Jehovah's Witnesses and the Apocalypse
Friday, May 21, 2010 at 10:16AM 
From its inception the Watchtower Society has declared that the invisible presence of Christ has already begun.
Originally Charles Russell and the International Bible Students believed that Jesus’ presence began in 1874. They pointed forward to 1914 as the year of the final judgment and the end of the world. In fact, the Watchtower was originally titled: Zion's Watchtower and Herald of Christ's Presence. After 1914 came and went though, in the ensuing years the Watchtower reformulated an elaborate eschatology to point backwards to 1914 as the year that Jesus’ invisible presence began.
Presently the Watchtower teaches that the symbolic seals of the Apocalypse were unsealed in rapid succession in 1914. The symbolic horsemen of war, famine and pestilence are believed to have been unleashed in 1914 and supposedly have been on the gallop ever since then. But what Jehovah's Witnesses believe about the Apocalypse simply does not square with reality. For instance, the angel said that the horses of death and Hades would be given authority over a fourth part of the earth. But the death toll from the First World War and the Spanish influenza was nowhere near a quarter of Earth's population back then. (For fuller discussion of the facts read the chapter The Sign)
The Watchtower has taught Jehovah's Witnesses that the events that began in 1914 are unique and cannot be duplicated. The Watchtower even states that there will be no third world war. Their reasoning is that such a war would likely involve the use of nuclear weapons and that there would be few survivors. But, again, that flies in the face of reality. At the close of World War II the United States detonated two atomic bombs over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—obliterating them in a flash. Since the time the Society declared that there will be no nuclear war technology has changed. While there are thermonuclear weapons that are much more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb, there are now nuclear weapons that are much smaller that are intended to be tactical weapons for use on a battlefield. There are even convenient suitcase sized nukes that could blow up a city block. There are also dirty bombs, so-called, which are conventional explosives laced with radioactivity that when detonated spew deadly radioactive material into the environment. And just recently the United States military has announced that they have a laser weapon system that is now operational.
Clearly, the nations are heading to war. There are a number of flashpoints around the world that could easily set off a global conflagration. The Korean peninsula is one such flashpoint. But the most likely trigger for World War III is Iran. A war in the Middle East would have the added bonus of making it appear that the evangelical prognosticators have it right. At the present moment the Iranians are being trained by Russian technicians on the use of high-tech antiaircraft weaponry. Meanwhile, President Obama is sending yet another US carrier strike-force to the Persian Gulf region. By August the United States may have as many as five carrier battle groups within striking distance of Iran.
So while the Watchtower Society and Jehovah's Witnesses are eagerly waiting for the United Nations to suddenly destroy all organized religions, the world is preparing for war - a war that has the potential to far surpass the horrors and hardships of both world wars of the 20th century. And the force driving the nations to war is the reality that London's financial system is disintergrating.
The great irony is, while Jehovah's Witnesses continue to point to 1914 as the year when the four horsemen of the Apocalypse began to ride, the reality is that the real horses of the Apocalypse are champing at the bit and are about to be unleashed.
_________________________________________________
Not Jehovah's Witnesses official website
Reader Comments (12)
Most certainly, Jesus is currently officiating in the heavenly sanctuary as God’s High Priest, mediating “between God and men.” (Heb 4:14-16; 1Ti 2:5) In effect he is holding back God’s judgment upon a world submerged in utter darkness, decadence and gross disregard for God’s universal principles of life, liberty and happiness. The buildup of weapons of mass destruction by the nations indicates the path of destruction they have chosen to take.
Also we cannot ignore the dangers posed by the greedy commercial system, as seen by the ongoing collapse of the world’s financial system and bank foreclosures. Of note, ecological disasters are making life unbearable for many. Recently, one such tragic and greedy affair has resulted in untold billions of gallons of oil gushing out from the ocean floor in the Gulf of Mexico, with no immediate relief in sight.
The apostle John saw in vision four angels holding back the four winds representing God’s judgment. The fact that they are holding back the four winds shows that God’s judgment upon our rebellious and degenerate world is past due. That means we are living in critical times when at any time now God’s wrath could suddenly break out. –2Ti 3:1-5.
God knows the rebellious nature of mankind. As a formidable Warrior King, He is waiting in the symbolic battle field of Megiddo for the armies of this world to meet him there in battle, where they will be utterly destroyed. (Rev 16:13-16) Gone will be everyone who defies the All Mighty and his anointed, Christ Jesus. Indeed, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of [the] living God.” –Heb 10:31.
Although the death toll will be in the billions, the human race will be spared as many will come out of the great tribulation unscathed. (Rev 6:8; 9:15) These are the ones John described as having washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. So they are not under divine condemnation by reason of the fact that they have repented of their sins. –Rev 7:13-17.
Interestingly, Jesus connects repentance with the kingdom of God, saying: “happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority [to go] to the trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the city by its gates. –Rev 22:14; See also --Mt 3:2; 4:17; Lu 13:3.
