Jehovah continues to shed light upon his people. What are some refinements that have been published in The Watchtower?
* When does the separating of the sheep and the goats take place? (Matt. 25:31-33)—October 15, 1995, pages 18-28.
I'm surprised they mention their 1995 "refined" view on the separating of the sheep and goats...
Prior to 1995 the WT$ taught that the separating of the sheep and the goats was currently taking place. This changed in 1995 when new light flashed forth brilliantly, enlightening the GB to the fact that "Christendom" had it right all along: the separating of the sheep and the goats was a future event that would take place after the tribulation.
Quote from the 1995 WT:
Does this parable apply when Jesus sat down in kingly power in 1914, as we have long understood?...nothing indicates that at that time, or for that matter since, Jesus sat to judge people of all the nations finally as sheep or goats...the rendering of judgement on the sheep and the goats is future. It will take place after "the tribulation" mentioned at Matthew 24:29,30... -–WT, 10/15/1995, p22-23.
However.....
The WT$ fails to mention that the 1995 "refinement", as they call it, was essentially a reversion to OLD LIGHT. The view that the separating of the sheep and the goats was a future event taking place after the tribulation was labelled DOCTRINAL ERROR and DISCARDED by the WT$ in 1923:
As light kept increasing, they appreciated more and more the importance of publishing Jehovah's name, and his kingdom as mankind's only hope. ... More accurate understanding of Jesus' parables also resulted. An outstanding example involved the parable of the sheep and the goats, as recorded at Matthew 25:31-46. It had long been thought that this parable would be fulfilled during Christ's 1,000-year reign. But then Jehovah's Witnesses saw that it simply could not apply at that time. ... So it must be fulfilled now, as the enthroned Jesus in heaven gathers the nations for judgment, and this is borne out by the observable facts in fulfillment. –The Watchtower, December 1, 1981, page 23-25.
In the year 1905 it was thought that that parable would apply during the Millennial Reign of Christ after "the war of the great day of God the Almighty" at the battlefield of Har-Magedon. (Revelation 16:14-16) However, we must bear in mind that the parable of the sheep and the goats was the final part of Jesus' answer to his disciples' question as to what would be the sign of his "presence and of the conclusion of the system of things." (Matthew 24:3) So the fulfillment of this parable must be realized during this conclusion of the system of things that started in the year 1914. –The Watchtower, February 15, 1984, page 17.
As if reverting to a previously discarded doctrine wasn't bad enough for the WT$, there is also the matter of their attributing the doctrinal change of 1923 (now considered FALSE DOCTRINE) to God:
Since they have produced the fruits of God's Kingdom, Jehovah has blessed them richly by bringing them up to date in "the greatly diversified wisdom of God."-Ephesians 3:10. Thus, in 1923 Jesus' great prophecy about the sheep and the goats was properly understood, and it was discerned that the whole world was under judgment. (Matthew 25:31-46) -–WT, 5/15/1986, p14.
The Lord revealed to his people the meaning of the parable of the sheep and the goats, showing how the "sheep" only would be spared by Jehovah when his wrath is expressed at Armageddon. All this information came not from or by man, but by the Lord God... --WT, 2/1/1938, p35.
According to the WT$, that ever-so-faithful-and-discreet servant of God, "The Lord revealed to his people [false doctrine]". Yes, indeed, "All this [false doctrine] came not from or by man, but by the Lord God."