There is no shortage today of those who present their own interpretation of Bible prophecies that Jehovah had intentionally written in signs and symbolic language, as Jesus told his closest disciples, “It does not belong to you to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.” (Dan. 12:8,9; Rev. 1:1; Acts 1:7)

Since C.T. Russell’s time the brothers have looked to the Society for the correct understanding of such prophecies, believing that they had been granted special insight by Jehovah. But after all these decades and many failed fulfillments of their predictions, and the accompanying disappointments and even consequential hardships experienced by some, many are now seeking enlightenment elsewhere. This has provided a fertile ground for the abundance of prophets, who claim to speak in Jehovah’s name, that were foretold to appear during the last days. (Matt. 7:15; 24:11,24; 2Pet. 2:1; 1John 4:1)

Something that is true of all prophecies is that we cannot know for certain the accuracy of the interpretation until the actual time of their fulfillment, or lack of such, unless Jehovah himself has clearly explained the interpretation in his Word, the Bible, for all to understand. That is why a false prophet, who speaks in Jehovah’s name, is not unmasked until the time comes when he is exposed and condemned by his own words. (Deut. 18:20-22; Jer. 28:9)

Although it is not necessarily dangerous in itself to want to speculate about Bible prophecies which “the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction,” it can become such when our speculation turns to expectation, and the expectation leads to disappointment, and the disappointment to stumbling, as has happened to thousands who had put their trust in the failed fulfillments of the Watchtower’s interpretations of such prophecies.

There is a warning from Jehovah for his people regarding the false prophets that would appear in their midst, “They have visioned what is untrue and a lying divination, those who are saying, ‘The utterance of Jehovah is,’ when Jehovah himself has not sent them, and they have waited to have a word come true. Is it not an untrue vision that YOU men have visioned, and a lying divination that YOU have said, when saying, ‘The utterance of Jehovah is,’ when I myself have spoken nothing?"’ (Ezek. 13:6,7)

Jehovah will come down hard, not only on the false prophets but also those who inquire of them, for “they will have to bear their error. The error of the inquirer will prove to be just the same as the error of the prophet.” Or, according to the New Life Version, “The man who asks the question and the man who speaks to him in My name will both be punished in the same way.” (Ezek. 14:9,10)

E-watchman is just one of the better known of the many prophets claiming to speak in Jehovah’s name. Because it is scripturally impossible at this time to prove whether his interpretations and expectations are right or wrong, his followers find it necessary to quote him extensively when discussing his take on the unfolding of future events, rather than turning to Scripture. He has dismissed as “vomit” just about everything the Watchtower has taught, especially in connection with Bible prophecy.

When a person’s teachings can affect someone’s relationship with Jehovah in a negative way it can be said that that teaching becomes dangerous. For example, consider just three points on what e-watchman is teaching:

He claims that the global preaching work, mentioned by Jesus at Matt. 24:14, is still future and will be of short duration. 
He believes that in the not-too-distant future Jehovah’s people will be taken into exile by Babylon the Great, and the call of Rev. 18:4, to get out of her, will apply at that time.
He also expects "the great crowd" of Rev. 7:9,14, to come into existence during the great tribulation.
(Please correct me if I have misunderstood any of these points by e-watchman.)

All of the above points can affect our relationship with Jehovah. If he is wrong then those who listened to him and refrained from participating in the preaching of the good news of the kingdom, will have missed out on the all important and never to be repeated work assigned to us for this time. Also, anyone who may still be found in Babylon the Great and wishes to worship Jehovah, may delay in getting out of her before her sudden and unexpected destruction, perhaps reasoning that the flight is still future, and thus not heed the timely warning sounded by God’s angel, and end up sharing in her fate. And many, who had put faith in his words, will realize too late that the great crowd existed before the great tribulation breaks forth, having already washed their robes “in the blood of the Lamb” and been busy “rendering [God] sacred service,” including participation in the preaching assignment, for which reason they are protected. To wait until the great tribulation begins is suicidal according to Zephaniah 2:1-3.

Today, many former Witnesses are going around urging God’s people to separate themselves from the Watchtower Society, claiming that it is part of Babylon the Great. Having already stumbled they now fail to recognize that Jehovah foretold that there would be false teachers and wicked men in the midst of his people, whom he would, at his appointed time, remove from “the intimate group of [his] people.” (Ezek. 13:9; 14:8,9; Matt. 13:40-43) Having removed themselves from the midst of God’s people they are now encouraging others to do likewise. (Dan. 11:35) It is vital for us at this time to heed Jesus’ words and be on the lookout regarding those he warned us about, “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.” (Matt. 24:24,25)

Although I get questions on a number of subjects, I refuse to speculate publicly on prophecies "which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction." What I write, for the encouragement of Jehovah’s people, can be verified from the Scriptures. A person may also want to use the Scriptures where they disagree with me, but this is not possible when it comes to prophecy. (Dan. 12:10; Matt.13:43) From time to time I receive letters from brothers who disagree with me about my claim that we are not expected or able to understand all Bible prophecies at this particular time. Usually they include a version of their own interpretation of prophecy, almost always from the book of Revelation. (Can you imagine Jesus' twelve disciples gathering together the night before his arrest and trying to interpret the prophecies pertaining to the events of the following few days? Could they have gotten it right? Why didn't they? Did their arguments about who was the greatest among them have anything to do with who was the most credible when it came to figuring out the unfolding of future events, such as "how would Jesus set up his kingdom when the Romans were still in power," etc.?)

There is much in the way of instructions in the Scriptures that we need to concern ourselves with in these last days, in order to strengthen our relationship with Jehovah. That is where our emphasis should be! Now is the time to seek Jehovah, to seek righteousness and meekness. If we remain steadfast and loyal we will be concealed in the day of his anger. (Zeph. 2:2,3) If I have my own thoughts on certain details on fulfillment of prophecies I keep these to myself. That way I will not be counted among those who "go beyond the things that are written,” and be classified among the false prophets. (1Cor. 4:6)


Ezekiel 13:1-12 (The Message)

People Who Love Listening to Lies

1-2 God's Message came to me: "Son of man, preach against the prophets of Israel who are making things up out of their own heads and calling it 'prophesying.'

2-6 "Preach to them the real thing. Tell them, 'Listen to God's Message!' God, the Master, pronounces doom on the empty-headed prophets who do their own thing and know nothing of what's going on! Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals scavenging through the ruins. They haven't lifted a finger to repair the defenses of the city and have risked nothing to help Israel stand on God's Day of Judgment. All they do is fantasize comforting illusions and preach lying sermons. They say 'God says...' when God hasn't so much as breathed in their direction. And yet they stand around thinking that something they said is going to happen.

7-9 "Haven't you fantasized sheer nonsense? Aren't your sermons tissues of lies, saying 'God says...' when I've done nothing of the kind? Therefore—and this is the Message of God, the Master, remember—I'm dead set against prophets who substitute illusions for visions and use sermons to tell lies. I'm going to ban them from the council of my people, remove them from membership in Israel, and outlaw them from the land of Israel. Then you'll realize that I am God, the Master.

10-12 "The fact is that they've lied to my people. They've said, 'No problem; everything's just fine,' when things are not at all fine. When people build a wall, they're right behind them slapping on whitewash. Tell those who are slapping on the whitewash, 'When a torrent of rain comes and the hailstones crash down and the hurricane sweeps in and the wall collapses, what's the good of the whitewash that you slapped on so liberally, making it look so good?'

 
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