06-30-2008, 06:12 AM
Seven Ways 607 Is At Odds With The Bible.
By Andrew Farrell
http://web.archive.org/web/1998012301181...ble607.htm
The date 607 BCE for Jerusalem's destruction not only stands at odds with a vast amount of historical evidence, but amazingly also results in many significant scriptural contradictions. This proves that this teaching is definetly in error. Please examine the following leading examples:
1. The Watchtower Society teaches that the "seventy years" used to arrive at 607 BCE ended in 537 BCE#, two years after Babylon's fall. However the Bible clearly shows the seventy years would end, and then Babylon would be brought to account, which was two years earlier, in 539 BCE. See Jeremiah 25:12 also 2 Chronicles 36:20.
2. Jeremiah 29:10 and Jeremiah 25:11 speak of a seventy year period "at Babylon" and of "serving the king of Babylon". But according to the Watchtower Society chronology, the majority of exiles would have been "at Babylon" and "serving the king Babylon" for a total of 81 years - 11 years prior to the city destruction, and seventy afterwards.
3. The Watchtower Society says that the seventy year exile or servitude used to arrive at 607 did not start until the city was destroyed. However, Jeremiah 27 shows clearly the city was already under the yoke of Babylonian servitude before the city was destroyed. See verses 2-4, 6, 17 also Jeremiah 28:4, 12-14. This would mean the start of the seventy years of Jeremiah 25:11 would not coincide with the city destruction.
4. In order to connect the dream of Daniel 4 with the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 BCE, the Watchtower Society says that Daniel 2:1doesn't mean what it says. They say that in speaking Nebuchadnezzar's 2nd year, Daniel was referring to the second year since the nation was conquered at the cities destruction in 607 BCE. However, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem 11 years prior to destroying the city - see 2 Kings 24:12-17. Furthermore, this is not one iota of scriptural support for the idea this year must be moved from what the Bible says. (detailed discussion)
5. According to the Bible account, Jerusalem was destroyed in the month of July. However, the Watchtower Society says the seventy years didn't begin until October, because that's when Gedaliah, the governor left in charge of the vine keepers in the devastated city, was assasinated. (2 Kings 25:22-25) However, in effect this would mean the tree of Daniel 4, to which all the beasts and birds flocked, with abundant fruit and foliage, a tree of great height and immensity - yes, apparently all this can be attributed to the mere governor of Jerusalem, whose death was pictured by the chopping down of this mighty tree! In fact, the month of October, the supposed start of the "seven times" in 607 BCE, does not coincide with the city desolation and the dethroning of the last King of Judah - Jeremiah 52:12. (detailed discussion)
6. The phrase "seventy years of desolation" does not appear anywhere in the Bible, however it is continually used by the Watchtower Society to support the idea of a seventy year period commencing in 607 BCE. In fact, careful reading of Jeremiah 25 reveals this was a prophecy regarding servitude to Babylon for all these nations, not just Jerusalem. (detailed discussion)
7. The Watchtower also refers to a "seventy year period of exile", which is partly how they support 537 BCE. This phrase does not appear in the Bible either. However, Ezekiel 40:1 shows there was an exile which started 11 years before the city destruction, and was still counted from that point after the city was destroyed.
# See "Let your kingdom come", p137 para 27.
Warm Christian Love
Bangalore
By Andrew Farrell
http://web.archive.org/web/1998012301181...ble607.htm
The date 607 BCE for Jerusalem's destruction not only stands at odds with a vast amount of historical evidence, but amazingly also results in many significant scriptural contradictions. This proves that this teaching is definetly in error. Please examine the following leading examples:
1. The Watchtower Society teaches that the "seventy years" used to arrive at 607 BCE ended in 537 BCE#, two years after Babylon's fall. However the Bible clearly shows the seventy years would end, and then Babylon would be brought to account, which was two years earlier, in 539 BCE. See Jeremiah 25:12 also 2 Chronicles 36:20.
2. Jeremiah 29:10 and Jeremiah 25:11 speak of a seventy year period "at Babylon" and of "serving the king of Babylon". But according to the Watchtower Society chronology, the majority of exiles would have been "at Babylon" and "serving the king Babylon" for a total of 81 years - 11 years prior to the city destruction, and seventy afterwards.
3. The Watchtower Society says that the seventy year exile or servitude used to arrive at 607 did not start until the city was destroyed. However, Jeremiah 27 shows clearly the city was already under the yoke of Babylonian servitude before the city was destroyed. See verses 2-4, 6, 17 also Jeremiah 28:4, 12-14. This would mean the start of the seventy years of Jeremiah 25:11 would not coincide with the city destruction.
4. In order to connect the dream of Daniel 4 with the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 BCE, the Watchtower Society says that Daniel 2:1doesn't mean what it says. They say that in speaking Nebuchadnezzar's 2nd year, Daniel was referring to the second year since the nation was conquered at the cities destruction in 607 BCE. However, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem 11 years prior to destroying the city - see 2 Kings 24:12-17. Furthermore, this is not one iota of scriptural support for the idea this year must be moved from what the Bible says. (detailed discussion)
5. According to the Bible account, Jerusalem was destroyed in the month of July. However, the Watchtower Society says the seventy years didn't begin until October, because that's when Gedaliah, the governor left in charge of the vine keepers in the devastated city, was assasinated. (2 Kings 25:22-25) However, in effect this would mean the tree of Daniel 4, to which all the beasts and birds flocked, with abundant fruit and foliage, a tree of great height and immensity - yes, apparently all this can be attributed to the mere governor of Jerusalem, whose death was pictured by the chopping down of this mighty tree! In fact, the month of October, the supposed start of the "seven times" in 607 BCE, does not coincide with the city desolation and the dethroning of the last King of Judah - Jeremiah 52:12. (detailed discussion)
6. The phrase "seventy years of desolation" does not appear anywhere in the Bible, however it is continually used by the Watchtower Society to support the idea of a seventy year period commencing in 607 BCE. In fact, careful reading of Jeremiah 25 reveals this was a prophecy regarding servitude to Babylon for all these nations, not just Jerusalem. (detailed discussion)
7. The Watchtower also refers to a "seventy year period of exile", which is partly how they support 537 BCE. This phrase does not appear in the Bible either. However, Ezekiel 40:1 shows there was an exile which started 11 years before the city destruction, and was still counted from that point after the city was destroyed.
# See "Let your kingdom come", p137 para 27.
Warm Christian Love
Bangalore