Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-10-2012 WT Study (APRIL 15, 2012, pages 8-12)(BETRAYAL)
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BETRAYAL AN OMINOUS
SIGN OF THE TIMES!
“How loyal and righteous
and unblamable
we proved to be.”
—1 THESS. 2:10.
ISOLATE THESE MAIN POINTS:
What warning lessons can we
learn from the betrayals committed
by Delilah, Absalom, and
Judas Iscariot?
How can we imitate the loyalty
displayed by both Jonathan and
Peter?
How can we remain steadfast
in our loyalty to our marriage
mate and to Jehovah?
OPENING COMMENTS
Note the picture of Delilah depicts as a wrinkled hag…out of all the women in Israel, Samson had to pick a non-Israelite. Was Samson so weak that he could slay 100’s of soldiers but not stand up to the questioning of a weak woman?
*** w84 11/1 p.30***
However, it appears that Samson’s contacts with these women may have influenced him to act foolishly when he fell in love with Delilah, apparently an Israelite woman whom the Philistines could bribe.—Judges 16:1-21. (other sources say “suggests” “seems”)
David betrayed his friend, fellow soldier by having sex with his wife (adultery) and then having the husband put to death to cover up his capital sin (punishable by death).
Remember Absalom’s full sister was raped by their half-brother Amnon but was not punished until Absalom killed him. Where was David, did he betray his children to protect his own reputation? So how did David hear of this, perhaps Amnon escapes punishment in the same way David avoided his deserved execution because it was hidden. Note how the WTS blackens Absalom’s motives without proof.
*** it-1 pp. 32-33 Absalom***
Hearing of his daughter’s humiliation, David reacted with great anger but , perhaps due to the fact that no direct or formal accusation was made with the support of evidence or witnesses, took no judicial action against the offender. (De 19:15) Absalom may have preferred not to have an issue made of Amnon’s violation of the Levitical law (Le 18:9; 20:17), to avoid unsavory publicity for his family and name, but he, nevertheless, nursed a murderous hatred for Amnon while outwardly controlling himself until the propitious moment for exacting vengeance in his own way. (Compare Pr 26:24-26; Le 19:17.)
*** it-1 p.96 Amnon***
Since Amnon, as David’s eldest son, was heir apparent to the throne, his death may also have been viewed as desirable by Absalom as a means to better his own possibilities of gaining the kingship.
Peter betrayed Christ 3 times; why better than Judas? Peter cried, Judas didn’t. Do the elders judge wrongdoers as repentant only if they cry?
(Luke 22:61,62)61 And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, and Peter recalled the utterance of the Lord when he said to him: “Before a cock crows today you will disown me three times.” 62 And he went outside and wept bitterly.
START OF ARTICLE
1-3. (a) What is an ominous sign of the times, and what does
it involve? (b) What three questions will we answer?
WHAT do Delilah, Absalom, and Judas Iscariot
have in common? They were all
disloyal—Delilah to the man who loved
her, Judge Samson; Absalom to his father, King David;
Judas to his Master, Christ Jesus. In each case,
their deplorable actions wreaked havoc on others!
But why should this be of concern to us?
COMMENTS
Remember David betrayed Uriah by fathering a baby with her while Uriah was off fighting for Israel, and then David had Uriah killed to cover up his sin.
Remember Samson betrayed God by revealing the source of his strength to Delilah putting himself at risk.
Remember Peter betrayed Jesus 3 times.
Remember Aaron betrayed God by making a golden calf…
(Exodus 32:1-4) . . .Meanwhile the people got to see that Moses was taking a long time about coming down from the mountain. So the people congregated themselves about Aaron and said to him: “Get up, make for us a god who will go ahead of us, because as regards this Moses, the man who led us up out of the land of Egypt, we certainly do not know what has happened to him.” 2 At this Aaron said to them: “Tear off the gold earrings that are in the ears of YOUR wives, of YOUR sons and of YOUR daughters and bring them to me.”3 And all the people began tearing off the gold earrings that were in their ears and bringing them to Aaron. 4 Then he took [the gold] from their hands, and he formed it with a graving tool and proceeded to make it into a molten statue of a calf. And they began to say: “This is your God, O Israel, who led you up out of the land of Egypt.”
