Yes. The Bible teaches that present unbelievers will have an opportunity for future judgment based on their response to Christ’s Millennial Kingdom on Paradise earth. At that time, most of them will accept Jesus and they will worship and serve Jehovah.
Phil 2: 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus EVERY knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that EVERY tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. NKJV
Those under the earth are those asleep in the grave who will worship God when resurrected in the kingdom.
Rev 15:4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You..” NKJV
Dan 7:14, 27 Then to Him [Christ] was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That ALL peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him… His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ NKJV
Some might argue that the nations are destroyed at the end of the Millennium, but notice it says, “His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.” The nations will continue to serve Christ forever.
Isa 66:23 – all flesh come to worship before me, saith Jehovah. ASV
Ps 22:27 All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the LORD, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. NKJV
Ps 138:4 All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O LORD, When they hear the words of Your mouth. NKJV
Ps 72:8,11,17 – He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, And from the River to the ends of the earth… Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; All nations shall serve Him… His name shall endure forever; His name shall continue as long as the sun. And men shall be blessed in Him; All nations shall call Him blessed. NKJV
Rev 11:15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying,”The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” NKJV
Notice again, Christ reigns over “the kingdoms of this world… forever and ever!” The kingdoms of this world become a part of Christ’s kingdom forever and are not destroyed after the Millennium.
Rev 21: 23 And the city hath no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine upon it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the lamp thereof (is) the Lamb. 24 And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it. ASV
Mal 1:11 For from the rising of the sun, even to its going down, My name shall be great among the Gentiles; In every place incense shall be offered to My name, And a pure offering; For My name shall be great among the nations,” Says the LORD of hosts. NKJV
Rev 5:13 – “And every creature … heard I saying, Blessing, and honor…to… the Lamb for ever” AKJV
Ps 86:9; Ps 65:1-2; Zech 2:11; Zech 9:10
I am afraid I totally missed the answer to this question. So I’ll ask it my way and hope there is a simple answer. Will those of Christendom inherit the heavenly kingdom or will they be earthly? How about the people who have never heard of the Bible or Jehovah as the one and only true God? So I guess my full question might be:
Will everyone born after Christ died and/or his resurrection serve in heaven or earth for all eternity?
Thank you so much for your time.
Christian love,
Tulsigirl
Hello again Mrs. Researcher,
I’ve never been a JW, I was born in a BS family.
But I wish that if I were I would be such a good researcher as you are. 🙂
Christian love,
Claudia
Mrs. Researcher,
I wanted to add a couple more scriptures to what bro. Peter brought out.
If we look at what Jesus did while on earth – he would speak to the multitudes in parables – and he would explain the meaning only to his disciples – we do not find him trying to “convert” the multitudes. If he really wanted to “save” as many people as possible he would have made things really plain instead of purposely making them hard to understand.
Luke 8:9 His disciples began questioning Him as to what this parable meant.
Luke 8:10 And He said, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is in parables, so that SEEING THEY MAY NOT SEE, AND HEARING THEY MAY NOT UNDERSTAND.
At the first advent he said that he came to “save” the world, not to “judge” it (John 12:47). He said ‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations’ (Mat. 28:19). I believe we live in the same dispensation as Jesus when we are to ‘make disciples’ and not ‘convert the world’ – the latter is a mission of Christ and His bride during the 1000 yr Kingdom.
I also like these scriptures from Acts 15:14-17 that explain what God is doing:
Act 15:14 Symeon hath rehearsed how first God visited the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Act 15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written,
Act 15:16 After these things I will return, And I will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen; And I will build again the ruins thereof, And I will set it up:
Act 15:17 That the residue of men may seek after the Lord, And all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called,
This spells out the plan pretty nicely:
1) God is selecting a people from among the Gentiles (those that will reign with Jesus in the Kingdom)
2) Jesus returns and restores Israel
3) The rest of the Gentiles are given the opportunity to seek the Lord
Interesting Jacqueline, I didn’t know that the JW teachings apply those scriptures to the present. I wonder how they explain Micah 4:1-4 since verses 3 and 4 have not come to pass yet – there are plenty of wars among the nations and plenty of fear among people:
Mic 4:1 But in the latter days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow unto it.
Mic 4:2 And many nations shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem;
Mic 4:3 and he will judge between many peoples, and will decide concerning strong nations afar off: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
Mic 4:4 But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig-tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of Jehovah of hosts hath spoken it.
Claudia,
Micah 4:1 They say Jehovah’s organization is mountain and now in the last days people are flowing into the organization.
Verse 2, applies to the organization headed and led by the faithful and discreet slave. or now the governing body.
verse 3,Today this is being fulfilled with his people and completely in the future after Armageddon.
verse 4: Millennium.
