Consequences

The fires from outside light up the cave we hide in. It’s the only place that the heat is bearable. The earth has changed so much in the last five years. I hadn’t noticed the world changing till after the mass disappearances. Perhaps if I hadn’t been so self involved I would have but, I cared for no one besides myself. I cut anyone who dared to tell me I was doing wrong from my life that included my family. I think of them now, wondering if they’re still alive. If I can believe the W.H.O, they estimate over three and a half billion people have died in the last five years and that isn’t counting those who disappeared at the beginning of this tribulation. 

I witnessed the disappearances myself; it was the first time I ever prayed to God. A kindly woman tried to let me know God was real, we spoke at a park. She had been telling her grandchildren a story of Jesus and I loudly scoffed and ridiculed her. She didn’t get mad; instead she tried to convince me of his existence. When she and her grandchildren disappeared, I prayed. I took the bible that had been left by her and in fear held on to it like it was my only hope. It was actually, if I’d read it and had repented my sins. Instead I viewed it as a relic with special powers. I did not understand that my only hope was God’s words inside the covers.  They would tell me how to receive everlasting life.

It was only recently that I’ve learned and understood that a war has been waged here on Earth and in Heaven. It’s a war of good against evil, right against wrong and God against Satan. It is a war of principalities and we humans who have scoffed and ridiculed God and his word, have in some cases unwittingly and other cases knowingly sided with Satan.

God’s children have been saved from his wrath, they are the ones who disappeared. They were raptured. They were taken up by Jesus into Heaven without having to die. There are millions here on earth now who believe, but we all came to the Lord after the rapture and must endure God's wrath.  Now we are the enemy of the ruler of earth, the Antichrist. We can no longer buy or sell food or any essentials, we are hunted down and executed if they find out we are believers or we don’t receive the mark of the beast who rules now.   

God has been trying to get peoples attention. He loves mankind but he will no longer put up with the rebellion and blaspheme. With each judgment sent to earth, he cries out for people to love him and put there trust in him, but most people are defiant wanting things their way. They have twisted morality; right is wrong and wrong is right. They are intolerant of any with a different view; they turn on each other, violently trying to eradicate any who disagree with them. Even as they scream that it is others who are intolerant.

God sent seven Seal Judgments; they brought conquering armies, war and bloodshed, pestilence and death, and a great earthquake that toppled mountains and moved islands all over the world. But still we blasphemed God.

But God is merciful and wants no one to spend eternity in Hell, so he sealed 144,000 witnesses from the twelve tribes of Israel, to spread his word. 

Then he sent the Trumpet Judgments; Hail and fire mixed with blood were thrown down upon the earth and one third of the earth was burned up. Then a meteor as great as a mountain was thrown into the sea, one third become blood and many creatures of the sea died. Next a great star called Wormwood fell to earth, poisoning a third of all rivers and streams. Many died from drinking the bitter waters.  Still people cursed God, angry that he dared to punish them. So he dimmed a third of the sun, moon and stars. He sent a warning of the next three Trumpet Judgments. But people continued to rebel. God allowed an angel to unlock the bottomless pit; swarms of demon locust were loosed upon all unbelievers. Their stings tormented and tortured for five months with no relief. Those stung wanted to die but could not. Still very few repented. So God released two million Demon Horsemen, they killed one third of the surviving humanity. The last Trumpet Judgment ushered in the bowl Judgments and that is the time we are in now.

I rebelled and mocked those who told me this was God’s judgment on a sinful world. I believed everything the ‘Antichrist’ told the world. I believed he was a man of peace, here to save the world. He was a master manipulator, he spoke of peace as he collected power. He acted pious, telling people to love thy neighbor as he crushed and destroyed those he viewed as enemies.  He controls everything; the media, the politicians, our finances, and our healthcare, everything…He started encouraging and reveling in sexual promiscuity and sins, and promoting occult practices. He encouraged euthanasia of the elderly, the disabled and unborn babies…

Still, It was only when he pronounced himself King of the world and told us we all had to take his mark did I started questioning him. He actually televised the beheadings of those who refused the mark. I became physically ill watching the cheering crowds as people were beheaded. What had we become?

I went into hiding at that time, despair consumed me. Every sound sent terror skittering through my body. I was hungry, thirsty and tired. I scavenged through people’s garbage at night just to feed myself. I didn’t want to live anymore, but I didn’t want to be beheaded either. Then I met one of the sealed witnesses of God. He let me know what was happening and that God loved me. He brought me to Jesus, then he brought me to where other believers were; they had food, water and shelter provided by God. 

We had a short reprieve where I learned more of God. Then came the Bowl Judgements; the first one was boils, it caused malignant sores to erupt on everyone who took the mark of the beast. The next Bowl was poured into the seas, turning the waters into blood, killing every creature that had survived the second Trumpet Judgement. The stench and diseases from it were unimaginable. Next God poured the third Bowl Judgement unto the rivers and streams, they to were turned to blood, so the people of earth had no more fresh water to drink. But God provided fresh water for those of us who believe.

We were in a town when the next judgement hit, we had been hiding in a vacant building, it had been partially destroyed in the massive earthquake. God poured a bowl out upon the sun. The heat is unbearable, even for believers. We saw some people burst into flame and others burn and blister rapidly with their flesh charring. Fires sprung up all over the town, burning homes, businesses and vehicles. Believers don’t burn, but we do suffer from the heat, so we stayed indoors during the day. That first night we fled the city for this cave, God has provided us with a cool place to stay, fresh water pours into a pool at the back of the cave, and we have been provided food, enough to last till Christ comes.

I’ve seen Angels proclaiming the word of God to the masses of the Earth. New believers join us each night, brought by the witnesses or an Angel. I stand here in the entrance of the cave, sweat rolling down my face. I could go back into the coolness, but I mourn for those suffering and separated from God. I was one of them until recently. I see what our rebellion to God has wrought, He created the world and everything in it, yet we blasphemed, cursed and thought we were above him. He sent his son to save us but we scourged and murdered him, still he tried to gather us in his loving arms. We pushed him too far; he couldn’t tolerate the evil that invaded and took over his creation. 

Satan proclaims himself God of this world, but he only has a short time left before Christ will come and throw him, the false prophet and the shell that was the antichrist into the pit. 

I realize how blessed I am, that God in his mercy continually gave me chances to repent and accept Christ as my savior. I don’t deserve it, none of us do.

 I am wiping the sweat from my face when total darkness covers the land; there is no moon, no stars, no light of any kind. I can hear people below moaning and crying out in agony because of their continued defiance. The air is now cool but the blackness has replaced it. The darkness isn't just an absence of light, it's devoid of hope. It's the personification of despair. The pain it causes is mental and physical. God has poured out the fifth Bowl Judgment.

I go back into the cave and pray for the people of the world. I pray that they wake up and turn to God before it is to late.