<\/b>
\n„And these are the words that Jehovah spake concerning Judah. For thus saith Jehovah: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask ye now, and see whether a man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness? Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble“ (Jeremiah 30:4-7).<\/p>\n
All nations will suffer when God’s judgments are poured out upon the earth; however, the period is called the Time of Jacob’s Trouble because the Jewish people will suffer far more than any other nation during that time.<\/p>\n
„But is that fair?“ you may ask. „I can see why God would punish the Jewish people for their sins just as He will punish the others; but why should He punish them more severely?“<\/p>\n
It is true that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. It is true that all deserve punishment\u2014everlasting punishment and shame for their rebellion against the Holy One of Israel.<\/p>\n
The Jews to Receive Double for Their Sins<\/i><\/p>\n
It is also true that God has declared in His Word that His people will receive double<\/i> for all their sins:<\/p>\n
17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways (the children of Israel’s ways); they are not hid from mine eyes. 18 And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable things, and have filled mine inheritance with their abominations (Jeremiah 16:17,18).<\/p>\n
Speaking as though a future event had already taken place, as the prophets frequently did, Isaiah cried: „Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God. Speak ye Comfortably to Jerusalem: and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah’s hand double for all her sins“ (Isaiah 40:1,2).<\/p>\n
Who has a right to challenge the justice and righteousness of God? „Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?“ (Genesis 18:25.)<\/p>\n
God gave the Jewish people increased light, opportunities and benefits which He gave to no other race. These brought with them added responsibilities. The reason they will suffer more than others during the Tribulation is because they failed to live up to their privileges and responsibilities.<\/p>\n
When God performed a biological miracle upon the bodies of Abraham and Sarah that made possible the birth of Isaac, He injected into the blood stream of the Jewish race potentialities and powers no other race possesses. He revealed to them His Holy and righteous laws. He lavished His goodness upon them more than any other nation.<\/p>\n
19 He showeth his word unto Jacob,
\nHis statutes and his ordinances unto Israel.
\n20 He hath not dealt so with any nation;
\nAnd as for his ordinances, they have not known them (Psalm 147:19,20).<\/p>\n
God gave the Jewish race increased light, opportunities and benefits so that they might be a unique people among all nations of the world.<\/p>\n
Unique in their worship of the one true God: „Thou shalt have no other gods before me“ (Deuteronomy 5:7).<\/p>\n
Unique because their land was to be free from idols or any material representation of God, Who must be worshipped in spirit and in truth: „Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them“ (Deuteronomy 5:8,9).<\/p>\n
Unique because they were to observe the laws, commandments and precepts given by God. From the heart of God came these words to Moses: „Oh that there were such a heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!“ (Deuteronomy 5:29.)<\/p>\n
Unique in their anticipation of a coming Messiah Who would be a blessing to Jew and Gentile alike, thus fulfilling God’s promise to Abraham: „I will make of thee a great nation … and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed“ (Genesis 12:2,3).<\/p>\n
Unique because they were to be the channel through which the Messiah would come into the world: „Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called: Jehovah our righteousness“ (Jeremiah 23:5,6).<\/p>\n
This unique people, with increased light, opportunity and benefits were to glorify God in their personal, national and social life. They were also to be a light to the heathen nations around them, leading them to the one true and living God.<\/p>\n
Up to the present time, however, the people of Israel, as a nation, have failed to bring God the glory that is due Him, and have failed to lead the godless nations of the world to a knowledge of Him.<\/p>\n
<\/i><\/p>\n
After they were established in their land, the majority of the Jewish people turned from God, worshipped gods of the Gentiles, and set up idols in their land. Moses prophesied they would do this and told them of the sufferings they would have to endure as a consequence:<\/p>\n
25 When thou shalt beget children, and children’s children, and ye shall have been long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image in the form of any thing, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah thy God, to provoke him to anger; 26 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over the Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 27 And Jehovah will scatter you among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number among the nations, wither Jehovah shall lead you away (Deuteronomy 4:25-27).<\/p>\n
Throughout most of their history, all but a small remnant of Israel turned away their ears from hearing the Word of the Lord and refused to obey His commandments:<\/p>\n
15 And Jehovah, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place: 16 but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and scoffed at his prophets, until the wrath of Jehovah arose against his people, till there was no remedy“ (Chronicles 36:15,16).<\/p>\n
Following the Babylonian captivity a subtle change began to take place in the attitude of many of the Jewish people toward the Word of God. They began to substitute the traditions and teachings of their spiritual leaders for God’s written Word.<\/p>\n
In early post-exilic days the high priest together with a number of the chief of the priests and certain ruling elders were set apart to judge legal matters for the Jews. Their assembly became the highest court of the land. It was designated Gerusia (council of the elders). This Gerusia was the ruling body that was later called the Sanhedrin. Although this Great Assembly was primarily organized to decide civil matters, it also acted as the guiding spiritual body of the Jewish community in Jerusalem.<\/p>\n
The Sanhedrin studied and interpreted the Torah (five books of Moses). They added new laws, illustrations, and examples thinking they were making the Torah clearer to the people. Besides interpreting the Torah, making new laws, etc., that body designated certain holidays for the Jews to celebrate, and laid great emphasis upon the celebration of age-old holidays and customs. As a result, multitudes of them have been lulled into believing that if they celebrate the Jewish holidays and keep up the tradition of their fathers, they will be brought closer to God.<\/p>\n
Isaiah prophesied concerning some of his brethren who have substituted the traditions and teachings of men for the Word of God, saying:<\/p>\n
13 And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught them (Isaiah 29:13).<\/p>\n
The Jewish people were steeped in the traditions and teachings of men by the time Jesus of Nazareth came and presented Himself to them as their Messiah. Only a very small remnant knew and believed the Word of God as it is written. These recognized that Jesus came in fulfillment of the promises of God through Moses and the prophets. The rest were blinded by their spiritual leaders, who resented Jesus‘ teachings and were unwilling to accept Him, so that they could not recognize Him. Under the leadership of the Sanhedrin the Jewish people, turned against Jesus. This led to their great national sin\u2014the rejection of Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah, Savior and King.<\/p>\n
