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Questions From Readers

● Will the resurrected ones of the anointed class now with Christ in heaven share in the destruction work of Armageddon?—K. R., United States.

This question has recently been asked by many because of the statement on pages 338 and 339 of You May Survive Armageddon into God’s New World, as follows: “On the other side will visibly be seen the remnant of spiritual Israel and an unnumbered crowd of ‘other sheep,’ their companions, all backed up by the unseen hosts of heaven under Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, together with those of his anointed followers already resurrected.—Ezekiel 38:8-12; Revelation 2:26-29.”

What is there said may not specifically answer the question in so many words, but the scripture cited, Revelation 2:26-29, does. Verses 26 and 27 Re 2:26, 27 (NW) read: “And to him that conquers and observes my deeds down to the complete end I will give authority over the nations, and he shall shepherd the people with an iron rod so that they will be broken to pieces like clay vessels, the same as I have received from my Father.” Christ’s Father, Jehovah God, says of him: “Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” So this is what Christ has received from his Father, authority over the nations to smash them at Armageddon, and this same authority is extended to the resurrected anointed ones now with Christ in heaven.—Ps. 2:8, 9, RS.

The same truth is understood in Revelation 17:12-14 (NW): “And the ten horns that you saw mean ten kings, who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings one hour with the wild beast. These have one purpose, and so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. These will battle with the Lamb, but, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, the Lamb will conquer them. Also those called and chosen and faithful with him will do so,” namely, all the 144,000.

Neither the anointed remnant nor the other sheep on earth when Armageddon strikes will fight the political nations in a fleshly way. “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage warfare according to what we are in the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things. For we are overturning reasonings and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ.” Jehovah’s earthly witnesses, whether of the heavenly or of the earthly class, expose religious falsehood, point the way to true worship, and warn the unrepentant nations of their coming smashup at Armageddon. Only the invisible heavenly forces with Christ, including the resurrected anointed ones, fight at Armageddon and dash the nations to pieces like a potter’s vessel.—2 Cor. 10:3-5, NW.