Do you think we're living in the final century?

[HappySoul]

Are the signs pointing that way?

 

[David777]

Is this the last century.

Is this the last century?

A very good question. Through history there have been times when people were convinced that it was indeed the last century.

Since there have been numerous occassions in History when Christians have thought this is certainly the last century.These two events seemed to strongly indicate that the last century was in fact occuring.

In 250-300AD there was a huge eruption of the volcano Krakatoa in Indonesia. The explosion was heard in China and the Chinese wrote about the noise they heard including the date.

Volanic dust from the massive eruption blocked out the sun for three years in Europe. Many starved to death due to failing crops. Christians in Europe thought this was the last century. In fact for many it was the last century.

Even as late as the Second World War, Hitler was seen as the antichrist by many Christians. It should be noted that even Hitler could be seen as a type of antichrist, he slaughted millions from the Jewish population alone. He brought the world to war. Fatalities resulting from the war ran into the tens of millions.

But anyone who has a solid understanding of the Bible will know specific signs that must be fulfilled. I will supply one example only as there are too many for a simple reply.

Read the following from 2Thessalonians 3-4


"Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God."

Paul warned the Thessalonians not to be deceived on this point. Jesus Christ will not return until this man of lawlessness appears.
In other words it cannot be the last century unless this nasty character makes his debut.

This does not mean of course that this is not the last century.
Biblical signs may occur quickly. It might well be the last decade for all we know.

 

[jiggyfly]

I believe it is the final century for me.

 

[Strypes]

I believe it is the final century for me.

Touche'

Matthew 24:Signs of the Close of the Age
3 As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the close of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. 5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. 10 And then many will fall away [1] and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

That is what Jesus said.

 

[HappySoul]

The Gospels are spreading fast, aren't they? More countries are becoming christians.

 

[Boanerges]

I had an acquaintance who used to say he that the Lord's return was so near he would only buy gas a half a tank at a time- LOL!
It could be the last century or even the last day.
But- of the Lord wants to wait another of His days (1,000) out of His great love and mercy who am I to argue?

 

[Jaareshiah]

Are the signs pointing that way?

After Jesus had just pointed to the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (Matt 24:1, 2), four of Jesus’ apostles asked him a composite question about how to identify when the "end of the world" was near.(King James Bible) They asked: "Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence ("presence", Greek pa·rou·si´a, not "coming" which in Greek is er·kho´me·non, as at Matt 24:30) and of the conclusion ("conclusion", Greek syn·te·lei´as) of the system of things ?”("system of things", Greek ai·o´ni, Matt 24:3)

Thus, Jesus apostles wanted to know what "sign" would identify his invisible "presence". If a person is personally present, is there a need for a sign ? What are signs used for ? To direct an individual to a specific location that is yet unseen. When a person has a sickness, a doctor examines them, looking at the "signs" of the illness, and after considering several of the "signs", can then hopefully give a proper diagnosis. Likewise, Jesus gave several features that would identify his invisible, unseen, "presence".

The apostle Peter went a step further, tying Jesus "presence" with the "last days”, saying: “For you know this first, that in the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: “Where is this promised presence (“presence”, Greek a·rou·si´a, not "coming" which in Greek is er·kho´me·non at 2 John 1:7) of his ? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep [in death], all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.”(2 Peter 3: 3, 4)

Thus the “last days” is the same as Jesus “promised presence”. Jesus gave several features that would provide recognition for true Christians of his “promised presence’, the “sign of your (invisible) presence”. At Matthew 24:7, Jesus said: “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress.”(Matt 24:7, 8)

Hence, a dramatic change would ensue at the beginning of Jesus “presence”, with ‘nation rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom’. As a result of war, war on a global scale, now there would be “food shortages”. In addition, “earthquakes in one place after another” would occur. However, Jesus stated that these major features would only be “a beginning of pangs (“pangs”, Greek o·din´, as in childbirth) of distress.”

Thus, these features of global war, food shortages and earthquakes were only “a beginning” for Jesus invisible “presence”. More was to come and of greater intensity, just as the pangs for childbirth increases as the day comes closer for a woman to give birth, until “the end".

Revelation 6 provides more details concerning Jesus "promised presence", in which ' ridiculers come with their ridicule '. At Revelation 6:2, it says when the first seal is opened: "And I saw, and, look! a white horse; and the one seated upon it had a bow; and a crown was given him, and he went forth conquering and to complete his conquest." How do we know that this ties in directly with Jesus words at Matthew 24 ?

