any new light since 2008

Quarterback

Sure.....there is lite butter, popcorn, cream, milk, chip dipps, and so many other food products.

They don't taste much like the good old calorie rich foods, though.

snare&racket

The governing body took another step out of the cave in 2009...... but one of them saw someone holding an IPAD and so they ran back in.....

I believe they were yelling "The magi, the magi, they have come back... surely the Lord will return now the magi are here."

Snare x

p.s. isnt it so warm and snuggly out of the cave.... [big stretch]

Disillusioned Lost-Lamb

It's kinda hard to see any light when you live up your own ass.

Nambo

I think they ran out of oil for thier lamps many years ago.

rory-ks

I wondered whether this constituted "new light"?

w09 1/15 Highlights From The Book Of Revelation, p328:6-12; 9:1, 13; 11:15—When did the seven angels prepare to blow their trumpets, and when and how were the trumpet blasts sounded? Preparation to blow the seven trumpets included giving direction to the revitalized members of the John class on earth from 1919 to 1922. Such anointed ones were then getting busy in reorganizing the public ministry and building up publishing facilities. (Rev. 12:13, 14) The sounding of the trumpets represents fearless proclamations of Jehovah’s judgments against Satan’s world by God’s people in cooperation with the angels. Notably, this began with the Cedar Point, Ohio, convention in 1922 and lasts all the way down to the great tribulation.

I'm not sure how to interpret this. Does it indicate a move away from the idea that those seven trumpet blasts were connected to specific pronouncements made at conventions between 1922-1928?

Phizzy

Well spotted Rory, I had not noticed that one, mind you, it was published in a period when I had actually stopped really reading the mags with any attention.

It is a very subtle change, and is probably in reality one of their attempts to re-write the past.

When I was a kid growing up in the cult I could never accept the interpretation that Rutherford's ravings were filfillment of Bible prophecy. They used to write about these "proclamations" and call them a "hammer blow to Christendom" or somesuch hyperbolic rubbish. I used to think to myself:

(in more or less these words):

"Hammer blow ? Nobody noticed ! To Christendom and the world at large it was nothing, not as noticeable as a flea bite on the arse would be to an elephant"

It was the start of my being suspiscious of the writings of the W.T so that I grew up as a Christian associated with the JW's rather than a fully indoctrinated drone zombie Dub.

I think, apart from the desperate adjustments to their teaching on the "Generation" you have to go a long way back for any significant Noo Light, they have become a spiritual desert that becomes ever more arid.

yadda yadda 2

Not much, but they did invent another neat twist on what 'this generation' means. The new understanding is that Jesus meant that the lives of those who were alive in 1914 would overlap with those who see the end of this wicked system of things. So they bought themselves another 80 years or so before the end comes. Sweet! The JW's who could actually figure it out just nodded their heads and said "aaahh" in marvel at this wonderful 'new light', this nutritious spiritual food served at the right time.

BroMac

I'm not saying i understand it, or what differences between an olive could be, perhaps someone could explain it. this study article updated (new light) an '83 WT about Romans 11:24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree that is wild by nature and were grafted contrary to nature into the garden olive tree, how much rather will these who are natural be grafted into their own olive tree! I have added *(see footnote)* where the original article had an asterisk but dissapeared when copy/paste to here.

