When did WT start teaching all wicked would be destroyed at Armageddon?

cabasilas

C.T. Russell did not teach that all the wicked would be destroyed at Armageddon. Neither did Rutherford, initially. That is why he preached that millions then living would never die. However, I know by the 30s he was teaching that only JWs would survive Armageddon. Does anyone know when that teaching changed? I'm assuming late 20s but not sure exactly where to find it.

blondie

http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/millions.htm

Here's something that might lead you to some quotes from the publications.

cabasilas

Thanks, Blondie, some great info. Just wondering when the Judge started saying that only JWs would survive Armageddon? Basically, that would have been the antithesis of "Millions Now Living Will Never Die."

grissom6471

Who knows and who cares when the WT started teaching that? What is important is that the Bible Teaches that.

carla

Grissom, the bible teaches that all non jw's will be destroyed at the big A? really?!! amazing! where?

TD

It was the Great Crowd doctrine more than anything else that changed their view of Armageddon and resulted in the JW's present day exclusivistic attitude.

Prior to this, Armageddon was seen as a catastrophe caused largely by man where Jesus role is that of saviour, essentially rescuing man from himself. It was allowed that this would include many people of good will in "Nominal Christendom." (I don't have the quote at the moment, but you can find this in the Millions Now Living Will Never Die booklet)

After the Great Crowd doctrine was introduced, Jesus' role at Armageddon morphed into that of "Jehovah's Field Marshal" or "Jehovah's Executioner" where he comes to execute the wicked. The wicked were now anyone who had not joined "Christ's Brothers." (e.g. The Great Crowd) (I don't have these quotes either, but you can find them in late 30's books like Riches.)

zack

Grissom:

Here is something interesting for you since you defend the WTS.

Sam Herd gave a talk at my Hall in 1999 where he used the book WOMEN and Angels. Mr. Herd was a DO at the time. He is now a member of the

Governing Body, God's sole channel of commuication with all of mankind. That book, which he says is at the Bethel and Gilead Libraries is written by a woman who claims she received the story from a fallen angel.. In it, a fallen angel falls in love with a woman, real love, true love, etc... and even protects her from the other "fallen angels" who are looking for women. This happens before the flood.

So, Sam Herd (who is now on the governing body and will rule with christ one day) uses a book as part of a talk to a congregation of Jehovah Witnessess and the book has been communicated to a human by a DEMON!!!! AN ENEMY OF GOD AND CHRIST!!!

This is just one Prince in the crowd of Princes you call the FDS.

WAKE UP MAN!

cabasilas

Thanks for the help!

TD

I posted this amost exactly 10 years ago on the old H2O board:

A perennial question on JW related forums is whether it is or has ever been taught that JW’s alone will survive the coming "Armageddon." Invariably a youthful, progressive minded JW will flatly deny this proposition.

A thorough answer to such nonsense requires a brief summary of exactly how and why the JW viewpoint became exclusive.

The Bible Students under C.T. Russell had held a very different view of Armageddon than contemporary Jehovah’s Witnesses do today. Russell envisioned Armageddon as a class struggle between capital and labor that would result in the collapse of all human institutions, economic, political, and religious. Bringing order out of this chaos and essentially rescuing man from himself would be the millennial reign of Christ. As the January 15, 1892 issue of Zion's Watch Tower describes on page 19:

"The Scriptures give unmistakable testimony to those who have full faith in its records, that there is a great time of trouble ahead of the present comparative calm in the world—a trouble which will embroil all nations, overthrow all existing institutions, civil, social and religious, bring about a universal reign of anarchy and terror, and prostrate humanity in the very dust of despair, thus to make them ready to appreciate the power that will bring order out of that confusion and institute the new rule of righteousness."

Many Witnesses today are unaware that this kinder, gentler version of Armageddon where Jesus’ comes as Man’s Savior rather than as Jehovah’s "Field Marshal" and "Heavenly Executioner" was the backdrop against which the 1918 talk "The World Has Ended—Millions Now Living Will Never Die" was given. This earlier concept of Armageddon was changed by degrees during the 1920’s, most notably in an article entitled The Remnant appearing in the July 15, 1925 issue of the Watch Tower. This article put forth the idea that Armageddon was not primarily a social upheaval as Russell had thought, but a "great battle" between Jehovah God on one side and Satan the Devil and his visible and invisible organization on the other. Satan’s side would be completely wiped out.

