Sunday, July 13, 2008

128 Years of "Deliverance of God's Kingdom Is At Hand"

For over 128 years the Watchtower has been preaching that the "END IS NEAR!" (The sky is falling! The sky is falling!)
2008 *** w08 5/15 p. 15-16 §20 The Last Days Soon to End !
May you experience great joy in your ministry as you declare this good news and help those " rightly disposed for everlasting life " to realize that deliverance by God's Kingdom is at hand! - Acts 13:48
2007 *** w07 7/1 p. 10 “Divided by Language but United by Love” *Those who attended these conventions experienced firsthand the unity that exists among Witnesses from different lands and cultures. This was very evident at the conclusion of the conventions. All were applauding, hugging new friends, and taking the last photos. (1 Corinthians 1:10; 1 Peter 2:17) Happy and convinced that deliverance from all troubles and cares is at hand, the delegates returned to their homes and congregations with renewed determination to keep a very tight grip on God’s “word of life.”—Philippians 2:15, 16.
2006 g 6/06 p. 32 Millions Will Be Going—Will You? ***The morning program will continue with a talk that introduces a convention highlight, the full-costume drama based on chapter 13 of the Bible book of First Kings. The convention’s final session Sunday afternoon features the public talk “Deliverance by God’s Kingdom Is at Hand!”
1997 *** w97 4/1 p. 11 Take Courage as Deliverance Draws Near ***Deliverance Near—For Whom?12 The increasingly difficult conditions on earth are striking evidence that a vast change—indeed, a grand deliverance—is near at hand! For whom? Deliverance is nearing for those who pay attention to the warning signals and who take appropriate action. First John 2:17 shows what must be done: “The world [Satan’s system of things] is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.”—See also 2 Peter 3:10-13.
1993 *** w93 5/1 p. 26 par. 21 Deliverance at the Revelation of Jesus Christ *
21 While we eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, let us show zeal in telling others about God’s loving Kingdom promises. Deliverance is at hand! May we walk forward, ever forward, as enlightened children of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah!
1990 *** w90 4/15 p. 21 par. 21 Prepare for Deliverance Into a New World ***21 To people of godly devotion who would see fulfilled the sign of his presence in Kingdom power, Jesus said: “Raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.” (Luke 21:28) Have you seen that sign as it has developed in every detail? Then have confidence that fulfillment of Jehovah’s promise of deliverance is very near at hand! Be fully convinced that “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial.”—2 Peter 2:9.
1984 *yb84 p. 3 1984 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses ***Proclaimers of the Good News!JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES are declaring “everlasting good news,” and millions are responding to the message.—Rev. 14:6.Although people can see that world conditions are critical, they may not understand their significance. Jehovah’s Witnesses are proclaiming that these events are a sign of the time of the end for this system of things and that God’s day of deliverance is at hand. That is “good news”!
1982 *** w82 10/1 p. 28 par. 14 Be as Men Who Are Facing Har–Magedon Unafraid ***
14 Thus to men belonging to this world the mounting troubles that will culminate in the war at Har–Magedon are a proof of impending destruction. (Philippians 1:28) This requires a true Christian today to be a person of strong faith in the Almighty God and his promises to the faithful ones. The “deliverance” that is now at hand for persons of such faith is not initially the heavenly glorification of the remnant of the spirit-begotten disciples of Christ and their being taken away from the earthly scene of tribulation, although that is in store for them finally.
1976 *** hs chap. 7 p. 137 par. 36 The “New Creation” Goes into Action! ***
36 The old human creation of mankind does not have this spirit, and in this twentieth century it is groaning as never before, seeking in some way to be liberated from the bondage of corruption under the old system of things. But nineteen centuries ago God’s “new creation” came alive and went into action. It did so under the energizing force of God’s holy spirit, which began to be poured out on the festival day of Pentecost of 33 C.E. Vain have been the efforts of the majority of the old human creation to destroy God’s “new creation,” the spirit-begotten Christian congregation. Today that “new creation” nears the time of its release from its earthly body of corruption. The nearness of its glorious release signalizes great good for all mankind. It signalizes that the deliverance of groaning mankind is also at hand. It signalizes that there is now at hand a righteous new order backed by God’s holy spirit.
1975 *** g75 11/22 p. 32 A Release That Pictured Deliverance Today ***
As the Israelites of old went free from captivity in ancient Babylon, so Bible prophecy reveals that a marvelous deliverance is at hand for humankind today. Read of this heartwarming prospect in the new 384-page, hardbound book, Man’s Salvation out of World Distress at Hand! Only 50 cents, postpaid.
