Some anointed already resurrected??

by DS211 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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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.

  *** 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. (1 Thessalonians 4:16; Revelation 6:9-11)

  *** w70 6/1 p. 331 par. 22 Do You Have “Faith to the Preserving Alive of the Soul”? ***

  The resurrection of the anointed Christians, who number 144,000, is to spirit life in heaven and it began to occur in 1918 C.E., after the establishment of the heavenly Kingdom in 1914. (Rev. 12:1-5; 14:1, 4; 20:4-6; 1 Cor. 15:50-55) Such Christians are “made perfect” in the heavens prior to the earthly resurrection of faithful pre-Christian witnesses of Jehovah.

  *** w60 8/1 p. 462 “Creating New Heavens and a New Earth” ***

  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.

  *** re chap. 17 p. 103 par. 12 ‘Slaughtered Souls’ Rewarded ***

  All the evidence indicates that this heavenly resurrection began in 1918, after Jesus’ enthronement in 1914 and his riding forth to start his kingly conquest by cleansing the heavens of Satan and his demons.

  *** w95 2/15 pp. 21-22 par. 15 “Have No Fear, Little Flock” ***

  Paul gives us an added reason to view this resurrection as unique. As recorded at 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, he wrote: “Look! I tell you a sacred secret: We shall not all fall asleep in death, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, during the last trumpet. . . . For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality.” These words apply to those of the little flock who die during Christ’s presence. Without having to sleep a lengthy period of time in death, they are clothed with immortality, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

  *** w06 3/15 p. 6 The Only Remedy! ***

  When does the heavenly resurrection take place? “During [Christ’s] presence,” answers 1 Corinthians 15:23. World events since 1914 clearly show that both Christ’s presence and “the conclusion of the system of things” began in that year. (Matthew 24:3-7) So there is reason to conclude that the resurrection of faithful Christians to heaven has already begun, though, of course, unseen by humans. That would mean that the apostles and the early Christians have been raised to heavenly life. What about Christians living now who have the sure, God-given hope of ruling with Christ in heaven? They are raised “in the twinkling of an eye,” or immediately after they die. (1 Corinthians 15:52) Since the resurrection of this small group of 144,000 precedes that of the large number who will be resurrected to life on earth, it is called “the earlier resurrection” and “the first resurrection.”—Philippians 3:11; Revelation 20:6.
• 

  Island Man

  That is not a biblical teaching.

  1. The bible says the first resurrection starts at the sounding of the last trumpet. (1 Corinthians 15:52)

  2. Jesus spoke of a great trumpet sound occurring after the Great Tribulation. (Matthew 24:29,31)

  Therefore, based on 1. and 2. the first resurrection starts sometime after the Great Tribulation.

  Perhaps the great trumpet sound mentioned at Matthew 24:31 is the last trumpet. That great trumpet sound heralds the gathering of the chosen ones from every extremity of the earth.

  To where are they being gathered? 2 Thessalonians 2:1 says: "However, brothers, respecting the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him . . ."

  Is this gathering to christ limited only to the surving anointed? Will the surving anointed go to heaven to be with christ at a different time to the gathering of resurrected ones to christ? Notice what 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 says:

  " For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, [ a ] that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord."

  So according to the bible, after the dead anonited are raised up, they and the surviving anointed, ascend to heaven together. All of this takes place sometime after the Great Tribulation at christ's coming which is the start of his presence.

  1914 is unbiblical crap! Christ's presence starts with his coming after the Great Tribulation. To say that christ's presence is an invisible century long presence starting since 1914, totally nullifies the encouragement given at James 5:7. (Read it and you'd see what I mean)

  The 1914 century long invisible presence doctrine also makes Peter out to be a blind fool for missing the greatest irony of 2 Peter 3:3,4. According to Watchtower's teaching that the start of the presence runs parrallel with the start of the last days, ridiculers living during Christ's presense are asking where is his presence and Peter is completely oblivious to this great irony, making no mention of their blindness to the fact that they actually are living during his presence! (This is madness!)

  Not only that, the apostle goes on to speak about the coming destructive "day of Jehovah/the Lord" - armageddon. Peter also speaks about Jehovah not being slow respecting his promise - the promised presence - because he does not want any to be destroyed. Isn't it very obvious from 2 Peter 3 that the bible writer understood christ's presence as starting with his actual final coming to destroy the wicked? Isn't that why in answering the question of the ridiculers he went on to speak about the destrutive flood of Noah's day?

  There's something else that's very interesting about 2 Peter 3. Because the ridiculers are obviously looking forward to an active, visible presence and Peter does not point to that expectation as being in error (he only addressed the question of timing and confirmed the presence is visible and destructive), from whom did the ridiculers living in the last days - living in our time, according to Watchtower - learn of a visible, destructive presence? It can't be Jehovah's Witnesses because they're teaching an invisible, century long presence! 2 Peter chapter 3 exposes Watchtower as being wrong, wrong, wrong!
• 

  DS211

  Well done!! I was so sickened tonight at the meeting...unsuspecting "worldies" have no clue whats hitting them...the narcisisstic nature of the brochure puts a whole new light on psychokogical dosorder lol...the sad part is i could feel my own dissonance pulling me back in....the. I reminded myself that this is all an illusion...
• 

  bats in the belfry

  NewYork44M >>> Isn't there a scripture that suggests the resurrected annointed communicate with those on earth?

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  They squeeze that interpretation out of Revelation 7:13, 14a.
  
  
  “And in response one of the elders said to me: ‘These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?’ So right away I said to him: ‘My lord, you are the one that knows.’” (Revelation 7:13, 14a) Yes, that elder could locate the answer and give it to John. This suggests that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today.

  (Revelation-Book Chap. 20 p. 125 par. 17)
  
  
  What, then, can we deduce from the fact that one of the 24 elders identifies the great crowd to John? It seems that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today. Why is that important? Because the correct identity of the great crowd was revealed to God’s anointed servants on earth in 1935. If one of the 24 elders was used to convey that important truth, he would have had to be resurrected to heaven by 1935 at the latest. That would indicate that the first resurrection began sometime between 1914 and 1935.

  ( 2007 The Watchtower, January 1, page 28 par. 11 ) .