Make Sure Of All Things (1957)
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"MAKE SURE OF ALL THINGS”
"MAKE SURE OF ALL THINGS”
A compilation of scriptures from the Holy Bible under seventy main headings to enable the searcher for truth to ascertain the fundamental doctrines and be assured thereof.
“Make sure of all things; hold fast to what is right.”
—1 Thessalonians 5:21.
COPYRIGHT, 1953 by WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY
REVISED April 1, 1957
All scriptures, except otherwise indicated, quoted in this book from the Hebrew Scriptures, Genesis to Malachi, are from the American Standard Version (AS). The Greek Scriptures, Matthew to Revelation, are quoted from the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures (NW). Quotations from any other versions are identified by symbols below.
AT - An American Translation AV - Authorized Version CB - Catholic Biblical Assn. ver. Da - J. N. Darby’s version Dy - Catholic Douay version Le - Isaac Leaser’s version LXX - The Septuagint Version Mo - James Moffatt’s version Ro - J. B. Rotherham’s version
PUBLISHERS WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY, INC. International Bible Students Association Brooklyn, New York, U. S. A.
Made in the United States of America
CONTENTS
Ancestor Worship
Animal Worship
Antichrist
Apostolic Succession
Armageddon
Baptism
Bible
Blood Transfusion
Born Again
Caesar’s Things to Caesar ..
Caste System
Charitable Works
Communism
Confession
Congregation of God
Creation
Cross
Death
Dedication
Devil and Demons
Earth and Its Destiny
Evolution
Faith
Freedom
Friendship with the World
Gifts from God
Healing
Heavens
Hell
Holidays
Honorary Titles
Idolatry
Incarnation
Interfaith
CONTENTS
Jehovah
Jehovah’s Witnesses
Jesus Christ
Jews’ Return to Palestine
Judgment Days
Kingdom
Law .................................... -
Life
Love
Marriage
Mass
Minister of God ......................
New-World Living
Prayer
Purgatory
Races of Mankind.................................................... 290
Ransom ...........................................
Religion
Repentance
Resurrection ......
Return of Christ
Sabbath
Salvation
Sign of Last Days
Sin
Soul
Spirit
Spiritism
Superior Authorities
Ten “Lost Tribes”
Tithing
Tongues, Speaking in
Transmigration
Trinity
World Distress
Worship of Mary
FOREWORD
MEN want to know the reason why things are as they are. Why is the world so full of confused ideas and shifting patterns? There are so many different beliefs, so many different religions, and all of them have their followers who advocate their particular faith with greater or less zeal. What should one believe in these days? Who is right?
Sound advice is, “Make sure of all things.” That means, Go to the highest authority you can find. The highest authority is the Holy Bible, Jehovah’s Word. God’s only-begotten Son said to him: “Your word is truth.” (John 17:17) But Jehovah’s advice goes even farther. This book of highest authority does not ask us to accept just one statement of truth, and that blindly; but rather God’s prophet says: “Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah.” (Isaiah 1:18) That is it! Think the answer out, search for it in the Scriptures, as the early Christians did. “They received the word with the greatest readiness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11) If these early Christians were eager to check the Scriptures to find out why things were as they were, then certainly we should be just as diligent in our search for the truth.
Do not just take someone’s word for it, but “make sure of all things; hold fast to what is right”. (1 Thessalonians 5:21) The apostle Paul said that. But now listen to what John says: “Do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.” (1 John 4:1) This book will help you to run to and fro through the Holy Scriptures, to do what these apostles say. The
purpose of this publication is to urge you to check everything with Jehovah’s Word of truth. You will notice that all the authority given in this book for the various teachings is Scriptural, and the texts from the Bible are arranged according to different themes for your study. You can check the doctrines yourself from your own Bible, regardless of the version you use, to see ‘whether these things are so’.
Furthermore, when you teach others a great responsibility rests upon you. You certainly want to be sure you are right and be “always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of you a reason for the hope in you, but doing so together with a mild temper and deep respect”. (1 Peter 3:15) The apostle Peter here had the right idea: Give a reason; give proof; make sure of your belief, and do not be mixed up with the philosophies of men. Always have the highest authority, Jehovah’s Word, backing you up. Always remember, Jesus said to his Father: “Your word is truth.” He believed it; he preached it, and he lived it.
In your proclamation of the good news you should always use the Scriptures. Therefore you should study them and understand how reasonable they are “to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong”, by means of the Word.—Hebrews 5:14.
WHAT TO DO WITH KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge is too precious to keep to one’s self; so we must tell it out. Paul felt this urge; hence he said: “Woe is me if I did not declare the good news!” (1 Corinthians 9:16) Jehovah’s Word is so full of good news; if only we knew all of it! It is not enough for those who know the good news merely to wish others knew it; it is for them to see to it that others know it. That is why Jesus said, ‘Go therefore, and teach.’ (Matthew 28:19, 20) Wishing never gives knowledge; but your talking, preaching and proclaiming the good news to others will certainly spread knowledge, and it must be the right kind of knowledge.
