Jehovah's Witnesses and Jerusalem
Monday, November 1, 2010 at 6:28AM Permalink 
Jerusalem was not considered a great city such as ancient Babylon or Rome. It was not an important commercial center, like Tyre once was. Jerusalem, though, had a long and rich history as the administrative capitol of Israel and Judah and the religious center for all the Jews, no matter where on earth they may have resided.
Since David captured the Jebusite stronghold about a thousand years before Christ appeared and shortly afterwards had the sacred ark of the covenant moved there, Jerusalem became the city where Jehovah chose to place his holy name. In fact, Isaiah 60:14 refers to Jerusalem as “the city of Jehovah.”
Significantly, Jerusalem was the birthplace of Christianity too; for it was on the day of Pentecost in the year 33 C.E. that holy spirit was poured out upon the small group of Jesus’ Jewish followers in an upper room of a dwelling in Jerusalem – thus inaugurating the Christian era. Afterwards, the apostles and newly anointed Jews and proselytes preached regularly in the environs of the temple of the city of Jehovah. Also, Jerusalem was for a time the unofficial headquarters and base of operations for the apostles and older men who were directing the congregations. For that reason Jerusalem is an appropriate symbol in prophecy for various aspects of Christ’s congregation and kingdom, particularly in relation to the Second Coming of the Messiah and the concluding harvest.
Although millions of people hae been duped into believing that the modern state of Israel is the very centerpiece of Bible prophecy, Jehovah’s Witnesses realize that nuclear-armed Israel and the present-day city of Jerusalem, with its Islamic Dome of the Rock situated on or near the site of the demolished Jewish temple, does not factor into prophecy at all.
In actuality, the state of Israel was largely a creation and strategic asset of the British Empire. After the Treaty of Versailles brought an end to the First World War and the Ottoman Empire was dissolved, London stated their intentions to create a Palestinian state, in what is known as the Balfour Declaration. Then, after the Second World War, the modern state of Israel was established in 1947. Not to be overlooked, the ultra-wealthy Rothschild family – the banker of the bankers and monarchies of Europe – was also instrumental in the creation of the modern state of Israel.
In recent years an assortment of Elmer Gantry-type Bible hucksters – mostly associated with the so-called fundamentalist/evangelical movement – have become ardent advocates of what is known as Zionism. They espouse that it is the duty of every Christian to support the political state of Israel, whatever the cost – even if it leads to another world war. (It would certainly suit the Devil’s purpose to stage an all-out war in the Middle East. And it is quite likely that Israel will detonate nuclear war in a pre-emptive attack on Iran, with the blessing and support of sorely misguided right-wing religious fanatics, who imagine they are hastening the day of their rapture.)
But the truth is, the ancient Jewish system of worship fulfilled God’s purpose in connection with it long ago: When it produced the Messiah to an expectant faithful few. Upon his final sojourn and entry into the holy city Jesus prophesied that the kingdom of God was going to be removed from the Jews and given to a nation producing its fruitage. That “nation” to which the kingdom was given is what Paul referred to as “the Israel of God” – the Christian congregation, which will ultimately be revealed from heaven as the New Jerusalem.
That the earthly city of Jerusalem was no longer the place where Jehovah’s name was to reside was unequivocally confirmed in the year 70 C.E. That is when the Roman armies under the command of General Titus utterly demolished the holy city and Herod’s temple. In that manner the Jewish system of things concluded, as both Jesus and Paul had forewarned.
But just as the Jewish nation and Jerusalem had fulfilled God’s purpose and were subsequently made obsolete and were violently discarded, so too Christianity. It is also destined to fulfill God’s purpose in connection with it and come to an end.
"YOUNG CHILDREN, IT IS THE LAST HOUR”
In a noteworthy way Christianity did end shortly after the apostles died off; not suddenly, but gradually. Toward the end of his ministry the apostle John wrote of this future development, stating at I John 2:18-20: “Young children, it is the last hour, and, just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now there have come to be many antichrists; from which fact we gain the knowledge that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of our sort; for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us. But they went out that it might be shown up that not all are of our sort. And you have an anointing from the holy one; all of you have knowledge. I write you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie originates with the truth.”
Some ignorant persons imagine that John meant the world had entered its last hour some 2,000 years ago and have foolishly concluded that John was a false prophet. But the context of the apostle’s brief letter reveals otherwise. John was foretelling the coming of an antichrist. It was the “last hour” before his arrival. While the apostles were alive the many antichrists that had already infiltrated could not gain a lasting foothold in the congregations and so they were forced to go out from among them. For example, the original antichrist was Judas. He went out from among the apostles on the night of the last Passover, when Christ dismissed him with the words: “What you are doing get done more quickly.”
Although we do not know how the situation resolved, Paul similarly, boldly exposed the prominent leaders of the Corinthian congregation as being false apostles and deceitful workers. Paul also named Hymenaeus and Philetus as apostates and handed them over to Satan to be disciplined.
But history shows that as the protective influence of the apostles and other older stalwarts began to wane in the second century wicked imposters began to dominate the congregations and the truth was gradually supplanted by lies. The apostasy became complete in the fourth century when the Roman Emperor, Constantine, inserted himself as the ecclesiastical head of the corrupted Christian bishops. Christendom supplanted Christ. The antichrist had come.
Over the centuries, up until the Protestant Reformation and the invention of the printing press, the Vatican fiercely opposed translating the Bible into the common languages spoken by Europeans, making it virtually impossible for anyone other than the privileged, Latin-literate hierarchy, to study the Scriptures.
Because “no lie originates with the truth” and all of God’s anointed sons must know the truth, as John stated above, the gradual introduction of what has become a massive body of doctrinal falsehoods and outright paganism into the place of Christ effectively brought an end to the anointing of the bride class that began in 33 C.E. So, the last hour was in reference to the anointing.
Down through the centuries apostate Christianity principally became centered in Constantinople (named after Constantine) and Rome. The Roman branch, in particular, because it was associated with the seat of the Empire, became fabulously wealthy and powerful. It is understandable why the Watchtower Society applies the portion of Isaiah’s prophecy (below) to Christendom.
