To listen to this and other Podcasts, be sure to visit e-Watchman Radio

---

Regrettably, there is more to Jehovah’s legal case against his nation than has already been presented in part one. Besides amassing wealth by means of defrauding and dealing ruthlessly with Jehovah’s sheep, the indictment contained in the prophecy of Micah goes on to rebuke the leading men of God’s organization for falsely prophesying and immodestly presuming to always have Jehovah’s blessing – this, in spite of their considerable burden of error.

Micah describes the reaction of those, who, when confronted with the reality of a future judgment day, protest – assuming to already know the mind of Jehovah on these matters, saying:  “Has the spirit of Jehovah become discontented, or are these his dealings?” Those against whom the judgments were originally directed foolishly supposed that God could not possibly find fault with them.  

The leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses today has followed the very same pattern as is revealed in Micah’s prophecy. It is considered unthinkable that Jehovah might become displeased with the Society or have grounds for bringing any sort of disciplining upon the organization as a whole. Although not stated explicitly, certainly the prevailing mindset permeating the organization is exactly as foretold in Micah 3:11— “Is not Jehovah in the midst of us? There will come upon us no calamity.”

The underlying scriptural basis buttressing such presumptions is Bethel’s teaching that the judgment upon the house of God has already been accomplished. (The Society also teaches that the judgment is ongoing.) Of course, Jehovah’s Witnesses are more than willing to embrace the Watchtower’s fanciful teaching on that topic because the human tendency is to hear only what one wants to hear. Long ago the apostle foretold: “There will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories.”

Off-putting Jehovah’s judgments by means of false stories, though, can hardly be considered putting up with healthful teachings. That attitude was first displayed by the “stiff-necked” Jewish people who refused to acknowledge Jehovah’s true prophets, of whom Micah went on to say: “If a man, walking by wind and falsehood, has told the lie: ‘I shall let words drop to you concerning wine and concerning intoxicating liquor,’ he also will certainly become the one letting words drop for this people.” (Micah 2:11)

In today’s lingo we might say that the “man walking by wind” is full of hot air. He doesn’t know what he is talking about. The man prophesying “concerning wine and concerning intoxicating liquor” falsely prophesied to the Jews of unending joyous prosperity. And his message was eagerly accepted because he told the people exactly what they wanted to hear.  

In a spiritual sense the Watchtower’s corporate seers are like the “man walking by wind.” Their windy expressions have caused Jehovah’s Witnesses to presume that the so-called visible organization will always enjoy God’s good will. For instance the August 1st, 1964, Watchtower stated: “We have the best of equipment to work with, in publications, Bibles, instructions and encouraging counsel. Surely in the theocratic society is a flourishing, thriving, prosperous, safe and secure place to live… this condition is to go on forever.”

To that end the Watchtower’s prophets have fabricated an elaborate false story that Christ became king over the world decades ago, in 1914, and in 1919 he bestowed his irreversible approval upon a faithful slave, which in the minds of Jehovah’s Witnesses is synonymous with the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society—its Governing Body in particular. (See commentary: The Faithful Slave Passes the Test) Over the ensuing decades since 1919 the leadership of the organization has tickled the ears of Jehovah’s Witnesses with the fanciful notion that the Watchtower Society is a veritable spiritual paradise and no weapon formed against it will have any success.

Just as the prophecy of Micah foretells that the false prophets will promise the unending enjoyment of literal “wine and intoxicating liquors,” so too, Bethel has misapplied the prophecies in order to convince Jehovah’s Witness that their cup of spiritual wine will always overflow. Consider one example: In the Watchtower’s most recent commentary on Joel (5-1-98) we read: “In 1919, Jehovah showed zeal and compassion for his people when he restored them and brought them into his realm of spiritual activity. This is truly a spiritual paradise, well described by Joel in these words… ‘And the threshing floors must be full of cleansed grain, and the press vats must overflow with new wine and oil.’ What a delightful picture! Abundant provisions of three staples of life in Israel—grain, olive oil, and wine—together with plentiful flocks. In our day those prophetic words are indeed fulfilled in a spiritual way. Jehovah provides us all the spiritual food we need. Do we not all delight in such God-given abundance?”

