What Happens NEXT? Chapter One

Note: This chapter largely covers current and future prophecies. For prophecies fulfilled in the past, and a defense of Christianity, please see Chapter Two:  

https://gehennarevisited.blogspot.com/2023/04/what-happens-next-chapter-two.html

God spent a lot of time on prophecy in Scripture, almost one-third of it, and even pointed to it as evidence that He is God (Isaiah 41:26 and Isaiah 46:9-10). It is frequently on my mind. I avoid talking about it because I don’t want to come across as one of those nuts with an end-times billboard. I leave that to the lovable homeless couple on the avenue, the ones who have the sign that reads, “The End is Near!” on one side and “Have a Nice Day!” on the other. They also have a sign that reads, “Be Positive!” I am positive. I’m positive I don’t want to be quite that colorful. I also doubt the tactic of carrying around a big, scary sign would be an effective strategy for me. I certainly don’t feel called to do it. I do, however, know that Jesus chastised those who did not understand or believe Bible prophecy (Luke 19:44 and 24:25), so this is an important subject that needs to be addressed somehow.   

Sadly, many teachers either mock it or teach messages that do not fully align with Scripture. The various camps are usually quite adamant about their views, even when there are scriptural reasons to question their positions. If you offer a different view, you are quickly shot down, often by a battalion-sized firing squad. How dare you question a prophecy expert!

I have always preferred to think for myself, and I question many experts. I can’t stop now, even though a difference of opinion has become my culture’s only sin.

Before I continue, I have a few miscellaneous items to cover. This book was previously published under the title End Times Billboard. It examines prophecies that have been fulfilled, are being fulfilled, and will be fulfilled in the near future. This is an extensive list of Bible prophecies, but even it is not complete. I use the King James Version of the Bible in this book because it is in the public domain in the United States, and when I reference Strong’s Concordance, I am referring to the tool feature at blueletterbible.org.

Also, I mention other teachers and ministries in this work, but that does not mean I agree with all of their teachings. They certainly would not agree with all of mine. However, as far as I know, we agree on the essentials of Christianity, and we all have a high view of the Bible. In other words, we believe it and take it seriously.

I am an evangelical (as that word has been defined traditionally), and I agree with most traditional evangelicals. However, beyond essentials, there are some significant differences between their teachings and mine.

There are two more important points before I begin. The Bible makes it clear that no one knows the exact time when Jesus will return to earth to set up His Messianic Kingdom. What the Bible does do is give us many signs that let us know when the time for His return and reign is near. Second, these prophecies frighten many people. However, these things come to an end. The Tribulation lasts only seven years. After it is over, there are 1,000 years of peace, justice, righteousness, and healing.

There is a big, shiny light at the end of the tunnel.

Following is my detailed list of signs pointing to the return of Jesus. Most of this information is taken from posts on my blog. I decided to compile those posts into printed form in case there comes a time when technology takes a hit. I do expect that to happen at some point, but I do not expect it to be a permanent loss. I also wonder if there might come a day when Christian blogs disappear from the internet. If my blog posts are ever lost due to a technological catastrophe or censorship, I at least want them to be preserved in print (for my family, friends, and acquaintances, if no one else). Though it is not my focus, I will also offer this as a digital book.   

1. Like other teachers, I have discussed this sign repeatedly. I have covered it in blog posts, books, and videos. It is considered by many to be the most important sign of the last days: Israel will exist again as a nation before Jesus returns. We see this in Ezekiel 11:16–17; 36:24; 37:1–14, Hosea 3:4–5, Amos 9:14–15, Zephaniah 3:20, and elsewhere. This means there must still be a Jewish people (despite all attempts to annihilate them over the centuries and up to our present day).

There were prophecy teachers over a century ago who realized Israel would exist again as a nation and be populated by Jewish people. One example is Claudius Buchanan. Even though there had not been a Jewish nation for nearly 1,700 years, Buchanan wrote about the return of the Jewish people and the rebirth of Israel, 136 years before it happened.^[1] A growing number of prophecy teachers who took Bible prophecy seriously knew the Jewish people would be back in Israel at the end. That was not the dominant view, however. Many denominations believed they had replaced Israel and that God was finished with the Jewish people. The rebirth of Israel was impossible according to their teachings.
   That’s not what God’s Word taught, though, and some teachers realized it. They knew Israel would be reborn. They knew the Jewish people would return. They also knew that when the Jewish people returned, they would again speak Hebrew, which, at the time, was a dead language. They also realized from prophecy that when Israel was reborn, it would be reborn in a day. Isaiah 66:8, “Who hath heard such a thing? Who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.”  

That prophecy was fulfilled on May 14, 1948, when Israel was literally born in a day. All last-day Bible prophecies depend upon the Jewish people being back in the land of Israel. The end cannot even occur until Israel exists again as a Jewish nation. That is why the existence of Israel is considered a “super sign.”

I know there are individuals and groups who claim to be the “real” Jews, but they are not living in a restored Israel—in the very land where Jesus walked (Ezekiel 36:24); they did not rise up like bones out of a grave (Ezekiel 37:1–14); they do not possess a mighty army (Ezekiel 37:10); they do not speak Hebrew (Zephaniah 3:9); they do not use the shekel (Ezekiel 45:12); they have not fought any of the prophesied wars Israel has fought (Psalm 83:4–8; Micah 4:11–12); they have not survived centuries of murderous attempts to completely annihilate them (Deuteronomy 28:65–67; Lamentations 1:3); and they do not have the whole world condemning their existence (Zechariah 12:2–3). These impersonators and identity thieves do not fulfill any of the Bible’s prophecies regarding the restored Jewish people and nation; therefore, they cannot be who they claim to be and should repent. On the other hand, all these things can be said of the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Bible prophecy verifies their identity and right to the land.

2. At the time of the end, Israel will be in possession of Jerusalem. It has been since the Six-Day War of 1967. We know the Jewish people will be back in Jerusalem at the end of this age for many reasons. Before Jesus was crucified, He warned the Jewish people in Luke 21:24 that they would “…fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.”  
   It wasn’t until after the Bar Kokhba revolt that the Roman Emperor Hadrian, wearied by the unending Jewish wars and rebellions, expelled the Jews from Jerusalem. Around AD 135, Hadrian renamed the area “Palaestina” to insult and punish the Jewish people and distance them from their land. He named it after Israel’s ancient enemy, the Philistines, who were from southern Europe and had ceased to exist as a distinct people group.  
   After the Jews were expelled, it took centuries for them to be dispersed among all nations. Then Jerusalem was trampled underfoot by Gentiles for several more centuries. With some scratching at the surface of Luke 21:24, we see that the verse implies the Jews would return to Jerusalem in the future, and they would not be under the foot of Gentile rulers.
   Many of those things have happened, of course. When we combine Luke 21:24 with Matthew 23:39, “For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord,” we can conclude that Jews must be in Jerusalem to say that, and Jesus must return to Jerusalem to hear it. Israel became a nation again in 1948, and the Jewish people regained Jerusalem as a result of the Six-Day War of 1967. Those who took the prophecies of the Bible literally and did not believe the Church replaced Israel (Replacement Theology) knew those things would happen. That is because Jesus predicted it, and the Bible pictures the Jewish people in Jerusalem when the Antichrist enters a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and declares that he is God.
   That abomination will happen at the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation: Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:4. From these things, and Revelation 11, we know the temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt. It will be desecrated by the Antichrist 42 months before Jesus returns to earth to rule and reign from Jerusalem. Zechariah 12 also makes it clear the Jewish people will be in Jerusalem at the end.

3. At that time, Israel will be surrounded on every side by enemies. Psalm 83:4, “They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.” Zechariah 14 shows that at the end of this age, Jerusalem will be taken again. Half of the city will go into captivity, but the remainder of the people (who will fight like King David) will not be cut off from Jerusalem. Then Jesus will come and save His people.

Notwithstanding the troubles Israel will face in the near future, there will still be Jews in Jerusalem when Jesus returns. We also see in Revelation 12 that some of the Jewish people will face a future scattering; however, God will turn it back, and the entire world will witness it. After that, as Amos 9:14–15 prophesied, the Jewish people will never be uprooted from their land again.

4. After Israel is regathered and regains Jerusalem, a woman will rise up and protect Israel. Golda Meir did that in the Yom Kippur War (Jeremiah 31:21–23). Please see chapter one of my book, Gehenna Revisited, or my video on YouTube entitled “An Amazing Last Days Bible Prophecy That Happened in This Generation” for an in-depth look at this prophecy.^[2] The prophecy speaks of one woman in particular, but women in general will also become protectors and will rise in prominence in all fields.

