Posted by Bibleman [Bibleman] on October 24, 1999 at 19:34:13 {f8eW6hUOe2MRXA6xmpscslyACFuF8c}:
In Reply to: ****Question to GB Member posted by Antique on October 24, 1999 at 14:01:28:
>>My problem is that due to the extreme emotional upheaval that I have endured through all this I find it
hard to study the Bible and to pray. I feel something is greatly missing but I can't seem to move forward.
I feel for you. But hope is here. The Bible is true and the basic things that you believe in will come true. God will establish his new order. There will be a millennial reign by Jesus Christ and then again Satan will be let loose for another testing period. Then Judgment Day and the resurrection of the dead, and then another 1000 year "Jubilee" period when all things will be made new.
The doctrinal issues for you, at this point are going to be rugged. But you've already made the move so you're head. What you need to do now is just establish a personal relationship with the Creator. Know he exists, loves you and wants you to survive Armageddon. Many "anointed ones" are not even witnesses and some aren't even Christians. So it really isn't about how much doctrine you have now, but your heart condition. But as the "supernatural" events pick up, it will be easier to believe the Bible is true.
If I were you, therefore, I'd focus on being basically "spotless, unblemished and in peace." If you have that, then I wouldn't worry. I have recommended that X-JWs read "Crisis of Conscience" and "In Search of Christian Freedom" by Ray Franz, to just get a nice clean break from Witnessim and some basic tools for examining the scriptures.
>>Are there any "sheep" associating with any other faiths? Where else might they be found?
Yes! In lots of other organizations, some even non-Christian. But none that you might join directly. Not that you might not "find" one if you're in a position to do so. But ultimately you must be able to go down that "narrow and cramped road" with your personal faith. In the meantime, there is H20! Here is where, if you hang around long enough, you'll learn much truth and find out the latest going on with the witnesses who will remain a focus of spiritual activity. And all the people here, including and especially the so-called "apostates" are really nice. "They is lost...but they is nice." (smile) Nothing a well-placed bolt of lightening won't fix, which I'm sure is being arranged. (Just kidding).
Now, if per chance you are of the "anointed" or you feel you are of the anointed, then don't fight that feeling. It's a calling that many will have but some will ignore. But that will involve focus on the Scriptures, especially Matthew 20 where it shows that even up to the last minute the "penny" will be paid. In that case, once you get "sealed" the JIOR will appear to you and you'll pass into the secret world of the JIOR.
>>Also:
"So Jehovah allowed it to serve it's purpose throughout the "covenant period" which ended in 1996."
Please explain the "covenant period." What is the significance of 1996?
This is a quick explanation. Basically, the Bible repeats patterns of events. Like the 1260 days, the 1290 days and the 1335 days. That involves future extrapolation in terms of years but also specifically days as well. For instance, the 1260, 1290 and 1335 days are fulfilled by Jesus' ministry. He appeared around the time of the Festival of Booths and died around Passover which is mid-week of a 7-year period. But the Jewish calendar which went by lunar months, inserted an extra month about every three years so that the seasons of the solar year would stay pretty much the same. That's the difference between a 1260-day period of 42 months (3 lunar years) and 43 months which is 1290 days. Thus Jesus actual ministry was 1290 days from the end of the Festival of Booths on Nisan 21st, 29CE through the 20th of Nisan, 33CE. As you know Pentecost is 50 days from the 15th and thus 45 days from the 20th, five days later. So Pentecost fulfills the 1335 days, 45 days after Nisan 20th, the actual date Jesus died. (He didn't die on Nisan 14th).
But the 70th week didn't end until 3-1/2 years later when then the Law Covenant was ended and the good news was open to the gentiles. That is why the end of the week is called the "covenant" period. There are basically three marked times during the week that we pay attention to. One is when the Messiah first appears at the beginning of the week and there is a "missionary" time of 3-1/2 years. Then at mid-week, there is the "kingship" date, usually associated with the death of the Messiah (i.e. Jesus after his death inherited authority and sat at the right hand of god); and then 3-1/2 years later is usually an extension period for whomever the covenant was with and it ends at the end of the 70th week.
So this was repeated in modern times. The 490 years were from the time of Martin Luther beginning the temple rebuilding by leaving the Catholic Church and starting Protestantism around 1506 when he began a monk, 490 years later would end that 490 years in 1996. That means the figurature "70th week" would be from 1989 to 1996, as in the case in Jesus' day of 29CE to 36CE.
Note that there are equal 490-year periods at certain times. From 36CE there are 4x490 which is 1960+36=1996. But the grand-jubilee period, which is 50x49 (jubilees occur every 49 years, 50th is the jubilee) is 2450, dated from 455BCE when the first 490-year period began is also 1996. 49x50=2450-455=1995+1=1996.
