Let us review what we have so far.
Remember what our original intent was for this study?
It was our intent to determine whom precisely the Great Company class was and from whence they originated this so as to determine for ourselves once and for all if our friends the Jehovah’s Witnesses fit the bill as they claim.
And so, before we address our final two questions let us review what we have learned thus far.
Thus far we believe we have established
1) That the typical Levites represented a class of individuals separate and distinct from the rest of the world, separated (i.e., sanctified or set apart) through Christ by God.
"Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord." (Num 3:45) “From the tribe of Levi, thus set apart for the special service of Jehovah, God took Aaron and his sons for the priesthood (Exod 28:1), giving them the tribe of Levi for their attendants. Thus, all the priests were Levites, but not all the Levites were priests. Henceforth the Levites always represented the first-born delivered on the Passover night.”
2) That unlike the rest of mankind they are to receive no inheritance in the land, that is they shall not be participating in the restoration and/or restitution processes (the earthly phase of the kingdom), but rather the Lord is to be their inheritance, theirs is to be a heavenly inheritance. (Deut 18:1, 2)
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions (many dwellings or plains of existence); if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, THERE you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)
3) We have likewise learned that although all its participants were called in the one hope of their calling nevertheless this particular class is composed of two distinct elements or classes, the sacrificial or faithful priestly class represented by the “Lords goat”, and the unfaithful servant class represented by the “scape goat”.
"Gather My saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." (Psa 50:5)
“Both are called in the one hope of their calling, both have entered into covenant relationship with the Father, but only the one class chosen abides faithfully to the end. Only the one follows the "Lamb whithersoever He goes." The other class, alas, fails to realize that complete submission of self-will is requisite for complete overcoming, and consequently is unable to endure the fiery tests which come in the "way" of suffering with Christ. Nevertheless, they are beloved of the Lord, for their failure is not due to willful sin, but solely to an avoidance of the sacrificing necessary to carry out the terms of their covenant.”
Since our JW friends (with the exception of the anointed among them) profess to have an earthly desire for paradise restored, an earthly calling (?), this automatically disqualifies them from the before mentioned class of consecrated believers as these are to have no inheritance in the land, no share in the earthly phase of the kingdom, but rather they have been promised a heavenly inheritance, heavenly dwellings.
Likewise, they could not be represented in the Lord’s goat or the scape goat, as they have neither been called (to the high calling which is in Christ Jesus) nor chosen (elected). “For no man takes this honor to himself (the honor of being called to God’s priesthood, the “Royal Priesthood”, the Church of God), but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.” (Heb 5:4)
4) All of these (spirit begotten) individuals have fully surrendered and consecrated themselves to the Lord and have entered the race for the high calling (the heavenly calling) which is in Christ Jesus. With respects to this class the scriptures inform us that some of these will fail to make their calling and election sure, thus they will be disqualified from the race becoming “castaways” as far as the prize is concerned.
5) We have likewise determined that there is a sharp difference between simply being a “castaway” i.e., being disqualified from the race as well as the prize, membership in the bride of Christ, and that of “falling away”, that in so far as this latter class is concerned there is no hope of recovery, having forfeited both their spiritual lives as well as their earthly life rights, they are doomed to second death, eternal destruction.
Once again, our JW friends are disqualified from the foregoing; as one could neither be a castaway nor one who has fallen away from that which one was never a part in the first place. In order for one to fall (into second death) one must have first been lifted up (sanctified, set apart, called and chosen), having passed over the first death (Adamic death).
6) Likewise in respects to this castaway class we have learned that although they have lost the prize for which they were called due to unfaithfulness nevertheless because they have not denied their Lord, the Lord in his mercy has provided for such in that rather than occupying i.e., sitting upon the throne they shall instead be found standing before the throne, that is they shall be ministers of the throne.
“And the Levites who went far from me, when Israel went astray, who strayed away from me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity. Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, (the temple) as gatekeepers of the house and ministers of the house… I will make them keep charge of the temple, for all its work, and for all that has to be done in it.” (Ezek 44:10, 11, 14)
We will continue with our review in our next post.
Remember what our original intent was for this study?
