Chapter 10 – Man of Lawlessness

        

“Let no one seduce you in any manner, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.”  – Apostle Paul –

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Faithful Christians in the apostolic era were in a high state of expectation of the return of their Lord. After all, Jesus and the apostles repeatedly exhorted believers to be watchful and ready for his return. That made them especially vulnerable, though, to the wiles of apostates who falsely claimed that the resurrection had already begun and that the day of Jehovah was imminent. .

Imposters back then were apparently intent on even deceiving the brothers into believing that Christ’s parousia had already begun, which is evidently why Paul wrote the Thessalonians the following exhortation: “However, brothers, respecting the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we request of you not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be excited either through an inspired expression or through a verbal message or through a letter as though from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here. Let no one seduce you in any manner, because it will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2)

Just as in the original Christian congregations, for many decades Jehovah’s Witnesses have also been in a heightened state of anticipation concerning Jehovah’s day. But again, that is not necessarily a bad thing since the Bible exhorts Christians to keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah. But the danger is, as Paul emphasized in connection with the Thessalonians, Christians who are overeager to see Jehovah’s day may be vulnerable to being shaken from their reason and seduced into accepting a false parousia. 

The fact that the context of Paul’s warning strongly suggests that the man of lawlessness is the source of the seemingly inspired messages heralding that the “day of Jehovah is here” should give Jehovah’s Witnesses reason to cautiously pause.

Although Jehovah’s Witnesses are laboring under the impression that the clergy of Christendom constitute a collective man of lawlessness, it is undeniable that of all the so-called Christian groups in existence today one organization stands alone as the source of presumptive Bible-based “inspired expressions” announcing the presence of Christ. That organization is, of course, the Watchtower Society! 

Exactly as Paul foretold, through a variety of verbal messages delivered in public talks in kingdom halls and at assemblies and conventions and through authoritative, apostolic-like letters and publications, the Watchtower is recognizably the undisputed fountainhead of a steady stream of messages heralding that the presence of Christ began in 1914 and “that the day of Jehovah is here.” 

“THE APOSTASY COMES FIRST”

 The apostle elaborates further, saying that the man of lawlessness “sits down in the temple of The God, publicly showing himself to be a god.” The Scriptures reveal that God’s temple is the entire body of anointed believers at any given time. For instance, the apostle Paul wrote at 1 Corinthians 3:16, saying: “Do you not know that you people are God’s temple, and that the spirit of God dwells in you?” Also, 2 Corinthians 6:16 says: “For we are a temple of a living God.” 

In view of that, it is evident that the man of lawlessness does not merely claim to sit in the temple of The God, nor does he sit down in the midst of those who merely profess to be a temple of God, as the Watchtower claims is the case; no, but he actually sits down in the midst of God’s spiritual temple; that is to say, in the intimate group of the anointed sons of God. Eventually the man of lawlessness will presumptuously exalt himself above everyone, including the head of the congregation—Christ himself.  

The very fact that the apostle’s inspired warning is addressed to brothers in the faith who are susceptible to being seduced by the wiles of the man of lawlessness, proves that the man of lawlessness exists within Christ’s congregation.  And since apostasy is lawlessness, the man of lawlessness must be its source. And because the man of lawlessness is sitting in the very temple of God at the time that Christ exposes him during his parousia, the clergy cannot possibly make up a composite man of lawlessness that sits down in the midst of Christ’s brothers. It is impossible at this time for the clergy to hold any kind of ecclesiastical authority over the true sons of the kingdom. 

Yet, according to Paul the man of lawlessness does have such authority over the brothers. His messages are viewed as “inspired expressions” and his writings are perceived to be of equal authority as those written by the apostles themselves, which is why Paul warned the brothers not to give heed to such verbal messages and letters even though they would appear “as though from us.”

Since, as Paul indicated, the man of lawlessness convincingly speaks and writes with the authority of the apostles and he operates within the congregation, he must come from within the highest levels of the organization. The apostasy that Paul said must come first is not the apostasy from Christianity that began centuries ago and ultimately took the form of Christendom. The apostasy that immediately precedes the parousia takes place among Christ’s anointed followers and is presided over by the man of lawlessness. 

