In recent times, the expression, “The Last of the Last Days,” has been used by a certain group. This can be seen from their website, www.jw.org. Since such an expression id not used in the Bible, where does it come from?
“Sin is not ended by multiplying words” (Proverbs 10:19 NIV)
“At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness—and fools multiply words” (Ecclesiastes 10:13,14 NIV)
Back in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s Jehovah’s Witnesses were predicting that the year 1914 would be the end of the world, in direct contradiction to Jesus warning that no one knows the date of the end of the world (Matthew 24;36). Rather than repent of their false prophesy, they changed their story. However, “God’s firm foundation stands” (2 Timothy 2:19 ESV).read more
Bible, Jehovah’s Witnesses Publications, Prove 1914 Date False
Jehovah’s Witnesses have used dates to establish or legitimize their existence since they began in the 1870’s. All the dates they used back then have been gradually discarded as time has gone by, and evidence proves all those dates to be Biblically and historically untenable. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have, for many years now, proclaimed that the year 1914 began Jesus’ kingship over the world, and also the “last days” started. This, in itself, should be a red flag for any serious Bible-believing Christian. Why?
“When a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh and the thing does not happen and the word is not fulfilled, then it has not been said by Yahweh” (Deuteronomy 18:22 NJB)
There are many sources available to get the details of the history of Jehovah’ Witnesses (JW’s) and their date setting, if one wishes. The date 1914 was put forward originally in the late 1800’s as the date of Armageddon, and the end of the world, etc., after their previous dates of 1874, 1878, and more failed. These facts, in themselves, that is, the setting of dates, are a critical violation of the scriptural principles of:
“About that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Matthew 24:36 NIV).
“It is not for you to know the dates and times the Father has set by his own authority” (Acts 1:8 NIV).
The Witnesses revised their assertions about 1914 after all their predictions about that date failed, and since 1943 they have loudly proclaimed 1914 to be the date of Christ’s coming into ‘full Kingdom power’, and the beginning of ‘the last days’. Even though they have revised exactly what all that meant many times, they have held to the 1914 date ever since. How do the JW’s arrive at the 1914 date?
Their own sources reveal a rather complex patchwork cobbling together of various scriptures combining with some historical events to calculate a starting point of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians about 600 years before Christ, which begins a time period of 2,520 years, based on Daniel 4:16,17,23; Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6), culminating in the year 1914. Again, you can easily check the JW sources themselves at jw.org. This entire framework of setting the 1914 date is unscriptural, but the starting point of this 2,520 year time period, is completely unscriptural, and also contradicts historical facts. The JW’s for many years have used a 3 1/2 year period they asserted from scripture, ‘prophesying in sackcloth’ (Revelation 11:2,3), to apply from the fall/1914 to the spring/1918, and claimed the first “anointed ones” were then resurrected to heaven. Since 8 prominent JW leaders were imprisoned in the summer of 1918 until spring/1919, the JW’s claimed the “three and a half days” of being killed and lying dead on the streets of “Sodom and Egypt”, i. e., the world, and then coming back to life spiritually with their release from prison (Revelation 11:7-11). The JW’s still assert a spiritual ‘cleansing’ during this period of time, marked by their being commissioned by God, as they now assert, as his “faithful and discreet slave” class of leaders (Matthew 24:45 NWT). But this entire framework/patchwork of scriptures/time periods has been hinged on the 607 BCE date being accurate.
There is much documented historical evidence, which is fairly easy to check, to support the date of 587/586 BCE as the date of Jerusalem’s destruction by the Babylonians, including the glorious temple built by Solomon. The JW’s, however, assert that this destruction occurred in 607 BCE, without any supporting evidence, using only their own conjecture. The JW’s accept the hisorically verifiable date date of 539 BCE as the date of Babylon’s fall, with the takeover by the Medo-Persian Empire. The problem for the Witnesses? The 587/586 date and the 539 date are both supported by much of the same prolific documentary evidence. But here’s the kicker for the JW’s—the 586/587 BCE date that the Witnesses reject, has even stronger evidence than the 539 BCE date, which the JW’s accept, and the 607 BCE date has none! There is not even the slightest shred of evidence to support the 607 BCE date. Thus, the Jehovah’s Witnesses 1914 date rests on a non-existent foundation.
The following two quoted paragraphs give the Witnesses’ line of reasoning to arrive at their 607 BCE date for Jerusalem’s destruction. Notice that they insist on a literal 70 year period from the return from exile, which they assume was in 537 BCE, and they extrapolate back to 607 BCE.
