Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Return in 1925
Watch Tower President, 1920: 'We May Confidently Expect' 1925 to Bring Back Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
Joseph Rutherford's booklet Millions Now Living Will Never Die set 1925 for the old world's end and the patriarchs' return. The Society later built them a house in San Diego.
What was said
“Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old”
— Joseph F. Rutherford (president, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society) · said 1920 · due 1925
1925 ended without Abraham, Isaac or Jacob. Rutherford later told the Bethel family, by a vice-president's account: 'I know I made an ass of myself.'
The Story
From the 1920 booklet Millions Now Living Will Never Die, pages 88-90, which also expected 1925 'to witness the return of these faithful men of Israel from the condition of death'. Seventy jubilees counted from 1575 B.C. were to end 'in the fall of the year 1925'.
In 1929 the Society built Beth Sarim, 'House of the Princes', in San Diego for the returning patriarchs; the 1939 book Salvation said the title was held 'for ever at the disposal of the aforementioned princes'. Watchtower vice-president Fred Franz quoted Rutherford's verdict on the date at 1975 assemblies.
Earlier and later dates from the same organisation: russell-1914, watchtower-1975.
Later spin
1926 Watch Tower: 'Some anticipated that the work would end in 1925, but the Lord did not so state.'
Receipts
As of Oct 9, 2026
since it didn't happen
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