The Apostasy Must Come First
Friday, January 7, 2011 at 9:09AM Print Article 
This is an abbreviated version of an article from 2004Satan has corrupted and misled every people that God has ever recognized as his own—beginning with the first family in Eden. For example, so insidious is Satan’s influence, no sooner had God miraculously saved them from Egyptian bondage and organized the patriarchal tribes of Israel into a nation, then Satan induced their high priest, Aaron, to fabricate a golden calf to be worshipped in the name of Jehovah.
Sadly, much of the history of Israel and Judah is a chronicle of apostasy, idolatry and unfaithfulness on the part of the people of the covenants.
Even God-fearing King David was tragically over-reached by the Devil’s machinations and consequently his false step brought disaster upon God’s people. No, it was not David's secret immoral love affair with Bathsheba that brought God’s adverse judgment on the nation—it was something much more subtle. The 21st chapter of 1st Chronicles reports: “And Satan proceeded to stand up against Israel and to incite David to number Israel. So David said to Joab and the chiefs of the people: ‘Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan and bring it to me that I may know their number.’ But Joab said: ‘May Jehovah add to his people a hundred times as many as they are. Do they not, O my lord the king, all of them belong to my lord as servants? Why does my lord seek this? Why should he become a cause of guilt to Israel?’…. Now this thing was bad in the eyes of the true God, and so he struck down Israel.”
Outside the book of Job little else is mentioned about Satan in the Hebrew text (Other than the fact he appears in the prophetic vision of Zechariah standing next to Jehovah's newly-installed High priest), but it is obvious that the Tempter was behind the many lapses of Israel and Judah into apostasy and idolatry. The phony gods, Molech, Chemosh and the various baals, were simply idol fronts for the demons, as Moses indicated in the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy, where he wrote: “They began inciting him to jealousy with strange gods; with detestable things they kept offending him. They went sacrificing to demons, not to God, gods whom they had not known, new ones who recently came in, with whom your forefathers were not acquainted.”
When the time came for the Messiah to come to Israel, the Devil spared no effort in his scheme to tempt Christ himself into worshipping someone other than Jehovah. When that proved unsuccessful, the Chief demon sought to insinuate himself into Jesus’ intimate company through the apostles. In this he was successful, as one of twelve apostles, Judas, became a mere pawn of the Devil.
The Devil's slithering methods have rightly earned him the title of the Serpent; and even though Christ was the head of the Christian congregation, no congregation was entirely insulated from the Devil's cunning influence. That is why many years after Christianity was established Paul expressed his deep concern that Satan might somehow corrupt the brothers. The apostle wrote the following in the 11th chapter of 2nd Corinthians: “But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent seduced Eve by its cunning, your minds might be corrupted away from the sincerity and the chastity that are due the Christ. For, as it is, if someone comes and preaches a Jesus other than the one we preached, or you receive a spirit other than what you received, or good news other than what you accepted, you easily put up with him.”
How might the Corinthians be seduced by the cunning of the Devil? One way was by means of disguised satanic agents working from within the congregation! Cunning indeed!
“SATAN KEEPS TRANSFORMING HIMSELF INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT”
Paul went on to reveal the extent to which the Devil had already succeeded in infiltrating the virgin-like Christian congregation of Corinth by exposing the superfine apostles, whom he identified as covert agents of Satan the Devil that had cleverly insinuated themselves into the congregation. Paul wrote of them: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light. It is therefore nothing great if his ministers also keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. But their end shall be according to their works.”
That Paul referred to the transformers as false apostles would seem to indicate that those deceitful workers were the most prominent men among the Corinthians—vying with the apostles for authority and influence over the congregation. Apparently, though, the deception was so adroit, so clever, the Corinthian brothers and sisters were in danger of being taken in by the ruse. For a fact, Paul’s concern over his beloved Corinthian brothers and sisters was due to the fact that they kindly put up with such men.
We are not told of the effect Paul’s courageous exposure of the superfine apostles may have had on the Corinthian congregation. However, Paul himself was well aware that the satanic influence of such men was only going to increase with time and would eventually extend over many more congregations than just the Corinthians. By inspiration the apostle told the elders of the Ephesian congregation: “I know that after my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among you and will not treat the flock with tenderness, and from among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.”
Paul was also inspired to foresee that the future presence of Jesus Christ and the day of Jehovah would not come until first an apostasy had enveloped the entire congregation of Christ on earth. At 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-3, Paul prophesied: “However, brothers, respecting the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we request of you not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be excited either through an inspired expression or through a verbal message or through a letter as though from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here. Let no one seduce you in any manner, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.”
To be sure, the apostasy was already at work in the 1st Century, even as the apostles fought to keep it at bay—as Paul further related: “True, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work; but only till he who is right now acting as a restraint gets to be out of the way. Then, indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence.”
History verifies that after the apostles gradually died off, the “oppressive wolves” did indeed take control of the flock of Christ’s remaining sheep. The restraint that the stalwart apostles had maintained was gone and the apostasy came to dominate the truth and pervert the worship of Jehovah. Nearly three centuries later the Roman emperor, Constantine, seduced the power-hungry, apostate bishops and Christendom was established. Little else needs to be said regarding the corrupt form of Christianity the churches of Christendom represent.