For over 1900 years the Jewish people as a nation, under the guidance of their spiritual leaders, have spurned God’s love which was manifested in the giving of His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for their sins and the sins of the World.<\/p>\n
Jewish history records three great sins that God’s Chosen People committed against Him: they worshipped idols; despised His Word; and rejected Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah. Because of these three great sins God brought upon the nation of Israel three great times of affliction; the Assyrian captivity; and the dispersion under the Romans in 70 A.D., followed by persecution and suffering during the past 1900 years.<\/p>\n
Since the Jews have had to endure great affliction and suffering for their past sins, what will they have to endure for all their past sins plus their future sin<\/i>? Calamity!<\/p>\n
What is the future<\/i> sin the Jewish people will commit?<\/p>\n
It will be the signing of the contract with Antichrist in which he will agree to protect them from their enemies. In addition to relying upon that evil one instead of God in the end days, many Jews will turn again to the worship of idols. When the Jewish people play harlot with Antichrist and the idolatrous system of that day, they will stir God’s wrath to a point it has never reached before against them. The God of Israel will become a consuming fire! Figuratively speaking, He will allow the nations of the world to become a furnace of affliction for His people, the Jews.<\/p>\n
Beginning with the afflictions under the Assyrians and the Babylonians, God’s wrath has arisen against His people from time to time. During the pogroms under the Roman Empire, France, Spain, Czarist Russia, and ending with the diabolical massacres in Germany, God has allowed the individual nations to become furnaces of affliction for the Jewish people.<\/p>\n
Horrible as these pogroms were, they were the work of individual nations at various times in history. But the day is fast approaching when the leaders of many powerful nations are going to meet together to devise a plan to annihilate every Jew on the face of the earth. They will organize a pogrom on a world-wide scale,<\/i> the like of which the world has ever known. This diabolical pogrom will take place during the day when many living will envy the dead, the Time of Jacob’s Trouble.<\/p>\n
Surely the prophet Zechariah prophesied concerning the great pogrom in that day when he spoke saying, „and it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part into the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried. They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, Jehovah is our God“ (Zechariah 13:8,9).<\/p>\n
Ezekiel prophesied that half of the two parts will die by pestilence and famine, the other half by the sword (Ezekiel 5:12).<\/p>\n
Jesus Prophecy Concerning Anti-Semitism During the End Days<\/i><\/p>\n
<\/center><\/p>\n
The lord Jesus Christ confirmed the prophets‘ warning about the pogroms and Jew-hate of the last days, saying, „Then [during the travail of the last days] shall they deliver you up unto tribulation, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated for my name’s sake“ (Matthew 24:9).<\/p>\n The anti-Semitic spirit of which Jesus prophesied will burst into flame when antichrist sets up his image in the Jews‘ Most Sacred Temple in Jerusalem, and requires the inhabitants of the world to bow down and worship it. Jesus warned His people about this, saying:<\/p>\n 15 When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that readeth understand), 16 then let them that are in Judea flee unto the mountains: 17 let him that is in the housetop not go down to take out the things that are in his house: 18 and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloak. 19 But woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days! 20 and pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a sabbath: 21 for then shall be great tribulation, such as hath not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days had been shortened, no flesh would have been saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened (Matthew 24:15-22).<\/p>\n Jesus also prophesied that many Jews will stumble and turn against their own during those terrible days. He said, „And then shall many stumble, and shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another“ (Matthew 24:10). In other words, many Jews will turn against their own during the Tribulation. For further light on this point read Isaiah 3:5, and Micah 7:5.<\/span><\/p>\n Jesus‘ Prophecy Concerning False Prophets<\/i> In addition to His prophecies about the rise in anti-Semitism, the horror of the Tribulation, and the unfaithfulness that will develop among His people, Jesus warned that many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray“ (Matthew 24:11).<\/p>\n Having sounded this warning, Jesus warned His brethren, the Jews, not to believe the messages of the false prophets, saying:<\/p>\n 23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is the Christ, or, Here; believe it not. 24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you beforehand. 26 If therefore they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the wilderness; go not forth: Behold, he is in the inner chambers; believe it not. 27 For as the lightning cometh forth from the east, and is seen even unto the west; so shall be the coming of the Son of man. 28 Wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together (Matthew 24:23-28).<\/p>\n You will notice that these false prophets and false messiahs will do much more than simply make false claims. They will back up their claims by performing great signs and wonders. So convincing will these signs be that, if possible, those deceivers would lead astray even the people who will be sincerely trying to remain faithful to God through those terrible days.<\/p>\n How will they perform these wonders? according to some they will perform sleight-of-hand tricks. This, however, is a hasty conclusion. These will be very unusual and powerful signs. No doubt they will be supernatural wonders\u2014genuine miracles of Satan. Satan always opposes God, and he will be particularly busy during the Time of Jacob’s Trouble.<\/p>\n In order for you to better understand what Jesus predicted, let me give you an example of the activities of some false prophets who operated centuries ago. When Moses appeared to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage, the Spirit of God gave him power to perform miracles. Moses went before Pharaoh and performed certain wonders. Immediately the magicians of Egypt appeared on the scene and duplicated the first two miracles Moses had performed.<\/p>\n How did they do it? There can be only one answer\u2014through the power of Satan. Their signs were just as supernatural and convincing as those performed by Moses. The only difference was the source of their power. The power that energized Moses was that of the holy, eternal God; that which worked through the magicians was from the adversary of the soul\u2014Satan.<\/p>\n These false prophets who will arise in the midst of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble will declare that the Messiah has made His appearance. Some will claim that He is in the city, others will declare that He is in some secret place in the rural districts.<\/p>\n Knowing that the false prophets will try to deceive the people, the Lord Jesus Christ warned His followers against the impostors. In order that they might not be deceived, Christ declared that His coming will be like the flashing of the lightning across the heavens as it passes from the east to the west.<\/p>\n At this point in His prophecy concerning the Tribulation, Jesus made this unusual prediction: „Wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles (the Greek word means vultures<\/i>) be gathered together“ (Matthew 24:28).