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Jesus is the Mediator between God and man. Yet Trinitarians claim Jesus is God.
The Bible says there is only ‘one mediator between humans and God.’ Who, or what, is that?
“This, then is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven . . . “—Matthew 6:9 NIV.
“No one comes to the Father except through me”—John 14:6
“There is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus”—1 Timothy 2:5 NIV
While they all give ‘lip service’ (Mark 7:6-13) to the principles that the scriptures above express, Christian denominations have differing views on the exactly how the mediatorial relationship between them and God operates. So, yes, they all “say” that Jesus is the mediator, but in actual practice things are not exactly the way the Bible says they should be. For example, Catholics teach that Christians must go through their priesthood and their hierarchy, including their Pope, to have a relationship with God. Others teach that one can only have a relationship with God through their particular denomination, organization, or church. Some have even thought, or taught that a relationship with God was only possible through one particular pastor. Trinitarians often simply ignore this vital relationship. Let’s make clear what the scriptures say about this:
“The true worshippers will worship the Father”—John 4:23
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved”—John 10:8 NIV.
The Father of Jesus, Almighty God, is the only one who should be worshipped, according to the scriptures. But we must go through his Son, Jesus Christ, to have this relationship. Why?
“Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here”—Hebrews 9:11 NIVread more
Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW’s) have historically been best known for their public and door-to-door witnessing, distributing literature such as The Watchtower and Awake! magazines. But how could Jehovah’s Witnesses be reasoned with about Biblical beliefs?
First, you will not be able to prove JW’s wrong on such things as:
Trinity
Hell
Immortal Soul
Birthdays
Christmas
Political Involvement
War/Fighting for Country
JW’s are taught that these are some primary reasons they’re the only true Christians. JW’s are very well trained on these subjects and armed with scriptures. The scriptures actually do support their positions on the above issues, except for birthdays.
“Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses. What do such beliefs include? …
“That there is a ‘faithful and discreet slave’ upon earth today ‘entrusted with all of Jesus’ earthly interests,’ which slave is associated with the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses. (Matthew 24:45-47) That 1914 marked the end of the Gentile Times and the establishment of the Kingdom of God in the heavens, as well as the time for Christ’s foretold presence. (Luke 21:7-24; Revelation 11:15–12:10) That only 144,000 Christians will receive the heavenly reward. That Armageddon, referring to the battle of the great day of God the Almighty, is near. (Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11-21) That it will be followed by Christ’s Millennial Reign, which will restore an earth-wide paradise. That the first to enjoy it will be the present “great crowd” of Jesus’ “other sheep.”—John 10:16; Revelation 7:9-17; 21:3, 4.” (Quoted from: The Watchtower, 4/1/1986, page 31, Questions From Readers)read more
Was the Babylonian Captivity a Literal Seventy Years?
Was the Babylonian captivity a literal seventy years?
“These nations will be enslaved to the king of Babylon for seventy years. But when the seventy years are over, I shall punish the king of Babylon and that nation, Yahweh declares”—Jeremiah 25:11,12 NJB
“For Yahweh says this: When the seventy years granted to Babylon are over, I shall intervene on your behalf and fulfill my promise to you and bring you back to this place”—Jeremiah 29:10 NJB
The prophetic expression describing the time of Judah’s captivity as “seventy years” (Jeremiah 25:11,12; 29:10) has prompted speculation throughout the history of Biblical interpretation. The “seventy years” that Jeremiah predicted involved Judah and other nations being “enslaved to the king of Babylon,” and Judah being ‘brought back to its homeland’ after the “seventy years” were complete.
Jehovah’s Witnesses assert that the Babylonian exile was a literal 70 years, during which time the land of Judah was completely desolate, beginning about three months after the Temple and Jerusalem were destroyed. They use 537 BCE as the date of the return from exile and captivity, which has historical, archaeological and astronomical evidence to support it. But, with no proof whatsoever, they claim the destruction of Jerusalem happened, and Judah and the exile began in the year 607 BCE. Why? Because, for over a hundred years, they have used the 607 date as a springboard to arrive at their end of the world date setting, including their important 1914 date, through patching together a series of complicated calculations derived from various unrelated scriptures. These calculations, up until 1928, even included various measurements from inside the Great Pyramid of Egypt to arrive at 1914. They have so much invested in their 1914 date that they can’t seem to bring themselves to abandon their foundational 607 BCE date, in spite of overwhelming contrary evidence. They assert that the Jews returned to their homeland in 537 BCE, and add the 70 years for the exile to arrive at 607 BCE for the start, as mentioned above.