However, before Jesus would return to take up his rule over the earth, he first initiates a gradual reawakening of his congregation, similar in scope to the original establishment of Christianity. A restoration of primitive Christianity would naturally require overturning the centuries of accumulated false doctrines and practices of Christendom. Anointed Christians would have to do it. The facts indicate that Charles Taze Russell and the original International Bible Students undertook that work in the late 19th century.
Based upon such historical facts, Jehovah’s Witnesses have always believed that the man of lawlessness is the clergy class. For example, the May 1st, 1991, Watchtower stated on page 17:
“A great apostasy was foretold, and a ‘mystery of lawlessness’ was already at work in the first century C.E. In time, men who accepted—or seized—teaching positions in the congregation taught many false doctrines. Their language was far from pure. So there arose a composite "man of lawlessness," the clergy of Christendom, bound to false religious traditions, worldly philosophy, and unscriptural teachings.”
If that understanding is correct though, it means that the foretold apostasy that “comes first”— before the presence of Christ – has been in evidence for some 17 centuries now! But, is that reasonable? There is no question that Christendom is an apostate form of Christianity, none of Jehovah's Witnesses doubt that. But what sort of milestone would that serve to indicate the nearness of the day of Jehovah if the apostasy Paul foretold preceded the parousia by nearly two millennia?
What is more, if Jehovah’s Witnesses are correct it means that the man of lawlessness has already been revealed; since the Watchtower has for many decades revealed him to be the composite clergy class?
But is that really the end of it? Is the devious man of lawless really that easily exposed? One question to consider is this: If the clergy make up a composite man of lawlessness and the man of lawlessness has already been exposed through the publicizing efforts of the Watchtower Society – because the presence of Christ presumably began back in 1914 – then why has not Christ also already done away with the man of lawlessness “with the spirit of his mouth”? Why the delay of some 90 years – and counting?
Furthermore, the apostle Paul foretold that the apostate man of lawlessness would sit in the very temple of Jehovah. Specifically, 2 Thessalonians 2:4-5 reads: "He is set in opposition and lifts himself up over everyone who is called "god" or an object of reverence, so that he sits down in the temple of The God, publicly showing himself to be a god. Do you not remember that, while I was yet with you, I used to tell you these things?"
There is no doubt the clergy of Christendom are “bound to false religious traditions, worldly philosophy, and unscriptural teachings”—as the Watchtower quoted above states, but since Jehovah’s Witnesses boast of having been released from babylonish captivity and are now completely separate and distinct from Christendom, how is it possible that the man of lawlessness “sits down in the temple of The God” immediately before Christ destroys him? In view of the fact that the temple of “The God” is the spirit-anointed congregation, as the Christian Greek Scriptures indicate in many places, that means that the man of lawlessness exercises authority and influence over all of God’s true sons up until such time as Christ evicts him from the temple. After all, the prophet Paul specifically said that the man of lawlessness “is set in opposition and lifts himself up over everyone who is called “god” or an object of reverence.”
According to the 82nd Psalm Jehovah calls his own sons “gods.” Therefore, would they not logically be included among the those who are called “god,” over whom the man of lawlessness lifts himself? Especially since the man of lawlessness is in “opposition” to Christ, being an earthly agent of the original spirit opposer, Satan, the man of lawlessness is in opposition to Jehovah’s servants in particular.
So, is it correct to conclude that the temple in which the apostate man of lawlessness seats himself is the very congregation of Christ at this present time? Not according to the Watchtower.
The Insight Volume II, under the topic of “temple,” states the following under the subheading – An Impostor:
“The apostle Paul, in warning of the apostasy to come, spoke of “the man of lawlessness” as setting himself up “so that he sits down in the temple of The God, publicly showing himself to be a god.” This “man of lawlessness” is an apostate, a false teacher, so he actually seats himself only in what he falsely claims to be that temple.”
Amazingly, the Watchtower says that the man of lawlessness does not really sit himself down in the actual spiritual temple of God, as Paul clearly states; but rather, according to the Watchtower, the man of lawlessness only falsely claims to occupy God’s temple. Why the obvious contradiction?
In view of the subtle discrepancies between what Jehovah’s Witnesses have been taught by the Watchtower regarding the man of lawlessness and what the Bible actually says about him, each of Jehovah’s Witnesses ought to soberly give thought to the possibility that you have already been victimized by a cunning deception perpetrated by the man of lawlessness. Yes, it is time to give serious consideration to the evidence that the apostasy that comes first – before the presence and manifestation of Christ – originates within the leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves, from the Watchtower Society! After all, does not the Watchtower assume authority over all those who are God’s sons? And has not the Watchtower claimed to have been exalted above all other forms of worship, or “objects of worship,” as the prophecy words it?
Here is something to consider: Is there any reason to believe that Satan is any less effective today in transforming himself into an angel of light and empowering his pawns to transform themselves into ministers of righteousness?
