The suggested answers provided to all questions below are based on and in harmony with the views of the original Watchtower Bible and Tract Society when under the guidance of Pastor Charles Taze Russell. Comments will often include a link to Pastor Russell’s own explanation. However, in any case, we leave your conclusions to your own personal study, prayer, conscience and the influence of the Holy Spirit.
- Who are the Friends of Jehovah’s Witnesses who have created this website?
- Why have the Friends of Jehovah’s Witnesses set up this site? What is your purpose?
- Should we really want to be on earth rather than heaven? Does the Bible give us that option?
- Are the Great Crowd the same as all the people in Paradise Earth?
- What is the role of the Great Crowd on Paradise Earth?
- Is the Great Crowd to be in heaven or on earth?
- Who are the “other sheep” of John 10:16?
- What happens to Anointed who do not make the 144,000
- As the Path Shines Brighter, does the Truth Change?
- Why does God Permit Evil and Human Suffering?
- What is the future mission of the Anointed for which they are now being prepared?
- Will Present Unbelievers Serve and Worship Jehovah on Paradise Earth?
- Will Everyone Be Resurrected from the Dead?
- Have People Received Final Judgment for the Past 6,000 or will they have an Opportunity for Judgment and Restitution on Paradise Earth?
- Will the wicked get an opportunity to repent in Paradise earth?
- Who will occupy the land of Israel in Paradise earth?
- Who does Jehovah make the New Covenant with?
- What prophecies regarding Israel’s regathering have already been or are being fulfilled?
Could someone tell me what time the sunday Morning online meeting starts?
Ken, I left at 7:30am I am 1 1/2 hr away so I didn’t see your comment so sorry. Anyway it is 9:30 CST but part is not online until devotionals are over.
Thanks Jacqueline!
Can anyone explain the meaning of Rev. 20:5…(“The rest of the dead didn’t come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.)This is the 1st resurrection. I always thought the 1st resurrection happened when the Church is ruling with Jesus BEFORE the start of the millinium?
Interpolation isn’t it? Wasn’t that written in the marginal notes?
After reading Rev. 20: 4,5 and 6, I see that it’s talking about those, who live on the earth, becoming spiritually alive at the end of the 1,000 year riegn of Christ.It just goes to show you should always consider the WHOLE scriptual context before attempting to make a conclusion!And yes Jacqueline the part of the scripture that’s in parenthesis is said to be spurious.
I agree one needs to consider any given verse in context Ken.
Some think the words in question are spurious because they aren’t found in the Vatican, Sinai, or Alexandrine manuscripts. They are also missing from the Vulgate and the Palestinian Peshitta of the fifth century. Do you care to speculate on why the NWT still includes the phrase in the body of the text in light of that?
Hi Dupin, I wondered that when I first found it it was spurious, tell me why you think they still include it in their NWT?
Dupin, as you probably already know, the foot note on pages 288-289 of the Divine Plan book has an excellent explaination of this verse.
I really have no idea why Franz left it in the NWT, though he did place it in parenthesis and included a footnote pointing out the lack of it in the manuscripts in question. I was just wondering if you had thought about it.
As you pointed out CTR does make a good comment on the subject on the pages you mention. I’ve never really taken a close look at the evidence pro and con on that phrase myself as the evidence presented seemed pretty good. One curiosity, though, I just checked the Sahidic Coptic, we can document Revelation in it to the fourth century, contemporaneous with the other great manuscripts. It has it. of course Dr. Horner didn’t publish his text and translation of it until after CTR’s death, so he wouldn’t have been aware of that. I’m starting to get curious about it. I may do some digging just to see what I may find.
Great Dupin, keep me informed on what you find.
Hi Ken,
The text is a problematic text for many of differing viewpoints. Some suggest that the text may be spurious and not on some of the older manuscripts. Some suggest the text may be indeed valid.
When reviewing this text in context.
“the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. this is the first resurrection.”
When is the first resurrection? Taken at face value, it would appear that it would not happen until the end of the 1000 years. This confusion has led many Christian to assume that Jesus will not return until the END of the 1000 years.
However, if we look at verse 6, it states that those who were in the first resurrection would reign DURING the 1000 yeras.
