Billy, I didn't realize you would be doing this. I have been home sick and had time but forgot you doing this. I'm sure yours is better. I was surprised to see how the WTS has primed the rank and file for the 8 DUKES and to slide into the article about elders. I'm so glad to be out.
Comments You Will Not Hear at the 01-18-2014 WT Study (NOVEMBER 15, 2013, pages 16-20)(EIGHT DUKES)
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OPENING COMMENTS
How many long-time jws ever heard the phrase “eight dukes”? The WTS has been preparing the minds of jws today to understand a concept from the 1930’s when the “elder arrangement” was adjusted and the 1960’s that the other sheep elders are “dukes.” More recently, in 2011, 2010, 2007.
Another word giving rulership on earth to elders. Dukes, princes, sheiks, chiefs, chieftains, mighty men. Did God plan on a ruling class on earth in Eden? These men will be elders and in control for eternity as they tell us what the messages are from heaven, or they say are from heaven.
Notice that the WTS uses OT analogies to illustrate the elder arrangement; why not the NT and the Christian congregation? It is no accident that the next article seeks to establish the authority of the elders in the jw congregations.
*** w11 11/15 p. 32 par. 19 Train Others to Reach Out ***
Jehovah blesses the efforts of older men to train others. His blessing is also experienced by those who respond and reach out for privileges in the congregation. The Scriptures assure us that among God’s people “seven shepherds, yes, eight dukes”—the required number of capable men—will be raised up to take the lead in Jehovah’s organization. (Mic. 5:5) What a blessing it is that so many Christian men are being trained and are humbly reaching out for privileges of service to Jehovah’s praise!
*** w10 5/15 p. 24 par. 2 Brothers—Sow to the Spirit and Reach Out! ***
Such growth creates a need for qualified brothers to take the lead in teaching and shepherding in the congregations. (Eph. 4:11) Over the decades, Jehovah has raised up qualified men to care for the needs of his sheep, and we are confident that he will continue to do so. The prophecy recorded at Micah 5:5 assures us that during the last days, Jehovah’s people will have “seven shepherds” and “eight dukes,” representing a considerable number of capable men to take the lead among them.
.*** w07 11/1 p. 16 par. 6 Highlights From the Books of Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah ***
5:5. This Messianic prophecy assures us that when God’s people come under attack by their enemies, “seven [representing completeness] shepherds” and “eight dukes”—a considerable number of capable men—are raised up to take the lead among Jehovah’s people.
*** w93 1/1 p. 21 pars. 13-14 Shepherding With Our Grand Creator ***
13 In lands where the preaching work is well established, in lands where restrictions have recently been lifted, and in newly opened territories, Jesus’ words at Matthew 9:37, 38 still apply: “Yes, the harvest is great, but the workers are few. Therefore, beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” We need to pray, also, that Jehovah will raise up more shepherds. He has demonstrated that he can do this. Before and during World War II, cruel Assyrianlike dictators tried to stamp out Jehovah’s Witnesses. But in answer to their prayers, Jehovah refined their organization, making it truly theocratic, and provided the needed “shepherds.” This was in line with the prophecy: “As for the Assyrian, when he comes into our land and when he treads upon our dwelling towers, we shall also have to raise up against him seven shepherds, yes, eight dukes of mankind”—even more than a sufficiency of dedicated elders to take the lead.—Micah 5:5.
And in the mid-90’s the WTS labeled the elders as “sheiks” and “chiefs” and “chieftains.” And “princes” and “mighty men.”