5. Jerusalem will become a source of international conflict in the last days. The nations will hate it and come against it. It will not go well for the nations. Zechariah 12:3, “And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.”  

6. The gospel will be preached in the entire world, and Christians will be persecuted for it. Persecution has always existed; however, the greatest persecution of Christians will occur at the end. We will not only repeat history; we will also repeat prophecy. “The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).
   John 16:2–4 says, “…the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.” Luke 21:16, “And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.”  
   Matthew 10:21, “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death.” After the gospel has gone out to the entire world, despite much persecution, the end will come. Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”  
   The gospel has not yet been preached to all nations, but it soon will be. (See the Faith Comes by Hearing website and its 2033 Movement.)[3] Apart from Israel and the worldwide spread of the gospel, there are many other signs pointing to the soon return of Jesus.

7. The church will be corrupted by false believers; tares will grow among the wheat (Matthew 13:24–30). Many will claim to be Christians, but their words and actions will prove them to be liars.   

8. Many Christians will depart from the faith (apostatize). 1 Timothy 4:1, “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” There will be a great apostasy among professing Christians (2 Thessalonians 2:3). They will be more concerned with the love and acceptance of the world than with the love and acceptance of God. They will say that good is evil and evil is good, and they will not be willing to turn away from their ever-worsening sins. As a result, God will give them over to a reprobate mind (Isaiah 5:20–21; Romans 1).

9. False “Christian” (and non-Christian) prophets, teachers, and teachings will increase. 2 Peter 2:1, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”

10. Persecution and hatred of both Christians and Jews will increase. Luke 21:17, “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.” If you spend time on social media or follow the news, you will find an alarming anti-Semitic and anti-Christian bias that is shocking. It will not end well.

11. Mankind will be spiritually and morally corrupted. 2 Timothy 3:2–5, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

12. People will mock the return of Christ. 2 Peter 3:3–4, “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”  

13. People will mock the global flood. “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished” (2 Peter 3:5–6).

14. It will be at a time when travel and knowledge will increase dramatically. “But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” The Hebrew in the verse, and the way it is consistently used, makes it clear that this is talking about actual travel—not reading back and forth in the Scriptures as some teach (Daniel 12:4).

15. The end will be marked by perilous times and perilous men (2 Timothy 3:1). It will be a time of unprecedented dangers (Matthew 24:21).  

16. There will be cosmic disturbances, political upheaval, and deadly weather that leave the nations reeling and confused. Luke 21:25, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.”

17. There will be increasing threats from wars, famines, deadly diseases, and earthquakes. “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matthew 24:7).

18. We see a parallel passage in Mark 13:8, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.” Here we see war, earthquakes, famines, and great troubles. They are only the beginning of the sorrows to come.

19. One of the future wars we are warned about involves Damascus, Syria. We are told that Damascus will become a ruinous heap (Isaiah 17:1; Jeremiah 49:24–27). Amman, Jordan, will also become a desolate heap in an upcoming war (Jeremiah 49:2). Perhaps Damascus and Amman will be destroyed by Iranian nukes that fall short of Israel. The Euphrates River will dry up to prepare the way for rulers from the east (Revelation 16:12). Even though I do not entirely agree with Bill Salus’s view of Psalm 83, I agree that the psalm is prophetic, and it is being fulfilled. Unlike Salus, I believe Islam will be around through the Millennium. I also believe Muslims will be the primary players of the final rebellion in Revelation 20:7–8.

And, of course, the battle of Gog of Magog that we find in Ezekiel will occur (Ezekiel 38–39).  
   There are at least three different Christian views on the battle of Gog of Magog. Some teachers believe it is synonymous with Armageddon and will involve Islamic countries, especially those in Asia Minor, the Middle East, and Africa. This does align with Micah 5:5 which may describe the Antichrist as “the Assyrian.” The view that the battle of Gog of Magog and Armageddon are the same event is not without problems, but it is taught by some.

The main reason I reject it is that there are specific nations that come against Israel in the Gog of Magog war: Persia (Iran), Put (Libya), Ethiopia, and Meshech, Gomer, and Tubal—which anciently were in Asia Minor (Turkey). At Armageddon, all nations of the earth come against Israel. Another issue is that Gog dies and is buried in Israel, but the Antichrist is cast alive into the lake of fire. Gog cannot be the Antichrist based on that alone. If Gog is not the Antichrist, then Ezekiel 38–39 is not Armageddon.

When discussing the identity of Gog, the late Chuck Missler pointed to the Greek Septuagint translation of Amos 7:1–3. Missler also noted that important biblical figures are usually introduced elsewhere in Scripture. He believed Gog was introduced in Amos 7:1–3.[4] In those verses, Amos pleads with God to prevent an invasion, and God, in essence, says, “Okay.” Missler highlighted that the prophecy remained in Scripture despite being canceled, citing the principle of dual fulfillments in prophecy to explain why. One prophetic event often foreshadows a later, more significant event (e.g., the “sacrifice” of Isaac prefiguring the sacrifice of Jesus).

Rabbis teach that when you see an apparently unnecessary detail, it’s a “remez” (a hint of deeper meaning). There’s a reason those verses remain. The Septuagint, completed circa 270 BC, predates the Masoretic Text by about 1,000 years. Here’s how it reads in the Septuagint: “The Lord hath shown me, and behold, a swarm of locusts was coming, and behold, one of the young devastating locusts was Gog the King (Γωγ ὁ βασιλεύς).” Missler pointed out that, per Proverbs 30:27, natural locusts have no king: “The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands.” However, in Revelation 9:1–11, demonic locusts do have a king:

“And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit. And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
   “And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.”

Missler noted that these locusts initially appear natural but are distinguished by having a king. His theory was that they are demonic, especially since their king is the angel of the bottomless pit, Abaddon/Apollyon. This indicates they are not natural locusts, despite their vivid description.

If Gog is identified in Amos 7:1–3 as a demonic king, this resolves several issues. It provides the missing background for a key eschatological figure, clarifies Gog’s identity in Ezekiel 38, and explains how both Gog and Magog reappear at the end of the Millennium in Revelation 20:8.  

Table: Ezekiel 38-39 Coalition of Nations and Their Prophetic Role. (My perspective based on older atlases.)

 

Biblical Name	Historical Context	Modern Equivalent	Prophetic Role in Framework
Gog	Leader from Magog, “far north” (Ezekiel 38:15); “Gog the King” (Amos 7:1, Septuagint)	Demonic entity (Turkey-based)	Mahdi/Antichrist, “Assyrian” (Micah 5:5), possibly Abaddon/Apollyon (Revelation 9:11), leads satanic Islamic invasion.
Magog	Japhethite nation, Scythians (Genesis 10:2)	Turkey	Central nation, part of Assyria/Eastern Roman Empire (Daniel 2), led by demonic Gog/Mahdi.
Rosh	Likely “chief”; if a place, unclear	Turkey (if a place)	Part of Turkey’s Assyrian leadership, not Russia, per ancient texts.
Meshech	Eastern Anatolia, within Assyria (Herodotus)	Turkey	Part of Turkey’s Assyrian role in coalition, Eastern leg (Daniel 2).
Tubal	Eastern Anatolia, within Assyria	Turkey	As above, reinforcing Turkey’s centrality.
Gomer	Cimmerians, eastern Anatolia (Genesis 10:3)	Turkey	Part of Turkey’s Assyrian/Islamic coalition.
Beth-Togarmah	Eastern Turkey/Armenia, within Assyria	Turkey	As above, tied to leadership.
Persia	Ancient Persia	Iran	Islamic nation, driven by revenge and satanic hatred (e.g., Sahih Muslim 8.2922)
Cush	South of Egypt, Nubia	Sudan	Muslim-majority, part of Islamic coalition, persists to Revelation 20:8.
Put	North Africa, west of Egypt	Libya	Muslim-majority, part of Islamic coalition, persists to Revelation 20:8.

 

Many modern teachers believe that Magog, Meshech, and Tubal are in present-day Russia, and many of them believe that Gog is Vladimir Putin.

