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Questions From ReadersThe Watchtower—1962 | March 15
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Questions From Readers
● How can Matthew 8:11, which speaks of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens, be harmonized with Matthew 11:11, which indicates that not even John the Baptist will be in it?
In Hebrews 11:8-19 we read: “By faith Abraham . . . dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the very same promise. For he was awaiting the city having real foundations, the builder and creator of which city is God. . . . But now they are reaching out for a better place, that is, one belonging to heaven. Hence God is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their God, for he has made a city ready for them. By faith Abraham, when he was tested, as good as offered up Isaac . . . But he reckoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead; and from there he did receive him also in an illustrative way.”
How did Abraham expect to receive Isaac back from the dead? In heaven as a spirit? No, but here on earth as a human creature. In an illustrative way he got Isaac back from the dead here on earth. So Abraham was not looking for any spiritual, heavenly resurrection to put him among the celestial angels any more than he was expecting Isaac to have such a resurrection and rejoin him in heaven.
Abraham had come out of Ur of the Chaldeans, and he did not want that city any more. He and his son Isaac and grandson Jacob wanted a better place, that is, one belonging to heaven, a city government, namely, the government or city that God has prepared and in which the promised Seed or Offspring of Abraham will be God’s King. This is the “kingdom of God,” or “the kingdom of the heavens,” as these two expressions are interchangeable, the expression “the heavens” having reference to God. Under that kingdom of the heavens or kingdom of God Abraham, Isaac and Jacob expected to live on earth.
In the year 30 (A.D.) Jesus told Nicodemus that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were not in heaven. (John 3:13) Three years later, on the day of Pentecost of the year 33, the apostle Peter said that the descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, namely, King David, had not ascended to heaven and so was not in any kingdom of the heavens or kingdom of God. (Acts 2:34) Peter said that after Jesus made the statement about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in Matthew 8:11 at the time of healing the servant of a Roman centurion.
Hence those three patriarchs could not be in the Kingdom class as joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. They were his ancestors, who preceded him by more than seventeen hundred years.
It is therefore evident that in Matthew 8:11 Jesus referred to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob figuratively. On the occasion when Abraham offered up his son Isaac, Abraham represented Jehovah God and Isaac represented God’s only-begotten Son Jesus Christ, who was offered up in sacrifice. Accordingly Jacob represented the spiritual Christian congregation, the “kingdom of the heavens” class; for, just as the congregation gets life through Jesus Christ, so Jacob got life from Abraham through Isaac. From this standpoint Abraham, Isaac and Jacob mentioned together in Jesus’ illustration would picture the great theocratic government, in which Jehovah is the Great Theocrat, Jesus Christ is his anointed representative King, and the faithful, victorious Christian congregation of 144,000 members is the body of Christ’s joint heirs in the Kingdom.
When the Christian congregation was founded on the day of Pentecost, its spirit-anointed members were made Christ’s joint heirs and were put in line for a place in the heavenly kingdom, to recline there at the spiritual table with the Greater Abraham and the Greater Isaac. The natural or fleshly Jews of the nation of Israel claimed to be the “sons of the kingdom” or the prospective members of God’s kingdom. From the day of Pentecost forward they saw the beginning and the gradual development of this theocratic arrangement, but because of their lack of faith in Christ they were not in it. Hence, as Jesus said (Matt. 8:12): “The sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the darkness outside. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be.”
For this reason it became necessary that many Gentiles (non-Jews), like the Roman centurion whose faith brought a miraculous cure by Jesus, should come “from eastern parts and western parts,” from all around the earth, to become dedicated, baptized Christians. Thus they could help make up the full number of the Kingdom class. For faithfulness to the death these converted Gentiles are resurrected to heavenly life to recline at the heavenly table, as it were, with Jehovah God and Jesus Christ “in the kingdom of the heavens.”
When understood this way, Matthew 8:11 agrees with Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:11: “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.” Since Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are not greater than John, they will not be literally in the kingdom of the heavens. Jesus used them only as an illustration of those who will actually be in it.
● What should be the attitude of a Christian toward civil defense and fallout shelters?—J.W., United States.
Christians comply with all the laws of Caesar that do not conflict with God’s laws. Cooperation in air-raid drills, though opposed by certain pacifist groups, does not conflict with any law of God; neither does a city ordinance that requires a homeowner to construct a fallout shelter. Since cooperation in such things does not involve a Christian’s taking sides or taking up arms, it would not violate his neutrality. Such measures are merely for the preserving of life and therefore a Christian may safely comply with them. Beyond what the law requires in these matters, however, a Christian need not feel obliged to go.
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AnnouncementsThe Watchtower—1962 | March 15
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Announcements
FIELD MINISTRY
During March Jehovah’s witnesses, in loyalty to God and his kingdom, will continue to preach the good news of God’s kingdom. (Ps. 86:2, 12) As an aid to Bible study they will offer a year’s subscription for The Watchtower for only $1. All new subscribers will receive free three booklets containing timely Bible lectures.
MEMORIAL
Over 1900 years ago the Lord Jesus instituted the memorial of his death. In this simple observance bread without yeast and red wine were used as symbols of his sacrificed body and blood. Directing the annual observance of this memorial celebration, Jesus said: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” This year Jehovah’s witnesses and other good-will persons will assemble on Tuesday, April 17, after 6 p.m. Standard Time, to commemorate this event. At each such meeting, following a discourse on the significance of the occasion, the Memorial emblems, the bread and the wine, will be passed, separately, after Jehovah’s blessing has been asked upon each. In conclusion an invitation will he extended to those present to have a share in preaching the Kingdom good news with the congregation. All persons of good will toward Jehovah God are invited and encouraged to attend the Memorial. If you do not know where the nearest Kingdom Hall is located, write the publishers of this magazine for information.
WATCH TOWER PUBLICATIONS INDEX
How long have you been reading the Watch Tower Society’s publications? Would you like to be able to locate in a moment any one of the thousands of points that have made you appreciate so much what these publications contain? The Watch Tower Society has published a comprehensive index, both subject and scripture, of its publications produced during the past thirty years. It is the Watch Tower Publications Index and it will be sent to you for $1. A supplement covering the year 1961 is also available for 10c. Ask for the Watch Tower Publications Index for 1961.
“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS
April 22: “Keep Proving What You Yourselves Are.” Page 169.
April 29: Keep Proving What You Are by Accepting Responsibility. Page 175.
FOR OWNERS OF NEW WORLD BIBLE TRANSLATION
The following corrections are now being made in additional printings of the 1961 edition of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Owners of such edition can cut out from the bottom of this page the two corrected lines to paste in their Bible copies over the faulty lines, namely, on page 289, in Judges 5:5, the second line of the verse; on page 730, the first line for Psalm 148:9:
face of Jehovah,
9 YOU mountains and all YOU
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