Born Again

You people must be born again."(John 3:7)

Born Again: A Roadmap to Adoption into Jehovah’s Family

Few subjects stir as much spiritual hunger as the question of being born again. Millions seek to understand it, and thousands—like myself—have undertaken thorough investigation to make our calling and choosing sure. But even more than securing our own hope, it is vital to reveal this path to others, so they too may become candidates for adoption into Jehovah’s family. This, in fact, is the main theme of my book. The adoption of all creation is waiting—dependent on the revelation of the firstborn sons of God—will be brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

Jesus introduced this subject in his profound conversation with Nicodemus, telling him: “You-people-must be born again.” (John 3:7) None of us can cause such a transformation on our own. As Jesus clarified, “What is born from the flesh is flesh, and what is born from the spirit is spirit.” Only our Father in the heavens, whose name Jehovah means “He Causes to Become,” can initiate this rebirth.

From my current understanding, being born again is not a single moment—it is a spiritual transformation with stages, a divine development directed by Jehovah himself. Surely, there is a day and hour for such an event—just as there is in natural birth. A child does not remain in the womb forever. There comes a moment, marked by divine timing, when the life once hidden is revealed. That is the moment when a child is born into the world. In the same way, those being spiritually formed—conceived through truth and spirit—also have a day and hour appointed by Jehovah. Until that time, they develop quietly, often unnoticed by the world, yet fully alive and real in Jehovah’s sight. This period I would call the EMBRYO—a time when spiritual life is already present but still hidden, waiting for the moment Jehovah has appointed for it to be revealed.Then, at the moment He sets, the change takes place: from life in the womb to the birth into full spiritual sonship.

In this chapter, I want to express how I personally understand this sacred transformation. Below is my working roadmap—still being refined—that outlines the growth path of a person being shaped into a true son of God. I hope it helps both me and you, dear reader, see more clearly how Jehovah works in us through his Son.

The Many Facets of Spiritual Transformation

Our Creator, Jehovah God, sees every person from birth to death and desires to be part of each one’s life. While He respects human privacy and free will, He draws near to those who show interest in Him and are willing to respond to His calling. This begins a relationship that can grow step by step into something far deeper.

Scripture shows that there are different levels of relationship with Jehovah. In the earliest times, Cain and Abel, and later Lamech (the seventh from Adam), had dealings with Jehovah without any recorded covenant. These were real relationships — Jehovah listened, guided, and judged — but no binding agreement was made. Later, Jehovah entered into covenants with Noah, then Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, elevating their relationship with Him. Yet it was not until the time of Moses that an entire nation was taken into a covenant.

Even so, being dedicated to that covenant — or merely being born under it — was not enough to guarantee receiving its blessings. The Law covenant served as a guardian or tutor, training those under it until the appointed time. In the same way, a child born in a king’s house is treated no differently from a slave until the day set by the father (Galatians 4:1-2).

This principle is crucial when speaking of being “born again.” Entering into a covenant relationship with Jehovah — even through Christ — is not, by itself, the new birth Jesus described. As he said: “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens.” (Matthew 7:21) Covenant relationship, acceptance of Christ, and the new birth are related but distinct steps. Recognizing these stages is the key to understanding the depth of spiritual transformation and the path Jehovah sets before each person.

Only after appreciating these fundamental stages can we explore the many facets of long-term transformation — from plowing the heart, to growing in faith, to receiving the spirit of adoption. This perspective helps us see that “born again” is not a single event but the culmination of a divine process that combines Jehovah’s initiative with our faithful response.

Three Foundational Stages of Relationship with Jehovah

1. Pre-Covenant Relationship — Responding to Jehovah’s Voice

Even without a formal covenant, a person can develop faith and walk with God. Examples include Abel, Enoch, and Lamech — men who pleased Jehovah but were never said to be in a covenant. This stage is characterized by listening, offering worship, and responding to God’s guidance. It is the beginning of softening the heart and aligning one’s life with divine principles.

“He has told you, O man, what is good. And what is Jehovah requiring of you? Only to exercise justice, to cherish loyalty, and to walk in modesty with your God!” — Micah 6:8

2. Covenant Relationship — Dedication and Training

Jehovah invites some into a formal covenant — as with Noah, Abraham, and later the entire nation of Israel under Moses. In Christian times, this is expressed through dedication and baptism, entering into a relationship with Jehovah through Christ. However, this stage is like a child under tutors — a period of discipline, learning, and testing. It grants privilege and responsibility, but not yet the full inheritance.

“The heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, although he is master of all; but he is under guardians and stewards until the day set by his father.” — Galatians 4:1-2

3. Birth from Above — Adoption and Inheritance

Being “born again” or “born from above” marks a decisive transformation. Jehovah gives his spirit as a witness, sealing the person for future inheritance as his child and heir with Christ. This is not automatic for all who are in covenant, nor for all who confess faith. It is a divine act — the beginning of a new identity and mission.

“The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children. If, then, we are children, we are also heirs—heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ.” — Romans 8:16-17

Linguistic Note: “Seed in the Earth” vs. “Seed in the Woman”

Both Hebrew זֶרַע (zeraʿ) and Greek σπέρμα (sperma) carry a dual meaning — they can refer either to literal seed for planting or to offspring/descendants. Context decides which sense is meant.

Seed in the Earth — typically agricultural, as in zeraʿ ha-ʾārets (Genesis 1:11). This image highlights process and growth: sowing, dying, germinating, and eventually bearing fruit (John 12:24). It speaks of hidden potential coming to life through cultivation.
Seed in the Woman — relational and personal, as in Genesis 3:15: “her seed.” This refers to living lineage, destiny, and belonging — those who would be part of Jehovah’s promised purpose. It is not merely a process of growth but a matter of identity and relationship.

This distinction is helpful when describing spiritual development:

“Seed in the earth” can picture the hidden, early stages of spiritual awakening — where truth is planted and nurtured but has not yet produced visible life.
“Seed in the woman” pictures belonging and identity — being carried as part of Jehovah’s purpose, leading to eventual birth and inheritance.

Understanding this linguistic nuance allows us to appreciate that spiritual growth is both a process and a calling. A person may have the Word sown in their heart (seed in earth) long before they are counted as part of the promised seed (seed in woman).

Would it be accurate to view Jesus’ entire development up to age 30 as part of the ‘seed in the earth’ stage?

There’s a strong case to see all of Jesus’ life up to his baptism as corresponding to “seed in the earth,” not just his prehuman existence. Let’s reason through it carefully:

1. Seed in the Earth = Hidden Growth, Awaiting Appointed Time

Psalm 139 imagery speaks of being “woven in the depths of the earth” — unseen, yet fully known to Jehovah.
Jesus’ prehuman existence was hidden to mankind, but so were his first 30 years on earth. For most of that time, he lived a quiet, ordinary life in Nazareth, unnoticed by the world.
Even though he was the promised Seed, he had not yet been revealed or activated for his mission.

2. Covenant Stage Was Not His Transformation

Jesus was born into the Law covenant by birth, but that did not make him the Messiah in an active sense.
Galatians 4:1-2 says the heir is “no different from a slave until the day set by his father.”
That perfectly fits Jesus’ first 30 years — he was the heir by right but under obedience, training, and guardianship until Jehovah’s time.

3. Baptism as the Decisive “Emergence” from the Earth

John 12:24 says: “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just one grain; but if it dies, it then bears much fruit.”
Jesus’ baptism can be seen as that moment when the “seed” is symbolically buried (immersion) and then emerges into his full role — anointed and spirit-begotten, ready to bear fruit.
His public ministry begins only after this moment — he is no longer hidden.

Key Conclusion

It is very appropriate — and actually very meaningful — to see all of Jesus’ development up to age 30 as the “seed in the earth” stage:

Preparation (both prehuman and human life)
Obedience and training under the Law
Hiddenness from the public eye
Awaiting Jehovah’s appointed time

Only at baptism does he become the fully revealed, anointed Seed — which could parallel being “seed in the woman” about to be born, or even the moment of “birth” itself (depending on how we frame it).

Were Jesus’ first 30 years both hidden growth in the earth and gestation in the heavenly woman, with his anointing marking the birth and launch of his mission?

Yes — that’s a profound observation, and it makes a lot of sense!
What you’re seeing is that in Jesus’ case, there’s a dual layer operating at the same time:

Seed in the Earth — hidden, gestating, waiting for the appointed time.
Seed in the Woman — already part of Jehovah’s covenantal purpose, destined to be revealed, carrying the “code” of promise.

And both are true until the anointing, which functions as the birth moment — the “launch” where the Seed is fully revealed and activated.

How This Duality Works in Jesus’ Life

1. Seed in the Woman (Covenantal Identity)

Jesus was always the promised Seed of the woman from Genesis 3:15 — long before he appeared as a man.
His human birth placed him into the lineage of Abraham and David, legally qualifying him to fulfill the covenant promises (Galatians 3:16).
The first 30 years were like “coding” — learning, internalizing, and fully aligning with Jehovah’s will, uploading everything necessary to be the perfect Messiah.

2. Seed in the Earth (Hidden Growth)

At the same time, he was hidden from public view, “buried” like a seed, growing silently in wisdom and stature (Luke 2:52).
Galatians 4:1-2 applies: he was the heir but still under guardianship until the appointed time.
This was preparation — building obedience, learning compassion, and maturing emotionally.

3. Birth = Anointing (Launch Moment)

At his baptism, these two realities converge.
The Seed is now sprouting from the soil and born from the heavenly woman — Jehovah publicly declares him His Son, and his mission is activated.
Everything prior was uploading the “program”; now it is executed — he begins to preach, teach, heal, and train disciples.

The Roadmap to the New Birth (Refined with Dual Stages)

After reflecting on the earlier stages of spiritual development, I realize it is important to trace a clearer path of how the journey unfolds for those who are born again—not just as a momentary experience, but as an entire transformation process. What follows is a rough roadmap, drawn from my current understanding, which outlines the key steps that those responding to Jehovah’s calling must walk through. Though this draft may need further refinement, laying it out in writing helps me—and hopefully you, my dear reader—to see the greater picture of how Jehovah and Christ work to shape each of us into full-grown spiritual sons.

Stage 1: Seed in the Earth & Seed in the Woman — Hidden Growth and Covenant Formation

(A dual process: hidden growth + covenant identity being “coded” and nurtured)

Preparation of the Soil of the Heart – Softening, humility, openness to receive divine truth.
Planting the Seeds – Truths from God’s Word sown into the heart, awakening spiritual hunger.
Watering the Seeds – Nourishment through study, prayer, exposure to holy spirit.
Transformation of the Bare Seed – The quiet but real forming of spiritual life within.
Bearing Fruit in the Womb of a Mother – Developing spiritual character, often unnoticed.
Becoming as a Young Child – Adopting humility, dependence, trust — essential for growth.
Childhood Under Tutors – Training under Jehovah’s arrangement (Galatians 4:1-2), building obedience and conscience.
Consuming Solid Food – Moving beyond milk, developing discernment and spiritual stamina.
Pressing On to Maturity – Growing steadily toward readiness for greater responsibility.
Repentance and Discipline – Continuous refining, pruning, and aligning with Jehovah’s ways.
Law Written on the Heart – Moving from external command to internalized principle.
Freedom from Sin and Condemnation – Peace of conscience through Christ’s ransom, standing clean before Jehovah.