Table: Ezekiel 38-39 Coalition Nations (Russia-Centric View)

Biblical Name	Historical Context	Modern Equivalent	Prophetic Role (Russia-Centric View)
Gog	Leader from Magog, “far north” (Ezekiel 38:15)	Russia (leader)	Ruler (human or demonic) leading Russia and allies against Israel.
Magog	Japhethite nation, Scythians (Genesis 10:2)	Russia	Dominant nation, northern power, leading invasion (Ezekiel 38:2).
Rosh	Interpreted as “Rus”	Russia	Equated with Magog, reinforcing Russia’s leadership.
Meshech	Ancient Muscovites or Asia Minor (Herodotus)	Russia or Turkey	Allied with Russia; linked to Moscow or eastern Turkey.
Tubal	Ancient Tubalu, Caucasus or Asia Minor	Russia or Georgia	Allied with Russia; linked to Tobolsk or eastern Turkey.
Gomer	Cimmerians, Central Asia or Asia Minor (Genesis 10:3)	Turkey or Central Asia	Allied with Russia; often Turkey or former Soviet states (e.g., Kazakhstan).
Beth-Togarmah	Eastern Turkey or Armenia	Turkey or Armenia	Allied with Russia, part of northern coalition.
Persia	Ancient Persia	Iran	Islamic ally of Russia, driven by revenge post-double ceasefire betrayal (June 2025, Beersheba/Bahrain attacks).
Cush	South of Egypt, Nubia	Sudan or Ethiopia	African ally, often Sudan, joining Russia’s coalition.
Put	North Africa, west of Egypt	Libya	African ally, joining Russia’s coalition.

Russia is a possibility. The people groups mentioned in Ezekiel did migrate to Russia from Asia Minor over time. However, the issue with identifying Gog of Magog with Putin and Russia is that there are historical records that contradict such a placement. There is also the possibility that Putin will be dead when the events occur. What might be an even stronger argument against Putin being Gog is that, no matter your opinion of the man, Putin claims he stands for biblical values on important moral issues. I don’t believe Gog will make that claim. 

Joel Richardson teaches that older atlases, such as The Oxford Bible Atlas,[5] place those areas in Asia Minor or Turkey. Pliny the Elder, a reliable first-century source, and Hippolytus of Rome, in his Chronicon, place Magog in modern-day Turkey.[6] Although I do not recommend Richardson’s teachings on many issues, especially his teaching on Dominionism, I do think he has a strong argument for the identification and location of Magog, Meshech, and Tubal.

Richardson also teaches that Gog is the Antichrist, and the nations involved are largely centered in Asia Minor and are Islamic. He also believes the battle in Ezekiel 38–39 is Armageddon. In both instances, Israel’s enemies are supernaturally defeated when they come against Israel. That is a similarity, but there are too many differences to ignore. The battle of Gog begins when Israel is living securely and is at peace. Armageddon occurs at the end of the Tribulation and after seven years of devastation and war. Another problem is that there are protesting nations in the battle of Gog of Magog, but at Armageddon, all nations are involved. Another significant problem is that Gog dies and is buried in Israel (as I have already mentioned), but the Antichrist is thrown alive into the lake of fire. I do not believe Gog is the Antichrist, and if Gog is not the Antichrist, then Ezekiel 38–39 is not Armageddon.

There are similarities between these events, but Ezekiel 38 is a shadow of Armageddon (a prophetic shadow). It is not the substance. One event in Bible prophecy frequently points to another—bigger event— that happens later. I pointed to one example earlier, but another example is the “sacrifice of the Passover Lamb.” That sacrifice pointed to the sacrifice of Jesus. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

If the modern teaching regarding Gog of Magog and Putin is not true, then is it possible Russia or its allies will be so severely weakened through war that they will not be militarily able to lead such a coalition? Who would replace Russia or its allies if that is the case? The next power to arise if Russia is severely weakened may well be Islamic (aided perhaps Chinese Communists). Either of them could be the “kings of the east” that we read about in Revelation 16:12: “And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.”
   Nevertheless, because Micah 5:5–6 appears to call the Antichrist “the Assyrian,” I believe, like Joel Richardson, that the Antichrist will come from an Islamic nation. Ancient Assyria encompassed modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran. Turkey, once the heart of the Ottoman Empire and before that the eastern half of the Roman Empire, may play a key role. I believe the eastern half of the Roman Empire will be revived in the last days, unlike most Bible prophecy teachers who point to the western half. 

However, Irenaeus, a second-century church father and the writer of Against Heresies, taught that the Antichrist would be from the tribe of Dan.[7] Grant Jeffrey wrote in chapter one of his book, Prince of Darkness, that the Antichrist was clearly Jewish, but he also tied “the Assyrian” of Isaiah 10:24–27 with the Antichrist. Bob Mitchell also teaches that the Antichrist will be Jewish. This view comes partly from Irenaeus, but it also has roots in the fact that the Jewish people are looking for a Messiah and would not accept someone of another faith as their Messiah.
   Many Christians are ambivalent, and there are many faiths looking for a Messiah-like figure, such as the Muslims’ Mahdi. However, we do know from Jesus that many false prophets and false Messiahs will arise, performing signs and wonders, and we might see that happening today with Rabbi Shlomo Yehudah Be’eri, who is credited with miraculous healings and whom some Christians believe could be the future Antichrist. I have no idea who the Antichrist will be and don’t intend to speculate about specific individuals, but these are issues many consider, and I keep track of the various theories.

Returning to the battle of Ezekiel 38–39, is it the same as Armageddon or a different battle altogether? Is “Magog” Russia, or is it Turkey? There are arguments for both sides, but I believe it is Turkey with Russia as a potential ally.
   To muddy the waters even more, there is at least one other view. The only time the New Testament mentions the battle of Gog of Magog is at the end of the millennial reign of Christ (Revelation 20:7–9). According to this minority view, all of the debates about who, what, where, and when may be a waste of breath and ink. The battle may not be imminent but over a thousand years away. (However, that is not my view, and I will explain why later.)

One of the dangers of teaching Bible prophecy is that we run the risk of seeking our glory instead of God’s. All too often it’s a case of, “Aren’t I clever?” or, “I told you so.” Or it’s a matter of pride that swells with each new follower, thumbs up, or each time we’re proven right, instead of being, “God’s Word is true and to be believed. He tells us the end from the beginning. From ancient times, He has told us the things that are not yet done. He is greatly to be praised.” 

It’s not about us. God is greatly to be praised. Not the teacher.

Another danger in teaching Bible prophecy is that the teachers often become inflexible, unloving, arrogant, and intolerant of other views. Many teachers are convinced that only they understand prophecy. Such attitudes are the opposite of humility and should be avoided. It is one thing to be dogmatic about the essentials of Christianity and the truth of God’s Word, but it is another thing to be dogmatic about future events.  

Some of the widely popular prophecy teachers do claim to be prophets, while others do not. The two groups do have one thing in common, though: both of them claim to know exactly how future Bible prophecies will unfold.

Something about that second group seems contradictory to me. It’s like saying, “I’m not a prophet, but I know everything about prophecy.” Some of them are constantly predicting things that never come to pass. But they still don’t call themselves prophets—even as they open their mouths to prophesy. In recent memory, I’ve heard popular teachers claim that Russia will invade America and all computers will stop working in 2000; the rapture must happen by a long-gone date; there will be a pole shift by 2012; Yellowstone is about to blow because bison were running in the road last Wednesday; or comet Elenin is going to cause three days of darkness somehow. The list of failed prophecies from these non-prophets is a staggering list. Strangely enough, large numbers of people still follow them and hang on their every prophecy update. Their comment sections are overflowing with praise, and it appears that this success in numbers is seen as validation from God Himself.

The track record of those who call themselves prophets is even worse.

The most serious danger, though, is that when Christians are wrong in their fixed and very vocal views about prophetic events, and events prove them wrong, they bring shame to Christ and God’s Word. When it comes to Bible prophecy, there are many things we won’t fully understand until they happen. We may know certain things about the future through God’s Word, but we are often startled by the way prophecies actually unfold. One thing is certain: they will happen. Their fulfillment doesn’t depend on whether we saw all of them clearly or not.

In this book, I present the Bible’s prophecies. Many of them are very clear, but some are not. Where they are unclear, I will present my views on how future prophecies might play out. Even if my views fall by the wayside over time, the prophecies will not. So focus on the Bible and its prophecies and test all teaching against it. The teacher might be right or wrong, but the Bible and its prophecies will always be right. One thing is certain: don’t put any teacher on a pedestal. It is usually a long way down once praise, pride, and error topple them. It is also very disappointing for the people who put the teachers up there in the first place.

20. The earth will be overwhelmed by violence. As it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be at the end (Luke 17:26). Genesis 6:11 tells us how it was in the days of Noah: “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.” Some teach this is not just a corruption of our morals but of our DNA, as in Genesis 6:4 when the “Nephilim” (believed by some to be the offspring of fallen angels and women) were on the earth and married the daughters of humans. “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.” That mingling corrupted mankind and led to the flood. If this teaching is true, humanity was no longer made in God’s image then, but in Satan’s image.

