A Special Alert for Jehovah's Witnesses and friends of C.T.Russell.....
First of all let me assure this is not an attack on your beliefs, but information that you can confirm with some effort on your part from sources you can trust.
In 1916, on October 1, Charles Taze Russell re-wrote the introductions to almost all of the Studies in the Scriptures. In those new introductions he asserted firmly and repeatedly that mankind was in the "Time of Trouble" or the Great Tribulation. And 30 days later this very kind, gentle Bible teacher died on the anniversary of Noah's flood, October 31. (Surprisingly the Studies in the Scriptures are still being printed. These volumes are printed by the Dawn Bible Students Association, New Brunswick Bible Student Congregation and the Fort Worth Bible Students, and possibly others. These last editions will confirm what I have just said. [There are only 6 volumes written by C.T.Russell, the seventh was an assemblage of Russell's thoughts by others]).
C.T.Russell's personality, zeal, reasonableness, and decency earned him the trust and loyalty of many people. Perhaps more than he would have wished.
Had
Russell lived 3 or 4 more years, he would have recognized his mistake
that mankind had not, in fact, gone through the Great Tribulation.
However it was not until well over 50 years later that F.Franz, in
1969, explained that the Great Tribulation had in fact, never
started. Up until that time Jehovah's Witnesses believed and taught
that the Great Tribulation had begun in 1914, had stopped
temporarily, and would resume with the final event, the destruction
of 'Babylon the Great'. Find an old-timer in your group and I mean an
old, old-timer, from the 1950's, and ask them and they (if they
remember) will confirm this. Or read in your older books.
(This
is why Witnesses think that the Great Tribulation will begin with the
destruction of Babylon the Great, when, in fact, that is the last
event. Read Revelation chapter 16, hey, I'm not making this up. In
the first century Jerusalem was destroyed at the end
of the 3 1/2 years not
the beginning.) Who does Jerusalem picture? In point of fact, not
only will Babylon not be destroyed at the beginning of The Great
Tribulation, but during that time she will rise to a level of power
and glory unprecedented in human history, it will be jaw-dropping and
on an order of magnitude that will literally 'beggar the
imagination'. (Link
1, 2,
3,
)Factor in this comment by Jesus about the 'Great Tribulation' at
Matthew 24:24,25; "For false Christs and false prophets
will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if
possible, even the chosen ones. Look! I have forewarned you".
How could false Christs and false prophets be performing great signs
if Babylon the Great is dead? They would have to be part and parcel
of 'Babylon'. In reading Revelation 18 it is obvious that Babylon is
destroyed at the peak of her powers 'in one hour'. This
dramatic rise in the power and glory of Babylon the Great may be a
new thought to you, but just take a minute or two to re-consider it.
(this additional thought should really put you over the top; The
Destruction of Babylon the Great takes place after
Armageddon. And on top of that, there is no such thing as the Battle
of Armageddon mentioned in the Bible. Nope, not there...... Re-read
Revelation 16:16. Note Har-Magedon is described as a place,
not an event. Verse 19 goes on to show that Babylon is "remembered"
after
the nations are gathered at Har-Magedon. And then
after the Nations destroy Babylon,
they in turn are dealt with by God. hmmmm.... now, that's a little
different.
note: this is not an interpretation, it's merely
reading the sequence of events as written in the Bible.)
Unfortunately for over 50 years (c. 1919-1969) prophecies that only have application to the Great Tribulation and beyond were mistakenly (but with no dishonest intent) applied to 1914. It was not until as recently as 1999 (May 1) that Russell's understanding of the Great Tribulation being 3 1/2 years was re-recognized (at least for the first century, but please see ThoughtSherds #8,9). Also at that same time (May 1, 1999) it was recognized that the 'disgusting thing that causes desolation' had not yet stood in a holy place. Originally Mr. Rutherford had applied this to the League of Nations in the early years after WW 1. And it had been re-applied to the UN after WW 2. *
Jehovah's Witnesses and the Bible Students are morally wonderful people. Interestingly they are usually the first target of a tyrannical government i.e. Nazi Germany, Russia, etc. However, in terms of Bible prophecy they are in URGENT need of re-calibration.
*Ask yourself two questions.
1. What's the most disgusting thing the UN has ever done?
answer: nothing
2. How much desolation have they ever caused?
answer: none
Now ask those same questions about the Soviet Union/Russia......
Also
consider this. What was the 'disgusting thing that causes desolation'
in the first century?
Answer: The militarized arm of the
then-dominant world power, Rome.
Who is going to be the dominant
world power in the near future?
Answer: The 'King of the north'
(re-newed Soviet Union). Not an NGO (non-government organization, the
UN)*
Russia/re-formulated Soviet Union also fits the beast that 'was but is not and will ascend' out of the abyss.
Hey, don't have a cow, just think about it.
*Bonus
point riddle: Why would a known enemy secretly
go to great lengths to prove to you that what you already know is
true, is true?
You might need to read that twice, I'll
wait......
Answer: Because what you believe to be true is not true
and it is to your enemy's advantage for you to keep on believing
it.
The Point? Around 1985-6, at the time that the 'Generation of
1914' was near it's end the U.N. suddenly started becoming very
powerful, right on time for the apparent fulfillment of Bible
prophecy, and then in the early '90s it all went away. It looked so
perfect and then it all went away and nobody said "hey, wait a
second, I smell a Rat...."
The UN is not a Scarlet Beast, it's a Red Herring.
Click
on this Link
to read about an amazing Historical/Biblical discovery
All who agree with you are not your friends, all who disagree with you are not your enemies.