Nicholas Harding

This just in from the 2017 Annual Meeting:
1. Watchtowers and Awakes won't be released regularly, at least three Watchtower and Awakes per year. 6 magazines a year.
2. A new book is being released: Remain in God's Love, more of an update like how they did for the What Does the Bible Really Teach book. And it will be released 2018-2019
3. Study Watchtowers will now be simplified or rather be in a simple language in two years from now.
Did anyone catch something else?
Here is an audio recording:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BzePLZIps4CZZ0IyMDNNWFVUdjQ

"The  “Great  Tribulation.”
When answering the question of his disciples concerning the sign of his presence and the conclusion of the system of things, Jesus mentioned a “great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Mt 24:3, 21) As a comparison of Matthew 24:15-22 with Luke 21:20-24 reveals, this had initial reference to a tribulation to come upon Jerusalem. The fulfillment came in 70 C.E., when the city was besieged by the Roman armies under General Titus. This resulted in severe famine conditions and much loss of life. The Jewish historian Josephus relates that 1,100,000 Jews died or were killed, whereas 97,000 survived and were taken into captivity. The temple was completely destroyed. Contrary to the wish of the Roman commander Titus, Roman soldiers set the temple itself on fire. According to Josephus, this took place in the same month and on the same day that the Babylonians had burned the former temple on this site. (The Jewish War, VI, 249-270 [iv, 5-8], 420 [ix, 3]; 2Ki 25:8, 9) The temple destroyed by the Romans has never been rebuilt. Such a “great tribulation” has not occurred again or been repeated upon Jerusalem. Nevertheless, Biblical evidence indicates that the tribulation upon Jerusalem in 70 C.E. pointed forward to a far greater tribulation, one affecting all nations.
Jesus continued his prophecy by describing events that would occur during the centuries after Jerusalem’s destruction. (Mt 24:23-28; Mr 13:21-23) Then, at Matthew 24:29, he added that “immediately after the tribulation of those days,” there would be fear-inspiring celestial phenomena. Mark 13:24, 25 says that these phenomena would take place “in those days, after that tribulation.” (See also Lu 21:25, 26.) To what “tribulation” did Jesus there refer?
Some Bible commentators have reasoned that it was the tribulation that came upon Jerusalem in 70 C.E., though they also realized that the events described thereafter evidently would take place at a time that, from a human standpoint, was then distant. They reasoned that the expression “immediately after” conveyed God’s perspective of the time involved or that the certainty of what was to occur was being expressed by language that placed the events immediately before the reader.
However, since the prophecy at Matthew 24:4-22 (also Mr 13:5-20 and Lu 21:8-24a) clearly has a dual fulfillment, might the “tribulation” referred to at Matthew 24:29 and Mark 13:24 be the “tribulation” during the second and final fulfillment of what was foretold at Matthew 24:21 and Mark 13:19? Viewed in the light of the Bible as a whole, this seems most likely. Do the terms used in the Greek text allow for such a view? Definitely. When Matthew 24:29 refers to “those days” and when Mark 13:24 mentions “those days” and “that tribulation,” the Greek grammar does allow for such an understanding. It seems that Jesus’ prophecy is saying that after the outbreak of the coming global tribulation, there will be striking phenomena (as represented by sun and moon being darkened, stars falling, and powers of heaven being shaken) as well as fulfillment of “the sign of the Son of man.”
About three decades after Jerusalem’s destruction, the apostle John, with reference to a great crowd of persons from all nations, tribes, and peoples, was told: “These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation.” (Re 7:13, 14) Earlier, the apostle John had seen “four angels” holding back destructive winds so that the sealing of the 144,000 slaves of God might be completed. This sealing evidently links up with the ‘gathering of the chosen ones’ that Jesus foretold. (Mt 24:31) Accordingly, the final destructive fury of the “great tribulation” must come after the chosen ones have been gathered and their sealing is completed and when the four angels release the four winds to blow upon the earth, sea, and trees. (Re 7:1-4) The fact that a great crowd ‘comes out of the great tribulation’ shows that they survive it. This is confirmed by a similar expression at Acts 7:9, 10: “God was with [Joseph], and he delivered him out of all his tribulations.” Joseph’s being delivered out of all his tribulations meant not only that he was enabled to endure them but also that he survived the afflictions he experienced.
It is noteworthy that the apostle Paul referred to the execution of God’s judgment upon the ungodly as tribulation. He wrote: “This takes into account that it is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you, but, to you who suffer tribulation, relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” (2Th 1:6-8)
The book of Revelation shows that “Babylon the Great” and “the wild beast” have brought tribulation upon God’s holy ones. (Re 13:3-10; 17:5, 6) It therefore logically follows that the tribulation to come upon “Babylon the Great” and “the wild beast” is included in the “great tribulation.”—Re 18:20; 19:11-21.

NEWS FROM RUSSIA - Testimony of a Russian Lieutenant Colonel.
The Father of a sister I met served for many years as lieutenant Colonel at the fsb. In 2014, he returned home and advised his family to leave Russia, due to the situation with Jehovah's witnesses, how much it does not improve. "you have no idea what's waiting for you", he said. In 2015, I ran into an interview with an fsb employee, who told reporters about plans to eliminate several organizations for the 2018. World Cup all worked should be completed by the summer of 2017. A Of these organizations was Jehovah's testimony.
At that time, I would not have thought that in Russia would come to such an absurd, but the order was received, it must be fulfilled. This Autumn, Jehovah's witnesses will seek justice in the presidium of the supreme court. But something tells me that nothing can be achieved. Even the decision can be completely ignored. If in two years the federal security service announced almost openly the plans to liquidate the activities of Jehovah's witnesses, then no court of the world could do anything against this illegality.
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Admin note
This is one more of so many testimonies that demonstrate the persecution programmed in Russia against Jehovah's witnesses. All trials and appeals were useless, because it was already decided to annihilate Jehovah's witnesses. And as the high military says, no court in the world can do anything to save the witnesses.
What plans does the Lord have for this situation?
Stay tuned.

Jaime Gomez
Brother I share the help that is coming for the brothers of Jojutla Morelos. It all came together in a few hours thanks to the Lord and the help of the brothers of the circuits of Morelos Mexico.
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