*NEW* YORWW Bible Academy Student Lounge - General Chit Chat

[Littleleslie]

Hi Dionna,

What did you think of the article you just covered that speaks of the earthly Temple of God in its beginning stages? The one spoken of in Ezekiel 40-48? Also, you have received more detail information now about the "chieftain" of Ezekiel. Any thoughts at this point?

agape,

Littleleslie

[Guest]

Very interesting. Is this future, or soon to be? How would one know who the Chieftain is?

[Littleleslie]

Dionna-

So you find this interesting and I agree 100%.

As far as your question about when this earthly Temple of God would make it's showing, we feel it is existing in it's beginning stages at the present time and will continue being built. But remember, it is being built with people, this precious spiritual temple.

Now my answer to your question about how one would know who this Chieftain is, is this. Just walk "upstream" and you will find the source of these "Living Waters"! What I mean is whereever you see this "Living Waters" flowing from would be the Temple of God with the Chieftain because that is where the bible says the "Living Waters" flows from. Do you think you've found the crystal clear "Living Waters" of truth? If you think so, you've found this man who has been chosen by Jehovah God to restore His people. This man is referred to in many different ways in the Bible, some of which are Elijah, Chieftain, Modern Day Servant, and Scapegoat, which you will learn about in the next article we send you.

Compare the things you're taught by WTBTS with what you're taught by YORWW Bible Academy. Which seem like congealed "darkness" and which seems like Living Waters to you? See Zechariah 14:6-9.

(Zechariah 14:6-9) 6 “And it must occur in that day [that] there will prove to be no precious light—things will be congealed. 7 And it must become one day that is known as belonging to Jehovah. It will not be day, neither will it be night; and it must occur [that] at evening time it will become light. 8 And it must occur in that day [that] living waters will go forth from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. In summer and in winter it will occur. 9 And Jehovah must become king over all the earth. In that day Jehovah will prove to be one, and his name one.

Where does the Bible say this water comes from? See Ezekiel 47:1-9.

(Ezekiel 47:1-9) 47 And gradually he brought me back to the entrance of the House, and, look! there was water going forth from under the threshold of the House eastward, for the front of the House was east. And the water was going down from under, from the right-hand side of the House, south of the altar. 2 And he gradually brought me forth by the way of the north gate and took me around by the way outside to the outer gate that is facing toward the east, and, look! water was trickling from the right-hand side. 3 When the man went forth eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he also proceeded to measure a thousand in cubits and to make me pass through the water, water [up] to the ankles. 4 And he continued measuring a thousand and then made me pass through the water, water [up] to the knees. And he continued measuring a thousand and now made me pass through—water [up] to the hips. 5 And he continued measuring a thousand. It was a torrent that I was not able to pass through, for the water had got high, water [permitting] swimming, a torrent that could not be passed through. 6 At that he said to me: “Have you seen [this], O son of man?” Then he had me walk and had me return [to] the bank of the torrent. 7 When I returned, why, look! on the bank of the torrent there were very many trees, on this side and on that side. 8 And he went on to say to me: “This water is going forth to the eastern region and must go down through the Ar´a·bah. And it must come to the sea. It being brought forth into the sea itself, [its] water is also actually healed. 9 And it must occur that every living soul that swarms, in every place to which the double-size torrent comes, will get life. And it must occur that there will be very many fish, because there is where this water will certainly come, and the [seawater] will be healed, and everything will be alive where the torrent comes.

There is my answer to you. But you have to be the one to reach that conclusion, so you tell me! If you think you've found the source of "Living Waters", then you've also found the "Chieftain", because he is the writer of these articles.

Agape,
Littleleslie

[Guest]

For me being a JW was like swimming in a sea of mud. As the yrs went on I became more confused and depressed. Today I feel like things are coming together and there is hope after all

[Littleleslie]

Dionna-

Ok! So now you're on your way up out of the mud!

Actually Ezekiel refers to the WTBTS as "swampy places" and "marshy places", which either way you look at it, does not contain crystal clear "Living Waters" but more like you said, MUD!

(Ezekiel 47:11) 11 “There are its swampy places and its marshy places, and they will not be healed. To salt they will certainly be given.

We've got this other article for you:

Rightly Value Your Gift of Life

This article touches on Scapegoat and Ark of the Covenant. It also has another link to an article which goes into Scapegoat a little more in depth.

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Agape,
Littleleslie

[Littleleslie]

Hi Dionna

The review questions for the article entitled The Temple of God Under Examination is now ready. Here is the link:

REVIEW QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Littleleslie

[Guest]

Thank you. the review questions are a big help

[Littleleslie]

Hi Dionna,

Here are the review questions. Let's consider them together, since this is probably one of the most important articles of all the ones you will cover in the 90-Day Bible Study Program.

Questions for article: The "Temple of God" Under Examination Today

1. What is very unusual about the temple described in Ezekiel chapters 40-48 that was common in previous temples of Jehovah?

2. What are the similarities between the temple described in Ezekiel and that in Revelation?

3. What are these two temples (Ezekiel and Revelation) in actuality depicting?

4. Why is there a need to set up another temple and what must God’s people do before they are acceptable to Him again?

5. Why must the copper altar, upon which the nation offers its sacrifices, be "installed" again?

6. What does the temple in Revelation and the one in Ezekiel represent as far as God’s restorative work towards His people?

