BIBLE PROPHECY - The Tribulation In Detail

THE UNIVERSAL NEWS BROADCAST-Part 2

If you′ve just tuned in, you are listening to a special UNIVERSAL NEWS BROADCAST. We are recapping the major past events, from Israel′s rebirth through the Tribulation and destruction of the world during the Battle of Armageddon.

Some people in the world never heard about an event called the Rapture. Others did not believe regarding this event. There were many skeptics, mockers, scoffers, and unbelievers. Some would say with a mocking attitude,
WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING?
 FOR ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY WERE…
 Others said, MY LORD IS DELAYING HIS COMING,
 or they believed the Rapture would come during or at the end of the Tribulation. Clergy that taught these things were leading many people astray. They appeared to be followers of Christ, but they did not understand His Word. They were uncorrectable.

It was like the days of Noah. People ignored the signs of the times and even made jokes about it, until the rains came, and then they began screaming in terror as they drowned.

Of those that did believe in the Rapture, most did not believe it was imminent. They did not believe it would come when it did. When it came, many were caught unprepared.

Finally, (and later than some had expected) on the Feast of Trumpets—the “Translation,” the “caught up,” or what many call the RAPTURE—IT TOOK PLACE.
 There was a cry made at midnight, Israeli time. Then many Christians realized they were not ready, and they became desperate, while others readied themselves and went forth to meet Jesus. First, the dead in Christ arose, then they which had been watching, and waiting, and were ready were taken.

So many people and clergy that were absolutely positive they were saved—were left behind. They made all kinds of excuses to justify themselves, but to no avail. Jesus appears to have communicated to them, in some way—that they were left behind, because they had not repented as required. They had not given up all willful sin, and neither had they done the will of God as they should have. Some did their own will, but called it God′s will. Life had been the test, and they had failed the test. But they didn′t believe that life was a test either, even though the Word of God had clearly revealed they would be proved or tested in all sorts of ways to see if their faith was genuine.

Another reason some were left behind was God had sent them a powerful delusion. This was because they refused to receive the truth and did not love the truth so that they might be saved. These were those that did not believe the truth, and they delighted in wickedness.

The things of this world can easily blind a person to what is happening. Believers were to be ready, so they would not get snared. Many got caught up with the pleasures of this life, the cares of this life, the lusts of all sorts of things, and the deceitfulness of riches. Many were overwhelmed with carousing, and some with drunkenness or drugs. Many loved this present world. Then, when the Rapture came, they were caught by surprise. They had not been patiently waiting for the Lord′s return and neither had they been faithfully studying their Bible. Neither had most churches been warning the people it was about to happen, even when it did.
 The Lord came and knocked, but most people were not ready.

UNKNOWN TO MOST AT THE TIME OF THE RAPTURE, there were people present from four of the seven churches listed in the Revelation.
 These were the church of Thyatira, which represented a good church, but it was allowing the great whore named Jezebel (which was the Roman Catholic Church) to seduce God′s servants. Those of the good church were taken, but those of Jezebel went into Great Tribulation, unless they repented. The Roman Catholic Church continued into the Great Tribulation.
 The church of Sardis, which represented the churches of the Reformation had also continued up to the Rapture.
 The church of Philadelphia was the best church of the four. It mainly existed from app. 1750 to 1948. A few of these God-fearing, noncompromising churches continued up to the Rapture, but they were rare.
 Last was the Laodicean church, which represented the church age from app. 1948 to the Rapture.

