Hello everyone,
Just few more comments about the June 1 st article.
Above all else , please focus on paragraph 11:
“The Watchtower” June 1st, 2003 , page 20 § 11
STAND STILL AND SEE THE SALVATION OF JEHOVAH!
"Take your position, stand still and see the salvation of Jehovah in your behalf."
--2 Chronicles 20:17.
…..
Who Will Lead Gog's Attack?
11: Gog of Magog is identified as Satan the Devil in his debased condition since 1914. As a spirit creature, he cannot carry out his attack directly, but will use human agencies to do his deeds. Who will these human agencies be? The Bible does not give us details, yet it does give us certain indications that can help us to identify who they will be. As world events unfold in fulfilment of Bible propecies, we gradually get an ever clearer picture . Jehovah's people avoid speculation but remain spiritually alert, fully aware of political and religious developments that fit into the framework of Bible prophecy. “
We are confronted again, by the WTBS
Writers, with very clear statements and logical implications. Yet just compare some….examples of what they wrote, about the United Nations’ role in the last 30 years!!!
(All references to the publications are taken from the Index :
Dx30-85 E and Dx 86-90 E published by the WTBS Inc. in 1986 page 883 and 1992 page 488 .-
Here we go…
*** w74 12/1 p. 719 United Nations—Religion’s Friend or Foe? ***
FALSE RELIGION’S DESOLATION
What does the Bible show that the United Nations accomplishes before it ‘goes off into destruction’? It turns out to become the destroyer of “Babylon the Great.”
The account describes this destruction of false religion: “The waters that you saw, where the harlot is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.”—Rev. 17:15, 16.
The Roman armies brought desolation to the holy city Jerusalem and its temple. Likewise, the armies under United Nations control become a desolator of the so-called “holy” arena of Christendom’s domain—its false “Christian” religions.
What actually brings this desolation about? Is it merely the idea of the United Nations? It is God’s judgment on the ‘harlotlike’ organizations of false religions that have long oppressed the people and have done so in religion’s name, misrepresenting God and bringing reproach upon his name. This is particularly and expressly true of Christendom’s religions. The account reveals who is really behind the destructive work against “Babylon the Great” when it says:
“For God will put it into their hearts [the hearts of earth’s rulers] to carry out his thought, even to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished.”—Rev. 17:17.”
*** g75 7/22 p. 8 Global Balance of Power Shifting—What It Means ***
Bible prophecy for our day shows that shortly the member nations of the United Nations will turn on this world’s harlotlike religions in disgust and rage.
Describing this event in symbolic language, God’s Word says that these member nations “will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.” (Rev. 17:16)
That is why those who are yet a part of this world’s religions are warned: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.”—Rev. 18:4.
*** g76 10/22 pp. 9-10 Religion’s Future Under U.N. Attack ***
Will religion’s growing reputation for upsetting the world’s peace and security play some role in what finally happens to her? That may or may not be the principal factor. But whatever the reason, the prophecy reveals that God will maneuver matters so that the political “kings” will finally tire of harlotrous, false religion, with disastrous results: “The ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot [the ‘woman’] and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire. For God put it into their hearts.” (Vss. 16, 17) This predicts a coming all-out attack on the world’s religious systems by the U.N. “wild beast,” together with those symbolized by the “ten horns.” Who are they?
The prophecy answers that the “ten horns” are “ten kings” who “receive authority as kings one hour with the wild beast,” and “give their power and authority to the wild beast.” (Vss. 12, 13) Since the Bible’s symbolic language often uses “ten” to signify completeness (as ten fingers or toes), the “ten kings” must represent the complete number of nations who briefly (“one hour”) rule alongside the U.N. and give “authority” to it . Evidently these nations, together with the U.N., will come to “hate” harlot-like religion enough to do something about it. They will “make her devastated” and “completely burn her with fire,” utterly destroying her.”
------------------
*** w76 1/15 pp. 48-49 The Coming Deliverance from the Anti-Religious “Ax” ***
7 We today get a preview of what the ten-horned “wild beast” will do then to the world empire of false religion, when God’s angel says to the apostle John: “And the ten horns that you saw mean ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings one hour with the wild beast [now the United Nations]. . . . And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.”—Rev. 17:12-16.