<\/p>\n What did He mean by this statement?<\/p>\n In order to understand it, we must remember that vultures are attracted by the odors from a decaying carcass. Whenever they scent the presence of something dead, they immediately fly to the scene and soar in the air above the spot where the carcass lies and finally light and feast upon it. This well known fact proved to be a suitable illustration of the point which the Lord Jesus Christ had in mind.<\/p>\n What then in this prediction corresponds to the carcass in the illustration? The answer probably is found in Deuteronomy 28:26: „and thy dead body shall be food unto all birds of the heavens, and unto the beasts of the earth; and there shall be none to frighten them away.“ When we read the passage in its context, we see that the body here referred to can be nothing except the political body of the Jewish nation.<\/p>\n Since we understand that the carcass indicates the Jewish nation, to whom do the vultures refer? The false prophets are no doubt compared to the vultures against whom Christ has given warning. Just as the vultures devour the carcass which they find these false prophets will prey upon the Jews who will not be holding to the truth in the end time and will take advantage of their willingness to believe wild rumors.<\/p>\n Jesus revealed that in addition to the ones who will be led astray by false prophets, there will be others who will grow cold and hard in their attitude toward their fellow Jews. He said, „Because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of many shall wax [grow] cold“ (Matthew 24:12). Jesus Prophecy Concerning the Faithful Remnant of Israel <\/i> But Jesus knew that there will be other Jews who will not yield their lives to the diabolical teachings of the false prophets and the wickedness around them during that time. He spoke of them when He said: „But he that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved [delivered]“ (Matthew 24:13).<\/p>\n Who is the one that endures to the end<\/i> (the end of the Tribulation)?<\/p>\n Among the Jews living during the Tribulation there will be some that follow after truth and righteousness. These will be members of the „remnant of Israel.“ They will not rely upon Antichrist and his world system, but will lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. This faithful remnant will return unto the mighty God.<\/p>\n Isaiah prophesied concerning these saying:<\/p>\n 20 and it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and they that are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more lean upon him that smote them, but shall lean upon Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. 21 A remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. 22 For though thy people, Israel, be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them shall return: a destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness. 23 For a full end, and that determined, will the Lord, Jehovah of hosts, make in the midst of all the earth (Isaiah 10:20-23).<\/p>\n The faithful „remnant of Israel“ that will trust in the Holy One of Israel and return to Him will be made up of Jews who will „endure to the end“ of the Tribulation. When Jesus said, „He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved,“ He was speaking of spiritual endurance, not physical.<\/p>\n What conditions will exist then that will press upon an individual and require spiritual endurance for him to live righteously? Jesus made it clear why spiritual endurance would be required in that day. He prophesied that during the Tribulation anti-Semitism will be rampant, hate will flare among Jews, wickedness will hold high carnival, and false prophets will busily spread their wild rumors. The Proper Attitude for a Jew to Have During the Time of Jacob’s Trouble<\/i> A Jew who sincerely wants to live a righteous life and remain faithful to God’s Word during the Tribulation, therefore, will not harbor malice against anyone; he will not hate or despise his fellow Jews; he will not have any part in the wickedness of that day; and he will not heed the teaching of the false prophets.<\/p>\n Moses, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Habakkuk and other prophets prophesied that some of their people (the faithful remnant) will return to God’s Word and will be obedient to it in that day.<\/p>\n King David sang about the remnant of his people who will live according to truth in God’s word, and who will remain faithful to the Holy One Of Israel throughout the time of Jacob’s trouble. His words are as follows:<\/p>\n 3 Who shall ascend into the hill of Jehovah? And who shall stand in his holy place [during the Golden Era]? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; Who hath not lifted up his soul unto falsehood, And hath not sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive a blessing from Jehovah, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek after him, That seek thy face, even Jacob (Psalm 24:3-6).<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The Effect of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble upon Three Groups of Jews<\/i> The Time of Jacob’s Trouble will indeed be a time of unprecedented suffering and testing for the Jewish people. Some will be so godless and wicked that they will harden their hearts against God in that day and refuse to repent; for them that day will be the entrance into eternal darkness and endless suffering. Others will repent and turn to God with their whole heart while His judgments are being poured out upon the earth; these will be „born again“ and will enter into eternal life in the presence of God, their Savior. Still others, the „faithful remnant“ among the Jews, will be seeking after God, and striving to obey His word during the Time of Jacob’s Trouble; these will be miraculously protected throughout the Tribulation; they will repent of their sins and wholeheartedly turn to God at the very end of that time, and will enter into the glorious Golden Era.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \n \n THE WORLD-WIDE SCOPE OF THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE<\/b> Everyone living upon the earth during the Tribulation will be affected by the earth-shaking, earth-shaping events that will occur. Rich and poor. Young and old. Employer and employee. Industrialist and farmer. Businesswoman and housewife. If you<\/i> are here then, these events are going to have a direct effect upon your life.<\/p>\n The events that will take place during that day were shown to the prophets in vision. These visions were not fantasies. That which was seen in vision will one day be a reality. „Surely the Lord Jehovah will do nothing, except he reveal his secret unto his servants the prophets“ (Amos 3:7). The prophet Isaiah was an eyewitness in vision of many things that will happen during the Day of the Lord. One of his visions is recorded in Isaiah 2:12-22.<\/p>\n 12 For there shall be a day of Jehovah of hosts upon all that is proud and haughty, and upon all that is lifted up; and it shall be brought low; 13 and upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan, 14 and upon all the high mountains, and upon all the hills that are lifted up, 15 and upon every lofty tower, and upon every fortified wall, 16 and upon all the ships of Tarshish, and upon all the pleasant imagery. 17 And all the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; and Jehovah alone shall be exalted in that day. 18 And the idols shall utterly pass away. 19 And men shall go into the caves of the rocks, and into the holes of the earth, from before the terror of Jehovah, and from the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth. 20 In that day men shall cast away their idols of silver, and their idols of gold, which have been made for them to worship, to the moles and to the bats; 21 to go into the caverns of the rocks, from before the terror of Jehovah, and the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake mightily the earth. 