THE GOOD NEWS - WHAT IS IT, WHO IS IT FOR?

[Witness]

The good news is not preached in all the world, as we understand it. 
Paul talked about that being done, even in the first century. 
He said of their work of preaching to the Jews; 
"But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:
‘Their sound has gone out to all the earth,
And their words *to the ends of the world.’* Rom 10:18

That word "world", really means, "land". Not all lands, are the whole world.

Paul also said;
Col.1: "5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, *as it has also in all the world*"

He was saying that the gospel was already heard, in the whole land.

Verse 23 continues; "and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was *preached to every creature under heaven*, of which I, Paul, became a minister."
Paul did not preach to the whole world. Yet he says that the gospel was preached to "every creature under heaven".

Rev.14: 6 says; "Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach **to those who dwell on the earth**—to *every nation, tribe, tongue, and people"*.

We may think from this, that everyone in the world is being referred to.
But notice that the great crowd is described in the same way...

"9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, **of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues,** standing before the throne and before the Lamb...) (Rev.7)

Is the Great Crowd, the whole planet? No.

Look at how the anointed priests and kings of God are described....

"9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
**Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation**,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.” (Rev.5)

They are not the whole world either.

So they too, are described as "from all nations", but they are not the whole world.
When Rev.14:6 tells us that the good news will be preached "to all those who dwell on the earth"... the word that was translated "earth", also means, a particular land and is occupied by people.

In Revelation, the "earth" is not the "sea".
The "sea" represents those who do not know God (see Isa.57:20). 
The Land that does know God, and claims to worship him, and that land is translated into the word "Earth" (God's occupied land).
So again, the good news is not toward the whole world, but toward God's people.

Even though the gospel opened up to Gentiles of all nations, who were also added to God's people, notice that they also *become Jews, in their spirit*...

"28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but *he is a Jew who is one inwardly*; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God." (Rom.2)
Do you see that those of all nations, become spiritual Jews?

Gal.3:28-29 agrees;
"28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And **if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed**, and heirs according to the promise."
If you become the seed of Abraham... you become a spiritual Hebrew.

Rom.4: "16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham"

So then,
who did Jesus say we would be preaching to, and trying to reach with the truth?

He said;
"22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures *to the end* will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, **you will not have completed preaching to the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."** (Matt.10)

Did you notice who Jesus said, would be getting preached to?
"The cities/towns, of Israel".
What are the towns of Israel? 
Jesus named them, in Revelation 1:11...
"...“What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

The message being sent out to the "towns of Israel", is the opened scroll of Revelation. To understand that message, is good news....

Rev.1: "3 Happy is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near."

So from all this, we see that the good news is not preached to the whole planet, as JWs teach. Jesus said that we would not even finish preaching to "the towns of Israel" before he would return. The good news that is trying to reach God's people, is the true and full interpretation of the book of Revelation. That message reveals the truth, about who is wicked, and who is faithful. That is good news to those who have been slandered and thrown out as wicked, because they are the ones to receive the kingdom. Those who raised themselves up, will be humbled and condemned.        Pearl Doxsey, 4 womaninthewilderness