*Introduction

*Destruction by Fire

*Signs Given

*Cataclysmic Times

*Stars Fall

*Light and Heat

*Darkness

*Earthquakes

*Hailsones

*Deliverance

INTRODUCTION - - - - Click to *Return

There are many articles and writings that tell of what is called the "end times" that will occur here on earth. The wrath of God, resulting from the wickedness of mankind that prevails on the earth, that is told of in the book of Revelation and in other books throughout the Bible, is usually the subject of these "end times" articles.

The purpose and focus of this present writing is to show what the Bible reveals about the catastrophic and disastrous events that can be expected during these "end times." The dramatic happenings that occur in the heavens above the earth, on the earth itself, and even under the earth, are clearly revealed in a multitude of verses from throughout the Bible.

So that an unnecessary fear and alarm is not created by concentrating on the shocking and dreadful events of these "end times," this writing will close with Bible verses that give assurance that the believing Christians will escape those horrible times.

In this writing the verses that pertain to a same or similar type of destruction will be grouped together for a better and more convincing understanding. Bold type will be used in many verses to accent the words that pertain to the subject.

The earth was once destroyed by a great flood that covered the earth and killed all air breathing things except Noah and his family. At that time God promised that the world would never again be destroyed by water as we read in Gen.9:11, "And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth." Note that God did not say that the earth would never again be destroyed but only that it would not again be destroyed "by water."

Peter revealed to us that the earth would again be destroyed, but instead of water that this time it would be by fire, "Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." II Pet.3:6-7.

There are verses in the Old Testament that hint of the destruction of the earth by fire as we read in Nahum 1:5, "The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.," and again in Micah 1:3-4, "For, behold, the LORD cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire, and as the waters that are poured down a steep place."

Peter ties in the "day of the Lord" as being this time of destruction of the earth by fire as we read again in II Pet.3:10, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up."

Any major event in the Bible was always foretold by God through his prophets as was promised in Amos 3:7, "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." That God would use signs to warn of impending events was already indicated in the first chapter of the Bible, Gen.1:14, "And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:."

When Jesus returns to this earth, his return will be preceded by a sign in the heavens, "And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Mat.24:30. Jesus spoke of signs to be given immediately before the "end times" as we read in Luke 21:11, "And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven."

The dramatic happenings in the earth as well as in the heavens will be for signs that warn of the coming destruction as Peter repeated the prophet Joel's words in Acts 2:19-20, "And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:" and as Jesus said in Luke 21:25-26, "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."

The "men's hearts failing them for fear" was described to John by the angel in Rev.6:15-17, "And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said 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?"

The signs and the troublous times that occur will be greater than anything known to man as Jesus told his disciples in Mat.24:21, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." The book of Revelation describes this time in Rev.16:18-21, "And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great."

Daniel, in the Old Testament, foretold of this "greatest time of trouble" in Dan.12:1, "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book."

The dramatic happenings in the heavens above are foretold in the book of Revelation as in

Rev.6:13-14, "And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places."

The stars referred to in this verse obviously cannot be entire stars which are many times larger than the earth itself. What we call meteorites would probably be a more accurate description, which even today are called "shooting stars." The dictionary defines a "falling star" as - "an incandescent meteor; a shooting star."

Jesus said in Mat.24:29, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:." An interesting addition to the information we have been given is in the last few words of this verse, "and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken." This can reveal much as to the reason for the dramatic events that occur in the heavens.

Scientists know of the delicate balance of the gravitational pull of the heavenly bodies upon each other. We read of their worries for a possible effect on the earth when a few planets happen to align themselves together in relation to the earth. A slight change in the gravitational pull on the earth could set off earthquakes and a change in the oceanic tides as we know them.

Imagine the effect if a large comet would travel close to the earth; how the gravitational pull would cause huge earthquakes, the monstrous tides that would result ("the sea and the waves roaring"), the steep faces of mountains that could collapse ("every mountain and island were moved out of their places"), the multitude of "shooting stars" from the "dust" in the tail of the comet as they are pulled into the earth’s atmosphere ("the stars of heaven fell unto the earth"), and the fear brought to mankind when scientists would warn of a comet being on a near collision course with the earth ("men’s hearts failing them for fear").

Luke sums it up in Lk.21:25-26 "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."

It is not difficult to imagine the disastrous effect a huge meteorite would cause if it landed in the ocean and caused enormous waves and water pollution of great magnitude from the disturbance in the ocean or from the substance itself. This may be what is referred to in Rev.8:8-9, "And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed." These verses are followed by what could be a similar meteorite that disintegrates and spreads dust-like material over the sources of fresh water supply as we read in Rev.8:10-11, "And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter."

If there were to be an apparent increase in the intensity of the sun's brightness, brought about by a change in the brightness of the sun itself or brought about by the sun being closer to the Earth, there would be an increase in the radiation and heat discharged upon the Earth.

A change in the brightness of the sun was foretold in the Old Testament as we read in Is.30:26, "Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound."

In the book of Revelation, a book of prophecy, it is foretold of the intense heat that will occur. We read in Rev.8:7, "The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon the earth: and the third part of trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up.," and again in Rev.16:8-9, "And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory."

A thick darkness was one of the plagues that God sent through Moses upon the land of Egypt. The darkness had a crippling effect on the land of Egypt as is told in Ex.10:21-23, "And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." Whether this darkness and the darkness spoken of in the end times is caused by the sun not giving its light or that because of such dense clouds the light can not penetrate through to the earth, is not explained.

Darkness is foretold in the Old Testament in Joel 2:31, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.," and again in Is.13:10, "For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine."

In the New Testament we read of darkness being foretold in Mat.24:29, "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:" and in Acts 2:20, "The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:," and again in Mark 13:24, "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,."

In the book of Revelation, John sees events unfolding and darkness was one of them as told in Rev.6:12, "And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;" and in Rev.8:12, "And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise."

A great earthquake was foretold already in Ezek.38:20, "So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground." Many great earthquakes are predicted in Luke 21:11, "And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven."

There will be a new record set for the size of an earthquake as we learn in Rev.16:18, "And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." We read again in Rev.11:19, "And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." In addition to earthquakes, we read of "great hail."

God speaks of great hail that he has reserved for a future time in Job 38:22-23, "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail, Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?"

The deadliness of large hailstones is recorded in Josh.10:11, "And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, and were in the going down to Beth-horon, that the LORD cast down great stones from heaven upon them unto Azekah, and they died: they were more which died with hailstones than they whom the children of Israel slew with the sword."

One can only imagine the destructiveness of huge hailstones a talent in weight. A talent is considered to be about an hundred pounds. "And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." Rev.16:21.

This concludes the intended purpose of this writing. To dramatize and speculate further, based on what the many Bible verses reveal, will be left to the reader. Grouping those verses together that very clearly indicate the details of the "end times" has brought into focus the dreaded events that lie ahead.

However, the Christian reader may be left with an unwarranted concern and fear of the events that are certain to occur. The Bible promises that the Christian believer has no cause for alarm because he will be spared these horrible events. We can be comforted in the words of Luke 21:36, "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." The Old Testament refers to this in Zeph.2:3, "Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD's anger."

In the book of Revelation, Jesus promised the church in Philadelphia, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Rev.3:10.

It was noted at the beginning of this article that the world would be destroyed the second time by fire (the first time was by water). Old Testament verses that apparently refer to that time can be found as in Ps.121:6, "The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.," and in Is.49:10, They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them."

How the Christian "escape" will occur is told us in I Thess.4:16-18, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."

An observation of the resultant time for the Christian from these past verses, can be found in Rev.7:16-17, "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."