e-Watchman Versus the Watchtower
Friday, July 1, 2011 at 4:10AM 
Previously published articleAs regular readers of e-watchman are aware, not only is it my unwavering conviction that Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Watchtower Society have heretofore played a vital role in the outworking of Jehovah’s grand purpose, but I also stand convinced that the present system of things is poised to implode in the immediate future – commensurate with the authentic arrival of Jesus Christ and the actual ouster of Satan and his demons from Jehovah’s heavens. Even though no mortal knows the precise day and hour when the Son of man will make his thief-like presence manifest, thereby plunging the world into a brief period of unimaginable chaos, the conditions are undeniably overripe for a calamity of apocalyptic proportions to suddenly overtake the present wicked system of things.
While Jehovah’s Witnesses are also in a general state of expectation of the beginning of the globe-rocking great tribulation, the Devil is in the details – as the saying aptly goes.
The Watchtower Society has for a certainty published reams of interpretation touching upon nearly every prophecy in the Bible. And as most of Jehovah’s Witnesses know, much of it has been interpreted to have already been fulfilled generations ago, in 1914. Most other aspects of prophecy are expected to be realized when Christendom is suddenly destroyed – along with all other religions of the world that comprise Revelation’s Babylon the Great – at the outbreak of the great tribulation.
Essentially, the Watchtower teaches that the only significant portion of prophecy yet to be fulfilled is the execution of the symbolic harlot of Babylon by the eighth king; and, of course, the final war at the symbolic battlefield called Armageddon. So, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been led to anticipate that prophecy will next be fulfilled when the great tribulation suddenly erupts and the United Nations unexpectedly turns upon and completely destroys all organized religion throughout the world.
While there is no reason for any person of faith to doubt that Jehovah God possesses the power and wisdom to skillfully maneuver the human and demonic rulers of the world to accomplish his word – doing so as easily as a grand chess master deploys pawns, bishops and knights on a checkered board – still, it ought to be apparent that the U.N. does not presently possess the capability of carrying out God’s mandate. And there is no indication that the United Nations is even disposed to launch a global, anti-religion program any time soon. It is, in fact, laughable to suppose that such a thing could ever happen under the current political system. Or are we to imagine that the armies, militias and patriotic citizens of all the nations will idly stand-by while their communities are invaded by foreigners and their cherished religious institutions are ravaged by blue-helmeted “peace keepers”? The notion that such a thing could happen without a radical change in the present political, social and economic system is absurd in the extreme.
But, while the Watchtower’s expectations may seem implausible or even preposterous at the moment, it is wise not to scoff at Jehovah’s judgments.
Just as Jehovah commandeered the formidable military machines of both Babylon and Assyria in ancient times in order to administer his punishing judgments against his people and the surrounding nations, through his prophetic word the same God who once used an earthly king to “wreck all the earth” (Isaiah 13:5) has publicized his intentions to use a modern political agency to punish the nations on a global scale.
But it is only reasonable to suppose that before ever Jehovah’s judgments are carried out in the future, first the pre-appointed imperial executioner must acquire the necessary powers to carry out his assigned task. At present, though, the United Nations is aptly described as a “paper tiger.” So, how can it possibly come about that an eighth king will acquire the “teeth” to devour the international religious harlot so that the word of God might be accomplished?
That is a question thinking Jehovah’s Witnesses, as well as the Bethel leadership of the organization are urged to seriously ponder.
Simply put, given the limitations imposed by the Watchtower’s prophetic outlook, the expectations cultivated among Jehovah’s Witnesses by the seers within the organization are presently out of the realm of reality. According to the totality of prophecy, before ever the eighth king can acquire the capability of carrying out Jehovah’s awesome judgments completely, first the nation-state system in its present form must be eliminated and the sovereignty currently exercised by individual nations must ultimately be subjected to the authority of a single world government, commonly known as the new world order. How else is it conceivable that all the kings of the earth will tremble in fear of the eighth king? (Revelation 18:9-10)
For a certainty, the conspiracy to subvert and destroy the republican form of government has been the long-range goal of the London-centered Empire and the driving force of history for many decades. And at this late stage it appears that the conspiracy to eradicate the American-system is now entering into the end-game phase. (See article: The Empire Verses the Republic)
But the suggestion that the nations of the world must first experience a catastrophic crash – preceded into the maelstrom by the Anglo-American superpower – is generally met with a mute and vacant gaze among Jehovah’s Witnesses.
The conundrum confronting the anointed augur of Bethel is that there is simply no allowance in his prophetic exegesis for any sort of tectonic tumult that will give rise to a genocidal global government. After all, according to the organizational oracle, the world was thrown into a permanent tumultuous state back in 1914 – supposedly in fulfillment of the second Psalm – and both the seventh and eighth kings have since then ascended out of the symbolic abyss, albeit on different occasions.
This brings us to the crucial question of whether the prophetic interpretations espoused by the Watchtower are reliable. And if they are not, to what degree are they in error and what effect will that error have upon the many millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses who have unreservedly placed their faith in the trustworthiness of the Society’s interpretations? Unquestionably, not only is the Watchtower’s credibility at stake, but also the faith of millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses and interested persons who have placed their unqualified trust in the reliability of the organization. Suffice it to say, if the future does not unfold in the way the Watchtower Society has confidently lain out, then there will be dire consequences for both the organization and individual Jehovah’s Witnesses.
As already stated, over the years the Watchtower has published volumes of commentary on Bible prophecy. And since coming online in September of 2002, e-watchman has also published a considerable amount of information – so much so that it might present a challenge for new readers to plow through the entire body of published work. Because some people may not have the time, energy or interest to research these matters in depth, it might be helpful to present a more concise synopsis comparing what the Watchtower teaches with what e-watchman has published to date regarding the outworking of important prophecies, and what may lay before us on the road ahead. A dilligent examination of the Watchtower Society’s seemingly inspired interpretation is not an act of disloyalty to God. It is actually the exhortation of the aged apostle John, who long ago wrote: “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.”
THE APPOINTED TIMES AND THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST
Watchtower: The centerpiece of Jehovah’s Witnesses’ belief and gospel message is that Jesus Christ began ruling as king over the world in 1914. It is also believed Satan and the demons were hurled down from heaven to the earth in that year. The beginning of the First World War in 1914 has convinced millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses that the Watchtower’s interpretations are legitimate.
The Watchtower also claims that the prophetic period Christ referred to in the 21st chapter of Luke as the “appointed times of the nations” ended in 1914. Supposedly, the appointed times for the nations to trample that which is symbolized by Jerusalem spanned a period of two and a-half millennia and the expiration of that period in 1914 ushered in the rule of God’s kingdom.
e-Watchman: The presence of Christ has not begun yet. Nor have Satan and his wicked angels been cast down to the earth in anger yet. The chronology connected to the “appointed times of the nations” has been misapplied.
