Tue Feb 6 - Hear the word of Jehovah you dictators of Sodom

[Watchman]

Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freely . . . Just as Jehovah freely forgave you, you must also do the same.—Col. 3:13.

Although Jehovah is our Creator, Lawgiver, and Judge, he is also our loving heavenly Father. (Ps. 100:3; Isa. 33:22) When we sin against him and are sincerely repentant, he is not only able but also eager to forgive us. (Ps. 86:5) Through the prophet Isaiah, Jehovah gave this warm assurance: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be made as white as snow.” (Isa. 1:18) Because we are imperfect, we all say and do things that offend others. (Jas. 3:2) That does not mean, however, that we cannot enjoy close relationships with them. We can if we learn to be forgiving. (Prov. 17:9; 19:11; Matt. 18:21, 22) When we hurt one another in small ways, Jehovah wants us to forgive. We have good reason to do so. After all, Jehovah freely forgives us “in a large way.”—Isa. 55:7. w22.06 8 ¶1-2

If Jehovah's Witnesses were to actually read the context of verses the WT quotes out of context, and if such contextual readers were to follow the Governing Body's advice and meditate upon what they read, there might be a spontaneous flash of new light.

When Jehovah illustrated the extent to which he is willing to forgive, contrasting the scarlet stain of sin with the purity of snow, to whom are his words directed? Remember, context! Please read the opening words of the prophecy: "Sons I have brought up and raised, but they have revolted against me."

Okay, so God regarded the Israelites as his sons. But were they really? We know Jesus was the Son of God, both by virtue of his being Fathered directly by Jehovah as the first heavenly creation. But more especially he became a son when he was born again. And those whom Jehovah draws to Christ and anoints are also sons of God by a special adoption. Furthermore, the Christian Greek Scriptures refer to these sons as the Israel of God and the true Jews.

Returning to the context, God addresses the leaders of his people in a very unflattering way, saying to them: "Hear the word of Jehovah, you dictators of Sodom. Pay attention to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah."

Why are the leaders of Jehovah's earthly organization likened to the dictators of the iniquitous city of Sodom? Because they have rebelled against God. And we are not talking about the sins of a few individuals, but an entire nation. Remember, spiritual Israel is called a nation. For more context let us read on: "And when you spread out your palms, I hide my eyes from you. Although you offer many prayers, I am not listening; your hands are filled with blood. Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from my sight; stop doing bad. Learn to do good, seek justice, correct the oppressor, defend the rights of the fatherless child, and plead the cause of the widow. Come, now, and let us set matters straight between us,” says Jehovah. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be made as white as snow though they are as red as crimson cloth, they will become like wool."

If God is willing to forgive then it is necessary for those who have rebelled to recognize their sin and repent. Declaring the organization to be sin-free and residing in a spiritual paradise will not work with God. Jehovah expects the dictators of Sodom to confess their blood guilt over having endorsed a vaccine that has already killed millions of people worldwide and has the potential to kill many more. How many of Jehovah's Witnesses have died? We do not know. But God does. How many widows have been booted out of their Kingdom Halls? Let's say there are 2-3 per congregation and 1,000 Kingdom Halls have been confiscated and the congregants evicted. Do the math.

As of 20 years ago, the WT's database contained the names of more than 20,000 pedophiles. That means at the very least there have been 20,000 abuse victims. Do you better appreciate why Jehovah addresses the leaders of his organization as the dictators of Sodom? And some of these many thousands of victims are seeking legal redress. And the Watchtower has become their adversary at law. Did you know that certain spokesmen for the Watchtower have claimed in court that elders bear no fiduciary responsibility to protect children from sexual predators in the congregations? They are on record arguing that very thing. So, we will see what the Judge in heaven has to say about that. For more context read verse 23, here: "Your princes are stubborn and partners with thieves. Every one of them loves a bribe and chases after gifts. They do not grant justice to the fatherless, and the legal case of the widow never reaches them."

How will God force the issue, because, obviously, the leadership of the Watchtower will never set matters straight on their own if they can just maintain the status quo? Reality will intervene when the Son of man arrives and kicks off global war and civilization's collapse. Then an ultimatum will be delivered: "If you show willingness and listen, you will eat the good things of the land. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword, for the mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.” (19-20)

Do Elders Have a Fiduciary Duty?

