Five
Essential Bible Truths – Part 1
Second Coming
of Jesus
Are You Prepared
for This?
The prophecies written
in the books of Daniel and Revelation
describe a sequence of events
spanning a period of 3,500 years.
Since the prophecies began during the
fifth century, B. C., we have been
able to observe prophetic
fulfillments unfold over the past
2,600 years. More than two-thirds of
this prophetic time line has expired.
In fact, it is precise fulfillment of
apocalyptic prophecy during the past
2,600 years that provides a high
level of certainty that future
elements will come to pass as
specified. Because the prophecies of
Daniel and Revelation observe a
well-defined architecture, we can
determine our location within the
chronological order of events they
predict. In other words, we can
verify what has happened in the past
and we can determine the next
prophetic event.
The world stands on
the doorstep of a great transition.
Earth’s civilizations as we
currently know them, are about to
undergo a radical rebirth. I am not
describing another world order based
on the political realignment of the
kingdoms of men. That type of
realignment has been going on ever
since nations came to be. Instead, I
am describing A New-World order,
which God will soon establish. The
Bible is the only source of
truth on this subject. The Bible is
the only book that contains a
comprehensive road map of soon coming
events and the Bible is the only authority
that speaks for God on this matter.
For these reasons, people should
carefully consider the contents of
the Bible. The people of Earth need
to fully prepare for what God
is about to do.
If life continues on
its present path, planet Earth faces
a cataclysmic destiny. We can already
see the birth pains. Tensions between
nations continue to mount. However,
consider the impact God is going to
abruptly startle the six billion
inhabitants of the world with a great
show of divine authority. In the
coming confusion, mayhem and
suffering that is just around the
bend, a trustworthy road map on the
forthcoming actions of God will be of
enormous value. Even though the road
map of Bible prophecy does not reveal
a pretty picture, it does offer a ray
of hope shining from the end of a
short, but very dark tunnel. For this
reason alone, the Bible should
receive a much higher level of
respect and consideration. After
investigating the subject of Bible
prophecy for many years, I am
convinced that whether we believe or
disbelieve, agree or disagree with
Bible prophecy, man’s opinions
about God do not change Him or His
actions. Whether we believe Bible
prophecy or not, all that God has
promised, He will do. All that He has
predicted will come to pass.
What do we Face?
This section provides
a summary of coming events that will
affect the entire planet. Details
that are more specific will be
provided in the second section of
this study. The book of Revelation
predicts four global
earthquakes. These earthquakes will
increase in severity as they occur.
They will sever bridges, break up
hydroelectric dams, tear train tracks
apart, collapse metropolitan freeway
overpasses and kill many people.
Obviously, many tall buildings will
collapse. The world’s economy,
communication and manufacturing
infrastructures will come to a
screeching halt. Before 1994,
scientists have claimed that a
“global” earthquake was
physically impossible. However, last
year an earthquake in South America,
with an epicenter 400 miles below the
surface, proved that tectonic plates
exist much deeper than ever thought
possible. This earthquake not only
shook the western hemisphere, it also
proved that a global earthquake is a
distinct possibility.
In addition to four
global earthquakes, Revelation also
predicts a meteoric shower of burning
hail that will ignite unquenchable
forest fires all over the world. This
cataclysmic event will burn millions
of acres of trees and more
importantly, food crops.
Until the 1980’s,
scientists scoffed at the notion that
a civilization-threatening asteroid
had ever impacted this planet.
However, in the past decade, new
technology has helped scientists to
identify more than 120 impact craters
on Earth. A few of the craters are
more than 150 miles in diameter. Now
that powerful telescopes have vividly
recorded Shoemaker-Levy 9’s
impact with Jupiter, no one is
laughing at the possibility that a
massive asteroid could hit Earth again.
In fact, the book of Revelation
predicts two asteroid impacts. One
asteroid will impact the ocean and
the resulting tsunami will wash away
coastal cities with the same ease
that high tide removes footprints
from the sand of a beach. Then, a
second asteroid impact will
obliterate much of the continent.
Many, perhaps millions of people who
survive the initial impact will
eventually perish from drinking
contaminated water. (Ground waves
from the massive asteroid impact will
sheer both man-made and natural
geological structures allowing deadly
bacteria to enter underground
aquifers.) The Bible does not say
which ocean or which continent will
be impacted, but we can be sure that
when it happens, it will not come as
a random event, for God maintains a
deliberate and specific purpose in
all that He does.
Adding to this coming
global misery, Revelation also
predicts that darkness will cover the
Earth for a number of months. This
darkness could be caused by a series
of volcanic eruptions that occur
shortly after the asteroid impacts.
Consider the scenario: No sun, no
crops. No crops, no more food. A
worldwide famine is coming. As bad as
this description seems, the most
frightening part of Revelation’s
story is not the global disasters,
but the response of desperate men and
women trying to survive the judgments
of God. The Bible predicts that
political and religious leaders will
hastily create a worldwide
organization to appease the wrath of
an angry God. In addition, the Bible
predicts this organization will have
global authority and power almost
instantly!
This is no fairy tale.
This is not a reality check. These
events are imminent and you need to
know what is in our path. Why is God
going to send these disastrous signs?
He is going to get the full attention
of everyone living on Earth –
all six billion of us. He is about to
disrupt the affairs of man suddenly
and during a short period of 1,335
days. He will sort through the people
of Earth. He will separate the good
from the bad, the sheep from the
goats. During this time, God will
present the terms and conditions of
salvation to every member of the
human race, and He will see to it
that every person hears His
offer of salvation. God has
predetermined that every human being
will seriously consider His coming
kingdom. The good news is that
everyone will be invited to be part
of God’s New-World order,
even the most vile person on Earth
can be part of the new kingdom (if he
repents and turns from sin and
rebellion). The other side of the
coin is that God intends to destroy
the kingdoms of men. This includes
everyone opposed to His government
and authority, even
“self-righteous church going
saints” unless they also repent
and turn from their sins. Keep in
mind God is impartial. He loves
everyone equally. However, the human
race has gone too far. Corporately
speaking, the actions and attitudes
of Earth’s inhabitants are too
violent, decadent and beyond repair.
Sin brings decadence and decadence
has filled the world’s cup of
iniquity. As a result, time has
almost come for God to visit Earth.
How Soon is the
End?
The Bible speaks of
Earth’s final events as
“The End of the Age” or
“The Time of the End.”
Several Bible authors write about
this period of time because the end
of the age is marked by a complete
spiritual and physical
reconfiguration of planet Earth. In a
small way, signs of this coming
planetary transformation are visible
today. For example, geophysical
events include weather systems that
are producing more droughts and a
higher frequency of violent storms.
This past fall, the number of
tropical storms and hurricanes in the
Atlantic Ocean affecting North
America set a new record. Seismic
activity is also increasing on a
logarithmic scale. It is astounding
to realize that more earthquakes
measuring 6.0 and above on the
Richter scale have been recorded this
decade (and this is only 2004)
than have been recorded during the
past 90 years! Volcano activity is
also on the increase. Our planet now
has more than 400 active volcanoes.
Are these physical changes an omen or
sign of what is to come? Yes.
