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1946 Awake

Owner of the earth rises up at Armageddon and squashes ell these “squatter” nations who presumptuously and arrogantly draw imaginary boundary lines on the earth’s surface.
Awake! September 8, 1946 p. 10

It is these rulers that the “spirits of devils” are gathering together in a world combine, as it is written: “The spirits of devils… go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” to “a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon”.-Revelation 16:14, 16

Awake! October 22, 1946 p. 15

This magazine stepped into the field of public service at the Glad Nations Theocratic Assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses in August of 1946, and is published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc. It answers the rousing call for fearless information, not because we have entered the atomic age, but because the world is fast asleep near the brink of that universal war Scripturally called “Armageddon” and lovers of life in security need to be awakened to the real sense of the news and the pressing issues upon which to decide.

Awake! October 22, 1946 p. 32

These evergreen Sequoias, the largest and oldest living things on earth, are creation’s best example of how creatures, having everlasting life, will continue to live on earth throughout the centuries following the battle of Armageddon, giving praise to their Creator.

Awake! November 8, 1946 p. 16

But men of good-will trusting in Jehovah God will not lose hope for lasting peace, despite Vatican machinations for a third world war. That blood-spattered old veterean of many crusades has lived for centuries by the sword, and at Armageddon she shall surely die by the invincible sword the New World’s King Christ Jesus will then wield under Jehovah’s direction. Thereafter Armageddon’s survivors will never again suffer under man and Hierarchy and Devil rule, whether it be democracy or fascism or communism.

Awake! November 22, 1946 p. 11

Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?” (5:26-29) Yes indeed, and shortly now, at the battle of Armageddon.

Awake! December 8, 1946 p. 13

But as the royal One who fights against all opposers of Jehovah’s universal sovereignty and whips them at the battle of Armageddon, He was prefigured by that priest upon a royal throne, Melchizedek, the king of Salem.

Awake! December 22, 1946 p. 25

The victory which this fighting High Priest gains at Armageddon is due to the Almighty God, Jehovah, whom He serves as High Priest.

Awake! December 22, 1946 p. 27

Those who now reject the human sacrifice of this fighting High Priest for human sins will be slain at Armageddon; those who accept His sacrifice and who yield themselves to Him as the One that bought them shall live under His favor and protection.

Awake! December 22, 1946 p. 27

Condemnation: Where Do You Stand According to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society?

May 22, 2016 By Sean

This is something that the Watchtower regularly commits to yet it has the tendency to talk out of both sides of it’s mouth. I’m going to address the subject of condemnation. For this, we are going to define it as “strong disapproval.”

I would like to spend some time on the topic of condemnation. Starting with the Bible first, I’m not going to read all of Revelation 2 and 3. However, when you look at the Seven Churches of Asia Minor, they are representative of various gatherings today. Each church was either commended or condemned for something. I’m going to quickly go over these using the New World Translation:

Ephesus: Verse 2 and 3 are commendations

‘I know your deeds, and your labor and endurance, and that you cannot tolerate bad men, and that you put to the test those who say they are apostles, but they are not, and you found them to be liars. You are also showing endurance, and you have persevered for the sake of my name and have not grown weary.

Verse 4-Condemnation Nevertheless, I hold this against you, that you have left the love you had at first.

Smyrna

Commend-verse 9 ‘I know your tribulation and poverty—but you are rich—and the blasphemy by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but they are a synagogue of Satan.

Pergamon

Good verse 13 ‘I know where you are dwelling, that is, where the throne of Satan is; and yet you keep holding fast to my name,+ and you did not deny your faith in me+ even in the days of Anʹti·pas, my faithful witness, who was killed by your side, where Satan is dwelling.

Bad-verse 14 “‘Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, that you have there those adhering to the teaching of Baʹlaam, who taught Baʹlak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.

Thyatira

Good verse 19 ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and ministry and endurance, and that your deeds of late are more than those you did at first.

Condemnation-Verse 20 “‘Nevertheless, I do hold this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezʹe·bel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and misleads my slaves to commit sexual immorality and to eat things sacrificed to idols.

Sardis

Commendation-verse “To the angel of the congregation in Sarʹdis write: These are the things that he says who has the seven spirits of God+ and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have the name that you are alive, but you are dead.

