Most believe in a coming Tribulation Period. Some believe we are already in it while others believe it is tied to the Rapture with this period of earth’s history to be after the Rapture event. Yet, if we understand that the evil we see today and the evil that will be during this period of history are not the same due to the Kingdom Age, or the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the earth during the end of the Church Age, then this begins to bring these two views into alignment.

This is a period that will start sometime after the Rapture. As stated earlier, when we understand the Kingdom Age at the end of the Church Age, then all the beliefs of the Rapture coalesce into the Rapture occurring at the end of the Kingdom Age. The Tribulation will be for three and a half years when the Antichrist will come to power and make a treaty with Israel (Dn 9:27). Israel will again build a temple (Ek 40-48) which will be protected by two individuals termed the Two Witnesses (Rv 11:1-14). God will allow much hardship to come upon the earth. Yet, he will also have the entire earth evangelized with his gospel message (Rv 7:3-17). At the end of the three and a half years, the Antichrist will seize more control over the earth and of the temple itself. This will usher in an even greater time of hardship on the earth, labeled the Great Tribulation.

The Bible teaches that this time begins when the Antichrist desecrates Israel’s temple by erecting a statue here known as the Abomination That Causes Desolation (Dn 9:27; Mt 24:15). Both Israel and Christians will undergo intense persecution and there will be many martyrs (Rv 6:9-10). This intense persecution of Israel will culminate with the battle known as Armageddon (Rv 16:16) when the Antichrist will come against Israel with his internationalistic military force and will come against both Jerusalem and against, most likely, Petra where Christians and Jews have congregated to try and escape persecution (Is 63:1-6; Rv 14:20).

This time is called “the day of the Lord” (Zc 14:1) also known as the Great Tribulation period or the “time of Jacob’s trouble” (Is 24:1-20; Jr 30:7; Dn 12:1; Zp 1:14-18; Mt 24:22). As this period climaxes, the Battle of Armageddon ensues where most of the Gentile nations are gathered together against Israel, Jerusalem is taken, and half of the people are taken captive (Zc 14:2), many killed, and many women raped with only a remnant (one-third, Zc 13:9) surviving in the city. It is at this time that Israelites will call upon the name of the Lord and Christ will come forth and fight against these nations that have come against Israel (Zc 14:3) because this remnant finally called upon God (Zc 13:9).

God always keeps his promises no matter how many years, decades, or centuries, it is for us. Our God is a faithful God!

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

The Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah, is upon us again. It starts at sundown on September 25th. I spoke of this holiday in some detail last year (Rosh Hashanah 2021). As was stated in that post, this was originally instituted by God at the time of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt and was called Feast of Trumpets (Lv 23:23-25). Trumpets were blown as a memorial and a plea for God to remember his covenant with His people. This was significant because the Day of Atonement was only a few days away. This is when the high priest would go into the Holy of Holies to atone for the sin of the Israelites. No individual has goodness on their own that can save them or be good enough for God to accept them. Their only hope was for God to remember His covenant with them where He had promised to love and protect them. It was important that God remembered that when the high priest went into the Holy of Holies to ask God to accept them.

We had also stated that this feast is prophetic and relates to the beginning of the Tribulation period (also called the time of Jacob’s trouble by several Old Testament prophets) after the rapture of the church, also known as the Receiving of the Bride. Why then? The church age is over and so it is time for God to work with his chosen people again. Where are they? Scattered over the entire world. That is why this time of earth’s history affects the entire earth. God had stated long ago that their disobedience would result in consequences and trials that force them to come back to him (Lv 26; Dt 28). Since they are now living in almost every country of the world, the whole earth is involved. Even further into the earth’s future, the Passover will reflect the memory of this regathering of the Jews and Israelites rather than their exodus from Egypt (Ek 37:21-23; Jr 23:3-8).

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

God is always at work spiritually – even during the future time known as the Period of Tribulation. Not long after the Rapture happens, although the restraint of the Holy Spirit is removed, the Holy Spirit will be very active in creating an evangelistic force which God will use as His witnesses during this dark and horrific period of history. Many Israelites will put their faith in Christ and begin to evangelize the world (Rv 14:1-5). These one hundred and forty-four thousand individuals are protected so that the Antichrist cannot harm them, and their work can continue (Rv 7:1-8). However, not everyone who listens to, and accepts, their message are as protected, as there will be many martyrs during this time (Rv 6:9; 7:9-17). It seems that times of persecution actually help spread the gospel message much like it did during early church times. These Jewish evangelists will also evangelize Gentiles during this Tribulation Period as these martyrs will include people of all nations and languages (Rv 7:9).

