The Seed and the Serpent

The symbolism that Jehovah employed when issuing the original Edenic prophecy regarding the serpent bruising the heel of the seed of the woman and the seed of the woman crushing the head of the serpent, would seem to be more fitting than is casually apparent.

On the one hand, Jehovah’s Witnesses have an appreciation of the paramount matter of Jehovah’s as-of-yet unresolved universal sovereignty, and the related issue regarding the faithfulness and integrity of all intelligent creation.

Jesus was, of course, the foremost witness of Jehovah and the grand champion of God’s rightful sovereignty. Having left the comfort and security of his lofty position next to God, Jesus willing exposed himself to the serpent Tempter; ultimately submitting himself to an unimaginably horrible, torturous death, in order to fully submit to Jehovah’s will; hence, the serpent bruised the seed upon the heel.

But Jehovah’s Witnesses are here behooved to consider the serpent bruising analogy in practical terms: Imagine yourself walking through a patch of tall grass and suddenly feeling a searing sting on your lower leg. Looking down you instantly realize you have been bitten by a venomous snake. A person’s instinctual reaction might be to stomp on the snake’s head and make sure it was crushed dead – so that it might not strike again. (Merely stomping upon the reptile’s body would more than likely result in another snakebite.)

But now it has been almost two thousand years since Jesus was wounded by the Devil, and even though back then Christ proclaimed that he beheld Satan already falling like a bolt of lightening from heaven, the resurrected Christ still has not crushed Satan.

The primary reason God has kept Satan in existence to this point – even these many centuries after Christ conclusively settled the aforementioned issues – is because God has willed that others, for whom Jesus died and subsequently purchased, might share with him in the kingdom. It has been God’s good pleasure that a select number of men and women of faith from the Christian era might be joined with Christ in a special union; that these might even share the glorious, immortal life that Jesus now possesses.  Those who are called into this special relationship are said to belong to Christ and to compose the symbolic body of Christ – he being the head of the body.

Those chosen ones will also share with Jesus Christ in crushing the serpent, even as Paul promised the holy ones in Rome, writing to them: “For his part, the God who gives peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.”

Quite likely some, perhaps even many in Rome during Paul’s time, met with an untimely, violent death in the gladiatorial coliseum, and elsewhere, because of their faith in Christ. How might God crush Satan under their feet, seeing that they are no longer living? By means of the resurrection, when all of the holy ones join their Lord in heaven and are then empowered to destroy the Devil and his entire kingdom.

The foretold enmity between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman will ultimately culminate in an all-out war during the end phase – during the conclusion of the system of things. That is, because, those who are anointed by God’s spirit and who are in union with Christ are also recognized by God as his seed. So it is, when Satan is hurled down from heaven Revelation 12:17 states: “And the dragon grew wrathful at the woman, and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her seed, who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.”

“The remaining ones of her seed” refers to those chosen ones who are alive when the parousia begins. Having lost the war in heaven the enraged demons will engulf the world in turmoil and tyranny in order to wage war upon those who belong to Christ and Jehovah.

Towards the close of the first century the last surviving apostle warned the brothers that it was the “last hour” and that the antichrist was coming. It was the “last hour” of the calling in the apostolic era, because, as Jesus and the apostles foretold, wicked men and imposters completely infiltrated the congregations and took control. Eventually the antichrist became manifest when the Roman emperor established himself as the head of the “church.” For centuries Christendom prevented the Bible from being read or translated and it simply killed anyone who dared to speak the truth in any measure.

But that has all changed with the work of the Watchtower Society.

Although many of the clergy of Christendom have bitterly opposed and fought against the work sponsored by the Watchtower Society, they have utterly failed to prevent God’s spirit from activating an army of ministers who are grouped around a core of persons who have been anointed by the spirit, who have endeavored to obey the commandments of God and who are bearing witness to Jesus on a scale never before seen.

But the opposition of the clergy and the political elements under their influence has not been the result of Satan having been hurled down. After all, the Jews viciously persecuted the first century Christians, but that was not the result of Satan and the demons being evicted from heaven.

How can it be said with certainty that the original serpent has not been hurled down yet and gone off to wage war upon the so-called “remaining ones”?

Well, as Jehovah’s Witnesses know, or should know, the Devil persecutes the “woman” for a period of a “time, times and half a time,” which we understand to be a cryptic way of saying three and a half times. At Revelation 12:6 the three and a half times are expressed simply as 1,260 days. However, in the 13^th chapter of Revelation the same period is expressed as forty-two months.

Whereas, in the 12^th chapter Satan is personally said to wage war against the anointed remnant for the said interval, the 13^th chapter of Revelation depicts the seven-headed beast that recovers from its head wound waging war against the holy ones. Obviously, Satan uses his enraged beast to wage war against the sons of God.

The 11^th chapter of Revelation similarly depicts a beast waging war against God’s two anointed witnesses. The beast is said to come up out of the abyss. And after the two anointed witnesses finish their witnessing, the beast will kill them. The 17^th chapter of Revelation similarly describes a seven-headed beast that emerges from the abyss of death. However, according to the Watchtower it is a different beast. But is it reasonable to suppose that there are two different seven-headed beasts that come up out of a symbolic abyss?

It may hurt the feelings of Watchtower loyalists, but the truth is: The Watchtower’s interpretation of Revelation is absurd and nonsensical. To be sure, there are many absurdities, but specifically, it is absurd for the simple reason that the beast’s emergence from the abyss will initiate judgment day upon the world of mankind. The terrified masses that accept the rule of the resurrected beast, and thus reject the then-ruling kingdom of Christ, will have their names blotted out of the book of life.

But according to the Watchtower Society the Anglo-American head of the beast suffered a mortal wound in the First World War, then it revived and another beast came on the scene in the form of the League of Nations. But that beast supposedly went into the abyss and later emerged as the United Nations in 1945.

But if that is true that means that masses of people have already received the mark of the beast and have been condemned to everlasting death for supporting the UN in some fashion. And the Watchtower actually teaches that that is so. But if the masses of mankind have already been everlastingly condemned why do Jehovah’s Witnesses still preach the good news of salvation to them? And why is it possible for any who have been active supporters of the present political system to become Jehovah’s Witnesses? After all, the mark of the beast is not like a tattoo that a person can have removed. It is the symbolic mark that signifies that a person cannot by any means avoid the punishment of everlasting death.

Sadly, Jehovah’s Witnesses are prevented from realizing the contradictions of their own belief in this regard. Although most of Jehovah’s Witnesses are surely capable of rationally thinking through these matters, they are subtly coerced by the leadership into imagining they are being disloyal to God and may even be threatened with punitive judicial action if they question anything the organization teaches; and so, they are duty-bound to believe the artfully contrived false stories and various absurdities published by Bethel that are passed off as “food at the proper time.” No doubt, though, Jehovah’s Witnesses derive a sense of security in their all believing the same thing, even if it is nonsensical!

(The paradox of how the Watchtower can practice this sort of tyranny and publish nonsensical interpretations of prophecy and still be Jehovah’s organization is the focus of numerous articles on this site)

But surely, no clear-thinking person believes that Christ would have his slaves publish the good news of salvation to a world that has no hope of receiving salvation!

This is why it can be said with certainty that Satan has not been hurled down yet, because, as stated above, when that occurs it will commence the judgment of the world.

The significance of this cannot be underestimated.

Presently the world stands on the precipice of disaster. Better yet, call it the precipice of an abyss. The Anglo-American beast seems intent on setting off world war. The whole political and economic system can easily collapse. Then what?

In that eventuality, it will become apparent to many of Jehovah’s Witnesses that the Watchtower has misled them as regards the whole 1914 matter. Concurrent with that realization will come a wave of persecution Jehovah’s Witnesses have never before experienced. It will confirm that Satan has come down in great anger and is waging war on the sons of the kingdom. In that tumultuous period (three and a half years) the faithful will deliver a final judgment message to the world.

Ultimately, Satan will succeed - silencing them in death. Because they are the brothers of Christ the treatment meted out to them will be as though it was done to Jesus himself. In that respect, the same serpent that caused Jesus’ death will bruise the seed of God. This time, though, the instantaneously resurrected remaining ones of her seed will join Christ, who will then crush the serpent’s earthly seed out of existence and incarcerate the serpent and his demons for a thousand years.

THE STRONG CITY OF SALVATION

A continuation of the Isaiah series (chapter 26)

“Is it really so that God has said you must not eat from every tree of the garden?”

With that seemingly innocuous question the father of the lie – the original manslayer – slyly implied that mankind’s Creator was untrustworthy. Ever since then the slanderer has heaped up a mountain of lies to cause mankind to distrust God.