Some individuals are pointed out in verse 4: “‘Nevertheless, you do have a few individuals* in Sarʹdis who did not defile their garments, and they will walk with me in white ones,+ because they are worthy.

Philadelphia

Good-verse 8, 10 ‘I know your deeds—look! I have set before you an opened door, which no one can shut. And I know that you have a little power, and you kept my word and did not prove false to my name.

Because you kept the word about my endurance,*+ I will also keep you from the hour of test,+ which is to come upon the entire inhabited earth, to put to the test those dwelling on the earth.

Bad-verse 16

So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth.

So you notice there is only one group of believers that had no type of condemnation at all mentioned. The irony here is that there is no indiciation that they would ever be perfect in the least bit.

Let’s contrast that with the organization:

Now the Watchtower is very quick to talk about the good that is has. Here’s one quote: God has produced a spiritual paradise and has brought his people into it. The term “spiritual paradise” may seem abstract, hard to grasp, but such a paradise was foretold, and it really does exist.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. October 15, 2004 p. 8

The closest the organization ever said anything was not a spiritual paradise was this: Shocking as it is, even some who have been prominent in Jehovah's organization have succumbed to immoral practices, including homosexuality, wife swapping, and child molesting."

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. January 1, 1986 p.13

Even though the Watchtower loves to condemn earthly government as being under the control of Satan, instead of praying to Jehovah for a divine intervention, they send their army of lawyers to speak on the organization’s behalf. If this organization was truly run by Jehovah, why doesn’t he just simply intervene in a case? When a case is won, the organization is very quick to point it out and insert the information on the official website. I did a simple Google search for “watchtower wins legal ruling” and the third link led to a January 8, 2003 Awake! article titled, “Supreme Court Rules for Freedom of Speech” on the official website. Doing a search for “watchtower loses legal ruling” lead to only Candace Conti being mentioned by various news outlets. The only thing by the organization that was mentioned was, “Russia Bans Official Website of Jehovah’s Witnesses” hosted July 27, 2015.

So here’s an older quote that has the society condemning just a group of local officials:

Consolation condemned San Diego County officials for their refusal to grant a permit for Rutherford's burial at either property, stating "It was not the fate of the bones which they decided, but their own destiny.

San Diego officials line up against New Earth's princes", Consolation. May 27, 1942 p. 6,9

However, one thing has been constant, the organization has reinforced the “us vs. them” mentality and that is where we will focus today.

Christadelphian

If you have a copy of the Emphatic Diaglott, thank a Christadelphian. However, the organization has bitten the hand that helped developed a core doctrine. The organization condemned all Christadelphians with the following quote:

The tenor of the foregoing may cause some to conclude that Christadelphianism is indeed of God. However, as we examine it more closely we find that it contains such gross shortcomings and false doctrines that it simply could not be of God but must be of men.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. August 1, 1962 p. 474

The organization has been against the Catholic Church even though it models the structure much the same way. Here’s the Catholic Church and Watchtower structural comparison:

Catholic Church-Watchtower Society

Pope-Governing Body

Cardinals-Branch Committees

Archbishops-District Overseers

Bishops-Circuit Overseers

Priests-Elders

Deacons-Ministerial Servants

Laity-Publishers

Judge Rutherford was very keen on attacking the Catholic church. Here’s a small sampling from the publication: Judge Rutherford Uncovers the Fifth Column published in 1940.

The Roman Catholic Hierarchy are the chief instrument on earth of the Devil. p. 10

Now the interesting thing is there is a lot of time spent condemning the Catholics. However, this was kind of forgotten since the organization used the Catholic church with a sampling of the following quotes:

The New Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges: “The date of Christ’s birth is not known. The gospels indicate neither the day nor the month . . . According to the hypothesis suggested by H. Usener . . . and accepted by most scholars today, the birth of Christ was assigned the date of the winter solstice (December 25 in the Julian Calendar, January 6 in the Egyptian), because on this day, as the sun began its return to northern skies, the pagan devotees of Mithra celebrated the dies natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the invincible sun).

Awake! December 8, 2002 p. 17

“The soul in the O[ld] T[estament] means not a part of man, but the whole man—man as a living being. Similarly, in the N[ew] T[estament] it signifies human life . . . The Bible does not speak of the survival of an immaterial soul.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia.

