by Fisherman 69 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
If you don't believe in Christ, Jehalapeno, then I guess you feel you've got nothing to worry about.
This would imply that if you do believe in Christ, you have things to worry about.
Why would you believe in something that makes you worry? Doesn't seem like a very nice belief system when you put it that way.
Everyone will know. We won't have to say, "hey, did you know this means Jesus is present?"
Jesus told the Pharisees: “ The kingdom of God is in your midst” referring to himself being the elephant in the room. Until finally God unleashed the Roman armies. His contemporaries refused to know and refused to see. “ Where is this promised presence of his. “
Albeit Jesus invisible presence in 1914, it can be argued why 108 years
@EP
Actually everything before verse 36 was fulfilled in century 1, verse 34 being the time text regarding events that would tranpire affecting his own generation.
Jesus answered the question about his parousia after verse 36.
More to follow shortly.
@Jehalapeno
I believe that if there is a hurricane outside, it's probably not a good day to go sailing. I'd be worried to go sailing on a day there was a hurricane coming through, because I believe hurricanes are more powerful than I am.
You might not believe in hurricanes, so maybe you would go sailing in one. "What, me worry?"
"In reply he said to them: “When evening falls, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is fire-red,’ and in the morning, ‘It will be wintry, rainy weather today, for the sky is fire-red but gloomy.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but the signs of the times you cannot interpret.""
Some people don't worry about what God thinks. You can do what you want. Plant corn or plant peas. Or jalapeños.
"Whatever a person is sowing, this he will also reap."
Jehovah is not an unfeeling impartial hurricane. Jehovah is the God of Love. I believe in love, and when I tell you that I "worry" about pleasing the One I love, it's not a morbid fear of displeasing Him, but rather a heartfelt desire to do what is His delight, since He deserves to be worshipped whole-heartedly and trusted.
@Fisherman
Jesus didn't receive kingdom power in 1914. "No man knows the day or the hour". If it could have been calculated from that twisting of Daniel chapter 4, then Jesus would have been able to figure it out, and he wouldn't have said "not even the Son knows the day and the hour, only the Father."
The Bible does say that the great tribulation is the appointed times of the nations, and the Bible does say the appointed times of the nations is 3 1/2 years (a time, times an half a time.) When Jesus does receive the Kingdom in heaven, then the UN will trample religion for 3 1/2 years.
At the end of that 3 1/2 year time, everyone will see Jesus coming on the clouds.
The first thing we need to do to understand the first 35 verses of Matthew 24 is look at the time text...which happens to be verse 34.
The Greek word “genea” (pronounced ghen-eh-ah') appears thirteen times in Matthew's gospel. Four times it is used to delineate “one set of parents to the next”. Ignoring Matthew 24:34 for the moment, in every other appearance, including 6 of the instances Matthew places the definite article “this” (houtos) before “generation”, “this generation” (houtos genea), in context, clearly cover the same group of people -i.e. “Christ's contemporaries”. By the way, this holds true in every gospel.
Look, even Watchtower got it right in part.
The following is an excerpt from The Watchtower of May 1, 1999 (p. 11,12) which contains some elements of sound interpretation.
"In
the years leading up to 66 C.E., Christians would have seen many of
the preliminary elements of the composite sign being fulfilled-wars,
famines, even an extensive preaching of the good news of the Kingdom.
(Acts 11:28; Colossians 1:23) When, though, would the end come? What
did Jesus mean when he said: 'This generation [Greek, ge.ne.a'] will
not pass away'? Jesus had often called the contemporaneous mass of
opposing Jews, including religious leaders, 'a wicked, adulterous
generation.' (Matthew 11:16; 12:39, 45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36) So when,
on the Mount of Olives, he again spoke of "this generation,"
he evidently did not mean the entire race of Jews throughout history;
nor did he mean his followers, even though they were "a chosen
race." (1 Peter 2:9) Neither was Jesus saying that "this
generation" is a period of time.
Rather,
Jesus had in mind the opposing Jews back then who would experience
the fulfillment of the sign he gave. Regarding the reference to "this
generation" at Luke 21:32, Professor Joel B. Green notes: "In
the Third Gospel, 'this generation' (and related phrases) has
regularly signified a category of people who are resistant to the
purpose of God. . . . [It refers] to people who stubbornly turn their
backs on the divine purpose." *
"Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen."
Which generation?
The one that sees "all these things".
Which things?
"Great tribulation."
It's not complicated.
The generation of Christians that sees the tribulation begin will survive the tribulation.
Why was Jesus telling us this?
Because the great tribulation is going to be so bad for Christians that we're not going to think any of us will survive it.
It's the same thing for women in labor. When you're in it, you don't think you're going to survive it. But most women do survive it.
"During that time Miʹcha·el will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of your people. And there will occur a time of distress such as has not occurred since there came to be a nation until that time." (Daniel 12:1)
Daniel chapter 12 takes place in our day, not in the first century. It is in harmony with what is written in Matthew 24 about the fulfillment in our day:
"for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again..." (Matthew 24:21,22)
When Satan is cast down from heaven, he will incite the UN to attack all religious institutions. It's going to look really, really bad for Christians. Jesus was telling us, when you see all these things going on, the appointed times of the nations to trample Christianity, don't freak out. It's going to be 3 1/2 years of it. Even though the religious institutions are going to be completely torn down, some individual Christians will survive and make it to the end of the 3 1/2 years of the great tribulation, the time when Christ will come on the clouds will great power and glory.
"Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen."
Love for God and for each other will help us to endure.
@ EP
Aside from Matthew 24:34 where Matthew's gospel places the definite article “this” (houtos) before “generation”, which group of people is always being referred to?
When it says "you" and "they" in Matthew chapter 24, it's referring to the first century Christians and Christians in our day. The context and the holy spirit and the rest of the Bible makes clear whether it is just one or just the other or both.
I have not read all the posts in this thread, but to make sure we know what the JW really say…. this from the margin notes of the online NWT
”
the sign of the Son of man: This sign is not the same as “the sign of [Jesus’] presence” mentioned at Mt 24:3. The sign mentioned here is connected with the “coming” of the Son of man as Judge to pronounce and execute judgment during the great tribulation.—See study note on coming in this verse.”
In other words that verse means Armageddon, not 1914
