by Diogenes 23 Replies latest watchtower bible
Actually, the rapture plays a part in this scenerio. The rapture will happen, I believe, right before the 7 bowls of wrath. At the time of the rapture, those who are in Christ will be taken to heaven until Jesus returns at Armageddon. At the start of the 1000 years, those who have been saved will return to earth.
Great pictorial representation:
As the WTS and the JWs have no interest in reading anything in context, they`ll probably bring up the passages you mentioned, such as Psalms
37:34 Rely on the Lord ! Obey his commands!
Then he will permit you to possess the land;
...and similar passages,but it should be easy to show them how these passages refer to the land, as promised to the jewish tribes. It has nothing to do with any kind of future "paradise earth". Ask them to show you even one passage in the Bible that speaks of a future "paradise earth". Bet they can`t.
The great crowd that are in heaven in the temple and not on earth despite what the JWs claiming. According to John's vision they were standing before God's throne which is of course in heaven, after having succesfully exited the great tribulation on earth. Revelation 7:9
The other day I was thinking about my father now dead 8 years.
He loved this state I live in so much! The hills are turning green and the birds were chipping happily.
I thought if my worldly father could come back for one day, today, he would be so happy. He would tell me I was in paradise now!
How much of my time while a witness did I feel I was in paradise now? How many times was I ever told my life and my family were something to enjoy and relish?
Instead I was beaten and beaten over and over again with the concept of original sin and need for redemption and caution and vigilance lest I succumb to my fleshly desires in any way or I will lose out on the real life, another earthly one, the one to come!
Today I still believe in an earthly paradise---------the one I am enjoying now.
