Posted by JWSadist [WW] on March 27, 1999 at 21:05:25 {m1EPSMpKF.tWfQLdMTxkMWDOfSZqlzZ0U}:
The Times of The Gentiles
The text of Ezekiel 21:25-27 reads as follows:
"And thou, O deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day
is come, in the time of the iniquity of the end, thus saith the Lord
Jehovah: Remove
the mitre, and take off the crown; this shall be no
more the same; exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high. I
will overturn, overturn, overturn it: this also shall be no more, until
he come whose right it is; and I
will give it him." - American Standard
Version (ASV).
This text is often quoted by some in an attempt to support dates just as
1844, 1874, 1914 and others for the Return of Christ. The 1914 doctrine is
also known as "the times
of the Gentiles." The term "the times of the
Gentiles" is taken from Jesus statement found at Luke 21:24:
"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led captive
into all the nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden
down of the
Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." - ASV.
Some of these interpreters of an "invisible presence" which according to
them has already occurred have published information indicating that the
21st
chapter of Luke was fulfilled in 70 CE by the destruction of Jerusalem.
They state that the period of time from 66-70 CE was a period of great
tribulation. They are correct in making this statement, as that period of
time was the
fulfillment of "the times of the Gentiles." It was the time
period Jesus spoke of when he said that "Jerusalem shall be trodden down of
the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." [NOTE: possibly
Jesus echoes
Daniel 12:1, 7 in his "times of the Gentiles."]
Nevertheless, the these interpreters maintain that what happened at
Jerusalem in the first century was a small scale model of something greater.
They allege, in their so-called
greater model, that the city of Jerusalem
means something other than the literal city itself: they claim that the
earthly city of Jerusalem was a theocracy; and, therefore, represented the
rule of God. To further support this
theory they cite the text of 1
Chronicles 29:23:
"Then Solomon sat on the throne of Jehovah as king instead of David his
father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him." - ASV.
Thus, with the above text, they conclude that
Jehovah reigned over his
covenant people by means of earthly representatives who were the earthly
kings of Judah. They consider Zedekiah to be the last member of the line of
earthy kings to sit upon "the throne of Jehovah." With
the fall of Jerusalem
to the Babylonians they fix what they call the starting point of a greater
fulfillment of the times of the Gentiles. They claim that the end point of
the greater fulfillment was to occur with the realization
of what was
foretold in Ezekiel 21:27:
"This also shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I
will give it him." - ASV.
The demonstrative "this" means "one claiming to represent Jehovah." Thus,
the text can be
understood to mean, "no one will claim to represent Jehovah,
until he come whose right it is to represent him; and Jehovah himself will
appoint that one as his representative." The supporters of an invisible
presence in say 1914
claim that the one who was to come was the Christ.
However, they state that the Christ did not assume his position as Jehovah's
representative until 1914. This is the date they select for the end point of
the greater fulfillment
of the times of the Gentiles.
Furthermore, they consider the total time period from the fall of Jerusalem
to the Babylonians until 1914 to be a period of 2520 years. (The chronology
of these interpreters differs from what is
commonly accepted by a little
over 20 years due to their dating the fall of Jerusalem in 607 BCE.) The
2520 years is taken from their understanding of the seven times in Daniel
chapter 4. Using a prophetic year of 360 days they
apply a day for a year
for each of the 7 times, which yields 2520 years. In offering an explanation
of the meaning of the events in Daniel chapter 4 they consider the account
to have a greater fulfillment, just as they do with the
events described in
Luke 21.
In studying the account in Daniel 4 we find that Jehovah struck down
Nebuchadnezzar so that he could not rule again until seven times had passed
over him. (Most scholars believe this to be a period
of 7 literal years.)
After the 7 times had ended Nebuchadnezzar was returned to this throne. A
logical analysis of this chapter provides use with a simple explanation of
what happened -- Jehovah (the subject) struck down (the
action)
Nebuchadnezzer (the object). Now in order to maintain logical consistency
between the literal event and any greater fulfillment one must restore the
same object that was struck down at the end of the greater time period.
This
the supporters of 1914 do not do; they claim that the object of Jehovah's
action was "rulership" and not a particular person as is found in the
account. In doing this they introduce the idea that there are two objects,
1)
the last king of the earthly line of the kings of Judah, and 2) Jesus
Christ.