While there is no question that some features of the sign of Christ’s presence appear to have been fulfilled with the outbreak of the Great War and the horrific Spanish Flu of 1918, there are other aspects of the sign that are not in evidence. And as the Watchtower itself has stated, the sign of Christ’s presence is like a human fingerprint: unless all of the features of the sign are in evidence it is not a perfect match. For example, in the same context as Jesus foretold that there would be wars, pestilences and food shortages, he also prophesied that Christians would be betrayed and hated by brothers and even family members to the point of even being put to death. Although no religious community has been persecuted to the same extent as have Jehovah’s Witnesses, still, excepting the Nazi Holocaust, it is relatively rare that any are put to death. (Other aspects of the features of Christ’s presence are discussed in the essay: A Closer Look at 1914)
Although the Watchtower has stated that no future developments could more precisely fit the prophetic pattern then what has already taken place, that is simply not true. That mindset betrays a lack of vision. The reality is, the world presently stands on the brink of a global war involving nuclear weapons. The relentlessly mutating Avian virus, not to mention man-made biological weaponry, poses a threat that far exceeds the carnage of the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. And in recent years Wall Street and a food cartel has taken over food production and distribution; with the prices of basic commodities like wheat, rice, corn and soy soaring, global hyperinflation could easily ignite and create food shortages, especially among the poor. (Getting Used to Life Without Food) In other words, the horsemen of the Apocalypse could appear in such a way so as to make the hearlded events of 1914 pale into insignificance.
One of the most prominent features of the multi-faceted sign of the parousia centers on Christ’s repeated warnings to the chosen ones to be on guard against the many false messiahs and pseudo prophets who would be heralding that the day had already arrived and that Christ was present. Paul also forewarned Christians not to be taken in by seemingly inspired messages announcing that Jehovah’s day had already commenced. So, while the Watchtower contends that anyone who rejects their interpretation is ridiculing the very presence of Christ, in truth, the Watchtower’s message – announcing that Jehovah’s kingdom came to power in 1914 and that Christ has been invisibly present for nearly a century – fits the profile Paul described. (See article: Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Man of Lawlessness)
Rather than commencing another multi-generational period during which time Christians are faced with the same trials and temptations as those who came before them, the actual presence of Christ is the end of our faith. Parousia literally means “coming alongside,” and it signifies the miraculous manifestation of Christ to Jehovah’s chosen ones. In fact, the Scriptures make no distinction between the presence of Christ, the manifestation of Christ, the revelation of Christ and the day of Jehovah. (See essay: The Visible Presence of Christ)
On the matter of calculating the year 1914: Without having been previously indoctrinated with the Society’s seven times chronology it is highly unlikely that any reader of the 21st chapter of Luke would independently come to the conclusion that the appointed times began with the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in the fifth century, B.C.E. The context of Jesus’ prophecy regarding the allotted times for Jerusalem to be trampled upon by the nations was in relation to the future desolation of the holy place by a disgusting thing.
In the 11th chapter of Revelation the holy city and the courtyard of God’s spiritual temple are said to have been given to the nations to trample underfoot for a period of 42 months – in other words, it is an appointed time for the nations to trample “Jerusalem.” In view of the fact that the context of Christ’s prophecy had to do with the desolation of Jerusalem and the trampling of the holy place during the great tribulation the only legitimate, scriptural interpretation for the value of the appointed times is 42 months. (See chapter: The Gentile Times)
THE TIME OF THE END AND THE CONCLUSION OF THE SYSTEM
Watchtower: The time of the end and the conclusion of the system of things began in 1914.
e-Watchman: The time of the end and the conclusion have not begun yet.
Jesus used the expression translated as “the conclusion of a system of things” on several occasions. In the 13th chapter of Matthew it is used in connection with a symbolic harvest. In fact, Jesus stated: “The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels.” According to the illustration the harvest is accomplished when the angels are sent forth to remove the weeds from among the standing wheat and “collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness, and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace.”
According to the Watchtower the angels only play a minor role in the harvest by directing the ministry of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Although it is not taught overtly, the underlying assumption is that the harvest is brought about by the Watchtower Society itself. That’s because the Society teaches that the harvest is accomplished through the ordinary means of evangelization. When new converts are made they are said to have been harvested out from among Christendom’s weed-like imitation Christians. However, that is the exact reverse of what Jesus indicated would take place during the harvest. According to Jesus, first the weeds are separated from the wheat, then the weeds are burned in the furnace and the wheat-like sons of the kingdom shine as brightly as the sun in Jehovah’s kingdom. Surely, the sons of the kingdom shining as brightly as the sun is no ordinary occurrence. Not even the apostles were said to have shone like the sun. Yet they witnessed Christ do so during the transfiguration. (See essay: The Revelation of Christ and the Two Witnesses)
The folly of the Watchtower’s interpretation is evident by reason of the fact that the end result of the harvest brings about the complete removal of all stumbling blocks as well as lawless persons from Christ’s kingdom. But following the Watchtower’s teaching to its absurd conclusion we would have to conclude that Christendom is Christ’s kingdom and that it now has been cleansed by Jehovah’s angels. (See chapter: The Harvest) Obviously, though, that is not what the Watchtower teaches in regard to the meaning of Jesus’ illustration. Bethel would never admit to being the source of stumbling blocks or that lawless persons proliferate within the organization and hierarchy. Jehovah’s Witnesses are supposedly living in “spiritual paradise,” which according to prophecy, will be an organization completely devoid of predatory individuals – a condition Jesus said would be brought about by the physical removal of lawless persons. (See chapter: Spiritual Paradise)
Related to the events of the time of the end and the harvest is the judgment upon the house of God. The Watchtower claims that Christ already appeared as the refiner and laundryman back in 1918. (See article: A Faithful Slave Passes the Test) However, the prophecies indicate that God’s house will be infected with apostasy up until the actual day of Jehovah commences. (See essay: The Apostasy Must Come First)
WHEN IS THE GREAT TRIBULATION?
Watchtower: For over a half century following 1914 the Society taught that the First World War marked the beginning of the great tribulation but that it was “cut short” in 1918. It was not until the 1970's that the Watchtower first published that the beginning of the great tribulation was a future event. However, the Grand Climax commentary on Revelation continues to teach that the great tribulation began back during WWI – well, sort of.
e-Watchman: The stealthy arrival of Christ will segue into the great tribulation.
In a discussion of the opening of the sixth seal, which signifies the earth-jolting collapse of the present system of things – symbolized throughout prophecy by the obscuring of heavenly luminaries and the crash of earthly mountain-like institutions – the Society’s commentary rightly observes that the seven seals are all unsealed “within the same timeframe.”
So, the Watchtower teaches that the seven seals of the Apocalypse began to be unsealed in 1914 and in short order were all unsealed, thereby initiating the events symbolized. However, since it is obvious that the system did not collapse nor have all the citizens of earth become panic stricken – as the prophecies outline – the Society adroitly teaches that the unsealing of the sixth seal merely set off minor tremors as a preliminary to the Big One. How reasonable is it, though, that God’s awesome judgments were unsealed nearly a century ago but still have not been realized yet? What is the point of the unsealing if it does not initiate the actual judgments of God? The Society’s Grand Climax commentary makes Revelation anti-climatic.
And even though the Watchtower now accepts the obvious truth that the world’s greatest time of trouble has not begun yet, the Society’s seers still apply numerous apocalyptic prophecies to the recent past and present – prophecies which use similar symbolism as is employed in the phraseology associated with the opening of the sixth seal. For instance, Haggai 2:6-7, which reads: “For this is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Yet once—it is a little while—and I am rocking the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry ground. And I will rock all the nations, and the desirable things of all the nations must come in; and I will fill this house with glory,’ Jehovah of armies has said.”
