Tuesday, April 9 2024 Is the Kingdom in Place?/When you see these things happening…

Tuesday, April 9 2024​

It struck the image on its feet of iron and of clay.—Dan. 2:34.​

The world power represented by the “feet of iron and of clay” has already appeared. It came into existence during World War I when Britain and the United States forged a special partnership, the Anglo-American alliance. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream image also foretold things about this world power that would distinguish it from the previous kingdoms. Unlike the previous world powers mentioned in the vision, the Anglo-American alliance is symbolized, not by a solid metal like gold or silver, but by a mixture of iron and clay. The clay represents “the offspring of mankind,” or the common people. (Dan. 2:43, ftn.) As is plainly evident today, their influence in elections, civil rights campaigns, mass protests, and labor unions weakens the ability of this world power to implement its policies. w22.07 4-5 ¶9-10
Examining the Scriptures Daily—2024

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April 25th, 2022
This post is the first in a series of articles making a critical examination of the July 2022 Watchtower beginning with the article: The Kingdom Is in Place.

Those who will be blessed to survive the end of Satan’s world may well look back upon what they had once ardently believed and taught others and regard it to be the biggest hoax ever perpetrated. 1914, like all demon-inspired delusions, once embraced as inspired truth is very difficult to dislodge from the mind. What makes the delusion so powerful is that it has a biblical ring to it. Keep in mind though, that both the apostle Paul and John warned Christians to be on guard against “inspired statements.” John specifically wrote: “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired statement, but test the inspired statements to see whether they originate with God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” — 1 John 4:1

The inspired apostle might well have added parenthetically (seemingly) to modify what he meant by inspired; that is because Paul indicated that the demons can make “inspired statements,” which would obviously be the source of the “inspired statements” issued by the many false prophets who have gone out into the world. For example, Paul wrote: “However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statements and teachings of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies, whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron.” — 1 Timothy 4:1-2

Notice, please, that there are two sources of inspired statements. The true source was inspired to foretell and forewarn that there will be “misleading inspired statements” that emanate from the demons. Paul went on to enumerate a few demonic teachings that help us to identify the Catholic and Orthodox religions of antiquity.

But Paul alerted his anointed brothers to another form of misleading “inspired statements” that are of the utmost relevance for Jehovah’s Witnesses today. At 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 the apostle stated: “However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.”

In this instance, those who issue inspired statements do so through spoken messages, such as public addresses and talks, as well as by letters—written messages, perhaps in the form of magazines like the Watchtower. The message is, that the presence has begun and the day of Jehovah is here. That has been the Watchtower’s core message for as long as it has existed. Interestingly, the messengers pretend to be apostles—just like the Governing Body of the Watchtower. (See article: Those Who Say They Are Apostles) With that in mind, let us follow the apostolic exhortation and test the “inspired statement” in the Watchtower.

In the first paragraph, the Watchtower implies that the breakdown of civilization we are witnessing, the details of which are listed in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, is proof the Kingdom is in place. They assert that it “is impossible for any sincere person to deny, [and it] provides evidence that Christ Jesus has begun ruling as King of God’s Kingdom.”

In order to test the inspired statement above, let us ask a few questions. Since the apostles of the Watchtower claim that Jesus began ruling in 1914 why was not society’s breakdown evident back then? Were the Roaring 20s difficult times hard to deal with? For example, were men lovers of themselves and lovers of money, fierce and open to no agreement to the same degree as now, say, in the 1950s? And the answer is, of course, no. If you have lived as long as me (70) then you too have witnessed the gradual decay of morals over many, many decades and it gets worse with each passing year. But the genuine inspired statement did not indicate that the last days will be characterized by a long, steady process of societal degradation. No, Paul warned that the last days will be critical times hard to deal with because men will already be thus and so. (See article: How We Know These Are Not the Last Days)

Read Daniel 4:10-17. The “seven times” represent a period of 2,520 years. That time period began in 607 B.C.E. when the Babylonians removed the last king from Jehovah’s throne in Jerusalem. It ended in 1914 C.E. when Jehovah enthroned Jesus —“the one who has the legal right”— as King of God’s Kingdom. —Ezek. 21:25-27.

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Probably more than any other aspect of the Watchtower’s 1914 teaching, the “seven times” is passed off as an “inspired statement”—decipherable only by the most astute adepts. Evidently, the writers at the Watchtower realize that the less they say the better. Going into an in-depth explanation would only raise more questions; hence, the little snippet of a paragraph is all you get!

