Unfortunately, their faith in this doctrine is misguided.
First of all, I believe that it is important that we look at the main "Scriptural Proof" for this doctrine - what does Daniel 4 really teach?
It was not long ago that I believed in the 1914 doctrine with my entire heart. I knew that the Society used Daniel 4 to prove what this year meant but I could never understand it. If you look in the book What Does the Bible Really Teach?, you will find an appendix about 1914. This appendix does not draw as much attention to Daniel 4 as many publications have done in the past but it does mention it. What does it say?
"The account in Daniel chapter 4 holds the key to knowing how long that period would last. It relates a prophetic dream experienced by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. He saw an immense tree that was chopped down. Its stump could not grow because it was banded with iron and copper. An angel declared: “Let seven times pass over it.”—Daniel 4:10-16.
This explanation seems to be good except one problem. One big problem! Daniel 4 says nothing about God's kingdom! At one publication, the Society said that Daniel 4:3, 17 indicate that this prophetic dream is actually about God's Kingdom, saying they actually have a deeper fulfillment then the one presented in the context. When we look at these verses, is this really true?
Before we go into all of this, we need to understand exactly what is happening in Daniel 4. In short, the king, Nebuchadnezzar, has a dream that disturbs him very much. He then gets the meaning of the dream from the Prophet Daniel. From there, Nebuchadnezzar relates to all the people what the dream was and what the meaning of it was. All of Daniel 4 takes place after Nebuchadnezzar goes insane.
So, this is where Daniel 4:3 picks up. It is the beginning of Nebuchadnezzar's speech to the people regarding his dream.
Before reading this verse, it is of importance that we understand that Daniel 4:3 is not part of Nebuchadnezzar's dream. All he is doing is giving due praise and honor to Jehovah God. He says, "How grand his signs are, and how mighty his wonders are! His kingdom is a kingdom to time indefinite, and his rulership is for generation after generation." He then goes on to relate the dream.
The second verse that the Society refers to in this chapter to prove that this prophecy is actually a prophecy about God's Kingdom is Daniel 4:17. This verse says, "By the decree of watchers the thing is, and by the saying of holy ones the request is, to the intent that people living may know that the Most High is Ruler in the kingdom of mankind and that to the one whom he wants to, he gives it and he sets up over it even the lowliest one of mankind." The words contained in the Scripture above is actually a part of a declaration made by an angel. He is simply telling us why these things will befall Nebuchadnezzar - to show that Jehovah is the one who controls the earth and the kingdoms of the earth are only given to those whom Jehovah chooses. Daniel 4:3, 17 are not indications of a greater meaning.
When you look at the interpretation of the dream presented right there in the Scriptures, you find that it is only speaking of a punishment meted out on Nebuchadnezzar by Jehovah to keep that arrogant king from imagining that he is more important then he actually is.-Daniel 4:10-17, 20-35
Daniel 2:44 is perhaps the most quoted Scripture out in service behind Psalm 37:10-11, 29, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and Revelation 21:4. We all know what it says: "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite." How exactly does this chapter of the book of Daniel reveal when the Christ will become king of God's Kingdom?
Daniel 2 is all about another dream of Nebuchadnezzar's. In this one he sees "a certain immense image." (Daniel 2:31) This image has a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly of copper, legs of iron, and feet of iron and clay mixed. (Daniel 2:32-33) As the king was watching, a stone was cut out and it smashed the feet of the statue and ground it into dust. This stone then became a huge mountain and filled the earth. (Daniel 2:34-35) The Prophet Daniel tells us what all this means.
"You, O king, the king of kings, you to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the might, and the strength and the dignity, and into whose hand he has given, wherever the sons of mankind are dwelling, the beasts of the field and the winged creatures of the heavens, and whom he has made ruler over all of them, you yourself are the head of gold." (Babylon is the first world power.)
