The July 15 2013 “Study Edition” reveals “new light” unveiled at the October 5th 2012 Annual Meeting, at which it was announced that the Governing Body is now considered the “faithful and discreet slave” – the spiritual overlords of the nearly 8 million Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide.
You can find the July15, 2013 Watchtower Study Edition by CLICKING HERE:
We have had a poll in the upper left side of the Website for several months asking the question, WHO IS THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE. As of April 10, 2013, 886 visitors have voted. 355 or 40% of the voters identified the Governing Body as the Faithful and Discreet Slave. If 40% of the visitors on our website believed it before the announcement, it is a reasonable deduction that a far higher percentage of JWs in the Watchtower organization believed it before it was announced. Does this suggest that the organization has been subtly implying the idea for a long time now? Was this so that the announcement would be expected rather than received as shocking and surprising news?
As a summary, the three articles in the July Watchtower indicate changes in several points of view:
1. The great tribulation did not begin in 1914, but is a future event
2. The great tribulation only begins when the United Nations attacks world religion (they used the expression “nominal Christians” an expression from the early Watchtower days.)
3. The judgment of the “sheep and the goats” also is not occurring now, but only once the great tribulation begins.
4. The “Faithful and Discreet Slave” is no longer simply the anointed, but only the Governing Body who are dispensing the “spiritual food”.
5. There is no “evil slave class” – a significant change. (This is no help to the early Bible Students (now passed away) who were charged with being Evil Slaves for resisting the sweeping changes.)
They have discarded important views regarding 1914, as well as changing ideas relating to the “inspection of the temple” period of 1918 to 1919. This is quite significant. It appears that they are laying the groundwork for a very long future period when all of the old-timers have died off but the organization remains. They are also suggesting that the Governing Body members will receive a special appointment different from others of the anointed. This is weird stuff, but most faithful JWs will rejoice in the new light.
With zealousness of mine I will hadle my service to Jehovah well&in concientious manner
Hello anonymous and thank you for commenting. Would you tell us a little bit of your experiences, please? Are you a witness? How did you find this site? Thank you.
This is the link to the article on the 100 yr anniversary of the Photo Drama of Creation.
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20140215/
Hmm….interesting a Jw elder once told me to stay away from Bible student literature yet they promote it in the WT and in the library of my cong. they have the SITS……weird!
Yes interesting. At the General convention this year a brother from Dawnbible.org related an experience. He says a JW elder call the watchtower society and knew how to get in touch with the vice- President. He asked him about the Dawn and Bible Students. He was alledged to have said they are our friends and left it at that. So I am finding it is sort of an ignorance of the rank and file along with confusion that is a problem as the internet reveals. Jacqueline
Jacqueline, well I guess that makes me their friend! I go to the Jw meetings but I seldom study for them because my heart is with the DBS, I order most of my B.S. Literature from them and have had several e-mail discussions with JP from the Dawn. I’m trying to figure out a way to secretly read my Dawn magazine while I’m there!!:0
Ask JP about the conversation with the JW elder, you can report the rest of the story here for us. Thanks. Going out to lunch, I get this blood sugar drop really bad about this time so I will be gone from the computer for a bit. Jacqueline
Ok jacqueline, will do and will let you know what he said….hope you had a good lunch!
I hate to say,”I told you so.” But there is more. I maintain that …
1. The Great Tribulation does not occur until AFTER Christs 1000 year kingdom has ENDED. (Rev 20:7-8)
2. The 1914 date is a gross error and cannot be factored into prophetic events. Why? Because such a date is not knowable according to Christ at Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:42, and Acts 1:7 (no one is listening to him it appears). This date has established a false foundation upon which many teachings have been established. If 1914 is false, then Christ did not return in that year, the last days did not begin in this year, the Appointed Times of the nations did not end in that year, and Christ has not been given his kingdom yet. Jesus said, “YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming.” Those who cling to this 1914 date is saying THEY DO KNOW. I am astounded at how so many prefer to listen to these religious organizations rather than Christ. (Luke 9:35)
3. The Faithful and Discreet Slave and who they are cannot be determined at present. They will not be known until AFTER Christs future 1000 year kingdom end and Satan ascends out of the Abyss to establish his Beast. During Christs 1000 year kingdom all of us will “become” Faithful Slaves of his. But when his 1000 year kingdom ends and Satan is released upon that future world to mislead it, how many of those “Faithful Slaves” will remain faithful? People are looking at the wrong time period for the appearance of the Faithful Slave.
