The End of Time

[Dimmesdale]

How do you envision the End of Time? This doesn't have to be limited to the Christian religion, though I would like the input of Christians.

Personally, I find it illogical to believe that King Jesus will simply appear in the clouds and judge everyone and inaugurate his great eternal kingdom, the "new heavens and new earth." This to me smacks of a gross form of utopianism, as it were setting everything in a perfect political context like we have here only eliminating and hence "weeding out" all the inconsistent elements in a "new order."

On the other hand, the infinitely more pessimistic stance that the sun will simply explode and engulf our earth and the entire universe will die off due to the inevitable energetic decay of the universe, also strikes me as "off" in the extreme.

How is the "end" envisaged by you, personally?

[Dimmesdale]

I realize that this may not be the right subforum for this post, so I'd like it reassigned to a more fitting place, if necessary. Thanks!

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by 7homas]

As one of Jehovah's Witnesses I believe that the end will result in the destruction of all government, the destruction of the incorrigibly wicked at the hands of Jesus, his co-rulers and the angelic heavenly forces.

How exactly this will proceed, and how exactly God will protect the wicked I don't know. I picture dramatic events, but specifically how everything will go down, I don't think the bible gives these details.


JEHOVAHS WITNESS

[2timothy316]

From what I have gleaned from the Bible, the end of this world as we know it will be a progressive unraveling of man-made systems, both governments and religions. This part will be the Great Tribulation. This will be the time where what is in a person's heart will be exposed. Everyone will show what type of person they are because according to the Bible it's not called the 'Great' Tribulation for nothing. What actions a person takes in that time period will reveal their true nature.

At the end of that Great Tribulation, things will come to a point where the wicked will seek to kill off all of the righteous. When that is attempted is when Armageddon begins. Jesus at the direction of his Father Jehovah will stop the slaughter before it begins. The Bible describes those under attack as peaceful and will have no way to defend themselves. Yet these have put their salvation in the only true God. So really they are not defenseless.

It certainly will be something to see how it all plays out but as JW said, exactly how, the Bible is silent. We are only told to keep on watch and when the righteous see their enemies coming for them, they are to look up, rejoice, stand in place and let their God fight for them. By the end of the Great Tribulation all people will have chosen their side. The Bible says that 'men must know' and 'Will know' who God is and they will either be for Him or against Him.

[Dimmesdale]

[Replying to post 1 by 7homas]

As one of Jehovah's Witnesses I believe that the end will result in the destruction of all government, the destruction of the incorrigibly wicked at the hands of Jesus, his co-rulers and the angelic heavenly forces.

How exactly this will proceed, and how exactly God will protect the wicked I don't know. I picture dramatic events, but specifically how everything will go down, I don't think the bible gives these details.


JEHOVAHS WITNESS

When Jesus comes, will this destruction be instantaneous, as in, will time itself have an end? Or will there first be destruction and THEN officially the "End" of time?

[Dimmesdale]

Sorry, double post. Ignore.

[Dimmesdale]

From what I have gleaned from the Bible, the end of this world as we know it will be a progressive unraveling of man-made systems, both governments and religions. This part will be the Great Tribulation.

That this will eventually grow to happen is my assessment as well, sadly.

This will be the time where what is in a person's heart will be exposed. Everyone will show what type of person they are because according to the Bible it's not called the 'Great' Tribulation for nothing. What actions a person takes in that time period will reveal their true nature.

Why should it be only at this time that such a thing begins? People reveal their true selves all the time. What makes this age so transparent?

At the end of that Great Tribulation, things will come to a point where the wicked will seek to kill off all of the righteous. When that is attempted is when Armageddon begins.

Again, how or why does it "come to a point" like this? Why should it be any different from the rest of human history, which ebbs and flows? I do believe governments, all governments, eventually crumble, but how would this settled attitude of the wicked to kill the righteous come to pass? Most wicked people are out for themselves and are not so much interested in the affairs of Christians. But there are some, I'll grant you, definitely.

Jesus at the direction of his Father Jehovah will stop the slaughter before it begins. The Bible describes those under attack as peaceful and will have no way to defend themselves. Yet these have put their salvation in the only true God. So really they are not defenseless.

It certainly will be something to see how it all plays out but as JW said, exactly how, the Bible is silent. We are only told to keep on watch and when the righteous see their enemies coming for them, they are to look up, rejoice, stand in place and let their God fight for them. By the end of the Great Tribulation all people will have chosen their side. The Bible says that 'men must know' and 'Will know' who God is and they will either be for Him or against Him.

Well, I am certainly interested in how the End Times will play out, though I am not a Christian.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by 7homas]

As one of Jehovah's Witnesses I believe that the end will result in the destruction of all government, the destruction of the incorrigibly wicked at the hands of Jesus, his co-rulers and the angelic heavenly forces.

How exactly this will proceed, and how exactly God will protect the wicked I don't know. I picture dramatic events, but specifically how everything will go down, I don't think the bible gives these details.


JEHOVAHS WITNESS

When Jesus comes, will this destruction be instantaneous, as in, will time itself have an end? Or will there first be destruction and THEN officially the "End" of time?

I don't know what you are talking about, why would "time" itself end? Time is how we measure moving from one event to another, why would you think time would end? just because God kills off wicked people?

Or will there first be destruction and THEN officially the "End" of time?

Say whaaa ?!

[dio9]

[Replying to post 1 by 7homas]

I envision the end of time as the end of the follies, When people come to their God given senses, and treat each other as Jesus taught people should treat each other.[/b]

[Dimmesdale]

[Replying to post 1 by 7homas]

As one of Jehovah's Witnesses I believe that the end will result in the destruction of all government, the destruction of the incorrigibly wicked at the hands of Jesus, his co-rulers and the angelic heavenly forces.

How exactly this will proceed, and how exactly God will protect the wicked I don't know. I picture dramatic events, but specifically how everything will go down, I don't think the bible gives these details.


JEHOVAHS WITNESS

When Jesus comes, will this destruction be instantaneous, as in, will time itself have an end? Or will there first be destruction and THEN officially the "End" of time?

I don't know what you are talking about, why would "time" itself end? Time is how we measure moving from one event to another, why would you think time would end? just because God kills off wicked people?

Or will there first be destruction and THEN officially the "End" of time?

Say whaaa ?!

According to Christian theologians, or many of them at any rate (Josef Pieper, for instance), time itself will end and in its place there will be the eternal NOW, or all of life happening at once. Thus the creation, according to Christians who believe this, will participate in God's own life, having all of life at once, instead of a little at a time.