Finished with "The Finished Mystery"

Well folks, having finished the studying of Russell's six volumes of Millennial Dawn (Studies in the Scriptures), I took on the daunting read of the 1917 book "The Finished Mystery." Actually I am only half done, as the first half covers Revelation, and the second half, Ezekiel. Here is my concise summation. The punchline of the Revelation section was worth the tortuous read. It was the first time the book made me laugh out loud. And again I laughed as I related it to my wife. Here we go:

The nature of this book calls into question the entire premise that Christ came for inspection during the years just leading up to 1919, and then approved the leaders of the Watchtower movement as "the faithful and discreet slave." This "appointment" premise is current "truth" as put forth by the organization.

What were these leaders "feeding" the "household of faith" during those few years after Russell's death? What would Jesus have seen if he was indeed inspecting? Well, there was the Watch Tower Magazine, and just one new book, the 1917 "The Finished Mystery." (And the previous 6 Volumes in print.)

What do we find in "The Finished Mystery"? Well, in my opinion, they managed to turn almost every verse in the Book of Revelation into unrecognizable gibberish.

We start out at Revelation 1:1 with the revelation that "his angel" is none other than C.T. Russell. (It goes downhill from here.)😖

Revelation 8:5 "and the angel took the censer" "the angel" = "THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY" and "the censer" = "The Seventh Volume of Studies in the Scriptures, Divinely provided."

Revelation 14:20 "the blood" "as high as the bridles of the horses" the depth of "1,600 stadia" was the distance from Scranton PA where the two writers of the Seventh Volume lived, to Brooklyn Bethel.

Revelation 18:1 "the earth was lighted up with his glory", This was all the new bright inventions of mankind, listed in alphabetical order: "adding machines, aeroplanes, aluminum, etc. etc."

Revelation 19:15 "the ANGER of Almighty God" (at Armageddon) "The Lord assumes an interest in, and responsibility for the complete series of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, the last one of which especially represents the winepress feature. (Rev. 14:18-20)"

Well, you get the idea. But the end of the discussion of the Book of Revelation, contains this ironic gem:

Revelation 22:18 "if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." = "His penalty will be, when he comes forth from the tomb in the Times of Restitution, that he will have to read the Seven Volumes of SCRIPTURE STUDIES, and get the matter straightened out in his own mind."

(And I thought Russell and company did not ascribe to eternal torment.)

 

[SusanB]

Well folks, having finished the studying of Russell's six volumes of Millennial Dawn (Studies in the Scriptures), I took on the daunting read of the 1917 book "The Finished Mystery." Actually I am only half done, as the first half covers Revelation, and the second half, Ezekiel. Here is my concise summation. The punchline of the Revelation section was worth the tortuous read. It was the first time the book made me laugh out loud. And again I laughed as I related it to my wife. Here we go:

The nature of this book calls into question the entire premise that Christ came for inspection during the years just leading up to 1919, and then approved the leaders of the Watchtower movement as "the faithful and discreet slave." This "appointment" premise is current "truth" as put forth by the organization.

What were these leaders "feeding" the "household of faith" during those few years after Russell's death? What would Jesus have seen if he was indeed inspecting? Well, there was the Watch Tower Magazine, and just one new book, the 1917 "The Finished Mystery." (And the previous 6 Volumes in print.)

What do we find in "The Finished Mystery"? Well, in my opinion, they managed to turn almost every verse in the Book of Revelation into unrecognizable gibberish.

We start out at Revelation 1:1 with the revelation that "his angel" is none other than C.T. Russell. (It goes downhill from here.)😖

Revelation 8:5 "and the angel took the censer" "the angel" = "THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY" and "the censer" = "The Seventh Volume of Studies in the Scriptures, Divinely provided."

Revelation 14:20 "the blood" "as high as the bridles of the horses" the depth of "1,600 stadia" was the distance from Scranton PA where the two writers of the Seventh Volume lived, to Brooklyn Bethel.

Revelation 18:1 "the earth was lighted up with his glory", This was all the new bright inventions of mankind, listed in alphabetical order: "adding machines, aeroplanes, aluminum, etc. etc."

Revelation 19:15 "the ANGER of Almighty God" (at Armageddon) "The Lord assumes an interest in, and responsibility for the complete series of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, the last one of which especially represents the winepress feature. (Rev. 14:18-20)"

Well, you get the idea. But the end of the discussion of the Book of Revelation, contains this ironic gem:

Revelation 22:18 "if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." = "His penalty will be, when he comes forth from the tomb in the Times of Restitution, that he will have to read the Seven Volumes of SCRIPTURE STUDIES, and get the matter straightened out in his own mind."

(And I thought Russell and company did not ascribe to eternal torment.)

Thank you for the summary. Hmmm. The best thing about people is that they are human beings and the worst thing about people is that they are human beings.

