Jehovah Witnessess believe that the end began in 1914 and that by the time everyone who was born in that year have died that the end of the world will take place.
This means that we only have at the most 10 years before the end of the world. Is this true?
2006-12-27 04:21:30 · 43 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Miranda - the JW have obviously changed their teachings. At one stage they clearly taught that 1914 was the beginning of the end.
2006-12-27 07:16:36 · update #1
Sasi - thanks very informative
2006-12-27 07:17:10 · update #2
The bible teaches that this "world", or "system of things" is currently under Satan's rulership. The bible calls the time between 1914 and Armageddon by several terms, such as "the Lord's Day" and 'Christ's [second] presence'. The bible uses a phrase similar to "end of the world", associating the phrase "the conclusion of the system of things" with a separating work such as is demonstrated by the differing reactions of householders to bible preachers.
(Matthew 13:40-41) In the conclusion of the system of things. The Son of man will send forth his angels, and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness
This preaching work has accelerated during the decades since 1914. In hindsight, most of humankind can see the historic upheaval that began with World War I. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that mankind in general has seen a wide range of specific signs since 1914, and that anyone can perceive these as significant without even opening a bible.
Yet the bible DOES comment upon it! Jesus foretold this specific collection of signs as evidence that his "presence" or so-called 'second coming' had arrived. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that "presence" to be Jesus' presence as the King of God's Kingdom.
(Matthew 24:3) disciples approached [Jesus] privately, saying: "Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence
(Luke 21:7,24) Teacher, when will these things actually be, and what will be the sign when these things are destined to occur?
Amazingly, since the 1870's, Jehovah's Witnesses had recognized 1914 as a significant year according to the chronology indicated in bible prophecy. Decades before 1914, Witnesses noted that Jesus' discussion of his second "coming", or second "presence" specifically mentions "the appointed times of the nations", which Jehovah's Witnesses believe to be a centuries-long period of relative godlessness when God's rulership through the Davidic kingship was interrupted (the line of hereditary kings beginning with King David of Israel). Jehovah's Witnesses recognize that the Davidic kingship ended in 607 BCE when Jerusalem fell to Babylon, and would begin again during the fulfillment of the composite "sign" of Matthew 24 and Luke 21.
(Luke 21:24) Jerusalem [or 'Davidic kingship'] will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.
How long would "the appointed times of the nations" last? Daniel chapter 4 contains a prophecy in which God's rulership, through the Davidic kings is represented by a "tree". That tree is kept down for "seven times", which seems to be seven periods of 360 "days" (See Rev 12:6,14). So Daniel 4:15 seems to be referring to 2520 "days" when God's governmental rulership would not be seen.
(Daniel 4:11-17) The tree grew up and became strong, and its very height finally reached the heavens, and it was visible to the extremity of the whole earth. ...14 He ["a holy one"] was calling out loudly, and this is what he was saying: "CHOP the tree down... 15 However, LEAVE its rootstock itself in the earth... let seven times pass over it. 17 ...that people living may know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that to the one whom he wants to, he gives it and he sets up over it even the lowliest one of mankind.
But in history, 2520 days is not a significant amount of time. Jehovah's Witnesses look to Scriptures such as Num 14:34 and Ez 4:6 and re-examine the history using 2520 YEARS instead. From 607 BCE to 1914 CE is 2520 years; so many significant things happened that year, and World War I was only one part!.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/dg/index.htm?article=article_09.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_10.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/index.htm?article=article_07.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/index.htm?article=article_02.htm
2006-12-30 20:15:57 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
The End of Days… Friday, February 13, 2009 -A date that seems totally random is really not random at all.
The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us, how will our end come? "Jesus said, "Have you found the beginning, then, that you are looking for the end? You see, the end will be where the beginning is.
Daniel 9:26, 27 "Its end will come with a flood." …The new reign (rain) marked by Katrina began in August 2005, the 3 ½ years (the last three and one-half years of the great tribulation) brings us to February 2009.
The End of Days… Friday, February 13, 2009 at 11:31pm UTC = 666666
- 1967 Six-Day War assured national survival and 42 months of travail (in Revelation 11:2-3) signifies 42 years after 1967, yielding 2009.
- Our calendar was changed in 1582,by the Pope, we are 11 years a head of time right now.
- So the year 2009 is really 1998
Note that 1998 = 666 + 666 + 666. Not only that, but if we set A=3, B=6, C=9, etc., we find, amazingly, that NINETEEN NINETY EIGHT = 666
And his number is Six hundred threescore and six … Note: Not 6, 6, 6, but actually 600, 60, 6
Why Friday, February 13th?
On February 13, 2009 - A celebration is expected as the Unix time number reaches 1234567890 seconds at 23:31:30 UTC. (Once in a lifetime occurrence!)
