Peace and Security, Great Tribulation, Armageddon

[Dages]

1 hour ago, Friend of Peace said:

The November 2025 Watchtower Study Edition, Page 4, Paragraph 7 stated:

 

“Perhaps you are saddened by the possibility that the end of this system will not come in your lifetime. If you feel that way, what can help?”
 

Be observant, keep on the watch, but don’t become obsessed over it. We may be in this wait longer than we thought. (Isa. 30:18; Matt. 25:13; Acts 1:7) 

Title is: Maintain Your Joy in Old Age

I don't feel concerned by this sentence  

[shali]

1 hour ago, JennyM said:

The Governing Body always have a sense of urgency.. We'll never  know what our life looks like tomorrow... I preached to a kind co worker before... i was new in the truth. After a year, he had an accident and died. .. I should have been so focused in preaching to him but I was distracted from different things

Nice to know that Jehovah doesn't penalize you or him for not being able to follow through thoroughly in this case.  No doubt, after this co worker is resurrected, you will be able to do what you could not in this system and teach that co worker the truth about your loving, wonderful God!

 

On 7/7/2026 at 7:45 PM, hybridxer0 said:

I'm still shocked and if I'm being honest a little jealous at how many brothers and sisters in the congregation are so sure they will make it through. All I've been taught my whole life is how cramped and tight the road to life is, Zephaniah 2:3 saying that even doing the right things there is a probability that you will survive the day of Jehovah's anger.

 

I've always felt that there is a mark of "good enough" and it's different person-to-person, as Jehovah knows our limitations. As someone that has struggled with severe depression and strongly have the desire to do what's right while the world continues to try to pull you down with it, it's hard to think how I personally could be considered worthy of Him to receive the gift.

I, like the rest, watch in anticipation for Jehovah's Day to come and his name to be vindicated. I hope to see the world become a paradise again and the wicked never to surface again. I just wish I had an ounce of the confidence I see in others.

I feel the same as you.  Every talk, every Watchtower study reminds me I'm not good enough to survive Armageddon, and if I don't I am glad to of had the time I had serving Jehovah on this side of the new world.  There are those in my congregation that have treated Jehovah's sheep terribly and then run away to another congregation (they are now back in my congregation again).  Because of how serious and long and entangled the whole mess was, it seemed there was no justice but we did get relief when they left. Now that they are back, there is no accountability, no apologies.  Just a pretense that they did nothing to no one.  I trust in Jehovah (who saw and heard all their schemes) to provide justice and in the meantime, most of us in this congregation allow them their illusion of having done absolutely nothing wrong.  We let them live their lie because if we didn't Satan could cause a lot more division and trouble in our congregation than he already has, so they are in Jehovah's hands.  A very wise person once told me "you will be surprised who makes it (perhaps that will be those of us who aren't as confident!) and "surprised who doesn't" (those who think their sins are still concealed or forgotten by Jehovah).  But I do feel, it won't be until after Armageddon that we won't realize how merciful  (and perhaps, Just) Jehovah truly is. 

[hybridxer0]

2 hours ago, JennyM said:

The Governing Body always have a sense of urgency.. We'll never  know what our life looks like tomorrow... I preached to a kind co worker before... i was new in the truth. After a year, he had an accident and died. .. I should have been so focused in preaching to him but I was distracted from different things

While we always may feel like we COULD do more, you performed a very important part of any spiritual journey: you planted the seed.

[Osprey]

6 hours ago, JennyM said:

Yeah . Perhaps in 2034 ... 120 yrs from 1914. 

 

Yeah, maybe nobody knows the day and hour because everybody discounts it as too obvious  

[LeolaRootStew]

6 hours ago, shali said:

Nice to know that Jehovah doesn't penalize you or him for not being able to follow through thoroughly in this case.  No doubt, after this co worker is resurrected, you will be able to do what you could not in this system and teach that co worker the truth about your loving, wonderful God!

 

I feel the same as you.  Every talk, every Watchtower study reminds me I'm not good enough to survive Armageddon, and if I don't I am glad to of had the time I had serving Jehovah on this side of the new world.  There are those in my congregation that have treated Jehovah's sheep terribly and then run away to another congregation (they are now back in my congregation again).  Because of how serious and long and entangled the whole mess was, it seemed there was no justice but we did get relief when they left. Now that they are back, there is no accountability, no apologies.  Just a pretense that they did nothing to no one.  I trust in Jehovah (who saw and heard all their schemes) to provide justice and in the meantime, most of us in this congregation allow them their illusion of having done absolutely nothing wrong.  We let them live their lie because if we didn't Satan could cause a lot more division and trouble in our congregation than he already has, so they are in Jehovah's hands.  A very wise person once told me "you will be surprised who makes it (perhaps that will be those of us who aren't as confident!) and "surprised who doesn't" (those who think their sins are still concealed or forgotten by Jehovah).  But I do feel, it won't be until after Armageddon that we won't realize how merciful  (and perhaps, Just) Jehovah truly is. 

