Posted by Gary [GLamotta] on April 01, 1999 at 11:30:07 {feW1wc1uNQMRXA6xmpscboLUiPtahc}:
In Reply to: **WTS/Freemansonry/Crowley Links posted by What?! Jaypeeto on April 01, 1999 at 08:04:53:
Hi Jay,
No, no, no! You got me all wrong. Or I apologize for not being more specific.
This is an illustration for the "kingdom of the heavens" which involves the "last days."
So the planting in this particular field pertains to the "last generation" beginning around 1914.
The field originally were those International Bible students, who then got infiltrated by the likes of J.F. Rutherford who in 1917 in the "Finished Mystery" instituted Russell as fulfiling directly and specifically the "faithful and wise servant" which was prophesied about in Matthew. Later on they claimed that the emphasis on Russell was causing "creature worship" and all of his writings were discontinued. But it was the Watchtower Society itself and Rutherford, never Russell, who instituted this apostasy.
But as you may well know, there was a struggle at this time to take over the organization. Rutherford conspired to remove the original editing committee through a legal technicality, and he did it. So the organization had a great falling away. But it was Rutherford who remained in control of this organization. So it was corrupt from the very top and if the organization was destroyed at this time then some of those who had come to be associated with the organization would have been lost.
So the "wheat" spoken of in the illustration is not the wheat over all those centuries, but the wheat-like ones
associated with Jehovah's Witnesses. Those witnesses who are faithfully serving the best of their abilities and who appreciate the truths associated with Jehovah's organization. But they are not so infatuated with
the organization
that they are worshipping the new "Faithful Slave" god which is the Governing Body.
Those who can separate out Bible truth from Watchtower false doctrine, therefore, can be separated out. They value the Bible more than the Watchtower.
But there are some witnesses who will tell you, even though they know what the Bible teaches is something different than what the Watchtower says that: "It doesn't matter, Jehovah will correct it in his own time, etc." So this would be like an "imitation" Christian, or a weed-like Christian who are not really concerned about the Bible, who don't really know the Bible, and who are not interested enough in truth to care whether there are a "few discrepancies" or not. That is in contrast with those who do care and are concerned about truth.
So near the end of the harvest, which is now, those who are more like the "wise virgins" who are focussed on the Bible, are being spiritually separated from the "foolish virgins" who are less focussed on spiritual things and think that begin a good witness is all it takes to please god to get into the kingdom and thus it is not necessary to read their Bibles or question anything.
But this scenario is what puzzles many people. That is, YES, this is God's chosen organization and he is using it to spread the good news and there is fundamental truth here, more truth by far than in Christendom for sure, but the administration is corrupt in many ways. They lie and deceive about thie past, they are not interested in the truth of God's word if it does not follow their own doctrinal outline.
But they are BOTH present within the organization.
I remember
clearly in 1975 when it was being announced that they were tentatively planning another assembly, even though they, of course, were expecting Armageddon and they didn't think the system would be here another year. The hype was right
there. But then, out of the blue, it was announced that the Society was embarking upon a massive advanced campaign to aggressively expand their printing facilities all over the world and they were stepping up the preaching work.
I was astounded! The excuse given was, "just in case.... they weren't going to be found being lazy and slack when the Messiah arrived." Thus they were going right ahead to preach full-throttle right to the end.
I remember clearly thinking to myself, "Hey, somebody at Bethel isn't buying this 1975 propaganda! They are not taking any chances!" And, of course, they were right. And from then on I had the concept that there were like two differet "spirits" or attitudes in the organization, one focussed on scripture and another distracted by dates and other things.
So the conflict is prophesied for this organization. There would be wheat and weeds together until it became clear which was which and a clear separation was made not until the very end.
That's why, it's okay if you want to stay and serve within the organization, it is Jehovah's arrangement, if you can stand it. Some who are doctrinally oriented, like myself, can't deal with the hypocrisy. But Jehovah is not going to abandon those honest Christians associated with the witnesses. But it's okay to leave and establish you own relationship with Jehovah elsewhere...
And most importantly, you don't have to be a witness to please god. Remember, there were 10 other slaves who were sent out! So even though there is like one special tribe, the priestly tribe of spiritual "Levi" that has a special commission, that doesn't mean Jehovah is abandoning the other 11 tribes.
So if you're serving god to the best of your ability and knowledge, then god considers that and is pleased. And with the Witnesses having so many false teachings now, why would god condemn you for rejecting them? He won't!
What we must do, though, especially now, is to PAY CLOSE ATTENTION to what the scriptures say, and to know that the Bible is true and that all these prophetic parables must come true and be fulfilled and are being fulfilled!
This is the time to pay attention.
Anyway, the field is Jehovah's organization which was corrupted all the way to the top early during its history. Remember, when the wheat first showed its new blade, the weeds were already there. So it was corrupted by Rutherford at the very top early on, and removing him would have destroyed the organization and some sheep would have been lost.
This harvest work was to last a generation. Matthew 20 speaks of those being hired for the work for 11 hours. At 7 years per hour that ammounts to 77 years from 1914 to 1991. Jesus returns with a special week of activity for the following 7 years, just as before, at which time he pays the workers. This thus all happens within a generation. The first-hour workers must be present to meet up with the last-hour workers. This can only happen within a generation. (1914-1994).
Cheers,
Gary