Do you remember the short doxology with the Latin title ‘Gloria Patri? In English, it means ‘Glory to the Father.’ This short ‘hymn of praise to God’ (a doxology) goes as follows:

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.

The Latin words of the full doxology as we know them today date back to the early 16^th century. The words were translated into English in 1851. The Biblical scripture reference for the words of the doxology comes from Ephesians 5:20, “Always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” and Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”

It is a true statement in this doxology that the world will not end, but over the course of time, our planet Earth and even the heavens will undergo an extreme makeover in the future, and I do not mean just the run-of-the-mill ‘climate change’ effects that certain segments of mankind fret so much about. Climate change effects will seem like small potatoes compared to the plan God has for the heavens and our earth in the future.

God built in up-and-down climate change for the earth from the very foundations of the world. Climate change has been happening on Earth long before mankind began to worry about man-made global warming and climate change in relatively recent times.

I have compiled a list of things to come upon the earth in the future, as well as in the heavens, as prophesied in the Bible, which mankind, especially non-Christians, should be concerned about taking place.

Let me preface this list by reminding the skeptics out there in the world that the Bible has a 100% accuracy record on all prophesies and promises mentioned in the Bible until now. So, there is no reason to believe the rest of these future Godly changes and judgments will not come to pass, because the ‘Word of God’ says they will happen. Therefore, be assured, they absolutely will happen!

This may not be a comprehensive Biblical list of things yet to happen on the earth and in the heavens, but you will definitely get the picture. God has painted us a clear picture. The following list of catastrophic things to take place will all happen during the post-Rapture period, commonly known as the seven-year Great Tribulation period.

I reckon several things on this list will come as a complete surprise to anyone who has not read or studied the Bible.  Thankfully, Christians will not be around to experience this list of bad things because Jesus Christ will come and rapture all true Christians, both the living and the dead, from the earth prior to these terrible things taking place.

Let’s take a look at the things yet to come on the earth and in the heavens during the seven-year Tribulation period following the Rapture of the Church (Christians) by Jesus Christ.  These future conditions of God’s judgments are all prophesied in the biblical book of Revelation, but some of them are mentioned in other books of the Bible as well.

Global war

Famine

¼ of the world’s population will die from war and hunger.

New tribulation period Christians will be slain for their faith.

Earthquakes

Sun darkened

Stars fall

Mountains and islands will be moved.

Panic and terror will be universal.

Hail and fire falls from heaven, mingled with blood.

1/3 of everything in and on the sea will be destroyed.

Bitter, poisoned waters

Sun smitten, affecting light and temperatures

Demonic creatures torture unsaved people

Another 1/3 of the world’s population dies.

More great earthquakes and great hail

Malignant sores plague all the unsaved people.

Seas becomes blood; all in the seas will die.

Only blood to drink from rivers and springs

People are scorched with fire and great heat.

People will gnaw their tongues due to pain and sores.

Preparation for the ‘Battle of Armageddon’

The greatest earthquake ever known to mankind

Cities throughout the world will crumble.

Every island and mountain will disappear.

Huge hailstones will fall, weighing about 100 pounds each.

Remember, these things listed above all occur during a brief seven-year period of time.  Then, when Jesus Christ returns to Earth to begin His 1,000-year millennial reign on Earth from His center of government located in the city of Jerusalem in Israel, even more changes are in store for planet Earth. And then, when that millennium ends after a thousand years, even greater, truly astounding, amazing, and awesome things will take place on Earth and in the heavens. These changes will all be good and glorious!

God will make new heavens and a new earth, which will serve as the forever home for all the Old Testament Saints, the New Testament Christians, all Christians right up to the time the Rapture takes place, and those people who become Christians during the Tribulation period. The new earth includes a wondrous New Jerusalem city of massive proportion, which God tells us about in great detail in the biblical book of Revelation.

There are too many details about the Rapture, Millennium, the New Heavens, the New Earth, and the New Jerusalem to cover in this article, but you can read about them for yourselves in the biblical books of Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation. Also referenced in many other books of the Bible, including Daniel, 1 Thessalonians, Zechariah, Matthew, Psalms, Acts, and in many of the other minor prophet books of the Old Testament, etc.

The important thing to remember about all these future events is your need to become a Christian before the Rapture in order for you to avoid all the bad things listed above during the Great Tribulation. In addition, after becoming a Christian, reading the Bible will make better sense to you and be much easier to understand because you will have the Holy Spirit in you to help enlighten you and explain God’s Word while you study.

