When
the final 3½ year period of the tribulation is completed what is
known as the "Grapes of Wrath" will commence. Listen.
Revelation 14:14-20
14 Then I looked, and
behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man,
having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle.
15 And another angel
came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the
cloud, "Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You
to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe."
16 So He who sat on
the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.
17 Then another angel
came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel
came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with
a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Thrust in your
sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her
grapes are fully ripe."
19 So the angel thrust
his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw
it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress
was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress,
up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs. (NKJ)
Those who accept the
mark of the beast, those who serve evil, those who have not found safety
in the mountains and valleys, will be destroyed during this period where
the wrath of God is poured out as the grapes are gathered into the winepress
of God.
What follows are the
prophecies of the seven last plagues and the seven bowls of the wrath
of God. Read Chapters 15 and 16 of the Book of Revelation for the details.
Suffice it so say there will be suffering such as could not be imagined.
Those events will wind up with the kings of the earth assembling for
a final battle, the battle of Armageddon, where God destroys evil, not
for the last time, but for a period of 1000 years.
Revelation 16:11-21
11 They blasphemed
the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not
repent of their deeds.
12 Then the sixth angel
poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was
dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.
(I believe this miracle mirrors the miracle
of the parting of the Red Sea when the warriors of Egypt pursued the
fleeing Jews, but in this case, it is the enemies of God having their
way to the final battle made easy. They are coming after the Jews again,
but now they come to a final battle which God, not the Jews, fights.)
13 And I saw three
unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out
of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
14 For they are spirits
of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth
and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day
of God Almighty.
15 "Behold, I am coming
as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest
he walk naked and they see his shame."
16 And they gathered
them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon.
17 Then the seventh
angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of
the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, "It is done!"
18 And there were noises
and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such
a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on
the earth.
19 Now the great city
was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And
great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the
wine of the fierceness of His wrath.
20 Then every island
fled away, and the mountains were not found.
21 And great hail from
heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men
blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague
was exceedingly great. (NKJ)
You may either believe
verses 18-20 or not, but if you do believe, then you know the powerful
manner in which God will "reorganize" the world physically, politically
and spiritually. This will not be the same place after the battle of
Armageddon. This will be a world preparing itself for the Millenium,
the 1000 year reign of Christ, here on earth. Below, in verses 23 and
24 you will see how God's power will be unleashed against all evil.
The promise to Israel lies in verse 27. The battle of Armageddon will
touch every living soul and its impact will exceed your ability to envision
it. Listen:
Jeremiah 4:9-29
9 "And it shall come
to pass in that day," says the LORD, "That the heart of the king shall
perish, and the heart of the princes; the priests shall be astonished,
and the prophets shall wonder."
10 Then I said, "Ah,
Lord GOD! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem,
saying, 'You shall have peace,' whereas the sword reaches to the heart."
11 At that time it
will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, "A dry wind of the desolate
heights blows in the wilderness toward the daughter of My people-- not
to fan or to cleanse--
12 A wind too strong
for these will come for Me; now I will also speak judgment against them."
13 "Behold, he shall
come up like clouds, and his chariots like a whirlwind. His horses are
swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are plundered!"
14 O Jerusalem, wash
your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your
evil thoughts lodge within you?
15 For a voice declares
from Dan and proclaims affliction from Mount Ephraim:
16 "Make mention to
the nations, yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, that watchers come from
a far country and raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 Like keepers of
a field they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious
against Me," says the LORD.
18 "Your ways and your
doings have procured these things for you. This is your wickedness,
because it is bitter, because it reaches to your heart."
19 O my soul, my soul!
I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot
hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war.
20 Destruction upon
destruction is cried, for the whole land is plundered. Suddenly my tents
are plundered, and my curtains in a moment.
21 How long will I
see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 "For My people are
foolish, they have not known Me. They are silly children, and they have
no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have
no knowledge."
23 I beheld the earth,
and indeed it was without form, and void; and the heavens, they had
no light.
24 I beheld the mountains,
and indeed they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth.
25 I beheld, and indeed
there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens had fled.
26 I beheld, and indeed
the fruitful land was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down
at the presence of the LORD, by His fierce anger.
27 For thus says the
LORD: "The whole land shall be desolate; yet I will not make a full
end.
28 For this shall the
earth mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken.
I have purposed and will not relent, nor will I turn back from it.
29 The whole city shall
flee from the noise of the horsemen and bowmen. They shall go into thickets
and climb up on the rocks. Every city shall be forsaken, and not a man
shall dwell in it. (NKJ)
I believe that when
evil is judged, prior to the Millenium, it will be a far reaching judgment
and that the Battle of Armageddon is only one of the visions that will
manifest God's power. The entire world will experience God's power and
only those who have responded to His love will experience the first
resurrection of their dead bodies or the transition from life, to life,
if you are still alive.
This horrible destruction
will render death to those whose bodies will await the final judgment
at the end of the millenium, that time when Jesus Christ separates the
sheep from the goats, the sinners from the saints and it will signal
the resurrection of believers to reign in the millenium with their Savior
and Lord, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.
The final destruction
of the earth and of sin will occur at the end of the millenium, right
after Satan has been unloosed to tempt whomever he can. The judgment
will be either to eternal life or to eternal suffering, according to
the Scriptures. New Jerusalem, heaven, will descend and all those who
love God will be with Him for eternity. The other topics that
describe these events provide the scriptural references.
But let's not get too
involved in studying what will happen. Instead, make your peace with
your Maker, now. Repent, turn from your sin, be cleansed of all iniquity
by the redeeming Blood of Jesus, the only sacrifice that will allow
you to stand before the Father, wrapped in the righteousness of your
personal Savior. This last sentence is hugely more important than any
other sentence in this book. It is not knowing what is going to happen
or not happen that will save you. If you want a new heart, a new start,
a rebirth, a reconciliation, ask and you shall receive. It is not complicated,
but it does require a humble and contrite heart, one that recognizes
its sinful past and a heart that wants to serve God, in the perfection
of the Holy Spirit. We seek not our perfection or our righteousness,
but His in us.
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