There are those who teach, there will be a rapture of the church. There are those who teach; "There is no coming Antichrist scripturally. Antichrist is the bogus invention of a Jesuit priest in 1591." There are those who teach the tribulation is only going to be 5 months, and not 7 years. There are those who teach, the tribulation is something that has already happened, that all of Revelation applied to the time in which it was written.
We all must use sound discernment. We must question all teachings, and compare them to scripture.
We must also ask ourselves; which if any of these teachings aid us in preparing for the worst case scenario. Which of these teachings, will best prepare the bride for the time of Christs return? Or, do these teachings place us in a spirit of slumber?
I am certain that Satan wants us to believe, neither he nor the antichrist are real. I sometimes wonder how many people, who expect the rapture to come before the antichrist, will be deceived into following the antichrist. (Paul said in 2 Thess. that antichrist comes first.)
( Caution here: )
I wonder if those who believe the tribulation will last only 5 months, will have enough oil for their lamps. (5 months is hardly enough time to cause all people great and small to receive the mark of the beast.) Because it is only now, in this generation, that technology has reached the point that such a mark or number as mentioned in Revelation, could possibly be employed, I must question how anyone could believe the great tribulation is a thing of the past. The return of Christ will definitely come upon those, who accept these teachings, as a thief in the night.
The oil you get before this happens, so we have all the time now to learn God's word. Don't sell Satan short .he is just a play actor, but the reality is as far as scripture teaches: he is supernatural ; if people will fall over themselves to see and ear a rock ; or movie star, what do you think they will do with a supernatural cherub created by God, and himself claiming to be one.
There is a lot of confusion about this mark. Form following the events that is going to take place , its all about deception ; Christians that have the truth God says they have His seal, in , their foreheads. If your deceived it should be looked at as having the mark of the beast: in their foreheads. its the counter to God's truth.
The mark in the hand: should be looked at in this way: if a person has the mark in their forehead, they would be the ones to use their hands to work for the false christ. because they work for him, not knowing who he really is.
They buy and sell : naturally those that know the truth of the matter wount want to buy or sell in Satan's system, because they know the truth.
This dieing I look at as a warning. That we have to look at this that seriously , why? because the soul is on the line. Not the body.
Matthew 10:28
King James Version (KJV)
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. ( God is the only one that can do this )
But God warned already this is a deception of the mind, and that souls would be on the line not the body. He also said, that Satan is allowed to kill no one ( but he does the two witnesses )
Look at these verse that give a strong teaching that there would be no killing of the body at that time :
Revelation 9:4
King James Version (KJV)
4
And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
Only the men without, the seal of God, in their forehead. That is were The Truth gos... Naturally any man that did not have that , during Antichrist time would be hurt, meaning, they would be deceived: What greater hurt can you do to a Christian, or anyone, then to loose Christ as your savior; only to be literally worshiping Satan ? That is a hurt, that is worse then death; seeing also, it would be a short time after , that event, that the True Christ would return, and then having to face him after you worshiped Satan. What death is worse then that ?
Revelation 7:3
King James Version (KJV)
3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
again you see this not hurting thing here .
If that is too vague for you, what about this :
Revelation 9:
5
And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
The striking in my opinion is these lies, and supernatural miracles that Satan will perform. It is a strike that will hit the soul of the deceived .
6 And
in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
Why would a man want to die, but cant ? I know why. because at this point, The true Christ would have returned, and the shame of having worshiped Satan will no doubt be very great: what will they tell Christ ? They will want to die, but they won't be able . For a good reason also : Paul said there will be a change in bodies at Christ return, and those bodies don't die -( 1 Cor 15:51-53 )
1 Corinthians 15:51-58
King James Version (KJV)
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep( die ), but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trump:(True Christ return ) for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Everyone will step into that incorruptible body, but to put on the immortal soul, you need to have Christ, and not the fake.
This shows a litter here of Satan's arrival at the 6th trump , and then after that, Christ arrival at the 7th trump ( or last ; as Paul put it )
Revelation 6
12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal ( Satan's arrival ) , and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair ( blackened because of all his great lies and great wonders he will perform deceiving all the world ) , and the moon became as blood;
13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely ( untimely because its Satan and his fallen angels, Not the true Christ ) figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.
It's the close of the age , and the beginning of the last age. The eternity .or at least first the Lord's Day.
15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man,
hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
Why ? because everyone, on the whole earth, was worshiping Satan just before Christ return.( ignorantly maybe, but Christ is expecting a virgin bride, Christ will not be happy about it. He don't want them )
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
Who will be able to stand. ? Those that listen to God's word and are not deceived. You can be a Christian and love Christ, but don't think Christ is going to be happy even with a Christian that worships Satan.
( You can use the above verses to guide you through understand Revelation. )