It is fitting to begin this week’s article with an aide-memoire. Which is a fancy synonym (I’ve never used before) for reminder or note.

Note: Today is one of the most distinguished and dramatic dates in (20th century) history that is not an official holiday … D-DAY.

Also fitting is to explain why this week’s post would begin with such an introduction.

Which is: All Eye of Prophecy articles are posted on Saturdays. Since this website began in July 2013, this is the 2nd time that D-Day (June 6th) fell on Saturday.

The first was five years ago … June 6, 2015. Which I did not realize until sometime later was D-Day. The significance of that is the article I wrote for that week/day (Saturday) was entitled, Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation. Which has generated enough visits to put it in the top ten Eye of Prophecy posts (313 articles) at number 3.

I thought it would be appropriate to revisit that article, considering the world’s population has increased from 7.3 billion in 2015 to the current figure of 7,789,504,610 and counting. Spelled out: 7 billion, 789 million. Since it won’t take much longer for the number to reach 7.8 billion, let’s round it up to that figure for our (revised) calculations in this week’s post.

With some new material, today’s article mostly will be a hybrid of the June 6, 2015 post combined with a subsequent post on 11-4-17, entitled: Stunning Catastrophes of the Tribulation / Their Timing & Purpose. That article listed and summarily discussed the Seven Seal, Seven Trumpet, and Seven Bowl episodes in the book of Revelation; including the generalized time (sequence) during the seven-year Tribulation when they would occur. Along with the frightening features and primary purpose for these terrible calamities.

In some Eye of Prophecy articles, I quote from prior articles … with the quotation in italics to distinguish it from that week’s article.

However, with a few exceptions (a direct quote/excerpt from those two articles), today’s content will include extracts from those articles with changes in the calculations, plus other revisions (additional or different commentary). Since I am the author of all Eye of Prophecy articles, there is no plagiarism taking place!

Some D-Day Facts

That prior inadvertent D-Day article (Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation) began with some pertinent and powerful casualty counts of the American Civil War, then World War I and World War II. As a lead-in to the gruesome body-count of the Tribulation period that will dwarf the combined fatalities of those three giant conflicts and other lesser wars.

(One of many photographs taken during the American Civil War … at least 620,000 Americans killed; some say as many as 700,000)

D-Day itself was not part of that article’s subject/content. However, since the 20th & 21st century world is getting accustomed to “big” events (like the current COVID-19 pandemic), it would be timely to provide just a handful of interesting tidbits about the greatest military enterprise of the largest (global) war in the annals of history… D-Day of World War II.

Most military experts agree that D-Day was the trigger-point (pun intended) for the beginning of the end of the war in Europe. Which was more destructive and deadly than the War in the Pacific (Japan as the enemy of the Allies). Other pundits cite the Battle of Stalingrad, in which Russia turned the tide against the Germans on the Eastern front as the main turning point. My own opinion: It was a relatively equal measure of both events; however, the Allied invasion of western Europe dealt a crushing blow to Hitler’s Third Reich, from which it never recovered.

  • D-Day (June 6th) launched the Battle of Normandy, codenamed Operation Overlord, and lasted through most of August 1944.
  • Under Supreme Commander, Dwight Eisenhower, some 156,000 Allied forces (primarily Americans, British, Canadian) landed on five separate beaches along a 50-mile swath of France’s Normandy region coastline.
  • Though bitter fighting ensued, particularly on Omaha beach (Americans), the Allies were able to capture and control the beaches in a relatively short time. In part because the Germans were convinced the Allied invasion would take place at Pas-de-Calais (France).
  • There were an incredible 5,333 Allied ships involved in the invasion, with an even more astonishing number of aircraft (11,000+) to provide air cover and support.
  • By the end of June, about 850,000 Allied troops and 150,000 vehicles were moving across France toward Germany. By the end of August, Paris had been liberated. The following spring, Germany surrendered to the Allies (May 8, 1945).