Because Revelation 6:3, 4 says that as a result of ' the one seated upon a white horse' that is given "a crown", becoming king of God's kingdom, that global war would happen. Verses 3 and 4 says: "And when he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say: “Come!” And another came forth, a fiery-colored horse; and to the one seated upon it there was granted to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another; and a great sword was given him." Who is the one ' seated on a white horse' that is ' given a crown ' ?

Jesus Christ, for Daniel 7:13, 14 says: "I kept on beholding in the visions of the night, and, see there! with the clouds of the heavens someone like a son of man ("Son of man", Matt 8:20) happened to be coming; and to the Ancient of Days (Jehovah God) he gained access, and they brought him up close even before that One. And to him there were given rulership and dignity and kingdom, that the peoples, national groups and languages should all serve even him." When was ' peace taken away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another ' upon Jesus receiving "a crown" ? At the outbreak of World War I in 1914.

On June 28, 1914, 19 year old Gavrilo Princip assassinated the Archduke of Austria-Hungary, Francis Ferdinand and his wife Sophie at Sarajevo in Bosnia. This set in motion the start of WW I, for on July 28, 1914, Emperor Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia and then ordered his troops to invade that kingdom. In the meantime, on the night of August 3, 1914, by order of Kaiser Wilhelm, a large German army suddenly invaded the kingdom of Belgium and fought its way toward France. The next day Britain declared war on Germany. As for Czar Nicholas, he had ordered the mobilization of the massive Russian army for war with Germany and Austria-Hungary. The world was now at war, with an eventual 93 percent of the world's population becoming involved.

The war’s devastation and the withdrawal of many men from agricultural pursuits brought food shortages, for Revelation 6:5, 6 says: "And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say: “Come!” And I saw, and, look! a black horse; and the one seated upon it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice as if in the midst of the four living creatures say: “A quart of wheat for a de·nar´i·us, and three quarts of barley for a de·nar´i·us; and do not harm the olive oil and the wine.” A denarius was entire day's wage in John's day, but would only buy a "quart of wheat" or "three quarts of barley." Scarcity of food was driving prices up.

Earthquakes shook various parts of the earth, causing much damage and suffering. In 1915 an earthquake at Avezzano, Italy, killed 29,970, and a tremendous quake in 1920 brought death to 200,000 in Kansu Province, China. In 1923, more than 140,000 died in the Great Kanto earthquake in Japan.

As a result of WW I, Revelation 6:7, 8 was now starting to be fulfilled, for it states: "And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say: “Come!” And I saw, and, look! a pale horse; and the one seated upon it had the name Death. And Ha´des was closely following him. And authority was given them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with a long sword and with food shortage and with deadly plague and by the wild beasts of the earth."

WW I claimed the lives of an estimated 13 million individuals. However, something more deadly was to come - the Spanish Flu. This "deadly plague" that began in spring of 1918, came on with such a vengeance, that by the time it died out at the end of 1919, epidemiologists have estimated that 100 million people died worldwide, with only the island of St Helena being spared. The Spanish flu was the most devastating pandemic in the history of mankind. And it needs to be remembered that these features were only "a beginning of pangs", not the end of them.

World conditions continue to deteriorate down to "the end", with the quality of genuine love disappearing, for Jesus said that "because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off."(Matt 24:12) Hence, we are living in the final part of "the last days".

 

[hischildaswell]

Jaareshiah[/SIZE] is a Jehovahs Witness, be mindful that there teachings are heretickal and poisonous.
<TABLE id=table_bible cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR id=Mat_24_36_953036><TD class=vRefa>Mat 24:36</TD><TD class=vDispa>But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.</TD></TR><TR id=Mat_24_50_953050><TD class=vRefb>Mat 24:50</TD><TD class=vDispb>The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for [him], and in an hour that he is not aware of,</TD></TR><TR id=Mat_25_13_954013><TD class=vRefa>Mat 25:13</TD><TD class=vDispa>Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.</TD></TR><TR id=Mar_13_32_970032><TD class=vRefb>Mar 13:32</TD><TD class=vDispb>But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Strypes]

"We cannot be feeding at the table of demons as well as the table of Jehovah," ..

That is what Jaareshiah's elders would tell him if they knew he was here. But I hope he sticks around.

