Imagine yourself at a fine restaurant, the kind of restaurant with soft candle-light and white table cloths; served by waiters in tuxedos who cater to your every whim. Your favorite dish is on the menu and the chef prepares it to perfection. But, as you sit soaking up the atmosphere you get a whiff of a very unpleasant, nauseating stench, and as you gaze around the dinning room you notice that all the tables have what appears to be vomit all over the pretty white tablecloths. And your worst fears are confirmedâto your horror, just as your waiter serves you your dish, he suddenly vomits on your table too! Surely, no person could avoid become revolted by such a disgusting experience.
Begging the readersâ pardon for employing such an unappetizing illustration, it is in fact, a graphic image that Jehovah himself employs in the 28th chapter of Isaiah, which states:Â âFor the tables themselves have all become full of filthy vomitâthere is no place without it.â
But why would God use such a revolting comparison? First, it must be pointed out that elsewhere in the Scriptures reference is made to the âtable of Jehovah.â So, in a spiritual sense the âtable of Jehovahâ has to do with the âfoodâ from Godâs Word that is presented to truth-hungry Christians. For example, at 1st Corinthians 10:21, the apostle Paul contrasts Jehovahâs âtableâ with the âtable of the demons,â saying:Â âYou cannot be partaking of âthe table of Jehovahâ and the table of demons.â
The question naturally comes to mind in connection with the verse above: Is it the âtable of the demonsâ that has become full of filthy vomit? No, it is understood that Satanâs table is not spiritually healthful. It is not reasonable that God would be at all concerned with what is presented on the âtable of the demons.â  Jehovah is only concerned with his own table, which, according to the context of Isaiah, has become defiled because the priests ministering to those at Jehovahâs table are themselves spiritually inebriated, which evidently is the source of the âfilthy vomit.â Keep in mind, there is a slave appointed to feed the household of God. Does that necessarily mean, though, that all that is served is healthful? If that is the case why then did Christ make it clear in his illustration that the appointed slaves will be judged as to their faithfulness in carrying out their assignment when the master arrives?
A similar illustration is used in the book of Malachi, where God takes his priests to task, saying to them: âBut you men are profaning me by your saying, âThe table of Jehovah is something polluted, and its fruit is something to be despised, its food.ââ
Malachi would seem to contradict the suggestion that it is Jehovahâs table that is polluted with vomit since in Malachi it seems Jehovahâs priests are only saying that Godâs table is polluted. We may be sure that Jehovahâs table is holy, because Jehovah is holy and the Bible is holy. The truth is holy. But, the table itself may become defiled if those entrusted to minister at the table are in any way unappreciative or negligent in their dutiesâor even spiritually intoxicated. (Interestingly, the evil slave is condemned for beating his fellow slaves and for associating with drunkards.) So it is, then, the tables in the house of Jehovah that have become unclean. Nevertheless, it is still the table of Jehovah and Jehovahâs truth should not be despised.
That being the case, as an example of the sort of vomitous teachings the prophecy of Isaiah may be illustrating, consider the Watchtower Societyâs regurgitations on the 1914 doctrine. Because millions of Jehovahâs Witnesses unquestioningly accept the 1914 invisible parousia teaching at face value, it is important to hold the Watchtowerâs method of reasoning up to close critical scrutiny.
The August 1st, 2004, Watchtower carries a typical feature article entitled: âGood Government, Where Can It Be Found?â The article briefly makes the case for world government and then asserts that world government has already become a reality since 1914 in the form of Godâs kingdom.