Contrary to the Watchtower’s artificial interpretation, the prophecy of Joel foretells that God’s people are going to be waylaid by Jehovah’s globe-sweeping, locust-like military force. The abundant storehouses and fertile fields are destined to be devastated! Only afterwards, when Jehovah intervenes to make recompense, do the symbolic press vats “overflow with new wine.” Quite literally, then, the Watchtower’s prophets falsely assure the willing hearers “concerning [an uninterrupted supply of spiritual] wine and intoxicating liquors.”

As in Joel, Micah lays out the exact same sequence of events. Contrary to the expectations promulgated by the false visionaries, Jehovah first undertakes a painful wrecking work upon his wayward organization. Verse ten specifically states: “…there is a wrecking; and the wrecking work is painful.”

The very next verse then foretells that God will reconstitute a faithful remnant and bestow his blessing upon them through his Messianic agent. Micah 2:12-13 reads: “‘I shall positively gather Jacob, all of you; I shall without fail collect the remaining ones of Israel together. In unity I shall set them, like a flock in the pen, like a drove in the midst of its pasture; they will be noisy with men. The one making a breakthrough will certainly come up before them: they will actually break through. And they will pass through a gate, and they will go out by it. And their king will pass through before them, with Jehovah at the head of them.”’

“Their king” who goes before them can be none other than Jesus upon his coming to inspect, refine and gather his chosen ones and company. “The remaining ones of Israel” whom Christ collects together are those who were first scattered and disciplined by Jehovah’s ‘painful wrecking work.’

The Watchtower frequently quotes from Micah 2:12 and applies it the organization from 1919 onward. However, if that interpretation is genuine the question must be asked: In what way has the growth of the Watchtower Society come about in the aftermath of a “wrecking work” initiated by God? Not surprisingly the Watchtower has never offered one word of commentary on the possible meaning of the corrective “wrecking work” of God. It simply doesn’t fit in to the Society’s preferred interpretations.

Since Jehovah is not the author of falsehood, the Society’s erroneous interpretations cannot possibly originate with God. But because they are attributed to a divine source, from Jehovah’s standpoint it is as though their prophetic visions have been derived through the practice of divination. In reality they have. The eventual light of day will reveal the Society’s prophetic pedagogy to be rooted in a satanically inspired “operation of error.” (See essay: Mystery of the Antichrist)

The inevitable result of promoting false prophecy in the name of Jehovah will surely lead to disappointment and confusion during the “wrecking,” as Micah 3:6-7 foretells: “Therefore you men will have night, so that there will be no vision; and darkness you will have, so as not to practice divination. And the sun will certainly set upon the prophets, and the day must get dark upon them. And the visionaries will have to be ashamed, and the diviners will certainly be disappointed. And they will have to cover over the mustache, all of them, for there is no answer from God.”

 

THE MOUNTAIN OF THE HOUSE OF JEHOVAH

Ironically, it is the Society’s official interpretation of Micah that may be best described as a windy puff of air. For example, consider the frequently quoted prophecy of Micah 4:1-3: (As if at the mouth of two witnesses, Micah’s contemporary, Isaiah, uttered the exact same prophecy)

“And it must occur in the final part of the days that the mountain of the house of Jehovah will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it peoples must stream. And many nations will certainly go and say: ‘Come, you people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.’ For out of Zion law will go forth, and the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem. And he will certainly render judgment among many peoples, and set matters straight respecting mighty nations far away. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. They will not lift up sword, nation against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.”

