The quotes
in Blue are comments from JW Files
The quotes in Black are from the Watchtower
Society and Boldfaced and or Underlined for emphasis.
The Society
published an article in the March 22, 1993 Awake magazine titled "Why So Many False Alarms", in the article the Society tried to explain why they are not a false
prophet. Lets take a look at the article and see their explanations and what
they have been claiming all through their history.
William Miller, generally
credited with founding the Adventist Church, is quoted as saying: “I am fully
convinced that sometime between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844, according
to the Jewish mode of computation of time, Christ will come.”
Does
the failure of such predictions to come true convict as false prophets those
who made them, within the meaning of Deuteronomy 18:20-22? That
text reads: “The prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I
have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods,
that prophet must die. And in case you should say in your heart: ‘How shall
we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?’ when the prophet speaks in
the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the
word that Jehovah did not speak.”
There are some who make spectacular
predictions of the world’s end to grab attention and a following, but others
are sincerely convinced that their proclamations are true. They are voicing
expectations based on their own interpretation of some scripture text or
physical event. They do not claim that their predictions are direct revelations
from Jehovah and that in this sense they are prophesying in Jehovah’s name. Hence, in such cases, when their words do not come true, they should
not be viewed as false prophets such as those warned against at Deuteronomy
18:20-22. In their human fallibility, they misinterpreted matters.
They were told not only
to be on the watch and to be prepared but also to watch with eagerness.
Romans 8:19 says: “For the eager expectation of the creation is waiting
for the revealing of the sons of God.” Human nature is such that when
we fervently hope and yearn for something and wait in eager expectation
of it, a powerful temptation arises within us to see it at the door even
when the evidence is insufficient. In our eagerness false alarms may
be sounded.
[Footnotes]
Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus’ second coming,
have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because
of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances,
however, did they presume to originate predictions ‘in the name of Jehovah.’ Never did they say, ‘These are the words of Jehovah.’ The Watchtower,
the official journal of Jehovah’s Witnesses, has said: “We have not the
gift of prophecy.” (January 1883, page 425) “Nor would we have our writings
reverenced or regarded as infallible.” (December 15, 1896, page 306) The
Watchtower has also said that the fact that some have Jehovah’s spirit “does
not mean those now serving as Jehovah’s witnesses are inspired. It does
not mean that the writings in this magazine The Watchtower are inspired
and infallible and without mistakes.” (May 15, 1947, page 157) “The Watchtower
does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is it dogmatic.” (August
15, 1950, page 263) “The brothers preparing these publications are not infallible.
Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible
writers. (2 Tim. 3:16) And so, at times, it has been necessary, as understanding
became clearer, to correct views. (Prov. 4:18)”—February 15, 1981, page
19.
Awake 3/22/1993 Pages 3 & 4
The Society
said in the above article: " Never did they say, 'These are the words of Jehovah.'
" Is this a true statement? Lets take a look at some of their literature
to find the answer.
The Society
claims to speak in Jehovah's name.
11 So God’s servants know what this world’s rulers do not. They know Jehovah’s
purposes and his seasons. First Peter 1:11 says that, in the past, God’s servants
“kept on investigating what particular season or what sort of season the spirit
in them was indicating.” With God’s spirit indicating this, the apostle Paul
could say to true fellow worshipers: “You people know the season.” (Romans
13:11) Since Jehovah’s servants of today obey him as ruler, God’s
holy spirit also reveals to them what season it is from his viewpoint. Amos 3:7 says: “The Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.”
Watchtower 86 4/15/1986 Page 18, Par 11
27 For nearly 60 years now the Jeremiah class have
faithfully spoken forth Jehovah’s Word. Of its own self that Word has
not burned up the combustible organizations of Christendom; nor has it smashed
to pieces the mountainlike system of things. Yet the divine Word as proclaimed
by the Jeremiah class is not a failure. When, at Jehovah’s due time, in
the “great tribulation,” that spoken Word is carried out by him, then his
own question will be answered affirmatively: “‘Is not my word correspondingly
like a fire,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and like a forge hammer that smashes
the crag?’” (Jer. 23:25) So let us keep faith in that Word. 28 Unlike the
clergy class, those of the Jeremiah class have been sent by Jehovah
to speak in his name. Nevertheless, the clergy prophets also
claim to speak in his name and, hence, to tell the Bible truth. In
this way Christendom’s religious leaders really ‘steal’ away the force and
effect of the calamitous message proclaimed by the Jeremiah class. True,
the Jeremiah class back up their message by quoting the words, “This is what
Jehovah has said.” But the clergy try to add weight and the ring of
truth to what they preach by affixing the words, “An utterance!” Seemingly
they speak from God. So they may use a Bible text as a pretext for preaching
about politics or even war propaganda. Yet Jehovah is against such clergy
prophets whom he did not send forth from his intimate group and who ‘steal’
words from his Bible in order to make a wrong application of them.—Jer. 23:30,
31.