The Watchtower has often pointed out that Satan and the demons operate much like underworld criminals, in that they seek to obscure their very existence and intentions. Paul once said that Christians are not ignorant of his designs. But are Jehovah’s Witnesses ignorant of the Devil’s designs? Of course, Jehovah’s Witnesses are well aware that Satan is the god of this world and that his malevolent influence extends permeates the entire system. But, is that all? Keep in mind that one aspect of the Devil’s clever machinations is to convince people that he does not even exist—or at least try and lull them into imagining that they cannot be personally overreached by him.
One of Jehovah’s Witnesses might reason. “That would never work on us. We know the Devil is real.” And that may well be true; however, the paradox is that Jehovah’s Witnesses are naïve to the fact that Satan is fully capable of influencing what is commonly called “Jehovah's organization.” Some might react to that with: “Oh no, that could never happen. The Watchtower has God’s protection. Anyway, the faithful and discreet slave has already passed the test and been appointed over all the master’s belongings; and besides, we are living in a spiritual paradise.”
Thus, by such false reasoning the very same Christian who may recognize Satan’s dark influence over the world may become blind to the reality that he is fully capable of exerting considerable influence over the Christian organization. Actually, Jehovah’s Witnesses recognize that it is possible to be victimized by false brothers who may sneak into the organization and become leaders. For a fact, the Watchtower well knows that during the heyday of the Soviet Union, KGB agents and other enemies posed as interested Bible students in order to win the trust of the unsuspecting brothers. They often succeeded. Some of them were even appointed as elders and circuit overseers. So, then, why is it unthinkable that Satan’s phony ministers of righteousness could not also rise to the very top of the organization?
No wonder Paul told the anointed Corinthians he was afraid they might be seduced by the Devil's cunning! Or are Jehovah’s Witnesses wiser than the anointed Corinthian congregation that naively put up with the transformed apostles of Satan?
The Watchtower contributes to the delusion by assuring the trusting flock that Jehovah’s Witnesses today will never fall victim to any large-scale apostasy. The July 15th, 1971, Watchtower says:
“It is not difficult to see how Christendom is composed largely of those who make a mere profession of being Christians. Jehovah’s witnesses, however, take their stand entirely separate from Christendom, a stand based solely on God’s Word and its principles of truth and righteousness. We are assured that in this harvesttime, referred to by Jesus, there will not again be a large-scale falling away into apostasy.”
We are not told exactly what assurances Jesus may have given that there would be no “large-scale falling away into apostasy.” On the contrary, Jesus actually foretold that during the conclusion “many false prophets will arise and mislead many; and because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off.”
To be sure, Jesus said that during the harvest the angels will be dispatched with orders to remove out from Christ’s kingdom all persons doing lawlessness and all things that cause stumbling. A simple question Jehovah’s Witnesses ought to consider is, if the harvest has already taken place, why is the organization still afflicted with persons doing lawlessness and countless stumbling blocks? (See the chapter: The Harvest)
The article cited above continues:
“But we cannot afford to be indifferent. The same enemy, Satan, the dragon, is on the warpath, more wrathful than ever. The modern-day history of Jehovah’s witnesses shows that attempts have been made by some, making up an “evil slave” class, to assume control over Jehovah’s work and his people. This was especially seen during the World War I period. Jehovah, however, has cleansed his organization, and made it wholly theocratic. The credit is due to him, not to man. Individually, careful watch has still to be kept. The records show that, in our congregations, some need to be warned, others put on probation, and others have to be disfellowshiped. Why? Because, while claiming to be in the truth, they do not practice the truth. This often starts in a small way, but, if persisted in, it leads away from the light into the darkness outside."
The Watchtower recognizes that a lawless element once sought to get control over the organization back during WWI. But, perhaps the evil slave has since been much more successful than imagined. Would it not be a clever ruse by the Devil to promote the notion that the evil slaves were taken care of long ago and that the enemy is now powerless?
To determine if that is really the case consider the following question: Has Jehovah really cleansed his organization and made it wholly subject to himself in theocratic submission, as the Watchtower claims? If so, why are there those in the congregation who do not practice the truth, as the article correctly points out?
Again, would it not suit the Devil’s purpose to promote the lie that God had already cleansed his congregation if such were not the case? What could be more beguiling than to suppose that the organization is invulnerable to Satan’s corrupting influence and that God is in absolute control? Now ask yourself: Does merely believing that Jehovah’s Witnesses are living in a cleansed spiritual paradise – even if that is not the case – make one more or less vulnerable to the machinations of the Devil?
On the topic of spiritual paradise, as recently as the March 1st, 2004 issue, despite all evidence to the contrary, the Watchtower continues to insist that Jehovah’s Witnesses are living in the prophesied trouble-free spiritual paradise.
DO JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES DWELL IN SPIRITUAL PARADISE?
The 1st study article begins by saying:
“Jehovah’s Witnesses dwell in a spiritual paradise. In the midst of this troubled world, they share a unique spiritual environment with fellow Christians, who are at peace with Jehovah God and one another.”
Not to mimic Eden’s serpent, but just because an otherwise respected and credible authority says so, is it really so? Whatever happened to the apostle’s admonition: “Make sure of all things”?
So, are Jehovah’s Witnesses presently living the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy or not? What is the truth?
