The Time of the End - How Long Did it Last and Will it Last

This is a subject about Bible prophecy. I realize that many people here don't believe in prophecy or the Bible. If you can refrain from coming in and flaming the thread and trying to get the subject off topic, that would be appreciated.

In Holy Scripture there was a time of the end in the past. It was during the days of Noah, when God finally decided to bring a ruin to everything living on dry ground because of the badness that filled it.

He told Noah at a certain time that he had placed 120 years on that system of things:

(Genesis 6:1-3) . . .Now when men started to grow in number on the surface of the ground and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of the true God began to notice that the daughters of men were beautiful. So they began taking as wives all whom they chose. 3 Then Jehovah said: “My spirit will not tolerate man indefinitely, because he is only flesh. Accordingly, his days will amount to 120 years.”

During that time of the end angels were coming to earth, marrying all the women they wanted, and having hybrid offspring known as the Nephilim, or fellers. They were giants and were very violent.

Also God told Noah to build an ark. Scripture does not say how long that building took to complete, but it was probably many decades, perhaps 60 or 70, perhaps even the full 120 years of the time of the end. We don't know.

But Noah did all that he was told, and he preached to the ungodly world about the coming world flood, and his words were like those of a foolish man in their eyes.

Then a week before the flood started, Jehovah told Noah. The ark had been completed. And Jehovah said, there was one week more before the flood and the end of that world.

(Genesis 7:4) . . .For in just seven days, I will make it rain on the earth for 40 days and 40 nights, and I will wipe from the surface of the ground every living thing that I have made.”

So while Noah did not know exactly when the end would come, he knew he had entered into the time of the end. And just before the flood, God gave him 7 days warning.

What of today?

Jesus, back in the 1st century told his followers that it did not belong to them to get to know the times and seasons that God has placed in his own jurisdiction. And talking about the end of our system, he also stated that no one, no angel in heaven, not even him, the son, knew when that day and hour would arrive, only Jehovah himself:

(Matthew 24:36-39) . . .“Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father. 37 For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. 38 For as they were in those days before the Flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, 39 and they took no note until the Flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.

Of course we know there is an appointed day for this system to end. And Jesus gave us signs of how we would know, not when exactly the end would be, but when we knew we entered into the last days. Or as Scripture refers to them often: "the appointed time" and the "time of the end".

According to chronology found in Holy Scripture we can firmly conclude that the "appointed time" or the "last days" began in 1914.

According to the 7 times that were to be fulfilled for the gentiles to rule on earth, without a representative of God sitting on his throne in Israel. This started when king Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and enslaved its king in 607 B. C. E.

7 times are 2,520 years according to Bible prophecy. In Revelation 12 we see that 3 1/2 times are 1,260 days, or 3 1/2 years.

(Revelation 12:5, 6) . . .And her child was snatched away to God and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God and where they would feed her for 1,260 days.

(Revelation 12:14) . . .where she is to be fed for a time and times and half a time away from the face of the serpent.

Counting 2,520 years (the days represent years) from the fall of Jerusalem in 607 B. C. E. (there is no year 0) we come to the year 1914.

Since then the fulfillment of Jesus' words in Matthew 24 began to have their fulfillment:

(Matthew 24:3-14) . . .While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” 4 In answer Jesus said to them: “Look out that nobody misleads you, 5 for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. 6 You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for these things must take place, but the end is not yet. 7 “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. 8 All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress. 9 “Then people will hand you over to tribulation and will kill you, and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name. 10 Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. 11 Many false prophets will arise and mislead many; 12 and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold. 13 But the one who has endured to the end will be saved. 14 And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

During that time all of the things mentioned in the cited prophecy were to happen on scales never before seen. Included in that would be a world-wide preaching work about Jehovah's established kingdom in heaven, by his witnesses.

Would that be only a short period of time, a few years? No. Just as in Noah's day the end lasted 120 years, so in our time, the "last days have already lasted over 100 years. If they are to last 120 years, then the end will come in 2034. I am not saying that is the case. But it is not a long way off. Whether it be in a year or few, or only a decade or two more. It can't be that far away.

