. . . Am I sinning by paying an interest in the supernatural? I do not
dabble in the occult and would never try to contact these spirits myself. These
recordings were made by other people and not myself. The
bible is clear that you should not consult a spirit medium. Asking a spirit
medium for advice is something I would not do. Surely taking an interest in the
supernatural for purely educational reasons is not a sin particularly if it
builds my faith in God.
My sister and mother are both baptized Jehovah's witnesses. I am probably being
paranoid but I feel that the troubles my family has had recently and the
nightmares my sister sometimes has could have something to do with my interest
in the demons. One nightmare she had was about demon possession. I have since
stopped researching the supernatural when my sister found out and rebuked me.
What is the chance that by paying an academic interest in the demons that they
will become interested in me?
Thank you for sharing that
information with me, including your personal experiences. Now that you have
proved to yourself that Satan and the demons are real, and are masters at
deceiving mankind, you are better equipped to be on guard against them.
Just last year a close
relative of mine started a Bible study with a twenty year old young lady. She
was very interested to know what the Bible has to say about Noah’s flood
because ever since she was a little girl she has heard voices inside her head
telling her that God is a baby killer who drowned little children in the big
flood. These voices told her that they would take care of her and protect her,
and she viewed them as her guardian angels (there were several different
voices).
She acted strangely at an early age, making weird sounds and noises. Her mother
was frightened of her and referred to her as “Rosemary’s baby,” after the title
of a movie. At times, when having a temper tantrum and needing to be
restrained, her mother and three friends could not hold her down. She had
unusual strength which she used to fight other children, particularly boys. She
would fight for money and get twenty five cents for every fight she won. She
says she never lost and always had pocket money.
But over the years she began to realize that these, what she thought were
benevolent spirits, were not really that nice, for they would be using the
foulest of language, which started to bother her. When she met my relative she
was full of questions about the Bible, especially the flood of Noah, and agreed
to a study. The demons did not like that and started to disrupt the studies by
shouting that God is a baby killer, cursing God, yes, even using Jehovah’s
name. This of course was very upsetting and frightening to my relative but realized
where it was coming from. After a while the demon would leave, the young lady
apologized for the outburst, and the study continued.
From her I learned much about how the angels, who had forsaken their heavenly
places in order to marry the daughters of men and have offspring, have mourned
the loss of their families, especially their children, in the flood of Noah’s
time that God brought upon the earth. (Genesis 6:1-8;
Believe me, the demons are real, and they are very active in mankind’s affairs
today. Is it dangerous to be interested in them and their activities? God’s
Word tells us, “Subject yourselves, therefore, to God;
but oppose the Devil, and he will flee from you. Draw close to God, and he will
draw close to you.” (James 4:7,8) If we draw close to
God and he will draw close to us, then it stands to reason that if we seek to
draw close to the Devil and his demons that they too will draw close to us.
We cannot be friends with Jehovah and at the same time show an interest in the
ones who are his enemies. (compare 2 Chronicles 19:2) At
the time of the rebellion in the Garden of Eden, Jehovah pronounced sentence
upon the one who made himself Satan the Devil, and determined that there would
be enmity between those who are on God’s side and those who side with Satan in
opposition to Jehovah. (Genesis 3:15) God’s Word tells us that “we belong to
God and the whole world belongs to the devil.” (1 John 5:19, Worldwide English (New Testament)) We
cannot be friends with Jehovah and at the same time show an unusual interest in
the demons. As the same Bible translation puts it, “I do not want you to have
anything to do with bad spirits. You
cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of bad spirits. You
cannot eat food at the table of the Lord and at the table of bad spirits. Do we
want to make the Lord jealous? Are we stronger than he is? No!” (1 Corinthians
10:20-22, Worldwide English (New
Testament))
The young lady that I mentioned, has come to
understand that God is not the one that is bad, but rather the angels that
disobeyed and thus reaped the consequences. She has progressed well in her
study and has not had any demon interference for several months, although for
quite a while it was a real struggle for her and the one studying with her. And
she has made adjustments in her life already, making efforts to bring it in
harmony with what she is learning. She has a strong sense of right and wrong
and has no use for hypocrites. She is very outspoken and immediately started to
share with others what she has been learning. I told her that Jehovah has known
her from the beginning and saw a diamond-in-the-rough in her, and therefore has
enabled her to get to know him. Now she needs to get to know Jehovah also, and
as he teaches her and polishes her, she will sparkle like the diamond she is. Her
advice to you would be: have nothing to do with the demons, nor show any
interest in them.