22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of?<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n As you read the next prophecy, remember the city of Babylon will be prominent during the last days. As has already been mentioned as a sign of the times<\/i>, ancient Babylon will be resurrected and become a great political, economical, and cultural power during the last days. The first part of the prophecy is world wide in scope (vss. 6-16). Then it narrows down to a specific prophecy about the city of Babylon, which will be the most wicked city on the face of the earth during the end days (vss. 19-22).<\/p>\n 6 Wail ye; for the day of Jehovah is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty shall it come. 7 Therefore shall all hands be feeble, and every heart of man shall melt: 8 and they shall be dismayed; pangs and sorrow shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman in travail: they shall look in amazement one at another; their faces shall be faces of flame. 9 Behold, the day of Jehovah cometh, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger; to make the land a desolation, and to destroy the sinners thereof out of it. 10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light; the sun shall be darkened in it’s going forth, and the moon shall not cause its light to shine. 11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. 12 I will make a man more rare than fine gold, even a man than the pure gold of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will make the heavens to tremble, and the earth shall be shaken out of its place, in the wrath of Jehovah of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger. 14 And it shall come to pass, that as the chased roe, and as sheep that no man gathereth, they shall turn every man to his own people, and shall flee every man to his own land. 15 Every one that is found shall be thrust through; and every one that is taken shall fall by the sword. 16 Their infants also shall be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses shall be rifled, and their wives ravished (Isaiah 13:6-16).<\/p>\n What a burden Isaiah carried! Wouldn’t you have a heavy burden if you saw New York city or London or Tokyo, being destroyed\u2014old people, women, children, babies being wiped out by the thousands?<\/p>\n The fierce anger of the Lord will lay waste the land, destroy the sinners, cause the moon and stars to cease shining and cause the sun to be darkened. He is going to punish the world for its evil.<\/p>\n Ancient Babylon, having come out of its grave, will play a most vital role in the end time\u2014only to be cast down from the pedestal of human glory.<\/p>\n 19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans pride, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. 20 It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall shepherds make their flocks to lie down there. 21 But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and ostriches shall dwell there, and wild goats shall dance there. 22 And wolves shall cry in their castles, and jackals in the pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged (Isaiah 19-22).<\/p>\n The site of Babylon will be marked by the ruins of the overthrow as were Sodom and Gomorrah. It will remain notoriously desolate all during the Golden Era.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Edom is another place that is going to be severely punished in the Tribulation. Let’s read part of a sermon that the prophet Obadiah preached to the Edomites:<\/p>\n 10 For the violence done to thy brother Jacob, shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off forever. 11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that strangers carried away his substance, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them. 12 But look not thou on the day of thy brother in the day of his disaster, and rejoice not over the children of Judah in the day of their destruction: neither speak proudly in the day of distress. 13 Enter not into the gate of my people in the day of their calamity; yea, look not thou on their affliction in the day of their calamity. 14 and stand thou not in the crossway, to cut off those of his that escape; and deliver not up those of his that remain in the day of distress (Obadiah 10-14).<\/p>\n Obadiah warned the Edomites of the consequences of the violence they will do to Jews during the Tribulation. He told them they will become an accomplice with other nations that ransack Jerusalem. He warned them that whatever crime they commit against the Jews will return upon their own head. „For the day of Jehovah is near upon all the nations: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee; thy dealing shall return upon thine own head (Obadiah 15).<\/p>\n When anyone wrongs the Jewish people he touches the „apple of God’s eye,“ and he surely will suffer for it. God said of Abraham and his descendants, „I will bless them that bless thee, and him that curseth thee will I curse.“<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n One of the most comprehensive prophecies about God’s dealings with the earth and its inhabitants during the Tribulation is found in Isaiah chapter 24.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 24<\/b> Behold, Jehovah maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with he maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with he taker of interest, so with he giver of interest to him. 3 The earth shall be utterly emptied, and utterly laid waste; for Jehovah hath spoken this word. 4 The earth mourneth and fadeth away, the lofty people of the earth do languish. 5 The earth is polluted under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are found guilty: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. 7 The new wine mourneth, the vine languisheth, all the merry hearted do sigh. 8 The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth. 9 They shall not drink wine with a song; strong drink shall be bitter to them that drink it. 10 The waste city is broken down; every house is shut up, that no man may come in 11 There is a crying in the streets because of the wine; all joy is darkened, the mirth of the land is gone. 12 In the city is left desolation, and the gate is smitten with destruction. 13 For thus shall it be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, as the shaking of an olive tree, as the gleanings when the vintage is done.<\/p>\n 14 These shall lift up their voice, they shall shout; for the majesty of Jehovah they cry aloud from the sea. 15 Wherefore glorify ye Jehovah in the east, even the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea. 16 From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs: Glory to the righteous.<\/p>\n But I said, I pine away, I pine away, woe is me! the treacherous have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous have dealt very treacherously. 17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth. 18 and it shall come to pass, he who fleeth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and he that cometh up out of the midst of the pit shall be taken in the snare: for the windows on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. 19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is rent asunder, the earth is shaken violently. 20 The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway to and fro like a hammock: and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again (Isaiah 24:1-20).