In 2020 the book Lawless: End-Times War Against the Spirit of Antichrist was released. Terry James was the general editor and wrote the introduction and conclusion. Fifteen authors took part in the production of this book for the times, and I was fortunate enough to write a chapter (chapter 7) in it. My chapter is called Covid 19 – The Invisible Enemy. Although this book is a couple of years old, it is still as relevant today as it was back then, maybe even more so. I have included some of the material from the book in this article.

The number 19 is the sum of 10 and 9. The number 10 is one of the perfect numbers of God and signifies the perfection of divine order. 3, 7, and 12 are the other perfect numbers. I have written many articles pertaining to these numbers, and they can be found on the Rapture Ready website.

The number 9 represents finality or judgment, especially in regard to Israel. The fast of mourning, known as Tisha B’Av, occurs on the 9th day of the 5th month of Av on the Jewish calendar. On this day, Israel has witnessed eight of the greatest disasters in its history, including the destruction of Solomon’s temple by the Babylonians in 586 BC and the destruction of the second temple by the Romans in AD 70. See The Dog Days of Summer :: By Randy Nettles – Rapture Ready for more information. It’s interesting to note that according to 2 Kings 25:8 and Jeremiah 52:12, King Nebuchadnezzar attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the temple in the 19th year of his reign.

After the breakup of the united kingdom of Israel (12 tribes) due to the apostasy of King Solomon and his son, Rehoboam, the northern nation of Israel (10 tribes) was formed. Their first king was formerly a servant of Solomon, and his name was Jeroboam. He set the example for the following 19 evil kings to follow, as he made two molten golden calves for the 10 tribes to worship. He set one up in Bethel and the other one in Dan, so the people wouldn’t travel to Jerusalem and worship at the temple. Hoshea, the son of Elah, reigned in Samaria over Israel for 9 years. He was the last king of Israel, “and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, but not as the kings of Israel before him” (2 Kings 17:2).

So Israel had 19 extremely evil kings and 1 “not as evil” king. Assyria invaded Israel 3 times; 743 BC, 732 BC, and from 725 to 722 BC when the 10 tribes of Israel were defeated and led into captivity.

The southern kingdom of Judah was invaded by the Babylonians 3 times. The first time was in 605 BC (2 Kings 24:1-2). At this time, Judah’s sovereignty effectively ended, and they became a vassal territory of Babylon. The Jews called this period the Servitude of the Nation. The third and final invasion was in 588 BC (2 Kings 25:1-21) and lasted until 586 BC when Jerusalem and the Temple were burned to the ground, and the Jews were carried away into captivity. The 3rd invasion is called the Desolations of Jerusalem. From the servitude of the Nation to the Desolations of Jerusalem was 19 years.

God’s judgment for Judah lasted for 19 years before Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed, as His prophets had foretold. The kingdom of Judah existed for 344 years as a kingdom and had 19 kings that were of the lineage of David and Solomon. Some of them were good, some were mediocre, and some were bad. Judah also had 1 queen, Athaliah, who was an evil woman. The only woman that was probably more wicked than her was Jezebel, her mother (and wife of the evil king of Israel, Ahab).

THE MODERN NATION OF ISRAEL

The number one sign that we are living in the end times is the establishment of the modern nation of Israel back into the fold of nations/kingdoms of the world, which occurred on May 14, 1948. This was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah: “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children” (Isaiah 66:8).

During the war that followed Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948, Jordan attacked Israel from the east and captured the Old City and temple precincts. It wasn’t until the Six-Day War (June 5 to June 11) in 1967 that Israel captured the Golan Heights, Gaza Strip, Sinai Peninsula, and the West Bank that includes East Jerusalem. After 19 years (1948–1967) of being a divided city, Jerusalem was once again a united city under the governorship of Israel.

These 19 years for Israel and Jerusalem are in stark contrast to the 19 years of judgment that God levied against Judah from 605 to 586 BC. The return of the land of Judah and Jerusalem was prophesied by Jeremiah when he relayed God’s word to the people, “For behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah, says the Lord. And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it” (Jeremiah 30:3).