This was the church which often thought of itself as the best, but in God′s eyes was the worst of the four. (No one was raptured from either the church of Laodicea or the Roman Catholic Church, unless they repented.)
 The lukewarm Christian church of the latter days included many denominations. It had beautiful and comfortable buildings, plus many Bible schools, seminaries, colleges and universities.
 This was the church that reached the world with its missionaries, plus radio, television, and the Internet.
 But this was also the church that was so blind, that it did not know its true condition and how God viewed it.
This was the church of the lukewarm—the wretched, miserable, poor, “blind,” and “naked” church, which went to sleep as the Rapture neared.
 This was the church that was not clothed with white raiment.
 This was the church of the wide gate and broad way that led many to destruction, from which not one person was raptured, unless they anointed their eyes with eyesalve, so they could see and repent.
 This was the church that taught to please the people′s itching sinful ears, rather than to please God.
 This was the church of artificial love that also tolerated sin.
 This was the church that if confronted with dying for their faith, their faith would fail; for they had not died to themselves.
 This was the church age that was so inept in understanding the Bible that some taught doctrines, such as:
 “God is your servant,” rather than you are to humble yourself, fear God, follow Him, and Him only shalt thou serve. They also taught such doctrines from the Deceiver as:
 “you can name it or speak it and claim you have it,”
 “everyone should be healed, and if you are not—something is wrong with your faith,”
 “invest $100 in our ministry and get back a hundredfold return,”
 and God wants everyone to “prosper and be in health.’
 The teachings of that time allured to the flesh by taking a few Scriptures out of context, and many were deceived. This last church age before the Rapture—much of their teaching revolved around vanity.
 It is a vastly different Gospel than one of repentance, being transformed, humbleness, brokenness, trembling at His Word, selling all that thou hast, forsaking all and trusting in Jesus, denying oneself and picking up your cross daily and following Jesus. There were so many other Gospels taught in this last church generation, who could count them?
 Even the signs outside many Christian churches did not contain the Word of God. Often they would use some clever saying that had nothing to do with Christ.
 This was not a church that loved all their brothers in Christ, or that greatly feared God and hated every sinful way. This was not a church that recognized what sin was.
 Many did not recognize that not denying oneself was sin,
 refusing to pick up their cross and follow Jesus was sin,
 refusing to obey God′s Word was sin,
 refusing to serve God and do the works which Jesus had prepared for them to do from before the foundation of the world was sin. Listed in the Bible are over 600 sins.
 This was the church of the GREAT FALLING AWAY, but few ever recognized this was what was happening.
 This was the church age of both the people and church falling away from God, from His Word, from truth. For it is written: 2 Thes 2:3‐LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU BY ANY MEANS: FOR THAT DAY SHALL NOT COME, EXCEPT THERE COME A FALLING AWAY FIRST, AND THAT MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED, THE SON OF PERDITION.

Why did the churches seldom use God′s Word that might convict people of sin and of their fallen condition?
 It is written: Heb 4:12‐FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK, AND POWERFUL (or living and active), AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWOEDGED SWORD, PIERCING EVEN TO THE DIVIDING ASUNDER OF SOUL AND SPIRIT, AND OF THE JOINTS AND MARROW, AND IS A DISCERNER OF (or judges) THE THOUGHTS AND INTENTS (or attitudes) OF THE HEART.
 If God′s Word is used the way Jesus used it, it makes many people uncomfortable. Many churches were careful not to offend anyone. They found ways to use God′s Word in such a manner that it would not drive people out the door. In the same way, neither did it drive people to their knees, crying over their sinful condition in repentance and brokenness. They preached the love of God, but they showed little love toward their flocks, as they preached lukewarm messages that people′s itching ears wanted to hear.

This was a church that seldom taught about Satan, how he works in people′s thoughts and emotions, how he deceives the whole world, and the ways he makes people positive they are right when they are wrong, as well as making people positive they are saved when they are not.
 This was a church that did not understand spiritual warfare and how the deceiver uses fear, persecutions, hardships, lusts, cares of this life, pleasures, riches, unrepentant personal desires, and even love to tempt the Christian to go back to wallowing in the mud, from which they had repented. Most did indeed fall away. Luke said it clearly in chapter 6:46‐49: AND WHY CALL YE ME, LORD, LORD, AND DO NOT THE THINGS WHICH I SAY? The only Christians that survived the tests they went through were those that heard (or read) and obeyed God′s Word.
 Once a person received Christ, all sorts of rains, floods, and winds came and beat vehemently against the Christian to tempt them to turn aside. As a result of Satan′s attacks, most wilted and returned to their old ways, while others just became unfruitful. God forbid, the latter day churches, for the most part, did not teach that these things came to prove (or test) if a person′s faith was genuine. Few professing Christians, prior to the Rapture, ever became spiritually minded, as was written in Ro 8:6. Few ever conformed to the image of Christ, as Ro 8:29 speaks of. Few ever walked as Jesus walked, as they were to do‐1 Jn 2:6; and few ever repented of loving this world. This was the church age of unprofitable servants.

