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Things Which the “Kingdom of the Heavens” Is LikeThe Watchtower—1975 | October 1
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contrary, an insignificant spiritual “remnant,” whereas the church members of Christendom who expect to get to heaven at death are estimated to be in the hundreds of millions. The prophecy of Isaiah 6:9, 10 is fulfilled toward these imitation Christians. These will be cast into the “fire” of the “great tribulation” that is just ahead. (Matt. 13:47-50) So Christendom, the counterfeit “kingdom of the heavens,” is not the place for anyone now to seek refuge.
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The Exposing of the False Kingdom RefugeThe Watchtower—1975 | October 1
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The Exposing of the False Kingdom Refuge
1. What was the intent of Jesus in giving the parable of the mustard grain, in harmony with what prophecy?
WHAT, now, must be the intent of Jesus’ parable of the mustard grain, a seed very tiny in its embryonic condition but developing into a tree? The intent must be to show something in harmony with the reference made by Jesus to the negative picture given in Isaiah 6:9, 10. (Matt. 13:13-15) In giving this third parable in a series of seven, Jesus said: “The kingdom of the heavens is like a mustard grain, which a man took and planted in his field; which is, in fact, the tiniest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the largest of the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and find lodging among its branches.”—Matt. 13:31, 32.
2. In likening the mustard-grain tree to the nominal church, how did Zion’s Watch Tower as of May 15, 1900, interpret the lodging of the birds of heaven among the tree’s branches?
2 The issue of Zion’s Watch Tower under date of May 15, 1900, page 153, said: “The third parable-picture of the kingdom in its present embryonic condition of development is intended to show that from a very small beginning the nominal church of this Gospel age would attain to quite considerable proportions. . . . Yet this large development does not necessarily signify advantage or anything specially desirable, but on the contrary it becomes a disadvantage, in that the fowls of the air come and lodge in its branches, and defile it. The ‘fowls of the air’ in the preceding parable of the sower represented Satan and his agents, and we are, we think, justified in making a similar application here, and interpreting this to mean that the church planted by the Lord Jesus flourished rapidly and exceedingly, and that because of its attainments, strength. etc., Satan through his agents, came and lodged in the various branches of the Church. They have been lodging in the branches of this Gospel church for these many centuries, and are still to be found in her, a defiling element.”
3. What did The Watch Tower under date of June 15, 1910, say that the “tree” at its full development represented, along with birds?
3 Presenting a view similar to that just quoted, the issue of The Watch Tower for June 15, 1910, page 204, went on to say: “So then the teaching of this parable would lead us to conclude that the church of Christ, at one time, was so unimportant in the world that it was a shame and a dishonor to belong to it, but that ultimately it would become honorable and great and the adversary’s servants would have
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