Thetrueone: Since most religionists aren't well studied in human history, its not surprising that they would over look this bit of factual information.
Very good. You noticed. Very, very good. Two things:
1) Even if there were several events in the past that could qualify as a "world war", 1914 was one of those choices. That brings up the critical next point:
2) Many of these events that must occur during the last generation have occurred before. So what Christ was presenting was a supplement to what would occur before his second coming. This is where CHRONOLOGY comes in. You see, to fulfill everything, you have to combine these signs and events with the chronology of the second coming. So it is not a matter of being confused over some of these wars or world wars that might have happened before, but that event occurring close enough to the second coming date.
Now the chronology affecting this last generation, of course, includes at least four critical events.
1. The "great tribulation" where two-thirds of the Jews are exterminated (Zech 13:8) begins at the cut-off time of 62 weeks into the last 70th week of 490 years. We can easily calculate when the 70 weeks begin during our time by simply calculatikng down 490-year periods from 36 CE. 36 CE ends the 70th week of the first coming. Thus 4 x 490 = 1960 + 36 = 1996. 1996 ends the 70th week of the second coming, the 70th week being from 1989-1996. So based on that, the messiah, who arrives mid-week at the second coming (he arrives at the first of the week at the first coming) we know Christ would arrive in 1992-1993. But the "great tribulation" which would see the end of two-thirds of the Jews would occur betwen 1940-1947. The 70 weeks ending in 1996 begin in 1506. 62 weeks is 434 years, so 1506 + 434 = 1940. The length of the great tribulation, which days were cut short, was to last 7 years and thus from 1940-1947. Indeed, the Holocaust did exterminate two-thirds of the Jews. The "great tribuilation" was thus the Holocaust and WWII which ended in 1945. But the Bible says unless the days were cut short, "no flesh would be saved", that is, the flesh of the holy ones, the Jews, who by late 1944 had already been two-thirds exterminated.
This is a critical reference, though, because the Bible describes it as a one-time event. A tribulation that was so shocking that it never happened before nor would happen again. That's easily applied to the Holocaust which was quite unique. But again, the chronology requires this to be fulfilled between 1940-1947.
The other prophec involved requires all these events to occur within a generation of a world war. So just based on the unique event of the Holocaust, WWI would qualify as beginning that generation.
Also unique during the last generation that would see the second coming is the establishment of the State of Israel. The Bible refers to his as the budding of the fig tree, after which the messiah would be "near at the doors." So the Jews would not come out of exile until the "great tribulation" occurred and that event occurred on November 30, 1947, with the "Partition Agreement" from the UN giving the Jews their own country again. The State of Israel was set up shortly after in 1948. So that's another unique event that would identify the correct "last generation."
So even for very studious histsorical students like yourself, there is a lot required to line up to identify the true "last generation" which must begin with a world war and before ending see the second coming. WWI fits this application since it creates the 1914-1994 generatio and the second coming occurred in 1992. So that's why you have CHRONOLOGY. Chronology combined with the signs identify the correct time. Again those things include:
1. The messiah does not arrive before the State of Israel is set up, and thus not before 1948.
2. The messiah does not arrive until after the "great tribulation" -- Matt. 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days... the sign of the son of man would appear." That great tribulation was the Holocaust/WWII. The reestablishment of the State of Israel follows this great tribulation.
3. The "end of the gentile times", when the Jews officially come out of exile, which occurred on November 30, 1947 is also the end of the 1290 days! This is when Jehovah begins to bless the Jews and reestablish them in their homeland. This has occurred. The State of Israel is great modern nation. But that means to fulfill the "1335 days" which is the date of the second coming, the 2nd coming must occur in 1992!
1290+45=1335
1947+45=1992
This fits an event occurring before the end of the generation ending in 1994.
4. The two messiahs, first and second coming, must fulfill the 70th week, thus we already know based on the end of the first 70 weeks ending in 36 CE that the second coming 70th week would end in 1996. Thus Christ must appear to fulfill the 70th week sometime between 1989-1996. Since that includes 1992, you have harmony.
5. Of course, there is the issue of the "7 times" which inserts 2520 years from the fall of Jerusalem to the 2nd coming. I won't debate what the true date for the fall of Jerusalem is because of the secular push to date that event in 587/586 BCE or the WTS' failed effort to date that event to 607 BCE. I'll just note that the VAT4956 has two references in it, in lines 3 and 14, which both match the lunar cycle of 511 BCE. Presumed to be a cryptic reference the original timeline for year 37 of Nebuchadnezzar II, that reference independently dates the 19th of Neb-II to 529 BCE as an optional date to consider as the fall of Jerusalem. If you go with that application, it would confirm that 568 BCE is a spurious date for year 37 of Neb-II. But of curious note, once you get to the point that this is the best reference to the original timeline, when dating year 19 of Neb-II to 529 BCE, funny to me you get 1992 as the date for the second coming, a date we are stuck with based on 1947.
So no problem harmonizing all those prophecies, even if you use secular historical references from ancient astronomy.
So when all is said and done, sure there are a lot of choices, but at this point it should be clear that 1992 is the only option to fulfill both the chronology and the events that identifies the last generation of the second coming.
But having noted that, if 1992 was the date the messiah was supposed to appear, then WHERE IS HE?
Well, as the WTS has pointed out, Christ arrives rather secretly to most of the world who appears after his return as a "thief in the night." That means the majority of the world finds out about his arrival long after the fact. But did the Christ truly return in 1992?
YUP! I'm right here. I became the messiah on December 25, 1992.
So the Bible and its prophecies are TRUE. The WTS and others misinterpreting the Bible or who cling to erroneous revised history will get confused and get it wrong. But there is little excuse now. Nobody accepts 607 BCE, but revising history was common. 539 BCE is also the wrong date for the fall of Babylon. The Bible asserts 455 BCE must date the 1st of Cyrus. When that occurs, 70 years of exile dates the last deportation in 525 BCE, year 23 of Neb-II. Jerusalem falls 4 years earlier in year 19, thus in 529 BCE. Funny to me that means the second coming occurs in 1992, the same date you get for 45 years after 1947, the end of Jewish exile from their homeland.
Some, I believe, love darkness and confusion. It gives them some freedom. Once the light is on and there is little choice, people don't like it, especially when they are arriving late or too late for it to matter. That's the situation here. Armageddon is here now. It's time to face our Maker.
LS