What gives with the 1914 predictions Jehovah's Witnesses?

Question

It seems that over time there has been some 'modifications' with regards to 1914

So if Jesus does not know, why bother making predictions?

Answer 1

Prov. 4:18...the path to righteousness gets brighter and brighter......

The path to the false prophecies proclaimed by the WBTS are getting more and more obvious.........

Witnesses...go into the light and run as fast as you can from the WBTS darkness that will swallow your soul eternally!

Answer 2

There are a couple of answers from Jehovah's Witnesses that explain the significance of 1914 as well as how that date was calculated based it on the understanding of the “seven times” and “the times of the Gentiles” mentioned in the Bible. This period of 2,520 years—started with the overthrow of the ancient Davidic kingdom in Jerusalem and ended in October 1914.
Something else that you might find interesting is that since 1879 The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence (now known as The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom) frequently pointed to 1914 as a marked year in Bible prophecy. As the year approached, readers were reminded that “an awful time of trouble” could be expected.

I have to ask you, did something bad happen in 1914? Have you ever heard of "the Great War"? How about the "Spanish Flu?" Any food shortages start about that time?
If you look at history from before WWI, you will see that everything was relatively peaceful, then in a matter of months, there was a world war. Why was that? Revelation 12:7 answers that question as well as the reason we continue to see all things get worse.

If you take the time to read the calculations from the book of Daniel you can see that 1914 is a Bible prophecy. It is not a Jehovah's Witness prediction.

Answer 3

You are correct, there have been some real modifications with regard to their teaching about 1914. I believe it was about October 1995 they changed or dropped their reference to that year in their AWAKE magazine.

Contact me and I will give you some references from their own literature that shows their changes.

Also its interesting that the Bible mentions one return of Jesus not a 2nd(invisible) and 3rd (visible) as the JWs teach.

Given enough time I am sure we will see other changes

Answer 4

Sorry JW'S but you had a few nuts proclaiming the "end of the system" and it didn't come about. Just remember no one knows the time of the end....only the Father knows!
Hi,
They believe that Satan and his demons were cast down to the Earth in 1914, and that they were part of the generation that will live to see the end of this age. Of course they thought the world would end at that time but it didn't. They have a few ideas that are a bit misaligned with scripture, but hey.....they're not perfect! They too will see the truth eventually!

Answer 5

Seeing as to how it is 2007, how can 1914 be a prediction. It is a postdiction.

And of course we have modified our thoughts as to what happened in the spiritual world in 1914, we can't see into the spiritual realm but we learn and understand more from the Bible and what is happening around us as a result.

Jesus was never supposed to return physically.

I would also add that I do not understand people like SuzieS who said "These people do not believe that Jesus was God, they think he was God's son."

Well, DUH. John 3:16. Ever read it????????????

God have his only begotten SON.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on people. Forget the trinity, put down your creeds and read the Bible. Start with the words of God and then the words of Jesus.

And to Dyslexic Princess, What does the WTBTS have to do with any of this? The question was about Jehovah's Witnesses. If you don't like the WTBTS, don't read their material, but that is not a put down to JWs, it is just that you want to place blame.

Answer 6

There most certainly have been, and because of Christ not returning physcially in 1914, the Watchtower now says that it is an "Invisible presence", which, by the way, is a direct contradiction of Revelation 1: 7 and 1 Thess. 4: 17.

How about this for a question: If we are commanded to take Communion (JW: Memorial Supper) until he returns, as the Apostle Paul says, then why are we still doing it, if he has already come?

Either the Watchtower is wrong because they should no longer be doing it (because he's already come), or they are wrong because they are continuing to do it (since they believe He came already), contrary to what we are commanded in Scripture.

Think about it. . . .

Answer 7

Like skiingstowe said, not even the god Jesus knows when the end will come.

Answer 8

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

Answer 9

Proverbs 4:18 - "But the path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established."

Our understanding grows, the light of truth continues to get brighter. Our understanding of it gets clearer and clearer.

