Jehovah Witnesses is the Watchtower organization a true prophet?

Question

The last time I talked with a Jehovah Witness he said it was a "prophet in a sence" , but would not comment beyond that.

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses, your Watchtower organization USED to claim that it was God's prophet on earth! In the book "The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah" (pp 70 & 292) it says: "But regardless of how Christendom views or regards this group of anointed witnesses of Jehovah, the time must come, and that shortly, when those making up Christendom will know that really a 'prophet' of Jehovah was among them... there is an authentic prophetic class of Christians among us... those who wait undecided until it does 'come true' "will also have to know that a prophet himself had proved to be in the midst of them." (Ezekiel 33:33)"

In the 1st April 1972 "Watchtower" mag, p197, was an article called "They shall know that a Prophet was among them". It said, "So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come? These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet? The clergy of the so-called 'Christian' nations hold themselvs before the people as being the ones commissioned to speak for God. But, as pointed out in the previous issue of this magaizne, they have failed God and failed as proclaimers of his kingdom... However, Jehovah... had a 'prophet' to warn them. 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, iknown at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses. They are still proclaiming a warning, and havbe been joined and assisted in their commissioned work by hundreds of thousands of persons who have listened to their message with belief. Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a 'prophet'. It is another thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to review the record. What does it show?"

The Watchtower organization NO LONGER calls itself Jehovah's modern-day prophet. Why not? Was its record examined and found wanting?

Answer 2

Jehovah's Witnesses have always humbly taught that they are *NOT* infallible and *NOT* inspired by God. They do not "prophesy", and never have.

Jehovah's Witnesses apply the term "prophet" only in a very limited sense to themselves as a religion, not to individuals. The Scriptures indicate that whenever Jehovah purposes to execute judgment upon a people, he always makes arrangement for a 'prophet's work' as a warning. Their self-description as a "prophet" (in this limited sense) does not indicate special inspired knowledge or foreknowledge, but their willingness to perform Christ's assigned warning work in our day leading up to Armageddon.

What group is working harder than Jehovah's Witnesses to preach God's message globally (as Noah did before the Deluge)?

(Amos 3:7) For the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will not do a thing unless he has revealed his confidential matter to his servants the prophets.

(2 Peter 2:5) Noah, a preacher of righteousness...

(Matthew 24:14) And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.

Answer 3

The word "prophet" has more than one meaning.

First, the Watchtower organization does not claim to be any kind of a prophet. It is a legal body used by Jehovah's Witnesses in preaching the good news, in the publication of literature, and taking care of legal matters which are necessary in this world, and other such things.

Now if you rephrase the question as Jehovah Witnesses are Jehovah's Witnesses a true prophet?" then we would have to determine what one means by prophet. Do Jehovah's Witnesses claim to utter inspired prophecies in Jehovah's name? NO we do not; we are not an inspired prophet. The only prophecies we utter utter are those recorded in the Bible.

A prophet is also one who speaks what Jehovah commands him to speak. In this sense, YES we are a true prophet, because through Jesus Jehovah commands this good news to be preached in all the world. - Matthew 28:19, 20; 24:14.
We are to warn the people of events coming upon the earth, and other such things.

We sometimes do make errors in our understanding and explanations of exactly when and how these events will take place, but we have never claimed that our understandings are inspired. Note this excerpt from a Watchtower magazine of 1909:

“Someone may ask, Do you, then, claim infallibility and that every sentence appearing in “The Watch Tower” publications is stated with absolute correctness? Assuredly we make no such claim and have never made such a claim. What motive can our opponents have in so charging against us? Are they not seeking to set up a falsehood to give themselves excuse for making attacks and to endeavor to pervert the judgments of others?” Zion's Watchtower and Herald of Christ's Presence, 15 September 1909.

However, as humble teachers we realize that we are human and do make mistakes, and we admit these and then correct our teaching, unlike so many that when they learn what is not true will not admit it, and continue to teach the wrong things.

The Bible even helps us to see the learning is a continuous process, for in Proverbs 4:18 it informs us: "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."

ADDED for the benefit of SASI below:

Sasi said "your Watchtower organization USED to claim that it was God's prophet on earth." Then went on to quote two quotations to support this, but neither one said anything about the Watchtower Society. Both quotes referred to Jehovah's Witnesses.

Perhaps people do not understand:
Jehovah's Witnesses ARE NOT the Watchtower Society. Rather, we USE IT as a legal and as a publishing agent in carrying on our minstry.

Answer 4

Not quite understanding what he meant by that.
The Watchtower organization is run by the Governing Body and the 'faithful and discreet slave class' as brought out at Matthew 24:45-47.

Check out the link below. I hope this answers your question some more.

Answer 5

The problem with some of the prophetic word, is that it didn't come to pass when the prophet said the Lord told them it would. So flunked the test of the Prophet test.

Also, they change Jesus Christ Diety. And don't believe in He raised from the dead a resurrected, everlasting body. So, are a bit antichrist. They do believe in the Exalted humanity of Christ though.

The Oprah Winfry & Joyce Meyer hot topic in the above web site, was more interesting than about JWs.

Answer 6

Depends what you mean?

Did they prophesy anything that wasn't specifically referenced in the Bible? Yes, they did.

They prophesied that many, if not most, or the religions of Christendom would become more acceptable of immoral lifestyle, like ordaining openly Gay Priests, couple living together having the same rights as married, and children having sex as long as they use protection.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070311132149AAuMrnI&r=w

They prophesied that religions of Christendom would having a growing influence in politics, trying to force those not of their faith to live by their rules.

They also said that the time would come where we would fear leaving our homes. Question, do you go out to check your mail at the mailbox at the end of your driveway without first locking the door behind you? When you drive your car, do you leave your doors unlocked?

Answer 7

the Jehovahs witnesses was formed by Charles Taze Russel and after reading about the founder of their religion it admits in brittanica and wikipidia that the man calculated the rapture as Apr. 1878 as well as stating about errors in the bible and the organization made there own watchtower bible not a prophet by any means

Answer 8

They also say that the Watchtower is nothing but the name of a magazine, which just shows their ignorance, as it is the name of the corporation that owns all of their property, copyrights, investments, etc.

They'll all give you a different answer on the prophet thing. Hard to deny it when they published it so many times.

Answer 9

the orga....is a governing body set up by Jehovah to carry out his instructions

Answer 10

don know
r u sure it wasn't girl scouts saying "cookie's probably $2.99 cent"