INTRODUCTION
The Watchtower of May 2024 puts a smokescreen over the resurrection hope. The two articles “Trust in the Merciful ‘Judge of All the Earth’!” and “What Do We Know About Jehovah’s Future Judgments?” were evidently written to counter the criticism of the Governing Body’s standpoint on the resurrection in my book The Atonement Between God and Man and criticisms from other sources.
I will now discuss the article “What Do We Know About Jehovah’s Future Judgments?” This is a strange article, and it leaves the reader with many questions. The Watchtower literature has shown that when the great tribulation comes, Jehovah’s Witnesses will survive, and all other humans will be eternally annihilated. The present article was evidently written to counter the criticism of this position.
THE GREAT FLOOD AND THE GREAT TRIBULATION
The first strange thing I will discuss is what the article says about the great flood in the days of Noah. We read on page 8, paragraphs 3 and 4
3 In the past, we said that once the great tribulation begins, no unbelievers will be able to take their stand for Jehovah and survive Armageddon. We came to that conclusion because we understood that the account of the Flood was a prophetic type. For example, we reasoned that just as Jehovah shut the door of the ark prior to the start of the Flood, he would, at the beginning of the great tribulation, “shut the door” on Satan’s system of things, thus preventing any more people from being saved.—Matt. 24:37-39.
4 Should we view the account of the Flood as a prophetic type? The answer is no. Why? Because there is no direct Scriptural support for doing so. Jesus did compare “the days of Noah” to the time of his presence, but he did not imply that the Flood was a prophetic type, with each person and each event having a corresponding antitype; nor did he say that the closing of the door of the ark had any prophetic significance. This does not mean, however, that we cannot learn from the account of Noah and the Flood.
I understand the words of the paragraphs, but I cannot understand the reasoning of the author and of the members of the Governing Body who have approved the article for publication. The first problem for the author is the words in 1 Peter 3:20, 21:
20 who had once been disobedient when the patience of God was waiting in Noah’s days, while the ark was being constructed, in which a few people, that is, eight souls, were carried safely through the water.
21 That which corresponds to this (antitypos) is also now saving YOU, namely, baptism, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the request made to God for a good conscience,) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Peter explicitly said that the flood was a type and water baptism was the antitype. This was the positive side of the flood. The person who is baptized is led safely through the water just as the family of Noah was led safely through the water. When this positive side of the flood is a prophetic type, the negative side of the flood must be a prophetic type as well.
The requirement that it must be written or said that an account is a prophetic type in order to take it as a prophetic type is an extreme and unbiblical position. The Greek word antitypos occurs only in 1. Peter 3:21 and in Hebrews 9:24. And typos in the sense of a prophetic type occurs three times: In Romans 5:14, Adam is said to be a type of Jesus. In 1 Corinthians 10:6, the events that happened when Israel crossed the Red Sea are said to be types. And in Hebrews 8:5, the tabernacle is said to be a type.
The requirement that it must be written or said that an account is a prophetic type, excludes all accounts in the Hebrew Scriptures except the flood, the crossing of the Red Sea. the tabernacle, and Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:1-3). This simply is nonsense. In my book My Beloved Religion — And The Governing Body, third edition, pages 342-347, I list ten criteria showing that an account is a prophetic type, and there are a great number of accounts in the Hebrew Scriptures that fill one or more of these criteria.
While Jesus did not say that the flood was a prophetic type, he showed that it was such a type. We read in Matthew 24:37-42:
37 For just as (hosper) the days of Noah were, so (houtos) 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. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned; 41 two women will be grinding at the hand mill: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned. 42 Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming. 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. 40 Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned; 41 two women will be grinding at the hand mill: one will be taken along and the other be abandoned. 42 Keep on the watch, therefore, because YOU do not know on what day YOUR Lord is coming.
While Jesus did not use the words typos or antitypos, he showed that the great flood was a type of the great tribulation. This is seen in verse 37. The conjunction hosper is first used with the meaning “somewhat more emphatic markers of similarity between events and states.” (Louw and Nida). Then the adverbial houtos meaning “with reference to that which precedes — ‘so, thus, in this way.’” (Louw and Nida). The similarity between the situation of the great flood and the presence of Jesus could hardly have been expressed in a clearer way.
After Jesus says that there are typical and antitypical similarities, different parallel events are presented. And the climax is that all humans living on the earth will lose their lives at the end of his presence just as all humans living in the days of Noah lost their lives. That the author of the article denies that the flood was a type of the great tribulation and that the members of the Governing Body condone this conclusion, questions the competence of all these persons to discuss biblical texts.
