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May you all have peace!
Most of us live in societies where pride is not only not considered dangerous, but desirable. We are told to have pride of self, pride of family, pride of country, pride of gender/sexuality, pride of station, pride of class, pride of… well, whatever else one might have pride in. Yet, we are told that in the eyes of the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies, pride is not such a good thing. Indeed, pride “goes before a fall.” This morning, our dear Lord came to me and told me WHY pride is such an undesirable thing before JAH… and a (very) dangerous thing for us. His words to me were:
“Because pride keeps one from feeling shame, child, when one SHOULD feel shame.”
What did he mean? He meant that, when a person should feel shame… particularly as to sinning… against JAH, or even against a brother… pride will keep such one from FEELING that shame. Instead, it will “allow”, if not prompt one to cover OVER their own transgression, ignore it, justify it away. Even blame others/the other for one’s error… rather than look at it, square on, and take responsibility FOR it… so as to even be in a position to ask forgiveness for it. Pride says “I don’t NEED to ask for forgiveness, because I didn’t DO anything (wrong).” Pride SAYS that… because it circumvents shame.
I’m sure you will all agree, though, that there are times when we should feel shame. Unfortunately, as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, one is not taught to feel shame. To the contrary, one is taught a whole LOT of pride… particularly and starting with being a member of the WTBTS. Indeed, pride is the very foundation of membership IN that organization (“We’re Jee-Ho-Vah’s Wiiiiitnesses!”)… which is one reason why her members “fall.” Fall in their walk, stumbling over Christ… and fall… before the eyes of JAH.
But didn’t Christ “despise” shame? Isn’t the WTBTS right in THAT particularly teaching? Because “the Bible says” he did, right? No! In spite of the erroneous interpretation that can lead one to BELIEVE he did, our SOUND reasoning skills… should lead us to LOGICALLY ask… how could he have done so… and yet, subject himself to the persecution, EXECUTION, and death that he did? It does not add up, dear ones. CANNOT. And remember, numbers don’t lie. At least, not when they’re the RIGHT numbers. And truth… is ALWAYS a right number.
So, how can we reason on this? We can start by remembering that he was accused, tried, found guilty and impaled… as a CRIMINAL… AGAINST JAH. And as a result, HUNG ON A STAKE! Which was THE worst fate for a Jew (“cursed is he hung on a stake”). Why? Because it was the Romans way of killing that came with NO mercy! The subject was not merely executed, but hung… ALIVE… on a pole, out in the open, where he flesh was subject to some of the cruelest torture! Not just the sundry animals that came by to take a bite/peck… but the PEOPLE who came by to SEE you… AS you died… AS a “criminal”! And yet… HE HAD COMMITTED NO SIN!
So, then we must ask, where did that come from, the teaching/thinking that he “despised” shame? From the usual place, of course: the false teachings of those who DON’T know… based on the false stylus/pen of the scribes (copyists). Let’s look at it.
The wording at Hebrews 12:2 states, in most Bible versions something to the effect that:
“… as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, [Jesus]. For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
The Greek word for “despising”… kataphroneō… means:
“to contemn, despise, disdain, think little or nothing of” (emphasis mine).
What the verse MEANT, is NOT that he despised shame, as in he would not let himself FEEL shame, because shame is a BAD thing… but that he thought little… or NOTHING… of TAKING ON SHAME. How do we know? Because Isaiah TOLD us:
“He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
“But he was pierced for OUR transgressions,
he was crushed for OUR iniquities;
the punishment that brought US peace was on HIM,
and by HIS wounds WE are healed.
We ALL, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of US has turned to our OWN way;
and JaHVeH has laid on HIM
the iniquity of US all.”
He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression[a] and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of MY people… HE was punished.
HE was despised and rejected by US… yet it was OUR sins and transgressions… OUR shame… that he carried! And he did so WILLINGLY… thinking LITTLE of the shame brought on HIM… for OUR sakes. Because had he thought MUCH of that shame… HE WOULD HAVE OPENED HIS MOUTH. He would have STOPPED what was going on. He would have pleaded for his OWN life… saying, “Oh, wait, Father, uh-uh, no. I didn’t sin! Why do I have to die for these idjits, these people who KEEP trying and testing you, who KEEP sinning, KEEP thinking they are something when they are nothing?! Why should I die for THEM?! No, I won’t do it!”
But he didn’t. He thought LITTLE or NOTHING of that shame… OUR shame… and so keep his mouth shut… and took the HUMILIATION that came with BEING our Leader. He thought SO LITTLE… NOTHING… of CARRYING that shame… OUR shame… FOR… us. He ENDURED a SHAMEFUL death… the death that WE… sinners that WE are… and NOT him… deserve. OUR iniquities. Why??? Because he LOVED us… enough to take all of that shame… OUR shame… upon himself.
So, we should be able to see, from verses we've routinely read, that pride isn’t necessarily a good thing. Does the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies, say that feeling shame is a GOOD thing, though? Perhaps. It may depend on how you view… and what you take from… the following:
“For from the least to the greatest, each one is making dishonest gain;
From the prophet to the priest, each one is practicing fraud.
And they try to heal the breakdown of my people lightly, saying,
‘There is peace! There is peace!’
When there is no peace.
Do they feel ashamed of the detestable things they have done?
They feel no shame at all!
They do not even know how to feel humiliated!
So they will fall among the fallen.
When I bring punishment on them they will stumble,” says JaHVeH.”
Can WE avoid such a “fall”? We can. How? Maybe you can see how in the following account:
“He told this illustration to some who trusted in their own righteousness and who considered others as nothing:
“Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and began to pray these things to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like everyone else—extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give the tenth of all things I acquire.’ But the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing even to raise his eyes heavenward but kept beating his chest, saying, ‘O God, be gracious to [i]me, a sinner.’ I tell you, this man went down to his home and was proved more righteous than that Pharisee. Because everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14
Depending on our own "eyes" and what we (allow ourselves to) "see"... we should be able to discern how to AVOID the "PITfall" of pride.
I, SA, have shared as to this matter with you dear ones here, just as I have received it from and been directed to do so by my dear Lord, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah)… who is the Son and Word and KING of the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH, of Armies.
May those with ears to hear hear and get the sense of the truth and wisdom he has so kindly given us. And may those without ears but wishing them be given such, so as to grasp the sense of these truths, as well as to hear when he, the (Holy) Spirit and his Bride say to YOU:
“Come! Take LIFE’s (Christ’s) ‘water’… the holy spirit of God, the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies, which ‘water’ is HIS blood, breath, and seed… which imparts LIFE to those who receive it… and is poured out from the innermost parts OF that Son and Word and King, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah)… to ANY who are wishing and thirsting… FREE!”
Servant to the Household of God, Israel, and all those who go with… and a slave of Christ, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit,
SA
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