1.
A second John the baptist has been assigned by Jehovah to prepare certain qualifying ones to become a 'prepared people' for Jehovah, John 1:23.  The 1914 date is one of these mountains that requires levelling, preparing the way for Jesus second presence and is in no way designed to win points over who is right and who is wrong. There are only two that are right, Jehovah in union with His only begotten Son.                                                      see article A SECOND JOHN THE BAPTIST

Throughout the world, millions of sincere students of the bible, believe a prophetic period of 2,520 years started in 607BC and ended in 1914 when its believed Jesus Christ started ruling from the heavens as Jehovah's (Yhwh's) King of kings.  This date 1914 has become the most important date on which millions of principled Christians hang their entire beliefs and live their lives. Many having great love for God and his purpose.

How did the 1914 calculation originate? 
2.
Charles Taze Russell in 1870, formed a group of Bible studiers in Pennsylvania America known as Russellites. He formulated this 2,520 year calculation based on a dream give to Nebuchadnezzar by God, Daniel 4:10-17,

“I saw, and, behold, a tree in the midst of the earth; and the height of it was great. ... I saw in the visions of my head on my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from the sky (heaven).  He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit: ...Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass,.. :let his heart be changed from man's, and let a animal's heart be given to him; and let seven times pass over him... that the living may know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whoever he will, and sets up over it the lowest of men" (WEB).

3.
This details a prophetic dream given by Jehovah to Nebuchadnezzar of a tree, representing Babylonian world rule.  A 'holy watcher' from God, commands the Babylonia (tree) dynasty to be chopped down but its stump and roots are to be preserved for a period of 'seven times'. After which Jehovah would start to rule mankind by handing over this world's rulership to the one he approved (Jesus Christ).  Russell turned this reference of 'seven times' into a formula.  Seven times were changed to seven years, then into days, seven x 360 days giving 2520 days, this was then turned back into years (a day for a year) arriving at 2,520 years.

4.
Instead of applying it logically to start at the time when a 'holy watcher' or angel inscribed writing on the wall to chop down the last of the Babylonian dynasty (Belshazzar's feast) in the year 539 BC, when Babylon fell to the Persians, (ref Daniel chapter 5).  Russell applied the start year to when he calculated the Jerusalem temple was burned down by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, in 606 then later 607 BC.  Although the correct date for this destruction of Jerusalem was 587 BC.  By applying 2,520 years to commence in 607 BC, it would end in 1914 when Russell believed Armageddon would start.  He died in 1916 with no Armageddon.  (ref, Charles Russell).

5.
Nine years later in 1925 a large group of his followers rethought the calculated date for Armageddon and concluded that in 1914 Jesus was crowned King and started his invisible presence and a last generation period started, (Matthew 24:34).  They began preaching that persons living in 1914 who recognised their teaching on this, would not die before Armageddon arrived, and would see the start of Christ's 1,000 year reign, all within one generation.

6.
Since 1914, more than 110 years have passed.  That generation that saw 1914 are now all dead with no Armageddon.  So has the 1914 date been scrapped or reworked.  There were three alternatives, 1. Do nothing,  2 Admit the date 1914 was wrong and rework it, or  3. Contrive some way to extend a “generation”.  Its no surprise that the third has been adopted considering the negative effects 1 & 2 would have caused on members. So the generation has been extended using a new 'linked generation teaching' now accepted by millions. It would logically have been more correct to examine the bible evidence relating to number 2  and the provable scriptural evidence.

EXAMPLE OF 'LINKED GENERATION' TEACHING
7.
A person living in the year 1914, claiming to be one of the anointed 144,000, at a minimum age of say 20 years, who lived on to a generous old age of 90, dying in 1984.  Could now be coupled together with another over lapping anointed person.  This second person lapping the first by say their last 10 years of life could it is claimed extend the generation period on.  If they were 20 in 1984, and also live to a generous old age of 90, dying in 2054.  This would extend this surreal generation a further 70 years.  Making this linked double generation  to have a potential maximum length of 140 years.  Providing of course no further lap over lives are added, which if so could go on infinitum.

8.
There is no scriptural president for this  stretching of a ‘generation’.  It is somewhat  unworthy of people who regard Jehovah's word as truth.  Jesus said “this generation will by no means end” means “this generation”, not “this generation extended by a lap over generation will by no means end”,  ref. The over lapping generation.

