtower Society's Canadian branch indicates that if the Watchtower has not finally hit rock bottom morally, it has for certain reached a new all-time low.

According to Silentlambs the Watchtower originally offered an undisclosed sum to the plaintiff in an out-of-court settlement. This in itself is an admission of responsibility and guilt. However, the defense lawyers attached a so-called gag order to the proposed settlement that would have legally prevented the victim from disclosing the details of the case. Vicki Boer refused the offer and the case went to court; where Miss Boer was awarded a token $5,000 (Canadian) by the judge.

But, unfortunately, it doesn't end there. The Watchtower is now seeking to reclaim part of its own substantial legal expenses from the very victim it once sought to compensate out of court! Evidently the message that the Watchtower wants to get across to future potential plaintiffs, is that any abuse victim who dares to seek restitution in the courts for their suffering will be mercilessly thrown under the grinding wheels of corporate justice! Regardless of the judge's ruling on the Vicki Boer case, all of Jehovah's Witnesses ought to pale in shame at the deplorable depths to which the Watchtower's legal department has sunken.

The Founder of the Watchtower, Charles Russell, once remarked that he would never solicit funds and that if at some point the Watchtower's finances dried up, then, so-be-it; as he would consider that as an indication from God that it was time to suspend publication. Apparently, however, the brothers do not have that same trusting relationship with God today. Instead of absorbing the financial costs involved in making things right with those who have legal claims against the organization, the Watchtower now seems intent on vindictively extracting punitive damages from the victims.

Surely, heaven itself must bristle in horror over the fact that the very organization that once produced stalwart witnesses for Jehovah who unflinchingly stood alone in the lion's den and stared Hitler down, and that successfully pleaded the cause of Christians before the U.S. Supreme Court, has now taken up the practice of bullying and intimidating sexually abused orphans! An all-time low indeed!

As Jehovah's Witnesses are well aware, the very foundation of Jehovah's throne is loving-kindness and justice. And the God of heaven has made it clear in the Bible that he expects his worshippers to take special care to look out for the interests and needs of disadvantaged widows and orphans. (Many abuse victims were actually abused by step-fathers, fathers and elders. This makes them fatherless boys and girls in the sense that the men who were supposed to protect them from evil not only failed to do so, but instead took advantage of them.)

The question we now must squarely face is this: What is the legal opinion of the Supreme Judge of the universe, regarding the way in which his witnesses, Jehovah's Witnesses, have used their God-given powers of judgment?

According to the 82nd Psalm, Jehovah has entrusted powers of judging to his earthly sons—who will themselves be judged as to their faithfulness in adhering to standards of Divine justice. When accused by the murder-breathing Pharisees of making himself a god, in his own defense Jesus quoted directly from the 82nd Psalm at John 10:34, saying to his opposers: "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said: "You are gods"'? If he called 'gods' those against whom the word of God came, and yet the Scripture cannot be nullified, do you say to me whom the Father sanctified and dispatched into the world, 'You blaspheme,' because I said, I am God's Son?"

Since God himself is the ultimate Judge, the Bible refers to mere men as 'gods' due to the fact that God confers the office of judging in his name to such men. In other words, they occupy the God-assigned office of judges. Actually, though, the Psalm that Jesus appealed to that calls mere men 'gods,' also refers to the judges of God's people as the sons of God. Psalms 82:6 says: "I myself have said, 'You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High.'"

In the case of the Pharisees, it should be noted that they were not really sons of God, as the Psalm describes. In fact, rather than being sons of God, in the 8th chapter of John Jesus denounced the Jews and their Pharisees as being "from your father the Devil." Obviously the spiritual children of the Devil can not also be the sons of Jehovah God. The significance of that fact is that, while, the 82nd Psalm applied in principle to the 1st century Pharisees, in actuality the Psalm applies to the anointed sons of God during the time immediately prior to God's great Judgment Day. How so?

