1975

One of the "dates" that seem to cause the most "publicity" is 1975. Some try to pant a picture of JWs saying that the end of this world (system of things as we now know it) by Armageddon   would happen in that year.

In my attenpt to give a balanced veiw for readers, I will insert some of the "Quotes" that they use to get their point accross. The following section is taken straight from a site that advicates the above. What I have done is change the colour and added some comments and more of the "qoute" that they use.

Now lets see what God revealed to his prophet the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society about 1975 :

AWAKE! Oct/08/1966, p 19:

"In what year, then, would the first 6,000 years of man's existence and also the first 6,000 years of God's rest day come to an end? The year 1975."

WATCHTOWER Oct/15/1966, p 629:

"Discussion of 1975 overshadowed about everything else. 'The new book compels us to realise that Armageddon is, in fact, very close indeed,' said a conventioner." (see discution of this article down further)

LIFE EVERLASTING - IN FREEDOM OF THE SONS OF GOD, 1966, p 29:

"According to this trustworthy Bible chronology six thousand years from man's creation will end in 1975, and the seventh period of a thousand years of human history will begin in the fall on 1975 C.E..""It would not be by mere chance or accident but would be according to the loving purpose of Jesus Christ, the "Lord of the sabbath," to run parallel with the seventh millennium of man's existence."

WATCHTOWER, May/01/1967, p 262:

"...1975 marks the end of 6,000 years of human experience.....Will it be the time when God executes the wicked?....It very well could be, but we will have to wait to see." (Please notice that it was an assumption somethig will happen "It very well could be, but we will have to wait to see.")

WATCHTOWER MAY/1/1968 P 271-3

"Thus, Adam's naming of the animals and his realizing that he needed a counterpart would have occupied only a brief time after his creation. Since it was also Jehovah's purpose for man to multiply and fill the earth, it is logical that he would create Eve soon after Adam, perhaps just a few weeks or months later in the same year, 4026 B.C.E. After her creation, God's rest day, the seventh period, immediately followed. 'When were Adam and Eve created?' .. After [Eve's] creation, God's rest day, the seventh period, immediately followed. Therefore, God's seventh day and the time man has been on earth apparently run parallel. To calculate where man is in the stream of time relative to God's seventh day of 7,000 years, we need to determine how long a time has elapsed from the year of Adam and Eve's creation in 4026 B.C.E.. The seventh day of the Jewish week, the sabbath, would well picture the final 1,000-year reign of God's kingdom under Christ when mankind would be uplifted from 6,000 years of sin and death. (Rev. 20:6) Hence, when Christians note from God's timetable the approaching end of 6,000 years of human history, it fills them with anticipation. Particularly is this true because the great sign of the "last days" has been in the course of fulfillment since the beginning of the "time of the end" in 1914... eight years remain to account for a full 6,000 years of the seventh day. Eight years from the autumn of 1967 would bring us to the autumn of 1975, fully 6,000 years into God's seventh day, his rest day. The immediate future is certain to be filled with climatic events, for this old system is nearing its complete end. Within a few years at most the final parts of Bible prophecy relative to these 'last days' will undergo fulfillment, resulting in the liberation of surviving mankind into Christ's glorious 1,000-year reign!" { May 1 1968 271-3} [the cautionary "No one can say with certainty what any particular year will bring." clearly being lost in the tumult] .(words in red are not in original article but added by the JW apposer)

WATCHTOWER, Aug/15/1968, P 494:

Article heading - "WHY ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO 1975?" (see discution of article further down the page)

WATCHTOWER, Aug/15/1968, P 499 (same article):

"ADAM CREATED AT CLOSE OF "SIXTH DAY"

Are we to assume from this study that the battle of Armageddon will be all over by the autumn of 1975, and the long-looked-for thousand-year reign of Christ will begin by then ?Possibly, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man's existence coincides with the sabbath like thousand-year reign of Christ....It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years."

KINGDOM MINISTRY, Mar/1968, P 4:

"...there are only about ninety months left before 6,000 years of man's existence on earth is completed....The majority of people living today will probably be alive when Armageddon breaks out..."

KINGDOM MINISTRY, Jun/1969, p 3:

"In view of the short time left, a decision to pursue a career in this system of things is not only unwise but extremely dangerous .....Many young brother and sisters were offered scholarships or employment that promised fine pay. However, they turned them down and put spiritual interests first."

KINGDOM MINISTRY, May/1974, p 3:

"Yes, the end of this system is so very near! Is that no reason to increase our activity?....Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system of things in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world's end."