WHO ARE GOD’S PEOPLE NOW?
“For you have forsaken your people, the house of Jacob. For they have become full of what is from the East, and they are practicers of magic like the Philistines, and with the children of foreigners they abound. And their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no limit to their treasures. And their land is filled with horses, and there is no limit to their chariots. And their land is filled with valueless gods. To the work of one’s hands they bow down, to that which one’s fingers have made. And earthling man bows down, and man becomes low, and you cannot possibly pardon them.” – Isaiah 2:6-9
Doctrinally the great church systems and sects that have come into existence since the time of the great apostasy are full of what is from the East; that is to say, with what is from Babylon. (The Two Babylons) Institutions like the Vatican are fabulously wealthy, controlling billions of dollars; possessing priceless treasures of art, great cathedrals with impressive stained glass that took centuries to construct and countless tracts of real estate around the globe. Still, since the onset of the apostasy brought an end to the anointing, in what sense are the parishioners of Christendom God’s people? At what point has/will God forsake his erring people and the “house of Jacob, as Isaiah declares?
What is more, the prophecy of Isaiah indicates that Jehovah does not completely forsake his people. There is to be a remnant of holy ones who will survive the destruction of “Jerusalem.” Isaiah 4:2-3 states: “In that day what Jehovah makes sprout will come to be for decoration and for glory, and the fruitage of the land will be something to be proud of and something beautiful for those of Israel who have escaped. And it must occur that the ones remaining in Zion and the ones left over in Jerusalem will be said to be holy to him, everyone written down for life in Jerusalem.”
When Nebuchadnezzar razed Jerusalem to the ground and slaughtered the Jewish royal families and led the rest off in chains, he left behind a miserable few to tend the valuable vineyards of Judah. But they could hardly be said to have been holy to Jehovah. According to Jeremiah – who himself was left behind – the remnant of survivors were just as faithless and rebellious as the Jews who were killed or dragged off in chains to Babylon. That was demonstrated by their disobeying Jehovah’s explicit command through Jeremiah not to flee down to Egypt. (Jeremiah 43) As a result of their continued disobedience Jehovah maneuvered Nebuchadnezzar to turn his sword against Egypt in order to annihilate the remnant of faithless Jews who had fled there. In reality the prophecy of Isaiah could not have been fulfilled in connection with the literal destruction of Jerusalem. Besides, the second chapter of Isaiah points forward to “the final part of the days” for the ultimate fulfillment of Jehovah’s denunciation and restoration of the holy remnant of “Jerusalem.”
Since, as has already been considered, the modern state of Israel has nothing to do with the realization of prophecy, and Christendom could not possibly produce anything considered holy to Jehovah, how might the prophecy of Isaiah be fulfilled during “the final part of the days”?
Even though the great apostasy had snuffed out the light of truth and suspended the anointing the final part of the days or the conclusion of the system, as it is alternatively termed, is characterized by the harvest of the chosen ones.
Although there may have been a few scattered anointed individuals during the long night of spiritual darkness, prior to the late 1800’s none were successful in completely breaking free from Christendom’s spiritual shackles. During the period of the Inquisitions the clergy often burned at the stake any who dared. Even in the New World, originally settled by people seeking relief from religious oppression, the clergy still wielded great power and political influence. That situation began to change though when Charles Taze Russell and the Bible Students came on the scene in the 1870’s. After a few years of intensive Bible study to determine the basic doctrines contained in the Scriptures, C.T. Russell established Zion’s Watchtower and launched the most intensive preaching campaign the world has ever seen, which continues to expand to this day. Russell almost single-handedly demolished centuries of accumulated church dogma that prevented people from comprehending the precious truth. Although at the beginning of the 20th century there were only a few thousand preachers distributing Zion’s Watchtower, nonetheless, Russell’s weekly sermons were read by millions of people around the world due to the fact that they also appeared in hundreds of newspapers. By the time the First World War erupted it was said that Russell had a larger readership than all of Christendom’s writers combined!
After centuries of domination by Satan’s counterfeit Christianity, as a result of the work of Pastor Russell, as he was then called, a recognizable form of primitive Christianity reemerged. And honest-hearted people responded.
The Bible Students regularly met in private homes, just like the original Christians.
Also, they all engaged in a public ministry and boldly exposed the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of the day, just like the original Christians did.
They also clearly knew the distinction between Jehovah and Jesus, just like the original Christians.
They also began to observe the annual memorial of Jesus’ death, just like the original Christians.
Jehovah’s spirit was obviously invigorating and anointing that vibrant little band of Bible Students, just as it had the original Christians.
And as proof of their anointing the Bible Students began to be viciously persecuted by those who professed to reverence God, just as the original anointed Christians had been.
A PEOPLE FOR THE NAME OF JEHOVAH
In 1931 the International Bible Students adopted the distinctive name of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This was extremely significant in view of the fact that those associated with the religions of Christendom generally do not accept the name of Jehovah and want nothing to do with it. Churchgoers have been deluded into imagining that there is no name greater than the name of Jesus.
To fully appreciate that momentous development in 1931 it must be remembered that Satan has waged a centuries-long campaign to have the name of God removed from the Bible and wiped from the minds of men.
Before the time of Christ the Devil successfully induced the Jews to stop speaking the Name on grounds that it was too holy to be uttered: This in spite of the fact that the Hebrew prophets liberally spoke the name of God, often prefacing their inspired pronouncements with the phrase: “This is what Yehowah has said…”
There is good reason to believe that the early copyists of the Greek manuscripts also were induced to remove the distinctive name of God from their copies of the so-called New Testament. It is simply unthinkable that Jesus would have followed the custom of the faithless Jews in refusing to utter his Father’s holy name. After all, Jesus said in prayer that he had made God’s name known to his followers. And he taught his followers to pray, foremost, that God’s name might be sanctified – made holy. Not only that, but Jesus frequently quoted passages directly from the Hebrew Scriptures where the YHWH appears. For example, in responding to Satan’s three temptations, each time Jesus said: “It is written…” and each time he then quoted, verbatim, passages that contained the Name. Yet the Name does not appear in any copies of the Greek. Given the ongoing demonic conspiracy to prevent people from calling upon God’s name there is little doubt that it was omitted from the Greek text when later copies replaced the originals.