For one thing, according to the 82nd Psalm Jehovah not only addresses the earthly judges as 'gods' and 'sons,' but also "God is stationing himself in the assembly of the Divine One; in the middle of the gods he judges." God's stationing himself in the assembly, or congregation of his sons, is in harmony with the revealed truth that God's habitation is the spiritual temple made up of the congregation of his anointed ones. And Jehovah's judgment starts first when he judges in the middle of his own household of appointed servants. According to Christ some of the sons of God will be judged as unfit wicked and sluggish slaves; while others will be accepted as faithful slaves. So, during the conclusion of the system of things, God does indeed judge "in the middle of the gods."

That Jehovah has entrusted his anointed sons with God-like authority to judge his people, we merely have to consult the words of the Apostle Paul, where he wrote to the Corinthians these words: "Do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you unfit to try very trivial matters? Do you not know that we shall judge angels? Why then not matters of this life?"

It is another irony that the very thing that Paul counseled the Corinthians to avoid is now what is taking place among Jehovah's Witnesses; namely, that grievances that were not handled satisfactorily in the congregations, due in large part because of the Watchtower's misguided policy regarding child abuse, are now being taken before the secular courts.

In the 82nd Psalm Jehovah seems to speak directly to the Watchtower today when he asks the judges of his people: "How long will you keep on judging with injustice and showing partiality to the wicked themselves?"

It is an undeniable fact that the Watchtower's so-called child abuse policy has favored the wicked abusers and sent the victims away with empty platitudes to "wait on Jehovah" to set things straight. Jehovah, of course, will indeed set things straight—starting with the unjust judges of his people!

But, instead of coddling and concealing depraved child molesters in our congregations, Jehovah expects the shepherds and judges of his people to give the interests of the lowly and afflicted one top priority. That is why in the very next verse of the 82nd Psalm, Jehovah reminds his judges of his priorities, saying to them: "Be judges for the lowly one and the fatherless boy. To the afflicted one and the one of little means do justice. Provide escape for the lowly one and the poor one; out of the hand of the wicked ones deliver them."

While the Watchtower insists that it has handled child abuse cases in the best possible way, the victims tell another story. And while the Watchtower would prefer to gag the victims with hush money or arrogantly dismiss the flood of allegations as mere media lies, the very fact that the courts are taking such cases seriously should tell us that something is seriously wrong. After all, shouldn't the lowly and the afflicted be the ones to decide if justice has been done for them? If justice had been done in the congregations in the first place it is highly unlikely that the victims would now be seeking justice in the courts of the land.

Contrary to the Watchtower's insistence that justice has been served and that we have followed God's own standards, again, Jehovah's words speak to the heart of the present situation. God says of his judges: "They have not known, and they do not understand; in darkness they keep walking about; all the foundations of the earth have been made to totter." Like the Corinthian congregation, Paul's words apply with equal force to the entire organization today: "Is it true that there is not one wise man among you that will be able to judge between his brothers?"

"All the foundations of the earth are made to totter," in that our injustice is what forces God to take up our own legal case—in order to set things straight. That is why the last verse of the Psalm is an appeal to Jehovah God to rise up in judgment in order to ultimately take over the rulership of the entire world. Psalm 82:8 reads: "Do rise up, O God, do judge the earth; for you yourself should take possession of all nations."

Since the plea of the inspired Psalmist for God's intervention comes in the context of the failure of God's sons to do justice in behalf of the afflicted and fatherless boys, and since we now see the clear evidence that the anointed sons of God and their Watchtower institution fit the description of the unjust judges of the 82nd Psalm; and since, as Jesus observed in connection with the very same Psalm, that "the Scripture cannot be nullified," we ought to seriously consider the question: Can Jehovah's day of judgment be far off?

