Podcast #76

You are now listening to the e-Watchman Podcast with your host, Robert King.

(00:35)
Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of the Watchman’s Post Podcast. This program was recorded in the waning days of the year 2017. In fact, it is Christmas Eve, not really a red letter day for Jehovah’s Witnesses, but it is another day to be alive and we thank Jehovah for that. Greetings though to listeners and around the world, Australia and quite a few listeners I believe in England, Israel, India, and of course the United States. Well, as you know, the format of this program is that I answer or try to answer listeners’ questions. It’s been a while since my last program and part of the problem is that the questions have sort of dried up. That’s not to say that I haven’t gotten any. I’ve put in the mailbag and answered in written form and sometimes I answer a question privately and some questions I just don’t think are suitable for or interesting to a broader audience be that as it may. Keep that in mind because your questions fuel my mind and help me to get material for this program. So maybe I’ve answered all your questions. Maybe that’s a good thing perhaps, I don’t know. Well, anyway, I have a few questions here, so let’s get to it.

(02:20)
He writes that I do know the difference between you and the XJW on YouTube, and I take that as a compliment. I’m glad, but he says, however, there’s a very important question in my mind that won’t go away. How can I and every honest person out there know for sure that the Watch Tower Corporation was or is being used by the true God? I’m only left with mostly incomplete and nonsensical that yes, they were, or they may still be, but at the same time, the governing body can just do as they like as long as the majority believe it is truly imperfect but guided by God’s spirit.

(03:21)
Well, you can word that question a lot of different ways, I believe, and I think that’s a question that a lot of people have. Some may be studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses or have been raised by parents that are Jehovah’s Witnesses or studying with Jehovah’s Witnesses. And sadly, some people who have been long-time Jehovah’s Witnesses are beginning to question their own faith. And whether Jehovah has ever had anything to do with the Watchtower personally, I believe it has been used by God and it is at this present time still being used by God. And I say that with full knowledge of all the things that as the questioner says, that the X JWS put forward. And I don’t deny a lot of these things. Obviously, I’ve written quite a bit about the Watchtower’s child abuse situation, the way that they have mishandled it, it’s absolutely atrocious. But I’ve also at the same time pointed to the prophecies which suggests that Jehovah foresaw this situation and what he intends to do to correct the situation and to sanctify his name.

(04:59)
Personally, I am glad that I was not raised in the truth as they say or brought up by parents that are Jehovah’s Witnesses because in my situation, I went looking for God. I went looking for the truth. I began a quest to find the truth and it went on for a couple of years I suppose. I went to different churches, and I’ve mentioned this before in other podcasts, but I really wanted to find God and I think I was led to Jehovah’s Witnesses. I started reading their literature before I ever started studying and I wasn’t brought in the truth, so to speak, the same way that you sit with somebody an hour a week and go over the truth book. I had read pretty much all of the society’s literature books anyway on prophecy going back into the fifties. But I, all of my experience has convinced me that Jehovah is using this organization.

(06:21)
What did Jesus say? That the good news of this kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth and then the end will come? Well, we know that the first-century Christians did a similar work. They were impelled by God’s spirit. They didn’t know everything. Obviously, like Paul said, we prophesy partially our knowledge is partial. It’s like looking into a hazy metal mirror and we won’t see the full picture, so to speak until he comes, which is perfect or it comes. He’s really talking about the return of Christ Jesus. At any rate, Jehovah’s Witnesses have performed a remarkable work. You can’t take that away. I mean, the Watchtower has trained and motivated millions of people who’ve dedicated their life, many becoming missionaries and pioneers. They’ve gone to far-flung places in the world and made great sacrifices to teach people the Bible. And that’s what Christ has sponsored.

(07:35)
He said it would be done. Who’s doing it? Well, the only answer in my mind is Jehovah’s Witnesses. The Watchtower publishes the Bible, just the Bible itself in over a hundred languages. And considering that tracks and other information is over 700 languages, that’s more languages. Can you name even 50 languages spoken around the world? 700 languages is a remarkable thing to do this, and Christ said it would be done as a prelude to the end. Now, Jehovah’s Witnesses may believe that refers to the end of the world. I believe it simply refers to the end of the preaching, the end of Christianity. Basically the onus for finding the truth really falls on us. And I’ll explain what I mean by that. When Jesus was on the earth, of course he performed all manner of miracles. And in a very short while, he walked up and down the breadth and length of Israel, spoke in their synagogues and went through every little town in Hamlet and was in the big city in Jerusalem for all of their festivals.