However, on the very day the Devil tricked Eve into tempting her husbandly head into disobeying God, Jehovah announced his far-reaching purpose to provide a forthcoming seed of the woman who would be bruised in the heel and ultimately crush the skull of the serpent.

In furtherance of that purpose God organized the nation of Israel, which ultimately produced the promised messianic seed. The tribe of Judah was specifically selected for that privilege.

With the appearance of Jesus, “the lion of the tribe of Judah,” the first aspect of the edenic prophecy was fulfilled when Satan maneuvered to have Jesus executed. Jesus’ trust in God was tested to the limit when he submitted himself to the torturous death the original serpent inflicted upon him. But his trust was not misplaced. As promised, God resurrected Jesus from the grave. Hence, the wound the serpent had inflicted upon Jesus proved to be temporary – as if a mere bruise upon his heel.

But it is also God’s will that the seed of the woman be composed of many others besides Christ – ultimately, 144,000 others, to be exact. These are to share with Christ – ruling the world with him in a heavenly, city-like kingdom. But these must also be tested as to whether or not they will trust Jehovah the same as their Lord.

In the first century Christians were put to the test in numerous ways. Perhaps the biggest test of faith for the Jewish Christians was that they would eventually be required to part ways with the Jewish religious system, even physically leaving the holy city of Jerusalem in obedience to Jesus’ command.

Paul’s letter to the Hebrews explained that the Jewish system of worship had accomplished its purpose in producing the Messiah and had consequently become obsolete and was due to be phased out of existence. In reference to the city of Jerusalem, which was not only the center of worship for all Jews, but it was also the unofficial headquarters for the apostles too, Paul reminded his spiritual brothers: “We do not have here a city that continues.”

In that same letter to the Hebrews Paul explained that Abraham was awaiting the city with a real foundation, the builder and maker of which is God. It is, then, in reference to that heavenly city that Isaiah wrote: “In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: ‘We have a strong city. He sets salvation itself for walls and rampart. Open the gates, you men, that the righteous nation that is keeping faithful conduct may enter. The inclination that is well supported you will safeguard in continuous peace, because it is in you that one is made to trust. Trust in Jehovah, you people, for all times, for in Jah Jehovah is the Rock of times indefinite.'”

Just as Paul wrote concerning Christians not having a city here on earth that continues, should we not expect the same is true today? That would certainly be reasonable. However, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been led to believe that the Watchtower Society itself is the earthly embodiment of the “strong city” that provides salvation for the righteous.

Granted, their commentary is scant and vague, no doubt intentionally so, but the intended suggestion ought to be evident. Here is the Society’s brief commentary on the verse above, as expressed in the first Isaiah volume on page 276:

“While these words no doubt had a fulfillment in ancient times, they also have a clear fulfillment today. Jehovah’s “righteous nation,” spiritual Israel, is endowed with a strong, citylike organization. What a cause for rejoicing, for song!”

On the one hand the inspired apostle clearly states that Christians do not have any permanent, earthly, citylike organization. The Watchtower Society, on the other hand, claims that it is a “strong, citylike organization.”

As if anticipating the Watchtower’s fraudulent claim of being the strong city of salvation, Isaiah goes on, as if speaking for anointing Christians living now: “O Jehovah our God, other masters besides you have acted as owners of us. By you only shall we make mention of your name.”

In the first century the Jewish rulers acted as owners of God’s anointed sons. For example, the Sanhedrin ordered the apostles to stop preaching about Christ. A few centuries later the Roman emperor, Constantine, inserted himself as the decider of Christian doctrine. For centuries afterwards any who dared to teach the truth were subject to execution by the clergy. But even as Russell and the original Bible Students ostensibly broke free from the Empire’s control over Christendom, the Watchtower Society itself now acts like the owner of God’s people – increasingly so. For example, every person baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses now must declare in their sacred baptismal vows that they belong to “Jehovah’s spirit-directed organization.”

As an article of faith, upon pain of ostracism and disfellowshipping, every one of Jehovah’s Witnesses must accept the Watchtower’s 1914 hoax and the related fraud that Christ judged the house of God in 1918 and that the faithful slave has already been rewarded with his second appointment over all the master’s belongings.

How does Jehovah intend to deal with this situation? Isaiah continues: “O Jehovah, during distress they have turned their attention to you; they have poured out a whisper of prayer when they had your disciplining.”

As highlighted throughout the book of Isaiah and all the prophets, including Christ, the coming tribulation will destroy that Watchtower Society. Certainly, the future advent of Christ will discredit it beyond repair. The collapse of the claimed strong city of salvation will result in severe disciplining for all of Jehovah’s Witnesses whose faith survives the destruction of the earthly organization. Never again will they attribute salvation to anyone or anything but Jah, Jehovah.

To further demonstrate the great deception the Watchtower has perpetrated against Jehovah and against Jehovah’s Witnesses, as commentary on the verse above Bethel states:

“In the modern fulfillment, a remnant of chastened spiritual Israel was set free from Babylon the Great and restored to Jehovah’s service in 1919. Revitalized, anointed Christians threw themselves into their preaching work.”

Interestingly, like a magician skilled in the art of slight-of-hand, in their supposed verse-by-verse commentary on Isaiah, the Watchtower omits quoting or explaining the following verses of the 26^th chapter of Isaiah: “Just as a pregnant woman draws near to giving birth, has labor pains, cries out in her birth pangs, so we have become because of you, O Jehovah. We have become pregnant, we have had labor pains; as it were, we have given birth to wind. No real salvation do we accomplish as regards the land, and no inhabitants for the productive land proceed to fall in birth.”

Again, speaking for those who belong to Jehovah during the time of distress (great tribulation), Isaiah confesses that although they had expected to give birth to salvation in themselves, they prove to be powerless – completely helpless.

Surely, in their ardent belief that the Watchtower Society is the strong city of salvation, Jehovah’s Witnesses will eventually be faced with the discomforting reality that “Jehovah’s spirit-directed organization” has served its purpose and has become obsolete and will ultimately be discarded by God. Only those who whole-heartedly trust God will inherit the salvation only he can provide.

To be sure, the city of salvation is no earthly institution. It is the heavenly Jerusalem – the very kingdom of God.

The Parousia and the Day of Jehovah

QUESTION: Is there a difference between the "day of Jehovah" and "the Lord's day"? 

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 states: “However, brothers, respecting the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we request of you not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be excited either through an inspired expression or through a verbal message or through a letter as though from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.”

It seems they are the same here. What do you think about that?

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ANSWER: Yes, they are basically the same. There are numerous expressions that all refer to the same period. The Lord’s day, the presence of the Lord, the day of the Lord, the day of Jehovah, Jehovah’s day, and similar expressions.

To illustrate further, the phrase “Jehovah himself has become king” is a common expression used in the Psalms and elsewhere. But how does Jehovah himself become king? His kingship will be fully expressed through the kingdom of Christ. So, when Jesus begins ruling in his kingdom, and particularly when he completely conquers his enemies, then Jehovah may be said to have become king.

For a certainty, the day of Jehovah is an extended period of time – just not a century-long, multigenerational era as Jehovah’s Witnesses presently imagine. But to be sure, it begins with Christ’s heavenly coronation. That is when the kingdom comes to power. And the Lord’s day begins with a quite a bang! Immediately war erupts in Jehovah’s heaven between Christ (Michael the archangel) and Satan. The Devil and his demon angels are destined to lose and be cast down to the earth, at which point they will commence a violent campaign against Christ’s brothers on earth. The day of Jehovah culminates with the destruction of organized religion, the war of Armageddon and the imprisonment of Satan and the demons.

Now consider Joel 2:30-31, which states: “And I will give portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun itself will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah.”

On the day that Christianity was instituted – occasioned by the pouring out of the anointing spirit ten days after Christ had ascended back to heaven – the apostle Peter was inspired to quote the second chapter of Joel and apply it to the phenomenal events that had transpired. And, of course, the context of the verse he quoted had to do with the outpouring of God’s spirit upon his sons and daughters and menservants and maidservants.

The tongues of fire that hovered over the heads of the just-anointed 120 disciples gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem was certainly a portent of fire. Some 50 days prior to that Pentecost outpouring Jesus poured out his life blood on the day of the full moon and as he hung dying upon the stake the mid-day sky turned into darkness – perhaps as during an eclipse. And when Jesus exhaled his last breath a great earthquake rocked Jerusalem and the massive curtain in the temple sanctuary was supernaturally ripped apart.