Surely the rocking of that which is symbolized by the very heavens and the earth is a unique, never-to-be-repeated occurrence. According to the Watchtower, though, Jehovah has been rocking the nations since 1914. But in view of the fact the world has enjoyed an extended period of expanding prosperity and relative stability since the end of the Second World War the Society’s interpretations do not harmonize with reality. If the prophecy were being fulfilled now we would have to conclude that Jehovah’s rocking the heavens and the earth is not that big of a deal. (See article: The Great Tribulation and the holy Place)
WHEN IS THE HEAD OF THE BEAST SLAIN AND THEN REVIVED?
Watchtower: Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the 13th chapter of Revelation was fulfilled during the First World War. That is when the leading head of Satan’s symbolic seven-headed wild beast is believed to have received a mortal death blow and then, as if by a miracle – recovered.
e-Watchman: The death blow has not occurred yet.
Again, the Society’s interpretation of a vital prophecy simply does not match the facts of history. Although many millions of young men were killed in the senseless slaughter of WWI, the respective governments of the participants were not toppled. (Czarist Russia being the exception.)
The error of the Watchtower’s interpretation is apparent due to the fact that the death and revival of the beast initiates judgment day. It is following the resurrection of the beast from the abyss of death that an image of the beast is made, to which all of mankind will be required to pay homage, upon pain of death. Jehovah’s Witnesses have been led to believe that the image of the beast first came to life in 1919 in the form of the League of Nations and later that image was resurrected as the United Nations. If that were true, though, it would mean that all persons who have in any way expressed their support or admiration for the League or the UN have already received the indelible 666 mark of the beast. (See article: Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mark of the Beast)
The Society does indeed teach that judgment day began on two separate occasions: First in 1919 and then again in 1945! Although Revelation clearly teaches that everyone – without exception – who receives the symbolic mark of the beast is doomed to destruction, the Watchtower’s nonsensical teaching diminishes the severity of God’s judgments and makes the Apocalypse commonplace. The Society contradicts its own teaching, in that, the preaching work of Jehovah’s Witnesses has inarguably converted many millions of persons who formally were politically active, many even having served in the military to promote and defend the interests of the wild beast. Apparently, they were able to have the mark removed. Obviously, though, no one who worships the beast or its image can afterwards be converted to the worship of Jehovah. That, after all, is the point of the 666 marking. It distinguishes those who worship Jehovah God from those who worship Satan’s idol. It is final and permanent.
By reasoning upon the prophetic scriptures it is evident that the wild beast has not received the apocalyptic sword-stroke. The seeming death of the beast will be something far more terrifying than the First World War. The abyssing of the beast signifies the sudden, catastrophic crash of the Anglo-American world power.
From the ashes of the world-shattering crash of nations will arise the eighth king – most likely in the form of the United Nations Organization. However, it will not be as the relatively impotent United Nations now. At the present moment the UN stands as a mere bureaucratic shell, waiting for the coming catastrophe to be transformed into a tyrannical world government. The sovereignty now exercised by the nations will then be transferred to that world body so that the eighth king will acquire control over the world’s means of life, as well as the military forces and nuclear arsenals of the nations. According to the prophets the last king will launch a horrific genocidal rampage – reducing the world’s population by a substantial percentage. Only then will the eighth king be empowered to carry out the word of God in annihilating the iniquitous whore of Babylon.
After the beast emerges from the abyss the sons of God will be subjected to persecution for 42 months and ultimately martyrdom. (See essay: Will Christianity Survive the End of the World?) During the initial phase of the upheaval Jehovah’s earthly organization will suffer collapse. (See chapter: Joel)
HIS WATCHMEN ARE BLIND
As previously stated, and as Jehovah’s Witnesses well know, the Watchtower teaches that most prophecies have already been fulfilled or soon will be with the downfall of Christendom. However, since the calamitous events of September 11, 2001, the scene of this world has changed. Most ominously, the grand champion of freedom and democracy – America – is gradually being transformed into a global tyrant; manifestly intent on triggering the next world war, while the global financial system has been rigged to implode when the conclusion commences.
So, while the Watchtower Society has led Jehovah’s Witnesses to believe that the great upheaval occurred long ago – during the First World War, and that the image of the beast is now manifest in the docile and impotent United Nations Organization –meanwhile, the leading nation of the world has quietly been brought to stand at the precipice of a yawning abyss that is far more foreboding than the First or Second world wars or the Great Depression.
In view of the aforementioned deficiencies with the Watchtower’s prophetic interpretations, the question is: How could the so-called watchman-class be so blind?
Throughout the prophecy of Isaiah Jehovah speaks to his organization during the finale. One of the most notable features of Jehovah’s pre-recorded judicial decisions is that his people – particularly the leadership – are characterized by their spiritual blindness. How true this is of Jehovah’s Witnesses!
Although possessing the basic foundation of truth, Jehovah’s Witnesses are tragically ignorant of the deeper things of scripture having to do with the unveiling of Jehovah’s future judgments. This is why God will eventually silence his people with the rebuke presented at Isaiah 42:19: “Who is blind, if not my servant, and who is deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as the one rewarded, or blind as the servant of Jehovah?” (See chapter: Who Is Blind?)
The greatest irony is that Isaiah foretold that the very prophets and visionaries among God’s organization would be unable to decipher the prophecy of Isaiah; most notably, Isaiah 29:9-12, which reads: “Linger, you men, and be amazed; blind yourselves, and be blinded. They have become intoxicated, but not with wine; they have moved unsteadily, but not because of intoxicating liquor. For upon you men Jehovah has poured a spirit of deep sleep; and he closes your eyes, the prophets, and he has covered even your heads, the visionaries. And for you men the vision of everything becomes like the words of the book that has been sealed up, which they give to someone knowing the writing, saying: ‘Read this out loud, please,’ and he has to say: ‘I am unable, for it is sealed up’; and the book must be given to someone that does not know writing, somebody saying: ‘Read this out loud, please,’ and he has to say: ‘I do not know writing at all.’”
The context of the prophecy has to do with the fall of Ariel, which is simply another name for Jerusalem, and how he will be crushed so that his voice is muted. The spiritual application of the prophecy clearly applies to that which was represented by ancient Jerusalem and Zion – namely, Christ’s congregation. The desolation of Ariel is what Jesus was referring to when he spoke of the holy place being trampled upon by the disgusting thing. (See essay: Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Holy Place)
True to the prophecy the Watchtower’s prophets and visionaries have no insight in the meaning of the prophecy. It is as if they are illiterate. The end result of Jehovah’s judgment will be that the meek ones – although presently blind to God’s future judgments – will be redeemed by the Savior; whereas, the haughty rulers who boast of their great insights will be abashed.
Isaiah continues: “And in that day the deaf ones will certainly hear the words of the book, and out of the gloom and out of the darkness even the eyes of the blind ones will see. And the meek ones will certainly increase their rejoicing in Jehovah himself, and even the poor ones of mankind will be joyful in the Holy One of Israel himself, because the tyrant must reach his end, and the bragger must come to his finish, and all those keeping alert to do harm must be cut off, those bringing a man into sin by his word, and those who lay bait even for the one reproving in the gate, and those who push aside the righteous one with empty arguments.” (Isaiah 29:18-21)
True to form the Society teaches that the deaf ones first had their ears opened in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy in 1919. But that simply cannot be true. The prophecy clearly states that the deaf and blind are cured at the same time as the tyrant and the bragger come to their finish – “in that day.”
