Monday, October 28

Jehovah himself gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and discernment.​—Prov. 2:6.

Jesus identified an important quality that we need if we are to understand what we read in God’s Word—discernment. (Matt. 24:15) What is discernment? It is the ability to grasp how one idea relates to another and how it differs from another and to see what is not immediately obvious. In addition, as Jesus indicated, we need discernment to identify events that fulfill Bible prophecy. We also need this quality so that we can benefit fully from everything we read in the Bible. Jehovah gives his servants discernment. So turn to him in prayer, and ask him to help you develop this quality. How can you work in harmony with your prayer? Carefully analyze what you read, and note how it relates to other things you know. Look for the meaning of a Bible passage, and see ways in which you can apply it in your life. (Heb. 5:14) As you read with discernment, your understanding of the Scriptures will grow. w23.02 10 ¶7-8

The Watchtower really nails it. Discernment is needed to grasp how things relate and differ. Discernment is the ability to see what is not immediately obvious. And yes, we need discernment to identify events that fulfill Bible prophecy. Well said, Watchtower. 

Jesus specifically advised us to discern Daniel’s prophecy and, we might add, how it relates to other prophecies. The daily text cited Matthew 24:15, where Jesus said: “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place (let the reader use discernment), then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses discern that Jesus’ warning concerning the disgusting thing has meaning far beyond what occurred in the first century. We discern that Jesus linked Jerusalem’s desolation with the great tribulation that will come upon the entire inhabited world, not just Jerusalem. Therefore, Jesus’ life-saving instructions to “Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment” must have some application to those who will be on earth when the conclusion begins.

Since Jesus directed us to the prophecy of Daniel and advised the reader to use discernment, what did Daniel speak about that Jesus had in mind? No doubt Jesus had in mind what is stated at Daniel 11:30-31, which says concerning the machinations of the king of the north: “He will go back and hurl denunciations against the holy covenant and act effectively; and he will go back and will give attention to those leaving the holy covenant. And arms will stand up, proceeding from him; and they will profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and remove the constant feature. And they will put in place the disgusting thing that causes desolation.

Discerning readers will realize that “they” must refer to both the kings of the north and south. Setting aside, for now, the different interpretations of myself and the Watchtower regarding the king of the north, it is true that the British and American alliance during WWII directly brought about the creation of the United Nations immediately following the war’s end. The Watchtower has shown a measure of discernment in identifying the disgusting thing that causes desolation as the United Nations. But what is it that will become desolate? Here is what the Watchower’s (July 2013) most recent commentary states: 

What will signal the start of the great tribulation? Jesus foretold: “When you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, (let the reader use discernment,) then let those in Judea begin fleeing to the mountains.” (Matt. 24:15, 16) In the first fulfillment, the “standing in a holy place” occurred in 66 C.E. when the Roman army (“the disgusting thing”) attacked Jerusalem and its temple (a place holy in the eyes of the Jews). In the larger fulfillment, the “standing” will occur when the United Nations (the modern-day “disgusting thing”) attacks Christendom (which is holy in the eyes of nominal Christians) and the rest of Babylon the Great. The same attack is described at Revelation 17:16-18. That event will be the beginning of the great tribulation.

According to Daniel, the King of the north will profane the sanctuary and the fortress and remove the constant feature. Could it be that Jesus called upon the reader to discern that the profanation of Jehovah’s sanctuary and fortress is the same as putting in place the disgusting thing? There is every reason to believe that to be the case. 

It is important to discern that the prophecy of the king of the north is not a strict timeline. That can be discerned by the fact that the eighth chapter of Daniel also foretells the taking away of the constant feature and the overthrow of the sanctuary, connecting it to the trampling of God’s holy place: “And an army was given over, together with the constant feature, because of transgression; and it kept throwing truth to the earth, and it acted and had success. And I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one speaking: How long will the vision of the constant feature and of the transgression causing desolation continue, to make both the holy place and the army things to trample on?” (verse 12,13) 

In the eighth chapter, the angel informed the prophet that both the removal of the constant feature and the trampling of the holy place occur at the appointed time of the end, whereas the related prophecy of the king of the north seemingly places these events before the time of the end. That is why it is important to discern that the king of the north prophecy is not laid out in a strict timeline. However, the discerning reader will note that in the eighth chapter of Daniel, the emerging fierce-looking king will expand his influence in the direction of the land of Decoration. We discern the land of Decoration to be God’s property. And according to the 11th chapter of Daniel, during the end, the king of the north will storm, flood over the nations, and enter into the land of Decoration. His entry into the land of the Decoration must be when the disgusting thing is put in place. 

How might this manifest itself in reality? It would be helpful if Jehovah’s Witnesses could get it out of their heads that the time of the end began in 1914. I know that is a tall order and is not possible. However, the outbreak of WW3, symbolized in Daniel as the “storm with chariots and horsemen and many ships,” flooding over everything, will sweep away the 1914 delusion.

Jehovah has verified this very outcome in Isaiah. Speaking of the land of the Decoration as a fading flower, God says: “Woe to the showy crown of the drunkards of Ephraim and the fading blossom of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley of those overcome with wine! Look! Jehovah has someone strong and mighty. Like a thundering hailstorm, a destructive windstorm, like a thunderstorm of powerful floodwaters, he will forcefully hurl it down to the earth. The showy crowns of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot. And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fertile valley, will become like the early fig before summer. When someone sees it, he swallows it as soon as it is in his hand.”

(Note: The Reference Bible says and the fading blossom of its decoration of beauty)

In case someone is not discerning the significance of this prophecy, verses 16-17 reveal the trampling of the holy land occurs when Christ is given the Kingdom: Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: “Here I am laying as a foundation in Zion a tested stone, the precious cornerstone of a sure foundation. No one exercising faith will panic. And I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the leveling tool. The hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will flood out the hiding place.”

It is the leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are the drunkards. No, not literal drunkards— spiritual inebriates. It says so in verse seven: “And these also go astray because of wine; their alcoholic beverages make them stagger. Priest and prophet go astray because of alcohol; the wine confuses them, and they stagger from their alcohol; their vision makes them go astray, and they stumble in judgment.”

“Their vision” that makes them go astray, also their “refuge of lies,” is 1914 and everything attached to it. They betray their inebriated state by claiming the holy place that is destined for desolation is only holy to false worshippers who merely claim it is holy. But anything that belongs to God is holy. And God’s temple is holy. What is God’s temple? It is the congregation of the firstborn. However, like the physical temple in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day, God’s spiritual temple is also defiled by the presence of wicked men, specifically a man of lawlessness who sits as a squatter therein proclaiming himself to be a god. Since God’s temple is spiritual, how is it manifest on earth? It is the Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. And the headquarters of Jehovah’s corrupt earthly organization is the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. 

It is this earthly organization that will come to desolation by the disgusting thing.

We have already seen a glimpse of the disgusting thing during the so-called pandemic when the Governing Body gave the UN’s bioweapon the hearty endorsement of Jehovah God. How disgusting! All that is left now is for the missiles to fly and the American Land of the Free to be conquered by the tyrants of the nations. Then, the drunkards of Ephraim will be trampled underfoot. Why? Because they did not discern the time of their inspection. 

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