Dual Meaning: These steps represent both hidden growth (seed in the earth — unseen preparation) and covenantal belonging (seed in the woman — being carried toward birth). Like Jesus in his first 30 years, the believer is “uploading the code” — learning, aligning, and waiting for Jehovah’s appointed time to activate their mission.

Stage 2: Birth from Above — Spirit Begetting & Mission Activation

Sanctification and Anointing – The heavens figuratively open. Jehovah’s spirit bears witness, begetting the person as His son or daughter and empowering them with a down payment of their future inheritance. This is the true moment of birth — emergence from hiddenness into divine mission.

Stage 3: Growth as a Revealed Son — Public Witness & Testing

Running the Race for Life – Daily self-sacrifice, living by the spirit, keeping the goal in view.
Becoming a Theatrical Spectacle – Faith is displayed before the world, angels, and fellow believers.
Realizing One’s Role – Recognizing priestly, kingly, or judicial responsibilities, serving with love.
Recognizing the Day and Hour – Remaining spiritually alert, watching Christ’s direction closely.
Drinking the Cup of Testing – Enduring trials, refining humility, and proving faithful under pressure.

Stage 4: Glorification — Final Revelation as Mature Son of God

Receiving the Seal of Approval – Jehovah’s final confirmation of faithfulness, sealing for life.
Final Reconciliation through Death or Change – Resurrection or transformation, being “caught away in clouds” and revealed as a full son of God for the blessing of creation (Romans 8:19).

Equal Opportunity, Different Outcomes

In speaking about spiritual growth, some find it difficult to accept any form of classification or distinction among believers. Perhaps this is influenced by the modern emphasis on equality — a noble principle when applied to opportunity, but easily misunderstood when applied to outcomes.

Jehovah is never partial (Acts 10:34-35). He offers equal opportunity for all to seek Him and enjoy His favor. Yet individuals use that opportunity differently. Some respond quickly, pressing forward with zeal, while others hesitate, hold back, or even resist. Jehovah loves those who earnestly draw close to Him and rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

This pattern has been visible since the earliest days of humanity:

Cain and Abel both brought offerings, but Abel’s was accepted because he offered in faith.
Esau and Jacob were twins, yet Jacob valued the birthright while Esau despised it.
Joseph’s brothers envied him for his dreams, failing to see that Jehovah was shaping Joseph for a future role that would benefit them all.

The same pattern continued in the time of Christ and the apostles. The majority of those anointed as heirs of the heavenly Kingdom were not favored by religious leaders, nor were they prominent in education or noble birth. As Paul wrote:

“For you see his calling of you, brothers, that there are not many wise in a fleshly way, not many powerful, not many of noble birth; but God chose the foolish things of the world to put the wise men to shame.” — 1 Corinthians 1:26-27

This makes clear that there is no favoritism — neither wealth, nor education, nor social position guarantee a place in Jehovah’s purpose. Spiritual growth, anointing, and maturity are offered to all but experienced by those who press forward, seek understanding, and align themselves with Jehovah’s will.

Encouragement to Press Forward

Rather than stumbling over the fact that not all receive the same privileges or callings, we can see these differences as a loving invitation from Jehovah to deepen our own relationship with Him. Each of us has the opportunity to grow in faith, to be trained by Jehovah’s spirit, and to bear fruit that pleases Him.

Instead of comparing ourselves with others — or envying those who are anointed — we can ask: “How am I using the opportunities Jehovah has given me? Am I drawing closer to Him with all my heart?” Jehovah’s impartial love means that whoever seeks Him sincerely will find Him (James 4:8). The question is not whether we have been favored, but whether we are responding to His open invitation to press forward.

Reflect: If even Christ went through all these stages — hidden growth, covenant obedience, anointing, testing, and glorification — should we not also expect to follow the same pattern in our own spiritual journey?

Now, when we’ve laid the foundation: Jesus’ pattern, the dual reality of the seed, the fairness of Jehovah’s process, and the invitation to follow the same path.

For the next section, we can focus on “chewing” the biblical expressions that relate to the new birth and spiritual transformation — breaking them down word by word, phrase by phrase, to extract their richest meaning.

Exploring the Language of the New Birth

Having seen that even Christ passed through these stages, we now turn to the inspired words the Bible uses to describe this transformation. Each expression — “born again,” “born from above,” “new creation,” “adoption as sons,” “sealed with the spirit” — carries layers of meaning that deepen our understanding of what Jehovah is doing in those whom he calls.

Rather than rushing past these words, we will pause to “chew” on them — comparing scriptures, exploring their original Hebrew and Greek terms, and asking what each phrase reveals about the process of being born again. This careful meditation allows us to uncover the most meaningful truths, see how they interlock, and apply them to our own spiritual journey.

EMBRYO—"woven in the depths of the earth"

The EMBRYO period is described in David’s Psalm 139: “For you produced my kidneys; you kept me screened off in my mother’s womb. I praise you because in an awe-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful—I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret, when I was woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes even saw me as an embryo; all its parts were written in your book regarding the days when they were formed, before any of them existed.” What catches my attention is that Jehovah sees who we should become. In His book, things are written ahead of time. While we retain freedom of choice, there is an ideal form—actions, expressions, attitudes, and personality traits—that Jehovah foreknows, woven to match His purpose in the most harmonious way.

There isn’t much freedom in the development of a physical embryo—it follows a program, governed by DNA. Though external conditions can influence its growth, the basic process is stable and structured—“woven in the depths of the earth” indeed reflects something profoundly intentional and controlled. How much freedom did David have as a grown man—one who was anointed with Jehovah’s spirit? Draw your own answer from his Psalm:

"O Jehovah, you have searched through me, and you know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up. You discern my thoughts from afar. You observe me when I travel and when I lie down; you are familiar with all my ways. There is not a word on my tongue, but look! O Jehovah, you already know it well. Behind and before me, you surround me; and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is beyond my comprehension. It is too high for me to reach.

Where can I escape from your spirit, and where can I run away from your face? If I were to ascend to heaven, you would be there, and if I were to make my bed in the Grave, look! you would be there. If I would fly away with the wings of the dawn to reside by the most remote sea, even there your hand would lead me and your right hand would take hold of me. If I say, “Surely darkness will conceal me!” then the night around me would become light. Even the darkness would not be too dark for you, but night would be as bright as the day; darkness is the same as light to you.

For you produced my kidneys; you kept me screened off in my mother’s womb. I praise you because in an awe-inspiring way I am wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful—I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from you when I was made in secret, when I was woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes even saw me as an embryo; all its parts were written in your book regarding the days when they were formed, before any of them existed.

So to me, how precious your thoughts are, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I try to count them, they outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you."

Giving Birth into Slavery

Simbolic "Hagar"- Mosaic Law - "the heir is a young child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the lord of all things"

"Now I say that as long as the heir is a young child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the lord of all things, but he is under supervisors and stewards until the day set ahead of time by his father. Likewise, we too, when we were children, were enslaved by the elementary things of the world. But when the full limit of the time arrived, God sent his Son, who was born of a woman and who was under law, that he might release by purchase those under law, so that we might receive the adoption as sons. Now because you are sons, God has sent the spirit of his Son into our hearts, and it cries out: “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then you are also an heir through God."— Galatians 4:1–7

"Now Haʹgar means Siʹnai, a mountain in Arabia, and she corresponds with the Jerusalem today, for she is in slavery with her children."— Galatians 4:1–7

Giving Birth into Liberty

"However, it is always fine for someone to seek zealously after you for a good purpose and not just when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again experiencing birth pains until Christ is formed in you. I wish I could be present with you just now and speak in a different way, because I am perplexed over you.

Tell me, you who want to be under law, do you not hear the Law? For example, it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant girl and one by the free woman; but the one by the servant girl was actually born through natural descent and the other by the free woman through a promise. These things may be taken as a symbolic drama; for these women mean two covenants, the one from Mount Siʹnai, which bears children for slavery and which is Haʹgar. Now Haʹgar means Siʹnai, a mountain in Arabia, and she corresponds with the Jerusalem today, for she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother.

For it is written: “Be glad, you barren woman who does not give birth; break into joyful shouting, you woman who does not have birth pains; for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than those of her who has the husband.”

Now you, brothers, are children of the promise the same as Isaac was. But just as then the one born through natural descent began persecuting the one born through spirit, so also now. Nevertheless, what does the scripture say? “Drive out the servant girl and her son, for the son of the servant girl will by no means be an heir with the son of the free woman.” So, brothers, we are children, not of a servant girl, but of the free woman." — Galatians 4:18–31

Holy Place - Dwelling in the Skins

The

The Hope of Resurrection and the Coming Transformation

The apostle Paul lovingly reminded the Thessalonian congregation of a vital truth: “Moreover, brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who are sleeping in death, so that you may not sorrow as the rest do who have no hope. For if we have faith that Jesus died and rose again, so too God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in death through Jesus. For this is what we tell you by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord. So keep comforting one another with these words.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

This leads to a beautiful and sobering thought: Jehovah preserves our Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds—the heavenly realm—alive and active. As promised, Jesus did appear to his faithful disciples after his resurrection, alive and glorified. And he assured them: “Because I live, you too will live.”

Naturally, this would lead one to expect that those who fall asleep in death in union with Christ would eventually experience a resurrection similar to his. Yet, Paul makes it clear that such a resurrection is not immediate. It is delayed until Christ's presence, and even then, not until a specific moment during his presence—when he “descends from heaven with a commanding call,” accompanied by the voice of an archangel and the trumpet of God.

It’s reasonable to conclude that even those early Christians—many of whom were anointed and adopted as sons of God—did not immediately receive heavenly resurrection upon death. There is no inspired record, in the Gospels or the Christian Greek Scriptures, of anointed Christians returning visibly after death to communicate with the living. If such miraculous appearances had occurred, especially among faithful first-century Christians, it would be reasonable to expect that some record would exist. But only Jesus’ resurrection is fully confirmed and widely accepted by believers today.

So we conclude that this resurrection has not yet occurred. It hadn’t happened in Paul’s time either—which is why he wrote those comforting words, to reassure the living that those asleep in death had not been forgotten or passed over.

Perception and the Eyes of Faith

This also raises another deeply intriguing question: How many people actually saw Jesus after his resurrection? Realistically, it was not many. And Jesus himself told Thomas: “You believed because you saw me. Happy are those who did not see and yet believe.” This distinction underscores two levels of perception: the physical sight of the eyes, and the spiritual vision of faith.

Those who truly “see” Jehovah, Jesus, and even the reality of the angelic realm do so not with physical eyes, but with faith-filled hearts and ears of understanding. Yet even among the faithful, no such perception is extended to our dead loved ones. Despite what many claim, there is no satisfying, clear, and reliable communion with the dead. At best, such experiences can be dismissed as wishful imagination; at worst, they may involve demonic deception or emotional manipulation. This is precisely why Jehovah firmly forbids calling upon the dead or trying to contact the spirit realm apart from Him.

Awaiting the Commanding Call

All of this leaves us with one great expectation—the moment when “the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice, and with God’s trumpet.” Only then, Paul says, will “those who are dead in union with Christ rise first.” After that, “we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” This dramatic event will not go unnoticed. Jesus described it in unmistakable terms: “Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief, and they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds...” Though this grand moment still lies ahead, we can already begin to experience a foretaste of it. Those who are born again—transformed by the spirit—can rejoice in their new identity, as they await either resurrection or transformation “in the blink of an eye” when that commanding call is finally heard.