4. At present, there is not Evil Slave Class. They will not be known until AFTER Christs future 1000 year kingdom end and Satan ascends out of the Abyss to establish his Beast. The Evil Slave will prove to be the ones mislead by Satan when he is released and THEY will be the source of tribulation (Great Tribulation) upon their former Brethren who remain faithful in those days.
5. The Governing Body, Charles Taze Russell, J.F. Rutherford and many of the men associated with the founding of the Watch Tower and Bible Students Association are all “men who sought to establish a name for themselves.” God did not authorize the establishment of ANY religious system by ANY name. He authorized ONLY His Son whom these religious organizations seek to replace with themselves.
5. I maintain that nothing in The Book of Revelation has had a start of fulfillment. It’s fulfillment does not begin until after Christs 1000 year kingdom ends. That is precisely what Jesus is warning about at Revelation 1:1.
6. The United Nations has nothing to do with revelation. It is a distraction. Many of you will be disappointed when things do not pan out like you were told. You will find yourselves doing what the Watch Tower is doing now: Changing their positions and using this “new light” expression which is nothing but an excuse and way out from admitting that what they were teaching was not true. It makes God appear as if he did not provide the truth the first time. (This shows what is being taught is not from God, but from men or the Devil). Even the so-called “New Light” is error and not true. If only Christ is listened to.
7. I maintain that the expression at Revelation 7:9 and Revelation 20:8 (“A great crowd, which no man was able to number” and “The number of these is as the sand of the sea” without a shadow of a doubt pinpoint The Book of Revelation’s fulfillment to a time period AFTER Christs 1000 year kingdom has ended. How so? If there is to be a Great Crowd that no man was able to number and whose numbers are like the sand of the sea, then this shows that Christ will have already resurrected from the dead ALL persons – as he promised at John 5:28-29 – from the dead. That is ALL persons born since Adam to include Adam (Adam did not perish, he died). No human today can count how many persons were born and existed on earth since Adam up to the time of the future resurrection. Their number is uncountable and unknowable as no one can count the grains of sand on the sea. WE CAN, however, count that there are 7 billion people on earth today. That is knowable. So the time period of revelations fulfillment is AFTER Christs kingdom of 1000 years has ended and the earth has a full complement of persons ever born on it standing up alive as Christ resurrected them. From these uncountable numbers of people, will come faithful slaves, evil unfaithful slaves, 144,000 anointed ones (visible kings of the earth with Christ). (Rev 20:6)
I remember the racial make up of the Governing Body from many years ago and I know that they were ALL White men. Recently Samuel Herd was added. And his addition goes against what the Watch Tower has been teaching about who could be of the anointed as far as the year they were born. Samuel Herd was born after that year they established. Yet still, this body is predominately White and it does not reflect the racial diversity it’s more than 7 million members.
Looking at the leadership of the Watch Tower (Governing Body)one would think Jehovah was “partial.”
Many people simply refuse to think and see the folly in all of this. Why would Jehovah chose a handful of White men to be a part of a Governing Body? Jehovah is not partial. (Acts 10:34)
Even in the Watch Tower Publications the images appearing in their literature (and even the images on this website), portray Adam, Eve, Angels, Jesus, Jehovah God, The Prophets, The Apostles, etc as White persons or in their likeness. Why? Something is terribly wrong when persons arrogate themselves to do such a thing.
There is only ONE TRUTH and he is identified as Jesus [the] Christ and NO ONE is listening to him.
Most of the people I see in here are maintaining and defending what religious organizations are teaching (Watch Tower or Bible Students).
Many of you claim to be obedient to God and Christ. If you cling to 1914 as truth, then you are being disobedient to Christ because he said “YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming.” And you are disobedient to Jehovah God because He said, “This is my Son, the one that has been chosen. Listen to him.” (Matthew 24:42 and Luke 9:35)
Many of you are listening to humans and human agencies. (Governing Bodies, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, International Bible Students, Charles Taze Russell,etc.)
