A bimonthly periodical of the Jehovah’s Witnesses published in 107 languages (per 2016 figures), each issue producing nearly 58 million copies worldwide. It announces itself as “not for sale” though donations are always accepted. The Awake format is similar to its sister publication, the Watchtower, in size and style (9”by 7”, 16 pages), but the Awake content is more “life” oriented, compared to the doctrinaire approach of the Watchtower.

Browsing through a current issue, I see an article about how to harness your habits, a clear statement of the evil of homosexuality, how to deal with change, a look at the culture of Kyrgyzstan, a look at physical beauty, and an examination of the periodical cicada.

You and I and most Christians would agree with just about everything in this slick little magazine. You’d go away thinking, hey, these folks aren’t so bad. They speak truth! Before you know it, you’ll be reading that other periodical, and little by little you’ll be hooked.

“Awake” should be our battle cry, not their trick for enticement. Awake, indeed, Christian, beware!

BETH SARIM

Believe it or not, the idea that the Old Testament patriarchs and other saints will return to live on the earth, but not be a part of the Heavenly Kingdom, is a “Fundamental teaching of the Scriptures”, per Russell and Rutherford. This was known as the “return of the princes.”

Russell put the date for this incredible resurrection at 1914. Rutherford insisted that it should be 1925. Since Russell was gone, his voice towered over his predecessor’s.

The “Judge” sincerely believed that these men of God of the Old Days would take over the world from the Nazis and Fascists.

But in a series of teachings over the months and years that followed the original pronouncement, both sides of the possibility came out in WT literature, along with related questions. For example: (And all of these queries received both yes and no answers in the literature…)

• Will the “princes” be changed from humans to spirits?
• Will they be resurrected as perfect, tested, man, or still have to grow in grace, as it were?
• Will this happen after the church is glorified?
• Will God’s favor then return to Israel?
• Will the princes return to Jerusalem?
• Will they be resurrected before Armageddon?
• And more

Beth Sarim was a San Diego home, closer to a palace, built supposedly to house “Judge” Rutherford in the later years of his grip on the Watch Tower Society. He suffered several health problems, it is said. It is also said that he was becoming an embarrassment to the “Establishment” of the “witnesses” and they needed to find a way to hide him and his lifestyle. The “Judge” deeded this extravagant home to “all the people of God,” including resurrected Old Testament saints, which he believed would resurrect in 1925 and need a place to stay, right there with him. In 1947, the house was destroyed, after an embarrassing confrontation with the city of San Diego. It seems that Mr. Rutherford wanted to be buried on the site himself. The folks who lived around him did not take kindly to having a tomb erected in their neighborhood.

See “Beth Shan” and “Return of the Princes,” below.

What does the Word say?

Hebrews 11:16, “…they [Old Testament saints] desire a better [country], that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for he has prepared a city for them.” (NWT in basic agreement.)

Q=Questioner (me)

JWA= Jehovah's Witnesses Answer

CA= Christian Answer

Q. Have you ever heard of Beth Sarim?

JWA. Yes, it was the home of Judge Rutherford, one of our founding fathers.

Q. Do you know what the words mean?

JWA. Yes, “house of the princes.”

Q. Surely the great Judge was not speaking of himself?

JWA. No, he was talking about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and such.

Q. To whom, I believe, he deeded his home?

JWA. That is correct.

Q. ….believing that these men and others were about to be resurrected and needed a place to live?

JWA. Yes.

Q. Why would they need a place to live? Would they not go to heaven?

JWA. Actually the heavenly home has been prepared for 144,000 choice servants of God.

Q. Are you one of them?

JWA. No, sir, the number was reached in 1935. There were many living at that time, but they have by now mostly died off.

Q. And who came up with these “facts”?

JWA. Mr. Rutherford received light from heaven, and even wrote a book called Light.

Q. So, 144,000 saints. No one after 1935, and no one before Christ?

JWA. That is correct.

Q. Then we all need an explanation of Hebrews 11:16.

CA: Jesus told us that Old Testament saints would indeed sit with us in the Kingdom of Heaven. This Hebrews passage lets us know that they were seeking that Kingdom while alive, and that God has prepared a place for them just as for us, a City that lies foursquare, described in detail in Revelation’s final chapters. This “revelation” of the great Judge is just another set-up for disappointment. And by telling people today that Heaven is not an option, neither being born again, or being filled with the Spirit, they send many on a misguided and fruitless search.

BETH SHAN