In view of all that has been considered thus far concerning the erroneousness of the Watchtower’s 1914 doctrine, it would seem that Paul’s inspired warning to the Thessalonians was written specifically for Jehovah’s Witnesses at this critical juncture. But if that is true, then what about the foretold apostasy that must come first and the revealing of the presence of the man of lawlessness? According to the apostle’s revelation, the presence of Christ and his ultimate manifestation to the world will be preceded by an apostasy among true Christians. After all, the apostasy is to serve as an indicator of the nearness of the day of Jehovah, or as Paul worded it, that great day “will not come unless the apostasy comes first.” 

But according to the Watchtower’s explanation the apostasy that Paul foretold took place almost immediately after Christianity was established. And while there is no question that the conglomeration of religions making up Christendom today originated in that great apostasy all those centuries ago, still, Paul’s warning intimates that there is to occur another apostasy; an apostasy that occurs immediately before the presence of Christ and the great day of Jehovah; an apostasy emanating from within the restored Christian temple itself. 

The Hebrew prophecies confirm Paul’s revelation in this regard. The 32nd and 33rd chapters of Isaiah in particular, although written long before Jesus even appeared on earth, relate to Christ’s judgment of the congregation during the conclusion. For instance, Isaiah 32:1 foretells the rule of the righteous king, when: “The senseless one will no longer be called generous; and as for the unprincipled man, he will not be said to be noble; because the senseless one himself will speak mere senselessness, and his very heart will work at what is hurtful, to work at apostasy and to speak against Jehovah what is wayward, to cause the soul of the hungry one to go empty, and he causes even the thirsty one to go without drink itself. As for the unprincipled man, his instruments are bad; he himself has given counsel for acts of loose conduct, to wreck the afflicted ones with false sayings, even when someone poor speaks what is right.”

It is significant that the prophecy of Isaiah indicates that prior to the coming of the king who “will reign for righteousness itself” the senseless one is considered to be generous and the “unprincipled man” is thought of as being noble. Yet, he is said to “work at apostasy and to speak against Jehovah what is wayward” for the purpose of causing “the thirsty one to go without drink itself.” Isaiah’s prophecy parallels that regarding the exposure of the man of lawlessness and the apostasy he foments during the manifestation of Christ, in that, Isaiah also indicates that the men who are highly regarded by God’s people are eventually denounced by the king who “will reign for righteousness.” 

Noteworthy too, the “unprincipled man” is in a position of authority, since the scripture says he “has given counsel for acts of loose conduct.” Also, that he is in a position to deny the “thirsty one” drink indicates that he is looked to as one in a position to provide spiritual drink. The fact that the “unprincipled man” is regarded as being generous and noble, but yet speaks against Jehovah what is wayward, certainly corroborates what the apostle revealed as regards the insidious influence of the man of lawlessness over the brothers. 

In view of the fact that the leadership of the Watchtower Society is unquestionably teaching falsehoods as regards the presence of Christ beginning in 1914, and they are generally regarded by Jehovah’s Witnesses to be generous and noble men and looked to for counsel and spiritual food and drink, it is the Society itself that is destined “to wreck the afflicted ones with false sayings.” Indeed, the Society constantly exalts itself before Jehovah’s Witnesses as the earthly instrument of God and the generous provider of the full measure of spiritual food, and taken to itself the accolades of being the faithful slave who has been appointed over all the master’s belongings.

But how might the Watchtower “speak against Jehovah what is wayward”? 

As discussed in the previous chapter, consider, as one example, the nonsensical teaching promoted by the Watchtower that Jehovah’s Witnesses are now living in spiritual paradise—this, in spite the many evils that plague the organization. By making the claim that Jehovah has already established spiritual paradise within an organization rife with child molestation and many other forms of wickedness and immorality, such men are indirectly attributing the evils within the organization to God, since, apparently, he cannot prevent or chooses to allow wicked men to prey upon his people even in the trouble-free paradise he has supposedly provided. 

Truly, those who make the claim that spiritual paradise exists within the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses are speaking sheer senselessness! “His instruments are bad” in the sense that he uses human reasoning and mere organizational decrees to establish the kingdom of heaven over those under his influence. 

