Another Jehovah's Witness Question?

Question

Is it true the Watchtower is thought of as God's prophet? And if so, what qualifies it to be thought of as God's prophet?

oh ya and jsut a thought....what do you guys think about the false prophesies that the WT has made?

ok so for those of you who said the WT never claimed to be God's prophet check your records...

More accurately, was there any group on whom Jehovah would be willing to bestow the commission to speak as a 'prophet' in His name, as was done toward Ezekiel back there in 613 B.C.E.? (The Watchtower, 3-15-72, p. 189). "It is of importance to every individual on earth to identify the group that Jehovah has commissioned as his 'servant' or messenger.... For this reason forthcoming issues of The Watchtower will further discuss the identity and work of Jehovah's commissioned messenger as revealed in His vision to Ezekiel" (The Watchtower, 3-15-72, p. 190).

"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? ...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, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses... Of course, it is easy to say that this group acts as a 'prophet' of God. 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, 4-1-72, p. 197).

"The scroll was doubtless delivered to Ezekiel by the hand of one of the cherubs in the vision. This would indicate that Jehovah's witnesses today make their declaration of the good news of the Kingdom under angelic direction and support. (Rev. 14:6, 7; Matt. 25:31, 32) And since no word or work of Jehovah can fail, for he is God Almighty, the nations will see the fulfillment of what these witnesses say as directed from heaven. Yes, the time must come shortly that the nations will have to know that really a 'prophet' of Jehovah was among them." (The Watchtower, 4-1-72, p. 200).

things the watchtower said that "followed not"...

"Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874, A.D., according to the testimony of the prophets, to those who have ears to hear it." (The Battle of Armageddon, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 4, 1897 ed., p. 621)

"...the 'battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership is already commenced." (The Time is at Hand, Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. 2, 1908 ed., p. 101)

"Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews chapter eleven, to the condition of human perfection." (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, pp. 89,90)

AND JSUT ANOTHER QUOTE ID LIKE TO THROW OUT THERE....

"Jehovah God has also provided his visible organization, his 'faithful and discreet slave,' made up of spirit-anointed ones, to help Christians in all nations to understand and apply properly the Bible in their lives. Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication that God is using, we will not progress along the road to life, no matter how much Bible reading we do." (The Watchtower, 12-1-81, p. 27)


The Watchtower teaches that reading the bible alone is not enough! This idea has no scriptual basis!

also...for those of you that pointed to the story of Phillip and the Eunich... does it say that Phillip continued to explain every passage in the Bible...No...sure some passages need explaination...But the Watchtower teaches that they are NECESSARY to understand the scriptures

The question was asked "what is my point?"

My point is to show you the error in following theteachings of the watchtower... Some of you may say "I dont follow the Watchtower i follow the Bible...But what bible is that, the NWT? Let's talk about this for a moment... This version, published by the Watchtower was trasnslated by 5 men...Nathan Knorr, Albert Schroeder, George Gangas, Fred Franz, M. Henschel. 4 of the 5 had NO training in ancient Greek or Hebrew SCriptures and never got passed a high school diploma...dont believe me? research it. Fred Franz was the only one and he only took 2 years of Greek in college? Can you be well prepared to translate something as important as the Word of God in 2 years? What about in Hebrew, Franz was self taught in Hebrew... How reliable can this translation be? Also, i forgot to mention that one of the translators was a cultic spiritist and claimed that he was guided by spirits in translating the Bible...dont believe me? research it!

Also, this Organization as i have stated..claimed to be a prophet of God... And is a real prophet of God ever wrong? No. Deut 18: 20-22 says "But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death."

21 You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?" 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him."

Those of you who said.."They do not make any New prophesies" check out the purpose statement in AWAKE! January 8 1991 issue, "Most important, this magazine builds confidence in the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away."

All i ask is that you research your beliefs...And not just with Watchtower Literature...

