00:00 – Introduction: The Watchman on the Rampart
“At my guard post I will keep standing, and I will station myself on the rampart. I will keep watch to see what he will speak by means of me, and what I will reply when I am reproved.”
00:33 – The Governing Body Dissolves the Blood Prohibition
Well, it’s been about a week since the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses—I don’t know how to say that—they dissolved the prohibition for taking blood components. And they have allowed Jehovah’s Witnesses to donate blood?
There’s nothing in writing yet, really. It was posted on their JW Broadcast as an update. And that’s quite an update, isn’t it?
Well, I’m sure the medical community will be celebrating because they feel that blood is lifesaving, which, of course, it can be. But many of Jehovah’s Witnesses have actually lost their lives because of refusing to accept these major components of blood: the plasma, red blood cells or white blood cells, or platelets.
Sometime ago, the Governing Body ruled that blood fractions—the minute parts of these main components—was a conscience matter. Well, now they’re saying it’s all up to you. Do whatever you will with it. Take it, give it away, sell it… you have our blessing.
02:13 – The Sanctity of Blood: A Divine Ownership
Well, the whole issue, as Jehovah’s Witnesses know, is that blood is sacred to God. It belongs to Him. It’s not just a symbol of life. Blood is life itself. They call it the lifeblood. That’s why it’s transfused, because it has life in it.
But here’s the problem: the life belongs to God. For example, after Noah’s flood, He gave Noah permission to eat animal flesh, but He said, “You must not eat the blood. You must pour it out. It belongs to Me.”
It’s just like in the Garden of Eden. God gave Adam and Eve all these trees: “You can eat from all of these trees and herbs, except this one tree belongs to Me. You can’t touch it. If you do, you will die.” And that’s really what got us into this mess, isn’t it? Disobeying God. Taking something that belonged to Jehovah.
So here we have the same issue: blood belongs to God. And that’s why Jehovah’s Witnesses would not take a blood transfusion.
After World War II, when blood transfusions became popular as a medical treatment, it was pretty clear-cut: they’d take the blood from someone else, put it in a bag, and run it into someone else’s vein. But over the years, as medicine has advanced, they’ve been able to fraction blood into its main components. For some illnesses or treatments they’ll give plasma, for others red blood cells, platelets, so forth. So it had gotten rather complex.
But the principle is: if blood belongs to God, don’t these components also belong to God? How does that work?
04:35 – “Not Going Beyond What Is Written” vs. Modern Medicine
Well, now the Governing Body is saying no. In fact, they said in this update—Geoffrey Jackson said, “We don’t want to go beyond what is written,” quoting the Apostle Paul.
Well, the Bible doesn’t say you can’t take plasma, right? So we can’t go beyond what is written. No blood transfusions.
Well, as I mentioned, medicine has changed. Only about 1% of operations today involve whole blood. 1%! So the Governing Body is saying, you know, you can’t take that 1%, but all the other things—it’s up to you.
And this business of: you can donate your blood now. How do you donate blood components? I think there is a device that can pull out certain components and bits. But let’s say you do that: you give your blood, and they take out this and that, and what do they give back?
And if the blood belongs to Jehovah, which it does—that’s not an opinion; it is what is written—how can you give to someone else what you do not own, what belongs to God?
So this is a very serious thing what the Watchtower has done. And I believe that it is an act of apostasy. A rebellion against God. A rejection of an element, a keystone foundation of the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and now it is being rejected, discarded. That is apostasy.
06:45 – Organizational Apostasy and Biblical Precedents
Well, Jehovah’s Witnesses will say, “God would never allow that to happen.” Well, that just isn’t true. All of God’s other organizations, if you want to call it that, became apostate.
God punished Israel over and over, and finally, the Assyrians… Same thing with the Israelites that remained in Judah and Jerusalem, the Jews: God had that city utterly destroyed because of their unfaithfulness, their rebellion, their apostasy.
Actually, the Bible foretold that there would be an apostasy right before the return of Christ. And I’m referring, of course, to what Paul wrote in his second letter to the Thessalonians, in the second chapter. He says:
“Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.”
Now, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not have a clear understanding of any of this because the Watchtower, their teacher, their spiritual guide, has not taught them correctly. The Watchtower teaches that this apostasy that began was when Constantine more or less hijacked Christianity, became the head of the apostate Christian church, and from that came the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church and all the Protestant. And so the clergy are the man of lawlessness—a composite man of lawlessness.
08:53 – The Harvest and the Spiritual Temple
Well, it kind of makes sense. They are, obviously, not connected to God. The clergy have set themselves up as gods, in a way, especially the popes.
But don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the beginning of this organization with Charles Taze Russell was a restoration of original Christianity that had been lost from the time of Constantine? Anointed persons reappeared after a long, dark night—a Dark Age they even call it.
