A Clearer Examination of Claims About Russell, the Great Pyramid and “Occultism”

In that day shall there be an altar to Jehovah in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to Jehovah. And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto Jehovah of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they shall cry unto Jehovah because of oppressors, and he will send them a saviour, and a defender, and he will deliver them. -- Isaiah 19:19,20, American Standard Version.

A recurring accusation asserts that Charles Taze Russell “introduced occultism into his religion by teaching that the pyramids in Egypt are divine omens.” This statement appears in various online articles and even in the book Spiritual Rape: Exposing the Hidden (p. 14). Despite repeated refutations, the claim continues to circulate, often giving the false impression that Russell promoted occult or esoteric practices. In reality, nearly every element of these accusations misrepresents the historical record.

Misuse of the Term “Occultism”

The claim contains at least two major errors. First, Russell never introduced “occultism” into his teachings, except in the sense of refuting occult practices. The only other sense in which the term could apply is the biblical use of the word “mystery,” referring to truths not yet revealed to the world at large. In modern usage, however, “occult” typically refers to practices such as spiritism, astrology, witchcraft, and divination—activities the Bible condemns and which Russell firmly rejected.

We present below a quote from Russell about such practices:

"Resist the devil and he will flee from you" is the testimony of the Lord. This implies an assault by the Adversary. It implies that he should be resisted and can be resisted and that in the end he will flee from us, not because of arrogance or power on our part, but, as our Master said, "He hath nothing in me" [John 14:30]; so if he finds it useless to continue his assaults he will probably flee also from us to other fields of service. We remind all of our readers that whoever comes under the influence of Spiritism, Christian Science, Hypnotism or any other form of occultism is thereby endangering himself, not only for the moment, but also for the future, because the evil spirits operating through these various channels seek, some in one way and some in another, to delude, bewilder, confuse the reason and bring into subjection the minds of those with whom they have to do. Hence, any of the Lord's people who have had affiliation at any time with any of these are specially warned of liability to intrusion by these spirits. We remind all that the special channel through which they have had special success is human curiosity. We urge all of the Lord's people to restrain their curiosity and rely on the Lord's Word and have no dealings whatever with any of these occult systems. -- Zion's Watch Tower, April 15, 1909, page 123.

Nevertheless, Scripture itself describes its message as hidden from the unbelieving world. If someone insists on calling the Bible “occult” in the sense of “hidden,” that is a linguistic issue—not evidence that Russell promoted pagan or demonic practices.

Russell Did Not Found the Jehovah’s Witnesses

Another common misconception is that Russell created the religion now known as Jehovah’s Witnesses. He did not. Russell opposed authoritarian religious structures, and the movement that later adopted the name “Jehovah’s Witnesses” was formed after his death. J. F. Rutherford actually created the Jehovah's Witnesses' organization by discarding many, if not most, of Russell’s core teachings.

Russell Never Taught That the Pyramids Were “Divine Omens”

There is no evidence that Russell ever described the pyramids of Egypt as “divine omens.” Digital searches of his writings reveal no use of the phrase “divine omen” or “divine omens.” Russell did not express interest in pyramids in general. His focus was limited to the Great Pyramid, which he viewed as a symbolic “Witness in Egypt,” not as a mystical object or a source of supernatural messages.

No Claim of Secret or Exclusive Knowledge

Some writers allege that Russell taught that the pyramids contained prophetic secrets “known only to him.” This is inaccurate. Russell never claimed exclusive insight into the Great Pyramid. In fact, he openly recommended the extensive research of the Edgar brothers, whose work included material and interpretations that he never covered, and some things that were not in agreement with what Russell had presented. Russell consistently acknowledged other researchers and never presented himself as the sole authority on the subject.

No Belief in “Mystic Power”

Another repeated claim is that Russell believed the pyramids possessed “mystic power.” There is no record of Russell ever attributing mystical or supernatural power to the Great Pyramid or any other pyramid. Such statements misrepresent his views and create a misleading narrative that he embraced occult concepts, which he did not.

The Date 1914 Was Not Based on Pyramid Measurements

Critics often assert that Russell derived the date 1914 from measurements of pyramid passageways. This is historically incorrect. Russell’s expectation for 1914 came from biblical time prophecies, primarily outlined in Volumes 2 and 3 of Studies in the Scriptures. Pyramid measurements were used only as corroborative illustrations—not as the source of the date.

The idea of 1914 as the end of the “Gentile Times” predates Russell. E. B. Elliott suggested the same date in 1844, without any reference to the Great Pyramid.

Russell Did Not Predict “the End of the World” in 1914

Another widespread misconception is that Russell predicted the world would end in 1914. This is incorrect. In early 1914, he even published an article in The Bible Students Monthly, correcting those who falsely attributed such predictions to him. Many cite the large headline, while ignoring the subheadings, which disclose that Russell was not expecting the end of the world in 1914. Especially since 1904, Russell expected the end of the Gentile Times and the beginning of a period of global trouble—not the destruction of the world. Before 1904, Russell believed the time of trouble would end in 1914, but he revised this understanding in 1904, concluding instead that the trouble would begin at that time.

No Attempt to “Cover Up” Failed Predictions

Some critics claim that Russell altered pyramid measurements in later editions of Thy Kingdom Come to hide a failed prediction. This accusation is based on a misleading comparison of the 1897 and 1916 editions. In reality, the measurement change was made in 1905 -- long before 1914 -- and was publicly noted in The Watch Tower on September 15, 1909. This change, however, in no way affected Russell's belief that the Gentile Times were to end in 1914. Russell continued to hold the same prophetic dates until his death. 

Misrepresentation of the “Chart of the Ages”

The “Chart of the Ages” is sometimes described as promoting a blend of biblical theology and “occultic pyramidology.” This is incorrect. The chart is a visual outline of the biblical plan of salvation as Russell understood it. While it uses pyramid shapes for illustration, it has no connection to occult practices or to the study of pyramids. Furthermore, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not use this chart today and reject most of Russell’s original teachings. One can find Russell's explanation of this chart in Study 12 of his book, The Divine Plan of the Ages.

Conclusion

Russell's study on the Great Pyramid has nothing at all to do with occultism, false prophecies, etc. The study only provides corroborative evidence of what is found in the Bible itself. Nor did Russell present his conclusions as speaking for an organization, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses. The one change made in 1905 regarding a measurement in God's Witness in Egypt has nothing at all to do with an alleged failure of 1914. Russell, however, never assumed any special authority to tell anyone they had to accept his conclusions.

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