The first important date for the Jehovah's Witnesses (JWs) was 1799. Charles 'Taze' Russell (1852-1916), the first leader of what later became the JWs promoted 1799 as the 'beginning of the time of the end'.
The organisation kept teaching the date until 1928 (http://bit.ly/1PjtDEc) which included time under the JWs second leader Joseph Franklin 'Judge' Rutherford (1969-1942).
1874 was the next important date and, according to Russell, was to be the year of Christ's coming or 'invisible presence'; the year in which Jesus Christ began to reign on His throne in heaven.
1914 was first prophesied by Russell as the end of the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16.14-16). So, although you may have heard 1914 published as the year in which Christ's secret presence in the heavens took place, initially, for the first leader of the JWs, it was not so. His presence would mean that in 1914 all the kingdoms of the earth would be struck down and abolished.
But as we now know, 1914 wasn't an end of earthly kingdom but the beginning of the Great War, 'the War to end all wars' as it was named. Russell then modified his views and said that the Great War was the Biblical Armageddon in progress.
Russell's death in 1916 meant that his views were up for modification by the next leader, Joseph 'Judge' Rutherford.
Under his leadership, the signs of the impending Armageddon conflict were predicted to be manifested in 1925. As part of the impending signs, Rutherford believed that Old Testament saints such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others from Hebrews 11 would be resurrected! He even built a luxurious mansion to house them when they appeared. Rutherford also gave to the JWs their name, based on Isaiah 43.10-12.
Important changes were made to the chronology again after Rutherford's death. By 1950, '1874' was dropped out of the framework and 1914 took on a new meaning.
1914 was allocated the significance that 1874 once had in Russell and Rutherford's schemes. 1914 became the new year for the 'presence' (Gk, 'parousia', coming) of Christ to his throne in heaven. This same year 1914 began the 'last generation' (Matt 24.34). The length of years of the generation was taken to be that of those alive for the 1914 generation. It is clear to see that that 'generation' is truly all dead.
The Watchtower has coped with this major problem of the 'last generation' by arguing that this last generation involves the overlapping of the last two generations!
All these forced moves in important dates+ raise serious questions about the credibility to the Watchtower Society to be God's only mouthpiece on earth. That being so, why do JWs stay in the Watchtower Society organisation?
Next time I will endeavour to deal with this vexing question in the context of how we should approach JWs who come to our doors.
+These date change numbers (and all haven't been mention) have to be added to the many alterations and outright reversals in important central teachings from the Society.
The organisation kept teaching the date until 1928 (http://bit.ly/1PjtDEc) which included time under the JWs second leader Joseph Franklin 'Judge' Rutherford (1969-1942).
1874 was the next important date and, according to Russell, was to be the year of Christ's coming or 'invisible presence'; the year in which Jesus Christ began to reign on His throne in heaven.
1914 was first prophesied by Russell as the end of the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16.14-16). So, although you may have heard 1914 published as the year in which Christ's secret presence in the heavens took place, initially, for the first leader of the JWs, it was not so. His presence would mean that in 1914 all the kingdoms of the earth would be struck down and abolished.
But as we now know, 1914 wasn't an end of earthly kingdom but the beginning of the Great War, 'the War to end all wars' as it was named. Russell then modified his views and said that the Great War was the Biblical Armageddon in progress.
Russell's death in 1916 meant that his views were up for modification by the next leader, Joseph 'Judge' Rutherford.
Under his leadership, the signs of the impending Armageddon conflict were predicted to be manifested in 1925. As part of the impending signs, Rutherford believed that Old Testament saints such as Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and others from Hebrews 11 would be resurrected! He even built a luxurious mansion to house them when they appeared. Rutherford also gave to the JWs their name, based on Isaiah 43.10-12.
Important changes were made to the chronology again after Rutherford's death. By 1950, '1874' was dropped out of the framework and 1914 took on a new meaning.
1914 was allocated the significance that 1874 once had in Russell and Rutherford's schemes. 1914 became the new year for the 'presence' (Gk, 'parousia', coming) of Christ to his throne in heaven. This same year 1914 began the 'last generation' (Matt 24.34). The length of years of the generation was taken to be that of those alive for the 1914 generation. It is clear to see that that 'generation' is truly all dead.
The Watchtower has coped with this major problem of the 'last generation' by arguing that this last generation involves the overlapping of the last two generations!
All these forced moves in important dates+ raise serious questions about the credibility to the Watchtower Society to be God's only mouthpiece on earth. That being so, why do JWs stay in the Watchtower Society organisation?
Next time I will endeavour to deal with this vexing question in the context of how we should approach JWs who come to our doors.
+These date change numbers (and all haven't been mention) have to be added to the many alterations and outright reversals in important central teachings from the Society.
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