There is no reason to discuss the date 607 and debate whether that was when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. Neither is the seven times worth the time to consider. It can all be condensed using a very simple mental exercise called common sense. Use your imagination to put yourself in the company of Jesus’ apostles. The year was 33 C.E. The Messiah had triumphantly arrived in Jerusalem riding a donkey’s colt. He was hailed as the Son of David and King of Israel. Shortly afterward the disciples were showing Jesus how much they admired the temple when he bluntly told them it was going to be knocked down. Not even a stone would remain standing upon another stone. A few days later the apostles approached him privately and said: “Tell us, when will these things be?”

The book of Luke is the only Gospel that recorded what Jesus said regarding Jerusalem being destroyed and afterward trampled upon by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled. (See article: A Conversation Regarding 1914)

If you had been listening to Jesus at that very moment would you have drawn the conclusion that Jerusalem was already being trampled? No, of course not. Jesus indicated that there was going to be a great tribulation that would destroy the rebuilt city and temple and thereafter Jerusalem would be trampled on by the nations for a specified time. The 11th chapter of Revelation reveals that “time” to be 1,260 days.

But, it is a legitimate question: When did the one come who had the legal right to the vacated throne of David? Did the Son of man come in 1914 and that is when Jehovah gave him his legally entitled inheritance? No. Absolutely not. How do we know? We who know the truth can be absolutely certain that Jesus did not acquire the throne then because he had already become heir to the throne when he was on earth. That is why Paul was inspired to make the following statement: “For example, to which one of the angels did God ever say: “You are my son; today I have become your father”? And again: “I will become his father, and he will become my son”? But when he again brings his Firstborn into the inhabited earth, he says: “And let all of God’s angels do obeisance to him.” — Hebrews 1:5-6

Besides the amusing conclusions Trinitarians draw from the inspired statement above—concluding that Christ could not be an angel—Paul was affirming the extraordinary event that took place when Jehovah anointed Jesus. It was while Jesus was a man that Jehovah spoke from the heavens declaring him to be his son. Of course, as the Word of God and the Only-begotten Son, Jesus has always been God’s Son. Why then did Paul indicate Jesus was on earth when the initial phase of the second Psalm was fulfilled? Because that was when Jehovah fathered Jesus in a very special way, begetting him as a spirit. “Today” was the day of his baptism and anointing.

Referring to the Psalm Paul quoted from, it portrays the Father saying: “You are my son; today I have become your father.  Ask of me, and I will give nations as your inheritance and the ends of the earth as your possession.”

Jesus had the legal right to the throne of David by virtue of his birth into the tribe of Judah. Both his genetic mother and adoptive father were of the lineage of David. The anointing of Jesus by the holy spirit served the same purpose as the anointing oil that was ceremonially poured upon the heads of the kings of Judah. Hence, on the day Jehovah anointed him Jesus acquired his inheritance, which was the throne of David. Upon his resurrection, Christ’s legal right to the throne was transferred to heaven with him. That is why in the second Psalm Jehovah said the following: “I myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy mountain.” When did this installation of earth’s king take place? Again, when Christ was received back to heaven. All of the prophecies ascribed to earthly Zion, the highest pinnacle of the city of Jerusalem, were transferred to Jesus’ throne in heavenly Mount Zion. Christ would sit at the right hand of the God of gods until such time as he will begin ruling in the midst of his enemies.

How can this prophecy benefit us? Knowing about the “seven times” reassures us that Jehovah fulfills his promises right on time. Just as he set a definite time for the establishment of his Kingdom, he will also see to it that all the other prophecies will be fulfilled according to his timetable. Yes, Jehovah’s day “will not be late!” —Hab. 2:3.

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Jesus assured us that no one knows the day and hour for the Son of man to be revealed. There is no chronological prophecy that pinpoints the year when the Kingdom of God will move against Satan and his world. We do know that the Devil himself has a keen interest in the coming of Christ, obviously, since that will be the culmination of the enmity between the seed and the serpent.

There is a reason the Watchtower will not let go of 1914. Jesus specifically warned his disciples to be on guard for false prophets and false Christs in the lead-up to his coming. In fact, the deception will be so effective that even the chosen ones might be deceived if that were possible.

