Q: I understand that Jehovah's Witnesses are performing a great preaching work, but even with best estimates we might have reached half of the population of the world.  The population is growing at a greater rate than we can reach in our preaching work.  I believe that others and not just the JW are also taking part in this work.  Am I wrong? If we are the only ones then when will the end come?
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A: Regarding the “conclusion of the system of things,” Jesus foretold that “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.” (Matt. 24:14; Rom. 10:18) When we participate in the preaching work we are “public servants of Christ Jesus to the nations, engaging in the holy work of the good news of God.” (Rom. 15:16) Jesus trained his disciples as they accompanied him on his preaching tours, and then in turn were themselves sent out with the instruction: “Do not go off into the road of the nations, and do not enter into a Samaritan city; but instead, go continually to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.'” (Matt. 4:23; 10:5-7)

Some believe that the good news of the kingdom has to be preached to every individual person before the end comes. If that were the case then it would seem that either the end is still far off; or, as you note, others besides the Witnesses are taking part in this work, since Jehovah’s witnesses have reached perhaps only half of the world’s population. But that is not the deciding factor, because not everyone needs to be personally contacted with the good news. Jesus indicated that we “will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives,” indicating that God’s day at Armageddon is not going to wait until we have covered the entire world with our preaching. (Matt. 10:23)

You wonder if others, besides Jehovah’s Witnesses, may be sharing in preaching "the good news of the kingdom." But preaching just any message does not fulfill Jesus' commission to preach the kingdom. In order for someone to share in the preaching of the "good news of the kingdom" he would first of all need to acquaint himself with the truth about the kingdom! For example, he would need to understand that God’s kingdom is a real government which will destroy and replace all human governments. That is not what most people want to hear! Also, Jesus Christ, “the Son of man,” is the King of this government; and along with him God has chosen 144,000 “holy ones” who will rule with him. (Dan. 2:44; 7:13,14, 18, 27; Matt. 19:27,28; 25:31-33; Rev. 14:1, 4; 19:15,16; 20:6) It is by means of this kingdom that God will bring blessings upon obedient mankind. Who really understands those basic truths about God’s kingdom in order to qualify to preach it?

God's Word the Bible is available in every corner of this world, and can be read in whole or in part by about 95% of the world's population. But whose responsibility is it that they actually read the Bible? If they really desire, they have the means in their hands to learn about God's kingdom and the truth about the Creator himself. (Deut. 30:12-14)

The “good news of the kingdom” is being preached, not for the purpose of converting the world, but, as Jesus said, “for a witness to all the nations.” The preaching work accomplishes God's will in two ways: It first of all attracts honest hearted people to true worship; and secondly, it advertises God's kingdom as the only hope for mankind. The "holy work of the good news" is God's, not ours, and in order to accomplish it he has assigned his powerful angels to assist those engaging in it. (Acts 8:26; Rev. 14:6,7; 2 Chron. 16:9) When we go about proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, God's angels direct us to honest hearted persons who are searching for God. Everyone who has participated in this "holy work" can vouch for such experiences. We can rest assured that Jehovah will not overlook a single person who is calling out to him, no matter where that person may be residing on this earth; for his angels are capable of bringing such ones in touch with God's people. (2 Chron. 16:9) The internet has greatly assisted in speeding this up.

There is another very effective way in which Jehovah confronts the world with the fact that mankind urgently needs his kingdom as the only solution to the world's many problems. For that reason he is exposing all that is wrong with it. He is revealing, by bringing out into public view, the extreme rottenness of this entire system in which man has put his trust, including the hypocrisy and corruption of the world's and religious leaders; the greed of the world's Bankers; the failures of the judicial system; the wickedness of many in positions of trust; the crime; the hate; the wars; the selfishness; the suffering of the innocent; etc. People all over the world are seeing these things and are uniting in expressing their outrage, while calling for change.

Take for example the many protest rallies that are sweeping the world, where hundreds of thousands come together to express their anger, in some cases even deposing their leaders. What is motivating them? What is it that people have in common that they all want? When the demonstrators of the present widespread popular “occupation” rallies were interviewed by the media, many expressed the same concerns. Holding up signs of their various grievances and demands—some even with their young children clutching signs—expressed their basic desire for a steady job that enables them to care for their families; affordable housing; lower food costs; access to health care, especially for the elderly; tax relief; an equalization or sharing of the wealth of the "One Percent minority" rich with the "Ninety-Nine percent" poor majority; holding greedy financiers accountable; an end to oppressive government; and so on. We all have watched these on the News.

But are these not the very things that Jehovah has promised mankind; that his kingdom will fulfill all their desires? His kingdom means a righteous government that genuinely cares for the people; no more wars; peace, security, and justice for all the earth; meaningful work, such as building ones own house and living in it; planting gardens and eating its fruitage; even the animals will be at peace with man; no more sickness, no more pain, and death will be a thing of the past; and even more amazing, the dead will return to life in the resurrection that Jesus promised. Yes, so much more than anything that man has to offer! (Isaiah 9:6,7; 26:19; 32:16-18; 33:24; 65:21-25; John 5:25,26, 28,29; Rev. 21:3,4) So why are the majority of these people not interested in what God promises?

Suppose you were to share the good news of God’s kingdom with these demonstrators, how many of them would want to listen to your message? The fact that so many are even willing to sacrifice their lives to bring about change, and yet at the same time refuse to consider God’s solution, makes it clear that they don't want God’s rulership under any circumstance. They want to cling to the system that belongs to Satan, but of course without the many problems that afflict them personally. (Psalms 2:6-12; Rev. 11:15, 17,18) To them God is not relevant, and therefore his kingdom is not a practical solution, although they may pay lip service to God. (Matt. 15:8,9) Should Jehovah excuse them because they are not personally contacted with the good news? It's clear that this would not make any difference, for by their response to present conditions they are going on record before Jehovah that they do not want his kingdom. In this they are really no different from the Jews in the first century to whom Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom. They refused to listen to him, in spite of his many miracles that he performed. When the end comes—and it will come—they will all perish. Their blood will be upon their own heads! (Jer. 18:7-12; Ezek. 33:2-5; Zeph. 1:14-18; Matt. 25:46; 2 Thess. 1:8,9)

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