The context of the 42nd chapter of Isaiah, where the question is posed – “Who is blind as the servant of Jehovah?” – makes it plain that the eyes of the spiritually blind are not opened until such times as Jehovah speaks. And when God speaks it is as if the earth is devastated by the power of his rebuke.
Isaiah 42:13-16 foretells: “Like a mighty man Jehovah himself will go forth. Like a warrior he will awaken zeal. He will shout, yes, he will let out a war cry; over his enemies he will show himself mightier. ‘I have kept quiet for a long time. I continued silent. I kept exercising self-control. Like a woman giving birth I am going to groan, pant, and gasp at the same time. I shall devastate mountains and hills, and all their vegetation I shall dry up. And I will turn rivers into islands, and reedy pools I shall dry up. And I will make the blind ones walk in a way that they have not known; in a roadway that they have not known I shall cause them to tread. I shall turn a dark place before them into light, and rugged terrain into level land. These are the things that I will do for them, and I will not leave them.”
In view of the Society’s gross lack of understanding and perverse blindness as regards Jehovah’s oncoming judgments, Isaiah 56:9-11 applies most aptly to the shepherds of God’s people – the self-proclaimed watchman-class: “His watchmen are blind. None of them have taken note. All of them are speechless dogs; they are not able to bark, panting, lying down, loving to slumber. They are even dogs strong in soulful desire; they have known no satisfaction. They are also shepherds that have not known how to understand.”
Have Bethel's Watchmen fallen Asleep?
Reader Comments (38)
Quote- While there is no question that some features of the sign of Christ’s presence appear to have been fulfilled with the outbreak of the Great War and the horrific Spanish Flu of 1918, there are other aspects of the sign that are not in evidence. And as the Watchtower itself has stated, the sign of Christ’s presence is like a human fingerprint: unless all of the features of the sign are in evidence it is not a perfect match. For example, in the same context as Jesus foretold that there would be wars, pestilences and food shortages, he also prophesied that Christians would be betrayed and hated by brothers and even family members to the point of even being put to death. End quote
Everything that you are referring to as being the sign of his presence was not said to be serving as a sign that he was present but rather signs of his nearness.
Matthew 24:32 “Now learn from the fig tree as an illustration this point: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and it puts forth leaves, YOU know that summer is near. 33 Likewise also YOU, when YOU see all these things, know that he is near at the doors.
Concerning that day and hour that nobody knows, it is in regards to his presence. While not knowing this day and hour, those that are keeping awake and are watching for his arrival, do have all those signs to help know the nearness of his arrival. And one thing for certain, while not knowing the day and hour, we do know that it will occur AFTER the GT. And the GT does not start until AFTER the standing in the holy place occurs.
15 “Therefore, when YOU catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place,
21 for then there will be great tribulation
29 “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. 30 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. 31 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.
12 And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake occurred; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the entire moon became as blood, 13 and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as when a fig tree shaken by a high wind casts its unripe figs. 14 And the heaven departed as a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and [every] island were removed from their places. 15 And the kings of the earth and the top-ranking ones and the military commanders and the rich and the strong ones and every slave and [every] free person hid themselves in the caves and in the rock-masses of the mountains. 16 And they keep saying to the mountains and to the rock-masses: “Fall over us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
Quote- In a discussion of the opening of the sixth seal, which signifies the earth-jolting collapse of the present system of things – symbolized throughout prophecy by the obscuring of heavenly luminaries and the crash of earthly mountain-like institutions- End quote
All the tribes of the earth beating themselves in lamentation and hiding in caves asking for the mountains and rock-masses to fall over them is not due to the collapse of the present system of things, is is because they see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory and want to hide from the one seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because they know they are goats and this coming in power and great glory and with all the angels with him, results with him sitting down on his glorious throne. 32 And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.
Being a goat on his left he will say ‘be on YOUR way from me, YOU who have been cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.
Again, this is why they are beating themselves in lamentation and hiding in caves asking for the mountains and rock-masses to fall over them.
excellent summary essay Robert.
how any JW could read this and not see the discrepencies of the WT teachings with regard to bible truths and the reality of history is simply astounding.
Greetings Robert
Your teaching skills continue to strike the cords of my heart – thanks for your continued efforts.
Question?
Of Isaiah 29 you quoted verses 18-21, could you expound on how “those bringing a man into sin by his word” applies to the leaders at bethel?
Is it because the common JW ignorantly repeats the lies and unintentionally directs people to the man of lawlessness, thus he or she is “sinning”?
Watchman
You believe that Jehovah's witnesses are the true faith. I find that statement by you VERY hard to believe. What are you drinking in that cup? Actions speak louder than words! You were expelled from the synagogue, therefore you cannot possibly believe that their the true faith. You being expelled should prove to anyone that you don't believe that they have the true faith, if you did, then you would have humbled yourself to the elders, and to the governing body. Most JW's would agree with that.
The watchtower where false prophets when they first began. All the false interpretations of prophecy, which you openly acknowledge. How ironic! I know your well aware of what Deuteronomy 18:20 says. Why would you look to any false prophet as having the true faith?
"Therefore come out from among them and be separate, said Yahweh. Do not touch the unclean thing and I will receive you."(2 Corinthians 6:17)
"I heard another voice from shamayim say: 'Come out of her, my people, that you do not partake of her sins, and that you do not receive her plagues!' "(Revelation 18:4)
This brings me to your statement in the end of your video about them putting away Babylon's theology. Jehovah's witnesses still have the traits of her harlot mother. The leaders believe that they alone can understand the the bible, just like Babylon. Worship on Sunday, just like most of Babylon. Collect money, free labor, shameless luxury, just like Babylon. Will expel, excommunicate you, just like Babylon. The sound of musicians heard in her, just like Babylon. Craftsman of any trade in her, just like Babylon. Voice of a bridegroom, and a bride heard in her, just like Babylon. Traveling merchants, to go to a international or local convention, you will need one, just like Babylon. Watchtower even tells you which traveling merchants to board with in annual conventions. No one to by their full stock anymore. You need stock to build kingdom halls, assembly halls, branches, buy property, rent property for annual memorial service, and print literature. Helping to stimulate the world economy.They have to buy materials from the merchants to do those things, and somebody is making money. (Revelation 18:11,21-24)
Jehovah's witnesses are clearly not doing what Yahoshua said, " STOP storing up for yourselves treasures upon the earth." (Matthew 6:19) Don't most of Babylon's religions have a treasurer, Jehovah's witnesses have them as well.
'I sit a queen, and I am no widow.' Watchtower calls herself, 'wife like organization', and that she will never be rejected by her husband, therefore she says, ' I am no widow,' just like Babylon.(Revelation 18:7) Revelation does not give us every little detail of Babylon the great, but the description of her in the book of Revelation matches up very well with Jehovah's witnesses as well, like it, or not. No one can deny that the things mention above does not happen in the religion of Jehovah's witnesses, just like Babylon!
