***There is a special message here and at the end of this article.
***I believe the book of Revelation is to be interpreted literally, and symbolism is to be used only when the author specifies it. With this in mind, the following begins to describe how I interpret the plight of the Tribulation Saints. Part two will deal with the events that transpire after the Sixth Trumpet, while also identifying the exact moment that the remnant of Tribulation Saints ends and the millennial-reign remnant begins, and why this is so important.
***
Once the rapture takes place and the pre-rapture remnant church is caught up to forever be with Christ,[1] another remnant will begin to form. This remnant, affectionately referred to as the ‘ready remnant of Tribulation saints,’ will consist of those who decide to place their trust in the God of heaven rather than the god of this world.
This remnant will have a particularly difficult time of it because the ‘Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse‘[2] will be making their rides at the same time that the beast system that was already developing before the rapture quickly gains traction and blossoms into the great juggernaut it is foretold in Scripture to become. In fact, by the midpoint of the seven-year Tribulation, the beast system will, through the one-world government – economy – and religion, emerge as the predominant force on Earth (Rev 13). Here we will direct our attention to the plight of the ‘Ready Remnant of Tribulation Saints.’[3]
Missed the Rapture?
The first piece of advice I have for anyone finding and reading this article after the rapture is to read another article, “Open Letter to Those Who Miss the Rapture.“[4] Doing so will provide a great overview of the period in which you find yourself. It will also clue you into the fact that great deception will fill the land like a deep fog that obscures the landscape. In this environment, you will need all the help you can get in order to overcome.
Your best resource is the Bible; reading it will provide the faith necessary to “trust the Lord with all of your heart and lean not unto your own understanding (Prov 3:5).”[5] This is so important because nothing will be like it was before. In fact, you will be unable to trust anything that you once relied upon. Therefore, you must allow the Lord to direct your path (Prov 3:6).
Before moving on, let us remember why the remnant must remain ready. First, the pre-rapture remnant must be ready for the rapture (The Blessed Hope – Titus 2:13), which could come at any time. At the same time, this remnant must be ready, just like the Tribulation Saints remnant, for death since it is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgment (Heb 9:27). However, this last reason is especially important for the Tribulation Saints remnant because there will be so many ways to die suddenly. Therefore, this remnant must always remain ready. Spoiler alert… the Tribulation Saints will either die for their faith or become part of the Millennial-Reign remnant. This will be covered in detail in part two.
The Tribulation Saints Must Remain Ready
Once the rapture occurs, a new remnant will rapidly form and expand. This ‘ready remnant of Tribulation Saints’ will have to maintain a state of readiness at all times because great calamity will be the new normal, and instant death will become commonplace. This is because this group will exist in the worst time of tribulation ever known to man (Matt 24:21). Thus, this period is referred to as the Great Tribulation, and those who come to believe in Christ during this period, the Tribulation Saints.
Knowing what lies ahead is invaluable information for this remnant. Therefore, including an overview of this trying period is pertinent. Call this a roadmap, if you will, that provides checkpoints for the journey ahead. Who knows, having this insight could help this remnant make the right moves at the right time in order to survive longer. Though making it through to the end of this most incredible time of utter destruction is very unlikely.
This is because Scripture indicates that the calamities of the Tribulation are many and ever-increasing in severity. In fact, the intensification of these calamities could be illustrated by thinking about a monster truck rally, particularly the tractor-pull event. In this competition, the tractor begins with the weight on the sled in the rearward or lightest position. As the tractor progresses down the track, the weight begins to shift forward on the sled, making it heavier until the tractor can no longer pull the weight.
Just like a tractor pull, the Tribulation will become more difficult as time passes. This is because two things are happening at the same time: God is pouring out His wrath upon the wicked inhabitants of the earth; and Satan, through his minions, is implementing the beast system that he uses for total control. It is also important to note that near the midpoint of the Tribulation period, a great woe will be pronounced upon mankind as Satan himself is cast down to earth, where he will fail in his attempt to destroy the millennial-reign remnant (more about this remnant in a subsequent ready remnant article), and then turn his attention toward the remaining remnant of Tribulation Saints (Rev 12:13-17). Here are some of the things this remnant will face in this seemingly never-ending catastrophe-filled time.
