Lesson 139: DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND – PART 2

INTRODUCTION: In the first part of this series, we learnt that after the rapture, Satan will endeavor to establish a world-wide kingdom headed by the anti-christ who will form an alliance with the world church. The anti-christ will also make a covenant with Israel who will rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem and start sacrifices again. Syria and Egypt will invade Israel at the instigation of Russia but the Anti-christ will defeat them. Russia will suffer a supernatural defeat and the power of the anti-christ will grow so that he will break his covenant with Israel declare that He is God and demand that everyone should worship him. In this study, we shall consider what follows next.

1. INSPITE OF ALL THE ACTIVITIES OF SATAN, THERE WILL STILL BE WITNESS FOR CHRIST
As soon as the anti-christ declares himself as God, another man will arise to become the high priest of the anti-Christ cult. The Bible calls him the false prophet. He will develop a highly organized religious system on behalf of the anti-christ. But inspite of all these devilish activities, there will be active witnesses for God and Christ. Many of them will be those who were lukewarm Christians now who will become red-hot for God after they have missed the rapture. They will be sorely persecuted. Israel will also rebel against the antichrist and their persecution will be so severe that the Bible calls it “the time of Jacob’s trouble”.

Rev. 16:13; Rev. 19:20; Rev. 13:11-18; Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:7-15;
Rev. 17:6; Rev. 20:4; Matt. 25:15-20; Jer. 30:4-7; Zech. 14:1-2; Jer.30:7.

2. THE INTENSE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PERIOD WILL CAUSE ISRAEL TO REPENT AND THEN CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN.
Knowing that his time was short, the anti-christ will gather the armies of the world to Armageddon for a final battle. Meanwhile, the intense sufferings of the time of Jacob’s trouble will cause Israel to repent genuinely and God will cleanse them. Then Christ will return again riding on a white horse and the saints will return with Him to reign for a thousand years. Will you return with Him or will you be among those who are left behind?

Rev. 16:12-16; Ps. 2:1-3; Rev. 19:19; Rev. 16:1, 12,-Zeph. 3:8: Ps. 2:4-12; Rev. 19:17-18, 21; Rev. 20:1-3; Rev. 20:4-6.