Friday, January 1

Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good.Ps. 106:1.

Jehovah, the Giver of “every good gift and every perfect present,” is indeed worthy of our thanks.  As our loving Shepherd, he tenderly cares for all our physical and spiritual needs. He has proved to be “our refuge and strength”—especially in times of distress!  Today, many take their blessings for granted. Influenced by the commercial world and its advertising, millions of people strive to obtain more instead of being content with what they have. We too can be affected by this unappreciative spirit. Like the ancient Israelites, we could become ungrateful and lose appreciation for our precious relationship with Jehovah and for the blessings that we have received from him.  When faced with difficult trials, we could easily become overwhelmed and lose sight of our blessings.

COMMENTARY

Watchtower touts amenities of Brooklyn neighborhoodThe present generation of the leadership of the Watchtower organization has not really known “times of distress.” The Great Depression and the Second World War was the last time Jehovah’s Witnesses in America and Western Europe underwent hard times and persecution.

For the past 70 years it has been a time of peace and prosperity and the Watchtower has grown to become the publisher of the most widely distributed magazine in the world.

But apparently the board of directors of the Watchtower Society have taken Jehovah’s blessings for granted. As evidence of that sad fact, the iconic Watchtower headquarters facility in Brooklyn is now being sold off as prime real estate. They have even set up a showy website to showcase their properties. Obviously “influenced by the commercial world and its advertising,” like any purveyor of worldly riches, the Watchtower is trying to appeal to buyers by highlighting the urban amenities and night life in the neighborhood.

It is reported that the properties, once solemnly dedicated to Jehovah, will fetch a billion dollars! Below is an outtake of their sales pitch:

Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO offer multiple retail and dining options, as well as community services along main commercial corridors, such as Front, Old Fulton, and Montague streets. The Brooklyn Heights Promenade and Brooklyn Bridge Park provide ample walkways, expansive lawns, and innovative playgrounds. Year-round cultural programming and events provide many opportunities to interact with the waterfront.

Obviously, the leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses have become affected by an ungrateful, unappreciative spirit. Not only are they merchandising something which they themselves claim belongs to God, they are appealing to potential buyers as if this system were going to go on indefinitely, even though elsewhere the Governing Body insists that the tribulation is imminent.

The sell-off of Jehovah’s properties is going to prove to be disastrous. The timing could not be worse for them. While they may congratulate themselves for being shrewd for selling out as the real estate market in New York City tops out,  have they really considered the costs?

As the day for the great implosion of the global financial system approaches the Watchtower is unwisely converting usable facilities into mere cash in the bank. The end result will be they will lose everything when the Wall Street banks crash and take their depositors monies down the bottomless sinkhole with them.

Then the princes of Bethel just might find themselves out on the “ample walkways” of Brooklyn Heights a-begging because they did not discern the time of their inspection. 

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