After the Reformation wrested control of the Bible away from the Vatican the name of Jehovah began to appear in a few early English Bibles. But more recent translators of the Scriptures have resorted to the practice of expunging the name of Jehovah from the book he inspired. For example, in the original King James Version (1611) the name Jehovah appeared four times. But in the latest edition of the KJV the name Jehovah has been removed.
The latest fraud being perpetrated on the ignorant is that Jehovah changed his name to Jesus. What utter nonsense!
So, in 1931 when J.F. Rutherford boldly declared that those associated with the Watchtower Society wished from then on to be known as Jehovah’s Witnesses, it meant that the International Bible Students had indeed become a people for God’s name, just like the original Christians had also been. (See Acts 15) Who can deny that Jehovah’s Witnesses are inseparably associated with the name of Jehovah?
That change confirmed that the congregation of Christ had emerged from the time of darkness and is presently manifested to the world through Jehovah’s Witnesses. The work of Jehovah’s Witnesses has resulted in the name of God being declared to the ends of the earth, in hundreds of languages and dialects. The stage is now set for the nations to be made to know that he is Jehovah, as it foretells in Ezekiel in many places, as well as other prophecies. (Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves must also be made to know that he is Jehovah – the God of judgment.)
Furthermore, the Watchtower Society may be properly identifiable as the prophetic “Jerusalem,” the place where Jehovah has caused his name to reside in the modern world – the earthly city of Jehovah. It is this “Jerusalem” – the Watchtower Society – not Christendom, which is destined to come under Jehovah’s judgment in the final part of the days.
The prophecy of Isaiah is in full harmony with the scriptural precept that judgment starts first with the spiritual house of God; specifically, with the leadership of God’s people. That is what Isaiah 3:13-14 states in connection with the fall of Jerusalem: “Jehovah is stationing himself to contend and is standing up to pass sentence upon peoples. Jehovah himself will enter into judgment with the elderly ones of his people and its princes.”
Returning to the verse previously cited, regarding the remnant that escape the destruction of Jerusalem being considered as something holy to Jehovah, Jesus also foretold that Jerusalem would be trampled upon by a disgusting thing during the conclusion of the system, but in the aftermath of that astonishing event the angels will be dispatched to gather God’s chosen ones from the four corners of the earth.
Now consider Isaiah 43:5-7: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you. From the sunrising I shall bring your seed, and from the sunset I shall collect you together. I shall say to the north, ‘Give up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not keep back. Bring my sons from far off, and my daughters from the extremity of the earth, everyone that is called by my name and that I have created for my own glory, that I have formed, yes, that I have made.’”
Those sons and daughters of God who are destined to be gathered to heavenly Jerusalem in the aftermath of the destruction of earthly Jerusalem are said to be “called by my name” – by the name of Jehovah that is. Notice, please, that the verse above does not state that they merely call on the name, but that they are called by his name. And they are called by his name before they are scattered. They can be none other than anointed Jehovah’s Witnesses.
But if the Watchtower Society is the antitypical “Jerusalem,” in what way has it stumbled, as Isaiah has said? How could Jehovah’s Witnesses ever speak against Jehovah or behave rebelliously, as Isaiah 3:8 says? – “For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah itself has fallen, because their tongue and their dealings are against Jehovah, in behaving rebelliously in the eyes of his glory.”
Those questions will be considered in the next installment of this ongoing series on the prophecy of Isaiah.
Reader Comments (80)
Brother, would you be kind enough to write an article or maybe even do a youtube video describing the supernatural revelation you experienced back in 1996 -or 'your thing' as you called it- | and I believe many others would love to hear exactly how Jehovah's holy spirit helped you to come to such a unique and exclusive understanding of prophecy.
Thank you
I second minority's request. I have often yearned for more details of your experience.
Robert,
You article is so correct! Spot-on if you will! ...
"The prophecy of Isaiah is in full harmony with the scriptural precept that judgment starts first with the spiritual house of God; specifically, with the leadership of God’s people. That is what Isaiah 3:13-14 states in connection with the fall of Jerusalem: “Jehovah is stationing himself to contend and is standing up to pass sentence upon peoples. Jehovah himself will enter into judgment with the elderly ones of his people and its princes.”
Now consider Isaiah 43:5-7: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you. From the sunrising I shall bring your seed, and from the sunset I shall collect you together. I shall say to the north, ‘Give up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not keep back. Bring my sons from far off, and my daughters from the extremity of the earth, everyone that is called by my name and that I have created for my own glory, that I have formed, yes, that I have made.’” "
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Thanks again for your hard work and great website!
May Jehovah's will take place in Heaven, also on the Earth. ... Amen.
KIM
My above post (first sentence) should read "Your" not You. ....Computers and proof reading are important and I goof up on the most simple words at times.......
KIM
Thank you Eiben
Are Jehovah's Witnesses Truly Directed By God?
I was continuously taught at meeting after meeting, and fully believed -- as has every Jehovah's Witness that I have ever met and known -- that the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses (also known as the Faithful and Discreet slave and Watchtower Society) are God's Specifically Chosen Channel on the earth today, and that he uses them exclusively to direct his will on the earth and to direct his specially chosen people, the Jehovah's Witness Religious Institution and its members.
The Watchtower Magazine and other Witness literature is believed by Jehovah's Witnesses to be just how God communicates his will on earth today through that Governing Body, God's supposed Instrument of communication. This harmonizes with what the Watchtower Magazine itself has said throughout the years about itself.
