The WTS has used the Fall of Jericho as a prophetic pattern to show amongst other things that at the time of the end there would be an intensification of the preaching work to correspond with the Israelites walking round the city seven times. However, do we see an intensification? Do we see a hardening of the message? No, the preaching work is coming to a virtual standstill in the western world and the message has become more non-commital as time goes on. The 'generation' could now apply to any generation.....
*** w69 10/1 596-8 A Prophetic Pattern for Our Day *** THE CLIMAX OF THE MARCH
23 It is now the seventh day for marching. Could this be a day for sleeping in, or for taking things easy due to the length of the march? Far from it! There had been no sabbath of rest during the six days, nor was this seventh day to be a sabbath. This day they proceeded to get up early, as soon as the dawn ascended. Now they must march round the city seven times just on one day! Why, this final effort was to be more than that of all the previous days put together! (Josh. 6:15) And today, with less than seven years remaining to the end of six thousand years of human history, and with all the prophetic evidence that Christendom is about to be shaken from her proud foundations, are we not fired with zeal to get round our territory seven times and more? Time is short, and the message must be sounded! It is no time for drooping hands or wobbling knees. (Zeph. 3:16, 17; Isa. 35:3, 4) As we give our all in his service, we can be confident that Jehovah, the God who does not tire out or grow weary, will be in our very midst to strengthen us, just as the ark of Jehovahs presence was in the midst of Joshuas marching army. He will continue to infuse power into us as the final march intensifies.Isa. 40:28.
24 Grand instruments for horn-blowing in this final march are the magazines The Watchtower and Awake!, which now have a combined circulation of over 11,400,000 copies each issue, being published twice a month in all major languages of the earth. Can you intensify your share in distributing these magazines as the end draws close? And can you be just as diligent as was Rahab in expanding your study work, making good use of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life and other study literature, together with the Bible as key textbook? Rahab was no doubt quick to observe the stepped-up marching of the Israelites on the seventh day, so that she would redouble her efforts to bring in all her family. As we today read the signs of false religions approaching destruction, we should likewise redouble efforts to gather in all our own family members, as well as others who may yet become part of Gods earthly family.Eph. 3:14-16.
25 Rahabs family had been gathered in. As the complete seven times of marching drew to its end, the horn-blowing rose to its final crescendo. Now Joshua commanded: Shout; for Jehovah has given you the city. (Josh. 6:16) As the people began to shout a great war cry, s walls were thrown crashing to the ground, and rushed straight up to the city, to devote man and animal to destruction. Only Rahab and her family members survived the holocaust alive! What form, in fulfillment, the final victory shout will take, we do not yet know. Nor do we know its timing. (Matt. 24:36-39) But we can be sure that the work of proclaiming Gods judgments, and of teaching Bible truth to the meek, will prosper and increase up to the final climax. What a privilege it will be then for Gods people to share in that great cry of victory, and to see the modern citadel of false religion topple to its doom, never to rise again! Like , it will be cursed for all time.Josh. , 26; 1 Ki. .
Well it didn't quite work out. The 'seven years' has turned out to be an awful lot longer. There was an immediate lull after '75. You know why? The WTS false prophecies....nope!
*** w86 12/15 20 How Majestic Is Jehovah's Name! *** Likely the presence of a small number of apostates had contributed to the slowing down of Jehovahs work during the last half of the 1970swhen the average yearly increase in the active ranks of Jehovahs Witnesses fell to less than 1 percent. However, the annual increase in the last five years has averaged more than 6 percent.
Yep it was those meddling apostates that were the problem!
ISP