Melinda Mills

"You must not put Jehovah your God to the test" - Jesus in Matthew 4:7.

Very good summary and refresher, Comfort and Anna.

Just wish to agree that the hardship that will come from the attack of Satan because of his envy of the spiritual paradise that Jehovah’s people have will not be discipline from Jehovah. Hardship will come though in the future, regard less. The prophet Habakkuk prophesied about it: (Habakkuk 3:16-19) I heard and I trembled within; At the sound my lips quivered. Rottenness entered my bones; My legs beneath me were shaking. But I quietly wait for the day of distress, For it is coming upon the people who attack us. 17 Although the fig tree may not blossom, And there may be no fruit on the vines; Although the olive crop may fail, And the fields may produce no food; Although the flock may disappear from the pen, And there may be no cattle in the stalls; 18 Yet, as for me, I will exult in Jehovah; I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. 19 The Sovereign Lord Jehovah is my strength; He will make my feet like those of a deer And cause me to tread on high places. Although God’s people will have to witness terrible conditions and it will affect them, they will know that it is not directed at them. As the text above shows: “It is coming upon the people who attack us”. Jehovah will give them confidence and joy and he will sustain them. The tribulation will be cut short so flesh will be saved despite famine and deprivation. (See also Ezekiel 38 and 39.) Another point that I believe will interest you is that true worship has never died out – it was subdued but it was always there. In Ahab and Jezebel’s time the prophet Elijah thought only he was serving Jehovah but Jehovah assured him that there were 7,000 who were faithful to him, though not prominent ones, and this could not be known by Elijah. Similarly, in the dark ages, we cannot know all that who were faithful Christians then. But Jehovah knows them. (1 Kings 19 9-18) There he entered a cave and spent the night; and look! Jehovah’s word came to him, telling him: “What are you doing here, E·liʹjah?” 10 To this he said: “I have been absolutely zealous for Jehovah the God of armies; for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, your altars they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword, and I am the only one left. Now they are seeking to take my life away.” 11 But He said: “Go out and stand on the mountain before Jehovah.” And look! Jehovah was passing by, and a great and strong wind was splitting mountains and breaking crags before Jehovah, but Jehovah was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but Jehovah was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake, there was a fire, but Jehovah was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a calm, low voice. 13 As soon as E·liʹjah heard it, he wrapped his face in his official garment and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then a voice asked him: “What are you doing here, E·liʹjah?” 14 To this he said: “I have been absolutely zealous for Jehovah the God of armies; for the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, your altars they have torn down, and your prophets they have killed with the sword, and I am the only one left. Now they are seeking to take my life away.” 15 Jehovah said to him: “Return, and go to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, anoint Hazʹa·el as king over Syria. 16 And you should anoint Jeʹhu the grandson of Nimʹshi as king over Israel, and you should anoint E·liʹsha the son of Shaʹphat from Aʹbel-me·hoʹlah as prophet to take your place. 17 Anyone escaping from Hazʹa·el’s sword, Jeʹhu will put to death; and anyone escaping from Jeʹhu’s sword, E·liʹsha will put to death. 18 And I still have left 7,000 in Israel, all whose knees have not bent down to Baʹal and whose mouths have not kissed him.” At all the times that the people of Jehovah were disciplined there were faithful ones who continued to serve Jehovah, though in difficult conditions, e.g. Daniel and the three Hebrew officials. They determined in their hearts that they would not pollute themselves with the food of Babylon. Daniel continued to prayer and mischief was framed against him for that .. He was later thrown into the lion’s den. The three Hebrew officials did not succumb to idolatry and were thrown into the fiery furnace. Daniel and the three Hebrew officials were true Witnesses of Jehovah. Doubtless there were others who were not prominent who were also faithful to God and persisted in true worship. The true God Jehovah will have Witnesses at all points of history. Even if it seems that the work is dead we know that Jehovah will have Witnesses because he is the true God. Doubtless many pursued economic interests and did not bother with or were lukewarm in their worship but Jehovah had his Witnesses. And a remnant also came out of Babylon who were zealous to restore Jehovah’s worship fully in an organized way. Jesus said the wheat and the weeds would grow together; the weeds would overwhelm the wheat but the wheat would persist, as Jesus said they would be separated in the time of the end. So we must not think that after the apostles died there were no people who served and pleased Jehovah. We know from history about the persecution of those who opposed the church teachings and were executed by the church and the state. Many were banished like the translators who fled to other countries where they could continue their work. (We know even scientists were persecuted for disagreeing from the Catholic Church and we know they were vindicated.) I am saying this to agree with the Watchtower today which showed that the wheat-like Christians existing in the ages since the death of the apostles tried their best to serve God though they could not be organized like today because of being underground. Excerpt from November 2016 Study edition, page 23: paragraph 9. “Even so, a small number of anointed wheatlike Christians were doing their best to worship God, but their voices were being drowned out.” (Matthew 13:24, 25) He presented another illustration to them, saying: “The Kingdom of the heavens may be likened to a man who sowed fine seed in his field. 25 While men were sleeping, his enemy came and oversowed weeds in among the wheat and left. (Matthew 13:37-39) In response he said: “The sower of the fine seed is the Son of man; 38 the field is the world. As for the fine seed, these are the sons of the Kingdom, but the weeds are the sons of the wicked one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels. (Matthew 13:28-30) 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy, a man, did this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go out and collect them?’ 29 He said, ‘No, for fear that while collecting the weeds, you uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest season, I will tell the reapers: First collect the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them up; then gather the wheat into my storehouse.’ These scriptures prove the existence of wheat-like Christians down through the ages. They were stifled by the weeds but they were there nevertheless, giving Jehovah God worship in any way they could, firmly resolving in their hearts to stay true to the Master Christ. It is not dissimilar to persons today enduring long periods of imprisonment and doing their best to remain faithful. We have many examples and that of well known Bro. Harold King. I invite others to comment.

