Petrol here is 1.64 a litre. I feel this incessant quoting of time lines and dates is like the jw themselves and misses the day to day importance of life, but thta is just me.. keep it simple.
The importance of 1975 or was that 1976?
by Listener 26 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Splash
There was one further adjustment to the date Adam was born, in 1967.
Here's the list so far:
ADAMS CREATION DATE
1935 : 4028 BC on Friday March 21st at 3:00am! - Golden Age March 13th 1935 p.382
1935 to 1944 : 4028 BC - w55 2/1 Questions From Readers p.94
1944 to 1953: 4026 BC - The Truth Shall Make You Free p.150 - 151
1953- 1967 : 4025 BC - New Heavens and a New Earth Chart p.364
1967 - present : 4026 BC - w67 7/15 p.446
Splash
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newdawnfades
Why, it must have taken Adam quite some time to name all the animals, as he was commissioned to do. Further, it appears from the New World Bible Translation that, even while Adam was naming the animals, other family kinds of living creatures were being created for Adam to designate by name. (Gen. 2:19 footnote d, NW) It was not until after Adam completed this assignment of work that his helpmate Eve was created. Since God created nothing new whatever on the seventh day, Eve must have been created on the sixth day; and this the divine record confirms in its account of the sixth day: “God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.”—Gen. 1:27, NW.
There are two massive problems with this interpretation in the answer to the question from readers.
1. If Adam was to name all the animals he would have had to travel the whole earth (Australia, Madagascar, Galapagos etc) which would have taken one man an eternity.
2.Eve wasn't a new creation, she was another human not some new species so the 6th creative day ends with Adams creation. The whole concept of Adams naming of the animals and Noahs collection of them and redistribution of them are totally implausible.
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Larsinger58
From the 1955 "Questions From Readers":
Undue concern seems to be manifested as to the date of Adam’s creation and some ask, What are the reasons for changing the creation date of Adam first from 4028 B.C. to 4026 B.C. and now recently in the book “New Heavens and a New Earth” to 4025 B.C.? Let us examine the advancements made in Bible chronology that have warranted the above adjustments as we have moved forward to newer positions of light as to God’s Word.—Prov. 4:18.
While preparing in 1944 the book “The Kingdom Is at Hand” a two-year error was detected by internal Bible scholarship. In the following quotation from this 1944 publication of the Society, full explanation is offered: “In the book ‘The Truth Shall Make You Free’, published in 1943, the chronology on pages 150, 151 concerning the kings of Jerusalem, from Solomon’s successor to Zedekiah, is based on the book of 2 Chronicles, chapters 12 to 36. This appears to show the reigns of those kings as successive, end to end. Actually, however, this was not so, as is plainly shown in the books of 1 and 2 Kings, which books give us a countercheck on the successors of Solomon by a comparison of these kings of Judah with the neighbor kings of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel. . . . Measured by 2 Chronicles, the period of kings from Saul to Zedekiah was 513 years. Measured by the more precise and detailed books of Kings, the period was actually 511 years, or 2 years less. This fact affects the chronology as a whole and pulls man’s creation 2 years closer to A.D. 1 and gives it the date 4026 B.C., not 4028 B.C.”—Footnote, page 171.
In 1953 in preparing the chart that appears in the book “New Heavens and a New Earth” a one-year error was brought to light. By the aid of the New World Translation of the Hebrew Scriptures the difference between the two numbers appearing at Genesis 7:6 and Genesis 7:11 became apparent, especially since there are two different Hebrew words here maintaining a distinct difference. At Genesis 7:6 the number 600 referring to Noah’s age means 600 full years, being what is generally termed a cardinal number. Whereas at Genesis 7:11 the number “600th,” an ordinal number, means 599 full years plus a portion of another year. For example, this is said to be the twentieth century, meaning there have been nineteen full centuries in the past and we are now fifty-four years along in the next century. To reconcile these two different numbers properly translated from the Hebrew text, the position clearly appeared that Noah must have entered the ark in November upon the beginning of the flood when he was 599 years old plus some months. But that while he was in the ark some months later with the deluge waters still occurring upon the earth, Noah had a birthday rounding out his full 600 years. Inasmuch as previously our chronology considered Noah as 600 full years old when he entered the ark, instead of the actual 599 years and some months, as we now see, this has meant that the preflood dates must be shrunk by one year, this bringing Adam’s creation for the fall of 4025 B.C. Incidentally, Jesus, who became the second or “last Adam,” was born in the fall of the year around the first of October.—1 Cor. 15:45, NW. -
jgnat
Since we can now decode the genome, we have to go back and re-name all the animals again.
Just sayin'.
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cobaltcupcake
Well, 1976 was quite a year here in the U.S. It was the nation's bicentennial and the merchandizing element went nuckin' futs. We had bicentennial-themed everything right down to garbage bags and toilet paper.
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Larsinger58
i can't see anything significant about 1975, even coincidentally. It falls within the 7-year mid-week of 1973-1980 of the jubilee period of 49 years from 1947-1996. I don't see any real significance to it.
