Things to come… starting now.
This is a short list of things to expect between now and the (potential) beginning of the 7-year tribulation. This list reflects the prophecies that will likely take place over the next 5 years. The events mentioned below will be prior to the tribulation period. The timing is with the projection of the Great Tribulation (potentially) begins at some point in late 2025, early 2026. The date of 2025 for the tribulation to officially begin is established by a few things: 1. The prophecies from the Book of Daniel, Ezekiel, Matthew, Revelation, etc. being set up now (2021), as we can see in world news & events taking place, globally 2. The signs of the times ( Matthew 24) 3. The prophecies by the Dead Sea Scroll writers known as the Essenes, prophesying that the final Jubilee of our current age begins in 2025 4. The Book of Enoch prophecies 5. The many, many disastrous global events currently taking place more frequently and with increased intensity, as predicted in the bible for the end of this current age of mankind, which is also known as the Age of Grace or Church Age.
While no one knows the day or the hour of the Harpazo/Rapture (Matt 24:36), we are clearly told we will know the season for which The Messiah’s return is at the door (1Thess 5:1-4, Matt 24, Luke 21); meaning there will be clear signs that the final seven years of mankind as we’ve known it- prior to the return of King Jesus Christ to rule on earth- is quickly approaching. The final seven years will be a time of horrific events- the worst time in human history (Matt 24:21). Remember, day one of the final 7 year countdown clock begins when the Antichrist establishes/confirms a (false) peace covenant with Israel. Below is a partial list of future events predicted in the Bible that will most likely happen prior to the final 7 years, but some can happen during the first year or so after the 7-year treaty is confirmed. These prophetic events are in no particular order:
The Decline of America – (USA could be the young lions of Tarshish in Ezekiel 38:13 or the coastlands mentioned later in the prophecy), The USA seems to be identified in this Ezekiel 38 prophecy as a protester of the Russian-led invasion. The good news is that America is not identified among the invaders, but the bad news is that the country can’t seem to fight on behalf of Israel. This implies that between now and this invasion that the USA will dramatically fall from its present superpower status.
. Vanishing of the Christians (will happen prior to the final 7 years)– (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18), This event is a miraculous disappearing of true believers when Jesus Christ will come in the air, at an unannounced time and remove all of the true believers from the earth. This miracle will end the dispensation of the Age of Grace (Ephesians 3:2-8) - also called the Church Age by biblical scholars- and could happen at any time.
Disaster in Iran – (Jeremiah 49:34-39), This prediction identifies a nuclear disaster that happens in the ancient territory of Elam, which is where the Bushehr Nuclear Reactor is situated. Russia is presently working with Iran on the construction of two more reactors in this area, Bushehr 2, which is to be completed in 2024, and Bushehr 3 to be finished in 2026. This nuclear disaster creates a humanitarian crisis that causes millions of Iranian exiles to leave the affected territory. (Refer to the shaded area on the image below).
Russia, Turkey, Iran and their Coalition Invade Israel – (Ezekiel 38,39), This invasion has been mentioned already, but when it happens it will undoubtedly be the most massive Mideast invasion of all time up to that point. God will stop these forces supernaturally and the world will be in shock when they see the Lord win this war on Israel’s behalf. This is the marquee event, whereby God intends to uphold His Holy Name as per Ezekiel 39:7.
Unrestrained Supernatural Deception (will happen after the rapture of true believers in the Messiah, Jesus Christ)– (2 Thessalonians 2:7-12), For almost 2000 years, Satan has been aware of a prophecy that promises of a time to come when he will be unrestrained to deceive mankind. The prophecy says that the Devil will unleash all of his power through signs and lying wonders in the immediate aftermath of the Rapture. You can bet the Devil has something powerfully deceptive in his bag of tricks. It could involve fallen angels and demons masquerading as extra-terrestrials from outer space who claim that they are superior to people and that mankind is not alone in this universe. This would blow a huge hole in the biblical narrative. Presently, the USA is beginning to divulge some of its classified findings on the UFO phenomenon. It will be interesting to see how this scenario develops in the near future.
Leader of the New World Order (Antichrist) will arrive on the world stage (after the rapture of true believers in the Messiah, Yeshua, Jesus Christ (Revelation 3:10, Revelation 6:1-2)). As mentioned above, one of the purposes of the Satanic supernatural deception is to introduce the Antichrist into the world. So, after the Rapture, the deception begins and the Antichrist arrives on the scene. This coming charismatic world leader shows up as the White Horseman of the First Seal Judgment. He is the one who will confirm the covenant of Daniel 9:27 between Israel and another party and that starts the Seven-Year Tribulation Period. Thus, he has to be on the scene before the Tribulation begins, but he isn’t revealed until after the Rapture takes place.
World Wars, Famines & Plagues – (Revelation 6:3-6), After the Antichrist rides in on the White Horse, the Red and Black Horsemen of the Second and Third Seal Judgments ride onto the earth’s stage and they take peace from the earth and bring about wars that lead to famines and plagues. Some scholars believe these judgments take place during the Tribulation, but in an interesting and sound book by Bill Salus, The NEXT Prophecies, he points out that the first Five Seal Judgments, might find fulfillment within the Post-Rapture / Pre-Tribulation gap period, during the time the deception is established and the Antichrist first comes on the scene- this will take at least a little time for him to gain global popularity (he will be the leader of the NWO- the elite globalist who are plowing towards the Novus Ordo Seclorum are expecting their leader, their (false) Messiah- they, just like George Washington and many founders, US presidents, and other leaders truly believe in the return of a god-like human man, to whom they will give over their power, once he (the Antichrist) arrives (Revelation 17:13). This is a Freemason belief and these people are super wealthy, super religious, super secret and pure evil. We see their agenda literally playing out in the mainstream media today. This is not a joke, it’s coming and the Bible predicted it all, thousands of years ago.
One World Religion/NWO Religion, “Mystery, Babylon,” the Harlot religion – (Revelation 17), The Bible predicts the coming of a global world religion. Some believe that this is an ecumenical version of diverse Christian denominations and other faiths, a sort of a super-church, but more likely than not, it will be spearheaded by the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). The RCC is not expecting a Pre-Tribulation coming of Christ in the Rapture. Although some Catholics are true believers in Christ and will be Raptured, it seems safe to say that the religious institution will be left behind and remain in place. According to Revelation 17:6, this religion will be martyring people who come to a faith in Jesus Christ. The antichrist will destroy the leader(s) of the one world religion around the mid-point of the tribulation.
Two phases of the “Overflowing Scourge” – (Isaiah 28:15-18, Rev. 6:7-8), The Bible speaks about a scourge that comes in two phases that overtakes the earth and concerns Israel. It is this scourge that motivates Israel to become a signatory in the false covenant that triggers the start of the Seven-Year Tribulation Period.
Resources: The Holy Bible, biblefacts.org, Ken Johnson, The Now Prophecies, The Next Prophecies, Bill Salus & Tom Hughes
