A Little Light Reading.
ANY THING BUT SECRET
Chapter One
God’s Warning
In the early 1500s, the Aztec empire was one of the
most powerful and sophisticated civilizations in
the western hemisphere. However, within one year’s
time this mighty nation of over 2 million people was
conquered and enslaved by just 600 men. How did
it happen?
The Aztecs had a prophecy about Quetzalcoatl
(kèt-säl´ko-ä-tal), a legendary feathered god-king who
was light-skinned and bearded. It predicted that he
would return to Mexico from across the sea and that he
would come in the clouds from the east to save them.
Well, in 1519 Spanish galleons arrived in Mexico
carrying a group of conquistadors led by Hernando
Cortez. When the Aztecs saw these ships, they
thought their billowing sails looked like clouds.
Cortez heard about the Aztec legend from some
Indians who lived on the shore and decided to try
to use it to his advantage. By assuming the mantle
of deity, he hoped to befuddle superstitious King
Montezuma II.
While the king was waiting to receive the light-
skinned visitor with honor, Cortez marched his army
right into the center of the Aztec capital. By the time
the people realized that Cortez was not the savior they
were expecting, it was too late.
3.
The conquistadors proceeded to plunder,
enslave and kill the Aztec people. An entire nation
was deceived and destroyed—in part because the
prophecies of their god’s return were so ambigu-
ous that almost anyone could have served as a
counterfeit.
In the near future, Satan will attempt to per-
sonate Jesus and counterfeit His return to earth.
But God’s people need not be deceived. When the
disciples asked Jesus for the sign of His coming
and the end of the world, the very first thing He
told them was to be on guard against impostors.
He said, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For
many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ;
and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4, 5).
Christ then proceeded to give His followers a
wealth of information about His second coming so
there would be no doubt as to how He would return.
Jesus wants us not only to know that He is coming
and that He’s coming soon, but also to understand
the manner of His coming.
The reason this is so important is that Satan
will soon attempt to personate Jesus and counterfeit
His return. To pave the way, Satan has introduced a
strong delusion to the Christian world that has been
almost universally accepted in mainline churches.
I am referring to the popular teaching regarding a
“secret rapture.”
4.
The secret rapture theory was designed to lull
God’s people into a false sense of security and to
prepare them for this final master deception.
The devil knows that Jesus is coming back and that
his remaining time is short (Revelation 12:12). He has
been sharpening his skills of deception for 6,000 years,
and his last masquerade will be his masterpiece.
In fact, God warned that Satan will do such
a convincing job that, if it were possible, even the
very elect would be deceived. Jesus said to His
disciples, “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo,
here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there
shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and
shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that,
if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect”
(Matthew 24:23, 24).
Satan is not an ugly, grotesque, bat-winged crea-
ture wearing a red leotard. He’s an angel—a beautiful,
powerful angel. And the Bible makes it clear that he
is able to transform himself and appear in different
forms. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13, 14). We
must not underestimate how convincing and over-
powering Satan’s final deception will be. I’m sure he
will even quote Scripture, as he did while tempting
Christ in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–6).
5.
The devil also has the ability to create the illusion
of miracles. You will remember that when Moses
went in before Pharaoh to plead for the children of
Israel, the magicians of Egypt were able to duplicate
the first few signs from God (Exodus chapters 7, 8).
Satan is in the business of deception, and we know
that he is saving his greatest deception of all for the
last days. We need to know how Jesus is coming, or
we will be deceived.
The Bible is very clear that when Jesus comes
back, His feet never touch the ground. It says the
righteous will be caught up to meet Him in the air
(1 Thessalonians 4:17). This is why Jesus emphati-
cally warns us, “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look,
He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is
in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the
lightning comes from the east and flashes to the
west, so also will the coming of the Son of man be”
(Matthew 24:26, 27 NKJV).
Satan cannot replicate a worldwide, cataclysmic
event the magnitude of the real second coming.
However, if he can seduce Christians into believing
the secret rapture theory, he won’t need to. He can
simply show up around the world in various places,
perform great miracles, make television appearances,
and thereby deceive the entire world.
Every general knows that the key to victory in
battle is to maintain an element of surprise. Many
6.
battles have been won because of a clever diver-
sionary tactic. While one army was distracted and
looking at the diversion, the enemy came up from
behind to conquer them. In the devil’s final assault,
he will do the same thing. The archdeceiver has
always wanted to be God. Now he knows that he is
doomed, but his last taunting gesture against heaven
will be to personate Jesus and receive the worship of
a lost world.
Satan’s deceptions will be strong and convinc-
ing, but Christ has given us ample information in
order to help us discern truth from error.
Chapter Two
Not a Secret
Will there be a rapture? Yes. Will it be a secret?
NO!
Rapture means “to be carried away with
power,” and it is true that when Jesus comes the
living righteous will be caught up to meet the Lord
in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). But many have
come to believe that this rapture will take place qui-
etly—that faithful Christians all around the world
will suddenly disappear and that life here on earth
will continue for a seven-year period of tribulation.
During this time, they say, many will be converted
and have a “second chance” at salvation before
Christ’s final coming.
7.
Although the secret rapture scenario may appear
comforting at first glance, there is absolutely no
scriptural support for it. The Bible plainly teaches
that when Jesus comes again, every one of our senses
will be bombarded with evidence!
His Coming Will Be Literal
“And when he had spoken these things, while
they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud
received him out of their sight. And while they
looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went
up, behold, two men stood by them in white
apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee,
why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen
him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9–11).
Heaven-sent messengers told the disciples that
Jesus would return to this earth in the same manner
He left. Christ left in the clouds, and He will come
back in the clouds. He was visible when He left, and
He will be visible when He comes again. He had a real
body when He left, and He will return the same way.
His Coming Will Be Visible
“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every
eye shall see him” (Revelation 1:7).
8.
“For as the lightning cometh out of the
east, and shineth even unto the west; so
shall also the coming of the Son of man be”
(Matthew 24:27).
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son
of man in heaven: and then shall all the
tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall
see the Son of man coming in the clouds
of heaven with power and great glory”
(Matthew 24:30).
When Christ comes, it will not be merely a local
sighting or an isolated event. It will be visible across
the entire world.
His Coming Will Be Audible
“For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be
with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).
“The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter
his voice from his holy habitation; he shall
9.
mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give
a shout” (Jeremiah 25:30).
“Our God shall come, and shall not keep
silence: a fire shall devour before him, and
it shall be very tempestuous round about
him” (Psalm 50:3).
As you can see from the preceding Scriptures,
Christ’s second coming will be loud! There will be
shouts and trumpets and all kinds of noise. No one
will accidentally miss it or be able to read about it in
the newspaper the next day.
His Coming Will Be Emotional
“Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for
looking after those things which are com-
ing on the earth: for the powers of heaven
shall be shaken. And then shall they see the
Son of man coming in a cloud with power
and great glory” (Luke 21:26, 27).