Consider the financial impact from
nature’s violence on the
financial institutions of the world.
Many insurance companies are in deep
trouble as a result of previous
natural disasters. The repair bill
for Hurricane Andrew alone depleted
insurance companies of more than 13
billion dollars. How many storms will
occur before the giants of the
world’s economy are blown away?
What about the
spiritual condition of man? Have you
noticed the fracturing (breakup) of
society? Have you observed the rising
concerns about the war in Iraq? Will
these Moslem countries ever find a
lasting peace? What about the former
Soviet Union? Will the leaders of
Moscow be able to gain control over
the ethnic diversities that spans
eight time zones? What about the
United States of America? Can peace
and good faith be established between
Afro-Americans, Hispanic Americans,
Asian Americans, Native-Americans and
White-Americans? Looking at the
future of our planet in general,
everything seems to indicate
increased tension over ethnic
origins. On a global scale, what will
be the state of race relations in ten
years? What will the current
increases in ethnic allegiance bring
to those nations that are composed of
many ethnic groups? As the global
population continues to increase (a
net gain of 9 million per month),
another world war seems inevitable.
Since many nations now have nuclear
capability, what will the planet look
like after World War III? It is time
to wake up! Planetary resources are
too few for so many people and this
will bring, in due time, a global
revolution. The world’s
political leaders can see the problem
and they wrestle with their
complexity. However, men cannot solve
the developing crisis. World leaders
are groping for answers and in this
setting of uncertainty, fear rises
and anger builds. Consequently,
people are studying ways to protect
themselves from each other. Is this
the next wave? Can we really save
ourselves?
Although the Bible
does not precisely state when the end
of the age will occur, it does offer
enough data to determine a
“window of time” during
which the end of the age happens. For
example, if a person totals all the
prophetic time-periods in Daniel and
Revelation, the genealogical records
of Genesis and Exodus, and the years
from the Exodus to the fall of
Jerusalem in 586 B.C., the Bible only
refers to 7,000 years (plus or minus
70 years). We know that the 1,000
years of Revelation 20 occurs after
the Great Tribulation. This
suggests that on or about the
6,000-year mark, life, as we know it
will end. According to my
calculations, The Great Tribulation could
begin any time. Maybe the end of the
age will occur sometime between 2004
and 2008 – but the passage of
time will have to reveal the actual
date. This much is certain; the
entire world will notice the
commencement of the Great Tribulation
for it is marked with one of four
global earthquakes and other
celestial signs. (See Revelation
8:5.)
There
is a Plan
God is sovereign. God
has a plan for Earth. He has a
purpose for each individual. To
understand God’s purpose and
plan takes some effort and personal
desire. The Bible reveals everything
we need to know, and we need to know
all that we can know. The end-time
story in Revelation is not based on a
continual decline into global, moral
bankruptcy. No, the end time story,
like an ellipse, focuses on two
points. The first point is time the
second is degeneration. In other
words, if degeneration is given
enough time, it overcomes man. If
history reveals anything, it clearly
shows that civilizations come and go.
The length of time a civilization
enjoys prosperity is directly
proportional to God’s favor.
Notice this response to the prophet
Daniel to King Nebuchadnezzar: “He
[the God of Heaven] changes times and
seasons; he sets up kings and deposes
them. He gives wisdom to the wise and
knowledge to the discerning.”
(Daniel 2:21) Each time we have a
political election in the United
States, I reflect on this text. How
does God set up kings (or leaders)
and depose of them when they are
elected too office by popular vote
(or lack thereof)? I have found a
rather simple answer: God is able to
bring about circumstances that propel
people in various directions. One
clear example of this is found in the
story about the Tower of Babel. God
altered the common language of man by
creating many languages and this
simple event brought about the
dispersion of nations. (See Genesis
11:1-9.) Back to Daniel for
one more point. Notice Daniel’s
statement to Nebuchadnezzar about the
quality of men God places in
leadership: “The decision [to
punish you for unbridled vanity, oh
king] is announced by messengers, the
holy ones [angels] declare the
verdict, so that the living may know
that the Most High is sovereign over
the kingdoms of men and gives them to
anyone he wishes and sets over them
the lowliest of men.” (Daniel
4:17)
Here is a profound
point: When a nation turns its back
on principles of righteousness, when
individuals turn away from right
doing, God deals with that nation and
its citizens accordingly. Prophet
Daniel understood why he was in
Babylon as a captive. Notice his
confession: “All Israel has
transgressed your law and turned
away, refusing to obey you.
“Therefore, the curses and sworn
judgments written in the Law of
Moses, the servant of God, have been
poured out on us, because we have
sinned against you. “ (See
Daniel 9:11 and Ezekiel 12-22)
These principles are
timeless because God is eternal.
However, few people step back and
study the larger picture. The big
picture reveals a global civilization
that has reached its end. The world
is too small and its resources too
few. The cancer of sin has become
pandemic. Selfish ambitions and the
love of money have brought out every
enterprise. Affections for each other
are too cold and ethnicity too
important. All of these things serve
to alienate us from one another. So,
what must God do with this wayward
planet? He must act. He will act.
Remember any serious
attempt to save ourselves from the
coming tribulation is a lot like
arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.
What difference does it ultimately
make where the chairs are placed on a
ship headed for the bottom of the
ocean? This is why the next global
drama is in God’s court. He sees
the enormous mess we are in because
of our sins. Just like Humpty Dumpty
(world civilizations), all the
king’s horses and all the
king’s men (the efforts of man),
cannot put it together again. In the
language of Monday night football, we
have reached fourth and goal; five
seconds remain on the clock, and its
God’s turn to make the last
call. His game plan can be found in
the prophecies of Daniel and
Revelation.
God
is at Work
The Bible indicates
that God will accomplish a number of
important matters during the Great
Tribulation. First, he will awaken
every person on Earth to the fact
that Jesus, the Judge of all mankind,
is about to appear and require an
account of each person’s
behavior. Second, God is about to
expose the contents of every human
heart by placing a comprehensive test
of faith before each of us. Finally,
God will silence the blasphemous
claims of the world’s religious
systems. He will demonstrate that we
cannot obtain salvation through
membership in any religious
system. God is about to inform the
world that salvation only comes
through total commitment and
submission to Jesus Christ.
Most of the prophetic
interpretations we hear on radio and
TV are misleading. Do not
misunderstand. People can believe
anything they choose to believe about
the future, but what effect does
belief or denial have on coming
events? Almost everyone in
Noah’s day refused to believe a
flood was coming. What effect did
their denial have on the promised
event? My point is that millions of
people have been led to anticipate
things that will never happen and
when the predicted events of
Revelation begin, everything that can
be shaken will be shaken. On that
day, many people will abandon their
faith in God because they placed
their faith in religious leaders
instead of studying God’s word
for themselves. Even worse, many
religious leaders have not
spiritually prepared their flocks
(their parishioners) for the trying
circumstances they are about to face.