2 A modern-day author lists betrayal among today’s
most common vices. That is to be expected.
When giving the sign of “the conclusion of the system
of things,” Jesus said: “Many . . . will betray
one another.” (Matt. 24:3, 10) “To betray” means “to
give up to, or place in the power of an enemy, by
treachery or disloyalty.” Such a lack of loyalty confirms
that we are living in “the last days” when, Paul
foretold, people would be “disloyal, . . . betrayers.”
(2 Tim. 3:1, 2, 4) Even though authors and screenwriters
often dramatize and romanticize treacherous
acts in literature and in the movies, in real life
disloyalty and betrayal cause pain and suffering. Indeed,
such acts are an ominous sign of the times!
COMMENTS
Who is this modern-day author, and where is the quote?
Many times the WTS has betrayed the children that have been molested by members of the congregation, hiding the crime, telling the child and their parents that it is a sin to tell anyone outside.
“authors and screenwriters often dramatize and romanticize treacherous acts”: who, what, when?
3 What lessons can we learn from the Bible about
those who were disloyal in the past? What examples
of people who proved their devotion to others can
we imitate? And to whom must we remain steadfast
in our loyalty? Let us see.
COMMENTS
Lessons: that if you are the king and commit adultery and murder, the law code will not be applied in your case, death; where in the law does it say a “repentant” murderer should be allowed to live?
WARNING EXAMPLES FROM THE PAST
4. How did Delilah betray Samson, and why was that so contemptible?
4 First, consider conniving Delilah, with whom
Judge Samson had fallen in love. Samson was intent
on leading the fight against the Philistines
on behalf of God’s people. Perhaps
knowing that Delilah had no loyal love
for Samson, the five Philistine lords offered
her a large bribe to find out the secret
of his superior strength so that they
could eliminate him. Mercenary Delilah
accepted their offer, but her attempts
to uncover Samson’s secret failed three
times. She then kept on pressuring him
“with her words all the time and kept
urging him.” Finally, “his soul got to be
impatient to the point of dying.” So he
told her that his hair had never been
cut and that if it was, he would lose
his power.* Knowing that, Delilah had
Samson’s hair shaved off while he was
asleep on her lap, and then she turned
him over to his enemies to do to him
whatever they wanted. (Judg.16:4, 5, 15-
21) How contemptible her action was!
All because of her greed, Delilah betrayed
someone who loved her.
*Not the hair itself, but what it stood for, that is,
Samson’s special relationship with Jehovah as a Nazirite,
was the source of his strength.
COMMENTS
Had Samson fallen in love with Delilah? Has the WTS said anything different about that? Where the holy spirit seemed to give him physical strength, evidently his mental acuity was lacking. Where in the bible does it say it was to be a secret, his strength?
So he had tremendous strength, but nagging did him in?
5. (a) How did Absalom prove disloyal to David,
and what did that expose about him?
(b) How did David feel about Ahithophel’s having
turned traitor?
5 Next, consider treacherous Absalom.
Inflamed with ambition, he was
determined to usurp the throne of his
father, King David. Absalom first ‘stole
the hearts of the men of Israel’ by ingratiating
himself with them, using sly
promises and insincere expressions of
affection. He would embrace and kiss
them, as if he were truly interested in
them and their needs. (2 Sam. 15:2-6)
Absalom even won over David’s trusted
confidant Ahithophel, who turned
traitor and joined the coup. (2 Sam. 15:
31) In Psalms 3 and 55, David describes
how such disloyalty affected him. (Ps. 3:
1-8; read Psalm 55:12-14.) Absalom exposed
his shameless disregard for God’s
sovereignty by his ambitious scheming
and blatant conspiracy against Jehovah’s
appointed king. (1 Chron. 28:5) In
the end, the uprising failed, and David
continued to rule as the anointed of Jehovah.