Paul told the young man Timothy: “Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching.” Timothy was interested in gaining everlasting life, and he knew the need of reading the Scriptures, following their teachings and preaching them in order to become mature. In this way his perceptive powers would be trained so as to distinguish between right and wrong teaching, as everything must be in agreement with God’s Word. Paul, as a wise counselor, advised Timothy to pay constant attention to his teaching, that is, what he was telling others. Today you should be sure what you say is in line with Jehovah’s Word of truth. Never get lax in taking in knowledge; and as you take it in, also give it out in the same unadulterated way that you receive it, because it will save both you and those who listen to you.—1 Timothy 4:16.
We must give the knowledge we have to others. We cannot selfishly store it up within ourselves forever. There is great pleasure in taking in knowledge and learning new things, making them our own, as we receive them from the Giver of all good and perfect gifts. But is it not true that “counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out”? (Proverbs 20:5) The witnesses of Jehovah and all lovers of righteousness want to draw out from their understanding of God’s Word and give it to others. “Make Sure of All Things” will be a great aid to every user of it to draw out the truth so others can have it freely.
HOW TO USE IT
“Make Sure of ATI Things” sets forth seventy principal themes and gives you a balanced picture or rounded-out coverage by answering the outstanding questions and objections on each of these themes just by using scriptures from the Bible. This publication is not a commentary on the Bible, but it brings together the many scriptures having to do with the theme under discussion. It will prove to be a convenient Bible aid to you.
This book does not take the place of the Bible nor does it try to limit the application of the texts cited to the various themes under which they appear. But the purpose of the book is to put pure Bible truth into the mind of the teacher and to let the Bible speak for itself. It should help the user to be more effective in his use of the Bible in every feature of his preaching activity.
Door-to-Door Witnessing: The apostles preached “publicly and from house to house”. (Acts 20:20) As you do that, carry this handy book with you. It will not take you long to get acquainted with the seventy themes. Hundreds of different questions can very easily be answered by you as you go about preaching the good news of the Kingdom just by being acquainted with these themes. You always want to give a Scriptural answer. With the aid of this small handbook your presentation of the truth from house to house will always be fresh, versatile and adaptable. If an argument arises on any Bible question, you can always turn to “Subjects for Study” on page 406 and you will be able to find just the scriptures you need. You will And “Make Sure of AU Things” a ready aid in “announcing Jehovah’s kingdom”.
Back-Calls: When you meet an interested person at his home, make another visit soon. Call back, because your logical, coherent conversation is needed to arouse interest in the truth and to lead the interested person into a deeper consideration of the Bible truths with the help of Watch Tower publications based on these truths. On these revisits when presenting the publications of the Watch Tower Society to the people and showing the need of reading them, it is necessary for you first to clear out objections that exist in the mind of the person before it is possible to start a Bible study. Do not push such questions aside, but answer them (Continued on page 404)
Ancestor Worship
DEFINITION
The practice (ceremonially or otherwise) of honor, veneration and worship of dead ancestors, either Individually or collectively, in the belief that they are conscious in an invisible realm and can assist or hinder and are therefore to be kept appeased. A false practice.
ORIGIN
Of non-Biblical origin. A
Due Respect for Living Parents Proper
Deut. 5:16 “Honor thy father and thy mother, as Jehovah thy God commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.”
Luke 18:18-20 “A certain ruler questioned him, saying: ‘Good Teacher, by doing what shall I inherit everlasting life?’ Jesus said to him: ‘...You know the commandments: “. . . Honor your father and mother.” ’ ”
Prov. 23:22 “Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”
Ex. 21:17 “And he that curseth his father or his mother, shall surely be put to death.”
Also: Lev. 20:9; Deut. 27:16; Prov. 1:8, 9; 19:26; 20:20; Jer. 35:6-8, 18; 1 Tim. 5:8.
Obedience to God Before That to Parents
Eph. 6:1-4 “Children, be obedient to your parents in union with the Lord, for this is righteous: ‘Honor your father and mother’; which is the first command with a promise: ‘That it may go well with you and you may endure a long time on the earth.’ And you, fathers, do not be irritating your children, but go on bringing them up in the discipline and authoritative advice of Jehovah.” pagan, heathenish practice.
Acts 5:29 “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.”
Matt. 10:35 “I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-ln-law.”
Matt. 19:29 “Everyone that has left . . . father or mother . . . for the sake of my name will receive many times more and will inherit everlasting life.”
Ancestors Not Conscious, Unable to Help
Ps. 49:10, 17-19 “Wise men die; the fool and the brutish alike perish, and leave their wealth to others. For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. Though while he lived he blessed his soul (and men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself). He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see the light.”
John 3:13 “No man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.”
Acts 2:29, 34 “It is allowable to speak with freeness of speech to you concerning the family head David, that he both deceased and was buried and his tomb is among us to this day. Actually David did not ascend to the heavens.”
Eccl. 9:5, 10 “For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything,... for
there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Sheol [“the grave,” AV], whither thou goest ”
Job 14:1, 2, 21 “Man, that is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow and continueth not. His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not of them.”
Condemned as Creature Worship
Rom. 1:25 “Who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and venerated and rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the One who created, who is blessed forever.”
Matt. 10:37 “He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me.”
Worship Due Jehovah
Matt. 4:10 “For it is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’ ”
John 4:23, 24 “The hour is coming, and it is now, when the genuine worshipers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for, indeed, the Father is looking for such kind to worship him. God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.”