Revelation 20:6 “blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of god and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”
Either there are two subsequent 1000 year periods or there is something incredibly difficult to understand here.
Lets review this entire passage in context….
Revelation 20:4 “then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. and I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of god, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
5 the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. this is the first resurrection.
What then is the meaning? I think it’ll become clear after a couple of short comments on the word “lived again” in Greek in this verse.
Revelation 20:4 — “And they lived” kai ezeesan — First aorist active indicative of zaoo . If the ingressive aorist, it means “came to life” or “lived again” as in #Revelation 2:8 and so as to #Revelation 20:5. If it is the constative aorist here and in #Revelation 20:5, then it could mean increased spiritual life. See #John 5:21-29 for the double sense of life and death (now literal, now spiritual) precisely as we have the second death in #Revelation 2:11; 20:6,14.” (from Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament. Copyright © 1985 by Broadman Press.)
The unrighteous are not restored to a complete moral existence until they pass through the millennium to its termination.
Thanks Jeff!
Jeff, That is why the NWT committee say they included it, because the resurrected dead does not have everlasting life imputed to them until they have gone thru their judgement period of a thousand years.
Now let’s go further, are you aware that the witnesses apply this to the Great Crowd also? Even tho the bible say they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb? So that is one of the reasons I am leaning or stepping into the truth that that great crowd is indeed a heavenly great crowd. For a former witness Jeff it is a difficult thing to accept this, but since I saw some reasoning on that in your explanation for the benefit of our fellow witnesses I decide to address this.
Question:Is the Jw organization blood guilty because of the lives lost from members obeying flip flopping doctrine on blood transfusion, organ transplants and vaccinations, etc?
I don’t know Ken. I know they said they would assume responsibility for the marriages that broke up in the 70’s annd eighty’s because of the bedroom laws. Also they assumed responsibility for bringing the prisoners in that wrecked complete and utter havoc on so many sisters and their children. I would say because they know they are wrong and it is about control and is backfiring there is a measure of guilt. One that has not been mind controlled by them won’t understand how you let your child die for them. Jer.25 Jehovah said it never came up in his mind to child sacrifice.
Thanks for the reply Jacqueline.
Thanks for the link Jacqueline, from the input I’ve had from others, I’ll stick with the NKJV…..
Hi Ken!
Check this out. Perhaps it will help!
http://www.heraldmag.org/1996/96so_6.htm
Thanks Jeff that helps! I noticed that the NWT wasn’t listed in the Greek scripture ratings.
Is the JW NWT a good translation to use?
Ken I think it is as good as any. I have an eight translation Bible it can be ordered on amazon. I like seeing the Greek scriptures from the Jerusalem Bible, NIV, RVIC etc.
http://www.amazon.com/Eight-Translation-Testament-Tyndale-Publishers/dp/0842346910
As most of you know, I’ve been going to all the Jw meetings lately and there’s something I’ve noticed which I consider odd……the GB is being refered to more and more, in fact, the GB is being mentioned FAR more than Jesus christ is!! It seems as if people are afraid to say the name Jesus too many times for fear they’ll be considered like christendom or something? Tell me what guys think about this.
Ken, that was the basic reason I left. Our congregation has the CO’s home on the property and we would get random visits often. So GB was mentioned so much I would visibily cring and some of us would just look at each other every time. We made 3 rows, one Jehovah, Jesus and GB. Jehovah would win sometime , GB would win most of the time. Sometimes Jesus was never mentioned and He never won the most mentions ever. If fact when I would comment using Jesus instead of GB, the brother would say but you do realize the faithful and discreet slave is appointed by Jesus? I just couldn’t defend Jesus so for years I sat in the KH without saying a word. I had nowhere to go. I thought no one on earth knew about Jesus, 144,000 and earthly hope, so I prayed and stayed. I would think sometimes if this is what worship in the new world is going to be like I don’t want it. The GB sucks all the soul, spirit and joy out of worship of Jehovah and accepting Jesus as our Saviour. But I just went because I wanted to wait on Jehovah. That’s why I left in one night after I found the BS convention. I found I have to not hear one word from them to remain free. I don’t read their watchtower nothing to get free.
