five prophecies yet to be fulfilled number one the Rapture when the Lord returns and descends from Heaven his appearance will be visible to the whole world as well as the ascent of his people to meet him in the air an event known as The Rapture some have mistakenly taught about a secret Rapture however this event will be far from Secret indeed it will be one of the most public events in human history as evidenced by the description of Jesus and he will send his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet and they will gather
his chosen ones from all over the world from the farthest end of the Earth to the heaven Matthew 24:31 this is not a secret 1 Thessalonians 4 provides a comprehensive description of what will happen at that time for since we believe that Jesus died and rose again we also believe that when Jesus returns God will bring back with him the Believers who have died we say this directly from the Lord we who are still alive when the Lord returns will not meet him before those who have died for the Lord himself will descend from heaven
with a shout of command with the voice of the Archangel and with the trumpet call of God first the Believers who have died will rise from their graves then together with them we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will be with the Lord forever 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-1 17 in the Greek language there are two distinct words for air one of the words is ether which was later adapted into the English language as ether the other
word is a which was used to refer to the lower air which is adjacent to the Earth's surface this is the term being referred to in the text above when it comes time to meet Jesus he will be in close proxim proximity to the Earth it is hard to imagine anyone not being aware of the momentous occasion when the Lord is shouting the Archangel is speaking and the trumpet of God is sounding it will be a truly Unforgettable experience some people say that the word rapture is not contained in the New Testament well that claim
is true it largely depends on the translation used since the New Testament was not originally written in English the interpretation of certain words and phrases can vary for example in 1 Thessalonians 4:1 17 the phrase caught up to meet the Lord in the air can be translated in different ways leading to a difference in interpretation and what about this word rapture it is a fascinating and captivating word in the Greek language it is known as harpazo this word is used in several passages of the New Testament to describe the rapture in John 10 the word
is used three times to illustrate how a wolf snatches a sheep from the flock this action is violent and abrupt a Hired Hand will flee when he sees a wolf coming he will abandon the Sheep because they do not belong to him and he is not their Shepherd and so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock John 10:12 in Matthew 13: 4 and 19 the phrase snatched away is used to describe the action of a bird that descends grabs a seed and flies away in the New Testament this phrase is used several times to
describe people being taken from the earth for example after Philip baptized the unic in Acts 8 he was snatched away he was snatched away acts 8:39 when they came up out of the water the spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away and the unic did not see him again but went on his way rejoicing Paul speaks of a friend of his mentioned twice in 2 Corinthians 12 who was caught up to the third heaven 2 Corinthians 12 verses 2 to 4 I Know a Man in Christ who 14 years ago was caught up to the
third heaven whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know God knows and I know that this man whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know but God knows was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things things that no one is permitted to tell in Revelation 12:5 it says she gave birth to a son a male child who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter and her child was snatched up to God and to his throne first Thessalonians 4:1 17 after that
we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will be with the Lord forever four times in other passages the same word is used to forcibly take someone out of a crowd or a situation Matthew 11:12 John 6:15 acts 23:10 and Jude 23 here is a list of characteristics that the Rapture implies will happen without warning will be sudden and Powerful there will be no time to prepare if we are not ready we will miss the Rapture
which will happen suddenly according to Matthew 2 4 at that moment two men will be in the field one will be taken for judgment and the other will be left behind two women will be grinding at the Mill one will be taken for judgment and the other will be left behind as per Matthew 24: 40 and 41 the Gospel of Luke says that there will be two people in one bed one will be taken and the other left as per Luke 17:34 therefore there will be a dramatic and sudden separation of people even those closest
to each other like the two women working at the Mill or the two men in the field or even the two sharing the same bed when the Rapture happens it will take one person and leave the other behind it is crucial to decide whether we will be taken or left behind therefore let us be alert pay attention be cautious and active in faith for we do not know on what day the Lord will come whether near or far but understand and this if the owner of the house had known at what time of night the
thief was coming he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into therefore you who follow me must also be ready because the son of man will come at an hour when you do not expect him as per Matthew 24: 42-44 if the master had known what was about to happen he would have stayed awake and Vigilant Jesus advised his disciples to always be ready for we can never be sure when he will return Jesus warned against presumption noting that those who think they know the time of his return are