*** w11 5/15 pp. 23-25 ‘O the Depth of God’s Wisdom!’ *** (subheading) The Symbolic Olive Tree 13 The apostle Paul goes on to compare those who become part of Abraham’s seed to branches on a symbolic olive tree.*(see footnote 1)* (Rom. 11:21) This cultivated olive tree represents the fulfillment of God’s purpose with regard to the Abrahamic covenant. The root of the tree is holy and represents Jehovah as the one who gives life to spiritual Israel. (Isa. 10:20; Rom. 11:16) The trunk represents Jesus as the primary part of Abraham’s seed. The branches collectively represent “the full number” of those included in the secondary part of Abraham’s seed. 14 In the illustration of the olive tree, the natural Jews who rejected Jesus are likened to olive branches that were “broken off.” (Rom. 11:17) They thereby lost the opportunity to become part of Abraham’s seed. But who would replace them? From the standpoint of the natural Jews, who prided themselves on their fleshly descent from Abraham, the answer would be unthinkable. But John the Baptizer had already forewarned them that if Jehovah wished to do so, he could raise up children to Abraham from the very stones.—Luke 3:8. 15 What, then, did Jehovah do to fulfill his purpose? Paul explains that branches from a wild olive tree were grafted onto the cultivated olive tree to replace those broken off. (Read Romans 11:17, 18.) Thus, spirit-anointed Christians of the nations, such as some in the congregation in Rome, were figuratively grafted onto this symbolic olive tree. In this way they became part of Abraham’s seed. Originally, they were like wild olive branches, not having any opportunity to be a part of this special covenant. But Jehovah opened the way for them to become spiritual Jews.—Rom. 2:28, 29. 16 The apostle Peter explains the situation this way: “It is to you [spiritual Israelites, including Gentile Christians], therefore, that he [Jesus Christ] is precious, because you are believers; but to those not believing, ‘the identical stone that the builders rejected has become the head of the corner,’ and ‘a stone of stumbling and a rock-mass of offense.’ . . . But you are ‘a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that you should declare abroad the excellencies’ of the one that called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. For you were once not a people, but are now God’s people; you were those who had not been shown mercy, but are now those who have been shown mercy.”—1 Pet. 2:7-10. 17 Jehovah did something that many would view as totally unexpected. Paul describes what happened as “contrary to nature.” (Rom. 11:24) How was this so? Well, it would seem unusual, even unnatural, to graft a wild branch onto a cultivated tree; yet, that is what some farmers did in the first century.*(see footnote 2)* In a similar way, Jehovah did something extraordinary. From a Jewish viewpoint, Gentiles were incapable of producing acceptable fruitage. However, Jehovah made these very ones part of “a nation” that produced Kingdom fruitage. (Matt. 21:43) Starting with the anointing of Cornelius—the first uncircumcised Gentile convert—in 36 C.E., the opportunity was opened up to uncircumcised non-Jews to be grafted onto this symbolic olive tree.—Acts 10:44-48.*(see footnote 3)* 18 Does this mean that after 36 C.E., there was no longer any opportunity for natural Jews to become part of Abraham’s seed? No. Paul explains: “They [natural Jews] also, if they do not remain in their lack of faith, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut out of the olive tree that is wild by nature and were grafted contrary to nature into the garden olive tree, how much rather will these who are natural be grafted into their own olive tree!” *(see footnote 4)*—Rom. 11:23, 24. [Footnotes] 1 Evidently, there is no typical or antitypical olive tree. Although natural Israel did produce kings and priests, the nation did not become a kingdom of priests. Kings in Israel were prevented by law from becoming priests. Therefore, natural Israel did not serve as a typical olive tree. Paul is illustrating how God’s purpose to produce “a kingdom of priests” is fulfilled in connection with spiritual Israel. This updates what was published in the August 15, 1983, Watchtower, pages 14-19. 2 See the box “Grafting Wild Olive Branches—Why?” ? [Box] Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella was a Roman soldier and farmer who lived in the first century C.E. He is best known for the 12 books that he wrote on country life and farming. In his fifth book, he quotes this ancient proverb: “He who ploughs the olive-grove, asks it for fruit; he who manures it, begs for fruit; he who lops it, forces it to yield fruit.” After describing trees that are thriving and yet fail to bear fruit, he recommends the following procedure: “It is a good plan to bore them with a Gallic auger and to put tightly into the hole a green slip taken from a wild olive-tree; the result is that the tree, being as it were impregnated with fruitful offspring, becomes more productive.” 3 This was at the end of the three-and-a-half-year opportunity that was given to the natural Jews to become part of the new spiritual nation. The prophecy concerning the 70 weeks of years foretold this development.—Dan. 9:27. 4 The Greek prefix translated “garden” at Romans 11:24 comes from a word meaning “good, excellent” or “well adapted to its ends.” It is used especially of things that fulfill the purpose for which they were Do You Remember? • What do we learn about Jehovah from the way he fulfills his purpose? • In Romans chapter 11, what is represented by . . . the olive tree? its root? its trunk? its branches? • Why was the grafting process “contrary to nature”?