Please, take serious the danger there is in even taking a casual interest in
the world of the demons. It is hard to break free from their grasp once they
have you under their power. Draw close to Jehovah, and as he has promised, he
will draw close to you. He is the one that cares for you and can protect you
when he brings the demons, their ruler, and the world under their influence, to
its end. (Luke 11:14-20)
_________________________
I
enjoyed reading parts of your website. . . My mother and sister are Jehovah's
witnesses. I have started to attend the meetings. . .
I would like to share with you a theory I have regarding the great tribulation
if you do not mind. Feel free to disagree with it. Your response would be much
appreciated.
It is my opinion that the great tribulation is yet to occur and that wars,
great earthquakes, pestilences and food shortages will dramatically increase in
the future and will be caused by global warming and immigration.
I also believe that scientific predictions can be used to support the prophesies made by the apostles and that these events
are likely to occur within the next one to three hundred years.
Quoting luke 21:10-11 which
speaks about the great tribulation:
"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; 11 and
there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and
food shortages; and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.
The great tribulation will be so devastating that "unless those days are
cut short, no flesh would be saved" - (Mathew 24:22) .
This would seem to suggest that the great tribulation will be caused by human
activity that results in God stepping in to "put to ruin those ruining the
earth." - Revelation
It’s nice to see that you have joined your mother and sister in attending
meetings. They must be very happy. And from what you write, your research and
studying, (which I quote only in part) it is evident that you have a healthy
spiritual appetite. I’m sure that Jehovah will bless your progress.
You are absolutely correct that the great tribulation is yet to occur, but
considering the evidence we can be certain that it won’t take another one to
three hundred years. In connection with the events that you quote from Luke,
chapter 21, Jesus said, “Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. When the
leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. Just so, when
you see the events I've described taking place, you can be sure that the
Although Jesus told his disciples “You should not be concerned about times or
dates. The Father has set them by his own authority,” he nevertheless provided
signs that would indicate the approaching time of the establishment of God’s
kingdom. (Acts 1: 7; New International
Reader's Version) Historians have written much on how the last Century has
definitely been unique in human history, and as you note, scientific
predictions foretell conditions on earth to worsen. For the first time man has
the capability to destroy all life on earth, either directly by means of the
many weapons of mass destruction, or indirectly by what he is doing to the
environment. According to the events happening, we “can be sure that the
According to the prophet Daniel, when God’s kingdom is established it “will
crush and put an end to all these kingdoms” that are now in existence. That
event is called in the Bible “Armageddon” (Har-Magedon).
(Daniel 2:44; Revelation 16:16) It is God’s war against all his enemies. The
last book of the Bible, Revelation, says:
14These miracle-working demons caused all the rulers of the world to
gather for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God Almighty.
15"Take note: I will come as
unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are
watching for me, who keep their robes ready so they will not need to walk naked
and ashamed."
16And they gathered all the
rulers and their armies to a place called Armageddon in Hebrew. —Rev. 16:14-16; New Living
Translation.
Jesus, and other Bible writers, warned that God’s day will come “as a thief,”
unexpected to any who have not paid attention to the foretold signs. (Matt.
25:13; Luke 12:40; 1 Thess. 5:4; 2 Peter 3:12)
Where does the “great tribulation,” mentioned by Jesus, fit into the picture?
(Matt. 24:21) Does it come before Armageddon? Is it caused by “human activity,”
as you suggest? Is the great tribulation, perhaps, a consequence of “global
warming and immigration?”
In Revelation, chapter seven, there is pictured “four angels,” to whom it was granted
to harm the earth and the sea, “standing upon the four corners of the earth,
holding tight the four winds of the earth, that no wind might blow upon the
earth or upon the sea or upon any tree,” until after the sealing of the slaves
of God in their foreheads. (Rev. 7:1-3)
Regarding the four winds of Revelation, Insight on the Scriptures says:
“Usually winds were named for the direction from which they came, the “east
wind” blowing westward from the E. (Ex 10:13, 19; Ps 78:26; Ca 4:16) All four
directions, N, S, E, and W, are embraced by references to “the four winds” of
heaven or earth. (Jer 49:36; Eze
37:9; Da 8:8; Mt 24:31) At Revelation 7:1, “four
angels” are depicted as “standing upon the four corners of the earth, holding
tight the four winds of the earth.” By standing at the “corners,” the “angels”
would let loose the winds obliquely from diagonal directions, sparing no
quarter of the earth from the disastrous blowing of the winds.” —it-2 p. 1186 Wind.
These four winds, that the angels are holding back, are no ordinary winds, as
is noted in the above reference book. Jehovah long ago foretold the time when
he would unleash the destructive powers of these winds.
