Peter once wrote concerning Paul's writings, saying: "In them, however, are some things hard to understand"
That being the case, it is understandable why Jehovah opened his long-running dialogue with Israel, through Isaiah, by saying: "My own people have not behaved understandingly." Further, in that 1 st chapter, at verse 10, Jehovah addresses the leaders of his people saying: "Hear the word of Jehovah, you dictators of Sodom. Give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah." No doubt the Jewish leaders of Israel took great offense at Isaiah's proclamation likening them to the notorious Sodomites, just as Watchtower officials today would never consent to these words applying to them. Yet, over in verse 18 Jehovah invites the "dictators of Sodom" and other residents to "Come, now, you people, and let us set matters straight between us," says Jehovah. The point is that those whom Jehovah describes as the "people of Gomorrah" are also described as God's people.
While Jehovah's Witnesses like to think of ourselves as having a fine relationship with Jehovah because of our being in his clean organization, the fact of the matter is that it is not a clean organization. Like the grossly immoral cities of Sodom and Gomorrah that Jehovah incinerated in the days of Abraham, Jehovah's Witnesses are similarly plagued with all sorts of immorality. Child abuse is the absolute worst. And while we have publicly proclaimed our abhorrence of sexual immorality and child abuse, the fact remains that such things exist within our imagined spiritual paradise and that the Watchtower has tried to cover over such things and has not pleaded the cause of the victims of child abuse.
Jehovah's counsel at verse 17 is: "Learn to do good; search for justice; set right the oppressor; render judgment for the fatherless boy; plead the cause of the widow." So, while many have been stumbled over the lawlessness and oppression in the organization, and apostates would have us believe that such crimes and hypocrisy automatically disqualifies us from being God's people, God's own word indicates otherwise. The very fact that Jehovah seeks to set matters straight with his people is proof that Jehovah is in control and that his people are not beyond redemption.
Of note is the end result of Jehovah's correction, verse 18 says: "Though the sins of you people should prove to be as scarlet, they will be made white as snow." Now, the question has to be asked: How are the sins of Israel made white as snow? The answer is only by our heeding Jehovah's rebuke and by the shed blood of Christ. But, in what way were the sins of the ancient Jews made white as snow? They weren't, not really. Paul pointed out that the blood of bulls didn't have that sort of redemptive power. That's the point. The Jews were merely a minor aspect of the prophecy of Isaiah. The real application has to do with spiritual Israel at the time of Jehovah's judgment.
In view of the mountain of accusation against the Watchtower Society and its leadership, it is evident that from Jehovah's standpoint they do indeed fit the description of being mere dictators of Sodom. Jesus, too, indicated that his spiritual kingdom would suffer under wicked overseers, and that that lamentable condition would exist up until the time when he would send forth his angels to purge his congregation of "persons doing lawlessness," and dismiss those judged to be wicked and sluggish slaves from his household. The end result would be that Jehovah would make our scarlet colored sins as white as the driven snow.
I sincerely hope that reasoning upon this matters from Jehovah's standpoint will help some of you recover your balance so as to trust Jehovah to sort this mess out.
/ You Know
Edited by - You Know on 24 July 2002 8:52:25