Faith, Hope and Love (2003)

Some of Jehovah's Witnesses have asked how it is possible for them to continue on in a ministry using the Watchtower and Awake; knowing that they are sharing in distributing certain falsehoods—such as the 1914 doctrine or subtle UN propaganda, or what-have-you.

Others have asked if there is any hope for inactive or disfellowshipped persons should the tribulation overtake them in that condition.

So, this week's commentary will try to address those two issues.

One factor that makes using what we might consider to be tainted Watchtower literature such a difficult issue for us to deal with is because most of Jehovah's Witnesses have never had any sort of ministry apart from using the literature. Our entire ministry revolves around distributing literature; either on the street corner or from door-to-door. Although Jehovah's Witnesses are regularly encouraged to use the Bible in the ministry, typically our using the Bible is limited to reading a few scriptures and then we are trained to make a literature offer. And, of course, the home Bible study program makes heavy use of either a book or brochure.

The dilemma arises for some of Jehovah's Witnesses, not over the fact that the Watchtower literature might contain certain falsehoods that we would prefer not to share in publishing; the problem is that we also recognize that we are under obligation to Christ to preach about his kingdom. For example, Paul wrote of his Christian obligation, saying in the 9th chapter of 1st Corinthians: "For necessity is laid upon me. Really, woe is me if I did not declare the good news!  If I perform this willingly, I have a reward; but if I do it against my will, all the same I have a stewardship entrusted to me." But, since we are not accustomed to preaching and teaching others without using Watchtower materials, it is difficult to know how to carry on our Christian ministry in good conscience. That is the challenge.

To gain some perspective, let's take a broader "macro" look at Jehovah's way of doing things. To that end, let's take a closer look at the challenges the apostles originally faced.

Jesus once told a Samaritan woman that the Jews worshipped what they knew. As a Jew, Jesus certainly knew the God whom he worshipped and his fellow Jews also had a basic knowledge of God. For instance, they knew God's name. They also knew that God had promised to send them a Messiah. They knew that God's kingdom was going to rule the world.

However, there were many things the Jews did not know about God. That's why Jesus went on to tell the Samaritan woman that the hour had come for the true worshippers to worship God with sprit and truth. So, the rigid formalistic Jewish way of worship was going to be phased out. Years after Christ died, Paul indicated that the Jewish system of worship had served its purpose and was obsolete and due to pass away altogether. (Hebrew 8:13)

Jehovah's Witnesses are now in a situation similar to the pre-Christian Jewish nation. Like the pre-Christian Jews, we know God's name. We know about God's promised Messiah. We know that God's kingdom is going to rule the world. We know many details concerning all of God's arrangements.

But, do we really know Jehovah the way we should? Well, consider what Paul wrote at Hebrews 8:10-11: "'For this is the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days,' says Jehovah. 'I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts I shall write them. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people. "'And they will by no means teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying: "Know Jehovah!" For they will all know me, from the least one to the greatest one of them.  For I shall be merciful to their unrighteous deeds, and I shall by no means call their sins to mind anymore.'"

From Paul's perspective, "those days" were the 1st century and the Christian congregation was "the house of Israel." Christ established the New Covenant with his anointed followers and the Christians became God's people.

However, as far as biblical patterns go, our position today awaiting Christ's return is the same position the apostles were in relative to the kingdom before Pentecost. How so?

Prior to Jesus' resurrection the apostles were imagining that the kingdom of God was going to be on earth. For example, when James and John asked to sit beside Christ in his kingdom, Jesus told them they did not know what they were asking for. Other occasions proved that the apostles had no idea that they were going to have to go to heaven to rule with Jesus. Nevertheless, in spite of their ignorance and short-sightedness, Jesus entrusted them with a sacred ministry and commanded them to go through the land declaring that the kingdom of God had drawn near—even before Pentecost. It was only after Christ's resurrection that their eyes finally began to be opened to the reality of the heavenly kingdom.

In a post-resurrection encounter with the apostles, Jesus rebuked them for their ignorance and slowness to grasp the truth, saying to them: "O senseless ones and slow in heart to believe on all the things the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory?"

