In the LAST DAYS (mockers, scoffers) ridiculers will come saying:

by Terry 100 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Terry

  (2 Peter 3:1-13) ... NIV....."in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

  Waaaaay back when these words were written an embarassing awareness of DELAY was in the air among christians.

  Shortly after Jesus was executed the story was circulated that he arose from the dead and was witnessed by a great many people.

  But, Jesus (it was said) went up to his father in heaven and would SOON RETURN.

  Time passed.

  More time passed.

  ....and still MORE time passed without Jesus coming back.

  The idea that deliverance was "near" began to make believers squirm with discomfort.

  Instead of standing around waiting, enduring persecution and praying constantly for reward....a new task emerged for christians to take

  the edge off the BIG WAIT: evangelism.

  What is my point?

  The early christians had the very same problem that Jehovah's Witnesses have had for 97 years waiting on Armageddon. It is advertised as COMING SOON!....

  but it doesn't come; especially when dates are set for it to happen.

  The scripture (above) quoted is used a different way. It is pointing to a different sort of context than the original one.

  The modern day embarrassment among JW's makes it really squirmy when "scoffers" or "ridiculers" point out the fact THE END is nowhere in sight---and yet, Jehovah's Witnesses keep pointing to "signs" and more signs that keep on appearing and disappearing.

  JW's idea of SIGNS of the end are the usual wave of bad times that come and go.

  The one constant is the "scoffers".

  Why can't they admit there are no signs worth noticing?

  Why can't any of the christians from the 1st century until now simply admit that "soon" had absolutely NO MEANING and deserves scoffers and ridiculers?

  The "last days"? Indeed!

  Last days of what?
• 

  jonathan dough

  Patience. It will be here soon enough. And you left out some verses from 2 Peter.

  The earth is destined for fire and complete destruction which is made clear by 2 Peter 3:10,11: "But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire and the earth and everything in it will be found out. ... everything is to be dissolved this way," (NAB; "Total destruction is assumed (11)," notes 3,10). "...the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat" (2 Peter 3:12). "But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men" (2 Peter 3:7). Peter's warning reemphasized Zephaniah's warning, where the ancient prophet transmitted the Almighty's words, "I will utterly consume all things from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah. I will consume man and beast; I will consume the birds of the heavens, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumbling blocks with the wicked; and I will cut off man from off the face of the ground, saith Jehovah" (Zephaniah 1:2,3)
  
  Complete destruction of man on earth is intended. " Their blood will be poured out like dust and their entrails like dung. 18 Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the LORD’s wrath.” In the fire of his jealousy the whole earth will be consumed, for he will make a sudden end of all who live on the earth (Zephaniah 1:17, 18). The Jehovah's Witnesses theory that they alone, their great crowd, will survive Armageddon and be ruled from heaven by the 144,000 is simply not in accord with Scripture.http://144000.110mb.com/trinity/index-8.html#41
• 

  N.drew

  "Mockers with their mockery" will come also with a meaning of go. There have always been scoffers, so this is not what the scripture says. It means them. What other group in history is identfied exclusively by their behavior? And we know for a fact that they are after their own lust, which is paradise. Who are they mocking? They are mocking ancient Israel. Moses? The commandments? The waiting for the promised land? Sound familiar? And is it not really themselves who are saying where is the relief that was promised? It's the WTBTS that 2 Peter 3 is identifying.

  Some few scriptures prior say that some would return to the vomit. That would picture hopelessness. The law was hopeless except for Christ. They have replaced the Christ Jaheshua with the Governing Body. I'm as sure as sure. I'm human, I can be wrong, but it fits them. But many will say the scripture means nothing. Fine. Does anyone know what the "son of destruction" means?
• 

  cofty

  Its a good point Terry. It is clear form the gospels that the authors expected Jesus' immediate return. The same is true in Acts, the idea of giving up all their belongings and having everything in common was clearly a strategy for waiting out the last days until Jesus' return.

  The idea of having to die and await a resurrection was a reality that Paul had to address in 1Cor. The Revelation of John was the last gasp effort to urge the churches to hang in a little longer "Amen, come Lord Jesus"

  2000 years later christians are still saying, " Patience. It will be here soon enough"
• 

  Ucantnome

  78 years is the average lifespan in the US I think, so the average person will not wait any longer than that.
• 

  N.drew

  Show me a scripture, please, if you know one, that identifies "soon" with time. Or does it mean "possibility". For instance if someone is training in the martial arts, soon can mean almost ready to perform. So, the spirit of the world has always been close to destruction (Genesis 11:6 "there is nothing that they may have in mind that will be unattainable), but along with that, persons have been near The Word of God for a kingdom. Now the world is closer than ever to mass destruction. As a matter of fact more people are becoming without a reason to hope every day. We are "close" in the sense of tottering on the edge, but the Kingdom is still waitng. It never promised to come to us. We are to go to it. The mountain. The scriptures that religionists use mean going to the mountain is too late. But I have nothing to lose. I'm heading for it. Because I want to. I don't care about living forever. I don't care much about dying. But I don't like what's coming, so I'm leaving for the mountain.
• 

  Terry

  Now the world is closer than ever to mass destruction..

