6th Trumpet War

How Prepared Are You?

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment
New Madrid Fault Line

Have you asked yourself that question? Or do you push the thought to the back of your mind, hoping it’ll all work out? Lest you think I’m a doomsdayist, I live on the east side of the New Madrid fault line. In 1811-1812, there were a series of earthquakes along the fault so severe the Mississippi River flowed backwards for days, creating what we now know as Reelfoot Lake.

There is a better than average chance of a similar instance occurring again. This time in much more populated areas.

I also live in what we fondly call “Tornado Alley.” Our home which we built seventeen years ago, has been nicked by tornados twice, and narrowly missed on multiple occasions. 

Only a few years ago, a neighboring town was all but destroyed by a local flood. Many people lost their lives. Some never recovered financially, physically, emotionally or spiritually.

These facts, and a looming snow/ice event in the weather forecast, cause me to spend a bit of time thinking about the next natural disaster. I don’t live in fear, and that’s absolutely NOT what this post is intended for. I do, however, think we should be some level of prepared.

With all of that having been said, Here a some things to think about.

1. Make certain you are right with God. This means being born again according to Acts 2:38, and living a lifestyle that aligns with His Word. If you are genuinely born again, whatever else happens out of your control is secondary of importance.

”Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)

2. Make sure you are where you are suppose to be. By this I mean pray sincerely, and ask the Lord if you are living, working, raising your family and attending church where He desires you to be. In a natural disaster, or other traumatic event, location matters. Your basic needs will be the same, but access to meeting those needs will be very different depending on where you live. 

3. Cultivate strong relationships with your family and church family. Get to know your neighbors. You’re going to need them. You might be considering holding up in your basement with tons of ammo, peanut butter & crackers and bottled water. I advise against that. In traumatic circumstances, people will come, and as Christians, we are called to help one another. If you haven’t watched the Angel Studio film, Homestead, I suggest you do so.

4. Learn To Pray & Fast. Teach your children and grandchildren to pray & fast.

5. Community is important. One family can’t realistically save enough food and supplies for years. Neighbors can bind together, form a co-op system, and help one another.

Two Upcoming Events

If you have read this far, then you’ve probably realized I’m not only referring to the threat of natural disasters. There are two future events prophecied in the Bible that we should prepare for.

1. The 6th Trumpet War or what we refer to as World War III. This war is coming, and it will be nuclear. There will be a catastrophic loss of life. Scripture says one third of mankind will be killed. No matter how much America is involved, or not involved, in this war, lifestyles will change overnight. Basic necessities that we take for granted now (even though expensive), may be completely out of reach.

“Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.” (Revelation 9:14-15)

2. The Tribulation. This period will last three and one half years. At some point in the near future, the antichrist will confirm a seven year covenant. This will allow for a “peace” agreement between the Israelis and the Palestians, and create a two state sharing agreement for the Temple Mount. Construction on the Jews 3rd Temple will begin, and animal sacrifices will resume. At the hallway point of the seven year period, the antichrist will step into the Temple, stop the sacrifices, and proclaim himself to be God (Messiah). This event is known as the Abomination of Desolation, and will trigger the three and one half years tribulation period.

”For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Matthew 24:21)

Practical Preparations

After either of these events happen, life will be changed. We will go from frivolous pastimes to focusing on basic life necessities. What will your family need to have those basic needs met? Here a a few to think about:

-Water. Many people would think about food first. However, the body can go many days without food, but only a few days without water. Everyone should have a flat of bottled water on hand, but let’s face it, that will only last a few days to a week at best. Do you have a well? Do you live near a stream, river, pond or lake? Remember to boil water to kill bacteria. In a pinch, you can use 8-10 drops of unscented bleach per 1 gallon of water.

-Shelter, Blankets, Flashlights, First Aid Kit, Solar-powered radio, Generator, Extra gasoline, Propane for Grills, Soap, Disinfectants, Bleach, Lighters, Matches, Candles

-Bibles, Books, Paper, Pens & Pencils (Think old school)

-Ground Coffee & Percolator, Toilet Paper (Okay, so not essential, but as long as we’re preparing…)

-Food. I want to be very clear here. I AM NOT PROMOTING HOARDING IN ANY FORM OR FASHION! I am suggesting that you collect enough food to get your family through at least a week, up to three months. If you experience a local natural disaster, you might need a week’s worth of food. If you experience a national disaster, you might need enough food to last through a winter season.