However on the question of exactly who was on Jehovah’s side, the door was still pretty much left open. For example on page 215, the following statement was made:

"Again there are many people on earth who claim to be followers of the Lord and who refuse to join with the Modernists in their denial of the Bible and who refuse to join with the Fundamentalists or Modernists in support of financial and political powers; who in other words refuse to support these unrighteous causes. There are surely many individuals in these nominal systems who are honest and sincere and have placed themselves on the side of the Lord."

It can be seen therefore that the viewpoint on who would survive Armageddon was not truly confined to an exclusive group. The determining factor here was actually the absence of association with a wicked cause rather than a specific affiliation with a righteous cause.

Perhaps because of this, many of those that came into contact with the Bible Students in the late-1920’s went to the meetings and liked what they heard, but never actually embraced full consecration.

This began to change in the year 1935. On Friday, May 31, at the Washington D.C. convention, nearly 10,000 of these "Jonadabs" as they were called, stood up and were proclaimed by J. F. Rutherford to be the "Great Multitude" of Revelation 7:9. As the Riches book later explained, these Jonadabs would be spared at Armageddon by virtue of their association and support of the "Remnant"

"These are the days in which the Jonadab class has come into existence, and those who are of the Jonadab company have fled to Jehovah’s organization. As long, then, as the anointed members of the royal priesthood, meaning the anointed remnant, live on the earth and continue to preach "this gospel of the kingdom", the Jonadab company must keep in company and in harmony with Jehovah’s anointed and aid them in their work; otherwise the great Avenger will overtake them." (Riches p. 128)

These Jonadabs were marked for survival thusly:

"It is these persons of good will, otherwise called "Jonadabs", who receive a knowledge of the truth and who are thus marked in the forehead and who then show that they have been thus marked by attaching themselves to the visible part of God’s organization, and go along with Jehovah’s witnesses, and join them in giving testimony to others."

"This part of the prophecy shows a great slaying work being done and that those who are themselves on the side of the Devil and his organization shall be destroyed and shall not be spared: "And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them."-Jeremiah 13 : 14. It is the Jonadab class who are marked in the forehead that obey the Lord and are spared and protected by the Lord during Armageddon." (Riches pp. 97,98,99)

It should therefore be apparent that as far as survival at Armageddon is concerned, it was the doctrine of the Great Crowd rather than the doctrine of Armageddon itself that precipitated an exclusivistic outlook among JW’s. No longer was the lack of affiliation with a wicked cause enough to survive as it had been back in 1925. To survive Armageddon you could either be member of the "Remnant" with the heavenly hope, or you would be a member of the "Great Crowd" ---a Jonadab marked for survival through your association with and support of the "Remnant." There was no other option or third group. To be found at Armageddon without the "mark" would mean certain death.

However it was still pretty easy at this point to be considered a member of the Great Crowd. This too gradually changed though, as such things as dedication and baptism, preaching from door to door, JW orthodoxy, regular meeting attendance and even possibly the friends you kept were gradually added as conditions for survival. This can be seen in the following sampling of quotes:

The 1939 book Salvation on pages 77 and 78 drew a parallel between the Israelite cities of refuge and "God’s organization."

"A city is a symbol of an organization, and therefore the cities of refuge symbolized or pictured God’s organization under the Greater Moses, Christ Jesus. The antitype of the cities of refuge is the organization under the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Head of God’s capital organization."

"Those cities of refuge symbolically pictured the protection which men of good will receive by fleeing from Satan’s organization to Christ Jesus and his organization, and who remain there until Armageddon has ended. "

On page 128:

"In a similar way Christ Jesus now brings his "other sheep" together or under the organization of Jehovah, pictured by a city, and in those "cities" they find refuge, and nowhere else. This corresponds exactly with the cities of refuge which Jehovah provided for the people in the day of Moses."

The 1941 book Children drew a parallel between Noah’s ark and "God’s organization."

