home > core concepts > jehovah's prophet

Jehovah's Prophet

"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 Bible condemns false prophesying in God's name. The Watchtower Society notes that predicting a date for the end of the world amounts to false prophesy, if it does not come true.

"True, there have been those in times past who predicted an "end to the world," even announcing a specific date. Yet nothing happened. The "end" did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing? Missing from such people were God's truths and the evidence that he was guiding and using them." Awake! 1968 Oct 8 p.23

It is ironic that the Society condemns other religions in such manner when it has spent decade's actively predicting wrong 'end of the world' dates that did not occur, such as 1914 being the year for Armageddon and 1925 being the start of the earthly resurrection, or more recently that the battle of Jehovah would be within the twentieth century.

The Watchtower Society goes as far as to call itself a prophet of God, comparing themselves to the prophets of old. This is a significant assertion when compared to the accuracy of Watchtower doctrine and the predictions about future dates.

"This was the test - the coming down of fire; and the fulfillment exactly on time has proved that Pastor Russell was one of God's great reformers and prophets." Watchtower 1919 Oct 1 p.297

"For an answer, people should listen to the plain preaching by the remnant prefigured by Jeremiah, for these preach to men the present-day fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecies. Who made them a prophet to speak with the authority that they claim? Well, who made Jeremiah a prophet?" Watchtower 1959 Jan 15 pp.39-41

"Those who do not read can hear, for God has on earth today a prophetlike organization, just as he did in the days of the early Christian congregation." Watchtower 1964 Oct 1 p.601

In 1972, the Watchtower described itself as "the modern-day "prophet"".

"So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come?
IDENTIFYING THE "PROPHET"
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. Thus this group of anointed followers of Jesus Christ, doing a work in Christendom paralleling Ezekiel's work among the Jews, were manifestly the modern-day Ezekiel, the "prophet" commissioned by Jehovah to declare the good news of God's Messianic kingdom and to give warning to Christendom." Watchtower 1972 Apr 1 pp.197-199 'They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them'

It is difficult to comprehend how the Watchtower could make such assertions in light of its string of failed prophecies regarding the end of the world and what Deuteronomy 18 says regarding such prophets.

Justification

In 1931, Rutherford justified the failure of the 1914 predictions through the claim that prophecy could not be correctly understood prior to 1918. It was only after Jesus arrival at "his temple in 1918" that Jesus provided the Watchtower with accurate understanding.

"... the faithful had waited, expecting the 1914 to mark the complete fulfilment of the prophecy. They had expected Armageddon to follow immediately after 1914 and the church to be glorified. Of course it was not due time until after 1918 to have a clearer vision of the prophecy. There were some curious speculations indulged in by them, which were mere guesses, of course, and therefore not true, because it was not God's time for them to understand. It was after 1914 that 'the vision spoke and did not lie', to wit, after the coming of the Lord to his temple in 1918" Vindication p.24

Yet in the very same book, Rutherford proves that his predictions and interpretations are also mere guesses. For instance, page 21 tells us that it was in "1925, when "organized religions" were plainly seen to be in bondage to Satan", and that Daniel's vision of a river foreshadowed 1926; teachings no longer believed.

It is interesting to note that the Watchtower Index 1935 to 1985 contains only 3 references to Deuteronomy 18:20

18:20 si 299; ad 1500; ns 107, 155-6

The Watchtower Index 1986 to 2006 contains no references to this verse at all. It seems this verse touches a nerve in Watchtower history.

Since the Watchtower has been prominent in promoting failed predictions it now attempts to distance itself from being referred to as a prophet in the traditional sense of the word. Though still using the title of prophet, since the 1980's the Watchtower Society explains this to be in a different way to that of old; they do not make predictions, but rather just interpret Biblical prophecies with Jehovah's aid.

"All True Christians ARE Prophets. The New American Bible correctly states: "Prophet means 'one who speaks for another,' especially for God. It does not necessarily mean that he predicts the future!" You will be interested to learn that God has on earth a people, all of whom are prophets, or witnesses for God. In fact, they are known throughout the world as Jehovah's Witnesses." Awake! 1986 Jun 8 p. 9

Whilst trying to gain wiggle room with such an explanation, the Watchtower applies a different measure to other religions that use the Bible to predict Armageddon. Christian Preacher Harold Camping used Bible calculations to predict Judgement Day and the "end of the world" in 2011. The Watchtower refers to these predictions as prophecy, stating:

"Some believed that the earth would end on October 21, 2011. It did not. Thus, the prophecy of U.S. radio broadcaster Harold Camping rang hollow. He predicted that Judgement Day would come on May 21, 2011 …" Watchtower 2012 Feb 1 p.25

Therefore, by the Watchtower's own standards, its interpretative predictions are prophecies, and so the failure of these prophecies deem it a false prophet.

