Does this make any sense?

by elliej 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • elliej
    elliej

    Okay, this is even confusing for me, so please try to bear with me.

    I am working on a "presentation" to give to a JW family member to defend myself when the fade comes up. I want it to be something that will make them think and this is what I have come up with.

    This person believes in the whole 1914 chronology bible prophecy crap and can't believe this isn't the Truth when they are so right about the date. But I see a flaw with the way it was calculated and I need input to tell me whether I'm cracked or this might really work- get him to think.

    According to the WTS, " In prophecy, a year averages 360 days, or 12 months of 30 days each... So the king’s "seven times," or seven years, were 360 days multiplied by 7, or 2,520 days. " Since these are "prophetic days" they do a day for a year. So good so far.

    " The "seven times" of earth’s domination by Gentile powers without interference by God’s Kingdom therefore spanned 2,520 years. They began with the desolation of Judah and Jerusalem in the seventh lunar month (Tishri 15) of 607 B.C.E. (2 Kings 25:8, 9, 25, 26) From that point to 1 B.C.E. is 606 years. The remaining 1,914 years stretch from then to 1914 C.E. Thus, the "seven times," or 2,520 years, ended by Tishri 15, or October 4/5, 1914 C.E."

    Here's my problem with this: Since they are saying that the 2,520 days are 360 days each, per bible prophecy, should they adjust that number since we don't calculate time that way anymore? 2520 yrs x 360days/yr = 907200days. To convert this period into our calendar year of 365.25 days we divide the period of 907,200 days by 365.25 days to reach a total of 2,483.8 of our modern calendar years. 607 bce + 2520 yrs = 1913 plus one year because there is no zero year. But 607 bce + 2483.8 = 1876.8 plus one year = 1877.8 or mid 1877.

    Am I wrong or should they stick with the same calculating method? I mean, 2520 years with 360 days each just does not equal 1914 when added to 607. Any input would be helpful.

  • Legolas
    Legolas

    I don't know...I think you should stick to the year 607 is false!

  • Spectre
    Spectre

    I thought I saw in another thread that you said you didn't want to get Ray Franz's book. Too bad since he goes into this rather in depth. Apparently, Russell swiped the 1914 idea from some 18th(or so) century monk and ran with it, however, it was all based on faulty dates. Because of WW1 and the spanish flu and all, they desperately need to hold onto the 1914 date. R. Franz said that while writing the Aid book, he basically just had to say, "all secular historians are wrong."

  • elliej
    elliej

    Spectre, you must have me confused with someone else, I have read Rays book twice since November. I realize the 607 date is wrong, and I realize that secular historians trash the WT theory, but I'm trying to get a dyed in the wool JW to see the problems with the chronology. Simply telling them that Ray Franz exposed the problem or 607 is wrong according to everyone except JW's won't work. I need to find a fatal flaw.

  • Legolas
    Legolas

    It is not just Ray though...the whole world knows that Jerusalem fell in 586/587.

    This might help....

    http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/32/77937/1.ashx

  • New Worldly Translation
    New Worldly Translation

    I know what you're saying with the calculations but I think the problem lies in that when the WTS calculate the prophecy once they get to 2,520 years after the day for a year stuff they don't break down that figure any further. 2,520 years is the final figure to count forward from 607 regardless of how many days are in those years.

    I'd say to them that trying to divine dates from ancient texts, including the bible, is defined as occultism.

  • Spectre
    Spectre

    Yes, I did get you confused with someone else.

  • elliej
    elliej
    Yes, I did get you confused with someone else.

    Thank God we got that cleared up. I would hate to be confused as some non-apostate!

  • cosmic
    cosmic

    IMHO the ones who want to "do the math" are the ones that keep car dealers in business.

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