God's
Wrath
The Great Tribulation
After the Rapture occurs and the Church Age ends, the next period of time that follows is by the far the scariest most unbelievably catastrophic time this earth has ever seen. It is called the Great Tribulation, or God's Wrath. This is the final 7 years that was put on hold when the Church Age began. Remember when we talked about how while Christ was on earth he talked about his kingdom and how there would be a time of trouble that his disciples would have to make it through before the kingdom would be set up? This is the time he was talking about and now that the mystery of the Church Age is over, the time has come for that time of trouble to start. Basically, if you were not saved when the Rapture took place, you are still left on earth wondering what happened to the millions of people who just suddenly disappeared of the face of the Earth. There are most likely going to be all kinds of explanations made up to try to calm down the panicking globe. It's hard to believe, but many people will still not believe the Bible and they will instead believe whatever the most popular explanation is. You know, something like UFO's got them, or the real God finally destroyed all the religious freaks, something like that. What they don't know, however, is that these explanations will not prepare them for the things that will come to pass on earth during the next 7 years. The actual details of all the events that will take place during this time are to great to write in this section, but I will try to give you a basic outline of the whole 7 years.
And the kings of the earth,
and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men,
and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the
rocks of the mountains; (Revelation 6:15)
And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of
him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (Revelation
6:16)
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
(Revelation 6:17)
The Tribulation is split up into two 3 and a half year periods. The first 3 and a half years there is peace, this peace is brought in by one man who solves all the world's problems and brings harmony to all religions and politics. There is one world government and one world religious system all under the control of this one man. This man is called the son of perdition or the Antichrist or the beast.
And I saw when the Lamb
opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of
the four beasts saying, Come and see. (Revelation 6:1)
And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a
crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
(Revelation 6:2)
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy
name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the
son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
(John 17:12)
After the first 3 and a half years are over and everyone thinks everything is just great. The antichrist turns and claims that he is God. He works miracles to deceive people and he calls for everybody to worship him. He also forces everyone to take a mark in their hand or their forehead. If you do not take the mark, you cannot buy or sell anything and many people will be put to death.
And I stood upon the
sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and
ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of
blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1)
And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the
feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him
his power, and his seat, and great authority. (Revelation 13:2)
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was
healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. (Revelation 13:3) The
Dragon that is talked about here is Satan. Whoever this man is, he is
wounded to the point of death, but he comes back possessed by Satan and then
begins his short reign.
And they worshipped the dragon (the
Devil) which gave power unto the beast:
and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able
to make war with him? (Revelation 13:4)
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and
power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months (3
and a half years). (Revelation 13:5)
And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his
tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. (Revelation 13:6)
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and
power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations (Ruler
of the world). (Revelation 13:7)
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written
in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
(Revelation 13:8)
If any man have an ear, let him hear. (Revelation 13:9)
He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the
sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the
saints. (Revelation 13:10)
¶ And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns
like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. (Revelation 13:11)
And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the
earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast (the
antichrist), whose deadly wound was
healed. (Revelation 13:12)
And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the
earth in the sight of men,
(Revelation 13:13)
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles
which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on
the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a
sword, and did live. (Revelation 13:14)
And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the
beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image
of the beast should be killed. (Revelation 13:15) Whatever
this image is, perhaps a robot or a clone, it kills anybody who does not worship
the antichrist.
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to
receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: (Revelation 13:16)
And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the
beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:17)
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast:
for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and]
six (666).
(Revelation 13:18)
Salvation during the tribulation is not the same as it was during the Church Age. It is no longer as simple as simply believing. This is where you do have to actually do something to be saved. So for those of you who just can't accept salvation as a free gift now, you'll have your chance to earn it if you don't die and go to Hell first. You need faith plus works in order to be saved and you cannot take the mark of the beast.
¶ What [doth it] profit,
my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save
him?
(James 2:14)
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. (James 2:17)
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith,
and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my
faith by my works. (James 2:18)
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe,
and tremble. (James 2:19)
But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James
2:20)
Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.
