READ THE FIG LEAVES
Signs of the Times
STUDY 3
PART 5 THE MID-POINT OF TRIBULATION—continued
Time-Frame Four: The Mid-Point of Tribulation
TOPIC 22—THE FIRST BEAST—RISING OUT of THE SEA
The First Beast—Rising Out of The Sea
Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus [Christ KJV]. And he stood on the sand of the sea. REVELATION 12:17
And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” REVELATION 13:1-4
The last part of verse seventeen of Revelation chapter twelve “…And he stood on the sand of the sea.” REVELATION 12:17 [ESV] belongs at the start of verse one of Revelation chapter thirteen. In the KJV version it is at the beginning of chapter thirteen, verse one and before, “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea…” REVELATION 13:1
I do not believe this is John standing on the beach watching a beast rise from the sea; but rather it is a demonic beast rising from or being supported by multitudes of people, a sea of people. God told Abraham his offspring would be as the sand on the seashore. GENESIS 22:17 While sand may represent multitudes of people, the sea represents nations. This beast is rising out of the sea—nations in turmoil. It has ten horns, seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. REVELATION 13:1 While it is not called Satan, every beast in Daniel and Revelation is the devil in some form.
These ten horns are ten kings that will be in power for a short time with the beast. REVELATION 17:12 The diadems on his ten horns belong to those ten horn kings of this end-time kingdom. The seven heads are seven mountains and they are also seven kings. Their meanings and mystery are covered elsewhere in a greater depth.
“And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth…” REVELATION 13:2 These are partial descriptions of the first three beasts in Daniel; but the symbolism of Daniel’s beasts are recounted in the opposite order from the order of the features of this beast in Revelation. Daniel’s leopard was given the mind of a man. The bear was to told to devour much flesh and dominion was given to his lion. DANIEL 7:4-6
This Revelation beast will have the mind of a man. He will have dominion over the earth and he will devour much flesh. “… And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.” REVELATION 13:2 In another place it says, “‘And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?’” REVELATION 13:4 From this second scripture it appears his “great” authority is now “all” authority. So everything the devil can do, now this beast can do.
“One of its heads [on this beast rising out of the sea] seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed…” REVELATION 13:3 This wounded head is incarnated by the devil and becomes the Antichrist. He will become the ruler of the demonic kingdom of the last three and one-half years of Tribulation. All of the things that the antichrists have done in the past are now incarnated into this Antichrist who will become exponentially worse than all of the others.
The Antichrist Prophesied
Some things that belong in end-time events, in Daniel, are the ten horns on his fourth beast and the little horn that came up among them. “As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,” And then there is the little horn. “… and there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things.” DANIEL 7:8 “…and the other horn that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.” DANIEL 7:20-22 This little horn is the Antichrist of the end-time. He will rule the last evil dark kingdom until the ancient of days comes and destroys him at Armageddon. Then the time when the saints possessed the kingdom will have come.
“‘One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?’ And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months.’” REVELATION 13:3-5 This is the Antichrist. He will reign unrestrained for forty-two months.
This scripture does not say the beast had a mortal wound; but rather, it “seemed” to have a mortal wound, as did all versions of the Bible that I viewed. This will be a staged scene by the devil in his attempt to replicate the death of Jesus and his resurrection. The father of all lies will show the world a mortally wounded man—wounded by a sword REVELATION 13:14 then that man is “healed”—no wounds. I will not speculate as to how he does this; but this is a deception of the devil to fool the world into thinking his “son” has died and been resurrected. “…and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast.” REVELATION 13:3 This is the “head” that is the Antichrist, a Satan incarnate—now the head has become the beast. “It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.” REVELATION 13:6
Both Daniel’s “little horn” that plucked three horns or kings by the roots; and is speaking great things, DANIEL 7:8 and the wounded head REVELATION 13:3 on the beast rising out of the sea in Revelation are prophesying about the same Antichrist.
A lot of these things about the Antichrist will be repeated in future chapters. We look at them now for they are necessary for these topics and because the repetition will help us to understand them. If we are to interpret the signs of the time, then we need to know them.
