For some reason I can't post what I want to. If someone can find and post the text of Questions fron readers, June 1st 1997 I would be grateful, as this is very pertinent to this topic.
Cheers,
dmouse
"This Generation"
by Jeffro 41 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Narkissos
At dmouse's request:
"The Watchtower" of November 1, 1995, focused on what Jesus said about "this generation," as we read at Matthew 24:34. Does this mean that there is some question about whether God’s Kingdom was set up in heaven in 1914?
That discussion in TheWatchtower offered no change at all in our fundamental teaching about 1914. Jesus set out the sign to mark his presence in Kingdom power. We have ample evidence that this sign has been in course of fulfillment since 1914. The facts about wars, famines, plagues, earthquakes, and other evidences bear out that since 1914, Jesus has been active as King of God’s Kingdom. This indicates that since then we have been in the conclusion of the system of things.
What, then, was TheWatchtower clarifying? Well, the key was the sense in which Jesus used the word "generation" at Matthew 24:34. That passage reads: "Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur." What did Jesus mean by "generation," both in his day and in ours?
Many scriptures confirm that Jesus did not use "generation" with regard to some small or distinct group, meaning only the Jewish leaders or only his loyal disciples. Rather, he used "generation" in condemning the masses of Jews who rejected him. Happily, though, individuals could do what the apostle Peter urged on the day of Pentecost, repent and "get saved from this crooked generation."—Acts 2:40.
In that statement, Peter was clearly not being precise as to any fixed age or length of time, nor was he tying the "generation" to any certain date. He did not say that people should get saved from the generation that was born in the same year Jesus was or the generation that was born in 29 C.E. Peter was speaking about the unbelieving Jews of that period—some perhaps being rather young, others being older—who had been exposed to Jesus’ teaching, had seen or heard of his miracles, and had not accepted him as Messiah.
That evidently is how Peter understood Jesus’ use of "generation" when he and three other apostles were with Jesus on the Mount of Olives. According to Jesus’ prophetic statement, Jews of that period—basically, Jesus’ contemporaries—were going to experience or hear of wars, earthquakes, famines, and other evidences that the end of the Jewish system was near. In fact, that generation did not pass before the end came in 70 C.E.—Matthew 24:3-14, 34.
It must be acknowledged that we have not always taken Jesus’ words in that sense. There is a tendency for imperfect humans to want to be specific about the date when the end will come. Recall that even the apostles sought more specifics, asking: "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel atthistime?"—Acts 1:6.
With similar sincere intentions, God’s servants in modern times have tried to derive from what Jesus said about "generation" some clear time element calculated from 1914. For instance, one line of reasoning has been that a generation can be 70 or 80 years, made up of people old enough to grasp the significance of the first world war and other developments; thus we can calculate more or less how near the end is.
However well-meaning such thinking was, did it comply with the advice Jesus went on to give? Jesus said: "Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. . . . Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming."—Matthew 24:36-42.
So the recent information in TheWatchtower about "this generation" did not change our understanding of what occurred in 1914. But it did give us a clearer grasp of Jesus’ use of the term "generation," helping us to see that his usage was no basis for calculating—counting from 1914—how close to the end we are.
Suggested addition: Fortunately, in the late 19th century Jehovah's servants did not heed Jesus' advice. Had they not tried to calculate the date for the end, we might never have understood the true scriptural meaning of 1914.
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Iforget
When I read this scripture in RCIA, it reads "this AGE will by no means pass away" the word generation is not used. I found that interesting.
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zeroday
That evidently is how Peter understood
As Blondie would say, this means they have no idea what they are saying...
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dedpoet
Abandoned wrote
Every date they ever used, they relegated to a lower and lower position over time until they could get rid of it altogether. 1874, 1878, 1881, 1999, 1914, 1918.
The December Awake has an article referring to the setting up of the kingdom which makes no reference whatsoever to 1914, which maybe suggests the wts are now preparing for the day when they have to drop that date from their teachings altogether, rather than be faced with potential further embarassment as the "system" lurches on beyond 2014 without anything happening. The article itself, which is entitled "The life he makes possible", subheading "Evidence Gods Kingdom is near" seems to indicate that the coming of the kingdom is an entirely future event, rather than having been set up in the heavens in 1914, which has long been a wts teaching.