I am sure that Jarreshiah believes he is teaching us "the truth" as he has been taught. Not realizing that if he took a minute to evaluate the teachings of the "faithful discreet slave" he would realize "they" (the governing body of the watchtower bible and tract society and their writing department ~not the 144000 that The FDS is supposed to be by their doctrine) have been deceiving them for years.

There are several points I would like to post about that, especially the failed prophecies, but I will try to stay on topic and respond to the 1914 doctrines.

From Jarreshiah's post you can gather that the Jws believe that 1914 is a significant year to them. They believe that Jesus returned "invisibly" that year to have an "inspection" and ONLY they were approved by him (jesus aka michael the arch angel) to be Jehovah's SOLE source of "spiritual food" and established the "slave class" in which the 144000 "anointed" would "feed" the flock that have the earthly hope. (the 144000 get to have the "heavenly hope" and all the others are deemed to live on Paradise Earth after all of "Christendom" are destroyed at Armageddon)

1914 is pivotal to their false doctrines and many errors have been discovered relating to it. I could do a dissertation on it but trying to stay on topic I will address the "Do you think we are living in the final century" aspect of it.

"They" believe that 1914 was the beginning of the end. If you were to apply the "birth pangs" analogy, 1914 is when "the water broke" The doctrines they taught (until recently when they got "new light") was that those living in 1914 would see Armageddon (the end of this wicked system) in their lifetime.

They call the original doctrines "old light" and "new light" is the way they bury the failed prophesies in a cover up to continue to deceive the rank and file witnesses.

The "new light" (spin to avoid the obvious that those alive in 1914 are for the most part gone and those born in 1914 would be 97 now) is that of an overlapping generation. Something like those that lived at the same time as those that were alive in 1914 continue to be "the generation"..

They are to accept that "new light" with out question.

There is an advertisement on tv for T- Mobile in which the ATT guy says "it makes sense if you don't think about it"..

That is what the governing body is hoping for, that they don't "think for themselves" (because thinking for yourself is prideful).

I asked Jaareshiah in another thread to explain this "new light" knowing that for him to explain it to us would require him to "think" and hopefully realize how absurd it is.

Take 1914 out and most all other watchtower doctrine falls like a house of cards, that is why they have to extend the "generation"

For many years the WTS has preached that the generation of 1914 will not die out completely before seeing the extermination of this wicked system of things, and the establishment of Jehovah’s government on earth. The question is what constitutes this generation? The definition of “this generation” has been changed over the years, as a result of “this generation” dying out. They taught it was anyone who was old enough to understand the events of 1914 as they occurred {around fifteen years of age}. Then the age of understanding was changed to 10 years of age around the early 80’s. During the mid 80’s “the generation” was changed to anyone born during 1914 or before. Now with time running out around 1995 the Governing Body started putting away it's aging “generation” doctrine changing it to anyone who experiences the troubles of Matt. 24 and witness Christ return to dispense justice by thus eliminating another embarrassing timetable.

"Even if we presume that the youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of 'this generation' nearly 70 years old today." {Awake, 10/8/68, pp 13-14}

"It is the generation of people who saw the events... from 1914 onward. If you assume that 10 years is the age in which an event creates a lasting impression..." {Watchtower, October 15, 1980, p. 31}

Babies born in 1914 will live to see Armageddon ...If Jesus used 'generation' in that sense and we apply it to 1914, then the babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older...Some of them will by no means pass away until all things occur (Luke 21:32)." {Watchtower, 5/15/84, p. 5}

"Rather than providing a rule for measuring time, the term 'generation' as used by Jesus refers principally to contemporary people of a certain historical period..." {Watchtower, 11/1/95, p. 17}

Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy today, "this generation" apparently refers to the peoples of the earth who see the sign of Christ's presence but fail to mend their ways. In contrast, we as Jesus' disciples refuse to be molded by the life-style of "this generation. {Watchtower 11/1/95, p. 19}.

The generation would end in 1975. "To calculate where man is in the stream of time relative to God's seventh day of 7,000 years, we need to determine how long a time has elapsed from the year of Adam and Eve's creation in 4026 B.C.E. From the autumn of that year to the autumn of 1 B.C.E., there would be 4,025 years. From the autumn of 1 B.C.E. to the autumn of 1 C.E. is one year (there was no zero year). From the autumn of 1 C.E. to the autumn of 1967 is a total of 1,966 years. Adding 4,025 and 1 and 1,966, we get 5,992 years from the autumn of 4026 B.C.E. to the autumn of 1967. Thus, eight years remain to account for a full 6,000 years of the seventh day. Eight years from the autumn of 1967 would bring us to the autumn of 1975, fully 6,000 years into God's seventh day, his rest day.

