Monthly Archives: February 2023

February 26, 2023 · 10:00

The Fifth Seal

Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. (Matthew 24:9)

The first seal,[1] the white horse, introduced the Antichrist. The second seal,[2] the red horse, brought global wars. The third seal,[3] the black horse, brings economic collapse. War and economic collapse result in famines and pestilences. The fourth seal[4] releases the pale horse bringing death by way of war, hunger, and pandemics.

“And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held” (Revelation 6:9, emphasis mine). Who are these “souls … slain for the word of God?” With minimal effort, we can infer that these are martyred Christians. We make that conclusion based on a verse that follows. “And white robes were given unto every one of them…” (Revelation 6:11).

There are some students of end-times prophecy who use these verses to reject the doctrine of the Rapture of the Church. They use these verses to prove that the Church will go through and suffer persecution in the Tribulation. Hear what these martyrs cry. “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:10). We know from Verse 9 that they “were slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.” No doubt they are Christians who have died for their faith, and they plead for God’s vengeance on the earth-dwellers that caused their suffering. From the response given to them, we understand that other Christians still remain and suffer on earth. “And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled” (Revelation 6:11, emphasis mine). Obviously, there are Christians going through the Tribulation with the expectation that they will be martyred.

This would be a solid no-Rapture argument if these verses are the only verses used to make the case. However, making a case based on only a single passage is poor hermeneutics. We need to examine the whole counsel of God’s Word.

I hold the pre-millennial/pre-tribulation view of eschatology. The Pre-millennial view holds to a seven-year Tribulation period before Christ returns to establish His 1000-year reign on Earth.[5] The pre-tribulation side says that Jesus will come to receive His Bride – the Church – prior to the Tribulation. I covered some of these points in my article “The First Sight.” However, here it may be worth the extra time and space to support that stance.

First of all, the time of Tribulation is for the purpose of restoring Israel and God fulfilling the promise He made to Abraham to make him a great nation and give him a land (the land of Israel) as an everlasting covenant or promise.[6] God must keep His promise otherwise none of the promises He makes to us can be trusted.

The prophet Daniel laid out the time determined for Israel. “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24, emphasis mine). The Hebrew word translated as “weeks” is shebû‛âh, which is a period of seven (years in this case). By applying simple multiplication, we conclude that Israel was given 490 years until the anointing of “the most Holy,” i.e., Jesus Christ. That time started when Cyrus gave the command for the Jews to return to Judah and for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple.[7] Obviously, more than 490 years have elapsed. However, Daniel’s prophecy breaks up the timetable so that after 483 years, “shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself” (Daniel 9:26). Several biblical scholars have calculated the time and have verified the accuracy of the prophecy determining that Jesus was crucified (“cut off”) exactly 483 years to the day as predicted by Daniel. That leaves seven years (“one week”) to complete Israel’s timetable. Daniel immediately transitions to the final week which begins when “the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary” (Daniel 9:26, emphasis mine). This “prince,” we conclude, is the Antichrist. “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, emphasis mine). Antichrist, a.k.a. “the beast,” shows up on the scene and promises peace for Israel for seven years (“one week”).

Again, the timetable seems to fail. Considering that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was “cut off” in AD 30 (arguably), the 70th or final week would have concluded in AD 37; but the Temple was not destroyed until AD 70. However, the Bible is NEVER wrong, so why have almost 2000 years gone by since the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ with no fulfillment of the 70th week? Enter the Church.

Part of Israel’s responsibility as God’s chosen people was that they should be a “priest” nation to the rest of the world. “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” (Exodus 19:6, emphasis mine). They failed in this responsibility by adopting an exclusionary attitude toward other nations, i.e., Gentiles. Furthermore, when their promised Messiah revealed Himself, they rejected and crucified Him. However, God’s plan has always been for the redemption of all people. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, emphasis mine).

God has temporarily set aside Israel and temporarily replaced it with the Church to accomplish His plan of spreading the Gospel, the “good news,” around the world. John reminds us that “… Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (Revelation 1:5-6) However, He is not done dealing with Israel. Paul is clear on this matter:

For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. (Romans 11:25-32, emphasis mine).

