Bible prophecy indicates that during the time of the end, God's people, Israel, would fall away to "apostasy" and work wickedly in "leaving the Holy Covenant" -- God's Christian Covenant. -- Daniel 11:30
Therefore, we believe the Bible teaches that it is the DECLARATION OF GOD'S GREAT NAME that constitutes the revival of pure worship in our modern society, as the very words of Jehovah Himself shows. Also, in addition to "Declaring God's Name," we believe God's Word shows acceptable religion must first have or possess fundamental "truth" before it can fall into "apostasy" and break their "covenant" relationship with God. (See 2 links above for detail discussion on "Declaring" The Name of God and "Measuring Jehovah's Witnesses with the Scriptures." Also see chart "40 Basic Truths Taught by Jehovah's Witnesses. -- See Exodus 34:5, 6; John 12:28.)
The actual definition of pure worship is described for us at Genesis 4:26 which says:
"And to Seth also there was born a son and he proceeded to call his name Enosh. At that time a start was made of calling on the name of Jehovah."
This verse tells us the true beginning of pure worship upon earth. It started with the "declaring," "invoking" or "preaching" of the Divine Name itself. (See footnote in large print New World Translation Reference bible for Genesis 12:8.) -- Please compare Genesis 4:26 with Genesis 12:8.
MAJOR POINT: For the past 70 years, from 1931 to 2001, Jehovah's Witnesses have taken upon themselves the grave responsibility to PUBLICLY "Declare" God's Name to the world. To be sure, this has been a noteworthy work that Jehovah's Witnesses have undertaken, namely to voluntarily "declare" God's Name to the world of mankind.
As mentioned above, the first true worshiper of God AFTER "Abel," namely Seth, was so noted for the unique distinction of beginning this most sacred form of worship, as recorded in Genesis 4:26. Yes, "Seth" has been honored in the Holy Scriptures, with the actual start (in a formal sense) of the holy practice of "calling upon God's Name." This means he started the formal practice of "declaring," "invoking" or "preaching" His Name, as the true beginning of pure worship of Jehovah upon earth, even though we know "Abel" was a true worshiper of Jehovah, and was the first imperfect man to worship God. But we remember, "Abel's" life, was cut short. He was murdered.
The Watchtower Society, takes the position that the "calling upon the Name of Jehovah," spoken of in Genesis 4:26 is actually NOT the beginning of True Worship on Earth, but instead was a deliberate misuse of the "Name" of God being practiced at that time, and thus a defamation of The Divine Name and His Flawless Character. -- See Insight On The Scriptures, Vol. I pages 727, 728.
However, the highly esteemed and noted scholarly work called: The Expositor's Bible Commentary makes the following astute observation about Genesis 4:26 and its true meaning,
"To underscore the importance of the line of Seth, the author notes that in his days people already practiced true worship of the God of the covenant: At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD (v.26). Such a note signifies that for the author of the Book of Genesis the worship of the Lord established at the time of Moses was not something new but rather a return to the worship of the only and true God....At least as far as the line of Seth was concerned, these men, like Abraham after them, are described as true worshipers of the covenant God." -- See The Expositors Bible Commentary Volume 2 page 69, paragraph 2.
So clearly as mentioned above, even Bible Scholars
of our time, are acutely aware of the true meaning
of Genesis 4:26, and its most important implications
of showing the true origin and establishment of
true worship upon earth at this time.
Therefore, God's Word helps us to appreciate,
what is really occurring then, in Genesis 4:26
-- the formal start of pure worship on earth, by
"Seth," [See Watchtower publications Insight
On the Scriptures and Aid to Bible Understanding
on name: "Seth" which means "appointed," or
"substitute"] in whom Eve said,
"...God has APPOINTED another
Seed in place of Abel..." (Genesis 4:25)
Yes, "Seth," was the Replacement "Seed" for "Abel," who himself was the very first TRUE worshiper of Jehovah upon earth. Yes, "Seth" became that one, "appointed seed," as a "substitute" for Abel, just as his name actually means. And likewise, other faithful men of old like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob indeed, followed in his footsteps doing the same thing, by also "calling upon the Name of God," or by the "Declaring" or invoking the Sacred Name of God" as a sacred form of pure worship. In fact, this holy practice continued right up to Jesus himself, where he also is shown practicing this same most sacred form of worship of his Heavenly Father. -- See Genesis 4:25, 26; Genesis 12:8; Genesis 26:25; Exodus 33:19; Exodus 34:5, 6
At John 12:28 Jesus spoke these important words directly to His Heavenly Father, namely:
"Father, glorify your name. Therefore a voice came out of heaven: I both glorified [it] and will glorify [it] again."