mistaken I emphasize this because millions of Christians have fallen for Revelations that Jesus came on a specific day or hour which is entirely contrary to his teaching as previously mentioned we find these words in Mark 13: 35-37 therefore let us always be alert watching if the master of the house is coming at night at midnight at the roosters crowing or in the morning let us stay alert for he may come suddenly and unexpectedly and find us sleeping and unprepared each of the three main passages that teach about the Rapture indicates that it is only for
believers including innocent children too young to believe those who do not believe in Jesus as their lord and savior will not be caught up to the presence of the Lord the rapture is restricted only to Believers only those who are followers of Christ will be taken to heaven when he returns the Rapture has the power to transform Our Lives it is a source of personal comfort and hope Paul wrote to the Thessalonians about this to alleviate their sorrow for their loved ones who had died death is not the end the effects of death will be
reversed by the resurrection of the Believers who died everyone who has lost a loved one to the The Sting of death can find consolation in the knowledge that they will see them again however it is also a source of strength on the night he was arrested Jesus Promised his disciples that he would return for them number two the revelation of the final Antichrist how can we identify the Antichrist according to the Bible during the tribulation a man known as the Antichrist will arise with the aim of unifying the world under a single Authority this Tyrant
akin to his father the devil will initially appear as an angel of Light but will eventually reveal his true evil nature through his actions here are six answers to questions about this future sign of the Apocalypse who is the Antichrist the Antichrist is someone who opposes Christ anti can also mean instead of and both meanings apply to this forthcoming world leader while openly opposing Christ the Antichrist will will do everything in his power to live up to his terrible nickname as Satan leads the world's forces to the battle of Armageddon he will persecute torture and
kill God's people he will become the most tyrannical leader in history surpassing even Caesar although the Bible mentions the Antichrist by name only four times he is referred to many more times under various identities such as the Beast the little horn and the man of lawlessness the bringer of destru destruction 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and the wicked one will be revealed whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and Destroy by the manifestation of his coming when he appears people will flock to him like flies to honey and will do anything he
asks how will he unite the Nations the Prophet Daniel describes the Antichrist as a fourth Beast with the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering boastful words he will speak against the most high in A pompous manner this description comes from a vision that Daniel had during the night Daniel 7: 25 he will speak words against the most high and wear out the Saints of the most high and think to change the times and the law and they will be given into his hand for a time times and half a time as Daniel predicts
the next world leader will be known for his eloquence which will draw the world's attention and admiration Daniel foresees that the speaker will speak in lofty terms and blaspheme against God the Apostle John agrees in Revelation and the Beast was given a mouth the power of speech uttering great things and boastful and blasphemous words and was given freedom and authority to act and do as he pleases for 42 months 3 and a half years Revelation 13:5 it was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and it was given authority to act for 42 months
the Antichrist is described as a man whose appearance was greater than his fellows Daniel 7:20 and the meaning of the 10 horns kings that were on its head and the other that came up before whom three fell this horn had eyes and a mouth speaking great things and seemed greater than its fellows he will be extremely irresistible to the masses due to his charismatic personality speaking abilities and notable good looks the Apostle John adds to Daniel's account of the antichrist's Blasphemous activities by stating that all living will be compelled to worship him and it was
granted to give breath to the image of the Beast so that the image of the Beast could even speak and cause all who did not worship the image of the Beast to be killed Revelation 13:15 and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the Beast so that the image of the Beast could speak and cause that anyone who would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed the Antichrist is described as a beast in Revelation 13: 1 to8 which is a fitting representation in the last 3 and a half years
of the tribulation the Antichrist will embody Satan himself according to 2 Thessalonians 2:9 the coming of the Lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders the anti Antichrist will move from being a regional leader to a global Tyrant cruy ruling over the world and ultimately claiming to be a god Revelation 13 and the dragon gave him his power his throne and great Authority I saw one of its heads as if it had been mortally wounded but its fatal wound was healed and all the Earth marveled after the
Beast and they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the Beast and they worshiped the Beast saying who is like the Beast who can fight against it how does the Antichrist gain political power his rise to power will be subtle and unnoticed at the beginning even by those closest to him he will emerge from among the common people and the dragon Satan stood on the sand of the sea then I saw a beast rising out of the sea with 10 horns and seven heads and on its horns 10 diadems and on its heads
