Repent the end is nigh

[Humph Warden Bennett]

The end has been nigh for a very long time. I remember the sandwich board men strutting their stuff with this message when I was a kid in the 50s. Whenever there is a national or world crisis the end times merchants get very excited, proclaiming the problems we are experiencing are predicted, although you have to have a very vivid imagination to interpret the Biblical verses they are suggesting refer to whichever crisis we are living through! Remember Harold Campion, who predicted the end of the world erroneously on at least three occasions, and still had the gullible believing him?

Jesus suggested the end times would happen in the lifetime of his disciples. If he couldn't get it right who could?

I think the end timers get a real kick out of scaring people with their nonsense.

Floo, would you prefer it if the end really was nigh? 

[Khatru]

This is such bullshit, I'm surprised you are not embarrassed by writing it.

You sound like a little child who has been caught out lying trying to justify themselves. "Yes, when I said "decade" I secretly meant 10,000 years".

Jesus was talking to people, human beings, not God. If he was giving them time scales that have a particular meaning to human beings, he was either using those terms in the way the humans expected or he was being incredibly stupid. If you want to get an idea across, you don't invent your own language to do it.

Well said

Jesus was talking to humans using human terms, knowing full well just how humans reckon time.   In the context of what Jesus was saying, there's no way that "soon" can be construed as having any other meaning.

Are we to look at everything Jesus said for hidden meanings?

[Sassy]

Well said

Jesus was talking to humans using human terms, knowing full well just how humans reckon time.   In the context of what Jesus was saying, there's no way that "soon" can be construed as having any other meaning.

Are we to look at everything Jesus said for hidden meanings?

Actually, God was talking through Jesus to human beings. There is no dispute about Christ saying that his return date is known only to God. But the signs of his return can be known to everyone. Jesus gave no hidden meaning.

[Hope]

More assertions, no evidence!

She's learnt well from you, Floo!!

[Spud]

Well said

Jesus was talking to humans using human terms, knowing full well just how humans reckon time.   In the context of what Jesus was saying, there's no way that "soon" can be construed as having any other meaning.

Are we to look at everything Jesus said for hidden meanings?

Luke 21:24 says,
They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

Verse 32 says "“Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

How long do the "times of the Gentiles" last? Are they included in the "these things" that would take place before that generation passed?

[Spud]

That is putting a spin on it that I bet was not intended, even if Jesus did make that quote.

Fine, I'll rephrase the question. What did Jesus mean by the times of the Gentiles? Was it a long or short time period? (I think that's a valid question)

[Spud]

Goodness knows what the guy meant, even if he was correctly quoted, which is open to doubt.

He's talking about the time during which Israel as a nation was ruled by Gentile powers, beginning with the Babylonians, then the Persians, Greeks and Romans. After AD 70, Israel ceased to exist as a nation, the Jews being scattered worldwide (but retaining a form of religion). So at that point the 'times of the Gentiles' were completed, or as Jesus said, fulfilled.

[Spud]

You think that is what Jesus was talking about, but  it could be the words were put into his mouth by the gospel writers. Nothing was apparently written down when he was alive, so it was virtually impossible for them to quote him word for word years later.

That kind of kills the thread though, because your op assumes that he said everything as it is written in our new testament.

[Khatru]

Actually, God was talking through Jesus to human beings. There is no dispute about Christ saying that his return date is known only to God. But the signs of his return can be known to everyone. Jesus gave no hidden meaning.

All you need to do is to take note of the letters on the cross.

INRI

It's an abbreviation of "I'm not returning immediately".

[trippymonkey]

For how many years now have Christians been saying 'He is coming- He is coming' ?!?!!?

EH??

[Dicky Underpants]

That kind of kills the thread though, because your op assumes that he said everything as it is written in our new testament.

It is of course helpful if one has worked out a few criteria as to what Jesus is more likely to have said among the numerous quotes attributed to him. However, if the fundamentalists insist that Jesus did say such and such, I don't think one should therefore accept what such believers think these sayings mean. If one can find a whole batch of sayings in the NT which appear to be saying the same thing, and there is an easy explanation for this apparent consistency, then maybe that easy explanation is the correct one - even if it demonstrates that those early believers and Jesus himself were wholly mistaken.

[Dicky Underpants]

He's talking about the time during which Israel as a nation was ruled by Gentile powers, beginning with the Babylonians, then the Persians, Greeks and Romans. After AD 70, Israel ceased to exist as a nation, the Jews being scattered worldwide (but retaining a form of religion). So at that point the 'times of the Gentiles' were completed, or as Jesus said, fulfilled.

Isn't all this transposed across by Luke from the Book of Daniel, and put into Jesus' mouth as if he actually said it?

[Spud]

Isn't all this transposed across by Luke from the Book of Daniel, and put into Jesus' mouth as if he actually said it?

It definitely seems to originate in Daniel, possibly 7:17-18. After the four Gentile kingdoms (Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome) comes the everlasting kingdom possessed by the saints.
Interestingly, in John's vision in Revelation 20, the saints are seen reigning with Christ for a thousand years before the last judgement. This seems to be the only place in the new testament where a really long time period is taught. The "long time" in Matthew 24:48 and 25:19 could be the time leading up to AD 70.

[Sassy]

All you need to do is to take note of the letters on the cross.

