'Yes. What other religion on the face of this earth is truly preaching the good news of the kingdom?'
(Deaconblues1914)
Watchtower June 1 1968 page 331
On the Joyful March to Mankind’s Millennium
'Arguing against a literal future millennial rule by Christ, some have claimed that such a teaching would chill the missionary ardour of Christians to make disciples of all nations. (Matt. 28:19,20) But not so! Today no people are more zealous in carrying out this missionary commission than are the Christian witnesses of Jehovah, who believe that the 1,000-year reign of Christ is literal and future. In comparatively few years these have grown to more than a million. Today they are carrying out this commission in 197 lands and islands of the sea and that in 169 languages. Last year they devoted 184 million hours to this work!
And no wonder. What good news they have to tell the people! They proclaim the good news that the millennial rule of Christ will begin with this generation and that it will mean ever so many blessings for the people :..'
(underlining mine)
In the book God’s Eternal Purpose Now Triumphing For Man’s Good (Watchtower 1974) page 6
‘All these transformed ones, religious and non-religious confidently look for life on earth to become better within their own generation. They are now patterning their lives with this assured expectation of grander things to come for earth’s inhabitants. ..What has brought about this marvellous transformation in their minds and hearts and lives? It is this: They have all come to an accurate knowledge of God’s “eternal purpose” and are shaping their lives in harmony with that divine purpose’
(underlining mine)
The Watchtower September 1st 1969 page 532 commenting on ‘Faith and Determination needed to please Jehovah’ and Hebrew 11:1 where ‘the apostle Paul defined faith as ” the assured expectation of things hoped for , the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld”
‘Jehovah has made many promises of the things yet to occur. One may hope that such things will come to pass, but such expression may only be a whimsical wish, not real faith. Faith is more than just an expectation. It is expectation that is assured to such a degree that it is able to support, uphold and guarantee that what is hoped for will become a reality. This is the meaning of hypostasis, a word common in ancient papyrus business documents in reference to guarantees placed on transactions.
( the words assured and guaranteed are italicized in the article)
…Substantially the words (hy po’sta sis and e’leg.khos mean that faith gives to things future, which as yet are only hoped for, all the reality of actual present existence, and irresistibly convinces us of the reality of things unseen and brings us into their presence.” The Expositor’s Greek Testament. Vol. IV page 352'
Deaconblues1914 I posted these quotes to give you some idea of why my parents felt it was impossible to grow old and die of old age. My mother particularly expressed her faith to me as her son and to her sisters of the marvellous hope she had by her faith in the promises of Jehovah brought to her by Jehovah's Witnesses.
Another reason for my parents to believe as they did, the way that I understand it is that the scripture in Acts 2:17 where it talks of the pouring out God's spirit and they 'will prophesy' which verse 16 shows to be quoting from the book of Joel is fulfilled in the remnant of anointed Christians from 1919.
The death of my parents in old age has certainly affected some in my family
'The dedicated believers had been anointed with holy spirit to prophesy and preach.'(WT.1966.page 690)