by OldSoul 23 Replies latest watchtower bible
Brilliant move for the GB. Thay are fulfilling the prophecy at 2 Corinthians 11:12-15:
13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light. 15 It is therefore nothing great if his ministers also keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. But their end shall be according to their works.
"This Generation"
"In the western world 'this generation' might suggest a period extending over the lifetime of an individual... 'Generation' [however] does not mean a fixed period of [years], but a 'block' of humanity characterized by its evil tendencies, something like 'this evil brood' or 'this perverse society organized in opposition to God.'... This meaning of the word goes back to the Hebrew Bible.... [C.E.B. Cranfield,] a leading New Testament scholar says: 'Probably "generation" is best taken in the sense of "age," "period of time," which is the primary meaning of the Hebrew dor,' -- the word regularly rendered by 'generation' in the Greek of the Septuagint."
--- Our Fathers Who Aren't In Heaven, Sir Anthony F. Buzzard, Atlanta Bible College July, 1995
Don't be deceived by multi-level JW false teachings. You are looking for the basic fulfillment of this prophecy connected to 1914. That is the correct "instict". 1914 does begin the "last generation" of 80 years (Ps 90:10) which ends in 1994. But the "end" is not Armageddon! That's the biggest misconception. The "end" is a reference to the preoccupation of Jews with the end of their present "system of things" related to the "gentile time." Thus Luke gives a more focus referrence to this "appointed times of the nations" that will continue with the Jews in exile. When the exile ends and the Jews are restored as a nation into their homeland as promised, then the "end of the system of times" of the "gentile times" ends. That is the "end" in reference for Matthew 24. It does not apply to Armageddon, therefore, but when the Jews are restored to Palestine, which occurred November 30, 1996.
The criteria connected to the "end" is only that the "good news will be preached" worldwide by the time the "end" comes. That is, from 1914 when the organization was very young and new, it would grow to an international organization and its preaching work extend around the world by the time the Jews return from exile and the end of the gentile times occurs in 1947. Did that happen? Yes! This is emphasized by an around-the-globe speaking tour embarked on by then-Presidents of the WTS NH Knorr early in 1947 to fulfill this. The "end" came in 1947.
But note that the "end" follows closely behind the "great tribulation" yet another misconception of the WTS. This is presumed to be Armageddon but Matthew 24 clearly says that the second coming does not occur until after the great tribulation is over. "Immediately after the tribulation of those days.." you will see the sign of the son of man. Further it first mentions before the sign appearing a period of spiritual darkness regarding the second coming, with the moon and sun darkened and the stars falling out of the sky, and then the second coming would occur. The parallel overlay in Daniel regarding this, though assigns specific years. The "end" is assigned to 1290 days, and period of darkness before the second coming to 45 days by the announce of "Happy is the one who keeps in expectation of the 1335 days." Meaning the 2nd coming would occur 45 years after the "end" and there would be a period of 45 years of spirtiual darkness during this time.
Thus the only generation test for 1994 that we need to apply and observe for here if is 45 years after 1945 occurs on or before 1994. Since 45 plus 1947 is 1992, it fulfills this prophecy. That is, that the second coming, which is the last event-sign to occur during that generation occurs before 80 years elapse. But this generation would not end before the second coming, not before Armageddon.
If you follow Revelation closely, we find Satan being kicked out of heaven at the same time as the second coming. But he is not immediately abyssed! No. He is let lose on the earth for a "short while" while Christ's angels are sealing and gathering the complete number of anointed ones. This requires a relatively peaceful and open setting to accomplish this, thus the "four winds of heaven" that will bring destruction to the earth and Armageddon are held back until the final anointed one is sealed. This lets us know that Armageddon does not come or begin until some time after the second coming. But how long?
We know it is at least presumed to be 7 years beyond the second coming or at least Passover of mid-70th week. A 70-weeks period ends in 36CE (455BCE to 36CE). This anchors the chronology of the 70 weeks. The messiah arrives during the 70th week at both the first and second coming. So we need only identify the 70th week closest to 1947 to determine the week of the second coming. 490 x 4 is 1960. 1960 years brings us from 36 CE into our day. The end of the 70th week would be in 1996 (1960+36CE=1996AD). Thus the 70th week of the second coming is from 1989-1996. The mid-week Passover is to be the first the Messiah partakes of at his arrival so we know he must not arrive more than a year before Passover April 6, 1993.
The concept that Christ would take a week of 7 years before we could expect Armageddon is confirmed by the parable of the vineyard workers who work for 11 hours and are paid gradually from last to first during the 12th hour. The vineyard workers apply to the witnesses beginning with the last generation in 1914. Note that there is a distinction between those first coming into the organization, the "first-hour" workers who were told they would receive the "penny" meaning heavenly life. But from the 3rd through the 11th workers they were not told in advance regarding this. Per Revelation, a 1/2 hour is equal to 1260 days or 3.5 years, thus an "hour" is seven years. Thus the work of 11 hours is 77 years from 1914 to 1991, and the 12th hour would be from 1991-1998. Presumably if Christ pays from last to first during this time, it would delay Armageddon until at last after 1998. Of passing note here, those who don't know in advance about what they would receive would begin to appear after 21 years from 1914 beginning with the 3rd hour workers (3 x 7=21). That means a second class of people within this organization would think they were of a non-heavenly class beginning in 1935, which is precisely when the official "other sheep" earthly class was recognized within the witness organization, another indication that they fulfill the "temple" organization "in its right condition" prophesied in Daniel to operate for the last 110 years of the covenant period (1886-1996). But as the parable shows, turns out after 1991, Christ invites all the faithful workers into the heavenly kingdom, paying them all a "penny". The first-hour workers grumble but still get their penny. That means the original anointed ones within the organization not only are surprised by this but not too happy to be joined by all the "other sheep" who lately came into the organization who still get offered the heavenly gift! This proves this would not be understood by the Anointed within the WTS until after it begins to happen in 1991, so don't look for this explanation in the Watchtower.
