Comments You Will Not Hear at the 11-21-04 WT Study (October 15, 2004 1 st article) Review comments will be in black and parentheses ()
WT quotes
will be in red and quotes ""Quotes from other sources
will be in bluePARADISE?FOR YOU?
"I know a man in union with Christ who?was caught away into paradise."?2 Corinthians 12:2-4--NWT
I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows--was caught up to the third heaven. And I know that this man--whether in the body or away from the body I do not know, God knows--Was caught up into paradise, and he heard utterances beyond the power of man to put into words, which man is not permitted to utter.?2 Corinthians 12:2-4 (Amplified Bible)
www.biblegateway.com /cgi-bin/bible
Opening Comments
Paradise?.what had the early Christians been promised, an earthly or a heavenly abode?
What are prospective JWs told now?whether adults or children of JWs?
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Paragraphs 1-3 (Excerpts)
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Paradise. Do you remember how you felt when you first heard about God?s promises of an earthly paradise??Were you not thrilled to read of dead loved ones coming back to life with the prospect of remaining in that Paradise?-?Isaiah 11:6; 35:5,6; John 5:28,29.
Isn?t this the message that is really pushed from door to door? Not the vindication of God?s sovereignty and the sanctification of his name?or the Kingdom?
What is the universal issue?Paradise? An individual?s personal salvation?
w99 7/15 p. 19 Anchored by Hope, Impelled by Love ***
Out of gratitude to Jehovah, our primary concern should be, not to gain personal salvation, but to witness the sanctification of his holy name and the vindication of his righteous sovereignty.
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7/15 p. 13 Helping People to Draw Close to Jehovah ***Having aroused a person?s interest by telling him or her about the hope of everlasting life in Paradise, do we focus our teaching on just the basics of Scriptural knowledge and then lay emphasis principally on what the person must do to get eternal life? Could our teaching consist solely of this: ?If you want to live forever in Paradise, you must study, go to meetings, and share in the preaching work?? If so, we are not building the person?s faith on a solid foundation, and what we build may not resist the fire of trials or stand the test of time. Trying to draw people to Jehovah just by the hope of life in Paradise in exchange for a few years spent serving him is like building with "wood materials, hay, stubble."
w99
7/15 p. 18 Anchored by Hope, Impelled by Love ***A few dedicated Christians in some parts of the world appear to have reefed the sails of their ship of faith. The ship is still afloat, but instead of forging ahead in full faith, they have adopted a cruising speed. Drawn by the hope of "Paradise soon," some were prepared to spare no efforts to attain it?zealous in the preaching work and regular in attendance at all meetings, assemblies, and conventions. Now thinking that the realization of their hopes is farther off than they anticipated, they have lowered the price they are willing to pay. This is evident in reduced preaching activity, irregularity at meetings, and willingness to miss parts of assembly or convention programs. Others are devoting more time to recreation and to obtaining material comforts. These facts lead us to consider what should be the driving force in our lives in line with our dedication to Jehovah. Should our zeal in his service be dependent on the hope of "Paradise soon"?
After 7/15/99 how many times does the WTS mention "paradise soon"?
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w03 2/15 p. 6 Jehovah?A God Worth Knowing ***I also learned that he made humans to live forever on a paradise earth, and this will soon be realized.
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g03 8/8 p. 20 Tahiti and the Search for Paradise ***For while beautiful Tahiti has many paradisaic features, it pales in comparison with the global Paradise God will soon usher in. The search for this Paradise is not in vain.
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w03 10/15 p. 7 How Can You Make Wise Decisions? ***The Bible shows that the present political, economic, and religious global system and those who support it will soon pass from the earth. Yet, individuals who have wisely decided for life and who act accordingly will remain. As the nucleus of a new world society, they will take part in making the earth a paradise, as God originally intended.
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w03 11/15 p. 6 You Can Believe in a Paradise Earth ***Jehovah created the earth to be the Paradise home of the human family. Very soon now, God will have that original purpose fulfilled
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ol part 9 p. 30 True Religion Can Benefit You Forever! ***God?s Kingdom will soon make this earth a paradise.
