The Meaning of Today’s News
LOOK at a newspaper or turn on the television. What do you read, hear, or see? Stories about murder, rape, drugs, family breakdown, coups, revolutions, scandals, cover-ups, diseases such as AIDS, earthquakes, hunger, starvation. This is invariably the news of the day. Yet, a vitally important aspect of the news is generally ignored, and even if it is mentioned, it is quickly dismissed.
For example, during his first term as U.S. president, Ronald Reagan spoke of “Armageddon,” saying: “I find myself wondering if—if we’re the generation that is going to see that come about.” Afterward, however, he downplayed the matter, insisting that he never said that “we must plan according to Armageddon.”
Yet, the Bible book of Revelation tells about the coming of Armageddon, explaining that “the kings of the earth and of the whole world” will be gathered “to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Continuing, the Bible says that the nations will be gathered “together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.”—Revelation 16:14, 16, King James Version.
When will that earthshaking battle of the great day of God Almighty occur? Could it be in our time? Even Ronald Reagan was moved to comment: “I don’t know if you’ve noted any of those prophecies lately, but, believe me, they certainly describe the times we’re going through.”
News of Great Significance
Note for yourself the following Bible prophecy: “Know this, that in the last days [of this system of things] critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, self-assuming, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Would you say that this prophecy is now undergoing fulfillment?
Further, when telling about his future presence and the conclusion of the system of things, Jesus prophesied: “You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars . . . For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be food shortages and earthquakes in one place after another. . . . And because of the increasing of lawlessness the love of the greater number will cool off.” (Matthew 24:3-12) Would you not also agree that this prophecy is being fulfilled?
So that his followers who would be living during the time of the fulfillment of these prophecies would appreciate what they really mean, Jesus gave this illustration: “Note the fig tree and all the other trees: When they are already in the bud, by observing it you know for yourselves that now the summer is near. In this way you also, when you see these things occurring [really, the very events we see occurring today] know that the kingdom of God is near.”—Luke 21:29-31.
Surely, the evidence abounds that we are living when the coming of God’s Kingdom and his war of Armageddon are very near! While this vital news has been ignored almost totally by the news channels of the world, Jehovah’s Witnesses are sharing in spreading it worldwide. This good news they tell is not only that God will cleanse the earth of all corruption but that, under the rule of his Kingdom government, the entire earth will be made into a delightful, gardenlike paradise.
Regarding these matters, the Bible promises: “For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.” And further: “The meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace. The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it.”—Proverbs 2:21, 22; Psalm 37:11, 29.
Would you like to become better informed regarding the evidence that the fulfillment of these grand prophecies is very near? If so, make this known to Jehovah’s Witnesses. They will be happy to help you discern that today’s news really means that God’s Kingdom is near, yes, that a new world of righteousness is at hand.
[Picture Credit Lines on page 9]
Nordhausen/slave camp: USAF Official Photo; Starving child: WHO photo by W. Cutting; Industrial plant: WHO photo by P. Almasy