John 12.24to28

Jesus coming to earth broke the barrier that separates us. He showed how much love our brothers in heaven, the angels, have for us humans. They are part of Jehovah's "wife". They are like a "mother" to us all. A good mother wants to visit her kids, even her grown kids. Heaven is not set up like Bethel. It's set up like a Real Family.

Heaven is not a place on earth - heaven is in heaven - however, it will be "heavenly" here in the sense of a perfect place where the angels and Jesus and the new creation and Jehovah God visit on a regular basis. If Jehovah can listen to all prayers at one time, certainly He can visit who He wants when He wants. Heaven is where the angels call home and the earth is home for mankind, but grown kids have their parents and brothers over to visit. Jehovah is the Father, and the angels are the brothers of mankind.

I am one of Jehovah's witnesses. Yes. That is what the Bible really teaches. "...every eye will see him..." "...they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory..." "And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." "He then said to him: “Most truly I say to you men, you will see heaven opened up and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man.”" "I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God." "And the name of the city from that day on will be Jehovah Is There.”

"Place me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm, For love is as strong as death is, And exclusive devotion is as unyielding as the Grave. Its flames are a blazing fire, the flame of Jah. Surging waters cannot extinguish love, Nor can rivers wash it away. If a man would offer all the wealth of his house for love, It would be utterly despised." Jehovah is the One who had that written down. He says Death cannot extinguish love. Jesus was not separated from Jehovah forever. We will not be separated from Jehovah forever either, regardless of where our assigned home is. Those who are assigned to work as a new creation are not some kind of exalted clergy class - they are lowly ministers who will have the job of a wifely support to the Christ. That is why they are called his "bride". They are not business managers. It's not a corporation. The FDS had tried to make things out to be as if the 144,000 are some kind of holier-than-thou exalted ones, but that's not true. The priests in ancient Israel had a nasty job of butchering animals and cleaning up the bones and stuff. Have you ever worked in a butcher shop? Not exactly glamorous work. Granted, they won't be doing the same types of activities, but the point is it's not like what is depicted in all the video/artwork. The visions in Revelation are just one aspect of the kingdom, but the reality is that in ancient Israel the good kings hung out with the people. Jehovah's kingdom is not built like worldly kingdoms. Jehovah used the illustration of kings because that's what people understand, that's what they could relate to, but that wasn't Jehovah's original way. That's why the anointed throw down their crowns at the end of the 1,000 years. It's just an assignment.

I will try to make it really simple. The Bible shows angels can materialize and visit earth. The Bible shows Jesus could materialize a body after he was a new creation. The Bible shows the resurrected anointed will be able to do the same thing. If they can materialize a body, then obviously Jehovah can too. He is the Head of the Family. Why is it so difficult for you to understand? Don't you think He wants to hang out here? Why do you think He made it? He made it for His kids, but He didn't make it so He could never visit. If you're a parent, you know these things, because you are made in God's image.

Why would Jehovah have three classes of kids that don't interact? Angels, anointed, human? Does it make any sense that He would only hang out with one or two types of kids and not let them all hang out together? What kind of a dad would do that? How many of the governing body men have ever been dads? Anthony Morris was, but they got rid of him. Jehovah is not a businessman. He's not a corporate manager. He's a dad. When Jesus walked the earth, true, he didn't have kids, but he was already a "parent". He was with Jehovah when Jehovah created Adam. Jesus was part of the figurative "wife" of Jehovah. A good parent knows that Jehovah will not separate His kids forever. A good parent knows that Jehovah will not stay estranged from His kids on earth forever. That's ridiculous. Jehovah was here in the garden before. He's coming back again. He said so. "I am the Alʹpha and the O·meʹga,” says Jehovah God, “the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty." "And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes." "The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them." Man can go to the moon. Why is it so hard for people to imagine Jehovah coming here? "Let the young children come to me, and do not try to stop them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such ones." A kid can understand. Why can't a grown up? "In that very hour he became overjoyed in the holy spirit and said: “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have carefully hidden these things from wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to young children. Yes, O Father, because this is the way you approved. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.” With that he turned to the disciples and told them privately: “Happy are the eyes that see the things you are seeing. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see the things you are observing but did not see them, and to hear the things you are hearing but did not hear them."

Speaking of "swimming" and "crap"... "For the hand of Jehovah will rest on this mountain, And Moʹab will be trampled on in its place Like straw trampled into a pile of manure. He will slap out his hands into it Like a swimmer slapping out his hands to swim, And he will bring down its haughtiness With the skillful movements of his hands. And the fortified city, with your high walls of security, He will bring down; He will knock it down to the ground, to the very dust." Jehovah's going to knock down all the crappy false teachings and set things straight. @Pudgy, you said on another thread that you have three kids, correct?

(I gotta go for now, it's suppertime here - be back later to 'splane...)