1919 "Is not the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society the one and only channel which the Lord has used in dispensing his truth continually since the beginning of the harvest period?" {WT Apr 1 1919 6414}
1933 "To feed or teach his people the Lord has used the Watch Tower publications.. No man is given any credit for the wonderful truths which the Lord has revealed to his people through the Watch Tower publications." {WT Dec 1 1933 263}
1939 "It should be expected that the Lord would have a means of communicating to his people on the earth, and he has clearly shown that the magazine called The Watchtower is used for that purpose." {YEAR 1939 85}
1942 "The Watchtower does not consist of men's opinions" {WT Jan 1 1942 5}
1957 "Jehovah has established a very definite channel of communication through which he deals with his people .. It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the 'slave' as we would to the voice of God." {WT Jun 15 1957 370}
1969 "Jehovah's organization as directed by his 'faithful and discreet slave' class should influence our every decision also. {WT March 15, 1969 172}
1973 "Only this organization functions for Jehovah's purpose and to his praise. To it alone God's Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book." (Watchtower; July 1, 1973, pp. 402.)
1979 [Of those living at the time of Armageddon, only Jehovah's Witnesses will be saved] {WT Feb 15 1979 30}
1993 "But if we were to draw away from Jehovah's organization, there would be NO PLACE ELSE TO GO FOR SALVATION"... Watchtower 9/15/93 page 22 :
SEPTEMBER 1996 Kingdom Ministry (Page 1 paragraph 3)
Article titled, Walk by Faith: "We must also be firmly persuaded that Jehovah is leading us by means of his visible organization under the direction of “the faithful and discreet slave."
SEPTEMBER 2002 Kingdom Ministry (Page 8 paragraph 5)
Article Titled, Avoid the Pursuit of Valueless Things: "Bear in mind that our heavenly Father has an appointed channel of communication,“the faithful and discreet slave.” That “slave” has the responsibility to determine what information is made available to the household of faith, as well as “the proper time” for it to be dispensed. This spiritual food is available only through the theocratic organization. We should always look to God’s appointed channel for reliable information—Matt. 24:45."
Clearly then, anybody can see that Jehovah's Witnesses teach the belief that God has chosen only the Watchtower leaders as his "Channel of Communication", and that Jehovah's Witnesses themselves are admonished to follow all of these specific teachings that are published in their literature as if it was coming from God Himself. And as already mentioned, as a 15 year member and elder, this is exactly what I believed as do all Jehovah's Witnesses that I have ever known.
So then, the question remains, are these claim TRUE? Has God chosen The Watchtower as his specific and only religion on the earth?
For me, after a thorough examination of the full range of facts as they truly and honestly are, the answer has become a very clear and resounding NO. If I had known back then in 1990, when I was baptized as a Witness, what I know now today in Nov 2010, I would have never been baptized as a Jehovah's Witness. But back then, when I was studying the bible with Jehovah's Witnesses there was no internet to use to gain valuable information and to examine the Witness faith as well as its history like there is today. I basically took their word for it when it came to information they presented to me, as well as what they present to all potential Jehovah's Witness Bible studies, namely --their version and their side--.
So then what caused this change in my position and belief that God chose the Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses as his channel and people?
For me it was a combination of learning about Mistake after mistake having been made (throughout the entire 100-plus year existence of the Watchtower Society); A back and forth Flip-flopping again and again on numerous doctrinal positions; Several well publicized end of the world predictions that Never Came True; Terrible Watchtower Society positions against often LIFE-SAVING medical procedures such as vaccinations, organ transplants and blood transfusions that have literally caused thousands of people to die unnecessarily; the arrogant belief that only Jehovah's Witnesses are true Christians while all others religions and people of those religions will be destroyed unless becoming a Jehovah's Witness;... all this along with a host other strange, inconsistent and even embarrassing teachings and beliefs for over a century now. I have concluded that God would never be behind an organization (that claims he has chosen only them), that has gotten so many things wrong for so long and made so many mistakes, all in verifiable writing, throughout its entire existence on this earth.
This is a link showing just how many mistakes there have been over the years: http://home.tiscali.nl/t661020/wtcitaten/part1.htm
If God were to literally choose just one faith on the earth to represent him and his interests, along with using this same one group to publish his own thoughts, on a variety of subjects and issues, wouldn't it be reasonable to conclude that God would do better than what the Watchtower has done with all of these mistakes posted above?
And while some of these policies have been dropped, reversed, adjusted, never came true etc etc; while they were in effect, Jehovah's Witnesses simply had no choice but to adhere to them, had no choice but to teach them to other people even if they themselves disagreed with them or if they were later proven to be wrong or bad policies. If any Jehovah's Witness did not support whatever policy was in place at that time they would have to face organizational counsel and discipline, which if not properly accepted, would then lead to being disfellowshipped (ex-communicated) followed by extreme shunning and the losing everybody you know including your very own family members. One cannot disagree with any JW current teachings without facing the severest of punishment in times past as well as today.
Which is exactly what happened to me. One simply cannot disagree with any current WT policies without facing the severest of penalties through extreme shunning by all Jehovah's Witnesses. For any Jehovah's Witness that does not comply with these shunning policies, they in turn will face discipline and if not accepting the counsel, they too will then be disfellowshipped and shunned.
I have lost my step son and our first grandchild (now four years old), my brother in law, several business partners, my good name and reputation, I am judged and labeled as some wicked apostate godless man and am shunned by all Jehovah's Witnesses today.
Why so much severe punishment as this? What is my crime to face such consequences? I simply disagreed with the JW blood policy. I did not take blood. I did not tell others to take blood. I simply DISAGREED with this JW policy and now I am shunned, labeled and judged for the rest of my life along with losing some of the very family I raised. Is this loving, fair or Christian? I have done nothing wrong. After concluding, through enormous efforts, that the Watchtower Blood policy is wrong (just like their no vaccinations and no organ transplants policies were wrong before, I simply could no longer with a clear conscience make other people in my territory accept this policy, which is a mandatory requirement if one wishes to become a Jehovah's Witness. And because of this I was going to be disfellowshipped. So instead I disassociated at that very same time.
JW's would like for people to chalk up all those numerous mistakes from the Watchtower Society throughout their entire existence to mere human imperfection. They then often try to compare such Watchtower failures to the mistakes of biblical figures such as King David and the Apostles of the first century. What JWs fails to recognize is that people, as individuals, have always and will always make personal mistakes throughout their lives as imperfect humans. David, Moses, Peter, Paul and many others made mistakes. All Christians today do as well. Even the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses themselves make mistakes as imperfect men.
