The Watchtower and The Memorial

The fundamental doctrines of the Watchtower hinge on one teaching, and that is that Jerusalem was destroyed in 607BCE. It is well documented by now that not one secular source supports the date given by the Watchtower for the fall of Jerusalem. In the field of archaeology much work has been done since the 1800s when this date was first coined. The evidence proving that the city fell in 586/587BCE runs into the thousands by virtue of archaeological finds.

However, the Watchtower is stuck with this date because of the 2520 years added to 607 BCE brings us to 1914 which according to them was the end of the Gentile Times mentioned in the book of Daniel. The 1914 date is also significant because of the teaching that Jesus was enthroned in heaven to rule and thereby marks the time of his second coming. This was now said to be an invisible second coming. But this is where it really gets interesting.

If Christ returned in 1914, why do they still commemorate the Lord’s evening meal annually? The scripture in their very own New World Translation states at 1 Corinthians 11:26; “For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” It seems as if the JWs want it both ways.