Anything is possible with this organization , particularly so when they see their membership dropping.
In 1975, as publications and public talks continued to build expectations that Armageddon would take place that year, Governing Body member Frederick Franz announced at a Witness convention in Toronto that he was "looking forward confidently" to what the autumn would bring; at another Toronto convention the following year, he announced that Armageddon had not occurred because Witnesses had been expecting it. Author James Penton claimed Franz meant that because Jesus had stated that no one would know the "day or the hour" of his return, the Witnesses should not have believed they could know that it would occur in 1975. Penton commented: "Franz placed the blame for the fiasco on the entire Witness community."[50][51]
Predictions (by date of publication) include:
* 1877: Christ's kingdom would hold full sway over the earth in 1914; the Jews, as a people, would be restored to God's favour; the "saints" would be carried to heaven.[52]
* 1891: 1914 would be "the farthest limit of the rule of imperfect men."[53]
* 1904: "World-wide anarchy" would follow the end of the Gentile Times in 1914.[54]
* 1916: World War I would terminate in Armageddon and the rapture of the "saints".[55]
* 1917: In 1918, Christendom would go down as a system to oblivion and be succeeded by revolutionary governments. God would "destroy the churches wholesale and the church members by the millions." Church members would "perish by the sword of war, revolution and anarchy". The dead would lie unburied. In 1920 all earthly governments would disappear, with worldwide anarchy prevailing.[56]
* 1920: Messiah's kingdom would be established in 1925 and bring worldwide peace. God would begin restoring the earth. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and other faithful patriarchs would be resurrected to perfect human life and be made princes and rulers, the visible representatives of the New Order on earth. Those who showed themselves obedient to God would never die.[57]
* 1922: The antitypical "jubilee" that would mark God's intervention in earthly affairs in 1925 would take place in "probably the fall" of that year.[58] The chronology was described as "correct beyond a doubt",[44] "absolutely and unqualifiedly correct",[45] bearing "the stamp of approval of Almighty God"[45] and "too sublime to be the result of chance or of human invention".[45]
* 1924: God's restoration of the Earth would begin "shortly after" October 1, 1925. Jerusalem would be made the world's capital. Resurrected "princes" such as Abel, Noah, Moses and John the Baptist would give instructions to their subjects around the world by radio, and aeroplanes would transport people to and from Jerusalem from all parts of the globe in just "a few hours".[59]
* 1938: In 1938, Armaggedon was too close for marriage or child bearing.[60]
* 1941: There were only "months" remaining until Armageddon.[61]
* 1942: Armageddon was "immediately before us."[62]
* 1966: It would be 6000 years since man's creation in the fall of 1975 and it would be "appropriate" for Christ's thousand-year reign to begin at that time.[63] Time was "running out, no question about that."[64] The "immediate future" was "certain to be filled with climactic events ... within a few years at most", the final parts of Bible prophecy relating to the "last days" would undergo fulfillment as Christ's reign began.
* 1968: No one could say "with certainty" that the battle of Armageddon would begin in 1975, but time was "running out rapidly" with "earthshaking events" soon to take place.[65] In March 1968 there was a "short period of time left", with "only about ninety months left before 6000 years of man's existence on earth is completed".[66]
* 1969: Human existence would not last long enough for young people to grow old; the world system would end "in a few years". Young Witnesses were told not to bother pursuing tertiary education for this reason.[67]
* 1974: There was just a "short time remaining before the wicked world's end" and Witnesses were commended for selling their homes and property to "finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service".[68]
* 1984: There were "many indications" that "the end" was closer than the end of the 20th century