Is There a Creator Who Cares About You? 1998 p. 168

The New Catholic Encyclopedia revealed that “astrology was used by Pope Julius II [1503-13] to set the day of his coronation and by Paul III [1534-49] to determine the proper hour for every Consistory.”

Awake! July 8, 1994 p. 3

“The Christian concept of a spiritual soul created by God and infused into the body at conception to make man a living whole is the fruit of a long development in Christian philosophy. Only with Origen [died c. 254 C.E.] in the East and St. Augustine [died 430 C.E.] in the West was the soul established as a spiritual substance and a philosophical concept formed of its nature. . . . His [Augustine’s] doctrine . . . owed much (including some shortcomings) to Neoplatonism.”—New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967), Vol. XIII, pp. 452, 454.

Reasoning From the Scriptures. 1985, 1989 ed. p. 379

The commonality between all of these quotes is the organization is freely quoting them. Now if Rutherford said that the Roman Catholic Hierarchy is the devil’s chief instrument and by extension the writings are to, why does the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society openly use material from Satan? Notice the graphic below when the search parameter is set. It is possible that it is pulling in articles that just have "new."

Regardless, one must ask the question, if this organization is so bad, evil, and part of Satan’s system, why does this organization have a steadfast reliance upon it?

I wish to spend some more time on one of the organization’s favorite enemies, the League of Nations/United nations by starting to look at some negative quotes:

Babylon The Great Has Fallen! Gods Kingdom Rules (1963) p.577

No, the UN is not a blessing, even though the religious clergy of Christendom and the rabbis of Jewry pray heaven’s blessing upon that organization. It is really “the image of the wild beast,” the visible political, commercial organization of “the god of this system of things,” Satan the Devil. So the UN will soon be destroyed along with that beastly organization.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. September 15, 1984 p.15

However, this organization initially didn’t speak negatively with this quote:

We cannot but admire the high principles embodied in the League of Nations... Truly this is idealistic, and approximates in a small way that which God has foretold that he will bring about after this great time of trouble."

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence. February 15, 1919 p. 51

It's also worth nothing the League of Nations preceded the United Nations.

However, what many Witnesses are still not aware of is that the organization was part of the Scarlett Beast for nearly 10 years.

Here’s an article that a journalist used to uncover the association:

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/oct/08/religion.world

The organization, as usual gave a half truth as an excuse. It was done to obtain a “library card.” However, here’s the weblink that you can search: http://unbisnet.un.org/

Now, admittedly, it’s been 15 years since this story broke. What you can do as a Witness if you’re curious is simply reach out to the UN and inquire about past procedure if membership was needed for a library card.

Further irony is here when you break out your slightly older you will see this: Two articles that were favorable to the United Nations: Awake! Dec 8, 2000 and April 8, 1998 Awake!

In a similar vein, I just mentioned that a journalist uncovered this. Condemnation goes for the media as well. Let’s look at this:

Satan makes full use of the media to put across this degraded mentality.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. September 1, 1988 p. 16

In the new world, Satan’s propaganda media will have been removed.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. April 1, 1997 p. 17

However, when there’s a need, the organization will employ use of the “Satan’s propaganda media” as the following quote says:

Coordinators’ Committee – The brothers serving on this committee oversee legal matters as well as the use of the media when it is necessary to convey an accurate picture of our beliefs. They also respond to disasters, outbreaks of persecution, and other emergencies affecting our brotherhood anywhere in the world.”

God’s Kingdom Rules! 2014. p. 131

Remember earlier how I called the organization a spiritual paradise? Let’s look again:

Now the Watchtower is very quick to talk about the Good that is has. Here’s one quote: God has produced a spiritual paradise and has brought his people into it. The term “spiritual paradise” may seem abstract, hard to grasp, but such a paradise was foretold, and it really does exist.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. October 15, 2004

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. January 1, 1986 p.13

So here are some things to keep in mind as a Watchowerite, the organization doesn’t want you to believe anything but what it has to say. They are willing to speak out of both sides of their mouths with what they print. Do you possibly believe they are thinking out of both sides when it comes to dealing with you? Come to the Jesus of the Bible and you will never ever regret it. I’d like to finish up by starting with 1 Peter 2:22 (New World Translation): He committed no sin, nor was deception found in his mouth. Let's contrast that with the organization. How often has it been deceptive to the public? If it's deceptive to the public, do you believe that they would be deceptive towards you? Leave the organization today.