Blasphemous names Revelation 13:1 and I saw a beast rising out of the sea with 10 horns and seven heads with 10 diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads the sea in biblical imagination represents the general mass of humanity or more specifically the Gentile Nations the tribulation as bad as it is will always be under God's control Satan is limited by a leash held by God who will worship the Antichrist according to Revelation 13:8 all who dwell on the earth will worship Him according to Daniel 7:25 the Antichrist is a cult leader he
will utter boastful words against the most high will try to change the times and the law he will try to exalt himself to the level of God and speak from there in the third event Jesus meets the Antichrist at the battle of Armageddon what will happen to the Antichrist as he leads the battle of Armageddon gedon is that people will become increasingly dissatisfied with the leadership of This Global dictator who broke all the promises made throughout the battle of Armageddon major parts of the world will begin to build their own military forces in an attempt
to overthrow him significant segments of the world will start to assemble their own military forces and rebel against him in the end the King of the South will advance to attack him the Antichrist and the King of the North will come against him with chariots and Horsemen and with many ships he will enter countries crush them and pass through them Daniel 11:40 some of the initial attempts at Rebellion against the Antichrist will be crushed by him but something happens that prevents him from achieving his goal of destroying Israel in Jerusalem rumors from the East and
the north will alarm and disturb him and he will set out with great Fury to destroy and annihilate many Daniel [Music] 11:44 then the sixth Angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and its water was dried up preparing the way for the Kings from the East Revelation 16:12 the Euphrates is one of the greatest rivers in the world and with The Disappearance of the Euphrates the Antichrist will become susceptible to attacks from the rulers of the East if the Euphrates disappears its arrival will signal the beginning of the greatest battle in human
history number four the Seal of God and the mark of the beast what is the Seal of God in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament the term sealed is derived from a Greek word meaning to Mark with a private seal it means to keep something hidden to protect or preserve the sealed object in ancient times seals were commonly used in official contexts to ensure the authenticity of important documents for example example a Roman official would attach a seal to a document intended to be reviewed only by his Superior breaking the seal would indicate
that the document had been tampered with or read by someone other than the intended recipient the use of seals was an effective way to maintain the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information we see the Seal of God in the Book of Revelation which is filled with visions and mysterious messages it introd reduces us to the idea of God's seal in a very special and significant way Revelation 1: 1 and 2 tell us that this is the revelation of Jesus Christ his revelation of divine Mysteries that God the Father gave him to show to his Faithful
Servants the things that will soon take place in their entirety he sent and communicated it through his Angel Divine Messenger to his servant John who testified and supported the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ to everything he saw in his Visions this part of the Bible begins to explain the important messages that follow including the meaning of God's seal the Seal of God is like a special sign from God it shows that God is protecting certain people who belong to him and are genuine followers of him this seal is mentioned during the
Wild and frightening events in the visions of Revelation it's important to know that this seal is not a physical Mark but more like a spiritual ual Insignia it's a way of showing who is truly connected to God and under his protection God's Mark appears during the tribulation a future period of 7 years in which God will finalize his judgment on the unbelieving world throughout the word of God the tribulation is associated with the day of the Lord which refers to the period of time when God will directly intervene in the course of history to bring
about the Fulfillment of his plan that day will be a day of of Wrath it will be a day of agony and anguish it will be a day of distress and Devastation it will be a day of darkness and Gloom it will be a day of clouds and darkness it will be a day of trumpet and battlecry the period of the tribulation will be characterized by a variety of divine judgments turmoil in the celestial sphere natural calamities and horrific plagues the 144,000 sealed servants the 144 th sealed servants are a mix of mystery symbols and
promises about the end times it talks about 144,000 of God's servants being specially Chosen and marked for protection these servants come from the 12 tribes of Israel the act of sealing as described in Revelation signifies a Divine Mark of protection and ownership in Revelation 7:4 it says and I heard the number of those who were sealed 44,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel the sealing process is not just a literal marking but symbolizes spiritual preservation during times of tribulation each of the 12 tribes of Israel contributes 12,000 members signifying completeness and perfection
