Bridge of Reason

  “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. Matthew 24:36 Right on Time In this final article covering the talk given by Governing Body member Mark Sanderson at the 2021 Annual Conference, I continue to ask if the Watchtower Society should be trusted.  After reminding his hearers that ‘timing is everything’ Mark Sanderson, spoke of three prophesied events that took place right on time. He said: ‘Jesus was baptised at precisely the right time that the Messiah was due to appear.’ ‘The Kingdom began its heavenly rule right on time in 1914.’ ‘Jehovah has set the time, even the exact day and the hour for the end of this wicked system of things.’ Let’s consider these three events. ‘Jesus was baptised at precisely the right time that the Messiah was due to appear.’ In their book: You Can Live Forever on a Paradise Earth , the Watchtower Society have a picture of Jesus being baptised by John the Baptist. ...

  On their website the Watchtower Society tackles this question of the identity of the Alpha and Omega of Revelation 1:8;21:6; 22:13. Christians have always insisted the Alpha and Omega is both God the Father and God the Son , the beginning and the end of all things, second member of the Trinity. Jehovah’s Witnesses insist , ‘ The Alpha and the Omega refers to Jehovah God, the Almighty.’ They distinguish between Alpha and Omega in Rev.1:8,whom they call in the text 'Jehovah God,' and the First and the Last in Revelation 1:18. They make much of the difference between Alphaeus and Omega in v.8 and Protos and Eskhatos in v 18. They also point out the text in Habakkuk 1:12 where the prophet declares of God, 'you do not die.' ‘ ...the term “the First [ pro’tos, not alpha] and the Last [ e’skha·tos, not omega]” occurs at Revelation 1:17, 18 and 2:8 . In these verses, the context shows that the one referred to died and later returned to life. Thus, these verses ca...

  I ended the last article with the following Watchtower quote: So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of changes 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 Student s. 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? [1] Here the Watchtower challenges the reader to consider, and review, their record as a ‘prophet’ of God. Strangely, Governing body member and Chairman of the 137 th The Watchtower Annual Conference, Mark Sanderson did not mention this quote in his talk to the faithful. He simply told the gathered throng to continue to...

  Who is Leading God's People Today? Are They Faithful and Wise? In this online article the Watch Tower's Governing Body attempts to lay out its credentials as the 'faithful and discreet slave' (NWT)of Mt.24:45. ‘ Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?’ (NWT 2013 ed.) ‘ Who then is the faithful and wise servant whom his master has set over his household to give them food at the proper time?’ (ESV) The Standard The dominating theme of Matthew 24 is the return of Jesus Christ. When the disciples asked him, ‘ when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?’ (v.3) Jesus talked about signs, he didn’t talk about dates. The task of the Christian believer is watchfulness, because, ‘concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but th e Father only.’ (v.38) His return will be sudd...