The Great Tribulation And The Rapture : Part 1

THE GREAT TRIBULATION AND THE RAPTURE : PART 1

Copyright 1994 - 2008 Endtime Prophecy Net

Last Updated : July 23, 2006

Defining The Great Tribulation/Jacob's Trouble, Defining The
Rapture, Defining Pre And Post Tribulation Rapture Theorists
Danger Of Pre-Tribulation Rapture Theory, Defining Apostasy,
Endtime Deceivers, Flexibility In Our Understanding, Rightly
Divide Word Of Truth, Danger Of Traditional Thought, Having
A Balance In Our Views, Judgment Seat Of Christ, Carcase And
The Eagles, 666 - The Mark Of Backsliders, Last Seven Years,
Length Of Great Tribulation, The Holy Covenant, Volatility
Of Mideastern Politics, Wye Memorandum, God Controls Hearts

Due to the very mysterious and oft times cryptic nature of
Bible prophecy, as well as our limited human understanding,
there are a number of events within eschatology, that is the
study of Endtime prophecy and its fulfillment, which have
received a variety of interpretations by those who strive to
understand God's Holy Word. One of these issues involves the
precise timing of, as well as the length of, the period of
great suffering commonly known as the Great Tribulation, or
Jacob's Trouble. This latter name is derived from the fact
that this terrible time of persecution will mostly likely
begin in the tiny state of Israel, when the Islamic leader
known as the Beast, reneges on the Holy Covenant, and makes
war against Israel. I discuss these specific events in such
articles as 'The Kings Of The North And The South', and the
very revelatory series 'The Seven Heads'. The terms Great
Tribulation and Jacob's Trouble find their origin in verses
such as the following:

"Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is
even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out
of it." (Jeremiah 30:7)

"And 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 time thy
people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found
written in the book." (Daniel 12:1)

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since
the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall
be." (Matthew 24:21)

"And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me,
These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have
washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the
Lamb." (Revelation 7:14)

Not only does this disagreement of views involve the exact
timing and length of the Great Tribulation, but it also
involves the precise timing of the Resurrection of the Dead,
as well as the Rapture of the Saints. The word 'Rapture' is
not actually found in the Holy Scriptures. The actual phrase
used in the Scriptures is 'caught up', as can be seen by the
following verses found in the Apostle Paul's first Epistle
to the Thessalonian church:

"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)

In the previous verses, the phrase 'be caught up' is derived
from the Greek word 'harpazo', pronounced har-pad'-zo, which
my Greek lexicon defines as to seize, to carry off by force
to seize on, to claim for one's self eagerly, or to snatch
out or away. This then is what is meant by the Rapture; the
carrying away of the Saints, both dead and living, to the
Heavenly Realm at the time of the Lord's Coming; and it is
this event which has been a great source of debate within
Christian circles for many decades. We will further examine
these verses, as well as this term 'caught up', in parts
five and six of this series.

Concerning the Rapture, today we have two main schools of
thought. These are the Pre-Tribulation Rapture theorists,
and the Post-Tribulation Rapture theorists. The former claim
that the Body of Christ will be raptured prior to the Great
Tribulation, while the latter believe that we will remain
here and live through the Great Tribulation. As I point out
in other Endtime articles, and as I will be reiterating in
this current series, at this time, I align my beliefs with
the latter group.

While I currently identify myself as a Post-Tribulation
Rapture theorist, or Post Tribber as we are also called, let
me clearly state that I would most certainly welcome, and
would be overjoyed by a Pre-Tribulation Rapture; however, I
believe it is much wiser to prepare ourselves mentally and
spiritually for a Post-Tribulation Rapture. The reason for
this is quite simple. If events do not unfold according to
the understanding of the Pre-Tribulation Rapture theorists,
or Pre-Tribbers as they are also called, those who fail to
prepare themselves for this possibility may actually feel
that God has abandoned them; and Satan may even trick them
into believing that they were not found worthy of Eternal
Life. If this were to happen, such people might be a part of
those who fall away and lose faith, if and when events fail
to materialize as they expect. Consider the following verses
which discuss this possibility:

"And they that understand among the people shall instruct
many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by
captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall
fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many
shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of
understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to
make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is
yet for a time appointed." (Daniel 11:33-35)

