from the Scriptures why...
1) Material wealth is a sign of Jehovah's blessing in our modern day.
First off, whoever stated that Jehovah's Witnesses are generally known as people having material wealth? Laughable considering a substantial amount of posters on this forum consider the average JW as being uneducated and/or a window washer. Your question would be better served towards an acolyte of Creflo Dollar or Tammy Swaggart. You know, it amazes me how some ex-JWs view themselves as Rhodes Scholars upon leaving The Truth. They're like, "I read Origin of Species, now I'm enlightened!" Give me a break. Material wealth associated with JWs is for the most part an oxymoron. Now, if you're referring to the WT as having substantial assets, well I won't argue with you. I'm not remotely embarrased by any material provisions they've accumulated. The reason being is, I know that whatever money aquired is being put to good use. That said, your question is really quite, misleading and uninformed. How about, ummm, explain why material resources are of sign of Jehovah's blessing? Now that, would be a more appropriate question. The answer can be ascertained quickly after reviewing accounts found within Nehemiah, 2 Chronicles, 1 Kings, and Acts of the Apostles. There are other accounts, but the simple answers can be found in those records.
Question 2 is simply offensive and not worth entertaining. You're basically mocking the death of good people.
Why Jesus is not your mediator?
Have you ever heard the statement, "too many chiefs, not enough Indians?" Well, let's take it a step further, how about no Indians and all chiefs. Not sensible is it? Your secular work, do you have a boss, or do you not answer to anyone? Better still, nobody answers to you because all the employees are supervisors as well? Madness, right? Well the same would be true if all of mankind were part of the New Covenant arrangement. To better understand this arrangement, one would have to examine Moses' responsibilities as Mediator between the fleshly nation of Israel and Jehovah. He as in fact the chosen mediator between that nation and God. Any who questioned his role paid a dear cost for their insubordination. (Numbers 16; Numbers 12:1, 2, 9, 10)
Ok, so we established Moses' role as being mediator, and it goes without saying that it foreshadowed Jesus' role in the New Covenant. I don't think I need to spell that out for you. Now, let's talk about the time frame leading up to both individuals' roles and the identity of the other parties involved. Moses role as mediator began while the Israelites were still under bondage in Egypt. As a result his role was initially involved only God and the Israelites. Similary Jesus relationship was exclusive to the nation of Israel which was a continuation of Jehovah's relationship with that nation. Not the Babylonians, not the Assyrians, not the Egyptians, no the covenant relationship was strictly with the Israelites. That's the reason why Jesus was so disappointed with Israel's rejection of him.- Exodus 19:5, 6; Luke 13:33, 34.
Now, we've established an Act-I, or a prelude so to speak. What changed? Well after Israel's release from Egyptian bondage, they were joined by some of the very people they were enslaved by and possibly people of other nations as well and were to remember their own plight in a foreign land so as not to treat non-natual Hebrews unfairly.(Ex 23:9; Lev 19:33) However there were still regulations and restrictions placed upon alien residents despite their having to be treated as brothers of the Israelites and under the Law.(Deut 23; Lev 24:22) So there was a subtle difference between Israelites and alien residents. Those same differences forshadowed the differences between those part of the New Covenant and Christians that will comprise the Great Crowd. People often mistake those difference as that being the Gentiles and the Hebrews. They couldn't be more wrong however. True as mentioned earlier, Jesus primary witness was to the Jews. Later, Peter initiated the preaching of the good news to a Gentile. Paul took it to the next level. Still throughout their writings and what Luke recorded, the theme of Spiritual Israel remains present.(Gal 3:26-29; 6:16; Acts 3:25, 26) So any thoughts that the fulfillment of Jesus' words on one flock were fulfilled with the bringing in of the Gentiles, are erroneos.-John 10:16
With all that said, it's quite evident that Jesus covenant was strictly with those who had a heavenly hope as that's the common theme presented within the Christian Greek Scriptures. While there are verses within the Hebrew Scriptures that allude to the earthly hope(Psa 37:9-11), truly the Christian Greek Scriptures don't touch on the other flock until Revelation 7:9, 13 where it talks about "ones that come out of the Great Tribulation." The same way the alien resident benefited from their relationship with natural Israelites, so does the Great Crowd from their support and relationship with the Annointed who are the sole benefactors of the New Covenant.
