by JoeGeneration 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
There is more to the article than what I posted. It can found at
click on Treatises
go to Mezera
and click on
Histories, Chronologies, Chronologists and Time Prophecies
There is more about what the JWs and the BIble Students taught on the 1914 date than what I posted.
I hope this does infringe on any copyright.
Steve
The link posted above has the Bowen chronology that Barbour saw in the Elliott book. Here it is below:
The following reproduction of the tabular scheme of the Scripture chronology of the world found in "Horae Apocalypticae."
THE SCRIPTURE CHRONOLOGY OF THE WORLD
A.M.
1 Creation of Adam to the birth of Seth 130 years Ge 5:3 "Adam lived 130 years and begat a son, ... and called his name Seth."
130 Seth born to the birth of Enos 105 years Ge 5:6 "Seth lived 105 years, and begat Enos."
235 Enos born to the birth of Cainan 90 years Ge 5:9 "Enos lived 90 years, and begat Cainan."
325 Cainan born to the birth of Mahalaleel 70 years Ge 5:12 "Cainan lived 70 years, and begat Mahalaleel."
395 Mahalaleel born to the birth of Jared 65 years Ge 5:15 "Mahalaleel lived 65 years, and begat Jared."
460 Jared born to the birth of Enoch 162 years Ge 5:18 "Jared lived 162 years, and begat Enoch."
622 Enoch born to the birth of Methusela 65 years Ge 5:21 "Enoch lived 65 years, and begat Methuselah."
687 Methuselah born to the birth of Lamech 187 years Ge 5:25 "Methuselah lived 187 years, and begat Lamech."
874 Lamech born to the birth of Noah 182 years Ge 5:28 29 "Lamech lived 182 years, and begat a son, and he called his name Noah."
1056 Noah born to the Flood 600 years Ge 7:6 "Noah was 600 years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth."
1656 The Flood to the birth of Arphaxad 2 years Ge 11:10 "Shem begat Arphaxad 2 years after the Flood."
1658 Arphaxad born to the birth of Salah 35 years Ge 11:12 "Arphaxad lived 35 years, and begat Salah."
1693 Salah born to the birth of Eber 30 years Ge 11:14 "Salah lived 30 years, and begat Eber."
1723 Eber born to the birth of Peleg 34 years Ge 11:16 "Eber lived 34 years, and begat Peleg."
1757 Peleg born to the birth of Reu 30 years Ge 11:18 "Peleg lived 30 years, and begat Reu."
1787 Reu born to the birth of Serug 32 years Ge 11:20 "Reu lived 32 years, and begat Serug."
1819 Serug born to the birth of Nahor 30 years Ge 11:22 "Serug lived 30 years, and begat Nahor."
1849 Nahor born to the birth of Terah 29 years Ge 11:24 "Nahor lived 29 years, and begat Terah."
1878 Terah born to his death 205 years Ge 11:32 "The days of Terah were 205 years:and Terah died." (Ge 12:1) "Now the Lord," etc.
2083 The Covenant made with Abram to the giving of the Law 430 years Ga 3:17 "The Covenant ... the Law, which was 430 years after, cannot disannul."
2513 The Giving of the Law to the return of the Spies 1 years Nu 10:11 (Compare Ex 19:1)
2514 Promise to Caleb on return of Spies to division of the Land 45 years Jos 14:10 "These 45 years, ever since the Lord spake this word unto Moses."
2559 The division of the Land to Samuel the Prophet 450 years Ac 13:20 "After that, he gave unto them Judges, about the space of 450 years, until Samuel."
3009 Saul anointed to the death of Saul 40 years Ac 13:21 "Afterward ... God gave unto them Saul ... by the space of 40 years."
3049 David began to reign to his death 40 years 1Ki 2:11 "The days that David reigned over all Israel were 40 years."
3089 Solomon began to reign to his death 40 years 2Ch 9:30 "Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel 40 years."
3129 Rehoboam began to reign to his death 17 years 2Ch 12:13 "He reigned 17 years in Jerusalem."
3146 Abijah began to reign to his death 3 years 2Ch 13:2 "He reigned 3 years in Jerusalem."
3149 Asa began to reign to his death 41 years 2Ch 16:13 "As a ... died in the 41st year of his reign."
3190 Jehoshaphat began to reign to his death 25 years 2Ch 20:31 "He reigned 25 years in Jerusalem."
3215 Jehoram began to reign to his death 8 years 2Ch 21:20 "He reigned in Jerusalem 8 years."
3223 Ahaziah began to reign to his death 1 years 2Ch 22:2 "He reigned 1 year in Jerusalem."
3224 Athaliah’s usurpation to her death 6 years 2Ch 22:12 "He (Joash) was with them hid in the house of God 6 years:and Athaliah reigned."
