The Watchtower has always focused on end times chronology as it relates to Jesus.

When Charles Taze Russell began publishing, he called his magazine, “Zion’s Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.” (Jehovah’s Witnesses—Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom, p. 42)

The Watchtower claims that God’s revelation is progressive and that it therefore has to make “adjustments” in its teachings.

At the same time, it makes this claim:

…Jehovah’s organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God’s holy spirit or active force… Only this organization functions for Jehovah’s purpose and to his praise. To it alone God’s Sacred Word the Bible, is not a sealed book… How very much true Christians appreciate associating with the only organization on earth that understands the “deep things of God.”! (The Watchtower, “Praise Jehovah with His People,” 3/1/73, p. 402)

It also warns:

…today Jehovah is using only one organization… Yet there are some who point out that the organization has had to make adjustments before, and so they argue: “This shows that we have to make up our own mind on what to believe.” This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous? Such thinking is evidence of pride… Would we know the way of the truth if it had not been for guidance from the organization? Really, can we get along without the direction of God’s organization?” No, we cannot! (The Watchtower, “Armed for the Fight Against Wicked Spirits,” 1/15/83, p. 27)

Given these claims and the demands the Watchtower makes on Jehovah’s Witnesses for unquestioning loyalty, faith, and obedience, we might expect to find that its “adjustments” have been few and relatively minor.

To the contrary, it would take a large book—perhaps several—just to set out and document its changes in its chronology of Jesus’ activities in the end times.

Today, I’m going to focus on changes regarding three topics which appear in a 2013 article in The Watchtower, “Tell Us, When Will These Things Be?” 7/2013.

This article remains posted on the Watchtower’s official website.

Topic #1: When does the “great tribulation” begin?

Past teaching (“old light”)

The Watchtower article states:

For a number of years, we thought that the great tribulation began in 1914 with World War I and that “those days were cut short” by Jehovah in 1918 when the war ended so that the remnant would have the opportunity to preach the good news to all nations. (Matt. 24:21, 22) After the completion of that preaching work, Satan’s empire would be destroyed. Thus, the great tribulation was thought to have three phases: There would be a beginning (1914-1918), the tribulation would be interrupted  (from 1918 onward), and it would conclude at Armageddon. (Same source)

But now it has re-examined and concludes as follows:

“Adjusted” teaching (“new light”)

  • Jesus’ prophecy about the last days has two fulfillment—one in Judea in the first century and a worldwide fulfillment in our day.
  • The first part of the great tribulation did not begin in 1914, because it will start, not with a world war, but with an attack on false religion.
  • The great tribulation will begin when the United Nations attacks Christendom.
  • Jehovah will cut short this attack so his people (Jehovah’s Witnesses) will be saved.
  • All “anointed” Jehovah’s Witnesses (including the Governing Body) will be raised to heaven before the outbreak of the battle of Armageddon. (The vast majority of Witnesses will remain on earth.)
  • After that “raising” of the “anointed,” the battle of Armageddon will take place worldwide, paralleling Jerusalem’ destruction in the first century.
  • When Armageddon ends, Christ’s Millennial Rule over the earth from heaven will begin. (Same source)

Topic #2: When does Jesus judge “the sheep” and “the goats?

Past teaching (“old light”)

The Watchtower states:

Previously, we thought that the judging of people as sheep or goats would take place during the entire period of the last days from 1914 onward. We concluded that those who rejected the Kingdom message and who died before the start of the great tribulation would die as goats—without the hope of a resurrection. (Same source)

“Adjusted” teaching (“new light”)

  • Although Jesus became King of God’s Kingdom in 1914, he did not “sit down on his glorious throne” as Judge of “all the nations.”
  • Therefore, his judgment of people as sheep or goats hasn’t begun.
  • This judgment will begin after the destruction of all false religion.
  • At Armageddon, Jesus will cut off the “goatlike ones” forever (meaning they will be annihilated with no hope of a resurrection). (Same source)

Topic #3: When does Jesus arrive or come?

Past teaching (“old light”)

The Watchtower states:

In the past, we have stated in our publications that… [Jesus’ Matthew 24-25 references to his “arriving” or “coming”]  apply to Jesus’ arriving, or coming, in 1918…We understood that the “arriving” mentioned in [Matthew 24:46] was linked to the time when Jesus came to inspect the spiritual condition of the anointed in 1918 and that the appointment of the slave over all the Master’s belongings occurred in 1919. (Same source)

“Adjusted” teaching (“new light”)

  • Jesus’ references to “coming” and “arriving” refers to his pronouncing and executing of judgment during the great tribulation.
  • Jesus’ appointing of the “faithful slave” over all his belongings did not occur in 1919 but will take place in the future. (Same source)

Summary of the changes

The Watchtower summarizes as follows:

In the beginning of this article, we raised three “when” questions. We first considered that the great tribulation did not begin in 1914 but will start when the United Nations attacks Babylon the Great. Then, we reviewed why Jesus’ judgment of the sheep and the goats did not begin in 1914 but will occur during the great tribulation. Finally, we examined why Jesus’ arrival to appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings did not occur in 1919 but will take place during the great tribulation. So, then, all three “whens” apply to the same future time period—the great tribulation. (Same source)

My response

I don’t fault the Watchtower leadership for making mistakes.

We all make mistakes.

I don’t fault them for changing their teachings when they believe earlier teachings were in error.

I do fault them for claiming that they are “the only organization on earth that understands the “deep things of God’.”

I fault them for calling major changes in doctrine “adjustments” as if they were minor.

I fault them for calling abandoned teachings “old light” and the latest teachings “new light” as if Jehovah himself were responsible for their misconceptions.

I fault them for calling independent thinking “evidence of pride.”

Acts 17:11 says the Jews in Beroea were more noble than those in Thessalonica.

Why?

Yes, they received the message of Paul and Silas with eagerness, but the key was that they also examined the scriptures themselves daily to see if what they were being told was true.

We all need to test by the scriptures everything we are taught, but the Watchtower accuses Jehovah’s Witnesses of rebellion and pride if they do.