Perhaps you are new to the study of biblical prophecy. If so, the
more you delve into this arena the more confused you may become! One
purpose of this web site is to clarify "Facts vs. Fiction"
concerning God's "sure word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:19). The
following sequence reveals what the Bible says is on the horizon.
Other articles throughout this web site explain these events in
greater detail.
1) YOU ARE HERE (We're in the year 2003 AD as of first posting. Now it is 2012).
2) EARTH'S LAST CRISIS - Luke 21:35; Rev. 3:10. No one knows when it
will come, yet it will hit at an unexpected time, like September 11.
This crisis could stem from many causes - economic, natural (such a
huge earthquake, etc.), or possibly, a terrorist attack.
3) THE MARK OF THE BEAST IS ENFORCED BY LAW - Rev. 13:16,17
The "mark of the beast" will be enforced by governments around the
world as a supposed "solution" to a global, desperate crisis. The
majority of Earth's inhabitants will not realize this is "the mark,"
for they will be deceived. Rev. 19:20. The terms "beast" and "mark"
are code words in the book of Revelation that God's people alone
will understand. They will know who the "beast" is, and what
his "mark" is, while the rest of the world has no clue.
4) THE THREE ANGELS MESSAGES ARE HEARD WORLDWIDE - Rev. 14:6-12
Before anyone receives "the mark," God will send a special, final
message to warn and enlighten a world filled with people He loves
and earnestly wants to save. This special message is the message
of "The Three Angels." These angels represent human beings who
understand and communicate this exact message with "a loud voice"
to "every nation, tribe, tongue, and people" (Rev. 14:6,7). The
message is given before the return of Jesus Christ (Rev. 14:14-16).
5) THE FINAL CHOICE - THE SEAL OR THE MARK? - Rev. 7:1-3; 13:16-
14:1.
During Earth's last crisis, every living human being will make a
final choice - choosing the side of Jesus Christ and the truth
(receiving the "seal of God") or the side of Satan and the "beast"
(receiving his "mark"). Humanity will be divided into two great,
final classes.
6) THE CLOSING OF HEAVEN'S DOOR OF SALVATION - Rev. 22:11
After everyone has had a chance to make an enlightened, intelligent
decision, then the "door of mercy" will close forever, just like the
door closed to Noah's ark before the flood (see Genesis 7:16). Every
human being will either be "righteous" and "holy," or "filthy"
and "unjust" (Rev. 22:11). There will be no more changing sides.
7) THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUES FALL - Rev. 16; 14:9-12
The seven last plagues are God's final judgments upon a world that
has rejected His love, the cross of Jesus Christ, the worship of the
Creator and full authority of the Ten Commandments (14:7, 12). These
plagues fall only upon those who have chosen "the beast" and
received its "mark" (Rev. 16:1,2). This time period is also called
the "time of trouble" (Daniel 12:1). During this awesome period,
God's people will be fully protected, just like the Israelites were
during the falling of the ten plagues in Egypt (see Exodus 7-12;
Psalm 91). At the end of this period, God's faithful ones will
be "delivered" (Daniel 12:1).
8) THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON - Rev. 16:14-16
This is the final "battle of that great day of God Almighty." Jesus
Christ returns as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Rev. 19:11-16)
to defeat the global forces of Satan, sin and Babylon (Rev. 16:19)
and to deliver His blood-bought, obedient people.
9) THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST - Mat. 24:30,31; 1 Thess.
4:16,17
Jesus Christ will return visibly, "with power and great glory,"
with "a great sound of a trumpet," accompanied by billions of shiny,
holy angels. He will resurrect "the dead in Christ" (this is the
First Resurrection) and "catch up" His living saints into the
air. "Sudden destruction" falls upon the lost who have survived the
seven plagues (1 Thess. 4:16-5:3).
10) 1000 YEARS, THE SECOND RESURRECTION, THE FINAL JUDGMENT, THE
LAKE OF FIRE AND THE NEW EARTH - Rev. 20:1-15; 21:1
After the return of Jesus Christ comes the 1000 years (Rev. 20). At
the end of this period comes the second resurrection of "the rest of
the dead" who did not participate in the first resurrection (see
Rev. 20:5a; 12,13), the final judgment, "the lake of fire" (Rev.
20:14,15) and then the creation of a new heaven and earth (Rev.
21:1). In God's New Earth, there will be "no more death, neither
sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the
former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said,
Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these
words are true and faithful (Rev. 21:4,5). Sin will be gone, and
God's love will reign forever!
www.truthleftbehind.com
From: "Gary Zwicke" <Orion7@satx.rr.com>