Prepare Now to Survive Armageddon

IN VIEW of world conditions and the fulfillment of Bible prophecies, it is urgent that no time be lost in making plans for survival. But plans for surviving what?

Not plans for surviving a nuclear holocaust

​—that will never come,

​—that would offer you no opportunity for survival if it did come, and

​—that you might not even want to survive, since it would hold no promise of a better life afterward.

But preparations for surviving Armageddon, a conflict

​—that is sure to come,

​—that offers you opportunity for survival if you act promptly and

​—that you should want to survive because it holds promise of a better life afterward.

How to Prepare

Since Armageddon is the time and place for God’s action against his opposers, he is the one to determine the requirements for survival. Note what some of them are:

“Before there comes upon you the day of Jehovah’s anger, seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.”​—Zephaniah 2:2, 3.

Yes, “seek Jehovah” by studying his Word, the Bible, by yourself and with others. Get acquainted with God. Gain his friendship by meeting the requirements he sets down for those who will be his friends and by refraining from doing the things that merit his displeasure. (Contrast Psalm 15 with Galatians 5:19-21.) “Seek righteousness” by replacing imperfect human standards of acceptable conduct with the Creator’s perfect standards. “Seek meekness” by being humble enough to accept divine direction.

In “the great and fear-inspiring day of Jehovah . . . it must occur that everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will get away safe.”​—Joel 2:31, 32.

We can call “on the name of Jehovah” by knowing it, respecting it and totally relying on the God who bears it. Six thousand years of human experience should have taught us that humans or human agencies can never ensure protection or salvation. Psalm 146:3 warns: “Do not put your trust in nobles, nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs.”

“Go, my people, enter into your interior rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for but a moment until the denunciation passes over.”​—Isaiah 26:20.

The commands “go,” “enter,” “shut” and “hide” show that action is required. All of God’s instructions​—as he progressively reveals them to us—​must be followed closely, thus allowing him to maneuver us into the place of safety that he himself has prepared. “For he will hide me in his covert in the day of calamity,” said King David. “He will conceal me in the secret place of his tent.”​—Psalm 27:5.

This certainly does not mean withdrawing from society and making survival plans of our own initiative as did one American “survival group” several years ago. Their survival preparations are clearly not the kind that will ensure protection at Armageddon. For example, they purchased membership in a secret mountain hideaway for $12,500 plus annual dues of $300. Jehovah, however, puts no price tag on Armageddon survival, nor does he charge rent for being concealed “in the secret place of his tent.”

Blessings of Armageddon Survival

The battle of Armageddon will clear the way for the restoration of righteous conditions on the earth. Both man and his environment will, under the direction of God’s Messianic Kingdom through Christ Jesus, progressively be brought back to the perfect, sinless condition God purposed at the beginning. (Revelation 21:1-5; Genesis 1:28) Millions of the dead will be resurrected and given an opportunity to conform their life to God’s requirements. Happily, this will even include many of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic-bomb victims. (Acts 24:15) Would you enjoy welcoming them back to a world where nuclear war​—in fact war of every kind—​will be unknown?​—Psalm 46:9.

If you would enjoy living in such a world, we encourage you to learn more about the requirements for Armageddon survival. Jehovah’s Witnesses stand ready to assist you in learning about these from your own Bible. Prepare now, so that you, too, can live forever in Paradise on earth.

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What a blessing to survive Armageddon!