Within a short period of about 8 years, mankind will see our Lord Jesus coming in glory 3 times.
The Rapture -- This important event to Christians will see only the `elect of God' taken up to heaven to meet the Lord Jesus in the air at His appearance. The `elect of God' are the true disciples of Jesus for they fully believed and obeyed His words and teachings. Immediately after Rapture will be the last 7 year period of the Jews, for the period of grace for the Gentiles is over and the salvation of the Jews begins.
The Battle of Armageddon -- 7 years after the Rapture, the Lord will come and stand on Mount Olives to deliver the Jews and battered city of Jerusalem from the surrounding enemies in this battle.
The 2nd Coming of Jesus – 8 years after Rapture (i.e. about 1 year after the battle of Armageddon), the Lord with His saints (those who were part of the 1st resurrection) will return to begin His millennium rule in Jerusalem. This event is referred to as the Second Coming of Jesus.
Only the `overcomers' are taken up to heaven to join the Lord at the appearance of our Lord Jesus in the cloud. Matt 24: 30-31; Mark 13:26-27; Luke 21:27. The `overcomers' are those who are counted worthy to escape the coming wrath of the devil for they have kept their faith (according to His word) to the end. At the twinkling of the eye their mortal bodies will be changed to the glorious bodies. The dead in Christ (the elect only) will rise first, followed by those who are alive.
"Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." Matt 24:30-31
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 1Thes 4:16-17
{ The `overcomers' and `those left behind' }
These 12 important signs must be fulfilled prior to Rapture.
1. Jerusalem will be conquered and Jews dispersed.
2. Al-Aqsa Mosque removed.
3. Rebuilding of the Temple of God.
4. Great deception by false christs.
5. Worldwide wars (civil, tribal, terrorism and religious) killing many.
6. Detonation of mass destruction weapons in these wars.
7. Worldwide persecution of godly Christians.
8. The everlasting Gospel preached to all nations by martyrs via TV networks.
9. The Antichrist revealed, proclaiming himself god.
10. The Great Tribulation - even the elect deceived.
11. Martyrdom of Christians.
12. The Great Heavenly Blackout just prior to Rapture.
Israel will be conquered and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by Gentiles until Rapture. All the Jews will be scattered to the four-corners of the earth. The antichrist will lead the Arabs to destroy Jerusalem. There will be peace and security in the whole middle East.
"And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled .... Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a Cloud with power and great glory." Luke 21:24,27
In order to rebuild the Temple of God, the Al-Aqsa mosque which is at the moment standing on the holy site of the Temple must first be removed. The antichrist, who declared that the Al-Aqsa mosque to be removed in order that God can dwell among us, will be seen by some Jews and sleeping Christians to be a servant of God.
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless ..... the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, .....so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. II Th 2:3-4
The Temple of God must first be built in order that the antichrist will be able to sit there to deceive Christians during the period of the Great Tribulation. Jews and sleeping Christians will rejoice that the Temple of God is to be built by the Jews. He will convinced all to only worship Allah, the God of Abraham. (Note: Al - god, elah - moon ) and he is not `Jehovah' the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Unlearned and worldly Christians will be misled by him to worship his god.
Christian's faith is destroyed by the distorted doctrines and heresies of false christs, who are the so-called `God's anointed' (misled church leaders and teachers). Misled Christians will therefore doubt the faithfulness of Jesus in His words, teachings and promises. They will compromise with the world and go against the Word of God for peace and security. They will point to the antichrist as an example of peace in the middle East and to follow him in the one-religion concept. Deception by these false christs will lead to the destruction of worldly and sleeping Christians.
And Jesus, answering them, began to say: "Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and will deceive many". Mark 13:5-6
Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, … Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, II Th 2:1-3
Wars both civil, tribal, terrorism, ethnic and religious will be fought worldwide.
"For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.... Matt 24:7a
In order that 1/4 of mankind (1.5 billion souls) to be killed over this period of a few years, weapons of mass destruction have to be employed.
..... And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. Matt 24:7b
When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. Rev 6:7-8
Alert and godly Christians will warn Christians to reject the antichrist and his practices thus destroying the hope of peace and security of the worldly and sleeping Christians. The false christs will use this opportunity to persecute the godly Christians and to further condemn the worldly Christians to greater deception.
