by Fisherman 103 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Only Jesus has the power and authority to defeat Satan and kick him out of heaven:
“Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God.”
Case closed 😆
Agreed. Same position. Same job description. Jesus = Michael.
What was Satan doing in heaven for so long after rebelling against Jehovah anyway ? Should `nt he have been kicked out when he did so ?
Why was `nt he put down then and there. ( in death)
And why earth why not some uninhabitable planet ? where he could`nt do any harm ?
Why did it take him six thousand years to act ?
Hi Smiddy!
It’s a long time. I agree. Also, right after Jesus paid the ransom, why not act back then instead of waiting 2000 years later? And still we wait. What is the legal basis to hold humanity in captivity after the ransom? Before Alan F. who recently passed away wrote his article on the ransom, JW had published the Knowledge Book and in one of the chapters it addresses that question but doesn’t answer it much by saying that God could have brought the end after Jesus paid the ransom. God could have also killed satan immediately at Eden, or even have done things differently by looking into the future and preventing evil somehow using his Almighty powers. But that is how we see it as it seems to us. It is what is is and things are the way they are. We can logically try to find logical reasons for why but we can’t know for sure like the identity of Jesus is Michael is a conclusion. It is not outright defined in the Bible. I’m convinced that Jesus is Michael but how can we know for sure same as giving reasons for the questions you raise.
Why doesn't the Bible just say so?
It is not outright defined in the Bible.
This is a recurring issue with the Bible, which has led to countless denominations that differ on points both major and minor. This has led, over the centuries, to occasional violence and brutality as people who seek to serve the same god nonetheless attack and brutalize one another. You'd think that a being as capable and immensely intelligent as Yahweh would have foreseen this and made the book much clear and direct, so as to avoid having so many dedicated people massacring one another, when they otherwise would have embraced in brotherhood.
The Persians created Satan in their Zoroastrian religion. The Jews adopted Satan into their religion. Perhaps we should look into Zoroastrian religion for the answer to the other identity of Michael the Archangel is?
Why doesn't the Bible just say so?
This is a recurring issue with the Bible,
I’ve made the same observation. Well thought!
For example in John 1:1: “The Word was God.” And other scriptures too, some are symbolic, Jesus coming in the clouds of heaven—which is also an allusion to the prophecy of the Messiah in Daniel which JW interpret that the return of Christ is invisible. But the Bible is left to interpretation. That’s the way the entire Bible is written-in poetic language, (even historical accounts have in addition poetic meaning for example Haagar and Sarah) except where it does define and explain meanings such as when Jesus explains who is the prophetic Elijah or clarifying the meaning of the “disgusting thing causing desolation” are the Roman Armies and then it has an additional interpretation applying to the attacker of false religion in our time.
You have to figure everything out like trying to solve a picture puzzle and crossword puzzle at the same time. And you run into major problems like with the meaning of generation which the Bible defines is 80 years the average age of a person —and then this fails when applying to Jesus’s prophecy —which leads you to doubt your other parts of the puzzle you’ve solved as certainly true. Even what happens at death and who goes to heaven are conclusions. It all makes logical sense though—JW interpretation of the Bible—to the point of being mentally and emotionally convinced to the point of dying for your beliefs such as blood and political neutrality.
It all makes logical sense though—JW interpretation of the Bible—to the point of being mentally and emotionally convinced to the point of dying for your beliefs such as blood and political neutrality.
You can be sincere AND sincerely wrong at the same time. Fortunately, people won't be judged on whether or not they are sincere or if they died for their beliefs. They will be judged after they die on whether or not they have broken any of the 10 commandments.
To deal with this LITERAL judgement, Jesus LITERALLY substituted for the sin that individuals carry: "he became sin for us". and codified this "forgiveness of sins" into a contract at MT. 26: 27-28.... the same contract JW's disrespect and reject every memorial.
it is appointed unto man once to die and then to face judgement. - Heb. 9; 27
There is nothing symbolic about any of this stuff. Symbolism is just another word for rejecting the words of God.
JW's on the trial before God: "I'm sorry your Honor, I sincerely thought your judgement was only symbolic. I was told that my sins would be wiped away and I would be given a clean slate after I die.".
God: "Why didn't you believe me over them? Didn't you know they had a 100% prophecy failure rate"?
Get off the crazy train and read the bible literally, unless it tells you that something is a symbol or means something else. If it doesn't say that, just take God at his word.