On page four the Watchtower appears to be pandering to the sci-fi generation, saying of the tribulation:
âAn attack from another planet? Whether that would bring together all the nations of the earth or not, Bible prophecy does speak of an impending crisis that will cause the nations of the world to band together. And the crisis will, indeed, be brought about by extraterrestrial forces.â
The article then cites the 2nd Psalm, which is recognized as a messianic prophecy, and which Jehovahâs Witnesses apply to both 1914 and a future âimpending crisis that will cause the nations of the world to band together.â Â
Commenting on Psalms 2:2-3, the Watchtower states:
âNote that the rulers of the world would mass together as one against Jehovah, the Creator of the universe, and his anointed one, or his appointed King, Jesus Christ. How would that take place? According to Bible chronology and fulfilled prophecies, in the year 1914, Godâs kingdom was established in the heavens with Jesus Christ as King. At that time the nations of the world had one thought in common. Rather than submitting to the sovereignty of Godâs newborn Kingdom, they were embroiled in a contest of powerâthe Great War, or World War I.â
To refresh your memory, the opening words of the 2nd Psalm say: âWhy have the nations been in tumult and the national groups themselves kept muttering an empty thing?The kings of earth take their stand and high officials themselves have massed together as onea gainst Jehovah and against his anointed one.â
As stated above, according to Jehovahâs Witnesses’ long-held belief, the prophesied âtumultâ of nations began in 1914 with the First World War. After the Great War, under the misleading influence of Satan the Devil, the leaders of the nations banded together politically to form the League of Nations in order to oppose Godâs sovereignty. (Note: The United States was never even a member of the League of Nations.)
However, the Watchtower goes on to say in the very same article:
âUnder demonic influence, the nations of the earth will finally be united with one objectiveâto war against God Almighty. The time when humans will mass together to fight against Godâs sovereignty is fast approaching.â
Did you catch Bethelâs legerdemain? Surely, clear-thinking persons realize that there can only be one instance of extraordinary circumstances when all the nations will mass together as one to war against God; yet, the Watchtower now applies the prophetic Psalm to 1914 and also to a future crisis. But, if 1914 was the fulfillment, then thatâs thatâwhy expect another fulfillment?
The reason the Watchtower continues to teach that the Psalm was fulfilled in 1914 is because the nationsâ massing together is in response to Jehovah installing his King. But, if the Watchtower were to admit that the circumstances of World War One were not really the true fulfillment of the prophetic Psalm, it would mean a repudiation of the entire 1914 doctrine. No doubt they recognize that to do so would be faith shattering for a very large percentage of Jehovahâs Witnesses and would result in a humiliating loss of face for the Watchtower Society. But, since it is obvious that Jehovah has not disturbed the worldâs high officials in his hot displeasure for their banding together against him and his Son, the Watchtower is impelled by reality to point to a future fulfillment too.
The same chapter of Isaiah seems to speak directly to the uncomfortable and doctrinally exposed condition the Watchtower now finds itself in, saying:Â âFor the couch has proved too short for stretching oneself on, and the woven sheet itself is too narrow when wrapping oneself up.â
Under the sub-heading âThe Chief Administrator of the Kingdom Government,â the article invites the reader to âconsider some key factors that demonstrate that Godâs Kingdom is a reality in full action today.â
The Watchtower then offers as proof that Christ invisibly returned in 1914 the fact that the Jehovahâs Witnesses organize various disaster relief efforts around the world. (As if Jehovahâs Witnesses were the only religious organization that conducts such operations.) The article references the 11th chapter of Acts, where we read that the early disciples organized a relief campaign for the brothers in famine-stricken Jerusalem. Apparently, though, the Watchtowerâs writers do not even realize that the account in Acts actually negates their claim that the kingdom is now ruling. How so? Well, obviously Christâs Kingdom was not operational then, at least not as Jehovahâs Witnesses suppose it is now, and yet the disciples accomplished what the Watchtower offers as evidence âthe kingdom government is now operational.â In spite of such specious reasoning, the concluding paragraph of the article gushes: âEvidence is overwhelming that Godâs Kingdom is a reality in full operation.âIn reality, the Watchtower demonstrates that its spiritual tables are covered with the filthy vomit of untruth and error.
