Questions from Jehovah's Witnesses

Questions from Jehovah's Witnesses

Seeking understanding of the Bible, he asked about Christian baptism, the 144,000 in Revelation, the sheep in Matthew 25, and the prophecies in Isaiah 2 and Micah 4.

Here are the answers to those questions from the Bible.

About Baptism

Baptism is the first step for the sons of the kingdom to enter into the new covenant.
It is a symbol of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, not of dedication.

In this respect, the Watchtower Society is deceiving people.

Sinners are required to repent, not to dedicate themselves.
The Watchtower teaches dedication to God and places an unnecessary burden on believers at the time of baptism.

Even worse, changing the meaning of baptism and creates believers of the Watchtower, by asserting itself as "the only organization led by God's Spirit."

People are led to believe that their responsibility in dedication to God is to recognize the authority of the Watchtower Society as God's only visible organization, guided by God's Spirit, and to obey its instructions fully. Baptism makes believers aware that they have agreed to allow the Watchtower Society to control their lives, and establish the basis for the Watchtower Society's authority to impose sanctions on those disagreeing with the Society.

This is a deception.
Such an interpretation cannot be substantiated by Scripture.

Baptism is a symbol of repentance, not of dedication.

Lu 24:47-48
47 and on the basis of his name repentance for forgiveness of sins would be preached in all the nations-starting out from Jerusalem, 48 YOU are to be witnesses of these things.

Ac 2:38
38 Peter [said] to them: "Repent, and let each one of YOU be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of YOUR sins, and YOU will receive the free gift of the holy spirit.

Ac 11:18
18 Now when they heard these things, they acquiesced, and they glorified God, saying: "Well, then, God has granted repentance for the purpose of life to people of the nations also."

Ac 17:30
30 True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance, yet now he is telling mankind that they should all everywhere repent.

Ac 20:21
21 But I thoroughly bore witness both to Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.

Ac 26:20
20 but both to those in Damascus first and to those in Jerusalem, and over all the country of Ju‧de′a, and to the nations I went bringing the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance.

Heb 6:1
1 For this reason, now that we have left the primary doctrine about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying a foundation again, namely, repentance from dead works, and faith toward God,

1Pe 3:21
21 That which corresponds to this is also now saving YOU, namely, baptism, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the request made to God for a good conscience,) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

2Pe 3:9
9 YHW is not slow respecting his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with YOU because he does not desire any to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.

Notice the expression "repent."
The word or idea of dedication does not appear anywhere in the Bible in relation to baptism. Such teaching as dedication to God is a clever deception by the Watchtower Society. They use the convenient teaching of dedication to God to psychologically bind believers by making them responsible for their dedication. And then, they control JWs for their purpose.

YHW God does not require our dedication to God at the time of baptism.
What God requires is repentance, which is the first step in our walk with Him.

So this repentance can come at any time.
The process of leading to baptism that the Watchtower society teaches, that is gaining accurate knowledge of the Bible, then repenting, converting, making a decision, dedicating oneself to God in prayer, and then being baptized is inconsistent with the examples found in the Bible.

For example, the criminal who repented on the torture stake beside Jesus received the promise of Paradise from Jesus, regardless of his accurate knowledge or dedication.

In Philippi, the Roman jailer watching Paul and Silas, turned his heart to God by the miracles that occurred, including an earthquake, and he and his families were baptized in one night.

Through its unbiblical teaching of dedication to God, the Watchtower Society promotes a life of Godly devotion, glorifies self-sacrifice, and drives people into unbalanced full-time service activities. As a result, some people become physically and mentally burned out from their sincere attempts to fulfill their responsibilities, feeling like failures, and in the worst cases, even committing suicide.

Jehovah's Witnesses's dedication and baptism is an initiation rite into the Watchtower Society and are not biblical teachings.

cf.
➡ Christian Baptism
➡ Born from God
➡ Legalism

I don't deny that possibility, but I don't think water baptism is a requirement for the things on the earth.

The things on the earth are those who will inherit eternal life in Paradise on earth.
The majority of Adam's family will be the things of the earth.

The things on the earth will receive the blessing of earthly life either through resurrection or by going through the Great Tribulation.

It is uncertain whether repentance will be required of those who are resurrected, since their past sins have been punished and atoned for by death.
Since those who come out of the Tribulation will be a great crowd out of all nations that no one can count who does not know Christ, I think baptism is not required under the circumstances.

Of course, those who are resurrected and those who come out of the Great Tribulation will learn about Christ's atonement and God who prepared and granted their salvation after they are saved from death or the Great Tribulation.