Answer 10

not sure exactly what yor question is...but here is a scriptural explanation of the understanding of 1914.
1914—A Significant Year in Bible Prophecy

DECADES in advance, Bible students proclaimed that there would be significant developments in 1914. What were these, and what evidence points to 1914 as such an important year?

As recorded at Luke 21:24, Jesus said: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the nations [“the times of the Gentiles,” King James Version] are fulfilled.” Jerusalem had been the capital city of the Jewish nation—the seat of rulership of the line of kings from the house of King David. (Psalm 48:1, 2) However, these kings were unique among national leaders. They sat on “Jehovah’s throne” as representatives of God himself. (1 Chronicles 29:23) Jerusalem was thus a symbol of Jehovah’s rulership.

How and when, though, did God’s rulership begin to be “trampled on by the nations”? This happened in 607 B.C.E. when Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians. “Jehovah’s throne” became vacant, and the line of kings who descended from David was interrupted. (2 Kings 25:1-26) Would this ‘trampling’ go on forever? No, for the prophecy of Ezekiel said regarding Jerusalem’s last king, Zedekiah: “Remove the turban, and lift off the crown. . . . It will certainly become no one’s until he comes who has the legal right, and I must give it to him.” (Ezekiel 21:26, 27) The one who has “the legal right” to the Davidic crown is Christ Jesus. (Luke 1:32, 33) So the ‘trampling’ would end when Jesus became King.

When would that grand event occur? Jesus showed that the Gentiles would rule for a fixed period of time. The account in Daniel chapter 4 holds the key to knowing how long that period would last. It relates a prophetic dream experienced by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He saw an immense tree that was chopped down. Its stump could not grow because it was banded with iron and copper. An angel declared: “Let seven times pass over it.”—Daniel 4:10-16.

In the Bible, trees are sometimes used to represent rulership. (Ezekiel 17:22-24; 31:2-5) So the chopping down of the symbolic tree represents how God’s rulership, as expressed through the kings at Jerusalem, would be interrupted. However, the vision served notice that this ‘trampling of Jerusalem’ would be temporary—a period of “seven times.” How long a period is that?

Revelation 12:6, 14 indicates that three and a half times equal “a thousand two hundred and sixty days.” “Seven times” would therefore last twice as long, or 2,520 days. But the Gentile nations did not stop ‘trampling’ on God’s rulership a mere 2,520 days after Jerusalem’s fall. Evidently, then, this prophecy covers a much longer period of time. On the basis of Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6, which speak of “a day for a year,” the “seven times” would cover 2,520 years.

The 2,520 years began in October 607 B.C.E., when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians and the Davidic king was taken off his throne. The period ended in October 1914. At that time, “the appointed times of the nations” ended, and Jesus Christ was installed as God’s heavenly King.—Psalm 2:1-6; Daniel 7:13, 14.

Just as Jesus predicted, his “presence” as heavenly King has been marked by dramatic world developments—war, famine, earthquakes, pestilences. (Matthew 24:3-8; Luke 21:11) Such developments bear powerful testimony to the fact that 1914 indeed marked the birth of God’s heavenly Kingdom and the beginning of “the last days” of this present wicked system of things.—2 Timothy 3:1-5.

[Footnote]

From October 607 B.C.E. to October 1 B.C.E. is 606 years. Since there is no zero year, from October 1 B.C.E. to October 1914 C.E. is 1,914 years. By adding 606 years and 1,914 years, we get 2,520 years. For information on Jerusalem’s fall in 607 B.C.E., see the article “Chronology” in Insight on the Scriptures, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

CALCULATING THE “SEVEN TIMES”

“Seven times” = 7 X 360 = 2,520 years

A Biblical “time,” or year = 12 X 30 days = 360. (Rev. 11:2, 3; 12:6, 14)

In the fulfillment of the “seven times” each day equals one year. (Ezek. 4:6; Num. 14:34)

Early October, 607 B.C.E., to December 31, 607 B.C.E.= 1/4 year

January 1, 606 B.C.E., to December 31, 1 B.C.E. = 606 years

January 1, 1 C.E., to December 31, 1913 = 1,913 years

January 1, 1914, to early October, 1914 = 3/4 year

Total: 2,520 years