3230 Joash began to reign to his death 40 years 2Ch 24:1 "He reigned 40 years in Jerusalem."
3270 Amaziah began to reign to his death 29 years 2Ch 25:1 "He reigned 29 years in Jerusalem."
3299 Uzziah began to reign to his death 52 years 2Ch 26:3 "He reigned 52 years in Jerusalem."
3351 Jotham began to reign to his death 16 years 2Ch 27:1 "He reigned 16 years in Jerusalem."
3367 Ahaz began to reign to his death 16 years 2Ch 28:1 "He reigned 16 years in Jerusalem."
3383 Hezekiah began to reign to his death 29 years 2Ch 29:1 "He reigned 29 years in Jerusalem."
3412 Manasseh began to reign to his death 55 years 2Ch 33:1 "He reigned 55 years in Jerusalem."
3467 Amon began to reign to his death 2 years 2Ch 33:21 "(Amon) reigned 2 years in Jerusalem."
3469 Josiah began to reign to his death 31 years 2Ch 34:1 "He reigned in Jerusalem 31 years."
3500 Jehoahaz began to reign to his deposition 0 years 2Ch 36:2 "He reigned 3 months in Jerusalem."
3500 Jehoiakim began to reign to his death 11 years 2Ch 36:5 "He reigned 11 years in Jerusalem."
3511 Jehoiachim began to reign to his deposition 0 years 2Ch 36:9 "He reigned 3 months and 10 days in Jerusalem."
3511 Zedekiah began to reign to the Captivity 11 years 2Ch 36:11 "(Zedekiah) reigned 11 years in Jerusalem."
3522 The Captivity to the proclamation of Cyrus 70 years Jer 25:11 "These nations shall serve the king of Babylon 70 years." (See 2Ch 36:22)
3592 The Decree of Cyrus to the birth of Christ 536 years According to the commonly received Chronology
4128 The Christian Æra to the present year 1851 years According to the commonly received Chronology
————————
5974 The present year A.D. 1846 5974 years since the Creation of Man
This chart brings the end of 6000 years to the year 1872 A.D.
"The general facts are much more valuable and important than merely the day or the year respecting these facts. 'Let brotherly love continue!' Suffer not any dispute over a day or a year to break the most precious bond of love which binds us to the Lord and to all who are truly his. Be specially careful on this point when the subject of discussion is one respecting which we have no positive knowledge. The rupture of fellowship may sometimes be necessary, when we "contend earnestly for the faith once delivered unto the saints" --faith in the divine plan, in the Redeemer, in the efficacy of his death, etc. These matters are positively stated in the Bible--not left to deduction, as in the case of chronology and all matters based upon chronology." C.T. Russell, Zion’s Watch Tower, November 15, 1913, (R5348)
I appreciate this admission by Russell, as his issuance of "God's dates, not ours" are paraded about regularly. It shows that Russell would not terminate fellowshipping in worship with people who might merely disagree with him on dates, whereas this is what the Watchtower has as policy today and for too long:
***
w86 4/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses. What do such beliefs include?... That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile Times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ’s foretold presence.
This is what I get from the posts that I made above:
The dating for the destruction of the Jerusalem in 606 B.C. came from Barbour, which he deduced from a summary table of a chronology by a Christopher Bowen.
Bowen's chronology appeared in a book by Elliott, but differed from Elliott on the 70 year period, without any explanation. Elliott based his dating on a previous chronology by Clinton. Both Elliott and Clinton gave the traditional dating for 606 B.C. and 587 B.C. Barbour instead followed Bowen, no doubt because Bowen's 6000 years ended in 1872, which confirmed to Barbour that the 1335 years of Daniel ended in 1873.
Barbour also got the idea of the Gentiles Times from 606 B.C. - 1914 A.D. from Elliott as well. However Elliott did not date the beginning in 606 B.C. with the destruction of temple, which Eliott dated in 587 B.C., but rather from the first year that Nebuchadnezzar took prisoners from Israel to Babylon, which Elliott dated in 606 B.C.