CORRECTION: The occultist Spiritist was Johannes Greber, he was a man whose "translation" of the of the bible was used by the WTS for their "NWT." They knowingly used the translation of a Spiritist Occultist to base their translation on. The funny thing is they claimed they had no clue Greber was involved in any such activity until 1983, but in 1932 Greber wrote his book where he gives his personal testimony as an occult spiritist: "Communication with the Spirit World of God--Its Laws and Purpose." And even before 1956 The Johannes Greber Memorial Foundation provided a photo-copy of a letter from the Watchtower Society acknowledging receipt before 1956, of several of his New Testaments, as well as Greber's book "Communication with the Spirit World of God."

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses have never pretended that they are infallible or inspired. Jehovah's Witnesses have never pretended that they experience miraculous messages from God or Christ. For more than a century, Jehovah's Witnesses have always presented their suppositions as the result of sincere bible research, rather than as "predictions" or "prophesying".

Interestingly, however, even those Christians who did enjoy direct communication from heaven at times came to wrong conclusions; these wrong conclusions were even communicated "out among the brothers"!

For example, the apostle Peter enjoyed remarkable privileges in the early congregation, but it seems that he was the source of an incorrect teaching about the apostle John that was not formally corrected until several DECADES had passed, and John himself finally wrote his gospel about 98 C.E.

(John 21:21-23) Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, what will this man do [that is, the apostle John]?” Jesus said to him: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you? You continue following me.” In consequence, this saying went out among the brothers, that [the apostle John] would not die. However, Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you?”


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.


Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20000622/
http://watchtower.org/e/19990715/article_02.htm

Answer 2

Jehovah’s witnesses DO NOT give new prophecies about the future. But they proclaim the present and future fulfillment of prophecies recorded in the Bible, as well as prophesying in the sense of declaring God’s message today. In this they emphasize Jesus’ role as the key one in Jehovah’s purposes, the king of His kingdom.

Is a real prophet of God ever wrong?

Jonah crying "In forty days Nineveh shall be destroyed."

Does this occur? Nope
Is Jonah a false prophet? Nope

God has compassion and does not bring His wrath against the city AT THAT TIME.

It is up to Jehovah when the fulfillment of events will occur not Jesus or his followers.

Mar 13:32
But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

.

Answer 3

Scriptural basis proving that more than just reading the Bible is required can be found at Acts.Chpter 8 regarding the account of the Ethiopian Eunuch.V30 reads"Phillip ran alongside and heard him reading about Isiaiah the prophet,and he said:"Do you actually know what you are reading?".He said:"REALLY,HOW COULD I EVER DO SO,UNLESS SOMEONE GUIDED ME?"
This is what the Watchtower publications are for.To guide us and help us understand the scriptures more fully.
Jehovahs Witnesses do not claim to be inspired prophets.They have made mistakes.Like the apostles of Jesus Christ,they have at times had wrong expectations.-
Luke.19:11;Acts.1:6.
We are however,God's messengers,and yes we are God's servants.
Besides trying to run down Jehovahs earthly organsiation - what is your point??
If you dont want the truth.If you dont want to read the publications,fine.Familiarise yourself with Jer.25:33...........

Answer 4

The bible is inspired and infallable.

Jehovah's Witnesses have never claimed to be inspired nor infallable.

Notice another trait of a false prophet.

(Jeremiah 23:27) 27 They are thinking of making my people forget my name by means of their dreams that they keep relating each one to the other, just as their fathers forgot my name by means of Ba´al.


Harper’s Bible Dictionary

Baal / Bel ,

translates into English as Lord

offspring of El, (Hebrew for God)

worshiped as a triad / trinity.

Where did I hear this teaching recently?

Sounds like a teaching of Satan, What do you think?

Who is fulfilling this prophecy?

Who has taken God's name out of the Bible?

Who has changed God's name in the Bible to LORD (Baal)?

Who are making people forget Jehovah's name?

Who would you feel?

