May 2021 – God’s Judgment of America

PTNews

May 2021

Published monthly

All Bible references are from the KJV

(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006

God’s Judgment of America

“Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD:

and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? Jeremiah 5:9

By Mike Wingfield

I am convinced that the days before the crushing judgment of God falls upon America are numbered. Each day when I awaken, I wonder if the Lord will come that day for His church in the Rapture, or if it will be the day He humbles America in devastating judgment. Either way, the Judge is standing “before the door” (James 5:9). The Bible teaches that our holy God has a toleration point. I believe deeply in my soul, America has reached that point! Soon, the heavy judgment of God will fall upon this nation that was once so greatly blessed by Him.

The Spirit of God is conveying this conviction of America’s judgment upon the minds of many conservative, God-fearing men. Just the other day I received an e-mail in which Billy Graham’s son, Franklin Graham, said, “God’s judgment is coming to America.”

Godly men who study the Bible know the character of our Lord and the history of His wrathful judgments against wicked cities and nations in the past. They know God is merciful, gracious, and patient. But eventually, the time of divine judgment arrives when a culture becomes immersed in wickedness. Such a culture is enslaved in a lifestyle that brings death and chaos to those who have been created in the image of God. Because God cares about people, He refuses to allow that wicked culture to continue to perpetuate itself. He has no choice but to bring about a radical, severe judgment that will remove the wicked from that culture. It happened in the immoral and violent days of Noah. It took place in the homosexually-obsessed culture of Sodom and Gomorrah. And, after great patience, the Lord brought divine judgment upon the 10 Jewish tribes called Israel, and ultimately upon Judah.

Because of their spiritual blindness, the wicked seem to be oblivious to their offense against a holy God and their subsequent impending doom. Psalm 10:4, 6 says, “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. … He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.” Only a few decades before God judged Israel by the hands of the pagan Assyrians, they had no idea that divine judgment was imminent. God said about them, “All of the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor [calamity come before] us” (Amos 9:10).

Most people in America have no clue what is about to take place. They are out of touch with God, and thus out of touch with reality! If some of them were to read this newsletter, they would dismiss this warning as the writing of a religious fanatic who is simply trying to scare people.

Even within the church, there seems to be a sense of religious pride that views the America as God’s prize possession. A great number of professing Christians believe America is a godly nation and is exempt from the wrath of God. Thus, they are woefully unaware of the imminent judgment of God. They are void of a basic understanding of the holy character of God and they do not realize how offensive the American culture is to Him. Sadly, far too many churches have adopted the values and methods of the world as a way to do business in the local church. Just like the world, they are out of touch with God, and thus out of touch with reality.

As believers in Jesus, we need to love sinners, but at the same time we need to hate the world system. The world system is not of God. It is the representation of the god of this age – Satan.

We must realize that when we stand with God, it will bring fierce opposition. Standing with God and His truth will always bring conflict. Just like with Elijah, the world will say people who stand with God are the trouble makers (1 Kings 18:17). Jesus has warned us that the world loves it own kind, but rejects His people. He said to His disciples, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world [hates] you” (John 15:19).

Just like the prophets of God, we must be the proverbial watchman on the walls of America. Read Ezekiel 2 and 3. We must warn those around us that we are locked in a deadly spiritual conflict and we are about to be judged by a holy God. God told Ezekiel it was his solemn duty to warn his rebellious nation, even if they did not want to hear it!

As we consider God’s approaching judgment upon America there are three practical questions we must consider. (1) How will God judge America? (2) When will God judge America? (3) Why will God judge America? No one can know the precise answer to these questions. However, the Scriptures give us some valuable insights into what God has done in the past when He judges nations. God has not changed. His values and standards have not changed. Therefore, we can glean great insight into the future possibilities that await America in God’s coming judgment.

Let us clearly understand what we are about to examine. As in the past God in His mercy, sends many warnings and judgments of divine discipline upon a culture to warn it of its sinful ways. These acts of discipline are a warning to people. God wants them to know that a sudden and radical divinely-orchestrated calamity awaits them if they do not repent and turn from their wicked ways. During my lifetime, God has mercifully been judging America. However, a most severe judgment is about to take place that will shake the entire world to its core!

How will God judge America?

Before God judged the wicked 10 tribes of Israel in 722 B.C., He sent several prophets to warn them of His coming judgment. One of these prophets was a farmer, named Amos. The theme of the book of Amos is “National Accountability for National Sins.” At least 100 years prior to Amos’ prophecy, God began to judge wicked Israel. The parallels between the Israel of Amos’ time and the America of today are amazing. Amos was preaching to a nation that was prosperous and safe. The late Dr. John Phillips, a former professor at Moody Bible Institute, conference speaker, and prolific author of biblical commentaries, summarizes the nature of Israel during the days of the prophet Amos. “Formerly the Hebrews had been fighting farmers, but they had experienced a cultural revolution: now they were citified, sophisticated, worldly wise, cultured, proud, and – they imagined – safe. They had taken a giant step from an agricultural economy to an urban form of life” (John Phillips, Exploring the Minor Prophets, An Expository Commentary, p. 87). It is amazing to read the five disciplinary judgments of God that lead up to His final massive judgment. Israel was slaughtered by the cruel Assyrian army, and surviving Jews were scattered to the nations of the world. In Amos 4:6-13, this godly farmer listed the disciplinary judgments as famine, drought, agricultural disasters, diseases and wars, and finally, overwhelming natural disasters. At the end of each of these disciplinary acts of judgments, God said to Israel, “Yet, have ye not returned unto me” (Amos 4:6, 8, 9, 10, 11). Finally, God said to this rebellious nation, “Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel” (Amos 4:12).

Reading this list of judgments is almost an exact reproduction of the history of the U.S. However, we cannot pretend to know the form of the final devastating judgment of God against our nation. Will it be a massive natural disaster, like the eruption of the volcano at Yellowstone national park? Will God allow the U.S. to be destroyed by a nuclear bomb from Russia or China? Could we be devastated by an Electro Magnetic Pulse bomb by a rogue nation such as North Korea or Iran? Will we be gradually humbled by a financial implosion, or meet our demise as the consequences of our liberal leaders who want to force us into socialism? Only God knows. God has many tools of judgment – including human instruments and the forces of His creation at His disposal.

I am absolutely convinced that the judgment of God will be a massive, life-changing event that will garner the attention of the world. In the Bible, the severity of God’s judgment is not always due to a level of wickedness or rebellion against God. God’s most severe judgment is for cultures that have had the greatest opportunity to hear and know the truth of His Word, and yet refuse it. In Matthew 11:20-24, Jesus rebuked three cities of His time – Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. These people had heard His message and experienced more miracles than any other people in all of Israel. In His scathing remarks to the people in those cities, Jesus said they would receive more condemnation and stricter judgment that other pagan Gentile cities that never had heard His messages nor seen one of His miracles. Here is the spiritual application – those who are given the greatest spiritual opportunities deserve a more strict judgment.

When a person examines the last 100 years of the history of the nations, there is one nation that has been spiritually blessed more than any other – America. We have more churches and have had a greater opportunity to hear the Word than any other nation! However, look where we are as a rebellious nation at this hour! As a result, our judgment will be more severe than the evil nations of China or Russia. This is a very sobering thought!

