The First Resurrection

NO living Christian will be ‘raptured’ until ALL the dead in Christ are first resurrected.

 

‘For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent* them which are asleep.’ (1 Thess. 4:15)

 

*prevent = go ahead of

 

The Bible tells us that the ‘Rapture’ is a dual event . . . it includes (first) the resurrection of all Christians who have died, then the CHANGING of all Christians who are still living. (See 1 Cor. 15:51-52, and 1 Thess. 4:13-17)

 

Included in this First Resurrection are ALL Christians–including those who would not submit to the Son of Perdition or the Antichrist. (See Rev. 13 where it tells about the ‘beast’, his image, and his Mark.)

 

‘And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them:

 

and 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;’

 

. . . This is the first resurrection.’ (Rev. 20:4-5)

 

The only resurrection for Christians is the FIRST Resurrection. (The Second Resurrection is for the wicked.)

 

The First Resurrection includes EVERY dead Christian. The Rapture includes EVERY living Christian.

 

No Christians will die after the First Resurrection/Rapture.

 

Every Christian–alive or dead–will leave Earth at the time of the First Resurrection/Rapture.

 

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The First Resurrection happens AFTER many have died refusing to take the Mark of the Beast or worship him or his image.

 

The time when the Mark of the Beast takes place is called The Tribulation.

 

So this means that the First Resurrection happens AFTER The Tribulation.

 

The ‘Rapture’ happens IMMEDIATELY AFTER the First Resurrection.

 

Thus these two passages should be taken literally:

 

1. ‘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;’ (2 Thess. 2:3)

 

That day–the First Resurrection/Rapture–shall not come until there has been a falling away and the Son of Perdition has been revealed (he is revealed during The Tribulation).

 

And, as Jesus Himself explained:

 

2. ‘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:

 

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.

 

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.’ (Jesus, Matt. 24:29-31)

 

There is no pre-Tribulation Rapture.

A Vision of a Prophet

Two thousand years ago, a prophet had a vision of the future. The time he saw appears to be in our very near future. Pharmaceutical drugs would be prevalent. Homosexuality and violence would be widespread. There would be earthquakes, wars, and famines throughout the globe.

He warned of a huge, powerful government with global influence. It would be tied in with major corporations. The government would be very wicked at its core. The leader would be evil and narcissistic. He would be idolized by the people, and would demand their worship. A powerful, false, religious system would endorse him, and aid him in his endeavors.

This government would have the technology to be able to control all the people on Earth. In order to be able to buy or sell things, the people would have to take a mark in their forehead or in their hand. All who wouldn’t would be shut out of the system.

It would be a time of great tyranny, and a time of much bloodshed. The mark would require a pledge of loyalty. This pledge would be a rejection of the true and living God–Jesus Christ. All who took the mark would be forever damned.

This day is fast approaching. Look around you. Look at your culture. Look at what the idols of music, movies, and sports are promoting. How much of this prophecy has not yet been fulfilled?

How could a man have made all this up 2,000 years ago? Technology did not even exist in that day. People did not have indoor toilets. Water had to be carried from wells. People grew their own food . . . raised their own animals. Only shamans and witch doctors employed drugs. Earthquakes were exceedingly rare. There were no corporations.

Two thousand years ago he saw it. Today things are falling into place. I urge you to read the last book of the Bible: Revelation.

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Oh–and one last thing . . . a major twist in the plot: what is today calling itself ‘Christianity’ is not what the Bible calls Christianity. Today’s false Christianity may very well be an integral part of the false religious system that the prophet warned about.

Remember–it was the religious leaders of His day that persecuted and killed Jesus and His followers. Put your faith in GOD–not the teachings of men. Read the Bible for yourself, and ask God to show you what it means and how it is relevant to you.

The Proof

The Proof

These two verses are absolute PROOF that the pre-Trib rapture is a false doctrine.

