Eschatology of Jehovah's Witnesses

The eschatology of Jehovah's Witnesses is central to their religious beliefs. They believe that Jesus Christ has been ruling in heaven as king since 1914, a date they believe was prophesied in Scripture, and that after that time a period of cleansing occurred, resulting in God's selection of the Bible Students associated with Charles Taze Russell to be his people in 1919. They believe the destruction of those who reject their message^[1] and thus willfully refuse to obey God^[2]^[3] will shortly take place at Armageddon, ensuring that the beginning of the new earthly society will be composed of willing subjects of that kingdom.

The group's doctrines surrounding 1914 are the legacy of a series of emphatic claims regarding the years 1799,^[4] 1874,^[4] 1878,^[5] 1914,^[6] 1918^[7] and 1925^[8] made in the Watch Tower Society's publications between 1879 and 1924. Claims about the significance of those years, including the presence of Jesus Christ, the beginning of the "last days", the destruction of worldly governments and the earthly resurrection of Jewish patriarchs, were successively abandoned.^[9] In 1922 the society's principal magazine, Watch Tower, described its chronology as "no stronger than its weakest link", but also claimed the chronological relationships to be "of divine origin and divinely corroborated...in a class by itself, absolutely and unqualifiedly correct"^[10] and "indisputable facts",^[4] while repudiation of Russell's teachings was described as "equivalent to a repudiation of the Lord".^[11]

The Watch Tower Society has stated that its early leaders promoted "incomplete, even inaccurate concepts".^[12] The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses says that, unlike Old Testament prophets, its interpretations of the Bible are not inspired or infallible.^[13]^[14]^[15] Witness publications say that Bible prophecies can be fully understood only after their fulfillment, citing examples of biblical figures who did not understand the meaning of prophecies they received. Watch Tower publications often cite Proverbs 4:18, "The path of the righteous ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day is firmly established" (NWT) to support their view that there would be an increase in knowledge during "the time of the end", as mentioned in Daniel 12:4. Jehovah's Witnesses state that this increase in knowledge needs adjustments. Watch Tower publications also say that unfulfilled expectations are partly due to eagerness for God's Kingdom and that they do not call their core beliefs into question.^[16]^[17]^[18]

^ "The House-to-House Ministry—Why Important Now?". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. July 15, 2008. pp. 5–6.
^ You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. Watch Tower Society. 1989. p. 155.
^ Revelation—Its Grand Climax at Hand!. Watch Tower Society. 1988. p. 6.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Who is Wise?". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. March 1, 1922. p. 73. The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the 'time of the end' began in 1799; that the Lord's second presence began in 1874.
^ "Our Faith" (PDF). The Herald of the Morning. September 1875. p. 52. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
^ "Can It Be Delayed Until 1914?". The Watchtower. July 15, 1894. p. 1677. We see no reason for changing the figures—nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble.
^ "The Harvest Is Not Ended". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. September 1, 1916. Archived from the original on July 13, 2009.
^ Millions Now Living Will Never Die. Watch Tower Society. 1920. p. 97. Based upon the argument heretofore set forth, then, that the old order of things, the old world, is ending and is therefore passing away, and that the new order is coming in, and that 1925 shall mark the resurrection of the faithful worthies of old and the beginning of reconstruction, it is reasonable to conclude that millions of people now on the earth will be still on the earth in 1925. Then, based upon the promises set forth in the divine Word, we must reach the positive and indisputable conclusion that millions now living will never die.
^ Holden, Andrew (2002). Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement. Routledge. p. 1. ISBN 0-415-26609-2.
^ "The Strong Cable of Chronology". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. July 15, 1922. p. 217. The chronology of present truth is, to begin with, a string of dates... Thus far it is a chain, and no stronger than its weakest link. There exist, however, well established relationships among the dates of present-truth chronology. These internal connections of the dates impart a much greater strength than can be found in other [secular, archeological] chronologies. Some of them are of so remarkable a character as clearly to indicate that this chronology is not of man, but of God. Being of divine origin and divinely corroborated, present-truth chronology stands in a class by itself, absolutely and unqualifiedly correct.
^ "The Gentile Times". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. May 1, 1922. p. 132. To abandon or repudiate the Lord's chosen instrument means to abandon or repudiate the Lord himself, upon the principle that he who rejects the servant sent by the Master thereby rejects the Master. ... Brother Russell was the Lord's servant. Then to repudiate him and his work is equivalent to a repudiation of the Lord, upon the principle heretofore announced.
^ "10". Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom. Watch Tower Society. 1993.
^ Revelation—Its Grand Climax. Watch Tower Society. 1988. p. 9.
^ Reasoning From the Scriptures. Watch Tower Society. 1985. p. 137.
^ "To Whom Shall We Go but Jesus Christ?". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. March 1, 1979. p. 23. the "faithful and discreet slave" has alerted all of God's people to the sign of the times indicating the nearness of God's Kingdom rule. In this regard, however, it must be observed that this "faithful and discreet slave" was never inspired, never perfect. Those writings by certain members of the "slave" class that came to form the Christian part of God's Word were inspired and infallible [the bible], but that is not true of other writings since.
^ Reasoning From the Scriptures. Watch Tower Society. 1989. p. 205. Why have there been changes over the years in the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses?
^ "Allow No Place for the Devil!". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. March 15, 1986. p. 19.
^ "Keep in Step With Jehovah's Organization". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. January 15, 2001. p. 18.