“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this
is our God; we have waited for him, and
he will save us: this is the LORD; we have
waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice
in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).
10.
When Christ returns, it will be an emotional
day for the wicked and righteous alike. The lost will
experience indescribable fear and anguish, while
the saved will experience the perfect joy of eternal
salvation.
His Coming Will Open the Graves
“And this is the will of him that sent me,
that every one which seeth the Son, and
believeth on him, may have everlasting
life: and I will raise him up at the last day”
(John 6:40).
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive. But every man in
his own order: Christ the firstfruits; after-
ward they that are Christ’s at his coming”
(1 Corinthians 15:22, 23).
“For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be
with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).
11.
This is the Bible’s description of the rapture.
The dead in Christ will rise by His power and will
meet Him in the air. Afterward the faithful who
are still alive will also be caught up. It will not be
a secret!
His Coming Will Destroy the Earth
“The earth is utterly broken down, the
earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved
exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro
like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a
cottage; and the transgression thereof shall
be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not
rise again” (Isaiah 24:19, 20).
“And the heaven
Faith Ramsingh departed as a scroll
when it is rolled together; and every moun-
tain and island were moved out of their
places” (Revelation 6:14).
“And there were voices, and thunders, and
lightnings; and there was a great earthquake,
such as was not since men were upon the
earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
And the great city was divided into three
parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and
great Babylon came in remembrance before
12.
God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of
the fierceness of his wrath. And every island
fled away, and the mountains were not
found” (Revelation 16:18–20).
This world will be uninhabitable by people after
Christ comes. His coming will shake the very foun-
dations of the earth.
His Coming Will Mean Final Judgment
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory
of his Father with his angels; and then he
shall reward every man according to his
works” (Matthew 16:27).
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my
reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be”
(Revelation 22:12).
It is at Christ’s return that we will receive our
final reward. Each person’s decision will have already
been made; there will be no second chance to con-
vert. The time to make a decision to follow Christ
is now!
13.
Chapter Three
Basis for Confusion
With so much evidence in the Bible as to the
manner of Christ’s coming, how did people
get the idea that the rapture will be a secret event?
As with most deceptions, the secret rapture
theory is based on a few texts that have been taken
out of context. Two main concepts in Scripture have
been used to substantiate a “secret” rapture.
The primary one is that Jesus will come as “a
thief in the night.” The secret rapture theory assumes
this means that Christ will come secretly to steal away
the righteous and carry them quietly to heaven.
Christ’s coming is described as “a thief several
times throughout the New Testament. Let’s look at
one of these passages and see if it describes a secret
rapture. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief
in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass
away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that
are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). That
doesn’t sound like a secret event, does it?
In describing His return as a thief, Christ did
not intend to show that it would be quiet, but that it
would be sudden and unexpected—that the wicked
would be taken by surprise. He said, “If the goodman
of the house had known what hour the thief would
come, he would have watched, and not have suffered
14.
his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore
ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour
when ye think not” (Luke 12:39, 40). Likewise, Paul
told the Christians in Thessalonica, “But ye, breth-
ren, are not in darkness, that that day should over-
take you as a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5:4). God does
not want His followers to be surprised. He wants us
to be watchful and ready.
To further illustrate this truth, Jesus said, “No
one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his
goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And
then he will plunder his house” (Mark 3:27 NKJV).
Can you picture a homeowner being oblivious
to a robbery if the thief just broke into the man’s
house, tied him up and threw him in a closet, and
then ransacked the place while searching for valu-
ables? Of course not!
In the same way, the day and hour of the second
coming is a secret, but when the glorious event tran-
spires, all will know!
The second concept used to support a “secret”
coming is found in Luke 17:34–36: “I tell you, in
that night there shall be two men in one bed; the
one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Two women shall be grinding together; the one
shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall
be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the
other left.”
15.
Secret rapture proponents say this passage
proves that the saints will suddenly disappear from
the earth when Jesus returns. But let’s take an honest
look at the evidence and see what these verses actu-
ally teach.
In Luke 17:34–36, Jesus employs some of His
favorite symbols to illustrate a simple point. At the
end of time, there will be just two groups of people
living upon the earth—the lost and the saved.
Two Men In One Bed
A bed generally connotes sleep, and Jesus used
sleep as a symbol of death. He said to the disciples,
“Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may
awake him out of sleep.” “Then said Jesus unto them
plainly, Lazarus is dead” (John 11:11, 14). In the
resurrection at the last day, there will be two kinds
of people sleeping in the grave—the lost and the
saved.
Two Women Grinding Together
In Bible prophecy, a woman is a symbol of
a church (Jeremiah 6:2). Grinding grain rep-
resents working with the Word of God. When
Christ comes in glory, there will be two kinds of
churches—the false and the true. Both will be
outwardly doing the same thing, but only one will
be redeemed.
16.
Two Men In The Field
The field represents the world (Matthew 13:38).
When Jesus comes again, there will be two kinds of
missionaries laboring out in the field—the false and
the true. This is why He said, “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” (Matthew 7:22, 23).
Chapter Four
Not Left Behind
Another common misconception contained in
the secret rapture theory is that people will
continue to live here on earth for several years after
Christ’s return. However, the Bible clearly teaches
that when Jesus comes next, there will be no one left
alive on this planet.
For example, in his prophecy about the end of
the age, Jeremiah wrote: “I beheld the earth, and,
lo, it was without form, and void’, and the heavens,
and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and,
lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I
beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds
of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruit-
ful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof
were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and
17.
by his fierce anger” (Jeremiah 4:23–26, emphasis
added).
In another place he declared, “And the slain of
the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the
earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall
not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they
shall be dung upon the ground” (Jeremiah 25:33).
The prophet Isaiah describes the same dismal
conditions in his prophecy of the state of the earth
following the second coming. “Behold, the LORD
maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and
turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the
inhabitants thereof.” “The land shall be utterly emp-
tied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken
this word” (Isaiah 24:1, 3 emphasis added).
Last but not least, consider the following pas-
sage of Scripture: “And as it was in the days of Noe
[Greek for ‘Noah’], so shall it be also in the days of
the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they mar-
ried wives, they were given in marriage, until the day
that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came,
and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the
days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought,
they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same
day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even
thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is
revealed” (Luke 17:26–30 emphasis added).
18.
Notice that the wicked were destroyed on the
same day that the Flood came to Noah and on the
same day that the fire came to Sodom. Jesus empha-
sizes at both the beginning and the end of this pas-
sage that these earlier judgments, which destroyed all
of the wicked, were examples of what would happen
at His second coming. The Bible is crystal clear that
life on earth does not continue for either man or
beast after Jesus comes.
