Watchtower Investigation

My wife and I have recently been, for all intents of purposes, kept from seeing our three year old grandson.  It is due to an unfortunate set of circumstances that actually has nothing to do with the Watch Tower organization.  We have though, just been familiarized with a  very sad and heart wrenching situation that is brought on by the Watch Tower Bible & Tract  Society every day to, most likely, many thousands of families.

Today and for many years, at least since 1952, the watchtower has been teaching if not demanding that apostates must be shunned.  If you are a shunned grand parent, that may mean that you will no longer see your grandchildren and a grandchild no longer has a grand parent who of course still loves the child.  Parents are discouraged from seeing their own children and vise-verse. Every family relationship can be affected.

So what does one do to be disfellowshipped and labelled an apostate, going from a loved family member and fellow Jehovah’s Witness to some despicable person who must be hated and whom the Watchtower has recently labelled  ‘mentally diseased’ ? Someone who is  “loathsome, odious, filthy, to detest”. (Watchtower October 1st. 1952, page #599)

I have never been one of Jehovah’s Witnesses but I have heard more than one Witness say that a disfellowshipped person must have done something pretty bad and likely immoral to get disfellowshipped.  I have even been told this about a woman who I know personally and she has told me exactly why she was disfellowshipped.

She confessed to an elder that she could not in good conscience teach in the door to door work that Jesus came invisibly in 1914  because she did not believe this teaching herself.  An article featured in the Watchtower magazine for that month was about Christ’s return in 1914 which led her to speak to an elder about her dilemma.  He assured her that she simply need not talk about Christ’s return and to allow her partner in the door to door work to handle that subject.  Not long afterward, she found herself disfellowshipped.

You might ask how I know that she is being truthful with me and that it wasn’t something immoral that she had done?  Well, again, more than one of Jehovah’s Witnesses told me that no one would be disfellowshipped because they simply did not believe that Jesus came invisibly in 1914.  These Witnesses were absolutely certain of that.

Let me quote the Watchtower to clear up this discrepancy: Please consider the following from the Watchtower April 1st, 1986 page # 31. Questions From Readers:
“Why have Jehovah’s Witnesses disfellowshipped (excommunicated) for apostasy some who still profess belief in God, the Bible and Jesus Christ?”

Watchtower answer to the above question: (see photo of W.T. page #31 for full quote)

“Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of true teachings of the bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses. What do such beliefs include?”

“That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ’s foretold presence.”

“Do we have Scriptural precedent for taking such a strict position? Indeed we do!”

Amazingly, on the same page where the Watchtower sights their extra ‘unique’ requirements in addition to what the disciples taught for approved association, they quote the scripture that condemns them for  it! Galatians 1:6-9  …However, even if we or an angel out of Heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond what we declared to you as good news, let him be accursed.

My question is, if you do not believe that  ‘1914 is the time of Christ’s presence’ which is a ‘required’ belief to have ‘approved association’ where does that leave you?  If you confess this to an elder you very well may find yourself disfellowshipped as did my friend.

The Witnesses who told me that my friend must have done something more to get disfellowshipped had nothing to back up that belief, while the Watchtower itself states plainly that not believing Christ came invisibly in 1914 necessitates unapproved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses.  This debate is between these Witnesses I spoke with and the Watchtower with no need to even involve the woman who was disfellowshipped.

The fact is that she was disfellowshipped for the reason she told me and for many years now she has had little contact with her Jehovah’s Witness daughter, grandchildren and now great grandchildren because the Watch Tower organization says she is an apostate.

So what is an apostate again? Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible #646 Apostasia: defection from the truth [Apostasy] : -falling away, forsake.

I think we can safely say that an apostate is someone who has departed from “the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.” (from Jude 3) “…exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.”

I happen to have an original Watchtower magazine, July 1st, 1950 that tells in a nutshell the story of how Pasture Charles Russell, the founder of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, came to believe what he did and what he began to teach in his then Zion’s Watch Tower magazine.

