The “Appointed Time” Is Near

LIKE the prophet Habakkuk, the disciples of Jesus yearned to see an end to suffering. Having learned what the Kingdom of God would do to correct matters on earth, they asked Jesus: “When will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presence [in Kingdom power] and of the conclusion of the system of things?” (Matthew 24:3) In reply, Jesus said that only Jehovah God knew the precise time when the Kingdom would take full control of the earth. (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32) However, Jesus and others did foretell certain developments that would show that the time was near.​—See box at right.

Would you not agree that these things are commonplace today? Jesus also foretold that an educational work would be accomplished earth wide. He said: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”​—Matthew 24:14.

That is exactly what is happening today. Jehovah’s Witnesses are doing that work. In some 236 lands, more than seven million Witnesses are telling people what the Kingdom will do, and they are helping them to conform to the righteous requirements of God, whose will it is to end suffering and pain. Continue to learn about God’s Kingdom, and you will have the prospect of living in a world without suffering​—forever.

[Box on page 8]

Scriptures That Point to the Last Days

MATTHEW 24:6, 7; REVELATION 6:4

• Unprecedented warfare

MATTHEW 24:7; MARK 13:8

• Great earthquakes

• Food shortages

LUKE 21:11; REVELATION 6:8

• Pestilences

MATTHEW 24:12

• Increasing lawlessness

• Love cooling off

REVELATION 11:18

• Ruining of the earth

2 TIMOTHY 3:2

• Inordinate love of money

• Disobedience to parents

• An excessive love of self

2 TIMOTHY 3:3

• A lack of natural affection

• People not open to any agreement

• Self-control lacking at all levels of society

• Widespread loss of love of goodness

2 TIMOTHY 3:4

• Loving pleasures more than God

2 TIMOTHY 3:5

• Many hypocritically claiming to be Christian

MATTHEW 24:5, 11; MARK 13:6

• Many false prophets active

MATTHEW 24:9; LUKE 21:12

• Persecution of true Christians

MATTHEW 24:39

• People taking no note of Biblical warnings

[Picture on page 8]

Earth wide, Jehovah’s Witnesses teach others about God’s Kingdom