Glad you liked the illustration!

"Did Abraham need date information to serve God with all his soul? No. Why? Because he simple loved God. And here I am, like all of you. Serving to Jehovah decades after our thoughts about when the end should come. Because our main motivation is, simply, love." == Agree that love for Jehovah is the key. I we hope to enjoy life under the Kingdom we will have to see things Jehovah's way and show undying love for him and his way of doing things. In the new system love is what will matter not time. Notice that the end was imminent two thousand years ago as well, and the Christians then worked diligently to preach and to have godly conduct because they loved Jehovah, his Son and they loved people. They covered the then-known world with their preaching. If we are enjoying our service we would not be clock watchers. I think the answers are in this chapter of Second Peter. (2 Peter 3:7-18 and Hebrews chapter 11.) ." 7 But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people . 8 However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. 9 Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance. (Jehovah's actions are not limited by our short lifespans. He is not slow - he will be on time. He wants us to help others and enjoy what we are doing to warn others. We need to work on our own weaknesses as well.) 10 But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed. (The end is necessary and is sure. As Jesus said at Matthew 24:36 - the day will not be disclosed - it will come as a thief - the Bible said the angels do not know either.) 11 Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, 12 as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah, through which the heavens will be destroyed in flames and the elements will melt in the intense heat! 13 But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell. 14 Therefore, beloved ones, since you are awaiting these things, do your utmost to be found finally by him spotless and unblemished and in peace. (First century Christians urgently worked on their weaknesses and pursued spiritual things zealously as though the end was coming the next day. We have to do the same - we who are 2,000 years nearer to it.) 15 Furthermore, consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you according to the wisdom given him, (They used to time for their own benefit - to have their deeds fully performed before God [Rev 3:2] instead of whining about time.) 16 speaking about these things as he does in all his letters. However, some things in them are hard to understand, and these things the ignorant and unstable are twisting, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You, therefore, beloved ones, having this advance knowledge, be on your guard so that you may not be led astray with them by the error of the lawless people and fall from your own steadfastness. (As in the first century, some things would be hard to understand but we need not be daunted or be led astray. Many of God's servants in the past did not fully understand all of his will but they were loyal and Jehovah loved them and assured them of his approval - e.g. Job, Daniel. Jehovah told Satan there was no one like Job in all the earth; after his many tests, he was blessed with long life and restored offspring and riches, and was assured of the resurrection. [ Job1:8 ;14:4,15]; Daniel was told he was loved (desirable/precious) and assured that he would stand up (be resurrected) at the end of the days. No date was given. [ Dan 9:23;12:13]) 18 No, but go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (They served God with eternity in view.) Jehovah is all-wise and he knows what He is doing. No one can check his hand. Abraham did not die disgruntled - he died happy looking forward to a permanent place in earthly realms of God's Kingdom. He had love and he had strong faith; he later was called the father of all having faith. The things hoped for will be realized but we will still need faith, it will not pass away as some think, as no one can see God and live - we have to have strong faith in His existence and in his purposes. (Hebrews 11:6). 6 Moreover, without faith it is impossible to please God well, for whoever approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him. 7...... 8 By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, although not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he lived as a foreigner in the land of the promise as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the very same promise. 10 For he was awaiting the city having real foundations, whose designer and builder is God. 11 By faith also Sarah received power to conceive offspring, even when she was past the age, since she considered Him faithful who made the promise. 12 For this reason, from one man who was as good as dead, there were born children, as many as the stars of heaven in number and as innumerable as the sands by the seaside. 13 In faith all of these died, although they did not receive the fulfillment of the promises; but they saw them from a distance and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land. 14 For those who speak in such a way make it evident that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. 15 And yet, if they had kept remembering the place from which they had departed, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they are reaching out for a better place, that is, one belonging to heaven. Therefore, God is not ashamed of them, to be called on as their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Because Jehovah is a lover of justice, he has allowed time to work out his purposes and to answer issues related to Satan, although he has the power to do it all at once. (The other day I was explaining to a gentleman why God has not yet destroyed Satan, as the man was adamant that God is not doing anything about Satan. I gave him the illustration of a barber's shop: Barbers are not annoyed or perturbed by the amount of hair on the floor; it does not stop them from working, although it might be an eyesore. He simply sweeps when he is finished working.) The injustices on the earth hurt God but his love for mankind stops him from shutting shop and sweeping up before the warning is given. He will break up (undo) the works of Satan and destroy him at a time that will benefit the most humans and will vindicate his name. Let us continue to have love and faith and hope and acknowledge that love is the key. Agree with Comfort's conclusion.