Chapter Five
Through the Tribulation With Christ
The idea that the righteous will all be raptured
out of the world just before the time of trouble
and that only the wicked will be left behind to endure
seven years of tribulation can be very appealing.
Perhaps that is why this doctrine has gained such
widespread acceptance. But the Bible clearly teaches
otherwise.
The phrase “seven years of tribulation” does
not appear anywhere in Scripture. However, Jesus
did say that a terrible time of trouble would come
upon the world just before His return and that it
would be more intense than any other in the his-
tory of this world. In His great prophetic discourse
on the Mount of Olives, Jesus made the following
statement: “For then shall be great tribulation, such
as was not since the beginning of the world to this
19.
time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days
should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved:
but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened”
(Matthew 24:21, 22).
If the elect were not in the world during the
great tribulation, they would not need the days to
be shortened!
All throughout Scripture we see examples of
the Lord saving His people through tribulation, not
from it.
• Noah was not saved from the Flood, but through it.
• Daniel was not saved from the lions’ den, but
through it.
• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not
saved from the fiery furnace, but through it. In
fact, Jesus went through it with them, and He
will go through the great tribulation with us, as
well!
• The children of Israel were not saved from Egypt
before the plagues fell, but afterward. God dem-
onstrated His love and power by preserving them
in Egypt through the 10 plagues. In the same
way, the righteous will be in the world when the
seven last plagues fall (Revelation chapter 16),
but God will preserve them.
God never promises that our lives will always be
easy. Christ prayed to His Father for His disciples, “I
20.
pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the
world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the
evil [one]” (John 17:15). Likewise, in 2 Timothy 3:12
Paul states, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus
shall suffer persecution.” Paul also told a group of
disciples that “We must through much tribulation
enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).
In His parable of the two home builders, Jesus
taught that the storm comes to the wise man who
builds on the rock just as surely as it comes to the
fool who builds upon the sand (Matthew 7:24–27).
The storm will come to all.
The good news is that God’s children will
survive the coming tribulation. They will endure
by practicing some of the same survival skills used
by the Great Basin bristlecone pine. Believed to be
one of the oldest living trees on the planet, it can
live more than 4,000 years. Found on lonely moun-
taintops, some of these ancient evergreens have
weathered thousands of years of intense freezing
wind, pounding rain, scorching sun, and violent
electrical storms.
How do they manage to survive such harsh,
adverse conditions? They send their roots deep, wrap
them tenaciously around a solid rock, and hang on.
In the same way, the saints will have to sink their
roots of faith deep into the Word of God and cling
tenaciously to the mighty Rock of Ages.
21.
Remember that even though God does not
always provide an escape from tribulation, He does
promise to give us the power and strength to get
through it. “I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
Chapter Six
Times of Trouble
As we discuss the great tribulation to take place
just before Jesus returns, keep in mind that
there have been several other “times of trouble” for
God’s people in the past.
For example, the children of Israel endured 400
years of tribulation just before the Exodus (Acts 7:6).
The early Christians also passed through a time of
trouble immediately after the stoning of Stephen
(Acts 8:1). From A.D. 303–313, during the era rep-
resented by the Smyrna church (Revelation 2:10),
God’s people suffered a 10–year period of tribula-
tion. But perhaps the most notable time of trouble
was the 1,260 years of intense persecution waged
against true Christians during the Dark Ages. “And
the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath
a place prepared of God, that they should feed her
there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”
“And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the
earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth
the man child” (Revelation 12:6, 13).
22.
As dark as each of these times was for God’s peo-
ple, none will compare with the final, great tribula-
tion that is yet to take place. The great tribulation cor-
responds with the time during which the seven last
plagues of Revelation chapter 16 will fall. “And I saw
another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven
angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is
filled up the wrath of God” (Revelation 15:1).
God’s wrath will be directed against the ones
who disobey His law, distort His truth, and oppress
His people. “For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness”
(Romans 1:18).
The great tribulation also coincides with the
Battle of Armageddon. Both take place immediately
before Christ’s second coming. “And he gathered
them together into a place called in the Hebrew
tongue Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured
out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice
out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying,
It is done” (Revelation 16:16, 17).
It is my belief that the great time of trouble will
last only a month or two. Here are a few Scriptures
that indicate it will be a short period of time.
Revelation 18:8 tells us, “Therefore shall
her plagues come in one day.” A “day” in Bible
prophecy represents one literal year (Ezekiel 4:6;
23.
Numbers 14:34; Luke 13:32). So when Revelation
says that “her plagues come in one day,” it means
within, or less than, one year’s time.
Furthermore, the very nature of the seven last
plagues—the rivers and seas turning to blood and
the planet being scorched with great heat—would
render it impossible for the human race to survive
more than a month or two. This is why Jesus said,
“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh
would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days
will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22 NKJV).
Chapter Seven
Just Before the Plagues
Since the experience of the children of Israel just
before the plagues fell on Egypt is a type, or sym-
bol, of what will happen to God’s people before the
seven last plagues described in Revelation chapter 16,
let’s examine that story more closely.
After 400 years of slavery, the Israelites had
become influenced by the religion of Egypt and
had lost sight of God’s law. So before Moses and
Aaron met with the Pharaoh, they first met with
the leaders of Israel to encourage a revival of com-
mitment to God’s law—including the Sabbath of
creation (Exodus 4:29–31). The people responded
wholeheartedly, which is why the Pharaoh got angry
and said to Moses and Aaron, “You make them rest
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from their labor!” (Exodus 5:5, NKJV). Remember
that the children of Israel knew the Sabbath was part
of God’s law before they ever came to Mount Sinai
(Exodus 16:22–28).
Likewise, before the onset of the great tribula-
tion, special attention will once again be called to the
subject of worship and the Sabbath commandment.
In Revelation 14:7, an angel calls God’s people to
“worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the
sea, and the fountains of waters.” The angel is clearly
quoting from the Sabbath commandment, which
says, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and
earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the
seventh day” (Exodus 20:11).
A widespread rediscovery of the law of God,
including the Sabbath truth, will be the alarm
that wakes the dragon to fury. The devil hates the
Sabbath because he knows that all love relationships
are built upon time. If he can destroy the day that
was set apart for God’s people to spend quality time
with their Creator, he can destroy the relationship.
We see this happen over and over again between
husbands and wives or between fathers and sons. If
two people stop spending quality time together, soon
the relationship will fall apart.
When the children of Israel responded to
God’s call to keep the seventh-day Sabbath holy, the
Pharaoh became furious. He knew that as long as
25.
the people focused only on work, work, work, they
would have no time to think about freedom. The
devil is using the very same strategy today. His goal
is to keep people so busy with work and so preoccu-
pied with the cares of this life that they have no time
to worship their Creator. He knows that if he can
cause people to neglect the Sabbath rest, they will
never have time to think seriously of salvation.
