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THOSE WHO GO TO HEAVEN
On the night of Nisan 14, 33 C.E., Jesus intimated to his disciples that they would later be received by him and dwell with him and his Father in heaven. He told them: “In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going my way to prepare a place for you. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be.” (John 13:36; 14:2, 3) They would reign with him in his Kingdom. (Luke 22:28-30) For them to have this heavenly hope, they would be “born from the spirit” as spiritual sons of God and be anointed to serve as kings and priests with Christ in heaven.—John 3:5-8; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Peter 1:3, 4; Revelation 20:6.
This “heavenly calling” began at Pentecost 33 C.E. The number of those sealed by the holy spirit to be part of spiritual Israel is 144,000, “bought from among mankind.” (Revelation 7:4; 14:1-4) [I know you disagree with this. We'll get to it later.] These were baptized into the spiritual body of Christ, into his congregation, and into his death. (Romans 6:3; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13, 27; Ephesians 1:22, 23) After their water baptism and anointing with holy spirit, they entered into a sacrificial course, a life of integrity until their death.—Romans 6:4, 5.
As spiritual Israelites, these anointed Christians were in the new covenant made between Jehovah and “the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:16; Jeremiah 31:31-34) The new covenant was validated by Christ’s shed blood. Jesus mentioned this when he instituted the Memorial of his death. Luke records: “He took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: ‘This means my body which is to be given in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.’ Also, the cup in the same way after they had the evening meal, he saying: ‘This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.’” (Luke 22:19, 20)
How do the anointed know that they have received the heavenly calling? They receive unmistakably the witness of the holy spirit. The apostle Paul wrote to such ones: “All who are led by God’s spirit, these are God’s sons. . . . The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children. If, then, we are children, we are also heirs: heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ, provided we suffer together that we may also be glorified together.” (Romans 8:14-17) This witness of the spirit is so powerful that those who have the slightest doubt about having received the heavenly calling can reasonably conclude that they have not.
Having in mind the limited number of Christians called to make up spiritual Israel, Jesus referred to them as the “little flock.” They are admitted into the “fold” of the new covenant, in contrast with the numberless “other sheep,” whom Jesus said he must also gather. (Luke 12:32; John 10:16) Those of the other sheep gathered in the time of the end will make up the “great crowd” destined to survive “the great tribulation,” with the prospect of living forever on a paradise earth. Interestingly, the vision John received at the end of the first century C.E. distinguishes between this great crowd and the 144,000 members of spiritual Israel. (Revelation 7:4, 9, 14) Do the other sheep also receive the holy spirit, and if so, how does it affect their lives?
The holy spirit does indeed play an important part in the lives of the other sheep. They symbolize their dedication to Jehovah by being baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) They recognize Jehovah’s sovereignty, submit to Christ as their King and Redeemer, and yield to the action of God’s spirit, or active force, in their lives. Day by day, they make room in their lives for “the fruitage of the spirit,” namely “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.”—Galatians 5:22, 23.
The other sheep must also allow God’s Word and his holy spirit to purify, or sanctify, them. AS YOU STATED NICK, the anointed are already sanctified in a very special way, being declared righteous and holy as Christ’s bride. (John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:23-27) The prophet Daniel speaks of them as “the holy ones of the Supreme One,” who receive the Kingdom under the “son of man,” Christ Jesus. (Daniel 7:13, 14, 18, 27) Earlier, through Moses and Aaron, Jehovah declared to the nation of Israel: “I am Jehovah your God; and you must sanctify yourselves and you must prove yourselves holy, because I am holy.”—Leviticus 11:44.
In the vision of the great crowd, recorded in the book of Revelation, they are spoken of as having “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” and as rendering Jehovah “sacred service day and night in his temple.” (Revelation 7:9, 14, 15) With the help of the holy spirit, the other sheep do their utmost to measure up to Jehovah’s requirements of holiness.—2 Corinthians 7:1.
