Subject: Mark of Beast verses Rapture
You ask a good question. Thank you for asking the question.
You Ask:
xxxx zzzzzzz
See http://www.barr-family.com/godsword/prophecytimeline.htm for the time Line of the fulfillment of Raymond Aguilera's Prophecies from God for reference. Use the Back or return button to return from Raymond's site.
First: As I stated at the beginning of the time line, this is the order that my Lord God has given me, and the way that I posted it. If you think that I didn't do a double take on this very question when I put it down you would be very wrong.
I will not change the time line because this is the way My Lord gave it to me, and so is not for me to change. I then have to follow the logic that if this time line is correct then my understanding of the order of events was in error. The question becomes,
Just where does the 7 year tribulation period start??
I was taught, as you have been, and as so many others have been, that the mark of the beast will be enforced during the tribulation period. After doing the time line, I went back to the Book of Revelation to see what it Really says about the mark of the beast. But remember, it is the Christians who are warned not to take the mark of the beast, so the mark of the beast must be implemented before the rapture.
As you know from reading the Book of Revelation, that the scripture jumps back and forth all over the place and time. It is extremely easy to assign one happening to a time to which it does not belong. Many places and events spoken about in the Book of revelation are happening at the same time, and what is given to us is not in chronological order. Much is Parenthetical, much jumps back and forth through time. Some things will happen so close together that it is almost impossible for man to place in a correct order. In effect, the Book of Revelation is the toughest piece of Scriptural Meat that anyone can ever sink their teeth into. Out of a thousand theologians, there will be a thousand different views of the order of happenings. And it is for this reason that I will place my understanding to follow what God has revealed to me, rather than on my own understanding.
Now having said the above, let us look at the Book of Revelation.
The Tribulation starts in chapter 6, (or does it?? -- more below), skips chapter 7, continues in chapter 8-9, skips chapter 10, and the first half of chapter 11, then continues with the verse 13 of chapter 11, skips chapters 12-14, continues in chapter 15, through verse 12 of chapter 16, then comes Armageddon in chapter 19.
So where does the mark of the beast fit in?? The Beast/antichrist will not be revealed until after the rapture (2 Thess 2:7-8) which is when the Holy Spirit is removed from the earth. (This is not to say that the antichrist is not here and active now, but only that he will not be revealed to the world until after the rapture.) We go with the Holy Spirit, for the word tells us that the Holy Spirit will never leave us. (Jn. 14:16; Heb. 13:5), and the revealing of the antichrist will come sometime after a war, for the antichrist makes world Peace (a covenant) and a seven year contract (a covenant) with Israel which he will then break half way through it. (Dan. 9:27)
Let us start with comparing the prophecy time line to the Book of Revelation.
Prophecies 207, 74, 512, and 90, shows that the beast (antichrist) will come to power when the world money systems collapse. This is peaceful control, which matches the opening of the seals. Chapter 6, verse 2, 1st seal, the beast is given authority and sent out to conquer with a bow but no arrows, showing a peaceful conquer. i.e. controls the oil and money systems of the world, bringing all under subjection, but while controlling, has not yet had his identify revealed to the public.
Prophecies 230, 948, shows that war now starts. Compare to Chapter 6, verse 4, 2nd seal, where peace is taken from the earth -- War!
Prophecies 42, 1189, 304, 337, 1028, 1048, 1234, and 900, shows that there will be famine on the earth, which is normal during and after wars. compare to Chapter 6, verse 5-6, 3rd seal, famine upon the earth.
Prophecy 204, most adults have died leaving many homeless children. Compare to Chapter 6, verse 8, 4th seal, to kill with sword, hunger, beast, (pestilence, which is normal under these circumstances).
Prophecies 90, 69, 578, 995, 102, 1289, 923, 1234, 962, 92, 368, 337, 591, shows there will be a police force controlled by the beast/antichrist who will kill Christians. Compare to Chapter 6, verse 9-11, 5th seal, the martyrs are not complete yet, showing that there are still Christians on the Earth which will yet be killed for Jesus. (refusing the mark, refusing to worship the image of the beast) This also goes with prophecy 204 above.
Prophecies 883, 198, 158, 711, 777, 776, 720, 790, 778, 935, 825, 264, Which tells of an earthquake so big that it will frighten the entire world, the prophecies say this will be the blowing up of the entire mountain of Shasta, in California, U.S.A. Compare to Chapter 6, verse 12, 6th seal, a great earthquake which frightens everyone on the world.
Prophecies 110, 71, 928, 44, 45, 49 says that the rapture will now take place. The exact time between the events above and the events below are not given, which agrees with the bible which says that only God the Father knows the time. So we only have the signs to see and to know that the time is at hand. If you wait for that mountain to blow up before repenting, you may not live to repent. You had better be ready at all times, for The Lord may call you to judgement long before these signs happen.
Prophecies 52, 58, 61, 471, 220, 117, 133, 651, 220, 31, 33, 96, 341, 104, 523 tells us of Meteors striking the earth causing
the earth to tilt on its axis causing damage to the earth beyond imagination. Compare to Chapter 6, verse 13-14, also 6th seal, where the stars of heaven fall to the earth, with mountains and islands moving out of their places and the stars of heaven moving
to new positions in our view of the heavens. Compare also to Job 9:6; Isa 13:13; Isa 24:20.
