Wednesday, March 27 - The Kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness

[Seek] first the Kingdom.—Matt. 6:33.

The disciples were very sad when Jesus died. Not only had they lost their beloved friend but they also felt as though they had lost their hope. (Luke 24:17-21) However, when Jesus appeared to them, he took the time to help them understand his role in fulfilling Bible prophecy. He also gave them an important work to do. (Luke 24:26, 27, 45-48) By the time Jesus ascended to heaven, the sadness of the disciples had turned into great joy. Knowing that their Master was alive and ready to help them accomplish their new commission made them happy. Their joy moved them to praise Jehovah without letup. (Luke 24:52, 53; Acts 5:42) To imitate Jesus’ disciples requires that we put God’s Kingdom first in our life. Although we need endurance to serve Jehovah continually, he promises to bless us richly if we do so.—Prov. 10:22. w23.01 30-31 ¶15-16

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Those without spiritual understanding today have felt that there has been no “striking observableness” with regard to the sign of Jesus’ presence. They reason that everything is continuing on as it did in the past. (2 Pet. 3:4) On the other hand, Christ’s faithful anointed brothers, the modern-day John class, have recognized this sign as if it were a flash of lightning and have understood its true meaning.

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As challenging as it may be, we must prove ourselves ready and keep on the watch. Understanding that Christ is present invisibly in Kingdom power helps us to do that. It also alerts us to the fact that soon he will come to destroy his enemies “at an hour that [we] do not think likely.”

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Kingdom Not Coming with Striking Observableness

Thursday, June 9 Your throne will be firmly established forever.—2 Sam. 7:16. Jehovah made this covenant with David during David’s reign in Jerusalem, promising him that the Messiah would be his descendant. Thus, Jehovah further narrowed the line of descent of the offspring of the woman

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The Kingdom of God is in your midst

Part III Concerning the false prophets who will be empowered to perform great signs and wonders during the tribulation, why did Jesus say “if possible, even the chosen ones” would be deceived —implying that it will not be possible? What factor will make it impossible for the chosen

e-watchman.com

The Second Coming of Christ – What Will It Mean for You?

This post is a reproduction of what was previously published as a brochure. in 2019. You may purchase copies of the brochure for distribution or download as a PDF. Unfortunately, I corrected about a half dozen typos that appear in the hard copy

e-watchman.com

Watchman said:

The Pharisees once asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God was coming. His response to them is of the utmost relevance to us now. Jesus said to them, “The Kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness; nor will people say, ‘See here!’ or, ‘There!’ For look! The Kingdom of God is in your midst.” - Luke 17:20,21

The Kingdom Interlinear says the Kingdom is inside of you. And popular translations translate Jesus to say that the Kingdom is within you. But there is a problem with that. The Pharisees, at least most of them, were hard-set enemies of Jesus and God. In fact, Jesus castigated them as hypocrites, saying to them: "Because you shut up the Kingdom of the heavens before men; for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on their way in to go in." Surely, the Kingdom of God was not within the hypocritical Pharisees. No, but the NWT provides the right idea. The Emphasized Bible says it even better: "The Kingdom of God is among you."

The Kingdom of God was among the Jews because Jesus was the designated king of God's Kingdom, and he proved this through the powerful works that he performed. After answering the Pharisees, Jesus turned to his disciples and added: “Days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, but you will not see it. And people will say to you, ‘See there!’ or, ‘See here!’ Do not go out or chase after them. For just as lightning flashes from one part of heaven to another part of heaven, so the Son of man will be in his day."

Jesus reiterated this saying when he spoke to the apostles on the Mount of Olives in response to their inquiry about the conclusion and the parousia. Essentially, the apostles asked the same question as the Pharisees had. They, too, wanted to know when the Kingdom of God was coming.

It is most interesting that the Watchtower contradicts Jesus' statement to the Pharisees. The Watchtower claims that the Kingdom has come with "striking observableness," but only anointed witnesses have observed it. Here is what the Watchtower from 2008 said (paragraph 15):

Everything has not continued as it did in the past. Those with spiritual understanding can discern that an operation of Satan is at work. And it works through the Watchtower to convince anointed Christians that the Kingdom has already come. They have allowed themselves to be deluded into believing that a war that occurred before any of them were even born has been like a bolt of lightning that they have seen with striking observableness. The same Watchtower article goes on to say:

Believing the delusion that Christ has been invisibly present in Kingdom power for 110 years does not help us to stay on the watch. Just the opposite. The Watchtower has lulled Jehovah's Witnesses into complacency by statements such as above. Christ's coming at an hour you do not think likely will be the coming of the Kingdom of God without striking observableness. And rather than destroying his enemies in the world, it will be to remove his enemies within the Kingdom. Is that not what Jesus said would occur during the harvest, when Christ will send out his angels to collect out from his Kingdom the Devil's seed?

Kingdom Not Coming with Striking Observableness

Thursday, June 9 Your throne will be firmly established forever.—2 Sam. 7:16. Jehovah made this covenant with David during David’s reign in Jerusalem, promising him that the Messiah would be his descendant. Thus, Jehovah further narrowed the line of descent of the offspring of the woman

e-watchman.com

The Kingdom of God is in your midst

Part III Concerning the false prophets who will be empowered to perform great signs and wonders during the tribulation, why did Jesus say “if possible, even the chosen ones” would be deceived —implying that it will not be possible? What factor will make it impossible for the chosen

e-watchman.com

The Second Coming of Christ – What Will It Mean for You?

This post is a reproduction of what was previously published as a brochure. in 2019. You may purchase copies of the brochure for distribution or download as a PDF. Unfortunately, I corrected about a half dozen typos that appear in the hard copy

e-watchman.com

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DAGTEKST 27 MRT. 2024 – HET KONINKRIJK VAN GOD KOMT NIET OP EEN OPVALLENDE MANIER

Dagtekst woensdag 27 maart 2024 Blijf eerst het Koninkrijk zoeken. — Matth. 6:33. De discipelen hadden veel verdriet toen Jezus stierf. Niet alleen hadden ze hun goede vriend verloren, het voelde alsof ze ook hun hoop hadden

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Wednesday, March 27 - The Kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness​

"The Pharisees, at least most of them, were hard-set enemies of Jesus and God. In fact, Jesus castigated them as hypocrites, saying to them: "Because you shut up the Kingdom of the heavens before men; for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on their way in to go in." Surely, the Kingdom of God was not within the hypocritical Pharisees."


"Jesus reiterated this saying when he spoke to the apostles on the Mount of Olives in response to their inquiry about the conclusion and the parousia. Essentially, the apostles asked the same question as the Pharisees had. They, too, wanted to know when the Kingdom of God was coming."

Watchman said:

I only have so much brain juice

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@Watchtower​

John9:​

40 Those of the [Watchtower] / Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and they said to him: “We are not blind also,+ are we?” 41 Jesus said to them: “If YOU were blind, YOU would have no sin. But now YOU say, ‘We see.’+ YOUR sin+ remains.”​

Revelation3:​

17 Because you say: “I am rich+ and have acquired riches and do not need anything at all,” but you do not know you are miserable and pitiable and poor and blind+ and naked, 18 I advise you to buy from me gold+ refined by fire that you may become rich, and white outer garments that you may become dressed and that the shame of your nakedness may not become manifested,+ and eyesalve to rub in your eyes+ that you may see.​

Watchman said:

I only have so much brain juice

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