What did the WTS say the "inner rooms" to find safety

by blondie 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  blondie

  As recently as 2025, the WTS has compared the "inner rooms" to the congregation as a place of safety. Do you remember this? What did you think? Notice the "weasel words" the WTS uses to lay the foundation for "adjustment" or "clarification" of their statements. “Interior rooms” who remembers this phrase interpreted this way by the WTS?

  Isaiah 26:20 RNWT “Go, my people, enter your inner rooms,

  And shut your doors behind you.

  Hide yourself for a brief moment

  Until the wrath* has passed by.

  WT 5/15/2009 p. 8

  In our day, the “interior rooms” of this prophecy could be closely associated with the more than 100,000 congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world. Such congregations play an important role in our lives. They will continue to do so through “the great tribulation.” Rev. 7:14 .God’s people are commanded to go into their “interior rooms” and hide themselves “until the denunciation passes over.” It is vital that we develop and maintain a wholesome attitude toward the congregation and be firmly resolved to stay in close association with it. We can take to heart Paul’s exhortation: “Let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as [we] behold the day drawing near.”​

  WT 3/15/2013 p. 23

  “That direction will come theocratically, probably by means of the congregation arrangement. Indeed, the many thousands of congregations around the world appear to be linked to the protective “interior rooms” foretold at Isaiah 26:20. Do you value the congregation meetings? Do you act promptly on the direction Jehovah provides through the congregation arrangement?​

  WT May 2025 p.13

  Jehovah will give us both angelic protection and lifesaving instructions. How will those instructions be conveyed to us? We will have to wait and see. However, we will likely receive such instructions through our congregations. In a sense, these may be our “inner rooms,” where we will find safety. How can we prepare for what lies ahead? We must draw close to our brothers and sisters, willingly obey theocratic direction, and be convinced that Jehovah is leading our organization.
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  NotFormer

  'Such congregations play an important role in our lives. They will continue to do so through “the great tribulation.” Rev. 7:14 .God’s people are commanded to go into their “interior rooms” and hide themselves “until the denunciation passes over.”'

  How does that work? 🤔 You're hiding from your would be persecuters in a building where everyone could find you? Were JWs in 1930s Germany able to hide in Kingdom Halls?
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  BoogerMan

  I have considered for some time that Isaiah 26:20 is describing figurative interior rooms, namely, the sanctuary of the heart & mind.

  
  Proverbs 24:4) "And by knowledge will the interior rooms (heart & mind = thinking/reasoning abilities) be filled with all precious and pleasant things of value."

  (Proverbs 15:6) "In the house of the righteous one (heart & mind) there is abundant treasure, But the produce (thoughts) of the wicked one brings him trouble."
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  HereIam60

  I was surprised that reference to these verses was not made during the Covid pandemic, when Kingdom Halls were not in use, and meetings were held on Zoom with Witnesses in their individual homes, that we were "in our interior rooms until the calamity passes".

  But yes, I remember those Watchtower quotes,. I've noticed that often vague, speculative statements are made, sometimes for years in print, before something is stated directly. Here the progression over several years iis ...could be...appear to be...we will likely...

  Similarly, fior many years " the faithful and discreet slave" ( then said to be the remnant of annointed Christians still on earth), was said to be "closely associated" with brothers serving at the World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses, then eventually it was blatantly 'announced' that the FDS is the Govening Body alone.
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  Longlivetherenegades

  From what they are saying, staying close to congregation equally means staying close to their principal members of the congregation they belong. I don't think it means the kingdom halls going by congregations and the numbers that uses the kingdom hall.

  A ploy to rely heavily on the instructions given to the elders. Just like every member are aksed to update their records with their group overseers in case of emergency.
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  blondie

  Just a note KH does not equal congregation. KH is a building, congregation is a group of people. So the WTS is correct in this instance saying it means staying close to fellow members, most likely in the congregation they are currently attending. Some jws have expanded that to thinking that being inside a KH is a literal safe place. So if a mud slide is heading toward the KH you attend (or any KH) don't go there thinking the mud slide somehow won't destroy the building (and you if you are in it).
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  FedUpJW

  Paul’s exhortation: “Let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as [we] behold the day drawing near.”​

  Those were three things that WT hypocritically claims to do yet does not do that were building blocks for my leaving the WT. As I have commented in the past, my fathers words shortly before he died, "Jehovah's Witnesses have love on their lips, but NONE in their hearts!"
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  truthlover123

  When the time comes, bricks and mortar won't be there- if you depend on contact with the congregation - meaning elders or ms- I doubt that will be happening. They will be scrambling like everyone else and blood is thicker than water. This is just another scare tactic put forth for years and now that too has changed. I doubt we will be able to get to Walkill and the rest of the super bethels they have, so the main body would be tantamount to the governments of the land, where they have contingency plans should a WW3 start. No rooms for the peasants.
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  LongHairGal

  TRUTHLOVER123:

  Not only that, if what some people see on the horizon with the JW religion comes about, there might not be any literal Kingdom Halls to run to.

  There are those who feel the religion is eventually selling off the halls.. Maybe what will be left are a few assembly halls here and there that the faithful rank & file Witnesses can travel to a few times a year.. So, anybody who thinks their local hall is their ‘Rock of Gibraltar’ that they can count on - may be in for a rude awakening.

  The religion will have gone online for the most part.