Today I came across the following Jehovah’s Witnesses publication in a secondhand bookstore:
The Truth that Leads to Eternal Life (Brooklyn: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 1968)
It was an interesting read, especially as the society, at the time, was focusing a lot on both 1914 (when Jesus returned invisibly, in their theology) and 1975 (at the time of publication, when Armageddon was meant to take place), so a lot of eschatology was contained therein. Furthermore, there are some comments about the 144,000 and JW theology thereof which I found intriguing. As I am trying to study more about JW theology when I can, I am reproducing some comments made about the 144,000 and their role in JW theology in the book:
They are persons who show full faith in God’s provision for salvation through Christ. They are ones whose lives prove the Devil a liar when he charged that men serve God only for selfish advantage. Jehovah has marvelously purposed to use them for his glory.—Ephesians 1:9-12. (p. 76)
HOW ONE KNOWS WHETHER HE IS OF THE “LITTLE FLOCK”
Members of the “little flock” know that God has called them to heavenly life. How? By means of the operation of God’s spirit, which implants and cultivates in them the hope of heavenly life. The apostle Paul as one of the “little flock,” wrote: “The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children. If, then, we are children, we are also heirs: heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ, provided we suffer together that we may also be glorified together.” (Romans 8:16, 17) The operation of God’s spirit changes the entire outlook of such a person, to that his thoughts and prayers are centered upon serving God with the heavenly hope in view. Being with Christ in heaven is more important to him than any earthly ties . . . In the past did you believe that all good persons go to heaven? If so, and if you have endeavored to life a good life, you may well have expected to be included among them. You may also have hoped in this way to be reunited with your loved ones whom you had lost in death. But when you had that expectation, did you know that the Bible says that such faithful servants of God as King David and John the Baptist did not go to heaven? (Acts 2:29, 34; Matthew 11:11) At that time did you know that only 144,000 chosen from among mankind over the past nineteen centuries would gain heavenly life? And did you know then that the Bible holds out hope of eternal life under righteous conditions here on earth or all others who would become faithful servants of God?-Psalm 37:10, 11, 29 [36:10, 11, 29, Dy]. (pp. 78-79)
[E]ach year, on the anniversary of Christ’s death, the few remaining members of the “little flock” yet on earth keep the Memorial of Christ’s death. As Jesus directed, they partake o unleavened bread and red wine, which are symbols representing the flesh and blood that Jesus gave for mankind. Jesus said to those whom he instructed to partake of these emblems that he was making with them ‘a covenant for a kingdom’; so those who are not heirs of the heavenly kingdom do not partake of the emblems. (Luke 22:19, 20, 29) Nevertheless, those who look forward to earthly life are present each year in large numbers as observers at the Lord’s evening meal. As one who is keenly interested in life under the heavenly kingdom, you too should be in attendance. (p. 80)
In chapter 13 (“The True Church and its Foundation”) and the members thereof, we read that “members of the true church” and the “anointed class” (the 144,000) are one-to-one equivalent to one another:
It we want to live eternally in God’s new system we must acknowledge the true church and its foundation. With reference to them, Jesus said: “Upon this rock I will build my Church.” (Matthew 16:18, Dy) . . . Could anyone of us decide to “join” this church simply by getting his name placed on some membership roll here on earth? No; as Hebrews 12:13 (Dy) explains, this is the “church of the firstborn who are written in the heavens.” God is the one who selects the members. He sets them in the congregation as he pleases. (1 Corinthians 12:18) These are the ones who will be with Christ in heaven. And Jesus revealed that, far from including all who profess to be Christians, they are limited in number to 144,000.—Revelation 14:1-3; Luke 12:32. (pp. 114, 115)
APPRECIATION OF THE TRUE CHURCH AND ITS FOUNDATION
The members of the true church under Christ their head are said to become “Abraham’s seed, heirs with reference to a promise.” (Galatians 2:29) This promise is that all others of obedient mankind will bless themselves through Christ and his congregation. (Genesis 22:18) . . . [Those who are of the “Great Crowd”] have the prospect of receiving eternal lie on earth, along with all the other blessings that will flow from Christ and his glorified congregation in the heavens. (p. 120, 121, comment in square bracket added for clarification)
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