Now, think about it: If the very men who are now the foundational stones of the Christian church were "senseless and slow in heart to believe," where does that leave us in Christ's estimation? Imagine, the apostles got it all wrong without the help of tainted Watchtower literature?

Are not the problems we are dealing with, related to the Watchtower, a result of their being "senseless and slow to believe on all the things the prophets spoke"? Surely, that is the case.

For instance, the Watchtower's insistence that Christ came in 1914 is not that much different than the apostles' insisting that Christ was not going to die and that he would rule from Jerusalem. Their error then was just as wrong as our errors now. (Accepting the Watchtower's NGO affair—which amounts to apostasy.)

The Watchtower is "slow in heart to believe the things the prophets spoke" concerning Jehovah's judgments on spiritual Israel. Instead, they imagine that all of Jehovah's rebuke is directed toward Christendom or that it was fulfilled way back in 1918-19. It is because of the Watchtower's spiritual senselessness and slowness to understand the prophecies that we are now faced with the issue of organizational loyalty.

What is the solution?

Encouragingly, after calling the apostles senseless and slow to believe, the account says of Jesus: "And commencing at Moses and all the Prophets he interpreted to them things pertaining to himself in all the Scriptures."

The cure for the apostles' ignorance and error was that Jesus opened up their minds and hearts to believe and understand the prophets as never before. In other words, Christ enlightened them as only the Lord of Light can do.

Now, as it applies to the prophecies of the New Covenant, when may we expect the many prophecies to be fulfilled that refer to God writing his law in our hearts and Jehovah becoming our God in a special way? Did that take place in 1919? Hardly!

If we were not also senseless and slow to believe the prophets, we could grasp the fact that there is a day of ultimate enlightenment in the future.

For example, in the verse cited above, Paul quoted from Jeremiah where it foretold that those in the new covenant with God "will no more teach each one his companion and each one his brother, saying, 'know Jehovah!' for they will all of them know me, from the least one of them even to the greatest one of them," is the utterance of Jehovah. "For I shall forgive their error, and their sin I shall remember no more."

If we reason on this prophecy, what is it actually telling us? It is saying that when God's covenant is fully realized there will be no more teaching of the sons of the kingdom anything! When the prophecy is fulfilled, the sons of God will have been taught to each, individually, know Jehovah God completely—as completely as Jesus knows his Father. At that point here will be nothing left to teach them.

Obviously, that prophecy was not really fulfilled in the 1st century due to the fact that Paul and the apostles were very much engaged in teaching the prospective sons of the kingdom to know Jehovah. It is equally evident that it has not been fulfilled in our day either; otherwise, why would the Watchtower need to teach us about Jehovah?

And why would the as-of-yet unfulfilled prophecy of Ezekiel speak of a day when the Christian house of Israel "will have to know that I am Jehovah"?

Reasoning further on the implications of the prophecy, Jehovah said of those who become his people: "I shall forgive their error, and their sin I shall remember no more."

Again, we ask the question: Did God forgive the error of Christ's congregation in the 1st century? Not entirely, because in Revelation, for example, Jesus foretells of his judgment upon the seven congregations of anointed sons during the Lord's day.

It seems ridiculous to even pose the question, but did Jehovah grant forgiveness to all the sons of the kingdom back in 1919? Let sensibleness prevail and the answer becomes self-evident.

According to God's prophetic word there is a second Pentecost-like outpouring at Christ's coming. According to Joel's prophecy, the ultimate outpouring of holy spirit occurs during the tribulation. There is so much more that can be said about this, but suffice it to say:

Christ's coming will be pivotal—monumental!