Those could all be considered portents on the earth, blood and fire and darkness. But that particular prophecy of Joel indicates that those phenomena are a precursor to the fear-inspiring day of Jehovah – occurring before the coming of the great day. In the first century the destruction of Jerusalem was the day of Jehovah.

Although Jesus did not quote directly from Joel he apparently alluded to the prophecy at Matthew 24: 29, when he said: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

Jesus went on to say: “And then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in lamentation, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send forth his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity.”

Although it remains to be seen exactly how the prophecies will unfold in the future, the day of Jehovah will culminate when the sign of Christ appears in heaven with power and great glory – filling the peoples of the world with a sickening dread of the impending judgment upon them.

However, while Joel foretold that the darkening of the sun and moon occur before the great day of Jehovah, Amos indicates that the bleak period of darkness is part of the day of Jehovah. This is especially relevant for Jehovah’s Witnesses today.

Consider the verse cited by the questioner above. Paul linked the parousia and the day of Jehovah in warning the brothers not to be quickly shaken from their reason or to be unduly excited over official sounding, inspired expressions heralding that the parousia had begun and that the day of Jehovah is here.

Undeniably, the Watchtower Society has been doing that very thing for over a century. In fact, it is the only source in the world that proclaims the very message Paul exhorted anointed Christians to be on guard against!

Teaching with apostolic-like authority, the Watchtower Society has convinced millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses that the judgment of the house of God took place back during the First World War and that Jesus has already judged between the faithful and unfaithful slaves. The organization is believed to be a virtual spiritual paradise filled with Jehovah’s clean people. Over and over and over again, the Watchtower proclaims that virtually all prophecy has already been fulfilled.

For the past half-century Jehovah’s Witnesses have been expecting the United Nations to suddenly destroy organized religion throughout the world as the next event to fulfill prophecy before Armageddon. They expect to be passive bystanders to the execution of God’s judgment upon the wicked. Who can deny that Jehovah’s Witnesses are eagerly awaiting this event?

Now consider Amos 5:18-21: “Woe to those who are craving the day of Jehovah! What, then, will the day of Jehovah mean to you people? It will be darkness, and no light, just as when a man flees because of the lion, and the bear actually meets him; and as when he went into the house and supported his hand against the wall, and the serpent bit him. Will not the day of Jehovah be darkness, and not light; and will it not have gloom, and not brightness? I have hated, I have rejected your festivals, and I shall not enjoy the smell of your solemn assemblies.”

Because Jehovah’s Witnesses imagine that they are enlightened on these matters and are fully convinced that the parousia began in 1914, the actual parousia and day of Jehovah will prove to be a day of confusion and darkness. The days for the Society to glorify itself at conventions and assemblies will end!

Zephaniah prophesied similarly, foretelling: “The great day of Jehovah is near. It is near, and there is a hurrying of it very much. The sound of the day of Jehovah is bitter. There a mighty man is letting out a cry. That day is a day of fury, a day of distress and of anguish, a day of storm and of desolation, a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick gloom, a day of horn and of alarm signal, against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers. And I will cause distress to mankind, and they will certainly walk like blind men; because it is against Jehovah that they have sinned. And their blood will actually be poured out like dust, and their bowels like the dung. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s fury; but by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be devoured, because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.”

The world presently stands at the brink of an unimaginable catastrophe. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not have the slightest inkling that the parousia and the day of Jehovah are about to begin, with all that that entails, and that the authentic sign of his presence will soon become manifest in nuclear war, famine, pestilence and great earthquakes that far exceed the horrors of the calamitous 20^th century.

Other questions from readers appear on the Mail Bag page

DANIEL AND THE PAROUSIA

After having gone into mourning for three weeks in response to experiencing the jarring vision of the climatic great military service between the two rival kings, Daniel had an astounding experience of the utmost relevance for Jehovah’s Witnesses today. As the aged prophet walked on the bank of the Tigris River with some companions, he suddenly was confronted with a supernatural sight.

Daniel relates the extraterrestrial encounter this way: “I also proceeded to raise my eyes and see, and here was a certain man clothed in linen, with his hips girded with gold of Uphaz. And his body was like chrysolite, and his face like the appearance of lightning, and his eyes like fiery torches, and his arms and the place of his feet were like the sight of burnished copper, and the sound of his words was like the sound of a crowd. And I saw, I Daniel by myself, the appearance; but as for the men that happened to be with me, they did not see the appearance. However, there was a great trembling that fell upon them, so that they went running away in hiding themselves. And I—I was left remaining by myself, so that I saw this great appearance. And there was left remaining in me no power, and my own dignity became changed upon me to ruination, and I retained no power. And I began hearing the sound of his words; and while I was hearing the sound of his words, I myself also happened to be fast asleep upon my face, with my face to the earth.

Prior to this great appearance Daniel had a similar encounter with the angel Gabriel, which also left the prophet in a trembling, lifeless heap on the ground. But apparently, the second appearance was even more overwhelming than the first.

It is important to note at this point that messengers of God, angels, do not typically manifest themselves to earthlings in this manner. Since the time Adam and Eve were evicted from Eden angels have occasionally made themselves visible to humans in various ways. For example, on that sad occasion when our original parents were escorted out of paradise, Jehovah posted a visible angel at the entrance to Eden with a perpetually revolving, flaming sword – no doubt a terrifying sight for any man who might have been tempted to sneak into the Garden to steal fruit from the Tree of Life.

After the Flood angels appeared to Abraham on numerous occasions, in less threatening manifestations – always in the form of ordinary men. Abraham even had a meal prepared for three incarnate angels.

The point is: Abraham was not knocked off his feet and terrified by their appearance.  It also demonstrates that angels can interact visibly with humans and appear completely human themselves. So, what is the significance of Daniel seeing this “great appearance”? Was the angel just intent on over-aweing Daniel?

First, Daniel’s description of the appearance and his reaction to it is very similar to the experience of the enraptured apostle John, when he received the Revelation from the glorified Lord Jesus. John also became as a dead man at the feet of Christ. And as with Daniel, John only recovered from his terror-stricken state when Jesus laid his hand upon him and encouraged him. Other similarities worthy of note: Both men were at the end of their natural life at the time of their “rapture.” Also, both the prophet and the apostle were captives to empires that make up the composite, political beast; both of which had already crushed and trampled upon Jerusalem at the time the prophets had their encounters.

As for John, as the last surviving apostle it was as though John survived unto the day of the Lord as a human – ironically, as the excited rumor about him intimated. (See John 21)

In view of the fact that over the course of his serving as a prophet while a captive in Babylon and later Persia, Daniel revealed much concerning the coming kingdom of the one whom he referred to as the Prince of princes, it was fitting that the prophet should personally participate in a dramatic encounter with a representation of the great prince himself – a transfiguration of sorts – which, serves as a prophetic foregleam of the ultimate, glorious manifestation of Jesus Christ to the chosen ones during the parousia.

It is noteworthy that the men accompanying Daniel did not visually see the appearance, yet they were overcome with terror, sensing that they were in the proximity of something awesome and terrible. Consequently, they fled and hid themselves – leaving Daniel by himself in the presence of the “great appearance.”

Centuries later the murderous Pharisee named Saul had a life-changing, close encounter with the glorified Lord Jesus. His experience was similar to that of Daniel. In the case of Saul he was knocked off his feet by a brilliant flash of light and consequently blinded for three days; whereas, the men that were with him heard the voice of the Lord, but did not see the lightening-like flash.

Now, consider more closely Daniel’s experience. After the initial shock the prophet relates what happened next: “And, look! there was a hand that touched me, and it gradually stirred me up to get upon my knees and the palms of my hands. And he proceeded to say to me: ‘O Daniel, you very desirable man, have understanding in the words that I am speaking to you, and stand up where you were standing, for now I have been sent to you.’ And when he spoke with me this word, I did stand up, shivering. And he went on to say to me: ‘Do not be afraid, O Daniel, for from the first day that you gave your heart to understanding and humbling yourself before your God your words have been heard, and I myself have come because of your words.’”

Apparently, when Daniel first saw the appearance it was from some distance – not necessarily far off, but perhaps not within touch. But then the appearance approached Daniel and touched him and spoke reassuringly to him. In other words, the “great appearance” ministered to Daniel.

This aspect of the encounter typifies the parousia. How so? In the 12^th chapter of Luke Jesus assured his little flock that his Father had approved of giving them the kingdom, the kingdom about which Daniel prophesied in connection with the holy ones. In that context, though, Christ sternly warned his disciples to stay on the watch for his thief-like return, saying to them: “Happy are those slaves whom the master on arriving finds watching! Truly I say to you, He will gird himself and make them recline at the table and will come alongside and minister to them.”