*** w97 5/15 p. 19 par. 14 Theocratic Administration in the Christian Era ***
The growing organizational role of the other sheep is also the subject of prophecy. Zechariah foretold that the non-Israelite Philistine would be “like a sheik in Judah.” (Zechariah 9:6, 7) Sheikhs were tribal chiefs, so Zechariah was saying that a former enemy of Israel would adopt true worship and come to be like a tribal chief in the Promised Land. Further, when addressing the Israel of God, Jehovah said: “Strangers will actually stand and shepherd the flocks of you people, and the foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. And as for you, the priests of Jehovah you will be called; the ministers of our God you will be said to be.” (Isaiah 61:5, 6) The “strangers” and “foreigners” are the other sheep. These have been delegated responsibilities so as to shoulder more and more work as the aging anointed remnant finish their earthly course and go to serve in a complete sense as heavenly “priests of Jehovah,” surrounding Jehovah’s throne of majesty as “ministers of our God.”—1 Corinthians 15:50-57; Revelation 4:4, 9-11; 5:9, 10.
*** w95 7/1 p. 23 par. 14 Dwellers Together in a Restored “Land” ***
Zechariah did not prophesy that the repentant Philistine would actually be a sheikh in Israel. That would not be proper, since he was not a natural-born Israelite. But he would be like a sheikh, occupying a position of authority comparable to a sheikh. And so it has proved to be. As the remnant of anointed Christians decrease in number and many of those who survive are limited by age, well-trained other sheep take up the slack, as it were. They do not want to supplant their anointed brothers. But the faithful and discreet slave gives them authority as needed in the “land” so that God’s organization can continue to move ahead in an organized way. Such a progressive process is seen in yet another prophecy.
*** w78 12/1 p. 16 par. 2 Wise, Discreet and Experienced Men to Guide God’s People ***
Sheiks of Arabian peoples were also tribal elders, for the Arabic word sheikh means simply “elder,” or “older man.” (Gen. 36:15).
SEVEN SHEPHERDS,
EIGHT DUKES
—WHAT THEY MEAN
FOR US TODAY
“We shall also have to
raise up against him
seven shepherds,
yes, eight dukes of
mankind.”—MIC. 5:5.
CAN YOU ANSWER?
How did Hezekiah, Isaiah,
Micah, and the princes
of Jerusalem prove to be
fine shepherds in the
eighth century B.C.E.?
Who correspond to the seven
shepherds and eight dukes
today? In what ways?
What is the most important
thing that you can do now to
prepare for any future attack
on God’s people?
START OF ARTICLE
1. Why was the plot of the Syro-Israelite league bound to fail?
SOMETIME between 762 B.C.E. and 759 B.C.E., the
king of Israel and the king of Syria declared war on
the kingdom of Judah. Their goal? To invade Jerusalem,
remove King Ahaz from the throne, and replace
him with another man, perhaps one who was not of
the line of King David. (Isa. 7:5, 6) The king of Israel
should have known better. Jehovah had decreed
that one of David’s descendants would occupy His
throne permanently, and God’s word never goes unfulfilled.—
Josh. 23:14; 2 Sam. 7:16.
No matter if they were an adulterer and murderer like David, or an apostate like Solomon, and a children killer like Manasseh.
2-4. Explain how Isaiah 7:14, 16 was fulfilled (a) in the eighth
century B.C.E. (b) in the first century C.E.
2 At first, the Syro-Israelite alliance seemed to
have the upper hand. In one battle alone, Ahaz lost
120,000 valiant fighting men! Maaseiah, “the son of
the king,” was killed. (2 Chron. 28:6, 7) But Jehovah
was watching. He remembered his promise to David;
thus, he sent the prophet Isaiah with a most encouraging
message.
I always wondered when Isaiah worshipped since the temple was contaminated with idols and f alse worship.
3 Isaiah said: “Look! The maiden herself will actually
become pregnant, and she is giving birth to a
son, and she will certainly call his name Immanuel.
. . . Before the boy will know how to reject the
bad and choose the good, the ground of whose two
kings you are feeling a sickening dread [Syria and Israel]
will be left entirely.” (Isa. 7:14, 16) The first part
of that prophecy is often applied to the birth of the
Messiah, and rightly so. (Matt. 1:23) However, since
the “two kings,” the king of Syria and the king of Israel,
were no longer a threat to Judah in the first century
C.E., the prophecy about Immanuel must have
had an initial fulfillment in Isaiah’s day.
