Melinda Mills

*** it-2 p. 790 Resurrection *** But is the old body reassembled in the resurrection? or is it a precise replica of the former body, made exactly as it was when the person died? The Scriptures answer in the negative when they deal with the resurrection of Christ’s anointed brothers to life in the heavens: “Nevertheless, someone will say: ‘How are the dead to be raised up? Yes, with what sort of body are they coming?’ You unreasonable person! What you sow is not made alive unless first it dies; and as for what you sow, you sow, not the body that will develop, but a bare grain, it may be, of wheat or any one of the rest; but God gives it a body just as it has pleased him, and to each of the seeds its own body.”—1Co 15:35-38. The heavenly ones receive a spiritual body, for it pleases God for them to have bodies suitable for their heavenly environment. But those whom Jehovah pleases to raise to an earthly resurrection, what body does he give them? It could not be the same body, of exactly the same atoms. If a man dies and is buried, by process of decay his body is reconverted into chemicals that can be absorbed by vegetation. Persons may eat that vegetation. The elements, the atoms of that original person, now are in many persons. In the resurrection it is obvious that the same atoms cannot be in the original person and in all the others at the same time. Neither is the resurrected body necessarily one constructed to be the exact duplicate of the body at the moment of death. If a person has had his body mutilated before death, will he return in the same way? That would be unreasonable, for he might not be in a condition even to hear and to do “those things written in the scrolls.” (Re 20:12) Say a person died from having the blood drained from his body. Would he return without blood? No, for he could not live in an earthly body without blood. (Le 17:11, 14) Rather, he would be given a body as it pleases God. Since God’s will and pleasure are that the resurrected person must obey the “things written in the scrolls,” it would have to be a sound body, possessing all its faculties. (Even though Lazarus’ body was already partially decomposed, Jesus resurrected Lazarus in a whole, sound body. [Joh 11:39]) In this way the individual could properly and justly be held responsible for his deeds during the judgment period. Yet the individual would not be perfect when brought back, for he must exercise faith in Christ’s ransom and must have the priestly ministrations of Christ and his “royal priesthood.”—1Pe 2:9; Re 5:10; 20:6.

I fear you are losing your faith. Don't be like Peter who started to walk on water and then sank.

Iranian kingdom halls?

"And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: 4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had." Luke 21: 1-4 (Matthew 13:3-9) 3 Then he told them many things by illustrations, saying: “Look! A sower went out to sow. 4 As he was sowing, some seeds fell alongside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell on rocky ground where there was not much soil, and they immediately sprang up because the soil was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. 8 Still others fell on the fine soil, and they began to yield fruit, this one 100 times more, that one 60, the other 30. 9 Let the one who has ears listen.” Jesus made it clear that the seeds falling on fine soil would all produce and yield fruit, but the circumstances of these would not be identical; therefore it is not necessary to big up those who can do more. He appreciates what we do, once we are giving all that our strength can accomplish. He is not like men.

Russell appears to be grappling with the notion, (scripturally presented), that anointed Christians constitute the "body of Christ", in the context of Christ being termed the Head of that body, yet located in a different realm.. He also weaves in Paul's words regarding the transformation of humans "I am again experiencing birth pains until Christ is formed in you" (Gal.4:19) and other such expressions. He appears to attach more significance to illustrative vocabulary concerning the earthly position of anointed Christians than is scripturally warranted. -- Gone Away Based on Gone Away's digest, I am adding two cents. (I have not been able to read all.) Russell, like Paul, sacrificed a lot for the good news. However he was clearly wrong if he appeared to be roping himself into that unique sacrifice that Jesus gave. No other person could have done it. The person had to be one who could replace Adam, a man made perfect by God. (Deut 19:21) None of the anointed is perfect in the flesh, though righteousness is credited to them. No imperfect man could give a ransom for another imperfect man. (Psalm 49:7, 😎 None of them can ever redeem a brother Or give to God a ransom for him, 8 (The ransom price for their life is so precious That it is always beyond their reach); (Romans 6:8-11) 8 Moreover, if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that Christ, now that he has been raised up from the dead, dies no more; death is no longer master over him. 10 For the death that he died, he died with reference to sin once for all time, but the life that he lives, he lives with reference to God. 11 Likewise you, consider yourselves to be dead with reference to sin but living with reference to God by Christ Jesus. No one of the anointed can say he has no sin, so that he could offer himself as a sacrifice for sins. (1 John 1:8-10) 8 If we make the statement, “We have no sin,” we are misleading ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we make the statement, “We have not sinned,” we are making him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 2:1, 2) My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper with the Father, Jesus Christ, a righteous one. 2 And he is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s. No other human sacrifice is required. But God is well pleased with our bearing Kingdom fruit, including the fruit of lips (Hebrews 13:15, 16) 15 Through him let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that make public declaration to his name. 16 Moreover, do not forget to do good and to share what you have with others, for God is well-pleased with such sacrifices. ==== Perhaps Russell had a similar feeling to Paul? (Galatians 4:19) my little children, for whom I am again experiencing birth pains until Christ is formed in you. Similar thoughts (in my opinion): (2 Corinthians 11:28) 28 Besides those things of an external kind, there is what rushes in on me from day to day: the anxiety for all the congregations. (2 Corinthians 11:1, 2) . . .! 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. . . Ephesians 4:11-16) And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers, 12 with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, to build up the body of the Christ, 13 until we all attain to the oneness of the faith and of the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to being a full-grown man, attaining the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ. 14 So we should no longer be children, tossed about as by waves and carried here and there by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in deceptive schemes. 15 But speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. 16 From him all the body is harmoniously joined together and made to cooperate through every joint that gives what is needed. When each respective member functions properly, this contributes to the growth of the body as it builds itself up in love. N.B. Russell's knowledge was imperfect, but gave him enough zeal to make a start in the restoration of true worship; at one point the apostle Paul's knowledge was imperfect too, though greatly superior to Russell's but he did very well in spearheading the work when redirected by Jesus and his letters are still guiding us today. However, Paul said he was looking as though through a metal mirror but eventually would know accurately and face-to-face. Very encouraging! (1 Corinthians 13:12, 13) 12 For now we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face-to-face. At present I know partially, but then I will know accurately, just as I am accurately known. 13 Now, however, these three remain: faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love.

