Jesus does NOT want ANYONE to die and go to hell! People send themselves there by refusing to let go of things which came from hell and are going back to hell. If you will not take advantage of what Jesus has done for you, there is nothing left but hell now and hell later. Heaven is already here and hell is coming up. You get whatever you choose. THE WRATH OF GOD IS BEING REVEALED FROM HEAVEN AGAINST THE KINGDOM OF DARKNESS SO IF YOU CHOOSE THE DEVIL YOU GET WHAT HE GETS!
“Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the household came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”(Matthew13:24-30)
“Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them: He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 13:36-43)
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:47-50)
Notice my friends that this passage does not say that the wheat (the Blood bought Church) will be gathered first. It says the complete opposite. Jesus said: “This is how it will be at the end of this world: the angels shall come forth and sever [separate] the wicked from among [from around, from the middle of] the Righteous. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
These verses in Matthew 13 provide a clear picture of what the end of the age will look like. The wicked shall be cut off from the earth while the justified are preserved in the earth. “For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it. But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.” (Proverbs 2:22-23)
“Behold, a whirlwind of the LORD will go forth in fury––A violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD will not turn back Until He has executed and performed the purpose of His heart. In the latter days you will clearly understand it.” (Jer 23:19-20)
“And it shall come to pass, that in all the land[the whole Earth], saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. [literal – those who are IN HIM will be passed over] And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God. Behold the Day of the LORD cometh.” (Zechariah13:8-9)
“The Lord knoweth how to deliver [draw to Himself] the Godly out of temptations, and [also how] to reserve the unjust unto the Day of Judgment to be punished.”(2Peter 2:9) “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee [far away] from the trial, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.”(Rev 3:10) “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed [made manifest] in the last time …That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1Peter 1:5,7)
“Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. (Rev 3)
“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers [those not believing],[who are] walking after their own desires, And saying: Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they are willingly [and] [determined to be] ignorant …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.
But [for the scoffers] the day of the Lord will come as a THIEF [a robber,(as one who does not care to instruct men)] in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be released with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be uncovered. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conduct, indeed [true] godliness” (2Peter 3:3-13)
“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord is coming as a BURGLAR in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then [at that time] sudden [unexpected] destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake [seize upon you] you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thes 5:1-5, 9)
“Remember therefore how you are found IN Christ and have been endowed with the supernatural faculty of hearing [from Him]; hold fast and REPENT [CHANGE YOUR MIND – YOUR AGREEMENTS]. If however you will not attend to this carefully then I will come on you as a thief, and you will never know what hour I will come.” (Rev 3:3)
So the Day of the Lord will come like a thief for some people but not for others. And the Righteous are those who are looking for the Second Coming, while the Tares are scoffing at the promise of it. Jesus will come to the scoffers as a thief. And “the thief cometh not, but for to steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10)
It is true that Christ came that “we might have life and have it more abundantly” but it is also true that He will be revealed “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the Glory of His power,[when will this happen?] when He shall come to be glorified IN His saints, and to be admired IN all them that believe.”(2 Thes 1:7-10)
To those who are rejecting the Lordship of Jesus Christ, He will yet say: “But those are mine enemies, which would not have me to reign over them, bring hither and slay them before me.” (Luke 19:27)
According to Mathew 13, Angels will be instrumental in this destruction. The book of Revelation goes into detail about this. Look at this passage in Revelation:
“And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.”(Revelation 14:15-20.)
The Saints are on the earth at the time of Revelation 14. “This is how it will be at the end of this world: the angels shall come forth and sever [separate] the wicked from among [from around-the middle of] the Justified. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matt 13:43)
This theme of preservation and destruction is very prominent in the Old Testament as we should expect. One group is destroyed while the other is preserved in the midst of the destruction. In Exodus 9 the Lord caused all of the Egyptian cattle to die, while Israel’s cattle were left unharmed.
In Exodus 12 the Lord brought the Destroyer and smote the firstborn of the Egyptians while leaving the firstborn of the Israelites alive. “For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians, and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer [allow, give permission to] the Destroyer to come into your houses to smite you.” (Exodus 12:23)
What was the difference between those who were destroyed and those who were delivered? The Blood of the Lamb. But how exactly will God preserve His people in the middle of the Apocalyptic Destruction of the end times without rapturing them? By Faith!