9.
As the entire beliefs of millions hang on the years 607 and 1914, its worth scripturally investigating these dates to see if they hold up to internal bible evidence.

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THE TREE DID IT REPRESENT GOD'S RULE BY ZEDEKIAH?
10.

Incorporated in this 2,520 year calculation, was the termination of Jehovah's rule on earth represented by Zedekiah at Jerusalem, and it was this that was illustrated by the tree in Daniel chapter four being chopped down.  It is maintained that Nebuchadnezzar in his 19th year of being king destroyed the temple at Jerusalem, blinded and imprisoning Zedekiah for rebelling (2 Kings 25). But consider the evidence:

a) The tree vision was given by Jehovah to Nebuchadnezzar not Zedekiah, it related to a period starting when the Babylonian dynasty was chopped down by God.  Jehovah controlled the date for the chopping down of this illustrative tree, having His angel write on the wall, a proclamation to cut down the Babylonian dynasty, a day before the dynasty is brought to its end in 539BC (ref Daniel Chapters 4 & 5).

b) Daniel's prophecy of 'seven times' following the cutting down of the tree, could not be applied to Zedekiah in Jerusalem as Daniel explicitly says at Daniel 4:22  the tree symbolises the king of Babylon and his Dynasty and not Nebuchadnezzar's appointed representative Zedekiah in Jerusalem.

 “‘The tree that you saw, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached to the sky, and the sight of it to all the earth; it is you, O king, that are grown and become strong; for your greatness is grown, and reaches to the sky, and your dominion to the end of the earth" Daniel 4 20 & 22 (WEB).

c) A previous vision to Nebuchadnezzar of a symbolic statue was a parallel vision of this same time period, in no way would anyone argue, that the statues head of Gold depicting Nebuchadnezzar really represented Zedekiah's rule at Jerusalem.  Both these visions related to the same thing, the period of Babylonian world rule.

d) Zedekiah could hardly be reckoned as Jehovah's anointed king.  God had already allowed the previous Babylonian vassal king Jehoiachin to be removed by Nebuchadnezzar and the nation and surrounding nations be brought by God's instruction under servitude to Babylon.  God would hardly have replaced him with another king in contradiction of his expressed command to serve His servant the king of Babylon (Jer 25:9, 27:6,12-14,17,20-22, 43:10).

e) Zedekiah who was an uncle of Jehoiachin was not anointed by God to reign as king in Jerusalem.  He was appointed to the job of vassal representative by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:17).  Later he rebelled against his Babylonian master despite God warning him against carrying out this totally unnecessary self-destructive action.  Hardly can it be construed that his rule represented Jehovah's rulership.

f) The seat of God's rule continued at Jerusalem with or without an anointed king being present.  Some 600 years later, Jesus in 33 recognised that God's symbolic seat of rule was still represented at the temple in Jerusalem without any anointed king representing him.  Just before his death, Jesus presented himself at this seat in Jerusalem as Jehovah's anointed king in a preview pattern for his true coronation as king 2,000 year later (Luke 19:34-44).

g) Jehovah established a unique relationship with Babylon, not only was Nebuchadnezzar his servant, but God backed his authority as a world ruler and the Babylonian dynasty for a set 70 year period. Ordering surrounding nations to subject themselves willing to this rule during these 70 years.  A truly unique situation, something Jehovah had not done with any previous national power outside of Israel.  The exiled Daniel reminded Nebuchadnezzar of this,

"You, O king, are king of kings (Nebuchadnezzar), to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, the animals of the field and the birds of the sky has he given into your hand, and has made you to rule over them all" Daniel 2:37-38 (WEB) .

Jehovah was using Nebuchadnezzar as His illustrative representative world ruling king, not Zedekiah.

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CONFUSION OVER TWO 70 YEAR PERIODS
11.
The date 539 BC for the end of the Babylon dynasty is accepted by all parties, bible and historians. This year was the end of a seventy year rule by the Babylonian world power which Jehovah had originally supported.  It began 70 years earlier in 609 BC when Babylon defeated the previous Assyrian world power under Nabopolassar and his son Nebuchadnezzar, and became the ruling world power.  A period of servitude was imposed on all the nations in the area by Jehovah, to serve Babylon for 70 years  (Jer 25:11-12).  The date 609BC is supported  by bible chronology and accepted by historians as the year when Babylon became the world power and the 70 year Babylonian imposed servitude on all surrounding nations including Israel started. This Babylonian world power was granted by God to last exactly 70 years until 539 BC, when God's written proclamation was written on a wall in Babylon stating the Babylonian dynasties 70 year rulership was up. To be superseded by the next Persian world power.