But as clearly posted above, the Watchtower's Governing Body is said to be "anointed and directed by God Himself." It's in clear print for anybody to read.
But here is the problem: These men of the Governing Body get together as a collective group, they pray for holy spirit to guide them as a collective group, they then make decisions based on being directed by God's spirit as a collective group, they then publish those decisions in their Watchtower magazines made as a collective group and then force those decisions on all Jehovah's Witnesses and expect them to live by those decisions at risk of losing God's favor and threat of disfellowshipping and extreme shunning.
But then when we find out that those decisions had to be dropped altogether, reversed, adjusted, changed and even apologized for, we can clearly see that God was never behind them to begin with. They were wrong the first minute they came off of the presses. God was definitely never behind these many erroneous Watchtower policies despite claims to the contrary.
What JWs fail to differentiate is that Human beings, individually, are allowed to and do make mistakes on a daily basis; including Moses and Jesus own hand-picked apostles. The very Writings (which are claimed to be from God --2Tim 3:16,17 and 2Peter 1:20,21 and Acts 3:21), of these same bible writers however are without mistakes anywhere. When the apostles mistakenly thought the Kingdom was being established at that time, they asked Jesus for clarification. (Matthew 24:1-3). They did not PUBLISH those erroneous thoughts. That's why the bible is what it is today. Many truly believe it is inspired. Otherwise, if the bible writers had the same kind of track record of mistakes as does the Watchtower Society, the bible would be considered as nothing more than some "good book" and that is it. But to most people it is viewed as the infallible word of God. To most people it gets everything correct.
On the other hand, the very writings of the Watchtower Society (which also claims to be "food from God", his "mouthpiece" today, "God's Channel" etc), are filled with mistake after mistake and numerous inconsistencies and eventual embarrasments. Yet JW's usually want to conveniently just chalk it up to "human imperfection".
That simply does not work for most thinking people. The Watchtower cannot get a free pass here on all those past and current mistakes and bad policies while claiming God has anointed them and is directing them and them only. Many JW's try to minimize the mistakes made by the Watchtower Society, as did I for many years. At least the ones I did know about. But you just can't get away with this that easy. How many people DIED solely due to those bad medical policies which eventually had to be dropped altogether? That's how bad they were, most had to be dropped, discarded, dumped because they were just that bad. Was God behind them?
Did Jehovah say No Vaccinations for 23 years and then change his mind and say vaccinations are now okay to have? All the while vaccinations were stomping out polio, smallpox and so much more. Did (((GOD))) get it wrong?
Did Jehovah say Organ Transplants are the same as "Cannibalism" and forbid them for 13 years, only to then change his mind and eventually say Organ Transplants are now okay to have? Did God Himself direct those bad policies only to have to drop them later on? And what about the Jehovah's Witnesses that died by following these policies? Only to have them reversed later. I have read some of these accounts. It breaks your heart to read them.
How many people listened to all of the false end of the world specific dates, published in writing, missed predictions? 1914, 1925, 1975, before the end of the 20th century, before the generation of 1914 dies out and several more than this. Predictions which proved what? Every single one proved False. No hyperbole, all of them. Lives were ruined following the WT leadership with those as well. People gave up families, plans to have children, enjoyable careers... all for what ? For a message that proved untrue over and over again. How "faithful and discreet" is this? What does this say about the WT Society Organization to most people then? What does that say about ANY an organization? And wouldn't it be reasonable for thinking persons to expect more from a religion that makes the claims of God's Only True Channel Today?
Is it a lack of faith on the part of intelligent people that reject the Watchtower Society based on so many bad policies and mistakes over the years along with numerous current bad policies? Or would it be irresponsible to just look the other way? Truth can stand up to any challenge. It can hold up to vigorous cross-examination. Yet the average JW knows very little of this past, and just goes along with whatever they are told. So did I. Do people such as myself and many others leave the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses because we have now been blinded and have a wicked heart? Or did we leave because they WERE blinded and NOW have all of the important information to make a better, more educated and complete decison?
How does anybody just go from all these mistakes for the past 100 years made by the Watchtower Society, to the Watchtower Society is the "One True Faith"? The reason is simple; most Witnesses have no idea about these many things I have posted here, just like I never knew about them for 15 years as an active Witness.
And when mistakes are eventually realized by Jehovah's Witnesses, and new information or a new direction has to replace the old mistaken information or direction by the Watchtower Society, then the Watchtower likes to conveniently call it, "New Light". As if God has somehow revealed something miraculous again. This works and even gets people excited for most Witnesses readily accept this information since they already believe God has chosen them alone to begin with. But one clear look at the reality would show most thinking people that "new light" has not been revealed at all; but rather, more bad information, mistaken policies, false predictions and wrong beliefs simply need to be replaced due to the realization that these old policies and beliefs are simply proven to not be true.
The generation of 1914 never dying off for example. They had no choice BUT to drop that and find something to replace it with. And then changed it again. The recent change that the 144,000 has not been sealed but is still open. (After all the number of those partaking has only been going up.) Organ Transplants not ever being the same as cannibalism and allowing tens of thousands of people today the added opportunity to live life. On and on we could go filling pages worth of examples that prove new light never happened.
The fact is that new light could more accurately be called blinking light. New light is usually the realization that the Governing Body was simply wrong to begin with.
There are good people from all religions today. This is truly a fact. All religious organizations do make mistakes as well. The WT Society is actually worse than most however. So how can people say this is the one true religion today? How can anybody back such lofty claims as those up, with such a poor track record? I have yet to see that happen anywhere.
If the bible is true Moses parted the Red Sea, manna fell from the sky, prophecies came true. Jesus walked on water, healed the sick, fed thousands, raised the dead and so much more. But the Watchtower Society has an entire history of mistaken policies that have been and still are forced on all Witnesses at the very real threat of disfellowshipping and being shunned for non-compliance. They also boastfully claim "one true faith', while condemning all other religions and people of those religions to destruction if not becoming JW's.
