The Great Tree - 7 Times of Daniel = 1914?

by UnDisfellowshipped 3 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • UnDisfellowshipped
    UnDisfellowshipped

    The 7 Times of Daniel = Jesus returning invisibly in 1914 and being enthroned in heaven?

    Daniel 4:23-33 (New World Translation):

    23 “‘And because the king beheld a watcher, even a holy one, coming down from the heavens, who was also saying: “CHOP the tree down, and RUIN it. However, LEAVE its rootstock itself in the earth, but with a banding of iron and of copper, among the grass of the field, and with the dew of the heavens let it become wet, and with the beasts of the field let its portion be until seven times themselves pass over it,” 24 this is the interpretation, O king, and the decree of the Most High is that which must befall my lord the king. 25 And you they will be driving away from men, and with the beasts of the field your dwelling will come to be, and the vegetation is what they will give even to you to eat just like bulls; and with the dew of the heavens you yourself will be getting wet, and seven times themselves will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind, and that to the one whom he wants to he gives it.

    26 “‘And because they said to leave the rootstock of the tree, your kingdom will be sure to you after you know that the heavens are ruling. 27 Therefore, O king, may my counsel seem good to you, and remove your own sins by righteousness, and your iniquity by showing mercy to the poor ones. Maybe there will occur a lengthening of your prosperity.’”

    28 All this befell Neb·u·chad·nez´zar the king.

    29 At the end of twelve lunar months he happened to be walking upon the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king was answering and saying: “Is not this Babylon the Great, that I myself have built for the royal house with the strength of my might and for the dignity of my majesty?”

    31 While the word was yet in the king’s mouth, there was a voice that fell from the heavens: To you it is being said, O Neb·u·chad·nez´zar the king, ‘The kingdom itself has gone away from you, 32 and from mankind they are driving even you away, and with the beasts of the field your dwelling will be. Vegetation they will give even to you to eat just like bulls, and seven times themselves will pass over you, until you know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind, and that to the one whom he wants to he gives it.’”
    33 At that moment the word itself was fulfilled upon Neb·u·chad·nez´zar, and from mankind he was being driven away, and vegetation he began to eat just like bulls, and with the dew of the heavens his own body got to be wet, until his very hair grew long just like eagles’ [feathers] and his nails like birds’ [claws].
    _________________________________________________________

    Somehow, out of that prophecy, which Daniel clearly says was FULFILLED when Nebuchadnezzar went insane for 7 years, the Watchtower Society derives a "secondary fulfillment."

    This "secondary fulfillment" is a prophecy that God's Kingdom (active rule over the earth) would be taken away for "7 times." (How do they jump from Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom being taken away to God's Kingdom being taken away?)

    Then, they take the "7 years," break it down into days. (2,520 days to be exact, because they use a "prophetic year" of 360 days).

    But, we're not done yet! Then, they go with the idea that we should turn each day into a year! ("A Day for a Year Rule").

    But, wait!

    The Watchtower Society teaches that God's Kingdom (active rule over the earth) was taken away when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple, and, get this, the Watchtower teaches that this happened in 607 BC, even though just about all the evidence points to this happening in 586 BC.

    So, if we simply calculate 2,520 years from 607 BC, we arrive at 1914!

    Wasn't that simple???

    The light sure does get brighter and brighter......

  • wantingtruth
    wantingtruth

    the correct interpretation of a prophecy must be based on Jesus' testimony , on Jesus teaching .

    and Jesus teached that the Kingdom was set in Heavens at the time of His first coming (clik here and read posts 28,30 )

    the purpose of His second coming remained to be ... the "bringing" on earth (or its extension over the earth ) of this Heavenly Kingdom

    so, the interpretation given by society to Daniel 6 is not based on Christ teaching and not from God

  • mindmelda
    mindmelda

    I'm glad you can explain that hopping around, I never could. But, there's really nothing in this prophecy that indicates its application to anything but Nebuchadnezzar himself.

    VS 33 actually makes that pretty clear.

    I never could figure out how it "jumped" to apply to Christ's kingdom reign beginning invisibly in 11914, although you recount the steps they use (misuse?) quite well.

    Combined with the fact that nothing much happened historically in 607 BCE...well...with that and 5 bucks you can get coffee at Starbucks.

  • Doug Mason
    Doug Mason

    And they make the heathen king symbolise God's Kingdom.

    You might be interested in my drawing of the way they "reason", at http://au.geocities.com/doug_mason1940/Knight_jump_hermeneutic.pdf

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