In the very next article entitled, âJehovah Reveals His Glory to Humble Ones,â the Watchtower subtly boasts of its own supposed humility and enlightened condition. The 10th paragraph of the study article states:
âIn his own due time and through his chosen channel of communication, Jehovah has revealed to humble ones details regarding the outworking of his purpose. These glorious things remain hidden from those who proudly rely on, or stubbornly cling to human wisdom or thinking.â
Jehovahâs Witnesses, of course, regard the Watchtower Society as Jehovahâs âchosen channel of communication.âSo, it is naturally assumed that only the Watchtower can reveal to our minds the âdetails regarding the outworking of [Godâs] purpose.âHowever, the evidence is daily mounting that the leading brothers of the Watchtower are the ones who are determined to stubbornly cling to human interpretations of prophecy that should have been discarded long ago.
For example, for decades the Watchtower has taught that Jehovahâs Witnesses are residing in a spiritual paradise. But, if that were really true, why are Jehovahâs Witnesses still plagued by the presence of animalistic people even though the prophecies depicting spiritual paradise distinctly say that not even one foolish or animalistic individual will pose a menacing presence there?
As an example of trouble in spiritual paradise, (2004) a Jehovahâs Witness and father in North Carolina apparently killed his entire familyâslitting the throats of his own daughtersâwhom he allegedly had also sexually abused. (The news article is no longer available online) Presumably, right up until his own death the pedophilic Jehovahâs Witness was standing shoulder-to-shoulder in âspiritual paradiseâ with the brothers and sisters of his local congregation. In spite of being aware of these sorts of horrific crimes taking place in the organization, the Watchtower still falsely credits God for ushering Jehovahâs Witnesses into a predator-free spiritual paradise.Â
Vomitous teachings indeed!
If âJehovah has revealed to humble ones details regarding the outworking of his purpose through his chosen channel of communication, then we would expect the Watchtower to be a beacon of spiritual light as regards the prophecies. In reality, the Watchtower has misunderstood and distorted virtually every prophetic book in the Bible.
Habakkuk similarly portrays an earth-wide devastation brought on by an imperial entity whom Jehovah commissions as his avenger. Habakkuk says of Godâs agent: âO Jehovah, for a judgment you have set it; and, O Rock, for a reproving you have founded it.â The Chaldean must be the same political entity as the scarlet-colored beast, the eighth king of Revelation, whom Jehovah uses to execute his judgments. However, what does the Watchtower say the Chaldean represents? As recently as the year 2000, the Watchtower wrote:
âWith voracity like that of Babylon of Habakkukâs time, this composite âman,â made up of political powersâwhether Fascist, Nazi, Communist, or even so-called democraticâfights wars in order to expand his lands.â
The Watchtowerâs ill-conceived commentary on Habakkuk would have Jehovahâs Witnesses believe that God assigned the Nazis, Communists and various democratic nations âfor a judgment.âThat would mean, for example, that Jehovah authorized the Nazi Holocaust! It seems to be impossible for them to grasp the fact that the vision of Habakkuk has to do with a global genocidal holocaustâa great tribulationâthe likes of which the world has never before experienced. Again, what justification is there for the Watchtower to boast of enlightening Jehovahâs humble servants as regards the details of the outworking of Godâs grand purpose?
By far, though, the Watchtowerâs most grievous error in prophetic interpretation is the misleading notion that God has already judged his own house and that all future judgments will be directed at Christendom and the world. Indeed, it is the erroneous assumption that the Master has already arrived and appointed his faithful slave over all of his belongings that is the underlying doctrinal basis for the Watchtowerâs frequent boasts of being Jehovahâs chosen channel of communication. (At the 2010 annual meeting one speaker boasted that when they all members agree the Governing Body of Jehovahâs Witnesses is very close to being Christ himself! Surely, this is evidence of the sort of spiritual intoxication described in prophecy.
In reality, the Watchtower has been instrumental in concealing Jehovahâs future judgments from Jehovahâs Witnesses. No wonder, then, a few verses down in the 28th chapter of Isaiah Jehovah speaks to the spiritually inebriated, vomit-spewing leaders of his people with these words:  âTherefore hear the word of Jehovah, you braggarts, you rulers of this people who are in Jerusalem.â