It is a weighty thing to prophesy in the name of Jehovah – such as the Watchtower has done for over 100 years. The Scriptures contain numerous examples of those who prophesied falsely in God’s name and the tragic outcome that befell them for their error. Sadly, the Watchtower’s track record of false predictions and erroneous and preposterous interpretations over the past century is well documented here and elsewhere on the Internet. (See essay Woe to the Stupid Prophets)

Though we may have full confidence in Bible prophecy, the Watchtower’s past record of failure in interpreting prophecy should give thinking Jehovah’s Witnesses good reason to seriously consider Bethel’s prognostications for the future – especially our expectations regarding the sequence of events yet to unfold during the actual presence of Christ. That is so because the Society’s past failings may be easily dismissed and glossed over by Jehovah’s Witnesses, whereas our expectations for the future must inevitably encounter reality.

According to the Watchtower nearly all prophecy has already been fulfilled in the past 20th century. Jehovah’s Witnesses are merely waiting for God’s judgments to be executed against the iniquitous figurative city of Babylon the Great. The judgment of the harlot of Babylon is supposed to take place in the opening phase of the great tribulation. Here is a sampling of the Society’s vision of events yet to occur:

“The “great tribulation” begins when the political elements suddenly turn on “Babylon the Great.” (Wt 97 4/1)

“The destruction of false religion will mark the first phase of the coming great tribulation.” (Wt 98 10/15)

“Shortly, “crazed” members of the UN will be maneuvered by Jehovah to turn on false religion, as described at Revelation 17:16: “These will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.” This will mark the start of the great tribulation that is referred to at Matthew 24:21 and that will climax at Armageddon, the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” (Wt 97 5/1)

The keynote public address at the 2006 Deliverance at Hand District Conventions also reiterated the Society’s view that the great tribulation commences with the destruction of the world’s false religious system.

However, in spite of the Bethel’s cocksureness, there is no biblical support for the Watchtower’s assumptions regarding the events that mark the beginning of the tribulation. And, indeed, the Society offers none. The typically cited texts in the 17th and 18th chapters of Revelation do not support such a notion. Quite the contrary in fact; preliminary to the destruction of Babylon the Great, the 17th chapter of Revelation reveals that the political wild beast that the harlot rides must be killed first and then ascend from the abyss of non-existence.

Of course, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been led to believe that there are two different beasts that are killed separately and then emerge from the abyss (One during WWI and the other during WWII). Supposedly the scarlet-colored beast was originally the League of Nations, which went out of existence during the Second World War and returned from the abyss afterwards in the form of the United Nations. But alas, the Society’s interpretation cannot be true since the ascension of the wild beast initiates the hour of judgment for this world, and it is simply absurd to suppose that Jehovah has already everlastingly condemned the majority of mankind simply because they may have passively supported the United Nations. (See essay The Last Hour of the Eighth King)

Besides, the League of Nations was not recognized as a world government anyway – having no authority over the nations. Not only that, but the leading nation of the world at that time – the United States – was not even a member of the League of Nations. In reality the League’s passing was largely irrelevant. But unlike the demise of the League, the actual death of the beast-like political system must surely be a traumatic catastrophe for mankind – a time of great tribulation. It is ridiculous to imagine that the passing of such an ineffectual organization, such as the League of Nations was, should be depicted in the grand vision of Revelation as a snarling seven-headed beast that suddenly passes out of existence only to revive to become the eighth king of prophecy.

More than likely the political events and other developments of the past 20th century, which have so thoroughly convinced Jehovah’s Witnesses of the rightness of the Watchtower’s interpretations, are in reality the great signs and wonders Satan is permitted to perform in order to lend credibility to the mouthings of his man of lawlessness in order that those who do not accept the love of the truth might be judged. (See essay The Mystery of the Antichrist)

Perhaps more disconcerting than Bethel’s interpretive errors, though, is that when confronted with the glaring inadequacies of the Society’s prophetic teachings most of Jehovah’s Witnesses are inclined to simply shrug and say “so what”? Little do they realize that the Watchtower’s erroneous vision of the future stands as a massive potential stumbling block to all those who blindly trust the utterances of “Jehovah’s organization” and not Jehovah himself.

Tragically, Jehovah’s Witnesses are oblivious to the import of the most crucial aspect of Christ’s parousia; namely, the presence of false prophets and false Christs. For a fact, Jesus emphasized that feature of his presence more than anything else. For example, in response to his disciples question regarding his presence, the very first thing Jesus said was:  “Look out that nobody misleads you; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.”

Further on in Matthew’s account Jesus said: “And many false prophets will arise and mislead many…”

And again in the 23rd verse Jesus warned his disciples, saying: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones. Look! I have forewarned you.”

Clearly, if even the chosen ones run the risk of being misled by imposters and false prophets, so that Jesus was obligated to issue such an emphatic warning directed specifically to his disciples living during that time, it should be evident that the deception will come from a source the chosen ones do not expect. In order for the chosen ones to possibly be misled the deceivers would have to come from within the organization itself. Indeed, how likely is it that any of Jehovah’s Witnesses could be misled by false prophets that may arise in Christendom?

Though the Watchtower’s numerous internet apologists insist the Society has never claimed to be a prophet, the facts speak otherwise. While the Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in the same sense as the original biblical prophets, they do claim to be the voice of an anointed “prophet class.” For example, the Watchtower states: “One thing is now certain: if the “prophet” class, the Jeremiah class, is facing Har–Magedon, it is also facing the fall of Babylon the Great.” (Wt82 10/1)

So, since there is much at stake, let the “prophet class” be brought to answer for their prophesying. Surely all of Jehovah’s Witnesses agree that it is important for Christians to follow the apostolic counsel to test the inspired expressions to see if they actually originate with God, because of the prevalence of false prophets.

In the spirit of 1 John 4:1, then, let any of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are up to the challenge scripturally defend the Watchtower’s teaching regarding the great tribulation commencing with the destruction of Babylon the Great.

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Copyright © 2006, by Robert King
All Rights Reserved.