The conclusion we can draw from the words of Jesus is that during the great tribulation, all humans on the earth will die. So, how will the members of the Governing Body be twisting clear of their conclusion that 8 billion+ people will be eternally annihilated by Jehovah, who is a God of love? The article we are discussing is an attempt to dodge this impossible conclusion. Let us see.
THE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO DIE IN THE GREAT TRIBULATION
Jesus showed that all humans on the earth, except the great crowd that will survive the great tribulation, will die in the great tribulation. Revelation 7:14 shows that the great crowd “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” This means that those who will survive the great tribulation believe in Jehovah God and Jesus Christ and have taken an active stand in favor of God’s Kingdom. The only group in the world that believes that they will survive the great tribulation and who are ready for the great work to make the earth ready for the resurrection, are Jehovah’s Witnesses. This means, in my view, that Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only ones who will survive the great tribulation.
The important question is what the situation is on the earth immediately before the great tribulation and what will happen to those who die during the great tribulation.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PREACHING OF THE GOOD NEWS TOWARD THE GREAT TRIBULATION
Today, there are 8 billion inhabitants on the earth. Of these, there are 2 billion children below 14 years and 800 million persons with mental health disorders. These constitute 35% of the world population, and most of them neither have had the chance nor the capacity to accept or reject the ransom sacrifice.
When we look at the report of Jehovah’s Witnesses, we see that there are relatively few preachers in India with 1.4 billion inhabitants, and in China, also with 1.4 billion inhabitants. In Asia, there are 4.6 billion inhabitants, most of whom have not heard the good news of the kingdom. If we, to this number, add the 1 billion children and 400 million persons with mental health disorders from other parts of the earth, we get the number of 6,0 billion. This is 75% of the world’s population, and most of them have not had the chance to accept or reject the ransom sacrifice or to be acquainted with the brothers of Jesus.
In Europe, Australia, and America, there has been much preaching of the Kingdom. How will the situation develop toward the great tribulation? The world population increases by 140 million persons each year, and Jehovah’s Witnesses increase with about 300,000 persons. This means that the ratio between the Witnesses and the world population increases each year. Therefore, the number of those who today have not had the chance to be acquainted with the brothers of Jesus increases each year until the great tribulation comes because the ratio between the preachers of the Kingdom and the world population will all the time increase. Thus, more than 6 billion (75%) of the humans who live on the earth when the great tribulation comes will be ignorant regarding the ransom sacrifice and the way to get everlasting life, and they will not know anything about the brothers of Jesus.
Of the other 2 billion+ who are living, only a small fraction will survive, and this means that 8 billion+ will die in the great tribulation. What will their destiny be?
THE VIEW UNTIL 2024 OF THE DESTINY OF THOSE WHO DIE IN THE GREAT TRIBULATION
During the 21st century, there have been many articles in the Watchtower literature showing that all humans who are not Jehovah’s Witnesses will be eternally annihilated in the great tribulation. We find one recent discussion in the Study Edition of The Watchtower of May 2022, pages 16 and 17, paragraphs 8 and 10:
8As mentioned in the preceding article, the political elements of this world will soon turn on Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion. (Rev. 17:16, 17) This action will mark the beginning of the great tribulation. Will this result in a flood of new ones deciding to turn to worship Jehovah? No. To the contrary, Revelation chapter 6 shows that at that critical time, people who are not serving Jehovah will seek protection from the political and commercial systems of this world, which are compared to mountains. Since those people will not take a stand in favor of God’s Kingdom, Jehovah will consider them to be opposers.— Luke 11:23; Rev. 6:15-17…
10 How will Jehovah react to this vicious attack? He tells us: “My great rage will flare up.” (Ezek. 38:18, 21-23) Revelation chapter 19 describes what happens next. Jehovah sends forth His Son to defend His people and to defeat their enemies. Jesus will be joined in this counterattack by “the armies in heaven”—the faithful angels together with the 144,000. (Rev. 17:14; 19:11-15) What is the outcome of this war? The total annihilation of all humans and organizations opposing Jehovah!—Read Revelation 19:19-21.
The quotation says that all who have not taken a stand for God’s Kingdom are opposers, and those who are opposing Jehovah will experience total annihilation. As I have shown above, this means the total annihilation of 8 billion+ humans living on the earth.
THE U-TURN IN MAY 2024 OF THE GOVERNING BODY REGARDING THOSE WHO LIVE WHEN THE GREAT TRIBULATION COMES
Exactly two years after the strong statement regarding the total annihilation of 8 billion+ human beings, The Watchtower of May 2024 published an U-turn, a partial reversal of the previous viewpoints of the members of the Governing Body. On pages 11 and 12 we read:
12 Even after the great tribulation starts, it is possible that some who see the destruction of “Babylon the Great” will recall that Jehovah’s Witnesses had long spoken of this event. Might some who see these events have a change of heart?—Rev. 17:5; Ezek. 33:33.
