Jimmy, how did you manage to make that so easy to understand in just three statements?
A-Guest took about three pages, and what was being said still could not be understood!
144.000
by Newborn 13 Replies latest jw friends
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AGuest
A-Guest took about three pages,
Well, please let me accommodate:
SUMMARY -
Because he showed himself to be God's friend (by not withholding his only-begotten son by his wife Sarah, Isaac), God promised Abraham that his descendants through Isaac would be a chosen nation to God (i.e., a people for a special possession). Israel was not chosen because Israel as a nation was anything special; they were chosen because Abraham was special: thus, it was a gift to him.
Unfortunately, Israel, as a nation, rejected the king God had chosen for them (Christ) and so they were rejected... as a nation... and replaced by people of the (non-Israelite) nations. In order to fulfill His promise to Abraham (subsequently reiterated to David), however, God reserved a place for 144,000 persons from "among the sons of Israel"... Abraham's descendants through Isaac by means of Isaac's son, Israel (Jacob).
This is a literal number (and those who say it is symbolic speak completely and entirely without knowledge: they opine as they do because they cannot explain why it is a literal number). These are taken, literally, from among all of the tribes of Israel (the sons of Jacob, the man renamed "Israel")... except Dan. His share is given to Joseph, the next-to-last son of Jacob/Israel. Joseph receives two shares: "Joseph" (for his son Ephraim) and "Manasseh" (for his other son). So 24,000 are taken from Joseph's bloodline. These (the 144,000) are "sealed"... so that the promise is fulfilled... and not subject to revocation or usurption.
God ALSO turns His attention to "the [non-Israelite] nations"... to also take out of THEM... a "people for His name". These are the "great crowd" which John also saw. Together with the 144,000 from among the sons of Israel, they create the entire nation of [spiritual] "Israel."
While the first group is numbered and their blood origin known (144,000, from among the sons of Israel)... the second group is NOT numbered... and their bloodlines come from ALL nations, tribes, tongues and peoples. Together, these make up the nation of "kings and priests" bought with the blood of Christ, to render sacred service to God... in His "temple" (that's what priests do: render sacred service in temples).
Romans 8:27-33; 11:1-32 (particularly, 11:25)
and what was being said still could not be understood!
Please let me offer an apology for imposing on your time... and intellect (although, you opened the thread...). I mean, not that I think you might "get" the above either, but I tend to dismiss the idea that everyone would rather have a summary of everything even if it means pertinent/critical information is omitted (very often resulting in a totally false and completely misleading teaching of a matter). Not all want that, and so I post what I do to such ones. I get it, of course, that others do want summaries (and I have absolutely no problem with that) because, understandably, they simply don't have the time, concern... or brain cells... to read and/or get the entire situation. To each his own, I say; I don't judge them because they have just as much right not to read what I... or anyone... writes, as I... and anyone... has to write it.
I also dismiss the "we all want a summary" premise, however, because, first, I know that this is exactly how "religion" gets folks: they COUNT on the fact that folks can't/don't like to/won't read anything for themselves, but would either rather have the stripped down version... or simply be told what someone/something says. They cater to that fact. Indeed, EVERYONE trying to mislead or take advantage of you in some manner counts on that. That's why today's contracts have the unimportant stuff summarized and bulleted so it jumps right out at you... and the truly important stuff set out in tiny print: they know you won't read it. Counting on people to NOT read is one of the earliest scams in earthling man's history.
Second, because although there are a great many other issues (carrying far less importance than this, I might add), which can be explained in a sentence, no, a mere phrase... folks still write entire chapter books about them... many even disagreeing with others... and many promoting entirely false theories. Yet, folks (perhaps even you) still run to buy them. Some, regardless of whether they even read them. An example? Eat less... weigh less. A very simple premise. And, yet, a plethora of chapter books are written on the subject, complete with tables, graphs, meal plans, and recipes... and commanding billions of "our" dollars, which "we" readily pay. And why? Well, because "it's more complicated than that."
Yet, folks in this and other lands are starving: surely, just a fraction of the money "we" spend on such products trying to learn how NOT to eat... could feed a few of them.
And surely, this subject is more complicated than simply saying, for example, "it's not a literal number; it's symbolic"... with absolutely no information to support that assertion.
What I shared was true... and it was free.
I digress... and bid you peace.
Your servant and a slave of Christ,
SA
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james_woods
Thanks for clearing that up.
Live long ans prosper.
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burningbridges
There's a NUT at my old hall who takes the emblems wvery year. She is seriously crazy, even the elders try to talk sense into her. She actaully writes her name on everything in her house, even disposable items like plastic silverware and cans of green beans beause people "break in and mess with her" almost every night and take things and move them around. Despite the fact her house is locked down tighter than fort knocks (her son is actually a lock smith and has secured her for her sanity) So, either she's nuts, or haunted by demons, but annointed? no freaking way....
burn burn burning