How Important is 1914?
For Jehovah’s Witnesses, the year 1914 is the absolute foundation of their beliefs in the 21st century. 1914 is the year they believe Jesus Christ, as King of the Kingdom, was given heavenly authority. They believe this is the year that Jesus, in his Watchtower assigned role as Michael the Archangel, expelled Satan and his demons from heaven, banishing them to the earth. This is the year that, for 70 years, Jehovah’s Witnesses believed- under the leadership of CT Russell, Judge Rutherford, and for a time Nathan Knorr - Armageddon had broken out (they believed and taught from 1878 to 1943 that Christ had actually been given heavenly authority in the year 1874, not 1914, the ‘last days’ having started in 1799).
From 1970 to 2007 Jehovah’s Witnesses were exposed to teachings about the year 1914 in their publications a total of 6156 times. This means that at least four times per week the average Jehovah’s Witness is reminded of the importance of the year 1914.
The importance of the year 1914 is one of the beliefs considered to be ‘unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses’ and as a result falls into the category of ‘the truth’. All Jehovah’s Witnesses have to believe what they are taught about 1914. Failure to believe can result in judicial punishment, as per the ‘Pay Attention’ book (the Watch Tower Society’s handbook given to congregation elders). Jehovah’s Witnesses who are known to even believe something different from that which is taught in Watch Tower Society publications can be disfellowshipped. Disfellowshipping brings with it the punishment of shunning.
In view of the following, it must be acknowledged that the teaching of 1914 should be absolutely water-tight, having clear, conclusive evidence as to it’s veracity there in black and white in God’s Word of Truth, the Bible. It should be as obvious and understandable to any honest-hearted reader of the Bible as the truth of Jesus’ resurrection.
However, is that the case? Is Christ’s return in 1914 an obvious, Biblical teaching?
Sincere lovers of truth, please pick up your Bible and prove to yourself that Christ returned in 1914. It should be easy to do without any outside help or references. This teaching, afterall, is the absolute foundation of your faith that the Watch Tower Society was chosen as God’s sole channel of communication in 1919.