COMMENTS
Remember Absalom knew his father David was aware of Amnon raping his own half-sister, Absalom’s full sister Tamar and David did nothing. Should a man like Amnon become the king of Israel. At least David didn’t rape his own half-sister. Perhaps Ahithophel knew that David had done nothing about Tamar’s rape, David’s own betrayal of his daughter. Maybe Absalom did not think a man who approved of a rape and had taken someone else’s wife and had him killed was qualified to be king.
Have jws been punished for telling about the serious sins of elders, is that disloyalty to God?
6. How did Judas betray Jesus, and with what
has Judas’ name become synonymous?
6 Now think of what traitorous Judas
Iscariot did to the Christ. At the
last Passover that Jesus celebrated with
his 12 apostles, he told them: “Truly I
say to you, One of you will betray me.”
(Matt. 26:21) Later that night, Jesus announced
to Peter, James, and John in
the garden of Gethsemane: “Look! My
betrayer has drawn near.” Immediately,
Judas appeared in the garden with
his coconspirators, “and going straight
up to Jesus he said: ‘Good day, Rabbi!’
and kissed him very tenderly.” (Matt.
26:46-50; Luke 22:47, 52) Judas “betrayed
righteous blood” and handed Jesus
over to Christ’s enemies. And for
what did money-loving Judas do that?
For a mere 30 pieces of silver! (Matt. 27:
3-5) The name Judas has been synonymous
with “traitor” ever since, especially
one who betrays another under the
guise of friendship.*
*Hence, the term “Judas kiss” means “an act of
betrayal.”
COMMENTS
Imagine, one of the 12 had been predestined to sin and die. Does the WTS believe in predestination?
Were you ever betrayed by another jw under the guise of friendship? I had several jws LIE about something and get me in trouble. Or tried to. I had absolute proof that I was not guilty and even then the elders were reluctant to back off and appear to have made a serious error. All because some elder’s wife had a pathological jealousy of all the single female pioneers.
7. What lessons have we learned from the lives
of (a) Absalom and Judas and (b) Delilah?
7 What have we learned from these
warning examples? Absalom and Judas
both met a shameful end because of
their having turned traitor against the
anointed of Jehovah. (2 Sam. 18:9, 14-
17; Acts 1:18-20) Delilah’s name will
forever be associated with treachery and
feigned love. (Ps. 119:158) How vital it
is that we reject any tendency we may
have toward blind ambition or greed,
which would cause us to lose Jehovah’s
favor! Could any lessons be more powerful
to help us reject the loathsome trait
of disloyalty?
COMMENTS
But David did not meet a shameful end; instead his wives were raped before the nation of Israel, his sons met bad ends except Solomon who was his son by the adulteress Bathsheba.
So there is no forgiveness in sight for Delilah when she is resurrected into the WTS earthly paradise. Will her past follow her forever for a 1,000 years and even after; will David be known as a murderer and an adulterer forever? Notice that Delilah, a woman, is singled out for no forgiveness eternally.
IMITATE THOSE WHO PROVED LOYAL
8, 9. (a) Why did Jonathan pledge his loyalty
to David? (b) How can we imitate Jonathan?
8 The Bible also describes many loyal
individuals. Let us consider two of these
and see what we can learn from them,
starting with a man who proved his loyalty
to David. Jonathan, King Saul’s eldest
son, would likely have been the heir
to the throne of Israel—except for one
thing. Jehovah chose David to be Israel’s
next king. Jonathan respected God’s decision.