To this day, what the “D” in D-Day signifies is still debated. The most accepted meaning is that D stands for “day.” Which results in some redundancy. However, if you concede that the “D” means (is emphasizing) The Day or That Day, then it makes more sense. Just like “H” stood for hour. (The hour/day that it all begins).

Another application is that the D in D-Day stands for debarkation or disembarkation. Which are synonyms for arrival or landing … going ashore. And there was a whole lot of that taking place on June 6th, 1944.

(One of many Normandy D-Day Photos)

My personal favorite is that the D stands for “Decision.” As in Decision-Day or Day of Decision. That seems to fit best with the ultimate success of D-Day; to historically qualify it as the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe.

And it certainly correlates with these last days, end-times Armageddon passages as a transition to the rest of this week’s article:

“Sound the trumpet in Jerusalem! Raise the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the Lord is upon us. It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness….” (Joel 2:1-2a).

“Let the nations be called to arms. Let them march to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I, the Lord, will sit to pronounce judgment on them all. Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread the grapes, for the winepress is full. The storage vats are overflowing with the wickedness of these people.

“Thousands upon thousands are waiting in the valley of decision. There the day of the Lord will soon arrive. The sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will no longer shine. The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a strong fortress for the people of Israel” (Joel 3:12-16, emphasis added).

Several hundred years later, another prophet (John) wrote even more extensively about the Great Tribulation than did Old Testament prophets, sometimes with similar imagery. And just as, if not more, graphic:

“After that, another angel came from the Temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. Then another angel who had power to destroy with fire, came from the altar. He shouted to the angel with the sharp sickle, ‘Swing your sickle now to gather the clusters of grapes from the vines of the earth, for they are ripe for judgment. So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath. The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and the blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle” (Revelation 14:17-20).

That will be D-Day (Battle of Armageddon … Day of Decision) of the Great Tribulation: the beginning of the end for the rulers/armies of this world, including Antichrist and his coalition.

Which begins with Messiah Jesus descending from heaven whose name is, “…Faithful and True for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war … From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations … King of all kings and Lord of all lords” (Revelation 19:11-16).

The resounding result:

“…Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sharp sword that came from the mouth of the one riding the white horse. And the vultures all gorged themselves on the dead bodies” (Revelation 19:20-21).

The most recent Eye of Prophecy articles (two parts) were entitled COVID-19 / Just Another Plague? (Posted May 9th & May 23rd, 2020). Both contained up-to-date statistics of cases and deaths.

Here are the figures as of today:

United States Cases: 1,965,912 (2 weeks ago – 1,577,758)

United States Death: 111,394 (2 weeks ago – 95,971)

Global Cases: 6,871,728 (2 weeks ago – 5.3 million)

Global Death: 398,663 (2 weeks ago – 338,480)

(An all too familiar global scene)

Who knows what the final count will be? But if we look at what’s happening as a wake-up call from the true and living God (of the Bible), then it behooves us to once again examine the Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation, revised numbers and all.

If for no other reason, than the eventual COVID-19 casualty count will be the proverbial “drop in the bucket” compared to the Great Tribulation. For that matter, so are the combined fatalities of both World Wars no more than a couple of drops in a (large) bucket of water.

World at War

Beginning with the following excerpt from the article, Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation (in italics):

World War I was nicknamed, The Great War. For two primary reasons: (1) it truly was the First World War, involving multiple nations that formed two main coalitions, one against the other. Never in the history of mankind had such a war been waged with such modern and massive weaponry, with unequaled destruction and cruelty, including the use of poisonous gas. (2) The atrocious death toll: A total of nearly 17,000,000 deaths, military and civilian … in just 4-5 years of fighting. Unheard of … an impossible number to consider (at the time).

