The WTS's start of the "70 years"

by Doug Mason 43 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  scholar

  AnnOMaly

  Post 1072

  Your question is easily answered and is as follows: Ezekiel was amongst those exiles taken to Babylon in 617 BCE which was the first deportation of Jews from Jerusalem to Babylon, he was commisssioned as a prophet and watchman in 613 BCE by means of a vision he experienced whilst at the bank of the river Chebar outside of Babylon.

  In the twelth year after the exile (617 BCE) Ezekiel received a report from an escapee from Jerusalem a short time after the Fall of Jerusalem in 607 BCE which according to some manuscripts could have been the eleventh year rather than the twelth year. This means that at the earliest, Ezekiel received the report some time in Decmber, 607 BCE. Now having travelled some 500 miles from Jerusalem to Babylon a journey of several months this would mean that by the time Ezekiel received the news of Jerusalem Fall, the seventy years of desolation-servitude-exile had already commenced in October, 607 BCE.

  scholar JW
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  scholar

  jeanniebeanz

  The reason why there is an endless fascination with this subject is because of its relationship to the accuracy of WT Bible Chronology and Eschatology. Apostates believe that this is a weakness in the Bible teachings of the Witnesses due to the so called 'research' by Carl Jonsson and his associates. However, WT chronology has been proven to accurate and faithful to the Sciptures on many counts and there is no better ezample of this fact than the subject of the 'seventy years' which establlishes with profound certainty the beginning of the Gentile Times in 607 BCE and ending in 1014 CE

  scholar JW
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  Narkissos

  I didn't remember the WT addressing this question so I looked up the book The Nations Shall Know that I am Jehovah: the writers do not seem to have perceived the problem anymore than scholar... they do discuss the variant reading in v. 21 but they fail to address the fact that the oracle given in December (607 by WT chronology) and to be delivered to those who live amongst the ruins still foretells the desolation of the land as future... If this has been discussed elsewhere in WT literature I have no idea...
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  scholar

  bohm

  Post 163

  I cannot help you with the identity and qualifications of the 'celebrated WT scholars'. You mention Rolf Furuli of Norway and he would by your own admission belong to this group as he is both a Witness and scholar but in this respect I cannot say. There are many other Witnesses who are of calibre of Furuli and are known to me but even these may not be of this group so as with the NWT Committee the identity of which must remain unknown and unknowable.

  What is more important for you is to study the Bible and the publications of the faithful and discreet slave so that you will become wise and full of understanding.

  scholar JW
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  AnnOMaly

  Now having travelled some 500 miles from Jerusalem to Babylon a journey of several months this would mean that by the time Ezekiel received the news of Jerusalem Fall, the seventy years of desolation-servitude-exile had already commenced in October, 607 BCE.

  Well that's strange. Are you saying that Ezekiel was given a vision that was no longer relevant, was obsolete, out-of-date? And if there was nobody living in the ruins after all, how could God instruct Ezekiel to give them a message?
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  scholar

  Narkissos

  Post 9720

  I think you are simply creating a problem for yourself in your own mind. The reaffirmation of Jeremiah's collective prophecy on the desolation of Judah in Ezekiel 33:27-29 which is given in a future tense simply illustrates the accomplished fact of the matter that land by that time had already lay in a state of utter desolation beginning in the seventh month (October 4/5) 607 BCE.

  What you need to remember is the context, timing and audience of both the oracles of Jeremiah and Ezekiel and see the literary relationships between them. Ezekiel receives confirmation of Jeremiah's prophecy from a escapee who gives a thrilling eyewitness account then Ezekiel is now to convey that message to his audience along with that reaffirmation in vs 27-29. For further technical reading on this subject you may wish to consult Leslie C. Allen in his commentary on Ezekiel- WBC 29, Ezekiel 20-48, 1990, pp.149-154.

  scholar JW
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  scholar

  AnnOMaly

  Post 1073

  Hardly, the message was both relevant and pertinent to those exiles in Babylon. They at last now recieved by means of a fled escapee astonishing news that Jeremiah's long awaited propohecy had just or now been fulfilled proving that Jehovah is the great Timekeeper. Are you not thrilled about that? I am!

  scholar JW
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  AnnOMaly

  Aaand you completely avoided answering my question, 'scholar.' If there was nobody around living in the ruins in the tenth month, why did God tell Ezekiel there was and that he should give those people living in the ruins a message?
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  bohm

  scholar, im not sure i quite follow what your saying (english is not my first language). Are you saying the wt scholars who work on the 607 chronology must remain unknown or unknowable?
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  Leolaia

  LOL, AnnOMaly, Narkissos, and I myself made the exact same point and pseudo-scholar has nothing to say about it.