To me, the rapture fits in perfectly at the point assigned to it by God in the time line. I see the tribulation period starting with the trumpet judgments and not with the seals as so many teach. Chapter 9, verse 20- 21, shows us that no one repents during the Trumpet judgments so there is no salvation.
The prophecies of Daniel's 70 weeks of years shows us that the Jews have 7 more years to live under Jewish Mosaic law. That
means that there will be no Christians on the earth during that 7 years, and only the Jews can reach salvation during that time. Therefore, the rapture, or the great catching away of the saints, must happen Before that seven years can start.
As for the Mark of the Beast, this mark will not be implemented by the Beast/antichrist, but rather will be implemented by the second beast/false prophet. We have seen that there are many parts of the Book of Revelation which are not in chronological order. The prophecies tell us that the image of the beast will not be a picture or statue of the antichrist, but will be something else. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the mark of the beast and the image of the beast will be implemented before the antichrist is revealed, or before the tribulation. Most likely it will be implemented during the world war that will come first, for this will be a time when the Christians will be hunted down.
I would say to you -- Read God's word and go directly to God and ask Him for the truth. For any man, including myself, can lead you wrong. But it does not matter if we will be raptured off of the earth before, in the middle, or at the end, of the tribulation period, as long as you are ready to go when, and if, called by Jesus to meet Him in the air. Remember the 10 Virgins parable.
May God Lead you into all Truth of His Word.
Rev. Jack Barr
Hi XXXXXX,
Thank you for writing. I appreciate your letter.
You Wrote concerning my statement of when the Revealing of the antichrist will take place.
I have to disagree with your interpretation of 2 Thes 2:7-8. You state: 'The Beast/antichrist will not be revealed until after the rapture (2 Thess 2:7-8) which is when the Holy Spirit is removed from the earth.'. But this does not line up with 2 Thes 2:3 which clearly states that 'that day', 'the Rapture', or 'our gathering together unto him' will not happen until first the 'man of sin' or Antichrist' is revealed. In fact Paul sternly warns us to 'Let no man deceive you' concerning this matter. I agree that the Holy Spirit 'will never leave or forsake us' because he is the 'ernest' of our inheritance. Therefore reasoning from the scripture and agreeing that verses 3, 6, and 8 speak of the same revelation of the 'Antichrist'=='man of sin'=='the son of perdition'=='that Wicked', verse 7 can not be speaking of removing the Holy Spirit since we are still present on the earth after the revelation of the 'Antichrist'. In fact we are here until the 'last trump'.
2 Thessalonians 2:3
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not
come, except there come a falling away first,
and that man of sin be revealed, the son of
perdition;
KJV
2 Thessalonians 2:6-8
6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he
might be revealed in his time.
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now
letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall
destroy with the brightness of his coming:
KJV
I went back into 2 Thessalonians chapter 2:1-5 to examine what you are saying, placing the verses back into context, and this is what I found. Looking at who is speaking, what are they speaking about, when will this happen, where will this happen, how will it happen, and why.
Paul is writing to counter a fake letter, supposedly from him, which led them to believe that they were already in the Great Tribulation. They were being deceived into thinking the "Day of the Lord" was happening right then, and that the "gathering" had already happened. The term "the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ" and "our gathering together unto him", in these verses, is referencing to the thoughts of "do not be upset or troubled about either the "day of Christ" or the "gathering" of themselves to Christ, for there is nothing to worry about, for neither one had happened nor was happening right then, but would happen sometime in the future.
Jesus will not return TO the earth until the end of the tribulation period. Paul is telling them that this will be After the man of sin is revealed and after he has set himself up as God in the Jewish Temple at Jerusalem, which will be rebuilt. The return TO the earth will be the day of the Lord, the day of Christ. (in the rapture, Jesus will come in the clouds, but will not come down to the earth. The coming of Christ in the clouds is Not the Day of The Lord, nor is it the coming of the Lord.)
Paul then goes on to explain to them in 2 Thess. 2:6-8 that the man of sin, the antichrist, will not be revealed Until the Holy Spirit, who is holding back this evil, is taken off of the earth.
There is no conflict between verse 1-5 and verse 6-8, the first is speaking of the time of the return of Jesus to set up His Kingdom which was not happening at that time, the second is speaking of when the antichrist will be revealed, which must be before Jesus returns to set up His Kingdom..
There can not be Jewish Mosaic Law and Christian Salvation by Faith at the same time. There has never been an overlap of dispensations, it has always been one way or another, but never both at the same time. Now the prophecy of the word tells us that the entire world will go back under Jewish Mosaic Law for seven years. During that time the only way to God will be through the Mosaic Law. Therefore, there can be no such thing as a Christian during those 7 years. And by prophecy, Jesus will return at the end of those seven years to set up His Kingdom. But that is another study.
And you are right that Jesus will return at the "Last Trump" for His Bride, the time of the Rapture, for the Bible tells us so. Now if you can just figure out exactly when the "Last Trump" will happen, then you will know the day and hour that Jesus will be coming for His Bride.
And again, I thank you for your letter. I always welcome letters such as yours. While I may not agree with them, I do welcome them for it shows that you care enough to search and quote scripture to back up your views and beliefs. And they do take me back into the Word to examine my teachings to see if I may be in error.
May God lead you into All His Truth
With the Blessings and Love of Jesus
Jack