A proper view of the Appointed Times of the Nations!
With Addition!
Most today reading Luke 21:24 draw the conclusion that ancient Jerusalem is in question here. Of course that's a natural conclusion to draw, because it looks like Jerusalem of old is in question, however this subject needs to be examined a little closer; because Jerusalem of old is not in question here at all.
24"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of [the] nations until [the] times of [the] nations be fulfilled."{Luke 21:24 DT}
We know that it was Jesus himself who made this statement, so one must ask himself, why would the mediator of the New Covenant, concern himself with earthly Jerusalem, which was the City where the old Law Covenant was dispensed? Especially since he himself had condemned the Jews who worshipped at the Temple in that City, and foretold it's complete destruction?
Then too, by his precious Blood the New Covenant was established. There was an obvious change in the situation that existed under the old Law Covenant, from earthly Jerusalem, earthly Mount Zion now, it was Heavenly New Jerusalem, Heavenly Mount Zion. So, the positions of those two Cities had switched over from earthly to Heavenly. He had told them that their house was abandoned to them. {Revelation 14:1}
34 "This is why I am sending you prophets, sages, and scribes. Some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will flog in your synagogues and hound from town to town. 35 So all the righteous blood shed on the earth will be charged to you, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.36 I assure you: All these things will come on this generation!
37 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem! The city who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, yet you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will never see Me again until you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"{Matthew 23:34-39 HCSB}
The ancient City of Jerusalem was now out of the picture altogether. Heavenly New Jerusalem had come into being, replacing earthly Jerusalem altogether. Paul will explain what their approach to Jehovah was now:
18" For you have not come to what could be touched, to a blazing fire, to darkness, gloom, and storm, 19 to the blast of a trumpet, and the sound of words. (Those who heard it begged that not another word be spoken to them, 20 for they could not bear what was commanded: And if even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned! 21 And the appearance was so terrifying that Moses said, I am terrified and trembling. 22 Instead, you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels in festive gathering, 23 to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to God who is the judge of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, 24 to Jesus (mediator of a new covenant and to the sprinkled blood, which says better things than the [blood] of Abel." {Hebrews 12:22-24 HCSB}
12 "The victor: I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God, and he will never go out again. I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God—the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God—and My new name."{Revelation 3:12 HCSB}
2 "I also saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband."{Revelation 21:2 HCSB}
10 "He then carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,"{Revelation 21:10 HCSB}
Now, rather than earthly Jerusalem, it was the "Holy City New Heavenly Jerusalem." This now was the "City of Truth," Jehovah's Throne." That this trampling was to be done on, and interestingly enough, this trampling began from right within the true Christian Congregation. As I will go on to show:
18 "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour.19They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us." {1 John 2:18,19
29 "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them." {Acts 20:29,30 NIV}
1"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron."
{1 Timothy 4:1,2 NIV}
As Paul had said; this would take place after he left. These savage wolves would move right in and take over, influencing others to arise and distort the truth, even from among the true anointed class, to follow their course to draw away disciples after them. Abandoning the true faith, and take up these teachings of demons that came through hypocitical liars. By so doing trample on Jehovah's Throne City of Truth, as represented by the Twelve early Apostles. So, the appointed times of the Nations began right within the Christian Congregation, with these savage wolves, and from those who deviated from the truth of God's word, to follow those teachings of demons. No one can put a date on the beginning of those apostate workers. So, because of that, it cannot be known how long those times ran, only to say they are still running at this time, and did not end in 1914 as taught.
