I see the people at The Bulletin of the Atomic Sciences have kept their Doomsday Clock at 3 minutes to midnight for the second January in a row. “Doomsday Clock reflects grave threat to the world” is the headline of one media outlet. According to Wikipedia, “Concerns amid continued lack of global political action to address global climate change, the modernization of nuclear weapons in the United States and Russia, and the problem of nuclear waste,” are the reasons the clock time has not changed. A Bulletin spokesman, says, “Unless we change the way we think, humanity remains in serious danger.” Serious danger or not, don’t they know humanity is not into doom and gloom messages?
Doom and gloom messages affect people for a short time but then they overcome them and turn their attention back to everyday things – TV, sport, Internet, shopping, social media, selfies and the like. The Doomsday crowd could learn a lot from the Bible’s teaching on end-times, but possessing similar behaviors as the people they’re trying to reach, they can’t be reached either! Thank God for the Bible, for it’s the only Book to reveal nothing happens in the world that God is ever unaware of. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come Isaiah 46:10. From ancient times: means God knew before the beginning of the world, every future event which would take place in succeeding ages, right on down to the end of the world.
God has a Doomsday Clock too and His can be relied upon to be much more accurate than the one these people have. Their clock is based on speculation; God’s is based on certainty. Too, God’s Doomsday Clock could strike midnight before theirs and when it does, it means God’s 7-year Tribulation judgment upon the world has begun. “Doom and gloom,” you say. Yes, doom and gloom it will be and none such as the world has ever experienced before. The Flood of Noah’s day, Sodom and Gomorrah of Abraham’s day were judgments of God but they will pale in comparison to what’s coming upon the world of this day. Revelation Chapters 6 through to 19 record in horrific detail the events of what will take place.
“You people are always on about judgment,” said the old man. “I’m not interested.” When asked if he would be interested in acquittal from judgment he listened to my message but then went on to talk about lawnmowers! Being married to a Christian, no doubt he’d heard the gospel of Christ many times, but whether the message was one centering on judgment more so than acquittal from judgment, only the Lord knows. We need to hear both of course; the gospel is not appreciated unless people clearly understand what it is Jesus Christ died on the cross to save them from, equally as much as they understand what it is He saved them to. Jesus spoke of hell as well as heaven, so must we.
Most backsliders I know are in that situation because judgment was not correctly taught to them, only forgiveness. When trouble and trials came they fell away. Had they understood what they were saved from I don’t believe they would have done that. “We messed up in life,” said one man when bringing his “message of encouragement.” No, that’s a dishonest statement; we did not mess up, we sinned in life. We offended God in life. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Romans 3:23, and the wages of sin is death Romans 6:23. Death means eternal hell. Until that reality is fully acknowledged by people, the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord will not be fully appreciated.
The gift of God might be fully appreciated too if people understood it is only Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come 1 Thessalonians 1:10. I’m not referring to hell now I’m referring again to God’s Doomsday Clock. The moment it strikes midnight is the same moment Jesus comes to remove the church from the earth, fulfilling at least two of His promises: I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, you may be also John 14:3 and, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world……. Revelation 3:10. Once the church is gone, God’s judgment begins – horrific wars, famines, plagues, natural and supernatural disasters. This will be God Almighty Himself pouring out His wrath against all sin, all evil and all wickedness.
“There’s always been wars, famines, plagues and disasters,” so goes the common mantra of unbelievers who love to accuse us of preaching doom and gloom. Whilst that is true, the hand of God’s restraint has always been upon them too. In other words, God has allowed them to go so far and then no more. Too, God has always had a committed band of prayer intercessors around the world storming the gates of heaven against these things, to which He has always responded to. But that will not be the case during the Tribulation for He will have lifted His hand of restraint; His wrath and judgment will run its full course. These people rejected Christ when His gift of grace was on offer during the church age, now He will reject them Proverbs 1:25-29.
With regards to war: It seems there will be both conventional and nuclear wars during the Tribulation. Millions of people will die as a consequence, far more than all past wars combined. Some think it was a nuclear holocaust Jesus was referring to when He said, the powers of heaven will be shaken Luke 21:26. In any case, wars are certain; God will use them all as a judgment against a rebellious and defiant world. They will cease only when the Lord Jesus divinely intervenes and destroys the armies gathered against Israel. After that accomplishment, Jesus will set up His rule and reign over the world. All His enemies will be dead and we His people will honor and serve Him as Lord of lords and King of kings Revelation 17:14.
With regards to plagues, diseases and pestilences: there’s been some remarkable cures discovered for most of them during the church age, but now medical scientists and researchers are saying that’s about to change. The end of antibiotic effectiveness to infections is round the corner apparently. In fact some are saying the end of modern medicine as we know it will become a reality in a few short years. Well, that fits with what God tells us will happen during the Tribulation. He permits two witnesses to strike the earth with plagues as often as they desire Revelation 11:6. In history, the Bubonic plague killed millions of people; these new plagues will do the same. A foul and loathsome sore will also come as part of God’s wrath Revelation 16:2.
With regards to natural and supernatural disasters: Jesus said prior to His earthly return there would be, ……..on earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring Luke 21:25. Some old-time Bible saints believed this was figurative language but they did not foresee a Tsunami such as the one that killed thousands of Asian people a few years ago. The sea and the waves during that tragic event certainly roared; we have no reason to believe Tsunamis of a much larger scale won’t happen during the Tribulation. And as for earthquakes, they will be great (large, loud, mighty) in the Tribulation. Of the final one, there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth Revelation 16:18.
More: And great hail from heaven fell upon men, every hailstone about the weight of a talent (about 100 pounds/45 kilos). And men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great Revelation 16:21. No wonder God’s wrath was finally poured out in judgment on the world. Note the state of their wicked hearts. One would think if ever there was a time for wicked people to turn and express humility and repentance, that would be it – but no, only blasphemy! We see the same thing earlier when they were scorched with great heat (no, not “man-made” climate change, God’s climate change!) and because of their pains and their sores Revelation 16:8-9, 11. Multitudes will turn to Christ, but most will be killed for doing so.
So there we have it. Many details of the wrath to come have not been given here, but hopefully enough has been given to confirm God has a Doomsday Clock too and unlike the other crowd, He doesn’t push His forward or put it back. The time on God’s clock is as accurate as His written promises. Please note: It’s becoming increasingly common now for Christians to debunk the pre-Tribulation Rapture; they believe Christians will go through it. We are wrong and they are right, they tell us. Could be. But what if they’re wrong? Get yourself right with God in any case. Better to have Jesus with you in it than not to have Him – that I can guarantee! He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe in the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides in him John 3:36.