Try this one: “In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; and thou shalt not fear terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake. No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness IS OF ME, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah54:14-17)
“Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night; nor of the arrow that flieth by day; Nor the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD your refuge, even the most High thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” (Psalm 91:5-12) “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Thes 5:9)
It gets better and better. There is a promise in the Bible for every single need that you have in time and eternity. And the Bible is real promises, made by a God Who cannot lie. A God Who is willing and able to do anything in response to faith. But are these promises unconditional; that is, without any qualifications? No they are not. Take Psalm 91 for example. “Because thou hast made the LORD your refuge, even the most High thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.” It means to surrender your WHOLE LIFE TO THE LORDSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST.
The Blood has been shed, the sacrifice has been offered; the atonement has been made once and for all. Jesus was tempted so that you would not have to be. The Comforter HAS COME. The Holy Ghost is OUTPORED right now. The Glory of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea Right Now! All things are ready Right Now. “Don’t grumble as some of them did, for that is why God sent his angel of death to destroy them. All things happened as examples for us. They were written down to warn us, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.” (1Cor10)
The people of earth will EITHER be intoxicated with the peace and joy of heaven OR their hearts will be failing for fear of things that are coming on the earth.” The choice is yours. Jesus has already done everything now it is up to us to receive His Lordship. REPENT until you are aware of his constant abiding presence. This is what it means to “seek ye first the kingdom and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. His righteousness is His constant manifested presence. How do you come to Jesus? He is already present leave even the appearance of evil and you will recognize it.
Luke 17 – Also the Bad Rapture
“I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” Luke 17
These verses, taken out of context, could mean that the people that are “taken” are the believers. And they are taken at the rapture, and they are taken to heaven. Many symbolic arguments could be introduced to make a case for this, such as, one I remember clearly: John was “taken” to heaven in the beginning of revelation to symbolize the Church being taken from the earth before the tribulation even starts.
But if we look at Luke 17 in context these verses tell a different story altogether.
“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? (where will they be taken?) And he said unto them, Wheresoever the [dead]body is, thither will the vultures be gathered together. (Luke 17:33-37)
“For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the vultures be gathered together. (Matthew 24:27-29)
The Disciples asked Jesus “where will they be taken?” and Jesus told them they will be killed.
“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. (Matthew 24:37)
How will they be taken? They will be taken just like the people in the days of Noah “they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away” Where did the flood take them? The same place where one man in the field and one woman on the mill will be taken, wherever that is, we can be sure that they go there by death. Matthew 13 plainly says the tares will be gathered first and will be cast into the fire.
So Luke 17 is symbolic of the rapture, but it is definitely the Bad Rapture. Was Noah taken from the earth or was he preserved in the earth? Did the people understand when he “went into the ark” or “when the flood came and took them all away”?
What Daniel Saw.
In Daniel chapter two which was written in 586 BC, God reveals that there will be a TOTAL of four kingdoms [authorities] from the time of Nebuchadnezzar [Babylonians] to the rise of the Antichrist. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon was given a dream and Daniel was given a vision with the interpretation. It was of a great image: a head of fine gold (Babylonians), breast and arms of silver(Medo-persain), belly and thighs of brass (Macedonian), legs of iron (Romans) and feet part iron and part clay.
“Thou (Nebuchadnezzar) art this head of gold. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas though saw the feet and toes, part of potters clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided, but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as though saw the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom will be partly strong and partly broken (brittle, fragile) (Daniel 2:38-43)
“Thou sawest till that a stone was cut without hands [Jesus], which smote the image upon his feet (the very end of the fourth kingdom) that were of iron and clay, and break them to pieces….and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”(Daniel 2:34) “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” (Daniel 2:44)
Daniel is given a dream and another vision about these four kingdoms in chapter 7. This time they are portrayed as four beasts. “I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth; it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns” (Daniel 7:7-8)
God gave him the interpretation in verse 23-24: “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, which shall be diverse [different] from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down and break it in pieces and the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise.”