In the above instance, what's not commonly understood about this particular situation is that Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Only Begotten Son, actually invited the Great August One, Jehovah God The Almighty Himself, to yes, "extol," "preach," or publicly "declare" His Own Great Name! Yes, Jesus wanted utmost for Jehovah Himself, to "Glorify" His Own Great Name, to all in hearing range. And amazingly, Jehovah accommodated him. Amazing!
John 12:29, 30 says of this most spectacular event,
"Hence the crowd that stood about and heard it began to say that it had thundered. Others began to say: An angel has spoken to him. In answer Jesus said: This voice has occurred not for my sake, but for your sakes."
Yes, a great "voice," had sounded. Yes, it even sounded like "thunder" -- for it was truly the "voice" of Jehovah Himself! And How that voice thundered, in the hearing of these weak, pitiful humans! It was frightening, even. But, Jesus told them, this voice was heard by them, for "their own sakes," not his. This "thunderous" voice occurred because something was at stake, something very important to God. Yes, it was the Santification of God's Great Name! Yes, as Jesus once said: "...let your NAME be sanctified." (Matthew 6:9) Think about it.
So when Jesus asked Jehovah, His Father to "glorify His Name," why even Jehovah Himself, was willing to participate in such a HOLY ACTIVITY as preaching, declaring, and glorifying His Great and Holy Name. Yes, it was just that important to God.
Actually, what Jesus did in the above instance, clearly reminds us of what occurred for Moses who was on the Mountain with God, when Jehovah decided again, yes to "declare" His Own Name before him. Yes, again God decides to "declare" His Own Name, before this man, Moses. At Exodus 34:6, 7 we read:
"And Jehovah went passing by before his face and
DECLARING: Jehovah, Jehovah, a God merciful and
gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness
and truth, preserving loving-kindness for thousands,
pardoning error and transgression and sin, but by no
means will he give exemption from punishment, bringing
punishment for the error of fathers upon sons and upon
grandsons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth
generation."
Did you notice above, it states:
"Jehovah went passing by before his [Moses'] face and DECLARING HIS NAME.
Yes, Jehovah began extolling the great virtues of Name and what it stands for or should stand for, not only to Moses, or even Israel, this nation itself, but even to the entire Universe of His making...did you notice this?
No question, but the actual "declaring" or "preaching," or "invoking" of God's Great Name, as even shown by Jehovah Himself, is the actual true beginning of True Worship upon earth, as shown above. No, there can be no question at all about this. Think about it.
Therefore for these reasons and more, yes, we believe, Jehovah's Witnesses of modern times have followed, too in the footsteps of faithful men of old and Jesus himself, in re-establishing pure worship for our modern times ON EARTH -- yes, by agreeing to PUBLICLY "DECLARE" the Sacred Name of God, particularly since the Jewish Observance of the Hebrew celebration, the "Great Hosanna" of the year of 1931, October of that year, and of course, by following thru with the making of a PUBLIC COVENANT with Him for the glorification of that Great Illustrious Name. Amen!
As you know, since that time, Jehovah's Witnesses have taught the world about God's Wonderful Name for some seventy years (October 1931 thru October 2001) since taking the Name of God upon themselves. Also, in imitation of ancient Israel they have taught "a framework of the truth" that was acceptable to God -- a bank of fundamental truths about God, over the years, a "framework of the knowledge of the truth" as Paul cited of ancient Israel. -- Romans 2:20
Therefore, we see Jehovah's Witnesses' basic form of worship we believe, was acceptable enough to God to make it possible for them to become modern day "Israel" of bible prophecy and make them very similar to ancient Israel, who eventually left Jehovah's Holy Covenant and went off to become an "apostate nation." (Isaiah 10:6) This has become particularly apparent when we consider their recent fall into apostasy by becoming a NGO with the United Nations thus committing 'spiritual fornication' against Jehovah God. This means according to James 4:4 they are now considered an "enemy" of God, where Jehovah, as in the past will surely work to destroy the nation that bears His Great Name. This means they have broken or "violated" their contractual status with God and lost their "covenantal relationship"