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Our discussion will take the form of a simulated conversation between a Jehovah's Witness named Joe and a Christian named Chris.
Chris: Joe, last week you said that you still believe the Watchtower's doctrine that the Great Crowd will not be in heaven because the Society teaches that the 144,000 anointed class must rule over the Great Crowd? Can you tell me what verse teaches that doctrine?
Joe: Well, there isn't any verse that says that directly but who else will the 144,000 rule over if it isn't the great crowd?
Chris: Let me ask you a question. Does the Watchtower teach that the disciples are part of the 144,000 anointed class?
Joe: Yes. The disciples were the first members of the 144,000.
Chris: Who did Jesus say that the disciples will be judging or ruling over? Jesus tell us the answer to this in Matthew 19:28.
Joe: Let's see it says, "Jesus said to them: Truly I say to YOU, In the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down upon his glorious throne, YOU who have followed me will also yourselves sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
Chris: Who will Jesus' followers be judging? Who are the twelve tribes of Israel?
Joe: Well that has to be spiritual Israel.
Chris: But doesn't the Watchtower say that the 144,000 are spiritual Israel? Are you saying that the 144,000 will be ruling over themselves?
Joe: No...I don't know. I've never seen that before. I will have to do some research.
Chris: Now, Joe, since we know that the twelve tribes of Israel will be the ones judged or ruled over, where will the great crowd be? Remember last week we talked about how the Bible locates the great crowd in the temple? We saw last week how in Rev. 7:15 the great crowd is located in the naós which is the divine habitation of God. Well I have been doing some research in the Bible and I found a very interesting verse. Look at Rev. 19:1.
Joe: It says "After these things I heard what was as a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven."
Chris: The great crowd is where?
Joe: Well, they are in heaven. But the Watchtower says that this is not the same great crowd as the great crowd from Rev. 7:9. The Society says that this other great crowd is angels.
Chris: On what basis does the Society say that this great crowd is different from the great crowd of Rev. 7:9?
Joe: Well, they can't be the same.
Chris: Why not? John the author of Revelation gives us no indication that there are two different great crowds - one great crowds of people and other of angels. Can you give me a reference where the Bible calls multitudes of angels simply "a great crowd"?
Joe: I don't know.
Chris: In Rev. 7:9 the great crowd is said to be before the throne. Your own Kingdom Interlinear Translation says that "before the throne" literally means "in sight of the throne".
Joe: Their position is simply "in sight" of God, who tells us that from heaven he beholds the sons of men.
Chris: The inspired scripture says they are in sight of the throne. It doesn't say that God is in sight of them. Joe, let's summarize these last 2 weeks.
#1. The Watchtower has admitted that the great crowd is in the temple of God called naós in Rev. 7:15 but they have deliberately misquoted the scripture to prove that naós or divine habitation can also refer to the outer courtyard of the temple.
#2 Although the scripture plainly locates the great crowd in heaven in Rev. 19:1, in the divine habitation of God in Rev. 7:15, and in sight of the throne in Rev. 7:15, the Watchtower has contradicted scripture in order to hold onto their unique doctrine.
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