Where can I find WT first mention of 1918 inspection ?

by Phizzy 12 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Phizzy

  Sorry to ask, but I have tried searching it on here and haven't come up with the first instance of the expounding of the idea , based on Malachi 3, that Jesus inspected, and approved Ratherfraud and gang in 1918.

  I would guess it is first in a Rutherford book, and later in the WT ?

  I would like to read the idea as it was first expressed as New Light (TM) and any changes to the teaching in subsequent years, can anybody help ?

  This is only academic interest so don't break your neck helping, but it may prove of interest to many to see the basis of the idea, a doctrine that in recent years is never explained , just referenced as fact, a bit like 1914 is.
• 

  designs

  The Society's Index shows several articles in 1934. Don't have copies, sorry.
• 

  Vanderhoven7

  Phizzy, I'm not sure if some of the quotes in the prepared dialogue below are what you are looking for.

  EDIT: Oops, the word "first" in your request didn't register until after I had posted.

  Then I'm not sure..so you can ignore what follows.

  B. What happened in heaven in the spring of 1918 according to the Bible?...

  I understand that the WTS currently teaches that Jesus, accompanied by his Father, entered his heavenly temple in April of 1918 for the purpose of judging Christendom? I understand also that the WTS teaches that this 1918 inspection concluded with Jesus Christ rejecting every church on earth, with the exception of your organization. Is that accurate?

  “ When Jesus came to God’s spiritual temple in 1918 for the purpose of judging men,

  Christendom was rejected. ” The Watchtower, August 1, 1960, p. 462

  (See Supplement B below)

  • • Is April 1918 a biblical date?

  • • Does the Bible establish that Jesus rejected all churches in 1918?

  • • How was this information conveyed to the WTS?

  Reference Your Authority: Since the idea that Jesus went to his temple and rejected every church except the WTS/IBSA in 1918 is extra-biblical it would be presumption for me to accept this teaching as authoritative. I must reject this as being the teachings of men.

  C. What happened in heaven in the year 1919 according to the Bible?

  I understand that the WTS currently teaches that in 1919, Jesus Christ, conducted a final temple inspection which revealed a faithful and discrete slave class publishing fine spiritual food for true believers under the name of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. I also understand that the WTS has concluded that as a result of this favorable 1919 judgment, Jesus Christ appointed the Society to act as His sole channel of communication to mankind. Is that accurate?

  “ On inspecting the remnant of his anointed disciples in the year 1919 C.E., the reigning King Jesus Christ did find the appointed slave faithful and discreet in the feeding of his domestics. Accordingly, he appointed this slave class over all his belongings." God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached pp.350,355

  "When Christ inspected’ the faithful and discreet slave’ in 1918, he found those anointed ones on earth to be faithful in providing spiritual ‘food at the proper time.’ Hence, Jesus was pleased thereafter to appoint them (in 1919) ‘over all his belongings.’ "

  WT January 15, 2008 p.24

  • • Is 1919 a biblical date?

  • • Does scripture indicate that Jesus conducted a final inspection in 1919?

    • Could you explain how you know what Jesus did 1919?

  Reference Your Authority: Since the idea that Jesus conducted a final temple inspection in 1919 and appointed the WTS to act as His sole channel of communication to mankind is extra-biblical it would be presumption for me to accept this teaching as authoritative. I must reject this as being the teachings of men.

  D. What happened to the Apostle Paul in the year 1918 according to the Bible?

  I understand that the WTS has determined that the resurrection of spiritual Israel took place in the year 1918; that people like the Apostle Paul and other Spirit begotten Christians who had already died, were raised and went to heaven in that year. Is that accurate?

  "Those who died prior to the establishment of the Kingdom were resurrected at the time of Jehovah's coming to the temple with his messenger of the covenant in 1918." WT 67 8/1 p. 455 A New Administration of Earth's Affairs

  "The spring of A.D. 1918 marked the opening of the temple to the King's entrance and thereafter the resurrection of the anointed Christians who, along with Jesus, make up "the temple of the living God."-2 Cor. 6:16. WT 60 8/1 p. 462 "Creating New Heavens and a New Earth"

  “ The Watchtower has long presented the view that this resurrection of anointed Christians from death commenced in the year 1918.” WT 86 10/1 p. 14 Comfort From the God of Peace

  "One of the many enlightening truths that God now gave his witnesses was about the members of God's spiritual nation who had died physically. This was in 1927. In that year the witnesses understood that the dead spiritual Israelites had been raised in 1918 to life in heaven with Christ Jesus. It was an invisible resurrection, of course." From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained p.192

  • • Does scripture establish that the first resurrection began in 1918?

    • Do you have a verse to support this?

    • How was this information conveyed to the WTS?

  Reference Your Authority: Since the idea that the first resurrection commenced in 1918 is extra-biblical it would be presumption for me to accept this teaching as authoritative. I must reject this as being the teachings of men.

  It seems apparent to me that all of these self authenticating teachings on which your religion is founded are supported only through interpretive abuse, that they are extra-biblical and represent the teachings of men.

  CONCLUDING QUESTIONS: INTERPTRETATION

  If you had never heard your organizations unique interpretations, do you think after careful Bible study, that you would come up with identical beliefs by yourself?

  Would it be correct then to say that you accept certain interpretations of scripture because your organization teaches them, not because they are clear from the Bible itself?

  Final Assessment: It seems apparent to me that the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses is entirely founded on interpretive abuse.