End of part one

This is part two of the series of articles examining the July 2022 Watchtower.

Under the subheading, How to Perceive Christ’s Presence as King of God’s Kingdom, paragraph six says:

Near the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus foretold certain world events that would help his followers know that he had begun ruling in heaven. Among other things, he mentioned wars, famines, and earthquakes. He also foretold that there would be pestilences, or diseases, “in one place after another” —of which the recent COVID-19 pandemic is an example. These events are part of what the Bible calls “the sign” of Christ’s presence.

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If you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses or someone who has studied with them, then you are surely aware that for many decades—actually, for longer than anyone living has been alive—the Watchtower has been proclaiming that the conclusion of the system and the parousia have begun. Yes, it is true, Jesus foretold there would be wars, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. And it is easy to see why Jehovah’s Witnesses believe 1914 was the beginning of the pangs of distress. The First World War was horrific. Then came the even more deadly Spanish Flu pandemic.

However, if arranging all of these separate prophetic events into a unified picture is like fitting pieces of a puzzle together, as the Watchtower has so cleverly illustrated, then we have a problem. Either the puzzle is lacking quite a few important pieces, or the preconceived picture itself is wrong. What do I mean?

After answering the apostles’ question concerning the “sign,” Jesus went on to say: “Notice the fig tree and all the other trees. When they are budding, you see it for yourselves and know that now the summer is near. Likewise also you, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all things happen.” — Luke 21:29-32


Weeping cherry in bloom
Jesus’ illustration is particularly instructive for us in the northern hemisphere at this particular time of year—spring. Here in Michigan, the early bloomers are just starting to bud. The dogwoods, apple trees, and sugar maples are fully budded. The weeping cherry in the yard exploded with blossoms in the span of about 2 hours when the temperature reached an unseasonably warm 80 degrees the other day. The massive oaks, wild cherries, and hickory trees have another month. But seeing these early bloomers come alive I am fairly confident that by next month it will become obvious that summer is near.

Did you notice the wording of Jesus’ comments above? He said when the trees are budding “you see it for yourself.”

‘So what,’ you say? Well, have you personally seen for yourself any of the things Jesus foretold? Did you personally experience WW1 or did someone tell you about it? How about the Spanish Flu? Maybe a few of you were alive when Hitler launched the Second World War, but most of the present generation were not.

It is apparent that the Governing Body is aware of this glaring deficiency in their interpretation which is why they are compelled to direct attention to the Covid-19 pandemic because that is the only thing that you have personally seen that seems to be a missing piece of the puzzle. Never mind that the viral flu was made much worse by the decisions of the medical system not to use cheap and effective drugs.

Remember a couple of years ago people in India were being hit hard with the virus? The experts were all wringing their hands over the risk posed by the lab-born virus to a nation with over a billion souls, millions crammed into squalid slums. In response to the emergency, though, the government made ivermectin available to all of its citizens. In a few weeks, the pandemic was over and gone. Poof! The media in the West sunk the story down the memory hole. Truth is not allowed. The truth is, the medical system has killed millions of people through malpractice (Remdesivir) and deadly vaccines. But let’s not get sidetracked.

The real problem with the Watchtower’s 1914 doctrine—even assuming WWI and the Spanish Flu pandemic was the beginning pangs of distress—is that after more than 100 years we still have not seen for ourselves all the things Jesus foretold. How is it even possible to see for ourselves a war that ended before we were born? That is why the Governing Body has been quick to seize upon Covid and now the more recent war in Ukraine. It is much-needed plaster to apply to the whitewashed wall they have the unenviable task of maintaining. (See article: The Wall Must Fall!) But even throwing in the phony Covid pandemic and the military operation in Eastern Ukraine, which may be ending in a short while, you still have the same problem. Actually, it is worse than you might think.


The Watchtower uses current events as if plaster to maintain their 1914 whitewashed wall.
Jesus said, “when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.” Again, even if WWI was the beginning of pangs of distress that does not mean that the Kingdom of God is in place, as the Watchtower falsely claims. It would mean the Kingdom of God is near. The Watchtower has it backward. The sign Jesus provided indicates the Kingdom is near, not that it has already taken control. The question really boils down to this: Who are you going to believe, the Watchtower or Jesus?