Watchman you still haven't given me one scripture that says Jehovah's witnesses are his chosen modern day nation. You well know that the word of Yahweh does not give you, or Jehovah's witnesses the authority to make such statements. Only through private interpretations does one come up with something like that.
"Know this first that no prophecy of scripture is for private interpretation. For no prophecy ever came by the will of man! Men spoke from the Almighty one, being moved by the Set-Apart Spirit."(2 Peter 1:20-21) Please, show me otherwise, if you will. Just one scripture.
Watchman,
your eschatology, while a distinct improvement on the woeful misinterpretation by the WT-anointed, is nevertheless gravely flawed because it is based on the unbiblical 'composite sign' fallacy.
The disciples didn't ask for - and Jesus didn't provide them with - a multitude of 'signs,' by which they were supposed to discern that He was present.
No, they ask for a SINGLE sign - THE SIGN - when He was ABOUT TO BECOME present by means of His coming, hence a sign PRECEEDING His arrival and subsequent personal, bodily presence with them. (Mat.24:3, 24,30; Mk.13:4)
Did Jesus give them a multifaceted sign, composed of obscure events open to the interpretation of men, like the wars and catastrophes of the nations throughout human history?
Absolutely not! Instead, He gave them exactly what they asked for, namely 'THE SIGN of the Son of man,' which would occur immediately after the end of the great tribulation,
in order to portent His imminent coming on the clouds of Heaven, to rapture them home to Himself into His Heavenly presence.
The sign of the Son of man, namely His coming on the clouds of Heaven in power and glory, is also the sign of the start of the conclusion of this system of things, just as His disciples inquired about in their question on the Mount of Olives.
Once all the tribes of the earth see Jesus coming in power and glory, and as they beat themselves in grief at the realization that they had followed the wrong Christ,
they will then turn on each other in wanton slaughter of one another, brother against brother, nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom, because of the sudden realization that all is lost now, as they face annihilation by Christ and His glorified Body.
Quote- Once all the tribes of the earth see Jesus coming in power and glory, and as they beat themselves in grief at the realization that they had followed the wrong Christ, they will then turn on each other in wanton slaughter of one another, brother against brother, nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom, because of the sudden realization that all is lost now, as they face annihilation by Christ and His glorified Body. End quote
In the words of a delusional person “Absolutely not!
What you are referring to as brother against brother and kingdom against kingdom are part of the THINGS that he spoke of in verse 33 “Likewise also YOU, when YOU see all these things, know that he is near at the doors.”
Those things will happen before verse 29-31 and serve as signs to mark the nearness of his presence.
e-Watchman: What do you mean when you say, "The stealthy arrival of Christ will segue into the great tribulation."
Isn't it quite the opposite?
Many thanks for your current discussion, and to those J.W.s who are seeking enlightenment, will come to this 'board'
and moved by Holy Spirit will soon open their 'spiritual eyes of understanding' and connect the dots, so to speak.
Some questions remain, and will be opened up for more indepth discussion, none of which could be called 'a waste of time'...and not only but also.....
how long can the spiritually blind continue to feel 'satisfied' by their false prophets..and the 'sands of the hourglass' are
running low....for these are the days of our lives.....and anyone still not convinced that God's VOICE in Revelation 18
to "get OUT of 'her' MY PEOPLE" is calling to Jehovah's witnesses, or more truthfully God's "chosen ones" will come out
of their WT comotosed condition with shock & horror, sooner than they could ever know...and how can we have pity or empathy for their condition, its simply their CHOICE to ignore the spirit of TRUTH.. is this sinning against Holy Spirit..??
Anthony,
No, Jesus disciples asked him: What will be the sign of your presence. Jesus answer, nations arising against nations, etc, is the sign of his presence.
Brian
Yes. I think you nailed it.
Lowly servant
You are a fool if you suppose that there is one scripture that says Jehovah's Witnesses are the true faith. Jesus said the one doing the will of his Father will receive salvation. Jehovah's Witnesses are the only people in the world that come close to doing God's will.
Prox
I did not say that Jesus provided a multitude of signs. The coming war, pestilence and famines will serve as the sign, singular
Question?
No, Jesus stealth-like arrival will begin with wars, food shortages, pestilences, and intensify into the great tribulation, which will be cut short.
Quote- No, Jesus disciples asked him: What will be the sign of your presence. Jesus answer, nations arising against nations, etc, is the sign of his presence. End quote
Quote- Jesus stealth-like arrival will begin with wars, food shortages, pestilences, and intensify into the great tribulation, which will be cut short. End quote
Yes, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?”
And in answer Jesus said to them: a list of things contained in verse 4-26. Concerning these things Jesus said: Likewise also YOU, when YOU see all these things, know that he is near at the doors.
He then went on to say: “Immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days …30 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.
Are you not reading the word “AFTER” that you choose to say that his arrival will BEGIN with all the said things?
36 Concerning that day and hour nobody knows… 42 Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming.
What coming is verse 42? Verse 30! When is verse 30 said to happen? AFTER verses 4-26!
the simpel fact is,he is comming! all alive will see.
watchman
my post about jesus arivel, all will see. what if your blind will you hear him comming? just a thout.
hello everyone!
sorry for butting in with my commented post's.I have been reading the watchman's web site for about a year know,and never posted a comment.I called on the name of JEHOVAH ever scense my mother told me god's name, when i was very young,and still do.I am baptiesed but i am disfelowship like many.just waiting in antisapation for the great inspiering day of JEHOVAH almighty!
p.s. forgive my spelling. never was any good at spelling.
Vern
You sound a lot like me with your personal description; plus my spelling and English sentence structure has limited the expressions of my heart for years. I typically start writing my comments in “Word” and do a copy and paste – it corrects most of the spelling – and the sentence structure along with coherent thoughts put into words comes with lots of practice and taking close notice of how others express themselves.
But we know Jehovah who is the reader of hearts knows what makes us tick, thank goodness it’s not men who do the judging.
I appreciate your courage Vern – keep the comments coming regardless.
Brian
the last day's are sadly interesting are they not? as the sheep like ones and goat like ones mingal together in this system of things,one thing come's to mined? beware the time draws near! he comes like a thift in the nite.
wathcman
jesus siad not to bawl your head before his feet. that privelege belong to JEHOVAH only. but is it only right to kneel before jesus. just a thout.
correct me if im wrong? the name jesus christ- means redeamer of mans sin's. i recall the meaning from past articles that have been writen. yes it is true jesus died for are sins, and his name is jesus. but when jesus arrives in his second comming, would it not be fitting to call him michel, scense he is the arch angel fit for battel? i think michel sounds more scencabal does anybody agree?
Anthony,
in response to your comment directed at me,
I can understand why you would reach that conclusion, but, please, consider the clarification Jesus provides in Luke 21, about just when 'nation will rise against nation' in the scheme of things,
in that the great tribulation, described in verses 12 to 24, was to happen "BEFORE ALL THESE THINGS" - mentioned in verses 10 and 11, namely, 'kingdom against kingdom,' earthquakes, pestilences etc - were to take place!
