Those of us who look at world conditions through the lens of the pre-millennial, pre-tribulation scope of things to come believe ours is the correct view of Bible prophecy. We reach that understanding, in part, when considering that 1) Israel must be at the center of world controversy at the very end of the age; and 2) Antichrist can’t be revealed as the man of sin until believers of the Church Age are removed from planet earth.
Now, the details of developments on the geopolitical last-days’ landscape grow ultra-fascinating. We have shown that Israel has become the center of controversy, exactly like Zechariah the prophet foretold that nation will be at the end of the age. We have looked at how this prophetic stage-setting has eventuated, with America’s alliance with and influence upon Israel bringing the Jewish state to the center of the end-times spotlight.
At the same time, we’ve delved into how the United States of America has gone into decline like the deteriorating visage of a terminally ill cancer patient. Why is the U.S. not mentioned in Bible prophecy? Perhaps we are learning why, as previously dissected, with America’s wealth currently being siphoned by the geopolitical power that will one day have a military force that will kill one-third of all peoples on earth at the time China and others of East Asia rampage into the Occidental world across the dried-up Euphrates River.
American tax dollars are paying for the equipping of that future juggernaut, it appears. America’s decline seems related to the country’s movement away from friendship with and close support of God’s chosen nation. Again, America looks to be key to developing prophetic stage-setting when thinking on what’s going on with the area of the world out of which history’s final and most despotic tyrant will emerge. Antichrist’s launching pad will be Europe–the area of ancient Rome, the prophet Daniel foretells (Dan. 9: 26-27).
Europe spawned World Wars I and II, and was in near total shambles following the Allied victory over Germany, Japan, and Italy. The Marshall Plan, conceived, implemented, and paid for by the United States, rebuilt that prophetically destined continent.
The European Common Market came into being in 1957, engendered by the Treaty of Rome. This followed a number of European nations agreeing to form the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) in 1951, which was implemented in 1952. Other agreements moved European nations closer, like the treaties establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). The formation of the European Economic Community (EEC) brought Europe to the point of coming into the prophetic picture as what will one day form the revived Roman Empire. Point is, none of these developments would have happened as they did if not for U.S. rescue of Europe from the ravages of WW II. This isn’t meant to give America undue accolades. The U.S. would, itself, never have existed if not for the God of heaven’s divinely appointed purpose for the American republic in end-times development.
The intricate linkages with the U.S. economy have kept Europe–and the western world, for that matter—at an elevated economic level never attained in history. The interlinkages of America and its dollar with all of these nations mentioned in Bible prophecy are nothing short of miraculous, when one truly studies the details involved. America’s loss of economic power is presently having a deleterious impact on most every nation on the planet–except, perhaps, China, which, again, looks to be the entity assigned by destiny to be the chief agent for siphoning wealth and power from the most materially blessed nation to ever exist.
The ominous bubble of economic catastrophe is building hourly for America and all nations of planet earth. There is almost certainly no human way to prevent it from eventually bursting. It becomes more obvious by the day to those who see prophetic developments from a premillennial, pre-Tribulation viewpoint that it is only God’s staying hand that prevents the explosion that will collapse the global economy.
I believe–again, based on what I know to be the pre-mil, pre-trib view God’s Word presents regarding prophecy yet future–that it will be the Rapture of the church (all born-again believers in Jesus Christ) that will burst that explosive bubble.
All stage-setting factors are in place–in detail—for the coming to power of Antichrist and his regime of murderous tyranny. It will be an economically driven dictatorship of absolute control over buying and selling, as Revelation 13:16-18 clearly presents.
That “prince that shall come” (Dan. 9:26) can’t appear on the world stage (2 Thess. 2:3) until the church is removed to heaven when Jesus Christ calls all believers to be with Him (John 14:1-3; 1 Thess. 4:16-17; Rev. 4:1). It is upon the Rapture that this world’s immense bubble of false security based upon Satan’s lies will burst and the humanistic structures of false hope will come crashing to dust.
The singular, most fascinating detail out of all of prophecy to remember is the following: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21).
His name is Jesus!
Terry James Prophecy Line 
A resounding amen. All credible and reliable sources see the true Bride as waiting in breathless anticipation of the Glorious Appearing of our beloved Redeemer and Lord. Today would be a perfect day. Either way, Come Lord Jesus!
