Expert: Robert Jones - 1/19/2009

Question
QUESTION: Apparently heaven became 'full' in 1935. After that date there is only an earthly hope available with the exception of the odd one or two replacing remnant who have failed to qualify. Where is the Biblical evidence for this?

ANSWER: Hi David,

Thank you for the question. What you are referring to is an "understanding" of scripture. Or, as some would say, "current light" that progressively gets brighter and brighter. Recently the Society shed "new light" or came to a different understanding on the heavenly hope being closed in 1935. This was due to the facts at hand, thousands of Jehovah's Witnesses since 1935 professing the heavenly hope and many of them now holding positions of great responsibility in the organization. The recent additions to the Governing Body were all men baptized after 1935 and almost all were not even living in 1935.

So, in short, there are no Biblical verses pointing to the heavenly hope becoming full at some date in the past. There is organizational teaching to that effect, but no scriptures.

Robert Jones

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: So what is the current hope that Witnesses are proclaiming? Is it everlasting life on earth or in heaven? Or are people simply asked what they feel their calling is? What is now meant by 'remnant'?

ANSWER: You ask great follow-up questions David.
The hope that Jehovah's Witnesses proclaim is the hope of everlasting life on earth. The hope of life in heaven is conspicuously missing from the message. If you have any of the publications (study aides) you will notice that the pictures in the early chapters are of people enjoying a paradise earth. The message of heavenly life is mentioned in later chapters, without pictures, and the message about heaven is in the context of the anointed remnant who have been faithfully proclaiming Christ's kingdom since the 1800s. By implication, the heavenly hope does not apply to new people who respond. Their hope is the paradise earth, not heaven. The heavenly hope is only for "the remnant", the old anointed ones who have not yet died and received their heavenly reward.

Robert Jones

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you - so I assume that the 144,000 are now complete. However, next question: what is the current significance of the date 1975? Much was made of it in the 1960's

Answer
Hmm. Interesting question about the 144,000 being complete. Who can know for sure, right? That is the current understanding of Jehovah's Witnesses, that we cannot know for sure. So, if newer ones come along professing the heavenly hope, we are not to judge. That is between them and Jehovah.

Here is something to think about, though. In the book of Acts there are reports of 2000, then 5000 becoming Christians. Later in Paul's writings, Christianity was reported as having become widespread and the belief being rampant. History reports widespread persecution of the new religion and thousands being put to death in an attempt to stamp it out. Based on that, how long do you think it would take to tally up 144,000 faithful Christians in the 1st century?

But your question is about the current significance of 1975. The year 1975 is not viewed as significant at all, especially by those who became Witnesses after 1980. The year is usually referred to as a time when a great sifting occurred, when Jehovah allowed those who were serving with a date in mind to be sifted out. Jehovah allowed the wrong teaching (or bad light) long enough to weed out those whose hearts were not in the right place. Then Jehovah shed new light, removing the idea that 1975 marked anything that we should be concerned about. So the weeds in the organization were weeded out and the truth continued to become brighter.
Robert Jones