On Sunday, September 18, former Circuit Overseer, Richard Rawe and other Ex-JWs hammered questions at a Bible Student Elder. The Bible Student elder answered the question, “Is the Jewish return to Israel a fulfillment of Bible Prophecy?” As you know, JWs do not believe that Jehovah’s promises of a future return to their land apply to natural Israel. Bible Students believe the opposite. Was the Bible Student able to make a compelling presentation? Was he able to stand up to hours of questions and scrutiny? Find out by listening to this remarkable discussion. Click here: 2011-09-18 God Israel MP3
The new born state of Israel was 50 years old in 1998. What a 50 years! To start with—the rebirth of the state of Israel in 1948 was a miracle of history (Ezek.37:1-11; Luke 21:29,30). Never before has a nation been destroyed, its people dispersed to the ends of the earth, and then, nearly two thousand years later, re-gathered to their homeland and re-established as a nation.
When Israel declared itself an independent state on May 14, 1948, still another miracle occurred. The armies of seven Arab nations marched on the newborn State, boasting that they would “push the Jews into the sea.” Outnumbered 100 to 1, Israel not only repelled the invaders but acquired more of Palestine than was granted in the UN partition plan. Yigael Yadin, Israel’s commander of operations in that war, had a terse explanation of Israel’s victory. “It was a miracle!”
I want to express my appreciation for your insights, which I have carefully considered in light of our shared values rooted in full liberty in Christ.
You are correct in emphasizing the importance of thoroughly examining one topic at a time with accuracy, as there is always more to learn through a deeper understanding of the Scriptures (Proverbs 4:18).
Accurate knowledge is the starting point toward the promised everlasting life. (John 17:3)
Currently, I am focusing on the topic of Jesus’s Parousia, which correctly correlates the year 1914 when considering the scriptures, which are more reliable than human sources. I am still contemplating the response Jesus gave to his disciples when they inquired about the timing of His return (Matthew 24:3). His statement that this knowledge is exclusively known by His Father raises the question of whether we can confidently rely on our own calculated year for that event, especially given that He provided us only signs of His return (Matthew 24:32-33; 36-37).
Hi Mihai,
I don’t want to overwhelm you, so I will keep this short into a digestible chunk and we can continue with your thoughts or what next. I know I am not capturing everything you want to discuss, but hopefully this is a good start.
The following response harmonizes the scriptural evidence regarding the manner of the return with the deep significance of our Lord’s command to “watch” despite His statement that no man knows the day or the hour.
The Purpose of Watching and the “Day and Hour” The statement that “of that day and hour no one knows” (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32) does not mean the timing of the Lord’s return would remain a permanent secret from everyone. The point is not that nobody will ever know; rather, the point is that nobody would know before He returns. In the Kingdom, it is certain that mankind will be able to look back and identify the time when the Lord returned.
Furthermore, while the text states that not even the Son knew the time during His earthly ministry, it is unreasonable to suggest that when He returns, He would not realize He is here. If no one were to ever know when Christ returns, the urgent command to “Watch” (Matthew 24:42) would be meaningless. The very purpose of watching is so that once He has arrived, the “children of light” will be aware of His presence while the rest of the world remains unaware and in a “deep sleep” of ignorance.
The Nature of the Resurrected Lord A foundation for this “Watch” is recognizing that Jesus is no longer a fleshly being; He was “put to death in the flesh but quickened [made alive] in the spirit”. In His resurrected state, He is a glorified spirit being, partaking of the divine nature and dwelling in “light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see”. This is why Jesus explicitly told His disciples, “the world seeth me no more”.
Consequently, the manner of His return is like the manner of His departure (Acts 1:11): quiet, private, and entirely unobserved by the world. His presence begins “as a thief in the night,” where He is present unawares to the world while only the faithful “watchers” discern the signs of His arrival.
Linguistic Keys: Presence vs. Coming The cornerstone of this understanding is the Greek word parousia, which literally signifies “presence” (a being alongside) rather than “coming” (the act of approaching). Scholar J.B. Rotherham noted that the sense of “presence” is plainly shown in the New Testament by its frequent contrast with “absence” (such as in Philippians 2:12), leading him to render the word uniformly as “presence” in all twenty-four of its occurrences.
Additionally, the Scriptures use different Greek words to distinguish between the act of arriving and the state of being here.
• Unexpected Arrival: 1 Thessalonians 5:2 uses erchomai, meaning “cometh,” to describe the thief-like, unexpected nature of the arrival.
• Unobserved Presence: 2 Peter 3:10 and Revelation 3:3 use heko (or hecko), which literally means “to be here” or “to have arrived”.
This distinction proves that Jesus will not only arrive unexpectedly but will actually be here, present unawares, while the world remains in ignorance. The comparison to lightning in Matthew 24:27 is more accurately understood as the “bright shining” of the sun. Unlike literal lightning which flashes momentarily in any direction, only the sun rises in the east and shines even unto the west, symbolizing how Christ’s presence is a gradual dawning of a new day that is revealed more and more clearly to the world.
Finally, regarding Matthew 24:33, the phrase “it is near” is the correct translation, rather than “he is near”. The word “it” refers back to the symbolic “summer” mentioned in the previous verse (Matthew 24:32), which represents the Kingdom time of favor. This is confirmed by the parallel account in Luke 21:31, which explicitly says, “know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand”. Since Christ is already present (parousia) when the “fig tree” (Israel) begins to put forth leaves, He is not “near” in the sense of approaching; He is already here, and it is His established Kingdom that is approaching its manifest revealment to the world.
