Saturday, November 6
Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid. —Heb. 13:6.
When our enemies ban our worship, they hope to make us afraid to serve Jehovah. In addition to the ban, they may circulate false stories, send officials to search our homes, drag us to court, or even imprison some of us. They hope that we will be terrified because they managed to put a small number of us in prison. If we were to allow them to instill fear in our heart, we might even begin to “ban” our own worship. We would not want to become like those described at Leviticus 26:36, 37. We will not allow fear to cause us to reduce or to stop our spiritual activities. We trust completely in Jehovah and refuse to panic. (Isa. 28:16) We prayerfully seek Jehovah’s guidance. We know that with his backing, not even the most powerful human government can prevent us from faithfully worshipping our God. Rather than intimidate us, opposition can motivate us to serve Jehovah more fully. w19.07 9-10 ¶6-7
Just imagine if the United Nations banned the preaching work of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide and had the power to enforce its edict. Imagine, if perhaps under the guise of public safety, the authorities outlawed meeting together in Kingdom Halls and assembly halls. Imagine if the governments mandated that all citizens be injected with an experimental elixir that carries a great risk or else face retribution.
If I had written the above paragraph two years ago it would have been laughable, totally irrelevant. Now, though, it is a reality. Of course, the United Nations did not issue any ban upon the ministry of Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Governing Body did.
The enemy within is far more effective than the enemies on the outside. Because the ban of the worldwide public ministry and assembly has come through the self-proclaimed faithful slave Jehovah’s Witnesses have happily obeyed, even unblinkingly committing themselves to regular injections of a vaccine that has already killed several tens of thousands, all in order to maintain unity. No one seems to have the mental wherewithal to consider why vaccination is even an issue since everyone is isolated anyway.
Through monthly Updates on JW Broadcast fear has been instilled into the hearts of the viewers. Each program the GB has announced the rising death toll. Early on in the pandemic, Governing Body member Anthony Morris derided anyone who wasn’t living in fear by citing the proverb about the stupid one who disregards danger and suffers for his foolish course.
Although a person outdoors in the fresh air and sanitizing sunshine faces a greater risk of being struck by lightning or a stray bullet than contracting Covid, according to Morris it is simply too risky and foolhardy to venture outside. Standing on a street corner with a literature cart is out of the question. It is better that millions of ministers stay huddled at home.
Jehovah’s Witnesses might want to review where Paul recounted the dangers he routinely faced from flooding rivers, highway robbers, shipwreck at sea, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, and dangers from false brothers. It is hard to imagine the apostle abandoning his ministry because some people had fallen ill with the flu.
Jehovah is a great God. He is highly dignified. He cannot be bamboozled or gaslighted. He will not allow himself to be hustled or become the invisible mascot of a Bible publishing company.
When Jehovah set up the nation of Israel and brought them under His laws he knew beforehand that they would eventually go astray and sink into apostasy. That is why in Leviticus, the very chapter cited by the Watchtower in the daily text, God explained how He would correct the erring nation. And if they did not respond to his correction the punishment would be intensified. And “If in spite of this you will not listen to me and you insist on walking in opposition to me, I will intensify my opposition to you, and I myself will have to chastise you seven times for your sins.” — Leviticus 26:27-28
The Watchtower now stands in opposition to God. That is what the man of lawlessness does, as Paul wrote: “He stands in opposition and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship.”
The Governing Body has exalted itself above Christ by countermanding him, all under the guise of protecting the flock from a disease that has a 99% survival rate. As the final offense to Heaven, the GB is now graciously permitting some of Christ’s disciples to meet in a congregation setting; provided, of course, that they have received the required number of injections. Only the fully vaccinated will be allowed to participate in “pure worship.”©
Already the Russian government has liquidated the Watchtower and is arresting JWs. Still, the boasters proclaim that not even the most powerful government on earth can prevent us from faithfully worshipping our God. Since the GB has not taken God’s discipline to heart Jehovah will intensify His opposition to them.
Next will come the sword, the famine, and the pestilence. All the things the Watchtower has said have already occurred and cannot occur again will occur, even seven times more intense than the previous spasms of world war and pandemics. It will become obvious that Jehovah has become the enemy of those braggarts who sit like kings in their castle.
Those who survive the purge will peer out of their hidey-holes wondering how they could have been so stupid and foolish so as to deliberately enrage God Almighty.
“But this is a people plundered and pillaged; all of them are trapped in the holes and hidden in the prisons. They have been plundered with no one to rescue them, and pillaged with no one to say: “Bring them back!” Who among you will hear this? Who will pay attention and listen for the time to come?” — Isaiah 42:22-23