by punkofnice 19 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Ok. I don't believe that the watchtower(R) armageddon(TM) is anything but fantasy.
I do recall speculation about how the 'anointed(TM)' might all be dead before the big 'A' or that some will survive through it and help the R&F. I heard brothers speculating that after the big 'A' the 'anointed(TM)' would be spirited away to heaven.
I wonder what they think will happen to the GB on, before or after the big 'A' now?
I can't look it up right now but the timeline is that the marriage of the bride takes place in heaven shortly after the GT (the beginning of the end/peace and security & destruction of B&G), and they will have have to be heaven then. Armageddon is the very end of the end.
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20140215/rejoice-marriage-of-the-lamb/
THE MARRIAGE HAS ARRIVED’
10. When is the Lamb’s marriage due to take place?
10 Read Revelation 19:7. When is the Lamb’s marriage due to take place? Although “his wife has prepared herself” for the marriage, what is stated subsequently does not describe the actual wedding. Rather, it provides a vivid description of the final phase of the great tribulation. (Rev. 19:11-21) Does this mean that the marriage takes place before the Bridegroom-King completes his conquest? No. The visions in the book of Revelation are not presented in chronological order. In the 45th Psalm, the royal wedding occurs after the King Jesus Christ girds on his sword and ‘goes on to victory’ over his enemies.—Ps. 45:3, 4.
11. In what order will Christ complete his conquest?
11 We can therefore conclude that the order of events will be as follows: First, judgment will be executed upon “the great prostitute,” Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. (Rev. 17:1, 5, 16, 17; 19:1, 2) Then, Christ will go forth to execute God’s judgments on the rest of Satan’s wicked system on earth by destroying it at Armageddon, “the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” (Rev. 16:14-16; 19:19-21) Finally, the Warrior-King will complete his conquest by abyssing Satan and his demons, reducing them to a state of deathlike inactivity.—Rev. 20:1-3.
12, 13. (a) When will the marriage of the Lamb take place? (b) In heaven, who will rejoice over the marriage of the Lamb?
12 As anointed Christians finish their earthly course during Christ’s presence, they are resurrected to heavenly life. Sometime after the destruction of Babylon the Great, Jesus will gather to himself all the remaining members of the bride class.(1 Thess. 4:16, 17)Before the outbreak of the war of Armageddon, therefore, all members of the “bride” will be in heaven. After that war, the marriage of the Lamb can take place. What a joyful occasion that marriage will be! “Happy are those invited to the evening meal of the Lamb’s marriage,” states Revelation 19:9. Happy indeed will be the 144,000 members of the bride class. And the Bridegroom-King will be overjoyed to have the total number of his royal associates symbolically ‘eating and drinking with him at his table in his Kingdom.’ (Luke 22:18, 28-30) However, rejoicing over the marriage of the Lamb will not be limited to the Bridegroom and his bride.
Thanks Blondie,
Who will the JWs obey if the GB have been whisked to heaven before the big 'A'? (Sarcasm intended)
I imagine the non-anointed male jws in charge at Bethel. How will they communicate....ESP, letters from heaven, oh, "scrolls" see Rev 20:12.
Obey the Service departement after the "Rapture".
yes this was finally confirmed with the now infamous July 15, 2013 WT. The debate as to what would happen prior to that was confused ever since the 90's reference to the Nephunem (sp?) looking after the org. after all the anointed die before Armageddon.
July 15 WT finally came out said: all anointed will be "physically" dead BEFORE armageddon..... ie: raptured
and then an "unknown period of time" will pass until the big A actually occurs. Or maybe they said "immediately after" the rapture the big A will take place. I can't remember. I don't really care anymore
wallsofjericho: I believe you are referring to the "Nethinim" (Given Ones) aka "Givies". But who really cares?
From what I remember of official WT eschatology, the "remant"/FDS (so presumably the GB) were all supposed to die off prior to the Great Trib and/or the few holdouts being - for all intents and purposes - "raptured" as it was taking place (even though they don't use that word).
The way they hint and act these days, though, it sure seems like they plan to keep on truckin' all the way through the Big A and long after, as if the GB (in some form or other) is expecting to run the show in a post-apocalyptic utopia.
I actually figured that out on my own prior to my fade, as a matter of fact.
A second or two later (and arguably more importantly), I grasped that if WTS theology was correct, the Big A would not free my from bondage to the WTS (subconsciously, I had - up to that point - assumed it would). That realization really put me in a funk, because although I had always been dutiful, I could never honestly say I liked being a JW...
...It wasn't long after that I realized I'd actually rather die at Armageddon than spend an eternity on a WT-ruled planet.
These days, I don't worry about either, I'm relieved to say.
Armageddon is to jehovahs witnesses what hell is to other religions. A means to threaten people.
Dont attend church regular or put a donation on the collection plate, you're going straight to hell. Miss meetings and dont do enough field service, you gonna die at armageddon.
Same $hit different pile.