Agree. The pictures make a good point. They enhance the meaning. His path in life is clearer with the light of God's word. I understand you are saying this is the basic meaning of the passage. Paul admitted he had partial knowledge; and we should all admit that. Wait on Jehovah.

Shows we have one spirit. I was thinking the same thing recently that we pin the scriptures too much to one point or aspect of the scripture. Jehovah’s word is deep, wide, high and long at the same time, so it can tell us many things, so we can use it as a multi-purpose tool to do and learn many things (2 Tim 3:16,17). Jehovah’s spirit helps us to understand even with language limitations. Jehovah’s Word also encourages us to perceive what the will of God is. (Ephesians 5:17) Everything will not be spelled out for us. [I find your (ComfortmyPeople) language ability is wonderful.] The apostle Paul acknowledged this long ago as we can see at Ephesians 3:17-19. (Ephesians 3:17-19) . . . May you be rooted and established on the foundation, 18 in order that with all the holy ones you may be thoroughly able to comprehend fully what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of the Christ, which surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness that God gives. (Romans 11:33) O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and beyond tracing out his ways are! Jehovah is the originator of language and he has no problem helping us to understand or using his holy spirit to reveal things to us. He has used the faithful and discreet slave to feed us well over the years but the Bible is written to all of us personally as well. If Jehovah wishes to teach us personally something from a particular text who should limit that? (John 3:16) “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life. (Rev 22:7) 7 Look! I am coming quickly. Happy is anyone observing the words of the prophecy of this scroll. Anyone can benefit from and apply God’s Word. I have also noted that when I pay attention to a particular scripture, seeing something in it that I had never paid attention to before, often I find that it is highlighted also by the current CO when he comes. I will have to start writing these things down so I can give a few examples in the future. I often forget the details but the knowledge of the times it occurred remains with me. I am sure JWInsider and Anna would have had similar experiences. Look how many years we thought that only the anointed had Jehovah’s spirit. Jehovah gives his spirit to anyone who wants to find him and serve him. We know the instance of Cornelius and his family who got it even before Peter got there and before they wee baptized. Really enjoyed the post and the comments of Anna and JWI.