According to the Watchtower “the final part of the days” commenced in 1914. By 1919 “the mountain of the house of Jehovah” is said to have become fully established above all other mountain and hill-like institutions and the stream of people foretold in prophecy is now reflected in the numerical increase of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

As an example, 20 years ago the July 1st Watchtower stated: “For more than 50 years, since 1935, these “desirable things of all the nations” have been gathering to Jehovah’s house of worship, ‘filling that house with glory.’ This ‘streaming’ appears to intensify as “the final part of the days” moves ever closer to its culmination. The symbolic mountain of Jehovah’s pure worship is becoming more prominent, so that meek persons can see how it contrasts with the sectarian “hills” and “mountains” of Satan’s permissive world. They “get out” of false religion and flee in growing numbers to Jehovah’s mountain of worship.”

“The mountain of the house of Jehovah” is symbolic of God’s kingdom. So, the prophecy of Micah is foretelling what will occur as a result of the coming of Christ and the establishment of his kingdom over the earth. Its being lifted up above all other mountains and hills surely means that God’s kingdom will transcend all other governments and institutions.

The Watchtower teaches that such has already taken place and is evidenced, not only by the numerical growth of Jehovah’s Witnesses, but by the very existence of the Watchtower Society as the earthly agency through which Jehovah sets matters straight and issues his decrees to the nations. The organization has essentially cast itself as the very kingdom of God.

But does the Watchtower actually claim that God has already set matters straight within the organization? Yes, it does. The August 15, 2003, Watchtower magazine states on page 17: “Jehovah is rendering judgment and setting matters straight spiritually for believers who take their stand for the Kingdom.”

But let’s reason upon the facts at hand.

The ascendancy of Jehovah’s mountain-like kingdom will indeed bring marvelous blessings to those who accept its rule. But if Jehovah’s righteous kingdom has been established for the past 90 years, and Jehovah’s Witnesses have benefited from God having already set matters straight, why is it that conditions within the organization have gone from bad to worse and require God’s urgent attention now more than ever?

Specifically, if Jehovah is already ruling as king over his people in the manner outlined in prophecy, why, for instance, have there been thousands upon thousands of child sexual abuse atrocities that have never been satisfactorily resolved for the victims? Why have many of the perpetrators of horrific crimes against children gone unpunished and unexposed while their victims are told to “wait on Jehovah” in silence? Why should it even be necessary to “wait on Jehovah” for resolution, perhaps for a lifetime, if God has already set matters straight ‘for believers who have taken their stand for the kingdom’? Is it not a dishonor, even blasphemous, to credit God with having already established his righteousness over an organization that is manifestly plagued by numerous evils, but which boastfully denies any wrongdoing?

Jehovah’s impassioned plea at Micah 6:3 seems most appropriately directed to the organization as this moment in time – before Jehovah sets matters straight: “O my people, what have I done to you? And in what way have I tired you out? Testify against me.”

The setting of the prophecy itself is most instructive. Both Isaiah and Micah indicate that “the mountain of the house of Jehovah” ascends above all others in the aftermath of the destruction of both the temple and the city where Jehovah had placed his name.  If the pattern of the prophets be true, Jehovah must once again lay low the “city” where he has placed his name. In harmony with the apostle’s assurance that judgment begins first with the house of God, Jeremiah 25:29 states: “For, look! it is upon the city upon which my name is called that I am starting off in bringing calamity, and should you yourselves in any way go free of punishment?”’

And, indeed, the judgments contained in the prophecy of Micah are directed to those who are connected to the name of Jehovah. That is why Micah 4:5 says: “For all the peoples, for their part, will walk each one in the name of its god; but we, for our part, shall walk in the name of Jehovah our God to time indefinite, even forever.”

Since Christendom has never embraced the personal name of God and has chosen instead to walk in the name of its Trinity god, and since nominal churchgoers are not his people, as God calls those with whom he conducts his legal case, the world-wide headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses – Bethel – unquestionably fits the description of the antitypical “city” with which the name of Jehovah has been associated. That is where the future judgment must begin – upon those who “walk in the name of Jehovah.”