Perhaps this is the first beam of "new light" that the gb have received, and will gradually reveal to their followers. I wonder if, in a few years time, someone will ask the jw at his door, if any of them are still going door to door by then, about 1914, and the reply will be "oh, we don't teach that nowadays".
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Perry
It must be acknowledged that we have not always taken Jesus’ words in that sense. There is a tendency for imperfect humans to want to be specific about the date when the end will come. Recall that even the apostles sought more specifics, asking: "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?"—Acts 1:6
This is just pure spin and outright deception. The apostles simply asked a question, they sought more specifics. By contrast, the WT sought nothing specific from the Master's mind on the matter. Rather, they inquired of themselves and they decided that the end would definitely come before the generation of 1914 passed away. Words like "will" were used millions of times on the inside front cover of the Awake that left no room for uncertainty.
While the apostles sought Jesus' thoughts, the GB most presumptously dared to speak in place of Christ. So, God gave them up to their own idiocy.
- EZ. 14:9
- If a prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the Lord, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.
- 14:10
- And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer and the punishment of the prophet shall be the same—
Those that look to the WT for prediction and those that dispense it through their printing presses are equally guilty.
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dmouse
Thanks Narkissos
Contrast:
"Does our more precise viewpoint on "this generation" mean that Armageddon is further away than we had thought? Not at all! (Nov 1995 Watchtower)
with
It must be acknowledged that we have not always taken Jesus’ words in that sense...
...helping us to see that his usage was no basis for calculating—counting from 1914—how close to the end we are.
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Pahpa
The problem with the Watchtower is that it comes up with its own ideas first and then tries to cram in as many scriptures that it feels supports its position. In spite of the fact that it says Russell and the early Bible Students began studying the Bible without the influence of religious doctrine, they had many preconceived ideas that came out of the Second Adventist movement. And the Watchtower has always been backtracking on its pronouncements ever since. What is clear about the "generation" that Jesus referred to in Matthew 24 is that it came within the 40 year period from 30 CE to 70 CE. Since Jesus blends the prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem with the "end times" it is difficult for the reader to discern what applies only to the destruction of the city to that of the second coming. The Watchtower's calculations of the "gentile times" based on Daniel's account of Nebuchadnezzar's dream tree has no scriptural basis whatsoever. Nothing in Daniel 4 indicates that it has any fulfillment other than in Daniel's own time. Nor does Jesus make any special reference to this chapter... unlike his reference to the "abomination that causes desolation." It's another case of borrowing interpretation from other souces as Carl Olof Jonsson clearly indicates in his book, The Gentile Times Reconsidered.
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BluesBrother
Quote;
"It must be acknowledged that we have not always taken Jesus’ words in that sense. There is a tendency for imperfect humans to want to be specific about the date when the end will come. Recall that even the apostles sought more specifics, asking: "Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel atthistime?"—Acts 1:6.
With similar sincere intentions, God’s servants in modern times have tried to derive from what Jesus said about "generation" some clear time element calculated from 1914. For instance, one line of reasoning has been that a generation can be 70 or 80 years, made up of people old enough to grasp the significance of the first world war and other developments; thus we can calculate more or less how near the end is."End Quote
Notice that something that was a key teaching for all those decades is now simply the "Sincere" words of "imperfect humans" ..Would we have taken the words as just from imperfect humans in those days? . That is what the people we called on said, and we wrote them off as "goats" .. But when it suits their purpose, they change it !
How many times did we use this diagram in the "Truth Book" ? How many gullible people thought it was wonderful?
Looking back, I believe that this really started my eventual exit from the borg. It was so clear that they were fixing it .... It took some years and some events later, but the seeds were sown.
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Amnesty Vendor
"tendency for imperfect humans ... With similar sincere intentions"
I have condemned 'worldly' friends, relatives and 'apostate' ex-witnesses for not being loyal to what I believed was the Universal Sovereign's sole channel of communcation.
Yet, later God - in his infinite wisdom has revealed that I followed 'imperfect humans with sincere intentions'.
Still, even today I will be ex-communicated for heresy if I refer to the current Governing Body as just 'imperfect humans with sincere intentions'.
HELP!!!