(09:15)
And the last time he went up to the temple, he began teaching. And of course the Jews were very opposed to him and they were particularly Madden because he performed miracles on the Sabbath. And of course they were great sticklers, the Pharisees especially, that you couldn’t do anything on the Sabbath. And here Jesus was healing people on the Sabbath and they thought that was just the greatest blasphemy. But Jesus explained to them there in John the seventh chapter that the law of Moses required that every male child born had to be circumcised on the eighth day. That was the law. And what happens though if that circumcision, if that eighth day was the Sabbath? Well, the Sabbath had to take a back seat and the child had to be circumcised on the eighth day. And so Jesus explained to them that the law of Moses circumvented the Sabbath and you circumcised a baby on the Sabbath. If that’s the eighth day, all I did was heal a man on this Sabbath. But then Jesus said something very interesting and it’s most applicable to us today. He said, if anyone desires to do his will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or I speak of my own originality.

(10:58)
Did you notice the qualifier there? Most of the Jews did not accept Jesus, did they? Even though they saw him perform miracles and heard of other things that he had done, they didn’t accept him as God’s messiah and why not? Well, apparently they did not desire to do God’s will. In fact, just in the next chapter over in the eighth chapter, Jesus, he explained to them very clearly, he said, none of you’re my sheep. He said, you wish to do the desires of your father, the devil. That’s pretty shocking, really? Who would really want to do the desire of Satan? Well, unfortunately, most people in the world are content to go along with the way things are. They’re not really desirous of doing God’s will and therefore they don’t care that even know what God’s will is.

(12:13)
But when Jesus was on the earth, he told them that it was God’s will that they put faith in him. He was sent by God. He didn’t come on his own. He only does what Jehovah’s has instructed him to do. And yet people didn’t accept it because as Jesus said, they wish to do the desires of their father, their spiritual father being Satan, the devil. Is it any different today? How could it be? Satan is still the God of this world. People are still steeped in sin. Do they really want to do God’s will? Take for an example, when people study with Jehovah’s Witnesses and they may like what they hear at first and then it comes upon them that the realization that you mean I’ll have to go out and knock on doors and do what you’re doing well is that God’s will. And the answer is yes, of course it is.

(13:22)
It’s God’s will that we preach and teach others. That was Jesus’ command. If you want to follow Jesus, he said, go there for make disciples of people, of all the nations, teaching them all the things I’ve taught you. So that’s a big commitment. And people, we all have our own hearts desires. Sometimes it’s not apparent what motivates us. Millions of people have studied with Jehovah’s witnesses and have never committed. And why We have to go back to what Jesus said here. If anyone desires to do his will, he will know. Jehovah will make it plain to them.

(14:05)
But people devise things in their heart as reasons why they can’t commit to this particular program because the watch hour did this, they did that. People are hypocritical, whatever. But really it’s a matter of a person’s heart. Should there be any doubt that the watchtower teaches the basic doctrinal truth? I mean when we get down to the nitty gritty, people don’t say that much anymore nitty gritty, but I portray myself as an old hippie I guess. But anyway, the truth is, and if you factor out the 1914 thing, which is God’s will that a lie be embedded in the truth? And I’ve explained that probably overkill, but pretty much everything else is the truth. And that’s not saying that there’s no hypocrisy and there’s no unkindness and that the leadership of the Watchtower is becoming more and more and more corrupt. And I believe, at some point, they will become an outright apostate.

(15:35)
But that’s scriptural too, isn’t it? Like I say, some may use these things as a pretext and deceive themselves with false reasoning, and the reasoning would be, well, how could Jehova possibly use this organization when they’ve done this and that and all of this scandal that well consider the book of Zephaniah. Of course, it was written to the leadership in Jerusalem prior to God’s judgment when he brought Babylon against them. But it really applies to those facing the coming of Christ the day of Jehovah. And isn’t that why Jehovah said before that day comes upon you, seek Jehovah, seek meekness, seek righteousness, perhaps you’ll be concealed. In the day of Jehovah’s anger, Jehovah is speaking to his people. His anger is coming upon them. In the third chapter, he says, woe to those rebelling and polluting herself, the oppressive city talking about Jerusalem. She did not listen to a voice.

(16:57)
She did not accept discipline in Jehovah. She did not trust to her God. She did not draw an near her. Princes in the midst of her were roaring lions. Her judges were evening wolves that did not gnaw bones till morning. Her prophets were insolent, were men of treachery. Her priests themselves profane what is holy. They did violence to the law. Now notice this next verse. Jehovah was righteous In the midst of her, he would do no unrighteousness mourning by mourning. He kept giving his own judicial decision at daylight. It did not prove lacking, but the one was knowing no shame.