1973 *** ka chap. 16 pp. 330-331 par. 83 Completion of the Foretold “Sign” Nears ***
83 Have we of this generation seen “these things start to occur”? Have we seen “these things” occurring throughout the decades since 1914 C.E.? Inasmuch as we have done so, there is no reason for us to be bowed down with international “anguish.” There is no reason for us to bend our backs any longer under the religious enslavement imposed by Babylon the Great, including Christendom. It is a time to raise ourselves erect like free worshipers of the Most High God, the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. No longer is it the fitting time for us to look despairingly down to the ground. It is the time to lift our heads up heavenward and see in the brightening light of the Holy Scriptures that contains Jesus’ prophecy the evidences of a most reassuring future for mankind. The meaning of these evidences is unmistakable: Deliverance is at hand! This betokens for God’s “chosen ones” and the “great crowd” of their fellow worshipers survival of the “great tribulation” just ahead. When we under divine preservation come out of that “great tribulation,” we shall leave behind the irreparable ruins of this present death-dealing system of things. Gloriously opens up before us God’s new system of things!
1972 *** w72 04/15 p. 233
Mankind desperately needs a Liberator from these ruinous demonic heavens. Jehovah God has raised up the needed Deliverer! Jehovah’s marked time for the desired deliverance is at hand!
1971 *** w71 7/1 p. 401 par. 8 Assemblies After the Death of Christ ***The “times of the nations” which Jesus spoke of have run out; the year 1914 became a marked year so far as God’s purposes are concerned, and Jehovah has lovingly let his witnesses see the facts showing the fulfillment of Revelation chapter 12 with the birth of the Kingdom in the heavens and the ousting of Satan and his demons from heaven, cast down to the earth. All of the evidence has accumulated to show that the end of wickedness is near and it is a time to lift up Christian heads and be full of joy because deliverance is at hand.—Luke 21:24, 28.
1971 *** w71 5/1 p. 262 Relief from Depression ***True, those words were written long ago, but fulfillment of Bible prophecy gives us reason to believe that this generation will see Jehovah God rising up in burning zeal to devour all wickedness. (Matt. 24:3-34; Zeph. 3:8) Since this is so you have reason to do as Jesus said, ‘Raise yourself erect and lift your head up, because your deliverance is at hand.’—Luke 21:28.
1967 *** w67 3/15 p. 168 The “Last Days”—What They Mean to You ***Please note that God’s judgment will adversely affect only “ungodly men.” It is only those who refuse to submit to God’s laws that will suffer destruction. On the other hand, for those who love righteousness and long for God’s kingdom to remove wickedness from the earth, the “last days” are indeed a time in which to rejoice. True Christians can rejoice because God’s kingdom is near and deliverance from this wicked system of things is at hand. (Luke 21:28-32) But to be among those blessed with survival when this entire system goes down in destruction, positive action is urgent.
1959 *** w59 7/1 p. 388 Walk in the Light from God ***In lighting up the fact that we are living in the “last days,” God’s Word shows the Christian how to view the distressing happenings in the world. War, crime, juvenile delinquency, food shortages, pestilences and similar woes make many persons despondent, but those walking in the light from God have the positive mental attitude that the Lord Jesus Christ said we should have: “As these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.” (Luke 21:28) Despite the woes that have come upon our generation, those who walk in the light from God can be happy. Deliverance is at hand.
1954 *** w54 10/15 p. 624 Why Prayers Go Unanswered ***Instead of sobbing about the present anguish of nations and praying for its abatement, true Christians see that these turbulent times, indeed such calamities as famines, earthquakes and wars, are fulfillment of Bible prophecy pertaining to the sign of the “last days,” hence they rejoice, as Jesus said they should. (Luke 21:28) They rejoice because they know deliverance to a new world is at hand, that this present evil world must end in that “great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again,” namely, the war of Armageddon. This is Jehovah’s decree.
1949 The Watchtower, October 15th, 1949. page 307
Deliverance and release have come! Jehovah’s witnesses can testify to that. So on with the song in a continual crescendo, that more and more people may hear the message which tells of the fuller and complete deliverance and release so near at hand for all men of good-will!
1941 The Watchtower, October 1st, 1941. page 303
These see it is their privilege now to be his witnesses, and to declare his name and his glory in the earth. As his witnesses these faithful ones the great Jehovah God bids to go and tell the glad news to the sorrowing world, and to advise mankind that Jehovah is God, that Christ Jesus is the King of kings, and that the day of deliverance is at hand.