Just posting this to see where it fits into the topic, if it fits in. Just thought of it. (Hebrews 11:26) because he considered the reproach of the Christ to be riches greater than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked intently toward the payment of the reward. (Refers to one being sent on behalf of Jehovah, not to Jesus himself.)

Jehovah meant to rule over mankind but the human pair listened to Satan who told them they could be happy doing their own thing. So they rejected Jehovah's rule over them and obeyed Satan. Satan is really the one who sponsored man's rule over man. Rev 13:1,2 shows that the wild beast with seven heads and ten horns represents human rulership sponsored by Satan, since it shows that the wild beast gets its power and authority from the dragon, Satan the devil. Matthew 4 which we just did at the meeting shows Satan offering Jesus of all people the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would do one act of worship to him, Satan. Thus, Satan shows that the kingdoms of the world are really his. However sometime after man's rebellion Nimrod, a hunter in opposition to God, began to build cities in order to rule over people. "*** it-2 p. 503 Nimrod *** Observes the Cyclopædia by M’Clintock and Strong: “That the mighty hunting was not confined to the chase is apparent from its close connection with the building of eight cities. . . . What Nimrod did in the chase as a hunter was the earlier token of what he achieved as a conqueror. For hunting and heroism were of old specially and naturally associated . . . The Assyrian monuments also picture many feats in hunting, and the word is often employed to denote campaigning. . . . The chase and the battle, which in the same country were connected so closely in aftertimes, may therefore be virtually associated or identified here. The meaning then will be, that Nimrod was the first after the flood to found a kingdom, to unite the fragments of scattered patriarchal rule, and consolidate them under himself as sole head and master; and all this in defiance of Jehovah, for it was the violent intrusion of Hamitic power into a Shemitic territory.”—1894, Vol. VII, p. 109." God did not agree to this scheme and scattered those people from there all over the earth by confusing their language. In the 16th century B.C.E. when Israel was formed as a nation, it in time asked for a king, in imitation of the pagan nations around. Jehovah meant to rule over his people by having priests, judges and prophets to enforce his laws. So when they asked for a king Jehovah warned them of the consequences of having human rulers, and told Samuel that they were not rejecting him Samuel but they were rejecting him Jehovah as king. However, the Davidic line of kings of the tribe of Judah were said to be sitting on Jehovah's throne, and continued to represent Jehovah having a kingdom on earth. (1 Chronicles 29:23) And Solʹo·mon sat on Jehovah’s throne as king in place of David his father, and he was successful, and all the Israelites were obedient to him. (1 Kings 11:36) To his son I will give one tribe, so that David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen for myself as the place to put my name. In time Jesus came to the earth (Gal 4:4) and started the preaching work, and commanded true Christians to continue this work of preaching and teaching until the end.(Matt 24:14;28:19,20) Christians would then be a public spectacle needing protection from the state. They would need freedom of association, freedom to share beliefs and freedom of conscience. Authorities are usually able to guarantee such protections. Guided by Holy Spirit the apostles wrote letters concerning our attitude towards these human authorities. The apostle Paul said at 1 Timothy to pray for governments that we may be able to focus on our work and that men of all sorts of people will hear the good news of the Kingdom and put themselves in line for life. (1 Timothy 2:1-4) First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made concerning all sorts of men, 2 concerning kings and all those who are in high positions, so that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with complete godly devotion and seriousness. 3 This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God, 4 whose will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth. For any project to progress and come to fruition there must be order in the environment. (That's why there is so little food in war years - farmers cannot do their work without fearing for their lives and people overrunning that they are doing.) Same with the preaching work - it needs good order to progress. Then Paul showed what attitude Christians should have toward these authorities; also the obligations of Christians, as follows: (Romans 13:1-7) Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. 2 Therefore, whoever opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will bring judgment against themselves. 3 For those rulers are an object of fear, not to the good deed, but to the bad. Do you want to be free of fear of the authority? Keep doing good, and you will have praise from it; 4 for it is God’s minister to you for your good. But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear, for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword. It is God’s minister, an avenger to express wrath against the one practicing what is bad. 5 There is therefore compelling reason for you to be in subjection, not only on account of that wrath but also on account of your conscience. 6 That is why you are also paying taxes; for they are God’s public servants constantly serving this very purpose. 7 Render to all their dues: to the one who calls for the tax, the tax; to the one who calls for the tribute, the tribute; to the one who calls for fear, such fear; to the one who calls for honor, such honor. Jehovah can maneuver anyone or anything to do his will. He once cause a donkey to talk to a wicked prophet. He can maneuver or put in the hearts of authorities whatever he wishes that will cause his work to be accomplished. We saw that in the case of the Persian empire using Queen Esther and Mordecai how he preserved his people from extermination; with the Roman empire with its good roads and ships to enable travelling throughout the empire, enabling missionary journeys and establishing congregations throughout the empire. We saw the Emperor causing people to travel so Jesus could be born in the city it was prophesied he would be born in; in other words, whoever has the means and the authority to facilitate God's work, Jehovah will that one to do so. He is the King of the Universe. Proverbs 21:1 speaks of this: (Proverbs 21:1) A king’s heart is like streams of water in Jehovah’s hand. He directs it wherever He pleases. In the great tribulation he is also going to put in the hearts of these authorities to destroy the "harlot", false religion. (Rev 17:16,17) So Jehovah allowed governments to exist and keep things going so the warning and harvesting work could go on until his time to bring to an end all human rule. (Dan 2:44; Eccl 8:9) He does not sponsor human rule, but he can use governments or individuals in governments to accomplish what he wants.

