Study Qusestion #1: In what series of books can Paster Charles Taze Russell's eschatological doctrine be found?
As a reminder, here is what I concluded in my last post:
"Russell constructed an elaborate system for calculating the “signs of the times” (the date for the final end of the world) from his study of the Scriptures and...of the Egyptian Great Pyramid; he drew many people away into believing his pyramidological calculations by basing them on his interpretation of the bible and the “wonders” of the measurements of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt."
Study Question #2: Upon which "wonders" did Russell base his end-times calculations, in addition to his (mis)interpretation of the Bible?
In order to prove my assertions to you, I will accordingly quote at length from Russell’s own writings, ‘Studies in the Scriptures’, Volumes 2 and 3, written in 1889 and 1891, respectively:
“In this volume [Vol.2] we offer a chain of testimony on the subject of God’s appointed times and seasons, each link of which we consider Scripturally strong, while the whole of it [Vol.2] when viewed together, in the relationship which one part bears to another, gives evidence of a plan so broad and comprehensive, a design so deep, and a harmony so perfect, as to clearly manifest to the studious and reverent inquirer that it is beyond the breadth and depth of human thought, and therefore cannot be of human origin.” (Millennial Dawn, Vol.2, ‘The Time is at Hand,’ Watch Tower and Bible and Tract Society, p.15.)
Study Question #3: From what kind of origin did Russell teach his followers that his calculations for the end of the world came from?
Let’s see if we can figure out what about Russell’s “evidence of a plan…” was "so perfect…beyond the breadth and depth of human thought, and therefore [not] of human origin…” that, recall, Jesus Christ himself, in 1918, could not deny; leading him to make the decision to choose Russell and his small group of followers over all other religious groups in existence back then to become Jehovah’s special people because they were the only ones teaching Biblical Truth.
This is the PLAN:
“The “Time of the End", a period of one hundred and fifteen (115) years, from A.D. 1799 to A.D. 1914, is particularly marked in the Scriptures.” – Vol.3, ‘Thy Kingdom Come', p.23.
Study Question #4: (a) According to Russell's teachings, in what year did the beginning of the world's end start? (b) What year did he teach that the world would end? (c) Did the world end when Russell predicted it would?
Admittedly, this is heavy reading; therefore, I will break this chapter up into short and absorb-able parts. Let's call this post part one and stay tuned for the next installments of this chapter.
As always, thank you for reading and for your support!
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