Also note this prophecy of Peter:

(2 Peter 3:3-7) 3 First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desires 4 and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.” 5 For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; 6 and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water. 7 But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people.

a reply to: RobertConrad

How do you figure 1914 is a certain?
Jehovah witnesses are the ones who put dates on things so specifically

Statements like that lead to errors, how can you know?

a reply to: RobertConrad
I am convinced that many of the numbers quoted in the Bible are symbolic rather than literal.
Thus "7" is always a number associated with God.
"70" combines two such numbers- 7 (associated with God) and 10 (associated with completeness). Thus Jeremiah prophesied that the interval between the fall of Jerusalem and the fall of Babylon would be 70 years. This did not come true, as a literal number of years, but the interval was surely "the fullness of the period which God had appointed". I would take that to be what Jeremiah meant.
if the numbers quoted are symbolic rather than literal, they cannot be used to mark off years on a calendar and predict end-times periods.

As for "1914"- come off it!
Forty or fity years ago the Jehovah's Witnesses were confidently asserting that Christ would return "within a generation of" 1914. That was suppposed to be the point, that "the generation of 1914" would witness it.
I thought the idea would have been quietly dropped by now, after the last rush of excitement in the centenary year.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: RobertConrad
I am convinced that many of the numbers quoted in the Bible are symbolic rather than literal.
Thus "7" is always a number associated with God.
"70" combines two such numbers- 7 (associated with God) and 10 (associated with completeness). Thus Jeremiah prophesied that the interval between the fall of Jerusalem and the fall of Babylon would be 70 years. This did not come true, as a literal number of years, but the interval was surely "the fullness of the period which God had appointed". I would take that to be what Jeremiah meant.
if the numbers quoted are symbolic rather than literal, they cannot be used to mark off years on a calendar and predict end-times periods.

Yes the 70 years were very specific. And you are correct, not all numbers are literal. You must take he context.

Interestingly enough I was just reading about the 70 years today in Daniel. As he was observing Jeremiah and discerned that the 70 years were coming to a completion. And he gave a most beautiful prayer he recorded in Daniel 9. Notice he states:

(Daniel 9:2) . . .in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, discerned by the books the number of years mentioned in the word of Jehovah to Jeremiah the prophet to fulfill the desolation of Jerusalem, namely, 70 years.

Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and its temple in 607 B. C. E.

The first year of Darius who was made king over the Chaldeans was in 538 B. C. E. We know that Cyrus conquered Babylon as Jehovah anointed him to do (300 years by name, beforehand), and Cyrus himself decreed that the Israelites return to Jerusalem to rebuild it. They arrived in 537 B. C. E. Exactly 70 years to the day. (The journey most likely took them about 4 months.)

I should add here that as I re-read your statement about the 70 years, it appears you don't understand what was being referred to. It was not 70 between the destruction of Jerusalem and Babylon. Rather 70 years from the destruction of Jerusalem, and it being repatriated by the Jews.

(Jeremiah 25:11) And all this land will be reduced to ruins and will become an object of horror, and these nations will have to serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.”’

(Jeremiah 29:10) “For this is what Jehovah says, ‘When 70 years at Babylon are fulfilled, I will turn my attention to you, and I will make good my promise by bringing you back to this place.’


Notice, that after Cyrus defeated the Babylonians it Babylon came under his control, the Jews were still in Babylon, now under Cyrus' rule. They were still in Babylon. It was Cyrus that let them return to Jerusalem as Jehovah foretold, 70 years after he had it remain desolate to fulfill the number of jubilees they did not observe.

a reply to: DISRAELI

To briefly address the edit you made to add the derogatory comment about 1914.

I guess the prophecy in 2 Peter 3 could be talking about you in a certain way. And it is true that back then they didn't realize that the end would last as long as it has.

But not everyone was ignorant of that fact. I have a friend that way back in the 1960's told me she sometimes wondered if the end would last today like it did back then in Noah's day, for 120 years, and she calcualted that it would come, if that were the case, in 2034.

Of course we are not saying it will. That is just the mind adding things up. But that the end would have to last more than a few decades makes sense when you think about it. The whole world needs to be preached to. And since Jehovah had no one preaching about his name or kingdom except for a few thousand Bible Students, whom he later allowed to use his name, it would take time for all of this to unfurl. But Jehovah's time, not our time.

Remember Peter in that same scripture reminds us of this fact, as time may seem to drag on:

(2 Peter 3:8, 9) . . .However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. 9 Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.

So it isn't that Jehovah is slow concerning his promise, rather he is patient with his holy ones, awaiting for all of them to acheive repentance. Obviously there are still anointed who haven't fully repented of bad works, perhaps some even being in a disapproved state right now.