in God's selection the number 144,000 is rich in symbolism in biblical numerology 12 often represents Divine Authority and completeness multiplying 12 tribes by 12,000 members from each tribe suggests an expanded completeness contrast with the mark of the beast in the Book of Revelation the Seal of God and the mark of the beast are powerful marks that represent the eternal battle between good and evil and the stark contrast between God's Divine Authority and the Earthly power of the world these symbols have captured the imagination of generations of Believers and non-believers continuing to inspire reflection and contemplation
to this day the Seal of God the Seal of god mentioned in Revelation 7: 2 to3 represents Divine protection and ownership it is given to God's faithful followers marking them as His in a spiritual sense unlike a physical mark it symbolizes a deep personal commitment to God and his teachings possessing the Seal of God indicates spiritual protection during times of trial and judgment it's a sign of being chosen by God reflecting a life lived in accordance with Divine principles the mark of the beast the mark of the beast spoken of in Revelation 13: 16 and
17 is a sign that shows loyalty to the Beast an evil character against God it means turning away from God and choosing to follow the power of people in the world which is often not right or good the mark of the beast appears in Revelation and is referred to as such because it is brought into existence by a man known as the Beast according to the biblical passages in Revelation 16:2 and chapter 19:2 the mark of the beast is a symbol that distinguishes those who worship the Beast Revelation 13: 16 and 17 he causes all
both small and great rich and poor free and slave to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead and no one could buy or sell anything without that Mark which was either the name of the Beast or the number representing his name he causes all to receive a mark a Mark that will be given to everyone under the government of the Beast and his associate this Mark is necessary to participate in the economy and those without it will not be able to buy or sell anything only those bearing a special number on
a visible part of their body hand or forehead will be allowed to trade and the number will only be marked on those who engage in Imperial idolatry Revelation 13:18 here is wisdom let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the Beast for it is the number of a man his number is 666 666 is the number that captures attention it is made up of sixes a number that always alludes to the human inability to achieve the seven which represents complete Perfection it is used here as a clue to the identity of the last
World dictator before Jesus Reigns for a thousand years the term Mark has no special biblical usage apart from its association with the Beast the Greek term kuraga was most commonly used for imprints on documents or coins charagma is well attested to have been an imperial seal of the Roman Empire used on official documents during the first and 2nd centuries in addition to its use in Revelation the term charagma appears only once in the New Testament specifically in Acts 17:29 where it refers to an artistic image accepting this Mark is like turning your back on God
it shows you're choosing to side with those against God it's not just a mark you can see on your body it truly means you're living your life against what God wants the Seal of God versus the mark of the beast the Seal of God and the mark of the beast are two opposing marks the Seal of God represents Divine Authority and protection and is often associated with spiritual marks that denote faith and obedience to God on the other hand the mark of the beast signifies submission to the world's corrupt power and is often interpreted as
a physical or visible sign of compliance with evil forces these symbols have been used to signify the struggle between good and evil and the importance of choosing the right path in life the new heaven the celestial City the New Jerusalem also known as the tent of God holy city city of God Celestial city quadrangular city and Celestial Jerusalem is a Celestial Paradise on Earth the Bible mentions it in several passages such as in Galatians 4: 26 and he Hebrews 11: 12 and 13 however it is described more extensively in Revelation 21 there is an end
to the history recorded in Revelation 21 all ages have come and gone the tribulation has passed the battle of Armageddon has been fought and won by our Lord Jesus Christ Satan was chained for a Thousand-Year reign of Christ on earth a new and glorious Temple was established in Jerusalem the final Rebellion against God was crushed and Satan received his just punishment and Eternity in the Lake of Fire the great white Throne judgment took place and Humanity was judged the New Jerusalem is a city that is in heaven Revelation 21: 1 and 2 then I saw
a new Heaven and a new Earth for the first Heaven and the first Earth had passed away and the sea was no more and I saw the holy city the New Jerusalem coming down out of Heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband we see in Revelation 21:2 that this holy city was prepared and came down from heaven from God the phrase was prepared implies that the New Jerusalem has been completed by this time John does not say he saw the New Jerusalem being created he states he saw the New Jerusalem coming
down from heaven the idea of a new Earth with a new atmosphere and sky is a familiar thing theme in scripture many of the prophets both Old and New Testament spoke of this new Heaven and new earth Isaiah 65: 17 and 18 for behold I create new heavens and a new Earth and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind but be glad and rejoice forever in what I create for behold I create Jerusalem to be a joy and her people to be a gladness the city is distinguished by its holiness and