What is bitterer than the experience
of misplaced trust? I mention this
matter because either most religious
leaders, do not know about the coming
events or they deny the seriousness
of the 14 events that are just before
us. Therefore, a very serious problem
exists. Few people have been
spiritually prepared for the trying
experiences ahead. What many people
have been led to believe about
God is not true. In the coming hour
of tribulation, many unprepared
people will become bitter. In their
anger, frustration and fear, many
people will grow to hate God. Of
course, such hatred will be
misdirected. However, since most
Christians have a Bible, whom should
God hold responsible for having
faulty knowledge?
God is Largely
Misunderstood today
The character of God
is poorly understood – even in
America. Most men and women diminish
His authority, glory and power,
because He has not recently revealed
Himself in the affairs of man. The
prophet Isaiah is a good example,
however, of a human response when
witnessing God’s great power.
Falling on his face, Isaiah was
amazed at God’s reluctance to
show Himself as the Almighty. “Truly
you are a God who hides himself, O
God and Savior of Israel.”
(Isaiah 45:15)
God’s apparent
silence comes as a consequence of
sin. Just as offenses physically
separate friends or family members,
the offensiveness of sin separates us
from God’s physical presence. As
generations’ come and go,
knowledge of God dims. The reality of
God becomes faint, and the longer we
go without renewed evidence of
God’s authority and glory, the
more silent He appears to be. In the
vacuum of this silence, sin becomes
more attractive and less offensive.
Sinners become bold and defiant in
transgression. Sin metastasizes.
Violence, sorrow and suffering spring
up like dandelions after a spring
rain. Every night, the evening news
confirms our accelerating slide into
depravity. Degenerate, even hideous
sins are either justified or
glamorized on TV. Sin has a strange
effect on human beings – it
causes sinners to minimize the
effects of the guilt of their wrong
actions. Sin causes human beings to
deny the significance of personal
wrongdoing! (How many people in
prison falsely maintain innocence?)
The Bible reveals that
God breaks His silence from time to
time. He uses four judgments to limit
the growth of sin. (Ezekiel 14:21)
These four judgments are sword,
famine, plague and wild beasts. In
His infinite wisdom, God allows
nations to rule until they fill up
their cup of iniquity, and when they
do, the Bible says that He removes
them from power. (See Daniel 2:21;
4:16, Leviticus 18:24-27.) What makes
this process so remarkable is that
God, even within the chaos of sin,
completely accomplishes His plans and
purposes on this Earth! We may try to
explain the outcome of Earthy events
by analyzing the actions of the
players, but this is only a limited
view. Do not be naïve and think that
things happen by the prowess of man.
Nothing happens in the universe
without God’s knowledge and
permission. Even though we are unable
to see God on His throne, we can know
that He reigns over the kingdoms of
man. God is sovereign. We may not see
all that He is doing, but the
evidence is right before our eyes.
The Bible is clear – God is in
control. How He maintains control
over Earth is a mystery. That He does
it without showing Himself I call His
silence.
God’s silence is
not too hard to penetrate, if you
really want to see and hear Him. The
evidences of His handiwork are all
around us if we want to acknowledge
Him. However, if we do not want to
give Him respect, we can easily
ignore Him and deny Him the
recognition He is due. Thus, His
silence compliments our power of
choice. God can be either the
greatest and most wonderful being in
the universe, or if we choose, we can
deny His existence. What a God!
Perhaps the least understood element
within God’s character is His
reluctance to awe His creatures with
His powers and presence. His silence
will be a topic of eternal discovery!
A
Very Important Point
When God breaks His
silence by raining down His judgments
upon Earth, the events will be
understood even though God will be
grossly misunderstood. To appease God
and stay His awful judgments, the
world’s religious and political
systems will enact laws
“honoring God” that will be
contrary to what He actually wants!
What God seeks from man is a
repentant heart and a willing
attitude. He calls men and women to
live a life free of the damning power
of sin. Even more, He grants men and
women who put their faith in Him, the
power to achieve victory over sin.
Unfortunately, revelation predicts
that most men and women will reject
God’s gracious offer of grace,
the power over sin and resulting
salvation. The hearts of many people
have become hardened in rebellion
because of their love for sin.
Nevertheless, this is not the end of
the story. Revelation also predicts
that the wicked will be marked by a
spirit of intolerance when confronted
with the Holy Spirit’s authority
within God’s messengers. A day
is coming when evil men will punish
and torture those who obey the living
God of Heaven. The persecutors will
think, like Pilate, that they can
wash their hands from their guilt.
However, God never ignores
evil even though He may allow it to
flourish for a season. God will
avenge every evil deed and be sure
justice is equitably administered for
all the pain inflicted upon His
children (See Revelation 18:6
and Obadiah 1:15.)
In the context of His
coming judgments, God’s
character and His behavior will be
misrepresented and misinterpreted.
This is the heart of
Revelation’s story. It is a
story of a loving God visiting a
planet in trouble. It is a story of a
just God rendering justice and a
merciful God extending mercy. What
does it say about the human race when
God is left with no other alternative
than deadly judgments to gain
man’s full attention?
Revelation is a story
about rebellious people and a world
gone astray. Most people, when put to
the coming test of faith in God, will
openly and conscientiously reject the
clearest evidences of God’s
truth. They will rebel against the
Ten Commandments of the Most High God
by obeying the laws of the coming
Antichrist – the devil himself.
God is going to allow Satan to
physically appear at an appointed
time. This is one of the most deadly
deceptions to occur during the Great
Tribulation. You need to understand
that God allows the devil to appear
and personate Christ before
Christ returns. Many people receive
this deception as a true
manifestation of Christ because “they
refused to love the truth and so be
saved.” (2 Thessalonians
2:10) This imposter will claim to be
God and will lead people of Earth to
believe that he has come to establish
a thousand years of peace. However,
his claims are lies. Why will this
coming imposter dupe the majority of
the world? Jesus said, “This
is the verdict: Light has come into
the world, but men loved darkness
instead of light because their deeds
were evil. Everyone who does evil
hates the light, and will not come
into the light for fear that his
deeds will be exposed.”
(John 3:19-20)
Keep in mind that the
Bible underscores a glorious but
sublime truth. God does not condemn a
person for believing a lie. Rather,
He condemns only the people who
willfully refuse to believe the
truth! Think of it this way. If God
places the clearest evidence of truth
before His creatures and they refuse
to agree with His principles of
righteousness and His sovereign
authority, what more can be done? Is
life – whose source is God
– a privilege or a right? From
God’s perspective, are
rebellious creatures just as
deserving of eternal life as
submissive creatures? Where in this
universe can a rebellious creature
live in peace, if God is omnipresent
throughout His realm? We must address
these thoughtful questions. The
eternal kingdom of God has a set of
issues and parameters that go far
beyond our brief life span of 70
years and the limits of travel we
have today. Therefore, we should
think about the issues of His
kingdom, if we plan to be part of it.
If my conclusions are
right, God is about to break His
silence. On that dreadful day,
everyone will know that God’s
patience with sin and sinners has
reached a limit. On that day, mortals
living on a tiny speck of a planet
called earth will know that Almighty
God, owner of the Universe, has
summoned man to appear before His
everlasting throne of righteousness.
Is there anything we can do about
these coming events? Yes. We can
prepare to be part of God’s new
creation. How does one get prepared?