here is the Aug 15 1983

*** w83 8/15 A Productive Olive Tree ***

A Symbolic Olive Tree

13 The apostle Paul expresses grief that “not all who spring from Israel are really ‘Israel,’” and states: “Neither because they are Abraham’s seed are they all children [part of Abraham’s spiritual seed].” Then he goes on to illustrate how Jehovah ‘raises up children to Abraham.’ (Romans 9:1, 2, 6, 7) To describe how the Abrahamic covenant produces the full number of members of the spiritual seed of promise, he uses the symbol of a specially cultivated olive tree.—Please read Romans 11:13-26.

14 Paul mentions the root before speaking of the tree itself, and he says “the root is holy.” (Romans 11:16) Jehovah God is the “Most Holy One.” (Hosea 11:12) He is frequently called “the Holy One of Israel,” particularly in the book of Isaiah. (Isaiah 10:20; 29:19; 60:9) The apostle Peter counsels anointed Christians, saying: “In accord with the Holy One who called you, do you also become holy yourselves in all your conduct.” (1 Peter 1:15, 16) Jehovah God, the Greater Abraham, is the root of the symbolic olive tree.

15 As the patriarch Abraham was the root of the nation of Israel, so Jehovah gives life to spiritual Israel. As the 12 tribes of Israel stemmed from Abraham through his son Isaac, through Jacob and the 12 patriarchs, the 12 symbolic tribes of spiritual Israel stem from Jehovah through the Greater Isaac, Christ Jesus. He, as the primary Seed of Abraham, is symbolized by the olive tree’s stock, or trunk. (Galatians 3:16) Jehovah, the root, produces the full number of members of the secondary seed through his Son, Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:29) But how or in what manner does Jehovah produce the required number of symbolic branches?

Some Branches Lopped Off, Others Grafted In

16 Paul goes on to explain this wonderful arrangement. He writes: “For I do not want you, brothers, to be ignorant of this sacred secret, in order for you not to be discreet in your own eyes: that a dulling of sensibilities has happened in part to Israel until the full number of people of the nations has come in, and in this manner [Greek, kai hou′tos] all Israel will be saved.” (Romans 11:25, 26; compare Ephesians 3:3-6.) Jehovah would “raise up children to Abraham” by admitting into the secondary seed of Abraham the required number, or “full number of people of the nations [Gentiles].” By showing “the faith of Abraham” this limited number of non-Jews would prove to be spiritual Jews, part of spiritual Israel, “the Israel of God.”—Romans 4:16; 2:28, 29; Galatians 6:15, 16.

17 Paul illustrated the outworking of this “sacred secret” by an unusual horticultural procedure. The normal procedure is to graft shoots from a cultivated tree onto a wild stock, in order to make it productive, as Paul was well aware. He told the Gentile Christians that they had been “grafted contrary to nature into the garden olive tree.” (Romans 11:24) He thus likened the non-Jews who would be admitted into the Abrahamic covenant to scions, or shoots, from a wild olive that would be grafted onto the trunk of a “garden olive tree.” They would replace the natural branches that had been lopped off, these representing the fleshly Jews who had been rejected because of their lack of faith. (Romans 11:17, 19, 20, 24) This unusual illustration served as a forceful exposure of the proud and haughty unbelieving Jews, who considered the Gentiles to be as lifeless as stones or as incapable of producing fine fruit as wild olive branches. It confirmed that Jehovah had “power to raise up children to Abraham,” even as John the Baptist had forewarned.—Luke 3:8.

18 Nevertheless, non-Jewish Christians who had been “grafted contrary to nature” into the Abrahamic-covenant tree as part of the spiritual seed had no reason to feel superior to the Jews. Paul explained: “They also [Jews], if they do not remain in their lack of faith, will be grafted in; for God is able to graft them in again.” (Romans 11:23) A small remnant of natural Jews accepted the primary Seed and became permanent branches in the symbolic tree. (Romans 9:27; 11:5) But the majority of the Jews had been broken off the Abrahamic-covenant tree in 36 C.E., at the end of the 70th week of years foretold by Daniel. (Daniel 9:27) After that, however, some Jews had been grafted back “into their own olive tree” by putting faith in the Messiah, Jesus, the primary Seed of Abraham. (Romans 11:24; Acts 13:5, 42, 43; 14:1) By pointing these things out Paul promoted unity among the anointed Christians, for all had become ‘sharers in the olive’s root of fatness’ through “God’s kindness.”—Romans 11:17, 22.