Because these one hundred and forty-four thousand individuals are from almost all the identified tribes of Israel (Rv 7:4-8), some believe this could not occur as described here in Revelation because the ten tribes that composed the northern kingdom of Israel were lost to history after their captivity by Assyria (2Ki 17:5-6). However, as stated in earlier posts, there is profound evidence that the kingdom of Israel was larger than most think, and the ten northern tribes of Israel were not lost, but many from these tribes settled in and around Armenia and later became a significant force of the Parthian Empire. When that empire crumbled, many crossed the Caucasus Mountains into Europe. This helps to explain why there is an Armenian quarter in Jerusalem. There are two religious components: Christian and Muslim; then there are two ethnic components: Jewish and Armenian (representing the two components of the split Israeli empire: Judah and Israel, respectively).

Despite all of these disasters, the Antichrist tries to make the best of it to keep the world together and on his side. At the same time, he persecutes not only Jews, but Christians as well causing many to be martyred (Rv 6:9). As the Jewish evangelists are showing many how to be saved, the Antichrist uses religion to help unite his followers as well. Up until the middle of this seven-year period, a unified religion has been implemented that suits his unification purpose. It has been suggested that the worship of a deity mother could be this unification factor to appeal to almost all with different religious backgrounds. Ever since the time of the tower of Babel, a counterfeit religion of a mother and son has existed and has manifested itself into most religions of the world. Therefore, this is certainly a plausible scenario as people would not have to drastically change their belief system to fit into the new world-church order. This will meet the Antichrist’s initial needs as he unifies the nations of the world into ten regions that are in allegiance to him (Dn 7:24; Rv 17:12). However, once he is in control, this counterfeit religion and his treaty with Israel become hindrances to his lust for total domination. These restrict what he can do. Therefore, he attempts to get rid of both (Dn 9:27; Rv 12:17, 17:16).

About mid-way into the seven years, Satan’s access to heaven is denied (Rv 12:9). It seems that Satan has always had access to heaven (Jb 1:6). Satan was created as Lucifer, the cherub that covers (Ek 28:14), the one who was the closest to God Himself – before he rebelled. As a created being, he has always been subject to God’s control and the limitations God imposed upon him (Jb 1:12). However, that has not seemed to deflate his ego or his belief that he can get out of these restrictions. Since the dawn of time, he has tried to prevent God’s prophecies from coming true – and will try until the very end. He knows that if he can destroy all of Israel, then God’s promise cannot come true. Now with his access to heaven taken away, he intensifies his efforts. The second half of the Tribulation period is known as the Great Tribulation because of both the heightened intensity of Satan’s actions through the Antichrist as well as the more intense judgments that befall the earth.

In the next post, we will investigate what occurs during this time of Great Tribulation.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens

With so many disappearing all at once with the occurrence of the Rapture, there will likely be fear, panic, terror, chaos, and disinformation occurring. Therefore, Satan works in an individual who exudes charisma, is confident, wants power, and is one whom he can control. This one, the Antichrist, comes on the scene, likely working behind the scenes for many years prior to this time, and now surfaces as the one with the answers, the one everyone turns toward. His actions, his words, make sense and begin to calm fears. Many on the earth will feel putting him in charge will make sense and solve many of their problems. Satan has always desired to rule the world and have subjects who will worship him. He, therefore, works through this individual toward that end.

This period of time has become known as the time of Jacob’s Trouble (Jr 30:7) or the Tribulation Period (Rv 7:14). It is a seven-year period of time between the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ; also known as Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Dn 9:27). It is also part of what Old Testament prophets called the Day of the Lord (Is 13:6; Ek 30:3; Jl 1:15; Am 5:20; Ob 1:15; Zp 1:14; Zc 14:1; Ml 4:5). The term ‘Day of the Lord’ includes this period of time, but also includes the individual judgment that will occur at the time of Christ’s second coming (Mt 25:31-46).

God has always stated Israel as a nation could know if they are in God’s favor. This statement is found back in Deuteronomy (Dt 27-28). God stated He would bless Israel if they were obedient: plenty of rain, plenty of crops, no enemies could overtake them, and they would be the ones taking care of other nations financially and provisionally. However, if the nation of Israel did not obey God, then a series of misfortunes would follow suit getting progressively worse and worse: disease, lack of rain, failed crops, overtaken by enemies, taken into captivity, and those in the land that are non-Israelites would overtake those living there. In ancient times, Israel as a nation was confined to a geographic region. However, today, Jews are everywhere around the globe and not in one geographical region. God could only get their attention if He acted where all Jews live. Therefore, today, this would involve the whole world.

