Posts by opusdei1972

26

E-Watchman? Thoughts?

by thedepressedsoul in

i stumbled upon the website e-watchman today and while i didn't have time to read over everything i found this thoughts so far quite interesting.

recently when reading matthew i can't help but feel that jesus warnings about the pharisees also applied to the gb and elders.

actually everytime jesus brought them up i realized how similar they are.

When I left the Society I contacted him by email. However, he was angry when I said that Rutherford was an evil man. So I noticed that he was as lunatic as Fred Franz. He even suggested me that I should not stop attending the meetings. Instead, I should wait for new instructions when the true anointed ones will be revealed.

2

The Gentile Times were fulfilled

by opusdei1972 in

24 they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations; and jerusalem will be trodden down by the gentiles, until the times of the gentiles are fulfilled.

(luke 21:24).

as i see, a natural reading of this prophecy says that if we see jerusalem, the city, without being trodden down by the gentiles, the times of the gentiles will be fulfilled.

opusdei1972

24 they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)

As I see, a natural reading of this prophecy says that if we see Jerusalem, the city, without being trodden down by the Gentiles, the times of the Gentiles will be fulfilled. However, many years ago, Jews returned to Jerusalem and this city is no more trodden down by the Gentiles.

It seems that Luke added this verse after Jerusalem was destroyed by the roman armies, so he thought that Jews could not govern there until Jesus' second coming. Furthermore, "orthodox" church fathers of the second century believed that Jerusalem would be rebuilt by Christ and he would reign there for 1000 years.

So, as I see, this prophecy was not fulfilled.

78

Jesus was a false prophet?

by opusdei1972 in

and he said to them, "i tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of god come with power.

(mark 9:1).

when you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.

opusdei1972

Which generation is it referring to? When will The Tribulation happen?

But Jesus's words were clear as we read. It was his generation and the Tribulation is conected with Jerusalem's destruction:

1 As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples *said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.” (Mark 1:1-2)

So, if Jesus did not come, he misled people.

78

Jesus was a false prophet?

by opusdei1972 in

and he said to them, "i tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of god come with power.

(mark 9:1).

when you are persecuted in one place, flee to another.

opusdei1972

And he said to them, "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power. (Mark 9:1)

When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes - Matthew 10:23

24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light , 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. 26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven....... 30 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. (Mark 13:24-27,30)

These verses clearly show that Jesus believed that the kingdom of God together with his second parouxia would come in his generation, and not after that. If all these things did not happen in those days, we have no choice, Jesus was a false prophet. It is pointless to separate the events of Jerusalem's destruction (70 AD) with those of the second coming, because they are conected as we read above. Unless Jesus did not say the above words and Mark misquoted Peter (if Papias told us the truth about Mark's authorship).

10

Question about Ezekiel's chronology

by opusdei1972 in

i am writing an article in spanish about the failed prophecies of ezekiel .

however, i have found a problem when researching.

for instance, in chapter 26 ezekiel says that yahweh gave him the prophecy against tyre in the eleventh year.

opusdei1972

AnnOMaly Many thanks for your quote. Indeed, I have noted that Ezekiel's chronology is a mess. For instance, in the first chapter Ezekiel says that the thirtieth year is the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin . So, I see that Ezekiel's starting point is not the same in all his chapters.

10

Question about Ezekiel's chronology

by opusdei1972 in

i am writing an article in spanish about the failed prophecies of ezekiel .

however, i have found a problem when researching.

for instance, in chapter 26 ezekiel says that yahweh gave him the prophecy against tyre in the eleventh year.

opusdei1972

I don't see where the 70 years are suggested....

10

Question about Ezekiel's chronology

by opusdei1972 in

i am writing an article in spanish about the failed prophecies of ezekiel .

however, i have found a problem when researching.

for instance, in chapter 26 ezekiel says that yahweh gave him the prophecy against tyre in the eleventh year.

opusdei1972

Bart Belteshassur Thank you for your thoughts. Josephus said that after quoting Menander of Ephesus, because Josephus wanted to prove that the 70 years were exactly fulfilled. Here is what Josephus said:

http://www.livius.org/men-mh/menander/menander_of_ephesus.html

[Josephus quotes Menander to prove that the Babylonian Exile was as long as the Bible suggests, because the Tyrian chronology separates Nebuchadnezzar and Cyrus with the same number of years.]

I will now add the records of the Phoenicians; for it will not be superfluous to give the reader demonstrations more than enough on this occasion. In them we have this enumeration of the times of their several kings:

Nebuchadnezzar besieged Tyre for thirteen years in the days of Ithobaal [III], their king; after him reigned Baal [II], ten years; after him were judges appointed, who judged the people: Ecnibalus, the son of Baslacus, two months; Chelbes, the son of Abdeus, ten months; Abbar, the high priest, three months; Mitgonus and Gerastratus, the sons of Abdelemus, were judges six years; after whom Balatorus reigned one year; after his death they sent and fetched Merbalus from Babylon, who reigned four years; after his death they sent for his brother Hiram, who reigned twenty years. Under his reign Cyrus became king of Persia.

