There are two "great tribulations": one before the 2nd coming and one after. The final one, of course, leads into Armageddon. The first one, which was "cut short" because of the holy ones, and that is completely over before the 2nd coming was the HOLOCAUST. The "holy ones" are Jews and JWs. Matthew 24:29, something the WTS clearly doesn't understand: "Immediately AFTER the tribulation of those days... the sign of the son of man will appear in heaven..." Thus the first "great tribulation" is totally over before the 2nd coming occurs. Of course, the "great tribulation" connected to Armageddon does not occur until after Christ arrives and his angels have sealed all the elect. But since we're dealing with fear factors here, it appears the final "great tribulation" will be triggered by the death of "Babylon the Great" at the hands of the U.N. and thus suggests the context of a global ecomomic meltdown that gets blamed on international banking, which is a part of BTG. Of course, the world economy has already crashed once lately, only being saved by big bail-out emergency funds. So the idea of economic insolvency, even of the U.S. is already a reality. Of note though, apparently after this economic global crisis U.N. rule will attain some degree of "peace and security" after which Armageddon will ensue. Armageddon will eliminate the worldly governments by killing off the people who are loyal to them. The context reflects lots of dead bodies eating by birds, so it may be like when the Israelites left Egypt and Jehovah's angel killed all the firstborn males of Egypt. That is, people will be dropping dead if not at the hands of their companion, which is God will cause. So that is somewhat stressful as well. What will likely NOT occur, is the concept that Jehovah will use destructive natural forces like massive earthquakes and hurricanes, etc. to destroy the wicked. To the contrary, the survivors of Armageddon are said to inherit the world as part of the "spoils." Why destroy the the world's wealth and infrastructure along with the people so that the survivors inherit a pseudo post-nuclear world, where everything has to be rebuilt? Why not just kill off the people? Governments do not exist in buildings, it exists in the minds of the people. Thus the context of lots of dead bodies whose flesh will be eaten by the birds and not so much the thunder and lightning and earthquakes the WTS represents as Armageddon. So in other words, the day after Armageddon is over, there will be a big shopping day when the survivors will rush the malls and grab whatever they want for free! It will be a happy time. Not a few survivors poking their heads out from underneath the rubble of destroyed cities, etc. Instead, we will be choosing our fine new homes from the nicest, now empty neighborhoods! That's not to say Armageddon and the economic pressures preceding it will not be quite stressful--it certainly will be. There might be a rush on food, so having money will not be an issue. The "days were cut short" for the first great tribulation, which was the HOLOCAUST, because the prophesied 2/3rds of the Jews that were to exterminated was attained by the Nazis by late 1944 (Zech 13:8). The period of tribulation was to be 1 week, or 7 years from 1940-1947. Apparently the post-advent tribulation may parallel the first by being shortened. The timing from the destruction of BTG, the fourth beast, until the nations are destroyed is "a time and a season" or 15 months. So perhaps the economic severity or disruption of food sources would be too severe over that period of time so the GT and Armageddon have to be cut short to a period less than 15 months overall. At any rate, it will not be a piece of cake by any means. So some anxiety in anticipation is natural and warranted. It will be a time of stress and a test of our endurance and survival skills. But it will not be about dodging lightning bolts or lava flows or floods as the WTS depicts. In the meantime, it can start at any time because we are indeed on the verge of a global economic crisis, are we not? LS