newness making it unique compared to any other Earthly City the name Jerusalem gives continuity to the land especially to the place of our Redemption throughout history humans have never experienced a community entirely free from sin Adam and Eve knew only a limited community and community in a broader context only came much after the fall in the New Jerusalem we have a completely unique Community one that is sinless pure and righteous it is a holy city problems arise when Believers accept this type of community now the city cannot be attributed to human achievement but rather is
a gift from God Revelation 21: 3 and 4 and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying Behold The Dwelling Place of God is with man he will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and Death Shall be no more neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away John hears a proclamation from Heaven that the Tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell among
them as God's chosen people they will have a level of closeness with him that they could never have imagined possible God will be present with them the Tabernacle that Moses built was to represent the dwelling place of God here on Earth this Tabernacle of God is the reality of his presence he will establish residence among them and they will serve as his people Revelation 21: 5-8 and he who was Seated on the throne said behold I am making all things new and he said write this down for these words are trustworthy and true and he
said to me it is done I am the Alpha and the Oma the beginning and the end to the Thirsty I will give from the spring of the Water of Life without payment the one who conquers will have this Heritage and I will be his God and he will be my son but as for the Cowardly the faithless the detestable as for murderers the sexually immoral Sorcerers idolators and all liars their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur which is the second death he who is Seated on the throne and
announces that he is making everything new and he also says he is the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end to the Thirsty he will give freely from the spring of the Water of Life all who are victorious will inherit these things and he will be their God and they will be his children but for the Cowardly the unbelieving the vile murderers the sexually immoral Sorcerers idolators and all liars their part will be in the Lake of Fire which is the second death we read that all things are made new at this point
in the plan of the ages the plan is complete everything is new our instinct is to romantically consider innocence as the perfect state of man in which Adam would never have done what he did but we fail to realize that the redeemed man is greater than the innocent man that we gain more in Jesus than we ever lost in Adam God's perfect state is one of redemption in Revelation 21: 15 and 16 the angel who was speaking with me had in his hand a golden measuring Rod to measure the city its Gates and its wall
when he measured it he found it was a square as wide as it is long in fact its length width and height were each 2,200 kilm one of the reasons many people try to spiritualize and dismiss the city is because of its enormous size it is a City that goes beyond what you can imagine now if you calculate to give you an idea each of the walls of the cube they all range between 2,200 and 2,400 km and the square area of the ground floor is approximately 4,860 th000 Square km on the first level have
you heard it said that London covers an area of 1,572 square km the quadrangular city has 4,860 th000 Square km on the first floor this city is 20 times larger than all of New Zealand it's 10 times larger than Germany it's 10 times larger than France it's 40 times larger than all of England it's much larger than India we read that it had a great and high wall the wall was not needed for defense as there were no more enemies but the great and high wall gave the city definition and shows that some will be
excluded from the city Only The Righteous can enter are there really streets of gold in Heaven Is it true that there are streets of gold in heaven look at Verse 18 and then verse 21 of chapter 21 the structure of its wall was of Jasper and the city was pure gold like clear glass and the 12 gates were 12 pearls each of the gates was of a single Pearl and the street of the city was pure gold like transparent glass I can't can't imagine again can you imagine seeing the city as you approach when the
Bible says this city reflects light it's not from any material combustion it's not from any consumption of fuel the light of the world comes from the lamb and he will be the light of the city at that time no wonder Paul described our future this way in 1 Corinthians 2:9 but as it is written what no eye has seen nor ear heard nor the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love him and in the city are the tree of life for the healing of the Nations and the River of Life
the New Jerusalem is the ultimate fulfillment of all God's promises the New Jerusalem is God's goodness made fully manifest the tree of life is first portrayed in chapter 2:9 of the Book of Genesis as being in the midst of the Garden of Eden along with another Divine tree called the tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil as a result of his Disobedience Adam lost his eternal life the Tree of Life in Eden must have had some role in sustaining the life of Adam and Eve the Bible opens with a description of the tree of
life and now we see the tree of life again let us pray dear Lord we thank you for your guidance and your protection as time moves forward we pray for the understanding of these prophecies we ask for forgiveness of our sins both known and Unown known we pray that you guide us from now until eternity in Jesus's name we pray amen