QUESTIONS:
"Hi sister Pearl,
May I ask your understanding with regards to Revelation 7:9-17 ---the great multitude that no man could count / number? Are they a heavenly class or an earthly class or a mix of the two? My initial thought was that the earthly class are those who inherit the earth."
MY REPLY:
Please read the scriptures as you come to them. This is where most of the information is found.
At first this may sound confusing, but I will explain.
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"Hi sister Pearl,
May I ask your understanding with regards to Revelation 7:9-17 ---the great multitude that no man could count / number? Are they a heavenly class or an earthly class or a mix of the two? My initial thought was that the earthly class are those who inherit the earth."
MY REPLY:
Please read the scriptures as you come to them. This is where most of the information is found.
At first this may sound confusing, but I will explain.
The Great Multitude (Great Crowd) are "heavenly" (but not in a physical sense), and "earthly" (in a physical sense now and later when on earth, within God's Kingdom).
They are of righteous earth (= Israel)
(Isa.66:1; 60:13; Eze.43:7; 37:26; Ps.132:7; Matt.5:35; John 14:23; Rev.14:3; 7:4)
in a spiritual sense, before they are sealed and before being included in the 144000 and in the Great Crowd (which is a part of the 144000).
Once sealed in the designation of "Great Crowd", they are a segment of the "144000".
The 144000 do inherit the planet earth and all the good creation upon it; which is what was given to all righteous mankind in the first place (Ps.115:16).
Adam lost it (Gen.1:26,27,28,29; 3:13,17,18,19; Hosea 6:7).
The second Adam then inherits it, along with his "144000" "righteous" brothers (1Cor. 15:45; Ps.2:7,8; Rev.5:10; Ps.37:11,29; Rev.19:8).
Through Christ's ambassador brothers/"bride" covenant (2Cor. 5:20), there is healing to the rest of creation (Rev.22:2; 21:3,4; Rom.8:19,21; Rev.22:17).
"Heavenly" must not be viewed in a physical sense. It is a spiritual existence (Rom.8:9) (Heb.11:16; Luke 10:20; Rev.21:2; 3:12; Heb.12:22,23; 1Pet. 1:23), which can occur now, while the physical body is in the earthly realm.
Those born again while in the physical earth, can also possess an invisible spirit within them (Rom.8:9; 1Pet. 1:23; Luke 8:11,15) at the same time, just as Christ did following his resurrection (1Pet. 3:18; John 20:19,24,25,26,27; 1Cor. 15:6), and just as angels who appeared on earth (Gen.18:2,16,17,20,21,22,33; Num.22:31; etc..
These materialized angels did not stop being spirit beings while in a physical body.
Jesus, as the fulfillment of Abraham's seed (Gal.3:16), inherits the earth (Ps.2:7,8). He applies his ransom to those in the New Covenant (Rev.5:9,10), sharing the inheritance of the earth with them (Matt.25:34). They also then become Abraham's seed, and heirs of the earth (Gal.3:26,29; Gen.13:14,15; 28:14; Rom.8:17; Heb.2:5,16).
The "Watchtower" teaches that once the "144000" are resurrected upon their deaths, they enter a place not on earth, called heaven, as spirit beings exclusively, and never return to earth. This is not what the Bible teaches.
The Greek and Hebrew for "resurrected" simply means to "stand again", as in standing before God for judgment.
We stood before God under our father Adam's sin, and stood condemned to death. The physical is the first life and death.
We stand again when we are given life again, spiritually (John 5:24; 1Pet. 1:23), and are re-tested by Satan while in that living condition. Our second standing before God, will judge us according to the teachings of Christ (John 12:48; Rev.20:12). Chosen ones will either pass or fail Satan's sifting (Luke 22:31; Rev.12:17; 2:10). Those who pass (during their physical lifetime) and endure in declaring truth, are then sealed as approved slaves of God, and enter life (John 5:24,25,26,21; 1John 3:14).
Once we have gained God's permanent approval (sealed as His slaves, on "forehead" -Rev.14:1; Deut.11:18), we have passed over from death-vulnerable, to eternal life in spirit....from being merely physical dying beings, to possessing an eternal spirit within.
For the faithful and sealed chosen, this occurs during this life now (2Cor. 6:2; John 11:26).
These are considered "heavenly ones", even if they never left the planet.
"Heavenly" is a designation of rulership, authority, and power in the spirit realm.... not a physical place (Rev.3:21; Eph.2:6).