*** Bible Citations *** (Matthew 4:5-7)Then the Devil took him along into the holy city, and he stationed him on the battlement of the temple 6 and said to him: “If you are a son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written: ‘He will give his angels a command concerning you,’ and, ‘They will carry you on their hands, so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him: “Again it is written: ‘You must not put Jehovah your God to the test.’” (2 Samuel 23:15-17) 15 After a while David expressed his craving and said: “O that I might have a drink of the water from the cistern of Bethʹle·hem that is at the gate!” 16 At that the three mighty men forced their way into the camp of the Phi·lisʹtines and drew water from the cistern of Bethʹle·hem that is at the gate and came carrying and bringing it to David; and he did not consent to drink it, but poured it out to Jehovah. 17 And he went on to say: “It is unthinkable on my part, O Jehovah, that I should do this! [Shall I drink] the blood of the men going at the risk of their souls?” And he did not consent to drink it. These are the things the three mighty men did. Pictures of this sort are not good examples of people valuing their life. I have seen many such on this site. Poor economic conditions or not these texts ought to be considered. Lifejackets are also available. They can be purchased and kept for these occasions - travelling on local boats, on weak bridges, etc. A word to the wise. The dead cannot praise God - hardly the sick.

"It will be interesting to see if we are given a new understanding of the identity of the 24 elders. If they are no longer seen as the 144'000, then perhaps Rev 7:13-14 will remove the need to think that the anointed in heaven are communicating with those still on earth. " Great point, Anna Very interesting discussion so far, JWI. I appreciate the time and research you put into bringing these points to our attention. However, I am not usually bothered by these things. These are the points that I read and I sometimes forget them, because if something does not add up or is not convincing enough I know no one will or can force me to believe it. So it just does not stick. God is in charge and he will use the holy spirit to teach us what is necessary. Agape to you all.

White House. Two words. Never knew it to say things.

Quite a few mentioned the well thought out information in the Watchtower. Thought I would see some comments here. This was not in the magazine but it kept coming into my mind. (1 Corinthians 13:1) If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. Enough love and attention would have to be showed to the youngsters so they would benefit from their parents' sacrifice of serving where the need is greater. Then the parents would also have to be sure to nourish themselves. I thought of 1 Peter 2:2 and Matt 5:3. Matthew 5:3 was mentioned in the beginning of the article. We need to long for the milk of the word as well as it will nourish us to progress to salvation. It was emphasized that our own spiritual needs must be met. This means time for personal study must be allocated regularly, daily if possible, and we should look forward to it like a child looks forward to his milk. Another point brought out I think in the referenced article was speaking at home in the mother tongue. This not only helps the children but also links back to the grandparents so they can benefit also and at the same time encourage the children. Just sharing my thoughts on it.

Mangoes won't hit them too hard in their heads. They can be eaten too.

I did not try to answer. I placed it there for those who did not attend the meeting or bother to read and study the new publication. You made some good observations.

*** kr chap. 5 p. 49 pars. 1-3 The King Shines Light on the Kingdom *** IMAGINE that an experienced guide is leading you on a tour of a wondrous and beautiful city. The city is new to you and to those with you, so you hang on to the guide’s every word. At times, you and your fellow tourists wonder excitedly about some of the city’s features that you have not yet seen. When you ask your guide about such things, however, he withholds his comments until key moments, often just when a certain sight is coming into view. In time, you grow ever more impressed with his wisdom, for he tells you what you need to know right when you need to know it. 2 True Christians are in a situation similar to that of the tourists. We are eagerly learning about the most wondrous of cities, “the city having real foundations,” the Kingdom of God. (Heb. 11:10) When Jesus was on earth, he personally guided his followers, leading them to a deeper knowledge of that Kingdom. Did he answer all their questions and tell them everything about that Kingdom at once? No. He said: “I still have many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them now.” (John 16:12) As the wisest of guides, Jesus never burdened his disciples with knowledge that they were not prepared to handle. 3 Jesus spoke the words recorded at John 16:12 on the final night of his earthly life. After his death, how would he continue to teach faithful people about God’s Kingdom? He assured his apostles: “The spirit of the truth . . . will guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:13) We may think of the holy spirit as a patient guide. The spirit is Jesus’ means of teaching his followers whatever they need to know about God’s Kingdom—right when they need to know it. … *** kr chap. 5 p. 50 The King Shines Light on the Kingdom *** Understanding a Pivotal Year 5 As we saw in Chapter 2 of this book, the Bible Students spent decades pointing out that the year 1914 would be significant in fulfilling Bible prophecy. However, at that time they believed that Christ’s presence had begun in 1874, that he had begun to rule in heaven in 1878, and that the Kingdom would not be fully set up until October 1914. The harvest would extend from 1874 to 1914 and would culminate in the gathering of the anointed to heaven. Do mistaken ideas such as these cast doubt on whether Jesus was guiding those faithful ones by means of holy spirit? 6 Not at all! Think again of our opening illustration. Would the premature ideas and eager questions of the tourists cast doubt on the reliability of their guide? Hardly! Similarly, although God’s people sometimes try to work out details of Jehovah’s purpose before it is time for the holy spirit to guide them to such truths, it is clear that Jesus is leading them. Thus, faithful ones prove willing to be corrected and humbly adjust their views.—Jas. 4:6.

