~Taken from Crossing Euphrates Discussion Board~

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Spike-

Good question, about the book being free.

No question we, at the YORWW Congregation, all agree God's Word should be made free for all to read and benefit from without cost. No question at all about that!

© 1994 - 2025  Donald C. Burney

However we do note, for those who wish to JOIN our discussion boards as participating members (See Guideline #1 on our YORWW Academy Rules Page), or those individuals who wish to personally own our special message in BOOK FORM -- specifically for those people, there will be a nominal cost involved in receiving the book, which leads to the following question,

SHOULDN'T THE BOOK BE MADE FREE FOR ALL WITHOUT COST?

Some have wondered, if the book should be given away for free to all who wish to have a copy of it. Perhaps, you have wondered about such an arrangement. If so, we do need to be reminded the book "The Report" obviously has to be printed as you know, which means the printer has to be paid for services. Also in addition to printing the book, there is the cost of shipping of the book to many parts of the earth, so that worthy individuals can next, receive the book. So there is a nominal cost factor involved. -- ***See Footnote below.

On the matter of cost, in God's Word we are provided a very good example by King David. Righteous David, indeed, set for us a fine example, a divine principle if you will, that we can follow, as regards our worship to Jehovah. It is found in 1 Chronicles 21:24. He once made a most insightful comment to Ornan, a man who wanted to donate the sacrifice items (cattle & wheat) for David, to use in his offering to Jehovah. David's response to Ornan's generous offer was,

"No, but without fail I shall make the purchase for the money in full, because I shall not CARRY WHAT IS YOURS TO JEHOVAH to offer up burnt sacrifices without cost."

We see above, King David didn't want to "carry what is yours" or what belonged to Ornan, and attempt to give this to Jehovah as a gift offering coming from himself. That would be hypocritical. Yes, David knew he should PAY FOR HIS OWN GIFT OFFERING to Jehovah. In other words, David knew he should assume the actual "cost" of the sacrifice that he would voluntarily offer to Jehovah. That way, Jehovah would be most pleased with this being a true gift offering from David himself, and not from Ornan. So David PAID Ornan for the sacrifice items, that he was going to present to Jehovah, as he knew this would be most pleasing to Jehovah. -- See 1 Chronicles 21:25, 26.

So then, we think Jehovah's Name People should all feel the same as King David above. All Jehovah's loyal servants should not have a problem with the nominal cost of the book, and be most willing to purchase it for themselves. They should not expect someone to give them a FREE book, which would mean someone else would have to assume the cost and PURCHASE THE BOOK FOR THEM. This would be wrong.

Paul counseled first century christians at Galatians 6:5:

"For each one will CARRY HIS OWN LOAD."

Yes, each one must carry his own "load" of responsibility before Jehovah. That's each, dedicated baptized Jehovah's witness himself. So when a baptized Jehovah's witness requests a FREE book from the YORWW Congregation, we feel they are in effect asking someone else (like some member of the YORWW Congregation) to assume the full cost of the book, a printed book, then have it shipped to them, ALL FOR FREE, with no cost at all being incurred upon themselves. No, someone other than themselves, must assume the actual "cost" FOR THEM...how hypocritical!

DIDN'T JESUS MAKE DIVINE TRUTH OR "LIVING WATERS" AVAILABLE TO ALL HE ENCOUNTERED?

Actually no, he did not. And this is probably shocking to most novices of bible study actually. Instead, Jesus pointed out to his disciples upon a number of occasions that there would be times which it would NOT be appropriate to share the Divine Message of Truth (or "Living Waters") with certain individuals of God's Name People, particularly those who DO NOT show adequate appreciation for God's Sacred Word.

For example, Matthew 7:6 records Jesus as saying:

"Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine, that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open."

In the above verse, Jesus likens many Israelites he encountered to filthy "swine" and loathsome "dogs" from a spiritual perspective. In all such cases, Jesus advised his disciples to NOT share the Divine Message with all such unworthy ones since they lacked true appreciation for what was being provided to them. That point is crystal-clear.

Also Jesus advised his disciples of one simple truth. He made them come to appreciate, the message they carried was a SACRED message. It was called, the "Sacred Secrets of the Kingdom." And concerning such a special message from God, Jesus said to his worthy disciples:

"In reply he said: To you it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those people it is NOT granted." -- Matthew 13:11

Jesus pointed out to his disciples that it was God's Will, Jehovah's Will, that many from the nation of Israel NOT understand the "Sacred Secrets" that originated with God. And why? Again, because they did not show the proper appreciation for such a sacred message being presented in their midst. Therefore, Jesus was given special permission from Jehovah to even "hide" this message from these vile, worthless Israelites by way of speaking all things in "PARABLES" or "ILLUSTRATIONS."

