Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the United Nations is the “image of the wild beast” referred to in Revelation 13:1-18 and the fulfillment of the “disgusting thing that causes desolation” from Matthew 24:15.^[7][8] Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that God will use the United Nations to destroy “false religion”, wherein all institutionalized religions except Jehovah’s Witnesses will be destroyed. They further believe that after all other religions are destroyed, “a coalition of nations” will then turn against Jehovah’s Witnesses to destroy them, but Jehovah will intervene and destroy all political elements.^[9] They believe this act of divine intervention will be Armageddon, the final part of the Great Tribulation.^[10][11]

In practice, Jehovah’s Witnesses “view the United Nations organization as they do other governmental bodies of the world,” as “superior authorities” that “exist by God’s permission,” based on their interpretation of Romans 13:1-2. They believe “this Scriptural position does not condone any form of disrespect toward governments or their officials,” to which they are to “render due respect,” and they “obey them as long as such obedience does not require that they sin against God.”^[8]