We study eschatology with much interest because we want to know what's coming and we want to understand what's happening in the world around us. The remnant of Believers who believe correctly that the Rapture will occur at some point before the antichrist is revealed, the antichrist is revealed when he makes a 7 year covenant with Israel which marks the beginning of the 7 year period known as Tribulation, and Jesus Christ returns at the end of Tribulation after Israel nationally repents; those Believers are in a position to understand the insane things that are happening in the world today. They're able to watch the machinations of the world being pushed into a global govmint system. Will this one world govmint exist prior to the Rapture?
The Bible tells us that the Rapture occurs at some point before the beginning of Tribulation. There are several Scripture passages that are relevant to the timing of the Rapture, but I'll quote just Rev 3:10 here: "Because you did keep the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." That hour, of course, is the Tribulation period.
So, what may the Church see before it is raptured? Clearly, the Church may experience everything that occurs prior to the beginning of Tribulation. The answer to that question is found in Daniel 7:23-27, where the timeline of a few things are laid out for us.
It appears that the order of things to come is a one world govmint will be officially established, followed by 10 kingdoms or Regions w/ govmints. After the OWG is established and the 10 regions identified, another king will rise up (the antichrist) after the 10. This one, the antichrist will subdue 3 of the 10 kings in order to firm up dominion over the entire world.
So:
1st: OWG
2nd: Heads (kings) over 10 regions
3rd: antichrist becomes head of the OWG
4th: war to consolidate power over the 10 regions (3 kings subdued)
Daniel 7:23-27
23 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’
Now I'm looking in Footsteps of the Messiah because I want to see what Arnold has to say about these verses.
(v. 23) On page 35 he indicates that the fourth kingdom devours (or rules) over the whole earth, something that no previous kingdom has ever achieved. For those previous 3 kingdoms, much of the earth wasn't even known.
(v. 23-24) On page 125-127 He calls the development of the OWG the 5th birth pang leading up to Tribulation. Right now the world is divided up into the western and eastern powers. Arnold expects the eastern powers to collapse, facilitating the move to the OWG. The exact form of government or how it is achieved, isn't known, but it is for sure that it will come to pass. He says the 6th birth pang is the division of the OWG into 10 kingdoms with a ruler for each one. Beginning before Tribulation, the 10 kingdom stage will continue into the middle of Tribulation. Following the division of the world into 10 kingdoms, the antichrist will begin his rise to power. 2 Thes 2:1-3 indicates the antichrist will be revealed at some point after the 10 kingdoms are established. Arnold calls this the 7th birth pang before Tribulation. Because Tribulation begins with the signing of the seven-year covenant between Israel and the antichrist, it is necessary for the antichrist to have sufficient political power to sign such a covenant.
(v. 24) On page 244-245 Arnold seems to indicate that the antichrist's gaining political control over the world could take some time. Rev 17:12-13 is useful to estimate the chronology of when the 3 kings will be put down, and it doesn't appear to be towards the beginning of Tribulation or before Tribulation begins. Arnold says that the antichrist eventually subdues the entire world politically with the exception of Jordan.
It is possible then that the Church could see the formation of the OWG in whatever form it ultimately takes, and the division of the world into 10 kingdoms before we are raptured, but the rapture is imminent and can happen anytime between now and prior to the official beginning of Tribulation.
Given that we only know that the Rapture occurs before Tribulation begins, and we don’t know how long of a gap in time there will be between the Rapture and the beginning of Tribulation, we can’t know for sure how much the Church will see with regards to the development of the One World Govmint.
Additionally, we don’t know for how long the One World Govmint will exist prior to the world being divided up into 10 regions ostensibly ruled by 10 kings. So, there is at least the possibilty that the Church could be here under a One World Govmint for quite some time... or no time at all.
What we do know and can understand from current events in the world is that there are many peoples and organizations making a great effort to establish a sovereign global govmint, and that their efforts will likely lead to the end times One World Govmint.
Additionally, we see the world mocking the natural laws that our Creator gave us. We see the world increasingly at war with their Creator. We see the Church increasingly villified along with the Word of God. It seems very much that we are nearing the end of this era.
How much the Church sees and how much the Church is persecuted globally before it is Raptured is unknown, but we know that it is possible that the Church will be here to witness the formation of a sovereign One World Govmint along with its division into 10 Kingdoms.