To further establish the fact that God’s organization is wrecked first, before the great ingathering, please note that the verse immediately preceding Micah 4:1 states: “Therefore on account of you men Zion will be plowed up as a mere field, and Jerusalem herself will become mere heaps of ruins, and the mountain of the house will be as the high places of a forest.”

The ordering of events indicates that the original Zion was first “plowed up as a mere field”; “the mountain of the house” came to resemble an untended forest and God’s beloved city was reduced to “mere heaps of ruin.” Afterwards, God reestablished Jerusalem and a new house of worship upon Mount Zion. But of course, people of all the nations did not stream to the typical mountain of the house of God back then.

That the prophecy of Micah casts a pattern for the future is evident from the fact that even though the events originally took place in the primitive setting of the ancient past, the culmination of Jehovah’s judgments is said to occur in “the final part of the days.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jehovah lifted up his mountain-like kingdom in 1914, but what evidence is there that the antitypical city of God—corresponding to ancient Jerusalem with its “mountain of the house”— was destroyed back then?

The Watchtower insists that unfaithful Jerusalem typifies Christendom and although that system of religion has been apostate for centuries since its inception, the Christendom supposedly fell from God’s favor back in 1919; ostensibly due to their involvement in the First World War and their support of the then-created League of Nations. But obviously Christendom was not destroyed then.

Strangely, only Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Babylon the Great fell back in 1918-19. How odd that is considering the fact that the sudden fall of Babylon rocked the ancient world. How is it, then, that the fall of Babylon the Great—a much more significant event in terms of the coming of Christ—has evidently passed by so uneventfully; virtually escaping everyone’s notice but Jehovah’s Witnesses? Why is it that only the Watchtower Society is aware that Jehovah’s earth-shaking judgments against the modern Babylon have already been executed?

On the other hand, the Watchtower interprets a considerable portion of prophecy to itself—as opposed to Christendom. But in nearly every case those interpretations relegate Jehovah’s judgments to nearly a century in the past. (Whether the intent is to obscure God’s denunciation is open to question, but certainly the result has been the abrogation of such. See the last chapter of the electronic online edition of Jehovah Himself Has Become King, page 391) But alas, there is nothing in the history of the Watchtower Society that even remotely comes close to fulfilling the pattern established in prophecy.

Reading Isaiah’s version of the prophecy, it is apparent that the mountain-like kingdom of Jehovah is lifted up above rival “mountains” and “hills” during the tribulation period. In fact, God even exalts himself over his own mountain-like organization on earth. This is apparent from Isaiah 2:10-17, which reads: “Enter into the rock and hide yourself in the dust because of the dreadfulness of Jehovah, and from his splendid superiority.  The haughty eyes of earthling man must become low, and the loftiness of men must bow down; and Jehovah alone must be put on high in that day. For it is the day belonging to Jehovah of armies. It is upon everyone self-exalted and lofty and upon everyone lifted up or low; and upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up and upon all the massive trees of Bashan; and upon all the lofty mountains and upon all the hills that are lifted up; and upon every high tower and upon every fortified wall; and upon all the ships of Tarshish and upon all desirable boats. And the haughtiness of the earthling man must bow down, and the loftiness of men must become low; and Jehovah alone must be put on high in that day.”

During the time of the prophets Lebanon and Bashan were part of the territory of Israel. The tribulation upon the “cedars of Lebanon” and “upon all the massive trees of Bashan” is understood to mean that God’s judgment was going to be leveled against the most prominent men of the nation; those who stood as towering trees in the land. The lofty mountains, hills and towers that were lifted up – representing the monarchy and priestly institutions – were brought low through the ascendancy of Jehovah. (This aspect of Jehovah’s judgment corresponds to the judgments poured out upon the opening of the 7th seal of the Apocalypse. See chapter discussing Revelation in Jehovah Himself Has Become King.)

