Watchtower Dates

The Watchtower Society (WTS) - the leadership of the Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) - is famous for its dates. Individual Witnesses know about the current prophetic years (1914, 1918, etc) but are mostly completely ignorant about the history of their movement, and when asked is most likely to deny that the WTS ever said anything about the end of the world in 1914 and 1925. Even for a recent episode like 1975, the JWs will often flatly deny that the WTS ever proclaimed Armageddon within no more than a few months from October 1975.

 

This list is intended to be comprehensive, if not exhaustive. There's a massive amount of research by many individuals behind this short summary, but we can never guarantee there are no errors. If you find any, please let us know.

 

Dates

1798
End of 1260 days of Rev 12. Start of "the last days". Three Worlds (1877), p114. (see Key to publication codes)
Replaced by 1799 no later than 1889, with SiS2. [Note 1]

 

1799
Start of "the last days". Napoleon debased the pope and ended the 1260 days of Dan 7:25; 12:7; Rev 11:1-3. WT Jan-Feb 1889 [repr p1093]. SiS2 p256. SiS3 p58,63,64
Replaced by 1914 in 1930 [Note 2]

 

1829
End of the 1290 years (from 539AD) of Daniel 12:11, when Miller's movement started. SiS3 p84, SiS7 p40, 60, 163. Our Lord's Return (1929) p27.
Abandoned in 1930

 

1844
Miller's "end of the world." To Russell, start of 30 year "tarrying time," corresponding to 30 years from Jesus' birth to his baptism. SiS2 p240
Abandoned in 1930

 

1846
End of the 2300 days, G. Storrs and others abandoned false doctrines, "sanctuary cleansed". Also start of "evangelical alliance" between protestant churches, called "spiritistic". SiS3 p108, SiS7 p163.
Abandoned in 1930

 

1873
6000 years of human existance ends, start of seventh millenium: THE millenium of Revelation; the Day of the Lord. See SiS2 foreword, p39. (New chronology making 1975 the end of 6000 years was adopted in 1943, but 1975 was not made an official prophetic date until 1966, with Life Everlasting.)
Abandoned in 1930

 

1874
The start of Christ's invisible presence. Russell's most important date. Three Worlds p175, SiS2 p170, Our Lord's Return p27, Proclaimers p133 footnote. Until around 1904, Russell taught that this year marked the start of the Battle of Armageddon, WT 1/15/92 p21-3 [repr p1355]. SiS2, p101.
Abandoned in 1930; [Note 2] WTS itself claims it was abandoned in 1943

 

1875
End of "Great Jubilee Cycle." End of 1335 days in Dan 12:12. The invisible resurrection of the saints started. (Note also that Russell held that the "Biblical year" 1875 started Oct 1874.) Three Worlds p108.
Idea of invisible resurrection in 1875 replaced by 1878 in 1881?

 

1878
End of gospel age, the rapture of the saints. Three Worlds p68; Proclaimers p632; Divine Purpose p19.
Naturally abandoned after 1878

 

1878
Heavenly resurrection of dead saints. God's favor returning to the Jews. Kingdom of God started to exercise power. WT Oct 1879 [repr p39]. SiS2 p101. SiS6, p663. Millions (1920) p27-8. 1928 editions of The Harp of God had removed this date from the text (see pp236, 244 in earlier editions).
Abandoned in 1928

 

1881
Rapture of the saints, including Russell and other Bible Students. WT Jan 1881 [repr p180], Dec 1880 [repr p172], compare May 1881 [repr p224].
Abandoned and even denied from May 1881

 

1881
Close of "high calling" to be among 144.000. Fall of Babylon. Proclaimers p632.
Replaced by 1918 in 1922?. Close of "high calling" later moved to 1935

 

1910
Expected rapture of the Saints, based on measurments in corridor in the Great Pyramid of Gizeh. SiS3, p364, versions issued before 1910.
Naturally abandoned after 1910

 

1914
The end of this world, Christ's literal return, the end of Armageddon and latest possible date for rapture. Jews expected to return to God's favour.
"Present truth" until the end of 1914, but replaced by 1915 from around 1912 to Aug 1914 (start of WWI, which was felt to somehow fulfill the above prophecies about 1914).