Seeing Jehovah

May 8, 2016 By Sean

Today, I would like to cover what should be a simple topic and that is seeing Jehovah. However, as you know, nothing is ever easy when we add in Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Let’s dig right in.

Let’s look at things from Charles Taze Russell’s perspective:

Thus also it will be in the Millennial day, when the complete Christ--the Priest --is revealed; he will be revealed only to those that look for him, and only those shall see him. They will see him, not by physical sight, but as we now see all spiritual things--Jesus, the Father, the prize, etc.--by the eye of faith. Men will not see the Christ by physical sight, for the same reason that they will never see Jehovah; because on a different plane of being-- one spirit, the other flesh. But we (the little flock) shall see him as he is, for we shall be like him.--`1 John 3:2`.

Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence. September 1890 Reprints p. 1237

However, twenty years later in 1910 we have the proverbial “new light”:

From that same moment he was the Lamb of God slain --his life given up to the doing of the Father's will. We looked at the picture of this given in the book of Revelation. There we saw Jehovah upon his throne with a scroll in his hand, written in the inside and on the outside, and sealed with seven seals. No one had yet been found worthy to execute or even to be made acquainted with the Divine Purposes.

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence. July 1, 1910 Reprints p. 4641

So here, the fascination with the book of Revelation comes into play as it often does with this organization that doesn’t have a correct foundational understanding of the first 65 books of the bible, how can they properly understand the last one? Regardless, we have one instance of seeing Jehovah.

Let’s bring it much closer to present day and set conditions as to who won’t be able to see with the following:

Consequently, when those nations will have destroyed Babylon the Great and then threateningly turn against these called, chosen and faithful anointed ones, they will be taking ungodly action against “ambassadors for Christ,” against citizens of God’s city, “the heavenly Jerusalem.” In fighting against these whom they can see in their midst, they will be fighting against the Lamb Jesus Christ, the King of kings, even though they cannot see him nor see Jehovah God.

All Nations Collide. 1971 p. 25

Will all who truly have pure hearts literally see God face to face? No, only those will to whom these ‘beatitudes’ or happinesses have primary application. These are Jesus’ anointed footstep followers, to whom it is written: “Beloved ones, now we are children of God, but as yet it has not been made manifest what we shall be. We do know that whenever he is made manifest we shall be like him, because we shall see him [God] just as he is.” (1 John 3:2) How will this be possible? Because they will possess incorruptible, immortal spirit bodies, being sharers of the divine nature. Concerning them it is written: “For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality.” And again, “He has freely given us the precious and very grand promises, that through these you may become sharers in divine nature.”—1 Cor. 15:53; 2 Pet. 1:4.

Awake! August 22, 1971 p. 28

Do you really believe in Jehovah God?— Is he a real Person to you?—

It is true that we cannot see Jehovah. This is because he is a Spirit. He has a body that is invisible to our eyes. But he is a real Person, and he can see us.

Greatest Teacher. 1971. p. 116-117

So who will see Jehovah?

So here is what we have. The two class system has again shown itself. Only those 144,000 anointed footstep followers are the only ones able to see Jehovah. What happens to the great crowd here? They are completely left out. Also, we have more validation that the Greek Scriptures do not completely apply to you since you are not part of the new covenant. Moving along we will see the following:

NO ONE living now or who has lived on earth in the past has ever seen God with his literal eyes. Jehovah is too glorious for frail humans to endure the sight of him. However, his invisibility should not cause us to cast doubt on his existence, nor does it make it impossible for us to “see” him as a Person with the eyes of faith.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. February 1, 1976 p. 80

Notice how no one has seen God with “literal eyes.” We are going to come back to it later.