Caught away to the third heaven"

"I have to boast. It is not beneficial, but I will move on to supernatural visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in union with Christ who, 14 years ago—whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows—was caught away to the third heaven. Yes, I know such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know; God knows— who was caught away into paradise and heard words that cannot be spoken and that are not lawful for a man to say.  I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself except of my weaknesses. For even if I want to boast, I will not be unreasonable, for I would say the truth. But I refrain from doing so, in order that no one should give me more credit than what he sees in me or hears from me,  just because of receiving such extraordinary revelations. To keep me from becoming overly exalted, I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan, to keep slapping me, so that I might not be overly exalted. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me: “My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you, for my power is being made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly, then, I will boast about my weaknesses, in order that the power of the Christ may remain over me like a tent. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in times of need, in persecutions and difficulties, for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful." - 1 Cor 12:1-10.

This passage brings to mind what Paul later wrote in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18:

“Moreover, brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who are sleeping in death, so that you may not sorrow as the rest do who have no hope. For if we have faith that Jesus died and rose again, so too God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in death through Jesus. For this is what we tell you by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first. Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord. So keep comforting one another with these words.” — 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

The Childlike Heart That Welcomes the Christ

If you didn't catch what I caught, we need to go back to the basics. In Hebrews chapter 5, Paul said: "We have much to say about him, and it is difficult to explain, because you have become dull in your hearing. For although by now you should be teachers, you again need someone to teach you from the beginning the elementary things of the sacred pronouncements of God, and you have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. For everyone who continues to feed on milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a young child. But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their powers of discernment trained to distinguish both right and wrong."

We have to be positive about the above reasoning. Whoever reads this statement must also keep the following in mind: "In that hour the disciples came near to Jesus and said: 'Who really is greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens?' So calling a young child to him, he stood him in their midst and said: 'Truly I say to you, unless you turn around and become as young children, you will by no means enter into the Kingdom of the heavens. Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this young child is the one who is the greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens; and whoever receives one such young child on the basis of my name receives me also. But whoever stumbles one of these little ones who have faith in me, it would be better for him to have hung around his neck a millstone that is turned by a donkey and to be sunk in the open sea.'" — Matthew 18:1–6. Thus, we must become like young children; otherwise, there is no way to progress to maturity.

It is also clear that each person must take action to become like young children—to turn around, to humble himself like a young child, to receive such a young child on the basis of Jesus’ name, and to avoid stumbling such little ones. In Jesus' words, we hear: "Unless you turn around and become as young children." These are actions that every individual is capable of—and must carry out on their own—in order to receive Jesus. It is preparatory work, something that must be done willingly by those who are truly seeking the Messiah. This was clearly expressed by Peter at Pentecost 33 C.E. when he said: “Repent, therefore, and turn around so as to get your sins blotted out, so that seasons of refreshing may come from Jehovah himself, and he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus. Heaven must hold this one within itself until the times of restoration of all things of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old.” — Acts 3:19–21

Still, no one can force Jesus to reveal himself. That decision remains with him—and with Jehovah, who appointed him. It is a condition established by Jehovah himself. John the Baptist served as the messenger of that condition, preparing people’s hearts for the Lord. The first disciples of Jesus were, in fact, first disciples of John. So this requirement is clear and foundational: unless we turn around, repent, and become “as young children,” unless we accept others who have already done so for Jesus’ name, the Christ will not be sent to us personally—unless Jehovah and Jesus make an exception, as they did with Paul. Such rare cases do happen, though they are not the general rule for adoption—at least, that is how I now understand it. It’s important to notice that the preparation of Paul’s heart began from the womb of his mother, as he himself stated: “But when God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his undeserved kindness, thought good to reveal his Son through me so that I might declare the good news about him to the nations, I did not immediately consult with any human.” — Galatians 1:15, 16. Paul was part of a nation dedicated to Jehovah—woven over 1,500 years to be ready to receive the Messiah. With that national dedication, and likely his own personal dedication before his dramatic conversion, Paul’s heart was more than well prepared to accept the Son of God. Jesus was revealed to Paul very clearly, and Paul in turn revealed the Son to others. Later in the same letter, he wrote: “O senseless Galatians! Who has brought you under this evil influence, you who had Jesus Christ openly portrayed before you as nailed to the stake?” — Galatians 3:1. This connects with the central theme of my book: “For the creation is waiting with eager expectation for the revealing of the sons of God.”

So, once Paul received the revelation of Jesus, he became an agent through whom Christ could be revealed to others.

Jesus alone decides to appear, to be seen, and to be heard by the individual. I believe this is why he used the phrase “as young children”—it represents a mindset that each person must adopt voluntarily. Once that is done, we are in a position to wait—just as the early disciples did—for Jehovah to send the Christ appointed to us. Heaven holds him until the time of restoration. So, if we believe that we are now living in that time, it logically follows that Jehovah is ready to send Jesus to those who meet these conditions.

Emphasis on become AS children and my personal journey through this stage

αὶ and εἶπεν said ᾿Αμὴν Amen λέγω I am saying ὑμῖν, to YOU, ἐὰν if ever μὴ not στραφῆτε you might turn καὶ and γένησθε YOU might become ὡς as τὰ the παιδία, little boys, οὐ not μὴ not εἰσέλθητε YOU should enter εἰς into τὴν the βασιλείαν kingdom τῶν of the οὐρανῶν.

Other teachers outside of Jehovah’s Witnesses often place the emphasis on being born again by human will, but as far as I know, only Jehovah’s Witnesses emphasize that such "born again" transformation is initiated by the will of Jehovah. (Here, I will add a reference to JW.org for easy fact-checking -- https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1982088?q=born+again+questions+from&p=par, but please know, dear reader, that this entire chapter reflects my personal journey to come to the same conclusion.) As one who has pressed forward for over 30 years, I can testify that the transformation I eventually received was initiated by the will of our Heavenly Father—and it was at that moment that the word "as" disappeared from my relationship with Him. I am also very proud that it took 30 years of my journey, much like what Jesus experienced before he was anointed with holy spirit and reconciled with the heavenly realm, as we read: "After being baptized, Jesus immediately came up from the water; and look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw God’s spirit descending like a dove and coming upon him. Look! Also, a voice from the heavens said: 'This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.'" — Matthew 3:16,17

In my personal transformation to such a living hope, feelings were not the first step. Rather, I was rebuilt, rewired, and restructured on the solid foundation of God's Word. Every word, every iota became part of one wholesome, harmonious teaching, where the process of becoming a child opened the opportunity to press forward to maturity. This maturity is essential—without it, no one can see the Lord, and without it, there is no way to step into the Holy Place. 1 Peter, chapter 1 deserves to be read carefully at this point, as it overflows with comments and thoughts that connect closely with what I am expressing here. Although I would love to reason on that chapter now, I feel it would be better to simply add it as expandable text for quick reference—otherwise, I may risk losing your attention for the important flow of this chapter.

I sincerely wish that this opportunity opens for you as well, my dear reader, because: "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm, and it enters in within the curtain, where a forerunner has entered in our behalf, Jesus, who has become a high priest in the manner of Melchizedek forever." — Hebrews 6:19,20

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the temporary residents scattered about in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, to those chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, with sanctification by the spirit, for the purpose of being obedient and sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ: May undeserved kindness and peace be increased to you. Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for according to his great mercy he gave us a new birth to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance. It is reserved in the heavens for you, who are being safeguarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last period of time. Because of this you are greatly rejoicing, though for a short time, if it must be, you have been distressed by various trials, in order that the tested quality of your faith, of much greater value than gold that perishes despite its being tested by fire, may be found a cause for praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you never saw him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet you exercise faith in him and are greatly rejoicing with an indescribable and glorious joy, as you attain the goal of your faith, your salvation. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the undeserved kindness meant for you made a diligent inquiry and a careful search. They kept on investigating what particular time or what season the spirit within them was indicating concerning Christ as it testified beforehand about the sufferings meant for Christ and about the glory that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were ministering, not to themselves, but to you, regarding what has now been announced to you by those who declared the good news to you with holy spirit sent from heaven. Into these very things, angels are desiring to peer. So brace up your minds for activity; keep your senses completely; set your hope on the undeserved kindness that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, stop being molded by the desires you formerly had in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all your conduct, for it is written: “You must be holy, because I am holy.” And if you are calling on the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves with fear during the time of your temporary residence. For you know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were set free from your futile way of life handed down to you by your forefathers. But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, that of Christ. True, he was foreknown before the founding of the world, but he was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake. Through him you are believers in God, the one who raised him up from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope might be in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by your obedience to the truth with unhypocritical brotherly affection as the result, love one another intensely from the heart. For you have been given a new birth, not by corruptible, but by incorruptible seed, through the word of the living and enduring God. For “all flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like a blossom of the field; the grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the saying of Jehovah endures forever.” And this “saying” is the good news that was declared to you.

From Turning Around to Being Born Again: The Journey from Childlike Humility to Spiritual Birth

There is, however, a short period between Jehovah’s sending of Jesus and the unfolding of the spiritual DNA of His only-begotten Son within us. This is the process I want to emphasize now—a process I have personally experienced and feel compelled to describe as honestly and intimately as possible. To express the feelings I had during this sacred development, I turn to the words of Psalm 139:“O Jehovah, you have searched through me, and you know me… Your eyes even saw me as an embryo; All its parts were written in your book. Regarding the days when they were formed,
Before any of them existed… Search through me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me, and know my anxious thoughts. See whether there is in me any harmful way, And lead me in the way of eternity.” — Psalm 139:1, 16, 23–24

Now pause and reflect for a moment on the reality of this process: once you turn around and become “as a young child,” Jehovah begins to form a spiritual embryo in your heart. As David wrote: “You kept me screened off in my mother’s womb… I was woven in the depths of the earth.” This hidden formation represents the intimate work Jehovah performs only after we willingly give him the right to do so—often expressed through a personal prayer of dedication.

Unless that condition is met, Jehovah will not act in the same way he did for David. David wrote many things he experienced: “O Jehovah, you have searched through me, and you know me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up. You discern my thoughts from afar… Where can I escape from your spirit, And where can I run away from your face?”

Reflecting on Jesus’ illustration of the sower and the types of soil (Matthew 13), I am compelled to ask myself: Why do some soils produce fruit and others do not? If we consider what David expressed in this Psalm, it suggests that Jehovah’s personal selection of David was based on both the spiritual work He had already done through David’s ancestors and David’s own free-willed devotion. David’s willingness to take a stand for Jehovah gave God sufficient reason to continue working with him. Reading the entire Psalm with this in mind reveals an extraordinary divine presence in David’s life—connected to God’s purpose to bless all families of the earth through the promised Seed.

So to me, how precious your thoughts are, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I try to count them, they outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.

O God, if only you would slay the wicked! Then the violent men would depart from me—those who say things against you with evil intent. They are your adversaries who take up your name in a worthless way. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Jehovah, and loathe those who revolt against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; they have become real enemies to me.