Looking down through history to the end of
time, the Lord knew that His faithful people would
keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. That
is why, in connection with the tribulation, Jesus
advises His followers to “pray ye that your flight
be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day”
(Matthew 24:20).
Another way in which this small time of trouble
will resemble the period of time just before the
plagues fell on Egypt is that God’s people will be
called upon to endure a period of bitter hardship.
In Moses’ day, the angry Pharaoh tried to turn the
hearts of his Israelite slaves against their God by
forcing them to produce the usual quota of bricks
without providing the necessary straw.
In the same way, before the tribulation the gov-
ernment will use political and economic sanctions
to pressure God’s end-time people into receiving the
mark of the beast. During this time the saints will
be called upon to share their faith in the face of stiff
26.
social, political and religious opposition. “And that
no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark,
or the name of the beast, or the number of his name”
(Revelation 13:17).
When this fails to deter the people of God
from obedience, there will be a final death decree.
The Bible says, “And he had power to give life unto
the image of the beast, that the image of the beast
should both speak, and cause that as many as would
not worship the image of the beast should be killed”
(Revelation 13:15). At this time, the great tribulation
begins and the seven last plagues start to fall.
The time of trouble begins with the wrath
of the devil against God’s obedient children
(Revelation 12:17) and ends with the wrath
of God against the ones who obey the beast
(Revelation 14:9, 10).
Chapter Eight
No Second Chance
The main reason this last period of time will be
so intense is because it will come after probation
closes for the lost. God gave the very first prophecy
about it to His servant Daniel, who wrote, “At that
time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which
standeth for the children of thy people: and there
shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since
there was a nation even to that same time: and at that.
27.
time thy people shall be delivered, every one that
shall be found written in the book” (Daniel 12:1).
Notice that when the great tribulation begins, the
cases of all people will have been forever decided.
The door of salvation and grace will close
for the world—just as the door on the ark closed
seven days before the Flood began. At that time
Jesus will declare, “He that is unjust, let him be
unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy
still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous
still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And,
behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me,
to give to every man according as his work shall be”
(Revelation 22:11, 12).
For the first time in the world’s history, God’s
Spirit will be completely withdrawn from the lost.
The unsaved will be given wholly over to demonic
control. The saved will be forever sealed and the lost
forever lost. No more changing teams!
Chapter Nine
God on Trial
If no one is converted by the plagues, then why
does the Lord allow them?
For thousands of years God’s Spirit has worked
in the hearts of men. But He has warned that this
would not always be so (Genesis 6:3). Satan must
have an opportunity to demonstrate what a world
28.
that is completely under his power would be like.
And so God will finally allow the winds of strife to
blow unhindered—but not before His servants are
sealed (Revelation 7:1–3).
The great tribulation will prove to the universe
that nothing—not even the worst conditions in the
history of the world—would change the characters
of those still alive upon the earth. God’s people will
trust Him no matter what, and His enemies will
rebel against Him no matter what.
Sometimes adversity brings a lost soul to
repentance, but as the seven last plagues are being
poured out, the wicked will reveal that there are no
longer any redeemable threads in their fabric. The
following three verses prove this point:
“The fourth angel poured out his vial upon
the sun; and power was given unto him
to scorch men with fire. And men were
scorched with great heat, and blasphemed
the name of God, which hath power over
these plagues; and they repented not to give
him glory” (Revelation 16:8, 9).
“They blasphemed the God of heav-
en because of their pains and their
sores, and did not repent of their deeds”
(Revelation 16:11 NKJV).
29.
“Men blasphemed God because of the
plague of the hail; for the plague thereof
was exceeding great” (Revelation 16:21).
Chapter Ten
No Need to Fear
Perhaps your picture of the great tribulation has
always resembled this terrifying recipe:
Pour the entire contents of Armageddon
into a pressure cooker, then slowly mix in
the seven last plagues with one full bottle
of Jacob’s trouble and one whole crushed
Babylon. Next, evenly stir in two full boxes
of wrath—one from God and one from
Satan. Cover securely and cook on high.
We all seem to conjure up frightening images
when we think of the coming tribulation. Do your-
self a favor; try this instead. Picture Jesus in a fragile
little boat on a dark sea, with the waves mounting
and wind roaring. Mark 4:38–40 records the scene:
“He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on
a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him,
Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose,
and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace,
be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great
calm.”
30.
Then Christ said to them, “Why are ye so fear-
ful? how is it that ye have no faith?” Jesus rested with
the peace of a baby because He lived by faith in His
heavenly Father. One message He delivered repeat-
edly throughout His ministry was “Fear not.”
In John 16:33, Jesus said, “These things I have
spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of
good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
God does not want us to live by fear, but rather
by faith. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love
casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that
feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).
During the world’s darkest hour and greatest
trial, God will supply the greatest peace and faith. We
need only to remember that Jesus is in the boat with
us. Though the furnace be heated seven times over,
we can pass safely through it if Jesus is at our side.
The ninety-first Psalm contains special prom-
ises for those living during the last great tribula-
tion. It says, “You shall not be afraid of the terror
by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of
the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the
destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand
may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your
right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only
with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward
of the wicked” (Psalm 91:5–8, NKJV).
31.
The Psalmist makes it clear we will be in the
midst of the world during the plagues, yet remain
untouched, if God is our refuge. “No evil shall befall
you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling”
(Psalm 91:10 NKJV).
Chapter Eleven
Rescue From the Skies
On Friday, June 2, 1995, Captain Scott O’Grady
was flying his F-16 over Bosnia when the jet
was cut in two by Serbian anti-aircraft fire. He
quickly ejected and parachuted to the ground.
Suddenly he found himself in a different, hostile
world with the entire Serbian army combing every
inch of ground in search of him.
For six days he prayed, often hiding with his
face in the dirt to avoid being seen by enemy sol-
diers passing within a few feet. For six long days he
survived—cold, wet, tired, hungry, eating bugs and
drinking dirty water, calling every night on his little
radio for help from above, running from enemies,
and hiding under bushes.
Then came a daring rescue from the skies. Forty
airships, hundreds of soldiers, satellites, and the
combined technology of all NATO were all engaged
to rescue one hunted soldier.
Will God do less for His people?
32.
When Captain Scott O’Grady returned to the
United States, he was hailed as a hero. Why? Because
he had come out of great tribulation. We too may
have to endure a brief time of trouble, but it will fade
into insignificance when compared with the glorious
moment when Jesus comes crashing through the
skies with His angelic armies to rescue His children.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
A Little Light Reading.
ANY THING BUT SECRET
Chapter One
God’s Warning
In the early 1500s, the Aztec empire was one of the
most powerful and sophisticated civilizations in
the western hemisphere. However, within one year’s
time this mighty nation of over 2 million people was
conquered and enslaved by just 600 men. How did
it happen?