"Likewise all in Christ Jesus are granted safety during the antitypical deluge, that is, Armageddon. Those who were hidden with Noah in the ark pictured those who shall find refuge and safety ruder the capital organization of Jehovah. The members of Noah’s family, therefore, foreshadowed or pictured the "other sheep" of the Lord, who are gathered unto him and who find protection from the devastation of "the battle of that great day of God Almighty", called "Armageddon". The great deluge of waters that fell upon the earth as soon as the eight persons were safely in the ark pictured the battle of Armageddon, which shall begin its destructive work when all the "other sheep" of the Lord are gathered under the protection of the Lord’s organization. This is strong proof that only those who are in Christ and those who are of the "other sheep" of the Lord, together with the "princes", shall survive Armageddon. All others now on the earth will die at Armageddon. (pp. 294,295)

Notice that in both of the above examples it is clearly and unequivocally stated that those found outside the modern day "Ark" and "City of Refuge" would die. The October 15, 1952 issue of The Watchtower on page 619 continued in the same vein:

"The Scriptures speak of the avenger’s blood being hot. The heart of Christ Jesus is indeed hot with righteous indignation against those who have willfully violated God’s covenant. Like Jehu, he will proceed furiously against his enemies. (2 Ki. 9:20) This indicates that there is an urgency about fleeing to the city of refuge, God’s organization, now…….How long must these remain in the city of refuge? Until the death of the high priest, or until after Armageddon, when the last of the priestly members of Christ’s body die to join their Lord in the heavenly realm. Until that time let all dedicated servants of Jehovah make known his merciful provision for sparing unwitting manslayers, and let all men of good will, lovers of righteousness, take advantage of the merciful provision of Jehovah by fleeing to these cities of refuge, God’s organization."

The 1953 book New Heavens And A New Earth followed suit:

"This baptism into the Greater Noah is what will save now and during the destructive fiery baptism of this condemned old world, provided the ones baptized into him within the ark abide in him, keeping their good conscience through faith and loyal service to God. To survive Armageddon they must stay in the New World society. " (p. 311)

The August 15, 1953 issue of The Watchtower on page 501 built on that idea, explicitly stating that forsaking the JW organization would mean death at Armageddon:

"For anyone to forsake the organized congregation of those who are destined to survive Armageddon means for that one never to get past Armageddon into the New World and its theocratic system. Like Noah’s family, we must now get into the ark all together!"

Apparently even these statements did not kindle the fear of death at Armageddon to the desired pitch. The idea now began to emerge that even being in the modern day "city of refuge" and "ark" did not necessarily guarantee your safety. For example, the April 15, 1956 issue of The Watchtower on page 250 showed that association with even "good" unbelievers could cost you your life:

"A ‘good fellow’ may be good company. But is he theocratic company? If not, then shun him. Run only with those running the race. Remember the old proverb: "Birds of a feather flock together." You may also recall the old story of the farmer’s swan that always swam among the cranes. The cranes were destroying the farmer’s crops. So he determined to shoot them. He killed the cranes and with them also his beautiful swan, his prize bird. Do not be caught at Armageddon like this beautiful but unfortunate swan."

The July 1 1956 issue of The Watchtower on page 401 claimed that putting off baptism as one of Jehovah’s witnesses would be a fatal error:

"So each one of you undedicated persons has today the same freedom to choose, a choice of life or death. If you deliberately refuse to dedicate yourself to Jehovah God in this judgment day of his in which we now are living, your life will end at Armageddon, if not before, as a condemned sinner without right to life and even without hope of a resurrection.

The February 1 1957 issue of The Watchtower on pages 73 and 74 said that it wasn’t enough to simply lead a good life. Doctrine, specifically the acceptance and promulgation of JW doctrine was a life or death matter:

"We say that the true Christian faith is the sum of beliefs concerning Jehovah God and his kingdom as delivered to us by his chosen Seed, Jesus Christ, and his disciples. But do not the peoples of Christendom also believe the same Bible? Then why is it that they do not believe the same things that Jehovah’s witnesses believe? Do not think that this is merely a matter of opinion, of private interpretation. Do not think that one can believe whatever he likes so long as he leads a good life, or that doctrinal differences do not really matter. That is a fatal error. It is just that distinction that makes all the difference between one’s surviving Armageddon and one’s perishing along with the old world."

One of the most infamous quotes from this entire era claimed that those on "Satan’s side" who would die in the coming battle of Armageddon would comprise more that 99.9% of all of humanity: (!)

