Evidences of the Year’s Correctness

 1, 2. Describe the “family of nations” that arose after 1648.

WHAT physical evidences are there, then, that indicate 1914 was a marked year as to the ending of the “appointed times” of the nations? First a little background information is necessary. With the disintegration of the old Roman Empire and the breaking up of the Holy Roman Empire wedded to the Catholic Church there appeared after the Peace Treaty of Westphalia in 1648 a “family of nations”. This Gentile house of nations was a loose arrangement where big and small nations tried to get along in concert like big and small brothers with an occasional quarrel (war) between individual members. There was no big mother or father to boss them. Neither the Catholic Church nor the remnants of the old Roman Empire were any longer strong enough to keep these nations tied to their apron strings and thus keep these offshoot nations in line as they formerly did by being the superior dictators. Nevertheless the “family of nations” did maintain a measure of international order during their periods of world expansion, and they abode by a code of international law. However, this “family” had no political expression or super-organization. That was left for them to try later under the League of Nations in 1919 to patch up things.

² Following is an authoritative description of this “family of nations”. “The world empire of Rome showed a common political sovereignty by which the acts of remote territories might be regulated; the world religion of the Church of the middle period added the idea of a common bond of humanity. . . . The family was at first a ‘European Christian family of nations,’ and its law was European. The United States of America was the earliest addition outside of Europe. . . . In 1856 the five great powers admitted the Turkish Empire to ‘the participation in the advantages of European public law and concert.’ The entrance of Japan into the ‘family of nations’ in 1899 added another non-European state to the international family, which had ceased to be ‘European’ and ‘Christian’.”a

 3, 4. (a) What are the physical facts that mark the end of the “seven times” of the nations? (b) What is remarkable as to the dates involved?

³ What happened to this loose house of Gentile nations in 1914 is common knowledge and history now. The delicate balance of Gentile powers which enabled them to generate themselves into vast war machines in the prewar period totally collapsed in 1914. Their whole house blew up and the nations went mad. Does not the collapse of this house of the Gentiles and their national sovereign independence being now put in jeopardy remind one of the destruction of the temple and the king’s palace in Jerusalem between July 30-31 and August 2-3, 607 B.C.? All this exactly 2,520 years later almost to the day!b Note the following summary of the rapid fire of events as these nations went at each other’s throats, and, mind you, all this happened suddenly in the summer of 1914.

⁴ “Austria declared war on Serbia July 28, 1914. Attempts to mediate continued. Germany demanded neutrality of Britain in event of war with Russia and France; offered to respect French territory but gave no promise on colonies; Britain refused to bargain, July 30. Austria now agreed to negotiate with Russia. Russia mobilized in part, declaring Hungarian mobilization was directed against it; Germany mobilized, declaring such Russian action was against Germany. In this tense situation Britain continued efforts to stop general war. While Russia and Austria were conferring, Germany sent ultimatum to Russia demanding end of mobilization in twelve hours. The czar asked Austro-Serb quarrel be submitted to The Hague; no reply. Germany declared war against Russia August 1; against France August 3. Germans enter Belgium, in violation of treaty, guaranteed by Britain. Britain asked Germany to guarantee neutrality of Belgium by midnight August 4; Germany refused. Britain declared war August 4. Italy bound to Germany and Austria in Triple Alliance, proclaimed neutrality; had secret understanding with France not to join in any war against France. Italy declared war against Austria-Hungary May 23, 1915; against Germany August 27, 1916. Turkey, Bulgaria, Rumania joined Central Powers. Japan declared war on Germany, August 23, 1914. United States declared a state of war existed with Germany, April 6, 1917.” (The World Almanac, 1951, pp. 188,189) Truly the Gentile world went crazy between July 28 and August 4 in launching the bloodiest war in earth’s history to that time. Just as the Scriptures foretold, “nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.”—Matt. 24:7, NW.