 

1914
Christ's invisible return, start of reign as King, end of last days. "Gentile times" ended, but this has no visible effect, except an (JW-imagined) increase in violence, wars, pestilence, earthquakes and other calamities since that year.
Current JW doctrine. From 1922 this was held to be start of Christ's *reign*, from 1930 also the start of invisible presence (earlier held to be 1874). [Note 2] Until recently, the WTS taught that some of those who experienced the events in 1914 would be alive to see the end of the world. This "1914 generation" doctrine was removed in November 1995. See WT 11/1 1995 p17. The "Creator's promise" about the end of the world before the 1914-generation died was removed from masthead (p4) of Awake! in 11/8 1995 issue. Whole idea of "generation" in Mt 24:34 being specific individuals is now abandoned.

 

1915
The end of the world. From ~1912 until start of WWI this year replaced 1914 in Russell's writings, since 2520 years from 606BC ends in 1915 not 1914 as Russell had thought. The fact that there is no zero year was "forgotten" when some events happened in 1914. In 1943 the idea that had been promoted in SiS7, namely to move Jerusalem's destruction from 606 to 607BC, was officially adopted (The fact that Jerusalem according to Bible chronology fell in 587BC does not interfere with Watchtower chronology.)
Year abandoned after start if WWI

 

1918
False religion, especially Christendom, to be destroyed. Demons would enter the minds of clergy, the "swine class", causing them to do stupid things that provokes "the masses" to destroy them. "Church members by millions" thus killed by God. SiS7 p128, 485.
Naturally abandoned after 1918

 

1918
Fall of Babylon, close of call to be among 144.000. This year is still held by JWs to be date for fall of Babylon, "all false religion." See Revelation Climax p260 which says "So by 1919 Babylon the Great had fallen".
Current JW doctrine. Close of "high calling" was later moved to 1935.

 

1919
The Bible Student/Watchtower movement chosen by Christ to be only "channel" of communication from God to men.
Current JW doctrine.

 

1920
Worldwide anarchy, collapse and fall of all earthly governments. SiS7 p258.
Naturally abandoned after 1920

 

1925
The end of the world immediately following the resurrection of "men of old" (Biblical heroes listed in Hebrews chapter 11). Establishment of Kingdom in Palestine. SiS7 p128, Millions p88,97. Very definite statements in WT 6/15 1922; 4/1 1923, elsewhere.
Naturally abandoned after 1925, even though the date itself was held to be somehow fixed in the Scriptures even as late as in 1931 (Vindication I p338).

 

1931/32
The "establishment of the Kingdom in Power." Based on Ezek 40:1, which dates a certain prophetic message to "the fourteenth year after the city was conquered", Rutherford added 14 years to 1918 to get 1932. See SiS7 p569. Later printings and translations of this book seems to have brought the realization that to get to the 14th year one adds 13, not 14, so the prophecy was changed to point to 1931.
Silently abandoned after the other prophecies, notably 1918 and 1925, failed to be fulfilled.

 

1935
Close of "high calling" to be of the 144.000. From this date, JWs have taught that the "great Company/Crowd" in Rev 7 will live on Earth, not in heaven. The "Great Crowd", all JWs except ~8000 living now, is not considered anointed Christians, is not "born again," do not partake in communion and does not have Christ as mediator. They expect eternal life on Earth. See WT 6/15 1992 p23; Proclaimers (1993) p166. This date is justified only on the fact that the doctrine about earthly hope for "great crowd" was created in 1935.
Current JW doctrine

 

~1941
WW2 was expected to end in Armageddon, God's War. WT 9/15 1941 p288 talked about the "remaining months before Armageddon."
Idea abandoned in 1943, after death of Rutherford, when the Watchtower Society started to proclaim a "very short" period of peace after WWII.

 

1951
This was 37 years after 1914, like Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD, which was 37 years after Christ's death (WTS chronology). Some WT articles in 1950 hinted strongly to this parallell. WT 11/1 1950 p407; 9/1 1950 p277; compare WT 3/15 1951 p179 and 4/1 1951 p214 both pointing out that "we are 37 years into the 'time of the end' of this world."
Idea was abandoned in WT 9/1 1952 p542

 

1954
Theoretical length of 1914-generation after the old "30-40 years" definition. See WT 9/1 1952 p542. "Generation" idea based on Matt 24:34, but it was finally abandoned in WT Nov 1, 1995.
Replaced by 70-80 year generation in 1952

 

1975
End of 6000 year of human history after WTS chronology. Strongly hinted to be end of the world; could only be a matter of "days and months, not years" before Armageddon. Life Everlasting p26-30; WT 7/15 1967 p446-7; 8/15 1968 p499; 5/1 1975 p 285. See also YB 1980 p30-31. (See What Happened in 1975?)
Abandoned and sometimes even denied after 1975

 

1984
Object for much speculation about maximum length of generation, based on 70 years from 1914 and Psalm 90:10. See WT 9/1 1952 p542; WT 12/1 1968 p715.
Abandoned silently as date approached.

