Jehovah’s Witnesses: Doctrine of ‘Kingdom of Heaven’

Jehovah’s Witnesses: Doctrine of ‘Kingdom of Heaven’

Russell predicted in 1880:

the end of 2520 year period ends in 1914

kingdom of God by Christ Jesus would be established

world would experience unprecedented trouble

Away back in 1880 the columns of ‘The Watchtower’ had called notice to Bible chronology marking AD 1914 as the year for the 2520 year period to end and referred to by Jesus as ‘the time of the Gentiles’ in his prophecy on the world’s end (Luke 21:24). In harmony with this it was expected that in 1914 the kingdom of Christ Jesus in the heavens would be fully established, while this world would be involved in an unprecedented ‘time of trouble.’ The religious leaders and the systems of Christendom were all set to laugh Brother Russell and his fellow witnesses of Jehovah over failure of his announced predictions concerning AD 1914. But it was no laughing matter when, at the end of July, World War I broke out and by October it had become global in its scope. Christendom’s religious mouths were silenced at this frightening turns of events, but not Brother Russell’s. October 1, 1914 on taking his place at the breakfast table in the Brooklyn Bethel dining room, he in a strong voice denoting conviction announced, ‘The Gentile Times have ended.’

Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom, July 15, 1950

Previous slide Next slide Back to first slide