Sound Biblical Teaching - Pastor Conferences - Crusades - Topical Studies - Music Ministry
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Sound Biblical Teaching - Pastor Conferences - Crusades - Topical Studies - Music Ministry
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The
Wrath
of the Lamb It’s early
Sunday morning, you put on a pot of tea and as you open up the newspaper, the
headlines scream: 7.9 Earthquake in Argentina Kills 23,000! Next you read that a
volcano has erupted in the Philippines killing 18,000, a flood in the Midwest
wiped out 7,000 people, and an earthquake in New York City has taken down the
Statue of Liberty. Wow, you
say, what is going on?! Every year it gets worse and worse. Is the world
catastrophically changing? What’s happening? As you go on about your typical
routine—work, golf, gym, parties and a little Sunday R&R--week after week,
the same old things occur. Until one morning you open up the newspaper and read:
Millions of People Have Vanished From all Over the World! You quickly turn on
the television—CNN, ABC, CBS, BBC—on every station they are reporting on
this phenomenon, yet the real issue is that the whole world is in an uproar.
Complete chaos on earth. Planes, automobiles and trains have crashed, vehicles,
houses and stores have been left abandoned, while gangs, criminals and the poor
are looting and rioting in the streets. The United Nations issues in Global
Military Law as the military, police and reserves gear up for battle. Hospitals
are full, paramedics, firefighters, and emergency teams from all over the world
are in panic. There is so much disaster that the focus is on the chaos and not
the phenomenon. For weeks this goes on and on, and finally, a charismatic leader
emerges and reunites the world. This feels like déjà vu to you. For some
reason you remember a friend years ago telling you about an event known in the
Bible as “the Rapture of the Church.” You scroll through your Rolodex and
call up your Christian friend, yet there is no answer. Is this just a
coincidence? As
a Bible teacher and minister I have always been intrigued with End Time
prophecies. In fact, this subject has become the topic that I have devoted my
life to. As stated in my previous books, “History and the Bible” and “The
Mystery of the Rapture,” before I talk about the future, I must first show
that what the Lord said would happen, has actually happened. After this has been
established, then it is much easier to show validity in End Time prophecies. So
let’s review a synopsis of the End Times. According
to Bible prophecy, the next prophetic event will be the body of Christ
(Christians) being removed from the earth. This is referred to as “the Rapture
of the Church,” found in 1 Corinthians, Chapter 15, verse 53 where it states,
“Let me tell you a mystery. We will not all die, yet we will be changed in a
twinkling of an eye.” After the Rapture happens, then a world leader will
emerge—according to 2 Thessalonians, Chapter 2, which talks about a
restraining force (the Christians) holding back the power of the Antichrist, and
continuing to do so until the Christians are removed--and then the Antichrist
can come to power for a seven-year period, bringing peace to the earth. He will
confirm a treaty between Israel and Palestine, issuing the rebuilding of the
Temple in Jerusalem. According to the Book of Daniel, this world leader will
come from European descent. The Bible says that this world leader will be a
charismatic man who brings about economic prosperity and the world will embrace
him. He will set up a one-world government, as well as one-world religion—with
the help of a partner or sidekick—and also issue in a cashless society. The
Bible says that this world leader will have an assassination attempt made on his
life and he will lose his right eye and the use of his right arm (Zechariah,
Chapter 11, Verse 17.) He will make a miraculous recovery and the world will
marvel over him (Revelation, Chapter 13, Verse 14.) After three-and-a-half years
he will walk into the Temple in Jerusalem and demand to be worshiped (this is
known as “the abomination of desolation.”) At this time, the wrath of God
will be poured out upon the earth for a final period of three-and-a-half years
(making it a total of seven years) bringing earthquakes, famines, pestilence and
wars. At the end of this seven-year period, the nations of the earth will march
for battle, which will take place in the Valley of Megiddo (also known as
Armageddon) in Israel. Then the LORD himself will come down with his Church (the
Christians) and wipe out the armies of the world. After this, there will be what
is known as the Millennium Reign of Christ, where Christ rules on the earth with
his Saints (or believers) for one thousand years. After the thousand years comes