Dupin and Jacqueline, it makes me cringe too,in fact, it hurts me in my heart when they give the GB praise over our savior Jesus Christ!All one has to do is read the Bible from Matthew to Rev. and see how many times Jesus is mentioned over the apostles,the congregations and other individuals
Ken, there are so many persons in different parts of the world that say that was one of their main concerns. I remember the Jim Jones incident and we had to study how it is that professional persons would sell property and follow one man to the end. Some or most wanted to leave when it was too late but how did the mind allow itself to be captured. I told them about my experiences of how there were no chains on me but I had been fed this propaganda by a body of men. If fact I never missed a meeting. I can count on my hand in all my life if I ever missed a district or circuit convention. When I missed a meeting I was having a baby, recuperating or had the flu. That was the dept of my devotion. Constantly listening to every word is what encapsulated my mind. I was an example sitting right before them in psych class of mind control. Even they could not get me tojust leave and not go back. So the GB has some help from somewhere with this ability that they have. I know it is not the Lord. That is why I stay completely away from their magazines.
To let children die when there is as Br. Peter says no compelling scriptural support is not of God. One would err on the side of saving a child’s or person’s life if you are from God.
As ZenoDotus stated if an error is made in light of no clear prohibition, the SHED BLOOD OF THE CHRIST CAN COVER IT!!
But that is the problem THE CHRIST is dummied down to a mere arch angel that needs to have a GB on earth to run affairs before he and his bride class begin rule. He is handicapped by the rulings of a few men. Men that love money to a degree and live in the lap of luxury. (I’ve seen it personally).
BTW we are discussing Vol 4, pages 551 of the studies in the scriptures in our coming up Sunday class here. It is about armageddon and the collapse of the system. I was studying beforehand with another xjw and we realized that the recent selling off of buildings and the magazines not being read and made less could mean we are seeing the collapse of this organization. If you read what Br. Russell says he mentions that he does not know how Israel will go back home (but we have seen it,1947-48, 7 day war etc.) and about religion and the countries falling.
I am amazed at how he recognized the little small country take downs that are happenning right now. One little country after another.
I would encourage everyone to read the Vol 4 on Armageddon. It will give hope not dread.
http://www.biblestudybooks.org/ to get 6 volume set.
http://www.ctrussell.us/ to read online
Jacqueline,recently, I was starting to read and prep for the Jw meetings but after a short time I began to feel discouraged so I quit doing it. Now I just read the SITS and a Bible other then the NWT,currently, I’m in volume 5(Atonement Between God and Man)about 1/4 of the way through.I’ll review page 551 of volume 4 though. Do you think there’s another reason why they’re selling property and cutting down on magazines other than money?
Readership is way down. Mostly JW read study copies and they can tell who is using field copies because the brother just puts them out and you don’t have to take them, soI can see not printing and wasting money on ink. They say we should not build or invest in this system yet they are stock market rich investing heavily in large corp. They are keeping the money in their hands instead of giving cong the money back for the loans when the society sells the property. The way they talk they should not care about investments and should be helping the poor survive in the cong. They do not have funds for that they send you to the welfare system etc. When I say collapse I don’t mean as a business or corporation but as a religiously viable organization. The number of witnesses that are thinking and researching now according to internet sites usage is very high. I saw their concerns with large apartments and furniture and bidding with seniority when I visited as late as 2007. In a article for Warwick NY, they stated last year that they buy property, restore and edify the community. Most buy and sell property for gain. It is hard to view them for what I see them as but I have to stop kidding myself and call a spade a spade. Others could have a very different opinion, mine is based on what I read and what I observed when I was there on their property heating the talking and the overseers over the years. I could be wrong but they say but don’t follow their own advice.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/brooklyn_holy_land_wE3ZfOmbKo2X7Gke3RlsbI
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/16/big-deal-jehovahs-witnesses-list-prime-properties/
I think they are dividing up the booty and getting out of Dodge.
Thanks for the links Jacqueline. Over the past few years the GB has been emphasizing a family study day each week,maybe they’re getting the Jw’s ready for there departure?
