Part three of the second study article
I realize it may be discouraging for Jehovah’s Witnesses to consider the information presented on this site. It is hard for many to comprehend or accept that the Governing Body could be so far off the mark. The Watchtower is always tinkering and making adjustments, like these two articles on the topic of the king of the north, which gives the appearance of going in the right direction. But the error is too great to be rectified by any sort of “adjustment.”
To be sure, knowing the identity of the kings of the north and south is not vital for our salvation. However, the idolatrous trust that Jehovah’s Witnesses have placed in the Watchtower is a problem and it will become apparent when everything blows up. That is because the Watchtower has cultivated certain expectations —typified in this article identifying Russia as the king of the north who enters “the land of Decoration.”
We can at least appreciate that the Watchtower has imparted some insight regarding the land of Decoration being associated with Christianity and not the literal land of Israel in the Middle East. We know God’s estate is spiritual. Paul told his Corinthian brothers that they were being built up to become a holy temple for Jehovah to inhabit. Here is what the Watchtower says in paragraphs eight and nine:
During the last days, the king of the north has repeatedly entered into “the land of the Decoration.” For example, when Nazi Germany filled the role of the king of the north, particularly during the second world war, that king entered into “the land of the Decoration” by persecuting and killing God’s people. After World War II when the Soviet Union took on the role of the king of the north, that king entered into “the land of the Decoration” by persecuting God’s people, exiling them…In recent years, Russia and its allies have also entered into “the land of the Decoration.” How? In 2017, this current king of the north banned the work of Jehovah’s people and threw some of our brothers and sisters into prison. He also banned our publications, including the New World Translation. Further, he confiscated our branch office in Russia as well as Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls. After these actions, in 2018 the Governing Body identified Russia and its allies as the king of the north…
The foremost problem the Watchtower is dealing with when it comes to prophetic interpretation is that these are not the last days. The time of the end has not begun, and hence the king of the north has not flooded over the lands and entered into the land of Decoration.
As an example of the Watchtower’s terminal error, the central feature of Jesus’ outline of events to transpire during the conclusion is the desolation of the holy place. Jesus advised the reader to use discernment and consult the prophecy of Daniel. Lo and behold, the eighth chapter of Daniel goes into considerable detail how during the final part of the denunciation a fierce-looking king will be successful (like the king of the north) and he will grow great towards the Decoration (like the king of the north) and he will throw down the sanctuary and bring desolation and trample upon the holy place and the army for an appointed time.
The Watchtower claims the prophecy was fulfilled during World War Two —no, not by the Nazis or Soviet forces, but rather, by the Anglo-America duo, whom the Watchtower identifies as the king of the south. Jehovah’s Witnesses are required to believe that America brought the mighty ones of this world to ruin along with the holy ones back in the 40s and that the holy place was put into its right condition when the board of directors made a few trifling adjustments to the charter of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.
The seventh chapter of Daniel depicts the same thing. A king emerges who speaks arrogant words against the Most High (Just like the king of the north and the seven-headed beast of Revelation) and he will make war against the holy ones and conquer them (bring them to ruin). According to the Watchtower, this was fulfilled —no, not during World War Two, but when Rutherford was sent to jail for a few months at the close of the First World War.
So, we have three obviously related prophecies in Daniel regarding the little horn, the fierce-looking king, and the king of the north, who are all destined to trample God’s holy place during the time of the end. Then we have the words of Christ himself regarding the things to take place during the conclusion when a disgusting thing will trample the holy place, as spoken of by Daniel, which the Watchtower says will be fulfilled when the United Nations destroys false religion. The question for thinking persons is: Could the Governing Body be any less discerning?
Given the Watchtower’s intractable blindness, the most relevant prophecy regarding the land of Decoration is in Isaiah. Here is what Jehovah has said: “Woe to the eminent crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, and the fading blossom of its decoration of beauty that is upon the head of the fertile valley of those overpowered by wine! Look! Jehovah has someone strong and vigorous. Like a thunderous storm of hail, a destructive storm, like a thunderous storm of powerful, flooding waters, he will certainly do a casting down to the earth with force. With the feet the eminent crowns of the drunkards of Ephraim will be trampled down. And the fading flower of its decoration of beauty that is upon the head of the fertile valley must become like the early fig before summer, that, when the seer sees it, while it is yet in his palm, he swallows it down.” — Isaiah 28:1-4
The beautiful land, which the old NWT described as a “decoration of beauty,” which has since been edited to merely land of “glorious beauty,” corresponds to the land of Decoration which is flooded over by the king of the north. How do we know this prophecy does not simply apply to ancient Israel? Because the metaphoric flooding of the once beautiful land takes place in conjunction with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. That is apparent from what is stated further on in the 28th chapter of Isaiah: “For you men say: ‘We have made a covenant with Death, and with the Grave we have made an agreement. When the raging flash flood passes through, it will not reach us, for we have made a lie our refuge and we have hidden ourselves in falsehood.’ 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.”