Seeing, therefore, that the great tribulation on Christianity is to occur BEFORE the total, global warfare of 'nation against nation' begins,
and that IMMEDIATELY AFTER the end of the great tribulation Jesus comes on the clouds of Heaven to snatch up His chosen ones to His Heavenly presence,
it follows that the war Jesus had in mind here is not just another 'World War' - like the next one we might be facing soon - but the actual battle of Armageddon itself.
Even in Matthew 24 Jesus' intent of differentiation is clear if we look at the context in which His sayings of verses 7 and 8 - about 'kingdom against kingdom' - occur.
In verses 4 to 6 Jesus addresses His disciples personally, 'YOU are going to hear of wars and reports of war...but the end is not yet.'
Having thus introduced wars which would NOT lead to the end, He now jumps forward in a textual pericope, to tell them just WHICH war actually WOULD spell the end of the nations.
In verse 9, by using the word 'then,' He resumes His address to the disciples by telling them developments that again would affect them personally.
Verses 7 and 8 are thus clearly marked out as an interruption of the flow of Jesus' description of things that would lead up to the sign of His coming and subsequent presence with His disciples in power and glory,
and the account in Luke merely confirms and spells out that the global warfare with its attendant consequences was indeed to take place AFTER the end of the great tribulation and subsequent glorification of the holy ones.
That sequence of events, of course, totally negates the presence theory of the WT-anointed and even that of Watchman himself,
with his anticipated parousia of Christ as a result of a possible world war at the demise of the Anglo-American beast - or any other world war that might yet happen.
Watchman could yet turn out to be another 'Russell,' pre-emptively announcing Christ's parousia all over again after the next instance of 'rumours of war,' which are sure to come.
That is why an accurate understanding of the parousia and Jesus' words in Matthew 24 are of vital importance today.
Proxy
I started writing this yesterday but deleted it all and chickened out, to avoid bringing your sharp spiritual spankings. But in your own words I guess that’s why you’re here, to slap us JW fleshly trained people into reality. – “Be that as it may” ----No quarter was asked, no quarter was given----
“Quarter is an old word for mercy (according to the Webster dictionary, "mercy granted to a surrendering foe." A defeated army might have to surrender, but they did not have to ask for or accept mercy ("cry for quarter"); it would have been a show of bravery and pride to accept whatever harsh treatment the enemy then meted out.”
But back to your above post starting with “Watchman, your eschatology, while a distinct improvement”
Frankly scares the crap out of me, I know you have dissected the “bride” as we speak undergoing Jehovah’s judgments or refining and before the start of Armageddon they will BE chastened cleansed, and then --- the nominal church or I think you said they the nominal are or represent “Fleshly Jerusalem” according to Jesus and the prophets.
But by your post above the “nominal” Christians are following a false Christ – and basically they are all – dead men – pitched into Gehena – the second death--
But I have seen several times were your expressions speak of survivor’s after Armageddon????
Watchman
I know that there isn't one scripture that says Jehovah's witnesses are the true faith. Hello McFly, THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT!!
When will people get it in their heads that whatever words, doctrine, or thoughts that are not in the bible, are NOT from Yahweh.
Everything Yahweh wants us to know, his ways, his thoughts, are in the bible; not on mans websites, or publications.
" Listen, O, earth! Here I am bringing in calamity upon this people as the fruitage of THEIR THOUGHTS, FOR THEY PAID NO ATTENTION TO MY VERY OWN WORDS; and my law they also kept rejecting it. " (Jeremiah 6:18)
" O Jerusalem, wash the evil for your heart so that you may be saved. How long will YOUR WICKED THOUGHTS lodge within you. " (Jeremiah 4:14)
" He turned to Kepha and said: ' Get behind me, satan. You are a stumbling block to me. YOU THINK the things of men, not of the Almighty One. " (Matthew 16:23)
Wow! Even Peter, an anointed one, had THOUGHTS that where not in harmony with the bible.
" Seek Yahowah while he may be found. Call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil ish of HIS THOUGHTS. Let him turn to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him, and to our Almighty One, for he will freely pardon. MY THOUGHTS are not YOUR THOUGHTS, neither are YOUR WAYS MY WAYS, ' declares Yahweh. " (Isaiah 55:6-8)
YOUR THOUGHT, " Jehovah's witnesses are the only people in the world that come close to doing Gods will."
This so called truth that you, and Jehovah's witnesses hold so dear in your hearts, is not published in the bible by Yahweh.
Only a fool would proclaim, and publish something as truth, that is not Yahwehs THOUGHTS!!
proxy
are you refering robert king as a denomination as one to be followed? good gref!
no disrespect but the wacthman may be a interesting person but not one to follow? no one deserves that aproch these days except he who is coming! micheal the arch angel,king of kings lord of lords. i will say this! robert calls on the name of jehovah,there are alot that dont and little that do, thats beter than nothing.i dont think robert is another russell.he has a lot of insight and seems to be very knowledgabel.everyone on this web site seems to be knowlegable.as for me im not knowlegabel. i enjoy the intertianment aspect of the site.wondering whats going to happen next so-on. it also encorage's me to read the scriptures.how many of you got a kick out of the rambling psyco e-mialer (lol) what a pease of sheet!
Watchman,
the problem that both you and the WT have is not just the nature of the sign,
but more importantly its placement BEFORE His coming and subsequent
presence, not DURING His presence, as you imagine!
His disciples asked for a sign occurring when He was ABOUT TO return and
end this system of things - not for a sign after He had returned and was
personally and bodily present with them, which is what the word parousia
actually means. (Mk.13:4; Lu.21:7)
The parousia is not an inspection conducted from a remote location.
Christ has been 'turning His attention to' His anointed disciples uninterruptedly
during the past 2000 years of His bodily absence, but that is NOT His
promised parousia with us!
When Jesus returns on the clouds of Heaven immediately AFTER the end of
the great tribulation, He will at the start of His presence in power and glory
announce His judgment over those claiming to be His brothers,
by glorifying and rapturing up to Heaven those who were faithful to His word,
while abandoning the unfaithful ones to the ensuing battle of Armageddon.
Jesus explicitly warned us that wars, famines and false Christs etc, did NOT
constitute the sign - singular or 'composite' - of His coming and subsequent
presence,
even warning us against any development before and during the great
tribulation which would try to mimic the commencement of His presence,
UNTIL the whole world saw the SIGN of the Son of man on the clouds of
Heaven in power and glory, to beat themselves in lamentation,
in anticipation of facing the wrath of the Lamb.
Any so-called 'presence' of Christ prior to this PUBLIC, global event is a fake!
You really need to re-study the parousia WITHOUT wearing your WT-goggles,
so to speak, or you will become easy prey for the incoming presence of the
antichrist.
By the way, the great tribulation is NOT upon the masses of the beast
worshipping nations, but the remnants of Christianity who have not yet
morphed into the global, 'collective consciousness Church,' but are still
clinging to the separatist Jesus of the 'Hate Book.'
It will be easy to mistake the coming collapse of the USA or WHATEVER
for the great tribulation, which by definition it cannot be; hence the need for
discernment to recognize the transformation of the holy place into a
disgusting thing.