What we are seeing is an example of Ps.148:12-13 or Matt.21:15 - Eion Joyce. Agree totally and I would also add Ps 110:3: (Psalm 110:3) Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force. In splendid holiness, from the womb of the dawn, You have your company of young men just like dewdrops. Part of educating children is teaching them how to work. They will find that work can be enjoyable, and they will pick up skills too. When they develop the right techniques and develop skills, work is not seen as drudgery but as the privilege to be enjoyed. (Ecclesiastes 3:22) 22 And I saw that there is nothing better than for a man to find enjoyment in his work, because that is his reward; for who can enable him to see what will happen after he is gone? These children are not only enjoying the work but the company of young people and the approval of the literature overseer.

*** it-2 p. 1085 Ten Words *** Source of Tablets. The Ten Words were first orally given at Mount Sinai by the angel of Jehovah. (Ex 20:1; 31:18; De 5:22; 9:10; Ac 7:38, 53; see also Ga 3:19; Heb 2:2.) Moses then ascended the mountain to receive the Ten Words in written form on two stone tablets, along with other commandments and instructions. During his extended 40-day stay, the people grew restless and made a molten calf to worship. Descending the mountain, Moses saw this spectacle of idolatry and threw down “the tablets [that] were the workmanship of God,” the very tablets upon which the Ten Words had been written, and shattered them.—Ex 24:12; 31:18–32:19; De 9:8-17; compare Lu 11:20. Jehovah later told Moses: “Carve out for yourself two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I must write upon the tablets the words that appeared on the first tablets, which you shattered.” (Ex 34:1-4) And so after another 40 days spent in the mountain, a duplicate copy of the Ten Words was obtained. These were kept by Moses in an ark of acacia wood. (De 10:1-5) The two tablets were called “the tablets of the covenant.” (De 9:9, 11, 15) Evidently this is why the gold-overlaid ark later made by Bezalel, in which the tablets were eventually kept, was called “the ark of the covenant.” (Jos 3:6, 11; 8:33; Jg 20:27; Heb 9:4) This legislation of the Ten Words was also called “the testimony” (Ex 25:16, 21; 40:20) and the “tablets of the Testimony” (Ex 31:18; 34:29), hence the expressions “the ark of the testimony” (Ex 25:22; Nu 4:5), and also “the tabernacle of the Testimony,” that is, the tent where the Ark was housed.—Ex 38:21. Concerning the first set of tablets, it is stated that they not only were made by Jehovah but were also “written on by God’s finger,” evidently denoting God’s spirit. (Ex 31:18; De 4:13; 5:22; 9:10) Likewise, the second set of tablets, although carved out by Moses, were written upon by Jehovah. When, at Exodus 34:27, Moses was told, “Write down for yourself these words,” reference was not to the Ten Words themselves, but, rather, as on a previous occasion (Ex 24:3, 4), he was to write down some of the other details pertaining to the covenant regulations. Hence, the pronoun “he” in Exodus 34:28b refers to Jehovah when it says: “And he [Jehovah, not Moses] proceeded to write upon the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words.” Verse 1 shows this to be so. Later, when recalling these events, Moses confirms that it was Jehovah who duplicated the tablets.—De 10:1-4.

Let us agree that we are seeing different things from the same information, but further and continued examination with sincerity eventually brings clarity. Keep up the interest.