The Great Crowd is said to come out of the Great Tribulation and we are told that the Great Tribulation occurs before Armageddon. So where are the Great Crowd during the period between the Tribulation and Armageddon?
If I may say something here...
Other,
this question largely arises because of the WT's false view that Armageddon is the concluding PART OF the great tribulation, which goes directly against Christ's express word, "immediately AFTER the tribulation..." which He uses as a clear demarcation, where the 'tables are turned' against this world. (Mat.24:29; 2Thes.1:6-8)
The great tribulation is the global persecution of the righteous by "all those who dwell on the earth," who are worshiping the NWO beast at that time. When Jesus returns and becomes present immediately after the end of the great tribulation, God's battle of Armageddon against "all those who dwell on the earth" begins.
The great crowd, having survived the tribulation DUE TO divine protection, naturally have NOTHING to fear from God's destructive judgment on the world afterwards. That is why they are SAID to come 'out of the great tribulation,' and NOT 'out of Armageddon.'
The WT and its followers have confused Christ's qualifier for the great tribulation, namely 'such as never was before, nor ever will be again,' as applying to the divine destruction of the world at Armageddon, while Jesus was really talking about a persecution of the righteous so severe as never happened before, nor ever to happen again.
Although only 8 people survived the flood, clearly MANY more will survive Armageddon. Further, assuming that the ratio of righteous to unrighteous people remains constant regardless of time and circumstance, and say, 95% of 7 billion people get destroyed at Armageddon, and ALSO 95% of those TENS OF BILLIONS resurrected during the 1000 years won't survive the final test, it becomes clear that Jesus did not have the comparative magnitude of GOD'S judgment at Armageddon in mind but rather the unprecedented and never to be repeated persecution of the righteous by the FORCES OF EVIL.
I will recommend not to wait until you earn enough amount of cash to buy goods! You should get the business loans or student loan and feel free
proxygnosis
Could you clarify your understanding of Armageddon? You do understand that your statements ramble and skip about making endless points with no introduction or conclusions.
So with that said what is Armageddon (what does it accomplish) and when does it take place? It seams on other posts you intimate that it will occur after the thousand year reign of Christ and sometimes it happens directly after the tribulation on the arrival of Jesus when he sits on his throne.
What precisely do you believe? That would go for every thing not just the Armageddon subject!
With respect and dignity Brian/truthseeker
Proxygnosis
Would you be interested in exchanging E-mail contacts for further discussion?
You never know if Watchman might ban you and I would hate to lose contact with you!!
If you’re up to this I will be the one to put my address out on this forum for you to contact me. Don’t worry I’m quite sane with no malicious intentions; watchman will vouch for me I haven’t done any thing to kooky for the last two years in association with him! Although you could get a different story from him, but I’m relatively sure he will give a good recommendation.
Brian
Proxygnosis seems to have a man crush on Robert King!
Brian,
due to technical limitations I cannot correspond by email or join the discussion board - nothing personal or solvable at present, but not to worry, the Father knows what we need and when.
Armageddon starts immediately after the great tribulation on Christianity by the NWO beast is finished, at the coming on the clouds with power and glory by Jesus to glorify his brothers who will join him, there and then, in dashing the nations to pieces like clay vessels.
My comment to Watchman's post "Jehovah's witnesses and the holy place" is about as succinct as I can put it at present. Every sentence or part thereof is based on scores of underlying scriptures condensed into, and having extracted and/or extrapolated from them, the pertinent details, to form a picture of what the Holy Spirit is indicating concerning future developments destined to take place.
All I can say, and what I also do, is: Read, think, pray and wait for the kingdom that comes after the kingdom that is about to replace the present, evil system of things.
Dosen't this man on here talk some total rubbish!
For one, nothing will happen until the 8th king is in place!
Furthermore, the oil rig disaster and the like has nothing to do with it!
Jesus' enthronement 2033, Armageddon 2070 - obvious!
The generation 37 1/2 years (cut short from 40, which is a generation)
An exact parallel 2000 years later after Jesus' prophecy, and in keeping with Gods 50,000 year plan!
Obvious and perfect!
Your comments would be less confusing if you would give a breakdown of the ride of the horsemen, pouring out of the bowls, matthew chapter 25 and Daniel chapters 11 and 12. It appears somehow that these are all related and have to do with the time of the end. The 4 pages of corrections for the Revelation book almost made it irrelevant.
Where are we now in the stream of time and events?? Are we living in the time of Christ's parousia?? We know he will not return in the flesh. I read and study the bible all the time with prayer as my only guide as I request the true God Jehovah' Holy Spirit to teach me because the Society's literature is not enough..
http://www.tangotango.org.uk/
That will tell you!
Obvious when you think about it retrospectively!
Interesting to note that the Fed Reserve in US was created in 1913. Coincidence?
Learn some good news too