A continuation of the Ezekiel series.
When I first started publishing on e-watchman it was almost exactly one year after the terror attack of 9-11, which was used as a pretext to launch the British Empire’s ongoing perpetual war scheme. (By the way, the reason the deep state is intent on taking down the American president is because he clearly stated he was going to end the senseless wars. And Trump has made some progress in doing what he said, to the great displeasure of the keepers of the Empire.)
I knew back then (2002) that WWI was not the fulfillment of the prophesied global war —nation rising against nation —yes, the unleashing of the horsemen of the Apocalypse. I am more certain now than ever that the things Jesus foretold regarding war, famine and pestilence are in the future.
So far, though, the long war has not directly impacted the nations of Europe or America, not with bombs and bullets anyway. The trillions and trillions of dollars spent to blow things up and slaughter people is another matter. But since the coup in Ukraine and especially since Russia’s intervention in Syria, the nuclear powers of the world have been drawn into an escalating confrontation. For example, the latest escalation occurred last week when Russia announced it would take action if the US goes through with their plan to install a sophisticated radar station in northern Norway, just a few miles from the Russian border and naval base.
As an anecdote, back in 2005 when I was meeting with the judicial committee at the kingdom hall, the last thing I said to the brothers after they disfellowshipped me, as they were standing in the foyer putting on their coats and I was walking out the door for the last time, I turned and told them there was going to be another world war.
A couple of years ago one of the elders from the committee was out in service working on my street and I was driving and stopped him and rolled down the passenger window of my pickup truck. He asked me if I was coming back, to which I responded: “I never left.” But I asked him if he remembered what I said about there being a global war in the future. He said he didn’t. I reminded him and asked him if he was watching the world situation and if he was aware of the likelihood of war in the future and the implications of another world war. His response? — “So?”
That’s the mindset of Jehovah’s Witnesses. “So what?” 1914 was it. JW’s cannot fathom the implications of 1914 not being the most important date in all of history. The big war that wracked Europe in 1914-1918 was the fulfillment of everything! Jehovah’s Witnesses feel so privileged to be privy to this knowledge. Their minds are shut and padlocked. No possibility of the WT being wrong. War, food shortages and global pandemics do not factor into their expectations of future events, at all. Jesus has already come. The Kingdom is here. Besides, the coming of Christ initiates the judgment of the house of God and if that has not taken place yet that means that Jehovah has some issues with to settle with people who claim to be enjoying pure worship.
Through constant repetition, the Watchtower has essentially convinced the faithful that the great tribulation is all that lies ahead and they will be passive bystanders when Babylon the Great does down.
Jehovah’s Witnesses are certainly prepared for the battle –as it were. The Watchtower has been blowing the battle horn for many years —over a century, actually. Jehovah’s people are ready, waiting for the beast to turn upon the harlot and then the epic war of Armageddon.
Now consider the remaining portion of the seventh chapter of Ezekiel.
“THEY HAVE BLOWN THE TRUMPET”
“‘They have blown the trumpet, and everyone is ready, but no one is going to the battle, because my wrath is against the whole multitude. The sword is outside, and the pestilence and the famine are inside. Whoever is in the field will die by the sword, and famine and pestilence will consume those in the city. Their survivors who manage to escape will go to the mountains, and like the doves of the valleys, each one will moan over his error. All their hands will hang limp, and all their knees will drip with water. They have put on sackcloth, and shuddering has seized them. Everyone will be put to shame, and every head will be bald.”
Just like on 9-11 and December 7, 1941 –when, one day people were going about their business and then suddenly everything changed. Something completely unexpected happened. That’s what is going to happen. Surely no one knows the day or hour and no one knows how, but at some point in the near future, as sure as the sun rises, the hammer is going to fall. The missiles are going to fly. Perhaps space weapons will be used, like rods from God. Didn’t Jesus say “and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs”?
By the way, Luke is the only Gospel writer who recorded Jesus’ words about terrifying sights in heaven and Jesus uttered it in the same breath in which he said “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another food shortages and pestilences.”
Now, consider: If the prophecy of nation rising against nation was fulfilled with WWI, why is it that after a century we have not seen fearful sights and great signs? Didn’t Jesus say: “When you see all these things”?
So, here we have in Ezekiel Jehovah speaking about the sword, the famine and pestilence, in the precise order that Jesus spoke of the calamities, and the exact ordering of the opening of the seals of the scroll of the Apocalypse, and the Watchtower makes no connection. Point it out to an elder and the reaction will likely be something like: “So”?
Needless to say, the reason none of the mighty spiritual men will charge into the fray of the spiritual battle that will coincide with the outbreak of global war is because they will be stupefied and terrified. Sure, Jesus exhorted his disciples not to be terrified when you see these things. And it is true, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not shuttering in terror over the horrors of the First World War. None were even alive then. But surely when the fiery-colored horse of war begins his deadly gallop Jehovah’s Witnesses are going to finally be confronted with the fact that the Watchtower deluded them.
