1914 Analysis

Vanderhoven7

Anyone see a problem with this intro?

MAJOR TIME PROPHECY (Introductory Comments)

According to the Watchtower chronology of world events, 1914 is the turning point in human history. In fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy (Dan. 2:44), Jesus ascended His heavenly throne in 1914 and established His kingdom. This kingdom, now visibly overseen by (who else) the Watchtower Society is soon destined to destroy all other kingdoms at Armegedon. The Watchtower teaches that the time or period of the end began in 1914 when Satan was cast to the earth signalling that the "times of the gentiles", or the time of gentile dominion was over or fulfilled. Although there is not a shred of sound Biblical or historical evidence to substantiate any of these conclusions, the issue that merits close analysis is the conclusion that Christ somehow returned or became "present" in 1914 and established His kingdom.

The evidence Witnesses employ to "prove" that Christ's "coming", or as they would have it, "presence" occurred in 1914 is almost exclusively interpolated from prophetic utterances found in Matthew 24 where Jesus responded to the disciples request for the "SIGN" that would signal both His coming and the end of the age. Mt.24:1-3 For Witnesses, the most critical, or at least most quoted segment of Jesus' response to the disciples' request is found in verses 6 and 7, which read:

And ye shall hear of WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS:

see that ye be not troubled: for all these things

must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (6)

FOR NATION SHALL RISE AGAINST NATION, and kingdom

against kingdom: and there shall be FAMINES and

PESTILENCES, and EARTHQUAKES in divers places. (7)

Witnesses erroneously associate these verses with the SIGN of Christ's avowed return based on the following assumptions and presuppositions:

a. The catastrophes mentioned by Christ in Mat.24 do not

signal the closeness of his coming but the fact that he

has already arrived.

b. The word "parousia" should be translated as "presence" rather

than "coming", as in the KJV. This suggests that when the

disciples asked for the "sign" of his coming, they were

really asking "What sign will prove to us you are already

invisibly present - "What is the sign of your "presence"?

c. The sign (singular) that Jesus gave to prove his invisible

presence included earthquakes famines disease etc. In other

words, the SIGN represents a "composite" or many faceted

confirmation.

d. The unique worsening in world conditions as measured by the

increase in the catastrophic signs of Mat 24 in the 20th century

clearly demonstrate that Jesus became invisibly present in 1914.

NOTE: The Greek word "parousia" has more than one meaning. It is true that the primary meaning is "presence" but its other meanings, based on biblical usage include, "arrival", "revelation", "appearing" and "coming". Context must help determine meaning. When JWs insist "parousia" means "presence" in Matthew 24, you can ask "Is "presence" the only biblical meaning of "parousia"? What is the secondary meaning? So parousia could mean "arrival" or "coming" then? Simply cast doubt on their exclusive definition.

Your goals or objectives for this series are as follows:

PROGRESSIVE OBJECTIVES:

a. that Witnesses will share their understanding of the

events they believe transpired in 1914.

b. that Witnesses will present the evidence that has

convinced them that Christ became present in 1914.

c. that Witnesses realize that the conclusion that Christ's

parousia occurred in 1914 is not established either by

scripture or by history.

d. That Witnesses realize that since there is no evidence

for the 1914 "parousia", there is no evidence that Christ

established his kingdom in the heavens at that time or

granted spiritual authority to the Watchtower to run it.

designs

A JW will always use WWI as proof, a nice coincidence with their interpretation of Daniel that has kept them going for years.

For the nominal christian denominations they still have difficulty agreeing on Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, or Post-Trib stuff so there are no bragging rights there.

Vanderhoven7

Hi Designs,

Thanks for the quick comment.

Yes, many Christian and quasi-christian groups have interpreted Matthew 24:6-7 wrongly as well,

applying these verses to modern times instead of the first century where they clearly belong.

P.S. I'm off to one of those "nominal" denominations to worship right now. Catch you later. ;o)

DilemmaGF

Thanks Vanhorden7. Good for understanding about 1914 and 607BC. I have no idea what it is about but I was told that is it EVERYTHING that the WTS about. If 607BC is proven wrong, the whole borg will be proven a fake (which we all know is). Would like to understand more.

designs

If you can find it the work: Things To Come by theologian J. Dwight Pentecost is excellent on all of the Tribulation positions.

St George of England

It was nearly four years ago that I began research and came across this site. My world as it had been crashed around my ears. Suddenly I realised that 607 was incorrect, this was further reinforced last year with the ridiculous WT articles, and then I could see that 1914 was completely meaningless.

From then on I could see that so many other JW teachings are pure twaddle, Adam & Eve, the Flood, how many Israelites left Egypt, Passover 14 or 15 Nisan, the list goes on.

Once 1914 is discredited, the whole JW belief system is shot!

George

Finkelstein

1914 was a marketing scheme for the WTS. , the WTS. actually used that year prior as the start of Armageddon in the late 1800's.

The organization is now in a bit self marketing quagmire, for nothing has really happened since 1914 as they said it would,

generations have passed on and we are now coming to whole century since that year.

I'm personally guessing that the WTS. will drop the year all together or try moving the year up a few more years as time progresses.

Moving the goal posts up a few years has always worked in the past, so expect the same in the future.

It takes some honest inquisitiveness to see the lies and corruption of this organization, but its there if you have some degree of intelligence.

Quendi

A close examination of events in 1914 reveal a difficulty with the timing of the start of World War I with the beginning of Christ's "presence". The war began on 28 July, whereas for many years the WTS maintained that Christ's presence did not start until either 1 or 4/5 October. The gap between these two events has never been adequately explained. Nowadays the WTS simply says the Gentile Times expired in 1914 although you can still find references to October being the start of Christ's presence here and there, but it is obvious to me that some among the WTS thinkers still have difficulty with reconciling the two events and so don't mention this timing at all if they can help it.

Quendi

wasblind

" I'm personally guessing that the WTS. will drop the year all together "

And when they do, PICK UP the Reasoning book, to remind them they are false prophets

New Light can't cover this shite

Finkelstein

C T Russell always had the mind of a salesman, whatever he found or conjure up to allure attention to his products which

had become published pieces of religious literature, from men's and woman's cloths he would use.

He really used his freedom of religious self expression to his own advantage, even though he was not formally trained as a bible

theologian. Even if these dates were established through fallible mistakes or deliberate unethical corruption, it still creates

an even more plausible question as to why would god choose this organization if they were ?

1914 Analysis

Share this