by drewcoul 15 Replies latest jw friends
I have heard that there has been some changes as to what the Witnesses teach regarding the resurrection of annointed to spirit life.
What is the current teaching? Is it still that an annointed is resurrected "in the twinkling of an eye" as I was always taught? I was also taught that this resurrection began in 1918.
Your help is appreciated.
Not sure...I always thought it was in 1914 but I never undestood that stuff.
I don't think there have been any changes. From 1918 onward the anointed who die are instantly resurrected to spirit life. Except for the fakers. They are in the lake of fire and will be replaced by the almost 12,000 nibble-n-sippers who currently occupy Kingdom Hall seats.
(Slightly off topic, since the following does not have to do with the resurrecection, but with the general view of the 144,000.)
One change is in the way the Society looks at the number of partakers. The declining number of partakers was supposed to be proof positive that we are in the last days. Under the subheading 'Six Convincing Lines of Evidence [of being in the last days]', the following article says,
"Sixth, the number of genuine anointed disciples of Christ is dwindling, though some will evidently still be on earth when the great tribulation begins. Most of the remnant are quite elderly, and over the years the number of those who are truly anointed has been getting smaller." (Watchtower Jan 15, 2000, p 13)
-- and --
"There is every reason to believe that the number of anointed ones will continue to decline as advanced age and unforeseen occurrences end their earthly lives." (Watchtower Aug 15, 1996, p 31)
However, in recent years the number of partakers has increased significantly. Obviously, the declining number of partakers proved nothing regarding the last days.
Another slight change is in when the number of 144,000 was sealed. Previously it was viewed to be in 1935. The organization said,
"Logically, the calling of the little flock would draw to a close when the number was nearing completion, and the evidence is that the general gathering of these specially blessed ones ended in 1935." (Watchtower 1995 Feb 15 p.19)
-- and --
"There is good reason to believe that the number of 144.000 anointed Christians was complete decates ago...The facts over the decades reflect both the completion of the calling of the anointed and Jehovah's blessing on the growing "great crowd," who hope to survive "the great tribulation."" (Watchtower Aug 15, 1996, p30)
But because of the increasing number of partakers in recent years, the Society is forced to take a step backward in the 1935 date, and it now says,
"Thus it appears that we can not set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends." (Watchtower 2007 May 1 p.31)
And what about all those new partakers? The Society suggests that some partakers may be emotionally unbalanced, or are influenced by past beliefs, and are partaking by mistake.
"...A number of factors — including past religious beliefs or even mental or emotional imbalance — might cause some to assume mistakenly that they have the heavenly calling. We thus have no way of knowing the exact number of anointed ones on earth; nor do we need to know." (Watchtower 2011 Aug 15 p.22)
Like so many Watchtower beliefs, this one is a state of flux, and there is confusion all around.
The WTBTS false teachings notwithstanding, no one has been resurrected to the spirit realm, yet, dear drew (peace to you!)... except Christ. Neither the first nor the second resurrection have occurred. The first occurs when my Lord returns. At that time, those who died "in union" with him are resurrected to spirit bodies AT THE SAME TIME as those who are in union with him but have not died... are CHANGED to spirit bodies. Thus, "He that believes in me and has died will be brought back to life and he who had not died will never die."
[Paul] pointed this out when he said "We the living will NOT precede those who have fallen asleep in death." Rather, my Lord returns, with Michael announcing his arrival (the "trumpet" voice)... at which time HE resurrects those who belong to him but have died AND changes the bodies of those who belong to him but have not died... so that TOGETHER these meet him "in the air."
He also mentioned this when he wrote about the "firstfruits" of the resurrection: Christ, first. Then those who belong to him.
The "second" (general) resurrection (and thus, not the "first")... takes place at the END of the thousand years, AFTER tGog and Magog are destroyed, and after the wild beast, false prophet, and the Adversary are pitched into the lake of fire (Gehenna). These are those who are resurrected for "Judgment Day"... some of which will experience the "second" death (having died in the FLESH, only to be resurrected to face judgment and destruction of their SPIRIT). Not all of them; some of them.
I hope this helps and, again, peace to you!
A slave of Christ,
SA
P.S. Enoch, Moses, and Elijah did not see death; rather, these were changed... rather than being resurrected...
It was always mumble jumble to me. What about Paul, the canonical apostles, church leaders? Paul and Peter have just been rotting in the ground all these centuries? It makes no sense at all. It is monstrous how they superimpose their wishes on to the text. A text few Witnesses read as a whole. Even fewer read many apocalyptic works of the time. Revelation is no longer extraordinary when compared to other similar books.