As Jehovah’s Witnesses know, the Greek word parousia, consistently translated as “presence” in the New World Translation, literally means ‘a coming alongside’ – particularly, the visitation of a royal personage. This coming alongside and ministering is what was enacted in Daniel’s encounter.

Why did the angel describe Daniel as a “very desirable man”? It was because Daniel symbolizes the chosen ones during the parousia – of whom Jesus said, ‘their angels in heaven always behold the face of my Father.’ In other words, they are precious in the eyes of God because by his great love he has adopted them as his very own sons in company with his dearly beloved, Only-begotten Son.

It is especially noteworthy that once the angel had come alongside Daniel and ministered to him, uplifting him, then the angel stated his purpose in coming. It was in order to make Daniel discern the future. However, Daniel could not possibly understand how the visions he recorded for us would be fulfilled in reality. In fact, after the angel had finished relating the vision of the kings of the north and south, in the 12^th chapter Daniel confessed that he could not understand, to which the angel responded that the book was sealed up until the time of the end.

So, Daniel merely prefigures the holy ones who will ultimately understand all the sacred secrets at the revelation of Christ – not through mere Bible study, but by becoming “eyewitnesses of his magnificence” – as the apostle Peter said he had been in connection with the Transfiguration, which, of course, was a foregleam of the actual parousia. And not coincidently, in the 13^th chapter of Matthew Jesus said that during the conclusion (“time of the end”) ‘the chosen ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.’

(For additional reading on the visible presence of Christ see following articles: The Visible Presence of Christ, The Visible Parousia of Christ, and The Parousia.)

Please remember that in the Transfiguration Peter said that Jesus’ “face shone as the sun.” Likewise, John, who also witnessed the Transfiguration, said in Revelation that his “countenance was as the sun.” Daniel similarly described his appearance as lightening. Obviously, if the chosen ones are to shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of Jehovah then they too must take on a glorious nature. This is exactly what John was foretelling when he wrote at I John 3:2: “Beloved ones, now we are children of God, but as yet it has not been made manifest what we shall be. We do know that whenever he is made manifest we shall be like him, because we shall see him just as he is.”

The sacred secret is: Peter and John, along with Daniel, saw visions of the manifestation of Christ to the children of God. At the point at which Christ becomes visibly manifest to them, they then become as he is, which is the meaning of the chosen ones shining as brightly as the sun. By that means, the sons of God will then be revealed to expectant creation.

Their shining as brightly as the sun will be in stark contrast to the bleak condition of the world during the tribulation, when the sun, moon and stars will appear to have been snuffed out.

(For certain, such symbolisms betokens the collapse of the present system. However, perhaps the prophecies will be fulfilled in a more literal way too, such as by means of high altitude EMP blasts that knock out the electric grid, literally eliminating all artificial lighting; or, the heavenly luminaries may even literally be partially obscured by great billowing plumes of toxic debris blown heavenward by multiple thermonuclear blasts around the world.)

But it is at that time that the presence of Christ will be as the lightening, which flashes from one end of the sky to the other. What Jesus was saying is: the chosen ones would not need to be gathered to a specific location in order to see Christ. He will manifest himself to each one individually, no matter where they are on earth; just as a great flash of lightening lights up a vast swath of sky, so that the flash is visible to many no matter where they are on the earth. And although all people on earth will feel the awesome tremble of the Lord’s presence, causing them to become faint with fright, like the case of the companions of both Daniel and Saul, they will not personally see Jesus, as will the chosen ones.

Up to this point Jehovah’s Witnesses have been laboring under a massive hoax foisted upon them by Satan’s man of lawlessness – the hoax of an invisible parousia. This, of course, is the “operation of error” that Jehovah allows to go forth to those who otherwise know the truth.

During the initial phase of the conclusion of the system of things the Watchtower Society will be discredited and ultimately collapse. After all, the Watchtower has repeatedly assured Jehovah’s Witnesses that the only prophecies that have not been fulfilled yet have to do with the destruction of Babylon the Great. Thus, Jehovah’s Witnesses are completely oblivious to the present reality that the world is teetering on the edge of an abyss and all that is needed is the slightest spark to set off a global conflagration.

Just as Daniel was captive in Persia when he confessed his sins and the sins of his people, and as a result the angel appeared to him to enlighten and strengthen him; so too, Jehovah’s Witnesses are certain to be humbled, and many stumbled, but after the shakeout the true sons of God will confess their sins (among other things, the sin of preaching a phony parousia for over a century – including the 1874 fraud), and be forgiven. At which point Christ will come alongside them to minister to them.

The 11^th chapter of Revelation speaks to this very situation. First, the holy city and the temple are given to the nations to trample upon for forty-two months. (The appointed times of the nations) Then, the two witnesses (symbolized by Moses and Elijah who appeared in the Transfiguration conversing with Christ) will finish the work of Christ in symbolic sackcloth after they will have seen his manifestation, at which point they will be killed by the beast – as Daniel figuratively was when he was thrown into the lion’s den.

The preaching work of the two witnesses parallels what Daniel foretold as regards the disturbing reports that will spook the king of the north into a genocidal rage. Those “reports” no doubt will be the various reports that Christ has appeared to certain ones.

No doubt, too, the present organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses will experience a great, destiny-determining schism, with many choosing to cling to their cherished “operation of error,” while the true sons of God are revealed to the faithful – who then will cling to the figurative skirt of the spiritual Jew in company with Christ. This is what is to befall Daniel's people during the time of the end. (See previous article)

During a time of great tyranny and confusion the unfaithful Watchtower loyalists will then betray into death many who will have accepted Christ’s visible presence – even as Jesus foretold: “Moreover, you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death; and you will be objects of hatred by all people because of my name.”

"And There Was a Great Military Service"

Since the emergence of America from British colonialism the progenitors of the aristocratic, imperial system, have intended to crush the emerging republican system of sovereign nations.

They have so far been only marginally successful.

In truth, both world wars of the past century were fomented to pit nations against one another in order to prevent their mutual cooperation and development. The same oligarchy that serves as Satan’s earthly throne is relentlessly pushing for one more world war. (King Edward VII – Evil Demiurge of the Triple Entente and WWI and Roosevelt Verses British Colonialism)

(The prophecies of Daniel depict the feet of the image as an unworkable fusion of iron and clay, symbolizing the oddly matched empire and republican systems manifested in the Anglo-America dyad today.  Also, the empire that descended from Rome is appropriately symbolized as an unusually ferocious beast that crushes and tramples everything.)

In the aftermath of the collapse of the colossal Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the end of London’s Cold War scheme to pit the victorious allies of WWII against each other, the drones of the Empress of London embarked on a bold plan for total world domination. But first the imperialists must gain control of the US political and military establishment to accomplish their plot, which has been an ongoing conspiracy for many years. From all appearances that scheme is now virtually complete. London even has access to the US nuclear trigger.

The terror attack on New York City and Washington D.C. more than a decade ago merely served as a convenient pretext to unleash the American and NATO dogs of war in the Middle East and South Asia. Since then the US has established hundreds of military bases around the world, particularly in South Asia. The purpose is, of course, logistical; to have forward areas and erect missile shields in order to prosecute war on the entirety of Asia – the grand strategy being the encirclement of the ultimate targets, Russia and China. Those nations know what is coming and are also busily preparing for a nuclear showdown.

As the latest evidence to prove the so-called war on terror is a complete hoax intended to enlist the masses of American flag-wavers into a suicidal global conflagration, it is now in open view that the supposed enemy of Western civilization – al Qaeda – is working in cooperation with the West in order to topple Syria. Al Qaeda has also been an instrument of the Empire in subverting Libya into civil war. Whereas, the recently enacted NDAA allows the military to arrest and indefinitely detain any American who is deemed to be cooperating with the enemies of the US, such as al Qaeda, it is the leaders themselves who are openly allied with their London-invented enemy. But, really, what else should we expect from a world remotely ruled by the Satan the Devil and his cadre of demons?

Fortuitously, these recent developments also allow students of prophecy to gain some insight into how it is that the king fierce in countenance will ultimately throw truth to the earth and how the king of the north will cause deception to succeed when he brings the world to ruin.

Presently, the Empire is successfully using its time-tested technique of divide and conquer upon the nations slated for destruction, but with London’s global monetary system on a short fuse to instantaneous disintegration, time is fast running out. The frantic bailouts of Lord Rothschild’s Inter Alpha Group of banks in Europe – only thinly disguised as bailouts of Ireland, Greece, etc. – are just desperate stopgap measures to forestall the inevitable collapse for a few more months. At some point, soon, the preserver of the Roman Empire must launch total war, or else it will forever lose the capability to do so and will be eclipsed by the rapidly emerging powers of Asia. The stage is now set for the final war between the nations.

