Bible Prophecy of The Future

Peace to Disaster. The rapture will remove those who believe and follow Jesus Christ either before the peace that Daniel predicted in the Middle East or just as the peace starts. As we have already discovered, the peace will be established by an alliance of 10 future nations that come from the territory that the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman Empires once occupied. These four empires controlled territory that is now occupied by Middle East, North African, and European nations. The peace will end after 3.5 years when the Anti-Christ eliminates three of the ten world leaders of these nations (Dan. 7:7-8; 7:24). Then the Anti-Christ along with the world will make war against the Jews and the followers of Jesus Christ during the last 3.5 years of the Tribulation (Dan. 7:21; Rev. 13:1-10).

The book of Revelation describes the events of the Tribulation (Rev. 4-19). The seven seals that Jesus breaks in Revelation 6 provide an overview of what will occur during the Tribulation. The last 3.5 years will be a period of terrifying war, famine, death, and will end with the great battle of Armageddon. We are told that God will warn and encourage people to believe in Jesus Christ but most people will ignore Him. He will send 144,000 Jewish witnesses who follow Jesus (Rev. 7:4-8; 14:1-5), two supernatural witnesses who speak out for God and perform miracles (Rev. 11:1-14), and seven angels who preach from the sky above (Rev. 15).

Many land animals, water life, plants, and people will die because the oceans, seas, rivers, and streams are polluted and destroyed. One-third of the trees and grasslands will be burned. A third of the sun, stars, and moon will be affected (Rev. 8). Many people will become sick, suffer, and many will die (Rev. 8, 16). The city of Babylon will be destroyed and the economy of the world will collapse (Rev. 17-18). Revelation predicts that people will know this is the hand of God, but they will not forsake their sin and submit to God. Instead they will become angry and curse Him (Rev. 6:16-17; 9:20-21). That will be a tragic mistake.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts. (NASB) Rev. 9:20-21

In the end, they will seek war with God. The Anti-Christ will convince the world leaders that they can defeat God at a battle called Armageddon (Rev. 19).

Second Coming of Christ. Both Daniel and Revelation tell us that the Anti-Christ and the world’s armies will be defeated at the battle of Armageddon when the Ancient of Days, Jesus Christ, returns again (Dan. 7:11-12; 7:26-27; Rev. 19:11-19). Jesus will return with the angels of heaven and those followers who have already died. Jesus will annihilate the armies of the world. The Anti-Christ and the false prophet will be killed and sent to the Lake of Fire after their defeat (Rev. 19:20-21).

The Kingdom. The dead who were followers of Jesus Christ will be resurrected at that time and enter into the 1,000 year kingdom that is promised in Acts 1:6-7. The kingdom will be a period of peace on earth. Even the animals will be at peace. The lamb and the lion will lie together and a child will play with a cobra.

And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den. (NASB) Is. 11:6-8