Animal Worship
DEFINITION
The form or practice of rendering, ceremonially or otherwise, honor or reverence to various forms of animal life or to man-made representations, or thereby attributing to them human or superhuman powers, abilities or inclinations. A false practice.
ORIGIN
From when Eve acted on the lie spoken through a serpent and onward, organized false religions before and after the Flood have held animals as symbolically representing certain heroes or gods. In the first world empire, Egypt, “animal gods” were worshiped in great numbers. Modern Hinduism holds a sacred regard for certain animals.
Man’s Superiority to Animals Clearly Established in Scriptures
Job 35:11 “Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the birds of the heavens?”
Job 18:3 “Wherefore are we counted as beasts, and are become unclean in your sight?”
Man Given Dominion over the Animals
Gen. 2:19, 20 “And out of the ground Jehovah God formed every beast of the field, and every bird of the heavens; and brought them unto the man to see what he would call them: and whatsoever the man called every living creature, that was the name thereof. And the man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the heavens, and to every beast of the field; but for man there was not found a help meet for him.”
Gen. 1:27, 28 “And God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them: And God said unto them, . . . have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the heavens, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
Jer. 27:6 “And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the Held also have I given him to serve him.”
Animals Made Subject to Man to Provide Him with Food and Clothing
Gen. 9:2-4 “And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every bird of the heavens; with all wherewith the ground teemeth, and all the fishes of the sea, into your hand are they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth shall be food for you; as the green herb have I given you all. But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.”
Lev. 11:2, 9 “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the living things which ye may eat among all the beasts that are on the earth. These may ye eat of all that are in the waters: whatsoever hath fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers, that may ye
Gen. 3:21 “And Jehovah God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them.”
Prov. 27:26, 27 “The lambs are for thy clothing, and the goats are the price of the field; and there will be goats’ milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and maintenance for thy maidens.”
Num. 14:8 “If Jehovah delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it unto us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.”
Mark 1:6 “Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather girdle around his loins, and was living on insect locusts and wild honey.”
Acts 10:10-13 “[Peter] beheld heaven opened and some sort of vessel descending like a great linen sheet being let down by its four extremities upon the earth, and in it there were all kinds of four-footed creatures and creeping things of the earth and birds of heaven. And a voice came to him: ‘Rise, Peter, slaughter and eat!’”
Under Mosaic Law Vicious Animals Were to Be Killed, Showing Their Subjection
Ex. 21:28, 35 “And if an ox gore a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be surely stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; bui the owner of the ox shall be quit. And if one man’s ox hurt another’s, so that it dieth, then they shall sell the live ox, and divide the price of it; and the dead also they shall divide.”
Animals Were Created “After Their Kind” and Are Considered Souls; Hence, Not Inhabited by “Soul” as a Transmigration
Gen. 1:20-25 “And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures [“soul,” Ro], and let birds fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living creature [“soul,” Ro] that moveth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply . . . on the earth. And there was evening and there was morning, a fifth day. And God said, Let the earth bring forth living creatures [“soul,” Ro] after their kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: . . . and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the ground after its kind: and God saw that it was good.”
Num. 31:28 “And levy a tribute unto Jehovah of the men of war that went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the asses, and of the flocks.”
1 Cor. 15:39 "Not all flesh is the same flesh, but there is one of mankind, and there is another flesh of cattle, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish.”
Jehovah Established His Superiority in Contest with “Animal
Gods” of Egypt by Sending Plagues in Moses’ Day
Against the frog-goddess, Heqt
Ex. 8:1-7 “And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith Jehovah, Let my people go, that they may serve me. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs: and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into thy house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading-troughs: . . . And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.”
Against the ichneumon flygoddess, Wadjet
Ex. 8:20-24 “And Jehovah said .... behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.”
Against the cow-goddess, Hathor, and Apis the bull
Ex. 9:1-7 “Behold, the hand of Jehovah is upon thy cattle which are in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the herds, and upon the flocks: there shall be a very grievous murrain.... and all the cattle of Egypt died.”
Against Amon-Ra (symbolized by a male sheep)
Ex. 11:4, 5; 12:29 “And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle.” “And it came to pass at midnight, that Jehovah smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle.”
Making Images of Animals Was Forbidden Under Mosaic Law
Deut. 4:15-18 “Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of form on the day that Jehovah spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire; lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flieth in the heavens, the likeness of anything that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth.”
When Degraded, Man Described as on Level with Beast
Ps. 73:22 “So brutish was I, and ignorant; I was as a beast before thee.”
Dan. 5:20, 21 “But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: and he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts’, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men.”
Titus 1:12 “A certain one of them, their own prophet, said: ‘Cretans are always liars, injurious wild-beasts, unemployed gluttons.’ ”
2 Pet. 2:12 “But these men, like unreasoning animals born naturally to be caught and destroyed, will in the things of which they are ignorant and speak abusively, even suffer destruction in their own course of destruction.”
Jude 10 “Yet these men are speaking abusively of all the things they really do not know, but all the things they do understand naturally like the unreasoning animals, in these things they go on corrupting themselves."
