Kosonen

Galatians 4:9 But now that you have come to know God or, rather, have come to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weak and beggarly elementary things and want to slave for them over again? 10 You are scrupulously observing days and months and seasons and years. 11 I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

Colossians 2:16 Therefore, do not let anyone judge you about what you eat and drink or about the observance of a festival or of the new moon or of a sabbath. 17 Those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ. 18 Let no man deprive you of the prize who takes delight in a false humility and a form of worship of the angels, “taking his stand on” the things he has seen. He is actually puffed up without proper cause by his fleshly frame of mind, 19 and he is not holding fast to the head, to the one through whom the whole body is supplied and harmoniously joined together by means of its joints and ligaments and made to grow with the growth that is from God.

A well versed person in the O.T., apostle Paul seems to be of a different opinion. He wrote: Hebrews 9:5 and above it were the glorious cherubs overshadowing the propitiatory cover. But now is not the time to speak of these things in detail. Hebrews 11:32 And what more will I say? For time will fail me if I go on to relate about Gidʹe·on, Baʹrak, Samson, Jephʹthah, David, as well as Samuel and the other prophets. Yes, really time will fail if we read much the OT. We will not have time to read the latest, the NT. And the OT is 3 times longer than the NT. If it takes you a year to read through the Bible, then you will be reading the NT only 3 months per year. The rest of the time you will be occupied with the OT. How Christian would that be? And you could get lost in the OT and start to think that to keep the Sabbath is important. Or you could start thinking that polygamy is ok. Or you could start to think cursing enemies is ok. Or you could start thinking that you are wise if you are rich. And while reading for long periods the OT, you could forget about Jesus and begin to despise him in your thoughts. And there is not much about putting on the new personality in the OT. So your progress would be slowed down significantly in this regard. The NT will definitively have a more spiritual impact on its reader than the OT.

When reading about the scribes and Pharisees, it is impossible not to find common with the elders and the JWs' organization. Take a look please: Matthew 23:2 “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. 3 Therefore, all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but they do not practice what they say. 4 They bind up heavy loads and put them on the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger…..9 Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father, the heavenly One. 10 Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ…...13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut up the Kingdom of the heavens before men; for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on their way in to go in…..15 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you travel over sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him a subject for Ge·henʹna twice as much so as yourselves…...23...but you have disregarded the weightier matters of the Law, namely, justice and mercy and faithfulness…..28 In the same way, on the outside you appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness…..34 For this reason, I am sending to you prophets and wise men and public instructors. Some of them you will kill and execute on stakes, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city,.....38 Look! Your house is abandoned to you. Mark 5:20 For I say to you that if your righteousness does not surpass that of the scribes and the Pharisees, you will by no means enter into the Kingdom of the heavens. Matthew 12:23 Well, all the crowds were astounded and began to say: “May this not perhaps be the Son of David?” 24 At hearing this, the Pharisees said: “This fellow does not expel the demons except by means of Be·elʹze·bub, the ruler of the demons.” 31 “For this reason I say to you, every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 15:6....So you have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you when he said: 8 ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far removed from me. 9 It is in vain that they keep worshipping me, for they teach commands of men as doctrines.’” 10 With that he called the crowd near and said to them: “Listen and get the sense of it: 11 It is not what enters into a man’s mouth that defiles him, but it is what comes out of his mouth that defiles him.” 12 Then the disciples came and said to him: “Do you know that the Pharisees were stumbled at hearing what you said?” 13 In reply he said: “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. 14 Let them be. Blind guides is what they are. If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 16:11 How is it you do not discern that I did not speak to you about bread? But watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they grasped that he said to watch out, not for the leaven of bread, but for the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Mark 10:31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you had your fill of good things in your lifetime, but Lazʹa·rus for his part received bad things. Now, however, he is being comforted here, but you are in anguish. John 4:37 For in this respect the saying is true: One is the sower and another the reaper. 38 I sent you to reap what you did not labor on. Others have labored, and you have entered into the benefit of their labor.” John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have both seen me and hated me as well as my Father. Luke 13:14 But in response the presiding officer of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus did the cure on the Sabbath, said to the crowd: “There are six days on which work ought to be done; so come and be cured on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.” Luke 11:44 Then he said: “Woe also to you who are versed in the Law, because you load men down with loads hard to carry, but you yourselves do not touch the loads with one of your fingers! Luke 11:52 “Woe to you who are versed in the Law, because you took away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not go in, and you hinder those going in!” Luke 16:15 So he said to them: “You are those who declare yourselves righteous before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is considered exalted by men is a disgusting thing in God’s sight. Mark 7:6 He said to them: “Isaiah aptly prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far removed from me. 7 It is in vain that they keep worshipping me, for they teach commands of men as doctrines.’ 8 You let go of the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men.” 9 Further, he said to them: “You skillfully disregard the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition. Mark 12:38 And in his teaching he went on to say: “Beware of the scribes who want to walk around in robes and want greetings in the marketplaces 39 and front seats in the synagogues and the most prominent places at evening meals. 40 They devour the houses of the widows, and for show they make long prayers. These will receive a more severe judgment.” Matthew 12:9 After departing from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and look! there was a man with a withered hand! So they asked him, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?” so that they might accuse him.

