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Food for Thinking Jehovah's Witnesses
“‘But you are seeking great things for yourself. Stop seeking such things. For I am about to bring a calamity on all flesh,’ declares Jehovah, ‘and wherever you may go, I will grant you your life as a spoil.’”
Disclaimer: this site does not claim to hold the truth. The reader should be able to exercise good judgment, carefully examining the Scriptures as to whether these things are so. (Acts 17:11)
Rathanavelu Lazarus Sadhu
Interpretation of Zechariah 3:1-10
And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan was standing at his right hand to resist him. Then the angel of Jehovah said to Satan: “May Jehovah rebuke you, O Satan, yes, may Jehovah, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this one a burning log snatched out of the fire?”

When you read this verse what did you understand? Anyone who is familiar in Bible will say that this has happened in ancient Israel. We all know when Zechariah started to pen his writing it was during the Second year rule of King Darius (Zechariah 1:1). But when you look into other prophecies of Zechariah such as fourth, fifth, sixth chapter and so on they are yet to be fulfilled and some of visions that are in Zechariah did not fulfill before Jesus or before the destruction of Jerusalem. Therefore we can conclude what appears in Zechariah is applicable to the conclusion of the system of the things (end of the present system). The third chapter of Zechariah is one such vision which is very much applicable to the intimate group of God’s selected ones (anointed ones). Those who are thorough in Bible well know that originally God made the covenant with the people of Israel on Mount Sinai under the leadership of Moses the then meditator between God and Israel. The covenant was permanent and it will go to time indefinite only on conditional basis that is if Israel unconditionally obeys Jehovah even under severe persecution and remains faithful to Jehovah then the Covenant will be also permanent. Now in the beginning of our Common Era the Greater meditator between God and the Christian congregation is none other than Jesus Christ.
Almighty God Jehovah sent Mighty Lord Jesus Christ again to the offspring’s of Israel, but Jews at large rejected Jesus as their Messiah. So Jesus established the new covenant between him and the eleven apostles before his death there by concluding the Jewish system of worship. The original handpicked apostles by Jesus Christ are the founding pillars of the Christian congregation. Since the new covenant was established between Christ and the anointed ones and its Christian congregation all the prophecies that is yet to be fulfilled and what was previously directed to Israel and Jerusalem is applicable to anointed ones and the Christian congregation as it is yet to be fulfilled in grander scale.
So whenever the word Israel or Jerusalem appears, it means the Christian congregation and words like sons of Levi or High Priest represents anointed ones. Now continue to read:
And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah and Satan was standing at his right hand to resist him.
The above verse is self-explanatory. Here in the vision we see three persons: Joshua the High Priest, the angel of Jehovah and Satan. Here we see that Satan is standing at the right hand side of the angel of Jehovah to resist the angel approaching Joshua. That means before the appearance of the angel Joshua the High Priest was under the control of Satan. Then the angel of Jehovah said to Satan: “May Jehovah rebuke you, O Satan, yes, may Jehovah, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this one a burning log snatched out of the fire?“This word “May Jehovah rebuke you“echoes the same words at Jude 1:9: “But when Mi′cha·el the archangel had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body, he did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms, but said: “May Jehovah rebuke you.”“Here we can find Mi′cha·el the archangel telling to Satan the same words as found in Zechariah 3:2. Mi′cha·el the archangel is none other than Jesus Christ himself. Many in Christendom will not accept that Mi′cha·el the archangel is Jesus because they say Jesus was given all authority in heaven and on earth then how is that here at Jude 1:9 he is not having authority to rebuke even Satan? See all authority in heaven and on earth was given to Jesus only after he came down to earth in human form and showed integrity to Jehovah under intense test and sacrificed his own life on torture stake. But both in Zechariah and in Jude, it was before Jesus’ sacrificing these incidents occurred. So what we see the angel of Jehovah speaking to Satan at Zechariah 3:1 is none other than Jesus before coming to earth because only he has the power to release Joshua the High priest from the clutches of Satan. Now look at the word "May Jehovah, who has chosen Jerusalem". What is the significance in this verse? Here Jerusalem represents true Christian congregation. Here Jerusalem cannot be apostate Christendom as Watchtower Society asserts because the verse says Jehovah, who has chosen Jerusalem. Just think, will Jehovah choose Christendom who never use the name of Jehovah and removed his very name form their Bibles? Here "Jerusalem is chosen“means those in covenant with Jehovah are called chosen. If Jerusalem is apostate Christendom as Watchtower Society asserts then as per this verse is apostate Christendom chosen? If they are chosen, that means Jehovah having covenant with apostate Christendom? If the answer becomes yes then in what position the Watchtower serves to Jehovah now? It becomes very clear that Jerusalem represents true Christian congregation.
