Reinterpretation of Armageddon
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To begin with let us look at the original concept of Armageddon that was formed by the Watchtower Society and then the modification it went through in the year 1925, where nothing happened:
Particularly since the witnesses of Jehovah discerned in 1925 that the battle of Armageddon is not a period of international anarchy on earth but is Jehovah’s war against Satan’s entire organization, demonic and human, we have realized our great responsibility respecting mankind who are threatened with everlasting destruction in that universal war. (The Watchtower November 1, 1957 p. 669).
In the year 1925 the Watchtower Society not only has changed its teaching on what Armageddon was, but also the “time” of its coming:
On account of his “chosen ones” he cuts short the days. How? Back in the year 1925 the suggestion was set out in the leading article of the Watch Tower issue of May 1, entitled “For the Elect’s Sake,” that “those days” of the “great tribulation” were cut short in the middle. The explanation was given that the “great tribulation” had begun in 1914 C.E. and that it was not allowed to run its full course then but God stopped World War I in November of 1918. From then on God was allowing an interval for the activity of his anointed remnant of elect Christians before he let the final part of the “great tribulation” resume at the battle of Armageddon and come to its termination. (...) This explanation sounded good and reasonable back there in 1925, just seven years after World War I and fourteen years before the unexpected World War II, a conflict four times as bad as World War I. (The Watchtower January 15, 1970 p. 52).
An old interpretation taught even in 1916 that Armageddon had been in existence since 1914:
In the meantime, our eyes of understanding should discern clearly the Battle of the Great Day of God Almighty now in progress; and our faith, guiding our eyes of understanding through the Word, should enable us to see the glorious outcome – Messiah’s kingdom. (The Watchtower September 1, 1916 p. 5951, reprints).
In the years preceding the year 1925 the teaching of “the great tribulation” (and the Armageddon) was saying that it had been going on since 1914, and its apogee was to occur in the year 1925.
When that did not happen, it was stated that God, in 1918, declared an indefinite interval of the “great tribulation,” but after it he would continue that someday, soon, during the Armageddon. In 1970 this teaching was changed again. Now it is stated the “great tribulation” and Armageddon are still ahead of us… so it could not have a break since 1918:
However, The Watchtower of January 15, 1970, reexamined Jesus’ prophecy, especially the coming great tribulation. It showed that in view of what happened in the first century, the modern tribulation could not have an opening part in 1914-18, a decades- long interval, and later a resumption. That magazine concluded: “The ‘great tribulation’ such as will not occur again is yet ahead, for it means the destruction of the world empire of false religion (including Christendom) followed by the ‘war of the great day of God the Almighty’ at Armageddon.” (The Watchtower February 15, 1994 pp. 17-18).
In here, we will not discuss any dates related to the coming of Armageddon (e.g. the 1930s and 1940s, 1975, “the 1914 generation,” the end of the 20th century). Our purpose is to show the change in the meaning of that event, rather than the different methods of calculating the date of Armageddon and signs of its coming. However, to close this topic, below the Dear Reader can find the final Armageddon date being in use by the Watchtower Society:
What day was Jesus speaking of? The beginning of World War III? No, Zephaniah 2:3 identifies it as "the day of Jehovah's anger." Revelation 16:16 calls it the "war of the great day of God the Almighty," Armageddon. This war will come in the twentieth century. It will come right on schedule, as have the wars, food shortages, earthquakes and other events' fore told. This generation will see its fulfillment. (Awake! February 22, 1961 p. 8).
In 1929 another teaching about Armageddon was changed as well:
Not until 1929 was it revealed to Jehovah’s witnesses that some of the remnant will go through the battle of Armageddon, and then that increased their efforts to declare the truth. (The Watchtower May 1, 1936 p. 136).
Only from the end of the year 1928 was the prospect opened up to the spiritual understanding of the anointed remnant of the “Israel of God” to survive the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon and enter here on earth into Jehovah’s righteous new order. (See The Watch Tower under date of December 15, 1928, page 376, paragraphs 35, 36.) (The Watchtower December 15, 1974 pp. 765-766).
Earlier, the Watchtower Society believed that all its publishers belonging to the remnant of the anointed ones would be taken to heaven before Armageddon.
But, in 2013, they returned to its original teaching once again:
Hence, it appears that all anointed ones who still remain on earth after the initial part of the great tribulation has passed will at some point be raised to heaven before the outbreak of the battle of Armageddon. This adjusts what was stated on this subject in “Questions From Readers” in The Watchtower of August 15, 1990, page 30. (The Watchtower July 15, 2013 p. 5 [or p. 8]).
See God’s Kingdom Rules! 2014 p. 228.
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