by cruzanheart 91 Replies latest watchtower bible
Reason it out!
What good does prophecy do anyone without the act of love? Even Paul said it was a clashing cymbal.
Secondly, by staring into prophetic texts too long, your eyes go buggy and you start measuring pyramids like ol' CT.
But if you just try to build a decent, loving life, then wow, your life is better now and your future is assured.
CZAR
Cruzan...
Sorry to 'butt' in again, but I must go with your thoughts. Jesus was masterful (excuse the pun) at keeping things simple. Remember He said... Love God, and Love your neighbor - on that hangs all the laws and the prophets. People try to complicate everything.
Cruzanheart, I think you are on to something....
I like this interperatation. However I have since developed a more cynical view of the bible. Here is how I now read Matt24:
The sighn of the Messiah's second coming was a much older messianic prophesy gleaned from the Hebrew scriptures, and originally was meant to be the Messiah's coming (not second coming). It refured to the invading army (Romans it turned out) would one day surround Jerusalem (a common practice when an army wants to besige a city) and it would be at their most desperate hour that the messiah woud appear and rescue them. Jesus (is recorded to have) said 'When you see Jerusalem surrounded, then let those in Judea flee to the mountains'. The WT tries to make out that this was remarkable because it foretold that the army would disband. But read it carefully. It did not say 'let those in Jerusalem flee to the mountains' No, he said 'Judea'. So he meant the surounding countryside towns and villages should flee and abandon Jerusalem to their fate.
The prophesy was a lie. Probably many beleaved it faithfully to the end, but as we know the messiah did not save them. Christianity was born from the despair of this tragedy. Many surviving Jews tried to rationalise this horrific event and after reflecting on some lunatic preachers long gone came up with the urben myth that the messiah had indeed already come, but he gave his life to redeem us from sin, and will one day come again to vanquish the earth of all evil. The myth gained momentum and formed Christianity. A couple or three centuries later and Eusibius did a bit of revisionisum and thus we have the new testiment of today.
But I do agree that love is important for a happy and ballenced life, as well as a harmonious society.
Tyler,
You seem pretty dogmatic for expounding a mere theory. I've done a lot of reading on the history of Christianity, and I can only conclude that your opinion is based on what was written by somebody who despises Christ and Christianity. Based on hundreds of books I've read, your theory makes no sense at all.
The WT explanation is a bit messed up but it seems to me that your view is even more so. I'm not here to pick a fight. I'm just giving you my honest evaluation.
I will never know one Greek syllable from another. I don't remember the prophecies like I used to, nor do I care to re-learn them. I don't read between the lines and try to decipher the hidden meanings and wonder about the secret mysteries of the Bible.
When my life is over and I stand before my God, I would rather these be the biggest complaints he has against me. I would rather have my God instead look at a life that has been spent constantly trying my best to love him and love others.
Let go. Let God.
Hey Herk, I'm sorry if my thoughts offend you. I don't know how I came over as dogmatic when all I related was how I now read that scripture. But still, if you wish to discredit my explanation, be my guest. Perhaps you can bless us with the benefit of your superior littery reportwar. I would very much like to read what you have to say on a more logical level than your empty character assassination you present above.
I like simple. Simple is good.
Thanx Nina
If I didn't write it I don't venture to interpet it.
Thunder
I agree with Cruzan.
Jesus is the way,he is the truth.Jesus said you will be followers of me(Jesus)His witnesses...not Jehovah's. The bible has Jesus as a very good,loving ,forgiving man.I have no problem following Jesus steps. Jesus didn't talk about making a religion,yes he said be with fellow believers but no where does it talk about a religion.
I'm a Jesus Witness
Uh-HUH. Listen, hon, that's really nice and grandiose and straight from the mouths of the GB themselves, but my point was that just MAYBE if we follow the TWO commandments Jesus gave: love God and love your neighbor, and if we are doing our best then that's good enough in his eyes and in the eyes of his Father.
Hi. Probably you're right for MOST. But there are the "wise ones" who must be present during the last days, the "prophets" who have to develop all this stuff and then share it with others, so that's the difference. The knowledge of the few will be spread to the many (Daniel 12).
So, just FYI: The "lesser ones" are the general reference to the anointed associated with Jehovah's witnesses since they are the prophesied "temple" organization. The "greater number" is a reference to the natural Jews. Matthew 24's prophecy deals with both groups. The prophesied "love of the greater number cooling off" during the last days is a reference to the anti-Semitism since 1914 and leading up to the Holocaust. The "great tribulation" which was prophesied which happens to "Daniel's people" (Daniel 12) was the Holocaust and it occurs just before the "end of the gentile times", that is, the end of the Jewish exile from Palestine. Thus this was fulfilled by 1947 when Palestine was returned to the Jews.
So some of us are not into the details of the prophecies, etc. and that's fine. God chooses them anyway. But others are granted special understanding and present what they have for those who are interested in the chronology, prophecies and other things that are in the Bible.
EXCEPT...this warning. Don't forget the lesson of the "wise and foolish virgins". The foolish virgins had a chance to get extra oil but had the attitude that they didn't need to be bothered with the "extra things", the prophetic parables, prophesies and chronology. The wise virgins felt they were obligated to focus intently and they did pay attention to the extra things, the extra oil. So it turned out that when the Messiah arrived, you needed that extra oil in order to meet him and welcome him. The foolish virgins didn't have the oil at the right time. Now they eventually do get the oil, that is, they eventually do learn the details of scripture, but by the time they do and expect to get into the kingdom, their place has been taken.
So, I'm not saying your like the foolish virgin, BUT...an attitude that LESS is good enough is probably not as good as having an attitude of MORE. It's the ones who go after that extra oil that get into the kingdom, not the ones who think they can get by with just what they have in their lamps.
So it's fine to focus on other things if that's your gift, but prophecy and even chronology have their place as well. We learn from each other and learn from each other's gifts.
Have a nice day.
Canon
