LAST DAYSTHEN WHAT?
SOME people shudder at the thought of “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) All they envision are critical times. So why have so many throughout the ages looked forward to them? Because the last days also indicate that better times are to come.
Sir Isaac Newton, for example, was convinced that the time of the end would result in a new era of global peace and prosperity under the Millennial Rule of God’s Kingdom. He stated that the prophecy of Micah 4:3, as well as that of Isaiah 2:4, would be fulfilled at that time: “They will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. They will not lift up sword, nation against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.”
When Jesus spoke of the time of the end, he urged his followers to adopt a positive viewpoint. After telling of the hardship, anxiety, and fear that would prevail during the great tribulation, he said: “As these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near.” (Luke 21:28) Deliverance from what?
What God Promises
War, civil strife, crime, violence, and hunger are a few of the things that plague humanity today and cause millions to live in fear and dread. Have any of these affected you? Then note what God promises:
“Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more . . . The meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”—Psalm 37:10, 11.
“My people must dwell in a peaceful abiding place and in residences of full confidence and in undisturbed resting-places.”—Isaiah 32:18.
“[Jehovah] is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire.”—Psalm 46:9.
“They will actually sit, each one under his vine and under his fig tree, and there will be no one making them tremble.”—Micah 4:4.
“There will come to be plenty of grain on the earth; on the top of the mountains there will be an overflow.”—Psalm 72:16.
“As for the one listening to me, he will reside in security and be undisturbed from dread of calamity.”—Proverbs 1:33.
Even if we are in a place where living conditions are relatively pleasant, we all face the prospect of sickness and death. These too will be gone in God’s new world. We can therefore look forward to seeing again our loved ones who have died. Note the following:
“No resident will say: ‘I am sick.’”—Isaiah 33:24.
“[God] will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”—Revelation 21:4.
“As the last enemy, death is to be brought to nothing.”—1 Corinthians 15:26.
“The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear [Jesus’] voice and come out.”—John 5:28, 29.
The apostle Peter summed up all of this nicely when he wrote: “There are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise, and in these righteousness is to dwell.” (2 Peter 3:13) For righteousness to exist earth wide, the removal of anyone who would disrupt that condition would be required. The same is true of the nations today, which cause much strife and bloodshed by selfishly seeking their own interests. All earthly rulerships will be replaced by the rulership of God’s Kingdom under Christ. Concerning that rule, we are assured: “To the abundance of the princely rule and to peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom in order to establish it firmly and to sustain it by means of justice and by means of righteousness, from now on and to time indefinite. The very zeal of Jehovah of armies will do this.”—Isaiah 9:7.
These prospects can be yours, for the Bible assures us: “[God’s] will is that all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.” You can look forward to living forever in peace and perfect health in the coming Paradise here on earth
Appeared in Awake! April 2008
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Are We Living in the Last Days?
THE LAST DAYS WHEN?
“IN A little over a billion years, we expect Earth to become a baked, barren, powder-dry desert. It’s hard to imagine how multicellular life could survive,” says a recent issue of the magazine Sky & Telescope. Why? “A brightening Sun will boil the seas and bake the continents,” says Astronomy magazine, adding: “This apocalyptic scenario is more than an inconvenient truth—it’s our inevitable destiny.”
The Bible, however, states: “[God] has founded the earth upon its established places; it will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.” (Psalm 104:5) Surely, the Creator of the earth can also maintain its existence. In fact, he “formed it . . . to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18) But not by a wicked, dying race of humans. God set a time for the restoration of his rulership by means of the Kingdom spoken of at Daniel 2:44.
Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God. He spoke of a time for judging the nations and peoples. He warned of a tribulation that would be greater than any that had yet occurred. And he gave a composite sign to indicate when the end of the world as we know it would be at hand.—Matthew 9:35; Mark 13:19; Luke 21:7-11; John 12:31.
Sir Isaac Newton
That such an important person as Jesus would tell of those things has stirred the imagination of many people. When would those events occur? By studying Bible prophecy and chronology, some have sought to determine just when the end might be. One who researched the subject was the 17th-century mathematician Sir Isaac Newton, the discoverer of the law of universal gravitation and the inventor of the calculus.
Jesus said that only God knows “that day and hour”
Jesus said to his disciples: “It does not belong to you to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.” (Acts 1:7) And when giving “the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of the system of things,” Jesus noted: “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:3, 36) Then, after making a comparison between the destruction of the wicked world of mankind in Noah’s day and the destruction that would take place during “the presence of the Son of man,” Jesus stated: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”—Matthew 24:39, 42.
So while the exact time of the coming end of this “system of things” has not been revealed to us, “the sign” that Jesus gave would let us know when we are in the time period known as “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) It would be a time to “keep awake” so that we “may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur.”—Luke 21:36.
Before giving the actual sign, Jesus warned: “Look out that you are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached.’ Do not go after them. Furthermore, when you hear of wars and disorders, do not be terrified. For these things must occur first, but the end does not occur immediately.”—Luke 21:8, 9.
What Is the Sign?
Telling us what will mark the last days, Jesus went on to say: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and food shortages; and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.” (Luke 21:10, 11) Jesus also said: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”(Matthew 24:14) The events that Jesus mentioned—wars, earthquakes, pestilences, food shortages—would not be new in themselves. They have been happening since early in human history. The difference would be that they would all occur in one time period.
The sign that Jesus gave has been in evidence since 1914
Ask yourself, ‘When have all the facets mentioned in the Gospels occurred in the same era?’ Since the year 1914, man has witnessed devastating world wars; great earthquakes with their tragic consequences, such as tsunamis; widespread deadly diseases such as malaria, flu, and AIDS; millions of people wasting away for lack of food; a global climate of fear because of threats from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction; and the preaching of the good news of God’s heavenly Kingdom worldwide by Jehovah’s Witnesses. These events have occurred just as Jesus foretold.