When will God judge America?

The Bible teaches that when a culture collectively sears its conscience, and it is deaf to the warnings of God, judgment will come. God loves sinners. It is His desire to reconcile them to Himself. For this to happen, the Spirit of God must be able to strive in the consciences of people to convict them of their sin and bring them to a point of repentance and ultimately to salvation. The condition of the person’s conscience is vitally important. It is important that we strive to have “a good conscience” (1 Timothy 1:5). When our conscience is sensitive to sin, the Holy Spirit can strive in us to bring us to repentance by confessing our sins to maintain fellowship with our holy God (1 John 1:5-10).

The Bible teaches that when man refuses to listen to his conscience, it is gradually silenced by his disobedience. If this situation persists, that person can arrive at a point when the conscience is silenced, as if it were “seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:2). When this happens, that person suppresses the work of the Holy Spirit to the point that God gives them up to follow the ways of their depraved heart (Romans 1:18-32). In the days of Noah, the global culture had reached such a point. God said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man” (Genesis 6:3).

When a culture has silenced its collective conscience it has no spiritual restrain and people live like brute beasts. They become immoral and violent. At this point, they become unredeemable. Therefore, God must remove that culture by divine judgment and begin with another godly remnant of people. This process has been repeated many times in the Bible. [For more details, read my book, Living in a World with No Conscience.]

The nature of the people in a culture that have collectively destroyed their consciences is clearly marked by the character descriptions given in Romans 1:24-32. Reading this list perfectly describes the current American culture. We are ripe for the final judgment of God as a nation! It is only a matter of time.

Why will God judge America?

The battle within the American culture, and the entire global society, is a war between God and the devil. It is a battle between the forces of good and evil.

Many days it looks as if Satan and his forces of evil are winning the war against God. However, that is an illusion. The Bible emphatically declares that when the end comes, sin and Satan will be defeated forever. In the meantime, God is redeeming and reconciling a people unto Himself. When the war of evil is raging and it looks like all is lost, God steps in and judges the culture that is promoting the way of death. He must do this so that He can continue to rescue the survivors from the slavery of sin and death. He is doing it today, and He will do it again in the future.

In this war against evil, God is very patient. However, He does have a toleration point of no return. The Bible tells us there are things that try the patience of God to a point where there is no way to escape his judgment. The prophets of Israel speak about how God will put up with a variety of sins, like unbelief and disobedience. However, the one thing that the prophets are consistent about is that the shedding of innocent blood is, for God, the last straw.

When a culture reaches a point when innocent people are murdered with no consequences, that culture is ripe for the wrath of God. For God, this comes down to one basic truth. All human beings have been created in the image of God. The Bible states, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). God has made it clear that He hates “hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:17).

God holds people who murder innocent people responsible for their sin. Man alone has been created in the image of God. The lack of respect for human life strikes the heart of God. Such acts are a rejection of the Creator and His creation. When people murder a person, they are not acting like God. They are acting like the evil one – Satan. Jesus said that the devil “was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44). The Bible declares, “For this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. … We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that [loves] not his brother [abides] in death. Whosoever [hates] his brother is a murderer: and we know that no murderer [has] eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:11-12, 14-15).

When Cain murdered his brother, God said to him, “The voice of thy brother’s blood [cries] unto me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). After the time of the great global flood, God established human government. His plan was for mankind to have a God-ordained authority over society that would rule over man with the application of the law of God (Romans 13:1-7). The basic cornerstone of human government was to provide security for mankind. That was stated in Genesis 9:6, “Whoso [sheds] man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.” Today, this is called capital punishment.

God made it very clear to His people that the murder of innocent people must not be taken lightly. In Numbers 35:30-31, 33, the Lord said, “Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses, but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Moreover ye shall take no satisfaction for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death: but he shall be surely put to death. … So you shall not pollute the land wherein you are: for blood it [defiles] the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.” God makes it clear that only capital punishment will remove the guilt from a culture. When people in a society refuse to obey God, they are living with the blood of the innocent victims of murder on their hands.

The death penalty existed as a law in the U.S. since colonial times until about 50 years ago. Since that time, our nation has become more and more lenient in punishing murderers as demanded by God. The death penalty laws were based upon the law of the Bible. Therefore, the disappearance of the death penalty in the justice system of America is a testimony to our rejection of the Creator and His law. During this period of time, the disrespect for human life has continued to deteriorate. And it will grow worse.

According to the Bible, there is no more sacred and holy matter than the subject of abortion. According to the Scriptures, abortion is the greatest offense against God, and it demands His most severe judgment. There is no greater bond of love and commitment than the one that exists between parents and their children. When this has failed it is the greatest evidence of that culture’s rebellion against God! The Bible teaches that this sin destroys that culture and invites the judgment of God!

The history of the Jewish people in the Old Testament shows they failed God in this tragic sin. God had warned them against following the practices of the Canaanites that were in the land prior to them. This godless culture was thrust out by God because of their immorality, worship of demons, and the sacrificing of their children to demons. Read Deuteronomy 18:9-14. Eventually, Israel followed in their footsteps and copied their deadly and offensive sins before God. The Jewish people were so far away from God that they offered their children up as a burnt offering to the idols and gods [demons] of the land. God called these practices an abomination. These wicked practices were eventually promoted by the wicked kings of Israel and Judah (2 Chronicles 28:3; 33:6). God made it clear that this was the final sin that brought about His divine judgment upon the Jewish people (2 Chronicles 33:1-11; Ezekiel 16:21). This is clearly spelled out in Psalm 106:35-42.

America is following in the same immoral and wicked patterns of the nations that preceded it. Since the early 1960s, the U.S. has increasingly become a very spiritually dark nation. The militant minority that clings to abortion and every form of wickedness and immorality is forcing its agenda upon America. It has the support of the federal government, and many state and local governments. It is promoted by the media, the entertainment industry, and the education systems across the land.

In the last 48 years, America has witnessed the painful and tragic deaths of more than 62 million babies. This battle is still raging. Only a small remnant of godly people is willing to take a stand against the murder of innocent babies. At this point we have the most radical and leftist presidential administration at the head of the federal government in the history of America. They are threatening to expand abortion and punish those who are pro-life. They are promoting a bill that will make the abortion bill available by a mail request. This will open the doors to millions more babies being killed in the early stages of their development in their mother’s womb.

An average of 1.5 million babies is being killed every year in America. That is three every minute! There are currently several basic types of abortions being performed in America today. There is the suction type of abortion. This is where the unborn child is literally vacuumed from the mother’s womb during the early stages of pregnancy. Another abortion method is performed with a spoon-like object, where the child is cut from the mother’s womb. Some abortions are similar to a Caesarean operation. The baby is surgically removed from the mother and allowed to suffocate, because the child’s lungs have not completely developed. Another horrific method is the Salt Brine technique. With this method, the unborn child is literally chemically killed by the injection of a strong salt solution. After a few days, the remains of the child are removed. Perhaps the cruelest method is a partial-birth abortion. This is where a child is partially delivered, then stabbed in the back of the neck to suck out its brains. Then the body is disposed of. Is it any wonder that this is enraging a holy God! We should all be filled with anger over these murderous practices on a helpless baby.

