In chapter seven of the Pure Worship publication the Masters offer the Learners a few more lessons derived from Jehovah’s judgments against the nations roundabout Israel. As already discussed, despite the fact that a rather considerable portion of Ezekiel is devoted to the judgment upon Tyre the Governing Body offered no insight whatsoever into the significance of the king of Tyre being described in terms that clearly are intended to portray the Tyrian king as Satan, the covering cherub,

The Watchtower has a new approach for understanding the Bible. There are no longer any types and modern antitypes unless there is solid scriptural support for making the connection. That sounds reasonable.

However, in view of the fact that the prophecy of Ezekiel depicts the judgment against the king of Tyre in language that strongly connects with the 12th chapter of Revelation and Satan being hurled down from heaven, is there not a biblical basis for considering the fall of Tyre as a type? If the Pure Worship publication is an exposition of Ezekiel why should these words be completely ignored as unimportant? — “Your heart became haughty because of your beauty. You corrupted your wisdom because of your own glorious splendor. I will throw you down to the earth. I will make you a spectacle before kings. Because of your great guilt and your dishonest trading, you have profaned your sanctuaries. I will cause a fire to break out in your midst, and it will consume you. I will reduce you to ashes on the earth before all those looking at you. All who knew you among the peoples will stare at you in amazement. Your end will be sudden and terrible, And you will cease to exist for all time.” —Ezekiel 28:17-19

Surely there is a modern counterpart to the king of Tyre —an antitype if you prefer. The fact that the seers of Bethel do not regard this portion of prophecy as having any significance betrays them as having their own agenda and not being true to their professed position as the watchman standing tall upon the tower.

The Watchtower’s agenda has always been to herald the return of Christ as a past event. To make it all work the ouster of Satan by Michael has been tied to 1914. And to make that work, the death-stroke on the head of the beast that occurs concurrently with the overthrow of Satan and his angels is also tied to 1914. Supposedly, the Anglo-American duo, which by all historical accounts were victorious in the Great War, somehow suffered a mortal wound from which they quickly recovered and returned to business as usual. It makes no difference that no historian or person of any knowledge would assent to the Watchtower’s baseless assertion that Britain and America came anywhere near governmental collapse during the First World War. It is a striking demonstration of how Bethel fabricates its own prophecies.

That is why Bethel attaches no importance at all to the 28th chapter of Ezekiel. To do so would require shifting the ouster of Satan and the coming of Christ to the future. That is anathema to the Governing Body. 

A DAY OF JEHOVAH IS NEAR

God also judged ancient Egypt. Similarly, the language involved in that portion of prophecy also meets the Watchtower’s new criteria for applying the type/antitype principle. Consider what is stated at Ezekiel 30:2-3: “Wail, ‘Alas, the day is coming!’ For the day is near, yes, a day of Jehovah is near. It will be a day of clouds, an appointed time of nations.”

There is only one day of Jehovah. It is true that the expression is used in connection with God’s judgments upon nations in the past, but does that not indicate that those events and actors provide a type of something much greater? For example, the prophecy of Zephaniah uses the expression “day of Jehovah” and the day of Jehovah’s fury and anger seven times in connection with the destruction Babylon brought upon Jerusalem. Jehovah’s Witnesses, though, have always recognized that Zephaniah has a much more profound application to the great tribulation. How often have Jehovah’s Witnesses quoted the passage? — “Before the decree takes effect, before the day passes by like chaff, before the burning anger of Jehovah comes upon you, before the day of Jehovah’s anger comes upon you, seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, who observe his righteous decrees. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you will be concealed on the day of Jehovah’s anger.”

Of course, now that the Society has scrapped Christendom as an antitype it is hard to say what Jehovah’s Witnesses believe anymore regarding these familiar passages. But the point is, there is a scriptural basis for recognizing that the day of Jehovah that came upon Jerusalem foreshadows something far greater. Since that is true, why have Bethel’s watchmen not provided any insight into the significance of the day of Jehovah coming upon Egypt? Not only Egypt, the verse cited above indicates that the day of Jehovah is an appointed time of nations! That certainly sounds ominous.

Consider another similarity. Addressing the king of Egypt as a sea monster —very similar to the beasts of Daniel and Revelation —his downfall is spoken of in apocalyptic language: “And when you are extinguished I will cover the heavens and darken their stars. I will cover the sun with clouds, and the moon will not give its light. I will darken all the shining luminaries in the heavens because of you, and I will cover your land with darkness,’ declares the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.” —Ezekiel 32:7-8

Bible students surely recognize the similarity to Jesus’ words in the gospel and Revelation regarding the moon turning to blood and the sun going dark and the stars falling from heaven.

In truth, Tyre and Egypt stand as a type of the modern Anglo-American duo. More specifically, since Tyre was a city it typifies London, which has been the seat of a global empire for 250 years. (The Pronouncement of Tyre)

Like Egypt of old, America is the greatest nation in the world. Not only does it possess the largest economy, but since WW2 the US Dollar has been the world’s reserve currency, which gives the US a tremendous advantage. The United States also possesses the most formidable military ever assembled.

The pinnacle of human achievement was when American astronauts walked upon the moon —something considered to be impossible just a few years before. America has prided itself on democracy and freedom. And up until recently it served as a model for other nations to aspire. From the beginning, immigrants have sought refuge and opportunity in America. Because it stands like a grand cedar, towering high above lesser nations, its sudden downfall will shock the world.

Now consider the “lesson” Jehovah’s Witnesses are expected to take away from Ezekiel’s prophecy of the fall of “Egypt.” (Chapter 7 -Para 27)

What lesson can we learn from Israel’s interaction with Egypt? Jehovah’s people today need to avoid putting their trust in political powers, thinking that such powers will provide lasting security. Even in our thoughts, we need to remain “no part of the world.” The political system may seem strong, but like ancient Egypt, it is as fragile as a piece of straw. How shortsighted it would be to invest our hope in mortal humans rather than in the almighty Sovereign of the universe!

I doubt if very many of Jehovah’s Witnesses put their trust in politicians or their empty promises. Jehovah’s Witnesses are a-political. However, we all rely upon the security provided by the governments under which we live. The apostle Paul exhorted Christians to pray and even offer supplication in behalf of kings and those in high station that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life. (1 Tim 2:2) How naive to suppose we all do not put our trust in the continued functioning of the present system to a certain extent. 

The fact is, probably no religious organization has benefited from the political system as much as the Watchtower. America especially has provided the Watchtower with a safe haven. Being a very unpopular religion Jehovah’s Witnesses have found protection in the freedoms provided by the democratic system. America in particular, with its foundational Bill of Rights, has provided security that Jehovah’s Witnesses have come to rely upon. The impending downfall of the mighty USA will bring an end to all of that. Ezekiel’s prophecy foretells -Its wealth will be taken and its foundations will be torn down. (Ez. 30:4b) (Doom of the American Republic

These matters have been presented to the leadership of the Watchtower and a broader audience over the past 14 years, since the release of the first edition of Jehovah Himself Has Become King. Bethel has demonstrated that they have no interest in God’s word if it cannot be made to glorify them as the keepers of sacred secrets. Consequently, the coming crash of the Anglo-American system will also result in the collapse of the Watchtower’s whitewashed wall.

Related Posts