This week the midweek book study begins in the new book entitled God’s Kingdom Rules! At the request of a few readers The Watchman’s Post will feature a weekly commentary based upon each lesson. This article actually considers the information presented in the first two lessons. Subsequent articles will appear under the WT Review category. 


When C.T. Russell announced to the Bethel family that the Gentile times had ended, that their kings had had their day, it was just three months after archduke Ferdinand —the presumptive heir of the Austro-Hungarian empire —had been assassinated in his motor carriage, along with his wife Sophie.

article-2414474-1b8647a9000005dc-274_638x361A few weeks later virtually all of the nations of Europe declared war upon each other, which prior to the assassination had been manipulated into forming two opposing blocs of nations with entangling military alliances. Thus began the Great War —later called the First World War.

But Pastor Russell’s bold proclamation was not solely based upon those world events. As all of Jehovah’s Witnesses know, for 40 years prior to 1914 the Watchtower had been pointing forward to that fateful year —building anticipation for something big to occur in fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

What had convinced Russell that 1914 was a marked year on the divine calendar?

Russell explained that God had provided two witnesses —the Bible and the Great Pyramid of Egypt —the so-called witness of stone. Not only did Russell adopt the Adventist’s algebraic chronology, extrapolated from the seven times of Nebuchadnezzar’s madness, but the International Bible Students were also introduced to occultism in the form of pyramidology.

The occult is defined as being “beyond the range of ordinary knowledge or understanding; mysterious; secret; disclosed or communicated only to the initiated; hidden from view; not apparent on mere inspection but discoverable by experimentation.”

That definition certainly defines pyramidology, which purportedly reveals divine secrets encoded in the architecture of the great pyramid, including its secret tunnels leading to the crypts of the departed pharaoh and his queen. 

crosspyr_smIt was believed that the mere measurements of various ascending and descending passageways were encrypted as inch-years. (Never mind that the measurement of the inch did not exist then) Thus, the diligent searcher could supposedly divine esoteric knowledge that God had concealed in stone. (Russell believed that the pyramids were constructed by the enigmatic, post-Flood king/priest —Melchizedek.)

Of course, Russell’s successor —J.F. Rutherford —scrapped pyramidology, so there is no reason to debunk it now. However, it should not be forgotten since, after all, it is part of our spiritual heritage. Since the Watchtower calls attention to the 1914 announcement regarding the end of the Gentile times, as if the veracity of that proclamation is written in stone too, it is only fitting that Jehovah’s Witnesses examine the influences that shaped C.T. Russell’s thinking and the fact that divining occult knowledge from Egyptian pyramids was a weighty factor in the Bible Students’ original fixation on 1914.

It should not be casually dismissed that the pyramid, which was featured so prominently in the Watchtower’s publications back then, is an occult symbol, appearing in various forms in modern-day corporate logos and most notably on the back of the Federal Reserve Note, commonly called the U.S. Dollar. The arcane symbol of the ever-leering eye of the Egyptian god, Horus, peering from the center of the unseated capstone over the pyramid is presumably an oracular message from the owners of the Note —the so-called Illuminati —regarding Satan’s intended Novous Ordo Seclorum —a new world order. The suspended capstone symbolizes that the new world order has not been accomplished, yet.

(For the uninitiated, the U.S. Federal Reserve is not a federal institution. It is a banking cartel that lends money to the U.S. Treasury, the principal owners remaining secret. But it is not so secret that eight families exert controlling interests —the Rothschild dynasty apparently being the most prominent.)

illuminati-belief-6It is fascinating that the Egyptian pyramid is the most common symbol of Satan’s possession and control over the world, since Egypt was the first world power of Bible prophecy. And America is symbolized in prophecy as the greater Egypt —ultimately to be eclipsed by the eighth and final king; hence, the hovering, Delphian capstone.