So is the WTS applying it to the first century or now?
Initial fulfillment…the second one is always on the WTS, the only true religion.
4 Soon after Isaiah made that remarkable
announcement, his wife became
pregnant and bore him a son named
Maher-shalal-hash-baz. One possibility
is that this child was the “Immanuel”
referred to by Isaiah.* In Bible times,
an infant might be given one name at
birth, perhaps to commemorate a special
event, but be known by his parents and
relatives by another name. (2 Sam. 12:24,
25) There is no evidence that Jesus was
ever addressed by the name Immanuel.
—Read Isaiah 7:14; 8:3, 4.
*The Hebrew word translated “maiden” at Isaiah
7:14 can mean either a married woman or a virgin.
Thus, the same word could be applied both to Isaiah’s
wife and to the Jewish virgin Mary.
5. What foolish decision did King Ahaz make?
5 While Israel and Syria were focusing
on Judah, another nation, a militaristic
one, had ambitions toward the region.
It was the rising world power of
Assyria. According to Isaiah 8:3, 4, Assyria
would carry off “the resources of
Damascus” and “the spoil of Samaria”
before attacking the southern kingdom
of Judah. Instead of trusting in God’s
word through Isaiah, faithless Ahaz entered
into a disastrous pact with the Assyrians,
which ultimately led to Judah’s
being oppressed by them. (2 Ki. 16:7-
10) What a disappointment Ahaz was
as a shepherd of Judah! We might ask
ourselves, ‘When I have important decisions
to make, do I put my trust in God
or in men?’—Prov. 3:5, 6.
Does the WTS say to put trust in men?
*** BEARING WITNESS chap. 13 p. 103 par. 9 “There Had Occurred No Little Dissension” ***
When serious issues arise today, let us imitate the fine example of the believers in Antioch by trusting God’s organization and its Governing Body of anointed Christians, who represent “the faithful and discreet slave.”—Matt. 24:45.
A NEW SHEPHERD TAKES
A DIFFERENT APPROACH
6. Compare the reigns of Ahaz and Hezekiah.
6 Ahaz died in 746 B.C.E., and his son
Hezekiah inherited the materially impoverished
and spiritually bankrupt kingdom of Judah.
As the young king ascended
the throne, what would his priority be?
To shore up Judah’s ailing economy?
No. Hezekiah was a spiritual man,
a worthy shepherd of his national flock.
His first act was to reestablish pure worship
and to reinforce the wayward nation’s
frayed relationship with Jehovah.
When he understood God’s will for him,
Hezekiah acted decisively. What a fine
example for us!—2 Chron. 29:1-19.
BAD KING = AHAZ
GOOD KING = HEZEKIAH
BAD KING = MANASSEH
Evidently, Hezekiah did not train in son well.
7. Why was it important for the Levites to be
assured of the new king’s support?
7 The Levites would play a vital role
in the important task of restoring pure
worship. Therefore, Hezekiah met with
them to assure them of his support. Picture
the faithful Levites who were present
at that meeting, tears of joy streaming
down their faces as they heard their
king declare: “You are the ones whom Jehovah
has chosen to stand before him to
minister to him.” (2 Chron. 29:11) Yes,
the Levites had a clear mandate to promote
pure worship!
How many Levites were faithful?
8. What further steps did Hezekiah take to
shore up the spirituality of the nation, and with
what result?
8 Hezekiah invited all of Judah and Israel
to a great Passover celebration, followed by
the seven-day Festival of Unfermented
Cakes. The people enjoyed the
festival so much that it was extended
for seven days more. The Bible reports:
“There came to be great rejoicing in Jerusalem,
for from the days of Solomon the
son of David the king of Israel there was
none like this in Jerusalem.” (2 Chron.
