|
|
|
|
SEE COMPLETE LIST OF ARTICLES ON HOME PAGE
The Day of Wrath This very significant future event is grossly misunderstood by most Christians. Will Christians be on earth during the Day of Wrath? By Ken Raggio This sinful world has a date with destiny. “Do ye not know… that the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath,” Job 21:29-30 Almighty God has been warning mankind for thousands of years that He will, in the end of this age, pour out His fierce wrath on all the wicked. “The Day of the Lord” is one of the most oft-mentioned prophecies in the Bible. It is the long-awaited day when, as God promised in the Garden of Eden, the Seed of the Woman (Jesus Christ) will bruise Satan’s head. Violent demonstrations of God’s Vengeance and Wrath will be seen throughout the earth on the Day of the Lord (Day of Wrath).
More terrifying than anything the human race has ever experienced. Here is just one of the prophetic statements about the coming Day of Wrath.
Revelation 6:15-17. A. Seven Years. NO. B. 3 1/2 Years. NO. C. A DAY. YES! Over and over again, I hear Christians argue, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath," 1 Thessalonians 5:9. Well, here is your consolation. The Saints of God are NOT appointed to the Wrath of God. I am 100% delighted with that fact. That means that I will NOT be a victim of the Seven Vials of the Wrath of God, nor will I be a casualty at the Battle of Armageddon. The Seven Vials will have no effect at all on the Saints of God, and all the Saints will be with Jesus in the air when He returns for the Battle of Armageddon and the Day of the Wrath of God. They will have been resurrected or raptured at that time. The Saints will be on the WINNING SIDE at Armageddon! But that does NOT mean that I will be exempt from the 42-months of Great Tribulation. The 42-month Great Tribulation will NOT be the same event as the Wrath of God. The 42-month Great Tribulation will come from Satan's wrath against God's people. Satan is the mortal enemy of both Israel and the Church. The Great Tribulation will be 3 1/2 years of Satanic persecution against the Jews AND Christians who are alive at that time. Jesus warned both Israel and the Church to prepare for the 42-month Great Tribulation. "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be," Matthew 24:21. 
At the end of the 42-months of Great Tribulation, the Seven Vials of the Wrath of God will be poured out immediately before the Battle of Armageddon. However, even the FIRST SIX of the Seven Vials of God's Wrath are only the prelude to the Day of Wrath. The DAY OF WRATH occurs during the SEVENTH VIAL - both the Judgment of the Great Whore AND the Battle of Armageddon! Revelation 16:12-16 describes the events that will occur during the days of the SIXTH VIAL OF GOD'S WRATH, and EXPLICITLY TELLS US that Jesus will come during the the days of the SIXTH VIAL OF HIS WRATH: "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. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon," Revelation 16:12-16. At the conclusion of the SIXTH VIAL, Jesus Christ will appear to crush His adversaries at Armageddon. The SEVENTH VIAL included both the Judgment of the Great Whore (Rome) AND the Battle of Armageddon: "And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done," Revelation 16:17. In the following verses, Mystery Babylon (Rome and the Roman Catholic Church) will be violently judged. IN ONE HOUR, the last TEN KINGS of the BEAST EMPIRE will receive power with the BEAST, and these will MAKE WAR WITH THE LAMB. "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings [of Europe], which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings ONE HOUR with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful," Revelation 17:12-14. The Wrath of God will be revealed against the Beast and the False Prophet by Jesus Himself in the final day of the Battle of Armageddon. (Armageddon will already be staged and actually be in progress when Jesus appears with His saints. He will come and save Israel from total annihilation at the last moment.) Jesus will launch His 1,000-year Kingdom of peace on earth. With His enemies out of the way, Jesus will rule the world with a rod of iron for 1,000 years from Jerusalem. Both the resurrected nation of Israel and the true Born-Again Saints of the Church will share the rule with Jesus as His kings and priests. This is commonly called “The Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ,” or simply, "The Millennium." When will the Day of Wrath come? Immediately before the Millennium. We must correct two widely-held errors about the major prophetic events leading to the Day of Wrath. These two errors will totally prevent you from understanding the Biblical concept of the Day of Wrath. ERROR #1. Confusing the “Day of Wrath” with the 42-months of “Great Tribulation.” These two are NOT the same, and must be seen as separate events.
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city [Mystery Babylon - ROME] was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great. Revelation 16:16-21 That FINAL BATTLE will occur in ONE DAY - "The Day of Wrath."
The entire scenario of Armageddon is likely to last several weeks. I personally think that the difference between the 1290 days of Daniel 12:11 and the 1335 days of Daniel 12:12 are the 45 days in which the entire Armageddon scenario plays out. I expect that Jesus will come on the 45th day. I may have to delete this statement if my later studies prove me wrong. Shortly before Jesus returns for this dreadful event, the Sainted Dead of all the ages will be resurrected, and all the living Saints will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. They will immediately attend Him to the great and final Battle of Armageddon as part of all the Saints and Angels who accompany Him to that long-awaited epic event.