Others teach the Nephilim were the offspring of pagan women and godly men from the line of Seth. However, we see several places in the Old Testament where the sons of God were clearly angels. The “Seth view” does not explain why the offspring were “giants,” but there is dispute about the actual meaning of Nephilim. Does it mean “giants” or simply a “bully” or “tyrant”? I have heard some teachers suggest it refers to the pharaohs because they were viewed as gods. These teachers also point to the fact that the passage refers to them as men. They might have been men of great renown, but they were still men.  

The Book of Enoch, which many take seriously and believe belongs in the Bible, teaches that Nephilim were the offspring of fallen angels and human women. However, I have numerous reservations about The Book of Enoch. It is not canonical. It falsely prophesies about itself, failing the test of Deuteronomy 18:22 (1 Enoch 104:9 prophesied it would be copied faithfully and survive undiminished; that is not the case).^[8] It is also filled with dubious cosmology, contradicts itself and the Bible in multiple places, was written at least 3,000 years after the time of Enoch, and is pseudepigraphal. In other words, it is falsely ascribed to the biblical Enoch. Pseudepigraphal books are automatically excluded from the biblical canon.
   It would also have been impossible for giants, described in the Ethiopic version of 1 Enoch as 3,000 cubits (4,500 feet) or possibly 300 cubits (450 feet) due to textual discrepancies, to have mated with or been the offspring of human women.^[9] However, as I said, despite my serious misgivings, there are many people, including scholars, who take it seriously and believe it belongs in the Bible.  

21. Mankind will be capable of destroying all life on earth. This is a prophecy that was not possible before the last century. It wasn’t until the invention of weapons of mass destruction, including bioweapons, that mankind became capable of ending all life on our planet. Matthew 24:22, “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” The desire to mingle mankind’s consciousness with artificial intelligence (AI), if such a thing is even possible, is another way that mankind could become corrupted. Some consider it similar to the corruption of mankind in Genesis 6:4. There is also the stated goal of scientists, such as Amy Kruse, to create “Human 2.0.”[10] These scientists believe they can create human/AI centaurs that will be superior to the humans God created. “No flesh will be saved” takes on a new meaning in this context.   

22. The Nile will dry up, and the economy of Egypt will be gutted. Though Ezekiel and Zechariah also have prophecies about the Nile drying up, I will focus on Isaiah 19:4–6: “And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king (believed to refer to the Antichrist) shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts. And the waters shall fail from the sea, and the river shall be wasted and dried up. And they shall turn the rivers far away; and the brooks of defence shall be emptied and dried up: the reeds and flags shall wither.” The phrase “they shall turn the rivers far away” makes me think of dam projects currently underway. Egypt recently made threats of war against Ethiopia because of their Nile dam project. It appears that Ethiopia’s dams may be used as a weapon by the Antichrist in the future.  

23. At some point, the Antichrist will rise to power. He is also called “a beast” rising up “out of the sea” (Revelation 13:1) and that “Wicked” one in 2 Thessalonians 2:8. He is known by other names as well. Revelation 13:1–8: “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.” (This is allegorical and metaphorical language. The symbols are explained in other books of the Bible, such as Daniel and Ezekiel. Commentaries on Daniel are especially helpful in deciphering the symbols and nations involved. Although these symbols are metaphorical, they point to real events that will take place in the future.)
   “And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?  

“There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, tongues, and nations. All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
   The “sea” may refer to the Mediterranean Sea, and some teach the Antichrist will arise from that part of the world—from territory once possessed by ancient Assyria. This teaching also points to Micah 5:5, which is viewed as a reference to the Antichrist and refers to him as “the Assyrian”: “…when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces…”[11]
   (Many teachers, such as Hal Lindsey, Chuck Missler, Tim LaHaye, John F. Walvoord, Grant R. Jeffrey, David Jeremiah, Jan Markell, Jack Hibbs, Amir Tsarfati, and several others, believe the Antichrist will come from a revived Roman Empire and be European.)
   The heads and horns of the beast in Revelation 13:1 are kingdoms that came against Israel in the past, such as Persia and Greece, and are primarily identified in the book of Daniel. In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about a great statue that represented a succession of great kingdoms. The head of gold was Babylon; the breast and arms of silver represented the Medo-Persian Empire; the belly and thighs of brass were the Greco-Macedonian Empire; the legs of iron represented the Roman Empire. The feet and toes were partly of iron and partly of clay. Many see the feet and toes as a revived Roman Empire, but Rome had two legs. One was in the East, and one was in the West.
   I believe the ten nations will come from countries that existed throughout biblical history and will be centered on the Mediterranean Sea. The countries from the East are currently Islamic countries. Those from the West are mostly secular, but they have been conquered by Islam to a large degree through reckless immigration policies. I believe the ten toes refer to kingdoms that represent opposing belief systems, and that is why they do not adhere to one another. I suspect the Islamic countries will become dominant. Whatever the nations of the Antichrist are, they will be destroyed at the return of Christ. 

There have been events in history that some see as prophetic fulfillments or precursors of the final events. Preterist scholars like Kenneth L. Gentry Jr. (Before Jerusalem Fell: Dating the Book of Revelation) and the late R.C. Sproul (The Last Days According to Jesus) argue that Revelation 13:1–8 was fulfilled in the first century by the Roman Empire under Nero (54–68 AD), with the beast’s seven heads representing Rome’s seven hills or emperors, and the 42 months symbolizing Nero’s persecution of Christians (Daniel 7:7–8). They point to Nero’s name equaling 666 in Hebrew gematria and the “deadly wound” (Revelation 13:3) as his suicide, with the empire’s continuation under Vespasian as its “healing.” Historicists like J.A. Wylie (The History of Protestantism, vol. 1) and Albert Barnes (Notes on the New Testament: Revelation) saw the beast as the Roman Empire’s political power across centuries, from pagan Rome to its Christianized form, with the “ten horns” as barbarian kingdoms post-476 AD and the “42 months” as a symbolic period of dominance (Daniel 7:25).  

In contrast, partial preterists like Philip Mauro (The Seventy Weeks and the Great Tribulation) viewed Revelation 13:1–8 as partially fulfilled by Rome’s imperial system, particularly Nero’s persecutions, but with ultimate fulfillment awaiting a future Antichrist. Mauro emphasized Rome’s emperor worship. This interpretation, rooted in Daniel 7’s fourth beast, contrast with my belief that Revelation 13:1–8 awaits a literal Antichrist from an Islamic nation, ruling for a literal 42 months in a revived eastern Roman Empire (Micah 5:5–6). Unlike these historical views, my literalist perspective, supported the fact that Jesus viewed Bible prophecy literally, expects a future fulfillment with global impact.

24. In 2 Thessalonians 2:6–10, we learn what is holding the Antichrist back: “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, (i.e., he who now restrains will restrain) until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked (the “lawless one” in some translations; i.e., the Antichrist) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power… signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”  

I believe the restrainer being “taken out of the way” refers to the rapture of the Church. I will cover that view in depth in Chapter Nine, but I will now take a brief look at different views about the rapture.

1 Thessalonians 4:15–18: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (“raptured” from the Latin Vulgate) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”  