 

Armageddon is just the prequel to the Final Test. It's possible that spiritual babes will survive Armageddon, but that won't be true for the FT. The days are coming when an appearance of Godliness won't be enough.

[JennyM]

11 hours ago, LeolaRootStew said:

 

Armageddon is just the prequel to the Final Test. It's possible that spiritual babes will survive Armageddon, but that won't be true for the FT. The days are coming when an appearance of Godliness won't be enough.

I remember a Watchtower, it says " Our relationship with other fellow being has a bearing in our relationship with others"

[LeslieDean]

Explain please. I don't understand your comment @JennyM

[Tortuga]

5 hours ago, JennyM said:

I remember a Watchtower, it says " Our relationship with other fellow being has a bearing in our relationship with others"

I think you mean that it affects our relationship with Jehovah.

[LeslieDean]

I should have been able to figure that out ...I may need to go back to bed for awile

[shali]

18 hours ago, Osprey said:

 

Yeah, maybe nobody knows the day and hour because everybody discounts it as too obvious  

Or maybe it's just a random date that has nothing to do with any other date because it will be a Day all it's own, like something that has never occurred before.  And since it's the day Jehovah will sanctify his name and do away with all his opposers - he gets the right to choose that date.  I have a feeling it as more to do with "hearts" than anything random though. Jehovah is searching for the right-hearted right now and still finding them. His love of people has always outweighed his own interests - if it didn't, none of us would be here.

[franceml]

On 10/7/2026 at 3:47, Doug said:

 

Si Jehová amó tanto   al mundo que estuvo dispuesto a ofrecer a su primogénito como sacrificio de rescate, ¿podemos imaginar cuánto ama a quienes ejercen fe en ese rescate?

El 99,99% del mundo que Jehová ama no lo ama, o ni siquiera cree en él.

Entonces, ¿cuán valiosos son para Jehová y Jesús aquellos que lo aman y desean tener su aprobación?

 

Lo más valioso que puedes ofrecerle a Jehová como muestra de tu amor es tu tiempo. Todos tenemos la misma cantidad de tiempo cada día. Podemos dedicárselo a Jehová cuando oramos, asistimos a reuniones, hablamos con otros en el ministerio o de manera informal, nos cuidamos unos a otros, etc. Jehová se da cuenta de cada minuto que le dedicamos. Y el gorrión que se posa en el suelo en busca de alimento tampoco pasa desapercibido.

 

Y, para ser honesto, si tú o yo no lo logramos, de todos modos no sabremos lo que nos estamos perdiendo.

“So, according to you, 99.99% of the people in the world whom Jehovah loves do not love Him—or don’t even believe in Him.

I had no idea you had the ability to see into people’s hearts…” 😳

[Tortuga]

2 minutes ago, franceml said:

“So, according to you, 99.99% of the people in the world whom Jehovah loves do not love Him—or don’t even believe in Him.

I had no idea you had the ability to see into people’s hearts…” 😳

I can't tell if you are joking or if that is criticism or sarcasm. Can you please explain?

[shali]

6 minutes ago, franceml said:

“So, according to you, 99.99% of the people in the world whom Jehovah loves do not love Him—or don’t even believe in Him.

I had no idea you had the ability to see into people’s hearts…” 😳

He was referring to those who are currently dedicated and baptized.  Those are the only true numbers we can go by and if you just use the numbers of those who have "proved" their love for Jehovah by getting dedicated and baptized, his calculations are correct. We won't know until after Armageddon what the true percentages will end up being.

Edited 4 hours ago by shali

[franceml]

20 minutes ago, shali said:

He was referring to those who are currently dedicated and baptized.  Those are the only true numbers we can go by and if you just use the numbers of those who have "proved" their love for Jehovah by getting dedicated and baptized, his calculations are correct. We won't know until after Armageddon what the true percentages will end up being.

Saying that baptized individuals are the only ones who have publicly demonstrated their love for Jehovah is one thing.

Saying that only they love Jehovah could be something different.

The Bible itself gives examples of people who loved and sought Jehovah before baptism—or even before they had a full knowledge of the truth—such as Cornelius (Acts 10:1–4). Jehovah saw his heart before he was baptized.

Also, remember that the Bible speaks of many people who loved Jehovah without being part of His covenant people.

