NO TIME TO LOSE
Between 1873 and 2000 AD the JW leaders advocated up to thirty dates for the occurrence of Armageddon or other "Bible prophecies" and were wrong every time! (Investigator 17/37; 50/22; 56/46)
Besides setting dates the leaders also incite JWs to zeal with numerous stock phrases that imply Armageddon is imminent. These include "dangerously near", "about to break", "soon", "act now, "act quickly", "time is short", "fast approaching", "draws on apace", "hastens on", etc.
Such phrases make JWs happy by giving them hope, intimidate those who have doubts, and deter "rebellion" in the ranks since "rebellious ones" get killed when Armageddon strikes!
The lists below focus on two phrases. "w"
stands for The Watchtower; numerals indicate year, month, day, and
page.
Time is fast running out
Time is fast running out for the present wicked system of things. As the Israelites increased their march around the wicked city of Jericho just before its destruction, so now, just before Jehovah destroys the present system, he is inviting people to give a mighty shout. (w1982 3/1 26)
Time is fast running out! The generation from 1914 has now witnessed the fulfillment of the major part of Jesus’ great prophetic "sign" describing "the conclusion of the system of things." The "great tribulation…" is about to break in all its fury over the entire earth… Jehovah’s hour of reckoning with Satan’s world hastens on. (w1976 11/15 685)
Time is fast running out before the
world’s greatest war strikes. (w1955 8/1 328)
All need to be concerned about learning and speaking the pure language, for only those doing so will survive Armageddon. There is no time to lose in heeding the counsel of Zephaniah 2:1-3. (w1991 1/15 29)
Those who recall events from 1914 are becoming ever fewer. Thus, we need to be alert; there is no time to lose. (Matthew 24:42) All who want to survive the end of Satan’s world must act now… (w1990 10/15 20)
…there is no time to lose… God’s justice demands that this wicked system will soon be destroyed. (w1989 3/1 29)
Certainly now, when more than 57 years have passed by since 1919, there is no time to lose. (w1977 12/15 759)
Since the time is short before God takes action against those ruining the earth, the time is also short in which to make these changes in your life. You have no time to lose. (Awake! 1975 12/22 12)
…you have no time to lose. You must act quickly if you are to stand before Jehovah’s executional forces with the work of true Christian identification. (w1974 3/15 496)
The day for Jehovah to assert his sovereignty draws on apace. There is no time to lose. To escape annihilation with the enemies of Jehovah’s sovereignty we must prove our loyalty to it… (w1960 7/1 392)
The time is short, much shorter than when this proclamation began, and there is no time to lose. Armageddon draws on apace. It is now almost forty years since Satan was cast out of heaven down to this earth. The climax of all ages is fast approaching. Jehovah’s word and name are about to be completely vindicated. (w1956 3/1 474)
There is no time now to lose. The world is weighed in the balances and is found wanting. Her days are numbered. The final day and hour for Armageddon draws near. (w1951 9/15 29)
The world’s end is upon us. There is no
time to lose. Your life and the life of others is at stake. So "preach
the word"! (w1950 12/1 494)
Most of the adults inspired by the above phrases in the 1950s are now dead. They wasted their time disseminating prophetic nonsense, and suffered what they hoped to avoid — death.
(BS)