Friday the 13th being associated with bad luck. Jesus was crucified on a Friday and betrayed by the 13th Apostle.(Jesus an Apostle of God plus 12 equals 13 in total, Judas was the 13th)
Friday is the 6th day and 2/13 = 6 and since we now know 2009 is really 1998 = 666. Giving us a total of 66666
The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us, how will our end come? "Jesus said, "Have you found the beginning, then, that you are looking for the end? You see, the end will be where the beginning is.
1234567890 … The End is just a New Beginning
P.S.
If we don’t count seconds, because the clock has not quite reached 23:32 and is still officially at 23:31 = 11:31pm = 6
That would mean when Unix time reaches 1234567890 seconds on Friday, February 13, 2009 (1998) at 11:31pm UTC = 666666 a total of six sixes.
Even without that out that extra six, I think the evidence points to this day.
Soon the clock will reach 1,234,567,890 seconds UTC. Is this the correct day? Only time will tell!
“…so cometh as a thief in the night” 11:31pm UTC
2006-12-28 14:37:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
I'm watching a program on the History Channel, right this moment. It shows that every religion has repeatedly stated the world was ending on a specific date, or that some individual was the anti-Christ. I imagine the JWs picked up the habit from all the other religions, but it took time for them to learn and move beyond the teachings of Christendom. It was especially common in America, as it was thought that this country was the New Israel and the old world was the anti-Christ. This belief held true well into the 1800s.
Actually, the teachings of the rapture comes from the teachings of the 7th Day Adventist. It was never heard of prior to that time.
2006-12-27 16:55:05 · answer #3 · answered by The Papa B 1 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the Gentile times ended in 1914 and that Jesus began ruling from heaven at that time. Jesus gave us signs of what the last days would be like. There would be wars, earthquakes, famines, sickness, no natural affection, love of the greater number would cool off, lovers of money rather than lovers of God, .....all things we see in record number today.
The bible speaks of a generation that would see all these things occur and would by no means pass away until the end comes.
The bible also tells us at the same time that all this is going on at Matt 24:14 "Good news would be preached to all the inhabited earth as a witness, and then the end would come."
No one knows the day or the hour only the Father, but we do have the warning signs to know we are living in the last days.
The bible says it will come as a thief, when we least expect it.
Jehovah Witnesses do not believe the earth will be destroyed, only those who are ruining it and disobedient to God. The bible promises that the meek will inherit the earth and live forever upon.
2006-12-27 04:44:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
Witnesses believe that 1914 was the year Satan and his demons were ousted from heaven and are now contained to the earth. They cannot return to heaven and that is why we all have so much trouble here now on earth.
Satan, who is the ruler of this world, according to the Bible,(He tempted Jesus and offered him the kingdoms of this world if Jesus would bow down and do an act of obedience to him Revalations 12 verse 9) caused the first World War to happen. The Bible says Satan knows he has a short time left but NO ONE knows the day or the hour of the end(not even the angels in heaven) only Jehovah knows the hour or day of the end. He alone is the reader of hearts and that is why He is the only one who can know when all the world has had a witness or made known the fact of the truth from the Bible....and then the end will come (read Matthew 24:14). Jehovah's Witnesses will preach that truth until Jehovah shows it is time for the end of this world as we now know it. People who learn the truth of the Bible and accept it and do Jehovah's will can have a real hope of returning to earth after Armaggedon even though they may die. Evidence of this is seen plainly in the Bible by the fact that Jesus himself was risen from the dead, that Jesus brought others back to life who had died, such as Lazarus. Jehovah intended man to live on this earth from the beginning. Angels have no need of the earth as spirit creatures. The Bible says the earth abideth forever, and the world and science has accepted the fact that the first world was destroyed by flood, but the earth and mankind survived by Jehovah having Noah build the Ark to preserve 8 souls and all kinds of animals to help repopulate the earth and take care of it. The earth will always be here, but the world of wicked people will be destroyed at Armaggedon just like the first world was destroyed by the flood in Noah's day.
2006-12-27 05:33:07 · answer #5 · answered by Karen G 1 · 3⤊ 3⤋
Jws believe that 1914 is the beginning of the pangs of distress.See Mat 24. Although there's a change of understanding in the meaning of generation for JWs, what is more important is that we are living in the last days foretold in the Bible. JWs do not say that the end will come in 10 years. It is up to Jehovah to do that. Mat 24:36.
Personally, what I find noteworthy though is that in Rev 6:10-11 it states ": “UNTIL WHEN, Sovereign Lord holy and true, are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth?” 11 And a white robe was given to each of them; and they were told to rest a little while longer, UNTIL the number was filled also of their FELLOW SLAVES and their brothers who were about to be killed as they also had been."
Rev 7:3 states "“Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until after we have sealed the SLAVES of our God in their foreheads.”
Rev 7:4 states
And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:
These 144,000 can't be the Jews from old times nor are the present Jews,who don't know what tribe they are from because the "judging and avenging our blood upon those who dwell on the earth" has not happened yet and is a prophecy about the future.
There's a lot to be fulfilled and watch for, then we will see how everything culminates to Armageddon where Jehovah will be glorified thru his Son Jesus.