Why are these abortions taking place? Overall, it is seen as a sinful matter of convenience for the mother. The woman says it is her body and she can do as she pleases. The Bible and medical science prove this is a lie. The body inside of her does not belong to her. It is the creation of God. She is the child bearer. From the moment of conception of the life in her womb, it is only dependent upon her for oxygen and blood supply. The conception and development are orchestrated by God.

Abortion is also a sinful lack of “natural affection” due to a sinful exclusive love of self (2 Timothy 3:1-3). God has given a woman a natural affection or love to care for her children, even to the point of sacrificing herself for them. This is normal. So, when a mother reaches a point where she no longer has this basic natural affection, it demonstrates that she has destroyed her conscience and has been abandoned by God (Romans 1:28). The only thing that matters to her is her rights.

In America, abortions are performed 93 percent of the time due to the wishes of the mother. Only 3 percent of the time is abortion performed due to concerns of the health or life of the mother. About 3 percent of the time babies are aborted due to health concerns of the baby. Finally, only 1 percent of abortions occur due to rape or incest.

There is now overwhelming medical evidence that human life begins at conception. “Just 18 days after conception, the baby’s heart begins to beat. At six weeks, brain waves can be measured. At eight weeks, the vital organs are functioning and fingerprints have formed. At nine weeks, the unborn is able to feel pain” (www.bibleresources.org/abortion).

The Bible speaks of an unborn baby as a human being. God said to the prophet Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before [you came] out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). An angel told the father of John the Baptist that “he shall be filled with the Holy [Spirit], even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15). When the baby was six-months-old in the womb, he leaped when Mary the mother of Jesus came to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist (Luke 1:41).

The Bible gives great testimony to the divine development of a baby in the womb. In Psalm 119:73, the psalmist said to God, “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me.” The writer of this Scripture is stating that God has developed him. In Psalm 139:13, the writer said to God, “thou [has] covered me in my mother’s womb.” The Hebrew word, “covered,” indicates God has weaved his body parts together. The word means to “cause a biological body to form and grow, with a focus on the structure of the body” (Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains).

Psalm 139:14 declares that we have been “fearfully and wonderfully made.” These two words are very important. The word “fearfully” means we have been respectfully made by God. We have been created to show a high status and honor. The word “wonderfully” indicates human beings are to be treated with distinction. We are different than animals. We were created in the image of God.

Psalm 139:15-16 speaks clearly of the divine work of God in the human womb. The writer of Scriptures testifies to the fact that God was not oblivious to what was happening in the womb of a mother. Rather, He was intricately involved when it was only a “substance.” This word speaks of the beginning of life – the unformed body in the womb of the mother. This speaks of life in the womb of the mother before it takes on the physical characteristics of human form. Verse 16 testifies that when God formed or fashioned the baby in the womb, He was carrying out His divine will which He has decreed for that child. The words “when as yet there was none of them,” literally means that God began this process at the moment of conception when the person was only a single cell in their mother’s womb.

The wickedness of a culture that demands the judgment of God can always be seen in their attitudes and actions toward the gifts of God – human life in general, and children in particular. The practice of abortion and its support by our government is an invitation to God to judge this nation. When it comes, it will be massive and severe. I love America. But I must confess that we deserve the judgment of God.

April 2021 – The Satanic Rebellion and the End of Days

PTNews

P r o p h e c y T o d a y N e w s

April 2021

Published monthly

(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006

The Satanic Rebellion and the End of Days

“When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increases:

but the righteous shall see their fall.” Proverbs 29:16

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By Mike Wingfield

War is raging around us. There has been an ongoing, continuous war in the spiritual realm since the rebellion of Satan in heaven near the beginning of time. We are talking about a real war between evil angels, called demons, and good angels that serve the Lord. The central passage in the final book of the Bible reads, “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon [Satan]; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not: neither was their place found any more in heaven” (Revelation 12:7, 8). In light of this, we should view the final seven years of this age, the Tribulation Period, as the final phase of a war that has existed for almost the entire history of creation.

Obviously, Satan knows just how crucial this war is. He knows that God has declared him the loser of this conflict. When the final battle, Armageddon, is fought, Jesus will be the victor. He will speak the word, and the armies of the Antichrist gathered in Israel and surrounding Jerusalem, will all suddenly be consumed (Zechariah 14:12). The Antichrist and his false prophet will be “cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone” (Revelation 19:20). Then, Satan will be bound and cast into a bottomless pit for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:2, 3).

Since the time of his creation as a good angel – Lucifer – the Devil has never been bound. He has been free to fight against God in heaven and on earth (Job 1:6, 7). Therefore, in his wrathful desperation, he will do anything to keep himself from that dreadful moment when he will be confined to the bottomless pit. Thus, it makes perfect sense to realize that if the Devil believes the Tribulation Period is about to begin, he will use everything at his disposal to carry out his final rebellion against God. Satan’s war chest includes demons, people, and the nations of the world. While we know Satan cannot win, he is still on prowl like a dangerous wild animal. And he will become increasingly cunning and desperate as he carries out his final rebellion against God.

It is apparent that we are watching a full-blown explosion of evil around the world. Lawlessness, wickedness and immorality are escalating each day. This proves that Satan and his demons are busy at work, orchestrating their preparations for the horrific time to come, called, “the Tribulation.”

Before the election of Donald Trump as the president of the United States in 2016, it appeared that our world was sliding toward circumstances that would establish an evil New World Order. Then, to the chagrin of those who crave a New World Order, Donald Trump’s election became a shocking reality. It became apparent that President Trump’s world view was more biblical than that of most of his predecessors in the last several decades. He stood on the moral high ground with the laws of God’s Word. He attempted to defend the U.S. Constitution, which was framed by men who had great respect for the Word of God. President Trump spoke out against abortion. He took a stand against the moral filth that had been wrapping its wicked tentacles around the American culture for many decades. He supported the biblical view of marriage between a man and a woman. He firmly stood by Israel, defending its occupation and control of Jerusalem and the Promised Land.

President Trump was a great defender of our nation. He desired to protect our borders from those who wanted to illegally enter. He strengthened our military to stand up against evil nations, like China, Iran, and Russia. These nations are our avowed enemies and they are plotting our destruction. He exposed the unfair trade tariffs and policies with China. He was a great supporter of promoting and defending law and order, which is at the heart of what government has been divinely ordered to do (Romans 13:3-4).

As a good leader, he made decisions based upon what was good for his country. He took a stand against socialism and the New World Order. He did not always agree with the actions and decisions of the United Nations. Under his leadership, the United States officially withdrew from some of the more corrupt organizations within the U.N.

President Trump took a hard stand against global terrorism. He opposed the deadly nuclear deal with Iran, which had been crafted by President Obama and the liberal nations of Europe. These evil world leaders did this, knowing that Iran was the greatest terrorist-sponsoring state in the Middle East. Moreover, they knew that this deal would pose a lethal threat to our friends and allies in this volatile region – especially Israel.