For one thing, it does not at all seem proper or modest for Jehovah’s Witnesses to boast of being at peace with God. There is an eerie similarity concerning a similar deception the Jewish leaders of Jeremiah’s day perpetrated against the Jews: “And they try to heal the breakdown of the daughter of my people lightly, saying: ‘There is peace! There is peace!’ when there is no peace.”
Although the Watchtower cites Isaiah 11:6-9 as a proof-text that Jehovah’s Witnesses are luxuriating in spiritual paradise, they offer nothing in the way of an explanation as to how it might apply. So, let us test the seemingly inspired expression to see if it really originates with God, even as the apostle John exhorts us to do.
Isaiah 11:6-9 reads: “And the wolf will actually reside for a while with the male lamb, and with the kid the leopard itself will lie down, and the calf and the maned young lion and the well-fed animal all together; and a mere little boy will be leader over them. And the cow and the bear themselves will feed; together their young ones will lie down. And even the lion will eat straw just like the bull. And the sucking child will certainly play upon the hole of the cobra; and upon the light aperture of a poisonous snake will a weaned child actually put his own hand. They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.”
The prophecy foretells that dangerous, venomous reptiles will not even harm a child. Interestingly, a seemingly harmless serpent was instrumental in Satan’s bringing great harm to the innocent inhabitants of the original paradise in Eden. So, the prophetic imagery of a tamed, but otherwise venom-spitting cobra would seem to suggest that Satan will have no influence or voice in the spiritual paradise of Jehovah’s making.
Isaiah the 11th chapter is recognized as a messianic prophecy. That is evident in the opening verses, which state:
“And there must go forth a twig out of the stump of Jesse; and out of his roots a sprout will be fruitful. And upon him the spirit of Jehovah must settle down, the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of mightiness, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah; and there will be enjoyment by him in the fear of Jehovah. And he will not judge by any mere appearance to his eyes, nor reprove simply according to the thing heard by his ears. And with righteousness he must judge the lowly ones, and with uprightness he must give reproof in behalf of the meek ones of the earth. And he must strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; and with the spirit of his lips he will put the wicked one to death. And righteousness must prove to be the belt of his hips, and faithfulness the belt of his loins.”
The stump of Jesse is, of course, in reference to the Davidic kingdom—Jesse being David’s father. And Jesus inherited the right to David’s throne by virtue of his being of the genealogical line of David. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jesus has already sat down on his throne in 1914 and has since then been ruling the world. But, according to the context of the prophecy the foretold peaceful conditions of paradise come about as a direct result of Jesus giving a favorable judgment to the lowly and the meek and his putting the wicked one to death. Needless to say that has not happened yet—not even symbolically.
It should be apparent, too, that no such spiritual paradise existed in the original Christian congregations. That is evident from the many problems that afflicted them. For example, Paul said that he was occasionally in danger from false brothers, which is exactly what the superfine apostles were, too. He referred to other men as sneaking into the congregation to “spy on our freedom.” Paul also warned the Galatians that if they kept biting at one another they were liable to annihilate each other. Are those the conditions of a spiritual paradise? Hardly. The very existence of false brothers and faithless agents of the Devil within the congregations is the antithesis of a secure, trouble-free spiritual paradise. The closest Paul came to spiritual paradise was when he has gifted with a rapturous vision of what he called paradise and the “third heaven.”
The imagery of a lion lying down with a lamb is really depicting the peaceful relations between people who are blessed by Jehovah. Individuals with animalistic tendencies will be tamed so as not to harm others. Unquestionably, the truth can have a powerful transforming effect upon anyone who applies the principles of God’s Word in their lives. But, does that of itself make for a spiritual paradise? What if not all in the congregation are transformed?
For example, it is an undeniable fact that animalistic predators within the very congregations and families of Jehovah’s Witnesses have sexually abused many thousands of innocent children. That being the case, the Watchtower’s claims of spiritual paradise are unfounded.
Back in the 1960s when the moral breakdown of Western society began in earnest, perhaps there may have been some justification for believing that Jehovah’s Witnesses were somehow different from other people in that respect. But, in recent decades the organization has been overtaken by the very same moral decay common to Christendom. The Watchtower even freely admits that tens of thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses are disfellowshipped every year for all sorts of immorality. Many more live what is called a double life and are not found out. So, for the Watchtower to insist that the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses are sheltered in spiritual paradise—untroubled by the moral decay and animalistic spirit that afflicts others—is simply to deny reality.
The truth is, spiritual paradise is not characterized by mere organizational uniformity or even doctrinal purity, or anything like that. The real spiritual paradise of God’s making will resemble the original paradise in Eden before it was corrupted, in that, in spiritual paradise there will be no evil, hurtful, animalistic men—not so much as one! Surely in the real spiritual paradise not even one child will be raped or sexually molested by a trusted Christian.
HAS CHRIST ALREADY COME?
Jehovah’s Witnesses are also victimized by another deception – that Christ has already come and appointed his faithful slave over all of his belongings. The March 1st, 2004, Watchtower study article entitled: “The Faithful Slave Passes the Test!” reinforces the lie with false reasoning. For example, the box on page 16 says that it is unreasonable that the judgment of the faithful and unfaithful slaves “will take place when Jesus comes at the great tribulation.” Their reasoning? The article continues, saying:
“That would imply that many of the anointed will be found unfaithful at that time and will thus have to be replaced. However, Revelation 7:3 indicates that all of Christ’s anointed slaves will have been permanently sealed by that time.”
