Congregation Bible Study (30 mins): rr “Clarification of Beliefs”, questions 1-4.
Clarification of beliefs
Over the years, The Watchtower has clarified various aspects of Ezekiel's prophecies that were previously understood differently. Now, this book—Jehovah's Pure Worship: Restored at Last! — includes even more clarifications. Let's review the answers to the following questions.
What do the four faces of living beings represent?
Biblical texts: Ezek. 1:4-6, 10; 10:2
Pure Worship: Chapter 4, Paragraphs 5-14
Explanation above: T he four faces of living beings represent the four fundamental virtues of God.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Cherubim represents one of the four fundamental virtues of Jehovah.
Each of the four faces of the living beings or cherubim represents one of the four fundamental virtues of Jehovah.
Formerly it was said that the four faces of the living beings represented the main qualities of Jehovah.
Clarification: The four faces seen together encompass all the qualities of God.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Although each of the four faces of living beings represents one of the four fundamental virtues of Jehovah, the four faces seen together encompass all the qualities of God.
Now it is understood that those four faces not only symbolize the four qualities of Jehovah but represent all the other qualities together. that is, they represent the personality of Jehovah.
Reasons for the change: When the four faces appear together, they form more than four qualities: they are the basis of Jehovah's wonderful personality.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
God's Word often uses the number four to convey the idea of something that is comprehensive or complete. So when the four faces appear together, they form more than just four qualities: they are the basis of Jehovah's wonderful personality.
One reason why it is stated that the four faces represent the entire personality of Jehovah is because in the Bible the number four is used to encompass all that is complete, this means that the four faces encompass all the wonderful qualities of God.
Who does the man with the secretary's inkwell represent?
Biblical texts: Ezek. 9:2
The Watchtower: June 2016, “Questions From Readers”
Pure Worship: Chapter 16, Paragraph 18
Explanation above: Represents the anointed ones left on Earth.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The man with the secretary's inkwell represents the remaining anointed ones on Earth.
The man with the secretary's inkwell represents the remaining anointed ones on earth by placing a symbolic mark on the foreheads of those who become part of the "great crowd."
Formerly it was said that the man with the inkwell represented the anointed ones and that preaching was like judging people and putting the mark on them.
Clarification: The man with the secretary's inkwell represents Jesus Christ.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
He will mark those who make up the great crowd when, in the “great tribulation,” he determines that they are sheep.
The man with the secretary's inkwell represents Jesus Christ. He will mark those who make up the great crowd when, in the “great tribulation,” he determines that they are sheep.
Now it is understood that Jesus is the man with the inkwell.
Reasons for the change: God entrusted his Son with the task of judging.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Jesus will definitely decide who are “sheep” and who are “goats”.
Jehovah Has Entrusted Judging to His Son According to Matthew 25:31-33, Jesus will finally decide who are “sheep” and who are “goats.”
The reason is that the work of judging people belongs to Jesus and that this is done not in preaching, but in the great tribulation.
Are the prostitutes Oholah and Oholibah prophetic models of Christianity? Do these two sisters represent the Catholic and Protestant religions, the two main divisions of Christianity?
Biblical texts: Ezek. 23:1-4
Pure Worship: Chapter 15 and Box 15A
Previous explanation: Oholá is the older sister, she represents the Catholic religion. Oholiba is the younger sister and she represents the Protestant religion.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Oholá (Samaria, the capital of Israel) is the older sister and represents the Catholic religion.
Oholah (Israel) represents the Catholic religion and Oholibah (Judah) represents the Protestant religion.
Disclaimer: They are not prophetic models of any division of Christianity.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
These two prostitutes are not prophetic models of any division of Christendom.
These two prostitutes are not prophetic models of any division of Christendom. Rather, its existence helps us understand how Jehovah feels when people who were once his faithful servants fall into spiritual prostitution.
Reasons for change: There is no biblical basis for claiming that Oholah and Oholibah are prophetic models of Christianity.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Furthermore, in chapters 16 and 23 of Ezekiel, the unfaithful servants of God are compared to prostitutes and are offered the opportunity to change and the hope of being forgiven.
There is no biblical basis for claiming that Oholah and Oholibah are prophetic models of Christianity. Israel and Judah had been as faithful wives of Jehovah; however, Christianity never had that kind of relationship with him.
Is ancient apostate Jerusalem a prophetic model of Christianity?
Pure Worship: Chapter 16 and Box 16A
Explanation above: If it is a prophetic model of Christianity.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The faithless city of Jerusalem is a prophetic model of Christianity.
The unfaithful city of Jerusalem is a prophetic model of Christianity and the destruction of that city was a prophetic representation of the destruction of Christianity.
Clarification: Idolatry and corruption remind us of what Christianity is doing now. Jerusalem is no longer a prophetic model of Christianity.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
The bad things that happened in unfaithful Jerusalem, such as idolatry and corruption, remind us of what Christendom is doing now.
The bad things that happened in unfaithful Jerusalem remind us of what Christianity is doing now, but Jerusalem is not a prophetic model of Christianity.
Reasons for change: There is no clear biblical basis for claiming that Jerusalem represents Christianity.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
There does not seem to be a clear biblical basis for claiming that Jerusalem represents Christendom.
Unlike ancient Jerusalem, Christendom has never given pure worship to God. Also, Jerusalem had Yahweh's forgiveness for a time, but that is something Christendom will never have.
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