30:25, 26) What an inspiration that spiritual
feast proved to be for all the people!
From 2 Chronicles 31:1, we learn: “As
soon as they finished all this, . . . they
proceeded to break up the sacred pillars
and cut down the sacred poles and pull
down the high places and the altars.” In
a mighty way, Judah thus began to turn
back to Jehovah. This spiritual cleansing
would be of the utmost importance in
view of what was to come.
So jws are going uninvited to the international conventions this year, disobeying the GB. How obedient are they in other things?
THE KING PREPARES FOR TROUBLE
9. (a) How were the plans of Israel frustrated?
(b) Sennacherib had what initial success in Judah?
9 True to Isaiah’s word, the Assyrians
conquered the northern kingdom
of Israel and deported its inhabitants,
thus frustrating Israel’s plans to place
a usurper on David’s throne. But what of
Assyria’s plans? The Assyrians now set
their sights on Judah. “In the fourteenth
year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib the
king of Assyria came up against all the
fortified cities of Judah and proceeded
to seize them.” Reportedly, Sennacherib
conquered 46 Judean cities in all. Imagine
how you would have felt if you had
lived in Jerusalem at that time. One after
another, Judah’s cities fell before the advancing
Assyrian armies!—2 Ki. 18:13.
Jws have more than Sennacherib to worry about; they are told that all the nations and kings have their destruction in mind.
10. Why might Micah 5:5, 6 have encouraged
Hezekiah?
10 Of course, Hezekiah was aware of
the approaching danger, but rather than
desperately enlist the help of a pagan nation,
as his apostate father, Ahaz, had
done, Hezekiah placed his trust in Jeho-
vah. (2 Chron. 28:20, 21) He may have
been aware of the words of the prophet
Micah, a contemporary who foretold
concerning Assyria: “As for the Assyrian,
. . . we shall also have to raise up
against him seven shepherds, yes, eight
dukes of mankind. And they will actually
shepherd the land of Assyria with
the sword.” (Mic. 5:5, 6) These inspired
words would surely have encouraged
Hezekiah, for they show that a most unusual
army would be raised up against
the Assyrians and that the hostile aggressors
would ultimately be defeated.
So why was Hezekiah so different than Ahaz and later his own son Manasseh?
Manasseh had seen or heard about the destruction of the Assyrians.
11. When would the prophecy concerning seven
shepherds and eight dukes have its primary
fulfillment?
11 The prophecy concerning seven
shepherds and eight dukes (“princes,”
The New English Bible) was to find its
primary, or most important, fulfillment
long after the birth of Jesus, the “ruler in
Israel, whose origin is from early times.”
(Read Micah 5:1, 2.) This would be at
a time when the very existence of Jehovah’s
servants would be threatened by a
modern-day “Assyrian.”What forces will
Jehovah, through his now-reigning Son,
marshal to confront the fear-inspiring
foe? We shall see. But first, let us consider
what we can learn from the action
Hezekiah took in the face of the Assyrian
menace.
Proof that most important fulfillment now?
Picture: Hezekiah’s words caused
the people to take heart
(See paragraphs 12, 13)
HEZEKIAH TAKES PRACTICAL STEPS
12. What steps did Hezekiah and those with
him take to protect God’s people?
12 Jehovah is always willing to do for
us what we cannot do for ourselves, but
he does expect us to do what we can.
Hezekiah consulted “his princes and his
mighty men,” and together they decided
“to stop up the waters of the springs that
were outside the city . . . Furthermore,
[Hezekiah] took courage and built up all
the broken-down wall and raised towers
upon it, and on the outside another wall,
. . . and made missiles in abundance
and shields.” (2 Chron. 32:3-5) In order
to protect and shepherd His people at
that time, Jehovah used a number of valiant
men—Hezekiah, his princes, and the
spiritually strong prophets.
