I’m sort of at a standstill. I just finished reading a biography of Oswald Chambers, Abandoned To God. It was so good. I liked reading about Biddy, his wife, and about his daughter Kathleen almost as much as about Oswald. It was a shame that he died so young—but he did so much in those short years.
Politically the country seems to be in a bit of chaos with trump almost being killed (God saved him) and Biden calling it quits. In the mean time the economy is steadily sinking.
Personally, I seem to be just barely holding together. I’m glad I have my book writing to keep me going. I think everyone needs something to keep his mind working—working for the Lord. But I can’t say too much for my body. I guess at my age I can’t expect too much. I walk every other day. Today is my walking day. I have to choose where I will walk. I have four or five places. I always bring a camera with to get nature scenes: flowers, birds, clouds, etc. Most of the park people are very good here in the Twin cities (in MN) to keep up the parks and plant so many wild flowers. I think that is so important.
I hope and pray that you all are surviving the summer heat and whatever you are going through. We all have our own trials. We here are having a normal July—in the low 80’s now with more humidity, yuk.
I’m retired but I do have a painting job starting in a week that will last for a month or so. I pray I will be up for it. Any job I get these days requires a lot of prayer. There is some ladder work to do. I’m sure I will do fine. I do appreciate all of my followers blogs—stories, poems, pictures. I read as many as I can. Take care.
The Ezekiel invasion of Ezekiel 38 and 39 may be the next major world event after the Rapture of the church. Here are a few of the most important details of this invasion: first, though it may seem like the many nations that come after Israel are great and self-determined with their own plan, it will be God that will summon them into battle. In fact, Scripture tells us that He will put hooks into their jaws and pull them into the war (Ezek. 38:4), where he will bring His fierce judgment on them.
Secondly, this invasion will be at a time when Israel is living securely (vv. 8, 11). And many think that this is true of Israel now, since they have a well-equipped military and a strong economy. So, this war could come at any time.
One more important point is: though there will be millions of troops that will come against Israel, and will cover the land “like a cloud,” (v. 16), there will also be a few nations that will be against the invasion (from Ezek. 38:13). These are Sheba (or Yemen), Dedan (or Saudi Arabia), the Merchants of Tarshish (or Spain and Britain), and the young lions (possibly the USA). We don’t know exactly why they will not get involved; but it is my guess that they just aren’t as hateful toward Israel as the other nations; or they may have more of a commercial interest with Israel.
Here are the invaders—those who are mostly Muslims and who are led into war by one called Gog (from Ezek. 38:1-6).
Rosh – probably Russia.
Meshech and Tubal – what is now Turkey.
Persia – modern Iran.
Ethiopia – probably Sudan.
Put – Libya and Tunisia and parts of Algeria.
Gomer and Beth-togarmah – Turkey.
Many other people – this refers to people that may not be troops, but civilians, all haters of Jews!
The surprising and miraculous outcome of this invasion is that Israel won’t be touched at all; but the invading armies will be almost completely destroyed. Of course, this will be God’s intention all along. He will summon them to this battle to be judged by Him. And His judgment will be four-fold.
By a great earthquake (38:19-20).
By infighting (38:21). By the divine, direction of God, the invading troops will become confused and will fight against each other.
By disease (38:22; 39:4, 17-20). So many dead bodies lying everywhere will cause an outbreak if disease.
By rain, hail, fire, and brimstone (38:22; 39:6). This judgment, direct from God, may be the most devastating.
This very destructive war no doubt will be used to convince the world to establish peace with Israel—and the Antichrist will play a major part in that peace as we will see in the next point.5
We have been looking at seven events that may happen between the Rapture and the Tribulation. The first two were the setting up of a global government and a global religion. Here is the third event: the rise of the Antichrist. Of course, all this is just my opinion—what I think is logical.
The Antichrist is somewhat of a mystery man. At this present time nobody really knows who he is. And even during the time between the Rapture and the Tribulation, I don’t think people will know this man as the Antichrist, only that he is a great and popular leader. It won’t be revealed who he is until the midpoint of the Tribulation when Satan enters into him and God removes his restraints to do evil (2 Thess 2:6-7).
I suppose a general description of him from his earlier life is that he will grow up loving the military and war. And then, out of his great popularity and giftedness he will also be elected to a high government position in the EU—and eventually will become a world leader (Dan. 11:37-38). But, through it all, I believe he will be controlled by demons. Everything he does will be Satan inspired.
Now, as for his world influence and how he rises to power, ten leaders of the EU will rise up first, and then he will rise up after them and among them (Dan 7:24). And he will very soon gain popularity and power over them all. And I think it will be due mainly to his great emphasis on world peace.
Also, we see in Scripture that he will work closely with the harlot (the new global religion). At first she will have control over him; she will use him to help her build the false religion. Later he will control her, using her to help him control the people so that they will serve him and do His will. In fact, she will help him to get rid of the Christians—to kill them (Rev. 17:6).
Now, at the middle of the Tribulation to the end, when God removes his restraints to do evil, a number of terrible things will happen.
Satan’s power is unleashed through him so that he becomes known as the lawless on (2 Thess. 2:6-8).
He breaks the covenant of peace with Israel (Rev. 9:27).
He exalts himself in the temple as God (2 Thess. 2:4).
A fatal wound of his is healed and the world is amazed, but is deceived (Rev. 13:3-4).
He and the ten kings destroy the harlot (Rev. 17:16-17).
He is aided by the false prophet to do evil works (Rev. 13:11-18).
