I came across this on ebay the other day:
Is the WATCHTOWER SOCIETY "Test-Driving" 2034 As Their Next Armageddon Prediction?
This auction is for a "like new" copy of the 12/15/2003 issue of the WATCHTOWER magazine.
The first study article, entitled, "Our Watchfulness Takes On Greater Urgency", is one of their routine "fire up the sales force for the next year" article; typically threatening and scaring JWs by comparing only the "negatives" of our current day with that of Noah's day.
Since the WATCHTOWER SOCIETY has pretty much worn out this comparison over the years, most JWs likely read through this article, and then dozed through the boring WatchTower Study, without noticing anything new. And, maybe there isn't?
However, for those of us who lived through the late '60s and early '70s, when the WATCHTOWER SOCIETY "never predicted that Armageddon would occur in October 1975", this article has the "odor" of a possible new end-time prediction.
Given the fact that the WATCHTOWER SOCIETY has the worst track record in history in setting dates to fulfill Bible prophecy (1799, 1844, 1874, 1878, 1881, 1914, 1915, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1925, 1930-40s, 1975, to name a few), the NEW LEADERSHIP of "non-anointed" Corporate Officers (as if the "governing body" was not also "non-anointed") is hopefully smart enough to not come right out and state a specific date. However, what they might do is "take a date out for a test drive". That is, they may start throwing out some insinuations of a certain date; wait and see if their membership take the hint; and wait and see how such date affects the "sales figures".
In the opening subheading (the purpose of which is to set up the topic of the article), paragraph 5 states:
"It is reasonable to assume that Jehovah feels about the present world as he felt about the pre-Flood world. Since he brought an end to the ungodly world of Noah's day, he will certainly destroy the wicked world of today. Having a clear understanding of the parallel between that time and our day should fortify our conviction that the end of the present world is near. What then are the similarities? There are at least five. The first is that a warning of coming destruction is given in no uncertain terms."
Paragraph 6 opens with Genesis 6:3 quoted; which the article interpretes as Jehovah's dating the Flood to occur 120 years from the date of such divine decree. The paragraph continues:
"The issuance of this divine decree in 2490 B.C.E. marked the beginning of the end for that ungodly world. Only 120 years more and Jehovah would bring 'the deluge' ... ."
In paragraph 7, the "point" continues:
"... Some 90 years have passed since the last days of this system of things began in 1914. We are certainly in 'the time of the end.'"
It doesn't take a "rocket scientist" to do the math and to connect the dots:
"beginning of the end" + 120 years = FLOOD.
"the last days of this system of things began" in 1914 + 120 years = ARMAGEDDON.
1914 + 120 years = 2034.
Who knows? You be the judge. Get your collector's copy now!