July 1st, 1950 Watchtower page #212 : “In his teens Charles Taze Russell, the editor, had been a member of the Congregational Church and a strong believer in the doctrine of eternal torture of the damned human souls in a hell of literal fire and brimstone.  But when trying to reclaim an acquaintance, an infidel, to Christianity, he himself was routed from his sectarian position and driven into skepticism.  Hungrily he began investigating the heathen religions in search of the truth on God’s purpose and man’s destiny.  Proving all these unsatisfactory and before giving up religious investigation altogether, he took up the search of the Holy Scriptures from a skeptic’s standpoint, now untrammeled by the false religious doctrines of the sectarian systems of Christendom.”

Let’s think about what this article is saying:  An infidel friend was able to route Charles from his beliefs as a teenager.  Rather than asking for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and searching the Scriptures for answers, he turns to the pagan religions looking for God’s purpose.  Although he does not find what he is looking for amongst the pagans, he does come back to the Bible, again, not asking for guidance from the Holy Spirit but searching the scriptures as a skeptic!  Would you expect to find Jehovah’s purpose investigating His Holy Scriptures as a skeptic? Maybe.  I can understand a young man not wanting to believe in eternal torment for his friend or for others.  I doubt that many Christians like to think about non-Christian friends or anyone for that matter suffering eternal torment.  I don’t like the thought either, but I am not going to ignore the many scriptures that make it very plain that this is the destiny of those who reject Jesus Christ as their saviour.  Jehovah did not say that we would necessarily understand everything that is taught in His Word, the Bible. He does expect us to accept His Word without interjecting our thoughts to the point where we reject His clear teaching because we don’t like what we are taught.  Jesus Himself taught more about Hell than anyone else in scripture.

I challenge anyone who believes the Bible is God’s Word to investigate Hell in the scriptures, not from a skeptic’s standpoint but as someone who believes God.

In Isaiah 55:9 God states  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  Remember that God is a just God and a loving God and He doesn’t want anyone to go to hell.  We need to trust Him and realize that we can’t always expect to understand His ways and His thoughts.

It is God’s thoughts not the Watch Tower Organization’s thoughts that are higher than our thoughts.  The Watch Tower has shown us that their thoughts keep changing and cannot be trusted.

Charles Taze Russell left the Congregational Church putting his own reasoning above the plain teaching of God because the teaching is hard.  Who is the apostate?

It is also very plain to see that the Watch Tower organization continues to follow in Russell’s footsteps putting their reasoning above many plainly understood teachings of Scripture.  The absolute truth of this is there to plainly see in their own writings for any honest thinking person to investigate.  You will find false dates and false events, contradicting teachings, changing back and forth in many instances, along with other teachings that are just plain ridiculous.

‘Willful Blindness’ is a term that I have heard that I believe aptly describes the attitude of many Jehovah’s Witnesses.  My guess is that they feel they have too much invested in their life as Jehovah’s Witnesses to deal with any possibility that they have been wrong.

Willful Blindness does not stand up in man’s court and it certainly will not stand up in Jehovah God’s court.  You may want to think about that if you plan to follow the Watch Tower Society for an eternity without so much as questioning their credentials.

This organization has destroyed families and taken away the happiness of thousands upon thousands of people some of whom simply could not accept some particular Watchtower teaching.  This same organization that told Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1943 that man could never get into orbit demands that Witnesses not dare to even question them.

There is so much proof in their own literature that condemns the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society as false teachers and false prophets, that there is absolutely no excuse for anyone who chooses to ignore it and remains a member of the Watch Tower organization.

There should be nothing preventing you from beginning your own investigation of the Watch Tower.

Ted Brown

References:

– “Man on earth can no more get rid of these demonic “heavens” than man can by airplane or rockets or other means get above the air envelope which is about our earthly globe and in which man breathes.” ‘The Truth Shall Make You Free’ page #285, a 1943 Watch Tower book.