The Judgments of God
The Tribulation Saints must continue as a ready remnant because, as previously mentioned, God will pour out His wrath in a succession of judgments designed to judge the wicked and cause as many as will turn from their wicked ways to be saved and added to the number of Tribulation Saints. The latter aspect is borne out throughout the narrative of the book of Revelation when, after judgments, it is noted that the wicked repent not. Here is one example:
Revelation 9:20
“And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:”[6] (emphasis mine)
Speaking of judgments, here is how they will fall:
The Seven Seals
The first judgments are referred to as the ‘seal judgments.’ These judgments unfold, one after the other, as the Lamb of God opens the seven-sealed scroll of Rev 5:1. Most believe these judgments begin at the early stages of the Tribulation. Therefore, the opening of the first seal will be marked by the arrival of a rider on a white horse, going forth to conquer. Most believe this is a depiction of the antichrist who is set loose by God to do what he is destined to do, conquer the world (Rev 6:1-2).[7]
Next, upon opening the second seal, the red horse and rider go forth; it is important to note that the special power of this rider is the ability to take peace from the earth. The arrival of this rider will become evident when people begin to kill one another on a massive scale (Rev 6:3-4).[8]
The third horseman will ride his black steed when the third seal is opened (Rev 6:5-6).[9] He will bring with him great famine, a famine so great that it will take a day’s wage just to earn enough to purchase food for that day. One special identifier of this rider is that he is commanded to abstain from harming the oil and the wine. This is indicative of the fact that the elites of the world will not be affected by this famine the way the common man is. This is because only the wealthy will be able to afford the luxuries of oil and wine. Fret not; the wealthy rulers will finally begin to be affected by the seal judgments when the sixth seal is opened.
Rounding out the four horsemen of the apocalypse is the rider of the pale green horse (Rev 6:7-8). The arrival of this rider signifies mass death. In fact, this rider is named Death, and Hell follows closely behind him. These two will be given power over one-fourth of the earth where they will kill by sword, famine, plague, and by the beasts of the earth. Take special note that this passage says these will have power over one-quarter of the earth, not one-quarter of the population. Therefore, this seems to be a geographical judgment that will shift the focus of the world back to the Middle East for the remainder of the Tribulation period. This idea is covered in the articles “Back to Babylon“[10] and “Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse.”[11]
In addition to these two recommended articles, Dr. Carl Baugh of the ‘Creation Evidence Museum’ of Texas provides more detail about how the earth will change during the Tribulation, in his video “Creation in Symphony: The Model-Part 10: The Last Days.”[12] By the way, all ten videos are worth a watch.[13]
By the time the fifth seal is opened in heaven, the wicked will have begun killing the righteous for their faith. We know this because these martyrs are now seen in heaven, under the altar of God, calling for God to avenge them (Rev 6:9-11). It would not be a stretch to see their cries as the catalyst for the next judgment, which unleashes great terror upon Earth. Indeed, the opening of the sixth seal is so intense that it is better to include the text here:
Revelation 6:12-17
“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 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. [Next comes proof that this seal affects the elites of the earth.]
“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?” [By this point, it is obvious to man that God is judging the wicked.] [author’s comments]
It is very important to understand that right after this most devastating earthquake and apparent volcanic activity, four angels have to literally hold back the inevitable damage from these events until the servants of God can be sealed in their foreheads. None of this is seen from Earth. Therefore, the next noticeable thing on earth will be the arrival of 144,000 Jewish evangelists, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel.
Once these evangelists add their message to the two witnesses who have already been proclaiming the truth of God’s Word in Jerusalem, many will be saved and then killed for their faith. This is known by the fact that John sees a great multitude that comes out of the Great Tribulation arrive in heaven (Rev 7:9-17).
