CHRONOLOGY OF THE END TIMES
There’s a lot of speculation & extra-biblical vain-jangling about the End-Times.
& so what I’d like to do today is take you through a CHRONOLOGY of the END TIMES …
… a SEQUENCE of EVENTS that CHRISTIAN BODY as a whole can expect …
… as we approach the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
The Bible says that A DAY IS COMING when evil will be vanquished from the earth.
& The Bible calls that day, THE DAY OF THE LORD.
For the SAVED BELIEVER, this will be a day of justice, vindication, & eternal blessing …
… when all WRONGS will be set right.
Isaiah 40:3-5 says of that day:
3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. [John the Baptist began his ministry also with these words from Isaiah, when he preaching the DAY OF THE LORD].
4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: [this all speaks of justice through violent judgment of God’s wrath.]
5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
…
9 O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!
10 Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
This is a picture of the END TIMES for the saved.
The believer looks forward to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ …
… because He’ll be coming back for us …
… not as JUDGE, but as DELIVERER.
Philippians 3:20-21 says of the saved believer that:
20 … we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
But for the unsaved, THE DAY OF THE LORD will be a DAY OF UNPRECEDENTED TERROR.
Isaiah 13:6-9 says:
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
7 Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt:
8 And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth: they shall be amazed one at another [that means that that day will come upon them unexpectedly; it will be a complete shock to the unbeliever]; their faces shall be as flames.
9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
This is a picture of the FINAL CLEANSING of the WICKED from the earth.
Zephaniah 1:14-18 says:
14 The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.
15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
16 A day of the trumpet and alarm against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.
17 And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the LORD: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.
18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them in the day of the LORD’S wrath; but the whole land shall be devoured by the fire of his jealousy: for he shall make even a speedy riddance of all them that dwell in the land.
Jeremiah 46:10 says: “For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood …”
Isaiah 13:4-6:
4 The noise of a multitude in the mountains, like as of a great people; a tumultuous noise of the kingdoms of nations gathered together: the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
5 They come from a far country, from the end of heaven, even the LORD, and the weapons of his indignation, to destroy the whole land.
6 Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Joel 3:13-15 says:
13 Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.
14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
15 The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.
Here we see the sun & moon being darkened, one of the great signs directly preceding the return of Christ.
Until this worldwide phenomenon occurs, we won’t see Jesus coming back.
SO THE IDEA that the RAPTURE could happen @ any moment … @ this instant …
… is utterly false.
THERE ARE A CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS that must occur 1st.
Isaiah 13:10-12 continues to describe the DAY OF THE LORD:
10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.
12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.
The Old Testament prophet Isaiah foretells that, during this time, there will be great signs and wonders in the skies.
He says that the: “stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light” …
& that the: “sun shall be darkened” & the “moon shall not cause her light to shine”.
This is repeated through Scripture in the Gospels, the Book of Acts & the Book of Revelation.
Jesus forewarns His disciples of the day of His return & the specific signs that they should look for.
Jesus says in Matthew 24:29-31:
29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: [So we see 1st of all that the SUN & MOON will be DARKENED AFTER THE TRIBULATION].
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
So what comes? The rapture & the return of Christ or the tribulation?
Verse 29 clearly says: “after the tribulation” …
… & then in v. 30, it says that “and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven … and they shall see the Son of man coming the clouds …”
& in v. 31, the rapture or the “gathering together of the elect” is described, when: “he shall send his angels … to gather together his elect”.
There’s no debating this point, when you consider the SEQUENTIAL CHRONOLOGY of END-TIMES events.
In Romans 12:12, Paul says that believers should be: “patient in tribulation”.
Jesus even directly says in John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
Paul said in Acts 14:22: “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
2 Thessalonians 1:4 says: “So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:”
Saints have endured some form of tribulation since the founding of the church …
… as have the OT prophets.
What makes people think that when it comes to the FINAL, GREAT TRIBULATION …
… that things will suddenly be different?
It’s because people mix-up the TRIBULATION PERIOD w/ GOD’S WRATH.
They’re not the same!
2 closely related, but separate events!
Jesus’ words are repeated in Mark 13 & Luke 21.
Again, in Matthew 24:29, it’s: “After the tribulation of those days [that] the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light.”
It’s Mark 13:24, it’s: “After that tribulation” that the “sun shall be darkened” and the “moon shall not give her light”.
In Luke 21:25 & 27, it’s: “[After] signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars” [that] men shall see “the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.”
The Bible also tells us, in Luke 21:25-26, that during this time, that there will be: “upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth”.
