Some of this has been remarked on elsewhere (thinking of Blondie's thread and others). Perhaps something will be useful in a discussion with any JWs who are perturbed or confused about long-standing, written-in-stone doctrines being suddenly turned on their heads.
Like Bobcat's Jeremiah Source Material thread, please feel free to add to it.
My comments in blue. Bold emphasis usually mine within quotations.
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“TELL US, WHEN WILL THESE THINGS BE?”
Par. 3 - For a number of years, we thought that the great
tribulation began in 1914 with World War I and
that “those days were cut short” by Jehovah in 1918
when the war ended ...
This view hasn't been held to since 1969. How many in the congregation will remember the previous idea? The Endnote includes a reference to this article:
w99 5/1 p. 16 pars. 10-12 “Let the Reader Use Discernment”
10 God’s people once understood that the first phase of the great tribulation began in 1914 and that the final part would come at the battle of Armageddon. (Revelation 16:14, 16; compare The Watchtower, April 1, 1939, page 110.) So we can understand why it was once thought that the latter-day “disgusting thing” must have stood in a holy place soon after World War I.
11 However, in later years we have come to see things differently. On Thursday, July 10, 1969, at the “Peace on Earth” International Assembly in New York City, F. W. Franz, then vice president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, gave an electrifying talk. In reviewing the previous understanding of Jesus’ prophecy, Brother Franz said: “The explanation was given that the ‘great tribulation’ had begun in 1914 C.E. and that it was not allowed to run its full course then but God stopped World War I in November of 1918. From then on God was allowing an interval for the activity of his anointed remnant of elect Christians before he let the final part of the ‘great tribulation’ resume at the battle of Armageddon.”
12 Then a significantly adjusted explanation was offered: “To correspond with the events of the first century, . . . the antitypical ‘great tribulation’ did not begin in 1914 C.E. Rather, what took place upon Jerusalem’s modern antitype in 1914-1918 was merely ‘a beginning of pangs of distress’ . . . The ‘great tribulation’ such as will not occur again is yet ahead, for it means the destruction of the world empire of false religion (including Christendom) followed by the ‘war of the great day of God the Almighty’ at Armageddon.” This meant that the entire great tribulation was yet ahead.
See also w.1970, 1/15, p. 49f.
Par. 6- In the larger fulfillment, the “standing”
will occur when the United Nations (the
modern-day “disgusting thing”) attacks
Christendom (which is holy in the eyes
of nominal Christians) and the rest of
Babylon the Great. The same attack is
described at Revelation 17:16-18. That
event will be the beginning of the great
tribulation.
Chart, p. 4 - United Nations (“disgusting thing”) will attack
Christendom (“holy place”) and the rest of
false religion (Rev. 17:16-18)
http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml- UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 30.
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.
Par. 8 - What happens after the initial part
of the great tribulation has passed? Jesus’
words indicate that there will be
a period of time that will last until the
start of Armageddon. What events will
occur during that interval? The answer
is recorded at Ezekiel 38:14-16 and Matthew
24:29-31. (Read.) [2]
Endnote - Paragraph 8: [2] One of the events mentioned
in these verses is the ‘gathering of
the chosen ones.’ (Matt. 24:31) Hence, it
appears that all anointed ones who still remain
on earth after the initial part of the
great tribulation has passed will at some
point be raised to heaven before the outbreak
of the battle of Armageddon. This
adjusts what was stated on this subject in
“Questions From Readers” in The Watchtower
of August 15, 1990, page 30.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribulation
Prewrath Tribulationists believe the Rapture will occur during the tribulation, halfway through or after, but before the seven bowls of the wrath of God.
[...]
Midtribulationists believe that the Rapture will occur halfway through the Tribulation, but before the worst part of it occurs. The seven-year period is divided into halves - the "beginning of sorrows" and the "great tribulation".
... ... Many other groups, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, do not believe in a Rapture at any point. [n.7 - The Watchtower 1993 January 15 p.4 ‘Caught Away to Meet the Lord’—How?]
Well, they believe in some kind of Rapture now.
Par. 10-11 - Consider now the timing of another
part of Jesus’ prophecy—the parable
of the judgment of the sheep and the
goats. (Matt. 25:31-46) Previously, we
thought that the judging of people as
sheep or goats would take place during
the entire period of the last days from
1914 onward. We concluded that those
who rejected the Kingdom message and
who died before the start of the great
tribulation would die as goats—without
the hope of a resurrection.
In the mid-1990’s, The Watchtower
reexamined Matthew 25:31, which
states: “When the Son of man arrives in
his glory, and all the angels with him,
then he will sit down on his glorious
throne.” It was noted that Jesus became
King of God’s Kingdom in 1914, but he
did not “sit down on his glorious throne”
as Judge of “all the nations.” (Matt. 25:
32; compare Daniel 7:13.) However, the
parable of the sheep and the goats describes
Jesus primarily as Judge. (Read
Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46.) Since Jesus
was not yet active as Judge of all nations
in 1914, his judgment of people as sheep
or goats could not have started in that
year.[3]
Endnote - Paragraph 11: [3] See The Watchtower,
October 15, 1995, pages 18-28.