Let me highlight some important points in the passage above. In addressing the church in Rome, Paul declares God’s dealing with Israel a “mystery.” He addresses some of these things in bits and pieces in other parts of the letter to the Romans,[8] but here the message is concise. First, Israel is spiritually blind in that they do not recognize their Messiah. This spiritual blindness will continue until the time of the Gentiles, i.e., the Church, is completed. Second, all Israel – at least all that survive the Tribulation – will be saved. This happens when Jesus returns in His second coming. God says through the prophet Zechariah, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me [God/Jesus] whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10, emphasis mine). That has not happened; this event is yet future. Third, there is the promise of a Deliverer coming out of Zion[9] that will turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Israel). The Deliverer came but He was rejected; so, this promise is yet future. Fourth, Israel (Jews) are enemies of the Gospel for our sake, the Gentile Church. However, they are still “elect” for their fathers’ (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel) sakes, and “the gifts and calling of God are without repentance,” i.e., God is not going to change His mind about it. Finally, God has concluded or determined this in order that all may receive mercy.

So far, I hope, I have established that the time of Tribulation is for the sake of restoring Israel so that God can fulfill His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). The final week of Daniel’s prophecy is intended for Israel “to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24). This time is not meant for the Church. In speaking of “the Day of the Lord,”[10] which will come “as a thief in the night,” Paul assures us, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9, emphasis mine). The Church is not appointed for the wrath of God. That time is reserved for the spiritual restoration of Israel.

Even now, the Church is experiencing persecution around the world. Christians are being killed for their faith in all of the Muslim countries, including China, in India, and in several African countries. In many western nations, including the United States, “soft” persecution is taking place where Christians are being “canceled” by social media and other media outlets. Laws are being enacted that declare much of the Bible, particularly those portions speaking against sodomy, as hate speech. Pastors that speak against such topics are in danger of being arrested. It is happening in Canada, and it will soon come here. But that is the wrath of man, not the wrath of God. The Church will not face the wrath of God.

Jesus promised to take His Bride home to be with Him.[11] That event, known as the Rapture, will take place in an instant. “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, emphasis mine). John gave us a glimpse of this when he says, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:1-2, emphasis mine). To the church of Philadelphia, Jesus promised, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth” (Revelation 3:10, emphasis mine).

The Tribulation is not for the Church. The Bride will be with the Bridegroom during this awful time on earth. So, who are these souls under the altar that were killed for the Word of God and for their testimony? These are those that missed the Rapture and had to go through the Tribulation. Perhaps they were CINOs (Christians In Name Only) who were not saved but retained enough Bible knowledge to recognize what was taking place. At that point, they will truly believe in the Gospel, but it will cost them their lives. Others will be those who came to faith by the witness of those who are being saved. Still, others will believe because of the preaching of the 144,000 witnesses described in Revelation 7, 14 or from the preaching of the two witnesses in Jerusalem.[12] If that is not enough, God sends a Gospel angel to preach the Word to all the world.[13] As Peter said, God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). These will be saved, but it will cost them their lives. To these, Jesus said, “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake” (Matthew 24:9).

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14, emphasis mine). I am constantly amazed at the love of God for a sinful world. He gives every opportunity for people to repent, ask forgiveness, and place their trust in Jesus Christ who is the only Way, Truth, and Life.[14] Even so, many who will recognize that all the judgments that will follow come from God, will still refuse to repent and will curse God instead.[15]

Reader, are you prepared for what is coming to the world? You do not need to go through the Tribulation, God’s wrath, that is coming upon the world. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life,” and ask Jesus to save you from the wrath to come.

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 6:1-2

[2]  Revelation 6:3-4

[3]  Revelation 6:5-6

[4]  Revelation 6:7-8

[5]  Revelation 20:1-10

[6]  Genesis 12:2, 7; 13:14-17; 15:18; 17:4-8; 18:17-18

[7]  Daniel 9:25

[8]  Romans 9:27; 10:1-4, 19-21; 11:2

[9]  Paul quoting Psalm 14:7

[10]  1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

[11]  John 14:1-3

[12]  Revelation 11:1-14

[13]  Revelation 14:6-7

[14]  John 14:6

[15]  Revelation 16:21

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February 19, 2023 · 10:00

The Pale Horse

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)

The first seal,[1] the white horse, introduced the Antichrist. The second seal,[2] the red horse, brought global wars. The third seal,[3] the black horse, brings economic collapse. War and economic collapse result in famines and pestilences. Enter the pale horse.

“And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth” (Revelation 6:7-8, emphasis mine).

The Greek word translated “pale” is chlōros, from which we derive our English word “chlorophyll,” the chemical in plant leaves that gives them their green color. Green is the color of rotting flesh as in gangrene. It stands to reason that this horse brings death. The “Hell” that follows is hadēs, which is sometimes translated as “the grave” or the abode of the dead. This horse is given power over a fourth of the earth. This probably includes both humans and animals. Our current earth’s population is over 8-Billion people. A fourth of that would be a staggering 2-Billion people. With all that death, much of it brought on by the red and black horses, the living will be overwhelmed in efforts to bury all the dead. The rotting human and animal corpses will contribute to the spread of diseases, pestilences, and pandemics.

