In May 2024 The Watchtower said the Flood account should no longer be treated as a prophetic type because 'there is no direct Scriptural support for doing so', and that people who see Babylon the Great destroyed may 'have a change of heart' after the great tribulation begins.
Claim ID claim-doctrine-tribulation-2024-reconsideredConcerns May 2024Explicit statement
The organisation’s position or later explanation: 'we have reconsidered what we have said about some of those events' (par. 2); listed in 'Beliefs Clarified' 2024.
May 2024 · pp.8-13 · pars. 3-4 (p. 9); par. 12 (p. 11) · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“In the past, we said that once the great tribulation begins, no unbelievers will be able to take their stand for Jehovah and survive Armageddon. We came to that conclusion because we understood that the account of the Flood was a prophetic type. … Should we view the account of the Flood as a prophetic type? The answer is no. Why? Because there is no direct Scriptural support for doing so.”
Par. 12: 'Even after the great tribulation starts, it is possible that some who see the destruction of “Babylon the Great” will recall that Jehovah's Witnesses had long spoken of this event. Might some who see these events have a change of heart?'
15 March 2024 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society
“We were thrilled to learn that individuals who died in the Flood of Noah's day, in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, and even some who might repent during the great tribulation could benefit from Jehovah's mercy.”
Opening lines, recalling the 2023 annual meeting programme.
Provenance and verification note for JW Broadcasting — 2024 Governing Body Update #2, 2024 Governing Body Update #2 — opening recap of the 2023 annual meeting
“1988 … no resurrection for dead in Sodom and Gomorrah: w88 6/1 30-31 … 1996 … civilian service in lieu of military service: yb97 16; w96 5/1 19-20 … 2024 … help for ones removed from the congregation: w24.08 27-28”
The organisation's own dated list of adjusted beliefs, with references; also lists 1929/1962 'superior authorities', 1927/2013 'faithful and discreet slave', 1995 and 2008-2010 'this generation', 2024 Sodom and great-tribulation entries. No lines match 'transplant', 'vaccin' or 'beard'.
A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-doctrine-tribulation-2024-reconsidered/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.