The Watchtower Built on Sand

​INTRODUCTION

A. Hebrews 12:25-28
We who are in Christ’s church are part of an unshakeable kingdom.

B. Matthew 7:24-27
Hearing and doing what Jesus said is building on rock. Failure in that regard is building on sand. The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, which is the religious organization that so-called “Jehovah’s Witnesses” belong to, is built on sand. Consider seven of its shaky pillars.

I. FALSE PROPHECY

“But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble” (Zion's Watch Tower, July 15th 1894, page 226). Many times over the years, beginning with a prediction of 1914, the Watchtower has falsely set the date for Christ’s return.

A. Deuteronomy 18:20-22
Those who foretell events that fail to come to pass must be disregarded.

B. Zechariah 13:1-3; 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
Prophecy had its end in the first century. No claim of prophecy since then should be trusted.

C. 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Peter 3:10
The timing of Christ’s return absolutely cannot be predicted.

II. FALSE HOPE OF HEAVEN“So rather than all good people going to heaven, the Bible reveals that only 144,000 tried and faithful persons will be taken there to rule with Christ” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, Copyright 1982 by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Page 124). JWs think heaven is a reward restricted to a limited few, and the rest of the saved will enjoy a different blessing.

A. Ephesians 4:4-6
According to the apostle, there are as many hopes as there are Lords and faiths, which is to say just one. To suggest haven for some saved and something else for the rest is to present two hopes.

B. Matthew 20:1-16
Jesus taught that all who have served the Lord will receive identical rewards in a parable in which those who worked one hour were paid the same as those who worked twelve.

C. Colossians 1:3-6
The hope of all the Colossian Christians and everyone in the world who receive the gospel is laid up in heaven.

D. Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1-5
The notion that heaven is reserved for an exclusive group of 144,000 is derived from misunderstanding two passages in the Revelation which show that group to specifically be Jewish male virgins. Do the JWs actually believe heaven is limited to such a particular group?

III. FALSE HOPE OF EARTH“Even persons now dead will enjoy the paradise earth” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, Copyright 1982 by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Page 165). So-called Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the saved who don’t make it to heaven will enjoy Paradise restored on this planet.

A. Romans 8:24
That is literally hopeless.

B. 2 Peter 3:10-13
The entire physical universe will be dissolved. It will melt into nothing.

C. 1 Corinthians 15:50-54; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Flesh and blood cannot gain incorruption, but Watchtower followers believe they’ll continue in flesh and blood after the resurrection. We groan for a heavenly habitation when this earthly one is destroyed. When the end comes, the Lord will be met in the air, earth will be vacated.

IV. FALSE HOPE OF HELL

“Hell could not be a place of torment because such an idea never came into the mind or heart of God. Additionally, to torment a person eternally because he did wrong on earth for a few years is contrary to justice” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, Copyright 1982 by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Page 89). They believe the unrighteous dead will simply be annihilated without ongoing pain.

A. Romans 11:22; Hebrews 10:26-31
They do not recognize that God’s severity complements His goodness. They fail to understand God has worse punishment than death in store for many sinners.

B. Matthew 13:41-42, 49-50
Jesus, twice, said that fire, wailing, and gnashing teeth awaits those who offend.

C. Mark 9:43-48
Three times the Lord described hell as unquenchable fire.

D. Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10
Everlasting punishment will be just as long as eternal life.

V. DENIAL OF CHRIST’S DEITY

“Well, did Jesus ever say that he was God? No, he never did. Rather, in the Bible he is called “God’s Son?” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, Copyright 1982 by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Page 39). They deny that Jesus is actually God.

A. John 1:1, 14
The one who became flesh and dwelt among men was from the beginning and was both God and with God simultaneously.

B. Colossians 2:9
He possesses the fullness of the divine!

C. Hebrews 1:3, 8, 10; Psalm 102:1, 25-27
He is the express image of God. He is called God by God. He is also called Jehovah by God.

D. 1 John 2:23
Because they deny His certain deity, the members of the Watchtower organization do deny Christ, and therefore have no fellowship with the Father.

VI. CONFUSION ABOUT BLOOD

“Jehovah’s Witnesses are well known for taking these Bible commands to heart. They reject all transfusions involving whole blood or the four primary blood components—red cells, plasma, white cells, and platelets” (The Real Value of Blood, Awake!—2006, page 10, http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102006283). They would rather die than receive a blood transfusion.

A. Genesis 9:4
When meat first became part of man’s diet, God forbade the consumption of blood. The reason given is that the blood was the life of the animal. It is because specifically blood gives life that it is transfused; this doesn’t disrespect life as eating it would, but, on the contrary, shows the utmost respect for life.

B. Leviticus 3:17
The rule was renewed under the Law of Moses, again with eating blood prohibited, but nothing said of life-giving transfusions.

C. Acts 15:19-20, 28-29, 21:25
Transcending all covenants, eating blood remains forbidden to the present. To think this rule is violated by transfusions is to totally misunderstand what eating is and to totally misunderstand what transfusing is.

VII. DISTRACTION OVER NAMES

“Likewise, it is proper to use God’s name, which is revealed in the Bible, whether we pronounce it ‘Yah-weh,’ ‘Jehovah,’ or in some other way common in our language. What is wrong is to fail to use that name” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth, Copyright 1982 by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Page 44).

A. Exodus 3:13-15; 6:2-3; 34:14
Do you have more than one name? You have at least two—a first and a last, and if you’re like most people you have three—a first, a middle, and a last. Some people, especially in Hispanic cultures have more than that. A lot of people have nicknames, in addition to their given names, and some have titles, too. Not surprisingly, God has more than one name. He called Himself “I AM” the only time anyone ever asked Him what His name was. He said that “Jehovah” is His name, but no one knew it until the time of Moses. Even the adjective “Jealous” is a name He claims. So, yeah, Jehovah is definitely His name, but it’s not the only one.

B. Acts 4:10-12; Colossians 3:17
Remarkably, the only name that provides salvation is the name “Jesus Christ,” the name under which we must operate in all that we do.

C. John 20:30-31; 1 John 3:23
Christ is the name in which we must have faith for salvation.

D. Romans 10:9-10; Philippians 2:9-11
Christ is the name we must confess unto salvation.

E. Acts 2:38; 19:5
Christ is the name we must be baptized into for remission of sins, following repentance.

F. Ephesians 5:20
Christ is the name we must pray in.

G. Isaiah 62:2; Acts 11:26
The new name given to God’s people is Christian, derived from the name Christ!

~Bryan Matthew Dockens