“It right there in the fridge, where it always is”, came the reply.
Well, to be fair to me, it wasn’t where it always is, because it is always in the door and this time, it was in the top shelf. (Women move things around just to remind their husbands how indispensable they are.) However, the point is, it was in plain sight, but since I was looking for it in the door, my focus was there, and men more than women (sorry for the generalization, chaps) only see what their eyes are focused on. It has something to do with the separation of the two hemispheres of the brain that happens around puberty. At puberty, the hemispheres of the male brain have fewer interconnections than that of the female. It gives men their laser-like, oblivious-to-what’s-going-on-around-them focus, while women get the gift of intuition—or so the scientists believe.
Whatever the case, it demonstrates that blindness is possible without the loss of sight. This is one technique the Devil uses to “blind the minds of the unbelievers”. He gets them to focus on other things, so that they might not be illuminated by the glorious good news about the Christ. (2Co 4:3, 4)
A new friend, one of the awakening ones, just told me of her personal experience. She has a long-time friend who woke up to the truth decades back. She says that her friend started reading the Bible on its own without the publications, while she based all her learning on the publications of the Organization. The result was that her friend woke up, while she remained indoctrinated until very recently; specifically until the revelations that came out of the Australian Royal Commission.
When it comes to Jehovah’s Witnesses, how has Satan blinded the minds so that the good news does not shine through?
To see what he’s done, we have to first understand what the good news really is.
“But YOU also hoped in him after YOU heard the word of truth, the good news about YOUR salvation. By means of him also, after YOU believed, YOU were sealed with the promised holy spirit, 14 which is a token in advance of our inheritance, for the purpose of releasing by a ransom [God’s] own possession, to his glorious praise.” (Eph 1:13, 14)
For all who are led by God’s spirit are indeed God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: “Abba, Father!” 16 The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children.” (Ro 8:14-16)
To blind them, Satan has got them to focus on another “good news”. Of course, there is only one good news, so this would have to be a fake “good news”. Nevertheless, like any good marketing man, he has packaged it up beautifully in appealing brochures with evocative artist renderings and inspiring verbal images of what the realization of this “other good news” will be like. At the same time, he has perverted the truth of the actual good news to make it seem less appealing. (Ga 1:6-9)
He has done such a good job that we, who have awakened to his tricks, are baffled at times when we are faced with the result. I myself have spent hours talking with various friends, and have fully shown from the Scriptures that there is no basis for the distinct earthly hope we teach is intended for the other sheep. I’ve shown that the basis for this hope is founded fully on made-up prophetic types and antitypes originating with Judge Rutherford, and I’ve shown further that the Governing Body has disavowed their use. Yet, I’ve been stunned that otherwise intelligent people still refuse to accept the evidence, preferring instead to cling tenaciously to the JW fantasy.
Here are three renderings of 2 Peter 3:5 which accurately describe this mental condition:
“They are deliberately ignoring one fact…” – GOD’S WORD Translation.
“For this is hidden from them through their own wilfulness…” – Darby Bible Translation.
“For they are wilfully blind to the fact…” – Weymouth Bible Translation.
The question is why? One distinct possibility is that this is a result of a superb piece of marketing.
When you prove to a Jehovah’s Witness that the real hope Jesus extended to Christians was to reign with him in the kingdom of the heavens, what passes through his or her mind is not feelings of joy and excitement, but rather, trepidation and confusion.
Witnesses see the heavenly reward this way: The anointed die and become spirit creatures like the angels. They go off to heaven never to return. They leave behind family, friends, and all the pleasures of earthly life to serve, serve, serve in heaven. Cold and uninviting, wouldn't you say?
I’ve known of several instances when a brother began to partake and his wife was reduced to tears thinking she’d never see him again, that they couldn't be together anymore.
We must remember that this belief is not based on faith in God, i.e. in his good and loving character. It is based on faith that Jehovah is using the Governing Body to tell us what to do.
Against this unappealingly presented heavenly hope, Jehovah's Witnesses are told they are the Other Sheep and will survive Armageddon into a soon-to-be paradise Earth. There they will get the best pickings of all the wealth left behind, the choicest land, the house of their dreams. They get to do whatever they want, be whatever they want. Additionally, they get eternally young, healthy, physically perfect bodies. Because they are the righteous, they get to be the princes in the earth, Earth's new rulers. While the anointed rule from a distant heaven, these are the real princes, because they are Johnny-on-the-spot.
Doesn't that sound like an appealing scenario?
Like all good marketing, this is based on some truth.
