False Prophets- Did the WT ever claim to be a Prophet?? Scans say YES!!

by Lady Liberty 21 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Lady Liberty
    Lady Liberty

    Hello everyone,

    Doing more digging and thought I would post this for any new ones. First of all I would like to show you what the Bible says about "Flase Prophets": Deuteronomy 18:20

    20

    "‘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.

    Did the Watchtower ever claim to be a Prophet?? Did they claim to speak in Jehovahs's name?? You bet they did! A big THANK YOU to Shauns Research for the scans!! See JWfiles: http://www.jwfiles.com/outline.htm

    See the 1972 Watchtower April 1 page 197

    Awake June 8, 1986 Page 9 under "Would That All Were Prophets!"

    All

    TrueChristiansAREProphets

    The NewAmericanBible correctly states: "Prophet means ‘one who speaks for another,’ especially for God. It does not necessarily mean that he predicts the future!" Pope John Paul II said: "The ‘prophetic office’ of the People of God must be consciously exercised as a true service of the Word." But as we have seen, it is impossible for a Catholic to be a true prophet, or witness, for God’s Word, the Bible, without betraying the doctrine of the Catholic Church, based mainly on tradition.

    In its final declaration, the World Catholic Federation for the Biblical Apostolate expressed the need for Bible education, particularly among the young and the poor, for inexpensive Bibles and Bible education literature, for Bible translations and Bible translators, and for full-time workers. It further stated that all Christians should preach and teach, live by the Bible, and "discern the signs of the times."

    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. Out of love for God and his Word, they are carrying on a universal Bible educational work among old and young, rich and poor. They have hundreds of thousands of full-time voluntary workers, some of whom translate and print Bibles and Bible educational literature that is distributed inexpensively, or even free of charge. They are assisted by millions of part-time workers. Any of these will be happy to help you "discern the signs of the times" and embrace the wonderful hope contained in God’s Word, the Bible.

    Watchtower 1979, September 1, page 29

    28

    Unlike the clergy class, those of the Jeremiah class have been sent by Jehovah to speak in his name. Nevertheless, the clergy prophets also claim to speak in his name and, hence, to tell the Bible truth. In this way Christendom’s religious leaders really ‘steal’ away the force and effect of the calamitous message proclaimed by the Jeremiah class. True, the Jeremiah class back up their message by quoting the words, "This is what Jehovah has said."

    "The Nations Shall Have To Know That I Am Jehovah" How?

    33

    Likewise it was a trying mission upon which the modern Ezekiel class was sent, to religious people of the same type as those in Ezekiel’s day. But regardless of how Christendom views or regards this group of anointed witnesses of Jehovah, the time must come, and that shortly, when those making up Christendom will know that really a "prophet" of Jehovah was among them.

  • elliej
    elliej

    If I may add to this one of my favorite bits from the Society on prophets:

    The Watch Tower of May 15, 1930, pages 154-155, said:

    ".... a true prophet is one who is faithfully proclaiming what is written in the Bible ... But it may be asked, How are we to know whether one is a true or a false prophet? There are at least three ways by which we can positively decide: (1) If he is a true prophet, his message will come to pass exactly as prophesied. If he is a false prophet, his prophecy will fail to come to pass.... The difference between a true and a false prophet is that the one is speaking the word of the Lord and the other is speaking his own dreams and guesses.... The true prophet of God today will be telling forth what the Bible teaches, and those things that the Bible tells us are soon to come to pass. He will not be sounding forth man-made theories or guesses, either his own or those of others.... In the New Testament, and in our day, the word "prophet" has a thought similar to that of our word "teacher," in the sense of a public expounder. Hence when the term "false prophet" is used, we shall get the correct thought if we think of a false teacher."

    By their own words they are condemned.

  • mama1119
    mama1119

    Looks like APOSTATE material to me!!!!

  • Atlantis
  • Hellrider
    Hellrider
    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.

    The salesmen-phrases turns my stomach to this day...

  • Atlantis
    Atlantis

    If you have the Watchtower reprints your computer counter will show one page difference than the actual document. Page 154 on your computer will actually be page 153 in the actual document. This might help some who are searching and might have a little trouble finding documents. Or, at least that is the way it reads on my computer.

    Thanks! Atlantis-

  • blondie
    blondie

    It is important to be prepared to address a possible explanation for being a "prophet" and "prophesying." A lot has to do with the WTS definition of those words in this time period.

    *** w52 4/15 p. 241 par. 1 The Field of Bible Prophecy ***

    DIVINE prophecies! What are they? Why are they used? Where do they originate? Who are used to transmit them? By what means and in what manner are they transmitted? Are there any keys which unlock them? Do they have more than one fulfillment? How may they be proved to be true? When may they be understood? In what sense do Jehovah's witnesses prophesy today?

    *** w52 4/15 p. 253 Aids for Understanding Prophecy ***

    PROPHESYING TODAY

    Since Joel 2:28, which has its complete fulfillment after 1919, foretells that God will pour out his spirit upon people of all kinds and "your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions", in what sense then do Jehovah's witnesses prophesy today? Jehovah's people confess no powers of inspiration today. However, they do pray continually for more of God's holy spirit to understand the many prophecies already uttered and preserved for the final preaching work which Jehovah's witnesses are now undertaking. They know that the inspired infallible Scriptures of prophecy will be fulfilled toward them correctly. They diligently study the visions and dreams of God's faithful men of old. They can quote and copy the Scriptures of God's inspired men and can apply them according to the facts. They can observe how God interprets them by Christ Jesus through the events and facts that he causes to appear. They are then faithful in publishing and preaching the revealed prophecies to the utter ends of the earth. The twentieth-century preaching prophets of Jehovah are the ones who are running to and fro over the Bible to gain knowledge of the divine pronouncements which is on the increase.-Dan. 12:4.