He wages war on the world—but in the end he dies in battle (Dan. 11:40-45; Rev. 13:7).4
After the immediate effects of the Rapture such as fear, panic, grief over losses, dealing with rioting and looting, and with economic collapses, and with all kinds of false teaching and false theories; there will also be major ongoing changes on the earth and in heaven. Here are seven of those changes.
1. Efforts to set up a new global government. Key leaders will no doubt gather together from all over the world to discuss and make decisions on a global currency, the form of government, and the controls of government. The new world government will likely be a revived Roman empire headed by the European Union (EU). Here are a few reason why:
The EU has a power structure required to unite and control the world.
The EU is already working to control its people.
The EU’s stated goal is to unite the world in peace.
The EU has a plan for Israel that is fitting with bible prophecy (Dan. 9:27).
The EU has conflicts of authority that match with what we see in Daniel 2:41-43.
The EU is moving closer to a ten-nation federation as is required by bible prophecy.2
2. Efforts to set up a new global religion. There really won’t be too much effort needed to set up a new global religion, because man’s heart will already be bent toward evil. In fact, the roots of an evil system of religion—which will be called the harlot—have gone back as far as ancient Babylon. Since then, it has corrupted the church (the Catholic church); and soon, shortly after the Rapture, it will draw all of its power from Satan and the Antichrist. And just like her title of harlot suggests, she will be attractive, alluring, and deceptive—especially to the younger generation. She will supposedly prop herself up as Christian, but secretly she will hate true believers and rebel against God. This soon will become evident when she set out to kill all true Christians.
As far as when this false religious system is officially set up, this will depend on a few things.
The harlot system will officially begin when global religious unity is established between all world religions.
It will begin when the spirit world of demons are at their peak of evil influence.
It will begin probably when the Ezekiel war (Ezek. 38 and 39) is finished; the killing of most Muslims in the war will be an advantage to the harlot system—since they insist on the worship of only one god.
It will begin when the harlot and the Antichrist think they can work together peacefully (but at the end the beast will destroy her, Rev. 17:16).3
The next five events will be on upcoming blogs.
2 Stephen Nielsen, After the Rapture: What happens On Earth and In Heaven After the Rapture (published by Stephen Nielsen, http://www.stephennielsen.com, 2024), pp. 67-73.
The Rapture of the church is the next great event for the Christian. Nothing needs to happen before this event, and nothing will happen before this event. Many think that the Tribulation could occur next, and some even think that we are in the Tribulation. But Scripture makes clear that before the Tribulation starts the Rapture will occur.
And for those who aren’t convinced that there even is a rapture, here are two points of evidence from the Scripture that proves it.
The Rapture of the church proved by Daniel 9:24-27.
Daniel 9:24-27
“Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. 25 “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress. 26 “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. 27 “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”
If you read this passage carefully you will see that there are a great many details to consider. And I have been careful to highlight these details in my book, Biblical Evidence of a Pretribulation Rapture—which I recommend to you.1 But in our study here we will narrow it down quite a bit. The idea that I want you to see here is that God has decreed (or determined) for His people (Israel) a period of time, with suffering, to bring them as a nation to repentance and salvation. We see this in verse twenty-four. The period is seventy weeks, which means seventy weeks of years or 490 years. These weeks are broken down in this passage into three parts: seven weeks (or forty-nine years), sixty-two weeks (or 434 years), and one week (the last seven years). The first forty-nine years is from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (in 445 B.C.) to the closing of the Old Testament. The next 434 years is during the intertestamental period and to the first advent of Messiah, which was fulfilled at His triumphal entry in A. D. 30. The third and last seven years is during the seven-year Tribulation; that period is the period that “the people of the prince (or the antichrist) will promise to the Jews as a time of peace (v. 27).
Now you may notice that from the end of the sixty-two-week period to the beginning of the last week, there is a huge gap of time. This is where the church has fit in. This gap so far has been about 2024 years long. And please understand that the last week (which will be the Tribulation period) cannot begin until the church age is completed. So, you see what I am getting at. When God sees that it is time to end the church age and to continue again the program for Israel, He will rapture the church to heaven. But that last seven years of Tribulation doesn’t have to begin immediately—and I don’t think it will. It will not begin until the antichrist signs a covenant of peace with the Jews for seven years (v. 27).
The Rapture of the church proved by New Testament verses. There are several New Testament verses that designate the Rapture of the church. In my study I counted thirty-one such references. Here are three that are most well-known.
John 14:1-3
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
In this passage verse three is the key rapture verse. When Jesus comes again to receive us to Himself, this is the Rapture. And when He takes us up to heaven He will give us our own dwelling place that He has been preparing for us.
1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.
In this passage the rapture itself (our being taken up to heaven) is not mentioned, but it is implied. It will happen just as, or immediately after we are “changed” (when our bodies are transformed); and it will happen when we are yet alive. Some people suggest that though our transformation will happen instantly— “in the twinkling of an eye,” we may go up slowly so that people will see us go up; perhaps just as Jesus was seen by His disciples when He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9). I don’t know if I believe that, but it is a fascinating thought.
1 Thessalonians 4:15-17
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
This passage really shows quite vividly what will happen at the rapture. Our transformation is not mentioned, but it is implied. First the dead will be transformed and taken up; then we who are alive will be transformed and taken up; and we will be “caught up together with them [with those dead who went up first] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…”
You know, the more I read this passage the more I think this event will not at all be secret or unseen. People may see us go up, and they may also hear a shout and a trumpet sound. I wonder.
1 Stephen Nielsen, Biblical Evidence of a Pretribulation Rapture (published by Stephen Nielsen, http://www.stephennielsen.com, 2024), pp. 17-58.
Stephen Nielsen 