WATCHTOWER, Jul/01/1974, p 397:

"It also tells us that this millennium must be preceded immediately by the most destructive war in all human history. We can now see the political rulers...being gathered...for that War of all wars.."  Whereas all that was definitely said, was that 1975 would mark the end of 6000 years of mans creation, and that was a major event for mankind. The WTBTS publications said that it would seem appropriate for something major to happen, but they NEVER said any event WOULD happen

So, what was actually told to Witnesses about what to expect from 1975. Lets let The Watchtower of October 15 1966 page 631 answer :-

"At the Baltimore assembly Brother Franz in his closing remarks made some interesting comments regarding the year 1975…….." After explaining in some detail the reasoning behind why it was felt 1975 was important, he said....

‘" What about the year 1975? What is it going to mean, dear friends?’ asked Brother Franz. ‘Does it mean that Armageddon is going to be finished, with Satan bound, by 1975? It could! It could! All things are possible with God. Does it mean that Babylon the Great is going to go down by 1975? It could. Does it mean that the attack of Gog of Magog is going to be made on Jehovah’s witnesses to wipe them out, then Gog himself will be put out of action? It could. But we are not saying. All things are possible with God. But we are not saying. And don’t any of you be specific in saying anything that is going to happen between now and 1975. But the big point of it all is this, dear friends: Time is short. Time is running out, no question about that. " (Italics and bold added.)

Now lets go forward a couple of years to 1968 and the we will look at 2 watchtower articles. The first one from May 1 1968 P 271 –273 and the Watchtower August 15 page 499 – 501 from the article "Why are you looking forward to 1975". Notice the warnings in this passage as well as the comparisons to the apostles (Underlining andbold mine; italics original. Scipture text in blue added and quoted from RSV ) (The writing in this colour is what was quoted above.) (Some extra coments by me in this COLOUR) Reading through the original articles hopefully will show the CAUTIONS put into place and why the information was printed. It was not there to "prophecy" but to warn and make readers alert to the time that we live. There were helping readers "keep on the watch"

May 1 watchtower 1968 pages 271 -273

THE SEVENTH DAY

4 According to reliable Bible chronology Adam was created in the year 4026 B.C.E., likely in the autumn of the year, at the end of the sixth day of creation. Then God brought the animals to man to name. Yet, of Adam, Genesis states these words of Jehovah: "It is not good for the man to continue by himself." (Gen. 2:18) Adam would realize this lonely condition very quickly, perhaps in just a few days or a few weeks. He would realize he needed another earthling with whom he could communicate, share his experiences, and his life. Nor would his naming the animals take an unduly long time. The basic animal kinds could have been relatively quickly named, for when such basic kinds were taken into the ark in Noah’s day, it did not involve millions of beasts, but perhaps only a few hundred basic kinds. Thus, Adam’s naming of the animals and his realizing that he needed a counterpart would have occupied only a brief time after his creation. Since it was also Jehovah’s purpose for man to multiply and fill the earth, it is logical that he would create Eve soon after Adam, perhaps just a few weeks or months later in the same year, 4026 B.C.E. After her creation, God’s rest day, the seventh period, immediately followed.(Some of these points clarified in the August 15 Watchtower below)

5 Therefore, God’s seventh day and the time man has been on earth apparently run parallel. To calculate where man is in the stream of time relative to God’s seventh day of 7,000 years, we need to determine how long a time has elapsed from the year of Adam and Eve’s creation in 4026 B.C.E. From the autumn of that year to the autumn of 1 B.C.E., there would be 4,025 years. From the autumn of 1 B.C.E. to the autumn of 1 C.E. is one year (there was no zero year). From the autumn of 1 C.E. to the autumn of 1967 is a total of 1,966 years. Adding 4,025 and 1 and 1,966, we get 5,992 years from the autumn of 4026 B.C.E. to the autumn of 1967. Thus, eight years remain to account for a full 6,000 years of the seventh day. Eight years from the autumn of 1967 would bring us to the autumn of 1975, fully 6,000 years into God’s seventh day, his rest day. [COMPARE THIS with PART OF THE QUOTE ABOVE IS PUT IN A DIFFERENT PLACE. I only mention this to demonstrate how oppsers of JWS can try to manipulate the thinking of their readers by the way they put their material together.]