Indeed Jesus did say to his disciples,

"This is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations, because, looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, neither do they get the sense of it; and toward them the prophecy of Isaiah is having fulfillment, which says, By hearing, you will hear but by no means get the sense of it; and, looking, you will look but by no means see [or understand]." -- Matthew 13:13, 14

YOU MEAN JESUS ACTUALLY WANTED TO KEEP GOD'S SACRED SECRET ...

… SECRET FROM HIS OWN PEOPLE???

Yes, that is precisely what we mean.

Of course, some will question this viewpoint, and demand real "biblical justification" for the YORWW Congregation taking such an attitude about keeping God's Sacred Secrets, hidden as it were from God's Own Name People. Let's consider the following.

Isn't it true Jesus said at Matthew 13:34, 35:

All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds by illustrations. Indeed, without an illustration he would not speak to them; that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet who said: "I will open my mouth with illustrations, I will publish things hidden since the founding." (Matthew 13:34-35)

Now, if we carefully analyze the above verse, isn't Jesus deliberately cloaking God's Sacred Message, to keep God's people from understanding it, by the skillful use of ILLUSTRATIONS? Illustrations that he positively knew, the people would NOT understand? Isn't this true?

Let's look at the exact same verse again, but this time from Mark's inspired account. It states:

. . .And he proceeded to say to them: "To YOU the sacred secret of the kingdom of God has been given, BUT TO THOSE OUTSIDE all things occur in illustrations, in order that, though looking, they may look and yet not see, and, though hearing, they may hear and yet not get the sense of it, nor ever turn back and forgiveness be given them." (Mark 4:11-12)

Did you happen to notice, Jesus referred to the people not in his company of disciples, as being OUTSIDE...yes, OUTSIDE his special, elite group? Indeed, these disciples who did not follow Jesus at that time, were spoken of as being OUTSIDE, yes outside of Jesus' "intimate group" of followers. (Jeremiah 23:18, 22; Amos 3:7) And that's why, for all of those people who were outside of Jesus' intimate group, his words were always given to them in the form of illustrations...to yes, keep those ones from understanding God's Sacred Message.

Now, this may be a hard fact to accept, but it is true. This was Jesus' actual mode of operation in carrying God's Sacred Message, while he was on earth. Think about it.

So it was a very rare, special occasion when someone did understand Jesus' words, indeed. I'm sure you can understand that fact. No question, but this clearly explains why there were only 120 gathered at Pentecost, when we know Jesus fed thousands upon thousands miraculously, during his ministry.

Here is another point. Isn't it true, Jesus said:

What I tell YOU in the darkness, say in the light; and what YOU hear whispered, preach from the housetops. (Matthew 10:27)

Did you notice that BEFORE the divine message was to be "preached from the housetops," that it FIRST had to be "whispered" to his disciples? Did you notice that?

Yes, Jesus always taught his disciples in a peaceful quiet environment...where the sacred message could be...yes, "whispered." What do you think of that idea?

Let's compare that thought with a parallel account, where Jesus said to his disciples:

Wherefore what things you say IN THE DARKNESS will be heard in the light, and what you whisper IN PRIVATE ROOMS will be preached from the housetops. (Luke 12:3)

Accordingly, these scriptures show Jesus taught his disciples under the cloak of "a darkness" or in very "private" places.

Additionally, Jesus said:

In reply he said: "To YOU it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those people it is not granted. (Matthew 13:11)

This means, Jesus' message was a specialized message that did not go to everyone in Israel, only to select individuals. Which means, before a person could learn the Sacred Message from Jesus, this person had to be "called" by Jehovah God. Jehovah would have to "grant" understanding to this person. This means that Jehovah would have to first, select or choose this person for "true" understanding. This is where we get the expression chosen one, since each one is individually CHOSEN to learn this sacred message. Did you know this?

Let's notice this point when Jesus the following:

No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him; and I will resurrect him in the last day. (John 6:44)

No one can learn this TRUTH unless Jehovah, Himself is drawing this person to the message.

Of course today, we know we are in the early stages of this truth coming out. So it will not have mass appeal just yet. You might say, we are in the 'whispering' stage.