Also the jubilees of the Jews are aligned with these 490-year periods after the return from exile. Their dates for "freedom" were in 455BCe when they became freed from the Babylonians, in 36CE when they became free from the Law Covenant, and in 1947 when they were able to return to Palestine. 1947+49=1996. So 1996 is Grand Jubilee for natural Israel as well.
But applying the last week parallel to the 70th week from 1989 to 1996 means that the Messiah would appear in 1989, would have a mock-death in 1993/Passover, and the Covenant would end with the "temple organization" which is the witnesses in 1996. Mid-week of 1989-1996 is Passover of 1993.
The end of the gentile times which has to fulfill the 1335 days from 1947 ends in 1992/93. The Jews returned to Palestine in 1947-48. But also it is 2520 years from 529BCE the actual date that Jerusalem fell, meaning the Jews returned in the 1st of Cyrus 74 years later in 455BCE.
1996 therefore would also end a period of 1260 years. Basically 1260 years earlier than 1996 is 736 A.D. which is around the time that Venerable Bede wrote is "History of the English Church" which is a record of how the "Easter" celebration became standardized within Catholicism, thus finally replacing the week-long celebration and making "Easter Sunday" the main substitute celebration for Passover. This was a corruption of the "constant feature" which was an annual Passover celebration. This was the beginning of the "time, times and half time" corruption and apostasy within Christendom. But it would only last for 2300 evenings and mornings at which time, the "temple organization" would reappear to fulfill the last 110 years of the 1260-year period. That is 2300 evenings and mornings break down into 1150 full days; which we subtract from 1260 years and that leaves 110 days/years. That means that the "temple organization" would appear 1150 years after the 1260-year period began and would operate in a "covenant" period for 110 years. If that Covenant period, the "70th week" ended in 1996 then that temple organization would appear and begin it's special covenant period 110 years earlier, or in 1886. 1886 is when the first "Studies in the Scriptures" was published, thus beginning a series of doctrinal commentary that eventually set this group apart to become a new religion which became Jehovah's Witnesses. They became the "temple organization." But, as noted, that covenant period with Christendom/JWs ended in 1996 as did the Law Covenant after the end of the 70th week. Of note, the Governing Body was disfellowshipped several years earlier in November of 1992. Thus the gathering of the anointed ones focussed upon the witnesses continued through 1996 specifically and then likely for an extended year through 1997 to fulfill when Jesus came to the tree and said, "It's been three years and there is no fruit, shall we cut it down...No let's try another year, add manure, etc."
So that's basically the idea of the Covenant period ending in 1996. Of special note, by 1886 the Bible Students did understand that Passover was a yearly event to be held on Nisan 14th, so they corrected the "constant feature" for Christian celebration of Passover/Lord's Evening Meal in constrast with Christendom.
And that is another reason why, generally, you are not going to find the doctrinal truth in other religions of Christendom. The WTS is more advanced in that way. So your advancement has to be your own personal spiritual growth, especially doctrinally.
So that's basically it, the parallel "70th week" from 1989 to 1996 makes 1996 a "covenant" end year for spiritual Israel and thus the call for anointed ones is totally open, that is, without a specific focus to gather anointed ones within the "temple organization." Their failure to provide the contemplated number of anointed ones, which apparently is more than 144,000 (which is a symbolic number) is represented by the trampling of the "grapes of wrath" which prove not to be suitable for harvesting. So its kind of sad. The organization ends up basically returning the initial investment equivalent without much spiritual increase that was expected. And now they are in total spiritual darkness.
>>And are the secretly gathered annointed ones aware of who they are and of each other?
Of, of course. Especially the ones that have roles of responsibilty. They have to train and educate newly gathered ones. Which is done in secret and mostly out in service. That's one nice thing about the Witness organization, you can have a lot of secret contacts while out in service.
But some are quite isolated and may have to be directly assisted by literally materialized angels, who train them in the secret ways of the JIOR. But in general, it's an individual thing and you may only know of two or three personally.
But many, as I've said, aren't witnesses and they just know they are in line for the heavenly hope and they are just waiting and Jehovah is finishing their training for what they need to know via the scriptures. Since they cannot be public, there is no need for them to be gathered in a large organization or be aware of more than few members in their own environment. It is extremely secretive. I can't emphasize that enough. If they can send me a message via the television, they'd rather do that than any number of ways to communicate secret information. They as a rule choose the LEAST DIRECT CONTACT, if they can.
>>What of the ones that feel that they are part of the annointed ones through the WTBTS?
They will fall into one of two categories, possibly both. That is the "public" organization who are called the "remaining ones of the woman's seed" whom the Satan sees and persecutes, and those who are part of the womanly organization, the 'eagle" organization where the woman has the wings of an eagel and flies into the wilderness and this is the secret organization who are aware of the Messiah and who lead secret lives.