Jesus highlighted the close bond between the other sheep and the little flock in his parable of the sheep and the goats, included in his prophecy on “the conclusion of the system of things.” In that parable, Christ clearly showed that the salvation of the other sheep is closely linked to their conduct toward the anointed, whom he called “my brothers.” He stated: “The king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. . . . Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”—Matthew 24:3; 25:31-34, 40.
The expression “to the extent that you did it” refers to acts of loving support given to Christ’s spirit-begotten brothers, whom Satan’s world has treated as strangers, even throwing some of them into prison. They have been in need of food, adequate clothing, and health care. (Matthew 25:35, 36, footnote) In this time of the end, since 1914, many of the anointed have found themselves in such situations. The modern history of Jehovah’s Witnesses attests that they have been succored by their loyal companions, the other sheep, as these were moved by the spirit.
Christ’s anointed brothers on earth in this time of the end have particularly received the active support of the other sheep in carrying out the God-given commission to ‘preach this good news of the kingdom in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.’ (Matthew 24:14; John 14:12) While the number of anointed ones on earth has been diminishing over the years, that of the other sheep has expanded to include literally millions. Thousands of these have served as full-time evangelizers—pioneers and missionaries—spreading the Kingdom good news to “the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Others share in the witness work as much as they can and joyfully support this important work financially.
How Christ’s anointed brothers appreciate this loyal support by their other sheep companions! Their feelings were well expressed in the book Worldwide Security Under the “Prince of Peace,” provided by the slave class in 1986. It says: “Since World War II, the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy for ‘the conclusion of the system of things’ is largely due to the role that the ‘great crowd’ of ‘other sheep’ carry out. . . . Profuse thanks, therefore, to the international, multilingual ‘great crowd’ for the overwhelming part that they have played in the fulfilling of [Jesus’] prophecy at Matthew 24:14!”
Speaking as one of the anointed and referring to faithful men and women who lived before Christ, the apostle Paul wrote: “All these, although they had witness borne to them through their faith, did not get the fulfillment of the promise, as G
od foresaw something better for us [the anointed], in order that they might not be made perfect apart from us.” (Hebrews 11:35, 39, 40) During the Millennium, Christ and his 144,000 anointed brothers in heaven will act as kings and priests and dispense the benefits of Christ’s ransom sacrifice on earth. The other sheep will thus “be made perfect” in body and mind.—Revelation 22:1, 2.It is ruled ultimately from heaven, but you're saying Jesus and his brothers rule it on earth.
OK. give me a sec.
What do you make of Matthew 11:11?
Just wondering.
MATTHEW 11:11
“Truly I say to YOU people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.”I'd like your thoughts on this scripture as well, please.
John 14:2, 3: “In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going my way to prepare a place for you. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be.” (Jesus here shows that his faithful apostles, to whom he was speaking, would, in time, be in his Father’s “house,” in heaven, with Jesus. But he does not here say how many others would also go to heaven.)
So, Jesus was created a long long time ago.
He came to the earth for a purpose.
He carried out that purpose.
He returned to heaven, where he has resided for eons and eons.
He is a king, second only to Jehovah.
Mat 28:18 “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.”You believe he is going to lower himself, empy himself again and take on human form and live on the earth.
I'm going to go take a nap. My head hurts.
Quote (david @ Sep. 06 2005,23:16) I'd like your thoughts on this scripture as well, please. John 14:2, 3: “In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going my way to prepare a place for you. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be.” (Jesus here shows that his faithful apostles, to whom he was speaking, would, in time, be in his Father’s “house,” in heaven, with Jesus. But he does not here say how many others would also go to heaven.)
Hi david,
So where will Jesus be when he receives us to himself? He will be here. He will have come back to rule his kingdom with us on earth.Quote (david @ Sep. 06 2005,23:28) So, Jesus was created a long long time ago.
He came to the earth for a purpose.
He carried out that purpose.
He returned to heaven, where he has resided for eons and eons.
He is a king, second only to Jehovah.
