Why does the WBTS keep confusing 'rulership' with 'kingdom'?

Must obey!

I get annoyed at how the Society keeps harping on about how 'the kingdom' of God is actually a heavenly governmental rulership, made up of 144,000 & Christ. For example, this quote in the study article about God's sovereignty just reviewed:

"A sovereign generally exercises his authority through an agency that is placed over his subjects.The Kingdom of God , therefore, is an expression or exercise of God's universal sovereignty toward his creatures, a means or an agency used by him to carry out his rulership."

The second sentence in the above quote from this recent Watchtower study article is completely fallacious. It is erroneous scripturally and out of line with the normal understanding of what a Kingdom is, historically and by natural definition.

The 'kingdom of God' is not just the rulers in the kingdom. That's as absurd as saying that a parliament or president of a nation is the same as the country/nation it presides over. It is as stupid as asserting that a king & his royal court is the same as the 'kingdom' he rules over.

In reality, a 'kingdom' is the entire domain or dominion that a rulership reigns over. It includes all the subjects, property, land and possession in that dominion. That is what a kingdom is. Even a child can understand this.

Yet the Society conflates the kingdom of God with the 144,000 (symbolic number) rulers of it, even though it is plain to see in scripture that the 144,000 is merely a subset, an important but small part of the much bigger 'kingdom' of God. This kingdom will include the great crowd, because Jesus said the sheep are "inherit the Kingdom" in Matthew 25 - this is a knockdown argument against the Society's ridiculous assertion that "God's Kingdom" that Jesus told Christians to pray for in the model prayer is just a heavenly government rulership.

There are different meanings to "kingdom" in the Bible and the Society are not preaching the whole picture on this, clearly because it serves the Watchtower's purposes of creating an elitist fear and awe of themselves by the rank and file, who are taught to believe they must be loyal subjects of the "kingdom" as now represented by the remnant of the 144,000 remaining on earth, represented by the Watchtower Society and it's GB.

journey-on

Wow! I never thought of this. You are so right. The WTS take on it, when scrutinized through such clear light, is absolutely off base. Thanks for this insight.

Also, what about the scripture that states : "the kingdom of God is within you?"

Must obey!

Thank you journey-on. The WBTS in the Insight Volumes does allude to the Kingdom being all that Jehovah rules over as universal sovereign but it conflates this broader,more expansive truth with their mantra about the kingdom being a "heavenly government", a vehicle or agency that rules from heaven, that we pray to come and replace all human forms of government. They are being deliberately disingenuous about this and obfuscating this truth from the rank and file. They do this because they want the "other sheep" to believe that only those with the 'heavenly hope' have the prospect of being in the kindom and so only those ones have the right to partake of the emblems. The Society wants to hide the beautiful scriptural truth that ALL true Christians, whether professing and earthly or a heavenly hope, are in God's Kingdom now and will inherit the Kingdom, either in the "new heavens" or the "new earth" (2 Peter, Revelation 21) in the future. It's a deliberate doctrinal ploy to keep JW's blinded to the scriptural truth that there is no separation by the holy spirit between those with an "earthly hope" and a "heavenly hope". The nefarious GB wishes to blind 99% of JW's to the truth that they also "inherit the Kingdom" (the earthly realm of it) and are also in the "new covenant".

As for the oft-quoted words of Jesus "the Kingdom of God is within you" (which is a poor translation), I think the Society's explanation of the commonly perpetuated misunderstanding about what Jesus meant by this is quote sound. You can find their explanation about what Jesus really meant in their 'Reasoning' book.

Must obey!

Gosh...was there no one else interested in this topic?

caliber

I agree more people should have seen your post ,excellent points made ! I only found it in back view ! ! think you only understand your point after reading it .It took deep thought by you to pick up this subtle but important diference ! Only your subject title or timing may have made the difference.

snowbird

I'm sorry I missed this, Must Obey!.

The WTS, while pretending to be modest "sons of the Kingdom," are actually presumptuous elitists. They don't miss an opportunity to promote themselves at the expense of the rank-and-file flock.

Jesus said that whoever exalts himself will be abased. That's a lesson for all of us.

Sylvia

snowbird

I also like your usage of the word "conflate."

Jesus used that technique quite a bit in His Olivet prophecy.

Thanks for a good and thoughtful read.

Sylvia

Finally-Free

In reality, a 'kingdom' is the entire domain or dominion that a rulership reigns over. It includes all the subjects, property, land and possession in that dominion. That is what a kingdom is. Even a child can understand this.

You're right, and that's one of the issues I filed away in the back of my mind so many years ago when I first studied with the JWs, and quickly forgot about.

W

choosing life

The watchtower takes everything away from the rank and file witnesses. They can't inherit the kingdom, as you brought out. They also can't even claim Jesus as their mediator, as they say only the 144,000 are in the new covenant. Then they say the Greek Scriptures were only written for the 144,000.

Are they ever in for a big surprise. Exalt themselves, they do.

ozziepost

the Society keeps harping on about how 'the kingdom' of God is actually a heavenly governmental rulership, made up of 144,000 & Christ.

Yes, they do, and this thread is a very important reminder of how they are in error.

Thanks for posting.

Why does the WBTS keep confusing 'rulership' with 'kingdom'?

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