Search through me, O God, and know my heart. Examine me, and know my anxious thoughts. See whether there is in me any harmful way, and lead me in the way of eternity." - Psalm 139

Though David supported Jehovah’s sovereignty in remarkable ways, he also disappointed Him. So, the blessings David received were not fully “earned” but rather extended through Jehovah’s undeserved kindness. This reality deeply moved David, and it is clearly reflected in his many psalms of gratitude and awe. I underlined what I believe indicates David's devotion to Jehovah. He invited Jehovah to search his heart and separate the good from the bad. I remember how I, too, came to realize the importance of Jehovah’s help in this regard. About 25 years ago, I prayed to Jehovah using the same words David used in that psalm. Looking back, I can say Jehovah not only showed me what I needed to be cleansed from, but he was working on me—he was weaving my spiritual embryo.

Now, I want to focus on the change that occurs when that embryo develops into a child ready to be born—a spiritual birth. I recall when my wife was pregnant, we would talk to our son, read the Bible to him, touch her belly, and laugh with him. Then came the moment of his delivery in the hospital, surrounded by people. I saw the confusion in his eyes as he looked around, unsure of where he belonged. But then I spoke to him, and when our eyes met, he recognized my voice, now matched with a face. That moment brought him peace because he knew who he belonged to.

Jehovah gave me that precious experience to help me understand the connection between the time before and after a spiritual birth. In the womb, my son could hear but not see. But once born, he could both hear and see clearly. The spiritual perception after being born again is also drastically different. Things that were previously only heard now come with clarity and vision.

I want to draw a parallel between the development of an embryo up to the point of birth and what Paul described as a spiritual transformation. In 1 Corinthians 13:8–12, Paul wrote: “Love never fails. But if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially, but when what is complete comes, what is partial will be done away with. When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, to think as a child, to reason as a child; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the traits of a child. For now we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face-to-face. At present I know partially, but then I will know accurately, just as I am accurately known.”

The “hazy outline” Paul refers to reminds me of what a child might perceive while still in the womb—limited, unclear, disconnected. But when a child is born, they can finally see face-to-face. That moment of clarity, of recognition, mirrors what happens during our spiritual metamorphosis: we pass from partial understanding to direct perception.

This mirrors our personal spiritual journey. At the stage when our hearts receive the seed of God’s Word, we are still in our earthly bodies—what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 15:36–40: “What you sow is not made alive unless first it dies. And as for what you sow, you sow, not the body that will develop, but just a bare grain… God gives it a body just as it has pleased him… Not all flesh is the same… And there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly bodies is one sort, and that of the earthly bodies is a different sort. The glory of the sun is one sort, and the glory of the moon is another, and the glory of the stars is another; in fact, one star differs from another star in glory. So it is with the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised up in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised up in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised up in power. It is sown a physical body; it is raised up a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living person.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, what is spiritual is not first. What is physical is first, and afterward what is spiritual. The first man is from the earth and made of dust; the second man is from heaven. Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust; and like the heavenly one, so too are those who are heavenly. And just as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we will bear also the image of the heavenly one. But I tell you this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s Kingdom, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Look! I tell you a sacred secret: We will not all fall asleep in death, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption, and this which is mortal must put on immortality. But when this which is corruptible puts on incorruption and this which is mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: “Death is swallowed up forever.” “Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?”

The first transformation begins when we accept Christ. We willingly die to our former, self-centered life and begin a new one—this is the development of a new earthly body capable of bearing fruit for God. Many who become Jehovah’s Witnesses undergo this transformation with a clear hope of everlasting life on earth. We die to the world, live for Christ, and gradually wear down in this system while holding firm to the resurrection hope—like Martha expressed when her brother Lazarus died: “I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus confirmed this hope by resurrecting Lazarus.

From Childlike Humility to Spiritual Conception: Developing as an Embryo of Faith

The second transformation, at least in my personal experience, took much longer to take shape. It began when my ears and heart opened not just to comprehend heavenly things but to appreciate their purpose: to reconcile heaven and earth. This is when I began collecting fragments of truth, piecing together the broader design that Jehovah has revealed through Scripture—often in the form of vivid illustrations and symbols.

Just as my son could hear my voice while still in the womb but only recognized me clearly after birth, I too moved from hearing “in the womb” to seeing “face-to-face.” That birth marked my entry into what I now recognize as spiritual service in the holy place. This is difficult to explain unless you’ve experienced it, but I feel compelled to describe it as best I can.

Paul also hinted at such an experience in 2 Corinthians 12:1–4: “I have to boast. It is not beneficial, but I will move on to supernatural visions and revelations of the Lord… such a man was caught away into paradise and heard words that cannot be spoken and that are not lawful for a man to say.”

Here lies a dilemma: I’m trying to express something that Paul could not lawfully express in his time. But I believe our time is different. The “third heaven” has been established, Satan has been cast down, and the revealing of the sons of God is drawing near.

After experiencing the transformation of the new birth and entering a state of anointing—symbolically serving in the holy place—I felt the powerful urge to fulfill what Jesus described: “You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before men so that they may see your fine works and give glory to your Father in the heavens.” (Matthew 5) And again in Matthew 13:52: “Every public instructor who is taught about the Kingdom of the heavens is like a man, the master of the house, who brings out of his treasure store things both new and old.” This is the stage I believe I have reached—a place of spiritual clarity, with a responsibility to let light shine, to teach others what has been revealed, both new and old. I will move on to supernatural visions and revelations of the Lord…For the creation is waiting with eager expectation for the revealing of the sons of God.

The Anointing at Baptism and the Spiritual Temple Revealed

I believe it is important to distinguish Jesus’ identity as God's Son from birth from what occurred at his baptism.

Jesus was born as both the Son of God and the Son of Man through Mary. The angel Gabriel assured Mary even before Jesus' birth: “Holy spirit will come upon you, and power of the Most High will overshadow you. And for that reason the one who is born will be called holy, God’s Son.” - Luke 1:35. So, Jehovah considered Jesus his Son from the moment of birth. Jesus possessed both natures. On the one hand, he had a fully human nature—he was 100% man. That is why John wrote in one of his letters: “This is how you know that the inspired statement is from God: Every inspired statement that acknowledges Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God. But every inspired statement that does not acknowledge Jesus does not originate with God.” —1 John 4:2,3. Throughout his ministry, Jesus often referred to himself as the Son of Man.

On the other hand, Jesus also fully reflected the image of his heavenly Father. This is expressed in many places throughout Scripture. The same John wrote: “So the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son from a father; and he was full of divine favor and truth.” —John 1:14. Paul echoed this in Colossians 2:9: “Because it is in him that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily.” And in Colossians 1:15–20: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation… because God was pleased to have all fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all other things by making peace through the blood he shed on the torture stake, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens.” So, while Jesus bore the heavenly image from birth, Jehovah later confirmed Jesus’ spiritual sonship in a new way—through anointing—right after Jesus' baptism. According to Luke 3:21, 22: “Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus too was baptized. As he was praying, the heaven was opened up, and the holy spirit in bodily form like a dove came down upon him, and a voice came out of heaven: ‘You are my Son, the beloved; I have approved you.’” At that moment, Jehovah affirmed their relationship and, by publicly approving him, instructed others to listen to him. Therefore, the most important event at Jesus’ baptism was his anointing as High Priest, granting him access to the Most Holy. Nevertheless, I believe it is important here to reconcile my reasoning with what has also been written in other Watchtower publications.

I like how the book The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived in Chapter 12 "Jesus’ Baptism" describes what happened:

ABOUT six months after John begins preaching, Jesus, who is now 30 years old, comes to him at the Jordan. For what reason? To pay a social visit? Is Jesus simply interested in how John’s work is progressing? No, Jesus asks John to baptize him.

Right away John objects: “I am the one needing to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?” John knows that his cousin Jesus is God’s special Son. Why, John had jumped with gladness in his mother’s belly when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, visited them! John’s mother, Elizabeth, no doubt later told him about this. And she would also have told him about the angel’s announcement of Jesus’ birth and about the appearance of angels to shepherds the night Jesus was born.

So Jesus is no stranger to John. And John knows that his baptism is not for Jesus. It is for those repenting of their sins, but Jesus is without sin. Yet, despite John’s objection, Jesus insists: “Let it be, this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous.”

Why is it right for Jesus to be baptized? Because Jesus’ baptism is a symbol, not of repentance for sins, but of his presenting himself to do the will of his Father. Jesus has been a carpenter, but now the time has come for him to begin the ministry that Jehovah God sent him to earth to perform. Do you think John expects anything unusual to happen when he baptizes Jesus?

Well, John later reports: “The very One who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘Whoever it is upon whom you see the spirit coming down and remaining, this is the one that baptizes in holy spirit.’” So John is expecting God’s spirit to come upon someone he baptizes. Perhaps, therefore, he is not really surprised when, as Jesus comes up from the water, John sees “like a dove God’s spirit coming upon him.”

But more than that happens as Jesus is baptized. ‘The heavens are opened up’ to him. What does this mean? Evidently it means that while he is being baptized, the memory of his prehuman life in heaven returns to him. Thus, Jesus now fully recalls his life as a spirit son of Jehovah God, including all the things that God spoke to him in heaven during his prehuman existence.

In addition, at the time of his baptism, a voice from heaven proclaims: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.” Whose voice is that? Jesus’ own voice? Of course not! It is God’s. Clearly, Jesus is God’s Son, not God himself, as some people claim.

However, Jesus is a human son of God, even as was the first man, Adam. The disciple Luke, after describing Jesus’ baptism, writes: “Jesus himself, when he commenced his work, was about thirty years old, being the son, as the opinion was, of Joseph, son of Heli, . . . son of David, . . . son of Abraham, . . . son of Noah, . . . son of Adam, son of God.”

As Adam was a human “son of God,” so is Jesus. Jesus is the greatest man who ever lived, which becomes evident when we examine Jesus’ life. However, at his baptism, Jesus enters into a new relationship with God, becoming also God’s spiritual Son. God now calls him back to heaven, as it were, by starting him off on a course that will lead to his laying down his human life forever in sacrifice in behalf of condemned humankind. Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-38; 1:34-36, 44; 2:10-14; John 1:32-34; Hebrews 10:5-9.

Before making any comments, I'd like to quote another article that really helps to put together what exactly happened at Jesus' baptism.

Watchtower May 15, 2001, Questions From Readers

When was “the Holy of Holies” anointed, as foretold at Daniel 9:24?

Daniel 9:24-27 is a prophecy concerning the appearance of “Messiah the Leader”—the Christ. The foretold anointing of “the Holy of Holies,” then, does not refer to the anointing of the Most Holy compartment of the temple in Jerusalem. Rather, the expression “Holy of Holies” refers to the heavenly sanctuary of God—the heavenly Most Holy—in the great spiritual temple of Jehovah. *—Hebrews 8:1-5; 9:2-10, 23.

When did God’s spiritual temple begin to operate? Well, consider what took place when Jesus presented himself for baptism in 29 C.E. From that point on in his life, Jesus fulfilled the words of Psalm 40:6-8. The apostle Paul later indicated that Jesus had prayed to God: “Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but you prepared a body for me.” (Hebrews 10:5) Jesus knew that God “did not want” animal sacrifices to continue to be offered at Jerusalem’s temple. Instead, Jehovah had prepared a perfect human body for Jesus to offer as a sacrifice. Expressing his heartfelt desire, Jesus continued: “Look! I am come (in the roll of the book it is written about me) to do your will, O God.” (Hebrews 10:7) And what was Jehovah’s response? The Gospel of Matthew states: “After being baptized Jesus immediately came up from the water; and, look! the heavens were opened up, and he saw descending like a dove God’s spirit coming upon him. Look! Also, there was a voice from the heavens that said: ‘This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.’”—Matthew 3:16, 17.

