The Great Tribulation is NOT Armageddon!

by The Searcher 7 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  The Searcher

  The Insight Book says this; "The book of Revelation shows that "Babylon the Great" and "the wild beast" have brought tribulation upon God’s holy ones. It therefore logically follows that the tribulation to come upon "Babylon the Great" and "the wild beast" is included in the "great tribulation." It does

  not "logically follow"!!

  The Great Tribulation is referred to 4 times in the Bible - and only by Christ himself; (Mattew 24:21, 29; Revelation 2:22; 7:14)

  The first time he mentioned it was at Matthew 24:21, when he was informing his apostles about what would occur prior to the end of Satan's system of things. He said,"for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again."

  In what manner would this 'tribulation' would be greater than any other ever experienced 'since the world's beginning'.

  Jesus could not have possibly been referring to a physical tribulation, because the tribulation in Noah's day resulted in only 8 humans surviving that event, whereas the Bible assures us at Revelation 7:14 that "a great crowd" will survive the Great Tribulation. Importantly, it also explains the reason for their survival - they have remained true to their faith in Christ's sacrifice. Therefore, Jesus must have been referring to a spiritual tribulation such as had never happened before. Clearly, a terrible time to come and one which raises 4 crucial questions;

  1) Who or what causes it?

  2) To whom will it be directed?

  3) Why?

  The answers to these three questions are all contained in Jesus' words to the apostle John at Revelation 2:22,23.

  Christ Jesus himself will cause it to happen to the Christian congregation as a whole, no one else, because of the corrupt practices occurring in 'God's House' at the time of the end, by some influential "Christians".

  Matthew 13:41 - "The Son of man will send forth his angels, and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness."

  Matthew 24:24 - For false Christs (anointed) and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones."

  Acts 20:30 - "from among YOU yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves."

  2 Thess. 2:4 - "The day of Jehovah.......will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness gets revealed, the son of destruction. He is set in opposition and lifts himself up over everyone who is called "god" or an object of reverence, so that he sits down in the temple of The God, publicly showing himself to be a god."

  2nd Peter 2:1 - "there will also be false teachers among YOU."

  1st Peter 4:17 - "The judgement starts first with the House of God."

  It is clear that the Great Tribulation and Armageddon are two distinct events - the former involves the cleansing and refining of God's house, and the latter causes the removal of every aspect of Satan's world.

  Further, the apostle John was inspired by God's Holy Spirit to warn Christians, "do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world." (1 John 4:1)

  These warnings are very clear for all to see.

  Christians were being warned to be concerned about their Christian identity, nothing more!

  The Revelation Book, chap. 6 pp. 31-32, states a clear truth; "The conditions in all the seven congregations named in Asia Minor were used to picture the different conditions.......today among the congregations of God’s flock.............. Thus, Jesus’ messages to the seven first-century congregations in Asia Minor are not mere historical curiosities."

  They mean life or death to each one of us.

  "Test the Inspired expressions".
• 

  Phizzy

  Armageddon is a fiction from a work by some 1st Century weirdo, John of Patmos, whoever he was, who was probably high on the magic mushrooms which grow there to this day.

  The Great Tribulation comes from some other fictional works, not very good, Harry Potter is way better, called the Gospels.

  Why bother with any of it ?
• 

  blondie

  Yes, I knew that the WTS teaches that for years, that it is the clmax of the GT.

  *** w10 7/15 p. 3 par. 4 What Jehovah’s Day Will Reveal ***

  Whereas the Flood destroyed the ungodly all at one time, the coming destruction will occur in stages during “the great tribulation.” (Rev. 7:14) In the first phase of that tribulation, God will move the political rulers of this world to destroy “Babylon the Great,” thus showing his contempt for that religious harlot. (Rev. 17:5, 16; 18:8) Then, in the war of Armageddon, the final phase of the great tribulation, Jehovah himself will wipe out the rest of Satan’s world.—Rev. 16:14, 16; 19:19-21.

  *** w09 3/15 pp. 18-19 “Be Vigilant” ***“The Great Tribulation”

  10 The end of this wicked system will come in what is called “the great tribulation.” (Rev. 7:14) The Bible does not tell us how long that will last, but Jesus said: “Then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matt. 24:21) When we consider the tribulation that this world has already experienced, such as in World War II when an estimated 50 to 60 million lives were lost, the coming great tribulation will be very severe indeed. It will reach its climax in the battle of Armageddon. That is when Jehovah will unleash his executional forces to destroy every vestige of Satan’s earthly system.—Rev. 16:14, 16.

  11 Bible prophecy does not give a date for the first phase of the great tribulation to begin, though it does tell us what extraordinary event will signal its start. That event is the destruction of all false religion by the political powers. In Bible prophecies found in Revelation chapters 17 and 18, false religion is likened to a harlot who has had immoral intercourse with the political systems of the earth. Revelation 17:16 shows that the time will soon come when these political elements “will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.”

  12 When the time comes for that to happen, God will “put it into their [the political rulers’] hearts to carry out his thought” to destroy all false religion. (Rev. 17:17) So this destruction can be said to come from God. It is his judgment against hypocritical religion that for so long has taught doctrines contrary to God’s will and that has persecuted his servants. The world in general does not anticipate this coming destruction of false religion. But Jehovah’s faithful servants do. And throughout these last days, they have been telling people about it.

