In my last video, “Geoffrey Jackson’s New Light Blocks Entry into God’s Kingdom” I analyzed the talk presented by Governing Body member, Geoffrey Jackson, in the 2021 annual meeting of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Jackson was releasing “new light” on the Governing Body’s interpretation of the earthly resurrection hope that is a central doctrine in JW theology. This so-called “new light” that Geoffrey revealed was on their interpretation of the two resurrections Jesus spoke of as recorded at John 5:29. For a detailed explanation of the resurrection hope, I recommend you see my previous video, if you haven’t already watched it. I’ll also leave a link in the description field of this video.
In addition to his new light on the earthly resurrection hope, Jackson also revealed new light on another prophecy found at Daniel chapter 12. In so doing, he and the rest of the Governing Body unwittingly kicked another support leg out from under the stool of their teaching that Jesus Christ began ruling over the earth invisibly in October 1914. I say “another support leg”, because David Splane did the same thing back in 2012 when he announced they can no longer artificially apply antitypes or secondary prophetic fulfillments unless they are explicitly found in Scripture. No more wild speculation for them. No, no. That has all ceased. From now on, they are no longer going beyond what is actually written…except, of course, for those doctrines that they can’t do without. Like the 1914 invisible presence of Christ. Apparently, the Governing Body doesn’t realize or chooses to ignore—and hopes everyone else will also ignore—the fact that the 1914 teaching is entirely based on an antitypical application which is not to be found in Scripture. Daniel says nothing about a secondary fulfillment to Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.
I know it might be confusing to understand what an antitype or a secondary prophetic fulfillment is, so if you don’t understand what they are then I recommend you see this video. I’ll put a link to it here, and I’ll also add a link to it in the description field of this video.
In any case, what David Splane did back in 2012 at the annual meeting, Geoffrey Jackson now does in the 2021 annual meeting. But before getting into that, I’d like to say a word or two about this whole “new light” thing the Governing Body loves to bandy about. Well, I’m not actually going to say a word or two about it. Instead, I’m going to let the founder of the movement that became Jehovah’s Witnesses have his say.
In the February 1881 issue of Zion’s Watchtower on page 3, paragraph 3, Charles Taze Russell wrote:
“If we were following a man undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded as darkness now: But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author. A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. "New light" never extinguishes older "light," but adds to it. If you were lighting up a building containing seven gas jets you would not extinguish one every time you lighted another, but would add one light to another and they would be in harmony and thus give increase of light: So is it with the light of truth; the true increase is by adding to, not by substituting one for another.”
Jehovah God never lies. He may not reveal all the truth at one time, but anything he does reveal is truth. So, any new light would simply add to the truth he’s already revealed. New light would never replace old light, it would simply add to it, wouldn’t it? If the Governing Body is truly acting as God’s channel, and Jehovah God is truly speaking to us through them, then anything they say would have to be truth. Right? If any so-called “new light” were to end up replacing a previous understanding, rendering the old understanding now false, that would mean that the old understanding did not come from Jehovah God who cannot speak a lie. Now you and I may teach something only to find out later that we made a mistake and spoke in error. But I don’t present myself as God’s channel of communication? Do you? They do. And if you disagree with them, they’ll have their foot soldiers, the local elders, accuse you of apostasy and kill you socially, by forcing all your family and friends to shun you and treat you as dead. Therein lies the difference.
Let’s be clear on this. If any man or woman presumes to tell others that they are God’s appointed channel, then they take upon themselves the role of a prophet. You don’t have to foretell the future to be a prophet. The word in Greek refers to someone who acts as a spokesman. So, if you are God’s channel, then you are God’s spokesman, his prophet. You cannot say you are uninspired, as Geoffrey Jackson stated under oath some years ago, and still claim to be God’s channel. If you claim to be his channel, and you say that something you said, while acting as his channel, was wrong, then you by definition, are a false spokesman, a false prophet. How can it be otherwise?
If the Governing Body truly wants to be called the channel of God for communicating to his flock on earth today, then their new light had better be new revelations from God that enhance the current light rather than replacing it, as has so often turned out to be the case. By replacing old light with new light, they show themselves to be not God’s channel, but just ordinary men bumbling around. If the old light was false, how do we know if the new light isn’t also false? How can we trust them to lead us?
Okay let us examine Geoffrey Jackson’s new light with reference to the interpretation of Daniel chapter 12. (By the way, for a thorough explanation of the meaning of Daniel chapter 12, please see the video “Learning to Fish”. Here’s a link to it and I’ll put a link to that video in the description of this video as well. The purpose of the “Learning to Fish” video is to share the exegetical method for Bible study, which essentially allows the spirit to guide you to truth by getting your own ego out of the way. You will no longer have to depend on other men to tell you what is truth.)
Okay, let’s hear what good old Geoffrey has to say:
Geoffrey Jackson: All of this also helps us to understand an amazing prophecy in the book of Daniel. Let's turn there. It's Daniel 12, verses one through three. There it says, “During that time, Michael, [who is Jesus Christ] will stand up [that is at Armageddon], the great prince who is standing [since 1914] in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress [that is the great tribulation] such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time. And during that time your people will escape, everyone who is found written down in the book [and this refers to the great crowd]”.