No one should be a “Student of the Bible” one should be a “Student (Disciple) of Christ.” (John 8:31-32 and Matthew 28:19-20)
The Bible is NOT a Teacher, Christ is. The Bible is not the Word of God, Christ is.
Hi Jerome, isn’t it nice to have this freedom to express yourself. I learned from my experiences with the JW not to push and insist others listen and accept what I say. We are all trying to understand the deep things of Christ. And we let others decide and be convinced for themselves. Thanks, Jacqueline
To Dieter;
You weren’t the first! Give diligence to come shortly unto me: for Demas forsook me, having loved this present world.” 2 Tim 4:9,10.”
But always remember, the door swings both ways. Many come back!
Hank
Hello again Jaqueline and all you wonderful people trying to be and remain faithful to Jehovah.
This is an extract from mmy final good bye communication to the WTB&TS written in September 2007. I included that on my site after I was disfellowshipped in January 2008
Now for my on-site intro to that letter:
‘A final Good Bye.
The reprint of the letter below (not included here but for a few words) was in fact my final letter to the WTB&TS founded originally by one Charles Taze Russell, now known as Jehovah’s Witnesses, a denomination within the broader Christian community of Christendom.
A virtual milestone, it marks the end of my ½ century journey with that Christian denomination.
They vehemently resist the idea of being just another of the thousands of denominations wearing the label Christian.
They see themselves completely set apart from Christendom in all aspects of their relationship with God and Jesus.
I just hope and pray that my crying in the wilderness of doctrinal mayhem -not all-round acceptable diversity- where all things godly are said to have a happy ending somewhere ‘up there’ or even down here, some of the lovely people of whatever denomination out there in religion-land, especially those of my former brothers, who have an ardent desire to want to know accurately what God thinks and how they, along with the rest of humanity, will fare in the future of Jehovah God’s making.
May my effort here on my web-site remove fear, guilt and apprehension from their lives, as they look confidently forward to living indefinitely lasting lives under the benign rule of Jehovah’s Heavenly Kingdom under Christ.
What’s more they will never need to belong to any group, Christian or otherwise, to attain to that future. Jehovah’s inimitable sense of Justice will see to that. All religion are man made and sponsored by that great deceiver. God never founded and/or sponsored any religion.
Ah, so you don’t believe in God and think that the Bible is a load of rubbish! That’s OK for now. God pays no mind to that. Take heart, you shall also have the same opportunity for a good and lasting future as all those who claim to be believers and murder each other in war and you do not have to listen to any individual, group or even me to attain to that either.
Jehovah does not play the blame-game. He plays no games at all with the lives and loves of humans.’ END OF INTRO.
Now from that letter AND PLEASE NOTE THAT WHAT I HAVE SAID HERE PREDATES THE CURRENT ‘REVELATION’ PUBLISHED IN THE WATCHTOWER MAGAZINE UNDER CONSIDERATION HERE BY SOME YEARS:
‘But first just a few words about the slave, faithful and discreet or otherwise.
When would the Master consider him Faithful and Discreet? Would that be at some time during the course of his life or at the very end of it?
Recall these insightful words of the congregator at Ecclesiastes 7:1: A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s being born.
Not only that, but the rewards for a slave’s life of discreet faithfulness can only ever be accorded in connection with God’s purpose after the fact of having demonstrated these enduring qualities right to the end of life and not while still on trial, as it were.
All the master’s slaves were given talents to work with (not discussing here who and/or where they are, which is neither relevant, because God has not confined them exclusively within any group or denomination, nor does it really matter, since all families of the earth will ultimately benefit from their heavenly rule anyway, whoever they prove to be).