8 Unrecognized by the United Nations “wild beast,” Jehovah will use it as his symbolic “ax” in destroying Babylon the Great, yes, in destroying hypocritical Christendom, the modern-day organization that corresponds with the ten-tribe Kingdom of Israel and its capital Samaria.”
*** w79 12/1 p. 23 Liberation and Survival of Christendom’s Fall ***
5 Happily that disregard for a covenant solemnly made before God was not shared in by certain persons then in Jerusalem who were known as Rechabites, the descendants of Jonadab the son of Rechab. (Jer. 35:6-11)
Still, they were put in danger because of the punishment that was deservedly coming upon Jerusalem’s Jewish inhabitants. But they were in a position to be shielded from what Jehovah God went on further to predict in view of the selfish unfaithfulness of the Jews. As in the case of Jerusalem of Jeremiah’s day, Jehovah’s further words should be of extreme interest to modern-day Christendom. Like Jerusalem then, Christendom is in the last days of her long existence.
The final world power foretold in Bible prophecy, the eighth world power, is now with us.
It is in the form of the United Nations.
It has a death-dealing role to play toward Christendom, Jerusalem’s modern counterpart.
The U.N. and its predecessor, the League of Nations, have now had a combined life of 60 years. (Rev. 17:7-11) Before it perishes it will act!”
--------------
*** w79 2/1 p. 26 Faith in God’s Son—How Should It Affect You? ***
21 Today, we are in a similar situation. Christendom is the modern-day equivalent of the ancient unfaithful city of Jerusalem. The “disgusting thing” of Jesus’ prophecy is clearly identified by Scripture as the United Nations organization today. It is the same as the “scarlet-colored wild beast” of Revelation chapter 17. When that “beast” came up out of the abyss in 1945, the world empire of false religion, “Babylon the Great,” of which Christendom is the principal part, was able to ride it and exercise some control.
22 However, today it is different. Nations that regard religion as “the opium of the people” are gaining great power in the U.N. They stand as a real threat to the realm of operation of Christendom’s religions, and, indeed, of all religion.
Very soon we can expect to see the “ten horns” of the “wild beast” turn against world religion, devastating even the religious realm of Christendom. The “great tribulation” will then have started, and it will move quickly to its climax at Har–Magedon.—Rev. 17:12-18; 19:19-21.
*** w80 5/15 pp. 24-25 The Calamity Facing All Religionists of the World ***
That latest world power is the agency that worldly nations have devised and used since 1919 in trying to preserve world peace and security, now the United Nations. This man-made institution has at present behind it a “congregation” of 152 nationsBefore its destruction in “the war of the . It is caricatured as a scarlet-colored wild beast with seven heads and 10 horns atop, concerning which Revelation 17:11 says: “It is also itself an eighth king, but springs from the seven [heads], and it goes off into destruction.” great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon, he lets this Eighth World Power chalk up a stunning victory for itself, but not against him.—Rev. 16:14, 16.
12 Since the symbolic scarlet-colored beast was voted into existence in the postwar year of 1919, it has let the religious “harlot,” Babylon the Great, ride on its back like a queen to steer it. (Rev. 17:18) During the “great tribulation” and when God’s hour for it strikes, a go-ahead signal may be drawn from his words at Revelation 17:15-17: “The waters that you [John] saw, where the harlot is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues. And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire. For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought, even to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast, until the words of God will have been accomplished.”
13 As thus predicted, the nations that joined it gave first to the League of Nations and then to its successor, the United Nations, a deterring power in behalf of preserving world peace and security. Jehovah did not move them to do so, but, thinking ahead, he expressed his foreknowledge in his written Word. He has further foretold that those nations, in combine like a “congregation,” would tire of the burden of that international meddler in political affairs, the harlot Babylon the Great. When she is dumped off the back of that international peace-keeping body and finally burned with fire , the Christian witnesses of Jehovah will not be frightened by that “calamity” to her. From God’s Word they know that, on earth, they represent the heavenly “Lord of lords and King of kings,” Jesus Christ, and that, for this very reason, the victory-flushed conquerors of Babylon the Great will turn upon them as the last remaining obstacle to their exercising earth-wide domination. Jehovah’s Witnesses are given advance notice of that in this prophecy of Revelation 17:13, 14:
*** w80 7/1 p. 17 The Watchman Said: “She Has Fallen!” ***
23 Till now Babylon the Great has ridden upon the League’s successor, the United Nations. But, shortly now, the political backers of the United Nations will tire of being dominated by the world empire of false religion and will dump her off and destroy her.”