His patience gives them time to fully repent of their bad works. But they should not fool themselves, just as the rest for he continues:

(2 Peter 3:10) . . .But Jehovah’s day will come as a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar, but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed.


So that day will come in as a thief upon the entire inhabited earth. How foolish it would be for you and and anyone else to ignore the warning signs that we are now deep in the last days.

Jesus said to keep on the watch. And Peter finishes up stating that we should view this patience of God, to allow the end to last so long, in our eyes (not his...to him it has been but a moment) as salvation:

(2 Peter 3:14, 15) 14 Therefore, beloved ones, since you are awaiting these things, do your utmost to be found finally by him spotless and unblemished and in peace. 15 Furthermore, consider the patience of our Lord as salvation. . .

a reply to: RobertConrad
No, 2 Peter is about people who doubt THAT the end will come.
I am merely doubting that we can predict exactly WHEN.
Our salvation depends on believing in Christ and his return, but it does not depend on identifying a specific year.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: RobertConrad
No, 2 Peter is about people who doubt THAT the end will come.
I am merely doubting that we can predict exactly WHEN.
Our salvation depends on believing in Christ and his return, but it does not depend on identifying a specific year.

I say amen to that.

The first part of 2 Peter 3 was talking about ungodly foolish people.

The second part was directed toward the "beloved". Notice he said:

(2 Peter 3:8) . . .However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones. . .

That is the anointed Christian congregation. And then this:

(2 Peter 3:9) . . ., but he is patient with you . . .

He was talking here, again, directly to the anointed Christian congregation. That is whom he was referring to when he called them by the term "beloved" and "you" plural. All the brothers and sisters reading the letter.

There is no way to know exactly what year or month or day it will come. But there are things that must take place first. And as Jesus foretold in Matthew 24 these things are taking place now.

And while Jesus referred to events that would be happening. There is another prophecy about the last days, and it has not to do with events, but rather with attitudes. With the mental bent of mankind. Notice what it would be like:

(2 Timothy 3:1-7) . . .But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. 6 From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, 7 always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth.

There can be no doubt as to what time period that scripture is pointing to. Our days. We are living in times that fulfill these prophecies.

So while we cannot know for a certainty when exactly the end will come. We do know we are in the last days, and we must remain vigilant at all times.

There are still events yet to unfold before the end as well. For example the foretold worldwide cry of "peace and security!"

(1 Thessalonians 5:1-5) . . .Now as for the times and the seasons, brothers, you need nothing to be written to you. 2 For you yourselves know very well that Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. 3 Whenever it is that they are saying, “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly on them, just like birth pains on a pregnant woman, and they will by no means escape. 4 But you, brothers, you are not in darkness, so that the day should overtake you as it would thieves, 5 for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We belong neither to night nor to darkness.

a reply to: RobertConrad
However, current affairs suggest that we may have to wait a long time before we hear a world-wide cry of "There is peace and security".

a reply to: RobertConrad

He told Noah at a certain time that he had placed 120 years on that system of things:

All of your presuppositions must be founded first on the essence of the story to the end. First, a jubilee is 50 years, or 7x7+1. This is also found in Hinduism as the ratio of 50 years to 1 in this slice of the time/space of dimensions. The various levels of creation have this time dilation in effect by perception of the various beings above and below. The higher up you are, the more of our years pass to that of the entity's perception. In this case, the Earth time dilation is 50 to 1. 120x50=6000 years of our time. Move to the top and God sees it all at one time, with no time / space difference. Just one thing at one NOW.

With this in order, now know the symbolism for baptism / flood and Noah (type of Christ).

1 Peter 3

18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 19 After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits— 20 to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, 21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also— not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God.

If you read Genesis 1 in parallel to Revelation 1, you see that each verse is parallel to each verses as a key. You then do this for the first 22 chapters of Genesis to see the Aleph (beginning) and the Tav (End). Beyond 22, the rest of Genesis outlines the last 1000 years of rest for the Saints above, and the terror of those below on the last day (Day of the Lord).

With this said, look at the bold text. We are the spirits before the flood, all 7 billion of us. Baptism is the flood, or rebirth into the waters of life below. Why? To release the Locusts (sinners) out of the pit (hell). We are the beasts in the waters, or where we are now in the abyss (baptism in the water). We are here to rise to new life, or come above the flood waters in the Ark.

