List of topics

“Pre-Tribulation Rapture” teaching correctness compared to “Post-Tribulation Rapture”view according to the writers perspective.

The following books work as inspiration and sources for this writing:

MESSIAHS RETURN By Graham Turner which supports the theory of rapture after seven years persecution period.

RAPTURE (UNDER ATTACK) By Tim Lahaye which supports the theory the church shall be saved from the wrath to come.

The Moody Handbook of Theology By Paul Enns that compares Historic Premillennialism with Dispensational Premillennialism.

Deceived by the New Age By Will Baron : Appendix 3 The Coming of the Antichrist,

The Egyptian Pharaoh had a dream about fattened up and skinny cows and also a dream about seven healthy tops of wheat followed by seven unhealthy tops of wheat. Joseph interpreted the dreams as having a meaning of seven years of a good harvest followed by seven years of a bad harvest.

Genesis 41:35 For let them gather all the food produced in these good years that come, and store grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in the cities and let them keep it.

I understand this verse to be a parable of the end times where the awakening times is followed by the arrival of the Antichrist, famine and persecution (literally) for seven years.

Seven years of a good harvest is most likely a longer epoch that began in my opinion in the 1700’s with John Wesley and the “Great Awakening” period and continues today. Just before the great change comes there must be an revival of the (spiritually) dead Christians (ten virgins) from their sleep because otherwise those who are alive will precede the sleeping ones into Christs wedding.(1Tess 4:15...17)

The grain represents Christians and God’s word. Jesus Christ is the word, So his body is composed of the words.

This means that when the famine (need to hear God´s word ) comes to all nations, there is sufficient bread (God’s word) in Egypt. 1 Genesis 41:54

Times of distress cause people to seek God and specially these seven years will force people to choose either Christ (and persecution) or the Antichrist (along with the distorted teachings).

2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let nobody deceive you in any way. For it (rapture) shall not be unless the rebellion (apostasy) comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of destruction.

Christians may give up their faith (become backsliders) by going back to Egypt (by returning back to their old ways); Or they are taken by force to Babylon (He gets a different Christ and spirit [of denomination] than what he got originally when becoming a new born again creature.) 2Cor 11:4, Gal 1:6 Christian will then be captured into a new heretical land of mind: “Only those in our Church or Denomination will be saved”.

In the old testament the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar burnt to the ground the temple of the Lord and all His followers houses and took to the ground the walls of Jerusalem. He carried those who had escaped the sword away to Babylon, and became the new king of Israel. Before that the leaders of the priests and the people polluted Jahweh's house by all the way of abominations of pagans. 2 Chronicles 36:14,19

How the faithful CITY has now become a PROSTITUTE! She was full of justice; righteousness lodged in her, but now are murderers. Isaiah 1:21

The bible shows us that the physical (natural) Israel is a marker or warning sign that represents the spiritual Israel (universal church of Christ). 1 Cor 10:11 , 1 Cor.10:18 & Rom11:21

Revelations 21:9,10

One of the seven angels who had seven bowls, who were loaded with the seven last plagues came, and he spoke with me, saying “Come here. I shall show you the BRIDE, the Lamb’s wife.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy CITY, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,

In other words: BRIDE = JERUSALEM CITY

The WOMAN (LARGE RELIGIOUS HARLOT) that you saw is the great CITY, which reigns over the kings of the earth.” Revelations 17:18

If natural Israel who followed a false idol (golden calf = wrong image of God) was said to be a harlot or was called an unfaithful bride, Then this concept should also apply to the spiritual Israel.

On her forehead a mysterious name was written, “mystery Babylon the great, the mother of the prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.”

Revelations 17:5

And their dead bodies will be in the street of a GREAT CITY, which spiritually is called SODOM and EGYPT, where also their Lord was crucified.

Revelations 11:8

The question remains about the spiritual Jerusalem, That has become SODOM, EGYPT and BABYLON after a great backslide of faith in God.

(There is no longer a light in your lamp, We no longer hear the call for the bridegroom and the bride in you. Rev 18.23)

Revelations 18:4

Then I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, so that you shall not receive her plagues,

1 John 2:18-19

Little children, this is the last hour, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the final hour. (It is, that the generation who sees many Antichrists can know that big apostasy is taking place) They went out from us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have stayed with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.

The backsliding church is no longer representing Christ's body but some other body. Only for Judas Iscariot was the name used “Son of perdition” like the Antichrist. Judas hung himself and cut himself of from his connection to the head which is Christ.

They shall expel you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he is serving God.

