K29.11.82.htm

"Within a year and some days you careless ones will be agitated,
because the grape picking will have come to an end but no
fruit gathering will come in." "In little more than a year,
you shall be shuddering". (Isaiah 32:10 NWT Moffatt).

"NO FRUIT GATHERING WILL COME IN"? WHY?
AND WHAT COMMENCES THE PERIOD OF A "YEAR AND SOME DAYS"?
The "fruit" to be gathered in are sons of Zion and alien residents residing in the spiritual "land" (Isaiah 14:1); not apostates. (Ezek 14:7,8). In the spirit of apostates there are two causes for shame and lamentation now being made public, and are the reasons for their desolate condition (Isaiah 33:14) after the period of "a year and some days":

(1) These "careless daughters" have speciously usurped man's position and responsibilities. (Isaiah 32:9). Consequently, they have cultivated their husbands and sons in the manner of those described in verses 5-7. Senseless ones (scoundrels. NEB) they called generous and unprincipled men they called noble. Such women advocate these characteristics in men so that they "wreck the afflicted ones with false sayings", and reward themselves with glory for their apostasy against the Spirit of God.

(2) For a year and some days the apostasy of the sect of JWs was made abundantly clear to them. The "Little Scroll" began denouncing their acts of apostasy on the 14th December 1976, and as of November 30th 1981 was sent to them complete. That "year" ended on the 25th November 1982, and so began a period of "some days" of their agitation. (32:10). "Tremble, you women who are at ease! Be agitated, you careless ones! Undress and make yourselves naked, and gird sackcloth upon the loins. Beat yourselves upon the breasts in lamentation over the desirable fields, over the fruit-bearing vine". (32:11,12). You will gloat in your careless attitudes no more, the very hubbub (business) of your city is abandoned; "O'phel (the fortress) and (those of) the watchtower themselves" are to "become bare fields". (32:14). This is the result of craving glory for their husbands and sons in unfaithfulness to God, while the vine was "fruit-bearing" with God's people. (32:12). Now they must remove their false teachings (their "garments") and put on a "garment" of "sackcloth". The "Little Scroll" is that "garment" and is a devouring "fire"!

"In Zion the sinners have come to be in dread; shivering has grabbed hold of the apostates: 'Who of us can reside for any time with a devouring fire? Who of us can reside for any time with long-lasting conflagrations?'"

CONFLAGRATION: Great and destructive fire. (conflagare, BURN UP).
FLAGRANT: Glaring, notorious, scandalous (of offence or offender).

"UNTIL UPON US THE SPIRIT IS POURED
OUT FROM ON HIGH". (Isaiah 32:15 NWT).
"And the wilderness (in which we have dwelled in a "sackcloth" condition administering denunciations of God meant for them) will have become an orchard, and the orchard itself is accounted as a real forest." (32:15). By the Spirit of God, the "wilderness" condition we were ostracised into will bear "fruit" like that of an "orchard"; growing to such size, quality, and number of people as to be likened to a "forest" of righteousness, bringing peace and undisturbed resting‑places. (32:16-18). "It will be cool on the slopes of the forest then, and cities shall lie peaceful in the plain." (32:19 NEB).

"GRAPE PICKING" HAS ENDED. BUT NO FRUIT CAME IN?
Although the "grape-picking" period has been terminated (Rev 10:7), no "fruitage" through these "careless daughters" has been gathered. In their disobedience, they even continue preaching from house to house, but only to gather unprincipled and senseless ones not Godly "fruitage". But when upon God's beloved people "the Spirit is poured out from on high", unprincipled and senseless ones will have visited upon them the stark realisation that their spirit dispositions are unacceptable before God. For them, the Spirit of the Lord's judgement will be like a "mirror", to see themselves as they truly are, and causing them to tremble and be agitated. (32:11).

29/11/82.