However, beyond 1998 or perhaps a year after in 1999 it would be up to Jehovah's "jurisdiction" (Acts 1) as to when Armageddon would actually occur. It is now 2005 some 6 years after 1999, but still a "short time" overall for bringing on the final end of this present system of things and Armageddon. But of some critical note, for those already in the kingdom by this point, it would seem to them that perhaps the time is delaying. This suggests that God will take the maximum permissible time to bring on Armageddon and to seal the anointed ones as he does "not wish that any should die." Thus it is explained that what seems to be a "slowness" is really "patience" on God's part.
The Bible prophesied that the leadership of the "temple organization" would rise up and make itself a god in God's house and become apostate (2 Thess 2). This applies to the Governing Body who is rejected along with the organization after Christ takes out his "little flock" after separating his sheep from the goats. I note this because this means, being cast into spiritual darkness, this Biblically accurate scensario of what is happening with Jehovah in regards to the world will not be found in the doctrines of the Watchtower Society whose current concepts of the "last generation" as we note, don't work! In the meantime, the generation limit of 80 years for all these things to occur do check out and occur in tme, but Armageddon was not part of what was to happen before that last generation occurred. The "end" spoken of was the end of the appointed times of the nations which occurred already in 1947 when the Jews became a nation again on their homeland.
What the WTS is now coming up with to reconcicle the Biblical "last generation" is thus nonsensical and inapplicable to the reality and can be ignored. But not what the Bible says! All the events to occur before 1994 did indeed occur as the Bible prophesied.
JC
Hi Cygnus,
Thanks for the quote. "Age" is a viable translation of genea but I'm not sure if it makes for a workable sentence if "Pass away" (parelthe) is a reference to death
The basic construction is:
A will not happen until B happens
The temporal preposition, "Until" demands posteriority of A relative to B. If A is the death of a certain group of individuals, then we're pretty much stuck with the idea that B occurs within the lifetime of these individuals. (This is why I don't believe the sentence is applicable to anyone apart from Jesus' immediate audience.)
I think the JW writers thought they could play around with the definition of who these individuals were based upon other possible meanings of genea but it just doesn't work because in so doing, they made A and B simultaneous and reduced the whole statement to tautology.
This generation (The contemporaneous people who see the "sign" but take no note) will not pass away (Be executed at Armageddon) until all these things (The entire "sign" including Armageddon) occur.
The wicked generation won't be executed at Armageddon until Armageddon. ---Well duh!
One of the last of the French soldiers to have fought in WWI died yesterday at the age of 109 "or something like that" - and they reported that there were only 8 veterans still "probably" alive.
A far cry from the 1970's articles in WT and GA on how many hundreds of thousands that were still alive and well from that period.
Which ever way you express it, no matter how painstakingly it is explained, the GB and the rank and file cannot hear you. They cannot see and they cannot hear. Period. Sadly, this is not about logic or what "adds up" and seems reasonable. It's about religious doctrine which, as we have discovered to our ongoing shock, flourishes in spite of its completely arbitrary, facile and ever-changing rationale.
This morning I was told, "You can say whatever you want, it will not change what I do. You are talking to a wall."
How extremely sad. Unreasoning and unreasonable, this person much loved by me is wasting a life on empty hopes and morbid dread of being wrong.
Respectfully,
OldSoul
There is roughly say about 8,500 of the "anointed" left on the earth. Most in their 70's to 90's. But the WT don't really give a damn about 8,488 of them. All they are concerned about are the 12 who make up the "Governing Body". As we know the recent new members of the GB are in their 50's. An age when at one time it was considered you couldn't really be one of the "anointed" because they were all chosen by 1935. As long as they can keep saying the GB is made up of the "anointed" that will keep the rank and file happy. Because according to the WT only the "anointed" can dispense "food" at the right time. These are the only ones who can speak for Jehovah. So as time goes on will we see members of the GB gradually being replaced by "younger anointed" ones?
This religion is 'null and void' -pity the 'subscribers' can't see it.
Those who were born in 1914 could also be said to have 'seen' it. That would make them 91 now. I have never accepted the adjusted view of the 'Last Generation.' I believe those that were born in 1914 ARE the last generation. Jesus in His illustrations stressed His returning would be late, even very late by our reasoning. I believe the GB has fell victim to their fears and anxioties because of the lateness of the hour...Remember from 1875 on, they were looking at 1914 to bring Armageddeon. Since that time those leading the congregation have lost sight and it seems even hope of the nearness of the end of this system. Matthew 24: 48 and Luke 12: 45
