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The Resurrection—A Teaching That Affects YouThe Watchtower—2005 | May 1
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The Resurrection and Friendship With Jehovah
12, 13. What powerful basis for faith in the resurrection did Abraham have?
12 Abraham, who was described as “Jehovah’s friend,” was a man of outstanding faith. (James 2:23) Paul referred to Abraham’s faith three times in his listing of faithful men and women recorded in the 11th chapter of Hebrews. (Hebrews 11:8, 9, 17) His third reference focuses on the faith Abraham displayed when he obediently prepared to offer up his son Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham was convinced that the promise of a seed through Isaac was guaranteed by Jehovah. Even if Isaac were to die as a sacrifice, Abraham “reckoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead.”
13 As events turned out, when Jehovah saw the strength of Abraham’s faith, he arranged for an animal to substitute as a sacrifice. Still, Isaac’s experience served as an illustration of the resurrection, as Paul explained: “From there he [Abraham] did receive him [Isaac] also in an illustrative way.” (Hebrews 11:19) More than that, Abraham already had a powerful basis for his belief in the resurrection. Had not Jehovah brought back to life Abraham’s reproductive powers when he and his wife, Sarah, came together in their old age and produced their son, Isaac?—Genesis 18:10-14; 21:1-3; Romans 4:19-21.
14. (a) According to Hebrews 11:9, 10, what did Abraham await? (b) To receive Kingdom blessings in the new world, what must yet happen to Abraham? (c) How can we receive Kingdom blessings?
14 Paul described Abraham as an alien resident and a tent dweller who was “awaiting the city having real foundations, the builder and maker of which city is God.” (Hebrews 11:9, 10) This was not a literal city like Jerusalem, which was the location of God’s temple. No, this was a symbolic city. It was God’s heavenly Kingdom made up of Christ Jesus and his 144,000 corulers. The 144,000 in their heavenly glory are also spoken of as “the holy city, New Jerusalem,” the “bride” of Christ. (Revelation 21:2) In 1914, Jehovah enthroned Jesus as Messianic King of the heavenly Kingdom and commanded him to rule in the midst of his enemies. (Psalm 110:1, 2; Revelation 11:15) To receive the blessings of Kingdom rule, Abraham, “Jehovah’s friend,” will have to live again. Likewise, for us to receive Kingdom blessings, we must be alive in God’s new world, either as members of the great crowd of Armageddon survivors or as those resurrected from the dead. (Revelation 7:9, 14) What, though, is the basis of the resurrection hope?
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The Resurrection—A Teaching That Affects YouThe Watchtower—2005 | May 1
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17. (a) What hope did Job express? (b) What does Job 14:15 reveal about Jehovah, and how does this make you feel?
17 Job, a faithful man from pre-Christian times, also looked forward to a resurrection. He suffered greatly at Satan’s hands. Unlike his false companions, who never mentioned the resurrection, Job drew comfort from this hope and asked: “If an able-bodied man dies can he live again?” In answer Job himself declared: “All the days of my compulsory service I shall wait, until my relief comes.” Addressing his God, Jehovah, he acknowledged: “You will call, and I myself shall answer you.” Concerning the feelings of our loving Creator, Job noted: “For the work of your hands you will have a yearning.” (Job 14:14, 15) Yes, Jehovah eagerly anticipates the time when faithful ones return to life in the resurrection. How this draws us closer to him as we meditate on the love and undeserved kindness that he shows us even though we are imperfect!—Romans 5:21; James 4:8.
18, 19. (a) What prospect does Daniel have for living again? (b) What will we review in the next article?
18 The prophet Daniel, described by God’s angel as a “very desirable man,” lived a long life of faithful service. (Daniel 10:11, 19) His integrity to Jehovah remained intact from his exile in 617 B.C.E. until his death some time after he received a vision in 536 B.C.E., the third year of Cyrus, king of Persia. (Daniel 1:1; 10:1) Some time during that third year of Cyrus, Daniel received a vision of the march of world powers that culminates in the coming great tribulation. (Daniel 11:1–12:13) As he could not fully understand the vision, Daniel asked the angelic messenger who delivered it: “O my lord, what will be the final part of these things?” In answer the angel called attention to “the time of the end,” during which “the ones having insight will understand.” As for Daniel himself, what were his prospects? The angel acknowledged: “You will rest, but you will stand up for your lot at the end of the days.” (Daniel 12:8-10, 13) Daniel will return “in the resurrection of the righteous ones,” during Christ’s Millennial Reign.—Luke 14:14.
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Who Will Be Resurrected?The Watchtower—2005 | May 1
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2, 3. (a) What prospect awaits Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? (b) What questions arise?
2 Jesus was having a discussion with some Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection. Jesus declared: “That the dead are raised up even Moses disclosed, in the account about the thornbush, when he calls Jehovah ‘the God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob.’ He is a God, not of the dead, but of the living, for they are all living to him.” (Luke 20:27, 37, 38) By saying these words, Jesus confirmed that from God’s viewpoint the long-dead Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob still lived in God’s memory. Like Job, they await the end of their “compulsory service,” their sleep in death. (Job 14:14) In God’s new world, they will be resurrected.
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