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.'"
Under
the old covenant (Mosaic Law) Jehovah was worshiped at his temple in Jerusalem.
But at
Pentecost, with the outpouring of the holy spirit upon the 120 disciples, the
new covenant became operative and 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. That is what the Psalms
and prophecies are mainly about. (John 4:21-24;
2 Cor. 6:15-18; Heb. 8:1-10) The foundation of this temple came into existence with the
anointing of the 120 disciples, foremost among them the twelve apostles (Matthias having replaced
Judas Iscariot).
Upon installing the first members of the foundation by holy spirit, God
immediately began to built upon that foundation by adding 3,000 disciples to his temple
when they were baptized.
(Acts 1:15; 2:1-4, 37-41) Since then, the foundation and the temple built upon
it has grown throughout the many centuries, as God kept enlarging the foundation
as the need arose, to support the many disciples that were streaming to
true worship, and who also themselves have become living stones within the
temple as members of his household, built upon the foundation. (Micah 4:1-7)
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 Cor. 3:16-17;
1 Peter 2:4-6)
God's
temple will be completed when the foundation, made up of the full number of
144,000 has been sealed by God, prior to the great tribulation. (Matt. 28:20;
Rev. 7:1-4, 9-10, 13-17; 14:1-4; 21:3-4)
False
teachers, such as Hymenus and Philetus, against whom Paul warned Timothy, were a
danger of undermining 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. It is as Paul notes, "For we can do
nothing against the truth, but only for the truth." (2 Tim. 2:16-19;
2 Cor. 13:8)
This
has meaning for us today, because we know that there is nothing that the "man of
lawlessness" within God's temple can do to undermine the "solid foundation",
where he has seated and elevated himself over God's people; because the true
worship of Jehovah God remains forever. (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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