THE WORLD’S GOING NUTS. IT’S ALL THERE IN THE BIBLE

J. Grant Swank, Jr.


Eventually two witnesses for God will appear in the Holy City. Their enemies will try to murder them; but they won’t be able to.


After three and a half years, the AntiChrist will enter Jerusalem, desecrate the temple, level the city, and kill God’s two messengers. The world will be aghast; unbelievers will worship the AntiChrist who could perform such a marvel—silencing the holiness preaching of God’s two advocates.


Then will follow the “days of vengeance.” Then will follow such nuthouse antics as this globe has never experienced. Believers will be persecuted, the AntiChrist will rule with a heavy hand from the City of Seven Hills.


Alongside him will be the False Prophet who will look like a man of God but, when he opens his mouth, he will speak the doctrines of devils. The two will wage war against God’s people.


When the two witnesses appear, that will be the signal to believers that the about-seven year tribulation period has begun. It will not be a total of seven years, for the years will be shortened for the believers’ sake.


In the last month of the seventh year, the day and hour known only to God the Father, God the Son will leave the right hand of the Father in heaven. The Son will descend toward His turf—Earth—accompanied by angels and the redeemed of all time.


He will charge forth to win the Battle of Armageddon waged in the Valley of Megiddo in the northwest section of Israel. There militia from the Orient, Asia and Europe in particular will have gathered, presumably to fight over oil.


The Son will speak. With His word, He will be victorious over His enemies. Vultures will pick clean the bodies of the defeated dead.


That will commence the millennial reign of the Son, ruling from the Holy City.


Now we are witnessing the collapse of fleshly governments. This is all prelude to the government of the Son.


Now we are living through the pre-tribulation era as prophesied in the Bible. We see wars and rumors of wars, famine, pestilence, false prophets and false christs, families falling apart, apostasy in Christendom, an increase of sin, earthquakes and other signs provided by the Son in Matthew 24, Mark
13 and Luke 21—the primary New Testament passages describing our times.


Another significant development has been the establishment of Israel as a nation on May 14, 1948. This is the fulfillment of Ezekiel 36-39.


Signs in the Gospels are generic, that is, many have always occurred. However, Israel as a nation is unique for it is the first time in two thousand years that Jews have had a homeland.


Couple the generic signs with the Israel-nation sign and you have the emphasis for concluding that we are in the End Times of the church age, the latter starting with the First Coming of the Son and concluding with the Second Coming of the Son.


Middle East tension will rise to an unbelievable pitch prior to the Armageddon Battle. No mortal will bring peace to the place where the human race began. Israel is the navel of the planet. We are coming full circle. That little slip of land the size of New Jersey will gain increased focus up till the Second Coming.


Throughout the Book of Revelation, the believers figure magnificently. They are the lights in the dark world. They are the stabilizing quotient in a rocky existence.


In that vision provided by the Son to John on the Isle of Patmos, believers continue their perseverance for the gospel’s sake. They do not give in to the AntiChrist rule; nor do they heed the False Prophet. They live out the holiness of God as set forth in the Bible.


Now believers are gearing up for hard times by shaving off worldly pastimes for more Bible, prayer and sincere worship. Their numbers are less than prior, for the Bible prophesies that in the End Times there will be a “great falling away.”


That exodus is all around us. However, the righteous remnant remains, just as in Noah’s day when only eight stayed true.


Therefore, in these days when mortals have lost their morals and senses, when fear increases, when the ungodly sit in seats of power, believers confess their God as President, Prime Minister, Ruler, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.


Believers heed the Scripture’s warning not to put trust in mere mortals and the structures made by them. Instead, believers put their total faith in the God of Creation.


In that, believers hold that the God of Creation is still on the throne, He is still writing history as His Story, He is Alpha and Omega, the start and the finish, and therefore, though the sky and planet disappear, His Word will remain forever.