[1] "The House-to-House Ministry—Why Important Now?". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. July 15, 2008. pp. 5–6.

[2] You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. Watch Tower Society. 1989. p. 155.

[3] Revelation—Its Grand Climax at Hand!. Watch Tower Society. 1988. p. 6.

[indisputable-4] "Who is Wise?". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. March 1, 1922. p. 73. The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the 'time of the end' began in 1799; that the Lord's second presence began in 1874.

[OurFaith1875-5] "Our Faith" (PDF). The Herald of the Morning. September 1875. p. 52. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-05-29.

[TheWatchtower-6] "Can It Be Delayed Until 1914?". The Watchtower. July 15, 1894. p. 1677. We see no reason for changing the figures—nor could we change them if we would. They are, we believe, God's dates, not ours. But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble.

[September-7] "The Harvest Is Not Ended". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. September 1, 1916. Archived from the original on July 13, 2009.

[MillionsNow-8] Millions Now Living Will Never Die. Watch Tower Society. 1920. p. 97. Based upon the argument heretofore set forth, then, that the old order of things, the old world, is ending and is therefore passing away, and that the new order is coming in, and that 1925 shall mark the resurrection of the faithful worthies of old and the beginning of reconstruction, it is reasonable to conclude that millions of people now on the earth will be still on the earth in 1925. Then, based upon the promises set forth in the divine Word, we must reach the positive and indisputable conclusion that millions now living will never die.

[9] Holden, Andrew (2002). Jehovah's Witnesses: Portrait of a Contemporary Religious Movement. Routledge. p. 1. ISBN 0-415-26609-2.

[10] "The Strong Cable of Chronology". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. July 15, 1922. p. 217. The chronology of present truth is, to begin with, a string of dates... Thus far it is a chain, and no stronger than its weakest link. There exist, however, well established relationships among the dates of present-truth chronology. These internal connections of the dates impart a much greater strength than can be found in other [secular, archeological] chronologies. Some of them are of so remarkable a character as clearly to indicate that this chronology is not of man, but of God. Being of divine origin and divinely corroborated, present-truth chronology stands in a class by itself, absolutely and unqualifiedly correct.

[11] "The Gentile Times". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. May 1, 1922. p. 132. To abandon or repudiate the Lord's chosen instrument means to abandon or repudiate the Lord himself, upon the principle that he who rejects the servant sent by the Master thereby rejects the Master. ... Brother Russell was the Lord's servant. Then to repudiate him and his work is equivalent to a repudiation of the Lord, upon the principle heretofore announced.

[12] "10". Jehovah's Witnesses—Proclaimers of God's Kingdom. Watch Tower Society. 1993.

[13] Revelation—Its Grand Climax. Watch Tower Society. 1988. p. 9.

[14] Reasoning From the Scriptures. Watch Tower Society. 1985. p. 137.

[15] "To Whom Shall We Go but Jesus Christ?". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. March 1, 1979. p. 23. the "faithful and discreet slave" has alerted all of God's people to the sign of the times indicating the nearness of God's Kingdom rule. In this regard, however, it must be observed that this "faithful and discreet slave" was never inspired, never perfect. Those writings by certain members of the "slave" class that came to form the Christian part of God's Word were inspired and infallible [the bible], but that is not true of other writings since.

[16] Reasoning From the Scriptures. Watch Tower Society. 1989. p. 205. Why have there been changes over the years in the teachings of Jehovah's Witnesses?

[17] "Allow No Place for the Devil!". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. March 15, 1986. p. 19.

[18] "Keep in Step With Jehovah's Organization". The Watchtower. Watch Tower Society. January 15, 2001. p. 18.

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