Do Jehovah's Witnesses Claim To Be Prophets?

AW 22/3/93 The Watchtower, the official journal of Jehovah's Witnesses has said: "We have not the gift of prophecy". Jehovah's Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus' second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Never in these instances, however, did they presume or originate predictions "in the name of Jehovah". Never did they say, "These are the words of Jehovah."


Compare that to the following statements:

WT June 15, 64 "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. All of this activity is not an accident. Jehovah is the one behind all of it."

"The Nations shall know ...", 1971 There is an authentic prophetic class of Christians among us. Jehovah has raised up a genuine "prophet" within our generation. Regardless of how Christendom views or regards this group of anointed witnesses of Jehovah, the time must come, and that shortly, when those making up Christendom will know that really a "prophet" of Jehovah was among them."

WT June 1, 82 "Today, a remnant of this 'faithful slave' is still alive on earth. They occupy a position similar to that of Paul ... when that apostle said of the wonderful truths ...: "It is to us God has revealed them through his spirit."

Awake! 6/8/1986, p. 9 "God has on earth a people, all of whom are prophets, or witnesses for God ... Jehovah's Witnesses."

WT, April 1, 92 "This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses. They are still proclaiming a warning, and have been joined assisted in their work by hundreds of thousands of persons who have listened top their message with belief.

WT 4/1/72 p. 197 Who is this prophet? ... He had a "prophet" to warn them. This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as lnternational Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses ..."

WT 07/01/43 p. 204 "Every organization requires specific instructions for all those who serve in it. In the past the Lord issued his "organization instructions" to his servants through his central agency or channel ... the apostle says, Jehovah speaks to us through his Son. (Heb. 1:1,2) The Son has returned as King; he has come to his temple. He has appointed his "faithful and wise servant", who is his visible MOUTHPIECE.

The Lord breaks down our organization instructions further and makes them more practicable by further instructing us through his "faithful and wise servant". He says, 'Let us assign the field, the world, to special pioneers, regular pioneers and companies of Jehovah's witnesses in an orderly way, sufficient for everyone to thoroughly witness therein, and let us place on each one the responsibility of caring for the New World interests in these respective assignments." He says the requirements for special pioneers shall be 175 hours and 50 back-calls per month, which should develop into a reasonable number of studies; and for regular pioneers 150 hours and as many back-calls and studies as can be properly developed during that time. And for company publishers he says, "Let us make a quota of 60 hours and 12 back-calls and at least one study a week for each publisher." These directions come to us from the Lord through his established agency directing what is required of us. It is our duty to accept this additional instruction and obey it."

WT 06/15/57 p. 370 "Jehovah has established a very definite channel of communication through which he deals with his people ... It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the "slave" as we would to the voice of God ... "

WT 07/15/60 p. 439 "The facts show that during this time and up to the present hour the "slave" class has served as God's sole collective channel of communication from heaven to earth for the flow of Biblical truth to men on earth ... Thus organizationally the "discreet slave" class since 1919 has been channeling an ever-increasing flow of Biblical publications by the millions that contain the "waters of life" featuring Jehovah's will as emanating from God's throne in heaven."

WT 10/01/67 p. 590 "... Jehovah poured out his spirit upon them and assigned them the responsibility of serving as his sole visible channel, through whom alone spiritual instruction was to come. 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.

WT 4/1/72 p. 197 "A third way of coming to know Jehovah God is through his representatives. In ancient times he sent prophets as his special messengers. While these men foretold things to come, they also served the people by telling them of God's will for them at that time. People today ... have at hand the Bible, but it is little read or understood. So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come? These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet? This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as lnternational Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses ..."

WT 11/1/31 "The Watchtower is not the instrument of any man or set of men, nor is it published according to the whims of men. . . . Jehovah God is the great Teacher of his children. To be sure, the publication of these truths is put forth by imperfect men, and for this reason they are not absolutely perfect in form; but they are put forth in such form as reflects God's truth that he teaches his children."

WT 4/1/72 p. 197 "Does Jehovah have a prophet to help them [JW's], to warn them of dangers and declare things to come? These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet? ... This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women ... Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian Witnesses. They are still proclaiming a warning and have been joined by hundreds of thousands of persons who have listened to their message with belief. Of course it is easy to say that this group acts as a "prophet" of God. It is another thing to prove it. The only way that can be done is to review the record. What does it show?"

Awake! 10/8/68 "True, there have been those in times past who predicted an "end to the world", even announcing a specific date...yet nothing happened. The end did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. What was missing? Missing was the full measure of evidence required in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Missing from such people were God's truths and evidence that he was guiding and using them."

WT 06/15/57 p. 370 "Jehovah has established a very definite channel of communication through which he deals with his people ... It is vital that we appreciate this fact and respond to the directions of the "slave" as we would to the voice of God ..."

WT 07/15/60 p. 439 "How is this divine will to be made known and brought to the attention of the worthy multitudes of men of good will toward Jehovah? ...The facts show that during this time and up to the present hour the "slave" class has served as God's sole collective channel of communication from heaven to earth for the flow of Biblical truth to men on earth ... Thus organizationally the "discreet slave" class since 1919 has been channeling an ever-increasing flow of Biblical publications by the millions that contain the "waters of life" featuring Jehovah's will as emanating from God's throne in heaven."

WT 10/01/67 p. 590 "... Jehovah poured out his spirit upon them and assigned them the responsibility of serving as his sole visible channel, through whom alone spiritual instruction was to come. 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."

WT 4/1/72 p. 197 "A third way of coming to know Jehovah God is through his representatives. In ancient times he sent prophets as his special messengers. While these men foretold things to come, they also served the people by telling them of God's will for them at that time, often also warning them of dangers and calamities. People today can view the creative works. They have at hand the Bible, but it is little read or understood. So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help them, to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come?

These questions can be answered in the affirmative. Who is this prophet? ... He had a "prophet" to warn them. This "prophet" was not one man, but was a body of men and women. It was the small group of footstep followers of Jesus Christ, known at that time as International Bible Students. Today they are known as Jehovah's Christian witnesses ..."

AW 10/8/68 "True, there have been those in times past who predicted an "end to the world", even announcing a specific date ... yet nothing happened. The end did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. What was missing? Missing was the full measure of evidence required in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Missing from such people were God's truths and evidence that he was guiding and using them."

WT 01/10/67 p. 590 "... Jehovah poured out his spirit upon them and assigned them the responsibility of serving as his sole visible channel, through whom alone spiritual instruction was to come. 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."

WT 15/01/94, p. 16 In the past, Jehovah ruled and revealed truths through individuals, such as prophets, kings and apostles. Jesus said that during his royal presence, he would identify a faithful body of followers, a 'faithful and discreet slave'. In 1919 this slave was identified as the remnant of anointed Christians. Since then, as represented by the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, it has been the center of theocracy on earth.


Remember: Those who claim to be God's spokesman or his prophet are tested by Deuteronomy 18:20-22, and the requirement for such ones is infallibility: no errors allowed, or else anyone making such a claim is to be disregarded and judged as a false prophet.

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