That is when the blind eyes are opened to see the deeper truths. That is when the pasted ears are unstopped to hear Jehovah's clarion call. That is when those slow in heart to believe God's prophets will have their minds and hearts pried open to know the truth. That is when we will discard our erroneous teachings as if they were an unclean menstrual cloth. That is when Christ will scour us clean as with laundrymen's lye. That is when God will grant forgiveness. That is when Jehovah will truly become our God and we his people. That is when we will come to know Jehovah.

So, what do we do in the interim?

In the 13th chapter of I Corinthians, Paul wrote about the day of knowing. He wrote to us, saying: "For at present we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face to face. At present I know partially, but then I shall know accurately even as I am accurately known. Now, however, there remain faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."

At present we, too, see Jehovah and his still-unfolding purpose in a mere "hazy outline." Regrettably, our hazy understanding is only exacerbated and made all the more pitiful because we assume we see things clearly.

Nevertheless, we can appreciate that the answers to our doubts and turmoil lies in the spiritual gifts available to us presently; namely, "faith, hope and love."

As for how each one of Jehovah's Witnesses should meet the challenges set before them in accomplishing the ministry we have committed to undertake, the answer lies in our having faith in God's unfailing promises to set all things straight; hope in God's forgiveness and mercy, and love of the truth about God that we presently possess. The power of faith, hope and love is much stronger than the mountain-like obstacles before us. Really, compared to the profound truth about Jehovah and Christ's incoming kingdom, all else is mere trivia.

But what about those who are not "in the truth," as we say?

What about those who are estranged from Jehovah? What about the disaffected and stumbled who do not have the power to simply carry on as before?

Certainly, Jehovah is aware of everyone's spiritual condition. If a fallen sparrow does not escape his Father's notice, surely Jesus knows every one of Jehovah's lost sheep by name. Jehovah also knows that the Watchtower bears a heavy responsibility for stumbling many of his sheep.

Jehovah even charges his modern anointed priests with as much, prophetically saying to them: "But you men—you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble in the law. You have ruined the covenant of Levi," Jehovah of armies has said.

The question is: If Jehovah is going to hold an accounting with those who "have caused many to stumble," what is to become of the victims who were made to stumble?

There answer is that Jehovah and his messianic shepherd are going to retrieve the lost sheep—at least those who have retained a measure of "faith, hope and love."

The 34th chapter of Ezekiel assures us of this: "'For this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: "Here I am, I myself, and I will search for my sheep and care for them. According to the care of one feeding his drove in the day of his coming to be in the midst of his sheep that have been spread abroad, that is the way that I shall care for my sheep; and I will deliver them out of all the places to which they have been scattered in the day of clouds and thick gloom… I myself shall feed my sheep, and I myself shall make them lie down," is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. "The lost one I shall search for, and the dispersed one I shall bring back, and the broken one I shall bandage and the ailing one I shall strengthen, but the fat one and the strong one I shall annihilate. I shall feed that one with judgment."

"The day of clouds and thick gloom" is a reference to the darkened period of the world's tribulation. That is when Jehovah personally oversees the final in-gathering of the so-called other sheep that make up the great crowd.

We can be certain that "everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah," in faith, will be heard.

The 42nd chapter of Isaiah says of Christ, when he comes to rule the world: "No crushed reed will he break; and as for a dim flaxen wick, he will not extinguish it. In trueness he will bring forth justice. He will not grow dim nor be crushed until he sets justice in the earth itself; and for his law the islands themselves will keep waiting."

Those whose spirit and hope resembles a flickering wick of a lamp about to burn out may be sure that Christ will not snuff out their flame. When Christ "sets justice in the earth," that means that the injustices will be amended. Not merely worldly injustices, but the unjust things within the New World Society that have caused many to stumble and be crushed.

While many of us struggle with feelings of resentment and disappointment, there is no reason to give in to despair. There is, however, every reason to continue on in faith, hope and love.

Congregation Politics

Originally published in 2003

I spoke with an old friend recently who suggested that I ought to write something about the "politics of religion." He didn't elaborate, but knowing his situation, I knew what he meant by that phrase. So, this week's commentary speaks to that issue.