Death Equalizes Men and Beasts (Except Man Is Promised a Resurrection)
Eccl. 3:18-20 “I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; and man hath no preeminence above the beasts: for all is vanity. All go unto one place: all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.”
Animals Perish at Death; No Afterlife
Ps. 49:12, 17, 20 “But man being in honor abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish. For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him. Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.”
2 Pet. 2:12 “But these men, like unreasoning animals born naturally to be caught and destroyed.”
Man Forbidden to Have Unclean Relations with Any Animal
Ex. 22:19 “Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death.”
Lev. 11:43 “Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any creeping thing that creepeth, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.”
Lev. 20:15, 16 “And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast. And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.”
Animal Worship Turns Attention Away from the Creator
Rom. 1:21-25 “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their unintelligent heart became darkened. Although asserting they were wise, they became foolish and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed creatures and creeping things. Therefore God in keeping with the desires of their hearts gave them up to uncleanness, that their bodies might be dishonored among them, even those who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and venerated and rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the One who created, who is blessed forever.”
Antichrist
DEFINITION
Any organization or individual that is against Christ or Christianity. Specifically, an organization or arrangement claiming to serve God but actually being against Christ and his kingdom.
Satan’s Organization Babylon Brings Forth Antichrists
Matt. 13:27, 28, 38, 39 “ ‘Master, did you not sow seed of a right kind in your field? How, then, does it come to have weeds?’ ... ‘The field is the world; as for the right kind of seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; but the weeds are the sons of the wicked one, and the enemy that sowed them is the Devil.’ ”
Antichrists Are False Prophets
Matt 24:11, 24 “And many false prophets will arise and mislead many. For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones.”
Do Not Fulfill Requirements of True Prophets
Deut. 18:20-22 “But the prophet, that shall speak a word presumptuously in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die. And if thou say in thy heart, How shall we know the word which Jehovah hath not spoken? when the prophet speaketh in the name of Jehovah, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah hath not spoken: the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously, thou shalt not be afraid of him.”
Antichrists Say Christ Was God Incarnate; Deny Christ Actually Came to Earth as a Perfect Man of Flesh
1 John 4:1-3 “Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many-false prophets have gone forth into the world. You gain the knowledge of the inspired expression from God by this: Every inspired expression that confesses Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God, but every inspired expression that does not confess Jesus does not originate with God. Furthermore, this is the antichrist’s inspired expression which you have heard was coming, and now it is already in the world.”
2 John 7 “The reason why is that many deceivers have gone forth into the world, persons not confessing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
1 John 2:22 “Who is the liar if it is not the one that denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one that denies the Father and the Son.”
“Man of Lawlessness”—The
Collective Clergy of Christendom
2 Thess. 2:3, 4, 9 “Let no one seduce you in any manner, because it will not come unless the falling away comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction. He is set in opposition and lifts himself up over everyone who is called ‘god’ or an object of reverence, so that he sits down in the temple of The God, publicly showing himself to be a god. But the lawless one’s presence is according to the operation of Satan with every
15 powerful work and lying signs and wonders.”
Jer. 23:11, 21, 22 “For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith Jehovah. I sent not these prophets, yet they ran; I spake not unto them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.” Clergy Seek Power, and Honor of This World
1 Cor. 4:8 “You men already have your fill, do you? You are rich already, are you? You have begun ruling as kings without us, have you? And I wish indeed that you had begun ruling as kings, that we also might rule with you as kings.”
Jas. 4:4 “Adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.”
“Evil Slave”
Matt. 24:48-51 “But if that evil slave should say in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’ and should start to beat his fellow slaves and should eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards, the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, and will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his part with the hypocrites. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.”
1 John 2:18, 19 “Young children, it is the last hour, and, just as you have heard that antichrist is coming, even now there have come to be many antichrists; from which fact we gain the knowledge that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of our kind; for if they had been of our kind, they would have remained with us. But they went out that it might be shown up that not all are of our kind.”
Pagan Religions
Eph. 2:12 “That you were at that particular time without Christ, alienated from the state of Israel and strangers to the covenants of the promise, and you had no hope and were without God in the world.”
1 Cor. 10:20, 21 “The things which the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I do not want you to become sharers with the demons. You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of ‘the table of Jehovah’ and the table of demons.”
Communist Red Religion Included Among Many Antichrists
Rev. 19:18, 19 “ ‘That you may eat the fleshy parts of kings and the fleshy parts of military commanders and the fleshy parts of strong men and the fleshy parts of horses and of those mounted upon them, and the fleshy parts of all, of freemen as well as of slaves and of small ones and great.’ And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage the war with the one seated on the horse and with his army.”
Ps. 14:1 “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works; there is none that doeth good.”
Culmination of Antichrist Effort in Supporting U.N.
Rev. 17:3-8, 18 “And I caught sight of a woman sitting upon a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and vras adorned with gold and precious stone and pearls and had
in her hand a golden cup that was full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her fornication. And upon her forehead was written a name, a mystery, ‘Babylon the Great, the mother of the harlots and of the disgusting things of the earth.’ . . . The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is destined to ascend out of the abyss, and it is to go oil into destruction. And when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present, those who dwell on the earth will wonder admiringly, but their names have not been written upon the scroll of life from the world’s foundation. And the woman that you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”
Antichrists to Be Forever Destroyed at Armageddon
Rev. 17:16 “And the ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.”
