by davidsf 6 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I'm sure this has been discussed before but the Search feature isn't working so I'm going to ask anyway...
Is it true JWs are taught that once the 144,000 are sealed Armageddon will come? How many have partaken of the wine and bread during the Memorial over the years, i.e. how many are there currently of the "little flock"?
thanks, David
This is one of those regularly changing doctrine. Sometimes it is stated that some of the remnant will be on earth when Arm comes, sometimes that they can all have died before it comes.
It was stated back as far as 1878 by Russell that the number was sealed and the rapture was going to occur in that year.
For almost 20 years now the number of partakers at the memorial has been hovering around 8,000.
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yb97 p. 9 Jehovah’s Witnesses—1997 Yearbook Report *** As a result, this year there were 12,921,933 present for the Memorial, only 8,757 of whom were partakers.Obviously this should have rapidly declined as most should now be very old. The Watchtower explains that the number is not declining as being a lot of crazy people partaking that are not really anointed.
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w91 3/15 p. 21 Who Really Have a Heavenly Calling? ***Why
Wrong Assumptions?Some may wrongly partake of the Memorial emblems because they really do not acknowledge that anointing "depends, not upon the one wishing nor upon the one running, but upon God." (Romans 9:16) It is not up to the individual to decide that he or she would like to be taken into the new covenant and become a joint heir with Christ in the heavenly Kingdom. Jehovah’s choice is what counts. In ancient Israel, God chose those who would serve as his priests, and he executed Korah for presumptuously seeking the priesthood divinely placed in Aaron’s family....
Therefore, a baptized Christian who in recent years began to think that he received the heavenly calling should give the matter very careful and prayerful thought.
Such a person might also ask himself: ‘Have others influenced me to entertain the idea of heavenly life?’ This would be improper, for God has not assigned anyone to recruit others for such a privilege. A tendency toward fantasy would be no indication of anointing by God, and he does not anoint Kingdom heirs by causing them to hear voices with messages to that effect.
Some might ask themselves: ‘Before becoming a Christian, was I involved in drug abuse? Am I using medications that affect the emotions? Have I received treatment for mental or emotional problems?’ Some have said that they first fought against what they thought was the heavenly hope. Others have said that for a time God took away their earthly hope and finally gave them a heavenly one. But such a procedure is contrary to divine dealings. Moreover, faith is not uncertain; it is sure.—Hebrews 11:6.
Indeed, it is a telling point when even the Watchtower Society advises that anyone who thinks that they are of the 'anointed™' should ask themself "Have I received treatment for mental or emotional problems?"
That is self-acknowledgement that the very leaders of the organization, who are of that group, should be questioning their own sanity. What further indictment do they need!
The WTS claim that the 144000 "little flock" was fulfilled in 1935. I guess the rest have no hope of eternal life in heaven, but hold to the idea that they will be on a paradise earth that won't exist. Being that they say only the 144000 can receive the Holy Spirit, all others are lost because they are not born again. Jesus said that you must be born again. Without the Spirit indwelling, you do not have life.
If a person claims to be of the annointed, he should be able to explain how he or she came to this determination. From a bible standpoint every person whom Jehovah has chosen or annointed for a specific purpose had some kind of confirmation that they were assigned to a specific task. Saul was called by Jesus in a vision that took away his sight. Jesus was acknowledged by Jehovah after his baptism. Mary was told of her pregnancy before her wedding and Joseph was informed about the child as well. I believe that the number of sealed annointed ones are still being gathered and will continue until the very end of this system. But some feel that they are annointed by some deep feeling or by their relationship with Jehovah becoming more stronger. Jehovah chose John the baptist and told him that he will be baptising the Messiah. John told his followers that the one comming after me I am not worthy to even tie his shoes. He also confirmed his assignement by explaining to his followers that Jehovah said "the one whom you see the spirit come down on and remain is the one I have chosen". If this information is so, then we can plainly say that Jehovah will annoint his priest in a very special way and his annointed will should be able to explain their appointing.
This would be improper, for God has not assigned anyone to recruit others for such a privilege.
Amen, Amen, and AMEN!!!! And it's in the wt own words.
your understanding is not what JWs (traditionally) have believed. (Though it may have been somewhat like what Russell taught and the BStdnts believed.)
The sealing or completing of the 144,000 (heavenly class) IN ITSELF does not coincide to the onset of the Great Tribulation ending in Armageddon.
However, the present teaching is that the remnant of this class will have some if not many members alive during the GT and that for their sake the days of tribulation will be cut short thus the end of Armageddon. At which point those still left on earth will not experience death but be changed in a twinkling of an eye and receive their heavenly station.
Because the current teaching (perhaps already being disfavoured) is that "for the most part" this class was "fulfilled" (sealed) in 1935, as evidenced by the refocusing on the ingathering of the earthly (great crowd) class, we have a ticking biological clock situation that is ready to go off. It is only a matter of years before the vast majority of the (8000+) members reach a critical mass in death rate (versus the few "replacements") and die off in such significant numbers that something will have to give in all of these teachings.
I think when everything is said and done, the Society will have to face the absurdity of considering one half of the same passage the 144,000 number as literal while insisting that the other half (the naming of the 12 tribes of Israel) is symbolic. The reasonable solution is to consider the entire passage symbolic and thus the heavenly class is a perfect or complete number but not limited to merely 144,000.
And finallly, yes, your hunch is correct. As far as the partaking goes, throughout the years from the beginning of Russell's period there appears to have been many more than 144,000 who partook and who hoped for the higher heavenly calling. (But note that early on it was believed/taught that there was a lesser heavenly class, which later became the earthly class.)
-Eduardo
