Prophetic Dates of Jehovah's Witnesses-1840

"We need not here repeat the evidences that the 'seventh trumpet' began its sounding in A.D. 1840, and will continue until the end of the time of trouble." -The Watchtower Reprints, November 1890, page 1

Later, the Watchtower Society dropped this date and settled for a new one.

"The trumpet blast of the seventh angel was reflected in highlights of the Bible Students' convention in Detroit, Michigan, July 30-August 6, 1928." -Revelation, It's Grand Climax At Hand, page 172

See this page with a large collection of quotes about the Watchtower's understanding of the seven trumpet blasts.

Prophetic Dates of Jehovah's Witnesses-1833

Charles Taze Russel sure liked his Bible prophecy. In 1833, there was a spectacular meteor shower. He explained that this was a sign foretold in the Bible.

"Half a century passed before the next sign appeared, the falling of the stars from heaven, as when a fig tree casteth her unripe fruit when shaken of a mighty wind. Our Lord's words found a fulfilment (though not their complete and only fulfilment, as we shall see later) in the wonderful meteoric showers of the early morning of Nov. 13, 1833." -Studies in the Scriptures IV-Battle of Armageddon, page 589

See also the article on 1780.

Prophetic Dates of Jehovah's Witnesses-1829

The founder of the Watchtower Society, Charles Taze Russel, was strongly influenced by the Millerite movement. Russel even claimed that the beginning of the Millerite movement coincided with Bible prophecy.

"Thus it will be seen that the separating work of the 'Miller movement' had its beginning at the time foretold - at the end of the 1290 days, 1829." -Thy Kingdom Come (1891)

Prophetic Dates of Jehovah's Witnesses-1799

Jehovah's Witnesses used to think that 1799 was a very important date. The Watchtower of March 1, 1922 said, "The indisputable facts, therefore, show that the "time of the end" began in 1799..."

The actions of Napoleon were seen as confirmation of this important prophetic date.

"Having thus furnished grounds for establishing the identity of this character (Napoleon), whose deeds mark the beginning of the 'Time of the End,' the prophecy proceeds to show which particular event of that time is to be understood as definitely marking the exact date of the beginning of the 'Time of the End.' This event is shown to be Napoleon's invasion of Egypt, which covered a period of a year and nearly five months. He sailed May, 1798 and, returning, landed in France Oct. 9, 1799." -Studies in the Scriptures-Thy Kingdom Come (1915) page 44

They also thought 1799 was significant because it was 1260 years after the fall of the Ostrogothic monarchy in 539 AD. Daniel 12:7 mentions three and a half times or 1,260 days. They just converted the days to years. Jehovah's Witnesses now believe that these 1,260 prophetic days refer to the 684 days (from June 21, 1918 to May 5, 1920) that the second president of the Watchtower Society, Joseph Rutherford, spent in prison on charges of espionage.

See also this page of Watchtower quotes about 1799.

Prophetic Dates of Jehovah's Witnesses-1780

The Bible makes numerous references to celestial signs. Charles Taze Russel took these seriously and looked for visible fulfillments of these prophecies. In 1780, a combination of clouds, fog, and smoke from forest fires caused a great darkness that made it necessary to light candles in some places. For most of us, this is just just an interesting historical curiosity. For Charles Taze Russel, it was a fulfillment of Bible prophecy! Consider his comments in Studies in the Scriptures IV - Battle of Armageddon, page 585.

"On May 19, 1780 (still 'in those days,' the 1260 years of Papal power, but after that power had begun to wane and the brunt of the tribulation had passed) a phenomenal darkening of the sun occurred, for which scientists of that time and since have never been able to account.. This unaccountable day, except as a sign from the Lord, is reckoned to have extended over 320,000 square miles - an area about twenty-five times the size of Palestine, to which the signs of the first advent were limited. Indeed, the fact that these signs were chiefly confined to the New England and Middle States need not surprise us, when we remember that the first movement amongst the 'Virgins'* (Matt. 25:1-5) was chiefly in the same locality."

See also the article on 1833.

Prophetic Dates of Jehovah's Witnesses-1776

It's a little known fact that Charles Taze Russel, the first president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, thought 1776 had prophetic significance. He thought that year marked the end of a period of persecution.

"And this long persecution, in which 'many were purified and made white and tried,' and in which the Mother of Harlots was 'drunk with the blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus' (Rev. 17:6) ended as we have already shown, practically in 1776..." -Studies in the Scriptures IV, page 584

Jehovah's Witnesses no longer discuss 1776 as a prophetic date in their literature. It is comical that they also had problems with dates that they discussed after the fact and didn't involve any type of prediction.

Prophetic Dates of Jehovah's Witnesses-Introduction

Jehovah's Witnesses have a long history of assigning prophetic importance to certain dates in both the past and future. They have tried to cover up this shameful history of false prophecies and doctrinal flip flops. Most Jehovah's Witnesses are unaware of most of these dates or are ignorant of what there own religion has said about certain years like 1914, 1925 and 1975.

This series will take one year at a time and include direct quotes from Watchtower publications. You can judge their history of date setting for yourself.

Please click on this label link to see all the articles published in this series so far.