The bottom line…at some point events will take place that will lead to the UN ruling or whatever will prove to be the 8th king…this 8th king will have 42 months then will come to its end at the hands of Jesus. Nothing that takes place prior to this matters as to if he has arrived or hasn’t. As long as one knows that ANY claim that Jesus is here prior to this 8th kings rule would be false and are to dismiss such claims. However during this same 42 months there should be what will make up the two witnesses and they will be speaking out against this 8th king exposing it for what it is. There will be those that are following the 8th king and there will be those that listen to the two witnesses. Those that are listening to what the two are saying will understand that this 8th king is soon to be destroyed by Jesus at his arrival that everyone will see when it occurs. There are no more wars, etc… or hardships after this time for those that are considered sheep. Only the goats have to fear now, because the wrath of the lamb.
Any communication that takes place with Jesus and his chosen ones prior to this 8th king or during the 42 months of its rule, has nothing to do with his said coming. Just like he appeared to Saul/Paul after his ascending he can, does, and will speak/appear/communicate at anytime he chooses with his TRUE chosen ones prior to his coming on the clouds.
Proxygnosis
After the faithful ones (ALL?) are caught up to heaven, and are not on the earth for Armageddon , as you proclaim; will the faithful ones be caught up again to go back to earth to multiply and subdue the earth?
Armageddon is the great day of the Almighty One against the wicked, the unfaithful.
If all the faithful are in heaven, who will multiply, and subdue the earth?
" The upright will live in the eretz (earth) . The blameless people of integrity WILL REMAIN. The wicked will be cut off from eretz. The unfaithful will be uprooted. " (Proverbs 2:21-22)
" The meek will inherit the eretz and will delight in the abundance of shalom. " (Psalms 37:11)
As regards "one to be followed": NO human should ever be followed as a spiritual "leader". Nothing wrong with checking out the good information offered to "test all things". Follow the Lord Jesus Christ as he is the leader, is he not? Never follow a human,-so to speak. But, this is "baby food" to those of you that know the simple things.
Of course, as humans, we need direction and perhaps a course correction from time to time to remain on the correct path that leads to a happy GOD and life. We look for information to answer our questions and fill our needs and voids in life and knowledge.
So, taking the information that is offered by this website and Robert King, is a good thing. Follow him? No. He is a brother that helps us to make the right decisions and he helps shed light upon many topics and things. He is a friend to all and offers Spiritual Food and more. He has not asked for anything in return. And, most important of all, ewatchman always points out the need to worship Jehovah and to follow and accept Jehovah's only begotten Son Jesus Christ. -- Never ewatchman or Robert King. -- But many people infer or inject otherwise.
We need to take time to build up and not tear down. Unless of course, the circumstances dictate otherwise and this is the course of man until times change.
KIM
Brian,
yes, that is so because not only have those becoming anointed while in any
organized religion got to 'get out of her,'
but so too, all those with an earthly hope have to abandon God's nominal
people 'Jerusalem,' when they discern the disgusting thing replacing
Christianity as a perceived force for peace and unity in the world.
Further, those already outside the Churches have to resist the temptation
to enter them, as they transform themselves in the coming global apostasy
into an all inclusive new world religion, that denounces Jesus and the
Bible as divisive forces of hate and bigotry.
The new consensus based worship, which will be organized by the cosmic
christ and on the principles of equality, universal brotherhood of man and
unconditional love,
will be so enticing and convincing in its achievement of uniting the world,
that even the chosen ones might think that they have somehow missed,
or misinterpreted, the coming of Christ, and that His kingdom is already
established here on earth.
After all, who doesn't want to live in a system where all mankind's
problems are cared for by a benevolent group of 'enlightened' beings?
This is where true Christians have to navigate by dead reckoning, not
trusting their eyes, ears and senses, in order not to be deceived in their
hearts during the hour of test under the operation of error soon to come.
But there will be those of Christ's earthly sheep, who will get out of
'Jerusalem' in time to escape the judgment on those who falsely claim
to represent God,
as well as be protected during God's judgment on the masses of beast
worshippers, whose ranks were swelled by the majority of those who
apostatized from Christianity, to join in the new world religion.
Therefore it looks like God's nominal people will soon be split up three
ways: The vast majority of Christians will apostatize from their profession
of Jesus and the Bible to join the global Church of the beast,
while a sizeable number of hard core fundamentalists will remain 'true' to
their hypocritical profession of the immortal christ who faked his death for
them, facing God's judgment by means of the beast during the
great tribulation,
leaving only a tiny remnant of those fleeing 'Jerusalem,' and hiding
themselves in the spiritual wilderness - where the Body of Christ has
also been in exile all along - who will be saved in the end.
Naturally, the vast majority of Christians who have denied Christ and
joined the beast worship will not be affected by God's judgment against
Christianity during the great tribulation,
because they are no longer professing Christians, but will be destroyed
later, by Christ and the glorified anointed ones at the battle of Armageddon.
Anyhow, have no fear Brian, I am just a spiritual bouncing board deflecting
what gets thrown at me here, and can only try to pass on what I have
been given by the Father to date.
Vern,
well, it is just in the nature of sheep to follow what they hear, for better or worse;
that is why Paul enjoined on all of us to let the word of the Christ reside in us
richly in all wisdom.
It requires a good spiritual ear and the right motivation of heart to discern and
extract the word of Christ in the sayings and writings of others so as to benefit
from it, without becoming a follower of men in the process.
Anthony,
I agree with your sequence and summary of events.
A lowly servant,
you are quite right there, only Christ's brothers, the chosen ones, will be
caught away to meet the Lord in the air on the clouds of Heaven,
when He comes in power and glory immediately after the end of the great
tribulation - and before the outbreak of the global nihilistic, fratricidal
slaughter, and first truly global war, of Armageddon begins.
All others, who reject the mark of the disgusting beast, which will devastate
and replace Christianity as the coming kingdom of God, in an operation of
error that will put a test upon all those dwelling on the earth,
will, after surviving the great tribulation on Christianity, be guaranteed a
safe passage through all of Armageddon, as the first subjects of Christ's
millennial parousia with mankind.
All who will reject the coming substitute of God's paradise on earth,
are viewed as faithful by the Father, but only a small number among them,
who have been born of the Spirit, will subsequently be changed in the
twinkling of an eye at the return of Christ on the clouds of Heaven,
when He starts His promised parousia with mankind,
just as it is written: "Look! The Tent of God is with mankind, and He will
reside with them, and they will be His peoples!"
Please correct the following spelling error:
"are they in error and what affect will that error have"
'Affect' is the verb, 'effect' is the noun. Please change it to 'effect.
Thanks.
Thanks Eiben
e-watchman says "but I also stand convinced that the present system of things is poised to implode in the immediate future – commensurate with the authentic arrival of Jesus Christ and the actual ouster of Satan and his demons from Jehovah’s heavens."
Jesus said “The kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness, neither will people be saying, ‘See here!’ or, ‘There!’ For, look! the kingdom of God is in YOUR midst.”
Seems like Jesus disagrees with e-watchman. What e-watchman describes are events which he seems to think would clearly define the kingdom's arrival. Jesus said it is not coming with striking observableness. So unobservable was its arrival that even those who used to believe it arrived in 1914 are now denying it. How powerful Satan is in deceiving people!
I would like to refer readers to this website http://www.jehovahsjudgment.co.uk/607/ set up by former apostates who by researching the matter more deeply have come back to the understanding of the FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE regarding 1914.