Laying the foundation stone of Zion does not refer to the anointing of Jesus. Notice, please, the foundation is a “tested stone.” Jesus passed the test unto death and has been given the Kingdom. However, he does not take up his great power until his enemies are as a stool for his feet. When the Kingdom begins ruling Satan will be thrown down. The enraged dragon will disgorge a flood of persecution. That corresponds with the flooding over the lands by the king of the north.
Because the rulers of Jehovah’s Witnesses have placed themselves on high, due in no small part to their false interpretation of prophecy regarding Christ having already come and given them the keys of the kingdom, it is as if they have made an agreement with the Grave. They do not imagine the flood will reach them. They have hidden themselves in an elaborately fabricated false story.
But by Jehovah’s word the coming flood will find them: “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. Your covenant with Death will be dissolved, and your agreement with the Grave will not stand. When the raging flash flood passes through, you will be crushed by it. As often as it passes through, it will sweep you away; for it will pass through morning after morning, during the day and during the night. Only terror will make them understand what was heard.”
Just as the Flood of Noah’s day was global, not a localized event as some claim, so too, the coming flooding over the lands and invasion of the land of Decoration on the part of the king of the north will be worldwide.
It will not even necessarily be a traditional invasion by shock troops, although no doubt that will be part of it. As portrayed in Joel, the locust army will bring devastation to the whole earth and climb over every security wall and through every window. The coming flood of tyranny will wash away the present, relatively peaceful, and secure system —and with it the Watchtower.
How will it end?
The Second Coming of Christ will be an epic event. As part of the Watchtower’s refuge of lies, Jehovah’s Witnesses have been deceived into believing that the parousia has been ongoing for over a century —invisibly, of course. The truth is, the parousia will not take place invisibly. Jesus is going to reveal himself to the chosen ones. We may be certain that those few precious ones who will see the glorious manifestation of the Lord of heaven and earth will be transformed. They will then become the witnesses for Christ —just as the apostles and others were transformed after they saw the resurrected Jesus and were anointed.
Contrary to the Watchtower hokum regarding the two witnesses having come and gone in 1918, or whenever, the revealing of the sons of God will take place when the chosen ones will stand before governors and kings and give witness that they have seen Christ. At the mouth of two witnesses the truth regarding Christ’s presence on earth will be established. This is what is foretold in the concluding verses of the 11th chapter of Daniel, which says: “But reports out of the east and out of the north will disturb him, and he will go out in a great rage to annihilate and to devote many to destruction. And he will plant his royal tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration; and he will come all the way to his end, and there will be no helper for him.”
As we know, the sun rises in the east. Jehovah’s throne is said to be in the north according to the 48th Psalm. That is why the sealed ones, the future kings of the world, are described as “the kings from the rising of the sun” at Revelation 16:12. The daystar of Christ’s dawning will arise in their hearts. Then the chosen ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Because their sealing will guarantee they are accepted into the Kingdom, they will become kings in company with Christ even while they are in the flesh. The reports from the east and north that will disturb the king of the north will be the witness the remnant give concerning Christ’s Kingdom.
What is meant by the king of the north planting his tent between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration? It is noteworthy that the king of the north previously entered the land of Decoration. How is that different from this final incursion into the land of the holy mountain of Decoration? The first invasion takes place before the Kingdom is complete —before the final sealing takes place. That flood will serve to sweep away the refuge of lies. However, once the chosen ones are regathered and sealed and the selection and chastisement of the remaining ones of the 144,000 is complete, then the mighty Kingdom of God will have come.
But because the chosen ones will still be in the flesh for the 42 months the Devil will be irresistibly tempted. Since the final sealing will signify that the 2,000-year Christian era of the calling, testing, and choosing of the 144,000 has ended, if Satan were to cause even one of the sealed ones to become disloyal God will have failed. It cannot be 143,999. Hence, in that way, Jehovah will put hooks into the jaws of Gog —baiting him to attack the certified sons of the Kingdom.
Just as the Roman king of the north killed Jesus and Paul and many of the holy ones, the king of the north will place his tent in God’s domain when he dispatches the chosen ones —killing them. This will be the final outrage, and will merely expedite the marriage of the Lamb, as all the members of the bride will then be with Jesus in heaven. The king of the north will come all the way to his end and then he will stand alone —helpless, as the army of heaven effaces Satan’s crowd from the earth.
On a personal note, I am going to take a little vacation for a couple of weeks. This article will be the last for awhile.