Steve
Cygnus
On Russell's statement about fellowship and chronology:
I appreciate too with you his sentiments. However, this statement was made in 1913. When earlier he wrote the Millennial Dawn books, he was dogmatic and positive as one could be about his own prophetic interpretations. He wrote that the knowledge of the time features was the sickle that separated the wheat from the tares. I think one could draw the conclusion that he thought all of the Little Flock would eventually accept his views on the dates. He condemned most, if not all, churches as Babylon, that God has cast off, and would destroy in Armageddon. As 1914 came closer, and time was running out for his expectations to be fulfilled, he grew less positive, and hedged. However, for years millions of his books had been sold, and people believed that the Kingdom would come by 1914, and certainly there were some, if not many, that were disappointed. After 1914, he was again positive that the Gentile Times had indeed ended then. He made further speculations about the future, and then he died, and left his followers confused about how to interpret his expectations.
I don't know what to make of his statement. The attitude expressed seems to be a healthy one. Perhaps he was expressing the wisdom of experience as he got older, and became more liberal in his attitude, and was seeking to caution the brethren. Sometimes I think Russell stated contradictory attitudes, and was not consistent. He was a complex man. His prophetical views seem sectarian and narrow, and yet his attitude is often loving and liberal and broad.
Steve
Hi Steve,
He wrote that the knowledge of the time features was the sickle that separated the wheat from the tares.
Do you have a quote on that?
He condemned most, if not all, churches as Babylon, that God has cast off, and would destroy in Armageddon.
He certainly wasn't alone in doing that, though. And his doctrine of the ransom covered over even the sins of the wicked clergy.
After 1914, he was again positive that the Gentile Times had indeed ended then. He made further speculations about the future, and then he died, and left his followers confused about how to interpret his expectations.
Hmm. My thoughts were that Russell saw the war in Europe as the development of his ideas of anarchy, the biblical time of trouble, and culminating in Armageddon. I am not familiar with any "further speculations" from him specifically; I believe he took a wait and see attitude when there was no rapture in early October, 1914. The 7th Volume certainly didn't contain any confusion - THAT book, not written by Russell, was particularly dogmatic about who, what and when.
I don't know what to make of his statement. The attitude expressed seems to be a healthy one. Perhaps he was expressing the wisdom of experience as he got older, and became more liberal in his attitude, and was seeking to caution the brethren. Sometimes I think Russell stated contradictory attitudes, and was not consistent. He was a complex man. His prophetical views seem sectarian and narrow, and yet his attitude is often loving and liberal and broad.I agree 100%.
Cygnus
On the harvest, from Thy Kingdom Come, page 303:
While the glorified members of the Kingdom beyond the veil are doing a work in shaping the current of present events and preparing for the glorious reign, those on this side the veil have also an important work. It is their mission to gather together the elect and to seal them in the forehead (intellectually) with the knowledge of the truth (Rev. 7:3); to separate the wheat from the tares with the sickle of present truth; and to proclaim unto Zion this important message --"Thy God reigneth!" This work, too, is going rapidly forward, and all the faithful, sealed ones are in turn busily engaged in sealing others; and soon the great work will be accomplished--the elect all gathered and glorified.
Regarding Russell's post-1914 speculations:
When he first wrote the volumes, he taught that the time of trouble would occur between 1874-1914, and gave prophetic interpretations on how world events would unfold, such as the struggle between capital and labor, war, revolution, anarchy. He maintained these expectations even after 1914. He expected the the World War to lead to Armageddon, world revolution, and anarchy, but the war ended without these events happening. He expected the glorification of the saints by 1914, but this did not occur. As an explanation, he then interpreted the story of Elijah and Elisha as a picture of the separation of the Little Flock and the Great Company, and how that might happen. After his death, different groups would condemn others as being in the Elisha class. Russell before his death extended the harvest to 1918, based on a parallel, so that he set another date beyond 1914. He expected to be the steward of the penny of the parable of the penny in the Gospels, and to give the penny, which is why Sturgeon, his secretary, asked him before his death about it. That is why in the front of the Seventh Volume there is a drawing of a penny.
Steve
The attribution of the 'Gentile Times' to this event AT ALL ignores the original text of Luke 21:24 anyway, so it doesn't really matter.
But the destruction of Jerusalem didn't happen in 607 anyway, so it makes no difference what the old boys club in Brooklyn says about it.
