Counting the Days to Armageddon: The Jehovah's Witnesses and the Second Presence of ChristJames Clarke & Co., 1996 - 160 pages Counting the Days to Armageddon is work is of vital importance for all concerned with the Jehovah's Witness movement. It provides a thorough examination of their eschatological development, treating Watch Tower theology objectively but sympathetically. Crompton also speculates about the future direction of Jehovah's Witness teaching. The book begins with a brief consideration of the biblical foundations of doctrines of the last days, particularly the books of Daniel and Revelation. There follows an outline summary of some of the main aspects of the history of this doctrine within the Protestant mainstream during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and an outline of the Adventist teaching of William Miller (1782-1849) in the U.S.A. During the time following the failure of Miller's expectations of the end of the world, his ideas were developed by Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916), prime mover of the Watch Tower movement. Counting the Days to Armageddon explores the way in which Russell amended Miller's ideas, and also the distinctive way in which he handled the Dispensational categorisation of history of John Nelson Darby (1800-1882) to create an extension of historicist speculation on the application of prophecy to the modern world. The response of the Watch Tower movement to the failure of Russell's expectations in 1914 is explored, and the new body of doctrine which has replaced Russell's is examined. The ways in which these doctrines have been modified in the past suggest ways in which future doctrine may develop, especially in response to the protracted delay of Armageddon. What is envisaged, in the light of the history of Watch Tower doctrine, is no dramatic collapse of the movement but rather an increasing emphasis upon other, less vulnerable areas of doctrine together with a greater turnover of membership which may, in due course, undermine the movement's stability. |
From inside the book
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Contents
Introduction | 5 |
The Scriptural Starting Point | 12 |
The Historicist Millennialist Tradition | 17 |
Dispensationalism | 28 |
The Time is at Hand | 35 |
Parallel Dispensations | 43 |
Interpreting the Book of Daniel | 50 |
Days of Waiting | 61 |
The Great Mulitiude | 105 |
Interpreting the Current Sources | 115 |
The Security of 1914 | 129 |
The Response to the Crisis | 138 |
Glossary | 143 |
Dramatis Personae | 145 |
The Seven Trumpets | 148 |
The Seven Plagues | 149 |
The Endtime Calendar | 70 |
The Battle of Armageddon | 76 |
The End of an Era | 83 |
Millions Now Living Will Never Die | 95 |
Continuing Bible Students | 150 |
151 | |
155 | |
Common terms and phrases
Adventism Adventist amendments Antiochus Antiochus Epiphanes antitype apocalyptic appears apply approach argument from parallel Babylon Battle of Armageddon began beginning belief Bible Students C. T. Russell century Chapter Charles Taze Russell Christ Christendom Christian Church cleansing climax confirmation continuing Daniel desolate dispensationalism earth earthly phase ecclesiology end-time calendar established exile expected Ezekiel fact failure faithful Finished Mystery Fred Franz fulfilment Gentiles God's Kingdom Gospel age Harvest heaven heavenly historicist Ibid identified indicates interpretation Jehovah's Witnesses Jerusalem Jesus Jubilee judgement king little flock Lord mainstream major Memorial Attendance millennialism millennialist Millennium Miller Miller's system Nations Palestine parallel dispensations period premillennialism prophecy prophetic reference religious remained represent restoration resurrection Revelation revision Roman Russell's system Rutherford sanctuary Satan Scripture second coming Second Presence Seventh-day seventy weeks significance Society Society's tradition Uriah Smith verse vision Watch Tower doctrine Watch Tower movement Woodworth year-for-a-day principle