Some believe the rapture, the “catching up,” occurs before the Tribulation. I consider the rapture a pre-Tribulation event. However my view is different from the traditional pre-Tribulation rapture teaching. Pre-Tribulation believers, such as Jack Hibbs or Jan Markell, believe the Seals are part of the Tribulation. They believe the rapture happens before the Seal events occur. They place it at Revelation 4:1, which says, “come up hither.” They view that as a prophetic reference to the rapture of the Church. I believe the rapture occurs at the sixth Seal, as the Seals are coming to a close, with the Tribulation beginning at the first Trumpet judgment.
   Some teachers believe the rapture occurs at the midpoint of the Tribulation, while others believe it comes at the end or not at all. I will briefly cover those views now, but my in-depth rebuttal of a post-Tribulation rapture will appear in a later chapter. However, I emphasize this now: I keep Luke 21:28 in mind when considering the Tribulation and the timing of the rapture. It states, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” These signs do not reveal the exact timing of the rapture, but they indicate that it draws near, requiring us only to watch for their beginning. I believe the events following these signs do not pertain to us, which is why we need only to watch for their onset.
   I also keep the restrainer in mind. After the restrainer is removed, evil will no longer be contained. Right now, I believe the presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church holds back pure evil. Once that restrainer is removed, which I cover in Chapter Nine, that evil will be unleashed. It may seem like it already is, but the Tribulation will make these days feel like the good old days. The evil of the Tribulation will be unprecedented.  
   Below are a few key verses used by post-Tribulation rapture advocates, often from preterist (those who believe most or all Bible prophecies were fulfilled in the past), historicist (those who interpret Bible prophecy as literal history tied to historical events, people, and nations), or non-dispensationalist perspectives (those who interpret biblical prophecy, including the rapture and Antichrist, as fulfilled historically or symbolically, without distinct dispensations or a future seven-year Tribulation).
   Post-Tribulation rapture believers argue that believers endure the Tribulation and are raptured at Christ’s return, not before. I cover the primary verses they cite, along with their interpretations, contrasting them with my pre-Tribulation rapture view, which some, including Jan Markell, label as an Intra-Seal rapture. However, unlike them, I believe the Seals are not part of the Tribulation. I explain why throughout this book.
   I believe the Tribulation starts with the Trumpets. Placing the Seals before the Tribulation and timing the rapture at the sixth Seal is the only view that explains the silence in heaven for half an hour. The silence signifies that the worst period in human history is about to begin. The 30-minute time gap also points to a period between the rapture at the sixth Seal and the beginning of the Tribulation at the first Trumpet.
   Here are some verses that Post-Tribulation Rapture advocates point to:  
   Matthew 24:29–31: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days…they shall see the Son of Man coming on the clouds…with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds.”
   Interpretation: Post-Tribulationists (e.g., George Eldon Ladd, Robert H. Gundry) argue this describes the rapture occurring “immediately after the tribulation,” with the “elect” (believers) gathered at Christ’s Second Coming, accompanied by a trumpet (linked to 1 Corinthians 15:52). They see this as a single event, not separate from the rapture.
   My view places the rapture before the Tribulation, linked to Revelation 6:14 and Yom Teruah, with a possible time gap before the start of the Tribulation in Revelation 8:1. I’ll explain these things later.
   1 Corinthians 15:51–52: “At the last trumpet…we shall be changed.” 
   Interpretation: Advocates like Gundry tie the “last trumpet” to the seventh trumpet in Revelation 11:15–18, which occurs late in the Tribulation, signaling the rapture and resurrection at Christ’s return. The argument is that this aligns with Matthew 24:31’s trumpet call. 
   I associate the trumpet with the last trump of Yom Teruah, not the seventh trumpet of Revelation. When the apostle Paul wrote to believers in Corinth, the book of Revelation had not yet been written. Neither Paul nor the Corinthians knew about the trumpet judgments in Revelation, but they were familiar with the trumpets of Yom Teruah. Paul was addressing them about things they all understood. 
   1 Thessalonians 4:15–17: “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven…and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive…shall be caught up together with them in the clouds.” 
   Interpretation: Post-Tribulationists (e.g., Douglas Moo, the late William Barclay) argue this “catching up” (rapture) occurs at Christ’s visible return, as it follows the resurrection and is linked to Matthew 24:30–31, placing it post-Tribulation. They note no pre-Tribulation timing is explicit here.
   In light of various other verses, I interpret this as a pre-Tribulation rapture, with believers taken before the Tribulation begins. More on this later. 
   2 Thessalonians 2:1–3: “[Concerning] the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him…that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed.” (Some translations call him “the man of lawlessness.)
   Interpretation: Teachers like Ladd and Moo emphasize that the “gathering” (rapture) occurs after the Antichrist’s revelation, which some argue could happen either mid- or post-Tribulation, as the “day” won’t come until the “man of lawlessness” is revealed, suggesting believers witness these events.  
   I see the Antichrist’s revelation (2 Thessalonians 2:4) as post-rapture, with believers spared God’s wrath (Revelation 6:10, 17). I will cover this view in depth in Chapter Nine.
   Revelation 20:4–5: “I saw the souls of them that were beheaded…They lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. This is the first resurrection.”  
   Interpretation: Post-Tribulationists (e.g., Gundry) argue the “first resurrection” includes the rapture and resurrection of believers at Christ’s return, post-Tribulation, as martyrs endure the beast’s persecution (Revelation 13:7). They see no earlier rapture event.
   I place the rapture earlier, after the sixth Seal. In Revelation 7:9–17 we see the raptured saints in Heaven. Tribulation martyrs are those who come to Christ during the Tribulation. I will rebut the Post-Tribulation interpretation of Revelation 20: 4–5 thoroughly in Chapter Nine.
   But there are those who believe the rapture occurs at the mid-point of the Tribulation. Here are the key verses for Mid-Tribulation rapture advocates. They are often dispensationalists or modified preterists. They argue that believers are raptured halfway through the Tribulation, typically at what they consider the 3.5-year mark. A Mid-Tribulation rapture occurs before the Great Tribulation of Matthew 24:21 (or the latter half of the Tribulation) begins. Here are the primary verses they cite:  
   2 Thessalonians 2:1–4: “[Concerning] the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him…that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
   Interpretation: Mid-Tribulationists (e.g., the late Marvin Rosenthal and Norman B. Harrison) argued the “gathering” (rapture) occurs after the Antichrist’s revelation and abomination of desolation (midpoint, Daniel 9:27), as believers must witness these events but are raptured before the worst judgments. They saw this aligning with the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation. 
   As I’ve written, I place the rapture before the Tribulation (Revelation 7:9–17), with the Antichrist’s revelation (2 Thessalonians 2:4) occurring post-rapture. One purpose of the rapture is to spare Church-Age believers from God’s judgment of unbelievers during the Tribulation. Again, I will cover the rapture in depth in later chapters.
   Revelation 11:11–12: “And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them.”
   Interpretation: Teachers like Rosenthal (The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church, 1990) and Harrison argue the two witnesses’ resurrection and ascension at the Tribulation’s midpoint (after 3.5 years, Revelation 11:3) symbolize or coincide with the church’s rapture. The “come up hither” mirrors 1 Thessalonians 4:17’s rapture language.
   I view the two witnesses’ ascension as distinct from the rapture, occurring mid-Tribulation, with the rapture earlier (Revelation 6:14).
   Revelation 12:5–6: “And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” (I used to wonder why it was necessary to rule with a “rod of iron.” However, looking at the lawlessness and violence that we see daily in the news, it’s easy to understand why.)
   Interpretation: Some mid-Tribulationists interpret the “male child” as the church, “snatched up” (raptured) at the midpoint, with the “woman” (Israel) protected during the remaining 1,260 days (3.5 years). They tie the 3.5 years to Daniel 7:25’s “time and times and the dividing of time.” (Or “time, times, and half a time” in other translations.)
   I see the “woman” as Israel fleeing persecution, and the rapture as pre-Tribulation, not linked to this event.
   Daniel 7:25: “And he [the little horn] shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”
   Interpretation: Mid-Tribulationists argue the “time, times, and half a time” (3.5 years) marks the Antichrist’s oppression before the rapture, with believers enduring the first half of the Tribulation but raptured before the Great Tribulation (Revelation 13:5’s 42 months).
   I interpret these timeframes as post-rapture, with the Antichrist’s 42-month rule occurring after believers are taken. I will cover this fully in Chapter Nine and give good reasons for my position.
   People who deny the rapture must reject 1 Thessalonians 4:15–18: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (“raptured” from the Latin Vulgate) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” For me, three possibilities explain their rejection of the rapture: (1) they don’t believe or know Scripture; (2) the world mocks it, and they value the world’s view over Scripture; or (3) they reject it because it seems foolish or impossible to them, and they don't want to be ridiculed.
   I don’t know their specific reasons for rejecting the rapture, but I know they lack biblical grounds for doing so.

25. There will come a time when no one can buy or sell unless they take the mark of the beast (Revelation 13:16–17). It is a mark that shows allegiance to the beast as god. Anything or any laws that restrict your ability to buy or sell should be viewed with extreme caution and skepticism. We are heading into very dangerous end-times territory at that point. Because we witnessed a “dress rehearsal” with the vaccine passports, I think it’s possible “the play” is about to start. Some believe it already has.

26. Believers who come to Christ during the Tribulation will be beheaded by an Antichrist-led government and religion (Revelation 20:4).

27. A false prophet, also known as the “beast coming up out of the earth,” will arise. Revelation 13:11–17: “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, (rockets? war? something else?) and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
   “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 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.”  

In other words, the Antichrist will have a religious PR man who has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, like the magicians in Pharaoh’s court, Jannes and Jambres. He will cause all to worship the image of the beast—which some believe will be an image powered by artificial intelligence. Considering modern technology, where it is and where it is headed, proponents of this view believe the image might refer to a technology that houses the Antichrist’s consciousness after his deadly head wound. Does he claim he is god because he has achieved “victory” over death by living on in AI after his body has died?
   I know this theory is growing in popularity, and maybe it will turn out to be true; but at this point, I doubt this kind of “superintelligence” will ever be achieved. I recommend the teachers in the below footnote on this subject.[12] I suspect the false prophet may be the pope in Rome, the western half of the ancient Roman Empire, while the Antichrist will most likely be an Assyrian from the eastern half of the ancient Roman Empire.  