1940 The Watchtower, January 1st , 1940. page 10 For some time many of God’s people have said, and say: "Oh that the salvation of Israel [spiritual Israel] were come out of Zion !" (Ps. 14: 7) Let all such who have hope and who look for salvation now rejoice because the day of deliverance is at hand. By faith we now see the climax of Armageddon and, like David, continue to say: "But I have trusted in thy mercy; myheart shall rejoice in thy salvation."--Ps. 13:5.
1939 The Watchtower, December 1st , 1939 page 363
Jehovah is the King of Eternity. He has enthroned Christ Jesus, his King of the Theocratic Government. Jehovah has appeared in his glory, and the day of deliverance is at hand for all those who flee to the Theocratic Government and give their allegiance and unselfish devotion to the Theocracy.
1936 The Watchtower, July 1st , 1936 pages 195,196
Let Jehovah’s witnesses now be strong in faith and bold in the warfare, knowing for a certainty that the day of deliverance is at hand.
1930 The Watchtower, September 15th 1930 page 281
God has now given his people an understanding of The Revelation which he gave to Jesus Christ to show unto his servants. The publication of the two books called Light, giving the explanation of TheRevelation, will greatly anger the Devil and all who have not the spirit of Christ. We may therefore expect the opposition to the kingdom to quickly become stronger than ever. It will be of short duration, however, because the day of deliverance is at hand. The remnant is now giving honor to Jehovah’s name by faithfully serving him.
1926 The Watchtower, August 15th 1926 page 248
To this end the Lord is now sending forth a worldwide proclamation that the time of DELIVERANCE is at hand.
1921 The Watchtower, January 1st , 1921 page 13
Behold, the evidence daily increases that the old world has ended! The kingdom of heaven is here! Let the saints look up and lift up their heads. Let them sing aloud for joy because the day of deliverance is at hand.
1918 Zion's Watch Tower August 1st , 1918 (page R6300)
In the clear light of unfolding time-prophecy, we see that we are now living at the very end of the reign of sin and death; that the night of sorrow, pain and tears is almost over; that the glorification of the 1ast members of the Christ body is very soon to be completed. Yes, beloved, "the night is far spent" [about ended] and the glorious day of deliverance and blessing is at hand. Even now the first faint streaks of dawn appear. Then let us cast away every encumberance, everything that would hinder us in the slightest degree in running successfully our glorious race. Let us press on with renewed vigor, looking neither to the right nor to the left, but keeping our eyes "fixed on the glory of the prize," and soon, please God, the victory shall be ours!
1910 Zion's Watch Tower June 1st , 1910 (page R4627)
Thank God for the great Deliverer; thank God also, for his great day of deliverance, the Millennial age, now nigh at hand!
page 177 June 15th
ZION'SWATCH TOWER AND HERALD OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE
ROCK OF AGES
Other foundation cannot man layA RANSOM FOR ALL"Watchman, What of the Night?""The Morning Cometh, and a Night also!" Isaiah 21:11SEMI-MONTHLYVOL. XXXI JUNE 1 No. 11A.D.
1910--A.M. 6038...[R4627 : page 188] of mankind from the power of sin and Satan, ignorance and superstition; to give light for darkness; knowledge of God for ignorance and blindness. Studying the Divine Plan of the Ages, we find the lesson to be that God will first select a Church class and subsequently use the elect Church as channels of blessing toward the world of mankind. ....She seemed to realize that there was only the one quarter from which she could get help. Hence her importunity, when she recognized the Lord. In another sense of the word all sin and sickness may be said to be afflictions of the devil, because all are either directly, or through heredity, Satan's work. Thus our Lord declared that Satan had murdered our race by his falsehood to mother Eve--"He was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the Truth." Through his lie our race has gone down into sickness, mental, moral and physical, and is going down rapidly to the tomb. Thank God for the great Deliverer; thank God also, for his great day of deliverance, the Millennial Age, now nigh at hand!
1907 Zion's Watch Tower May 1st , 1907 (page R3990)
The Lord assures us, too, that he knows all about these matters and is very sympathetic, far more so than we, and he is both able and willing to grant the deliverance needed at the appropriate time. What confidence it gives us now when we look back and behold that Spiritual Israel has been preserved through all these centuries! that notwithstanding the fiery affliction and adversity that burned against them, they have not been consumed! How it comforts and cheers us now to hear the Lord's voice telling us of the deliverance that is just at hand, and sending by us his messages of love and power to all those who have and are to hear, and who are desirous of having liberty from the power of the world, the flesh and the Adversary.
