THE EVENTS OF THE MINOR TRIBULATION! (2)

Today, we are going to look at the second part of the events of the Minor Tribulation. The first event of the Minor Tribulation is the opening of the first seal - “The rise of the Antichrist” (Rev. 6:1-2; Dan. 7:8, 8:8-10). As each seal is opened, Christ sets in motion events that will bring about the end of human history. 

The second event of the Minor Tribulation is the opening of the second seal (Rev. 6:3-4). Red horse symbolizes WAR AND BLOOD. Here there will be war caused by the Antichrist (Dan. 7:19-25; Dan. 8:23-25; Matt. 24:6-7). The very day Israel tries to pull down the Dome on the Rock in Jerusalem and rebuild Solomon’s Temple in its place, the entire Arab world of over 2 billion people will launch an all-out offensive against Israel. That mosque is the 2^nd most sacred place of the Muslims.  Following their lead, Russia will also attack Israel. This has been foretold in Ezekiel 38:1-23 and Ezekiel 39. 

The third event of the Minor Tribulation is the opening of the third seal (Rev. 6:5-6). The black horse symbolizes FAMINE. This is the time of great famine. The shortage of food will be so severe that its scale will be rationed by being weighed in a balance, “a measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures [quarts] of barley for a penny. Famine and economic rain are always the aftermath of war. Such was the case after the war of Revelations 6:3-4. During the war, resources are consumed by workers, and industrial facilities are destroyed. The rider of the horse is instructed not to harm [destroy] cooking oil and wine. Why? This is because olive oil and wine are precious things used for sacrifices to God. But for them, there will be a dreadful famine and economic devastation.

The 4^th event of the minor tribulation is the opening of the 4^th sea (Rev. 6:7-8). DEATH and HELL! Death and hell will be rampant because of the first three seals that have been opened. The pale horse signifies terrible disaster. Hell or Hades here means a public cemetery (Matt. 24:6-7; Rev. 6:8b). Since the population is now about 7.8 billion, one quarter of that are about 1.95 billion people.

The 5^th event of the minor tribulation is the opening of the 5^th seal (Rev. 6:9-11).Revelations 6:9 says, “And when He [the Lamb] had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held [had maintained].” 

Here we have the first martyrs of the tribulation of Daniel’s 70^th week. These people who will become martyrs during the first three and half years of the tribulation are said to be “under the altar.”  And since the altar is the place where sacrifices are offered, they are then there as sacrifices offered to God. These ones are weeping bitterly pleading with God that He would take His revenge quickly (Rev. 6:10-11).

You see, if they had earlier believed in Jesus Christ were raptured together with the church, they would have been in Heaven. But now, they are under an altar waiting for the others to be martyred too before God would do anything. 

But then, Jesus will give white robes to each one of them – the robes of righteousness. These are given just to comfort them. And Jesus tells them that they should rest for a little season until their “fellow servants also and their brethren,” that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled (Rev. 6:11). This implies that the souls of all the tribulation saints will go under the altar. Meanwhile, the church has been raptured into Heaven with their resurrected bodies. Also notice that even during the tribulation, God will still continue with His work of salvation.

The 6^th event of the minor Tribulation is the opening of the 6^th seal (Rev. 6:12-17). Here the wrath of God will begin and continue in the Trumpet Judgment and the Bowl Judgment (Rev. 8:1-9:21; 11:15, 11:18, 15:1, 7). 

As soon as the 6^th seal is opened, fearful things will happen here on earth and in Heaven. A great earthquake will occur, the sky will become pitch black with volcanic ash, and the moon will become red due to the ash and dust. The heavens (1^st and 2^nd heavens) will depart as a scroll when it is rolled together. So severe will the earthquake be that every mountain and island will be removed out of its place, and the stars will fall out of the sky. Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty and every slave and every free man will hide in caves, and the rocks of the mountains. 

And they would say to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand?” 

Notice that in spite of such terrible happenings, those people would not still repent, because they still pray to the rocks and stones to save them. But the Bible says that salvation is only in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5-6).  

Between the 6^th and the 7^th seal we see a halt for two groups of people to be saved. Here God is sealing those preachers who will deliver the remaining people on earth during the remaining part of the tribulation.

i) The sealing of God’s servants, 144,000 Jews from all the tribes of Israel to protect them from the trumpet judgments (Rev. 7:2-4, 8:9-12, 9:4).

ii) The Tribulation saints: Notice that these saints are not seating on the throne with Jesus, but are standing before His throne (Rev. 7:9-14; 6:8-11, 13:7, 13:15-18, 15:2-4, 17:6, 20:4; Dan. 7:21-27, 8:24, 9:27).

Today, you have the great opportunity to change your eternal destiny. You are not going to escape the trumpet judgments because you are acting nice. You are not going to escape it because your name is in a church register. You will escape the trumpet judgment only on this condition: (1) you MUST be Born Again (Jn. 3:3), and (2) live a holy life (Heb. 12:14).  So hurry, and make peace with God right now! 

Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!

Your friend: I. I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor) 13. 09. 2020