This was the church age that made claims of leading many to Christ in their churches, through the radio, on television, and on the Internet; but, when the Rapture came, there was little evidence that their claims were true.
 There were some at this time (whose understanding of the whole counsel of God was not good) that taught against the Rapture, and others taught the church would not be raptured until the midst of the Tribulation, and others that thought it would be raptured at the end.
 Others taught that no one could know when the Rapture would happen. It is true that those that were not ready did not know the day and hour of the Rapture; however, those watching and ready could, and some did. 1 Thes 5:4 had said‐BUT YE BRETHREN, ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, THAT THAT DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU AS A THIEF.
 There was a verse in the Bible that did mention about not knowing the day and hour; however, it was not concerning the Rapture, but rather when the heavens and earth would pass away. Mt 24:35,36‐HEAVEN AND EARTH SHALL PASS AWAY BUT MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY. BUT OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN (the day and hour of the heavens and earth passing away, no one can know) NO, NOT THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN, BUT MY FATHER ONLY.

The final outcome for the lukewarm was they were spewed out.
 As already said, an almost countless number of Christians that believed they were eternally saved found themselves left behind when the Rapture came. They had been taught to never doubt their salvation. They had not been taught to examine themselves by God′s Word to see if they were in the faith. They had not obeyed the Scriptures and died to themselves.
 Many seldom read their Bibles, but simply believed what other deceived Bible teachers said. Things of this world were more important to them than God′s Word.
 Others did read their Bibles, but twisted Scripture to fit what they already believed or what their self‐centered desires wanted to believe.

God had given the people of the latter day generation a very, very severe and terrifying warning, but His warning was ignored.
 He told the people, in 2 Thes 2:10‐12 (KJV, NIV), that would not receive the truth or refused to love the truth (which is God′s Word) and so be saved, which had pleasure in or delighted in wickedness—for this reason God would send them a powerful delusion, so they would believe the Lie (or Antichrist), so that they would all be condemned.

Those that did hear a minister exhort people to repent, and study and obey their Bible, usually took a ho‐hum attitude. They just wanted to do their own thing. They were willing to take their chances, as they loved this present world more than they loved God. They paid a horrible price, as did the people that mocked the flood, or didn′t believe Sodom and Gomorrah would be destroyed.

Consider, does anyone in the entire world ever really believe when they die—that they will immediately go to a place called hell, a place of fiery torment? We believe the answer is no, because if they did, it would seem they would be so terrified that they would surely fear God, repent and believe the Bible. Yet nearly every person on earth, when they died, went to hell. Chances are you may be included, whether you believe it or not.

The last prophecies that were completely fulfilled, prior to the Rapture, were:
 the church and people going to sleep,
 the shaking of people′s faith,
 and the final falling away of those whose faith failed.
 A Christian can only stand by faith and trusting in Jesus Christ. This results in their attitude being changed, converted, and conformed to the image of Christ. This results in them bringing forth good fruit, as well as the fruit of the Spirit.

The Bible, which we may call the fertilizer, which enriches the trees and fruit, had been greatly diluted by the church, so the trees and fruit became unhealthy.
Then as the rains came, the floods arose, and the winds blew and shook the fruit on the trees, much fruit fell off. Only the fruit that had been enriched with good fertilizer survived the storm and remained firmly attached to the tree. Then when the trumpet blew, the good fruit that remained went to be with the Lord, as it was worthy.

The man of sin was still being held back. This was because God′s people, who were saved by the blood of the Lamb and had received the gift of the Holy Ghost, were still present on this earth.

