Revelation "Adjustments": Complete Analysis

by V 53 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  observador

  By the way, V, thanks for putting that together.
  Very good job!!!
  Observador.
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  Fatfreek

  Great post, V.

  It reminds me of the book "Nations" ("The Nations Shall Know That You Are Jehovah") where there are 21 or so mentions of "20th Century" or "twentieth century", including the one where the Soc says clearly the "end" will come before the end of the century.

  Very interesting, Observador. I wonder if you can you source that for us?
  It would also be interesting if anyone has a count of such "20th Century" fixes spanning all their publications.

  Fats
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  BluesBrother

  kj chap. 12 pp. 216-217 "Until He Comes Who Has the Legal Right" ***

  "JEHOVAH’S

  "SWORD" AGAINST "ALL THOSE OF FLESH"

  9

  Shortly, within our twentieth century, the "battle in the day of Jehovah" will begin against the modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom. The ancient "soil of Israel" pictures the realm in which Christendom has operated. It pictures the standing and relationship that Christendom has claimed to occupy with God by means of his "new covenant" of which Jesus Christ is the mediator. Now is no time for anyone in Christendom to rely on any righteousness on the basis of his own merits and to boast of his own self-righteousness. Jehovah’s "sword" of warfare will cut off from this position that Christendom’s clergy claim for her all religionists who depend upon her having an acceptable standing with God."

  [The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah - How? published 1971]
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  Fatfreek

  Shortly, within our twentieth century, the "battle in the day of Jehovah" will begin against the modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom.

  Thanks, BluesBrother.
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  Leolaia

  I find this rephrasing to be quite interesting:

  p. 107, ¶11, replace fourth sentence with: Satan’s world system has been put on notice by this global warning.

  OLD: Since the year 1919 in particular, Jehovah has caused his witnesses to proclaim his judgments among all elements of human society on earth. Satan’s world system has been rocked and shaken by this global warning.

  Could this reflect awareness of the utter ridiculousness of the original statement? But if so, there is so much like this in the book (especially in the portion discussing ch. 9 and the seven trumpets) that apparently is not amended....
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  Sunnygal41

  I found this quite interesting because it sounds like they are spinning it to imply that it is enough that the spoken and printed words are enough warning.....that the actual need to place the magazines with people to read isn't necessary.........sure takes the pressure off in the witness mind of placing magazines...........just my opinion...........

  REPHRASE

  p. 146, ¶16 replace sentences following quote of Revelation 9:10 with: What could this mean? As they go about their Kingdom work, Jehovah’s Witnesses, using the spoken word and printed publications, issue authoritive statements based on God’s Word. Their message has a scorpionlike sting because they warn of Jehovah’s approaching day of vengeance. (Isaiah 61:2) Before the present generation of spiritual locusts lives out its life span, its divinely ordained work of declaring Jehovah’s judgments will be completed—to the hurt of all stiff-necked blasphemers.

  OLD: What could this mean? As they go about their Kingdom work, Jehovah’s Witnesses leave behind them publications—books, magazines, brochures, timely tracts. These contain authoritative statements, based on God’s Word, for the people to read in their homes, and they have a scorpionlike sting because they warn of Jehovah’s approaching day of vengeance. (Isaiah 61:2) Before the present generation of spiritual locusts lives out its life span, its divinely ordained work of declaring Jehovah’s judgments will be completed—to the hurt of all stiff-necked blasphemers.
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  yesidid

  Thank you so much V, I have sent it off to a faithful witness. He can't complain that it is apostate, but it sure shows them off in a bad light.
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  blondie

  Actually, the change in when the sheep and goats would be judged did have a significant change in the thinking of JWs regarding the possibility of the resurrection of non-JWs who died before the great tribulation started.

  The WTS taught that a judgment period started in 1914 and would end with the start of the GT. People living during that period were being judged worthy of life or death. Non-JWs who died before the GT would not be resurrected since they had been judged. This change in 1995 that now the judgment did not start until shortly after the beginning of the GT, meant that non-JWs who died before that time descended in Sheol (not Gehenna) and would be resurrected into the paradise earth.

  ***

  w89 5/1 p. 19 Worship the Creator, Not The Creation ***

  A

  Special Urgency

  Because we live in a judgment period, there is now a special urgency to worship God properly. Eternal destinies are being determined. God’s prophetic Word tells us that in these "last days" of the present system of things, Christ Jesus has arrived in heavenly glory "and all the angels with him." For what purpose? Jesus himself foretold that purpose, saying: "All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." The sheep will depart "into everlasting life." The goats will depart "into everlasting cutting-off."—2 Timothy 3:1-5; Matthew 25:31, 32, 46.

  ***

  w76 6/1 pp. 346-347 pars. 14-15 Look Forward with Confidence in God’s Righteousness and Justice ***

  14

  An illustration that Jesus gave provides some information about that judgment. The apostles had asked Christ what would be ‘the sign of his presence and of the conclusion of the system of things.’ (Matt. 24:3) The final part of his reply, was the parable of the sheep and the goats. (Matt. 25:31-46) This illustration applies now, for in 1914 C.E. his "presence" in Kingdom power in heaven began; then ‘the Son of man arrived in his glory and sat down on his glorious throne.’ (Matt. 25:31; Dan. 7:13, 14) Also confirming its application to this period between the start of his "presence" and the destruction of the system of things is the fact that Jesus spoke of his spiritual brothers, the remaining ones of the 144,000, as being mistreated and imprisoned; this is something being done to them now, not something that will occur in the New Order.—Rev. 12:17.