“Look! The LORD's anger bursts out like a storm, a
whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked. The anger of the LORD
will not diminish until it has finished all his plans. In the days to come, you
will understand all this very clearly.” (Jeremiah 23:19,20;
New Living Translation; see also
Jeremiah 25:31-33; 30:23; Zephaniah 1:15-18; 3:8)
The “windstorm of Jehovah” (NWT) will
burst out, be unleashed, when he executes his judgment upon the nations:
“The Lord will judge them with fire. His chariots are coming like a windstorm.
He will pour out his burning anger on his enemies. It will blaze out like
flames of fire. The Lord will bring everyone into court. He will use fire and
his sword to punish those he finds guilty. He will put many people to death.”
—Isaiah 66:15-16; New International
Reader's Version.
It is clear that the four winds of the earth, that the four angels are holding
back, are referring to “the great day of Jehovah,” also called Armageddon.
These four winds are being held back only until after “the slaves of our God”
are sealed. The prophet Zephaniah describes how complete the destruction that
follows will be:
“The great day of the Lord is near--near
and hastening fast. Hark! the voice of the day of the
Lord! The mighty man [unable to fight or to flee] will cry then bitterly.
That day is a day of wrath, a day of distress
and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day
of clouds and thick darkness . . .
And I will bring distress upon men,
so that they shall walk like blind men, because
they have sinned against the Lord; their blood shall be poured out like
dust and their flesh like dung.
Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of
the Lord's indignation and wrath. But the whole earth shall be consumed in the
fire of His jealous wrath, for a full,
yes, a sudden, end will He make of all the inhabitants of the earth.”
—Zephaniah 1:14-18; Amplified Bible.
Note above how “the great day of Jehovah” (NWT)
describes the great tribulation, “such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning
until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matt. 24:21) According to Revelation,
the four winds of destruction are held back by God’s angels. It is their release of the four winds that unleashes
the great tribulation. (Rev. 19:11-21) Also, according to what Zephaniah
writes, it is Jehovah who will bring
distress and anguish upon men, when he will bring a full and sudden end to all
the inhabitants of the earth who have sinned against him. Therefore, we see
that the great tribulation is not brought on by human activity, such as global
warming, but rather by Jehovah God. And it is God who will cut short the days
of the greatest of all tribulations, as Jesus said, “unless those days were cut
short, no flesh would be saved.” All other disasters that have ever occurred on
this earth until then will pale in comparison.
Although Zephaniah paints a bleak picture and says that God will make an end
“of all the inhabitants of the earth,” the account in Revelation, chapter
seven, goes on to show that there will be “a great crowd,” out of “all nations
and tribes and peoples and tongues,” that survive that great tribulation, for
they “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” That
is, they exercised faith in Christ’s ransom and did God’s will, which included
being baptized. (Matt. 7:21; 28:19,20) This, of
course, they did before the four winds of the great tribulation were unleashed,
and it is on their account that God cuts short those days, otherwise even his
faithful servants would not survive. (Isaiah 55:6; Zephaniah 2:2,3; Malachi 4:1-3)
In connection with God’s coming day of wrath, Zephaniah includes a warning to
God’s own people, for they too will come under judgment:
“At that time I will search
I will punish those who are so contented.
They are like wine that has not been
shaken up.
They think, 'The Lord won't do anything.
It doesn't matter whether it's good or
bad.'
Their wealth will be stolen.
Their houses will be destroyed.
They will build houses.
But they will not live in them.
They will plant vineyards.
But they will not drink the wine they
produce.” —Zephaniah 1:12,13; New International Reader's Version. (compare
Jeremiah 25:27-30; Ezekiel 9:4-6; 1 Peter 4:17,18)
The great tribulation is not man-made. It is brought on by Jehovah. It is his
day of Armageddon.
(For a fuller consideration of this topic please see my article, The Great
Tribulation = Jehovah’s Day = Armageddon)
_________________________
When scripture is highlited . . . why the
AMP not the NWT?
For the most part I use the New World Translation. It is a good
translation, and also I grew up using it, so I know where every scripture is
that we use in the ministry, on what page and column. I have the NWT in
English, German and Greek. In my articles, and Bible studies, I use other
translations as well, such as the Amplified Bible, as you note,
because sometimes a particular point is brought out more clearly in a different
translation. I like the AMP Bible because it often gives more than one way of
translating a word or thought, providing additional words in parenthesis. On my
small Pocket PC (HP iPAQ) I have a total of 17
different Bibles, (some available for free from Olive Tree) and they are great
for researching Bible topics.