6 After 6,000 years of misery, toil, trouble, sickness and death under Satan’s rule, mankind is indeed in dire need of relief, a rest. The seventh day of the Jewish week, the sabbath, would well picture the final 1,000-year reign of God’s kingdom under Christ when mankind would be uplifted from 6,000 years of sin and death. (Rev. 20:6) Hence, when Christians note from God’s timetable the approaching end of 6,000 years of human history, it fills them with anticipation. Particularly is this true because the great sign of the "last days" has been in the course of fulfillment since the beginning of the "time of the end" in 1914. And, as Jesus said, "this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." (Matt. 24:34) Some of the generation that discerned the beginning of the time of the end in 1914 will still be alive on earth to witness the end of this present wicked system of things at the battle of Armageddon.—Rev. 16:14, 16.

7 The immediate future is certain to be filled with climactic events, for this old system is nearing its complete end. Within a few years at most the final parts of Bible prophecy relative to these "last days" will undergo fulfillment, resulting in the liberation of surviving mankind into Christ’s glorious 1,000-year reign. What difficult days, but, at the same time, what grand days are just ahead!

8 Does this mean that the year 1975 will bring the battle of Armageddon? No one can say with certainty what any particular year will bring. Jesus said: "Concerning that day or the hour nobody knows." (Mark 13:32) Sufficient is it for God’s servants to know for a certainty that, for this system under Satan, time is running out rapidly. How foolish a person would be not to be awake and alert to the limited time remaining, to the earthshaking events soon to take place, and to the need to work out one’s salvation!

WATCHTOWER AUGUST 15

ADAM CREATED AT CLOSE OF "SIXTH DAY".

30 Are we to assume from this study that the battle of Armageddon will be all over by the autumn of 1975, and the long-looked-for thousand-year reign of Christ will begin by then? Possibly, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man’s existence coincides with the sabbathlike thousand-year reign of Christ. If these two periods run parallel with each other as to the calendar year, it will not be by mere chance or accident but will be according to Jehovah’s loving and timely purposes. Our chronology, however, which is reasonably accurate (but admittedly not infallible), at the best only points to the autumn of 1975 as the end of 6,000 years of man’s existence on earth. It does not necessarily mean that 1975 marks the end of the first 6,000 years of Jehovah’s seventh creative "day." Why not? Because after his creation Adam lived some time during the "sixth day," which unknown amount of time would need to be subtracted from Adam’s 930 years, to determine when the sixth seven-thousand-year period or "day" ended, and how long Adam lived into the "seventh day." And yet the end of that sixth creative "day" could end within the same Gregorian calendar year of Adam’s creation. It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years.

(Please note the information between the "quotes". If you re read the first quote the impression that the writer was trying to put forward was that the Society said that  Armageddon  would  

happen within a few weeks or months and not years of 1975 The Society said COULD The Watchtower article writer was looking at things from a human point of view and a human perspective of time not from Gods perspective of time. He was over excited about what the signs meant. But regardless of that CAUTIONS WERE put in place)

31 In regard to Adam’s creation it is good to read carefully what the Bible says. Moses in compiling the book of Genesis referred to written records or "histories" that predated the Flood. The first of these begins with Genesis 1:1 and ends at Genesis 2:4 with the words, "This is the history of the heavens and the earth . . . " The second historical document begins with Genesis 2:5 and ends with verse two of chapter five. Hence we have two separate accounts of creation from slightly different points of view. In the second of these accounts, in Genesis 2:19, the original Hebrew verb translated "was forming" is in the progressive imperfect form. This does not mean that the animals and birds were created after Adam was created. Genesis 1:20-28 shows it does not mean that. So, in order to avoid contradiction between chapter one and chapter two, Genesis 2:19, 20 must be only a parenthetical remark thrown in to explain the need for creating a "helper" for man. So the progressive Hebrew verb form could also be rendered as "had been forming."—See Rotherham’s translation (Ro), also Leeser’s (Le).

32 These two creation accounts in the book of Genesis, though differing slightly in the treatment of the material, are in perfect agreement with each other on all points, including the fact that Eve was created after Adam. So not until after this event did the sixth creative day come to an end. Exactly how soon after Adam’s creation is not disclosed. "After that [Adam and Eve’s creation] God saw everything he had made and, look! it was very good. And there came to be evening and there came to be morning, a sixth day." (Gen. 1:31) After the sixth creative day ends, the seventh one begins.

