The tribulation has been pretty nasty up to now. The world is still reeling from so many people disappearing, then natural disasters and animal attacks start to kill those who are left. The only comfort the people are finding is in a politician that has stood up and demanded global unity.
But, this man is not the great peacemaker that everyone believes. And, only those who are reading their Bibles and searching for God will see that he is nothing but trouble!
Deuteronomy 4:29-30- But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;
Jeremiah 30:7- Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
God doesn't want anyone to go to hell. That's why He sent His Son! And that's why He's going to send powerful preachers back to warn the inhabitants of the earth.
II Peter 3:9- The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Revelation 11:3, 5-6- And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will.
Malachi 4:4-5- Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Daniel 12:1- And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
So, how do people get their names written in the book of life during the tribulation? Well, it's a two part thing.
Revelation 12:17- And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
You have to not only ask Jesus to save you, but you have to keep the 10 commandments. It's faith and works- believe in what Christ did on Calvary and keep yourself pure before God and man. This is easier to do during the first part of the tribulation than it is the last part!
You see, something happens in the middle of the tribulation- well, two somethings.
When Jesus was on this earth, he told an interesting parable.
Matthew 25:1-13- Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Remember our earlier verse about the husband and the wife? Well, the groom in the Bible is a reference to Jesus Christ, and the bride is a reference to the Church (or saved Christians during this time period). To have a wedding, the bride has to go to the altar (the rapture of the church).
This parable is about the part of the ceremony after the wedding service, normally called the reception. The Bride and Groom have already been married, and now they sit down to enjoy a meal with all their friends and family as husband and wife.
These 10 virgins represent people in the tribulation who have asked the Lord to save them and are working to keep the 10 commandments. During the night, part of the virgins run out of oil and have to go buy more- they failed to keep the commandments and now they have to ask the Lord to forgive them of their sins and wash them in His blood again.
But, they don't ask for forgiveness in time and they get left out of the wedding meal.
Revelation 19:7-11- Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
There is going to be a second rapture! If someone missed the first, they will go through part of the tribulation. But, they have a chance to escape before it gets really bad!
This mid-tribulation rapture, as some people call it, can be seen in the lives of the 144,000 witnesses. God chooses these Jewish men to preach His word while on the earth.
Revelation 7:2-4- And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
These men are sealed and called to a special calling just like the apostle Paul. Notice they are sealed while still on the earth.
revelation 14:1, 3, 5-7- And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God. And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Just seven chapters later they are singing in heaven. How? They were raptured!
Why would God take them out in the middle of the tribulation? Because there was something even worse coming!
The man of sin was going to have an uprising on his hands. And, someone was going to kill him.
Zechariah 11:17- Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
Somehow, the man of sin is killed and in his death his right eye and his right arm are going to be ruined.
Revelation 13:3b- And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death;
Much of the world will mourn the loss of this man. But, the ones who read the Bible will know- this is only the beginning of troubles!