Notice in the primary scripture prophecy, Jeremiah 25:11, that the “seventy years” are years of servitude to “the king of Babylon and that nation.”
The numeric systems of the ancient Near East were predominantly hexagesimal (based upon ascending groups of six), and the maximum number that could be easily calculated was 60. It is possible that the number 70 may have been used to symbolically represent a numeric value of staggering proportions or perhaps the number of years representing a generation (Psalm 90:10; Isaiah 23:15). The number 70 may have been used in the same way in Jeremiah 25, as in Isaiah’s announcement that Tyre would be desolate for 70 years (Isaiah 23:15,17), and a similar usage may be reflected in the Black Stone of Esarhaddon, in which Marduk decreed displeasure against Babylon for 70 years.
The original context of the prophetic word was the fourth year of Jehoiakim of Judah and the first of Nebuchadnezzar (605 BCE.). “Until this very day” (Jeremiah 25:3) Jeremiah anticipated a period of devastation and judgment during which Judah would serve Babylon. Upon the completion of this interval, the prophet predicted that divine judgment would be brought upon Babylon (vv. 12-13) and Judah and that Jerusalem would be restored (Jeremiah 29:10-14).
When Did the “Seventy Years” Begin and End?
The “Seventy Years” began when King Jehoiakim began to serve Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians when Judah became one of its vassal states in 605 B.C.E. “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it. And the Lord handed delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand. . . Then the king ordered Ashkenazi, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility” (Daniel 1:1-3 NIV). Daniel, using the accession year dating system employed by the Babylonians, indicates that Judah came under the control of Babylon in the 3rd year of Jehoiakim’s reign, that is, 605 BCE. This deportation of some from Judah was the beginning of the Babylonian captivity.
“In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has come up, and Jehoiakim is a servant to him [for] three years; and he turns and rebells against him, and YHWH sends against him the troops of the Chaldeans, and the troops of Aram, and the troops of Moab, and the troops of the sons of Ammon, and He sends them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of YHWH that He spoke by the hand of His servants of the prophets” (2 Kings 24:1,2 LSV). The other nations mentioned were also under the control of Babylon at the time. Thus, the servitude of Judah and the other nations began during the reign of king Jehoiakim.
Further evidence of this is in Jeremiah: “In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah . . . the prophet =&0=&Even though the prophecy was false, the point is that Judah was at that time already under ‘the yoke of Babylon,’ and therefore in servitude to Babylon, in Zedekiah’s 4th year, 593 BCE.
The land, however, was not entirely without any inhabitants during the “seventy years,” because the scriptures show otherwise. For example, “in the twenty-third year of =&1=&This 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar was 582/581 BCE, The deportation of “Judahites” that year proves that there were at least several hundred people still living in Judah about five years after the destruction of Jerusalem.
Almost 70 years later than the 4th year of Jehoiakim, which was 605 BCE, Babylon was captured by the Persians, bringing about the end of Babylonian sovereignty over Judah, and initiating the process of the return from exile under Cyrus the Great (539/538 BCE.). The return was finished by 537/536 BCE.
The interpretation of Jeremiah’s 70 years of captivity as the approximate period between 605 and 537/536 B.C.E. is more explicitly stated in later Biblical texts, and is proven historically, archaeologically, and astronomically. According to 2 Chronicles 36:20-21, divine judgment was executed against Judah by the Babylonian king: “Those who had escaped the sword he deported to Babylon, where they were enslaved by him and his descendants until the rise of the king of Persia, to fulfill Yahweh’s prophecy through Jeremiah: Until the country has paid off its Sabbaths, it will lie fallow for all the days of its desolation — until the seventy years are =&2=&Both situations, that is, the Jews being enslaved to the King of Babylon, and the land lying desolate, are included in “the seventy years.” Both the Chronicler (2 Chronicles 36:22 NIV) and Ezra (Ezra 1:1) interpreted the edict of Cyrus, which authorized the return of the exiles and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2-4; 6:1 -12), as the fulfillment of the prophetic word of Jeremiah.
“In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, of then seed of the Medes, who has been made king over the kingdom of the =&3=&
In recent times, the expression, “The Last of the Last Days,” has been used by a certain group. This can be seen from their website, www.jw.org. Since such an expression id not used in the Bible, where does it come from?