The Aztecs had a prophecy about Quetzalcoatl
(kèt-säl´ko-ä-tal), a legendary feathered god-king who
was light-skinned and bearded. It predicted that he
would return to Mexico from across the sea and that he
would come in the clouds from the east to save them.
Well, in 1519 Spanish galleons arrived in Mexico
carrying a group of conquistadors led by Hernando
Cortez. When the Aztecs saw these ships, they
thought their billowing sails looked like clouds.
Cortez heard about the Aztec legend from some
Indians who lived on the shore and decided to try
to use it to his advantage. By assuming the mantle
of deity, he hoped to befuddle superstitious King
Montezuma II.
While the king was waiting to receive the light-
skinned visitor with honor, Cortez marched his army
right into the center of the Aztec capital. By the time
the people realized that Cortez was not the savior they
were expecting, it was too late.
3.
The conquistadors proceeded to plunder,
enslave and kill the Aztec people. An entire nation
was deceived and destroyed—in part because the
prophecies of their god’s return were so ambigu-
ous that almost anyone could have served as a
counterfeit.
In the near future, Satan will attempt to per-
sonate Jesus and counterfeit His return to earth.
But God’s people need not be deceived. When the
disciples asked Jesus for the sign of His coming
and the end of the world, the very first thing He
told them was to be on guard against impostors.
He said, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For
many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ;
and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:4, 5).
Christ then proceeded to give His followers a
wealth of information about His second coming so
there would be no doubt as to how He would return.
Jesus wants us not only to know that He is coming
and that He’s coming soon, but also to understand
the manner of His coming.
The reason this is so important is that Satan
will soon attempt to personate Jesus and counterfeit
His return. To pave the way, Satan has introduced a
strong delusion to the Christian world that has been
almost universally accepted in mainline churches.
I am referring to the popular teaching regarding a
“secret rapture.”
4.
The secret rapture theory was designed to lull
God’s people into a false sense of security and to
prepare them for this final master deception.
The devil knows that Jesus is coming back and that
his remaining time is short (Revelation 12:12). He has
been sharpening his skills of deception for 6,000 years,
and his last masquerade will be his masterpiece.
In fact, God warned that Satan will do such
a convincing job that, if it were possible, even the
very elect would be deceived. Jesus said to His
disciples, “Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo,
here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there
shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and
shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that,
if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect”
(Matthew 24:23, 24).
Satan is not an ugly, grotesque, bat-winged crea-
ture wearing a red leotard. He’s an angel—a beautiful,
powerful angel. And the Bible makes it clear that he
is able to transform himself and appear in different
forms. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers,
transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13, 14). We
must not underestimate how convincing and over-
powering Satan’s final deception will be. I’m sure he
will even quote Scripture, as he did while tempting
Christ in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–6).
5.
The devil also has the ability to create the illusion
of miracles. You will remember that when Moses
went in before Pharaoh to plead for the children of
Israel, the magicians of Egypt were able to duplicate
the first few signs from God (Exodus chapters 7, 8).
Satan is in the business of deception, and we know
that he is saving his greatest deception of all for the
last days. We need to know how Jesus is coming, or
we will be deceived.
The Bible is very clear that when Jesus comes
back, His feet never touch the ground. It says the
righteous will be caught up to meet Him in the air
(1 Thessalonians 4:17). This is why Jesus emphati-
cally warns us, “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look,
He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is
in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. For as the
lightning comes from the east and flashes to the
west, so also will the coming of the Son of man be”
(Matthew 24:26, 27 NKJV).
Satan cannot replicate a worldwide, cataclysmic
event the magnitude of the real second coming.
However, if he can seduce Christians into believing
the secret rapture theory, he won’t need to. He can
simply show up around the world in various places,
perform great miracles, make television appearances,
and thereby deceive the entire world.
Every general knows that the key to victory in
battle is to maintain an element of surprise. Many
6.
battles have been won because of a clever diver-
sionary tactic. While one army was distracted and
looking at the diversion, the enemy came up from
behind to conquer them. In the devil’s final assault,
he will do the same thing. The archdeceiver has
always wanted to be God. Now he knows that he is
doomed, but his last taunting gesture against heaven
will be to personate Jesus and receive the worship of
a lost world.
Satan’s deceptions will be strong and convinc-
ing, but Christ has given us ample information in
order to help us discern truth from error.
Chapter Two
Not a Secret
Will there be a rapture? Yes. Will it be a secret?
NO!
Rapture means “to be carried away with
power,” and it is true that when Jesus comes the
living righteous will be caught up to meet the Lord
in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17). But many have
come to believe that this rapture will take place qui-
etly—that faithful Christians all around the world
will suddenly disappear and that life here on earth
will continue for a seven-year period of tribulation.
During this time, they say, many will be converted
and have a “second chance” at salvation before
Christ’s final coming.
7.
Although the secret rapture scenario may appear
comforting at first glance, there is absolutely no
scriptural support for it. The Bible plainly teaches
that when Jesus comes again, every one of our senses
will be bombarded with evidence!
His Coming Will Be Literal
“And when he had spoken these things, while
they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud
received him out of their sight. And while they
looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went
up, behold, two men stood by them in white
apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee,
why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same
Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen
him go into heaven” (Acts 1:9–11).
Heaven-sent messengers told the disciples that
Jesus would return to this earth in the same manner
He left. Christ left in the clouds, and He will come
back in the clouds. He was visible when He left, and
He will be visible when He comes again. He had a real
body when He left, and He will return the same way.
His Coming Will Be Visible
“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every
eye shall see him” (Revelation 1:7).
8.
“For as the lightning cometh out of the
east, and shineth even unto the west; so
shall also the coming of the Son of man be”
(Matthew 24:27).
“And then shall appear the sign of the Son
of man in heaven: and then shall all the
tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall
see the Son of man coming in the clouds
of heaven with power and great glory”
(Matthew 24:30).
When Christ comes, it will not be merely a local
sighting or an isolated event. It will be visible across
the entire world.
His Coming Will Be Audible
“For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be
with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).
“The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter
his voice from his holy habitation; he shall
9.
mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give
a shout” (Jeremiah 25:30).
“Our God shall come, and shall not keep
silence: a fire shall devour before him, and
it shall be very tempestuous round about
him” (Psalm 50:3).
As you can see from the preceding Scriptures,
Christ’s second coming will be loud! There will be
shouts and trumpets and all kinds of noise. No one
will accidentally miss it or be able to read about it in
the newspaper the next day.
His Coming Will Be Emotional
“Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for
looking after those things which are com-
ing on the earth: for the powers of heaven
shall be shaken. And then shall they see the
Son of man coming in a cloud with power
and great glory” (Luke 21:26, 27).
“And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this
is our God; we have waited for him, and
he will save us: this is the LORD; we have
waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice
in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9).
10.