"As for humans upon earth, on the side of Jehovah will be all those fully dedicated to him and who are faithfully following Jesus Christ; compared with earth’s billions these are indeed few. They are the few that walk the narrow way or cramped road that leads to life. These will not share in the fighting but will merely sing God’s praises.—2 Chron. 20:20, 21; 2 Cor. 10:4, 5; Matt. 7:13, 14.

On Satan’s side will be all the rest of mankind, more than 99.9 percent, even as we read: "The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one." That includes all the governments of the world together with their supporters, the commercial, religious and social institutions. Even the professedly Christian organizations? Yes, because all such that are friends of the world are making themselves enemies of God.—1 John 5:19; Jas. 4:4." (The Watchtower, October 15, 1958 pp. 614-615)

The May 15 1960 issue of The Watchtower on page 305 reiterated the importance of dedication and baptism as a JW as a prerequisite for surviving Armageddon:

"If one knows he should dedicate himself to God and be baptized and does not do so, the responsibility before Jehovah is the same as if he did. The man who makes a dedication and fails will not survive Armageddon, but neither will the man who postponed dedication and never took the steps to qualify him for life. Both will be equally dead. Why be in either class?"

The January 15, 1966 issue of The Watchtower on page 47 declared that regular meeting attendance was also a requirement for survival:

"Are you one of these irregular attenders? Do you know of any who are succumbing to this danger? If so, it would be an evidence of love on your part to consider with them Jehovah’s counsel and admonition on associating regularly at congregational meetings……..There is no question about our association after Armageddon, but, unless we are associating now with God’s congregation, we will not be alive to enjoy association with him, his Son and his people after Armageddon."

The June 1, 1972 issue of The Watchtower on page 326 stated that no one associated with what JW’s refer to as "Christendom" (i.e. All other Christian religions save their own.) would survive:

"Any associated with Christendom who survive the destruction of false religion in the "great tribulation" will not come through to any improved, long-lived future. They will experience only the fire of Jehovah’s anger and his symbolic "sword" of judicial execution in the final part of the "great tribulation," the "war of the great day of God the Almighty" at the world situation called Har–Magedon.—Rev. 16:14-16; 19:11-21."

I think this conclusively answers the first part of the question. It would take serious reading comprehension problems for anyone to deny that Jehovah’s Witnesses have at least in the past, clearly taught that they alone would survive Armageddon.

Probably due to moderating influences on the Governing Body and writing staff, the number of references to Armageddon in the Watchtower sharply dropped during the 1970’s as a word search of the Watchtower CD will show. Some of the references that did appear were also greatly toned down. (See for example the Questions From Readers W71 1/15 pp. 63-4)

The second half of the question is whether the JW organization still holds to the ideas that were expressed from 1935 to the early 70’s on what is required to survive Armageddon. In view of the many equivocal comments that have been made since then, JW exclusivity is not quite as apparent as it once was, but it is still there nevertheless.

Often, this is expressed in two stages. For example, first it is declared clearly and unambiguously exactly who will survive:

"The only flesh saved out of that "great tribulation" will be, as Jesus himself stated, the dedicated "flesh" of his chosen anointed ones and of their sheeplike companions. No others are counted righteous in Jehovah’s sight" (The Watchtower, November 15, 1983 p. 24)

In Witness theology, the "sheeplike companions" of the "anointed ones" are the "Great Crowd" (See for example The Watchtower, January 1, 1988, p. 22) Survival of Armageddon is thereby restricted exclusively to the two subgroups within the JW religion.

Next, the number of the Great Crowd is quantified based upon JW internal church records:

"According to the careful tabulation that is made annually by the headquarters of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society and its 95 branch offices, there are well over 2.4 million regularly active in Jehovah’s prescribed work for this "conclusion of the system of things." And the ingathering of all those who will make up the final membership of the "great multitude" to its fullest extent is not yet over. It should increase! But for now the ratio is about one of the "great multitude" for every 2,000 people on earth. (The Watchtower, October 1, 1983, p.17)

"Happily, the precious great crowd, now numbering more than four million, ‘comes into’ Jehovah’s house of worship in anticipation of his ‘rocking all the nations’ at Armageddon.—Revelation 7:9, 10, 14." (The Watchtower, May 1, 1992 p. 15)

"Today, almost five million members of the great crowd are living under the active leadership of the heavenly King Jesus Christ. They are in subjection to Christ and in close association with his anointed brothers yet on earth." (The Watchtower, February 15, 1995 pp. 14,15)

It can be seen then that even though the claim of exclusivity is not made in one explicit statement, it is still made nevertheless.