<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Notice some of the facts Isaiah brings to our attention. During the Tribulation period\u2014<\/p>\n God will empty the earth, make it waste and turn it upside down. The north pole will be where the south pole is, and vise a versa.<\/p>\n People will flee from populated areas.<\/p>\n All will suffer alike; it will make no difference who they are or what they have.<\/p>\n The people of the earth will become so corrupt that they will bring the great destruction upon themselves.<\/p>\n The gay life of the cocktail lounges, night clubs and taverns will cease.<\/p>\n Alcoholics are going to be numerous. They will be miserable and drink will be bitter to them.<\/p>\n Waste and destruction are going to be on every hand throughout the world.<\/p>\n Isaiah saw the destruction of life and property and the dismal social conditions resulting from the Tribulation judgments that God was pouring out upon the world. Then he saw something that lifted his spirit to great heights of ecstasy. He draws our attention to what he saw saying:<\/p>\n 14 These shall lift up their voice, they shall shout; for the majesty of Jehovah they cry aloud from the sea. 15 Wherefore glorify ye Jehovah in the east, even the name of Jehovah, the God of Israel, in the isles of the sea. 16 From the uppermost part of the earth have we heard songs: Glory to the righteous (Isaiah 24:14-16).<\/p>\n Here in the midst of his prophecy about the terrible judgments of the Tribulation, Isaiah mentions a group who will be praising God and giving glory to Him during those days. Do you know whom Isaiah is talking about here?<\/p>\n Remember, one of the purposes of the Tribulation is to cause many to turn from their wicked ways and place their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah, no doubt, saw the 144,000 Jewish servants of God (Revelation 7) teaching their dejected fellowmen who are under the trials of the Tribulation days. The 144,000 servants of God cry aloud exhorting their fellowmen to glorify the Lord, even Jehovah, the God of Israel. They shout this message throughout the earth. Then Isaiah heard songs coming from the uttermost parts of the earth, sung by those who respond to the message of the 144,000. They rejoice because they have come to know God through Jesus Christ, and they sing a hymn, „Glory to the Righteous.“<\/p>\n Those who have put their trust in Christ today sing songs that express a note of joy and rejoicing similar to that which Isaiah heard in his vision. One of the Christian hymns reads as follows:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n When all my labors and trials are o’er, Chorus But now back to what Isaiah saw and heard. On one hand he heard a group of people who had been brought out of spiritual darkness rejoicing in the face of the extreme difficulties of that day. On the other hand, he saw men, women and young people who were gloomy and discouraged. It will take a miracle in a person’s life, even the salvation of God, to cause him to rejoice in those days, when a tyrant will be wielding a whip over the inhabitants of the earth. The treacherous tyrant Antichrist will deal treacherously. Remember Hitler? Antichrist will be far more diabolical that Hitler. Remember the Gestapo? Antichrist’s henchmen will be far more sadistic than the Gestapo.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Lord Jesus, the Messiah, confirmed some of Isaiah’s statements on a certain occasion. (When a New Testament prophet spoke about what is to happen during the day of the Lord, he only confirmed what the prophets of old had spoken.) Jesus told four of His disciples, Andrew, Peter, James and John, that some catastrophic changes would take place in the heavens and on the earth during the Tribulation. He said:<\/p>\n 25 And there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; 26 men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens shall be shaken (Luke 21:25,26).<\/p>\n Let us compare Jesus‘ statements with some things Isaiah said about the end days: Jesus said: „There shall be signs in the sun and moon and stars … the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.“<\/p>\n Isaiah said: „The windows on high are opened.“<\/p>\n Jesus said: „There shall be … upon the earth distress of the nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the billows; men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world.“<\/p>\n Isaiah said: „The foundations of the earth tremble. The earth is utterly broken, the earth is rent asunder … The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and shall sway to and fro like a hammock.“<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n God revealed all the major Tribulation events to the Old Testament prophets, but he did not show any of them the sequence in which the events will take place. He chose to reveal the chronological order of Tribulation events to the apostle John in a vision about 96 A.D. John was on the Isle of Patmos at the time.<\/p>\n The chronological order of events, as seen by John, are recorded in the book of Revelation, chapters 6, 8 and 9 and 16. People living during the Tribulation period can study these chapters and determine the progress of events.<\/p>\n John wrote the book of Revelation in graphic and symbolic language. In it he quoted the Old Testament prophets 285 times and made 550 references to the things they taught. In the greater portion of his book, he describes what will take place during the Tribulation and its aftermath. That portion includes chapters 4 through 20.<\/p>\n The Time of Jacob’s Trouble will start ticking off when the Jewish leaders sign a contract with Antichrist (Daniel 9:27). As soon as this takes place, the Tribulation will begin.<\/p>\n The signing of the contract will appear to be just an ordinary event in the course of world affairs. Few will recognize that Antichrist’s gradual rise to power will be the<\/span> first major Tribulation judgment.<\/i><\/span> God will allow Antichrist’s nefarious reign to become a terror to the inhabitants of the world.<\/p>\n The<\/span> second judgment <\/i><\/span>will be World War I of the tribulation. It will also seem to be an ordinary happening.<\/p>\n The<\/span> third judgment<\/i><\/span> will be a world-wide famine. It likewise will be looked upon as just another tragic event that will go down in history.<\/p>\n The<\/span> fourth judgment <\/i><\/span>will be a severe local war. From man’s viewpoint it will be another usual event.<\/p>\n The<\/span> fifth judgment <\/i><\/span>will be a world-wide martyrdom of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. To many this will seem to be nothing more than a wide-spread pogrom to annihilate those who believe in God and His Messiah.<\/p>\n While these judgments are taking place, few will be aware that God is behind the scenes silently directing the judgment to become more severe that the previous one.<\/p>\n When the sixth judgment <\/i>occurs, a mighty earthquake will take place. Concurrent with the earthquake, the sun will cease to give its light, the moon will become blood, and the stars of heaven will fall upon earth. Then men will begin to notice that God is pouring out His wrath upon the world. All of the judgments from the sixth through the last, the 19th, will be so severe that men will know that they are being meted out under the direct and sovereign order of the Almighty.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n A „Countdown“ of Tribulation Events The following is a „countdown“ of the Tribulation events as they are listed in Revelation, chapters 6,8 and 9 and 16. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n How God’s Judgments Will Affect Mankind<\/i><\/center><\/p>\n God’s judgments will be terrible in the earth\u2014matched only by man’s terrible sins that compelled Him to visit His wrath upon the inhabitants of the world. He must send His judgments because the earth will be polluted under its inhabitants who have transgressed His laws, violated His statutes, and broken the everlasting covenant\u00b9. Read again Isaiah 24:5,6.