Reinterpretation of the resurrection
of patriarchs

Author: Włodzimierz Bednarski

Reinterpretation of the resurrection of patriarchs

In the first months of the 1926, after when the patriarch’s resurrection did not take place in 1925, the Watchtower Society began to put it off indefinitely in the future. However, initially, as we saw, they tried to improve its chronology and shed its hopes for 1926. Here is the new concept:

In due time the ancient worthies, who were tried and proven faithful and true unto God, shall be brought forth perfect men and be given a place in this blessed government of Zion, the new nation, because God hath prepared a place for them in that government. (The Watchtower March 15, 1926 p. 87).

But putting the promises off (for the patriarchs) was not a long- term postponement, it was rather referred as “shortly thereafter” by them:

According to their jubilee system, which God inaugurated with them under. Moses, their last typical jubilee is the year 1925; and shortly thereafter the great blessings which God has promised to the Jews should begin to be made manifest. We may look with keen expectancy for some marked manifestation of God's favor in the latter part of 1925, or shortly thereafter. (Comfort for the People 1925 p. 39).

In 1926, a new teaching of the “the 1914 generation” appeared, and since the beginning it was jointly considered, along with the resurrection of the prophets:

Those faithful men mentioned in the Bible, from Abel to John tbe Baptist (Heb. 11), God will raise up out of death and give them life as perfect men. (...) In a very short time from now, and within the life of the present generation, these faithful men will be brought back and given perfect human life on the earth, and will assume the affairs of government to which they have been appointed, and therefore will be the visible governors amongst all the peoples of the earth. (The Kingdom, the Hope of the World 1931 p. 49).

What could be the reason why the “patriarchs” did not appear in 1925? How the Watchtower Society explained this?

Such a reason could be that the apartments for the patriarchs were not ready. Perhaps directed by this “explanation” the Watchtower Society decided to create the “House of Princes” (Beth-Sarim), where the Old Testament men could live.

In 1929, when “princes” continued to not appear, it was decided to move “their capital” Jerusalem to San Diego, where the above- mentioned Beth-Sarim or House of Princes got built. Temporarily it was occupied the by the President of the Watchtower Society J.F. Rutherford, ill with pneumonia. The Watchtower magazine The Golden Age, in an article The Truth About the San Diego House (written by J. Martin, the factory overseer in Brooklyn), said:

ROBERT J. MARTIN (...) for and in consideration of the sum of Ten Dollars ($10.00) does hereby grant bargain and sell unto JOSEPH F. RUTHERFORD (...) for and during his life on earth and thereafter to the WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY (...) All that real property situated in Kensington Heights, County of San Diego, State of California (...) Both the grantor and the grantee, the said JOSEPH F. RUTHERFORD are fully persuaded from the Bible testimony, which is the Word of Jehovah God, and from extraneous evidence that God's kingdom is now in course of establishment and that it will result beneficially to the peoples of earth; that the governing power and authority will be invisible to men but that kingdom of God will have visible representatives on the earth who will have charge of the affairs of the nations under the supervision of the invisible ruler Christ; that among those who will thus be the faithful representatives and visible governors of the world v/ill be David, who was once king over Israel; and Gideon, and Barak, and Samson, and Jephthae, and Joseph, formerly the ruler of Egypt, and Samuel the prophet and other faithful men who were named with approval in the Bible at Hebrews the eleventh chapter. (...) The condition herein is that the said WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY shall hold said title perpetually in trust for the use of any or all of the men above named as representatives of God's kingdom on earth and that such men shall have possession and use of said property hereinabove described as they may deem for the best interest for the work in which they are engaged. This property has been acquired and the improvements built thereon at the instance and under the direction of the said JOSEPH F. RUTHERFORD and dedicated to Jehovah God and to His King Christ who is the rightful ruler of the earth and for the express purpose of being used by those who are servants of Jehovah God. For this reason the provision is made in this deed that the property shall be for ever used for that purpose subject to any encumbrances that may have been placed thereupon. IT IS FURTHER PROVIDED that if the said JOSEPH F. RUTHERFORD while alive on the earth shall by lease, deed or contract provide that any other person or persons connected with the said WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY shall have the right to reside on said premises until the appearing of David or some of the other men mentioned in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews as above set forth even such person or persons so designated by the said JOSEPH F. RUTHERFORD in such lease or other paper writing shall have the right and privilege of residing on said premises until the same be taken possession of by David or some of the other men herein named and this property and premises being dedicated to Jehovah and the use of his kingdom it shall be used as such for ever. Any persons appearing to take possession of said premises shall first prove and identify themselves to the proper officers of said Society as the person or persons described in Hebrews chapter eleven and in this deed. (...) 24th day of December A.D. 1929. (The Golden Age March 19, 1930 pp. 406-407).

