Am I correct in thinking that 'the remnant' and previous anointed who die are instantly resurrected as spirit creatures?
Any quotes from WT literature are appreciated.
Thanks
When are anointed who die before Armageddon resurrected as per the Watchtower?
by ThomasCovenant 23 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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JWoods
In my day the teaching was that they were instantly transformed into the "spirit creature" IIRC.
It having been 30 years ago, that may have been changed.
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sir82
Right - since 1918 or so, the teaching goes, anointed who die are raised "in the twinkling of an eye". It was last discussed in a WT study article 2 or 3 years ago.
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JWoods
It does bring up the secondary argument "did annointed who existed before 1918 have to wait until 1918 to get transformed"?
JWs have a peculiar disregard for any christians before the time of C.T. Russell.
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sir82
It does bring up the secondary argument "did annointed who existed before 1918 have to wait until 1918 to get transformed"?
JW doctrine says yes - they had to wait until 1918 or so (they've softened on the date - it is now merely "an interesting possibility" instead of a set-in-stone date).
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Witness 007
I think the Watchtower 1940 says they will be taken up in a UFO before the battle, and fire firey boulders at the worldly scum!
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JWoods
JW doctrine says yes - they had to wait until 1918 or so (they've softened on the date - it is now merely "an interesting possibility" instead of a set-in-stone date).
Probably they did not want the apostles Paul or Peter to get to heaven ahead of good old C.T. Russell the laodicean messenger.
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Mad Sweeney
I believe the old light is still in effect. First resurrection began around 1918 and has continued down to our day.
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blondie
*** w07 1/1 p. 28 par. 12 "The First Resurrection"—Now Under Way ***At this point, it may be helpful to consider what might be viewed as a Bible parallel. Jesus Christ was anointed as the future King of God’s Kingdom in the fall of 29 C.E. Three and a half years later, in the spring of 33 C.E., he was resurrected as a mighty spirit person. Could it, then, be reasoned that since Jesus was enthroned in the fall of 1914, the resurrection of his faithful anointed followers began three and a half years later, in the spring of 1918? That is an interesting possibility. Although this cannot be directly confirmed in the Bible, it is not out of harmony with other scriptures that indicate that the first resurrection got under way soon after Christ’s presence began.
For example, Paul wrote: "We the living who survive to the presence of the Lord [not, to the end of his presence] shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17) Therefore, anointed Christians who died before Christ’s presence were raised to heavenly life ahead of those who were still alive during Christ’s presence. This means that the first resurrection must have begun early in Christ’s presence, and it continues "during his presence." (1 Corinthians 15:23) Rather than occurring all at once, the first resurrection takes place over a period of time.
*** w88 10/15 pp. 12-13 par. 13 "This Is the Day of All Days" ***Thus, John’s visionary measuring of the temple sanctuary was a guarantee that during the Lord’s day, all of Jehovah’s purposes regarding the temple would be fulfilled. In harmony with this and according to all the evidence, those of the anointed who had already died faithful began to be resurrected to their promised place in the heavenly sanctuary starting in 1918.
*** w60 8/1 p. 462 "Creating New Heavens and a New Earth" ***In a time parallel, Jesus Christ was enthroned as King in heaven A.D. 1914. Three and a half years later, or in 1918, would be the time for him to come to God’s spiritual temple. Would Christendom’s rulers receive him or reject him as King? They rejected him and showed it by killing the work of Jehovah’s witnesses concerning the Kingdom. Just as the Jewish leaders’ rejection of Jesus could not prevent God’s raising of his Son from the dead, so Christendom’s rejection of the King could not prevent God from raising Jesus’ faithful followers from the dead. So in harmony with the picture of 1900 years ago, it was only a short time after the temple’s cleansing in 1918 that the heavenly resurrection of the anointed Christians sleeping in death took place, unseen to human eyes. The nations were then at war: "‘But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time for the dead to be judged’ . . . And the temple sanctuary of God that is in heaven was opened." (Rev. 11:18, 19) The spring of A.D. 1918 marked the opening of the temple to the King’s entrance and thereafter the resurrection of the anointed Christians who, along with Jesus, make up "the temple of the living God."—2 Cor. 6:16.
*** w54 6/15 p. 372 par. 12 The Revelation of Jesus Christ ***A second word, epipháneia, translated "manifestation," means appearing, manifestation or a coming to light or to view. The use of this word points to Christ’s appearance in the temple for judgment in 1918 and marks the beginning of favorable judgment, first, in the resurrection of the anointed already asleep in death (2 Tim. 4:8) and, second, in the entrusting of Kingdom interests to those of the anointed found faithful on earth.
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JWoods
Could it, then, be reasoned that since Jesus was enthroned in the fall of 1914, the resurrection of his faithful anointed followers began three and a half years later, in the spring of 1918? That is an interesting possibility. Although this cannot be directly confirmed in the Bible, it is not out of harmony with other scriptures that indicate that the first resurrection got under way soon after Christ’s presence began.
Another grand example of Watchtower obfuscation on scriptural meaning. Note that although it "cannot be confirmed in the Bible", it has become defacto doctrine! Complete with paragraph after paragraph on nonsense to support this ridiculous idea.