Most thought-provoking in all of this, the Federal Reserve did not come into existence until December 23, 1913, and the masonic eye of Horus in the capstone insignia did not appear until 1935. But prior to the introduction of the Dollar and its abstruse, unfinished pyramid, Russell’s chart of the ages used the very same occult symbolism —the completed pyramid crowned by the mason’s capstone representing the Kingdom of Christ and the new world order, as the Watchtower used to refer to it. 

The belief that a study of the pyramids could impart hidden knowledge of the very coming of Christ is divination —plain and simple. And yet that is the underlying foundation of the Watchtower’s Russell-esque proclamation that God’s Kingdom rules! In God’s eyes, though, it is no different from the ancient practice of consulting a teraphim.

chart_from_divine_plan_of_the_ages

Now consider the prophecy of Zechariah, written after the destruction of Jerusalem, which brought an abrupt end to idol worship among the Jews. Yet, through Zechariah Jehovah speaks of the reappearance of divination among Christians —even among the shepherds, as a preliminary to the actual coming of Christ: “For the teraphim statues have spoken deception; and the diviners have visioned a lie. They speak about worthless dreams, and in vain they try to comfort. That is why they will wander like sheep. They will suffer, for there is no shepherd.” —Ze 10:2 (For a more detailed consideration of the fascinating prophecy of Zechariah read the article: The Coming Fall of the House of God.) 

It is true. The Watchtower’s 1914, invisible parousia, is a deception. Bethel’s “diviners have visioned a lie.” The end result will be that the sheep will be scattered when the end begins.

Paul spoke of a demonic spell that would hold sway over Christians prior to Christ’s coming —calling it “a deluding influence.” According to the inspired apostle the deluding influence is “an operation of Satan,” backed “with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders and every unrighteous deception… so that they may come to believe the lie.”

What is “the lie”? Paul explained in the opening verses of the second chapter of his second letter to the Thessalonians, writing: “However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to 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. 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.”

Watchtower from 1886 heralding the presence has begun

Watchtower from 1886 heralding the presence has begun

Those newly associated with Jehovah’s Witnesses may be unaware of the fact that the Watchtower has  been heralding “the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ” as an established fact virtually from its inception. Originally 1874 was the official beginning of the parousia and that date was not shifted to 1914 until about 1940! 

Prior to 1914 the Bible Students expected the war to lead into global anarchy, “the end of all kingdoms” and the day of Jehovah. Were those Bible Students shaken from their reason and alarmed by the Watchtower’s “inspired statement” concerning 1914? No doubt many were.

And throughout the past century up to the present moment, the Watchtower has continued to sound the alarm by spoken messages, and apostolic-like letters in the form of tracts, magazines, brochures and books, “to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.” The WT actually used to teach that the day of Jehovah began in 1914. Here is a quote from the November 15, 1953 Watchtower:

The great day of Jehovah is the day for salvation. Its completion is the time looked for and hoped for in Christian hearts for centuries. This day in complete fulfillment had its beginning in the autumn of 1914 (A.D.), when Christ began to rule in the midst of his enemies, and it continues until the destruction of Satan and his wicked organization is completed.

The evidence is undeniable. The Watchtower has been the source of a steady stream of messages, essentially believed by Jehovah’s Witnesses to be “inspired statements,” announcing that the presence has begun and that the day of Jehovah is here. Because this persistent message is the very core of the Watchtower’s doctrine and the basis for its authority, it bears all the earmarks of the “deluding influence” authored by the presence of a man of lawlessness.

However, the fraud of 1914 does not discount the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Quite the contrary. In his wisdom God’s allowance for “the lie” to go to those who otherwise know the truth is so that our love for the truth may be tested in the future. Jehovah’s Witnesses will have to demonstrate their faith apart from the Watchtower. Passing the test will require more than underlining the correct answer in the Watchtower Magazine.

The Devil’s unholy influence certainly explains how and why Russell was so taken with the divination of pyramidology. Having focused the attention of the Bible Students on 1914 powerful, deceptive signs appeared when the nations of Europe tumbled into war. And from the filth of blood and guts spilled in the caldron of madness sprang the Spanish Flu. That cruel pestilence claimed more souls in a few months than the ghastly war itself. Clearly, Satan’s deceptive scheme became fully operational and his lying signs and wonders have been in place and accepted by Jehovah’s Witnesses ever since as proof that God’s Kingdom rules!