“THERE WAS A MATTER REVEALED TO DANIEL”

After Babylon was overthrown Daniel remained in the service of the king of Persia, and the aged prophet received another vision of things to come. The account at Daniel 10:1 reads: “In the third year of Cyrus the king of Persia there was a matter revealed to Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the matter was true, and there was a great military service. And he understood the matter, and he had understanding in the thing seen.”

As a result of the profound vision Daniel experienced he went into mourning and fasted for three full weeks. What was the matter that was revealed to him? Instead of the somewhat ambiguous phrase “a great military service,” some translations simply say “a great war.” Rephrased in that light then, what war did Daniel envision that caused him such distress? Was it the war of the great day of God the Almighty at the place called in Hebrew, Har–Magedon? No. That was not what the prophet envisioned.

In view of the fact that an angelic emissary appeared to Daniel after his 21-day period of mourning and then revealed to him the entire matter of truth beginning with the development of the rival kings of the north and south after the demise of Alexander the Great, all the way down to the yet-to-commence time of the end and the subjugation of the American king of the south, it is apparent that the matter concerning “a great military service” is what we moderns will soon recognize as World War Three.

Although the Watchtower Society has convinced Jehovah’s Witnesses that the sign of Jesus’ parousia was fulfilled nearly a century ago with the outbreak of the First World War and the horrific Spanish Influenza outbreak, obviously there is nothing that prevents nation from rising against nation and kingdoms against kingdoms on a much grander scale in the future.

But the purpose of the matter being made known to Daniel was not intended merely to reveal history before it happens. The reason this reliable matter of truth was made known to the prophet was stated by the angel himself: ^“And I have come to cause you to discern what will befall your people in the final part of the days, because it is a vision yet for the days to come.” – Daniel 10:14

The point being made is this: If war is what will befall Daniel’s people, then that war cannot be the war that Jehovah God the Almighty will ultimately wage against the kings of the earth. The great war that was revealed to Daniel immediately precedes the war of Armageddon.

As regards the time period “the final part of the days,” it is the same interval known as “the time of the end” and the “conclusion of the system of things,” as the New World Translation words it. (Article: When is the Final Part of the Days?)

And according to the angel who went on to relate the history of the struggle between the kings of the north and south, “in the time of the end” the two kings will become engaged in a decisive “pushing” resulting in the king of the north launching a massive offensive, flooding over many lands, including “the land of the Decoration,” and ultimately subjecting the king of the south, referred to as “Egypt” in verses 42 and 43. (More: King of the North.)

Up to this point Jehovah’s Witnesses still imagine that the American king of the south will be on hand when Michael stands up. But any literate person ought to discern that the prophecy reveals that a singular king, the king of the north, goes all the way to the end. But because the Watchtower says otherwise, that delusion underscores the truth-bending power of suggestion employed by the Watchtower, because after the subjugation of Egypt there is no further mention of the king of the south, only the king of the north. Read it for yourself. It is a singular king who becomes disturbed and launches a massive genocidal assault upon humanity. It is a singular king who comes all the way to his end with no helper to save him from Michael. The implication is, that, the USA is destined to be broken up and subjected to a tyrant.

But what is to befall Daniel’s people during “the final part of the days”?

First, though, who are Daniel’s people? At the time the prophet was alive Daniel’s people were, of course, the Israelites. Does that mean the modern nation of Israel is Daniel’s people today, or more to the point – are the Jews still God’s people? No, they are not. God’s special relationship with Israel ended with the death of Jesus, which validated a new covenant – the new covenant is with Jews and non-Jews alike who were/are brought into union with Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul wrote quite extensively to prove logically and scripturally that the Jewish system had served its purpose and had become obsolete. The destruction of Jerusalem and Herod’s temple in 70CE really placed an exclamation mark at the end of the sentence declaring the end of the old covenant.

Contrary to the Zionism delusion worked upon masses of misled evangelicals and fundamentalists in modern times, the establishment of the modern state of Israel has nothing whatsoever to do with the fulfillment of so-called restoration prophecies. Since the inauguration of the new covenant all the prophecies related to “Israel” have been transferred to the Christian “Israel of God,” as Paul called it.

To further establish who Daniel’s people are during the time of the end, Daniel 12:3 states: “And the ones having insight will shine like the brightness of the expanse; and those who are bringing the many to righteousness, like the stars to time indefinite, even forever.”

Jesus used a very similar expression recorded at Matthew 13:23, where he said: “At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him that has ears listen.”

The “righteous ones” are those who will ultimately be declared by God to be righteous due to the mediation of Christ. Their shining as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of God means they will have been approved and sealed with God’s unequivocal approval. And, that phenomenon is to occur during the harvest, which Jesus said was a conclusion of a system of things. So, Daniel’s people are anointed Christians and people of faith who will be living during the time of the end – during the conclusion.

But, again, what will befall Daniel’s people? That topic will be discussed in a forthcoming article.

2012 & the Conclusion of a System of Things

The Maya calendar ends on December 21, 2012. Simultaneously, the sun will evidently align with the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The mysterious planet X – Nibiru – is expected to make an appearance too. The earth’s magnetic poles may suddenly shift, creating untold havoc and confusion (not so fantastic). And, of course, the 16^th century scribblings of the soothsayer, Nostradamus, are said to predict the upcoming apocalyptic events. Yes, 2012 is finally here and Doomsday fever is running high!

Some Islamic imams are expecting the Muslim messiah, Mahdi, to appear in 2012. The more imaginative of the sci-fi brainwashed masses are anticipating an invasion by saucer-flying extraterrestrials any day now. Not to be left off the 2012 bandwagon, supposedly a Mormon president predicted that 2012 would be the beginning of seven years of famine. Evangelicals are excited over the near-term prospects of a nuclear Armageddon involving Israel serving as the trigger for their rapture. Perhaps even more bizarre and unrealistic, Jehovah’s Witnesses are in anticipation of the sudden destruction of false religion by the United Nations, which the Watchtower Society has led them to believe is the only aspect of apocalyptic prophecy yet to be fulfilled.

This is not to suggest that there are not cosmic forces astir, such as galactic and solar activity, along with a corresponding increase in tectonic and volcanic phenomenon. But Mayan hieroglyphics and galactic cycles, subterranean rumblings, nebulous planets and UFO lunacy, the ambiguous prognostications of soothsayers, evangelical fantasies and Watchtower-induced delusions, simply detract from the fact that the global system of things has reached a critical point of self-inflicted collapse.

Jesus referred to this now-onrolling development as the conclusion of a system of things, also known as “the time of the end” or “the end of the age.” At no time in history have the nations been part of a global system – that is, until now. And consequently, never before has it been possible for an entire system to come to a point of conclusion.

The present civilization has become a complex matrix of myriads of interdependent political and financial institutions and societal organizations, which comprise a global system of things. Because of the process known as globalization, more than ever the continued existence of all of mankind depends upon the mutual cooperation of the managers of the system. Therein lies the problem. While the continuation of civilization depends upon cooperation, the underlying spirit of the world is competitive. Cooperation and competition are antithetical.

To illustrate, in recent years many regulations designed to restrain unbridled greed and speculation within the financial system were dissolved. As a consequence an orgy of speculation ensued. In 2008 several large Wall Street investment banks collapsed. At the time their collapse was said to pose a systemic risk. What does that mean? Systemic risk means that the failure of one comparatively small institution can bring down the entire intertwined global economic and financial system.

Look at what is happening in Europe. If the Euro crashes, or more truthfully - when the Euro crashes, it will cause the whole money system to suddenly seize up. It will result in check clearing coming to a screeching halt. Cash points will shut down. Credit card transactions will become impossible. Can your family survive and function without the ability to access or exchange money?

Make no mistake about it, the fear of systemic collapse is what is driving panic-stricken political leaders to pull every lever within their reach, in a vain attempt to prolong a financial system that was obviously, deliberately, designed to implode. It is the certainty of the London/Wall Street money system’s demise that is driving the Anglo-American leaders to relentlessly push the world to the brink of a nuclear cataclysm.

The underlying dynamic of the 2012 hysteria is that people feel overwhelmed by forces that they cannot control or understand. What people fail to grasp, though, is that there are malevolent, unseen entities that wield a powerful influence over the world. Society is merely experiencing the effect without knowing the actual cause.