The Antichrist’s End Time Kingdom—Prologue
God has always had a time to end all things evil on earth and to establish His never ending kingdom. After He has destroyed all evil and bound the devil, He will rule this earth for a thousand years. Then when the devil is finally destroyed, at the end of the millennium, Jesus Christ will rule in the new heaven and the new earth and the new Jerusalem for eternity. We are nearing the end of the age. The start of the “ending” is at the gate.
But before the end of the age, and before tribulation starts, there will be a “revival” of the Roman Empire. Although most of the world is oblivious to what is happening, the infrastructure for this Empire is being framed now. To be congruent with scripture, this Revived Roman Empire will be a ten nation or ten kingdom alliance that will continue to move toward total globalism. In its early stage, I believe, it will be a confederation of independent nations—much like the European Union. It possibly could be the European Union. Although they may be separate nations at first, they will work as one. It will become a true one-world government when the kingdom is finally consolidated under the Antichrist.
The Revived Roman Empire will at some point make an alliance with the Catholic Church. [They may a part of the beginnings of these ten nations.] The church will have great influence for a while. This influence will be the cause of many conflicts among some of these nations. Regardless, there will not be a lasting peace among these nations. The many global problems will only get worse; but an ambitious and charismatic leader will arise and promise peace and prosperity. He is not a prince of peace. He is everything evil; but to gain power he first appears as a man of peace and a man with the answers to the many global problems.
After he brokers a temporary peace treaty among the nations and with Israel, he will address world hunger and world economic problems. He will move the world toward true globalism. While it is not clear in scripture how he rises to prominence, at some point in his rise to power, he will take absolute control of three of the ten ‘horn’ kingdoms—with their leaders remaining as subservient governors or kings. It could be most of these governments will be awkward democracies; but as the Antichrist’s power increases, that will change.
Important to the understanding of the Antichrist’s end-time kingdom is scripture that prophesies about the “divided kingdom,” a Revived Roman Empire, and the ten horns on the various beast represent ten kings or kingdoms of this Revived Roman Empire. To help understand who the Antichrist is we need to study scripture about the “little” horn that, “plucks up three horns” in Daniel, and one of the heads, “that seemed to have a mortal wound,” on the beast in Revelation. Scriptures about the seven heads on three of the beasts in Revelation give additional witness to a Revived Roman Empire.
The Ten Kings
There will be ten kings in the beginning of the end-time kingdom. Daniels fourth beast had ten horns. Daniel wanted to know “…about the ten horns that were on its head…” DANIEL 7:20 “As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, [the Revived Roman Empire] and another shall arise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings.” DANIEL 7:24
Three of the beasts in Revelation have ten horns—the great red dragon REVELATION 12:3 —the beast rising out of the sea REVELATION 13:1 —and the scarlet beast. REVELATION 17:3 All of these beasts in Revelation that have ten horns represent ten kings or kingdoms. “And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast.” REVELATION 17:12 These ten kings and their kingdoms are a prelude to the kingdom of the Antichrist. Regardless of where the ten horns are written about, they represent the same ten kings of the end times.
The Seven Heads
The seven heads are further scripture witness of a Revived Roman Empire and that the Antichrist will take over this empire. Three beasts in Revelation have seven heads—the great red dragon REVELATION 12:3—the beast rising out of the sea REVELATION 13:1 —and the scarlet beast. REVELATION 17:3 “This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while.” REVELATION 17:9-10 These heads represent the Empires of Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Roman and the Revived Roman Empire—the end-time kingdom.
The ‘head’ that becomes the end-time kingdom, the seventh, is the head that is wounded on the beast rising out of the sea. This wounded head is healed and morphs into the Antichrist.
The Many antichrists become “The Antichrist”
Even before Jesus walked the earth, false prophets had been perverting the Word of God—just as the serpent did in the Garden—making their word sound like God’s Word, but meaning something entirely different. Today deception is everywhere. Differing interpretations defiles truth. That divides us. While some may believe those differing interpretations are not meant to deceive anyone, when Satan is involved it is always deliberate deception. It will get worse as we near the end of time.