While it is true that making one's garments white through Christ's atonement is required of both the sons of the kingdom and the earthly class, the Bible does not say whether baptism is required of the earthly class.

The criminal on the execution pole who accepted Christ was not baptized, but he got the promise of life on earth.

Lu 23:42-43
42 And he went on to say: "Jesus, remember me when you get into your kingdom."
43 And he said to him: "Truly I tell you today, You will be with me in Paradise."

Those who are resurrected have already received forgiveness for their past sins.

Ro 6:7
7 For he who has died has been acquitted from [his] sin.

The great crowd of nations will not know baptism because they do not know the sons of the kingdom.

Mt 25:37-40
37 Then the righteous ones will answer him with the words, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked, and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to you?' 40 And in reply the king will say to them, '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.'

As the above examples show, water baptism is not a requirement for those on earth, but it is necessary for the sons of the kingdom who will be called to heaven. Jesus said, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven."

Joh 3:5
5 Jesus answered: "Most truly I say to you, Unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Those who accept Christ are baptized.
They are the sons of the kingdom.
They are also those described as the things in the heavens, the Israel of God, the new creation, the seed of Abraham, and joint heirs with Christ.

Believing in Christ and becoming a Christian is essentially becoming the sons of the kingdom, but due to Satan's work, the majority of people are baptized without understanding what that means and become weed Christians.

In Satan's world where false Christianity flourishes, the sons of the kingdom will be lost among the weedlike Christians, but as Christ's return draws near, all the sons of the kingdom will respond to the heavenly call to leave Babylon the Great and come out of false religious organizations to carry out the true Christian ministry.
cf.
➡ Development of the Christianity (Wheat and Weeds)
➡ God's People in the Babylon the Great

Even baptized weed Christians who are conscientious and merciful will survive the great tribulation as the things on the earth and will regain the blessing of life that Adam lost in an earthly paradise. Such people are of the earthly class, not the sons of the kingdom.

The phrase "in my name" is in harmony with other scriptures cited below.

Ac 2:38,
38 Peter [said] to them: "Repent, and let each one of YOU be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of YOUR sins, and YOU will receive the free gift of the holy spirit.

Ac 8:15-16
15 and these went down and prayed for them to get holy spirit. 16 For it had not yet fallen upon any one of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Ac 10:48
48 With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they requested him to remain for some days.

Ac 19:5
5 On hearing this, they got baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Ro 6:3
3 Or do YOU not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Mr 10:38-39
38 But Jesus said to them: "YOU do not know what YOU are asking for. Are YOU able to drink the cup which I am drinking, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am being baptized?" 39 They said to him: "We are able." At that Jesus said to them: "The cup I am drinking YOU will drink, and with the baptism with which I am being baptized YOU will be baptized.

Ga 3:27
27 For all of YOU who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

You can pay attention to expressions such as: in the name of Jesus Christ
in the name of the Lord Jesus
into Christ Jesus
into Christ

So we can see that Matthew 28:19 originally was written that "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in my name."

So who is baptized into Christ?
Those who believed in Christ are baptized. Ac 6:12, 18:8
They are called the sons of the kingdom and also called Christian by divine providence. Mt 13:38, Ac 11:26
They will die a sacrificial death just like Christ and be resurrected to heaven just like Christ. Ro 6:3-5

Anywhere with water. A bath, a pool, a river, the ocean, etc.

This is performed by Christians. It can be done by one person. No ceremony is required.

The examples of Philip and Paul illustrate this.

Ac 8:38-39
38 With that he commanded the chariot to halt, and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. 39 When they had come up out of the water, Lord's spirit quickly led Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him anymore, for he kept going on his way rejoicing.

Ac 16:30-34
30 And he brought them outside and said: "Sirs, what must I do to get saved?" 31 They said: "Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will get saved, you and your household." 32 And they spoke the word of Lord to him together with all those in his house. 33 And he took them along in that hour of the night and bathed their stripes; and, one and all, he and his were baptized without delay. 34 And he brought them into his house and set a table before them, and he rejoiced greatly with all his household now that he had believed God.

Is 144,000 a literal number or a figurative number?

These 12 tribes of Israel do not refer to the literal 12 natural tribes of Israel.
It is a figurative number to represent all mankind.
And, the Bible does not clearly state how to view the 12,000 taken from all mankind.
However, if we divide all of humanity into 12 equal parts and take 12,000 from each tribe, it seems like a symbol of equal division.
In other words, I think it is reasonable and straightforward to see it as a symbol of being chosen equally and fairly from all tribes of humanity.

