I wish I could
have left 2004 on a high note with the
commentaries, but the Lord would not have that be
the case... The
current death toll from the earthquake and
tsunami in India stands at 44,000 and continues
to rise. This tragic event has been described by
many news networks as a 'disaster of biblical
proportion.' That many people losing their
lives in a single act of cataclysmic upheaval
boggles the mind of most who hear it. But let me
say, my mind is not boggled, and according to the
Bible, you ain't seen nothin' yet. During the
coming Tribulation, 44,000 will not even be a
drop in the bucket of the number of people who
will be killed...
Currently, there
are approximately six billion people alive on
planet earth. Before the Tribulation, Jesus will
remove many to the safety of the Father's House
in the Rapture of the Church:
"In
my Father's house are many mansions: if it were
not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place
for you, I will come again, and receive you unto
myself; that where I am, there ye may be
also." ( John 14:2-3 KJV )
I don't know the
actual number of people who are really born-again
believers, none of us do. That's known only to
God. But for the sake of this commentary and to
keep the numbers round, let's say that it's ten
percent of the earth's population, or 600 million
people that Jesus takes with Him in the Rapture.
That will leave approximately 5.4 billion people
on the planet when the Tribulation begins.
Now the death toll
really begins to take on numbers that the human
mind cannot comprehend. In Heaven, the Lord Jesus
opens the fourth seal of the scroll, bringing
about the destruction of one-fourth of the
earth's population:
"And
when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the
voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. And
I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name
that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with
him. And power was given unto them over the
fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and
with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts
of the earth." ( Revelation 6:7-8 KJV )
Given the round
numbers we're working with, this could be over
1.35 billion people killed leaving 4.05 billion
people on the planet. Unimaginable to say the
least, but it's not over. The Tribulation
continues on through the Trumpet Judgements, and
with it, death:
"And
the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from
the four horns of the golden altar which is
before God...By these three was the third part of
men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by
the brimstone, which issued out of their
mouths." ( Revelation 9:13 & 18 KJV )
The sixth trumpet
judgement is blown, and one-third of the
remaining population is killed, or another 1.35
billion people, leaving only 2.69 billion people
on the planet. Attempting to put this into
perspective, half of the entire earth's
population that was left after the Rapture has
been killed. And all this has taken place within
the Tribulation's time span of seven years.
Just try to wrap
your mind around those numbers. Can't do it can
you. You thought 44,000 was a lot. But what's
even more sad is that many of those who died in
India and will die during Tribulation have and
will enter eternity not knowing Jesus Christ as
their Lord and Savior. Time as we know it is
growing so short. Events such as this earthquake
and tsunami are but another sign that the return
of Lord Jesus is near:
"And
great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and
famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and
great signs shall there be from heaven...And when
these things begin to come to pass, then look up,
and lift up your heads; for your redemption
draweth nigh." ( Luke 21:11 & 28 KJV )
Jesus could come
for His Church at any moment, and just as quickly
as 44,000 lives were snuffed out, three billion
more will soon follow. Please visit our Salvation page if you're ready to
receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Keith
12-28-2004
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