Thursday, April 18 2024 The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the Euphrates

[PJ54]

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Thursday, April 18 2024​

Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and the Persians.—Dan. 5:28.

Jehovah has clearly demonstrated his supremacy over “the superior authorities.” (Rom. 13:1) Consider three examples. Pharaoh of Egypt enslaved Jehovah’s people and repeatedly refused to release them. But God set them free and drowned Pharaoh in the Red Sea. (Ex. 14:26-28; Ps. 136:15) King Belshazzar of Babylon held a feast and “exalted [himself] against the Lord of the heavens” and “praised gods of silver and gold” instead of Jehovah. (Dan. 5:22, 23) But God humbled that arrogant man. On “that very night,” Belshazzar was killed and his kingdom was given into the hands of the Medes and the Persians. (Dan. 5:30, 31) King Herod Agrippa I of Palestine had the apostle James killed and then imprisoned the apostle Peter, with the intention of doing away with him. But Jehovah prevented Herod from carrying out his plan. “The angel of Jehovah struck him,” and he died.—Acts 12:1-5, 21-23. w22.10 15 ¶12
Examining the Scriptures Daily—2024​

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

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 protected by the waters of the mighty Euphrates River. The book of Revelation compares the millions of supporters of Babylon the Great to protective “waters.” (Rev. 17:15) But it also reveals that the waters would ‘dry up,’ indicating that the world empire of false religion would lose many of its supporters. (Rev. 16:12) In fulfillment of that prophecy, today a considerable number of people have abandoned false religion and have begun looking elsewhere for answers.

Ancient Babylon was one of the seven empires of Bible prophecy. Its sudden downfall was foretold through the prophet Isaiah before Babylon even became the dominant power. Under the direction of Cyrus, whom Isaiah was inspired to call by name before he was even born, the combined armies of the Medes and Persians performed some sort of engineering feat, perhaps opening irrigation gates along the river, thereby temporarily diverting the Euphrates River. The lowered water level allowed the invaders to wade across the river under the cover of darkness.

Jehovah saw to it that the over-confident Chaldeans left the river-facing gates open as they indulged in a drunken celebration of Babylon’s greatness. Thus, in one night mighty Babylon fell, just as God had foretold.

Of note, the waters of the Euphrates were not dried up over a long period of time by means of drought or some other natural phenomena like a landslide upstream. The drying up of the protective waters of the great river took place on the same night that Babylon fell and it was brought about by the enemies of Babylon.

Many aspects of Revelation draw upon historical events that were recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures. That is certainly the case with Revelation 16:12, which reads: “The sixth one poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the rising of the sun.”

“The sixth one” is in reference to the angel pouring out the sixth bowl of the wrath of God upon Satan’s doomed world. Whatever loss of support modern religions may be experiencing is not the fulfillment of prophecy. Although some segments of traditional Christendom have experienced a decline of support, other denominations and so-called non-denominational sects identifying as evangelicals are experiencing a notable revival. And besides, Islam, which according to the Watchtower is also an integral part of the world empire of false religion, is experiencing rapid growth. So, the assertion that the waters of support are drying up just doesn’t—pardon me—hold water.

Just as the literal waters of the Euphrates were said to have dried up to allow the kings of Media and Persia to enter the city, so too, the pouring out of the sixth bowl upon the symbolic Euphrates does not represent the gradual dwindling of church membership or anything that pedestrian, but rather, it signifies the total destruction of Babylon the Great. The kings from the rising of the sun represent the chosen ones who will by then have seen Christ in his ascendant glory and been given their crowns and who will shine as brightly as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.

That the sudden end of Babylon the Great is what is symbolized by the drying up of the “Euphrates” is evident in the context. The very next span of verses is the gathering of the kings of the earth to a place called Armageddon.