Not to be confused with religion in politics, among Jehovah's Witnesses, politics in religion has to do with what might be termed political maneuvering on the part of congregation elders to gain or maintain their positions over others. While undoubtedly most elders are sincerely concerned with serving the best interests of their respective congregations, fallen human nature being what it is, some men seem more motivated by their own personal advancement and gratification.

No doubt, the reason the Bible specifically counsels elders not to lord it over others in their charge is because some men have a strong tendency to do that very thing. It seems that those who are so inclined come to imagine that the congregation belongs to them and so they view their fellow elders and other qualified men as potential rivals. That is animalistic thinking to be sure, but unfortunately it is all-too-common in our congregations. Before they were anointed, even the apostles were constantly striving with each other to determine which one was the greatest among them, so it is not surprising that we are plagued with similar shortcomings.

I knew a brother who was one of the finest elders I have ever known. He was a kindly, grandfatherly shoulder to lean on for many who were privileged to be in his congregation. He was beloved by nearly everyone—but not all.

As the presiding overseer of the congregation, he was once approached by a young person who confessed that they had fallen into sin and committed fornication. Of course, the organizational procedure for handling such things is that a formal judicial inquiry looks into the matter. However, in this case the presiding overseer felt the person was repentant and he basically told them ‘to go and sin no more.' But, because the matter was handled privately and not in accord with the Watchtower's outlined procedural policy, one ambitious young elder seized upon the presiding overseer's false step as a pretext for launching his own bid to have his rival removed as an elder and himself crowned as reigning king of the congregation.

He called a secret meeting of the elder body, to the exclusion of the presiding overseer, in order to build a case against him. Regrettably, the ambitious elder succeeded in his scheme and the kindly presiding overseer was unceremoniously booted from office after over 40 years of unselfish service to the friends. The effect upon the congregation was devastating.

While that is one of the more extreme cases of congregational politics, unfortunately it is not a rare example. I have known several men who in many ways were more qualified to serve the congregations than those who stood in judgment of their "qualifications." But, because they were apparently judged to be a threat to the personal power and prestige of certain ones who coveted the first place, they were either hounded from office or not recommended for it.

Judging from several emails I have received, there are others who have suffered from such petty political games. We are reminded of Diotrophes, of whom John said: "He likes to have the first place among them."

From the start of e-watchman, I have tried to take the high road and not succumb to petty fault-finding and voicing mere personal grievances. But, such issues need to be addressed if only to give comfort and encouragement to those who are dismayed by such unchristian behavior on the part of some elders. No doubt many of Jehovah's Witnesses have been stumbled and discouraged by such things. So, it seems appropriate to at least consider why Jehovah tolerates such evil among his people—if indeed we are his people.

Actually the apostle Peter explains why God temporarily allows discord in the congregation of his people. 1 Peter 4:12 says: "Beloved ones, do not be puzzled at the burning among you, which is happening to you for a trial, as though a strange thing were befalling you."

It is puzzling and strange to us when those who are supposed to be our brothers and ministers instead become our oppressors and persecutors. And what makes it particularly hard to deal with is that usually the victims must suffer in silence. That's because we are conditioned to think of persecution as coming from outside "worldly" sources. For example, we frequently read of personal experiences in the Watchtower of brothers and sister who have undergone harsh family opposition, or who endured the brutality of the Nazi concentration camps. But, we seldom, if ever, read about those who have suffered under the petty tyrannies of elders, which in some cases may be every bit as trialsome as the aforementioned.

In some ways, Jehovah's Witnesses are like a big dysfunctional family, in that everybody knows there is something wrong but we don't talk about it. After all, we are supposed to be living in a trouble-free spiritual paradise that is devoid of all the problems the world suffers. So, when persecution comes like a burning fiery trial from among our fellow believers, it is puzzling and strange to us; even as the apostle noted.

