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After the death of the last apostle, and the disappearance of the apostolic authority, many different Christian denominations emerged and this continues to this day. Dozens, then hundreds, and thousands conflicting points of view of the nature of God, salvation and morals were co-existing. They, of course, cannot all please God. They cannot all be following the teachings of Christ.
 
At the same time, the Lord predicted there would be a day when he would be inspecting his temple, meaning he would examine all those who professed to be anointed by the Spirit.
This day came in 1919, the year after the first World War. That great massacre truly was the catalyst that triggered Christ to come and see what the Churches were teaching and how their members reacted during the war. Among all the denominations that were active on earth, only one caught the attention of Christ. It was not the wealthiest, it was not the most numerous, but it was the most sincere and the most watchful. Why?
 
The Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches, the Protestant Churches, the Oriental Churches…all have been active for centuries. They had plenty of ressources, plenty of time and plenty of opportunities to teach the fundamental truths about God and his Kingdom. But despite that, none of them was doing that in spite of their longetivity. But here was a tiny group of students of the Bible who, with their limited means and facing numerous opposition, overcame what seemed to be insurmontable obstacles and were spreading the true Gospel. Only this small fellowship of studious Christians had the courage to carefully examine the Scriptures so as to return to the original doctrines of Jesus Christ, stripping away traditions that had piled up over the centuries that dishonored Jehovah God.
The Associated Bible Students, as the congregation was called, were the only ones who taught that:
 
• Jehovah is the name of the only true God.
• The Kingdom of God is a heavenly realm that will soon rule over the earth.
• The dead are unconscious and awaiting a resurrection.
• Military service and political involvment must be avoided.
• Christians have to spread the Good News to their neighbors.
 
They have been associated for a few years and they had already understood these vital facts, while other churches who had been here longer intead taught that God is a mysterious trinity, that the souls of the damned are either in purgatory or a fiery hell, that Christians can engage with the political systems and conflicts of this world, and that the Kingdom of God is the Church.
 
So it is no surprise that the Lord Jesus was pleased with them, for they had the desire for truth and worship God according to his will, not according to the traditions of man. Hence, Jesus selected them specifically to feed his sheep as the prophecied ‘Faithful and Discreet Slave’, all while refining their understand and organization over the years. And that is how, today, Jehovah’s Witnesses continue to be guided by the head of the Congregation until they are gathered up into Heaven for some, and survive the Great Tribulation unto Paradise earth for others.

In ancient Jerusalem, Shebna held the highly influential position of royal steward, making him the governor over King Hezekiah's palace and household.
 
Instead of humby executing his duties during a critical Assyrian invasion threat, Shebna abused his high office to seek personal prestige and political glory. His ultimate act of arrogance was carving out a lavish, prominent tomb for himself on a high rocky cliff, a privilege traditionally reserved for kings.
Because of this pride, Jehovah denounced Shebna through the prophet Isaiah and decreed that he would be violently hurled away and stripped of his official standing.
 
God then called his humble servant Eliakim, clothed him in Shebna's official robe and sash, and completely transferred the governmental dominion into his hand. To signify this supreme administrative authority, Jehovah symbolically placed the key of the royal house of David directly upon Eliakim's shoulder. With this key of absolute governance, Eliakim gained the ultimate power to open doors that no man could shut and to shut doors that no man could open.
 
This prophetic framework uses ancient characters as specific "types" to mirror the modern development of Jehovah's Witnesses' organizational structure. King Hezekiah represents the glorified Jesus Christ, who rules as the rightful heavenly King and fiercely protects his loyal followers from spiritual enemies. Eliakim represents the anointed "faithful and discreet slave" appointed to feed God's household. The Governing Body acts as the visible, administrative leadership of this Eliakim class, directing all global operations in the name of the heavenly King.
 
Conversely, the unfaithful steward Shebna represents the clergy of Christendom, who claimed exclusive rights to spiritual governance over Christ's household.
 
Jesus inspected these religious systems and officially rejected them in 1918 because they sought political prestige, human titles, and worldly glory. By removing this modern-day Shebna, Jesus is believed to have transferred complete earthly authority to the Governing Body, making it his sole delegated intendant.
 
By utilizing the delegated power to "open," the Governing Body unlocks doors of spiritual activity by initiating massive global preaching campaigns and entry into new territories. It also opens the way for the transmission of divine knowledge by supervising the translation, production, and distribution of scriptural literature through JW.org. Furthermore, this authority allows it to open doors of organizational privilege by establishing the spiritual qualifications required to appoint elders, ministerial servants, and pioneers.
 
In contrast, the power to "shut" is exercised when the Governing Body bars the clergy of Christendom from claiming any divine legitimacy or stewardship over God's people. It also uses this authority to shut out false teachings, protecting the worldwide brotherhood from apostate ideas and secular philosophies that could corrupt congregation purity. Administratively, "shutting" gives it the final authority to enforce judicial measures, including the severe restriction of fellowship or the total expulsion of unrepentant wrongdoers. Ultimately, these dual actions ensure that the Governing Body maintains strict, centralized authority over who is admitted into Jehovah's earthly organization and who is excluded from it.
 

Welcome to JWTalk, Brother Walter! 😊 Greetings from Massachusetts. I see you’re in Bavaria—are you near Munich, or farther out in the countryside? It’s good to have you with us. Make yourself at home!

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