It was also labeled, The War to End All Wars; because it was simply inconceivable that the nature of man would ever again harbor such hatred, let alone express (act on) this hostility knowing what another world-wide war could do to the human race. The staggering loss of life and ongoing suffering of millions more wounded would preempt any notion of another world war. The League of Nations was formed to ensure that this was the War to End All Wars.

Alas! Apart from God and his salvation, humanity doesn’t grasp nor really wants to come to terms with just how evil people can be. “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

The answer to that question is all too experientially evident … meaning it’s bad. Some worse than others, but bad is bad. Which is why there will never, I repeat sadly—never be peace on this earth until the Prince of Peace returns to make all things right.

Incomprehensibly, in less than thirty years, another World War began and ended, with unimaginable bloodshed. Moreover, the conclusion to that war was apocalyptic in scope … the atomic bomb. Japanese casualties in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were, indeed, horrific, but all the experts agree: Not only would American casualties have been extraordinarily high (hundreds of thousands) but also the Japanese would have suffered even more deaths and injuries from protracted American assaults on the shores of Japan.

In that article, I went on to present some of the staggering number of casualties in World War II. As follows:

Heads of state and people the world over were appalled at the shocking scale of fatalities and injuries inflicted during the Great War. Yet, the deplorable death and repulsive ruin of the First World War pale in comparison to World War II. Though the numbers vary, a fairly reliable figure places the total number of dead at 72,468,900….

Absolutely staggering! Over four times the number of dead in The War to End All Wars. It borders on the unbelievable. The number exceeds the population of most nations of the earth. As gut-wrenching as it was to lose nearly 405,000 Americans in this devastating war, that was only slightly more than 1/2 of 1% of the total fatality count.

It wasn’t just the stunning scope of World War II compared to the First World War; it was also the detestable increase in civilian casualties that shocked the sensibility and scarred the psyche of the whole world. It does not matter that reasons can be provided for such carnage. For example: indiscriminate bombing by the Axis powers, carpet bombing by the Allies, slaughter of a vast number of Chinese civilians by the Japanese, and, of course, the horrendous extermination of some 11,000,000 non-combatants by the Nazis, six million of whom were Jews.

Of the approximate 17 million killed in the First World War, only 5% were civilians. The ugly fact of WWII is that civilians comprised 67% of the 72+ million killed. With regard to the Axis powers, particularly Germany and Japan, killing of civilians was often deliberate, disgraceful, dreadful, and depraved (diabolical if you will) and was sometimes done after they conquered a territory, or nation, or ethnic group. With respect to the Allied nations, civilian casualties were mostly inadvertent because the enemy had refused to surrender even when it became clear that neither Germany nor Japan could win the war. War is war, and War is Hell, but the treatment of enemy civilians partly defines the difference between waging war justly and unjustly. Still, the loss of so many civilians was poignantly tragic in the Second World War.

Tens of millions more (civilians) were murdered in the Soviet Union and China during the perverse purges of their Communist dictators, Joseph Stalin and Mao tse-tung, respectively. It would take another World War to match these appalling body counts. There will be such a war. It will reach its conclusion in the valley of decision.

(The valley is part of the Jezreel Valley in Israel. I’ve stood on Har Megiddo–which means hill or Mt. Megiddo that gives a panoramic view of this immense valley. From Har Megiddo, we get Armageddon)

Even more incomprehensible: Before World War III, in which Antichrist Nero and his ten-nation coalition suddenly unites with his enemies (Eastern nations, headed by China) to dare take on the King of kings, Messiah Jesus, Planet Earth will undergo a series of cataclysmic catastrophes unparalleled in human history. Consequently, the combined death count of both World Wars—in fact, all wars, and epidemics of at least the last two millennia—will not begin to rival the loss of life during the horrendous seven-year Tribulation.

How bad will it be?

“For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones” (Matthew 24:21-22, words of Jesus Christ).