2 Thess. 2:8 “Then, Indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will annihilate by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence.”
Matt. 7:22, 23 “Many will say to me in that day: ‘Master, Master, did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works in your name?’ And yet then I will confess to them: I never knew you at all. Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
See “Religion”.
Apostolic Succession
DEFINITION
The doctrine that the twelve apostles have successors to whom authority is passed by divine appointment. In the Roman Catholic Church, the pope is said to be one of an unbroken line of successors of Peter, and bearer of the keys of heaven passed on from Peter (who the church claims was chief of the apostles and the first pope). A false doctrine.
ORIGIN
Established in the Roman Catholic Church in the Nicene Creed, A.D. 325 and 381, in the words, “I believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church.” Reaffirmed by the Council of Trent in the sixteenth century.
Matthew 16:18 Misapplied; Christ Is the “Rock”, Not Peter
Matt. 16:18 “Also I say to you, You are Peter [Gr., Petros; Syriac, ke'pha, “a stone," in the masculine gender in both languages], and on this rock-mass [Gr., pe-tra; Syriac, ke'pha, “a rockmass,” in feminine gender and with a feminine demonstrative pronoun (this) in both languages] I will build my congregation, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
1 Cor. 10:4 “They used to drink from the spiritual rock-mass which followed them, and that rock-mass meant the Christ.”
Eph. 2:20, 21 “You have been built up upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone. In union with him the whole building, being harmoniously joined together, is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah.”
Matt. 21:42 “Jesus said to them: ‘Did you never read in the Scriptures, “The stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. From Jehovah this has come to pass and it is marvelous in our eyes”?’” (See Isaiah 28:16; Psalm 118:22, 23.)
Acts 4:8-12 “Then Peter, filled with holy spirit, said to them: ‘... in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you Impaled but whom God raised up from the dead, by this one does this man stand here sound in front of you. This is “the stone which was treated by you builders as of no account that has become chief cornerstone". Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else.’ ”
Rom. 9:33 “Look! I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock-mass of offense, but he that rests his faith on it will not come to disappointment.”
John 21:15-17 Misapplied; Not Only Peter, but All Disciples
Must Feed Christ’s Sheep
Acts 20:28 “Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own [Son].”
1 Pet. 5:1-4 “To the older men among you I give this exhortation, for I, too, am an older man like them ... Shepherd the flock of God in your care, not under compulsion, but willingly, neither for love of dishonest gain,... but becoming examples to the flock. And when the chief shepherd has been made manifest, you will receive the unfadable crown of glory."
Peter Is Merely One of the Stones in the Spiritual Temple
1 Pet. 2:4-8 “Coming to him as to a living stone, rejected, it is true, by men, but chosen, precious, with God, you yourselves also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house for the purpose of a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ... It is to you, therefore, that he is precious, because you are believers; but to those not believing, ‘the identical stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,’ and ‘a stone of stumbling and a rock-mass of offense’.”
Only the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ in the Foundation of the Christian Congregation;
They Have No Successors
Names of the twelve:
Matt. 10:1-4; Gal. 1:1; 1 Cor. 9:1; 2 Cor. 12:12 “First, Simon, the one called ‘Peter’, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed him.”
“Paul, an apostle, neither from men nor through a man, but through Jesus Christ and God the father.”
“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?”
“Indeed, the signs of an apostle were produced among you by all endurance, and by signs and wonders and powerful works.”
Rev. 21:14 “The wall of the city also had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.”
Matt. 19:28 “Jesus said to them: ‘Truly I say to you, In the re-creation, when the Son of
man sits down upon his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also yourselves sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’ ”
Christ the Ever-living Head of the Christian Congregation; No
Earthly Head Needed
Col. 1:18 “He is the head of the body, the congregation.”
Eph. 1:22, 23 “He also subjected all things under his feet, and made him head over all things to the congregation, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills up all things in all.”
Eph. 4:15; 5:23, 24 “Speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ.” “A husband is head of his wife as the Christ also is head of the congregation, he being a savior of this body. ... the congregation is in subjection to the Christ.”
Zech. 4:7 “He shall bring forth the top stone with shoutings of Grace, grace, unto it.”
How Gates of Hell (Hades) Do Not Prevail Against the
Christian Congregation
1 Cor. 15:54-57 “When this which is corruptible puts on incorruption and this which is mortal puts on immortality, then the saying will take place that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up forever.’ ‘Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?’ . . . But thanks to God, for he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”
Hos. 13:14 “I will ransom them from the power of Sheol; I will redeem them from death: O death, where are thy plagues? O Sheol, where is thy destruction?”
John 6:39 “This is the will of him that sent me, that I should lose nothing out of all that he has given me but that I should resurrect it at the last day.”
John 10:27-29 “My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give
18 them everlasting life, and they will by no means ever be destroyed, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is something greater than all other things, and no one can snatch them out of the hand of the Father.”
John 17:12 “I have kept them, and not one of them is destroyed except the son of destruction.”
John 11:26 “He that exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life.”