President Trump also understood the motives behind the Palestinian opposition of Israel. His administration withdrew the United State’s support of the Palestinians because he knew our tax dollars were being used for evil purposes against the Israelis. The Palestinian leadership was using these funds to make themselves rich, and to pay the families of terrorists who had killed Israelis. Under the leadership of President Trump, ISIS, a wicked and vile terrorist organization, was also defeated.

In essence, President Trump stood up in the face of evil around the world and said, “No more!” As a result, the evil leaders around the world and in the U.S. rallied against him. Their hatred for him was very open. If the truth were known, we would see how the evil leaders of the world joined the liberal establishment in Washington D.C. to be sure that Donald Trump would not serve a second term. The liberal media was blatantly complicit with their political agenda. Behind the scenes, this plot was bankrolled by evil men like George Soros. They considered Donald Trump a threat to their evil agenda. They want to force this agenda upon America and all nations.

Since the election of Joe Biden, we have witnessed an attempt to erase all of the policies and accomplishments of our former president. America is right back where it was four years ago. It is apparent that the liberal, socialist, left in America is once again joining hands with our enemies to destroy our great nation. Their ultimate aim is to usher in an evil New World Order.

The Biden administration is embracing evil leaders and wicked policies at a maddening pace. They fear their window of opportunity to advance their globalist agenda is very narrow. So, they must act fast.

Following in the mold of his party’s predecessor, President Barak Obama, President Biden has made known his desire to re-establish the nuclear deal with Iran. Many of the Sunni Arab Gulf State leaders, like Saudi Arabia, have told President Biden that this would be dangerous for the Middle East and the rest of the world. Israel has also voiced its grave concerns about the U.S. recommitting itself to the disastrous policy of empowering the evil Iranian leadership. These religious leaders in Iran are driven by their apocalyptic desires to control the Middle East and the entire world. Other world players that have close economic ties with the Iranians include Russia, China, and India. The blind leadership of these countries is not aware that they are creating a monster that wants to destroy them also.

In another unwise move, the Biden administration is going soft on militant Islamic terrorist groups in the Middle East. Biden has removed the Houthi Rebels, a militant Islamic terrorist organization, funded and trained by Iran, from the official terrorist list in the U.S. The Houthi Rebels, stationed in Yemen, have joined other terrorist groups in their ongoing attack against Saudi Arabia. Iran’s ultimate goal in the Middle East is to destroy Israel and to take over oil rich Saudi Arabia, the center of the Islamic world.

And in yet another reversal of a Trump policy, the current administration has reinstated Palestinian offices in Washington. Plus, it is once again sending funds to support the Palestinian cause. President Biden has made it known that he wants to return to an old way of thinking that would establish a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians. This will force Israel to surrender some of the Promised Land to the Palestinians. Furthermore, Biden seems to be ignoring all of the progress that had been made in the Abraham Accords, which are a joint statement between Israel and other Arab Persian Gulf states and the United States, reached in 2020. It seems to be of little value to him that a new hope for peace was beginning to materialize, with Islamic states signing agreements to normalize relationships with Israel. It seems that the new leadership in Washington is being driven by a boiling hatred that is aimed at destroying all of the good accomplishments of the Trump administration.

President Trump fought a fierce battle with the entrenched liberal political machinery for four years over border control. The president strongly desired to build a strong defense system along our border with Mexico. Once again, by executive order, President Biden has reversed all of President Trump’s policies with regard to controlling the number of immigrants allowed into the country. Reports indicate that some days more than 3,000 illegal immigrants are crossing the border into our country.

Not only is Biden not concerned about the safety of our nation, he has ordered hotels along the border be made available to these illegal immigrants. It seems that the Biden policies are aimed at encouraging these immigrants to storm our border and enter our country. Local law enforcement and political establishment are warning that what is happening presents a grave danger to the future of the United States. U.S. citizens along the border feel threatened. COVID-19 is spreading. Cars and property are being stolen. Women are being raped. Even some of the Democrats are attempting to change the president’s mind concerning his liberal border policies.

Perhaps one of the most threatening policies of the current administration is their friendship and cooperation with China. Anyone with eyes open to read a little, knows that China wants to rule the world. Hence, the communist leadership in China wants to bring about the demise of the United States of America. They want to destroy us politically, militarily, morally, socially, spiritually, and economically.

Picture of U.S. and Mexico border with defense walls.

Last November, President Trump came to the realization that public and private Chinese companies were available on Wall Street for American investors. This would merely help make China stronger. Many of these companies of the People’s Republic of China are military companies that support the technology and growth of a military that is sworn to the destruction of the United Sates. Therefore, on November 12, 2020, President Trump signed Executive Order 13959 to make it illegal for Wall Street to allow these Chinese companies to receive investment funds from Americans.

In essence, President Biden, shortly after he became president, caved in to China’s complaints about President Trump’s executive order. Consequently, millions of Americans are again investing in the destruction of their own country. Sadly, they do not realize what they are doing. This is an outrage and disgrace to the American people!

In an electrifying and frightening article from Gatestone Institute on February 10, 2021, Gordon Chang, who is a Gatestone Distinguished Senior Fellow and member of its Advisory Board) presented an article, “China is Creating a New Master Race.” Here are some excerpts from this article, “U.S. intelligence shows that China has conducted human testing on members of the People’s Liberation Army in hope of developing soldiers with biologically enhanced capabilities. … The People’s Liberation Army has gone all-in on editing of humans. There are no ethical boundaries to Beijing’s pursuit of power.

“Chinese scientists already are on the road of ‘gene-doping’ to make future generations smarter and more innovative than those in countries refusing to embrace these controversial methods. What you are witnessing in China is the convergence of advanced technology with cutting-edge bio-sciences, capable of fundamentally altering all life on this planet according to the capricious whims of a nominally Communist regime.

“What is most disturbing about these endeavors is that China has gleaned access to CRISPR and advanced genetic and biotech research, thanks to their relationship with the United States and other advanced Western nations. American research labs, biotech investors, and scientists have all striven to do research and business in China’s budding biotech arena … because the ethical standards for research … are so low. … China’s regime does not have ethics or decency, is not bound by law, and does not have a sense of restraint. It does, however, have a technology to start a whole new species of genetically enhanced, goose-stepping humans” (Gordan G. Chang, Gatestone Institute, “China Is Creating a New Master Race,” February 10, 2021).

When I read this report, it made me think of what was happening in the days of Noah. In some way, a new generation of wicked people was being created by the union of “the sons of God” and the “daughters of men” (Genesis 6:2). While we cannot be sure about this, it seems that this was a new generation of demonically-controlled human beings who were bold in their wickedness and violence. God would not tolerate this, so He judged the entire generation with the global flood. I do not believe that God will allow this evil regime in China to alter the biological makeup of the human race. China’s day of divine judgment is coming!

In another article by Gordon Chang, in Newsweek, he reveals that China is engaged in horrific genocide against some of its own minorities. He writes, “China is committing the world’s most abhorrent crimes. An unspeakable evil is taking place. … Uyghur [a Muslim minority] women are routinely tortured and raped by government officials, clearly with the approval of the state. Girls from minority groups have been sexually violated.