  15

  In the illustration, Jesus said that during this period, "all the nations will be gathered before him [as the enthroned King], and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats." (Matt. 25:32) This is no mere temporary handling of matters, but involves decisive judgments rendered by the one appointed by Jehovah to "judge the living and the dead." (2 Tim. 4:1; John 5:26, 27) Well, then, can we conclude that during this period the attitude and actions of some individuals will result in their meriting eternal destruction? While some persons might hesitate to reach such a firm conclusion, note what Jesus said about those who now prove themselves "goats": "Be on your way from me, you who have been cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels." (Matt. 25:41, 46; 2 Thess. 1:6-9) So this is a time when eternal lives of such individuals are in the balance; it is a time of judgment.

  ***

  w93 5/15 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***

  Questions

  From Readers

  Will

  people be resurrected if they do not accept true Christianity now and die before the start of the great tribulation?

  It is good for all of us to resist any inclination to act as judges, recognizing that in the final analysis, Jehovah’s judgment by means of Jesus Christ is what counts. (John 5:22; Acts 10:42; 2 Timothy 4:1) But the Scriptures do provide some helpful information in answer to the foregoing question.

  Worldwide preaching of the good news of God’s Kingdom is a vital aspect of ‘the sign of Jesus’ presence.’ This sign has been in evidence since early in this century. The preaching work is resulting in a dividing of the people of all nations in fulfillment of Jesus’ illustration of "the sheep" and "the goats." With the completion of this preaching and dividing activity, the "great tribulation" will bring the present wicked system of things to an end.—Matthew 24:3, 21, 22; 25:31-46.

  Jehovah, along with his Son, will judge whether any who reject the Kingdom message and die prior to the outbreak of the great tribulation are classed as goats. Jesus said that the goats "will depart into everlasting cutting-off." Therefore, we can conclude that those who are determined by God to be goats will not receive a resurrection. They have a judgment similar to that of those who "undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction" at the time of the great tribulation.—2 Thessalonians 1:9.

  But what about those who may not seem to have been sufficiently exposed to the Kingdom message so as to have been able to make an intelligent choice for or against the truth before they died during these "last days"?—2 Timothy 3:1.

  Many who die while the preaching work is in progress prior to the great tribulation will evidently receive a resurrection. This is indicated by what we read at Revelation 6:7, 8 concerning the ride of the symbolic horsemen. Many people have died as victims of wars, food shortages, and deadly plagues. Since it is "Hades" that claims these victims of "Death," they will be resurrected during Christ’s Millennial Reign, when Hades gives up all the dead in it. (Revelation 20:13) A number of those raised to life may have had some contact with the Kingdom message before they died.

  How grateful we can be that Jesus did not leave it up to humans to determine who are like sheep and who are like goats! Imperfect humans cannot properly evaluate how much of an opportunity a certain person had to hear and accept the good news. Can we know what his heart condition was or whether he truly loved righteousness? Can we measure how much his response might have been affected by his family, his religious background, or other influences? Obviously not. Yet, we can be sure that Jehovah God and Jesus Christ can evaluate such matters and then reach judgments that are perfect, just, and righteous.—Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 11:1-5.

  Hence, there is no reason for us to speculate about who among those who have died recently may or may not be resurrected. This is something we have not been authorized to do. (Compare Luke 12:13, 14.) It is far wiser for us to wait on the decisions of the righteous Judges, Jehovah God and Jesus Christ. This will give us more peace of mind as Jehovah’s servants. It will also help us to give better attention to what we have been assigned to do—‘go and make disciples of people of all the nations, teaching them to observe all the things Jesus commanded.’—Matthew 28:19, 20.

  Based on the information above, when funeral talks would be given by brothers for non-baptized people, it would always be up in the air whether they would be resurrected or not. After the moving forward of the judging of the goats to after the GT, then many JWs breathed a sign of relief and felt confident that they would see non-JW spouses, parents, children, etc., again in the resurrection.

  Blondie
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  Fe2O3Girl

  Thank you very much, V.

  I wasn't aware of the change in teaching about the river of water of life. I have said in the past (only partly in jest) that eventually the JWs will drop the whole end times teachings and say that they were right all along - they have been in spiritual paradise since 1975!

  Now I see they are pulling stuff from the future earthly paradise to current fulfillment! Was I far out?

  DOCTRINE CHANGE (Effective 2006)

  p. 311, ¶19, replace sentences after citation “Revelation 11:15; 12:10” with: During the time of the end, the spirit and the bride have been inviting rightly disposed ones to take life’s water free. Water from this river will continue to be made available to such ones right up to the end of this system of things and, thereafter, on to the new world, when New Jerusalem ‘comes down out of heaven from God.’—Revelation 21:2.

  OLD: Previous to that date, “the Lamb” was not enthroned as Messianic King. Additionally, since the river runs through the broad way of New Jerusalem, the time of the vision’s fulfillment must be after the destruction of Satan’s world, when New Jerusalem ‘comes down out of heaven from God.’—Revelation 21:2.

  Maybe they will let the remnant die soon?
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  Jim_TX

  Okay... I've been 'out' for a while, and so may have missed something.
  Why are they changing all 'published by' references
  From: Watchtower Bible & Tract Society etc.
  To: Jehovah's Witnesses
  
  Why are they doing this? I thought the publishing company _was_ the WTBTS! Now, they seem to pointing the finger at the publishers, as the ones who printed the books? *puzzled look*
  Regards,
  Jim TX