The main point to remember is to accept Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as your personal Lord and Savior, who died on a cross for you and all of us, shedding His blood for us as the Lamb of God and then rising from the dead. Jesus took all of our sins, past, present, and future, and had them nailed on the cross with Him. By His Resurrection, Jesus defeated Death and made us righteous with God the Father. Therefore, we are justified by God’s grace and mercy, enabling us to gain entry into heaven for all eternity.

Now, in conclusion, just for clarity’s sake, the order of future events is first the Rapture, then the Great Tribulation, followed by the battle of Armageddon, then Jesus’ return to Earth on the Mount of Olives to rule from Jerusalem during the Millennium, and finally the New Heavens, New Earth, New Jerusalem, and Eternity spent with Jesus Christ.

But until these things come to pass, we can keep singing the doxology of ‘Gloria Patri’!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

To God be the glory, great things He has done
So loved He the world that He gave us His son
Who yielded His life, an atonement for sin
And opened the life-gate that all may go in.

O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood
To every believer, the promise of God
The vilest offender who truly believes
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

O come to the Father through Jesus the Son
And give Him the glory, great things He has done.

These verses are from an 1875 hymn by Fanny J. Crosby (1820-1915)

There was a long-running American television panel show titled To Tell the Truth, which first aired in 1956. Three contestants would field questions from a panel of four celebrities, who would ask the contestants about their occupation or experiences. One contestant would answer truthfully, and the other two contestants would lie through their teeth repeatedly. As a viewer, it was often very hard to tell who was telling the truth, and the panel often made the wrong choice. Just as the panel did, voters can often choose poorly.

Now, we are approaching the home stretch of another United States presidential election. As is the traditional dilemma with electing any public officials at all levels of government, the trick is for the voters to recognize and decide which candidates are telling the truth or lying. That is because the lies from the mouths of politicians are getting harder to discern.

To tell the truth—it is getting harder to determine which candidates are telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. However, one American political party has seemed to master the art of ‘lies and deception.’ If this is not clear to you, then perhaps you have not been paying close attention or simply believe what the mainstream media has to say.

It is not hard to decide who is lying if you are an informed and diligent voter. Forget casting your vote for a U.S. president based strictly on political rhetoric and disparaging comments by a politician, but study the facts and research the candidates’ proven track record of real achievements that have benefited much of the United States citizenry.

The apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians a defense of his apostleship in the face of opposition and attacks from false apostles (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). He was involved in a ‘battle for truth.’ Paul made it clear his battle for the truth was waged in thoughts, arguments, and ideas in the battlefield of the mind (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).

Satan’s chief weapons are lies and deception, and he seems to have nearly perfected his craft in America today. Satan’s lies began in the Garden of Eden, and they persist right up to the present day around our world. Satan knows that if he can imbed his lies in the minds of humans, beginning with children in the public school system, then those children will grow up into voters who are easily deceived and gullible to believe Satan’s evil lies.

Donald Trump faces a situation comparable to that of the apostle Paul. In today’s American societal climate, Trump must constantly defend himself against false lies and attacks. It amazes me how today’s career politicians, national mass media news personalities, and network talk show hosts have become such polished and professional liars who can spew lies straight-faced without blushing, blinking an eye, or stammering. True Satan scholars!

The radical left politicians and the left-leaning fake news mass media, along with most professional entertainment people, think they can sway the opinion of common, ordinary Americans simply because they have a talent for singing, acting, or sports and are fortunate enough to have a soap box somewhere in the social or news media outlets to spread the lies and deception of Satan and his minions. I guess those people think most of us American commoners do not have the brain power to decide who to vote for but can easily be herded like sheep in one direction or the other by what they have to say about it.

Trump has a four-year record of success as President of the United States. Harris offers nothing but smiles, giggles, and flip-flopping hot air to run on. She is relying on lies and deception to get elected, favorite tactics of Satan, rather than spelling out any concrete plans on how she will improve the status of a majority of common, patriotic, hardworking Americans struggling to afford food and clothing for their families, fuel for their vehicles, and paying basic monthly bills.

Trump is far from perfect by a long shot, but we should elect our leaders based on their proven ability to make good things happen for our country and the world as a president of the United States rather than empty promises easily withdrawn after the election is over.

In the Biblical book of Ephesians, Paul says it is important for us to put on the full armor of God to stand against the arrows and attacks of Satan. This includes putting on the belt of truth (Ephesians 6:13-14). The Bible has a lot to say about ‘truth’ and how to discern it based on biblical scripture, including what Jesus Christ has to say about rebuffing lies.

Open a Bible and study all it has to say about discerning the truth. What is truth? Jesus said, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6).

Jesus Christ is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth!

After much prayer and consideration—be sure to vote this November—and vote wisely.