Types and Anti-types 1919

In a previous post we have seen that, despite evidence to the contrary, the Watchtower society has arbitrarily decided that Nebuchadnezzar’s tree dream in Daniel chapter 4 must have an antitypical future fulfillment beyond Nebuchadnezzar. This article will show that this is not the only time they chose to go against this rule. It also figures in their interpretation of Malachi chapters 3 and 4:

“Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will clear up a way before me. And suddenly the true Lord, whom you are seeking, will come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant will come, in whom you take delight. Look! He will certainly come,” says Jehovah of armies. ² “But who will endure the day of his coming, and who will be able to stand when he appears? For he will be like the fire of a refiner and like the lye of laundrymen. ³ And he will sit as a refiner and cleanser of silver and will cleanse the sons of Leʹvi; and he will clarify them like gold and like silver, and they will certainly become to Jehovah people presenting a gift offering in righteousness. ⁴ And the gift offering of Judah and of Jerusalem will actually be pleasing to Jehovah, as in the days of long ago and as in the years of antiquity. (Malachi 3:1-4)

 “Look! I am sending to you E·liʹjah the prophet before the coming of the great and awe-inspiring day of Jehovah. ⁶ And he will turn the hearts of fathers back toward sons, and the hearts of sons back toward fathers, so that I may not come and strike the earth, devoting it to destruction.” (Malachi 4:5, 6)

The Watchtower society says this scripture has both an initial fulfillment and a secondary one:

A MESSENGER ‘CLEARS UP A WAY’

“Centuries before Jesus gave the illustration of the wheat and the weeds, Jehovah inspired his prophet Malachi to foretell events that are reflected in Jesus’ illustration. (Read Malachi 3:1-4.) John the Baptizer was the ‘messenger who cleared up the way.’ (Matt. 11:10, 11) When he came in 29 C.E., a time of judgment for the nation of Israel had drawn close. Jesus was the second messenger. He cleansed the temple in Jerusalem twice—first at the start of his ministry and second toward the end. (Matt. 21:12, 13; John 2:14-17) Hence, Jesus’ cleansing work involved a period of time.

⁶ What is the larger fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy? During the decades leading up to 1914, C. T. Russell and his close associates did a work like that of John the Baptizer. That vital work involved restoring Bible truths. The Bible Students taught the true meaning of Christ’s ransom sacrifice, exposed the hellfire lie, and proclaimed the coming end of the Gentile Times. Still, there were numerous religious groups who claimed to be Christ’s followers. So a crucial question needed to be answered: Who among those groups were the wheat? To settle that question, Jesus began to inspect the spiritual temple in 1914. That inspection and cleansing work involved a period of time—from 1914 to the early part of 1919.” (The Watchtower July 15, 2013 pgs. 10-11)

This explanation not only says Malachi’s prophecy has more than one fulfillment but it would seem to place C.T. Russell and his associates as modern day prophets comparable to John the Baptist, something that Russell himself did not claim:

“Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus’ second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions ‘in the name of Jehovah.’ Never did they say, ‘These are the words of Jehovah.’ The Watchtower, the official journal of Jehovah’s Witnesses, has said: “We have not the gift of prophecy.” -January 1883, page 425 (Awake March 22, 1993 pg. 4 “Why So Many False Alarms?”)

But the main question is what does the Bible itself say about Malachi’s prophecy?

“While these were on their way, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed being tossed by the wind? ⁸ What, then, did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft garments? Why, those wearing soft garments are in the houses of kings. ⁹ Really, then, why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Look! I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way ahead of you!’ (Matthew 11:7-10)

“From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of the heavens is the goal toward which men press, and those pressing forward are seizing it. ¹³ For all, the Prophets and the Law, prophesied until John; ¹⁴ and if you are willing to accept it, he is ‘E·liʹjah who is to come.’ (Matthew 11:12-14)

According to Jesus, Malachi’s prophecy about the coming of Elijah “the messenger that would prepare the way” was fulfilled by John the Baptist.

Where does he say that this messenger would appear again at a future time?

This talk was given at the 2014 annual meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Yet 1919 continues to be an important year for Jehovah’s Witnesses. Why? What is so important about this year?

“In 1919, three years after Brother Russell’s death, Jesus appointed “the faithful and discreet slave.” For what purpose? To give his followers “food at the proper time.” (Matthew 24:45) (The Watchtower February 2017 study edition pg. 23 par. 10 “Who Is Leading God’s People Today?”)

So, without an antitypical fulfillment of Malachi’s prophecy, there is no scriptural support for their contention that Jesus chose leading officials of the Bible students as his faithful and discreet slave in 1919. This is significant because there simply is no other way to arrive at this date. Thus the scriptural legitimacy for the authority structure, the governing body of Jehovah’s Witnesses turns out to be completely non existent. Nothing more than a deceptive, man-made house of cards.