33 This time between Adam’s creation and the beginning of the seventh day, the day of rest, let it be noted, need not have been a long time. It could have been a rather short one. ( Please note the wishfull thinking of this author. He is NOT being deffinite. He is ASSUMING a time period based on the observations he makes. NOTHING deffinate is stated. Lets continue......) The naming of the animals by Adam, and his discovery that there was no complement for himself, required no great length of time. The animals were in subjection to Adam; they were peaceful; they came under God’s leading; they were not needing to be chased down and caught. It took Noah only seven days to get the same kinds of animals, male and female, into the Ark. (Gen. 7:1-4) Eve’s creation was quickly accomplished, ‘while Adam was sleeping.’ (Gen. 2:21) So the lapse of time between Adam’s creation and the end of the sixth creative day, though unknown, was a comparatively short period of time. (The length of time was unknown. I would assume here that the auther was looking at things from a HUMAN point of view. A mistake we all make especially if we are anticipating an event, say the arrival of long lost relatives... we eagerly look for ANY sign of their arrival ... may even get very excited when we think we pwrcieve them comming do we not. Take a trip to an airport and watch the anticipatiion of realatives and freinds as the eagerly scan the skies and keep their eye on the arrival notices..... When we consider that a Thousand years is but as one day to Jehovah (Psalms 90:4 , 2 Peter 3:8) so 30, 40, 50 or 100 years to us is a comparatively short period of time to Jehovah. Lets continue...) 

The pronouncement at the end of the sixth day, "God saw everything he had made and, look! it was very good," proves that the beginning of the great seventh day of the creative week did not wait until after Adam and Eve sinned and were expelled from the Garden of Eden.

1975! . . . AND FAR BEYOND!

34 Bible chronology is an interesting study by which historic events are placed in their order of occurrence along the stream of time. The Watch Tower Society over the years has endeavored to keep its associates abreast with the latest scholarship that proves consistent with historic and prophetic events recorded in the Scriptures. Major problems in sacred chronology have been straightened out either due to fulfillment of Bible prophecies or by reason of archaeological discoveries or because better Bible translations convey more clearly the records of the original languages. However, several knotty problems of chronology of a minor nature are not yet resolved. For example, at the time of the exodus from Egypt when Jehovah changed the beginning of the year from autumn time on the secular calendar to spring time on the sacred calendar, was there, in the Jewish calendar, a loss or a gain of six months?—Ex. 12:1, 2.

35 One thing is absolutely certain, Bible chronology reinforced with fulfilled Bible prophecy shows that six thousand years of man’s existence will soon be up, yes, within this generation! (Matt. 24:34) This is, therefore, no time to be indifferent and complacent. This is not the time to be toying with the words of Jesus that "concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matt. 24:36) To the contrary, it is a time when one should be keenly aware that the end of this system of things is rapidly coming to its violent end. Make no mistake, it is sufficient that the Father himselfknows both the "day and hour"!

36 Even if one cannot see beyond 1975, is this any reason to be less active? The apostles could not see even this far; they knew nothing about 1975. All they could see was a short time ahead in which to finish the work assigned to them. (1 Pet. 4:7 "The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sane and sober for your prayers") Hence, there was a ring of alarm and a cry of urgency in all their writings. (Acts 20:20; "how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public places" ; 2 Tim. 4:2 "preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season") And rightly so. If they had delayed or dillydallied and had been complacent with the idea the end was some thousands of years off they would never have finished running the race set before them. No, they ran hard and they ran fast, and they won! It was a life or death matter with them.—1 Cor. 9:24; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 12:1.

37 So too with Jehovah’s faithful witnesses in this latter half of the twentieth century. They have the true Christian point of view. Their strenuous evangelistic activity is not something peculiar to this present decade.They have not dedicated their lives to serve Jehovah only until 1975. Christians have been running this way ever since Christ Jesus blazed the trail and commanded his disciples. "Follow me!" So keep this same mental attitude in you that was in Christ Jesus. Let nothing slow you down or cause you to tire and give out. Those who will flee Babylon the Great and this Satanic system of things are now running for their lives, headed for God’s kingdom, and they will not stop at 1975. O no! They will keep on in this glorious way that leads to everlasting life, praising and serving Jehovah for ever and ever!

From the above it can be seen what the WTBTS attitude was, they were helping us to be a ware of the times we lived in, in relation to Bible prophecy without pinning our hopes on a "date". In line with the first century Christians we were being encouraged to KEEP ON THE WATCH, not tying out

There were many that ignored the above advise, and put far to great an emphasis on a "date" based on the WTBTS chronology instead of accepting the words of Jesus when he said "concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matt. 24:36). So the questions that I ask are, what was their motive for serving God? Just to save their necks at Armageddon, or because they loved their creator and wanted to serve him no mater what happened?

Well what about the quotes that I’ve seen where your publications have encouraged people to sell their homes and spend more time preaching? Does that not show that the WTBTS put emphasis on a "date"?