Unfortunately, I cannot use the NWT in my articles with a link for a scripture
to be looked up, because the NWT does not allow to link to it in the same way
as I can with BibleGateway.com. It is for the convenience of those who do not
have a Bible at hand, as they are reading, that they can thus click on the link
to open to the scripture and compare it with what is being discussed.
_________________________
Thank you for clarifying the point that the article “The Great
Tribulation – Jehovah’s Day – Armageddon” is only your alternative explanation
of events that must shortly take place. But note, technically the title
is incorrect. The great tribulation consists of two phases, the first
being the destruction of Babylon the Great, the second being Armageddon, and
Armageddon is Jehovah’s Day, not the entire great tribulation is Jehovah’s Day,
as the name of your title implies.
Regarding the great tribulation, Jesus said, “In fact, unless those days were
cut short, no flesh would be saved.” (Matt. 24:22) What do you think, at what
point are the days of the great tribulation cut short, at the beginning or at
the end? Logically, at the end. Is that not what
Armageddon is, as you note? Is Armageddon not cut short otherwise no flesh
would be saved? (Zeph. 1:18) Does the great crowd, that comes out of the great tribulation, not survive
Armageddon? (Rev. 7:14) Therefore, technically the title is correct. As to the
great tribulation consisting “of two phases,” that remains to be seen.
_________________________
JW's alone are God's household?
Dear brother,
I'm far
from convinced re the above.
In all
honesty, how can you possibly exclude from also being a part of God's household
similar groups like the International Bible Students, The United Church of God,
Biblical Unitarians, and other such groups that believe the same
basic doctrines as JW's?
What
criteria are you using to say JW's are so special?
What is
the difference between the doctrinal mistakes of these other groups of
sincere Christians and those of the JW's?
For a
religion claiming to be the only channel through which God accepts pure
worship, JW's errors are significant, a disturbing
litany of false predictions, spurious chronology, cover-ups, teaching
that millions of their rank are excluded from the new
covenant, shameless flirting with the UN, harbouring
child molestors, allowing babies and toddlers to do
for want of a blood-transfusion, harsh disfellowshipping and shunning policies,
etc, etc. So what makes their organisation any
better and more qualified to be labelled 'God's
household' to the exclusion of other religious organisations
with similar core doctines, when JW's also
contain just as much, if not more, error as these other similar
groups.
All the
said religious groups are exercising faith in Jesus and his ransom,
they reject the trinity, know that the human soul is mortal, know that there is
no literal hellfire, know that God's Kingdom will be a rulership over the
earth? If other groups besides JW's believe
these things, why are you so quick to dismiss them as also possibly containing
anointed Christians?
You seem
to be equivocating a centralised
modern-day man-made organisation with 'God's
household'. You must surely know that according to scripture God's
household is quite simply the body of all anointed Christians
geographically scattered about in various congregations. . .
You raise some very good and valid points.
That God has a household there can be no doubt, for that is what we are told in
his Word. Paul wrote to the non-Jewish Christians in
To Jehovah and his Son there is certainly no confusion as to the identity of
his household and those who are members of it. It is “built up upon the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the
foundation cornerstone.” Instead of it being split and scattered into many
different sects God’s household would be united, “harmoniously joined together
. . . into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.” (Eph. 2:20-22)
The criteria to identify God’s household is still the same today as it was in
the first century. First, within it there must be those whom Jehovah himself
has chosen, having started with the twelve apostles as the foundation and
adding 108 others at Pentecost, eventually totaling in number 144,000. These
have the responsibility to take the lead in feeding the “menservants and the maidservants,”
all the members of God’s family. They are the support, the framework, of God’s
household. Jehovah certainly knows who they are and he brings to them those who
need to be fed and sheltered. Receiving their future reward of ruling with
Christ depends upon faithfully carrying out their God-given assignment. (Luke
12:42-46; Rev. 14:1,3; 20:6) Those who need to be cared
for within God’s household include all who would want to be his sons and
daughters and have Jehovah for their father; the numberless others who look
forward to living under the blessed rulership of God’s kingdom. (2Cor.
This brings us to the second point: Belonging to God’s household involves more
than simply expressing faith in Jesus. It is more than understanding doctrine
or interpreting prophecies. As Jesus himself said, "Not all people who
sound religious are really godly. They may refer to me as `Lord,' but they
still won't enter the
Why would there be those, who called Jesus their Lord, but be rejected by him?