It was our intent to determine whom precisely the Great Company class was and from whence they originated this so as to determine for ourselves once and for all if our friends the Jehovah’s Witnesses fit the bill as they claim.
And so, before we address our final two questions let us review what we have learned thus far.
Thus far we believe we have established
1) That the typical Levites represented a class of individuals separate and distinct from the rest of the world, separated (i.e., sanctified or set apart) through Christ by God.
"Take the Levites instead of all the first-born among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord." (Num 3:45) “From the tribe of Levi, thus set apart for the special service of Jehovah, God took Aaron and his sons for the priesthood (Exod 28:1), giving them the tribe of Levi for their attendants. Thus, all the priests were Levites, but not all the Levites were priests. Henceforth the Levites always represented the first-born delivered on the Passover night.”
2) That unlike the rest of mankind they are to receive no inheritance in the land, that is they shall not be participating in the restoration and/or restitution processes (the earthly phase of the kingdom), but rather the Lord is to be their inheritance, theirs is to be a heavenly inheritance. (Deut 18:1, 2)
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions (many dwellings or plains of existence); if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, THERE you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)
3) We have likewise learned that although all its participants were called in the one hope of their calling nevertheless this particular class is composed of two distinct elements or classes, the sacrificial or faithful priestly class represented by the “Lords goat”, and the unfaithful servant class represented by the “scape goat”.
"Gather My saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice." (Psa 50:5)
“Both are called in the one hope of their calling, both have entered into covenant relationship with the Father, but only the one class chosen abides faithfully to the end. Only the one follows the "Lamb whithersoever He goes." The other class, alas, fails to realize that complete submission of self-will is requisite for complete overcoming, and consequently is unable to endure the fiery tests which come in the "way" of suffering with Christ. Nevertheless, they are beloved of the Lord, for their failure is not due to willful sin, but solely to an avoidance of the sacrificing necessary to carry out the terms of their covenant.”
Since our JW friends (with the exception of the anointed among them) profess to have an earthly desire for paradise restored, an earthly calling (?), this automatically disqualifies them from the before mentioned class of consecrated believers as these are to have no inheritance in the land, no share in the earthly phase of the kingdom, but rather they have been promised a heavenly inheritance, heavenly dwellings.
Likewise, they could not be represented in the Lord’s goat or the scape goat, as they have neither been called (to the high calling which is in Christ Jesus) nor chosen (elected). “For no man takes this honor to himself (the honor of being called to God’s priesthood, the “Royal Priesthood”, the Church of God), but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was.” (Heb 5:4)
4) All of these (spirit begotten) individuals have fully surrendered and consecrated themselves to the Lord and have entered the race for the high calling (the heavenly calling) which is in Christ Jesus. With respects to this class the scriptures inform us that some of these will fail to make their calling and election sure, thus they will be disqualified from the race becoming “castaways” as far as the prize is concerned.
5) We have likewise determined that there is a sharp difference between simply being a “castaway” i.e., being disqualified from the race as well as the prize, membership in the bride of Christ, and that of “falling away”, that in so far as this latter class is concerned there is no hope of recovery, having forfeited both their spiritual lives as well as their earthly life rights, they are doomed to second death, eternal destruction.
Once again, our JW friends are disqualified from the foregoing; as one could neither be a castaway nor one who has fallen away from that which one was never a part in the first place. In order for one to fall (into second death) one must have first been lifted up (sanctified, set apart, called and chosen), having passed over the first death (Adamic death).
6) Likewise in respects to this castaway class we have learned that although they have lost the prize for which they were called due to unfaithfulness nevertheless because they have not denied their Lord, the Lord in his mercy has provided for such in that rather than occupying i.e., sitting upon the throne they shall instead be found standing before the throne, that is they shall be ministers of the throne.
“And the Levites who went far from me, when Israel went astray, who strayed away from me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity. Yet they shall be ministers in my sanctuary, (the temple) as gatekeepers of the house and ministers of the house… I will make them keep charge of the temple, for all its work, and for all that has to be done in it.” (Ezek 44:10, 11, 14)
We will continue with our review in our next post.