-Suppose that a doctor told you to avoid contact with someone who is infected with a contagious, deadly disease. You would know what the doctor means, and you would strictly heed his warning. Well, apostates are “mentally diseased,” and they seek to infect others with their disloyal teachings. Jehovah, the Great Physician, tells us to avoid contact with them. – Study Edition of the Watchtower, July 15th 2011, paragraph 6

-We must hate in the truest sense, which is to regard with extreme and active aversion, to consider as loathsome, odious, filthy, to detest.  Surely haters of God are not fit to live on his beautiful earth. What do you do with anything loathsome or repugnant that you detest and abhor?  The answer is simple. You get away from it or remove it from your presence.” The Watchtower, October 1, 1952, p. # 599

-‘Hate what is bad. When a person persists in a way of badness after knowing what is right, when the bad becomes so ingrained that it is an inseparable part of his makeup, then in order to hate what is bad a Christian must hate the person with whom the badness is inseparably linked.. Jesus did not mean for us to love the hardened enemies of Jehovah’ The Watchtower, July 15, 1961, page 420

-“Yes, the international society of Jehovah’s Witnesses is living proof that hatred can be abolished. It is a foreglimpse of a worldwide program to eliminate hatred and its causes. The Watchtower, Jun. 15, 1995, p. 8

 

-‘Apostasy is, in reality, a rebellion against Jehovah. Some apostates profess to know and serve God, but they reject teachings or requirements set out in his Word. Others claim to believe the Bible, but they reject Jehovah’s organization and actively try to hinder its work. When they deliberately choose such badness after knowing what is right, when the bad becomes so ingrained that it is an inseparable part of their makeup, then a Christian must hate in the Biblical sense of the word those who have inseparably attached themselves to the badness.’ The Watchtower, October 1, 1993, page 19

The following is from the Internet Christian Library: www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/apl/jw/jw-055.txt

Prophecies of the Watchtower Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES CLAIM TO BE PROPHETS

The Watchtower of April 1st, 1972, page 197, had this statement,

“So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them dangers and

to declare things to come?…These questions can be answered in the

affirmative. Who is the prophet?…This “prophet” was not one man, but

was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep

followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible

students. Today they are known as Jehovah’s Christian witnesses…Of

course it is easy to say that this group acts as a “prophet” of God. It

is another thing to prove it. The only way that this can be done is to

review the record. What does it show?

Since the J.W.’s claim to be God’s prophet, we are free to put them

to the Bible test for a prophet, found in Deuteronomy 18:18-20. Verse

22 of this same chapter says, “When a prophet speaks in the name of the

LORD (YHWH), if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the

thing which the LORD has not spoken.” Verse 20 plainly says, “that

prophet shall die”.

False prophecy cannot be “explained away” and treated lightly. The

Watchtower has invited us to examine their record, and we will! All

quotes are from publications of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society

and available at headquarters in Brooklyn, New York. Some of these

publications may also be found in local Kingdom Hall libraries. Judge

this self-proclaimed “prophet” for yourselves!

6,000 YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY OF PROPHECIES

6,000 years of human history ended in 1873. (The Time is at Hand,

p.33). 6,000 years of human history ended in 1972. (The Truth Shall

Make You Free, p. 152, 1943 edition). 6,000 years of human history

ended in 1975. (Awake!, October 8th, 1968.)

ARMAGEDDON PROPHECIES

Armageddon would end in 1914. (The Time is At Hand, Page 101, 1889

Edition). Armageddon would end in 1915. (The Time is At Hand, Page 101,

1915 Edition).

Today, J.W.’s expect Armageddon any minute!

THE RETURN OF CHRIST PROPHECIES

Since Christ failed to show up for any of the Watchtower dates,

J.W.’s altered their teaching to make his coming conveniently

“invisible”.

Christ returned in 1874. (The Finished Mystery, pages 386, 295, 1917

Edition). The Watchtower publications taught this 1874 date right up to

1929. The “Prophecy” book, published in 1929, states on page 65, “The

Scriptural proof is that the second presence of the Lord Jesus Christ

began in 1874 A.D.”

Christ returned in 1914. (The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life, p.

87).

THE MILLENNIUM PROPHECIES

The Millennium began in 1873. (Thy Kingdom Come, page 305). The

Millennium began in 1874. (Finished Mystery, page 386).

PROPHECIES ON THE RESURRECTION

The resurrection would occur in 1878. (Thy Kingdom Come, page 234).

Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old would return

in 1925. (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, page 89).

The Watchtower Society even published a book telling their followers

to add a room onto their houses, and get an undertaker to decorate it.

Undertakers, of course, would be looking for employment, since there

would be no more deaths in 1926. When the room was completed,

Watchtower devotees were to call up Jerusalem, where Abraham would have

an office, and request that their parents be “awakened” from death.