Canned Food is great if you have room to store it. Military MREs are also an option, but take up a lot of space, and can get quite expensive. Here is what I have chosen to do.

I store dried beans and rice in gallon size Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. This is a relatively inexpensive system compared to canned food or MREs. When done properly, the food lasts up to 25 years. The process is easy. (Trust me; if I can do it, you can do it.)

Mylar Bag & Oxygen Absorbers System

You Will Need

-Dried Beans/Rice (Economical & Healthy) You can store any dried foods.

-Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. (Amazon Link for Mylar Bags)

-Hot Iron to seal bags (I use an electric hair straightener. It works perfectly.)

-Tub with tight fitting lid (This keeps mice from chewing bags.)

The Process

-Purchase Dried Beans, Rice, Pasta, etc.

-Pour Into Bags

-Label Bags With Contents & Date

-Seal Bags With Hot Iron

-Store In Tub With Lid

Packed. Sealed. Labeled.

*I had all of the bags of dried beans poured up, sealed, labeled and put in the tub in about 20 minutes. Easy Peasy.

In Summary

I want to reiterate that I am not promoting hoarding. First, there is really no way to save enough food & water for three and a half years, much less all of the other supplies and essentials. Second, as I said, people will come. Are you going to deny food and basic essentials to people who are hungry? Or will you be a true Christian, showing compassion? Hard times are coming, but with them will also come great opportunities to BE THE CHURCH. Third, let’s not forget having faith in God. He will meet us at the point of our need.

”God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

Warm Regards In Jesus’ Name,

-Pat

PS: If you have ideas or tips for food storage or practical supplies to add to my list, drop it in the comments.

PSS: I am not a prepper, hoarder, isolationist, panic-provoker or fear-monger. I simply think a bit of preparedness can’t hurt.

What Two Events Must Happen Before The Rapture?

~ Pat Vick ~ Leave a comment
Photo by Terence Burke on Unsplash

The vast majority of Christians believe the Rapture of the Church is the next big event on the end time timeline. However, a close study of scripture reveals there are two major events that must occur first.

Granted, we must be ready to meet the Lord at any moment. None of us know how many days our lives consist of, or what moment we will personally pass through the veil of death into an eternity spent either in or out of God’s presence.

However, when we talk about the timing of the RAPTURE of the Church, according to scripture, it must still be at least SEVEN YEARS away. As I said, there are two major events still on the end time timeline. Let’s talk about each one.

SIXTH TRUMPET WAR
(Revelation 9)

“And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,” (Revelation 9:13)

The 6th angel refers to the sounding of the sixth trumpet. It is largely believed that the sounding of these seven trumpets are still in the future. However, we are currently living between the 5th & 6th trumpets. (The sounding of the fifth trumpet being the Gulf War.) The 7th trumpet, or Last Trump, will be the Rapture of the Church when we are caught up into the air to be with Jesus, go to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and return with Him to the Battle of Armageddon. 

“Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.” (Revelation 9:14)

These four “angels” which are loosed, are demonic spirits. We know they are not holy angels because they are bound. Their mission is to go out and draw world leaders into what we know to be World War lll.

These demonic spirits are at this moment bound under the Euphrates River, and will be loosed from that geographical area. There are four nations that border the Euphrates. Turkey, Syria, Iraq & Iran. This prophecied war will originate from this area, and quickly spread to other nations.

“And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men.” (Revelation 9:15)

We should be in deep and consistent prayer over end time events. Praying for this war not to happen, however, is futile. Its timing is locked in to God’s end time calendar of events, and nothing will change it, or keep it from happening.

The most disturbing detail of this prophecy is the number of people who will be killed in this war. Scripture specifically says “the third part of men.” It would be easy to assume, and hope, scripture is referring to a third part of people in a certain geographical location. While I am strictly a King James Version girl, in this instance I’d love to find other translations proving this theory. Unfortunately, every notable version of the Bible translates this phrase to mean one third of all mankind. Or one third of the world’s population. 

