Saturday, December 5

They will not lift up sword, nation against nation.Mic. 4:3.

Earth wide today, true worshippers of Jehovah have beaten “their swords into plowshares,” and they refuse to “learn war anymore.” Understandably, we want Jehovah to bring an end to this wicked system soon. If we are to wait patiently, though, we need to view matters from Jehovah’s perspective. He has set a day when he will judge mankind “by a man whom he has appointed,” Jesus Christ. But before then, God is giving all sorts of people the opportunity to gain “an accurate knowledge of truth,” to act on that knowledge, and to be saved. Precious lives are at stake. If we are busy helping others to gain accurate knowledge about God, the time remaining before the coming of Jehovah’s judgment will pass more quickly. Soon—even suddenly—time will run out. When it does, how glad we will be that we kept busy in the Kingdom-preaching work!

COMMENTARY

When I started doing this daily commentary column over a year ago I don’t think even I realized the extent to which the Watchtower subtly injects 1914 into the minds of Jehovah’s Witnesses. But it seems like every other day, at minimum twice per week, the daily text in one way reinforces the invisible parousia delusion.

Although not mentioned specifically in today’s text, it is implied that ever since 1914 the mountain of Jehovah has been lifted up above the symbolic hills. Anecdotally, the fact that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not support the wars of the nations would seem to indicate that their stance is the fulfillment of the prophecy.

But, obviously, the neutrality of Jehovah’s Witnesses has not prevented the nations from fighting their wars. Now we even stand at the brink of yet another world war and all the major antagonists are armed with thermonuclear weapons. How is it that “nation will not lift up sword against nation”? If that only applies to the relative handful of Jehovah’s Witnesses who refuse to learn war, then what is the point? Mankind still suffers from the age-old scourge of war.

But doesn’t the Psalm say that God is making wars to cease throughout the earth? Obviously, that has not been accomplished, no matter how many individuals beat their swords into plowshares.

In the article upon which the day’s text is based the Watchtower engages in a bit of sleight-of-hand interpretation, which, sadly, is characteristic of them. In the 13th paragraph, the Watchtower states:

While we wait for the fulfillment of 1 Thessalonians 5:3, powerful angels are holding back the destructive winds of the great tribulation. What are they waiting for? One key event is described by the apostle John—the final sealing of the anointed “slaves of our God.” Once that final sealing has been completed, the angels will unleash the winds of destruction.

However, the timing of the fulfillment of the vision that depicts the angels holding back the four winds occurs immediately after the opening of the sixth seal of the scroll of the Apocalypse. And the unsealing of the sixth seal has to do with the tribulation. Although the Watchtower insists that the sixth seal was opened sometime during WWI, even Bethel has been forced to admit that the events foreshadowed by the sun going black and the stars falling from heaven and every mountain rocking, have not come about in reality. Still, they pretend that the seals have all been opened. Unfortunately Jehovah’s Witnesses do not have the spiritual wherewithal to discern the deception that is being worked upon them. 

However, in spite of the Watchtower’s interpretive chicanery, ironically their advice in today’s text is sound. Keeping busy doing God’s will is the best thing we can do. And surely, “soon—even suddenly—time will run out.”

Indeed, time will suddenly run out for the stupid prophets. 

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