Eric Wilson: If you have already viewed my video on Daniel 12, you’ll know that it explains how to study the Bible exegetically, meaning how to let the Bible interpret itself by using both the textual context as well as the historical context and by considering who is speaking and to whom he or she is speaking. But the Organization does not esteem that method of Bible study, because reading the Bible in an exegetical way puts the power into the hands of the reader and would rob JW leadership of its authority to interpret scripture on behalf of everyone else. Here, we see Geoffrey Jackson making six unsubstantiated assertions:
- This prophesy is fulfilled at Armageddon and onward.
- Jesus Christ is the Archangel Michael.
- He has been standing since 1914.
- He is standing on behalf of Daniel’s people who are Jehovah’s Witnesses.
- The time of distress is a great tribulation at Armageddon.
- There is a great crowd of other sheep who will survive Armageddon.
Where is the proof, Geoffrey? Where is the Scriptural proof for any of this?
If you want to believe Geoffrey’s assertions, because you prefer to believe what an uninspired man says without getting any real proof from Scripture, then that’s your prerogative. But before you go ahead and make a choice, it may help you to think on what Russell said about New Light not replacing old light, but just adding to it. Do you agree with that? So, let’s hear what the new light is.
Geoffrey Jackson: But notice what follows: “And many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt.”
So, looking at Daniel chapter 12 and verse two, it seems appropriate too, that we adjust our understanding of this verse. Notice there, it speaks about people waking up in the form of a resurrection, and this occurs after what's mentioned in verse one, after the great crowd survives the great tribulation. So, this obviously is talking about a literal resurrection of the righteous and unrighteous.
Eric Wilson: Okay, so the new light is Jackson saying that we have to understand Daniel 12:2 in a literal way – that some will be resurrected to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt after Armageddon. He says this is an obvious, notice, OBVIOUS, conclusion. Really? Obvious??
The angel speaks in the present tense when he says that Michael is standing in behalf of your people, I don’t think of 1914. Would Daniel? Would Daniel hear those words and conclude: “Humm, okay, so this Michael is standing in behalf of my people, but he isn’t actually standing. At least, not now. He will be standing for my people, but not for another 2500 years. And when the angel says, “my people”, he doesn’t mean my people, who are Israelites, but he means a bunch of Gentiles who will not even be born for at least 2,500 years. Well, that is what he means. It’s so obvious.”
Here, Jackson is using a different method for Bible study; a discredited method called eisegesis. It means that you read into the text what you want it to say. He wants this text to apply to 1914 and onward and he wants it to apply to Jehovah’s Witnesses. You see how stupid and harmful the eisegetical method of Bible study is? By being obligated to make a scripture fit with a preconceived church teaching, one is forced to make silly leaps of logic.
Now let us look at the old light.
Under the subtitle “HOLY ONES ‘WAKE UP’” the book “Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy!” (2006)in chapter 17, pages 290-291 paragraphs 9-10 states:
“Consider the context. [Ah, now we are considering the context, are we?] The first verse of chapter 12 applies, as we have seen, not only to the end of this system of things but also to the entire period of the last days. In fact, the bulk of the chapter finds fulfillment, not in the coming earthly paradise, but during the time of the end. Has there been a resurrection during this period? The apostle Paul wrote of the resurrection of “those who belong to the Christ” as occurring “during his presence.” However, those who are resurrected to life in heaven are raised “incorruptible.” (1 Corinthians 15:23, 52) None of them are raised “to reproaches and to indefinitely lasting abhorrence” foretold at Daniel 12:2. Is there another kind of resurrection? In the Bible, resurrection sometimes has a spiritual significance. For example, both Ezekiel and Revelation contain prophetic passages that apply to a spiritual revival, or resurrection. —Ezekiel 37:1-14; Revelation 11:3, 7, 11.
10 Has there been such a spiritual revival of God’s anointed servants in the time of the end? Yes! It is a historical reality that in 1918 a small remnant of faithful Christians were subjected to an extraordinary attack that disrupted their organized public ministry. Then, against all likelihood, in 1919 they returned to life in a spiritual sense. These facts fit the description of the resurrection foretold at Daniel 12:2.”
Jackson is now telling us that all that is wrong. All of that is old light. It is all false. The new light is that the resurrection is literal and is in the future. This, he tells us, is obvious. If it is so obvious, why did it take them decades to figure that out? But what should matter to us even more is that to get us to recognize this obvious interpretation, Jackson is overwriting or replacing the old interpretation, he is admitting it was false. It wasn’t true, so it wasn’t ever light from God. We just read what CT Russell had to say: “A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth.” If the Governing Body’s former teaching was a false teaching, how do we know—how can we know—whether this new teaching is true, or just another made-up belief?
Jackson calls this new light an adjustment. Watch out for the words he uses. They are meant to deceive you. If I see that my friend’s neck tie is a little askew, I tell him I’m going to adjust his tie. He will naturally understand that I’m just going to straighten it. He won’t think that I’m going to remove his tie altogether and replace it with a different one, will he? That’s not what adjustment means!
Jackson is putting out the old light—turning it off—and replacing it with new light. That means the old light was false. It wasn’t from God at all. Frankly, this new light is also false. They still have it wrong. But here’s the point. If you try to defend this new false light, as most Witnesses are trained to do by stating that they are just imperfect men and they can make mistakes, you are missing two very important points.
