First of all let me state that I think the time of the Tribulation is very near. In the last few months I have seen and heard many things being expressed both by Christians and non-believers that clearly show the whole Earth is preparing for this time. Because of this and the vast amount of idea’s and explanations for what is about to happen, I feel led to share a few thoughts on what I see and feel within my spirit as I read the word of God and watch events unfold.
I came to the conclusion long ago that the Babylon of The Revelation and the United States of America are one. There are many possible scenarios that could bring about this widespread destruction in one day. Whether you consider the idea of a comet either directly hitting the U.S. or just offshore in the ocean, the resulting catastrophic event would certainly fulfill the prophecy. Another answer could be from a solar flare with an unusually large coronal mass ejection hitting squarely across the United States. Of coarse the earth quakes, floods, famine and pestilence go without saying.
The list of possibilities is endless. The bottom line will be the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning the Great Harlot. The United States as we know it will be no more.There may be remnants of the county here and there, but the power of the United States will not exist. I don’t think this is a great surprise to most people who have studied the Bible but it lays the foundation for what I really want to express.
I have heard many people quote a part of the message to the church in Philadelphia in chapter three verse ten of Revelation as one of the supporting arguments for why “The Rapture” will occur. In that verse it states that “Because you have kept the word of my perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.”
My question is, if this passage is directed at a group of believers that will be taken away prior to the time of great testing. If in Revelation chapter thirteen which addresses as the second half of the great tribulation where the beast is given power to make war with the saints and overcome them. Then doesn’t the sudden destruction of the Great Babylon which would also include the saints living within her at that time, fulfill this prophecy as well as the idea of a rapture. From what I can tell, this should occur more than half way through the tribulation.
I know that there are other arguments to support the idea of a rapture prior to the Tribulation. I am not trying to prove that post trib is The right way. In fact, I do not think I could be happier than to find out that come next September twenty seventh or whatever date the Tribulation actually begins, that I get to go home and be with the Lord.
The problem that I have with this idea is that when I sit down and read the Revelation I get a different feel for what is about to happen. In chapter twelve it talks about the woman who gave birth to the male child. This child we all recognize as Christ right away and most people accept that the woman represents Israel.
The idea that I would like to suggest is that in Gods eye’s, Israel and the Church are ONE. The whole purpose for this earth is to build the body of Christ. In the end, just as the early church discovered, it will not matter whether you were Jew or Gentile, Israeli or even a geek. The Lord is building His body. First Corinthians twelve Thirteen says, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
As you go through Revelation twelve and then on into chapter thirteen with this in mind, it changes the picture a little bit. In chapter twelve the dragon which is Satan pursues the woman but the woman flees to the desert and is protected for three and one half years. Later in chapter thirteen, during the second half of the Tribulation, Satan is no longer restrained from attacking the saints.
If in fact the woman being referred to does just represent Israel, then verse seventeen of chapter twelve says that the dragon goes off to make war with the rest of her (the woman's) offspring, who keep the commandments of God, and hold to the testimony of Jesus. There is no question that these individuals are Christians on the earth during the first three and one half years of the tribulation.
It is after these things in chapters seventeen and eighteen that Babylon is dealt with. Here again is an indication that there are still Christians on the earth. In chapter eighteen verse four it says, “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive of her plagues:”
The idea that the restrainer is gone from the earth has also been used to show that the church has to be raptured out prior to the tribulation. It is argued that the Spirit is that restrainer and that the Spirit will not be here during that time. To this issue I must say that there is One Lord and One Spirit and it is the same Spirit that allows the Christian to come to the knowledge of God as brings the Jew or Israeli to the knowledge of God. If the Spirit of God were removed from this earth, there would be no saints in revelation chapter thirteen and fourteen.
The final thing I would like to look at is just what is being said and who is being talked to in Matthew twenty four. In the first part of the chapter He makes it clear that Jesus is addressing His disciples, Jews yes but also Christians, the early church. As the chapter goes on to describe the end times in our Lords own words, He uses the word “you” twenty times and your an additional time. The Lord leaves the exact date a mystery in this text but makes very clear that His followers, the elect of God will be here through the tribulation and in verse twenty two Jesus says, “ And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect(Or chosen ones) those days shall be cut short.”
I know that this is not the most comfortable view of what is about to happen. To you who may face this type of testing in the not to distant future, I offer this. The Lord stated clearly to his disciples and it applies to us today, Matthew six, twenty five says “for this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing.” Then, Matthew ten verses nineteen and twenty say, “ But when they deliver you up, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak; for it shall be given you in that hour what you are to speak. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”
So where do we go from here. First let me make it clear that if what I am proposing here is totally wrong I will be more than happy to hang around the tree of life along side the river of the water of life and take all the ribbing anyone wishes to hand out should the rapture overtake these events.
In the mean time, this is where I think we need to be looking at the story of the ten virgins. Now is the time that we can be buying more oil for our lamps. Before the shout, “ Behold the bridegroom! Come out and meet him.” Matthew twenty five verse six.
It is easy to see how oil would be gained while standing before one of the great rulers of the world and being asked to deny Jesus Christ or die, but what about all of the daily opportunities we have. One that I know very well is the vast amounts of oil you can gain by trying to drive a vehicle around the streets of Anchorage, (known in some circles to have the most discourteous least skilled drivers in the world) while praising the Lord and not losing your composure. Another way may have to do with relationships with your husband or wife, your children, or the people next door. What goes on at work can be a whole new way to find the Lord. And then there are finances, vacations, politics, the news, ect, ect, ect.
If we are not willing to take the time to turn to the Lord in these seemingly small area’s of our lives now, how will we fare when the pressure starts to build. How would you react if the Dow hit 2000 tomorrow with no sign of coming back. What if world events got out of hand, or so many of the other things that will likely happen in the tribulation. It will be a lot harder then not to be caught off guard and dragged down by what is going on around us.
The story I wrote, The Final Deception, is just an example of some of the types of events that an individual might have to face as the days grow short. Today, while it is still called today, we have the opportunity to seek out the Lord and to grow in His likeness. Tomorrow may be to late.
