do you know why the jehovas witnesses believe only a certain amount of people will make it to heaven?

Question

because of stuff like this http://sg.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AjzWxSPukkQ.Wf5J021dEs344gt.?qid=20070501034926AADO9ID

there are all sorts of people who believe, but only a few truly understand....and those that truly understand are the ones that make it into heaven (according to the jehovas witness). just because one says i am christian and i accept god dos not make them safe from hell, they must truly know and understand what they are saying, not just say it.

the jehovas witnesses have a number, because according to them, theres only that many people that TRULY understand the truth. (and i believe it is true - because there are many peoples who claim that which they truly know nothing of).

Answer 1

The 144,000 are mentioned in Revelation chapters 7 & 14. If you go JUST by what the verses SAY, you would conclude that they are 1) Jews 2) Men 3) Virgins. Now the Watchtower Org. teaches their people that they are a "special" annointed class, and that they are the only ones who actually get to live with Jesus in heaven. They didnt always believe this. They used to beleive that ALL Jehovah Witnesses would go to heaven. But when their numbers started approaching the 144,000 mark, they received "new light", that the "true believers" would be divided up into two different flocks. Consisting of the 144,000 (who get to go to heaven) and the rest who live on a "paradise" on earth. Now you have to keep in mind, that NO ONE in the last 1900 years before the start of the Watchtower Org. in the middle of the 1800's EVER came to that conclusion by reading Revelation 7 & 14. In fact, if you gave a Bible to a million different people who never heard of the 144,000 and asked them to study it for 1800 years, you would not get ANYONE to come up with that view on their own. This is proven by the fact that NO ONE ever has LOL. It is only when the Watchtower TELLS their members that, THAT is "what it means", then their people say, "oh yes, I see it now". And it THEN becomes their OWN "independent" opinion. (I know, most rational people find that hard to believe, but it really happens.) I've often wondered how Jim Jones got all of his people to drink the "kool-aid" in Jonestown in the 1970's (google it if you dont understand). But after talking with hundreds of Jehovahs Witnesses in my home in the last 33 years, its not really that much of a mystery to me anymore. THEY REALLY DO ADOPT THE WATCHTOWER POSITIONS AS THEIR OWN AND THINK THAT THEY REACHED THESE POSITIONS INDEPENDENTLY. When no one would ever reach those conclusions if they just studied the Bible Alone. Jesus said, that in the last days, False Teachers and False Messiahs (that would include organazations also) would abound. In the last 100-150 years we are seeing those predictions come true. It is so heart-breaking to see people on their way to Eternal Separation from God while carrying Bibles in they're hands.......because they will not study the Scriptures ALONE........theBerean...NOTE ADDED: This is added to refute Grnlow (below). To show you folks how they twist the Scriptures. He says, that the number is literal. This is true, but what he is not telling you is that the JW's are not consistent in this. They make the 144,000 literal but the REST of the passage they interpet figurtively. For instance, when the passage says that they are of the 12 TRIBES of ISRAEL, THAT they will not take literaly. Friends, you cannot do this to the word of God. Also, notice how he says that the "multitude, that no man can number", Grnlow just dismisses as the ones who will live on a paradise on earth. But look at the passage again. My friends, these people are in HEAVEN. Look at Rev 7:9-11. They are with the angels, 24 elders and the 4 living creatures. Now in verses 14-17 the angel talking to John EXPLAINS who they are. They (the multitude clothed in white linens) are those "who came out of the Great Tribulation" they are serving God before the throne. Which is in HEAVEN. So what does the Bible actually SAY? It says that the 144,000 are JEWS and the Great Multitude are those who are killed during the Great Tribulation and will serve the LORD before the Throne in Heaven. Grenlow below refuses to read his bible. He insists on believeing something that has BEEN TOLD HIM. He has NOT come to this idea on his own. AND HE KNOWS IT. If a Jevohah Witness did not sit down with him and TELL him "that this is what the passage means", He would NOT believe that today. The truth is, the bible teaches that ALL believers, past and present, will live on BOTH a paradise on earth AND in Heaven. Beware. God has very strong things to say about mutilating His Word this way. Especially He has strong things to say to those who follow after "other gods and "false prophets". Why? Because Jesus TOLD you that false prophets like the Watchtower Org, the LDS, and others WERE coming. And yet you fell for them ANYWAY. And why did you fall for them? Because you will NOT study your Bible, and Sin in the human heart desires to "feel" and "above" other regular people. That is what the Watchtower does. It gets people to feel that they are "special" and "know" special truths not revealed to just us regular sinners. Its that "I belong to a special club" that only "Me and a few special others are privy to" feeling that damns so many people to hell. At bottom its the sin of PRIDE. It blinds folks to the Word. And persuades them to follow an "Organization" instead of the Bible. How can a person know that its a FALSE organazation? Easy, if it was true, there would have been people all through History following their main doctrines. But like I said above. There isnt ANY. NOT one.....theBerean

Answer 2

Dear Obscured,

I know they believe that but it is not biblical. Just look at theBerean's answer because he provides the Scripture.

I do not know why they believe it.

They do not truly understand what the Bible says.
They "truly understand" what the Watchtower says the Bible says. And therein lies the difference.

Please read the Bible for yourself.
Please note Deuteronomy 18:20-22 where God makes it clear that if somebody or an organization makes a prophecy but that prophecy does not take place, then the one speaking is a FALSE prophet.

The repeated prophecies of specific dates for Armageddon prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Watchtower is a FALSE prophet and each of its active members are guilty by association.

The important thing to understand is that God is not speaking to or through the society.

Answer 3

The 144,000 reference comes from the book of Revelations as the number taken in to heaven before the apocalypse descends. According to some Christians, this may happen soon as they believe that we are in the end days now and the rapture (as they call it) will happen.