By the way, during the period of the Tribulation remnant, each death of one who has come to believe in Christ is one more soul transferred into the heavenly kingdom of God. Therefore, what we see happening is a transference of the godly (in spirit) to heaven and the wicked to the earth (Satan and the angels that follow him in his rebellion – Rev 12:7-12). More on this in part two.
The opening of the seventh and final seal initiates silence in heaven which lasts around half an hour. This unsealing is also responsible for setting the stage for the next set of judgments, the trumpet judgments. It is at this time that seven angels are given their respective trumpets, which will sound in succession as each trumpet judgment is meted out. In keeping with the idea that the judgments provide checkpoints for the remnant saints, this time of silence and stage setting will seemingly go unnoticed on earth, except for fire from heaven and the sound of voices, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake (Rev 8:1-5).
The Trumpet Judgments
I am of the opinion that the trumpet judgments will present in rapid succession, and they could all begin with the massive earthquake and volcanic activity described in the sixth seal. Allow me to explain:
Each of the first four trumpets involves damage to the earth, the type of damage that would result from a great earthquake like the one experienced in the sixth seal judgment, after which we see four angels holding back the winds of the earth (this could be seen as catastrophic damage that is forthcoming from a judgment so great that men cry for rocks to fall on them Rev 7:1-3). Notice, these angels are told to hurt not the earth, sea, or trees until the 144,000 are sealed in their foreheads (Rev 7:3-4). With this in mind, it is plausible that as each of the first four trumpets sounds, one of these angels unleashes the damage he has been holding at bay.
The trumpet judgments begin when the first angel sounds his trumpet. When he does so, hail and fire mingled with blood will be cast upon the earth. This judgment will cause one-third of all trees to be burnt up and the burning up of every kind of green grass. Think about this judgment for a second… fire filled with chunks of debris and fluid that will seemingly act as a thickening agent, just like napalm. This fire will stick to whatever it comes into contact with, and it will burn for a good while. Thus the burning up of the trees and grass. This would be the exact effect of the initial stages of a volcanic eruption.
Yellowstone comes to mind as the eruption of this massive super-volcano could come as a result of the earthquake of the sixth Seal, which involves an earthquake so great that it moves the mountains and islands out of their places, not to mention the seventh Seal involves yet another earthquake. Therefore, the eruption of Yellowstone could be just one of a chain of volcanic eruptions that could easily destroy the one-third part mentioned here.
At the sound of the second trumpet, what seems like a great mountain which burns with fire will be cast into the sea, causing one-third of the sea to become blood. This could be the result of a volcano exploding with such force that a large chunk of the burning volcanic mountain is cast high into the sky before returning to the earth, landing in the ocean. At this time, one-third of sea life will be destroyed along with one-third of the ships. Again, this seems to be a geographical judgment that causes further migration back to the Middle East (remember the article ‘Back to Babylon’).
The third trumpet brings what appears to be a star falling from heaven upon the water, again on one-third of the earth. This could be an asteroid from space or a fragment of the aforementioned mountain-like chunk that fell into the ocean during the second trumpet judgment. It is plausible that this star-like piece managed to pierce through the atmosphere and reenter a short time after the initial mountain-like chunk fell into the sea. Either way, this large meteor would appear to the inhabitants of the earth as a falling star. Based on the text, this meteor will likely explode in the lower atmosphere, which will cause a large blast radius from which the falling debris poisons the waters on one-third of the earth.
The fourth trumpet judgment will bring darkness to, interestingly, one-third part of the light-producing celestial bodies. Many have struggled with how to interpret this passage. I believe the most plausible solution is to see this darkening as the result of the massive volcanic ash cloud that will undoubtedly accompany the eruptions already mentioned. Eruptions of this magnitude would surely blot out the sun, moon, and stars… both day and night, for some time. Undoubtedly, this will have a devastating effect on all normal processes on the planet. One could see agriculture being among the worst hit.
After this judgment, an angel will fly through the midst of heaven, “saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound! (Rev 8:13).” Incredibly, the three remaining trumpet judgments are so severe that God has an angel pronounce three woes before their coming.