 

Maybe … Baptized individuals are the only group we can count objectively, but that does not mean they are the only ones who love Jehovah?  Only Jehovah knows what is in each person’s heart isn’t?

This is fully in harmony with the principle found at 1 Samuel 16:7: “Man sees what appears to the eyes, but Jehovah sees the heart.”

[Tortuga]

On 7/9/2026 at 6:47 PM, Doug said:

And the sparrow that lands on the ground in search of food does not go unnoticed either.

I like that possible explanation of the scripture. The first time I heard that it really added to the illustration for me. 

[shali]

30 minutes ago, franceml said:

Saying that baptized individuals are the only ones who have publicly demonstrated their love for Jehovah is one thing.

Saying that only they love Jehovah could be something different.

The Bible itself gives examples of people who loved and sought Jehovah before baptism—or even before they had a full knowledge of the truth—such as Cornelius (Acts 10:1–4). Jehovah saw his heart before he was baptized.

Also, remember that the Bible speaks of many people who loved Jehovah without being part of His covenant people.

 

Maybe … Baptized individuals are the only group we can count objectively, but that does not mean they are the only ones who love Jehovah?  Only Jehovah knows what is in each person’s heart isn’t?

This is fully in harmony with the principle found at 1 Samuel 16:7: “Man sees what appears to the eyes, but Jehovah sees the heart.”

The brother made a generalized calculation based on what we can only assume are facts.  We assume that everyone who is baptized loves Jehovah.  We don't automatically assume he is baptized and doesn't love Jehovah. You are obviously focused on those who aren't baptized but perhaps have shown a love for Jehovah in the past or could still have that love lurking deep in their heart.  Those are numbers we cannot count - that is all there is to it - those are the facts.  Like I said before, the brother made his calculations with the current FACTS on hand without assuming bad motives to anyone.  Only Jehovah knows how many will survive Armageddon and we won't truly grasp the extent of his mercy until that day is over and done.  So just accept that this brother was just stating the facts we have on hand (just like you can't calculate the exact population of the earth on any given day because people are born and die everyday) so his calculation about the population of the earth wasn't completely correct either but he went with the current facts on hand but in the end - it's Jehovah that determines who will survive and who will not based on their hearts. 

From the current information we have been receiving about what will happen after the Great Tribulation starts, it appears that one does not have to be baptized to survive Armageddon - they just need to show their heart aligns with Jehovah and his earthly organization. But there is no way of calculating at this point how many more that will add to our current number of dedicated and baptized witnesses until after Armageddon. Either way, the point the brother was making still holds true - compared to the entire population of the earth on any given day, the amount of people who will demonstrate that they truly love Jehovah will be a very tiny percent.  Probably less than 1 or 2% (although we hope for higher), it just goes to show how massive Satan's influence has been on this entire world. 

Edited 3 hours ago by shali

[Tortuga]

Saying 99.99% is one way of saying the vast majority. Its hyperbole, an illustration. It's not a literal number, although it could be very close. Don't let it distract you from the intent and content of the brothers comment. 

 

Meanwhile, back on topic....

[shali]

Back on topic - the GT hasn't started yet. 

[franceml]

38 minutes ago, shali said:

The brother made a generalized calculation based on what we can only assume are facts.  We assume that everyone who is baptized loves Jehovah.  We don't automatically assume he is baptized and doesn't love Jehovah. You are obviously focused on those who aren't baptized but perhaps have shown a love for Jehovah in the past or could still have that love lurking deep in their heart.  Those are numbers we cannot count - that is all there is to it - those are the facts.  Like I said before, the brother made his calculations with the current FACTS on hand without assuming bad motives to anyone.  Only Jehovah knows how many will survive Armageddon and we won't truly grasp the extent of his mercy until that day is over and done.  So just accept that this brother was just stating the facts we have on hand (just like you can't calculate the exact population of the earth on any given day because people are born and die everyday) so his calculation about the population of the earth wasn't completely correct either but he went with the current facts on hand but in the end - it's Jehovah that determines who will survive and who will not based on their hearts. 

From the current information we have been receiving about what will happen after the Great Tribulation starts, it appears that one does not have to be baptized to survive Armageddon - they just need to show their heart aligns with Jehovah and his earthly organization. But there is no way of calculating at this point how many more that will add to our current number of dedicated and baptized witnesses until after Armageddon. Either way, the point the brother was making still holds true - compared to the entire population of the earth on any given day, the amount of people who will demonstrate that they truly love Jehovah will be a very tiny percent.  Probably less than 1 or 2% (although we hope for higher), it just goes to show how massive Satan's influence has been on this entire world. 

Thanks