Sharing *** w09 2/15 pp. 7-9 How Jesus’ Sayings Promote Happiness *** How Happy “the Mild-Tempered Ones”! 8 “Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5) “Mildness of temper,” or meekness, does not suggest weakness or hypocritical gentleness. (1 Tim. 6:11) If we are mild-tempered, we will display meekness by doing Jehovah’s will and accepting his guidance. Mildness of temper will also be evident in the way we deal with fellow believers and others. Such meekness harmonizes with the apostle Paul’s counsel.—Read Romans 12:17-19. 9 Why are the mild-tempered ones happy? Because “they will inherit the earth,” said mild-tempered Jesus. He is the principal Inheritor of the earth. (Ps. 2:8; Matt. 11:29; Heb. 2:8, 9) However, mild-tempered “joint heirs with Christ” share in his inheritance of the earth. (Rom. 8:16, 17) In the earthly realm of Jesus’ Kingdom, many other meek ones will enjoy everlasting life.—Ps. 37:10, 11. 10 Like Jesus, we should be mild-tempered. But what if we are known for having a belligerent spirit? Such an aggressive and hostile attitude may cause people to shy away from us. If we are brothers desiring to have responsibilities in the congregation, this trait disqualifies us. (1 Tim. 3:1, 3) Paul told Titus to keep reminding Christians in Crete “not to be belligerent, to be reasonable, exhibiting all mildness toward all men.” (Titus 3:1, 2) What a blessing such mildness is to others! … Why “the Pure in Heart” Are Happy 16 “Happy are the pure in heart, since they will see God.” (Matt. 5:8) If we are “pure in heart,” purity will be evident in our affections, desires, and motives. We will display “love out of a clean heart.” (1 Tim. 1:5) Being inwardly clean, we will “see God.” This does not necessarily mean seeing Jehovah literally, for “no man may see [God] and yet live.” (Ex. 33:20) Since he perfectly reflected God’s personality, however, Jesus could say: “He that has seen me has seen the Father also.” (John 14:7-9) As Jehovah’s worshippers on earth, we can “see God” by observing him act in our behalf. (Job 42:5) For anointed Christians, seeing God reaches its apex when they are resurrected to spirit life and actually see their heavenly Father.—1 John 3:2.

Sharing what I research since seeing your post. Ps 2:6-8 The kings of the earth take their stand And high officials gather together as one Against Jehovah and against his anointed one. 3 They say: “Let us tear off their shackles And throw off their ropes!” 4 The One enthroned in the heavens will laugh; Jehovah will scoff at them. 5 At that time he will speak to them in his anger And terrify them in his burning anger, 6 Saying: “I myself have installed my king On Zion, my holy mountain.” 7 Let me proclaim the decree of Jehovah; He said to me: “You are my son; Today I have become your father. 8 Ask of me, and I will give nations as your inheritance And the ends of the earth as your possession. *** Extracted Document (from footnote on inheritance)*** (Psalm 72:8) He will have subjects from sea to sea And from the River to the ends of the earth. (Hebrews 1:2) Now at the end of these days he has spoken to us by means of a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the systems of things. (Revelation 11:15) The seventh angel blew his trumpet. And there were loud voices in heaven, saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.”

So that was the point Ann O'Maly was making, then. Like you I used it and the other scriptures you mentioned referring to the earthly inheritance in my sermons as a child. And like you I would have missed it due to youth and the facilities available at the times. I don't think we had bound volumes in those days, either. Thanks, for the information. We all continue to learn. Kind regards Melinda

Thanks for your interest. As Eion said in a recent post, one has to pray for understanding and insight. Seat of God's Kingdom is in heaven, since Jesus went back to heaven, is of spirit nature, has immortality and is living in unapproachable light. ( 1 Tim 6:16) Those who partake of his nature would also be resurrected to heaven. So they acquire the glory of Jesus. (2 Thess 2:13,14) Jesus frequently used the term the "kingdom of the heavens". Eph 1:10 reaffirms one flock, one shepherd; but two folds: Earthly and heavenly. Therefore it agrees with John 10:16. Little flock in heaven; great flock on earth where humans were placed originally. One could be in presence of God and not necessarily be in heaven. When God acknowledged his Son on earth he was in his presence. (See my research given to Shiwii.) Can't fault your logic but you have to see the whole picture, the overall purpose of God to understand it. Logic is good but it is not everything. I will leave the rest to other commenters. *** w13 1/1 p. 9 “You Have . . . Revealed Them to Babes” *** Jesus knew that to unlock the spiritual truth found in the Bible, we need two things: God’s help and the right heart attitude. Jesus explains: “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to babes.” Do you see why it is that grasping the spiritual truth found in the Bible may be considered a matter of privilege? Jehovah, the “Lord of heaven and earth,” may hide or reveal the truth according to his sovereign will. But God is not arbitrary in this matter of revelation. On what basis does he reveal Bible truth to some and not to others? Jehovah favors the humble, not the haughty. (James 4:6) He hides the truth from “wise and intellectual ones”—worldly-wise and learned ones who in their pride and self-reliance feel no need for his help. (1 Corinthians 1:19-21) But he reveals the truth to “babes”—those who come to him with sincere hearts, showing childlike humility. (Matthew 18:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:26-28) God’s Son, Jesus, saw such responses firsthand. Many proud, highly educated religious leaders did not get the sense of Jesus’ message, but humble fishermen did. (Matthew 4:18-22; 23:1-5; Acts 4:13) At the same time, some wealthy and educated ones who showed genuine humility became Jesus’ followers.—Luke 19:1, 2, 8; Acts 22:1-3. We come back to the question raised at the outset: Do you want to know the truth about God? If so, you may find comfort in knowing that God does not favor those who consider themselves worldly-wise. On the contrary, he favors those whom the worldly-wise may look down on. If you study God’s Word with the right attitude of mind and heart, you may be among those to whom Jehovah gives a precious gift—an understanding of the truth about him. Grasping that truth will add meaning to your life now and can lead to “the real life”—endless life in God’s promised new world of righteousness soon to come.—1 Timothy 6:12, 19; 2 Peter 3:13.