GOD, IN HIS WORD, GAVE A TIMETABLE OF KEY EVENTS THAT WOULD HAPPEN

God gave the Jewish people seven feasts that were to be kept. They were to make three trips a year to Jerusalem to keep these feasts. The first trip was in the first month (March or April) to keep the first three feasts. The second was approximately fifty days later to keep the fourth feast. The third trip was made in the seventh month (September or October) to keep the last three feasts.

While these feasts were well‐known by the Jews, many Gentiles were ignorant of them. These were part of God′s prophetic calendar that He gave, so we could know during what time of the year certain events would happen.

1‐The first feast was Passover. This was the fourteenth day of the first month. Jesus was crucified on this exact day. Jesus became our Passover Lamb (which was fulfilled exactly on this day).

2‐The second was Unleavened Bread. This began on the fifteenth day of the first month for seven days. Jesus, our Bread of life, was buried. During the Passover Seder, the middle loaf of matzo (the afikomen) was hidden or buried. (This was fulfilled exactly on this day.)

3‐The third feast was Firstfruits. This was the Sunday following Unleavened Bread. Jesus was resurrected on this day. He became the Firstfruits of those that died (fulfilled exactly on this day.)

4‐The fourth feast was Pentecost (also called Feast of Weeks). This occurred on the fiftieth day after Firstfruits. The Holy Spirit came in His fullness.(This was fulfilled exactly on this day.)

5‐The fifth feast was the feast of Trumpets. This was the first day of the seventh month. It represented the Rapture. There were two major events.
 First, the dead in Christ rise.
 Second, we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds.

 There were two trumpets, the first and the last. It was the next major event to happen just before the Tribulation began. God gave the day of the year to expect the Resurrection and Rapture, but only a general time regarding what year it will be. That general time was approximately 7 or more years prior to the end of the generation of Israel′s rebirth.

6‐The sixth feast was the Day of Atonement. This was the tenth day of the seventh month. This represented the repentance of Israel. This occurred when they looked upon Jesus, Whom they had pierced. Israel was redeemed as Jesus returned at the Battle of Armageddon. (Again, this happened exactly as predicted prior to the end of the generation of Israel′s rebirth.)

7‐The seventh and last feast was the feast of Tabernacles. This began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month for seven days. This represented the beginning of the coming state of rest called the Millennium. Jesus Christ began His reign on earth for one thousand years as the King of kings and Lord of lords. The tabernacle of Jesus was among men. (Again this event was fulfilled exactly on the correct day.)

THE RAPTURE
AS SOON AS THE RESURRECTION TOOK PLACE (that is—the dead in Christ arose), THEN IMMEDIATELY THE RAPTURE FOLLOWED. THE TRUE “FOLLOWERS OF JESUS” WERE TAKEN as the Bible had stated.

The Rapture (which is called the “caught up” and “translation” in the Bible) ended the church age.
 Following the Rapture, the Antichrist came forth. A short time after that, a covenant was confirmed with Israel and others, which began the Tribulation.

Leading up to the Rapture, there was no knowledge regarding this event by many.
 There was great skepticism and disbelief by others, regarding if it would happen at all.
 A few believed it would happen, but not in their life time.
 Only a very few were waiting, watching and ready. These are the few that were taken and not left behind.

God′s latter day church itself led the way in skepticism, as it is written that the latter day church would be lukewarm as well as WRETCHED, MISERABLE, POOR, BLIND, AND NAKED. They would be so blind that they would not even know or understand their wretched condition‐ref Rev 3:14‐22.
 In addition, people would be SCOFFERS‐2 Pe 3:2, regarding the latter days.
So‐called Christians would be saying: WHERE IS THE PROMISE OF HIS COMING?‐2 Pe 2:4.
 They would be saying: ALL THINGS CONTINUE AS THEY WERE FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE CREATION‐2 Pe 2:4.
 The Bible revealed that in those latter days the Christians would be saying in their heart Mt 24:48‐MY LORD DELAYETH HIS COMING, and they shall be left behind.

