Another FALSE PROPHECY by the Watchtower Society:
OLD LIGHT:
Awake!, October 8th 1968 Issue, Pages 13-14:
"What will the 1970's Bring? The fact that fifty-four years of the period called the 'last days' have already gone by is highly significant. It means that only a few years, at most, remain before the corrupt system of things dominating the earth is destroyed by God. How can we be so certain of this? Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the 'last days' began. Jesus was saying that some of those persons who were alive at the appearance of the 'sign of the last days' would still be alive when God brought this system to its end. Even if we presume that the youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of 'this generation' nearly 70 years old today"__________________________________________
Awake!, April 8th 1974 Issue, Page 18:
The fact that those foretold events have taken place, right on schedule, all within one generation, gives us confidence that the fulfillment of God’s promise of genuinely better times will also take place. When will it come? Before the lifetime of the ‘1914 generation’ runs out.
How do we know that? Because this point was specifically mentioned by Jesus Christ as part of his prophecy for our times. He pointedly said: “Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.”—Matt. 24:34.
The ‘1914 generation’ has nearly run out, with most of the people who were alive then having already died. The remainder are of advanced age. Thus there is full reason for confidence that God’s time is indeed at hand to bring true relief from earth’s present pressures and afflictions.__________________________________________
The Watchtower, December 15th 1976 Issue, Page 750:
This generation among which all such unrighteous persecution of God’s ambassadors and emissaries has been committed since World War I of 1914-1918 C.E. is a marked generation. How so? In that it will experience God’s fulfilling of his promise to bring in the righteous new system of things. __________________________________________
The Watchtower, May 1st 1985 Issue, Page 7:
We also know that the 1914 generation is well into the evening of its existence, thus allowing only little time for this prophecy yet to be fulfilled. But we also know—for this we have Jesus’ own promise—that “this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.”—Revelation 17:11; Mark 13:30.
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Worldwide Security Book (1986), Page 16:
The generation of 1914 saw the start of the meaningful world events foretold by Jesus. (Matthew 24:3-14) That generation, Jesus said, would not pass away until all these things would be fulfilled. It is now very close to finishing its course.—Matthew 24:34.__________________________________________
True Peace Book (1986), Pages 83-84:
As to “that day and hour,” Jesus said, “nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.” But Jesus did give a helpful time indicator when he said: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.” (Matthew 24:34, 36) Thus all the various features of “the sign,” as well as the “great tribulation,” must take place within the lifetime of one generation—the generation of 1914. This means that some persons who observed the events of 1914, when “the conclusion of the system of things” began, would still be alive to see its end when the “great tribulation” strikes. Those who remember the events of 1914 are getting up in years now. Most of their number have already died. But Jesus assured us that “this generation will by no means pass away” before destruction of this wicked system of things comes.—Matthew 24:21.__________________________________________
Awake!, November 8th 1986 Issue, Page 8:
The Scriptures call this short period preceding God’s intervention “the time of the end” and specify that it will not last longer than a “generation.”
Since the “generation” of 1914 is now well advanced in years, God’s promise is really up-to-date news for young people today.
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Reasoning Book (1989)
Page 97:
Before the last members of the generation that was alive in 1914 will have passed off the scene, all the things foretold will occur, including the “great tribulation” in which the present wicked world will end.—Matt. 24:21, 22, 34.
Page 238:
The present wicked system of things, which extends worldwide, entered its last days in 1914, and some of the generation alive then will also be on hand to witness its complete end in the “great tribulation.”__________________________________________
Live Forever Book (1989 Edition), Page 154:
After drawing attention to the many things that have marked the period from 1914 onward, Jesus said: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things [including the end of this system] occur.” (Matthew 24:34, 14) Which generation did Jesus mean? He meant the generation of people who were living in 1914. Those persons yet remaining of that generation are now very old. However, some of them will still be alive to see the end of this wicked system. So of this we can be certain: Shortly now there will be a sudden end to all wickedness and wicked people at Armageddon.
Some of the generation living in 1914 will see the end of the system of things and survive it__________________________________________
The Watchtower, August 15th 1992 Issue, Page 9:
The magazine now known as The Watchtower is freely available to visitors. Since 1879 this magazine has grown in circulation to over 15 million copies semimonthly in 111 languages. It directs individuals to the Bible’s promise that some of the generation of 1914 will be alive to see good physical and spiritual health restored to mankind. (Isaiah 33:24)
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Proclaimers Book (1993), Pages 715-716:
It is similar with those keeping on the watch today. They fully realize that the deeper we get into this time of the end, the more challenging it will be to keep in expectation of Jesus’ coming. But they have not lost faith in Jesus’ words: “Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.” (Matt. 24:34) The expression “these things” refers to the various features of the composite “sign.” This sign has been in evidence since 1914 and will culminate at the “great tribulation.” (Matt. 24:21) The “generation” that was alive in 1914 is fast dwindling. The end cannot be far off.__________________________________________
Our Kingdom Ministry, October 1993 Issue, Page 8:
The purpose of Awake! is stated clearly on page 4 of each issue: “This magazine builds confidence in the Creator’s promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.”