the Final Judgment. According
to the Bible, the next prophetic event is for the Christians to be removed and
then there will be seven years left of world history. In Revelation, Chapter 4,
Verse 1, we have what we believe is where the Rapture of the Church occurs. From
there, the fourth and fifth chapters of Revelation talk about a feast in Heaven
and a great multitude of people worshipping with praise. Revelation, Chapter
Six, introduces “The Rider on the White Horse,” the first of the five
horsemen. This is actually the Antichrist. (The word Antichrist in Greek refers
to “other than Christ” or “pseudo Christ”--please note, that this is not
the same “Rider of the White Horse” as found in Revelation, Chapter 19, for
that is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom we refer to as the fifth
horseman.) The
Antichrist or world leader, according to the book of Daniel, will come to power
and bring peace to the world. He will rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and be
considered a wonderful and powerful man who seems to be the answer to this
world’s problems. This charismatic man will be praised and accepted by the
whole world. It
is amazing to me—and history teaches us—that man learns nothing from
history. All the leaders in history that have come to power and gained control
have done so under the same conditions--when nations were weak and in economic
crisis. When Hitler came to power, he won the people over with his ideas and
leadership. Yet later on, once he was in control, he showed his true self. The
Bible prophesies that this world leader will come to power for a seven-year
period. During this time he will set up a one-world government, a one-world
religion and also bring about a cashless society. If these scenarios seem
far-fetched to you, then just imagine what it was like fifty years ago. If in
1950, I was to tell you that Europe would join together and establish what is
now known as “The United States of Europe” (which is prophesied in Daniel,
“Smaller and weaker nations joining together from within the Roman Empire”)
you would say this is impossible. There is no way that Holland, Belgium, France
and others would join sides with Germany after Hitler’s brutal attack and
destruction of these countries! Yet we see it today. Now let’s consider each
country giving up the sovereignty of their currency and entering into a
one-currency system (now called the Euro dollar.) If I was to propose such a
suggestion to you then, you would have said that I was crazy! And how about a
cashless society (as prophesied in Revelation, Chapter 13, Verse 17?) Just think
back to 1960 and try to grasp the concept of electronic banking, ATM’s, point
of sale, etc. It is amazing that today we have seen and experienced the
convenience of a cashless society and all of its benefits. The Bible teaches in
Revelation, Chapter 13, Verse 16, that this world leader will require everyone
both great and small to take a mark on their right hand or forehead. Without
this mark, no man will be able to buy or sell. What is interesting about this is
that in the spring of 1998 it was documented that a man in Singapore had a
computer chip installed in his forehead. We have also read of cases of laser
tattoos, and even animals being tagged with microchips as tracking devices. This
all sounds right in line with Bible prophecy. So
we have this world leader coming to power, uniting the world and bringing peace
to Israel by rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem. The
Jews praise him as the Messiah (which is interesting since in John, Chapter 5,
Verse 43, Jesus states, “I have come in my Father’s name, and you have
rejected me; yet another will come in his own name, and he you shall
receive.”) At this point, according to Scripture (Daniel, Chapter 12, Verse
11, “from the time that the abomination of desolation is set up, then there
will be 1,290 days till the end”) this world leader will walk into the Temple
and demand to be worshipped (the abomination of desolation.) From this point on
is when this world leader will show his true colors and then all Hell will break
out upon the earth and God will pour out his wrath upon a sinning nation. The
Wrath of the Lamb will come crushing down on all the earth—the Great
Tribulation will begin. The
Wrath of God, you say? What is that? Well, the Bible talks about the Wrath of
God in both the Old and New Testaments. It can be described as the Lord pouring
out his anger and causing tribulation such as the world has never had, nor ever
will see again. In the Old Testament, this is referred to as “the time of
Jacob’s troubles” (Jeremiah 30:17) while in the New Testament it is referred
to as The Great Tribulation. There will be great earthquakes, famines, wars and
