ARMAGEDDON "SO VERY NEAR"
(Investigator 169, 2016 July)
(Investigator 169, 2016 July)
What war is He
speaking about? Why, the fast-approaching war of Armageddon, “the war
of the
great day of God the Almighty,” which is now so very near. (The Watchtower 1961 7/15 430)
great day of God the Almighty,” which is now so very near. (The Watchtower 1961 7/15 430)
SUPPOSE
Suppose your great grandfather was told that Armageddon is near and that to avoid death he had to preach door to door. He preached but he still died. Suppose the same happened to your grandfather and your father.
For example, Awake! magazine (1969 April 22 page 19) says:
1914 began “the last
days” of this system. The generation of mankind that witnessed those
events of nearly 55 year ago is now getting old. This means that time
is fast running out! This system and the churches that have long
supported it, are rapidly nearing
their end... That destruction is
near! Therefore, do not hesitate!
1969
WATCHTOWER LIBRARY
The Watchtower
Library CD (2007) has most of the Jehovah's Witness (JW)
publications from 1950 to 2007. The main omissions are Awake! magazine prior to 1970 and
the monthly meeting guide called Kingdom
Ministry prior to 1970.
The Watchtower Library (2007) search function lists 11,463 occurrences of the words "near", "nearing" and "nears" in JW publications. Not all occurrences are in an Armageddon context since "near" can also refer to emotional nearness, or a travel destination, or a scheduled secular event. But many of the 11,463 instances do refer to Armageddon or allied events such as the annihilation of other religions, the future paradise on Earth, the removal of Satan the Devil, or the resurrection of the dead.
Sometimes these events are alleged to be "very near", "so near", "now near" or "so very near".
Many of the occurrences of "near" listed on Watchtower Library (2007) are qualified with "very", "now" or "so" or other words that imply the "near" period is well-advanced. We get for example:
Hear are some examples of "very near":
1. The day of Jehovah is far spent and the night of Armageddon is very near. (w1950 4/1 108)
2. Armageddon, the battle of the
great day of God Almighty, is very
near... (w1950 8/1 237)
3. Whether the enemy chooses to
attack or run and hide, nothing will prevent Jehovah's Executioner,
Christ Jesus, from blotting them out. (Amos 9:1-4) Today their end is very near. (w1951 9/1 528)
4. Only those who keep on taking in
the right kind of knowledge and make a change in their lives can hope
to be spared from the expression of God's wrath at Armageddon, which
fulfillment of Bible prophecy is very
near at hand. (w1958 9/15 548)
5. God's Word clearly shows that His
toleration of man's wickedness is very
near its end. (Awake! 1973 4/8 16)
6. What an exciting message they
proclaimed—"Millions now living will never die!" Brother Rutherford had
given a discourse on this subject in 1918. It was also the title of a
128-page booklet published in 1920… And it expressed the conviction
that the time for the realization of that hope was very near. (JWs Proclaimers of
God's Kingdom 1993, 425)
7. Jehovah's witnesses also believe
that the end of this wicked system of things is very near, and so they
are busily engaged in warning people of this fact... Jehovah's
witnesses want people to know that God is going to bring an end to
wicked conditions in the earth and replace them with righteousness by
means of his perfect, heavenly Kingdom government. The time for that to
happen is very near; it is to
occur in this generation. (w1970 4/15 445
8. God's time to destroy wicked people is very near. (Learn From The Great Teacher 2003, 66)
The "day of Jehovah" in the first quote referred to the period since 1914. This interpretation has since been revised and "day of Jehovah" is now synonymous with Armageddon.
The sixth quote says that the Millions Now Living Will Never Die message "expressed the conviction that the time for the realization of that hope was very near". That message, however, did not merely predict "very near", but predicted 1925:
The sixth quote further calls the Millions message "exciting". The JW
Governing Body may think false prophecy is "exciting", but the Bible
calls false prophecy, "appalling and horrible". (Jeremiah
5:30-31)
The seventh quote, published in 1970, links "very near" with "this generation". Until 1995 JWs predicted that the people who experienced 1914 would live long enough to experience Armageddon. Therefore, "very near" in 1970 meant at most several decades and was another false prediction.
The Watchtower Library (2007) search function lists 11,463 occurrences of the words "near", "nearing" and "nears" in JW publications. Not all occurrences are in an Armageddon context since "near" can also refer to emotional nearness, or a travel destination, or a scheduled secular event. But many of the 11,463 instances do refer to Armageddon or allied events such as the annihilation of other religions, the future paradise on Earth, the removal of Satan the Devil, or the resurrection of the dead.
Sometimes these events are alleged to be "very near", "so near", "now near" or "so very near".
"VERY NEAR" SINCE 1950
Many of the occurrences of "near" listed on Watchtower Library (2007) are qualified with "very", "now" or "so" or other words that imply the "near" period is well-advanced. We get for example:
• very near 286
• so near 186
• now so near 50
• now so very near 4
• so near 186
• now so near 50
• now so very near 4
Hear are some examples of "very near":
1. The day of Jehovah is far spent and the night of Armageddon is very near. (w1950 4/1 108)
8. God's time to destroy wicked people is very near. (Learn From The Great Teacher 2003, 66)
The "day of Jehovah" in the first quote referred to the period since 1914. This interpretation has since been revised and "day of Jehovah" is now synonymous with Armageddon.