I do remember I had just been reinstated at the time or I was soon to be reinstated. I remember attending the 1975 District Convention at Dodger's Stadium and hearing the final talk. They were hyping up 1975 and even saying they were forced to make reservations for conventions the following year because it has to be done a year in advance, basically. But they were basically doing it out of necessity, "just in case", rather than out of expectation that the world would still be here.
But then, finally, they announced the increased expansion of the printing facilities and huge plans of increasing the production at Bethel. I just shook my head and smiled. That was a simple indication that some at Bethel were just tolerating the 1975 chronology but were not taking any chances on being slack in case that date was wrong. They would not let 1975 slow them down, but would be found busy and focussed in the preaching work. If 1975 brought what they thought, then fine, but if not, this wasn't going to distract them from being busy when Christ returned to bring Armageddon. I laughed to myself knowing full well, that while some at Bethel were into 1975, some others were not buying it! But by now I had concluded the WTS was imperfect and made mistakes and corrections so while the "true religion," if this was a mistake, it would only join other wrong predicted dates, like 1925.
PERSONAL NOTE: I think it was at this assembly as well that there was a talk about making a secret vow to Jehovah in your heart and keeping it once you got into the new order. I thought to myself that I was going to try to get around that and get in without making a secret vow. I don't know if I was being lazy or what? But once I became the messiah and after Jehovah said, "This is my son whom I have approved", he reminded me of my secret avoidance of that vow, how I had said in my heart I would not make a vow. In other words, if it came down to it, I wanted to get in without giving my all. I was going to try to get away with a minimum sacrifice instead of a wholesouled sacrifice. This showed even in me, who I considered myself to be very devoted, not to be so whole-souled. So here Jehovah was reminding me of this and, of course, I was impressed that he was listening to my thoughts when I said to myself I would not make a secret vow or I would try to avoid it if possible. So Jehovah actually heard this in my heart and called me on it. So I had to make a vow in connection with accepting being the Christ. That is, I'm under contradict to do what is necessary for this task.
It's ironic. But somehow, I suppose I have a strong sense of honoring contracts. So in time of weakness, maybe when I'm not sooo enthusiastic about doing something connected with the kingdom (I guess I'm human and imperfect after all!), then I remember I'm under contract to do this, and somehow it makes it easier to do. Like a job you don't like or going to school. We may not want to, but we get the focus to do it because we have to. In our minds it is not a choice to go to work or not and be on time, this is part of what we have to do or lose our job. It takes the emotion out of it. We don't get up 5 mornings out of the week and debate with ourselves whether or not we should go to work. Plus you have the weight of everything that would be lost if we break that contract. Plus, others are depending on you and expecting you to show up. So those are all things that complicate a purely personal decision or choice that forces you to do what you're supposed to do. I suppose everybody needs that extra little "kick" in the butt to do what we need to do when our bodies and minds get lazy or tired.
Thus doing something by choice or for fun is not the same as doing something as a "job." So in this case, being the Christ, it turns out I'm under contract with Jehovah to do what I'm supposed to do, even when the times get tough. It is a way of suspending the emotions. People get the energy to do things when they are obligated to others, particularly the government or other authority to do it.
It's different when you are under contract to do something than if you're freelancing. It does make a difference. If someone has you under contract to paint their house a certain color, then you're emotionally out of it. You follow the instructions and get it done. You're not involved emotionally. Maybe or obviously Jehovah understood my nature and knew I'd perform more competently "under contract" as the messiah than otherwise.
But it is funny too, because someone was talking about the "sign of Jonah" before. Some focus on the three days and three nights or other issues, but in fact, Jonah was another version of the "prodigal son." He, like the prodigal son, ran away from his obligation, being distracted by his emotional point of view; but eventually, he returned to his assignment.
So anyway, besides being chosen for being the physical body of Christ at the second coming, I basically had to 'sign" a contract (make a vow) to carry out this mission. Somehow, seeing this as a "job" makes it easier. Or at least, it gives you strength to do more when the times get rough.
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Ding
1976?
In 1966 Freddy changed it to 1975.
1975-2013 = 38 years and counting.
But you will never grow old in this system of things...
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Larsinger58
CHRONOLOGY TECHNICAL NOTE: Just for those who are following the chronology and making comparisons. Note that the WTS adds 20 years during the NB Period to get 607 BCE out of 537 BCE. 537 BCE is the date of the return which follows 70 years of exile. They date the desolation of the land in the same year Jerusalem falls, which they incorrectly date to year 18 rather than 19. Regardless of that, at this point the WTS' timeline is some 20 years earlier than that of the popular secular timeline, which dates the fall of Jerusalem, also in year 18, to 587 BCE, a date widely accepted in the academic world.