The pale horse also kills with hunger. With wars devastating farmlands and disrupting supply chains, and the economic collapse brought on by the black horse, food scarcity will kill many who cannot buy “A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny” (Revelation 6:6).

Much of the suffering brought on by the pale horse can be seen today. Covid-19, a man-made pathogen unleashed on the world, arguably on purpose, killed many millions. The worldwide shutdowns stymied supply chains around the globe with their effects felt to this very day. Store shelves remain sparse and often empty. Long waiting periods abound for electronic parts (from China mostly) needed for manufacturing electronic devices of all kinds. And even though the pandemic has mostly subsided, the powers that be continue to foment fear of new variants. (They relish the power that such fear gives them over the populous.)

There is more to come. Just this week I learned about a new bat-borne virus discovered in Western Africa (Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon), which is deadly and for which there is no known cure.[4] This is only the beginning.

In his Wednesday night sermon this week,[5] Pastor Jack Hibbs described the wars and rumors of wars that the mainstream media strategically omit from their reports. Most of us know about the Chinese balloon that floated over the entire United States spying on our military installations. Do not be deceived; China is testing our defenses to discover our weaknesses. North Korea also continues to test our resolve. Russia is looking for an excuse to attack the United States. Putin has not been vague in his threats to use nuclear weapons on any who oppose his assault on Ukraine. Russia has brought charges against the US with the UN for blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline. (Yes, we did blow it up.) Another rumor of war about which we hear little is the strife between Pakistan and India – both nuclear powers.

Jesus assured us that “… ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matthew 24:6-7, emphasis mine). Very recently two 7.5 magnitude earthquakes followed by many strong aftershocks (5.0+ magnitude) rocked Eastern Turkey and Northern Syria. Over 42,000 deaths have been recorded to date and many more are expected. We do not hear much about them, but earthquakes of 5.0+ magnitude are happening all over the world. However, Jesus said, “All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:8). We are not experiencing the Tribulation yet. The reason I know that is that the Church is still on Earth and the Antichrist has not been revealed. What we are experiencing are just the early, sporadic birth pangs, but they are increasing in frequency and intensity. The Greek word translated as “sorrows” is ōdin meaning “the pain of childbirth, travail pain, birth pangs.”

The four horses of the apocalypse are saddled. Their riders are ready to mount as they await their order to ride. For those who have placed their faith and trust in Christ, all this is good news. It means that our Lord’s return is closer than ever before. Before the first seal is broken, “… 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, emphasis mine).

Reader, are you prepared for what is coming to the world? You do not need to go through the Tribulation, God’s wrath, that is coming upon the world. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life,” and ask Jesus to save you from the wrath to come.

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 6:1-2

[2]  Revelation 6:3-4

[3]  Revelation 6:5-6

[4]  Equatorial Guinea confirms country’s first Marburg virus disease outbreak -WHO | Reuters

[5]  (4) Now Arriving – YouTube – Watch/listen to the whole sermon. It is well worth your time.

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February 12, 2023 · 10:00

The Black Horse

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. (Matthew 24:7)

With the first seal,[1] the white horse, and the second seal,[2] the red horse, opened, the Tribulation is well underway. By now, Antichrist controls a good majority of the nations on earth. Many others will resist his authority, bringing the world wars that come with the red horse. Several opinions predict the origins of “the beast.” Some believe he will be a Jew because the Prophet Daniel says that, “Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God[3] of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things” (Daniel 11:37-38, emphasis mine).

Some believe “the beast” will be a Muslim. They come to this conclusion from a passage from the Prophet Micah that predicts the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2, emphasis mine). Messiah will rule Israel (yet future) but will be opposed by “the Assyrian.” “And this man [i.e. the Messiah] shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he [the Assyrian] shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men” (Micah 5:5, emphasis mine). However, it is doubtful that Jews would accept a Muslim as their Messiah. A Jewish Messiah is more likely. Jews expect Messiah to be a man, not God. Even now, there is a rabbi in Jerusalem to whom miracles have been attributed and whom many think is a good candidate for the role.[4]

