All of the wonderful Jehovah’s Witnesses that have come to my door have expressed no desire for a heavenly hope. Their desire is to be on Paradise Earth forever. And what could be wrong with good food, a nice house, domesticated wild animals and beautiful scenery?
The problem is the difficulty in making a scriptural case for an earthly hope. Yes the Bible clearly teaches about the earthly kingdom, but for the Christian, the Bible only speaks of a heavenly hope as in the scriptures that follow:
“the hope that is being reserved for YOU in the heavens. (Col 1:5 NWT)
“Rejoice and leap for joy, since YOUR reward is great in the heavens; for in that way they persecuted the prophets prior to YOU.” (Mt 5:12 NWT)
“2 In the house of my Father there are many abodes. Otherwise, I would have told YOU, because I am going my way to prepare a place for YOU. 3 Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for YOU, I am coming again and will receive YOU home to myself, that where I am YOU also may be.” (Joh 14:2-3 NWT)
“1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, should be dissolved, we are to have a building from God, a house not made with hands, everlasting in the heavens. 2 For in this dwelling house we do indeed groan, earnestly desiring to put on the one for us from heaven,” (2Co 5:1-2 NWT)
None of these scriptures indicate any other hope for the Christian than the heavenly hope. As a matter of fact, Eph 4:4 says, “One body there is, and one spirit, even as YOU were called in the one hope to which YOU were called” (Eph 4:4 NWT). So for the Christian there is only one hope; the heavenly hope. Throughout the book of Acts, whenever anyone is baptized, nobody is ever given the option of whether they want to choose an earthly or a heavenly reward.
Even the Great Crowd are said to be in Heaven in Rev 19:1 which says, “After these things I heard what was as a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven.” (NWT) The Greek words translated great crowd is exactly the same as in Rev 7:9. See more on the Great Crowd in the next questions.
I now know my desire to live on the renewed earth is my hope. It isn’t conditioned on faithfully going to JW meetings, out in service, or any of the other requirements that are given by the GB. It is a time for rejoicing, not fear, for all will receive the opportunity to live on the earth who are not anointed. That alone has given me alot of peace. Thank you.
My dear Brother, Kevin, I, too, have the “earthly-hope.” I now consider myself a Bible Student and a few are a bit put off by that. They think that it is my “indoctrination” as a JW. As a JW I was taught that we just knew it in our heart. There was a connection between heavenly things and earthly. I was thrilled when, as a JW, I found out about the earthly-hope. Back when I was a Catholic, I never felt I truly wanted to be in Heaven. I appreciate the scriptures in the above article, however, there is an earthly-hope. Maybe it is only taught in the Old Testament. Maybe I was born too late. LOL I like to say to those I have this discussion with, that the Heavenly Call has to be nearing it’s end. (I certainly hope so as when it is the complete the Kingdom can begin in earnest.) It seems to me that the new earthly order will need those of us who are familiar with the truth and GOD’s Divine Plan. Not just a bunch of people struggling and confused as to what is going on. I think such ones as you and I will be there to help calm their fears and instruct them in the way which they should go. Kevin, I say that I am Consecrated to Righteousness to do the Will of GOD. If his will is that I be part of the Heavenly organization, then can I truly imagine being unhappy? OF COURSE NOT! I strive hard to learn what the scriptures say about all things. I’m not as good a student as I wish. However, I do know that pleasing GOD by my prayers and actions dictates how I conduct my life on a daily basis. Part of my actions is to study and reach out to others whether brethren or Christendom with the Truth that sets us all FREE.
Gal 5:1 – Stand fast therefore in the liberty
by which Christ has made us free,…