The Promised Land

by cameo-d 14 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  cameo-d

  Why do most people not get the real gist of the story?

  THEY NEVER GOT TO THE PROMISED LAND.

  It was always just a carrot dangling on a stick.

  Wasn't Moses supposed to be god's favorite? Didn't Moses waste 40 years of his life and everyone else's stomping around in a desert on a speculation? According to the story wasn't Moses devout and obedient to god's every whim? And in the end, it was all a cruel joke. You can see it, but you can't have it.

  I see JWs living in a desert of their own making, following the dangling carrot of ridiculous doctrine. Filling out time cards every week to "prove" their obedience and hope for a reward in the end. The green pastures of family and education are right in their faces and they trample it because they prefer the desert and "the next life".
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  compound complex

  Points well made, cameo.

  Thanks for drawing the parallels.

  CoCo
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  cameo-d

  Oh, the promised land! The promised land! It's just ahead....the promised land.

  I was once promised the position of managing a new store location that was to open in 2 months. I was to get a big raise and a few nice perks with it. Well, delays happened. I kept working at my lower salary, still in anticipation. I accepted work that I was not really obligated to do just to show I was going the extra mile. I worked longer hours when asked. The new location would be open in 4 months. I took on more work which was not a part of my job description as I was informed it was OJT for my new "anticipated" position. I had always been the star employee and held the highest sales record.

  When the new location was opened....guess what! The bosses wife's relatitive came to town and was "given" the job I had earned and been promised. I quit, of course. Would never trust them again.

  Oh, the promised land. The promised land.

  How many years would you wander the desert before realizing that you had been duped?
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  poppers

  According to the story wasn't Moses devout and obedient to god's every whim?

  Well, God didn't tell Moses to strike the rock twice, only once (or something along those lines). So no, that little breach of obedience necessitates banishment from entering the promised land. Seems fair to me. I mean, if God lets man do whatever he wants without total trust in his directions then how's he gonna keep his people under his thumb? Pretty soon the inmates will be running the prison.
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  cameo-d

  So....a lifetime of service, one inconsequential mistake....and you lose Paradise? Forty years of neglecting family to go knock on doors and attend meetings....one day you don't wear a tie and it's all over for you? Sounds like someone is looking really hard for a nitpickin excuse to take back a promise they never intended to keep.
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  poppers

  So....a lifetime of service, one inconsequential mistake....and you lose Paradise?

  Looks that way. So get those time slips in, and no cheating, no missed meetings, no complaining, no doubting, no sorry assed excuses, and no questioning 'cause Jehovah sees all.
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  frigginconfused

  Youre not getting the story. God gave Moses a gift by letting him live. Moses saw what asses the isrealites were and didnt feel they deserved the ten commandments. On other occasions he took credit for Gods miracles. His pride is what got him in trouble. Anyone else would have been destroyed for his behaviour. So god was mercifull on him.

  Its easy to see why he got in this trouble. He was probably an unmovable force in his faith. Tottally incorruptable. Because he knew inside that he was the real deal, he was prone to pride. Basicly he had enough of the crap the selfish isrealites put out and didnt want them to get any reward. The problem was God had a plan to play out with these people. So Moses was punished for trying to go against the flow of the universe. Its easy to do.

  Serves as a good reminder to not judge others. Even if you think they will never get into the new system.
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  straightshooter

  Undoubtedly though Moses was the meekest man at that time, he was not sorry for what he did by hitting the rock. David committed murder and adultery, but he was forgiven and did not have to give up his kingship. When David counted the people in disobedience to God, God lovingly put the people to death and not David.

  Hence are we to miss out on Paraidise like Moses if we make a mistake? Or like David can we make it into Paradise though we make several major mistakes?
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  frigginconfused

  The mistake wasnt the problem. The attitude was. Moses thought his poo didnt stink. David knew he was a worthless man. That stuff is in there to show how no sin is too great with true repentance. But standing your ground against God is a stupid thing to do. If a father asks a son to do something and the son doesnt quite understand it he should still do it out of loyalty and respect.
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  cameo-d

  Dear Frigginconfused,

  It's obvious that you are. I can see you want to break free but you still have some WT fleas on you.

  Moses did not get the ten commandments from God. He got them from his father-in-law Jethro. It was Jethro who inspired the Jewish system of rabbis and courts that continues to this day. It was Jethro who taught Moses how to organize a political hierarchy and to delegate responsibilities, thus the decan system. The Torah views Jethro as so important that the portion containingthe ten commandments is called Parashat Yitro.

  Jethro, not god, was Moses's mentor.