Paradise on Earth

[onewithhim]

When I learned that the Bible speaks of a restored Garden of Eden and the restoration of mankind to the perfection and endless life that Adam forfeited, I was thrilled. Who doesn't want to keep living on this beautiful earth, with our loved ones, and being able to do all the things we love to do---endlessly?

If God said to you today, "When do you want to die?" would you say "now!!"? I don't think very many people would say that.

We CAN live forever here on Earth. The Bible tells us that we can.

Matthew 5:5
Psalm 37:9-11,29

[tam]

Peace to you,

The great crowd which is from every tribe and nation and people and tongue (see also Rev 5:9 and 10) ...

Could you explain what bearing the fact that "the great cloud" included people from every tribe and nation has on the question of whether they are in heaven?

The question was not about location. I was asked if the great crowd equates to those who reign with Christ.


The great crowd is described as being from every tribe, nation, people and tongue - this is the exact same language used to describe those who reign with Christ, at Rev 5:9, 10.


“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.�



(Every tribe would necessarily also include the twelve tribes of Israel.)






Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1059 by tam]

So, correct me if I am wrong, you are suggesting that.. since Christ's blood means salvation for "every tribe and nation" and the "Great Crowd" are also described as being from "every tribe and nation" the Great crowd must be the kings and priests described as ruling with Christ?

Is that the reasoning?

Does Revelation ever specifically speak of the kings that will rule with christ as coming from "every tribe and nation"?

[tam]

Peace to you,

[Replying to post 1059 by tam]

So, correct me if I am wrong, you are suggesting that.. since Christ's blood means salvation for "every tribe and nation" and the "Great Crowd" are also described as being from "every tribe and nation" the Great crowd must be the kings and priests described as ruling with Christ?

Is that the reasoning?

I do not think that is quite right (unless I am misunderstanding you).

Christ purchased with His blood people FROM every tribe, nation, people and tongue - and these people that He purchased with His blood are those who reign as kings and priests.

(That is described at Rev 5:9 and 10.)

Does Revelation ever specifically speak of the kings that will rule with christ as coming from "every tribe and nation"?

Yes, at Rev 5:9 and 10.


"...and with your blood you purchased for God
persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.�



The people Christ purchased with His blood come from every tribe and nation and people and language... and they reign as kings and priests on the earth.





Peace again to you,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy

[Checkpoint]

[Replying to post 1059 by tam]

So, correct me if I am wrong, you are suggesting that.. since Christ's blood means salvation for "every tribe and nation" and the "Great Crowd" are also described as being from "every tribe and nation" the Great crowd must be the kings and priests described as ruling with Christ?

Is that the reasoning?

Does Revelation ever specifically speak of the kings that will rule with christ as coming from "every tribe and nation"?

Reasoning may have its place, but it can easily lead us to put verses together that may not truly match.

( suggest there is a need to not go beyond what is written.

The Revelation 20 passage does not tell us where they reign from, or what or who they reign over.

Grace and peace to you.

[JehovahsWitness]

The Revelation 20 passage does not tell us where they reign from, or what or who they reign over.

Did I say it did? If not, why are you addressing this comment to me?


JW

[elijahpne]

[Replying to post 1055 by RightReason]

why you think Charles Taze Russell was given the authority to create his New World Translation

You seem to be implying that Charles Taze Russell created (wrote) or at least, was authorized to translate, the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. The New World Translation project was initiated back in 1946 and the translation was originally released in six volumes, from 1950 to 1960.

But that was long after Russell died in 1916. How could he initiate or authorize it let alone write it if he's already dead?

In an article entitled "Your Bible - How It Was Produced" under the subheading 'Examining the 1981 "New World Translation"' (Watchtower 1981 12/15 pp. 10-15) it says:

"The 1981 edition of the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures is the culmination of 35 years of studious translation and careful revision. The translating project was initiated back in 1946 , and by 1960 both the Hebrew and the Greek portions of God's Word had been rendered into English directly from the original languages." - https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1981924#h=11

You seem to have been grossly misinformed a few times already regarding JWs - their history and beliefs:

First in post #1029 you said: "The number of those resurrected is not limited to 144,000; there is no biblical support for that idea. JW's misinterpret passages in Revelation." which I corrected in post #1031.

Please, if you have to state something about JWs, may we ask you to double-check your sources first. You're unnecessarily putting us in a bad light through no fault of our own.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1064 by elijahpne]

This thread is not about Russel or Jehovahs Witness history. The topic is paradise. I do believe ( I'm sure a moderator will correct me if I'm wrong) that there are rules against derailling threads so we must, if I am not mistaken, to stay on topic.

JW

[Checkpoint]

The Revelation 20 passage does not tell us where they reign from, or what or who they reign over.

Did I say it did? If not, why are you addressing this comment to me?


JW

My post was addressed to you in that it was commenting on your reply to Tam (quoted), but was intended more generally, to include her and any other posters or readers.

Grace and peace to you.

[onewithhim]

The best case scenario would be for people who are coming late to this discussion to read through the entire thread, because I believe that there have been previous comments about who the 144,000 will rule over and also where they will rule from.

[RightReason]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness]

This thread is not about Russel or Jehovahs Witness history. The topic is paradise. I do believe ( I'm sure a moderator will correct me if I'm wrong) that there are rules against derailling threads so we must, if I am not mistaken, to stay on topic.

I understand we need to remain on topic, but sometimes it is necessary to take a step back and look at where something is coming from.

It would be like saying Christianity is not about whether a man named Jesus Christ actually existed and said the things He is said to have said. It’s like saying, here’s a book – we don’t know where it came from – the history of how it came to be doesn’t matter, but please believe us when we tell you what it means and that you should do what it says. Uuuummmm . . .