Numbers that we simply cannot wrap our minds around. Numbers so great that they are indigestible … mentally, emotionally, and physically. The enormity of which could/should make us sick to our stomach. Not unlike the author of Revelation, John, who savored the pleasant taste of the scroll in his mouth, but which turned sour in his stomach while digesting it. (Revelation Chapter 10). This occurred with one Trumpet and all seven Bowl judgments remaining. The scroll tasted good because it represented God’s final plan to eliminate all war and evil, a plan that was approaching its awesome conclusion and fulfillment. But the scroll was bitter to digest because of the countless number of deaths and extreme desolation still to come.

Revisiting the Numbers as Foretold in the Book of Revelation

This section is extracted from Eye of Prophecy articles mentioned earlier in this week’s post, without direct excerpts or quotes.

Instead, there will be revisions based on the current population of the world at 7.8 billion (7.3 billion in 2015 when Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation was published).

If the Rapture were to occur today, it is feasible that one out of every seven people on the earth would be taken … in deference to the divine implication and consequential meaning of the number seven. I realize this is speculation (1 of 7), but it is what we might consider as sanctified speculation! The Bible is replete with the number seven, especially the book of Revelation. This number bears tremendous significance in Scripture, no more so than during the last days of the end times.

The 1 in 7 would include children of believers under the age of innocence. If you haven’t yet (or if you have, to refresh your memory), I would encourage you to read the first five articles published in the Eye of Prophecy website nearly seven years ago, on the What, Why, When, Who, and How of the Rapture. The fourth article on the Who of the Rapture provides Scripture, rationale, and commentary to support the premise that some children will be taken, and some left behind at the Rapture.

A more recent article provides even more details, entitled: Will All Children Be Taken in The Rapture? (Posted 2-23-19)

Let’s do the math: 14.3% (1 in 7 people) x 7.8 billion =s 1.12 billion … 1 billion, 120 million gone in the Rapture.

Thus, approximately 6.7 billion people would be left behind. The 1.12 billion (believers in Messiah Jesus) who were transfigured and transported to heaven is a substantial sum; enough to create instant confusion, chaos, and consternation throughout the earth.

Now for some facts and figures that are infinitely incomprehensible. They defy the definable; they annul the ascertainable; they cancel the conceivable.

Beginning with: Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

Each horse/rider is a symbolic representation of the horrible reality that the earth will experience soon after the Rapture. They are the first four of the seven seals broken by Messiah Jesus early in the seven-year Tribulation. When Christ breaks the seals, it is effectively a release (God’s permission for this great time of anguish to begin) of the nations of the earth to begin a conflict—a prelude to World War III, culminating in the greatest and most decisive battle of all time … Armageddon.

In order, the four horses and their riders represent Conquest—beginning with peace, but the kind of cold-war peace (in our time) that erupted in World War II, e.g. Chamberlain’s pathetic agreement with Hitler. War and great slaughter. Famine of epic proportions. Then finally: Death itself from all sources, including plagues, that cause people to perish in large numbers.

The dreadful consequence: “When the Lamb broke the fourth seal … I looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green. Its rider was named Death, and his companion was the Grave. These two were given authority over one-fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword and famine and disease and wild animals” (Revelation 6:7-8, italics for emphasis).

Death and the Grave, a composite of the first three horsemen, accomplish their appalling agendas … massive death by war, famine, disease, and even by the animal kingdom. What is the sickening outcome? One-fourth of the world’s population will die.

The (awful) calculations: 25% x 6.7 billion people left behind =s 1.7 billion (rounded off) dead on this planet. Which leaves roughly 5 billion survivors. Thus, more people will die in a relatively short time than those taken in the Rapture.

Just a brief pause here for an excerpt before we continue with the staggering death toll that will ravage the earth in just seven-years’ time. The following is from the 2nd of two Eye of Prophecy articles earlier identified … Stunning Catastrophes of the Tribulation / Their Timing & Purpose:

We want to focus primarily on the when, why, and who of these massive judgments. When will (spacing and timing) the twenty-one catastrophes occur … such as first half or second half of the Great Tribulation? Why (what is the overriding purpose) must they take place? Who will be affected the most?