(17:56)
So do you get the point? Just as I said, the watch tower is misleading Jehovah’s Witnesses on this whole issue of Christ returning in 1914. Well, what does the scripture say? Her prophets were insolent were men of treachery. I wrote an article recently about the Watchtower selling off their properties and their branch offices that were dedicated to Jehovah. Well, what’s the next verse? Say her priests themselves profaned what is holy? They did violence to the law. Her judges were evening wolves. How would that apply? Well, look how they have treated sexually abused children. It’s their obligation to defend the fatherless boy. And don’t kid yourself. It doesn’t mean a person has to be a literal orphan, but anyone who’s disadvantaged children are precious to Jehovah. And when they’re part of Christ’s congregation, Jehovah expects men and power to do everything to protect them. And the Watchtower society has failed miserably. Her judges were evening wolves. They did not gnaw bones until, in other words, they had enough prey to eat during the night and they didn’t need to gnaw bones.

(19:24)
But again, the scripture says that they did not listen to a voice. They did not accept discipline. And to their God, they did not draw near. Jehovah is saying he recognizes these as his people. It’s not as those whom Jesus will say, I never knew you get away from me. Jehovah knows these people. They claim him as their God, but they do not listen to him. And the scripture says He is in the midst of her, his organization, and he’s trying to teach them and they don’t listen to him. So does that mean that the organization is not God’s because they did not listen to him and they do not accept his counsel and his discipline? Not at all.

(20:21)
It means that Jehovah has to act in a way to get their attention and to bring needed discipline and to remove the unrighteous one, the man of lawlessness, right? That’s what I said. The unrighteous one was knowing no shame. So everything I’ve written, I’ve written a book, revised it a couple of times, but I’ve gone through all of those Hebrew prophecies and revelation, not all of them, because the book would be so voluminous you couldn’t pick it up and have applied Jehovah’s judgments to the Watchtower, to Jehovah’s Witnesses. And as far as I know, that is unique. So I’ve added a special wrinkle to it because you’re not going to read anything in the watchtower about Jehovah’s judgment. But again, I would refer back to Jesus’, comment to the Jews. If anyone desires to do his will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or I speak of my own originality.

(21:44)
I say that Watchtower has taught the basic truth, but they have no knowledge of what is to come as far as Jehovah’s judgments. That is what I have put out there to the best of my ability, given my limited resources. So here’s a related question. He says, first I want to express my appreciation for the information you continue to provide on your website has been very helpful considering the questionable leadership at the Watchtower. How could one apply the scripture at Hebrews 1317? Hebrews 1317 of course says, be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account and that they may do so with joy and not with sighing for this would be damaging to you.

(22:58)
It goes back, it’s very similar to the previous question. It’s interesting that the disciples of Jesus were of course all Jews and they were bound by the law. They went to this synagogue on the Sabbath and all the festivals, but the Pharisees were very oppressive. And as I say, they didn’t accept Jesus. They fought against him. But interestingly, Jesus told his disciples, whatever the Pharisees tell you, do it only not with their hypocrisy. So it would be unlikely that the Pharisees would really tell them to do something that was outright against God except obviously for putting faith in Christ. Because the Pharisees said anyone who accepts Jesus or confesses belief in him was to be expelled from the synagogue.

(24:04)
And obviously the first century Christians, a lot of them obviously were expelled from the synagogue, but in any case, Jesus told them to do what the Pharisees tell them to do. Of course, that was up until Pentecost. And then when the Holy Spirit came upon them and the Christians began preaching, I remember the high priests and the scribes brought them in and said, we order you to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. We all know what Peter said. Whether it’s righteous in your eyes or not, it doesn’t matter. We are going to obey God as ruler rather than men. Well, the same principle can be applied to Christian elders, be submissive to those who are taking the lead as long as they’re taking the lead and organizing the preaching work and teaching and all that stuff that elders do. There’s no reason not to be submissive to them.

(25:04)
They’re trying to accomplish the work that they feel that the Watchtower is sponsoring, that it is God’s will that we accomplish. And so it is interesting though, and keep in mind that the scripture I read in Hebrews, he said, they’re keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account. Now, Watchtower doesn’t stress that very much, but there is a day of accounting. That’s why it says in the letter of James, not many of you should be teachers, brothers, knowing we shall receive a heavier judgment. And interestingly, the Watchtower doesn’t quote this passage very much either. But in the 12th chapter of Luke, Jesus gave a much more extensive discussion of the faithful and discrete slave as well as the evil slave. And when he concluded that discussion, he said, the one who did not know his master’s will and so did things deserving of strokes, will be beaten with few strokes.