By first understanding the issues
involved and the process, that God is
going to follow to resolve the
problems of Earth. These matters are
explained in only one place –
The Bible. So, get ready, for ready
or not, the kingdom of God is at
hand!
The
Coming Events
The Bible predicts a
future period of time when God will
cause 14 calamitous events to occur
on planet Earth. These horrific
events are described in the book of
Revelation. “When the Lamb
opened the fourth seal, I heard the
voice of the fourth living creature
say, ‘Come!’ I looked, and
there before me was a pale horse! Its
rider was named Death, and Hades was
following close behind him. They were
given power over a fourth of Earth to
kill by sword, famine and plague, and
by the wild beasts of the
Earth.” (Revelation 6:7,8)
There is evidence throughout the
Bible that God has used these four
judgments down through history to
deal with peoples and nations of the
world when their cup of sin became
full. The Bible also reveals that He
only uses these judgments when sin
and rebellion reach a point where His
love and mercy no longer has a
redeeming effect. (See Ezekiel 5.)
Therefore, the judgments described in
the fourth seal are literal and
should be taken very seriously. Death
and destruction will be everywhere.
In fact, if the population of planet
Earth is 6.0 billion today, then 25%
of that number would mean 1.5 billion
casualties!
More than a billion
casualties tell us that God is
willing to sacrifice much for the
salvation of others. After all,
didn’t He sacrifice His own Son
for the salvation of all? We cannot
conceptualize the breadth of
God’s interest in our salvation
without considering the extensive
destruction of the fourth seal. To
some, this may sound terribly cruel
and unfair. However, if the coming of
Jesus is delayed another century, all
6.0 billion people currently living
on Earth will die anyway because the
wages of sin is death. By
accelerating the death of some
people, others will be saved. This
seems strange to say, but God is
left, at times, with no other option
but to destroy many people to save a
few. Remember the flood?
Understand that
God’s wrath is not like human
temper. His anger is justified. The
coming 14 judgments have a purpose.
The seven first plagues are for the
saving of mankind and the seven last
plagues are reserved for the
destruction of those who chose to
rebel against His authority. Remember
that God will fairly judge those who
perish in His forthcoming judgments,
just as He now judges all who die.
God is more than fair.
How
will the Four Judgments Come?
Revelation’s
story explains how and when the four
judgments of the fourth seal will be
suddenly released. God has four
angels currently holding back the
four winds of His judgments –
sword, famine, plague and wild
beasts. Winds symbolize destruction
and four winds symbolize
global destruction. (See Genesis
41:27; Exodus 10:13; Job 1:19; Psalm
11:6; Jeremiah 30:23.) After God
selects and empowers 144,000 people
to proclaim the terms of the gospel,
the four angels will release the four
winds of destruction. (Revelation
7:1-4)
Then, 144,000
evangelists whom God has chosen and
strategically located in every
country on Earth will explain the
purposes of God’s judgments.
They will proclaim a comprehensive
message about salvation and that
Jesus is returning soon. After the
Fourth seal judgments begin, the
devil himself will appear and claim
to be God in the flesh. To make his
dominion of Earth complete, the devil
will demand that his followers kill
the 144,000 and all who follow them.
We
Must Listen to the 144,000
The 144,000 of
Revelation 7 are people in whom God
will grant special powers. (See Luke
9 for an example.) The 144,000 will
be empowered by the Two Witnesses,
which are the Bible and the Holy
Spirit. The 144, 000 will be human
agents through whom the Two Witnesses
will reach every person. Like Moses
and Elijah, the 144,000 will perform
many miracles to verify that their
message is from God. The Holy Spirit
will stir every heart, and signs and
wonders will add credibility to the
Truth of God’s Word. Revelation
11:6 says the Two Witnesses (working
through the 144,000) will perform
miracles and can strike Earth with
every kind of plague as often as they
want!
Seven
Trumpets
When these events
occur, there will be no question that
God is doing exactly what He said He
would do. His plans can be understood
by anyone who wants to know what His
coming actions are. Think about this:
If the Bible record of coming events
was obscure, how could God’s
children be certain that He is in
control when the tribulation begins?
This simple point will someday stand
in direct opposition to the claims of
skeptics. Indeed, you can be sure of
this development: Many scoffers will
deny that the judgments are
deliberate Acts of God. Instead, they
will say that these calamities are
nothing more than nature’s
random curse.
The judgments
described in the fourth seal will
begin suddenly. (1 Thessalonians 5:3)
The judgments of the fourth seal will
come first in the form of the seven
trumpets and later, in the form of
the seven last plagues. In other
words, sword, famine, plague and wild
beasts are found in the seven
trumpets and in the seven last
plagues. The time-period of the seven
trumpets is redemptive while the
time-period of the seven last plagues
is destructive.
A
Great Earthquake
The first physical
sign that marks the opening of the
fourth seal will be a great
earthquake that shakes the whole
world. (Note: This earthquake
is the first of four earthquakes
predicted in Revelation.) The first
earthquake signifies the end of
God’s patience with world
conditions. In short, Earth’s
cup of iniquity will spill over on
that day. The first earthquake will
not be an ordinary earthquake. It
will be distinguished from all
previous earthquakes in two ways: 1)
It will be accompanied by
manifestations in the heavens and on
Earth. There will be rumblings deep
in the Earth, peals of thunder and
lightening – simultaneously
observed around the world. 2) It will
literally shake all of the nations of
the world. The Richter scale will not
be able to measure its power.
Then
Meteors Fall
Shortly after the
global earthquake, a shower of
burning meteors will ignite
unquenchable fires around the world.
The likelihood that Earth’s
gravity will attract some of the
asteroids that cross Earth’s
orbit around the sun is almost
certain. “It is
inevitable,” scientists say,
“the Earth’s will once
again be hit by an asteroid large
enough to cause mass
extinctions…”(National
Geographic, January 1985, page 47).
This disconcerting prediction, made
over two decades ago, now seems more
ominous than ever before. Recent
observations of new impact crater
activity on the moon’s surface
and telescopic sightings of hundreds
of meteorites burning up as they
enter Earth’s outer atmosphere
may indicate Earth’s closer
proximity to the asteroid belt.
Scientists Clark
Chapman and David Morrison startled
4,000 geoscientists at the American
Geophysical Union in San Francisco in
December 1989, say, “In terms of
risk, the significant danger (from
asteroids) comes from impacts with
global implications. Statistically,
the greatest risk to each of us is
(that)…the impact could cause a
global disruption of crops and/or
food distribution systems, leading to
widespread starvation and perhaps the
death of most of the Earth’s
human population. We call this a
civilization-threatening
impact.” At the time of the
meeting in 1989, Dr. Chapman was a
scientist at the Planetary Science
Institute in Tucson, Arizona, and Dr.
Morrison was chief of the Space
Science Division at NASA’s Ames
Research Center in Mountain View,
California.
National Geographic
magazine featured an impressive
article titled
“Extinctions” (June 1989)
and reported the findings of
scientists studying the effects of
ancient asteroids impacts. The
article is still timely because Earth
could be impacted by cosmic debris
again. Scientists, in the National
Geographic article describe the
following scenario: “Giant
meteorite strikes Earth, setting the
planet afire. Volcanoes erupt
tsunamis crash into the continents.