 

1986
Declared by United Nations to be "International Year of Peace," which caused much expectations with JWs about the expected declaration of "peace and security", a sign of the imminent end based on a special interpretation of 1Th 5:3. WT 10/1 1985 p18.
Silently forgotten after 1986

 

1994
Object for much speculation about maximum length of generation, like 1984. See WT 9/1 1952 p542; WT 12/1 1968 p715.
Abandoned silently as date approached.

 

2000
End of world expected to come before end of century. WT 1/1 1989 p12 (work to be completed "in our 20th century", text changed in bound volume); WT 10/15 1980 p31 ("highly improbable" that this world continues to 2000); 3/1 1984 p18-19 ("end much closer than [2000]").

 

Notes

 

Note 1: References to this beginning of the "last days" in 1798/9 is found to be remarkably absent in many of Russell's writings. In fact, 1798 was a part of in Barbour's chronology, with the (alleged) start of papal rule in 538AD as a basis year, but Russell replaced it with 1799 (539AD basis) in the beginning of 1889. The 1799 date was emphasised as late as in Our Lord's Return, a Rutherford booklet from 1929, but evidently abandoned with almost all of the old chronology in 1930, with Light I. See Note 2.

 

Note 2: Sometime between the booklet Our Lord's Return in 1929 and Vindication I in 1931 Rutherford rejected almost all of Russell's old chronology and many other central doctrines. The book Light I (1930) emphasised the time from 1879 to 1918 as a time of preparation, and 1918 as the coming of the Lord to his temple. 1914 is stated to be the year God put Christ on his throne. 1874 is understood to be wrong. The first explicit statement about Christ's "parousia" from 1914 seems to be in the 1932 booklet What is Truth? which says "The prophecy of the Bible, fully supported by the physical facts in fulfilment thereof, shows that the second coming of Christ dates from the fall of the year 1914." For some strange reason, the WTS book God's Kingdom (1973), p207-9, claimed this change from 1874 to 1914 came in 1943, when the WTS completed a new chronological system, which included moving Jerusalem's destruction from 606BC to 607BCE to keep the 1914 date while finally accounting for the non-existing "zero year." See also Proclaimers p133.

 

Note 3: Some Watchtower dates are NOT included in this listing, notably those who were derived from earlier chronology but were abandoned long before that year approached. One example: SiS7 p61, 62 says "The actual depopulation of the whole of Palestine did not occur until the year 135 A. D. (corresponding to our year 1980), . . . It is possible that A. D. 1980 may have something of special interest for Fleshly Israel, but certainly not for us. It is 70 years beyond 1910, the date when Pastor Russell gave his great witness to the Jewish people in the New York Hippodrome."

 

Key to Publication Codes

 

Three Worlds:
Nelson Barbour and C. T. Russell: Three Worlds and the Harvest of This World, Rochester, NY 1877. Written by Nelson Barbour. Russell financed the publication and is listed as co-author (Note: NOT a Watch Tower Society booklet, but still listed in their Watch Tower Publications Index).

 

WT:
C. T. Russell/Rutherford et al/anonymous: Zion's Watch Tower, Watch Tower and The Watchtower, periodical issued by Watch Tower Society. Semimonthly in English and most major languages. Editor from start in 1879 to 1916 was Charles Taze Russell. Abbreviation "repr" refers to page numbers in "reprints" issued by WTS in 1919 and still printed (1879-1916 volumes) by some Bible Student groups in the USA.

 

SiSx:
Studies in the Scriptures, volumes 1-6 by C. T. Russell and Volume 7 by Woodworth and Fisher. Series also named Millennial Dawn before 1904; see Proclaimers p53 footnote. Note that new revisions with sometimes substantial changes were reissued by Russell and the Watch Tower Society until at least 1926. Changes are not noted, and it's often difficult to know when a particular book is printed.

 

SiS1:
C. T. Russell: Studies in the Scriptures I: The Divine Plan of the Ages, 1886.

 

SiS2:
C. T. Russell: Studies in the Scriptures II: The Time is at Hand, 1889.

 

SiS3:
C. T. Russell: Studies in the Scriptures III: Thy Kingdom Come, 1891.

