1975 is still a year of significance.
Even more significant is the Day of Jehovah
page 1.
Dateline: Sept. 4, 2001
NOTE: This article is intended only as encouragement towards recognizing where we are in the stream of time, according to Biblical prophetic fulfillment. Although we look forward to the events prophesied in the scriptures, true Christians serve Jehovah God out of faith, love, and appreciation, most certainly not with the mere goal of specific times or events. The calculations and mental connections in this article are intended to be understood as interesting, but not useful for practical planning, and if anything at best, to encourage spiritual diligence. This presentation is not intended to be taken as either absolute nor dogmatic. There are possible scripturally based formulations outside of the scope of this article which carry equivalent status as hypothesis as do those presented herein. And as we know, a hypothesis carries no weight toward God as to the time or times He has chosen for events to occur.
Throughout the theocratic history of God's people, dates and events have been of interest for the awaited fulfillment of the time period of their service to the True God. In modern days Christians, in their eagerly awaiting Christ's
second coming, some suggested dates have turned out
to be incorrect. This is true of several religious organizations, including Jehovah's Witnesses. In fact, the latter are most known for this because they have remained steadfast and continue to look forward to Christ's promised return, while many others have fallen into anonymity because they have given up and turned to pursue more secular interests. Because of this, some have called
Jehovah's name people false prophets. However, these meek and humble people never presumed to originate predictions in "Jehovah's name". The Watchtower, the official
journal of Jehovah's Witnesses, has stated: "We have
not the gift of prophecy." (January 1883, page 425)NoteP Therefore, if The Watchtower is not inspired of God, then how much less so am I.
Adam was created in the year 4026#. This puts the six thousandth year of his having been created in the fall of 1975+. This fact would probably be relegated to mere trivial interest, were it not for the fact that there is a tie between the seventh creative day and Christ's thousand year reign*. This causes Christians to take a curious interest in all scriptures regarding the length of a creative day and an understanding of the time frame we are in.
There are uncertainties involved in determining exactly when when the seventh creative day opened. Although we can note that 130 years had passed between Adam's creation and the birth of Seth, there were five major events that occurred between them:
1) Eve was created.
2) Adam and Eve sinned and were sent out of the garden of Eden.
3) Cain was born.
4) Abel was born.
5) Cain killed Abel.
It can not be determined exactlyE when each of those events occurred. How much time passed between Adam's creation and Eve's?$. How much time passed before they sinned? How old was Adam when Cain was born? Thus, with too many uncertainties, exactly when the sixth day ends and the seventh day begins cannot be exactly determined. With this in mind, however, it is not hopeless to gain some sense of where we are in the stream of time. I offer some figures regarding this in order to highlight the need to keep the year 1975 in mind as a year of some significance$, but more importantly to keep in mind the "Day of Jehovah" as one of major significance. (2Peter 3:12)
Using a variety of methods, a sense of the time range we are in can be gained. However, it should be noted that due to the uncertain baseline for developing these figures, it is possible that the sixth day has already closed, or will close at any moment. (1Corinthians 3:19) The sequence of events could have been skewed toward any portion of the 130 year time spectrum. The additional uncertainty of how much possible overlap between the sixth creative day and the seventhD also allows for this entire presentation to be skewed in time, forward or backward on the calendar. Christ is in full control of events regarding the Kingdom arrangement, and diligence is the requirement of the day. (Mark 13:32; Revelation 3:3) It would be a mistake to use these figures as reason to fall asleep, to wait, or to foolishly proclaim failure of expectation. (Luke 12:39) Rather, this should serve as an impetus to strive for a greater degree in the life saving ministry, and in getting to know Jehovah. (Acts 2:21) It would be equally foolish to deem any certain time to be the moment to quit an earnest effort in the assigned work at hand (Matthew 24:14). The only moment for that, is when Jehovah Himself, through our Lord Christ Jesus deems that moment to have arrived.