Thank you for your insight, but I’m concerned about the clearest and unbiased understanding of the scriptural account in connection with the events of the last days:
– Is it possible that the moment of Jesus’s return will be perceived differently than the human natural sensors, when in the bible Jesus’s return is described as seen by anyone’s eyes (Mat. 24:30; Luke 17:24; Rev. 1:7) and heard as a loud trumpet call with a commanding shout? (Matthew 24:31; 1 Corinthians 15:52)
When Jesus said in John 14:19, “A little while longer, and the world will see Me no more…,” did He emphasize a more important aspect of being seen/heard through the perception of the wisdom and obedience to His commands, which are not accepted by the world but originate from His Father, with whom He is in total unity? (John 14:24)
In such a case, is there any contradiction with the auditory and visual effects of His return, or do they complement each other in the event?
Could His “Parousia” — in Old Greek, meaning a visit or a sudden presence —as a thief in the night, implying a brief event with a sudden and unexpected turn of events, after which Jesus would quickly proceed with the prophesied changes leading into the millennium? Alternatively, might it suggest a more gradual process occurring over an extended period, such as from 1914 to 1948, which should continue into the millennium?
Will Jesus accept any delays in implementing of any of His commandments at any time, or he expects to be implemented immediately?
How can eviction “aligns perfectly” to the meaning of Jesus’s Second Great Commandment during the “gradual transition”?
Hi Mihai,
Thank you for your thoughtful comments. Rather than replying separately to each one, I hope you’ll allow me to respond to them collectively, as many of the questions you’ve raised are closely connected. I appreciate both the respectful spirit in which you’ve asked them and your evident desire to examine these matters carefully from the Scriptures.
I also think it would be beneficial if, after this overview, we focused on one topic at a time. There is much more that could be said about each of these questions than can reasonably fit into a single comment. If we patiently examine one subject before moving to the next, I believe our discussion will be clearer, more thorough, and more profitable for both of us—and for others who may be following along.
One theme I especially appreciate in your comments is your emphasis on personal accountability before God. The Scriptures certainly teach that each of us “shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12), and that the books will be opened before the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:12). No earthly organization, pastor, or governing body can stand in place of our own relationship with Christ. While God has often used faithful servants to teach His people, our final authority must always be the inspired Scriptures, and our confidence must ultimately rest in Christ Himself.
I also appreciate your desire to compare Scripture with Scripture. When passages appear to present different aspects of the same event, our first assumption should not be that they contradict one another, but that each contributes another part of the complete picture. The Bible frequently describes the same event from different perspectives, emphasizing different purposes.
Regarding Christ’s return, for example, Scripture presents both the unexpected nature of His coming and the unmistakable certainty of His manifestation. The language of coming “as a thief” emphasizes surprise to the unprepared—not secrecy forever. Likewise, prophetic language describing seeing, hearing, clouds, trumpets, and great signs deserves careful study within its biblical context before we conclude whether every expression is intended literally, symbolically, or as a combination of both. I believe the Scriptures harmonize beautifully when all the related passages are considered together.
Your question about the meaning of parousia is likewise an important one. Rather than beginning with assumptions or a single definition, I believe we should gather all the passages that speak about Christ’s return and allow Scripture to define its own terms. Individual verses often become much clearer when viewed within the entire prophetic testimony.
You also asked whether Jesus delays carrying out His commands. Our Lord never delays because of indecision or inability. Yet the Scriptures also reveal that God works according to His own appointed times. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments we find that what may appear to us as delay is often the outworking of divine wisdom, patience, and purpose. As Acts 15:18 reminds us, “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.”
You also raised the question of modern Israel and the difficult issue of eviction in relation to the command to love our neighbor. That is another subject requiring careful distinction between prophetic promises, God’s overruling providence in history, and the personal moral obligations that Christ places upon every believer. Christians are never relieved of the duty to love their neighbor, even while recognizing that God may direct the course of nations according to His larger purposes. Holding those truths together requires careful study and humility.
Above all, I appreciate your evident desire to follow the Scriptures rather than simply inherit conclusions from others. Every sincere Christian should have that same desire. At the same time, we all benefit from continually testing our conclusions against the whole counsel of God, recognizing that none of us has exhausted the riches of His Word.
If you’re agreeable, I suggest we begin with the subject that seems to connect several of your questions: the nature of Christ’s parousia. I believe it provides a helpful foundation for many of the other issues you’ve raised. From there, we can move on to the remaining topics one at a time, allowing each to be examined carefully in the light of the Scriptures.
Before I begin preparing a more detailed response, however, I’d like to give you an opportunity to let me know whether you agree with that approach. If you feel another subject should come first, or if there is anything you would like to clarify, add, or modify regarding your questions, please do so. I would rather understand exactly what you’re asking than make assumptions and answer a question you didn’t intend.
Assuming we’re in agreement on that approach, I’ll gladly respond in greater detail, beginning with the parousia, and then we’ll continue working through the remaining subjects together. My hope is that, by taking one topic at a time and allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture, our discussion will be both clearer and more profitable for all who are following along.
Thank you again for your thoughtful and respectful contributions. I look forward to continuing the discussion.