They would soon appear in the new room! (The Way to Paradise, pages

228, 229).

PROPHECIES ON SPACE TRAVEL

“Man cannot by airplane or rockets or other means get above the air

envelope which is about our earthly globe…”(The Truth Shall Make you

Free, p. 285, 1943 edition).

THE BOOK OF RUTH

The Book of Ruth is “not prophetical”. (Watchtower Reprints IV, p.

3110, Nov. 15, 1902). The Book of Ruth “is prophetic”. (Watchtower

Book, “Preservation”, pages 169, 175, 176).

PROPHECIES ON SODOM AND GOMORRAH

Sodom and Gomorrah will receive a second opportunity. (Man of Ages,

page 110).

Sodom and Gomorrah will receive no second opportunity. (Watchtower,

March 1965, p. 139).

THE “HIGHER POWERS” OF ROMANS 13:1

“Higher Powers” refers to earthly governments. (The Time is at Hand

(1889) p. 81).

“Higher Powers” refers to Jehovah God and Jesus. (The Truth Shall

Make You Free, p. 312).

“Higher Powers” refers to earthly governments. (Man’s Salvation…at

Hand p. 326). Notice how the “brighter light” dimmed back again!

THE REVELATION NAME “ABADDON-APOLLYON”

Refers to Satan. (Studies in the Scriptures, Vol.7). Refers to Jesus

Christ. (Then is Finished the Mystery of God, Page 232). Quite a change!

THE “ALPHA AND OMEGA” OF REVELATION

Refers to Jehovah God. (Awake! August 22, 1978, page 28). Refers to

Jesus Christ. (Watchtower, October 1, 1978, p.15).

Notice the rapid change of “truth” and “interpretation of scripture”

in just two months!

THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE

Refers to their founder, Charles Taze Russell. (Watchtowers from

Dec. 1, 1916 to March 1, 1923, p. 68).

Refers to the “Remnant of Spiritual Israelites” (the supposed

remnant of the 144,000 “heavenly class”). (From Paradise Lost to

Paradise Regained, page 193).

IN CONCLUSION

Although the official publication of the Jehovah’s Witnesses claims,

“…Jehovah’s Witnesses today make their declaration of the good news

of the kingdom under angelic direction and support” according to the

Watchtower of April 1, 1972, page 200, they have proved to be an

embarrassment to the angels!

Undaunted, the Watchtower of July 1st, 1973, page 402, goes on to

claim, “Consider too, the fact that Jehovah’s organization alone in all

the earth is directed by God’s holy spirit or active force.”

Obviously the Holy Spirit did not prompt these false prophecies!

Not only does the Bible give us a simple test for prophets, which we

considered at the beginning of this tract, namely that their prophecies

will fail, but the word of God has more to say about prophecies and

prophesying.

The Bible reveals three sources for prophecy. One, it is from God,

and inspired by Him. Two, it is from the Devil and inspired by him.

Thirdly, prophecies can come out of “the flesh”, or out of our “own

spirit”.

Since the Watchtower Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses has so many

failed prophecies, we know they are not prophesying by God’s direction,

and through His Holy Spirit, or by the angels.

This leaves us with two alternatives for the false prophecies of the

Watchtower Society. They are from Satan, or they are from “the flesh”.

The Watchtower has chosen the latter, claiming that “we all make

mistakes” etc. “We have new light”. Is this an “out” for them? No, for

Jehovah’s Witnesses should carefully read Ezekiel, chapter 13. This

chapter is a judgment of God on prophets who hope for a fulfillment of

their words, after prophesying falsely. Verse 8, says, “Because you

have spoken falsehood and seen a lie, therefore, behold, I am against

you”, declared the Lord God.”

The Watchtower Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses is a proven false

prophet, and the Lord, by His own decree, is against them.

——————————————–

file: /pub/resources/text/apl/jw: jw-055.txt

I just finished watching the DVD Blood Moons by Mark Blitz.  He gives a thorough explanation of what the blood moons are all about and how these signs are particularly linked to Israel.