Since I am not God, I don't know who went where and when they went. The more details in an account, the less I believe it. It is sort of the theological reverse to what I believe in real life.
The whole thing unravels completely the second you no longer take their word for it. The Pope, at least, has his Ralphaels, DaVincis, Michelangelos that grab at the inner core of any human, believer or not. We don't accept the Pope. Why should we accept some idiots from Pittsburgh and Brooklyn. Rome is in the Bible. Pittsburgh and Brooklyn are not.
Jesus, the red printed, said no human will know the time. He was not reported saying, no man, except the GB of the WTBTS, whose corporate papers are on file at , will know the time. I always thought Jesus saying "no man" meant no human. No human, including human corporations.
"Enoch, Moses, and Elijah did not see death; rather, these were changed... rather than being resurrected..."
Apparently they were changed/transformed from dead mythological characters to living ones without the need to be fictionally resurrected. Jesus was different. He may have been a real person but he apparently did receive a fictional resurrection and is now living in fictional heaven...
I do agree with AGuest if I take part of the comments out of context, GB style:
"no one has been resurrected to the spirit realm" :)
As Band on the Run says, "The whole thing unravels completely the second you no longer take their word for it."
I hope this helps and peace to you!
A slave of Reality.
There have been changes in several areas regarding the resurrection, such as when the rapture was to occur, and when the heavenly calling was to end. You are correct about 1918. Regarding when they were to be resurrected to heaven, that changed from 1878 to 1881 to 1918.
"... the spring of 1878 as the time when he would assume his power as heavenly King. They also thought they would be given their heavenly reward at that time." Jehovah's Witnesses - Proclaimers of God's Kingdomp. 632
"Expecting the Lord Jesus to come in 1878 to catch them up miraculously to be with him in heaven, some who had been Second Adventists (including Barbour) were disappointed when that miracle did not occur." FAITH ON THE MARCH pp.26-27
"Our Lord's resurrection occurred three and a half years after his advent as the Messiah, in A.D. 29; and the resurrection of his body, the Church, we have seen, was due in the year 1878, three and a half years after his second advent, in October 1874." Studies In the Scriptures Series III - Thy Kingdom Come p.305
"the gathering of the bride into the place of safety, will occupy a parallel of seven years of time, ending in 1881" Zion's Watch Tower 1881 January p.1
. Our proposition is that the glorification of the Little Flock in the Spring of 1918 A. D. will be half way (three and one-half years each way) between the close of the Gentile Times and the close of the Heavenly Way, A. D. 1921." Studies in the Scriptures - The Finished Mystery. p.64
See the linked article for details regarding the close of the heavenly calling for the 144000. The close was supposed to have been 1881, then 1931, then 1935, now they are not sure.
"... we recognize A.D. 1881 as marking the close of the special favor to Gentiles-the close of the "high calling," or invitation to the blessings peculiar to this age-to become joint-heirs with Christ and partakers of the divine nature." The Time Is At Hand 1916 ed. p.235
"Although Jehovah had come to his temple in 1918 and had begun judgment of this anointed class, still others must be brought in, because some were found unworthy and they must be replaced. The evidences show that this continued until especially 1931, when there began a work of gathering those recognized as "other sheep" of the Lord Jesus Christ." Jehovah's Witnesses In The Divine Purpose 1959 p.139
"Hence, especially after 1966 it was believed that the heavenly call ceased in 1935." Watchtower 2007 May 1 p.30
"Thus it appears that we can not set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends." Watchtower 2007 May 1 p.31
drewcoul,
When I get an email from one of them, I will be the first to report it on this site.
I encourage ANYONE who gets an email or any other sort of message from any of them to please report it here.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Farkel
I've been reading this information on a few threads, and I'm puzzled.
"Logically, the calling of the little flock would draw to a close when the number was nearing completion, and the evidence is that the general gathering of these specially blessed ones ended in 1935." (Watchtower 1995 Feb 15 p.19)
In the mid-70s, my friend married one of the 'anointed'. He was just UNDER 30. He was accepted by the b'Org as an anointed one, and I never heard a word about the 1935 date.
Now that I'm reading it, I note it says that "the evidence is that the general gathering of these .... ended in 1935."
Seems to me they were saying 'most likely', but covering their a$$es and leaving room for 'new light TM '. There was no mention or disagreement that the man I knew was not of the 144,000, and I never heard the '1935' date mentioned before I got online. Is this something they came up with in the 80s/90s, or was it around beforehand?
tal