His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:11-21 The Saints are not appointed to Wrath. They will actually participate in EXECUTING His Wrath! ERROR #2. Wrongly defining the “Great Tribulation.” Many people mistakenly call the entire last seven years just before the Battle of Armageddon "The Tribulation," or "The Great Tribulation." That definition is NOT Biblically correct. The Bible does NOT teach that there will be seven years of Great Tribulation. It teaches that there will be only 3 1/2 years, or 42-months of Great Tribulation.
The Final Seven Years Yes, there WILL be seven years of amazing prophetic events that will lead us to the final Battle of Armageddon, when Jesus will come with His saints and angels to destroy the Antichrist/Man of Sin, the Beast and the False Prophet. (See my article, "Daniel's Seventy Weeks." I suggest you read that later.) The first sixty-nine weeks (483 years) of that seventy-week (490 year) prophecy were fulfilled in ancient times between the days of Nehemiah and the Crucifixion of Jesus. But the last week (7 years) has yet to be fulfilled. These last seven years of Daniel's prophecies will occur before the First Resurrection and Rapture of the Church takes place. when the First Resurrection and Rapture takes place. Here are two notable prophetic events that are TYPES (examples) that show: JUDGMENT comes to the wicked on the SAME DAY that the righteous ESCAPE. Let me say it another way. The DAY OF WRATH will come on the SAME DAY as the RAPTURE and RESURRECTION OF THE RIGHTEOUS DEAD. Here is the typological proof: 1. Noah and his family entered into the ark. The rains which drowned the unbelievers immediately began. Look at Luke 17:26-30.
2. Lot's family fled Sodom and Gomorrah, and immediately, the fire fell on the remaining cities.
Even thus shall it be IN THE DAY when the Son of man is revealed." This contradicts the popular "Pre-Tribulation Rapture" teachings. The entire "LEFT BEHIND" series is based upon a false supposition that the RAPTURE will occur seven years before the DAY OF WRATH and ARMAGEDDON. I can prove again and again by the scriptures that BOTH the Rapture AND the Day of Wrath will occur at the END of the seven years. Look carefully at the timing and length of each major prophetic event during the last seven years.
Saints during those last 3 1/2 years will not be victims of the WRATH OF GOD, but many will become victims of the GREAT TRIBULATION imposed by Satan and his earthly antichrist regime. THAT is why it is called TRIBULATION. Satan will persecute both Jews AND Christians during the Great Tribulation. Some will die. Some will live. Some will perish as martyrs under the persecution of the Antichrist/Man of Sin, and others will survive as heroes of the faith. All that will be determined in the providence of God. The Mark of the Beast will be part of the persecution. Revelation 20:4-5 clearly shows that the FIRST RESURRECTION will take place AFTER the Mark of the Beast, after many Tribulation Saints have resisted the Mark, and some have been beheaded.
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection." Revelation 20:4-5 The Wrath of GOD will only come at the END of the seven years, and the scriptures clearly state that the Rapture and First Resurrection will precede the Wrath of God. Anyone who teaches you that the RAPTURE is before the TRIBULATION is wrong. The sober fact is that most Christians expect that they will NOT be tested during the tribulation, when they actually will be. I will show you what the scripture says. There will be NO RESURRECTION before the Mark of the Beast OR the Abomination of Desolation! And the SECOND resurrection will be 1000 years later! Anyone who MISSES the First Resurrection and Rapture will NOT BE resurrected for another 1000 years! The Rapture will occur immediately before Armageddon. And Armageddon will occur immediately before the millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ on earth is inaugurated. Read Matthew 24:15, 21, 29-31 for yourself. You will see the chronology of events in Jesus' own words.
Matthew 24:29-31. Or study Daniel 11:45 and 12:1-3, where Daniel sees the Antichrist/Man of Sin in his palace in Jerusalem BEFORE the first resurrection in verses 2 and 3.
"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake [first resurrection]," Daniel 12:2. And here is one more powerful example. Paul told the Thessalonians that "our gathering together unto Him" (the Rapture) will NOT COME except there be a falling away first and the MAN OF SIN BE REVEALED. (I Thessalonians 2). It is exceedingly clear by these and other scriptures that the Antichrist/Man of Sin will do his work BEFORE the Saints are Resurrected OR Raptured. Paul declared that the Antichrist/Man of Sin will be "sitting in the temple of God, showing himself that he IS GOD," before the Rapture and First Resurrection.
If there is only ONE RESURRECTION of the righteous, you'd better be in it! There is no second chance, no matter what "LEFT BEHIND" says. Now, let's look at one more profound example of the sequence of events I have been telling you about. The Two Harvests: The Wheat Harvest and the Grapes of Wrath Harvest Read carefully in the Revelation 14:14-16
And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped." It will take place on THE SAME DAY as the DAY OF WRATH, which follows in the next verses (Revelation 14:17-20).