Keep in mind, too, what the apostle Paul wrote: “Know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Yes, “critical times” marked by rampant lawlessness, godlessness, cruelty, and self-seeking aggressiveness would become evident throughout the earth.*
But could “the last days” that precede the end be yet some time in the future? Is there other evidence to indicate when they would start?
When Would “the Time of the End” Start?
After he received a preview of events that would occur far in the future, the prophet Daniel was told: “During that time [“the time of the end” mentioned at Daniel 11:40] Michael [Jesus Christ] will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people.” (Daniel 12:1) What would Michael do?
The book of Revelation speaks of the time when Michael would be active as King. It states: “War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”—Revelation 12:7-9, 12.
Bible chronology indicates that this battle, cleansing the heavens of Satan and his demons, would result in great woe for the earth because of the Devil’s anger at knowing that his time left for ruling the earth was short. His anger would increase during the last days until his total defeat at the war of Armageddon.—Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11, 15; 20:1-3.
After mentioning the outcome of that heavenly battle, the apostle John declared: “I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God!’” (Revelation 12:10) Did you note the announcement of the Kingdom’s establishment under Christ? Yes, that heavenly Kingdom was installed in 1914.# However, as Psalm 110:2 indicates, Jesus would be ruling “in the midst of [his] enemies” until the time when Kingdom rule would exercise dominion over the earth as it has done in heaven.—Matthew 6:10.
Interestingly, the angel who told the prophet Daniel of the events to come also stated: “As for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant.” (Daniel 12:4) This provides additional evidence that we are now in “the time of the end.” Knowledge of the meaning of these prophecies has already been made clear and is now being proclaimed worldwide.%
When Will “the Last Days” End?
Exactly how long the last days will be is not mentioned in the Bible. But in the last days, the earthly situation is bound to get worse as Satan’s time gets shorter. The apostle Paul forewarned that “wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.” (2 Timothy 3:13) And in speaking of things yet to come, Jesus stated: “Those days will be days of a tribulation such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation which God created until that time, and will not occur again. In fact, unless Jehovah had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones whom he has chosen he has cut short the days.”—Mark 13:19, 20.
Some of the events yet to come are the “great tribulation,” including the war of Armageddon, and the restricting of Satan and his demons so that they cannot affect the earth. (Matthew 24:21) “God, who cannot lie,” has assured us that these things will take place. (Titus 1:2) Armageddon and the abyssing of Satan will be the result of divine intervention.
The apostle Paul was inspired to tell us just what would precede the coming destruction at God’s hands. In regard to “the times and the seasons,” he wrote: “Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) Just what causes that false cry of “peace and security” is not stated, and only time will tell; but it will not forestall the coming of Jehovah’s day of judgment.^
If we are convinced of the reality of these prophecies, knowledge of the facts should move us to act. In what way? Peter answers: “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah!” (2 Peter 3:11, 12) Yet, you may wonder, ‘Of what benefit is this to me?’ The next article will answer that question.
Appeared in Awake! April 2008
“IN A little over a billion years, we expect Earth to become a baked, barren, powder-dry desert. It’s hard to imagine how multicellular life could survive,” says a recent issue of the magazine Sky & Telescope. Why? “A brightening Sun will boil the seas and bake the continents,” says Astronomy magazine, adding: “This apocalyptic scenario is more than an inconvenient truth—it’s our inevitable destiny.”
The Bible, however, states: “[God] has founded the earth upon its established places; it will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.” (Psalm 104:5) Surely, the Creator of the earth can also maintain its existence. In fact, he “formed it . . . to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18) But not by a wicked, dying race of humans. God set a time for the restoration of his rulership by means of the Kingdom spoken of at Daniel 2:44.
Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God. He spoke of a time for judging the nations and peoples. He warned of a tribulation that would be greater than any that had yet occurred. And he gave a composite sign to indicate when the end of the world as we know it would be at hand.—Matthew 9:35; Mark 13:19; Luke 21:7-11; John 12:31.
Sir Isaac Newton
That such an important person as Jesus would tell of those things has stirred the imagination of many people. When would those events occur? By studying Bible prophecy and chronology, some have sought to determine just when the end might be. One who researched the subject was the 17th-century mathematician Sir Isaac Newton, the discoverer of the law of universal gravitation and the inventor of the calculus.
Jesus said that only God knows “that day and hour”
Jesus said to his disciples: “It does not belong to you to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.” (Acts 1:7) And when giving “the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of the system of things,” Jesus noted: “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:3, 36) Then, after making a comparison between the destruction of the wicked world of mankind in Noah’s day and the destruction that would take place during “the presence of the Son of man,” Jesus stated: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”—Matthew 24:39, 42.
So while the exact time of the coming end of this “system of things” has not been revealed to us, “the sign” that Jesus gave would let us know when we are in the time period known as “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) It would be a time to “keep awake” so that we “may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur.”—Luke 21:36.
Before giving the actual sign, Jesus warned: “Look out that you are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached.’ Do not go after them. Furthermore, when you hear of wars and disorders, do not be terrified. For these things must occur first, but the end does not occur immediately.”—Luke 21:8, 9.
What Is the Sign?
Telling us what will mark the last days, Jesus went on to say: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and food shortages; and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.” (Luke 21:10, 11) Jesus also said: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”(Matthew 24:14) The events that Jesus mentioned—wars, earthquakes, pestilences, food shortages—would not be new in themselves. They have been happening since early in human history. The difference would be that they would all occur in one time period.
The sign that Jesus gave has been in evidence since 1914
Ask yourself, ‘When have all the facets mentioned in the Gospels occurred in the same era?’ Since the year 1914, man has witnessed devastating world wars; great earthquakes with their tragic consequences, such as tsunamis; widespread deadly diseases such as malaria, flu, and AIDS; millions of people wasting away for lack of food; a global climate of fear because of threats from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction; and the preaching of the good news of God’s heavenly Kingdom worldwide by Jehovah’s Witnesses. These events have occurred just as Jesus foretold.
