Middle East war will explode not long after Christ’s church is taken home to God’s heavenly house. That is not to say that meanwhile there will not be military conflicts in the Mid-East region. The explosive potential for armed conflict is constantly present. At the moment, for example, Iran is trying to produce nuclear weapons, while its leaders call for Israel’s total annihilation. The Hamas terrorists are now in “legal” control of the drive toward a Palestinian state. The escalating violence in Syria as the dictator Bashar Al-Assad tries to cling to power and Israel’s determination to prevent the terrorist organization’s murderous plans in use of chemical and other weapons of mass destruction against Israel’s people threaten an expanded conflict in the region.

The Muslim Brotherhood has Egypt and the entire Arab community of nations in an uproar and verging on upheaval that could instigate World War III. That the violence could ignite that much wider conflagration is the fear of diplomats within the international community.

But no matter when war becomes full-blown on Earth, all Christians who have lived or died during the Church Age will, immediately following the Rapture, enjoy peace, joy and fulfillment beyond any that can be imagined this side of heaven. That peace will be true and everlasting!

Believers of the Church Age will, of course, stand before the Lord to be judged at the BEMA judgment seat of Christ. But, it will be a judgment of rewards, not a judgment of sins committed in the earthly life. The Lord Jesus took all of those sins to the cross with Him when He died for those who believe in Him. His sacrifice on that awful tree of crucifixion paid the sin debt in full.

Paul the Apostle gives an illustration of the race that must be run, at the end of which are the BEMA judgment and rewards that will be given. (Read 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 9:25-27; 2 Timothy 4:7-8.) He uses the example of an athletic contest. The Bible says that this judgment is one for the works done in the earthly life. Anything and everything done with the pure motive of honoring Christ will be richly rewarded in ways we cannot begin to fully understand right now. These rewards will be given in the form of crowns.

The Bible says also that unconfessed sin can result in loss of rewards at this judgment. Works done just to look good in the eyes of other people will not be accepted by the Lord as works done for Him. These works will be destroyed and only the works done with pure motive will remain.

But the BEMA judgment has nothing to do with salvation. The believer is forever secure in God’s family at the moment he or she accepts Jesus Christ as Savior. The believer will be forever with Christ in Heaven!

Sadly, and tragically, those who have rejected the Holy Spirit’s call to salvation through Jesus Christ will face another, most terrible judgment. It is called the great white throne judgment. It will take place at the end of the millennium.

Everyone at that judgment will be lost. That is, they will have rejected God’s offer of salvation and will be forever separated from God and Heaven. This judgment is for eternal punishment. Those judged will be given punishment in accordance with the evil things they have done in the earthly life. This isn’t my idea or some preacher’s idea. It is a warning straight from God’s holy, absolutely true Word.

The great, loving God doesn’t want this for anyone. He has moved Heaven and Hell to bring all men, women and children to himself. He gave His only son, Jesus Christ. What greater thing could He give? But God created us with a free will. That is, we can choose to love and obey Him, or not. It is up to us.

God’s Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, calls all people to salvation through the shed blood of Jesus, who died for us on the cross. God desires with all His heart that you come to Him. But, the cross is the only way you can come to Him. There is none other.

Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior right this moment. He will change your life forever. He will give you peace that surpasses understanding, even while the world rages around you.

Choose heavenly peace, not earthly war. Troubling issues and events about Mid-East war and peace, as well as worry over all other prophetic signals of these last days, will then encourage you rather than frighten you.

When you see all these things begin to come to pass, you can then, “…stand up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).