“More than a million – and perhaps over three million – Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other ethnic minorities are being held in concentration camp-like facilities termed ‘vocational education and training center.’ Their goal is to destroy everyone. … There are persistent and credible reports of organ harvesting. Call this murder – and murder, that is, on a mass scale.

“Children are often separated from their parents and housed in prison-like ‘orphanages.’” (www.newsweek .com, February 16, 2021).

China, like all evil regimes and cultic groups, realizes to be successful in controlling a culture and society; they must capture the minds of the children. For decades, China reiterated that it was an atheist society. Now, they have changed their strategy. With millions of Christians illegally operating in their country, the Chinese government is now using state-run schools to teach kids to hate God. They tell the children that Christianity is an evil cult. Crosses are being removed throughout China.

U.S. government officials and Wall Street investors are holding hands with the devil. The policies and practices of doing business with China are helping to promote an evil regime that is plotting to place everyone on earth under its control.

Communists and Muslims are plotting to take over the world. Only the resistance of the U.S. has stood in their way. It is apparent that the policies of the Biden administration are helping to advance the cause and dreams of the evil leaders in China, Russia, and Iran. It is clear that these countries want to destroy Christianity and the United States so they can rule the world.

As this transpires, the war within the spirit world is ramping up. Evil is running rampant all over the world. As believers in Jesus Christ we must realize that all of this indicates that the coming of our Lord for His church is growing near.

We must stand with God as the spiritual darkness escalates all around us. God is very much aware of what is happening, and He cares. “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). God hates evil. “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way” (Proverbs 8:13).

What should we do as believers? We need to confront evil by sharing the gospel. A light shines the greatest in the darkest of night. We also need to brace and prepare ourselves for the evil days that are ahead. Proverbs 22:3 says, “A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.” We must also fight against evil by putting on the armor of God – truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God (Ephesians 6:10-17). We are commanded to “overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

We must be very careful that we too are not participants in the evil of our day. Listen to what God said to the wicked citizens of Israel in the days of the great prophet Jeremiah. “For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:13). The root of their evil was to replace God by being independent of Him. Instead of trusting God by drinking from the fresh water He provided, they made cisterns [underground cavities to collect rain water]. They were trusting themselves, rather than God. Our culture, with all of its man-made conveniences, promotes independence from God. It is all too easy for us to forget that everything we have is a gift from God – not the man-made system we have today. This too is evil!

(Pictured above) The three leaders of the nations that most threaten the world today: Iran, China and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Hassan Rouhan.

(Pictured above) The three leaders of the nations that most threaten the world today: Iran, China and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Iranian President Hassan Rouhan.

The Bible has promised us that these days would come. “But evil men and seducers shall grow worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13). The Bible has also warned us what these evil days would produce. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16).

This must be a time for praying and mourning for America. Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked [reign], the people mourn.”

As believers in Jesus Christ, we can take heart that our God is on the throne. In the end, evil will lose the battle in heaven and on earth. During the Tribulation, God will pour out His wrath upon the wicked. God says, “And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity, and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible” (Isaiah 13:11).

Ultimately, the final punishment of the wicked is eternal damnation in hell. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17).

Shoes Dedicated to Satan

As our world grows darker by the minute, we must realize that the ultimate expression of evil is the worship of Satan. During the Tribulation, this will become an expanding reality (Revelation 9:20). This is already a growing phenomenon in America and the world. For example, a new athletic shoe has just been released, which is dedicated to Satan. Each pare comes complete with a pentagram and a drop of human blood in each shoe. Each shoe also contains the number 666 and comes in a limited edition of 666 pairs.

For more information, check out, www.the gatewaypundit.com .

Signs of the Approaching Tribulation

There are a number of developments that signal that the Tribulation Period is approaching.

Geological Activity– As we have reported numerous times, the increase of earthquakes and volcanoes will be the trademark of the wrath of God during the final seven years of this age (Luke 21:11). Israel365news reports that during the first 65 days of 2021, there were 42 major earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or greater that shook the planet. In 2017 there were only 15 during this same period of time, compared with 24 in 2018, 20 in 2019, and 24 last year. This definitely shows that seismic activity is increasing.

Of particular interest are developments in Iceland. During the first week of March, “Iceland was hit by more than 18,000 earthquakes … including a magnitude 7.3, a magnitude 7.4, and a magnitude 8.1 earthquake” (www. israel365news.com, March 7, 2021). Following this report there have been several volcanic eruptions in Iceland. Currently, there are 43 volcanoes erupting around the world.

Magnetic Pole Shifting– It is alarming and revealing to read the scientific reports about the changes in the magnetic field inside of earth. Most people think of the North Pole as being the center of earth’s magnetic field. That is what a compass would indicate. However, in recent decades, that is staring to change. “The magnetic pole is mostly the result of ferrous fluids moving around in the earth’s core. The magnetic pole naturally moves and has even been known to shift hemispheres, turning the magnetic north pole into the magnetic south pole. As the poles shift, the magnetic field weakens. In the last 30 years, the rate of distance that the magnetic north pole moves per year sped up from about 9.3 to around 34 miles per year, moving out of northern Canada, across the Arctic Ocean, and toward Siberia” (www.israel365 news.com, March 7, 2021). Scientists claim there is evidence that this major pole shift occurred thousands of years ago and it will take place again. Another indicator is that the earth has lost about 30 percent of its magnetic intensity since scientists began measure it decades ago.

In light of this, it is most interesting to see that during the Tribulation, the Bible speaks of God turning the earth “upside down” (Isaiah 24:1). While this is happening, the earth will also go through a dangerous time of intense heat from the sun (Malachi 4:1; Revelation 16:8-9). Scientists claim that the earth is currently being protected from the most dangerous rays of the sun’s radiation by the magnetic shield around it at the poles. As the magnetic intensity of the earth deteriorates, it makes earth more vulnerable to the dangerous radiation of the sun, and solar flares. Scientists claim that this could act like a magnetic pulse that would naturally wipe out earth’s electrical grid systems in a matter of seconds. This would leave the inhabitants of earth without electricity for years. I personally believe that this will take place either before the rapture or shortly thereafter. It will perfectly set the stage for the horrific events that will unfold during the Tribulation.

Saudi’s Recognize Temple Mount is Jewish– When the end of this age comes, something will materialize in the Arab-Islamic world that will cause it to give permission to Israel to build its temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem (Revelation 11:1-2). This temple will play a major role in events at the end of the Tribulation (Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:4).

The last temple to stand on this location was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. In the last 1,300 years, this has been considered by Muslims to be a significant location to their religion. In the last few centuries, Muslims claimed that their founding prophet, Muhammad, ascended to heaven from this location, making it important to them.

However, in recent years, it has become known that the Islamic mosques on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem did not exist at the time of Muhammad. Now, reports coming out of Saudi Arabia, are saying that Jerusalem is the “eternal capital of the Jewish people” (Israel Today, March 8, 2021). The Saudis are reminding Muslims that the true holy sites of their religion are Mecca and Medina, which are in Saudi Arabia.

Is this setting the stage for Israel to claim total sovereignty over the Temple Mount and to rebuild their temple? If so, we are getting very close to exciting events that will set the stage for the Tribulation.