  - - - - - - - -

  SUPPLIMENT B. (Rejection of all Churches in April 1918)

  “ Evidence from the prophecies of the Bible and their fulfillment in our time indicates that Jesus Christ came with his Father, Jehovah God, to the temple for judgment in 1918 C.E.” WT 67 6/1 p. 345 The Wedding That Brings Worldwide Rejoicing

  Additional Dialogue on April 1918 church rejection

  I understand that the WTS, expecting Christ 's 1918 temple's inspection predicted some rather specific observable events that would accompany his rejection of Christendom. For example, the Watchtower Society predicted that all the churches of Christendom would be totally destroyed in 1918 and that the masses would revolt and murder the all the clergy?

  It seems conclusive that the hour of Nominal Zion’s travail is fixed for the Passover of 1918. (See Rev. 3:14.) That will be 7 years prior to 1925. At that time there is every reason to believe the fallen angels will invade the minds of many of the Nominal Church people, driving them to exceedingly unwise conduct and leading to their destruction at the hands of the enraged masses, who will later be dragged to the same fate. ** The Finished Mystery (SS-7), 1917 ed., p. 128 ***

  Also, in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church members by millions, it shall be that any that escape shall come to the works of Pastor Russell to learn the meaning of the downfall of ‘Christianity.’ The Finished Mystery (SS-7), 1917 ed., p. 485

  “ In the year 1918…Christendom shall go down as a system to oblivion… “

  (The Finished Mystery 1917 p. 513)

  • • When the concrete or substantiable aspects of a chronology don't materialize, shouldn'tthis alert us to a potential problem with the chronology itself?

  • • • • The Watchtower totally misinterpreted the implications of its own

          1918 chronology - didn't it?

  • • • • Shouldn't this kind of blatant historical error affect our confidence in the invisible aspects of the Watchtower's 1918 chronology?

        • Would it be accurate to say that the invisible 1918/19 events, alleged by the WT. to authenticate the WT. are really unprovable to anyone who doesn't already accept WT authority?

  • • • • I mean, you wouldn't know what happened in 1918/19 unless the Watchtower told you - right?
• 

  Atlantis

  Try these:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/217275/1/WT-Flip-Flops-on-Jesuse28099-Inspectione280a6-Was-it-in-1918-or-1919-Did-the-WT-PASS-or-FAIL * http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/3049/1/1918-temple-inspection * http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/124039/1/The-heavenly-resurrection-of-1918-An-interesting-possibility * * Atlantis
• 

  hamsterbait

  The book "LIGHT" in two volumes discusses this. Published in 1931, it references the WT of June 1927 as proof of the assertion.

  When I wrote to beth hell asking for a photocopy of the article, they wrote to my elders suggesting they investigate my motives!!

  HB
• 

  wha happened?

  hamster that is the dumbest thing I ever heard. Hi I'm starving can I have some food? It depends, What's your motive?
• 

  blondie

  The Isaiah Prophecy books (2) discusses this at length.

  “In the modern-day fulfillment of these prophecies, there was an important spiritual development in 1918 in connection with Jehovah’s worship. Jehovah and Jesus evidently made an inspection of all of those claiming to represent pure worship. That inspection led to the final casting off of corrupt Christendom. For Christ’s anointed followers, the inspection meant a brief period of refinement followed by a swift spiritual restoration in 1919.” – Isaiah’s Prophecy II (2001), p.397 par. 14

  http://yacawa.org/2010/11/28/critical-thinking-for-jws-1918-temple-inspection/
• 

  Phizzy

  So, the June 1927 WT may in fact be the first time the idea was rolled out by Rutherford, I wonder if anybody has access to a copy, I really think if we can have the first incarnation of the doctrine we shall see some interesting aspects of how it was invented.
• 

  blondie

  Rutherford books might be good to research

  I always felt that the "understanding" of many WTS prophecy explanations are retroactive; they teach that prophecy is not understood until it is bein fulfilled.

  1927 Prophecy can not be understood until it has been fulfilled or is in the course of fulfillment. From 1874 to 1914 the prophecy concerning the Lord's coming was being fulfilled and could be understood, and was understood, by those who were faithful to the Lord and who were watching the development of events, but not by others. (Creation; 1927; p. 290)

  http://www.bibletopics.com/biblestudy/88a.htm

  1874 "Prophecy can not be understood until it has been fulfilled or is in the course of fulfillment. From 1874 to 1914 the prophecy concerning the Lord's coming was being fulfilled and could be understood, and was understood, by those who were faithful to the Lord and who were watching the development of events, but not by others." {CREA 290}

  http://www.jwfiles.com/wt_false_predictions/list_part1_1776_1913.htm

  1919 "TIME OF INSPECTION BY THE SLAVE'S MASTER .. Without a question of doubt, it was a real time for inspection of the Master's 'slave' class. All the facts of the case argue that the Master came for the work of inspection at the time. Such a thing was to be expected according to the prophecy of Malachi 3:1-5. Of course, the sectarian churches of Christendom had made a wartime record for themselves, an open record that had a heavy bearing on their claim to be disciples and slaves of Jesus Christ. Could they, by even their latest record down till 1919, prove that they themselves were the composite 'faithful and discreet slave' class of the heavenly Lord and Master, Jesus Christ? He as Judge would indicate what his findings were by the way he thereafter dealt with the hundreds of religious sects of Christendom." {GKTY 349}
• 

  james_woods

  1874 "Prophecy can not be understood until it has been fulfilled or is in the course of fulfillment. From 1874 to 1914 the prophecy concerning the Lord's coming was being fulfilled and could be understood, and was understood, by those who were faithful to the Lord and who were watching the development of events, but not by others."

  A person devoted to simple and clear logic might ask: If you cannot understand the prophecy until AFTER it has been fulfilled, then what good is the prophecy?

  It sure could not warn you to take some particular action or avoid some other action if you could not understand it until after the fact.

  This is pure mumbo-jumbo; just as bad as the stupid "trumpet blasts".