The Tribulation begins
Revelation, Chapter 6
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The Lord has left us plenty of advance notice about future
events that describe cataclysms beyond anything that the world has ever experienced
before. The great flood that destroyed humanity except for Noah’s family and
the animals on the ark comes close. It appears that these events will occur in
rapid succession. There will be no question that they represent the Lord’s judgment,
also known in other parts of the Bible as the ‘great and terrible day of the
Lord’ or simply as the ‘Day of the Lord’ (Joel 2:31-NLT; Isaiah
13:9; Malachi 4:5.)
Some people believe that the current #coronavirus (Covid-19)
pandemic is a plague referred to in Rev. 6:8 [b] and are posting such a
claim on Internet “prophetic” sites. Personally, I do not believe we are there
yet. However, these unfortunate diseases that spread rapidly across a greatly
connected world serve to remind us that we could die any day and in any place.
We should not take those warnings lightly. Our responses as Christians ought to
be to pray for everyone and for an end to this latest pandemic.
Getting back to Revelation, there is continued debate over
whether the Christian church will be on earth during the seven-year Tribulation
period. Everyone who believes in Jesus Christ for his or her salvation is a
part of His church. I’ve read vicious arguments in posts across a variety of Internet
sites that attack others who do not agree on the different views of the “rapture.”
I’ve seen some that call those who hold different views “false prophets.”
Later on, we will look at the three main views on the
rapture (some believe there will not even be a rapture). Remember that people
made fun of Noah before the great flood began. It is good to know that these
points exist without the need to fight over them. I truly believe that Jesus is
concerned at this time with the End Times Harvest – saving as many souls as
possible before it is too late for men and women to turn to Him. Like in Noah’s
time, the Word of God reveals to us that there will come a time when the door
to safety will be shut” “A male and female of each kind entered, just as God
had commanded Noah. Then the Lord closed the door behind them.” Genesis
9:16 – NLT).
Revelation 6:1-17 (NLT)
“6 As I watched, the Lamb broke the first of the
seven seals on the scroll. Then I heard one of the four living beings say
with a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I looked up and saw a
white horse standing there. Its rider carried a bow, and a crown was placed on
his head. He rode out to win many battles and gain the victory.
3 When the Lamb broke the
second seal, I heard the second living being say, “Come!”
4 Then another horse
appeared, a red one. Its rider was given a mighty sword and the authority to
take peace from the earth. And there was war and slaughter everywhere.
5 When the Lamb broke the
third seal, I heard the third living being say, “Come!” I looked up and saw a
black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And
I heard a voice from among the four living beings say, “A loaf of wheat
bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day’s pay. And don’t waste
the olive oil and wine.”
7 When the Lamb broke the
fourth seal, I heard the fourth living being say, “Come!” 8 I
looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green. Its rider was named
Death, and his companion was the Grave. These two were given authority over one-fourth
of the earth, to kill with the sword and famine and disease and wild
animals.
9 When the Lamb broke the
fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for
the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. 10 They
shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before
you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what
they have done to us?”
11 Then
a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a
little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters —their
fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.
12 I watched as the Lamb
broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became
as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. 13 Then
the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a
tree shaken by a strong wind. 14 The sky was rolled up like a
scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places.
15 Then everyone—the kings
of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every
slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of
the mountains. 16 And they cried to the mountains and the
rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne
and from the wrath of the Lamb. 17 For the great day of
their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?”
Salvation and Victorious Living
Today, if you know Jesus, then you too can lead
a victorious life
John 15:4 “Remain in me, and I
will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the
vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”
1 John 2:16 (NIV) –
“For everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life--comes not from the Father but from the world.
1 John 2:16 (NLT) –
“For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for
everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not
from the Father, but are from this world.”
If you do not know Jesus Christ, the Savior,
then you must be born again
The sinless Jesus Christ took on the sins of the world AND
the punishment for those sins so that we could be saved.
Today, if you do not know Jesus, receive His free offer of
salvation and put all your trust in Him.
John 1:29 (NLT) – “The next day
he [John the Baptist] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb
of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
2 Corinthians 6:2 – “
For God says,
“At just the right time, I heard you.
On the day of salvation, I helped you.”
On the day of salvation, I helped you.”
Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of
salvation.”
Acts 2:38 (NLT) – “Peter
replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”
Background: John the apostle wrote
the Revelation (Apocalypse) during his exile in Patmos. He received what appears to be a
series of visions about far future events. Jesus instructed him to write down
what he saw and send the writing to the seven churches in Asia Minor (region of
Turkey today). John was the last surviving member of the 12 apostles that the
Lord called to lead the church and its mission. Except for John, by now, when
he wrote the Apocalypse, the rest of the apostles had died as martyrs for the
faith. The church, however, continued to grow and spread. Persecution caused
the early believers to scatter from Jerusalem to other parts of the world.
According to church tradition, John lived out his remaining life in Ephesus
after he was released from Patmos.
Shalom!
Diana
Washington-Valdez
Faith
Today Christian Ministries
Exalting
the name of Jesus!
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