Jehovah’s Witnesses deny
the Second Coming of Christ in bodily human form and teach that Christ returned
invisibly in 1914 AD and that the Second Coming is invisible. JWs will
inevitably refer to John 14:19. "A little longer and the world will behold
me no more, but YOU will behold me, because I live and YOU will live."
(John 14:19 NWT) The world in which Christ lived when He said this beheld Him
no more. (Acts 1:9; consider II Peter 3:6) JWs will also refer to I Timothy
6:16. But notice this does not say that Christ is unapproachable and cannot be
seen, it says this about the light He dwells in. The Bible does say that we no
longer know Christ according to the flesh, but it also says this about fellow
Christians. (II Corinthians 5:16-17) In heaven today Jesus Christ has a
glorified human body. (Acts 1:9-11; 2:29-33; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 2:5;
Hebrews 10:12-13; I John 4:1-3) The Bible clearly teaches that the return of
Christ will be personal and visible. (Acts 1:11; Revelation 1:7) JWs will point
to Acts 1:9-11 and explain that something in a cloud is unseen and so this must
mean that His return is invisible. But look at this text again: Did anyone see
Christ ascend with their literal human eyes, and was Christ caught up into a
figurative or imaginary cloud?
How do they calculate
1914 AD to be the year of the return of Christ? The line of Kingdom rulers was
interrupted in 607 BC when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian Army and
God's kingdom of Judah fell. (Ezekiel 21:25-27) Seven times to pass until rule
restored. (Daniel 4:32, 16, 17) Seven=2 x 3 1/2 times, or 2 x 1,260 days.
(Revelation 12:6, 14; 11:2, 3) A day for a year, making 2,520 years. (Ezekiel
4:6; Numbers 14:34) To run until the kingdom's establishment. (Luke 21:24;
Daniel 7:13-14) Now let's look at just a few problems with this. The prophecy
about seven times to pass until the rule is restored was about Nebuchadnezzar
and was fulfilled in Nebuchadnezzar's lifetime. (Daniel 4:30-36) All credible
scholars give 586 BC as the year Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian
Army. Ask a JW to verify that this happened in 607 BC. What did Jesus say to
the Disciples when they asked if He was about to restore the kingdom to Israel?
(Acts 1:6-7)
How is it possible to
reconcile the promise of Matthew 28:20 with the teaching that the return of
Christ would be invisible and that He returned invisibly in 1914 AD?
By observing the Memorial
service (Lord’s Supper/Communion) Jehovah’s Witnesses contradict the teaching
that Christ returned in 1914 AD and contradict the purpose of the ordinance,
since this is to be observed "... until he arrives." (I Corinthians
11:26 NWT)
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