2006-12-28 02:48:46 · answer #6 · answered by trustdell1 3 · 3⤊ 2⤋
I assume you were around in 1914, or did someone tell you this? Actually, JWs likely made the same mistake the Jews and than the Christians made, the belief that with the coming of the Christ, Armageddon would take place. This is what the Jews believe will happen with the first coming of the Messiah. They don't realize that it is two different events.
Christian believe the same will happen with the second coming, which would have influenced the beliefs of the International Bible Students. At the time, they also celebrated Christmas and participate in politics, but through time and thousands of people, all reading the Bible, and submitting their ideas, things developed. They had to develop, as it was clear Christendom was continuing to travel down a path to destruction, just as the Jews had done before them. JWs left behind the things that was not in keeping with God's word, and they had to learn some hard lessons along the way. Does their Bible not completely agree with other Bibles? Which are you using as a reference. The King James? Which one? The King James was revised four time before it fully agreed with the Church of England and was Authorized. The NWT agrees in some way with most every Bible. Last night, I was carrying Jewish Educators in my taxi. The are here for a conference. I asked what they thought about the NWT. They said that as regards the Old Testament, it is the best rendering. Actually, they call the old testament by a different name, but I can't spell it.
One thing to have to look at is all of what makes up the JWs. They are known for being the most honest. Jane Fonda says she will hire them before any other religion, as they cannot be bought.
Their leaders are not in a position to abuse children, as everything is trained to be a leader and can be one at some point. No one is paid to lead, or is in that position for very long.
They pay their taxes, not using loopholes as most religions.
The no longer promote politics, which means they keep their promise to the IRS as regards being a non-profit.
The have the lowest rates of divorce, out-of-wedlock births, and STDs. Even lower than the Amish according to the Census Bureau.
The primary thing is they don't try to draw people in by the use of social programs, music reviews, or any other method except simply teaching the Bible. They promise nothing, except more work, after Armageddon, with a thousands years of work to rebuild the Earth back into a Paradise. Yes, everyone fears them, even the Nazis of WWII. According to a History Channel program on Himmler, over 16,000 were put into the concentration camps, because they refused to salute Hitler, refused to enter the military, and refused to work in any war munitions factories. They would not even work in factories producing underwear for the troops. No other European religion refused the Nazis, as a whole. Yes, there were individuals, but not with the backing of the religion, itself.
2006-12-27 08:19:50 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
I don't know if the "end of the world" - in whatever manner - will occur within the next ten years.
I do know, however, that the Watchtower Society not only predicted the end of the world in 1914 (specifically the Battle of Armageddon and the FULL operation of the Kingdom of God in the earth) , they also claimed that they were right. For any Witness who doubts this, just turn to page 426 in your Proclaimers book. Notice the old handbill that proclaimed "The World has Ended, Millions Now Living will Never Die."
There is so much written evidence available in pre-1914 Watchtower publications as to what the Watchtower really said, that there is no excuse for these Witnesses on here to deny that they said it.
Obviously there is only one reason why the WT would say "the world has ended." It was because theyhad predicted it would, and in spite of the obvious fact that it didn't, they didn't want to admit they were wrong.
2006-12-27 14:06:40 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 6⤋
of course not ,cos first there is a waited saviour his name is Muhammad Al-Mahdi must come and Jesus will retain back from the paradise to assisst him to spread peace among people around the world . This point is true . I am a shia Muslim I believe in Mosa and Jesus and Muhammad as prophets who were sent by Allah .
2006-12-31 02:38:56 · answer #9 · answered by montathra 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
REALITY CHECK
Before any one can say anything they have got to have the bible.
KJV Bible 1611 after Christ published plus 303 years is 1914 after Christ and an excepted translation by law of man and God for the end time days. My method.
Holy angels and unholy angels must be separated as to prophecy as no one went to heaven but Jesus John 3:13-17; 6:39,40,44; Those to be with him will be raised up at the last day when John 14:3 a place is prepared for them.
When Satan and unholy angels are cast out of heaven, THEN A PLACE IS PREPARED
FOR THOSE TO BE RAISED UP AT THE LAST DAY.
Daniel's prophecy gives this to be 2520 years after Babylon Empire #3 ended kings.
THERE WILL BE NO KING UNTIL KING JESUS AT HIS SECOND COMING.
Empire #7 ends with Satan cast down to have a short time. Rev.12:3,4,6-11,12; Satan has a short time to Rev.20:1-6; No Satan.
2006-12-27 05:02:48 · answer #10 · answered by jeni 7 · 2⤊ 3⤋
I'm a Witness and I have never been taught that the world was going to end on a specific date. We do, however, believe that 1914 (foretold by Bible prophecy) was the year Jesus was enthroned as King in heaven and he cast out Satan and his demons to earth. Eventually, God will allow Jesus to begin his rule over earth as well.
2006-12-27 04:26:45 · answer #11 · answered by joyofjoys 2 · 4⤊ 2⤋