The sixth quote says that the Millions Now Living Will Never Die message "expressed the conviction that the time for the realization of that hope was very near". That message, however, did not merely predict "very near", but predicted 1925:
As we have heretofore
stated, the great jubilee cycle is due to begin in 1925. At that time
the earthly phase of the kingdom shall be recognized. The Apostle Paul
in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews names a long list of faithful men
who died before the crucifixion of the Lord and before the beginning of
the selection of the church. These can never be a part of the heavenly
class; they had no heavenly hopes; but God has in store something good
for them. They are to be resurrected as perfect men and constitute the
princes or rulers in the earth, according to his promise. (Psalm 45:16;
Isaiah 32: 1; Matthew 8: 11) Therefore we may confidently expect that
1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful
prophets of old... (pp 89-90)
The seventh quote, published in 1970, links "very near" with "this generation". Until 1995 JWs predicted that the people who experienced 1914 would live long enough to experience Armageddon. Therefore, "very near" in 1970 meant at most several decades and was another false prediction.
OMINOUSLY NEAR in 1971
"Ominously near" occurs only once on Watchtower Library 2007:
We know that we are in
the "time of the end” as regards the political nations of this world
and that the destruction of them in the approaching "great tribulation”
upon the whole world is ominously near.
(w1971 12/15 754)
In 1971 the emphasis was on 1975 for Armageddon to occur — hence "ominously near".
JWs today deny that 1975 was a definite prediction
because their main theologian at the time, Frederick W. Franz
(1893-1992), said: "Don't any of you be specific."
So how definite was 1975 as the date for Armageddon?
According to JW doctrine Armageddon would occur at the completion of 6000 years of evil on Earth, and Adam was created in 4026 BC. Since there was no year "0" this comes to 1975. The reason for being non-specific was that evil began after Eve was created, but the Bible does not state how long Adam was alone.
However, on at least three occasions JW publications stated or implied that Adam and Eve were created in the same year — thus confirming Armageddon for 1975 (or possibly 1976). The three references are:
According to JW doctrine Armageddon would occur at the completion of 6000 years of evil on Earth, and Adam was created in 4026 BC. Since there was no year "0" this comes to 1975. The reason for being non-specific was that evil began after Eve was created, but the Bible does not state how long Adam was alone.
However, on at least three occasions JW publications stated or implied that Adam and Eve were created in the same year — thus confirming Armageddon for 1975 (or possibly 1976). The three references are:
• The Watchtower 1968 5/1 271
• Awake! 1968 10/8 14
• Aid to Bible Understanding (1971) page 538
• Awake! 1968 10/8 14
• Aid to Bible Understanding (1971) page 538
In late 1975, with no Armageddon in sight and prophetic
failure looming, The Watchtower
denied that Adam and Eve were created in the same year, putting it like
this:
Whether that period
[between Adam and Eve's creation] amounted to weeks or months or years,
we do not know. (w1975 10/1 579)
We are now 41 years past 1975 which means JWs believe that Adam lived alone for at least 41 years!
THE TIME IS NEAR
The 11,463 occurrences of "near", "nears" and "nearing"
on Watchtower Library include
57 of the phrase "The time is near".
Regarding "the time is near" Jesus said:
Regarding "the time is near" Jesus said:
"Beware that you are
not led astray; for many will come in my name and say … 'The time is
near!' Do not go after them." (Luke 21:8)
CONCLUSION
The cult that became JWs predicted magical events for
1874, 1878, 1881, 1914, 1915, 1918 and 1925 but was wrong every time
and its members died disappointed.
In 1971 Armageddon was "ominously near" because it was due in 1975. Those JWs too were disappointed and about half of them have died and hundreds of thousands left the sect.
There were other dates such as 1942, the "generation of 1914", and "within our twentieth century". Most JWs of 1942 have died, the generation of 1914 has died out, and the 20th century is gone.
Armageddon clearly had not been "near" despite thousands of repetitions that it was.
Spurred by prophecy many JWs deserted their careers, dropped out of high school, sold homes, and even avoided marriage to preach "The time is near". They ignored Jeremiah who called false prophecy "horrible", and Jesus who said "Beware that you are not led astray..."
In 1971 Armageddon was "ominously near" because it was due in 1975. Those JWs too were disappointed and about half of them have died and hundreds of thousands left the sect.
There were other dates such as 1942, the "generation of 1914", and "within our twentieth century". Most JWs of 1942 have died, the generation of 1914 has died out, and the 20th century is gone.
Armageddon clearly had not been "near" despite thousands of repetitions that it was.
Spurred by prophecy many JWs deserted their careers, dropped out of high school, sold homes, and even avoided marriage to preach "The time is near". They ignored Jeremiah who called false prophecy "horrible", and Jesus who said "Beware that you are not led astray..."
BS
How
truthful and educational is the so-called "Bible truth" and "Bible
education" of the
JWs?
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