Mat 28:18 “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.”You believe he is going to lower himself, empy himself again and take on human form and live on the earth.
I'm going to go take a nap. My head hurts.
Hi,
Jesus Christ has a heavenly body [1Cor 15]and those raised and raptured and with him also will have an imperishable new body.They will rule with him on earth.
Rev 20 4-6
Then at the end they will still be on earth in the new Jerusalem where God will make His abode with men.['Rev 21.3]
Men going to heaven is a popular myth from the mouth of the whore of babylon.Quote (david @ Sep. 06 2005,23:14) What do you make of Matthew 11:11?
Just wondering.
MATTHEW 11:11
“Truly I say to YOU people, Among those born of women there has not been raised up a greater than John the Baptist; but a person that is a lesser one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.”
Hi david,
John the Baptist was under the old covenant. he was not reborn into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was the watershed of the new covenant.
Lk 16.16” the Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since then the kingdom of God is preached and everyone is forcing their way in”
You speak of the work of the spirit among the JW's .What evidence do you have for this empowerment?
Hi david,
Lk 20.35f
” but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead , neither marry nor are given in marriage; for they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels, and are sons of God being sons of the resurrection”
1Cor 15.42f
” So also with the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body. It is sown in dishonour, it is rasied in glory;it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body……The first men is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven…..Just as we have borne the image of the earthy , we will also bear the image of the heavenly. Now I say this brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable…..For this perishable must put on the imperishable and this mortal must put on immortality”
Christ has a heavenly body now he has been to heaven where a natural body would not be useful. We will be like to him on earth for the 1000 yr reign and then into eternity on earth.Quote (david @ Sep. 06 2005,23:10) THOSE WHO GO TO HEAVEN On the night of Nisan 14, 33 C.E., Jesus intimated to his disciples that they would later be received by him and dwell with him and his Father in heaven. He told them: “In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going my way to prepare a place for you. Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be.” (John 13:36; 14:2, 3) They would reign with him in his Kingdom. (Luke 22:28-30) For them to have this heavenly hope, they would be “born from the spirit” as spiritual sons of God and be anointed to serve as kings and priests with Christ in heaven.—John 3:5-8; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22; Titus 3:5-7; 1 Peter 1:3, 4; Revelation 20:6.
This “heavenly calling” began at Pentecost 33 C.E. The number of those sealed by the holy spirit to be part of spiritual Israel is 144,000, “bought from among mankind.” (Revelation 7:4; 14:1-4) [I know you disagree with this. We'll get to it later.] These were baptized into the spiritual body of Christ, into his congregation, and into his death. (Romans 6:3; 1 Corinthians 12:12, 13, 27; Ephesians 1:22, 23) After their water baptism and anointing with holy spirit, they entered into a sacrificial course, a life of integrity until their death.—Romans 6:4, 5.
As spiritual Israelites, these anointed Christians were in the new covenant made between Jehovah and “the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:16; Jeremiah 31:31-34) The new covenant was validated by Christ’s shed blood. Jesus mentioned this when he instituted the Memorial of his death. Luke records: “He took a loaf, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: ‘This means my body which is to be given in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.’ Also, the cup in the same way after they had the evening meal, he saying: ‘This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.’” (Luke 22:19, 20)
How do the anointed know that they have received the heavenly calling? They receive unmistakably the witness of the holy spirit. The apostle Paul wrote to such ones: “All who are led by God’s spirit, these are God’s sons. . . . The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children. If, then, we are children, we are also heirs: heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ, provided we suffer together that we may also be glorified together.” (Romans 8:14-17) This witness of the spirit is so powerful that those who have the slightest doubt about having received the heavenly calling can reasonably conclude that they have not.
Having in mind the limited number of Christians called to make up spiritual Israel, Jesus referred to them as the “little flock.” They are admitted into the “fold” of the new covenant, in contrast with the numberless “other sheep,” whom Jesus said he must also gather. (Luke 12:32; John 10:16) Those of the other sheep gathered in the time of the end will make up the “great crowd” destined to survive “the great tribulation,” with the prospect of living forever on a paradise earth. Interestingly, the vision John received at the end of the first century C.E. distinguishes between this great crowd and the 144,000 members of spiritual Israel. (Revelation 7:4, 9, 14) Do the other sheep also receive the holy spirit, and if so, how does it affect their lives?