Beginning with a twofold comprehensive premise: (1) God’s wrath poured out on a totally corrupt, evil, and unremorseful world. (2) But for the specific purpose to get the attention of all unbelievers, giving them one final clear-cut (black and white decision … no gray areas) opportunity for salvation by choosing the true Messiah, Jesus. Or, at the peril of eternal death, to follow the false messiah in one last attempt for mankind to (unsuccessfully) prove that the human race can do what only God can do: save us from self-destruction—a direct result of our sinful nature and the consequences thereof. Thereby, establishing a Kingdom of true justice and real peace on the earth.

Continuing with that article, regarding the first four seals (Horsemen of the Apocalypse):

When these seals are broken, the Lord will permit the human race to unleash the horror of aggressive war and terrorism—politically, economically, and militarily—like never before. However, the four horses are not direct judgments from God. They are man-made, but this time without any divine intervention or restrictions. Despite the carnage of wars throughout history (none more so than World War I & II), it could have been worse … were it not for the providential limitation God places on such things. That’s why Jesus said no one would survive the Tribulation if he didn’t stop it in time (Matthew 24:22).

As calculated in that article, the approximate duration of the first four seals will be the first year and a half of the Tribulation.

More from that article:

Sixth Seal: This is when God begins to intervene directly in the affairs of mankind on a global scale not seen since the Great Flood. Starting with a massive earthquake and (implied) volcanic eruptions from which: “…The sky was rolled up like a scroll…” (Revelation 6:14).

“Then everyone—the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy, the powerful, and every slave and free person—all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to survive?’” (Revelation 6:15-17).

Many people will acknowledge that this sixth seal judgment was directly from God. I believe millions will—up to and including that time—turn to the true Messiah, Jesus Christ, for salvation. But billions more will not. Despite knowing that the Day of the Lord is upon them, they will continue to give allegiance to Antichrist (Nero) as their messiah.

As indicated in a few prior Eye of Prophecy articles … there is a striking similarity between the fifth and sixth seals along with the first trumpet judgment and the specific disasters that the Lord inflicts on the Gog/Magog armies (see Ezekiel 38 & 39). Which is further corroboration that the Gog/Magog invasion will take place within the first 1 ½ years or so of the Tribulation.

Seventh Seal: The last seal also results in a “terrible earthquake” (Revelation 8:5) and is a preparation for the next set of world-wide cataclysmic disasters.

More Shocking Numbers During the Seven Trumpet Judgments

First Four Trumpets: (1) One-third of the earth on fire burning the trees and green grass. (2) One-third of the oceans turned into blood, with one-third of all sea-life and one-third of the ships destroyed. (3) One-third of the rivers and springs of water polluted, “…and many people died from drinking the bitter water” (Revelation 8:11). (4) One-third of the sun, moon, and stars darkened, with no light at all during one-third of the day and one-third of the night.

Although these four plagues are providentially imposed by the Lord, each involves heavenly bodies and earthly elements, i.e. supernatural sentence through (extraordinary) natural disasters. What many have labeled for centuries as, “The Wrath of God.”

Although we are certainly beyond the beginning phase of the Great Tribulation, it’s far from over.

The next huge loss of life is from a different source of terror, with the four horsemen depicting death and destruction at the hands of man, himself. The 6th trumpet signals another exponential increase in death and destruction and is the second of three “terrors” trumpeted by God’s angels (5th, 6th, & 7th trumpets).

“And the voice said to the sixth angel who held the trumpet, ‘Release the four angels who are bound at the great Euphrates River.’ Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour and day and month and year were turned loose to kill one-third of all the people on earth. I heard the size of their army, which was 200 million mounted troops” (Revelation 9:14-16, italics for emphasis).