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society today stands as a “very high tower” in the eyes of Jehovah’s Witnesses. It has exalted itself as the great mountain-like organization to which the people of the nations are streaming for protection and instruction. As an institution it stands as a “fortified wall” – perceived as being impenetrable from enemy attack.

Interestingly, like the massive trees of Bashan that came under God’s judgment, the Governing Body has prematurely attributed to themselves the prophetic designation of “big trees of righteousness.” But if “Jehovah alone must be put on high in that day…the day belonging to Jehovah of armies,” surely, the Watchtower Society “must bow down” before him too. If “the loftiness of men must become low,” that will most assuredly include that which is called “Jehovah’s earthly organization” – especially its leading men.

Furthermore, the concluding part of Micah describes the setting during which the people of the nations acknowledge Jehovah’s supremacy. Micah 7:15-17 foretells: “As in the days of your coming forth from the land of Egypt I shall show him wonderful things. Nations will see and become ashamed of all their mightiness. They will put their hand upon their mouth; their very ears will become deaf. They will lick up dust like the serpents; like reptiles of the earth they will come in agitation out of their bulwarks. To Jehovah our God they will come quivering, and they will be afraid of you.”

“As in the days of your coming forth from the land of Egypt” does not really describe the Jew’s liberation from Babylon. The overthrow of Babylon did not force the nations to acknowledge Jehovah. And, of course, in modern times the nations were not struck with awe nor was mankind forced to “lick up dust like the serpents – like reptiles of the earth” when Judge Rutherford made bail and held the Bible Student’s Cedar Point conventions.

The book of Micah parallels numerous prophecies, besides Isaiah, describing the tribulation. For instance, Jesus foretold that mankind would become faint out of fear as a result of war and pestilence immediately preceding the revelation of the Son of man. The opening of the sixth seal of Revelation similarly results in the peoples of the world hiding in holes in the rocks – symbolizing a time of unprecedented terror. It is, therefore, evident that the people of the nations who “will come in agitation out of their bulwarks to Jehovah our God…quivering” in the fear of Jehovah, do so during the tribulation. Logically, there is only one occasion when the peoples of the nations come quivering to Jehovah. Reasonably, then, that is also when the nations will stream to the “mountain of the house of Jehovah” – when Jehovah will finally set matters straight and put an end to war in a meaningful way. 

Contrary to the organization’s prevailing presumptions, the mountain of Jehovah is not lifted up by mere human efforts to promote “true religion.” Jehovah raises himself up over all through the execution of his world-rocking judgments and afterwards he raises his chastened servants up – after they have humbly confessed their transgressions. That’s why we read at Micah 7:8-9: “Do not rejoice over me, O you woman enemy of mine. Although I have fallen, I shall certainly rise up; although I dwell in the darkness, Jehovah will be a light to me. The raging of Jehovah I shall bear—for I have sinned against him—until he conducts my legal case and actually executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I shall look upon his righteousness.”

The woman enemy who rejoices over Jacob’s fall is none other than the Mistress of Babylon. Happily, though, Jehovah’s legal case against his servant ultimately results in his acquittal; but only after he bears the rage of Jehovah and the humiliation of falling before his religious nemesis.

In the verses immediately following Micah’s prophecy concerning the establishment of the mountain of the house of Jehovah, the prophet  goes on to say:  “In that day,” is the utterance of Jehovah, “I will gather her that was limping; and her that was dispersed I will collect together, even her whom I have treated badly. And I shall certainly make her that was limping a remnant, and her that was removed far off a mighty nation; and Jehovah will actually rule as king over them in Mount Zion, from now on and into time indefinite.”

Micah 4:6-7 confirms that the desolation of Zion applies to that which Jehovah recognizes as his own. “Her that was limping…even her whom I have treated badly” is in reference to Jehovah’s wife-like, covenanted nation – not Christendom. The desolation of Zion takes place during the tribulation. And it is over a restored remnant that Jehovah establishes his kingship. The gathering foretold in Micah corresponds with the harvest that will take place during the conclusion of the system of things; when Jesus gathers the chosen ones from the four winds. The “mighty nation” that is created is the very kingdom of God – not an earthly nation.