Jehovah God’s acceptance of the presentation of Jesus’ body for sacrifice meant that an altar greater than the literal altar in Jerusalem’s temple had come into existence. This was an altar of God’s “will,” or arrangement for accepting Jesus’ human life as a sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:10) The anointing of Jesus with holy spirit meant that God had now brought forth his entire spiritual temple arrangement. * Hence, at the time of Jesus’ baptism, God’s heavenly abode was anointed, or set apart, as “the Holy of Holies” in the great spiritual temple arrangement.

Later in this chapter, I will reason on Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus regarding being “born again” from water and spirit. Referring to that conversation, it is easy to conclude that Jesus experienced a new beginning at his baptism—he was born again to fulfill the very specific role that Jehovah had programmed in the Scriptures for the Messiah. Though Jesus was born as God’s Son, even in the womb of Mary over 30 years earlier, this new birth was a personal dedication to fulfill what his body had been prepared for. It was necessary to contract, so to speak, everything that had been prescribed for the Messiah through personal acceptance of this mission.

As we see from the two articles previously cited, a lot came into play: God's heavenly abode, His spiritual temple, the altar, and the body that needed to be sacrificed on that altar. Jesus accepted the mission to do so. That moment was more than important—it justified Jehovah’s personal presence and direct interaction with His dedicated Son. Jehovah opened the heavens, and Jesus could “clearly see” the new spiritual temple, the altar on which he would bring his sacrifice, and the angels who stood ready to serve him. Realizing his previous existence in the heavens and recalling the experiences of faithful earthly servants—Abraham, Jacob, Job, Moses, Elijah, David, Daniel, Zechariah—remembering their life courses, their precious tears, their sufferings and loyal stand, moved Jesus to go into the wilderness for 40 days to reevaluate everything he had just been exposed to. Then Satan immediately challenged his identity and integrity. Afterward, faithful angels came to serve him.

We can imagine how Jesus later told his first disciples: “Most truly I say to you men, you will see heaven opened up and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man.” (John 1:51) In his conversation with the Samaritan woman, he said: “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, because salvation begins with the Jews. Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for indeed, the Father is looking for ones like these to worship him. God is a Spirit, and those worshipping him must worship with spirit and truth.” —John 4:21–24

Now, with this in mind, we can properly imagine what happened at Jesus’ baptism—his anointing by holy spirit. Both the dedicated body of Christ and the new arrangement to accept sacrifices at the spiritual temple were in place. From this, we can draw a line of distinction between what happened to Jesus and what happens to individuals later selected by Jesus to be anointed and receive new birth. There is a similarity, but also a huge difference. The big difference is that others who experience the anointing have never been in the heavens and have no ability to recall a previous heavenly life.

Of course, we know that some angels abandoned their original positions and descended to earth to experience life in human bodies, particularly with the intent of taking women as wives. But the Bible clearly indicates that these disobedient angels are now stored in darkness, separated from the spiritual light of Jehovah’s heavenly organization, awaiting the appointed judgment day. Therefore, they are not the ones called to become part of the new spiritual temple, its priesthood, or the sacrificial body destined to be offered on the same altar where Jesus presented his body.

“From Firstfruits to Full Redemption: Justifying the Ransom for All Creation

Another important point is that earthly creation itself is challenged by the Devil, as illustrated in Job’s case. At that time, when Satan still had access to present himself before Jehovah, we read: “Afterward the day came when the sons of the true God entered to take their station before Jehovah, and Satan also entered among them to take his station before Jehovah. Then Jehovah said to Satan: ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered Jehovah: ‘From roving about on the earth and from walking about in it.’ And Jehovah said to Satan: ‘Have you taken note of my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth. He is an upright man of integrity, fearing God and shunning what is bad. He is still holding firmly to his integrity, even though you try to incite me against him to destroy him for no reason.’ But Satan answered Jehovah: ‘Skin for skin. A man will give everything that he has for his life. But, for a change, stretch out your hand and strike his bone and flesh, and he will surely curse you to your very face.’” - Job 2.

Jehovah not only faced Satan’s challenge regarding Job, but also regarding the entire earthly creation. As we read in Romans 8: “For the creation is waiting with eager expectation for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but through the one who subjected it, on the basis of hope that the creation itself will also be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God. For we know that all creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now.”

Jesus, born as God’s Son from his mother’s womb, remained without sin and offered himself as a corresponding price—proving that a man made from dust in God’s image can remain unblemished even under test and temptation. But what about his descendants, who inherited sin and lost that image? Can they be reconciled with their heavenly image?

Jehovah chose many faithful ones even before the spiritual temple came into existence and before the ransom was paid. He allowed such ones, like David, to be cleansed, even though David clearly understood that no one can pay the ransom for another, as stated in Psalm 49:7–9: “None of them can ever redeem a brother or give to God a ransom for him (The ransom price for their life is so precious that it is always beyond their reach), that he should live forever and not see the pit.” I reasoned on this more widely in the “Ransom” chapter of this book.

But what about after the ransom was paid? Is it then possible to redeem sinners? The development in the first century showed that it is. John wrote: “See what sort of love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are. That is why the world does not know us, because it has not come to know him. Beloved ones, we are now children of God, but it has not yet been made manifest what we will be. We do know that when he is made manifest we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as that one is pure.” “Everyone who practices sin is also practicing lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. You know, too, that he was made manifest to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him. Everyone remaining in union with him does not practice sin; no one who practices sin has either seen him or come to know him. Little children, let no one mislead you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. The one who practices sin originates with the Devil, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, to break up the works of the Devil. Everyone who has been born from God does not practice sin, for His seed remains in such one, and he cannot practice sin, for he has been born from God. The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Whoever does not practice righteousness does not originate with God, nor does the one who does not love his brother.” —1 John 3:1–10

John further wrote: “We know that everyone who has been born from God does not practice sin, but the one born from God watches him, and the wicked one cannot take hold of him.” —1 John 5:18

John saw that those born from the spirit do not practice sin. They may commit sin, but they do not make it a practice. This gave full assurance that by the end of the first century, John clearly saw the vision of New Jerusalem descending from above to serve as a tent of God with mankind—to reconcile earthly man with his heavenly image.

The 144,000 would be selected from the earth to serve as a royal priesthood. These 144,000 must prove themselves “the ones who did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins. These are the ones who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes. These were bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, and no deceit was found in their mouths; they are without blemish.”

This is what Jehovah decided in himself—to gather 144,000 such individuals as the firstfruits, the firstborn. Once that number is sealed, Jehovah will reveal them as the conquerors over this world, corresponding with Revelation 17:12–14: “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings for one hour with the wild beast. These have one thought, 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 with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.”

The High Priest and His Brothers: Entering the Holy Place

"For it is not to angels that he has subjected the inhabited earth to come, about which we are speaking. But in one place a certain witness said: “What is man that you keep him in mind, or a son of man that you take care of him? You made him a little lower than angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, and appointed him over the works of your hands. All things you subjected under his feet.” By subjecting all things to him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Now, though, we do not yet see all things in subjection to him. But we do see Jesus, who was made a little lower than angels, now crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death, so that by God’s undeserved kindness he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that the one for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the Chief Agent of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both the one who is sanctifying and those who are being sanctified all stem from one, and for this reason he is not ashamed to call them brothers, as he says: “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you with song.” And again: “I will put my trust in him.” And again: “Look! I and the young children, whom Jehovah gave me.” Therefore, since the “young children” are sharers of blood and flesh, he also similarly shared in the same things, so that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death, that is, the Devil, and that he might set free all those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death. For it is not really angels he is assisting, but he is assisting Abraham’s offspring. Consequently, he had to become like his “brothers” in all respects, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, in order to offer a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the people. Since he himself has suffered when being put to the test, he is able to come to the aid of those who are being put to the test." - Hebrew 2:5-18

"During his life on earth, Christ offered up supplications and also petitions, with strong outcries and tears, to the One who was able to save him out of death, and he was favorably heard for his godly fear. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. And after he had been made perfect, he became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him, because he has been designated by God a high priest in the manner of Melchizedek. "- Hebrew 5:7-10

"So also the Christ was offered once for all time to bear the sins of many; and the second time that he appears it will be apart from sin, and he will be seen by those earnestly looking for him for their salvation." - Hebrew 9:28

"Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness for the way of entry into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, which he opened up for us as a new and living way through the curtain, that is, his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with sincere hearts and complete faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from a wicked conscience and our bodies bathed with clean water." - Hebrew 10:19-22

"Therefore, do not throw away your boldness, which will be richly rewarded. For you need endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the fulfillment of the promise. For yet “a very little while,” and “the one who is coming will arrive and will not delay.” “But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,” and “if he shrinks back, I have no pleasure in him.” Now we are not the sort who shrink back to destruction, but the sort who have faith for the preserving of our lives." - Hebrew 10:35-39

"For you have not approached something that can be felt and that has been set aflame with fire, and a dark cloud and thick darkness and a storm, and the blast of a trumpet and the voice speaking words, which on hearing, the people begged that nothing further should be spoken to them. For they could not bear the command: “If even a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned.” Also, the display was so terrifying that Moses said: “I am afraid and trembling.” But you have approached a Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem, and myriads of angels in general assembly, and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all, and the spiritual lives of righteous ones who have been made perfect, and Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood, which speaks in a better way than Abel’s blood. See that you do not refuse to listen to the one who is speaking. For if those who refused to listen to the one giving divine warning on earth did not escape, how much more will we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens!" - Hebrew 12:18-25

The Watchtower from October 2023, titled “Cherish Your Privilege to Worship in Jehovah’s Spiritual Temple,” explains in paragraph 7: “So by the time he wrote to the Hebrews, the spiritual temple had already become a reality for Christians. It came into existence in 29 C.E. That year, Jesus got baptized, was anointed with holy spirit, and began serving as Jehovah’s ‘great high priest’ in the spiritual temple.”—Heb. 4:14; Acts 10:37, 38.

The anointing of the 144,000 is comparable. Their baptism is like that of the Levitical priests, who were allowed to serve in the temple’s Holy Place. Paragraph 13 of the same article adds: “A limited number of Christ’s disciples have been anointed with holy spirit, and they enjoy a special relationship with Jehovah. These 144,000 are to serve as priests in the heavens with Jesus... The Holy of the tabernacle represents their spirit-begotten condition while on earth as sons of God.”

The Undeserved Kindness of God and the Earthly Fulfillment of Christ’s Presence

I’ve always been deeply interested in how people know they are anointed. Romans 8:19–23 helps clarify this. All creation is waiting eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. Not everyone is seeking this right now, but I have definitely noticed a growing interest among Jehovah’s Witnesses regarding this revelation.

To be clear, I’m not ignoring sincere Bible students in other denominations. But I do observe that there is often insufficient effort to reconcile earth with Jehovah’s heavenly purpose. Many remain preoccupied with going to heaven or with the idea of a destroyed earth, rather than being equally concerned with God’s Kingdom’s goal—to restore harmony between heaven and earth.

