=djd83;7405152]Hi!
I am an 18 year old ex-jehovah’s witness who may become catholic when i get to college.
Recently, ive been having discussions with a jw about how more than 144,000 go to heaven. This person keeps quoting psalm 37:11 as proof that people will live on earth after armageddon. It says: “but the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.” (niv). I also know jesus quoted this in his sermon on the mount.
I am just wondering how this scripture can be explained in agreement with catholic doctrine.
Thanks in advance!
***Greetings friend,
Read “meek” as humility…
Humility is the ONE virtue absolutely necessary to attain heaven.***
Ps.37: 11 “But the meek shall possess the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.”
As is oen the case taking a verse out of context makes it so much easier to ditort; or at least to properly understand: Here we put it back into the authors entended message for you:
**Ps. 37: 3- 10 **“Trust in the LORD, and do good;so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your vindication as the light, and your right as the noonday. Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over him who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the wicked shall be cut off; but those who wait for the LORD shall possess the land. Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look well at his place, he will not be there.”
Notice my friend that HUMILITY is required in order to do each and every thing asked.
**Prov.22: 4 **T"he reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life."
**1Pet.5: 5 **"Likewise you that are younger be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
Prov.8: 13 “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I [God] hate.”
**Prov.11: 2 **“When pride comes, then comes disgrace; but with the humble is wisdom.”
Isa.13: 11 "I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant, and lay low the haughtiness of the ruthless.
4Ezra.11: 43 "And so your insolence has come up before the Most High, and your pride to the Mighty One. 4Ezra.15 18 “For because of their pride the cities shall be in confusion, the houses shall be destroyed, and people shall be afraid.”
**Mark 7: 20-23 **"And he said, “What comes out of a man is what defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, fornication, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, **pride, **foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a man.”
And here is what Haydock’s Catholic Commentary has to say:
Ver. 11. Meek. Hebrew hanavim, also means "the afflicted." (Berthier) — Captives, ye shall be reinstated in your dear country. Our Saviour alludes to this text, **(Matthew v. 4.) **and the Fathers beautifully explain it of heaven. (Eusebius; St. Augustine) What is now become of those who have heretofore filled the world with tumult and bloodshed to obtain dominion! They are confined to the land where everlasting horror and on order dwells. They would wish they had never existed, as our Saviour mentions;
while those who passed through life unknown, or despised, but always seeking God, are now arrived at the summit of all their wishes.
And from ***Strong’s Concordance ***“Meek” in Hebrew means " Result of search for “meek”:6035 `anav aw-nawv’ or (by intermixture with 6041) Aanayv {aw-nawv’}; from 6031; depressed (figuratively),
in mind (gentle) or circumstances (needy, especially saintly):–humble, lowly, meek, poor. Compare 6041.
God’s continued Blessings,
If you’d like more help…PM me…
God Bless,
Pat
PJM
