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666I.
THE DEBATE AT THE PERSIAN COURT OF
WHAT THEY
JUDGED THE STRONGEST. (1 Esdras
3:1 to 4:42 NEB).
To
understand the Apocrypha ("hidden things"), one needs insight by the power of
God to discern and reveal what
has been
hidden
(including the dispositions of
those advocating
wickedness)
from the standpoint and judgment of God. In this particular case, to denounce
the unrighteousness of men who give glory and authority to women,
making
them strong
in wickedness.
JUDGING WHAT
IS THE STRONGEST.
Three young men of the king's bodyguard said: "'Let
each one of us name the thing which he judges the strongest; and to the one
whose opinion seems wisest King Darius will give rich gifts and prizes'"
(3:5
NEB). "'The king and the three chief men of Persia
shall judge whose statement is wisest, and the award will be made on the merits
of the written statement.'" (3:9 NEB).
ABOUT THEIR
STATEMENTS.
"One wrote
'Wine is the strongest', the second wrote 'The king is strongest', and the third
wrote 'Women are strongest, but truth conquers all.'"
(3:10-12 NEB).
The first
spoke of the force of wine over men, the second said: "'Sirs, is not man
the strongest, man who masters the earth and the sea and all that is in them?'"
(4:2
NEB).
The third
said: "'There is injustice in wine, in kings, in women, in all men, and in
all their works and so forth. There is no truth in them; they shall perish in
their injustice. But truth abides and is strong forever… Hers [truth] are
strength and royalty, the authority and majesty of all ages. Praise be to the
God of truth!'" (From
4:37-40
NEB).
THE WISDOM
OF THE CHRIST.
The wisdom
of The Christ is the way to everlasting life. And with reference to this he said:
"Truly I say to you, There is no one who has left house or wife or brothers
or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of God who will not in any
way get many times more in this period of time, and in the coming system of
things everlasting life."
(Luke 18:29,30).
A woman's strength over a man is empowered by demons, is demonstrated
in her
domineering
manner, and is an abhorrence before God. Man's position and responsibilities are
clearly set out in the written Word of God, and are clearly conveyed through His
servants on earth. God is The Authority. Next, the authority of The
Christ as head of the congregation of God. Next, God's glory, man.
And lastly, woman, who is the glory of man only when she recognizes his
authority. Married women are to complement their husbands in the things they
lack. (Gen 2:18. 1 Cor 11:3).
If she is allowed within the
congregation of God with it, a woman's glory is her hair. But in refusing to
obey anointed male servants of God when given scriptural reasons for having it
or her removed, she is in disgrace. A woman who is told by an anointed man that
her conduct is deserving of shorning, but who refuses this corrective measure
and is allowed to frequent Christ's congregation, is in greater disgrace before
God than one shorn or shaved. There is hope of repentance for one shorn or
shaved through its penalty of disgrace. Those instructed to carry out the
shorning of a woman but refuse to do so, share in her disgrace.
The holy requirements for a woman
are described in the following scriptures: (1
Cor 11:3-10.
14:33-37. Eph 5:22-24).
(1 Tim 2:11,12. Prov
31:10-31. 1 Peter
3:1-6).
After
reading and meditating on these scriptural reminders from God's Word, one cannot
fail to realize that a wife
may
only please God and earn her place in His everlasting arrangement by being an
obedient and a helpful complement of man as to the Lord. (Gen 2:20-23).
But if a woman exercises authority over God's glory the man, especially
by
falsely
claiming to
have been given authority by God's Word to teach men, she has rejected the
authority of God and His glory the man. (1 Cor 14:34-38. 1 Cor
7:16). What other way could
women
teach and
exercise authority over men other than by what JWs practice? (Zech 5:5-8).
12/8/80. |
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