So do we know what we can do…does the WTS tell jws?
Hezekiah built weapons…should jws? Did Hezekiah use any weapons?
13. What was the most important step that
Hezekiah took to prepare the people for the
coming attack? Explain.
13 What Hezekiah did next was of
even greater value than stopping up the
waters or fortifying the city walls. Concerned
shepherd that he was, Hezekiah
gathered the people and encouraged
them spiritually with the words: “Do not
be afraid nor be terrified because of the
king of Assyria . . . , for with us there
are more than there are with him. With
him there is an arm of flesh, but with
us there is Jehovah our God to help us
and to fight our battles.” What a faith strengthening
reminder—Jehovah would
fight for his people! Upon hearing this,
the Jews “began to brace themselves
upon the words of Hezekiah the king of
Judah.” Notice that it was “the words of
Hezekiah” that caused the people to take
heart. He and his princes and mighty
men, as well as the prophets Micah and
Isaiah, proved to be effective shepherds,
just as Jehovah had foretold through his
prophet.—2 Chron. 32:7, 8; read Micah 5:
5, 6.
So does God protect everyone or only groups?
*** w08 9/15 p. 9 par. 8 Jehovah Is “the Provider of Escape” for Us ***
As individuals, we know that our immediate physical protection is not guaranteed. ..Even in Bible times, however, miraculous deliverance was the exception rather than the rule. Many faithful servants of Jehovah died at the hands of opposers.—Heb. 11:35-37.
14. What role did Rabshakeh play, and how
did the people react?
14 The king of Assyria set up camp at
Lachish, southwest of Jerusalem. From
there, through three envoys, he ordered
the city to surrender. His spokesman,
whose official title was Rabshakeh, used
a variety of tactics. Speaking in Hebrew,
he urged the people to betray the king
and to submit to the Assyrians, falsely
promising to relocate them to a land
where they could enjoy a comfortable
life. (Read 2 Kings 18:31, 32.) Then Rabshakeh
asserted that just as the gods
of the nations had been unable to protect
their worshippers, so Jehovah would
be unable to deliver the Jews out of the
Assyrians’ clutches. Wisely, the people
did not try to respond to the slanderous
propaganda, a course often followed
by Jehovah’s servants in our day.—Read
2 Kings 18:35, 36.
So do jws respond to what they consider slanderous propaganda?
15. What was required of the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
and how did Jehovah bring salvation
to the city?
15 Hezekiah was understandably upset,
but instead of turning to a foreign
power for help, he sent for Isaiah the
prophet. Isaiah told Hezekiah: “He [Sennacherib]
will not come into this city nor
will he shoot an arrow there.” (2 Ki. 19:
32) All that was required of the inhabitants
of Jerusalem was that they stand
their ground. Jehovah would fight for Judah.
And fight he did! “It came about
on that night that the angel of Jehovah
proceeded to go out and strike down
a hundred and eighty-five thousand in
the camp of the Assyrians.” (2 Ki. 19:
35) Judah’s salvation came, not by Hezekiah’s
stopping up the fountains of waters
of the city nor by his building up its
walls, but by divine intervention.
Will jws stand their ground; especially if their individual protection is not guaranteed?
*** w12 5/15 p. 22 Questions From Readers ***
Psalm 116:15 assures us that Jehovah will not allow his loyal servants as a group to be entirely removed from the earth. In fact, our modern-day history chronicles our endurance of severe trials and persecution, thus furnishing clear evidence that God will never permit us to be exterminated.
Because of his limitless power and unfailing purpose, Jehovah will not allow us to be swept out of existence as a group.
*** w12 7/15 pp. 25-26 par. 14 “Of Whom Shall I Be in Dread?” ***
Jehovah has promised to help, protect, and deliver his people, as a group, physically and spiritually, and we trust in him. (Ps. 37:28; 91:1-3) The crowd that survive “the great tribulation” must indeed be great. (Rev. 7:9, 14) Thus that crowd, as a group, will be shielded from extinction throughout the remainder of the last days.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
16. Who today are represented by (a) Jerusalem’s
citizens (b) “the Assyrian” (c) the seven
shepherds and eight dukes?