When the fifth angel sounds, what appears to be a star will fall from heaven. However, John specifies that the key to the bottomless pit (Abyss) is given to ‘him.’ Therefore, the best interpretation of this star is that this is an angel dispatched on a special mission to open the abyss from which a demonic army of large horse-like flying locusts is unleashed. These will only be able to torment those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads, and that for only five months. Take note that their torment will be like that of a scorpion. For a more detailed description of these locusts, see Revelation 9:7-10.
Something else will come out of this pit, the king of these locusts. He is an angel whose name is Abaddon, which is Apollyon in the Greek language, and these names mean ‘destroyer.’ Simply put, this angel is the destroyer from the Abyss. Many confuse him with Satan; however, Satan has not yet been cast down to earth, let alone chained in the abyss. Later, Abaddon is further identified as the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, the one who makes war and overcomes and kills the two witnesses who, up until that point, are untouchable.
The second woe unfolds when the sixth trumpet sounds. This will unleash a great army led by four angels that have been loosed from the Euphrates River. This army will be recognized by the fact that it is two hundred million strong. They will kill one-third of the remaining population of the earth by fire, smoke, and brimstone. The description of this army makes it sound as though it must be made up of demonic beings since this fire, smoke, and brimstone issues forth from the mouths of these horses. Oh, to make matters worse, these horses have tails that have heads that also hurt people. This will be one fierce army.
By now, you are probably becoming weary just hearing about what will happen. Imagine living through it.
Conclusion
Already, we have achieved the goal of demonstrating that it is vital that the ‘Remnant of Tribulation Saints’ remain ready at all times. In a word, the reason is Death. Truly, anyone finding themselves in the Tribulation has a significantly increased risk of sudden death. Therefore, living in a ready state is the best way to live in this the darkest of times.
In part two, we will examine key information that differentiates the remnant of Tribulation Saints from the millennial-reign remnant as well as the remaining judgments of God on the wicked of the world, all while outlining the activities of Satan and his minions.
In the meantime, remember that the primary goal is to be part of the pre-rapture remnant, and Jesus told us what our posture should be…. After describing the major events of history which would take place prior to His return, Jesus said this in Luke 21:28-36:
“And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled [Convergence of all of these things is depicted here].[14] Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 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.” (emphasis mine) [author’s comment]
[Jesus is completely sinless and cannot lie. Therefore, He would not have told us to pray to escape that which cometh if we could not; nor would He have said this: “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) ]
***Special message: While writing this article, I became aware that many who once believed in the pre-tribulation rapture are falling for the deception of the post-tribulation fallacy. To this, I have one statement: If Jesus does not rescue the church before the Tribulation (a time that literally destroys most of the earth), who will be alive to rapture at the end of this time of great destruction, making the post-tribulation stance completely nonsensical as well as unbiblical. This point is made clear in part two when the martyrdom of even the sealed – 144,000 is explained…
Website: In His Commission
[1] For greater understanding, see the article, “Ready Remnant: Pre-Rapture”
[2] For greater understanding, see this link, “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”
[3] For more information, visit “Ready Remnant.”
[4] For greater understanding, see the article, “Open Letter to Those Who Miss the Rapture.”
[5] For encouragement, here is a link to the song, “Trust in the Lord.”
[6] “Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are in the King James Version.”
[7] For greater understanding, see the article, “First Horseman of the Apocalypse.”
[8] For greater understanding, see the article, “Second Horseman of the Apocalypse.”
[9] For greater understanding, see the article, “Third Horseman of the Apocalypse.”
[10] For greater understanding, see the article, “Back to Babylon.”
[11] For greater understanding, see the article, “Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse.”
[12] For greater understanding, see the video, “Creation in Symphony: The Model-Part 10: The Last Days.”
[13] For greater understanding, see the playlist, “Creation in Symphony: The Model.”
[14] For greater understanding, see the free video, “The Coming Convergence.”