But 1914 was not even the beginning of these things that are destined to occur. For example, Jesus said his followers would be persecuted and killed, thrown from the synagogues, betrayed by family and brothers and brought before governors and kings. Furthermore, Jesus said: “Also, there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation. People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” — Luke 21:25-26

Have you seen powers of the heaven being shaken? Have you ever seen a cruise missile roar across the sky at treetop level? Maybe if you live in Ukraine, yeah. Have you seen hypersonic rockets flash through the heavens and explode in a fireball and mushroom cloud? No one has, not yet anyway; although Russia’s foreign minister just warned that nuclear war was a very real possibility.

It is most telling that the Watchtower has resorted to implying that we will see all these things by watching events on our enormous flat-screen televisions in the comfort of our homes. No doubt the couple in the illustration also has a fully-stocked side-by-side freezer and refrigerator in the kitchen. We might imagine that when the breaking news clip goes to commercial the concerned couple on the couch might engage in a discussion of whether to dine out or just have DoorDash deliver their preferred comfort food.

How can these prophecies benefit us? World events and the noticeable change in people’s attitude would help us discern that Jesus has become King. So rather than become upset when we see people act selfishly and hatefully, we remember that their actions are fulfilling Bible prophecy. The Kingdom is in place! (Ps. 37:1) And we can expect world distress to increase as Armageddon draws ever nearer. (Mark 13:8; 2 Tim. 3:13) Are you not thankful to our loving heavenly Father for helping us to make sense of our turbulent times?

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The prophecies can only benefit us if we understand them. And it is most problematic if the would-be interpreters falsely claim the prophecies have been fulfilled already. Notice the Watchtower’s sleight-of-hand in saying “the noticeable change in people’s attitude” is proof that Jesus became king in 1914? We might ask, when did this change of attitude first become noticeable? If Christ has been reigning for over a century why is it just becoming noticeable that people have changed and are becoming more evilly inclined?

What is noticeable, at least from my perspective, is the failure on the part of the Watchtower to include other vital aspects of the comprehensive sign that Jesus provided. Are not all these things important pieces of the prophetic puzzle? For example, after telling his disciples there would be wars, famines, and pestilences, Jesus went on to say: “Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. But the one who has endured to the end will be saved.” — Mathew 24:10-13

Being stumbled is in reference to going forward in faith. The Bible uses the metaphor of walking with God, walking in the truth, walking by faith, etc. Walking symbolizes our life course. To be stumbled means that we no longer walk on the path of life. So, those who are destined to be stumbled are Christians. No doubt the cause of their stumbling will be the false prophecy promulgated by the Watchtower.

This is not an extraordinary phenomenon. It has happened before. As an example, from the early days of C.T. Russell, 1914 was projected as the year for the culmination. Mind you, the Bible Students back then believed the parousia had already begun in 1874 and the Kingdom came to power in 1878. 1914 was supposed to be the end—Armageddon. Millions of people had some exposure to this strange message. Even as the war began hundreds of thousands were viewing the PhotoDrama of Creation at theaters. But what happened? Russell unexpectedly passed away. The leaders of the Watchtower fought over control and Russell’s successors were hauled off to prison. Meanwhile, the war abruptly ended. Needless to say, the world did not end. When the Cedar Point revivals began in 1919 only a few thousand Bible Students attended. The rest had been stumbled. In typical Watchtower fashion though, they proclaimed that the world had ended.

The Watchtower is on record saying that the sign Jesus provided is like a unique human fingerprint, in that, no two are the same. Okay, that is a valid comparison. However, it is also true that all the things Jesus foretold are still not in evidence. That means that at best the Watchtower is working from a partial print. Still, the cocksure forensics experts at Bethel insist that even the smudged fingerprint they possess cannot be duplicated in the future by a more exacting match. And that, my friends, is why many will be stumbled when the real events begin in the very near future.

End of Part Two

Here the others if you are interested:

PJ54 said:

Here the others if you are interested:

The Anglo-American dyad – the iron and the clay

This is Part Three of the series of commentaries on the July 2022 Watchtower. Under the subheading How the Enemies of God Will Come to Their End, paragraph nine states: 9. Read

e-watchman.com

Has the United Nations become the eighth king?

Part Four in the series of articles reviewing the July 2022 Watchtower. Picking up with paragraphs 11 and 12 combined: 11-12. Second, as represented by the feet of the immense image, Anglo-America

e-watchman.com

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the Euphrates

This is part five n the ongoing review of the July 2022 Watchtower. 15. How do we know that the end of Babylon the Great is near? To answer that question, it is helpful to remember that the ancient city of Babylon was partly

e-watchman.com

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Thank you Paul as always for your diligent work for us all!