In my opinion, the bible can be read that all of the things that are supposed to have happened have occurred and that all we have to do to get the second coming is bring peace to the world and build the second Jerusalem. But, then, I'm not a Christian and find the literal dogmatic view difficult to stomach. I prefer the view that the bible is a guide of how to lead a good life and that Jesus was a decent sort of bloke who lived a long time ago.

Answer 4

How about this for a novel approach? Because the Bible says so! So many so-called christian beliefs are not found in the Bible or against Bible principles alltogether.

The number is 144,000 from Revelations. It is written as a definite number not figurative. Those in that number must prove faithfull to death or they can be replaced. Jehovah chooses who they are.

What the Bible ALSO says is that there is a great crowd which no man is able to number. These will have eternal life on a paradise earth. The earth was meant to be inhabited. This was Jehovah's original purpose for humans and the earth. All this is in the Bible but isn't it amazing most of the so-called christian religions say nothing about this?

Answer 5

No, they suspect a chosen variety one hundred forty four,000 out of all the Jehovah's Witnesses gets to bypass to heaven and grow to be angels. all of the different JWs will stay on earth which would be a paradise. i've got faith that the unique form of JW's contained in the early 1900's have been figured to be one hundred forty four,000, and that they made a prophecy that at that factor the equipment of issues would end and Jesus would create the paradise. whilst that did no longer take place they have been screwed. human beings those days that are meant to be a piece of those to bypass to heaven drink wine and consume leven bread for the time of the passover, Jesuses dying. I continually asked my mom how those human beings knew they have been choses. She purely suggested, 'they only comprehend'. We continually theory that we and different recuited contributors would be on the paradise earth whilst the time got here. I used to truly want this greater effective than to bypass to heaven, much less responsibilty. Lol. I call myself an agnostic-atheist thesedays, yet I knowledgeable myself on all the errors contained in the JW faith. I forgot plenty via my mom has all the previous books and literature from them.

Answer 6

they do believe that a 144,000 are only going to make it. The number of their following has exceeded that I think and that is now a problem in their ideology. The 144,000 are people that never laid with a women and gave their life to the ministry. They have not defiled them selves and set them selves aside for complete devotion to God. The JW have conveniently twisted the scriptures to meet their own belief. Satan only has to get people to miss Jesus and the cross for our sins to win them. So a little to the left or the right of the narrow path is still off the path.

Answer 7

the bible according to the witnesses states there is room in heaven for the twelve tribes believed to be 12000 , 12x 12000 =144000 , but the bibles main laws the ten commandments states "beware the false prophet" of which muhommand of islam fits the bill . the witnesses , in their defense do state many undeniable facts tho . i just look at the 144000 number as well god most assuredly has had to add on a few rooms since the time the bible was wrote

Answer 8

The 144,000 mentioned in Revelation, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel, and the JWs are not in israel, or even Jewish are they?
Look, anytime you hear of a particular christian denomination, or a certain church that claims to have the corner on the truth, and no one else does but them, run in the other direction. You can bet the farm and all your daddy's cows that they are misled, messed up, maybe even on the way to becoming a cult.

Answer 9

This so-called question misrepresents what Jehovah's Witnesses actually believe the bible to teach regarding resurrection to heaven, hell, and salvation.

Regarding the resurrection of humans to heaven, Jehovah's Witnesses understand the Scriptures to teach that exactly 144,000 humans will join Christ Jesus as kings and priests to administer God's Kingdom (which will soon replace all earthly governments) after Armageddon. These are not smarter or more understanding of bible truth, they are simply selected by God for his purposes.
(Daniel 2:44) God of heaven will set up a kingdom... It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite
(Revelation 14:1) Lamb [Jesus] standing upon the Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand
(Revelation 20:6) they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him
(Luke 12:32) Have no fear, LITTLE FLOCK [with a heavenly hope], because your Father has approved of giving you the kingdom [rulership alongside the Christ] [caps added]
(John 10:16) And I [Jesus] have OTHER SHEEP, which are not of this fold; those also I must bring [to be subjects of the kingdom] [caps added]

Over whom will they rule? Over those "other sheep", the vast majority of mankind, most of whom will have been raised from the dead after Armageddon.
(John 11:23,24) Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise.” Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”
(Acts 24:15) There is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.

Until that resurrection, there is no suffering in "hell", or the grave. Sometime after the resurrection, death and "hell" will themselves be destroyed.
(Ecclesiastes 9:5) For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all
(Ecclesiastes 9:10) there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor wisdom in Sheol ["hell"]
(Revelation 20:14) And death and Hades ["hell"] were hurled into the lake of fire

Almighty Jehovah God selects those few who have the heavenly calling from among godfearing worshippers, including many who were never Jehovah's Witnesses. Today, each true worshipper "feels" his own hope and each person's hope remains unquestioned by his fellow Christians. Still the vast majority (literally more than 99.9%*) of Jehovah's Witnesses expect an EARTHLY hope, the same hope given to Adam and Eve.
(Genesis 1:28) God blessed them and God said to them: “Be fruitful and become many and fill THE EARTH and subdue it [caps added]
(Genesis 2:17) You must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die [so never eating from that tree means never dying]

Interestingly, the Scriptures are full of references to this earthly hope.
(Psalms 37:11) 'the meek will possess the earth'
(Proverbs 2:21) 'upright will reside in the earth'
(Isaiah 45:18) 'God formed the earth to be inhabited'
(Matthew 5:5) 'the mild will inherit the earth'
(Revelation 21:3) The tent of God is with mankind

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20001001/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001001/
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/

Answer 10

Rev 14:1 Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. 2 And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. 3 And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. 4 These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among the human race and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. 5 No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.