For me today and most people that see all the facts there is nothing there to support such lofty and inflated claims as the Watchtower being chosen by God for anything at all. The WT Society certainly is not dispensing food from God from what the record clearly shows. Because it is quite obvious that God would never be behind all those mistakes again and again along with numerous current unscriptural policies.
Otherwise I would have never left the religion (after 15 years of being one and an elder), while having to suffer the steep consequences of losing family and friends.
All the best,
Vinny
Hi Robert,
Thanks for your latest article.
Personally, I don't see that your replacement theology has any more going for it than than that of Jehovah's Witnesses, or that of post- or a-millennialists. How can you rightly claim that your eschatology honors Jehovah's inerrant word any more than any of those other replacement schemes do?
Again, may I suggest to you that in Scripture, Israel always means ethnic Israel, every single time; always has, and always will. It's not for us to replace God's designated covenant people, namely, Israel, with whatever group/groups strike our particular fancy, be it/they Jehovah's Witnesses, Christendom, the church, or anyone else, without express authorization from the Author of Scripture on this; an authorization that is entirely lacking within the text of Scripture itself.
I think you would do well, Robert, to do some further study in hermeneutics and ecclesiology, and also in Israel's four unconditional covenants, namely, the Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic and New covenants. Every one of these covenants, confirmed by all the OT prophets many times over, promise the kingdom to the very same people group whom Jehovah brought up out of Egypt (Jer. 31:32), namely, the (literal) descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
The Jewish theocracy was not annulled at Jesus' first advent, but rather only postponed, due to Jewish unbelief and rejection of the Jewish Messiah, UNTIL His second advent (Matthew 23:37-39, Luke 13:34-35, Luke 19:11-28, Luke 21:24, Acts 1:6-7).
I believe Jehovah God will rightly receive all the glory when His inspired word is, in due time, fulfilled to the letter (Luke 16:17) throughout the great tribulation and on into the millennial kingdom, to the shame of the many who now teach that the vast majority of prophecy given to Israel doesn't really mean what it says.
That's how this fundamentalist huckster sees it, anyway.
Kevin
kevin quick, interesting stuff
Hello Watchman, I found your article to be informative, but I am not sure about what you say as God's name (YHWH) as being spelled as "Jehovah".
You mentioned that this particular spelling or pronunciation of this name came into being from the time of the reformation.
But just because certain reformers have rendered the spelling or pronounce God's name as "Jehovah" does not mean that it is the correct way of pronouncing his name or that God's Spirit was prompting them to do so at this time.
For instance, Tyndale, why did not the Holy Spirit prompt him to replace LORD with God's name at least all throughout the Hebrew scriptures of which I believe was rendered over 7000 times?
True as you say Satan has done his best to remove God's name completely from all scripture that we understand to be God's word today.
But I believe Satan to be very clever as he does use some truth to disguise the real truth.
Whether we like to believe it or not the name "Jehovah" is a product of Christendom and Satan is still pulling the wool over our eyes today.
I do believe however that all of us who are true Christians, will sometime in the near future understand how to pronounce and spell God's name in the correct way as he would like us to spell it or pronounce it.
Yes we will all have to know God as Christians should know God, through his WORD and Son, Jesus Christ.
As mentioned by Ezekiel a number of times, because of his works and his justice, then the nations will have to know YHWH, they will have to know the true God and who he really is.
As Jesus stated if you know me you know the Father.
John 14 [LITV]
6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you do know Him, and have seen Him.
This is how we get to know YHWH, through his Son Jesus Christ.
Then people will know the true God because he is the expressed image of God, YHWH.
Hebrews 1
1 In many ways and in various ways of old, God spoke to the fathers in the prophets;
2 in these last days He spoke to us in the Son, whom He appointed heir of all; through whom He indeed made the ages;
3 who being the shining splendor of His glory, and the express image of His essence, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, having made purification of our sins through Himself, He sat down on the right of the Majesty on high, Psa. 110:1 [LITV]
BTW everyone, according to Linda la rouche, were'nt we supposed to be having a "general breakdown crisis" last month?
Anyone care to enlighen, after another disappointing "forecast" from the self-assuming geriatric ?
Yep its just the Angels holding back the 4 winds of destruction untill the timing is right.
FutureMan,
Just a couple of thoughts regarding the Name...
According to Scripture, in this present age, JESUS is the name above all other names (Phil. 2:9). This will also be true in the age to come (Eph. 1:21).
Jesus is the salvation of Jehovah (Matt. 1:21). Therefore, emphasis on Jesus does not detract from Jehovah, but rather glorifies Him (Phil. 2:11), especially in light of the fact that the Father gave His name to Jesus (John 17:11-12). In fact, Scripture commands that we honor the Son just as we honor the Father (John 5:23).
I realize, FutureMan, that most people reading these posts cannot (yet?) accept the idea that Jesus possesses full deity, but just let me suggest to you that if Jesus does indeed possess full deity, then that satisfactorily answers several issues that you raised in your comment...
1. I think we'd all agree that Jehovah is capable of preserving His written word (Matt. 5:18, Luke 21:33), as He has done throughout the centuries. Now, if it were absolutely essential that the tetragrammaton be translated as YAHWEH or JEHOVAH, couldn't He have, and indeed wouldn't He have preserved it that way? The "Satan removed the Name" theory is interesting, and is, to a certain extent plausible, but what does this say regarding God's sovereignty in the matter? Rather, especially in light of the fact that Jesus' name is presently, without any Scriptural qualification, "the name above all names," couldn't it be entirely within God's purpose that His (Jewish) covenant name Jehovah be somewhat obscured in this intercalary age of grace, an age that is focused, by God's intention, on Jesus and His work?
2. Yes, indeed, "the nations shall know that I am Jehovah." I understand this in two ways... a. Especially following the future Gog/Magog invasion of Israel, and Armageddon, the nations will know that Israel's God is the true God, and, b. All who doubt that Jesus possesses full deity will have this doubt erased once He personally fulfills all that Jehovah Himself had promised to personally do in all His Kingdom prophecies. Just a few examples (OT quotations are from the ASV; NT quotations are from the NASB)...