After the Law was given, eventually the “sects” of Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes were formed because they had differing views on certain scriptures. Their views divided them. These were the precursors of denominations. Their differing views has given rise to many of the antichrists. The more confusion there is among Christians, the easier it is for the devil to spin his lies.
The apostles warned the early church there were already antichrists in the world. I JOHN 4:3 [Only John used the word antichrist.] Anyone who does not confess Jesus is the Son of God is antichrist. Anti Christs have been here since the Lord Jesus Christ; but “The Antichrist” in The Great Tribulation is yet to make himself known. Until then, the perversion of God’s word that causes division among Christians will continue. No one has caused division any more than the Catholic Church.
After the Catholic Church came into existence, perversion of the Word of God began in earnest. To chronicle all the ways they have perverted the gospel and how they have tried to interfere with an individual’s relationship with God, would take volumes of books to begin to convey the extent of that interference. It was, is, good the Protestants broke away from the Catholic Church; but Reformation brought Counter-Reformation by the Catholic Church. And the reformists divided themselves into an unbelievable number of denominations. Some kept many of the idols and doctrines of the Catholic Church.
Now we have mass media and the antichrists are able to exponentially spread their false doctrines. Years ago our government got involved—moving away from its Biblical foundations. A government campaign to remove God from public speech, public places, schools—from all public entities has been happening for many years now. This too is antichrist. In the place of God and his plan, government, with the help of mass media started promoting evolution, humanism, tolerance, and the false doctrine that there is more than one way to God. All of these doctrines are “anti Christ.” False doctrines, especially when spread globally, often cause chaos and violence. Violet crimes are committed in the name of religion. Wars and rumors of wars often happen in countries where the major religions of those countries involved differ greatly.
All of this is becoming the perfect environment for a person that will poses as a “man of peace” to take over. He will say he also has the answer to all of humanity’s problems; but we can now see, it is men who have caused these problems. Today the level of the world’s problems are greater than man’s ability to solve them. Man’s solutions only create additional problems. We are almost at the moment in time where people will try anything or any person—even a man that will become Satan’s incarnate.
He will be revealed in the end time. When he seats himself in the temple and proclaims he is god, then everyone will know he is The Antichrist. II THESSALONIANS 2:3-4 Those who “read the fig leaves” may be able to identify him much sooner; for there will be other ‘signs of the times’ which help to identify him.
The Revealing of the Antichrist
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming [His Second Coming]. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. II THESSALONIANS 2:1-10
There seems to be a “tension” in the above scripture! In verse three Pauls says, “…that day [the day that the church will be caught away] will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed…” This seems to say that after the man of lawlessness is revealed That Day, the day of the rapture will take place.
Then in verses seven and eight he says, “…he [the Holy Spirit in the Church] who now restrains it [the lawless one] will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed…” This seems say that after the restrainer [the Holy Spirit in the Church] is out of the way [gone] then the man of lawlessness will be revealed.
The key to reconciling these verses is in a close reading of verse six. “And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time.” [“…may be revealed in his own season.” ASV] So I believe the man of lawlessness, the Antichrist, will be revealed then the Church will be raptured; but the “season of the revealing of the Antichrist” will continue after he is first revealed, “… whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.”
So with the Church raptured and gone and with no Holy Spirit to restrain him, the Antichrist and the extent of his evil deeds and control will continue to reveal itself “in his own season” until he is killed by Jesus Christ!
Some of the Thessalonians believed the Lord Jesus Christ had already come and gathered His people to Himself; but Paul tells them that day has not come and will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed. II THESSALONIANS 2:2-3 Paul refers to “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him” and “the day of the Lord” as the same event. II THESSALONIANS 2:1-2 Further, he tells us, “And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed…” II THESSALONIANS 2:6-8 When the Bride of Christ is “caught up,” then he [the Holy Spirit who indwells the Bride] will not be here to restrain the Antichrist and his evil. Without “the restrainer” to restrain him, then the Antichrist—the lawlessness one can no longer conceal his true identity; for his evil actions will betray him.