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w02 1/1 p. 14 The Blessings of the Good News ***They announce that God?s Kingdom has been established in heaven under the anointed King, Jesus Christ, and that soon it will remove wickedness from the earth and oversee the restoration of Paradise.
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g02 1/8 p. 12 Support and Compassion From Many Parts ***Modesty should impel us to go to God?s Word to find the true hope for the dead and to discover what God will soon do to reestablish Paradise conditions on this earth.
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1/15 p. 7 Trust in Jehovah?The God Who Is Real ***Paradise on earth will soon become a reality. Jehovah has purposed it!
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w02 2/1 p. 7 Cleanliness?What Does It Really Mean? ***Yes, cultivating good habits of cleanliness now gives strong evidence of our faith in God?s promise that he will soon establish a clean paradise earth
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w02 6/1 p. 31 Finding the Truth in an Unlikely Place ***Finally, Osman read that Jehovah will soon bring about an earthly paradise in which people will be able to live forever.
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w02 6/15 p. 7 Mankind?s Problems Soon to End! ***Soon, on a cleansed paradise earth, they will experience complete freedom from all injustice and suffering
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w02 8/15 p. 7 To Whom Should You Be Loyal? ***Soon, all those loyal to Jehovah will be ushered into a paradise earth, where they will enjoy freedom from sorrow and pain and will delight in lasting relationships free from religious and political divisions
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T-26 p. 4 Would You Like to Know More About the Bible? ***Not only do these prophecies describe the condition of the world today but they also show that God will soon transform the earth into a paradise.
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ip-2 chap. 22 pp. 333-334 Righteousness Sprouts in Zion ***Today Jehovah?s worshipers delight to be in a spiritual paradise. Soon they will also enjoy Paradise in a physical sense.
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ip-2 chap. 2 p. 26 Prophetic Words of Comfort That Involve You ***Soon, when God destroys his enemies, the entire earth will be transformed into a physical paradise, just as Jesus promised the evildoer on the stake.?Luke 23:43.
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dg part 11 p. 31 The New World?s Foundation Now Being Formed ***Truly, God cares for us! Very soon he will provide a delightful earthly paradise. Do you want to live in that Paradise?
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g01 2/22 p. 31 Radioactive Fallout?A Matter of Concern ***We can be confident in the Bible?s promise that soon our planet will be a paradise.
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w01 7/1 p. 9 Rejoice in the Knowledge of Jehovah ***They also know that he will soon bring an end to all wickedness and transform the earth into a global paradise.
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w01 11/1 p. 25 "Religious Tolerance Day" ***At the conclusion of her presentation, Malwina stated: "There is another reason why we call at your home. We care about you. The Bible says that mankind will soon experience world-shaking events. So the next time we knock on your door, please take time to listen. We would like to tell you how we can live together forever in a paradise on earth."
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ip-1 chap. 30 p. 398 "Comfort My People" ***And what about Jehovah?s promise that he will soon end wickedness and transform this earth into a paradise? Is it not comforting to have the prospect of surviving into that coming Paradise and never dying?
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gf lesson 6 p. 10 Paradise Is Near! ***A
lack of food. Throughout the earth there are people who do not have enough food to eat. Millions of people die of hunger every year. This is another sign that the Paradise will soon be here. The Bible says: "There will be food shortages."?Mark 13:8.***
w00 2/15 p. 5 Stay out of the Danger Zone! ***That good news includes the message that the Creator of the universe, Jehovah God, has established the heavenly Kingdom that will destroy the wicked system of things and bring in a paradise on earth. Indeed, the sign that God will soon take action is observable now, indicating that the lives of people in this system of things are in danger.
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w00 2/15 p. 25 Are You Moved to Act as Jesus Was? ***As a result, they do not know of the sound guidance found in the Bible nor of the Paradise conditions that God?s Kingdom will soon bring to our earth.
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w00 3/1 pp. 5-6 God Does Answer Prayers ***She learned of God?s promise to raise the dead and of God?s Kingdom, which will soon make the earth a paradise.