Watchtower 9/1/1979 Pages 29 & 30, Par
27, 28
More accurately,
was there any group on whom Jehovah would be willing to bestow the
commission to speak as a “prophet” in His name, as was done toward
Ezekiel back there in 613 B.C.E.? What were the qualifications?
Watchtower 3/15/1972 Page 189
He had a “prophet”
to warn them. This “prophet” was not one man, but was a body of men
and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ,
known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known
as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. They are still proclaiming a warning,
and have been joined and assisted in their commissioned work by hundreds
of thousands of persons who have listened to their message with belief.
Watchtower
4/1/1972 Page 197
16....Whom
could the real "chariot" of Jehovah's organization roll up to and confront
that He might bestow upon this qualified one the commission to speak
as a prophet in the name of Jehovah? Ah, there was a group whose members
had suffered religious persecution during World War I. Who were they?
The Modern-Day "Ezekiel"
17 They were a small minority group of men and
women who had dedicated themselves to Jehovah.....
"The Nations shall know that I am Jehovah" -How?
1971 Pages 58-62
The Society
claims they have special knowledge and angelic transmission.
...transmission
of information to God’s anointed people...the angels transmit this information, we know that they do it; the scriptures and the facts show that it is
done.....convey the thoughts to their minds........To all on the outside
of the organization of Jehovah his is a secret organization.
Preparation
1933 Pages 36,37 & 64
See the original
scanned copy of the quote for yourself : ANGELIC
TRANSMISSION.
The Society said in the March
22, 1993 Awake magazine "In their human fallibility, they misinterpreted matters" and "The brothers preparing
these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired." Why is it, when the Society gets caught making false predictions, suddenly they
are just human and simply make mistakes?
THE Creator,
Jehovah God, knows exactly what will take place in the future. He is “the
One telling from the beginning the finale.” (Is. 46:10) Being “perfect in
knowledge,” he knows the details about the “finale” of this system of things
at the coming “great tribulation.” (Job 37:16; Matte. 24:21) Because he is
a God of love, he reveals enough of these details to those who serve
him loyally that they can be properly informed, upbuilt and protected.
The Bible states: “The Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless
he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.”—Amos 3:7.
2 Thus, God gives his humble servants special
knowledge that others do not have. As the apostle Paul said: “This
wisdom not one of the rulers of this system of things came to know . . . For
it is to us God has revealed them through his spirit.” (1 OCR. 2:8-10) Having
advance knowledge from Jehovah, his servants are equipped—indeed, commissioned,
by God—to herald throughout the world the warning of this systems approaching
end, along with the comforting message of the new order.—Matt.24:14.
Watchtower 10/15/1980 Page 17
See the article
on SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE
The Society
claims they are our Mother and the beloved wife of Jehovah.
15 When
we consider the tender care of our heavenly Father as manifested through
his loving, motherly organization, how can our hearts but be refreshed
and warmed with an overflowing appreciation? When we taste the rich and
sumptuous food he provides and observe the careful attention to detail with
which our mother has served it, how can we speak anything but praise
for such worthy parents? And when we truly see the great motherly
organization of God arrayed with the heavenly light of truth and righteousness,
walking in the pathway of divine light, with perfect organizational light
brightening and adorning her mind, how happily we can exclaim: ‘This
woman is the spouse of the universal King of whom it is written, “God
is light,” and in her heavenly position she can worthily bring forth his royal
heavenly creation.’ What a privilege to be her children and
to share in the beautiful name she bears, “Jehovah our righteousness”! (Jer.