Though made up of imperfect men Jehovah is clearly using them to preach the good news of the kingdom. Does any Jehovah's Witness seriously believe that mistakes will never be made by imperfect beings? Still 1914 is based on solid biblical ground. e-watchman cannot even provide a coherent explanation for why he disagrees. Satan has blinded him completely.
Stick with Jehovah's organisation and with those whose sole purpose is to spread the good news worldwide and who want nothing more than for each and everyone of us to come to know Jehovah and accept salvation by means of His Son. It's that simple. Or listen to someone who bases the outworking of God's purpose on conspiracies theories. It is of course up to each and every one of us.
Hi JW
Striking observableness -- But is not that precisely what WT prophets describe as happening in 1914? –
The signs were plain for everyone to see or observe – I mean that’s the drum we have been beating for “One Hundred” years --
@e-watchman
""still, it ought to be apparent that the U.N. does not presently possess the capability of carrying out God’s mandate.
Essentially, the Watchtower teaches that the only significant portion of prophecy yet to be fulfilled is the execution of the symbolic harlot of Babylon by the eighth king; and, of course, the final war at the symbolic battlefield called Armageddon.
And there is no indication that the United Nations is even disposed to launch a global, anti-religion program any time soon.
Or are we to imagine that the armies, militias and patriotic citizens of all the nations will idly stand-by while their communities are invaded by foreigners and their cherished religious institutions are ravaged by blue-helmeted “peace keepers”? The notion that such a thing could happen without a radical change in the present political, social and economic system is absurd in the extreme.""
===
The UN's secrecy is aided by directing focus to traditional histories of wildbeast1 (Rev13:1) rather than what has been under the control of wildbeast2 (Rev13:11) which is the related Anglo-America superpower with a beast of it's own, the elite, super-sovereign global governance, the ring interfacing Eph6:12 "governments"; highly secretive for strategic reasons.
The US and UK visible governments and their people were soon saddled with 200 Billion dollars of debt, orchestrated by wildbeast2, who hauled in at a minimum 500 billion in war profits, owned central Europe through reparations financing, and further indebted the rest in WW2.
British and American visible governments have been debt slaves ever since, and that is how wildbeast2 enslaves wildbest1 to "exercise all it's authority" and form the doom club of the UN, who everyone has seemed to missed the fact that now NATO is the military organ of the UN, so the UN in effect, is the greatest military world power the world will ever see, and after the 1999 widening of the sphere of NATO potential operations to a global scale, it has on two occasions now demonstrated that it is a super-sovereignty employed by wildbeast2, for anything it please, the relational evolution is completing under everyone's noses.
UNATO now Global and a UN sidearm representing 70% of the global defense spending.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10503
UN/NATO Global Strategic Concept Commentary
West Plots To Supplant United Nations With Global NATO
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13759
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/American_Empire/Stop_NATO.html
From UN to UNATO
http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/20-07-2011/118547-uno_unato-0/
====
The UN is far from a paper tiger in other respects as well, for NATO is now a globally empowered entity since 1999 in theory, as the UNNATO symbolic arrangement is a precursor as well, since Sept. 23, 2008, of the "ten horns" that will do the hot destructive work, after the cold assault upon the nation-state financial order is completed to the proper point of desperation.
The other aspect of the UN "image" or "facade" is that it has outlined ambiguous global management concepts that due include streamlining nation-state institutions, technologies and industries for global power efficiencies, in that ambiguity "Babylon the Great" easily fits in. Also just because Jehovah has not mentioned other nation-state institutions does not mean they will be unaffected by the coming overhaul, in fact every aspect of human life has been well pre-engineered by Satan and the demons for this very season, as Rev16:13-16 shows DIRECT demon guidance is involved in maneuvering the nations into the Har-Magedon complex global.
As we can see the dead-weight debt trap will consume far more than middle class homes, it will soon devour the public sector in huge percentages, academia, and consolidate the rest of UNNATO 75% global military war machine into a single entity with 100% power, or at least attempt this phase, leading up to Amos 9 strike as well as other key prophecies of Jehovah's pre-checkmate positioning and disruption as well. This next debt implosion will suck huge amounts of the full strata of the nation-states societal assets into it's global banking black-hole, including the very properties of the government infrastructure itself, full absorption, and large liquidation of the population, by weapons beyond nation-state control, more advanced than simple atomic technology, put the very core of all material physical existence, super-wave and energy weapons, placed on earth and in space.
The general perception of the UN is in keeping with any criminal organization, they want you to believe they are impotent but in fact it already possesses also the greatest computational modeling system of the entire globe, nation-state societal and industrial/information/military/finance order, geographies, plate-tectonics, sub-surface tomographic profiles etc. It is running the ENTIRE investment and financial intelligence system and market architectures of the world, real-time and attempting to profile everyone, everything, and every place on this globe to beyond human detail, and that's why as well they possess the greatest digital computational network on earth, and in space, for global predictive management, modeling and control by exact information in huge quantities, real-time.
The UN is the elite hub of global power, in that elite engine is the top of all the global systems, as aided by super-natural intellect over centuries as well, so it is well beyond human, and it is not complete to it's final power and application.
As far as the "blue helmets" after a wave of huge assault, the choice of having a foreign Super-NATO group in your land will not be according to the dictates of the nation-state "governments" or people, they are done by this point in the game, systematic genocide, sociocide and mili-cide, or destruction of the military elements as well in phases, as they are or become no longer needed, by weaponry that makes atomics look like firecrackers, having far more precision and scope, and filtering abilities as to what is killed biologically, without damaging property. Atomic weapons are seen as demolition devices as the follow up analysis of Hiroshima and Nagasaki showed, the US military was also interested in how well the bomb demolished infrastructure and it was a 90% razer. The reason for this in say America, 50% of the urban infrastructure is done, it is better to start over from rubble, than to piecemeal LA for example, but China and India and other places have infrastructure which has not shelf lifed.
So think unbelievable, and you still won't be able to imagine what is coming, and the level of evil the demons will be capable of in the Gog phases. Indeed the days will need to be cut short to avoid TOTAL extinction of ALL FLESH.
20571,
you are well clued up, I note, but need to see a few more details to complete the picture.
Beast '1' is given Satan's throne and power over EVERY NATION at some time in the future during the Lord's day, NOT 6000 years ago as the WT wrongly claims.
You, just like the WT in 1914, are even now jumping the gun again, unless you can tell me which entity TODAY has power over EVERY NATION.
The biggest and most powerful entity so far is either the bankrupt U.S. or the bankrupt E.U.
But does the U.S. rule over China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Venezuela etc, so that the whole world is following them with admiration?
Clearly not!
Hence, before you speculate about 'beast 2,' which is to come afterward and exercise all the authority of the first global NWO, you have to wait for 'beast 1' to take complete control of the whole world FIRST -
otherwise you will end up on the 'garden path,' despite your detailed insight into what is going on out there.
And don't expect the beast to destroy Christianity just like that - as falsely expected by the WT - unless first it becomes powerful and splendid enough in order to REPLACE it's moral authority in the minds and affections of the world by occupying the 'holy place' itself.
But keep on commenting here, since your perspective and integrity will be of benefit to this dialogue.