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 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. 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;" (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3)

While the act of falling may possibly be referring to actual
persecution and military defeat in the verses from the Book
of Daniel, in the second set of verses, the Apostle Paul is
clearly referring to a falling away from faith in the one
true God and the Lord Jesus Christ during the Endtime. As I
point out in other articles, this phrase 'falling away' is
actually derived from the Greek word 'apostasia', pronounced
ap-os-tas-ee'-ah, which means a falling away, defection, or
apostasy. Our Lord Himself, and Peter also, discussed this
very same falling away from the faith during the Last Days
when they said:

"...Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find
faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8b)

"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days
scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where
is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell
asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning
of the creation." (2 Peter 3:3-4)

This is a very serious matter. If you happen to be one who
currently adheres to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture position,
please consider the following point. If events do not unfold
as many Pre-Tribulation Rapture theorists believe, this will
give the antichrist followers of Satan, many of whom are
already in the world, the evidence that they need in order
to reinforce their own sin of unbelief. The danger here is
that in the process of doing this, they might also lure many
current Believers into falling into unbelief. Notice that
the Prophet Daniel wrote that 'many shall cleave to them
with flatteries'. Rather than continue to appear as fools,
some weaker Christians just might be persuaded by these
antichrists, that they have believed in vain. As Peter
states above, they will be saying 'See; you said it would
happen, and it didn't! Your God isn't real! The Bible isn't
true! It isn't the Word of God! It is just a silly fairy
tale! Jesus isn't coming back for you!'. Beware! Jesus and
Paul both warned us that such people are liars and false
prophets. They are deceivers of the worst kind:

"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 24:24)

"But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse,
deceiving, and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:13)

The truth of the matter is that these people's faith isn't
really in vain; it isn't that Jesus won't really be coming
back for them; it is just that some of them are confused by
well-meaning teachers who give them a false understanding of
the Endtime prophecies. Some of these instructors probably
do it because of their own lack of a proper understanding of
the Scriptures, while others may do it intentionally because
they are actually hirelings, and wolves in sheep's clothing,
who have purposely come into the midst of the flocks of God
for the sole purpose of deceiving them, through twisting the
meaning of the Scriptures. I have spoken at length on this
topic in other of my articles. But as Peter informs us, such
people will eventually meet their own destruction at the
Lord's Return:

"As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these
things; in which are some things hard to be understood,
which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do
also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."
(2 Peter 3:16)

One of the best things that we can all do in order to avoid
falling into this subtle snare of Satan, is to not become so
dogmatic, and so unbending in our personal understanding of
the Scriptures, to the point that we reject anything which
contradicts our current views regarding them. None of us can
claim to possess a monopoly on the Truth. We are all still
learning and growing in matters concerning our faith. I can
certainly say this for myself. I am constantly learning new
things as I continue to delve into the wonders of His Word.
We must all trust in the Lord, and not in our own human
wisdom in order to try to understand these things. We must
put on the mind of Christ, and not try to understand these
Scriptural Truths with our carnal minds only. We must be led
by the Spirit of the Lord in our understanding. We must all
diligently compare Scripture with Scripture, and rightly
divide the Word of Truth; as we are advised to do in the
following verses:

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto
thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him,
and he shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

"For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may
instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
(1 Corinthians 2:16)

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the
sons of God." (Romans 8:14)

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that
they received the word with all readiness of mind, and
searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were
so." (Acts 17:11)

As long as we all remain spiritually flexible, and do not
become overly adamant concerning our personal beliefs and
pet theories, the Lord will be able to continue to enlighten
us, and to expand our understanding of the mysteries of His
Word. As far as the interpretation of unfulfilled prophecy
is concerned, any degree of extreme rigidity on our part,
could make us guilty of the very same things of which the
Lord accused the Scribes and the Pharisees of old. As I
point out in such articles as the series 'The International
Jew And The Protocols Of Zion', they had made such a god out
of their own rabbinic traditions, that when Jesus came along
with the Truth, most of them fully rejected Him and It, as
is born out by the following verses:

"And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment
of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." (Mark 7:9)

"Making the word of God of none effect through your
tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like
things do ye." (Mark 7:13)