The Chosen occupy a "heavenly" throne, while on earth (Rev.5:10; 1:6; 20:6). If faithful with that "little", temporary authority (Luke 10:19; 2Cor. 5:20; Matt.16:19; John 20:23; Matt.25:14; 1Cor. 4:1,2; Luke 12:35; Rev.20:6 C -"thousand years"), they will be given all the Master's belongings (Luke 12:37,43,44).... All Creation (Matt.28:18; Luke 16:10,11) when God's eternal Kingdom arrives (Dan.7:22,18).
A sealed priest's faithful work, includes being physically present within the earth, both now and later....
Even after God's kingdom arrives, the "144000" will enjoy their inheritance of the earth, by spending most of their time here, as they serve God (Gen.28:10,11,12,13,14; Gal.3:29; Rev.21:2; John 1:51; Heb.2:5,16).
"Heavenly class" and "earthly class" are misleading "Watchtower" slogans.
We also must accept the Bible's teaching, that there are more than one heaven and earth....
"heaven" and "earth" of a corrupted creation---
[These are under Satan and his wife-like mother covenant of Death -Isa.28:15; Rev.17:5; Gal.4:24. The "heavens" and "earth" which are passing away, includes the Harlot and Wild Beast (ruling heavens) and those slave marked by them (earth)]
---and heaven and earth of the New Creation through Christ (and his wife-like bride covenant of life -Gal.4:26; Rev.12:2).
So, there are two earthly groups. One is passing away (2Pet. 3:10,11,12,13). And there are two heavenly groups, even now, and one is passing away.
They pass away due to their failing their resurrection.... their second judgment standing before God, after having gained life (Heb.6:4,5,6; 10:26,27). Those who fail this final judgment, enter into the "second death" (Rom.9:28; Heb.6:4,5,6,8; Matt.25:41,30; 7:23; 2Pet. 2:10; Jude 1:8; Matt.25:42,45; 24:49; Micah 2:11; Isa.28:7; Rev.18:3; Jer.51:7; 13:13) (Mal.4:1; 2Pet. 3:7; Luke 12:49; Nahum 1:6; Jer.23:29; Hosea 6:5; Rev.11:5; 2:27; 20:10,14,15; 13:8) (Jer.5:30,31; 2Thess. 2:11,12).
According to all the descriptions the Bible gives the Great Crowd, they are defined scripturally as members of God's Chosen Priesthood... the last remnant of them to come through the time of the end.
These are the ones that prove faithful after Satan's release from the abyss.... which is why they are given special mention. (Rev.20:7,8,9; Luke 21:20 Matt.24:15; Luke 21:24; Rev.11:2; Matt.24:21; Rev.7:14) (Matt.24:22; Luke 13:23; Matt.7:14; Luke 21:36; 13:24; Matt.25:11,12; Isa.10:22; Rev.14:19,20)
If you do a search at the blog ... "Great Crowd", it should turn up plenty to show who they are.
There is also: https://pearl-greatcrowd.blogspot.com
Please let me know how you do in finding a satisfactory answer.
Please ask for anything more you need, after reading.
All that said, you may be wondering what there will be for those faithful to Christ who are not Chosen.
If the "Watchtower's" teaching about an "earthly class" and an "heavenly class" is not correct, where do non-anointed stand?
(about half way down the page is most specific)
The scriptures address that question. If it is not enough, please let me know.
Love in Christ,
Pearl
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"Chosen ones will either pass or fail Satan's sifting" please dont take this as picking,but many are Invited but few are chosen. "Chosen" are those who have passed all tests. "Invited ones will either pass or fail Satan's sifting" After that sifting,they are Chosen,thus fit to be Yhwh's Witnesses and not before. Otherwise all Invited can be called "Chosen" and they are not. :-)
ReplyDeleteI assume you are referring to Matt.22:14?
DeleteIf so, I am glad you brought this up, because the "Watchtower" has never taught the distinction between the choosing which takes place within the marriage feast, and the choosing that God does when he inducts a member of Christ's body.
God has made many kinds of choices toward individuals, both spirit and human, as well as toward groups.
Not all of God's choices are the same. I hope to publish a post within the next 24 hours (it is late here, and I am ill) which will clarify the difference between these two particular choices of God, and those who are chosen in each setting...how they differ, and how they overlap. This will clarify much of what you bring up, such as when the Chosen Ones of Christ's body should begin to witness for God.
When it is published, I will add a link to the end of this comment.
http://4womaninthewilderness.blogspot.com/2015/03/part-i-invited-and-chosen-at-marriage.html
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