In a sense Jehovah's Witnesses are like Alex. They did not stay under the authority of the major religions like the Catholic Church, but examined the matter of what the real authority the Bible said, regardless of the consequences, whereas the majority of persons accept the authority of the Church and its erroneous teachings and refuse to look any further. Hosea 4:6 shows that people will be silenced for lack of knowledge. Second Thessalonions 1: 6-9 shows that people will undergo judicial punishment because of not knowing God and not obeying the good news. The case above shows the good sense of letting the real authority of the Bible speak. God's true sheep know the sound of the truth/his voice. Look at the amazing fruit that resulted when one honest-hearted lady helped her family to know the truth as well.

It is not common where I live. If it is done people might say we are imitating customs that are foreign. Like the large funeral wakes held in countries like Japan and Africa. The programmes usually say the family wants to spend the period after the funeral in quiet reflection. Some family members visit with the relatives at the residence, but the majority of attendees go their own way.

What hierachy? What madness! Not scriptural. Remember the widow? Jesus said she put in more than the others. Unless Jehovah and Jesus don't matter. Elijah thought only he was serving God but God said he had 7000 that did not bow down to Baal. Same today.

"Without reinventing the wheel, it is clear from Scripture that Jehovah has called out individuals and groups from amongst those worshipping him for a variety of specific purposes on a number of occasions throughout the Bible record. This did not result in condemnation for any worshippers who did not get a specific calling. Neither did any faithful ones from gaining Jehovah's recognition. An outstanding example of this is recorded at 1Kings 19. Elijah, whose specific calling is attested to throughout Scripture, felt he was the only one left serving Jehovah (IKi.19:14). But he was enlightened by Jehovah who was aware of many others, numbered at 7000, unnoticed by Elijah, but recognised by Jehovah. (1Ki.19:18)." - Gone Away The point about Jehovah's representative, Elijah, feeling that only he was left as a true worshipper of Jehovah [this was also alluded to in JWInsider's post when he quoted Roman's 11:4,5. Paul used it to show that there would have been many more anointed chosen according to Jehovah's undeserved kindness] also shows that none of Jehovah's servants can say dogmatically that they know the true status of any group or individual who worships Jehovah. They really can't know. Jehovah had to tell Elijah about them and their integrity. "To his own master he stands or falls". (Romans 14:4) I wanted to mentioned this point before and I forgot both times; and it also goes to show that Jehovah's spirit is one spirit. At the meetings too we often hear the identical comment we wanted to give.

