The Great Tribulation Begins
Then, at the very time of the end, a spiritual war breaks out
between Satan and his demons and the angels of God. This awesome
spiritual war will probably take place within the next several
years! Satan is defeated and is "cast to the earth
having great
wrath, because he knows that he has a short time" (12:912).
Suddenly, inexplicably, an evil spirit will descend upon the area
of the Beast Power in Europe and upon the leaders of the false
church. Shortly, they will begin in earnest to plan the destruction
of the United States, Canada and Britain! And they will swiftly
begin to crack down on anyone who dares to preach the real Truth of
the Bible. This will be the beginning of the Great
Tribulation.
At this point, John writes that Satan "persecuted the woman"now,
clearly, the faithful New Testament Church of God (vv. 1316). As
in the typical fulfillment described in verse 6, the Church once
again is guided by God to flee to a Place of Safety here on earth.
For "the earth helped the woman, and swallowed up the flood which
the Dragon (Satan, v. 9) had spewed out of his mouth" (v.
16).
Seeing the truly zealous Christians being taken to a Place of
Safety where he can no longer get at them, Satan is "enraged with
the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring,
who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ" (v. 17). So those weak, lukewarm Christians "left behind"
at this point are horribly persecuted by Satan the Devil and his
minions.
Some ministers attempt to apply verse 17 to the Jewish people. But
this entire chapter is clearly talking about the "Israel of God"
(Galatians 6:16)ancient Israel at first (Revelation 12:14), and
then the faithful New Testament Church of Godwhich during the Dark
Ages was led by God to flee from the Holy Roman Empire during many
persecutions, including the Inquisition (v. 6). Beloved as they
are, the Jews do not have and do not follow the "testimony" of
Jesus Christ (v. 17). So this final "flight" to safety absolutely
applies to Gods true Church!
Near the end of His ministry, Jesus Christ gave this vital
instruction to His people: "Watch therefore and pray always that
you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come
to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36). Very few
professing Christians are obeying this commandment from the Son of
God! For most people attend churches where biblical prophecy is
seldom discussed and certainly not understood. They do not know
what to "watch" forand may have no interest in doing so. Frankly,
most churchgoers today do not know how to pray. And they certainly
do not "cry out day and night" to God as Jesus said His "elect"
would do (Luke 18:7). Rather, the majority of Gods own people are
influencedin this final, Laodicean age of the Churchto be
"lukewarm." And the living Jesus Christ speaks powerfully to this
attitude: "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I
could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm,
and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth"
(Revelation 3:1516). Apparently, lukewarm, professing Christians
will be cast right into the middle of the Great Tribulation! (vv.
1719). They have not been willing to present their bodies as a
living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) and fully surrender to let Jesus
Christ live His obedient life in them, soas the Great Tribulation
beginsGod will not protect them and they will finally be forced to
choose between total surrender to God or everlasting death in the
Lake of Fire.
But Gods faithful, genuinely obedient children will be protected
supernaturally in a place here on earth. God describes the way of
life of His faithful people: "Here is the patience of the saints;
here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of
Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). Just as His true Church is described in
Revelation 12:17 as a commandment-keeping Church, so Gods
individual saints obey the Ten Commandments as a way of lifeand
they do not succumb to the siren song of so many ministers that
Gods spiritual law was "done away" or "nailed to the cross." The
Bible is extremely plain on this!
So, if you wish the divine protection of Almighty God in the
traumatic months and years just ahead, be assured that it does not
lie in getting all hyped up about being suddenly "raptured" off to
heaven at any moment. Rather, as Gods Word makes clear, our
Creator will guide His faithful Church to know when and where to
flee just before the Great Tribulation begins. They will be
supernaturally protected in a place of Gods choosing here on
earth. Then, after the Great Tribulation, the "last trumpet" will
sound, "for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Corinthians 15:52; cf. 1
Thessalonians 4:1317).
There will be no "secret rapture" of the saints. The powerful
trumpet blast of God will shake the earth before the saints of God
arise! May God help you and your loved ones understand and be
willing to surrender to the living Jesus Christ so that He may live
His obedient life in you through the power of the Holy Spirit. As
the Apostle Paul was inspired to tell us: "I have been crucified
with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;
and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the
Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians
2:20).
Through Christ in you, may you truly learn to walk with God and
have the genuine protection which Almighty God clearly promises for
His true saints.