From Babylon’s first invasion against Judah in 605 BC to Israel’s rebirth as a modern nation in AD 1948 was 2,552 years. From Jerusalem’s destruction (first one) by the Babylonians in 586 BC to Jerusalem becoming a united city under the control of Israel in AD 1967 was 2,552 years.

Six years after the Six-Day War, on October 6, 1973, an Arab coalition led by Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), October 6, 1973, which had occurred simultaneously with the Islamic holy month of Ramadan in that year. Israel was initially caught off guard, and the Arab coalition had the upper hand until Israel was given military aid (weapons) by the United States, which turned the war around. Fighting continued for 19 days until October 25, 1973, when a cease-fire was agreed upon by all parties. Israel had gained quite a bit of territory at the end of the 19-day war.

JUDGMENT AND THE NUMBER 19 IN THE BIBLE

Many books of the Bible talk about judgment and divine judgment from God. Interestingly, in numerous instances, chapter 19 of these books is the one that deals with this prevalent subject of the Bible. Here are some examples:

1. Genesis 19 – Divine judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah
2. Exodus 19 – The Lord coming down Mount Sinai in power, not in judgment but in power as the righteous judge; perhaps as a typology of the 2nd Coming.
3. Leviticus 19:15-16 – Judging your neighbor righteously
4. Deuteronomy 19 – Requirement of at least two witnesses when making a judgment or accusation against someone.
5. 1 Kings 19:23 – Jezebel passing judgment against Elijah
6. 2 Chronicles 19:4-10 – Jehoshaphat appointing judges
7. Job 19:22 – Judgment against Job by his ‘friends’
8. Proverbs 19:28-29 – Judgment against false witnesses
9. Isaiah 19:16-23 – Judgment against Egypt
10. Jeremiah 19 – God’s judgment against Israel
11. Ezekiel 19 – Judgment against Judah
12. Matthew 19 – Jesus’ judgment against the rich man, and the disciples’ judgment of the 12 tribes
13. Luke 19:11-24 – Parable of the king’s judgment of the ten servants
14. John 19 – Judgment against Jesus by Pilate and the chief priests of the Jews resulting in his death
15. Revelation 19 – Second Coming of Jesus with divine judgment and punishment

COVID 19 AND JUDGMENT

Covid-19 is so named because it originated in the last months of 2019. However, it didn’t really have much of an impact until March of 2020. I believe Covid-19, specifically, is a warning to the world regarding immediate judgment… not the judgment of the Tribulation, but of the Rapture. Yes, the Rapture is a time of divine judgment upon mankind. On this unforgettable day, God judges all people on the basis of their belief, or lack of, in the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. The believers will be rewarded by being raptured into the sky and then transported into the third heaven by the Lord Himself. The Rapture will be the greatest “freak-out” experience of all time, surpassing even the tower of Babel craziness.

Unbelievers left behind after the Rapture will be judged and punished for their lack of faith and “idol-worshiping” ways. They will have to remain on the less populated earth and endure the consequences of the Rapture. It will be a time of intense confusion and chaos. Great changes will take place in the areas of government, religion, and the economy, paving the way for one-world government, one-world religion, one-world currency, and eventually, the rise of the Antichrist and his False Prophet. Those still remaining at this time will have to endure the horrors of the seven-year Tribulation, or die trying.

I believe we are now living in the end times where the spirit of anti-Christ is in full force, and men/women are responding to its siren call.

“And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:28-32).

What used to be kept hidden (in the closet) or kept “under the radar” is now openly paraded in the public eye. Do you remember when the candidate Joe Biden, at the end of the Democratic presidential debate (on July 31, 2019) told the viewers to “go to Joe 30330” to support him (‘Go to Joe 30330’: Biden tells confused debate viewers to visit phone number – YouTube). At the time, I wondered why he chose this particular number, so I wrote an article about it and called it “The 30330 Man” (https://www.raptureread.com/2020/07025/the-30330-man-by-randy-nettles/ .

In the following year of 2020, it became rather obvious why he chose it, or rather why ‘it’ chose him. When you divide the number 2020 by 666 (the number of the beast – Revelation 13:18), you get the number 3.033033033033…. I deliberately chose to use 13 digits for this infinite number because it just seemed appropriate somehow.