The holy spirit does indeed play an important part in the lives of the other sheep. They symbolize their dedication to Jehovah by being baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) They recognize Jehovah’s sovereignty, submit to Christ as their King and Redeemer, and yield to the action of God’s spirit, or active force, in their lives. Day by day, they make room in their lives for “the fruitage of the spirit,” namely “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.”—Galatians 5:22, 23.
The other sheep must also allow God’s Word and his holy spirit to purify, or sanctify, them. AS YOU STATED NICK, the anointed are already sanctified in a very special way, being declared righteous and holy as Christ’s bride. (John 17:17; 1 Corinthians 6:11; Ephesians 5:23-27) The prophet Daniel speaks of them as “the holy ones of the Supreme One,” who receive the Kingdom under the “son of man,” Christ Jesus. (Daniel 7:13, 14, 18, 27) Earlier, through Moses and Aaron, Jehovah declared to the nation of Israel: “I am Jehovah your God; and you must sanctify yourselves and you must prove yourselves holy, because I am holy.”—Leviticus 11:44.
In the vision of the great crowd, recorded in the book of Revelation, they are spoken of as having “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” and as rendering Jehovah “sacred service day and night in his temple.” (Revelation 7:9, 14, 15) With the help of the holy spirit, the other sheep do their utmost to measure up to Jehovah’s requirements of holiness.—2 Corinthians 7:1.
Jesus highlighted the close bond between the other sheep and the little flock in his parable of the sheep and the goats, included in his prophecy on “the conclusion of the system of things.” In that parable, Christ clearly showed that the salvation of the other sheep is closely linked to their conduct toward the anointed, whom he called “my brothers.” He stated: “The king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. . . . Truly I say to you, To the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”—Matthew 24:3; 25:31-34, 40.
The expression “to the extent that you did it” refers to acts of loving support given to Christ’s spirit-begotten brothers, whom Satan’s world has treated as strangers, even throwing some of them into prison. They have been in need of food, adequate clothing, and health care. (Matthew 25:35, 36, footnote) In this time of the end, since 1914, many of the anointed have found themselves in such situations. The modern history of Jehovah’s Witnesses attests that they have been succored by their loyal companions, the other sheep, as these were moved by the spirit.
Christ’s anointed brothers on earth in this time of the end have particularly received the active support of the other sheep in carrying out the God-given commission to ‘preach this good news of the kingdom in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations.’ (Matthew 24:14; John 14:12) While the number of anointed ones on earth has been diminishing over the years, that of the other sheep has expanded to include literally millions. Thousands of these have served as full-time evangelizers—pioneers and missionaries—spreading the Kingdom good news to “the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Others share in the witness work as much as they can and joyfully support this important work financially.
How Christ’s anointed brothers appreciate this loyal support by their other sheep companions! Their feelings were well expressed in the book Worldwide Security Under the “Prince of Peace,” provided by the slave class in 1986. It says: “Since World War II, the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy for ‘the conclusion of the system of things’ is largely due to the role that the ‘great crowd’ of ‘other sheep’ carry out. . . . Profuse thanks, therefore, to the international, multilingual ‘great crowd’ for the overwhelming part that they have played in the fulfilling of [Jesus’] prophecy at Matthew 24:14!”