So, that total number of 144,000 can be viewed as a symbol of the “sons of the kingdom” chosen impartially from every tribe of mankind.

So, while not quite the literal number of 144,000, the number of "sons of the kingdom" is also finite.

This view is consistent with the description of the "little flock" to whom the kingdom is given and the parable of the "olive branches" in Romans 7.

The number of "sons of the kingdom" who go to heaven is limited, and compared to the majority of humanity, I believe they are a "little flock."

The work of gathering the "sons of the kingdom" began in the first century AD and will continue until Christ returns "in the Lord's day."

2,000 years have passed since the days of Christ, and if we consider how many "sons of the kingdom" have already been gathered, it easily exceeds the literal number of 144,000.

In the first century alone, the number of Christian martyrs is estimated to be over 500,000, so the number 144,000 cannot be taken literally.

Re 5:9-10
9 And they sing a new song, saying: "You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth."

Re 14:3
3 And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth.

And the 144,000 Abraham's seed purchased from the earth are shown in Revelation 7 to be taken equally, 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of symbolic Israel.

Re 7:4-8
4 And I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:
5 Out of the tribe of Judah 12,000 sealed;
out of the tribe of Reu′ben 12,000;
out of the tribe of Gad 12,000;
6 out of the tribe of Ash′er 12,000;
out of the tribe of Naph′ta‧li 12,000;
out of the tribe of Ma‧nas′seh 12,000;
7 out of the tribe of Sim′e‧on 12,000;
out of the tribe of Le′vi 12,000;
out of the tribe of Is′sa‧char 12,000;
8 out of the tribe of Zeb′u‧lun 12,000;
out of the tribe of Joseph 12,000;
out of the tribe of Benjamin 12,000 sealed.

We see that "the 144,000, Abraham's seed purchased from the earth", were taken, as it were, equally, or impartially,
from all the tribes of the children of Israel,
in other wards, from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.

So we can understand that every tribe and tongue and people and nation = all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Also, this number of 12,000, taken equally from each tribe of figurative Israel, cannot be understood as a literal number.

Because the number of all the tribes and tongues and peoples and nations is not 12 literal tribes, we see that both the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12,000 are symbolic numbers.

Rather than viewing the 144,000 which is the total of 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of symbolic Israel, as a literal number, it is more natural to view it as a finite number taken equally or fairly.

The heavenly class of "sons of the kingdom" will be taken impartially from all the nations of the earth, that is, from the "world" of mankind.

The sheep in Matthew 25

These are God-fearing people in all the nations who will survive the Great Tribulation.
They are merciful people among the nations, regardless of religion, ideology, baptism, etc.

They are not saved because they respond to the Kingdom message, repent, and are baptized.
They are saved by God's mercy to those who are merciful.

Most of these people will not know who the “sons of the Kingdom” are.
So, like the sheep in the parable, they don't know why they are being saved.

The “sons of the kingdom” have no obligation or responsibility regarding the sheep's salvation.
It is the work of salvation through Christ's judgment and has nothing to do with us, the "sons of the kingdom."

The "sons of the kingdom" are to gather "sons of the kingdom," but they are not commissioned to gather a "great crowd" of sheep who will survive the great tribulation.

Those who are baptized believing in Christ through our preaching work, are "sons of the kingdom."
We have no obligation or responsibility regarding those who hear the message we preach and then do not believe.

So we can share the truth from the Bible with atheists, Buddhists, Christians, and all kinds of people, but we don't force our faith and hope on them wishing that it will save them. Because there's no need for that.

The righteous people in the nations will survive the Great Tribulation by God's mercy.

Mt 5:7
7 "Happy are the merciful, since they will be shown mercy.

Jas 2:13
13 For the one that does not practice mercy will have [his] judgment without mercy. Mercy exults triumphantly over judgment.

Ro 2:6-11, 14-16
6 And he will render to each one according to his works: 7 everlasting life to those who are seeking glory and honor and incorruptibleness by endurance in work that is good; 8 however, for those who are contentious and who disobey the truth but obey unrighteousness there will be wrath and anger, 9 tribulation and distress, upon the soul of every man who works what is injurious, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who works what is good, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.

14 For whenever people of the nations that do not have law do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves. 15 They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them and, between their own thoughts, they are being accused or even excused.

16 This will be in the day when God through Christ Jesus judges the secret things of mankind, according to the good news I declare.

Mt 25:37-40
37 Then the righteous ones will answer him with the words, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty, and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked, and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to you?' 40 And in reply the king will say to them, '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.'

