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The Mark of the beast(Antichrist)

There is far too much confusion in our churches regarding the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ. Many are now saying that it is one event, when the scriptures in revelation and elsewhere clearly show two separate events. There is a ton of scripture regarding the Rapture or great catching away of the church along with the great day of the Lord which will immediately follow the rapture, then the actual second coming. These are the NOT same thing.

In fact the famed "battle of Armageddon" named because of the valley where at least part of it is thought to be fought and it is called Megiddo. This is the same thing as what is described in Ezekiel chapters 38&39(Battle of Gog and Magog please visit that page for more detail). Revelation chapter 19 is also describing the battle of Gog and Magog and is where it gets fulfilled. There are many other passages in the Old Testament that describe other details of the same battle such as in Joel, Zechariah and many other places.

The rapture does NOT include him coming to earth, but only coming halfway to catch up believers into the clouds. This is NOT the second coming. The second coming is based on Revelation 19:11, which is at the end of the great seven year tribulation and before Christ's 1000 year reign on earth.

Revelation 19:11-21 (New International Version)

The Rider on the White Horse

11. I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

17. And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18. so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."

19. Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20. But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21. The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.

This is the second coming of Jesus, NOT the rapture and this is at the end of the (approx.)seven year tribulation, while the rapture has occurred seven years previous as proven and read about in Revelation 7:14.

There is another passage which refers to this second coming in Joel. Joel actually talks about the great day of the Lord AND the second coming as two separate events as well, because he says in Joel 2: 30-31

Joel 2:30-31 (New International Version)

30 I will show wonders in the heavens
and on the earth,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.

31 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.

What needs to be noted here is, he says the sun will turn dark and the moon blood red BEFORE the great day of the Lord. These signs and more will be seen by the people left behind after the rapture which is the kickoff event of the great day of the Lord and the last seven(approx.), year tribulation period. When the rapture occurs in Rev.6:12 & 7:14 at the breaking of the sixth seal, one of the first great worldwide earthquakes will occur and some of the stars of heaven will fall to earth causing worldwide fires and destruction everywhere. This will be the first of many awesome days to come. But the actual second coming, will be with Christ on the white horse AND the armies of heaven also on white horseback. This battle is also described here in Joel and specifically is talking about the army of the Lord.

Joel 2: 1-11

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
       sound the alarm on my holy hill.
       Let all who live in the land tremble,
       for the day of the LORD is coming.
       It is close at hand-

2 a day of darkness and gloom,
       a day of clouds and blackness.
       Like dawn spreading across the mountains
       a large and mighty army comes,
       such as never was of old
       nor ever will be in ages to come.

3 Before them fire devours,
       behind them a flame blazes.
       Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,
       behind them, a desert waste?
       nothing escapes them.

4 They have the appearance of horses;
they gallop along like cavalry.

5 With a noise like that of chariots
       they leap over the mountaintops,
       like a crackling fire consuming stubble,
       like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;
every face turns pale.

7 They charge like warriors;
       they scale walls like soldiers.
       They all march in line,
       not swerving from their course.

8 They do not jostle each other;
       each marches straight ahead.
       They plunge through defenses
       without breaking ranks.

9 They rush upon the city;
       they run along the wall.
       They climb into the houses;
       like thieves they enter through the windows.

10 Before them the earth shakes,
       the sky trembles,
       the sun and moon are darkened,
       and the stars no longer shine.

11 The LORD thunders
       at the head of his army;
       his forces are beyond number,
       and mighty are those who obey his command.
       The day of the LORD is great;
       it is dreadful.
       Who can endure it

This is an incredible description of the Lord's army but this is NOT the rapture of the church. This is in fact the church that has already been in heaven through the seven year(approx.), tribulation, now coming back on horse back to defeat the armies of antichrist and Satan with Jesus.

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