I believe 30330 is the number (code) for the spirit of the anti-Christ, whereas 666 is the actual number of the anti-Christ’s name (gematria). Sure enough, the spirit of anti-Christ was alive and well in the year 2020 with Covid-19 rampaging, lockdowns, mask mandates, government over-reach and tyranny, riots, violence, and death.

2021 was even worse with local, state, and federal governments grabbing as much ’emergency’ powers as they possibly could. This resulted in less freedom and more tracing or spying on citizens, a demand for wokeness and teaching of critical race theory, more government spending and indebtedness, unemployment, restrictions on churches, inflation rises, supply chain shortages, soaring gasoline and utility prices, violence, sexual deviancy, mental illness, apostasy, and a bevy of other spirit of anti-Christ results.

I don’t expect 2022 to be any better or get back to ‘normal.’ I believe a high level of the spirit of anti-Christ could last for up to seven years (starting with 2019), and then there will be seven years of the anti-Christ. This could be similar to the seven years of plenty and seven years of famine in the land of Egypt during Joseph’s time there when he explained Pharaoh’s dream to him. “Indeed seven years of great plenty will come throughout all the land of Egypt; but after them seven years of famine will arise, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine will deplete the land. So the plenty will not be known in the land because of the famine following for it will be very severe” (Genesis 41:29-31).

The seven years (or so) of ‘plenty’ is a relative term as it will be in regard to the “calling of the Holy Spirit” in spite of the evil work of Satan and his principalities & powers (both demonic and human). Both good and evil forces will be contending for the souls of mankind like never before. After the Rapture (and especially during the Tribulation), when the Holy Spirit is restrained from holding back evil as He has done in past times, there will be a great spiritual famine in the land. However, God/Holy Spirit (and His two witnesses and 144,000 Jewish evangelists) will still be involved, and there will be a great multitude of Tribulation believers that will “see the light” of Jesus Christ.

END-TIME NUMBERS

Jesus had this to say to his disciples before he was crucified: “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:32-34). Moses had this to say about man’s lifespan: “The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years, yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10).

When you put these scriptures together, many scholars see the possibility that the generation that was born after Israel became a nation again in 1948 would not die (possibly 70 to 80 years old) until they saw all the signs mentioned in Matthew 24.

Many Bible scholars believe Jesus was born in 5 BC around the Feast of Trumpets or Tabernacles. John the Baptist was born about 6 months earlier in the spring of 6 BC. From Jesus’ birth in 5 BC to his death in AD 33 is 37 years (actually 36.5 years). From Jesus’ death in AD 33 to the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the 2nd Temple in AD 70 is 37 years (actually 36.4 years).

So, from Jesus’ birth to the fall of Jerusalem and destruction of the 2nd Temple in AD 70 was approximately 74 years. From Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948 to the present year of 2022 is 74 years. Incidentally (or coincidentally), 74 X 9 = 666. Also, AD 2019 (the year of covid/judgment) + 3 (number for divine perfection) = AD 2022. AD 2019 + 7 (number for spiritual perfection) = AD 2026. AD 2019 + 10 (number for ordinal perfection) = AD 2029 (possibly 2030 – depending on start/finish months). Makes you wonder what is going to happen this year, doesn’t it?

Of all the end-time numbers, I believe AD 2033 is the most significant, as there will have been 2,000 years (or 2 days for the Lord) since Jesus was last seen on the earth before His ascension into heaven. 2,000 years is as two days for the Lord.

Peter said, “But beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2Peter 3:8). The Old Testament prophet, Hosea, had this to say on the subject (in my opinion), “After two days He will revive us; in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord: His going forth is prepared as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth” (Hosea 6:2-3).

Of course, the two days (for the Lord) would equal 2,000 years for mankind. From AD 33 to AD 2033 is 2,000 years. Jesus’ kingdom on Earth (Millennial Kingdom) will last for one day (for the Lord) or 1,000 years. The major rainfalls in Israel occur in the spring and fall seasons. The latter rain occurs in the spring and represents Jesus’ 1st Advent where He fulfilled the first four Feasts of the Lord (Pentecost comes in late spring/early summer). The former rain occurs in the fall season. Jesus will fulfill the last 3 of the 7 Feasts of the Lord (that occur in the fall season) when He returns to the earth during His 2nd Advent.