Immediately after Satan is thrown into the abyss for 1,000 years . . .

‘And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [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. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. THIS [IS] THE FIRST RESURRECTION.’ (Rev. 20:4-5)

 

Here is why the pre-Trib ‘rapture’ doctrine is false:  because we are told that the ‘rapture’ happens immediately AFTER the resurrection.

 

THIS passage describes the resurrection & ‘rapture’:

‘For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord SHALL NOT PREVENT* THEM WHICH ARE ASLEEP.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE FIRST: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.’ (1 Thess. 4:15-17)

*precede, go before

(Also, compare this passage with Matt. 24:29-31)

 

The resurrection does not happen until the LAST DAY (but hold on, there’s even more absolute proof coming . . .).

As Martha said:

‘ . . . I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ (John 11:24)

and Jesus promised:

‘And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.’ (John 6:39, also 6:40 and 6:44)

 

The resurrection happens at the LAST DAY. The dead in Christ rise first, then those who are alive at His coming are ‘caught up together with them in the clouds’ (what people call: ‘the rapture’). Therefore . . . the ‘rapture’ happens, AFTER the resurrection, AT THE LAST DAY

Therefore (and this is the proof), when John says he saw those who were beheaded for not taking the Mark of the Beast . . . AT THE (first) RESURRECTION . . . that is proof that the (first) resurrection does NOT take place until AFTER the great persecution (Great Tribulation) and the Mark of the Beast.

Therefore, since the ‘rapture’ comes AFTER the resurrection, and the resurrection comes AFTER the Mark of the Beast, we can absolutely prove that THE ‘RAPTURE’ DOES NOT HAPPEN UNTIL AFTER THE MARK OF THE BEAST!

1. The Great Tribulation (great persecution) and the Mark of the Beast
2. The (first) resurrection
3. The ‘rapture’

 

For some of you, this will finally open your eyes–but it will come as a horrible shock.  Brothers and sisters, start reading the word.  You will find that this change of perspective does not negate the promises of God . . . it only wipes the slate clean of many lies that you have been taught.  Take refuge in God.  Set your house in order.  Begin to walk in holiness . . . without which NO ONE will see God.

Those Living In Obedience Will Know

Many Christians today are worried . . . afraid that they may be deceived when The Antichrist arrives. They look at a passage from 2 Thessalonians 2 that talks about the great delusion in the end times:

‘ . . . And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie . . . ‘

But let’s look at the verse in context:

‘ . . . them that perish; because they received not the LOVE OF THE TRUTH, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who BELIEVED NOT THE TRUTH, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.’  (2 Thess. 2:10-12)

What is truth?

‘Sanctify them through thy truth: THY WORD is truth.’  (John 17:17)

This passage echoes Hosea 4 . . .

‘Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD HATH A CONTROVERSY with the inhabitants of the land, BECAUSE [there is] no truth, nor mercy, nor KNOWLEDGE OF GOD in the land.

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. . . My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing THOU HAST FORGOTTEN THE LAW OF THY GOD, I will also forget thy children.’  (Hosea 4:1-2, 6)

The problem then, and now, is that people reject the knowledge of God and pursue the ways of wickedness instead. This is even true in mainstream ‘Christianity’ today, where lying, stealing, adultery, fornication, and all manner of indulging the flesh, is widely accepted.

By the grace of God, as Gentiles, even though we have never kept The Law, are admitted into the family of God, and our sins forgiven via Jesus’ death on the cross. But we are expected to CONTINUE in Him, by devoting ourselves to a life of obedience to God’s ways.

‘As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, IF YE CONTINUE IN MY WORD, [then] are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. . . .Verily, verily, I say unto you, IF A MAN KEEP MY SAYING, he shall never see death.’  (John 8:30-32, 51)

Ultimately, His death is only going to cover those who do what He commands.

‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are MY friends, IF YE DO WHATSOEVER I COMMAND YOU.’  (John 15:13-14)

The Lord has impressed on my heart, that His children who follow Him, who devote themselves to studying HIS WORD and living by it, WILL BE PROTECTED by Him. They do not need to be afraid.

You can have all the knowledge in the world about the devil’s schemes, but if you have not turned away from sin . . .if you do not live in obedience to His Word . . . if you do not have a love for the truth contained in His Word . . . then YOU WILL succumb to the strong delusion, because HE is sending it, to all who don’t love the truth (His Word) and who take pleasure in unrighteousness (not obeying His Word).

This protection DOESN’T mean that you may not physically suffer and die. It is a protection of your heart and mind. It is a promise that He will keep you IN THE TRUTH.

Who does the Bible show will be the little flock that endures to the end?

‘Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and THE FAITH OF JESUS.’  (Revelation 14:12)

Scriptures Concerning ‘The Antichrist’

Lately, I have been hearing another interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4:

‘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;  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.’

The theory goes, that there is not ONE Antichrist, but many . . . that the temple is one’s body . . . and that ‘man’ and ‘son’ signify a multitude of people.  1 John 2:18 is used to support this theory:

‘Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.’

While I don’t deny the plain meaning of 1 John 2:18 . . . and even the potential alternate interpretation of 2 Thess. 2:3-4, I still hold to the traditional interpretation, that there will arise a global leader who is THE consummate Antichrist.  I believe there is plenty of Scripture to support that understanding.

Here this person is described in Daniel and Revelation. Notice how close the descriptions are.

Daniel describes this king as a ‘little horn’.

‘And the TEN HORNS out of this kingdom [are] TEN KINGS [that] shall arise: and ANOTHER shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.‘ (DANIEL 7:24)

‘I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another LITTLE HORN, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn [were] EYES LIKE THE EYES OF MAN, AND A MOUTH SPEAKING GREAT THINGS.’ (DANIEL 7:8)

‘And the ten HORNS which thou sawest are ten KINGS, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.’ (REVELATION 17:12)

He ‘speaks great things’.  He will reign for three and a half years (forty two months).

‘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. And he opened his mouth in BLASPHEMY AGAINST GOD, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.’ (REVELATION 13:5)

”And he shall SPEAK [GREAT] WORDS AGAINST THE MOST HIGH, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until A TIME AND TIMES AND THE DIVIDING OF TIME.’ (DANIEL 7:25)

‘And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall SPEAK MARVELOUS THINGS AGAINST THE GOD OF GODS, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.’ (DANIEL 11:36)

He is given permission to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.

And IT WAS GIVEN UNTO HIM TO MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 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.’ (REVELATION 13:6-8)

‘I beheld, and the SAME HORN MADE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and prevailed against them‘ (DANIEL 7:21)

He will be responsible for the desecration of the sanctuary/holy place.

‘And arms shall stand ON HIS PART, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the ABOMINATION THAT MAKETH DESOLATE.’ (DANIEL 11:31)

‘When ye therefore shall see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by DANIEL the prophet, STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains’ (MATTHEW 24:15-16)

‘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.

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.

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 . . . ‘ (REVELATION 13:14-16)

* The second Beast

(It would seem apparent that this image of the beast is the abomination of desolation that Daniel spoke of.)

And now for the traditional view of the ‘son of perdition’ . . .

‘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 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.’ (2 Thess. 2:3-4)

Compare this description with the descriptions of ‘The Antichrist’ above, and below . . .

‘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.’ (Daniel 11:36)

Although Daniel 11:36 doesn’t specifically say he will sit in the temple, the verse is clearly parallel to the passage from 2 Thessalonians 2.  Daniel makes it clear that he will pollute the ‘sanctuary of strength’ and be responsible for placing the ‘abomination that maketh desolate’ there, so he definitely can be connected with the temple:

‘And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.’ (Daniel 11:31)

And we know that he will be present in the holy land . . .