33:16, AS) And what a joy is ours in reflecting on high the divine light beaming
down upon us from her royal person as we welcome all lowly-hearted ones from
the dark corners of the world to come out into the brightness of Jehovah’s
pleasure and bask in the warmth of his smiling approval!
16 With thankful hearts we acknowledge God’s mercy and
gratefully and willingly show our respect for Jehovah’s organization,
for she is our mother and the beloved wife of our heavenly Father, Jehovah
God.
Watchtower
5/1/1957 Pages 284 & 285 Par 15 & 16
These words were
addressed to God’s “woman”, that is to say, Jehovah’s Theocratic organization called “Zion” which brings forth those who become the spiritual children
of God.
Watchtower 9/1/1950 Page 279
The Father is
the great Provider of spiritual food, and he delegates to his organization
the duty of preparing and serving this life-sustaining “meat in due season”. The table is the Lord’s, he sits at the head, and the children seated at
the table are waited on and served and helped by the mother organization.
Watchtower 9/15/1950 Page 326
The Society
claims Jehovah has touched their lips and put his words in their mouths.
Whom
has God actually used as his prophet? 14 By the historical facts of the
case Christendom is beaten back in defeat. Jehovah’s witnesses are deeply
grateful today that the plain facts show that God has been pleased to use
them. All the preaching and all the Bible educational work that they have
done till now in 175 countries and islands of the sea they confess has been, not by help of a military army, nor by human power, but by God’s spirit,
his invisible active force. (Zech. 4:6, AV) It has been because
Jehovah thrust out his hand of power and touched their lips and put his words
in their mouths. It has evidently been because he commissioned them
to be over the nations and over the kingdoms. Happy are all those who have
seen what the work of Jehovah God for now is and who have volunteered to do
it.
Watchtower
1/15/1959 Pages 40 & 41 Par 13 & 14
24 No
obstacle put in His way by the enemies will prove to be insurmountable for
Jehovah. Just as at Mount Sinai He put his word in the mouth of his
chosen people through the mediator Moses and thereafter he led them under
the protective shadow of his hand into the Promised Land, so he has done
for the remnant of spiritual Israel. He has put his word, his
message of the hour, into the mouth of the spiritual remnant for them
to confess openly before all the world, for their own salvation and for that
of responsive hearers. A “great crowd” of “other sheep” have acted favorably
upon what they have heard and have taken God’s word into their mouth. Because
all of these have become his Christian witnesses, Jehovah covers them with
the shadow of his hand for their protection in this world.
Holy
Spirit- The Force Behind the Coming New Order! 1976 Pages 175
& 176 Par 24
The Society
claims they are the official mouthpiece and channel of Jehovah.
7 Let
us now unmistakably identify Jehovah’s channel of communication for
our day, that we may continue in his favor. Listen to the inspired
answer to the situation, in Matthew 24:45-47 (NW): “Who really is the faithful
and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics to give them
their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving
finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings.”
And has he? Yes, particularly since 1919 has it been true that he has
appointed the collective body of the anointed remnant over all the visible
interests of the Kingdom. The “slave” then became responsible not only
for ministering to the needs of the anointed body members but also for taking
on the responsibility of preaching the good news of the established Kingdom
to people of all nations. (Matt. 24:14) Such is true not by their determination
of it, but because God himself has so directed. “God has set the members in
the body, each one of them, just as he pleased,” is the way it is pictured
in 1 Corinthians 12:18 (NW). It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the “slave” as we would to the voice of
God, because it is His provision.
Watchtower
6/15/1957 Page 370
The Society
has made these statements about False Prophets.
22 Jehovah,
the God of the true prophets, will put all false prophets to shame either
by not fulfilling the false prediction of such self-assuming prophets
or by having His own prophecies fulfilled in a way opposite to that predicted
by the false prophets. False prophets will try to hide their reason for
feeling shame by denying who they really are.
Paradise Restored to Mankind By Theocracy 1972,
Pages 353 & 354
29 How
will Jehovah show that such clergy prophets are fakes? By not fulfilling what
they announce to be “an utterance!” or what they presume to speak in his name.
He does not back up their falsehood. “‘Here I am against the prophets
of false dreams,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘who relate them and cause
my people to wander about [going astray] because of their falsehoods and because
of their boasting.’ ‘But I myself did not send them or command them. So they
will by no means benefit this people,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.” (Jer.
