“And
they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.”—REVELATION
16:16, English Standard Version.
WHAT do you think of when you hear the word “Armageddon”?
Likely, images of a major catastrophe spring to mind. Although the word appears
only once in the Bible, the term is repeated often by the news media and by
religious leaders.
Do popular concepts of Armageddon match what
the Bible teaches? The answer is worth knowing. Why? Because the truth about
Armageddon can free you from needless fear, brighten your outlook on the
future, and influence the way you think about God.
Consider the three following questions, and
compare popular concepts of Armageddon with what the Bible really teaches.
1.
IS ARMAGEDDON A MAN-MADE DISASTER?
Journalists and researchers often use the
word “Armageddon” to define catastrophes caused by humans. For instance, World
Wars I and II have been referred to as Armageddon. After those wars,
mankind worried that the United States and the Soviet Union would direct atomic
weapons at each other. The media called that potential conflict “a
thermonuclear Armageddon.” Today, researchers who fear that pollution will
cause drastic changes in earth’s weather warn of an impending “climate
Armageddon.”
What
their definition implies: Humans have ultimate control of the future of the earth
and all life on it. If governments fail to act wisely, the earth will suffer
permanent damage.
What
the Bible teaches:
God will not allow humans to bring the earth to ruin. The Bible assures us that
Jehovah did not create the earth “simply for nothing.” Rather, he formed it “to
be inhabited.” (Isaiah 45:18) Instead of allowing the earth to be totally
despoiled by humans, God will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.”—Revelation
11:18.
2.
IS ARMAGEDDON A NATURAL DISASTER?
Journalists sometimes use the word “Armageddon”
as a label for major natural disasters. For example, in 2010, one report spoke
about “‘Armageddon’ in Haiti.” It was describing the suffering, damage, and loss
of life caused by the massive earthquake that shattered that country. Reporters
and filmmakers apply the term not only to events that have already occurred but
also to those that they fear will happen. For instance, they have used the word
“Armageddon” to describe the imagined effects of an asteroid striking the
earth.
What
their definition implies: Armageddon is a random event that indiscriminately kills
innocent victims. There is little you can do to protect yourself from it.
What
the Bible teaches:
Armageddon is not a haphazard destroyer of communities. Instead, during
Armageddon, only the wicked will be wiped out. The Bible promises that soon “the
wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place,
and he will not be.”—Psalm 37:10.
3.
DOES GOD DESTROY THE EARTH AT ARMAGEDDON?
Many religious people believe that there will
be a final confrontation between good and evil that will result in the end of
our planet. A poll conducted in the United States by Princeton Survey Research
Associates found that 40 percent of the adults surveyed believe that the
world will end in “a battle at Armageddon.”
What
their teaching implies: Humans were not meant to live on earth forever, nor was
the earth designed to last indefinitely. God created humans with the intention
that they should all die at some point.
What
the Bible teaches:
The Bible clearly states that God “has founded the earth upon its established
places; it will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.” (Psalm
104:5) Regarding earth’s inhabitants, the Bible says: “The righteous themselves
will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”—Psalm 37:29.
Clearly, the Bible contradicts many popular
concepts of Armageddon. So, what is the truth?
[Footnote]
In the Bible, Jehovah is the personal name of
God.( Psalm 83:18)
For more informative articles please go to www.jw.org
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