Note the date for the WT reference. Now note the date of the following quote:
w95 5/15 p. 18 Part 1—Flashes of Light—Great and Small
Increasing Flashes of Light
11 Particularly since 1919 have Jehovah’s servants been blessed with increasing flashes of light. ... The very next year [after the 1922 Cedar Point convention], bright light shone on the parable of the sheep and the goats. It was seen that this prophecy was to be fulfilled in the present Lord’s day, not in the future during the Millennium as previously thought. During the Millennium, Christ’s brothers would not be sick, nor would they be imprisoned. Besides, at the end of the Millennium, Jehovah God, not Jesus Christ, will do the judging.—Matthew 25:31-46.
Yes, in only 5 months, that divinely-blessed 'flash of light' was extinguished. In reality, it was untrue, darkness.
Specifically, the 1923 'flash of light' was:
Our Lord’s throne, or judgment-seat, mentioned in
in the parable does not seem to be that of the Millennial
throne which will deal with the living and the dead
during his reign, but seems clearly to be the throne or
court established to judge the things existing at the
time of or during his second presence and before the
beginning of restoration.
[...]
Based upon evidence heretofore set forth
in THE WATCH TOWER, we believe that the Lord came
to his temple in 1918 for the purpose of judgment, first
upon his saints, later upon nominal Christendom.--
Psalm 11 : 4-7 ; Malachi 3 : 1.
- w.1923, October 15th, pp. 308, 309.
It was taught that Jesus started his 'sheep and goats' judgment in 1918 and not in 1914 as the July 15th article writer said. E.g.,
w58 3/15 p. 177 par. 5 Shepherd of Israel
This wonderful saving power of Jehovah toward his people was displayed by his setting of the chosen King upon the heavenly throne in 1914 and by the victorious war in heaven that effected the expulsion of Satan and his wicked angels. Then in 1918 Jehovah, with his King-Son, appeared at his temple for judgment and commenced the separation of his “sheep” from the “goats.”—Rev. 12:7-9; Matt. 25:31-46.
However, it looks like the 1914/1918 timing for the start of the parable's fulfillment had become fuzzier since the early 1960s.
Par. 17 - In the past, we have stated in our
publications that these last four references [to 'coming,' 'arrival']
apply to Jesus’ arriving, or coming,
in 1918. As an example, take Jesus’
statement about “the faithful and discreet
slave.” (Read Matthew 24:45-47.)
We understood that the “arriving” mentioned
in verse 46 was linked to the time
when Jesus came to inspect the spiritual
condition of the anointed in 1918 and
that the appointment of the slave over
all the Master’s belongings occurred in
1919. (Mal. 3:1)
Not just 'stated' but asserted repeatedly and most dogmatically for 85 years. E.g.,
w85 2/1 p. 21 par. 12 Act Promptly Upon the “Sign”!
Historical facts answer Jesus’ question about the identity of this “slave.” “The congregation” that serves as the “slave” is made up of his God-given “brothers” still on earth. It is the same as the ‘discreet virgin’ class. Since 1919 this “slave” has been outstanding in serving fresh spiritual food from the Bible to the “domestics” of the Master’s household, doing so at a time most “proper” for it. Hence, the invisible Master has appointed this dependable “slave” class “over all his belongings” of a spiritual kind.
And who could forget the self-congratulatory 2004 article (w04 3/1), "The Faithful Slave Passes the Test!"? It included,
[Box on page 16]
WHEN DOES JESUS COME?
In Matthew chapters 24 and 25, Jesus is said to “come” in different senses. He does not need to move physically in order to “come.” Rather, he “comes” in the sense of turning his attention to mankind or to his followers, often for judgment. Thus, in 1914 he “came” to begin his presence as enthroned King. (Matthew 16:28; 17:1; Acts 1:11) In 1918 he “came” as messenger of the covenant and began judging those claiming to serve Jehovah. (Malachi 3:1-3; 1 Peter 4:17) At Armageddon, he will “come” to execute judgment on Jehovah’s enemies.—Revelation 19:11-16.
The coming (or, arriving) referred to a number of times at Matthew 24:29-44 and 25:31-46 is at “the great tribulation.” (Revelation 7:14) On the other hand, the coming referred to a number of times at Matthew 24:45 to 25:30 has to do with his judging professed disciples from 1918 onward. It would not be reasonable to say, for example, that the rewarding of the faithful slave, the judgment of the foolish virgins, and the judgment of the sluggish slave, who hid the Master’s talent, will take place when Jesus “comes” at the great tribulation. That would imply that many of the anointed will be found unfaithful at that time and will thus have to be replaced. However, Revelation 7:3 indicates that all of Christ’s anointed slaves will have been permanently “sealed” by that time.
The thought of the 'faithful slave' being rewarded in the future is an unreasonable one, they say. Also we mustn't forget this:
WHY TRUST "THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE"
There are many reasons to have complete trust in the slave class. First and foremost, Jesus has appointed them over all his precious "belongings." This is a clear indication that he has complete trust in them.
- p. 18, Organized to Do Jehovah's Will (2005) [italics in the original]
Par. 19 - Finally, we examined why Jesus’
arrival to appoint the faithful slave
over all his belongings did not occur in
1919 but will take place during the great
tribulation.
All the boasting about how trustworthy and dependable the 'slave' is because they passed the test and were promoted; how the historical facts and Scripture support this conclusion and answer the question about the 'slave's' true identity; it has all just been a total sham.