The true disciples of our Lord Jesus will be used mightily by our Lord during this period. All those condemned to torture and death will see the Lord with His angels before the first pain is inflicted on them.
"Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." Matt 16:28
This is an assurance that those who hold fast to the faith in Him and for His sake (Stephen in Acts 7:54-60) will meet the Lord in the time of their troubles. The Lord will take his spirit back to heaven but his physical body will be used by the Holy Spirit to preach the everlasting Gospel and glorify His Name.
"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another... And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." Matt 24:9-10,14
Martyrdom is the opportunity given to Christians to glorify His name. It is a time to test the obedience of His children and their faithfulness to His word and commandments. God will not allow His obedient children to suffer pain or wrath.
"But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit." Mark 13:9-11
The Holy Spirit will use the physical bodies of martyrs to preach the Gospel. The whole world will turn to the TV to see the fanatics, rebels and false prophets (but actually are the `elect of God') tortured and killed. Instead of seeing them crying in pain and pleading for mercy and denying our Lord Jesus Christ, they will be surprised to see their faces shining with joy and the everlasting Gospel preached to them with understanding and conviction. Then, they will have no excuse at judgment.
"But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake. But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist." Luke 21:12-15
When the antichrist is able to stand in the Temple of God during the dedication by the Jewish priesthood with clouds and glory just like the days of King Solomon, then all those deceived will fall down to worship him as god. This is the beginning of the Great Tribulation. This is a short period of a few weeks only but the deception is so great that even some godly Christians (elect) are deceived.
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. II Th 2:3-4
This will be a trying time for all Christians. False prophets or antichrists empowered by the devil will perform many signs and wonders that even Christians are amazed. They will project the idea that God wants the One World Religion. The `man of sin' or endtime antichrist, sitting in the Temple of God will project himself as the messiah (the imitation of Jesus sitting in the Temple of God to begin His Millennium Rule) and many Christian will believe him for the many great signs and wonders performed by him. Misled church leaders (false christs), who were empowered by him to perform many signs and wonders, will teach Christians to accept him as the messiah (without realizing that they are helping the antichrist to bring in the One World Religion). True disciples who are faithful to the words and teachings of Jesus and know the endtime events, will reject these wrong teachings and heresies. They will then be branded by these false christs (misled church leaders and worldly Christians) as false teachers and prophets. They are also branded as radicals, fanatics and the devil's agents. The false christs and misled Christians will persecuted these saints and hand them over to the authorities to be put to death.
{ Note: the Great Tribulation is not the Wrath of Satan }
"For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be ..... For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." Mark 13:19,22
Very few Christians will be able to overcome this trying period and they will be considered by God as His elect or overcomers. They will be taken up to the throne of God and rule the nations with the rod of iron.
She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations
with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.
Rev 12:5
"And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give
power over the nations-- 'He shall rule them with a rod of iron; they
shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels'-- as I also have received
from My Father;" Rev 2:26-27
"To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also
overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."
Rev 3:21
These overcomers will be taken away from the wrath of Satan and the wrath of God which will be come upon the earth after Rapture.
"Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." Rev 3:10
But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God
did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus
Christ, 1Thes 5:8-9
Many godly Christians too will be misled if they do not know the endtime events. Note that our Lord Jesus Christ will only come back for His Millennium Rule after the Rapture and the period of the wrath of Satan. He will come back with the `resurrected saints' who were martyred during the period of the wrath of Satan.
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years ..... Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years. Rev 20:4,6
During this period there will be peace and security in the middle East and countries submitting to the antichrist sitting in the Temple of God proclaiming himself god. All who resist the antichrist and his doctrines will be consisted as `terrorist' and `agents of the devil' by these misled Christians (false christs). They will then go forth to persecute and destroy all who expose or reject the antichrist as God's servant or the saviour himself.