There are many more prophecies about this end-times ruler and the nations that will align with him, but there are other signs as well.

28. Children will dishonor their parents. See 2 Timothy 3:2: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…” Sounds like vanity and narcissism will characterize those days. (I think they already do.)  

29. The ungodly will mock believers who want to live godly lives. Jude 1:18: “How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.”

30. 2 Timothy 3:13 says evil men, seducers, and deceivers will get worse and worse. Men and women will believe any lie that satisfies their desires. Jesus warned about deception throughout the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24 and parallel passages), and many people today are deceived, deluded, and living lies. They do not accept the Bible’s definition of good and evil and are so lost and confused that many do not even know what gender they are.

31. Jesus also said of our day, “many will be offended.” We certainly see that. Matthew 24:10–11: “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” In the Bible, a prophet is not only one who foretells the future; a prophet is someone who claims to speak for God or proclaim the truth.

32. Iniquity and lawlessness will increase, and love will grow cold. Matthew 24:12: “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”  

33. There will be terrible plagues, but people won’t repent and will worship gods of their own making. Revelation 9:20: “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.” (More on this later.)  

34. The world will be desperate for peace and safety, but there won’t be any. 1 Thessalonians 5:3: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”  

35. There will be worldwide, instant communication. Revelation 11:9: “And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.” It wasn’t until the advent of television, and then the internet and smartphones, that it became possible to witness such an event worldwide, simultaneously, by all nations.  

36. Christians will be lukewarm in their faith. Revelation 3:15: “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.” This has been an issue since the first century, but when combined with other verses regarding the last days, it seems this condition will worsen at the end.

37. Many will claim to be the Christ and will deceive many. Matthew 24:5: “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

38. In the future, false Christs and false prophets will even show great signs and wonders. Matthew 24:24: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”

39. The majority of mankind will not believe all of these biblical signs, and the return of Jesus will take them by surprise. Luke 21:35: “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.”  

40. Many cultures will resemble those of Sodom and Gomorrah, but when destruction finally comes, some normal parts of life will still be going on. We see this in Luke 17:28–30: “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” This suggests a pre-Tribulation rapture. Christians will leave this earth just as “Lot went out of Sodom” before the destruction began. I believe Lot’s departure from Sodom is a prophetic shadow of the rapture. This argues against a post-Tribulation rapture because, at the end of the Tribulation, the world is in shambles, and normalcy has been over for years.

41. In 2 Thessalonians 2:12, we read that people will take pride in their sins: “That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

42. The inhabitants of earth will be destroying the earth. Revelation 11:18: “…thy wrath is come…and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” We know from Revelation 6 that there will be widespread death at the end. (See the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, Revelation 6:8.) One-quarter of the earth’s inhabitants are killed. I think many factors play into this. First, there is the increasing risk of war, even nuclear war. Second, there are also the dangers of other weapons of mass destruction, including bioweapons. Even vaccines can be dangerous when, over time, they lead to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) or other adverse side effects. There will also be widespread animal die-offs. “…with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away” (Hosea 4:3). In recent years, there have been several unprecedented animal die-offs around the world, as well as widespread human die-offs.  

43. The Antichrist will deny the Father and the Son, and there are atheists and religions that do that. We read this in 1 John 2:22: “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.” We see in Scripture that this antichrist spirit has existed since the first century. However, there will come a time when it will be embodied in one Satan-possessed man.

44. There will be wars and fear of potential wars according to Matthew 24:6: “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.”

45. Zechariah 14:12 speaks of an end-times judgment from God during wartime that sounds eerily similar to the effects of a blast from a neutron bomb: “And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.” Jeremiah 25:33 may warn of something similar: “And at that day the slain of the LORD shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall become refuse on the ground.”  

46. We also see something similar in 2 Peter 3:9–11: “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness.”

And in Ezekiel 39, we read that it will take Israel seven months to bury the dead from the battle of Gog of Magog. Men will be appointed the task of cleansing the land. When someone passes through the land, if they see a bone, they will set up a sign by it. Then the unit that deals with the bones will bury it in a special place. Does this point to the possibility that these bones are contaminated, perhaps with radiation or an unknown plague?

47. Many Bible teachers assert that the generation witnessing Israel rebirth in 1948 will be the last generation before Christ’s return. This teaching stems from Matthew 24:32–34: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
   Parallel passages in Luke 21:29–32 and Mark 13:28–30 reinforce this prophecy. Luke 21:29–32 states, “And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.” 
   In Scripture, trees often symbolize nations, with the fig tree closely tied to Israel (1 Kings 4:25; Jeremiah 8:13; Joel 2:22; Matthew 21:18–19). In Isaiah 2:13, the cedar represents Lebanon, and Bashan is represented by the oak. Trees are also symbolic of nations in Ezekiel 31:15–16. Luke 21:29–30 not only highlights Israel’s rebirth—the budding fig tree—but also an explosion of new nations. That explosion began around 1948 with Israel’s rebirth. At that time, there were 58 UN member states. Today, there are nearly 200.[13]
   According to this view, the generation that saw Israel’s rebirth and this surge in nationhood will witness all remaining prophetic events tied to Christ’s return and the end of this age.
   Psalm 102 is also directed toward the last generation. Beginning in verse 13, we read that the time of Zion’s favor has come, and verse 16 says, “When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” Zion refers to Jerusalem, which has been rebuilt since Israel reclaimed it in 1967. Verse 18 says this prophecy is written for the generation to come. The Hebrew word used there, transliterated as ’aḥărôn, (Strong’s H314) speaks of the last generation—the last in time. This seems to align with the prophecy that the generation that witnesses the rebirth of Israel will be the final generation, the one that will witness the return of Christ and see Him appear in His glory.
   The question then becomes: “How long is a generation?” We see in Scripture that a generation can be as long as 120 years (Genesis 6:3). According to Psalm 90:10, it is 70 to 80 years. Perhaps it simply means that there will be people who witnessed the rebirth of Israel that will still be alive when Jesus returns. For decades, teachers have spoken about these things. No matter how long a generation is, because all the signs are lining up, we can know that Christ’s return is near. Luke 21:28 says, “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” We don’t need to see everything at once. We only need to see them beginning.
   This speaks strongly of a pretribulation rapture. We are looking for the beginning of these things as a signal that our redemption is near. This redemption comes at the beginning of the events—not after half of them, or all of them, have been completed. (More on these things later.)

In 2 Peter 3:8, we are told that one day for God is like 1,000 years for us. The Six-Day Theory teaches that the six days of creation were prophetic. They signified that mankind would be given 6,000 years. Each creation day represented 1,000 years for us. In the creation account, God rested on the seventh day. Just as the first six days represented mankind’s allotted time for work in this world, the seventh day represented our rest from work. The seventh day of mankind will be a Sabbath rest. The church father, Irenaeus, held this view. Apparently, the Essenes did too. (I will discuss the different age of the earth produced by the Septuagint’s genealogies in Chapter Four. It places the creation of the earth at approximately 7,500 years ago.)

Following the one day equals 1,000 years teaching in the epistle of Peter, this is how it breaks down from the time of Jesus until now:  

Year one AD to 1,000 years is the first day.

Year 1,001 to 2,000 is the second day.

Hosea 6:2 says, “After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.”

For almost 1,900 years there was no nation of Israel, but God said after two “days” He would revive them and then Israel would live in His sight. Though there were still Jews in the Promised Land after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, the scattered nation of Israel began returning to the land in large numbers in the late 19th century. In 1948, Israel became a nation once again. This prophecy by Hosea seems to lend credence to the view that one day equals 1,000 years and is prophetically significant.

This regathering was in preparation for Jesus’s return to this earth to rule and reign as the Messiah of Israel. At that time, the Jews will live in His sight. There has to be a Jewish people for that to happen. As I’ve already pointed out, their existence is a miracle in itself considering all of the attempts to annihilate them. Such attempts have continued all the way to our day. Every day, Israel’s enemies “breathe out threats” against Israel, vowing to wipe the name of Israel out of existence and memory. Yet, God has made many promises to the Jewish people that He has yet to keep.  

Today, the majority of Jews still reject Jesus, but for how long? Does Hosea tell us? “After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” That “revival” happened in 1948 when the nation of Israel was reborn. But how close are we to that third day? If the time clock began ticking at the Crucifixion, and if the Crucifixion happened April 3, AD 33, as most scholars suggest, then we are very close. The year 2033 will mark a full 2,000 years (or a full “two days”). The third day would begin sometime after that, and that is the day we will live in His sight according to Hosea.  