So that the whole interval is fifty-four years besides three months; for in the seventh year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar he began to besiege Tyre, and Cyrus the Persian took the kingdom in the fourteenth year of Hiram.

10

Question about Ezekiel's chronology

by opusdei1972 in

i am writing an article in spanish about the failed prophecies of ezekiel .

however, i have found a problem when researching.

for instance, in chapter 26 ezekiel says that yahweh gave him the prophecy against tyre in the eleventh year.

opusdei1972

I am writing an article in Spanish about the failed prophecies of Ezekiel . However, I have found a problem when researching. For instance, In chapter 26 Ezekiel says that Yahweh gave him the prophecy against Tyre in the eleventh year. What is the starting point for this date?. If the eleventh year is eleven years after the carrying away of Jehoiachin (597 BCE), we are in 597-11 = 586 BCE, the year of the fall of Jerusalem or some time later. Ok, this makes sense. Nevertheless, Josephus said that "in the seventh year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar he began to besiege Tyre" (Against Apion 1.21). But the seventh year of Nebuchadnezzar must be 605 - 7 = 598 a.C. So I found a contradiction. Where I am wrong?

12

Tamar was not a harlot, so Judah did not commit fornication

by opusdei1972 in

this is a portion of what the insight book says about the affair between judah and tamar:.

therefore, subsequent to judahs becoming a widower, tamar, on learning that her father-in-law was going to timnah, disguised herself as a prostitute and then seated herself at the entrance of enaim on the road judah would be traversing.

not recognizing his daughter-in-law and assuming her to be a prostitute, judah had relations with her.

opusdei1972

All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

So, how could I be completely equipped for every good work by reading the account of the affair between Judah and Tamar?

12

Tamar was not a harlot, so Judah did not commit fornication

by opusdei1972 in

this is a portion of what the insight book says about the affair between judah and tamar:.

therefore, subsequent to judahs becoming a widower, tamar, on learning that her father-in-law was going to timnah, disguised herself as a prostitute and then seated herself at the entrance of enaim on the road judah would be traversing.

not recognizing his daughter-in-law and assuming her to be a prostitute, judah had relations with her.

opusdei1972

This is a portion of what the Insight book says about the affair between Judah and Tamar:

Therefore, subsequent to Judah’s becoming a widower, Tamar, on learning that her father-in-law was going to Timnah, disguised herself as a prostitute and then seated herself at the entrance of Enaim on the road Judah would be traversing. Not recognizing his daughter-in-law and assuming her to be a prostitute, Judah had relations with her. When it later came to light that Tamar was pregnant, Judah demanded that she be burned as a harlot. But upon the presentation of the evidence that he himself had made her pregnant, Judah exclaimed: “She is more righteous than I am, for the reason that I did not give her to Shelah my son.” Thus unwittingly Judah had taken the place of Shelah in fathering legal offspring. Some six months later Tamar gave birth to the twins Perez and Zerah. Judah had no further relations with her.—Ge 38:12-30. (Judah, it-2 pp. 123-128)

As we see, Judah wanted to burn Tamar as a harlot, but he was not concerned of himself when he had sex with Tamar as a harlot. Of course, Tamar was not a harlot, but Judah thought she was. This means that Judah (if existed) did it more than once. He thought it wasn't wrong to have sex with a prostitute, though a prostitute must be burned. Buuuuuut, Judah can't be disfellowshipped for that, no, no, no, he was a good man, because David,....,and Jesus would be his descendants. To have a better understanding of how Judah can be excused, we have to read the Watchtower:

Questions From Readers

What circumstances caused Judah to have sexual relations with a woman he thought was a harlot, as stated at Genesis 38:15, 16?

While Judah did have sexual relations with a woman he thought was a harlot, in reality she was not a harlot.......

Judah acted wrongly in that he did not give Tamar to his son Shelah as promised. He also had relations with a woman he thought was a temple prostitute. This was contrary to God’s purpose, which was for a man to have sexual relations only in the marriage arrangement. (Genesis 2:24) In reality, though, Judah did not have relations with a harlot. Rather, he unwittingly took the place of his son Shelah in performing brother-in-law marriage and thus fathered legal offspring. As for Tamar, her course was not an immoral one. Her twin sons were not considered to be the sons of fornication. (w04 1/15)

So, Judah just did something wrong against to God's purpose and then he wanted to burn Tamar, but don't worry, "In reality, Judah did not have relations with a harlot", in the same way that Rutherford just loved Berta and Bonnie and sent witnesses out "from door to door to face the enemy while he went from drink to drink".