Now go further reading: "Now Joshua was clothed in filthy garments and standing before the angel". This has physically never happened in Israel and even during the days of Zechariah and Jesus. That itself is an evidence that this prophecy is a future event and symbolic.
So by the way what does it mean "Joshua was clothed in filthy garments”? Many Bible scholars agree that filthy represents sins. Then what does Joshua represents? We know from Zechariah 3:1 that Joshua was the high Priest. Who are ones now who serves in the same position as high priest to Jehovah? They are none other than the anointed ones of the true Christian congregation. Yes the Governing body of elders of the Watchtower society of Jehovah’s Witnesses serves as Joshua the high priest here on earth at present. The watchtower may say that it is hierarchy and head of Christendom such as popes and Bishops because the watchtower will never publicly admit what they have done is filthy before Jehovah. The point is if Joshua the high priest wearing represents apostate Christendom, then why the angel of the Jehovah at Zechariah 3:4 recommending the companions of Joshua to remove Joshua’s filthy clothes and given fine clothes and a clean turban? And why is that it is said “See, I have caused your error to pass away from you, and you will be clothed with fine garments.”? That means Jehovah is pardoning the errors of apostate Christendom? If Christendom is doomed to destruction why will they be pardoned? So is Jehovah pardoning and then destroying the Christendom? Does it make any sense? Only those who are selected anointed and having the covenant with Jehovah will serve as High Priest likeJoshua, not Christendom. So here, it is very clear that Joshua wearing filthy clothes means the sinful condition of the Governing body of Jehovah’s witnesses.
What are some of the sinful conditions of the Governing body?
  • Hiding many child abuse cases and keeping those things as secret.
  • Rather than handling the child abuse cases properly, defending the victims and reporting the crime to the government authorities such as police, the Watchtower society has gone as far as shield the pedophiles and doing the out court settlements such as giving money to the victims as compensation, something which is similar to Roman Catholic churches.
  • Reinstalling the former pedophiles some times as elders and as ministerial servants without giving caution notice to the congregation.
  • Having ten years partnership with UN after declaring that UN is a disgusting thing. Some Jehovah’s witnesses may say that now they are no more a NGO partner of UN hence it is now no more a sin. A sin can only be forgiven if one has openly and publicly declaring it and repent and ask for forgiveness just as Daniel did. (See Daniel 9:3-27) Did Daniel felt ashamed for openly asking forgiveness for the mistake which he has not done? He did ask forgiveness on behalf his people. Have you ever seen in the Watchtower magazine or other literatures that governing body asking forgiveness openly?
    Some Pro Governing body Jehovah’s witnesses will tell that this incident happened in 1919 when Christ supposedly came and inspected the house and cleaned.
    If Christ came back in 1919 and cleansed the house then why Jehovah’s Witnesses were celebrating the birthday and Christmas until 1925? Why Jehovah’s witnesses were allowed to smoke until 1973? Why the worldwide preaching work did started only in 1931? Why the pedophiles are still lurking among the congregation abusing many children till today? Since all these evidence show that Jesus did not came back in 1919. The only thing is that all these prophecies of Zechariah are applicable to the future.
  • Coercing the members of the congregation for petty reasons.
  • Having business ties in the hedge funds to raise the funds all in the name of Kingdom interests.