It would be as the days of Noah were‐ref Mt 24:37‐42. The world did not believe there would be a world flood. They went about business as usual. Then the rains came, and the waters rose. The skeptics were undoubtedly crying and screaming as they drowned in the flood. As some drowned gasping for air, one can almost hear their last words, saying, “No, this can′t be. Noah was right, and we were all wrong!”
 And it would be as the days of Lot were‐ref Lk 17:28, 29. In Gen19:14,15, the sons in law which married his daughters were invited to escape the destruction that was about to come, but they refused, not believing it would happen. They perished along with the rest of Sodom and Gomorrah. Even Lot′s wife looked back and became a pillar of salt.

The same devil that deceived Eve in the garden, deceived the whole world at that time‐ref Rev 12:9. Yet the world went about business as usual not believing what was about to happen, as Satan put in people′s minds the Bible is not true or distorted what the Bible had said.

The question was asked:
Why were so many people left behind that were positive they would be taken?
God answered this in His Word. He explained why many were left behind.

Mt 7:21‐Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
 Mt 7:22,23‐Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
 Mt 7:24‐27 reveals people hearing God′s Word, but not obeying it as rains, floods, and winds “beat” on the house. The house is the person trying to follow Jesus. It is being bombarded with every possible persecution, hardship, lusts, cares, pleasures of this life, and riches; and it (the person) falls, as he does not do or obey God′s Word under all these pressures.

Mt 25:1‐13. (In brief). Then there are 10 virgins (or Christians). They all had oil in their lamps and their light was burning. They were saved. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. Then a cry is made, and Jesus returns; but 5 foolish Christians, their light had gone out as they did not take additional oil in their vessels. They had fallen. They were left behind, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he (Jesus) answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. They did not expect the Lord′s return and were not ready. Once you say yes to Jesus, you need to be ready and follow Him, no matter where He leads you. How can you know you are following Jesus, if you do not dwell in His Word? The Word is Jesus talking to you. Are you listening?

Lk 6:46‐49 reveals Christians that called Jesus their Lord, but they “do not the things which I say?” The reason they fell is the floods arose and the stream did beat vehemently on the house (on the Christian), and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great, because it was not founded upon Jesus (or the Word). Understand following Jesus and obeying the Gospel will be met with huge pressures and problems from the devil. If you keep your feet planted in God′s Word as your foundation and obey it, you will not be shaken loose.

Lk 13:24‐28‐Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: (Now they begin to try and justify themselves) Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he (Jesus) shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. Can a person survive on only a few chapters a day in this world of deceit and lukewarm teaching of the Bible? Will their faith stand firm against the deceitful thoughts in their mind that Satan puts there?

Mt 7:13,14‐Enter ye in at the strait gate: for (wide is the gate), and (broad is the way), that (leadeth to destruction), and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it.

This is the straight gate and narrow way.
It involves hearing or being in God′s Word and not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together, and so much the more as you see His coming approaching‐ref Heb10:12. Faith comes only from God′s Word and being a doer of God′s Word.
It involves humbling yourself and becoming childlike‐Ja 4:10; Mt 18:3.
It involves repenting and obeying God by being baptized by full immersion afterwards in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost‐Mt 28:19,20.
It involves standing by faith, from which only God′s Word can produce-Ro10:17.
It involves being a doer of God′s Word, not just hearing or reading it‐Ja 1:22.
It involves a total, uncompromising commitment of love and obedience‐Heb 5:8.
It involves not becoming involved in the affairs of this life, but rather picking up your cross daily and following Jesus‐2 Tim 2:4, Lk 9:23.
It involves letting God′s Spirit conform you to the image of Christ‐Ro 12:2.
It involves being childlike and converted‐Mt 18:3, transformed, renewed, and being born again‐Jn 3:3.
It involves letting the Spirit of God to lead you‐Ro 8:14, and not your own emotions.
It involves putting off your worldly mind and becoming spiritually minded‐Ro 8:6.
It involves being conformed to the image of Christ‐Ro 8:29.
The person that is a “I know it all” type of person has not humbled himself. God resists the proud‐Ja 4:6.

Universal News Broadcast-Part 3