13 Such an outcome would be similar to what occurred in Egypt in Moses’ day. Recall that “a vast mixed company” joined Israel in the Exodus. Some of these individuals may have started to develop faith when they saw that Moses’ warnings about the Ten Plagues came true. (Ex. 12:38) If a similar development should occur following the destruction of Babylon the Great, would we be disappointed that people were able to join us shortly before the end comes? Of course not! We want to reflect the personality of our heavenly Father, “a God merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and abundant in loyal love and truth.”—Ex. 34:6.
The article from May 22 stated categorically that people will not turn around and start to serve Jehovah after the great tribulation has begun because of what is written in Revelation 6:15-17. The article from May 2024 ignores the words of Revelation chapter 6 and says that it is possible, even likely, that persons will change their hearts and begin to serve Jehovah after the great tribulation has begun.
This shows the arbitrary way the members of the Governing Body are treating the text of the Bible. Their shifting viewpoints are not based on a thorough analysis of texts of the Bible. But what they have presented in The Watchtower of May 2022 and May 2024 simply are based on the whims of the members of the Governing Body.
I will now return to the destiny of those people who are not dedicated Christians when the great tribulation comes. The viewpoint before May 2024, as we see in The Watchtower of May 2022, was that all these persons would be eternally annihilated. That several billion people who never had the chance to know God and to serve God will be eternally annihilated, is a point of view that offends many. The members of the Governing Body have realized this. And in order to put themselves in a more favorable light, they say that they do not know anything about the eternal destiny of the unbelievers who live when the great tribulation comes. They even have gone a step further by suggesting that there may be hope for many of them. We read on pages 10-12:
10 Will all who die during the events of the great tribulation be destroyed forever with no hope of a resurrection? The Scriptures make it clear that outright opposers whom Jehovah and his forces will destroy at Armageddon will not be resurrected. (2 Thess. 1:6-10) But what about others, for example, who may die from natural causes, from accidents, or at the hand of other humans? (Eccl. 9:11; Zech. 14:13) Could some of these people be among the “unrighteous” who will be resurrected in the new world? We simply do not know.
15 It is also reasonable to conclude that a person’s eternal future does not depend on where he happens to live. It is unthinkable that Jehovah would automatically label as “goats” millions of people who live in lands where they never had an opportunity to respond to the Kingdom message. (Matt. 25:46) The righteous Judge of all the earth cares even more about these individuals than we ever could. We do not know how Jehovah will maneuver events during the great tribulation. Perhaps some of these people will have an opportunity to learn about Jehovah, put faith in him, and take their stand on Jehovah’s side when he sanctifies himself before all nations. —Ezek. 38:16.
The most important words in the quotation are those in blue script. They represent a turn of 180 degrees compared with the previous view. The view has been that when the great tribulation comes, there are two groups described as sheep and goats. The sheep are Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the goats are all the other people who will experience eternal annihilation.
The quoted words are ambiguous and many questions are left unanswered. But they do not deny that when the great tribulation comes, there are only two groups, sheep and goats. But what is a dramatic shift is who the goats are. The previous view that is seen in the quotation from May 2022, was that “all who are not with us, are against us.” But the quoted words indicate that not all who are not with us, are goats.
But what this means is unclear: Do the members of the Governing Body mean that people who have not had any chance to hear the good news and who die in the great tribulation automatically will get a resurrection? Or do they mean that some persons in addition to those who serve Jehovah will survive the great tribulation?
| The dramatic shift in May 2024 is that all those who are not dedicated Christians cannot not necessarily be labeled as goats. |
CONCLUDING REMARKS
The view of the members of the Governing Body that 8 billion+ humans who live when the great tribulation comes will be eternally annihilated has offended many. The sense of justice of most people is that people cannot be punished for what they do not know and have not done.
By pleading lack of knowledge or ignorance regarding the destiny of those who are not servants of God when the great tribulation comes, the members of the Governing Body have managed to quash the accusation that they believe that 8 billion+ humans will be eternally annihilated. Now, everything is hanging in the air.
Are the members of the Governing Body justified by their pleading of ignorance? Absolutely not! The text of the Bible shows clearly what the destiny of the 8 billion+ who live when the great tribulation comes will be. But unfortunately, the members of the Governing Body do not believe what the Bible says regarding this. What prevents them from believing what the Bible says is that they have rejected an important side of the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
This will be discussed in the article “Putting up a smokescreen over the resurrection hope,” Part three.