FIRST 70 YEAR SERVITUDE PERIOD                 609 BC    70 year dynasty of the Babylonian world power set by God       539 BC | | |_______________________________________________________________________________________________| | | |<----------------------------- 70 years  of servitude by many nations to the Babylon world power ---------------------->|

12.
A second 70 year period referred to as the wasting, desolation or devastations of Jerusalem is referred to in Daniel 9:2. Jehovah had repeatedly warned Jerusalem to willingly serve Babylon for the duration of its 70 year rule under an easy servitude.

"But the nation that shall bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, that [nation] will I let remain in their own land, says Yahweh; and they shall till it, and dwell therein.  I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.  Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?"  Jeremiah 27:11-123 (WEB).
 

Judah refused to obey Jehovah and three times over the first twenty 22 years of the 70 year servitude, rebelled against Babylon.  The third time, God punished the nation and sanctioned the temple and city to be burned and remain desolated or wasted for 70 years punishment. This happened in the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar, 2 Kings 25:1-24, Jeremiah 52:12-14.  Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year was 587BC when he completely destroyed Jerusalem and the 70 year punishment  of desolation started. 

This 70 year punishment finished in 517BC, some 22 years after Jehovah brought the Babylonian world power to its end in 539BC.  Daniel 22 years after Babylon had been defeated by the Medo-Persian world power says that in the first year of Darius (517BC) he discerned that the 70 years of devastations on Jerusalem had been completed,  Daniel 9:2.

At the end of article find an attempt at demonstrating how the Jewish Nation was punished for 70 years under  a seven times punishment for failing to keep 10 important 50th Jubilee years.

 

SECOND 70 YEAR DESOLATION PERIOD                 587 BC    70 year desolation of Jerusalem by God       517 BC | | |_______________________________________________________________________________________________| | | |<--- 70 years  of desolations on Jerusalem, punishment by God for failing to keep His the important sabbaths -->|

TWO OVERLAPPING SEVENTY YEAR PERIODS FIRST 70 YEAR SERVITUDE PERIOD                  609 BC    70 year dynasty of the Babylonian world power set by God       539 BC Babylon world power starts Babylon ends | | |<----------------------------- 70 years  of servitude by many nations to the Babylon world power ---------------------->|< 22 years >| |_______________________________________________________________________________________________|________|_ | < 22 years >| |   | | | SECOND 70 YEAR DESOLATION PERIOD |               | |   587 BC    70 year desolation of Jerusalem by God       517 BC | | | | |<-70 years desolations on Jerusalem, punishment by God for failing to keep His important Jubilee sabbaths ->|

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SEVEN TIMES?

13
Russell's formula of seven times converted to seven years then into 2,520 days then back into 2,520 years is a very concocted calculation.  How long is 'Seven times?  Seven in the scriptures is a number often used to signify 'completeness',  'bringing a period or work to a completion''  or  "finishing a work completely'  (Jos 6:2-4,15,1Ki 18:42-44, 2Ki 5:10, 14 Ps 12:6, Pr 24:16, Ps 119:164).

14.
'Times' is translated in the scriptures ten times from the Aramaic word "iddan" as 'an appointed time period' or 'set season'.  The phrase 'Seven Times' carries the scriptural weight of: 'an appointed period of time for completing some action'.  If  'Seven Times' count from when God's servant Babylon, represented by the tree, is chopped down in 539 BC by the Persian world power, then an appointed complete period would follow when God would have no representative enthroned ruling king.  This set period would continue until the time appointed arrived for God to present the Kingship to the one whom He appoints, scripturally identified as Jesus Christ.  No need for manipulated formulas.

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HOW LONG IS A BIBLE GENERATION?

15.
It would seem Russell's calculation based on 607BC was far from accurate and scripturally unsound for establishing the Kingdom timetable and the start of the rulership of Christ.  Before we examine a more accurate scriptural way in understanding the Kingdom timetable we need to address, just how long is the bible generation Jesus referred to at Matthew 24:34.

"As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world (system of things)? "  22 Except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. But for the elect's (chosen ones) sake, those days will be shortened. 30 and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. 31 He will send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect (chosen) from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.  34 Most assuredly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away" Mat 24: 3-34 (WEB).