Jesus shed light upon the dark power influencing mankind when he revealed that a creature called Satan, the Devil, is the invisible ruler of the world. The significance of the 2012 hysteria is that one of the most outstanding features of Christ’s prophecy of the conclusion has to do with the great deception that will be at work then. Jesus forewarned that the deception would be so pervasive that even the chosen ones could be taken in, if that were possible.

Jesus also revealed that Satan is a liar and a manslayer. Paul even called Satan the god of this system. Think about it: a powerful deity, who is a masterful liar and a mass murderer, actually governs the world! That certainly explains why the world is in such a mess and why people are so consistently misinformed and misled. It cannot be coincidental that more and more people are anticipating some big cosmic event at the very time the system is posed for financial collapse and global war.

But it gets worse. Although Satan and his cadre of wicked demons have ruled over man for thousands of years, and are no doubt content to go on for thousands more, God has something else in mind. Jehovah God intends to replace the demonic rulers of the earth with the kingdom of his beloved Christ. That is the good news. The bad news is that when the kingdom initially comes to power an all-out war is certain to erupt between Christ and the Devil. And the really bad news is that earth will ultimately become the final battleground for a war between the gods, at the place called Armageddon. 

The official book of the Apocalypse describes the opening phase of the war:

"'And war broke out in heaven: Michael [Christ] and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God! And they conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their witnessing, and they did not love their souls even in the face of death. On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.'"

Please notice in the text above that the war in heaven is the result of the kingdom coming to power and the exercise of authority on the part of Christ. The Watchtower has convinced Jehovah’s Witnesses that this monumental event has already taken place, supposedly back in 1914. But ask yourself, have the brothers of Christ really been confronted with death? Has the remnant conquered the enraged Devil by being faithful in the face of violent death – as the above text implies?

Furthermore, the prophecies indicate that the Devil will be permitted to wage war against the holy ones and conquer and kill them during a period of three and one half years – “a short period of time.” The Watchtower claims this prophetic period has already passed. If that is true, are we to suppose that Satan’s rage has mellowed in the century since he and his demon angels were supposedly cast down?

And if Christ’s kingdom began ruling in 1914, how may it truthfully be said the system has entered into a concluding phase? None of Jehovah’s Witnesses can provide an intelligent response to questions such as these. (See Back Page: 30 Questions for the Watchtower.)

To be sure, the "woe for the earth and sea" will be something this war-torn planet has never before experienced, far more terrible than World War One. The Devil certainly has empowered men to exterminate themselves and he fully intends to take his world hostage when Christ moves against him. Do you understand now why Jesus said that unless God intervened no flesh would survive? And are we to continue to imagine that all these things have already come about?

As if in response to the challenge posed to their parousia phantasm by e-watchman over the years, the March 15, 2012, Watchtower Magazine had the following comment:

Some people might think that the threat of nuclear war could lead to events that fulfill “the sign.” However, most do not understand the sign’s real significance. It has been visible for decades now, which fact indicates that Christ’s presence is a reality and that the end of this system of things is rapidly approaching. Never before have so many features of the sign been so clearly evident.

The leadership of the Watchtower is apparently finding it more and more difficult to keep the truth from the rank and file. Obviously, a nuclear war does not at all factor into the expectations Bethel has cultivated among millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses and others. But the reality on the ground is such that a world war involving the nuclear powers is becoming more likely by the day.

It seems the prophecies have, in fact, foretold such an eventuality. For example, the blood and fire and columns of smoke foretold in Joel are in reference to the fireball and mushroom cloud – the ominous signature of a nuclear blast.

The Watchtower is simply lying when it implies that the sign of Christ has been on full display for decades. They surely know it is not true. In truth, there are many aspects of the sign of the conclusion that are not in evidence, the details of which have been presented in numerous articles on this site. Over the years Bethel has reluctantly admitted as much. For instance, the Watchtower Society used to teach that Jesus’ words regarding men becoming faint with fear in dread of the things coming upon the world was already undergoing fulfillment. But more recently saner heads have prevailed and now Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that that is not the case. (Needless to say people will faint with fright when nuclear weapons are exploded.)

But the point is, Jesus said "when you see all these things," yet the Watchtower acknowledges that we have not seen all the things Christ foretold, even after nearly a century since the conclusion is believed to have commenced. There are many other examples that could be cited. Nonetheless, in spite of these many revisions and retractions, the leaders of the Watchtower dishonestly continue to insist that the sign is in full display – implying that no future developments can more convincingly fulfill the prophecies. Ironically, not only are the nations on the brink of world war, but food reserves are perilously low, with prices driven up by speculators. Pandemics are an increasing possibility, and earthquakes are becoming more powerful. Get it?

Amazingly, true to the prophecy in the 13^th chapter of Ezekiel - regarding the stupid prophets in the midst of God’s people - the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses are continually compelled to keep splashing coat after coat of whitewash on their shoddy organizational wall. Appropriately, their whitewashed wall is certain to be demolished by the oncoming blast of Jehovah's expressed anger. (See article: Bethel Plasters on Another Coat of Whitewash.)

While no one knows the day or hour that the judgment will commence, certainly 2012 is shaping up to be an eventful year – to say the least.

Many Will Be Stumbled & Betray One Another

At Matthew 24:6 is recorded Jesus’ words of warning to his disciples: “You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars; see that you are not terrified. For these things must take place, but the end is not yet.”

Next Christ foretold: “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.”

Are we to believe that the “beginning pangs of distress” span generations, only to give way to a prolonged period of relative peace, and that the generation who heard the original reports of wars passes away long before all things are fulfilled? As strange as it may seem that is exactly what Jehovah’s Witnesses now believe.

But since wars and reports of wars precede the big war in which nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Christ’s prophecy regarding nation warring against nation was fulfilled in 1914-18, Jesus’ words regarding the “wars and reports of wars” that precede all-out war have no relevance whatsoever for Jehovah’s Witnesses today. For that matter, neither does the aspect of nation rising against nation. It is all dead history of fulfilled prophecy to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Meanwhile, reports are hitting the net that the nations are feverishly preparing for global war. Since 2001 the United States and its NATO allies have used the phony war on terror as a pretext to invade Afghanistan and Iraq and more recently conducted bombing campaigns on Libya, for humanitarian purposes. All during the past decade the US has been quietly building hundreds more military bases and outposts around the world, while developing more and more sophisticated weaponry.

Next on the list of targeted nations is Syria and Iran. But Syria and Iran are heavily armed and have strong ties with both China and Russia. Any attack, especially on Iran, will likely draw Russia and China into the conflict, leading to a theater of war involving virtually all the world’s nuclear powers.

Over the past few weeks preparation for war has greatly intensified. (Check daily updated news items on left-hand column.) At this moment the US is redeploying a nuclear aircraft carrier battle group from the Persian Gulf region to Syrian waters, while Russia has just dispatched two huge battleships to the Syrian port of Tartus. Israel and the tiny UAE have recently been supplied with so-called bunker-busters – massive earth-penetrating ordinance designed to destroy bunkers and caves deep underground. The entire region is now a proverbial powder keg just waiting for the spark. (No one knows the day or hour.)

The Watchtower has assured Jehovah’s Witnesses that there will be no third world war – that the sign of the conclusion of the system of things cannot possibly display itself more convincingly in the future. But over the years the Watchtower Society has surreptitiously revised numerous aspects of the manifestation of the sign, assigning them a future fulfillment – this after almost a century since Christ supposedly arrived as a thief in the night. For example, Jesus foretold that men would become faint out of fear in dread of the things coming upon the world. For decades Jehovah’s Witnesses were told that this aspect of prophecy was in full display in the world. Now, though, the Watchtower has unceremoniously shifted its fulfillment to the future.

The Watchtower also used to teach that the disgusting thing was already standing where it had ought not to stand. But that aspect of the sign has also been shifted to the future as well. This means that no one on earth has seen all the things occur that Jesus foretold. But did not Jesus say, “When you see all these things know that I am near at the doors”? By the Watchtower’s own admission we have not seen all these things. And since no one alive today personally experienced the First World War, the reality is that the sign of the end is not yet manifested to us in any respect.

But that can change very, very quickly.

The question all of Jehovah’s Witnesses ought to consider is this: How will I react if the world is suddenly plunged into world war and if food shortages become commonplace in affluent nations due to hyperinflation or outright economic collapse?

Concurrent with that, what if there is another killer virus like the Spanish Flu, perhaps even a pestilence intentionally unleashed in biological warfare? Will you accept those events as the authentic sign of Christ standing at the door and act accordingly, even if the Watchtower does not approve such a view?

