by run dont walk 31 Replies latest watchtower bible
This seems to be JW belief, and only because Rutherford said so in a Talk, Are there any publications that actually say that heavens doors were closed in 1935 ??? And any kind of references ???
With the annoited class (pre 1935) getting smaller and smaller, I think in about 50 years the Watchtower will have 144,000 Replacements, how will they rectify this goof ???
Thnx in advance
run
I'm not even aware of a closed door doctrine associated with Jehovah's Witnesses. The Second Advent Christian group had a closed door doctrine. The Jehovah's Witnesses had a new light event that revealed the spiritual Gentile (earthly) class in about 1931 according to the Let God Be True Book. That was actually a rerun of the Millions Now Living Will Never Die from 1918.
Another really GOOD question, is who were the "MILLIONS" who would never die in 1918. The Bible Student group was just a few thousand then. Are those "MILLIONS" still living? or was that a wrong prediction?
It might be a local thing, but I have definately heard this several times from the platform, even in District conventions, and so on, as late as a few years ago. I'm not sure if there is a new understanding of it or not however. All I can say is that it is there.
* Given that I heard it at a convention, it's probably on an outline, unless the brother giving the speach adlib'd that part.
FaithfulDoubter, You heard from the platform that there is a closed door in 1935 doctrine? From Jehovah's Witnesses? That can't possibly work, because some of their current anointed Governing Body members were BORN AFTER 1935. I must be misunderstanding somebody or something here. Sorry!
Hrm, you are, of course, correct. But that doesn't eliminate the fact that I've heard it. Probably from an overzealous brother repeating things he heard that he shouldn't have, and adlibing it on a major part.
Although, I also heard from various people that when one of the annointed falls into apostasy or leaves the congregation they must be replaced, and that is the only way that the annointed are now selected. They are all replacements. (Again, I don't think I've ever seen that published either, so it might just be another local thing...) So, maybe the position is that the doors closed for the 144,000 in 1935, but there are still opening due to many of the annointed jumping ship?
And come to think of it, you couldn't be annointed as a baby now, either? So that means you'd have to be old enough to have been baptised in 1935 to be one of those annointed. Given an early age of baptism, say 10, that would make you 80 now.... Yikes!
You are correct, they are replacements!
Do you have a WT CD?
I know I have seen it in publication , I think it was the revelation book . I also was at a convention in fort worth texas when the president of WTBTS was giving a public discourse in which he boldly stated that 1935 was it for the 144k .That had to have been in the early 90's . I can't remember the presidents name either but I do know I stood up and went to the bathroom just after he said it becaus I knew it was nothing but dogma . You ever just want to get out of a room because you disagree with something somebody said ? It didn't help because there were speakers all the way to the bathroom and in it . ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
11. God having a fixed time for every purpose (Ecclesiastes 3:1), his time to give creatures on earth the opportunity to get in line for a heavenly reward has been from A. D. 29 until, chiefly, 1931, called the "day of salvation. (Let God Be True, 1946 WTB&TS p. 298)
Where people get confused is the remnant was called out at the District assembly in 1935. I think Watchtower writers get confused themselves. This is a core belief, it's interesting that they don't even know the doctrine.
The rules for dealing with discrepancies and awkward doctrines like the appointment and the anointed heavenly line teachings are"
Rule #1. Treat the Governing Body as if they were never wrong.
Rule #2. If the Governing Body is ever wrong . . . see Rule #1.
I found something! WT 1999 2/1 page 19
[Box on page 19]"No
More Additions!"At a Gilead graduation in 1970, Frederick Franz, then vice-president of the Watch Tower Society, told the students of the possibility that they, who were all of the other sheep with earthly hopes, might baptize someone who might claim to be of the anointed remnant. Could this happen? Well, he explained that John the Baptist was of the other sheep, and he baptized Jesus and some of the apostles. Then he went on to ask whether there still was a call for gathering in more of the remnant. "No, no more additions!" he said. "That call ended way back there in 1931-35! There are no more additions. Who, then, are the few newly associated ones who are partaking of the Memorial emblems? If they are of the remnant, they are replacements! They are, not additions to the ranks of the anointed, but replacements for those who may have fallen away."
JW publications strongly imply that the "Heavenly Calling" ended in 1935, but aren't quite definite. Here's a small sampling. Notice the use of terms like "evidently," "suggested," "reasonable to conclude," "about complete," "virtually complete," etc.
*** re chap. 19 p. 116 Sealing the Israel of God ***
The general selection of the true Israel of God proceeded from the day of Pentecost 33 C.E. down to 1935 when, at a historic convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Washington, D.C., emphasis was shifted to the ingathering of a great crowd with earthly life prospects (Revelation 7:9)
*** re chap. 20 p. 125 A Multitudinous Great Crowd ***
They were no part of the little flock but rather of the other sheep. (Luke 12:32; John 10:16) Their being identified in 1935 as the great crowd of other sheep was an indication that the choosing of the 144,000 was then about complete.
*** w88 1/1 p. 11 The Last Days—A Time of Harvest ***
8 However, they are not alone. John, in another vision, sees the sealing of the final ones of the 144,000. (Revelation 7:1-8) Evidently, the gathering of these was virtually complete by 1935. But then, John reports, he sees "a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9-17) So the harvest work continues as many more from "the peoples, national groups and languages" start to serve Jesus as King.
*** ws chap. 6 p. 49 On the Watch During "the Conclusion of the System of Things" ***
6 In the mid-1930’s, something significant took place. What occurred suggested that the membership of the spiritual bride of Christ had been filled, that there were on earth enough spirit-begotten disciples of the Bridegroom to make up the full number of his heavenly bride.
*** w82 2/1 p. 28 "Born Again"—Man’s Part and God’s Part ***
16 Those sharing in preaching this good news of the Kingdom in modern times are confident that Jehovah God is leading his dedicated servants by means of his visible spirit-begotten organization, the "faithful and discreet slave." (Matthew 24:45-47) Under its direction the heavenly hope was held out, highlighted and stressed until about the year 1935. Then as ‘light flashed up’ to reveal clearly the identity of the "great crowd" of Revelation 7:9, the emphasis began to be placed on the earthly hope. (Psalm 97:11) It is reasonable to conclude, therefore, that by that time the full number of 144,000 would have been nearly completed. Of course, any individuals proving unfaithful would need to be replaced. But, understandably, these would be comparatively few
*** w82 2/15 p. 30 "What Prevents Me from Getting Baptized?" ***
15 When we consider how Jehovah has been dealing with his people during the ‘harvest period,’ it seems evident that the heavenly calling in general was completed about the year 1935, when the hope of the "great crowd" of Revelation 7:9-17 was properly understood to be an earthly one.
