by hubert 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I would like to find where the Watchtower said in their books that Jesus was coming "visibly" to inspect all religions in 1918-1919.
And, I am looking for the quotes that say he "came, but invisibly" after they realized that he didn't come at all, and what proof they give for that statement.
Thanks...Hubert
hubert, I don't think you will find any quotes from WT pubs on Jesus coming visibly except the first time in 29 CE. Russell came in at the end of the Millerite disappointment of 1844 (1846) when Christ was expected to be seen visibly. Of course, he wasn't and many were disappointed. Some came out of that group or era revamping that Christ was coming soon but invisibly. Russell's first publication was the Object and Manner of the Lord's Return where he discussed at length why Christ had to come invisibly.
In his later works and in Rutherford's I have never found anything that changed this idea and I have read most of them recently in the last six months.
I don't even think the WTS teaches that Jesus will be seen visibly when he comes with the angels at the beginning of the GT to execute the wicked.
Blondie
Thanks, Blondie...
I thought I read somewhere or heard that the W.T. had said firstly that Jesus would come at such and such a date, and when he didn''t, they then changed it and said he did come, but "invisibly", to cover their a$$. (again). But, I don't remember where I heard or read it. It probably was just heresay. If I come across it though, I'll re-post it.
Thanks again, Blondie.
Hubert (of the not so knowledgeable class).
hubert, you're confusing the WTS with the Miller movement which broke up into several groups after they disappointment in 1844, one of which were the Second Adventists of which Barbour was a member. So was Storrs and Jonas Wendell who had a great influence on Russell. I don't believe Russell ever became a Second (not 7th) Adventist but was greatly influenced by them, even publishing a magazine with Barbour.
But Russell was attracted to Barbour in the first place because of the invisible explanation of the presence of Christ. Russell eventually broke off with Barbour and started publishing the Watchtower.
Blondie
Hi Hubert,
Looking forward to meeting you and your wife again next month!
Here is bit of what the WTS INC choose to publish regarding the subject and the truth regarding how Russell came up with his own teachings regarding the subject.
*** jv chap. 5 pp. 46-47 Proclaiming the Lord’s Return (1870-1914) ***
“One morning in January 1876, 23-year-old Russell received a copy of a religious periodical called Herald of the Morning. From the picture on the cover, he could see that it was identified with Adventism. The editor, Nelson H. Barbour, of Rochester, New York, believed that the object of Christ’s return was not to destroy the families of the earth but to bless them and that his coming would be not in the flesh but as a spirit. Why, this was in agreement with what Russell and his associates in Allegheny had believed for some time! Curiously, though, Barbour believed from Biblical time-prophecies that Christ was already present (invisibly) and that the harvest work of gathering “the wheat” (true Christians making up the Kingdom class) was already due.—Matt., chap. 13.
Russell had shied away from Biblical time prophecies. Now, however, he wondered: “Could it be that the time prophecies which I had so long despised, because of their misuse by Adventists, were really meant to indicate when the Lord would be invisibly present to set up his Kingdom?” With his insatiable thirst for Scriptural truth, Russell had to learn more. So he arranged to meet with Barbour in Philadelphia. This meeting confirmed their agreement on a number of Bible teachings and provided an opportunity for them to exchange views. “When we first met,” Russell later stated, “he had much to learn from me on the fulness of restitution based upon the sufficiency of the ransom given for all, as I had much to learn from him concerning time.” Barbour succeeded in convincing Russell that Christ’s invisible presence had begun in 1874.”
If you have the time, research your WT cd or let me know if you want me to post more here here if you don’t have the time. It will be slow as I don’t have too much spare time to type ( I can’t type well at ALL!), as I do to read. The WTS INC teach that Christ returned twice so far and will again for a third time. Which goes against what they teach to be pa·rou·si´a. Go figure!
peace,
gwen
Hi Somebody,
You said:
"The WTS INC teach that Christ returned twice so far and will again for a third time. ; Which goes against what they teach to be pa·rou·si´a. Go figure! "
This is really true. They say that Jesus Christ (# 1) "came" invisible in 1914, after that he (# 2) "came" together with the Father in 1918 to the spiritual temple, and (# 3) he wil "come" at Armageddon.
So the second coming is in fact a three-stage coming.
See WT Feb. 1, 1962, page 95 "Questions of Readers" :
By our consideration of Bible prophecy and modern events we discern that the Lord Jesus Christ, in company with Jehovah God, came to the spiritual temple in the spring of 1918. It was after that year, particularly from 1919 forward, that the remnant of Christ’s anointed disciples began preaching the good news of God’s kingdom as having been established in the heavens in 1914. How long after the Lord’s coming to the temple must this preaching continue? Until the "Son of man arrives" for the execution of Jehovah’s judgment. This will be in the "war of the great day of God the Almighty," at Armageddon. In connection with that arrival Jesus said, in Revelation 16:15: "Look! I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one that stays awake and keeps his outer garments, that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness."
Some other churches believe that the second coming is a two-stage coming. The first part is a "coming" for the "rapture" of the true believers (an invisible "coming") , and the second part after some time is when he "comes" to judge the world.
Greetings,
Dutchy Elle
Dutchy Elle, good point. The WTS does teach that Jesus came to inspect the temple in 1918 which would constitute a 3rd time. Very good. I hadn't thought of it that way although Rutherford peppered his books with that phrase.
Blondie
The 1917 Finished Mystery book did predict a visible judgment on Christendom, such as claiming at in 1918 "God destroys the churches and church members by the millions" (p. 485), which then became reinterpreted as an invisible judgment (e.g. as inspecting the churches and finding them wanting).
But not a visible return of Christ, right?
hubert's question seems to mix up two different things....the inspection of Babylon the Great and the beginning of the parousia. As for the latter, I think Russell's Second Adventist forbears had expected 1874 to be a visible coming, which failed to materialize, but by the time Russell joined them it was already reinterpreted as an invisible parousia (e.g. Barbour, viewing the post-1874 period as the dawn of the millennium).