Now I will primarily focus of the signs we find in the book of Revelation; but before I begin, I’d like to say something about impact events. Most of them appear to be asteroids or comets; however, missiles, such as Russia’s Poseidon, are an additional possibility. The Poseidon can destroy the world, or at least an entire continent. It is designed to hit water, causing massive tsunamis and radiation poisoning, and it can destroy life on land and sea for hundreds of thousands of miles.^[14]

In recent years, Russia has built an arsenal of powerful weapons, and history shows us that weapons built are typically weapons used. Russia despises the West, and so do many other dangerous countries with long-range, hypersonic missiles. However, some believe Russia is not even alluded to in scripture, despite what numerous prophecy teachers claim about Gog. As I’ve already written, at the time of Ezekiel those nations, (Magog, Meshech, and Tubal), were in Asia Minor. It is true that those people migrated to Russia after that, but the land of Russia was not a player during Ezekiel’s day. America certainly wasn’t a player either, and it doesn’t appear to be alluded to in scripture. Some teach that “young lions” refers to America, but that may be a stretch.

It is a sobering thought, but perhaps America, many Western nations, and Russia will become so weakened in the future that they lose any significant roles at the end. War, especially nuclear war, is something that could make that happen. Whatever the case, I suspect that the nations mentioned in the Old Testament are the nations that will dominate the End Times. America, many Western nations, and Russia were not among the nations mentioned in the Old Testament, and they did not exist as important players when the prophets wrote. The roles of these nations might either be minor or nonexistent in the future. Time will tell.

Now to the book of Revelation:

48. A series of catastrophes will strike the earth as the Seals are opened in heaven (Revelation 6). Peace will be taken from the earth, triggering widespread violence and lawlessness; food will become scarce and costly; disease, war, and other Satan-inspired attacks will claim at least one-quarter of the earth’s population by the end of the Seals. Christians will face persecution and martyrdom. These events are unfolding now. The birth pangs of Matthew 24:8, in my view, have begun, signaling that our redemption is near.
   I do not believe the Seals are part of the Tribulation. I base that belief on two primary pieces of evidence: Revelation 6:17, “For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” That verse tells us the great day of God’s Wrath has come, which means it has not come before then. The first five Seals cannot be part of the Tribulation. The second piece of evidence is Revelation 6:9–10. The souls of the martyred saints are in Heaven under the altar. They cry out to God “…with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” This tells us God has not started His judgment yet.  
   As the Seals conclude, the sky will “recede like a scroll,” and every mountain and island will be moved out of its place (Revelation 6:14).

Is this when Isaiah 24:20 will be fulfilled? “The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard and shall be removed like a cottage.” Or Isaiah 13:12, when mankind will be rarer than gold from Ophir? When the Seals come to an end, a multitude of believers suddenly appear in Heaven, and I believe they came from the rapture (Revelation 7:9–17). I will cover that throughout this book. There are people who come to Christ during the Tribulation, but it appears most of them will be martyred. Some, however, will be able to endure to the end (Matthew 24:13; Revelation 14:1–13).

I do not believe true Christians will experience God’s wrath. It is a judgment of unbelievers, not believers, and I suspect that judgment begins with the First Trumpet. Revelation 8:1 says, “And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.” I suggest that silence is because the seven-year Tribulation is about to begin, and it is the worst time in human history. After the silence ends, the Trumpet judgments commence, and so does the seven-year Tribulation.   

49. The judgments consist of numerous events. We are told that the wind will not blow (Revelation 7).

50. There will be a series of natural disasters and other catastrophes: large hailstones, weighing as much as 100 pounds each, will strike the earth. There will be devastation to the trees and grass. Revelation reveals that a time will come when they will be burned up (Revelation 8:7).  

51. There will be a huge impact event (Revelation 8:8–9). The impact causes one-third of ocean life to die and one-third of ships to be destroyed.

52. Another impact event cuts off the rivers, and the waters become bitter (Revelation 8:10–11).

53. Revelation 9 is a strange chapter in an apocalyptic book. Something will happen that will cause the sun and the air to be darkened by smoke, leading to a series of bizarre events. I believe the prophecies of Revelation 9 are some of the most frightening in the Bible, though their exact nature remains unclear. Some teachers propose theories that range from an erupting supervolcano, demonic forces released by CERN, advanced technology, aliens, transhumans, scientists playing God and tampering with the human genome, or biological agents. Whatever occurs, one result is a “sting.” (Perhaps that is symbolic of an injection?) Whatever the “sting” is, it causes torment, leaving people unable to die despite seeking death (Revelation 9:5–6). This is a chilling prophecy, but speculation about its cause, such as genetic tampering or modern experiments, is uncertain. We can only trust that God’s Word will be fulfilled as written.

54. After losing one-quarter of the earth’s inhabitants, armies of 200 million demonically influenced “soldiers” will kill another third of mankind with three plagues. If these “soldiers” are literal armies (rather than viruses, AI, or demons posing as “aliens,” as discussed in point 53), there are populations capable of fielding an army of 200 million (Revelation 9:16). According to these teachers, the possibilities include the following: Islamic nations, China, and North Korea.  

As just covered, men will seek death at that time but will not find it. Some of the 2021 vaccines purportedly contained Hydra vulgaris. That strange claim was made in a Stew Peters interview with Dr. Carrie Madej. During the interview, Dr. Madej presented videos that appeared to show the organism under several research microscopes.[15] Hydra vulgaris is an organism that is labeled “immortal.” Because it is capable of remarkable regeneration, it is seemingly impossible to kill it. According to claims in Stew Peters’ interview with Dr. Carrie Madej, it can regrow after being cut into pieces or even blended, reforming itself despite extreme damage.
   One theory is that this organism (and genetic modifications combined with the blending of AI technologies) might explain why some will seek death during the Tribulation but will not find it (Revelation 9:6). Consider that the stated goal of many scientists today is to find a way for humans (a select few) to live forever. Do they need technology, experiments, and human test subjects for that? Some believe the mandated injections of 2021 were the largest lab experiment ever conducted—with humans used as guinea pigs by globalist elites seeking immortality but not willing to experiment on themselves. It sounds like a crazy conspiracy theory, and I am very skeptical of it. Unfortunately, many crazy conspiracy theories have been proven true. I only mention it as one possible explanation for why some will seek death but not find it.   

We do know that there is a push to create Human 2.0[16] and achieve immortality and godhood, (see the disturbing book Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah Harari).[17] No matter what people may plan, there will still be widespread death, even if it is delayed for a time; and those who are not killed by the bizarre events of Revelation 9 will still not repent of their murders, their occult practices, their sexual immorality, or their greed and thefts (Revelation 9:20–21).  

55. Two witnesses with supernatural powers will preach in Jerusalem for 42 months. They will be killed by the Antichrist, and the whole world will celebrate. It is an event that all nations and people will be able to watch simultaneously, pointing to modern technology. After three and a half days, the two witnesses will rise from the dead, and God will call them to heaven (Revelation 11:3–12).  

56. The Antichrist will enter a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, stop the sacrifices that have resumed, and declare himself to be god. 2 Thessalonians 2:4: “…he opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” The countdown to the end begins. After the two witnesses are slain at the end of their 42-month ministry, the Antichrist will rule for 42 months. At the end of that time, Jesus will return and defeat the beast (Revelation 13:5; 19:11–21).

What might lead to the building of the Third Temple? One possibility is found in Revelation 6:14, where the sky recedes like a scroll and every island and mountain is moved out of its place. I believe the rapture occurs around that time. In Revelation 8:8–9, we read, “And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; and the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.”
   Such events would disrupt all technology, requiring significant time to repair. It is possible that during that time, which may correspond to the 30 minutes of silence in heaven found in Revelation 8:1, the Jewish people would turn to God for help and rebuild their temple. Everything on the Temple Mount now would likely have fallen after those trials.  
   How long might 30 minutes in heaven be on earth? In 2 Peter 3:8, we read, “…be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” That might mean one day is almost 42 years, so is it possible 30 minutes in heaven would be more than 20 years on earth? I don’t know. All I can do is speculate about how these things might unfold.
   In this hypothetical scenario, there would be a considerable time gap between the rapture and the start of the Tribulation. Other indications in Scripture suggest such a time gap is possible. One hint is found in the Feasts of the Lord. Yom Teruah is believed by many to be the day the rapture will occur. There are ten days between that feast and Yom Kippur, not seven, possibly hinting at a delay between the rapture and the start of the seven-year Tribulation. 

If technology is down, the eyes of the world would not be on Israel. I suspect the Jewish people would leave room for other faiths but would seize the opportunity to rebuild their temple on the Temple Mount.
   Technology will return to what remains of the world (probably just countries mentioned in the Old Testament), and whoever restores it (most likely the Antichrist and his associates) would be viewed as saviors. They would also take issue with the rebuilt Jewish temple. Of course, all of that is just speculation. Another possibility could be a failed war against Israel that enrages Jewish survivors enough to reclaim the Temple Mount and rebuild the temple.   

