By David J. Stewart
The
Bible prophecies in numerous Books about the coming horrifying woes of the
Tribulation Period; including Daniel, Zechariah, Matthew, Revelation and
others.
The next event on God's prophetic timetable is the Rapture. This will be the FIRST resurrection (Revelation 20:6). Jesus spoke of this as the “Resurrection of Life” (John 5:29). Jesus called the resurrection of the wicked, the “Resurrection of Damnation” (John 5:29).
We read in 1st Corinthians 15:51-54 about the first resurrection, also known as the doctrine of the RAPTURE (the words “CAUGHT UP” are found in 1st Thessalonians 4:17, clearly teaching the Rapture of the saints from the earth to be with the Lord in the air). Also, the Bible teaches a PREtribulation Rapture. At the Rapture, our human bodies will be changed in a split-second of time into immortal bodies, fashioned according to the glorious resurrected body of our Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:21). You can learn more about THE TWO RESURRECTIONS HERE.
After the FIRST resurrection will follow a 7-year Tribulation here upon the earth, when God will pour out His anger and vengeance upon mankind for their refusal to repent. The sun will scorch men and they will curse God (Revelation 16:8-9). Revelation 6:8 says that one-fourth of the earth's population will be killed by war and famine. Scorpion-like creatures from the bottomless pit will sting men, causing excruciating pain. According to Revelation 9:18, one-third of the population will die just from the scorpion-like monstrous creatures from beneath the earth, but only after 5-months of inflicting bodily afflictions upon their victims which will be worse than death.
There will be a worldwide earthquake so massive that the skyscrapers of all the cities on earth will crumble to the ground. Even the mountains will be shaken out of their place and the islands of the sea will be submerged under water (Revelation 16:19-20). It will be a time of Tribulation such as the world has never known. In fact, the Tribulation will be so horrifying that all mankind would perish from off the face of the earth if God didn't shorten it to only 7-years. Matthew 24:22, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” BILLIONS of people will die horrifying deaths during the Tribulation from the sword by war, famine and pestilence, poisoned by a meteorite (burning just like in the sci-fi thriller movie DEEP IMPACT) which will kill many people and one-third of all life in the sea and rivers (Revelation 8:9-11).
Revelation 8:12 says the sun will be partially blocked out and only shine for two-thirds of a day, which will cause temperatures to plunge to one hundred below zero (just like in the sci-fi thriller movie THE DAY AFTER.) People enjoy watching such horrifying movies now, but it will be a reality in the future (and I believe very soon my friend). People will freeze to death and crops will not grow. The Bible does not provide specifics as to why the sun will not shine as it once did, but I think it is very plausible to conclude a planetary shift in the heavenly bodies (stars, planets, et cetera). It will be a judgment from God (Revelation 8:10). God will cause all of these horrible things to happen, to punish humanity for their wickedness and refusal to repent.
After the unprecedented freezing temperatures
God will scorch men alive with inferno heat from the sun. People today don't
appreciate just how wonderful God's creation is. We take the alignment of
the solar system for granted, saying it
“just happened” that way through evolution. Ungodly professors teach youth
that a “BIG BANG” made it all happen and there is no God. Well, God is going
to teach mankind a lesson or two about science that they'll never forget.
How dare men teach that all the blessings from God are not really from God,
and it all just HAPPENED! Don't you think that insults God and makes Him
angry? Sure it does!
We read in Revelation 16:21 that God will rain down hail upon men weighing one talent. Revelation 16:21, “And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.” I've found all sorts of weights for one talent, the lightest being 57 lbs, the heaviest being 200 lbs. Easton's Bible Dictionary says one talent of weight as 75 lbs. Can you imagine the destruction? People will die from just one hit, instantly. Others will be partially hit and lose arms and legs instantly, much worse than a musket ball from the Civil War. The damage from a speeding metal musket-ball was so devastating that there was no option but to amputate a soldier's limbs. Think about what a speeding 70-100 lb. ice-ball will do to your body!
“...great hail...about the weight of a talent...” (Revelation 16:21)
