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The “Cup” That All Nations Must Drink at God’s HandThe Watchtower—1979 | September 15
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“Howl, you shepherds, and cry out!” says Jehovah through Jeremiah. “And wallow about, you majestic ones of the flock, because your days for slaughtering and for your scatterings have been fulfilled, and you must fall like a desirable vessel!
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The “Cup” That All Nations Must Drink at God’s HandThe Watchtower—1979 | September 15
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26. In that prophecy, who are the “shepherds” and the “majestic ones of the flock”?
26 Does that prophecy make us think of clergymen who have been called pastors or spiritual shepherds and of their church congregations who have been called “flocks”? Likely so, but Jehovah is not here addressing himself to the religious leaders of the nations. In the Hebrew Scriptures the governmental rulers are spoken of as shepherds and their peoples or subjects are called their flocks. So “the majestic ones of the flock” would be the princes or the royally favored ones of the national flock. This must be the case in Jeremiah 25:34-38, for where in the whole chapter is there any mention of priests and Levites? Those to whom Jeremiah is ordered to hand Jehovah’s “cup” are described as “kings,” “princes,” and “kingdoms.” (Jer. 25:18-26) The approaching world “calamity” and “tempest” will strike, not just the clergy and other religious leaders, but also, finally, the political governmental elements of this system of things.
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The “Cup” That All Nations Must Drink at God’s HandThe Watchtower—1979 | September 15
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28. For whom are the “shepherds” and the “majestic ones” more concerned, and how is their pasturage despoiled?
28 For mere selfish reasons those political “shepherds” and “majestic ones” will “howl,” yes, roll about on the ground. As the Sovereign Lord Jehovah calls them to account during the “great tribulation,” they will grimly realize that the day has come for them to be slaughtered and scattered. If there was a way of escape or a place of refuge to which to flee, they might not feel so disposed to “howl.” They do not care so much about what happens to the national “flock,” but are more concerned about being executed themselves. Their fat-paying jobs and high position must go! Their “pasturage,” the system of things by means of which they exploited their national flocks, gets despoiled, ruined.
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