Keep in mind, too, what the apostle Paul wrote: “Know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Yes, “critical times” marked by rampant lawlessness, godlessness, cruelty, and self-seeking aggressiveness would become evident throughout the earth.*
But could “the last days” that precede the end be yet some time in the future? Is there other evidence to indicate when they would start?
When Would “the Time of the End” Start?
After he received a preview of events that would occur far in the future, the prophet Daniel was told: “During that time [“the time of the end” mentioned at Daniel 11:40] Michael [Jesus Christ] will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people.” (Daniel 12:1) What would Michael do?
The book of Revelation speaks of the time when Michael would be active as King. It states: “War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”—Revelation 12:7-9, 12.
Bible chronology indicates that this battle, cleansing the heavens of Satan and his demons, would result in great woe for the earth because of the Devil’s anger at knowing that his time left for ruling the earth was short. His anger would increase during the last days until his total defeat at the war of Armageddon.—Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11, 15; 20:1-3.
After mentioning the outcome of that heavenly battle, the apostle John declared: “I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God!’” (Revelation 12:10) Did you note the announcement of the Kingdom’s establishment under Christ? Yes, that heavenly Kingdom was installed in 1914.# However, as Psalm 110:2 indicates, Jesus would be ruling “in the midst of [his] enemies” until the time when Kingdom rule would exercise dominion over the earth as it has done in heaven.—Matthew 6:10.
Interestingly, the angel who told the prophet Daniel of the events to come also stated: “As for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant.” (Daniel 12:4) This provides additional evidence that we are now in “the time of the end.” Knowledge of the meaning of these prophecies has already been made clear and is now being proclaimed worldwide.%
When Will “the Last Days” End?
Exactly how long the last days will be is not mentioned in the Bible. But in the last days, the earthly situation is bound to get worse as Satan’s time gets shorter. The apostle Paul forewarned that “wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.” (2 Timothy 3:13) And in speaking of things yet to come, Jesus stated: “Those days will be days of a tribulation such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation which God created until that time, and will not occur again. In fact, unless Jehovah had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones whom he has chosen he has cut short the days.”—Mark 13:19, 20.
Some of the events yet to come are the “great tribulation,” including the war of Armageddon, and the restricting of Satan and his demons so that they cannot affect the earth. (Matthew 24:21) “God, who cannot lie,” has assured us that these things will take place. (Titus 1:2) Armageddon and the abyssing of Satan will be the result of divine intervention.
The apostle Paul was inspired to tell us just what would precede the coming destruction at God’s hands. In regard to “the times and the seasons,” he wrote: “Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) Just what causes that false cry of “peace and security” is not stated, and only time will tell; but it will not forestall the coming of Jehovah’s day of judgment.^
If we are convinced of the reality of these prophecies, knowledge of the facts should move us to act. In what way? Peter answers: “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah!” (2 Peter 3:11, 12) Yet, you may wonder, ‘Of what benefit is this to me?’ The next article will answer that question.
Appeared in Awake! April 2008
The Last Days When?
“IN A little over a billion years, we expect Earth to become a baked, barren, powder-dry desert. It’s hard to imagine how multicellular life could survive,” says a recent issue of the magazine Sky & Telescope. Why? “A brightening Sun will boil the seas and bake the continents,” says Astronomy magazine, adding: “This apocalyptic scenario is more than an inconvenient truth—it’s our inevitable destiny.”
The Bible, however, states: “[God] has founded the earth upon its established places; it will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.” (Psalm 104:5) Surely, the Creator of the earth can also maintain its existence. In fact, he “formed it . . . to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18) But not by a wicked, dying race of humans. God set a time for the restoration of his rulership by means of the Kingdom spoken of at Daniel 2:44.
Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God. He spoke of a time for judging the nations and peoples. He warned of a tribulation that would be greater than any that had yet occurred. And he gave a composite sign to indicate when the end of the world as we know it would be at hand.—Matthew 9:35; Mark 13:19; Luke 21:7-11; John 12:31.
Sir Isaac Newton
That such an important person as Jesus would tell of those things has stirred the imagination of many people. When would those events occur? By studying Bible prophecy and chronology, some have sought to determine just when the end might be. One who researched the subject was the 17th-century mathematician Sir Isaac Newton, the discoverer of the law of universal gravitation and the inventor of the calculus.
Jesus said that only God knows “that day and hour”
Jesus said to his disciples: “It does not belong to you to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.” (Acts 1:7) And when giving “the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of the system of things,” Jesus noted: “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:3, 36) Then, after making a comparison between the destruction of the wicked world of mankind in Noah’s day and the destruction that would take place during “the presence of the Son of man,” Jesus stated: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”—Matthew 24:39, 42.
So while the exact time of the coming end of this “system of things” has not been revealed to us, “the sign” that Jesus gave would let us know when we are in the time period known as “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) It would be a time to “keep awake” so that we “may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur.”—Luke 21:36.
Before giving the actual sign, Jesus warned: “Look out that you are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached.’ Do not go after them. Furthermore, when you hear of wars and disorders, do not be terrified. For these things must occur first, but the end does not occur immediately.”—Luke 21:8, 9.
What Is the Sign?
Telling us what will mark the last days, Jesus went on to say: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and food shortages; and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.” (Luke 21:10, 11) Jesus also said: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”(Matthew 24:14) The events that Jesus mentioned—wars, earthquakes, pestilences, food shortages—would not be new in themselves. They have been happening since early in human history. The difference would be that they would all occur in one time period.
The sign that Jesus gave has been in evidence since 1914
Ask yourself, ‘When have all the facets mentioned in the Gospels occurred in the same era?’ Since the year 1914, man has witnessed devastating world wars; great earthquakes with their tragic consequences, such as tsunamis; widespread deadly diseases such as malaria, flu, and AIDS; millions of people wasting away for lack of food; a global climate of fear because of threats from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction; and the preaching of the good news of God’s heavenly Kingdom worldwide by Jehovah’s Witnesses. These events have occurred just as Jesus foretold.