This lines up perfectly with Isaiah’s prophecy in ch. 13:7-8: “Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them;”
Isaiah says that men will be extremely sparse in the day; that they will be: “more precious than fine gold”.
The prophet Isaiah says that in that day: “Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is joined unto them shall fall by the sword. Their children also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be spoiled, and their wives ravished” (13:15-16).
Jesus affirms this in Matthew 24:19-21, when He says:
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
Jesus was speaking that to BELIEVERS, not to “those left behind”.
& SO HOW WILL WE KNOW WHEN WE ARE IN THAT TIME?
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 gives us the plain & simple chronology:
1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, [Paul here is directly referring to the RAPTURE, the GATHERING TOGETHER, and he says:]
2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. [So here we see that the Bible defines ‘THE DAY OF CHRIST’ as the day when Jesus returns & RAPTURES the church].
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
So Paul plainly & directly tells us that JESUS won’t RETURN & the RAPTURE WON’T HAPPEN UNTIL …
(1) THERE COME A FALLING AWAY FIRST [this is a FALLING AWAY of CHRISTIANS from the CHURCH & TRUE DOCTRINE.
That’s speaking of Christians, because you can’t fall away from something you didn’t believe in in the 1st place.
The KJV phrase, “FALLING AWAAY” is APOSTASIA in the GREEK …
… where we get our English word, “APOSTASY”.
So the FALLING AWAY will be a time of GREAT APOSTASY …
… something we are already beginning to witness on a mass scale.
I believe we are right now at the ONSET of the FALLING AWAY …
… whether that period lasts 3 years, 30 years, or 300 years, I don’t know.
(2) THE MAN OF SIN WILL BE REVEALED. [This is speaking of the unveiling of the ANTI-CHRIST].
THE ANTI-CHRIST HAS TO BE REVEALED first before we enter the TRIBULATION period …
… & its the ANTI-CHRIST, not GOD, who brings the persecution & great tribulation to the world.
& THAT’S WHAT MOST PEOPLE MISS.
They think that the TRIBULATION is GOD’S WRATH …
… so when you tell PRE-TRIBBERS that the church will endure tribulation …
… you always hear PRE-TRIBBERS say: “The church is not appointed unto WRATH”.
BUT NO DUH … the TRIBULATION IS NOT GOD’S WRATH.
GOD’S WRATH COMES AFTER the TRIBULATION.
Jesus Himself said that He won’t return until CERTAIN SPECIFIC things happen first.
Jesus said in Matthew 24:4-12:
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
9 Then shall they deliver you [who? you, the believer] up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. [how do pre-tribbers explain this? that’s a picture of Christians being killed during the tribulation! Do they think Jesus was only speaking to those who got saved after the rapture? Jesus doesn’t say that. He’s speaking to his disciples and believers here generally].
10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
All of these events have to happen FIRST …
… before Jesus returns to RAPTURE the CHURCH …
… & pour out His wrath upon the earth.
The Book of Revelation explains that a supernatural figure, known as the ANTI-CHRIST …
… will be THE CAUSE & THE CATALYST of the GREAT TRIBULATION.
This is more the WRATH OF SATAN & The ANTI-CHRIST than the WRATH OF GOD …
… & at least at this point.
REVELATION 6 describes the onset of the Tribulation Period & the coming of the Anti-Christ, with the opening of the SEALS OF REVELATION.
THE SEALS are an unfolding of prophecy.
They reveal what’s to come.
SCRIPTURE was written on SCROLLS in those days …
… & scrolls, were often SEALED.
So REVELATION 6 is a REVEALING or OPENING of the SCROLLS …
… which REVEALS what’s to come: “And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.”
Some people think that that’s a picture of Jesus coming to conquer …
… mainly because he’s riding a WHITE HORSE.
But this is only the 1ST SEAL …
the onset of the TRIBULATION.
His RETURN comes WAY after SEAL #1.
This just the beginning.
REVELATION 6 is actually a vision of the infamous FOUR HORSEMAN of the APOCALYPSE.
… None of them come to bring peace …
… but rather WAR, DEATH, FAMINE, & PESTILENCE to the world.
They are ALL HARBINGERS of DEATH.
The CROWN given to the FIRST HORSEMAN represents political DOMINANCE & AUTHORITY …
… being handed over to the Anti-Christ.
With the global government firmly in his grip & with a bow in his hand …
… the Anti-Christ goes “forth conquering, and to conquer” (Revelation 6:2).
This will begin the GREAT TRIBULATION & persecution of the Saints.
The Bible says that the anti-Christ will come promising peace …
… but bringing death & devastation …
1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 says:
1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
In the book of Daniel, we see that the Anti-Christ will bring about a false hope in the nation of Israel.