That apostates reside at the highest level within the congregation up until the conflagration of the harvest is ignited and consumes them, is also evident from the 32nd chapter of Isaiah; whereby, the judgment of God involves those “far away”—on the fringes of the organization, and those “who are nearby” in Zion—in the very heart of the organization. This is what Jehovah has said to them: “You people conceive dried grass; you will give birth to stubble. Your own spirit, as a fire, will eat you up. And peoples must become as the burnings of lime. As thorns cut away, they will be set ablaze even with fire. Hear, you men who are far away, what I must do! And know, you who are nearby, my mightiness. In Zion the sinners have come to be in dread; shivering has grabbed hold of the apostates: ‘Who of us can reside for any time with a devouring fire? Who of us can reside for any time with long-lasting conflagrations?’” (Isaiah 32:11-14)

Although Jehovah’s Witnesses may be blind to the apostasy of those whom they presently regard as generous and noble men, Jehovah is not blind. He will show his mightiness by setting fire to the “dried grass” and “stubble” of combustible teachings that those working hard at apostasy have accumulated. The “long-lasting conflagrations” will, once and for all time, purge Zion—that is to say the congregation of Christ—of lawless men and their worthless teachings. 

“THE SON OF DESTRUCTION”

 Paul also referred to the man of lawlessness as “the son of destruction.” Significantly, the only other place in the Scriptures where that phrase is used is in connection with Judas Iscariot. At John 17:12, Jesus said in prayer: “When I was with them I used to watch over them on account of your own name which you have given me; and I have kept them, and not one of them is destroyed except the son of destruction, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled.”

One scripture that was fulfilled in Judas was Psalms 41:9, which reads: “Also the man at peace with me, in whom I trusted, who was eating my bread, has magnified his heel against me.” Also, the 109th chapter of Psalms is prophetic of the son of destruction. It reads: “Let his days prove to be few; his office of oversight let someone else take.” 

Obviously, in order to betray another’s confidence it is first necessary to win their trust. So, just as the original son of destruction was a trusted confidential associate of Christ and an overseer along with the 11 other apostles; so too, following the pattern of the original son of destruction the man of lawlessness must be a man or group of men who are in trusted positions of oversight among Christ’s genuine followers. 

Just as Judas reclined at the same table and shared the bread of the last passover meal with Jesus and the apostles, the man of lawlessness must likewise partake of the bread and wine along with the anointed brothers at the annual Memorial of Christ’s sacrifice. Being in a trusted position the modern son of destruction stands poised to deal treacherously and eventually become an outright betrayer of Christ’s entire congregation during the hour of the authority of darkness. 

Interestingly, some aspects of the 109th Psalm do not fit the man Judas; such as the 16th verse, which says: “But he kept pursuing the afflicted and poor man and the one dejected at heart, to put him to death.” The Psalms may well be describing the end result of the destructive presence of the man of lawlessness. During the outbreak of the time of trouble that lies ahead, no doubt confusion and discouragement will become widespread. Psalms 10:9-10 speaks of the afflicted and discouraged one who falls prey to one that lies in ambush. The Psalm reads: “He keeps lying in wait in the concealed place like a lion in his covert. He keeps lying in wait to carry off some afflicted one by force. He carries off the afflicted one by force when he draws his net shut. He is crushed, he bows down, and the army of dejected ones has to fall into his strong claws.” 

The Christian writers foretold that animalistic men would infiltrate Christ’s flock during the last days. Jude likened them to submerged rocks below the water that pose as potential stumbling blocks
for unwary Christians.

Just as the apostles were oblivious to Judas’ defection—even after Christ gave him the identifying morsel during the passover meal—so it is, that, the one described as a lion lurking in his covert may well apply to the man of lawlessness, who up to this point has remained concealed like a nocturnal predator within the organization. 

The point at which his net draws shut upon Jehovah’s unsuspecting people will be during the parousia; when the foretold increasing apostasy and lawlessness within the organization causes the love of the greater number to cool off. Doubtless, when things do not proceed as Jehovah’s Witnesses have come to expect many will become dejected and lose faith.  

Back in the 109th Psalm, verse 20, the betrayers of Christ are spoken of in the plural, as those resisting Christ and speaking evil against him. Likewise, the 29th verse issues Jehovah’s curse upon those resisting Christ. The Hebrew word for a resister or an opposer is “satan.” Satan’s name, therefore, literally means the Resister or Opposer. 

This expression is also associated with the man of lawlessness, where Paul said of him: “He is set in opposition.” In other words, the man of lawlessness is an opposer—a satan.