‘He shall enter also into the glorious land . . . ‘ (Daniel 11:41)

‘And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain . . . ‘ (Daniel 11:45)

Because of the other strong correlations between his description in Daniel and Revelation (outlined earlier in this note), we make the assumption that he (‘The Antichrist’) seats himself in the temple of God, as part of his campaign of blasphemy.

Now understand, the term ‘the son of perdition’ is used one other time in Scripture: to describe Judas Iscariot.

‘While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the SON OF PERDITION; that the scripture might be fulfilled.’ (John 17:12)

What else does the Scripture tell us about Judas?

‘And after the sop SATAN ENTERED INTO HIM. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.’ (John 13:27)

‘Then ENTERED SATAN into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.’ (Luke 22:3)

Because this unusual term (‘son of perdition’) is used only twice, we wonder if there is a parallel. The situations are very similar, thus we make some assumptions . . . Judas was referred to as ‘the son of perdition’ AFTER Satan had entered into him. In parallel, we suppose that The Antichrist will be a man whom Satan (or another evil spirit) enters into.

Now we go to Revelation, where we find out just who that spirit is.

‘And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.  And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power . . . And they had a king over them, [which is] the angel of the BOTTOMLESS PIT, whose name in the Hebrew tongue [is] Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath [his] name Apollyon.’ (Revelation 9:1-3,11)

(Revelation 9:11–the release of the spirit of The Antichrist from the bottomless pit–is the reason why the numbers 9-11 have significance for the occultist elite.)

Why do we assume this spirit is the one that indwells The Antichrist? Because Revelation 11:7 . . .

‘And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the BOTTOMLESS PIT shall MAKE WAR AGAINST THEM, AND SHALL OVERCOME THEM, and kill them.’ (Revelation 11:7)

repeats the wording of Revelation 13:7 . . .

‘And it was given unto him to MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, AND TO OVERCOME THEM . . . ‘ (Revelation 13:7)

which echoes the wording of Daniel 7:21 . . .

‘I beheld, and the same horn MADE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and PREVAILED AGAINST THEM‘ (Daniel 7:21)

I hope this helps you understand the traditional view, and see the Scriptural support for this soon-coming global leader: a man possessed of the angel that has been imprisoned in the bottomless pit.  A man whom we often refer to as: ‘The Antichrist’.

‘Jesus’ is Coming!

A False Jesus

I have always assumed that WHEN the Antichrist and the False Prophet came, they would persuade people to follow them.  However, what I’m seeing is really disturbing . . . what I’m seeing within so-called ‘Christianity’.

If we put names aside . . . the one that so many in ‘Christianity’ are following is not the Jesus that was born of the virgin Mary and ministered in Israel 2,000 years ago.  The modern, self-professed Christian will not follow a savior that tells them to leave all behind for Him . . . that tells them to take up their cross daily . . . to crucify their flesh . . . that calls on them to love their enemies and to turn the other cheek . . . that expects them to endure tribulation and suffering for His sake, yet wait until after death to receive their rewards . . . that calls them to repentance . . . that expects them to follow God’s Commandments . . . and to be holy.

The ‘savior’ they will follow is one who says ‘do as thou wilt–grace will cover it’ . . . and ‘if you sin you will not surely die’. . . who tells them ‘come as you are’ and ‘you’re special’ . . . and ‘let me show you how to have your best life now’ and ‘you deserve to be prosperous’ . . . who leads them to believe they are little gods . . . who doesn’t require them to submit to his authority (yet) . . . who has no expectations of them . . . who has created the universe to satisfy THEIR needs and desires . . . who is supremely tolerant, even of sin, and never judges . . . who promises to deliver them from tribulation . . . and who ever lives to serve them.