But does Revelation 7:3 indicate that all of Christ’s anointed slaves will be sealed before the tribulation? Most assuredly it does not! On the contrary, the preceding span of verse in the 6th chapter of Revelation describes the tribulation and then Revelation 7:1 begins with the words: “After this,” obviously indicating that there is a succession of events in a particular order. And, so, what did John envision “after this”? The apostle goes on to relate: “I saw four angels standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding tight the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow upon the earth or upon the sea or upon any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the sunrising, having a seal of the living God; and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying: ‘Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until after we have sealed the slaves of our God in their foreheads.’"
The “four winds of the earth” are not the destructive winds of the tribulation. The angels are holding back the symbolic winds of Jehovah’s final judgment that culminates in the war of Armageddon. That means that the sealing takes place during the tribulation, perhaps after the tribulation is “cut short,” but before Armageddon.
The teaching that Christ has already given his faithful and discreet slave his irreversible approval defies all common sense. In the context of Christ’s illustration of the faithful slave Jesus warned: “But know this, that if the householder had known at what hour the thief would come, he would have kept watching and not have let his house be broken into. You also, keep ready, because at an hour that you do not think likely the Son of man is coming.”
The same issue of the Watchtower previously cited says that the early Bible Students “calculated” 1914 as the exact year of the master’s arrival. But how can that possibly be reconciled with Jesus’ own sobering warning that his coming would be like a thief—“at an hour you do not think likely”? It defies explanation. And the Watchtower presently enjoys the luxury of not having to offer one to those trusting in it. But one thing is certain: The stage is now set, by the near-universal acceptance of the erroneous teaching that Christ came in 1914, that it is virtually assured that Christ's future coming as the master of the house will be as unexpected as a thief in the night.
But some may reason: “So what if the Watchtower has the timing wrong?”
The danger is the teaching that Christ has already come and appointed his faithful slave over all of his belongings provides the perfect cover for the man of lawlessness to operate. After all, if Jehovah’s Witnesses are already living in a spiritual paradise and the faithful slave associated with the Watchtower already has Christ’s complete blessing, then in effect the Watchtower has a blank check to spend as it sees fit. It can do no wrong. It is as near to the doctrine of papal infallibility as can be.
As an example of how the Watchtower is able to exploit its respectability with Jehovah’s Witnesses, one need look no further than the way the organization’s leadership has shamelessly deceived Jehovah’s Witnesses in regards to the nature of its NGO partnership with the United Nations. Even when presented with the indisputable facts indicating that the Watchtower eagerly supported the United Nations as an NGO, the majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses who have been made aware of the facts seem to have been so conditioned by organizational loyalty that they see nothing wrong with the Watchtower’s brazen hypocrisy and deceit. Reality and truth have been turned upside down. What is undoubtedly an apostasy in Jehovah’s eyes is casually dismissed by the Governing Body as being mere allegations by opposers of the Watchtower. (See chapter: Strange Bedfellows)
It does not matter what the Governing Body or anyone else says in their defense, by the Watchtower’s own reckoning, their friendship with the world and their secretly engaging in partnership with the United Nations and using Jehovah’s Witnesses as unwitting couriers of slyly written political propaganda, was a treacherous act of apostasy. What is the significance of it? It means the apostasy that comes first has come.
Can Christ’s stealthily coming as a thief in the night be far behind?
Reader Comments (16)
In at least one translation of Thessalonians 2:1-3, it says
"Before the day of the Lord comes, many people will stop believing God"
That's already going on.
"So, then, why is it unthinkable that Satan’s phony ministers of righteousness could not also rise to the very top of the organization?"
Was Raymond Franz one of those phony ministers? He certainly progressed to the top & ended up causing trouble and contineus to stumbling people today even though he sleeps in death.
I was expecting you to do a video about that man. I'm sure you have a unique perspective of him.
M.
Watchman wrote: “The “four winds of the earth” are not the destructive winds of the tribulation. The angels are holding back the symbolic winds of Jehovah’s final judgment that culminates in the war of Armageddon. That means that the sealing takes place during the tribulation, perhaps after the tribulation is “cut short,” but before Armageddon.”
Contrary to the above statement by Watchman, the four winds of the earth that are being held back until the sealing of the 144,000 are in fact the destructive winds of the great tribulation. This destruction will commence with the opening of the fourth seal and the sounding of the seven trumpets right after the "incense" vessel is hurled to the earth. --Rev 7:1-3; 8:2-9:1-21; 11:15; 6:7
Therefore, the sealing takes place, not during, but right before the start of the tribulation. It's important to understand that God's wrath will break out after the incense vessel is thrown down to the earth, as this action will signify the end of Christ's corporate intercession between God and man in the heavenly temple at the golden altar of incense.
