Updates-additions made, to "Where is God's Kingdom?" below.
Firstly, I will post two links, which detail a person's right to use copyrighted material, for educational purposes. In this post, I will exercise that right.
Question received:
Hello Pearl,
My friend received this flyer from one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I'd like your Bible based opinion about the content of the flyer. If you provide scriptures, perhaps my friend will be able to respond to the JW, using the Bible.
My Reply:
Of course, some of the assertions that are purely based on scripture, are true.
Some assertions are not true, and if you notice, do not have a cited scripture to prove the statement.
I have no comment on numeral 1,3, or 4... but I will respond to #2 and #5.
Numeral 2 makes four statements.
The first, reflects their ignorance about what heaven is.
Their physical minds are thinking physically (1Cor.2:12-14 NIV), as if heaven could be plotted on a map.
God rules in the hearts of men...
(John18:37 NKJV Col.3:15,1; Rom.6:17; Eph.3:17-19; Matt.13:52; Luke 6:45; Matt.23:13)
(Luke 17:21 >Greek: "inside of you" - see: Strongs G1787)
...who belong to heaven,
even while such men are on earth (Heb.12:22-23; Eph.1:6; Phil.3:20; Luke10:20).
God does not rule merely over space. At Matt:22:32, Jesus said of the Father;
“I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”?
He is not the God of the dead but of the living.’"
If God is not the Lord of the dead, but of the living, then he is Lord and King over those who are capable of submitting themselves to Him, as their King. Subjection to God's authority and power is not exercised in the dead or within inanimate objects. Genuine subjection and lordship occurs in the hearts and minds of those who choose God as their King (Deut.11:18; Jer.31:33). God's sovereignty takes place in the heart of those who serve God and obey His decrees!
Jesus taught us to pray;
"your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven." (Matt.6:10)
This reveals that God's kingdom is associated with God's will being done, as in heaven, also upon earth.
There are those of heaven and those of earth.
Those of heaven, do God's will...
(1Cor.15:48; John8:23; 6:51; Luke10:20; Heb.12:22-23; Ps.89:5; 150:1; Eph.2:6; 1Pet.4:2).
Those of earth, do not subject themselves to God as their king (Phil.3:19; Col.3:5; James 3:15).
At Matt.6:10-11, we prayerfully express the desire that God's will, advance in the hearts of all men... thereby making the sovereignty of God, universally present. That occurrence will restore the corrupted Creation, back to it's original condition... when everyone exercises from the heart, subjection to the King.
It is the same with the kingship of Jesus.
As we read at John18:
"37 ‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate.
Jesus answered, ‘You rightly say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’"
Col.3:15
I will respond to each of the 4 statements...
NUMERAL 2:
First: "God's kingdom will rule from heaven"
Since this is meant to mean that the rulers of God's kingdom are not on the earth;
this statement calls God a liar.
How so?
God promised Abraham that his offspring would inherit and occupy the earth
(Gen.28:12-14; Gal.3:29; Gen.28:14; Rev.22:2; John4:22; Zech.8:23).
Jesus (the second Adam) and the faithful holy ones (Christ's bride), are promised that they will inherit the creation, away from Satan
(Rev.11:15; 1Cor.15:22,45; Gen.1:28; Matt.28:18; Dan.7:21-22,26-27).
That promise to Abraham, was that his seed would inherit and occupy the land (Gen.28:13; 22:18; Gal.3:29; Rom.8:17).
---On the one hand, JWs say that God's kingdom is a real, tangible government.
Such governments have real, tangible representatives. Yet JWs defy their own assertion,
by then asserting that the government is not tangible, but is somehow controlling everything
by literally hovering overhead.
I don't doubt that this assertion lays the groundwork to accept the expectation
that the Gentile "elders" will be the tangible princes, who rule visibly,
rather than those whom God has chosen to be ministering priests and kings (Heb.1:7,14; 2:16).
Working through Gentile, so-called elders, is not how the direct care of God's genuine agents of the kingdom, is depicted in scripture
(Rev.21:2; Ps.128:3; Micah 4:4; Isa.49:18; 61:10; Rev.21:2; Zech.8:13; Gen.22:18; Gal.3:29)
(Dan.12:1; 10:13; Ps.45:16; Rev.12:7; 17:14; 19:14,8).
Rather than teaching that New Jerusalem will reign from heaven;
the scripture at Rev.21:2 plainly states, that this is not true.
A spiritual king, is a law-giver and judge (Isa.33:22). A spiritual priest is a guard and teacher of God's word (Mal.2:7).
The royal priesthood fulfills both roles (Rev.5:10), both now, and in the kingdom of God...
"The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem." (Isa.2:3c)
No mention is made there, of non-anointed Gentiles, as middle-men.
Jacob saw a depiction of God's kingdom under Christ and his bride (Gen.28:12-13). It was shown as God's messengers ascending and descending between heaven and earth as they serve Jesus Christ..., just as Jesus promised Nathaniel (John1:51).
This reigning upon the earth is confirmed at Rev.5:9-10. The Greek of Rev.5:10 literally says, "UPON the land/earth" (Strong's G1909). (Gen.28:12; John1:51; Rev.5:10)
Yet again, 'to rule upon' is not limited to a mere physical meaning. It is referring to the direct care and oversight the royal priests provide, as parents give to their children. Since Jesus becomes Adam's replacement and he inherits the dominion of the earth, which Adam lost to Satan;... he is not forbidden to visit or set foot upon it
(John1:51; Heb.1:6; Gen.28:12-13,17; Gal.3:29; Rom.8:17).