They further state that Jesus Christ was part of that line of earthly kings.
Yet they ignore the fact the Christ never sat on Jehovah's throne
in
Jerusalem. They ignore the fact that he died and was raised as a spirit
being and was no longer a man of flesh. In doing this they also make the two
objects in their model to differ from each other; the first, in their
model,
was the last king of Israel, and a man of sinful flesh; the second, Christ,
was a spirit being. So in addition to having two objects in their model,
they also have objects that are not equal. In short, their model, with
its
two objects does not match the model in Daniel 4. What their so-called
greater fulfillment really does is to equate Jesus Christ with the kings of
Israel; it also equates the heavenly kingdom to the earthly kingdom. We
know
that the object (Nebuchadnezzer) in Daniel 4 received back the same kingdom
that was taken from him. This is clearly not the case with the invented1914
model.
The whole idea that Luke 21 has a greater fulfillment, and that
there is
some greater period of time equaling 2520 years for the rule of the
Gentiles, is a complete invention. It is true that the nation of Israel
dwelled in the promised land until they were exiled by the Babylonians,
but
whether their kings represented Jehovah is another matter altogether.
So what are these interpreters trying to do in equating the kings of Israel
with Jesus Christ? And in equating his kingdom with their kingdom?
Perhaps
they would have us believe that he is a sinner like the fleshly kings of
Israel! And that his kingdom is wicked like theirs was!
Scripture records that Christ was approved by Jehovah in the first century:
"And lo, a voice
out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in
whom I am well pleased." - Matthew 3:16: ASV.
This was when he came "whose right it is" to represent Jehovah; thus, it was
in the first century when Jehovah words, "and I will
give it him," were
fulfilled, and not in 1914.
Clearly scripture teaches that Jesus was sent to the people of Israel as one
approved to be their king by God himself:
"Fear not, daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting
on an
ass's colt." - John 12:15; ASV.
Scripture also records that the people rejected Christ as their king:
"Now it was the Preparation of the passover: it was about the sixth
hour. And he saith unto the Jews, Behold, your King!
' They therefore
cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him! Pilate saith unto
them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no
king but Caesar." - John 19:14, 15; ASV.
These mistaken
interpreters are correct in saying that the 21st chapter of
Luke was fulfilled in the first century. The only "times of the Gentiles"
mentioned in the entire Bible was that brief period of time from 66-70 CE
when the Romans armies
trampled on the holy city. There is nothing in the
text of Scripture, in direct prophecy, or in antitypical model, that points
to the year 1914 for the beginning of the reign of Jesus Christ over the
earth. The text in Revelation
plainly states that Christ will rule for 1000
years after the battle of Armageddon.
The 1914 doctrine, which is also known as the doctrine of the times of the
Gentiles, is the foundation of the Gospel of those who
believe
Christ’s parousia began in 1914 though invisibly. 1914 is the date for
which they allege that a core group of Christians were approved by Christ
and deemed to be anointed to represent him before the world. When they
take
you into their religion you must understand that they, and not Jesus Christ,
are your mediators or "channel" to God. You must understand that you are in
a covenant relationship with them for salvation. They plainly teach
that
their core group, known among them as the anointed, are the only means by
which a person can hope to survive the pending battle of Armageddon.
Friends, this is very serious matter in the eyes of Jehovah God.
The scriptures state:
"Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the disciples,
which are not written in this book: but these are written, that ye may
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye
may
have life in his name." - John 20:30, 31; ASV.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life." -
John 3:16; ASV.
"Jesus said unto them. I
am the bread of life: he that cometh to me
shall not hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." -
John 6:35; ASV.
The Bible teaches that the only savior sent by Jehovah was his beloved Son
Jesus. Nevertheless, some
pseudo anointed prophets have, by means of its
doctrines, claimed to be a savior. They have many other false teachings,
which they link to the 1914 doctrine. I would have to go into a lengthy
discourse and much greater detail in
order to explain all the errors in
their doctrines that relate to the 1914 doctrine. It is my hope that what I
have thus far presented for consideration will be sufficient to help those
with doubts to see the error in the
principle doctrine of Messiah’s
Parousia occurring in 1914.
JWSadist