An open letter entitled A Conspiracy of Silence, Soon to End is now (2006) being widely publicized on the Internet and mailed directly to hundreds of Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses, informing them the Watchtower Society’s attorneys are arguing before the court that Bethel-appointed elders...

e-watchman.com

Hear the word of Jehovah, you dictators of Sodom!

Sunday, June 6 If you are doing what is bad, be in fear.—Rom. 13:4. Child abuse is a grave sin. The child abuser hurts the child in devastating ways. He betrays the child’s trust, robbing the child of his or her

e-watchman.com

You have fattened your hearts on the day of slaughter

The pandemic demonstrated the folly of depending on a labyrinthine network of global supply chains. No sooner had the panic receded than the second woe came quickly in the form of Russia’s recent Special Military Operation in Ukraine, and more particularly the West’s heavy-handed response to it with

e-watchman.com

 

[Watchman]

Let's read some more context: "How the faithful city has become a prostitute! She was full of justice; righteousness used to lodge in her,
but now murderers." (vs 21)

As I have pointed out many times, Jerusalem is a symbol of Christianity, true Christianity, not Christendom. The reason is that Christianity began in Jerusalem when holy spirit came upon the apostles and 108 other disciples in an upper room in the holy city on the festival day of Pentecost. Furthermore, the apostles were headquartered there. That is why, for example, Paul traveled to Jerusalem to report on his field service and discuss the contentious issue of circumcision. So, Christ's congregation was faithful and righteous in the first century. But when the anointing renewed in the late 19th century and on into the present, the congregation in which God has drawn anointed persons became "Jerusalem." And it is this "city" that has become a prostitute and home of murderers.

 

[Bk Kevin]

@Watchtower
29 A man* repeatedly reproved+ but making his neck hard+ will suddenly be broken, and that without healing.+

4 By justice a king makes a land keep standing,+ but a man out for bribes* tears it down.+

7 The righteous one is knowing the legal claim of the lowly ones.+ He that is wicked does not consider such knowledge.+

10 Bloodthirsty men hate anyone blameless;+ and as for the upright ones, they keep seeking for the soul of each one.+

12 Where a ruler is paying attention to false speech, all those waiting on him will be wicked.+Read more> https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/bi12/books/proverbs/29/#v20029007

 

[Paul H]

DAGTEKST 6 FEB. 2024 – HOOR HET WOORD VAN JEHOVAH, DICTATORS VAN SODOM

Dagtekst dinsdag 6 februari 2024 Blijf elkaar verdragen en elkaar van harte vergeven. Zoals Jehovah jullie van harte vergeven heeft, zó moeten jullie vergeven. — Kol. 3:13. Jehovah is onze Schepper, Wetgever en Rechter. Maar hij is

e-watchman.nl

"Hear the word of Jehovah, you dictators of Sodom. Pay attention to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah."

"And some of these many thousands of victims are seeking legal redress. And the Watchtower has become their adversary at law. Did you know that certain spokesmen for the Watchtower have claimed in court that elders bear no fiduciary responsibility to protect children from sexual predators in the congregations? They are on record arguing that very thing."

 

[SusanB]

I know that all of us have read this scripture possibly thousands of times but its good to really break it down.

Ezekiel 13:8-17: “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘Because you have spoken what is false and your visions are a lie, I am against you,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘ My hand is against the prophets whose visions are false and who foretell a lie. They will not be among the people with whom I confide; nor will they be written in the registry of the house of Israel; nor will they return to the land of Israel; and you will have to know that I am the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. All of this is because they have led my people astray by saying, “There is peace!” when there is no peace. When a flimsy partition wall is built, they are plastering it with whitewash. Tell those plastering with whitewash that it will fall. A torrential downpour will come, hailstones will fall, and powerful windstorms will break it down. And when the wall falls you will be asked, “Where is your coating of plaster?”’ Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘I will cause powerful windstorms to burst forth in my wrath, and a torrential downpour in my anger, and hailstones in destructive fury. I will tear down the wall that you plastered with whitewash and bring it down to the earth, and its foundation will be exposed. When the city falls, you will perish within her; and you will have to know that I am Jehovah. When I fully unleash my wrath upon the wall and upon those who plastered it with whitewash, I will say to you: “The wall is no more, and those plastering it are no more. The prophets of Israel are gone, those who prophesy to Jerusalem and who see visions of peace for her, when there is no peace,”’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. ‘As for you, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who fabricate their own prophecies, and prophesy against them.’”