There are more examples of the two-part claim. Another involves the esoteric JW term, "The Pure Language." To JW’s this means, "A proper understanding of the truth about God and his purposes." (See The Watchtower April 15, 1991, p. 28)

First it is declared that only those that speak this "pure language" will survive.

All need to be concerned about learning and speaking the pure language, for only those doing so will survive Armageddon. There is no time to lose in heeding the counsel at Zephaniah 2:1-3. (The Watchtower, January 15, 1991 p. 29)

"Similarly today, "a great crowd" of Jesus’ "other sheep" gathered out of all nations will survive Armageddon into God’s new world. (Revelation 7:9; John 10:14-16) Only those who learn and speak the pure language will be joyful survivors. (The Watchtower, May 1, 1991 p. 14)

Then it is asserted that only Jehovah’s Witnesses speak this "pure language."

"JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES are unique in ever so many ways. They alone speak the "pure language." (Zephaniah 3:9) Only they are united, having the distinguishing mark of love described by Jesus Christ." (The Watchtower, January 15, 1992 p.24)

Again, taken in conjunction, the conclusion is inescapable.

It is also notable that the same prophetic parallels that were employed in the early years are still used today. JW’s still view their organization as a modern-day "Ark" and "City of Refuge."

"What is the modern-day ark of survival? It is the spiritual situation in which Jehovah’s Witnesses have found themselves since 1919, a spiritual paradise. Like Noah’s family members, the remnant of anointed Christians and their companions must keep within its confines, working obediently, wholeheartedly, in completing the great spiritual project that Jehovah has purposed." (The Watchtower, January 1, 1986 p.18)

"He could flee to one of six specified cities where he could find refuge and, finally, a release at the death of Israel’s high priest. Today, that means accepting and remaining under the benefits of the active service of God’s High Priest, Jesus Christ. By remaining there in association with God’s anointed people, we may survive when the modern-day "avenger of blood," Christ Jesus, executes God’s judgment on the bloodguilty. The "great crowd" who now flee to God’s organization must stay in that refuge until Christ, in his capacity as High Priest, ‘dies’ with respect to completing his work of redemption." (The Watchtower, September 1, 1986 p.22)

Parallels like these serve to reinforce exclusivity as the next quote clearly shows:

There was just the one ark that survived the Flood, not a number of boats. And there will be only one organization—God’s visible organization—that will survive the fast-approaching "great tribulation." It is simply not true that all religions lead to the same goal. (Matthew 7:21-23; 24:21) You must be part of Jehovah’s organization, doing God’s will, in order to receive his blessing of everlasting life.—Psalm 133:1-3. (1982 You Can Live Forever In Paradise On Earth, p. 255)

Baptism as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses is also still held as a prerequisite for survival:

"If you hope to survive, you must drink deeply from Jehovah’s purifying Word and apply his righteous standards in your life. You must be decisive in dedicating your life to Jehovah, symbolizing this by water baptism." (The Watchtower May 1, 1992 p. 15)

At times, the same idea expressed with another esoteric term: The "Scriptural Hope."

"Only Jehovah's Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the "great crowd," as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil." (The Watchtower, September 1, 1989, p.19)

Doctrine, specifically obedience to that taught by JW’s is also still considered a requirement:

"The war of the great day of God the Almighty" will incinerate all the sophistry, philosophy, and wisdom of this world. (1 Corinthians 1:19; Revelation 16:14-16) The only ones who will survive that war and gain life in God's new world are those who obey what this world calls foolishness--yes, Jehovah's glorious Kingdom good news. (The Watchtower September 15, 1992 pp. 23-4)

Alwayshere

Grissom, You are nothing but an APOSTATE and if there is an Armageddon, You and that cult you are so fond of, will be the first to go. God hates liers. Don,t you read the Bible.

When did WT start teaching all wicked would be destroyed at Armageddon?

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