I see that JWs put to much focus on the Hebrew scriptures. The litterature quotes too much from the Hebrew scriptures, instead of the Christian scriptures. And as a result the JWs can not grow spiritually to the exent they would if the spiritual food was more concentrated on the Christian Greek Scriptures. I must admit that I had fallen for that too. There is really a huge difference between the norms of behavior and and way for life to practise between the Hebrew scriptures and the Cristian greek scriptures. Jesus came with new light about many things. About riches and material things, love, self-sacrifice etc. But, it is good to know the Hebrew scriptures and especially the prophecies about the end time. But the way of life for Christians is taught in the Christian Greek scriptures.

There are multiple faithful slaves appointed to do that directly by Jesus. And when he finally comes he will reward each of them. Luke 19:11 While they were listening to these things, he told another illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God was going to appear instantly. 12 So he said: “A man of noble birth traveled to a distant land to secure kingly power for himself and to return. 13 Calling ten of his slaves, he gave them ten miʹnas and told them, ‘Do business with these until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent out a body of ambassadors after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to become king over us.’ 15 “When he eventually got back after having secured the kingly power, he summoned the slaves to whom he had given the money, in order to ascertain what they had gained by their business activity. 16 So the first one came forward and said, ‘Lord, your miʹna gained ten miʹnas.’ 17 He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because in a very small matter you have proved yourself faithful, hold authority over ten cities.’ 18 Now the second came, saying, ‘Your miʹna, Lord, made five miʹnas.’ 19 He said to this one as well, ‘You too be in charge of five cities.’ 20 But another one came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your miʹna that I kept hidden away in a cloth. 21 You see, I was in fear of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘By your own words I judge you, wicked slave. You knew, did you, that I am a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 So why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my coming, I would have collected it with interest.’ 24 “With that he said to those standing by, ‘Take the miʹna from him and give it to the one who has the ten miʹnas.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten miʹnas!’— 26 ‘I say to you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. Luke12:41 Then Peter said: “Lord, are you telling this illustration just to us or also to everyone?” 42 And the Lord said: “Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time? 43 Happy is that slave if his master on coming finds him doing so! 44 I tell you truthfully, he will appoint him over all his belongings. 45 But if ever that slave should say in his heart, ‘My master delays coming,’ and starts to beat the male and female servants and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day that he is not expecting him and at an hour that he does not know, and he will punish him with the greatest severity and assign him a part with the unfaithful ones. 47 Then that slave who understood the will of his master but did not get ready or do what he asked will be beaten with many strokes. 48 But the one who did not understand and yet did things deserving of strokes will be beaten with few. Indeed, everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him, and the one who was put in charge of much will have more than usual demanded of him. As we see from these scriptures every anointed should aim at being a faithful and discreet slave. And nothing here tells that one anointed in the end time would be subjugated by other anointed. Instead they work in the end time directly for their Master Jesus Christ. Because in the end time the situation is different from the first century. Because in the first century the whole congregation was composed of anointed. But in the end time the anointed are a few and dispersed among the non-anointed.