Keep in mind, too, what the apostle Paul wrote: “Know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Yes, “critical times” marked by rampant lawlessness, godlessness, cruelty, and self-seeking aggressiveness would become evident throughout the earth.*
But could “the last days” that precede the end be yet some time in the future? Is there other evidence to indicate when they would start?
When Would “the Time of the End” Start?
After he received a preview of events that would occur far in the future, the prophet Daniel was told: “During that time [“the time of the end” mentioned at Daniel 11:40] Michael [Jesus Christ] will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people.” (Daniel 12:1) What would Michael do?
The book of Revelation speaks of the time when Michael would be active as King. It states: “War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”—Revelation 12:7-9, 12.
Bible chronology indicates that this battle, cleansing the heavens of Satan and his demons, would result in great woe for the earth because of the Devil’s anger at knowing that his time left for ruling the earth was short. His anger would increase during the last days until his total defeat at the war of Armageddon.—Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11, 15; 20:1-3.
After mentioning the outcome of that heavenly battle, the apostle John declared: “I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God!’” (Revelation 12:10) Did you note the announcement of the Kingdom’s establishment under Christ? Yes, that heavenly Kingdom was installed in 1914.# However, as Psalm 110:2 indicates, Jesus would be ruling “in the midst of [his] enemies” until the time when Kingdom rule would exercise dominion over the earth as it has done in heaven.—Matthew 6:10.
Interestingly, the angel who told the prophet Daniel of the events to come also stated: “As for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant.” (Daniel 12:4) This provides additional evidence that we are now in “the time of the end.” Knowledge of the meaning of these prophecies has already been made clear and is now being proclaimed worldwide.%
When Will “the Last Days” End?
Exactly how long the last days will be is not mentioned in the Bible. But in the last days, the earthly situation is bound to get worse as Satan’s time gets shorter. The apostle Paul forewarned that “wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.” (2 Timothy 3:13) And in speaking of things yet to come, Jesus stated: “Those days will be days of a tribulation such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation which God created until that time, and will not occur again. In fact, unless Jehovah had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones whom he has chosen he has cut short the days.”—Mark 13:19, 20.
Some of the events yet to come are the “great tribulation,” including the war of Armageddon, and the restricting of Satan and his demons so that they cannot affect the earth. (Matthew 24:21) “God, who cannot lie,” has assured us that these things will take place. (Titus 1:2) Armageddon and the abyssing of Satan will be the result of divine intervention.
The apostle Paul was inspired to tell us just what would precede the coming destruction at God’s hands. In regard to “the times and the seasons,” he wrote: “Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) Just what causes that false cry of “peace and security” is not stated, and only time will tell; but it will not forestall the coming of Jehovah’s day of judgment.^
If we are convinced of the reality of these prophecies, knowledge of the facts should move us to act. In what way? Peter answers: “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah!” (2 Peter 3:11, 12) Yet, you may wonder, ‘Of what benefit is this to me?’ The next article will answer^
© 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract
The Bible, however, states: “[God] has founded the earth upon its established places; it will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.” (Psalm 104:5) Surely, the Creator of the earth can also maintain its existence. In fact, he “formed it . . . to be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18) But not by a wicked, dying race of humans. God set a time for the restoration of his rulership by means of the Kingdom spoken of at Daniel 2:44.
Jesus preached about the Kingdom of God. He spoke of a time for judging the nations and peoples. He warned of a tribulation that would be greater than any that had yet occurred. And he gave a composite sign to indicate when the end of the world as we know it would be at hand.—Matthew 9:35; Mark 13:19; Luke 21:7-11; John 12:31.
Sir Isaac Newton
That such an important person as Jesus would tell of those things has stirred the imagination of many people. When would those events occur? By studying Bible prophecy and chronology, some have sought to determine just when the end might be. One who researched the subject was the 17th-century mathematician Sir Isaac Newton, the discoverer of the law of universal gravitation and the inventor of the calculus.
Jesus said that only God knows “that day and hour”
Jesus said to his disciples: “It does not belong to you to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.” (Acts 1:7) And when giving “the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of the system of things,” Jesus noted: “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:3, 36) Then, after making a comparison between the destruction of the wicked world of mankind in Noah’s day and the destruction that would take place during “the presence of the Son of man,” Jesus stated: “Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.”—Matthew 24:39, 42.
So while the exact time of the coming end of this “system of things” has not been revealed to us, “the sign” that Jesus gave would let us know when we are in the time period known as “the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) It would be a time to “keep awake” so that we “may succeed in escaping all these things that are destined to occur.”—Luke 21:36.
Before giving the actual sign, Jesus warned: “Look out that you are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached.’ Do not go after them. Furthermore, when you hear of wars and disorders, do not be terrified. For these things must occur first, but the end does not occur immediately.”—Luke 21:8, 9.
What Is the Sign?
Telling us what will mark the last days, Jesus went on to say: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another pestilences and food shortages; and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs.” (Luke 21:10, 11) Jesus also said: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”(Matthew 24:14) The events that Jesus mentioned—wars, earthquakes, pestilences, food shortages—would not be new in themselves. They have been happening since early in human history. The difference would be that they would all occur in one time period.
The sign that Jesus gave has been in evidence since 1914
Ask yourself, ‘When have all the facets mentioned in the Gospels occurred in the same era?’ Since the year 1914, man has witnessed devastating world wars; great earthquakes with their tragic consequences, such as tsunamis; widespread deadly diseases such as malaria, flu, and AIDS; millions of people wasting away for lack of food; a global climate of fear because of threats from terrorism and weapons of mass destruction; and the preaching of the good news of God’s heavenly Kingdom worldwide by Jehovah’s Witnesses. These events have occurred just as Jesus foretold.