57. A great earthquake will strike, and a tenth of the city of Jerusalem will fall; 7,000 people will be killed (Revelation 11:13).

58. Jewish believers in Jesus will be persecuted by the Antichrist, and many will flee to the desert. Many teachers believe they will flee to Petra (Revelation 12:6, 14).

59. The Antichrist and his false prophet will rule for 42 months and be destroyed by Jesus’s return to the earth. While the Antichrist reigns, he will cause all people to receive a mark of allegiance and worship. Without that mark, no one will be able to buy or sell. The number of the beast is 666 (Revelation 13:16–18). Anyone who takes that mark will be damned (Revelation 14:9–11). A disease causing horrible sores, almost resembling smallpox, will afflict all those who took the mark of the beast (Revelation 16:2). 

60. The sea will become so polluted that every living creature in it will die. This might refer to the Mediterranean Sea, but some teachers believe it is worldwide (Revelation 16:3).

61. Because people have shed the blood of saints and prophets, God will give mankind blood to drink. The rivers and springs will be filled with blood (Revelation 16:4–6).

62. The sun will scorch men with fire (Revelation 16:8), and the kingdom of the Antichrist will be filled with darkness and pain (Revelation 16:10).  

63. The Euphrates will dry up, and the world will gather for the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:12–16). As I have written, some teachers believe the battle of Armageddon and the battle of Gog of Magog are the same event (Ezekiel 38–39).

64. Another series of natural disasters will strike the earth: storms, earthquakes, and hail (Revelation 16:17–21).

65. A great city that rules over the kings of the earth will be destroyed (Revelation 17:18).

66. The world, especially the merchants, will mourn the destruction of “Babylon” and her riches (Revelation 18). It is an important trade city, the center of world commerce at that time, pictured in Revelation as being in a desert with seven hills and sea trade. It also has, or had, a wide variety of goods to sell, including humans.

67. Jesus will return with His church and destroy the Antichrist and his army (Revelation 19:11–21). Jesus will reign on the throne of David, in Jerusalem, for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:4–6). During that time, lions, wolves, and lambs will lie down together, and a little child shall lead them (Isaiah 11:6). All people will know the Lord, for He will dwell among us (Hebrews 8:11; Jeremiah 31:34). This promise is made numerous times in both Testaments. We will beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. No one will learn war anymore (Isaiah 2:4).

In Revelation 22:2, we learn that there will be trees for the healing of the nations. Current trends and plans to create “Human 2.0” may explain why such healing is needed. If human DNA is unknowingly modified, that would need to be repaired by God. I believe this genetic manipulation of mankind is connected to but separate from the mark of the beast. There is no recovery from the mark. I do believe there is recovery from genetically modified foods, injections that may have been dangerous and given under false pretenses, and the horrific mutilation of innocent children.  

68. While Christ rules in Jerusalem, Satan is bound for 1,000 years. He is given one last chance and uses it to deceive the nations again. That final rebellion is crushed, and then comes the Great White Throne Judgment of God (Revelation 20:7–15). Anyone not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death (Revelation 21:8). That is the penultimate event in Bible prophecy. The only thing remaining after it is eternity.

69. All things will be made new. Revelation 21:1–8: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
   “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

70. The New Jerusalem will descend to earth, shining with the glory of God (Revelation 21:22–22:5). A river of life will flow from the throne of God and the Lamb, healing the nations. There will be no more curse, no more death, no more sickness, and no more pain (Revelation 22:1–3). Amen.  

Do any of the above prophecies sound familiar? Do they align with current events in our world or outline a realistic future in light of those events?

The Bible reveals that we are separated from God by sin, and sin must be dealt with. The wage of sin is death, and the Bible says all have sinned. In the Old Testament, the blood of animals paid the wage (Leviticus 17:11 says, “life is in the blood”). In the New Testament, God’s Son, the second Person of the Trinity, shed His own blood to pay the penalty for sin. He died to cover mankind’s wage for sin and give us the life that was in His blood. There is only one God, but the one God exists in three separate, co-equal, and eternal Persons (Isaiah 48:16).  

The Bible teaches that to live with God forever we must be holy, but the Bible also teaches that we do not have a righteousness of our own apart from God. Jesus took our sins and gave us His righteousness. That is why there is no other way back to the Father except through the Son. Only Jesus is God made flesh. Only He paid the wage for sin, which is death. Only He took our sins and gave us His righteousness. Only He died in our place and rose again so that we could rise again too and have full and everlasting life with Him. No one else did those things for you. That is why Jesus is the only way to our heavenly Father.

God does know you and cares for you. He knows and cares about everyone who has ever existed and ever will exist. Maybe our relationship with God is like quantum entanglement, where God knows everything we are thinking and doing by a similar mechanism. Wherein we have an intimate relationship with Him, while everyone else does at the same time, through what Einstein called “spooky action at a distance.” I don’t think it’s spooky. I think it’s miraculous and grand. He offers you Life and Forgiveness. If you have never accepted that offer, I pray you accept it today. Time may be short. Here is the Sinner’s Prayer:

“Father, I know I am a sinner and my sins have separated me from you. I want to turn away from my sins and turn toward you. Please forgive me and fill me with your Holy Spirit and create a new person in me. Let me be born again. I believe that your Son, Jesus the Christ, died for my sins. I believe He was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life. I pray your Holy Spirit gives me the desire and the power to do your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus’s name I trust and pray, Amen.”

Please let me know if you sincerely prayed that prayer or have questions. As long as it remains, you can reach me at my blog: https://gehennarevisited.blogspot.com.

I will cover many prophecies in the chapters ahead. If you read no further, you at least have an idea what the Bible teaches us about the near future. I pray you will keep these prophecies in mind as these things happen, and if you haven’t already, I pray you will turn to Christ and be saved.

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[1] Claudius Buchanan, The Works of the Reverend Claudius Buchanan, Comprising His Christian Researches in Asia (New York: G. Forman, 1812), 128–42.

[2] DL Kennedy, “An Amazing Last Days Bible Prophecy That Happened in This Generation,” YouTube video, 9:06, posted February 28, 2015, https://youtu.be/lGJrFDrCUkk.

[3] Faith Comes by Hearing, “2033 Movement,” accessed March 21, 2023, https://www.faithcomesbyhearing.com/.

[4] Koinonia House, “The Magog Invasion: An Alternate View - Session 1 - Chuck Missler,” YouTube video, 46:13, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwLJxkXQdZk.

[5] The Oxford Bible Atlas, 4th ed. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007).

[6] Hippolytus of Rome, Chronicon, in Hippolytus: Werke, vol. 4, ed. Rudolf Helm, trans. Adolf Bauer (Leipzig: J. C. Hinrichs, 1955), 1–144.

[7] Irenaeus, Against Heresies 5.30, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 1, ed. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, trans. Alexander Roberts (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1885), 557–60.

[8] 1 Enoch 104:9, in The Book of Enoch, trans. R. H. Charles (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1912), 297.

[9] 1 Enoch 7:2, in The Book of Enoch, trans. R. H. Charles (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1912), 38; see also Richard Laurence, The Book of Enoch the Prophet (London: Kegan Paul, 1883), 8, for the 300-cubit reading.

[10] Amy Kruse, “Human 2.0: How to Build a Centaur & Why It’s Going to Change the World,” YouTube video, 22:45, Nov 1, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDQMB5m0S6A.

[11] Joel Richardson, The Islamic Antichrist: The Shocking Truth about the Real Nature of the Beast (Los Angeles: WND Books, 2009), 105–110.

[12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b3j8XMf9cE and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njU4u2hMFnE and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjh1E7lcjLQ

[13] United Nations, “Growth in United Nations Membership, 1945–Present,” https://www.un.org/en/about-us/growth-in-un-membership.

[14] Kyle Mizokami, “The Real Purpose of Russia’s ‘Doomsday’ Poseidon Torpedo,” Business Insider, February 21, 2019, https://www.businessinsider.com/the-real-purpose-of-russias-poseidon-nuclear-doomsday-device-2019-2.

[15] Stew Peters, “Stew Peters : Dr. Carrie Madej Horrifying Images Of Magnified COVID Vaccines” Brighteon video, 19:59, posted October 1, 2021, https://www.brighteon.com/74227f98-145c-4d30-9415-833c2f9bad2c.

[16] Amy Kruse, “Human 2.0: How to Build a Centaur & Why It’s Going to Change the World,” YouTube video, 22:45, Nov 1, 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDQMB5m0S6A.

[17] Yuval Noah Harari, Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow (New York: Harper, 2017).