Prophecy, 1929, p64-65 - 'Pastor' C. T. Russell said Jesus would not be bodily on the earth because His 'second presence ... began in 1874 A.D.' - and they were still claiming this in 1929!

Matthew 24 (particularly verses 27,37, and 39) is used by the WBTS in their attempts to describe the Lord's 'coming' (Greek: parousia - meaning 'being near, i.e. advent [often, return; especially of Christ to punish Jerusalem, or finally the wicked], by implication physically coming, physically present) of verse 3 as His supposed 'Invisible presence' of 1874, 1914 (etc.) but try to give that same definition to these other verses.

The Lord says His arrival will be as lightning flashing from the east to the west and like the experience of those trapped in the flood of Noah's day.  Was the WBTS 'presence' of the Lord in 1914 like this? Did anyone see it like the lightning flashing across the whole sky or like the flood waters bearing down on top of them?

Clearly the two described events will be so spectacular that they get the immediate attention of the people!  But the WBTS took nearly thirty years before they said with any confidence that Christ 'came INVISIBLY' in 1914!  Parousia must mean the same each time it is used in Scripture, so it cannot refer to Christ's INVISIBLE presence in 1914 - or at any other time.

So, having looked at both the practical events of the signs themselves, and more importantly the Scriptural context, we can say that neither gives any evidence of Jesus Christ's INVISIBLE return in 1914.

Scripture is clear (Matthew 24:23-27):

'Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not.  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you beforehand. If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming (Greek:  parousia) of the Son of man.
NOBODY believing the Bible should believe 'Pastor' C. T. Russell, not least because much of his erroneous doctrinal error came from studying with another cult of his day - the 'Adventists' - as he admitted in the 1881 article!

Remember the 'Emperor's New Clothes' story which claimed that you could only see the 'magic invisible suit of the Emperor if you were wise'?

What should we think of False Prophets who say Jesus has returned but, when there is no sign of Him, they then say 'He returned invisibly'!?

Especially when Jesus said 'as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man' - is lightning quiet - and invisible?!

The other verse the WBTS quote is Matthew 24:37:

'But as the days of Noe (Noah) were, so shall also the coming (Greek:  parousia) of the Son of man be'.

The flood took the people by surprise but they certainly knew the flood was PRESENT!

Why does Jesus say, in Matthew 24:36:

'But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only'.

Can you really believe that the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit changed this Scripture so that it meant:

'But of that day and hour knoweth no man - except C.T. Russell ... ?'

Do you really want to follow such obvious deceivers?





'Prophecy', p64, includes the following laughable claim (see yellow highlights below):

The track record of the WBTS certainly proves anything but 'a better understanding of God's Word.'

As we will show, the WBTS has blundered from one farcical 'interpretation' of Scripture to another, for it is not just their prophecies that are false.

Page 65 ('Days of Understanding') claims (see yellow highlights below):

Did the WBTS 'understanding of the prophecies' really begin in 1874, 1914, 1916, 1918, 1925 - or ever?

The evidence shows the answer to be an emphatic 'NO'!

The Second Coming of Jesus Christ is something that millions of people have looked forward to with great anticipation for many centuries. Christians believe that His Coming will bring peace and joy to the whole world.  Most who claim to be Christian are still awaiting His return and believe it will be a literal, visible and physical one - because that is what Scripture clearly states!

The WBTS have taught otherwise ever since Jesus failed to turn up visibly.  They then began to teach that Jesus came in 1914 - invisibly!  They then claimed:  "Beyond all doubt, the evidence points to 1914 as the year when the kingdom of God went into operation, and that event is causing things to happen here on earth." (The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, p93). 

The apostle Paul warned all Christians:  "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (I Thessalonians 5:21).

We have presented many documented statements from WBTS publications and, based on this information, we can ask: DID JESUS ACTUALLY RETURN IN 1914?

The title of the early Watchtower magazine (in 1879) reflected the importance that it placed on the doctrine of Christ's Second Coming: 'Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence'.  So why did they change the title to: 'The Watchtower - Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom'?

Of course if Jesus is not invisibly present (and, like the 'Emperor's New Clothes', an invisible 'presence' is conveniently impossible to prove - and also emphatically un-Scriptural!), as the WBTS taught, then its main message is clearly wrong and reveals an obvious lack of God's leading.  If Christ did not come in 1914 (as Scripture shows He did not!) then Jehovah's Witnesses are not ruled by the 'heavenly kingdom' that the WBTS describes.

Since the WBTS has claimed to be the 'divinely appointed servant (slave)' of God to teach His people what 'Jehovah' wants them to know the 'organisation' stresses the obligation of each Jehovah's Witness when it states:

'Those who recognize Jehovah's visible theocratic organization, therefore, must recognize and accept this appointment of the 'faithful and discreet slave' and be submissive to it.' (The Watchtower, October 1, 1967 p590 - see next page)

Prophecy, 1929 ed., p22 - note the section high-lighted in yellow:

"… therefore their speech shows them to be false prophets. While they claim to speak in the name of the Lord, their predictions neither come true nor tend to magnify Jehovah's name. According to the divine rule they prove to be false ... If these prophecies have not been fulfilled, and if all possibility of fulfillment is past, then these prophets are proven false."

Once again the WBTS have inadvertently admitted to being false prophets!

And in what way do the WBTS believe their false prophecies can in any way 'magnify Jehovah's name'?!

The Watchtower, June 15, 1964, p365 - the WBTS state:  "As Jehovah revealed his truths by means of the first-century Christian congregation so he does today by means of the present-day Christian congregation. Through this agency he is having carried out prophesying on an intensified and unparalleled scale."

'Those who recognize Jehovah's visible theocratic organization, therefore, must recognize and accept this appointment of the 'faithful and discreet slave' and be submissive to it.' (The Watchtower, October 1, 1967 p590)

Even though 'Jehovah's visible theocratic organization' of lying, conniving WBTS leaders have made repeated false prophecies and doctrinal 'flip-flops' Jehovah's Witnesses should still 'be submissive to it'?

Only if Satan has blinded your eyes to the clear truths of Scripture which warn clearly of those who bring lying prophecies - as the WBTS have done time and time again!