I don't want to begin another innane debate about what the 7 times/years passage in Daniel 'meant'. My point is a simple one, according to the WT the key to the "prophecy" involves deciferring the length of a Year/time as 360 days long. Then assign a year for each day. They then take the year 607bc (wrong of course, and arrived at thru other convoluted means, again not the topic at hand) add 2520 (7 x 360) and arrive at 1914. These 2520 years however are years of 365+ days. Using the "inspired formula" of a year being 360 days long we actually arrive at about 1878! (2520 x 365.25=920,430 days. 2520 x 360= 907,200 days a difference of 13,230 days. 13230 divided by 365 = 36+ years. 1914-36 = 1878) Hilarious isn't it. Does anyone know if this was one of the methods used by the WT to support the once taught 1878 date as being the date of Jesus' return? Perhaps this obvious inconsistancy was commented here before, i get nothing meaningful when i use the search function on this site.
Just for chuckles...years 365 or 360
by peacefulpete 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
-
peacefulpete
Doesn't even JCannon want to refute me?
-
Narkissos
As far as I remember, the only "basis" for the 360-day years was Revelation's apparently equating the 1,260 days with 3 "times" and a half. I don't know if there is any correspondence in Jewish apocalyptic circles.
It's interesting to remember that in Qumran, where apocalyptic literature is prominent (suggesting apocalyptic developed in alternative priestly circles), the solar (365-day) calendar as exposed in the Book of Jubilees is highly favored (implying the religious festivals fall every year on the same day of the week, and avoiding problematic coincidence with sabbaths). The Enochian literature is also very important in Qumran, and even in the Genesis notice Henoch appears already as a "solar" figure, whose "perfect" life cycle is 365 years...
-
RunningMan
I believe the society at one time said that Jesus sat down on his throne in 1874. I'm not familiar with any prophecies for 1878.
The 1874 date was arrived at by taking William Miller's failed 1844 prophecy (and it's accompanying rationalle), and adding a 30 year "tarrying time", which is derived from the length of time between Jesus' birth and his baptism.
So, as you can see, these dates are completely ad hoc.
-
peacefulpete
they added 3 1/2 years to come to 1878 for a short time. I hope everyone realizes this was a joke.
That is interesting once again Narkissos.
-
IronGland
The time anti type times is the typical type of the antitypical time of times. If a week equals a year and a day equals a month then the time of the antittypical shecham class will soon be upon the typical belshazzar class but will it be postponed for the antitypical time of the zebediah class?
-
Loris
Now I see! That cleared the whole thing right on up. Thanks
Loris
-
toreador
1878 was once believed to be when the resurrection of the annointed started taking place. It was believed that when Russel died on 1916 he was directing the work from heaven. Now it is believed that the resurrection did not commence until sometime in 1919 for the little flock.
Kind of makes you go hmmmm........ doesn't it?
-
Leolaia
Just a add a tiny clarification, the Qumran solar calendar was 364 days in length, not 365 days. Here is what I wrote about it in my thread on the time periods of Daniel:
Various Jews of the third and second centuries BC also used a 364-day solar calendar (attested in Jubilees, the Book of Luminaries in 1 Enoch , and the Qumran calendrical texts). This system was attractive because the year would contain exactly 52 weeks which could be divided into 13 weeks per season (allowing seasonal festivals and sabbaths to occur on the same day of the week every year). Such a solar calendar could be harmonized with a 3-year lunar calendar that alternates between 29-day and 30-day months; after 36 months, the moon is exactly 30 days behind the solar calendar -- allowing the insertion of a "leap month" into the lunar calendar to bring the two calendars into line. A different approach is implicit in Jubilees ; there the 364-year solar calendar was divided into twelve 30-day months, interspersed with a single non-monthly day inserted before each of the four seasons. But there was still the problem of the calendar being one day behind the 365-day calendar; this could potentially be disastrous, as it would make the calendar a month slow within only 30 years. The solution to this potential lag lay in inserting a "leap week" every 7 years, such that both the 364-day and 365-day calendars would total 2,555 days in a "week of years".
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/95689/1.ashx