16. How can these prophecies benefit us? The appearance of the United Nations and the decline of support for false religion add to the evidence that we are living in the last days. Although Babylon’s symbolic waters of support are drying up, the final end of false religious organizations will come by a different means. As mentioned earlier, Jehovah will put it into the hearts of the “ten kings” —the political powers supporting the United Nations— “to carry out his thought.” The end of false religion by those nations will come suddenly, catching the world by surprise. * (Rev. 18:8-10) The destruction of Babylon the Great will be world-shaking and may cause hardships, but God’s people will have at least two reasons to rejoice. This long-standing enemy of Jehovah God will be gone forever, and our deliverance from this wicked system of things will be at hand! —Luke 21:28.

I have been thinking—trying hard to come up with an instance where the Watchtower actually interpreted something and applied it correctly. I honestly cannot think of a single thing. Maybe you can. I am not talking about explaining the ancient fulfillment of prophecy. The Watchtower is actually very good at that. I am talking about applying prophecy to our modern world.

As pointed out in Part Four, there is no possibility that the United Nations is presently fulfilling the role of the eighth king. That is not to imply that it will not become such in the future—but something cataclysmic and unexpected will have to happen to catapult the UN into a position of the dominant global power. As regards the waters of the Euphrates drying up, again, that has nothing to do with dwindling church membership.

What I have come to appreciate is that the Watchtower itself is fulfilling prophecy by consistently being wrong. I know that is harsh, but it is true. The reason for their persistent error is explained by none other than Jehovah God himself, the One whom Bethel claims is their God. “For Jehovah has poured a spirit of deep sleep on you; He has closed your eyes, the prophets, and he has covered your heads, the visionaries.” — Isaiah 29:10

When the Persians overthrew mighty Babylon God’s people were in captivity in the land of the Chaldeans. Cyrus was called by God to deliver the Jews from captivity. Later Darius assisted them to return to Palestine and rebuild Jerusalem. Jehovah even referred to the pagan king, Cyrus, as his anointed one—obviously, portraying Christ at his second coming. Being aware of this the Watchtower has long claimed that the greater Cyrus came and liberated the Bible Students from captivity to Babylon the Great in 1918-1919. It is all part of the grand delusion connected to 1914.

The leaders of Jehovah’s Witnesses boast that Babylon the Great has no power to ever suppress Jehovah’s liberated people. They seem to not realize that the Russian Orthodox Church has been the driving force behind the liquidation of the Watchtower in the vast Russian Federation. Because of their refusal to acknowledge the setback in Russia as discipline from Jehovah, God is obligated to use stronger measures. The worldwide liquidation of the Watchtower by the eighth king and Babylon the Great ought to get their attention.

 

[Watchman]

Thanks for posting this, PJ

When I first began reading the Bible with new eyes, to be precise, it was the last week of October 1996. For no particular reason, I just started reading in the middle of Ezekiel, from the 29th through the 32nd chapter, as I recall. (The reading marathon went on for hours per day, every day for weeks and months) It seemed obvious to me that the Egyptian cedar represents the greatest nation in the world at the time of Christ's return, that is, the United States of America. I had read the Watchtower's The Nations Shall Know that I am Jehovah commentary on Ezekiel, published in 1958. It claimed that the towering cedar represents all the nations. But that doesn't make any sense. The prophecy in question symbolizes all the nations of the world as trees in the Garden of Eden, but the massive cedar towered over all the lesser trees. The smaller trees envy the greatest tree. So, clearly, the massive cedar represents one particular nation in comparison to lesser nations.

The Watchtower had one thing right, though. It taught that the fall of the antitypical cedar will occur in the future. Except they missed the mark on the specific details. A Watchtower in 1977 had two study articles devoted to the prophecy. The “Tree” Whose Fall Shocks the World and Get Out from Under That “Pretty” Tree! Even though the prophecy states that God will use the tyrants of the nations to chop down the cedar, the second article claims that Jesus will destroy the cedar at Armageddon. But, alas, that makes no sense either for the simple reason that the crash of the giant cedar shocks the world, even as the WT article above states.