<\/p>\n The judgments of the Tribulation will affect men everywhere in one of two ways. On the one hand, they will drive many men to their extremity, causing them to seek the mercy and help of their Creator. All of them who turn to the Lord by faith will experience His salvation, even life eternal in His presence and glory. On the other hand, the fierceness of God’s wrath will cause others to harden their wicked hearts so that they arrogantly blaspheme and defy the Holy One, the Lord Jesus Christ, and will „suffer punishment, even eternal destruction from the face of the Lord and from the glory of His Might.“<\/p>\n Footnote:<\/p>\n \u00b9 The everlasting covenant is given in Genesis 9:1-7. The provisions of the covenant are: 1) Men may eat meat for food. 2) They are to set up their own form of civil government. 3) They are to enforce capital punishment. 4) They are to multiply and bring forth abundantly in the earth.<\/span><\/p>\n \n FALSE MESSIAH’S REIGN OF TERROR Beginning with Moses, most of the Old Testament prophets wrote about a coming world dictator and his nefarious reign. New Testament writers describe this great dictator as the false messiah and call him Antichrist. Antichrist will be one of the leading characters during the Time of Jacob’s Trouble. Since he will have almost unlimited power and authority over his subjects during part of his reign, everyone should acquaint himself with what the Bible teaches about him.<\/p>\n Antichrist’s cunning devices and atrocious reign will entrap and enslave multitudes. Knowing of his connivings will keep many from becoming the victims of his treacherous schemings. The Bible says, „And such as do wickedly against the covenant [the law] shall he [Antichrist] pervert by flatteries; but the people that know their God shall be strong“ (Daniel 11:32).<\/p>\n Antichrist’s identity will be revealed the moment he signs a seven-year contract with leaders of the nation of Israel\u2014the contract of Daniel’s 70th week.<\/span><\/p>\n Daniel’s Description of Antichrist<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n The prophet Daniel had reference to Antichrist when he wrote about the willful king<\/i> who will rule over the earth in the end days. Here are Daniel’s words:<\/p>\n 36 And the king shall do accordingly 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 he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done. 37 Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all. 38 But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 And he shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: whosoever acknowledgeth him, he will increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price (Daniel 11:36-39).<\/p>\n Daniel fills out many more details of the picture of Antichrist elsewhere in his book. He will be a „contemptible person“ among world leaders in the beginning of his rise to power and will gain authority and influence by his flatteries. He will rise to world prominence along with ten other kings. Daniel’s prophecy implies that he will engage in military operations against some of the other ten kings during the early part of his reign. After he succeeds in killing three of these kings, he will gain sway over the remaining seven.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Antichrist’s Reign Described in Revelation<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n Details concerning Antichrist’s reign are set forth in the book of Revelation. There we are told that in the midst of his reign, an image of Antichrist will be set up in the Temple on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem. All the inhabitants of the earth will be required to worship his image. Those who refuse will be condemned to die. In addition to this, a decree will go out into all the world commanding the rich and poor, free and slave to take Antichrist’s mark upon their right hand, or upon their forehead; no one may buy or sell who does not have Antichrist’s mark upon his body.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n How Antichrist Will Gain Supernatural Power<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n Daniel reveals that all things will be given into his (Antichrist’s) hand for the last three and one-half years of his reign (Daniel 7:25). The prophet’s language indicates that all things will be given into Antichrist’s hands suddenly, and that he will have complete dominion over the whole earth for three and one-half years just before his doom. When Antichrist suddenly becomes world dictator, he will manifest an unusual power. People will marvel at him, saying, „Who is able to war with him?“<\/p>\n How will Antichrist suddenly gain so much power? In order for us to answer this question, let us go back to the beginning of man’s history. Back to the time when, in the Garden of Eden, man first disobeyed God. There in the garden Satan deceived Eve, the first woman, and persuaded her to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil which had been forbidden by God. She gave the fruit to her husband, Adam, and he ate. Because of their disobedience, God cast them out of the Garden of Eden and subjected them to sorrow, suffering and death.<\/p>\n At that time God spoke to Satan, saying: „I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel“ (Genesis 3:15).<\/p>\n Notice what God told Satan: There will be enmity between his (Satan’s) seed and the woman’s seed. <\/i><\/p>\n In Bible language the word seed<\/i> as it is used in (Genesis 3:15), refers to an offspring (seed) of the woman.<\/p>\n Satan is the most powerful creature the Almighty ever created. In the beginning he was a glorious angelic being who reigned in heaven with the Eternal God. He was full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. Afterward he rebelled against God. For this act, God cast him out of Heaven, and he became Satan, the adversary. When God cast him out of Heaven, He did not strip him of his power, however, for it is apparent that since his fall Satan has used his power in every conceivable manner to block the progress of the plans and purposes of God in the earth.<\/p>\n For long ages Satan has been at liberty to walk to and fro upon the earth. Down through man’s history Satan has gone about as an angel of light to deceive, or as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. As an angelic being he has the privilege to accuse the children of men. He is the inveterate enemy of all who worship and serve the true and living God. Satan has a special hatred for the nation of Israel.<\/i> The Bible calls him „the prince of the power of the air,“ and „the god of this world.“<\/p>\n At the middle of the Tribulation, Satan, knowing his doom is prophesied and seeing that the date of his doom is near, will make an all-out effort to thwart God’s plans. Thus the „god of this world, the prince of the power of the air,“ will give his power to the most powerful ruler of the day\u2014Antichrist.<\/p>\n How will Satan do this?<\/p>\n At the middle of the Tribulation period some of the kings of the earth will pit their military strength against Antichrist. This conflict will develop into World War II of the Tribulation.\u00b9 In this war Antichrist will be slain. Then a miracle will happen\u2014his death stroke will be healed and he will live again. This resurrected king will be a supernatural being, for he will be indwelt by Satan who will give him all of his power. Thus Antichrist will literally become Satan’s seed.<\/i><\/p>\n The apostle John gives us a solemn and graphic account of what takes place on this occasion:<\/p>\n 13<\/b> And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads names of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and a great authority.