When one hears the congregation of Jehovah God speak of those who profess to be of the “little flock,” one sometimes hears within it a reverance that, at times, may be improper at worst, undeserved at best. Where how one treats Christ’s brothers is important –primarily because of how Christ himself views each one–my point, actually, is one of the reality faced by each “little one” who faces the war being waged by the serpent, as one of those who are among the seed of Abraham, Jehovah’s friend. That sentence in and of itself ought to invoke a deep concern by all the Brotherhood for all those who comprise that group of individuals who are among the little flock today.
Far from being stars at a Grand Parade, as some might assume and as some, indeed, strive to make them into, the true and discreet “little flock” belonging to Jesus Christ shares in his sufferings now in many ways, or as Peter described it–a burning among such ones,–which is happening as a trial, and which is happening among the whole association of brothers worldwide today. This is neither controversial, nor anything new to the faithful today. Yet in our congregations we hear individuals speak of this one or that one, who is–as they say it–”among the anointed”–and it drifts off the tongue as the ultimate name drop. It is spoken even in a quiet reverence and then just as quickly dropped. Whether it be this scenario or the more common reference to the “slave” from the platform, what is often not said–indeed, often not even understood, is this:
Far from being giants among men, those chosen share in the sufferings of Christ and precisely because they are chosen and the war being waged now is being waged against them personally, individually as well as collectively. When Jehovah’s Word by Isaiah the Prophet declared some of Christ’s sufferings plainly, unambiguously, many do not read into them any modern identity among those of the little flock, who must share in those sufferings IF they are to arise in glory to be forever with His Majesty, the Lion of Judah, King of God’s Israel. And who is this Israel?
“But you, O Israel, are my servant, you, O Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend; you, whom I have taken hold of from the extremities of the earth, and you, whom I have called even from the remote parts of it. And so I said to you, ‘You are my servant; I have chosen you, and I have not rejected you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Do not gaze about, for I am your God. I will fortify you. I will really help you. I will really keep fast hold of you with my right hand of righteousness.’” –Isaiah 41:8-10
That Israel is great solely because Jehovah is Great and so is the Christ, not because of of such ones is great on his or her own merits. How often people forget that Jehovah chose the small and the weak and the ignoble and the unwise and the foolish and the reason why is to make sure everyone understands, as made known to among others the priest and prophet Ezekiel some 20 times, that it is Jehovah who makes something out of nothing and nobody else. Where this is true–and it is–no member of the “little flock” will likely be heard to say anything about “deserving” anything from Jehovah or Christ. Rather, such ones–as I began this brief sketch–shares in the sufferings of Christ. This is by Jehovah’s Will and entering into that can be agonizing, as Christ knows better and more completely than any other member of his little flock. Tet to “share” in christ’s sufferings is to enter into a viewpoint by others that is not only ignoble, but even that which can border upon–and even surpass–contempt.
We read Isaiah’s prophecy–about primarily the Christ himself–and, of course, a solid vignette of some of his sufferings–but fail to perhaps see that which is faced by members of the little flock today.
“. . .No stately form does he have, nor any splendor; and when we shall see him, there is not the appearance so that we should desire him. He was despised and was avoided by men, a man meant for pains and for having acquaintance with sickness. And there was as if the concealing of one’s face from us. He was despised, and we held him as of no account. Truly our sicknesses were what he himself carried; and as for our pains, he bore them. But we ourselves accounted him as plagued, stricken by God and afflicted. But he was being pierced for our transgression; he was being crushed for our errors. The chastisement meant for our peace was upon him, and because of his wounds there has been a healing for us. Like sheep we have all of us wandered about; it was each one to his own way that we have turned; and Jehovah himself has caused the error of us all to meet up with that one. He was hard pressed, and he was letting himself be afflicted;. . .” –Isaiah 52:2-7
Thus a more “accurate” view of such ones, than what many innocently hold today, is that they face even contempt from within the Christian congregation and clearly this is either because those who profess to be among the little flock are “doubted,” in terms of the accuracy of their discernment as to their being called and chosen, or because they–as of yet anyway–or some–remain unknown. I can hear some of the friends bristle and yet how else could it be that both–those who went to the right hand because they treated Christ’s brothers rightly AND those who went to the left hand because they treated Christ’s brothers wrongly–sides at the judgment confessed they did not know when they acted for or against the “little one” who formed the basis of their judgment?
Those who went to the right hand said–when did I? And those who went to the left hand said–when did I? And in each instance, of course, it turned arpound a “little one.” No one would knowingly, intentionally mistreat the fine brothers who form our current GB. They are known, yes? And the marvelous work they do is truly evident, that Christ is with them. And … he is likewise with these litttle ones as well.
If we love the least in our midst with the love of Christ, we have no worries. If we judge at all, we should worry–greatly. No greater example of misjudging is to doubt and therefore to act or express against any little one who professes to be among the “little flock” belonging to Jesus Christ. The Faithful Steward, the vocal organ of the little flock as a class, has always taught not to either judge or doubt but to leave it to Jehovah to resolve. Old-timers, for example, who have been faithful servants for some 50+ years would tell you that, but secretly, to close friends, they may say–”is it likely that a brother who …. (recites years of sinful conduct, leaving appointed service, etc… is now of the anointed, when most view the door all-but-closed in 1937) … and they would say, quietly–”not very likely.”
Let me tell you something important about Jehovah God. His Glory and Majesty and even Generosity is unrivaled and unmatched and it will remain that way forever because NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY, is Great like the Holy One of Israel. And He–not such little ones–But Jehovah Himself has decided that He makes His Holy Name Greater by calling the least and the most oseunlikely and making them into Kings because only He can make kings out of those this world–and all its standards–consider to be losers.
This is known by many as the Great Reversal–when those rich become poor, when those on the inside find themselves on the outside. In the interim, all remaning little ones are having their faith perfected by the author and finisher of all legitimate Faith. And along the way they will be mistreated by people in the Christian Congregation, people who may even be a leader, among the elite “in” crowd. One is reminded that the Roman soldier hated the body of Christ even with the pointed end of his spear.
This suffering by all such little ones today is often born quietly, as modeled by Christ who went as an Ewe silent before the one with the shears. It exists in their private tears and in their broken hearts. That it exists at all is a stain on the congregation and to the extent that it does exist–and it does–it will be corrected when Jehovah’s Judgment sends such ones responsible to His Left Hand and destruction, as long ago foretold by Jesus Christ.
The interesting irony is to ask and answer how many times did such ones themselves teach that parable from the platofmr and never, ever did they truly get it themselves? Ah … but as the prophet Isaiah declared by the spirit of Jehovah:
“The afflicted ones and the poor ones are seeking for water, but there is none. Because of thirst their very tongue has become dry. I myself, Jehovah, shall answer them. I, the God of Israel, shall not leave them. Upon bare hills I shall open up rivers, and in the midst of the valley plains, springs. I shall make the wilderness into a reedy pool of water, and the waterless land into sources of water. In the wilderness I shall set the cedar tree, the acacia and the myrtle and the oil tree. In the desert plain I shall place the juniper tree, the ash and the cypress at the same time; in order that people may see and know and pay heed and have insight at the same time, that the very hand of Jehovah has done this, and the Holy One of Israel has himself created it.”–Isaiah 41:17-20