What is it? And does it pertain to me?
We don't want to confuse the apocalypse with an apocalypse. The apocalypse will be the final period of this age when things will be going so crazy that, according to Jesus, not a single person would survive unless God intervenes. So, God cuts those days short so that some of His people can survive. Maybe you've heard of the tribulation which really just means the time of trouble. It is not to be confused with a tribulation or a time of trouble. And the terms apocalypse and tribulation are synonymous. In other words, the tribulation IS the apocalypse, and the apocalypse IS the tribulation. Maybe you've heard of the movie, Apocalypse Now. Well, that movie was about a specific time of great trouble in a specific location. The Apocalypse will be the greatest time of trouble that the world has ever experienced. Jesus mentions this time of difficulty in Matthew 24 and a couple of His angels talk about it in Daniel chapter 12. Please feel free to read both of those chapters and see for yourself.
The Book of Revelation tells us about these final and terrible days that will be coming upon the earth. Chapter 6 tells us about a group of seals that will be opened, and those seals are opened at or near the beginning (or throughout the entirety) of the apocalypse. The seals include a rider on a white horse setting out to conquer the world, war breaking out on the earth, famine coming to the entire world, death coming to 1/4 of the population of the world through war, famine, plague, and wild beasts. The final 3 seals are martyrdom of the servants of God, a terrible earthquake, and the last seal brings with it fire falling from the sky and another earthquake.
Then, after the seals are opened, there will be a series of seven trumpets that are blown by angels. These events are definitely taking place during the apocalypse! Each trumpet signifies another terrible event that will take place on the earth. Then, after all seven trumpets have been blown, will come seven bowls of God's wrath that will be poured out on the earth. It's critical that we all understand these things so that when they happen you won't lose hope or lose heart or lose your faith. Instead, you'll gain confidence in God because these events were predicted by Him and things are simply going according to His plan.
WHAT TO EXPECT DURRING THE APOCALYPSE (Revelation 8-11)
So, the seven trumpets will bring with them the following events. When the first trumpet is blown hail, fire, and blood will be hurled down on the earth and 1/3 of the land of the earth will be burned up. (Of course, the people who live there will be burned up as well) When the second trumpet is blown something that looks like a mountain on fire (Probably a meteor) will hit one of the oceans of the earth. This meteor will be made out of some red toxic material because it says that 1/3 of the sea or 1/3 of the oceans will turn to blood. And because of it a third of all the creatures in the oceans will die. And a third of the ships will be destroyed. That is most likely due to the tsunami that will spread out in all directions after this meteor hits the ocean. And it doesn’t mention it, but if a meteor large enough to destroy 1/3 of the ships on the ocean hists the earth, then coastlines around that ocean will most likely be destroyed by the tsunami that will strike them. After that, the third trumpet will be blown, and something (sounds like another meteor) will fall from the sky and hit the earth. This one will hit the land. The Bible says it will look like a blazing torch falling from the sky. We aren’t told where it will strike, but whatever part of the earth it hits will experience all the water becoming poisonous. We know this because it says many people will die from drinking that terrible (poisoned) water. After this the 4th trumpet will sound and
the sun and the moon and the stars were struck. As a result, 1/3 of the day will become dark. And during a third of the night the world won't have moonlight anymore. Trumpet #5 says that the star that fell from the sky (the one that hit the land) opened up in abyss somewhere in the world. We are told that some kind of creatures that look like locusts and sting like scorpions come out of the abyss. And they are not allowed to harm plant or animal life. Instead, they were commanded only to harm the people who did not follow God. They are told to only to harm the people who did not have God's seal on their forehead. Then the 6th trumpet sounds, and we are told that an army of 200 million mounted troops (Most likely spiritual beings) led by 4 angels who had been bound at the river Euphrates will kill 1/3 of the people on the earth through smoke, fire, and sulfur. When the 7th trumpet sounds in heaven it will be announced that Jesus Kingdom has begun and the time to judge the people of the world is at hand. And on earth there will be lightning, thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.
After the 7th trumpet is sounded and the beginning of Jesus Kingdom has been announced, all that is left before His Kingdom actually begins is for the seven bowls of God's wrath to be poured out on God's enemies here on the earth. In quick succession those seven bowls of wrath are as follows. Number one ugly painful sores will break out on all the people on earth who took the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. Bowl of the wrath of God #2 is poured out and the rest of the sea (all ocean water) turns to blood and everything in all the oceans dies. Can you imagine the stench of billions of dead carcasses washing up on shorelines all over the world? Wrath bowl #3 is poured out and all the fresh water on the world (the lakes and the rivers) will become blood as well and no one can drink from them. That means that virtually all fresh water in the world will be undrinkable! Then bowl #4 will be poured out and the sun will get really hot. So hot that it is going to scorch people. The 5th bowl of God's wrath is darkness. We are told that the Kingdom of the beast, which will be the whole world, will be plunged into darkness. So, first the sun will be super intense and burn people. And then the sun will go out. And if the sun goes out, life on earths surface will almost totally grind to a halt within 2-3 weeks! Then, when the 6th bowl of God’s wrath is poured out the Euphrates river will be completely dried up so that the kings from the east can come and attack Jerusalem. (probably in total darkness). And then the 7th and final bowl of wrath will be poured out on the earth, unleashing the worst earthquake in the history of the world. It says all the cities in the world will collapse into heaps of rubble. We are told that all the islands and all the mountains will be gone. And it will be followed by an amazing hailstorm with hailstones of about 100 pounds each.. Can you imagine how many people will exit this life if all cities, mountains, and islands are wiped out? It will be incalculable! Billions will die. But please don’t allow this to alarm you. Everyone dies, but NOT everyone truly lives. When this day comes, those who are in Christ will become immortal and imperishable and they will be in paradise with the Lord forever after that moment. Those who chose NOT to follow and serve Jesus will be assigned their place in the eternal lake of fire. So, if you follow Jesus and have received Him as your Lord and Savior, you should not dread this day, instead, you should long for this day to come.
Now, my friend, I believe these days are coming very soon. So, if you're reading this, it is possible that you will be living through all of the events described above. And if that is true, the question is this, do you have a faith in Jesus Christ that can withstand all of these things that are going to come upon the earth? And if you don't, my strong suggestion would be that you begin developing that faith right now. And please, do not hang your hopes on the hope that you will be taken out of the world by a pre-tribulation rapture. Because the odds are very very high that the rapture does not take place until after
the tribulation. And I don't know about you but to me, if there's any possibility at all that I will be here for these events then I want to make sure that I'm watching for them and that I'm ready for them.
For a fuller understanding of what's about to unfold on the earth please take some time and read the entire Book of Revelation for yourself. And read it in a translation that you actually understand.
Also, if you are interested in what the Bible actually says about the timing of the rapture,
God bless you