The seven-trumpet judgments are designed to separate the sheep from the goats during the first 1260 days of the tribulation, during this time of continuous individual intercession at the bronze altar in the heavenly sanctuary. It is during this time that the symbolic two witnesses will be preaching in sackcloth. --Rev 11:3
Afterward God will pour out the last plagues, the seven bowls or vials of his wrath, upon the wicked during the remaining days of the tribulation which will culminate at the Armageddon war. –Rev 15, 16
Watchman,
your points are cogently argued, well documented, and courageously
levelled - in a poignant indictment of apostasy, against the WT-anointed
and their body of Governors.
There is just one, seemingly inconsequential, detail to escape your notice,
namely that the WT-anointed cannot possibly be representing, in part or
total - nor be under the spell and command of - the Man of Lawlessness,
while AT THE SAME TIME constituting also the Body of Christ.
Those being taken in and deceived by the Man of Lawlessness, while also
claiming to be anointed, are irretrievably lost to God because of their wilful
apostasy, leaving them bereft of any grounds for future repentance and
change of heart.
The 'temple of the God,' therefore, has to be interpreted in the context of
Jesus' referring to it as "A holy place," where the 'disgusting thing' / 'man
of lawlessness' will stand in order to supersede and subsequently cause
desolation to, NOT just its most reprehensible component, the WT-anointed
and their publicity agents, but to EVERYONE professing Christianity,
in face of the then triumphantly ruling NWO.
Although there presently are the 7 million self-seeking devotees and
erstwhile disaffected propagandists of the WT who IMAGINE their 'spirit
appointed' idol represents the Temple of THE God and the Body of Christ,
that by itself does not turn it into reality for the 7 odd BILLION inhabitants
of this earth - unless, of course, the WT were to become the supreme
'theocracy' in the pantheon of Christendom prior to its conversion
into the NWO.
Proclaiming themselves already approved by Christ and put in charge of
ALL His EARTHLY belongings, it is just a matter of time before Satan will
be irresistibly tempted to give his power, throne and great authority over
every tribe and nation to the WT-anointed and all other religious minorities
for whose religious freedom they have fought in treasonous, unrepresentative
international fora during their decades of lobbying as an NGO.
The operation of error that will be accepted by all those dwelling on the
earth will be the lie that the disgusting thing is in fact the true religion,
even the very kingdom of God established on earth as already preached
by the 'kingdom good news' of the WT patsies.
It seems clear that, rather than seeking to persecute and exterminate
2 billion Christians, the man of lawlessness will grant 'religious freedom'
to all Churches and minorities willing to give up their 'superstitious' wait
for the promised presence of the Christ of the Bible, and who are ready
to switch their allegiance to the already established kingdom of god
soon to be blessing mankind.
Hence, those over whom the man of lawlessness "exercises authority
and influence" while sitting in the nominal 'temple of the God' of Christianity,
can by definition not be "all of God's true sons," as you claim in
the above article!
The coming apostasy and rebellion against truth - as soon to be made
manifest in the universal acceptance of the operation of error and the
embracing of the lie of 'kingdom presence' - cannot possibly be pardoned
in those claiming to be 'true sons of God.
watchman knowing what I now know about the WTBTS proxygnosis makes good sense. If this is not possible I wish you could set it straight, as the scripture says, or at least give a critique of this view.I know how hard it is to break free from the WT spell, that you certainly seem to still be under for whatever reason.
Watchman,
Thank you for another fine and edifying article. While I'm certainly not one to believe that the WT anointed solely represent 'The temple of THE GOD' (or any other of their self aggrandized unsubstantiated claims) I do believe that the bible makes it unequivocally clear that God's own household would be undermined prior to his Son's glorious return.
Proxygnosis,
I've enjoyed your informative posts. And I find your reply to this article be quite interesting. Am I understanding you correctly that you DON’T believe that the TRUE Body of Christ can ever be FOOLED or ever MISLEAD? That it’s not even a POSSIBILITY of this happening? Well that's certainly a intriguing viewpoint isn't it? (Perhaps I'm interpreting your post incorrectly..)
But if I’m not I must (respectfully) ask, how can we scripturally reconcile such a viewpoint?
Imagine...
After this cunning superhuman spirit slanderer has (for millennia) SUCCESSFULLY and effectively tempted and snared myriads of (once) Holy and Powerful ANGELS, two PERFECT HUMANS, many experienced and mature ANCIENT ISRAELITES (who were witnesses to miracles), several seasoned and respected ANCIENT KINGS, (who were witnesses of God's Mighty Power on their behalf) a hand picked APOSTLE of the Lord, and many others of various station, am I understanding you correctly that YOU BELIEVE that the BODY of CHRIST is so 'Spirit Indwelled' and 'Holy' spirit powered that they CANNOT PERSONALLY be MISLEAD? Thus making them virtually SATAN PROOF ????
Is THIS what you truly BELIEVE?
Because if that WERE TRUE, would that not render the inspired words of our Master at Matt 6:13 as nothing more than merely an un- NEEDED and SUPERFLUOUS suggestion?
Yet how could that (EVER) be the case with the PERFECT teachings of our Lord???
Yeah, I know that 1 John 2:26,27 does SEEM to indicate (depending on the translation wording of course) the POSSIBILITY of this.
Yet, what do the facts show? What does history record? What do the scriptures themselves reveal?
I noticed that I didn't see any scriptural support your post above, so here's a few verses that I think just may speak to this matter ......