When Christ returns, it will be an emotional
day for the wicked and righteous alike. The lost will
experience indescribable fear and anguish, while
the saved will experience the perfect joy of eternal
salvation.
His Coming Will Open the Graves
“And this is the will of him that sent me,
that every one which seeth the Son, and
believeth on him, may have everlasting
life: and I will raise him up at the last day”
(John 6:40).
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive. But every man in
his own order: Christ the firstfruits; after-
ward they that are Christ’s at his coming”
(1 Corinthians 15:22, 23).
“For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we
which are alive and remain shall be caught
up together with them in the clouds, to meet
the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be
with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).
11.
This is the Bible’s description of the rapture.
The dead in Christ will rise by His power and will
meet Him in the air. Afterward the faithful who
are still alive will also be caught up. It will not be
a secret!
His Coming Will Destroy the Earth
“The earth is utterly broken down, the
earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved
exceedingly. The earth shall reel to and fro
like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a
cottage; and the transgression thereof shall
be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not
rise again” (Isaiah 24:19, 20).
“And the heaven [sky] departed as a scroll
when it is rolled together; and every moun-
tain and island were moved out of their
places” (Revelation 6:14).
“And there were voices, and thunders, and
lightnings; and there was a great earthquake,
such as was not since men were upon the
earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
And the great city was divided into three
parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and
great Babylon came in remembrance before
12.
God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of
the fierceness of his wrath. And every island
fled away, and the mountains were not
found” (Revelation 16:18–20).
This world will be uninhabitable by people after
Christ comes. His coming will shake the very foun-
dations of the earth.
His Coming Will Mean Final Judgment
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory
of his Father with his angels; and then he
shall reward every man according to his
works” (Matthew 16:27).
“And, behold, I come quickly; and my
reward is with me, to give every man
according as his work shall be”
(Revelation 22:12).
It is at Christ’s return that we will receive our
final reward. Each person’s decision will have already
been made; there will be no second chance to con-
vert. The time to make a decision to follow Christ
is now!
13.
Chapter Three
Basis for Confusion
With so much evidence in the Bible as to the
manner of Christ’s coming, how did people
get the idea that the rapture will be a secret event?
As with most deceptions, the secret rapture
theory is based on a few texts that have been taken
out of context. Two main concepts in Scripture have
been used to substantiate a “secret” rapture.
The primary one is that Jesus will come as “a
thief in the night.” The secret rapture theory assumes
this means that Christ will come secretly to steal away
the righteous and carry them quietly to heaven.
Christ’s coming is described as “a thief several
times throughout the New Testament. Let’s look at
one of these passages and see if it describes a secret
rapture. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief
in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass
away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt
with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that
are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). That
doesn’t sound like a secret event, does it?
In describing His return as a thief, Christ did
not intend to show that it would be quiet, but that it
would be sudden and unexpected—that the wicked
would be taken by surprise. He said, “If the goodman
of the house had known what hour the thief would
come, he would have watched, and not have suffered
14.
his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore
ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour
when ye think not” (Luke 12:39, 40). Likewise, Paul
told the Christians in Thessalonica, “But ye, breth-
ren, are not in darkness, that that day should over-
take you as a thief” (1 Thessalonians 5:4). God does
not want His followers to be surprised. He wants us
to be watchful and ready.
To further illustrate this truth, Jesus said, “No
one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his
goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And
then he will plunder his house” (Mark 3:27 NKJV).
Can you picture a homeowner being oblivious
to a robbery if the thief just broke into the man’s
house, tied him up and threw him in a closet, and
then ransacked the place while searching for valu-
ables? Of course not!
In the same way, the day and hour of the second
coming is a secret, but when the glorious event tran-
spires, all will know!
The second concept used to support a “secret”
coming is found in Luke 17:34–36: “I tell you, in
that night there shall be two men in one bed; the
one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.
Two women shall be grinding together; the one
shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall
be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the
other left.”
15.
Secret rapture proponents say this passage
proves that the saints will suddenly disappear from
the earth when Jesus returns. But let’s take an honest
look at the evidence and see what these verses actu-
ally teach.
In Luke 17:34–36, Jesus employs some of His
favorite symbols to illustrate a simple point. At the
end of time, there will be just two groups of people
living upon the earth—the lost and the saved.
Two Men In One Bed
A bed generally connotes sleep, and Jesus used
sleep as a symbol of death. He said to the disciples,
“Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may
awake him out of sleep.” “Then said Jesus unto them
plainly, Lazarus is dead” (John 11:11, 14). In the
resurrection at the last day, there will be two kinds
of people sleeping in the grave—the lost and the
saved.
Two Women Grinding Together
In Bible prophecy, a woman is a symbol of
a church (Jeremiah 6:2). Grinding grain rep-
resents working with the Word of God. When
Christ comes in glory, there will be two kinds of
churches—the false and the true. Both will be
outwardly doing the same thing, but only one will
be redeemed.
16.
Two Men In The Field
The field represents the world (Matthew 13:38).
When Jesus comes again, there will be two kinds of
missionaries laboring out in the field—the false and
the true. This is why He said, “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” (Matthew 7:22, 23).
Chapter Four
Not Left Behind
Another common misconception contained in
the secret rapture theory is that people will
continue to live here on earth for several years after
Christ’s return. However, the Bible clearly teaches
that when Jesus comes next, there will be no one left
alive on this planet.
For example, in his prophecy about the end of
the age, Jeremiah wrote: “I beheld the earth, and,
lo, it was without form, and void’, and the heavens,
and they had no light. I beheld the mountains, and,
lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I
beheld, and, lo, there was no man, and all the birds
of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruit-
ful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof
were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and
17.
by his fierce anger” (Jeremiah 4:23–26, emphasis
added).
In another place he declared, “And the slain of
the LORD shall be at that day from one end of the
earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall
not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they
shall be dung upon the ground” (Jeremiah 25:33).
The prophet Isaiah describes the same dismal
conditions in his prophecy of the state of the earth
following the second coming. “Behold, the LORD
maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and
turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the
inhabitants thereof.” “The land shall be utterly emp-
tied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken
this word” (Isaiah 24:1, 3 emphasis added).
Last but not least, consider the following pas-
sage of Scripture: “And as it was in the days of Noe
[Greek for ‘Noah’], so shall it be also in the days of
the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they mar-
ried wives, they were given in marriage, until the day
that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came,
and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the
days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought,
they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same
day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and
brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even
thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is
revealed” (Luke 17:26–30 emphasis added).
18.
Notice that the wicked were destroyed on the
same day that the Flood came to Noah and on the
same day that the fire came to Sodom. Jesus empha-
sizes at both the beginning and the end of this pas-
sage that these earlier judgments, which destroyed all
of the wicked, were examples of what would happen
at His second coming. The Bible is crystal clear that
life on earth does not continue for either man or
beast after Jesus comes.