Well, we know that is true because Jesus gave an illustration of a sower that went out sowing seeds and planted a field of wheat. But while men were sleeping, an enemy came, whom Jesus said was the devil, and he oversowed that field with seeds that would produce weeds. And Jesus said they would grow together until the harvest. So there would be true sons of the kingdom, anointed persons, but they would be mixed with those who were sons of Satan.
Well, the Watchtower said the harvest began back in 1918, and the angels uprooted hundreds of millions of false Christians and left the Bible Students distinguished as a separate group. Well, that doesn’t make any sense! Because Jesus said the angels uproot the weeds, bundle them up, and pitch them into the furnace to destroy them.
Since 1918, Christendom and its religions have actually grown! There is a revival; people are going back to the Catholic Church. So it doesn’t make any sense, and the reason it doesn’t is because it can’t be true. The harvest is when Christ comes and makes a separation. It’s not something that’s done by humans.
11:21 – Two Men in the Field: The Real Gathering
Jesus said when the Son of Man comes, there’ll be two men in the field: one will be taken along and the other abandoned. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken along and the other abandoned.
No, it’s not talking about some rapture where they float off. Those taken along are brought into God’s kingdom.
In Jesus’ harvest illustration, isn’t that what he said? After the weeds are uprooted, the chosen will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The weeds are said to be in the kingdom. The angels uproot all things causing stumbling and all persons doing lawlessness from where? Out from his kingdom. From his congregation, before it becomes the actual ruling kingdom. And that will not take place until the remaining ones have been sealed, comprising the entire 144,000.
Anyway, I won’t get into that, but getting back to this man of lawlessness. It says he stands in opposition. Well, that’s what Satan does, doesn’t he?
And by the way, he’s called the son of destruction. So was Judas. Judas was a handpicked apostle of Christ who was there at the Last Supper, the evening meal with Jesus and the other apostles, and he betrayed Christ.
So with this man of lawlessness: sits down in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god. And then Paul says, “Do you not remember, when I was with you, I used to tell you these things?”
So we’re not talking about a physical temple, but a spiritual temple. That’s what the congregation is: Christ’s kingdom. And this man of lawlessness sits as a god.
Well, it sounds like the Governing Body has given themselves godlike powers to decide who can live and who can disobey God. They’ve given you dispensation. You don’t have to obey what we told you to before.
14:35 – Malachi’s Priests and the Stumbling of Many
They said they’re not going to go beyond what is written. Does that mean they went beyond what was written before? I don’t think so. I think that was the important thing.
In Malachi, Jehovah is taking issue with the priests. He says: “You’ve stumbled many, and you’ve done violence to the law.” He says, isn’t it the place of the priest to instruct the people in what is right and what is true? And he calls them the sons of Levi, but he’s really talking to those who are anointed, who are acting as priests, go-betweens, right?
In fact, the last verse in Malachi, he says: “I will send Elijah before the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah.” Well, we’re on the edge of that. The great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah is what happens when Christ comes. And that’s when this man of lawlessness will be revealed.
The Watchtower says they’ve revealed him—it’s the clergy. Well, that contradicts what Paul was saying: that he’ll be revealed when Christ comes. And that’s when Paul said: “Let no one lead you astray in any way, because it will not come…”
What is “it”? Go back. He says:
“However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus…”
The parousia, which the Watchtower says began in 1914.
“…we ask you not to be quickly shaken from your reason, nor be alarmed either by an inspired statement, or by a spoken message, or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.”
There are no copies of the original epistles. The copies of the copies that we have, there is no place where the Tetragrammaton appears. And since Paul is clearly talking about the presence of our Lord Jesus, in all likelihood, he did not use YHWH in this passage. He says to the effect that the day of the Lord is here.
Well, what does the Watchtower teach? The Lord’s Day began in 1914. So the very thing Paul said: “Don’t be taken in by this. No matter how persuasive, even if it sounds like they’re apostles, don’t believe it. Because it—the Lord’s Day, the parousia—will not come until this apostasy comes first.”
I believe that is where we are.
17:55 – The Evil Slave Eating and Drinking with Drunkards
Now, I know Jehovah’s Witnesses will say they can’t believe that the faithful and discreet slave… Well, Jesus said: “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave?” He was implying that those who claim to be may not be.
And we will not know who has been approved until Christ comes. That’s why he told his slaves to keep awake, keep on the watch: the Master is coming at an hour you do not think to be it.
And he says if that slave begins to say in his heart, “My master is delaying,” and he should beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that slave will come and punish him with the greatest severity.
So we’re talking about a good slave, potentially, and an evil slave. Just like Judas, right among the apostles.
It’s interesting he says that if he starts to eat and drink with the drunkards. Well, in a spiritual sense, isn’t that what the Watchtower is doing by now disavowing the sanctity of blood? Isn’t that what we would expect from people who don’t appreciate the sanctity of blood as it’s revealed in the scriptures, as Jehovah’s Witnesses have taken a stand for and died for all these many years?