16
A generation can be defined as “contemporary people all living during one definitive period of time”.  Used in this sense the bible sites two examples of definitive generations.

1)  Jesus reference to the last Jewish generation in the first century.

"That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous to the blood of Zachariah son of Barachiah, whom you killed between the sanctuary and the altar. Most assuredly I tell you, all these things will come on this generation" Mat 23:35-36 (WEB). 

'This generation' ran from 30 to 70 when the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem a 40 year period within which all the events Jesus prophecies for this generation occurred.

2)  The generation that come out of Egypt in the Exodus.

"Yahweh's anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander back and forth in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, who had done evil in the sight of Yahweh, was consumed" Numbers 32:13 (WEB). 

This generation covered those from the age of  20 to 60 a  generation period of 40 years (Num 14:29-33).

17.

This scriptural evidence supports the simple logic that a contemporary bible generation has a definitive time of 40 years. The word was also used by Jesus to refer to the period between his second presence and the conclusion of the system of things "Tell us, when will these things be? What is the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world (system)? " Mat 24:3 (WEB). Jesus confirmed that all the things prophesied to occur between these two events, starting at his presence and ending at a conclusion of the system of things, would be contained within a 40 year generation, "Most assuredly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished." Mat 24:34 (WEB).  No need for any linked generation manipulation,  (ref  THE BIBLE FINAL GENERATION).

18.
There is a better and more scripturally sound, dating method.  Using the most important date in all human history, the year Christ paid a ransom and repurchased all mankind a great benefit at his death, in 33AD.  From this critical year Christ's second presence and the beginning of his rule can be calculated.  Once Kingdom rule starts it will be followed by a 40 year generation period ending in a conclusion of this world system.

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NEW INFORMATION ON THE KINGDOM TIMETABLE

19.

On the ransom sacrifice provided by Jesus in 33, God's entire Kingdom plan rests.  The date is set at the very centre of His plan which has been under construction for almost 4,000 years now.  It commenced when Jehovah God agreed a contract with the man Abraham when he was living in Ur.  He agreed to be relocated so that his offspring could be used to create a special blood line a chain that would stretch 2,000 years.  The contract was ratified by circumcision on all Abraham's approved male descendants.  Abraham was informed that by means of this blood line, a descendant of his would come who would bring great benefits to all mankind.  This was of course Jesus Christ the last in this blood line, who 2,000 years after the contract was agreed with Abraham provided the all important ransom sacrifice by his death in 33 AD.  Thereby enabling benefits to come to all mankind.  This was the first preparation half of the plan, starting in 1968 BC its term lasted 2000 years, ending in 33 AD.

20.

Once Christ's execution had been accomplished the foundation for building the Kingdom was laid.  The second half of the plan covers its construction on this foundation.  A second Kingdom contract is made, starting in 33AD for the adoption of 144,000 'Sons of God' to become living stones for building into Jehovah's Kingdom administration and temple plan.  This contract also lasts for 2,000 years ending  in 2033 when all 144,000 'Sons of God' will have been recruited and harvested to heaven.
 
21.
Jehovah's 4,000 year Kingdom timetable is perfectly balanced on the year 33AD.  The first Abraham contract lasted exactly 2,000 years, sign posting a lineage to the ransom sacrifice; 1968 BC to 33 AD.  On the basis of this paid ransom a second 2,000 year Kingdom contract was drawn up by Christ in 33 in order to construct an administration at the full limit of the appointed time in 2033.

THE 4,000 YEAR KINGDOM PLAN TWO COVENANTS HINGE EACH SIDE OF THE PIVOT DATE 33 AD Start of God's personal 1st covenant ends 2nd begins Maturity of the Covenant with Abraham Pivot Date = Christ's Death New Kingdom contract 1968 BC 33 AD 2033 AD | || | |<----Preparation Contract ------>||<------Application Contract---->| | Abraham Covenant || Kingdom Covenant | |<--------- 2,0000 years--------->||<-------- 2,000 years --------->| ___|_________________________________||________________________________| | || | | || | |<--------------------------- 4,000 years ------------------------- | | Abraham Covenant ends 33 ->|<-New Kingdom Covenant begins 33 | Ransom Sacrifice

        

22.

