Almighty God declares:
Deuteronomy 18:21-22
21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.We will even quote from The New World Translation:
"When the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word is not fulfilled or does not come true, then Jehovah did not speak that word. The prophet spoke it presumptuously. You should not fear him.’"Clear and explicit.
With what God stated: lets consider Watchtower End Time prophecies
1888 "In this chapter we present the Bible evidence proving that the full end of the times of the gentiles, i.e., the full end of their lease of dominion, will be reached in A.D. 1914; and that the date will be the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men. And be it observed, that if this is shown to be a fact firmly established by the Scriptures, it will prove; Firstly, that at that date the Kingdom of God, for which our Lord taught us to pray, saying, Thy Kingdom come, will obtain full, universal control, and that it will then be set up, or firmly established, in the earth, on the ruins of present institutions." (The Time Is At Hand, 1888, p. 76, 77)
1889 "Be not surprised, then, when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the setting up of the Kingdom of God is already begun, that it is pointed out in prophecy as due to begin the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that 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. The gathering of the armies is plainly visible from the standpoint of God's word." (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, The Time Is At Hand, 1889 Ed., p. 101. The 1915 Edition of this texts changed "A.D. 1914" to read 'A.D. 1915')
1889 "In the coming 26 years, all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved." (C.T. Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 98-99, 1889)
1889 "Remember that the forty years' Jewish Harvest ended October A.D. 69, and was followed by the complete overthrow of that nation; and that likewise the forty years of the Gospel age harvest will end October, 1914, and that likewise the overthrow of 'Christendom,' so-called, must be expected to immediately follow." (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 245)
1897 "Complete destruction of the 'powers that be' of 'this present evil worlds - political, financial, ecclesiastical - about the close of the Time of the Gentiles; October A.D. 1914." (C.T. Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, IV, p. 622, 1897)
"But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble." Zion's Watch Tower 1894 Jul 15 p.226
"Our thought is, that 1925 is definitely settled by the Scriptures. As to Noah, the Christian now has much more upon which to base his faith then Noah had upon which to base his faith in a coming deluge." Watch Tower 1923 Apr 1 p.106
"... the remaining months before Armageddon." Watchtower 1941 Sep 15 p.288
"Shortly, within our twentieth century, the "battle in the day of Jehovah" will begin against the modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom." The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah p.216
1942 "Now, with Armageddon immediately before us, it is a matter of life or destruction. Those who would be of the Lords other sheep that shall compose the great multitude of Armageddon survivors and live joyfully on earth forever must find the answer to a very personal question, and very important." (Watchtower, April 1, 1942, p. 139)
1968 "Just think, brothers, there are only about ninety months left before 6,000 years of mans existence on earth is completed... The majority of people living today will probably be alive when Armageddon breaks out, and there are no resurrection hopes for those who are destroyed then. So, now more than ever, it is vital not to ignore that spirit of wanting to do more." (Kingdom Ministry, March 1968, p. 4 [note: 1968 + 90 months = 1975])
1968 "But what about today? Today we have the evidence required, all of it. And it is overwhelming! All the many, many parts of the great sign of the last days are here, together with verifying Bible chronology." (Awake!, Oct. 8, 1968, p. 23)
The following talk which was given at the 1967 District Convention in Wisconsin, by District Overseer Charles Sunutko "Something to reach out for and it just seems it has given all of us so much more energy and power in this final burst of speed to the finish line. And that’s the year 1975. Well, we don’t have to guess what the year 1975 means if we read the Watchtower. And don’t wait ’till 1975. The door is going to be shut before then. As one brother put it, “Stay alive to Seventy-Five“”
These examples straight from The Watchtower themselves are problematic in light of
Deuteronomy 18:21-22. So the END started in 1876 and completed in 1914, or should complete in 1925, or was Armageddon suppose to happen in 1941 and Christ earthly reign ended in 1975? If WW2 was Armageddon, then what happened to the END? What about the battle in the day of Jehovah? It is now the 21st century. These dates continue to fail but they kept kicking the can down the road through the years.
When did Jesus' 2nd coming happen?
1879 "Christ came in the character of a Bridegroom in 1874.... at the beginning of the Gospel harvest." (Watchtower, Oct 1879, p. 4)
"...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. (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, The Time Is At Hand, 1889 Ed., p. 101. The 1915 Edition of this texts changed "A.D. 1914" to read 'A.D. 1915')
1889 "In the coming 26 years, all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved." (C.T. Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, p. 98-99, 1889)What happened to the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership and were all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved by 1914? That is a big problem. To explain away this major falsehood they change what the bible says. Even changing what the bible says, this still does not negate the fact of what was explicitly stated by Jehovah's Witnesses divinely inspired leaders who were believed to be of God. Since they are proven not of God, why are their teachings still believed? This disproves the foundations of the religion. That major issue aside, how do they then explain away the false teachings?