For example, there will be people resurrected after Armageddon. These are the unrighteous. (John 5:28, 29) These will likely number into the tens of billions. So even if the Witness scenario is correct and eight million of them survive Armageddon, they will soon be overrun with billions of unruly people brought up in cultures which do not recognize the Christian standard of justice and good conduct. Many will undoubtedly want to return to their bad ways. Given Jehovah’s long suffering and patience, it is likely he will give such ones a good bit of time to come round to his way of seeing things. Those who will not conform will eventually be done away with. So these starry-eyed JWs are unexpectedly going to have to deal with a fair bit of bad conduct, difficult challenges, trials, tribulations, and many deaths. This will ensue for the better part of a thousand years until at the end all things are resolved. (2Co 15:20-28) Hardly the paradise Earth the Witness literature depicts.
And that is only if the Witness scenario is correct. There is a lot of Scriptural evidence to suggest otherwise. (More on that in the follow-up articles.)
Putting Faith in God’s Word
So when the writer of Hebrews refers of the resurrection that the children of God hope for as the “better resurrection”, and when Jesus says our “reward in the heavens” is so great that its near realization will cause us to leap for joy, we know—sight unseen—that this is what we want. (He 11:35; Mt 5:12; Lu 6:35)
We know this because we have faith in our Father. Not belief in his existence. Not even just belief that he will keep his promises. No, our faith assures us of much more than that; for our faith is in God’s good character. We know that any promise he makes to his faithful ones will so surpass our wildest expectations that we are willing to give up all things to grasp on to it. (Mt 13:45-46; 1Co 2:9-10)
We do this though we don’t really understand the reality of what he has promised. In fact, Paul said that “at present we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror….” (1Co 13:12)
Nevertheless, we can glean much from a study of the passages in God’s word that pertain to the Christian hope.
With that in mind, we will be initiating a series of articles to fully explore the extent and nature of “Our Christian Hope”.
Archived Comments
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Comment by My 2016 Memorial | Beroean Pickets - JW.org Reviewer on 2016-03-24 18:32:01
[…] This got me to thinking about what our Christian hope really entails. To follow this topic, please check out this article: “Marketing the New World.” […]
Reply by Willy on 2016-03-25 10:42:18
What about my mother, whom I lost as a young child after a long fight against brain tumor, I was in tears, I would never give her a hug being a spirit like body, but then it dawned to me, Jesus in his resurrected spirit body, was seen, he ate with the disciples, Thomas even touched his body. So now the tears dried, Jehovah knows my ever hearts wish to see my mother, He will, I know for sure make things possible beyond our most beautiful imagination.
I am looking forward to your series about "Our Christian Hope"
Thank you.Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2016-03-25 15:41:57
Good point, Willy.
Comment by Joshua on 2016-03-25 23:32:33
God has promised us life.
This is enough for us.
Comment by Em on 2016-03-29 16:05:18
This is really interesting. I am really looking forward to that series. I have a lot of questions...certain things never seemed right. Not partaking of the bread and wine didn't make sense and an earthly hope didn't seem to be confirmed in the Greek scriptures, but yet the earthly hope is MY hope. It doesn't make sense that there would be kings and priests over an empty earth and god made the earth to be inhabited....so your explanation that the earth would be filled with the resurrected unrighteous is very interesting.
Reply by Joshua on 2016-03-30 17:20:08
I would add just a few scriptural instances here where an earthly hope is plainly given and ask that they be read as they are written without the colorization which has been added by later generations.
Luk 1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
Luk 1:68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
Luk 1:69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant--
Luk 1:70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old--
Luk 1:71 Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;
Luk 1:72 To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,
Luk 1:73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
Luk 1:74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,
Luk 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
Luk 1:76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;
Luk 1:77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,
Luk 1:78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
Luk 1:79 TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace."
The plain reading is the earthly restoration of the Jewish nation.
The anonymous writer (Luke by tradition) stamps the words above as inspired and not only that he does not attempt to clarify their plain meaning with asides or caveats. No, the writer allows this very important revelation to stand on its own. Though pen to paper for this Gospel was completed after Christ's death, no further explanation is amended to Zechariah's words. The writer/editor does not attempt to align Zechariah with the new covenant teaching, a kingdom in heaven, a heavenly resurrection etc. Why?
Act 1:6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?"
Act 1:7 He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;
Note, Jesus did not say the kingdom would not be restored to Israel but that they would not know when.
Mat_19:28 And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
What is the plain meaning of Matthew 19:28?
Matthew 5:5, (ASV) Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. (YLT) `Happy the meek--because they shall inherit the land.
What is the plain meaning of Matthew 5:5?
What does an examination, a plain reading, of the contexts within which the word "Israel" in the Gospels is found reveal?
Yes, there is an earthly restoration of the Kingdom of God where Christ's words, "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom," will be fulfilled.