(Capitalization MINE)
"However, there also came to be FALSE PROPHETS AMONG THE PEOPLE, as there will also be FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU." - 2 Peter 2:1
"I know that after my going away oppressive wolves will ENTER IN AMONG YOU and will not treat the flock with tenderness and FROM AMONG YOU yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves." - Acts 20: 29,30
“Be on the watch for the false prophets that COME TO YOU in sheep’s covering, but inside they are ravenous wolves". - Matt 7:15
"For false Christ’s and false prophets will arise ...so as to MISLEAD, if possible, EVEN THE CHOSEN ONES". - Matt 24:24
So, in view of the CLEAR WARNINGS above my Brother,(From our Lord and his Apostles) , please tell me what SCRIPTURAL reason(s) could there be for us to apply these words to any OTHER group than to the Body of Christ and the very Congregation of our Lord?
Cheers,
/// ____(( Q ))____ ////
I think ((Q)) has cornered Proxy. There's no wiggle room out of the cited Scriptures....Proxy will have to admit that he made a bad move...One bad move too many...
We'll have to give Watchman the benefit of the doubt, since his website is tailored for JWs and serves the purpose of prying open the eyes of JWs....
Isn't it interesting and sad that a son of God, an Angel known as Satan, has caused so much misery, death and "evil" throughout creation? Just an Angel gone bad or rouge, but a powerful one, has caused so much strife, calamity, hate, death and so forth; that mortal man has turned against God and each other? The point is, that even an Angel in Heaven is so much more powerful and important than any normal mortal born on this planet. And, it shows everyone how truly insignificant all of us really are in comparison to the spirit creatures! Very humbling and somewhat frightening to think deeply about it.
Oh well, just tossing out a thought or two...
As first fruits to God and to the Lamb, the 144,000 are sealed immediately before the start of the tribulation, before the “four winds of the earth” are released. (Rev 14:4; 7:1) As they preach in sackcloth for a period of 1260 days as the “mouthpiece” of the symbolic two witnesses during this time of world-wide distress, the great crowd or "other sheep" are gathered and sealed for salvation and the "goats" are sealed for destruction, since they take upon themselves the 666 mark of the beast. –Rev 11:13; 7:9; 13:18
The net effect is that by the seventh trumpet the sheep and goats are separated. (Mat 25:31-32) Jesus then pours out the last plagues, the seven bowls of God's wrath "undiluted" upon the wicked up to the Armageddon war at the sixth seal. –Rev 14:10
In addition John reports seeing the “great crowd standing before the throne,” after Jesus breaks the sixth seal. Therefore, the sealing has to occur, not after, but before the sixth seal. The tribulation will likely begin at the opening of the fourth seal. It is at this point that the effects of the previous three seals converge with the fourth seal producing global distress upon mankind, as “authority was given them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with a long sword and with food shortage and with deadly plague and by the wild beasts of the earth.” –Rev 6:7-8
The blowing of the first four trumpets aligned with the fourth seal. Events related to the fourth seal and the trumpets are coordinated by the "fourth living creature" that has the face of an eagle. (Rev 4:7; 8:13; Eze 1:10) The previous seals (seals one, two and three) are coordinated by the living creatures having the face of a lion, a bull and a man respectively. That means the seals and their accompanying events do not occur simultaneously. Jesus does not open the seals in rapid succession as presented by the Watchtower’s theology.
Also, we should not think that the seven-trumpet plagues already fell on one third of the landmass, trees and waters supposedly representing Christendom as the Watchtower would have Jehovah’s Witnesses believe. By the sixth trumpet the Devil, “the angel of the abyss,” will consolidate all religions into a one church-state government, “the image of the beast” or in our current parlance, the New Word Order. –Rev 9: 1, 11, 13
So, good times are on the way! LOL
//// ((Q)) ////,
thanks for raising those scriptural concerns regarding the incorruptibility of the chosen ones.
It is of interest that you quote Mat.6:13, because the very same original Greek word for
'temptation' in this verse is also used in Re.3:10 to denote the hour of 'test' which is to come
upon the entire inhabited earth, at the rise of the man of lawlessness and the start of the
operation of error, in order to mislead the whole world,
but from which the holy ones of the body of Christ will be supernaturally protected
because of their endurance in the Word of Christ.
Further, in Mat.24:24 Jesus clearly indicates that it will be IMpossible for ANY false
Christ's to mislead the chosen ones; - that is the whole point of their being anointed or
enlightened by Holy Spirit.
Not that it is impossible for them to DELIBERATELY sin against the Spirit and THEN
succumb to the deceptions of Satan, but that the very process of being 'misled'
requires CONSENT to be 'led' in the first place, and then by an external source,
seemingly trustworthy, but in reality proving itself false to that claim..
On the other hand, Christ's true brothers are INDWELLED by Him into Whom they
have also been adopted by the Father through the Eternal Spirit.
(Ga.2:20; Jno 17:23; 10:29)
Their leading - as individuals - comes from within, organically, through their intimate
connection with the Head of the Body, even Christ Himself. (Eph.4:15,16; Col.2:19)
Also, they - just like Jesus, their Brother, have come to do the will of the Father, not
their own; that is why Satan will fail with them just as he failed with leading Jesus
into an act of worship in exchange for an early and painless entry in the kingdom of
God - a test soon to also come upon all those claiming to be anointed.
