Recently someone posted a link to the Watchtower article explaining why Jehovah’s Witnesses no longer believe that Jesus returned in 1914. Could someone help me by posting that link again please? Thank you!
New Light on 1914
by TowerWatch 14 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Calebs Airplane
I believe that the new Nu-Lite surrounding 1914 was that Jesus supposedly started his "inspection" in that year.
Prior teaching was that he started his inspection in 1918 and ended his inspection in 1919.
Nu-Lite teaching is that he started his inspection in 1914 and ended his inspection in 1919.
But they still believe he returned invisibly in 1914.
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Doug Mason
As you know, I am no apologist for the WTS. You will also know that it is not possible to pin them down because over time they slip and slide around. This, however, is my understanding. (I have been known to be wrong before):
Although the kingdom of God was set up in 1914, this does not mean the kingdom did not exist before then. The kingdom of God is eternal. It is my understanding that they say the "parousia" was a change in its operation, or focus, towards earth. It could probably be considered as a different phase in its operation.
They do not see the "parousia" as the "coming". These are two separate events. The "coming" (erchomenon) lies in the future, associated with the future Great Tribulation and Armageddon. (See WT mag of July 15, 2013)
Doug
Note that I used the word "erchomenon"; I am not certain whether they have any application for the word "apokalupsis".
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prologos
Doug, consider that wt has almost totally ignored Collosians 1:13 "-- brought us [christians] into the Kingdom of the Son He loves." This is a kingdom that Christ has with the Christian congregation since Pentecost obviously. In addition
There is the "kingdom prepared from the founding of the world" for the sheep in Math.25, now, july 15 to "come into effect"?* in the GT. and for sure
The 1000 year rule starting AFTER Armageddon, but
the 1914 kingdom EVENT is the most scripturally NEBOLOUS of them all. Perhaps pure Russel&Co phantasy.
*my question, term.
PS: I was a wt defender too , slowly retreated from that after winning a "Superior Authorities" argument, (Let God be true), and discovering the day we received the Wt with the reversal !! that I had made a brilliant defense for an erroneous Wt teaching.
Now it is these many errors and fresh light that get my scrutiny. take care.
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Larsinger58
Doug: "Coming" vs. "parousia" for the witnesses as you claim is not something I can agree with. That is, the "7 times" prophecy they use for marking 1914 in connection with the fall of Jeusalem in 607 BCE clearly marks the second "coming" to 1914 as well as the parousia.
In the meantime, the coming of Armageddon has never been linked with Christ's coming. He arrives along with Satan being cast out of heaven which then follows a period of unknown time until Armageddon arrives. Claiming the WTS thinks the "coming" is linked with Armageddon needs more substantiation.
Thus as far as I know, the "coming" linked with the "7 times" prophecy is definitively linked to 1914, even if that "coming" was invisible. It would seem, therefore, that your idea that the coming is linked with Armageddon vs. 1914 is either misunderstood or misrepresented.
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Cold Steel
...the coming of Armageddon has never been linked with Christ's coming.
You're joking, right?
Zechariah states:
The burden of the word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord , which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him.
Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. ...
In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.
And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. (Chapter 12)
And it becomes more detailed in Chapter 14, where Yahweh/Jesus returns, descending upon the Mount of Olives:
Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, and thy spoil shall be divided in the midst of thee.
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.
And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.
And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee. And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: but it shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord, not day, nor night: but it shall come to pass that at evening time it shall be light. And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it
And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. ... And men shall dwell in it, and there shall be no more utter destruction; but Jerusalem shall be safely inhabited. And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.
Now the Jehovah's Witnesses have two problems here. First, this is clearly speaking of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It's also talking about the battle of Armageddon. The first problem is that these scriptures refer to the coming of the Lord, Yahweh (Jehovah), but the prophet also makes it clear that it's Christ. "And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced." Clearly this is Jesus. Zechariah also says "the Lord my God shall come." Who is this if not Jehovah?
Recall that when Jesus ascended into heaven, the two angels promised them this is how Jesus would come when he returned. And Jesus ascended where? On the Mount of Olives. He ascended there and will return there. And the prophet identifies the Messiah with Jehovah. How can this be if he is his Son? The only logical conclusion is that Yahweh is not the Father, but the Son. And it makes sense since he's the intercessor between the Father God and man. We also know that Jesus will be king over all the earth, and Zechariah identifies Jehovah as being the one who shall be king over all the earth.
The second problem is that Armageddon isn't taking place all over the world; it's taking place in Jerusalem, in the Middle East. Both of these problems mean only one thing. Old light, new light, the leaders of the Society are wrong. And not to be petty, notice that the very first verse talks about how the Lord "formed the spirit of man within him."
Three strikes and they're out! They got the entire Armageddon prophecy wrong; they misidentified Jehovah as the Father, not the Son; and they're faced with man having a "spirit" (not "breath") within him.
Or have I missed the mark??
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yadda yadda 2
You Can Live Forever In Paradise On Earth, pages 138, 139, paragraph 14, states:
"So, in a more important way, this heaven-high tree, comes to represent the supreme ruler ship of God, particularly in its relationship to our earth. Jehovah's ruler ship was expressed for a time through the kingdom that he set up over the nation of Israel. Thus the kings of the tribe of Judah who reigned over the Israelites were said to 'sit upon Jehovah's throne.' -- 1 Chronicles 29:23."But when the tree-stump was supposedly unbanded in 1914, was it a heaven-high tree at that point? Is it reasonable to believe that a tree-stump pictures Jesus enthroned in heaven as a glorious king? What was Nebuchadnezzar's condition when the tree was at it's majestic height before it was cut down? He was a glorious king. Likewise the tree stump could not represent Jesus as a glorious king until it has regrown to the state of a glorious, heaven-high tree again. That was not the case in 1914.
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return of parakeet
From yadda's excerpt from "YCLFIPOE" book:
" What was Nebuchadnezzar's condition when the tree was at it's majestic height before it was cut down? He was a glorious king. Likewise the tree stump could not represent Jesus as a glorious king until it has regrown to the state of a glorious, heaven-high tree again. "
So what's Jesus doing until the "tree" grows up?
Chomping on heavenly grass, of course!
Dude .......... !!!!!!
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Londo111
In answer to the OP, the Watchtower still teaches that Jesus's invisible present began in 1914. Nothing has changed in that regard.
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Oubliette
I understand your confusion. It's not like these doctrines are consistent or make sense or anything like that.
Please allow me to clear up your confusion: 1914 has NOT been ditched. The only "thing" that has been thrown aside was the 11,000 or so anointed; they are no longer part of the "Faithful and Discreet Slave."
I'm pretty sure they weren't consulted about this.
