Hi, Today I would like to discuss the Predictions of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, also known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society Of New York, Inc., also known as the Jehovah's Witnesses. The Watchtower of April 1st, 1972, page 197, had this statement, "So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them dangers and to declare things to come?...These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is the prophet?...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..." Since the J.W.'s claim to be God's prophet, we are free to put them to the Bible test for a prophet, found in Deuteronomy 18:22 : "When a prophet speaks in the name of Yehweh and the thing does not happen and the word is not fullfilled, then it has not been said by Yehweh." Deuteronomy 18:20 states "that prophet must die". Biblical quotes taken from The New Jerusalem Bible. The following is review of their past predictions. All quotes are from publications of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society and available at headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. Some of these publications may also be found in local Kingdom Hall libraries. 6,000 YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY PREDICTIONS 6,000 years of human history ended in 1873. (The Time is at Hand, p.33). 6,000 years of human history ended in 1972. (The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 152, 1943 edition). 6,000 years of human history ended in 1975. (Awake!, October 8th, 1968.) ARMAGEDDON PREDICTIONS Armageddon would end in 1914. (The Time is At Hand, Page 101, 1889 Edition). Armageddon would end in 1915. (The Time is At Hand, Page 101, 1915 Edition). THE RETURN OF CHRIST PREDICTIONS Christ returned in 1874. (The Finished Mystery, pages 386, 295, 1917 Edition). The Watchtower publications taught this 1874 date right up to 1929. The "Prophecy" book, published in 1929, states on page 65, "The Scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus Christ began in 1874 A.D." Christ returned in 1914. (The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life, p. 87). J.W.'s have altered their teaching to make Christ's coming "invisible". THE MILLENNIUM PREDICTIONS The Millennium began in 1873. (Thy Kingdom Come, page 305). The Millennium began in 1874. (Finished Mystery, page 386). PREDICTIONS ABOUT THE RESURRECTION The resurrection would occur in 1878. (Thy Kingdom Come, page 234). Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old would return in 1925. (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, page 89). The Watchtower Society even published a book telling their followers to add a room onto their houses, and get an undertaker to decorate it. Undertakers, of course, would be looking for employment, since there would be no more deaths in 1926. When the room was completed, Watchtower devotees were to call up Jerusalem, where Abraham would have an office, and request that their parents be "awakened" from death. They would soon appear in the new room! (The Way to Paradise, pages 228, 229). PREDICTION ABOUT SPACE TRAVEL "Man cannot by airplane or rockets or other means get above the air envelope which is about our earthly globe..."(The Truth Shall Make you Free, p. 285, 1943 edition). THE BOOK OF RUTH The Book of Ruth is "not prophetical". (Watchtower Reprints IV, p. 3110, Nov. 15, 1902). The Book of Ruth "is prophetic". (Watchtower Book, "Preservation", pages 169, 175, 176). PREDICTIONS ABOUT SODOM AND GOMORRAH Sodom and Gomorrah will receive a second opportunity. (Man of Ages, page 110). Sodom and Gomorrah will receive no second opportunity. (Watchtower, March 1965, p. 139). THE "HIGHER POWERS" OF ROMANS 13:1 "Higher Powers" refers to earthly governments. (The Time is at Hand (1889) p. 81). "Higher Powers" refers to Jehovah God and Jesus. (The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 312). "Higher Powers" refers to earthly governments. (Man's Salvation...at Hand p. 326). THE REVELATION NAME "ABADDON-APOLLYON" Refers to Satan. (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol.7). Refers to Jesus Christ. (Then is Finished the Mystery of God, Page 232). THE "ALPHA AND OMEGA" OF REVELATION Refers to Jehovah God. (Awake! August 22, 1978, page 28). Refers to Jesus Christ. (Watchtower, October 1, 1978, p.15). THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE Refers to their founder, Charles Taze Russell. (Watchtowers from Dec. 1, 1916 to March 1, 1923, p. 68). Refers to the "Remnant of Spiritual Israelites" (the supposed remnant of the 144,000 "heavenly class"). (From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained, page 193). IN CONCLUSION The official publication of the Jehovah's Witnesses claims, "...Jehovah's Witnesses today make their declaration of the good news of the kingdom under angelic direction and support" according to the Watchtower of April 1, 1972, page 200. Undaunted, the Watchtower of July 1st, 1973, page 402, goes on to claim, "Consider too, the fact that Jehovah's organization alone in all the earth is directed by God's holy spirit or active force." Not only does the Bible give us a simple test for false prophets, which we considered at the beginning of this message, namely that their predictions will fail, but the word of God has more to say about prophecies and prophesying. The Bible reveals three sources for prophecy. One, it is from God, and inspired by Him. Two, it is from the Devil and inspired by him. Thirdly, prophecies can come out of "the flesh", or out of our "own spirit". Please read Ezekiel, chapter 13, verses 8 & 9. I quote from The New Jerusalem Bible: ' "Very well, the Lord Yahweh says this: Because of your futile words and false predictions, I am now against you - declares Lord Yahweh. My hand will be against the prophets who have futile visions and give false predictions; ' I would like to discuss all of the above, with you. If you have any info about other predictions made by Jehovah's Witnesses, past or present, which came true or failed, then would you be so kind as to share that info and it's source. Have any of the above mentioned predictions failed ? If their prophesies have failed in the past, can one trust them with what they teach today as being also inspired by God ?
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