In Jehovah's Name

Deuteronomy 18:22 uses the clarification of a prophet that "speaks in the name of Jehovah". In 1993, an article attempted to show Deuteronomy does not apply to the Watchtower Society, by reasoning they have never introduced predictions as from Jehovah.

"Jehovah's Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus' second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions 'in the name of Jehovah.' Never did they say, 'These are the words of Jehovah.'" Awake! 1993 Mar 22 p.4

This Awake! page contains one of the great ironies of Watchtower history, and is worth enlarging and reading. The article is an attack on "doomsday groups" that make false predictions, despite the Watchtower being the preeminent doomsday group of the 21st century. As a footnote it justifies itself with the statement that it does not predict "in Jehovah's name", when on this very page is the Awake!'s old mission statement that it "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," a statement that was changed when the generation teaching was likewise changed, due to the false predictions it encompassed.

It is completely untruthful that the Watchtower has not claimed that its predications are "the words of Jehovah." The Watchtower claims everything it says is from Jehovah.

"Today, Jehovah provides instruction by means of "the faithful steward." Pay Attention to Yourself and to All The Flock p.13

"commissioned to serve as the mouthpiece and active agent of Jehovah … commission to speak as a prophet in the name of Jehovah…" The Nations Shall Know that I am Jehovah" - How? pp.58,62

"… commission to speak as a "prophet" in His name…" Watchtower 1972 Mar 15 p.189

"Jehovah God has made known to his anointed ones in advance what these Scriptures mean." Watchtower 1931 Jun 1 p.160

"The Watchtower is not the instrument of any man or set of men, nor is it published according to the whims of men. No man's opinion is expressed in The Watchtower. God feeds his own people, and surely God uses those who love and serve him according to his own will. Those who oppose The Watchtower are not capable of discerning the truth that God is giving to the children of his organization, and this is the very strongest proof that such opposers are not of God's organization." Watchtower 1931 Nov 1 p.327

"… the truths I present, as God's mouthpiece…" Zion's Watch Tower 1906 Jul 15 p.230

"No man can properly interpret prophecy, and the Lord sends his angels to transmit correct information to his people." Watchtower 1936 Feb 15 p.52

It specifically said its prediction of the end of World War 2 was from Jehovah.

"In 1942 the "faithful and discreet slave" guided by Jehovah's unerring spirit made known that the democracies would win World War II and that there would be a United Nations organization set up." Watchtower 1960 Jul 15 p.444

Regarding his failed prophecy that the dead would be raised in 1925, Rutherford had claimed:

"… this chronology is not of man, but of God. … the addition of more proofs removes it entirely from the realm of chance into that of proven certainty. … the chronology of present truth [is]… not of human origin." Watch Tower 1922 Jul 1 p.217

Whereas doctrine is subjective and unprovable, time prophecy leaves no room for error. On a number of occasions, the Watchtower put an unmistakable line in the sand, saying Jehovah had shown them that an event would occur on a specific date. On each occasion, these dates passed without event and those statements proved beyond argument to be false. When something predicted does not occur, there is irrefutable evidence that Jehovah did not direct the interpretation - that Jehovah was not guiding the Watchtower Society.

Regardless of whether the Watchtower Society identifies a prophet as someone who:

• originates predictions
• interprets prophecy
• publicises prophecy

the Watchtower is by their own definition a false prophet by promoting false dates both in advance (1914, 1925, 20th century, generation) and retrospectively (1799, 1874, 1914, 1925).

The test of a true prophet is that their statements are correct and teachings in line with the words of Jehovah. No true prophet prophesied correctly only some of the time. Irrespective of whether the Watchtower Society rightfully considers itself a prophet, it is certain that the issuing of false doctrine and unfulfilled predictions were not at the bequest of Jehovah. Any statement not coming true was not from Jehovah.

Peter warned that false prophets would arise.

2 Peter 2:1 "However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among YOU. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects and will disown even the owner that bought them, bringing speedy destruction upon themselves."

Over the last century there are few religions this definition is more applicable to than the Watchtower Society. The failed date predictions and ongoing prophetic changes present us with one of two options:

• The information in the Watchtower is from Jehovah, in which case he has been lying to us
• Jehovah is not behind what the "Governing Body" presents in the Watchtower publications

Though Jehovah's Witnesses are trained to dismiss changes and errors as either mistaken eagerness or incomplete truths, there is only one logical conclusion that can be drawn from over a century of failures; Jehovah is not behind the information presented by the Watchtower.

   Paul Grundy  2005 - 2011