There is another problem in one of the most favorite scriptures the Society cites for a "paradise earth": Isaiah 65:17-25. This text does not say people will live forever, in fact it states the opposite, it says man will fulfill his days in old age and die: "No more will be found the infant living a few days only, or the old man who does not fulfill his days. To die at the age of a hundred will be dying young and the one who fails to live to be a hundred would be thought accursed" (65:20). The thought is that people would once again have very long lifespans like the antediluvian patriarchs in Genesis before "completing" one's days; this is an OT idiom that refers to dying (peacefully) after living a full, complete life (cf. Exodus 23:26, 2 Samuel 7:12, 1 Chronicles 17:11, Job 36:11). Failing to live to a hundred, presently the upper limit in a lifespan, would be considered dying prematurely in the prophecy. The idea is still that one does complete one's days (even as some do still die before the age of 100) and this is perfectly in accord with OT concepts of death which was viewed as a natural part of life, even welcomed at times as earned rest (cf. Job 3:13-22, Psalm 13:3), occurring at its proper time (Job 5:26, Ecclesiastes 3:2, 7:17; cf. also Job 14:5, Psalm 139:16 in which the length of one's life is already predetermined) as the peaceful conclusion to a long life (cf. Genesis 15:15, 25:8; Judges 8:32; 1 Chronicles 29:28). The NWT however misinterprets hchwt' "one who fails/misses the mark" as "sinner" (with the KJV), and the Society bases on this a highly eisegetical interpretation of the verse that imposes on it their unique interpretation of Revelation 20:7-8, i.e. those who will "die" in the paradise earth will be those who are in "rebellion" with God when Satan is released after the millennium. There is nothing whatsoever about rebellion in the passage in Trito-Isaiah which refers in general to old people in general fulfilling their days.
How do the Jehovah's Witnesses explain Isaiah 51:6?
by insearchoftruth 18 Replies latest watchtower bible
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insearchoftruth
Wow Leolaia, that is very interesting, and not a big surprise as well. From what I have seen, many of their live forever/paradise earth proof texts are taken out of context....
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sacolton
Don't forget 2 Peter 3:10-13 (the most powerful evidence of all, IMHO) ...
2 Peter 3:10-13 (King James Version)
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
God is going to completely destroy everything on earth - every element will be dissolved and nothing man-made will stand. Does that sound like a "Paradise Earth" to you?
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insearchoftruth
But would the viewpoint on 2 Peter 3: 10-13 also just be that it is not literal as well.........
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sacolton
Only if you're expecting to live in a big Victorian house with a big backyard full of wild animals, baskets of fruit and wearing preppy clothes.
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insearchoftruth
Do I get to pet the lions as well.......and all the animals are now vegetarians!!!
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insearchoftruth
Is there any rhyme or reason how the FDS decides which passages in the Bible are literal vice figurative, or is it merely based on what the doctrine of the day is?
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DoomVoyager
As I said, if it agrees with their doctrine, it's the incontrovertible Word of Most High God. If it doesn't agree with them, they brush it under the rug as "symbolic language".
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Farkel
2 Farkel 24:16-18:
16 "And Farkel called up unto the Lord God and cried, 'God of my fathers and forefathers, art thou promising a new heavens and a new perfect earth where men shalt not die and people shalt pet lions and the earth shalt abideth forever?'"
17 "And the Lord God came and answered unto Farkel, 'where didst thou hear this?', and Farkel replied, 'in your Holy Bible, my God.'"
18 "And the Lord God replied, 'Oh, that. Well, that's all bullshit. Now go your way and botherest me not with any more bullshit.' And Farkel went his way and bothereth God not with any more bullshit until the end of his days."
Farkel