destruction. In
the book of Revelation, Chapters 6-19 talk about the plagues and destruction
that will be poured out. We read of the Rider on the Red Horse bringing in wars
who has the authority to remove peace from the earth (Chapter 6, Verse 4) “And
a horse, fiery red went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it, power
to take peace from the earth, and the people should kill one another; and there
was given to him a great sword.” We then read about a black horse that causes
inflation and famine—where a day’s work will only buy a single meal. Then
comes a Pale Horse which causes death by disease, hunger, and plagues (Chapter
6, Verse 8) “Behold, a Pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was
Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of
the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the
earth.” From there we then have the seven trumpets that God gives to his seven
angels to sound and release horrible destruction. The first Angel blew his horn,
and hail and fire was mixed with blood, thrown down on the earth, and one-third
of the earth was set on fire, as well as one-third of all the grass and trees
were burnt down. Could you imagine this? Do you recall seeing in the past on
television when Indonesia had its great forest fire—how the day became as
night because of the smoke? What would it be like if one-third of the earth’s
forests were on fire? Would the earth be in darkness? Could this be what Christ
was talking about in Matt. 24:29, where he states—in regards to the
Tribulation—“the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give light?” Throughout
the books of the Bible we read of global catastrophes and disasters. In Ezekiel,
we read of End Times destruction that causes man’s eyes to melt in their head
and their tongues to curl up and melt. Could this, in fact, be a description of
nuclear war? The book of Revelation speaks of the great battle of Armageddon
that will take place in the Valley of Megiddo. In this battle, we are told that
the Kings of the East will march with their army of 200 million soldiers. This
is an incredible prophecy to fulfill, because of the fact that at the time when
John wrote the book of Revelation, there were not even 200 million people on the
Earth! Yet today we know that China has an army of 200 million soldiers. Could
China be the Kings of the East? In
Matthew, Chapter 24, the disciples asked Jesus about the End Times. Jesus
stated, “Let no one deceive you. Many will come in My name, stating, ‘I am
the Christ’ and he will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of
wars, yet the end will not yet come. Nations will rise against nation and
kingdoms against kingdoms. There will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes
in various places. Yet all these are only the beginning of sorrows.” Jesus
then says, “When you see the ‘abomination of desolation’ spoken by the
prophet Daniel, then there will be Tribulation such as the world has never
experienced.” Jesus adds, “For if those days were not shortened, no flesh
would be saved.” Jesus continues by saying, It
is interesting that Matthew 24 runs parallel with Revelation, Chapters 6 and 19.
In Revelation, Chapter 6, we have the rider on the white horse coming in and
bringing peace. That sounds like what Jesus refers to as the man that will
deceive you and claim to be the Christ (Matt. 24:4-5). Then we have the rider of
the red horse who is granted the power to take peace from the earth. As Jesus
states in Matthew 24:6, there will be wars and rumors of wars. From here we go
into the riders of the black and pale horses that bring famine and pestilence.
And ultimately, we have Revelation 19:11, that has the fifth horseman--our Lord
and Savior--coming in the clouds with his saints, just like Jesus alludes to in
Matt. 24:30. So as you can see, Jesus gave his disciples a briefing on End
Times. The
Wrath of the Lamb can be described as the worst time that this earth will ever
experience. The Bible even talks about demonic powers and demons being released
upon the earth, as well as Satan worship. Stop and think about this: fifty years
ago you would never think that man would openly worship Satan as we’re seeing
today with music, cults, and Satanic rituals. Now stop and think of what has
happened in America in the last decade. Youth of all ages in America--from
elementary school to high school and colleges--have become mass murderers by
going into public functions and schools with the intent to kill many. We even
have youths killing their parents, friends, and family members! Looking back to
the founding of America, you will realize that America was established on
Biblical principles and the Constitution was based on the Ten Commandments.