page 129 May 15th ZION'S WATCH TOWER andHerald of Christ's Presence
ROCK OF AGES
Other foundation cannot man layA RANSOM FOR ALL"Watchman, What of the Night?""The Morning Cometh, and a Night also!" Isaiah 21:11SEMI-MONTHLYVOL. XXVIII MAY 1 No. 9A.D. 1907--A.M. 6035
“I will stand upon my watch, and set my foot upon the Tower, and will watch to see what He shall say unto me, and what answer I shall make to them that oppose me.” Hab. 2:1 ...The Lord assures us, too, that he knows all about these [R3990 : page 142] matters and is very sympathetic, far more so than we, and he is both able and willing to grant the deliverance needed at the appropriate time. What confidence it gives us now when we look back and behold that Spiritual Israel has been preserved through all these centuries! that notwithstanding the fiery affliction and adversity that burned against them, they have not been consumed! How it comforts and cheers us now to hear the Lord's voice telling us of the deliverance that is just at hand, and sending by us his messages of love and power to all those who have and are to hear, and who are desirous of having liberty from the power of the world, the flesh and the Adversary. O, yes! we occupy holy ground, we hear the holy voice, our eyes are opened to see the wonderful things. The Lord be praised! Let us give heed to his Word.
1892 Zion's Watch Tower November 15th , 1892 (page R1464)
It is therefore his will rather that we should suffer injustice than that we should spend our strength in fruitless efforts to interrupt the present order of things. And so the kingdom of heaven suffers violence now, but such will not always be the case; for the time of her deliverance is at hand.
page 322 November 15th ZION'S WATCH TOWER AND HERALD OF CHRIST'S PRESENCE. PUBLISHED TWICE A MONTH. TOWER PUBLISHING COMPANY,"BIBLE HOUSE"ARCH STREET, ALLEGHENY, PA., U.S.A.
[R1464 : page 326] wherein they fall short of the perfect law of God?--resist them? or submit to them? To resist all such laws would be to array one's self in violent and fruitless opposition to the whole present order of things, and we must remember that even this present order of things is ordained of God (Rom. 13:1); for he decreed that the time of Gentile rule should continue until the appointed time for Christ to reign in righteousness. Consequently the children of God are counseled to be subject to the powers that be, because the powers that be, although imperfect, are ordained of God to continue for a time. It is therefore his will rather that we should suffer injustice than that we should spend our strength in fruitless efforts to interrupt the present order of things. And so the kingdom of heaven suffers violence now, but such will not always be the case; for the time of her deliverance is at hand.
1881 Zion's Watch Tower December , 1881 (page R302)
Let us, dearly beloved, see to it, that we not only bury ourselves and our wills in Christ's, but also keep our bodies under--dying daily until fully delivered into the blessed kingdom --which deliverance we believe to be so very nigh at hand.
[R299 : page 1] VOL. III. PITTSBURGH, PA., DECEMBER, 1881. NO. 6. page 1 ZION'SWATCH TOWERandHerald of Christ's PresenceROCK OF AGES
Other foundation cannot man layA RANSOM FOR ALL"Watchman, What of the Night?""The Morning Cometh, and a Night also!" Isaiah 21:11.....That I may know him and the power of his resurrection --(experience the same resurrection as Jesus to a spiritual body and immortal life--the first resurrection) and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto THE (first) resurrection." (Phil. 3:8-11.) "For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection." (Rom. 6:5.) Let us, dearly beloved, see to it, that we not only bury ourselves and our wills in Christ's, but also keep our bodies under--dying daily until fully delivered into the blessed kingdom --which deliverance we believe to be so very nigh at hand. R303 : page 4]
1880 Zion's Watch Tower September , 1880 (page R134)
Let us, dearly beloved, live up to our covenant, and not only bury ourselves and our wills in Christ's, but also keep our bodies under--dying daily until fully delivered into the blessed kingdom--which deliverance we believe to be so very nigh at hand.
R132 : page 1] VOL. II. PITTSBURGH, PA., SEPTEMBER, 1880. NO. 3. page 1 ZION'SWATCH TOWER and Herald of Christ's Presence
ROCK OF AGES
other foundation cannot man layA RANSOM FOR ALL"Watchman, What of the Night?""The Morning Cometh, and a Night also!" Isaiah 21:11
You may be partly dead, and have given up part of your own will, but when fully crucified you will say with Him, "I delight to do thy will, O Lord." I count all things but loss and dross that I may win Christ--the great prize. Let us, dearly beloved, live up to our covenant, and not only bury ourselves and our wills in Christ's, but also keep our bodies under--dying daily until fully delivered into the blessed kingdom--which deliverance we believe to be so very nigh at hand. [R141 : page 2]