  13 It will be a great shock for people to see false religion destroyed. Bible prophecy shows that even some of “the kings of the earth” are going to declare regarding that destruction: “Too bad, too bad, . . . because in one hour your judgment has arrived!” (Rev. 18:9, 10, 16, 19) The Bible’s use of the words “one hour” shows that this event will take place relatively swiftly.

  14 We understand that some time after false religion has been destroyed, there will be an attack on Jehovah’s servants, who have been proclaiming his judgment messages. (Ezek. 38:14-16) When that attack begins, the attackers will have to confront Jehovah, who promises to protect his faithful people. Jehovah declares: “In my ardor, in the fire of my fury, I shall have to speak. . . . And they will have to know that I am Jehovah.” (Read Ezekiel 38:18-23.) God states in his Word: “He that is touching you [his faithful servants] is touching my eyeball.” (Zech. 2:8) So when his enemies begin their global assault on his servants, Jehovah will respond. He will move into action, which will lead to the final phase of the great tribulation—its Armageddon climax. Under Christ’s command, powerful angelic forces will execute Jehovah’s judgments against Satan’s world.

  *** 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.

  *** w90 2/1 p. 21 par. 3 Exposing “the Man of Lawlessness” ***The time for God to execute his judgment against the man of lawlessness is fast approaching. Soon, as Jesus foretold, “there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matthew 24:21) That unprecedented time of trouble will begin with the execution of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, which includes the religions of Christendom. The political elements “will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.” (Revelation 17:16) The great tribulation will end with the destruction of the remainder of Satan’s world at Armageddon, “the war of the great day of God the Almighty.”—Revelation 16:14, 16; 19:11-21.

  *** w80 10/15 p. 13 par. 5 Are We Nearing Armageddon? ***God’s war of Armageddon will be the final part of a period of time called the “great tribulation.” Jesus spoke of it in this way: “Then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.” (Matt. 24:21)

  *** w69 9/1 p. 521 Rich Blessings Poured Out at “Peace on Earth” International Assemblies ***Reasons were given showing why the now-approaching “great tribulation” first begins with the destruction of Babylon the Great and ends with Armageddon.

  *** w52 10/15 p. 634 par. 45 God’s Way Is Love ***This is leading to a “great tribulation” such as man has never seen nor will ever see again. It will destroy all this wickedness and the nations engaging in it. The climax of that great tribulation will be the battle of Armageddon that the Pope has been moved to mention.
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  Alwayshere

  They are waiting for something, that is not going to happen.
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  blondie

  Nothing new, lots of people do that....as long as they don't make other people wait.
• 

  The Searcher

  Responses have already highlighted the 4th question - When?

  According to the Society - "Soon!!". But they've said that for over a century. One of these days it might be "soon"!

  Fact is, Jesus told his followers it was none of their business!! (Acts 1:7)

  "Expectation postponed is making the heart sick" - but who has been falsely creating that "expectation"?
• 

  hoser

  The Great Tribulation is referred to 4 times in the Bible - and only by Christ himself; (Mattew 24:21, 29; Revelation 2:22; 7:14)

  What about Acts 7:11??

  But a famine came upon the whole of Egypt and Canaan, even a great tribulation ; and our forefathers were not finding any provisions.
• 

  Bobcat

  Actually, the way most people, including the Society, use the term Armageddon is inaccurate.

  "The Great Tribulation" is an event. "Armageddon" is a "place." Whether symbolic or not is irrelevent. It is still a "place" (Greek topos, from which we get "topography.")

  If you read the account at Revelation 16:16-21, and take the listed events as temporally or sequentually accurate, then here is the sequence of events:

  v.16 Nations gathered to place called Armageddon (Parallels Mt 24:15 timewise)

  v.17 7th bowl of anger poured out. Results in:

  Pronouncement from throne that 'it has come to pass.'

  v.18 Lightnings, voices, and thunders occur

  Unprecedented great earthquake, results in: (Parallels Mt 24:21)

  v.19 The great city split into three (Ezek chap.5) (the great city of 11:8)

  The cities of the nations fall (Parallels Mt 24:29; Lu 21:25, 26)

  Babylon given cup of God's wrath (Chap.17 describes this & events leading to)

  v.20 Every island and mountain removed (19:11-20 describes this)

  v.21A great hailstorm (19:21 describes this)

  Assuming "the great earthquake" is equivelant to "the great tribulation," then, the entire "great tribulation/earthquake" takes place while the nations are gathered to the place called "Armageddon." One could correctly say that "Babylon the Great" is destroyed at Armageddon.

  The "war" that takes place after Babylon's demise could correctly be called "The Battle of Armageddon" or "The War of Armageddon." Since it is described as a single campaign, it rates as a "battle." But since it settles the fight to a finish, it also rates as a "war."

  Rev 14:18-20 describes 16:17-21

  Rev 11:19 describes 16:17-21

  Rev 6:12-17 describes 16:17-21 where 6:14 = 16:20 and 6:15-17 = 16:21