The recent shooting massacre at Virginia Tech in America is a foreboding of extreme violence that man is capable of. The Apostle warned in Romans 1:30 that man is capable of being 'inventors of evil things'. Just two days after this disaster, some 230 people were killed in a series of terrorist attacks and car bombs in Baghdad, Iraq. Could it be that violence will turn more gruesome, and God's covering of protection in general will slowly recede as we march towards the tribulation midnight hour?
During the great tribulation of three-and-half years, Israel is prophesied to face great persecutions and sufferings as a conglomerate of nations will descend upon Jerusalem to wage war against her (Zechariah 14:2). It will culminate in the Battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:16). The nation from the north of Jerusalem of the land of Magog (Ezekiel 38:2), probably Russia, will lead some Middle Eastern and eastern nations to attack Israel. This scenario is set to unfold as after the rapture of the church, Israel could lose much of her politicaal and economic support as most of her supporters were no longer on planet earth! Israel's arch enemies could take full advantage of the chaos in the Western world arising after the rapture, to take full advantage of her vulnerability in a last ditch attempt to wipe her out from the land of Palestine.
The Jews living in Judea - currently the West Bank - will have to flee for their lives as warned by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 24:15-21. At the present time, the West Bank has been
separated from Israel proper by a stretch of high security wall, leaving the Jews living there vulnerable to attacks during the great tribulation.
Revelation 11:1-2 states that the Temple Mount (temple of God) will be shared between the Jews and the Gentiles. Though currently under Jewish control, the outer court will come under Gentile control during the great tribulation. This could well be the antichrist who will head up the proposed international community to supervise the sharing of the Temple Mount.
In recent years, there were plans to rebuild the Temple Mount by the recently formed Sanhedrin in Israel. The Temple has to be rebuilt in order that the antichrist can perform his unholy acts in the holy place as was prophesied by prophet Daniel.
On the technological front, radio frequency identification (RFID) could well be the next phase of chip technology to replace the bar codes. It looks like this is another step forward to fulfill the 'mark of the beast' as prophesied in Revelation 13. Such spychips, as they are known, is set to become pervasive in corporate and individual lives. There are reports in America and Japan where such chips had been embedded under the skin of adults and children for medical and security reasons.
The good news is that, as a pre-tribulationist, I beleieve that all born again believers will be snatched away from planet earth, to appear before the Lord Jesus at the Judgment Seat of Christ. We as Christians are to give an account of our lives to the Lord and nothing will be hidden from Him. After their works had gone through God's refining fire (1 Cor 3: 12-15), those who deserves a reward will have the privilege to rule and reign with Christ in His coming Millennial Kingdom. All these happening somewhere in heaven while planet earth is going through burning fire (nuclear fallout at Armageddon?) during the seven years of tribulation - the time of God's wrath and judgment on earth!
Will Israel be annihilated with such great numbers of forces formed against her? At the last trumpet, the Lord Jesus will descend from heaven with His saints (glorified) and touchdown at the Mount of Olives, the same mountain where he gave His warnings to the Jews some two millennia ago! He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; and with the breadth of His lips He shall slay the wicked (Isaiah 11:4). The enenies will be totally routed and one-third of the remnants of the land of Israel will be saved to enter the Millennial Kingdom (The promise Land)- albeit two millennia later!
Some sceptics may wonder why all these fuss about endtime prophecies when there is relative peace and prosperity in most parts of the world? In the days of Noah, there were corruption and violence (Genesis 6:11,13) that eventually brought about the Flood to judge the people of the earth. The Lord Jesus in Luke 17:26-30 warns that in the last days, just like in the days of Noah, people will go about their business as usual - eating, drinking and marrying - oblivious to what is about to happen. As Solomon penned in Ezekiel 1:9 "That which has been is what will be. That which is done is what will be done."
As bible believing Christian, it is my duty like a watchman to forewarn of the coming midnight hour. When the One (Holy Spirit) who restrains (evil forces) is taken out of the way (2 Thess 2:7), the salt and light of the earth will be no longer around. That will be the time when pandemonium strikes!
Adrian Fah is the author of The Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven
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