7 comments:

no one said...

With regards to, "For over 128 years the Watchtower has been preaching that the "END IS NEAR!" (The sky is falling! The sky is falling!)", technically it has been preached that the end is near alot longer than that. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 4:7, "But the end of all things has drawn close. Be sound in mind, therefore, and be vigilant with a view to prayers." That was writen around 63 C.E. or 1945 years ago. Sooooooo.... was Peter wrong in making that statement? According to your arguments and line of reason, I guess you feel he was.

S said...

Quotes from the Watchtower Society.

Sigh.

As if Jehovah's Witnesses are based on that.

Jehovah's Witnesses have been preaching the good news of the kingdom since Jesus said to do it.

Have you even listened to the 2006 DC "Deliverance at Hand"?

Try it. I suggest you do so.

no one said...

Still awaiting an answer----- Was Peter wrong in making the statement 1945 years ago, "But the end of all things has drawn close. Be sound in mind, therefore, and be vigilant with a view to prayers."?

no one said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
SerenityNow said...

It is the burden of the Watchtower to prove that Armageddon will come in our time. So... has the Society has really met this burden. Indeed, we have seen that they have failed by the the simple fact that they have been predicting that Armageddon is "right around the corner" for 125 years. Imagine if you had been living in the 1920s and planned your life according to the Watchtower's promises, to their 100% certainty that Armageddon was looming just a few years away, if not months off! And so you deferred all your life's hopes and dreams and ambitions because you were convinced that the New World was at hand. Where would you be now? You'd either be dead or very, very old.

If they try to use the synoptic apocalypse of Matthew, Luke, Mark to try to prove that OUR time, OUR generation, OUR past century is the one referred to in Bible prophecy, then ask them to really prove factually that this past century better fits the text than prior centuries. The problem is that most people have only a faint knowledge of the misery of prior centuries, and only view their own time in the rose-colored spectacles of "the good old days" and how things are just getting worse and worse. Every generation thinks that since time immemorial. In some ways, things are (every generation has new threats and problems of its own), and other ways things are better. In most of the things mentioned in the synoptic apocalypse (i.e. earthquakes, famine, pestilence, violence, etc.), the 20th century has actually been far better than previous centuries. This can be demonstrated factually. The book Sign of the Last Days -- When? (from Commentary Press) will set forth many of these facts.

The fatal problem to the Society's 100% certainty that THIS is the actual time referred to in the Bible is the fact that they declare this certainty and say that "the time is at hand". Luckily for you, you don't have to prove a negative....all you need to do is point to Luke 21:8-9:
"Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The time is near. ' Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away" (Luke 21:8-9).

Does the Society claim for itself a unique role of God's representative on earth? Do they claim that the time is near? Of course, they have always claimed that. Do Witnesses get excited at every report of a war or other possible "sign"? Of course they do. But "the end will not come right away". The whole point of the discourse is that there won't be any visible precursor sign, in advance of Judgment Day. The only sign will be the coming of Jesus in judgment, which will happen suddenly and quickly. The text condemns BOTH lack of wakefulness and presumptuousness. Since the Society claims that "the time is near", should one follow them or follow Jesus' advice (as construed, of course, by the author of Luke, who was addressing a very similar situation in the late first century).

no one said...

Once again (now for the 4th time, as no one will answer it)my previous question:

NICKEL ALLERGY SUFFERERS:

You state, "please do not overlook the fact that what Peter had in mind when he talked about the end times is vastly different than what Jehovah's Witnesses mean when they talk about end times."
So what do you think Peter meant when he said at 1 Peter 4:7, "But the end of all things has drawn close. Be sound in mind, therefore, and be vigilant with a view to prayers." Do you think he was trying to scare the first century Christians into not leaving and going back into their former religions? Or do you think he was trying to make new converts by scaring them (the sky is falling, the sky is falling!!!)? Or do you think he was actually telling those faithful 1945 years ago that the end of all things was near because he truely believed it was near? Those are really the only three possibilities.

As you won't provide an answer to this question, I too feel I have no need to comment on or provide any answer to your post.

I am actually leaving this blog, because no is really interested in a discussion, but rather hate-bashing and the twisting of information to futher their own purposes.
Peace.

S said...

"It is the burden of the Watchtower to prove that Armageddon will come in our time".

How is it ever a burden to look to armageddon in our time? That is something very joyful. The very thing that Christians hope for.