The first point is that they claim to speak for God. They can’t have it both ways. Either Jehovah is revealing things through them or they are speaking of their own initiative, “their own originality.” Since their new light extinguishes their old light, then according to Russell, they are not speaking for God back then. How could they be?
That brings us to the second point. They can get things wrong. You and I can get things wrong. How are they different from us? Should people follow you or me? No. They should follow the Christ. So, if they are no different from you and me and people should not follow you and me, why should anyone follow them? Why would we put our everlasting salvation into their hands? Especially so in light of what the Bible tells us not to do:
“Do not put your trust in princes nor in a son of man, who cannot bring salvation.” (Psalm 146:3 NWT)
Perhaps you still feel inclined to trust them and follow their lead because you think they are a lot smarter than you, or a lot wiser than you. Let us see if the evidence bears that out.
Geoffrey Jackson: But, what does it mean when it mentions there in verse two that some will be raised to everlasting life and others to everlasting contempt? What does that really mean? Well, when we notice that we notice that it’s a little different from what Jesus said in John chapter 5. He spoke about life and judgment, but now here it's talking about everlasting life, and everlasting contempt. So that term “everlasting” helps us to realize that this is talking about the final outcome. After these ones have had an opportunity to accept the education. So those who are resurrected, who make good use of this…this education…well, they will continue on and ultimately receive everlasting life. But then, on the other hand. Any who refuse to accept the benefits of that education, they will be judged as worthy of eternal destruction.
Eric Wilson: And those having insight will shine as brightly as the expanse of heaven, and those bringing the many to righteousness like the stars, forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3 NWT)
Those words fit perfectly with what occurred when holy spirit was poured out on Christians in the first century at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47) Consider, when Jesus was baptized, there were no Christians on earth. Now a third of the world claims to be Christian and the world itself has been filled with the knowledge of the good news about Jesus. But Jackson wants us to believe that Daniel 12:3 hasn’t been fulfilled yet; but that it will be fulfilled in the New World following some massive, global education work carried out by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Where does the Bible say that, Geoffrey? Oh, I forgot. We have to trust you, one of the future princes. We just have to believe you because you say it is so.
You know, a friend of mine told me that his mother held up a Bible in one hand and a Watchtower in the other and told him that she’d accept what the Watchtower had to say over the Bible. If you are a Jehovah’s Witness, then you have to decide whether you’re with that woman, or with the Christ. The Bible says, “Don't put your trust in human leaders; no human being can save you.” (Psalm 146:3 Good News Bible). However, the Watchtower says that your salvation depends on your support for the Governing Body.
The other sheep should never forget that their salvation depends on their active support of Christ’s anointed “brothers” still on earth. (w12 3/15 p. 20 par. 2)
Watchtower or Bible. Your choice. But remember, this is a life-and-death choice. No pressure.
If you would like to understand Daniel 12 exegetically, in other words, if you would like to let the Bible explain itself, check out my video “Learning to Fish”. I’ve put a link to it in the description field of this video. There you will find a scriptural basis for understanding that Daniel 12:2 should be applied to events in the first century. Romans 6:1-7 shows that those Christians were resurrected in a spiritual sense and got a hold of everlasting life. Verses 4-5 make this clear:
So we were buried with him through our baptism into his death, in order that just as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in a newness of life. If we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united with him in the likeness of his resurrection. (Romans 6:4,5)
Okay, let’s turn back to what else Jackson has to say about Daniel 12:2 which says “many of those asleep in the dust of the earth will wake up, some to everlasting life and others to reproach and to everlasting contempt.” Geoffrey points out that the other group also woke up, but to everlasting death. Wait a minute. Did I say death? I mean destruction. That’s what Jackson means. But again, wait a minute, it doesn’t say destruction. It says “to reproach and everlasting contempt.” Geoffrey Jackson thinks that everlasting contempt means everlasting destruction, but then why didn’t the angel just say that? Is Jackson trying to fit a square peg of a Scripture into a round doctrinal hole? It sure seems like it.
You know, the Scribes, Pharisees and religious leaders of Jesus’ day are long dead, but to this day, we hold them in contempt. We condemn them, we reproach them, because they killed our Lord Jesus. Even if they return in the resurrection of the unrighteous, we will hold them in contempt for their actions that day. Whether they repent of their sins in the New World or continue to live in sin, the reproach and contempt for their actions in the first century will endure forever. Doesn’t that fit better with the angel’s words?
Anyway, moving on:
Geoffrey Jackson: Now, let's finally read verse three: “And those having insight will shine as brightly as the expanse of heaven, and those bringing the many to righteousness like the stars, forever and ever.” This is speaking about the massive education work that will be done in the New World. The glorified anointed ones will shine brightly as they worked closely with Jesus to direct the education work that will bring the many to righteousness.
Eric Wilson: Now you may wonder how that verse undermines the 1914 doctrine. Well, it doesn’t do so directly, but remember, this is all part of a single prophecy occurring at a single time period. Did you notice how he is applying everything to the New World, right? That’s a change from what they used to teach. They thought it all applied to events relating to 1914 and a few years after that, ending in 1926. So, if the first three verses apply to Armageddon and into the New World, doesn’t it follow that the next verse, the one he doesn’t read, would also apply? It would be illogical and scripturally inconsistent to say that the next verse, verse four, applies 150 to 200 years in our past, wouldn’t it? Back to events before 1914, and even before CT Russell was born!