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of
the world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:8)

In short, our sincere hunger for the Truth, through a
correct understanding of the Word of God, should be our
primary concern and motivation as we study these Endtime
prophecies; as well as any other part of the Bible for that
matter. We should not continue to embrace erroneous ideas
and interpretations which have been clearly shown to not be
in agreement with the Truth found in God's Word. We must not
idolize or make gods out of our personal beliefs. We should
not continue to vehemently defend our false ideas once we
have been shown to be in error. To do so is merely a matter
of pride. Of course, there is a balance to be found in my
statements. As we are told in the Book of Proverbs, we must
be balanced in all things, because a false balance is an
abomination to the Lord:

"A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just
weight is his delight." (Proverbs 11:1)

Therefore, once we have performed a judicious study of God's
Word, and once we do believe that He has revealed His Truth
to us, then by all means, we should firmly stand by what we
believe He has shown us; keeping in mind, and tempering our
beliefs with the thought that we are only human and prone to
possible error. This is precisely what Paul taught in his
discourse concerning meat eaters and vegetarians found in
the fourteenth chapter of his Epistle to the Roman brethren:

"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth
every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own
mind." (Romans 14:5)

In the final analysis, each one of us must live and believe
according to our own faith; because it is according to that,
that we will each be judged in the Final Day. We will not be
weighed in the Divine Balances according to what others
believe, or according to what church or organization with
which we happened to affiliate ourselves in this current
life; but rather we will be judged as individuals when we
appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ; and indeed we
shall all appear for our just reward or punishment as the
following verses make clear:

"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall
speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of
judgment." (Matthew 12:36)

"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to
God." (Romans 14:12)

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ;
that every one may receive the things done in his body,
according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."
(2 Corinthians 5:10)

"Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the
quick and the dead." (1 Peter 4:5)

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house
of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be
of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17)

Notice that in the previous verses I shared from Paul's
second Epistle to the Thessalonians, the Apostle employs the
use of the phrases 'the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ' and
'our gathering together unto him'. This clearly indicate
that he is talking about the Endtime; that is, the Last Days
in which we are now living. The phrase 'gathering together'
is derived from the Greek word 'episunago', pronounced
ep-ee-soon-ag-o-gay', which means a gathering together in
one place. Clearly then, Paul is referring to the Rapture of
the Saints at the Second Coming of the Lord, when we shall
all be instantaneously and miraculously transformed, so that
we can all meet the Lord in the air, as we saw earlier. Our
Lord describes this very same event in the following verses
which we will look at more closely later on in this same
series:

"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. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the
eagles be gathered together...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. And he
shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and
they shall gather together his elect from the four winds,
from one end of heaven to the other."
(Matthew 24:27-28, 30-31)

Notice that we see that very same phrase 'gather together',
which is derived from the very same Greek word 'episunago'.
Concerning our Lord's mention of the carcase and the eagles,
I have heard a few odd interpretations of what this might
mean. Based upon the thrilling Scriptural revelation I just
received from the Lord, I am convinced that the Lord is
referring to Himself as the Carcase which was hung on the
Tree, and to ourselves, the Saints, as the eagles who will
be gathered unto Him. This is because we have symbolically
fed upon His flesh, precisely as He told us that we must
do. In fact, as I explain in other articles, it was because
of this very profound teaching, that many of His disciples
abandoned Him during the course of His Earthly ministry.
They simply did not possess the spiritual discernment to
understand what He meant. As the Apostle Paul wrote:

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
(1 Corinthians 2:14)

These truths concerning the significance of the Carcase and
the eagles were just made perfectly clear to me by the
following verses. Notice that the verse from the Book of
Isaiah is both a promise, as well as a prophecy of the Last
Days. It is a promise to those who patiently wait for the
Second Coming of the Lord, as well as an Old Testament
glimpse of what will happen as a result of our patience and
perseverence:

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they
shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not
faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his
blood, ye have no life in you...From that time many of his
disciples went back, and walked no more with him."
(John 6:53, 66)

"And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him,
they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a
sepulchre." (Acts 13:29)

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,
that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:
by whose stripes ye were healed." (1 Peter 2:24)

So you see, we are indeed the eagles who have fed upon the
Carcase which was hung upon the Tree. I also find rather
significant that those who backslid from the faith, and who
no longer walked with Him, were branded with the Scriptural
reference of John 6:66, just like the Beast in the Book of
Revelation. Is this just a mere coincidence? Personally, I
don't think so.

