A black hole’s mass is concentrated at a single point deep in its heart, and clearly cannot be seen. The “hole” that can, in principle, be seen (although no-one has ever actually seen a black hole directly) is the region of space around the singularity where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, the fastest thing in the universe, can escape, and where the time dilation becomes almost infinite.
A black hole is therefore bounded by a well-defined surface or edge known as the “event horizon”, within which nothing can be seen and nothing can escape, because the necessary escape velocity would equal or exceed the speed of light (a physical impossibility). The event horizon acts like a kind of one-way membrane, similar to the “point-of-no-return” a boat experiences when approaching a whirlpool and reaching the point where it is no longer possible to navigate against the flow. Or, to look at it in a different way, within the event horizon, space itself is falling into the black hole at a notional speed greater than the speed of light. (https://www.physicsoftheuniverse.com/topics_blackholes_event.html)
Rightly or wrongly, true, biblical, Christianity often gets lumped in with the kooks and fruitcakes when it comes to falsely predicting events that do not come to pass (seen here). But more than that, even true, sincere Christian’s from time to time, prone to get caught up (no pun intended) on the secular bandwagon to try and insert some biblical meaning into strange events or key dates, as if to show the world we still have relevance. For example-
- 1999-the Y2K panic
- 2000-the turn of the millennium
- 2008-the election of the numero uno Antichrist candidate, Barack Hussein Obama
- 2012-the Mayan Calendar hubbub
- 2008-2015-the blood moons hype
- the numerous and dire predictions by Al Gore about world-ending global warming (2016)
- The rogue planet Nibiru / Planet X coming back (2003, 2012, 2017)
The other day, I was watching a YouTube channel that I frequent. The host seemed overly distraught over the possibility that CERN could trigger a mini-black hole, which could potentially swallow the earth up. However, it is not just YouTubers freaking out about particle-colliding organizations like CERN. Scientists like Stephen Hawking’s and Martin Rees have been warning that CERN’s experiments presents a clear and present danger to humanity. The military has also gotten into the apocalypse-predicting business, citing everything from the rise of Artificial Intelligence and autonomous robot armies (the army of none), the weaponization of space, to the collapse of western civilization.
Doom and gloom has come back in vogue big time, especially since 2016. The unexpected election of Donald J. Trump has sent Democrats and leftists of all stripes, into an apocalyptic-frenzy. They (with the help of their lapdog media) have been prophesying non-stop that the sheer existence of President Trump in office has put the world at the one-second-before-midnight-mark on the world’s Doomsday Clock.
Assessment
It is times like these, that I am thankful for having a decent understanding of end-times prophecy. While I may not know when everything is going to happen, I can be certain what things must happen, and generally, in what order. It is my understanding that black holes are still considered theoretical, since no bonafide, verifiable proof of their existence has ever been proven. It is believed by many within the scientific community, that a vacuum is created when something as powerful as a dying star collapses inward. The entrance to that black hole is something then known as the event horizon, which serves as the space surrounding the mouth of the black hole where nothing can be seen beyond, or can escape once crossing through it.
What is not theoretical, however, is the coming time period known as the 70th Week of Daniel. This seven-year period will be the absolute worst, darkest, wickedest, and most abysmal point in all of human history. It will be so bad, that God will have to cut it short to prevent all life from being snuffed out prematurely (Matt. 24:20-22).
In a way, where we are today, is like that event horizon. When the Church (the universal, multi-membered, singular, body of believers) was conceived at Pentecost in Acts 2, mankind was inextricably thrust into the final, period of human history known as the Dispensation of Grace. This period has lasted two-thousand years thus far, and can be viewed in light of the Seven Letters to the Seven Churches as found in Revelation 2-3. In effect, we have been in the last days since Christ’s ascension back to heaven. We are now in those final moments before the end, of which there is no return. Let me explain.
When Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself on the cross, was buried, and resurrected, He triggered an ordering of events, which would have to come to pass. The whole purpose for Him coming to earth and becoming a man was to redeem mankind. Since no man could keep God’s perfect standard of righteousness, God the Son took on the form of a man (Colossians 2:9, 1 Timothy 3:16) to bridge the gap between man’s fallenness, and God’s holiness. This is known as the Incarnation (to take on flesh), and completes an Old Testament principle. By becoming a Man, he in effect became our Kinsman Redeemer (Leviticus 25:47-55, Ruth 3:9, Rev. 5:8-10).
According to the rules God set forth in the beginning regarding sacrifice, blood was necessary to atone for man’s sins. However, the blood of animals could only temporarily atone for man’s sins. This is why the Israelites were given a system that had to be done daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. It was meant to be cumbersome, and drive them to the realization that the sacrifice of animals could only ever be a temporary fix. It was meant to point them to the necessity of a human redeemer, the Messiah (Hebrews 7:27, 9:22).
The Prophet Daniel was given a prophecy by the Angel Gabriel, which would foretell the rest of the entire history of the Jewish nation (Daniel 9:24-27). They were given seventy-weeks of years (or 490 years), by which everything pertaining to the covenanted nation of Israel (Gen. 12, 15) would be summed up. Clearly, there has been more than 490-years since Daniel received this (circa 540BC), but this time, like the other 490-year cycles, only counted when Israel was back in their land, and had a functioning tabernacle/temple.