The year 33, Jehovah set for the death of his son is the central point on which His entire plan hangs. It is the absolute key date. The Kingdom construction contract is presently in force and still being worked on in order to complete this second contract for obtaining 144,000 living stones which are being built into a royal rulership to be completed by 2033AD.
For more detailed information on God's Kingdom timetable ref. ~ REVEALING THE SONS OF GOD  


TEN POSSIBLE MISSED JUBILEE SABBATH YEARS
23.
An attempt at demonstrating how the Jewish Nation was punished for 70 years by seven times punishment for failing to keep 10 important 50th Jubilee years.  In 2 Chronicles 36:21 it tells us that the 70 years were a punishment period until the land had paid off its deficient Sabbaths and to fulfill the punishment for these default Sabbaths would take 70 years ,

"To fulfill the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths: [for] as long as it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years" 2 Chron 36:21 (WEB).

24
In Leviticus chapter 25 God details a fifty year Jubilee Sabbath cycles the Israelites were obligated to keep. 

"In the seventh year shall be a Sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a Sabbath to Yahweh: you shall neither sow your field, nor prune your vineyard. You shall make the fiftieth year holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants of it: it shall be a jubilee to you; and you shall return every man to his possession, and you shall return every man to his family," Lev 25:4,10 (WEB).  

The nation was commanded by God to keep an extra special Sabbath the Jubilee Sabbath year once every 50 years. In the following chapter Leviticus 26 they were warned what the punishment would be if they failed to keep their sabbath obligations. They would receive punishment seven times greater than the transgression.

25.
Lev 26 vs18 says "If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over" (NIV). Vs 21 "If even then you remain hostile toward me and refuse to obey me, I will inflict disaster on you seven times over for your sins" (NIV) Vs 27 “If, however, with this ​you ​ will not listen to me and ​you ​ just must walk in opposition to me, I shall then have to walk in heated opposition to ​ you, and I, shall have to chastise ​you​   seven times for ​your​  sins. Vs 32 And I, for my part, will lay the land desolate, and ​ your​ enemies who are dwelling in it will simply stare in amazement over it. Vs 34 "At that time the land will pay off its Sabbaths all the days of its lying desolated, while ​you​  are in the land of ​ your ​ enemies. At that time the land will keep sabbath, as it must repay its Sabbaths.  All the days of its lying desolated it will keep sabbath, for the reason that it did not keep sabbath during ​your​ Sabbaths when ​you ​ were dwelling upon it" Lev 26:18,21,27,32,34  (NIV).

26.
The punishment from Yhwh for not keeping the 50th Jubilee Sabbath year was seven times greater than the crime of neglecting keeping the Jubilee Sabbaths. According to Ezekiel the main part of the error was due to the ten tribes splitting away in 998BC. The nation of Israel, as an entire nation, could not keep the requirements of the 50 year Jubilee Sabbath with its restoration of all land inheritances. Israel had divided into two separate nations with two ruling kings, two capitals, two centres for worship and two territories, this made it impossible for the nation to administer the Sabbath year requirements over the entire territories.

27.
During the period of the error of the tribes division, the 50 year Jubilee Sabbaths could not be kept. If the punishment was to be seven times the sin and it lasted for 70 years the sin must have been for failing to keep 10 Jubilee Sabbaths. The period of punishment was a 70 year total desolation of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar's in his 19th year 587BC when he completely destroyed Jerusalem and the 70 year punishment  of desolation started.  The 70 year desolation punishment finished in 517BC, some 22 years after God had brought the Babylonian world power to its end in 539BC.  Daniel, 22 years after Babylon had been defeated by the Medo Persian world power says that in the first year of Darius (517BC) he discerned that the 70 years of devastations on Jerusalem had been completed,  Daniel 9:2. 

28.
The entire period of error in not keeping the Jubilee Sabbaths would cover 390 years plus the 70 years desolation of Jerusalem a total of 460 years (998 to 538) during which no 50th Jubilee Sabbath years were kept. This 461 years could contain ten 50 year cycles with their 10 Jubilee Sabbath years  (see chart 5). God could rightly apply the punishment rule multiplying by seven the 10 failed Jubilees, resulting in this 70 year punishment period served out in exile to Babylon. Provided this is the correct understanding of the 70 years punishment calculation applying to the 10 missed 50th Jubilee Sabbath years then it dramatically emphasised Yhwh’s concern over the importance of His 50 year Jubilee cycle.