Chapter Five
Through the Tribulation With Christ
The idea that the righteous will all be raptured
out of the world just before the time of trouble
and that only the wicked will be left behind to endure
seven years of tribulation can be very appealing.
Perhaps that is why this doctrine has gained such
widespread acceptance. But the Bible clearly teaches
otherwise.
The phrase “seven years of tribulation” does
not appear anywhere in Scripture. However, Jesus
did say that a terrible time of trouble would come
upon the world just before His return and that it
would be more intense than any other in the his-
tory of this world. In His great prophetic discourse
on the Mount of Olives, Jesus made the following
statement: “For then shall be great tribulation, such
as was not since the beginning of the world to this
19.
time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days
should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved:
but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened”
(Matthew 24:21, 22).
If the elect were not in the world during the
great tribulation, they would not need the days to
be shortened!
All throughout Scripture we see examples of
the Lord saving His people through tribulation, not
from it.
• Noah was not saved from the Flood, but through it.
• Daniel was not saved from the lions’ den, but
through it.
• Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were not
saved from the fiery furnace, but through it. In
fact, Jesus went through it with them, and He
will go through the great tribulation with us, as
well!
• The children of Israel were not saved from Egypt
before the plagues fell, but afterward. God dem-
onstrated His love and power by preserving them
in Egypt through the 10 plagues. In the same
way, the righteous will be in the world when the
seven last plagues fall (Revelation chapter 16),
but God will preserve them.
God never promises that our lives will always be
easy. Christ prayed to His Father for His disciples, “I
20.
pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the
world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the
evil [one]” (John 17:15). Likewise, in 2 Timothy 3:12
Paul states, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus
shall suffer persecution.” Paul also told a group of
disciples that “We must through much tribulation
enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22).
In His parable of the two home builders, Jesus
taught that the storm comes to the wise man who
builds on the rock just as surely as it comes to the
fool who builds upon the sand (Matthew 7:24–27).
The storm will come to all.
The good news is that God’s children will
survive the coming tribulation. They will endure
by practicing some of the same survival skills used
by the Great Basin bristlecone pine. Believed to be
one of the oldest living trees on the planet, it can
live more than 4,000 years. Found on lonely moun-
taintops, some of these ancient evergreens have
weathered thousands of years of intense freezing
wind, pounding rain, scorching sun, and violent
electrical storms.
How do they manage to survive such harsh,
adverse conditions? They send their roots deep, wrap
them tenaciously around a solid rock, and hang on.
In the same way, the saints will have to sink their
roots of faith deep into the Word of God and cling
tenaciously to the mighty Rock of Ages.
21.
Remember that even though God does not
always provide an escape from tribulation, He does
promise to give us the power and strength to get
through it. “I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
Chapter Six
Times of Trouble
As we discuss the great tribulation to take place
just before Jesus returns, keep in mind that
there have been several other “times of trouble” for
God’s people in the past.
For example, the children of Israel endured 400
years of tribulation just before the Exodus (Acts 7:6).
The early Christians also passed through a time of
trouble immediately after the stoning of Stephen
(Acts 8:1). From A.D. 303–313, during the era rep-
resented by the Smyrna church (Revelation 2:10),
God’s people suffered a 10–year period of tribula-
tion. But perhaps the most notable time of trouble
was the 1,260 years of intense persecution waged
against true Christians during the Dark Ages. “And
the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath
a place prepared of God, that they should feed her
there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.”
“And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the
earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth
the man child” (Revelation 12:6, 13).
22.
As dark as each of these times was for God’s peo-
ple, none will compare with the final, great tribula-
tion that is yet to take place. The great tribulation cor-
responds with the time during which the seven last
plagues of Revelation chapter 16 will fall. “And I saw
another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven
angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is
filled up the wrath of God” (Revelation 15:1).
God’s wrath will be directed against the ones
who disobey His law, distort His truth, and oppress
His people. “For the wrath of God is revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness
of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness”
(Romans 1:18).
The great tribulation also coincides with the
Battle of Armageddon. Both take place immediately
before Christ’s second coming. “And he gathered
them together into a place called in the Hebrew
tongue Armageddon. And the seventh angel poured
out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice
out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying,
It is done” (Revelation 16:16, 17).
It is my belief that the great time of trouble will
last only a month or two. Here are a few Scriptures
that indicate it will be a short period of time.
Revelation 18:8 tells us, “Therefore shall
her plagues come in one day.” A “day” in Bible
prophecy represents one literal year (Ezekiel 4:6;
23.
Numbers 14:34; Luke 13:32). So when Revelation
says that “her plagues come in one day,” it means
within, or less than, one year’s time.
Furthermore, the very nature of the seven last
plagues—the rivers and seas turning to blood and
the planet being scorched with great heat—would
render it impossible for the human race to survive
more than a month or two. This is why Jesus said,
“And unless those days were shortened, no flesh
would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days
will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22 NKJV).
Chapter Seven
Just Before the Plagues
Since the experience of the children of Israel just
before the plagues fell on Egypt is a type, or sym-
bol, of what will happen to God’s people before the
seven last plagues described in Revelation chapter 16,
let’s examine that story more closely.
After 400 years of slavery, the Israelites had
become influenced by the religion of Egypt and
had lost sight of God’s law. So before Moses and
Aaron met with the Pharaoh, they first met with
the leaders of Israel to encourage a revival of com-
mitment to God’s law—including the Sabbath of
creation (Exodus 4:29–31). The people responded
wholeheartedly, which is why the Pharaoh got angry
and said to Moses and Aaron, “You make them rest
24.
from their labor!” (Exodus 5:5, NKJV). Remember
that the children of Israel knew the Sabbath was part
of God’s law before they ever came to Mount Sinai
(Exodus 16:22–28).
Likewise, before the onset of the great tribula-
tion, special attention will once again be called to the
subject of worship and the Sabbath commandment.
In Revelation 14:7, an angel calls God’s people to
“worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the
sea, and the fountains of waters.” The angel is clearly
quoting from the Sabbath commandment, which
says, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and
earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the
seventh day” (Exodus 20:11).
A widespread rediscovery of the law of God,
including the Sabbath truth, will be the alarm
that wakes the dragon to fury. The devil hates the
Sabbath because he knows that all love relationships
are built upon time. If he can destroy the day that
was set apart for God’s people to spend quality time
with their Creator, he can destroy the relationship.
We see this happen over and over again between
husbands and wives or between fathers and sons. If
two people stop spending quality time together, soon
the relationship will fall apart.
When the children of Israel responded to
God’s call to keep the seventh-day Sabbath holy, the
Pharaoh became furious. He knew that as long as
25.
the people focused only on work, work, work, they
would have no time to think about freedom. The
devil is using the very same strategy today. His goal
is to keep people so busy with work and so preoccu-
pied with the cares of this life that they have no time
to worship their Creator. He knows that if he can
cause people to neglect the Sabbath rest, they will
never have time to think seriously of salvation.
