The Watchtower Teaching. on Isaiah 43:10 with n.w.t?

Question

You are my witnesses,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘even my servant
whom I have chosen...’” Appropriating this verse for themselves, the Jehovah’s
Witnesses believe that out of all the religious groups on planet earth, they alone are
chosen by God and have been deemed His “witnesses.”36
The Biblical Teaching. In context, Isaiah 43:10 is referring strictly to Israel
as a collective witness to God’s majesty, authority, faithfulness, and truth. This is
in marked contrast to pagans who cannot witness to such attributes in their false
gods. Israel as a witness was to testify that Yahweh is the only true God.

Now, here is the point to emphasize: It is a wild, wild leap to take a verse
referring to Israel as God’s witness to the pagan nations in Old Testament times

(over seven centuries before the time of Christ) and claim its fulfillment in a
modern-day religious group some nineteen centuries after the time of Christ. This
is a classic example of what James W. Sire calls “Scripture twisting.

To help the Jehovah’s Witness understand the folly of the Watchtower
interpretation of this verse, you might ask him or her:

• If the Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only true witnesses for God, and
if the Jehovah’s Witnesses as an organization came into being in the
late nineteenth century (which is a historical fact), does this mean
God was without a witness for over eighteen centuries throughout
church history?

understand the implications of this question. If
there was not a “witness” for God for over eighteen centuries throughout church
history, this implies that God did not care for people to come to know Him during
those many centuries.38

the New Testament, where the clear focus is not on being witnesses of Jehovah
but on being witnesses of Jesus Christ.39 Indeed, before ascending into heaven,
Jesus told the disciples: “You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8 NASB, italics
added).

Answer 1

This is an excellent example of the wisdom demonstrated by Jehovah's Witnesses in selecting this name, apparently by the direction of Holy Spirit. Their name does not ONLY come from Isaiah.

(Isaiah 43:10,12) “You are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah... So you are my witnesses,” is the utterance of Jehovah, “and I am God.


The name of Jehovah's Witnesses also aligns them closely with Christ Jesus.

(Revelation 1:5) Jesus Christ, “the Faithful Witness”


And ironically in view of the main objection in this "question", their name connects Jehovah's Witnesses with a seemingly unbroken heritage of faithful men of old extending all the way back to the first true worshipper.

(Hebrews 11:2-12:2) For by means of [faith] the men of old times had witness borne to them. ...4 By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than Cain, through which faith he had witness borne to him that he was righteous...36 Yes, others received their trial by mockings and scourgings, indeed, more than that, by bonds and prisons. 37 They were stoned, they were tried, they were sawn asunder, they died by slaughter with the sword, they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, while they were in want, in tribulation, under ill-treatment; 38 and the world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and mountains and caves and dens of the earth. 39 And yet all these, although they had witness borne to them through their faith, did not get the [fulfillment of the] promise, 40 as God foresaw something better for us, in order that they might not be made perfect apart from us. 12 So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus


It does not seem wise to mock such a spiritual heritage, as even the Jewish Sanhedrin heard:

(Acts 5:38,39) Do not meddle with these men, but let them alone; (because, if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown; but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them;) otherwise, You may perhaps be found fighters actually against God.”

Learn more:
http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm

Answer 2

TeeM,

have you ever read about any of those 'witnessing' groups? Did you know that one of the things they witnessed about was eternal torment and hellfire, because they believed in both. You might find it interesting to research some of those groups. (By the way, I don't believe in hell, but find it interesting that the WT points to those groups as true Christians, in spite of the fact that they preached hellfire which JW's don't believe in.)

And Achtung,

did you ever actually read Hebrews chapter 11 without the Watchtower-colored glasses? If so, then you might know that all of those witnesses were not witnesses because they went around witnessing to others about Jehovah. They were witnesses in that Jehovah bore witness TO THEM.

Abel "had witness borne to him"' (He didn't preach)

Enoch "had the witness that he had pleased God well"; (no mention that he preached);

Noah built an ark (nothing mentioned about preaching);

Abraham obeyed by "dwelling in tents" (not preaching).

Verse 39 sums it up: "they had witness borne TO THEM through their faith. "

Next time you read it at the Hall, notice if anyone actually realizes that Hebrews chapter 11 has nothing to do with people preaching to other people.

Answer 3

No witnesses for 1800 years?

There were many groups of people through out that time period that did not believe in a trinity, and who were known for "witnessing",

Unfortunately, Trinitarians keep killing them.

Daniel promised that the understanding would become brighter at the end of times.

Answer 4

Isn't it amazing how those who are disfellowshiped (for one reason or another) become proud, bitter & twisted and have nothing better to do other than persecute God's people?

Jehovah/Yahweh will have the last say on the matter....

Answer 5

The false witnesses don't seem to care about truth. Remember, the "primary translator" of their nwt admitted under oath his inability to read even simple phrases in Hebrew, Greek, or Latin.