“THE IMPLEMENTS OF A USELESS SHEPHERD”

Another prophecy that was fulfilled in Judas was Zechariah 11:12-13. That is where it was foretold that the wages of Jehovah’s useless shepherd would be 30 pieces of silver, which was to be thrown into the temple treasury. Matthew 27:3-5 records the actual fulfillment of that prophecy. It reads: “Thus Judas, who betrayed him, seeing he had been condemned, felt remorse and turned the thirty silver pieces back to the chief priests and older men, saying: ‘I sinned when I betrayed righteous blood.’ They said: ‘What is that to us? You must see to that.’ So he threw the silver pieces into the temple and withdrew, and went off and hanged himself.” 

God has arranged prophecies in such a way that some minor aspects take place long before the much grander fulfillments. Thus, the ancient merely supplies an additional pattern for what is to come afterwards. So, just as Jesus was betrayed at the conclusion of his three and one-half year ministry, the earthly ministry of the body of Christ will likewise conclude with the treachery of betrayers. 

Even as Zechariah foretold that the shepherd will be struck so that the sheep would be scattered, so it is that the 11th chapter of Zechariah goes into much more detail than simply could have applied to the first century flock. For example, Zechariah 11:4 reads: “This is what Jehovah my God has said, ‘Shepherd the flock meant for the killing, the buyers of which proceed to kill them although they are not held guilty.’ And those selling them say: ‘May Jehovah be blessed, while I shall gain riches.’ And their own shepherds do not show any compassion upon them.”

Just as Judas betrayed the Son of man with a kiss for 30 pieces of silver, the wicked shepherds who betray the sheep for their own enrichment also hypocritically bless Jehovah. That indicates that they pose as Christian elders in order to gain authority over the trusting sheep. Apparently, the evil shepherds that sell the sheep to the slaughter make up a composite man of lawlessness. In order for the man of lawlessness “to sit down in the temple of the God,” it is necessary that Jehovah must allow him to completely control his organization for a brief period of time. That seems to be what Zechariah 11:15-16 foretells, where it says: “And Jehovah went on to say to me: ‘Take yet for yourself the implements of a useless shepherd. For here I am letting a shepherd rise up in the land. To the sheep being effaced he will give no attention. The young one he will not seek, and the broken sheep he will not heal. The one stationing herself he will not supply with food, and the flesh of the fat one he will eat, and the hoofs of the sheep he will tear off.’” 

Who might the “buyers” prove to be to whom the useless shepherd sells Jehovah’s sheep? Zechariah 11:6 answers, saying: “So here I am causing mankind to find themselves, each one in the hand of his companion and in the hand of his king; and they will crush to pieces the land, and I shall do no delivering out of their hand.”

This verse indicates that the judgment upon God’s congregation occurs in the context of a time of tribulation upon all of mankind. Zechariah 11:6 is in harmony with many other prophecies that have revealed nothing short of a global fratricidal holocaust as this world’s final judgment. 

“ACCORDING TO THE OPERATION OF SATAN”

Returning to Paul’s prophecy, 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 foretells the extent to which God allows Satan to fabricate “an operation of error.” The apostle wrote: “But the lawless one’s presence is according to the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and portents and with every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth that they might be saved. So that is why God lets an operation of error go to them, that they may get to believing the lie, in order that they may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness.”

The scripture indicates that in order for a person to be saved from an adverse judgment they must demonstrate a “love of the truth.” But it is only sensible that in order to love the truth, a person must first know the truth. Jehovah’s Witnesses know the truth. At least Jehovah’s Witnesses have been given a solid doctrinal foundation that allows each to develop genuine faith in Jehovah and Christ. So, the “operation of error” that God allows to “go to them” must go forth among the people associated with the spiritual temple of God. And since the verse says, “that they may be judged,” it is evident that it is in connection with the future judgment of the house of God. 

In context, then, those who “get to believing the lie” are those under the influence of the teaching emanating from the man of lawlessness regarding the false parousia. As the apostle warned, to that end the Devil produces “every powerful work and lying signs and portents.” And for what purpose? Again, in order to deceive Christ’s followers into believing that the parousia has already begun and to give credence to the man of lawlessness as the revered source of esoteric knowledge. 