"For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." Mark 13:22
"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in heaven will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory." Mark 13:24-26
"Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near." Luke 21:27-28
Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 1 Cor 15:51-52
Rapture is when our Lord Jesus comes in power and glory with His angels to gather all `God's elect' (godly and faithful Christians who are found to be worthy to be God's elect or saints) from the four corners of the earth. While the whole heavens is still in total darkness (the great heavenly blackout), every eye shall see the Lord's coming with His angels in the cloud. Immediately after the sound of the last trumpet, His angels will gather His elect to meet the Lord in the air. Initially the dead in Christ will rise first; followed by those (with their new incorruptible glorious bodies) who are still alive. Then, the Lord with the resurrected saints will return to heaven. Those left behind will be the sleeping, nominal, worldly, carnal and misled Christians, Jews and the eternally condemned unbelievers. The rest of those left behind will suffer tremendously in the coming wrath of the devil.
[ Because the Holy Spirit will no longer be on earth, Christians left behind will be sealed by God to face the coming Wrath of Satan (3 1/2 years). Anyone who takes the mark of the beast or `666' will face the Wrath of God to come. Eventually, they will be thrown into the lake of fire as their eternal punishment. ]
At this very moment many Jews, who saw the Lord's Coming at Rapture and the resurrection of Abraham, Moses and the other patriarchs, will believe in Jesus as the Messiah. They will go forth to preach the Gospel to the other Jews.
"And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they have pierced; they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn." Zech 12:10
Note:
Our Lord Jesus will only be seen in the cloud, he does not come down to the
earth. This event is known as the RAPTURE.
Immediately after the Rapture, the devil will be cast down to earth. He will begin to pour his wrath on all mankind for 3 ½ years.
"Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." Rev 12:12
With signs and wonders and the power and authority over all for 3 ½ years, he will begin to torture and kill Christians who refuse to bow down to him or accept his mark or number `666'. It will be a trying time for all Christians. However, for Christians, they had witness the Rapture and their faith in God and Jesus will be exceptionally strong. They will have to endure (hold onto the faith) to the end for their salvation. This is time that the martyrs will be saved.
Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, "Write: 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them." Rev 14:13
The resurrection of the antichrist or `man of sin', who was killed during the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ at Rapture, and his ability of to call fire from heaven will be a stumbling block to the Christian's faith. Tortures, starvation and the killing of loved ones, and the loss of all earthly possession will be difficult for Christians to endure.
And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Rev 13:3-8
At this time the false prophet too will arise. He will have the power to call fire from heaven to destroy the enemies. In the Old testament, only Elijah was able to call fire from heaven. All the Jews are still awaiting the arrival of Elijah prior to the Messiah. Many Jews and misled Christians will consider this false prophet `Elijah', who will mislead mankind by calling the people to worship the antichrist claiming that he is the Messiah.
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, Rev 13:11-14a
The false prophet (impostor of Elijah) will mislead mankind to worship the antichrist (impostor of Jesus Christ). All Christians, who were left behind, must go through this period of deception, suffering and pains. All non-Christians and non-Jews will worship the antichrist and the devil for the Period of Grace for the Gentiles was over at Rapture. No salvation will be found (except for the Jews) during this period. Christians prior to Rapture will have to work out their salvation by enduring to the end. Anyone found to have worship the antichrist or Satan or have taken his mark or number `666' onto their right hand or forehead will be condemned to eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire.
Immediately after the 3 ½ years of the wrath of Satan, the two witnesses of God will arise. They will set Jerusalem and the Temple of God free from the devil's stranglehold. Jews will once again dwell in Jerusalem and worship in the Temple. This period is also 3 1/2 years.
They will also administer God's wrath on the earth to punish all those who have worshipped the antichrist and Satan and have taken the mark of the beast or his number `666'.
