You are my witnesses, says Jehovah. -- Isaiah 43:10.
By Ronald R. Day, Sr.
Jehovah here speaks to His covenant people Israel, whose very existence bears witness to Jehovah's formation of Israel (Isaiah 43:1), their affliction and deliverance from Egypt, and their settling in the land of Canaan, etc. Their very existence testifies that Jehovah's promises, made long before, are sure of fulfillment.
Israel, however, serves as a type or foreshadow of the Messiah and the church, for Jehovah says: "When Israel was a child, then I loved him, And called my son out of Egypt." -- Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:15; 1 Corinthians 10:11; Colossians 2:16,17; Hebrews 8:4,5; 10:1.
Jesus, as an Israelite born under the Law, is called the "faithful witness." (Revelation 1:5; 3:14) Obviously, this speaks of his faithfulness in his testimony concerning the things he had learned and observed from God while in heaven. Jesus is the only person who has ever lived who descended from heaven and thus could tell of heavenly things. (John 3:12,13) Jesus is the foretold prophet like Moses who faithfully speaks the words of Jehovah who had sent him. (Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Psalm 45:7; Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:4; Matthew 4:7; Matthew 4:10; Matthew 22:29-40; Matthew 26:42; Matthew 27:46; Mark 10:6; Mark 14:36; 15:34; Luke 4:8; Luke 22:42; John 3:34; 5:30; 6:38; 10:36; 17:1,3; 20:17; Acts 3:13-26; Romans 15:6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3; 11:31; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; 4:6; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 1:9; 10:7; 1 Peter 1:3; Revelation 2:7; 3:2,12.) Christians should certainly endeavor to imitate Jesus in such faithfulness. But does this mean joining an organization headed by men who claim the sole authority to speak of God and Jesus? The JW leadership, by their application of certain scriptures speaking of Jesus to themselves (such as John 6:68), in effect, would make themselves the Messiah. Jesus warned against such. -- Matthew 24:5; Mark 13:6; Luke 21:8.
In the first century, the disciples were told that they were to be witnesses of Jesus in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. (Acts 1:8) In bearing such witness concerning Jesus, they also are said to be 'God's witnesses', in that it was Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who raised up Jesus, and who had exalted Jesus to Jehovah's right hand. (Acts 3:13-26; 5:30-32) Thus, bearing witness for Jesus is to also bear witness for the God of Jesus.
In the first century, the disciples were told that they were to be witnesses of Jesus in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. (Acts 1:8) In bearing such witness concerning Jesus, they also are said to be 'God's witnesses', in that it was Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who raised up Jesus, and who had exalted Jesus to Jehovah's right hand. (Acts 3:13-26; 5:30-32) Thus, bearing witness for Jesus is to also bear witness for the God of Jesus.
Of course, those to whom Jesus spoke had actually witnessed Jesus as having been raised from the dead. We today cannot be witnesses of Jesus in this sense, but we can give our testimony regarding things we have learned about Jesus in our study of the Bible. Thus, having the example before us, all who belong to Jesus, and who bear witness that they have faith in the Biblical declaration that God raised Jesus up as a prophet like Moses, are also Jehovah's witnesses, irrespective of denominational ties, for one cannot bear witness concerning Jesus without also bearing witness concerning the God of Jesus (Micah 5:4), since it was Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who raised Jesus as a prophet like Moses, and who raised Jesus from the dead, and who then exalted Jesus at His own right hand. -- Exodus 3:14,15; Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 61:1; Micah 5:4; Acts 3:13-26; 5:30-32; 7:37; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 15:14-18; Ephesians 1:3,17-23; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 1:21.
Bearing witness for Jesus and His God, however, has nothing at all to do with joining a religious organization that claims to be clothed with special authority. It does have to do with being in submission to the head of the church, Jesus, and to secondarily to his apostles. One should also give relative, but not blind, submission to teachers of God's Word (1 Corinthians 12:8; Hebrews 13:17), in whatever they are faithfully presenting of God's Word. -- Isaiah 8:20; Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:15-17;
Nevertheless, it is only through Jesus, not through an authoritarian organization or any other man, that one is saved from Adamic death and reconciled to God. We have no scriptural reason to think that the phrase Jehovah used of Israel in Isaiah 43:10 was meant to designate an earthly organization formed at the end of the age as Jehovah's servant, and/or that this phrase is the "new name" of Isaiah 62:2 or the "new name" of Revelation 2:17; 3:12.
Charles Taze Russell and Isaiah 43:10
What did Brother Russell teach about Isaiah 43:10? Actually, contrary to what many have been led to believe, we have not found any comments from Brother Russell directly on this verse. Brother Russell certainly never applied Isaiah 43:10 as a name for an alleged visible organization here on earth during the "time of the end." Additionally, Brother Russell never used the term "Jehovah's witnesses" or "witnesses of Jehovah" as a name for Christians. Indeed, we have not any place that Russell used either of the phrases at all, although he did at least once refer to "the Lord's witnesses", evidently with "the Lord" referring to Jehovah.
While the above was written by Mrs. Russell (not Brother Russell), this did appear in the Watch Tower in the days of Russell. While there is much in what is stated that the JWs may not agree with, what is stated in the quote does appear to be in harmony with what Russell taught.
Nevertheless, we do find the following in the Watch Tower April issue of 1886, page 4:
The work of the new kingdom is now in progress, and the body of Christ, whether in the flesh or in the spirit, (resurrected,) are all actively engaged as co-workers together with our Lord and head. What a blessed privilege to realize that such is the case. If the work to be done while in the flesh were all finished, then doubtless all of the elect company would be speedily changed to the spiritual plane where they can work to advantage. "Ye are my witnesses," said the Lord [Jehovah], and it seems that the world has never yet been left without a human witness for God. And it is our privilege to be his witnesses now, and to stand as witnesses for God until "changed" to the higher plane. So long as the saints now abide in the flesh, it is an evidence that God has a work for them to do, either for themselves or others here. However humble, then, may seem the sphere of any of the consecrated ones, they should remember that God has a work for them to do here and now—a work which, if engaged in heartily, as unto the Lord [Jehovah], will not only enlighten others, but specially discipline and develop themselves spiritually. If idlers in the vineyard of the Lord [Jehovah], or if we go about his work complainingly and grudgingly, as if by constraint, we are proving ourselves unworthy of the great reward, and the Lord [Jehovah] who reads the heart will make no mistake in judging us. -- We have added "[Jehovah]" at appropriate places.
While the above was written by Mrs. Russell (not Brother Russell), this did appear in the Watch Tower in the days of Russell. While there is much in what is stated that the JWs may not agree with, what is stated in the quote does appear to be in harmony with what Russell taught.
There was also an article that appeared in the Watch Tower of September 15, 1914, entitled "The Blessing of the 'Cup of Salvation'", that contains a subheading entitled "Ye are My Witnesses Saith Jehovah". This is obviously referring to Isaiah 43:10, although the context does not directly discuss this. Assuming that this article was written (or perhaps dictated) by Russell, more than likely the subheadings were added by someone else. "Ye are my witnesses" appears at twice more in the Watch Tower of Russell's time, but in each instance, it was not written by Russell.
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