THEIR ENEMIES. WHO ARE THEY? (Rev 11:11,12 NWT & Moffatt).
After 3½ years of "trampling" on the "sanctuary" and dashing the holy power of Christ's brothers, enemies of Jehovah God and His two witnesses (Jesus Christ and his anointed brothers on earth) are now hearing a "loud voice" out of heaven say to His faithful ones: "Come up here". This "loud voice" is pronouncing God's denunciations upon their enemies, and is not a loud voice in the physical sense. It means that these denunciations will be understood and spiritually accepted as the truth from God, relayed (in this case) through His faithful Spirit anointed sons. Although it affects their enemies adversely, they will understand their transgressions: "and their enemies beheld them". (V.12 NWT).

These enemies are the covenant-leavers described in Daniel's prophecy chapter 11:30-32. By being told to: "Come up here", faithful sons of God are given powers of knowledge and spiritual authority to make these instructions from the heavenly realm of God (not from any earthly realm) known to people on earth. When their enemies behold their transgressions, they experience in their spiritual 'soil' an upheaval likened to an earthquake, which will destroy seven thousand covenant-leavers     a tenth of the "City" of God. (Rev 11:13). These enemies are refined out for their deeds of unfaithfulness during the refining period when God's Kingdom members were usurped and removed by those "trampling" them in congregations during the "appointed times" of 3½ years, which ended January 19^th 1979. According to the Spirit of wisdom of God, those loyal remaining ones of the total number of the "City", namely 144,000, are righteously declared kings of the Kingdom.

In Isaiah chapter 5, the prophecy reveals how their enemies would behave toward His faithful sons on earth. Verse 8 reveals them both individually, and in their group efforts, isolating His sons until "you men have been made to dwell all by yourselves in the midst of the land". (NWT). This "land" is the spiritual "land" of God on earth. These enemies deny His sons any freedom of movement by "joining house to house" in so-called 'kingdom halls', in 'house to house' territory, and among families, in such ways that members of the "temple" of God are forbidden from instructing them in the spiritual teachings of God in these "houses".

But in verse 9 Jehovah our God has sworn that "many houses, though great and good (in appearance), will become an outright object of astonishment, without an inhabitant." In fact, these inhabitants were the ones who sought the counsel of the Holy One of Israel saying: "Let his work hasten; do let it come quickly, in order that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come, that we may know it!" (Verses 18,19). But their rebellious deeds speak differently. (V.20).

"IN CONSIDERATION OF A BRIBE. "HOW"? (V.23).
To reveal our enemies further, they are those who by means of an inducement (a gift or action) perverted the righteousness and judgements of God     "in consideration of a bribe". "By means of specious promises he shall pervert those who bring guilt upon a nation." (Dan 11:32 Moffatt). The inducement offered was the opportunity to be selected as unsealed 'elders' or priests in their congregational "houses". But to do this, it was necessary to remove the "constant feature", namely faithful anointed sons of God (having the "constant feature" of God's Spirit). They did this by the "breaking of law", perverting it in such a way as to make them appear righteous before others (Isaiah 5:7), and did this in various ways: (See "Little Scroll" pages 777 to 857 and the 1975 Yearbook of JWs. Pg. 248 & 250). What follows are the meanings of relevant words from the Oxford Dictionary:

SPECIOUS: Of good appearance, plausible, fair or right on the surface.
PERVERT:  Misconstrue, misapply (words etc) lead astray (person in mind). Apostate.
BRIBE:        Pervert by gifts or other inducements the action or judgement of.
"IN CONSIDERATION OF": In return for, on account of; fact, thing, regarded as a reason.

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