The Bible Explained, part 32/40: The Near Future

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THE BIBLE EXPLAINED

A Guide to the Holy Bible
for Parents and Teenagers

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Where did you come from?
What is your purpose?
What happens when you die?

These questions--and more--are answered in 'The
Bible Explained', which is based on the teachings
of the Holy Bible. The Holy Bible is a collection
of ancient books which claim to be the word of the
one and only God. This one and only God claims to
be the sole creator, owner, and sustainer of all
things; he further claims to hold the one and only
key to eternal life. Are these claims true? Get
the facts and then decide for yourself.

This document is meant to be understood by everyone,
and is therefore written in plain, simple language,
avoiding complex religious jargon.

Understand the Bible like never before.

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Introduction
Quest for Truth
The Holy Bible
Origin and Destiny
The Big Picture: Good and Evil
The Story of Man
The Purpose of the Earth
The Standard and the Test
Work: The Key to Success and Life
Pyramid Society
Failure of Man
Male and Female
Family Relationships
Marriage and Family
Sexual Immorality
The Value of Life
Multiplication and Overpopulation
Racism
Creation and Evolution
Government
Politics
Justice
Words, Speech, and Censorship
Church Matters
Monotheism, Jews, and Christians
Temptation
The Nature of Evil
Life and Death of Satan
Reincarnation
The Rapture
The End Times
The Near Future
Preparing for the Future
Groups and Labels
Understanding Judgement
Preparing for Death
Conclusion
Appendix A: Questions and Answers
Appendix B: The Ten Commandments
Appendix C: Marriage

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TITLE: "The Bible Explained"
AUTHOR: "Arrant Knave"
ISBN-10: "1468197061"
ISBN-13: "9781468197068"

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-----<excerpt from book>

The Near Future

In the near future, we can expect political and religious deceptions, wars, famines, diseases, great natural disasters, and death on a massive scale. Here is a chronological list of things to expect:

One Quarter of Mankind Killed: One quarter of mankind is destroyed by wars, violence (civil unrest), famines, diseases, and anxiety: "So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth." [Revelation 6:8]

Missiles Rain Down: "I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains." [Revelation 6:12-15] I believe the above passage refers to the launching of missiles (from subterranean silos) en masse, which produce 'a great earthquake' and smoke which obscures the light of the sun and moon, making them appear dark and red; the 'stars of heaven fell to the earth' refers to the missiles raining down on the earth; 'the sky receded as a scroll' refers to the signature 'mushroom cloud' produced when an atomic bomb explodes on the earth. "After these things I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree." [Revelation 7:1] After the atomic bombs explode on the earth, God stops the wind from blowing, lest the wind should carry radioactive fallout throughout the atmosphere, poisoning the entire earth: thus, God preserves the earth from utter destruction.

One Third of the Earth is Struck: God rains down various objects (hail, fire, meteors, etc.) on the earth, resulting in the destruction of one third of the earth: one third of the trees are burned; one third of the sea creatures die and one third of the ships on the sea are destroyed; one third of the fresh water is poisoned; atmospheric disturbances results in the light of the sun, moon, and stars being obscured for one third of the day and one third of the night.

Locusts Attack: A swarm of locust-like creatures is released on the earth to torment (but not kill) humans for five months. "And their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man." [Revelation 9:5]

One Third of Mankind Killed: An army of 200 million persons is loosed on the earth, resulting in the death of one third of mankind.

The Two Witnesses: Two Moses-like prophets will come on the world stage and teach the word of God for 1260 days. During their ministry, they will call for a drought and strike the world with all sorts of plagues as Moses did in ancient Egypt as recorded in the book of Exodus. These plagues are God's judgement upon the false gods of nature and are designed to demonstrate to man that the God of the Bible is the one and only God, who does not tolerate other gods but judges them, so that men may not be led astray by false gods and thereby lose their place in eternity. When the two prophets finish their testimony, they will be killed by Satan, and their dead bodies will lie unburied in Jerusalem for three and a half days; then God will raise them back to life and receive them into heaven. When humans see this, they will know that God is greater than Satan -- and many will acknowledge the LORD as the one true God.

(Before proceeding further, you should know that the Bible mentions three heavens: the first is where the birds fly (the earth's atmosphere); the second is where the stars are (space); the third is beyond space -- where God has his throne.)