19:07 – Jude’s Warning: Hidden Rocks at the Love Feasts
Well, to confirm that this evil slave is among God’s people—and Jehovah’s Witnesses claim to be God’s people; the Watchtower is Jehovah’s organization; I believe it is—Jude warns us. He says:
“Too bad for them!”
He’s talking about these apostates who deny the Lord who bought them, the Owner who bought them. He says:
“For they followed the path of Cain, and rushed into the erroneous course of Balaam for reward, and they perished in the rebellious talk of Korah. These are the rocks hidden below water at your love feasts, while they feast with you, shepherds who feed themselves without fear.”
So these apostates are not outside. They’re not what Jehovah’s Witnesses call apostates—standing in front of a convention with signs and megaphones. He says they feast together with you. And they go unnoticed, like rocks below the waterline. Who suspects them? Who sees them? And they’re shepherds; they’re elders.
20:08 – The Superfine Apostles in the Congregation
This happened in the first century in the Corinthian congregation. If you read Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, he expressed his concern that just as the serpent had seduced Eve, those anointed brothers and sisters might have their minds corrupted away from the sincerity and chastity due the Christ.
Well, what was the spiritual danger that was potentially lurking? He went on to explain that they were under the influence of men he called the “superfine apostles.” They were men of stature presiding in this congregation.
Paul said these men are false apostles, deceitful workers who have disguised themselves as ministers of righteousness. He says it’s no wonder—Satan does the same thing, disguising himself as an angel of light.
The Watchtower says the superfine apostles are like the clergy. Does the clergy have any influence over God’s people?
Those false apostles were presiding in that congregation, and they were looked up to. The Corinthians didn’t suspect that they were being misled by these men. Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, revealed what was going on.
And so when Jude, and also in 2 Peter, we’re warned that immediately before Christ returns—Paul said there would be this apostasy, and these men would be like Balaam and Cain: shepherds presiding over unsuspecting Christians, feasting together with them.
21:40 – The Way of Cain and the Error of Balaam
It’s interesting: Cain and Balaam. Jehovah spoke to both of them.
Jehovah spoke to Cain and personally warned him. He could see where he was going. Cain didn’t listen; he murdered his brother.
Jesus foretold that in the end, during the conclusion, many will be stumbled. They will hate one another and betray one another. Jesus went so far to say that parents would hand their children over to be put to death, and children will have their parents put to death. Just like Cain, murdering his brother.
And Balaam: Balaam was not an Israelite. They call him Balaam the diviner, and Jehovah spoke to him on two occasions. So he knew Jehovah.
And, of course, he was hired by the king of Moab, who saw the Israelites coming out of Egypt into his land. He hired Balaam to put a curse on God’s people.
Balaam said, “I’ll only say what Jehovah puts in my mouth,” and he couldn’t curse them. He only uttered a blessing.
But then he hatched a scheme: “Well, if you want to give these people a hard time, here’s what you do.” And he instructed King Balak how to use Moabite women to go into the Israelite camp and seduce them into sexual immorality and idolatry.
The Israelite men were vulnerable to that.
24:00 – The Seduction of Baal of Peor and Korah’s Rebellion
They fell for it, and thousands of them were struck down in a scourge by Jehovah because they attached themselves to the Baal of Peor and bowed down to foreign gods.
Jude says these apostates among you rushed into the erroneous course of Balaam for reward. What is the reward for the Governing Body? Why would they compromise on a sacred, life-and-death issue like blood?
They want acceptance. They want to escape the stigma, the lawsuits, and the legal trouble in countries like Norway, where their legal standing and privileges are stripped away. They want to remove the reproach of being viewed by the world as an extremist cult that lets people bleed to death. And for that reward, they have lowered the standard and told millions of believers that God’s law on blood is now a matter of personal conscience.
And what about Korah? Jude says they perish in the rebellious talk of Korah. Korah rebelled against Moses, claiming that the entire assembly was holy and that Moses had no right to elevate himself. But in rebelling against Moses, Korah was rebelling against God.
Jesus Christ is the greater Moses. When men sit in the spiritual temple of God and presume to alter divine law—granting dispensation to violate God’s command regarding blood—they are rebelling against Christ. They are exalting themselves above God.
25:35 – Conclusion: The Great Falling Away Before Christ’s Presence
This is why Paul warned that the man of lawlessness must first be revealed before the presence of Christ.
The Watchtower has told Jehovah’s Witnesses for more than a century that the apostasy happened in the fourth century and that Christ returned in 1914. But Scripture says the apostasy occurs immediately before the presence of Christ, and that the Lord will destroy the lawless one by the manifestation of his coming.
What we are witnessing right now with the dissolution of the blood prohibition is not minor administrative policy. It is a profound, prophetic milestone. It is an act of institutional apostasy unfolding right inside the congregation.
Do not let anyone lead you astray. Keep on the watch, stand at your guard post, and station yourself upon the rampart, because the judgment of God’s house is at hand.