He did not jealously view David
as a rival. Rather, Jonathan’s “soul be-
came bound up with the soul of David”
as he pledged his loyalty to him. He even
gave David his garments, sword, bow,
and belt, thus bestowing royal honors
on him. (1 Sam. 18:1-4) Jonathan did all
he could to ‘strengthen David’s hand,’
even to the point of risking his own life
to stand up for David in front of Saul.
Jonathan loyally told David: “You yourself
will be king over Israel, and I myself
shall become second to you.” (1 Sam.
20:30-34; 23:16, 17) It is no wonder that
after Jonathan’s death, David expressed
his sorrow and his love for him in a
mournful song.—2 Sam. 1:17, 26.
COMMENTS
Jonathan did not betray David; he was a better man to be king yet he died by his father’s side guaranteeing that Israel would not challenge David’s authority.
Did David risk his own life for Jonathan; instead he composed a song?
9 There was no conflict of loyalties on
Jonathan’s part. He was completely submissive
to the Sovereign, Jehovah, and
he fully supported David as the anointed
of God. Likewise today, even if we
may not have been given a special privilege
in the congregation, we should
willingly support the brothers who have
been appointed to take the lead among
us.—1 Thess. 5:12, 13; Heb. 13:17, 24.
COMMENTS
But would Jonathan have supported David when he took another man’s wife and murdered her husband?
Did Jesus support the religious leaders of his day or did he point out how they betrayed God?
Should we support self-appointed men in the congregation when they betray God by making the doctrines of an organization supplant the word of God?
10, 11. (a) Why did Peter loyally stay with Jesus?
(b) How can we imitate Peter, and what
should we be moved to do?
10 The other good example we will
consider is that of the apostle Peter,
who avowed his loyalty to Jesus. When
Christ used graphic, figurative language
to emphasize the importance of exercising
faith in his soon-to-be-sacrificed
flesh and blood, many of his disciples
found his words shocking, and they left
him. (John 6:53-60, 66) So Jesus turned
to his 12 apostles and asked: “You do
not want to go also, do you?” It was Peter
who responded: “Lord, whom shall
we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting
life; and we have believed and
come to know that you are the Holy One
of God.” (John 6:67-69) Did this mean
Peter was loyal to God’s anointed Son
even though others rejected Him
that Peter fully understood all that Jesus
had just said about His coming sacrifice?
Probably not. Even so, Peter was
determined to be loyal to God’s anointed
Son.
COMMENTS
Notice that Peter did not say WHERE shall we go, but WHOM. Is the WTS and is appointees the equivalent of the Holy One of God? The WTS does teach that they are the only true representative of God.
*** w60 8/1 p.475 par.15***
So obviously bearing the mark of the spirit, the world-wide loving unity of Jehovah’s witnesses is one of the reasons why those witnesses who are anointed members of the body of Christ are convinced they belong to the only true church, and since those of the “other sheep” are associated with these anointed ones in the united New World society, they are convinced that this indeed is God’s organization, where true worship is carried on. Would it not be sinning against the spirit to doubt it?
Remember too that in Galatians Peter rejected association with the Gentile Christians although he had been “privileged” with 3 visions from God to stop calling unclean what God considers clean.
11 Peter did not reason that Jesus
must have the wrong view of things and
that if given time, He would recant what
He had said. No, Peter humbly recognized
that Jesus had “sayings of everlasting
life.” Likewise today, how do
we react if we encounter a point in our
Christian publications from “the faithful
steward” that is hard to understand
or that does not match with our thinking?
We should try hard to get the sense
of it rather than merely expecting that
there will be a change to conform to our
viewpoint.—Read Luke 12:42.
COMMENTS
Likewise today, how do we react if we encounter a point in our
Christian publications from “the faithful steward” that is hard to understand or that does not match with our thinking? We should try hard to get the sense of it rather than merely expecting that there will be a change to conform to our viewpoint.
Jesus may have the sayings of everlasting life, but that does not mean the words in the WT publications have the same importance. Is the FDS the same as Jesus or are they imperfect humans?