1 Cor. 15:42-44 “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised up in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised up in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised up in power. It is sown a physical body, it is raised up a spiritual body.”
2 Cor. 4:14 “Knowing that he who raised Jesus up will raise us up also together with Jesus and will present us together with you.”
Kev. 2:10 “Prove yourself faithful even with the danger of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
1 Thess. 4:16 “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first.”
Keys of Heaven
Given to Peter to use, but their use directed by heaven
Matt. 16:19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you may bind on earth will have been bound [margin, “be the thing already bound”] in the heavens, and whatever you may loose on earth will have been loosed [margin, “be the thing already loosed”] in the heavens.”
Matt. 18:18 “Truly I say to you men, Whatever things you may bind on earth will have been bound in heaven and whatever things you may loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven.”
Keys represent unlocking of knowledge of opportunity of entering kingdom of heaven
Luke 11:52 “Woe to you who are versed in the Law, because you took away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not go in, and those going in you hindered!”
2 Tim. 1:10 “Our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has abolished death but has shed light upon life and incorruption through the good news.”
1 Pet. 1:3, 4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for according to his great mercy he gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance. It is being reserved in the heavens for you.”
Col. 1:26, 27 “The sacred secret which was concealed from the past systems of things and from the past generations. But now it has been made manifest to his holy ones, to whom God has been pleased to make known what are the glorious riches of this sacred secret among the nations. It is Christ in union with you. the hope of his glory.”
1 Tim. 3:16 “Indeed, the sacred secret of this godly devotion is admittedly great: ‘He was made manifest in flesh, was declared righteous in spirit, appeared to angels, was preached about among nations, was believed upon in the world, was received up in glory.’ ”
Rom. 1:16 “I am not ashamed of the good news; it is, in fact, God’s power for salvation to everyone having faith, to the Jew first as well as to the Greek.”
Heaven directs use of first key toward Jews, Pentecost,
A.D. 33
Acts 2:1, 2, 38, 39, 41 “Now while the day of the feast of Pentecost was in progress they were all together at the same place, and ... 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. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all those afar off, just as many as Jehovah our God may call to him.’ Therefore those who embraced his word heartily were baptized, and on that day about three thousand souls were added.”
Time: (Dan. 9:24-27) 6SJ weeks of years (486J years) from rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls under Nehemiah, in the fall of 455 B.C. (September 17-13), to spring, A.D. 33.
Heaven directs use of second key toward Gentiles,
fall, A.D. 36
Acts 10:9-35, 44-48 “Peter . . fell into a trance ... Peter said: ‘Not at all, Lord, because I have never eaten anything at all defiled and unclean.’ And the voice spoke again to him, the second time: ‘You stop calling defiled the things God has cleansed.’ . . . the spirit said: ‘Look! three men are seeking you.’ . . . They said: ‘Cornelius, an army officer, . . . was given divine instructions by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear the things you have to say.’ . . . Cornelius said: ‘ . . . a man in bright raiment stood before me and said: “Cornelius, your prayer has been favorably heard and your gifts of mercy have been remembered before God. Send, therefore, to Joppa and call for Simon who is surnamed Peter.” ’ . . . At this Peter opened his mouth and said: 'For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.’ While Peter was yet speaking about these matters the holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word. And the faithful ones that had come with Peter who were of those circumcised were amazed, because the free gift of the holy spirit was being poured out also upon people of the nations. ... Then Peter responded: ‘Can anyone forbid water so that these might not be baptized who have received the holy spirit even as we have?’ With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.”
Acts 11:15-18 ‘‘But when I started to speak the holy spirit fell upon them just as it did also upon us originally. At this I called to mind the saying of the Lord, how he used to say: ‘John, on the one hand, baptized with water, but you will be baptized in holy spirit.’ If, therefore, God gave the same free gift to them as he also did to us who have believed upon the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I should be able to hinder God?”
Acts 15:7 “Peter rose and said to them: ‘Brothers, you well know that from early days God made the choice among you that through my mouth people of the nations should hear the word of the good news and believe.’ ”
Eph. 3:5, 6 “In other generations this secret was not made known to the sons of men as It has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by spirit, namely, that people of the nations should be joint heirs and fellow members of the body and partakers with us of the promise in union with Christ Jesus through the good news.”
Time: End of 70th week of special favor to the Jews, which extended from fall of A.D. 29, at Jesus’ baptism, to fall of A.D. 36 (490 years from fall of 455 B.C.).—See Daniel 9:24-27.
Keys not passed on; door still open to Jews and Gentiles
Rev. 3:7 “These are the things he says who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens so that no one will shut, and shuts so that no one opens.” Acts 14:27 “When they had arrived and had gathered the congregation together, they proceeded to recount the many things God had done by means of them and that he had opened to the nations the door to faith.”
Keys had no further use by Peter; not Peter, but God and Christ judge who is worthy to enter Kingdom
Matt. 20:23 “He said to them: ‘You will indeed drink my cup, but this sitting down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but It belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.’ ”
2 Tim. 4:1 “I earnestly beg you before God and Christ Jesus, who is destined to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and his kingdom.”
Heb. 12:23 “The congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all.”