To emphasis another facet of contradiction with the Society’s interpretation of Micah, the Watchtower teaches that the anointed remnant comprises a “Micah class” of organizational prophet. For example, the July 15th, 1981, Watchtower commented: “The dedicated, baptized Christians who have been anointed with the spirit of Jehovah God through Jesus Christ. As a company, or class, these were prefigured by Jehovah’s prophet Micah. Activities like those of Micah have been carried on modernly, particularly since the end of World War I in 1918 C.E. Then the Micah class resolutely stepped forward onto the postwar scene and outstandingly acted as the witness for the God of Micah against the idolatrous systems of Christendom and pagandom.”

However, Micah announced Jehovah’s judgments before they took place; not afterwards, as the Watchtower has presumably done. That is what prophets do – they announce Jehovah’s judgments before they occur – not after the fact. The absurdity of the Society’s interpretation of Micah’s prophecy is that the claim is made that the holy ones went into brief captivity to Babylon the Great in 1918 and were released when Babylon the Great fell in that same year. So, undeniably, the Watchtower teaches that Jehovah’s judgments contained in Micah have already come to pass. But if that is true, then why wasn’t there a Micah-like prophet announcing Jehovah’s judgments beforehand?

 

“YOU WILL HAVE TO COME AS FAR AS TO BABYLON”

The desolation of Jerusalem and Jehovah’s temple by the Babylonians was unequivocal. Any Jew who was fortunate enough to have survived the destruction of Judah would not have to be persuaded to believe that Jehovah’s judgments had been executed upon them. It was obvious! Even the peoples in the surrounding lands who heard of Judah’s astonishing desolation attributed it to Jehovah’s displeasure with his people. Such is the price that must be paid for those who sin against their God, even as Micah 6:22b states of Israel: “To the end that I may make you an object of astonishment and her inhabitants something to be whistled at; and the reproach of peoples you men will bear.”

And as already has been mentioned, the subsequent fall of Babylon and the liberation of the captive exiles was a momentous event in ancient history. By those means – the destruction of Jerusalem and then the overthrow of Babylon and the repatriation of a repentant remnant –Jehovah established himself as God over the earth.

Before its sudden overthrow Babylon had reigned as the dominant world power for approximately 100 years. Marduk was the empire’s primary god and along with Nebo, his son, and a triad comprised of Sin, Shamash and Ishstar, the Babylonian pantheon was assumed to be superior over the gods of the peoples whom they conquered – including Jehovah. However, when Babylon fell to Cyrus in precisely the manner in which Jehovah had foretold, Marduk and company were shown to be impotent and Jehovah was vindicated as the true God.

The fall of Babylon was also a display of Jehovah’s most dominant quality – love. It was because of his love and compassion that God repurchased his people from their enemies and restored them to his favor. Hence, Micah 4:9-10 foretold:  “Now why is it that you keep shouting loudly? Is there no king in you, or has your own counselor perished, so that pangs like those of a woman giving birth have grabbed hold of you? Be in severe pains and burst forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman giving birth, for now you will go forth from a town, and you will have to reside in the field. And you will have to come as far as to Babylon. There you will be delivered. There Jehovah will buy you back out of the palm of your enemies.”

In a similar manner, a grander deliverance of the sons of the kingdom from Babylon the Great and the imperial beast will vindicate Jehovah before our modern world. But how can that be? Jehovah’s Witnesses are certain that they have already been set free from the antitypical Babylon simply by voluntarily having their names removed from church rosters. Any future deliverance of already dedicated Witnesses would obviously necessitate an unanticipated captivity. But how could that possibly come about? It is unthinkable that Jehovah’s Witnesses would adopt Babylonish teachings such as the Trinity and so forth. What might the future deliverance from Babylon entail then? These questions will be considered in part three entitled Micah and the Final Judgment.