“Year 1925” in light of Matthew 24:36 and Acts 1:7
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Surprisingly, the Watchtower Society was not afraid to advertise a specific date for the expected events. We refer to the following dates:
„about April 1, 1925” and “about October 1, 1925:”
(...) or about April 1, 1925, at which time we may expect the resurrection of the Ancient Worthies and the beginning of the blessing of all the families of the earth, living as well as dead. The last year of the 3,500 years will be itself a jubilee year witnessing the antitype, the great jubilee, of restitution. (Millions Now Living Will Never Die! 1920 p. 110).
1,924 full years of the A.D. period will end December 31, 1924 A.D. and 3/4 years more ends about October 1, 1925 A.D., at which time there is reason to believe that Abraham will come into possession of his inheritance. (Millions Now Living Will Never Die! 1920 p. 108).
The Watchtower Society is aware of the words of Scripture about the “day and hour” of Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32, and of “times or seasons” of Acts 1:7, but little they cared about that in the years of the 1925 campaign. Maybe, they considered these words only in relation with the return of Christ, which had taken place long ago, in 1874 (according to the contemporary teaching of the organization).
But when Jesus was asked the question: “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6, ESV), He replied: “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority” (Acts 1:7, ESV). This sounds like a polemic with the Watchtower Society itself!
Here is how the discussed organization neutralized the above- mentioned biblical verses during the 1925 campaign:
Still others who fear his coming and who do not desire to see him say: ‘No one can possibly know the time. Why, therefore, should one spend his time in discussing the question?’ The last-named class, in support of their contention, cite the words of Jesus when he said: “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only”. (Matthew 24:36) It is assumed because he used these words that no one would ever know except Jehovah. (...) He did not say that no one would ever know of the hour or the day of his coming. (...) When Jesus arose from the dead he said: “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth”. (Matthew 28:18) He must have known then the time of his coming, because now as the creature divine everything was committed into his hands for the outworking of God's plan. At the time of his appearing surely the angels of heaven would know about it; and the day must come when the publishers would know. (The Harp of God 1921 pp. 224-225; 1928 pp. 229-230).
Suppose we admit, for the sake of the argument, that no man knows the day nor hour of the Lord's appearing. What difference does that make? The hour and the day have already passed. (...) The times and seasons are clearly established by the overwhelming proof that the Lord is now present. (The Harp of God 1921 p. 250; 1928 p. 257).
See Our Lord’s Return 1925 p. 18.
As for the book titled Millions Now Living Will Never Die! 1920, while it taught about 1925, it completely skipped the text of Matthew 24:36, Mark 13:32, and Acts 1:7. In opposite it started to introduce the dates “about April 1” and “about October 1”.
During the discussed years 1917-1925, the Watchtower Society continued to use textbooks written by C.T. Russell (died 1916). Here is how he responded to these texts and Amos 3:7:
When some of the disciples came to our Lord inquiring concerning the time for the establishment of the Kingdom of God, before it was yet due to be revealed, he answered, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath appointed by his own authority.” Acts 1:7.) And on another occasion, concerning the same subject he said, “Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels who are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray ; for ye know not when the time is. ... And what I say unto you, I say unto all, Watch” – Mark 13:32, 33, 37. These words of our Lord cannot be understood to mean that none but the Father will ever know of his times and seasons; hence it no more proves that we cannot know those times and seasons now, than that our Lord cannot know them now. And the very fact that the entire outline of our Father’s plan, and also his times and seasons are now clearly discernible, is strong proof that we are now living in the time of the end of the present dominion of evil, and the dawn of the Millennial Day, when knowledge should be increased and the wise should understand. (Dan. 12:4, 10.) (The Time is at Hand 1923 pp. 18-19).
Our Lord certainly shall know of the times and seasons in due time, since he is to accomplish the plan, and unless he has changed he will make known the plans to those close to him and associated in his work – his friends, his saints. Reason, then, teaches us that so surely as it is written, “The Lord will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7), and that most of what he revealed unto them was not for themselves, but for us, the Gospel Church (1 Pet. 1:12), so surely will the faithful not be left in darkness, unable to discern it, when the day of the Lord has come. It will not come upon them as a thief and a snare-unawares; for they will be watching, and will have the promised light then due upon the subject. (The Time is at Hand 1923 pp. 21-22).
„But of that day and hour knoweth no man; no not the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but my Father only.” (Matt. 24:36, Sinaitic MS. Compare Mark 13:32, 33.) “'Take ye heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is.” To many these words seem to imply much more than they express: they think of them as though they put a lock upon and made useless all the prophecies of the Bible; — as though our Lord had said, “No man shall ever know,” whereas he merely said, “No man [now] knoweth,” referring only to the persons who heard him—to whom the exact times and seasons were not due to be revealed. Who can doubt that the “angels of heaven” and “the Son” now know, fully and clearly, matters which have progressed so nearly to fulfilment? (The Battle of Armageddon 1923 p. 605).
So, we can clearly see what logic the Watchtower Society followed in interpreting the Sacred Scripture at that time. Having such an interpretation of the Bible, it was feasible to provide concrete dates for the events of 1925!
It was only after the April 1 and October 1 passed, the Watchtower Society changed its teaching to a “day” and a “year:”
(...) that the Lord has given his people certain points in chronology; that the fulfilment of prophecy shows the dates 1914, 1918 and 1925 to be clearly marked; that the Scriptures nowhere show just what day or year the glorification of the church takes place; therefore that with the passing of 1925 time is no more so far as the church is concerned. (The Watchtower October 15, 1925 p. 308).
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