  • Knowingly publishing the false Parousia of Christ’s presence in 1914.
  • Having double standards in no blood policy. (see Bulgarian files)
All these above mentioned sins are what is described as filthy garments worn by Joshua. Read what happens next: "The angel said to those standing before him, “Remove his filthy garments.“Then he said to him, “See, I have caused your error to pass away from you”. Remove the filthy garment means the Governing body must leave all its existing rule and sinful course. Finally Jesus himself will remove the men who are among his people who made the congregation filthy. After removing filthy things and in spite of so many sins committed by the group who leads the worship of Jehovah, Jehovah finally forgives this group who are in his covenant. “And you will be clothed with fine garments”. It means a new personality is given to those who head and lead the congregation. The fine garments represent new personality of love and kindness rather than the present tyrant nature of the Watchtower Society. Is this reasonable? The July 2013 watchtower study edition under the article name: Tell Us, When Will These Things Be?“under the sub heading: When Does Jesus Arrive, Or Come? Paragraph 18 it states:
In the verses that lead up to Matthew 24:46, the word “coming“refers consistently to the time when Jesus comes to pronounce and execute judgment during the great tribulation. (Matt. 24:30, 42, 44) Also, as we considered in paragraph 12, Jesus’ ‘arriving’ mentioned at Matthew 25:31 refers to that same future time of judgment. So it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus’ arrival to appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings, mentioned at Matthew 24:46, 47, also applies to his future coming, during the great tribulation. Indeed, a consideration of Jesus’ prophecy in its entirety makes it clear that each of these eight references to his coming applies to the future time of judgment during the great tribulation.
So if explanation has to be in synchronous with the present Watchtower teaching (as on July 15th 2013) the impact is even more stronger. “Remove his filthy garments”. During Jesus’ authentic parousia, Jesus will remove those persons who are having the present tyrant like mental attitude and personality and Jesus will appoint the faithful and discrete slave class over his belongings (congregation), those who are having the personalities that is pleasing to Jesus such as love and kindness (And you will be clothed with fine garments).
Read further:
So I said: “Let a clean turban be put on his head.“And they put the clean turban on his head and clothed him with garments; and the angel of Jehovah was standing nearby.
Turban is covering to the head worn by the high priest of ancient Israel. Head represents brain, that is knowledge. So "Let a clean turban be put on his head“ means a new knowledge will be bestowed upon the group by Christ himself which will announce the authentic parousia of Christ. In future the false parousia of 1914 will be completely erased among the Jehovah’s witnesses, thus the old present knowledge will be swept away
After this, the angel cautions the newly appointed faithful and discreet slave class to be very care full on conditional basis. That is why the 6th verse says:
The angel of Jehovah then declared to Joshua: “This is what Jehovah of armies says, ‘If you will walk in my ways and carry out your responsibilities before me, then you will serve as a judge in my house and take care of my courtyards; and I will give you free access among these who are standing here.’
Why the angel of Jehovah warns Joshua? Because Satan is able to deceive even the holy ones during Christ’s’ parousia just as Satan deceived one of the Jesus’ own handpicked disciples Judas Iscariot. What is in the store for those anointed ones who remain faithful? The verse 8 tells the answer:
Hear, please, O High Priest Joshua, you and your companions who sit before you, for these men serve as a sign; look! I am bringing in my servant Sprout!
Verse 9 suggests that the whole true Christian congregation becomes holy after all tyrant leaders are swept away by Jesus and their previous guilt and error are removed among the congregation as if in one day in the eyes of Jesus.
See the stone that I have set before Joshua! On the one stone are seven eyes; and I am engraving an inscription on it,’ declares Jehovah of armies, ‘and I will take away the guilt of that land in one day.
Then at last before the conclusion the members of the congregation enjoy a good relationship with each other after getting rid of power hungry elders, tyrant leaders, pedophiles, man of lawlessness and stumbling blocks. That is what verse 10 describes:
‘In that day,’ declares Jehovah of armies, ‘Each of you will invite your neighbor to come under your vine and under your fig tree.’
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