As stated previously, the fact that Paul exhorted true Christians not to be quickly shaken from their reason is proof that the Devil’s powerful works, lying signs and portents are intended to deceive anointed Christians. After all, since the entire world already lies in Satan’s power it would hardly be necessary for the Deceiver to create powerfully deceptive works and portents to further deceive the deceived, would it? No. Satan is already “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” The “operation of Satan” is specifically intended to deceive those who belong to Jehovah. So, what, exactly, is the “operation of Satan”?

Consider the following question: Should it be considered any special feat for Satan the Devil, who has shown himself to be more than capable of shrewdly insinuating himself into the midst of Jehovah’s people in ancient times by employing a variety of machinations, to first implant the notion within the minds of the original anointed Bible Students regarding 1914 being a year designated in prophecy, and then—by means of “every powerful work”— orchestrate the outbreak of the First World War to coincide with the misguided expectations of the over-eager Bible Students? 

Although there were dangerous political and economic rivalries between the European powers for decades leading up to the outbreak of war, given the fact that the conflagration was ignited by the single spark of an assassin’s pistol in August of 1914, illustrates the relative ease with which the demonic rulers could have accomplished such a thing at a precise moment. 

And although mankind has been periodically afflicted by pestilences and plagues throughout history, no one should naively suppose that it is beyond the Devil’s temperament or ability to conjure and disperse a loathsome contagion like the Spanish Flu to coincide with the outbreak of the Great War; thereby creating the illusion that the horsemen of the Apocalypse had been unleashed. As a consequence, the Bible Students were quickly shaken from their reason and excited in their expectations. 

The trials and persecutions that then consumed the Watchtower headquarters, especially the wrongful imprisonment of J.F. Rutherford and company and their subsequent release from ‘babylonish captivity,’ have served as “lying signs and portents”; tricking the Watchtower’s leadership so that they have now thoroughly convinced Jehovah’s Witnesses that Babylon the Great has already fallen. The handful of International Bible Students that served at the Watchtower headquarters back then that attempted to seize control of the Watchtower Society, and who were subsequently dismissed from Bethel and afterwards led a number of disgruntled members into leaving the organization, have ever since then been identified by the Watchtower as the “evil slave” class—constituting yet another effective lying sign and deceptive portent that has misled Jehovah’s Witnesses into believing that the judgment of the spiritual house of God was accomplished back then. 

The Watchtower Society’s travail even lasted approximately three and a half years—from 1916 to 1919—mimicking the time, times and half a time (1,260 days) designated in the inspired prophecy. How devilishly clever! The setting up of the League of Nations in 1919, which was then hailed by a few prominent clergy as the “political expression of the kingdom of God,” even seemed to fulfill prophecy too—another deceptive, “lying sign.” 

Later the Watchtower sponsored a series of annual conventions in the 1920’s and various resolutions and declarations of divine judgment against Satan’s world were issued. Although the declarations themselves have long since been forgotten, particularly by those against whom they were originally issued, nevertheless, those convention edicts continue to this day to serve as credible “lying signs and portents”; persuading excitable Christians that the earth-shattering trumpets of the Apocalypse had sounded back then. 

With the rise of Nazism, the Holocaust and the Second World War, Jehovah’s Witnesses became objects of vicious persecution. This was presented as a convincing sign that Satan and the demons had been evicted from heaven and cast down to the earth, where they then unleashed a “flood” of persecution against those who bear witness to the kingdom. 

During the Second World War the Watchtower seemed to uncannily divine the “resurrection” of the then defunct League of Nations in the form of the United Nations. To this day the Watchtower uses this as an example of their supposed prophecy-interpreting prowess. But since according to Revelation the coming to life of the image of the beast from the abyss initiates the judgment for all peoples of the world, it is out of the realm of reality that the formation of the League of Nations or the United Nations could have fulfilled the prophecy of Revelation. Instead of the establishment of the UN fulfilling prophecy, the Watchtower’s assumed prophetic “insights” ought to be seen as an “unrighteous deception.”

 None of this is meant to suggest that the Watchtower Society has not also served Jehovah’s purpose. On the contrary, the very fact that the organization bears the name of Jehovah and bears witness to Christ and the kingdom of heaven in a way that is impossible for Christendom makes the Watchtower organization a top-priority target for subversion by enemy agents. And not to be overlooked is the fact that it is in keeping with God’s stated purpose to allow “an operation of error” to hold sway over the Christian congregation until Christ arrives with his army of angels to annihilate all the lawless ones within his kingdom. 