Looking down through history to the end of
time, the Lord knew that His faithful people would
keep the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. That
is why, in connection with the tribulation, Jesus
advises His followers to “pray ye that your flight
be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day”
(Matthew 24:20).
Another way in which this small time of trouble
will resemble the period of time just before the
plagues fell on Egypt is that God’s people will be
called upon to endure a period of bitter hardship.
In Moses’ day, the angry Pharaoh tried to turn the
hearts of his Israelite slaves against their God by
forcing them to produce the usual quota of bricks
without providing the necessary straw.
In the same way, before the tribulation the gov-
ernment will use political and economic sanctions
to pressure God’s end-time people into receiving the
mark of the beast. During this time the saints will
be called upon to share their faith in the face of stiff
26.
social, political and religious opposition. “And that
no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark,
or the name of the beast, or the number of his name”
(Revelation 13:17).
When this fails to deter the people of God
from obedience, there will be a final death decree.
The Bible says, “And he had power to give life unto
the image of the beast, that the image of the beast
should both speak, and cause that as many as would
not worship the image of the beast should be killed”
(Revelation 13:15). At this time, the great tribulation
begins and the seven last plagues start to fall.
The time of trouble begins with the wrath
of the devil against God’s obedient children
(Revelation 12:17) and ends with the wrath
of God against the ones who obey the beast
(Revelation 14:9, 10).
Chapter Eight
No Second Chance
The main reason this last period of time will be
so intense is because it will come after probation
closes for the lost. God gave the very first prophecy
about it to His servant Daniel, who wrote, “At that
time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which
standeth for the children of thy people: and there
shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since
there was a nation even to that same time: and at that.
27.
time thy people shall be delivered, every one that
shall be found written in the book” (Daniel 12:1).
Notice that when the great tribulation begins, the
cases of all people will have been forever decided.
The door of salvation and grace will close
for the world—just as the door on the ark closed
seven days before the Flood began. At that time
Jesus will declare, “He that is unjust, let him be
unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy
still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous
still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And,
behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me,
to give to every man according as his work shall be”
(Revelation 22:11, 12).
For the first time in the world’s history, God’s
Spirit will be completely withdrawn from the lost.
The unsaved will be given wholly over to demonic
control. The saved will be forever sealed and the lost
forever lost. No more changing teams!
Chapter Nine
God on Trial
If no one is converted by the plagues, then why
does the Lord allow them?
For thousands of years God’s Spirit has worked
in the hearts of men. But He has warned that this
would not always be so (Genesis 6:3). Satan must
have an opportunity to demonstrate what a world
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that is completely under his power would be like.
And so God will finally allow the winds of strife to
blow unhindered—but not before His servants are
sealed (Revelation 7:1–3).
The great tribulation will prove to the universe
that nothing—not even the worst conditions in the
history of the world—would change the characters
of those still alive upon the earth. God’s people will
trust Him no matter what, and His enemies will
rebel against Him no matter what.
Sometimes adversity brings a lost soul to
repentance, but as the seven last plagues are being
poured out, the wicked will reveal that there are no
longer any redeemable threads in their fabric. The
following three verses prove this point:
“The fourth angel poured out his vial upon
the sun; and power was given unto him
to scorch men with fire. And men were
scorched with great heat, and blasphemed
the name of God, which hath power over
these plagues; and they repented not to give
him glory” (Revelation 16:8, 9).
“They blasphemed the God of heav-
en because of their pains and their
sores, and did not repent of their deeds”
(Revelation 16:11 NKJV).
29.
“Men blasphemed God because of the
plague of the hail; for the plague thereof
was exceeding great” (Revelation 16:21).
Chapter Ten
No Need to Fear
Perhaps your picture of the great tribulation has
always resembled this terrifying recipe:
Pour the entire contents of Armageddon
into a pressure cooker, then slowly mix in
the seven last plagues with one full bottle
of Jacob’s trouble and one whole crushed
Babylon. Next, evenly stir in two full boxes
of wrath—one from God and one from
Satan. Cover securely and cook on high.
We all seem to conjure up frightening images
when we think of the coming tribulation. Do your-
self a favor; try this instead. Picture Jesus in a fragile
little boat on a dark sea, with the waves mounting
and wind roaring. Mark 4:38–40 records the scene:
“He was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on
a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him,
Master, carest thou not that we perish? And he arose,
and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace,
be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great
calm.”
30.
Then Christ said to them, “Why are ye so fear-
ful? how is it that ye have no faith?” Jesus rested with
the peace of a baby because He lived by faith in His
heavenly Father. One message He delivered repeat-
edly throughout His ministry was “Fear not.”
In John 16:33, Jesus said, “These things I have
spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of
good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
God does not want us to live by fear, but rather
by faith. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love
casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that
feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).
During the world’s darkest hour and greatest
trial, God will supply the greatest peace and faith. We
need only to remember that Jesus is in the boat with
us. Though the furnace be heated seven times over,
we can pass safely through it if Jesus is at our side.
The ninety-first Psalm contains special prom-
ises for those living during the last great tribula-
tion. It says, “You shall not be afraid of the terror
by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, Nor of
the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the
destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand
may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your
right hand; But it shall not come near you. Only
with your eyes shall you look, And see the reward
of the wicked” (Psalm 91:5–8, NKJV).
31.
The Psalmist makes it clear we will be in the
midst of the world during the plagues, yet remain
untouched, if God is our refuge. “No evil shall befall
you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling”
(Psalm 91:10 NKJV).
Chapter Eleven
Rescue From the Skies
On Friday, June 2, 1995, Captain Scott O’Grady
was flying his F-16 over Bosnia when the jet
was cut in two by Serbian anti-aircraft fire. He
quickly ejected and parachuted to the ground.
Suddenly he found himself in a different, hostile
world with the entire Serbian army combing every
inch of ground in search of him.
For six days he prayed, often hiding with his
face in the dirt to avoid being seen by enemy sol-
diers passing within a few feet. For six long days he
survived—cold, wet, tired, hungry, eating bugs and
drinking dirty water, calling every night on his little
radio for help from above, running from enemies,
and hiding under bushes.
Then came a daring rescue from the skies. Forty
airships, hundreds of soldiers, satellites, and the
combined technology of all NATO were all engaged
to rescue one hunted soldier.
Will God do less for His people?
32.
When Captain Scott O’Grady returned to the
United States, he was hailed as a hero. Why? Because
he had come out of great tribulation. We too may
have to endure a brief time of trouble, but it will fade
into insignificance when compared with the glorious
moment when Jesus comes crashing through the
skies with His angelic armies to rescue His children.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present
time are not worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
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