In the book of Psalms the JW's teach that in the paradise to come each will have their "own vineyard, build their own home, a mere boy will play over the hole of a cobra, the wolf and the lamb will eat straw". How where you taught? When I went through The Live Forever Book they applied it to the future- after armagedon during the 1000 year rein. The last time I went through "The revelation Book the climax at hand (I think that was the name of it, its was red, that is how much I paid attention-ha). They said the book of Plams pertained only to the Jews-huh, which is it. It seems they just nullified a paradise earth by saying that. Any explanation? Thanks.
Psalm's
by megaflower 2 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Truth and Justice
Hi Megaflower,
I am no Bible scholar, but when I was in and growing up, it was always my belief that it was pertaining to the end of this system of things, when in Paradise all humankind and the animal realm would be at peace with one another. As an example, animals not attacking or eating each other, because they would be eating straw or vegetation. This scripture says nothing to the affect that it was referring to only the Jews. It refers to all the meek and righteous who will inherit the earth, that being anyone. (remember Ps. 37:10,11) There is more scriptures if needed.
There is one important point I would like to make: I have been out near 25 years, and now that I am out, if I just use the Bible without constraints and pray for the wisdom, I still come to that conclusion of what I mentioned above.
I hope this helped, if not I'll try again!
Sincerely, Truth and Justice May Happy Trails come your way
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Narkissos
Seems like some "Prophets" (especially Isaiah) have sneaked into those "Psalms"... :)
It is, indeed, remarkable that the "official" WT explanation has forsaken almost all its (superficially) best "prooftexts" for "Paradise Earth" to either current "spiritual paradise" (in Orwellian antiphrase) or "the anointed" (cf. the reference to Psalm 37 in Matthew 5).
Besides sheer fancy on the interpreters' part, one reason is that (unfortunately perhaps) the relatively peaceful horizon of the late Prophets (which did not rule out natural death, cf. Isaiah 65) gave way to the more absolute view of world end / new world in apocalypticism (including general resurrection, eternal life and so on): as a result the "new heavens and new earth" look less and less like "earth"...