The quote that sems to be used most often comes from a monthly paper that each JW uses for one their meetings "Our Kingdom Ministy" of May 1974 page 3. The portion used looks like this:

"Yes, the end of this system is so very near! Is that not reason to increase our activity?....Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end."

First of all, notice the ellipses after activity?..... The writer of that quote misses nearly two paragraphs in the article. The impression that has been created by that is that JWs were encouraged to sell up their homes. In fact this is not what they were saying (It is true that some JWs DID sell up their homes, but that was a PRIVATE decition that they made on their own). The article was saying that there werereports of different ones doing so?

Why would any one ever want to sell up their homes to spend more tome preaching for an organisation?

Some people are lead to beleive that JWs serve an organisation known as the Watchtoer Bible and Tract Society, and that the "preaching" work that we do is for that organisation, hence the above question.

JWs do not serve an organisation but their God, Jehovah. This can be demonstrated from the first few paragraphs of the article mentioned above.

"How Are You Using Your Life?

IS IT not apparent that most of mankind are living their lives for themselves? They are using their lives as they see fit, without concern for others. But what about us? The apostle Paul wrote to fellow servants of Jehovah, saying: "None of us, in fact, lives with regard to himself only, and no one dies with regard to himself only; for both if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. Therefore both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah."—Rom. 14:7, 8.

This is something for all of us to give serious thought to: It would be entirely inappropriate for us, while professing to be Jehovah’s people, to try to live our lives with regard to ourselves only. As the apostle Paul wrote: "You do not belong to yourselves, for you were bought with a price. By all means, glorify God."—1 Cor. 6:19, 20.

Are we not thankful that Jehovah God has purchased us and that we now belong to Him? He has bought us with the life of his own dear Son so that eternal death does not have to be our lot, but we have before us the opportunity to enjoy everlasting life. (John 3:16, 36) How are you affected by this loving provision of God? Does it not cause you to want to show Jehovah your deep appreciation? The apostle Peter noted that if we have the proper mental disposition we will be moved to "live the remainder of [our] time in the flesh, no more for the desires of men, but for God’s will."—1 Pet. 4:2.

Is that what you are doing? Are you living no longer simply to satisfy personal ambitions or desires, but to do God’s will? Are there ways in which you could share more fully in doing the will of God?

God’s Will for Us

Jehovah makes clear in his Word that his will for us today includes accomplishing a great work of Kingdom-preaching before the end of this system comes. (Matt. 24:14) Jesus Christ did a similar work. He said: "Also to other cities I must declare the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this I was sent forth."—Luke 4:43.

Jesus did not hold back, but was whole-souled in his service to God. When we read the historical accounts of his ministry in the Gospels, how impressed we are with his energy and zeal in doing the Kingdom-preaching! Jesus knew that he had only a short time, and he did not spare himself in finishing his assignment. Should we not today be imitating his example, especially since we have such a short time left now in which to complete the Kingdom-preaching? 

Yes, the end of this system is so very near! Is that not reason to increase our activity? In this regard we can learn something from a runner who puts on a final burst of speed near the finish of a race. Look at Jesus, who apparently stepped up his activity during his final days on earth. In fact, over 27 percent of the material in the Gospels is devoted to just the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry!—Matt. 21:1–27:50; Mark 11:1–15:37; Luke 19:29–23:46; John 11:55–19:30.

By carefully and prayerfully examining our own circumstances, we also may find that we can spend more time and energy in preaching during this final period before the present system ends. Many of our brothers and sisters are doing just that. This is evident from the rapidly increasing number of pioneers

Yes, since the summer of 1973 there have been new peaks in pioneers every month. Now there are 20,394 regular and special pioneers in the United States, an all-time peak. That is 5,190 more than there were in February 1973! A 34-percent increase! Does that not warm our hearts? Reports are heard of brothers selling their homes and property and planning to finish out the rest of their days in this old system in the pioneer service. Certainly this is a fine way to spend the short time remaining before the wicked world’s end.—1 John 2:17.

Circumstances such as poor health or responsibilities in connection with your family may limit what you can do in the field ministry. And yet, the pioneer ranks include many who have health limitations, as well as some persons with families. But these brothers and sisters are able to regulate their lives so that they can care for their responsibilities and still put in the 1,200 hours a year, an average of 100 hours a month in the field ministry, required of pioneers. (Bold and underlining mine; Italics original)

All the council and information furnished in that article was based on the Bible, not some idea from a man or an organization.

The whole intent of 1975 was to demonstrate that 6000 years from mans creation would be up, we should continue to be on the watch and not tire out in imitaion of the first centry christians.