“And after you there will rise another kingdom inferior to you; (Medo-Persia) and another kingdom, a third one, of copper, that will rule over the whole earth. (Greece)
“And as for the fourth kingdom, it will prove to be strong like iron. Forasmuch as iron is crushing and grinding everything else, so, like iron that shatters, it will crush and shatter even all these. (Rome)
“And whereas you beheld the feet and the toes to be partly of molded clay of a potter and partly of iron, the kingdom itself will prove to be divided, but somewhat of the hardness of iron will prove to be in it, forasmuch as you beheld the iron mixed with moist clay. And as for the toes of the feet being partly of iron and partly of molded clay, the kingdom will partly prove to be strong and will partly prove to be fragile. Whereas you beheld iron mixed with moist clay, they will come to be mixed with the offspring of mankind; but they will not prove to be sticking together, this one to that one, just as iron is not mixing with molded clay. (Anglo-American World Power)
“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite; forasmuch as you beheld that out of the mountain a stone was cut not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the copper, the molded clay, the silver and the gold."-Daniel 4:31-45
The key to all of this is the last paragraph. The stone (God's Kingdom) is cut out and immediately crushes the statue of gold, silver, copper, iron, and clay. By having the stone that was recently cut out immediately crush the statue, we realize that the first thing this kingdom will do is "crush and put an end to all these kingdoms." So, Christ receiving his heavenly kingdom will be marked by the immediate fall of the system of things.
Daniel 7 is a vision that reiterates what was revealed to Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2. We again see a succession of world powers, this time in the form of beasts, that ends with the enthronement of Christ.
We first have a lion with wings like an eagle. (Babylon) The second is a bear with three ribs in its mouth. (Medo-Persia) The third is leopard with four wings. (Greece) The last is a beast "fearsome and terrible and unusually strong. And it had teeth of iron, big ones. It was devouring and crushing, and what was left it was treading down with its feet. (Rome) And it was something different from all the other beasts that were prior to it, and it had ten horns. [Daniel] kept on considering the horns, and, look! another horn, a small one, came up in among them, and there were three of the first horns that were plucked up from before it. And, look! there were eyes like the eyes of a man in this horn, and there was a mouth speaking grandiose things."-Daniel 7:4-8
This fearsome beast dies and other smaller kingdoms come up into its place. This is revealed when Daniel has a vision of Jehovah God on his heavenly throne. The kingdoms are then given a "lengthening in life." (Daniel 7:9-12) The vision is continued and Daniel sees Jesus Christ take his throne as ruler of God's kingdom. (Daniel 7:13-14) These remaining kingdoms, pictured as horns on the head of the fearsome beast, make war against Jehovah's people, (sounds like the Great Tribulation, compare Revelation 16:14, 16) which ultimately leads to Armageddon. This is a parallel to Ezekiel's vision.-Daniel 7:21-22; Ezekiel 38:15-16, 18-23
When on the island of Patmos, John is given many heavenly visions, contained in 22 chapters. The chapter that we want to focus on is chapter 11 when the seventh angel blows his trumpet. What happens?
"Loud voices occurred in heaven, saying: 'The kingdom of the world did become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.' " (Revelation 11:15) So, right after the seventh trumpet blast, Jesus is given his kingdom. The twenty-four elders immediately know what this means - Armageddon is imminent!
The twenty-four elders say, "We thank you, Jehovah God, the Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun ruling as king. But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time for the dead to be judged, and to give their reward to your slaves the prophets and to the holy ones and to those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining the earth."-Revelation 11:17-18
The words presented in these two verses reveal that right after the Kingdom is made a reality, it is time for Jehovah to ruin those ruining the earth. Just like in the great earthquake of Revelation 6 and the giant hail in Revelation 16, Armageddon is here pictured by "lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and a great hail."-Revelation 11:19
We see that Armageddon is the first event that takes place after Christ receives the Kingdom.
"The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord is: 'Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.' The rod of your strength Jehovah will send out of Zion, saying: 'Go subduing in the midst of your enemies.' " (Psalm 110:1-2) Jesus died in the year 33 C.E. He ascended to heaven about 40 days later.
This prophecy makes clear that Jesus sat at Jehovah's right hand for an indefinite period of time. During this time, the enemies of Jesus were placed as a "stool for [his] feet." So, during this time, we can come to the conclusion that Satan the Devil and his demons were thrown out of heaven. This could have taken place any time from 33 C.E. until the outbreak of the Great Tribulation. Yes, it could have even taken place in 1914, something that history does seem to back up.-Revelation 12:9, 12
The second part of that prophecy now sees Jesus with a rod in his hand. A rod is an object held by a king. What is the first thing Jesus is told to do now that he has the rod? "Go subduing in the midst of your enemies." Yes, Jesus, immediately after receiving the kingship, brings about Armageddon on the earth.-Psalm 110:5-6
It is also interesting that the army of angels mentioned in the Bible is first said to belong to Michael and then to Jesus. (Revelation 12:7; 19:19) When Michael becomes king, he is then recognized by the name of Jesus. This first time that we see Jesus in action using the name Jesus is found at Revelation 19.