When Jesus did not show up on their date, they were forced to explain away the failure. They did this by seizing on a secondary meaning of one Greek word used in conjunction with Christ’s coming again. That word was parousia meaning “a being present, presence,” “a coming,” “an arrival.”
They would teach that Jesus did “come” and was “present” on their date, 1914, but since He did this in heaven, those on earth could not see it! His coming was conveniently invisible! All Jehovah’s Witnesses must believe this today. This particular Greek word was used in two scriptures, 2 Thessalonians 2:8 and 1 Thessalonians 3:13.
It is very clear that Christ will make an “appearance” which we will all see with our own eyes at “His coming.” Not so with the deliberately altered version of the Jehovah’s Witnesses which reads, “Then indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence” (New World Translation).
Notice how the word “presence” is used instead of “coming.” It is an acceptable translation from the Greek, but the presence is obviously not invisible, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach, since the whole phrase is “manifestation of his presence.” A “manifestation” comes from the root word “manifest,” which, according to the Doubleday Dictionary means, “to make plain to sight or understanding.”
Ignored by the Jehovah’s Witnesses are the other Greek words used along with parousia to describe the second coming of Christ. To be really accurate we need to look at them all, not just selected, isolated scriptures that can be twisted to suit one’s preconceived ideas.
Contradicting Themselves
Besides the failed prophecies and debunked divine leaders, there are other issues.
1989 "Back in 1904, the book The New Creation called attention to this new organization that came into existence in the first century C.E. (Studies In The Scriptures, Series VI, Study V, entitled "The Organization of the New Creation") Owing to its view of what the end of the Gentile Times would mean, that book did not envision the remarkable organizational work that was due to take place after the crippling effects of the first world war of human history." (The Watchtower; Sept. 1, 1989; p. 12-13)How did divinely inspired foundational Godly leaders fail to see such a "remarkable" work?
1968 "True, there have been those in times past who predicted an "end" to the world, even announcing a specific date. Yet nothing happened. The 'end' did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing? Missing from such people were God's truths and the evidence that He was using and guiding them.'' (Awake, Oct. 8, 1968)"Those" are the divinely inspired foundational Godly leaders, now being marginalized because of their disproven claims. Here later divinely inspired foundational Godly leaders admit to the previous problem. So, if divinely inspired foundational Godly leaders can be guilty of false prophesying, how then can you know that any divinely inspired foundational Godly leaders of the same group won't or are not currently? Because they say so? Well, they have as well.
1972 "Does this admission of making mistakes stamp them [Watchtower] as false prophets? Not at all, for false prophets do not admit to making mistakes." (Watchtower, Nov. 1, 1972, p. 644)This is a poor justification for being exactly what they admit, false prophets. So I can blurt out any random future made up prophecy and as long as I admit the mistake, I am not a false prophet?
However, suddenly, there came an end to World War 1. It did not lead on, as Bible students expected, into world revolution and anarchy or the battle of Armageddon. And the sincere worshippers of Jehovah who were in the new covenant with him through his Mediator Jesus Christ, found themselves still in the flesh on the earth. (Man's Salvation Out Of World Distress At Hand; 1975; p. 98).They admit there is a problem, so what do they do? Simply by admitting when they are wrong, thus, making them always right? Because they say so? Or because they change what was previously prophesied and marginalize the prophet, makes them right? This does not negate what God stated in identifying false prophets and does not negate the fact they were still wrong.
Changes
1968 "I know enough of what is going on to assure you that, in fifteen years from today, this world is going to be too dangerous to live in." (Truth That Leads To Eternal Life, p 9, 1968 edition, Quoting USA Secretary of State Dean Acheson in 1960, [1981 edition deleted "in fifteen years from today" ie. in 1975])Odd that they would delete the specific date after it didn't happen? Nothing changed. They continue to make failed prophecies and continue following an admitted false prophets, but as long as they admit it they can't be wrong? (Watchtower, Nov. 1, 1972, p. 644).
1989 "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." (Watchtower, Jan. 1, 1989, p. 12 [bound volume changed "20th century" to "day"])And again, another change that they have to admit to.
1986 As far back as 1876, Jehovah' s Witnesses realized that Bible prophecy marked the year 1914 C.E. as a time when major events would take place that would have far-reaching effects on human affairs. They gave the reason for this fact wide publicity. (True Peace And Security; 1986; p. 70)So now, instead of quoting what was actually said back in 1876, they just rephrase in a way that does not seem false or contradictory. Even the new Watchtower convention video avoids the details and attempts to rephrase the failures. (http://jwsurvey.org/conventions/watchtower-whitewashes-failed-1975-prophecy-2017-convention-video). But what they can't escape are the historical writings and quotes from their own self proclaimed prophets who were foundational in structuring the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Conclusion
If the Watchtower prophesies falsely, are they of God? Simple question. Since the Watchtower organization can not be from God without first contradicting God (proven above), what does that mean for the religion those prophets founded and continue to perpetuate? Are Jehovah's Witnesses free to think and question to discern truth and lies?
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