So definitely many of the "anointed" within the organization are legitimately "anointed" ones and there is an attempt to get as many of them "sealed" as possible. But if they are not paying attention then they will miss out or have missed out. This is the parable of the "ten virgins" which specifically refers to the public "anointed" organization, where those with the extra oil, that is the extra focus on scripture and truth and not the Watchtower's false misleadings are the ones that transfer over into the JIOR when the Messiah arrived. But they have to have faith in the Bible. For instance, they would be the ones who when told that the "Prodigal Son" must be fulfilled by Jesus at his second coming, it would click with them. They'd understand the specific reference to the "robe, the best one" and the "ring" as being Messianic and that this is a prophetic parable. Others who are not ready for the consequences of that presumption will just get stumped and believe this parable is not prophetic and they don't get sealed. They don't have that extra oil. And at that point the two groups split up. So some of the "anointed" passed into the JIOR at a certain point. But still, if their circumstance was too public and there was a risk of exposure of other JIOR, then they would remain in the "public" group as the "older brother" group which still are part of the kingdom, but not part of the secret JIOR organization. Of course, many "anointed ones" or would-be anointed with the Witness org. would lose their crown because of not being awake.
>>What is JIOR?
JIOR means "Jehovah is Our Righteousness" which is what his modern-day servants in the Bride Class would be called. I generally apply it to the secret organization specifically, but any of his anoitned ones, including in the public "older brother" class could be said to be "JIOR." It's sort of like saying that someone has a "temperature" when in fact we mean they have a "fever" -- everybody has a temperature all the time, whether high or low. So it's kind of an "inside" thing. But it's real. And it's kind of, well, like the Jedi. It's kind of magical and mystical to see how the holy spirit arranges things and causes things to happen, chance meetings, etc. And some of the JIOR are in contact with and are actually trained by angels pretending to be human in special cases.
That's why, if you're supposed to be gathered, then you will be gathered. If your circumstance is not one where a JIOR member will initiate you, then an angel will. For instance, you might be in prison or something. Well you'll get a new bunkmate or a new prisoner will befriend you and then start teaching you the ways of the JIOR.
I want to say it feels like "witchcraft" in a way, but ultimately it's more like the secret world of the "Jedi", and the "force." But its not demonic. No potions or anything. It's interesting.
And since I know you can't access this, I may as well tell you that there is an opposing secret organization of Satan's that works against the JIOR. So that's one reason they have to operate in secret. But one thing holy spirit does, especially in the training period is it would make the opposers do certain things so you'd recognize them and not give yourself away. Like it would make them excessively hot or make them figit with their glasses or something. Something they wouldn't know they were doing. If you need to contact another JIOR, holy spirit might make both of you put on the identical ties, or some other piece of clothing, etc. So you'd know. So you might like go to another congregation to visit them and go out into the field with thier group and you'll get assigned to someone as a partner and they will have on the identical piece of clothing you do. Stuff like that. That is for those who need contact. But many of them are isolated individuals who don't need contact. They're just anointed ones and when another anointed one is near them holy spirit just identifies them in some way. But there is no danger since they are not in the critical network working around the Messiah.
But now, they are winding down. In fact, their complex networks are being dismantled. So we are definitely entering a phase-out phase. They will either be totally invisible now or one JIOR group is about to become public. If so, then there will be a public organization for those who recognize this group as Jehovah's new anointed organization.
Per the scriptures, the largest JIOR group is supposed to inherit the "wheat" runoff from the Watchtower Society. Plus there is the added complication that the natural Jews will ultimately still be the group that vindicates Jehovah's name.
As far as I can tell there seems that there might be some international event that will focus on the nation of Israel as God's chosen people again and the JIOR will combine with them in some way. I can't tell. But Israel's government is the government that will take over world control from which Jesus will reign. So of more interest, things are now focussing on what will be going on with the State of Israel.
If you are in need for spiritual information, that would be something to look into. That is Messianic Judaism. Just as an informational kind of look. My impression is that that would be one of the "slave" organizations established.
But if it were convenient for me, I'd go back to the witnesss organization with no problem. It's still basically the temple organization with the truth. I just can't stand the hypocrisy.
>>Thanks for your consideration of these matters. I really am full of questions.
You're welcome. But just hang in there! The time is really reduced and the fireworks are about to start. Just make sure you're in a position to accept Jehovah's salvation, you know, clean-up your life if you need to, this would be the time to do it; start focussing on spiritual things. Don't delay your focus on your personal relationship with Jehovah. Hang out at H20 while it's still here. Stay alert. And know that the Bible is true and everything will happen just as it says, as it has been.
Cheers,
Bibleman