Here's the next verse:
“As for you, Daniel, keep the words secret, and seal up the book until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant.” (Daniel 12:4 NWT)
The meaning of the words in the book are sealed up until the time of the end. According to Jackson, the time of the end is Armageddon. So, the true knowledge becoming abundant will not occur until the time of the end or afterwards, presumably when this great, globe-spanning, never-to-be-repeated education work will take place and all the righteous resurrected ones and the great crowd of Armageddon survivors will teach all the unrighteous resurrected ones about Jehovah God.
Again, what does that have to do with understanding 1914?
This:
When Jesus was about to depart, the apostles wanted to know when he would be enthroned as king, which according to the Governing Body was in 1914. Did Jesus tell them how to figure out the date? Did he tell them to look into the writings of the prophet Daniel as William Miller did around 1840? After Miller, Nelson Barbour studied Daniel chapter 4 and refined the doctrine that led to 1914, and then Charles Taze Russell took up the task. In other words, 1914 was identified as significant 200 years ago. 200 hundred years ago.
This angel said to Daniel to keep the words secret, and seal up the book until the time of the end. [That’s Armageddon according to Jackson] Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant.” (Daniel 12:4 NWT)
So the time of the end is still in our future, and the true knowledge became abundant 200 years ago? Well, if men like Adventist preachers William Miller and Nelson Barbour could figure it out, why couldn’t Jesus give his handpicked apostles a heads-up? I mean, they specifically asked for it! They wanted to know the date of his return as King.
“So when they had assembled, they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” He said to them: “It does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.” (Acts 1:6, 7 NWT)
So, if they were not allowed to know about this prophetic calculation, how come men like Miller, Barbour, and Russell were allowed to understand it? The first two men were not even Jehovah’s Witnesses, but part of the Adventist movement. Did God change his mind?
Witnesses claim that Daniel 12:4 provides the answer, at least they used to claim that. In the August 15, 2009 issue of The Watchtower in the article “Everlasting Life on Earth—A Hope Rediscovered”, they explain just how and why they “rediscovered” this hope:
“The True Knowledge Will Become Abundant”
“As regards “the time of the end,” Daniel foretold a very positive development. (Read Daniel 12:3, 4, 9, 10.) “At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun,” said Jesus. (Matt. 13:43) How did the true knowledge become abundant in the time of the end? Consider some historical developments in the decades prior to 1914, the year when the time of the end began.” (w09 8/15 p. 14)
You see, the old light which Jackson has now replaced with the new light claimed that things were going to change around 1914 and that “true knowledge” would become abundant. Presumably, that true knowledge would include the ability to decipher Daniel chapter 4 about the 7 times of Nebuchadnezzar.
But now, Jackson tells us that when Daniel writes that “The righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun” he’s referring to events in the new world and that when he talks about the end when Michael stands up, he’s referring to Armageddon, and so the true knowledge could not have become abundant 200 years ago, because the words were sealed up until the time of the end which Jackson says is Armageddon.
So, either Jesus lied when he said that such knowledge does not belong to humans but remains in the jurisdiction of his Father, Jehovah God, or the Organization is lying. I know which way I’d bet. How about you?
We already know that 1914 is a gross fiction. I’ve done several videos to prove that from Scripture. The Governing Body claims that Daniel chapter four is a prophetic type with a first fulfillment in Nebuchadnezzar’s madness, and that it has a prophetic antitype or secondary fulfillment with a 1914 invisible enthronement of Jesus in heaven. Yet, back in 2012, David Splane of the Governing Body told us that unless an antitype is expressed directly in Scripture, we are going beyond what is written to make one up, which is precisely what they did by telling us that Daniel chapter 4 has an antitypical application to our day. Now they are telling us—Geoffrey Jackson is telling us—that they have new light which is replacing the old light and that the new light takes the only verse in the Bible that even remotely explains how they could possibly know something that Jehovah God has put into the category of restricted knowledge and now they tell us, “it isn’t yet fulfilled.”
I know that despite all this evidence, many true-blue Jehovah’s Witnesses will not accept that 1914 is bogus, nor will they be willing to accept that there is no resurrection of other sheep on earth as “friends of God.” The Bible only speaks about there being two resurrections as we see in the only two places they are mentioned together: At Acts 24:15 we read:
And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.
And, again, at John 5: 28, 29, where Jesus says:
Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.
Even though the Bible only speaks of two resurrections, the Governing Body needs its followers to believe in three resurrections: One of the anointed to rule with Jesus, a second one of the righteous to live on earth, and a third one of the unrighteous to be judged on earth. Witnesses are told they will make up the second resurrection of righteous friends of God living on earth working toward perfection at the end of the thousand years.
The idea that there are only two resurrections, one to immortal life in the kingdom of the heavens and another to judgment on earth during the 1000-year reign of Christ is just more than the average Jehovah’s Witness is willing to believe. Why is that?
I closed my last video by mentioning that we should be reaching out for the hope of everlasting life that Jesus is offering to us and not be satisfied with a consolation prize. There actually is no consolation prize since there is no secondary resurrection of righteous people on earth. The only earthly resurrection that the Bible speaks of is for those who are unrighteous. Of course, people who practice a religion don’t want to think of themselves as unrighteous. They want to think of themselves as favored by God, but they also want to practice their religion their way, man’s way, not God’s way.
