Monday, October 13
How loyal and righteous and unblamable we proved to be.—1 Thess.2:10.
What do Delilah, Absalom, and Judas Iscariot have in common? They were all disloyal—Delilah to the man who loved her, Judge Samson; Absalom to his father, King David; Judas to his Master, Christ Jesus. In each case, their deplorable actions wreaked havoc on others! But why should this be of concern to us? A modern-day author lists betrayal among today’s most common vices. That is to be expected. When giving the sign of “the conclusion of the system of things,” Jesus said: “Many . . . will betray one another.” (Matt. 24:3, 10) “To betray” means “to give up to, or place in the power of an enemy, by treachery or disloyalty.” Such a lack of loyalty confirms that we are living in “the last days” when, Paul foretold, people would be “disloyal, . . . betrayers.” (2 Tim. 3:1, 2, 4) Disloyalty and betrayal cause pain and suffering. Indeed, such acts are an ominous sign of the times! w12 4/15 2:1, 2
Commentary
Just because Paul and Barnabas were loyal and blameless and upright does not necessarily mean the leaders of the Watchtower Society are too. On the contrary. Some have already shown themselves to be treacherous. When the day of darkness arrives are they suddenly going to become loyal and blameless and upright?
Besides, when Jesus foretold that many will betray one another and hate one another he was not referring to people of the world, or the “sons of this system,” as Jesus called them. It is not really noteworthy that people of the world hate one another other and deal treacherously with each other. Jesus was foretelling the breakup of those associated with his congregation. And the cause of it will most definitely be the treachery of certain men within the leadership of the organization. Then the prophecy of Micah will come true:
“Their best one is like thorns, their most upright one is worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen and of your reckoning will come. Now they will panic. Do not put faith in your companion or trust a close friend. Guard what you say to the one who lies in your embrace. For a son despises his father, a daughter rises up against her mother, and a daughter-in-law is against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his household.”