Can you see how the assertion that Jesus and his fellow heirs/Abraham's seed, are barred from the earth, makes God a liar?
Second: "As a world government"
This statement gives the impression that God's kingdom will be just like the kingdoms of the world.
See what Jesus himself said, at John18:36-37 NKJV
"36 Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.’ 37 ‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You rightly say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’
Jesus said that his kingdom, is NOT of this world. He is a king of grace and truth (John1:14; 18:37) since the first century,
and all those in subjection to his authority and power, listened to and obeyed him (John8:31; 15:10).
If God's kingdom under Christ were of this world (1John5:19; 1John2:15-17), there would have been no reason for Jesus to
reject Satan's offer, at Luke4:5-6. Spiritual kings and priests of God, bear no resemblance to the world... as was seen by the life of Christ.
Third: "It will eliminate nationalism"
God has no problem with the diversity of nationalism.
He created mankind to have such diversity. (Acts17:26; 10:34-35; Eph.3:14-15; Dan.7:14)(and Isa.2:2 below)
Creation contains diversity in flora, fauna, and humanity. Such diversity is a display of God's love and generosity
(Rom.1:20; Gen.1:21,24-25,28-29; 2:16; Gen.1:28; Acts17:26).
God divided his own nation, into tribes; and set boundaries for their lands (Num.26:55). Any discord that arose between them,
was as a result of disobedience to God (Zech.8:17; Deut.30:15-16,19-20; Isa.48:18).
God even decreed that foreigners were to be treated as belonging (Lev.19:34; Isa.56:3,5).
Belonging to a tribe or nation was not the problem.
Disobedience and a lack of love... was (Mark 12:29-31; John13:34; 1John3:12).
When the earth becomes filled with the knowledge of God (Isa.11:9; 1John4:7-8; John6:45),
nationalism will not be a root cause of anything, except a sense of belonging to your own group.
Fourth: "which is at the root of many conflicts".
According to Jesus, the source of conflict among men, is an indulging without restraint in the works of the flesh (Gal.5:13-17,19-26),
...hatred, not treating others the way we wish to be treated, and disregard for the benevolent wisdom of God. None of these reasons for strife, injustice, and pain, are rooted in ones nationality.... but are rooted in the heart (Matt.15:19; James 4:8; 2Cor.7:1).
----------------------
NUMERAL 5:
Then let's go down to #5, which is their interpretation of Isa.2:3-4
I'm going to include Isa.2:2, because it makes the point that there are still "nations" in God's kingdom,
so.... "nationalism" is not eliminated as numeral 2 asserted.
For your sake, I will add parallel scriptures that deepens our comprehension.
Isa.2:
"2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house (Eph.2:19-22; Heb.12:22; Rev.14:1; Ps.74:2; 48:1)
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills; (Rev.17:9; Eze.21:26; Isa.26:5; Luke14:11; Mark11:22-23; Rev.8:8; Luke1:51-55)
And all nations shall flow to it. (Isa.60:1-5,11,14; Rev.21:24-27; Rev.3:9; 15:4)
3 Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord...
...To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore."
The arrival of this peace, occurs just following the spiritual war of Armageddon.
The warfare spoken of above, IS spiritual (Gen.3:15; 2Cor.10:3-5; 6:7; Eph.6:10-17; Rev.20:7-8; 16:13-16; 17:14; 19:11,14; Eph.2:6)
The sword in Isa.2:4, is the word of God
(Heb.4:12; Rev.1:16; 2:16; John12:48; Rev.13:10; John16:2; Luke21:24; Col.2:8; 1Tim.4:1; Rev.16:13-16).
What does it mean for God's servants, to convert their use of God's word
from a sword of defense and condemnation, into using God's word as a plowshare?
Jesus often compared the harvest of men, to a crop/harvest (John4:35; Matt.3:12; Rev.14:14-16).
His apostles also did (1Cor.3:6-9). When we plow the ground (Hosea 10:12; Luke9:62; 1Cor.9:10),
we are preparing hearts to receive the word of God (Luke 8:11,15).
Just as the above WT teaching acknowledges, the arrival of God's kingdom will bring the nations to Mount Zion and Jerusalem...
to receive God's word/seed (Isa.2:3)(Mal.2:7).
["Zion" (Rev.14:1) and "Jerusalem" (Rev.21:2) are of heaven, and consist of sealed anointed.
Mt. Zion and heavenly Jerusalem, are NOT the WT's counterfeit "mountain-like organization" -(LINK)(LINK)]...
nor is the WT the fulfillment of Isa.2:3.
At that time, Armageddon will be over.
Never again under the Prince of Peace and his bride, will God's messenger angels be pressed to defend God's Truths.
As far as the title of the tract "Peace on Earth -- How will it come?";
Jesus told us the answer.
"Our Father in the heavens, honored be your name.
Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matt.6:9-11)
When God reigns in the hearts of all men (John6:45; Jer.31:33-34),
there will be peace. (1John4:7-21; Isa.54:13 NKJV )
[If you have been taught that Satan is released, after the kingdom arrives, please consider:
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