Israel’s patriarch, Abraham (representing Israel), entered the land of Canaan when he was 75 years old. From Israel’s rebirth in 1948 to 2023 is 75 years. When you add the “perfect numbers” (biblically) of 3, 7, and 10 to AD 2023, it looks like this: AD 2023 +3 = AD 2026; AD 2023 + 7 = AD 2030; AD 2023 + 10 = AD 2033. You can draw your own conclusion (if any) from these numbers. Personally, I believe they are significant regarding the end times.

It was only 8 years ago in 2014 when Russia invaded and subsequently annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine. The military operation started on Feb. 20, 2014, and ended on March 26, 2014. On April 28th of the same year, U.S. President Barack Obama protested mildly and issued economic sanctions against Russia, targeting companies and individuals close to Vladimir Putin. Also, in Feb. of 2014, the West African Ebola virus epidemic began. Does that mean Ebola is going to make a comeback in 2022 and beyond? AD 2014 was a significant year in world events. Ironically (or not), it is 19 years from AD 2033.

100 years from 2014 (and 119 years from 2033), World War I started on June 28, 1914, when Archduke Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was shot to death by a Bosnian Serbian man. The war lasted for 4 years, from 1914 to 1918. Many scholars believe World War I was the beginning of the “birth pains” for the end of the age found in Matthew 24:7: “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7-8).

The Spanish Flu was a deadly pandemic (pestilence) that started in 1918 during the war. By 1919, it had killed 50 million people throughout the world. There were also bad famines and earthquakes during the early 20th century. The Soviet Union had a major famine in 1921-1922, where massive crop failures occurred due to drought conditions. Vladimir Lenin largely ignored this famine, and 9 million people died. Northwest China had a major famine in 1927, which was triggered by drought and harsh taxes. 3-6 million people died. Ukraine (of the Soviet Union), under the reign of Joseph Stalin, had a major famine in 1932-1934 where 7-8 million people died. Stalin seized grain crops and used them for exports because he needed hard currency. He refused to send Ukraine food aid during this time.

There were also major and deadly earthquakes during the early 20th century. China had an 8.6 earthquake on Dec. 16, 1920, which killed 100,000 people. Japan had an 8.3 earthquake in 1923 which killed 100,000 people. Japan had another major earthquake (8.9 on the Richter scale) 10 years later, on March 2, 1933, which killed 2,990 people.

The end-time signs we are to look for, according to Matthew 24, are all around us in our current year of 2022. War, famines, pestilences, and earthquakes are becoming more prevalent as time goes on. These are all the beginning of sorrows leading up to the last 7 years of human history, known as the Tribulation or Daniel’s seventy weeks (the 70th and final number 7). There is, however, one other sign that will occur before the Tribulation begins. It is called the Rapture of the Church. If you are one of the unfortunate unbelievers that are left behind after the Rapture, you had better come to the conclusion that this was a sign from God and that He (whose name is Jesus) is coming again to the earth in great power and glory and judgment.

Choose Him now, for no one is guaranteed tomorrow.

Amen; even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Randy Nettles

nettlesr@suddenlink.net

Hindsight is 20/20. This common phrase simply points out that one can see clearly by examining what has already taken place. Prophecy, on the other hand, affords clarity to what is yet to come. God, in His providence, saw fit to provide a method by which man could know what was to happen in the future. Eschatology is akin to studying a map prior to departing in order to prepare properly for a future journey. With this in mind, this article will explore the why of eschatology by examining seven reasons for the study of last things.

God desires to inform His children of what lies ahead. This is made clear by the fact that over one-fourth of the Bible is prophetic. Therefore, God has provided all that is necessary in order to see what lies ahead, throughout the Bible, just like a road map. However, some are better at reading maps than others. This is not to disparage those who are not fond of maps; instead, the intent is to clarify why some are more interested in the study of prophecy than others. Think of it this way: two groups are fond of ice cream; some are fonder of strawberry than chocolate. While both groups are keen on ice cream, the strawberry group will more often choose strawberry. This experience is the same for those who are fond of studying the Bible; some will naturally gravitate toward eschatology.