Keep in mind, too, what the apostle Paul wrote: “Know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Yes, “critical times” marked by rampant lawlessness, godlessness, cruelty, and self-seeking aggressiveness would become evident throughout the earth.*
But could “the last days” that precede the end be yet some time in the future? Is there other evidence to indicate when they would start?
When Would “the Time of the End” Start?
After he received a preview of events that would occur far in the future, the prophet Daniel was told: “During that time [“the time of the end” mentioned at Daniel 11:40] Michael [Jesus Christ] will stand up, the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people.” (Daniel 12:1) What would Michael do?
The book of Revelation speaks of the time when Michael would be active as King. It states: “War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled but it did not prevail, neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time.”—Revelation 12:7-9, 12.
Bible chronology indicates that this battle, cleansing the heavens of Satan and his demons, would result in great woe for the earth because of the Devil’s anger at knowing that his time left for ruling the earth was short. His anger would increase during the last days until his total defeat at the war of Armageddon.—Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11, 15; 20:1-3.
After mentioning the outcome of that heavenly battle, the apostle John declared: “I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God!’” (Revelation 12:10) Did you note the announcement of the Kingdom’s establishment under Christ? Yes, that heavenly Kingdom was installed in 1914.# However, as Psalm 110:2 indicates, Jesus would be ruling “in the midst of [his] enemies” until the time when Kingdom rule would exercise dominion over the earth as it has done in heaven.—Matthew 6:10.
Interestingly, the angel who told the prophet Daniel of the events to come also stated: “As for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book, until the time of the end. Many will rove about, and the true knowledge will become abundant.” (Daniel 12:4) This provides additional evidence that we are now in “the time of the end.” Knowledge of the meaning of these prophecies has already been made clear and is now being proclaimed worldwide.%
When Will “the Last Days” End?
Exactly how long the last days will be is not mentioned in the Bible. But in the last days, the earthly situation is bound to get worse as Satan’s time gets shorter. The apostle Paul forewarned that “wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.” (2 Timothy 3:13) And in speaking of things yet to come, Jesus stated: “Those days will be days of a tribulation such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation which God created until that time, and will not occur again. In fact, unless Jehovah had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones whom he has chosen he has cut short the days.”—Mark 13:19, 20.
Some of the events yet to come are the “great tribulation,” including the war of Armageddon, and the restricting of Satan and his demons so that they cannot affect the earth. (Matthew 24:21) “God, who cannot lie,” has assured us that these things will take place. (Titus 1:2) Armageddon and the abyssing of Satan will be the result of divine intervention.
The apostle Paul was inspired to tell us just what would precede the coming destruction at God’s hands. In regard to “the times and the seasons,” he wrote: “Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them just as the pang of distress upon a pregnant woman; and they will by no means escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3) Just what causes that false cry of “peace and security” is not stated, and only time will tell; but it will not forestall the coming of Jehovah’s day of judgment.^
If we are convinced of the reality of these prophecies, knowledge of the facts should move us to act. In what way? Peter answers: “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of persons ought you to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, awaiting and keeping close in mind the presence of the day of Jehovah!” (2 Peter 3:11, 12) Yet, you may wonder, ‘Of what benefit is this to me?’ The next article will answer^
© 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract
Last Days of What?
A SIGN in a store window proclaims: “Last Days.” Its message is fairly obvious. It can mean that a sale will be ending soon or that the store will be closing. But what if someone says, “We are living in the last days”? What does that mean?
The terms “the last days” and “the time of the end” have been in use for a long time. (2 Timothy 3:1; Daniel 12:4) Over 2,500 years ago, the prophet Daniel was given visions of world powers and of the conflicts that would take place between them up until “the time of the end.” He was told that the meaning of these visions would be made clear at that time. (Daniel 8:17, 19; 11:35, 40; 12:9) Daniel also recorded: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”—Daniel 2:44.
Jesus Christ referred to “the end” when answering a question about “the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matthew 24:3-42) Evidently, both Daniel and Jesus were referring to a finality—a dramatic change that would affect the people who live and have lived on our globe. Daniel wrote of the end of all earthly governments. Jesus spoke of “the conclusion of the system of things.”
Should you be concerned? Of course. All mankind should be, as all are involved. Still, many take this matter lightly. The Bible foretold: “In the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: ‘Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.’” (2 Peter 3:3, 4) Yes, some today feel that history just keeps repeating itself and that life as we know it will go on this way endlessly.
Is there any evidence that we are really living in what the Bible calls the last days?
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract
The terms “the last days” and “the time of the end” have been in use for a long time. (2 Timothy 3:1; Daniel 12:4) Over 2,500 years ago, the prophet Daniel was given visions of world powers and of the conflicts that would take place between them up until “the time of the end.” He was told that the meaning of these visions would be made clear at that time. (Daniel 8:17, 19; 11:35, 40; 12:9) Daniel also recorded: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”—Daniel 2:44.
Jesus Christ referred to “the end” when answering a question about “the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matthew 24:3-42) Evidently, both Daniel and Jesus were referring to a finality—a dramatic change that would affect the people who live and have lived on our globe. Daniel wrote of the end of all earthly governments. Jesus spoke of “the conclusion of the system of things.”
Should you be concerned? Of course. All mankind should be, as all are involved. Still, many take this matter lightly. The Bible foretold: “In the last days there will come ridiculers with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires and saying: ‘Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation’s beginning.’” (2 Peter 3:3, 4) Yes, some today feel that history just keeps repeating itself and that life as we know it will go on this way endlessly.
Is there any evidence that we are really living in what the Bible calls the last days?
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible and Tract
Armageddon-Gods War to End All Wars
Armageddon—God’s War to End All Wars
“They hold it atrocious to kill a fellow creature; therefore, war is in their eyes incomprehensible and repulsive, a thing for which their language has no word.”—DESCRIPTION OF THE INUIT PEOPLE OF GREENLAND BY NORWEGIAN EXPLORER FRIDTJOF NANSEN IN 1888.