 

[SusanB]

Well folks, having finished the studying of Russell's six volumes of Millennial Dawn (Studies in the Scriptures), I took on the daunting read of the 1917 book "The Finished Mystery." Actually I am only half done, as the first half covers Revelation, and the second half, Ezekiel. Here is my concise summation. The punchline of the Revelation section was worth the tortuous read. It was the first time the book made me laugh out loud. And again I laughed as I related it to my wife. Here we go:

The nature of this book calls into question the entire premise that Christ came for inspection during the years just leading up to 1919, and then approved the leaders of the Watchtower movement as "the faithful and discreet slave." This "appointment" premise is current "truth" as put forth by the organization.

What were these leaders "feeding" the "household of faith" during those few years after Russell's death? What would Jesus have seen if he was indeed inspecting? Well, there was the Watch Tower Magazine, and just one new book, the 1917 "The Finished Mystery." (And the previous 6 Volumes in print.)

What do we find in "The Finished Mystery"? Well, in my opinion, they managed to turn almost every verse in the Book of Revelation into unrecognizable gibberish.

We start out at Revelation 1:1 with the revelation that "his angel" is none other than C.T. Russell. (It goes downhill from here.)😖

Revelation 8:5 "and the angel took the censer" "the angel" = "THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY" and "the censer" = "The Seventh Volume of Studies in the Scriptures, Divinely provided."

Revelation 14:20 "the blood" "as high as the bridles of the horses" the depth of "1,600 stadia" was the distance from Scranton PA where the two writers of the Seventh Volume lived, to Brooklyn Bethel.

Revelation 18:1 "the earth was lighted up with his glory", This was all the new bright inventions of mankind, listed in alphabetical order: "adding machines, aeroplanes, aluminum, etc. etc."

Revelation 19:15 "the ANGER of Almighty God" (at Armageddon) "The Lord assumes an interest in, and responsibility for the complete series of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, the last one of which especially represents the winepress feature. (Rev. 14:18-20)"

Well, you get the idea. But the end of the discussion of the Book of Revelation, contains this ironic gem:

Revelation 22:18 "if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." = "His penalty will be, when he comes forth from the tomb in the Times of Restitution, that he will have to read the Seven Volumes of SCRIPTURE STUDIES, and get the matter straightened out in his own mind."

(And I thought Russell and company did not ascribe to eternal torment.)

Ecclesiastes 8:16-17: “I applied my heart to acquire wisdom and to see all the activity happening on the earth, even going without sleep day and night. Then I considered all the work of the true God, and I realized that mankind cannot comprehend what happens under the sun. No matter how hard men try, they cannot comprehend it. Even if they claim that they are wise enough to know, they cannot really comprehend it.”

 

[Watchman]

They should have named that book The Insufferable Mystery.

Here is a bit I wrote on it

 

[Joe MacTeeg]

They should have named that book The Insufferable Mystery.

Here is a bit I wrote on it

Goodness yes. It was a tortuous slog. My wife wants to know why I'm going to read the Ezekiel half of the book. 🥵

 

[SusanB]

They should have named that book The Insufferable Mystery.

Here is a bit I wrote on it

A to the men.

 

[Chloe]

But of course all these older publications are denounced as irrelevant, because ‘the light got brighter’.

 

[Joe MacTeeg]

But of course all these older publications are denounced as irrelevant, because ‘the light got brighter’.

That's the MO. It is always "present truth" and "food at the proper time" or as they used to say, "meat in due season" for "the household of faith." It is a masterful mind trick to always be infallible in the present, but fallible looking back. And everyone still buys it.

 

[יהוה_saves]

it sure has some bizarro ideas in there.

 

[Joe MacTeeg]

it sure has some bizarro ideas in there.

I only scratched the surface in my quotes. A slight sample of the "bizarro". And now, I just started the verse-by-verse Ezekiel second-half of the book. Ezekiel 1:1. Ezekiel pictures "Russell." 'God's voice sounded forth and through him"......"speaking to Christendom during the dawn of the Golden Age." (Well, I see where this is going.) 😖

 

[יהוה_saves]

I only scratched the surface in my quotes. A slight sample of the "bizarro". And now, I just started the verse-by-verse Ezekiel second-half of the book. Ezekiel 1:1. Ezekiel pictures "Russell." 'God's voice sounded forth and through him"......"speaking to Christendom during the dawn of the Golden Age." (Well, I see where this is going.) 😖

is this the same one that claimed Leviathan was the locomotive steam engine and the coupling thing in front was its tongue?

 

[Brother potato]

I went to the store yesterday and wanted to add to my Go-Bag. So I picked up two 5lb bags of potatoes. Their were 20 potatoes in each bag. 20+20 =40. So the Great Tribulation will be 40 days long....... Profit Potato has spoken!