March 2021 – The Approaching Tribulation

PTNews

P r o p h e c y T o d a y N e w s

March 2021

Published monthly

(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006

The Approaching Tribulation

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning

of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” Matthew 24:21

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By Mike Wingfield

In the last few newsletters, I have tried to help us understand that our nation and world are being transformed in preparation for the events that will transpire during the Tribulation Period. I am convinced very few people really understand what will unfold during the Tribulation. I pray that God will use this article to open your eyes to a biblical understanding of what is coming. We will not be here for the Tribulation. But we need to be concerned for those who will be left behind.

Before we begin to examine what the Bible says about the approaching Tribulation, there is one very important matter we must consider – Who is God? If our minds and hearts are not focused upon what the Bible says about God, then we will reject or struggle with what the Bible teaches about the Tribulation Period. An awesome reverence of God is the bedrock foundation of biblical faith. The Bible declares, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7).

The Bible speaks about our God in terms that sometimes seem to be contradictory. God loves, yet He hates. The Bible speaks of God’s salvation, but also His condemnation. He is a God of mercy and wrath. He blesses some people and curses others. How can we reconcile all of this? The answer is found in the chief attribute of God – His holiness. God is morally, intellectually infinitely good in all of His will, His ways, and His words. He is faithful. He will do what He promises. God says, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay” (Romans 12:19).

Because God is holy, He hates all sin. He has warned us that He does not and will not ignore sin. Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account therefore in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). God has promised that individuals will have their day in court with Him. They will give an account of their life. [If you are interested in more details on this judgment, order my book: Your Judgment Day – the Most Important Day of Your Life.]

However, that is not where God’s judgment ends and be-gins. The Bible teaches that God judges cities, nations, and cultures in this life. That is why He judged the world in Noah’s day, the Tower of Babel, and Sodom and Gomorrah. The Bible promises that at the end of this age, God will judge all nations. This period of time is called, “The Tribulation.” Let us examine what the Bible says about this unique period of time that is coming in the future.

The Names of the Tribulation

The significance of the Tribulation is revealed in the titles that the Holy Spirit has given to it in the Bible. Listed below are only a few of these titles.

The Tribulation– The most popular and frequent title of this period is the one given to it by our Lord in His Olivet Discourse. He called it the “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21). Jesus has promised all believers they will have some degree of tribulation in this world (John 16:33). However, in the context of Jesus’ discourse in Matthew, it is clear that He was referencing this period of unprecedented global troubles and sorrows. The Greek word for tribulation is thilipsis, which means affliction, anguish due to pressure, or a time of great distress. It is the picture of a person being caught in a deadly trap. The mental anguish is extraordinary to a person, because they do not see a way of escape. Ultimately, they believe this trap will lead to their death. In Luke’s record of this same discourse by Jesus, he adds that Jesus described this as a time, when “men’s hearts [will be] failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:26).

The Day of the Lord’s Vengeance– Isaiah 34:8; 61:2

In the context of Scripture, this speaks of the future element of time to be considered, and especially the coming day of the Lord’s revelation when He returns to earth in all of His holy anger. God has promised that He will bring vengeance against all sin (Romans 12:19). We live in a world where people think that God will not defend His holy honor, His people, His law, or His land. Psalm 10:6, 10, declares that the wicked has said in his heart, “I shall not be moved: for I shall be in adversity. … God hath forgotten: he hides his face, he will never see it.” God is storing up His vengeance. When He unleashes it, it will be the culmination of His holy justice to man’s defiant disobedience and rebellion.

The Year of Recompenses for the Controversy of Zion– Isaiah 34:8

It is abundantly clear from Scripture that the Lord will judge the nations on the basis of how they have treated His people – the Jews, the nation of Israel, and the Promised Land (Genesis 12:3; Matthew 25:31-46). The Bible indicates that the hatred against God’s people is motivated by Satan and his demons (Revelation 12:1-17). The recurring and constant plague of anti-Semitism will culminate in the Tribulation Period and surpass anything the nation of Israel, or any other nation, has endured in all of human history (Daniel 12:1). The climax of the world’s hatred against Israel will be expressed at Armageddon (Joel 3:1-3). The Tribulation Period will be God’s ultimate fulfillment of His pledge to curse all those who have cursed His people.

The Year of My Redeemed– Isaiah 63:4

This title of the unique Tribulation Period speaks of one of God’s major purposes for it. The entire period will be a time when God heals the spiritual blindness of Israel, and millions of Jews will be saved. Moses and Elijah will re-turn to proclaim the gospel to their people and display the power of God (Revelation 11:3-6). As a result, 144,000 young Jewish men will be saved (Revelation 7:1-8). The Lord will pour out His Spirit upon His people and spiritual deliverance will take place in Jerusalem (Joel 2:27-32). The final living remnant of the Tribulation will be saved on the day of Christ’s revelation. They will look upon Him whom “they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him” (Zechariah 12:10). They will see the nail scars in His hands and ask, “What are these wounds in your hands?” (Zechariah 13:6) The Lord will answer, “Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends” (Zechariah 13:6). Every living Jew who has not yet repented will do so at that moment. And, the entire nation will consist of born-again believers, prepared for the Kingdom of God. This will be the day when the “LORD binds up the breach of his people, and heals the stroke of their wound” (Isaiah 30:26). Jeremiah 33:8 gives this promise of God to Israel, “And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me: and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me.”

The Indignation– Isaiah 26:20

The word indignation speaks of God’s rage, anger, and fury. This entire period of time should be seen as a time when the wrath (fury) of God will be poured out upon the wicked inhabitants of earth (Isaiah 13:9, 13; Isaiah 63:1-6; Revelation 6:17). It is chilling when a person considers the awesome fury that will be expressed by Almighty God. He will summons all the forces of power within His creation to execute His vengeance. The sheer magnitude of God’s fury goes beyond the comprehension of man’s finite and depraved mind.

It is chilling when a person considers the awesome fury that will be expressed by Almighty God. He will summons all the forces of power within His creation to execute His vengeance. The sheer magnitude of God’s fury goes beyond the comprehension of man’s finite and depraved mind.

The Time of the Tribulation Period

The Tribulation Period will follow the rapture of the church. It will prepare the world spiritually and physically for what will follow the God’s eternal plan – the Millennial Kingdom. The Tribulation is the same seven-year period that is designated as the 70th week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27). In this amazing prophecy, God told Daniel that in His plan there would be a group of 70 sevens of years, or 490 years, that would precede the kingdom of God. This period of time was focused upon Israel and her capital city, Jerusalem (Daniel 9:24). God told Daniel that 69 of these sevens of years, a total of 483 years, would elapse, and then “shall Messiah be cut off” (Daniel 9:26). Exactly 483 years later, just as God had predicted, Jesus presented Himself to Israel on Palm Sunday, and when they rejected Him, the prophetic clock in heaven stopped! The remaining seven years, the 70th week, is the same as the Tribulation Period.

According to Daniel, this final seven years will begin when the Antichrist confirms a false covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27). Furthermore, this evil global leader will break his covenant at the mid-point of the seven-year covenant. All of this agrees with the New Testament teaching of the apostles.