The sky grows dark for months,
perhaps years. Unable to cope with
the catastrophic changes in climate,
countless species are wiped off the
face of the planet. (Page 686) The
article goes on to suggest that great
fires resulting from an asteroid
would destroy crops, trees and
vegetation. Even worse, windstorms
created by the fires would destroy
building hundreds of miles from the
impact. Dust and smoke from the fires
would find their way into the jet
stream and block much of the
sun’s light, thus altering the
world’s climate and the chances
of human survival!
Does
Revelation Predict Asteroid Impacts?
Many people may
dismiss the predictions and warnings
of scientists as scientific fantasy.
However, what if these scientific
predictions are the same conclusions
being reached by those studying the
prophecies of Revelation? The Bible
does seem to predict the impact of
“civilization-threatening
asteroids and meteorites! Revelation
8:7-11 describes a scenario that
closely compares to what scientists
anticipate from such impacts.
Revelation symbolizes these events as
“trumpets” because they are
warnings of the appearing of Jesus.
Great
Balls of Fire
The first trumpet
consists of a large meteoric shower
of burning hail. Obviously, many
people could die in a catastrophe of
this type. Notice what Revelation
says. “The first angel
sounded his trumpet, and there came
hail and fire mixed with blood, and
it was hurled upon the earth. A third
of the earth was burned up, a third
of the trees were burned up, and all
the green grass was burned up.”(Revelation
8:7)
John saw great fires
caused by burning hail. He saw a
third of the Earth, a third of the
trees and all the green grass burned
up. The quantity of one-third is used
12 times throughout the seven
trumpets. So, what is the
significance of one-third? The answer
is generosity, for two-thirds are
spared. In ancient times, when a
nation refused to pay tribute (tax)
to a more powerful king, it was
common for the offended king to swarm
down on the rebellious tribe and
totally destroy it – men, women
and children. However, if the king
were generous, he would spare
one-third from destruction. Notice
this text:
“David also
defeated the Moabites. He made them
lie down on the ground and measured
off with a length of cord. Every two
lengths of them were put to death,
and the third length was allowed to
live. So the Moabites became subject
to David and brought tribute
{tax}.” (2 Samuel 8:2) The
extensive use of one-third within the
seven trumpets reveals God’s
generosity with a rebellious world.
The trumpet-judgments are redemptive.
If a generous king spared one-third
of a rebellious nation in ancient
times, what can be said of the King
of Kings for sparing two-thirds of
the elements mentioned in the seven
trumpets. If God struck down
two-thirds, certainly all life on
this planet would perish in a few
weeks.
Calamitous
Impact on the Sea
The second trumpet
follows the first trumpet and John
describes a great impact upon the
sea: “the second angel
sounded his trumpet, and something
like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was
thrown into the sea. A third of the
sea turned into blood, a third of the
living creatures in the sea died, and
a third of the ships were
destroyed.” (Revelation
8:8,9)
This scene apparently
describes a large asteroid, the size
of a mountain, hitting the sea. If an
asteroid, one mile in diameter, were
sitting upon the face of the Earth,
it would be 5,280 feet high.
Therefore, the term
“mountain” is most
appropriate for a huge rock or
asteroid. John’s description of
an asteroid impacting the sea is
identical with scientific
predictions. For example, the
resulting tidal wave would destroy
ship for hundreds of miles in every
direction – even those docked in
seaports far away. According to
scientists at the University of
California, the asteroid would be so
hot that it would make a large part
of the ocean water anoxic (oxygen
deficient) by simple boiling the
oxygen out of a large area of the
sea. The temperature of the water
would also dramatically rise, thus
killing whatever creature life was
left. Then, the warm, anoxic water
would provide a perfect environment
for the growth of red algae or what
is known as red tide. John said the
sea turned to blood. This
appropriately describes the
appearance of red algae, which
thrives in oxygen deficient water!
Horrific
Impact on Land
John describes the
third trumpet as a great star that
impacts the Earth. “The third
angel sounded his trumpet, and a
great star, blazing like a torch,
fell from the sky on a third of the
rivers and on the springs of water
– the name of the star is
Wormwood. A third of the waters
turned bitter, and many people died
from the waters that had become
bitter.” (Revelation
8:10,11)
Many prophecy experts
insist on a symbolic interpretation
of these verses because they do not
believe these things will literally
happen. However, two compelling
reasons eliminate the possibility of
symbolic interpretation. First, each
event described by John is physically
consistent with the literal outcome
he gives; second, if these texts were
symbolic, where is the explanation or
interpretation of these symbols
within the Bible?
Suppose a large star
(asteroid), blazing like a torch,
were to impact one of Earth’s
seven continents. What would be the
consequences? Ground waves would
sheer water wells and sewer lines for
hundreds of miles in all directions.
Earthquakes and tremors would occur
for many days as enormous tectonic
forces beneath the surface of the
Earth adjust to the impact. Remember,
a large asteroid impact would release
the energy of thousands of nuclear
bombs. The end result would be broken
sewer systems and landfills leaking
toxic waste into subterranean
aquifers that would contaminate the
drinking water. Millions of people in
large cities would drink the
contaminated water and sickness would
soon be followed by death. Notice
again that Revelation 8:10,11
predicts many people will die from
drinking bitter water that will be
the direct consequence of a star
hitting the Earth!
Sun,
Moon and Stars Darkened
The fourth trumpet
follows the first three trumpets. The
sun, moon and stars turn dark.
Perhaps the darkness that fell across
the northwestern part of the United
States during the Mount St. Helens
eruption in 1980 is a good example of
what John saw. Although Revelation
does not say why the sun, moon and
stars turn dark, this result would be
consistent with volcanic eruptions.
If we add the effects of a giant
earthquake, a meteoric storm of
burning hail and two asteroid impacts
together, the fragile balance of
Earth’s tectonic plates could be
disrupted. To release enormous
energy, volcanoes could erupt and
belch magma and ash in a series of
explosions that would dwarf the
blasts of Mount St. Helens and Mount
Pinatubo in the Philippines.
The first three
trumpets send megatons of dust, soot
and debris into the atmosphere.
Chains of volcanic eruptions (around
the Ring of Fire) belch more dust in
the form of volcanic ash, potentially
causing extended darkness around the
world. Millions of burning acres and
resulting windstorms will insure that
the jet stream is affected. One ounce
of soot absorbs 25,000 times the
sunlight that one-ounce of dust
absorbs! Given this physical fact, it
is not hard to see how a band of
darkness could encircle the Earth.
Same
Conclusions and Some Predictions
What makes the first
four trumpets so uncanny is that
scientists and Bible students are
only arriving at the same conclusions
– that asteroids and meteorites
will impact the Earth – but they
are also surprised by the consistent
harmony of results. Will Earth be
pummeled by rocks raining from
heaven? More and more scientists are
convinced it is inevitable, and so
are students of Revelation.
Asteroid
Impact Immediately Changes Life
If you find the
previous interpretation of the first
four trumpets to be reasonable, and
the impact models by scientists
within reason, Revelation will
provide a very compelling story.