    *** w61 10/1 p. 593 par. 9 Prophesying with the Loyal Organization ***

    Let this fact not be overlooked: It was not the miraculous speaking with foreign tongues that Joel's prophecy on the last days foretold; it was the outpouring of God's holy spirit accompanied by prophesying. This particular prophesying was not the special gift of prophecy that was inspired, a gift that was not shared by all Christians. It was the declaration publicly of the "magnificent things of God," and this prophesying was shared by all receivers of God's outpoured spirit, from Pentecost forward.-Acts 2:5-11.

    That organization for which we must look is the one that gives the proof of having God's spirit poured out upon it in these "last days" by doing the foretold prophesying, the 'preaching of this good news of God's kingdom in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.' As foretold, this preaching or prophesying is being done by every sort of flesh in the organization, by male and female, by sons and daughters, by old men and young men, by the menservants and the maidservants, by all those on whom the spirit has been poured out.

    In proof of this they have got baptized in symbol of their full dedication of themselves to God and are wholeheartedly taking part with the remnant in the prophesying or preaching of the good news.-Zech. 8:20-23.

    God's holy spirit when poured out upon the remnant of spiritual Israel causes or induces only the prophesying or preaching of the truth, God's own truth.

    *** w61 11/1 p. 660 par. 15 Nations in Fear at the Name Called upon Us ***

    They must do what the prophetic Scriptures foretold and what the remnant of the anointed "little flock" are doing-prophesy or preach.

    It has resulted in more and more, better-qualified congregation servants, to watch over God's flock and to supervise their work of prophesying, witnessing.

    The persecution that he has let come upon us for prophesying or preaching about his kingdom is not a mark of his curse or disapproval.

    *** w02 8/1 p. 15 par. 4 Stirred by "the Magnificent Things of God" ***

    Their preaching fulfilled a remarkable prophecy, recorded eight centuries earlier by Joel, the son of Pethuel: "I shall pour out my spirit on every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will certainly prophesy.

    *** w69 6/15 p. 366 par. 22 Joyful Endurer or Unhappy Dropout-Which? ***

    In a sense his faithful anointed ones are prophets, in that they declare the prophecies written, along with their application.

    *** w61 6/1 p. 335 par. 6 Loving Use of What We Are Given ***

    The use of prophesying or the preaching of the good news with understanding and teaching others would result in benefits to those in the congregation and even unbelievers

    *** w61 10/1 p. 595 par. 15 Prophesying with the Loyal Organization ***

    That organization for which we must look is the one that gives the proof of having God's spirit poured out upon it in these "last days" by doing the foretold prophesying, the 'preaching of this good news of God's kingdom in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.' As foretold, this preaching or prophesying is being done by every sort of flesh in the organization, by male and female, by sons and daughters, by old men and young men, by the menservants and the maidservants, by all those on whom the spirit has been poured out.

    *** w72 3/1 p. 155 Does a Great Heavenly Organization Exist? ***

    The anointed ones of Jehovah's Christian witnesses remaining on earth today, in discerning that organization, are pictured by the prophet Ezekiel. Since the year 1919 these witnesses have been publicly declaring Jehovah's kingdom and making his name known.

    *** w72 4/1 p. 197 'They Shall Know that a Prophet Was Among Them' ***

    He had a "prophet" to warn them. 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. They are still proclaiming a warning, and have been joined and assisted in their commissioned work by hundreds of thousands of persons who have listened to their message with belief.

    *** w94 9/15 p. 10 par. 4 Make Public Declaration to Jehovah's Name ***

    Jehovah's prophets were privileged to proclaim his message publicly. The Hebrew term for "prophet" (na·vi´´) has an uncertain etymology, but its use in the Bible indicates that true prophets were spokesmen for Jehovah, men of God with inspired messages. The Greek word rendered "prophet" (pro·phe´tes) literally means "a speaker out," to say something "in front of" or "before" someone. A prophet is one who proclaims messages attributed to a divine source. Often, but not always, God's true prophets predicted future events.

    *** it-2 p. 694 Prophet ***

    The Greek pro·phe´tes literally means "a speaker out [Gr., pro, "before" or "in front of," and phe·mi´, "say"]" and thus describes a proclaimer, one who makes known messages attributed to a divine source. (Compare Tit 1:12.) Though this includes the thought of a predictor of the future, the fundamental meaning of the word is not that of prediction. (Compare Jg 6:7-10.) Nonetheless, living in harmony with God's will requires that the individual know what Jehovah's revealed purposes for the future are so that he may bring his ways, desires, and goals into line with the divine will. Hence, in the great majority of cases, the Biblical prophets did convey messages that were, directly or indirectly, related to the future.

    *** g86 6/8 p. 9 "Would That All Were Prophets!" ***

    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!"

    Blondie

  • BabaYaga
    BabaYaga

    For some reason I find this hilarious, I can't stop laughing.

    Thanks so much for the great scans, Lady Lib.

  • hawkaw
    hawkaw

    BTTT - for future reference

  • fullofdoubtnow
    fullofdoubtnow

    Thanks for the scans Lady Liberty. I can imagine a few elders who I'd have liked to show this to while I was still in the org but having doubts. I think it would have made them squirm a little.

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