(26:18)
But the one who knew his master’s will and did not do in line with it, he will be beaten with many strokes. And then he says to the one who has been given much, much will be demanded of him and the one whom people have put in charge, they will require much from him. So the governing body and the watchtower leadership, it’s much larger than merely the governing body. They are the ones who have been put in charge of this organization and they will receive the heaviest judgment. There’s no way around it. And elders as well. So let’s minimize the fact that there is a day of accounting. If we don’t follow those who I know, you’re going to think I’m a hypocrite for saying this, but I have an exemption to do what I do, I I can’t do what I do. If I’m subject to the elders, I have greater freeness of speech being disfellowshipped, but I do it for the good of others. I would say I anyway.

(27:40)
If we do not subject ourselves to those who are taking the leave, what is that? Well, wouldn’t that be lawlessness? We’re required to subject ourself, to Christian law, to the law of Christ. And his headship is over a congregation. He’s directing men under him who will render an account, but we will too. We will render an account. They more so, but everyone will stand before the judgment seat of God. So it’s an opportunity for those in the congregations at this time. When we are seeing an increasing of lawlessness, we are seeing the love of many growing cold. We’re seeing an exodus from the congregations.

(28:38)
I don’t encourage that. I encourage people to endure, to submit themselves because it’s an opportunity to show your faith. Really the bottom line is if we’re following men and merely an organization, are we any different than a Catholic or a Baptist or a Muslim for that matter? They follow an organization that dictates of men whatever they one of believe. But I believe Jehovah’s used this organization and is using it and at some point he will conclude his usage of it. Interesting passage in Hebrews where Paul advised the brothers to be submissive to those taking the lead, his whole letter of Hebrews who written of course to the Hebrew of Christians, but it was written for them to appreciate the role that Israel had played, had played past tense, and that all Paul went into great detail. It’s one of my favorite Christian books of all the things in the law that foreshadowed things having to do with the Christian arrangement.

(30:10)
And the reason Paul wrote this letter, I feel in the first century was because those Hebrews, many of them were still tied to the law. And Paul fought tooth and nail against the judaizers. He was an apostle to the nations. So he had a different perspective than the Hebrew Jews. And they didn’t make a clean break from Judaism as we might imagine. In fact, when the apostle went back to Jerusalem on one occasion and he created this huge uproar because the non-Christian Jews said that he was an apostate, he was teaching an apostasy from Moses. And the apostles pulled Paul aside and they said, look, you’ve got the oath sitting up, or here’s what you do, take a sacrifice and go into the temple and make your offering to quell this rabble that are saying that you’re teaching an apostasy. And Paul did it. After all he had written to the Galatians and the Ephesians and the Romans about how the law is done.

(31:27)
And he is a Jew, is not one on the outside by circumcision. So Paul humbled himself, he was submissive to the will of his fellow apostles. He went to the temple and made a sacrifice. And then he confronted the Jews and tried to explain to them that he was not teaching an apostrophe for Moses. But anyway, he was preparing the Hebrew brothers for the eventual encirclement and destruction of Jerusalem. And in that same 13th chapter, it compares Christ to the animal sacrifices that were made and how the high priest took the ashes and burned it up outside the camp, took the ashes outside, and he applied that to them. And he says, let us then go forth to him, Christ outside the camp bearing the reproach he bore for We do not have here a city that continues, but we are earnestly seeking the one to come.

(32:39)
Well, the city he was referring to was Jerusalem. And that’s where Christianity started, wasn’t it? The apostles were unofficially headquartered there, you might say. And some of the Jews, obviously there had become Christians, they were still making sacrifices at the temple. They were preaching in the temple. The apostles preached in the temple daily. It says when Christianity first started, we don’t know how long that continued, but so here Paul was saying, look, we don’t have an earthly city. And what did Jehovah’s Witnesses believe about the Watchtower Jehovah’s Earthly visible organization? Well, it is going to fulfill its purpose just like the city of Jerusalem did, just like the temple arrangement did. That’s what Jehovah’s Witnesses do not appreciate, but the time will come. And Jesus himself said, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies, when you see the disgusting thing in the holy place, that’s when it’s time to leave. And of course, JOAs witnesses have no understanding or appreciation of that. Do they think that the holy place is christened them because that’s what’s Watchtower told them. So that’s the part of this deluding influence. And again, Jehovah allows it because he wants to test your faith when the time comes. It’s unfortunate. Many won’t even be there for the test because they’ve already left and hopefully they haven’t abandoned their faith altogether. But I’m afraid many have.