At least I have the satisfaction of knowing that the Watchtower got their "new light" about the iron and clay feet representing the Anglo-American dual world power from me. The Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy publication stated that the iron and clay represented "a politically divided world." But a few years after having been gifted with copies of Jehovah Himself Has Become King, the Governing Body revised their interpretation to conform more to what I had published. I think it is sweet that Jehovah's Witnesses don't know that their "new light" ultimately comes from someone whom the Governing Body considers to be one of the most dangerous apostates on the entire World Wide Web.

Still, the Watchtower doesn't quite have it in focus just yet. Notice in their comment above they decry "elections, civil rights campaigns, mass protests, and labor unions," claiming that the people weaken the ability of the world power to implement its policies. The Watchtower will never highlight the role of London's imperial overlords, who have been scheming for more than 200 years to reacquire their wayward colony called the United States of America. The reason they will not is because they are under the influence of the Empire's masonic agents.

Watchman said:

At least I have the satisfaction of knowing that the Watchtower got their "new light" about the iron and clay feet representing the Anglo-American dual world power from me. The Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy publication stated that the iron and clay represented "a politically divided world." But a few years after having been gifted with copies of Jehovah Himself Has Become King, the Governing Body revised their interpretation to conform more to what I had published. I think it is sweet that Jehovah's Witnesses don't know that their "new light" ultimately comes from someone whom the Governing Body considers to be one of the most dangerous apostates on the entire World Wide Web.

Still, the Watchtower doesn't quite have it in focus just yet. Notice in their comment above they decry "elections, civil rights campaigns, mass protests, and labor unions," claiming that the people weaken the ability of the world power to implement its policies. The Watchtower will never highlight the role of London's imperial overlords, who have been scheming for more than 200 years to reacquire their wayward colony called the United States of America. The reason they will not is because they are under the influence of the Empire's masonic agents.

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Isaiah 30:10​

10 who have said to the ones seeing, ‘YOU must not see,’ and to the ones having visions, ‘YOU must not envision for us any straightforward things.a Speak to us smooth* things; envision deceptive things.b

John 3:19​

19 Now this is the basis for judgment, that the lighta has come into the worldb but men have loved the darkness rather than the light,c for their works were wicked.

2 Thessalonians 2:12​

12 in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the trutha but took pleasure* in unrighteousness.b

2 Timothy 4:3​

3 For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching,a but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled;b

Watchman said:

I think it is sweet that Jehovah's Witnesses don't know that their "new light" ultimately comes from someone whom the Governing Body considers to be one of the most dangerous apostates on the entire World Wide Web.

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Hooray for "dangerous apostates". The GB may not appreciate you dangerous side but all of us certainly do!

*** w23 January p. 5 par. 11 Be Convinced That God’s “Word Is Truth” ***
Yet, their power has also been weakened by their citizens, who tend to rise up to claim their rights through labor unions, civil rights campaigns, and independence movements.

Remember reading this WT article and thinking what is wrong with "claiming something that is your right" and why is the non-political WT taking sides?

J&P said:

Hooray for "dangerous apostates". The GB may not appreciate you dangerous side but all of us certainly do!

*** w23 January p. 5 par. 11 Be Convinced That God’s “Word Is Truth” ***
Yet, their power has also been weakened by their citizens, who tend to rise up to claim their rights through labor unions, civil rights campaigns, and independence movements.

Remember reading this WT article and thinking what is wrong with "claiming something that is your right" and why is the non-political WT taking sides?

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I don't know if the GB and their helpers are intentionally deceiving or if they are just clueless. Maybe they are not up on history, but had an "independent movement" not taken place back in 1776 and a certain Bill of Rights been drafted some years later, the WT would probably not exist. No group in the US has benefited from the First Amendment more than Jehovah's Witnesses. Here is what is stated: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

Watchman said:

No group in the US has benefited from the First Amendment more than Jehovah's Witnesses. Here is what is stated: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

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That's true. And, WT has certainly taken advantage of the constitution and the Bill of Rights, and rightly so, to accomplish their goals. Looks as if things might be changing, though, based on some of the court rulings in the recent past.