Jehovah's Wife and her kids
This was a response that my friend Cynthia sent back to this person in response to her questions. :-))
Mr. Watters:
While putting together some Watchtower material for witnessing to JW's, I read a most troubling quote from The Watchtower, May 1, 1957 (page 275):
"In this way Paul identifies Jehovah's wife as His invisible universal organization, the mother of Christ and of his joint heirs."
Am I reading that correctly? Are they calling themselves "the mother of Christ"? Is the Watchtower Society calling itself Christ's mother?
Further on, it says:
"But since these children of Zion above have a heavenly destiny to reign with Christ, they also become a part of the universal organization that is God's wife, and will, with Christ, form the capital city of that organization. So, God's woman, Zion or Jerusalem above, is his universal organization, with one hundred forty-four thousand and one of her members or children eventually forming the capital city like a man-child government, ..."
Who is the wife, woman, bride? I am confused as to who they are calling the bride of Christ, the wife of God, etc. Can you help me understand exactly what they are claiming to be or refer me to a reference that will help me understand this. Thank you!
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That's true, I'm looking at the WT CD and just found the quote where it says, "In this way Paul identifies Jehovah?s wife as His invisible universal organization, the mother of Christ and of his joint heirs."
It appears that they are calling the Watchtower Organization "the mother of Christ". Wow! I always knew that they had said Jehovah was the father and the organization was the mother. But I hadn't seen it quite this way.
They always said that the "144,000" was the Bride of Christ. The following is from the book, "Kingdom Come", p. 177-78
10 Under what conditions will the Lord?s "other sheep" carry out their work? (John 10:16) Revelation chapter 21 tells us what we may expect. It describes "a new heaven and a new earth." No longer do corrupt human systems of government hold control in society, for "the former heaven and the former earth" have passed away. Also, the Devil and his subtle influence have been removed. No longer is there a confused "sea" of humanity, tossed to and fro as they pursue godlessness. Instead, a stable human society, the "new earth," will provide a firm basis for doing God?s will. There you may follow out loyally the directives of the "new heaven," comprised of the King and his "bride" of 144,000 members. In its capacity as "the holy city, New Jerusalem," this royal "bride" will ?come down from heaven? in that it turns attention to the reconstruction work to be done on earth. And with what happy results! As John relates:
Now check out the Watchtower 6/1/96 about "Jehovah's Woman", page 9:
3 To appreciate its significance, consider the various elements of the prophecy itself. The one addressed at Genesis 3:15 is the Serpent?not the lowly snake but the one who used it. (Revelation 12:9) "The woman" is not Eve but Jehovah?s heavenly organization, the mother of his spirit-anointed servants on earth. (Galatians 4:26) The Serpent?s "seed," is Satan?s seed, his offspring?demons and humans as well as human organizations that manifest the traits of Satan and that show enmity toward the "seed" of the woman. (John 15:19; 17:15) The woman?s "seed" is primarily Jesus Christ, who was anointed with holy spirit in 29 C.E. The 144,000, who are "born again . . . From water and spirit" and who are heirs of the heavenly Kingdom with Christ, are a subsidiary part of that seed of promise.
Gail, the Watchtower organization is just about elevated to sainthood, if not godhood. The "organization" is just all important and rank and file members of Jehovah's Witnesses believe that they cannot get along without "Jehovah's Organization".
Look what they say in the 3/15/91 Watchtower, page 11:
13 Jehovah rides this organization as if on a chariot, causing it to move to wherever his spirit impels it to move. It is not running wild, without control or intelligent supervision. God is not letting this organization go in any direction it might be inclined to go. Rather, it follows his directions. Together, all are moving unitedly forward to the full accomplishment of God?s objectives. What a marvelous heavenly organization is revealed by this vision of Jehovah?s four-wheeled celestial chariot on the move! In harmony with this, Jehovah?s organization is represented as being foursquare, in perfect balance.
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Randy
Net Soup!