The Four Great Jubilee Redemption Cycles of 490 years are:
(i) Birth of Abram to the Exodus (Israel’s first Great Jubilee).
(ii) The Exodus to the Dedication of Solomon’s Temple.
(iii) The Dedication of Solomon’s Temple to the Decree to Restore Jerusalem. At the close of these 490 years was a DECREE by the Persian Emperor Artaxerxes Restore Jerusalem (Ezra 7). In response to this Decree were the efforts of Ezra and Nehemiah to return and rebuild the City of Jerusalem and Israel’s national life. Thus at this Jubilee they were restored to make a fresh start as a nation.
(iv) Decree to Restore Jerusalem to the Death and Resurrection of Christ.
This is the period described by Daniel’s 70 Weeks (Daniel 9:24-27)
This is the final cycle for Israel before Messiah comes to establish His Kingdom. (Source)
This last 490-year cycle was cut short by seven-years at the crucifixion of Christ (Dan. 9:26), leaving one “week” of years left. This last week of years has many names, but it is referring to the 70th Week of Daniel, the ‘Day of the Lord’, or most commonly known as ‘the Tribulation.’
Here are some common misconceptions about ‘the Tribulation.’
- The Rapture of the Church starts it.
- The Bible absolutely teaches that a Rapture (Greek-harpazo, English-caught up) will happen. Anyone who says the Rapture is not Biblical or is not going to happen…is LYING to you. (1st 4:13-18, 1st Cor. 15:51-55, Rev. 3:10). Where we disagree, is WHEN it happens, not IF it happens.
- The Rapture must precede the Tribulation, however, what starts the official “clock” is the covenant that is confirmed between Israel and the many (presumably nations) that is proffered by the man Antichrist. (Daniel 9:27, Rev. 6:1-2).
- The Rapture of the Church sets the geopolitical stage for Israel to enter into this covenant, which starts the last seven-years.
- The Church must go through part, or all of the Tribulation.
- The Church is not mentioned anywhere in the 70 Weeks Prophecy. We are not in the first 69 weeks, nor are we in the last week. This is confirmed by the fact that the Church is mentioned 19 times in Revelation 2-3 (the Seven Letters to the Seven Churches), but is not mentioned again from Revelation 6-19 (this details the time of the Tribulation).
- The Tribulation, from the first Seal Judgment, to the last Bowl Judgment, is God’s wrath. Revelation 5 and 6:1, states clearly, that Jesus (who is God) opens the first Seal, which begins the entire series of Judgments. The Church is absolutely spared from God’s wrath (Gen. 18:23, 1 Thess. 1:10, 5:1-9)
- The Tribulation has two purposes, 1) to punish national Israel for her disobedience in rejection of her Messiah, and 2) to destroy all the nations around her (Jeremiah 30:7-11). The Church does not fit in either category.
- As soon as the Rapture happens, the Tribulation begins.
- Nothing in Scripture indicates that as soon as the Rapture occurs, that the Tribulation must start immediately
- More likely, is that there is a gap in time for some last minute stage setting to occur (i.e.…wars, technologies to be implemented, economic transformation, etc.)
- The world is thrown into chaos once the Rapture occurs. The US is the world’s stabilizing force at present, so if the US is turned upside-down by the Rapture, this will have a major geopolitical and economic ripple effect across all spectrums and domains currently in place
Conclusion
There is not much certainty in life these days. We seem to be in a constant state of flux and change. However, what is certain is that this world is on a one-way trajectory into utter darkness and will not escape its divine destiny. Like that event horizon, there is coming a time, in which nothing- not light, not darkness, not humans, not animals, not nature, and not even time itself can escape the coming black hole of Daniel’s 70th Week. It will literally become hell on earth.
The ONLY way to escape is to not enter it.
The ONLY way to not enter into it is to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior now!
Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6
Although we look forward to the Day of Christ when He returns to receive His bride the Church up to Himself at the Rapture, none of us is guaranteed tomorrow. Eternal salvation is free for the asking, but if you die without receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you die in your sins. This will eternally separate you from God. When you become born-again, you become a new creation and are covered with the blood of Christ, which makes you acceptable to God (1st Cor. 5:17-21).
However, salvation through Christ does not guarantee you physical ease and a life of ease in the here and now. You will have trials and tribulations in this life. To be a Christian today is to live in fallen world, behind the lines of enemy territory. This world has temporarily been given over to the Devil, and he will relentlessly wage war against you in the meantime (1st John 5:19). But fear not, because as a believer, you are not only eternally saved by the blood of Christ, but you are indwelt and sealed by God the Holy Spirit. You are sealed until the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14, 4:30).
This is the Gospel (the good news) that saves you-
Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1st Cor. 15:1-4)
Here is how to be saved-
…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)
Even so, Maranatha!
Pete Garcia can be reached at his website www.rev310.wordpress.com