Daniel tells us a little horn plucks up three horns by the roots. DANIEL 7:8 I believe these three horns are three of the ten ‘horn’ kings of the last earthly empire. When the Antichrist removes those three kings, those people attuned to the signs of the times, those who “read the fig leaves,” may see and know that this aggressive leader is the Antichrist; for it will be obvious at that time he is not a man of peace. After the restrainer is removed, he takes his seat in the temple of God and proclaims himself to be God, then there is then no doubt that he is the Antichrist. That event is referred to by Daniel and Jesus as being the abomination of desolation. DANIEL 11:21, 36 and MATTHEW 24:15 And it takes place at or near the mid-point of Tribulation—the great Tribulation.
TOPIC 23—THE SIXTH SEAL is OPENED
Sixth Seal—Earth and Heaven Shaken
When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” REVELATION 6:12-17
This is the first event in the Tribulation where an earthquake is mentioned and the first where the heavens are affected. REVELATION 6:12-14 These events in the heavens will be visible. They are much more than an eclipse of the sun, a blood moon and an occasional shooting star. When the sky vanished like a scroll, every heavenly body disappeared. Jesus named this same event in his discourse on the end times. MATTHEW 24:29-31 The appearing of Jesus Christ in the clouds could be simultaneous with the opening of the sixth seal. Peter believes this is the event that will happen in “the day of the Lord.” II PETER 3:10
Survivors of the events of this sixth seal, without regard to social positions or titles, take refuge in the caves and cry out to the rocks and mountains to “…Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” REVELATION 6:16-17 The Church will be caught up in the clouds to meet Jesus. Those left behind will see His appearing and will begin to suffer his great wrath—first, with the trumpet judgments and then with the bowls of His wrath.
Matthew Twenty-four and Revelation Six Comparison
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. MATTHEW 24:29-31
When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” REVELATION 6:12-17
These things are comparable: The sun will be darkened—the sun became black as sackcloth. The moon will not give its light—the full moon became like blood. The stars will fall from heaven— the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The powers of the heavens will be shaken. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.” For me, there is no doubt Jesus is talking about this sixth seal event, His appearing in the clouds for His Church, in Matthew Twenty-four.
TOPIC 24—HARVEST of the EARTH—CAUGHT AWAY
No One Knows that Day and Hour—He Will Come Like a Thief
But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only. MATTHEW 24:36
Jesus makes it clear in the scripture above that no one but the Father knows that day and hour he is coming and that he is coming like a thief in the night—unexpectedly—Paul and Peter witness that he will come like a thief; but all scripture which gives insight into the return of the Son of man—Jesus Christ—say every eye will see him. He may come “like a thief;” but once he is here—everyone will see him!
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. MATTHEW 25:13 [KJV]
"But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. MARK 13:32
Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed! REVELATION 16:15
For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. I THESSALONIANS 5:2
But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. 2 PETER 3:10
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. MATTHEW 24:29-30
And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. LUKE 21:25-27
the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. ACTS 2:20
The Heavens are Shaken—Then Jesus Christ Appears
Joel prophesied in three places in scripture the “sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” Jesus says, “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” All of these scriptures were given as a prelude to the appearing of Jesus Christ.
The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. JOEL 2:31
Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision. For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining. JOEL 3:14-15
The events, which Joel prophesied about and Jesus foretold, are mirrored in the sixth seal:
When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. REVELATION 6:12-14
Caught Away!
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. REVELATION 1:12-13
Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.” So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped. REVELATION 14:14-16
Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. REVELATION 1:7
so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. HEBREWS 9:28
Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. I JOHN 3:2
Everybody wants to be raptured—caught away! Rapture’s original meaning is: a feeling of intense pleasure or joy; but in North America it has come to mean: the transporting of believers to heaven at the appearing of Christ. Although rapture or raptured is not in the Bible, this is still what believers want to hear. And it is easy to believe Jesus will appear in the clouds and we will be “caught up” to meet him in the air—before Tribulation starts—escaping all suffering, persecution and wrath. This favored view, that we will be raptured before Tribulation starts and that it will not be known to those left behind until they miss those who are gone, is not supported sufficiently by scripture. So what is really going to happen?