"...The seventh day of the Jewish week, the Sabbath, would well picture the final 1,000- year reign of God's kingdom under Christ. Hence, when Christians note from God's timetable the approaching end of 6,000 years of human history, it fills them with anticipation. Particularly is this true because the great sign of the 'last days' has been in the course of fulfillment since the beginning of the 'time of the end' in 1914. Some of the generation that discerned the beginning of the time of the end in 1914 will still be alive on earth to witness the end of this present wicked system of things at the battle of Armageddon. Rev. 16:14, 16" {Watchtower, 1 May 1968, pp. 271-72}.

Generation to end in 1989 "J. A. Bengel states in his New Testament Word Studies: 'The Hebrews... reckon seventy-five years as one generation, and the words, shall not pass away, intimate that the greater part of that generation [of Jesus' day] indeed, but not the whole of it, should have passed away before all should be fulfilled. ' This became true by the year 70 C.E. when Jerusalem was destroyed. Likewise today, most of the generation of 1914 has passed away. However, there are still millions on earth who were born in that year or prior to it. And although their numbers are dwindling, Jesus' words will come true, 'this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened'" {Awake, 8 April 1988, p. 14}.

Generation to end in 1994 "When the term 'generation' is used with reference to the people living at a particular time, the exact length of that time cannot be stated, except that the time would fall within reasonable limits. These limits would be determined by the life span of the people of that time or of that population. Today, much as it was in the time of Moses, people living under favorable conditions may reach 70 or 80 years of age. Moses wrote: 'In themselves the days of our years are seventy years; and if because of special mightiness they are eighty years, yet their insistence is on trouble and hurtful things; for it must quickly pass by, and away we fly.' (Ps 90:10) Some few may live longer, but Moses stated the general rule." {Insight on the Scriptures, Vol. 1, pp. 917-18}.

During the late 1990’s the WTS attempted to distance its self from dating the generation. The governing body proclaimed that the generation refers principally to contemporary people of a certain historical period, and shied away from using the generational doctrine. But the threat of imminent doom is a great motivator, and without it an apocalyptic based organization does not work as hard. The fear of eternal distruction is a great motivator that keeps people working. So the WTS introduced new words in place of generation. They inserted era, time, day, age, period and of course “generation”. This is a back door attempt to return to the “generation” concept.

Makes sence if you don't think about it... lol

 

[ctsracing]

During Jesus's last week, either on Monday or Tuesday (Matt. & Mark differ on their accounts), He cursed a fig tree that bore no fruit. Mark records that the fig tree rotted from the roots up; meaning that the tree was totally dead. Jesus did this as a symbolic act of what was going to happen to Israel in 70 AD, when Titus wiped Israel off the face of the map. Jesus even wept over this carnage tragedy that would take place in about 40 yrs (Lk.19:42-44), and talked about it again in Lk 21:20-24.
The fig tree represented Israel. In other parables & verses, the fig tree is used to represent Israel.
Matt. 24:32, it is the popular opinion that the Fig tree represents Israel too, and is referring to May 1948 when Israel was re-born after 1900 yrs of being 'dead'.
If that is so, then Matt. goes on to say that the generation that is alive during this event will also see the events of the 70th 'week'.

 

[sharen]

Jesus said 'no one knows the hour or the time'.

I think he said that because he means it. I think when we're finally in the end times we'll know it, but before then.......

The gospel has to go out to all the world first. All means all. And the biblical gospel, not just a denominational view of it from what I can see.

God says what he means and means what he says.

I think the world would have to be a very different place for that to be able to happen.

 

[LifeinJesus]

Jesus said 'no one knows the hour or the time'.

I think he said that because he means it. I think when we're finally in the end times we'll know it, but before then.......

The gospel has to go out to all the world first. All means all. And the biblical gospel, not just a denominational view of it from what I can see.

God says what he means and means what he says.

I think the world would have to be a very different place for that to be able to happen.

Jesus said only The Father knows. If Jesus didn't know - then we petty humans cannot know and all the idiots who predict the world will end in [insert time here] have absolutely no clue about what they are talking about.