7. What privilege is the "chieftain" of Ezekiel 44:3-7 given in the temple that no other man is allowed and why is this such a special arrangement?

8. The identity of this chieftain has puzzled many Bible students today. What comment does the Expository Bible Commentary make as to who he is?

9. Who does the Watchtower Society claim this "chieftain" to be in their organization and why is this not a reasonable conclusion for them to make? (See Ezekiel 46:16, 17)

10. What position of rank and authority does the "chieftain" occupy before the nation?

11. According to Ezekiel 45:18-20, why is there a need to "make atonement for the House" in this future temple arrangement?

12. The above information from Ezekiel 45:18-20 proves what regarding the location of this ‘temple?’

13. What is the significance of the date, Nisan 1, for us today?

14. What privilege did Moses, a sinner, and the "chieftain," a sinner, have that no one else has been given? (See Numbers 24:1, 2 and Ezekiel 44:1-3)

15. What role does the chieftain play in the outworking of God’s purposes today?

16. How does Paul describe the words that a particular individual hears from Jehovah and what is the reaction of the nation to these words? (See 2 Corinthians 12:2-4)

17. How is he the ‘keyman’ of Zechariah 10:4?

18. How does he fulfill Revelation 10:7?

19. When can it be said that a member of the spiritual nation of Israel has come to discern Sacred Secrets or has discovered the answers to the great "mysteries of God?"

20. What does Jehovah accomplish by using this unidentified individual, the "chieftain," who is a sinner and descendant of Adam? (See Revelation 10:7)


***

[Littleleslie]

Hi Dionna,

1. What is very unusual about the temple described in Ezekiel chapters 40-48 that was common in previous temples of Jehovah?

When considering question #1, what factor do we note about the temple of Ezekiel's vision, that never occurred to us while we were at the kingdom hall?

Hint for question #1: All of the temples of God before this one had plenty of this...and we have plenty of this in our living rooms too.

Any thoughts?

Littleleslie

PS: Also I wanted to mention you have a PM.

[Guest]

Im off to work so ill check in later tonight. also Ill check out the info on obtaining a book. thanks :

[Littleleslie]

Good morning Dionna

Okay, time for class again.

When considering question #1, what factor do we note about the temple of Ezekiel's vision, that never occurred to us while we were at the kingdom hall?

Hint: In other words, what's missing from this temple?

Littleleslie

[Guest]

Is this sybolic, the comparison if gold to wood?

[Littleleslie]

Is this sybolic, the comparison if gold to wood?

Yes.

The "gold" stands for spiritual qualities, tried and tested qualities of God. The "wood" means the altar is not quite finished...needs more work to one day become...become spiritual "gold" as the altar should be. In fact, this altar is referred to as the "Golden Altar."

However, the point that I was trying to make was: did you notice there was hardly no furniture shown in the temple? No furniture at all, hardly.

Only this "wooden table" [which refers to the "Golden Altar"]. But at present, it is only a "wooden table."

This refers to the fact the temple is made up on NEW people, inexperienced people that Jehovah gradually....gradually develops into "Golden" ornaments.

So this temple that the prophet Ezekiel sees...is seen from its beginning point...like today. Those individuals that leave the WTS and join the YORWW are gradually made into...a temple for Jehovah. But, at first...the temple has to be started from scratch. Everyone in the temple has to be trained...to become spiritual "ornaments" for Jehovah. They are gradually developed into the temple vision we see in Revelation, the one with all of the gold, silver, emeralds, and other jewels...Remember?

What do you think of that?

Littleleslie

[Guest]

I think taht is right? this is very deep and probably hard for many to understand.

[Littleleslie]

Dionna-

Hi how are you tonight? Fine I hope.

As far as the comparison of gold and wood, think of it this way.

God's temple is made up of people.

Jehovah wants people in his temple to reflect his qualities, which are like gold.

As Jehovah's people, we don't measure up to Jehovah's qualities, yet. We have to work on it. Wood is like when we just start trying to reflect God's qualities, and gold is like when we have learned to display these qualities perfectly.

Take for instance the quality of love. Jehovah reflects this perfectly, but we as humans don't. We need to learn to show love to others the way Jehovah does. When we get good at that, only then could we be pictured as gold instead of as wood.

Here in the YOR, we stress reflecting Jehovah's qualities. We work on "character development". If we reflect Jehovah's qualities among each other, it will become a glorious temple with many precious gemstones, eventually. This is described in Revelation Chapter 21, the end product.

(Revelation 21:15-21) 15 Now the one who was speaking with me was holding as a measure a golden reed, that he might measure the city and its gates and its wall. 16 And the city lies foursquare, and its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs; its length and breadth and height are equal. 17 Also, he measured its wall, one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to a man’s measure, at the same time an angel’s. 18 Now the structure of its wall was jasper, and the city was pure gold like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the city’s wall were adorned with every sort of precious stone: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chal·ced´o·ny, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth sar´do·nyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrys´o·lite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrys´o·prase, the eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 Also, the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each one of the gates was made of one pearl. And the broad way of the city was pure gold, as transparent glass.

So, in Jehovah's earthly temple, each one of us brought here by Jehovah is going to have to really take this seriously, and work on displaying precious qualities so that we can be a part of this "city" or temple.

Do you see how we can personally reflect Jehovah's qualities better and better if we really try? Do you see how important that would be if we were to represent Jehovah in his kingdom? Also, could you explain this to someone else?

Agape,
Littleleslie