These ten kings (which are the ten toes from the first vision) will “receive power as kings in one hour with the beast (antichrist)” (Revelation 17:12)
The Fourth kingdom is shown twice in Daniel. In the first vision it is the legs and feet of a statue. In the second vision it is a beast with ten horns, plus one little horn (antichrist).
“Thus he said: ‘the fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth and, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings” (Dan 7:23-34) These ten kings will “receive power as kings in one hour with the beast (antichrist)” (Revelation 17:12)
“And he (the antichrist) shall speak great words in connection with the most High, and shall continually harass the saints of the most High, and think[intend] to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. [4th seal]
But the judgment shall sit, and they (the Saints) shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. This is the end of the matter.” (Daniel 7:20-28)
If you have never been exposed to any system of eschatology, those verses would only mean one thing to you: First: the Saints are on earth being persecuted during the reign of the antichrist, and until a certain time, he “prevails against them” (v21) Second: the Saints of the Most High will take the dominion away from the Antichrist, to consume it (gradually) and then destroy it (suddenly) unto the end. [if your Bible does not contain the causative conjunction “they” in Dan7:26, Get a KJV, NKJV, AMP, YLT etc. (Received Text] Go Here http://classic.net.bible.org/bible.php Or Here http://bible.cc/matthew/21-12.htm
“that Wicked One be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” (2Thess 2:8) It says here that Christ will consume the antichrist with the Spirit of His mouth. It doesn’t exactly say with His mouth, but with the “Spirit of his mouth”. You have the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead. (Romans 8:11)
”And the decision was made and the authority was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came when the saints took the kingdom. (Daniel 7:22) (BBE) We, the Blood bought Church, will consume and destroy the DOMINION of the Antichrist (his ruling Authority over the earth) with Judgments handed down by God. We will “execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.” (Psalm 149:9) “and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:22)
“It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with/ many thousands of His holy ones,[ to execute judgment upon all.” (Jude 1:14-15) (See Revelation 19:14)
“Do ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels?”(1Cor 6:2-3) ”And the evil-doers will be crushed under you, they will be dust under your feet, in the day when I do my work, says the Lord of armies.” (Malachi 4:3) (BBE).
“the people that know their God shall prevail and succeed. (Daniel 11:32-3)(Douay Rheims Bible) “the Saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” (Daniel 7:18)
“and when he (antichrist) shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all these things shall be finished” (Daniel 12:7) This is the one verse in Daniel that seems to say the opposite of a triumphant church at first glance, but that word “accomplished” can also be rendered in another way – When he shall have “finished his purpose in the matter”; when “he shall have done all that he could do” , “ when he exhausts himself and fails” “all these things shall be finished.”
“Then, when the power of the one who shatters the holy people has been exhausted, all these things will be finished.” (.net Bible) Because he will only be given “power to continue for 42 months” (Rev 13:5)
I have never heard anyone quote Daniel 7 v26. I wonder how the Saints could consume and destroy the dominion of the Antichrist if we have been raptured before the Antichrist even comes to power.
Or why would God give this honor to those “left behind” and not those who had been faithful? And what kind of supernatural power would be given to us, in Christ, to fulfill the Scriptures?
I wonder how much Glory there would have to be if God actually used the weak and pathetic things of this world bring to naught the things that are mighty. (1Cor 1:28)
For Christ “after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. (Hebrews 10:12-13) And Jesus Christ is “Retained in the Heavens until [after] the times of the restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. “(Acts 3:21)
Stranger than Fiction
[For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. (Rom 8:19) “When Christ who is our life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory (Sovereign Judgment). (Col 3:4) “He will bring forth your righteousness as the light And your judgment as the noonday.”(Psalm 37:6)]
I have always wondered about these next passages in Thessalonians. They have always interested me because they frustrates a lot of “reasonable” eschatology.
“Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubled rest with us, when (en) the Lord Jesus shall be revealed (apokalupsei) from heaven with (met) his mighty angels, In (en) flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When (hotan) he shall come to be glorified in (en) his saints, and to be admired in (en) all them that believe (because our testimony among (en) you was believed) in that day. (2Thess 1:4-10)
(en) in, on, at, by, with, among, through (apokalupsei) revelation (met) with, among, after (hotan) whenever. Here it is in Youngs Literal Translation:
“to you who are troubled — rest with us in the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven, with messengers of his power, in flaming fire, giving vengeance to those not knowing God, and to those not obeying the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall suffer justice — destruction age-during — from the face of the Lord, and from the glory of his strength, when He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be wondered at in all those believing — because our testimony was believed among you — in that day (2 Thess 1:7-10)
When translated literally, 2Thess 1 sounds a lot like: Malachi 4
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do, saith the LORD of hosts.”
Some people might think that it would be good news if we were sucked up out of here before the tribulation, but I would be a little disappointed. I would rather be invincible, demonstrating the love and power of God without effort, stacking up eternal weight in Glory, be used to take away the Satans dominion over the earth and then Rule and Reign with Christ for 1000 years. (Dan 7:26). Now that sounds cool. It would also appear, at least from these two passages, that the saints are in the picture during the time of Gods’ wrath and are actually instrumental in “giving vengeance to those not knowing God”
The two witnesses are a good example of this as they explode onto the scene at the breaking of the Fourth seal and for the next 3.5 years are completely invincible as they are calling down plagues onto the followers of the Antichrist “as often as they will”
“Let us be glad with delight, and let us give glory to him: because the time is come for the Lamb to be married, and his wife has made herself ready. And to her it was given to be clothed in FINE LINEN, clean and shining: for the clean linen is the righteousness of the saints….. I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, CLOTHED IN FINE LINEN, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God…And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast––miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue. Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh. (Rev 19)
Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near; It shall come as destruction from the Almighty (Joel 1:15) Wail, for the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty! (Isaiah 13:6) When the storm is over, there’s nothing left of the wicked; good people, firm on their rock foundation, aren’t even fazed. (Prov10:25)
The fear of the Lord gives long life, but the years of the evil-doer will be cut short. (Prov10:27) The way of the LORD is a stronghold for the upright, but destruction for evildoers. (Prov10:29) The righteous will never be removed, but the wicked will not inhabit the earth. (Prov10:30) If the upright man is rewarded on earth, how much more the evil-doer and the sinner! (Prov 11:31)
While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. (1Thess 5:3) “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Rev 16:15)
His battle cry overwhelms like a flooding river that reaches one’s neck. He shakes the nations in a sieve that isolates the chaff; he puts a bit into the mouth of the nations and leads them to destruction. (Isaiah 30:28) A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work! A curse on anyone who keeps from carrying out his destruction! (Jeremiah 48:10)
Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, The world and all things that come forth from it. For the Lord is angry at all the nations and furious with all their armies. He will annihilate them and slaughter them. So their slain will be thrown out, And their corpses will give off their stench, And the mountains will be drenched with their blood. All the stars in the sky will fade away, the sky will roll up like a scroll; all its stars will wither, like a leaf withers and falls from a vine or a fig withers and falls from a tree. He says, “Indeed, my sword has slaughtered heavenly powers. Look, it now descends on Edom, on the people I will annihilate in judgment.” (Isaiah 34:1-6) First “heavenly powers” then Edom[the tares]
He will come and destroy these tenants and give the [earth] to others. (Mark12:6-9)
“Wicked men will be wiped out, but those who rely on the Lord are the ones who will possess the land. Evil men will soon disappear you will stare at the spot where they once were, but they will be gone. But the humble/meek will possess the land and enjoy great prosperity/peace. Evil men plot against the godly and viciously attack them. The Lord laughs in disgust at them, for he knows that their day is coming. (Ps 37:9-13)
Appendix F– The Restrainer
What exactly is restraining “the mystery of iniquity”? (2Thess 2:7) This “restrainer” has to be taken out of the way for the Antichrist to be revealed at the middle of the last 7 years. Jesus said that following the abomination that causes desolation there will be great distress as never before. (Matt 24:21) It says in Daniel 12:1 that just prior to this same period of “distress” the Archangel Michael would “arise”.
The Archangel Michael is a special “prince” assigned to protect Gods people. (Daniel 10:13,21) Halfway through the tribulation Michael will “stand up” The word is “amad” in Hebrew. It means to “stand aside” ”stand still” or “desist”. It also means “to make a stand”, “stand up” or “rise up against” It appears that He will do BOTH. Michael the Archangel, who has been restraining the ‘mystery of iniquity’ on the earth will “stand down” in that role, and will simultaneously stand up against Satan and clear out the second heaven where the Devil and his angels currently reside and operate from.