But in the event that the horsemen of the Apocalypse are loosed in the near future what credibility could the Watchtower Society possibly have then anyway? After all, they are God’s appointed faithful and discreet slave and watchman class. How could they possibly be so wrong so as to mislead millions of trusting sheep on something as important as the return of Jesus Christ? What will happen to the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses when they are squarely faced with the fact that their cherished 1914 parousia is nothing more than an artfully contrived false story – a mere operation of error? What then?

After foretelling the beginning pangs of distress Jesus went on to say: “Then people will deliver you up to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be objects of hatred by all the nations on account of my name. Then, also, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another.”

In that context Jesus also foretold that false prophets will arise and mislead many. The world is thoroughly blinded by Satan and always has been, so what is the point of further misleading the misled? Satan intends to mislead the chosen ones, which, as Jesus indicated, the deceptive machinations could conceivably deceive even them, adding: "if that were possible." What could possibly deceive the chosen ones? The only possibilty of their being overreached by Satan is by means of their trusted Watchtower.

The irony is, the Watchtower has long been accused of being a false prophet due to its many unrealized expectations. But during the authentic parousia the stakes will be raised considerably. At that time Jehovah's Witnesses will be subjected to numerous false prophets, likely in the form of the Watchtower and perhaps splinter groups, who will be intent on preventing Christians from following the real Christ.

It is indisputable that the Watchtower Society dominates the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Witnesses affectionately refer to the organization as “mother.” It is inevitable, then, that masses of Jehovah’s Witnesses are going to be stumbled when their mother is disgraced and silenced – even as the prophet has written: “And you will certainly stumble in the daytime, and even a prophet must stumble with you, as at night. And I will put your mother to silence. My people will certainly be silenced, because there is no knowledge.” – Hosea 4:5-6

Those who are mere followers of men, especially prominent elders who boast of being ‘Society men,’ will have their faith shaken to the core. Those who break with the Society, in whatever form it will exist then, in order to follow Christ, will be persecuted and hated by their former brothers. Under conditions of martial law will you have the courage to keep preaching, even without the support materials provided by the Watchtower? Will you have the faith to go it alone, even under the threat of being interned in a Halliburton concentration camp? The true chosen ones will be branded as members of a dangerous cult. Did not Jesus also forewarn that family members would hand over their own relatives to have them put to death. This, too, is part of the sign and certain to be fulfilled among families of Jehovah’s Witnesses and ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses.

While such an outcome may seem highly implausible at the moment, the world can change literally overnight. As the nations now stand at the brink of nuclear war and global financial collapse, it behooves all of Jehovah’s Witnesses to seriously consider the grim and unpleasant scenario I have presented as a reality we all will soon face.

The King of the North (revisited)

Revised from Jan, 2010“And in the time of the end the king of the south will engage with him in a pushing, and against him the king of the north will storm with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships; and he will certainly enter into the lands and flood over and pass through.” 

For longtime readers of e-watchman you know the king of the north is a topic I have frequently visited. In light of recent world developments it seems timely to make a return visit.  

It has now been almost a century since 1914. And according to the Watchtower Society that is when the king of the north and the king of the south engaged in a “pushing.” The king of the north at that time is thought to have been Germany and the king of the south was the Anglo-American duo. After the defeat of Germany by the Allies in 1945 the USSR is believed to have become the king of the north and the foretold flooding over into the lands is thought to have been fulfilled by communist expansion throughout Eastern Europe. But for the past 20 years the USSR has not existed and all the lands that had supposedly been flooded over have become independent and come out from under Russian domination.  (The Watchtower also teaches that the "pushing" between the two rivals continued on into the Cold War era.)

The collapse of that entity previously identified as the king of the north has been a great humiliation for the Watchtower Society. For the most part the Society says very little in regards to this aspect of prophecy now.  In Bethel’s last commentary on the book of Daniel (1999) they were forced to admit they do not know who the king of the north is now and they have advised Jehovah’s Witnesses not to speculate on the matter, even though the Watchtower’s commentary itself is mere speculation. 

So here we are “deep into the time of the end,” as Jehovah’s Witnesses are fond of saying, when the prophecy of Daniel is supposed to be unsealed for the holy ones, and yet by their own admission the spokesmen for Jehovah’s Witnesses have no idea who the king of the north is at this present time.  But if the book of Daniel has been unsealed already, why the cluelessness on the part of those who claim to have been given insight? And if the prophecy has not been unsealed yet (as is apparent) that means the time of the end is not begun. 

There are other aspects of the Watchtower’s interpretation that do not line up with reality (such as the absurd notion that the United States, symbolized as Egypt in the prophecy, did not escape from the Soviet Union during the Cold War.)

Also, the prophecy states that the king of the north will be successful all the way until the end of the denunciation, and yet each political entity that the Watchtower has identified with the king of the north has failed, spectacularly; and as stated already, now the Watchtower does not even have a pony in the race.  It is probably best. 

The primary reason the Watchtower has no insight in these matters is that they are laboring under the same cloud of deception as the world in general. The reason they have failed so miserably in presenting a workable interpretation of prophecy is because they have based their interpretations on a faulty understanding of recent history.   No doubt the leadership of the Watchtower have succumbed to the popular myth that the British Empire no longer exists or that it is irrelevant.  And for that reason they are unable to put together the prophetic pieces of the puzzle.  

In reality the British Empire is very much alive. Its power is expressed through the IMF/floating exchange rate monetary and financial system headquartered in London. The British Empire is the king of the north, and as such, London has successfully dominated the world for the past two centuries.  The primary way in which the British Empire has dominated the nations is by preventing them from developing; by inducing developing nations into indebtedness and forcing them to devalue their currencies while the original debts incurred are required to be paid back at the original exchange rates; by forcing upon them nation-strangling IMF conditionalites; by pitting nations, religions and ethnic groups against one another so that they destroy themselves in war and civil war; by recruiting and training terrorists and deploying them throughout the world to create destabilization, in what has been called a “strategy of tension”; by corrupting and subverting nations politically so that they are ineffective in promoting their own national interests. This brings us to the “pushing” in the time of the end. 

As most people are aware, the global financial system nearly collapsed in 2008. The system has been kept propped up by massive injections of taxpayer money into the banking system and other backroom chicanery. It is a temporary fix however. In the meanwhile some of the most populous and resource-rich nations in the world are making moves to align themselves in mutual cooperation. This development has enormous strategic implications. A massive power shift is in play and it has the potential to break London’s stranglehold over the planet.  It appears as if the final pushing has already or will soon begin.

Although America has been subverted into taking over as the enforcer of Anglo-imperialism, the republican impulse is still strong. If the United States is allowed to join the developing new Pacific alliance of nations, it would be an historic game changer. Time is running out for the Empire. At this point it seems the only way that the alliance may be thwarted is by detonating World War III.

A Great War and End of a System

The clock is ticking. Time is definitely running out for the present system. Even persons who have no knowledge of prophecy realize that things cannot continue on as they are much longer. As a reflection of that, a "prepper" movement has emerged in recent years, as people prepare for the inevitable chaos ahead.

But as regards prophecy, most translations translate the Greek word syntelia using expressions such as the “end of the age,” or the “end of the world.” The New World Translation uses the expression the “conclusion of the system of things.”

While I am no Greek scholar and only have a passing interest in the nuts of bolts of translation, likely from a translator’s standpoint all of the English renderings of syntelia are acceptable; however, it appears as if the NWT is more appropriate in view of the fact we now stand at the brink of the end of the imperial system that has dominated the earth for over 2,000 years.

Never before in history has it been possible for a system to be imposed globally – just as the present computerized financial system – thus making it possible for an entire world system to abruptly conclude as well. This is a fairly big deal.

Of interest to students of prophecy, the prophecy of Daniel harmonizes with accepted history in indicating that the present imperial system began with Alexander the Great’s conquest of Persia. For example, the 8^th chapter of Daniel begins with the hairy he goat with a great horn vanquishing the ram. But the great horn is broken and replaced by four – symbolizing Alexander defeating Persia and then his sudden death and the break up of the empire into four. The long-running prophecy of the king of the north and the king of the south also commences with the breakup of Alexander’s empire. It is noteworthy that both prophecies conclude during the “time of the end” (Translated using “syntelia” in the LXX) as a single, world-conquering king is himself conquered by Jehovah’s reigning prince.

For the 23 centuries since Alexander world power has resided in various forms in Europe – first in Greece, then in Rome and Byzantium, and more recently in the form of the British Empire, which is expressed today as a global monetary, financial empire. It is that empire over money that has reached the end of its ability to exist in its present state. The convulsions now rocking the financial system is the death rattle of a dying empire.

