The Word,
Do you expect to live on the earth forever? Well, I guess, so far, so good.
Meek Shall Inherit the earth
by golden age 43 Replies latest watchtower bible
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hmike
Originally, these scriptures were seen as applying to their present times. But, as things deteriorated in Israel after David and Solomon, and with the captivity, it became clear to those who viewed themselves as the righteous and faithful that as long as God allowed hostile governments and the unrighteous Israelites among them to thrive, human government was not going to bring about a righteous kingdom. So, they began to look forward to a time when God would subjugate the nations and the wicked, and YHWH Himself would set up a government in the land and rule from Jerusalem. Although God had his domain in heaven--in the clouds--it was not expected that the faithful would be removed to there. After all, there was the promise to Abraham and his seed that they would possess the land. So when Jesus taught his disciples to pray, "Make your kingdom come; your will be done on earth as it is in heaven," the hope was for the kingdom of God to extend to earth. Therefore, all these groups are the same because the kingdom possessed by the saints would be on earth.
In the passage of Matthew, Jesus is instructing and encouraging his disciples--those who accepted he was sent by God. It was part of the "good news"--those who sacrificed comforts and pleasures, and were oppressed in this age would be compensated in the age to come. Besides, all the groups would be the same because, in the teachings of Jesus, there were only good trees and bad trees--someone could not "hunger and thirst for righteousness" and at the same time be cruel, unforgiving, and oppressive.
Interestingly, in this coming kingdom, it appears that people would live long, healthy, active lives, but would eventually die. So the resurrection of the dead would have to occur sometime later. This appears to be the basis for Millennial kingdom doctrine.
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PointBlank
FWIW, only HEIRS inherit anything. To be heirs, you have to be part of the 'family'. JW's, by their own admission, are not heirs, they're squatters. Squatters will not inherit the earth.
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peacefulpete
Point Blank,,that is how the WT put it a few years back. That the 5:5 verse was not appying to the GC but to the 144k. Funny that the bnext magazine they forgot that, perhaps out of habit or some dispute at the top about how to use the verse.
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Narkissos
Watchtower 59 1/8:
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When Jesus said, as recorded at Matthew 5:5, "Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth," of whom was he speaking??H. S., U.S.A.Jesus here applied the expression "mild-tempered" or "meek" to his disciples of that time who were in line for the heavenly kingdom. He was the chief meek one among them and their example. Hebrews 1:1, 2 and 2:5, 6 show that Jesus inherits the earth or takes over the possession of it. His disciples were made his joint heirs in the Kingdom and enter into this inheritance or possession of the earth with him. Hence Matthew 5:5 does not strictly apply to the "other sheep." However, it has been quoted in connection with them and properly so because they must be meek or mild-tempered ones in imitation of Jesus Christ, and it is only because of being such that they will be allowed to live on the earth in the new world. They do not take over possession of the earth any more than Adam did in the garden of Eden, but Matthew 5:5 can nevertheless be given a general application in that they hold the earth in trust for the chief Heir, the Lord Jesus Christ. To this extent they enter into an inheritance. They enjoy the realm of the King. As Jesus said in the parable of the sheep and goats: "Come, you who have my Father?s blessing, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the world?s foundation." (Matt. 25:34) So it is not wrong to use this scripture in a general sense in speaking of the blessings that await the "other sheep" in the new world.
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barbar
Are the 144,000 mot meek then/ Because if they are then they should also be inheriting the earth.
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outoftheorg
This is why I gave up on the bible.
For every verse that supports this or that, I can find a verse that condemns this or that. Or it directs the outcome in an intirely different direction.
It got to where every time I tried to confirm a belief with the bible, I would end up with a large headache and frustration and finally anger.
I finally came to the conclusion that "I must be too stupid to grasp this" and then just went along with the various teachings.
I fought with this for years and one day it finally dawned, that maybe the bible is too stupid to grasp.
I settled with that and the headaches frustration and anger went away.
Outoftheorg
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TheWord
The Word, Do you expect to live on the earth forever? Well, I guess, so far, so good.
Of course, doesn't everyone? Why do people feel that 144000 go to heaven? Where does it say this in the bible, specifically? Word up
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Mulan
Didn't the meek of the Psalms inherit the earth or the land, the Promised Land, that is? Nothing about a future paradise earth, but all about the now.
Exactly. Many Bibles translate it as "land" and they did inherit the land and those people will live on it forever............not the individuals. It was about them and the promised land for their time.
No future fulfillment, or whatever other nonsense they try to get you to accept.
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Kenneson
The Word,
No, not everyone. Some of us are realistic. We know of no one who has lived on earth forever. But thousands of JW's anticipating Armageddon and a new earth have been disappointed, from Judge Rutherford, who wrote a booklet about it in 1920 entitled "Millions Now Living Will Never Die," to some of that era still alive today. But, alas, the Judge, like thousands of others, have not been among the millions. As a matter of fact, the remaining survivors of that 1920 date would already be 85 years old!
I see no indication in the New Testament that Jesus promised us life on the earth as we know it today. Contrariwise, he says that he is going to prepare a place for us that where he is we might be. John 14:2-6 And where might that be? See John 3:13, 31 and Matt. 4:16; and Hebrews 9:24
The Apostle Paul did not believe like Rutherford did that the Old Testament princes were meant to live on earth forever either. See Hebrews 11:13-16 Nor did he believe that he himself and other believers would live on earth forever. See Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 10:34; Heb.12:22-24 and 2 Tim. 4:18. Peter expressed himself similarly in 1 Peter 1:4. Rev. 14:2-3 shows that the 144,000 are in heaven