To know what is going to happen, first, I want to understand what the Bible says about believers being “caught up” to meet Jesus Christ in the air. Then I would like to know where being “caught up” fits in God’s timeline; but I want my beliefs to be based on scripture—in context—without supposition, transference or opinions.
The Church—Spirit filled believers—has been proclaimed to be the Bride of The Lamb, Jesus Christ. Paul told the Corinthians “…I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.” II CORINTHIANS 11:2 John tells us in Revelation: “Let us rejoice and exult and give Him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready.” REVELATION 19:7 So we can rejoice that we are the Bride of Jesus Christ and that there is going to be a marriage.
Jesus is preparing a place for us and promises to come again and take us for Himself so we may be with Him throughout eternity. JOHN 14:1-3 In keeping with Jewish wedding traditions, Jesus tells us only the Father knows the day and hour when our place will be ready. MATTHEW 24:36 When the place he is preparing for us is finished, then He will return for us. Since we do not know when He is going to appear, we must stay awake and watch. MATTHEW 24:42 and MATTHEW 25:13 We do know how He is going to return for us.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” I THESSALONIANS 4:13-17
Paul makes it clear. “God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.” And “the dead in Christ will rise first” [their bodies, dust, will be reunited with their spirits] “Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” I THESSALONIANS 4:17
Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. I CORINTHIANS 15:51-53
Most scripture that speaks to Jesus’ appearing says he is coming on the clouds of heaven or with the clouds. MATTHEW 24:30 Some scriptures say every eye will see him. REVELATION 1:7 Others say he is coming with his angels and will repay [reward] each person according to what he has done. MATTHEW 16:27 Still other scripture says he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather his elect from one end of heaven to the other. MATTHEW 24:31 [Regardless, it should be noted that He will not return to the earth at his second 'appearing.' He will descend from heaven but he will stop in the clouds above earth. It is at His second 'coming' when He sets foot on earth.] There is a scripture In Revelation, the harvest of the earth, which gives a slightly different picture than most of us may have in our mind about His 'appearing.' REVELATION 14:14-16
“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand.” REVELATION 14:14 This is an obvious reference to Jesus Christ who is ready to “harvest” the earth. Son of man was a reference Jesus often used about Himself. MARK 14:62 & JOHN 3:13 “And another angel came out of the temple, calling with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Put in your sickle, and reap, for the hour to reap has come…’” REVELATION 14:15 Jesus said no man knows the day or the hour when He would come. Only the Father knows that day and hour. MATTHEW 24:36 But the messenger angel from the temple, from the presence of God, tells the one on the cloud that this is the ‘hour.’ The time to harvest the earth has come. [the rapture—caught away I THESSALONIANS 4:16-17] The Father is saying, go get Your bride. “So he who sat on the cloud swung his sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.” REVELATION 14:16
While scriptures on being caught away—or gathered by the angels—or reaped by a sickle may not agree word for word, we can be sure for some reason—possibly known only to God—that clouds, angels, and trumpets will be a part of Jesus’ appearing to “take his bride” to be with him; and every eye will see Him. Even though we do not know the day nor the hour, does scripture give us a clue?
I should note that the trumpet in scripture, which gives us insight into the appearing of Jesus with the clouds, is not one of the seven trumpet judgments. It is a trumpet that annunciates his appearing.