Paul urged in 2 Corinthians 6:1–2: “Working together with him, we also urge you not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose… Look! Now is the day of salvation.” and Ephisians 1: 8-10: "This undeserved kindness he caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and understandin  by making known to us the sacred secret of his will. It is according to his good pleasure that he himself purposed  for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times, to gather all things together in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth."

Salvation of the earthly creation is part of that purpose. Jehovah saved the earth once during the Flood and promised never to destroy it again. As he told Noah: “Never again will all flesh be destroyed by the waters of a flood, and never again will a flood bring the earth to ruin.” Jesus confirmed this in Matthew 24:21–22: “Unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.” Jehovah’s Witnesses have proclaimed the hope of mankind’s survival through the Great Tribulation for over 100 years. Although similar ideas are now echoed in various places, it is primarily Jehovah’s Witnesses who have gathered millions with the living hope of surviving the end and inheriting the earth. It is clear that, on account of the chosen ones, those days will be cut short. As I explained earlier, when the 144,000 successfully prove themselves worthy of their calling, the ransom can be fully applied to all humankind. This, to me, helps make sense of Jesus’ words—that “on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.” This aligns with Paul’s statement about"we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord." and "Look! I tell you a sacred secret: We will not all fall asleep in death, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we will be changed." - 1 Corinthians 15:51. This is what Paul prematurely experienced as he discribed in 2 Corinthians 12: 1-4: "I have to boast. It is not beneficial, but I will move on to supernatural visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in union with Christ who, 14 years ago—whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows—was caught away to the third heaven. Yes, I know such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know; God knows— who was caught away into paradise and heard words that cannot be spoken and that are not lawful for a man to say. And finally 1 Corinthians 15:8: "But last of all he appeared also to me as if to one born prematurely."

I’ve long been deeply interested in how people come to know they are anointed. Romans 8:19–23 helps clarify this: “All creation is waiting eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.” While not everyone is seeking this revelation now, I’ve noticed a growing awareness among Jehovah’s Witnesses. Unlike many sincere Bible students in other denominations, who often emphasize going to heaven or the destruction of the earth, Jehovah’s Witnesses have consistently focused on God’s Kingdom purpose—to restore harmony between heaven and earth. As Paul urged in 2 Corinthians 6:1–2 and Ephesians 1:8–10, undeserved kindness is not just a personal blessing—it is part of a divine plan to unite all things in Christ, both in heaven and on earth.

Jehovah’s promise never to destroy the earth again, as told to Noah, reinforces this hope. Jesus echoed it, saying that unless the days were cut short, no flesh would be saved—but for the sake of the chosen ones, they would be. Jehovah’s Witnesses have preached mankind’s survival through the Great Tribulation for over 100 years, gathering millions with the living hope of inheriting the earth. I personally understand Jesus’ statement to mean that when the 144,000 fully prove their loyalty and complete their calling, the ransom can then be fully applied to all humankind. This harmonizes with Paul’s sacred secrets in 1 Corinthians 15:51–52 and 1 Thessalonians 4:17, which describe the moment of transformation and gathering. Paul himself experienced a glimpse of this when he was “caught away to the third heaven” (2 Corinthians 12:1–4), and later described himself as “one born prematurely” (1 Corinthians 15:8).

My point is this: the anointed ones are not only called to salvation—they are called to prove that humans can reflect God’s image faithfully under trial. Once their role is complete, the ransom becomes fully operative for all mankind. This is why, on account of the chosen ones, the days will be cut short—to preserve life and bring about the reconciliation of heaven and earth under Christ’s Kingdom.

Jesus’ Invisible Presence and Its Connection to Daniel’s Prophecies and Modern Fulfillment

A few days before his execution, Jesus had a deeply significant conversation with his faithful apostles. Each Gospel writer was inspired to include portions of this conversation because it holds one of the most profound revelations about Christ’s invisible presence and the conclusion of the system of things. This discussion has long captured the attention of sincere Bible students.

For me personally, this prophecy ignited a deep spiritual curiosity as early as 1994—when I first began to comprehend its implications. I was struck by the historical changes in the world since 1914 and how they connected with Bible prophecy. Daniel’s visions about the “seven times” (Daniel 4) and the passing of Jehovah’s sovereign kingship from Jerusalem into the hands of Gentile nations were no longer abstract teachings. They were real, traceable developments that pointed to a prophetic timeline—from 607 B.C.E., when Jerusalem was destroyed, to 1914 C.E., when Jehovah established the Kingdom in the heavens under Jesus Christ. That same year marked the beginning of Jesus’ invisible presence and the casting of Satan down to the earth—ushering in the “last days” of this system of things.

Yet this was a heavenly development—visible not to all but to those with faith to “see behind the clouds.” Just as Nebuchadnezzar struggled to recognize the source of his authority until “seven times” passed over him, the world today largely fails to perceive Jesus' kingship. Appropriately, the dream in Daniel 4 was given to a Gentile king, and the release from Babylonian captivity foreshadowed a greater spiritual release—highlighted in Revelation by the fall of Babylon the Great.

Jesus’ prophecy also complements the 70 weeks of years foretold in Daniel 9, which led to his appearance as the Messiah, his resurrection, and his post-resurrection appearances to his disciples—including the apostle Paul, who described himself as “one born prematurely.” That unique phrase captures the spiritual transformation from an earthly vessel into a new creation—an anointed one who walks in harmony with a developing heavenly identity.

All of these prophetic elements—Daniel’s timelines, Jesus’ invisible presence, and Paul’s anointing—interconnect to reveal how Jehovah is reconciling heaven and earth through Christ and the anointed sons of the Kingdom. These spiritual firstborns act as a bridge for the rest of humankind, who will be reconciled during Christ’s thousand-year reign.

For Jehovah’s Witnesses, these truths form a foundation of solid spiritual food. However, I recognize that for those who haven’t examined these connections, they may seem hidden—just as Jesus said when asked why he spoke in illustrations:

“To you it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the Kingdom of the heavens, but to them it is not granted. For whoever has, more will be given him... This is why I speak to them by means of illustrations, because looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain... However, happy are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear.” —Matthew 13:11, 12, 13, 16.

Still, the prophecy I’m about to discuss assures us that Jesus’ invisible presence will ultimately lead to a moment of full recognition—even by those without spiritual vision now. That global recognition, described in Scripture as taking place “among the clouds,” will result in sorrow for many. For some, it may lead to repentance and reconciliation with Jehovah. For others, it may echo the grief of those in Noah’s day—who “took no note until the flood came.” (Matthew 24:39)

At the heart of all this lies a vital theme: the ability to hear and see the Son of Man. Faith-based hearing and seeing are the first evidences of being begotten from above. Without this, no one can press on to spiritual maturity. In what follows, I will not only explore Jesus’ own prophecy about the last days, but also highlight its ties to Daniel’s writings and its fulfillment in our modern times.

When Paul says to the Hebrews that they are like young children, it is not a bad thing if we consider Jesus’ words about the need to become such and not stumble such little ones. Nevertheless, Paul's writings are part of the inspired Scriptures, encouraging us to press on to maturity. By putting these two Scriptures into perspective, we can draw The Stages of Spiritual Development: From Conception to Maturity

The Stages of Spiritual Development: From Conception to Maturity

Born Again—Not Just Conceived: Jesus’ Teaching to Nicodemus Reconsidered

"Yet, as soon as Zion went into labor, she gave birth to her sons. 'Will I bring it to the point of birth and then not bring it forth?' says Jehovah. 'Or would I cause the birth and then shut the womb?' says your God." — Isaiah 66:8,9

"Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God." — John 3:3

"Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born from water and spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. What has been born from the flesh is flesh, and what has been born from the spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed because I told you: You people must be born again. The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who has been born from the spirit." — John 3:5–8

Logical Questions: “How can these things be? How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter into the womb of his mother a second time and be born, can he?”

Interesting Answer from Jesus: "Are you a teacher of Israel and yet do not know these things? Most truly I say to you, what we know we speak, and what we have seen we bear witness to, but you do not receive the witness we give. If I have told you earthly things and you still do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" — John 3:10–12. Jesus emphasized that this was earthly things! Transformation caused by the spirit—being born from the spirit—is connected with the ability to hear. Jesus said, "you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going." This exactly describes what happens with those who experience birth from the spirit. I don't want to be dogmatic by saying that Jesus described only earthly things, because the spirit itself is not earthly. Jesus had limitations on how much he could say at that moment. Even with his closest followers, on the last night of his life, he said: "I still have many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them now. However, when that one comes, the spirit of the truth, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own initiative, but what he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things to come." — John 16:12,13

Although Nicodemus was not an immediate follower of Jesus, as a teacher in Israel, he was well-prepared to hear what the spirit teaches. Interestingly, this conversation about being born again took place with such a teacher, not with one of Jesus’ close disciples like John, who was more likely present and later recorded it in his Gospel. Spiritual interest dictated the topic. Nicodemus had the ability to ask deep spiritual questions. Even though Jesus said to Nicodemus, "you do not receive the witness we give," this could reflect his position as a member of the Sanhedrin—the highest judicial council of Israel. Thus, when Jesus used the word “you,” it may have been directed toward the council in general, rather than Nicodemus personally. I am personally under the impression that Nicodemus was indeed able to perceive deep spiritual truth, and this unique conversation stands as solid proof, in my view, to support that conclusion.The precious truth about being born again was revealed during this conversation. The more I reflect, the more meaning Jesus’ words have for me personally: "you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going." Still, I haven't finalized what's earthly and what's heavenly in this context. Not being dogmatic, I would say that the transformation that takes place in the human through being born again is earthly, while what causes that transformation—the spirit—is heavenly. It seems that Jesus restricted himself to reasoning within earthly things during that conversation, because even those basic spiritual matters were difficult for Nicodemus to grasp. This makes perfect sense to me as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, because of our clear understanding of Jehovah’s purpose for the earth and humans living on it. This has a huge impact on how we perceive fulfilling God's will and understanding His message for those who will possess the earth.

Ears to Hear: The Spirit’s Voice and the Birth Yet to Come

That is the first step of such development on the earth—people beginning to hear what the spirit tells them. You don't know where it comes from, and you don't quite understand where it leads, but you definitely hear its sound. Jesus said this happens to everyone who is born from the spirit. These things are not super clear at first because, as Jesus explained, people hear the sound but do not know where it comes from or where it is going. This connects directly with what Paul said to the Hebrews: they had become dull in hearing deeper spiritual truths. All who followed Jesus had the ability to hear the sacred pronouncements of God. Take Peter, for example. When Jesus asked his disciples what people were saying about him: "When he had come into the region of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked his disciples: 'Who are men saying the Son of man is?' They said: 'Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.' He said to them: 'You, though, who do you say I am?' Simon Peter answered: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' In response Jesus said to him: 'Happy you are, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but my Father in the heavens did.'" — Matthew 16:13–17

This is a vivid example of Peter hearing God's word specifically. In this case, Jesus emphasized that it was the Father in heaven who revealed it to Peter. In other occasions, Jesus told his close followers: "So the disciples came and said to him: 'Why do you speak to them by the use of illustrations?' In reply he said: 'To you it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the Kingdom of the heavens, but to them it is not granted. For whoever has, more will be given him, and he will be made to abound; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. That is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations; for looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, nor do they get the sense of it. And the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled in their case. It says: "You will indeed hear but by no means get the sense of it, and you will indeed look but by no means see. For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive, and with their ears they have heard without response, and they have shut their eyes, so that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and get the sense of it with their hearts and turn back and I heal them." However, happy are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear. For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things you are observing but did not see them, and to hear the things you are hearing but did not hear them.'" — Matthew 13:10–17.