A Fully Productive Olive Tree

19 Throughout the centuries, and particularly in the favorable part of this time of the end, other Jews and non-Jews were grafted into the symbolic olive tree. Thus the Abrahamic covenant produces the “full number” of Jews and Gentiles needed to complete the spiritual seed. “In this manner all Israel will be saved,” not fleshly Israel, but those who are “really ‘Israel,’” the 144,000 members of spiritual Israel.—Romans 11:12, 25, 26; 9:6-8; Revelation 7:4.

20 The wonderful manner in which Jehovah has fulfilled this most important part of the Abrahamic covenant, by producing the trunk and the full number of branches of this symbolic tree should fill us with wonder. Like Paul, we exclaim: “O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and past tracing out his ways are! For ‘who has come to know Jehovah’s mind, or who has become his counselor?’ Or, ‘Who has first given to him, so that it must be repaid to him?’ Because from him and by him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.”—Romans 11:33-36.

21 But what practical lessons can be drawn from the illustration of the grafted olive tree, both for the symbolic branches (anointed Christians) and others who may now bless themselves by means of the seed produced by the Abrahamic covenant tree? These aspects will be covered in the following article.

[Footnotes]

“κα? ο?τως = and thus; not merely temporal.” (The Expositor’s Greek Testament) Compare Today’s English Version (“and this is how”), Authorized Version, Revised Standard Version and New International Version (“and so”). Those who believe in the ultimate conversion and salvation of the entire Jewish nation make kai hou′tos mean “and then,” timewise. (See Romans 11:26, The Jerusalem Bible.) Many of Christendom’s Bible commentaries give this interpretation, even though it goes against Paul’s whole line of reasoning and against the facts of history, past and present.—Compare Romans 2:28, 29; 9:1-6, 27; 10:1, 21; 11:5, 7-10, 14; Acts 13:45, 46.

See chapter 7 of the book “Let Your Kingdom Come” published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.

Did you grasp these key points?

? What promises are included in the Abrahamic covenant?

? Who are the primary and secondary seeds?

? Identify the following parts of the symbolic olive tree:

—the root

—the trunk

—the lopped-off natural branches

—the natural branches left on the tree or grafted back

—the grafted wild-olive branches

? What is the “sacred secret” mentioned by Paul in Romans 11:25?

? Why is the symbolic olive tree fully productive?

Study Questions (13-21)

13. Why did Paul express grief, and what did he illustrate by means of a cultivated olive tree? 14. Who is the root of the symbolic olive tree, and what scriptures show this? 15. (a) In what ways is Jehovah the root of spiritual Israel? (b) Who is the trunk of the symbolic olive tree? Why? 16. What is the “sacred secret” mentioned by Paul in Romans 11:25 and Ephesians 3:3-6? 17. (a) What unusual procedure did Paul describe? (b) Who were pictured by the lopped-off branches and by the grafted-in shoots from a wild olive tree? (c) What exposure did this illustration make of the proud and haughty Jews? 18. (a) What occurred in 36 C.E., but were any lopped-off branches grafted back into the Abrahamic-covenant tree? (b) How did Paul promote unity within the Christian congregation? 19. How has the Abrahamic covenant gradually produced the spiritual seed, to the saving of “all Israel”? 20, 21. (a) What reaction should the fulfillment of this most important part of the Abrahamic covenant produce in us? (b) What will be examined in the following article [Diagram/Picture on page 17] (For fully formatted text, see publication) THE SYMBOLIC OLIVE TREE—Type and Antitype BRANCHES 12 tribes of Israel 144,000 spiritual Israelites (secondary seed) TRUNK Isaac, Jacob and 12 patriarchs Messiah Jesus (primary Seed) ROOT Abraham Jehovah