God Spoke to Prophets Anciently - Does He Now?

     "The Bible speaks of divinely called prophets who were God's spokesmen to His children. Would He not, in His wisdom and love, offer us the same benefit today?
     The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, an ancient record brought forth by a modern-day prophet, testifies of Jesus Christ and confirms the fact that our Heavenly Father has again called prophets to provide us direction in today's difficult world."

     But the Watchtower magazine of 4-1-72 p.197 had THIS to say about the organization as being God's prophet:



They shall know that A PROPHET WAS AMONG THEM
     "So, does Jehovah have a prophet to help people, , to warn them of dangers and to declare things to come?
     This "prophet" was not one man, but 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."



     So, are the Jehovah's Witnesses the ONLY religious organization claiming that they are 'God's modern-day prophet'? No! And there are many more religious groups besides the Mormons who likewise claim to be "God's prophet" in today's world.

     Since this article is focusing on the beliefs and statements made by the Watchtower Society, let us further examine what they have said about themselves being a "prophet:"



The Watchtower's definition of a "prophet":
     "The three essentials for establishing the credentials of a true prophet, as given through Moses, were:
(a) The true prophet would speak in Jehovah's name
(b) the things foretold would come to pass (Deut 18: 20-22)
(c) and his prophesying must promote true worship."
- Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 2, 1988, p.696



How Jehovah's prophecies are made:
     "The source of all true prophecy is Jehovah God. He transmits it by means of his holy spirit or. occasionally, by spirit-directed angelic messengers."
- Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, 1988, p.691

What is "inspiration?"
     "What is here meant by the word "inspired?" It means that God, the Creator of heaven and earth, moved these men by his spirit or invisible empowering force, putting into their minds what they should write down as his "word," or message, for mankind."
- Good News to Make You Happy, 1976, p.14



Jehovah's "organization" is guided and directed by Jehovah's spirit:
     "Jehovah's organization must henceforth be guided and directed by Jehovah's spirit through the visible governing body made up of those servants whom Jehovah himself would appoint."
- WT 6-1-65 p.352



Funk & Wagnall's Standard Dictionary defines the word "INSPIRE" as:
     "direct or guide as by divine influence."
     [These are the exact words that the Society used just above to describe their organization!]



Who could be commissioned to speak as a "prophet in His name?"
     "Was there any group on whom Jehovah would be willing to bestow the commission to speak as a "prophet" in His name, as was done toward Ezekiel?" - WT 3-15-72 p.189



Ezekiel and his present-day counterpart:
     "Who is Ezekiel's present-day counterpart, whose message and conduct correspond with that of that ancient prophet of Jehovah? It is, not one person's body, but a composite body, made up of many members. All these members were together to do the will of Jehovah, who is the Creator of this modern "Ezekiel." Who, then, are the group of persons who, toward the beginning of this "time of the end" were commissioned to serve as the mouthpiece and active agent of Jehovah? Jehovah has found and commissioned his modern-day Ezekiel. It is a composite Ezekiel. It is composed of those dedicated, baptized proclaimers of God's kingdom, who have been anointed with His spirit for their work. It was most fitting that they embraced the distinguishing name Jehovah's witnesses."
- The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah, 1971, pp. 58,66



The Jeremiah "class" - a prophet to the nations:
     "A "prophet to the nations" is what Jehovah made him (Jeremiah). Now today, if anything, there needs to be a "prophet to the nations." Jehovah has considerately raised up his "prophet to the nations." Jehovah has done this during the "time of the end." The "prophet" whom Jehovah has raised up has been not an individual man as in the case of Jeremiah, but a class. At this late date there is a mere remnant of this "prophet" class yet on earth. - WT 10-1-82 pp. 26,27



     The Watch Tower organization obviously puts itself in the SAME "class" as Ezekiel and Jeremiah. Were Ezekiel and Jeremiah "inspired" prophets of God?



God's holy spirit and angelic direction affect current preaching activities:
     "God's holy spirit and angelic direction also played their part in the preaching work done by the apostle Peter...That same holy spirit and angelic direction still affect the preaching activities of Christian ministers. How very much one should appreciate being influenced by God's holy spirit and having angelic direction while bearing the name and declaring the purposes and praises of the Most High as one of Jehovah's Christian witnesses." - WT 7-1-73 p.405



Angelic instructions is passed on to the remnant:
     "These angels are invisible to human eyes and are there to carry out the orders of the Lord. No doubt they first hear the instruction which the Lord issues to his remnant and then these invisible messengers pass such instruction on to the remnant."
- Vindication, III, 1932, p.250

Jehovah's Witnesses have angelic direction and support. Fulfillment is certain:
     "Jehovah's witnesses today make their declaration of the good news of the Kingdom under angelic direction and support. And since no word or work of Jehovah can fail, for he is God Almighty, the nations will see the fulfillment of what these witnesses say as directed from heaven." - WT 4-1-72 p.200

Today, Jehovah has a spirit-directed organization:
     "Today, God does not speak to his servants directly as he did to Job. Instead, he reproves them by means of his Word and his spirit-directed organization." - WT 6-1-93 p.21

CONCLUSION:
     Word usage is critical in establishing the role of the Jehovah's Witness organization as being "inspired."
     The Society has used the same vocabulary doled out to those ancient Biblical prophets who were inspired and has placed themselves in the same category of such inspired prophets as Ezekiel and Jeremiah.
     The Society still believes that angelic instruction is passed on to the remnant. Exactly "how" these messages are transmitted has never been disclosed.

     I wonder why?

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