As the subject has moved across to Matthew 24, I thought it appropriate to add this.
Matt 24 is an interesting chapter in the Bible for believers. All bible quotes are taken from NWT.
vs. 3 While he was sitting upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: "Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?"4 And in answer Jesus said to them: "Look out that nobody misleads YOU;
1914, 1915, 1925, 1975, 2000, Generation change, NGO Association, Aluminium, Blood, Transplants, God resides on the star Alcyone, Beth Serim, Child Abuse, Evolution Book, ....
v5 for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.
v 23 "Then if anyone says to YOU, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’ or, ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones. 25 Look! I have forewarned YOU.
Compare this with the Watchtower Jan 15, 2004;p.18: " How wonderfully Jehovah satisfies the spiritual needs of his loyal ones! Before his death, Jesus promised that "the faithful and discreet slave" would provide Jesus’ followers with spiritual "food at the proper time."p.27:"You can recognize this collective slave by observing its industrious teaching and timely warnings of enemy tactics. The evidence points to the spirit-anointed members of the Christian congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses".
v 15 "Therefore, when YOU catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, (let the reader use discernment,) .
Compare Watchtower 1999, May 1; p.15: So in 1919 "the disgusting thing" appeared. In time, the League gave way to the United Nations. Jehovah’s Witnesses have long exposed these human peace organizations as disgusting in God’s sight.
From 1992 to 2001 the watchtower society with in association with the United Nations Non-Government Organizations DPI Department. To the extent that Paul Hoeffel, Chief of the NGO section wrote and explained thus;" This organization applied for association with DPI in 1991 and was granted association in 1992. By accepting association with DPI, the organization agreed to meet criteria for association, including support and respect of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and commitment and means to conduct effective information programmes with its constituents and to a broader audience about UN activities. " : http://www.un.org/dpi/ngosection/pdfs/watchtower.pdf
v34 Truly I say to YOU that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.
Compare Watchtower 1992, May; p.7: Before the 1914 generation passes away, the Kingdom-preaching work will have accomplished its purpose. "Then," foretold Jesus, "there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again. In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short
With Watchtower, 1995 Nov 1, p.31: In the second or larger fulfillment, "this generation" would logically also be the contemporaneous people. As the article beginning on page 16 establishes, we need not conclude that Jesus was referring to a set number of years making up a "generation."
Then v 48 "But if ever that evil slave should say in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’
Compare this with Watchtower Mar 15, 1980;p.17:In modern times such eagerness, commendable in itself, has led to attempts at setting dates for the desired liberation from the suffering and troubles that are the lot of persons throughout the earth. With the appearance of the book Life Everlasting—in Freedom of the Sons of God, and its comments as to how appropriate it would be for the millennial reign of Christ to parallel the seventh millennium of man’s existence, considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975. There were statements made then, and thereafter, stressing that this was only a possibility. Unfortunately, however, along with such cautionary information, there were other statements published that implied that such realization of hopes by that year was more of a probability than a mere possibility. It is to be regretted that these latter statements apparently overshadowed the cautionary ones and contributed to a buildup of the expectation already initiated.
v.49 and should start to beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards,
Compare this with KM August 2002,p.4: : Cooperating with the Scriptural arrangement to disfellowship and shun unrepentant wrongdoers is beneficial.
Watchtower Volume 1955, p.607 : [If a Brother continues to associate with a dissfellowshipped person] He should be strongly admonished, being impressed with the fact that by associating with the disfellowshiped one he is a companion of wickedness and that by his course of action he is dividing himself from the congregation to be with the wrongdoer. If after sufficient warning the publisher persists in associating with the disfellowshiped person instead of aligning himself with Jehovah’s organization he also should be disfellowshiped.
50 the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, 51 and will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where [his] weeping and the gnashing of [his] teeth will be.
Oh dear thirdwitness!
steve
