Now that we have seen what will happen on the last day, let's look at the predicted events that take place just prior to the last day. There is much controversy about these events from people who maintain that they have already taken place. The scriptures will tell conclusively when these events will happen, if they are approached with an open mind while reading.
Question: Have these events already taken place for the last time, or will they happen again?
First, let's look at some scriptures that will explain this mad reasoning:
Ecclesiastes 1:9 ...The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be, and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
10. Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time, which was before us.
Remember, in Matthew 24, Jesus showed us a few things and then said,These are only the beginning of sorrows, (like birth pains). We also encountered the question, when a woman has her first contraction, or first labor pain, does it mean that it is all over? No! ...It means that the contractions or pains will keep coming harder and harder, and closer and closer together until it is all over.
Back in the 1700's there was a great earthquake, a volcano, and dust and smoke darkening the sun and the moon. Very shortly after that, there was a great meteor shower. Some churches believe that this was the same event that was spoken of in Matthew 24:29, and which is also mentioned in the sixth seal.
This event happened again during the Gulf War, as the smoke darkened the sun and the moon. Soon after, the event of a meteor shower took place. Again, some believed this happening fulfilled the prophecy. Let's look at a few more scriptures related to these events.
Matthew 24:14. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come.
15. When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)
Then the scriptures go on to name the conditions that will follow this:
Matthew 24:21... For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.
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.
Following this, we read another scripture, in...
verse 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30. 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.
Now let's do a small summation and look at several important facts contained in these passages.
1. This gospel will be preached unto all the world, to be a witness unto all nations. It wasn't until the twentieth century, that the Gospel was finally available to all the nations.
2. When we see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, then we will know that the Great Tribulation of Matthew 24 is upon us.
3. This tribulation, (a very dangerous time) will be the most severe recorded in history... That is, if there was going to be enough time afterward to record anything, it would be known as the most severe time in the history of this world. It will be so severe that God will shorten its length, otherwise there would be no flesh saved. Doesn't sound like a time of peace, does it? Of all the past crises and tribulations, none could hold a candle to this one, which is now very near.
Several churches are teaching that the tribulation spoken of in Matthew 24 happened during the time when Rome ruled the world. ...
First of all, Rome did not rule the entire world. Secondly, the tribulation back then did not end as described in Matthew 24:29. And thirdly, the time element is ascertained by the following scriptures, located in the book of II Thessalonians, chapter two.
1. Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
2. That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
3. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Churches have stated and taught that great military leaders have entered into the temple of God and have fulfilled this portion of Bible prophecy. But the true test lies in this next verse of scripture:
8. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.
So the true test is,... Has Jesus come already?...If he has, then everybody missed him. So, even though the great military leaders that acted out this in times past were indeed anti-Christs, they were not the Anti-Christ who shall be destroyed by the brightness of the coming of our Lord. Remember, there is nothing going to happen that has not already happened in times past, except for the final Great Tribulation.
The scriptures tell us that immediately after the tribulation, the sun and the moon shall not give their light, and the stars shall fall from heaven. Then the powers of heaven shall be shaken, as the heavens shall depart as a scroll rolled together. At that time, all the world shall see Jesus sitting on the throne, arising, and coming in the clouds to gather his children. Also, at this time, the brightness of His coming shall destroy the son of perdition. (The Anti-Christ.) (II Thessalonians, Chapter 2, Verse 8.)
| Sixth Seal..............TRIBULATION |
| Seventh Seal ........Seven Angels sound |
| Seventh Angel........It is Done...Great Earthquake |
Does the Book of Revelation support the preceding illustration of the timing? Let's look and see.
Revelations, Chapter 6, verses 12 through 17.
12.And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood.
13. And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
15. And the kings of the earth and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17.For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
We can easily see that the opening of the sixth seal contains, almost exactly, the information in Matthew 24:29. It is a perfect match. So we now have several important and relevant facts to aid us in forming a final picture.Read verses 12, 13 and 14 again from the 6th chapter of Revelation.
Notice the great earthquake. What happens during this great earthquake?
1. The heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together;
2. Every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
The Bible doesn't come right out and say exactly how long the earthquake will last, but let's recall a scripture that we have already covered:Revelation 16:17-20.
17. 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.
18. 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.
19. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
20. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.
Question. Are the islands and the mountains going to be removed during seal six, and then return again to be removed a second time? It is not likely. Remember, all of this is going to take place after the Tribulation. ...Here's another scripture,Luke 21, verses 25 through 27...
25. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; The sea and the waves roaring;
26. Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Now let's go back to the Old Testament and review some of the scriptures we have already covered. The picture will become even clearer.
TheBook of Isaiah, Chapter 2, verse 19...
19. And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.
Isaiah 13, verses 9 through 11, including verse 13.
9. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger to lay the land desolate: and he shall 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 his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
11. And I will punish the world for thieir 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.
13. Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.
Isaiah 24, verse 20... 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.
There are several other scriptures relating to the big shaking, or the great earthquake spoken of in Revelation and in Luke.
We can understand why it will be so fearful, and why men's hearts will fail them when they see these things happening.
Remember, however, the scripture says that God is taking out the sinners, the wicked, all that offends. Matthew 13: 24-30 and 37-43 states that the wheat and the tares shall grow together until the harvest, and then the wicked shall be taken out first. Can you see how these scriptures match each other?
Our intention in this chapter was to show that the signs of the sun, the moon, and the stars spoken of in Matthew 24, Luke, Mark, and Revelation's Sixth Seal all take place immediately after the tribulation. We know that the tribulation is still to come, so these signs are all still to come-they have not already happened.
If you believe that the tribulation has already passed then don't worry about the Anti-Christ which is still to come, or the mark of the beast which is still to come, or the greatest earthquake which is still to come. What we really need to worry about is accepting the written Word for what it really says, and above all, our salvation.
| Previous Page | Misconceptions | HomePage | Table of Contents |