"And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth. And if anyone wants to harm them, fire proceeds from their mouth and devours their enemies. And if anyone wants to harm them, he must be killed in this manner. These have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy; and they have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to strike the earth with all plagues, as often as they desire. Rev 11:3-6
For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; the city shall be taken, the houses rifled, and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, but the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east. And the Mount of Olives shall be split in two, from East to west, making a very large valley; half of the mountain shall move toward the north and half of it toward the south. Then you shall flee through My mountain valley, for the mountain valley shall reach to Azal. Yes, you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah. … And this shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem: their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet, their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets, and their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths . Zech 14:2-5,12
Rapture is the end of the period of Grace for the Gentiles. All those who are left behind (with the exception of the Jews and the Christians) will be lost forever. Their destiny will be the Lake of fire. During the in-gathering of the saints in the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, many Jews (scattered world-wide) will become Christian (Rev 7:3-8. Since the Holy Spirit era is over God needs to seal them to protect them from His wrath to come. Many sleeping Christians left behind will suddenly be filled with faith (having witnessed the Rapture) and they will also need the seal of God. Since all the Gentiles will be condemned to eternal damnation, the false Prophet will then concentrate his power to deceive the Christians and Jews. After Rapture, the antichrist will sign a seven year peace treaty to allow the Jews to come back to Jerusalem. Half way through the peace treaty the daily sacrifice in the Temple will be stopped for God will raise up the 2 witnesses to bring the Jews back to Himself and to defend the Temple and Jerusalem. Many theologians and teachers have wrongly taught that one of the witnesses will be ‘Elijah’. This wrong doctrine will mislead Christians to accept the false prophet as ‘Elijah the prophet’ from God.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse." Mal 4:5-6
Note: Elijah had already come in the person of John the Baptist (Luke 1:13-17; Matt 17:10-12; Mk 9:11-13) prior to our Lord Jesus’ ministry. The `great and dreadful day of the Lord' is the day that the Jews crucified their Messiah thus putting a curse of damnation upon themselves these two thousand years.
"And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 1:16-17
At the end of their ministry lasting 3 ½ years, all nations will be gathered to destroy the Jews in the battle of Armageddon. Having conquered the land of Israel, they will surround Jerusalem. Half of Jerusalem will be conquered and during the fall of ½ of Jerusalem, the two witnesses will be killed. However, their dead bodies will lie in the street of Jerusalem for 3 ½ days and will then be resurrected by God, to rise up to heaven in the sight of all. Many of the Jews will repent and believe in Jesus Christ through the testimonies of these two witnesses.
For I do not desire, brethren; that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: " The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins." Rom 11:25-27
Then our Lord Jesus will appear and stand on Mount Olives to deliver them. All the enemies surrounding Jerusalem will be destroyed by the brightness of His coming as though with a nuclear holocaust (Their flesh, eyes in the socket and tongues in the mouth will melt).
Note: Jerusalem will be partially conquered, then the appearance of our Lord Jesus on the Mount of Olives to deliver the Jews and destroy all the enemies surrounding it.
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. Rev 20:4
Immediately after Rapture when the salvation of the
Gentiles were fulfilled, God will begin his work with the Jews as His
people to become Christians. This will begin the period of the last 7
years of the Jews (as recorded missing) in Daniel chapter 9:25-26 and
it will end with the 2nd coming of the Lord.
Immediately
after the battle of Armageddon, the Jews will begin to bury the dead
bodies of the enemies. Because of the great number killed (a feast
for the birds and animals), it will take them 7 months to bury the
bodies to ensure that the land of Israel and Jerusalem is cleansed of
dead bodies and bones.
"For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land. Indeed all the people of the land will be burying them, and they will gain renown for it on the day that I am glorified," says the Lord GOD. They will set apart men regularly employed, with the help of a search party, to pass through the land and bury those bodies remaining on the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. The search party will pass through the land; and whenever anyone sees a man's bone, he shall set up a marker by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon Gog. The name of the city will also be Hamonah. Thus they shall cleanse the land." Ezek 39:12-16
After the land of Israel was cleansed, the Lord Jesus Christ will come with the resurrected saints to rule the world for a thousand years with Jerusalem as the Holy City or capital.
Note: Our Lord will return to earth to rule (with His saints) in Jerusalem for a thousand years.
The fulfillment of the 1991 AD `Gulf War' in Prophecy
The Consequences of Attacking Iraq
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The Second Coming of our Lord (Index) |
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The Coming of Jesus |
Site 1 |
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The Consequences of Attacking Iraq |
Site 2 |
| The Period of Sorrows | |
| False christs | Site 4 |
| The Antichrist | Site 5 |
| The Great Tribulation | Site 6 |
| The Overcomers | Site 7 |
| The Rapture | Site 8 |
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