America’s forefathers such as Abraham Lincoln said, “I believe that the
Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good from the Savior
of the world is communicated to us in this book.” And George Washington said,
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
Our forefathers issued prayers and asked God for guidance. Whereas today we have
taken the Ten Commandments out of the schools and courts and man has set his own
earthly laws--the results of which can be viewed each night on the evening news. In the times
of Noah, the world was so corrupt that God had to destroy the earth with a
global flood (it is also interesting that today’s modern scientists can prove
that there was a global flood and they predict it to have been about 5000 years
ago and believe it was caused by a polar axis shift) and Noah and his family
were saved. God then made a covenant with Noah stating that “He would never
judge the earth with water again.” (Genesis, Chapter 9, Verse 11). He then
promised Noah a rainbow as a confirmation of his covenant. Christ said in
Matthew, Chapter 24, Verse 37, that “as it was in the days of Noah, so will it
be when the Son of Man shall return.” God always gives us warning of his
actions. He is a loving God and he
does not wish for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance. In Noah’s
days, God gave the world 120 years to repent, yet only Noah and his family
believed and were saved. I believe that is why God gave the vision to the
Apostle John—in order for John to write the Book of Revelation, so that we can
see what the Lord has planned for this sinning world. The doctrine
of Christianity is based on Christ dying for our sins and then on the third day
raising from the dead. Christ washed us clean with his blood and gave us the
chance to live eternally in the presence of our Lord. We have the promise of
Salvation through the shedding of his blood. All over the
world throughout all denominations of Christianity, we pray for the return of
Jesus Christ and for his Kingdom to come. These words are preached in sermons
and church services every Sunday, yet how many of us believe that Christ could
come at any time? The Bible teaches that we are to be ready and anticipate that
his coming could be at any minute. The second coming of Christ is preached more
than any other event in the Bible. Jesus even alludes to his coming over and
over again throughout the New Testament. In Matthew, Chapter 24, Verse 13, Jesus
says, “Watch, therefore and be ready, for you know neither the day nor the
hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” And in Revelation, Chapter 22, Verse
7, Jesus states, “Behold I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the
words of the prophecy of this book. Our selfish world is too busy worrying about
“what’s in it for me?” that they lose sight of what we are really here on
this earth for—to worship our living God who created us. The believers in
Christ are storing up their treasures in heaven and awaiting their rewards. It is
amazing to me that Jesus Christ is the most talked about man who ever walked the
face of this earth. His presence is so strong that we base our yearly calendar
on this remarkable man—not to mention that the most celebrated event in the
world is Christmas. And let’s not lose sight that the Bible is the most read
book in history. So, with such an impact on the world, how many of us really
believe and follow his words? I cannot understand why anyone would want to go
through this Great Tribulation that the Bible promises to the non-believing
world. The Wrath of the Lamb will happen as described in the Book of Revelation,
Chapters 6-19. I realize that it is hard to understand that Christ will return
as promised, yet his Word has been 100% accurate so far. The Bible has foretold
the future in advance and we have seen in the last fifty years a many Bible
prophecies come to pass—not to mention the future prophecies we can see in our
midst. For instance, on Dec. 15, 1999, a press release was issued to NASDAQ,
introducing a new E-commerce technology company that will be selling shares to
implant a chip in humans. This miniature digital transceiver will be able to act
as a tracking device, for e-business, and for storing records. Well, if you’re
a worldly person, then you can bank on this technology being a winner.
Revelation 13:16 foretold this taking place, and in fact, states that in order
to live, you must accept this format. “He causes everyone, both small and
great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or
on their foreheads. And no one man may buy or sell without taking the mark.”
With modern-day technology we can now understand what the Bible is referring to.
Just think when believers 100 years ago read the Book of Revelation—what faith
they must have had to trust in Christ! It is amazing to think that 100 years
ago, the method of transportation was horse and buggy. There was no way that
someone could imagine airplanes, rockets, and space shuttles. How about
considering being able to wipe out the world with a single bomb, or chemicals
that can kill millions of people as the Bible predicts? This all must have
seemed like fiction, and I bet that people must have thought Christians were
crazy to even believe such nonsense! Well, today
we see that it is not nonsense at all, but reality. In the book of Daniel,
Chapter 12, Verse 4, Daniel was told to seal up the book until the end, and at
that time, knowledge will increase and we will understand. Could this be the
time in which knowledge has increased and we now understand what is in store for
the future? The Bible has described the last seven-year period with so much
detail and such precision that we must wake up and realize that we are getting
closer to the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Always
remember that the Bible was given to us so that we would not be ignorant of
things to come. Our Lord is a gentleman and does not wish for any to perish, yet
for all to come to repentance and accept his grace and forgiveness. We are
washed clean by his blood, and all we have to do is ask him to come into our
hearts, admit that we are sinners, repent of our sins, and walk in his Spirit.
If you have not yet done so, you can ask Christ to come into your life, forgive
you of your sins and have the promise of everlasting life. May the
peace, grace, and joy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ wash and cleanse you
of your sins. In Jesus’
name we pray, Amen. |
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