Well they once said the book study in homes would be our main encouragement in the deep time of the end, but they took them away and put them in the home.
Deut 6:7 says to teach yours son at all opportunities not on one special day mandated by an organization. The bible has told us to do that already, obedience to God should have already been in place. The Book studies were becoming a problem as many elders were using this occasion to have discussions and let publishers talk afterward and they expressed doubts. So that according to some CO and others is the reason the book studies were put under the controll of the cong to be watched and no extra comments of opinion. Ken an organization is like any corporation, it looks out for it’s interest as it is not human. It will live on even after the founders are gone. No one has to tell a man or woman to teach their children. Jesus is the way, their departure means nothing to a Christian because men died anyway.
Ken yesterday I went for a walk and I passed the JW home where the pioneer sister was sent by the elders. On my way back the husband was coming out and the wife was in the car already. I said hello to him and commented on his doing well as he had been very ill and kept walking. He spoke and said I ‘ll see you later and I said hello to his wife. The air indicated that they have a change of attitude. It is one that I appreciate as we speak to each other but don’t bombard me with personal questions of an organization nature. This is the rapport I want to have with the friends. They may worship in any way and I will respect them, but at the same time I want them to let me worship and stop the madness. Hopefully the word will get around that I said I have critcally looked at this organization and have chosen to find a religion that has Christ as it’s head. That is what I told her at our last visit. One brother on this site told this same sister that a couple of weeks ago when she phoned him and another brother on our wednesday night informed us she came by his home to see his 80 something mother and he is DF’d right before memorial. She is quite the busy bee, for the elders I am sure. They need to be men and do their own dirty work or just let it go. Now I think I will have peace from visits as I hold my head up and don’t hide from them. Thanks for listening, just had to tell that experience from last night.
Some have interacted with Truman from JWN. This was Truman’s 35 year old son. http://www.channel3000.com/news/Sheriff-s-deputy-locksmith-killed-during-eviction-body-found-in-burned-building/-/1648/10684890/-/il8pjb/-/ . You have our deepest sympathy. The son is a witness.
That was why I left.
Back when I studied with the Witnesses the congregation was going through a commentary on Ezekiel, “The Nations Wiil Have To Know That I Am Jehovah.’ We called it the “Know Jehovah” book.That book was where I learned my sense of idolatry and faithfulness to God. among the things it taguth was that in Ezechiel’s time the Jews used the temple as a sort of talisman. they reasoned that God would never keep his word because that would mean the destruction of his temple. Little did they know!
Not long before I faded out I noticed the same thing taking place. Praise was being directed to the “faithful and discrete slave” and the Organization at all levels ahead of Jehovah God. And lip service was paid to the author of our salvation, God’s son. Time and again we were told that we had nothing to worry about because God would allow nothing to happen to his organization because we had the “faithful and discrete slave.” See the parallel? What I saw in it was the same sort of conduct as the Jews of both Ezechiel’s day and Jesus’.
So I left. And I started interacting with the Bible Students online as I’d already found them.
Will all those who died faithful to Jehovah and are resurrected on earth,have perfect human bodies or will they have to wait ’till the end of the 1,000 yrs like the rest of humanity? Please prove your awnser with scripture.
There is an index you can obtain from the Bible Student Ministries site, here is the direct link: http://biblestudents.net/store/products/topical-index-for-studies-in-the-scriptures-and-other-helps/
Ah, sweet! Thanks RR!
RR, I don’t have pay pal, could you tell me where to send my payment.
Bible Student Ministries
P.O. Box 6685
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
Thanks RR!
Well Ken I don’t know if you check in on the weekend but. I received a call at 8am, woke me up. A witness was getting ready for field service and wanted to know what I was doing today. A lot of conversation went on and I realize I am the subject with some elders. In fact I was given an invitation along with another witness no longer attending to come and see this elder as he is gravely ill. I was asked where I attended the memorial. I stated the name of the city, the caller said I go to that KH that bears that name. I knew this already. I didn’t explain that we, the BS were also having memorial there just a mile away. I was asked about other brothers but informed the caller that these persons would not appreciate me talking about them and their spiritual life. I told the caller that I was in a better spiritual state than I have been in over 30yrs. They stated the court case was so unfair. I told the caller that it made them feel safe to try and say I was stumbled by something that ordinary girls deal with every day. I said you and some members of my family are afraid to admit and look at the organization and the GB critically. I told the caller that they know I would not change anything that has happened to me and I am free from the politics of belonging to an order or org. with a president and all the trappings and politics. I told the caller to tell the elders they are free to talk to the elders in my cong. I would supply Br. Peter’s number and we could sit down and discuss scripture. The call ended.