If you put your name (7000 times) in a book you wrote, and the publisher exchanged it with 'PERSON'

How would you feel if everybody knew your son's name, but not yours?

What name did Jesus make known to his disciples? (John 17:6)

What name of his God is Jesus going to place on the foreheads of his disciples? (Rev 3:12)

edit -------

Lord / LORD is a title and a is English for Baal,

Jehovah is the accepted name of God in English (check out any 'good' english dictionary)

Forms of the divine name in different languages, indicating international acceptance of the form Jehovah

Awabakal - Yehóa
Bugotu - Jihova
Cantonese - Yehwowah
Danish - Jehova
Dutch - Jehovah
Efik - Jehovah
English - Jehovah
Fijian - Jiova
Finnish - Jehova
French - Jéhovah
Futuna - Ihova
German - Jehova
Hungarian - Jehova
Igbo - Jehova
Italian - Geova
Japanese - Ehoba
Maori - Ihowa
Motu - Iehova
Mwala-Malu - Jihova
Narrinyeri - Jehovah
Nembe - Jihova
Petats - Jihouva
Polish - Jehowa
Portuguese - Jeová
Romanian - Iehova
Samoan - Ieova
Sotho - Jehova
Spanish - Jehová
Swahili - Yehova
Swedish - Jehova
Tahitian - Iehova
Tagalog - Jehova
Tongan - Jihova
Venda - Yehova
Xhosa - uYehova
Yoruba - Jehofah
Zulu - uJehova


Anna, your knowledge is so limited and blinded. (2 Cor 4:4)

I find it interesting you will believe anything that is contrary to scripture because it moved you, yet you ignore plain simple english.

Yes, YHWH is the Hebrew spelling of God's name, but
Jehovah is the accepted English spelling of God's name.

Jehovah's Witnesses did not invent this name.

In Hebrew Jesus' name is spelled Yhwshw`, why don't you use this spelling for Jesus? Remember Hebrew in Jesus' day was spelled without vowels.

http://cf.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H03091&Version=kjv

Notice Joshua's name means 'Jehovah is Salvation'

Anna, please get your facts correct.

Half truths are still lies.

.

Answer 5

God gave us (everybody) the Bible as his written word. The Watchtower reports on world events and shows their relevance to God's Kingdom, as well as using the Bible to show how Christians should live.

True, there have been a few mistakes in the past, but by comparison to the rest of mainstream Christianity, it still seems that we're ahead of the game.

Think about this: Let's say for argument's sake that the WT falsely predicted the end 7 times.
Everybody else is still expecting to go to heaven when they die.

Look in the Bible for yourself and figure out which view is more accurate, universal salvation & life in heaven or the destruction of this system of things followed by the Millenial Reign of Christ and his corulers over an earth of perfect humans.

I'll wait...

Answer 6

everybody has a bible in their house JWS also but the more you read the bible the more accurate you will be in of the truth, it is a shame that something as simple as the date of Jesus´death is unknow to the majority of people but every single JW now that, and more things that are in the bible. Why? simple we study the book we had make mistakes, yes of course and all of us know that, believe me but none of that errors offend God, to desire the end of this evil society is something that all humans need instead of waste time look for in the bible what is the purpose of God´s kingdom.

Answer 7

They believe the Governing Body aka The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society is god's sole representative of god on earth

Answer 8

What a great point TeeM.

It's such a shame NWT stuck 7000 Jehovah's in where it says YHWH on the transcripts. Doing that was not any different that putting LORD there.

His name is YHWH.... and I didn't forget.

PS - His Son's name means YHWH is salvation. Therefore if you know the Son's name, you also know the Father's name.

Answer 9

Self delusion maybe...but no one considers Watch Tower a prophet...

Answer 10

I think they forget the "thou shalt not lie" part of the bible...When the evidenc of false prophecy is shown absolutely, they say in print that they dio not follow the watchtower...It is kind of like denying Christ, in a sense.