Read Genesis / Revelation in parallel. After the flood is over (first resurrection today), all 7 billion of us are then divided above and below again. After Water comes Fire and Spirit. How do you put out fire? Water, or bearing fruit (good service to others).

Read Matthew 3 now with open eyes.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

We are in the flood today. Water is used by the beast (carbon is the mark of mankind - 6 protons, 6 neutrons, 6 electrons). Our body is the animal clothing us. Why? You are in the water and beast to overcome the beast with water, or the ability to change from a Locust devouring the Earth to a Saint planting seed and growing a crop.

Be the latter. All of this is symbolism from Hinduism for the removal of suffering by suffering for others. It's the end of suffering by the eight-fold path of the Way. All religion is the act we do for others, not self. A Locust is the Ego devouring the Earth. A Saint is this beast overcome. How? Serve others. And yes, the 6000 years is nearly up.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Disraeli, look at the preserved word of God, the AV, and the multitude of perverse bibles say. He quotes a bible translation that they can create their doctrine from Here is the PRESERVED word of God, now compare it to his snippets from the perverse version he quotes.

2Pe 3:8 ¶ But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
9 ¶ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

His perverse version says (2 Peter 3:8) . . .However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones. . . (2 Peter 3:9) . . ., but he is patient with you . . . the ect periods let us know he has perposely takenit from the context. as to what is it we are not to be ignorant with and why God is longsuffering.

The multitude of perverted bibles abounds to create confusion of doctrines, in hopes that many would be led astray from salvation. That is no be saved. This is the Devil's work

You will notice the version he quotes is not a translation as much as it is an commentary or private interpretation of Which Peter says is an error.

compare his perverse bible (2 Timothy 3:1-7) . . .But know this, that in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, 3 having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, 4 betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, 5 having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power; and from these turn away. 6 From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, 7 always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth. to the preserved word of God says,

2Ti 3:1 ¶ This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Things that are different are not the same. Critical is not the same as perilous. See what was added to the Scriptures as well "critical times hard to deal with will be here". Any man worth his salt knows that covetous is not the same as "lovers of money". Change it just enough to confuse boasters vs boastful, Proud vs haughty, but leave enough of the preserved word to cause confusion and questing in the mind of the hearer to make disciples after their own selves.

Beware when men change the word of God it is generally to manipulate those listening to lead them astray usually for filthy lucre and personal gain.

a reply to: RobertConrad

Whats derogatory about repeating what your own elders said?

www.jwfacts.com...

The ability of the Watchtower to accurately foretell the meaning of 1914 is a great source of faith for Jehovah's Witnesses, unaware of what the Watchtower said prior to 1914, as nothing that Russell said about 1914 came to pass. For Russell and early Watchtower followers, the second of October 1914 was expected to be the the conclusion of this system of things.

originally posted by: TheConstruKctionofLight
a reply to: RobertConrad

Whats derogatory about repeating what your own elders said?

www.jwfacts.com...

The ability of the Watchtower to accurately foretell the meaning of 1914 is a great source of faith for Jehovah's Witnesses, unaware of what the Watchtower said prior to 1914, as nothing that Russell said about 1914 came to pass. For Russell and early Watchtower followers, the second of October 1914 was expected to be the the conclusion of this system of things.

You know it just occured to me that in a way 1914 was a beginning of the conclusion of this system of things. It marked the beginning of WW1 which really wasn't concluded until the end of WW2 and that saw the end of monarchies and empires throughout Europe and the world. That is to say, it makred the beginning of the end of the established order of things that had existed before.

Just a thought.

There are as many views on this as there are people who can read prophecy and think about it.

It makes for a fascinating study. For my own personal reasons, I tend to think we are rather nearer than further away, but that's neither here nor there and could very well be wrong.

a reply to: RobertConrad

Would that be only a short period of time, a few years? No. Just as in Noah's day the end lasted 120 years, so in our time, the "last days have already lasted over 100 years. If they are to last 120 years, then the end will come in 2034. I am not saying that is the case. But it is not a long way off. Whether it be in a year or few, or only a decade or two more. It can't be that far away.

I am somewhat in the dark here. What end are you talking about? The end as Christianity understands the end of this existence in the second resurrection of Revelation? Or are you understanding the end as rabbinic Judaism believes the end shall be?

Christianity believes that there will be a first resurrection as is explained in Revelation but that Jacobs Trouble will not be the end of this earth. After that first resurrection (which is yet to come) there is another 1,000 years and then the end of this creation. By this Christian doctrine we have 1,000 + years at least before the end of creation.