Many of the writings and teachings [scripture excluded] I researched say being “caught up” will occur before the Tribulation starts; but I have found the scripture used to support this view to be largely taken out of context. It is not proof of a pre-Tribulation rapture. Although many scriptures were used in most commentary, three scriptures which were common to many of the pre-tribulation views say “… God has not destined us for wrath…” I THESSALONIANS 5:9 “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial [‘temptation’ KJV] that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” REVELATION 3:10 “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” ROMANS 5:9 These scriptures tell us that believers will not suffer God’s wrath and not that we will be “caught up” before Tribulation starts. Again, these three scriptures do not tell when we will be caught away. “…the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials…” II PETER 2:9 without having to “catch” us away. Further, the undiluted wrath of God does not start until around mid-Tribulation. The Church will be gone by then! [1, 2, 3]
I believe that with many of those with a pre-tribulation view of the rapture and those who believe we are being saved from God’s wrath by being caught away, an overriding consideration is that it “fits” better with Jewish wedding traditions, in that the seven days in the bridal chamber “fits” with the seven years of tribulation; but fitting with tradition does not trump scripture witness. In particular, scripture in Matthew chapter twenty-four and scripture in Revelation chapter six which tells us about the coming of the Son of Man.
The real issue is not Pre-Tribulation rapture v Mid-Tribulation rapture, rather it is about when the wrath of God will be poured out in the end-time. Both views hold the Church will not do through the wrath of God. We disagree on when the wrath is poured out. Jesus makes it abundantly clear as Tribulation progresses so does the frequency and intensity of birth pains. Scripture calls the last three and one-half years of Tribulation, the great Tribulation for a reason. And the last things poured out on the earth are called bowls or vials of God’s wrath. REVELATION 15:7 The rapture is Mid-Tribulation.
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. ROMANS 5:9
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. I THESSALONIANS 5:9
Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. REVELATION 3:10
Again, these three scriptures are often used to posit a pre-tribulation rapture view. God has often saved his people from his wrath poured out on others. The children of Israel did not suffer all of the plagues poured out on Egypt nor did they suffer God’s final wrath on Egypt—the taking of all firstborns. The Bible makes a distinction between Egypt and Goshen, the land where Israel resided. So they did not suffer all of the plagues. If one took the position the references to Egypt included the land of Goshen also, then they still did not suffer all of the plagues. They are specifically excluded from three of the plagues and God gave them a “passover” for the final plague—the death of all firstborns. Nevertheless, these chapters in Exodus show, not only is God able to keep us from His wrath, God does keep us from His wrath. EXODUS 7-12 We will be saved from the wrath of God; but our catching away will be solely because the “day and hour” has come and Jesus is fulfilling His promise to us—no other reason.
God’s wrath is against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. ROMANS 1:18 Godly and righteous men will not suffer the wrath of God. “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” REVELATION 2:10 “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,” II TIMOTHY 3:12 While we still do not know the day nor the hour, there is scripture which gives insight into when the rapture will take place.
Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming [His Second Coming]. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. II THESSALONIANS 2:1-10
In the first part of this scripture Paul is addressing some confusion on the part of the Corinthians as to when the day of the Lord would be. Then he tells them the day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed. Until he is revealed he will try to exhibit himself as a man of peace and will help broker, as a part of the last empire, a peace treaty with many [Israel and their enemies]. DANIEL9:27
When the little horn, in the book of Daniel, plucks up the three ‘horn’ kings, this could be when the Antichrist is revealed; for it will be obvious at that time he is not a man of peace. If any doubt remains, it will be erased when his true character emerges at the abomination of desolation.
When the dragon gives the Antichrist his authority, his true character emerges. REVELATION 13:2-6 Then is there no doubt he is the Antichrist. He takes his seat in the temple of God and proclaims himself to be God. That is referred to by Jesus and Daniel as being the abomination of desolation. MATTHEW 24:15 and DANIEL 11:21, 36 Then, the day of the Lord will come—the day when he pours out his wrath on all evil; but before all of this, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” MALACHI 4:5
First, Elijah and Moses, the two witnesses, will come and preach for 1,260 days. Then the kingdom of the Antichrist will take control. So where in the timeline will we be caught away? A scripture in Matthew gives some additional clarity.
Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. MATTHEW 24:29-31
“…Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” MARK 14:61-62
The events described in this passage parallel some of the same events described in the opening of the sixth seal.