Yes, I know. And we should focus on Jesus and the teachning he brought to the world from his Father. Jesus said Matthew 28:19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.” Yes, it would be right to believe all he taught, with no excuses. Hebrews 1:1 Long ago God spoke to our forefathers by means of the prophets on many occasions and in many ways. 2 Now at the end of these days he has spoken to us by means of a Son,.... So that means that we should now concentrate to learn from the Christian Greek scriptures.

Witness, I believe in a 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ and of the 144000. And those 144000 are happy to get immortality when they are taken to heaven. But those who survive the great tribulation and stay on earth will face a critical time when Satan is allowed to return to mislead after the 1000 year reign of Jesus and the 144000 anointed. But if you are worried about that time, why don't you put an extra effort in believing in Jesus and believing every thing he taught? Because Jesus promised such ones would be born from above and become God's children and become anointed and become kings to rule together with him from heaven. John 1:11 He came to his own home, but his own people did not accept him. 12 However, to all who did receive him, he gave authority to become God’s children, because they were exercising faith in his name. 13 And they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from God. John 3:5 Jesus answered: “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. Luke 22:28 “However, you are the ones who have stuck with me in my trials; 29 and I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom,

Unfortunately that is true. Many JWs view the religious leaders of Jesus' time clearly negatively. But much what Jesus said about them apply to the religious leaders of Jehovah's witnesses today. And we should be aware that the religious leaders of Jesus' time were responsible for the spirituality of God's people at that time. They where spiritual shepherds. They organized meetings in the synagogues and the worship at God's temple. And Jesus used to go to the synagogue and the temple. There was no alternative to that religious establishment. Jehovah God still used that spiritual arrangement at Jesus' time, despite the unrighteousness that was present. Jehovah did not replace that religious system hastly. Jesus preached 3 and half years simultaneously as this religious system was still valid in God's eyes. So the transition took some years. It would be good for JWs to see the similarities today with the WT organization and God's spiritual arrangment that existed for God's people at Jesus' days. And that would serve as an example for what will come. The book of Daniel have prophecies that tell what will happen to JWs' temple. For example Daniel 8:9 Out of one of them came another horn, a small one, and it grew very great toward the south and toward the east and toward the Decoration.10 It grew so great that it reached all the way to the army of the heavens, and it caused some of the army and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down. 11 It exalted itself even against the Prince of the army, and from him the constant feature was taken away, and the established place of his sanctuary was thrown down.12 And an army was given over, together with the constant feature, because of transgression; and it kept throwing truth to the earth, and it acted and had success. This prophecy concerns the coming jugement of the WT organization.

Not really. But I believe the Bible. And it is true that true Christians, followers of Jesus will after being taken to heaven never die. Revelation 20:6 is clear about it. 6 Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years. Apostle Paul knew about an earlier resurrection, that was more desirable. He wrote: Philippians 3:10 My aim is to know him and the power of his resurrection and to share in his sufferings, submitting myself to a death like his, 11 to see if at all possible I may attain to the earlier resurrection from the dead.

Well, those scriptures do not deny that either. Maybe you remarked that those scriptures I cited do not mention death. I believe Jesus with the 144000 will have much to do to "force" every person to do go and refrain from sin. Unfortunately even many angels followed Satan. So many of the people who will be born during the 1000 years will not be better. As soon as Jesus and the 144000 stop watching and interfering, many will start to do bad things. I have 5 kids. And I am not so happy with their attitudes and I am not sure about their salvation. No matter how much they go to meetings or how much I try to teach them God's norms.

Have you notised that JWs usually express it saying "be in the truth", but apostle Paul usually said instead to "be in Christ". Why this difference? Here an example: Romans 16:3 Give my greetings to Prisʹca and Aqʹui·la, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,...7 Greet An·dronʹi·cus and Juʹni·as, my relatives and fellow prisoners, who are men well-known to the apostles and who have been in union with Christ longer than I have…..9 Greet Ur·baʹnus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Staʹchys. 10 Greet A·pelʹles, the approved one in Christ. Greet those from the household of A·ris·tobʹu·lus. …..16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the congregations of the Christ greet you.