(Mat.4:8,9; Re.3:10; Da.11:32)
By contrast, those overcome by the operation of error and believing the lie of the
'incoming kingdom of God,' are irretrievably lost in their rejection of Truth and
acceptance of the indelible mark of the beast, whose names were omitted from the
book of life since the founding of the world. (2Thes.2:11,12)
I think the confusion here arises because it is wrongly assumed that the anointed
of the WT are really what they claim to be, namely the Body of Christ. However,
if that were truly the case - and Jesus was really in charge of the GB - just WHY
would He expel members of His own body from His congregation for speaking and
defending the very Truth that Christ is supposed to be representing?
If Christ persecutes those who stand up for His own Truth, He really has lost
the plot. Clearly the WT-christ that has been ruling the world since 1914 from
behind the scenes, and who is responsible for the lies originating with the
WT-'truth,' is having a field day among those untaught and unsteady that he is
about to usher into the kingdom that is 'soon to replace the present, lawless
system' of nation states.
By contrast, those called and chosen - in whom the Father is performing His
will through Christ Jesus - will by no means ever fail! (2Pe.1:10; Heb.13:21)
There is a difference between falling short due to imperfection and deliberately choosing to go against God.
As imperfect humans we make mistakes all the time – regardless of whether we are anointed or not. Even in our thinking it is possible to head down the wrong track. For example, the apostle Peter (after he was anointed) was being a hypocrite in front of the Jewish older men. I guess we could say he had become ‘misled’. But fortunately, Paul saw what was going on and sorted Peter out before it was too late. (Gal 2:11) All of the letters from the apostles to the anointed congregations are letters of correction and admonition to stay on the straight and narrow – so it is clear the anointed are not infallible.
However, this article, ’the apostasy must come first’ has a specific context. It is THE apostasy just before Jesus arrives in power. (2 Thess 2) So the ‘opperation of error’ is not any old non-specific operation of error. This ‘operation of Satan’, these ‘lying signs and portents’ are not common garden variety lies and plots. This man of lawlessness is THE antichrist not just one of the many antichrists. This is it, the end! This is judgment day! There is no forgiveness for falling prey to Satan this time!
So with this in mind it is pure logic that none of the true body of Christ are misled at this time. The full number of them are gathered from the four corners of the earth after Jesus cuts short the days of tribulation on their account.
The brothers of Christ are led by Holy Spirit. (Rom 8:14) In order for them to be mis-led, they would have to ignore the leadings of God’s spirit and agree to be led by someone else. Even if they mistakenly head down the wrong path it won’t take long for them to recognise it – God’s spirit will lead them back to the truth, as in the case of Peter. The GB of the WT have taken it upon themselves to lead JW’s – even anointed JW’s are required to follow the lead of the GB. On one hand no anointed one could allow a man or men to lead them spiritually – on the other hand no anointed one would demand that others follow him.
Not only are JW’s heading straight for destruction, but the GB are leading them there.
I just want to know if the 'Man of Lawlessness' is a real man, or Satan as some claim.
Has anyone heard of the "YORWW Congregation & the "REPORT" Message ..??..
Came across their "Chieftain- Leader" on another website, an JW who left in 1991 after discovering the NGO/ U.N. scandal.....He says that the KINGDOM will b an earthly one
and gives an interpretation of Revelation 12 : They believe the prophecy in Genesis 3:15 regarding "the seed" of the 'woman' is .......
It is designed to misleed those of the "sheeples" who have doubts & dont know where to go...ex Bethelites etc....Quite a magnificent website, there's a "rich sponser" somewhere
behind it eg. free literature, radio & TV broadcasts etc etc.....definately promoting GODS KINGDOM ON EARTH ...Matthew 6:10
Stone : you said that this website is "tailored for JWs and for prying their eyes open" ..that being the case then the information at all times must be accurate,'and not
pandying to their cause ie to repeat the WT lies, or false interpretation of prophecy...how would that help JWs to "see the light of real truth".
Guest: you seem to have a lot of "knowledge" or in ditto the Proxy's comments, then how is it that you ask the question Is the "man o f lawlessness" a real man, or
masquerading as Satan ?? do you know the answer now, thanks if you can let us in on it..
Fair dinkum: isnt it true that there are still thousands of "professed anointed" still in the congregations around the world, isnt that considered to be "misled" at this time ??
not heeding Jesus' warning because of their being dedicated to the G.B or their aka "f & d slave-class" these anointed "professed" to be part of the BODY of Christ but
denying Him the rightful role in their lives...is that "blind-sided" or what ? thank you
sO THEN, THERE MUST BE A 'TIME LIMIT' TO THE command IN revelation 18, after the Strong Angel (Jesus Christ) announces that 'Babylong the Gt has fallen', the "VOICE out of Heaven, saying GET OUT of HER, MY PEOPLE...!! "
the big question remains as to the "time ..period" that this involves....before or after the Gt Tribulation, maybe someone can hazzard a guess about this...Prox y..?? seeing that the 'Stone' has been 'burned' ot 'turned'..