I and several other Bible prophecy scholars believe that these “mounted troops” (which is a natural expression to describe what are otherwise supernatural beings) are fallen angels or demons—as they are led by four angels who had been restrained and then released just for this purpose, at a very specific time during the Great Tribulation. How ironic that there are four of these evil angels, to rival the number of the four horsemen, which represent men and nations. In other words, demonic angels—those who are part of Satan’s rebellious kingdom—themselves will be released and given permission by God to wreak havoc and death on the earth. How many will they kill?

One-Third! This is a higher percentage than died during the onslaught of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

We must continue with these cruel computations, as there is no sugar-coating the statistics when it comes to the carnage that will be the global norm during the Great Tribulation.

Recall that there were about 5 billion left on the earth after the first four seal judgments. Thus, 1/3 x 5 billion =s 1.65 billion killed. This Satanic army will slay a higher percentage than the four horsemen; however, about the same number will die, 1.6 to 1.7 billion. But only because there will be fewer people left on earth when the demonic hordes began their killing spree.

How many people are left? The alarming figures show us that there are now only 3.35 billion (3 billion, 350 million) souls left on planet earth.

The numbers are shocking! Approximately 50% of the earth’s post-Rapture population from virtually every nation on earth, dying by the end of seven seal and six trumpet judgments—which will be just a little over halfway through the Great Tribulation. Try this exercise: Line up and lean three billion, three hundred fifty million dominos one against another, and see how long the line is. Hint: Think circumference of the earth at the Equator which is 24,901.5 miles. Then push the first one and see how long it takes for all of them to fall.

Or test your cognitive capability, your endurance, and your patience by counting to 3.4 billion. How long before you give up? If you don’t give up counting, how long would it take you, counting one number per second? If my math is correct, I’ll tell you how long: Too long! Seriously, it would literally take (more than) a lifetime: 102+ years!

And these are people … not dominoes or dollars or seconds.

What a titanic tragedy the Tribulation will be.

The fatalities of the American Civil War plus all wars of the 20th & 21st centuries (including both World Wars) has not reached 100 million. And that number is a mere 3% of the 3.4 billion people who will perish in just a little over 3 ½ years of the Great Tribulation.

The Seven Bowl Judgments

Although not quite to the point where the Antichrist and his followers haven’t seen anything yet, it’s close to that, because the final seven catastrophes are unimaginable, especially the last one. Moreover, they are directed almost exclusively against Antichrist’s coalition—but also towards his enemies … other unbelievers.

For example, the first bowl: “So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshipped his statue” (Revelation 16:2).

By this time, nearly all who have chosen Nero as their (false) messiah will have taken the mark of his name or number in their forehead or right hand (Revelation 13:16).

And the fourth bowl: “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, causing it to scorch everyone with its fire. Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory” (Revelation 16:8-9).

This is the ultimate solar flare!

Astounding! Not only do they not say, “Okay, Lord, we’ve had enough. We’re sorry. Please save us.” Now they begin cursing God.

The Grand Finale … Seventh Bowl Judgment

Here is a quote from Shocking Statistics of the Great Tribulation:

Although all the apocalyptic events allowed or caused by God are exceptional, none more so than the final earth-shattering demonstration of God’s power. Every time I read it, I shake my head in disbelief. I repeat the words, but they still do not compute. My imagination lags far behind the stunning reality of it all. A comparative image comes to mind; however, I realize that it is a fully inadequate analogy. I’ll mention it anyway—in order to gain a partial perspective and picture of how the final bowl judgment of God will surpass of all the catastrophes preceding it. The imagery that comes to mind is that of a lengthy firework display that culminates in the greatest, most magnificent grand finale ever seen. But the resemblance is similar only in form, certainly not in substance. Here is God’s final Tribulation judgment:

“Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne in the Temple saying, ‘It is finished!’ Then the thunder crashed and rolled, and lightning flashed. And a great earthquake struck—the worst since people were placed on the earth. The great city of Babylon (Rome) split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble … And every island disappeared, and all the mountains were leveled. There was a terrible hailstorm, and hailstones weighing seventy-five pounds fell from the sky onto the people below. They cursed God because of the terrible plague of the hailstorm” (Revelation 16:17-21).