(James 2:24)
Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works,
when she had received the messengers, and had sent [them] out another way? (James 2:25)
For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
(James 2:26)
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles
before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast,
and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of
fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)
As far as the things that will happen to men and to the earth go, I'm going to put a few passages below and let you read them for yourself. When you read about the angels pouring out vials upon the earth, that is what is going on in heaven. The things that happen on earth a result are very clear.
Revelation Chapter 16
1
¶ And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go
your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.
2 And the first went, and poured out his
vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men
which had the mark of the beast, and [upon] them which worshipped his image.
3 And the second angel poured out his
vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead [man]: and every living
soul died in the sea.
4 And the third angel poured out his
vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
5 And I heard the angel of the waters
say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou
hast judged thus.
6 For they have shed the blood of saints
and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
7 And I heard another out of the altar
say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous [are] thy judgments.
8 ¶ And the fourth angel poured out his
vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.
9 And men were scorched with great heat,
and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they
repented not to give him glory.
10 And the fifth angel poured out his
vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they
gnawed their tongues for pain,
11 And blasphemed the God of heaven
because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
12 ¶ And the sixth angel poured out
his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up,
that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
13 And I saw three unclean spirits like
frogs [come] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast,
and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are the spirits of devils,
working miracles, [which] go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole
world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.
15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed
[is] he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they
see his shame.
16 And he gathered them together into a
place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.
17 ¶ And the seventh angel poured out
his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven,
from the throne, saying, It is done.
18 And there were voices, and thunders,
and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were
upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, [and] so great.
19 And the great city was divided into
three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in
remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness
of his wrath.
20 And every island fled away, and the
mountains were not found.
21 And there fell upon men a great hail
out of heaven, [every stone] about the weight of a talent (bigger
than bowling balls): and men blasphemed
God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding
great.
Locusts
These are no ordinary locusts and what you are about to
read is not symbolic at all. What you read is how they are going to look
and how it is going to happen.
Revelation Chapter 9
1
¶ And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from
heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there
arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and
the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts
upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth
have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should
not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but
only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should
not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment
[was] as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and
shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7 And the shapes of the locusts [were] like
unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads [were] as it were crowns
like gold, and their faces [were] as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and
their teeth were as [the teeth] of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were
breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings [was] as the sound of
chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions,
and there were stings in their tails: and their power [was] to hurt men five
months.
Once the Tribulation comes to an end, all the nations of the world will come against Israel with the intentions of destroying it. Right when Israel is surrounded on all sides and the armies of the world are closing in on them. Everyone looks up and sees Christ coming back with his armies from Heaven. This is the battle of Armageddon and this is where Christ saves Israel. This is not the same Jesus that was spit on and beaten and mocked while hanging on a cross. Back then he came as a lamb, the second time around he comes as a lion. Christ comes back and destroys all the nation's armies and he calls all the birds of the air to a great feast; to feed upon their flesh.
¶ And I saw heaven opened,
and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and
True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (Revelation 19:11)
His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he
had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (Revelation 19:12)
And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The
Word of God. (Revelation 19:13)
And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in
fine linen, white and clean.
(Revelation 19:14)
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the
nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (Revelation 19:15)
And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND
LORD OF LORDS.
(Revelation 19:16)
And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying
to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves
together unto the supper of the great God; (Revelation 19:17)
That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of
mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh
of all [men, both] free and bond, both small and great. (Revelation 19:18)
And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered
together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
(Revelation 19:19)
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles
before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast,
and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of
fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20)
And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which
[sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their
flesh. (Revelation 19:21)
and after Christ has destroyed the armies, he binds Satan up in a bottomless pit for 1000 years.
¶ And I saw an angel come
down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his
hand.
(Revelation 20:1)
And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan,
and bound him a thousand years,
(Revelation 20:2)
And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him,
that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be
fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. (Revelation 20:3)
Christ is now ready to set up the kingdom he spoke about throughout his life on earth. It will last 1000 years and he will rule it with a rod of iron. That means it is going to be a military dictatorship and Jesus Christ will be the dictator.