1 Pet. 4:5 “These people will render an account to the one ready to judge those living and those dead.”
1 Cor. 12:18 “But now God has set the members in the body, each one of them, just as he pleased.”
None of the apostles (including Peter, the supposed “gatekeeper”) were in heaven prior to Christ’s second coming in Kingdom power
2 Tim. 4:8 “There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me as a reward in that day, yet not only to me, but also to all those who have loved his manifestation.”
1 Cor. 15:51, 52 “Look! I tell you a sacred secret: We shall not all fall asleep in death, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, during the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
1 Thess. 4:15, 16 “We the living who survive to the presence of the Lord shall in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death, because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first.”
2 Thess. 2:1-3 “However, brothers, respecting the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we request of you not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be excited either through an inspired expression or through a verbal message or through a letter as though from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here. Let no one seduce you in any manner, because it will not come unless the falling away comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction.”
Acts 17:31 “He has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has furnished a guarantee to all men in that he has resurrected him from the dead.”
Peter Did Not Rule over the Christian Congregation
Gal. 2:9 “James and Cephas and John, the ones who seemed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of joint participation.”
Matt. 23:8-10 “But you, do not you be called ‘Rabbi’, for one is your teacher, whereas all you are brothers. Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for One is your Father, the heavenly One. Neither be called ‘leaders’, for your Leader is one, the Christi
Acts 15:13-23, 28 “After they quit speaking James answered, saying: . . Symeon has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations . . . Hence my decision is not to trouble those from the nations who are turning to God, . . .’ Then the apostles and the older men together with the whole congregation favored sending chosen men from among them . . . they wrote: ‘. . . the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to you, except these necessary things.’ ”
Infallibility Not Granted to Any Imperfect Man; Peter
No Exception
Matt. 14:29-31 “Peter, getting down off the boat, walked over the waters and went toward Jesus. But looking at the windstorm, he got afraid and, after starting to sink, he cried out: ‘Master, save me!’ Immediately stretching out his hand Jesus caught hold of him and said to him: ‘You with little faith, why did you give way to doubt?’”
Matt. 16:22, 23 "Peter took him aside and commenced raising strong objections to him, saying: ‘Be kind to yourself, Master; you will not have this destiny at all.’ But, turning his back, he said to Peter: ‘Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumblingblock to me, because you think, not God's thoughts, but those of men.’ ”
John 18:10, 11 “Then Simon Peter, as he had a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the high priest and cut his right ear off. The name of the slave was Malchus. Jesus, however, said to Peter: ‘Put the sword into its sheath. The cup that the Father has given me, should I not by all means drink it?’ ”
Luke 22:31-34 “ ‘Simon, Simon, look! Satan has demanded to have you men to sift you as wheat. But I have made supplication for you that your faith may not give out; and you, when once you have returned, give support to your brothers.’ Then he said to him: ‘Master, I am ready to march with you both into prison and into death.’ But he said: ‘I tell you, Peter, A cock will not crow today until you have three times denied knowing me.’ ”
Luke 22:60-62 “But Peter said: ‘Man, I do not know what you are saying.’ And instantly, while he was yet speaking, a cock crowed. And the Master turned and looked upon Peter, and Peter recalled the utterance of the Master when he said to him: ‘Before a cock crows today you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.”
Gal. 2:11-14 “However, when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him face to face, because he stood condemned. For before the arrival of certain men from James he used to eat with people of the nations; but when they arrived, he went to withdrawing and separating himself, in fear of those of the circumcised class. . . . But when I saw they were not walking straight according to the truth of the good news, I said to Cephas before them all: ‘If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do, and not as Jews do, how is it that you are compelling people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?’ ”
Joh 20:6-9 “Simon Peter . . . entered into the memorial tomb. . .. For they did not yet discern the scripture that he must rise from the dead.”
Christ Holds Keys of Death and Hell (Hades)
Kev. 1:18 “I became dead, but, look! I am living for ever and ever, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.”
John 11:25, 26 “Jesus said to her: ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He that exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life, and everyone that is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all.’ ”
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him: ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ ”
John 17:2 “You have given him authority over all flesh, that, as regards the whole number which you have given him, he may give them everlasting life.”
1 John 5:11 “And this is the witness given, that God gave us everlasting life, and this life is in his Son.”
Key of Hades (Gravedom) Completes Use When All Deserving Ones Resurrected During 1,000-Year Reign
John 5:28, 29 “The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.”
Rev. 20:13, 14 “And the sea gave up those dead in it, and death and Hades gave up those dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds. And death and Hades were hurled into the lake of fire. This means the second death, the lake of fire.”
Key of Death Completes Use When Every Trace and Effect of Adamic Death Is Removed from Deserving Ones (Toward End of 1,000-Year Reign)
See Revelation 20:13, 14, above.
Rev. 21:4 “And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be any more. The former things have passed away.”
1 Cor. 15:25, 26 “He must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet. As the last enemy, death is to be destroyed.”
No Record Peter Was Ever in Rome; He Preached Mainly to Jews and Did Travel to Babylon, a Seat of Jewish Culture
Gal. 2:7-9 “On the contrary, when they saw that I had entrusted to me the good news for those who are uncircumcised, just as Peter had it for those who are circumcised—for He who gave Peter powers necessary for an apostleship to those who are circumcised gave powers also to me for those who are of the nations; yes, when they came to know the undeserved kindness which was given me, James and Cephas and John, the ones who seemed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of joint participation, that we should go to the nations, but they to those who are circumcised.”
