Posted by It's limited... [GLamotta] on April 04, 1999 at 11:04:43 {th2VaRoznYMRXA6xmpscboLUiPtahc}:
In Reply to: *heaven or earth? posted by a.j.w. on April 03, 1999 at 05:40:24:
Hello Andrew,
Re: Heaven and Earth.
As respects to God's purpose of having persons live on the earth, that has not changed at all. As far as the heavenly calling, Jehovah's Witnesses in particular limit that to just 144,000. So the
heavenly calling is just for a limited group. So you have both heaven and earth but in their own perspectives.
An earthly "organization":
I'm being brief, but I think your next question addresses some type of a recognized
organization.
You are correct in this. Daniel speaks of a general time when there would be no recognized organization or at least no recognized temple organization until the end of "2300 evenings and mornings" after which the "temple
would come into its right condition."
This in general suggests there would be a time when there would be no officially recognized temple for a certain time, but that after that certain time, there would be a certain "temple" organization. It's clear some organization would have to "preach the good news", etc. during the time of the end and other scriptures suggest a rather focussed relationship with some of the "chosen ones" or even the "faithful and discrete slave" so certainly there is a Biblical implication that some group would be isolated, not abandoning the other 11 tribes, mind you, but one group would be isolated to carry Jehovah's name and specifically deal with spiritual issues related to the Messiah's second coming. Of all groups who think they are that specific organization, Jehovah's Witnesses know and understand that they are specifically that. And of most religions, I think besides the Mormons or Catholics, they are an international group which seems also prophesied.
Thus I think it is a matter of timing. Immediately after Jesus was here and the apostles were still around there was some organization, but an apostasy was prophesied to occur. Only during the last days and during the last generation, therefore, would there be an isolated group that would be considered as a set-apart "temple" organization that would carry out certain specific Christian functions. But this doesn't mean that God has rejected the rest of mankind.
That's how I see it.