Soon the long-awaited Kingdom of God​—a world government set up by God—​will bring global peace and harmony to the earth. “Peace will abound,” as promised at Psalm 72:7. But when will the Kingdom take charge? How will it do so? And how can you benefit from Kingdom rule?

The Bible foretold a number of striking events that would signal that God’s Kingdom is coming soon. Those events make up a composite “sign” that includes international warfare, famine, disease, many earthquakes, and an increase in lawlessness.​—Matthew 24:3, 7, 12; Luke 21:11; Revelation 6:2-8.

Another prophecy states: “In the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, . . . disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, . . . puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:1-4) Traits such as these have always been manifest to some extent. But now they are commonplace.

Those prophecies began to be fulfilled in the year 1914. Indeed, historians, statesmen, and writers have commented on how the world changed after that year. For example, Danish historian Peter Munch wrote: “The outbreak of the war in 1914 is the great turning point in the history of humanity. From a bright epoch of progress, . . . we entered an age of disaster, horror, and hatred, with insecurity everywhere.”

On the positive side, those conditions are like a storm before the calm. They show that Kingdom rule over all the earth is near. In fact, Jesus included this positive element in his sign of the end: “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 good news is a central theme of the message of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Indeed, their leading journal is entitled The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. It regularly discusses the wonderful things that God’s Kingdom will do for mankind and the earth.

The answer involves these four important facts:

1. The Kingdom will not operate through or be represented by the political leaders of the present world.

2. The world’s political leaders, in an attempt to cling to power, will foolishly defy rule by God’s Kingdom.​—Psalm 2:2-9.

3. God’s Kingdom will need to destroy the political kingdoms that want to continue dominating mankind. (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 19:17-21) This final global conflict is called Armageddon.​—Revelation 16:14, 16.

4. All who willingly submit to God’s Kingdom will be preserved through Armageddon into a peaceful new world. They will make up what the Bible calls “a great crowd,” likely numbering into the millions.​—Revelation 7:9, 10, 13, 14.

A first step to becoming a subject of God’s Kingdom is education. Indeed, Jesus said in prayer to God: “This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.”​—John 17:3.

When people come to know Jehovah God as a Person, they benefit in many ways. Consider just two: First, they develop strong faith in him. That faith, which is based on evidence, convinces them that God’s Kingdom is a reality and that its rule is near. (Hebrews 11:1) Second, they grow in love for God and for neighbor. Love for God impels them to obey him with a willing heart. Love for neighbor moves them to apply Jesus’ words that are often called the Golden Rule. It states: “Just as you want men to do to you, do the same way to them.”​—Luke 6:31.

Like a loving father, our Creator wants the very best for us. He wants us to experience what the Bible calls “the real life.” (1 Timothy 6:19) Life today is not “the real life.” For millions, it is little more than existence​—and is perilous at that. To give you a preview of that “real life,” consider some of the wonderful things that God’s Kingdom will do for its subjects.