When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” REVELATION 6:12-17
Then after these events “…they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.” These scriptures in Matthew and Revelation seem to mirror the same event—the events of the sixth seal—as do these verses in Luke:
And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. LUKE 21:25-28
Many prophetic events are predicted as happening in “the day of the Lord.” The appearing of Jesus Christ to catch away the church will happen within certain of those prophetic events.
The sixth seal is opened at or near the mid-point of Tribulation. We will be caught away after the sixth seal is opened. We will not have to go through God’s and the Lamb’s wrath—there is specific scripture witness for this. ROMANS 5:9 & I THESSALONIANS 5:9 In II Thessalonians chapter two, the Apostle Paul reassures us the day of the Lord has not already come. II THESSALONIANS 2:2-3 Some believe “the day of the Lord” in this passage refers to the day of God’s wrath; II PETER 3:10 and JEREMIAH 46:10 and JOEL 2:1-2 but Paul adds some additional qualifications.
He tells us “…Only he who now restrains it [the day of the Lord] will do so until he [the Holy Spirit] is out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed…” II THESSALONIANS 2:7-8 When the Bride of Christ is “caught up,” then they [the Holy Spirit which indwells the Bride] will not be here to restrain the Antichrist and his evil. Without “the restrainer” to restrain him—then the Antichrist—the lawlessness one will be revealed. Even though we are caught away at or near the mid-point of Tribulation, we still will not have to go through God and the Lamb’s wrath.
In Daniel chapter twelve—verse twelve it says, “Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days.” One writer says this is 1,335 days before the end of Tribulations [He counts days back from the end of Tribulation instead of days into Tribulation]—if his supposition is true, then that would be 45 days before the mid-point of Tribulation and perhaps about the same time as the sixth seal is opened. REVELATION 6:12
The Great and Awesome Day of The Lord
Joel and Malachi prophesied about the day of the Lord. In Joel and in Acts both scriptures say the “great and awesome day of the Lord” will be proceeded by signs in the heavens. Malachi says Elijah will be sent before the “great and magnificent” day of the Lord comes. Elijah will be on earth as one of the two witnesses of Revelation eleven when the sixth seal is opened. Joel and Malachi and the scripture in Acts clearly refer to the coming of Jesus Christ as “the day of the Lord.” If there is still any confusion about “the day of the Lord,” then Paul, in II Thessalonians chapter two, provides additional clarity. In verse one he says, “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;” and in verse two he refers to the same event as “the day of the Lord.”
The “day of the Lord” may have meanings other than the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ; but in those multiple places in scripture where it is preceded by signs in the heavens, then it is referring to His coming in the clouds to catch away his Church. [Note: Some believe the Day of the Lord precedes a catastrophic event. For those not ready to meet Jesus Christ, His ‘appearing’ and then his second coming will be catastrophic.] Again, Scripture witness supports that the advent of Jesus Christ a second time will be after the sixth seal is open.
In summary, the Church will be caught away after the opening of the sixth seal. The heavens will shaken before He appears according to Jesus’ discourse in Matthew and at the opening of the sixth seal. After the heavens are shaken, then the Son of Man [Jesus] will appear in the clouds. Again, both in Matthew and the scripture on the sixth seal, His appearing is described.
Further, the Apostle Paul says in Second Thessalonians the day of the Lord will come when the lawless one [the Antichrist] is revealed. A study of scripture will reveal the opening of the sixth seal, the revelation of the Antichrist, and the fleeing of Israel into the wilderness happen at or near mid-Tribulation. So my view is: a mid-Tribulation rapture of the Church. God is able to protect His Church until that point in time just as He was able to protect the children of Israel from the plagues on Egypt.
I believe only those who died while “in-Christ” and those who are alive and are “in-Christ” will be “caught away. [raptured] Further, I believe all of those who are martyrs will be in the “first resurrection.” They will not be caught away. [This postulation is covered in a future chapter.]
Written by Mallard E. Guy Jr.
Over a Period of Two + Years
Finished October 28, 2023
Last Edited August 2025