Isaiah 24:23: Then the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed; for Jehovah of hosts will reign in mount Zion, and in Jerusalem; and before his elders shall be glory.
Isaiah 40:9-11: O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold, your God! Behold, the Lord Jehovah will come as a mighty one, and his arm will rule for him: Behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young.
Jeremiah 3:17: At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.
Jeremiah 23:5-6: Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness.
Micah 4:7: and I will make that which was lame a remnant, and that which was cast far off a strong nation: and Jehovah will reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth even for ever.
Zechariah 2:10-12: Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for, lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith Jehovah. And many nations shall join themselves to Jehovah in that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that Jehovah of hosts has sent me unto thee. And Jehovah shall inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and shall yet choose Jerusalem.
Zechariah 6:12-15: and speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh Jehovah of hosts, saying, Behold, the man whose name is the Branch: and he shall grow up out of his place; and he shall build the temple of Jehovah; even he shall build the temple of Jehovah; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne; and the counsel of peace shall be between them both. And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of Jehovah. And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of Jehovah; and ye shall know that Jehovah of hosts hath sent me unto you. And this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of Jehovah your God.
Zechariah 8:3: Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, The holy mountain.
Zechariah 14:9: And Jehovah shall be King over all the earth: in that day shall Jehovah be one, and his name one.
Zechariah 14:16-17: And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso of all the families of the earth goeth not up unto Jerusalem to worship the King, Jehovah of hosts, upon them there shall be no rain.
Matthew 5:35: or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.
Luke 1:30-33: And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end.”
Revelation 1:4-5: John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne; and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us, and released us from our sins by His blood,
Revelation 11:15: And the seventh angel sounded; and there arose loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”
Kevin
You make some good points Vinny. IF and that's a big IF this religion is actually supported by God, would a person really WANT to worship a god who supports such a messed up fiasco that this one has been? Would a god of love play with people's hearts and emotions the way this religion has? Screwing up countless lives, having people live in poverity, people dying for failed and discarded policies. Just the sheer arrogance of the leadership....it goes on and on. I just don't see how God would want anything to do with this madness.
Kevin Quick,
yes, literal I*S*R*A*E*L will soon rule the world - at the coming of their cosmic messiah to convert all 'Christians' to the rule of T*A*L*M*U*D and exterminate anyone waiting for the second coming of the real Christ - since they already control the world's money supply and resources, media and 'culture,' politics, legal systems, education and so forth, and didn't quite succeed in wiping out Christianity the first time round.
The question then really is: Will you succeed in escaping the operation of error destined to occur and in standing before the real Son of man when He finally arrives to exterminate the literal S*Y*N*A*G*O*G*U*E of Satan?
(Automated keyword search denial features added for obvious reasons)
Watchman,
you write that, QUOTE: "[the] change [to the name Jehovah's Witnesses in 1931] confirmed that the congregation of Christ had emerged from the time of darkness and is presently manifested to the world through Jehovah’s Witnesses." UNQUOTE
Hang on a minute, that can't be right, since Luke informs us that members of Christ's congregation were by Divine providence named "Christians!" Now who got that name wrong, the Holy Spirit or you and your co-religionist Rutherford - let me guess?
The WT-anointed and their functionaries of high places do not represent the first century Christian congregation but the Jewish establishment of Pharisees and Sadducees that went persecuting Christ's brothers by throwing them out of their synagogues and branding them as heretics, just as also done by the rest of Christendom's Churches all through the ages. (2Ki.17:32-34)
All such people hypocritically calling themselves God's people will receive their judgment in the great tribulation, with only an insignificant remnant surviving in order to be restored during the millennium along with all resurrected ones,
And they can count themselves 'lucky' to be found 'worthy' to suffer through the great tribulation, because the majority of their God-bothering co-religionists will bypass the tribulation judgment altogether - being protected from it by accepting the mark of the beast - in order to face God's wrath at Armageddon from which there will be no survival for them.
You would greatly enhance the effectiveness of your message if only you could discern the body of Christ, zoom out your myopic sectarian fixation and see the bigger picture of JWs as just being a tiny part of Christendom at large,
all of which as God's wayward and apostate people, is in line for severe testing, humiliation and final restoration of a trifling few who will return to the Mighty God in trueness and repentance, just as foretold in the Prophets, which otherwise you expound so well.
Proxygnonsis, no, I'm a pre-tribulation rapturist, so I don't expect to be directly affected by anything that transpires on earth during the tribulation (Rev. 3:10). Therefore, even if your Jewish conspiracy theory had any merit (which it doesn't), by the time those events happened I'd already have been "caught up" (John 14:2-3, 1 Cor. 15:51-53, 1 Thess. 4:13-17) and would have already been standing before the Son of Man (Luke 21:36) for some time.
Hi Kevin, you said :
(quote)_
I realize, FutureMan, that most people reading these posts cannot (yet?) accept the idea that Jesus possesses full deity, but just let me suggest to you that if Jesus does indeed possess full deity, then that satisfactorily answers several issues that you raised in your comment...
1. I think we'd all agree that Jehovah is capable of preserving His written word (Matt. 5:18, Luke 21:33), as He has done throughout the centuries. Now, if it were absolutely essential that the tetragrammaton be translated as YAHWEH or JEHOVAH, couldn't He have, and indeed wouldn't He have preserved it that way? The "Satan removed the Name" theory is interesting, and is, to a certain extent plausible, but what does this say regarding God's sovereignty in the matter? Rather, especially in light of the fact that Jesus' name is presently, without any Scriptural qualification, "the name above all names," couldn't it be entirely within God's purpose that His (Jewish) covenant name Jehovah be somewhat obscured in this intercalary age of grace, an age that is focused, by God's intention, on Jesus and His work?
(end of quote)
I will agree with you that Jesus is now a deity, but not to the extent that most of Christendom says as regards their belief that Jesus and God and the Holy Spirit are all equal.