Imagine these 180 degree flip flops
1879 to 1929 = superior authorities, secular governments
1929 to 1962 = superior authorities, God and Jesus
1962 to 2012 = superior authorities, secular governments
To 1967 = organ transplants, conscience
1967 to 1980 = organ transplants, df’ing offense
1980 to now = organ transplants, conscience
Can you imagine all the persecution from 1929 to 1962 of jws because not recognizing the authority of secular governments?
Can you imagine all the jws who died between 1967 and 1980 thinking having an organ transplant would lead to their being disfellowshipped?
Should jws die for the wrong, unbiblical ideas of imperfect men?
REMAIN LOYAL TO
YOUR MARRIAGE MATE
12, 13. How might betrayal find a niche in a
marriage, and why is a person’s age not an excuse
for that to happen?
12 Betrayal in any form is a vile act
that must not be allowed to disrupt the
peace and unity of the Christian family
and the congregation. With that in
mind, let us consider how we can be
steadfast in our loyalty to our marriage
mate and to our God.
COMMENTS
Loyal like David was? Loyal like Amnon was?
13 Adultery is one of the most devastating
forms of betrayal. The adulterer
has violated his fidelity to his marriage
mate and shifted his attention to another
person. The betrayed mate is suddenly
left alone—with a life that is turned
upside down. How does that happen between
two people who once loved each
other? Often, a first step in that direction
is taken when marriage mates become
emotionally distant from each other.
Professor of Sociology Gabriella Turnaturi
explains that alternating “between
being fully present in a relationship and
not being fully present is where betrayal
finds its niche.” This distancing of
oneself from a marriage mate has happened
to some even during middle age.
For example, a 50-year-old married man
divorces his faithful wife of 25 years in
order to join up with another woman to
whom he has become attracted. Some
excuse this as a midlife crisis. However,
rather than making it sound as though it
were unavoidable, let us call it what it
really is—a midlife betrayal.*
*For help in dealing with a marriage mate’s disloyalty,
see the article “Coping With a Spouse’s Betrayal,”
in the June 15, 2010, issue of The Watchtower,
pages 29-32.
COMMENTS
In this area, the divorce rate among jws is amazing; 7 out of 10 of my contemporaries.
Now finally the WTS has a name and a quote.
But notice this account of divorce in the bible. So do jws encourage people to send away their non-jw wives and children? If the mate is a non-jw, they cannot be the innocent mate?
(Ezra 10:44) . . .These all had accepted foreign wives, and they proceeded to send away wives along with sons.
*** w06 1/15 p.20 par.2***
Whywere the children put away along with the wives? If the children had stayed behind, the likelihood that the dismissed wives would return on account of them would have increased. Moreover, little children generally require the care of their mother.
14. (a) How does Jehovah feel about treachery
in a marriage? (b) What did Jesus say about
marital fidelity?
14 How does Jehovah feel about those
who leave their mates without a Scriptural
reason? Our God ‘hates a divorcing,’
and he has uttered strong words
against those who abuse and abandon
their marriage mates. (Read Malachi 2:
13-16.) In heart harmony with his Father,
Jesus taught that one cannot drive
away or cast off an innocent mate and
act as if nothing has happened.—Read
Matthew 19:3-6, 9.
COMMENTS
Does God hate a divorcing based on Ezra 10:44? What about jw males who cheat with a non-jw, get df’d for one year and reinstated, and then marry the jw woman they wanted all along?
15. How can those who are married strengthen
their loyalty to their mates?
15 How can those who are married remain
loyal to their mates? God’s Word
says: “Rejoice with the wife [or husband]
of your youth” and, “See life with
the wife [or husband] whom you love.”
