“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. Below the picture it says that Jesus became the Christ at His
baptism, but is this what the Bible teaches? Did Jesus become the Messiah at the
‘right time’ at his baptism or was he the Messiah from birth?
Messiah/Christ
The word Messiah is a Hebrew word which means anointed
one. The Greek equivalent of Messiah is the word Christ and in Luke’s gospel we
read these words from the birth narrative:
And in the same region there were
shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to
them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled
with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear
not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for
all the people. For unto you is born this day
in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:8-11) (Bold mine)
Did
you notice what Luke didn’t say? He didn’t say that Jesus will be Christ ‘at
the right time’ and this will be at His baptism. He said that the child born is
Christ from birth.
So,
Sanderson’s first example is false. What of his second example?
‘The Kingdom began its heavenly
rule right on time in 1914.’
Where
do the Watchtower Society get this from? They would argue from the Bible, but
the year 1914 is nowhere mentioned therein.
Mathematical
Gymnastics
From
the beginning the Watchtower Society has been obsessed with working out when
Jesus would return. Their founder Charles Taze Russell originally taught that
Jesus would return ‘right on time’ in 1874. This of course did not happen and
so the date moved to 1914. It was believed that Jesus would visibly return, but
when that didn’t happen, it was decided that the word the Greek word ‘Parousia’
meant spiritual presence rather than visible arrival. The teaching that Jesus
returned ‘invisibly’ in 1914 has been held by the Watchtower Society ever
since.
1914
How does
The Watchtower Society arrive at the date 1914?
It is by counting from 607 BCE as the beginning of the Gentile times that they arrive at 1914. They calculate the reference in Daniel 4:16 of “seven times” to be seven lots of 360, the number of days in a Jewish year. This comes to 2,520 years. Counting from 607 BCE the date 1914 is arrived at. [607 BCE + 2,520 = 1914 CE]. However, if 607 BCE is inaccurate then 1914 and all that it stands for falls to the ground.[1]
This
whole equation is predicated upon the date of the fall of Jerusalem being 607 B.C.E.,
but the evidence points to the fact that Jerusalem fell in 586/7 B.C.E.
Therefore,
we see that Jesus did not take his throne in heaven – ‘right on time’ in 1914.
It is a nonsense. You can read more about this here.
So,
Sanderson’s second example is false. What of his third example?
‘Jehovah has set the time, even the
exact day and the hour for the end of this wicked system of things.’
Sanderson asked: ‘Does the Governing Body know when
Armageddon is going to come?’ Anxious laughter was heard when he said: ‘Yes we
do’. This was followed by relieved laughter when he said: ‘It’s going to come
right on time.’
‘We have confidence don’t we, that Jehovah will bring
those earth-shaking events exactly on time.’
I agree with Mark Sanderson here. The return of Jesus
will be ‘right on time’ and God alone knows when this will be. The Watchtower
Society have proven themselves clueless.
Throughout their history they have offered dates for
the return of Jesus – all of which have proven false. Their excuse is to say
that, though they have made mistakes, they have always been honest in their
failings and that they never claimed to be prophets. Their history shows that
they are not being honesty.
Distinguishing the True From the False. In some cases, such as that of Moses, Elijah, Elisha, and Jesus, God’s prophets performed miraculous works that attested to the genuineness of their message and office. Not all, however, are recorded as performing such powerful works. The three essentials for establishing the credentials of a true prophet, as given through Moses, were: The true prophet would speak in Jehovah’s name; the things foretold would come to pass (De 18:20-22); and his prophesying must promote true worship, being in harmony with God’s revealed word and commandments (De 13:1-4).[2]
As Jehovah’s
Witnesses are keen to tell us, they alone witness for Jehovah. They are the group
that honour God by using the Divine name – Jehovah. The quote above tells us
that ‘the true prophet would speak in Jehovah’s name’ so who is that? That is them. If they are a prophet
speaking for Jehovah, can they get things wrong? The Bible says no.
"However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my
name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of
other gods, that prophet must die. And in case you should say in
your heart: "How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not
spoken?" when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah
and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did
not speak. With presumptuousness the prophet spoke it." Deuteronomy 18:20-22
The
Watchtower Society have proved themselves to be false prophets time and again.
If this group, who claim to speak for Jehovah can get things wrong, can
anything they teach be trusted? What may be true today – could be false
tomorrow.
Time
to Trust Jesus
Mark
Sanderson and the rest of the Governing Body are blind guides. They are in the
dark themselves and leading their adherents into that same darkness. It is now the right
time for Jehovah’s Witnesses to repent and leave the false prophet that is the
Watchtower Society. They need come to the One who is the same yesterday, today
and forevermore. Jesus will indeed come at the right time but only those who
belong to Him will be saved. Time is running out. Today is the day of
salvation!
[1] https://reachouttrust.org/the-watchtower-society-1914-2/
[2] https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200003562
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