In Matthew 13:24-30-36-43 Jesus gave a Parable that foretold this very thing.The devil would oversow weeds in among the wheat, and , as it says, "while Men were Sleeping," this would take place. In other words there would be a long period of inactivity, when Jehovah would have no one on the earth to represent him, during which time period these weed like Christian's would be allowed to grow and flourish. All the while trampling on Jehovah's Throne City of Truth, with their doctrines of demons, and distortions of truth; and claims to represent the God of the Bible. Bringing nothing but reproach and shame on the grand name of Jehovah God. Thereby literally trampling on the Throne of Jehovah, and his New City of Truth; Heavenly New Jerusalem. The City of the Living God! {1 Chronicles 29:23} {Jeremiah 3:17} {Zechariah 8:3}
Paul had told us, After he left these savage wolves would appear, and gain, and hold control until the Christ actually took his Ruling authority as King of God's Kingdom. With none of the Apostles left to hold them in check, this apostate deviation of the truth, would have nothing to hamper their false teachings and beliefs, and would run roughshod over Jehovah's Throne City of Truth, Heavenly New Jerusalem; until the arrival of the Christ in Kingdom Power, at which time those appointed times would end with the removal of satan, his demons, his Religous Woman and all of her religious adherents. Only when satan is chained and abyssed, his vast empire of false religion falls- all of the adherents of his vast empire of Babylon the Great is forever removed, can those appointed times of the Nations end. When that is done to completion, then, and only then, will the appointed times of the Nations end, with finality. {2 Corinthians 4:3,4} {Revelation 18:1-3;20:1-3- Matthew 25:41-46} Not until all that is done and over with, will they end.
This is a proper view of the appointed times of the Nations! Too bad the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses missed it, isn't it?
Once we get out of our minds what they have missed, and wipe out of our minds completely what they say about the appointed Times of the Nations ending in 1914, we will then begin to realize that earthly Jerusalem wasn't in question when Jesus stated what he did about the trampling on Jerusalem. With that out of our minds, simply ask ourselves, when did the trampling on Heavenly New Jerusalem begin?
17"At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of Jehovah, to Jerusalem; and they shall no more walk after the stubbornness of their evil heart."{Jeremiah 3:17 DT}
How can it be that Heavenly New Jerusalem is now called the Throne of Jehovah? The Psalmist will explain:
1 "Why are the nations so angry?
Why do they waste their time with futile plans?
2 The kings of the earth prepare for battle;the rulers plot together
against the Lord
and against his anointed one.3 "Let us break their chains," they cry,
"and free ourselves from slavery to God."
4 But the one who rules in heaven laughs.
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then in anger he rebukes them,
terrifying them with his fierce fury.
6 For the Lord declares, "I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain." {Psalm 2:1-6 NLT}
21"The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne."{Revelation 3:21 ESV}
We see, that the Throne of Jehovah isn't occupied now solely by Jehovah alone, but has the Christ and his 144,000 associate King Priests seated right there with him. So, misuse any of the anointed Brothers of Christ while they walked this earth, constituted trampling on the Throne of Jehovah. Jesus nicely highlited that point at Matthew 25:40,45}
As for, now, why it was called the "City of Truth,"is evident from John 14:6 where Jesus tells us that he was "the way the Truth and the Life."
3"Thus saith Jehovah: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem;and Jerusalem shall be called, The city of truth; and the mountain of Jehovah of hosts, The holy mountain.{Zechariah 8:3 DT}
Earthly Jerusalem trurned out to be a City of Liars and Murderers. So, desperately needed replacing, as it was.
As far as calculating a date for the start of this trampling on Heavenly New Jerusalem, I don't believe that can be even done; unless of course, the crucifiction of the Christ would be the starting point. They certainly trampled on him didn't they? Aside from that, no one knows how long it will run either, which blows the Governing Bodies interpretation out of the water. Who knows the Date for the Christ to take active Kingdom ruling Power? We'd have to know that date to know when the trampling will end. No one will ever know that particular date. {Matthew 24:36}
I think that is a proper view of the appointed times of the Nations! Let the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses toy with their time prophecy in Daniel. That toying, will, in the end, get them into plenty of hot water. I believe the Apostle John referred to that hot water, as the Lake of Fire, which, I imagine, is plenty hot enough for anyone. {Matthew 25:41} {Revelation 20:9,10}
Something I only just noticed now, myself, that requires this slight addition. Everything the Governing Body of Jehovah's witnesses teaches about the year 1914, hinges on the accuracy of the Time Prophecy in Daniel, since their calculations are quite obviously incorrect, that means, of necessity, that the War in Heaven was not fought in 1914. satan and his demons were not thrown down in 1914. Woe for the earth and for the sea did not begin in 1914. The Christ did not have an invisible presence in 1914. Matthew 24:7 was not fulfilled in 1914. They are quite definitely wrong on all counts. Brother! Has their Spirit Directed Organization been led down the garden path, or what? Wannabe