But then, during the divided-kingdom period, secular chronologists follow E.R. Thiele who found some 47 years of co-rulerships which the WTS didn't seem to be able to comprehend. They just end-to-end the kingships of the Judean kings. So by the time of the Exodus, the WTS is some 67 years earlier than the secular chronologists. From the Exodus back to the creation of Adam is fairly basic. The WTS dates the Exodus in 1513 BCE and the secularists based on the invasion by Shishak in 925 BCE, to 1446 BCE.
1513 - 1446 = 67 years.
Of note, the Bible's relative chronology from Shishak's invasion back to the Assyrian eponym eclipse matches well with the 47-year reduction via co-rulerships found by Thiele, a period of 54 years. The Bible's chronology based on the jubilee cycles, introduces 19 jubilees between the Exodus and the return from Babylon, a period of 931 years (19 x 49 = 931). The secular chronology shows this period to be about 909 years from 1446 to 537 BCE, so only about a 22-year difference.
When we compare the "absolute chronology," though, the Bible's dating where the 1st of Cyrus falls in 537 BCE, dates the Exodus to 1386 BCE. This would be some 40 years later than the secular dating of 1446 BCE (1446 - 1386 BCE); but some 127 years later than the expanded WTS chronology.
Thus for those who wonder how the concept of the 7000-year reign in relation to man's existence of 6000 years still can be worked out, it can when we realize that the WTS' dating for the creation of Adam is some 127 years too early per Bible chronology, and thus so is 1975/1976. 6000 years of man's creation, thus ends 127 years later than 1975 and thus closer to c. 2102 AD.
But 2102 AD does not really replace 1975 that well as a predictable date for when the millennium must begin. That's because per Revelation, it is clear the millennium occurs before Satan is let loose and before Judgment Day. These events though occur before the beginning of the 8th Creative Day, when God comes to make "all things new." So if we presume say 20 years for Satan's last test and as much as 100 years for Judgment Day, then we have to introduce 120 years earlier for the beginning of the millennium. That alone would move the millium up in time from 2102 to 1982.
1982 is a past date and the millennium has not begun. But there is potentially another error in the WTS' thinking. Even they say it would have taken some time for Adam to name all the animals and to see creation and study it. And what's the rush? Why not allow Adam a time to develop personally and individually before saddling him with a wife? Jesus was 30 before ending his family obligations and becoming the messiah. So some feel it is more likely Adam was closer to 30 years of age before Eve was created and before the 7th Creative Day ended. If so we can add 29 years to 1982 and get 2011 AD. Jesus actually died at 33.5 though so that's the Spring of 2015.
Now all of this is speculation and manipulation but it is clear that there is plenty of time before the end of 6000 years of the 7th creative day, so Jehovah can bring about Armageddon whenever he wishes.
But another indicator that it still must be close is the date of the 2nd coming, which occurs in 1992. It is approaching 21 years since that event. Still relatively a "short while" to allow for Christ to seal the elect and Satan to prepare the world for Armageddon, at which time the UN will be ruling. But how soon will this take place? We know it will happen suddenly, so it could happen at any time. Of course, the UN prophesied in the bible is very much here and very much being given more and more authority and responsibility in the world.
There are a couple of things though that I noticed that are consistent with a new world government being secretly formed. So this is still no time to relax. Per the Bible, BTG is destroyed "a time and a season" prior to Armageddon/great tribulation; thus just over a year, but that time may be "cut short" like the previous "great tribulation" during WWII and the Holocaust.
IN CONCLUSION: In conclusion, after looking at many possibles, 1975 just seems to be a wrong date based on wrong chronology. But there is still plenty of time left for the 1000-year reign plus Satan's final test (20 years?) plus Judgment Day (100 years) before the very last 1000 years of the 7th Creative Day begins, likely c. 2132 AD.
Whlie the 2nd coming in 1992 and the great tribulation/Holocaust from 1940-1947 are dated in the Bible and fulfill Bible chronology, Armageddon remains God's own choice, with strong indicators God will cause it to happen at the very last minute, but still later than most of his followers expect as it is said that it would seem "delayed" but "will not be LATE." The longer God "delays", of course, the more people might be saved and given time to repent, etc. Or, perhaps, God is allowing more time for more people who are now being born to reach the age of majority. We may be waiting for some very important person recently born to reach the age of majority so he or she can be anointed into the kingdom before Armgeddon comes.
Anyway, its a waiting game at this point; the major event of the 2nd coming has come true and already occurred in 1992. So far everything has been on schedule and fulfilled. Plus it is now quite easy to correct the incorrect timeline using archaeology, C14 dating or astronomical texts, like the VAT4956 and the SK400. So little excuses for a bad timeline at this point.
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20yearfader
I always thought it was odd when i would go out in field service and people would come to the door and say to me "yeah i thought the world wa going to end in 1975 that's what you jeehoveas said".Since i was like 2 in 1975 i would ask my dad what was that all about and he would go into the standard company reply,"Oh we never said the world was going to end the society just said man would have been on this earth for 6k years"...as a child i brought it hook line and sinker i even used it when i would get a householder that would bring it up...so many lies.