The righteous will posess the earth

lostsheep82

Everytime I talk to my mom about the religion I once was a part of, she always throws scriptures at me. Even though I provided her and my 'anointed' step dad with an 85 page letter of research on this religion, provided quotes of all failed prophecies, and all the BS the society feeds them, personal emails from the UN and letters from the Society in their stupid defence....they just took it as apostate material. My step dad even admitted he didn't read the whole thing, but he got the 'just' of my point. Whatever.

Anyways one thing I talked to my mom about was the fact that no where in the bible does it mention paradise earth. Her defense was the scripture that says " The righteous themselves will posess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it".

I grew up in the 'truth' and was 'spiritually strong', and I can usually defend myself on this side just as good as I defended the truth when I was in it, but this scripture makes me wonder and think and makes me confused a little....

No the bible doesn't mention paradise earth, but what does this scripture mean then?

Thoughts?

IP_SEC

No the bible doesn't mention paradise earth,

Not in those words specifically but it does often poetically refer to the idea. Who can know what those words actually meant to the readers of the time. Arguing over the bible is about as silly as arguing over an issue of Spiderman.

Awakened at Gilead

LostSheep, this was a turning point for me... in pioneer school, we learned that we need to examione the scriptures in their context. And Ps 37:29 has it's context also. Note what the original understanding of thie verse was:

w746/15p.377par.13ServewithEternityinView

In Psalm 37:11, 29 David wrote: "The meek ones themselves will possess the earth, . . . The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it." In saying this he evidently drew upon what should have been the case with regard to the Promised Land in his days and in the following generations. According to God’s covenant with Abraham, the wicked pagans who had lived in the land should be cleared out. (Gen. 15:18-21; 17:8; Deut. 7:22; Josh. 21:43-45) Thus each successive generation of righteous worshipers making up the nation of Israel could have resided on the land, the portion of the earth that God gave to them.

lostsheep82

I like that point. What magazine is that from? Watchtower July, 1946???

Awakened at Gilead

June 15, 1974.

It shows that the EXTENDED application is in the future, but that is not what David had in mind originally.

Mary

According to Adam Clark's Commentary, the word Åra arets, used here, should be translated as "land", not "earth" as it is most likely referring to the land of Judea and this verse is a promise of the Jews returning there, not the idea of a futuristic Paradise earth that is depicted by the WTS.

snowbird

I believe that Scripture in Psalm refers both to the Promised Land and the whole earth. Revelation 21 and 22 seem to show that the Throne of God is coming down to us, and that Jesus of Nazareth is the One preparing the way for that to happen.

I believe the whole purpose of Holy Writ is the planned righting of all things that have gone wrong, but it's not left to any group to tell others the when and where of this restoration. Nor does it tell any such group to insist on their way being the only way.

The WT has done just that; they have overstepped their bounds and are treading dangerously close to outright rebellion against the very God they profess to serve.

I hope they will come to their senses and repent before it's too late.

Sylvia

shopaholic

Good point AG. I actually came to that conclusion several years ago while conducting a bible study. The righteous will always be here on the earth it doesn't mean that it will be in a paradise.

Good point IP_SEC, no need to argue over the bible. I say just let people be, until they because a physical danger to others.

Finally-Free

The righteous will posess the earth

This scripture alone is enough to disqualify JWs from "posessing the earth". I assume "righteous" does not include liars, thieves, child molesters, and those who protect them, either actively or passively.

W

bob1999

Revelation 21 and 22 to show that the Throne of God is coming down to a new earth. The new heaven and the new earth are one in the same.

In Revelation 21 the holy city comes down to the new earth. The thrones of God and Christ are part of that city. The river of the water of life flows from those thrones. 22 God and Christ shall reign, from their thrones in the new city, for ever and ever.

So, there is no difference between the new heaven and the new earth. Living on the new earth IS living with God.

The WTS idea of "144000 in heaven and the rest on earth" has no biblical basis.

All who are saved will be with God and Christ.

Peace

The righteous will posess the earth

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