A heavenly assembly took place in the latter part of the tenth century before our Common Era. The Israelite prophet Micaiah had a vision of it. Describing it, Micaiah said to two allied kings, Ahab and Jehoshaphat: “Hear the word of Jehovah: I certainly see Jehovah sitting upon his throne and all the army of the heavens standing by him, to his right and to his left. And Jehovah proceeded to say, ‘Who will fool Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And this one began to say something like this, while that one was saying something like that. Finally a spirit came out and stood before Jehovah and said, ‘I myself shall fool him.’”—1 Kings 22:19-21.

Holy Spirit-The Force Behind the Coming New World Order. 1976. p. 23

The pure in heart who accepted Jesus as Messiah and listened to him gained deep insight into God’s personality. By exercising faith in Jesus’ sin-atoning sacrifice they gained forgiveness of sins and a relationship with God and were able to render acceptable worship before his throne. (Eph. 1:7) Seeing God in this sense will reach its pinnacle for spirit-anointed Christians when they get to heaven, for there they will actually see God and Christ.—1 John 3:2; 2 Cor. 1:21, 22.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. March 1, 1978 p. 4, 5

With this quote we have further reinforcement that only the anointed are allowed to see Jehovah. Further, we have to ask yet another question, is there a difference in exercising faith to gain forgiveness between the great crowd and the anointed? If so, what is the scriptural difference in this? However, what we have are those who are in spiritual bodies and perhaps with the Watchtower’s methodology, this is how they can see Jehovah-on the spiritual plane only.

So, too, those called to be joint heirs with Christ in the heavens, in due time, see Jehovah God.—1Jo 3:1-3.

Insight on the Scriptures-Volume I. 1988. p. 801

Yet another case of further reinforcement that seeing Jehovah is reserved for a select group.

So can Jehovah be or not be seen? We get this answer below in the form of a question:

16, 17. (a) Why can we not see Jehovah, and why should that not surprise us? (b) In what sense is Jehovah more real than anything we can see or touch?

Draw Close to Jehovah. 2014. p. 15

Now let’s look at scripture since the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society has nothing but Bible based: For this let’s first look back to an account in Genesis.

Afterward, Jehovah appeared to him among the big trees of Mamʹre while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing some distance from him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and he bowed down to the ground. Then he said: “Jehovah, if I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant. Please, let a little water be brought and have your feet washed; then recline under the tree. Seeing that you have come here to your servant, let me bring a piece of bread so that you may refresh yourselves. Then you may go on your way.” At this they said: “All right. You may do as you have spoken.”

Genesis 18:1-5 New World Translation

The person whom Jehovah appeared to is Abraham. What we have here is very interesting. Jehovah appeared as three men. Remember Deuteronomy 6:4 which says, “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah” (New World Translation). Abraham bowed to all three and collectively addressed them all at the same time. Let’s contrast this with the earlier statement:

NO ONE living now or who has lived on earth in the past has ever seen God with his literal eyes.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. February 1, 1976

So which is correct, the statement within the Watchtower magazine or the New World Translation? Let’s read on a bit and let’s reiterate from Isaiah 6:1:

In the year that King Uz·ziʹah died, I saw Jehovah sitting on a lofty and elevated throne, and the skirts of his robe filled the temple.

New World Translation

We have here is a vision that Isaiah had. Regardless, let’s look at what the words of Jesus are found in John 1:18:

No man has seen God at any time; the only-begotten god who is at the Father’s side is the one who has explained Him.

New World Translation

So now we are left in a conundrum. The Watchtower under Russell said you couldn’t, yet in Knorr’s era it was reported you could. Biblically speaking, Jehovah appeared, was seen, and yet Abraham lived. Then Jesus himself said no one has seen the Father at any time.

So we are left with this, who was seen? If one could not have seen the Father, the next logical person would be Jesus. Being one who fully believes that Jesus is fully God yet also fully man who did these people see? It was called a Christophany-a visible manifestation of a pre-incarnate Jesus Christ. This is part of what is considered to be a theophany as defined here. That is the most logical conclusion. If you want to know more, feel free to contact me at watchtowerofjehovahswitness@mail.com on this website.

Wrapping everything up, what will you go with? The Watchtower has said various things at various points within its history. Ultimately, according to the Watchtower Society quotes above, you have the best chance of seeing Jehovah if and only if you are of the anointed even though there have been times where you haven’t been able to. Or you can listen to the bible. What will you decide?