\u00b2 3 and I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the beast; 4 and they worshipped the dragon\u00b3 because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? and who is able to war with him? 5 and there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in heaven. 7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them (Revelation 13:1-7).<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Antichrist’s chief characteristic will be his wicked, atheistic attitude and his hatred of all who worship God. John points out that Antichrist will open his mouth to blaspheme almighty God\u2014he will blaspheme God’s name, His Temple (the Jews‘ Temple in Jerusalem), and even His tabernacle in Heaven. Besides this, he will set his hand to annihilate everyone who stands for the things of God and Messiah.<\/p>\n Daniel wrote that the willful king<\/i>, Antichrist, „shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every God, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods.“<\/p>\n Writing to the church in Thessalonica, the apostle Paul also prophesied that Antichrist will deify himself, He wrote:<\/p>\n 2 The day of the Lord … 3 will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, 4 he that opposeth and exalteth himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sitteth in the temple of God setting himself forth as God (II Thessalonians 2:2-4).<\/p>\n What did Paul mean when he wrote that the day of the Lord will not be until the son of perdition (Antichrist) is revealed? Since Daniel prophesied that Antichrist will be revealed when he signs the contract with the Jews at the beginning of the Tribulation, Paul no doubt referred to that occasion.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n When Paul wrote that the son of perdition will oppose and exalt himself against all that is called God, he surely referred to Daniel’s prophecy about the willful king. <\/i>And there is a prophecy of King David which he probably had in mind also. That prophecy, which follows, is recorded in Psalm 2:1-5:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 1 Why do the nations rage, David, in vision, saw an atheistic, anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, politico-religious conclave of the kings of the earth during the Tribulation\u2014“the day of God’s wrath.“ This conclave will be headed up by Antichrist. These kings will gather together to oppose God, but their council will be a vain thing.<\/p>\n Note the term „set themselves.“ David uses this expression in this prophecy to show that the kings of the earth assemble with their minds already made up to take a stand against God, and His anointed. The Hebrew word translated his anointed<\/i> is literally His Messiah,<\/i> or translated from the Greek, His Christ.<\/i> No doubt it was from this word and this prophecy the New Testament writers name the flattering, treacherous and sadistic king of the end days\u2014Antichrist.<\/p>\n A driving spirit will characterize the kings of whom David speaks, prompting them to assemble themselves and take counsel together. That spirit is a spirit of enmity against God’s Messiah.<\/i> That spirit of enmity will characterize Antichrist, the seed of Satan, in particular.<\/p>\n <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Who is God’s Messiah with Whom Antichrist is at Enmity? <\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Who is God’s Messiah with whom Satan’s seed, Antichrist, is at Enmity?<\/p>\n Undoubtedly the answer to this question can be found by determining who the seed of the woman<\/i> is who is mentioned in Genesis 3:15. In that prophecy God told Satan that there would be enmity between Satan’s seed (Antichrist) and the woman’s seed: „And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, thou shalt bruise his heel.“<\/p>\n Note, the Spirit of God carefully chose the expression „her seed“ in Genesis 3:15. Nowhere else in the Bible is this expression used. A prophecy in Isaiah shows the reason for God’s choice of the expression, „her seed.“ Isaiah, speaking to the house of David (the Jewish nation) said: „The Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel [God with us]“ (Isaiah 7:14). In this prophecy God foretold that a woman who had never been with a man\u2014a virgin\u2014would conceive and give birth to a son, who would be called Immanuel\u2014God with us. Since the offspring of this woman would have no earthly father he would rightly be referred to as the seed of the woman.<\/p>\n Has this prophecy been fulfilled?<\/p>\n Yes. The birth of Jesus the Messiah came in fulfillment of God’s Word through Isaiah.<\/p>\n 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows. When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. 19 And Joseph her husband, being a religious man, and not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly. 20 But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, „Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 „And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.“ 22 Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 23 „BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD, AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,“ which translated means, „God With Us“ (Matthew 1:18-23, New ASB).<\/p>\n Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied concerning Jesus Christ, saying:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n 68 „Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, Again Isaiah prophesied, saying:<\/p>\n 11<\/b> And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse [King David’s father], and a branch out of his roots shall bear fruit. 2 And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of council and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah. 3 And his delight shall be in fear of Jehovah (Isaiah 11:1-3).<\/p>\n Jesus Christ introduced Himself to the Jewish people, saying that He was the One upon Whom the Spirit of Jehovah rested, and that He had come in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecies. (Read Isaiah 61:1-3 and Luke 4:16-30.)<\/p>\n Jesus Christ, therefore, is the Seed of the woman with Whom Satan’s seed Antichrist, will be at enmity.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Beware Antichrist!<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Antichrist’s chief characteristic will be his spirit of enmity against God’s Messiah and against God and all who worship Him. He will use strong efforts to rid the world of the testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ and all who worship God. Antichrist will lead the pogrom against the multitude who will become martyrs for Christ’s sake during the first three and one-half years of the Tribulation (Revelation, chapter 7).<\/p>\n The enmity between Satan’s seed, Antichrist, and the woman’s seed, Jesus Christ, will continue until Messiah crushes Antichrist’s head and strips him of all his power and authority. If any man has an ear, let him hear\u2014Beware Antichrist!<\/p>\n Footnotes:<\/p>\n \u00b9 World War II is described in Daniel, Chapter 11. \n
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\nChapter 7<\/p>\n
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\nThe word of God is chock full of prophecies that tell of the world-wide and universal scope of the judgments of God during the tribulation. Trouble will swirl like a whirlpool around the State of Israel in that day. From there it will reach out and encompass the whole world.<\/p>\n
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\nBabylon Will be Utterly Destroyed<\/i>
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\nAnd I am safe on that beautiful shore,
\nJust to be near the dear Lord I adore,
\nWill through the ages be glory for me.