Now for some specifics of the lesson.

THE HARVEST IS A CONCLUSION OF A SYSTEM

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According to the Watchtower the Kingdom harvest began in 1914. 12th paragraph states the following:

The parable thus indicates that the Kingdom would be established, not in the first century C.E., but only after the growing season ended. As matters worked out, the growing season ended and the harvest season began in 1914.

Think of what the Watchtower is claiming: “The growing season ended”? What does that mean? How can that possibly be true? Can any of Jehovah’s Witnesses give a rationale explanation? Of course not. It is a nonsensical notion that defies all reason —bearing all the telltale signs indicative of a deluding influence.

But think about it. If the growing season ended in 1914, how is it possible for anointed Christians to exist presently, since none of those now living were “planted” prior to the supposed end of the planting and growing season. You may be sure though, that of the millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses who sit through the book study no one will dare raise that question —thus, the delusion is allowed to persist.

Besides the obvious, since the Society has recently “adjusted” various prophetic illustrations of Christ so as to have a future fulfillment, such as the separation of the sheep and the goats, the parting of the wise and foolish virgins and the appointment of the faithful slave over all of the master’s belongings —why does the Watchtower persist in teaching such utter nonsense as regards the harvest?

Apparently, it is because Jesus specifically connected the harvest with the conclusion of the system of things. And if the Watchtower were to “adjust” their understanding of this illustration to harmonize with all the others it would shatter the delusion that the conclusion began in 1914. There are many other incongruities with the Watchtower’s 1914 harvest teaching that are examined in various other articles on this site and in Jehovah Himself Has Become King

(Related to the harvest Jesus’ illustration of the dragnet also is to be fulfilled during the conclusion. In keeping with the overweening obsession to perpetuate the delusion the Governing Body actually teaches the blasphemy that the angels are busy removing ‘unsuitable fishes’ from the Watchtower’s ‘dragnet.’ Supposedly, persons who may study or attend the Memorial, but who for whatever reason do not progress, are prevented from doing so by Jehovah’s powerful angels. Amazingly, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not question this sort of nonsense, nor do they find such teaching repulsive or shocking. Those pioneers who work so hard to bring such persons into the truth might rightly wonder why the angels are working counter to them and killing off their Bible studies.)

Consider another aspect of the “deluding influence” perpetrated by Bethel. Paragraph 19 states:

What may we conclude? Well, we know that the sign of Jesus’ presence in Kingdom power is clearly evident around the globe.

The above statement is a bald-face lie. The Governing Body surely knows that to be true. By their own teaching all the aspects of the composite sign that Jesus provided are clearly not in evidence. Such as? Well, as recorded by Luke Jesus foretold that “there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation. People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near.”

Concerning the verse above on page five of the October 15, 1995, Watchtower the Society stated:

That lies ahead of us. But not all humans will then be in such fear as to make them become faint. On the contrary, Jesus said: “As these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.”

arw2If one of the major features of the sign “lies ahead of us,” which will signify that our deliverance is getting near, how can it be true that “the sign of Jesus’ presence in Kingdom power is clearly evident around the globe”? The simple answer is, it cannot be true. The simple truth that the leadership cannot accept is that Christ’s presence has not begun, nor has God’s Kingdom begun ruling. It is simply unthinkable, considered out of the realm of reality that the fulfillment of the other features of the sign could also lie ahead us; namely, nation rising against nation in warfare. Yet, here we stand on the brink of world war three. And we may be certain that once the missiles start flying the very first casualty will be the Watchtower’s 1914 delusion. 


Paragraph 16 showcases the extent to which the Watchtower is compelled to go to keep the 1914 delusion in force. The notion of overlapping generations comprising “this generation,” which Christ foretold would not pass away until all things occur, may well be the most absurd notion ever put forward by Bethel.

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