(34:26)
But Paul went on to say through him, let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of lips which makes public declaration to his name. How is it possible for someone other than one of Jehovah’s Witnesses to make public declaration to the name of God? God is nameless to most. So-called Christians, Jesus is God, which we know is a lie. Jehovah’s witnesses have the only platform where we can make public declaration to the name of Jehovah and whatever language you prefer. So I hope that answers your question. We have. Well, actually one more here. He writes, knowing how corrupt they are, how can a Christian reconcile Romans 13, one, a very similar question to the previous one, but Romans 13, one of course says, let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities. For there is no authority except by God the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. So he’s referring to those secular governments, national governments, local governments, city governments, government is actually a good thing when you consider the alternative, which is anarchy, tribalism. I dare say that everyone benefits from having some form of government no matter how corrupt or oppressive it is. The alternative, as I say, is not preferable.

(36:26)
Taxes may be oppressive, yes, but how many people benefit from them? Perhaps you do. Do you get some sort of government assistance, perhaps a subsidy on your rent or food stamps perhaps? There’s a lot of things. If you have your house catches on fire, what are you going to do? Call the neighbors and ring your garden hoses over or whatever. No, you call 9 1 1 in a few minutes, hopefully an entire contingent of firefighters arrives on the scene and you can count on that because your taxes go to that sort of thing. If you’re robbed or threatened by some criminal, what are you going to do? Pepper Spray ’em. Yeah, maybe pull your gun out. Not a good idea. Call 9 1 1 if you have a chance. That’s what the police are there for, to serve and protect. Are they corrupt? Some of them, are they oppressive?

(37:32)
Well, we’ve all seen the news of shooting unarmed people in the back, people of color. Unfortunately, it’s sad, but that’s a very tiny minority of policemen. The best reason for being in subjection to the superior authorities is because God commands it. It goes back to what Jesus said, he who is desires of doing God’s will. God’s will is that we be in subjection to the law. I think it’s shameful really for people to demonstrate and riot against governments that certainly it would be very inappropriate for a Christian. And Jehovah’s witness is thankfully do so respect for the authority. But the primary motive is not that the authorities deserve our deep respect. But the next verse in Romans, Romans 13, two says, therefore, he who opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God. And those who have taken a stand against it will receive judgment to themselves. Okay? So it is interesting that sadly, I believe the leadership of the Watchtower has taken a stand against the government. Their lawyers have led them into that situation. This has been demonstrated most vividly. In the case in San Diego where a young man had been molested by an elder.

(39:32)
The judge required the watchtower to turn over all of their judicial documents, and they refused. That was a couple of years ago. The judge is finding them $4,000 daily for their refusal to comply. Well, have they taken a stand against the authority, the arrangement of God? I would say so, and it’s all a part of the judgment that is coming. It says they will receive judgment to themselves. So therefore, Paul goes on in verse five. Therefore, it is compelling reason for you people to be in subjection, not only only account of the wrath, but also on account of your conscience. And then he says, for that is why you’re also paying taxes. They are God’s public servants constantly serving this very purpose to all their dues to him who calls for the tax, the tax to him who calls for the tribute?

(40:33)
Of course, whenever they require that we disobey God, then that’s where we draw the line. As Peter said to the Jewish authorities, we must obey God as ruler rather than men, but it doesn’t matter how corrupt they are. If their laws do not require us to violate our conscience toward God, then we are duty bound to be in subjection to the superior authorities. Now the Dale will come when we’ll all be required to be in opposition, and that is when the eighth King will require that we take some oath of loyalty or whatever. I think 2018 is going to be an interesting year. There’s a movement underway to take down the President of the United States. It’s not a Democrat Republican thing, it’s the British and their deep state allies that they’ve cultivated over decades within the United States. They’ve been given their marching orders.

(41:42)
They’re not going to allow Donald Trump to make an alliance with Russia and China and undue their goal for this one world empire. So it’s interesting. I mean, it’s coming down to a head on so many other levels. So we’ll see what the new year brings. And until then well keep the cards and letters coming. Kids, like I say, your questions are what fuel this podcast. So I like to do one a week or one a month at least, but I’m putting the burden on you to make that happen.

So may, Jehovah, bless you in the coming new year, and may Jehovah bless your search for the truth.