WHO would not love to live in a society where war was “incomprehensible and repulsive”? Who does not long for a world where even the word for war does not exist because warfare is unknown? Such a world may sound far-fetched, especially if we put our hope in humans to bring it about.
However, in the prophecy of Isaiah, God himself promises to bring such a world into existence: “They will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.”—Isaiah 2:4.
Clearly, the world today with its 20 million soldiers on active duty and some 20 wars currently raging would have to change enormously for this promise to be fulfilled. Not surprisingly, the almighty God, Jehovah, would have to intervene in human affairs. This intervention on Jehovah’s part culminates in what the Bible calls Armageddon.—Revelation 16:14, 16.
Although the word “Armageddon” has in recent years been used to signify a worldwide nuclear conflagration, one dictionary describes the principal meaning of the word this way: “The place of a great and final conflict between the forces of good and evil.” Will good ever conquer evil, or is such a battle the stuff of fantasy?
God’s intervention in human affairs is called Armageddon
We can take heart by noting that the Bible repeatedly speaks of an end to wickedness. “The sinners will be finished off from the earth,” the psalmist foretells. “As for the wicked, they will be no longer.” (Psalm 104:35) “The upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it,” says the book of Proverbs. “As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.”—Proverbs 2:21, 22.
The Bible also makes clear that the wicked will not relinquish their power peacefully; hence the need for a conclusive act of God that eliminates all evil, including the evil of war. (Psalm 2:2) The name that the Bible assigns to this unique conflict, Armageddon, is highly significant.
Past Battles Fought Near Megiddo
The word “Armageddon” means “Mountain of Megiddo.” The ancient city of Megiddo, along with its surrounding Plain of Jezreel, has a long history of decisive battles. “Throughout history, Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley have been ground zero for battles that determined the very course of civilization,” writes historian Eric H. Cline in The Battles of Armageddon.
As Cline points out, the battles fought near Megiddo often proved decisive. Mongol armies, which overran much of Asia in the 13th century, suffered their first defeat in this valley. Not far from Megiddo, British forces under General Edmund Allenby defeated the Turks during the first world war. A military historian described Allenby’s victory as “one of the most quickly decisive campaigns and the most completely decisive battles in all history.”
Decisive Biblical battles were also fought near Megiddo. There, Judge Barak conquered the Canaanite forces of Sisera. (Judges 4:14-16; 5:19-21) Gideon, with a small band of 300 men, routed a huge Midianite army in the vicinity. (Judges 7:19-22) King Saul and his son Jonathan died on nearby Mount Gilboa when Philistine forces defeated the Israelite army.—1 Samuel 31:1-7.Because of its strategic geographic location, Megiddo and the neighboring valley have seen dozens of battles over the last 4,000 years. One historian counted at least 34!
Megiddo’s history and its strategic location doubtless have a bearing on the figurative use of the word “Armageddon.” Although that word occurs only once in the Bible, its setting in the book of Revelation makes it very clear that Armageddon will touch the lives of everyone on earth.
Armageddon According to the Bible
Although many past wars fought near Megiddo proved decisive, none eliminated wickedness. None really pitted the forces of good against the forces of evil, in the absolute sense. Logically, that type of conflict must originate with God. As Jesus once said, “nobody is good, except one, God.” (Luke 18:19) Furthermore, the Bible specifically refers to Armageddon as God’s war.
In the Bible, the book of Revelation says that “the kings of the entire inhabited earth” will be gathered together “to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” (Revelation 16:14) The prophetic account then adds: “And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Magedon,” or Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16) Later on, Revelation explains that “the kings of the earth and their armies” will be “gathered together to wage the war with the one seated on the horse and with his army.” (Revelation 19:19) This horseman is identified as none other than Jesus Christ.—1 Timothy 6:14, 15; Revelation 19:11, 12, 16.
What are we to conclude from these verses? That Armageddon is a war between God and the forces of disobedient mankind. Why would Jehovah and his Son, Jesus Christ, fight such a war? For one thing, Armageddon will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) In addition, it will usher in a peaceful world, “a new earth that we are awaiting according to his [God’s] promise,” where “righteousness is to dwell.”—2 Peter 3:13.
When Armageddon is over, people everywhere will view war as incomprehensible and repulsive
Why Is Armageddon Necessary?
Do you find it hard to imagine that Jehovah, a “God of love,” would assign his Son, the “Prince of Peace,” to fight a war? (2 Corinthians 13:11; Isaiah 9:6) Understanding their motives will doubtless make matters clear. The book of Psalms describes Jesus as a mounted warrior. Why does he fight? Christ rides, the psalmist explains, “in the cause of truth and humility and righteousness.” He wages war because he loves righteousness and hates wickedness.—Psalm 45:4, 7.
Likewise, the Bible describes Jehovah’s reaction to the injustice that he sees in the world today. “The LORD has seen this, and he is displeased that there is no justice,” writes the prophet Isaiah. “He will wear justice like a coat of armor and saving power like a helmet. He will clothe himself with the strong desire to set things right and to punish and avenge the wrongs that people suffer.”—Isaiah 59:15, 17, Today’s English Version.
As long as wicked people hold power, righteous people will not enjoy peace and security. (Proverbs 29:2; Ecclesiastes 8:9) Realistically, we cannot divorce corruption and wickedness from the people who practice them. Thus, lasting peace and justice come at a price—the removal of the wicked ones. “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous one,” Solomon wrote.—Proverbs 21:18.
Since God is the Judge, we can be sure that in every case the judgments against the wicked will be righteous. “Is the Judge of all the earth not going to do what is right?” asked Abraham. The answer, Abraham learned, is that Jehovah is always right! (Genesis 18:25) Furthermore, the Bible assures us that Jehovah finds no delight in destroying the wicked; he does so only as a last resort.—Ezekiel 18:32; 2 Peter 3:9.