Jesus says, according to the New Living
Translation, “the decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven,”
and not doing things that were “unauthorized.” They had been busy doing what they thought was important, such as
prophesying, casting out demons or performing miracles. But beyond the infancy
of his household, in the first century, Jehovah had not authorized his people
to do those things. Those things would not be the criteria for identifying his
household “on judgment day.” What Jesus and his Father did authorize his servants to do was to preach the good news of the
kingdom. (Mark
Jesus started the preaching of the kingdom and taught his disciples to do the
same, sending them out also to preach, although they understood little about
what the kingdom is and what it would accomplish. (Matt. 4:17; Mark 3:14; Acts
1:6) Later, the apostle Paul was chosen to preach the good news especially to
the Gentiles. (Rom. 1:1; 1Tim.
Because it is God’s will that the good news be preached in all the earth, he
supports those who obey him by providing help by means of his holy spirit and
his angels. (John 14:26; Acts 4:31; 5:19,20; 8:26-29; 10:3,4,30,44; 12:11; Rev.
14:6) Jesus even obligated his father to provide the necessities of life, as he
promised, for those who are seeking first the kingdom by having a full share in
its preaching work. (Matt. 6:33) The many, who are actively engaged in this
work, can testify that God is faithfully supporting them.
Jehovah’s witnesses are not the only ones who understand the importance of the
preaching work. Over a hundred years ago Ellen White, of the Seventh-day Adventist church, noted in her book the
importance of preaching the good news of the kingdom, and she said that if the
Adventists failed to do it then God would find a people who would. Recently,
the new pope, Pope Benedict the XVI, mentioned to a first cousin of his,
who is a Jehovah’s witness, “You are doing the work that
we should do'," referring to her preaching work, as reported by The Canberra Times. (http://www.geocities.com/yhwhbible/PopesCousin.pdf)
As can be seen, it is recognized by the world that there is only one group of
Christians who have dedicated themselves to the preaching of the good news.
Others have tried but failed. Why? Because, without the help that God provides it is impossible to accomplish this
work. Jehovah recognizes only his one household and he thus directs the people
who would worship him to it.
Are there wicked people within God’s household today? Do they have “inspired
expressions of error” as other religions do, that may be causes for stumbling?
(1John 4:6) Jesus gave us an illustration to help us understand the situation
that would exist within God’s household on judgment day.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet which was cast into the sea and
gathered in fish of every sort. When it was full, men dragged it up on the
beach, and sat down and sorted out the good fish into baskets, but the
worthless ones they threw away. So it will be at the close and consummation of
the age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from the righteous
(those who are upright and in right standing with God) And
cast them [the wicked] into the furnace of fire; there will be weeping and
wailing and grinding of teeth.” (Matt. 13:47-50; AMP)
The preaching work that is being accomplished today,
only by Jehovah’s witnesses, is illustrated by the dragnet. It serves an important purpose. By means of it all sorts
of different individuals, good and bad, wicked and righteous, are being gathered into God’s household, as they respond to the
message. When the net is full at “the close and consummation of the age,”
and God’s judgment starts with his own house, he will “collect out from his
kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness.”
(Matt. 13:41)
The apostle Peter assures us that the righteous within that household will be
saved, whereas “those who are not
obedient to the good news of God,” the ungodly and the sinners, will not
make a showing. (1 Peter 4:17,18) Also, the apostle
Paul warns that God’s day of judgment will bring vengeance “upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news
about our Lord Jesus. . . at the time he comes to be
glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with
wonder in connection with all those who exercised faith, because the witness we gave met with faith among you.” (2Thes.
1:6-10) Those who will survive the day of judgment are
“his holy ones” and “all those who exercised faith,” within his household.
(Matt. 24:22; Rev. 7:14)
Only after the preaching of the
kingdom has been accomplished, and Jehovah has judged and cleansed his people,
having removed all causes of stumbling and wicked ones from their midst, will
correct doctrine and understanding of prophecies become the issue. At that time
it will be true that the righteous ones will “shine as brightly as the sun in
the kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:41,43) Then
Jehovah will give them insight and understanding of
things that are still seen at present only in a hazy outline and understood
only partially. One thing is clear today, there is still much that we need to
learn. (Daniel 12:3,10; 1Cor.
That the preaching of the good news of the kingdom is a way of identifying
God’s household is not just a theory or my opinion. You can put it to the test
yourself. Many are doing it. I have. Devote yourself to the preaching work and
experience for yourself how Jehovah will support you with his spirit, provide
for your necessities, have angels assist you, and bless your preaching with
results as you direct others to God’s only household. There is no other group
that is doing that.
“I give you a command in the sight of God and Christ
Jesus. Christ will judge the living and the dead. Because he and his kingdom
are coming, here is the command I give you. Preach the word. Be ready to serve
God in good times and bad. Correct people's mistakes. Warn them. Cheer them up
with words of hope. Be very patient as you do these things. Teach them
carefully.” —2 Timothy 4:1-2; NIRV.
_________________________