  Well, I'm almost 65 years old. In the 1950's I begged my parents to build a bomb shelter because it was obvious that a Nuclear War was going to come any minute! Seriously! In my grade school classes they taught us "Duck and Cover" for when the nuclear blast came!!

  In the 60's there was the ongoing and ever worsening Viet Nam war, youth rebellion, drugs, bra-less women and the Cold War with Communists breathing down our necks combined with nuclear missles in Cuba aimed at us only a few hundred miles off shore!

  In the 70's we had one damned thing after another from kindnapping by Iran to energy crisis, gasoline shortages, Watergate, the end of 6000 years of human existence in 1975 (!) and....brace yourself....DISCO!

  My point is that no matter what is going on in the world it is always closer to mass destruction in some poor frightened soul's mind!

  Not to mock your feelings, mind you, but--you'll be astonished to learn all this shall pass and you'll get older and live through another dozen or so end-of-the-world crisis or other and die peacefully in your knickers!

  

  Duck and Cover

  A clip from the classic 1951 educational film.

  by saturnalia9 | 5 years ago | 58,478 views
• 

  sabastious

  They were waiting for the Messiah of their forefather Abraham. So much of the Jewish lore depicts people in preperation of his coming even to the point of a sacred blood line. How long did the Jews, who became Christian converts, wait?

  -Sab
• 

  cyberjesus

  mice are afraid of cats....end of the world

  cats are afraid of dogs.... end of the world

  zebras are afraid of lions..... end of the world

  we are afraid of everything...... from bacteria to God.... end of the world

  The end of the world is coming.... but everyone of us has a different date for it.

  I am no longer afraid of it.... I know is coming.....eventually
• 

  Darth Rutherford

  When Jesus walked the earth, his ministry included telling people that the "Kingdom has drawn near." (Matthew 4:17) It was near. Jesus, who would be made king of that Kingdom, was with them - and soon would die and be given all authority in heaven and on earth. -Matthew 28:18.

  Soon after his death and resurrection, during Pentecost, Holy Spirit was poured upon his disciples. It was at the moment that Peter declared that Joel's prophecy regarding the Last Days were fulfilled. Christians were certainly now living in the Last Days (in the first century). -Acts 2:16-21; Joel 2:28, 29.

  Evangelism did not begin decades after Jesus' death, but during Jesus' ministry. After his resurrection, Jesus told his disciples to continue evangelizing. -Matthew 28:19.

  However, if you look carefully, the apostles and disciples never preached that "the Kingdom was near." They preached about the "good news of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ". They never declared that the Kingdom was "near" - or "coming soon". (Acts 8:12) They knew it was already established in the heavens. In fact, Jesus warned his disciples not to follow anyone saying that the "due time has approached", or at hand. -Luke 21:8.

  Sure, as the decades moved along, the early Christians were becoming disheartened. They were hoping the Last Days would be a short period of time. Thus, Peter once again revealed a truth about the Last Days - which you refer to at 2 Peter 3:1-13.

  Peter reassures everyone (and us) that God will certainly bring an end to the world of mankind just as he did in the days of Noah. (2 Pe 3:5-7) Then he helps us see that "one days is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day." (vs. 8) In saying that, he reveals that the Last "Days" (days=plural) would stretch out for alot longer than what they originally anticipated - possibly millenia. Nevertheless, it will come.

  Peter told the Christians that this was "advance knowledge". (vs. 17) He focused their attention back on living a Christian life. (vs. 14) Christians were not to concern themselves with "when" it would happen, only that it would eventually happen. Until that day arrives, Christians are supposed to live a life that imitates their master, Jesus. In fact, doesn't Jesus reminds us that "It does not belong to YOU to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction." -Acts 1:7.

  Truth is that we are still in the Last Days. Until he comes, the weeds and the wheat will continue to grow together. Only when Jesus returns will they be separated. Jehovah's Witnesses are focused on the "when' - and forget the "why". This is initially where they went wrong - trying to predict when the end was coming. Other denominations have done similarly.

  We are still in the Last Days. These have been going on for nearly 2,000 years, but that's just what Peter said would happen. The end could come today, tomorrow, next year, decade, century, or millenium. It doesn't matter. It doesn't belong to us to have that insight. We don't serve Christ for a time period - but for eternity. It's a life choice we each must make.