Heaven Cleansed of Evil: God cleanses heaven (space) of evil by casting Satan and his demons out of heaven to the earth: "And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." [Revelation 12:7-9] "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath because he knows that he has a short time." [Revelation 12:12]

The Antichrist and the False Prophet: When Satan is cast out of heaven to the earth, he will cease control of human governments and rule the earth for 42 months; he will take control of two prominent men -- a political figure and a religious figure. The political figure is commonly referred to as the Antichrist; the religious figure is commonly referred to as the False Prophet. (Note: you will not directly see Satan, since he is a spirit being; you will, however, recognize those under his control -- if indeed you possess the knowledge to distinguish between good and evil.)

God's Followers Persecuted: Satan will use human governments to persecute those who keep God's commandments, particularly the seventh day Sabbath, since it is a sign between God and his followers: "'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.'" [Exodus 31:13] A true follower of God is easily recognized: he works on the first six days of the week and he does not work on the seventh day, as God did during creation week, as recorded in Genesis 1:1-2:3.

Signs and Deception: The False Prophet will use signs to deceive people and cause them to build an image to be worshipped; failure to worship the image results in death: "He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed." [Revelation 13:13-15] Although this prophecy lies in the future, there is a similar historic event recorded in Daniel 3.

The Mark of the Beast: The False Prophet will institute a new system of exchange -- the mark of the beast: "He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666." [Revelation 13:16-18] This mark will have the following consequences: "So the first (of seven angels) went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image." [Revelation 16:2] "Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, 'If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.'" [Revelation 14:9-11] It seems that this mark changes people on a genetic level -- so that they are no longer human and, hence, disqualified from receiving life eternal: therefore, God has no choice but to destroy them, since the gate to life is opened only to Adam and his descendants (seed/sperm).

Satan's Kingdom Judged: Satan's kingdom is judged via seven "bowls" of God's wrath as recorded in Revelation 16: "So the first (of seven angels) went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died. Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat. Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds. Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. [excerpts from Revelation 16:2-12]

Armies Gathered at Armageddon: In a final bid to destroy mankind, Satan gathers the armies of the world at Armageddon (Mount Megiddo, which is north of Jerusalem). If this battle were to take place, all flesh would be destroyed from the face of the earth, so the seventh angel pours out his bowl into the air: and the Messiah and his angels break through the clouds, accompanied by lightning, great hailstones, and the greatest earthquake of all time, which destroys the cities of the world. (See Revelation 16:17-21 for details.)

God Saves Man From Annihilation: "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. And the armies in heaven ... followed Him on white horses. And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which proceeded from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse. And all the birds were filled with their flesh." [Revelation 19:11,15,19-21] By destroying the armies of man, God saves mankind from utter destruction -- just as he saved him before via the global flood of Noah's day.

Satan Bound for One Thousand Years: To begin the Millennium, the source of evil must first be removed from the earth: "Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while." [Revelation 20:1-3] Once Satan is bound, there can then be peace on Earth.

The Millennium: The Messiah and his (resurrected and transformed) saints rule the earth for 1000 years: "And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgement was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." [Revelation 20:4-6] (Note: the First Resurrection is sometimes referred to as 'the Rapture'.)

The Final Battle Between Good and Evil: After the Millennium, Satan is released on the earth for the final battle between good and evil: "Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever." [Revelation 20:7-10] Thus ends the life of Satan the devil -- the source of evil.

The Day of Judgement: The Day of Judgement commences, followed by the eternal destruction of death and evil: "Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." [Revelation 20:11-15] Here we see the eternal destruction of evil beings, death, and the place of the dead. All evil will be destroyed in the lake of fire (hell) before eternity begins.

Eternity Begins: God marries his followers and they live happily ever after in eternity: "Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.'" [Revelation 21:1-4] Nothing evil (destructive) will enter into eternity -- and that's why it lasts forever.

Key to Eternity: "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city." [Revelation 22:14]

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The above book is available for purchase at:

http://www.amazon.com

Search for:
TITLE: "The Bible Explained"
AUTHOR: "Arrant Knave"
ISBN-10: "1468197061"
ISBN-13: "9781468197068"

Or try this direct link:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bible-Explained-Parents-Teenagers/dp/1468197061

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The above excerpt from 'The Bible Explained' is copyright
2010 by Arrant Knave. All rights reserved. No part of this
document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means without the
prior written permission of the publisher, except by a
reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review to be
printed in a newspaper, magazine, or journal.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are
taken from the New King James Version (R). Copyright (C)
1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights
reserved.

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