Rosalee and Jgnat:
The passage in question refers neither exclusively to a "figurative" heaven nor a "literal". It refers to something in between, or both, if you will, but to be honest, more to the "literal" than the figurative.
19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The 21st verse is what the WTS can use to imply that the "heaven" in question is "figurative", but the preceding two verses certainly shows that the "heaven" in question is also figurative! The "spiritual" heaven-part does not really appear before G-John.
AND: If the faithful Jehovahs Witness would bother reading the preceding chapter, chapter 5, he would see that:
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
...which shows clearly how the "heaven" is a LITERAL one, in which the christian wil receive his reward, just as the prophets before you (who died, as a result of persecution!). So perhaps, Rosalee, if you would bother reading the entire book in context, you would "progress better".