Daniel 9:27 says: “And he [speaking of the Anti-Christ] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”
This passage reveals that a false version of the OT SACRIFICES will be re-established during the reign of the Anti-Christ …
… this will probably be done by the UNBELIEVING JEWS OF ISRAEL & with the help of CHRISTIAN ZIONISTS …
& the Anti-Christ will himself will, it says: “CONFIRM” the covenant with them & then break it …
He will be in the truest sense of the word, a false Christ, an anti-Christ.
So many groups like the HEBREW ROOTS MOVEMENT, the Black Israelites, & other fringe groups …
… are all today looking for the sacrifices to get re-established again …
… so that they can start sacrificing animals again & observing THE LAW or TORAH …
… when the LAW & sacrifices have already been fulfilled in Jesus Christ …
& when the Bible says that we, as believers, are the TEMPLE OF GOD & the Holy Spirit dwells in us.
But they’re busy right now, preparing to REBUILD THE OLD TEMPLE.
SO TO RECAP, here is the chronology:
There is a GREAT FALLING AWAY (an apostasy).
This is Christians falling away from the faith and correct doctrine, as well as Christ’s love as their love waxes cold.
Then the ANTI-CHRIST is REVEALED, as he ushers in a FALSE PEACE & a FALSE HOPE & demands to be worshipped.
“Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
In Daniel 11:36-38, it says:
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. [The Anti-Christ will be so narcissistic & focused on himself alone, that he will not even desire women.
Some claim that this means he will be a homosexual.
But what this verse is really saying is that all he desires will be the MAGNIFICATION of HIMSELF.
The phrase about not regarding the “God of his fathers” is also an indication that the Anti-Christ will have Jewish lineage …
… but he will reject the God of the Bible, “The God of his Fathers”.
That would also make sense because the Jews are still expecting their Messiah …
… & whoever fills this role would have to be at least partially Jewish for the unbelieving Jews to accept him as Messiah.
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
So the Bible says he magnifies himself alone, but also honors the “GOD OF FORCES”.
WHO IS THE GOD OF FORCES?
Some people associate “THE GOD OF FORCES” as the “energy” or “force” of the one-world ecumenical religion.
This is the false religion that says God is an impersonal FORCE or ENERGY that dwells inside us & all around us …
… the invisible FORCE that makes us all ONE with God, etc.
Basically, NEW-AGE gnostic non-sense.
But the only problem with that interpretation is that we may be adding our own MODERN understanding of the word, “FORCE” to the Bible.
When you look up “FORCES” in the Bible, it’s always a reference to the FORCES OF WAR.
2 Chronicles 17:2, for example: “And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.”
Job 36:19 says: “Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.”
Jeremiah says in Jeremiah 40:7 that: “… all the captains of the forces which were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land …”
In Daniel 11:10, the same chapter where the GOD OF FORCES appears, it says: “But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: [again speaking of war & military might] …”
So in each reference of “forces” in the Bible, it’s speaking of military forces or forces of strength …
… both of which point to war & military might.
Based on this, I believe the GOD OF FORCES, whom the Anti-Christ will honor …
… is WAR & military strength.
The GOD OF FORCES is also likely a reference to SATAN himself, who is behind all these wars …
The only “god” whom the Anti-Christ will honor is literally himself, war, death, destruction, & the DEVIL …
& the Anti-Christ will DEMAND WORSHIP & persecute everyone who refuses.
Revelation 13:4-8 says:
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months [that’s 3.5 years. It’s stated clearly that the Anti-Christ will reign in full power for 3.5 years, before God’s wrath is poured upon him].
6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: [See, the Saints are present! they haven’t been raptured at this point] and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
& this is where the MARK OF THE BEAST comes in.
REVELATION 13:13-17 says:
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed [the image of the beast will be living idol of sorts. Unlike the idols of ancient times who could not speak or move, Satan will animate the beast, so it appears lifelike].
[Notice also that only those who WORSHIP the image of the beast, will receive the MARK OF THE BEAST.
You can’t accidentally take the mark of the beast.
Those who receive the MARK have to KNOWINGLY, COGNITIVELY & LITERALLY WORSHIP THE BEAST.
16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: [note that the MODERN BIBLE TRANSLATIONS change “IN” to “ON”. Whereas the KJV says the MARK will go IN the hand, the modern versions corrupt & change this to ON.]
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. [
Now, pastors like John MacArthur have said that UNBELIEVERS can take the MARK OF THE BEAST …
… & still be SAVED …
But that’s an OUTRIGHT LIE.
Revelation 14:9-11 makes that very clear:
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
There are no qualifications or exceptions there.
Those who take the MARK have given their final & permanent allegiance to SATAN.