See if you can get something from this. Begin Quote *** it-1 pp. 996-997 Great Crowd *** Their Identification. The key to the identification of the “great crowd” is found within the description of them in Revelation chapter 7 and in obviously parallel passages. Revelation 7:15-17 speaks of God as ‘spreading his tent over them,’ of their being guided to “fountains of waters of life,” and of God’s wiping “every tear from their eyes.” At Revelation 21:2-4 we find parallel expressions: ‘God’s tent being with mankind,’ his ‘wiping every tear from their eyes,’ and ‘death being no more.’ The vision there presented is concerning persons not in heaven, from where the ‘New Jerusalem comes down,’ but on earth, among mankind. This poses the question: If the “great crowd” are persons who gain salvation and remain on earth, how could they be said to be ‘standing before God’s throne and before the Lamb’? (Re 7:9) The position of ‘standing’ is sometimes used in the Bible to indicate the holding of a favored or approved position in the eyes of the one in whose presence the individual or group stands. (Ps 1:5; 5:5; Pr 22:29, AT; Lu 1:19) In fact, in the previous chapter of Revelation, “the kings of the earth and the top-ranking ones and the military commanders and the rich and the strong ones and every slave and every free person” are depicted as seeking to hide themselves “from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Re 6:15-17; compare Lu 21:36.) It thus appears that the “great crowd” is formed of those persons who have been preserved during that time of wrath and who have been able to “stand” as approved by God and the Lamb. End quote

Destinies - Earth Ps 37:11,29 Righteous to live one earth forever - original purpose – God put Adam on earth Matt 5:5 Meek shall inherit the earth – Jesus Rev 7: 9 After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes; and there were palm branches in their hands. Rev 21;3,4 Will live one earth in good conditions with no more death (Revelation 7:13, 14) In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?” 14 So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”. No tribulation in heaven. (Matthew 24:21) John 10:16 Other sheep not of this (heavenly) fold - earthly - Heaven (Luke 12:32) “Have no fear, little flock, for your Father has approved of giving you the Kingdom. (Luke 22:28-29) 28 “However, you are the ones who have stuck with me in my trials; 29 and I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom,… (Revelation 14:1) Then I saw, and look! the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who have his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. (Revelation 14:3) And they are singing what seems to be a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders, and no one was able to master that song except the 144,000, who have been bought from the earth. (Revelation 5:9) And they sing a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought people for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, (Revelation 5:10) and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.” (Hebrews 3:1) Consequently, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest whom we acknowledge — Jesus. (2 Thessalonians 2:13, 14) 13 However, we are obligated always to thank God for you, brothers loved by Jehovah, because from the beginning God selected you for salvation by sanctifying you with his spirit and by your faith in the truth. 14 He called you to this through the good news we declare, so that you may acquire the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 1: 10… It is according to his good pleasure that he himself purposed 10 for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times, to gather all things together in the Christ, Has earthly things and heavenly things Ephesians 1: 10… It is according to his good pleasure that he himself purposed 10 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 11 with whom we are in union and were assigned as heirs, having been foreordained according to the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things as he decides according to his will, 12 so that we who have been first to hope in the Christ should serve for the praise of his glory. 13 But you also hoped in him after you heard the word of truth, the good news about your salvation. After you believed, you were sealed by means of him with the promised holy spirit, 14 which is a token in advance of our inheritance, Has different folds (earthly and heavenly) but one flock (John 10:16, 17) 16 “And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those too I must bring in, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves me, because I surrender my life, so that I may receive it again. . .

" Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah's name" question *** w70 1/15 p. 42 pars. 4-5 The Coming “Great Tribulation” Foreshadowed *** 4 On Tuesday, Nisan 11, three days before the Passover feast, he visited the rebuilt temple of Jerusalem. He had already foretold the destruction of this rebuilt Jerusalem; but now he plainly told the people worshiping at Jerusalem that their “house,” their religious temple, was abandoned to them. Then he added: “For I say to you, You will by no means see me from henceforth until you say, ‘Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name!’” (Matt. 23:37-39) He left the temple never to be seen in it again. 5 As Jesus was going out, his apostles called his attention to the temple buildings and stones. Then he made known the terrible result of the temple’s being abandoned to the people of Jerusalem by saying: “Do you not behold all these things? Truly I say to you, By no means will a stone be left here upon a stone and not be thrown down.” (Matt. 24:1, 2) Later that day he and his apostles looked at that temple from atop the Mount of Olives. As they looked down on Jerusalem and its temple, the apostles remembered what Jesus had said. This prompted them to ask the following question: “Tell us, When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?”—Matt. 24:3. Find article and read on - other questions will be answered. ======== Who are the angels that will separate... Your fourth question is rather interesting. I will answer from the top of my head.(Others would help) I would think the literal angels as powerful spirit creatures are in a position to see what lawless acts are being performed, as opposed to humans who are limited and really not in a position to see much. So I would think it refers primarily to them. However, in Book of Revelation the overseers are referred to as angels in the right hand of Jesus Christ. These will also cooperate with the angels to reprove or separate (disfellowship) those practising lawlessness. Of course, we all know Jehovah has power to do all things. (See Matt 13:4 and Revelation chapters 2 and 3) "(Romans 8:28) 28 We know that God makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God, those who are the ones called according to his purpose. . . " Moved by love of righteousness, members of the congregation would bring to the attention of the elders any serious wrongdoing known to them so the congregations could be kept clean. "(Ephesians 4:16) 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. ======= Last days cut short question THE GREAT TRIBULATION WILL BE CUT SHORT (THE GREAT TRIBULATION IS THE END PART OF THE LAST DAYS) The Bible says the days of the great tribulation will be cut short. See article below. (If the last days were cut short we would already be in the new system of things. Further Jehovah is not telling us when the end would come. Jesus said "concerning that day and hour nobody knows...only the Father". (Matt 24:36) Jesus said he is coming as a thief in the night.) *** w15 5/1 p. 8 Many Will Survive the End—You Can Too *** "IS THE END NEAR? Many Will Survive the End—You Can Too The Bible informs us that the end will involve destruction: “There will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now . . . In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved.” (Matthew 24:21, 22) But God promises us that many humans will survive: “The world is passing away . . . , but the one who does the will of God remains forever.”—1 John 2:17. If you want to survive the passing of this world and ‘remain forever,’ what should you do? Should you start stockpiling supplies or making other physical preparations? No. The Bible strongly urges us to set different priorities. We read: “Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, as you await and keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah.” (2 Peter 3:10-12) The context shows that “all these things” that are to be dissolved include the ruling elements of this corrupt world and all those who choose such rulership rather than God’s. Clearly, if we were to stockpile material goods, that would not save us from such a destruction. Really, our survival involves being devoted to Jehovah God and learning about the kind of conduct and deeds that please him. (Zephaniah 2:3) Rather than following the majority today and ignoring the clear signals that we are living in such important times, we need to “keep close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah.” Jehovah’s Witnesses can show you from the Bible how you can be a survivor of this upcoming day." ==== Jesus taught us to pray God's will to be done here on earth as it is done in the heavens. This will be done after God's Kingdom starts to rule toward the earth. If you attend the mid-week meeting of Jehovah's Witnesses and study the new publication "God's Kingdom Rules!" you will get answers to when God's Kingdom will come and His Will would take place here on earth. (See page 11, paragraph 15.) Proverbs 2:4,5:  If you keep seeking for it as for silver, And you keep searching for it as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will understand the fear of Jehovah, And you will find the knowledge of God. I did not answer all your questions, others will help. Kind regards

You know from a few years now the thoughts which we entertained about these things. As I mentioned in the opening part of the submission, Paul said we will know these things accurately as time passes. Once our motives are right and we love Jehovah he will assign us to serve where he wishes and we will be happy with our assignment. Love is the virtue which will remain for all eternity. Good to hear from you.