I just received another call I guess after conferring with the brothers, so I am going to see where this goes today, but I will deal with it as I am where I pay rent in my home and I will not be intimidated in my home. Will give update if anything happens, but I will pray but be courageous and strong.
Hi Jacqueline,I don’t usually check in on weekends (yet):)but am getting to that point.wow,really seems like the Jw friends are concerned about you and want you to come back to their fold.I feel the same way as you do about being in a better spiritual state since I’ve joined the BS. My wife is starting to listen to me more and more, she’s also finding out the BS teachings,fundamentally, are the same as the Jw’s.
Hey Rolie!
Nice to see you drop by!
Why do BS resent being called Russellites? People who follow Luther are called Lutherans, people who follow Calvin are Calvanists even people who followed Miller were called Millerites. So should it not stand to reason that people who follow the teachings of C.T.Russell should be called Russellites?
Hi Anonymous,
I don’t know if at the heart, any of those groups you mentioned would be really happy with the respective labeling and how they would describe themselves. Maybe the older religions, and the more established churches don’t mind. But the Bible Students are not old and not well established organizationally. They are thrilled with the purity that comes from studying the Scriptures and avoid associating into any denominational labels beyond the generic Bible students. Though on the outside, you could call the Bible Students Russellites, because they agree with CT Russell, but it NOT something that they strive for. Their goal is to follow Christ, and the teachings of the Bible. Compare 1 Cor 1:12. Would you be pleased with a label that aims for something different than your main Christian goal?
Hope this helps,
Best,
Kris
“Their goal is to follow Christ, and the teachings of the Bible.” I doubt if there is a Christian religion that would not agree they do the same. But each religion follows the teaching of the Bible according to their founder. Since the founder of the BS was C.T.Russell, his followers should not resent being called by his name. BS teach his writings exclusively and while anyone can be a student of the Bible, not every student of the Bible follows the teachings of Russell. Thank you for your reply, I’m just curious, you understand.
Anonymous -C.T. Russell himself resisted attaching any label to the group, but others started labeling the group “Millennial Dawnists,” “Russellites,” etc. Finally he suggested the descriptive name “Bible Students” since that is what we were, students of the Bible. This was hopefully to prevent the attaching of these other labels. It would be wrong to attach the name “Russellites” to Bible Students. Any member has the liberty to disagree with Russell before all the Congregation members. I have seen this happen often, even from those who generally agree with C.T. Russell’s teachings. We freely disagree because we are not defending the man, C.T. Russell. We are defending the Bible and it’s teachings. We have no fear of this happening since we can defend our views from the complete and harmonious testimony of the scriptures. Any agreement with Russell’s teachings is through personal study and conviction. There is no central organization to enforce beliefs. These beliefs are embraced as each student of the Bible studies them and verifies that this is what the Bible is teaches. One of the things so compelling about C.T. Russell’s presentations in the Studies in the Scriptures is that he comprehensively covers each topic, including the scriptures used to present the opposing view, then brings complete harmony and agreement of all the scriptures on that topic and in agreement with Jehovah’s comprehensive plan. In other Churches, you can not get away with publicly disagreeing with the Church teaching. What Church allows you to do that in their regular Sunday service or even weeknight studies? This is why you cannot call Bible Students “Russellites.” Why would you designate our group by a name which we refuse to be designated by?
Thank you for the explanation, I didn’t mean any disrespect.
Anonymous – None taken. I am glad you feel comfortable enough to share your point of view and I am always glad to do the same.
Does anyone know where I can buy an index for SITS volume subjects(subject index)?
I will look. I think I have something like that from Dawn. Working today. Will look tomorrow.