-----------
*** w82 11/15 pp. 5-6 Flee While There Is Yet Time! ***
However, as we move down toward God’s time to destroy the present wicked world system, the “disgusting thing,” the UN combine of nations, becomes a threat to world religion itself.
How so? In that powerful member nations of the UN, notably those of the Communist bloc, have invaded the realm of religion. Especially have these atheistic forces become a threat to the continued operation of Christendom’s religions, as, for example, in China, in the Soviet Union and in other Eastern European countries . Thus power-hungry UN members stand now as a threat to Christendom’s claimed “holy place.” This represents everything that her religions hold sacred—her field of operation, her organizations, her church buildings and other assets, and her claimed right to rule the lives of her people. What will be the end of this confrontation?
The modern desolater, the UN ‘wild beast with seven heads and ten horns,’ is prophesied to make false religion “devastated and naked” and to “completely burn her with fire.” (Revelation 17:3, 16)
In doing so, it will not be their acting out of any love of God, no more so than did ancient Rome. The modern “disgusting thing” now includes many nations that hate God, his kingdom rule and the people who bear God’s name, Jehovah. And, certainly, this desolater is part of the present system of things controlled by Satan the Devil.—Luke 4:5-8; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Matthew 6:9, 10.
*** w82 11/15 p. 7 Flee While There Is Yet Time! ***
Not Delaying
No one should delay fleeing, thinking that there will be an exact parallel to the Roman armies’ withdrawing in 66 CE, allowing time for flight. No such historical development is to be expected, since there is no necessity for a person to flee to another geographical location. Instead, the appearance of the League of Nations following World War I and the reappearance of the “wild beast” in 1945 in the form of the UN should be warning enough.
Fleeing now is extremely urgent. Why? Because the evidence shows that soon the “disgusting thing” will desolate also the “holy place,” the claimed realm of Christendom’s churches, marking the start of the “great tribulation.”
-----------------------------
*** w85 10/1 pp. 11-13 A “Disgusting Thing” Fails to Bring Peace ***
14 When the nations not only rejected God’s Kingdom but also established their own organization to bring peace, that was rebellion. When religious leaders of Christendom identified that organization with God’s Kingdom and the Gospel, proclaiming it to be “the only available instrument” for bringing peace, that was idolatry. They were putting it in the position of God’s Kingdom, “in a holy place.” Certainly, it was “standing where it ought not.” (Matthew 24:15; Mark 13:14) And religious leaders continue to support the League’s successor, the United Nations, rather than point men to God’s established Kingdom.
17 Time alone will reveal how far relations will deteriorate between Christendom’s religions and the nations, but events in the first century have already foreshadowed how all of this will end. As Jesus foresaw, in the first century Rome’s armies finally destroyed Jerusalem with much tribulation.
True to the prophetic pattern, the nations along with the United Nations will attack and destroy “Jerusalem,” that is, Christendom’s religious structure.—Luke 21:20, 23.
Flee to the Mountains
18 In the first century, after “the disgusting thing” appeared, Christians had the opportunity to flee. Jesus counseled them to do so instantly because they did not know how long that opportunity would last. (Mark 13:15, 16) In the same way, when meekhearted people today discern that “the disgusting thing” exists, they should immediately flee from the religious domain of Christendom. Every second they stay therein their spiritual lives are in danger, and who knows how long the opportunity to flee will be open to them?
19 Luke’s gospel warned Christians of his day to flee when they saw “Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies.” As already noted, those armies came in 66 C.E., and the opportunity to flee arose that same year when Cestius Gallus withdrew his troops. After the Christians fled, war continued between the Jews and the Romans—although not around Jerusalem. Vespasian was sent by Emperor Nero to Palestine, and successful campaigns were conducted there in 67 and 68. Then Nero died, and Vespasian got involved in the Imperial succession. But after he was made emperor in 69 C.E., he sent his son Titus to finish the Judean war. In 70 C.E., Jerusalem was destroyed.