Thank you for your articles! They are always just what I need to hear. I heard a prophecy teacher say the other day that it is not the rapture that will get everyone’s attention and show them He is God. It is Israel that will do that. I know it is true that He will show the nations who He is through Israel. But it seems like the rapture should also accomplish something along those lines. What do you think?
This is a very good question to be sure. Such a catastrophic event as the Rapture will beyond any doubt produce proof to the world that God has Intervened into the affairs of humankind in a stupendous way.
As a matter-of-fact, the Rapture will, I have no doubt, cause millions to turn to Christ immediately. Those will be those who have been convicted to accept Him but haven’t yet “pulled the trigger”.
They will fill the churches the very day of the Rapture, I’m convinced.
But we need Scriptural proof of the tremendous impact of that great event, don’t we? Here’s some scriptural food for thought about how the world will be affected.
24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 24:37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 24:40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 24:41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matt 24: 36-42)
Jesus gets even more specific about what will happen at the moment of Rapture.
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17: 28-30)
The Lord said it would be just like when Noah’s flood came and like the time Sodom was destroyed! And, He was talking about the time of His Return in the Rapture, not at the Second Advent (Rev. 19:11) At that time it won’t be “business as usual” going on as is indicated here. As much as three-fourths of the world’s populations will have died during that terrible time of God’s Wrath and Antichrist’s rule.
Do you think the world might just recognize that something has just happened?!
Do you feel that Matthew 24:36-42 reference the Rapture or Jesus’ Second Coming as Jack Kelley seems to?
I’m in company with Dave Hunt, who believed that this is a Rapture reference, not a Second Advent reference.
As a matter of fact, I believe this very strongly, indeed.
More than being in league with Dave, I believe I’m in league with the One that really counts –Jesus.
He described there that it will be pretty much business as usual at the moment the “son of man” next intervenes catastrophically in to the affairs of mankind. With as many as three-fourths of people on earth killed during the Tribulation, how can it be business as usual at the time of the Second Advent?
I know the seminary professors teach the Second Advent. They are wrong. Makes no sense –and the Bible always makes sense.
Another who believes in this being a Rapture prophecy was the late Dr. Adrian Rodgers –a seminary graduate, by the way.
My new book, “Rapture Ready…Or Not,” scheduled for release in early summer, will deal in part with this question.
Thank you Terry that makes sense.
Do you feel that Matthew 24 in entirety is referencing the rapture? Thanks
No. Jesus is prophesying mostly about things that will be going on during the 7 years of Tribulation in the Olivet Discourse of Matthew, chapter 24.
However, the Rapture is woven into that era in an undeniable way that puts forward the Pre-Trib occurrence of that great event.
Terry,
Thank you so much for your insight you share through your articles. I have a question regarding Supernatural Storm article and the paragraph below. Are you referring to people who become believers after the Rapture?
Many new believers who were left behind when the Rapture happened will come out of that Tribulation storm, some as martyrs and others as flesh-and-blood survivors to repopulate the millennial earth during the reign of Christ upon His Second Advent.
Thank you, Cheryl
On Sat, Mar 19, 2016 at 3:13 PM, Terry James Prophecy Line wrote:
> Terry James commented: “No. Jesus is prophesying mostly about things that > will be going on during the 7 years of Tribulation in the Olivet Discourse > of Matthew, chapter 24. However, the Rapture is woven into that era in an > undeniable way that puts forward the Pre-Trib occurren” >
See my reply to Leisel “I agree that ALL believers at the time of the Rapture will be raptured. The “new believers” I am discussing are those who come to believe AFTER the rapture of the church and during the tribulation. They were not believers at the time of the Rapture so were left behind.”
Reblogged this on Serve Him in the Waiting and commented:
Closer every day!
Or perhaps America is in decline because the Gospel is not preached, the Church is apostate and idols are in abundance. Irregardless of a rapture Isnt repentance a good idea for all of us? We are all beggars at God’s table.
The United States is in Bible prophecy. It is the great whore, mystery Babylon. Right over in the book of Revelation.
Watching all these prophesies unfold is a lonely place when all those I talk to mock it, disbelieve it and count me as crazy. Not many people to talk to about it and even believers don’t want to even think about the coming of Jesus and the antichrist. It is something that confounds them and makes them so uncomfortable that they just go on with their ordinary lives and pretend that all is well… come Lord quickly and say to us well done good and faithful servants.
Reblogged this on BibleProphecyWatch.