I'm kind of surprised this was said in the WT. But it helped me in the discussion I was having with my parents.
My parents called the other day and was telling me how the 607 date is a "figurative" thing NOT a "literal" thing. They said it had to do with the vassal kings and the removal of God's spirit, so it then became a "spiritual kingdom". They brought out what it says in the Reasoning book on pg.96 ..."Finally, by early October of 607 B.C.E. the last vestige of Jewish sovereignty was gone." He then said the WBTS knew it couldn't possibly be 20 years later in 587 B.C.E. because nothing of significance happened in 1934. I said, "EXACTLY!!" So anyway to make a long story short I had the Jan. 15, 2006 WT and asked him why it states this on the back cover:
...."The scrolls dated back to the time before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E."
He said, well they say that because they can't put a huge long explaination everytime they mention 607. But here is where I nailed their butt to the wall or should I say the Watchtower nailed him. On pg 19 of the Jan. 15th 2006 WT in the article "Jehovah's Word Is Alive" second paragraph it states:
..."In the seventh month of 537 B.C.E. (Tishri,corresponding to September/October),the faithful returnees offered their first sacrifice.The Babylonians had entered Jerusalem in the fifth month (Ab,corresponding to July/August) of 607 B.C.E.,and two months later the city's desolation was complete.(2 Kings 25:8-17,22-26) As foretold, Jerusalem's 70-year desolation ended right on time. (Jeremiah 25:11;29:10) Anything Jehovah's Word foretells always comes true."
So it stated right there plan as day that the city's desolation was complete!! My parents didn't know what to say! They said they were going to have to do a little more research on the issue. And they were going to go and talk to the elders that had told them this.LOL!
THEY are their own worst enemy! If they were smart they would stay completly away from this 607 & 1914 date. But that's okay it just helps us all the more!
Morwen (who was born and raised as a JW, in a family who's been "in" for nearly 100 years,everyone married only in the Org Lord,and I'm the first to realize the "death button" really says "eject button")