When slaves become kings
As stated in Part 1, “The Governing Body represents a small group of Witnesses slated for heaven who, along with the Body, comprises the composite ‘faithful and discreet slave’ (or ‘slave class’) of one of Jesus’ parables. (Matthew 24:45, NWT)” Interestingly, Witnesses of all races with heavenly expectations accept the Bible’s characterization of them as “slaves” of God and Christ. (Romans 6:22; 7:14; Philippians 1:1) But, Paul wrote that anointed Christians with heavenly hopes who were slaves under the Roman system should “take advantage of the opportunity” to be free. (1 Corinthians 7:21, International Standard Version) After all, who wants to be enslaved by another human?
The Savagery of Slavery: “And one who kidnaps a man and who actually sells him or in whose hand he has been found is to be put to death without fail.” (Exodus 21:16; 1 Timothy 1:10, NWT) If such slave-making happened during the African slave trade and before, Arabic, African, and European slave traders would have been put to death according to Jehovah’s law. Famed 19th-century abolitionist preacher Nat Turner, who was also a slave, took it upon himself to extend the death penalty down to his day.
Author Stephen B. Oates in his book The Fires of Jubilee by (1975) writes: “By signs in the heavens would Jehovah show Nat when to commence his great work, whereupon ‘I should arise and prepare myself, and slay my enemies with their own weapons.'” Indeed, Nat Turner went from plantation to plantation slaying White slave masters and their families. “Mere oppression may make a wise one act crazy.” (Ecclesiastes 7:7) While Bible commentator Albert Barnes notes that “slavery is…always evil, and only evil” when commenting on “kidnappers” at 1 Timothy 1:10, freedom could be obtained without “violence and bloodshed.” He goes on to expound:
“It would not teach the slave to rise on his master, and imbrue his hands in his blood; to break up the relations of society by violence; or to dishonor his religion by the indulgence of the feelings of revenge and by murder….Avail yourselves of the privilege if you can, and be a freeman. There are disadvantages attending the condition era slave, and if you can escape from them in a proper manner, it is your privilege and your duty to do it. The apostle does not speak of insurrection, and the whole scope of the passage is against an attempt on their part to obtain freedom by force and violence.” The same inspired apostle Paul outlined an amazing transformation that would change anointed Christian slaves of God, Christ, or men into royalty. How could that be?
A New Creation!: Even as slaves of God and/or man, spirit-anointed Christians became God’s new creation, as it were. Unlike God’s faithful servants found in what is commonly called the Old Testament, this new creation that was to be manifested in the future was destined for heaven. The psalmist proclaimed: “This is written for the future generation; and the people that is to be created will praise Jah.” (Psalms 102:18) Paul later penned: “For neither is circumcision anything nor is uncircumcision, but a new creation is something. And all those who will walk orderly by this rule of conduct, upon them be peace and mercy, even upon the Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:15, 16) “Consequently if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away, look! new things have come into existence.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) “For he is not a Jew who is one on the outside, nor is circumcision that which is on the outside upon the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit, and not by a written code.” (Romans 2:28, 29) Whether Jew or Gentile one could become part of that “new creation.”
Slaves Become Kings: To those Christian slaves who comprised the “new creation” Paul wrote that “if we go on enduring, we shall also rule together as kings.” (2 Timothy 2:12) For an impatient few the faithful apostle asked: “You have begun ruling as kings without us, have you?” (1 Corinthians 4:8) The full number of kings tallied 144,000 who would lovingly rule over an unnumbered “great crowd” of mankind. (Revelation 6:11; 7:4, 9; 14:1, 3) This is what MJ believed. Ask JWs for more details. In the meantime, peace and blessings to all. Amen.
