Chapter Eighteen - Earthquakes in the Lord's Day

Tremors in Human Society

From the mid-1870's, Jehovah's people had been anticipating that catastrophic events would start in 1914 and would mark the end of the Gentile Times.  This is the period of "seven times." (2,520 years) running from the overthrow of the Davidic kingdom in Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. to Jesus enthronement in  heavenly Jerusalem in 1914 C.E.-Daniel 4:24, 25; Luke 21:24, King James Version.

Thus, when C.T. Russell, first president of the Watchtower Society, appeared for morning worship  with the Brooklyn, New York Bethel family on the morning of October 2, 1941, he made the dramatic announcements: "The Gentile Times have ended; their kings have had their day."  Indeed, the worldwide upheaval that began in 1914 was so  far-reaching that many long-standing monarchies disappeared.  The overthrow of czardom in the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 let to the current confrontation  between Marxism and capitalism. Tremors of political change continue to disturb human society earthwide.  Today, many governments fail to survive more than a year or two. Lack of stability in the political world is illustrated in the case of Italy, which had 47 new governments in just 42 years following World War II.  But such advance tremors are only preliminary to a climatic government upheaval. The result?  God's Kingdom will take over sole rulership of the earth. -Isaiah 9:6, 7. 

Historians, philosophers, and political leaders have pointed to the year 1914 as the start of a  momentous epoch. Seventeen years into that epoch. Historian H.G.Wells  commented:  "Gladly would the prophet prophesy pleasant things. But his  duty is to tell what he sees. He sees a world still firmly controlled by soldiers, patriots, usurers and financial adventurers;  a world surrendered   to suspicion and hatred, losing what is left of private liberties very rapidly, blundering toward bitter class conflicts, and  preparing for new wars."  In 1953 philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote; "Ever since 1914, everybody conscious of trends in the world has been very deeply troubled by what has seemed like a fated and predetermined march toward   every greater disaster. . . . They see the human race, like the hero of a Greek tragedy, driven on by angry gods and no longer the master of fate.  In 1980 statesman Harold Macmillan, reflecting on the peaceful start of our 20th century, said:  "Everything would get better and better. This was the world war I born in. . . . Suddenly, unexpectedly, one morning in 1941 the whole things came to an end.

Next time: Chapter Eighteen - Earthquakes in the Lord's Day - Conclusion of  Tremors in Human Society

From  the book of Revelation