They are still working with them. They need to continue to work with them until he calls them to account and rewards them. This happens when they are born again into everlasting-life/immortality as spirit sons of God at their resurrection into the heaven when he gathers them and takes them home to himself at the start of the 1000 years (Matthew 24:29-31; Acts 13:33-34; John 14:3), at which point they are put in charge of all of the Master’s belongings, after having convincingly demonstrated their discreet faithfulness during their earthy sojourn (Matthew 24:47).’ END OF QUOTE
Since then the Identity of that slave cristalized to be
the same but now forgiven and anointed-for-the-job slave of Isaiah 43:10 which the Witnesses have commandeered (commandeared?)to inappropriately identify themselves.
So, the slave under consideration is the little flock made up of a remnant out of forgiven Israel joined by people of the nations having grabbed hold of their skirt as it were: The Seed of Abraham destined to bless all the families of the earth as promised to the fathers.
Too much?
So be it, but all out of a love for God and all wishing to please Him.
Bye for now, Dieter
Hi dieter, long time no hear. I think I ran across your entire letter on another site some time ago and posted it here. I am so glad to see you are keeping spiritually strong and have a personal relationship with him now. I am at the convention site now in Columbus, In. It is held under tents and outdoors sleeping for the brave. I elected to semi outdoor in my RV. We will have a spiritual feast looking at the program. I am still absorbing the way the brothers use just the Bible to explain itself. Like old times. Thought they were all gone and glad God’s grace helped me find them.
Br.Peter might put the Adobe connect link up so you can come in on it. I will upload photos to Facebook later this weekend. Sorry it took me so so long to answer. I have been helping my JW family with the new baby. I left today and the house had many visitors from the kingdom hall to see baby, so my leaving was right on time as all know I am with BS. I overheard one elders wife mention that there are so many leaving,so I want them to feel comfortable, so I left.
Hope you can join Adobe connection. Take Care. Jacqueline
Dear Jacqueline,
Thank you ever so much for your kind and detailed communication. Good to hear from you once again. Very encouraging. I’m not dead yet after all.
As for the Columbus convention you have attended, when was that? I like to listen to it. Is that current and/or where can I download all out of some ‘mysterious’ archive?
Had a brief presence on Facebook. Opted out. Too childish for me.
Thanks again, Dieter
The convention started today. I see br. Peter I will ask if he will send you the link. It is going on right now thru Sunday. The weather is nice now but it rains all night. during intermission I will talk to Br. Peter.
Dieter – You can find info. on all Bible Student Conventions here.
http://hosting.brownbearsw.com/WB/Conventions
I would be remiss if I didn’t point out the article in the July 15th, 2013 edition that you may access by clicking above.
A JW sister called me yesterday upset over the Sept. 2-8 study article for this Sunday at the JW meetings.
I never read the other articles in that magazine, but I should have. Now I know why she is upset with the changes being made about the great tribulation.
Please click on it and July 15, the pdf is the easiest to read. I must finish before I quote.
Jacqueline, I recently heard,from a reliable source,that the Jw’s are writting a new Bible version!What do you guys think about that?
I think your source is very reliable. These are new guys, notice the credentials of the newest member on the back of the July 15,2013 issue.
Br. Freddie Franz and a Jewish rabbi it is alledged translated the NWT. Br. Franz to me seemed to be a man that would tamper with the scriptures to make it fit the truth as was taught by the JW organization. He might have honestly felt as a FDS he could do this and not offend Jehovah. The NIV is a refutation I feel to the NWT. There are so many critics of the NWT of the fact that it is a paraphrase bible without saying it. They say the language will be changed so young people can understand. The NWT was said by the WBTS to be an intellectual bible. Br. Freddie thought he was a genius and many others did also. My mother simply adored him. I for one got my best sleep when he gave the keynote address as I never understood a word he said except the talk on the world ending in 1975.
I heard it will only be in English at first.
I personally think Franz tried to make the OT in the NWT into a good translation and the result is that it is as highly rated by scholars as the NT portion is hated. There are some places I can think of in the OT where he is more accurate than most and those places clear some things up, such as Judges 11:36-40.
I’m not surprised. The bible is about the only thing they haven’t “updated” at this point. I will be interested in seeing it when it comes out.