This is the problem many of us have with the explanations. In the middle of a verse JW will swing from pre to post Armageddon in the middle of a verse before the period at the end of the sentence. Everything about Israel is applied to the anointed or now to the GB. There is no application to Natural Israel. JW believe instead of just having a grafting in to the tree. Israel was replaced. This they say is something that JW have discerned and not other religions, that they are the Spiritual Jews and Spiritual Israel. Even in the book of Isaiah when it is bad it is Christendom (counterfeit Christians) and when it says Israel did something good it is talking about the Organization. I stopped attending our Tuesday nite book study in 2005 because we were studying a book written about Isaiah verse by verse. I kept questioning how you change the identity of what Israel represents in the middle of a verse.
The question of Israel was a turning point and defining moment for me.
I generally will keep silent on doctrinal issues, but I could not wrap my brain around their explanations. Witnesses change doctrine a lot, but I memorize each change. This discussion however is making sense, plus I already studied it in Studies In the Scriptures and other BS publications.
I stated what witnesses believe so BS could understand where witnesses are coming from in their discussions. Why witnesses ask the questions that they do.
Hi Claudia
Sorry I got a bit carried away and forgot to say good bye…I wonder if you were a JW once?
Love
Mrs.Researcher
Hi Claudia
Thinking about this topic and how JWS think things will go, I did some more maths on the matter. Nothing extraordinary. I just wanted to see how much sense did it make.
I had borrowed the 2010 yearbook and I was looking for the total
number of baptized publishers for each country and for the world, as
well as the number of anointed. I couldn’t find any of these numbers.
Only the total number of publishers, 7.3 million, which includes children
and an all unbaptized publishers. We know that most families would have about two kids, which are either young baptized publishers or non baptized publishers, though their understanding of what they have joined is pretty poor. TSo this number of 7.3 million is an overestimation of the number of actual baptized and grown -up JWs.
If every year the number of NEW baptized people is published, why don’t they go adding them up to a total number of baptized JWs?
The real number of baptized JWs is not anywhere to be found, probably because it is only about 3 million. …. and the whole idea of counting people is to say that this must be God’s organization, or it wouldn’t be so blessed!!
If, according to JW beliefs, only baptized people hat are in good standing
for Armageddon (if they keep up with the standards and levels of study
and ministry, or they won’t be good enough), then we are not talking of 7 million to be saved, but much less, maybe even half of that amount (we have no clue as we don’t
have the numbers).
The world has 6,89 billion people (http://www.worldometers.info/),
almost 7 billion. If there were in fact 7.3 million baptized
JWs in good standing, we are talking of 1 million people
dying for each JW on earth if Armageddon were to happen soon. This is our over estimated best case scenario.
Would we believe that Jesus died for so few of the people living on earth
today could gain everlasting life? I would imagine that
something is wrong, either not only good JWs will be saved, or we have
to wait a very very long time for the JWs numbers to be a significant
portion of humanity for God to pleased about saving. This could take, at this rate, hundreds of years, so we would not be now in the last days after all. The loss would be so big that when saving one child, 999.999 would be lost. If I were
the parent of those 1 million kids I couldn’t be happy with that
outcome, even if the 999.999 were naughty. That amount of loss would
be a huge success for the Satan. I cannot be happy with this kind of
prospect for humanity….
Something here is very wrong. I hope that sincere JWs will look at this issue in the face.
PS: Nobody in the JWs ever takes the time to do this simple exercise. OR if they realize that it would be a massacre they don’t care that much as they believe they would be saved.
Mrs. Researcher – I like your concept. Even 1,000 per JW would seem like a failure on God’s part and a disaster for mankind. God has something more loving in mind for all the people of the earth. The fact is that it was not Jesus’ plan to convert the world during this present time (Matt 13:10, 11) No. Not until the time of Paradise earth.
Isa 29:18, 24 – Deaf will hear, blind will see. Those who erred will understand.
Isa 26:9 – “when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”
Isa 11:9-10 – “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.”
Mic 4:1-2 – “Many nations shall say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.”
Isa 35:8 – “The way of holiness… shall be for (the redeemed)…fools, shall not err (therein).” ASV
Mrs. Researcher,
Isn’t it amazing how clearer the bible is when you hear another person’s view. I have read the scriptures Br. Peter has quoted but because of our belief in what Mic.4:1-2 means witnesses are thrown off as to time period.
JW believe nations only exist on this side of 1,000yrs.The mountain being organization. So if JW could adjust the time period, the prophecies can may sense. Also JW believe Israel refers to Spiritual Israel (anointed)not natural Israel.
Zech 8:23 “This what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘It will be in those days that ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold, yes they will actually take hold of the skirt of a man who is a Jew, saying:”We will go with you people, for we have heard that God is with you people.”‘”
Witnesses says this is now, and that the Jew is a spiritual Jew (anointed).