INRI

It's an abbreviation of "I'm not returning immediately".

Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm, In Latin meaning "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews".

The truth is always different from what you think it is.

It is this that you really need to learn.


It was written originally to annoy the Jews who killed him though innocent because he claimed to be the Messiah the Son of God.
You have something in common with the writer, you write it because we claim Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God and coming back soon.

God knew the Jews would reject and kill Jesus. But what is your excuse... what good will come out of your rejecting Jesus and the truth?

[Sebastian Toe]

You have something in common with the writer, you write it because we claim Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God and coming back soon.

'Soon'?
As in the common English usage of the word?

[Sassy]

'Soon'?
As in the common English usage of the word?

How long is a piece of string?

[Sebastian Toe]

How long is a piece of string?

So not actually soon then as you originally asserted?

[torridon]

How long is a piece of string?

So not 'soon' then.

[ippy]

The end has been nigh for a very long time. I remember the sandwich board men strutting their stuff with this message when I was a kid in the 50s. Whenever there is a national or world crisis the end times merchants get very excited, proclaiming the problems we are experiencing are predicted, although you have to have a very vivid imagination to interpret the Biblical verses they are suggesting refer to whichever crisis we are living through! Remember Harold Campion, who predicted the end of the world erroneously on at least three occasions, and still had the gullible believing him?

Jesus suggested the end times would happen in the lifetime of his disciples. If he couldn't get it right who could?

I think the end timers get a real kick out of scaring people with their nonsense.

You can still get the sandwich boards and the overhead signage too at topnotchsigns.co.uk

ippy

[ippy]

Apparently there are still some sandwich board men around proclaiming, ' Repent the end is nigh', so someone told me yesterday.

YES, and what's wrong with that?

ippy

[Sassy]

So not actually soon then as you originally asserted?

Sebastian Toe
Hero Member
*****
 
Posts: 4263
View Profile  Personal Message (Offline)

Re: Repent the end is nigh
« Reply #59 on: October 13, 2016, 05:58:19 PM »
Quote
Quote from: Sassy on October 13, 2016, 11:03:47 AM

You have something in common with the writer, you write it because we claim Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God and coming back soon.

'Soon'?
As in the common English usage of the word?

Had you understood what you actually asked then you would have understood.

"How long is a piece of string." in the common English usage of the word.

How  long is soon in the common English usage and how long is a piece of string in common English usage.
The answer is:- whatever the person wants it to be.

So Christ said " No one knows the day of his return only God.
The only person who knows the length of their piece of string is the person who is cutting the string and the time set by God like the string can be as long or short as the persons wants it to be.

Again you ask about things the answer is in the bible for regarding the return of Christ.
If a day and thousand years are the same to God.(You would have known if you read the bible) then you tell us what 'Soon' in common English means to God.

[Khatru]

If a day and thousand years are the same to God.(You would have known if you read the bible) then you tell us what 'Soon' in common English means to God.

It doesn't really matter what it means to God.

He was communicating with humans and humans reckon time in human terms.

If his intention was that he wouldn't be back for at least 2000 years then he shouldn't have misled people by using the word soon.  If anything, he should have said that he won't be returning soon.

[Sebastian Toe]

Had you understood what you actually asked then you would have understood.

"How long is a piece of string." in the common English usage of the word.

How  long is soon in the common English usage and how long is a piece of string in common English usage.
The answer is:- whatever the person wants it to be.

So Christ said " No one knows the day of his return only God.
The only person who knows the length of their piece of string is the person who is cutting the string and the time set by God like the string can be as long or short as the persons wants it to be.

Again you ask about things the answer is in the bible for regarding the return of Christ.
If a day and thousand years are the same to God.(You would have known if you read the bible) then you tell us what 'Soon' in common English means to God.

Well if you want to redefine all words in the English language to mean 'whatever the person wants it to be' that certainly explains why a lot of your posts here are barely understandable.
Most people here use words in their common usage and can communicate meaning faily easily - you on the other hand.......

[Sassy]

It doesn't really matter what it means to God.

He was communicating with humans and humans reckon time in human terms.

If his intention was that he wouldn't be back for at least 2000 years then he shouldn't have misled people by using the word soon.  If anything, he should have said that he won't be returning soon.

He didn't mislead the word soon can mean any length of time and as he had told them.

King James Bible
But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

They knew that he was not telling them that the soon would be in their own life time.

Christ clearly told the disciples he had gone to prepare a place for them and was coming back for them.
Which he did as we see with Stephen. Acts 7 when stoned to death.

Constantly make comments for which it is obvious you have no knowledge or understanding about.

Christians, know Christ was not telling them he was coming ''soon'' as in next week or next month but that he like they knew that only God knew when.

[Sebastian Toe]

He didn't mislead the word soon can mean any length of time

soon
suːn/
adverb
adverb: soon; comparative adverb: sooner; superlative adverb: soonest

    1.
    in or after a short time.
    "everyone will soon know the truth"
    synonyms:   in a short time, shortly, presently, in the near future, before long, in a little while, in a minute, in a moment, in an instant, in a twinkling, in the twinkling of an eye, before you know it, any minute (now), any day (now), any time (now), by and by; informalpronto, in (less than) no time, in no time (at all), in a jiffy, in two shakes, in two shakes of a lamb's tail, before you can say Jack Robinson;