Matthew 28 [LITV]
16 But the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mount where Jesus appointed them.
17 And seeing Him, they worshiped Him. But they doubted.
18 And coming up Jesus talked with them, saying, All authority in Heaven and on earth was given to Me.
The scriptures clearly show that Jesus is sitting at his Heavenly Father's right-hand, so clearly even though he is a deity as granted to him by his Heavenly Father, he is not equal to God (YHWH)
Psalms 110 [LITV]
1 A Psalm of David. A declaration of Jehovah to my Lord: Sit at My right hand, until I place Your enemies as Your footstool.
2 Jehovah shall send the rod of Your strength out of Zion to rule in the midst of Your enemies.
3 Your people shall have willingnesses in the day of Your might; in the majesties of holiness; from the womb of the dawn, to You is the dew of Your youth.
4 Jehovah has sworn and will not repent: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
5 The Lord at Your right hand shatters kings in the day of His anger.
6 He shall judge among the nations; He shall fill with dead bodies; He shall shatter heads over much land.
Hebrews 1 [LITV]
1 In many ways and in various ways of old, God spoke to the fathers in the prophets;
2 in these last days He spoke to us in the Son, whom He appointed heir of all; through whom He indeed made the ages;
3 who being the shining splendor of His glory, and the express image of His essence, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, having made purification of our sins through Himself, He sat down on the right of the Majesty on high,
As to the name as spelled as "JEHOVAH" or "YAHWEH" I agree with you that God through the Holy Spirit is capable of revealing the true pronunciation of his name, that is for sure, but what Watchman is suggesting is that this occurred in the time of the reformation, especially with Tyndale, who I understand was still a Trinitarian as were the "church of England".
The point I was making was that as the Watchtower Society claim today, that in the New World translation they have restored God's true name in all the Hebrew scriptures and the Greek scriptures, under the direction of God's Holy spirit.
Why did this not occur back then with Tyndale, if the Holy Spirit was in operation upon him?
The Watchtower Society even made a notation on the bottom of one of the pages of the Bible that referred to God's name, that most likely his name did start with "Yah" or "Jah", if I remember correctly.
By the way in Psalms 68 it says that Jah, is his name
4 Sing YOU to God, make melody to his name;
Raise up [a song] to the One riding through the desert plains
As Jah, which is his name; and jubilate before him; [NWT]
So clearly there is a question mark on how God's name should be spelled today.
Does it really matter whether we use God's name to be saved?
Well the Watchtower Society says yes it does matter, even though Jesus clearly showed in how we should pray that we should address God as our "Heavenly Father"
Matthew 6 [NWT]
9 “YOU must pray, then, this way:
“‘Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. 10 Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth. 11 Give us today our bread for this day; 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the wicked one.’
I take it that this is how all Christians should address God today, as our Heavenly Father.
True Christians know who God is and that he is the originator of all life in the universe and creator of all things, the one who caused all to happen and come into being.
God knows when we pray through his son Jesus (as our mediator) that we are addressing him even though we might not use his name of which we are not even sure how to pronounce today.
proxygnosis my dear brother,
I just wanted to say that you make alot of sense and I completely agree with what you said your words speak to my heart, I just hope that you are right. I personally have lost my faith in everyone and everything. Yet, deep down, I still believe there is a God, but I cannot make sense of the pain and misery that so many decent people are going through while so many rotten hearted ( both religious and worldly) people are not. The INJUSTICE and SUFFERING that God watches everyday and everynight for the past six centuries and does not lift one finger to help one desperate soul who cries out in despair and anguish, I will never begin to understand or even forgive. The watchtowers explanation of suffering is flawed and insensitive. While the other religions equally insult your moral intelligence and ones tender compassions.
Thanks though for your encouraging words
Dear Futureman,
"God knows when we pray through his son Jesus (as our mediator) that we are addressing him even though we might not use his name of which we are not even sure how to pronounce today."
I like your open-mindedness on this subject brother, it is very refreshing and uplifting.
Thanks for your time and research.
hey I guess we all can comment till the cows come home, but the Prince of the army of Jehovah is watching over affairs today and guess what, Jehovahs people are identified, even by Mr. Robert King.
"Jehovahs people are identified, even by Mr. Robert King"
meaning?
Quote-“yes, literal I*S*R*A*E*L will soon rule the world” – Proxy
Listen to all of the following but especially starting at around 6:40
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOlp_e95l8k&feature=player_embedded
Quote- “Hang on a minute, that can't be right, since Luke informs us that members of Christ's congregation were by Divine providence named "Christians!"- Proxy
Acts 11:25 So he went off to Tarsus to make a thorough search for Saul 26 and, after he found him, he brought him to Antioch. It thus came about that for a whole year they gathered together with them in the congregation and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.
Quote-“Well the Watchtower Society says yes it does matter, even though Jesus clearly showed in how we should pray that we should address God as our "Heavenly Father….True Christians know who God is and that he is the originator of all life in the universe and creator of all things, the one who caused all to happen and come into being. God knows when we pray through his son Jesus (as our mediator) that we are addressing him even though we might not use his name of which we are not even sure how to pronounce today. - Futureman
6 Jesus said to him: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
8 Philip said to him: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him: “Have I been with YOU men so long a time, and yet, Philip, you have not come to know me? He that has seen me has seen the Father [also]. How is it you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me? The things I say to YOU men I do not speak of my own originality; but the Father who remains in union with me is doing his works. 11 Believe me that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me; otherwise, believe on account of the works themselves. 12 Most truly I say to YOU, He that exercises faith in me, that one also will do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these, because I am going my way to the Father. 13 Also, whatever it is that YOU ask in my name, I will do this, in order that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son. 14 If YOU ask anything in my name, I will do it.
9 Moreover, do not call anyone YOUR father on earth, for one is YOUR Father, the heavenly One.
This article reflects the egocentricity of Robert King. All the religion in the world that professed faith in Christ make up antitypical Jerusalem. There are no exceptions.
Egocentric [ˌiːgəʊˈsɛntrɪk ˌɛg-]
adj
1. regarding everything only in relation to oneself; self-centred; selfish
2. (Philosophy) Philosophy pertaining to a theory in which everything is considered in relation to the self
a self-centred person; egotist