(Prov. 5:18; Eccl. 9:9) As both mates
grow older, they must be “fully present”
in their relationship, both physically
and emotionally. That means being attentive
to each other, spending time with
each other, and drawing closer to each
other. They have to focus on preserving
their marriage and their relationship
with Jehovah. To that end, couples
need to study the Bible together, regularly work
in the ministry together, and pray
together for Jehovah’s blessing.
COMMENTS
How many elders can be “fully present” in their marriage and handle all the “duties” in the congregation? How many marriages fell apart due to neglect of the wife? Does attentive mean conduct the Family Worship weekly? When some elders wives found out that my husband studied together with me, I found out their husbands refused to do so because their wives were said to impede the excellence of their parts….one said they only time they heard their husband prayer was at a meeting.
REMAIN LOYAL TO JEHOVAH
16, 17. (a) How might our loyalty to God be
put on the line in the family and the congregation?
(b) What example illustrates that obeying
God’s command to quit associating with
disfellowshipped relatives can lead to good results?
16 There are members of the congregation
who committed serious sins and
who were reproved “with severity, that
they may be healthy in the faith.” (Titus
1:13) For some, their conduct has
required that they be disfellowshipped.
For “those who have been trained by it,”
the discipline has helped them to become
spiritually restored. (Heb. 12:11)
What if we have a relative or a close
friend who is disfellowshipped? Now
our loyalty is on the line, not to that
person, but to God. Jehovah is watching
us to see whether we will abide by
his command not to have contact with
anyone who is disfellowshipped.—Read
1 Corinthians 5:11-13.
COMMENTS
Are we not to be loyal to Jesus?
I thought it was the level of repentance that “required….disfellowshipped” not the sin.
So where was the loyalty of Nathan and Bathsheba and Joab who knew of the adultery of David and Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah?
Jehovah is watching? But many jws, including elders, dance around the association rule by using the “necessary family business” clause. After all “Jehovah as left the land and he is not seeing.”
17 Consider just one example of the
good that can come when a family loyally
upholds Jehovah’s decree not to associate
with disfellowshipped relatives. A
young man had been disfellowshipped
for over ten years, during which time his
father, mother, and four brothers “quit
mixing in company” with him. At times,
he tried to involve himself in their activities,
but to their credit, each member
of the family was steadfast in not
having any contact with him. After he
was reinstated, he said that he always
missed the association with his family,
especially at night when he was alone.
But, he admitted, had the family associated
with him even a little, that small
dose would have satisfied him. However,
because he did not receive even
the slightest communication from any
of his family, the burning desire to be
with them became one motivating factor
in his restoring his relationship with
Jehovah. Think of that if you are ever
tempted to violate God’s command not
to associate with your disfellowshipped
relatives.
COMMENTS
If David had been put to death like the law required, his family definitely would not be associating with him. The WTS has compared df’ing to like being a dead person, executed under the Law code. But David was not executed, by association then he was not df’d.
Even if a df’d person comes back, their “sin” follows them for years. Perhaps that is the same principle the WTS says will be applied to poor, dead Delilah never to be forgiven even after resurrection into the WTS earthly paradise, 1,000 years long.
18. After having reviewed the merits of loyalty
versus the consequences of disloyalty, what is
your resolve?
18 We live in a treacherous, disloyal
world. Yet, all around us in the Christian
congregation, we can find loyal examples
to imitate. Their life course speaks
for them, as if to say: “You are witnesses,
God is also, how loyal and righteous
and unblamable we proved to be to you
believers.” (1 Thess. 2:10) May we all remain
ever steadfast in our loyalty to God
and to one another.
COMMENTS
We live in a treacherous, disloyal world…and that is just the people at the KH or the WTS
.
Christian congregation = only jws, yet they chose the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” without a sign of “Christ” in that.
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
Next week, MAINTAIN A COMPLETE HEART TOWARD JEHOVAH.
Another study without Jesus. Does anyone remember the hearts beating on the stage or field of the convention? That was one concept that had to be retracted.
Love, Blondie