We predicted World War I - How would you answer?

by VM44 39 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  Homerovah the Almighty

  Can you say self promoting propaganda.

  The past head sales executives of the WTS ( Russell , Rutherford ) could probably say it, but probably only in a court of law though
• 

  AWAKE&WATCHING

  Did I ever mention that i hate those mind sucking evil f***ing bastards?

  *Moves Dinah away from the toilet to barf.*
• 

  Quirky1

  You could also predict another earthquake, volcanic eruption, epidemic, pestilence, violence or any other dramatic or catastophic event "IS" going to happen at one point in time.

  Where's my magic 8 ball??
• 

  jwfacts

  Quite simple - "show me where".

  Then I would show what was predicted:

  Armageddon ended

  "… the battle of the great day of God Almighty… The date of the close of that "battle" is definitely marked in Scripture as October 1914. It is already in progress, its beginning dating from October, 1874." Zion's Watch Tower 1892 January 15 p.23

  Religion Utterly Destroyed

  "The seventh trumpet sounds from Aug. 1840, until "the time of trouble," or day of wrath is ended. Hence, it doubtless ends with the times of the Gentiles, and this forty years of conquest; and therefore, sounds until A. D. 1914; at the end of which, Babylon the great, will have fallen, and the "dragon" be bound: that is, the nations will be subdued, and "the prince of this world cast out."" Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World (1877) p.143
  
  "A.D. 33, to A.D. 70 was 36 ½ years; and so from A.D. 1878 to the end of A.D. 1914 is 36 ½ years. And, with the end of A.D. 1914, what God calls Babylon, and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as already shown in prophecy." Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come (1891) p.153
  
  "October, 1914, will witness the full end of Babylon, "as a great millstone cast into the sea," utterly destroyed as a system." Watch Tower 1911 June 15 p.190

  Harvest work complete

  "HARVEST" is a term which gives a general idea as to what work should be expected to transpire between the dates 1874 and 1914." Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come p.135
  
  "These, already examined, show that the close of 1874 marked the beginning, as the close of 1914 will mark the end, of this 40 years of harvest; while all the minutiae of the order and work of this harvest were portrayed in that of the Jewish age, its type." Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come pp.149-150

  Governments overthrown

  Studies In the Scriptures Series II - The Time Is at Hand (1889) pp.77, 78 claimed seven things would happen in 1914. Not one of these eventuated. The following statements are extracted from that list;

  1. "the disintegration of the rule of imperfect men. … at that date the Kingdom of God, for which our Lord taught us to pray, saying, "Thy Kingdom come," will begin to assume control, and that it will then shortly be "set up," or firmly established, in the earth, on the ruins of present institutions."
  2. He whose right it is thus to take the dominion will then be present as earth's new Ruler; and not only so, but it will also prove that he will be present for a considerable period before that date;
  3. the last member of the divinely recognized Church of Christ, the "royal priesthood," "the body of Christ," will beglorified with the Head;
  4. Jerusalem shall no longer be trodden down
  5. Israel's blindness will begin to be turned away
  6. the great "time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation," will reach its culmination in a world-wide reign of anarchy
  7. It will prove that before that date God's Kingdom, organized in power, will be in the earth and then smite and crush the Gentile image (Dan. 2:34)-and fully consume the power of these kings."
  
  "True, it is expecting great things to claim, as we do, that within the coming twenty-six years all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved …. In view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the Kingdom of God, will be accomplished at the end of A. D. 1914…. Be not surprised, then, when in subsequent chapters we present proofs that the setting up of the Kingdom of God is already begun, that it is pointed out in prophecy as due to begin the exercise of power in A.D. 1878, and that the "battle of the great day of God Almighty" (Rev. 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced. The gathering of the armies is plainly visible from the standpoint of God's Word." Studies In the Scriptures Series II - The Time Is At Hand (1889) pp.99, 101
  
  "…we have seen that God has a set time for every feature of his plan, and that we are even now in this "Day of Vengeance," which is a period of forty years; that it began in October, 1874, and will end in October, 1914 [very shortly]."Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance -pp.546, 547

  Jesus to start ruling the earth

  SETTING UP THE EARTHLY GOVERNMENT ---- Not until the full end of Gentile Times (October, A.D. 1914) should we expect the earthly phase of God's Kingdom; for in giving a lease of dominion to the Gentiles until that date God made no mistake and his plans alter not. The earthly phase of the Kingdom of God when set up will be Israelitish; for such is God's engagement or covenant with Abraham and his natural seed. Even the chief favor, the spiritual Kingdom, was offered first to fleshly Israel, and would have been given to them if they had been ready at heart to receive it on the conditions attached to it-to suffer with Christ and afterward to be glorified with him." Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance pp.624,625

  Resurrection to occur

  "And yet "Jerusalem must be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled;" hence, trodden down until A. D. 1914, when the day of wrath will be passed, and the resurrection and return of the "whole house of Israel" due." Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World (1877) p.166
  
  "The beginning of the earthly phase of the Kingdom in the end of A.D. 1914 will, we understand, consist wholly of the resurrected holy ones of olden time-from John the Baptizer back to Abel-"Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and all the holy prophets." Studies In the Scriptures Series IV - The Day of Vengeance p.625

  http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/1914dates.htm
• 

  civicsi00

  the user civicsi00 made the following post, which is very relevant to the subject of this thread:

  Hey bud, thanks for the credit!

  I would definitely ask a Witness for PROOF that Russell predicted the World War. The Watchtower doesn't equip its followers to refute these kinds of things, so unfortunately you're not going to get a good answer. You may even be viewed as an opposer, instead of an inquisitive person. What's even more damaging is the fact that Russell changed the date for Armaggedon to 1915. I don't know if anyone here can provide any quotes on this, but that would also be invaluable, along with what JWFacts has already posted above.

  Unfortunately, trying to get a Witness to think for him/herself can be likened to trying to win a tennis match against a brick wall.

  I read a scripture the other day that reminds me to be patient when trying to "wake up" a Witness. It's from 2 Timothy 2:25, 26:

  "Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will." (NIV) (emphasis mine)
• 

  Robdar

  I would respond, "perhaps, but you have missed every single prediction since then."
• 

  Dagney

  Nice jwfacts! Thank you. Very concise recap. I am going to print that out and keep it in my wallet.
• 

  Ri

  Jws might have it wrong about 1914 and the end of the world....but if you look at it as the start of "the end of peace among Nations" you will be spot on! Every decade since, is a surprise . We never know what the next decade will bring and it seems to get worse and worse. The world is not as safe today as it was just 10 years ago.

  What do you think the world will be like 10 years from now?
• 

  blondie

  I thought that the WTS at that time predicted that it would all be over by 1914, not that it would drag on until 1918. In fact, didn't they adjust the date to 1915 partly because there was not the quick windup they expected?

  1894 "We see no reason for changing the figures - nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble." (Watchtower July 15, 1894, p 266; p 1677 reprints)

  1915 "In view of this strong Bible evidence concerning the Times of the Gentiles, we consider it an established truth that the final end of the kingdoms of this world, and the full establishment of the kingdom of God, will be accomplished near the end of A.D. 1915. (The Time Is At Hand, 1915 edition, p. 99)
• 

  Deputy Dog

  I would agree with them as long as we could start calling WWI, Har-Ma·ged'on

  1899 "...the ‘battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Revelation 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced." The Time Is at Hand, page 101 (1908 edition).

  Rev 16:14

  They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. 15"Look! I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one that stays awake and keeps his outer garments, that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness." 16 And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har-Ma·ged'on