Logical Question: Were they born from the spirit at that moment? I hesitate to say yes. Although based on the conversation with Nicodemus, it is easy to conclude that they were, I prefer to be cautious. While I have deep respect for the insights found by those among Jehovah’s Witnesses—many of whom I believe have experienced such a birth from Jehovah’s word—I believe the fuller conclusion is that the first followers of Jesus were truly born again at Pentecost, in the year of Jesus' death and resurrection. This means I need to find a different explanation to reconcile Jesus' statements to Nicodemus with the later anointing of his disciples at Pentecost in 33 C.E. I propose using the terms conceived or begotten—something that happens in the womb of a pregnant woman before birth. This is why Section 1 of this study began with the Scripture: "Yet, as soon as Zion went into labor, she gave birth to her sons. 'Will I bring it to the point of birth and then not bring it forth?' says Jehovah. 'Or would I cause the birth and then shut the womb?' says your God." — Isaiah 66:8,9. This concept also fits well with the discussion of Paul's experience—being figuratively born prematurely.
I would like to continue reasoning along with other scriptures before expressing a solid judgment on this matter. Before reaching a final conclusion, I feel it is important to continue exploring related scriptures, seeking a clearer view of how spiritual birth unfolds according to Jehovah’s purpose.

By the way, Jesus said: "What we know we speak, and what we have seen we bear witness to, but you do not receive the witness we give." Who are the "we" who spoke and bore witness?

Here is a little story: "Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he looked at Jesus walking, he said: 'See, the Lamb of God!' When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, he said to them: 'What are you looking for?' They said to him: 'Rabbi (which means, when translated, "Teacher"), where are you staying?' He said to them: 'Come, and you will see.' So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day; it was about the tenth hour. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard what John said and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him: 'We have found the Messiah' (which means, when translated, "Christ"), and he led him to Jesus. When Jesus looked at him, he said: 'You are Simon, the son of John; you will be called Cephas' (which is translated "Peter"). The next day he wanted to leave for Galilee. Jesus then found Philip and said to him: 'Be my follower.' Now Philip was from Bethsaida, from the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him: 'We have found the one of whom Moses, in the Law, and the Prophets wrote: Jesus, the son of Joseph, from Nazareth.' But Nathanael said to him: 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him: 'Come and see.' Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said about him: 'See, truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.' Nathanael said to him: 'How do you know me?' Jesus answered him: 'Before Philip called you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you.' Nathanael responded: 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are King of Israel.' Jesus answered him: 'Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see things greater than these.' He then said to him: 'Most truly I say to you men, you will see heaven opened up and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man.'" — John 1:35–51

Do we see here an example of bearing witness about Christ? Absolutely! And look at the outstanding promise:
"You will see heaven opened up and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man." Was this the only occasion when they talked about finding the Messiah? No, it was not—although Jesus instructed them not to tell others that he was the Christ: "He said to them: 'You, though, who do you say I am?' Simon Peter answered: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.' In response Jesus said to him: 'Happy you are, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but my Father in the heavens did. Also, I say to you: You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my congregation, and the gates of the Grave will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you may bind on earth will already be bound in the heavens, and whatever you may loosen on earth will already be loosened in the heavens.' Then he sternly instructed the disciples not to tell anybody that he was the Christ." — Matthew 16:15–20. Obviously, there was a period of time when those who recognized that Jesus was the Messiah were very enthusiastic about preaching that message to others. Nevertheless, Jesus wanted to shift the focus of their preaching to the good news of the Kingdom. The message to the sons of Israel was: "The Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." — Matthew 10:7. The Gospels show that the disciples made great sacrifices in order to follow Jesus and share the messages the Father in heaven revealed to them. For instance, Peter asked: "Look! We have left all things and followed you; what, then, will there be for us?" — Matthew 19:27

As we see, the phrase Jesus said in his conversation with Nicodemus, "what we know we speak, and what we have seen we bear witness to, but you do not receive the witness we give," can be applied to Jesus' disciples even before they were anointed with holy spirit at Pentecost in 33 C.E. They were already bearing witness that Jesus was the Christ, and they had heard and seen things that were hidden from others. One thing, however, they had not yet seen—but they were about to become witnesses of—was the resurrection of Christ and his ongoing presence and communication with those who would receive the new birth through a living hope. In this chapter, I want to reason on the details of this progression: from being conceived (begotten), formed in the womb, receiving the birth, becoming a child, pressing on to maturity, and finally reaching the seal of approval.

How the Disciples Received the Sacred Pronouncements

My point here is that Jesus' disciples heard the sacred pronouncements of God. All of those pronouncements were either previously written in God's Holy Scriptures, announced by Jesus, revealed by angels, or transmitted through the holy spirit—and all were harmoniously supporting one another. Some were old (already inspired and recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures), some were newly spoken, and some were future revelations Jesus promised would come through the spirit, as he said: "However, when that one comes, the spirit of the truth, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own initiative, but what he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things to come." — John 16:13.

It is interesting to see a broader context in John 16:16–21: "And I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, the spirit of the truth, which the world cannot receive, because it neither sees it nor knows it. You know it, because it remains with you and is in you. I will not leave you bereaved. I am coming to you. In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. In that day you will know that I am in union with my Father and you are in union with me and I am in union with you. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. In turn, whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will clearly show myself to him."

At the moment Jesus spoke these words, although he promised to send the spirit of the truth, he also affirmed that the spirit was already among his disciples and would remain with them. However, after his departure, the spirit’s activity would increase and deepen because Jesus’ physical presence would soon be taken from them. Jesus reassured them: "In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me." This was truly a new phase—to see someone whom they had known physically, now living in a transformed, spiritual condition. Their connection with Jesus would not be lost, because he promised: "I will clearly show myself to him." While these promises were powerful when spoken, they became even more real and meaningful when, on the third day after his death, Jesus began to appear to his faithful disciples—mostly in different bodies, and just twice in the very body that had died on the torture stake.

Let’s make the point. The sacred pronouncements of Jesus were in full harmony with what had previously been revealed through the inspired Word: "In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me, because I live and you will live." What a marvelous hope! The world would not see Jesus, though he would live—and his followers would live as well! We know from the Gospels that it was not easy for even his close associates to fully comprehend this until they actually saw the living Jesus after his death and resurrection. That experience made their faith complete. Before that, it had been incomplete—but not anymore. To get a broader picture of what this meant to them, here are some of the expressions they made:

"On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone had already been taken away from the tomb. So she came running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, for whom Jesus had affection, and she said to them: “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb. The two of them began running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. Stooping forward, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter also came, following him, and he went into the tomb. And he saw the linen cloths lying there. The cloth that had been on his head was not lying with the other cloth bands but was rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed. For they did not yet understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead. So the disciples went back to their homes.

Mary, however, kept standing outside near the tomb, weeping. While she was weeping, she stooped forward to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. And they said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them: “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have laid him.” After saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She, thinking it was the gardener, said to him: “Sir, if you have carried him off, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her: “Mary!” On turning around, she said to him in Hebrew: “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher!”). Jesus said to her: “Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene came and brought the news to the disciples: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.

When it was late that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them: “May you have peace.” After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced at seeing the Lord. Jesus said to them again: “May you have peace. Just as the Father has sent me, I also am sending you.” After saying this he blew on them and said to them: “Receive holy spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain those of anyone, they are retained.”

But Thomas, one of the Twelve, who was called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were telling him: “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side, I will never believe it.” Well, eight days later his disciples were again indoors, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and he stood in their midst and said: “May you have peace.” Next he said to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands, and take your hand and stick it into my side, and stop doubting but believe.” In answer Thomas said to him: “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him: “Because you have seen me, have you believed? Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

To be sure, Jesus also performed many other signs before the disciples, which are not written down in this scroll. But these have been written down so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and because of believing, you may have life by means of his name." - John 20.

I would love to reason on the forms of appearance, the essence of the messages, and the perception of those messages by the disciples, as well as how those messages affected them and what parallel exists with the calling that I personally am experiencing. However, it would be more fundamental first to gather the comments of others who received the holy spirit—and more than that, who received a new beginning, the birth from the living Word. These were not simply ones who had fully conceived a new spiritual DNA unfolding into new creatures, but those who had actually been born as young children, something that Jesus predicted and John recorded at John 16:21–22: "At that some of his disciples said to one another: 'What does he mean by saying to us, "In a little while you will not see me, and again, in a little while you will see me," and, "because I am going to the Father"?' So they were saying: 'What does he mean by saying, "a little while"? We do not know what he is talking about.' Jesus knew they wanted to question him, so he said to them: 'Are you asking one another this because I said: "In a little while you will not see me, and again, in a little while you will see me"? Most truly I say to you, you will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice; you will be grieved, but your grief will be turned into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has grief because her hour has come, but when she has given birth to the child, she remembers the tribulation no more because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also, now you have grief; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.'"

For now, I want to describe the joy that the first followers of Christ experienced after seeing the resurrected Jesus. Jesus himself compared it to the joy of a woman giving birth—both individually and collectively, the disciples experienced, symbolically speaking, the joy of a child being born. It is hard to miss the collective sense of joy Jesus referenced. That joy seems to have been experienced by Jesus' followers in the first century after his resurrection.

How does this connect with the rest of the Scriptures? Isaiah 66:8–11 says: "Who has ever heard of such a thing? Who has seen such things? Will a land be brought to birth in one day? Or will a nation be born all at once? Yet, as soon as Zion went into labor, she gave birth to her sons. 'Will I bring it to the point of birth and then not bring it forth?' says Jehovah. 'Or would I cause the birth and then shut the womb?' says your God. Rejoice with Jerusalem and be joyful with her, all you who love her. Exult greatly with her, all you who are in mourning over her. For you will nurse and be fully satisfied from her breast of consolation, and you will drink deeply and find delight in the abundance of her glory."

In my opinion, this prophecy directly connects to the promise Jesus gave to his immediate followers: "When a woman is giving birth, she has grief because her hour has come, but when she has given birth to the child, she remembers the tribulation no more because of the joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also, now you have grief; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."

Generally speaking, JW.org also refers to the anointing by the holy spirit since Pentecost 33 C.E. as the birth of those disciples individually and as the formation of a new nation. And this fits what Isaiah said: "Zion went into labor, she gave birth to her sons."—individually. Yet Isaiah also speaks collectively: "Will a nation be born all at once?" And this is what my research here primarily focused on.

It is important to mention that this idea was widely discussed in the Watchtower publications, drawing attention to what a faithful group of Christians discovered in the late 19th century. They experienced a similar anointing by holy spirit, followed by the rediscovery of precious truths that had been hidden under the confusion of Babylon the Great—the confusion of sacred pronouncements of God with Gentile doctrines and false teachings that prevented the flow of the holy spirit. A major separation was made by C. T. Russell and his associates, who worked to remove significant false teachings from their beliefs. As a result, the flow of holy spirit generated new begettings and even a symbolic birth among those who could hear the clear Word of truth.