However, neither of these proposals agrees with Daniel’s vision of the Antichrist.[5] From Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of an image with a head of gold, a chest of silver, a midsection of bronze (brass), legs of iron, and feet (with ten toes) made of a mixture of iron and clay, we conclude that the legs of iron represent the Roman empire (which was never defeated), and the feet of iron and clay is the revived Roman empire (albeit, not necessarily called by that name). However, this last Roman empire is weak and does not hold together well. That it has ten toes suggests a confederation of ten nations (or regions) that are fragmented and do not cohere well together. This final “kingdom” is forming today by way of the European Union (EU), the World Economic Forum (WEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations (UN). They are all working together with one goal in mind – a One-World Government. From this cabal of elites will rise the Antichrist according to Daniel. “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined” (Daniel 9:26, emphasis mine). The Romans – the people of the prince that shall come – destroyed the city, Jerusalem, and the sanctuary, Herod’s Temple, in AD 70. The “prince that shall come” (yet future) is Antichrist. He will come from that revived Roman empire. He will be European – a gentile, not a Jew or Middle Eastern (Muslim).

When Antichrist comes to power, he will not attain complete world dominance. Russia, China, and the Arab nations will not readily submit. Enter the red horse bringing war and taking peace from the world. Global war will further destabilize faltering world economies. The Lamb then breaks open the third seal.

“And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine” (Revelation 6:5-6, emphasis mine). This rider carries a set of balance scales in his hand. In John’s day, people bought food in the marketplace by weight. We still do the same today; fruits, fresh vegetables, meats, etc. are bought by weight. Even canned items and liquid items inform the buyer of the weight of the contents. So, the balance scales the rider carries indicate the buying and selling of things; it is the economy of the world that he carries.

The economy, at the time of this writing, really stinks! I am old enough to remember when a loaf of bread sold for around 25¢. Today a loaf of bread sells for between $4 and $5! However, during the Tribulation, it gets worse. A “measure” (Gk. choenix) is “nearly equivalent to about one quart, being considered a sufficient daily allowance for the sustenance of one man.”[6] A measure of wheat sufficient to feed a man for one day is sold for a “penny” (Gk. dēnarion aka, denarius), which was considered a day’s wages. In today’s money, a worker earning a minimum wage of $10.50/hour for eight hours earns $84/day. If that is what it takes to buy food sufficient for one day, how will a person pay for rent, transportation, and other necessities? Of course, that would be the price for wheat – the “good stuff.” One could economize by downgrading to “barley” – the “cheap stuff” – and get three measures for a day’s wages.

However, the elites pulling the strings get to enjoy all of the best. “See thou hurt not the oil and the wine.” They live it up, while the “worker bees” suffer. Notice how the current elites of the world travel to Davos, Switzerland in private jets, stay in five-star hotels, dine at the finest restaurants, and meet to plan the dictates for the rest of us – how we should reduce our “carbon footprint,” turn down our thermostats, drive (expensive) electric cars, and eat bugs instead of steak. That is what they plan while they wittingly or unwittingly pave the way for the black horse.

The combination of the red horse and the black horse under the direction of the white horse will make the way for the “pale horse” that follows. The black horse is saddled and its rider is ready to mount.

Reader, are you prepared for what is coming to all the world? You do not need to go through the Tribulation, God’s wrath, that is coming upon the world. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life,” and ask Jesus to save you from the wrath to come.

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 6:1-2

[2]  Revelation 6:3-4

[3]  KJV capitalizes “God,” however a close examination of the text seems to favor lower case – “god.” It makes no sense that he would have no regard for “the God of his fathers” and at the same time honor that God. In context, it seems more likely that he is honoring “the god of [dark] forces … a god whom his fathers knew not.”

[4]  (1) The Jewish Messiah is here and doing miracles? – YouTube

[5] “Antichrist” is a title ascribed to this coming ruler by students of end-times prophecy. The writer of the book of Revelation gives him this title, but only in his epistles: 1 John 2:18. In Revelation, he calls him “the beast.” The prefix, “anti” means “in exchange for, in place of, instead of, one after another” So, “the beast” attempts to put himself in place of or instead of Christ.

[6] William D. Mounce with Rick D. Bennett, Jr., Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary, (www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary, 1993).

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February 7, 2023 · 12:58

To the Ends of the Earth — TRIBUTE

Source: To the Ends of the Earth — TRIBUTE

Dr. John D. Morris was my friend too.

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February 5, 2023 · 10:00

The Red Horse

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. (Revelation 6:3)

 The first seal[1] released the white horse whose rider carried a bow, but no arrows, and he was “given” a crown – not a diadēma (a royal crown) but rather a stephanos (a victor’s wreath). The first seal begins what we know as the seven-year Tribulation that opens when “the prince that shall come … shall confirm the covenant with many for one week” that brings “peace” to Israel.[2] Considering the placement of this seal (first) and that he carries a bow and no arrows, we can conclude that this rider represents the Antichrist that will come on the scene.