But, the reason God allows for "the burning among you," is for a trial. In the very next verse, the apostle goes on to say: On the contrary, go on rejoicing forasmuch as you are sharers in the sufferings of the Christ, that you may rejoice and be overjoyed also during the revelation of his glory."

While the above counsel is directed to those with a heavenly hope, all Christians are called upon to share in the sufferings of the Christ. And what exactly were some of the sufferings of the Christ? For one, Jesus suffered because his fellow Jews were so insensitive and hard-hearted. Mark 3:5 records an occasion in the synagogue when Jesus reached a point of near-total disgust, where it says: "after looking around upon them with indignation, being thoroughly grieved at the insensibility of their hearts." So, Jesus suffered because of the moral insensibility of others in the Jewish congregation.

Jesus no doubt suffered grief because his own family had not even put any faith in him as the Messiah. Not only that, but at one point they actually thought he'd gone crazy. The 3rd chapter of Mark also reports: "But when his relatives heard about it, they went out to lay hold of him, for they were saying: "He has gone out of his mind.""

There were also many occasions when his disciples let Jesus down. On the very night of the Evening meal, the apostles were still locked in a heated debate over which one of them was the greatest. Later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus pleaded with them to stay with him and pray. The account reads: "And he said to them: "My soul is deeply grieved, even to death. Stay here and keep on the watch."" Yet, each time Christ returned to them they were sleeping.

So, the sufferings of the Christ are not just the physical suffering that he went through during his trial and execution. He suffered the emotional pain of anxiety, disappointment and rejection too.

The apostle Paul was no doubt a sharer in the sufferings of the Christ more than any other Christian. Besides being beaten and stoned by frenzied mobs of Jews, as well as having been arrested on several occasions, Paul also suffered persecution from his own brothers in the congregations.

Paul apparently founded the Corinthian congregation during one of his missionary tours. Incredibly, though, he was not well received by the congregation on subsequent circuit visits. The superfine apostles, who evidently came to preside over the Corinthians, disrespected Paul by saying that, while, his letters were weighty, his presence in person was weak and that his speech was simply contemptible. Paul tried to remind the congregation of his qualifications as an apostle, but apparently some in the congregation were unmoved. That's why he was compelled to write them at 2 Corinthians 12:11, saying: "I have become unreasonable. You compelled me to, for I ought to have been recommended by you. For I did not prove to be inferior to your superfine apostles in a single thing, even if I am nothing."

If the apostle Paul himself was disrespected and not recommended by the Corinthians, should we be surprised that there are qualified brothers today who are not recommended by their congregation elders?

Paul also had to come to terms with why Christ allowed such things to go on in the congregation. The conclusion he reached was that suffering insults from his brothers was also part of the sufferings of the Christ. That's why he wrote, "Most gladly, therefore, will I rather boast as respects my weaknesses, that the power of the Christ may like a tent remain over me. Therefore I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in cases of need, in persecutions and difficulties, for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful."

While inner-congregation trials may be unfair and difficult to deal with, the issues are the same as what we face from outside. Will we keep our integrity to God in spite of the injustice and indignities of such politics?

James 5:9-11 is encouraging, as it acknowledges that our brothers may grieve us in various ways, but we shouldn't become exasperated so as to "heave sighs against one another," perhaps becoming embittered and uncooperative.

The verses read: "Do not heave sighs against one another, brothers, so that you do not get judged. Look! The Judge is standing before the doors. Brothers, take as a pattern of the suffering of evil and the exercising of patience the prophets, who spoke in the name of Jehovah. Look! We pronounce happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful."

In view of so many distressing circumstances in the local congregations, not to mention the disheartening difficulties the Watchtower has brought upon itself and the stumbling blocks those things have presented before us, the expression "the Judge is standing before the doors," seems more timely than ever before, as we look to Jehovah's future judgment.

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