In the case of Jehovah’s Witnesses, they are taught that if they live a moral life by witness standards, regularly attend meetings and regularly participate in the preaching work and stay within the organization by being loyal to its man-made doctrines and practices, obedient to its elders, then they will in all likelihood survive Armageddon. Or, if they die before that, they will be resurrected and counted as righteous friends of God. They are promised that some of them might actually be princes who will rule on the earth over the millions of unrighteous who will be resurrected. Jackson made that very promise in this talk of his.
Of course, the only rulers the Bible speaks of in the kingdom of God are the co-rulers that will reign with Jesus Christ in the heavens. There is no mention of an earthly class of rulers, but that is the hope that witness leadership holds out as a carrot to induce members to reach out for positions of oversight in the organization. So, what you have is a man-made, works-based salvation hope. Since, you don’t have to be virtuous enough to qualify for immortal life, since the resurrected ones will come back still in the same sinful state they are in now and will have a thousand years to get it right, the bar is set much lower to the mind of Witnesses. They don’t have to reach out for the same level of godliness that they feel the anointed must attain to so as to be worthy of the heavenly resurrection. I’m not speaking about what the Bible teaches here, but of what Witnesses believe and of the attitude it engenders.
Whatever particular sin may be plaguing you, as long as you stick to the organization, do all the things that they tell you to do, you don’t need to worry too much because you’ll have a thousand years to fix all that…a thousand years to work out all the kinks of your personality. That is a very appealing prospect.
In other words, you don’t have to win the race, you just have to qualify to run in it.
The only problem is, it’s not true. It’s not based on the Bible. The whole system of salvation that Jehovah’s Witnesses teach is a fabrication used by men to control other men and women.
Rutherford said that “religion is a snare and a racket.” He was right. One of the rare times he was right, but he was right. Religion is what they call the long con. It is a confidence game that gets people to part with their valuable things in exchange for a hope held out by a con man or con men for something far better. In the end, they will end up with nothing that was promised. Jesus gave us a parable about this:
“Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell YOU, will seek to get in but will not be able, when once the householder has got up and locked the door, and YOU start to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Sir, open to us.’ But in answer he will say to YOU, ‘I do not know where YOU are from.’ Then YOU will start saying, ‘We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our broad ways.’ But he will speak and say to YOU, ‘I do not know where YOU are from. Get away from me, all YOU workers of unrighteousness!’ There is where [YOUR] weeping and the gnashing of [YOUR] teeth will be, when YOU see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside.” (Luke 13:24-28)
In Matthew’s account of the narrow gate and the broad road (Matthew 7:13-23) he says that those ones claimed to have ‘prophesied in his name, and expelled demons in his name, and performed many powerful works in his name’—powerful works like the worldwide preaching of the good news. But Jesus says he never knew them and calls them “lawless.”
Jesus has never lied to us and he speaks clearly. We have to stop listening to men like Geoffrey Jackson who just brazenly interpret Scripture for us without any foundation in fact and expect us to just accept their word because they are the chosen of God.
No, no, no. We have to verify the truth for ourselves. We have to… How does the Bible put it? Oh yes… Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is fine. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 We have to put these men to the test, put their teachings to the test and stop being naïve. Don’t trust in men. Don’t trust in me. I’m just a man. Trust in the word of God. Be like the Beroeans.
Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thes·sa·lo·niʹca, for they accepted the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so (Acts 17:11)
The Beroeans believed Paul and they did well to do so, but they still verified that everything he said was written down in God’s word.
I find reviewing the works of the Organization to be depressing and demoralizing, like touching an unclean thing. I would prefer never to do it again, but they will continue to do things and say things that will require… No… will demand some response for the sake of those who might be deceived. However, I think I’ll wait for the more egregious transgressions and try to spend more time on producing edifying scriptural content.
Thank you so much for watching. I hope this has been helpful. And of course, I again thank all for supporting this work both by donating their time and effort by, among other things, editing these videos, proofreading the transcripts, and doing the postproduction work. I also want to thank all those who help out in translation and those who help out with our financial resources.
Until next time.
Archived Comments
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Comment by James Mansoor on 2022-02-15 16:39:29
Good morning Eric,
You are a breath of fresh air to my spirituality, words cannot describe the truth of what you say on this “new light” of GB…
Eric, one suggestion I will make, from now on, lead with the introduction of… Which one would you believe, the Bible or watchtower, choice is yours, one is inspired the other man made.
Love, love itReply by Meleti Vivlon on 2022-02-16 05:46:41
Thanks James.
Comment by Devora on 2022-02-16 06:09:54
Another scripture-backed, excellent Reveal in proving their erroneous path,Thank You.
Most of these points on 2 resurrections,not 3;Truth in harmony always with itself(not negated/tossed away/replaced-!),and how we follow Christ+God's Word,not men ...all points I've likewise proved to myself in intensive,exhaustive but enlightening examinations of Scripture.
Continuing in prayers for you Eric and all our Spiritual Kin across the world.."if it must be..grieved by various trials.."as Christians are tested.Indeed to me it is sometimes amazing that you and others can push past (our shared)natural disgust and abhorrence at the false teachings of Watchtower-Land..to carry on using the Sword of the Spirit to cut and reveal the heart of the matter.