Following close behind the white horse, the second seal brings the red horse. “And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword” (Revelation 6:4).

The first thing we notice about this rider is that “power was given to him.” He does not get this power on his own. So, from where does he get this power? Since the rider of the white horse is Antichrist (arguably), it could be assumed that Antichrist gives him the power. At this point, we need to remember who controls the opening of the seals. “And [the Lamb] came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne … And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see” (Revelation 5:7; 6:1). Make no mistake, the One who gives the power is the One who holds the title deed to the earth, i.e., “the scroll.”

In Revelation, John provides, more than any other prophetic book, a detailed description of the events that will take place during Daniel’s 70th week.[3] This time is also known as “the time of Jacob’s trouble” as coined by the Prophet Jeremiah. “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, emphasis mine). Jacob’s other name is Israel. The Tribulation serves to “save” Israel and turn their hearts to their Messiah. Jesus says by way of the Prophet Zechariah, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zechariah 12:10, emphasis mine).

Another reason for the Tribulation, in brief, is for God to “clean house” on earth. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18). During this awful time, God’s wrath will be unleashed against a sinful world. “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6, emphasis mine). “For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience” (Colossians 3:6, emphasis mine). This is one reason that the Church, i.e., Christians, will be taken out of the world to escape the wrath to come. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

A third reason for the Tribulation is to give the world one last opportunity to repent and turn to Christ. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Revelation gives three examples of God’s attempt to save rebellious sinners during this time: 144,000 “evangelists” to proclaim the Gospel,[4] two witness preaching in Jerusalem for three and one-half years,[5] and even an angel proclaims the Gospel to the world.[6] Jesus said of this time, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24:14, emphasis mine).

The red horse brings the first signs of serious trouble ahead. He is given power “to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword” (Revelation 6:4). He carries “a great sword” which is an implement of war. War takes peace from the earth and it cannot be prosecuted without people killing one another. The red horse brings global war.

Of this time Jesus said, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom …” (Matthew 24:6-7). The Old Testament predicts some of the wars involving Israel in the “last days.” Psalm 83 speaks of a time when Israel’s neighbors will surround her with the aim to “cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance” (Psalm 83:4). Arguably, this has taken place at least twice. Once when Israel declared itself a nation on May 14, 1948. On that very day, the Arab nations attacked defenseless Israel to prevent her from establishing her nationhood. Miraculously, Israel defeated her enemies. The second time was in the [19] Sixty-seven War, when once again they were outnumbered and outgunned, they took back their beloved capital of Jerusalem and conquered the Sinai Peninsula, which they later gave back to Egypt in a foolhardy land-for-peace deal. However, there are some who believe the Psalm 83 war is yet future.

Isaiah speaks of the overnight destruction of Damascus. “The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap … And behold at eveningtide trouble; and before the morning he is not. This is the portion of them that spoil us, and the lot of them that rob us.” (Isaiah 17:1, 14, emphasis mine). Even today, as Iran continues to ship and store missiles in Syria and especially in Damascus, Israel periodically makes air strikes on Damascus. Current pictures of Damascus make it look like a war zone. However, it continues to be a city. Israel possesses nuclear weapons that could flatten Damascus with one bomb. As tensions build in the Middle East, we might soon wake to the news that Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, is no more. It is also possible that its demise will happen after the Rapture of the Church.

Ezekiel 38-39 foretells that a confederation made up of Russia, Turkey, Iran, Syria, and their allies will come against Israel. Israel will find itself hopelessly outmanned and outgunned. However, God will intervene and destroy her enemies in such a miraculous way that it will leave no doubt that it is God that saves Israel. Today, we see the stage being set for this prophesied war. All of the nations mentioned by the Prophet Ezekiel have armies and weapons staged in Syria. All they need is a good reason to invade. Could the destruction of Damascus be the catalyst?

All of the end-times prophecies focus on the nation of Israel. However, all the world is involved. Today, Russia wars against Ukraine. North Korea threatens South Korea, Japan, and the United States. China rattles its sabers against the United States. Russia threatens NATO with nuclear retaliation if it interferes with its campaign against Ukraine. There are wars going on in Africa. There is unrest in South America and Europe. Peace is all but gone from the world.

The red horse is saddled and its rider is ready to mount and ride. Will you be around to see peace taken from the earth, or will you be rescued in the Rapture? If you are not sure, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Revelation 6:1-2

[2]  Daniel 9:26-27

[3]  Daniel 9:24-27

[4]  Revelation 7; 14:1-5

[5]  Revelation 11:1-12

[6]  Revelation 14:6-7

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