KINGDOM BULLETIN #24
As everyone surely knows by now, on Thursday evening, March the 9th, a congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses was meeting together in a Kingdom Hall in Hamburg, Germany. Toward the conclusion of the program, perhaps during prayer when the congregation stood with eyes closed and heads bowed, evidently a deranged man first opened fire with an automatic gun in the parking lot. Then he broke through a window and began shooting people inside. (Associated Press) The police have revealed the name of the cowardly killer. A 35-year-old German citizen, Philipp Fusz. A former member. The rampage has resulted in eight people killed, including the shooter. More than a dozen have been wounded. (CNN)
At this time we are only left to speculate how and why such a tragedy could occur. Other questions arise concerning the shooter—who apparently killed himself.
While the answers to those questions are yet forthcoming another more disturbing question arises, a question no doubt all of Jehovah’s Witnesses will be mulling over silently—especially when they meet together in their own congregations: Why did Jehovah allow this to happen?
Mass Killer of Jehovah’s Witnesses
No doubt all of the congregations around the world will be rethinking their security. Obviously, locking the doors of facilities while meetings are in progress is something that has been a common practice already, especially in high-crime areas. However, that security measure would not prevent a member of the audience from an act of violence. Perhaps metal detectors and pat-downs like airport security? Still, though, added security does not address the underlying question. Again: Why did Jehovah allow this to happen?
This question is peculiar to Jehovah’s Witnesses because our faith informs us that “the angel of Jehovah camps all around those fearing Him, and he rescues them.” — Psalms 34:7
So, to put a finer point on it: Where was the angel of Jehovah when a person interrupted a meeting, opening fire on the congregation and murdering seven persons who were merely complying with the apostolic mandate to not forsake the gathering of yourselves together? Every meeting is opened with prayer, evoking the name of Jehovah and requesting his holy spirit to be on the proceedings. Jesus encouraged his disciples that whenever two or more are gathered in his name that he will be in their midst. So, rephrasing the question: Where was Jesus when Jehovah’s Witnesses were being slaughtered in their Kingdom Hall?
Let us examine the cited verse more closely. The precondition for angelic protection is the fear of Jehovah. Shall we just assume that Jehovah’s Witnesses meet that condition? Is there anything that might cause Jehovah’s angel to leave his post and withdraw protection? The answer is, yes—absolutely.
There is a Bible account that is very instructive. The Israelites had just emerged from wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. They witnessed the miraculous overthrow of the Canaanite city of Jericho. Regarding that first conquest, Joshua commanded the Israelites that “the city and everything in it is to be devoted to destruction; it all belongs to Jehovah.” The plunderers, however, were to take the gold and silver, and other metals and put them in Jehovah’s treasury. Everything else was to be burned with fire.
Flush with victory the Israelites mounted an attack on the next city, Ai. The result was they were routed. Joshua was devastated over the humiliating defeat. He mourned all day lying prostrate before the ark. Jehovah then informed him there was a thief in their midst. Worse, he had stolen something that belonged to God. You no doubt know how that ended.
Stealing from God has consequences. Adam and Eve stole fruit from a unique tree that exclusively belonged to Jehovah. The repercussions of that theft are still reverberating. The Philistines took the ark of Jehovah and regretted it—being overrun by rodents and stricken with hemorrhoids. They were very eager to return the ark.
Ananias and Sapphira were two of the original anointed Christians who sold their property and lied about donating the whole of it to Jehovah, secretly keeping a portion for themselves—taking for themselves what they only pretended to give to God. They both dropped dead on the order of the apostle Peter.
The Governing Body has stolen from Jehovah. They have confiscated over 1,000 Kingdom Halls—evicting thousands of congregants from the very facilities they built and paid for and solemnly dedicated to Jehovah. Some Kingdom Halls still sit empty, unsold after years. Others, though, have been sold and repurposed by the buyers. Some are now meditation parlors. One is a marijuana dispensary. One is a market selling beer and lotto. You get the picture.
Just as the theft of one individual brought calamity to the Israelite military campaign, we should not suppose that repurposing dedicated Kingdom Halls does not also bring consequences for the entire organization. Those who brazenly steal from God obviously do not fear him. And when the thieves happen to be the leaders of Jehovah’s organization we cannot expect the angel of Jehovah to any longer provide security and protection for anyone. I urge the Governing Body to immediately take the unsold Kingdom Halls off the market and return them to the use for which they were constructed and dedicated. Perhaps, Jehovah may reconsider the calamity that you have set into motion.
The Governing Body claims that Jehovah’s Witnesses are residing in a spiritual paradise, where no animalistic person preys upon the innocent and guileless. Clearly, though, no such condition exists. We are, however, witnessing the fulfillment of prophecy, in that, the Watchtower claims that all is well. After all, Jehovah needs people to preach the good news in order to fulfill prophecy. We are told over and over that Christ came in 1914 and as the messenger of the covenant he cleansed God’s people of all of their impurities and set all matters straight. The presumption is Jehovah will always bless and protect his clean people. This mindset echoes what is stated in Jeremiah: “For from the least to the greatest, each one is making dishonest gain; from the prophet to the priest, each one is practicing fraud. And they try to heal the breakdown of my people lightly, saying, ‘There is peace! There is peace!’ When there is no peace.” — Jeremiah 6:13-14
If the Governing Body does not yet recognize the spiritual breakdown of those whom they call “Jehovah’s servants,” then the murder of seven innocent congregants during the midweek meeting will likely go a long way towards not only accelerating the ongoing breakdown but making it impossible for Bethel to deny.
As the families in Germany grieve their dead and make funeral arrangements and pray for the recovery of the wounded, I advise the leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses to carefully think about what has happened. You—of all people—surely know that Jehovah’s continued blessing is not assured. It is contingent upon faithfulness—especially, the faithfulness of those who claim to be faithful and discreet slaves.
Can you take what belongs to God and hock it like common real estate and seek to profit from the proceeds in the money markets on the advice of your Wall Street consultants, all in the name of enriching theocracy? Can you secretly wage legal warfare against child abuse victims while decrying all criticism as “apostate-driven lies” and expect to have God’s blessing? Can you remain innocent by wholeheartedly endorsing the World Health Organization’s vaccine scheme, while claiming the ineffective and demonstrably deadly vaccines are a provision from Jehovah? You ought to know the answers to those questions. Many among Jehovah’s Witnesses surely do.
Already the ax is laying at the root of the tree. The rumblings of world war are growing louder by the day. Jehovah is mustering his military force. It is coming in the form of tanks and planes and hypersonic missiles under command of Jehovah’s avenger, the king of the north.
What will you say when the punisher arrives—when all the flock is scattered and lost? Indeed: “Raise your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock you were given, your beautiful sheep? What will you say when your punishment comes from your close friends whom you cultivated from the start? Will not birth pains seize you, like those of a woman giving birth? And when you say in your heart, ‘Why have these things befallen me?’ It is because of your great error that your skirts have been stripped off and your heels have been treated violently.” — Jeremiah 13:20-22
Robert King — Jehovah’s Watchman
e-watchman.com
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