For All Jehovah's Witnesses: When did Jesus begin ruling as King?

by Darth Rutherford 21 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  The Searcher

  Just thought I'd include these WTBTS references for truth-seekers. Sorry if they cause more confusion. :)

  *** w81 6/15 pp. 26-27 par. 3 “Be Glad, You Nations, with His People” ***

  On that day, [PENTECOST] by means of his glorified royal Son Jesus Christ, the heavenly Father poured out his holy spirit first on the waiting disciples, about 120 of them at Jerusalem. Thus they were transferred from under the authority of worldly darkness into the spiritual kingdom of God’s beloved Son, Jesus Christ, “the light of the world.” (John 8:12) That spiritual kingdom was set up by Jehovah God, and in it Jesus Christ as the spiritual King served as Jehovah’s minister of state.

  *** it-2 p. 711 Psalms, Book of ***

  Though laid in a tomb, Jesus was not forsaken in Hades nor did his flesh see corruption, but he was raised from the dead. (Ps 16:8-10; Ac 2:25-31; 13:35-37) Upon his ascension to heaven, he was seated at God’s right hand, waiting until his enemies would be placed as a stool for his feet. (Ps 110:1; Ac 2:34, 35) He also became a priest according to the manner of Melchizedek. ('also' = Melchizedek was also a KING!)

  *** w82 7/1 p. 18 par. 20 Birth of the Royal Nation on a Newborn Land ***

  Is there a modern counterpart of the “birth” of the restored Israelites as a “nation” in 537 BCE? Yes, for in the year following the first world war of 1914-1918 a spiritual “nation” was born, under the Greater Cyrus, the enthroned King Jesus Christ! [didn't the Watchtower previously quoted say differently?]
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  Darth Rutherford

  Thanks Searcher... I especially love the point about Melchizedek. I'm going to use that!
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  blondie

  1878 (not 19140

  *** jv chap. 28 p. 632 Testing and Sifting From Within ***

  Based on the premise that events of the first century might find parallels in related events later, they also concluded that if Jesus’ baptism and anointing in the autumn of 29 C.E. paralleled the beginning of an invisible presence in 1874, then his riding into Jerusalem as King in the spring of 33 C.E. would point to the spring of 1878 as the time when he would assume his power as heavenly King. They also thought they would be given their heavenly reward at that time. When that did not occur, they concluded that since Jesus’ anointed followers were to share with him in the Kingdom, the resurrection to spirit life of those already sleeping in death began then.

  That 1878 was a year of significance seemed to be fortified by reference to Jeremiah 16:18 (‘Jacob’s double,’ KJ) along with calculations indicating that 1,845 years had apparently elapsed from Jacob’s death down till 33 C.E., when natural Israel was cast off, and that the double, or duplicate, of this would extend from 33 C.E. down to 1878.

  And they teach that jesus sits on his throne at a yet future time: which the WTS says is the GT

  *** w10 9/15 pp. 28-29 par. 15 Our Active Leader Today ***

  Before completing his conquest, the Son of man comes in yet another way. He prophesied: “When the Son of man arrives in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will put the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left.” (Matt. 25:31-33)

  *** w99 5/1 p. 13 par. 19 “These Things Must Take Place” ***

  Note that Matthew 24:29-31 foretells that (1) the Son of man comes, (2) this coming will be with great glory, (3) the angels will be with him, and (4) all the tribes of the earth will see him. Jesus repeats these elements in the parable of the sheep and the goats. (Matthew 25:31-46) Hence, we can conclude that this parable deals with the time, after the opening outbreak of tribulation, when Jesus will come with his angels and sit down on his throne to judge
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  Crazyguy

  I to believe it was after he was reserected or ascended to heaven but in heaven, earth later.
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  AnnOMaly

  The post-resurrection Jesus addressing the 1st century congregation:

  (Revelation 3:21) . . .To the one that conquers I will grant to sit down with me on my throne, even as I conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.

  Jesus was sitting on Jehovah's throne in the 1st century.
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  Darth Rutherford

  Nice to hear from you blondie. Great references. Really shows how the WT flounders in the dark trying to adhere to their outdated doctrine. And, I guess everytime Jesus completes a new assignment, he is taking another throne. Hmmmmm, just how many thrones does he have to sit on before he finally wraps things up? It's nuts.

  AnnOMaly... great scripture and another wonderful "field service" point. Love it! WT teaches that the "anointed kings" will assist Jesus in ruling over the earth, but you show us they'll be doing what Jesus began doing in the first century: ruling over the earth.

  Crazyguy... I hear you. How do we reconcile the notion that Jesus will rule the earth at a later time period with the scripture Ann used at Revelation 3:21 and Paul's words at Ephesians 1:20,21 where Jesus is above all earthly governments in the current system of things.

  Here's another thought: At Philippians 2:9-11, God "exalted" (past tense) Jesus to a superior position and "gave him the name that is above every other name so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those ON EARTH and those under the ground..." Think about this: God gave Jesus a single name. He didn't give him a name to represent his kingship over heaven, then another name later that would represent his kingship over the earth. This single name represented his authority over heaven and earth. One name... one rulership. Therefore, if in the first century he was ruling heaven with this given "name", then this name gave him authority over earth as well.

  That would be like saying the nation elected a man to become President, but he can only serve as Commander in Chief over half the states at the moment, and the other half later in time. Doesn't the name "President" give him authority over all the states at the same time. So it is with the name Jesus was given. That title he was given gave him authority over heaven and earth in the first century.

  Thanks for the feedback... I can't wait to watch a Witness' head spin when I show him these scriptures!
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  yadda yadda 2

  I'm a deist and I don't believe Jesus is ever coming back. Whatever reasons exist for why God/Jesus have been hidden and non-interventionist for the last 2,000 odd years must be the same reasons why they will never intervene. I am yet to read any theodicy that is convincing.

  Romans 2:14-15 describes what guides humanity, ie, our conscience and the moral law of our heart. The golden rule laid down by Jesus is that moral law. Romans 13 describes that the secular authorities stand placed to punish the evildoer who breaks those moral laws. Liberal democracies that follow those moral laws and abide by the universal principles of liberty, fraternity and equality are our surest path, and scientific progress.
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  EdenOne

  marked
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  ablebodiedman

  I believe Jesus Christ has been ruling as king since his resurrection

  The better question to ask though is when God's kingdom will start.

  I think most people would agree that God set up Jesus Christs kingdom in the first century almost 2000 years ago.

  In light of this now read Daniel 2:44 again:

  Daniel 2:44

  And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms.

  Did you get that?

  Jesus Christs kingdom will be/is ruined!

  Yes, that is a difficult notion for Christians to bear.

  When Jesus Christ returns it will be the end of HIS kingdom.

  So back to Daniel 2:44 and ask yourselves the question about exactly what God will set up?

  The mountain is Jesus Christs kingdom.

  The stone (remnant) is presently being cut out.

  abe
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  prologos

  as in the wt 81 quote by Searcher: Col. 1:13 "--transferred (past tense) US into the KINGDOM of his SON of his love."

  Can you be the king of that kingdom and not rule as King? but:

  are not prayers still offered: "---let your Kingdom come--" future please?

  There is enough kingdoms to choose from to create many churches.

  the one of 1914 is made up.