23:32) Too bad for the people!
Watchtower 9/1/1979 Page 30, Par 29
The Society
itself has been responsible for many predictions of impending destruction, dating
from 1914 to the present day. Jehovah has not seen fit to fulfill what they
have announced or presumed to speak in his name. Read their claims for yourself.
1.
Zion’s Wt,1/15/1892,pg1355reprint
... “battle” is definitely marked in Scripture as October, 1914.
2. The Time is at Hand 1908,pg101....the “battle of the great day of God Almighty” (Rev.16:14) which will
end in A.D. 1914, with the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership,
is already commenced.
3. The Finished Mystery
1917, pg 398,399,485
........the people who are the strength of Christendom shall be cut off
in the brief but terribly eventful period beginning in 1918 A.D. A third
part are “burned with fire in the mist of the city.” .....After 1918 the
people supporting churchianity will cease to be its, supporters, be destroyed
as adherents,...Also in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale
and the church members by the millions....
4. Vindication 1, 1931,pg146,338,339 ...years 1914,1918 and 1925 ..... they also learned to quit fixing
dates for the future and predicting what would come to pass on certain dates....
5. Wt,9/15/41,pg288...in the remaining months before Armageddon.
6. Wt,5/1/68,pg273Chart of dates 1975 end of 6th 1000-year day...2975 end of 7th 1000-year
day....
7. Aw,1/22/69,pg16Other Bible prophecies clearly foretell God’s purpose to bring this wicked
system to an end in a few years.
8. Aw,5/22/69,pg15If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will
never grow old in this present system of things. .....all evidence
in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due
to end in a few years. ....as a young person you will never fulfill
any career that this system offers. If you are in high school and
thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps
even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But
where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the
way toward its finish, if not actually gone!
9. Wt,10/15/69,pg622,623
....seventh millennium from man’s creation by Jehovah God would
begin in less than ten years.
10. The Nations Shall Know That I Am
Jehovah,1971,pg 216Shortly, within our twentieth century, the "battle in the day if
Jehovah" will begin against modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom.
11. Wt,1/1/89,pg12 The apostle Paul was spearheading the Christian missionary activity.
He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in our
20th century. (This quote was later changed in the WT bound volume
to: He was also laying a foundation for a work that would be completed in
our day.)
12. In 1995
the generation of 1914 that would not pass away has changed to a contemporary
generation.
The Society
acknowledges that Christendom is not inspired.
Over the
years, as adjustments have been made to that body of truth, it has become
ever more wonderful and applicable to our lives in these “last days.” Bible
commentators of Christendom are not inspired either. Despite their claims
to great knowledge, they have failed to highlight even basic Bible truths—such
as the coming Paradise earth, the importance of God’s name, and the condition
of the dead.
Watchtower 2/15/81 Page 19
The part about
Christendom not being inspired, is very interesting, because, the Society still
refers to Christendom as a False Prophet. The use of the word either implies
that the Society is not claiming to be inspired, any more so than other Bible
commentators are inspired. The article in the March 22, 1993 Awake
says the Society is not inspired:
Footnote Section: “The Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its utterances, nor is
it dogmatic.” (August 15, 1950, page 263) “The brothers preparing these publications
are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired ....
Awake 3/22/1993 Page 4
The Society
said others who predicted the end of the world are guilty of false prophesying.
True, there have been
those in times past who predicted an “end of the world”, even announcing
a specific date. Some have gathered groups of people with them and
fled to the hills or withdrawn into their houses waiting for the end. Yet,
nothing happened. The "end" did not come. They were guilty of false
prophesying.
Awake
10/8/68 page 23
Society
says they are not a false prophet even though they made false predictions.
They do not claim
that their predictions are direct revelations from Jehovah and that in this
sense they are prophesying in Jehovah’s name. Hence, in such cases, when
their words do not come true, they should not be viewed as false prophets such as those warned against at Deuteronomy 18:20-22. In their human fallibility,
they misinterpreted matters.
[Footnotes]
Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus’ second coming, have
suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this,
some have called them false prophets.
