From your reply I deduce that you approximately view the parousia as interpreted by Russell, so I will give you my critique of his view and get you to correct me where your understanding differs from his.
You deduce correctly!
You probably don't take Jesus by His word when He says that 'all the tribes of the earth will see the Son of man coming,' because the WT holds that this seeing is metaphoric, meaning, they will 'see' by means of their 'eyes of faith;' but ask yourself: why do they beat themselves in grief at 'discerning' His coming on the clouds of heaven?
Comes with the clouds and every eye shall see him: If we look at all the scriptures relating to the Lord’s return, we begin to realize that the Lord is here giving us a broad view about the purpose of his return. Some feel that this scripture proves that we don’t really have to watch for the Lord’s return, because we are all going to see him the instant he returns.
Many feel, that the watching really only applies to watching how we live our lives. But this would go against what Jesus tells us in Revelation 3:3
“Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.” This gives the thought that his return will be much like his first advent. Though Jesus was in their midst doing his Father’s works the Pharisees and Sadducees did not recognize him and 40 years later, after giving them plenty of time to do so, he destroyed their nation. As stated in Luke 19:44 "
And shall lay you even with the ground, and your children within you; and they shall not leave in you one stone upon another; because you did not know the time of your visitation". Also: Luke 12:37
“Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he comes shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.” This does not say that he will zap them all away as soon as he comes, as so many believe today; but actually, indicates the opposite and that it will again be similar to his first advent where only a few recognized him. 1 Corinthians 10:11
"These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us." Many do not consider the scripture that says
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:17) This scripture does not say how long they shall remain. But the scriptures are very clear that state
“we shall all die!" In other words we remain until we die. Note the following scriptures: Psalm 82:6-7
"I have said, You are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But you shall all die like men, and fall like one of the princes." (Adam or Jesus) 1 Corinthians 15:36
“Thou foolish one, that which you sow is not quickened except it die:” 2 Corinthians 4:11
“For we who live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” The point then is that we remain until we die.
Let us not forget that what happened to Israel is an example of what will happen to the tare field of Christianity. Just as Israel did not recognize him when he came at his first advent, so also the tares in the parable of the wheat and the tares will not recognize him at his second advent. It is the recognition of his return that is used to divide the wheat from the tares in the same way that it was the recognition of his first advent that divided the wheat from the chaff. Note: Matthew 3:12 "
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner (the garner being the Christian Church);
but he will burn up the chaff (the Jewish Church-Nation)
with unquenchable fire." Referring to the Lord destroying their nation in AD70 and the hatred the world has had toward the Jewish people ever since.
And as to
every eye shall see him: The purpose here is to show again what is written in Romans 14:11
"For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." And again, in Philippians 2:10-11
"That at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Note, that for this to happen, it will require the resurrection of the “unjust”, not for the purpose of condemning them again as many teach, but to teach them the ways of the Lord. When they are resurrected, they will then “see” and recognize him and turn from their sinful ways, that they too might have life. But for now, the Lord is only looking for his Church, which will be his “bride”, the second “Eve” as he is the second “Adam”. After he finds his Church/Bride, the marriage will take place, and the unjust (those who did not accept Jesus in this life) will be raised from the dead, and become the children of Christ and the Church his bride. Hence Jesus will then be known as the “Everlasting Father” and the Church will be recognized as the 2nd Eve, just as Jesus is the 2nd Adam. (1 Corinthians 15:45, Isaiah 9: Revelation 21.
And they that pierced him: This part of the verse shows that the resurrection of the unjust will also see him at some point after he returns. Hence this scripture cannot be used to teach that “Every eye will see him the instant he returns” as this would require the resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust for every eye to see him, therefore to say that this scripture proves you don’t have to watch for him is far from the truth, those who say so, are not getting the real meaning of what the Lord is trying to get across here.
Comes with the clouds: Note: Revelation 14:14
“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.” This is a graphic illustration of the Lord’s return at the time of the harvest, i.e. the end of the age. Note that he is on a white cloud; the top of the clouds are always white, but underneath may be a very different story. So, if you can’t see him, maybe it is because you need to get to a higher place (spiritually speaking). Note, this is the same day spoken of in Zephaniah 1:14-17
"The great day of Jehovah is near, it is near and hastens greatly, (even) the voice of the day of Jehovah; the mighty man cries there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of waste and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, a day of the trumpet and alarm, against the fortified cities, and against the high battlements. And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against Jehovah; and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as dung." Sounds like our day with 2 World Wars and the cold war, and the stress of nations that has been in the world since 1914!
Let's revisit this part of the verse in more detail;
And all the tribes of the earth will wail because of Him. In that day men’s hearts will be smitten with anguish and remorse, and their spirits will be sorely vexed. The Greek word
koptomai, translated “wail,” signifies a beating or smiting of the breast or chest accompanied by agonizing sound—an outward manifestation of the depth of their inner sorrow at the realization of the Redeemer’s love for them. None will feel this anguish of soul more keenly than “they also which pierced him”; that is, the Jewish nation (“the house of David,” “the inhabitants of Jerusalem”) and, not at this time but later, the Roman soldiers identified with the actual crucifixion. The failure of the Jews to recognize Jesus, a member of their own race, as the promised Messiah will cause them to “mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son,” and to “be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [the loss or death of] his firstborn” (Zech. 12:10). “In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as [similar to] the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon,” when Israel lamented the death of good King Josiah (2 Chron. 35:23–25; Zech. 12:11). Just as Joseph, the viceroy of Egypt, comforted and assuaged the fears of his astonished brethren who had previously cast him into a pit and sold him into slavery, assuring them that God’s providence marked his pathway to glory, so Jesus will likewise comfort his people. Humbled and loathsome in their own eyes, this chastened people will, under the leadership of their resurrected prophets and the illustrious patriarchs of ancient days, prove to be a suitable channel of blessing to all nations (Isa. 60:1–3,20; Ezek. 20:43; 36:31–36). Lest other nations point with scorn at Israel’s previous behavior, these words are added:
“All kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him.” Swift will come the recognition of all the nations that they, too, shared in the guilt. Although some of these nations have adopted Jesus nominally as their Saviour and with their lips honor his name, their hearts are far from him (Matt. 15:8; Mark 7:6). Yea,
“all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). God hath concluded (Rom. 11:32,33)
“all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. O the depth of the . . . wisdom and knowledge of God!”
I know this is a lot to take in, but I hope it helps to understand my position.
RR
www.jwstruggle.com