Witness, look at what Revelation 7 says about what will happen after the great tribulation. Revelation 7:14: And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation,+ and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.+ 15 That is why they are before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the throne+ will spread his tent over them.+ 16 They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat,+ 17 because the Lamb,+ who is in the midst* of the throne, will shepherd them+ and will guide them to springs* of waters of life.+ And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.” And Revelation 22:1 And he showed me a river of water of life,+ clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb+ 2 down the middle of its main street. On both sides of the river were trees of life producing 12 crops of fruit, yielding their fruit each month. And the leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations.

The war in Syria fulfills prophecy in Daniel 11:29,30. The ships from Kittim that come to aide the South, Syria, mean Russian warships. According to the prophecy thanks to the ships from Kittim, the King of the North will be frustrated and leave and go back humbled. USA is the King of the North. USA is the major force in NATO. And NATO means North, and not South. NATO means literally North Atlantic Treaty Organization. So how ever could USA be the king of the South? Daniel 1129 “At the time appointed he will return and come against the south. But this time will not be as it was before, 30 for the ships of Kitʹtim will come against him, and he will be humbled. “He will go back and hurl denunciations against the holy covenant and act effectively; and he will go back and will give attention to those leaving the holy covenant. President Trump has reduced the American military presence in Syria. And I found an article today giving hope that USA might soon completely fulfill that prophecy. https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/202003101078527816-erdogan-says-proposed-joint-management-of-oil-fields-in-deir-ez-zor-syria-with-russia/ http://www.intellinews.com/erdogan-tells-putin-let-s-jointly-manage-syria-oil-fields-instead-of-terrorists-exploiting-them-178180/ The turks could finally together with Russians force USA out from Syria. That would finally fullfill the prophecy about the King of the North 'going back'. And that would lead to the next thing that will affect us.

I believe the best scriptural thing would be to dismantle the hierarchy of the WT org. And put in charge anointed brothers to individually take care of a number of congregations. And that those anointed brothers would not be accountable for anyone except Jesus Christ who is to be the head of the congregation. That would be in accord with Matthew 25:19-23: “After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 So the one who had received the five talents came forward and brought five additional talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I gained five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 Next the one who had received the two talents came forward and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I gained two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ So, a such brother should be qualified as elder. But a serious question remains, do we at the present time have such qualified brothers?

@James Thomas Rook Jr. Things should not be in Christ's congregations as in the world. Jesus said: Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them to him and said: “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them and the great men wield authority over them. 26 This must not be the way among you; but whoever wants to become great among you must be your minister, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. 28 Just as the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” I'll elaborate it more later.

Matthew 23:10 Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ. How much worse is it then to call themself Governing body? I think apostle Paul has something to say to those calling themself Governing body: 1 Corinthians 4:7 For who makes you different from another? Indeed, what do you have that you did not receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not receive it? 8 Are you already satisfied? Are you already rich? Have you begun ruling as kings without us? I really wish that you had begun ruling as kings, so that we also might rule with you as kings. 9 For it seems to me that God has put us the apostles last on exhibition as men condemned to death, because we have become a theatrical spectacle to the world, and to angels and to men. 10 We are fools because of Christ, but you are discreet in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we in dishonor.

