Armageddon and End-Times

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Armageddon is a future but imminent event that will mark the end of the world as we know it. They believe that Armageddon will be a time of great destruction, when God will destroy all those who are opposed to him. Only baptized Jehovah’s Witnesses will be saved.

The word “Armageddon” comes from the Hebrew word Har Meghiddon, which means “Mountain of Megiddo.” Megiddo was a city in ancient Israel that was the site of many battles. In the Bible, Armageddon is often used as a symbol of a final battle between good and evil.

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Armageddon will be a literal event, but they have a convoluted explanation as to when it will happen. They believe that it will happen soon, but they no longer set any specific dates.

They believe that Armageddon will be preceded by a series of events, such as the spread of false religion, wars, disease, famine and earthquakes. They also believe that the Antichrist will appear, a world leader who will oppose God and his people.

When Armageddon arrives, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that God will intervene and destroy the forces of evil. They believe that the survivors of Armageddon will live in a paradise on earth, where they will be ruled by God and Jesus Christ.

Here are some of the Bible verses that Jehovah’s Witnesses use to support their belief in Armageddon:

• Matthew 24:3-14: “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately and said, ‘Tell us, when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Messiah,” and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is not yet. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of the birth pains.'”
• Matthew 24:21-22: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.”
• 2 Timothy 3:1-5: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. They will hold to the form of religion, but they will deny its power. Avoid such people.”
• Revelation 6:1-8: “I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a loud voice, ‘Come!’ I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and a crown was given to him. He came out victorious, and to conquer.
• Revelation 16:14-16: “They gathered the kings together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured out his bowl on the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.”
• Revelation 20:1-6: “And I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.”

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Armageddon is a necessary event, because it will rid the world of evil and allow God to establish his kingdom on earth. They believe that Armageddon is a time of great judgment, but they also believe that it is a time of great hope for those who are faithful to God. They believe that after Armageddon, God will create a new world where there will be no more war, pain, or suffering.

After Armageddon, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that there will be a thousand-year period of peace and prosperity on earth when Jesus will return to Earth to rule over a paradise. This period is known as the Millennium. During the Millennium, Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that all people who have been resurrected will have the opportunity to learn about God and to choose to serve him.