John 16:2

This process has repeated many times throughout history. And will be at its peak in the end times once the beast has recovered from its fatal wound.

Leo X, the pope at the time of Luther declared that the burning of heretics was a divine commandment.

It is claimed that in a 30 year period from 1540 to 1570 that 900000 Waldensian protestants were killed in the popes war to remove those who think differently.

Bible translations that were owned by the Albigensian and Waldensian were burned and people that were found to be in possession of them were also burned. Halley's Bible Handbook s.777,780,783

German/ Romans (Holy Roman Empire) Caesar marched from 4 January 1528 so that every newly baptized person would be punished with death. Being water baptized was punishable by death without need for any trial from authorities. (At the steak or by the sword).

Diet at Speier strengthened this resolve in spring 1529. On this day the Lutherans fought for themselves recognition and freedom.

In Bern 1538 an order was given that the church leaders and teachers of Ana-baptists were to be harshly interrogated and then beheaded.

Lutheran areas had the same conclusion as Catholic and Reformist (Calvinistic) countries.

No sort of religious freedom was allowed. Any disobedience resulted in a martyrs death or in some cases they were forced to leave. DEN KRISTNA FRIFÖRSAMLINGEN GENOM TIDERNA by Gunnar Westin p.88,105,109,110.

The Catholic church's Counter-reformation began at Luther's time. It ended when Westphalia's peace was reached in 1648 after five separate wars. The final of them lasted for 30 years until Sweden’s king Gustavus Adolphus came to North Germany to aid the Protestants that were already losing the battle to the popes armies.

Still the religious persecution continued like in (1660-61) Boston where three members of Quakers were hanged by Puritans (Calvinists) “Because they choose to hold their convictions rather than obey the authorities”. (The History of Christianity/ A Lion Handbook p.502) This incident played a large role in the constitution and the right to religious freedom in USA.

Adherents of free movements fled from Europe through Holland forward to America where until this day their descendants form the so called Bible Belt.

A five part novel called “Maastamuuttajat” is based on events that took place in the mid 1800’s according to the Swedish church records. In the novels the government and the church authorities arrested a religious group that did not conform to the standard teachings and held private meetings away from the Lutheran state church. The sect leaders were sent to an asylum where they all died in two years and part of the members fled to America.

Westin's opinion in his book is that the Anabaptist movement in Europe after Luther was the third branch of protestant motion (agents Catholicism).

(Note: The book of Daniel about the statute with two legs)

Will Baron in his book Appendix 3/ The coming of the Antichrist/p.217 writes “A common Protestant interpretation,.... is that leopard beast represents the papacy... Please let me clarify here that I am NOT referring to individual Catholics.

I am talking about the Catholic Church as an institution.”

If this interpretation is correct then the bear represents the Greek Catholic church. It is commonly talked about the Russian bear.

Revelations 17:3

And he carried me away in the spirit into a wilderness. I saw a WOMAN sitting on a scarlet-colored beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.

“Babylon the Great Harlot may be Heaven’s name for Apostate Christendom as a Whole”

(Haley's Bible Handbook 1965 s.733)

First the 10 tribes of Israel were forced to move into captivity 722 B.C.; then later the two remaining tribes Judah and Benjamin around 587 B.C.. Jerusalem was saved on the first time. Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, So that the Lord’s wrath didn’t come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

2 Chronicles 32 24-26

1Cor 10:18 “Observe natural Israel”(as an example or model for spiritual Israel)

In this example Hezekiah represents Christs body (church or denomination) experiencing revival.

Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and new king of Israel (who was cut down and left like the stump of its roots with the band of iron and bronze in the earth among the beasts by loosing his understanding and position) represents Jews within approx 2000 years period after they rejected their Messiah Jesus Christ, (Dan.4)

I dare to claim that this pattern and the interpretation is relevant to all the old testament kings and also the Antichrist.

I do not think it is a coincidence that the first beast has ten horns and the second beast had two horns “And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence.” Revelations 13:12

Ten Israel tribes in captivity represents the first beast on a natural level and on a spiritual level the question is about the heretical church before the end time events.

Seven heads mean that every church has its own image about Jesus who is the head of Christ's body.

The king of the north (Antiochus Epiphanes Syrian king that represents false religion and the Antichrist) fight against the king of the south at the end time Dan.11:40 (The Egyptian king represents humanism and atheism) Then the king of north will cause the “ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION” in the temple of God ( in Christs body which is the Holy spirit's temple) by sacrificing there a pig . (Big represents the false image of Jesus = image of beast)

Is 1:3 The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master's manger but Israel does not know...