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Awake!, November 8th 1994 Issue, Page 10:
The Real Significance of 1914
AS INDICATED on page 4, “this magazine builds confidence in the Creator’s promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away.”
This time of the end is, however, to be a relatively short period—stretching over one generation. (Luke 21:31, 32) The fact that we are now 80 years beyond 1914 indicates that we can soon expect the deliverance that God’s Kingdom will bring. This means that we will see “the lowliest one of mankind”—Jesus Christ—take complete control of “the kingdom of mankind” and bring about a peaceful and just new world.—Daniel 4:17.
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NEW LIGHT:
The Watchtower, November 1st 1995 Issue, Pages 18-20:
Rather than provide a rule for measuring time, the term “generation” as used by Jesus refers principally to contemporary people of a certain historical period, with their identifying characteristics.
In line with the above, professor of history Robert Wohl wrote in his book The Generation of 1914: “A historical generation is not defined by its chronological limits . . . It is not a zone of dates.” But he pointed out that World War I created “an overwhelming sense of rupture with the past,” and he added: “Those who lived through the war could never rid themselves of the belief that one world had ended and another begun in August 1914.” How true that is! It focuses on the crux of the matter. “This generation” of mankind since 1914 has experienced appalling changes. It has seen the earth drenched with the blood of millions. Warfare, genocide, terrorism, crime, and lawlessness have erupted worldwide. Famine, disease, and immorality have stalked our globe. Jesus prophesied: “You also, when you [his disciples] see these things occurring, know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I say to you, This generation will by no means pass away until all things occur.”—Luke 21:31, 32.
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Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy today, “this generation” apparently refers to the peoples of earth who see the sign of Christ’s presence but fail to mend their ways.
No human can say when that end will be, but we know that the end of “this generation” of wicked people will come once the witness has been given to God’s satisfaction “to the most distant part of the earth.”__________________________________________
The Watchtower, May 1st 1997 Issue, Page 29:
“A generation of people cannot be viewed as a period having a fixed number of years” and, “The people of a generation live for a relatively brief period.”
We often use “generation” in this way. For example, we might say, ‘The soldiers of Napoleon’s generation knew nothing about airplanes and atom bombs.’ Would we be referring just to soldiers who were born in the very same year as Napoleon was? Would we be referring merely to those French soldiers who died before Napoleon did? Of course not; nor would we by such a use of “generation” be trying to fix a set number of years.
...It is similar with our understanding of what Jesus said in his prophecy given on the Mount of Olives.
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The Watchtower, June 1st 1997 Issue, Page 28:
Many scriptures confirm that Jesus did not use “generation” with regard to some small or distinct group, meaning only the Jewish leaders or only his loyal disciples. Rather, he used “generation” in condemning the masses of Jews who rejected him. Happily, though, individuals could do what the apostle Peter urged on the day of Pentecost, repent and “get saved from this crooked generation.”—Acts 2:40.
In that statement, Peter was clearly not being precise as to any fixed age or length of time, nor was he tying the “generation” to any certain date. He did not say that people should get saved from the generation that was born in the same year Jesus was or the generation that was born in 29 C.E. Peter was speaking about the unbelieving Jews of that period—some perhaps being rather young, others being older—who had been exposed to Jesus’ teaching, had seen or heard of his miracles, and had not accepted him as Messiah.
That evidently is how Peter understood Jesus’ use of “generation” when he and three other apostles were with Jesus on the Mount of Olives. According to Jesus’ prophetic statement, Jews of that period—basically, Jesus’ contemporaries—were going to experience or hear of wars, earthquakes, famines, and other evidences that the end of the Jewish system was near. In fact, that generation did not pass before the end came in 70 C.E.—Matthew 24:3-14, 34.
It must be acknowledged that we have not always taken Jesus’ words in that sense.
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So the recent information in The Watchtower about “this generation” ...did give us a clearer grasp of Jesus’ use of the term “generation,” helping us to see that his usage was no basis for calculating—counting from 1914—how close to the end we are.__________________________________________
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 (New World Translation): "‘However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. And in case you should say in your heart: "How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?" when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With presumptuousness the prophet spoke it. You must not get frightened at him.’