“TO MISLEAD, IF POSSIBLE, EVEN THE CHOSEN ONES”

 Paul’s warnings to his brothers with regards to the powerful works, lying signs and wonders produced as “an operation of Satan” merely underscores the warning of the Lord Jesus himself, when he said: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones. Look! I have forewarned you. Therefore, if people say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; ‘Look! He is in the inner chambers,’ do not believe it.” 

Satan, the puppeterIt is no exaggeration to say that the most prominent feature of the detailed sign of Christ’s presence are the repeated warnings to the chosen ones not to allow themselves to be deceived by the many false prophets and false Christs that Jesus said would arise and demonstrate “great signs and wonders.” 

Although the case has here been made that the satanic parousia deception is already in operation, it ought to be noted that the Lord’s warning pertains to an even greater deception that will occur during the actual parousia. The fact that Jesus said that the “great signs and wonders” accompanying the appearance of false Christs and false prophets would be so deceptive that the potential will exist to mislead even the chosen ones, is a sobering warning to all who are in anticipation of Christ’s return. It is, however, a warning that up until this present moment is lost upon Jehovah’s Witnesses, who have been seduced into imagining that the Society is their unfailing spiritual guide in all matters.

The disarming notion that the clergy somehow comprise a composite man of lawlessness is no doubt also attributable to the Devil’s subtle influence over the organization. But obviously, the chosen ones are in no danger of being deceived by the clergy—not now, nor in any conceivable future scenario. However, virtually all of Jehovah’s chosen ones are under the influence of the organizational oracles associated with the Watchtower. Does that fact not dramatically underscore the words of Jesus—“Look! I have forewarned you”

Although Jehovah’s Witnesses are terrified of those considered by the Watchtower Society to be apostates and opposers of the truth, the much greater spiritual danger posed by the submerged apostates within the leadership of the organization goes unexposed. As was the case with the superfine apostles, who in imitation of their satanic master successfully transformed themselves into leading ministers of righteousness among the Christian congregation in Corinth, it would appear that the crafty Devil has once again masterfully transformed himself into an enlightening angel within the highest circles of the leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses. After all, what could be more deceptive than devising a scheme to convince Jehovah’s very own sons and daughters that Jesus has already arrived and given the faithful slave his unqualified approval, when such is not the case at all? 

Speaking through the prophecy of Isaiah at the time of the unveiling of his judgments, Jehovah reminds those whom he calls “my witnesses” of his faithfulness towards them “when there was among you no strange god.” 

The “strange god” among “my witnesses” can be none other than the Devil and his nefarious man of lawlessness, who, as Paul forewarned, will sit down in the spiritual temple of Jehovah and publicly show himself to be a god. 

While on the one hand the “strange god” in their midst has deceptively persuaded Jehovah’s Witnesses into believing that the Devil has no influence over “Jehovah’s visible organization,” all the while the Deceiver has been performing powerful portents to accredit his institutional idol for the purpose of inveigling Jehovah’s Witnesses into embracing and promoting a faux parousia; a parousia fabricated by the Father of the lie—the Devil himself! What else but the odious influence of Satan can explain the persistence of the powerful parousia delusion that has unrelentingly gripped Jehovah’s Witnesses up to this very moment? 

Soberingly, though, as already stated, Satan’s greatest act of deception is yet to go into operation during the actual conclusion. At that critical juncture false Christs and false prophets will then convincingly claim that the Christ is in the “wilderness” or in the “inner chambers.” (The “inner chambers” may prove to be the inner sanctum of the Society itself, when the man of lawlessness declares himself to be a god.)

 The stage is now set, whereby, each one’s love for the truth will come under the most severe test when the time comes to break free from the Watchtower’s counterfeit parousia, during what must surely be the now-imminent commencement of the genuine presence of Jesus Christ. 

Since the Scriptures indicate that the scheme promoted by the Devil to construct a false parousia immediately precedes the manifestation of Christ that means that the development of the foretold apostasy, which comes first, must also accompany the fake parousia. What evidence of apostasy is there among Jehovah’s Witnesses? One aspect of the foretold apostasy is the Watchtower’s spiritually adulterous tryst with the United Nations. The unseemly details of the sordid affair are presented in the next chapter.