Epiphanes bought Zeus to be worshiped instead of JHVH

We are still living in the time where the beast has a fatal wound. The beast has not yet been fully revived. However we are living in the time where Jerusalem is encircled by armies. Believers are not ready to take any knowledge or ideas outside their Church's doctrine. Denominational spirit will supplant Holy Spirit.

Because you say I am rich (of knowledge and understanding) and I have prospered, and I have need of nothing (especially that you teach me anything);’ and yet don;t know you are the wretched and miserable one, poor, blind, and naked; (not naturally but spiritually naked !)

Revelations 3:17

According to my understanding after the war of Gog the (western) world will once again turn to religions because of the distress; and humanism and atheism will lose their grip.

We have been given the sign of Jonah where he was inside a sea beast for three days. (the first beast rose from the pagan sea when Christianity was made state religion). So too have all Christ's own been part of the beast institutions and will be vomited out of the belly of the beast in the early morning of the third millennium. (Even as Jonah was in the belly of beast three days so shall the body of the Son [ =believers] be in the heart of the earth [ inside the beast]).

On day with the Lord is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. 2Peter 3:8

The same thing happened in history where natural Israel was inside of Babylon,

Persia, Greek and Roman empire. These realms spiritually represent: Judaism under Pharisees control, Creek Catholicism , Roman Catholicism and Protestant movements(: first Calvinism and Lutheranism and later free movements)..... Of course: if you can believe it.

In my point of view the beast's mark should be recognized among the supporters of beasts throughout the history of Christianity . If the Antichrists have been visible since the early times then why not the mark of the wrong spirit. First research and find out what is the mark given to those that are genuine Christians.

Deuteronomy 6:4-8

Put these words (commandments) I give to you in your hearts so that they sink in:

1. Our God is one. (Just as God the father is in the Son. The Son is in the father, so we should be in Christ as Christ is in us.)

2. You shall love God (and your neighbor)

You shall bind them for a sign (as MARK OF GOD) on your HAND, and they shall be for FRONTLETS BETWEEN YOUR EYES. You will then write them on the door posts of your house and on your gates. ( It is: Unity and love should appear in your deeds and in your mind)

Revelation 7:3 Don't harm the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, until we have sealed the bond-servants of God on their foreheads.

Gods seal on believers forehead is His name ( = His personality). That can be described as one word and that is love.

If He is in us and we are in Him then we own His love. (within our old ego we do not have it).

The mark of the beast is the opposite of this:

1. Seven heads (multiple different Christs [golden calves] as heads of Christian bodies and individual Christians....everyone thinks he is right and everyone has different opinions)

2. Hate towards those that represent God (and even each other sooner or later).

1 John 1:7

But if we walk in the light (God is light), as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ shall cleanse us from all sin.

Matthew 21:12

Jesus entered into the temple of God (the church is God’s temple) and drove out everyone who SOLD and BOUGHT in the temple, and overthrew the money changers ( those who change holiness to hypocrisy) tables (of impure milk) and seats (leaders positions) of those who SOLD the doves (different spirits).

This is only accurate when the church is fed wormwood and bitter wine which was the case during the times of Jesus with the Pharisees. Psalms 69:22-23. Let the table before them become a snare. May it become a retribution and a trap. For let their eyes be darkened, So that they may not see. And let their backs be continually bent.

Someone now might have vision to go where there are lost sheep inside the spiritual Israel. Sees the situation and “began to pluck heads of grain” and disturb the peace of (wrong ) Sabbath. ( it is: convinces some church members with his view, which in this case is right)

Condemnation is speedy: Only the priests ( appointed by God and with qualification) can eat the show-bread (have proper understanding of God's doctrine and way) Matthew 12:4

Still God’s word says to us: Here is the one (person, situation and word) that is bigger than the church.

But I tell you here (with God’s word and vision) one is greater than the temple .

Matthew 12:6

Perhaps the best example is Martin Luther who rose against the Catholic Church. And argued that Man is saved through mercy and his faith in Christ. And not through good works by BYUING indulgences* which are SOLD by the Church. (*The practice was understood in Lutheran circles as”When coin drops into the coffin the soul will slip into the heaven”)

“Council of Trent” (1546) officials declared that anyone except for the Catholic Church could interpret the Bible. And that nobody could interpret the teachings differently than how the Catholic Church was interpreting them.

One must also be connected to the Roman Catholic Church to be saved and that outsiders of the church could not be saved. (Enns s529)

In practice this meant that nobody is allowed SELL God's word or preach the gospel to save people outside the church and only the church had a right to BUY souls to God.