However, it is possible that today, Jehovah could be "drawing" us personally, to this Sacred Message. For example, you may have already have perceived the Chieftain to be an imperfect man that leads God's temple. (Ezekiel 44:3) This would mean, you can see this person would be a special messenger from God because Jehovah is giving him "bread." Which means he becomes Jehovah's channel of communication between mankind and God. The "chieftain" will lead all of God's Name People [Israel] to their GROUP anointing. -Joel 2:28-29

TEACH ONLY THOSE "...THAT THEY MAY FEEL HUMILIATED"

Indeed, today we realize the YORWW Family has bestowed upon them the awesome privilege and responsibility to carry the Sacred Secrets of the Kingdom of God, "living waters"


yes, for our day and time...just like Jesus and his disciples did during the first century. Therefore, we honor the provided instructions, principles and guidelines given us by our "Lord" and "Master", Jesus Christ, as shown above. We operate on the same principles as shown above.

In fact, bible prophecy shows us the exact attitude that one must possess, in order to receive the FULL, COMPLETE message of Divine Truth ("Living Waters") in our day. Yes, let's notice this fine point shown below,

"As for you, O son of man, inform the house of Israel about the House, THAT THEY MAY BE FEEL HUMILIATED because of their errors, and they must measure the pattern. And if they actually feel humiliated because of all that they have done, the ground plan of the House, and its arrangement and its exits and its entryways, and all its ground plans and all its specifications, and all its ground plans and all its laws do you make known to them and write before their eyes, in order they may observe all its ground plan and all its specification and may actually carry them out." -- Ezekiel 43:10, 11

Did you notice the point,

         "...if they actually feel humiliated because of all that they have done," then,

         ..."do you make known to them" the Divine, Sacred Instructions? Did you see this?

No question, bible prophecy makes clear how we are to handle this Divine, Sacred Message itself. We are under NO OBLIGATION to share this Divine, Sacred Message with any and all Jehovah's witnesses, members of God's Name People. No instead, the prophecy made quite clear we are NOT to fully explain this message to ALL, all people, but look for genuine repentance in attitude. We need to see if one is truly "humiliated" because of the great transgressions that have been committed by God's Name People, before we explain the Divine Message in its entirety. Thus, our situation as teachers of God's Word, must become just like Jesus, when he encountered the "Samaritan woman" at the well. We remember, yes Jesus indeed, tested the Samaritan woman's honesty did he not, before...before he gave her true, "living waters." -- See John 4:13-19.

And so it is the same with us, at YORWW today. We operate under the same principles as taught by Jesus in handling this Sacred Message among God's Name People of our times, Jehovah's witnesses.

Think about it.

 

Written By Donald C. Burney

 

 

 

***Footnote: The publication The "Report" [copyrighted 1994] was the first printed publication to mention the unusual posture of the Watchtower Society toward the United Nations Organization with the use of the September 8th, 1991 Awake! magazine. See The "Report" book expose' entitled: "A Change In Viewpoint Concerning The United Nations" pages 205-211.

In fact, that is why the YORWW Congregation has made available for all interested individuals on earth today, the ability to partake of this "free gift" of Divine Sacred Knowledge from God, absolutely free! Yes, absolutely free! No, it does not cost a person a single penny to read all of the written material found at the many blog pages created (complete with graphics) covering various topics of interest, all provided by the YORWW Congregation for your convenience. (See buttons below this article, for instance.) Indeed, we have placed all of this free information, yes, at your fingertips, so that any sincere bible student in our modern society on earth today, can fully absorb Divine Truth in these critical days. Hallelujah...We Praise Jah for His Mighty Educational Provision for all!!! -- See Isaiah 30:20; Isaiah 48:17; Isaiah 54:13.

Therefore we believe the above described situation, thus becomes the actual fulfillment of the Godly Promise for Earthly New Jerusalem and its steady flow of "living," "healing waters," toward all deserved ones, by saying at Revelation 22:17,

"Come! And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life's water free."

All of this means in all such cases shown above, a person can be completely broke, having no finances or money at all, and yet can come to any of our many blog pages and carefully study over the written materials provided by the YORWW Bible Academy and learn Divine Truth...yes, absolutely FREE, even without buying any book at all! And that's because anyone can freely read all of this provided material, within the privacy of his/her own home...without cost.

This being the case, the YORWW Congregation, yes as "NEW JERUSALEM" UPON EARTH (Matthew 6:10), firmly believes this present-day situation made available today, completely fulfills the clear, "prophetic" requirements set out in holy scripture about God's "Living Waters" of Divine Truth being made available for "free", "without cost," in our day and age. Praise Jah! -- Matthew 10:8; John 4:10; Revelation 21:1, 2