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.

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.

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 p.197-199 'They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them'
"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

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 June 8 p. 9

In Jehovah's Name

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.

Deuteronomy 18:22 says "when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah". In 1993 an article attempts 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 is incorrect. The Watchtower makes it clear that what it contains are 'the words of 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

In 1931, Rutherford claimed that prophecy could not be correctly understood prior to 1918, using this to justify the failure of the 1914 predictions.

"… 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

In the very same book, Rutherford proves that his predictions 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.

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

• originates predictions
• interprets prophecy
• publicizes prophecy

the Watchtower is by their own definition a false prophet by promoting false dates both in advance (1914, 1925) 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.

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