As an indication that London’s global empire is doomed, the IMF recently declared the end of American economic dominance and the China would soon supplant the US as the leading economic power.  (In reality, the dollar’s place as the world’s reserve currency is actually the doing of London rather than Washington, due to their control of the FOREX and petrol dollar arrangement.)

According to prophecy, though, the last king springs from the same source from where power has presided since Greece. That means China will not supplant the Anglo-America power. But how can it possibly be prevented since it is quite obvious that the Anglo-America system is going down while China and Asia are ascending? The answer is war.

The lords of London and their agents in the US and client states, such as Israel and Saudi Arabia, are moving rapidly to detonate a nuclear conflagration in the Middle East and Asia with the intent of sinking the already doomed financial system and imposing a global dictatorship – stripping all nations of the last vestiges of sovereignty and republicanism, even as debtor nations such as Greece have already become mere colonies of the bankers.

In the opening verses of the 10^th chapter of Daniel the prophet had a vision of a great war. “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, even a great warfare: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.” – American Standard Version

That vision prepared Daniel to receive the information conveyed by a visiting angel regarding the world destruction wrought by the king of the north. To be certain, the flooding over all nations by the king of the north and the subjugation of the king of the south will be brought about by the “great warfare” Daniel envisioned.

At the present moment the Anglo-America duo are indeed preparing for a great war. Without doubt, once unleashed will prove to be the most destructive war in history.

POST SCRIPT

As all of Jehovah's Witnesses know, the Scriptures foretell that whenever it is that they are saying "peace and security" then they are visited with sudden destruction. While the Watchtower has led Jehovah's Witnesses to believe that the sudden destruction will be wrought by God at Armageddon, that is not reasonable since the great tribulation will precede the final war. It is not likely that anyone will be talking about peace and security during the world's worst time of trouble. Besides, Paul said that Jehovah's day was coming as a thief in the night. Christ said he was also coming as a thief in the night. More reasonably, then, the talk of peace and security will immediately precede the great war, which will also be the genuine sign of Christ's thief-like arrival and the beginning of the conclusion of the system. It would seem then, that, although, the financial system is on its last leg and there is a definite build up towards nuclear war, the last piece of the puzzle is yet to fall into place.

All the more reason to keep watching, keep looking, as Jesus exhorted.

JEHOVAH

The name of God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and consequently the God of Israel, was represented in written form by the four Hebrew consonants YHWH. Probably the first appearance in writing of the so-called Tetragrammaton took place when God carved out the two stone tablets upon which he wrote the Ten Commandments for the Israelites. There, chiseled in stone by the very finger of God, the name of God appeared eight times.

Over the course of 15 centuries as the Bible was compiled by various writers, ultimately the name of God appeared in the vellum and papyrus scrolls in nearly 7,000 places – more than any other proper name. Originally the name of God was freely spoken by the Jews and used in everyday language. Hebrews often named their offspring names that incorporated some form of the divine name. For example, the common name, John, is a shortened form of the Hebrew name, Jehohanan, which means “Jehovah has been gracious.”

Places were also named names that honored God’s name. For example, when God prevented Abraham from offering Isaac upon a makeshift altar and instead provided a ram as a substitute, a grateful Abraham named the mountain Jehovah-Jireh, which means “Jehovah will provide.” Incidentally, Jewish tradition has it that the place Abraham named Jehovah-Jireh was the site where Solomon’s temple was built almost 1,000 years later, and which became known as the place where Jehovah caused his name to reside.

Tragically, their leaders led the Jews into idolatry and apostasy and the name of God was consequently defiled. To clear his holy name of reproach God foretold that he would cause Jerusalem and Solomon’s temple to be utterly destroyed and the Jews would be killed off and the survivors led off in chains to far-way Babylon. History verifies that God made good on his word.

Apparently, some time after the repentant Jews were repatriated to their homeland a superstition developed that forbid the Jews from speaking God’s name aloud for fear they would dishonor it. Consequently, because the name fell into disuse the exact vowels that were inserted when the name was read aloud has been lost. Nevertheless, when Jesus Christ triumphantly rode into Jerusalem on a donkey colt the 118^th Psalm (verse 26) was fulfilled when the crowds lining the road with their outer garments and waving palm branches hailed Jesus as the One coming in the name of Jehovah. A few days later Jesus stated in prayer that he had made God’s name known and that he would continue to do so.

In view of the fact that Jesus was executed the next day his campaign to make the name of God known must of necessity continue from the heavens, where Christ now resides as the immortal king of God’s kingdom. Indeed, after Christ ascended to heaven, from where he has ever since directed the work of dedicated Christians, the apostle Peter explained how the Hebrew prophecy recorded at Amos 9:12 was fulfilled by means of non-Jewish followers of Christ from all the nations having the name of Jehovah called upon them. Quoting from Amos at Acts 15:18 Peter went on to say that Jehovah was “known from of old.” Although Jesus existed from the beginning of the creation by God he was not known from of old among men. But Jehovah was known from antiquity.

Still, even though Peter applied the prophecy to the 1^st century the record states that it was by divine providence that the followers of Christ would be known foremost as Christians. But just as Peter had also applied a portion of the prophecy of Joel to the Pentecost phenomenon some years earlier, the truth is, both Joel and Amos are most applicable to the final judgment at the second coming of Christ.

In the ensuing centuries since Christianity was instituted the truth has been completely subverted. Just as the kings and priests misled the Jews, so too, the Christian leaders followed the same path of apostasy, paganism and idolatry. And just as the Jews refused to pronounce God’s name, those who hijacked Christianity went even further – first removing God’s name  from copies of the Greek, and centuries later when Bibles were mass produced they, for the most part, expunged God’s name from the Bible entirely. (The name Jehovah appeared in the original King James Version in four places, however, in the latest revision has removed the name completely.)

(Most common English translations that retain “Jehovah” are the Darby translation and the New American Standard, as well as New World Translation.)

But since the vowels originally associated with YHWH cannot be definitively ascertained, why do the few English translations and Jehovah’s Witnesses use the spelling of “Jehovah”?

Supposedly, about a thousand years ago, almost half millennia before the first Bible would appear in English, and before modern English was even developed, a priest coined the word by combining the vowels from the Hebrew word for God with the Tetragrammaton. That may or may not be true, in any case however, the name Jehovah most certainly is known from of old even in English. What is most certainly true, though, is that even if the precise vowels used in connection with YHWH were known God’s name would not be pronounced and spelled in English the same way it would be in Hebrew. The fact is, all proper Hebrew names are spelled and pronounced differently depending upon the language. However, the spelling and pronunciation of Jehovah is in keeping with the way dozens of other Hebrew names have been translated into English. (See YouTube video – YHWH Chalk Talk) Perhaps it was by divine providence that the name Jehovah has become the most widely used and recognized rendering of God’s personal name.

According to the word of God everyone who calls upon his name will be saved and Paul assured Christians that God does not forget those who have loved his name. That means that God recognizes those who use some form of his name. Not only that, but all the nations will eventually be made to know his name is Jehovah.

So, while people may quibble and quarrel over spelling and pronunciation, and others unwittingly continue to promote the silly notion that God’s name should not be pronounced by their insistence on using the unpronounceable YHWH, the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses has made the personal name of God known in an acceptable and pronouncable form throughout the earth in hundreds of languages (Presently, the Watchtower Society produces literature in 429 languages), making it possible for persons of faith to call upon the name of God.

Be that as it may, because Jehovah’s Witnesses are exclusively associated with the name Jehovah, the Bearer of that name will hold Jehovah’s Witnesses accountable – particularly the leadership. Just as the Jews defiled God’s name and brought reproach upon it, the Watchtower Society has also brought considerable reproach upon the very name they have promoted.

In brief, in God’s judgment Jehovah’s Witnesses practice a form of idolatry due to the excessive praise lavished upon the organization as the all-seeing prophet of Jehovah. And indeed, the leaders promote it. And the Society’s 1914 invisible parousia is merely an artfully contrived false story perpetuated in the name of Jehovah. For these and many other reasons already presented on this website, Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves will be made to know that he is Jehovah – the One showing exclusive devotion to his own name.

At some point during the tribulation the faithful who survive the coming purge and collapse of the Watchtower Society will pray the prayer of the exiled prophet, Daniel, who prayed these words: “Incline your ear, O my God, and hear. Do open your eyes and see our desolated conditions and the city that has been called by your name; for not according to our righteous acts are we letting our entreaties fall before you, but according to your many mercies. O Jehovah, do hear. O Jehovah, do forgive. O Jehovah, do pay attention and act. Do not delay, for your own sake, O my God, for your own name has been called upon your city and upon your people.” – Daniel 9:18-19