I had just been working on a post ‘The Watch Tower and  Israel before & after 1931’.  Rutherford, the second president of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, was well aware of  Bible prophecy concerning Israel and wrote all about it, but after taking the name ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’ and giving it to the International Bible Students, he had a propblem.  Jehovah had told the nation of Israel that they were His witnesses ( Isaiah 43:10).  So what did Rutherford do?  He began to teach the opposite of what he ( and the Bible) taught about Israel.  Rutherford began teaching that the ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses of the Watch Tower are now ‘Spiritual Israel’ and that Jehovah is completley through with natural Israel bedcause of their rejection of their Messiah.

The scriptures prove the ridiculousness of Rutherford’s reverse teaching now held by Jehovah’s Witnesses and taught by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.

This video also makes it clear that God has natural Israel front and centre in His plans along with the work that Christians have ahead of us.

I heard about the video listening to Mark Blitz speaking with Rabbi Jonathan Bernis on the TV program ‘Jewish Voice with Jonathan Bernis’.  You can see this program on line using the address below which I recommend doing.   I ordered the video Blood Moons and a small book entitled ‘7 Keys to Unlock the Prophetic Mysteries of Israel’ from Jewish Voice Ministries on this program.

http://www.god.tv/jewish-voice-ministries-international/video/jewish-voice/mark-biltz-part-1

I highly recommend the video Blood Moons and have copied informatiion about it below.

It is available at www.WNDfilms.com

By Mark Blitz

Product Description

“The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.” – Joel 2:31

From the beginning, in Genesis, God declared He specifically created the sun and the moon to be used for signs. These heavenly bodies would be used as signals of coming dramatic historical events when the Creator of the universe would intersect with human history. But how do we unlock the code to interpret the signals?

The key is found in the riveting new book “Blood Moons: Decoding the Imminent Heavenly Signs” by Pastor Mark Biltz. In 2007 Biltz first discovered the correlation between blood moons that fell on feast days and key historical world events. He found the divine link between prophecy, heavenly signs and historical events, and what has happened when they intersect.

Throughout history God, the Master Timekeeper, has used the heavenly bodies to communicate to us when significant events would happen. If you want to understand the timing of the Lord, you have to understand the seasons of the Lord, the feasts of the Lord and the calendar of the Lord.

What are the feasts days?

What is the difference between the biblical calendar and the one we use today?

Why should you be concerned about eclipses in the sky?

In “Blood Moons” Biltz answers these questions and more. He explains the importance of these biblical celebrations and milestones and shows how you too can be aware of the signs of things to come.

When Biltz saw an incredible lunar eclipse over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, he began to understand the significance heavenly signs play in deciphering prophecy. In “Blood Moons” he explains the importance of heavenly signs, the feasts of the Lord, keeping to the biblical calendar and being prepared for the coming Day of the Lord. He predicts that something imminent is on the horizon, that God is about to move mightily in the world.

About the Author

Mark Biltz, founder of El Shaddai Ministries in Washington state, is a well-known commentator on the Feasts of the Lord and has produced a series of popular books and DVDs about the feasts that have been sold around the world. His research and theories have earned him guest appearances on both radio and television and have placed him on the covers of magazines. He’s spoken before congregations and at conferences in Sweden, Germany, Switzerland and Canada, as well in the states of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Florida. He has been interviewed by FOX television, and he has appeared on the Sid Roth television broadcast and “Prophecy in the News.” He’s also been interviewed by many radio stations across the United States and Canada. Biltz’s Biltz’s “Blood Moons” book, e-book and DVD, as well as his “Biblical Blood Moon Eclipse 16-Month Calendar,” are available at the WND Superstore.

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
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A few months ago a man called me on the phone after he had been on  this website and was asking  some questions and was quite insistent that I tell him where in the Bible Jesus ever said that He was God.  He let me know that he had knowledge of Greek.  When he called I had a friend waiting for me and I had to let the man go without answering his question, at least to his satisfaction.

I did e-mail him a few days later and quoted John 8:58 where Jesus stated “Before Abraham was I AM” in response to his question about Jesus ever claiming to be God. Since he seemed quite comfortable telling me he had a knowledge of Greek I asked him a couple of questions.  He told me that it was obvious by my questions that I had no knowledge of Greek or something to that effect.  He did not make me feel much like taking my time to respond again and although I guess I should have, I didn’t.