In Revelation 20:4, John the apostles has a vision, in which he says: “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
By contrast, Saints alive during this time, will be MARTYRED for refusing to take the MARK of the BEAST.
BUT YOU HAVE TO REALIZE that God is not doing any of these things at this point …
… REVELATION 6 & the 6 SEALS that follow are a REVELATION or REVEALING of what’s to come during the reign of the ANTI-CHRIST.
Revelation 6 & the opening of the SEALS are not a picture of GOD’S WRATH …
… but a picture of the WRATH of the ANTI-CHRIST.
GOD’S WRATH comes after all 7 SEALS are opened in REVELATION 8, during the TRUMPET JUDGMENTS.
So in the 1ST SEAL, we see the ANTI-CHRIST coming …
… that lines up perfectly w/ the fact that the TRIBULATION begins at the revealing of the Anti-Christ.
& THEN WE GET TO THE 2ND SEAL in REVELATION 6 …
& we follow the sequential, linear chronology.
Revelation 6:3-4:
3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
This lines up perfectly w/ Matthew 24:7: “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom …”
So we see the ANTI-CHRIST coming, followed by WAR …
… basically A WORLD WAR.
And then we get to the 3RD SEAL, in Revelation 6:5-6:
5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
This is speaking of ECONOMIC WOES & FAMINE.
This will be a time when FOOD will be scarce …
… so much so that it is carefully measured out.
This harmonizes w/ passages like Ezekiel 4:16-17:
16 Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem: and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment:
17 That they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.
The FOURTH seals brings more calamity, including WAR, HUNGER, DEATH, & WILD BEASTS …
Revelation 6:7-8:
7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Revelaton 6:9-11 reveals the 5TH SEAL as CHRISTIAN MARTYRS who were martyred for the WORD OF GOD:
9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
We see Christian martyrs being SLAIN during the TRIBULATION …
& then we get to the 6TH SEAL in Revelation 6:12-17, which reveals the END of the TRIBULATION …
… & the IMPENDING JUDGMENT OF GOD’S WRATH.
Revelation 6:12-17:
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;
[Sound familiar? AFTER all these things happen …
… after SEALS 1-5 …
… then the 6TH SEAL reveals the same CHRONOLOGY that we saw in MATTHEW 24 …
… the SUN & MOON being DARKENED before the WRATH OF GOD is poured out on the EARTH.
Remember, Matthew 24 said that AFTER THE TRIBULATION …
… then the SUN & MOON would be DARKENED.
Matthew 24:29: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”
Well, according to Rev. 6, that happens AFTER the 5 SEALS …
… after the Anti-Christ is revealed
…after WAR, after FAMINE & HUNGER, after SAINTS being killed …
… so how do some people say that the RAPTURE happens BEFORE all this?
It’s the simple chronology of the Word.
There’s no debate here.
The PRE-TRIBBERS are DEAD WRONG.
We see the same in Acts 2:19-20.
There are a harmony of passages that all same the same thing.
19 And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:
20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:
The 6th seal continues in Rev. 6:13-17:
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
It’s at THIS POINT …
… AFTER the 6TH SEAL …
… AFTER THE TRIBULATION …
… AFTER the SUN & MOON are DARKENED …
… that the Bible directly says: “THE WRATH OF THE LAMB” is come!
When does the WRATH come? After these things. AFTER the Tribulation.
Now, we don’t have time to get into great detail on this in this sermon …
… but if you read on in REVELATION 7 …
… what we see next in the CHRONOLOGY of END-TIMES events …
… is the 144,000 being SEALED, AFTER THE TRIBULATION …
& AFTER the SUN & MOON are DARKENED …
AFTER the 6 SEALS are opened …
… we see a GREAT MULTITUDE SUDDENLY APPEAR in HEAVEN.
Look @ Revelation 7:8-14:
This is all in SEQUENTIAL ORDER.
The final 12,000 of the 12 tribes get sealed …
8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,
12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Finally, in REVELATION 8, the LAST & FINAL SEAL, the 7TH SEAL is opened …
& it’s the 7TH SEAL that REVEALS the TRUMPET JUDGMENTS of GOD …
… It’s now GOD’S TURN to POUR OUT HIS WRATH UPON THE WORLD …
… upon the ANTI-CHRIST …
… & UPON THE UNBELIEVERS who are LEFT …
… this happens AFTER the CHURCH has been RAPTURED in REVELATION 7.
& so the Church won’t go through GOD’S WRATH.
But it will go through the tribulation, brought about by the Anti-Christ.
It makes perfect chronological sense.
READ PARTS OF REVELATION 8 & END.