 

[יהוה_saves]

I went to the store yesterday and wanted to add to my Go-Bag. So I picked up two 5lb bags of potatoes. Their were 20 potatoes in each bag. 20+20 =40. So the Great Tribulation will be 40 days long....... Profit Potato has spoken!

hahaha - Brilliant chronolotato, my friend.

 

[SusanB]

I only scratched the surface in my quotes. A slight sample of the "bizarro". And now, I just started the verse-by-verse Ezekiel second-half of the book. Ezekiel 1:1. Ezekiel pictures "Russell." 'God's voice sounded forth and through him"......"speaking to Christendom during the dawn of the Golden Age." (Well, I see where this is going.) 😖

Brother MacTeeg, What do think about what you are reading? How is it affecting you if at all?

 

[Joe MacTeeg]

is this the same one that claimed Leviathan was the locomotive steam engine and the coupling thing in front was its tongue?

Yes it is. It actually covers both Leviathan and Behemoth. All the verses in Job about them both, and in glorious detail. And, it never implies it is "like" or "reminds us of," but says it actually "is." (Steam engine locomotive and stationary steam engine I think.) 😖 Or it might have been in one of Russell's Millennial Dawn Volumes I just finished. I'll have to look it back up. I've been taking notes as I've gone along.....

Ok. I found it. It is in "The Finished Mystery." In covering Revelation chapter 4, and Jehovah's wisdom, this topic from Job is covered. It starts on page 84. "A corrected translation of Job 40:15-41:34, with comments thereon from the pen of one of Pastor Russell's followers: "Behold now one with great heat [the stationary steam engine], which I have made to be with thee; he will become fodder [peat, wood, coal] as do cattle. Behold now his strength is in his loins [boiler plates], and his power is within the parts bent in a circle [boiler shell] of his belly. His tail [smoke stack - opposite the feeding end] will set upright like a cedar; the couplings of his leaping parts [connecting rods, pitmans] will be clamped together."" etc.

 

[יהוה_saves]

Yes it is. It actually covers both Leviathan and Behemoth. All the verses in Job about them both, and in glorious detail. And, it never implies it is "like" or "reminds us of," but says it actually "is." (Steam engine locomotive and stationary steam engine I think.) 😖 Or it might have been in one of Russell's Millennial Dawn Volumes I just finished. I'll have to look it back up. I've been taking notes as I've gone along.....

that’s exactly right like Rutherford’s book Millions Now Living Will NEVER Die and if i recall, after his death the Society changed it to MAY Never Die but the some of the originals with the original title are still out there.

 

[Cristo]

Well folks, having finished the studying of Russell's six volumes of Millennial Dawn (Studies in the Scriptures), I took on the daunting read of the 1917 book "The Finished Mystery." Actually I am only half done, as the first half covers Revelation, and the second half, Ezekiel. Here is my concise summation. The punchline of the Revelation section was worth the tortuous read. It was the first time the book made me laugh out loud. And again I laughed as I related it to my wife. Here we go:

The nature of this book calls into question the entire premise that Christ came for inspection during the years just leading up to 1919, and then approved the leaders of the Watchtower movement as "the faithful and discreet slave." This "appointment" premise is current "truth" as put forth by the organization.

What were these leaders "feeding" the "household of faith" during those few years after Russell's death? What would Jesus have seen if he was indeed inspecting? Well, there was the Watch Tower Magazine, and just one new book, the 1917 "The Finished Mystery." (And the previous 6 Volumes in print.)

What do we find in "The Finished Mystery"? Well, in my opinion, they managed to turn almost every verse in the Book of Revelation into unrecognizable gibberish.

We start out at Revelation 1:1 with the revelation that "his angel" is none other than C.T. Russell. (It goes downhill from here.)😖

Revelation 8:5 "and the angel took the censer" "the angel" = "THE WATCHTOWER SOCIETY" and "the censer" = "The Seventh Volume of Studies in the Scriptures, Divinely provided."

Revelation 14:20 "the blood" "as high as the bridles of the horses" the depth of "1,600 stadia" was the distance from Scranton PA where the two writers of the Seventh Volume lived, to Brooklyn Bethel.

Revelation 18:1 "the earth was lighted up with his glory", This was all the new bright inventions of mankind, listed in alphabetical order: "adding machines, aeroplanes, aluminum, etc. etc."

Revelation 19:15 "the ANGER of Almighty God" (at Armageddon) "The Lord assumes an interest in, and responsibility for the complete series of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES, the last one of which especially represents the winepress feature. (Rev. 14:18-20)"

Well, you get the idea. But the end of the discussion of the Book of Revelation, contains this ironic gem:

Revelation 22:18 "if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." = "His penalty will be, when he comes forth from the tomb in the Times of Restitution, that he will have to read the Seven Volumes of SCRIPTURE STUDIES, and get the matter straightened out in his own mind."

