Will the Parousia occur during our lifetime?

[polonius]

Jesus prophecized that the second coming would occur while some of his generation were still alive, but it didn't.

There is some claim that really occurred in 1914. But it didn't. So, what's the claim now?

www.britannica.com/topic/Jehovahs-Witnesses

The Adventist movement emerged in the 1830s around the predictions of William Miller, who proclaimed that Jesus Christ would return in 1843 or 1844.

When Christ did not return as Miller prophecied, Adventists divided into a number of factions.

During the 1870s, Charles Taze Russell established himself as an independent and controversial Adventist teacher.

He rejected belief in hell as a place of eternal torment and adopted a non-Trinitarian theology that denied the divinity of Jesus. He also interpreted the Second Coming in accordance with the literal translation of the original Greek term, parousia (“presence�), suggesting that Christ would come as an invisible presence and that the Parousia, or “Millennial Dawn,� already had occurred, in 1874.

The coming of Christ’s invisible presence signaled the end of the current order of society and would be followed by his visible presence and the establishment of the millennial kingdom on earth in 1914.

Although the kingdom did not come, Russell’s teachings motivated a number of volunteers to circulate his many books and pamphlets and a periodical, The Watchtower, and to recalculate the time of the Parousia.

So when will Christ's visible presence and the establishment of the millennial kingdom on earth occur?

[myth-one.com]

The millenium is not defined as a period of rest.

Yeah, the millennium is anything BUT a period of rest. There's some bad things going on these days, man.

But... take heart. Jesus is with us in the midst of our troubles. And we are more than conquerors in Him. In Him, the battle is already won, though in this life it still rages. But that will come to a glorious, triumphant end.

In the final words of Revelation 22, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

Those involved in the millennium are blessed and holy immortal priests of God and of Christ.

They will have absolutely no "troubles."

Personally, that seems very inviting!!

[Checkpoint]

Hebrews 4:

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day.

9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God;
10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from His.

11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.

That rest is not a number: it is forever.

Following that millennium rest; Satan will be loosed for awhile, all deceased nonbelievers will be resurrected as humans, and face judgment.

Born again believers will participate in the judgment process, and then we will reign forever with our Lord and Savior.

As opposed to resting eternally, it appears that we will be rather busy!

The millennium rest will last for 1,000 years.

There is no millennial rest.

We will enter that rest after the judgment, which takes place after the millennium.

Busy then? Maybe, but if so it will not be from doing our own works!

[PinSeeker]

Those involved in the millennium are blessed and holy immortal priests of God and of Christ.

No, everyone alive (since Christ's ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit (at Pentecost) is "involved" in the millennium, which is the age since Pentecost up to Jesus's return. Those who have a part in the first resurrection are blessed and priests -- those who are no longer dead in their sin, which is those of us who are saved... right now (and those deceased who were saved at some point in their lives here on earth). We are all seated with Jesus in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus... right now, because we have been saved. We have been made alive, born again to a living hope (1 Peter 1) and are thus Christians. THIS is the first resurrection, which is happening as people come to Christ now and on an ongoing basis:

• "But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus..." [Ephesians 2:4-6]

They will have absolutely no "troubles."

Well, when Jesus comes back, that's for sure. But until then, while we're on this planet in this life, sadly, because of sin, that is not the case.

Personally, that seems very inviting!!

I agree. But even now, in the midst of the troubles of this world, you can have peace and rest, because you are in Christ. At least I think you are...

Grace and peace to you, myth-one.

[myth-one.com]

There is no millennial rest.

We will enter that rest after the judgment, which takes place after the millennium.

Where do you get this stuff?

1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.

2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,

3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea.

9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.

10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Believers are resurrected to everlasting life in the first resurrection and spend the 1,000 year millennium with Christ.

The thousand-year millennium will be spent resting, rejoicing, and apparently new member training, since these new spirits will judge angels and others following the second resurrection:

Know ye not that we shall judge angels?... (I Corinthians 6:3)

Then the rest of the dead (nonbelievers) are resurrected and face judgment!

Following judgment, those whose names are written in the Book of Life are cast into the lake of fire and quickly perish for all eternity.
=====================================

The Earth will once again become part of the kingdom:

The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 11:15)

So Jesus will defeat Satan and the Earth will become part of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus will then rule the Earth from new Jerusalem for ever and ever. What will born again Christians be doing?

...we shall also reign with him. (II Timothy 2:12)

And for how long?

...and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (I Thessalonians 4:17)

[PinSeeker]

Where do you get this stuff?

That's exactly the question that was ringing in my head... concerning you. Wow.

[myth-one.com]

Those involved in the millennium are blessed and holy immortal priests of God and of Christ.

We are all seated with Jesus in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus... right now, because we have been saved, we have been made alive... born again to a living hope (1 Peter 1) and are thus Christians. THIS is the first resurrection, which is happening as people come to Christ now and on an ongoing basis:

No one has yet been saved. Salvation is a "living hope" as peter states.

One must be born again of the Spirit to be saved from death.

5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Christians are presently heirs unto salvation:

16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

We will be born again as spirits at the Second Coming:

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

That is when we will have conquered death. We will receive our inheritance of everlasting life that Jesus freely gave to all who believe in Him.

Then, and only then, will we be immortal spirits to which death does not apply.

That is when we will be born again of the Spirit -- and SAVED!

[PinSeeker]

No one has yet been saved. Salvation is a "living hope" as peter states.

LOL! My goodness. This conversation is at an end.

Grace and peace to you, myth-one.

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to post 143 by myth-one.com]

Checkpoint wrote:

There is no millennial rest.

We will enter that rest after the judgment, which takes place after the millennium.

Where do you get this stuff?

From the same place you get yours from!

The reason we differ so markedly reflects our basis or method of interpretation, and, in particular, how we approach and read Revelation.

[myth-one.com]

No one has yet been saved. Salvation is a "living hope" as peter states.

LOL! My goodness. This conversation is at an end.

Grace and peace to you, myth-one.

It's supposed to be a debate.

And that's your rebuttal?

WOW, Powerful.

We did both agree with St. Peter that salvation is a living hope.

That's a step in the right direction.

It is also called an inheritance, gift, promise, and reward.

And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive a hundred-fold, and shall inherit eternal life. (Matthew 19:29)

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. (I John 2:25)

And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me... (Revelation 22:12)

If Christians already have their reward, there is no cause for Jesus to bring it when He returns.

But you don't want to hear anything contrary to your beliefs.

That's sad.

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to post 143 by myth-one.com]

The thousand-year millennium will be spent resting, rejoicing, and apparently new member training, since these new spirits will judge angels and others following the second resurrection:

Yes, where indeed do you get this stuff?

By the application of "apparently" (overtly or covertly) to whatever one is writing about.

Bad hermeneutics ruin good intentions.