Joshua
Comment by LonelySheep on 2016-04-06 15:03:45
I agree from my reading that it seems clear that the New Testament promises a heavenly hope. But I am left confused. It is clear that *someone* will be on the earth. That the earth will in fact be restored to its original purpose. So who will be there? What about the pre-Christian faithful ones? Will they be on the Earth or in heaven? I also saw somewhere else a comment that said "Humans were never intended to reside forever on the earth." That doesn't seem right to me, since that was the original purpose in the Garden of Eden, and that the Earth was given to the sons of men. I am leaning toward all humans (including those sent to heaven) being restored to Earth per the original plan eventually. But I'm not sure how it all fits together.
Wow, not offering much there except confusion, huh? :)Reply by Meleti Vivlon on 2016-04-08 13:31:12
I'm working on a series to try to answer all these questions scripturally. I'm sure that the earth will be populated to capacity with humans as that was God's original purpose. What purpose he had beyond that is beyond me, though I can make some guesses. As for Christians and their hope, I do plan to get to that very shortly.
Reply by Anchor on 2016-06-15 19:55:54
I agree with you, Lonely Sheep, for I also see that "the upright" (righteous) "shall live in the land, And the blameless shall be left over in it " Proverbs 3:5
And the other Scripture we all know: "For the evildoers will be cut off, But those who wait for the LORD, they will inherit the land. Yet a little while and the wicked man will be no more; And you will look carefuly for his place, and he will not be, but the humble will inherit the land, and will delight themselves in abundant prosperity." Psalms 37:9-11
This coincides with Jesus words that the "gentle (meek) will inherit the land" (earth) Matt. 5:5
We mustn't forget that Jesus also has a throne. Now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne, but he is still waiting to sit on his own throne which will be on the earth. See Revelation 3:21 Revelation 12:10
And Jesus says at Revelation 3:21:
"He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with me on MY THRONE, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne."
So *ALL* those who conquer will reign with Christ "on" the earth"
Jesus will be ruling "in the MIDST" of his enemies. Psalms 110:1-2
For Jesus to reign "in the midst of his enemies" he would have to be reigning "on" the earth. And those reigning with him would also be doing so "in the midst" of their enemies.
Revelation 5:9-10 (Note: In the KIT (Kingdom interlinear translation of the WT Society) the translation of the Greek (on the left side) says "they will reign ON the earth" but on the right side, the New World Translation STRANGELY says: OVER the earth. Most other Bibles also say *ON* or *UPON* the earth.
Christ, at Revelation 3:26 says the following:
"And he who overcomes, and he who keeps my deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS, AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from my Father."
We remember that Jesus gave the model prayer and in it we are to pray for God's Kingdom 'to come", and His will be done "on earth" as it is in heaven.
Heavenly Jerusalem comes from God TO THE EARTH. And then it is said that
" The tabernacle of God is AMONG MEN, and He SHALL DWELL AMONG THEM and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be AMONG them." Rev.21:3
Isaiah 64: 15-16: "And you will leave your name for a curse *to my CHOSEN ones*, and the Lord God will slay ou. But *my servants SHALL BE CALLED BY ANOTHER NAME.* Because he who is blessed *IN THE EARTH* shall be blesse by the God of truth"................" And see verse 25: "..................."my chosen ones shall wear out the work of their hands."
Important to read Isaiah 60 to see what God will bring to the earth
Isaiah 60:14 coincides what Jesus said at Revelation 3:9:
"And the sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you, And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet; And they will call you the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy one of Israel."
Verse 16: " You will also suck the milk of nations, And will suck the breasts of Kings."..." Note: How could this be? Unless the saints are ruling "IN THE MIDST of their enemies"?
See also Isaiah 65:17-25
"GOD IS COMING" :
Zechariah 14:5, Please also see Zechariah 2:10-13 .. Isaiah 64:8-16 ....... Revelation 1:4 ..... Psalms 96:13 .... Psalms 98:9
God comes to reign and to judge the earth: Psalms 97
And he will judge the earth through a man God has appointed. Acts 17:31
See also Isaiah 40:10-11 .....Isaiah 51:5........
God will dwell among mankind, and He will be with them. Rev.
So God and Christ's kingdom will COME and it will be here ON the earth.
This is what I see in Scripture anyway.
What is interesting to note is that the writer of Matthew has a different writing style than the other writers, such as Mark, Luke, John. The writer of Matthew speaks of God's Kingdom as : "God's Heavenly Kingdom" Whereas usually the other written accounts refer to it as merely: "God's Kingdom".
This has been confusing to most Christians because they are prone to believe that God' and Christ's kingdom will be *UP in heaven*not ON the earth with Matthew speaking of it as being a HEAVENLY KINGDOM. Yet what I have come to see is that HEAVENLY merely means that it is a kingdom that originated FROM GOD and not of this world run by Satan who is the God of these earthly governments and kingdom Satan has authority over.