Really, what I have discerned is that the judgment against the Egyptian cedar and all the lesser trees will be manifest as the overthrow of the nation-state system that emerged from the Renaissance and the Treaty of Westphalia, which established nations as sovereign. The tyrants of the nations that bring about the overthrow of nations represent the globalists who are part of the conspiracy to enslave mankind under a banker's dictatorship--a global gulag run by the United Nations and a single central bank.

The fact that in Ezekiel, Jehovah stated that Egypt was going down to the Grave parallels what is stated in Revelation regarding the death stroke upon the head of the beast, after which the beast arises from the abyss or Grave. Here is what is stated in Ezekiel: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘On the day it goes down to the Grave, I will cause a mourning. Therefore, I will cover over the deep waters and hold back its streams so that the abundant waters are restrained. I will darken Lebanon because of it, and the trees of the field will all wither away. At the sound of its downfall, I will cause nations to shudder when I bring it down to the Grave along with all those going down into the pit, and all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon, all that are well-watered, will be comforted in the land down below. They have gone down to the Grave with him, to those slain by the sword, together with his supporters who lived in his shadow among the nations.’ - Ez 31:15-17

It must have been back in 1997 when the circuit overseer visited my congregation. His talk touched on the Egyptian cedar, explaining it in terms of Armageddon. After the meeting, I approached him and pointed out the contradiction of the cedar representing all the nations as opposed to the single greatest nation. He shrugged and said he was just reading off the outline, turned, and walked away.

And so there you have it. Everyone is just reading what the Watchtower says with no thought of their own. There is not even a hint of curiosity. No wonder God has stated only terror will make them understand. The crash of the Anglo-American system ought to get their attention.

 

[J&P]

The tyrants of the nations that bring about the overthrow of nations represent the globalists who are part of the conspiracy to enslave mankind under a banker's dictatorship--a global gulag run by the United Nations and a single central bank.

This idea of the "Downfall of America" is gaining, at least, some traction and things are in motion. We posted a usawatchdog link which considers this subject at: https://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/index.php?threads/world-war-three-updates.2369/post-99100.

In summary, it says:
"In closing, Holter contends, what you are seeing is not a series of mistakes by incompetent people. Holter says, “This is too stupid for it not to be the plan. . . .This is not a Republican or Democrat thing. We are being steered directly into a brick wall because the globalists can’t take over the world with the US standing. They have to take the US down, and if they take the US down, so will the western financial system fall. If that happens, the globalists can have their way.”

 

[Watchman]

This idea of the "Downfall of America" is gaining, at least, some traction and things are in motion. We posted a usawatchdog link which considers this subject at: https://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/index.php?threads/world-war-three-updates.2369/post-99100.

In summary, it says:
"In closing, Holter contends, what you are seeing is not a series of mistakes by incompetent people. Holter says, “This is too stupid for it not to be the plan. . . .This is not a Republican or Democrat thing. We are being steered directly into a brick wall because the globalists can’t take over the world with the US standing. They have to take the US down, and if they take the US down, so will the western financial system fall. If that happens, the globalists can have their way.”

Yeah, I realize there are those who recognize what is happening and where it is heading. However, my mission has always been to enlighten JWs about the importance of this prophecy and what it portends for the immediate future. Unfortunately, most JWs are like the apathetic householder they meet at the door who says they are not interested or that they have their own religion. And the leaders of their Watchtower religion are definitely not interested.

In their updated commentary on Ezekiel called "Pure Worship," the GB only touched on the judgment against Egypt and made no future application of the prophecy, essentially repudiating what the Watchtower had taught nearly 50 years ago about the tree whose sudden fall rocks the world. Keep in mind that the Pure Worship book was also when the WT dropped the whole type/antitype approach to understanding the Bible. So, the WT has been scheming to scrub a lot of prophecy out of consciousness. But clearly, the fall of ancient Egypt foreshadows something much greater that will take place during the time of the end. It is even called the "day of Jehovah." So, JWs will be included among those who will have to know that he is Jehovah.

