THE RAPTURE AND TRIBULATION

How to Prepare for the End of the World

By Theo R.

August 18, 1999 originally from “Y2k” (page never released)

Last updated: July 31, 2002

The rapture and tribulation have always caught my attention ever since I became a Christian. To tell you the truth, this scary fact has made me want to become a born-again believer. Before I give you the impression that God is only a God of wrath and fury, He isn’t. He is a God of love and kindness. He cares about you. He was kind and compassionate enough to send his one and only son, Jesus to earth in the form of a human being for our sins.

The best possession to have in your life is Jesus Christ on your side. John 3:16 says, ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son (Jesus Christ), that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life’. When you confess that Jesus is the lord of your life, and accept him as your savior, you are promised eternal life! Jesus Christ is the only way you are going to get to heaven. NJ Transit or SEPTA can't take you, Amtrak or Greyhound can't take you, and United Airlines and Delta cant take you there. Buddha, Mohammed, or Secular Humanism cannot save you from hell either. All the money and possessions in the world cannot get you to heaven either. If you reject him, you WILL spend eternity in Hell (John 3:36).

In 1 Timothy 6:10, it doesn’t say that money is the root of all evil, but the love of money is the root of all evil. In America, we’ve turned our backs on God. Instead, money is our god. As a society, we’ve abandoned morality, love, compassion, respect for self and others, for the desire for money and material possessions. This is also why many families are so corrupted these days, because of the belief that money and materials are more important. Many mothers and fathers in this nation have abandoned their children to pursue the own careers. Let me say this to every one:

On Judgment Day, God will NOT judge you for that Mercedes Benz or that house the size of a Wal-Mart, or the money you have in Commerce Bank, or how much money you have made on Wall Street. He will judge you according to what you’ve done in your life, and the fact that Jesus Christ is the lord of your life.

Hell is real, believe it or not. I’ve told many people this, but they don’t believe that Hell is real. TOUGH BEANS! It’s still there and you’re still going there! Hell is God’s junkyard, where you will see jerks like Adolf Hitler, and Jeffrey Dahmer, the murderers, rapists, child molesters, but the most surprising thing is that Hell will include all of those who have rejected Christ as their personal savior. I know a lot of people that I know that are going to hell – many of them really nice people, although I’ve always found it difficult to convince people to come to Christ. Hell will be extremely terrible and there ain’t no getting out of it either, and not a dime in this world will keep you from going there.

The Rapture

I’m here to tell you that this world, as we know it, is coming to an end, whether you like it not, whether you want it to or not, whether you believe it or not. It will start with the rapture of the church. In Matthew 24:40-41, it says, ‘Two men will be in the field one will be taken, and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left’. The point is, those that are saved will literally disappear, and be taken up to heaven; those who are unsaved will stay on earth to go through the Tribulation (I will explain about this later). 1 Corinthians 15:52 says, ‘In a moment in the twinkling of an eye, for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed’. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says ‘The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air’. This means that Christ can come for us at any time.

The Tribulation

Jesus predicted that there would be a great tribulation in the end times. Matthew 24:21 says that there will be a great tribulation unlike anyone has known it from the beginning until that time. Matthew 24:22 says that the days will be shortened. Matthew 24:24 says that there will also be false Christs and prophets that will perform signs and miracles to deceive many people.

Then will come the Antichrist. He is Satan’s Representative. Currently he is probably somewhere in Europe, and will be made famous after the rapture. According to Revelation 13:1-2, ‘And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He has seven heads and ten horns, with a crown on each horn, and on each head a blasphemous name… resembled a leopard, but feet like a bear, and a mouth like a lion’. Verse 2 also explains that he will have dominion over the whole world. Verse 3 says that the antichrist will be shot in the head, and it will recover miraculously. Verses 4-6 goes on to explain that he will be worshipped, and will mock God. He will create a seven year peace treaty with Israel, and will break it in 3 ½ years (after he breaks the treaty, the Great Tribulation begins). Verses 13-15 says that he will perform great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth, and will deceive the inhabitants of the earth. He will have them create a statue in his honor, and will give this statue the power to speak. He will force them to worship this pathetic image, and if the don’t, they will be killed. Since the economy will be shot by this time, and the Antichrist is the ruler of the world, He will establish a one-world economy. Revelation 16 says that he will force everyone to accept his mark on either their right hand or their forehead, in which no man will buy nor sell, which is the mark of the beast or the number (666). If you don’t have either of those marks, you will not even be able to buy a Snickers bar, but…

Revelation 14:9-11 says, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark… he, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured at full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented in burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night…’ Revelation 14:20 says, ‘… and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses’ bridles for a distance of about 180 miles. This is only the beginning of the Great Tribulation. These seven plagues will come to power, ending the world as we presently know it:

1. Painful and ugly sores will break out on the people. (Rev. 16:2)

2. All of the oceans will become blood. (Rev. 16:3)

3. The rivers and streams will become blood. (Rev. 16:4)

4. The sun will scorch the people with fire, and they will curse the name of God, and will never repent or glorify him. (Rev. 16:8-9)

5. Antichrist’s kingdom will plunge into darkness, and they gnawed their tongues in pain. (Rev. 16:10)

6. The river of Euphates will dry up to prepare the way for the kings from the East (Rev 16:12)

7. There will come a loud voice out of heaven, saying ‘It is done!’ There also will be lightning, thunder, and a severe earthquake – unlike any other earthquake since man has been on earth. (Rev. 16:17-18)

Heaven and all it has to offer is definitely worth it. Choose Jesus Christ as your lord and savior NOW because tomorrow may be too late!!!