Once again, incredible! Not just cities all over the earth crumbling into rubble, or islands—think of the Hawaiian Islands—completely disappearing (giant tsunamis that not only inundate but sink the islands), but also all the earth’s mountains flattened into high or low plains.

Deferring again to the number seven: It’s entirely plausible that only 1 to 1 ½ billion people will be left on planet earth by the time the Tribulation comes to an end. It would be like preparing for the Tribulation by lining seven people up at a time, and telling them, “Sorry, but six of you are not going to make it.” (Starting with roughly 6.7 billion after the Rapture)

A reasonable conclusion: If you are going to die (or live), then why not die (or live) for Christ, instead of Antichrist or yourself? One leads to everlasting life, the other to eternal death.

Things to Ponder

In keeping with this week’s revised revisit of the two identified articles, the following is a modified excerpt from one of those articles:

Based on persuasive Biblical documentation and associations, I believe we’ve identified which judgments will take place in the first half and the second half of the Great Tribulation. There are eleven events before the half-way mark and ten afterwards. (Actually, ten and ten, as will shortly be explained!) There is symmetry in that apportionment alone. Now let’s fine tune the sequential timing/spacing of all twenty-one events. Granted, this will involve some speculation, but supposition that is derived from correlating evidence in Revelation that can logically lead to this premise:

Due to the continuous and consecutive nature of the judgements and God’s sovereign sense of order and distribution of the plagues throughout seven years, there’s every reason to believe that each judgment will take place over a fairly equal span of time.

There’s an example on which to base this premise: the five months duration in which the locusts (symbolical representation of demonic angels from the Abyss) torment unbelievers to the extent that they wished they were dead (Revelation 9:1-12, which is the 5th Trumpet and 1st “terror” judgment).

We begin with the 84 months of the tribulation (7 years x 12 months). Then we divide this time span by 21 (judgments) resulting in a period of four months (average between events).

However, in reference to Daniel Chapter 12, there is an additional 75 days (2 ½ months) at the end of the Tribulation (time/space does not permit elaboration; however, I’ve explained this in a couple prior articles). Technically, we also need to reduce the judgments to twenty (20) as the 5th Seal is a depiction of the slain tribulation saints up to that point. It is not a singular event (judgment) as such.

Thus, to be even more precise we need to use the figure of 86.5 (total) months of the actual tribulation, divided by 20 events with the result of 4.325 months average length of time between plagues. Conclusion: an average time of 4 to 5 months between each judgment. With the understanding that the first four Seal plagues interface and overlap each other; a total of about eighteen months duration for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

One example: The massive solar flare (4th Bowl) will conceivably take place right around the six-year mark of the Tribulation (with another 14 months or so to go).

In God’s mercy and patience even during the Tribulation, it would be just like him to give those who belong to the world a clearer picture of the approximate length of time between judgments, which they will have realized at least by the mid-point of the tribulation.

Make sense?

I do hope one thing makes sense above all. If you’re reading this article and don’t know Messiah Jesus as your personal Savior, it should be so very evident by now that you don’t want to be left behind at the Rapture to experience any part of the Tribulation.

“That terrible day of the Lord is near. Swiftly it comes—a day of bitter tears, a day when even strong men will cry out. It will be a day when the Lord’s anger is poured out—a day of terrible distress and anguish, a day of ruin and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness, a day of trumpet calls and battle cries. Down go the walled cities and the strongest battlements!” (Zephaniah 1:14-16).

Please take stock of eternity … such a long time! Compared to such a short time on this earth.

To repent simply means a change of mind and heart toward Messiah Jesus, by believing and receiving him as your personal Savior.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).