"For the day is near, yes, a day of Jehovah is near.
It will be a day of clouds, an appointed time of nations.
A sword will come against Egypt, and panic will overtake Ethiopia when the slain fall in Egypt;
Its wealth is taken and its foundations are torn down." - Ez 30:3,4

"I will execute judgment on Egypt, and they will have to know that I am Jehovah." - Ez 30:19

 

[PJ54]

Thanks for posting this, PJ

When I first began reading the Bible with new eyes, to be precise, it was the last week of October 1996. For no particular reason, I just started reading in the middle of Ezekiel, from the 29th through the 32nd chapter, as I recall. (The reading marathon went on for hours per day, every day for weeks and months) It seemed obvious to me that the Egyptian cedar represents the greatest nation in the world at the time of Christ's return, that is, the United States of America. I had read the Watchtower's The Nations Shall Know that I am Jehovah commentary on Ezekiel, published in 1958. It claimed that the towering cedar represents all the nations. But that doesn't make any sense. The prophecy in question symbolizes all the nations of the world as trees in the Garden of Eden, but the massive cedar towered over all the lesser trees. The smaller trees envy the greatest tree. So, clearly, the massive cedar represents one particular nation in comparison to lesser nations.

The Watchtower had one thing right, though. It taught that the fall of the antitypical cedar will occur in the future. Except they missed the mark on the specific details. A Watchtower in 1977 had two study articles devoted to the prophecy. The “Tree” Whose Fall Shocks the World and Get Out from Under That “Pretty” Tree! Even though the prophecy states that God will use the tyrants of the nations to chop down the cedar, the second article claims that Jesus will destroy the cedar at Armageddon. But, alas, that makes no sense either for the simple reason that the crash of the giant cedar shocks the world, even as the WT article above states.

Really, what I have discerned is that the judgment against the Egyptian cedar and all the lesser trees will be manifest as the overthrow of the nation-state system that emerged from the Renaissance and the Treaty of Westphalia, which established nations as sovereign. The tyrants of the nations that bring about the overthrow of nations represent the globalists who are part of the conspiracy to enslave mankind under a banker's dictatorship--a global gulag run by the United Nations and a single central bank.

The fact that in Ezekiel, Jehovah stated that Egypt was going down to the Grave parallels what is stated in Revelation regarding the death stroke upon the head of the beast, after which the beast arises from the abyss or Grave. Here is what is stated in Ezekiel: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: ‘On the day it goes down to the Grave, I will cause a mourning. Therefore, I will cover over the deep waters and hold back its streams so that the abundant waters are restrained. I will darken Lebanon because of it, and the trees of the field will all wither away. At the sound of its downfall, I will cause nations to shudder when I bring it down to the Grave along with all those going down into the pit, and all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon, all that are well-watered, will be comforted in the land down below. They have gone down to the Grave with him, to those slain by the sword, together with his supporters who lived in his shadow among the nations.’ - Ez 31:15-17

It must have been back in 1997 when the circuit overseer visited my congregation. His talk touched on the Egyptian cedar, explaining it in terms of Armageddon. After the meeting, I approached him and pointed out the contradiction of the cedar representing all the nations as opposed to the single greatest nation. He shrugged and said he was just reading off the outline, turned, and walked away.

And so there you have it. Everyone is just reading what the Watchtower says with no thought of their own. There is not even a hint of curiosity. No wonder God has stated only terror will make them understand. The crash of the Anglo-American system ought to get their attention.

If only the people in the Org understood the Georgia Guidestones & what they entail.

 

[J&P]

Yeah, I realize there are those who recognize what is happening and where it is heading. However, my mission has always been to enlighten JWs about the importance of this prophecy and what it portends for the immediate future. Unfortunately, most JWs are like the apathetic householder they meet at the door who says they are not interested or that they have their own religion. And the leaders of their Watchtower religion are definitely not interested.

Understand that most JW's and others will not put these prophecies into proper perspective. Just think it is intriguing what you have said,
for many years concerning the fulfillment of prophecy in the time leading up to the Great Tribulation, is coming true before our very eyes. And, it appears many others are now making similar observations. You were very intuitive in your prophetic insight and it is the main reason we are here today. It is obvious to us that holy spirit is directing you.
Thank you so much.

