nPeace
Veteran Member
(Revelation 7:17) because the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will shepherd them and will guide them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”How does Rev 21:1-4 speak about 2 classes of Christians?
How does Daniel 7:13,14 in conjunction with Genesis 22:18, and Genesis 40:10 speak of 2 classes of Christians, one with a heavenly calling and one with an earthly calling?
How does Mathew 6:9, 10, and Ephesians 1:3-14, in conjunction with Philippians 2:9, 10 tell us about those 2 classes of Christians?
I ask the same about Psalms 37:9-11, the prophecies in Isaiah 11, and Isaiah 65:17-26 also.
(Revelation 21:3, 4) 3 With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. 4 And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”
Same group, you agree?
If you don't agree, could you please state why not.
(Daniel 7:14) And to him there were given rulership, honor, and a kingdom, that the peoples, nations, and language groups should all serve him. His rulership is an everlasting rulership that will not pass away, and his kingdom will not be destroyed.
Whose rulership is being described here? Is it not Christ Jesus? Who are the king's subjects? Is it not people of all nations. and languages?
Drop down to verse 27.
(Daniel 7:27) “‘And the kingdom and the rulership and the grandeur of the kingdoms under all the heavens were given to the people who are the holy ones of the Supreme One. Their kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all rulerships will serve and obey them.’
The kingdom in heaven belongs to the saints - the 144,000, but did you notice what else belongs to them?
The grandeur of the kingdoms under all the heavens
That's clear, is it not.
They rule the whole earth. Agreed?
(Genesis 22:18) And by means of your offspring all nations of the earth will obtain a blessing for themselves because you have listened to my voice.
That's self explanatory.
However, to be clear, the promise made to Abraham involved bringing all mankind back to his original purpose. That was the reason for his promise of a king that he would appoint to do that. (See Psalms 2)
Hence...
Did I say Genesis 40:10? Sorry. I meant Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, neither the commander’s staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes, and to him the obedience of the peoples will belong.
The rulership rightly belongs to Christ, God's anointed king, as referenced in Psalm 2.
This is stated also in 1 Corinthians 15.
Particularly, verses 20-28
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep in death. 21 For since death came through a man, resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. 22 For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each one in his own proper order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence. 24 Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power. 25 For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. 26 And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing. 27 For God “subjected all things under his feet.” But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’ it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him. 28 But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him, that God may be all things to everyone.
So everything is brought back to God's original purpose.- A family in heaven, and a family in paradise on earth - all faithful to God. all living forever.
What a wonderful prospect. Don't you think?
This is what all the religions of this world fail to teach the people.
Jesus taught his followers to pray,
Let your Kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also on earth. Matthew 6:10
God expressed his purpose in Ephesians 1:9, 10 ... by making known to us the sacred secret of his will. It is according to his good pleasure that he himself purposed for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times, to gather all things together in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth. Yes, in him
(Philippians 2:9, 10) 9 For this very reason, God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name, 10 so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend - of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground. . .
Those under the ground refer to the dead that will rise... of course.
Do you agree that God's express will is to have a family in heaven, and on earth. That it is his will?
All the other scriptures agree.
Psalms 37:9-11, Isaiah 11, and Isaiah 65 (from verse 17) are all promises of the life to come for the meek, who will 'bless themselves', on the earth... forever.
Agreed. however, the earth is not just mentioned.Just because the earth is mentioned does not tell us there will be 2 classes of Christians, one with a heavenly calling and the other with an earthly calling.
Do you find it is just mentioned, or are there specific details given in the scriptures about it?
Where did you read that the New Jerusalem is coming down to earth?It is plain in Revelations that the New Jerusalem is coming down to earth and that God will dwell on earth with His people. Paradise on earth is a Biblical thing, not a JW thing that only they can see in the Bible.
The question I have asked is about the JW notion of 2 classes of Christians. Where does the Bible teach that?
I did not read that.
What I read is this...
(Revelation 21:2) . . .I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Does the translation you are reading say the same thing... not the exact words, of course?
The verse says, it comes down from God, and is prepared as a bride to meet her husband.
What is New Jerusalem, and who is her bridegroom?
If you say the New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ - the bridegroom, I fully agree.
(Revelation 19:7) Let us rejoice and be overjoyed and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife has prepared herself.
Any idea whom the bride of Christ is though?
(Revelation 21:9-21) 9 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls that were full of the seven last plagues came and said to me: “Come, and I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” 10 So he carried me away in the power of the spirit to a great and lofty mountain, and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God 11 and having the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone shining crystal clear. 12 It had a great and lofty wall and had 12 gates with 12 angels at the gates, and on the gates were inscribed the names of the 12 tribes of the sons of Israel. 13 On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 The wall of the city also had 12 foundation stones, and on them were the 12 names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. 15 Now the one who was speaking with me was holding a golden reed as a measure in order to measure the city and its gates and its wall. 16 And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as its width. And he measured the city with the reed, 12,000 stadia; its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits according to a man’s measure, at the same time an angel’s measure. 18 Now the wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every sort of precious stone: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 Also, the 12 gates were 12 pearls; each one of the gates was made of one pearl. And the main street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
Did you see how all the pieces fall into place.
The virgins in Revelation 14. The marriage to the lamb.
(Mark 2:19) So Jesus said to them: “While the bridegroom is with them, the friends of the bridegroom have no reason to fast, do they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
(2 Corinthians 11:2) . . .For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I personally promised you in marriage to one husband that I might present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ.
The picture is quite lovely, when you put all the pieces in place... correctly.
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