Jehovah’s Witnesses are known world-wide for going door-to-door offering their Watchtower Magazine to householders. In the May 1st 2015 edition of The Watchtower, Jehovah’s Witnesses pride themselves for their “reputation for their efforts to spread the good news about God’s Kingdom”. Anyone who has ever held a copy of this magazine in their hand might have noticed that the magazine’s cover includes the slogan “Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom“. This is a slogan they have had on their magazine since 1939, but is it biblically correct? Is is Jehovah’s Kingdom?
Firstly, it must be mentioned that there is no verse in any bible that has the words “Jehovah’s Kingdom”. It’s not even in Jehovah’s Witnesses’ bible, the New World Translation. Not once. This is interesting when one considers that the New World Translation uses the name “Jehovah” 7206 times in their bible! Yet, despite the saturated use of the name “Jehovah”, there is not a single instance of the term “Jehovah’s Kingdom”.
Now, let’s look at the biblical evidence. All scriptures quoted are from the New World Translation.
…Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your Kingdom come…
– Matthew 6:9,10At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father…
– Matthew 13:43But I say to you: I will by no means drink again any of this product of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the Kingdom of my Father.
– Matthew 26:29So he said to them: “Whenever you pray, say: Father, let your name be sanctified. Let your Kingdom come.
– Luke 11:2for all these are the things the nations of the world are eagerly pursuing, but your Father knows you need these things. Instead, keep seeking his Kingdom, and these things will be added to you. – Luk 12:30,31
There are only these 5 verses in the bible that state that the Kingdom is the Father’s. However there are almost 70 verses in the Christian Greek scriptures that use the terms, “God’s Kingdom or “Kingdom of God”. Isn’t this enough to prove that it’s Jehovah’s Kingdom? No. Consider the following verses to see why it’s not scripturally accurate to refer to the kingdom as Jehovah’s.
I will give you [Simon Peter] the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you may bind on earth will already be bound in the heavens, and whatever you may loosen on earth will already be loosened in the heavens.” – Matthew 16:19
If the Kingdom is Jehovah’s, how can Jesus give Simon Peter the keys of the Kingdom?
Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here who will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom. – Matthew 16:28
If the Kingdom is Jehovah’s, how is it that the Son of Man can also refer to it as “his Kingdom”?
This one will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule as King over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his Kingdom. – Luke 1:31,32
If Jesus is going to be King and will rule over the Kingdom forever, why are Jehovah’s Witnesses announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom? Shouldn’t they be announcing Jesus’ Kingdom?
However, you are the ones who have stuck with me in my trials; and I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sit on thrones to judge the 12 tribes of Israel.
– Luke 22:28-30
If Jesus has made a covenant with the apostles to eat and drink at his table in his Kingdom, shouldn’t Jehovah’s Witnesses be announcing Jesus’ Kingdom?
Then he said: “Jesus, remember me when you get into your Kingdom.” – Luke 23:42
The criminal acknowledged his hope in Jesus’ Kingdom not in Jehovah’s Kingdom. And he was rewarded accordingly. Really, Jehovah’s Witnesses are announcing a Kingdom that is not available to Christians. The only Kingdom available to Christians is Jesus’ Kingdom.
Jesus answered: “My Kingdom is no part of this world. If my Kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my Kingdom is not from this source.”- John 18:36
Clearly, Jesus is talking about his Kingdom being a heavenly Kingdom. This is the Kingdom that Jehovah’s Witnesses should be announcing. See also Colossians 1:13; 2 Timothy 4:1; 4:18; Hebrews 1:8; 2 Peter 1:11.
Some may say that the huge number of references to the Kingdom of God is sufficient to prove that the Kingdom is Jehovah’s. But that raises the question, Is Jesus God?
If Jesus is God, it may explain the interchangeability in scripture between the Father’s Kingdom, Jesus’ Kingdom and the Kingdom of God or God’s Kingdom. However, if Jesus is not God, then the bible is extremely confusing and proves to contradict itself.