 

[MickHewitt]

Understand that most JW's and others will not put these prophecies into proper perspective

Your reference to our Watchman brings to mind the Eze33:30-32 "As for you son of man your people are speaking with one another about you beside the walls and in the (Internet) doorways of the houses and saying to each other' Come let us hear the word that comes from Jehovah...They will crowd in to sit before you logged on and they will hear your words but they will not do them for with thier mouth they will flatter you but their heart is greedy for dishonest gain; look you are to them like a romantic love song with a beautiful voice they will hear your words but will not act on them! BUT! we are listening and have done since logging on have we not J&P? And Robert must realise too that we are not all just here for a romantic love song.

 

[J&P]

BUT! we are listening and have done since logging on have we not J&P? And Robert must realise too that we are not all just here for a romantic love song.

Yes, we are listening intently, Mick ,and have done so since initially finding Watchman in our doorway (internet) .
Thank for that.

 

[J&P]

In their updated commentary on Ezekiel called "Pure Worship," the GB only touched on the judgment against Egypt and made no future application of the prophecy, essentially repudiating what the Watchtower had taught nearly 50 years ago about the tree whose sudden fall rocks the world. Keep in mind that the Pure Worship book was also when the WT dropped the whole type/antitype approach to understanding the Bible. So, the WT has been scheming to scrub a lot of prophecy out of consciousness. But clearly, the fall of ancient Egypt foreshadows something much greater that will take place during the time of the end. It is even called the "day of Jehovah." So, JWs will be included among those who will have to know that he is Jehovah.

Up until the Pure Worship book, (somewhat embarrassed to admit), we were "all in" with WT publications dealing with prophecy. However, for reasons we didn't quite understand at the time, it was different with the Pure Worship book. It became a real eye opener, in particular, with the "Summary of Clarifications", specifically the 4th clarification, "Is Christendom the antitype of ancient apostate Jerusalem?" We also, began to discern the real reason behind their dropping the type/antitype.....the finger, too often, pointed back at them. So, we also also believe they are involved in a scheme to cover up or "scrub a lot of prophecy out of consciousness" and most JW's seem to be buying it.

While WT has relegated most of the prophecy contained in the Hebrew scriptures to merely past history, your writings have helped us to understand the greater meaning of those prophecies in the upcoming "day of Jehovah". We've had a lot to try to wrap our heads around...London, King of the North (not Russia), Egypt, etc. A lot of bad information that we needed to get rid of but we've made tremendous progress in turning that around.

Our heart is in the right place, but sometimes, our brain has to catch up. Thanks, Br Robert, for the response and making sure we understand.

 

[Innocent as Doves]

we also also believe they are involved in a scheme to cover up or "scrub a lot of prophecy out of consciousness"

Has anyone else noticed, when you go to sign on to the JW Library, you notice that there are a lot of updates that it wants you to perform. This also includes “updates” to the Bible itself. No explanations as to what exactly is being “updated”. This is concerning to me.

 

[SusanB]

Understand that most JW's and others will not put these prophecies into proper perspective. Just think it is intriguing what you have said,
for many years concerning the fulfillment of prophecy in the time leading up to the Great Tribulation, is coming true before our very eyes. And, it appears many others are now making similar observations. You were very intuitive in your prophetic insight and it is the main reason we are here today. It is obvious to us that holy spirit is directing you.
Thank you so much.

I believe this forum and its members are just the visible tip of the iceberg. There is a massive part of it still below the surface and not visible and the Watchtower is like the Titanic headed straight for a collision.

 

[J&P]

I believe this forum and its members are just the visible tip of the iceberg. There is a massive part of it still below the surface and not visible and the Watchtower is like the Titanic headed straight for a collision.

Nice analogy, Susan.
We're certainly glad we abandoned ship and found a life jacket to grab hold of her on the forum. Love the association.
Sad to say, I think you're right about the collision that's coming and it doesn't appear many are hearing or responding to the warning. (Phyllis)