Dupin – Lately I have really enjoyed using the RVIC translation here.
http://www.heraldmag.org/rvic/rvic.htm
I have one of the advanced copies of the NT from that which came from a sister’s estate. I think of it as more or less what it is named “The Revised Version (American edition) Improved and Corrected” i.e. a revision of the Revised Version instead of an original translation. The jury is out on it for me at the moment Br. Peter. Right now I use the English Standard Version (ESV). Although it does have many of the usual flaws, there is a lot I like about it and it is superior to a lot of translations out there I know about.
Dupin – I found the translation you are referring to here: http://www.biblestudytools.com/esv/
I will refer to it for a while and look it over. I have never really given it special consideration before. My favorite all time translation for technical accuracy would be Rotherham. http://qbible.com/ebr-rotherhams-emphasized-bible-1902/
Thank you for the link,
It’s one I’ve kind of liked from the brethren quoting it in talks.
The ESV does have some of the trinitarian, hellfire, etc. that have become the norm in bible translation, however it has some surprisingly accurate and well nuanced renderings in unexpected places. Mine is a gift from somebody who found out I was looking for a wide margin bible And I’ve enjoyed it despite its flaws.
To K
What happens to those who are obedient? What happens to those who are not?
Also, do you believe CTR was the FS?
To K and Peter
A few thoughts on FS and ES. Some believe CTR was the FS. That would leave the question, what human was the ES? Looking at it like that, there is no harmony.
So lets examine backwards. From Matthew 24:48-51 we see unfaithfulness. This unfaithfulness can be done in many,many ways. It list a few,but says at 51,”and shall cut him assunder, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”
Did you note the Lord appoints his portion? And there wwping and gnashing of teeth is taking place. Definitly not a preety picture. Jesus used gnashing of teeth in Mt 8:12; 13:42; 13:50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30 Luke used it at Luke 13:28, nowhere else do we find it.
At 8:13 Jesus saw great faith, but not in Israel, and showed future events. So it would be a condition for unfaithfulness.
13:42 Shows them getting tossed into the fiery furnace. But how can they weep in a fiery furnace? Again, they were not like the ones 13:43.
13:50 in talking of the kingdom of the heavens,and end of world, a separating is taking place with the use of angels. Rev 14:6,7.
22:13 He starts off talking about the kingdom of the heavens 22:1 and deals with the chosen and not chosen.
25:30 shows a take away, yet the ones who have it taken away are still living. But in outer darkness. Some have lamps but no oil.
Luke seems to tie in Mt 7:21-23
To Peter
Lets consider a few things about the flood. Gen 6:3,”and yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.” Was there any human being that understood that? I can’t find none.
What did Jehovah see? “that the wickedness of man was great in the earth.” Do you think Jehovah sees that today?
What else did he see? “that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Just about every second almost 30,000 people view porn on the web. Would Jehovah describe that as being like the days of Noah?
What else did he see? Better yet how did it effect Jehovah himself? “And it repented Jehovah that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Yet, the Creator new he did not make a mistake, but things had gone array, Satan maybe thought he had won. What would he do? A God of love. “And Jehovah said,I will destroy man.” Now keep in mind we are 120 years away from this happening. But he saw something else did he not?
“But Noah found favor in the eyes of Jehovah.” Don’t we want Jehovah’s eyes to find favor with us? Did this mean Noah was saved? Well he was given instructions on what to do in order to be saved, so it hinged on obedience and faith. And 2 Pe 2:5 tells us,”but preserved Noah with seven others,a preacher of righteousness.”
Do you think the other seven could just each have their own little beliefs which were different and could do it the way each wanted to? Or did they in unity listen to Noah and show obedience realizing Jehovah was using him? Remember we are at 120 years to go except for Peter which put us after the 120 years. We will examine the inner parts on a future day. If Jehovah permits.
henry
To K
You said no one was perfect. Adam was at one time. Jesus was his whole earthly life. Eve was also at one time. I am sure you will agree with that.
Then why does the Bible say this? All verses ASV 1901 Gen 6:9; Deut 18:13; Mt 5:48.
“Noah was a righteous man,and perfect in his generations.”
“Thou shalt be perfect with Jehovah thy God.”
“Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Hi Henry, yes I realize Adam, Eve and Jesus were perfect(in the literal sense),however,sinful man can only be perfect in a relative sense i.e.obedient to God to the best of our ability.