Should we, the Body of Christ, worry about what we might face? No. Firstly, God did not give us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7), and secondly, if/when we find our individual selves actively persecuted, know this: “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” (Luke 12:11-12) The Holy Spirit will both comfort you and provide you with any needed words. Maranatha!
The Bible tells us that the Rapture occurs at some point before the beginning of Tribulation. There are several Scripture passages that are relevant to the timing of the Rapture, but I'll quote just Rev 3:10 here: "Because you did keep the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." That hour, of course, is the Tribulation period.
So, what may the Church see before it is raptured? Clearly, the Church may experience everything that occurs prior to the beginning of Tribulation. The answer to that question is found in Daniel 7:23-27, where the timeline of a few things are laid out for us.
It appears that the order of things to come is a one world govmint will be officially established, followed by 10 kingdoms or Regions w/ govmints. After the OWG is established and the 10 regions identified, another king will rise up (the antichrist) after the 10. This one, the antichrist will subdue 3 of the 10 kings in order to firm up dominion over the entire world.
So:
1st: OWG
2nd: Heads (kings) over 10 regions
3rd: antichrist becomes head of the OWG
4th: war to consolidate power over the 10 regions (3 kings subdued)
Daniel 7:23-27
23 “Thus he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 25 He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. 26 But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. 27 Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’
Now I'm looking in Footsteps of the Messiah because I want to see what Arnold has to say about these verses.
(v. 23) On page 35 he indicates that the fourth kingdom devours (or rules) over the whole earth, something that no previous kingdom has ever achieved. For those previous 3 kingdoms, much of the earth wasn't even known.
(v. 23-24) On page 125-127 He calls the development of the OWG the 5th birth pang leading up to Tribulation. Right now the world is divided up into the western and eastern powers. Arnold expects the eastern powers to collapse, facilitating the move to the OWG. The exact form of government or how it is achieved, isn't known, but it is for sure that it will come to pass. He says the 6th birth pang is the division of the OWG into 10 kingdoms with a ruler for each one. Beginning before Tribulation, the 10 kingdom stage will continue into the middle of Tribulation. Following the division of the world into 10 kingdoms, the antichrist will begin his rise to power. 2 Thes 2:1-3 indicates the antichrist will be revealed at some point after the 10 kingdoms are established. Arnold calls this the 7th birth pang before Tribulation. Because Tribulation begins with the signing of the seven-year covenant between Israel and the antichrist, it is necessary for the antichrist to have sufficient political power to sign such a covenant.
(v. 24) On page 244-245 Arnold seems to indicate that the antichrist's gaining political control over the world could take some time. Rev 17:12-13 is useful to estimate the chronology of when the 3 kings will be put down, and it doesn't appear to be towards the beginning of Tribulation or before Tribulation begins. Arnold says that the antichrist eventually subdues the entire world politically with the exception of Jordan.
It is possible then that the Church could see the formation of the OWG in whatever form it ultimately takes, and the division of the world into 10 kingdoms before we are raptured, but the rapture is imminent and can happen anytime between now and prior to the official beginning of Tribulation.
Given that we only know that the Rapture occurs before Tribulation begins, and we don’t know how long of a gap in time there will be between the Rapture and the beginning of Tribulation, we can’t know for sure how much the Church will see with regards to the development of the One World Govmint.
Additionally, we don’t know for how long the One World Govmint will exist prior to the world being divided up into 10 regions ostensibly ruled by 10 kings. So, there is at least the possibilty that the Church could be here under a One World Govmint for quite some time... or no time at all.
What we do know and can understand from current events in the world is that there are many peoples and organizations making a great effort to establish a sovereign global govmint, and that their efforts will likely lead to the end times One World Govmint.
Additionally, we see the world mocking the natural laws that our Creator gave us. We see the world increasingly at war with their Creator. We see the Church increasingly villified along with the Word of God. It seems very much that we are nearing the end of this era.
How much the Church sees and how much the Church is persecuted globally before it is Raptured is unknown, but we know that it is possible that the Church will be here to witness the formation of a sovereign One World Govmint along with its division into 10 Kingdoms.
Should we, the Body of Christ, worry about what we might face? No. Firstly, God did not give us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7), and secondly, if/when we find our individual selves actively persecuted, know this: “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” (Luke 12:11-12) The Holy Spirit will both comfort you and provide you with any needed words. Maranatha!
