For a very long time, the WTS has used Proverbs 4:18 to justify their doctrine of progressive revelation.
It is about time that this is examined in "light" of the surrounding verses. The following is Proverbs chapter 4 from the NWT.
Listen, O sons, to the discipline of a father and pay attention, so as to know understanding. 2 For good instruction is what I certainly shall give to YOU. My law DO not leave. 3 For I proved to be a real son to my father, tender and the only one before my mother. 4 And he would instruct me and say to me: "May your heart keep fast hold of my words. Keep my commandments and continue living. 5 Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding. Do not forget, and do not turn aside from the sayings of my mouth. 6 Do not leave it, and it will keep you. Love it, and it will safeguard you. 7 Wisdom is the prime thing. Acquire wisdom; and with all that you acquire, acquire understanding. 8 Highly esteem it, and it will exalt you. It will glorify you because you embrace it. 9 To your head it will give a wreath of charm; a crown of beauty it will bestow upon you."
10 Hear, my son, and accept my sayings. Then for you the years of life will become many. 11 I will instruct you even in the way of wisdom; I will cause you to tread in the tracks of uprightness. 12 When you walk, your pace will not be cramped; and if you run, you will not stumble. 13 Take hold on discipline; do not let go. Safeguard it, for it itself is your life.
14 Into the path of the wicked ones do not enter, and do not walk straight on into the way of the bad ones. 15 Shun it, do not pass along by it; turn aside from it, and pass along. 16 For they do not sleep unless they do badness, and their sleep has been snatched away unless they cause someone to stumble. 17 For they have fed themselves with the bread of wickedness, and the wine of acts of violence is what they drink. 18 But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established.19 The way of the wicked ones is like the gloom; they have not known at what they keep stumbling.
20 My son, to my words do pay attention. To my sayings incline your ear. 21 May they not get away from your eyes. Keep them in the midst of your heart. 22 For they are life to those finding them and health to all their flesh. 23 More than all else that is to be guarded, safeguard your heart, for out of it are the sources of life. 24 Remove from yourself the crookedness of speech; and the deviousness of lips put far away from yourself. 25 As for your eyes, straight ahead they should look, yes, your own beaming eyes should gaze straight in front of you. 26 Smooth out the course of your foot, and may all your own ways be firmly established. 27 Do not incline to the right hand or to the left. Remove your foot from what is bad.
Although the first part talks about acquiring wisdom and understanding, the middle part talks about not walking into the path of the wicked one, and how the wicked one cannot sleep unless they have done badness. A contrast is made between the path of the righteous one and the way of the wicked one. The final part talks about walking straight, and do not what is bad.
Proverbs 4:18 is a key scripture for the WTS concept of "new light," or doctrine of Progressive Revelation, that Jehovah God reveals knowledge and understanding gradually at the appropriate time. But it really does not lend support for that doctrine at all.
Wasn't there a recent posting (which I cannot find!!!) where someone said that the Progressive Revelation doctrine originated from the Second Adventists, and that Russell just carried it over into his set of core beliefes? (If anyone can find that thread, please post the reference.)
--VM44