After quoting Luke 23:43, 2 Peter 3:13, and Revelation 21:4, the WTS says that this means an earthly paradise will exist again.
What was Jesus promise to his disciples? Did he make a covenant for an earthly or a heavenly kingdom? What would Luke, Peter, and John look forward to, an earthly or heavenly paradise?
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When did the spiritual paradise start for the WTS? 1958 is the first time the term is used.
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10/1 p. 590 Divine Will International Assembly of Jehovah?s WitnessesThursday afternoon the conventioners waited with intense interest to hear Brother Knorr speak on "Maintaining Our Spiritual Paradise." Knorr told the vast audience of 145,488 persons that when the holy spirit was poured out on Christ?s disciples at Pentecost, making them spiritual sons of God, "a spiritual paradise had then been established." But this paradise did not continue after the death of the apostles. Knorr pointed out that after their death "Satan the Devil brought about the loss of the Christians? spiritual paradise." It was from 1919 onward that spiritual paradise was restored, when Jehovah?s witnesses were freed from Babylonish captivity and began bringing forth the fruits of the spirit. They must maintain this spiritual paradise.
A Vision of Paradise
Paragraphs 4-7
2 Corinthians 12:2-4, 11:5, 23-31How many as JWs or when you were understood this Scriptural reference? I avoided it. Did you know that the Mormons believe ins several heavens (more than 3)? How would you explain this as a JW/
How does the WTS handle? They focus mostly on the "paradise" aspect and do not quote but merely cite the scripture. When they do "discuss" the scripture, it is in a side article which few JWs ever read.
w00 7/15 p. 27 Persecution Sparks Growth in Antioch (side article)Another event that seems to date to this period is described at 2 Corinthians 12:2-5. Saul said: ?I know a man in union with Christ who, fourteen years ago was caught away to the third heaven, into paradise, and heard unutterable words which it is not lawful for a man to speak.? Apparently, Saul was talking about himself. Since he wrote this in about 55 C.E., 14 years earlier would take us back to 41 C.E., in the middle of the "silent years." Or they use the "evidently" clause. w87 1/15 pp. 11-12 So Great a Cloud of Witnesses! ***Similarly, Paul was transferred, or "caught away into paradise," evidently receiving a vision of the future spiritual paradise of the Christian congregation. (2 Corinthians 12:1-4) Now what was the future destination of the Christian congregation that Paul knew of and was part of and was speaking to?In paragraph 6 the WTS connects this with the earthly nation of Israel that was destroyed in 607 BCE (sic) and "that the land would lie desolate for 70 years?.this occurred from 537 BCE onward."A quick and dirty explanation of 607. But they are not starting from the 539 date they deem as so important since it is supposedly confirmed secularly and scripturally how valid is it to the non-JW reader?A People Restored and TransformedParagraphs 8-15
Connecting an OT prophecy again with a 20 th century JW teaching, the WTS goes to Isaiah and is not content with the "initial fulfillment."
This historic prototype helps us to understand what Paul saw in vision. It would involve the Christian congregation.The Christian congregation of Paul?s time were only of the anointed, those with a heavenly calling. Did Paul?s teachings every discuss Christians living on earth after that vision (supposedly in 41 CE)?
He knew that after his death an extensive apostasy would develop. (2 Corinthians 12:1; Acts 20:29,30; 2 Thessalonians 2:3,7)While apostates prevailed and seemed to overshadow them, true Christians could hardly be likened to a flourishing garden.Who were the true Christians from 100 to 1879 CE?
God?s people (JWs only) would be restored?.that actually came to pass a few years after (1919) God?s Kingdom was established in the heaven (1914).Very evident that God?s people (JWs only) enjoy a spiritual paradise?Granted we know that individually we are imperfect, so it does not surprise us that problems occasionally arise, even as they did among Christians in Paul?s day.They had problems with congregation elders/WTS covering up pedophiles in the congregation?
