Q: This week's Watchtower study (week of September 1-7, 2014), para 5, page 8 says: "The Bible uses the word 'foundation' as a metaphor for various things, including literal Jerusalem as the capital of ancient Israel. (Ps. 87:1, 2)."
I
thought Ps 87:1,2 was referring to Jerusalem above, or the kingdom, not literal
Jerusalem. Is the Psalm referring to literal Jerusalem?
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A:
The
Watchtower article you are referring to, "Jehovah Knows Those Who Belong to
Him", said the following:
"Paul was sure that Jehovah could recognize hypocritical worship, and he was
likewise convinced that Jehovah could identify those who are obedient to Him.
Paul manifested his strong conviction by the wording he chose when writing under
inspiration to Timothy. After referring to the spiritual harm that apostates
were already inflicting upon some within the congregation, Paul wrote: 'Despite
that, the solid foundation of God remains standing, having this seal, "Jehovah
knows those who belong to him," and, "Let everyone calling on the name of
Jehovah renounce unrighteousness."’” —2 Tim. 2:18,19.
5 What is significant about Paul’s word choice in this scripture? This is
the only mention in the Bible of “the solid foundation of God.” The Bible uses
the word “foundation” as a metaphor for various things, including literal
Jerusalem as the capital of ancient Israel. (Ps. 87:1,2) The role that Jesus
plays in Jehovah’s purpose is also compared to a foundation. (1 Cor. 3:11; 1
Pet. 2:6) What did Paul have in mind when he wrote about “the solid
foundation of God”?
6 Paul mentions “the solid foundation of God” in the same context in
which he quotes Moses’ words about Korah and his supporters, recorded at Numbers
16:5. Paul was evidently referring to the events in Moses’ day in an effort to
encourage Timothy and remind him of Jehovah’s ability to detect and counter- act
rebellious acts. Jehovah’s purpose was not about to be thwarted by apostates in
the congregation any more than it was by Korah centuries before. Paul did not
explain in detail what “the solid foundation of God” represents. Yet, the
wording used surely evoked in Timothy reassuring thoughts of trust and
confidence in Jehovah’s ways."―The Watchtower, July 15, 2014, page 8,
par. 5. (Bold added)
At
Psalms 87:1-3, the sons of Korah are singing the praises of Jerusalem, situated
upon Mount Zion, which at that time was Jehovah's place of true worship: "His
foundation is in the holy mountains. Jehovah is more in love with the gates of
Zion than with all the tabernacles of Jacob. Glorious things are being spoken
about you, O city of the true God." This is one of the many Scriptures that
mention Jerusalem and Zion as the center for true worship, whether it is ancient
Jerusalem or heavenly Jerusalem. It is the "foundation" of true worship because
that is where Jehovah is said to reside. (Psalms 2:6; 9:11; 132:13,14; 135:21;
Jer. 3:17; Rev. 21:2, 9-14; 22:3) That is what Paul meant when he said in 2
Timothy 2:19, "For all that, the solid foundation of God stays standing,
having this seal: 'Jehovah knows those who belong to him.'"
At
Pentecost, with the outpouring of the holy spirit upon the 120 disciples, God's
temple of true worship came into existence. That is where Jehovah is now
worshiped "with spirit and truth." This temple is not located at any
geographical site, such as was the case of the temple in Jerusalem upon Mount
Zion, as Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman; but, rather, under the new
covenant, God's temple consists of his true worshipers. (John 4:21-24; 1 Cor.
3:16-17; 2 Cor. 6:15-18) The foundation of this temple began to be laid with the
120 disciples, foremost among them the twelve apostles (Matthias having replaced
Judas Iscariot) t; and immediately upon the foundation being laid, God
began to built upon the foundation by adding 3,000 disciples to his temple.
(Acts 1:15; 2:1-4, 37-41)
Paul explains in his letter to the Gentile Ephesian congregation that they too
were now members of God's temple, "fellow citizens of the holy ones and members
of the household of God, and you have been built up upon the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone.
In union with him the whole building, being harmoniously joined together, is
growing into a holy temple for Jehovah. In union with him you, too, are being
built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit." (Eph. 2:19-22; 1
Peter 2:4-6)
False teachers, such as Hymenus and Philetus, against whom Paul warned Timothy,
could undermine the faith of some believers by their false teachings; but they
could not undermine the solid foundation of God's temple, nor the true worship
rendered to God within his temple, such as the "great crowd" is doing, which
comes out of the great tribulation. (Rev. 7:9,10, 13-15; Matt. 7:24-27)
This
has meaning for us today, because we know that there is nothing that the "man of
lawlessness" can do to undermine the "solid foundation" of true worship within
God's temple, where he has seated and elevated himself over everyone else;
because the true worship of Jehovah God does, and always will, exist. (2 Thess.
2:3-12) We have the assurance that "Jehovah knows those who belong to him", and
he will protect his loyal servants at the time when he removes all the wicked
ones from within his temple. At that time "the righteous one will shine as
brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." (Matt. 13:41-43; Mal.
3:16-18)
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