Revelation’s story describes the
international backdrop that exists
when the meteors and asteroids
collide with our planet and it
reveals the reactions of religious
and political powers at the same time
the events occur! To understand the
actions and reactions of world
leaders, consider this simple
scenario of Earth’s condition
after the first four trumpets.
- Suppose
the meteoric showers of
burning hail of the first
trumpet ignite great forest
fires all over the world. In
just a few days a critical
resource would be destroyed
that cannot be replenished in
decades. Trees are used for
the production of paper,
building materials and many,
many other items, but most of
all, trees produce oxygen. If
you add millions of acres in
wheat, corn and other food
crops to the burning inferno,
you can see how respiratory
problems could kill millions
of livestock and people. Mass
graves will be everywhere.
Food will become as scarce as
gold. Never in the history of
the world, will the index of
human suffering reach this
level. (Matthew 24: 21,22)
- Suppose
one-third of the ships are
sent to the bottom of the
ocean by a tidal wave
produced by an asteroid
impact. Millions of barrels
of oil in supertankers will
be spilled. Billions of
dollars in cargo from Japan,
Russia, America and other
countries will rest on the
bottom of the ocean.
Countries that heavily depend
on oil and food supplies
arriving by sea will
experience immediate
shortages of all kinds. Large
seaports will be washed away,
and thousands, perhaps
millions of people will
drown. Large insurance
companies will go bankrupt
leaving investing banking in
the world’s stock
markets in total chaos. The
domino effect on the economy
of all nations will be beyond
calculation.
- Great
cities along the seaboard
will be totally destroyed by
tidal waves exceeding 1,000
feet in height. If an
asteroid one-mile in diameter
hits an ocean, much of the
coastline could be destroyed.
Entire islands could be
washed away! Even worse, many
countries depend on their
fertile coastal lands for
valuable food crops. The
destruction of these areas
would bring dire
circumstances to every human
being, especially when you
consider that many people
keep less than one
week’s food supply on
hand. Perhaps this kind of
speculation sounds like a
fairy tale, but Luke talks
about the fury of the ocean
before the coming of Jesus
saying, “There will
be signs in the sun, moon and
stars. On the earth, nations
will be in anguish and
perplexity at the roaring and
tossing of the sea. Men will
faint from terror,
apprehensive of what is
coming on the
world….” (Luke
21: 25,26)
- Compound
the destruction of the
world’s food basket with
the horror of contaminated
drinking water everywhere and
the situation grows so
desperate that a person would
wonder if life can go on at
all. Desperate circumstances
call for extreme efforts. To
stabilize the situation,
governments will respond
quickly. First, they will, of
necessity enact contingency
or emergency constitutions.
This means that martial law
will be implemented to
prevent anarchy and the total
breakdown of government.
Stringent laws will be
implemented and people will
have no choice but to
acquiesce. Individual rights
will be canceled. The price
of sin is always great –
even upon the innocent.
- Rationing
will be implemented to
prevent total anarchy.
People, full of fear, will do
everything they can to obtain
food and medicine. Controls
on buying and selling will
become necessary since every
survivor needs a basic number
of items to sustain life
itself. Few will argue with
the drastic economic methods
enacted for survival. As the
days turn into weeks and
weeks into months, people
will give in to despair. Hope
for recovery will dim. On
every point of the compass
there will be destruction and
suffering beyond description.
All the people of Earth will
be in shock. The living will
envy the dead.
What Does God
Want?
The story that follows
is as drastic as the story of the
first four trumpets! In a sentence,
the administration of life on planet
Earth, as we know it, will be changed
overnight. Pandemonium, confusion,
fear, depression, stupor and distress
will rule the day. Out of the
suffering certain questions always
arise” “Why did God allow
this? What does He want?
According to
Revelation, a great transformation
will take place all over the world as
a result of the meteor and asteroid
impacts. The most remarkable change
in America will be a great surge of
national repentance. Currently, only
39% of American attends church
regularly. This percentage will
change overnight. Religion will
become a priority and evangelicals
will lead the nation – almost
overnight – into a religious
revolution.
Number
One Question
There are several
different religious systems on earth
and each one worships its God in a
different way. Is there one
right way to worship God? Mentally
step out into space and look down on
Earth for a moment. Moslems believe
that God is pleased when people obey
the teachings of Mohammed. Catholics
believe that God is pleased when
people obey the pope and the laws of
the church. Protestants, Jews, Hindus
and others have differing ideas on
what pleases God. Which religious
system is right? Does God really care
how we worship Him as long as we
worship Him? The question is about to
become the number one question on
Earth. In today’s context, the
question appears to be rhetorical,
but when God’s anger is felt by
billions of people, this question
will become paramount.
Desperate
circumstances quickly unite people
when the focus on a common problem or
solution. (The war between Iraq and
the United Nations, led by the United
States, in 1990 proved this point.)
Shortly after the trumpets begin,
Revelation predicts the world will
participate in the rapid development
of a global coalition. Instead of
nations fighting and quarreling among
themselves over lesser things like
power, land or money, the judgments
of God will propel religious leaders
into a significant leadership role
over confused people. Prompted by
terror, controlled by fear and trying
to be significant, clerics will call
for drastic measures to appease God
so His judgments will cease. Because
the destruction of the first four
trumpets is global, the union of
religious leaders will be global.
The
Wrath of God
A great change will
occur overnight in the way people
think about God. Most Christians talk
about God’s love. Hid great
salvation and forgiveness, but little
is said about the things that make
Him angry. Many Christians even deny
that God has wrath! Consequently,
when His judgments begin to fall,
many Christians will be at a loss to
reconcile these “Acts of
God” with their assumed
knowledge of God. The result will be
great fear and terror.
It is not difficult
for God to frighten people. He only
needs to tamper with things that make
us feel secure to get our attention.
When lives and property are
destroyed, the survivors tend to
renew their acquaintance with God.
Like Israel of old, all nations will
tremble with fear before Almighty God
during the days of His visitation.
(Exodus 20:18-21) The solution to
pleasing or appeasing God – so
that His destruction of earth will
stop – will appear simple on the
surface. Religious leaders will cry
out, “Submit to the authority of
God.” However, how does a person
worship the God of Heaven so that His
wrath is satisfied? (Remember, one of
the five doctrinal pillars in this
story is the truth about the worship
of God.)
Revelation explains
what God wants. John saw a message
going throughout the world saying, “Fear
God and give him glory, because the
hour of his judgment has come.
Worship him who made the heavens, the
earth, the sea and the springs of
water.” (Revelation 14:7)
Notice the last sentence of this
verse itemizes the four things
affected by the first four trumpets!
Religious people, the world over,
will quickly agree why the
judgments are falling and what
they are, but how to implement
a solution that will please God will
become a global nightmare! The
nightmare is because the judgments of
God will be common upon all people,
but there are different religions on
the Earth and each claim that its way
is the only right way to
worship God.