They may call him Jesus . . . they may even BELIEVE he was born of the virgin Mary and ministered in Israel 2,000 years ago . . . but they have been duped by an identity thief . . . the consummate con man and father of liars.  You see, mainstream Christianity has already been cleverly, covertly, introduced to The False Prophet.  They will CONTINUE to follow him when he comes.  All he’ll have to do is ‘clarify’ a few Scriptures that would show him as an imposter.  He already fits all their beliefs.  He IS the one they believe in . . . the one they are serving already. He’s even been appearing to them in dreams and visions.  What he says when he comes, will be consistent with what their churches are teaching about ‘Jesus’.  He is the one, of whom it is said, will be Buddha to the Buddhists, The Mahdi to the Muslims, and Jesus to the (not) Christians.

If you doubt me–try telling today’s mainstream ‘Christian’ about the real Jesus and watch how they react.

‘They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.  We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.’ (1 John 4:5-6)

Let me tell you about their ‘Jesus’ . . .

‘And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 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.

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. 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: 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.

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number [is] Six hundred threescore [and] six.’  (Revelation 13:11-18)

UPDATE 12/18/12:

Have we been VISUALLY set up to accept an ‘ascended master’ (fallen angel) as Jesus, but who would actually be the ‘False Prophet’ of Revelation 13? 

I think we may have been set up for the arrival of a fallen angel posing as an ‘ascended master’ called Sananda Emmanuel.  Pictures representing this ‘ascended master’ look very much like the face on the Shroud of Turin (which I now strongly doubt is the burial cloth of Christ).  His pictures ALSO look very much like the typical ‘Jesus’ portraits that have been representing our Lord for the last several hundred years.  (In fact, the model who posed for the famous portrait was the homosexual lover of the artist.  The model was Cesare Borgia the illegitimate son to Pope Alexander the VI!)

If this ‘ascended master’ turns out to be The ‘False Prophet’, think of how many people have already been set up to accept him, with open arms. For some, all it will take is that he speaks well, makes them feel good, and looks like the pictures of Jesus they’ve always seen.

Check out the three photos below:

‘Ascended Master’, Sananada Emmanuel

A False Jesus, Cesare Borgia the homosexual, illegitimate son to Pope Alexander the VI

Shroud of Turin

The Beginning of Sorrows

The beginning of sorrows includes the first four seals.  Afterwards begins the time of great tribulation.  The first four seals:

‘And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals [the first], and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 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.

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 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.

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. 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.

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 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.’

Compare with Jesus’ words:

‘And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

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. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:

and there shall be famines,

and pestilences,

and earthquakes, in divers places.

All these [are] the beginning of sorrows.’

(Jesus, Matthew 24:4-8)

We are already having the earthquakes, and hearing of wars and rumors of wars.  The white horse appears to have gone forth.  Revolutions are happening, and nations are preparing for war against one another.  The red horse appears to have gone forth.  We are experiencing a serious drought, and grain prices have gone up.  Soon the price of many foods will rise.  Because of shortages of food and/or the inability to afford food, famine will spread further.  We can see the third horse now.

The fourth horse will bring pestilence and death.  According to Jesus’ words, and John’s vision (in Revelation), it will be coming next. After it will come great tribulation . . . severe persecution.

‘Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.‘  (Jesus, Matthew 24:9-13)

‘But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten. . . Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against [their] parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.  And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.‘  (Jesus, Mark 13:9-10, 12-13)

‘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:  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? 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.’  (Revelation 6:9-11)

For most of us, this comes as terrible news.  We worry and wonder how we will be able to endure.  But we need to understand that God has a purpose for this persecution.

‘ . . . and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. And the gospel must first be published among all nations.’  (Mark 13:9)

God will give us power, for what He calls us to do:

‘But when they shall lead [you], and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.’  (Mark 13:11)

‘But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.‘  (Acts 1:8)

We have to trust, that as well as giving us the words to speak, the empowerment by the Holy Spirit will enable us to endure to the end, through whatever we may suffer at that time.  And indeed, MANY are called to be His witnesses, and will endure to the end:

‘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; And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

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,  Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, [be] unto our God for ever and ever. Amen.