“Michael shall stand aside, 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 to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered everyone that shall be found written in the book.”(Dan 12:1)
“And there was war in heaven, Micheal and his Angels waged war with the Dragon and his angels…..he (Satan) was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him, Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the Salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come….and they overcame him with the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony” (Rev12:7-11)
It is at this midpoint of the final 7 years that things get very interesting! Let’s tie some of it together. The Antichrist will have been in power for 3½ years at this point. Once the Economy collapses at the end of the third world war, ten kings will come to power in “one hour” with the Antichrist. The world will be divided into ten governing regions to restore order. The Antichrist, who is the “little horn” will quickly consolidate power, and at least some of the kings will “give their kingdom unto the beast.”(Rev 17:17)
The people of earth [including the saints] are automatically under his authority for the first half of his reign until he commands us to do something that God forbids. (i.e. worship an Idol) Until that point, even if we know that a certain man is the Antichrist we still have to submit to Divine revelation, which commands us in no uncertain terms to be subject to ruling authorities until they require us to disobey God.
The people of the world, including the saints of God will be “given into his hands.” “God’s holy people will be persecuted by him for a time, two times, half a time.”(Dan 7:25) “But the judge will be seated, and they will put an end to his authority, to overcome it and send complete destruction on it.”(Dan7:26) We will be put under the authority of the Antichrist for the first 3 ½ years of the Tribulation because at first he is just a political figure. He is working to repair the global economy. He does not become fully possessed by Satan until Michael gets orders to cast Satan down to the earth.
When Michael and his angels expel Satan and his angels from the second heaven, Satan then fully possesses the political figure. At this point the political figure declares that he is God; erects the “abomination that causes desolation” and demands that we all fall down and worship him as God or we cannot enjoy this “heaven on earth” (Just New World Order) he has created. When he demands that we worship him, we come out from underneath his authority.
At this same midpoint [breaking of 4th seal] the two witnesses appear in Jerusalem to testify against the Antichrist and the Bible says that they cannot be killed for 1,230 days. These have the power to “smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will” which will only affect those who have taken the mark and are worshiping the Antichrist. (Rev 11:3,6) The standing down and standing up of Michael, coincides with the beginning of the Great Tribulation and is part of a cosmic shift in the corporate manifestation of Heaven on the earth: “Now the Salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come” (Rev 12)
Satan and his angels are immaterial; they cannot just get kicked out of the heavens and have influence on the earth. In the Garden of Eden Satan could not even speak without the help of the serpent’s physical body. Satan’s army must have human bodies prepared for them when they get cleared out of the second heaven. Satan will go to the political figure and all of his fallen angels will go to the masses of people who have been deceived by the unveiling of the “new world religion” which will be “confirmed” with seemingly miraculous events.
The word to believers at this time is: “Salvation, Power, The Kingdom, and the Authority of Christ. (Rev12) “And at that time thy people shall be delivered everyone that shall be found written in the book.” (Daniel 12) “And they have defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were not afraid to die.”(Rev 12:11)
Satan must get past your mind to get into your body and that is why there is so much brainwashing. The Kingdom of Darkness knows what is about to happen and they are preparing bodies for their arrival. By orchestrating events to overwhelm human minds they will have prepared plenty of bodies for their use in the final 3½ years. After the fourth seal is broken in Revelation 6:7 it says “behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.” The fourth seal is the midpoint when Satan is cast down to the earth. At the midpoint of the 7 year tribulation hell will come up and heaven will come down. These two realms will be manifest, side by side in the earth for the final 3 ½ years.
When the Christians refuse to worship the Antichrist or be part of the new economy he will marshal the demonized masses against all Christ followers. Some will be martyred, but I believe only a minority (Zech 13:8-9). Most of us will be experiencing something comparable to the Jansenist outpouring, we will be clothed with the Spirit of Might and remain utterly invincible. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” “”For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the LORD of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch. (Mal 4:1)
“Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness. Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. [2Tim 2:19-21]