Whether the brother was asked point blank or otherwise, it is not a question for him to answer. He answered to the best of his knowledge. The hope of a resurrection is a gift from Jehovah God and Jesus Christ. They are the ones that read hearts and can distinguish between the righteous, the unrighteous and the wicked. God has given the work of judging to Jesus. So we can leave that with him.

The Scriptures show that weeds were sown among the wheat and then the two were indistinguishable until the last days. Jesus said not to trouble them until the harvest time. However, as Gone Away has said there was a gap in understanding and in information on this era. My own belief is that were always true Christians at every point in time. True Christians are Jehovah's Witnesses like Jesus (Rev 3:14), and I believe for the True God not to be able to furnish Witnesses at every point in time is unthinkable. Bible translators and other Christians were fiercely persecuted by the Roman Empire and the Catholic Church. There might have been millions as JWI said or there might have been just a remnant but I believe they were there. The point is we don't really know for certain but we are allowed to think.

It could be that swine were kept by or sold to Gentiles living among the Israelites. See research below for some good points relating to pigs/swine. *** it-2 p. 1049 Swine *** The Israelites generally seem to have viewed swine as especially loathsome. Hence the ultimate degree in disgusting worship is conveyed by the words: “The one offering up a gift—the blood of a pig!” (Isa 66:3) To the Israelites, few things could have been more inappropriate than a pig with a gold nose ring in its snout. And it is to this that Proverbs 11:22 compares an outwardly beautiful woman who is not sensible. Although apostate Israelites ate pork (Isa 65:4; 66:17), the Apocryphal books of First Maccabees (1:65, Dy) and Second Maccabees (6:18, 19; 7:1, 2, Dy) show that during the foreign domination of Palestine by the Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes and his vicious campaign to stamp out the worship of Jehovah, there were many Jews who refused to eat the flesh of swine, preferring to die for violating the decree of the king rather than to violate the law of God. Whereas some other nations did not eat pork, to the Greeks it was a delicacy. Hence, likely as a result of Hellenistic influence, by the time of Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, there were apparently quite a number of pigs in Palestine, particularly in the Decapolis region. In the country of the Gadarenes there was at least one herd of about 2,000 pigs. When Jesus permitted the demons that he had expelled to enter this large herd, every last one of the animals rushed over a precipice and drowned in the sea.—Mt 8:28-32; Mr 5:11-13. The Cast-Out Demons Who Entered Swine. No fault can be found with Jesus for allowing the demons to enter the swine, especially since certain unstated factors may very well have been involved, such as whether the owners of the swine were Jews, thus being guilty of disrespect for the Law. It was, of course, not required that Jesus exercise foreknowledge as to what the demons would do once they entered the unclean animals. And the demons may have wanted to take possession of the swine in order to derive therefrom some unnatural sadistic pleasure. Also, it might reasonably be argued that a man is worth more than a herd of swine. (Mt 12:12) Furthermore, all animals actually belong to Jehovah by reason of his Creatorship, and thus Jesus as God’s representative had every right to permit the demons to take possession of the herd of swine. (Ps 50:10; Joh 7:29) The demons’ entering the swine manifested their ouster from the men in a very forceful way, thus also making very apparent to observers the harm that came to creatures of flesh that became demon possessed. It demonstrated for such human observers both Jesus’ power over the demons and demonic power over fleshly creatures. All of this may have suited Jesus’ purpose and may explain why he allowed the unclean spirits to enter the swine. Illustrative Use. The inability of swine to recognize the value of pearls was employed by Jesus in illustrating the unwisdom of sharing spiritual things with those having no appreciation whatever of spiritual thoughts and teachings. (Mt 7:6) And in Jesus’ illustration of the prodigal son, the degradation to which a young man had sunk was accentuated by his having to hire himself out as a swineherd, a most despicable occupation for a Jew, and by his willingness even to eat the food of these animals.—Lu 15:15, 16. The apostle Peter compared Christians who revert to their former course of life to a sow that returns to its wallow after having been washed. (2Pe 2:22) However, it is evident that, as relates to the pig, this illustration is not intended to apply beyond the surface appearance of things. Actually, the pig, under natural conditions, is no dirtier than other animals, although it indulges in wallowing in the mud from time to time in order to cool off in the heat of the summer and to remove external parasites from its hide.