FDS teaches that only 144,000 will go "be with God" and everybody else is chop suey. They are full of crap. The Bible teaches that actually Jesus and the 144,000 will be here on earth during the 1,000 years bringing the garden back. At the end of the 1,000, Jehovah is coming.

Amen!

"But there is a God in the heavens who is a Revealer of secrets." "A man should regard us as attendants of Christ and stewards of God’s sacred secrets." "Pray also for me, that the words may be given to me when I open my mouth, so that I may be able to speak boldly in making known the sacred secret of the good news, for which I am acting as an ambassador in chains, and that I may speak about it with boldness, as I ought to speak."

(Jehovah's burning love is sweeter and more refreshing and can move heavier obstacles than a football blocker...🙃)

😆 Yes, I did look it up before. When I was a kid, I remember in the Logan Airport there were some displays with really cool contraptions like that. They didn't really accomplish anything, more just a form of art for fun...but my point in sharing them was to illustrate the creativity inherent in humans and how, though imperfect, it reflects the creativity of the designer, whose ways are much superior and infinitely more practical. Jehovah Causes to Become. If imperfect humans can cause to become, how much more so He can. He might have one idea in mind, but if something else comes up, He can switch gears and go around any obstacle, because He Causes to Become. The "engineer" in all of us is just a reflection of the Engineer who built us. We are the "artificial intelligence" really. He is the Reality. "How many your works are, O Jehovah! You have made all of them in wisdom. The earth is full of what you have made." The Book just tells us what His Name is and some more details until the time He arrives. "I am the Alʹpha and the O·meʹga,” says Jehovah God, “the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty."

From Genesis chapter 2: "And Jehovah God went on to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living person." A poetic way to explain in a simple sentence the labor-intensive and time-consuming process by which Jehovah put in place each intricate part of the living human being, complete with a physical-spiritual interface. "...let us also throw off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us..." What is the sin that easily entangles us? "But looking at the windstorm, he became afraid. And when he started to sink, he cried out: “Lord, 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?"" Some people think that invisible creatures called aliens came and populated the planets. Some people believe extraterrestrials with higher forms of communication are sending messages from another realm. Some people believe these higher life forms are able to build space ships and make artificial intelligence. (Why can't they believe that Jehovah, the invisible God, and His angels from the higher plane of existence could come and build a being with "intelligence", rather than out of metal and plastic, but out of the elements found in the dirt and clay, and with not "artificial intelligence" but real intelligence and free will? Why can't they believe that Jehovah could write a book? Is it because they are holding on to doubt, a temporary lack of faith in God? That is a common situation that can be easily remedied.) "Let it go, this too shall pass." The following video shows an example of a Rube Goldberg situation. (The guy at the beginning is covered in red paint.) The Rube Goldberg situation did not come about by natural selection or mutations over a long period of time. It was set up. By intelligent people, individuals with feelings and emotions. If they wanted to share with you the details of how they did it, they could write it down for you in a book. They made a plan and design and executed it. If mere imperfect humans can work to design such things, how much more so the human body had a designer who worked hard to put all things just so. Jehovah is the Designer, and had somebody write it down in a book. "When the morning comes" the truth will be as clear as day. Praise Jehovah.

I have to be doing some errands for a bit. I am interested in what part of Genesis 2 you are talking about? I will read it when I get back. (Thank you for coming out to play, @boyle! 😃🥰)

"I need not be considered." (I don't know anything about archery. I'm just a broken arrow, like everybody else. Jehovah of Armies has lots of "arrows", some broken, some not broken...) "Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the sons of one’s youth. Happy is the man who fills his quiver with them. They will not be put to shame, For they will speak with enemies in the city gate." He can use even a broken arrow to hit a target. (He is glorified in this.) "Jehovah is a powerful warrior. Jehovah is his name" Jesus is a fair shot with the bow, too. He never misses. "I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." "I will give you words and wisdom that all your opposers together will not be able to resist or dispute."

"He bends his bow and makes it ready." @boyle, @Pudgy, aren't you going to come out to play? I thought you liked archery games! 😄 Jehovah is the One who Created all the Beautiful Things. He has Arms of Steel. He is Strong Enough to Bend the Bow. (He never misses the target.) Praise Jehovah. "Jehovah will be seen over them, And his arrow will go out like lightning."

"Every vision becomes for you like the words of a sealed book. When they give it to someone who can read, saying: “Read this out loud, please,” he will say: “I cannot, for it is sealed up.” And when they give the book to someone who cannot read, saying: “Read this, please,” he will say: “I cannot read at all.” Jehovah says: “This people approach me with their mouth And they honor me with their lips, But their heart is far removed from me; And their fear of me is based on commands of men that they have been taught. Therefore, I am the One who will again do wonderful things with this people, With wonder upon wonder; And the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the understanding of their discreet men will be hidden.” Jehovah will heal the blind and the deaf. Praise Jehovah.