Rabbinic philosophy declares the end after one universal resurrection (which is yet to come) of all creation and the golden age of a one world Jewish government. After this resurrection and the golden era have expired then the end of this creation will come. You can't mix the two together because they are separate doctrines. In either case it cannot happen overnight as most people are led to believe.

So what are we talking about here when we say "the end?" Are we talking about the end of one era but not of the world? Are we taking about the return of the Christ? Or are we talking about the return of the house of David as the world ruler?

originally posted by: Seede
a reply to: RobertConrad

Would that be only a short period of time, a few years? No. Just as in Noah's day the end lasted 120 years, so in our time, the "last days have already lasted over 100 years. If they are to last 120 years, then the end will come in 2034. I am not saying that is the case. But it is not a long way off. Whether it be in a year or few, or only a decade or two more. It can't be that far away.

I am somewhat in the dark here. What end are you talking about? The end as Christianity understands the end of this existence in the second resurrection of Revelation? Or are you understanding the end as rabbinic Judaism believes the end shall be?

Christianity believes that there will be a first resurrection as is explained in Revelation but that Jacobs Trouble will not be the end of this earth. After that first resurrection (which is yet to come) there is another 1,000 years and then the end of this creation. By this Christian doctrine we have 1,000 + years at least before the end of creation.

Rabbinic philosophy declares the end after one universal resurrection (which is yet to come) of all creation and the golden age of a one world Jewish government. After this resurrection and the golden era have expired then the end of this creation will come. You can't mix the two together because they are separate doctrines. In either case it cannot happen overnight as most people are led to believe.

So what are we talking about here when we say "the end?" Are we talking about the end of one era but not of the world? Are we taking about the return of the Christ? Or are we talking about the return of the house of David as the world ruler?

Good questions.

The end refers to this system of things. Not of this earth of course.

Remember that scripture quoted in 2 Peter 3. Peter referred to the end of the world in Noah's day. But the earth still exists.

The heavens and earth at that time were destroyed in a symbolic sense, in that the governmental structure and the wicked people were done away with.

Armageddon is not the end of the literal earth. But the end of present wicked society.

That the end (at Armageddon) refers, not to the literal earth, but to human society we know for we are told:

(1 John 2:17) . . .Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

The world and its desire is passing away. Obviously this is referring to the end of wicked humankind just as in Noah's day:

(2 Peter 3:5, 6) . . .For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God; 6 and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water.

Notice the heavens and the earth were destroyed, the "world" of that time. Wicked human society.

The same is true of the coming day when God will destroy this wicked world by fire:

(2 Peter 3:7) . . .But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people.

That the literal earth will not pass away we know for God promises that good, meek, righteous people will live forever on earth:

(Psalm 37:11) . . .But the meek will possess the earth, And they will find exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.

(Psalm 37:29) . . .The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it.


I gave you a start there of something to think about. I could answer the rest of your questions. Well maybe I will just briefly.

The king who comes to sit on David's throne is Jesus Christ. He sat down on that throne in 1914 when he began to rule in heaven. His rulership will never be taken away, and he will reign as king in heaven over the earth for a thousand years after Armageddon.

During those thousand years Satan and his demons will be put in the abyss and all wicked evil human society will have been destroyed. Meek and righteous people will live on earth, and with Jesus' kingdom rule and help, will convert the entire earth into a paradise. There will be no more sickness, old age, or death. And the dead that are sleeping will be resurrected back to life. The righteous to live, and wicked who did not know God, to learn the truth and chose whether to serve him or not. (See Revelation 21:3, 4 for example).

The first resurrection is that of the anointed Christian congregation to heavenly spirit life to rule as kings and priests with Jesus over the earth for the 1,000 years.

The second resurrection takes place on earth among the rest of all mankind. Including many of the patriarchs of old, such as Abraham, Jacob, and David and all the other worshipers of Jehovah, as well as all the faithful women as well all those who did not get to see the fulfillment of the promise.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: RobertConrad
However, current affairs suggest that we may have to wait a long time before we hear a world-wide cry of "There is peace and security".

Perhaps it may appear that way. But things can change overnight. Notice scripture and Jesus' own words state that the day will come when you do not think it.

(Matthew 24:50, 51) the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know, 51 and he will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his place with the hypocrites. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.

And that cry of peace and security is really only a facade. No human government will bring about any real peace and security on earth.

