2004: Jehovah's Witnesses still on the watch for the end of this world

By Rado Vleugel

The 21th century is already the third century in which Jehovah's Witnesses expect the end of this world. Every year the Watchtower Society publishes a Yearbook with a Yeartext. The Yeartext for 2004 is:

"Keep on the Watch... Prove Yourselves Ready." - Matthew 24:42,44

This Yeartext is accompanied with the following remarks:

"Consistently, God's Word reminds us that Jehovah's day will arrive with shocking suddenness. Hence, our yeartext for 2004 reflects Jesus' deep love for his disciples, whom he wants to preserve through "the great tribulation." (Rev. 7:14 ) How do we remain spiritually watchful and ready? By allowing nothing to distract us from our study of God's Word and from our privileges of sacred service."

Six succeeding generations of Jehovah's Witnesses have expected that the day of Jehovah will arrive with 'shocking suddenness'. Again and again the Witnesses are pressed to remain 'watchful and ready'. Here are some quotes from 19the century Watchtower publications:

"In the coming 26 years, all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved." (1889 - Studies in the Scriptures, Vol. II)

"And, with the end of A.D. 1914, what God calls Babylon , and what men call Christendom, will have passed away, as is already shown from prophecy." (1897 - Studies In The Scriptures, Vol. III)

But all the governments were not dissolved in 1914 and Christendom was still alive. After the miscalculation of 1914 the Witnesses thought that 1915 would bring the end of this world:

"The Gentile Times prove that the present governments must all be overthrown about the close of A.D. 1915; and Parallelism above shows that this period corresponds exactly with the year A.D. 70, which witnessed the completion of the downfall of the Jewish polity." (1915 Edition - The Time Is At Hand)

It is a little tedious to enumerate all Watchtower quotations concerning the upcoming end that appeared in magazines and books after 1914. The destruction of governments and/or Christendom was predicted for the following years:

.1918 End of Gentile times, Christendom to be destroyed.

.1920 " Every kingdom of earth will pass away, be swallowed up in anarchy" .

.1925 Faithful men of the Old Testament were to return and the establishment of the Kingdom in Palastine .

.1932 Christendom to be overthrown.

.1975 Armageddon.

.<2000 Armageddon before the turn of the century

Because the great motivator behind the proselyting activity of Jehovah's Witnesses is the 'upcoming end', the Watchtower Society will continue to stimulate its followers with Yeartexts, articles and public talks. Jehovah's Witnesses believe that the only chance for salvation is to actively preach the end of this world and the Kingdom of God . If they are not busy with their 'sacred service' when the 'day of Jehovah' will arrive with 'shocking suddenness' they believe that they will die with the wicked ones.

"Keep on the Watch... Jehovah's Witnesses will predict the end of this world till the end of this world..."