God provided many prophecies over a vast number of years. Many of these prophecies have already found fulfillment. However, over five hundred prophecies remain unfulfilled as they are yet future.

Those who desire to study these prophetic statements are known as eschatologists. The definition of an eschatologist is: a theologian who specializes in eschatology. A theologian is one who studies theology. Theology is the study of religious faith, practice, and experience as it relates to the study of God and God’s relation to the world. Eschatology is the study of the final events in the history of humankind. Simply put, an eschatologist is one who studies the Word of God (The Bible) in order to determine what prophecies have already been fulfilled and those that are yet to take place for the purpose of understanding where the world is on its prophetic journey.

Now that definitions have been established, let the study turn to its purpose; why should eschatology be studied? There are many reasons to study last things. However, this article will focus on seven specifics as Bible prophecy: reminds us that God is Sovereign; proves that God is God; reminds us that God is good; encourages holy living; helps establish proper priorities; provides hope; finally, it will provide a distinct blueprint for those who are saved during the coming Tribulation. The latter will undoubtedly be one of the most important reasons since it may mean the difference between life and death in an extremely difficult period to come.

The very fact that God predicts the future with one hundred percent accuracy proves His sovereignty. Only the living God is able to perform such feats. Think about this: God gave humanity free choice (Duet 30:15-19), yet He still knows the outcome regardless of what man chooses. This indicates that God truly does know the end from the beginning (Isa 46:10), and He provides, in prophecy, the means for men to understand how to navigate an unsure future. The reason for God’s success is tied directly to His sovereignty, God is God, and He accomplishes all things for His pleasure. Said another way, God’s will shall find fulfillment regardless of opposition; no other force is greater than God; otherwise, He would not be God.

Jesus said, “And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe (John 14:29, KJV).” ^[1] This statement sheds light on the fact that God knows that prophecy fulfilled provides faith in God. Again, only the true, living God can predict the future and know it is coming to pass just as He has foretold.

Some examples of prophecy fulfilled are very simple and not necessarily illuminated as prophecy fulfilled. For instance, Elijah, after proclaiming that it would not rain until he gave his word, was told, by the Word of the Lord, to go to the brook Cherith which would provide him drink, and there the ravens would feed him (1 Kings 17:1-7). The fact that Elijah was fed by the ravens while drinking from the brook until it dried up is proof that God’s Word can be trusted and that God knows the future; therefore, fulfilled prophecy validates God, Himself. The reason things worked out so well for Elijah is the fact that he trusted God’s Word to him, without question. This is the reasonable service of any Christian today.

Studying the last of things proves that God is good by illuminating the contrast between the goodness of God and the emptiness of the wicked. One only needs to read through the book of Revelation to see a stark difference between the intent of God and Satan. God ‘desires’ that man repent and turn to him:

“And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts” (Rev 9:20-21).

Satan, on the other hand, ‘demands’ worship. In fact, he will kill all who refuse:

“And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed” (Rev 13:15).

“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years” (Rev 20:4).

These prophecies are easy to accept as part of a certain future by looking back at those who have been influenced by Satan throughout history. Hitler, Mao, Stalin, and Pol Pot are but a few whose lives demonstrate that the desire of the dark forces is to bend men to their will. God, however, is love, and he will not force himself on anyone. Instead, He simply shows man His goodness and affords the opportunity to choose. When presented these two options, one must decide to stay as they are or choose to repent and allow the Holy Spirit to mold and shape them into holy ones who follow Christ.

Holy living is one of the incredibly beneficial outcomes of exploring eschatology. In fact, knowing what is in store and how fast the last prophecies are approaching causes one to purify themselves in preparation of meeting a holy God:

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:1-3).

Make no mistake, God is preparing His church for the rapture, and anyone who is faithful is aware of it. Many are calling out to God ‘daily’ and asking for forgiveness for things that just a short time ago they would not have considered a problem. This, in itself, indicates the Lord is working holiness into the bride who awaits her upward call.

This brings to mind priorities. When the aforementioned unction toward holiness becomes manifest as proven by eschatological fulfillment, establishing proper priorities becomes a priority, pun intended. For an extended period, the church was focused on living a pure life until death. This has changed in that people now focus on holiness because they sense the end of the age. Most are busy getting their house in order and doing all they can to inform loved ones of their soon departure. Stark is the contrast of this generation and the former. Perhaps, more than ever, the encouragement to assemble and exhort one another rings true:

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb 10:25).