On the last day of this seven-year period, the Antichrist will lead an all-out assault on Israel, attacking the city of Jerusalem will all of his might (Zechariah 12:1-9; 14:1-3). The Antichrist and all of his army will be supernaturally defeated by Jesus at the battle of Armageddon, as He returns in all of His glory at His revelation (Isaiah 34:1-8; 63:1-6; Zechariah 14:3, 12-15; Revelation 19:15-21).

The Uniqueness of the Tribulation Period

The seven-year Tribulation Period is totally unique. There has never been a time like this in the history of the nations. For thousands of years our world has lived in the age of God’s grace. This time is about to come to abrupt end. The Tribulation Period will be an age of the wrath of God. Our world and its global culture will reach a spiritual point of no return. As in the days of Noah, the world will reach a point where God’s Spirit will stop striving in the consciences of men. We see this happening today. When this happens, God judicially turns that culture over to its path of destruction to suffer the consequences of sin. This society is described in Romans 1:18-32. The Bible says it becomes godless and filled with ruthless violence. Immoral, brutality, and sheer hatred are the other hallmarks of such a society.

When men constantly flaunt their rebellion and flagrantly ignore the warnings of their conscience, the conscience is silenced. It is as is it were “seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:2). In essence, they have no conscience and they become unredeemable. They become like wild beasts and live immorally wicked and violent lives. Without the possibility of repentance and divine restoration, God’s only choice is to exercise divine judgment. [For an expanded explanation of this, read my book, Living in a World with No Conscience.]

The human mind cannot begin to fathom the horrors of the Tribulation Period. Speaking of this time frame, Daniel said, “… there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time …” (Daniel 12:1). Jesus said, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should be no flesh saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:21-22).

The emotional trauma to man during this will surpass all generations from the beginning of time. The suffering, pain, anguish, anxiety, stress, and depression will be more than the inhabitants of earth can bear. There will be constant wars, acts of terrorism, and deadly violence. The entire world will suffer great devastation due to a myriad of natural disasters – earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, and famines. These cataclysmic upheavals will be made worse by other disasters caused by radical climate change. All buildings will be destroyed, including homes, hospitals, churches, and schools. Transportation systems will cease to exist, along with the utilities we rely on daily. The food chain will be destroyed and there will be no emergency systems. An overwhelming sense of hopeless-ness will pervade the globe. Spiritual darkness will permeate all communities. Lies, deception, fraud, stealing, and the breakdown of all law and order will become a common and daily occurrence everywhere. Evil will rule over good. The righteous will be hated, persecuted and martyred by decapitation. A one-world government and a global religion controlled by the Antichrist will be demonically motivated.

As this generation experiences the task of daily living with the immense growing death toll, it will be overwhelmed with the thought of being caught in a deadly trap with no means of escape. By the mid-point of the Tribulation, one-half of the global population will be dead. The task of burying the death will become mentally and physically taxing. Finally, people will cease to bury the dead (Isaiah 26:21). In their mind, everyone will seemingly be doomed to die. Isaiah described this time when he said, “Fear, and the pit, and the snare, are upon thee, O in-habitant of the earth. … And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in prison” (Isaiah 24:17, 22).

The Nature of the Tribulation Period

I must confess that the study of this future time is some-thing that greatly troubles me. The human mind does not want to consider such horrific matters. I am utterly stunned that our loving and merciful God has given us such detail about the approaching Tribulation Period. All of these truths about the nature of the Tribulation are warnings to man from the heart of a gracious God. It is sad that we live at a time when most pastors do not preach on hell or the Tribulation Period. Their silence is not golden. It is a sin. God warned Noah of the approaching flood so that he and his family might be saved from the wrath that was about to come. God has told us of the Tribulation Period so that we might warn this generation to flee from the wrath that is coming. Where are the voices of warning?

The Tribulation Period should be viewed as the final phase of a war within the spiritual realm. … It is a war between the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Jesus) and the roaring lion from hell (Satan).

Contemplate these verses:

Jeremiah 10:10– “But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.”

Isaiah 13:6-9– “Howl ye, for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt: And they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travails: they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.”

The Tribulation Period should be viewed as the final phase of a war within the spiritual realm. The Scriptures, from as far back as the fall in the Garden of Eden, speak of this war between the good and evil angels. It is a war between the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Jesus) and the roaring lion from hell (Satan). At the mid-point of the Tribulation, this war will reach its climax in heaven. Read Revelation 12:7-10. Satan and his demons will be cast out of heaven forever. Consequently, he will concentrate his war effort against God by escalating his attack upon Israel and all of the godly inhabitants on earth. At this point, the Holy Spirit caused John to give this terrifying warning, “Woe to the inhibiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has but a short time” (Revelation 12:12).

The inhabitants of earth will be caught in the middle of this war in the spiritual realms. The wrath of God will be poured out upon the earth. In addition to this, Satan is adding his wrathful and desperate attack upon all that is meaningful to the Lord. From Satan’s perspective as a murderer (John 8:44) and destroyer (Revelation 9:11), he does not care about human beings, especially those who are saved. He will especially attack the future generation of Jewish believers that will fulfill the eternal plans of God during the Tribulation (Revelation 12:13-17). Satan will view the inhabitants of earth as worthless pawns in his war against God.

Let us briefly examine the nature of the Tribulation.

Spiritually – The Tribulation will be a time of great spiritual darkness. While speaking about the Tribulation, Isaiah wrote, “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people” (Isaiah 60:2). Like the time before the global flood in Noah’s generation, the world will be completely shrouded in spiritual darkness. Here is God’s indictment of Noah’s generation, “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually … The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth” (Genesis 6:5, 11-12). Remember that Jesus said, “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37).

The Bible tells us that, during the Tribulation, the world population will be in love with sin, wickedness, and immorality, while resisting God’s Word (2 Thessalonians 2:8-12). Violence, murder, and war will escalate out of control (Revelation 6:2-4). People will be openly defiant, with disorderly conduct, and attempt to overthrow their government because they are lawless (Psalm 2:1). They will want to be free from any restraints that restrict their evil desires. Therefore, they choose to rid themselves of God, His Son, and His commandments (Psalm 2:2-3). Not only do they rebel against God, but they openly and defiantly worship demons and other materialistic idols (Revelation 9:20). They passionately resist the truth, and “[give] heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of de-mons” (1 Timothy 4:1). They will be consumed with the occult and mind-altering drugs (Revelation 9:21). They hate what God loves, and love what God hates. They will become the perfect tools for Satan in his war against God.

Demons are always looking for a person to inhabit as de-scribed above. Demons want to take control of a person and enslave him to become a pawn they can use to advance their kingdom of darkness in their opposition to God. One of the demons’ chief ways to gain control over the lives of people is to appeal to their sensual appetites (James 3:15). Both history and the Bible demonstrate that demons destroy cultures and nations by seducing people into perversions of immorality (Romans 1:24-27). The remains of ancient depraved civilizations that suffered the judgment of God are littered with pornographic images and statues.

The Bible declares that demons and their leader, Satan, will capture the allegiance of the leaders of the world. Demons will deceive these global leaders to hate Israel and believers in Jesus, and to seek for their demise.