20 Christians, though, did not wait in Jerusalem to see all of that. As soon as they first saw the besieging armies, they knew the city was in deadly danger. Likewise today, the instrument of Christendom’s destruction has appeared. Hence, as soon as we discern the danger that Christendom is in, we should ‘flee to the mountains,’ Jehovah’s place of refuge with his theocratic organization.
Other prophecies give no basis for believing that there will be a breathing space between the initial attack on Christendom and her final desolation. In truth, there will be no need for such a pause in hostilities. Meekhearted ones are wise to flee from Christendom now.
22 We may ask, though, what leads to this most unexpected act, the destruction of Christendom by militarized elements from within the United Nations? When will it happen? And how can this possibly contribute to peace and security on our earth? We will discuss these questions in the next article.”
-----------------------------------------------
*** w85 10/1 pp. 16-18 Peace, Security, and the ‘Image of the Beast’ ***
The Necessary Steps Toward Peace
14 The first to go is false religion, in a most unexpected way. This is the way it happens: “The ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.” What a shock to mankind! (Revelation 17:16; 18:9-19)
It is the destructive, nationalistic “horns,” prominent in the United Nations organization, that will devastate her. How remarkably this reminds us of Jesus’ prophecy that “the disgusting thing” would desolate “Jerusalem”! (Mark 13:14-20; Luke 21:20 )
However, while it is the nations that perform this execution, they are really carrying out God’s judgment on “the great harlot,” including Christendom. The result? False religion “will never be found again.”—Revelation 17:1; 18:21.
18 When will these earth-shaking events take place? Well, the “good news” is being heard around the world today. “The disgusting thing” is in place. (Matthew 24:14-16 ) In fact, the ‘image of the beast,’ already in the second stage of its existence, is now due to “go off into destruction.” (Revelation 17:8) The fulfillment of the “sign” shows that we have been living in the time of Jesus’ presence for 71 years, since 1914. (Matthew 24:3) Jesus said: “When you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors. Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.” (Matthew 24:33, 34)
Hence, the “great tribulation” must be very close. Can we be more precise than that? Not at this time.”
____________________________
*** w87 11/1 p. 28 Religion’s Tidal Wave—The Final Reckoning ***
Chapter 17 of Revelation leaves no doubt as to the fate of all false religion .
In verse 16 we read: “The ten horns [governmental powers within the United Nations organization] that you saw, and the wild beast [United Nations], these will hate the harlot [false religion] and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.”
*** g88 4/8 p. 16 The Last Days—What’s Next? ***
What, then, calls for action by this “King of kings”? A point is reached where “the king of the north” (the anticapitalist camp) and “the king of the south” (the capitalist nations under the United States’ umbrella), highlighted in Daniel chapter 11, achieve a stalemate. (As Daniel 11:40 foretold, “the king of the north” has already overflowed into many lands, especially since 1945.) (°)
So, what else must take place before God’s decisive intervention to bring an end to the present system of things?
Bible prophecy indicates that at some point the radical political elements in the United Nations will turn against the world’s meddling religions and unmask them, destroying their power and control over the superstitious people .—Revelation 17:16, 17.(*)
[Footnotes]
(°) For a detailed consideration of this conflict, see the book “Your Will Be Done on Earth,” chapter 11, “The Appointed Time of the End,” published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
(*)For a detailed consideration of this prophecy, see the Watchtower publication “Babylon the Great Has Fallen!” God’s Kingdom Rules!, chapter 26, “The Judgment Upon the Great Harlot,” also published by the Watchtower Society.
*** re Revelation—Its Grand Climax at Hand! *** (published in 1988)
*** re chap. 35 pp. 256-257 Executing Babylon the Great ***
17 Certainly, the immense material wealth of Babylon the Great will not save her. It may even hasten her destruction, for the vision shows that when the wild beast and the ten horns vent their hatred on her they will strip off her royal robes and all her jewelry. They will plunder her wealth. They “make her . . . naked,” shamefully exposing her real character. What devastation! Her end is also far from dignified. They destroy her, “eat up her fleshy parts,” reducing her to a lifeless skeleton. Finally, they “completely burn her with fire.” She is burned up like a carrier of the plague, without even a decent burial!