Re 7:14
14 So right away I said to him: "My lord, you are the one that knows." And he said to me: "These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

When is it that the great crowd out of all the nations who come out of the great tribulation wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb?
Before the Great Tribulation or after the Great Tribulation?

The answer is after being saved from the Great Tribulation.
The merciful multitudes out of nations who have experienced salvation will learn about the source of their own salvation.

Re 7:14
14 . . . "These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

For any of us, the salvation from God comes first, and then followed by an accurate knowledge of the source of salvation.

The countless dead who will be resurrected know nothing about the true God.
So too is the countless multitude who will go through the great tribulation.
The same is true for the sons of the kingdom, salvation from God comes first, and then they come to an accurate knowledge of the God of salvation.

Therefore, accurate knowledge of God is not a necessary condition for salvation.

1Ti 2:4
4 whose will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.

1Joh 4:19
19 As for us, we love, because he (YHW) first loved us.
（God's salvation comes first, and we respond to His love.）

The Watchtower teaches the exact opposite, emphasizing that in order to be saved, one must first obtain accurate knowledge of the truth. They are turning God's salvation into an entrance exam system for Satan's world.

A system in which one's future is determined by knowledge, ability, grades and achievements is a hallmark of devil worship.

God's salvation is not by knowledge or devotion, but by mercy on His part.

On the prophecies of Isaiah 2 and Micah 4

This prophecy is about a great multitude of nations coming out of the Great Tribulation.

Here too, timing matters.
Is this the situation before the great tribulation, or after it?
Reading the scriptures makes it clear that it is a situation after the great tribulation.

Mic 4:1-4
1 And it must occur in the final part of the days [that] the mountain of the house of YHW (Yaho) will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, and it will certainly be lifted up above the hills; and to it peoples must stream. 2 And many nations will certainly go and say: "Come, YOU people, and let us go up to the mountain of YHW (Yaho) and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Zion law will go forth, and the word of YHW out of Jerusalem. 3 And he will certainly render judgment among many peoples, and set matters straight respecting mighty nations far away. And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. They will not lift up sword, nation against nation, neither will they learn war anymore. 4 And they will actually sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one making [them] tremble; for the very mouth of YHW of armies has spoken [it].

The conditions in the world before the Great Tribulation are not conditions in which true worship can be exalted.
This prophecy is quite easy to understand when viewed in terms of the situation after Christ's conquest is complete.

The Watchtower has used prophecy to expand its organization by teaching the opposite, that true worship of God will be exalted before the great tribulation.

The last days of Satan's rule is to be a time of war and an arms race among the nations.
It is also a time of persecution of true worship and the peak of beast worship (Satan worship).

Re 6:2
2 And I saw, and, look! a white horse; and the one seated upon it had a bow; and a crown was given him, and he went forth conquering and to complete his conquest.

Re 12:12
12 On this account be glad, YOU heavens and YOU who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to YOU, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time."

Re 6:8
8 And I saw, and, look! a pale horse; and the one seated upon it had the name Death. And Ha′des was closely following him. And authority was given them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with a long sword and with food shortage and with deadly plague and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Re 11:7
7 And when they have finished their witnessing, the wild beast that ascends out of the abyss will make war with them and conquer them and kill them.

Re 13:7-10
7 And there was granted it to wage war with the holy ones and conquer them, and authority was given it over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. 8 And all those who dwell on the earth will worship it; the name of not one of them stands written in the scroll of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered, from the founding of the world.
9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone [is meant] for captivity, he goes away into captivity. If anyone will kill with the sword, he must be killed with the sword. Here is where it means the endurance and faith of the holy ones.

These Bible prophecies strongly demonstrate that the prophecies found in Micah and Isaiah cannot occur in the pre-tribulation period.

However, once Satan's world is swept away by the judgment of Christ and the upright among the nations remain alive on earth, each and every one of these prophecies will fall into place so perfectly to paint a beautiful picture.

The false prophet, and Babylon the Great, is no more.
There will be only pure worship of YHW (Yaho) God.
The surviving people out of the nations will be under the guidance and blessing of God's Kingdom.

The mountain of the house of YHW will be firmly established above the top of the mountains, and will be exalted above the hills; and to it peoples must stream.

Merciful people out of the nations, having experienced salvation, will say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of YHW, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will instruct us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths.”

It would be natural for nations who have learned the ways of God to turn their weapons to the good of mankind.
The result will be that everyone will sit under their own vine and their own fig tree, and no one will make them tremble.

Pr 2:21-22
21 For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. 22 As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.