(How do you explain color to someone who was born blind? How do you explain music to someone born deaf? How do you explain love to someone born outside of the garden?) What else did Jesus and Jehovah sacrifice? When Jesus was dead for three days, he could sleep peacefully. While Jehovah missed Him more immensely than we could imagine, Jehovah's heart could rest a bit in the knowledge that His Son was not suffering. For 33 1/2 years, Jesus lived among the blind and deaf. (Can you imagine watching your kid live among an entire population of blind and deaf people for 33 1/2 years? That was a sacrifice for both Jesus and Jehovah.) The people driving the nation were blind and deaf. The people with the weapons were blind and deaf. The people making decisions that affected others were blind and deaf. In what way? They couldn't see Jehovah. They didn't think about how He was there all the time, He could see what was going on, He was close. They didn't hear Jehovah's voice and let it guide them so they'd make good decisions. When Adam and Eve unplugged from Jehovah, they lost that spiritual sight and spiritual hearing. They didn't want it. They rejected it. Just as braille and sign language are used to make due for the blind and the deaf, so the Law and the Prophets were used to reach the people, to compensate temporarily for communication purposes. Today those communications are compiled for us in the Bible. "So they said to Moses: “You speak with us, and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, for fear that we will die.”" "Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was standing there heard it and began to say that it had thundered. Others said: “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered: “This voice has occurred, not for my sake, but for your sakes."" When Jesus was on earth, he knew how close God was because he had seen it from heaven. He knew. The rest of the people didn't know because they were blind and deaf. "Listen, you who are deaf; Look and see, you who are blind. Who is blind except my servant, So deaf as the messenger I send? Who is so blind as the one rewarded, So blind as the servant of Jehovah?" Though we are born spiritually blind, Jehovah lets us "see" spiritually by means of the spirit, a force which includes comprehension of higher matters through love and goodness and peace. Jehovah lets us "hear" spiritually by means understanding His word along with His spirit of love and faith. When people try to read the Bible without asking God for that spirit of love and understanding, then they are like a blind person pretending to read the page and making stuff up. When people claim to understand the words of the Bible but they are going through the motions without their hearts involved, that is like a deaf person claiming to hear something they never heard. A blind and deaf person can understand by means of touch. It's called "tactile signing". Jesus came to provide something tangible that explains Jehovah, since we are all so blind and so deaf. God had Jesus described in His Word so we could "feel" him. When we read the Bible and ask God to help us "see" and "hear" Jesus words as they really are, not as some book of imperfect men, not as myths, but as that communication from the One who has been with us the whole time, then we can really begin to understand what Jesus' sacrifice was about. "If you men had known me, you would have known my Father also; from this moment on you know him and have seen him.” Philip said to him: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him: “Even after I have been with you men for such a long time, Philip, have you not come to know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father also. How is it you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me? The things I say to you I do not speak of my own originality, but the Father who remains in union with me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me; otherwise, believe because of the works themselves." Jehovah gave Jesus all the words. Jehovah was right next to Jesus, but the disciples couldn't see Jehovah. Jehovah didn't materialize a body, but He didn't have to - Jesus knew how Jehovah did things. After His baptism, Jesus was aware that Jehovah was right there next to Him the entire time, as if standing right next to Him. Jesus had been in heaven with Jehovah. Heaven is higher than earth, but it's not far away. "And he made out of one man every nation of men to dwell on the entire surface of the earth, and he decreed the appointed times and the set limits of where men would dwell, so that they would seek God, if they might grope for him and really find him, although, in fact, he is not far off from each one of us. For by him we have life and move and exist, even as some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his children.'" The sacrifice Jehovah has gone through has included being close to His kids all these years while they don't even see Him and hear Him. He is a Father to an entire earth of blind and deaf kids. He loves them so incredibly much, and He is healing their sight and hearing in time. He's trying to help them comprehend it. "Now they put in at Beth·saʹi·da. Here people brought him a blind man, and they pleaded with him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and brought him outside the village. After spitting on his eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked him: “Do you see anything?” The man looked up and said: “I see people, but they look like trees walking about.” Again he laid his hands on the man’s eyes, and the man saw clearly. His sight was restored, and he could see everything distinctly." Jehovah will heal our sight and hearing at the appointed time. And then everything will be crystal clear. The sacrifice is so we can go back to the garden and see and hear Jehovah again.

(...for those who don't know, it's the "Moderation Actions" below the "Submit Reply" button on the screen of the original poster for all those who do not have moderator privileges in general.)

(I closed it per request...but I can open it again if you wish.)

The same way you open one after it's locked.

Does @boyle count as five of the six?

"But one man shot his bow at random, and he struck the king of Israel between the joints of his coat of mail." I guess whoever gets "hit" with it.

"Know" as in believe or "know" as in heard before.