Pope Leo VIII published in v.1891 That nobody could come to the Son (Christ) except through mother (= the Virgin Mary / Catholic Church). Enns p.532

(So the protestant teachings are interpreted to be wrong !?)

The amount of Martyrs living under oppression of the Catholic Church was much larger than even in pagan Rome. Example Torguemada arch inquisitor in Spain 1420-1498 over an eighteen year period burnt alive 10200 non-Catholics who believed differently and jailed a further 97000 for life. In Bohemia .1600 A.C. out of four million of the population 80% was Protestant. After Hapsburg and the Jesuits had done their work only 800000 Catholics were left. In Austria and Hungary approx. 50% of the population were protestant. All of them were killed. (Halley’s Bible Handbook 1965 p.792)

It is easy to see that Church history is full of atrocities (caused by the beasts mark receivers) . Starting from the times of John Wesley and Napoleon the Christian world has gradually experienced a more peaceful time within it's own circles. So I would not be the least bit surprised that the beast will revive at a later date.

Now the beast from the land instead of the one from the pagan oceans is more active. I have read that there are around approximately 600 million Christians from free movements around the world. We are the second largest group after the Catholics. However we are dispersed like Daniel’s statue toes from the Bible or the Roman empire for comparison.

I am of the opinion that Daniel’s statue represents the stages of Christian Churches throughout history and be the pattern of the Antichrist that was slowly formed throughout the millenniums of history. And that there will be a final deception just before of Christ’s return.

Without the whole picture the book of Revelations looks like a messy jigsaw puzzle that one is trying to forcefully resolve.

It could also happen that the end times backsliden church starts to wonder when the Antichrist will appear and when will come the time that people will begin to carry the mark of the beast without realizing being themselves a part of its body and already having the mark.. During the Lutheran times it was widely considered among the Protestant group that the pope was the Antichrist. And in the Catholic group it was considered that the Protestant movement was the (end times) strong delusion.

Here I now proposed an idea that the Catholic Church represents the Antichrist's belly and the Lutherans and the Calvinists as organizations represent the Antichrist's legs.

It is better to be open and ready for everything.

Egypt’s plagues are a symbolic representation of how God pulls the worlds people towards saving and the road to heaven. The plagues in Revelations I understand are fairly accurate copies of the events.

A person who has taken the mark of the beast has hardened his heart to the point where he no longer want to make amends.

“They then blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores. Yet they refused to repent of their works. Revelations 16:11

When the Pharisee’s heard that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead they further hardened their hearts. “so from that day forward they planned that they might put him to death”.

John 11:53

I do believe the end times plagues to be very concrete. God will try to through birthing pains give birth to it what would not by normal ways come and this will result in many coming to Christ ( for example the remaining natural Israel)

I still do not see a reason why God would make his bride wait (those who were ready) through these difficult times.

Revelations 3:10 “Because you have kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

When God makes a promise to save us from his hate or from a day of hate I see it literally.

Not just from the hell but the day of God’s wrath judgment on earth. I understand this as a seven year period of plagues. (1 Thessalonians 5:9, Romans 5:9)

A traditional Jewish harvest feast (Sukkot) and a traditional Jewish weddings last for seven days.

(“for each day a year shall you suffer for your iniquities” Numbers14:34)

After the wedding of the lamb (Revelations 19:7,9) God will ride on a white horse along the shore with a heavenly army to overthrow the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire.

Jewish false prophet called Barjesus (=Jesus's son) “shook God’s path” And Paul made him blind, Act. 13:6-10

I personally understand that “the false prophet”” the big harlot” and “the man of lawlessness (son of perdition)” are only the different names of The Antichrist just as “Prophet”(Deuteronomy 18:15) and “Son of man”are Christ's names. Christ's bride is also “Christ” being his body where he no longer lives but Christ

Luke24:39 NASB “See my hands and My feet, that it is I Myself”

The beast is an organization that which the Antichrist uses (rides).

The Lord's DAY (beginning of 7-years tribulation) will start suddenly in the middle of peace.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-9 “For you know that the DAY of the Lord comes as a thief in the night. For when they are saying, “Peace and safety,”then sudden destruction will come on them” as it happened in Sodom and in Noah’s days. Specially that DAY is not after a period of suffering (3.5 or 7 years).

Ezekiel 39:6-8 For I shall send a fire (nuclear war!?) on Magog, and on those who dwell securely in the islands. Then they shall know that I am Yahweh. Those who live in safety. “Behold it come and it shall be done.

Says God, This is THE DAY OF WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN” (= the DAY of the rapture).