Speaking as one of the an
ointed and referring to faithful men and women who lived before Christ, the apostle Paul wrote: “All these, although they had witness borne to them through their faith, did not get the fulfillment of the promise, as God foresaw something better for us [the anointed], in order that they might not be made perfect apart from us.” (Hebrews 11:35, 39, 40) During the Millennium, Christ and his 144,000 anointed brothers in heaven will act as kings and priests and dispense the benefits of Christ’s ransom sacrifice on earth. The other sheep will thus “be made perfect” in body and mind.—Revelation 22:1, 2.
hi david,
Rev 7.3
“..Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bondservants of our God on their foreheads”So this scripture is timed to be fulfilled just before the terrible endtime events. So by your reasoning none of the apostles or those early disciples would be included in this 144,000. Is there any suggestion men have any role in this process? No the work is that of angels[v2] and the men thus sealed are already bondservants. This is not the act of salvation as they are already saved.
They are from the tribes of Israel. Perhaps it is spiritual Israel which may include us. But Israel has always been the first fruits for God. They are the chosen people.
They are few in number in comparison with the great crowds of those from the gentiles in the “Great multitude” of v 9 who come out of the great tribulation. Since God did not destine us for wrathe we are not included in this group I agree. But idf they had to endure the tribulation then they could not have been raptured to safety so they would not have had the Holy Spirit.
hi david,
You speak of the anointing with the holy Spirit as an essential part and a powerful witness of the evidence of God's calling. In what way do the JW's partake of this blessing?Hi david ,
John 10.16 does not specify that the other sheep are numerous. Certainly at the judgement of the sheep and the goats there will be many unwittingly saved who were kind to the followers of Christ and the Kingdom and these are another flock.
Baptism in the trinity as in Matt 28.19 is most likely an aberrant scripture. It was never obeyed by the apostles and according to Eusebius [circa 200ad]was not in the original copy of Matthew's gospel but rather “In my name”Hi david,
You say the “other flock” has the help of the Spirit. Where is the evidence for this claim? Where is the evidence that the Holy Spirit inspires churches rather than individuals? Many churches claim they are guided by the Spirit but are not.Many are called but few are chosen for the flock belonging to Jesus. They know the Shepherd's voice and will not respiond to that of a stranger. The JW's, in my view, speak with the voice of a stranger.
Hi david,
Why has the “number of anointed ones” become reduced on earth – if what you claim is true?The gift of the Holy Spirit is promised by God to all His children who ask[Lk 11.11f].
Jesus said
“ask and you will receive”Is it possible men have forgotten how to enter God's family?
Is it possible that, as James said, “you do not have because you do not ask?”
Hi david,
Jn 13.36f
“Simon Peter said to him
“Lord where are you going?”
Jesus answered
“Where I go you cannot follow me now;but you shall follow later”
Peter said to him
“Lord, why can I not follow you right now?I willl lay down my life for you”Even Peter knew that Jesus was talking about going to his death, where Peter would follow, and not to heaven as you claim Peter would go.
Hi david,
Those in Rev 7 serving God in His temple[v15] are those who have come through the great tribulation. That event may not be far off but it has not happened yet.hi david,
Rev 5.9f
“.. for thou wast slain and didst purchase for God with thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God and they will reign upon the earth”This is the saved reigning for 1000 yrs with Christ on earth[not in heaven]
In responce to your last post,
Rev. 5:10: “You made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over [“on,” RS, KJ, Dy; “over,” AT, Da, Kx, CC] the earth.”
(The same Greek word and grammatical structure is found at Revelation 11:6. There RS, KJ, Dy, etc., all render it “over.”)This is “the saved” as you say, Christ's brothers, the joint heirs, the annointed, reigning for a thousand years with Christ “over” the earth.
OK, I'm back from my meeting. I see I have a lot of posts to reply to.
First, I'd like to point a few things out in regards to a previous question.
PSALM 26:12
“….Among the congregated throngs I shall bless Jehovah.”
PSALM 68:26
“In congregated throngs bless God, Jehovah, [O YOU who are] from the Source of Israel.”
PSALM 107:32
“And let them extol him in the congregation of the people; And in the seat of the elderly men let them praise him.”
PSALM 111:1
“Praise Jah, YOU people! I shall laud Jehovah with all [my] heart In the intimate group of upright ones and the assembly.”OK, those I just put in for fun.
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