Hence "heavenly" merely means that it comes from God.
To prove that the heavenly kingdom is the SAME as God's Kingdom please see Matthew 19:23
The "other sheep" hope to *make it into God's Kingdom*, OR to "inherit God's Kingdom"
Yet if it is a "heavenly kingdom* then it is not possible for them to enter the kingdom, which, according to the WTS teaching, only the 144,000 can enter God's "heavenly" kingdom. So it is clear that there is only one kingdom and God's kingdom "is coming" to the earth. And the "heavenly kingdom" is the same as "Gods kingdom". So there is only "one hope" not several, the way the WT teaches. There is no heavenly hope verses an earthly hope. It is the same hope: same kingdom. Open for all.
Comment by cazenovi on 2016-04-12 16:00:52
"To see what he’s done, we have to first understand what the good news really is. (Eph 1:13, 14; Ro 8:14-16)"
I like these scriptures presented. As well as the article. After receiving my new hope, my study of the scriptures intensified tremendously. I recently read the bible for the third time consecutively to see if my thoughts about the truth was the truth.
I have indeed been enlightened studying the scriptures on it own the real "good news" of the *nations* is the revealing of the sacred secret! That holy spirit would now be poured out on the gentile nations, not just the jews and be spirit begotten in union with Christ. Here are some of the scriptures that clearly say WHAT good new should be preached.
All NWT:
Eph 3:3-6 "that by way of a revelation the sacred secret was made known to me, just as I wrote previously in brief. So when you read this, you can realize my comprehension of the sacred secret+ of the Christ. In other generations this secret was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by spirit,+ namely, that people of the nations should, in union with Christ Jesus and through the good news, be joint heirs and fellow members of the body+ and partakers with us of the promise."
Eph 1:8-12 "This he caused to abound toward us in all wisdom+ and good sense, in that* he made known to us the sacred secret+ of his will. It is according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself+ for an administration*+ at the full limit of the appointed times,+ namely, to gather+ all things together again* in the Christ,+ the things in the heavens+ and the things on the earth.+ [Yes,] in him, in union with whom we were also assigned as heirs,+ in that we were foreordained according to the purpose of him who operates all things according to the way his will counsels,+ that we should serve for the praise of his glory,+ we who have been first to hope* in the Christ.+ "
Col 1:25-28 "..from God which was given me in YOUR interest to preach the word of God fully, the sacred secret+ that was hidden from the past systems of things*+ and from the past generations. But now it has been made manifest+ to his holy ones, to whom God has been pleased to make known what are the glorious riches+ of this sacred secret+ among the nations. It is Christ+ in union with YOU, the hope of [his]* glory.+ He is the one we are publicizing,+ admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom,+ that we may present every man complete*+ in union with Christ."
In Him,
CazenoviReply by Meleti Vivlon on 2016-04-14 11:56:00
Thanks for sharing those scriptures. Most helpful.
Comment by Adam on 2018-04-02 11:05:43
Hi everyone, I have just joined this forum.
I want to comment on the question asked:
"I’ve been stunned that otherwise intelligent people still refuse to accept the evidence, preferring instead to cling tenaciously to the JW fantasy.............The question is why?
I wonder if a bit of psychology may explain it: "The Five Stages of Grief":
1/ Denial.
2/Anger.
3/ Bargaining.
4/ Depression.
5/ Acceptance.
Having gone through these myself I empathize with the initial Denial.
For example, we may recall trying to reason with a Trinitarian to no avail and being amazed at the flat-out refusal to accept what the bible says.
My opinion is that it is no different for a JW or a Roman Catholic to be confronted by a scriptural refutation of long-held beliefs that define who they are. It seems to be too much for them to take in and the denial coupled with a strict exhortation from the leadership to not concern themselves anymore with such pesky problems means that only a few honest hearted ones will progress to the next stage.
Having said that I note that this thread is a year old but there is nothing else more recent.
As a suggestion, it wouldn't be that hard to just pose a Bible question and let the forum go at it hammer and tongs.
The one obvious to me is already been asked in this thread: "It is clear that *someone* will be on the earth. That the earth will in fact be restored to its original purpose. So who will be there? What about the pre-Christian faithful ones? Will they be on the Earth or in heaven? "
Maybe the answer is that since the bible doesn't say, then neither can we?
Maybe we just have to wait and see what the answer is in Gods time.
Personally, I would like interaction on the subject of spiritual progress and unity with the Christ as in:
2 Corinthians 3:18 New International Version (NIV)
"18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
and
John 17:20-23 New International Version (NIV)
20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
I hope all is well!