THE SIGN

 5. What event does Jesus say must follow the end of the “times” of the nations?

⁵ Right after speaking of the “appointed times of the nations”, at Luke 21:24 (NW), Jesus makes a key revelation at the 27th Lu 21 verse 27 by saying: “And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” The coming of the Son of man in the clouds with power was the great sign of the sovereign-empowered Messiah or Christ spoken of by Daniel (7:13, 14) and which the priests and Pharisees were looking for during Jesus’ ministry on earth. But as to Christ’s first presence Jesus said the only sign they would get would be that of Jonah the prophet. (Matt. 12:39, NW) However, when Jesus was being tried before the Jewish Sanhedrin on the false charge of blasphemy the high priest said, “By the living God I put you under oath to tell us whether you are the Christ the Son of God!” Jesus said to him: “That was for you to say. Yet I say to you men, From henceforth you will see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matt. 26:63, 64, NW) Here Jesus openly admitted that as the Christ he would make a second presence as to affairs of the earth after a waiting period at God’s right hand. “Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” (Ps. 110:1, AS) The waiting period ended at the conclusion of the “appointed times of the nations” in 1914, his enemies were put where they belong under his feet, and from then has been seen the sign of the sovereign-empowered Christ coming on the clouds of heaven.

 6. What information is obtained from Bible prophecies as to the enthronement of Christ Jesus in 1914?

⁶ Time had come in the fall of 1914 for Jehovah the Universal Sovereign himself to act! Action on a global scale, yes, on a universal scale, was due to take place. The waiting period was over, and now the desire of all righteous ones came. Christ Jesus, the proved and tested new world’s King, was enthroned and empowered with sovereignty from on high. At last the kingdom of heaven was established in the person of its anointed ruler, Christ the King. Now for the first time in nearly six thousand years there is in existence, as respects the entire earth, a new theocratic government with ruling right from God the true Sovereign. What tremendous good this bodes for righteous mankind! “The Eternal’s [Jehovah’s, AS] edict let me tell: ‘I, I have installed my king on Sion, on my sacred hill.’” (Ps. 2:6, 7, Mo) The Bible even gives us a glimpse of the glorious enthronement proceedings which occurred in 1914. “I saw in the night-visions, and, behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man [Christ Jesus, and he came even to the ancient of days [Jehovah God], and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” (Dan. 7:13, 14, AS) Thus about October 1, 1914, just 2,520 years after the last vestige of typical Jewish sovereignty expired, the “iron and bronze band” of abeyance was removed from the “tree stump” and once again divine sovereignty empowered a theocratic government to take over the control of the entire earth. The “lowest of mankind”, Christ Jesus, was now exalted with kingdom right forever. (Isa. 53:7-9) What joy there was in heaven! “And loud voices occurred in heaven saying: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king for ever and ever.’”—Rev. 11:15, NW.

 7. What events occurred in heaven upon the establishment of the Kingdom?

⁷ The establishment of the kingdom of heaven immediately set in motion a chain of events both in heaven and on earth. These events were to occur in a transition period during which a great tribulation would come upon Satan’s entire organization leading up to the final test of power at Armageddon which results in its utter defeat and destruction. The birth of the Kingdom government in 1914 is likened to God’s woman, his organization Zion, bringing forth a male child whom Satan’s dragonlike organization is seeking to destroy. “And the dragon kept standing before the woman who was about to give birth, that, when she did give birth, it might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male, who is destined to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod. And her child was caught away to God and to his throne.” (Rev. 12:4, 5, NW) From this scripture we see that the Kingdom has a safe empowerment of sovereignty and that it is destined to take violent action in breaking up all opposing governments on earth as with a rod of iron. But wait! The false sovereign behind these nations still in heaven must be dealt with first. The Scripture next says: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael [Christ Jesus] and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ.’”—Rev. 12:7-10, NW.

 8. What reactions were experienced upon the earth?

⁸ Great was this victory of Christ Jesus and his angels! This prompt action in heaven was followed by reactions on earth. Jesus having come with his angels, this constituted the glorious sign of his second presence. (Matt. 25:31, NW) “Look! he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him.” (Rev. 1:7, NW) So the reaction is one of great trouble for the inhabitants of the earth who are out of harmony with God. A dire time of judgment is setting in when the divine Sovereign Jehovah begins to rule with respect to the earth by means of his Anointed One Jesus Christ. While all Satan’s empowered kingdoms by a false sovereign begin to tumble before the expansion of the invincible new government, note how the following prophecy fitly describes what happens: “In the days of these kings [falsely empowered demon and human rulers] the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom never to be swept away, with a sovereignty that shall never pass to others; it shall break all these kingdoms to bits and make an end of them, but it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44, Mo) Indeed it is at this time that the Sovereign Jehovah commands the obliteration of all earthly governments not empowered by him. “You are now my son [Christ Jesus], this day am I your father; ask, and I make you master of pagans, lord over all to the ends of the earth; you can maul them with an iron mace, and shatter them like potter’s ware!”—Ps. 2:7-9, Mo.

