The tribulation is a seven year period of time when God will finish His discipline of Israel and finalize His judgment of the unbelieving world. This is the time God will full fill the prophecies of Daniel. The church, made up of all who have accepted the free gift of Salvation and been born again , will not be present during the tribulation. For those have already been judge of their sins. The church will be removed from the earth in an event known as the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). The church is saved from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Throughout Scripture, the tribulation is referred to by other names such as the Day of the Lord (Isaiah 2:12; 13:6-9; Joel 1:15; 2:1-31; 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2); trouble or tribulation (Deuteronomy 4:30; Zephaniah 1:1); the great tribulation, which refers to the more intense second half of the seven-year period (Matthew 24:21); time or day of trouble (Daniel 12:1; Zephaniah 1:15); time of Jacobs trouble (Jeremiah 30:7). The mark of the beast will not be forced on people till 31/2 years into the seven tribulation. The bible states in Revelation 13:5 it will be a 42 months period. This passage is talking about the Great Tribulation (Mt 24:21) or the time when the Antichrist (or first Beast of Revelation 13) rules the entire earth. The second beast of Revelation 13, also called the False Prophet (Rev 16:13; 19:20; 20:10), will put in place a system of total control. They will attempt to brand every human with a mark that is needed for commerce. Obviously, without being able to buy or sell anything, you are not going to function in society or last long. Despite the downsides of this path, its plain from another passage that you can choose to refuse the mark and you will be killed. Revelation 20:4 Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the people, who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of God’s word, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. The first pressure is what Paul calls the strong delusion (2Th 2:11). The Antichrist will actually succeed in pawning himself off as God on earth ruling from the Third Temple in Jerusalem (2Th 2:4). Jesus said that this deception would be so convincing that even the very elect would be taken by it if it were possible. Thankfully, its not possible because God intervenes with the Two Witnesses and 144,000 to preach the truth as a alternative to the popular lie (Mt 24:24). Despite Gods counter-programming, the vast majority of the people are going to be convinced that the Antichrist is indeed God. This is due to the convincing signs performed at the hand of the False Prophet. These include calling fire down from heaven and making the image (statue) of the Beast that speaks (Rev 13:13-15). I should also mention that the church will not be during the seven year tribulation. The seven year tribulation is for the the unsaved and not the saved. The second pressure takes care of the minority who do not fall for the strong delusion. It appears from the passage above that the False Prophet will command death for those who refuse the mark. This is just as he does to those who refuse to worship the image/statue of the beast (Rev 13:15 &Rev 20:4). Many will have read their Bibles or heard and believed the warning of the mark by 144,000, but they simply are not martyr-material. They will crumble under the pressure. Like Jesus said, the love of believers will wax cold and believers will betray each other to save their own skin (Mt 24:12, 10). I would also like to point out this time the second beast is being shown as a more of a Military figure. He controls with force and not love. ALos the second beast is not revealed until the after the first beast. (Revelation 13:11) The third pressure would be that, given the clear scarcity of food and clean water prior to the rise of the Beast, you will not get your basic living needs met without accepting the mark. The threat of death from thirst and starvation will already be mounting by the time the mark is presented to offer relief. If you do not take it, death will be knocking at the door. Principles and skepticism go out the window in such dire situations. 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.(Revelation 13:17)
Posted on: Fri, 07 Mar 2014 16:01:48 +0000
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