Luke 17:29-30 but on the DAY that Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and sulfur from the sky and they were all destroyed. It shall be the same way in the DAY that the Son of Man is revealed.

THAT DAY it began, Those close to God in the spirit do not come down from the roof of your spiritual house. Those that are working on God's field (keep our minds in spiritual things) will you return back to television TV series?

Remember Lots wife who from fear turned into a pillar of salt. (Do not look at the situation but God’s promises.)

We have lost our lives inside Christ. It is not a big deal what happens outside.

PRAY that your flight shall not be in the winter or on the Sabbath. (Being cold/ freezing means being distressed, naked – In this world (in the flesh) the believer is in distress but in Christ he has peace. Peace of the wrong Sabbath makes you sleepy without the fear of the Lord: Don't eat unbalanced food and drink impure milk.)

Matthew 24:40...

THAT DAY two men will be in a field: one shall be taken and one shall be left.

THAT DAY Two women shall be grinding at the mill: one shall be taken and one will be left.

THAT DAY there were ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom five were taken with and five were left.

Is not then everyone who believes saved? No, only those who believe “just as the word said” (they get more faith and) are saved.

But those that believe whatever they want to believe will be lead astray (into heresy) and will be left behind the door to knock. Stupidity does not go down well. “Some of you will drown due to your lack of knowledge”(Hos 4:6, Luke11:52). From a lack of trying to renew one’s mind (stubbornness) that leads not to be fulfilled with oil one is punished.

Why did Jesus not clearly indicate things, Why did he use examples and stories? In actual fact the same concept is repeated many times in directly, and allegoric story. And from many perspectives too. So that it would stick better to our mind. Our faith grows when we read more of the word.

When Jesus was in the desert tempted by Satan he said: “if you are truly the son of God, Then command these stones to become bread.” Matthew 4:1

It is: Command these spiritually dead Jews become alive, put the breath of your life into them. Jesus answered: “It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”. Matthew 4:4

If man does not have an interest in God he will not live spiritually a long time, so there would be no point to do that.

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” He who hears, let him say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely. Revelations 22:17

We have the free will to choose from every wind of doctrine. The wrong choice (many times a common belief in our christian neighborhood) can lead to a wrong mindset and to a backsliden state. (Eph. 4:14)

There are three that bear witness of the correctness of the word: The Spirit (who connects to it causing a burn in the heart of the listener). The Water( Is the word consistent with the general message of the Bible). And the blood (that is the soul, mind and emotions). If we drink the mind of Jesus we become a part of His peace and love rather than become a part of the world where our hearts feel constricted.(2John 5:8)

Prophesies have a tendency to repeat themselves more than once. First in a smaller scale and then in a larger form and sometimes several times and in different shapes.

“Even now many Antichrists have risen”can be interpreted that in the future even more Antichrists will rise and in various forms.

Antichrist has normally been understood as a person, sometimes as an institution , even” timeless personification of evil” but always as a counterfeit for Christ.

Example the Pope of Rome was viewed as Antichrist by The spiritual Franciscans, Wycliffe and Huss.

Luther held that every pope and institution of papacy as a collective form was Antichrist

(The NEW International DICTIONARY of the CHRISTIAN CHRCH p.47)

Definitions like “They went out from us” and “many deceivers went out into the world”

(1 John2:19, 2 John 7) exclude persons like Hitler and Stalin from the list. They were never Christians in the first place and never pretended to be God's ambassadors.

Spiritual Antichrist (universal fallen church and individually it's members) has received wrong spirit displaying herself as being the third person of Godhead (or family of JHVH ). This counterfeit spirit will cause God's temple to be a spiritual harlot who rejects (persecutes) original Jesus and His disciples.

Gal 4:25

Hagar.... CORRESPONDS to the present Jerusalem (who rejected Jesus) for she is in slavery with her children.

This verse strongly hints that there is also a natural Antichrist both in collective shape as well as in individual bases

(Natural) mark of beast is commonly hold as a micro-chip in the hand. If that is only a commercial thing, where is the sin? However, if the motives behind it's introduction are hate and willingness to eradicate Christianity; then it is better not to associate with it.

This whole speculation around it might too be only devils scheme to hide the real mark.

Let's be open and see what future will bring with it.

2Thess. 2:1...3

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering to Him ( = rapture)...the DAY of Christ ( = the DAY of rapture)...will not be, unless the rebellion ( = APOSTACY) comes first, and the man of sin ( = Antichrist) is REVEALED.

Hopefully this essay will REVEAL more light in the matter.

Erno Miettinen

Unless stated otherwise the verses in this bible are referenced from a public domain bible.