As the Antichrist starts out on the heels of the great disappearances, the world is in chaos, and he seems to be the savior with answers for the nations of earth. He makes a treaty with Israel (Dn 9:27) and promises their protection. However, not everyone is in agreement with this, and a league of nations come against Israel. Likely, nations between and above the Caspian and Black Seas and northeastern Turkey, along with Georgia and Russia, will align with Iran, Sudan, and Libya to attack Israel (Ek 38:1-12). Peoples from the north, south, and east of Israel will attack. These nations have a 4-fold agenda: (1) obtain the wealth of Israel (Ek 38:11-12), (2) control the Middle East, (3) destroy Israel, and (4) challenge the authority of the Antichrist (Dn 11:40-44). The Antichrist as well as the nations in southern Arabia and Western Europe are against this invasion (Ek 38:13).

God intervenes and uses several natural disasters to hinder the invasion: (1) a great earthquake, (2) infighting among the troops of the various nations doing the invading, (3) disease, and (4) torrential rain, hailstones, fire and burning sulfur (Ek 38:19-22). There are four key events which follow this invasion: (1) birds and beasts are called to gorge on the dead bodies (Ek 39:4-5, 17-20), (2) burying of the dead takes seven months to complete (Ek 39:11-12, 14-16), (3) the weapons left from the invasion of the dead army provide enough fuel to last seven years (Ek 39:9-10), and (4) blessings, restoration, and salvation are provided to Israel (Ek 39:21-29). Although it is God Himself who actually saves Israel (Ek 38:21-23), the Antichrist claims credit and gets further respect from the other nations of the world and they see him as one dedicated to peace.

As the Antichrist is trying to set up his world-wide domination, there are natural disasters of epic proportion that also occur (Rv 6:12-14). There are four earthquakes that occur - each one more impactful than the previous: (1) the first marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation, i.e., the last half of the seven-year period (Rv 8:5); (2) God will send two witnesses who will preach from Jerusalem and be able to withhold rain and cause all sorts of plagues to occur on the earth as a way to get people’s attention. However, the Antichrist will be set against them and will eventually have them destroyed after three and a half years and will institute a celebration of their demise. However, after three and a half days, these two will be resurrected and ascend to heaven. At that point, a severe earthquake will occur. It will destroy a tenth of the city of Jerusalem, and seven thousand people will be killed (Rv 11:13). (3) Another earthquake occurs, along with a great hailstorm, not long thereafter (Rv 11:19). (4) The fourth earthquake is so severe that it breaks the city of Jerusalem into three parts and collapses cities all around the world. Mountains are leveled and islands submerged, or both are relocated and/or re-sculpted (Rv 16:18-21). This is likely the same earthquake that occurs at Christ’s second coming when he touches down on the Mount of Olives (Zc 14:4).

Many scientists proclaim today that space debris hitting the earth is not a matter of if it will happen but when it will happen. Apparently, the when is during the Tribulation period. The frequency and intensity of meteor showers will increase drastically (Rv 6:13). A massive hail and lightning storm occur which damages and burns a third of the earth’s vegetation (Rv 8:7). The removal of crop prosperity was one of the curses provided in Deuteronomy (Dt 28:18). Then come two large asteroids that land in the sea and on land which causes a third of the earth’s seas to become toxic so fish die and cause the fresh water supply to become too toxic to drink (Rv 8:8-11).

God then allows even more evil to be released on the earth. There will be a plague that lasts for five months on those who have not put their faith in Christ where the pain of their infliction will be excruciating but will not lead to death (Rv 9:1-6). Then there is another type of plague that kills one-third of mankind (Rv 9:13-15). However, even after all of this, most do not see a connection between these events and God’s wrath. By the end of the seven-year period almost one-half of the earth’s population will have been destroyed (Rv 6:8, 9:15). During the second half of the Tribulation the judgments intensify (Rv 16). Painful sores will break out on individuals. The seas become like blood causing the sea creatures to die. This then spreads to the fresh waters, the rivers, and springs. The sun becomes intense, and its heat kills many, and this is then followed by total darkness. The Euphrates River also dries up. This could be tied to the fourth great earthquake which could divert the flow of the Euphrates River.

Despite all of these events, the main purpose is a spiritual one. We’ll look at that aspect next time.

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Visit Books & Words to Inspire by Randy C. Dockens