To understand what Jesus meant with the faithful and discreet slave or steward one must also read Luke 12 where Jesus explains that in more detail than in Matthew 24:45-51 From Jesus' words we learn that Jesus speaks about his individual slaves. He does not speak about an organization. So here too we see that every slave of Jesus, every anointed should try to qualify to be a faithful and discreet slave or steward helping non-anointed spiritually with timely spiritual food. And from Jesus' words we see that one particular anointed will be appointed over Jesus' body of attendants to give them spiritual food. We can not see that, that has happened yet, because not one person is in charge but a group of men, the so called governing body. So we should expect a change to happen in this regard. Luke 12:32 “Have no fear, little flock, for your Father has approved of giving you the Kingdom. 33 Sell your belongings and give gifts of mercy. Make money pouches that do not wear out, a never-failing treasure in the heavens, where no thief gets near and no moth consumes. 34 For where your treasure is, there your hearts will be also. 35 “Be dressed and ready and have your lamps burning, 36 and you should be like men waiting for their master to return from the marriage, so when he comes and knocks, they may at once open to him. 37 Happy are those slaves whom the master on coming finds watching! Truly I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table and will come alongside and minister to them. 38 And if he comes in the second watch, even if in the third, and finds them ready, happy are they! 39 But know this, if the householder had known at what hour the thief would come, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also, keep ready, because at an hour that you do not think likely, the Son of man is coming.” 41 Then Peter said: “Lord, are you telling this illustration just to us or also to everyone?” 42 And the Lord said: “Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time? 43 Happy is that slave if his master on coming finds him doing so! 44 I tell you truthfully, he will appoint him over all his belongings. 45 But if ever that slave should say in his heart, ‘My master delays coming,’ and starts to beat the male and female servants and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that slave will come on a day that he is not expecting him and at an hour that he does not know, and he will punish him with the greatest severity and assign him a part with the unfaithful ones. 47 Then that slave who understood the will of his master but did not get ready or do what he asked will be beaten with many strokes. 48 But the one who did not understand and yet did things deserving of strokes will be beaten with few. Indeed, everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him, and the one who was put in charge of much will have more than usual demanded of him.

Jesus asks: “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time? Matthew 24:45 Looks like it is not about a group of men, but a single anointed. In addition apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:18 For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved, but the one whom Jehovah recommends. The Governing Body is breaking the rule by recommending themselves. Not only that, but requiring that they are considered as discreet and faithful. Otherwise you are thrown out. Where is the modesty?

Questioning the WT organization is nothing different than what John the Baptist and Jesus did questioning the religious organization of their days.