They had problems with telling people organ transplants were forbidden (during which time people died) and then told them 13 years later it was a personal choice?
JWs have "studied Daniel?s prophecy, verse by verse."Without having to open to the book of Daniel since every scripture is quote in a paragraph in the book. So they studied the Daniel book paragraph by paragraph (one of the most boring books per unofficial survey of the book study group and the congregations I had contact with at that time).
Changes in traits of sincere ones? put away animalistic traits?Have any of you been in a judicial hearing or investigation? Did you know that many elders play good "elder" bad "elder"? (good cop, bad copy)
How about you ex-elders? How do you fellow elders treat you in the privacy of an elders' meeting? How does the CO treat you? Been yelled at? Let?s be truthful.
Hence, as you associate with a congregation of Jehovah?s Witnesses, you are with people who have become more peaceable or pleasant.Makes you wonder how bad they were before, eh, after be subjected to some sister?s gossiping, slashing tongue or an elder?s scathing judgment of your future.
No, they are not yet perfect (as are people who aren?t JWs, why aren?t they given the ?benefit of the doubt? that JWs are?If we remain loyal to God (to the organization)We could drift right out?or be put out?if we do not work to preserve our relationship with God (with the organization).Meetings, field service, meetings, field service, meetings?.they don?t care if you pray or study, that can?t be measured.
w02 9/15 p. 15 "Pay More Than the Usual Attention" ***Attending Christian meetings and engaging in personal study will go a long way in helping us to develop and maintain an intimate relationship with Jehovah.w02 11/15 p. 22 How Can We Make Our Days Count Before Jehovah? ***To neglect association and instruction at Christian meetings for the sake of trying to ensure financial security would weaken our relationship with Jehovah. But does meeting attendance guarantee a good relationship with Godw92 10/15 p. 15 Work to Preserve Your Family Into God?s New World ***
The children attend meetings and have some share in field service, but often they have not built up their own relationship with God. In timeFortified by the Word of God??.Additionally, the Bible-based publications of the faithful and discreet slave class provide spiritual food in the spiritual paradise.In fact the Bible cannot be understood without this FDS according to the WTS.
w94 10/1 p. 8 The Bible?A Book Meant to Be Understood ***CHANNEL TO UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLEJESUS assured us that after his death and resurrection, he would raise up a "faithful and discreet slave" that would serve as his channel of communication. (Matthew 24:45-47) The apostle Paul identified this channel to the Ephesian Christians when he wrote that "there might be made known through the congregation the greatly diversified wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose that he formed in connection with the Christ, Jesus our Lord." (Ephesians 3:10, 11) It was the congregation of anointed Christians, born at Pentecost 33 C.E., that was entrusted with the "things revealed." (Deuteronomy 29:29) As a group, anointed Christians serve as the faithful and discreet slave. (Luke 12:42-44) Their appointed assignment from God is to provide spiritual understanding of the "things revealed."
Even as Bible prophecy pointed forward to the Messiah, it also directs us to the close-knit body of anointed Christian Witnesses that now serve as the faithful and discreet slave. It helps us to understand the Word of God. All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the "greatly diversified wisdom of God" can become known only through Jehovah?s channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave.?John 6:68. Reinforcing Your View of ParadiseParagraphs15-20
Another foregleam of Paradise?Moses led them to the Plains of Moab..Moses would not lead Israel across the Jordan..."let me..see the good land."Then the article goes into the information that what Moses would have seen does not exist now. It is interesting that they take the time to name the expert and the magazine his article appeared in (Scientific American?Dr. Walter C. Lowdermilk.)
How can JWs understand what Moses saw:First get the atlas that the WTS released at the DC last year, "The Good Land." It is on the WT-CD 2003, with access to all the maps in fairly good graphics.
Will being able to look at maps convince you that you are in the "spiritual paradise" with people who have left behind "animalistic traits"?
BTW, animals don?t lie, people do.
Concluding CommentsWho are the Christian congregation? According to the writers of the NT, what was their hope, their future, their paradise?
What is the third heaven?
Paradise soon?
Blondie