 

SiS4:
C. T. Russell: Studies in the Scriptures IV: The Day of Vengeance, 1897. Later called The Battle of Armageddon.

 

SiS5:
C. T. Russell: Studies in the Scriptures V: The At-one-ment Between God and Man, 1899.

 

SiS6:
C. T. Russell: Studies in the Scriptures VI: The New Creation, 1904.

 

SiS7:
Studies in the Scriptures VII: The Finished Mystery, 1917. This volume was claimed to be the posthumous work of Russell, but was really written by Clayton J. Woodworth and George H. Fisher under supervision of Rutherford.

 

Millions:
Joseph Rutherford: Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920. Booklet.

 

The Harp of God:
Joseph Rutherford: The Harp of God, 1921.

 

YB:
Rutherford/anonymous: Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses. Annual book with official reports and statement for the previous year, and usually giving the history of the JWs in one or two specific countries.

 

Our Lord's Return:
Joseph Rutherford: Our Lord's Return, 1929. Booklet.

 

Light I:
Joseph Rutherford: Light I, 1930.

 

Vindication I:
Joseph Rutherford: Vindication I, 1931.

 

What is Truth?:
Joseph Rutherford: What is Truth?, 1932. Booklet.

 

Awake!:
Anonymous: Periodical by Watch Tower Society. Semimonthly in English and most major languages.

 

Divine Purpose:
Anonymous: Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, 1959. Previous official history of the JWs.

 

Life Everlasting:
Anonymous: Life Everlasting - in Freedom of the Sons of God, 1966.

 

God's Kingdom:
Anonymous: God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years has Approached, 1973.

 

Revelation Climax:
Anonymous: Revelation - Its Great Climax is at Hand!, 1988. "Commentary" to the book of Revelation. JWs have a historicism (and premillenistic) interpretation of the book of Revelation, applying JW events in our time to symbols and events in the Revelation.

 

Proclaimers:
Anonymous: Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdom, 1993. Current official history of the JWs.

 

 

Edited by - JanH on 12 July 2002 9:14:52

When one presents assumed facts, you have several choices. Accept it as the truth, Research it yourself and check the validity of the claims, Then accept it or reject it. Or just call them names like a spoiled kid because it makes you uncomfortable.Jan H keep up the good work.

 Jan H your list holds water and I thank you.

Cygnus, I see that you're bored again.

Hope you're getting better.

AlanF

Jan,

What Nathan said.

Hmmm

Thanks for your kind words folks!

....even you my twin brut... eh cygnus

- Jan

Hi Jan!

Sorry, I didn't see the 1875!  But I did a little search and, indeed, it was the "Harp of God" that gives this chronology.  But apparently by 1927 which is the version I have, revised the dating to 1874.  I found the reference I wanted at "larryi" and here's the link and post.   So this represents that 1-year date change that AF talks about, i.e.  1914 based upon 606BCE vs 607BCE.  The one-year difference would make 1875 1874, though I also am aware that they linked a 40-year chronology from 1874 to 1914 early on.  But this is great references!  

But here is a reference you do not have from "Harp of God" apparently, at least not the 1927 version that as you can see from the quote deals with a lot of chronology.  Maybe you should get ahold of the book and have a field day!!!\

From: http://www.serve.com/larryi/proph11.htm

 

Harp of God

In the article "Jehovah, My Confidence From Youth On" from the August 1, 1993 "Watchtower" magazine, the WTBTS has once again either lied or misinformed its readers. The article states that in the book "The Harp of God" the Chapter "Our Lord Returns" that there were no dates given for the return.

The writer says,"I read it with great interest, but I was disappointed that no year was given for the return. The book however indicated that it was not far off."

Well, I get out my copy (The Harp of God, 1921) and read on page 231, paragraph 400 in the chapter "Our Lord's Return" as follows:

"There are two important dates here that we must not confuse, but clearly differentiate, namely, the beginning of the "time of the end" and of "the presence of the Lord". "The time of the end" embraces a period from A.D. 1799, as above indicated, to the time of the complete overthrow of Satan's empire and the establishment of the kingdom of the Messiah. The time of the Lord's second presence dates from 1874, as above stated. The latter period is within the first named, of course, and at the latter part of the period known as "the time of the end"."

Oops, ouch, whoaaa, what happened! Do I have the right book? Afraid so! Did I read the right chapter? Sure did! Could I have made a mistake? Not today! Sorry, but another case of (can I say it?) deception or error!

