The Heresy of Jehovah’s Witnesses (6)
The Heresy of Jehovah’s Witnesses (6)
Satan is the one who established the governments of the world and is the one who leads them.
Christ formed the just and invisible government in the year 1914 after defeating Satan that same year.
When God created man, He entrusted his leadership to Lucifer (Satan), the Son of God!!
The period of the “Gentile dominion” (non-Israelites) is 2520 years—from 606 B.C. to 1914 A.D.
They claim that the year 1914 marks the end of “Israel’s punishment” and the beginning of the permission to form their own nation!!
Jehovah’s Witnesses have a book called The Government, written by their leader Rutherford, successor to Russell, in which they explained that all world governments are the work of Satan. They wrote:
“God created man—whom He called Adam—perfect…”
“And Jehovah God appointed over man a supervising lord—His son Lucifer (Satan), who was a spiritual being invisible to man…”
“And Jehovah God granted Lucifer power and authority over perfect man so that he might use them rightly according to God’s will… But Lucifer desired to possess man for himself, hoping that man would submit to him and worship him, thus becoming equal to the Almighty” (p. 38).
“And from that time, four names were attached to Lucifer: the dragon, Satan, the serpent, and the devil… and Lucifer became known as Satan the enemy…” (p. 39).
The leader of Jehovah’s Witnesses repeats the same idea in his book, saying:
“The Holy Scriptures indicate that Lucifer’s authority over man was assigned to him by Jehovah… and that God Himself appointed Lucifer as lord over man, granting him power and authority… and that he would continue to exercise this power and authority until God would take it back or strip him of them” (p. 40).
But we see that nowhere in the Holy Bible is there any verse stating that Satan was ever appointed by God as the supervising lord over man!
Then the book discusses the governments of the earth, saying:
“God is not responsible for them, nor is He their originator” (p. 42).
It continues, saying that the “beginning of earthly governments” was the kingdom of Nimrod in Babylon, and that “Satan was the hidden ruler over that kingdom or government, and it was he who inspired this organization” (p. 43).
Thus, governments became the creation of Satan!!
“That was the beginning of the establishment of governments and kingdoms on earth under the command of an unseen lord—Satan” (p. 43). The book also says:
“Egypt was the first universal state, that is, the first earthly government that extended its control over other governments, and the hidden ruler over it was Satan” (p. 44).
Then the book explains the need to establish a just and righteous government, stating:
“The government that is to be established is God’s government, and this is the guarantee that it will be a righteous government” (p. 71).
“And God will establish it through Shiloh” (p. 71).
The book continues:
“The enthronement of Christ is the sign of the end of Satan’s rule.” And Satan did not willingly relinquish his authority but was cast out. “The evidence indicates that the process of casting him out began in 1914, and that it is still ongoing” (p. 184).
The year 1914 (the year of World War I) holds great importance for Jehovah’s Witnesses. It is the year when Satan was cast out, when Christ sat upon His throne in Jerusalem, and when the ‘times of the Gentiles’ and the punishment of Israel ended.
They say:
“The times of the Gentiles—or the duration of the nations—ended in 1914.”
And they claim that “the punishment of Israel, which began in 606 B.C., was to last for ‘seven times.’ These seven times equal 2520 years (7 × 360, since 360 represents the days in a lunar year symbolizing a prophetic time). From 606 B.C. to 1914 A.D. completes the 2520 years” (pp. 186–188). The year 606 B.C. marks the beginning of Israel’s captivity under Nebuchadnezzar.
Thus, according to them, 1914 marks the end of “Israel’s punishment.” They say:
“When the war ended, the great nations of the earth agreed that the Jews should have their homeland, for their chastisement had ended” (p. 188).
For better translation support, please contact the center.