Awake 3/22/1993 Pages 3 & 4
As individuals,
people make assumptions, state their beliefs, and even make predictions, which
may prove to be true or false. When stressing the claims the Society has made,
they elevate themselves to a special status, such as "God’s only channel",
"God's beloved wife", "God’s woman", "Jehovah’s theocratic organization called
Zion", "our mother", "our parents along with Jehovah", and so on. In elevating
themselves up on this pedestal and prophesying these untruths such as the
1914, 1915, 1925, 1943 & 1975 predictions for Armageddon, they are guilty
of the most serious of sins, false prophesying. When an organization encourages
others to accept their dictates as God-given truth and behave according to certain
expectations, then promises rewards for doing so, and negative consequences for
failure to do so, then that organization assumes at least some responsibility
for what happens to the people who actually follow them. Accepting the role
of leader implies some responsibility to the followers. The Society claims
at times to be acting as God's special representative on earth, but when faced
with their failed predictions, then they are just imperfect men, carried away
by eager expectation. They claim that Jehovah has "touched their lips and put
his word into their mouths". But, the God of the Bible is not a God of confusion;
He does not lie; He does not light our paths with blinking, flashing, or partial
light. (See scriptures below for Jehovah's perfect attributes.) Jehovah has commanded
us from the Bible to stay away from such ones making such false predictions. (For
additional information, see my (Research
Outline )
Jehovah's
perfect attributes.
***
Rbi8 Numbers 23:19 ***
19 God is not a man that he should tell lies, Neither
a son of mankind that he should feel regret. Has
he himself said it and will he not do it,And has he spoken and will he not carry
it out?
***
Rbi8 Psalm 19:6-9 ***
7 The law of Jehovah is perfect, bringing
back the soul. The reminder of Jehovah is
trustworthy, making the inexperienced one wise.8 The orders from Jehovah
are upright, causing the heart to rejoice; The
commandment of Jehovah is clean, making the eyes shine.9 The fear of Jehovah
is pure, standing forever. The judicial decisions of Jehovah are true;
they have proved altogether righteous.
***
Rbi8 Deuteronomy 32:4 ***
4 The Rock, perfect is his activity, For all
his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice;Righteous
and upright is he.
***
Rbi8 Malachi 3:6 ***
6 “For I am Jehovah; I have not changed.
***
Rbi8 Hebrews 6:18 ***
18 in order that, through two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,
What
does the Bible have to say about such ones making false predictions?
***
Rbi8 Deuteronomy 18:20-22 ***
20 “‘However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my
name a word that I have not commanded
him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet mustdie.
21 And in case you should say in your heart: “How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?” 22 when the prophet
speaks in the name of Jehovah andthe word does not occur or come true, that
is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With presumptuousness
the prophet spoke it. You must not get frightened at him.’
**
Rbi8 Matthew 12:36-37 ***
36 I tell YOU that every unprofitable saying that men
speak, they will render an account concerning
it on Judgment Day; 37 for by your words you will be declared righteous,and
by your words you will be condemned.”
***
Rbi8 1 John 4:1 ***
4 Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression,
but test the inspired expressions to see whether
they originate with God, because many false prophets have
gone forth into the world.
**
Rbi8 Ezekiel 13:8-9 ***
8 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah
has said: “‘For the reason that YOU men have
spoken untruth and YOU have visioned a lie, therefore here I am against YOU,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah.”
9 And my hand has come to be against the prophets
that are visioning untruth and that are divining a lie. In the intimate group
of my people they will not continue on, and in the register of the house of
Israel they will not be written, and to the soil of Israel they will not come;
and YOU people will have to know that I am the Sovereign Lord Jehovah,
***
Rbi8 Matthew 7:15-16 ***
15 “Be on the watch for the false prophets that come
to YOU in sheep’s covering, but inside they are
ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits YOU will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles,
do they?
***
Rbi8 2 Peter 2:1 ***
2 However, there also came to be false prophets among
the people, as there will also be false teachers
among YOU. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects and will disown even the owner that bought them, bringing
speedy destruction upon themselves.
***
Rbi8 Ephesians 5:6-10 ***
6 Let no man deceive YOU with empty words, for because
of the aforesaid things the wrath of God is coming
upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not becomepartakers with them;
8 for YOU were once darkness, but YOU are now light in connection
with [the] Lord. Go on walking as children of light, 9 for the fruitage of
the light consists of every sort of goodness
and righteousness and truth. 10 Keep on making
sure of what is acceptable to the Lord;
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