Armageddon
Introduction by D.M. We all know that Armageddon is going to occur,
(Psalm, 110:5-6; Joel 3:2; Micah 4:11-13; Zechariah 12:3; 14:1-5; Revelation
14:18-20; 16:14-16; 17:4; 19:17-21). No argument about that. According to
theologian, Charles Ryrie,
the war will consist of several battles, beginning with Antichrist’s campaign
into Egypt (Daniel 11:40-45) and including a siege of Jerusalem (Zechariah
14:2) as well as the final battle at Armageddon (Revelation 16:16).
[Charles Ryrie, The Ryrie Study Bible, Moody Press, 1976, 1978, page 1914].
According to Ryrie, and many other theologians, during the war of
Armageddon, the second coming of Christ, to earth, will occur. [Ibid., 1918]. While
not one of us know the time, the day, nor the year, of Christ’s return (Matthew 24:36-39)
we are told to look for particular signs of His coming (read Matthew 24:29-21; Revelation
19:1-21; specifically 19:17-21). Again, while we can look forward to His coming, not one of us is to predict the year, the hour of His coming.
As most of you know, Jehovah’s Witnesses will come to your door and tell
you that we live in dangerous times. They will talk about all the current problems
in the world, and how very soon, all this will lead to Armageddon (they won’t say
during this time there could possibly be the return of Christ–they believe He already came).
At this point, tell your JW visitor that you are interested in this topic of
Armageddon, and that you’ve done some reading about it, from their own
literature.
**Show them the statements from Joseph Rutherford’s, Face the Facts
(Watchtower, 1938), pages 46, 50. (Link below, for printout)
Click here to view Armageddon
After showing your visitors the printout, and reading aloud Rutherford’s
words, ask them the following:
1) In regards to children: Was your president, Joseph Rutherford, wrong in
1938, when he told married people NOT to have children because Armageddon was
approaching?
2) In regards to marriage: Was your president, Joseph Rutherford, wrong, in
1938, when he told the J.W.’s to “wait a few years, until the fiery storm of
Armageddon is gone, and to then enter the marital relationship”?
3) In regards to being misled: Turn to 1 Timothy 4:3. Have the Jehovah’s
Witness read this verse aloud. If they read from their Interlinear Translation of the
Greek Scriptures (verses the KJV), they will be reading:
However, the inspired utterance says definitely that in later periods of time
some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired
utterances and teachings of demons, by the hypocrisy of men who speak
lies, marked in their conscience as with a branding iron; forbidding to
marry...
Ask: Were there Witnesses, in 1938, listening to “misleading inspired utterances
and teachings of demons” when Rutherford and Watchtower were telling people not
to marry, or to have children?
4) In regards to the JW teaching: How can I be sure your Watch Tower
organization is correct, that Armageddon is soon coming, when they’ve been wrong
in the past?
© Donna Morley, 2008
Faith and Reason Forum
(faithandreasonforum.org)