"And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs. Jesus will have JUST COMPLETED THE RAPTURE HARVEST, and will be with the Saints in Heaven preparing for their immediate descent at Armageddon! Meanwhile, the ANGELS will finish the dirty work on earth. They will gather the wicked enemies of Israel, enemies of the Church, and enemies of Christ Himself, together as GRAPES into the WINEPRESS of the WRATH of GOD! This will occur at the very end of Daniel's seventieth week, or the seven years. In the FIFTEENTH CHAPTER of Revelation, you will see the angels receiving the SEVEN VIALS of the WRATH OF GOD. Then in the SIXTEENTH CHAPTER, you will see the angels on earth POURING OUT THE WRATH OF GOD. Notice the FIRST VIAL will be boils and sores on everyone who has the Mark of the Beast. The THIRD VIAL will be judgment on those who SHED the blood of the saints. Some people argue that those saints are EARLY CHURCH Saints, but remember that none of THEIR murderers are still alive! THESE murderers have JUST finished murdering ENDTIME saints! That is the Church in the Tribulation period! Why are these points important to know? One of the greatest delusions in Christendom today is the deception that the church will NOT see the Tribulation nor the Antichrist/Man of Sin, or the Mark of the Beast. The result of that grievous ERROR is that multitudes of otherwise stalwart Bible-believers are going to be caught TOTALLY unprepared for the awful difficulties that are about to come upon all men. The TRUTH is that, as John said, Babylon is about to fall. And WE ARE GOING TO SEE IT FALL! The Endtime Church will SEE Babylon FALL! Look at Revelation 14 again. An ANGEL will fly in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth.
The FALL OF BABYLON will immediately precede the MARK of the BEAST. A THIRD ANGEL will warn against TAKING THE MARK OF THE BEAST!
If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb," verses 9-10. But that is not all. It is likely, if not probable, that the SIXTH TRUMPET WAR of Revelation 9 will occur AFTER the Mark of the Beast. It will be a war emanating from the EUPHRATES RIVER that will involve 200 million soldiers and will kill one-third of mankind. (Troops are already staging that war right now.) That will be a global holocaust with more than two billion casualties (1/3 of 7 Billion now living). It is time for people all around the world to recognize the fact that THIS GENERATION HAS REBELLED AGAINST the God of Heaven and Earth, (the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob -- His name is Jesus Christ) and PAYDAY has COME! Psalm 9:17 says,
Meanwhile, the Church is not appointed unto the WRATH of GOD at the last day, but will be raptured immediately BEFORE the Wrath of God, but NOT BEFORE the Devil has his heyday. You can clearly see the collapse of civilization prophesied in Isaiah 24. Please take the time to read this whole chapter.
And they shall be gathered together, as prisoners are gathered in the pit, and shall be shut up in the prison, and after many days shall they be visited," Isaiah 24:21-22.
We have come to the end of the age, and there is no way to miss it. Almost every one of us will be here to watch these events happen. You will see these things with your own eyes. When will they begin? The SIGNAL that the last seven years has begun will be when a Seven-Year Covenant is signed by someone representing a European - Roman Catholic entity concerning the final status of the borders of the State of Israel. I expect to see the European Union and the Roman Catholic Church become the lead players at the United Nations in settling the Two-State Solution of Israel and Palestine. According to the prophecies of Daniel 9:24-27, the demonic Prince of Rome will be the force behind the “Confirmation of the Covenant” for seven years. The European powers will install the Antichrist/Man of Sin in Jerusalem. (For a thorough explanation of that statement, please read my article, “The Four-Headed Leopard and the Iron and Clay Feet”.) If you need to know how to be prepared, how to be saved, here it is in a nutshell - as simple as I can explain it: "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again," John 3:5-7. "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost," Acts 2:38. "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord," Hebrews 12:14. God bless you. Sincerely, Ken Raggio Written 2010-09-09 For a clearer understanding of exactly WHEN the RAPTURE will take place, please see this article: When Will The Rapture Take Place? Saints in Tribulation So God won’t allow his children to suffer? Look again! NOTICE!! Sign up for **FREE** Daily Bible Study! Daily MINI-LESSONS teach you the entire Bible! For Personal Spiritual Growth Also Sermon Starters * Bulletin Fillers * Lesson Topics Not available anywhere else! Click here. I am continually writing new content for this site. Please return often for more material, and tell your friends about www.kenraggio.com , too! THANKS! And God bless you! Ken Raggio 
Click here for BOOKS and VIDEOS by Ken Raggio ALL ARTICLES WRITTEN BY KEN RAGGIO, Copyright 1988-2011 Articles may not be republished on the Internet without express permission. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Thanks for coming by!
Please Donate to this Ministry |