Here we find the outbreak of Armageddon. In this chapter of the Bible, less attention is actually given to the event of Armageddon then it is to the One leading the armies against Satan's wicked system. Read the description of the One leading riding to war.
"And I saw the heaven opened, and, look! a white horse. And the one seated upon it is called Faithful and True, and he judges and carries on war in righteousness. His eyes are a fiery flame, and upon his head are many diadems. He has a name written that no one knows but he himself, and he is arrayed with an outer garment sprinkled with blood, and the name he is called is The Word of God. Also, the armies that were in heaven were following him on white horses, and they were clothed in white, clean, fine linen. And out of his mouth there protrudes a sharp long sword, that he may strike the nations with it, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron. He treads too the winepress of the anger of the wrath of God the Almighty. And upon his outer garment, even upon his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords."-Revelation 19:11-15
Why is this observation about the Christ, riding to war, pertinent to this discussion. Well, first, he is said to have many diadems. Second, he has a name written that no one knows, evidently just given to him because this has never been mentioned in the Bible before. Third, the armies of heaven are following him who is not just a chief angel anymore, but king of all creation.
Fourth, he come to strike the nations, this being at Armageddon. Fifth, he is has another revealing name. "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS." Let us pretend that Armageddon is going to happen October 1, 2014. If Jesus had already been king for the past century why would it be important to add all of this stuff, identifying him as a great king? On the other hand, if Jesus was a new king, you could expect nothing less then a full display for him.
All the Biblical evidence points to the fact that Jesus' first act as king is to lead the angelic army to war against the nations at Armageddon, not to oust Satan from heaven to the earth.
One question still remains: Does Jesus become king before the Great Tribulation or after the Great Tribulation? The Bible does answer this question.
Daniel was a privileged man to have all of these prophecies about the end of the system of things given to him. Daniel 2, 7, and 10-12. Chapters 10-12 are what we are interested in.
Throughout Daniel 10-11, we see an epic struggle taking place between the King of the North and the King of the South. It has been revealed that this struggle started in Daniel's day and continued all the way down to ours, finally ending up with the Anglo-American world power as one of the kings and an unknown as the other king.-Daniel 11:40-45
After verse 45 of Daniel 11, the scene changes and we find ourselves at Daniel 12. When you read this in one quick breath you see that it is just a continuation of Daniel 11. What happens at the very end of this, right after the King of the North defeats the King of the South and meets his end?
"During that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people." (Daniel 12:1a) Michael, another name for Jesus, stands up, or receives his kingship. All of this happens after the King of the North meets his end! Since the King of the North has not met his end in our day, Michael has not stood up yet. Again, the Bible makes it clear that Michael's standing up happens sometime in the future.
How does all of this answer the question of whether or not Jesus becomes king before or after the Great Tribulation? Look at the entire verse 12:1. "During that time Michael will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people. And there will certainly occur a time of distress such as has not been made to occur since there came to be a nation until that time."
Doesn't this sound like the Great Tribulation to you? Listen to Jesus' words. "Then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now." (Matthew 24:21a) When taken by itself, doesn't this seem like a direct quote of Daniel 12:1b? Now, add the end of Matthew 24:21, "no, nor will occur again." (Matthew 24:21b) It is almost as if Jesus is quoting Daniel 12:1 and then adding his own note that this time of distress, called great tribulation in his quoting of it, would never occur again. Yes, believe it! Matthew 24:21 is a quote of Daniel 12:1.
What does all of this mean? The start of the Great Tribulation is a clear signal that Christ has received the kingship. Any moment now (from his standpoint, not ours) he will come and rescue us from the nations! That is his first act as king.
Preach the Good News of the Kingdom with renewed zeal. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, the one who died for us, is going to rule over us. He was once a human and can sympathize with our weaknesses! Preach him and his Father, Jehovah God. Preach the Good News of the Kingdom!
No, 1914 was not the year that Jesus received his kingship. That is in the future, indicated by the outbreak of the Great Tribulation, or time of distress. His first act as king will be to lead the angels against Satan and his system at Armageddon!
So, should you still teach 1914 to your Bible students and at meetings? That is up to you individually. Perhaps, if you have a part on the school about 1914, you can just skip the meeting or something. None of us wants to be guilty of teaching false doctrine, do we? What about with your Bible students? I don't know how that can be handled.
The day is coming when we can worship Jehovah God publicly the way He wants to be worshipped. Stay strong and pray for that day to come.
With Sincere Christian Love and Affection,
Brother Ebed Abodah
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