\nWhen, by the gift of His infinite grace,
\nI am accorded in heaven a place,
\nJust to be there and to look on His face,
\nWill through the ages be glory for me.
\nFriends will be there I have loved long ago;
\nJoy like a river around me will flow;
\nYet, just a smile from my Savior, I know,
\nWill through the ages be glory for me.<\/p>\n
\nO that will be glory for me,
\nGlory for me, glory for me;
\nWhen by His grace I shall look on His face,
\nThat will be glory, be glory for me.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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\nOrder of Tribulation Events Recorded by John in Revelation<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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\n1. The apostle John introduces the Antichrist under the symbol of the rider on the white horse (6:2).
\n2. World War I of the Tribulation period (6:3,4).
\n3. World-wide famine (6:5,6).
\n4. A local war affecting one-quarter of the earth (6:7,8).
\n5. The evil forces declare open season upon those who stand for the word of God, and many become martyrs (6:9-11).
\n6. A great earthquake occurs and the world is plunged into a total blackout. The citizens of the earth of every social strata, from kings to common laborers, hide themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains; and cry out to the mountains and the rocks, „Fall on us, and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of their wrath is come; and who is able to stand?“ (6:12-17).
\n7. A great fire sweeps the earth, destroying one-third part of the trees and all the green grass. Along with this conflagration, hail mingled with blood is cast upon the earth (8:7).
\n8. A great and massive object, probably a huge meteorite, is cast into the sea. It causes a third part of the sea to become blood and destroys one-third part of the creatures of the sea and a third part of the ships at sea (8:8,9).
\n9. A great body falls from heaven. It contaminates one-third of the rivers of the earth. Many men die because the waters are made bitter (8:10,11).
\n10. One-third part of the sun, moon and stars are smitten so that they become darkened. This judgment results in a 16-hour night and an eight-hour day upon earth (8:12).
\n11. A great host of locusts that have the power of scorpions are turned loose upon the earth. They come up in a great smoke from the abyss. The smoke darkens the sun. The locusts do not hurt any vegetation; they hurt only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. The locusts are not permitted to kill men; but they torment men for five months, and their torment is as the torment of a scorpion, when it strikes a man. In those days men will seek death and will not find it. The locusts are demons loosed on the earth (9:1-11).
\n12. Four great angels are loosed in the world. They lead 200 million demons forth to kill one-third part of men who worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass stone, and wood. The idolaters who escape being killed do not repent of their idolatry, nor of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts (9:13-21). <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nThe last seven judgments occur during the last three and one-half years of the 70th week of Daniel’s prophecy. During these years, the intensity of God’s judgments increases.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n13. Men who follow Antichrist suffer noisome and grievous sores upon their bodies (16:2).
\n14. A certain sea becomes blood as of a dead Man. Every living thing in the sea dies (16:3).
\n15. The drinking and domestic waters of the earth become blood. God pours this judgment out upon the wicked to avenge the blood of His saints and the prophets who have been slain during this terrible time (16:4-7).
\n16. Men experience having their bodies scorched with great heat because the normal functioning of the sun is disturbed (16:8,9).
\n17. God’s bowl of wrath is poured out upon the throne of Antichrist, whose kingdom becomes darkened. His subjects gnaw their tongues for pain and blaspheme the Almighty God in heaven because of their pains and their sores (16:10,11).
\n18. The great river Euphrates is dried up, so that the way might be made ready for the kings of the east to march to Har-Magedon for the War of the Great Day of God the Almighty. All of the kings of the earth are gathered together for this great conflict (16:12-16).
\n19. The fierceness of the wrath of God is poured out in the final judgment. An earthquake shakes the earth as no other has done since there were men upon it. Babylon receives the brunt of the fierceness of the wrath of God. Cities of the nations of the earth fall. Islands and mountains vanish and cannot be found. Great hail stones, the weight of a talent (over 100 pounds) come down upon men out of heaven; and men blaspheme God because of the plague of the hail, because it is exceedingly great (16:17-21). <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n
\nDURING THE TIME OF JACOB’S TROUBLE<\/b>
\n<\/span><\/center><\/p>\n
\nDaily, sometimes hourly, a new crisis develops somewhere in the world, or a new personality comes into prominence in world affairs. No one knows what new leader is destined to gain power in the future. No one knows what is going to happen in world affairs from one minute to the next. No one, that is, except the One in Whom we live and move and have our being\u2014the Eternal God. He alone knows the end from the beginning. And from the beginning He has been pleased to reveal facts concerning many prominent men and events of the future through His servants the prophets.<\/p>\n\n
\nAnd the peoples meditate a vain thing?
\n2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
\nAnd the rulers take counsel together,
\nAgainst Jehovah, and against his anointed, saying,
\n3 Let us break their bonds asunder,
\nAnd cast away their cords from us.
\n4 He sitteth in the heavens will laugh:
\nThe Lord will have them in derision.
\n5 Then will he speak unto them in his wrath,
\nAnd vex them in his sore displeasure.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
\nFor He has visited us and accomplished redemption for his people,
\n69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
\nIn the house of David His servant\u2014
\n70 As he spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old\u2014
\n71 Salvation from our enemies,
\nAnd from the hand of all who hate us (Luke 1:68-71, New ASB).<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\n\u00b2 Rev. 13:1,2 describes the last potentate that heads the last great world power of this age.
\n\u00b3 The dragon is Satan. He is probably the foreign god mentioned in Daniel 11:39.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
\n