In addition to the controversy which revolves around the
exact timing of the Rapture, another widespread belief is
that the Great Tribulation, that is, Jacob's Trouble, will
last for the full length of what is commonly referred to in
prophetic circles as the Last Seven Years. It is because
some people misunderstand the timing and length of the Great
Tribulation, that they also misunderstand exactly when the
Rapture will occur, because these two events are an integral
part of each other. This phrase, the Last Seven Years, is
based upon the following verse taken from the prophecies of
Daniel, where we are told that the political and military
leader known as the Beast, will sign a peace treaty for 'one
week' with the nation of Israel, the Palestinians, and
possibly surrounding Arab nations; and maybe even other
third parties such as the United States of America, Russia,
etc. At this point in time, it is premature to say exactly
who all of the signatories will be:

"And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week:
and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice
and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of
abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the
consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the
desolate." (Daniel 9:27)

As I explain in some of my other Endtime articles such as
'The Kings Of The North And The South', the series 'The
Seven Heads', etc., in the above verse, the word 'week' is
derived from the Hebrew word 'shabuwa', which means seven,
or a period of seven. Depending upon the specific usage in
the Bible, it can mean seven days, or else seven years. In
this case, due to other factors which I amply explain in the
aforemetioned articles, I believe that it is referring to a
seven-year period. According to the Pre-Tribulation Rapture
theorists, the gathering together, or Rapture, of the Saints
will occur just prior to the beginning of this seven-year
period, which as I have already explained, they erroneously
understand to be the full length of the Great Tribulation.

While I too believe that this final seven-year period of
current world history will begin when the Beast signs the
peace accord with Israel, at this point in time, I am not
convinced that the Great Tribulation lasts the full seven
years. Based upon my understanding of the Scriptures, it
only comprises the final three and a half years; that is,
forty-two months, according to the ancient Jewish calendar
of thirty days per month, or three hundred and sixty days
per year. In my view, the Bible makes it very clear that
Jacob's Trouble does not begin until the midst, that is, the
middle, of the final seventieth week of Daniel's prophecy;
after the initial three and a half years of 'plastic peace'
have transpired under the phoney peace accord signed by the
Beast, the Israelies, the Palestinians and possibly other
third parties. Jesus Himself made it very clear that it is
when the Beast takes away the daily sacrifice, and places
the abomination that maketh desolate, that the Great
Tribulation will begin. In other words, it won't begin at
the beginning of the Last Seven Years, but rather in the
middle of them, at the three and a half year mark, exactly
as Daniel prophesied. Here is exactly what our Lord said:

"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 let them which be
in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the
housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
Neither let him which is in the field return back to take
his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to
them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your
flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For
then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the
beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."
(Matthew 24:15-21)

If we remove all of the extraneous descriptions found in
each of the previous verses, it becomes very clear what the
most important point is that Jesus is trying to help us to
understand. Consider the following condensation of our
Lord's words:

"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy
place...then shall be great tribulation, such as was not
since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever
shall be." (Matthew 24:15a, 21)

In my view, this is extremely clear. The Lord is confirming
exactly what was written by the Prophet Daniel; and that is
that it is in the middle of the Last Seven Years, that the
Great Tribulation will actually begin. Contrary to what is
believed by some Christians, and their wayward teachers, it
is not the full seven-year period. The Scriptures are so
clear on this issue if these people would just accept them
for what they really say, without adding their private
interpretation to them. Like Daniel, the Apostle John also
described for us the events which will be transpiring during
these final three and a half years of world history. In some
places he used the phrase 'a thousand two hundred and three
score days; while in others he used the phrase 'forty and
two months'. They are both talking about the very same time
period; that is, the final three and a half year period
known as the Great Tribulation. Please carefully consider
all of the following verses:

"And he shall speak great words against the most High, and
shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to
change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand
until a time and times and the dividing of time."
(Daniel 7:25)

"And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the
waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his
left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever
that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he
shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy
people, all these things shall be finished." (Daniel 12:7)

