There is no heavenly calling, it is a wishful thinking of JWs

Abraham1

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Truly I say to you that it will be difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of the heavens. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.” (Mathew 19:23, 24, https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/matthew/19/) For Jesus both “kingdom of heaven and kingdom of God” are interchangeable—they are one and the same. When earth comes again under God’s rulership, earth becomes a “Kingdom of Heaven.” (Mathew 5:3, 5) “Those poor in spirit” are defined as those having no self-importance or egoless (Mathew 16:24) and “the meek” too are egoless. Both are interchangeable, and their destiny too is the same.

Disobedient ones CANNOT change God Almighty's plan

This is better understood against the larger picture. God warned against fall of Kingdom of God on earth if humans disobey Him. Yet they disobeyed, and Kingdom of heaven was rejected from earth. Yet there are many who do not disobey Him (Genesis 5:24) For their sake, God is “recreating” the heaven on earth again. (Mathew 19:28-30) Just because some people rejected God’s rulership even against the warning of death punishment, God will not change His purpose for this earth: “So my word that goes out of my mouth will be. vIt will not return to me without results, But it will certainly accomplish whatever is my delight, And it will have sure success in what I send it to do.” (Isaiah 55:11) https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/isaiah/55/) God going for a new arrangement of heavenly call would mean HE is partial, and disobedient ones could change the plan of God Almighty.

Teaching about heavenly call is one among other things JWs got wrongly. See how they got wrongly the definition of pagan and God’s people. According to God's word a pagan is one who is loving/greeting only those loving/greeting him, ruled by such things as fear, sensuality, ego, greed, alcohol etc (Matthew 5:43–48; Matthew 6:32; 1 Thessalonians 4:5; Galatians 5:19–21; Luke 22:25). (EPH.4.17-19.NIV) (1PE.4.3-4.NIV). This is in the same vein as God's word describes God’s people as “peace-makers, those pure in heart and those circumcised in heart.” (5:9; Psalm 73:1; Romans 2:11, 28, 29; Jeremiah 4:4) Jesus simply praised non-Jews when they displayed theocratic spirit (Mathew 8:10-12; Mathew 22:1-14) and promised he would disown anyone already belonging to him but fails to be theocratic. (Mathew 7:21-23)

How can such people catch the mind of God and Christ when they refuse to greet their former associates, thus identify themselves as pagans?

Abraham1

There could be variation in doing the will of God among the obedient ones. Hence minority (symbolized by 144000) are described as those having “Father’s name written on their foreheads”—they did God's will perfectly. They are “redeemed from the earth and were purchased from among mankind and offered as first fruits to God” [not from any single nation on earth] and “No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.” (Revelation 14:1-5) Number 144000 is made up of multiples of number 12 which symbolize “perfection or authority.” (Interesting Facts about the Meaning & Importance of the Number 12 in the Bible) . Hence 144000 stand for the small group of people who perfectly reflected image of God! If a small group is called “first” fruits it presupposes the existence of those who trailed behind them becoming second-fruits in spirituality. And both the groups would reap accordingly. (Mark 4:24, 25) This is repeated in many places such as Luke 6:38 which was later elaborated as “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6; Revelation 14:13)

jhine

Yes Rev 21 clearly speaks of a new Heaven and a new earth . We are told that God's dwelling place will be among the people and he will dwell with them and be their God . No mention of two classes of people .

Jan

Abraham1

Yes Jan, You nicely summed it up.

The concept that God gives special treatment to some of His children is pagan concept. (Deuteronomy 10:17; Romans 2:11). And 'People who do NOT know God" are called "pagans." (1 Thessalonians 4:5) And JWs are known for refusing to greet their former associates. And see how Jesus describes as one of the key characteristics of being pagan: "And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? " (MAT.5.47.NIV)

waton

No mention of two classes of people .

how about the gates with the name of the 12 tribes, the foundations with the 12 apostles names?

truth_b_known

The "small flock" and the "great crowd" dogma is the first example of the "Overlapping Generations" concept created by the Watchtower. The Watchtower is and has always been adamant about 144,000 going to heaven. When their membership number began to swell well over that number and 1914 came and went the Watchtower panicked. They had to pull a rabbit out of their hat.

Abraham1

Instead of presenting New Teachings such as heavenly hope for 144000, Issue of Sovereignty, other issues such as blood transfusion, national anthem, military service, image of the beast etc, they had something important to do--separatng weeds from the Bible. They did it with John 8:2-11 which they moved into footnote. If they had done this with other weed-like verses (such as given in https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5671141438914560/single-bible-verse-that-explains-everything-hope-even-disfellowshipped), they should have received praise from God and from tree seekers of truth. They sadly missed that precious opportunity of really taking care of interests of Kingdom.

mickbobcat

One thing that always puzzled me is a woman can be of the anointed. She can not be part of the GB. But after she dies she can be part of the 144k that comes to help destroy the earth and rule with Jesus. What a fucked up cult.

Abraham1

mickbobcat,

That is a valid point--especially so when Jesus revealed vital spiritual lessons to woman (John 4:7-26) and even appointed woman to convey the important message to his male disciples.(John 20:16-18) He also declared that all women-inferior verses are the result of “hardheartedness” of some ancient men, which obviously has nothing to do with Scriptures. (Mathew 19:4-8) He even rated woman as having keener insight into future and spirituality than men (Mathew 26:10-13 Contrast John 6:60).

jhine

Waton yes the twelve tribes and 12 Apostles are mentioned separately but l think that this is symbolic. As in the 12 Tribes were the starting of God's chosen people from whom came the Messiah, so they are the gates to salvation and the 12 Apostles were the beginning of the church so the foundations .

There is no indication that they receive any different reward than anyone else , certainly no indication that they are dwelling elsewhere. Indeed they are integral parts of the New Jerusalem where God will dwell with his people .

Jan

There is no heavenly calling, it is a wishful thinking of JWs

mickbobcat,

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