16 The prophecy about seven shepherds
and eight dukes has its major fulfillment
in our day. The citizens of ancient
Jerusalem were attacked by the
Assyrians. In the near future, Jehovah’s
apparently vulnerable people will come
under attack from the modern-day “Assyrian,”
whose intent will be to wipe
them out. The Scriptures refer to that
attack as well as the attack of ‘Gog of
Magog,’ the attack of “the king of the
north,” and the attack of “the kings of
the earth.” (Ezek. 38:2, 10-13; Dan. 11:40,
44, 45; Rev. 17:14; 19:19) Do these represent
separate attacks? Not necessarily.
The Bible could be referring to the same
attack under different names. What ‘secret
weapon’ does Micah’s prophecy indicate
Jehovah would raise up against
that implacable foe—“the Assyrian”? A
very unlikely one—“seven shepherds,
yes, eight dukes”! (Mic. 5:5) The shepherds
and dukes (or, “princes,” NEB) in
this implausible army are the congregation
elders. (1 Pet. 5:2) Today, Jehovah
certainly has provided an abundance of
spiritual men to shepherd his precious
sheep, to strengthen his people for the
future attack of the modern-day “Assyrian.”*
Micah’s prophecy states that they
will “shepherd the land of Assyria with
the sword.” (Mic. 5:6) Yes, among ‘the
weapons of their warfare,’ you will find
“the sword of the spirit,” God’s Word.
—2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:17.
* The number seven is used frequently in the
Scriptures to signify completion. The number eight
(one more than seven) sometimes represents an
abundance.
I wonder if Russia knows that somehow the WTS will see that they are destroyed?
17. What four conclusions can the elders draw
from the account we have considered?
17 Elders who are reading this article
can draw some useful conclusions from
the account we have just considered:
(1) The most practical step that we can
take to prepare for the coming attack of
“the Assyrian” is that of strengthening
our faith in God and helping our brothers
to do the same. (2) When “the Assyrian”
attacks, the elders must be absolutely
convinced that Jehovah will
deliver us. (3) At that time, the lifesaving
direction that we receive from
Jehovah’s organization may not appear
practical from a human standpoint. All
of us must be ready to obey any instructions
we may receive, whether these appear
sound from a strategic or human
standpoint or not. (4) Now is the time
for any who may be putting their trust
in secular education, material things, or
human institutions to adjust their thinking.
The elders must stand ready to help
any who may now be wavering in their
faith.
How many elders feel/felt that talks from the platform were more important that individual help and a good example?
Do elders follow directions from the GB consistently?
***
MOST IMPORTANT STRANGE POINT….TRUST MEN OR GOD?
At that time, the lifesaving
direction that we receive from
Jehovah’s organization may not appear
practical from a human standpoint. All
of us must be ready to obey any instructions
we may receive, whether these appear
sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not.
4) putting their trust
in secular education, material things, or
human institutions to adjust their thinking.
18. How might reflecting on this account benefit us in the future?
18 The time will come when God’s
modern-day servants will appear to be
just as vulnerable as the Jews trapped
inside Jerusalem in Hezekiah’s day. At
that time, may all of us draw strength
from Hezekiah’s words. Let us remember
that with our enemies “there is an
arm of flesh, but with us there is Jehovah
our God to help us and to fight our battles”!—
2 Chron. 32:8.
God’s servants – only jws
Doesn’t the NT say that Jesus will fight? Why no mention even?
CONCLUDING COMMENTS
Next week, OBEY JEHOVAH’S SHEPHERDS….
Who shepherds/adjust the elders? Relationship with God or Jesus? Where’s Jesus in this picture?
Love, Blondie