The Watchtower Society teaches that anyone righteous who died before Jesus Christ was executed will have a resurrection to paradise earth. Any faifthful witness living after Jesus died, but around the same time frame, will have a heavenly resurrection.
I cannot remember how the Society backs up its teachings on this subject, but on reading Hebrews 11:16 I noticed something very unusual...
Let's get the context first and look at three different translations.
NWT New American Bible King James Version
Hebrews 11:13-16
In faith, all of these died, although they did not get 13 All these died in faith, without 13 These all died in faith, not having
the [fulfillment of the] promises, but they saw them receiving the promises, but having received the promises, but having
afar off and welcomed them and publicly declared seen them and having welcomed seen them afar off, and were
that they were strangers and temporary residents them from a distance and having persuaded of them, and embraced
in the land. 14 For those who say such things give confessed that they were strangers them, and confessed that they were
evidence that they are earnestly seeking a place and exiles on the earth. 14 For strangers and pilgrims on earth.
of their own. 15 And yet, if they had indeed kept those who say such things make it 14 For they that say such things
remembering that [place] from which they had clear that they are seeking a country declare plainly that they seek a
gone forth, they would have had the opportunity of their own. 15 And indeed if they country. 15 And truly, if they had been
to return. 16 But now they are reaching out for a had been thinking of that country mindful of that country from whence
better [place], that is, one belonging to heaven. from which they went out, they they came out, they might have had
Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called would have had the opportunity to the opportunity to have returned.
upon as their God, for he has made a city ready return. 16 But as it is, they desire a 16 But now they desire a better
for them. better country, that is a heavenly one. country, that is, an heavenly:
Therefore God is not ashamed to be wherefore God is not ashamed to be
called their God for He has prepared called their God: for he hath prepared
a city for them. for them a city.
analyzing these scriptures tell us two things:
1) Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac and Jacob were not all 'alien residents' where they lived. What I mean, is that Abel was the first human baby. At the time he became an adult, there were no national boundaries for the simple fact that there weren't enough people on the earth to form countries. Noah survived the Flood according to the Genesis account, and there were no countries either - just a tiny population of 8 people.
So when these faithful ones who declare that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land/earth, they must have meant the whole earth, not just a foreign country. Which means, they felt they did not belong on earth.
2) All three translations say these faithful ones of old are reaching out for a heavenly hope, where God had prepared a city for them. What is this city? Why would the Watchtower day that all these faithful ones are going to have an earthly resurrection, when it is obvious from the scriptures that they were more interested in a heavenly hope?
Bearing in mind also, what one of the repentant robbers who was executed with Jesus said:
Luke 23:42,32: And he went on to say: "Jesus, remember me when you get into your kingdom. 43 And he said to him
"Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise."
So, does this repentant wrongdoer get an earthly hope or a heavenly one? Who had died first?
Consider the account in the gospel of John, the only apostle to actually record that Jesus did not have his legs broken.
John 19:31-34 Then the Jews, since it was Preparation, in order that the bodies might not remain upon the torture
stakes on the Sabbath, (for the day of that Sabbath was a great one,) requested Pilate to have their legs broken and
the [bodies] taken away. 32 The soldiers came, therefore, and broke the legs of the first [man] and those of the other
[man] that had been impaled with him. 33 But on coming to Jesus, as they saw that he was already dead, they did not
break his legs. 34 Yet one of the soldiers jabbed his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.
Remember, the Society teaches that the repentant robber would enjoy life on earth, not heaven. Here, the scriptures clearly say that Jesus died first, as both robbers had to have their legs broken to hasten their death, but Jesus was already dead.
Your feedback on this would be welcome.