Leaving it a Natural Jew and putting it in the millennium will help JW understand. I know there will be the problem of no nations surviving Armageddon
according to JW belief (that’s another subject), but I am beginning to understand now. Funny, how we have to wipe our minds and let new thoughts come in and accept exactly in some cases what the Bible says as literal.
Isaiah 26:9 now makes sense to me. Time period is every thing.
Wow Mrs. Researcher – I can’t imagine a child growing up with that idea – especially if you loved and admired your father. It seems like you’ve come a long way – I really appreciate your inquisitive mind and continual reasoning from the Scriptures. I like what you said – we should want to worship and obey God because we appreciate and love Him and His character and His laws with all our mind and heart and soul and not because we fear his judgment if we don’t obey.
Isa. 29:13Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.
I pray He will continue to lead you to higher and deeper truths as you search to know Him with all your heart. Your children are blessed to have you as their mom! 🙂
In Christian love,
Claudia
Hi Claudia
I like how you understand these issues, it is a much more loving interpretation than what JWs teach. I remember that the main thing that I did not like about growing as JW with an unbelieving father was that mum taight s that any day, when Armagedon comes, dad would we wiped out-end of story. I would hate top teach that to my child, and believ that God would be so harsh on the people that are not bad, they justa haven’t spent time looking for him or have looked elsewhere (as JWs thing they will be only ones to be saved, it doesn’t count if you looked for God in another religion). I really appreciate that you BS (Bible Students) have come to this much more empathetic understanding, as surely God is loving and we shall love him more than we fear him.
Thanks and well done!
In Christian love,
Mrs Researcher
Hello Mrs. Researcher (I like your name 🙂 ),
I was glad to see your messages and I want to welcome you – may the Lord continue to guide you in your experiences with the JW’s and may He lead you closer to Him – will pray for you regarding that.
1)You are probably referring to these scriptures:
Mat 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, as ye go forth out of that house or that city, shake off the dust of your feet.
Mat 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Vs. 15 shows that the people who didn’t listen to them will come back in the judgment day (they did not go to the 2nd death because they didn’t listen), but it will just be harder for them than if they paid attention at their first opportunity.
These verses probably have a more specific application to the nation of Israel – who were under a covenant with God – but since they did not receive God’s son and the prophets they remained guilty and were being cast out of favor.
I believe that people will die during Armaghedon, but not the 2nd death, just the old Adamic death, since it’s only afterwards, when the peaceable Kingdom starts that they will have the opportunity to see clearly who God is, what Jesus did for them and the opportunity to follow Him and gain eternal life.
2) Yes, we believe the Bible teaches that people of all nations will be given the opportunity during the 1000 yr reign of Christ to know and obey God and if they do that they will inherit eternal life. I like these verses from Revelation which say that the nations will experience healing under Christ’s Kingdom – which means they will be brought back to perfection, physical and moral:
Rev 22:1 And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb,
Rev 22:2 in the midst of the street thereof. And on this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve manner of fruits, yielding its fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
If after being given a full opportunity they still harbor lies and disobedience in their hearts – they will be destroyed in the 2nd death by the end of the millennium. Rev. 21:6-8
And regarding your last question – I believe that only those who make a covenant with God to follow Jesus in this life and consecrate their lives to that purpose are subject to the 2nd death if after seeing the light clearly they willingly turn against it. So, if they gave up their earthly rights in order to be with Jesus in heaven, but then they turn around there’s no more sacrifice remaining for them. Heb. 10:26
in Christian love,
Claudia
Hi Jaquie
Thanks for your prompt reply on the generations topic and referal to the Questions tab. You have explained very well how everyone will have a chance to worship God when his Kingdom comes. I still have a couple of questions though.
1) What about the “bloodguilt” that JWs think they are freed from by giving the good news to unreceptive people*? They feel that at least they tried and now they won’t be guilty for their deaths when they will be judged. So, if you believe that everyone will be resurrected and have a chance to become fully aware of the situation regarding acknowledging Jehovah’s sovereignty before being judged, to what blood (death) does that scripture* refer? Will some be destroyed when Armagedon comes or not?
2) Will these nations on earth be of people who will live forever on earth? Or will they just live in cycles as we have until now, being replaced over time? I guess that if “death will be no more” the will live forever?
I will be looking forward to your comment on the new DVD. I have it so will watch it again now that i know that the Bible students still exist!
In sisterly love,
Mrs Researcher
*Sorry I cannot find exactly which scripture it is right now, but its one of those about going door to door and if you are not received, you shake the dust off your sandals, at least their blood is not on your hands…” Also there is that scripture in 2 Peter about God not wanting anyone to be destroyed….do you think he means not destroyed when Armagedon comes but later during the millennium? If we are not under threat of immediate destruction is the Gospel then not a life-saving work but just a means of giving God his deserved worship and providing hope to our fellowmen?