Much of the chapter deals with the "presence" or second coming of the Lord and other WTBTS dates, including 1878, 1914, 1917, 1918, 1919. A very interesting book to say the least and one all JWs, ex-JWs, those who study with JWs, or just interested persons should read. Just another indication of the false prophet organization, the WTBTS.

 

Thanks so much Jan!  I'll read through the list thoroughly to see if there are any other surprises I can find and maybe hunt down some specific references for you. May as well tell it all, including the changes!!!

L.G.

 

You do great work Jan!!!

I found everything I needed online!!!!!!!!  Including all 7 volumes of SIS.  Per your reference I found this statement I had known about only it's discussed in more detail somewhere, I don't know:

"The 70 jubilees, reckoned as 50 years each, expire October, 1925."  That's SiS7 pp. 128 of your reference.

But NEWS to me was that this jubilee cycle, indeed, had been calculated end originally in 1875!!!  This is of particular interest to me since this Great Jubilee focus in the early years completely lost it's reference in JW doctrine it would seem after 1925!!  Somehow they figured 50 jubilees at 2500 years at some point and 70 jubilees at a rounded of 3500 years but still managed to be 49-50 years apart in their calculations of 1875 and 1925 which dates are 50 years apart.

So this was an eye-opener to me how how complex and manipulative they made their dates work in figuring out all the various chronologies, implied or otherwise. 

But of note, I think their observations an instincts were good, but they just had the wrong dating.  I think all those applications should work out in some way if the Bible is true; all the sabbaths, 40-year periods cycles, etc.

Of note, therefore,  a new date comes into focus and that is 1954.  That's 40 years after 1914 when you count a generation as 40 years, which is Biblically appropriate, of course.

I'm not sure how applicable it is, but 1947 is a critical chronology date in the Bible because it is the beginning of the 50th jubilee from 455BCE, more importantly a jubilee we can date from 36CE without any objection.  That's the year the Jews returned from exile officially.  1954 is 7 years later.  So you have a 7-year period connected with a jubilee in 1947 plus 40 years past 1914.  So 1954 might have been a specific prophetic cutoff year for something Biblical.  This does not bar a double-fulfillment for a "generation" to be 80 years by 1994 though. 

The reason why is because everything in scripture can be fulfilled by 1954, one generation after 1914 including the "great tribulation" which was the Holocaust, the preaching of the good news world wide, meaning by one international organization before the "end"; NH Knorr after WWII did a round-the-world lecture tour in 1946 I believe.  The "end" by some is considered the "end of the gentile times" which meant when Israel took over Palestine again which occurred in 1947.  And, of course, the "sign of the son of man" began to appear to certain anointed ones after early 1950.  So this opens the interpretation of the generation of 40 years as being significant.

Also what I've focussed on, since your article, Jan, is that there might be some significance to the year Jerusalem fell in relation to Jesus' death which might have some modern-day parallels.  But the true date for the fall of Jerusalem could be as late as 73CE based upon the conflict in scripture for the death of Herod Agrippa which is 4 years.  It has always been suggested, therefore, that 3 years were stolen from the infamous Caligula and added to the reign of Flavius who commissioned Josephus to write the history of the Jews. 73CE is 40 years after 33CE when Jesus died.  I'm wondering now what happened significantly in 1954 within the oganization that would parallel with the destruction of Jerusalem in a spiritual sense?

Anyway, as you can see, your article has inspired some new interest in the chronology arena for me and I think you!!!  You couldn't tell from the new witness doctrine how intensely focussed and involved they were into chronology, even getting chronology from the pyramids.  They still focus on dates as late as 1975 and 1994 but nothing like what they were up to in the early days with every conceivable implied chronology used. 

Thanks, again, for having this online for us!!!!

L.G.

 

 

Nathan,

In Barbour and Russell's chronology, the reasoning (or lack thereof) is as follows (from memory so don't shoot me if this is not wholly accurate): Until 539 AD, Rome was ruled by the "Ostrogothic monarchy", which had an arian christology. This year, this monarchy was overthrown and replaced by the trinitarian Papacy, thus starting a period of complete Satanic control of the world. 1260 years from this brings us to 1798/99, when this Papacy (Holy Roman Empire) was indeed overthrown (in a sense) by Napoleon, and 1335 years brings us to 1874/75.

Larsguy: can you be so kind as to keep your crackpot chronology to your own threads?

- Jan

Edited by - JanH on 12 July 2002 17:17:56