Their knees dripping with water is apparently a reference to people wetting their pants —which is a common reaction when people are suddenly terrorized. But that’s what it is going to take. Like Jehovah said in Isaiah: “Only terror will make them understand.” (The Terrifying Presence of Jehovah)
The putting on of sackcloth in ancient times was an expression of mourning –or utter humiliation. The prophecy of Joel makes a similar expression, where God said: “Put on sackcloth and mourn, you priests; Wail, you ministers of the altar. Come in and spend the night in sackcloth, you ministers of my God; For grain offering and drink offering have been withheld from the house of your God.”
It is almost comical that the Watchtower teaches that Jehovah’s Witnesses are the symbolic locusts of Joel whose message so infuriates and torments the priests and clergy of Christendom. Taking Bethel’s interpretation to its logical, absurd conclusion, God is apparently exhorting the ministers of Christendom to beseech him for relief from the preaching of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Obviously, ridiculous things such as this are the reason the leadership of the Watchtower will wet themselves in terror and humiliation when God unleashes his locust hordes upon the world.
“THEY WILL THROW THEIR SILVER INTO THE STREETS”
C.T. Russell originally funded the Watchtower with his personal fortune. But as the membership grew donations funded the publishing operation. In more recent years the Watchtower has become a money-making machine. It apparently invests in markets using sophisticated hedge fund strategies. (Watchtower Society Hedge Fund) No longer content with donors dropping money in the kingdom hall box, Bethel cajoles Jehovah’s Witnesses into signing over deeds to properties, annuities, stock dividends, jewels, family heirlooms, reward points —you name it. Anything of value that you own you can give to the Kingdom. And it is tax deductible!
Most outrageous, now the Watchtower is in the kingdom hall flipping business. Perfectly functional kingdom halls, bought and paid for and built by Jehovah’s Witnesses —but owned by Watchtower Inc. —are being sold right out from under the congregations. Brothers have no recourse. Branch offices are also part of the flipping strategy. (Why So Many Kingdom Halls for Sale?)
It is stunning that the men running the Watchtower have no qualms about hocking facilities that were once dedicated to Jehovah in a solemn ceremony. They should absolutely know, though, that there is a price to pay for treating the Most High with such disrespect. As regards their ill-gotten booty the scripture says: “They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will become abhorrent to them. Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them in the day of Jehovah’s fury.”
We may be assured the passage will not be literally fulfilled. No one is going to throw their silver cutlery or gold coins into the street. I doubt that the Watchtower even owns precious metals. On the other hand, maybe they do. At any rate, people in ancient times used silver and gold as money. It has only been in the last few hundred years that paper money and notes have been recognized as money. And in the computer age, electronically generated bits and bytes have become the main store of wealth and medium of exchange. Honestly, stuffing the mattress is more secure.
No doubt throwing gold and silver in the street signifies that their wealth will become worthless. And it can happen literally overnight. The global financial system is going to crash. Lot’s of people know that. The speculative frenzy known as Wall Street is the proverbial house of cards. Its inevitable collapse, though, will be a deliberate act to bring down the nations and implement a new world order. Obviously, once the big guns start blasting the house of cards will come down. Everyone will be busted. Without access to funds, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society will be out of the publishing business and they will surely know it is from Jehovah.
Jehovah continues: “I will turn my face away from them, and they will profane my concealed place, and robbers will enter it and profane it.”
When Jehovah authorized Nebuchadnezzar to lay siege to his city and temple the Chaldeans carted off all the treasures. Years later the last king of Babylon was toasting his gods with the golden goblets that had been plundered from Jehovah’s temple.
In the antitypical fulfillment if God turns his face away from his “concealed place,” that means prior to his turning away he looked upon it with favor. His turning away means Jehovah will leave the organization. He will allow all the Society’s properties to be confiscated, such as has already happened in Russia.
The seventh chapter of Ezekiel concludes with this passage: “Make the chain, for the land is full of bloodstained judgment and the city is full of violence. I will bring in the worst of the nations, and they will take possession of their houses, and I will put an end to the pride of the strong ones, and their sanctuaries will be profaned. When their anguish comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none. There will come disaster upon disaster, and one report after another, and people will seek a vision from a prophet, but the law will perish from a priest and advice from the elders. The king will go into mourning, and the chieftain will be clothed with despair, and the hands of the people of the land will tremble in terror. I will treat them according to their ways, and I will judge them as they have judged. And they will have to know that I am Jehovah.’”
How many of Jehovah’s Witnesses have been persecuted by the Watchtower for disagreeing with 1914 or complaining about the Society’s child abuse policy? Disfellowshipping someone for upholding truth and justice is what is meant by “bloodstained judgment.”
Because the coming disaster is completely unexpected by those who sit as the spirit-directed spokesmen, they will have no answer —no vision from the faithful slave will be forthcoming. Those who sit as kings of Jehovah’s earth organization will go into mourning. Then, at last, they will finally know that Jehovah truly is a God of judgment.