Laws
Enforcing Worship
Revelation predicts
that people the world over will
respond to the devastation of the
trumpets by enforcing laws that
demand the worship of God. However,
there will be no consistency between
the laws; instead, there will be
great confusion. Catholics and
Protestants will seek laws that agree
with their theology, Jews will make
laws agreeing with their doctrine,
Moslems will want laws respecting
their beliefs in Allah, and other
bodies will demand similar laws.
Notice the problem that occurs with
diverse religions. How can diverse
religions appease one God? Is He a
God of many religions?
To address this global
diversity, Revelation states that a
global coalition of religious
representatives will quickly form.
This coalition will try to solve the
problem of diverse views about God.
This coming union is called
“Babylon” in the Bible
because Babylon symbolizes confusion.
So, why does Babylon
form? Well meaning religious people
will stampede the political processes
of their respective countries after
the trumpets begin, and the
legislated results will be very
confusing, severe and most
distressing. In every nation,
religious leaders will demand laws to
end the “reign of sin” so
that God may be appeased and the
judgments stopped. Politicians will
be powerless to stop the increase of
religious sentiment and the laws will
be enacted overnight. Compare Daniel
3 with Revelation 13 and you will
find that modern Babylon’s story
parallels the experience of ancient
Babylon. Modern Babylon, like ancient
Babylon, will be made up of many
religions, cultures and
nationalities.
Satan
Appears in Person
Planet Earth has
received a deadly blow and chaos
reigns. The next event described in
Revelation is the fifth trumpet. The
fifth trumpet reveals the devil
himself will appear on Earth after
the “dust settles” from the
asteroid impacts. He may first appear
in the Middle East, Perhaps
Jerusalem. The Bible does not say,
but many orthodox Jews anticipate the
imminent arrival of Messiah to
deliver them from their enemies.
Their hopes for the coming Messiah
would provide an excellent platform
for Satan to weave his masquerade of
deception and use it to great
advantage. This would be especially
effective, since many Christians
believe the Jews are still God’s
chosen people. In addition to the
Jews’ expectation of the coming
Messiah, the Arabs also believe a
Deliverer will soon appear. It is not
hard to see why the Middle East could
be an excellent geographical target
for Satan!
The
Fifth Trumpet
Be assured that God
will only allow the devil to
physically appear after a
significant part of the world has
heard the gospel. Satan is allowed to
appear because most of the Earth has
already heard and rejected the gospel
as proclaimed by the 144,000.
Therefore, God releases and allows
the devil to rule over those who
refused to recognize Him as the
Almighty. This is an interesting
point about the Great Tribulation:
Each man will have a master, either
by his choice or by force. So, who
will it be?
The fifth trumpet of
Revelation 9:1-11 is described by
John as the bottomless pit being
“unlocked.” God shows John
something that looks like a great
swarm of locusts coming up out of the
Earth. As the swarm draws closer to
him though, John can see that they
look more like riders on horses.
Directing this “swarm” of
riders is an angel king whose name in
Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek, is
Apollyon. Both names mean the same
thing: “destroyer.”
The release of Satan
and his angels from the bottomless
pit reveals three important things.
First, Satan will not come in the
clouds of glory exactly like
Jesus. Although Satan will do
everything in his power to imitate
Jesus’ second coming. God limits
the deception of the devil. Satan
will appear to come down from the
clouds in various places. This is why
Jesus said, “At that
time if anyone says to you,
‘Look, here is Christ!’ or
‘There he is!’ do not
believe it.” (Matthew 24:23)
Second, God does not allow Satan to
physically appear on Earth until the
first four trumpets have sounded.
Last, the physically appearing of the
devil is designed by God to force
everyone into a firm decision. The
door of salvation is still open for
anyone who might repent of his or her
rebellion and turn to God.
According to
Revelation 9, after Satan and his
evil angels appear, they will torment
the “unsaved” people for
five months. Scripture does not
reveal just how the torment is
inflicted and what the torment is.
However, it does say that the torment
will hurt like a scorpion’s
sting. People who are afflicted will
long to die, but they will actually
survive the ordeal.
An
Angel of Light
Satan will so dazzle
Earth’s inhabitants with his
glory that many people will believe
his claims to be God based on his
appearance alone. Paul says, “…for
Satan himself masquerades as an angel
of light.” (2 Corinthians
11:14) Revelation states that when
Satan appears, he will be so dazzling
and glorious that most people will be
awestruck when they actually see him!
“…The inhabitants of the
earth whose names have not been
written in the book of life from the
creation of the world will be astonished
when they see the beast….”
(Revelation 17:8, Italics added.)
Satan
Works Miracles and Wonders
Satan’s first
work after appearing “in the
flesh” as a glorious god-man
will be to convince the world that he
is divine – that he is actually
God. Paul warns, “Don’t
let anyone deceive you in any way,
for that day (the second coming) will
not come until the rebellion occurs
and the man of lawlessness is
revealed, the man doomed to
destruction. He opposes and exalts
himself over everything that is
called God or is worshiped, and even
sets himself up in God’s temple,
proclaiming himself to be
God….The coming of the lawless
one will be in accordance with the
work of Satan displayed in all kinds
of counterfeit miracles, signs and
wonders, and in every sort of evil
that deceives those who are
perishing. They perish because they
refused to love the truth and so be
saved.” (2 Corinthians
2:3,4,9,10)
One miracle that Satan
will use above all others to convince
doubting people that he is God will
be to call fire down out of Heaven at
will! This “proof of
divinity” will make his
deceptions secure for many, many
people. John says, “And he
performed great and miraculous signs,
even causing fire to come down from
heaven to earth in full view of men.
Because of the signs he was given
power to do on behalf of the first
beast, he deceived the inhabitants of
the earth….”
(Revelation 13:13,14)
Satan
the “Lamb-like” Beast
John describes the
appearing of Satan as a
“lamb-like” beast. The
intended contrast is obvious, since
Jesus is referred to in Revelation as
“The Lamb” more than 29
times. Because the devil masquerades
as Jesus, John describes Satan as a
“lamb-like” beast who
speaks like a dragon. John also warns
that he will make every effort to
deceive the world.
Obviously, this coming
demonic god man will rule over
Babylon. The ultimate purpose behind
his deceit is to unite as many people
as possible into a one-world religion
and then implement his one-world
order. Satan will eventually obtain a
death penalty for those who will
refuse to meet his demands. At that
time, the followers of Jesus will be
exposed because they refused to join
ranks with the devil and receive his
tattoo, the mark of the lamb-like
beast. After Satan has appeared in
various places on the Earth for a few
months, he will call on his
followers, located in every nation,
to take control. He will ask his
followers to arm themselves and fight
to establish his kingdom. Revelation
9:13-21 describes the sixth trumpet
and a world war. This war will be
similar to the Civil War that
occurred in the United States –
brother fighting against brother
– only this war will take place
in every nation on Earth.
Satan’s followers intend to
dominate their respective nations on
behalf of the one they believe to be
God! Millions will die as a result of
this war. The Bible says in
Revelation 9:16 that the number of
troops will be 200,000,000. The devil
himself being the angel king, will
have four generals that will have
50,000,000 evil angels under each of
their commands, to slaughter the
non-righteous wicked and the saints
when the sixth seal is opened.