Stay like a Lion!
Comment by James Mansoor on 2022-02-16 06:54:29
Hi Eric,
Thinking out loud about 3 resurrection according to GB, a thought came up, why not have 3 classes of anointed according to GB:
Generation that saw 1914 and now they are dead.
The overlapping generation, born 10 minutes before last survivor of 1914.
Normal anointed born 10 minutes after 1914 generation.
Who knows maybe this will be New Light ? for GB.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2022-02-18 13:03:50
Well done, Just Wondering. Well done!
Reply by making sure on 2022-02-19 02:46:18
Thank you Just Wondering. This is quite remarkable and took some working out, I’m sure. By using this time calculation, you have rather beaten the organisation at their own game.
Comment by ZbigniewJan on 2022-02-16 17:06:42
Dear Eric !!! Thank you for your next work, thanks to which we Christians can better hear the voice of our Shepherd Jesus Christ.
For many years of active participation in the structures of JW, I escaped from a thorough examination of the year 1914. I kept telling myself that this had nothing to do with my faith and the activity of a Jehovah's Witness. However, when I undertook to verify the validity of the connection of the years 607 and 1914 with biblical prophecy, a real revolution took place. The evidence in Jonson's book and in R. Franz's second book has demolished the house of JW's cards. The arguments of JW's doctrines turned out to be fiction and illusion.
I realized who my Lord really is. The first thing I did was stop preaching with other Jehovah's Witnesses. Why?
Because I started preaching something other than JW. At the beginning, I had a problem with what to encourage my interlocutors to do. Where to direct them, not to Kingdom Halls. During one of the talks, the solution came by itself. It turned out to be obvious. Not where and to whom. To Christ !!!
Today, Eric warns, "don't get Christ stolen from you." Don't follow people, though they would be "as wonderful as the Governing Body."
Eric's criticism of GB's new light shows at what level the leaders are replacing Christ. The apostle Paul in Hebrews 6: 1-3 writes: "Therefore, let us move from those first assumptions of Christ's teaching to what is more perfect, not going back to such basic things as the necessity to abandon dead works, professing faith in God, about washing and laying on of hands, teaching about the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment. ”Eric in his lectures shows that GB has difficulty understanding these basic Bible teachings.
In the 70s and 80s, Jehovah's Witnesses in Poland were called an academic group. All the Witnesses used the Bible. They used the Bibles very efficiently to defend their doctrines. Many of these doctrines were false from 1914, 1975 with the generation in the lead, but today these doctrines have devalued even further. Today the wheat is maturing and the weeds are maturing.
Dear Brothers, let us listen to the voice of our Shepherd. Let us not allow Christ to be robbed from us.
Greetings to all of you !!!
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Comment by cougar on 2022-02-17 02:45:13
hi, thank you for making these videos! I still have some confusion with Daniel 12, specifically verse 1 where Michael is mentioned. I'm sure you're very familiar with the JW view of Michael "standing up" (taking up kingly rulership) I was wondering what you would view Michael standing up means, did Michael stand up for Daniel's people after 70ad? I might be missing something, maybe you could clear up the confusion I'm having.
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2022-02-17 10:25:25
The translation in the 1984 edition of the NWT more accurately translates the original as "the sons of your people". Daniel was a faithful servant of Jehovah. Michael, does not stand on behalf of the wicked, but on behalf of the good. Verse one also speaks about many escaping, who were found written down in the book. It therefore makes sense that those Christian Jews who escaped the destruction of Jerusalem still had Michael as their support.
Comment by James Mansoor on 2022-02-18 16:16:48
Just wondering,
You said: It does NOT show how much time they would have to interact as a common “generation”. To be part of the same generation, I claim that you must have something in common: common activities, common interests, common experiences, and so on. Further, a person must have attained at least the age of awareness. You cannot share a common interest with a newborn infant. How old does a young person need to be before you could have a serious spiritual discussion with them? While there might be some exceptional young people with deep maturity, it is unlikely you would get very far in such a discussion unless the person were at least 10 years old.
Thats brilliant ? and those calculations, what can I say, except Eric is it possible you can make a short video on this subject using Just wondering calculations? So many JW will be awakened from sleep.
Great work my brotherReply by marielle on 2022-02-20 03:05:36
Le livre de Job ne nous dit pas sur combien de temps, il a eu ses dix nouveaux enfants.
Vu que la contraception n’existait pas, imaginons qu’il les ait eu sur 60 ans, il a vécu ensuite 140 ans et vit ses enfants et petits enfants sur 4 générations. Job fut contemporain de ses enfants et petits enfants mais n’appartenait pas à leur génération.
Aucune référence n’existe en marge de ce verset.
Étonnant, non ?Reply by marielle on 2022-02-20 03:43:18
Job 42 : 16
Comment by making sure on 2022-02-19 02:41:55
It would appear that the term “this generation “ is now redundant from WT point of view as the teaching of “the generation of 1914” has transformed into the “overlapping anointings” doctrine.
After years of trying to settle on a conclusive explanation for “generation” they dismiss something Jesus taught because it doesn’t fit.