Taking Armageddon Seriously
Whose side will we be on in this decisive conflict? Most of us automatically assume that we are aligned with the forces of good. But how can we be sure? “Seek righteousness, seek meekness,” urges the prophet Zephaniah. (Zephaniah 2:3) The will of God is that “all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth,” says the apostle Paul.—1 Timothy 2:4.
Learning the truth about Jehovah and his purpose is a first step toward salvation
Learning the truth about Jehovah and his purpose to rid the earth of wickedness is a first step toward salvation. Practicing righteousness is a second step, bringing us God’s favor and protection.
If we take these important steps, we can actually look forward to Armageddon, a war that really will bring an end to human warfare. When that battle is over, people everywhere will view war as incomprehensible and repulsive. “Never again will they learn war.”—Isaiah 2:4, New American Standard Bible.
Appeared in The Watchtower April 1, 2008
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible
Gideon and his men won a decisive battle near Megiddo
“They hold it atrocious to kill a fellow creature; therefore, war is in their eyes incomprehensible and repulsive, a thing for which their language has no word.”—DESCRIPTION OF THE INUIT PEOPLE OF GREENLAND BY NORWEGIAN EXPLORER FRIDTJOF NANSEN IN 1888.
WHO would not love to live in a society where war was “incomprehensible and repulsive”? Who does not long for a world where even the word for war does not exist because warfare is unknown? Such a world may sound far-fetched, especially if we put our hope in humans to bring it about.
However, in the prophecy of Isaiah, God himself promises to bring such a world into existence: “They will have to beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning shears. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they learn war anymore.”—Isaiah 2:4.
Clearly, the world today with its 20 million soldiers on active duty and some 20 wars currently raging would have to change enormously for this promise to be fulfilled. Not surprisingly, the almighty God, Jehovah, would have to intervene in human affairs. This intervention on Jehovah’s part culminates in what the Bible calls Armageddon.—Revelation 16:14, 16.
Although the word “Armageddon” has in recent years been used to signify a worldwide nuclear conflagration, one dictionary describes the principal meaning of the word this way: “The place of a great and final conflict between the forces of good and evil.” Will good ever conquer evil, or is such a battle the stuff of fantasy?
God’s intervention in human affairs is called Armageddon
We can take heart by noting that the Bible repeatedly speaks of an end to wickedness. “The sinners will be finished off from the earth,” the psalmist foretells. “As for the wicked, they will be no longer.” (Psalm 104:35) “The upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it,” says the book of Proverbs. “As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.”—Proverbs 2:21, 22.
The Bible also makes clear that the wicked will not relinquish their power peacefully; hence the need for a conclusive act of God that eliminates all evil, including the evil of war. (Psalm 2:2) The name that the Bible assigns to this unique conflict, Armageddon, is highly significant.
Past Battles Fought Near Megiddo
The word “Armageddon” means “Mountain of Megiddo.” The ancient city of Megiddo, along with its surrounding Plain of Jezreel, has a long history of decisive battles. “Throughout history, Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley have been ground zero for battles that determined the very course of civilization,” writes historian Eric H. Cline in The Battles of Armageddon.
As Cline points out, the battles fought near Megiddo often proved decisive. Mongol armies, which overran much of Asia in the 13th century, suffered their first defeat in this valley. Not far from Megiddo, British forces under General Edmund Allenby defeated the Turks during the first world war. A military historian described Allenby’s victory as “one of the most quickly decisive campaigns and the most completely decisive battles in all history.”
Decisive Biblical battles were also fought near Megiddo. There, Judge Barak conquered the Canaanite forces of Sisera. (Judges 4:14-16; 5:19-21) Gideon, with a small band of 300 men, routed a huge Midianite army in the vicinity. (Judges 7:19-22) King Saul and his son Jonathan died on nearby Mount Gilboa when Philistine forces defeated the Israelite army.—1 Samuel 31:1-7.Because of its strategic geographic location, Megiddo and the neighboring valley have seen dozens of battles over the last 4,000 years. One historian counted at least 34!
Megiddo’s history and its strategic location doubtless have a bearing on the figurative use of the word “Armageddon.” Although that word occurs only once in the Bible, its setting in the book of Revelation makes it very clear that Armageddon will touch the lives of everyone on earth.
Armageddon According to the Bible
Although many past wars fought near Megiddo proved decisive, none eliminated wickedness. None really pitted the forces of good against the forces of evil, in the absolute sense. Logically, that type of conflict must originate with God. As Jesus once said, “nobody is good, except one, God.” (Luke 18:19) Furthermore, the Bible specifically refers to Armageddon as God’s war.
In the Bible, the book of Revelation says that “the kings of the entire inhabited earth” will be gathered together “to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” (Revelation 16:14) The prophetic account then adds: “And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Magedon,” or Armageddon. (Revelation 16:16) Later on, Revelation explains that “the kings of the earth and their armies” will be “gathered together to wage the war with the one seated on the horse and with his army.” (Revelation 19:19) This horseman is identified as none other than Jesus Christ.—1 Timothy 6:14, 15; Revelation 19:11, 12, 16.
What are we to conclude from these verses? That Armageddon is a war between God and the forces of disobedient mankind. Why would Jehovah and his Son, Jesus Christ, fight such a war? For one thing, Armageddon will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) In addition, it will usher in a peaceful world, “a new earth that we are awaiting according to his [God’s] promise,” where “righteousness is to dwell.”—2 Peter 3:13.
When Armageddon is over, people everywhere will view war as incomprehensible and repulsive
Why Is Armageddon Necessary?
Do you find it hard to imagine that Jehovah, a “God of love,” would assign his Son, the “Prince of Peace,” to fight a war? (2 Corinthians 13:11; Isaiah 9:6) Understanding their motives will doubtless make matters clear. The book of Psalms describes Jesus as a mounted warrior. Why does he fight? Christ rides, the psalmist explains, “in the cause of truth and humility and righteousness.” He wages war because he loves righteousness and hates wickedness.—Psalm 45:4, 7.