Because of the carnage from this
world war, wild animals will multiply
rapidly. They will feed on the dead
like the birds that feed on the
wicked after the second coming.
(Revelation 19:21)
A
Day of Testing
The seven trumpets are
specifically designed by God to
awaken the world to the return of
Jesus. If anyone wishes to receive
salvation during this time-period, he
or she must worship the Creator of
the heavens, Earth, the sea and the
springs of water. The word worship
simply means ‘to render
obedience.” Now, every Christian
should know that man is not saved
by obedience, for the Bible states
that we are saved by faith.
(Ephesians 2:8,9) Therefore, the
primary purpose of the Great
Tribulation is to test faith. God is
going to test the faith of every
person by setting before us a life or
death test. In this context, each
person’s faith will be revealed
through obedience! Those choosing to
submit to the laws of man will reject
God’s sovereign authority. Those
choosing to submit to the laws of God
will reject man’s effort to
dictate how God is to be worshiped.
It is interesting that the penalty
for rejecting either law –
God’s or man’s – is
death. Read Daniel 3 and Daniel 6 for
two stories that demonstrate the
ultimate test of faith.
The
Seventh Trumpet
The mystery of God
will be accomplished just before the
seventh trumpet sounds. (Revelation
10:7) Everyone will have made his or
her decision, for or against
God’s truth. Everyone will have
been sealed or received the mark of
the beast. With all decisions final,
God closes the door of mercy.
Just before the door
of mercy is closed, there will be a
great number of martyrs for the cause
of Christ. When every decision has
been made, the Heavenly temple will
be cleansed and the wrath of God will
be released in full measure upon the
people who have received the mark of
the beast.
Seven
Last Plagues
The seven last plagues
follow the seven first plagues
(seven trumpets) and the seven last
plagues include the four judgments!
These seven last plagues are
described in Revelation 16 and all
who receive the mark of the beast
will receive these destructive
judgments. The first judgment is a
plague of sores that falls upon those
receiving the mark of the beast. The
second plague, like the second
trumpet, affects the sea; however,
all the oceans of the world turn to
blood like the blood of a dead man
and all the sea creatures die. The
third plague affects fresh water
around the world. All the rivers and
springs are turned to blood, so
rivers and springs are turned to
blood, so people who shed the blood
of the saints and prophets are given
blood to drink. The fourth plague
causes the sun to scorch wicked
people throughout the world. They
will curse the name of God, but they
refuse to repent and glorify Him.
These plagues deplete what food
supplies remain. Famine will become
pandemic. Note that these plagues
fall only on those who have
rejected God’s offer of
salvation. People remaining faithful
to Jesus will not be affected by
these last seven plagues.
The fifth plague
focuses on Satan and his throne. His
kingdom is immediately plunged into
darkness and pain. The Bible
indicates that Satan’s minions
will gnaw their tongues in pain. This
darkness seems appropriate for those
who chose to reject the light of
God’s truth.
The sixth plague
causes the river Euphrates to dry up
in preparation for the appearing of
the Kings from the East (our Heavenly
Father and His Son). Satan and his
demons will attempt to gather all the
armies of Earth to war against
Almighty God, but God will end this
attempt to challenge His authority.
(Revelation 20:7-10) Both Jesus and
the Father will appear in the clouds
of glory shortly before the seventh
plague occurs. This may be a new
thought for some people, that the
Father will attend the Son at the
second coming. But notice the words
of Jesus, “…But I say
unto you: In the future you will see
the Son of Man sitting at the right
hand of the Mighty One and coming in
the clouds of heaven.”
(Matthew 26:64) Compare this with
Revelation 6:16,17: “They
called to the mountains and rocks,
‘Fall on us and hide us from the
face of him who sits on the throne
and from the wrath of the Lamb! For
the great day of their
wrath has come, and who can
stand?” The seventh plague
will demonstrate who is master of the
universe and rebellion against
Almighty God will no longer be
tolerated. It aptly demonstrates what
happens when sin comes face to face
with a Holy God and His wrath.
Conclusion
When Jesus was here on
Earth, He gave us a promise that
resounds in the hearts of Christians
to this day. “Do not let your
hearts be troubled. Trust in God;
trust also in me. In my Father’s
house are many rooms; if it were not
so, I would have told you. I am going
there to prepare a place for you. And
if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come back and take you to be
with me that you also may be where I
am.” (John 14:1-3) What a
precious promise, especially when we
consider what is before us. Paul
describes the second coming like
this: “For the Lord himself
will come down from heaven, with a
loud command, with the voice of the
archangel and with the trumpet call
of God, and the dead in Christ will
rise first. After that, we who are
still alive and left will be caught
up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air. And so
we will be with the Lord forever.
Therefore encourage each other with
these words.” (1
Thessalonians 4:16-18)
If you know Jesus as
your Savior, you have no reason to be
afraid. The Psalmist wrote, “Even
though I walk through the valley of
the shadow of death, I will fear no
evil, for you are with
me….” (Psalm 23:4) If
you have not surrendered your life to
Jesus, then do so today! Obey the
teachings of Jesus and live by faith
in His promises. Be willing and
obedient to the prompting of the Holy
Spirit and God will take care of you.
Search for God’s truth and it
will strengthen you. Earth’s cup
of iniquity is almost full. God is
about to break His silence.
Revelation contains a
story of desperate love for man.
Jesus is anxious to save! Sadly, most
people are unable to understand the
character of God and His kingdom
because we are so blighted by sin.
However, God will bring to the front
of every person’s conscience,
the reality of His character by
sending His judgments. Into this
turmoil, He will send 144,000
messengers explaining the terms and
conditions of salvation. Yes, He
wants everyone to be saved, but many
people will not listen, nor give the
respect due to Him. Unfortunately,
some people will have to discover
their desperate need of a loving
Savior in times of distress. What
does it say of man when God is left
with nothing other than the
outpouring of His wrath to get our
undivided attention?
Sound
Asleep?
Many Christians scoff
at the suggestion that the Lord will
return this decade. They see no
reason for all the excitement and
say, “All things continue as
usual – why all the fuss?”
These people are content with
spiritual poverty. They have no idea
about the events coming upon the
Earth, and even worse, do not want to
hear about it! They like religious
programming – entertainment that
features talented singers and gifted
speakers with clever ideas. They do
not want to hear about the wrath of
God nor the cross that they must
bear. Unfortunately, Satan has
convinced many within the Christian
church that they are either safe from
the tribulation or that life will
continue as usual until Jesus
returns. How sad that these
deceptions are so widely accepted.
Get
Prepared
If
the Bible teaches anything, it
teaches that salvation comes by faith
in Jesus and not membership in any
church. God knows our fears are great
and that man is made of the dust of
the ground. Yet, God loves us so much
that He gave His only Son to die in
our place. Yes, the events before us
are frightening. Yes, the coming
tribulation will be more terrible
than anything the world has ever
experienced. However, the presence of
God will be closer than ever before
and His peace more valuable than
gold. So, give yourself to Him right
now. Tell the Lord that you are
willing to be, to do and go as He
commands. Then when He comes, YOU
will be saved. Jesus guarantees it!