This man’s response included sighting a number of Bible translations that translated the text ” I have been” or a similar meaning, not “I AM” at John 8:58.  The religious leaders asked Jesus how He had seen  Abraham when He was not fifty years old, and  Jesus replied “before Abraham was I AM.”  John 8:58.

While I can’t dispute how these translators arrived at their interpretation of the Greek, I can look at the context and have to wonder why the religious leaders that Jesus was speaking with would have reacted the way they did if Jesus had simply said that “before Abraham existed I have been”.

Jesus had already told them that He had seen Abraham and their response simply sounded like mockery to me.  So why then if  he simply  said he was alive before Abraham, did they suddenly want to stone Him?

Unless I am totally misunderstanding the entire text then this makes no sense.  On the other hand if Jesus  really did say “before Abraham was, I AM”  and the religious leaders, like the man I was speaking with on the phone, did not believe that Jesus was the Great I Am of Exodus and therefore wanted to kill Him for blasphemy!

I can simply quote other Bible translators who do say Jesus claimed to be God when He announced that before Abraham was “I AM”  because He was applying to Himself the title Jehovah God used for Himself in Exodus 3:14.

Since it appears that some translators say Jesus was not claiming to be God and that He  was only saying that He existed before Abraham, while other translators say Jesus was claiming to be God, where do we go from here?

Well, since I assume that the man I spoke with on the phone is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, why not see what the Watch Tower has had to say about the translation of these verses?

Let’s start with ‘The New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures’ published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in 1950.

On page #312 explaining John 8:58 in foot note C.  “I have been…and hence rendered in the perfect indefinite tense.”

Later in 1969 in ‘The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures’ also published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society on page #467 in foot note 58a  “I have been … and hence rendered in the perfect tense.”

You can see  photos of the full footnotes below.

As I said, I do not know Greek but I know that these are opposing explanations of John 8:58, both made by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.

My father was an English teacher and I had asked him one time years ago what he thought of the  Watch Tower’s 1950 explanation of the grammar for John 8;58.  My father does not know Greek either but said that it made no sense in English and would not make sense in any language.

For those of us who must trust others for Greek interpretation, I think it would be foolish to trust a group of men who together made a ‘mistake’ in such an important text that ‘coincidentally’ supported their theology.  I was informed by someone who does know Greek that the second Watch Tower explanation is equally as wrong as the first.

It should be noted that in the word for word translation under the Greek text in the ‘The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures’, used for both of these Watch Tower publications,  the Greek is simply translated ‘I am’.

 

 

 

 

 

The following  actually appears to be a third and different explanation again, by the Watch Tower, of the Greek in John 8:58.

 

 The man who called me on the phone insisting that I tell him where Jesus said He was God should consider Jesus’ words to the religious leaders in the same conversation  He was having with them in John 8:58.  When they asked Him “who do you claim to be?” Jesus answered ” If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing.  It is my Father that glorifies me, He who you say is your God; and yet you have not known Him. …” John 8:53-55

So where does the Father glorify the Son? Here is an example in Hebrews 1:6 But when He brings his First-Born into the inhabited earth, He says: And let all God’s angels worship Him. …” ( The Kingdom Interlinear Translation of the Greek Scriptures published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society)

For the next quote in Hebrews I have to quote any one of the eight translations bound together in the  ‘Eight Translation New Testement’ that I believe many Jehovah’s Witnesses are familiar with.  I can’t quote the Watch Tower here because it makes no sense to me. (Hebrews 1:7 “God is your throne forever,…”)

Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son He saith, Thy throne O God, is for ever and ever: a septre  of righteousness is the septre of thy kingdom. …” (King James version)

I would like to at least try to give an answer that might satisfy the question asked by the man on the phone.  Where did Jesus ever say He was God?

Revelation 1:7 Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, and those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of Him. Yes Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says Jehovah God, the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.”

I know that Jehovah’s witnesses are told that this is Jehovah the Father in this text and that the Father is also coming in some capacity.  Please consider verses 17-18 where you know that it is Jesus speaking. “Do not be fearful.  I am the First and the Last, 18 and the living one; and I became dead, but look! I am living for ever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”

Jesus is the First and the Last and is coming.   Almighty God is coming and is the Alpha and the Omega.  You know that Alpha and Omega means the First and the Last and vise verse.   

