"Greater Fulfilment"

by IT Support 32 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  IT Support

  The Society claim that many prophecies have a "greater fulfilment." E.g. Daniel 4 was not only fulfilled with King Nebuchadnezzar, but has a "greater fulfilment" in telling when the Gentile Times will end.

  Has the Society ever tried to justify this practise? I looked up WT Library 2003 but could only find examples of "greater fulfilments," not any reasons why it is valid to interpret prophecies in this extended way.

  Any thoughts?

  Regards,

  Ken

  (PS I hope this subject hasn't already been exhaustively discussed: I couldn't find any 'hits' when I tried Search.)
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  Elsewhere

  They are the Faithful and Discreet Slave... that isn't enough for you?
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  IT Support

  Elsewhere,

  They are the Faithful and Discreet Slave... that isn't enough for you?

  It used to be. But I loved the quote I read somewhere (no idea where!) that said:

  Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

  Regards,

  Ken
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  blondie

  I haven't found it yet, but the WTS tends to say that some aspect of the prophecy was not fulfilled in the past indicating a greater or major fulfillment is yet in the future. Actually, the WTS says that every prophecy in the past has a major fulfillment in the Kingdom.

  Blondie

  Here is an example:

  ***

  w02 5/1 p. 22 Who Will Survive the Day of Jehovah? ***

  This was in order to fulfill the prophecy at Malachi 4:5, where Jehovah stated: "Look! I am sending to you people Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah." That prophecy had a first fulfillment in the work of John the Baptizer, who was foreshadowed by Elijah. John did an Elijahlike work when he baptized Jews who had repented of their sins against the Law covenant. More important, John was the Messiah?s forerunner. However, John?s work was only an initial fulfillment of Malachi?s prophecy. Jesus, while identifying John as a second Elijah, indicated that there would be a future "Elijah" work.?Matthew 17:11, 12.

  Another point they use with regard to Matthew 24, etc. is that the "man of lawlessness" or great apostasy had not happened yet...according to the WTS.
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  IT Support

  Blondie,

  I haven't found it yet, but the WTS tends to say that some aspect of the prophecy was not fulfilled in the past indicating a greater or major fulfillment is yet in the future... Another point they use with regard to Matthew 24, etc. is that the "man of lawlessness" or great apostasy had not happened yet...according to the WTS.

  I just looked up Barnes on 2Th 2:3 and, on the first phrase "Let no man deceive you by any means," he says:

  The means now consist of a claim to uncommon wisdom in the interpretation of obscure prophecies of the Scriptures.

  That's precisely what WT does.

  Actually, the WTS says that every prophecy in the past has a major fulfillment in the Kingdom.

  Or in themselves!

  I was just wondering whether they had ever published a justification of the concept of looking for a "greater fulfillment" of a prophecy or incident?

  Or have they always taken it for granted that there would be one?

  Regards,

  Ken
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  blondie

  I would suggest investigating the teachings of the Adventists (Second) who had a profound effect on Russell's teachings. Since so much was "borrowed" from them, you might find the foundation of this approach to prophecy.

  Blondie
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  Pole

  The greater fullfilment doctrine is a form of religious paranoia.

  The paranoia disorder is characterised by (among other things) the tendency to interpret meaningless, irrelevant texts and situations as meaningful, carefully encoded, secret messages of utmost importance to the world. All such messages support a previously accepted agenda. All such messages can only be deciphered by the paranoid person.

  That's precisely what the "greater fulfilment" doctrine is about, isn't it?

  The WTS religion is a form of mass-paranoia.

  Pole of the "this post definitely has a greater fullfilment" class
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  kwintestal

  That's something I never quite understood myself - why would one prophecy have more than one fulfillment?? It's funny how the WTS attributes every new "fulfillment" of prophecy to themselves - just another ploy to use as "proof" that this is God's organization. Any one of us could probably look at our own lives and make the details "fit" into the fulfillment of a prophecy!

  Mrs. Kwin
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  Narkissos

  It's funny when you think that most if not all Bible "prophecies" which were fulfilled were actually prophecies after the event. I.e., not prophecies (in the sense of futuristic predictions) at all.

  And the part of them which was really (futuristic) prophecy and then did not come true is now the basis for reinterpreting the whole thing (including the part which was already past when written) as future, in "greater fulfillment" mode.

  OK. Anyone can burst the bubble when s/he feels like doing so.
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  RunningMan

  Why stop at only 2 fulfillments? If it is valid to assume that many prophecies, and in fact, many non-prophetic events, have a minor and a major fulfillment, isn't it just as reasonable to assume that they also have an intermediate fulfillment, a penultimate fulfillment, and an epilogue fulfillment?

  Anyone remember the words "type" and "antitype"? I think those labels go back to Freddie's hayday as writer of the publications.