 9. What difficulties as to sovereignty have the nations been experiencing since 1914?

⁹ From and after 1914 all nations of the earth and their ruling elements have lost their sovereign vitality. They came out of the terrible “family” war of 1914-18 greatly mauled and ensnarled. Their two global dog-eat-dog brawls have left them all reeling and drunken. Incidentally, the Bible alludes to Gentiles as “dogs”. (Mark 7:28) Transfusions of sovereign power from one to another have been resorted to to keep the nations operating in these troublous times. The Bible even foretold that their two postwar attempts to gird themselves together into a world security organization would fail. (League of Nations, 1919, and the United Nations, 1945) “Make an uproar, O ye peoples, and be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: [1st] gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces; [2nd] gird yourselves, and be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand.” (Isa. 8:9, 10, AS) So even as a last resort if they attempt the pooling of their fancied sovereignties they cannot withstand the irresistible growth of God’s true Kingdom rule which is destined to fill the whole earth.—Ps. 72:8.

WHEN YOU SEE THESE THINGS, WHAT?

10. What are some of the evidences as a composite sign that the Kingdom has already been established?

¹⁰ “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the consummation of the system of things?” (Matt. 24:3, NW) In Jesus’ answer to this question he described many things that would occur in the earth as supporting proof that the Kingdom’s establishment was an accomplished fact. Such would be a time for Jesus to turn his attention toward affairs of the earth, hence it is referred to as his “presence”. These things must occur within the one brief period known as the “consummation of the system of things”, or in the transitional wind-up period of this old world. At no time in previous history have all these things occurred at once to comprise a composite sign as has been the case since 1914. Consider the following enumeration of some of the predicted things of which there is an abundance of physical facts in support:

Sign Scripture Proof

 1. World Wars Matt. 24:6, 7

 2. Widespread famines Matt. 24:7

 3. Unusual number of earthquakes Matt. 24:7

 4. Persecution of Christians Matt. 24:9

 5. Many false Christian religions Matt. 24:10, 11, 23, 24

 6. Increased lawlessness Matt. 24:12

 7. Many forsake Christianity Matt. 24:12

12. Sore pestilences and diseases Luke 21:11

13. Men becoming faint out of fear Luke 21:26

14. Juvenile delinquency 2 Tim. 3:1-3

11. How do the righteous view these transitional days since 1914?

¹¹ While the earth is filled full of woes on a scale such as never before experienced by man, deliverance draws near for those honest-hearted ones who are sighing and crying over all the abominations that are done in the earth. (Rev. 12:12, NW; Ezek. 9:4) To those of us passing through these dire times since the marked year 1914 Jesus said: “But as these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.” (Luke 21:28, NW) Truly rejoice, for Jehovah’s reigning King, Christ Jesus, has been set up as a raised signal around which the peoples of good will on earth are to rally. See, Christ Jesus, the glorious Signal, stands upon the lofty height of Mount Zion, the established kingdom of God. (Isa. 62:10, 11; Rev. 14:1) There he now reigns in the midst of his enemies in order to vindicate Jehovah’s right to universal sovereignty and in order to bless good-will persons out of all families and nations of the earth. Join in exalting him with praise! “Praise Jah, you people, because Jehovah our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king.” (Rev. 19:6, NW) “Praise God in his sanctuary, praise him in his heaven of power, praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for his sovereign strength.”—Ps. 150:1, 2, Mo.

It is already the hour for you to awake from sleep, for now our salvation is nearer than at the time when we became believers. The night is well along; the day has drawn near. Let us therefore put off the works belonging to darkness and let us put on the weapons of the light.—Rom. 13:11, 12, NW.

[Footnotes]