Ok,

It is good to remind about Jesus' example and teachings conserning humility and service to others. So here below is a list of scriptures about that. John 13:5 After that he put water into a basin and started to wash the feet of the disciples and to dry them off with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him: “Lord, are you washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand after these things….12 When, now, he had washed their feet and had put his outer garments on, he again reclined at the table and said to them: “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are correct, for I am such. 14 Therefore, if I, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also should wash the feet of one another. 15 For I set the pattern for you, that just as I did to you, you should also do. 16 Most truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, happy you are if you do them. Luke 22:24 However, there also arose a heated dispute among them over which one of them was considered to be the greatest. 25 But he said to them: “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those having authority over them are called Benefactors. 26 You, though, are not to be that way. But let the one who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the one taking the lead as the one ministering. 27 For which one is greater, the one dining or the one serving? Is it not the one dining? But I am among you as the one serving. Luke 17:10 Likewise, when you have done all the things assigned to you, say: ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves. What we have done is what we ought to have done.’” Luke 14:8 “When you are invited by someone to a marriage feast, do not recline in the most prominent place….... 10 But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the man who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, go on up higher.’ Then you will have honor in front of all your fellow guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 10:20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are made subject to you, but rejoice because your names have been written in the heavens.” Luke 11:43 Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the front seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces! Luke 9:46 Then a dispute arose among them about which one of them was the greatest. 47 Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a young child, stood him beside him, 48 and said to them: “Whoever receives this young child on the basis of my name receives me also; and whoever receives me also receives the One who sent me. For the one who conducts himself as a lesser one among all of you is the one who is great.” Mark 9:35 So he sat down and called the Twelve and said to them: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and minister of all.”36 Then he took a young child and stood him in their midst; and putting his arms around him, he said to them: 37 “Whoever receives one of such young children on the basis of my name receives me also; and whoever receives me receives not me only but also Him who sent me.” Mark 10:14 “Let the young children come to me; do not try to stop them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such ones. 15 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a young child will by no means enter into it.” Matthew 19:14 Jesus, however, said: “Let the young children alone, and do not try to stop them from coming to me, for the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to ones.” Matthew 18:1 In that hour the disciples came near to Jesus and said: “Who really is greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens?” 2 So calling a young child to him, he stood him in their midst 3 and said: “Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become as young children, you will by no means enter into the Kingdom of the heavens. 4 Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this young child is the one who is the greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens; Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus said in response: “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to young children. 26 Yes, O Father, because this is the way you approved. Mark 10:26 ...“Who possibly can be saved?” 27 Looking straight at them, Jesus said: “With men it is impossible but not so with God, for all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:36 He said to them: “What do you want me to do for you?” 37 They replied: “Grant us to sit down, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory. 38 ”But Jesus said to them: “You do not know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup that I am drinking or be baptized with the baptism with which I am being baptized?” 39 They said to him: “We can.” At that Jesus said to them: “The cup I am drinking, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am being baptized, you will be baptized. 40 However, to sit down at my right hand or at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.” Mark 10:43 This must not be the way among you; but whoever wants to become great among you must be your minister, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of all. 45 For even the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” Matthew 20:20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebʹe·dee approached him with her sons, doing obeisance and asking for something from him. 21 He said to her: “What do you want?” She replied to him: “Give the word that these two sons of mine may sit down, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your Kingdom.”.....23….but to sit down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten others heard about it, they became indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus called them to him and said: “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them and the great men wield authority over them. 26 This must not be the way among you; but whoever wants to become great among you must be your minister, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. 28 Just as the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.” Mark 12:38 And in his teaching he went on to say: “Beware of the scribes who want to walk around in robes and want greetings in the marketplaces 39 and front seats in the synagogues and the most prominent places at evening meals. Matthew 23:8 But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your Teacher, and all of you are brothers. 9 Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father, the heavenly One. 10 Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ. 11 But the greatest one among you must be your minister. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 2 Peter 5:5 In the same way, you younger men, be in subjection to the older men. But all of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones. 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time, James 1:9 But let the lowly brother rejoice over his exaltation, 10 and the rich one over his humiliation, because like a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For just as the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the plant, and its flower falls off and its outward beauty perishes, so too the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits. James 4:6....So it says: “God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”7 Therefore, subject yourselves to God; 9 Give way to misery and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into despair. 10 Humble yourselves in the eyes of Jehovah, and he will exalt you. 2 Timothy 6:1 Let those who are under the yoke of slavery keep on considering their owners worthy of full honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may never be spoken of injuriously. 2 Moreover, let those having believing owners not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers. Rather, they should serve more readily, because those receiving the benefit of their good service are believers and beloved. Ephesians 5:21 Be in subjection to one another in fear of Christ. Romans 12:3 For through the undeserved kindness given to me, I tell everyone there among you not to think more of himself than it is necessary to think, but to think so as to have a sound mind, each one as God has given to him a measure of faith. 1 Corinthians 4:7 For who makes you different from another? Indeed, what do you have that you did not receive? If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not receive it? 1 Corinthians 10:12 So let the one who thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall. 2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we of ourselves are adequately qualified to consider that anything comes from us, but our being adequately qualified comes from God, 2 Corinthians 10:18 For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved, but the one whom Jehovah recommends. Acts 11:22 Then the people who were assembled began shouting: “A god’s voice, and not a man’s!” 23 Instantly the angel of Jehovah struck him, because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten up with worms and died. Luke 18:15 Now people were also bringing him their infants for him to touch them, but on seeing this, the disciples began to reprimand them. 16 However, Jesus called the infants to him, saying: “Let the young children come to me, and do not try to stop them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such ones. 17 Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a young child will by no means enter into it.”

Now there is a new WT edition dealing with who is the King of the North. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/watchtower/the-watchtower-2020/study-edition/may Unfortunately there is hardly anything that is true in those explanations. The WT argues that the king that persecutes JWs in Russia is this king of the north in Daniel 11:29-45. The real truth is that USA will play out those prophecies about the king of the north in those scriptures. Those scriptures speak about a total defeat of the WT organization, and not a partial defeat in a single country such as Russia.

There is a lot of talk about the Corona-virus. Quite deadly also. It could become worse than the Spanish flu about 100 years ago. Luke 21:10 Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another food shortages and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs. Revelation 6:8 And I saw, and look! a pale horse, and the one seated on it had the name Death. And the Grave was closely following him. And authority was given them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with a long sword and with food shortage and with deadly plague and by the wild beasts of the earth.

@Witness Many good scriptures, it i good to be reminded about them!