Aware that his end is approaching, Satan has been stepping up his efforts to mislead people on earth.

One of his main goals is to deceive mankind into thinking that they dont need God to govern them, but that they can live successfully and bring real peace. Generally, his propaganda has succeeded, for people remain optimistic, despite the evidence that conditions are going from bad to worse. The apostle Paul foretold that just before this system is destroyed, there will be a notable expression of satanic propaganda. He wrote what we read at 1 Thess 5:3 (See WT 04 2/1 pp. 20-21) This will be the start of the period of time that Jesus called the great tribulation Matt 24:21. This will then lead into the events described at Rev 16: 14, 16. The Bible does not say how long that time period is to be; it is likely to go on for many, many weeks, or maybe months, and the calamities that are to take place during it will be worse than anything the world has ever seen. At the beginning of the great tribulation, something will happen that will be a severe shock to most people on earth: the destruction of all false religion. Rev 17:1, 16-17 (See WT 00 10/15 pp. 15-16) What things likely will happen to them? We would not expect a mass extermination of all religious people. Religions could be banned from practising; Churches could be closed down; possessions and resources could be confiscated; clergy could be imprisoned. At some point after the great tribulation begins and religious activity has been demolished, but before Jehovah executes his judgment upon the rest of this world, supernatural events will occur. Referring to the tribulation just ahead of us, Jesus said this at Matt 24:29, 30. Jesus is saying that some time after the tribulation starts, supernatural events (spectacular events in the heavens) of some sort will occur. Compare Joel 2:30, 31. How will people react? This will shock disobedient humans that they will become faint out of fear. Luke 21:25, 26. But this will not be the case with us, as Jehovahs servants. At that time Luke 21:28 applies. Gods enemies will be trembling with fear because they will know that the supernatural events taking place come from Jehovah. But Jehovahs servants will rejoice because they will know that their deliverance is getting near. (See WT 99 5/1 pp. 12-13) In what sense will the sun be darkened, the moon not give its light, the stars fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens be shaken? First, in the early part of the great tribulation, many religious stars prominent clergymen will have been exposed and eliminated by political elements of the world. Then, the political powers themselves will be shaken up. Could there also be frightening events in the physical heavens? Quite likely, and far more awesome than those described by Josephus (below ) as occurring near the end of the Jewish system. In the ancient past, God displayed his power to cause supernatural events, and he will do so again. (See WT 94 2/15 p. 20) Joshua 10:8-14. How is such a thing possible? If he chooses to, Jehovah can manipulate the movement of the earth so that the sun and the moon would seem motionless to an earthly observer. Judges 5:20, 21. How did the stars fight from the heavens in behalf of Barak? The Bible does not say for sure, but it could maybe have been the falling of showers of meteorites on enemy armies. Undoubtedly, there was some type of divine involvement. When Jehovah allowed Jerusalem to be destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 CE, there were similar supernatural events that took place. Josephus writes of developments between the Romans first assault on Jerusalem (66 C.E.) and its destruction: During the night a devastating storm broke; a hurricane raged, rain fell in torrents, lightning flashed continuously, the thunderclaps were terrifying, the earth quaked with deafening roars. Disaster to the human race was plainly foretold by this collapse of the whole structure of things, and no one could doubt that these signs are a warning of great catastrophe. (See WT 94 2/15 p. 18)

Next, a dramatic event will take place. With the hope of destroying Jehovahs people, Gog of Magog will attack them. Who is Gog? Satan the Devil. After antireligious forces destroy false religion, Jehovah will allow Gog to come up against the seemingly defenseless remnant of spiritual Israel and their dedicated associates. Ezekiel 38:1, 2, 10-12, 14-16 (See WT 88 9/15 pp. 25-26) What will actually happen to Jehovahs people? Satan will influence humans and governments to oppress us. They will ban our work, close our kingdom halls, all the branch offices and factories of the Watchtower Society are shut down, confiscate our possessions, expel us from our jobs and school, imprison us, etc. What will happen when Gog attacks Jehovahs Witnesses? Ezekiel 38:18, 19, 22, 23 . Jehovah will rescue his people, by bringing the war of Armageddon against our enemies. First of all he will get rid of human opposition. He can use natural weapons, such as flash floods, lightning strikes, huge hailstones, snowstorms, pouring fire and sulphur from the sky, earth tremors, landslides, sickness and plague, etc (See WT 53 10/1 pp. 604-605 & WS chap. 19 pp. 156-157) How effective will this be? Job 38:22, 23 . With snow and hail God can fight against his enemies at the time of Armageddon. Who can escape hail from heaven if God directs it? Hailstones were mentioned by Ezekiel as one of the means God will use to destroy the wicked hordes of humans under satanic leadership. At the battle mentioned in Joshua 10, Jehovah used hailstones against his enemies: There were more who died from the hailstones than those whom the sons of Israel killed with the sword. A description of a hailstorm gives us an idea of what God can do on the day of fight and war. In his Book the Italian sculptor Cellini related this experience: We were one day outside Lyons when the heavens began to thunder with sharp rattling claps. After the thunder, the heavens made a noise so great and horrible that I thought the last day had come; so I paused for a moment, while a shower of hail began to fall. At first the hail was somewhat larger than pellets from a popgun, and when these struck me, they hurt considerably. Little by little it increased in size, until the stones . . . grew to the size of big lemons. There fell a stone so huge that it smashed the thick branches of the pine under which I had sheltered for safety. Another of the hailstones hit my horse upon the head, and almost stunned him; one struck me also, but not directly, else it would have killed me. The storm raged for some while, but at last it stopped. Pursuing the way to our lodging for the night, we showed our scratches and bruises to each other; but about a mile farther on we came upon a scene of devastation. The trees were shattered; the beasts in the field lay dead; many of the herdsmen had also been killed; we observed large quantities of hailstones which could not have been grasped with two hands. When God opens up his storehouses of snow, hail and other natural weapons at Armageddon, his enemies will be in for a terrifying time, and there will be no way of escape. (See WT 62 3/15 pp. 167-168) Then he can use other means against them: Collapse of government, collapse of the economy, widespread panic and anarchy, genocide, etc. In a frantic panic, remaining humans may start wars. They may even detonate weapons in an attempt to fight back against the heavenly forces of Jehovah. But it will be totally in vain. (See WT 53 10/1 pp. 604-605 and WS chap. 19 pp. 156-157) But before God wipes them out of existence, they will be made to know that he is Jehovah. Ezek 39: 1-5, 11; Rev 19: 17-21. Then he will turn on our main enemy, Satan. Rev 20: 1-3