Likewise, the Bible describes Jehovah’s reaction to the injustice that he sees in the world today. “The LORD has seen this, and he is displeased that there is no justice,” writes the prophet Isaiah. “He will wear justice like a coat of armor and saving power like a helmet. He will clothe himself with the strong desire to set things right and to punish and avenge the wrongs that people suffer.”—Isaiah 59:15, 17, Today’s English Version.
As long as wicked people hold power, righteous people will not enjoy peace and security. (Proverbs 29:2; Ecclesiastes 8:9) Realistically, we cannot divorce corruption and wickedness from the people who practice them. Thus, lasting peace and justice come at a price—the removal of the wicked ones. “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous one,” Solomon wrote.—Proverbs 21:18.
Since God is the Judge, we can be sure that in every case the judgments against the wicked will be righteous. “Is the Judge of all the earth not going to do what is right?” asked Abraham. The answer, Abraham learned, is that Jehovah is always right! (Genesis 18:25) Furthermore, the Bible assures us that Jehovah finds no delight in destroying the wicked; he does so only as a last resort.—Ezekiel 18:32; 2 Peter 3:9.
Taking Armageddon Seriously
Whose side will we be on in this decisive conflict? Most of us automatically assume that we are aligned with the forces of good. But how can we be sure? “Seek righteousness, seek meekness,” urges the prophet Zephaniah. (Zephaniah 2:3) The will of God is that “all sorts of men should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth,” says the apostle Paul.—1 Timothy 2:4.
Learning the truth about Jehovah and his purpose is a first step toward salvation
Learning the truth about Jehovah and his purpose to rid the earth of wickedness is a first step toward salvation. Practicing righteousness is a second step, bringing us God’s favor and protection.
If we take these important steps, we can actually look forward to Armageddon, a war that really will bring an end to human warfare. When that battle is over, people everywhere will view war as incomprehensible and repulsive. “Never again will they learn war.”—Isaiah 2:4, New American Standard Bible.
Appeared in The Watchtower April 1, 2008
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible
Gideon and his men won a decisive battle near Megiddo
What is Armageddon?
“The War to End All Wars”
In this series:
‘I promise you that this will be the final war—the war to end all wars.’—WOODROW WILSON, U.S. PRESIDENT (1913-21).
THOSE were the high expectations of one world leader at the end of World War I, about 90 years ago. That global conflict was so horrendous that the victors wanted—and needed—to believe that their many sacrifices would bring lasting benefits. But human wars rarely solve problems, let alone eliminate the deep-rooted problem of war itself.
About 20 years after President Wilson made that rash promise, the second world war erupted. It caused much more death and destruction than its predecessor. Two decades of technological advances had made mankind more adept at mass killing. As the second world war came to an end, global leaders realized that the specter of war loomed larger than ever.
In 1945, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur proclaimed: “We have had our last chance. If we do not devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door.”
General MacArthur knew what two atomic bombs had done to Nagasaki and Hiroshima during the final days of the second world war. The appalling destruction unleashed on those two Japanese cities led him to ascribe a new meaning to the word “Armageddon”—an all-out nuclear conflagration that could mean the end of civilization on our planet.
Concerns about a possible nuclear holocaust continue to plague mankind. By the 1960’s, the world’s superpowers had devised a strategy of “mutually assured destruction.” Their goal was to have sufficient missiles or delivery systems to guarantee the destruction of 25 percent of the enemy’s civilian population and 50 percent of the industrial capacity—regardless of which side started the conflict. Few people found much comfort in this strategy for conserving world peace.
Today, nuclear weapons proliferate and regional wars continue to cause untold numbers of deaths. The possibility of a nuclear conflagration still threatens mankind. Although people long to see an end to war, few believe that a war or any other strategy could achieve this goal.
Nevertheless, the Bible does describe a unique war that will bring an end to all wars. It calls this war “Armageddon”—the very word people often associate with a nuclear cataclysm. How could Armageddon truly bring an end to war?
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible and
In this series:
‘I promise you that this will be the final war—the war to end all wars.’—WOODROW WILSON, U.S. PRESIDENT (1913-21).
THOSE were the high expectations of one world leader at the end of World War I, about 90 years ago. That global conflict was so horrendous that the victors wanted—and needed—to believe that their many sacrifices would bring lasting benefits. But human wars rarely solve problems, let alone eliminate the deep-rooted problem of war itself.
About 20 years after President Wilson made that rash promise, the second world war erupted. It caused much more death and destruction than its predecessor. Two decades of technological advances had made mankind more adept at mass killing. As the second world war came to an end, global leaders realized that the specter of war loomed larger than ever.
In 1945, U.S. General Douglas MacArthur proclaimed: “We have had our last chance. If we do not devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door.”
General MacArthur knew what two atomic bombs had done to Nagasaki and Hiroshima during the final days of the second world war. The appalling destruction unleashed on those two Japanese cities led him to ascribe a new meaning to the word “Armageddon”—an all-out nuclear conflagration that could mean the end of civilization on our planet.
Concerns about a possible nuclear holocaust continue to plague mankind. By the 1960’s, the world’s superpowers had devised a strategy of “mutually assured destruction.” Their goal was to have sufficient missiles or delivery systems to guarantee the destruction of 25 percent of the enemy’s civilian population and 50 percent of the industrial capacity—regardless of which side started the conflict. Few people found much comfort in this strategy for conserving world peace.
Today, nuclear weapons proliferate and regional wars continue to cause untold numbers of deaths. The possibility of a nuclear conflagration still threatens mankind. Although people long to see an end to war, few believe that a war or any other strategy could achieve this goal.
Nevertheless, the Bible does describe a unique war that will bring an end to all wars. It calls this war “Armageddon”—the very word people often associate with a nuclear cataclysm. How could Armageddon truly bring an end to war?
Copyright © 2009 Watch Tower Bible and
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)