Sunday, May 30
He will be filled with holy spirit even from before birth. —Luke 1:15.
Throughout the Bible, there are many examples of men of faith who received holy spirit; yet, they did not have the hope of living in heaven. David was guided by holy spirit. (1 Sam. 16:13) Holy spirit helped him to understand the deep things about Jehovah and also directed him to write parts of the Bible. (Mark 12:36) Even so, the apostle Peter said that David “did not ascend to the heavens.” (Acts 2:34) John the Baptist was “filled with holy spirit.” (Luke 1:13-16) Jesus said that there was no man greater than John, but then he said that John would not be included in the heavenly Kingdom. (Matt. 11:10, 11) Jehovah used his holy spirit to give these men the power to do amazing things, but he did not use that spirit to choose them to live in heaven. Does this mean that they were less faithful? No. It simply means that Jehovah will bring them back to life in Paradise on earth. —John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15. w20.01 25 ¶15
This is the maddening thing about the Watchtower. On the one hand, it teaches the truth—like today’s text. Very insightful. On another day, though, they may run off the rails. The fact that much of it is true lends credibility and cover for the falsehoods. But what else can we expect from an organization peopled by faithful and evil persons? Dr. Jykell and Mr. Hyde.
I watched the May 2021, GB Update. According to Mark Sanderson over 17,000 JW’s worldwide have fallen victim to coronavirus. That is truly tragic. That means that the Watchtower’s total lockdown had little impact as far as saving lives. If 17,000 souls perished they certainly could not have contracted the virus from contact with other Christians in the Kingdom hall or out in service.
By the way, it is now becoming accepted that the risk of contagion outdoors is very low. Jehovah’s beautiful sun is a powerful antiseptic. Jehovah knows a thing or two about ultraviolet light and the immune system.
It is also well known that persons who succumb to Covid are deficient in vitamin D. And as it turns out, Jehovah’s sun also helps the human body manufacture its own vitamin D. Too bad the Governing Body have waged war against natural remedies. Being out in service is not only following the command of the Commander, it is healthful and healing, whereas, being locked up in enclosed spaces is not healthy—not physically and certainly not mentally. Perhaps part of the problem is that the GB has been cloistered far too long in Bethel. They should get out in the fresh air and sunshine.
Being outdoors, walking in the fresh air and sunshine is about the most healthful activity one could engage in. Too bad the Watchtower has ordered all of Jehovah’s Witnesses to stay indoors breathing the foul air. Jehovah may well judge the Governing Body to have contributed to the death toll. Perhaps that is why Mark Sanderson boldly declared victory over the pandemic. Maybe he was speaking boldly, projecting his confidence in their covenant with death?
“So hear the word of Jehovah, you boasters, you rulers of this people in Jerusalem, for you men say: “We have made a covenant with Death, and with the Grave we have made an agreement. When the raging flash flood passes through, it will not reach us, for we have made a lie our refuge and we have hidden ourselves in falsehood.”” — Isaiah 28:14-15
I wonder, the leadership of the Watchtower has already boasted about the environmentally friendly design that went into the construction of Warwick. I wonder if they had any sort of hospital-grade air scrubbers installed. If so, perhaps having gotten out of the filthy city right before the plague hit they now feel safe and protected in their secluded and sanitized castle. Besides having jerry-rigged the prophecies to place judgment day in the past, their physical security likely contributes to their imagining they have reached an agreement with death.