One of the Watchtower Society’s books, published in 1942, still taught that “princes” can be expected in days, reminding their followers that Beth-Sarim is still waiting for them:

(...) and hence those faithful men of old may be expected back from the dead any day now. The Scriptures give good reason to believe that it shall be shortly before Armageddon breaks. In this expectation the house at San Diego, California, which house has been much publicized with malicious intent by the religious enemy, was built, in 1930, and named “Beth-Sarim”, meaning “House of the Princes”. It is now held in trust for the occupancy of those princes on their return. To those religionists and their allies the return of those faithful men of old to rule with judgment over the people shall not bring any pleasure. (The New World 1942 p. 104).

See Consolation May 27, 1942 p. 13 (and we may expect to see Daniel and the other mentioned princes any day now!); The Watchtower September 15, 1941 p. 275; The Watchtower February 1, 1942 p. 47; Hope 1942 p. 57.

Let us return to the twenties of the 20th century and the book The Harp of God (1921). We will recall here its words of the resurrection of the patriarchs:

Because Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the other faithful prophets described by the Apostle Paul in Hebrews 11 are promised a better resurrection; (...) Hence these faithful men may be expected on earth within the next few years. They will constitute the legal representatives of the Christ in the earth. They will be the visible representatives of the kingdom of heaven. (The Harp of God 1921 pp. 339-340).

We can clearly see that this book, treating about the resurrection of ancient men, was referring to “the next few years,” which at the time of this book’s release (1921) pointed to the year 1925.

However, this is not all, subsequent (English) editions of this publication (e.g. 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1927) contained the same words (“the next few years”). This was a gate allowing them to put the resurrection date in the future. Likewise, but to a lesser extent, another brochure, that was published in 1924 could be useful to that purpose. It taught about “the next few years” too:

Approaching the 1940s in our investigation, we can notice that these are the last years when “princes” were expected. One of the magazines issued in 1950 says the following:

For some years now both the remnant and the great crowd of strangers or “other sheep” have been looking for the promised “princes” of the new earth to appear. (The Watchtower November 1, 1950 p. 414).

It seems that the waiting for the “princes” reached its apogee in 1950 during one of the conventions, when it was found that “princes” were already present at the convention’s stadium! Here is the Watchtower Society’s report from this event:

For years, Jehovah’s people thought that faithful men of old times, such as Abraham, Joseph and David, would be resurrected before the end of this wicked system of things. Those past servants of God were called “ancient worthies,” “faithful men of old” and “the princes.” (...) With that in mind, mentally join the 82,601 conventioners as they listened intently to F. W. Franz on Saturday evening, August 5, 1950. At a climactic point in his absorbing Scriptural talk he asked: “Would this international assembly be happy to know that HERE, TONIGHT, in our midst, there are a number of prospective PRINCES OF THE NEW EARTH?” What reactions there were to that query! Here are some vivid recollections: “I recall the gasp of amazement that swept the assembly, and we began looking around us expectantly . . . was David here, or Abraham, or Daniel, or Job? Many of us sisters had tears in our eyes!” (Grace A. Estep) “I was so excited I sat on the edge of my seat with my eyes glued on the dugout. I was certain that one or more of these men of old would emerge at any moment.” (Sister Dwight T. Kenyon) “People in the corridors rushed to the stadium entrances to view the speaker’s stand, perhaps expecting to see Abraham, David or maybe Moses. The audience stood up—the atmosphere was charged. I am sure that if someone with a long beard had walked to the platform there would have been no containing the crowd.”—L. E. Reusch. A profound silence next settled over the audience. Every ear seemed strained to lose none of the speaker’s words. He discussed the real meaning of the Hebrew word translated ‘prince.” He pointed out that today’s “other sheep” have suffered just as much for their faith as did Jehovah’s witnesses of old. Hence, nothing argues against Christ’s making these “other sheep” “princes in all the earth” as required. (Ps. 45:16; John 10:16) Then, concluding his discourse, Brother Franz said: “With the transporting prospects so close before us, oh! let us keep Theocratic organization and let God continue improving it as a New World society. Never may we look back to this modern Sodom, which is reserved for destruction, but we are determined to keep faces forward in full faith. Onward, then, steadily, all of us together, as a New World society!” (1975 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses pp. 213-214).

After this event, Jehovah’s Witnesses seemed to be tapped out and none of them talked about waiting for the Old Testament men anymore.

The Watchtower Society’s handbook explains then what happened to the House of Princes:

A few years after Brother Rutherford’s death, the board of directors of the Watch Tower Society decided to sell Beth-Sarim. Why? “The Watchtower” of December 15, 1947, explained: “It had fully served its purpose and was now only serving as a monument quite expensive to keep; our faith in the return of the men of old time whom the King Christ Jesus will make princes in ALL the earth (not merely in California) is based, not upon that house Beth-Sarim, but upon God’s Word of promise.” (...) At the time, it was believed that faithful men of old times, such as Abraham, Joseph, and David, would be resurrected before the end of this system of things and would serve as “princes in all the earth,” in fulfillment of Psalm 45:16. This view was adjusted in 1950, when further study of the Scriptures indicated that those earthly forefathers of Jesus Christ would be resurrected after Armageddon.—See “The Watchtower,” November 1, 1950, pages 414-17 (Jehovah’s Witnesses— Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom 1993 p. 76).