Interestingly, the”generation of 1914” was taught in the “Live Forever…” book (1982). This is the one that I studied. It wasn’t included in 1995’s “Knowledge…” book. The latest incarnation of the doctrine doesn’t feature in the “Enjoy Life Forever” book.
One can only wonder, is the GB embarrassed to publish it?
Comment by rajeshsony on 2022-02-19 19:03:16
Fantastic job as always, brother Eric. Part 2 was certainly worth the wait! :D
Comment by matijevic on 2022-02-20 09:31:44
I can not understand fully what interpretation you favor? Are you allowing multiple fulfilment (or antitype) or just one in Matthew 24? Please elaborate...
Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2022-02-20 09:36:31
There is no dual fulfillment of Matthew 24. https://beroeans.net/category/examining-matthew-24/
Reply by matijevic on 2022-02-20 14:26:08
Well, in that case we are dealing with failed prophecy! Jesus did not return and generation which betray him pass away! Is there any other conclusion?
Comment by AnnaNana on 2022-11-04 18:09:12
Bible prophecy is so much fun! It is pleasant to be able to share on here, thank you for making such a provision available!
Imperfect humans make mistakes. Thankfully the Bible is from the Perfect Father!
Daniel 11:27,28
"As regards these two kings, their heart will be inclined to do what is bad, and they will sit at one table speaking lies to each other. But nothing will succeed, because the end is yet for the time appointed. And he will go back to his land with a great amount of goods, and his heart will be against the holy covenant. He will act effectively and go back to his land."
"When Czar Nicholas II of Russia called a peace conference in The Hague, Netherlands, on August 24, 1898, the atmosphere was one of international tension. This conference and the one that followed it in 1907 established the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague. By becoming members of this court, the German Reich as well as Great Britain gave the appearance that they favored peace. They sat “at one table,” appearing to be friendly, but ‘their hearts were inclined to do what was bad.’ The diplomatic tactic of ‘speaking a lie at one table’ could not promote real peace. As to their political, commercial, and military ambitions, ‘nothing could succeed’ because the end of the two kings “is yet for the time appointed” by Jehovah God." (dp book)
"In the early days of the revived German Empire, in fact, from 1877 onward, Jehovah’s dedicated people of his “sanctuary” class were openly declaring in their publications that the Gentile times or “appointed times of the nations” would end in 1914. In that year the kingdom of God was to be fully established in the heavens to see that His will should be done on earth. This was in harmony with Jehovah’s covenant with King David for an everlasting Kingdom in the hands of his permanent Heir, Jesus Christ. (2 Sam. 7:12-16; Ps. 89:28-37; Luke 22:28, 29) Kaiser Wilhelm as well as the other worldly rulers treated the message of Jehovah’s sanctuary class concerning the end of the Gentile times in 1914 with contempt. Yet the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society had had a vigorous branch office in Barmen-Elberfeld, Germany, since 1903. Undeniably the heart of the Germanic king of the north was against the holy Kingdom covenant of Jehovah God. The Kaiser’s plans were not for handing over the imperial sovereignty to Jesus Christ at his heavenly enthronement in 1914, the Kaiser thus to acknowledge him as the rightful Heir of the kingdom over all the earth. So he “did it” or acted with effect and returned to his own schemes of an earth dominated by the German Kaiser. By commercial rivalry and military buildup he sowed the seeds for hot war, World War I.
10 The question of world domination was becoming a sizzling one. During the four decades from 1870, when the Franco-Prussian war began and the German Reich again sprouted, down to 1910 there was more headway made in the “European domination of the world” than during the four preceding centuries.d It was due to materialism! Already in 1895 Kaiser Wilhelm declarede that “the German Empire has become a world empire.” He mixed himself in with the Middle East, for, four years later, a group of German bankers got from the Turkish sultan a concession for building a railroad across Asiatic Turkey from the Straits of Bosporus, opposite Constantinople, southeastward to Baghdad in Mesopotamia (now Iraq). Looking to further imperial communications, he said: “Germany’s future lies upon the water.” The total tonnage of his navy became second only to that of Britain. The king of the south looked on nervously.
11 With so much inflammable material piled up, it needed only a spark to touch off a world conflagration. It was struck—on June 28, 1914, by the assassination of Austrian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife in Bosnia, which Austria-Hungary, Germany’s ally, had annexed in 1908. The king of the north seized upon this to realize his scheme of world domination at the expense of the king of the south. Jehovah’s angel had said: “At the time appointed will he return, and enter into the south; but not as in the former will it be in the latter time.” (Dan. 11:29, Le) The “time appointed” was the year 1914, which God’s time schedule had marked for the 2,520 years of the “appointed times of the nations” to end in the fall of the year. At that time their allowance from Jehovah God to enjoy terrestrial rule without interference from God’s kingdom ended. That was “seven times” from 607 B.C., from the Gentile overturning of Jehovah’s typical kingdom in Jerusalem, the destruction of his typical sanctuary in that city, and the desolating of the kingdom realm of Judah.—2 Chron. 36:17-21; Luke 21:24.
12 In the fall of 1914, therefore, was Jehovah’s appointed time for his kingdom to be restored, not on earth at Jerusalem, but up in heaven at his right hand where his Son, Jesus Christ, had sat waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool.—Ps. 110:1; Heb. 10:12, 13.