(And I thought Russell and company did not ascribe to eternal torment.)

👏👏👏...I seriously applaud you. That took some effort no doubt. I hope it helps you in your search for clarity and understanding, which we are all looking for.

 

[Joe MacTeeg]

Brother MacTeeg, What do think about what you are reading? How is it affecting you if at all?

Hi Driven. It came up on one of the other threads that got locked. And is a sensitive topic on this forum. But I will say a few things.

1) I am still sorting it all out. I have to know what my last 40 years of association with the Watchtower movement has been. So, I am planning to read every major book. In order of history. I do believe that Jehovah and Jesus either directed, or allowed me to go in the JW direction, knowing it would not destroy my growth in relationship with them. But, that was only because my dedication actually preceded my Bible study with JW's by a few months. When I read the Gospels for the first time in my Catholic life, I heard Jesus' voice. And when I got baptized after 8 months of study with JW's, it was genuine to Jehovah in the name of Christ. I never dedicated my life to any man or organization. But, I did believe up till 2020 and the scamdemic and the genetic injections that it was "Jehovah's earthly organization."

2) This is the conundrum as I see it. The Watchtower movement is founded on a) Very solid basic teachings about the soul, death, God's purpose, the ransom, and denial of a Trinity. b) Entirely presumptuous and largely false prophetic interpretations. Bunk.

3) How do we reconcile that Jehovah, the God of truth, and Jesus who is "the truth," with tolerating such big lies? With making it his "earthly organization," when it was founded on so much untruth from the start? As I say, I'm still sorting it out.

4) But here are a few verses that have impacted me recently, in relation to my study of this early period so far: "He said: “Look out that you are not misled, for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time is near.’ Do not go after them." (Luke 21:8) And Deuteronomy 18: "Then Jehovah said to me, ‘What they have said is good.18 I will raise up for them from the midst of their brothers a prophet like you, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he will speak to them all that I command him.19 Indeed, I will require an account from the man who will not listen to my words that he will speak in my name.20 “‘If any prophet presumptuously speaks a word in my name that I did not command him to speak or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.21 However, you may say in your heart: “How will we know that Jehovah has not spoken the word?”22 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.’" And finally, God spoke from heaven confirming Moses words: "While he was still speaking, look! a bright cloud overshadowed them, and look! a voice out of the cloud said: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved. Listen to him.”" (Matthew 17)

Again, I don't mean to offend anyone's understanding. I'm still honestly sorting this all out. I just have to hear the last 150 years from the horse's mouth, and compare it with the Bible. From the above, you may see where I am leaning. Jehovah can use and bless any individual and group he wishes to. But does that mean they can "self-appoint" themselves as God's own voice? As his "earthly organization" or "theocratic organization?" I'm truthfully not so sure about that. But, I have never been one to just knee-jerk throw the baby out with the dirty bathwater......but what does God's word say......again, I'm more thinking out loud, than debating anything. I'm open to anything that I might be missing that sheds more light on the matter. That's why this forum can be a good place much of the time.........

 

[Joe MacTeeg]

that’s exactly right like Rutherford’s book Millions Now Living Will NEVER Die and if i recall, after his death the Society changed it to MAY Never Die but the some of the originals with the original title are still out there.

I read Rutherford's 1921 first edition: "The Harp of God - Millions Now Living Will Never Die." I read this a few months back before I started on Russell's Millennial Dawn Volumes. The reason I did was because David Splane recently referenced it as evidence of the "food" being provided "at the proper time." It was the first "study" book after the Dawn series by Russell. Of note, the first edition had the title as above, the later editions dropped the "Millions....." part. "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" was also a separate title, a briefer book he wrote in 1920. (And the title of discourses he gave.)

Actually, apart from some bizarre references to Nahum foretelling the automobile, I think, and Joel the steam locomotive, as well as the Job Leviathan thing.....the book was actually a pretty solid book on basic Bible doctrine in contrast with traditional basic teachings of Christendom. I actually like the book. While "The Finished Mystery" is a difficult and absurd read in many ways.

 

[Watchman]

I read Rutherford's 1921 first edition: "The Harp of God - Millions Now Living Will Never Die." I read this a few months back before I started on Russell's Millennial Dawn Volumes. The reason I did was because David Splane recently referenced it as evidence of the "food" being provided "at the proper time." It was the first "study" book after the Dawn series by Russell. Of note, the first edition had the title as above, the later editions dropped the "Millions....." part. "Millions Now Living Will Never Die" was also a separate title, a briefer book he wrote in 1920. (And the title of discourses he gave.)

I have always enjoyed reading the old stuff. In many ways, the older pubs are more spiritually rich than what is served up now. I think, as far as spiritual depth the WT sort of topped out in the 60s.