The Bible also declares that demons and their leader, Sa-tan, will capture the allegiance of the leaders of the world (Revelation 17:2; 18:3). Demons will deceive these global leaders to hate Israel and believers in Jesus, and to seek for their demise (Revelation 12:13-17; 13:7; 17:6).

Finally, at the mid-point, Satan will indwell the Antichrist to personally direct his hellish kingdom on earth to its cli-max at Armageddon (Revelation 13:1-7).

Politically – During the Tribulation, the world will openly embrace a one-world government that will be radically controlled by a religion. This religion will have a great impact on the leaders of the world and their economies (Revelation 17:2; 18:3). This religion is known as “mystery Babylon the great, the mother of harlots [religions] and abominations of the earth” (Revelation 17:5). In Revelation 17-18, the Apostle John quotes from Isaiah 13, 47 and Jeremiah 50-51. These Scriptures point to a religion centered in the Persian Gulf area of the Middle East. I believe that the overwhelming evidence in these two chapters point to the religion of Islam. [Although Is-lam followed the book of Revelation by almost 500 years, this religion is really a revival of an ancient religion under the banner of the crescent moon that permeated the Middle East for 700 years before Christ.] John symbolically pictures the harlot riding the beast (Revelation 17:3), which indicates that this religion will control the beast, who is the Antichrist. This would mean that he would also be a Muslim. There is a reason why Islam is current-ly thought to be the fastest-growing religion in the world. This religion has great control over many world leaders, and within the United Nations. The Antichrist’s hatred for Israel and believers in Jesus is driven by the same hatred of the religion that controls him. Both of them will kill believers by decapitation (Revelation 17:6; 20:4).

Economically – When governments and people attempt to manage the resources that God has given them, while rejecting Him, it will always lead to the loss of those re-sources. The Bible says, “There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man spends it up” (Proverbs 21:20).

The Tribulation Period will open with a time of global hyperinflation (Revelation 6:5-6). The uniqueness of life-threatening global developments will quickly lead to one of the most devastating economic disasters of all time. According to the Bible, wars, radical climate change, alarming natural disasters, pandemics, and a global drought during the first half of the Tribulation will pro-duce an economic nightmare. The most precious commodities on earth will be fresh water and food. All of the-se problems will intensify with government intervention into the personal affairs of the global population. Then, at the peak of man’s desperation, the Antichrist will intro-duce his 666 plan to control the economy of every person on the planet. This will occur at the mid-point of the Tribulation (Revelation 13:11-18). His plan will be used as a measure of everyone’s commitment to his declared divinity and ruthless control. Those who refuse to accept his policies will become enemies of the state and they will be hunted down and eliminated. Revelation 13:10 probably hints that the Antichrist will place those who rebel against him in some type of concentration camp and ultimately behead them (Revelation 20:4). At the top of his list to be eliminated will be believers in Jesus Christ (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:7; 17:6).

The Tribulation Period will open with a time of global hyperinflation. The uniqueness of life-threatening global developments will quickly lead to one of the most devastating economic disasters of all time. According to the Bible, wars, radical climate change, alarming natural disasters, pandemics, and a global drought during the first half of the Tribulation will produce an economic nightmare.

Climatically – According to the Bible, increased solar radiation (Revelation 16:8-9), alarming destructive global earthquakes and volcanoes (Revelation 6:12-14), and man’s reckless destruction of God’s resources (Revelation 11:18) will bring about a very dangerous rise in global temperatures. [God controls the sun and the geological upheavals – not man. Man will not be able to stop the radical climate change that will occur during the Tribulation Period. God has His hand on earth’s thermostat, not man!]

Many passages testify to the great heat that will be a part of God’s divine judgment during the Tribulation (Malachi 4:1; Revelation 16:8-9). The heat will be so intense that it will melt the polar caps (Job 38:22-23). The water from the huge amounts of melted polar ice will cause ocean levels to rise and flood coastal areas around the globe. The late Henry Morris, who was the founder and director of the Institute for Creation Research, stated this will cause ocean levels to rise about 200 feet. This would lead to flooding of all the leading major cities of the world that are located near the ocean to be suddenly underwater, inundating them so they would not be habitable (Henry M. Morris, The Revelation Record, p. 304).

In addition to this, near the beginning of the Tribulation, the Lord will supernaturally restrain the jet streams around the globe that control the world’s water cycle (Revelation 7:1-3). Without these powerful winds, there will be no rain. This will be the cause of the global drought during the first half of the Tribulation (Revelation 11:6).

Geologically – One of the main instruments of God’s wrath poured out upon the wicked inhabitants of earth during the global flood was a massive global earthquake. God told Noah, “Behold, I will destroy them with the earth” (Genesis 6:13). The Lord is in complete control of His creation. The various components that make up the physical creation are the servants of God that accomplish His word (Psalm 148:8). A study of all of the earth-quakes mentioned in the Bible, indicate they are perfectly timed to accomplish God’s purposes. In the days of Noah, God opened up the earth, allowing the eruption of subterranean waters to gush upon the earth for 40 days and nights (Genesis 7:11, 8:2).

Once again, during the Tribulation, God will use the geo-logical domino impact of earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis to bring colossal destruction upon the earth, and to reshape the topography [land surfaces] of the earth. Jesus said that one of the signs of the approaching Tribulation Period would be the increase of earthquakes in frequency and magnitude in different places (Luke 21:11). According to the prophetic Scriptures, there will be at least three global earthquakes (Ezekiel 38:19-20; Revelation 6:12-14; 16:18-20). The earthquake mentioned in Revelation 6, near the beginning of the Tribulation will cause, “every mountain and island [to be] moved out of their places” (verse 14). In the final earthquake in Revelation 16, the islands and mountains disappear (verse 20). These earth-quakes will radically alter man’s daily lifestyle due to the complete destruction and disruption of all of the modern-day conveniences that we are dependent upon to sustain life.

The Church in Heaven

During the Tribulation on earth, the church will be in heaven (Revelation 3:10). We will be in heaven watching everything unfold from the control center (God’s throne). The book of Revelation showcases all of this. In the final book of the Bible, the church in heaven is symbolically depicted as 24 elders. Throughout the Tribulation, this redeemed group of people are described as kings and priests who have been redeemed to God “by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And has made [them] unto [their] God kings and priests: and [they] shall reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).

Throughout the Tribulation, we will join the angels of heaven in anthems of praise and adoration as our God un-leashes His holy wrath against the nations in preparation for His approaching kingdom on earth. Read about our future praise services in heaven in Revelation 5:9-14; 11:15-19; and 19:1-8. After the first 6-seal judgments, our praise in heaven will fall silent as we will, in awe, anticipate the 7th seal judgment to be thrust upon the earth (Revelation 8:1-2). Finally, after our marriage feast in heaven as the Bride of Christ, we will return with Him “upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean” (Revelation 19:14).

At His revelation, Christ will complete His final destruction of the kingdoms of this world. All of the rebellious leaders of the world, including the antichrist and his false prophet, will be killed. The armies of all the nations gathered in Israel will be supernaturally slain by the spoken word of the King of kings and Lord of Lords. God will have completed His judgment against the nations and will enthrone His Son upon the throne of David in Jerusalem to rule over all of His creation.