13 In 1914, were the nations of “Christendom” glad that the time was at hand for the kingdom of God to be fully set up, as proclaimed by Jehovah’s people of the “sanctuary” class? The symbolic twenty-four elders seated before God upon their thrones were glad and said: “We thank you, Jehovah God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun ruling as king.” But prophecy said that the worldly nations would not be glad: “But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time . . . to bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Rev. 11:16-18) Even before the “seven times” expired in the fall of 1914 the nations put themselves in no condition to hail and accept the then-to-be-restored kingdom of God." (Jan 1 1960 wt)
Now, some of the vocabulary has been refined from that 1960s article, all that blah blah blah about classes and so on, but it is quoted here for the purpose of the history portion. The point is that the king of the north was against the holy covenant. In what way?
"His heart will be against the holy covenant."
If 1914 wasn't the time the Jesus received power, then in what way would the king of the north have been "against the holy covenant" as described in Daniel 11:27,28?
The prophecies at Daniel chapter 11 are super specific. There are no other time periods that could fit.
Prior to the last century, historians and archaeologists did not have enough information to accurately pinpoint pivotal dates necessary to figure out the end of the Gentile Times. But now we have plenty of evidence to accurately date the start of the Gentile Times. It's not surprising that some prior guys got the end date wrong before: it wasn't Jehovah's time yet to reveal such things. It wasn't necessary. But we are closer to the day.
"But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light That grows brighter and brighter until full daylight."
A question to ask might be, why do we want or not want to believe 1914 is the end of the Gentile Times? What are we really looking for? And does it make a difference as to the fact that Jehovah is the true God, and that Jesus is the ransom, and that we must keep watching, working, and waiting? It doesn't change our love for God and brothers and love for our enemies, it doesn't change our forgiveness and mercy and undeserved kindness, it doesn't change our respect for authority, anybody's authority, and patient endurance. Whether Christ was enthroned in 1914 or not doesn't change that we must obey him and humbly show love not hate, it doesn't change that we wait on Jehovah to execute justice and take vengeance, it doesn't change that we embrace the Kingdom like children. If someone taught us something that wasn't correct, well, how many things were correct? If you had a difficult parent, did you still respect that parent in the areas that you could respect them? Of course. What does Jehovah expect of us as regards showing respect for anyone with any authority? And in the past, did Jehovah throw out a nation because of their sins, or did He patiently wait on them? When he did execute judgment on ancient Israel, what did that show? Didn't it show that no nation or organization on this imperfect earth is able to perfectly obey and teach? The Mosaic Law was perfect, but they still couldn't follow it. How much more so, the organization today is not perfect, of course there are going to be problems and misteachings. But Jehovah hasn't thrown them away. He will discipline them in his own way and in his own time. If any organization today could teach perfectly, then we wouldn't need the kingdom, would we?
Believe 1914 or don't - but please be careful and help others not "beat" anybody's servants. If they "beat" you, Jehovah will repay them. Everything belongs to Jesus. Everything that belongs to Jehovah belongs to Jesus. Good people and bad people belong to Jesus. When the master of the house comes, he will repay them with what they are due. Joseph was rewarded for his patience, and you will be too. Jehovah has such a good reward for you!
The Jews were familiar with the "day for a year" thing. They knew how long their ancestors had to spend in the wilderness. They knew how long they had to pay off the Sabbaths. Jehovah's pattern hasn't changed. The math adds up.
"Seven Symbolic Times. In Nebuchadnezzar’s personal experience of the vision’s fulfillment the “seven times” were evidently seven years, during which he became mad, with symptoms like those of lycanthropy, abandoning his throne to eat grass like a beast in the field. (Da 4:31-36) Notably, the Biblical description of the exercise of world domination by the Gentile powers is presented through the figure of beasts in opposition to the holy people of God and their “Prince of princes.” (Compare Da 7:2-8, 12, 17-26; 8:3-12, 20-25; Re 11:7; 13:1-11; 17:7-14.) Concerning the word “times” (from Aramaic ʽid·danʹ), as used in Daniel’s prophecy, lexicographers show it here to mean “years.” (See Lexicon in Veteris Testamenti
Libros, by L. Koehler and W. Baumgartner, Leiden, 1958, p. 1106; A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament, by Brown, Driver, and Briggs, 1980, p. 1105; Lexicon Linguae Aramaicae Veteris Testamenti, edited by E. Vogt, Rome, 1971, p. 124.) The duration of a year as so used is indicated to be 360 days, inasmuch as three and a half times are shown to equal “a thousand two hundred and sixty days” at Revelation 12:6, 14. (Compare also Re 11:2, 3.) “Seven times,” according to this count, would equal 2,520 days. That a specific number of days may be used in the Bible record to represent prophetically an equivalent number of years can be seen by reading the accounts at Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6. Only by applying the formula there expressed of “a day for a year” to the “seven times” of this prophecy can the vision of Daniel chapter 4 have significant fulfillment beyond the day of now extinct Nebuchadnezzar, as the evidence thus far presented gives reason to expect. They therefore represent 2,520 years." (it)
You don't have to believe it if you don't want to. You can see so many things that others can't see. Why can't you see this? God's Word always comes true. He said Jesus would begin ruling in the midst of his enemies. And he did. I guess if you don't believe it, you can ask him when he gets here soon.
Hope you have a good rest of your day. Love you guys.