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?  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. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.  They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.  For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.‘  (Revelation 7:9-17)

Trust in Him.  He will not abandon you in your darkest hour.

‘ . . . and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.’  (Matthew 28:20)

‘ . . . Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called [thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine. When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.  For I [am] the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour . . . ‘  (Isaiah 43:1-3)

‘ . . . Thou [art] my servant; I have chosen thee, and not cast thee away. Fear thou not; for I [am] with thee: be not dismayed; for I [am] thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.’  (Isaiah 41:9-10)

If you look at where this verse is placed . . .

‘And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’  (Matthew 24:14)

. . . in the midst of Jesus answering His disciples about the end of the world, you will see that this verse is referring to the witness that Christian martyrs will give to the world, at the end of the age.   ‘ . . . And then shall the end come’, Jesus explained.  And, sure enough, following the fifth seal are the signs in the heavens, and on the Earth, that Jesus said would precede His return:

‘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;  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.  And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.’  (Revelation 6:12-14)

‘And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and 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: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.  And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.‘  (Jesus, Luke 21:25-28)

This has been God’s plan from the beginning.  This is not a mistake, or a sign that the enemy is prevailing.  It is God’s plan.  As much as it was a mystery that the Messiah should come to die on a cross, it is a mystery that multitudes of His people should suffer and die to overcome Satan.

‘I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment [was] white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne [was like] the fiery flame, [and] his wheels [as] burning fire.  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened . . . and, behold, [one] like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.   And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed . . . I beheld, and the same horn* made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.‘  (Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14, 21-22)

‘And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.‘  (Revelation 12:10-11)

*  the horn = ‘The Antichrist’:

‘And he shall speak [great] words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.’  (Daniel 7:25)

‘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. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.  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.’  (Revelation 13:5-8)

When The Mark Comes, DON’T TAKE IT!!

‘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, 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: 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.’ (Revelation 14:9-11)

No matter how loving, understanding, gracious, tolerant, and forgiving you believe God to be–this one is NON-NEGOTIABLE! There is NO forgiveness, EVER, for those who take The Mark of the Beast. It doesn’t matter how good your reasons are. There is NO excuse that will get you off the hook if you take The Mark.

This is what God says is coming:

‘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: 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.’ (Revelation 13:16-17)

(The Bible doesn’t specify that it’s FOR buying and selling . . . it merely says you will not be allowed to buy or sell unless you have it. This may be added incentive, for people who are unwilling to take The Mark, for whatever its purpose is supposed to be. [A national healthcare i.d. maybe?])

‘ . . . In the world ye shall have tribulation . . . ‘ (John 16:33)

This is how Christians are expected to deal with the choice:

‘Here is the patience of the saints: here [are] they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ (Revelation 14:12)

‘But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.’ (Matthew 24:13)

We must continue to trust God, and obey Him. We must put our faith in God, and not sell out for money–no matter what. If you put your faith in money, don’t be surprised when God doesn’t come through for you.

‘No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. YE CANNOT SERVE GOD AND MAMMON. (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13)

It’s one thing for Jesus to say that. It sounds good. We hear it and agree. But it goes in one ear and out the other!! Most people these days will not do, or say, what’s right if it endangers their job. Others do things that they KNOW are wrong because ‘I’ve got to make a living’.

Start practicing NOW to put God before money. IF you do–and ONLY IF you do–He promises to provide for all your needs.

‘But SEEK YE FIRST the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; AND ALL THESE THINGS shall be added unto you.’ (Matthew 6:33)

Have patience and faith, and be obedient. Put Him first, and God will provide all your needs, and comfort you in tribulation.

‘Blessed [be] God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation . . . For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.’ (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

‘For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of [them] whose heart [is] perfect toward him. . . ‘  (2 Chronicles 16:9)