"But the court which is without the temple leave out, and
measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the
holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.
And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall
prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed
in sackcloth." (Revelation 11:2-3)

"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."
(Revelation 12:6)

"And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things
and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue
forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy
against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and
them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make
war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was
given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations."
(Revelation 13:5-7)

It is my understanding that the Great Tribulation will start
as a result of the Beast reneging on the Holy Covenant; at
which time he will invade the city of Jerusalem, bring an
end to the daily sacrifice, or morning and evening oblation,
in the soon-to-be-built Third Temple on Mount Moriah in East
Jerusalem, and set up the abomination that maketh desolate.
We will take a closer look at some of these points shortly.
We must remember that the Beast's heart will not really be
in this accord with Israel. As we have seen in current
negotiations, even though he signs the Holy Convenant, it
may simply be a political ploy in order to gain more time,
power, influence, and possibly land, for the Palestinians.
Consider the following verses which clearly demonstrate that
not only will the Beast really be against the peace accord
in his heart, but he will even be conspiring against it
while he puts on his plastic smile in public:

"Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and
his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall
do exploits, and return to his own land...For the ships of
Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be
grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy
covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have
intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant...And
such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by
flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be
strong, and do exploits." (Daniel 11:28, 30, 32)

So you see, we really should not be the least bit surprised
by this sudden reversal in politics, despite what might be
believed on the surface by those who have not discerned the
signs of the times. Let me reiterate that it will be a false
'plastic' peace, a phoney peace which will not endure. The
recent Wye Memorandum which was signed by both Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Yasser
Arafat, is an excellent example of how quickly the political
situation can change in the Middle East negotiations. Barely
had Netanyahu returned home from Washington, D.C., after
signing the agreement, that he immediately, and for several
weeks thereafter, reneged on fulfilling his part of the
accord. In fact, the Israeli Cabinet refused to even ratify
the accord for a while. They cited a number of security
points which they felt the Palestinians had not yet met.

Even though the Israelies finally began to fulfill their
part of the Wye Accord by initializing withdrawal of Israeli
troops from thirteen per cent of the West Bank, as I write
this, the arguments regarding prisoner exchange, security
issues, etc., have become so severe, that the government of
Prime Minister Netanyahu has now completely stopped these
troop withdrawals. He claims that Arafat is making a farce
out of the Wye agreement. This comes just before American
President Clinton is about to visit the Middle East. Let us
also not forget that the Wye Memorandum is only an interim
agreement. It is by no means the final accord in which the
fate of Jerusalem must ultimately be determined; and that of
course is the stumbling block which will result in total war
sooner or later.

The point is, God knows the true score here. He sees the
hearts of both the Israeli and the Palestinian leaders. He
sees both of their treachery. In fact, He controls the
decisions that they will each make, even though neither of
them may realize this. The following verses prove this point
beyond a shadow of a doubt. Notice that the very first verse
is deaing with the Middle East peace process, although it is
not necessarily referring to Netanyahu and Arafat. I will be
explaining this point more thoroughly in the second part of
this series:

"And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and
they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not
prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed."
(Daniel 11:27)

"But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance,
or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him:
for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the
outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart."
(1 Samuel 16:7)

"The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers
of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will."
(Proverbs 21:1)

"And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto
them; as the LORD had said." (Exodus 7:13)

"But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not
let the children of Israel go...But the LORD hardened
Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go."
(Exodus 10:20, 27)

"And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh:
and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not
let the children of Israel go out of his land."
(Exodus 11:10)

In the second part of this thought-provoking series, we will
be taking a closer look at some of the major events which
will transpire during the three and half year period known
as the Great Tribulation. This will include the invasion of
Jerusalem and the reasons for it, the removal of the Daily
Sacrifice, the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation,
the Image of the Beast, great persecution, the two Sackcloth
Witnesses, the 144,000, the scope of the Beast's power, the
possible identity of the Beast, the Israeli-Turkish military
alliance, Hafez al-Assad and his vision for Syria, possible
signatories of the seven-year peace accord, and the three
broken horns. I trust that you will join me, as we still
have a lot of ground to cover.

Go To Part Two . . .