The Watchtower study article for the third week of January 2023, is entitled: Let Nothing Separate You from Jehovah. The scriptural theme is Psalms 31:14, “I trust in you, O Jehovah.”
This is perhaps one of the most insidious articles ever appearing in the Watchtower. The third paragraph states:
3) The Devil, however, tries to separate us from Jehovah, especially when we are facing challenges. What is his strategy? He tries little by little to undermine our trust in Jehovah and his organization. But we can resist his tactics. When our faith is strong and our trust in Jehovah is unshakable, we will not abandon our God and his organization. —Read Psalm 31:13, 14.
It is implied that trusting Jehovah and trusting the Watchtower is the same thing—that they are mutually inclusive. Is it possible to trust Jehovah and not trust the organization? Yes, of course. Take me as an example. I trust Jehovah. At least I think I do. I have not allowed the Watchtower’s many misdoings and dishonesties to stumble me or cause me to find fault with Jehovah. I share a living hope for the future—even a bright heavenly hope. I slave for Christ—at least I try to. And contrary to what a casual observer may conclude, I believe that the Watchtower is Jehovah’s organization. Do I trust the Watchtower? No. Not at all. Still, though, I do not condemn or judge any individual.
Does God require us to trust an organization? The paragraph above directs that Psalms 31:13-14 be read. For your convenience it reads: “I have heard many evil rumors; terror surrounds me. When they gather together as one against me, they scheme to take away my life. But I trust in you, O Jehovah. I declare: “You are my God.”
The inspired Psalm is really attributable to Jesus during his ordeal. In fact, one of the last things Jesus said as he gasped his last breath was: “into your hand I entrust my spirit,” which is a direct quote from verse five. At that point Jesus was alone. Even his apostles had abandoned him. Jehovah’s organization at that time was the Jewish system centered around the temple in Jerusalem. It was the leadership of Jehovah’s earthly organization that persecuted Jesus and conspired with the Romans to have Christ put to death. The hypocritical Jews schemed to take away Jesus’ life. And, they were successful—to a point. Jesus trusted that his God would not let him remain in the tomb. And his trust in God was rewarded. There is a lesson there for us.
The first part of paragraph five states:
5) At times, we face hardships —such as family opposition or the loss of our job. How could such hardships undermine our trust in Jehovah’s organization and separate us from him? When we endure adversity for a long time, we may feel hopeless and downhearted. Satan takes advantage of such opportunities and seeks to get us to doubt Jehovah’s love for us. The Devil wants us to question whether Jehovah or His organization is responsible for our suffering.
The Devil is far more crafty and insidious than you may realize. While it is true that he tries to poison our minds against the truth, he is also intent on seducing us into idolatry. He cleverly does this by inducing men to elevate the organization to the place of God. Just in this brief article, I counted about a dozen references to the organization, and “Jehovah’s organization” and not a single mention of Jesus Christ. There is something very wrong with that. But it is easy to see how many will be stumbled and hate and betray one another, as Jesus foretold. Apparently, for those so thoroughly indoctrinated with the inseparateness of Jehovah and the organization, it will be an insurmountable stumbling block when the system comes crashing down. Indeed, woe for those who yearn for the day of Jehovah!
Incredibly, without a hint of modesty or honesty, paragraph five implies that Jehovah’s organization could not possibly be responsible for anyone’s suffering. As we know, there have been thousands of instances of child sexual abuse in Jehovah’s organization over recent decades. In many cases, the Watchtower’s legal department handcuffed elders and ordered them not to notify law enforcement. These are facts and anyone who says otherwise is a liar. Elders have even threatened victims of abuse with disfellowshipping if they dared to expose the crimes committed against them.
So, the question for all Jehovah’s Witnesses to consider when paragraph five is discussed is whether they ought to trust an organization that takes no responsibility for the safety and welfare of children, and states in court that elders have no fiduciary responsibility to protect children from predators, and even takes to itself the right to appoint elders who are known child molesters.
Then there is the vaccine. At first, the Governing Body said it was a personal medical decision, which of course it is. But it didn’t end there. Over the course of the Summer of 2021, through a series of Updates on JW Broadcast, the Governing Body began a vigorous campaign to promote the injections and even threatened elders with reprisals if they spoke against the Watchtower’s not-so-subtle vaccine mandate.
Now the results of the Governing Body’s medical advice are coming in. First, the vaccines have proven to be wholly ineffective in preventing infection or transmission. Most of those being admitted into hospitals with Covid have been vaccinated. Again, these are the facts and anyone who says otherwise is either woefully ignorant or a liar. Just in that regard alone, the question of blindly trusting the medical advice of the Governing Body ought to be seriously considered. But it is worse, far worse than merely recommending an ineffective treatment. Now that unknown numbers of Jehovah’s Witnesses have been stricken by reactions to the jabs and some even succumbing to sudden death, the question really is why does the leadership of the Watchtower demand that we trust them when they have proven themselves to be so treacherous and thoroughly untrustworthy? (Click here for an index of articles and videos on the topic of the Governing Body’s response to the pandemic.)
8) By means of the media and social networks, our enemies spread lies or misinformation about responsible brothers in Jehovah’s organization. (Ps. 31:13) Some brothers have been arrested and charged as criminals. The first-century Christians faced a similar situation when the apostle Paul was wrongfully accused and arrested. How did they react?
I assume the Governing Body is referring to the arrest of two elders In Illinois in 2022, who were subsequently found guilty by a minister of Jehovah—otherwise known as the superior authority—for their failure to report crimes committed against a child. It is unfortunate that the civil authorities are not more aggressive. Thousands of elders should face legal consequences for blindly enforcing the Watchtower’s wicked hush-hush policy.
The last sentence in paragraph nine states:
May we never become like those who abandoned Paul during his time of need! What should we keep in mind when responsible brothers are persecuted?
How dare the Governing Body imply that the arrest of those two elders—who were undoubtedly following orders from Jehovah’s organization—is persecution and comparable to Paul’s arrest and incarceration! Paul would have most assuredly handed over child molesters and their protectors to Satan. Shame on Jehovah’s Witnesses for swallowing this swill and praising it as nutritious spiritual food.
The article concludes by assuring us that Jehovah will never abandon us. It is implied and elsewhere even stated explicitly, that Jehovah’s organization, which at this point is synonymous with the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, will always be there. This, is, in fact, the Big Lie. It is the Devil’s trap sure to be sprung when the day of Jesus Christ commences.
Even though the Watchtower has served Christ’s mission to preach the good news, like the Jewish system of worship in the first century, Jehovah’s organization will become obsolete and Christ will have no further use of a Bible and pamphlet publishing corporation when the time of the end begins. The irony of ironies, while the Watchtower boasts of being the only connection to Jehovah it will pose the greatest obstacle to our salvation in the future.
Is it scriptural to claim that God will never abandon His people? No. Referring to the true organization, the congregation of the firstborn, the bride of Christ, the Bible says: “For Jehovah called you as if you were an abandoned wife and grief-stricken, like a wife married in youth and then rejected,” says your God. “For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with great mercy I will gather you back. In a flood of indignation I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting loyal love I will have mercy on you,” says your Repurchaser, Jehovah.” — Isaiah 54:6-8
When is the brief moment when God will abandon His organization and hide His face? During the great tribulation. Then the prophecy will truly come into force: “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. But as for me, I will keep on the lookout for Jehovah. I will show a waiting attitude for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me. Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Although I have fallen, I will rise up; although I dwell in the darkness, Jehovah will be my light.” — Micah 7:5-8