For those who are not familiar with the effect Russell had on the world, I will quote from the Proclaimers book—the modern history of Jehovah's Witnesses:

Opening the Door of “Newspaper Gospelling”

By the end of the 19th century, the world was crisscrossed with telegraph lines. Telegraphic communication was inexpensive and fast; it revolutionized the press. News could be quickly transmitted over long distances and printed in newspapers. In the early part of the 20th century, C. T. Russell and his associates saw newspapers as an effective way of reaching large numbers of people. Russell later said: “The newspaper has become the great factor in the daily life of the civilized world.”

The December 1, 1904, issue of the Watch Tower announced that sermons by C. T. Russell were appearing in three newspapers. The next issue of the Watch Tower, under the heading “Newspaper Gospelling,” reported: “Millions of sermons have thus been scattered far and near; and some at least have done good. If the Lord wills we shall be glad to see this ‘door’ keep open, or even open still wider.”

The door of “newspaper gospelling” did open still wider. In fact, by 1913 it was estimated that through 2,000 newspapers Russell’s sermons were reaching 15,000,000 readers!

How, though, did Russell manage to get a weekly sermon printed even when he was traveling? Each week he telegraphed a sermon (about two newspaper columns long) to a newspaper syndicate. The syndicate, in turn, retelegraphed it to newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Russell was convinced that the Lord had pushed the door of newspaper preaching wide open. During the first decade of the 20th century, the Bible message that Russell and his associates proclaimed became widely known through such newspaper sermons.

A publication called The Continent once stated concerning Russell: “His writings are said to have greater newspaper circulation every week than those of any other living man; a greater, doubtless, than the combined circulation of the writings of all the priests and preachers in North America.”

Though in 1918 the activity of this group was almost stopped, in 1919 they experienced a new beginning, which was rightly interpreted as another fulfillment of what Isaiah described—the birth of a nation freed from Babylon the Great, paralleling the release of the Jewish remnant from ancient Babylon in 537 B.C.E. I personally spent a lot of time studying those developments in 537 B.C.E. and 1919 C.E., and there is no doubt this is more than worth learning. Without learning the history of the achievements by the group of C. T. Russell and the following Bible students, who in 1931 became known as Jehovah's Witnesses, any sincere Bible student will miss something extremely important to our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The parallel between the release of the Israelites from ancient Babylon and the release of modern Bible students from Babylon the Great is vivid and can easily overshadow the similar event of 33 C.E.

While many modern Bible students are prejudiced and misinformed regarding Jehovah's Witnesses, I feel it would be more productive to focus on the first-century event, since that is undeniable for those who believe in the Bible as the inspired Word of God.

So, it was in 33 C.E. that heavenly Jerusalem gave birth to a new nation. A new people came into existence, and their joy was rooted in the living hope of Jesus Christ's resurrection. Zion gave birth to over 5,000 individuals during the celebration of Pentecost 33 C.E. How many of those thousands had personally met Jesus? How many had personally seen him resurrected? Likely very few. Yet, even without direct physical sight, they were able to share fully in the joy of the living hope.

Jesus had told Thomas: "Because you have seen me, have you believed? Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe." Some of the newly anointed still had to develop a faith similar to that of the faithful apostles. This is exactly what 1 Peter chapter 1—presented earlier—is about.

This reasoning also provides a strong contrast to Paul's calling, described as being "born prematurely." His call, though different in timing, was fully equal to that of the apostles because he saw and spoke with the resurrected Lord Jesus. His calling was certainly more sure than that of many others, yet even he had to press forward to prove himself worthy of such a calling and to earn the stamp of approval. Jesus himself earned his stamp during his water baptism and completed it through his death baptism.

will rise first...

When Paul talks about the events at 1 Thessalonians 4: "For this is what we tell you by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first..." it gives us the expectation of the resurrection of those who are dead in union with Christ. What does that mean for us who are living in the last days of this system of things?

This opens a profound subject. Previously in this chapter, I stressed what Jesus promised to his apostles and the effect it had on their faith when they personally saw him clearly appear to them. Don't you see how what Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians gives us the same expectation regarding those faithful followers, such as Paul himself, who did not survive until the presence of the Lord but must rise first? This means that such faithful ones must be resurrected similarly to how Jesus was resurrected and should appear to those who survive not just until the Lord’s presence but also to the point of the last trumpet.

Now, if we are living during the presence of the Lord—which I, as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, have no doubt about—then what Paul wrote to the Thessalonians now applies to me. I am living during the presence of the Lord, and Paul, from the other side, must be among those who are resurrected first. And I, the living, may be caught away in the air during the last trumpet—the loud voice of the archangel. In other words, I have the great opportunity not to die but to join the Lord and the other faithful ones who died in union with Christ but are resurrected in the air.

It is worth reasoning about the "air." As explained regarding Ephesians 2, there is a contrast between two "airs"—one representing the predominated power of Satan’s system, and the other representing the heavenly places where Jehovah, Christ, and their anointed ones dwell. The world’s “air” is an invisible, impelling force that incites disobedience to God. It progressively nurtures ungodly traits, causing the spirit of rebellion to grow in the hearts of humans. (1 John 2:16; John 8:44)

In contrast, being "caught away in the air" to meet the Lord means leaving behind the spirit of this world and being drawn into the heavenly realm of divine favor and life. It is not that I believe the last trumpet has already sounded—but I will say that the last trumpet resonates within me like the sound of a ram’s horn, like the Jubilee. I have to admit that this thought is very intuitive, and I have not yet taken the time to think it through deeply, study it carefully, and fully express my personal perception. It is just a small statement here, offered as a personal note. (I mentioned in my preface that I do not expect a large reading audience, but since I view this book as a calling—a strong urge from above—I am simply following the flow of that urge and doing my diligence. Even if this work simply becomes a record of my personal study, that will be sufficient for me. Nevertheless, I already have a few readers who have given me not only encouraging feedback but also expressions of appreciation and even a desire for me to write more.) I’ve dedicated a full page to explore the topic of trumpets—specifically the “Last Trumpet”—because of its rich prophetic significance and its deep roots in both biblical narrative and Jewish tradition. The symbolism of the trumpet is too important to gloss over; it appears at pivotal moments in Scripture—at Mount Sinai, during Israel’s journey, in the battle of Jericho, and in New Testament prophecy tied to resurrection and Christ’s return. You’ll find that page under the title “Last Trumpet,” where I’ve gathered historical, scriptural, and cultural insights that bring this powerful theme into sharper focus. Whether you’re new to the concept or already familiar, I invite you to explore it fully—it may change how you view the times ahead.

The voice of the archangel, on the other hand, is the voice of Jesus Christ himself, who said: "My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them everlasting life, and they will by no means ever be destroyed, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is something greater than all other things, and no one can snatch them out of the hand of the Father." This voice I hear very well—to the point that no one will snatch me out of his hand.

This unity with Christ gives me the confidence to follow him wherever he goes, including behind the curtain—something very intriguing in view of the promise that the apostle Paul expressed as a sacred secret: "Look! I tell you a sacred secret: We will not all fall asleep in death, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we will be changed." - 1 Corinthians 15:51.

This is the hope that I am personally running for! Can I make it? I believe I can, but I also recognize that I depend on others. Moses did not enter the Promised Land, partly because he lost his self-control due to the behavior of the Israelites, and partly because he had to play a prophetic role pointing to the upcoming Messiah. Regarding those who will live during the Lord’s Day (or his invisible presence), we read that 144,000 will be chosen from the earth, from all tribes of Israel—of course, the spiritual Israel. Significantly, when the last one out of this number is sealed, the beginning of the great tribulation will reach its climax in Armageddon, bringing an end to this system of things and replacing the prevailing "air"—the spirit that now dominates human society—with the new atmosphere of God's Kingdom.

Can I personally expedite the sealing of all 144,000? I know it sounds ambitious, but allow me to explain how I reason. Ephesians 4:1-4, 11-13 says: "Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, appeal to you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and mildness, with patience, putting up with one another in love, earnestly endeavoring to maintain the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace. One body there is, and one spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling; and he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers, with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, to build up the body of the Christ, until we all attain to the oneness of the faith and of the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to being a full-grown man, attaining the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ." Here, the apostle encourages us to maintain the oneness of spirit and to build up the one body until it reaches the fullness that belongs to Christ. I am sure Jehovah and Jesus contribute more than anyone to this development, but there is also a clear urging for us to personally contribute as well.

Another important reasoning I previously quoted and thoroughly discussed is found in Hebrews 5:11–6:20:

"We have much to say about him, and it is difficult to explain, because you have become dull in your hearing. For although by now you should be teachers, you again need someone to teach you from the beginning the elementary things of the sacred pronouncements of God, and you have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. For everyone who continues to feed on milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a young child. But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their powers of discernment trained to distinguish both right and wrong.

Therefore, now that we have moved beyond the primary doctrine about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying a foundation again, namely, repentance from dead works and faith in God, the teaching on baptisms and the laying on of the hands, the resurrection of the dead and everlasting judgment. And this we will do, if God indeed permits. For as regards those who were once enlightened and who have tasted the heavenly free gift and who have become partakers of holy spirit and who have tasted the fine word of God and powers of the coming system of things, but have fallen away, it is impossible to revive them again to repentance, because they nail the Son of God to the stake again for themselves and expose him to public shame. For the ground receives a blessing from God when it drinks in the rain that frequently falls on it and then produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated. But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is rejected and is near to being cursed, and in the end it will be burned.

But in your case, beloved ones, we are convinced of better things, things related to salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his name by ministering and continuing to minister to the holy ones. But we desire each one of you to show the same industriousness so as to have the full assurance of the hope down to the end, so that you may not become sluggish, but be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

For when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could not swear by anyone greater, he swore by himself, saying: 'I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.' So after Abraham had shown patience, he obtained this promise. For men swear by someone greater, and their oath is the end of every dispute, since it is a legal guarantee to them. In this same way, when God decided to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, in order that through two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to the refuge may have strong encouragement to take firm hold of the hope set before us. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm, and it enters in within the curtain, where a forerunner has entered in our behalf, Jesus, who has become a high priest in the manner of Melchizedek forever."

Reflecting on these scriptures and examples strengthens my determination. Although the road to reaching this hope is narrow and filled with tests of faith, it is anchored by a certainty that cannot be shaken. The encouragement to "press on to maturity," to contribute to the unity of the body of Christ, and to hold firmly to the hope entering within the curtain—all of this frames my personal pursuit. I recognize that while salvation is an undeserved gift, the maturity leading to the final seal of approval is something that requires both personal effort and humble reliance on Jehovah's spirit. With these convictions in mind, I would now like to explore further how the stages of spiritual growth—from conception to full maturity—unfold according to the Scriptures, and how they align with the pattern Jesus and the apostles set for us.

To deepen this study, it would be beneficial to see how these steps unfolded in real, historical examples. Here, I would like to introduce an analysis of the apostle Paul's calling. By tracing his spiritual journey, we can review and test many of the twenty points outlined above, recognizing how they appeared practically in his life. Later, I plan to expand this analysis by considering the experiences of other apostles as well, allowing a fuller picture of how Jehovah’s purpose unfolded among the firstborn sons of the Kingdom. This analysis, I believe, will also be of great interest to those who may not necessarily have the hope of being part of the royal heavenly priesthood and its judging and governing council, because they too will go through a similar process of adoption—after the 144,000 chosen ones have filled their assigned positions.