OK, we agree that the Almighty God is coming and we agree that Jesus is coming. Verse 7 says He is coming with the clouds.  The scripture also says He will be visible.

In Acts 1:8 while standing on the Mount of Olives Jesus tells the apostles that they will be witnesses of Him to the most distant part of the earth. In verse 9 “And after He had said these things, while they were looking on, He was lifted up and a cloud caught Him up from there vision.

Let’s take a look at Zechariah’s prophecy of the same event.  Zechariah 14:3 “And Jehovah will certainly go forth and war against those nations as in the day of His warring, in the day of fight. 4 And His feet will actually stand in that day upon the mountain of the olive trees, which is in front of Jerusalem, on the east…”

Who’s feet left the Mount of Olives in Acts 1:9?  In Acts 10 when the disciples were gazing up into the sky where Jesus was caught out of their sight two men in white garments stood beside them. Verse 11 and they said “men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This same Jesus who was received up from you into  the sky will come thus in the same manner as you beheld Him going into the sky.”     

Jesus is returning to the Mount of Olives, He was seen leaving and He will be seen coming back.   

If this seems confusing, Jesus leaving, Jehovah coming back, Jesus and Jehovah both coming in Revelation, then let’s ask the question; what event was Jesus speaking about to the religious leaders when He told them in John 8: 56 “Abraham your father rejoiced greatly in the prospect of seeing my day and he saw it and rejoiced.”?  When did Abraham see Jesus? 

Genesis 18: 1 Afterward Jehovah appeared to him among the big trees of Mamre, while he was sitting at the entrance of the tent about the heat of the day. When he raised up his eyes, then he looked and there three men were standing some distance from him. When he caught sight of them he began running to meet them from the entrance of the tent and proceeded to bow down to the earth. 3 Then he said: “Jehovah, if, now, I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass by your servant. ”  I would suggest reading until you come to Genesis 19:24  Then Jehovah made it rain down sulphur and fire from Jehovah, from the heavens, upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah.

It is the Watch Tower that says that they have ‘restored’ the name Jehovah where it belongs in the text of the Bible.  In keeping with the use of the name ‘Jehovah’ as Almighty God’s name, please consider this: Jehovah the Father, who is in Heaven in the above scripture, is in nature not man, not angel but in nature is God.  Another of like kind, One who is also not man , not angel but also in nature God, is also referred to in the Old Testament by the same name as the Father.  In the New Testament at Matthew 1:21  an angel tells Joseph that He will be called ‘Emmanuel’, meaning  ‘God with us’ and that he is to call His name Jesus after being begotten of God and taking on the nature of man.   Mary is also told that He is to be given the name Jesus. 

The man on the phone asked where in the Bible did Jesus ever say that He was God?

I would ask where in the Bible did Jesus ever say that He was the archangel Michael?

God asks the rhetorical question at Hebrews 1:13: But with reference to which one of the angles has He ever said: “Sit at my right hand, until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”  The answer to God’s rhetorical question is not one!

Please do not think to sight  I Thessalonians 4:16 as proof that Jesus is an archangel, especially after just reading what Jehovah God says about that in Hebrews.

Even earthly Kings or Queens and presidents have an official announce in a loud voice their presence as they arrive at an event.  There are often trumpets sounded as well.   When Jesus arrived as a baby, as the lamb of God, there were choirs of angels announcing His birth.   When He arrives as King of Kings would He not be announced by an official, by an archangel’s call and with the trumpet of God?  Jesus is no more the archangel announcing Him than He is God’s trumpet.  Picture it; the King of Kings with no one to announce Him so He calls out Himself, “I am here!” That is disturbing to say the least. 

Revelation 22:12 -“Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to render to each one as his work is. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the beginning and the end. ( Jehovah is the Alpha and the  Omega in Rev. 1:8, Jesus is the First and the Last in Rev. 1:17, who is speaking here?)

           Revelation 22:16- “I Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to you people of these things for the congregations.  I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright  and the morning star.

Revelation 22:20 “He that bears witness of these things says, ‘yes; I am coming quickly.’ “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.”