So much has been written and spoken about chronology regarding the "end times" and/or the "return". Why is there so little attentioned paid to the criteria for "His return" and where He will come from?
carmel
Is That All There Is?
by Carmel 5 Replies latest watchtower bible
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Sirius Dogma
I think he stopped off to get a burger or maybe at a strip joint.
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MorpheuzX
I could see Jesus showing up in Las Vegas and eventually taking over for Wayne Newton at the Stardust Casino. He could have a variety hour -- sing some songs, cure some blind folks. He wouldn't have to do that neat fish and loaves trick as dinner would be compliments of the house, with a suite of course.
Oh I know, he could have a musical version of the sermon on the mount! Which of course would now also include, blessed are those that genersouly tip their waitstaff. The show could end with a few baptisms or a resurrection. I'd go see it.
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got my forty homey?
Here he is Eddie Munster!
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Carmel
Gol dang! You guys sound just like me!
caveman
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JCanon
So much has been written and spoken about chronology regarding the "end times" and/or the "return". Why is there so little attentioned paid to the criteria for "His return" and where He will come from?
carmel
Probably, in the case of JWs it will raise too many questions!!! For instance, the topic of whether or not Christ would come in the flesh or not was a major topic of Russell, even though the Bible suggests that there would be a physical manifestation of the Christ at the second coming, including the scripture that says it would be the expression of the "antichrist" that Jesus would not return in the flesh. At any rate, just to be brief here is the manner of Christ's coming. 1. Second wave offering of leaven. There are two "firstfruit" offerings, the first is associated with Passsover and unleavened bread. Bread represents Christ's body and leaven sin. Thus the lack of leaven in the bread represents Christ's sinless body. The second wave offering however is different. It is made up of two loaves from the house WITH LEAVEN. Thus if you apply this reference to the first and second coming of Christ, not only will he return in the flesh but that of an ordinary man. Why? Because his perfect body was lost forever to his use when he presented in heaven as a sacrifice. Thus at the second coming Christ must take up the body of another individual in order to be expressed in human form at the second coming. This is beautifully represented by the birth of the Messiah in Revelation. 2. In Revelation you have everything that tells you how the second coming will take place, including the chronology. This is at the same time Satan is kicked out of heaven down to the earth where he then begins to aggressively persecute the Church, represented as a woman who has a place in the "wilderness", that is, a secret place prepared by God. Thus Christ's key followers at the second coming will be an underground cult, a non-public cult for the most part. That's why the dragon can't see her, though he tries to drown her with a river of propaganda. At any rate, note that Michael and his angels have just kicked Satan down to the earth, and Michael is Jesus, of course. But you now see the woman giving birth to the Messiah as well. This is puzzling to some unless you understand the second wave offering requiring Christ to take up the body of another human, namely, one of his followers. Thus what you see here are TWO MESSIAHS at the same time. The child being born out of this woman who symbolizes the secret followers of Christ means that one of her members is given up to become the Messiah. Thus after she gives birth, this individual is "caught up to Heaven to god" a reference to that person going to the bosom position of the Father which is synonymous with the position of the Messiah where at John 1:9 it says Christ is the "only begotten god in the bosom position of the Father". Thus this is the nature of the second coming, Christ's spirit taking up residence in the body and identity of one of his own followers at the time Satan is kicked out of heaven. Now it's easy to understand when it's explained to you like this and it would be clear this is the case if ever discussed openly, thus the WTS doesn't deal with this that much to keep the discussion down. The "concept" is obvious to them, however, since in the "Revelation Book" they specifically say that "transmigration" is not an option for this vision of the woman giving birth and the child being caught up to heaven, etc. "Transmigration" is their term for Christ taking up the body of this child born from this organization, which is apparently on the earth if Satan has been banned to the earth, right? How can Satan persecute anybody in Heaven after he's been kicked out...BY THEM!! (i.e. Christ and his angels). As far as where the Christ is and the nature of his appearance, one can reference that every eye of the "tribes of the earth" (anointed members of the woman's oganization, not the entire earth) would see him, but also he would appear like LIGHTENING from easten parts to western parts. That means simply over a wide area from horizon to horizon but also for a very, very short time. So what does this predict in a modern setting? Simply that Christ would apparently make a brief television appearance allowing those of the anointed from one horizon to the next to see him. A television appearance satisfies an appearance like LIGHTENING, that is, over a very wide area but for a very short time, like an instant. Thus, easy to miss unless you're looking constantly. There's more detail, of course, but that's the basics. 1. Christ would return specifically 2520 years after the fall of Jerusalem, either in 1914, 1934 or 1992 (607, 587 or 529). 2. That he would appear as an imperfect man to fulfill being a wave offering WITH LEAVEN in contrast to the first coming without leaven in a sinless state. 3. That he would have to come out of Christ's secret organization in existence at the time when Satan is kicked out of heaven and thus would be a secret member of that organization, chosen to become the physical manifestation of the Messiah at the second coming, but he would not be a great public figure, only appearing like "ligthening" to the majority of his followers who could see his physical body and form during a brief television appearance. Now, this is so absurd to most people they can't even stand this idea even though it's quite scriptural. Thus only those who are spirtually focussed, like the wise virgins with the EXTRA oil will attain to the Messiah when he comes, and the scoffers and doubters would never be able to believe it, as the Bible says, even if explained to them in detail, because the second coming was so different and unique. Acts 13:41 "Behold it, you scorners, and wonder at it, and vanish away, because I am working a work in your days, a work that you will by no means believe even if anyone relates it to you in detail." Thus the second coming has a lot about EXCLUDING potential claimers to the kingdom as it does INCLUDING true believers. If you don't already have explicit faith in scripture or you want the Bible to prove itself with some miracles or signs, then even if you know how, when and who the Messiah is, you won't be able to fully accept it. The Messiah's second coming is "in the clouds" meaning in a clouded and mysterious manner and not really that obvious. He will appear "like lightening" out of those clouds but you have to be awake and fixed on them to see it. Hope that was helpful. People don't like talking about the specific Biblical details of the second coming because it's simply too disturbing for most of them and they like living in their dreamworlds. JC