One method would be to take the range of time and to divide it equally among the major eventsX. Thus if we take the 130 years between Adam's creation and Seth's birth, we can theoretically conclude that Eve was created in 4000 B.C.E. Adam and Eve theoretically sinned at some point in time during the year of 3982 B.C.E. Using this method, the seventh creative day would begin as early as 2001 C.E., and as late as 2019 C.E. (possible creative day overlaps not accounted for, see the "Creator Who Cares" book, page 94, last paragraph)D
Another method would be to glean a statistical average from the ages of fathers when their sons were born in Genesis chapter 5Y. This method would be inaccurate and wild, as it was not the first born that were recorded, but apparently only those who had proven faithful to Jehovah. (Note Seth was not Adam's firstborn; also note that no ages of Cain's offspring are recorded in Genesis chapter 4. Abel was not recorded possibly because he produced no offspring.) Or those who provided the genetic links to faithful Noah, who's family survived the flood. However these figures will be included, as they are as equally assumptive as the other methods used here. Averaging the ages of those preflood fathers in Genesis 5:6-18, this would put Adam's age when Cain was born at 104. But this method still leaves us with the problem of not knowing when Eve was created, and when Adam and Eve sinned and were banished. Thus, once again we are left with a method to divide and spread the time between the remaining eventsY1. This would place Cain's birth in the year 3922 B.C.E. And the beginning of the sabbath day within the seventh creative day could range from 2011 C.E. to 2045 C.E.
One other method would be to carry the fact that Christ's sacrifice as an equivalent2 to Adam to it's logical conclusion, that Christ's age reflects that of Adam. Again, it should be noted, that the methods employed in the scriptures for determining prophetic fulfillement's are not determined by pure logic, as various scriptural elements are employed that would interrupt normal logic flow patterns. So if there is some detail missing, or a prophecy I have either forgotten or am not mentally aware of, this method would be inaccurate. Other uncertainties apply as well to this method, such as: Christ was born as an infant, yet Adam was created as an adultZ. Since the act of serving God willingly is involved, determining exactly where Christ's cognizance matched Adam's is not made clear in the scriptures. So how closely the age of Christ coincides with the age of Adam when he sinned as a perfect match is not made clear either, if it even matters at all. Thus, since Jesus died at the age of thirty three and one half, this would put Adam's and Eve's potential for having sinned at the spring of 3993. And according to this method six thousand years later would make spring of 2009 as the latest possible date for demarcation between the six and seven thousandth millenniums in the seventh creative day. As with the other methods, this can provide us with a sense of where we are in the stream of time and prophecy. Just keep in mind though, it is events that trigger fulfillment, and not a calendar date nor a clever calculation.
In looking at the years that have passed since 1975, the year flagging six thousand years since Adam's creation, we can gain a sense of the proximity of Jehovah's Day. (2Peter 3:12) Each day that causes the autumn season of 1975 to recede further into history, brings us closer to the end of the sixth thousandth year, the "sixth day of the week" since the beginning of the seventh creative day. Pay close attention to The Watchtower and Awake! magazines and world events. Be sure to attend each meeting at the Kingdom Hall, preach the word of God more diligently, and most of all, read your Bible daily. In that way, no matter what DayK is chosen by Jehovah, as both a people and individuals, we will be found ready and performing before Him, the only True God. (Revelation 3:2)
Reminder: "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 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 earth-shaking events soon to take place, and to the need to work out one's salvation!" These words are ever more true today than at anytime before. We serve our God by faith, not by count. (Hebrews 11:3) As ones who are prepared for the events to occur any moment. (Exodus 12:11)
The Watchtower, 1968, pg. 272-273, ¶ 8. Italics added.
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NoteP: Note also the following statements:
"Nor would we have our writings reverenced or
regarded as infallible." (December 15, 1896, page 306)
The Watchtower has also said that the fact that some
have Jehovah's spirit "does not mean those now
serving as Jehovah's witnesses are inspired. It does
not mean that the writings in this magazine The
Watchtower are inspired and infallible and without
mistakes." (May 15, 1947, page 157)
"The
Watchtower does not claim to be inspired in its
utterances, nor is it dogmatic." (August 15, 1950, page
263)
"The brothers preparing these publications are
not infallible. Their writings are not inspired as are
those of Paul and the other Bible writers. (2 Tim. 3:16)
And so, at times, it has been necessary, as
understanding became clearer, to correct views. (Prov.
4:18)"-February 15, 1981, page 19.
Copyright © 2001