At this point let us look at something else Jesus said concerning the events to take place just prior to His return. “And THIS gospel of the kingdom (of God) shall go forth as a witness unto all nations, and THEN the end shall come” (Mat. 24:14). Here he presents us with another sign identifying the last of the last days–His TRUE gospel would be preached throughout all the world. Knowing that first Catholicism then Protestantism would infect the church world with heathenism, the Lord promised to send forth His true ministers speaking His true gospel just before His return to earth. Satan’s false gospel has been preached exclusively in the Institutional Church for some 1700 years. During that time God’s gospel has been totally rejected by the whole of professing Christendom. Knowing what was coming, Jesus told His disciples that just before His return to earth He would send His Truth throughout the world. This began to take place during the 1930’s and continues to today. But only a minutely few church people have heard it. And of those few, only true God-seekers believe and obey it. Having their “itching ears” scratched by their hirelings who tell them what they want to hear (Jn. 10:12,13), which is Satan’s gospel comprised of “smooth things, lies and deceits,” the church masses have summarily rejected God’s message. This comes as no surprise to Bible believers in that Jesus warned that only a “few” would “find” His strait gate and walk His narrow way (Mat. 7:13,14). Some of those who find it, enter it and walk it will be martyred for doing so. Those who come to Him during the first 2 1/2 years of the Great Tribulation are written about in Revelation 6:9-11. We met them with the opening of the fifth seal. Now we come to the end of Satan’s season of wrath and the beginning of God’s punishment of mankind.

“Immediately AFTER THE TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS (first 2 1/2 years) shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken” (Mat. 24:29). This brief interlude prepares the world for what comes next–the opening of the sixth seal. We now return to Revelation 6:12,13 to pick up the narrative: “And I beheld when He had opened the sixth seal and lo, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood, and the stars of heaven fell to the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs when she is shaken of a mighty wind.” Now we see what the opening of the sixth seal introduces: “For the great DAY OF HIS WRATH is come, and who shall be able to stand?” The heavenly and earthly signs serve to announce the immediate beginning of THE DAY OF THE LORD. The Prophet Joel prophesied of this time: “The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood BEFORE THE GREAT AND TERRIBLE DAY OF THE LORD is come” (2:31). In Matthew 24:29 and Joel 2:31 the Lord warned of a terrifying 2 1/2 year period–called the Great Tribulation–that would take place just prior to the THE DAY OF THE LORD. The name of that “day” (Biblical year) is mentioned in one form or another more than 30 times in the Scriptures. Note that the Great Tribulation (2 1/2 years) comes just before the Day of the Lord (one year). The two time periods are separated by ominous signs in both heaven and earth (Mat. 24:29).

The Great (2 1/2 year) Tribulation is not of God’s doing. This is the period in which Satan will pour out his wrath on the earth because he knows he has but a short time left to harass mankind (Rev. 12:12). The opening of the sixth seal marks the beginning of the Lord’s wrath being poured out on sinning mankind who will cry out, “The terrible Day of God’s Wrath has come!” Then what happens? “And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” Upon seeing this, men will hide themselves in caves and dens and beg God to allow the rocks to fall on them. When that doesn’t happen they cry out to some unknown entity to “… hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the GREAT DAY OF HIS WRATH IS COME, and who will be able to stand?” (Rev. 6:14-17). Who? Only God’s tiny church who will have been protected from the world-wide horror in their “place of safety” known as “her place,” which I believe will be Petra, a mountain range located in the nation of Jordan. To be continued. L.J.