It will be like the false prophets in Jerusalem that were telling the people they had peace, when in reality they were receiving denunciation and rejection from Jehovah:

(Jeremiah 6:14, 15) . . .And they try to heal the breakdown of my people lightly, saying, ‘There is peace! There is peace!’ When there is no peace. 15 Do they feel ashamed of the detestable things they have done? They feel no shame at all! They do not even know how to feel humiliated! So they will fall among the fallen. When I bring punishment on them they will stumble,” says Jehovah.

(Ezekiel 13:10) . . .All of this is because they have led my people astray by saying, “There is peace!” when there is no peace. When a flimsy partition wall is built, they are plastering it with whitewash.’

Just as in Jeremiah's day, when those false prophets were proclaiming peace, when Jehovah was pronouncing denunciation upon the wicked Israelites. So today when that cry arises it will not be real peace. Only a farce, a facade to mislead the people away from Jehovah.

And while I cannot say this dogmatically, it appears that it is likely that the clergy, as well as other religious leaders from around the world will be involved in this earth-wide cry of "peace and security!" Certainly they have done the people of earth a disservice by hiding the denunciations that Jehovah is again making against corrupt human society, and religion for their involvement in warfare, and for mixing true worship with worship of demons and paganism, by means of her false doctrines and holy holidays.

a reply to: RobertConrad
Passages like "On a day when he does not expect" are about a sudden and unexpected loss of peace, the dramatic arrival of destruction at a time when people are feeling relaxed and secure.
They don't amount to a suggestion that there will be a sudden and unexpected arrival of peace.
In fact nobody, in practice, would be able to feel a psychological sense of security until apparent peace had existed for some time. They would spend the early days of peace anxiously looking over their shoulders.

originally posted by: DISRAELI
a reply to: RobertConrad
Passages like "On a day when he does not expect" are about a sudden and unexpected loss of peace, the dramatic arrival of destruction at a time when people are feeling relaxed and secure.
They don't amount to a suggestion that there will be a sudden and unexpected arrival of peace.
In fact nobody, in practice, would be able to feel a psychological sense of security until apparent peace had existed for some time. They would spend the early days of peace anxiously looking over their shoulders.

I understand what you are saying. And it is possible that is the way it will happen. No doubt there will be a unique proclamation of peace. Perhaps it means that mankind will have thought it has solved some of its most pressing problems. Perhaps they will unite together as one and with the religions of the earth proclaim peace, and put an end to apparent wars going on. And even terrorism will die down for a time.

We will have to wait and see how the prophecy unfolds.

But one thing we do know, when that time arrives, we will know the end has come. We will not be in the dark as most of the world will be. It means the end has arrived and sudden destruction will be upon them, just like the pangs of childbirth no a pregnant woman.

If it will take a long period of time or a short period of time to reach that point we will have to wait and see. I believe it can be quicker than you imagine.

And also remember, while those proclamations of peace were going on in Jerusalem, it wasn't because there was real peace. In fact Habakkuk stated:

(Habakkuk 1:3, 4) . . .Why do you make me witness wrongdoing? And why do you tolerate oppression? Why are destruction and violence before me? And why do quarreling and conflict abound?  4 So law is paralyzed, And justice is never carried out. For the wicked surround the righteous; That is why justice is perverted.

So even while they were proclaiming peace, the streets were full of violence and oppression.

That is why Jehovah said in the following verse:

(Habakkuk 1:5)  “Look among the nations and pay attention! Stare in amazement and be astounded; For something will happen in your days That you will not believe even if it is told to you.

And referring to our times, in this time of the end. While it seems that the last days have dragged on, and Jehovah has tolerated corruption and violence in the streets worldwide to an extreme degree, Jehovah says:

(Habakkuk 2:3) . . .For the vision is yet for its appointed time, And it is rushing toward its end, and it will not lie. Even if it should delay, keep in expectation of it! For it will without fail come true. It will not be late!

a reply to: RobertConrad
I believe some of those prophetic references to "peace" are actually about the state of being "right with God", which is the true peace.
I would certainly apply that to Jeremiah ch6, for example. The false prophets are failing to address the sins of the people, and allowing them to be complacent about their relationship with God. They say "You have peace with God", when it isn't true.
The reference in Ezekiel ch13 may carry both meanings at the same time; that is, Jerusalem has no peace with God and therefore has no prospect of external peace, because only God can defend them against invaders.