Wonder Upon Wonder

If you have a loving relationship with Jehovah, you will be a ‘doer of the word, not a hearer only.’ A “doer” has faith that produces such works as zealous preaching activity and participation in Christian meetings. Because you really love God, you will obey Jehovah’s “perfect law,” which covers everything he requires of you.  Love for Jehovah God will cause you to turn to him often in heartfelt prayer. Evidently alluding to the daily burning of incense under the Law covenant, the psalmist David sang: “May my prayer be as incense prepared before you

[Jehovah], my uplifted hands like the evening grain offering.”  May your humble petitions, your earnest supplications, and your heartfelt words of praise and thanksgiving to God be like the sweet-smelling incense that symbolizes acceptable prayers.

COMMENTARY

Is it possible to be a “doer” and yet not really be motivated by heart-felt love for God?

That question is all the more pertinent due to the fact that the Watchtower is all about doing things —certain things, such as mentioned, “zealous preaching activity and participation in Christian meetings,” and many other things as well. Conversely, it is expected of Jehovah’s Witnesses to not do things that are not approved by the Watchtower, such as wearing tight fitting slacks, for example.

Elders counsel against tight pants

Outsiders have for many years accused Jehovah’s Witnesses of promoting salvation by doing certain works. Apparently there is some validity to that accusation. This is made apparent by Jehovah’s own viewpoint, stated in the 29th chapter of Isaiah: “This people approaches me with their mouth and they honor me with their lips, but their heart is far removed from me; and their fear of me is based on commands of men that they have been taught.”

Is it not true that Jehovah’s Witnesses approach God with their mouths by making public prayers, and talks and preaching about Jehovah? And that is a good thing. But from God’s exalted perspective there is a problem. It is the leadership over his people. Naturally the interpreters of Isaiah, the very leaders who are depicted in prophecy as being drunk and unable to comprehend the words of the prophecy, claim that the passage above applies to churchgoers. But if that were true, why does God express his determination to correct the situation, as the very next passage goes on to say? “Therefore, I am the One who will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their discreet men will be hidden.”

In their blindness the Watchtower’s commentary says regarding the above passage:

Judah’s self-styled wisdom and understanding will perish when Jehovah maneuvers things for her entire apostate religious system to be wiped out by the Babylonian World Power. The same thing happened in the first century after the self-styled wise leaders of the Jews led the nation astray. Something similar will happen in our own day to Christendom.

Contrary to what Bethel’s self-styled prophets imply, shouldn’t we desire God to perform “wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder”? After all, according to the context the end result of God acting wonderfully is that “the meek will rejoice greatly in Jehovah” when the boasters who rule over them are humbled.

Clearly, it is the Governing Body and the inner circle of Bethel’s wise men whose wisdom and understanding will perish at the coming of Christ. Truly, the genuine presence of Christ will be a wonderful thing.