It seems that in the latest editions of the WT "the Great Tribulation" is being referred to as something that only the witnesses will survive.
For example, here are some references pulled from the upcoming members-only study edition:
Page 4, par. 1 - "We have a serious responsibility towards the people around us. The decisions they make now will mean life or death during 'the great tribulation.' (Rev 7:14)"
Page 5, par. 7 - "But those who remain in Babylon the Great and who continue to reject Bible standards will not be spared through 'the great tribulation.' (Rev 7:14)"
Page 23, par. 14 - "Hence, after 1935 the thrust of the preaching work turned to the gathering of a 'great crowd,' those whom the apostle John saw in vision and who would survive 'the great tribulation.' (Rev 7:9,10,14)"
ibid, par. 16 - "We can also believe the prophetic Word that the ever-growing 'great crowd' will prove itself faithful. Soon, it will 'come out of the great tribulation' brought upon Satan's world and will joyfully move on into God's new world."
Page 26, par. 10 - "We know that Jehovah will do as he has promised--preserve the great crowd alive through the great tribulation."
It was always my understanding that the great tribulation was a time of testing before the war of Armageddon, for witnesses to prove their faith and endurance to god. It was always Armageddon that was supposed to be the big slaughter that only witnesses escaped.
Can someone post the definitions of both these terms as they appear in the Insight books?
Is "the Great Tribulation" now interchangeable with "Armageddon"?
by marmot 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
-
marmot
-
Finally-Free
As I remember JW teaching, the great tribulation led directly into armageddon without any time span in between.
W
-
blondie
Destruction of Babylon the Great (false religion)
Great Tribulation starts
Attack by Satan's hordes against the anointed jws on earth triggers the start of Armageddon.
-
Gopher
Destruction of Babylon the Great (false religion)
Great Tribulation starts
Attack by Satan's hordes against the anointed jws on earth triggers the start of Armageddon.
That's what I learned from the JW's too. Then how is it that they're now saying (in the magazine Marmot quoted) that worldly people won't survive the great tribulation?
If they survive the start of the 'great tribulation' and are killed during Armageddon, don't the two just run together? It's a bit confusing. I guess I really never knew the distinction, or the EXACT definition of 'great tribulation'.
Amrageddon is supposed to be God's war against the nations, resulting in the death of all those nation's adherents who didn't accept Watchtower doctrine. (That part I get.)
-
marmot
So can somebody fire up their WT library cd-rom and post the definitions as presented in the Insight books? I've only got a mac now so I can't use my copy and I don't remember where I stored all my old books.
-
marmot
Anybody?
-
tula
You cannot rely on what you have been previously told. (by wbts)
Wbts IS part of Babylon Great. And if it were ever "God's House" then we are forwarned that that is where the "housecleaning" starts.
Many christians believe that they are going to "fly out of here" before the start of tribulation. Some groups think it will be mid-way through tribulation. This is a bunch of baloney, too.
The SCRIPTURES say that certain ones of us will "be under God's protective tent" through the whole ordeal.
As USA has been considered the "world power" for quite sometime, I forsee a disaster that shakes this nation from its stand. It could be economic, natural, or man-made. Whatever. It will result in a "prince of peace" coming forth. I see this person as a liason between the UN and the global powers. This is already in place and ready to come forth. The head-wound? Think ego. You figure it out.
At this time, there will need to be a new system of identity. You can see what a problem this caused with Katrina. So many people missing, never found. People flown out to Utah, no chance to tell relatives where they were going. Some held as insurgents in military camps. Trailers holding 7,000 of the unidentified dead. Unidentified bodies washing up on gulf shores and even as far away as NC. (yes, its true. I checked currents. Blurb from NC newspaper was removed from internet). Many people do not know all of the truth that happened because of that disaster.
This new system of identity will mark people. But there will be a price to pay. A loyalty oath perhaps? A denial of any religious affiliation or denial to speak such things? It will be a matter of choice. You won't be held down and forced against your will. This move will be spoon fed to you as a peaceful solution to unity. And many will see this propagator as an "angel of light".
As some of you may know, there is a proposal currently in the works to open the borders of the USA to Canada and Mexico. The USA will give up its sovernity. European nations have already done this. It is much easier for a one world government to bond four large chunks of nations than a lot of individual ones. It is a gradual assembly. The currency will be changed to "Amero".
The UN has already designed a plan called Agenda 21 for the future. It deals with feeding the little people this garbage about "global warming" when any scientist knows the earth goes through cyclic processes. But yes, man has brought about a lot of the problems, and yes, we can help to correct some of them. But it should not take giving up your birthright. And those of you who have spent your lives in bondage to the wbts should know that birthright freedom is hard won. The freedom of thought and freedom to live life according to your own perceptions.
Fall of religious shams + disasters (economic, natural, man-made) lead to Great Tribulation....then culminates at Armageddon
-
IT Support
They've probably changed it by now, but it used to be:
Destruction of Babylon the Great + Armageddon = Great Tribulation
-
marmot
Tula - Uh, thanks? You sure your tinfoil hat isn't cutting off any circulation?
Can anybody get back to the topic at hand and post what the society's literature says about the distinction (if there is one) between "the great tribulation" and "Armageddon"?
I always thought there WAS a difference between the two, but the latest literature seems to indicate that the two are pretty much the same thing. -
IT Support
*** w00 10/15 p. 16 par. 2 What God’s Kingdom Will Do ***
At the beginning of the great tribulation, something will happen that will be a severe shock to most people on earth: the destruction of all false religion. That will not be a shock to Jehovah’s Witnesses, for they have long anticipated this. (Revelation 17:1, 15-17; 18:1-24) The great tribulation ends at Armageddon when God’s Kingdom crushes the entire Satanic system.—Daniel 2:44; Revelation 16:14, 16.So, according to WT doctrine, the 'GT' includes both the destruction of 'Babylon the Great' and Armageddon ...