1 Pet. 5:13 “She who is in Babylon, a chosen one like you, sends you her greetings.”
Peter Was Married
Mark 1:30 “Now Simon’s mother-in-law was lying down sick ■with a fever.”
Luke 4:38 “Now Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a high fever."
1 Cor. 9:5 “We have authority to lead about a sister as a wife, even as the rest of the apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas, do we not?”
Apostles Had Power to Transmit Gifts of Holy Spirit; Not All Popes Claim This
Acts 8:14-17 “When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they dispatched Peter and John to them,. . . Then they went to laying their hands upon them, and they began to receive holy spirit.”
Acts 10:44-46 “While Peter was yet speaking about these matters the holy spirit fell upon all those hearing the word. . . . For they heard them speaking with tongues and glorifying God.”
Acts 19:6 “And when Paul laid his hands upon them, the holy spirit came upon them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying.”
Peter Had Gift of Discerning Spirits, Healing, Forgiving Sins, Expelling Demons, Raising the Dead; Not All Popes Claim All
These Powers
Acts 5:1-11 “However, a certain man, Ananias by name, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession and secretly held back some of the price, his wife also knowing about it, . . . But Peter said: ‘Ananias, to what end has Satan emboldened you to play false to the holy spirit and to hold back secretly some of the price of the field? ... You have played false, not to men, but to God.’ . . . Peter said to her [ Ananias’ wife]: ‘Why was it agreed upon between you two to make a test of the spirit of Jehovah? Look! the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.’ Instantly she fell down at his feet and expired.”
John 20:22, 23 “And after he said this he [Jesus] blew upon them and said to them: ‘Receive holy spirit. If you forgive the sins of any persons, they stand forgiven to them; if you retain those of any persons, they stand retained.’ ”
Matt. 10:1 “So he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, in order to expel these and to cure every kind of disease and every kind of ailment.”
Mark 3:14-16 “And he formed a group of twelve, whom be also named ‘apostles’, that they might continue with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to expel the demons. And the group of twelve that he formed were Simon, to whom he also gave the surname ‘Peter’.”
Acts 9:36-41 But in Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which, when translated, means Dorcas. . . . she happened to fall sick and die. . . . But Peter put everybody outside and, bending his knees, he prayed, and, turning to the body, he said: ‘Tabitha, rise!’ She opened her eyes and, as she caught sight of Peter, she sat up.”
Acts 3:6-8 “Peter said: ‘Silver and gold I do not possess, but what I do have is what I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk!’ With that he took hold of him by the right hand and raised him up. Instantly the soles of his feet and his ankle bones were made firm, and, leaping up, he stood up and began walking, and he entered with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God.”
144,000 as Kings and Priests Rule from Heaven During the 1,000 Years; Not on Earth from Time of Pentecost
1 Cor. 4:8 “You men already have your fill, do you? You are rich already, are you? You have begun ruling as kings without us, have you? And I wish Indeed that you had begun ruling as kings, that we also might rule with you as kings.”
2 Tim. 4:1 “I earnestly beg you before God and Christ Jesus, who is destined to judge the living and the dead, and by his manifestation and his kingdom.”
Rev. 1:1; 5:9, 10 “The revelation by Jesus Christ, which God gave him, to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place.”
“And they sing a new song, saying: '. . . with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will rule as kings over the earth.’ ”
Rev. 20:4-6 “And I saw thrones, and there were those who sat down on them, and power of judging was given them.... And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for a thousand years. . . . and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years.”
2 Tim. 2:12 “If we go on enduring, we shall also rule together as kings; if we deny, he also will deny us.”
Rom. 5:17 “For if by the trespass of the one man death ruled as king through that one, much more will those who receive the abundance of the undeserved kindness and of the free gift of righteousness rule as kings in life through the one person, Jesus Christ.”
Armageddon
DEFINITION
(Literally: “The mountain of the assembly of [God’s] troops.”) The battle of Jehovah God Almighty in which his executive officer Christ Jesus leads invisible forces of righteousness to destroy Satan and his demonic and human organization, eliminating wickedness from the universe and vindicating Jehovah’s universal sovereignty.
Line-up of Sides
Rev. 16:14, 16 “They are, In fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon.”
Rev. 19:19 “And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage the war with the one seated on the horse and with his army.”
Christians Have No Part in Slaying Work
Eph. 6:12 “Because we have a fight, not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.”
2 Cor. 10:3, 4 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage warfare according to what we are in the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things.”
2 Chron. 20:15, 17 “The battle is not yours, but God’s. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of Jehovah with you.”
Rom. 12:19 “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says Jehovah.’ ”
Also: Rev. 2:26, 27; 19:13-15; Ezek. 9:2, 4, 5.
Description of Old World’s Accomplished End
Jer. 25:29-33 “I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith Jehovah of hosts. . . . for Jehovah hath a controversy with the nations; . . . And the slain of Jehovah shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor burled; they shall be dung upon the face of the ground.”
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