Without doubt, that day approaches, and the body of Christ hungers and thirsts for righteousness like never before (Matt 5:6).

All of the aforementioned coalesce into the understanding that the child of God has hope like none other.

The Apostle Paul had a great deal to say about the rapture. In his letter to Titus, he encouraged holy living with godly priorities while looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13). This hope is borne out of proper understanding of eschatology. Knowing that Jesus is coming for the faithful provides great hope. This hope becomes increasingly important as the world grows darker each day.

Though Paul said more about the rapture, Jesus was the first to teach it. At the Last Supper, He informed the disciples that He would return to take them and, by extension, the rest of the church to the place He had prepared for them in His Father’s house (John 14:1-3). This is the genesis of the blessed hope of which the Apostle Paul spoke. Because of this, all who know Jesus now long for His appearing. Incredibly, this longing is actually associated with a crown of righteousness awarded to all who love His appearing (2 Tim 4:8).

When the blessed hope arrives, and the church departs in the rapture, the ‘Day of the Lord’ will commence. This ‘Day’ covers the entire period called the Tribulation. This period is also known as Jacob’s trouble (Jer 30:7). Some have said, “The purpose of the Tribulation is for the salvation of the Jewish Nation.” This subject is much larger than will be covered here; however, suffice it to say, this terrible time will impact all who live on earth for the purpose of extending one last chance, over a seven-year period, to all who will believe while simultaneously bringing judgment upon the wicked and unrepentant. With this in mind, knowing how to navigate this time is crucial.

Those who decide to turn to the Lord after the rapture will have access to the greatest map ever made regarding their immediate future, the Bible. Unfortunately, many will lack understanding of what they read. Secondarily, those who assume power in the early stages of the Tribulation will attempt to eliminate as many godly resources as possible. This is where eschatologists come in. Undoubtedly, God is developing the study of end times throughout His body in every type of church, large and small. In fact, as the earth darkens, more and more people are delving into eschatology. This newfound interest will serve the dual purpose of informing local congregations and those left behind.

The aforementioned culling of materials from the easiest of sources, the internet and publishing companies, will greatly impact the availability of study resources. However, all of these groups that have been studying will have their own testimony until departure, and they will leave behind a great deal of personal study materials. Indeed, many are preparing information packets for those who might come to their house seeking shelter and food.

One thing is for sure, those left on earth after the rapture will be searching for leadership. Hopefully, they have heard the gospel message, quickly repent, and begin to immediately gather the needed biblical resources left by loved ones. After all, knowing what is coming next may allow those in this group to survive the Tribulation while avoiding the many pitfalls and major deception. Without this understanding, survival is doubtful. Hidden within God’s Word is the greatest blueprint ever made. God provided this map of sorts so those who need it may traverse a time that is like no other (Matt 24:21). God has provided the greatest leadership possible in His Word.

Conclusion

These seven reasons for exploring eschatology ultimately provide credence for the undertaking. Knowing that God is, that He is sovereign, and He is good encourages godly priorities which involve hopeful, holy living. Those who live this way will undoubtedly leave the best blueprint available to those who need it most during the worst of times. Many of the Tribulation saints will have seen one of these Christians ‘walking their talk,’ and this will cause them to know they can search their dwellings for much-needed resources. Sadly, even this type of help will only be available for a limited time due to the ever-intensifying nature of the persecution of the last days. ^[2]

If you are reading this before the rapture, prepare diligently for the Master’s call and leave as much, in the way of resources, as you can for those who will come to the Lord during earth’s darkest days. If, on the other hand, you find yourself in this terrible time, take heart; just reading this article will have provided you some keen insight into what you may do to understand what lies ahead. Either way, the most important thing anyone can do is come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Do not delay; today is the day of your salvation (2 Cor 6:2). Therefore, call upon the name of the Lord and be saved (Rom 10:13).

Website: In His Commission

^[1] “Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the King James Version.”

² For greater understanding, read the article, “Open Letter to Those Who Miss the Rapture.“