It is not the nations alone, as represented by the ten horns, that destroy the great harlot, but “the wild beast,” meaning the UN itself, joins them in this rampage. It will give its sanction to the destruction of false religion.
A majority of the 150-and-more nations within the UN have already displayed, by their voting pattern, a hostility toward religion, especially that of Christendom.
18 Why would the nations treat their former paramour so outrageously?
We have seen in recent history the potential for such a turning against Babylonish religion. Official government opposition has tremendously reduced the influence of religion in lands such as the Soviet Union and China.
In Protestant sectors of Europe, widespread apathy and doubt have emptied the churches, so that religion is practically dead. The vast Catholic empire is torn by rebellion and disagreement, which the itinerant pope has been unable to calm. We should not, though, lose sight of the fact that this final, all-out attack on Babylon the Great comes as an expression of God’s unalterable judgment on the great harlot.
*** re chap. 35 p. 257 Executing Babylon the Great ***
In 607 B.C.E., Jehovah used Nebuchadnezzar to ‘strip off the garments, take away the beautiful articles, and leave naked and nude’ that spiritually adulterous city. (Ezekiel 23:4, 26, 29) Jerusalem of that time was a pattern of Christendom today, and as John saw in earlier visions, Jehovah will administer to Christendom and the rest of false religion a similar punishment. The desolated, uninhabited condition of Jerusalem after 607 B.C.E. shows what religious Christendom will look like after being stripped of her wealth and shamefully exposed. And the rest of Babylon the Great will fare no better.
20 Again Jehovah uses human rulers in executing judgment.”
*** re chap. 35 p. 258 Executing Babylon the Great ***
21 Yes, the nations will use the scarlet-colored wild beast, the United Nations, in destroying Babylon the Great.
They do not act on their own initiative, for Jehovah puts it into their hearts “even to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast.”
When the time comes, the nations will evidently see the need to strengthen the United Nations.
They will give it teeth, as it were, lending it whatever authority and power they possess so that it can turn upon false religion and fight successfully against her “until the words of God will have been accomplished.” Thus, the ancient harlot will come to her complete end. And good riddance to her!”
----------------
*** w89 5/15 pp. 5-6 Babylon the Great—Her Execution ***
How False Religion Will Perish
In highly symbolic language, the book of Revelation describes the destruction of Babylon the Great. At Revelation 17:16 we read: “The ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.” “The ten horns” symbolize all the political powers now on the world scene and that support the United Nations, the “scarlet-colored wild beast,” itself the image of the Devil’s bloodstained political system.—Revelation 16:2; 17:3.
According to Bible prophecy, the political powers associated with the United Nations will turn against the world empire of false religion and devastate her. All false religions will be affected.
Some political systems have already shown their impatience with false religion’s interference in political and social spheres. Some socialistic countries have taken a stand for atheism and have reduced religion to a virtual nonentity, as in Albania, or to a compliant handmaiden, as in Russia and China.
Elsewhere, political rulers show strong resentment for the liberation theology of some Catholic priests in poorer countries. Yet others repress religions that get involved in racial matters. Even in so-called liberal countries, some politicians resent clerical meddling in politics and social issues.
It remains to be seen just what further issues will provoke the political elements worldwide to act against false religion .”
-------------------
*** w96 6/1 p. 18 Flight to Safety Before the “Great Tribulation” ***
20 The religions of Babylon the Great continue to be a violently disruptive force in the world. News headlines frequently identify warring factions and terrorist groups by naming the religion that they espouse. Riot police and soldiers have had to force their way into temples to stop violence between rival religious factions. Religious bodies have financed political revolution. Religious hatred has frustrated efforts by the United Nations to maintain stable relations between ethnic groups. In pursuing the goal of peace and security , elements within the United Nations would like to see the elimination of any religious influence that stands in their way.
21 There is also another important factor to consider.
Although the militarized horns from within the United Nations will be used to destroy Babylon the Great, that destruction will really be an expression of divine judgment.
The execution of judgment will come at God’s appointed time.
(Revelation 17:17) What should we do in the meantime? “Get out of her”—get out of Babylon the Great—the Bible answers.—Revelation 18:4.
---------------
I do hope that the evidence is…quite clear. Any comments are welcome.
Greetings, J.C. MacHislopp