@ Kosonen: Clinging to the org's false dogma that Jesus' words at Matthew 24:14 & Mark 13:10 have a "greater fulfilment" 2000 years later, is being self-deceptive.
1) The "good news" (gospel) about Jesus & the kingdom was preached - in the 1st century:
(Colossians
1:23) "....not
being shifted away from the hope of that good news that you heard and
that was preached in all creation under heaven...."
(1
Timothy 3:16) ‘He was made manifest in flesh, was declared
righteous in spirit, appeared to angels, was preached about among
nations, was believed upon in the
world, was received up in glory.’
Who exactly did Jesus commission to carry out that 1st century "worldwide preaching work?"
(Acts
1:2,4,6,8,-9)
"....after he had given instructions through holy spirit to
the apostles
he had chosen. While he was meeting with them, (the
apostles)
he ordered them: “Do not leave Jerusalem, So when they (the
apostles)
had assembled, they (the
apostles)
asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this
time?”...But you will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon
you, and you (the
apostles)
will be witnesses of
me in Jerusalem, in all Ju·deʹa and Sa·marʹi·a, and to
the most distant part of the earth.”
After he had said these things, while they (the
apostles)
were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud caught him up from
their sight."
Yup - the 11 apostles + Paul - not rank & file Christians.
2) The events which Jesus described in Matthew 24, were a one-off, things which Jesus said would never be repeated: (Matthew
24:21) "...for then there will be great tribulation..., no, nor will occur again."
Which part of "no, nor will occur again" was so difficult for us as JW's to understand? 🤔
3) As for the "last days," Christ revealed to the apostle John who would be assigned to inform & warn the world at that time. It certainly wasn't going to be any corrupted Christian denomination's responsibility:
Revelation
11:3, 7 - I will cause my two witnesses to
prophesy for 1,260 days dressed in sackcloth.” When they
have finished their witnessing, the wild beast
that ascends out of the abyss will wage war with them and conquer
them and kill them."
Revelation
14:6, 7 - "And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, and
he had everlasting good news to declare to those who dwell on
the earth, to every nation and tribe
and tongue and people. He
was saying in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory."
Neither of these inspired accounts point to any human organization's involvement - especially not JW's.