There are over 8 billion souls alive on the earth at present. It is excruciating to consider that over two and a half billion people will soon perish. The vast majority of them lost without God.

“And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.” (Revelation 9:16)

We find out here the main instigating army will consist of 200,000,000 soldiers. This is an astounding number that can only be fielded at this time by four nations or people groups:

-China, whose leader actually boasted of being able to field this exact number of soldiers, and is a nuclear power on the world stage.

-Islam, which is the prophecied “pale/green horse” of Revelation 6:8 whose rider was death.

-India, who also is a nuclear power.

-America, who has a strong military presence around the world, and is also a nuclear power.

“And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone.” (Revelation 9:17)

Here we see the imagery John used to describe modern day military equipment and warfare using the only reference points he knew at the time.


“By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths.” (Revelation 9:18)

Fire. Smoke. Brimstone. By these, one third of humanity will be killed. This war will undoubtedly be a nuclear exchange in order for such a vast number of people to perish.

***Please note this war occurs at the 6th Trumpet. The 5th Trumpet was the Gulf War (1990-1991) and the 7th Trumpet, when the Church will be raptured, is still in the future. This is one way we know this world war will occur BEFORE the rapture. It is one of the next two events on the end time timeline. Let’s talk about the other event we’re looking to happen before the rapture. Either of these events could happen first. Scripture isn’t explicitly clear which comes first.

CONFIRMATION OF THE COVENANT 
(Daniel 9)

“Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.“ (Daniel 9:24)

This prophecy was revealed to Daniel by the angel Gabriel at the beginning of the Jewish people’s captivity in Babylon. He is told that God has decreed a time period of judgement against the Jewish people of seventy weeks. This refers to 70 weeks of years, or 490 years. The end of this time period will accomplish five specific things:

1. Finish the transgression

2. Make an end of sins

3. Make reconciliation for iniquity 

4. Bring in everlasting righteousness 

5. Seal up the vision and prophecy

6. Anoint the Most Holy

For the sake of the brevity of this article, I will simply say there is one remaining week of years, or a final seven year period of time. We know this final seven years hasn’t occurred because none of the six requirements have happened yet. These will be the final seven years before Jesus raptures the Church, and returns to the earth to set up His earthly Kingdom.


“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27)

There is a specific event that will happen to trigger this final seven year period. Students of Bible prophecy call it the Confirmation of the Covenant. The “he” in this verse refers to the antichrist. He is a political figure whose identity we cannot be sure of at this point, but is undoubtedly working behind the scenes at present. He will confirm, or put his stamp of approval and support  on a seven year peace agreement between the Jewish people and the Palestinian people. 

This agreement will affirm the Covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants through his son Isaac. He would give them a Promised Land (the land we know as Israel) forever. This seven year peace agree will establish several specific things:

1. It will affirm the Jewish people’s right to their God-given homeland.

2. It will establish a Palestinian homeland in Judea-Samaria, also known as the West Bank.

3. It will allow for the building of a third Jewish Temple.

4. It will allow Jews and Arabs to both worship on the Temple Mount.

5. It will establish a Palestinian state, presumably in Judea-Samaria (the West Bank)

IN SUMMARY

While it is unclear which of these events will occur first, recent world developments reveal how quickly either one might happen. Never before in modern history could we imagine a scenario where any nation would actually bomb the nuclear Iran. Yet it happened. I dare say there have been several itchy fingers on nuclear buttons in recent weeks. We are also seeing the resurrection of the Abraham Accords, which could easily produce this prophecied Israeli/Palestinian peace agreement. 

In a world of uncertainty, one thing is certain. Major life-changing events are on the horizon, and it’s high time to seek and serve the Lord with all our hearts and strength. What will be your mindset? How will you navigate these final seven years once they begin? Will you be consumed by anxiety, or will you be found faithful and working for the Kingdom?

”And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” (Daniel 11:32)

Warm Regards,

~Pat Vick

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